WHAT WE ARE WILLING TO SACRIFICE TO HAVE WHAT WE WANT

I got a mild scare yesterday as my air-conditioner went on the blink!

I was brought up without air-conditioning...we just opened all the windows in the old farm house and went to sit on the porch if it was too stuffy inside. But the years have taken their toll and now I am allergic to just about everything outside and stay in as much as I can during the summer months so I can breathe. And, frankly, I am spoiled and love the cooler temperature and lower humidity that the AC unit provides. I really don't want to live without it!

I was definitely concerned that I would hear the scariest of news when the repairman made his way to my house to assess the problem. I just knew I was going to hear those words which strike terror in the hearts of homeowners: "You'll need a new one!"

So, all day, I was trying to prepare myself for "worst case scenario".

Like most people, we're not broke, but we're badly bent, and the cost of a new unit would definitely mean making some serious adjustments in our spending over the rest of the year.

I spent the day trying to come up with things I was willing to do without.

• Cutting restaurant meals down to once a week.
• Using my yarn stash rather than buying any new skeins.
• Reading books from the library rather than buying any new ones.
• Limiting the gas we would be putting in the car by not making unnecessary trips and bundling our chores once we were out to use the car efficiently.
• Shopping smarter...making a point of not wasting food once I did buy it.
• Preparing more food from scratch rather than buying prepared items.
• Eliminating spur of the moment spending on things we could live without.

The problem is, I have already been doing a lot of those things due to the higher cost of living anyway! Geesh!

The good news...bad news on the AC unit was that it was "just" a $45 relay that had burnt out...the bad news...it costs $185 to replace a $45 item! And worse...we were happy to only spend $185 to return our home to air-conditioned bliss.

Cause, as anyone in our family can attest...when Mama is too hot, she's not happy...and when Mama's not happy...nobody's happy!!!

But it did make me think about the things we are willing to give up to have what we really want in life.

Some days I am happy to give up my old, slovenly ways of eating to lose weight and get healthy...and then there are the days that I'm not willing to give up a thing! I want it all and I'm going to have it. The prize always has to justify the price you pay to get it.

That balance of what I want and what I have to give up to get it is one that I have to strike every day and what this journey is all about.

What have you given up to get what you want?

I WANT MY BACK BACK!

I just found the Brothers-All-Natural company a couple of weeks ago and ordered a variety pack of their fruit crisps as well as some of their potato crisps. They are freeze-dried and have no oil, additives, or preservatives in them. The potato crisps do have sea salt added. Each packet has 1/2 cup and 35 calories for the fruit and 40 for the potatoes and I thought they were pretty good...even the husband enjoyed them. I don't know if they can be found in markets or not...I suspect they are...I just don't enjoy trudging around looking for new things and opted for having them sent to me. The variety pack of fruit has the fuji apples, asian pear, and strawberry banana crisps in it, but there are other fruit flavors I would love to try including the pineapple and peach!

Speaking of fruit, we had a really good watermelon with our picnic Monday...the kids went crazy over it! I did manage to save back a little to enjoy yesterday.

Still nursing my sore back...having to take muscle relaxers to get through the day. That's what I get for all those years of lifting and turning patients! The good thing is that the relaxers take away my appetite...the bad part is talking like I began drinking at 5 in the morning and didn't let up all day! (I'm one of those people who is easily sedated!)

So, I put a roast in the crockpot early so there will be something for my poor hard-working husband to eat for supper unlike last night when I told him I could care less about dinner and he would have to find something himself...bad, bad Mama cook! lol

Have a good one, folks!

MOVIN' ON!

WHOA!!! I couldn't wait for the coffee to finish brewing before I grabbed my first cup and it is STRONG!!!

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend. We had the Indy 500 here in town and had wonderful weather for everyone who came to attend...we just listen on the radio since it is blacked out here. Then I watched the Coca Cola 600 in the evening into the night...the next morning...I kid! But it is a darned long race to watch...I can't imagine driving for that long.

And then yesterday we had both daughters and the grandkids here along with my brother. We celebrated the Holiday and threw in Audrey's 8th birthday celebration with us. I think this was the second of three parties she will have. The weather was a little iffy part of the day but held out for the kids to spend a lot of time outside. They fished with cane poles, waved flags and marched around the back yard in parade formation, rolled around in the grass, watered flowers and tomatoes, picked radishes, and had tea partys while eating like they had never been fed before. They finally made their way inside long enough to watch talking dogs and the like on YouTube...they all scream with laughter at dogs saying,"Ilove my Mama!". At one point I had 5 of them on my chairarms, shoulders, and the top of my head laughing their heads off and doing battery to my body! But I couldn't enjoy it more. Grandkids are the greatest...just wish I had a 30 year old body to enjoy them with!

