Good morning Good lies! My weight this a.m. was 204.8, up .4 from lowest recorded. I WILL lose this week. I'm v. happy not to have to fudge my ticker starting the challenge to the end of the year. Onederland here I come!
So, other good news for the bucket:
I'm on to Day 3 of my challenge, which I'm renaming the "Sprint to Onederland in 2008" challenge. I decided that "Facing Stupid Reality" was maybe just a tad negative. And I'm feeling better about life.
Yesterday I actually emptied a big cardboard box of stuff that's been sitting in our dining room for over a year. Dealt with all contents and broke the box down for recycling. You can hardly imagine how lovely that corner of the dining room is. Bare floor! I'm going to add "Do one neglected task" to my challenge list. That will get the house party-ready. First major one's not quite 2 weeks away -- our family Christmas party on the 13th, followed by DH's 60th on the 16th.
I also hunkered down and finished some job work that I had wanted to get done last week but didn't manage, mostly I guess because I volunteered to do stuff that someone else hadn't gotten to.
So I felt good at the end of the day. Oil of oregano seems to have really made some progress with the cold, too. I should be able to practice today and go to practice tonight.
That's a lot of good stuff in the bucket already.
Kat, you and me both -- I'm renowned as a calm person but that's facade. I need to work on my stress levels every day to work this life thing. O/w I expend way too much of my precious energy fretting and get overwhelmed and "stuck." Which is the depressive part. And all so connected to weight gain. Here's to attending to our real needs!
So glad that your sister is home and mending!
Okey-doke. It's pouring out there. I may take DH's big umbrella and splash my way over to the gym in a few minutes.
I did a fast read of the latest postings but might have missed things so I need to go back....
This is just a fly by but I did want to say how thrilled I am that Kat's sister came h ome from the hospital! YAY!
And Silver, congrats on pounds down! Good Job!
DH and I had a touch of something over t he holiday but it seeems to have passed....My first day back to work....
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Thought of the day:
"To swear off mistakes is very easy. All you have to do is swear off having ideas."
- Leo Burnett, advertising pioneer
Question of the day:
"What's your best gift idea?"
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I've got to go, iron is heating up, car is warming up too..... by the way, we had to replace the battery yesterday.... put me on the list for necessary but unwelcome repairs.....
kat- so glad your sister is out of the hospital! it really resonated with me when you spoke about being in the here and now, and not waiting for some future time to be happy, or like oneself, etc. good too that the tapes you have been listening to have been helpful. all of what you spoke about really resonated with me too. thanks for those good repair vibes also.
arabella-good to hear that oil of oregano was helpful. will have to check that out. as you mentioned, i am one of those too who always appears calm, and is very calming for others, but have to work on my own stress level. i am definitely getting better at this than in the past, though. congrats on day 3 of challenge, emptying things in box and making room "party-ready."
kaylets-glad you and dh are feeling better. yeah, repair issues are definitely in the air, alright.
hello andria, ceara, anagram! thinking of you!
still needing a lot of sleep, apparently, due to cold. i am stufffffffed up! i was thinking about my food plan today, and figuring out some areas where i can tweak it a bit, and will try these out. since i need to make more of an effort to get the scale moving downward, i will do whatever it takes. i realize all and all, though, i have actually done better than i thought i had, in this past year. however, i plan to be much more consistent from here on in, and keep things in this necessarily higher gear to push scale in right direction. ok, off to bed now. take care, lovely queenlies.
Hey ies! Nasty lingering cold still nasty, still lingering. I worked 12 hours yesterday which I should not have done. Too much of that lately -- we're short-handed and will continue to be. But I've got to save my life, here. I get to the end of a day like yesterday and seriously feel like "If this is life..." So that can't be good for anything. At the end of the day, though, instead of stupid TV or food (or combo), I finished framing the personal essay about my DGS, went to bed and self-treated with Reiki. Today I'm going to go to sound yoga at lunch time and I'm intending to sneak out for 5 minutes here and there and plant some bulbs.
I weighed in at 205.2 this a.m. Had some extra salad last night but was within points. I'll have a light and early dinner tonight and then walk to tai chi. I want to see a loss this Friday!
Kaylets, stupid battery! I hate spending money on stuff like that. But, as you say, necessary.
WSW, my twin! Interesting, isn't it, that ability to soothe and calm -- do you suppose it's because we're absorbing the stress ourselves? Hope the cold leaves you soon. O of O doesn't seem to have effected a total cure but I think it's helping. In the meantime, sleep as much as you feel like!
Anagram, Andria, Ceara, Katrinabgood Let's take this day and make it WORK for us!
arabella-sorry that nasty cold still lingereth on. be gone, i say!
still can't go too long without a nap, so i guess i must need the rest to get rid of stupid cold. i am bundled up now from head to toe, as i write this. was going out today to try and get those longjohns, but didn't have the oomph to get out. tomorrow, i have to be out for some appointments anyway, and will put that at the time of my to do list.
greetings to kaylets, andria, kat, ceara, and anagram! have a loverly evening, everyone.
