Everything is getting soggy. Even my dogs are squishy, ring-me-out, soggy. Have you walked across your lawn lately? Don’t do it. You could drown out there or sink down in mud so deep you’ll never be seen again. It’s like the quick sand in those old Tarzan movies where some guy on safari has fallen in. He struggles to get hold of a good strong branch in order to pull himself out. He grasps it just in the nick of time and we all exhale only to suddenly gasp again! The branch turns out to be a king cobra. We say our goodbyes. Next thing we see is his safari hat sitting on top of the quick sand, marking the spot. Well, it might not be quite that bad, and I’m probably the only one who remembers those old Tarzan movies anyway, but you get my drift. It’s a tough time of year for us Pacific Northwest folks. The Holiday Season is behind us, the decorations all put away, there’s nothing left to celebrate. We look forward to spring but let’s face it, spring is a long ways away. By mid February we’re desperate. The dark rainy short days really start getting us down.…
Category: Randomness
Secrets
Picture of me in 1971 We all have our secrets. Mine is that I used to be a mermaid. I lived in Puget Sound, rather cold waters for our kind but we’d grown up here and didn’t want to migrate south. We developed thick scales to hold in the warmth of the sun. They held in the heat like solar panels. As you can imagine, we took advantage of every sunny day that came along, even at the risk of getting spotted by curious humans. That was always funny, particularly the fisherman. They tend to nip at the bottle when they’re out on the water for a while, so I’m sure they often wondered what kind of trick their minds were playing on them when they saw us. Some of them would get out the binoculars, wondering what the heck that was, laying on a jutting rock in the distance or a dock outside an abondoned cabin. Sometimes, they’d get all excited and pull up anchor, reel in the lines and start the motor, cautiously approaching, hoping not to scare off whatever it was they were seeing. Hoping it really was what they thought it just might be! It was…
What the Blog!
Somehow, I’ve managed to mess up my web site. All of my pictures have disappeared, but only on my computer. So today’s blog will have no picture. I will have a web site with boring blogs until I figure out what I did and how to fix it. Some of us just aren’t cut out for anything more advanced than an electric mixer. That’s me. The electric mixer in a world of advanced technology. I bet I’m the only one still wearing an apron in the kitchen too! Well, some of us get food all over the place when cooking and unfortunately, that would be me. A kitchen slob, but a reasonably good cook so who cares? Regardless to all of the above, what really counts is that there are only 16 days left in the count down to Mexico! Yes! I’m on schedule with only 6 pounds to go. I know I can do it! Even if I have to wire my jaw shut or have Patrick drop me off 50 miles away from home, I’ll diet and exercise my way to my goal. The thing is, if I don’t make it, I don’t get to board the plane.…
The Bicycle Adventure
So, back to 12 pounds in 28 days. I’ve shed 5 and I have 19 days to go. I’m definitely on track! Getting through New Years without totally inhaling the most delectable foods available to mankind was an act of self control I’ll never be able to muster together again! It was will power at it’s best. I’m in awe of myself. Well, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the drift. I did good. I’m getting a little bored with the walking thing, so yesterday was the day to break out the bike and hit the road! I went full throttle, took the long way around the island, tackled the roller coaster hills like a professional. Did 11 miles on shaky sore legs, soon barely able to make contact with the seat of my bike, so tender was my…..anyway. I drenched my shirt and my head was shriveling under my helmet, the body heat from my intense workout melting the extra pounds right off of em as I tore up the road. Back at the house, I did crunchies and crunchies and crunchies! What I didn’t do though, was stretch. Today is a quiet day…
Happy New Year!
Starting a new year is always exciting for me even though I resolve to do the same things every year; get in shape, lose weight, be a better wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend, etc., etc. Well, this new year is going to be different. I’m not making any resolutions. I mean, who actually lives up to their resolutions anyway? This year, all I’m going to do is stop letting myself down. No more false promises, no more unattainable goals, no more expecting more of myself than I’m able to do. I’m simply going to do my best and for once, finally, my best is going to be good enough. Somewhere along the way we need to give ourselves a break, and this is the year for it. I think I’ll try and like myself better in 2010. Maybe I won’t be so devastated by my silver/gray grow-out and the recent signs of crows feet creeping around my eyes. I’m going to be proud of myself every time I walk the dogs, even if it’s a short walk. A short walk is better than nothing. And when I forget things, I’m not going to immediately jump to the conclusion that I…
Those Victoria’s Secret Girls Got Nothing On Me!
