FRIDAY AFTERNOON IN INDIANAPOLIS

I think hollyhocks are the happiest flowers in the garden and I am always delighted when mine bloom. There are colors ranging from deep purples to pale pink, yellow to peach. The sign on the deck is wishful thinking for things to come in July. I'm sending out positive vibes for big juicy tomatoes! And that is a shot of our dock on the little lake behind the house...the view from my rocking chair on the back porch.

Gotta run...the triplets will be here soon and the peace and quiet will be a thing of the past.
Have a glorious weekend, friends...the first weekend of summer!

And a video featuring beautiful downtown Indy!

SWEET SUMMER DAYS

I read this today and wanted to share it with you:

"Many women have a completely unrealistic picture of what they are supposed to look like: a composite image based on 5-foot-9-inch models (with 5-foot-7-inch legs), movie stars sashaying down the red carpet, criticism from others that they've absorbed and now turned on themselves, and an unrelenting blast of insane information from our culture. Think of the Extreme Makeover TV show. Its message: Happiness depends on what you look like, and with enough cuts of the knife, you, too, can be happy."

"It's time to challenge long-held beliefs about what will make us happy," says Geneen Roth, author of six books on emotional eating and a memoir, The Craggy Hole in My Heart and the Cat Who Fixed It. "This means questioning the harsh litany of self-criticism--about our thighs, arms, facial features--that plays in our heads all day long."

Next time you have the chance (at a grocery store, a mall, a health club), take a good look at a real woman's body. Pick someone who passed through puberty more than 10 minutes ago. Notice the wrinkles, lumps, and bumps. "This is what living looks like. This is what loving and losing and hoping and caring do to bodies," says Roth. "The goal of life is not to get through to the end and wind up looking like you just began. The goal is to allow yourself to have your life--and in doing so, to discover that you are the prize, the celebration, the only place where happiness can ever be found."

I'm letting my creative juices flow a little. I'm designing and knitting a Christmas stocking for my step-grandson so he will have one to match the ones we made for the triplets their first Christmas. Jackson felt a little left out last year with his store-bought stocking...not so much that his was purchased, but that it was considerably smaller than the others! We can't have that!!!

His dad is from Canada and his paternal grandfather worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway, so I've incorporated the name of the railway and a row of red Canadian maple leaves around the stocking. It also has red, white, and blue stripes for the U.S. and Christmasy items like snowflakes, reindeer, and evergreens...all knit with fingering weight yarn on size 0 needles...that should keep me busy for awhile!

I'm posting less regularly for a few weeks as I spend time with the family...especially the grandkids. I'm still visiting my favorite blogs but probably not taking the time to comment as often, either.

I'll leave you with a link to this great looking Vegetarian Tortilla Soup from Heidi Swanson's blog...I'm going to fix some this weekend.

People say that losing weight is no walk in the park. When I hear that I think, yeah, that's the problem. ~Chris Adams

If you've been reading the news coming from Japan lately, you will have seen the latest edict coming from the government there that requires all men and women to have their waist measurements recorded as part of their annual health exams and reported to the government. Men may not exceed 33.5 inches and women must report in at less than 35.4 inches.

Studies have shown that the dangers involved in carrying extra fat around the waist increase sharply after reaching those measurements.

My first question was what the government does to those who are above the limit. Are they sent off to government boot camps or put on limited rations? Are they shunned in public? Or forced to pay an "obesity" tax?

Seems they are shunted into programs which offer dietary instruction for the next three months. If that doesn't work, there is a more "spirited" round of lecturing that occurs at the six month mark.

And that word, "obesity"...well, they have decided that it carries a negative connotation that is counter-productive, so they have opted for the more medical sounding "Metabo". That term refers to Metabolic Syndrome...that illness that Americans are facing which is characterized by abdominal obesity, high blood pressure and high blood sugar. It is the disease of the 21st Century.

It may sound silly to think that having a physician tell you that work needs to be done to reduce your "metabo" might be more effective than just telling you to lose weight, but there is a certain feeling of the problem being something that can be effectively treated when it is referred to as "metabolic syndrome" rather than just obesity. As a nation, we have been told to lose weight for so many years that it kinda falls on deaf ears at this point. I think a lot of doctors feel they have to say the words but they are visibly shocked when a patient actually follows their advice.

