Friday again! Time seems to fly by so quickly these days. I have discovered that sitting around doing nothing all day doesn't slow it down. It just makes me more tense because I have the huge list of all the things I want to do in this life, and worry I won't have time to do it all. You probably have seen or heard of the movie, The Bucket List, well it is all the things you want to do before you kick the bucket. When you reach your sixties, I guess every day is a gift and we need to treat each day as if it was the only day we will have. This is not a morbid approach. It is living in the now. We spend most of our lives working and planning for the future, then all of a sudden we seem to run out of future before we have stopped to enjoy the moment we are in. Some of the things on my bucket list are writing a book and getting it published. Go to Alaska, Hawaii, and Europe. I especially want to see England and Norway as that is where my ancestors hail from. Other things I hope for is to see my children and grandchildren grow up, and to make some special memories with them that they can pass on to their kids. None of us want to be forgotten, and I hope to leave a trail of books behind that my great, great grandchildren can still collect royalties on. Some dream, hey? But we need the dreams and the motivations to keep us moving so we don't just sit and do crossword puzzles all day until we become one with the couch. This morning I dragged myself out of bed at 4:00 a.m. and went limping off to the gym. Why am I doing this, I asked myself, when I can lie in bed for another few hours! All of the above. Time gets shorter and shorter and my list gets longer and longer, so Now is the time to work on the goals that will get me there.
The scale and I compromised last night. I stayed exactly the same as two weeks ago when I left for vacation. I guess I'll take it. I did not gain even though we were eating things I don't ordinarily eat. I must have walked off the excess with the sight seeing we did. Now however it is time to get serious. November Inspiration is coming up, then Thanksgiving, Christmas and all the food events they entail! Let's get our plan books out and ROCK ON!
Poem today was one I wrote when a medical situation turned around and fooled the doctors:
Our Miracle
Miracles are only a myth, some might say
But many happen to us every day
The wonder of Spring as it bursts into bloom
A rainbow that chases away rainy gloom
We're often too busy to witness the sight
as a small bird spreads his wings and soars into flight
We take Life for granted and forget what is real
In a race to make money we forget how to feel
Till something happens to threaten our Fort
and make us all realize that Life is too short
It may be an illness or loss of a friend
That makes us remember all things must end
We pause then and ponder the worth of each day
The gifts that surround us should show us the way.
Sometimes a miracle can be so profound
It turns our safe little world upside down
Such a moment has brought us together tonight
As we celebrate the end of a very long fight
And toast the beginnings of so many tomorrows
We can cheerfully say goodbye to our sorrows
We have been blessed with a gift so sublime
More precious than jewels- we've been granted Time!
Time to make memories as we cherish the joy
You have brought to our family with the love you employ
Time to hear the music and stories you share
And maybe you'll hear some of ours if you dare
Soon we will welcome the fruit of your love
A small little angel sent down from above
So many miracles we are thankful for
And Time to celebrate so many more
We don't know the turns in the road that we tread
But believing in Miracles, we can face what's ahead.
JPH
2003
Plan for today:
Breakfast: 1 egg, toast, tea
Snack: apple
Lunch: salad
Snack: yogurt
Dinner: baked chicken, sweet potato, broccoli
Snack: ice cream bar
Exercise: Gym, 1 hour on bike and treadmill; Mr. G's list and evening Yoga.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Health Trek Day 30
Halloween is almost upon us. We don't get many children here, but I always feel the need to buy some candy, just in case! It was so much easier when you could buy a bushel of apples and pass them out, but now the fear of needles being pushed inside or some chemical injected into them, we have to go with safe, individually wrapped treats. The only problem with that is the candy sits on the shelf singing out to me all day long. I find myself eating two for each one I pass out. This year I am making the candy part of my Halloween decoration in hopes that I will think of it as just decor and not listen to the little voices calling to me. As soon as Halloween is over, the rest goes to the Grand kids!