Yes! I am one pound lighter today! I’m smiling all the way to the fruit bowl! Soon, I will be just like those girls in the Victoria’s Secret catalogs that keep showing up in my mail. The only difference will be that I’m 35 years older and my legs don’t grow out of my neck. Those are the ONLY differences. Well, and the hair of course. I mean my hair isn’t quite as long and luxurious as those girls. And my boobs aren’t quite as perky and my bottom has a little bit of cottage cheese on it. But the skin tag on my under arm never actually shows and my bunions feel a lot better in the warmth, so I won’t be walking funny in Mexico. There. That’s the ONLY difference between me and those Victoria’s Secret catalog girls. I had coffee and my protein/superfood shake for breakfast. An orange for a snack and a crab salad for late afternoon whatever it was. I walked three miles with my lovely dogs, Maggie and Rita and did two hundred (I’M NOT LYING) crunchies. Underneath this big ol layer of flab is a six pack just waiting to get out! I’m…
26 Days and Counting!
Good Morning! I am happy to say I’m on schedule for the 12 pound weight loss plan by January 23rd. I lost 3/4 of a pound yesterday which keeps me right on task! Never mind that I woke up with a grumbling stomach in the middle of the night. Never mind the pie in the frig or the ice cream in the freezer. I’m ignoring them all! All I can allow myself to visualize is myself looking fit while I walk down the long hot sandy beach in Bucerias Mexico! Anyone doing this with me? Anyone trying to lose a few pounds by the 23rd? Well, join me and we can support and report. I’ll blog more later! Need to fix a superfood shake and head out the door! Mary Ann
A Good Start
Well, I am off to a good start. I made a commitment yesterday to drop 12 pounds in 28 days. Count down to Mexico! The dreaded muffin top is a tiny bit smaller this morning. I lost 2 pounds! Yes, 2 in one day! Now, yesterday was a grueling day as you can imagine. I ate only raw food except for a bowl of soup and I worked out a good two hours. I am so sore today I could hardly get out of bed. But, I not only rose from near dead, I took my dogs on a five mile walk. I’m going to recuperate for a few hours here and then do my floor exercises and hit the bow-flex. I had a superfood and protein shake for breakfast and a pear and an orange for snacks! I’m not allowing my mind to wander to the frig for anything like pasta or toast or cheese or….never mind. Anyway, all this makes me think about starting a whole new year in just a few days and wondering how it will be different from all the years in the past. Will I finally weigh what I want and maintain it? Will…
Count Down to Mexico!
The dreaded Muffin Top is back!!! It’s not just that the darn thing is here again and billowing over the top of my jeans, it’s the fact that I have only 28 days to lose it before going to Mexico! So, without revealing my weight, because that’s way too scary, I’ll let you know that I have 12 pounds (yes, twelve!!!) to lose in a mere 28 days. Well, let’s do the math; it means I need to lose approximately 3/4 of a pound a day to make it. Is it possible! OF COURSE IT IS!! All I have to do is start burning calories like there’s no tomorrow! And I shall! For the next 28 days, I will consume no sugar, no fat, no pasta carbs, nothing that tastes really good. I will eat fruits and vegetables raw, raw, raw! And, I will exercise like I’m training for a triathlon! I will work out like a crazy person, getting up early in the morning so I have time to do it all! I pledge to report to you, anyone who cares, every day. I will be honest. Encouragement will be sooooo appreciated so if you want to comment please…
The Reason for the Season
As a follower of Jesus, I am constantly amazed at the commercialization of Christmas. I know of no other faith that competes with Santa Clause or the Easter Bunny, but Christianity does. I often wonder how this came to be and why. Wasn’t it enough that Christ died for us or that He was born in a barn and shared space with animals? Did we somehow feel compelled to water down the truth? As I walked my miles this morning in the rain and the wind, I was thinking about a baby being born outside on a cold winters night. I was unhappy in the rain yet I was dressed in my REI rain resistant, fleece lined jacket made of the most light weight and breathable fabric available. What exactly, was I unhappy about? The rain that slid off my body and off the rim of my waterproof hat? My feet were dry and warm in my waterproof walking shoes with the nice arch supports I simply can’t live without. Then I started to think about giving birth without the luxury of an epidural or fetal monitors or even warm water and clean towels. Without a medical team waiting near by…