Eating wasn't too awful. I had a couple of the ribs which were from a recipe I found in Trisha Yearwood's new cookbook...you can find it on Amazon...there are nothing but great recipes in it!!! I also had an ear of corn...no butter. No, what did me in was the pumpkin bread I baked the day before because I know how much the grandkids love it. I was totally unprepared for the way the smell of that baking bread would drive me crazy! Honestly...I'll hesitate to do that again for a long while! I've said before and I'll say it again...the aroma of food is so alluring that I really have to avoid it.

So a few pieces of fresh pumpkin bread made it onto our plates Sunday evening...good thing I made two loaves! But, for the most part, it was a decent eating weekend.

I'm going to shoot for a lot of fruits and vegetables today and continue drinking a lot of fluids. Not planning a lot of activity...my back needs a good rest after yesterday.

How are all of you doing? Gotta check in with TB and see if the new baby is here yet!

WHAT ARE MY TRUE BELIEFS?

My younger daughter dropped in last evening for a few minutes and remarked how good my supper smelled as she came through the door! I made myself a Hobo Dinner...one of my favorite meals...and kids love them because they can individualize their own little foil pack.

Mine started with a big square of foil on which I placed a patty of really lean ground beef all salt and peppered, followed with layers of a peeled and sliced potato, some green and yellow pepper slices, some Vidalia onion, and an odd tomato I had sitting on the counter that I sliced on top. I sealed all this up and baked it for about an hour at 375 degrees. A great supper with no mess!

I spent some time last night trying to come up with kind of a mission statement, I guess, for my weight loss plan. I've been realizing of late that my philosophy regarding weight loss has been growing and changing over the past couple of years and maybe it's time to make some kind of list of exactly what it is I have come to believe...at least for now...about how I will approach weight loss and the steps I will take to move forward.

And I discovered this...it's HARD to put into words. As I began writing, I found myself making conflicting statements and writing things that I thought I SHOULD believe but perhaps I didn't truly embrace.

For instance...I started by writing "I don't have to be perfect!" That's a good statement, but if I really believe it, what is this string of good days all about if it's not a quest for some sort of perfection? Even if I call them "good" days or "On-Point" days, I am still seeking to make judgments regarding my eating behavior and labeling it either "good" or "bad" according to how strictly I followed WW guidelines for the day. So, I'm still expecting myself to be "perfect" no matter how much I may try to deny it. Yes...I forgive myself for not living up to those standards...but the standard still is there and I'm trying to live up to it.

And then there is the belief that I don't want to be on a "diet" the rest of my life, and yet I follow, if loosely, the WW Plan.

The statement I wrote last night was that I would use the WW Flex plan as a guideline for my daily eating because I had difficulty sitting limits naturally. I'm not unhappy with that idea. I think of all the plans I've studied, the WW plan is the most flexible and the one that has continued to grow and incorporate the latest information regarding nutrition and weight loss. I don't think it's perfect and I have no desire to follow it to the letter...parts of it don't make sense to me and, I believe, are aimed at either promoting their products, their financial bottom-line, or the concerns of their legal department.

And then there is the idea that I have come to lately that I really need to consciously incorporate foods into my plan on a regular basis that I have come to consider "off limits". I really believe this is necessary to keep me from feeling I'm going "on" or "off" my plan. But then I remembered that the first thing I did when I made my list of the foods I would prepare for our Memorial Day meal with the family was to automatically deny myself any of the BBQ ribs I was making and instead substitute a chicken breast! That is definitely the WW thing to do, but is it the best thing for me in the long run? Sometimes eating a smaller portion of the real thing is the better choice if it keeps you from feeling cheated and fantasizing about the food you've so righteously denied yourself.

So...I'm going to continue to work on this and try to come up with a list that I truly believe and not one that I have been encouraged to believe. That very conflict may be what is keeping me from achieving what I have sought for so very long...to eat sensibly but with enjoyment and in proportions that are sufficient for my health, my weight loss goals, and my personal satisfaction.

AMERICAN IDOL SURPRISE & DAY FOUR

DAVID COOK!!!

I DON'T BELIEVE IT!!!

FANTASTIC SURPRISE

although I loved them both!

OK...I posted that last night because I had to express my astonishment with someone and there was no one here but me and the dog and he definitely didn't care. My husband is gone on his fishing trip and both daughters were unreachable...so I decided to put it out into the blogosphere! I am the consummate blogger, am I not???