Holidays are difficult as we are all programmed to make food the basis of our celebrations. As much as we know we can cook healthier dishes on Thanksgiving and Christmas, we all have our traditions. So I am making a game plan as of today. I am planning to eat all I want on Thanksgiving and Christmas day. The rest of the time, however, I will eat salads and take walks and go to the gym. When I do eat holiday foods, I shall put little small portions on my plate and savor each bite. I have read that when we crave a sweet, it is the first 3 bites we enjoy and if we could all stop there, we wouldn't have a weight problem. If we can remove the guilt of eating sweets, then perhaps we wouldn't feel so compelled to gorge when we do "cheat". So I plan to let myself enjoy small portions on very special occasions, then get back on track. No guilt, no beating myself up, just savor the food I choose to eat. Now, let's hope that greedy glutton that dwells somewhere in this over sized body of mine is listening to this plan! I shall keep her in her prison and not listen to the voices. Pretty soon, the men in white coats are going to carry me away if I keep talking about voices. But I am referring to those thoughts that pass through our minds about pouncing on the snacks that are lurking in our pantries and on the grocery shelves. Let those thoughts sail away, or visually throw them away and think about how good you will look in that size 10 outfit. Or how good it will feel to be able to take a hike outdoors in the spring with no pain. Concentrate on a goal and let those temptations go flying in the wind. Make good choices and enjoy the holidays.
Rock ON, All!
Dieter's Prayer
Strict is my diet. I must not want.
It maketh me to lie down at night hungry.
It leadeth me past the confectioners
It trieth my willpower
It leadeth me in the paths of alteration
for my figure's sake
Yea, though I walk through the aisles
of the pastry department,
I will buy no sweetrolls
for they are fattening.
The cakes and the pies, they tempt me
Before me is a table set with green beans and lettuce
I filleth my stomach with liquids
My day's quota runneth over
Surely calorie and weight charts
will follow me the rest of my life
And I will dwell in the fear of the scales forever!
Author unknown
Plan for today:
Breakfast: toast and tea
Snack: yogurt
Lunch: ham sandwich with lots of lettuce and a smidge of mayo
Snack: forgetabboudit, I messed up and ate a tootsie roll.
Now it's time to go to my TOPS meeting
Dinner: Out with friends, I will choose wisely!
No evening snack, kitchen closed!
Exercise:
No, the handle on my recliner, does not make it an exercise machine, so I will get up and put in a healthy DVD. Tonight I am dancing and singing at our meeting and when I get home I will do my Yoga P.M.
oh yes, mustn't forget Mr. G's list!
Holidays are difficult as we are all programmed to make food the basis of our celebrations. As much as we know we can cook healthier dishes on Thanksgiving and Christmas, we all have our traditions. So I am making a game plan as of today. I am planning to eat all I want on Thanksgiving and Christmas day. The rest of the time, however, I will eat salads and take walks and go to the gym. When I do eat holiday foods, I shall put little small portions on my plate and savor each bite. I have read that when we crave a sweet, it is the first 3 bites we enjoy and if we could all stop there, we wouldn't have a weight problem. If we can remove the guilt of eating sweets, then perhaps we wouldn't feel so compelled to gorge when we do "cheat". So I plan to let myself enjoy small portions on very special occasions, then get back on track. No guilt, no beating myself up, just savor the food I choose to eat. Now, let's hope that greedy glutton that dwells somewhere in this over sized body of mine is listening to this plan! I shall keep her in her prison and not listen to the voices. Pretty soon, the men in white coats are going to carry me away if I keep talking about voices. But I am referring to those thoughts that pass through our minds about pouncing on the snacks that are lurking in our pantries and on the grocery shelves. Let those thoughts sail away, or visually throw them away and think about how good you will look in that size 10 outfit. Or how good it will feel to be able to take a hike outdoors in the spring with no pain. Concentrate on a goal and let those temptations go flying in the wind. Make good choices and enjoy the holidays.
Rock ON, All!
Dieter's Prayer
Strict is my diet. I must not want.
It maketh me to lie down at night hungry.
It leadeth me past the confectioners
It trieth my willpower
It leadeth me in the paths of alteration
for my figure's sake
Yea, though I walk through the aisles
of the pastry department,
I will buy no sweetrolls
for they are fattening.
The cakes and the pies, they tempt me
Before me is a table set with green beans and lettuce
I filleth my stomach with liquids
My day's quota runneth over
Surely calorie and weight charts
will follow me the rest of my life
And I will dwell in the fear of the scales forever!
Author unknown
Plan for today:
Breakfast: toast and tea
Snack: yogurt
Lunch: ham sandwich with lots of lettuce and a smidge of mayo
Snack: forgetabboudit, I messed up and ate a tootsie roll.
Now it's time to go to my TOPS meeting
Dinner: Out with friends, I will choose wisely!
No evening snack, kitchen closed!