And even though the waist measurement strategy may sound simplistic, many believe that it is a very effective method of establishing risk. Many people who are of "normal" weight still carry that paunch around the middle that puts them in the danger zone.

Maybe we can put the scales away and just go out and buy some tape measures, huh?

A TRIBUTE TO MY DAD

He met my mother and married her back in 1927. He met her at a roller-skating rink...she was 17, divorced (she fell in love with a handsome scoundrel when she was 15), and had a son...he fell in love with them both. While his brothers were staying in "town" to work in factories and make the big money, he made the decision to move his family to the country where the pay was a fraction of what his brothers were making, but there was a lot of space for what would eventually become a family of ten children to roam, play, work, and imagine. His own father had retired to a rocking chair after a mild heart attack, and he had quit school in the eighth grade to work so the younger children could remain in school...that's how things were done back then.

He farmed, but it was never on property of his own...he worked seven days a week for $35 dollars cash a week, a home to live in, two loads of coal a winter to heat the house, and two hogs to butcher each winter. He raised ten children on that income and did it well.

He was known as "Farmer" within his family, "Daddy" to all the children, and "Daily" to all the people who knew and respected him. He lived his life in quiet dignity and never knew an enemy.

A genealogical search of his family done back in the late 90's indicated he was a direct descendant of men who had fought in the Revolution and then gone on to become pioneer settlers of Indiana on his father's side, and Kentucky on his mother's. Those farms had remained in those families until the current generation. If his own father had not gone to town to seek his fortune when he was a young man, the family farm would have passed on to him and he would have been toiling on his own land all those years. But it probably made little difference to him...he wasn't cut from that kind of cloth. It was the farming he enjoyed, not the money he might have made. It seems farming had really been in his blood...literally.

When he became too old to farm any longer, he "retired" to become custodian at the local high school and became friend to an entire new group of people.

After his funeral service, the line of cars carrying mourners to the cemetery passed the school, the farm house where he raised his family, the little church he had attended, and the little auction barn he had frequented and helped with sales. It was reminiscent of what people describe as their "lives flashing before them".

He lived his life well, he was loved and respected by everyone he met, and he left a whole lot more than he took. He was a dad like no other and a great man.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Just wanted to take a moment from the talk of weight loss and all things caloric to say a little about disaster relief.

As all of you have probably seen by now, the Midwest has been hit with severe flooding during the past week and many people have found themselves and their property affected by it.

Son-in-law Darin's sister and her family live in Columbus, just 35 miles south of us and had six feet of muddy, sewage laden storm water flood into their home after a flash flood this past weekend. They were in an area that was not designated a flood plain and therefore had no flood insurance. The most they may receive is $9000...maybe...from their homeowners insurance. They have three small children and their family of five is having to live with Darin's mother and her husband in their condo.

They are safe and they have a roof over their heads and many people who love and care about them. But what they don't have is HOME. I can't even imagine!

Yes, they will survive and go on and they will be happy again, but this is a time of personal tragedy for them and many other families who are left without precious mementos, books they have loved to read to their children, and a sense of security.

Can you imagine having all your family's clothing soaked in that same flood water and trying to find some way to salvage them? Their sense of loss is tangible and heartbreaking.

Our daughter, Lara...Darin's wife...was in a tornado that hit her apartment building, destroying it, just six years ago, and we saw first hand how quickly your world can be turned upside down.

But we also witnessed the generosity of an entire community. The Red Cross was there immediately and assisted her in finding a new apartment. The apartment complex took her immediately and didn't insist on deposits or anything. My husbands friends helped him sift through the wreckage of her apartment and transfer anything they could to her new apartment.

She had just started nursing school at the University of Indianapolis and they had anonymous donors who replaced her computer and school books and offered her financial assistance.

I know when we hear of these tragedies we are shocked by them and wish we could help. We've found through personal experience that the Red Cross is very efficient and offers real help to people in these situations, as do the local churches who set up shelters and who are always appreciative of donations.

