Healthy Choices 07/25/08

Good morning Viny and everyone to come by today.

Viny,  congratulations on the great weight loss.  That's a lot for one week.  Good for you.  All of the walking and journaling has shown results.

I hope your yardman comes through for you today, Vammie.  It sounds like you need someone who  really knows his business and hires good people to work fo him.  Hope you can get this all behind you and begin to enjoy your yard and garden.

Maureen, it was over and above for you and Kim to take Ava to see her DD in the parade.  I hope he appreciates that.  What a cute relationship Ava has with her grandpa.  It really sounds like she knows just how special she is to him.

Yesterday's journal:

B - 1 slice muesili bread toasted with Smart Balance

L - skipped lunch (I know I have to stop doing this.  When the WW plan really works for me, I fit in 5 small meals or 3 meals and 2 snacks a day.  I have to make time to do this.)

D- Grilled lamb chop, broccoli, baked sweet potato fries, cucumber salad.

S - Chinese cookie and tea ( this is something I should eliminate or replace with a healthier snack.  Another bad habit to break)

Lots of water and some cranberry juice.

Another busy day .  I have the cleaning ladies coming to help me this morning with some of the heavier cleaning.  I work harder when they're here than I do when I clean alone.  LOL  Then we meet some friends for lunch at 1 o'clock and that's all I have really planned for the day.

My friend who had the foot surgeries and also has MS is coming home from rehab today and doing so much better.  Thank you  for your prayers.

Back later.  Hope everyone has a good day today.  God bless. Jo Ann

Good morning everyone.  I'm early today!  My caregiver has to be at work at 7 so we are up early.  Again I didn't sleep well.  Grrr!  It's a benadryl night for sure...and I may go look for some melatonin.  I usually don't have trouble sleeping...but sometimes when I wake to get turned over, I can't go back to sleep...that was the case last night plus just being hot.  It is already 81º now with highs over 100º predicted for the next several days.

I went out and really looked in the back yard yesterday evening.  There are two baby trees in the back flower beds that have to go along with the ground cover which is pure weed.  It looks like it might have been moss rose but there are no flowers and it's not large enough.  So...those will have to go too.  Yard man will be here to mow today and I'm sure he's bringing those hound dog lazy teens....And I'm sure either he or I will have to stay right on top of them to get the work done.  But it will be done.  Today.   Or he will be looking for another job.  The begonias that were planted are croaking...it was just too hot and they couldn't get established.

On a lighter note, I have a new pet....sort of!  LOL!  There is a little bunny rabbit, a cottontail, that is living somewhere in the back yard....I suspect somewhere around the storage shed.  My caregiver saw it last night but she said it was really small....the one I saw was fully grown I think....so I may have a whole family of cottontails.   They are sooo cute!  Molly doesn't quite know what to think of it/them.

I failed to post Wednesday's journal so I'll just do yesterday's....and it's pretty bad!

B..one peach oatmeal square, one piece of string cheese

L..Chicken Toscana soup, Salad with vinaigrette, sugar glazed walnuts and bleu cheese, 1/2 a panini with grilled chicken, tomatoes, cheese and a pesto aioli from Macaroni Grill and some bread with evoo dipping sauce.  Bad, bad bad!  But oh, so good.  The soup was delicious....I'm going to look for a clone recipe.

S..peach oatmeal square, corn muffin

D..bowl of pinto beans, another corn muffin.

Not enough water yesterday so will really concentrate on that today.

Viny, I make the jalapeño veggie muffins yesterday.  Sort of had a little (big!) problem.  I printed out the recipe and decided to double it as I was going to send some to the friend that cooked the pintos.  Got it all mixed up...the largest mixing bowl was FULL and then I realized that the single recipe made 24 muffins.  As you might suspect, I have an abundance of muffins.  I got 36 large muffins from the double recipe!  Good thing I really like them!  We didn't have but two small fresh jalapeños, and yes, I did wash them good with soap and water...plus they were grown locally.  Not as much pepper as I like in the muffins and these peppers were not hot at all...just barely warm.  Guess I'll be eating a lot of beans to go with this cornbread!!

Going for lab work today and then will go to the showroom and look at the wicker furniture.  Then back home to hibernate in the heat of the day.

I'll check in later.

vammie

Good morning... I am checking in from home since I have the day off. Its going to be hot today (well, at least for us) - about 90. I have to go up to Mom’s today. The Heart Specialist’s office called and they want her to double one of her medications before she comes into for her appt. on Monday and she can’t see well enough to read the prescription bottles. :(

JoAnn, I love looking at quilts. I have a friend that has a quilt shop in the next town and I love to go in there and look at the quilts that are already made and I also like looking at the fabric. I enjoy picking out fabrics to put together in a quilt, but I don’t enjoy quilting. Maybe I will just buy fabric and then send it to lusi to make quilts for me! I hope you get lots accomplished with the cleaning ladies today. I totally understand the working harder when they are there theory - been there, done that.

