Lighting my Torch

Grainiacs!  I entered the Olympics.  It is my own personal sport and race.  I entered this game at the start of the Olympics.  The record I'm going for is breaking the diet coke habit.  Already I'm on Day 9 of no DC.  It's a tough sport.  Monday through Wednesday of last week was not as much of a challenge as I thought it'd be.  BUT on Thirsty Thursday (a promotion on half price fountain drinks my most convenient convenience store offers), oh, I felt the weight of this competition.  I recall the story former President Bush told about a race during the Special Olympics.  You probably remember it too.  A race ensued and all the contestants were running.  One fell and the leader of the race turned around to see a friend in need.  That leader turned around to go back to pick up the fallen racer and the whole group ran back and they ALL raced across the finish line together.  How can you not realize the importance of friendship and teamwork with stories like that?!

I was weak that Thirsty Thursday and I called a friend.  Mona whined "I want" and my friend talked me through my moment when I was about to give up.  Yes, I could have a diet coke on Thursday but then that might become a "thirsty" Monday or Saturday and then I'd be right back where I started.  I got through that withdrawal moment with the help of my special friend.  Do not underestimate the power of friends when you are feeling low or ready to give up.

The hardest part of my race is done.  I've broken through that first week.  Now with the help of my friends, I am going for the gold.

Olympics

I watched the gymnastics last night and it all took me back to my childhood.  I loved watching the nimble over-stretching girls twirl and jump and hoop on the balance beam/ parallel bars/ and floor.  I found myself holding my breath and saying a silent prayer for them.  Even as a child I knew I did NOT want to be there.  I was satisfied watching and thinking "good for them."  I wonder is it the girls that have the drive or the parents or a little of one and a lot of the other?

I hope you have a wonderful Monday and GO, Team USA!!!!

A Day in Pictures

As you know, Hubby and Boys are out of town.  I had so many goals and projects and I have to say I have done "zero" of any of them.  I have truly been a slug.  I've been hot and lazy and tired and sluggish.  Lest you recommend I seek medical attention, I have chosen to be this way.  I do have energy.  I wake up and get to work and work a seven hour day and come home and blaaaaah.  I don't want to think about cleaning or washing although I've keep the sink clean and the kitchen and bathroom still remain uncluttered and somewhat organized.  The things I've already worked on have remained.

Today is Saturday and I went grocery shopping for pancake mix and sausage patties.  That is my ministry once a month...call it my tithe.  With the help of my small church youth group (and two of them are with Hubby), we mix and flip and serve a pancake breakfast to our low-income housing neighbors and of course any church member.  So far, we have many church members and not so many neighbors but I'm of the opinion of "build it and they will come."  I know there are a cloud of witnesses dining with us so I keep up "the good race."  Sorry, I've had so much OT this past semester that I NEED New Testament now.  LOL  I know you know what I'm talking about.  OT seems so vengeful if you just read it literally.  Who wants to worship such a God?  The NT is love and love and love and let's be honest, who doesn't want love?  So bear with me as I quote from Hebrews every once in a while!

Back to my day. As I mentioned I went "grocery" shopping and yes, I did pick up mix and sausage AND....

New tennis shoes.  I bought men's tennies this time thinking they will last longer....plus I just liked the color!  Now I will purge the old ones.  Yes, I could keep them for dirty work but I don't really like "dirty" work and it is so dry here, I don't need to worry about getting muddy.  When that time comes, these new shoes will be old and THEN I'll have old tennies for dirty work.

I also like that they're called "Starter Pro"

If I'm going to be a pro, I need a "joint juice" too.  (This is the problem with watching late night TV.)  Pro Joe Montana-- so good looking still!- and joint juice; well, as you can see, I just had to pick up some glucosamine*chondroitin.  But before I hail the benefits of this product, I might also mention my joints have been feeling loads better since I kicked my diet coke habit.  I noticed yesterday or the day before that the joints in my fingers were feeling better.

So here's the pitch.....it tastes wonderful!!!!  Way better than swallowing those horse pills.  The end.

And for the finale...... drum roll please......here is my prize purchase.....

A beautiful satchel for work or a book bag for seminary.....

 Isn't it pretty?  I like pretty things and this thing is not too large and not too small.  It is Just Right.  And the design is all flowers and hearts.  Too cute.

