Hobby pics will have to wait

Sorry, more exciting news than what I do in my down time (what the heck is that anyway); Jess went to Boston this past weekend and not only that, but to my favorite place ever...the North End.

She posted a pic on FB and commentary about a sandwich and great bread. She brought me some back...yummy. So the exciting news- Sundays Off is set for this week. I don't care how hot it is, Sunday sauce and pasta, probably homemade. I'll make some ricotta, some pesto, grab good Chianti or splurge on an Amarone. So excited, so good.

Have a happy, healthy, and safe day!

Dinner

...was good. I did not get pics of dinner, but I did a shot of the appetizer. My iPad needed to be charged and I did not want dinner to get cold waiting. No pics seemed like a better option!

I bought absolutely gorgeous eggs from Painted Goat- www.paintedgoat.com- on Saturday, so I thought tonight I would an omelet with some garden fresh veggies. I still have some zucchini and tomatoes from the market. I also picked up some feta from the Painted Goat. I like eggs and they are a great low-point source of protein. I know I have salad mix and there is probably a cucumber or two in the garden (about the only thing in the garden) and of course avocado.

I am hungry already and dinner is hours away!

Have a healthy, happy, and safe day.

It's Sunday!

First the bad news...scale has not changed; however my logical mind is keeping my emotional mind at bay. Monday, for the first time in well longer than I care to say, I started exercising in earnest and since for the most part I have been losing weight at a slow pace just by modifying food intake, if I have built any muscle in the last 6 days that may be off setting my 1/2 lb weight lost. Comforting though I'd also the knowledge that while muscle does weigh more, it takes up less room. So I'm good...for now. If this keeps up, I may have to rethink my current logic.

Not gonna lie... I still had a muffin this morning and Sundays Off dinner is still happening. I will continue on the treadmill and I think I may incorporate my WWPP exercise DVDs for an extra boost heading into the week.

I will start posting some photos this week of what goes on in my world when I am not working, or otherwise engaged. I think it is called a hobbie...Sarah, who I mentioned yesterday, was completely amazed, I think what she said was that I'm crazy. Side effect of having a brain that never shuts off. I will post pictures on FB as the day goes on and I begin dinner prep.

Have a good day!

I know, I know late again!

Saturdays are getting away from me in a big way!  It took me most of the day to figure out tomorrow's dinner from the ingredients I picked up between the Farmer's Market and the grocery store.  All I knew when I left the house this morning is that there would be a goat cheese component.  I have to whip some extra to bring to Sarah with crackers on Monday.  She is another one of those spots of sunshine and almost eagerly listens to me go on and on and on about food and wine.

And Lord knows, I do.  Everybody I run into who I have known asks me what I am doing to loose weight, because they have tried "everything".  Not.  Weight Watchers Points Plus works, IF YOU FOLLOW THE WHOLE PLAN...no picking and choosing, no forgetting to track, no unaccounted licks or tastes.  I bumped into my neurologist at the Farmer's Market today and he did a double take, did not recognize me at first- truth be told, if I had not started speaking to the lady at the goat cheese booth, I am not sure he would have. I have been told I have recognizable voice.  I do not know if that is good or bad.  I see him every 6 months or so; he has not seen me since I started this.  I cannot wait to go see my Primary Care doctor in September and get on the scale.  Yes, I said it, I want to get on the scale.  The beauty of what I am doing is that I eat really, really good food Monday-Saturday.  Beautiful salads with grilled chicken or fish, fruit until I am sure I could turn into a grape (melon, strawberry, honey dew, whatever) so I never feel deprived and I am never hungry.  Except if it is the non-stomach hungry otherwise known as the emotional beast!  But even that, with discipline and building new habits and actually dealing with emotions is changing.

Speaking of emotions, my husband made me cry.  In a good way.  He can be really wonderful and he has done something fabulous to help me out and I felt so overwhelmed I cried.  I like to not hide my emotions, good or bad.  Of course, I also still have to learn a great deal about editing the words that go with the emotions!