To make it worse, my husband called during the show to have me search for a phone number he wanted so I was watching the rest of the show on the DVR recording. I reached the point where the winner was being announced, I heard DAVID COOK, and the recording ended!!! AI was being extended into the next hour and the DVR had stopped recording! So...I immediately went to YouTube and sure enough, someone had downloaded the end of the show. Thank goodness for those obsessive YouTube people!

*****************************

So back to weight loss blogging. Day Three was fabulous...another pearl on my necklace of On-Point days. We ended up at Red Lobster for lunch yesterday because we had a couple of gift certificates to use up. I tried to look up the nutritionals after I got home, but Red Lobster is sneaky...they only post the information for their Light Meals, I think they are called. They cite the fact that their fine chefs are constantly coming up with new creations and they are unable to be accurate with their information because of that...BALONEY!!!

I tried to choose wisely...a salad minus the croutons with dressing on the side...no biscuit...that is discipline because their Cheddar Bays are fabulous!!!...grilled shrimp with a Mexican lime sauce...fabulous...and a plain baked potato...which I love!

I had a light supper of a nice salad and some green beans I had leftover from another meal and then followed that up later in the evening with some fat-free refried beans, some salsa, and some low-fat wheat crackers.

I had half an English muffin this morning...the last one in the fridge. I put a tablespoon of peanut butter on it and had it with my coffee. I shared the other half with Kipper who thought it was a mini-frisbee and tossed it around the house for a good half hour. I don't know if he finally ate it or hid it under something where I will find it later after it has been reduced to something unrecognizable!

Can I be indulgent for a minute and just say that I have the best children!!! My youngest is in Boston speaking today and is dropping by after she gets back into Indy this evening and just called to see if I wanted her to stop and get me anything before she comes since I am here alone! Isn't that great? Parents...those chubby little toddlers and meddlesome teenagers really do grow up to be the finest people and your best allies!!!

I am so at peace with this weight loss thing right now...a far cry from a week ago. It is so amazing how fast your attitude can change, isn't it?

I'm off to do a little garden work and then I'm knitting for awhile. My project is an afghan in which I am using up all the bits and pieces of yarns that are left from other projects. It is looking fabulous...and a little funky... with all the odd colors and textures. The grandkids will love it!

Have a fabulous Thursday!

DAY 3...THE STRING CONTINUES

This is so funny...and do we all relate???

Bran Muffins

The couple was 85 years old, and had been married for sixty years. Though they were far from rich, they managed to get by because they watched their pennies.

Though not young, they were both in very good health, largely due to the wife's insistence on healthy foods and exercise for the last decade.

One day, their good health didn't help when they went on a rare vacation and their plane crashed, sending them off to Heaven.

They reached the pearly gates, and St. Peter escorted them inside. He took them to a beautiful mansion, furnished in gold and fine silks, with a fully stocked kitchen and a waterfall in the master bath. A maid could be seen hanging their favorite clothes in the closet.

They gasped in astonishment when he said, "Welcome to Heaven. This will be your home now."

The old man asked Peter how much all this was going to cost. "Why, nothing," Peter replied, "remember, this is your reward in Heaven."

The old man looked out the window and right there he saw a championship golf course, finer and more beautiful than any ever built on Earth.
"What are the greens fees?," grumbled the old man.

"This is heaven," St. Peter replied. "You can play for free, every day."

Next they went to the clubhouse and saw the lavish buffet lunch, with every imaginable cuisine laid out before them, from seafood to steaks to exotic deserts, free flowing beverages.

"Don't even ask," said St. Peter to the man. This is Heaven, it is all free for you to enjoy."

The old man looked around and glanced nervously at his wife.

"Well, where are the low fat and low cholesterol foods, and the decaffeinated tea?," he asked.

"That's the best part," St. Peter replied. "You can eat and drink as much as you like of whatever you like, and you will never get fat or sick.This is Heaven!"

The old man pushed, "No gym to work out at?"
"Not unless you want to," was the answer.

"No testing my sugar or blood pressure or..."

"Never again. All you do here is enjoy yourself."

The old man glared at his wife and said, "You and your bran muffins. We could have been here ten years ago!"

I am having a bowl of raisin bran cereal and skim milk for breakfast...close enough!

I had a great day yesterday...that's two in a row! I want to string those successful days together like a long string of pearls! I'm challenging myself to get as many On-Point days in a row as I possibly can. I did it my first year of this journey and it was quite an incentive to color within the lines...I REALLY did not want to break that chain that went on for months!

