Too Many Questions and Not Enough Answers...

Thanks for the advice yesterday. It has gotten me to thinking. I do need a vacation from all this concentration but a full blown vacation from it may not be the way to go. Got to thinking about it in more depth and I may blow the whole thing if I get totally off it for any period of time. One of my main problems in this whole thing is that living alone and being retired gives me a tremendous amount of time to think. And the past year my thinking has been about only one thing. "What will I eat next?" or "What can I still have and stay on track?" I was already splurging on my weigh-in day, not the full day but at least one meal. Then I'd feel guilty the next morning for fear that I'd blown the whole thing away. I hate that, which tells me that this whole healthier lifestyle thing is not a lifestyle yet. Will it ever be? I still dream of mashed potatoes and gravy or fettuccine Alfredo with extra sauce or deep fried this and that. Will that ever go away? Probably not. So I guess mentally I'll always be a fat person.

There you go Cammy, trying to get me to exercising again, sly you. And it may just be a good idea for me too. After walking 2 miles yesterday and the way my legs felt and my breathing so hard I know I have GOT to get back to it. It is so easy when there are people here to walk with me and I know I will do it while I have company. I've just got to MAKE myself do it when they leave.

So far since I decided to try a vacation I've still been tracking my calories and food intake. I don't want to get out of that habit or it will definitely get me off this thing all together. I am just at a loss as to what to really do. I'm so tired of all the concentration and not getting results on the scales. I know the wonderful feeling of fitting into a smaller size but want to have the wonderful feeling of seeing the scales drop a little each week too. I know I could concentrate more and make my food intake smaller or less caloric but I just don't think going below 1200 calories would be healthy for me. I have gone below some days but at the end of the week the average is about 1350. Do I just need to make it 1200 all the time? I don't know. According to all the research I've done I should be steadily losing if I stay under 1500 but that doesn't seem to be happening. Is it because my body has been on this thing for so long that it just doesn't want to give up anymore fat? This wasn't so hard when I was younger. I would average 1.5 to 2 pounds drop every week. This sure hasn't been the case this time.

Have a happy week bloggers while I ponder my questions.

Start of My Vacation...

I decided I'm taking a vacation from weight loss. I'm not going to go hog wild so never fear. But I am going to eat when I want and how much I want and still stay on the healthy stuff except for 1.5 TBSP of sour cream and enough chips to eat it with. I have just been to disappointed lately with no loss showing up that I decided I need this mentally. Wish me luck. Haven't decided how long I'll be on vacation yet but I'm thinking maybe a couple of weeks.

Ron and Dani arrived yesterday afternoon and we've already had our walk today. We went to the Greenbrier River Trail State Park (click to view the web site). It's the longest state park in the world at 79 miles. A b-e-a-utiful place to walk. We walked for ~2 miles and 55 minutes. Then stopped at a local store and had pizza (I only had one piece) and a soft serve ice cream cone. And that was the first thing I had eaten today, so I don't feel bad about it. Ron took a picture of Dani and I (at right). Ron took the picture with his camera because as always I forgot and left my camera in the car, hey at least I remembered to take it with me in the car.

Hope your Sunday is spectacular.

Just Stuff..

Yay, I got my house cleaning finished. Now all I have to do is get the casserole made and I'm all ready for company. But I'm going to put that off until after noon. It's supposed to rain all weekend and into next week so guess we won't be doing much outside if that happens.

I've been making myself get up early these past few days and trying to go to bed early because the company I'm getting, go to bed as soon as it's dark. And since my bedroom is a loft and all opened to the rest of the house, there are no walls to cut the sound out if I stay up as late as I like to. Boy, what we won't do for company.

Baby humming bird is now eating from the feeder and not from Mom as much if at all. Ohhhh, my baby is growing up. She still does the air dance sometimes (kids...they always have more energy than adults) and still sets on the feeder looking around sometimes. Wonder if they will raise another one this year. I'll have to read up on them and find out.

Hope your weekend is a great one.

Lost and Found...

I was in a panic day before yesterday. I'd lost my cell phone. It's not like me to lose things like that, but when I checked my purse while in the Wally World area it wasn't in the little pocket I keep it in. I'm on my daughters boyfriends service because I don't have cell coverage where I live (more on that later) and only use it traveling. I called her to find out the last time I'd used it and they had thrown the bill away after paying it. I searched the house upside down and looked in the compartments in the car to see if I'd stashed it there. Couldn't find it anywhere so I called the cell carrier to cancel the phone and order another one. They wouldn't let me do it without the PIN and he was a work. After searching for over 3 hours I finally remembered my purse falling over into the back seat and sure enough it was under one of the seats. Whew. Sure am glad the cell carrier wouldn't let me cancel it right away.

The reason I can't get cell coverage here is because I live fairly near Green Bank National Radio Astronomy Observatory. It is a really cool place. There are several HUGE radio telescopes. Cell towers interfere with them so the only towers that are allowed in the county are in one city and it only has a range of 2 miles. There's been some talk of putting them up in other areas of the county and having them pointed away from Green Bank. Sure wish they'd do that because OnStar also won't work in this area and if someone needed to contact them for roadside assistance or an accident from their car, they couldn't do it.

Have a fun filled weekend.

Horrible Hump Day..

Yeah, yeah, I know, WALK. I figure that is what the problem is too, but... When I was walking on a steady basis and the scales were the same as now you all said give it a couple of weeks and there would be a loss and there wasn't so I think in the back of my mind that is why I quit. I got all excited about walking and bought the iPod and HRM and used them for a week before giving up. When I think about getting out there and walking I do get excited and really want to do it then the depression of doing it alone and just back and forth in my driveway really gets me down and I don't go out there. Ron and Dani are coming for the weekend (actually 5 days) and Ron has already asked me to go walking with them. I'm really looking forward to that. So maybe that will get me back in the groove. And this time if the scales don't show an improvement, what do I do next?