I think that I may have actually turned a corner, and am really heading in a new direction. I don't want to jump for joy and jinx anything, but I am seeing new behaviors emerge, and it is all very strange and wonderful and empowering...
This morning as I was walking in, a former co-worker was leaving. We exchanged hellos! and hugs! and he proceeded to tell me that he could see that I had lost some weight and that I looked very healthy and happy. I walked into my office beaming. The good mood and the smiles continued all day... not a thing bothered me at all. Every so often, i would realize, out of the blue, that I really am happy, really happy... and not (just) because of the compliment. I feel in control of myself, and not in a deprivational, "on a diet" sort of way. I am enjoying eating well. I am enjoying my exercise. I am living in the moment. I have stripped things down to the basics and I am not fretting about things that I have no control over. I am actually speaking up for myself, instead of being the passive people pleaser that has no opinion. I am curbing the acid tongue that has lashed out at my dh way more than it ever should have because I wouldn't/couldn't speak up for myself to anyone other than him. And! I am not responding in kind when he does the same to me. (that really blows his mind!) I feel very peaceful.
This afternoon, after work, I was on my way to my sister's house. I had arranged for a Reiki treatment for her by the lovely gentle soul that had tended to my dad. On the way there, my car started to act kinda funny. It was literally fading. I *almost* made it to sissy's house... about 3 blocks away the engine just shut off. Right in front of someone's driveway, of course. I didn't panic, just started to push it out of the way, all by myself, when a nice fella came and helped me. As I walked to on to sissy's house, I was struck by the fact that I wasn't stressing the issue. I got there, called Triple A for a tow, called the garage to say it was coming. My mother drove me home and then I called dh, who was at work, and he told me that dd's car pretty much gave up the ghost today too. He was a bit stressed and took it out on me a little, but I did not respond in kind. When I hung up the phone though, my immediate thought was FOOD: I WANT TO EAT SOMETHING, PREFERABLY ICE CREAM. It wasn't even a concrete thought though, more like an instinct. I was right in front of the frig too... I took a deep breath, got a big glass of water and came in here to unload on all of you instead! AREN'T YOU LUCKY?
Long story short: (heh, too late!) This might actually force us to buy the new car that we've been putting off and putting off, since my oldie but goodie was holding up so well! 13 years, baby! '95 Rodeo!
So, there's that. I'm going to exercise as soon as I'm done here. Serenity Now!
Faire queens Arabella and wsw... I say, COLDS BE GONE! Feel better ASAP please!
Kaylets... Best gift idea? Hmm... lately I'm all about the gift carding! Costco has all kinds of gift cards too, if you want to one-stop-shop 'em!
Andria, ceara, Anagram... hail queens!
Thanks to all for well wishes for sis! She's coming along nicely, thanks!
kat-reading about your serene new attitude inspired me to keep working on that area in myself. reading your post made me smile. so glad things are turning around for you! i want some of that too, and am willing to put in the work to accomplish it.
better try and get a little sleep now, though, or attitude bright and early when i am to be picked up this morning to be a support for a friend attending her doc appointment she is worried about, will be less than stellar, and i have to be alert to be there for her. it's even more complicated because this is a friend who pushed me away years ago, and now wants me to be there for her for some really big things going on in her life. when she called me out of the blue to start telling me what was going on in her life, and asking me for help with emotional and practical support (such as attenting doc appointments with her, i almost asked why she didn't ask the folks she is close to now, but i think she pushed a lot of people away, and is scared now. i felt i couldn't turn her away, so i said yes. i know that while i am willing to be there for her, i don't feel the same about her, and would not feel comfortable with reciprocal kind of sharing or asking her for support. what i do know is that i still care about her, regardless of how she has treated me in the past, and as long as i can help her in this situation while maintaining my boundaries, it feels like the right thing to do. so off to bed to try and get a couple of hours of sleep, or at least rest before alarm goes off. well, i am also committing to staying op, no matter how emotionally challenging the day may prove to be. i can temper help, compassion, and understanding, while at the same time, maintaining my own healthy boundaries. yes i can! good morning, dear queens. take care, all
Woke up early with that scratchy throat feeling .....not bad, almost where you think "Maybe my throat is just dry...."
So I am hoping that scratchiness just means I was sleeping with my mouth open and/or the heat is very dry.....
Isn't it ironic, two days I started taking an additional Fish Oil supplement with extra vitamins including D? I know what you're thinking... If I hadn't this scratchiness could be a full blown cough....
Anyway. For my Good thing bucket..... Avoided the vending machine yesterday afternoon. Definitely a good thing.
