We've got the second day in a row of sunshine and warmer temps today -- lovely! We went for an hour-long walk, shopped for a couple of hours. In between, I've done a set of tai chi and am in and out of the house cleaning out the flower beds. I know it'll be no time before the weeds start to flourish if I don't get them out now.
I'm reading Ultrametabolism and it's making a lot of sense to me. A lot of it is stuff that I've been trying to do for a long time but some is stuff I didn't realize was part of the equation -- the effect of toxins & etc. on our metabolisms, for example. I've been trying really hard not to eat any artificial ingredients since I read You: On a diet. As always with the no wheat or sugar thing, I'm not finding it hard now that I've gotten going. Surely to goodness this weight has got to go
AND IT WILL!
I'm off to make a salad for lunch... Hope everyone's having a lovely Saturday!
Just a fly-by to cheer about the wondrous weather we're having too! Amazing how a sunny day lifts the spirits and makes everything seem all right. My favorite form of exercise: gardening. Even the most menial and mundane chores (weeding, cleaning out beds) make me feel great. I love seeing the potential, being surprised by what's made it through the L O N G winter and planning for the future. Right now, I think I may just run over to the garden place for some pansies to get things started.
I'd love to stay and chat, but don't want to waste this glorious sunshine! Am already behind because my body insisted that I sleep after a long night at work. hmmph.
Oh, these bodies and their killer ideas, katrina. The good weather is SO wonderful. All the blooming goodies. Sort of bummed though that I can't do any yard cleanup or anything myself at this point. Someone supposed to come this week (for many $$$$) to make it presentable. Called neighborhood boy two days ago about mowing. Waiting to hear while the grass grows like hay at this point.
So nice this morning, I sat out a bit on patio of contentment. It never lets me down. Still a mite too chilly and not really set up yet so only read two sections of paper there.
Kaylets, how's dh doing on new diet? Numbers reading better?
Oh, it's nice! Not really warm, but a good 10 degrees above where it's been up until Friday. I'll take it!
Another day coming to terms with the perennial weeds, which really feel like they've got a new lease on life. Shall nip in bud. So much grass in the beds and some tremendously tenacious other weedlies. Some of those ones that go down so deep and spread by all means possible. Nevertheless, what can one do but fight on? Also, many trees seem to have decided to take up residence in the flower beds. Must remember to mulch well after I get them cleaned out.
Went for a nice walk this a.m. with DH and then home for yoga. I still have my Reiki treatment to do but I'm not having any difficulty making myself do it because I feel so good afterwards. Well, yoga makes me feel pretty good too but it's considerably more effortful
DH is at this moment baking two kinds of cookies for a bake sale at work. This is not a sight I ever expected to see.
I've pretty much decided to join TOPS tomorrow evening. It's so much cheaper than WW and is in a convenient time spot (right before choir practice) and on the way there. There's no getting around it -- weekly WI is a good motivator. I AM going to do this.
Kat, I love pansies. For some reason they aren't crazy about the spots I've put them in here. Maybe I should try cooler spots...
Anagram, so happy to hear you've gotten to the patio of peace and contentment! If tomorrow's nice, my deck chairs are coming out of the garage. A sun porch is definitely on my wish list for our place -- it'd be great to be able to extend the season or to have a place to sit and watch the rain. Some day!
K, lovelies, I must be off... to go slump on the couch and read the papers. Have a good one!
This is going to be a good week, I can tell I'm going to go to my first TOPS WI tonight. I usually weigh in first thing in the morning and nekkid so I'm not so much looking forward to the number after dinner with clothes on -- but it'll just be a baseline for next week's good loss.
I woke up at around 3:30 and couldn't get back to sleep. Laid there and did my Reiki treatment. It consists of putting hands on one's body in various positions, taking in energy with the breath and channeling it through the hands. It's neat actually feeling where the energy goes in my body. I can feel it working around my spine or in my feet or etc.
Then we walked over to the gym and did circuit training, came back and did yoga and had breakfast. I've got a big pot of black bean soup started and the dishwasher's going. I'm sure I'll collapse at some point, hopefully around 9 tonight
I'm going to start the 3-week detox phase of the Ultrametabolism diet next week. I know full well that wheat is a problem for me. It'll be interesting to see if other things are too.
Anyhoo, I should probably get some paying work done.