We were just talking last night about how important just having clean clothes can be...I know Tide set up laundry facilities in New Orleans after Katrina just for that reason. We were going to see if local laundromats and dry cleaners might donate their services or give discounts to people who needed it.

If you are in a position to do so, please remember to offer your help in any way you can during these emergencies and afterward. They are on our televisions for a few hours...maybe days if they are bad enough and then we are on to other news. But the families touched by these disasters need our help and understanding for months and years. It can look like they have moved on, but the emotional and physical scars of this type of loss lingers on well past the emergency.

Gardening is a matter of your enthusiasm holding up until your back gets used to it. ~Author Unknown

What a fabulous weekend! We did a little yard sale shopping after the rain finally ended Saturday afternoon and ran into a sale at a house with an absolutely fabulous yard. The flower beds were so gorgeous that I was just salivating. The fellow who owned the house was telling us all about the borders and then casually asked if I'd like to see the back yard that was enclosed in a high fence. Well, the last time someone offered to show me their backyard, I thought I had been dropped right into the Garden of Eden it was so wonderful...so I practically hugged him and said, "Absolutely!!!"

All I can say is, if you're even mildly interested in gardening, NEVER turn down a chance to see one! It was so beautiful! And the really great thing was that most of the plants had been starts from other people or had been moved to their present spot from other areas that were being thinned. It was so tranquil that I could have just plopped myself in one of the chairs and spent the afternoon.

We left with a $1 purchase and pots of starts that he gave me for his Moon Plant...my husband has been wanting to start one of these for ages! I practically skipped to the car, I was so anxious to get home and start incorporating some of the ideas I'd just gotten from his garden!

We have an area off our wooden deck in the back of the house about the size of a basketball court that is enclosed by a chain-link fence. We don't like it, but felt it was necessary for the safety of the grandkids when they were little since there is a little lake behind the house. It is also handy for the dog. But it is plain back there and I'm working on turning it into something that is a fraction as nice as the yard sale fellow's.

So, you're asking...this is nice, Kathy...but what does it have to do with weight loss? Glad you asked.

Every time I sit on the deck and think I'll just enjoy the peace and quiet, it's not 5 minutes before I look up and see something I'd like to do in the yard! There's watering and weeding and mowing. There are new beds to dig and starts from my daughter's flowers to put in the ground. So that idle time I might have spent on my butt in my rocking chair is now spent doing manual labor! And I'm enjoying myself at the same time!

Back to the weekend...I had such a good time watching all seven of the grandkids playing in my daughter's backyard yesterday. The slip and slide was a life saver in the hot afternoon and they enjoyed themselves to the max! I found a spot in the shade of their lawn swing. There was an empty spot beside me that was occupied by a wet grandchild most of the time. It gave me an opportunity for some one-on-one conversation with some pretty imaginative people! I found out that 6 year old Morrigan wants to "grow up", ( at first I thought she said "throw up" and I gave her a little more space on the swing!), and when I asked her why she said so she could be a movie star and walk on the red carpet, of course!

Great weekend foodwise, as well. This is Day Seven of my 30 day Plan and I am fired up! Ready to go! (That was for you, Caroline!)

BAREFOOT CONTESSA ALERT!!!

I got a phone call from my younger daughter last evening to give me a "calorie alert"! We are having a family potluck today and she was preparing Ina Garten's macaroni and cheese which sounds sinful! Several types of cheese and a stick of butter!

It's kind of a running joke that is steeped in seriousness that I will get a warning shot before the girls fix something like that so I have time to save up some points prior to the event. They both know I like breads and pastas, especially.

I had a great eating day yesterday and had close to 400 calories to spare...just about what a small serving of that macaroni will use up!

I'm taking a watermelon...the kids love it and it's good for their "Mimi" too! And with the muggy weather we're having, it should be no problem getting plenty of fluids in today.

Have a great Sunday, everyone!

GIVE ME SOME SUNSHINE!!!

The march goes on. I ended up having pizza and a salad for dinner last night rather than the Mexican dish I had planned, but I did fine and ended the day with calories to spare.

Even though I am making an effort to not place any food on a "banned forever" list, I still am very aware of my dual goals of not only losing weight, but to also eat foods that will make me healthier. I think you can leave the possibility of eating any food open and, at the same time, weigh the benefits of eating one food over another.

