Category Archives: Attitude

Almost There!

Our frozen stuff was just delivered by Fedex. It was nicely packed in large styrofoam coolers with dry ice, the whole cooler shrink-wrapped and clearly labeled whose was whose.

We have just finished putting things away. It turned out that our frozen snacks went into the freezer in the pantry. Mine fit in one gallon sized ziplock bag, so I didn’t have to mark anything. Of the three trays I had cleaned out in the chest type freezer in the garage, my husband’s frozen stuff filled two of them to the brim. I put some of my stuff in the third tray, and put others in gallon ziplock bags. It’s really clear whose stuff is whose, so I didn’t have to mark those, either. :0)

 

 

Today is our last hurrah of ‘free eating.’ I’m not sure how we’ll spend it.

Tomorrow morning will start the first day of our Nutrisystem plans.

 

Any time you change your eating habits violently, there will be snags. We have Lunch Bunch Friday. I’ll go to visit with my friends and have a glass of water, opting to religiously stay on the program until I get a ‘flex meal’ NEXT week. My husband has opted to get his regular chicken fingers for Lunch Bunch. One meal off the plan in the first week won’t be the end of the world. He has agreed to do this, so I’ll work on getting him to go with the program as much as possible.

Tomorrow I’ll make us a salad bowl – two cups each for each of us , so all we have to do is dip out the servings when it’s time to eat lunch or dinner. I’ll also plan to serve us a cup each of broccoli with our dinner.  (A serving is one cup of raw non-starchy veggies or 1/2 cup of cooked veggies, so this will be our 4 servings for the day.)

______________________

“Here is a quick glance at what you’ll eat during your first week on Nutrisystem:*

  • Nutrisystem Breakfast from Turbo Takeoff Box  (Husband chooses from his stash)
  • TurboShake (for women) or Nutri-Pro Shakes (for men)
  • Nutrisystem Lunch from Turbo Takeoff Box (husband chooses from his stash)
  • NutriCurb Bar
  • Nutrisystem Dinner from Turbo Takeoff Box (husband chooses from his stash)
  • At least four servings of non-starchy veggies and 64 ounces of water throughout the day

Source: NUTRISYSTEM

(Exercise is taken care of from drinking the 64 (at least) oz of water each day. Our eyeballs will be swimming, and we’ll be running to the bathroom a lot. :0)”

I hope that you are finding ways to take good care of yourself.  Hopefully, this will be the start of our getting the lard off, moving more, and feeling better and better.

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The Wisdom of Pooh

A.A. Milne via Begin With Yes

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Having vs Making

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I’m Making Progress (I THINK)

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I am SLOWLY making progress on figuring out how to do things on my new PC. My husband is very happy that I’ve made the switch, since he can try to help me now. Since he’s a computer analyst, it’s only smart to have an in-house guru to help you when things aren’t working as they should.

I’m making a list of things that I want him to look at, explain how to do, or FIX –  if possible –  as I stumble onto them.

I’ve discovered that my reaction to not being able to figure things out is out of proportion to the problem. In a nutshell, I’m almost bald now, my throat is sore from yelling, and the air is blue from my bad words…..

I am determined to learn how to do what I want to do and overcome the problems I’m having. It’s a waste of energy to want to eat the keyboard, throw the computer and all its parts out the window, and go out to the front yard to shriek over and over, so I’m trying to remain CALM and handle this in a more GRACIOUS manner.

So far, my husband is at a loss as to why MY pop-up screen for Password Safe is different from his, and that ‘I’ have to do 80 steps to figure out what a password is when it used to be easy. Did I mention I’m also gnashing my teeth?

This WILL get better. I’m actually taking breaks now and going to CLEAN something. THAT’S how frustrating this is!

 

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Getting Older

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Brainy Quotes

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Happy Friday

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Shine

purpleclover.com

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Embarrassment

Our son wrote to tell us that an “American tourist” had stolen all of the donation money from the donation box in a temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand recently. They had a picture of the man inside the temple, but hadn’t apprehended him.  Our son has always tried to overcome the bad image of American tourists in whatever country he is in. He tries to learn their language and speak to them. He tries to be kind and thoughtful of the culture and the people. He is angry and embarrassed that the behavior of Americans abroad has been so rude, thoughtless, downright crude, and even – to THIS news – criminal.

