Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Checking in before we head out
Sorry for falling off the planet – that tends to happen in July. If you’ve never spent 2 weeks primitive camping, all I can say is that it requires a lot of prep work. Add that we are doing it with a new vehicle and basically skipped last year (because all our stuff was in storage and we were in the midst of the move) and we are trying to re-figure everything out, well, it’s been busy.
The Tour de France was an overall disappointment this year. Andy Schleck wasn’t there and Bradley Wiggins and team Sky just didn’t really excite me. I dunno. None of the mountain stages were as inspiring as they have been in years past. It was kinda blah, which is a heck of a thing to say about what is IMO the most amazing race on earth.
My big news is that hub is now off the BP medicine he had to start taking a few years ago. He was feeling light headed, so he stopped taking it and called the doctor. She asked him to get a BP monitor and to record his readings for a month and then come in. Well, he’s in the normal range with no medicine! Woot!
I still have 20-ish pounds to go (we’ll see as I get closer to the end) and hub wants to lose 40-50. So we’re both roughly at the halfway point. It’s amazing how much better we both feel, we look better, and his health numbers are improving dramatically. Mine were good before and they are good now. But having his support and doing this together makes it a lot easier.
Hope you enjoy the rest of your summer! I'll be back post vacation in Pennsylvania!
Friday, July 13, 2012
Friday
Just a quick note - things are going along. Busy sewing, packing for vacation, and watching the Tour de France.
Friday, July 06, 2012
Obsessing about the uncertainty of the future won’t change the outcome.
I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. Some is the simple ‘Am I on track to lose a couple of pounds’, some the ‘where will the hubs and I be in 5 years’, and some of the ‘where will our son be in 5 years’ variety.
It’s a lot to obsess over. I’m getting a little too caught up in outcomes and instead I need to focus on the actions and on the process. It’s not that things aren’t necessarily headed in a good direction, it’s more than I am spending too much effort worrying. It’s easy to say “don’t worry”, but that can be a tall order for those of us that are naturally prone to obsessing. Anal retentive can be useful, but it can also be tiring.
I’m a natural born worrier – it’s not that I’m a “glass half empty’ person, I’m a “the glass may be half full but it might fall off the table so should I construct special sides” person.
What is the antidote? I think gratitude. And I have so much to be grateful for. A big one is that despite all the upheaval, the bills are paid, our son is (mostly) okay, and our marriage is stronger than ever after some really rough times. And we are planning our future, as opposed to just going along the way we were, which I think will make us both happier in the long run, but change can also be scary.
It’s a lot to obsess over. I’m getting a little too caught up in outcomes and instead I need to focus on the actions and on the process. It’s not that things aren’t necessarily headed in a good direction, it’s more than I am spending too much effort worrying. It’s easy to say “don’t worry”, but that can be a tall order for those of us that are naturally prone to obsessing. Anal retentive can be useful, but it can also be tiring.
I’m a natural born worrier – it’s not that I’m a “glass half empty’ person, I’m a “the glass may be half full but it might fall off the table so should I construct special sides” person.
What is the antidote? I think gratitude. And I have so much to be grateful for. A big one is that despite all the upheaval, the bills are paid, our son is (mostly) okay, and our marriage is stronger than ever after some really rough times. And we are planning our future, as opposed to just going along the way we were, which I think will make us both happier in the long run, but change can also be scary.
Thursday, July 05, 2012
Stuff
Things here are good. Spent some time looking through my fabric and doing a little sewing, which has been fun. Watching the “Tour de France”, which is always enjoyable. It is very quiet at work this week.
I did a little weight lifting today, just a light leg workout. Tomorrow Jeff is teaching me how to use the new TRX here at work and I am prepared for an overall body thrashing! How awesome is it that we have this equipment here at work???
I made “gyros” for breakfast this week. I have a recipe which uses ground meat plus spinach, feta, and spices to mimic the flavor. I use a mixture of lamb and turkey. I basically make a meat loaf and then serve slices over a bed of cucumber, tomato, and Vidalia onion and topped with a little homemade tsaziki sauce. Really excellent and very filling.
I know I’ve said it before: there are foods that I love the tastes of that I prefer not to eat on a regular basis – by creating something similar with those same flavors I get the enjoyment without the down side. Eating healthfully doesn’t have to be tasteless, but it certainly helps if you like to cook!
