Attack of the Cute
My husband and I did a few errands this morning and then I got on my elliptical trainer for the first time in umpteen months. My trainer lives in the garage and it’s really hot out there. I managed 15 minutes this morning – better than nothing. I’ll try it again on Wednesday and see if I can do 20. I will, of course, do my 35+ minutes of yoga stretching and abdominal exercises this afternoon. (I gave myself a star for the elliptical and will earn another with the yoga this afternoon.) :0)
One of our errands this morning was refilling our sweet Molly’s prescriptions for antibiotics and pain/inflammation relief medicines. I’ve told you she has malignant cancer. It’s in one side of her jaw. She has quite a sizable, firm lump there that is growing. The vet and I talked frankly. Molly was 15 in February. We decided to try to keep her as comfortable as possible, giving her as many happy dog days as we can in the time she has left. She is still able to eat and drink, and enjoys demanding to go out, and then come in again – for a treat. I’m making sure we have PLENTY of the two treats she loves, and am VERY freely dispensing them. She has been with us since she was a small puppy. We are cherishing each day.
My husband is grinning because our grass is at the PERFECT stage, according to him – brown and crunchy! He wishes it would stay that way the rest of the summer. We are due for some rain this week, though, so he’ll have to enjoy it while he can. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday forecasts show a good chance of rain, plus a little bit of relief from the humidity.
I made Suzanne Ryan’s (Simply Keto) recipe for keto chili yesterday, and we ate a bowl last night. My husband sighed with pleasure. We will enjoy a bowl for the second DIY dinner, plus one of the DIY lunches this week.
I haven’t decided what my next clean up project will be. I’ll look around and decide priorities, planning on taking a donation to the Disabled Vets in Fort Smith by the end of NEXT week.
I hope that YOU are having a good day today.
I’ve been tackling my part of our home office a bit at a time.
I FINALLY got our important records and monthly bookkeeping caught up yesterday. Today I tackled the rest of the filing, my desk, and my shelves.
A nice thing happened as a result of this, I started feeling the wish to get rid of some stuff!
I’m going to declare victory on projects for the day, since I FINALLY have my work area reasonably organized and clean, and I will go do my yoga session for the day.
But, I’m pleased that the urge to purge is beginning to sprout. I’ll ‘water’ it and see if I can get it to sprout, starting tomorrow.
Northwoods Casket Company
Filed under Joke of the Day
You Tube
Weight comes off MUCH more slowly than it goes on. The older you get, the harder it is to get the lard off.
Lovethispic.com via Pinterest
In our current quest to get ‘back in the saddle” of the keto eating plan, my husband and I have signed up for two months of the South Beach Diet. That is the closest plan of prepared meals to how we are trying to eat. We are about 2/3 of the way through the first month.
So far, we have each lost 5 lbs. We are not very pleased with the number of choices on the food plan, or the taste of many of the entrees. We DO really like anything they offer that comes in a small cup and the shakes. My husband really likes the candy bars ( both snack and entree) and I love the small bags of nuts. Otherwise, it’s a very good thing we have fresh, ripe tomatoes to eat alongside the entrees for lunch and dinner.
That said, the first month is helping me re-realize what a “portion” is. We were eating many of the right things, but we glossed over – or ignored – the portion amounts. When we are doing the DIY dinners, lunches, breakfasts, and snacks each week, I am trying to pay particular attention to how much I am serving. Also, my husband is saying he will cooperate with not throwing things we shouldn’t be eating into the grocery cart. If they aren’t around, they can’t call to you from the pantry…. “Linnnnnnnn dahhhhhh!”
By the end of the second month (approximately mid-September) my husband may REACH is weight loss goal. We have talked about the fact that his ‘cooperation’ will need to continue so that he can KEEP the weight off. I have consoled him by pointing out that he can increase enjoy some fruit then, and that we may buy the candy bars he likes A LA CARTE from South Beach to tide him over, or to simply keep a supply for him. He also readily admits that he really likes many of the recipes we have found by Suzanne Ryan in Simply Keto.
For example, I have Suzanne’s recipe for Keto Chili in the slow cooker right now for one of our DIY dinners tonight.
I will earn Gold Star # 7 this afternoon with my yoga practice.