How does this sound for Sundays Off:  Butter crackers with herb goat cheese, fresh herbs from my container garden of course; probably rosemary because I love it and some fresh cracked pepper.  Dinner:  Pork chops stuffed with goat cheese, kalamata olives, sage, rosemary, thyme, and S&P.  Sides:  probably mixed green salad and rice pilaf.  My favorite part, dessert:  Grilled peaches with honey on toasted pound cake and (of course) hand whipped cream.  And a bottle of Baco Noir; a New York wine that I have never had and these grapes originated in France, but apparently climate changes mostly wiped them out over there.  I wonder if we sent any back in the form of root stocks when were helping Europe rebuild there viticulture  after phylloxera wiped out their native plants.  Yeah, I am a wine geek.

I'll post pictures tomorrow!

What I learned last week

I was very sad last week. Too sad to even post one day. But I learned something very powerful about my new self and my new approach to life with food as my friend, not my enemy.

I cried my way through the grief and through the pain that losing someone who at one point in life meant a great deal me caused. I smiled through the tears that happy memories bring when loss is still so fresh. I am by no means done grieving, but I am not raw with emotion. My point?

I worked through the emotions, I did not eat through my emotions. And yes, it hurt. And yes, it made me feel vulnerable. And yes, there were moments when sadness was overwhelming. And I felt every moment. I did not soothe the pain with food, I did not distract myself with food. I felt.

I am not sure when the last time was that was a true statement. I felt.

Clothes and the weight loss process

So what do you wear to work when you have lost 35+ pounds, you still have 10+ pounds to go, you have not bought new clothes and you have a meeting first thing with a powerful woman who owns her own fashion empire? No, seriously, this is not a rhetorical question.

Eek, maybe I should buy a fee more in between pieces. Around regular people who have regular jobs, I can still pull off relevant with a few belts and jackets or my shrugs since they are knitted anyway; but this...HUGE!

The glories of weight loss, let's hope I can loose the balance of this before winter. I have two pair of pants that will be big, but still smaller than the stuff I have out for summer. My clothes are literally going to start falling off my body. I know I hear people crying in sympathy, but it is not like this just happened by itself; I have been working my tail off.

Have a hasty, healthy, and save day.

The wagon

Eek, it drove by and I fell out of it! Never have left over yummy, yummy dessert from Sundays Off on Tuesday. That grape cake just kept calling me and calling me; louder and louder until I caved in. So possibly the treadmill has come to live here at the perfect time. Guess I will be on that a little longer tomorrow.

My dad turned 75 yesterday and he is pretty happy, healthy, and seems to be content with his life. That is where I would like to be at 75; hell, I would like to be there now. I am a little over twelve pounds away from the first two, but the last one, I have no clue how to get there. Will I have to wait another 25+ years? Content is not a goal to work toward like a passport, losing 50 pounds, or paying off my car. I'm not sure how to achieve that. I do not even know the steps to take. I should check with my Dad, maybe he can impart the wisdom of his years and make the next leg of this journey easier. Because somehow I think maintaining a steady weight, not using food for comfort, and living a healthy life depends on it.

Have a happy, healthy, and safe day

Treadmill

Clearly, I am much better at eating less than exercising more. Not a big fan of sweat...tanner streaks, mascara runs, skin is slippery. Gross.

But, these last 12ish lbs are going to need a little more help than me and Chunky walking at night. Enter the TREADMILL. Kind of had to do it. A coworker (thanks Michelle) was selling one for $25-not a typo- really $25. It was like the heavens were speaking.

So there I was this morning, thanks to my brilliant husband, walking on the treadmill. The pups alternated between fascinated and fearful. Of course, I could not figure out how to get opened; it folds up for storage but since I won't be storing only using I don't have to worry about figuring it out. That is what wonderful, helpful, and brilliant husbands are for!

Have a happy, healthy, and safe day.

Nothing like I planned

Believe it or not, I could not find classic Bobby Flay recipes! I know crazy, right? So rather than having to look too much or too hard (sounds a little lazy, doesn't it?) I opted instead to go through an older collection of recipe cards with wine selections.

Dinner was grilled salmon cakes and corn cakes that technically should have been born from leftovers. The corn on the cob was, the salmon I bought a beautiful fillet from Price Chopper and grilled and cooled it. From there I pulled it apart, added all kinds of yummy stuff and made a red pepper remoulade, so good. I made some mashed potatoes for my very patient and loving husband (I did have a little myself) and a wonderful watercress and mixed herb salad with a beautiful fresh orange juice and blood orange olive oil vinaigrette garnished with miniature violets.