And the best part is the pockets and flaps and all the room in the world inside.

It looks so chic and the price was right.  Guess where I found it?  At Wal-Mart on the baby diaper aisle.  Yes, it is a diaper bag but who'd know???  Except all of you and you wouldn't  snitch on me, right?

Little Bunny Foo Foo

The natives are restless.  I think they think the boys are gone for good.  At first it was like a great big hairy slumber party (I have since shaved my legs!) but now they are pacing and meowing and literally getting on my nerves.  Kitzilla is pacing and stopping and staring at me.  I have no idea what she wants.  I fed her.  I clean out the kitzilla box.  This morning she tried to eat out of my empty bowl.  I was preparing my breakfast and she was right there nosing around.  Good thing I was pouring cereal and milk and not chopping veggies for an omelet.  I had to keep moving my bowl and box of cereal and milk just so I could unify the three things...not an easy task with a cat on your tail.

The outside natives are restless too (we are in a drought and water ration).  The other day I saw a jack rabbit in my backyard foraging for food.  The rabbit was ever so still by a tree and Brooks was sitting on the patio staring at the door.  Can you say "watch dog?"  Not!  I was so excited to see that rabbit that I let the dog in as I was heading out the door with a carrot.  I thought I'd found his (or her) little hidey hole and I stuck the carrot at the front door as if to say "welcome, neighbor."  That was the last time I saw that rabbit......until yesterday.  I was washing dishes and hop hop hop across the patio hops a long eared cotton ball tailed jack rabbit.  I was so excited!  I waited till the rabbit was out of sight and grabbed two carrots and hopped out the back door and dropped them on the patio.  I'm nothing if not hospitable.  Then I crept back inside and turned off all the lights and waited for JR to accept my gift.  Jack rabbits must be suspicious creatures because that dang rabbit hopped right past my carrots and continued foraging through the dead grass eating God knows what!  This morning is water day (if one lives in an even numbered house, one gets to water on an even numbered day--that's easy to remember-- when I can remember my house number!).  I passed by the two now shriveled up carrots and the ants are making a home in them.  Hey, who wouldn't want to live in an edible house?  So JR, that's it for you.  You can continue searching around for food.  Fool me once, shame on you; don't eat my carrots twice-- stupid rabbit.

Happy Even Day today.  Time for me to go move the hose and disturb the birds.  Sorry birdies.

Pools and Birthdays!

I can see how my day will be and it's not looking very productive!  I set my alarm for 5:30 a.m.  I got out of bed at 6.  It is now 7 a.m. and I haven't done a thing except to let the dogs out (sing with me) and feed the cats.  That's it...well except I've been scanning online news feeds, reading the Bible, and looking at status updates on facebook.  How very unproductive of me!  I'm even still in my PJs.  This heat is really zapping the energy out of me.  My graini-friend, Banana, wrote about swimming on her vacation.  I love pools.  I love their look....blue; I love the sound when water beats up against the side.  I love looking at the lights twinkling on the water against the black of night.  I just love pools.  We've never owned a house with a pool-- and my blow up pools don't count! Pools take a lot of upkeep work and they are expensive.  I once talked to a friend who said if you can't afford to have the pool maintained each week, you can't afford a pool.  I guess she saw the inside of my house and just multiplied my cleaning skills and thus offered her advice.  I have taken that advice to heart....but I would still love to have the convenience of a pool in my backyard versus driving to a public pool and sharing it with boatloads of people.  I'm selfish that way.  I did take water aerobic lessons for a while, but the solution in that pool made me itch.  I was scratching my legs in my sleep and waking up to a scratchy mess on the sheets not to mention raw legs!  I finally had to quit.  Studies show the best exercise is water aerobics.  It is easy on the joints and mine are really squeaking right now.  I bought those horse pills to help coat my joints.  Last night I saw Joe Montana recommending a solution to drink instead of downing the horse pills.  I might look into that.  Speaking of joints, Hubby and the boys went out to eat with Graini-Mom last night.  It's her birthday!  Let's all wish her a Happy Birthday!   Mom, have a great day and I love you.