Yesterday was a bust (food wise). I didn't do anything right. Rode to Wally World area with a friend and exchanged my size 14 jean shorts for a 12. They were relaxed fit and just too sloppy big in the butt. She got her nails done while I read in the car and then we went out to eat. Went to Ruby Tuesdays and I ordered the Ruby Mini's with salad bar. I love their salad bar because they have the most delicious pumpernickel croutons and scrumptious broccoli salad (just like Mom used to make). I even got the green salad part and smothered it with blue cheese dressing and had some pasta and pea salad with lots of mayo. Then the burgers came, I'd forgotten they had fries too. I ate one burger and 1/3 of the fries and boxed the rest up for supper. And yes I did eat it for supper. I also dipped into the french onion dip and chips I've been craving but only had about 1 1/2 TBSP of the dip and a hand full of chips. It tasted soooooo good. Then had peanut butter and graham crackers for dessert. Wonder how many calories that all was? I didn't bother going to the computer after all that to figure it up. Will probably do that today just out of curiosity. And BTW, the scales said 192.5 this morning (the same as the past month). So what's with that?

Worked on the front porch when I got home and got a canvas rocker scrubbed from where the cats used it a lot this winter and got most of the cat hair off, and the caked mud from their paws. Gotta get the house straightened up today and the dusting and sweeping done. Then tomorrow comes the rest of the windows and the bed stripped for the company.

I'm very disgusted with life right now, but that too will pass.

Enjoy, blogger buds!

My Scales are Broken...

What's with this? Can digital scales get stuck? Below are my weights for the past month.

6/25 -> 191.5
6/18 -> 191
6/11 -> 192
6/8 -> 192

Yep, today I'm up a half pound. I'm getting really disgusted with this whole thing. I know, I know, things like this happen but it still isn't any easier to take. Did some research and I'm not supposed to go below 1200 calories because I am a woman. Ok, it also said that to maintain a weight of 150 (my goal weight) I would need around 1600+ calories. So my theory is to keep my intake between 1200 and 1400 and I'll loose weight. I've even done pretty good because my average intake has been around 1350. It's not happening. And for the people out there that are still on WW. I've been tracking my points as well and in the past month have never used all my flex points and rarely dipped into them.

Now, I bought the chips and dip yesterday and it was really hard not to dive into them last night but I made it. Now today I'm afraid to "dip" into them.

I need to find another scale to weight myself on and see if it is the scales because I feel smaller. I mean a month ago I was still in 16 jeans and now I'm in 14's. So there are some inches lost at least. Why not the WEIGHT!! Please God, let me see the 180's soon.

On a good note, I stopped in to see a friend yesterday, whom I haven't seen in about 9 months (we talk on the phone a lot). She's a barber and when I walked into her shop her eyes about popped out of her head. She said she almost didn't recognize me.

Went to every store in town looking for some things for a project I have planned for this weekend when I'll have company. We girls are going to keep ourselves busy. I found about 1/4 of what I needed. When I got home called the company that's coming and had to give her my list of things that I didn't find so she could pick them up for me. She lives in the Richmond, VA area so she'll be able to get the stuff, I just didn't want her to have to get it all. Not going to tell you what the project is. Will show you with pictures next week. But you probably can figure out that it's crafty since that's the way I am, a crafty person.

Is it Hump Day already? Have a great one.

Just Another Tuesday...

Just couldn't resist posting this picture. It is a different angle of the fog in the mornings. I am going to have a few more trees cut down and then the view will be a lot better. Was hoping to add another one of two huge does feeding on the bank behind my house but as soon as they saw me they took off like lightening into the woods. I was really careful and quiet but they must really be skittish. And that's a good thing because they will need that to survive this fall when hunting season comes in.

I started working on the house yesterday. You know, way back a month or so ago, I mentioned needing to wash my windows. Well, ole procrastinator me didn't do a thing about it until yesterday. At least I got started before I got side tracked yesterday. I got 2 done and only 9 to go.

Taking the dogs to the groomer today. And as usual will hit the dump, bank, dollar stores and grocery store. Since it isn't my WI in day I will eat before I go so I won't be tempted to eat something at Dairy Queen or Sub Way that I shouldn't. I've been so good all week calorie wise and I don't want to sabotage the WI in tomorrow.

Have a great day.

Cravings...

Have you ever had one of those weird experiences. Well, in my little world it was weird. I was watching a movie and it was beginning to cloud up just as an outdoor wedding was about to happen. When it started pouring in the movie, at the EXACT time it started pouring here. I know you are all really interested in stuff like that, yeah right.

Went about 90 calories over my scheduled plan yesterday. I get a craving for peanut butter on graham crackers at night and some nights if I don't have the calories left I can talk myself out of it but the craving was just too strong last night and my tummy was grumbling so I gave in. Oh well, it still keeps my average well below what I had planned. Sure hope Wednesdays a good WI.

And speaking of cravings. I have a horrible craving for potato chips and french onion dip. I can't get it off my mind, like for going on a month now. So I decided I'd get some this week and try to make myself sick on them and then I wouldn't want them any more. Or, I might figure the calories and ration them to last me all week. Haven't decided yet, but I gotta have 'em. One of my favorite rationales when I was fat was that life is too short not to enjoy it. Now I'm thinking that life is too short not to feel good. And that's what has happened since I lost weight. I feel good most of the time. But I still have to have some little indulgences once in a while, right?

Hope your week isn't filled with too much work and you have some fun.

Nothing much to report..

Yay, I was able to sleep last night! I knew I would because I forced myself to stay up and not nap.

We are shrouded in fog this morning and I can't even see off the mountain. So I have no view of the valley. Oh, well, guess I'll just drink my coffee at the computer like I do in the winter time instead of on the porch.

Haven't got anything planned for today. I should clean the windows. I've got company coming next weekend for sure and I really need to get them cleaned before their arrival, along with the rest of the house.

I have a new pile of saw dust in the living room which means the carpenter bees have moved. Guess I'll call Orkin on Monday. Whatever he did surely didn't deter them for more than 2 days. He wouldn't get up on a ladder and spray the beam but I'm going to insist that they do that. Either that or I'll have to do it with some wasp spray. That might be easier than fighting with them.