Another lovely day here this morning as well!!! Hit the 80s yesterday, to do so today as well!!!! Still no luck finding a mower and cleanup guy hasnt' shown yet either. Drat! Wish I could just do it.
Have been driving short little bits - so delightful to be able to do that. Cleaned out another little corner yesterday. I don't have to get much done to feel self-satisfied
Eating improved - quality great, quantity still too great. Starting to feel a bit better - as always results from proper attention to healthy life. Sleeping enough too. So, for now, off to the shower and then to one important errand, maybe another more intriguing one later. Then just puttering and quest for mower person. Gave my mower away last year - knew I'd never be able to deal with it. So am in rock-hard place situation - same true of neighbor across the way - guy who did ours the end of last year has health problems, not sure if he'll be doing it this year - and at any rate - it's almost knee high now. But - oh, the daffs, hyacinths, forsythia and the so-far tulips have been so delightful even amidst the dregs of winter. Sun porch sounds like a marvy idea, Arabella. One of many things I might consider should I decide to stay here. So much needs to be done here and first I'd have to concentrate on stuff that would help sale of house if I decide it's too much for me (it is really too big a place for one person and looks like it's going to be pretty costly to maintain). DH never wanted to screen the patio (which is covered and carpetted and more like a porch now) but I think for me it might work much better if I decide to "age in place".
TOPS idea sounds like it's very workable for you, WN. Extra $$$ to go to other fun things. I need to go spend on some little fun thing. Maybe tomorrow to reward me for doing mammogram.
Can it be almost 2 weeks since I've posted.... impossible!
I too am realizing how much this gorgeus weather is improved my outlook... I was stunned tonight to pull into the driveway and see tulips blooming... I thought for sure they were too old to bloom again..... how nice....
Hope everyone is doing well.... I am really needing to get detoxed myself....
As for "new diet" and numbers... what happened instead was that we visited nearly every burger place in town and now remember very clearly most of the reasons we gave up beef in the first place....
But we do what we can...
I promise not to be such a stranger.... I need to keep on plan and one major component is to be queenly about it.....
I am going to the royal bedchamber to catch some royal zzzzssss
I've actually been up just about 5 hours already -- we woke up around 4 But went to bed at about 9, so that's almost 7 hours anyway. Nevertheless, I seem to be hitting my afternoon slump
Things are going well, mostly doing the detox already but still have to give up the oat bran, eggs, dairy (milk in my coffee, yogurt, feta and parmesan are about it but hard ones to let go) and caffeine. It's been getting better and better -- I occasionally think of some forbidden substance but haven't had much difficulty beating the thoughts back. Yesterday was the first sunny and WARM day we had (very temperate, actually) and I did have wistful urges for a gin and tonic on the deck. Well, someday.
Have done yoga, most of a set of qi qong and reiki so far. Will walk -- in the sunshine! -- to sound yoga later. It's a lot more sound than yoga but I LOVE IT! Walking home from it I actually thought: "Oh, this is what that 'walking on sunshine' thing feels like." And I'm really not the kind of person who thinks things like that
Kaylets, so glad to hear you're getting back in touch with your inner Remember, detox-wise, that it gets SO much easier after even a day without the... crap.
Anagram, glad you're feeling a little better despite pesky yard helpers -- well, pesky in their absence/scarcity. We're in the long, slow process of deciding whether to try to find another house or just settle into this one for the duration. We need a bit more space but I feel like that can be accomplished. We'll see! In some ways, I just want to make the decision and get on with it!
Always a tough decision as to whether to move or stay put. I've been back and forth on that for SO long. But the spring, when all the things we've planted come alive, it's so nice to be here. On the other hand, not getting any younger, expensive to pay people to do all the things we used to do (or even part).
Anyway, scale playing with my mind. KNOW I should weigh only once a week and that was my plan. Day 1 - happy with weight considering, Day 2 - down 2.4 lbs Day 3 up to almost Day 1, Day 4 - up above Day 1. I know effort will pay off sometime, I know it, I know it. Been sleeping somewhat better since pinhold is filling in and becoming less tender. A good night's sleep helps everything.
Have vacuumed first floor and two sets of stairs. Not much else. Have mammo today so I think I'll say I'm done the dirty work for today and go hit the shower, then putter. Might be a good time to sort of pull together a project or so where I've been working helter/skelter. So many of them, of course, but at least PARTS are done.