My challenge the next few days will be eating alone. My husband is leaving on a fishing trip for several days and I have found in the past that this can be either really good or really bad for my weight loss efforts. I can either eat out of loneliness or boredom or I can use the opportunity to really stick to my guns and eat even better minus the distraction of preparing foods that he enjoys (I will settle for far less at a meal than he will!). I'm going to make sure I do the latter this time.

I'm stocking the fridge with some of my favorite fruits and vegetables which I will prep for easy use. I have a new knitting project on the needles as of last night. And I have the dog to keep me company...and all of you guys!

I'm having the kids and grandkids here for Monday and Audrey's 8th Birthday Party! I've been saving up Flex points so I can eat a little birthday cake if I want to! And I'm having BBQ ribs...I'll fix me a piece of pork loin or a chicken breast in the sauce...and corn on the cob, some salads, and some fresh fruit. The grandkids all love fresh pineapple...they will actually fight over it!

And as much as I worry about these big meals, I'm usually so distracted talking with the grown-ups or kissing and hugging kids that I don't eat too much at the time...I'm more apt to pick at the leftovers later, so I'll arrange to send those packing with the guests as they pile out the door!

My husband and I are having lunch out today so I will choose wisely...I'm fired up so I don't think it will be too hard! And he will be gone by supper time so I will have the second salad I made yesterday and probably some grilled fish...one of my favorite meals and one that doesn't sufficiently fill the husband so I usually have it when he is gone! And then the American Idol finale and an evening of knitting! It doesn't get better until Sunday when I have the Coca-Cola 600 to watch...now there's some knitting time!!!

**********************

Prayers to the Senior Senator from Massachusetts!

DAY TWO...THE PLAN FOR TODAY

Any time I have gone off-course with my eating plan, I have made a serious effort to change direction as soon as possible and return to healthy choices. There have been times when I just kept procrastinating and moving that restart further and further into the future.

No procrastination here today, though! I have a plan for succeeding today and I've already been following it.

Breakfast was a repeat of my Breakfast Bowl from yesterday...if it ain't broke, don't bother fixing it!!!

And while I was in the kitchen, I prepared two nice salads for later...one will definitely be for lunch today and the second will either be eaten with supper tonight or will carry over for tomorrow's lunch.

I will also have some steamed cauliflower with 1/4 cup cottage cheese, 1 tablespoon of shredded Cheddar, and salt and pepper stirred in...a taste reminiscent of a baked potato with sour cream and cheese or a serving of macaroni and cheese, but for far fewer calories or points!

Following my newly instated guideline to have something each day that I might have considered off-limits in the past, I am preparing stuffed pork chops for our evening meal. I grew up on a hog farm so a love of all things pork is deeply embedded in my genetic code, and the fact that it is so lean now makes it a natural choice...no guilt there! But stuffing...that's another story.

I LOVE stuffing and it is one of the foods that I put on my hit list any time I try to reduce my intake. Let's face it...it can be a dieter's nightmare if it is loaded with butter or the fats dripping from roasted meats. And then there is the whole bread thing...you know how all of us older "dieters" who lived through the Atkins era feel every time we eat that kind of carbs! A chill comes over us and we tend to make the sign of the cross to ward off evil!

But it doesn't have to be that way!

I happen to be one of those people who doesn't mind the stuffing that comes in a box...no purist here! And a serving of it without the addition of butter is 110 calories...not so bad. That is about a half cup serving, though, and I find that kind of skimpy...so, here's what I do to pump up the volume I get to eat and keep it moist without adding butter. I mince really finely a good portion of onion, apple, and a few mushrooms, cook them until they are limp in a non-stick pan with a few drops of water or chicken broth, and add them to the boxed mix. I've already done that and the chops are trimmed of all fat and ready for stuffing and baking.

So, I have an outline of what I'll be having at my major meals today and will fill in the blanks with fresh fruit, vegetables, and maybe a 100-calorie snack of some kind along with liquids of all sorts.

***************************

Go here to find out more about Truvia...this is a form of stevia which the makers of Coca-Cola are trying to bring to the general market. A zero-calorie natural sweetener might be a good thing, huh? Background on this is that a lot of politics were played 20 years ago by the makers of chemical sweeteners to keep stevia off the supermarket shelves and left in the health food stores where it would not be a financial threat to the big boys! Intriguing, huh?

DAY ONE...BUILDING ON SUCCESS A DAY AT A TIME

If I'm going to kick this week off with a BANG, I'm going to have to choose a breakfast that is (a) nutritious, (b) filling, (c) meets my Points goal of about 4 to 5, and (d) tastes good enough that I don't feel I'm suffering.