Renewal

Do you ever get bored with your life (I'm not talking to the Grainiac who just got back from a cruise!  I want your life!!!!)?  Yesterday was my first day alone at home.  I had all sorts of plans...most involved organization and cleaning. Uggggh.  I did get some of my planned activity done.  I put the TV tray away and then I lounged.  I even fell asleep in the middle of my solitaire game.  I blame this recent desire of inactivity on my last very busy school semester.  I just don't seem to have physical or mental energy.  I'm a slug.  My body is exhausted and has gone dormant.  Life cycles will do that.  The ground needs a time of renewal...think winter.  I think my time of renewal happens in the heat of the summer.  It IS hot here!  I prefer to sit in my air-conditioned home with a floor fan blowing on me.  I think I've gone through menopause so it can't be that!!!!  Or is this some sort of Mother Nature joke where the hot flashes continue for the rest of your life?  Darn that Eve!

I'm reading a book called "Sabbath."  I was intrigued with the subtitle "Finding rest, renewal, and delight in our busy lives."  The author says Sabbath is more than abstaining from "work" and adding television and errands or house cleaning.  That would be substituting one busy-ness with another.  Sabbath "is the presence of something that arises when we consecrate a period of time to listen to what is most deeply beautiful, nourishing, or true...honoring those quiet forces of grace or spirit that sustain and heal us."**  Isn't that wonderful?  We are programmed to stop and listen and smell the roses.  We become slugs when the body screams to quiet yourself.  We live in a society where one is looked upon as lazy if you aren't going, going, gone.  Take time to renew your bodies, Grainiacs.  Feel free to lounge on the couch and don't feel guilty-- unless you are doing it all day long and eating bon-bons.  Then you might need to pop in an exercise video too!



**Wayne Muller. Sabbath. New York: Bantam Books, 1999.

Major Olympic Dilemma

Mona is whining.  She wants fast food.  Strawberry keeps reminding her of lettuce shoes.  Truth be told I love Hubby's cooking.  I much prefer his tacos to the "authentic" Mexican restaurant's tacos....or any "authentic" Mexican food they serve (it isn't "authentic!").  My boss took me out to lunch; we went to this Mexican restaurant.  I ordered flautas.  What I got was some sort of fried burrito.  Mona wanted cigar-shaped fried yumminess with guacamole and sour cream. Thankfully she didn't throw a temper tantrum in front of the boss!  Hubby makes great grilled chicken or hamburgers or meatloaf.  Yesterday I used up the left-over pot roast meat (no veggies left...just meat).  I shredded it and poured b-b-q sauce all over it and served it up in a hamburger bun.  Yea, me!  That's my cooking.  Pour b-b-q sauce or Alfredo sauce or cheese sauce over something and ta da.

So here's my dilemma... I'm on my own for a week.  Do you know how easy it is to stop off at a fast food joint and pick up breakfast, lunch, or dinner for one?  Cooking with sauces can get old....very fast!  So yep, that's my predicament this week.  Join me as I talk, argue, and fight with myself this week.  Who will be the winner?  Mona, the whining inner child?  Or Strawberry, the not- so- winning at times adult?

Let the games begin!

P.S.  Thank you to all you Grainiacs for the encouraging words.  You are super duper (Mona's words..as in "super duper sized ice cream cone") special.

Eat at Home

I have mixed emotions.  On the one hand I love eating out.  It reminds me of date nights long ago and not so long ago.  But on the other hand I'm grossed out.  I have heard and watched news reports (i.e., Primetime) on the neglect and just plain bad practices at restaurants.  Recently I viewed the photo circulating all over the net.  I'm sure you've seen it.  It makes all of our stomachs churn with disgust and it begs to ask the question why would this idiot think the public would find this funny?  Take a look around, Bub, ALL of us eat out and some of eat at fast food joints.  So to think up these kinds of disgusting things and then top our hamburger off with the lettuce you just stood in and then post them on the net can only prove that this person is truly an idiot but We, the People, may have some insight! 

Oh yeah, we really find this funny, Dude!

Do we really think this type of behavior doesn't go on?  I can't tell you the last time I went into a fast place place and my shoes haven't stuck to the floor!  I'm thinking that the employees would rather stand in lettuce and goof off than wipe down the place and keep it clean.  Just look at the floor in this photo AND what is sad is this isn't an isolated case....it could be anywhere!!!!  I'm totally grossing myself out here, Grainiacs.  I don't want to think this way.