Next week, I will TRY to add a few minutes of my elliptical trainer to each day. It’s very hot here, and my trainer lives in our garage, so I’ll have to get out there early and limit the minutes I spend – Maybe I’ll try Mon, Wed, and Fri to start. I figure that even though I won’t be doing 35 minutes out there, anything I’m doing is better than none. AND, if I do the time out there, I’ll give myself another Gold Star!
My weight loss journey will be much longer than my husband’s. That’s okay. If I am seeing a reasonable amount of progress – either from the scales, the measuring tape, or my flexibility – I will try to “keep on keepin’ on. “
Wish me luck?
Filed under Attitude, DIET!, exercise, motivators, taking care of yourself
PictureQuotes.com
If I can get right to sleep, I’m fine.
If not, it’s a loop of recurring thoughts –
Once the loop starts, I have learned to go downstairs, get some water, and sit down in my chair and read until I’m sleepy again. The second time I try to go to sleep, I have no trouble.
I keep a pad of paper and pen on my bedside table to make notes on trying to get things on lists, or make notes of what I need to do the next morning. The other things REQUIRE I get up and check to reassure myself, or read to stop my poor brain’s cycling.
I have asked Santa for a “brain reboot” button, but so far no dice.
Filed under aging, Challenges, Changes
Leaderonomics.com
I have told you that I am a championship level procrastinator.
This time, I’ve been giving everything else priority over updating our important spreadsheet records and ignoring the monthly bookkeeping – just shoving the paperwork in file folders and watching glumly as the pile grew.
This week I’ve been working hard on the important spreadsheet updates. I make copies of everything for our files in a couple of secure places in the house, plus copies for the safe deposit box. I will also arrange with our son for him to have access to the updated versions. I try to do this every six months. Sometimes it’s amazing how many things change in that period of time. Things happen one at a time and you just don’t really notice. Anyway, I feel good that those are up to date now. :0)
The monthly bookkeeping paperwork was piled up from APRIL. Yeah, I know. I should be flogged.
Now all of THAT is up to date, with all of the filing that goes with that!
And, finally –
Pets | Animals
Clipart Library
I just earned gold star #6 for the week on my yoga practice! I’m starting to actually FEEL some improvement now. I’m taking things slowly, stretching things out and breathing into the poses, taking as much time as I need to relax as much as possible, or to do as many repetitions as I can in order to breathe into the poses. I spend around 30 minutes daily on the mat. I’m trying to combine the stretching with abdominal exercises.
Today, Abby, one of our cats, joined me. She WANTED to lie down on my stomach while I was stretching out on my back. When I discouraged that, she moved to my side. I finally got her to get up on the couch and stare holes through me as she watched my practice. :0)
I’m feeling victorious in my efforts to actually get something significant done today.
Happy Saturday!
“A woman and her 12-year-old son were riding in a taxi in Detroit. It was raining and all the prostitutes were standing under awnings. “Mom,” said the boy, “what are all those women doing?” “They’re waiting for their husbands to get off work,” she replied. The taxi driver turns around and says, “Geez lady, why don’t you tell him the truth? They’re hookers, boy! They have sex with men for money.” The little boy’s eyes get wide and he says, “Is that true Mom?” His mother, glaring hard at the driver, answers “Yes.” After a few minutes the kid asks, “Mom, if those women have babies, what happens to them?” She said, “Most of them become taxi drivers.”
*Thanks to Marsha Koenig
Filed under Joke of the Day
Good Morning America
My husband and I used to go to the zoo in Tulsa in our dating days. I loved it. We would buy treats to feed the animals, and my husband always snuck in some ‘extras’ that weren’t technically approved. We walked casually around, loving to see the animals. By the time we saw two or three animals, it would look like we were at the head of a parade. People would see the animals responding to my husband’s efforts to make them do tricks and follow us in order to see more.
Seal-Bearded – Flickr_Foilist Peter-Center for Biological Diversity
I don’t know how he did it, but the bears would sit up and wave at us. The monkeys would make rude gestures, making my husband double over, laughing.
Longman Dictionary
The seals were about halfway around the circle we would make. Seals are one of my favorite animals. I love their grace, agility, and speed, and their faces make my heart melt. Usually, there were several in their ‘pond.’ They would end up following my husband as he walked the perimeter of their area, feeding them and talking to them. It was like fish schooling. Then, he would make them nuts by hurrying from one side to the other, or one end to the other. He would finally stop and they would gather, noses all pointing to him.