My cold weather choice usually ran to oatmeal, but in the warmer months, I usually opt for something cold and centered around one of the summer fruits. So, today I chose one of my all time favorite combinations:

KATHY'S SUMMER BREAKFAST BOWL
serves one @4 Points
1 cup fat-free plain yogurt with a splash of vanilla and a little sweetener
1 to 1 1/2 cups fresh fruit...sliced strawberries today
1/2 cup Fiber-One Cereal
1 Tablespoon sliced almonds

This is a big bowl of goodness...dairy, fruit, and fiber to satisfy WW requirements...and enough volume to take a while to eat so you feel satisfied. And totally packable if you want to take it to work with you. The perfect meal!

When it comes to lunch, I almost always concentrate on vegetables for their volume and zero-point value. There's no better way to fill yourself up and not "spend" a lot of points or calories at the same time.

I've also decided that I really need to include some of the foods that I've determined are "off-limits"...even subconsciously...if I'm to rid myself of this feeling of either being "on-plan" or "off-plan". Weight Watchers encourages the use of whole grain breads, which I recognize are probably the best choice to make, but sometimes I'm faced with eating white bread or sandwich buns either by choice or availability. I've come to see eating the white versions as "bad" when, in fact, although they may not be the "best" choice, they are still not "bad" either.

So, with these thoughts in mind, my lunch today included a huge salad made with lettuce, tomato, red bell pepper, and cucumber dressed with a tablespoon of red wine vinegar, a teaspoon of olive oil, and some garlic powder. I also had a sandwich of leftover meatloaf and lettuce on a hot dog bun. All of this came in at 7 points.

I accompanied lunch with a bottle of orange flavored spring water I found at Aldi's Saturday...0-calories!

Afternoon pick-me-up? A cup of Orange-Spice Tea and a 100-calorie pack of Chocolate Chip Cookie Wafers! Indulgent and only 2 points!

Supper is one of my favorite meals...a stir-fry. They are a terrific way to get in a lot of veggies and adding volume to a small amount of protein. And they are simple, fast, and very flavorful.

Mine tonight started with a frozen vegetable mix with the sauce included. I added a few more fresh vegetables and shrimp. I ended up with a huge plate of stir-fry for only 7 points.

My total for today is 20 points...well below what I'm allowed for the day. I'm going to have an orange a little later and share some popcorn with my husband for another 4 points, so my total for the day will be 24! That's a great start for the day!

How was your Monday?

I've been AWOL...moving furniture from one room to another...repurposing spaces in the house. You can do that when there are only two of you and you have extra rooms. So, I was worn out, babying an aching back from trying to shove big stuff around, and uninspired in the weight loss arena! So, I tried to keep up with my favorite blogs in the evening but kept falling asleep at the wheel as I did so!

I really need to roll some successful days together and that will be my goal in the coming week. I'm also going to go back to posting what I've eaten as an incentive to "go forth and do good works"!

I read an interesting article last week about people with weight problems having difficulty recognizing when they are "full" and I've been thinking about it ever since. I think that is definitely a problem for me and probably one of my own making. I don't remember not getting full as a child. We were never forced to eat a certain amount of food or encouraged to eat past what we felt was enough. In fact, food was on the table and we either ate or we didn't with the awareness that there would be another meal coming on schedule in a few hours. (Meal times were pretty consistent on the farm.) So, unlike many people who relate their eating problems back to habits formed in childhood, I really don't.

In my case, I think I just enjoy food, find eating pleasant, and I lack the discipline to stop myself when I am no longer hungry and continue eating until I am full. If you do this on a daily basis, two things happen:
1. You learn to ignore the more subtle signs of no longer being hungry and only recognize feeling stuffed as the signal to discontinue eating.
2. You ingest a lot more calories than you need on a consistent basis.

If I can force myself to shut out all the normal stimuli at a meal and stay focused on recognizing the first signs of satisfaction, I am usually successful at recognizing those signals and can quit eating without feeling deprived. But we all know how difficult that can be...especially if we are otherwise engaged while eating...reading, watching television, or even having a great conversation!

It will also be my goal to work on that during the next week...it is one of the basics of following Core, after all!

So, I'll see you Monday with all the vigor I can manage!!! Happy Sunday!!!

I MUST REMEMBER
from "Where the Sidewalk Ends"
by Shel Silverstein

I must remember...
Turkey on Thanksgiving,
Pudding on Christmas,
Eggs on Easter,
Chicken on Sunday,
Fish on Friday,
Leftovers, Monday.
But ah, me--I'm such a dunce.
I went and ate them all at once.