Was wondering if anyone has any tips on cost cutting/reuse recipes, etc, etc??
When I go into work everyday, I walked by a display of pumpkins that were only for decoration. Yesterday, the pumpkins were gone and the trees had been decorated with lights.... I am wondering where those pumpkins wound up. Even if not to be eaten, at least to compost.........
25 simple ways to save
1
Clean the coils behind or underneath your refrigerator with a tapered appliance brush to keep it running efficiently.
2
Skip prerinsing dishes. Our tests have found that itıs unnecessary, and you'll save up to 6,500 gallons of water per year.
3
Opt for the cold-water wash cycle and save about $60 a year.
4
Put your PC to sleep. Save $25 to $75 each year by using the system standby or hibernating feature on your computer.
5
Plug electronics into a power strip so that you can turn them all off at once.
6
Don't overload the dryer. Clothes will take longer to dry, and they'll come out wrinkled. When the weather is warm, line dry.
7
Open blinds and shades on cold days. Solar heat gain can raise interior temperature significantly. But close them at night to minimize heat loss.
8
Dust off the slow cooker. You'll use a lot less energy than cooking a meal across several burners and in the oven.
9
Keep car tires properly inflated. In our tests of a Toyota Camry, fuel efficiency dropped 1.3 mpg when the tires were deflated by 10 psi.
10
See whether your utility company offers rebates to customers who replace old appliances with energy-efficient models. Some states hold periodic "tax holidays" for purchases of energy-efficient appliances.
11
Lower the temperature a degree or two before guests arrive. A house full of people generates a lot of body heat.
12
Clean or replace furnace filters monthly during the heating season. Clogged filters force the blower to work longer, raising your electric bills.
13
String LED lights this holiday season. They last longer. Our tests have shown that they can save up to $11 per season.
14
Insulate and seal cracks and gaps in your ducts. That can help reduce energy costs by 30 percent.
15
Lower water-heater temperature to 120 degrees from 130 and insulate hot-water pipes to knock up to 5 percent off your energy bills.
16
Weather-strip old windows and doors. It's the surest way to close the gaps around openings, reducing heating and cooling costs by 15 to 30 percent.
17
Control outdoor lights with sensors or timers so that fixtures stay off during the day.
18
Install a high-efficiency showerhead. It will reduce hot water use by up to 50 percent.
19
Upgrade to a low-flow toilet and save 4,000 gallons per year.
20
Drain a bucket's worth of water from your water heater a few times a year to remove sediment, which can decrease efficiency.
21
Move the thermostat to an inside wall away from windows and doors so that drafts don't cause the heating system to cycle on unnecessarily.
22
Add insulation. An estimated 80 percent of older homes are underinsulated. Properly insulating and sealing your home can cut your heating and cooling bills by 10 percent.
23
Plant a deciduous shade tree on the west and southwest sides of a house to save energy.
24
Zone heat smartly. A portable heater in a room saves money only if you're willing to keep the rest of the house chilly. Wood-burning fireplaces can suck more heat from your home than they put back in.
25
Call a professional energy auditor. They use a blower door or infrared photography to pinpoint where your home is leaking energy. Some utilities provide free audits; you can also find certified professionals in your area through www.resnet.us.
Posted: September 2008 Consumer Reports Magazine issue: October 2008
Well, here we are, December 4th. My mom's 85th birthday. I've had a kind-of frantic work week so far. Gotta knock off those 12-hour days. Apart from everything else, they've led me to a couple of non-stellar food days. And tomorrow is WI. 205.6 this a.m., same as last Friday, I believe. Well, if I don't lose I'll just have to take the rap.
Kat, what a lovely post! Pure joy to read it. Nice energy! I didn't remember about your dad having had Reiki. I'll add your sister to my distance list.
Kaylets, do you have a vaporizer? I've been running mine in the bedroom at night and it makes a big difference. Hope you don't catch the cold!
Someone threw a pumpkin on our lawn that they must have picked up from someone else's display. I wanted to cook it but DH tossed it in the compost.
WSW, hope you got a nap! Have one for me, would you?