On a happier note, Hubby and I went on a lunch date yesterday.  It is the best time to talk and spend time together.  We have so many distractions at home (and I'm not only talking about kids).  In my Rural, USA we have a chinese food buffet establishment.  We love going there because we can get in, graze around the feed trough, and get out.....fast.  Now before you think this is psychosomatic and I just grossed myself out because of the above photo, Hubby and I didn't talk about the photo or Burger King or shoes in lettuce or anything.  We had a nice lunch and talked and laugh and acted like we didn't have a care in the world.  Unfortunately we didn't feel so jolly that afternoon.  We didn't get sick but we sure didn't feel up to par.  I'm thinking it might be the MSG.  I hear it does a number on people.  So my next goal besides losing weight and cleaning the house and running for President-- just kidding on the Prez goal....no thank you! is to eat at home.  At least I know where my feet have been if I decide to stand in the lettuce and then place it on my hamburger, you know?

I'm late...I'm late

No, I'm not pregnant!   But I'm on the verge of being late for work.....again.  Now where does my morning go?  Today I will leave you with a cartoon (I think Graini-Aunt sent it to me).  She finds the funniest things.  Thank you for the smiles.  I might get in trouble because I don't think either one of us knows who to give credit...so I'll give her credit and then when they ask her, she can say "so and so" gave it to me and we can just keep passing the buck...er, the cartoon...down the line.  Till tomorrow, Grainiacs, keep up the good work and guess what?  TGIF is tomorrow.  We are working for the weekend..unless you are on vacation and then you don't want the weekend close.  Toodles.

uh, duh!!!!

****Sending prayers to a certain southern Grainiac.  I love you.

Channeling my inner Rizzo

"There are worse things I could do".....Well, Grainiacs, I over-rationalized my situation and decided to put off the ban on Diet Coke till Hubby and the boys go out of town.  Why kill them before they leave on a vacation?  In the larger picture, there are worse things I could do.  In speaking with a co-worker, she lost 50 pounds by taking some pill that gave her diarrhea, she snacks on bread sticks throughout the day and is now downing some shake twice a day and "eating a sensible meal at night."  She admitted yesterday that she didn't really eat a sensible meal and she really needs to find a program that she can live with for the rest of her life because she has eating issues.  Yep, me too.  She also admitted that she can go from 150 pounds to 200 pounds in nothing flat and she has lost the same 50 pounds over and over.

Grainiacs, I don't want to be that way.  Yes, I've lost 15 pounds in one year....not an exciting statistic for any weight loss program.  I will never be on the cover of a magazine because of it (and quite frankly I wouldn't want to be...think of poor Kirstie Alley!), but I am taking off weight sensibly and keeping it off.  For that I am proud of myself and I will not let Mona convince me that I'm doing it all wrong....she gets so crabby when she look in the mirror and thinks we could have be down 50 pounds by now!

Baby steps for now.

Need Prayers!

Grainiacs,

I'm going to do the hardest thing I've ever done....yes, I'm going diet coke-less.  You all know me too well and this is going to take willpower.  I do believe this will be harder than quitting smoking--although once I set my mind to it back in 1984 I never put one to my lips again.  Instead I substituted the red, shiny straw of a Sonic Rt. 44 Diet Coke.  I have issues, I know!

So, please keep me in your prayers for these next couple of days.  This is gonna hurt...maybe not me, but those closest to me!  I can be a real "witch with a capital B" when it comes to hormones or lack of chocolate OR lack of Diet Coke!!!

Hey wait a minute.  I just realized Hubby is going out of town next week for almost a whole week.  Should I wait until then to go cold turkey?  I just asked Boy for his thoughts.  He shrugged and I asked again "Should I wait until Daddy goes out of town before I do this so I don't take my withdrawls out on him?"  And Boy said "I'm for it.  I was kind of blind-sided by this and I want my Cokes!"  LOL  First I'll work on me, then I'll work on him!

OMG!!!!

So today is Monday and the good news is the kitchen is still organized and no clutter in sight.  The living/ dining room have remained clear and uncluttered. Who am I? And whose house is this????  Saturday I cleaned off the second dining room table (long story short...I'm saving for working girl when she gets a bigger place!) and put a pretty daisy tablecloth on it-- a plastic one so kitty hairs don't get stuck in it.  Does anyone else with cats have this problem?  I tell the cats "no, no" and they just look at me with that permanent smirk on their kitty faces.  You know the one....  "I'm sleeping....leave me alone."

just pretend to be sleeping and she'll go away

Or the "come on, make my day" look they give you?