SURVIVAL INSTINCTS

You remember fight or flight? The burst of adrenaline you get when you're scared propels you to either stay and fight with strength you didn't think was possible or to run faster than you've ever run before!

That response is understandable and our cave dwelling ancestors who didn't possess it didn't last long.

So where did the instinct for sensing something is amiss but responding to that impending doom by closing our eyes and telling ourselves we'd really rather not know if the danger is real or not come from?

Perhaps my ancestors sensed they would not outrun a bear no matter how much adrenaline was coursing through their veins and became survivors by standing frozen and hoping whatever was threatening them would just keep walking and leave them unharmed.

For whatever reason, I was definitely born with the coping skills of the latter group. I don't react well to too much adrenaline...it tends to make my hearing go away and make my head spin! There's nothing helpful in that reaction to danger, is there?

Anyway...those of us born of this line tend to not want to open ominous looking mail, talk with retirement planners, have health examinations, or step on scales for fear of what we'll find if we do. There are many of us who, given our druthers, would much rather whistle in the dark.

After all, with any luck, the bear may just walk by...if he doesn't get a whiff of that second piece of cornbread I'm eating, that is!

THE TRANSFORMATION IS NEARLY COMPLETE

The best kind of friend is the one you could sit on a porch with, never saying a word, and walk away feeling like that was the best conversation you've had. ~Author Unknown

My most vivid memories of my Grandma and Grandpa Aldridge was of them in their own personal rocking chairs in the living room of their home. Theirs were prime examples of the Arts and Crafts movement...oak, solid, and roomy. They spent so much time in them that Grandpa was still kinda bent in the shape of his rocker even when he stood!

My husband and I spend a good amount of time sitting on the big, covered wooden deck attached to the back of our house right outside the kitchen door. We have been married long enough that a lot of our sitting is done in silence...we don't fear it...we find it comforting. He listens to the birds or NPR and I knit or just stare at Nature.

And now I can do it in comfort. I was given a comfy rocking chair of my own for Mother's Day. I think I am fast becoming the 21st Century version of Grandma Aldridge...but there are so many worse things! She lived to be 93 and mowed her own grass well into her 80's with an old rotary mower...and she made fabulous sugar cookies!

LEST WE FORGET...

Lilacs...Mom's favorite flower!

How did it get so late so soon?
It's night before it's afternoon.
December is here before it's June.
My goodness how the time has flewn.
How did it get so late so soon?

~Dr. Seuss

My mom and dad both spent their last days as patients in the hospital at which I worked. My days were spent on the job with my allegiance torn between being the nurse and being the daughter. My evenings and weekends were spent dividing my time between the hospital and my duties as a mother and wife.

And there were the many calls with siblings who were living at a distance and unable to be there. I recited the same message over and over but always tried to remember that it was the first time that particular person had heard it.

And then the day came when there was no positive news from the doctors and the reality of impending loss set in. In both cases, there was no longer a battle between what role I would play. In both instances, I took off my pager, handed my paperwork to my boss, and went to sit with my parent. Sometimes there is no question where your loyalty should lie.

As Mother's Day approaches, I always remember my own mother with genuine love...there will never be another one quite like her. And I think of the many people who are letting time, money, their own family duties, and past mistakes keep them from spending time with their own mothers. If you are one of those people, do something about it today. You'll never be sorry that you did.

I always thought a yard was three feet, then I started mowing the lawn. ~C.E. Cowman

I have to say that my blogger friends are the greatest people in the world! Thanks for all your kind comments...you make me feel so good!

You know what else makes me feel good? When I can do something myself.

I have felt so bad the past few years that all the yard work had fallen on my husband, but I just was not able to do a lot of it. And wanting to do something and knowing you can't is a really crummy feeling.

But this spring, due to the weight loss, I have been happily working on the flower borders...digging and planting and moving flowers from one spot to another. I've created an area for my hollyhocks and planted some morning glories...a fav from my childhood on the farm! I've dug up and started an entire new bed of flowers that will attract butterflies. And the tomato plants are looking good in the bed I readied for them.

I've dug up and divided hostas so I can donate some to Nurse Lara's yard and moved a rose bush...that was WORK...I had no idea what kind of roots I'd find on that baby!

And...now I am mowing and maintaining all our lawn that falls inside the fenced areas...Hub will continue to do the rider in the rest. I haven't mown grass for years, but my other daughter gave me an electric mower they had purchased last year and only used twice. It's small and fairly easy to maneuver and the best part is that I can start it myself! I'm so darned happy when I can do it myself!