Eating plan followed yesterday. Still no walking. Hey, at least I'm honest here.

Hope y'all have a great Sunday.

Last of the Birds...

It's so sad. No more pictures of the humming birds or butterflies after this one. I had taken the screen out of the window so I could get clear pictures and something sad happened. A large brown bird hurled itself into the window and got hurt really bad. I thought he was dead and went out to get rid of the carcass and he was setting on the ground just looking at me. I was afraid he was suffering but I just couldn't make his death easier. I just left him there and an hour later he was gone. I sure hope one of the cats didn't get him, but I didn't see any feathers so I'm hopeful he flew away after he got his wits about him. So the screen is back up. He must have seen a reflection of the trees or sky in the window and thought he had a clear shot. Poor thing. Anyway here is the last picture of the baby hummer air dancing below his mom whose on the feeder. I couldn't get both in the frame as quick as they are.

I hate dial up. I've gotten flipped off several times since I get on here to post. When I call them they say there's nothing wrong with their server, yeah right. I'd really like to flip them off some time but then I wouldn't have Internet.

Hey, I've got a question for you. If you can't sleep and stay up until, say 5:00 AM or so, and just can't make it without eating, which day do you count the calories or points on? I didn't do really bad last night. Just a small bag of popcorn. At least I think that was all. At this point I can't remember if there was any thing else or not. After finally getting to sleep at 5 the phone rang at 8:30 and since it was one of my daughters I definitely wanted to answer it. They don't usually call on the weekends and I just couldn't give up the opportunity to have someone to talk to.

Hope your weekend is wonderful.

Just One Bat...

Ok, about the bats, (Cammy). The winter I first moved in here I was scared of everything I heard and saw. I moved in during January and my husband was back at the old place taking care of his mother who was dying of cancer. I just had to get away and thought I'd stay for a couple of weeks and then head home. I got snowed in and ended up here for almost 3 months by myself (hubby couldn't even get up the mountain). I was afraid of the bears (will go there another day) and a bat kept getting in. The man that built the cabin did a piss poor job and there were huge cracks between the logs and the roof joists. The first time I saw a bat flying around in here I freaked out. I turned off all the lights inside, turned on the porch light, opened all the doors and grabbed the dogs and threw an afghan over our heads. We snuggled like that for about 20 minutes and when I peaked out it was gone. So I closed everything up. That happened a couple of other times and even continued when my hubby came to stay. After a while I quit hiding and just opened the door and turned off the lights and just watched it swooping here and there. It never came down to where we were, always stayed up at the top of the roof apex, which is about 25 feet. After hubby died I found someone that would get on a ladder that high and put expanding foam in those cracks. I haven't seen one in a couple of years so I thought the problem was solved. Remember my talking about the chipmunks I thought I had in the wreath? Well, it was a bat evidently, because the Orkin man said they were bat droppings not chipmunks. He searched the rafters really well yesterday and found no bats and I searched all afternoon too. Since they roost in the day time and fly at night he figured they'd be asleep in the day time but evidently, since I keep lights on at night (duh) it is getting confused and coming in here at night looking for a meal (bugs). Hey, maybe it's eating my carpenter bees at night. I'm no longer afraid of them because I have discovered they don't want me or the dogs and stay way up high. It's kinda fun to watch them swooping around the ceiling fan when I have it on. They never hit it. Boy, is that radar something. I'm not crazy about them being in here but until I find someone else to do something else that will keep them out I guess I have to put up with them. And I've never seen more than one at any given time. (And, BTW I didn't take that picture).

Eating plan has gone great this week. Exercise hasn't. I'm still weighing myself every morning and it's up a pound this morning but I realize the only one that counts is the Wednesday one so I don't get upset on a daily basis. When you're only losing a pound a week it surely isn't going to show on the scales on a daily basis, that's for sure.

Here comes another weekend of boredom. This retired life isn't fun on the weekends when you live alone and everyone else is busy. It was mentioned in a comment about eating when bored. Boy, do I ever want to do that and it has really been hard over the past year not doing it. I do give in sometimes and just can't stop myself but on the most part I have to quell the urge. That's one of the reasons I moved my weigh-in day to Wednesdays. On the weekends is when it is the worst and weighing on Monday rarely showed a loss.

Hope you all have a fun filled weekend. I'll be setting here watching the antics of H1, H2, and H3 (pappa, momma and baby humming birds).

New Visitor...

The Orkin guy just finished up. I have carpenter bees not carpenter ants. He treated the outside and said that would deter them. Whew, glad that's taken care of. Course I had to sign a one year contract with them but that is a good thing since I live in a log home and can get all kinds of creepy crawlies in here that might eat the wood. And he found bat droppings too. I knew something was coming in the cabin at night and making squeaking noises but I thought it was chipmunks. Gotta get the eaves sealed off.


I have a new visitor to my humming bird feeder. It keeps coming back and of course it sets still longer that the hummers so I can get a good pic of them. The one of the hummer isn't so bad either so I'm posting both. This is pappa whom I'm calling H1.


Didn't sleep well last night so I'm headed for the couch and the book. Talk to y'all tomorrow.

Birds and Bugs...

Another pound down and 41 to go!! I really tried hard this week even with my splurge on Friday. I sure am glad there was an improvement.

The exterminator was scheduled to come today and called yesterday morning to cancel all together. He said his boss wouldn't let him bring the truck up on an unpaved mountain road. So the only other alternative I had was to call Orkin. They scheduled for today too and I've been staying off the computer to wait for their call to get directions to get to my house. They were supposed to be her by noon and just called to reschedule for tomorrow. ARGH!