Lifescript has made a list of the Top 10 Worst Foods, why they are bad for you, and what you can substitute for them in order to achieve a healthier food plan.

1. Chips
2. Non-Dairy Whipped Topping
3. Doughnuts
4. Fettuccine Alfredo
5. Sausage
6. Fried Chicken
7. Imitation Cheese in a can
8. French Fries
9. Spongy White Bread
10. Fried WonTons

The things these foods have in common are that they are full of saturated fat, simple carbohydrates which quickly enter the blood stream and increase blood sugar, concentrated calories, and high sodium levels. And I don't know about you, but they are the kinds of foods that I have difficulty eating a portion of and then quitting. And they are all foods that I have eaten and enjoyed in the past.

But when I look at the list today, I can honestly say that these are not foods I make a habit of eating now...even on a "not so good" day! I've learned to move on from these foods and make the healthier substitutions routinely no matter what plan I follow. I'm more apt to get into "trouble" by overeating on the healthier choice than I am to eat the really rotten stuff! When I eat doughnuts, it is a signal that I am in serious eating trouble and I have given up any semblance of controlling my eating! (I read a really funny description of this state yesterday on another blog which I will not put here, but if you are not easily offended by strong language and want to see it, you can go here!)

Some of you may have noticed the flooding we are having in the southern part of Indiana. Our younger daughter lives in Bloomington and they had to cancel a trip to Indianapolis today because of it. It looks like the rain has finally moved on and we are promised some sunshine later today and tomorrow, so I am off to see how my flowers are doing after being pounded all night! Have a great Saturday!!!

"I'M GOING TO GO TALK TO SOME FOOD ABOUT THIS"...Tina Fey in 30 Rock

AWESOME!!!
Sunset on Mars
from NASA images







I was telling my husband all about my 30 day calorie counting plan last night over supper, and I realized that the last time I can remember calorie counting per se was the summer before I left for my first year of college. I remember the pressure I felt to present myself to these new people I would be meeting in the best shape I could possibly be in so I immediately went into "lose weight" mode!

This was the summer of 1967 and doctors were still handing out diet pills...amphetamines...uppers! There was no shame in doing so...my mother and a couple of my sisters took them routinely. So, even though, at best, I was probably 20 to 25 pounds away from an ideal weight, our family doctor handed me a packet of probably a couple of weeks worth of them.

It was going to be a busy three months for me. I needed to earn as much money as I could to have cash for survival at college. I was going on a scholarship so tuition and books, room and board were paid, but I needed cash for clothing and all the other things young girls couldn't live without. Nursing students were not permitted to work their first year of school since it was an accelerated program and there was concern that the students would not be able to keep up with school and work. (They were probably right...only 33 of the original 50 students allowed into the program made it to the end.)

I had agreed to spend the summer with my older sister, Polly, and her family since she had undergone major surgery and needed help with the kids and the house. I had also agreed to work during the day at a doctor's office as a receptionist/assistant and then would spend four hour shifts and weekends working at a local department store as a cashier. Like I said...I would be busy.

So, I took my first diet pill and proceeded to follow the diet of the day...900 calories per day and food limited to boiled eggs and grapefruit halves. The pill worked fine as far as the appetite suppression went...I had NO desire to eat! But my heart was racing so fast that I could hardly stand it! And the black coffee I was drinking to emulate my sister certainly didn't help.

By the end of day one, I was starting to feel a little better and headed off to bed where I tossed and turned ALL NIGHT! Sleep would not come. I took my second pill in the morning and headed off for another full day of work with no appetite and no sleep. That night was a repeat of the previous one...no sleep again!

My sister was an old hand at this and told me it would get better after a while. But after the third night of not being able to sleep, I flushed the diet pills down the toilet...my sister probably wanted to brain me for that since she would have loved a few extra for her supply...and I never took diet pills again.

I tried to stick out the 900 calorie diet, but without the aid of the pills, that wasn't going to happen!

So, I got throught the summer and went off to nursing school pretty much as I had left high school as far as weight was concerned. There would be other diets to follow there, but I never returned to calorie counting.