Exercise:
No, the handle on my recliner, does not make it an exercise machine, so I will get up and put in a healthy DVD. Tonight I am dancing and singing at our meeting and when I get home I will do my Yoga P.M.
oh yes, mustn't forget Mr. G's list!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Health Trek Day 29
We're back from our Camping trip. We had a wonderful time, the weather was mostly sunny, even though the temperature range was between 29 and 70. We had a great week. Except for a few homemade desserts prepared by our hosts, most of the meals were pretty healthy, but portion control was not in our vocabulary this week, so I may suffer the Evil Scales revenge on Thursday night. Tremble, tremble. I got up at 4:00 a.m. this morning and hit the bike and treadmill so hope I managed some damage control.
My friend and side kick had a knee replacement last week, so I sent her a card every day letting her know our progress and hoping to raise her spirits. What a time we had trying to find mailboxes. Remember when they were at every grocery store and strip mall? They have virtually disappeared in Massachusetts and Connecticut. We only found mailboxes at Post Offices and there are not to many of them on the major highways. So Hubbie and I began listing all the things that our great grandchildren will never see:
Ranger Rick Decoder rings; souvenir cards in shredded wheat boxes; prizes in cereal or cracker jacks; covered bridges; telephone booths; party lines; television tubes; roof antennas; record players; cassettes or 8 track; maybe even cd's; Newspapers?; DVD rental stores??; VCR's;
The list can go on and on and I bet all of you could add a few. I guess with progress comes change, but it sure is hard to give some of these things up when they have been such a part of our lives. I wonder what changes there will be in the next 50 years. If newspapers and books get replaced with electronic devices and readers, what happens if there is a major longterm power outage. When all of us old timers are gone that know how to add, subtract and multiply without the aid of calculators, are people going to be helpless when the cash registers don't tell them how much change to give back? Or is money going to be obsolete too. If all the computers break down then or the satellites disappear, how will they be able to buy food and necessities? My mind is totally boggled thinking about it. I love all the new gadgets, but I hope people will never forget how to live off the land, just in case...
I have vowed today to start the next phase in the baby step changes I have been making on my weight loss journey. I have increased my exercise and closed the kitchen after 7:00 a.m. but I am still yo-yoing and not showing a significant weight loss. I do feel better from the exercise, but need to get serious and eat mindfully. Going on vacation really opens your eyes to how much we center our recreational times around eating. So starting today, I am planning to remove some of the comfort foods from my diet permanently until I get my weight under control. The first to go is salty snacks like potato chips, pretzels and popcorn. I will replace them with fruit and veggie snacks. I have been eating the lower salt chips or baked chips, but still have a problem with swelling in my legs, so the salty stuff is history! Good bye! Good Riddance! Hello healthier me!
Have a wonderful day everyone and remember to
ROCK ON!
Since all the News is prevalent with stories of Flu and Flu shots, I will share my Flu poem with you. This was written one day many years ago when I had one of those flus that brought you to your knees for a couple of weeks. We had no flu shots then...
Ode To The Flu
Oh Flu, you ignominious disparager of health,
What insidious glee do you derive from
bringing humanity to its knees?
Not one of us is safe from you.
What good is wealth?
What care you for our feeble-minded attempts
to stifle your ever prevailing sneeze?
Must you nauseate our bellies and fuzzy up our heads
with a dizzy spell?
Is it necessary to make Pepto-Bismol manufacturers rich
And us poor Peons miserable? Oh Hell!
Be damned you parasite of human frailty!
I refuse to bend to your command
I'll fight you to your death...or mine
You will not get the upper hand!
But alas, I do not think I'll be able
to see you to your tomb today.
But if I ever get out of this bathroom, Beware!
Because I may!!
JPH
November 1975
Plan for today:
Breakfast: Tea and toast
Snack: granola bar
Lunch: Salad
Snack: apple and cheese
Dinner: Stir Fry veggies and pork over brown rice
Snack: jello
Kitchen closed!
Exercise: Worked out at the gym for 50 minutes, Mr. G's list, evening Yoga
My friend and side kick had a knee replacement last week, so I sent her a card every day letting her know our progress and hoping to raise her spirits. What a time we had trying to find mailboxes. Remember when they were at every grocery store and strip mall? They have virtually disappeared in Massachusetts and Connecticut. We only found mailboxes at Post Offices and there are not to many of them on the major highways. So Hubbie and I began listing all the things that our great grandchildren will never see:
Ranger Rick Decoder rings; souvenir cards in shredded wheat boxes; prizes in cereal or cracker jacks; covered bridges; telephone booths; party lines; television tubes; roof antennas; record players; cassettes or 8 track; maybe even cd's; Newspapers?; DVD rental stores??; VCR's;
The list can go on and on and I bet all of you could add a few. I guess with progress comes change, but it sure is hard to give some of these things up when they have been such a part of our lives. I wonder what changes there will be in the next 50 years. If newspapers and books get replaced with electronic devices and readers, what happens if there is a major longterm power outage. When all of us old timers are gone that know how to add, subtract and multiply without the aid of calculators, are people going to be helpless when the cash registers don't tell them how much change to give back? Or is money going to be obsolete too. If all the computers break down then or the satellites disappear, how will they be able to buy food and necessities? My mind is totally boggled thinking about it. I love all the new gadgets, but I hope people will never forget how to live off the land, just in case...