Verna, isn’t it frustrating to have to constantly be after someone you are paying to get their work done? When I was down at dd’s they have several cottontail bunnies running around their neighborhood. When we would go out for a walk, dgs would try to chase them. Of course, they were so fast he couldn’t catch them. They were cute, but, I understand that they aren’t so cute when they are eating up your vegetable garden.

Viny, I had to laugh at the picture of Pat riding the dgd’s scooter out to check on you. It reminds me of the dream I had last night - I was riding a little tricycle (I mean a really little tricycle) around at the county fair. Weird - I know!

Maureen, I hope ex-dsoil appreciates what Kim (and you) did for him and Ava yesterday. I’m curious why your dh calls Ava hot dog?

Ds brought his girlfriend (and her two daughters) out for an impromptu dinner last night. This is the first time he has brought her to our house for a meal - even though we have asked him to bring her out several times. It was nice and we enjoyed. I hope now that they have come once, they will come again when we invite them

Tomorrow is our community-wide yard sale day. I am helping with our P.E.O. one - I have to be there by 7 a.m. to help set up. Then, we are invited to a BBQ in the afternoon at dh’s cousin’s.

Well, better get ready to go up to Mom’s. You all take care.

JoLynn

Hello everyone. I'm busy trying to get all the laundry, etc, done and put away, with Randy here tomorrow, I won't get this done.  I also went in for color this morning and go to another hairdresser for a haircut at 3.  I know that is stupid, but.... don't like this guy to cut my hair but love his color.  He just teases me about the cuts.  I also need to get to one bank this afternoon and make some decisions, about a cd that is due.
Verna, I hope you get the yard man and his workers straightened out.  It's so hard to find someone to do yard work that is really good.  I miss the guy who helped me, but he went back to Mexico,  he was excellent,  The bunnies sound so cute.  I love watching them and they are not destructive like the squirrels.
Jolynn, I hope all is going to be ok with your Mom.   Is today the last day for her to wear the monitor?  Enjoy the yard sale and BBQ.  I can't wait to hear what car manufacture was doing the ad near you, don't forget to let us know which one so we can watch it
Viny, Pat had to be so cute on the DG scooter.  This would have made a  great picture.  Sorry your garden is not doing well, but I think that is the case all over the country. Sure going to make groceries higher this winter.   I had planned to fix peaches for the freezer and jam next week, but all will depend on DH's.
Maureen, I love ***'s name for Ava.  Those pet name seems to stick for life,  We called Randy pumpkin and I find myself still doing that and I noticed he was calling Randi Pumpkin.
I love those quilts the Amish make and would consider buying a king size one. I have lots of quilts that Joe's mom made and one my Mom made.  Randy had made me a  oak quilt stand for them.  Quilt's were always what we used when we were growing up and I never put them on the bed, but I  really do like them.
I'm off to get some work done. 

Hello everyone. I'm busy trying to get all the laundry, etc, done and put away, with Randy here tomorrow, I won't get this done.  I also went in for color this morning and go to another hairdresser for a haircut at 3.  I know that is stupid, but.... don't like this guy to cut my hair but love his color.  He just teases me about the cuts.  I also need to get to one bank this afternoon and make some decisions, about a cd that is due.
Verna, I hope you get the yard man and his workers straightened out.  It's so hard to find someone to do yard work that is really good.  I miss the guy who helped me, but he went back to Mexico,  he was excellent,  The bunnies sound so cute.  I love watching them and they are not destructive like the squirrels.
Jolynn, I hope all is going to be ok with your Mom.   Is today the last day for her to wear the monitor?  Enjoy the yard sale and BBQ.  I can't wait to hear what car manufacture was doing the ad near you, don't forget to let us know which one so we can watch it
Viny, Pat had to be so cute on the DG scooter.  This would have made a  great picture.  Sorry your garden is not doing well, but I think that is the case all over the country. Sure going to make groceries higher this winter.   I had planned to fix peaches for the freezer and jam next week, but all will depend on DH's.
Maureen, I love ***'s name for Ava.  Those pet name seems to stick for life,  We called Randy pumpkin and I find myself still doing that and I noticed he was calling Randi Pumpkin.
I love those quilts the Amish make and would consider buying a king size one. I have lots of quilts that Joe's mom made and one my Mom made.  Randy had made me a  oak quilt stand for them.  Quilt's were always what we used when we were growing up and I never put them on the bed, but I  really do like them.
I'm off to get some work done. 

 OK JoLynn, it's a deal.  You buy the fabric, I will do the quilts!   I love to buy fabrics, but then when I go to do a quilt, I can never decide what to put together!    My sister loves to do the patchwork, but not the quilting.  So she does the quilt tops, and then takes them to a pro who has one of those fancy quilting machines to do the quilting.  