This feeling of being upset at the behavior of others reflecting on him goes back to when he was a young toddler. We would take him to a restaurant and someone would come over to our table and say something like, “We are SO impressed by the behavior of your son! He’s been a real little gentleman.” We would thank them and they would leave. Our son’s face would turn red as he said, “Other kids are giving me a bad name. They make it so that all people expect ME to act bad.” We told him that we understood his feelings, but that the only thing he could control was how HE acted. It didn’t seem to help much.

He told us he made a donation to the temple that was robbed.

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Any Time You Can

Max Eastman via sayingimages.com

“A sense of humor… is needed armor. Joy in one’s heart and some laughter on one’s lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life.” ~ Hugh Sidey

“Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand.” ~ Mark Twain

I don’t know why, but I’m thinking of my dad today.

Part of his life was hard. He fell off a horse when he was three and busted his arm in three places. Back then, the doctors did the best they could, but his left arm was much shorter than his right, curved, and his hand almost useless. He was teased about it in school. He felt bad because they wouldn’t accept him to serve in the military because of it. He learned to use humor as a way to break through people’s initial reaction to his arm. In fact, there were whole patches of time I would forget that others might consider him ‘handicapped.’ He learned to use his humor and wit to make his living- carving out a space writing radio advertising spots. He billed himself as the second worst radio voice in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He went from barely making a living to never having to look for clients again, winning Addy awards – plus a silver one for “Lifetime Achievement.”

He couldn’t control his alcohol consumption and smoked heavily, ending up an alcoholic with emphysema. He joined Alcoholics Anonymous. He learned to carry an oxygen tank.vHe still kept his sense of humor, drawing cartoon drawings of himself, making others laugh. He taught my brother and me to appreciate humor – puns, jokes of all sorts, funny stories, funny situations, sarcasm, and to practice the ability to stand back and look at things, trying to see the funny side. This has been a lifesaver for me.

When he died, he wrote on a scrap of paper, “Remember me laughing.” And I do. I remember him telling stories, laughing so helplessly he could hardly finish. He and the lucky people listening would all be exhausted when he finished – stomachs hurting from laughing, cheeks hurting from smiling so hard – at the stories, but also enjoying the joy we all experienced as he told them.

“A day without laughter is a day wasted.” ~ Charlie Chaplin

“I have always felt that laughter in the face of reality is probably the finest sound there is and will last until the day when the game is called on account of darkness. In this world, a good time to laugh is any time you can.” ~ Linda Ellerbee

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When I Grow Up…

Zen to Zany

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Joy

Thich-Nhat-Hanh – sayingimages.com

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Being Happy

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My To-Do List Reminder

 

SayingImages.com

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Note to Self:

GrowingBolder.com

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Sunshine

Anthony J. D’Angelo via SayingImages.com

“Your attitude is like a box of crayons that color your world. Constantly color your picture gray, and your picture will always be bleak. Try adding some bright colors to the picture by including humor, and your picture begins to lighten up.” ~ Allen Klein

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Fountain of Youth

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“There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.” ~ Sophia Loren

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Thought

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Making a Difference

Mandy Hale via HealthyPlace.com

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Awesome!

Purple Clover via Cindy Basnett Thurman

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Practicing…

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Hams Helping Hams

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My husband got an email two days ago about a man in Van Buren, Arkansas needing help taking down his ham radio tower. My husband said he’d be glad to help. This morning he’s on the way to Van Buren to do what he can to help. The Vette is packed with tools. He has cell phone, cap, kleenex, chapstick, bottles of water, more tools than you can imagine (just in case), and the GPS is programmed with the man’s address. The man has hired a guy with a crane for the heavy part of the job.