I have vowed today to start the next phase in the baby step changes I have been making on my weight loss journey. I have increased my exercise and closed the kitchen after 7:00 a.m. but I am still yo-yoing and not showing a significant weight loss. I do feel better from the exercise, but need to get serious and eat mindfully. Going on vacation really opens your eyes to how much we center our recreational times around eating. So starting today, I am planning to remove some of the comfort foods from my diet permanently until I get my weight under control. The first to go is salty snacks like potato chips, pretzels and popcorn. I will replace them with fruit and veggie snacks. I have been eating the lower salt chips or baked chips, but still have a problem with swelling in my legs, so the salty stuff is history! Good bye! Good Riddance! Hello healthier me!
Have a wonderful day everyone and remember to
ROCK ON!
Since all the News is prevalent with stories of Flu and Flu shots, I will share my Flu poem with you. This was written one day many years ago when I had one of those flus that brought you to your knees for a couple of weeks. We had no flu shots then...
Ode To The Flu
Oh Flu, you ignominious disparager of health,
What insidious glee do you derive from
bringing humanity to its knees?
Not one of us is safe from you.
What good is wealth?
What care you for our feeble-minded attempts
to stifle your ever prevailing sneeze?
Must you nauseate our bellies and fuzzy up our heads
with a dizzy spell?
Is it necessary to make Pepto-Bismol manufacturers rich
And us poor Peons miserable? Oh Hell!
Be damned you parasite of human frailty!
I refuse to bend to your command
I'll fight you to your death...or mine
You will not get the upper hand!
But alas, I do not think I'll be able
to see you to your tomb today.
But if I ever get out of this bathroom, Beware!
Because I may!!
JPH
November 1975
Plan for today:
Breakfast: Tea and toast
Snack: granola bar
Lunch: Salad
Snack: apple and cheese
Dinner: Stir Fry veggies and pork over brown rice
Snack: jello
Kitchen closed!
Exercise: Worked out at the gym for 50 minutes, Mr. G's list, evening Yoga
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Health Trek Day 28
I have a confession to make. I like to play cards, but just don't seem to get together with friends like I used to. Everyone has such busy lives nowadays and our entertainment is the boob tube that we are all glued to most of our free time. So I play Hearts on my computer each morning and have really gotten to know my computer adversaries. My game strategy is to go after the Black Queen of Spades. If I get her dealt to me, I usually keep her so I know right where she is and I can get rid of her at the first opportunity. You have to short suit yourself so when someone plays a suit you don't have, wham! You lay the Queen of spades on 'em. Ouch! I face Life the same way. If there is a problem in my life, I lay it right out there where I can see it. I check all my options and figure the best way to get rid of the problem then wham! Do what has to be done. I have been pretty successful most of my life treating the bumps in Life's road in this manner. Sometimes you get a bump you can't smooth out and you have to ride with it for awhile. That's when you get your support group to come along and help. I guess losing weight is like that. It's not a bump I've been able to just jump over and move on. It keeps following me or dragging me with it. I have my totes of clothes I keep hoping to fit into and my totes of clothes I don't dare throw away because I might get back up there again! So how do I get over this bump. I think back to when we were kids and how many times the only thing we had to eat in the house was the tomatoes my mother canned (I always wondered why they called it canning, when she put them in all those glass jars??). She would buy day old bread and fill the freezer. Get damaged vegetables from the local farmers in exchange for the homemade wine that she made and spend all Fall canning in her spare time. I used to get to cut all the bad spots from the veggies. Anyway, sometimes all we had to eat were the canned goods and bread and butter. There were seven of us kids, 6 boys and me the only girl. My Mom worked as a waitress, and sometimes she would scrape the leftover steak off of peoples plates that her customers didn't finish and bring it home. She told her boss she was bringing it home to feed the dog, but she actually would make it into stew to feed us hungry kids. So when I overeat now, I know I am not doing it for all the kids in China or the starving children in Europe, I am doing it for that little kid inside of me that used to fantasize about having a whole steak to herself. When I shop I buy more than I need because I can't stand to have the cupboards bare. I cook as if I still had to feed those seven children, so always have leftovers in the fridge. So this morning I decided it is time to face the Queen of Spades and acknowledge that I do not have to feed the child any longer. I need to love her and cherish her and let her know that she is valued in this life and needs to take care of herself.