Seal Pup, Norfolk, England, Newsweek
I have wonderful memories of trips to the zoo with him. We haven’t been to the Tulsa Zoo in many, many years now, but in my head, it was like yesterday. Our pets follow him around the house, too. They know he is the source of all good things.
Norfolk Beach – Bored Panda
Filed under Amazing Animals, memories
New Animalbook
I hope that your Saturday is a good one. Take care and stay safe.
It occurred to me that I have talked about trying to grow celery in my garden, but haven’t shown you how I am trying.
When I buy stalks of celery at the store, I cut off about an inch-and-a-half to two inches of the bottom of each stalk and put them in a dish with water. I let this sit on the divider in my kitchen, making sure it has water.
The result, after about a week, is this. ‘
This evening before dark, or tomorrow morning before the heat becomes lethal, I will transfer these two to the garden, digging a hole and putting the growing plants just as you see them, into the soil.
So far, I have managed to get some leafy plants with some stalks, but not as you would see them in the grocery store with the stalks tightly together. I have read that I am supposed to tie the leafy part together, and will try that this time.
I haven’t been really successful yet, but it’s so much fun to try!
Filed under Gardening, Healthy Eating, Square Foot Gardening - Raised Beds
New Animalbook
My husband and I got a couple of things done yesterday that had been weighing on us.
THING ONE: We finally drilled holes in the pvc pipe that runs along the back edge of the brick planter we had to rebuild recently, so that the elephant ear plants I put in there could get some water. The only problem, though, when we got that done, was that the irrigation system didn’t turn on when it was supposed to.
The brains for it in the well house showed that one of the power failures lately got it. It though it was 11:00 at night in January in 2007. :0)
I managed to find the manual for the system – HOORAY for me!
AND
when my husband got frustrated, I was able to reset things so I could reprogram the system. The first time I tried, I messed up; but the second time it worked! We went around the yard adjusting the Station 1 planters and then moved to the back when Station 2 started. YEA!!!!!
THING TWO: The second thing was our supplementary driveway alarm had failed. My husband ordered a new one. When it came, he painted the part we attach to a tree in camouflage. That was as far as the project got until I remembered it yesterday while we were waiting for the irrigation system to turn on.
He got the part from the shop, attached it to the tree, and we tested it, having it working just before we worked with the irrigation system! ANOTHER YEA!!!!
I love days where we can do something that stays done awhile. :0)
Filed under Lewis projects, Thoughts on a ________
Office on Women’s Health
“Students in an advanced Biology class were taking their mid-term exam. The last question was, ‘Name seven advantages of Mother’s Milk.’ The question was worth 70 points or none at all. One student was hard-put to think of 7 advantages. He wrote:
1) It is perfect formula for the child.
2) It provides immunity against several diseases.
3) It is always the right temperature.
4) It is inexpensive.
5) It bonds the child to mother and vice versa.
6) It is always available as needed.
And then the student was stuck. Finally in desperation, just before the bell rang to end the test, he wrote:
7) It comes in two attractive containers and it’s high enough off the ground where the cat can’t get to it. He got an A grade.”
*Thanks to a forward by Marsha Koenig
Filed under Joke of the Day
Wikipedia
Getty Images – Smithsonian Magazine
SayingImages.com
Pomegranate Communications
SayingImages.com
YouTube
Filed under Amazing Animals, Funny Signs - Humor, punny
Yesterday’s tomato harvest was really nice. We’re still getting all different sizes of tomatoes, since the plants are stressed due to our weather. We’re getting deeply into summer now, so hopefully we can give them enough water to keep them producing. We are beyond spoiled, looking forward to having fresh, ripe sliced tomatoes with lunch and dinner every day. :0)
Yesterday we were checking on our irrigation system since it’s lethally hot and we haven’t had any rain in awhile. We found one planter that we had rebuilt recently where the holes have NOT been drilled into the PVC pipe that brings it water! We will remedy that today. (I moved my elephant ear plants from the front porch where they were not happy to the newly rebuilt planter. It would be NICE if I also provided water.