They hummers are so cute. While the Momma eats from the feeder the baby does an air dance under her going back and forth about 20 times. I haven't seen her feed the little one any more but sometimes it comes and sets on the feeder and just looks around like it's saying "where are you, I'm hungry." I think it's a female since it doesn't have a red throat but I don't know much about the development of them and whether the red comes later or not. But they are fun to watch. They were a little upset with me yesterday. The feeder was getting too low so I made some more sugar water for them and put it out. They'd take a drink and back off and look at the feeder for the longest time then take off. That went on all evening but they are eating regularly now. The reason for the upset is because the one they had been drinking out of was half sugar and half water. I make it strong for the first feeder full so they have lots to supplement them after their return from down south. I then cut it back to 1/3 sugar and they didn't like that at all.

Hope your hump day's the humpiest!!

Dental Ordeal

I am writing this Monday night and scheduling it to post Tuesday morning because I am going to be sleeping ALL DAY on Tuesday! zzzzzzzzzzzz

What an ordeal that was. I was scheduled to be at the dentists for 1 hour. I was in the chair for 2.5 hours. Two of those hours with my mouth wide opened. When he finished and took the dam out and I finally ::ouch:: got my mouth closed he wanted me to open it again so he could look at something and I just sat there shaking my head no and telling him he wasn't allowed back in there today. Well, I did allow him back in there but I had to rest the jaw joints for a little while. He was prepping two teeth for crowns and while he had me numb he went ahead and replaced a filling that needed attending to. I got out of there 10 minutes before the Department of Motor Vehicles closed, so I drove like a mad woman and got there 1 minute before they closed. Got that taken care of too, whew. Don't want to run around with expired plates and won't be going back in that direction until the middle of next month.

I then hit Wally World and got that shopping done. I better have enough food to last me for 2 weeks because I almost choked when the clerk told me how much my bill was. Course there were some doggy snacks in there and a couple pair of shorts and a top. Oh, and gasoline was $4.05 there and I didn't need much but filled up anyway.

I left the house at noon and didn't get home until 6:30. I'm so exhausted I just put the fridge stuff away and all the other bags are setting on my counters and table and they will be staying there until sometime late Tuesday. I didn't even have enough energy to cook myself any supper so I just ate a sandwich. Oh, and I was so hungry in Wal-Mart that I grabbed a slice of bread and slapped 70 calories worth of ham on it when I got to the car, to eat on the drive home. So all together today I only had 1055 calories and I just don't have the strength to eat anymore tonight.

Ok, I lied, I'm up. Just had to add this. I was setting here reading emails and saw 2 humming birds setting on my feeder. This isn't unusual for some people but it is for me. My hummers are territorial and will buzz each other if there is one already on the feeder and another one wants a drink. They just don't seem to want to share. But one was thin and the other plump. The plump one was just setting there watching the thin one drink and was kinda wobbly while setting there. I kept watching and low and behold the thin one finished drinking and leaned over and fed the plump one from her beak. That was so cool.

Hope your Monday was more comfortable than mine.

Boring

I had a rather boring weekend. Not much to report except that I did stay on my eating plan.

Pounded a nail in my porch to hang a basket of flowers that I got for my birthday. Watched a really good movie, "National Treasure" (the second one). Talked to my sister-in-law and had a brief visit with a friend while her boy friend cut my grass.

I'm preparing myself for a trip to the dentist this afternoon. Not looking forward to that at all. The only good thing about it is that I won't have the broken area anymore that my tongue just won't stay away from.

Gonna try to take care of as many errands as I can while in the dentist area, which will include filling up my gas tank because gas is usually about 10-15 cents cheaper down there. Course it takes almost 4 gallons to get there so it won't be a cheap trip by any means. Both with the price of gas and the cost of two crowns in my mouth. Thank goodness for credit cards. That will at least put off forking the money out until the end of the month. I always pay the credit cards off completely at the end of the month. If I can't afford to do that then I just don't buy what I might want at the time. I used to just charge, charge, charge. When my late husband and I got married I had quite a bill I was paying on and he got me out of that debt and showed me how to not get in that mess again. "Thank you, Larry, for one of many wonderful things you brought into my life."

Hope you have a great week.

Not much to talk about...

Three year olds are so cute. My first born called at the dinner party the other night and her 3 year old step-daughter wanted to talk. She was so excited about a surprise she got at day care that day that she laid the phone down and ran to get it and tried to show it to me over the phone. Then she wanted me to hurry over to her house to see it. (They live in NJ.)

After I posted yesterday morning I got a call from the friend that cooked for me and her downstairs was flooded. She said she kept hearing something after we left and couldn't figure out what it was. When she went down to investigate she stepped in 2 inches of water at the bottom of the stairs. Her down stairs consists of a family room, two bedrooms, one bath and a laundry room. Evidently the pipes to the cistern had burst and the entire 1000 gallons ended up on the floor. She just had all new carpet and laminate flooring put in down there last year and it all had to be ripped out yesterday. I did her laundry for her yesterday evening because she had some loads of wash sorted and ready but laying in the floor and they got soaked. Couldn't leave them that way.

I did really well yesterday on my eating. But I did spend a lot of time in the bathroom which I was ready for. Boy, when we eat stuff our bodies aren't used to they sure do complain, don't they?

I haven't walked in almost 2 weeks. I just can't make myself get out there and do it. I just don't seem to have much energy at all lately. Sure wish I had all of the stamina and will power you people out there have to exercise.

Have a great Sunday.

The Morning After...

What a wonderful birthday party! It was the best I've had in many years. And I thoroughly enjoyed every bite of my meal. And...I don't feel guilty either. And your birthday wishes made my day even better, thanks. And here's a picture of me in my size 14 jeans.

One nice thing about yesterday is that I didn't have to go to the grocery store. The friend that threw the party called me as she was entering the grocery store and asked if there was anything she could get me and I had her pick up my salad stuff. Now I can wait to get the rest of the stuff on Monday. I have to go to the dentist on Monday and that will kill two birds with one stone...or rather one tank of gas.



The new yarn I ordered came in yesterday. So I'll be spending the weekend making a pair of socks. I've never tried to make socks before so it will be fun. Boy, sock yarn sure is expensive. The price range was $5.50 to $35.00 per ball. I got the cheapest ones and it takes two balls to make a pair of socks. Can you imagine anyone having a $70.00 pair of socks? I sure can't. I hated biting the bullet and spending $11.00 on one pair but it is something different to try my hand at and I have seen socks in stores that expensive. Wish me luck.