I picked up my Grandson from school yesterday and when he saw me he was walking with his teacher. His face lit up and he pronounced, "That's my Nana!" Later my friend Gwen and I took him to buy a Happy Meal, and Ben looked at her very seriously and said, Do you have a Grandfather? When Gwen said no, Ben said, "I have a very nice grandfather." This made me realize how important we are. I need to be here to see that little fellow grow up and help make some very special memories with him. So today I say goodbye to the ghost of the Child I was, and hello to the vibrant, healthy Grandmother I want to be for Ben!
Our camper is packed, we are headed out at first light tomorrow morning to start another adventure on the road. I will be thinking about the BLOG and taking some notes to talk about when i get back. Expect my next one to be on or about the 28Th of October. In the meantime, everyone,
ROCK ON!
Today's poem is dedicated to Ben, my youngest grandchild (5 years old)
A Face In The Window
Every time I drive away
After a day of fun and play,
I see your face pressed to the pane,
And wish that I could just remain.
I wish that I could stay the age I am,
So I could see you become a man
I fear that when you're big and tall,
I won't be on this earth at all.
Will you remember angels in the snow?
Watching the birds fly high and low?
Will you recall swimming in the lake,
Four candles on your birthday cake?
The walks we took with your hand in mine
are etched in memory for all time.
But you are so young my lovely boy
Time will erase your childish joy
When you bounce your child upon your knee
Will there be a fleeting thought of me?
And when you tuck him into bed,
Will you tell him the stories we once read?
I love you now, and I will love you then.
Once I leave the world of Men,
I will see you from afar
And be your Angel, your shining star!
Love to Benjamin from Nana
January 7, 2008
Plan for today:
Breakfast: Tea and plain doughnut, cup of fruit
Snack: jello
Lunch: chicken soup
Snack: apple and cheese
Dinner: Refrigerator leftovers (We are getting rid of all the stuff so we can leave for a week)
Kitchen still closing at seven!
Exercises: Walking DVD; Mr. G's list; Yoga
Have a wonderful, healthy, week.
I picked up my Grandson from school yesterday and when he saw me he was walking with his teacher. His face lit up and he pronounced, "That's my Nana!" Later my friend Gwen and I took him to buy a Happy Meal, and Ben looked at her very seriously and said, Do you have a Grandfather? When Gwen said no, Ben said, "I have a very nice grandfather." This made me realize how important we are. I need to be here to see that little fellow grow up and help make some very special memories with him. So today I say goodbye to the ghost of the Child I was, and hello to the vibrant, healthy Grandmother I want to be for Ben!
Our camper is packed, we are headed out at first light tomorrow morning to start another adventure on the road. I will be thinking about the BLOG and taking some notes to talk about when i get back. Expect my next one to be on or about the 28Th of October. In the meantime, everyone,
ROCK ON!
Today's poem is dedicated to Ben, my youngest grandchild (5 years old)
A Face In The Window
Every time I drive away
After a day of fun and play,
I see your face pressed to the pane,
And wish that I could just remain.
I wish that I could stay the age I am,
So I could see you become a man
I fear that when you're big and tall,
I won't be on this earth at all.
Will you remember angels in the snow?
Watching the birds fly high and low?
Will you recall swimming in the lake,
Four candles on your birthday cake?
The walks we took with your hand in mine
are etched in memory for all time.
But you are so young my lovely boy
Time will erase your childish joy
When you bounce your child upon your knee
Will there be a fleeting thought of me?
And when you tuck him into bed,
Will you tell him the stories we once read?
I love you now, and I will love you then.
Once I leave the world of Men,
I will see you from afar
And be your Angel, your shining star!
Love to Benjamin from Nana
January 7, 2008
Plan for today:
Breakfast: Tea and plain doughnut, cup of fruit
Snack: jello
Lunch: chicken soup
Snack: apple and cheese
Dinner: Refrigerator leftovers (We are getting rid of all the stuff so we can leave for a week)
Kitchen still closing at seven!