So...even if my eating progress has been a little spotty, I have definitely stepped up the activity level this spring. And, I must say, my back yard is showing it!

**************************************

AT LAST, A SCIENTIFIC STUDY I CAN GET "BEHIND"

"Body fat found under the skin - and particularly on the buttocks - may help reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, research suggests. The study contrasts this subcutaneous fat with visceral fat, which is wrapped around the organs, and raise the risk of ill health. It is thought subcutaneous fat may produce hormones known as adipokines which boost the metabolism.

The Harvard Medical School study appears in the journal Cell Metabolism.

**************************************

I posted the recipe for these Meringues with Strawberries and Cream on my recipe blog...just click on the sidebar widget and it will take you right there. The recipe is from the Splenda Cooking Club and they would be a nice treat for Mother's Day!

Where did you go today? Ha HA, I miss my Kathy post...I would reckon that your probably all wrapped up in those primaries in your great state ;)

Oh, Kate...you have no idea! But the Indiana primary is finally over. The national press have left the building along with Elvis! No more hearing the names of Hoosier towns mispronounced. No more seeing Sarah Fisher referred to as a NASCAR driver. No more Evan Bayh pretending he lives here. No more seeing candidates holding town hall meetings in the local park or seeing them eating the same house omelette that I order when I visit our second favorite Greek restaurant in town!

Sarah Fisher...Indy car driver

Now, I can focus on this blog again...and taking the time to plan my meals and eat better again.

I've just been a miserable failure at this for about a week now and I'm feeling really guilty every time I see my husband eat some food that is not good for him because I wanted to indulge myself. Part of being an adult is taking responsibility for your actions and turning your back on the allure of instant gratification.

But it's so easy, isn't it? Those bad habits and old food choices are always there to be called up in weak moments. I don't kick myself for making those old choices...it happens. But it is time to move on and make some positive steps toward my 2008 goals again. And I'm starting that today.

As I read other weight loss blogs, I see that I'm not the only one to become distracted by life events and waking up a few days later with the realization that it is time to redirect out attention to our efforts at leading a healthier lifestyle.

And a lot of you are like me in that you are leading loved ones by your example...good or bad. It may be your spouse, your children, or even your parents, but they do notice what we do as much as what we say. We do have a responsibility to lead whether we like it or not.

So...speaking of setting a good example...Kate...here I am with my eye on the prize again. I've been watching you slug away at those stubborn pounds like the champ you are. You will be my inspiration today and this post is for you!

P. S. After reading a few of your comments...this is my comment to all of you:

If this blog has taught me anything, it is that we're all in this together and no one understands the challenges we face every day better than fellow bloggers! That's why I come here to describe my feelings and my challenges...I know I will have sympathetic listeners who will commiserate but also push me forward with hope and a few, "I have your back in this!" messages.

Every time I think I'm the only one who is experiencing a down time, I find comfort in reading that I'm not alone. But I also find people who are having an up swing in their program who remind me that these feelings aren't permanent and I can work through them to achieve future victories.

So we can set examples for each other...both good and bad. I'm just sorry that I was the bad example this week...lol! Just kidding!

Success comes in cans, not cant's. ~Author Unknown

I lost my keys last week. I went to get them so I could prove to my "Doubting Thomas" husband that I had a key to the outer door that leads from our kitchen to the deck and I couldn't find them.

I'm a stay-at-home kind of girl...I seldom leave the house when I'm not in the company of my husband...so my keys don't get much use. They are either hanging on the hook alongside my purse or they are in my purse. I also am not a purse changer. I keep one with all the important things in it...driver's license, debit card, nursing license, library card, insurance card...that kind of thing. I seldom carry it because I'm usually with my "sugar daddy" and don't need it. I know...I'm in the minority. Most women can't imagine life without a purse...I'm a minimalist in that regard.

So, I searched all the little pockets in my purse, my coat pockets, even my camera case that was hanging there next to the purse in case I'd had a senior moment and stuffed them in there. They were not to be found. I continued to do some searching for the next several days and decided that it would be one of those mysteries in life that just don't get solved and made a plan to have copies made from my husband's set.

But first, I decided I would search my purse for maybe the tenth time! And there, deep in one of the pockets, were the keys! I would have sworn they were gone forever and that they certainly weren't in that purse...but there they were!

Why am I going on about lost keys on my weight-loss blog?