Even though many of these people don’t know each other well, and, in some cases, have never met each other, there is a bond between them because of their interest in ham radios. Some are really into it and have been for years. Others, like my husband, like the idea and want to be able to find out what is happening in case of emergency. No matter the degree of expertise or why they’re interested, they tend to help each other.  I’m happy that my husband is trying to help his fellow hams; but, I have to admit, I’ll breathe a sigh of relief when he’s home again in one piece. He tends to act as if he’s still a young man, rather than a man who’s a bit long in the tooth these days, and pays for it later.

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I’m Rich

The Frugal Farm Wife via Stephanie Youmans Wilson

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Together

Zen to Zany via Cathy Ruggiero

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Truth

Pixabay

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“What are You Doing Special for Your Birthday?”

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We just got back from our Friday Lunch Bunch and errands. Linda and Kay helped me celebrate my birthday. I told them that I really appreciated the gifts, but that the REAL gift was their friendship. Linda asked me, “What are you doing special for your birthday?” I thought a minute, then smiled, saying, “Absolutely nothing. My whole life is a celebration.”

We got the mushroom compost that the good co-op people had ordered for me and some onion sets. We’ve just come in from mixing a while bunch of Mel’s Mix and we topped off the two brick tomato planters on the east side of our house.

I’m hot (even though it’s a really beautiful day), breathing a bit hard, and gulping some iced tea as I type. I’m going to rest awhile, and then go out and plant my onions.

When I come back in I’ll play in my art room awhile, working on a new theme for thank you notes, stationery, and note cards.

My friends and relatives have made me feel special today. How could one ask for a more special day than this?

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Happy Birthday tooooooooo ME……….

My friends and relatives are making me feel very special today – feisty and sassy – though I’m definitely getting long-in-the-tooth.  The day has only begin and already I’ve been showered with cards in the mailbox and e-cards, songs and gifts. The very best gifts, though, are the people BEHIND all the attention I’m getting today. What a lucky, lucky lady I am!

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Filed under Are YOU also older than Dirt?, Attitude, Family, Friendship

Birthstone

Coffee Lover Guide

I have enjoyed coffee since I was 12. At that point my mom insisted I have only one cup per day mixed with a lot of milk. I gave up the milk when my husband groused about having to put it in when he brought me a cup of coffee. (This was even though I was expected to add TWO spoonsful of sugar to each cup I brought HIM). I always drink it black now, unless the coffee needs help for some reason.

Over the years, coffee has been good for you or bad for you, over and over. I think right now the ‘experts’ are saying it’s okay. I’m glad they’re happy. I don’t pay attention. I drink coffee all day long. Now I drink a bottle of water in-between cups of coffee, which results in more exercise going to the bathroom several times per day…

I even drink it right before bed. It doesn’t keep me awake. I guess my system has developed a tolerance for caffeine.

I’m plebian when it comes to coffee. I don’t like the fancy-ness of Starbucks. I don’t even like special blends. I don’t like flavorings of any kind added. I just want good, black, plain coffee. My husband got a Keurig coffee maker that we use when I’ve drunk the pot of coffee we make in the morning and would still really like ONE MORE CUP.  We got a really large cup and put in lots of water when we make a cup. And then I dilute it with hot water from the tap and put it in the microwave. The brand that suits me the best so far is Donut-Shop Regular.

Coffee is good for what ails me. I could even give up chocolate before I would stop drinking a good cup of coffee.

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A Good Monday

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We have had a wonderful Monday.

First thing this morning we filled up the back of the truck with another donation to Veteran’s Thrift Store.  We stopped at our veterinary clinic when we got to Greenwood to replenish our dog food supply, putting the bags in the back seat. We dropped off the donation, then drove back to the co-op in Greenwood, filling up the back of the truck with all we needed to replenish our supply of the components of Mel’s Mix for the garden except for one more bag of mushroom compost, which the nice man at the counter is ordering for us. It amazes me that the man remembers my name! He’ll call us when he has the bag we need in stock. We grabbed lunch at the deli at CVs on the way to the house.

After lunch my husband backed the truck to the garden (not a chore for the faint of heart) and we unloaded the back of the truck, opening the bags and filling up the trash bins behind the shop, beside the garden.) When we got back to the garage, we unloaded the dog food from the back seat and stored the two bags in the bin we keep for that purpose.