Have a great weekend y'all.

Birthdays and poop and bugs...

Friday the 13th. Interestingly enough it's usually a lucky day for me. But not so today. Well, most of it will probably be alright. I am officially a retired person today. Yep, today's my 62nd BD. Now this is the last time you'll hear about my age because as of today I am going to stop counting them. I've made it over this hump and it's all down hill from here. Now if I can just make it over the 190's hump and get the weight loss on a down hill track. But not today. A friend is throwing a party for me. Gee, I don't think I've had a birthday party in so many years I can't remember. It's going to be a dinner party. She called Wednesday to ask what I wanted for supper. I told her what I want and what I can have are two different things. She is very supportive of my weight loss and told me what she had planned. Everything was just what I could eat and still stay on track, but also soooooo boring for a birthday dinner. After asking me if that was alright, I told her what I really wanted was fried chicken with the skin on and lots of crust, and mashed potatoes and gravy (I haven't had gravy in over a year). She said then that's what I'd get. I know I've not been good this past week and I shouldn't but hey the first birthday party and many, many years! I've got to enjoy myself, right? I know I'll be sorry tomorrow and probably beat myself up but at this point it will be worth it. Wonder if she makes gravy the way I like it?

Have you ever seen humming bird poop? It's so cute. Wait...poop and cute don't belong together. But they do. It isn't like other bird poop. It's clear (or red if you tint the sugar water in your feeder). I used to hang the feeder in front of one of the front windows on the porch but this year decided to hang it in front of a side window so my cats can't get close to it. They never did catch one but it was aggravating watching them try and I'll bet frustrating for both bird and cat. Now I won't have little red dots on my porch anymore. Since it's hanging right outside the window closest to my computer desk I get to watch them more anyway since I spend a lot of time here. And they are watching me too. Right now they are a little skittish and when I move they fly off. One has even taken to hoovering at the other window to see if I'm setting here before he eats. (My desk is in a corner with a window on either side). Ahhhh, the simple pleasures of nature...

I didn't get the grocery shopping done on Wednesday as I had planned because I sat here all day waiting for UPS to deliver the package the tracking said would be delivered that day. They didn't show but instead left it at a friends business for me. I called the exterminator yesterday morning and couldn't go to the store then because I had to wait for him to call me back. So today I have to go to the grocery store. I'm out of salad stuff and I can not go through a weekend and be good without salads.

The exterminator had me describe the sawdust I found in my living room and he said he didn't think it was carpenter ants but rather some kind of beetle. He said that the beetle is already in the wood and can lay dormant for up to 10 years before coming alive and start eating. He will be here next Wednesday morning to take care of the problem for me. Whew, will be glad when they are gone so I don't have to worry about my roof falling in on me.

Have a great weekend, blogger buds!

Blue's Train

What a frustrating day yesterday was. Boy, was I down. I just had no enthusiasm for life on this diet excursion. Really and truly, I was contemplating giving up all together. I just kept thinking the body doesn't want to be thinner. It just wants to stay here. It just wants me to put anything and everything in it that is bad. It is foiling me at every turn right now. I've eaten so much chicken that I think I'm starting to turn in to one. What are those little things that hang down under their beaks? Oh, yea, a wattle. I have one of those so maybe I am. So I deviated from my usual plan and thought what the heck, who cares. I had french bread pizza for breakfast, Chex mix for lunch and a burger pattie with 5 ears of corn for supper (yea, with lots of light butter) then my pumpkin custard for dessert. I was really disgusted with me and life in general.

I'd been waiting for a package to arrive from Wal-Mart.com and it didn't arrive until late in the evening. (Brought up by a neighbor, the UPS driver didn't want to come up on the mountain.) In it was a pair of size 14 jeans. They FIT!! Now that was the pick-me-up that I needed yesterday. So my head's back on straight today, so far. Think I was on the blues train with Cammy but I didn't see her, she must have been in a different car.

I've got a big problem with the cabin. I started noticing saw dust on my carpet and furniture right down the middle of my living room. Me thinks there must be carpenter ants eating away at the main support beam of my roof. I think they are carpenter ants because as I was lying in bed reading night before last something crawled on my arm. I swatted it away but evidently not far enough because all of a sudden I got bit on my side. I jumped up and saw a HUGE black ant in the bed with me. We battled for a while but I got the little bugger. He's just squished up guts now. So, I'm calling an exterminator this morning. When we built the cabin we sprayed the outside of the logs with a penetrating insecticide that said would last for many, many years. But couldn't spray anything on the inside. Just not safe for people or pets to live in a closed up environment with those chemicals. Guess they got in through the roof vents and found fresh wood to enjoy. Bet that's going to cost an arm and a leg, but it's better than having to replace that beam.

Have a great day!

PS: Cara suggested I put a photo of the Hillsboro fog and one without so I just downloaded them into my photo gallery. You can see them there along with the newest member of my family. Just click on the cabin at the right of the page and down a little.

Foggy morning in the valley...

Boy am I ever off schedule. For some reason last night I was really sleepy around 10:00 and decided to give in to it. So I went to bed at 10:30, read for about a half hour and was out like a light when I put the book down. What is that? Oh, well, guess my body needed it. Course that means I'm up early and have a longer day today but what the heck. When I got up and looked out the kitchen window while running water for my coffee I saw this sight. I just love looking at the valley covered in fog. Don't know if you can really tell it by this photo but usually the fog is flat and really looks like a frozen lake but this morning there are bumps on top of the fog. Just like clouds, duh, that's what it is really, clouds just low ones. Not to self, reset the date and time on the camera. The photo says it was take in May and I just took it this morning.

Checked the scales this morning since it's my official day and there was no movement on them. As I always say better no movement than movement in the wrong direction. Sure wish I could get out of the 190's though. Seems like it's been forever since I've been in this 10 pound range. I've been keeping my calorie average around 1350 so maybe I should try to get it down to 1200. Don't know if I can do that or not but will try.