There is a lady in my WW meeting who just made goal. Its great that she’s lost weight, but the ‘end’ result is a smaller version of her former self. She willingly admits she never cooks – only eats out or buys prepared foods. She doesn’t work out. Well, she is happy with her result.
Lunches are the usual grilled chicken with salad. The steaks last night were excellent. Hub also grilled the asparagus which was awesome. Tonight we are having chicken tikka masala I made in the crock pot. I’m serving it with quinoa and steamed broccoli.
It is my first 4th of July here in Florida and I have discovered an interesting fact: it is legal to buy fireworks down here – pretty much any kind. You are supposed to have a permit to shoot them off, but I don’t think it’s enforced much judging by the neighborhood last night. Seriously, there were things being shot off that sounded like mortars. It reminded me of when I lived near the artillery range in Hawaii! The dogs were scared!
That's all I got - have a good one!
I did a little weight lifting today, just a light leg workout. Tomorrow Jeff is teaching me how to use the new TRX here at work and I am prepared for an overall body thrashing! How awesome is it that we have this equipment here at work???
I made “gyros” for breakfast this week. I have a recipe which uses ground meat plus spinach, feta, and spices to mimic the flavor. I use a mixture of lamb and turkey. I basically make a meat loaf and then serve slices over a bed of cucumber, tomato, and Vidalia onion and topped with a little homemade tsaziki sauce. Really excellent and very filling.
I know I’ve said it before: there are foods that I love the tastes of that I prefer not to eat on a regular basis – by creating something similar with those same flavors I get the enjoyment without the down side. Eating healthfully doesn’t have to be tasteless, but it certainly helps if you like to cook!
There is a lady in my WW meeting who just made goal. Its great that she’s lost weight, but the ‘end’ result is a smaller version of her former self. She willingly admits she never cooks – only eats out or buys prepared foods. She doesn’t work out. Well, she is happy with her result.
Lunches are the usual grilled chicken with salad. The steaks last night were excellent. Hub also grilled the asparagus which was awesome. Tonight we are having chicken tikka masala I made in the crock pot. I’m serving it with quinoa and steamed broccoli.
It is my first 4th of July here in Florida and I have discovered an interesting fact: it is legal to buy fireworks down here – pretty much any kind. You are supposed to have a permit to shoot them off, but I don’t think it’s enforced much judging by the neighborhood last night. Seriously, there were things being shot off that sounded like mortars. It reminded me of when I lived near the artillery range in Hawaii! The dogs were scared!
That's all I got - have a good one!
Wednesday, July 04, 2012
We're back
We made it back to Florida in one piece, me, 3 teenagers, and 2 dogs (the bonus dog belongs to the boy's gf). He's a daschund mix and rode in her lap - he did a great job, although the little guy had the farts!
It's hard watching your teen struggle with having no idea what they want to do in life. I admit, I worry, even though I certainly didn't know what I wanted to do. He's a good kid - good grades, doesn't hang with a bad crowd (no drugs, no criminal activity) - he just doesn't seem really excited about anything. I think he's depressed and I'm not sure how to help him. Anyone who tells you parenting isn't the toughest job on the planet is full of it.
Other than that, things here are ok. Hub's up to 40 pounds lost, blood sugar remains below diabetic levels. We went to the gym yesterday and I did an hour on the arc trainer while he lifted weights. This morning we walked together and then I banged out 395 kb swings.
Today we are grilling out - steak, grilled asparagus, and corn on the cob. Nothing special, a pretty typical meal around here. Tomorrow is our CSA box!
It's hard watching your teen struggle with having no idea what they want to do in life. I admit, I worry, even though I certainly didn't know what I wanted to do. He's a good kid - good grades, doesn't hang with a bad crowd (no drugs, no criminal activity) - he just doesn't seem really excited about anything. I think he's depressed and I'm not sure how to help him. Anyone who tells you parenting isn't the toughest job on the planet is full of it.
Other than that, things here are ok. Hub's up to 40 pounds lost, blood sugar remains below diabetic levels. We went to the gym yesterday and I did an hour on the arc trainer while he lifted weights. This morning we walked together and then I banged out 395 kb swings.
Today we are grilling out - steak, grilled asparagus, and corn on the cob. Nothing special, a pretty typical meal around here. Tomorrow is our CSA box!
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