We’re going to go bowling with friends tonight. Since Amber has been in the back seat of the truck, we needed to vacuum the seats, getting rid of all the dog hair we can. It was my husband’s turn, so I left him doing that while I gathered trash in the house. We put the bowling balls in the trunk of the truck and I just put the bags of trash into the back so that we can leave them at the bottom of the driveway when we leave tonight to pick up our friends.

Even the weather is wonderful – sunny and 68 degrees right now.

I’m probably going to do some other things this afternoon, like the elliptical and my yoga, but the biggest thing will be to spread out under a throw in my recliner and take a good nap after our morning’s work. :0)

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I Know, I Know….

Wondrlust

I’ve told you recently that I was “back in the saddle” on my dieting and exercise. I guess I lied.

Today marks the fact that I’m not giving up. I just came in from doing 30 minutes on my elliptical trainer in the garage.  Right now I feel better, looser. I may pay for it tonight, when I need a crane to get me up out of my recliner; but right now I’m happy that I did that. Later today, after vacuuming the first floor carpet, I’ll do the first yoga-for-old-broads I’ve done in quite awhile, seeing if I can stretch out some muscles.

I just took our doggies out; and while I filled up the bird feeders on the deck, they ran off.  I had a good walk around and around the house, pushing the warning button on the zapper that controls Amber’s shock collar. Our sweet cocker spaniel/schnauzer cross, Molly, is almost completely deaf, so I didn’t bother to try calling her. I walked around, holding the zapper in different directions in back of the house, and then in the front of the house, warning and calling Amber. I was starting to get concerned when Amber came running. Whew!

I also started MyFitnessPal.com up again, realizing that whatever I’ve been doing lately isn’t working for me. We’re eating low carb, but we’re also eating other stuff, and the pounds have been creeping up. I’ve lost ground on my inches lost, as well. To say I’m not a happy camper today is the biggest understatement ever.

But – I’m not a quitter. Even though I’m as old as dirt and the poundage and lard take forever to come off, I CAN do one day at a time and not beat myself up over losing ground. I won’t get points for losing a certain poundage in a certain amount of time. No one will give me an award for there being less of me than there was.

The important thing is that I don’t want to FEEL as old as dirt. I want to have enough energy to do what I’d like to do, rather than crashing in the afternoons. I’d like to move with less pain. I don’t want my life to revolve around what hurts the most today.

I have a lot of fun things I want to do. I want to get up to my newly cleaned out and organized art room and start playing!  I want to spend some time each day getting my new greenhouse organized and ready to plant. I want to use my concrete mixer to mix up Mel’s Mix to fill up my raised bed gardens. I want to think about getting spring plants in.

“I” will be my own reward, doing the things I would like to do. Today is another opportunity to get it right.

taolife.com

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On This Valentine’s Day 2018…

If you don’t already do this, don’t just concentrate on celebrating the special holidays of the year with the one you love. Don’t worry about whether he gets you something for Valentine’s Day, your birthday, your anniversary. Wouldn’t you be happier if he thinks about you and tries to make you happy MOST days of the year?

This doesn’t happen accidentally. It starts with YOU. When YOU show HIM that he’s special, thank him when he does something he doesn’t have to do that saves you time, effort, worry, he might return the way you make him feel in kind.

Yes, there are days you chase him around the house with a fly swatter when he’s being obnoxious. Yes, there are days you think about how satisfying it would be to bash him – just a bit – with a frying pan. Yes, there are days your feelings are hurt. Yes, there are days you want to yell until you’re hoarse. Yes, you might enjoy some time to yourself.  That’s called living with someone who ALSO has wants/needs/ideas/hopes/dreams.  Those feelings go both ways.

It’s up to YOU to see that the GOOD feelings/warm thoughts/melts-you-into-a-puddle acts go both ways.

And YOU go first.

Happy Valentine’s Day, and happy tomorrow, and happy the-day-after-that….

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Optimism

sun gazing via diana roggen bucke brown on 5minutesmoreplease.wordpress.com

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