Was hoping first born would come visit this weekend but doesn't look like it. Gotta find out for sure before hitting the grocery store tomorrow.

Happy hump day!

Stubbornness...

One of my friends is off on Mondays and she called yesterday morning wanting to borrow something. I suggested that I drive down to her house to bring her the borrowed item and we head over to Cranberry and get a good walk in. She started moaning about how hot is was and how about waiting until the evening when it cooled off some. Well it wasn't really that hot by then, only in the high 70's but I said alright and she came on up. We had a nice little chat on the front porch watching her dogs and my dogs play. Then the day continued...

I was going to make one of my favorite meals but didn't. I like to brown lean ground beef patties and pour a can of mushroom soup over them and let them simmer a while. I've had this many times through this weight loss and was looking forward to it. When using WW points system it wasn't that many points, maybe 7 total with the veggies I like with them. I went online and started checking the calories. EEEEEEEKKKKKK!!! That would have been almost 600 calories. I even had the patties thawed out already. Now I know why my weight loss has been slow to non existent on WW point system lately. I am not using that system any more. That just clinched it for me. I think it was a really good way to start this mission because I could eat the things I like and still lose weight in the beginning but in the long run it just isn't a healthy way to eat.

Now let me ask you a question. But first let me explain. My friend was really complimentary about my weight loss. I had tried to get her to go on the diet with me and she said that she would just use her doctor's diet instead. (she's overweight too) Well since we started I've lost 57 pounds and she's lost 12 and that has been up and down. She was bragging that she was really watching her salt and that was the way to go and couldn't understand why she had only lost 12 and me 57. Lack of salt makes you lose weight? Does it? I know salt makes us retain water and that is really one of my downfalls. I love salt. But I've switched over to sea salt because it is saltier and I don't need quite so much to be satisfied. I know her real problem. It's the sweet tea she drinks all the time and the inch of fat she cooks in. I've tried to get her to buy a can of Pam and finally did talk her into getting olive oil instead of using crisco but she uses a cup or so of olive oil instead of a tablespoon that will work just as well. Some people are just too hard headed to any suggestions. And for some reason this person will listen to any one except me when it comes to advice. Looks like she could just look at me and see that I know what I'm talking about.

We didn't go on our walk. It was a sweltering 90 degrees at 7:00 and I didn't even call her to remind her. I just wasn't walking in that heat.

Have a great day :o)

Do You Have ADHD?

If you don't have ADHD you need it to become a healthier and/or trimmer person! Now don't start shaking your head and thinking I've lost my mind. People can't just decide they want ADHD and get it all on their own, can they? Yes, you can. It's all in the mind!

I'm not talking about the ADHD where you are "bouncing off the walls" and can't keep your mind on tasks at hand. I'm talking about Attitude, Diligence, Habit and Determination.

I'm going to rearrange the words a little while talking about them because they really need to be approached in reverse order on your trip to a healthier life style.

The first step needs to be DETERMINATION. You have to really want to become a healthier person. Some of you have been faced with a medical situation that has made you need to become healthier but without the determination (the want), it just won't happen. Some of you just want to be healthier in order to feel better not just physically but mentally. Without determination this can't happen. If you've already started on this trip and are continuing through with it, then that is the first step in getting to your destination. You must be determined that you are going to succeed.

The second stage of your journey is HABIT. We must all break a few old habits and form new ones in order to become better people. By better people I mean healthier and happier people. Habits are hard to break and even harder to form but if you are determined, you can do it. Learn what the old habits of overindulgence and incorrect food choices were and change them. Find out what exercises are best for you and your life style and stick to them. You must do this one small step at a time in order to be successful. Remember a journey of a thousand miles begins with one small step.

The third stage is DILIGENCE. If you don't stick to your new habits you are never going to reach the end of your journey. We have to be diligent with our food choices and with our exercise choices. Oh, now and then we waver and make a wrong turn. You know what it's like to turn left instead of right and sometimes begin to wonder where you are? Well, that can happen to us on this trip too, but with diligence we know we have to get back on the right road. Unless you turn around and get headed back in the right direction you'll never reach you destination. You must persevere.

And last, but by no means least is ATTITUDE. What kind of attitude have you adopted on this trip? Do you have a blase' attitude or do you have a gung-ho attitude? Blase' attitudes will get us by in any situation and sometimes just "by the skin of our teeth." But we need to have a gung-ho attitude. We need to change our mental posture in order to be proud of our exterior posture. We need to be proud of what we are doing and what we have accomplished. Show your attitude on this journey by strutting a little (and I don't mean physically). Show everyone around you that you're proud of what you have done and proud of whom you're becoming. I've said in a couple of my other posts that you have to have the right mind set to accomplish this mission. And by that I mean attitude. When your attitude changes, all around you change as well. If others see your positive, gung-ho attitude towards your new life style, they'll be happy for you and proud of your accomplishments as well. They won't want you to change back to the old self because they will like your new attitude towards yourself now. And who knows you might inspire someone else to become a healthier person as well. Attitude is everything. Be proud of what you are doing and who you are becoming.

And when you finally get to where you are headed do strut a little because you deserve it, you can be proud to be you!!

Now let me ask you again. Do you have ADHD?

(This was inspired by Pattie and her June contest on Attitude.)

Back on the Right Road

Well, I'm back on track with my usual choices.

Yesterdays meals:

Breakfast: 1/2 can soup w/saltines

Lunch: 1 oz. regular cheese w/triscuits

Supper: 3 oz. chicken breast grilled, 1 1/2 cups Brussels sprouts

Snack: Salad w/1/2 cup kidney beans and croutons w/Catalina Free dressing, and pumpkin custard w/Cool Whip free

This all came to approximately 1150 calories but I didn't figure the WW points.

This is my usual fare and sometimes I vary the lunch with a half a sandwich but forgot to buy something to put on the bread.