As a side note...my sister had to go into rehab a couple of years later to come off her addiction to uppers and downers and was the first of our family to pass at the age of 56!

It struck me yesterday as I recalled that summer how far I have come in my knowledge of what is reasonable and what is pure idiocy when it comes to weight loss. My "calorie restricted diet" now contains nearly twice the number of calories I was shooting for at that time! And the women who followed those severely restricted diets back then went on to have metabolisms that required them to consume fewer calories the rest of their lives. The same doctors handed out thyroid supplements to the same women they had given the diet pills when their metabolisms needed a boost...no lab tests necessary!

So...today, I begin Day 4. I'm planning my usual "Breakfast Bowl" of yogurt, fruit, Fiber-One, raisin bran, and a tablespoon of sliced almonds for this morning. Lunch will be a combo of cabbage, a potato, onion, and stewed tomatoes cooked together into a "stew" of sorts...really filling and good! And I'm planning supper around chicken breasts baked with salsa served with beans and rice and a salad. Sound good? I think so! And some fruit for snacks.

Life is good!

P.S. As Roni is fond of saying...note to self! I know where all those crazed scientists from the cold war went for jobs after the Wall came down! They are making up those awful verification codes on the Blogger comment pages! When you're nearing John McCain's age bracket, are in need of a prescription change for your glasses, and have a habit of hitting the "p" when you meant to strike the "o", those things are a bloddy nuisance! End of rant...go about your duties and pretend you didn't see that!

I would like my roses to see you. ~Richard Brinsley Sheridan

This is the window over my kitchen sink.

Isn't this pretty?
It was the first rose of the season from the bush I planted in honor of my granddaughter, Audrey.

My second day of calorie counting went well...I ended up with an extra 75 calories to spare yesterday! I found that the grilled fish I had for dinner...and loved by the way...just didn't hold me through the evening hours and I ended up using a few calories to get me over that slump. But, hey! I stayed under my allotted number...should lose because that number is less than what my body needs to support my current weight...and those 75 calories should continue to add up to a bonus loss sometime in the future! That's the plan, anyway.

I'm planning on having beans and corn muffins tonight for supper...one of our favorite meals...and, I have to say, that no matter what plan I'm following, those darn muffins are evil! How can a single muffin with no butter or added chips or nuts or anything add up to 170 calories??? lol! Well, I'll have one and then concentrate on a side of mixed greens with some vinegar...very low in calories, points, or whatever metric you might apply to them! (Sorry for the "metric" reference...too much primary watching, I guess! btw...I just love it when the underdog wins!)

Some of my blogger friends who are calorie counters have weighed in on the subject in the past couple of days. Here's a sampling:

I think you'll like counting calories. I've been doing it consistently for 10 days now and although it does take a bit of work. I think it is teaching me a lot about trade offs. I find I want high calorie foods less when I get a firm sense of what it means for my overall day and when I have a treat I want it to be one that is really going to count. WeeLittleMe

No one was more surprised than I was when calorie counting worked so well for me. Like you, I just wanted to be healthier--thinner, but not thin. I used Sparkpeople to determine my optimum calories for the day, and I was AMAZED at how much food was involved in 1500 calories when you were talking about good-for-you food. In the summer, especially, I have trouble getting enough in! Cammy

The first morning I woke up and thought "I'm not on a diet but monitoring my food intake within my goal to stay in a specific (and generous!) calorie range" felt awesome....I felt like a heavy weight had been lifted....like I could get "on" with my life.
So many of the foods I'd avoided-- because, geesh,who wants to spend 15 points on one food in one shot?--were no longer a problem. I discovered that the thing that so often made a food so high in points (generally the fat content) was the thing that hindered me from overeating it...I can only eat so much of a really high fat food without feeling uneasy in my stomach...so those kinds of food are self limiting in a way. DinahSoar

It is a chore at first, but like points or any other method, you get to remembering the numbers after just a short time and you find yourself repeating quite a few foods anyway. We all have our favorites that we eat regularly and it's easy to manage those once you've figured them out the first time. And everything packaged has the numbers right there to reference.

Have a good day, fellow weight-loss bloggers...no matter what plan you are using!