Dessert was stellar. I made a grape, wine, and olive oil cake...with some hand-whipped cream. I think the cake would have been better if I had used Iced Wine, but I did not have any so I used the next best thing, Sweet Little Blond from Rustic Ridge winery a little place in Burlington Flats that works with a Finger Lake winery to produce some fair priced okay wines and does tastings all the time (www.rusticridgewinery.com). I will definitely change up next time I make the cake.

Here's some photos of the day in food. Have a happy, healthy, and safe day.

Families

So I did not post yesterday amid the craziness of finishing some stuff that had to get done before 11AM and getting my car cleaned, inside and out (first time in 2 years), and getting out the door to head to the "Cultural Berkshires" for my Dad's 75th birthday. Technically, not until Tuesday.

As I have previously mentioned Mary Ellen, my step-mother is an amazing cook and hostess. Turns out my nephew is an excellent grill master as well. My sister and brother-in-law were there as well. With food issues running amok in my head that scared me the most. We have not spoken pretty much since we buried my mom. It went well. I saw my nieces and met my nephew. Shaun (my younger niece) on the surface has an uncanny likeness to my sister who passed when Shaun was just a wee tot. We're FB friends now- I'm thrilled.

We had to drive back so we missed cake, but it was a great day and I am hoping a first, not a last, turns out both my nieces are pretty cool and my nephew seems like an excellent young man.

My Dad and Army were off to the side for a little while, deep in conversation. Argh...Fumble came up in conversation later so who knows what that was about. Fumble is a story for another day.

And the good news...because my step-mother is such an amazing cook, there was stuff I could eat! I stayed away from the cheese plate and crackers and lox and pumpernickel with all the trimmings-mostly because I do not like smoked salmon. I ate the veggies from the tray, less the dip and had some shrimp without the sauce. I had some sliced beets and tomatoes with feta, some quinoa salad my sister made with blueberries and pineapples, and some of the amazing steak the aforementioned Grillmaster did. It was fabulous. I would love more days like that with my family...wish my boys had been there. Would have been perfect..

And the other good news, on the scale this morning down 36.9lbs. It has been so long since I have seen that number, I was almost unsure how to say it!

Have a happy, healthy, and safe day. And yes, still going to Flay-land for Sundays Off; stay tuned!

Friday, almost funday!

This was a hard week. I nearly fell off my wagon several times this week-completely due to a lack of preparedness. I went to bed without dinner Wednesday night because it was to friggin' hot to breath, let alone eat. Woke up yesterday morning same problem so I did not think about cutting up fruit etc., so I was ready to chew my hands off by afternoon. Thankfully the cafe had fresh fruit all cut up...I inhaled two of those. I am stopping at Price Chopper this morning to grab more.

It is so easy to be seduced by the dark side if your defenses are down. I have learned on this journey that being prepared and, I have said this over and over, making as much routine and done by habit as possible makes this very doable- almost easy. And even now five months into the lifestyle change the temptation is there and it would be so easy to revert, but I love that my clothes are getting huge, my body smaller, and my energy level higher. Enough motivation to keep going!

Have a happy, healthy, and safe day

Too hot to eat

Who'd a thought those words would ever come out of my mouth! The smell of corn on the cob cooking last night made me nauseous; I could not even cut up Chunky Pup's burger, the smell made my stomach flip and I love my husband's burgers.

If it stays this warm, I'll be a toothpick by August 1st. I have never experienced this. I don't do well in the heat as it is and this has been extreme heat. Chunk and I have not even been walking at night because I am sure if I don't drop from the heat she will.

If you take a look at Chunk, you will notice that while I have lost 35lbs she has lost nothing, except maybe a little more self-esteem. Of course, here is the difference: I no longer allow Army to feed me; but, since Chunk is a slave to food, she is a captive audience!

Grief

Grief is a powerful emotion. I think probably because it consists of so many emotions.

I think, like many of us, life gets in the way of staying in touch with people who are important in your life...even if that importance was decades ago. I remember being very young and, honestly I think during the time my parents were divorcing, we spent what now to me seems like a great deal of time with my Aunt Helen and Uncle Eddie. They had blueberry bushes in the backyard and my sisters and I would go out in the morning and pick them for our cereal. Aunt Helen had candy dishes and plastic covers on the furniture in the living room. There was a big (to my mind's eye) playroom downstairs with a ping pong table and I remember my cousins (Aunt Jo and Uncle Tommy's boys) and my cousin Maggie (Aunt Helen and Uncle Eddie's only child) being down there.