Because there have been several times during the last two and a half years when I have misplaced my enthusiasm for this whole weight-loss thing. I would go searching for the key parts of the plan that had kept me on track up to that point and find them missing. They had been there the day before...I had been using them successfully...and suddenly they were gone! And, like my set of door and car keys, I would have sworn that I had lost them forever when, suddenly, I would search one more place, and find them.

I've felt like that for weeks! I've been trying to put one foot in front of the other...but I've been WANTING those foods that I've been avoiding...and I couldn't keep my mind from going to them. That makes you feel miserable!

Yes, I know with WW there are no foods that are forbidden, but as much as you repeat that to yourself, we all know that we edit our food choices constantly and feel bad when we eat certain foods...we forbid ourselves from eating them even when the plan doesn't!

So, I was feeling that way this morning when I opened up my e-mails to find the latest post from Debbie of "Drop the Fork". Debbie always has quality posts...always! And this one spoke to me.

She is writing about the people who complain to her that they are tired and bored with their "healthy" foods. Her response is simple: "...what do you like to eat? Figure out what that is, and then eat it."

She goes on to suggest making two lists...the first one is a list of "healthy" foods that you actually enjoy eating...not what you think you should be eating, but what you like to eat. The second list will be foods that you love and really want to eat, but don't belong on that first list.

When the lists are done, she suggests planning to eat from the first list most of the time, but to choose something from the second list 2 or 3 times during the next week. Eating a single portion of an item from the second list and taking the time to enjoy it without attaching guilty feelings to the act is the key to having your cake and losing weight too!

Maybe that is the key that I have lost while I was trying to eat "healthy foods" 100% of the time. Those other foods are not going to let us ignore them forever! And trying to eliminate them completely just sets us up for eventual failure.

So, I'm making those two lists and I'm going to include some of those foods that I just can't stop thinking about. We'll see how this goes.

And, if you have a chance, go to Debbie's site and read her story! She's an inspiration!

************************************************

Ran across a new blog site that might interest the men out there...or the women who care about men. It's called the Art of Manliness. Read about it here.

OUR BIG FAT GREEK RESTAURANT

When the husband and I step out for a meal, we end up at our favorite Greek run establishment here in Indianapolis. I've mentioned it many times before because we are so fond of it. We love the owner, Nick, and all the great waitresses who work there...they remember what you like to drink and bring it to the table without being asked. My husband drinks a lot of water and iced tea during a meal and they bring an entire pitcher and set it on the table for him to refill his glass from.

They have a huge selection of foods on their printed menu and a huge dry-erase board with even more items as you enter the restaurant as well as maybe five items that are unique to that day! And...here's the best part...we never spend more than $20 for the two of us! If the bill is over that by a dollar or two, the extra disappears at the cash register and is rounded down!

And you should see the place on Friday evenings! It's free dessert night! Everyone gets a free dessert with their meal. And if you are a regular and a decent tipper, your waitress just might bring you an extra one in a to-go container as she's clearing your table...hush...hush! (This always presents us with a dilemma...thrift and greed vs sugar and calories!!!)

Is it any wonder that we love these people???

Well, one of my favorite items on their dry-erase board portion of the menu is a Chicken Kebab that isn't really a Kebab at all, but basically a Greek stir-fry. I have them leave off the rice that comes with it and it fits perfectly into my Core meal plan. Here's my approximation of how the dish is prepared:

NICK'S CHICKEN KEBAB
serves 2

Marinade:
4 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Salt and Pepper
Mix and set aside.

2 4-ounce chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes
1 large or 2 medium tomatoes, cut into sections, vertically
1 medium onion, cut into about 8 sections, vertically
1 bell pepper, seeded and cut into vertical sections

Dip the chicken into the marinade and then quickly stir the cubes in a non-stick skillet until they are cooked through and browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add onion and pepper to the pan and toss until crisp tender.
Return the chicken and the tomato to the vegetables and pour the remaining marinade mixture over all. Cook for another minute or two until the marinade has heated through and the tomatoes are hot.

This may be served with rice or stuffed into a warm pita.

*************************************

Congratulations to TB who is celebrating his first year anniversary of beginning his weight loss journey. In that time, he has managed to lose a ton of weight, reach goal, begin working with WW, tear up his kitchen, survive one of the worst winters ever in Milwaukee, and father another child who is due soon! Busy fella, huh? Visit him and give him a big blogger high-five!!!

************************************

And speaking of visiting other blogs, I have found one that I just love. It is a retro cooking site and the recipes are not slim and trim, but if you are at all fond of food history and retro stories, you will love Lidian's site. It is at: http://kitchenretro.wordpress.com/