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

40 years later...Kerry Kennedy remembers her father, Robert's words:

"Peace is not something to pray for, but something everyone has the responsibility to create everyday. We must muster the courage to face the truth about ourselves as well as those we consider enemies."

Do you think there's such a thing as airborne calories? Maybe they just jump directly onto your hips. ~Coupling

I posted yesterday that I needed to hoist myself from the doldrums that have set in here in weight loss land. I've been feeling lately that I'm in a serious rut after doing this for 2 1/2 years. I've had lots of successes...enough to move me 70 pounds away from my all time high at the beginning of my journey and I'm very happy with that.

But I've had to make adjustments periodically along that path in order to keep that "spark" alive and keep me headed in the right direction and I feel in need of one of those course changes now.

I guess my perspective on this whole weight loss thing is different than a lot of other bloggers. I have no interest in reaching a certain weight per se. My goal is not to be thin or to fit into a bikini. My goal from day one has been to forge a path toward a weight loss that would leave me feeling comfortable and healthier. It didn't really matter to me what the number on the scale was when I reached that point...I would just know that I was there. And I've been close to reaching that point over the past year...I have felt that. And now I need a little boost to keep going a little further.

While drawing up my 30 day plan yesterday, I made note of the fact that there has been a recent resurgence in the weight loss world of calorie counting. I don't think I have done that since the 60's and the emergence of Weight Watchers! And all the programs I tried through the years have done the counting for me as long as I followed the rules about which food group I would eliminate from my diet.

I am weary of the approach I've been taking...honestly! I've seen people like DinahSoar and KathEats eating well, eating healthy, balanced meals and snacks, but also enjoying treats that I had eliminated. And they were counting calories along the way.

My favorite magazing, Clean Eating, promotes healthy choices, but they also rely on calorie counts.

So, for my 30 Day Plan, I've decided to count calories!

My guideline for the number I would permit myself was to multiply 10 times the weight I think I would be content with...10 because that is the number you get if you are leading a sedentary lifestyle...that would be me. It is a very comfortable number to live with. It allows me enough food that I am satisfied and able to get all the nutrients I need. My calculations show me that if I did nothing but continue to eat that number of calories that I would eventually reach that weight range that I desire. And if I am active and if I have calories left over at the end of the day, I will reach that goal a little faster. I had 300 calories left over yesterday.

I have to say that it was liberating facing the day knowing that nothing was off limits! I can't remember when I last did that.

My plan was to outline the day in the following manner:

• 1. I decided what I wanted to prepare for our dinner and mapped out the number of calories I had to set aside for that. It was basically 1/4 of my allotted calories.
• 2. I figured up the calories that are in my basic breakfast bowl...the yogurt, high-fiber cereal, fruit, and chopped nuts...and it came in at about 300 calories...a great breakfast.
• 3. I figured up the calories in a couple of snacks...fresh fruit and a 100-calorie pack of popcorn.
• 4. I figured up my lunch.
• 5. I added it all together, subtracted that total from my limit, and set that number of calories aside to dip into in case I needed a snack or wanted a treat...or to just put toward that little extra shove toward reaching my ideal weight loss!

It was a great day...I really enjoyed it and I was aware all day of what my intake was...no bargaining with myself for points and free foods. I made myself accountable for every bite that went into my mouth.

The newness may wear off eventually...I don't know. But I am committed to doing this for 29 more days and I feel rejuvenated! That frog I ate yesterday is tasting pretty good!

EAT A FROG

I got the latest newsletter from Mac Anderson's "Simple Truths" today, and, as usual, I was inspired by it.

"There's an old saying that says..."If the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning is eat a live frog, then nothing worse can happen for the rest of the day!" Well, I don't know about you, but I think that's a pretty safe assumption.

Brian Tracy, in his book Eat That Frog! says that your "frog" should be the most difficult item on your things to do list, the one where you're most likely to procrastinate; because, if you eat that first, it'll give you energy and momentum for the rest of the day. But, if you don't...and let him sit there on the plate and stare at you while you do a hundred unimportant things, it can drain your energy and you won't even know it.

So, here's your assignment: for the next 30 days take a look at your list, circle the frog, and eat that first."