Today's meal plan:

Breakfast: same as yesterday

Lunch: same as yesterday

Supper: 3 oz. grilled chicken breast on two slices light wheat bread w/light mayo and lettuce and small baked potato w/light butter

Snack: same as yesterday.

This will probably be a little more in calories than yesterday because of the potato and butter but it will still be well within my calorie allotment.

Did some core exercises last night in front of the TV and am feeling it this morning. My female dog is a hoot. When I got in the floor to do the exercises she was all over me. Rubbed her cheeks against my face and hair then would rub all the way down one side and up the other. She think the only reason I get in the floor is to be with her. Guess she's just happy that I'm on her level when I'm down there. At least it gave me a laugh and made the yucky exercises more bearable.

My best friend surprised me yesterday by pulling up in my driveway. She's been at her second home in Missouri and wasn't due back until the end of the month. Said she just got homesick. Now maybe I'll have someone to go to Cranberry with to walk. That only problem is that she is a morning person and I'm not. She'll want to go early and I'll want to go in the afternoon. We shall see what happens.

Munchies

Well, yesterday was a bust. I ate everything in sight yesterday evening. Wasn't hungry when I did it either. Just wanted it. Oh, well, it was just one day and today's a new one. I'm pretty sure where I went wrong is that I stopped at Sub Way on my way home Thursday and got one of their $5 foot longs. Brought it home and ate half of it that night for dinner. Not so bad, but that left the other half for yesterday and I was thinking that I'd only eat half of that and not over do it. I couldn't stop at that. I also bought some fresh corn on the cob and when I got started on them I couldn't stop. I kept boiling another one until I had eaten them all. Hey corn is a little on the high side calorie wise but the light butter that I lathered them with was way over the top. Just couldn't help myself. Then the munchies set in. Just kept dipping my hand in the bags of goodies without measuring and munched away. I keep Chex Mix and Doritos in the house to allow myself a taste once in a while because stuff like that was my downfall and I really tried to give them up all together but I just can't. I usually only have one measured out portion about 3 times a week and always count the calories and points and adjust my other intakes accordingly. Not yesterday though!!

Ok, today is going to be different. Back to my regular meals and no side tracking for me today!! Or the rest of the week. I probably really blew my loss.

I got to thinking this past week and decided to raise my goal from 140 to 150. At 192, right now, I'm wearing a size 16 jeans and they are a little big. Remember I bought some 14's but got the low rise ones (by mistake) and just can't wear them right now because they are really slim cut. So if I buy my regular brand and style I will probably be comfortable in the 14's. That will probably put me into 10's or 12's by 150 and I think that is small enough for my age. If I would happen to become ill I'd need a little meat on the old bones. (I'm one of the baby boomers and will hit 62 on Friday, yep, Friday the Thirteenth.) Course I haven't been to the doctor for a check up in almost 2 years and I really need to do that. The 150 isn't set in stone so I will make an appointment next week and see what he has to say. Then I'll decide for sure.

Yesterday was such a beautiful day here. Blue skies, some small puffy clouds, no rain, high temperature around 90. I took a quilt out to pad the porch swing and a couple of pillows and laid in the swing watching the trees some and read. Even dozed for a little while. Boy, talk about the life of Riley. Yea, yea, I know it would have been a great day for exercising but I didn't even think about that at the time. Maybe today.

The grass is getting a little high and the boy that usually mows it for me hasn't shown up this week so I think I may tackle it myself. In the past I haven't been able to do that unless I stop at least 3 times to rest. We will see how long it takes me now that I'm not quite as fat and have a little more stamina. Don't know if I'll tackle the weed eater though. I hat those things. They beat you to death. Maybe I'll save that for another day.

Hope your Saturday is going as planned and a happy one.

Just Ramblin'

Got all the errands done yesterday, Bluck. At least I don't have to go to the grocery store again until next week. And I even took the garbage to the dump!

I've been really lax the past year or so about doing my dishes. You see, I don't have a dishwasher because of being on a well. They just use too much water for a well. So I have no where to hide my dirty dishes while waiting for enough to accumulate to was them. Well, I got even lazier than that and would only do them when I ran out of silverware or bowls or...you get the idea. And no they didn't smell because I rinsed them out when putting them in the sink. So by the time I got around to doing them the sink would be overflowing and the counter would usually be full. Nobody sees them but me, right? But every time I'd get around to doing them it would take forever and I'd have a counter full of drying dishes (I never dry them and put them right away, just too much effort when the air will do the job). About 4 days ago I decided I didn't like the looks of the mess and have started doing the dishes nightly. I'm on a 4 day streak now and it does feel nice to have a clean kitchen and sink in the mornings.

Started a new book yesterday while setting on the porch swing just enjoying the afternoon. Boy was that nice. Note to self: get a cushion for the swing, my butt isn't as padded as it used to be and there was some discomfort after setting there for a while. I didn't notice the discomfort while reading but when I got up to go in the house to fix myself some supper it was sore. The book isn't a new one (copyright 1992) but new to me. It's "Hideaway" by Dean Koontz. Seems like a good one. It really gripped me in the beginning. I used to read everything Stephen King wrote until he had his accident. Then his writing changed and I'm not as crazy about him anymore. I'm also reading Catherine Coulter in bed at night (can't remember the name of it) but I don't think she really wrote it. The sentence structure is just so amateur and most of the conversations between characters doesn't make sense. I've read her before and don't remember that being the case with her work. Thank goodness for Amazon, I've got 5 more waiting for me when these are finished.

Sorry I rambled so much on stuff that doesn't interest you. Have a great weekend!!

Tummy Ache...

I took it. I just couldn't help myself, I went ahead a recorded the loss of 1.5. Now, Cara, I don't call that a big loss but it surely is bigger than it has been with a measly half pound here and there. I had set myself a goal (when I started) of getting to goal by Christmas of this year and if I do I'll have to lose an average of 3.5 pounds a week from here on out. That ain't gonna happen!! So I've decided not to set anymore goals like that one.

I enjoyed the steak last night. But boy I paid for it all evening. Can you say gastrointestinal discomfort? I think it is really weird how our bodies get used to the healthier stuff and then doesn't like the "yummy" stuff we used to eat.