Back off!

Saturday was a busy Strawberry day.  I also cleaned my bathroom.  Yes it might look a bit utilitarian but you've seen my clutter.  If I put anything other than the hand mirror on the counter, my clutter will start to reproduce and pretty soon I'll have a whole extended clutter family.  For some reason my one little clutter baby cannot remain celibate.  So I'll just have to live simply for now.

oooooh shiny!

Getting back to the dining room table...in order to clean it up so the cat can sleep, perch, or play on it, I stacked the papers in a box.  Next to the box was a Wal-Mart bag.  Inside the Wal-Mart bag were 2 magazines.  The cover of one caught my attention....again (the first time being when I first purchased it).


  I thought how fortuitous.

De-Clutter!!!!  Yipee!!!!!

And then I laughed.  Check out the date on the magazine.  I'm just now finding it!

As you can see, I still have a ways to go.  LOL

Pure Serenity....or senility!

I am living proof to what happens when you are gone for several weeks and leave boys in charge.  Your house looks like it survived but lost a major natural disaster.  My kitchen looked like it threw up all over itself and was getting ready to be sick again.  Now don't get me wrong...food prep places were cleaned and wiped down but the junk and clutter was just....well a mess.  I couldn't take it any longer.  With my new attitude (remember yesterday's post?), I tackled the kitchen last night.

The first thing I did was to move everything off the kitchen counters...not an easy task.  Junk had just started to multiply and collect all around.  See below.....

If it didn't belong in the kitchen it got moved.  You know....put away, give away, or throw away mentality?  I use that coffee pot every once-in-a-while so it got moved out of the way to one of the higher cabinets.  I have a kitchen step stool so it is as close as a step.  My vitamins got moved to a cabinet instead of out in the open-- I originally did that so I wouldn't forget to take them.  I remember a church lady would put all her pills in a case the night before so she would remember which ones to take during the day.  I have a pill container and will start that routine!  Next I wiped down every nook and cranny and cleaned the toaster oven.  Then I put back just what I want to have on the counters. 

I did the same for this rat's nest.

And tada....

Pure serenity.

One thing I didn't take a picture of was the floor.  I want you Grainiacs to know I swept the floor and then got down on my hands and knees and wiped down every nook and cranny and floor space with a wash cloth and PineSol.  What an accomplishment.....I can barely move this morning!  LOL  I think I'll go bathe in some bengay.

I did it!

I did it!  I cleaned up the living/ dining room last night.  I set a goal and I accomplished it.  It feels good.  It feels good to set a goal that is not weight-related and accomplish it.  It empowers me.  I do believe if I keep up the non-weight-related goals, I might have more power to keep my weight-related goals.  That's a lot of "weight-related" talk!

For 4 whole days I have stayed on track with the dieting (well, except for the cheesecake Tuesday!).  I am down weight-wise but the horrible fact is what took me 4 days to lose could come back in one day... and it is usually shows up the day I weigh in!!!!

So, Grainiacs, for the next few days I will be focusing on the weight (i.e., clutter) that has accumulated around the waist, hips, and thighs of my house and hopefully the weight around MY waist, hips, and thighs will diminish too as I'll be too busy focusing on a project and not on how bored I am and thus partake in mindless eating.  That's my plan and I'm sticking to it.  How about you?  Are you traveling down the road less eaten?

TGIF!  Here is a picture for you...

Have I mentioned...

How Hot it is?  Sheesh!  My goal of walking every evening is shot right now; it is too darn hot even in the evenings...and that's saying something.  It is saying "Stay inside and protect yourself!"  I can do that.  Problem is I should be moving my bones since I'm inside and not walking outside, right?  Hubby reminded me of the concept of mañana- that wonderful word meaning tomorrow.

"Strawberry!  Clean your room."

"Awww, Mom, I'll do it.....tomorrow."