I've always made it a point to begin my day with a list of what I need to accomplish that day. On normal days, it may be a simple list made up of figuring out what to fix for dinner so I can get anything that needs to be thawed out or prepared early taken care of; doing a load of laundry; or watering the flowers. On those days, I may not even write the list down but will keep a running tally in my head of what needs to be done yet.

On especially busy days, I will do what son-in-law Mark calls, "List the work then work the list." There is such a feeling of accomplishment to be had as you cross off each item.

As a person with a weight problem I've been trying to get a grip on, I have also spent years beginning each day with a little mental evaluation of how well I did the day before and what I think I should accomplish in the day ahead of me. Some of those sessions are good...some mediocre...but I always have them.

I've also been a believer in the "eat a frog" approach to facing a day. I want the worst gone in a hurry so I don't have to worry about it all day. I always make appointments for as early as possible and business phone calls for the minute they open their lines. If a chore I hate needs to be done, I do it first. And I frequently prepare dinner very early in the day to the point it just needs a quick finish at mealtime.

I usually determine the direction my eating will take for the entire day by what I eat for breakfast. If I begin with a healthy meal, I am much more likely to grab an apple instead of a PopTart later in the day.

But, Mac's 30 day challenge got me to thinking that perhaps I need to go back to writing my weight loss goals and a plan for accomplishing them down on paper. Maybe I need that feeling of accomplishment that is gained as each item is checked off and the page is turned to the next day in a more literal fashion. I think history reveals that winners are usually the people with a goal, a plan, and the discipline to follow that plan to fruition.

I need to eat that weight loss frog this morning. I'm going to prepare a written 30 day plan and begin and end each of those thirty days by examining my progress as I move toward my next goal. That plan is the most important thing I have to do today and I'm going to see that it is done!

BEST WISHES TO TB AND HIS FAMILY TODAY!

IT IS NEW BABY DAY IN MILWAUKEE!

Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician. ~Author Unknown

Well...another Monday!

I had a pretty good weekend...still trying to heal the back! Spasms are far less frequent and I'm mostly left with the soreness now...I can deal with soreness.

Saturday was our day for running. We grabbed our list of things we needed to buy and headed out early...we hate the crowds that gather later in the day. We're basically your grumpy old couple who get annoyed when aisles are blocked or people run into us with their carts. We actually broke down and scanned our own groceries through one of those emerging do-it-yourself lines. We didn't have a cartload of groceries so it wasn't too bad. We have been cursing the lack of service and saying we would never cave to checking ourselves out, but we have been down that "I'll never..." road before and realized that times are changing and we would either have to change with them or find that cave where we could live and avoid all things new-fangled! The good news was that in checking ourselves out, we actually got the good service we've been looking for...lol!

We ran into a great deal on bedding plants...75% off!!! So, just when I didn't need to be doing any bending and stretching, I found a deal on geraniums that I could not pass up...34 cents apiece! and had to go home and get them in the ground. Hubby dug the hole and I deposited the plant and we moved on to the next one so it went pretty quickly. I can't pass too much of the heavy stuff off on him because he has a touchy back too and we want him to be in good shape when he goes off on his week long fishing trip in Canada at the end of the month. He was a cripple when he came back last year!!

We did some grilling outside and found another beautiful watermelon, so the eating wasn't too bad. But...there was that apple pie I baked to use up the Golden Delicious that were going a little shrivelly. But we each had a piece and I quickly offered the rest of it, still warm, to our neighbors to the north who grabbed it up with thanks! Now there's a way to have your pie, get rid of it before you go for seconds and thirds, and win over your neighbors who you may need in a pinch...all at the same time!

We're having an Oriental inspired dinner tonight. I'm marinading some thinly sliced lean beef in some soy sauce, a little brown sugar, a drop of sesame oil, garlic and ginger. It will be stir-fried with a bag of Oriental vegetables and we'll have a scoop of Basmati rice tossed with some green onions and green peas alongside it. This is one of my favorite meals...low-fat, good carbs, and lots of vegetables.

Cammy mentioned this movie this morning in her blog and I was grateful to be reminded of it's great message. Watch the "212...the extra degree" spot here and be prepared to be inspired!