My plants in the garden continue to get larger and produce blooms, but no zucchini or yellow crookneck squash yet. I’m starting to think the ‘plants’ are all I’ll get…
Filed under Gardening, Healthy Eating, Square Foot Gardening - Raised Beds
forwarded by Marsha Koenig
Filed under Attitude, Cause for Celebration, Challenges, Encouragement
My husband helps me clean out the aquarium once in about 10 times. This time he decided that we needed a better filter. I told him that I had researched the subject before and that we had the best reasonably priced filter system and filters for a 5-gallon tank. He asked me to research again and get something else, so I did.
I read and read, compared, then finally found a source that listed the ‘best’ filter systems for 5-gallon tanks. I have ordered an Aqua-Clear Filter System, plus additional inserts. They are supposed to be delivered tomorrow. I’ll try it and let you know.
Meanwhile, the fish have a clean tank, clean glass beads, clean decorations, lots of bubbles putting oxygen into the water, and a clean filter and system that is ‘supposed’ to handle a 10-gallon tank, but doesn’t do a stellar job on this one.
I LOVE passing the bright, clean tank with happy fish swimming around, blowing bubbles at me!
(I’m starting to get used to the ‘click-click-click’ sound the goldfish causes as he sucks a glass bead up off the bottom of the tank and lets it go again. :0))
Filed under Amazing Animals, Family, Housekeeping - Maintenance
Bethany Kerr Fine Art
Bethany Kerr Fine Art
Bethany Kerr Fine Art
Bethany Kerr Fine Art
Bethany Kerr Fine Art
To see more, go to BethanyKerrFineArt on Etsy.
Filed under Bethany Kerr, drawings, Watercolors I Love
SmileTemplates.com
“A man was riding on a full bus minding his own business when the gorgeous woman next to him started to breast-feed her baby. The baby wouldn’t take it so she said, “Come on sweetie, eat it all up or I’ll have to give it to this nice man next to us.” Five minutes later the baby was still not feeding, so she said, “Come on, honey. Take it or I’ll give it to this nice man here.” A few minutes later the anxious man blurted out, “Come on kid, make up your mind! I was supposed to get off 4 stops ago!”
*Thanks to Marsha Koenig for the forward.
Filed under Funny Signs - Humor, Joke of the Day
I am putting the findings on the newest pairs of hand-painted wooden earrings today. When they are finished later today, I’ll list them on Eyecatching Earrings on Etsy.
These are two inches in diameter, but still very light-weight to wear.
Filed under playing in my art room
Paul Militaru – “Bouquet of Flowers”
Paul Militaru – “Purple”
Paul Militaru – “Red”
Paul Militaru – “Rose Bud”
Paul Militaru – “Two Ladies”
If you want to see more or contact Paul, go to Paul Military Photography
Niki Firmin – Ralph
Niki Firmin
Niki Firmin – Binx
Niki Firmin
Niki Firmin
If you would like to see more or contact Niki, go to NikiFirmin.com
Filed under Amazing Animals, drawings, Niki Firmin - Pet Portraits
Jokes of the Day
“A doctor, whom an 80-year-old woman who had been consulting most of her life, has finally retired. At her next checkup, the young new doctor told her to bring a list of all the medicines that had been prescribed for her. As the doctor was looking through these his eyes grew wide as he realized Grandma had a prescription for birth control pills. “Mrs. Smith, do you realize these are birth control pills?” “Yes, they help me sleep at night.” “Mrs. Smith, I assure you there is absolutely nothing in these that could possibly help you sleep!” She reached out and patted the doctor’s knee and said, “Yes, dear, I know that. But every morning, I grind one up and mix it in my 16-year-old granddaughter’s glass of orange juice. And believe me it definitely helps me sleep at night.” Gotta love grandmas!”
*Thanks to Marsha Koenig
Filed under Funny Signs - Humor, Joke of the Day
National Geographic
We caught Raccoon # 7 last night in our humane trap and just got home from driving him out farther into the land behind us and relocating him at the same creek at which we have relocated his other family/pack/”gaze”/”nursery” members. He was the largest one we have ever trapped and relocated. My husband estimated he weighed 20 pounds! He thinks there are MORE, so he’ll bait and put out the trap again tonight…
Filed under Amazing Animals
Filed under drawings
creativeartworksblog 