We like to put off those things that don't excite us.  Let's face it, what is exciting about cleaning out your closet or doing the laundry or mopping?!  In going against my grain I need to rethink the positives of those actions...yes...actions.  Those activities can add up to some great exercising (points if you're following WW!).  Tonight after work I'm going to come home with a positive attitude about cleaning up the living room.  It is the first room our guests see and right now it is full of my seminary books and side tables and papers AND all of my luggage and goodies from my recent trip to PA.  Dumped...all of it.  I didn't want to have to think about it and decided to wait until mañana to do something about it.  Well, Grainiacs, it is tomorrow!  Today is the day and I take back my living room.  I might even hoist a flag and reclaim it.


Everything is coming up roses....or crepe myrtles.  Boy planted indigenous plants for his Eagle Project and I wanted to share some photos.

Before....

And After....

Summertime

It is definitely summertime in Rural Town, USA.  I mean it is HOT.  I could probably lose a few pounds just walking out the front door and entering into a sauna.  Dieting-wise, I have been a good Strawberry.  I have stuck to my plan....except for last night....I attended a meeting and had to miss dinner.  The hostess served a homemade cherry cheesecake.  I'm good but..... (she sheepishly grins).  I did pick the smallest piece.  Today is back to plan.

I hope you are enjoying your summertime.  I need to go eat a good breakfast now...my breakfast of champions!

Enjoy your day and let me hear from you.  Be sure to drink your water!

My Strawberry Way

Yes, unfortunately my luggage tag says it all!  Heavy.

I stepped on Kaa, my slithering scale and yikes!!!!  During the month of June and July I gained.  I had maintained my original weight loss for almost a year-- not losing and not gaining; yet going on a study leave and then on a vacation within 3 weeks was just too much for me. I guess.  I'm not proud of falling off the wagon (so to speak) and I did say this would be a journey for me; but why does it have to take sooooooo long (Mona, my inner child, moans and whines).  Why can't I be one of those people who can eat anything and not gain?  Why, why, why????  Thank you for coming to my pity party but it is now time to go home.  Strawberry is going to sing "it's my party and I'll cry if I want to" and then she is going to stop it.  Because truth be told she didn't HAVE to eat those milky ways, you know?  It was pure rebellion to "walk" to the 7-11 and buy them in the first place.  Did I think my walking would walk off the pounds while eating a milky way a day?  I have no one but myself to blame (but they were good, she says smiling while kicking her own butt....hey, that's exercising...high stepping, isn't it?  No, stop it, you can't have a milky way just because you can kick your own arse!).  Yesterday was the day... a new day...a new chapter...a new start (and I'm all about starting diets!).  I'm back on the wagon and I feel good.  Last night I turned down an offer for an ice cream sandwich from Hubby...ahem, although I said "yes" at first.  I resolved to lose more than 10 pounds in a year...so yes... yes...yes...I can do this.  Ten pounds are gone forever from my body and onward to 10 more.  Then I'll have a new goal.  Do you have any summertime goals?  Let's hear them, grainiacs.

Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all, when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out (not really...I swallow thus the weight problem!)
I faced it all and I stood tall and did it my "Strawberry Way."

We can do this....together.  Jump on my bandwagon and let's go!

Update!

I am alive, Grainiacs, and survived Old Testament and Christian Ethics!!  Can I hear an "Amen!"?  I still have not received grades but that's okay; I am a patient Strawberry in that regard.  I am having issues with my computer today.  Before bed, Hubby told everyone to do a security scan because of a "supposed" virus and I'm beginning to think he was correct (we did do a virus scan on this computer).  I also piddled around and now it is close to work hour.  I'm wondering if I still have a job since I've been gone so long.

I have wonderful pictures to share (although if you are my facebook buddy you've already seen them) and stories to tell.

And although I survived My Summer of 2012, my dieting did not...very unhappy faced Strawberry.  But I have been exercising and please don't tell me muscle weighs more than fat (one pound of muscle and one pound of fat is still one pound!), I gained but I feel good!  My joints are aching when I'm not in motion and sedentary....try exercising on a crowded plane ride!  So I will be exercising more.  I've even warned both boys (yes, College Boy is home!  yipee!!! and Rat Mom is coming home soon!!!  yipee...yipee!!!!)

Life is good in Rural Town, USA and I'm looking forward to catching up with y'all.  Sorry!  I've been on the east coast and missed hearing and saying my southern dialect.