Exercises: Walking DVD; Mr. G's list; Yoga
Have a wonderful, healthy, week.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Health Trek Day 27
It was quite a weekend. Fall Rally was a lot of fun. For those of you who went, I hope you had as much fun as I did. We performed a skit that we had only had time to rehearse twice and when we got on stage, I think we both froze a couple of times. I forgot to put on some of the costume accessories, we messed up lines and made total fools of ourselves, but it was really fun. We are going to do the whole thing again for our Chapter on the 29Th. What a couple of hams we are! The entire event was a nice mixture of humor and emotive stories of weight loss successes as well as rewards for our efforts over the summer. My cheeks are still aching, Charlie! (Not saying which ones!)
I really do believe that laughter is the best medicine. I have been full of happy feelings and bursting into song ever since I left the Civic Center. So another formula for weight loss; Don't worry, be happy!
We are all packed, except for last minute items, for our camping adventure in Massachusetts. We have a house sitter, and the weather looks like it will be going up. I have been thinking really hard sending brain waves out to Mother Nature that this would be a really good week for an Indian Summer! So when the weather gets nice and toasty for the next few days instead of feeling like the beginnings of an ice age, you can thank ME. And don't forget to send a big thanks to Mother Nature herself. We don't want to anger her this close to the big W. (Winter that is)
I have great plans to keep my weight under control this week. For one thing we will be doing a lot of walking. When we eat out, I am going to let my husband order for me. He always nags me about eating, so I decided to let him be my conscience. The Camper is not big enough for me to hide food and sneak candy bars and we are only bringing healthy snacks. Anytime I feel like hitting him over the head with my exercise dumbbells, I will think of Fall Rally and h0w much I want to be up on stage telling my weight loss story, or better yet, graduating at SRD! So I plan to smile sweetly and not let food become the center of this vacation.
Tomorrow will be my last Blog until the 28Th of October unless I can figure out how to use WiiFi or whatever it is called. So don't think I have dropped off the ends of the earth if you don't hear from me. I will be recording our adventures along the way, and perhaps writing a few more poems to share with you next week.
So enjoy our nice weather and don't forget, everyone, to
ROCK ON!
I have a bit of Prose to share with you today, that I didn't write, but agree with wholeheartedly:
Attitude
The longer I live, the more
I realize the impact of attitude on life.
Attitude to me is more important than facts
It is more important than the past
than education,
than money,
than circumstances,
than failures,
than successes,
than what other people say or do,
It is more important than appearances,
giftedness or skill,
It will make or break a company..
a church...a house.
The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day
regarding the attitude for that day
We cannot change our past...
we cannot change the fact that
people will act in a certain way.
We cannot change the inevitable.
The only thing we can do is play on the string we
have, that is our attitude...
I am convinced that life is 10% what happens
and 90% how I react to it.
And so it is with you,
WE ARE IN CHARGE OF OUR
ATTITUDE!
By Charless Swindell
Plan for today:
Breakfast: cereal, toast, tea
Snack: jello
Lunch: hamburger, lettuce, tomato
Snack: apple
Dinner: Beef Stew
Kitchen Closed at 7:00 P.m.
Exercise:
Long walk with my Grandson, Ben
Mr. G's list
Yoga before bed.
:)
I really do believe that laughter is the best medicine. I have been full of happy feelings and bursting into song ever since I left the Civic Center. So another formula for weight loss; Don't worry, be happy!
We are all packed, except for last minute items, for our camping adventure in Massachusetts. We have a house sitter, and the weather looks like it will be going up. I have been thinking really hard sending brain waves out to Mother Nature that this would be a really good week for an Indian Summer! So when the weather gets nice and toasty for the next few days instead of feeling like the beginnings of an ice age, you can thank ME. And don't forget to send a big thanks to Mother Nature herself. We don't want to anger her this close to the big W. (Winter that is)
I have great plans to keep my weight under control this week. For one thing we will be doing a lot of walking. When we eat out, I am going to let my husband order for me. He always nags me about eating, so I decided to let him be my conscience. The Camper is not big enough for me to hide food and sneak candy bars and we are only bringing healthy snacks. Anytime I feel like hitting him over the head with my exercise dumbbells, I will think of Fall Rally and h0w much I want to be up on stage telling my weight loss story, or better yet, graduating at SRD! So I plan to smile sweetly and not let food become the center of this vacation.
Tomorrow will be my last Blog until the 28Th of October unless I can figure out how to use WiiFi or whatever it is called. So don't think I have dropped off the ends of the earth if you don't hear from me. I will be recording our adventures along the way, and perhaps writing a few more poems to share with you next week.
So enjoy our nice weather and don't forget, everyone, to
ROCK ON!