Thank goodness last night was a peaceful one. No having to get up and go down stairs for anything, just got to sleep for a change.

One of the hardest things I trained myself to do when I started this diet is to slow down my eating. Being a teacher, we only got 30 minutes for lunch and stupid me took the option of cafeteria duty for some extra pay. That meant that I had to scan the lunch cards of the students while they were in line to eat and that usually took between 10-15 minutes. Then I'd eat really quick so I'd have time to go outside and set in my car and have a smoke. (Yea, I'm a smoker :-( and that's something else I have to quit but not while on this diet.) I was noticing the last time I had company that I was always the last one finished with my meal and that was weird, I used to be the first. But slowing down surely helps me not overeat like I used to do. I can remember the horrible feeling of being too full about an hour after finishing a meal and I don't have to put up with that anymore.

Gotta get off my duff and read some blogs so I can get to town for the dreaded grocery shopping.

Have a great day out there!

Conumdrum

I don't know what to do. Since I posted earlier today I weighed myself again and it shows a weight loss of 1.5 pounds now. Which one do I go by? HELP!!

Who Needs a Stair Master?

What a horrible night. I don't have a bathroom upstairs, where my bedroom is, and I hate trudging down the stairs in the middle of the night to use the potty so I decided to take my antique "thunder mug" with me a few nights ago. Wow, didn't have to use it at all the first couple of nights and then came last night. Some time about 2 hours into the sleep I had to use the durn thing, (I hate cleaning it out in the mornings too). Then when I'd gotten back to sleep I heard one of my dogs heaving. What a wonderful sound to wake up too. I jumped up and turned on the light and there she was right at the foot of the bed with a couple of little piles of, well, you know. I had to go downstairs to get something to clean it up and wait until I was sure she was finished then laid back down and went back to sleep. A little while later I felt her licking me which means that she has to go outside really bad. So up I got and went downstairs again. I stayed down here until she was ready to come back in and back to bed I went. Then about 8:00 this morning (I didn't get to bed until 2 AM) I was under attack. Or that's what my sleepy head thought. I heard the sound of helicopters above my house. Not one but two. It sounded like they were hovering there for the longest time. I called a neighbor when I got up and he said they weren't really that close and they didn't hover just drove overhead real slow. Probably looking for pot fields. He was out feeding his hunting dogs when they went over. Ok, there must be a moral to this story and I think it is that I shouldn't be so lazy and just come downstairs to potty from now on. That's the only moral I can think of. So from now on the "thunder mug" stays in the bathroom as a decoration.


And to beat it all when I got on the scales this morning for my weigh-in, nada, nothing, zip!!. Not a bit of difference in last week. I've been so good this past week. I've stayed under my calories every day but one and that one I only went over by 150. I got some good cardio in and burned a lot of calories doing it. WHY am I stuck in the 190's? I've been there since March, fluctuating up and down. I am definitely going to eat that steak tonight. Maybe that will kick start something. It has worked before and I have just felt too guilty lately to try it. After all a rib eye is full of fat. And that's the only kind I like. Think I'll even try some onion rings with it and here is the recipe for them that I am borrowing from MaryFran. (Hope you don't mind my reposting the recipe, but it sounds so good. And I did give you credit for it. :-) )

Onion Rings

One Vidalia Onion (sliced and separated into rings)
Flour
Egg whites or Egg substitute
Seasoned bread crumbs

Spray cookie sheet with Pam.
Dip each ring in flour, then egg, then bread crumbs.
Place on cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Happy Hump Day!

Fit and Trim

I don't understand why, when I get my walking (wancing actually) in, I feel great and want to go out and do it again. Then the next day comes and I have a really hard time talking myself into it. And usually, mostly, the lazy self wins. I hope that doesn't happen today. I'm going to try to keep remembering Cammy's Makeover Monday and turn up the heat. Wish me luck.

I can't believe it's June already. The nights here are still cool and I have to turn on a little heat in the morning to take the chill off and then at night right before going to bed it's too hot to sleep and on goes the AC for about an hour to cool things off. I've tried opening windows to let the cool air in but when there isn't a breeze it doesn't help. And the window is right over my head and when I leave it opened I wake up with a scratchy throat. It usually goes away after a while but I'm afraid some day it won't and I'll end up with a cold.

I did really well on my eating yesterday and with all the callories burned (see my stats on the right) I sure hope it shows some weight loss on Wednesday. One good thing is that the legs aren't as sore as they used to be the day after. What? Could it be that I'm starting to get fit too? Oh, my goodness. What on earth will I do with a trim and fit body? I just might have to learn how to strut a little.

Hope you have a wonderful week.

CalleeCat

Just had to share this picture with you. When I went out to grill my dinner, my CalleeCat was just setting there. I was sure she'd move before I got my camera but I think she's just a ham at heart.

All's well on the mountain top. Had another relaxing day. Still no neighbors and kids are still busy so it was just me, myself and I yesterday. Didn't do much except finish my book :-( I hate it when that happens. Then I have to start a new one and get into a whole new set of characters. Just when I thought I'd gotten to know the old ones really well. Course I already know there's another one with this main character. I've been reading the Odd Thomas series by Dean Koontz. I won't buy the next one until it comes out in paperback form. I hate reading hardbacks. They're just too heavy and hard to read in bed.

Have a good work week!!

Short but Sweet...

This is really going to be short for me. Not much to report, but report I must. (Just for my own accountability).

Thunderstorms rolled in yesterday. The neighbors were out of town. My girls were busy with their own families and didn't call. So I just curled up on the couch with my book and read and napped all day. Yeah, I could have cleaned the house but since nobody's around to see it, I didn't, so who cares it if waits for another day. The house sure didn't complain.

Did well on my food intake yesterday. Stayed within my points and calorie suggestions. Didn't walk because it wasn't my day. Today is and I will do that this afternoon. Remember I'm not a morning person.

Hope the rest of your weekend is a good one.