Gosh. I am in the middle of another frantic day. Yikes. On the run. But telling you lovelies just reminded me that the plan was to take some nice deep breaths when I felt this... doing that.... Okay. That's a little better.
kaylets-those tips are helpful. i hope you don't end up with a cold.
arabella-happy birthday to royal mum. wow-85--how terrific. yes, remember to keep breathing during such hectic days. deep breath--in----and -----out. i have to remind myself of this so often.
i did get a little sleep before alarm went off, so better than nothing. my friend had good news (!) at her doc appointment this morning and fortunately, she is fine. i am very happy for her, and i was glad i could be there for her.
this afternoon, i found some great longjohns. boy, i wish i'd had them this morning--brrr! i washed them and they are in the dryer right now. i also got a big, warm, cuddly scarf, and some great gloves. now i really am all set to tackle this winter business.
i stayed op today, and just have a little more of my exercise to complete. i didn't use lack of sleep, being cold, having a cold, or anything else as an excuse. --not that i really ever need any excuse to think, "oops, how did that extra food jump on to my plate?!" i think my food plan really is looking more and more like a formula for success.
i found a couple birthday and christmas presents today for some friends, which i think they will enjoy. i'm trying to get things done very piecemeal, and not stress about what won't get done. these particular friends will be out of town over christmas, so i am glad i found them before they left.
monday morning, i have a brain and cervical mri -just an update for my next neurologist appointment, but i can't stand that jack-hammering sound, plus being enclosed in that machine. to add insult to injury, i have to be at the hospital at 7:30am, and i am sooo not a morning person. i never want to wish away time, but i will be glad when it is all over with, though. it has been a couple of years since my last one, so that's not too bad either. i just wish it didn't feel like it was only yesterday since the last one.
ok, i need to get on my horse and finish up those exercises. hope everyone has a pleasant evening. take care.
Maybe I slept with my mouth open because a couple of swallows of coffee had me back to normal. Well, I guess that's subjective!!
WSW--- I remember that loud, bang, bang, bang noise very well. Let's hope they've figured out a version that doesnt need to make that awful racket.
I can't remember.... do those kind of tests need you to fast? If so, earlier the better is what I say.... and if not, even better.....
But I would be dreading it too.
WoodNymph.... I CAN RELATE to the box in the corner that has become part of the woodwork. YIKES. I think I have them in every room! Good for you emptying yours. Me, I wind up tossing most and wondering why I was keeping the contents in the first place.....
Kat....I need to readjust my count too. Someday soon.......
Anagram? Hope all is well and you are recovering at a rapid pace.
Ceara--- I think I know what you mean about the doggie narcotics.... She's not falling down drunk but is defnitely very, very lovey......
Silver---Isn't it fun coming back after a week off?
....
I need to figure out some crock pot recipes for chicken. Going to take a look around and see what I can find.....
Okay then... Chicken Adobo for the crock pot... easiest recipe ever and VERY GOOD! Unless you have salt issues, but then you could use the lower salt version of... oh, here you go:
Chicken 2 or 3lbs I like thighs and drumsticks best for this, leave some skin on, you can skim the fat later. I have made this with boneless, skinless breasts, but it's kind of blah and dries out... you can also add a few pork chops too if you like... Soy Sauce, low salt is fine, actually I prefer it Vinegar, white vinegar is cheaper since you use a lot, but I like rice vinegar too Garlic 5 or 6 cloves, smashed
Place chicken and garlic in crock, cover with equal parts soy sauce and vinegar. Start with about a cup of each or so, and add til just about covered. Cover and cook on low all day. Your house will smell heavenly when you come in from work. Pour contents of crock through a colander. Skim the fat from broth (i use one of those fat separator cups, whatever it's called) Remove skin and bones from meat, (it will fall off easily) shred and put back into skimmed broth. Serve over rice, with steamed veggies on the side and accept compliments for your cooking prowess!
My serenity ebbed a wee bit, what with car issues, but the good news is I only needed a new alternator, it's all better now and is purring like a kitten once again! (well, maybe not a kitten, more like a contented OLD cat) Tossing that in my bucket!
wsw... what a good friend you are! I surely hope that your friend realizes how lucky she is to have such a kind soul for a friend!
arabella...I still have my pumpkin on my doorstep! That will change this weekend. I've been pondering whether or not to cook it... Happy Birthday to Queen Mum!
Tis late, I'm tired, must get royal beauty rest... and HUZZAH! it's almost Friday!
Nighty night, all...
Last edited by katrinabgood; 12-04-2008 at 11:08 PM.
Fresh Start December!
lies! My weight this a.m. was 204.8, up .4 from lowest recorded. I WILL lose this week. I'm v. happy not to have to fudge my ticker starting the challenge to the end of the year. Onederland here I come! 
out there. I may take DH's big umbrella and splash my way over to the gym in a few minutes. 
Hope the cold leaves you soon. O of O doesn't seem to have effected a total cure but I think it's helping. In the meantime, sleep as much as you feel like!
Let's take this day and make it WORK for us! 
extreme quickie...
I'm on my way out the door, but will check in later...
He was a bit stressed and took it out on me a little, but I did not respond in kind. When I hung up the phone though, my immediate thought was FOOD: I WANT TO EAT SOMETHING, PREFERABLY ICE CREAM. It wasn't even a concrete thought though, more like an instinct. I was right in front of the frig too... I took a deep breath, got a big glass of water and came in here to unload on all of you instead! AREN'T YOU LUCKY?