I have a bit of Prose to share with you today, that I didn't write, but agree with wholeheartedly:
Attitude
The longer I live, the more
I realize the impact of attitude on life.
Attitude to me is more important than facts
It is more important than the past
than education,
than money,
than circumstances,
than failures,
than successes,
than what other people say or do,
It is more important than appearances,
giftedness or skill,
It will make or break a company..
a church...a house.
The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day
regarding the attitude for that day
We cannot change our past...
we cannot change the fact that
people will act in a certain way.
We cannot change the inevitable.
The only thing we can do is play on the string we
have, that is our attitude...
I am convinced that life is 10% what happens
and 90% how I react to it.
And so it is with you,
WE ARE IN CHARGE OF OUR
ATTITUDE!
By Charless Swindell
Plan for today:
Breakfast: cereal, toast, tea
Snack: jello
Lunch: hamburger, lettuce, tomato
Snack: apple
Dinner: Beef Stew
Kitchen Closed at 7:00 P.m.
Exercise:
Long walk with my Grandson, Ben
Mr. G's list
Yoga before bed.
:)
Friday, October 16, 2009
Health Trek Day 26
The scales were good to me last night. A small loss, but at least going in the right direction, down! Probably had the pounds freeze off yesterday. It sure is cold for October! We are getting ready to go on our camping vacation next week and ding dang it, I want an Indian summer. Don't you think we're entitled after our 3 week summer? So I am thinking warm thoughts and hoping for the best. We are spending part of the time at my Sister-in-laws house on Cape Cod so we can always go inside if we get cold.
I didn't go to the gym this morning as I am hostage to the LIST this morning. We have this check list we need to do before we go and as usual I have procrastinated all week so have to rush around today to get everything done. I also have to rehearse and memorize 4 songs before the Fall Rally tomorrow. All this and exercise too! I will try to fit in some yoga and my therapy while I clean, pack, do laundry and check and re-check the list. We are not leaving until Wednesday next week, but my husband always like to have everything done early and where he has to work, he'll want me to have my part done before the weekend so he can check and re-check to make sure I did it right and we have everything we need. We will most likely have enough paraphernalia to entertain the entire East coast by the time we hit the road.
How come having fun is so much work?
I hope I can come back from the vacation with a loss and not a gain. Perhaps the walking and sight seeing will take off the pounds I gain from eating out and at other people's houses. I resolve to make smart, healthy choices!
Have a wonderful weekend everyone, and remember to
ROCK ON!
Since we are going to visit family next week, I thought I would share a poem with you that was written on one of our family get gatherings. Perhaps you can relate....
Hallspeak
Whenever the Halls should congregate
Talk always results in a great debate
It's amazing what subjects will evolve
And all the problems they deign to solve
Topics expand like an ivy trail
Each opinion expressed in a raging gale
From a distance the noise seems quite absurd
All voices demanding to be heard
It seems that everyone talks in sync
Expounding to all just what they think
Not a thought goes to waste in each busy head
They pass through the lips without worry or dread
"But who is listening" I wondered one day
With so many talking, with so much to say
Then I perceived to my great surprise
An astounding feat right before my eyes
One who stated his wise verbation
answered a question without hesitation
added a thought to another topic
and didn't appear the least myopic
if Olympians awarded for tall stories told
then Hallspeak would surely bring home the gold!
JPH
Plan for today:
Breakfast: toast and tea, fruit cup
Snack: apple
Lunch: leftover beef stew
snack: pretzels
Dinner: pork chops, baked potato, spinach
Dessert: angel food cake with mandarin oranges and fresh raspberries
Kitchen closed!
Exercise:
Yoga, Mr. G's list and racing up and down stairs doing housework and packing,, yikes, look at the time, I had better get started!
I didn't go to the gym this morning as I am hostage to the LIST this morning. We have this check list we need to do before we go and as usual I have procrastinated all week so have to rush around today to get everything done. I also have to rehearse and memorize 4 songs before the Fall Rally tomorrow. All this and exercise too! I will try to fit in some yoga and my therapy while I clean, pack, do laundry and check and re-check the list. We are not leaving until Wednesday next week, but my husband always like to have everything done early and where he has to work, he'll want me to have my part done before the weekend so he can check and re-check to make sure I did it right and we have everything we need. We will most likely have enough paraphernalia to entertain the entire East coast by the time we hit the road.
How come having fun is so much work?
I hope I can come back from the vacation with a loss and not a gain. Perhaps the walking and sight seeing will take off the pounds I gain from eating out and at other people's houses. I resolve to make smart, healthy choices!