When's ceara coming home? Wonder if she had such a good time that she's going to stay. Good - then I can meet up with her sometime.
Must have been an adjustment to your systems, Kaylets, for sure. Is it helping the diabetes though?
Ahh. Sunshine. Works wonders on one's psyche. That and the sight of tulips and daffodils and green busting out all over. Does a body good! I'm feeling much sunnier myself!
Food is vastly improving. (See: Sunshine, effects of) I took a firm stand and opted out of the Washington DC weekend. It's a Boy Scouting event, and since I am neither a boy, nor a Scout, I decided that Spring Cleaning and a garage sale would be much better usage of my limited time! So, I'll have four days alone to clean out closets, and haul things out to the driveway...there will be bargains galore here, I may just mark it all "FREE" so that people will just take my junk away! I'm excited.
I remember them so fondly...now it will only be if they are on the way somewhere.....too often the hunt is now costing what ever bargain one may find....
Too bad too, it used to be my favorite sport...
Anagram... well, golf is helping the diabetes... getting some activity, away from the job.... all in all, I think super combo of sun and fun will motivate him more to resist temptation....
Me, I am trying my best to go back to the middle ground... I forgot how miserable my digestion is with this stuff.... I REMEMBER now.....
Walking on sunshine sounds delightful......
The dog is telling me someone is in the well or the chicken breasts need to be turned... I need to go see......
I seem to have a bit of the flu that DH had -- sure hope it doesn't last as long as it did with him. I don't feel totally wretched, just slightly ill and achy. I've notified coworkers that I'll be in and out of the office today so I can take it a bit easy. Maybe I can fend it off I've got writing group tonight, which I don't want to miss.
OH! I almost forgot I lost 2 pounds and am now slightly under ticker. That's 4 so far for the solstice challenge.
Food control has not been an issue at all, which is wonderful. I'll be interested to see what happens next week when I take out those other items that could be problematic. But, in any case, taking out the sugar and wheat always does this for me. This is it!
Kaylets, I loved the quote -- so true! I just realized yesterday that singing and even learning singing technique brings me the purest joy. I keep finding that in new situations: taking voice class, going to choir practice, going to sound yoga. When I got home from sound yoga yesterday I was on a real high. It's deeply satisfying to me -- there's a resounding "YES!" from deep inside.
That said, I'm looking for more fun, cuz more is better
Kat, good for you skipping the trip and dispatching all boys and scouts! Four days alone sounds good. Somehow our peeples take up a lot of time and energy, don't they. It really is amazing how much difference a little sunshine makes -- seems like a different world. Good luck with your garage sale!
Anagram, it sounds as if you're settling in nicely and striking a good balance in terms of doing stuff and not doing too much. I really enjoy a good putter.
K, Dollings, I'm off to put in a putter-y work day interspersed with lying on the couch.Have a good one!
Congrats, kat, on thinking through what would be best for you. Sounds glorious too. Loved the quote too, Kaylets. FUN has been a hard thing for me lately. Other than puttering which I too love. Gardening is usually good this time of year but is still mostly out for me.
On the FUN front, I have planned a movie for tomorrow afternoon w/two friends. Talk of same has been going on for some time and I just said "hey, I'm going w/or w/o you". So they're going.
I share your joy when you talk about your music, WN. And ceara's joy in her heathens is so lively. Hate to see you miss the fun of your yard sales, Kaylets, but agree the cost of running back and forth makes much prohibitive these days. My "better mileage" vehicle is still at DSs and I'm driving my old, big car which is a joy to drive BUT..... I don't feel I can take it on any but the smallest jaunts (which suits my foot well at the moment though).
Had first PT today. Looks like it will be 3 days a week at first, then two. Liked the young chickie so "no problem". Let's see how I feel if she hurts me
It's raining here and I've been back in the funk - eating too much, curled up watching tv, etc. Smack, smack, smack. Need some fun, need some fun.
Yard people were here though and things look good. Need to bring some more mulch to finish. Next week - but the front of the shoes are shined.
Sunshine!
More sun!
Not really warm, but a good 10 degrees above where it's been up until Friday. I'll take it! 
Remember, detox-wise, that it gets SO much easier after even a day without the... crap. 
Post from the infirmary
I've got writing group tonight, which I don't want to miss. 
I lost 2 pounds and am now slightly under ticker. That's 4 so far for the solstice challenge.