Went to the cabin today, as our friends from Switzerland were keen to visit us.   I didn't do anything except sit around and visit all afternoon, and still my foot is throbbing big time just now, and I  irritated the sciatica, so moving in general is not pleasant.  I'm going to take a muscle relaxer before going to sleep soon and hope I will be good as new tomorrow.

 We are having our heat wave here.  When it is 85 here, it feels really hot, probably because we are not used to it.   I don't tolerate heat very well.

I probably have to go collect Leo from the cabin either tomorrow or Sunday.  Ari has a friend from college visiting, and Antti is working all weekend.  

Have a good weekend!  lusi

Marti, I just went back and read yesterday's posts,   I'm so sorry to hear about Joe's health.   But glad the medical people are dealing with it.   I can only imagine how distressing this news is for both of you.   I hope Randy and Randi's visit will take his mind off of things (and yours, too!).   Good luck to you.   lusi

Good afternoon friends,

Viny, I’m so happy to hear Pat is feeling so well. I agree that would have made a great picture.

Everyone I speak to about gardens is disappointed this year.

My tiny cherry tomatoes are just a tease.

I would need about twelve to make a BLT. LOL

It certainly sounds like you are back on track. Great weight lost this week.

Jo Ann I’m happy to hear your friend is coming home and is in less pain.

Today had been a rough one for me ~~I guess that is to be expected.

Holley and I went to the cemetery this afternoon. Deer or some other animal has been eating all the beautiful flowers Waldo’s daughter planted for his birthday on July 12^th. She is going to be very disappointed because she planted cockscomb. He especially loved them but was unable to find the seeds that last couple years.

Verna I hope the yard work went well today.

Matthew is suppose to come this weekend to mow the lawn.

Wednesday was his 22^nd birthday ~~Yesterday ODGD Carrie was 30. Now that really makes me feel old.

The bunny sounds cute but they grow up LOL while I was in rehab Holley spotted several baby woodcocks in the back yard. She thought they were so cute. Our neighbor didn't because we don’t see them anymore.

Jo Lynn I’m keeping your DM in my prayers. Also remember Marti and Joe.

Sorry I can’t sit longer ~~

Yesterdays menu

B- Cereal with milk and coffee

S – Grapes

L – Two slices pizza

D – Pasta

S – Two pieces chocolate

Not the best of choices but I really enjoyed my Italian day.

Shirley

Hi everyone,

We had a nice lunch out with our friends.  We sat there with our coffee talking for about two hours.  I think we were the last ones in the restaurant.  Found out that Cy, has to go for more labs because his PSA came back high with the last test.  Boy, is getting older scary sometimes.  So many things pop up out of nowhere.

Viny, Pat must be feeling pretty chipper since she's riding around on the two wheeler.  LOL  That would have been a great picture. I think I have the same problem you do about portion size.  Most of my choice are good, so it has to be that.  We were talking with friends the other day about how much smaller dinner plates used to be and even coffee cups used to be smaller.  Everything's supersized now and we, or at least I, don't even realize it most of the time.

Vammie, those little bunnies sound so cute.  I hope they stay around so you can enjoy watching them, unless, of course they get into your flowers and start doing major damage.  They can do that too.  They don't like merigolds, though.  Hope your yard workers are doing a good job today.

JoLynn how is your Mom doing now?  Hope the change in medication works for her.  How did dinner with DS and his friend and her family go last evening?   Maybe it will become a regular occurance now. That would be nice.

Marti, enjoy your visit with Randy and the baby, tomorrow.  I know you have so much on your mind right now, but don't forget to take care of yourself too. Will be keeping Joe and you in my prayers. 

Lusi, hope you enjoyed your visit earlier today.  I forgot which part of your foot is in pain.  Is it in the heel area or the front.  The reason I'm asking is that I just read piece about a certain class of antibiotics that they have found to cause muscle rupture, especially in the foot area.  They said it was mostly in the heel and where the achilles tedon is.  I don't remember your being on any antibiotics, though.  Hope your foot feels better soonl.

Take care,every one and have a nice evening.  Jo Ann

Hi!   I'm just checking in - need to get busy with dinner.

Jo Ann, I don't think that's where Lusi's foot problem is, seem to remember up by the ball of the foot.

Those bunnies are cute, but I do know if you have bare root roses, they will nibble on all the new growth.   But no chance of bare root at this time of the year.   I think we are about like TX weather today - supposed to hit 102.   DH and I worked outside till lunch time and that was it for us.   We're having a bbq with Kim and Ava, except Ava fell asleep about 6 pm.   Kim happened to be at the mkt, so she came here and we'll eat here.   I am not doing as good on my eating - think my days are too jumbled up.   But I did finally have a good night's sleep, that's a blessing.

Sorry I'm missing so many, but need to get the BBQ going and cook the zucchini.   Picked my first cucumber, so I'll slice that up too with some tomatoes (not mine).

Have a good weekend.