Have a wonderful weekend everyone, and remember to
ROCK ON!
Since we are going to visit family next week, I thought I would share a poem with you that was written on one of our family get gatherings. Perhaps you can relate....
Hallspeak
Whenever the Halls should congregate
Talk always results in a great debate
It's amazing what subjects will evolve
And all the problems they deign to solve
Topics expand like an ivy trail
Each opinion expressed in a raging gale
From a distance the noise seems quite absurd
All voices demanding to be heard
It seems that everyone talks in sync
Expounding to all just what they think
Not a thought goes to waste in each busy head
They pass through the lips without worry or dread
"But who is listening" I wondered one day
With so many talking, with so much to say
Then I perceived to my great surprise
An astounding feat right before my eyes
One who stated his wise verbation
answered a question without hesitation
added a thought to another topic
and didn't appear the least myopic
if Olympians awarded for tall stories told
then Hallspeak would surely bring home the gold!
JPH
Plan for today:
Breakfast: toast and tea, fruit cup
Snack: apple
Lunch: leftover beef stew
snack: pretzels
Dinner: pork chops, baked potato, spinach
Dessert: angel food cake with mandarin oranges and fresh raspberries
Kitchen closed!
Exercise:
Yoga, Mr. G's list and racing up and down stairs doing housework and packing,, yikes, look at the time, I had better get started!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Health Trek Day 25
I received another one of those e-mails that get sent to everyone. This one was called "Just a Mom" Perhaps you've seen it. It described a woman renewing her license and when asked her occupation she replied "I'm a research associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations." It was a cute story, but made me stop and think how important titles are in our contemporary society. When I was young my first job was as a secretary in a medical records room. Nowadays they would be called medical transcribers. Secretaries are now Executive Assistants. A teacher's aide is a Technician I, II or III depending on the assistance you give the teacher. It has become so important to have a nice title, and don't even get me started on this Political correctness madness. So I guess maybe we could take our weight loss journey more seriously if we considered ourselves "Adipose removal research associates"; Or "Exercise Research and Development Lab Actuators". Sounds good doesn't it. Our journals can become our research tools and even our clothing can be labeled as design modules for more efficient exercise techniques. Boy aren't we important now! I am going to dress in my athletic clothes and get out my YOGA DVD. I have all the equipment, the title and the pounds are just going to fall off. (I hope they don't make a mess of my rug!"
Tonight is our TOPS meeting and we are getting all charged up for our Fall Rally! How about you? Hope to see you all there!
ROCK ON!
I wrote this poem back in the sixties when I was part of the "Woman's Movement" I don't take things quite as seriously today. My reward for being is woman is to see all the blessings I have in the faces of my children and grandchildren...
The Void
The problem that has no name
No woman needs this phrase explained
We all play the losing game
and hide the fact that our smiles are strained
"Anatomy is destiny" cry Men like Freud
Women must adjust to the feminine role
Have children- that will fill the void;
Let your husband's success become your goal.
If it's natural for us to be just wives and mothers
Why do our souls cry out in vain?
Why if it's natural to give all for others
Does our loss of self emit such pain?
We must admit aloud that our pain is real
Reach out a hand to our sisters of Earth
Our souls will not begin to heal
Until in unison we proclaim our worth!
JPH
Plan for today:
Breakfast: Egg, toast, tea
Snack: apple
Lunch: salad
Dinner: Beef Stew
Snack: ice cream bar
Exercise: Yoga, Mr. G's list
Tonight is our TOPS meeting and we are getting all charged up for our Fall Rally! How about you? Hope to see you all there!
ROCK ON!
I wrote this poem back in the sixties when I was part of the "Woman's Movement" I don't take things quite as seriously today. My reward for being is woman is to see all the blessings I have in the faces of my children and grandchildren...
The Void
The problem that has no name
No woman needs this phrase explained
We all play the losing game
and hide the fact that our smiles are strained
"Anatomy is destiny" cry Men like Freud
Women must adjust to the feminine role
Have children- that will fill the void;
Let your husband's success become your goal.
If it's natural for us to be just wives and mothers
Why do our souls cry out in vain?
Why if it's natural to give all for others
Does our loss of self emit such pain?
We must admit aloud that our pain is real
Reach out a hand to our sisters of Earth
Our souls will not begin to heal
Until in unison we proclaim our worth!
JPH
Plan for today:
Breakfast: Egg, toast, tea
Snack: apple
Lunch: salad
Dinner: Beef Stew
Snack: ice cream bar
Exercise: Yoga, Mr. G's list
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