Through the years and into adulthood I stayed in touch. More and more peripherally. I was greatly saddened by Uncle Eddie's death, it came as quite a shock. Somehow family thought my sister was communicating the situation and my sister somehow thought it was not her story to tell, blah blah (more bad communication. By the time I got "over" it, life got in the way. And after my mom passed, I was not able to embrace any family relationships, not for a very long time.

Many of my memories of my young life are blurred and indistinguishable. I think this makes the ones I do have stand out with great clarity. That is how my memories of my Aunt Helen are. I pretty much suck at personal relationship maintenance, years of counseling and the best answer I ever arrived at is that this is true of many children who are very young when their parents divorce, a factor perhaps in the likelihood of generational divorce. But, at some point, I did become an adult and could have reached out to reclaim those relationships with my father's family. I have some regrets in my life and that is certainly one of them. I have been trying to get together with my dad and stepmom for three years now, but between their family members being ill and passing, my surgery, and career building life keeps getting in the way.

For my fellow emotional eaters, stop letting life get in the way of what is important. Reach out it may actually be worth putting your vulnerability on the line.

I will miss my pint-sized, impeccably dressed, and well mannered Aunt Helen and will cherish those memories of a young and oblivious little girl for the remainder of my years.

Have a happy, healthy, and safe day

Too sad to be fun today

Sorry, bad news and too sad to be lighthearted about anything; working on staying too busy to drown sorrow in food/beverage.

Now I'm Inspired...

So the inspiration came too late but it was in the process of standing in the grocery store looking for something quick last night that it came to me. So I am set for next week!

I did a Semi-Homemade last night and while I said that to my husband it hit me. Last night was about what I could do quick with a little help from the grocery store a la Sandra Lee so Food TV chefs popped into my head, and who is my favorite? Bobby Flay. Let's face it he's the complete package: came up through the business from a dishwasher and moved up, toured the land of my people to inform the world that the Irish can cook, and he's married to an incredibly accomplished and talented woman. Okay, so he went to the French Culinary and no the CIA, but that is not a terminal flaw. So next Sunday will be full of Flay-vor.

Last night I did take some help from the grocery store in the form of pizza dough and wa-la:

Stuck

I have even less inspiration than yesterday, my weight has not budged, it's raining.  Wow the perfect tri-fecta for depression.  I definitely will not be able to reach the goal I wanted to be at by next weekend without having lost any weight this week.  I would have to starve myself and that is NOT what this time is about.  This time is about doing it the right way and being healthy while I am at it.  I somehow get the feeling that this last fifteen will be harder than the first thirty-five were.  Yeah me.

I did buy some WW exercise DVDs when I started this process.  In fact, at the time I practically had a nervous breakdown because something happened to my laptop, aka lifeline to the outside world, and I could not play DVDs.  I had that fixed and then never started using them anyway.  I guess those in the morning and walking Chunky Pup every night is no longer optional or I will be whining about this until the cows come home...so to speak.  Thank God I don't deal with that.

I have a picture of myself (and my sisters) that had to have been taken after I turned five...because before I was five I was wearing size 3T because I was still so small.  I was born a little early and was actually pretty tiny at first, then at some point I found Jewish rye bread, toasted and that was the end of small.  And, I know shock and surprise, here I am in this photo, chunky; but all decked out in pink.  My mother made those outfits for us.  I loved pink then and it is still my favorite color.  Among her many other talents, my mother was a pretty amazing seamstress.  The capes were fully lined in matching, solid, shiny, silky stuff and dresses were sleeveless sheaths.  Mine was pink with white,  Steph's had some yellow, and Denise's some blue.  Those colors were primarily ourfavorites.  And pink still mine, Steph's until she died was blue, and Denise- well I don't much know what her favorite anything is anymore.  Like all families, we have some level of dis-function and Denise and I are it.

Anyway, back to the picture, I mention it because weight and I have literally had a life long relationship.  Up and down, up and down, up and down.  Fat pictures when I was in grammar school, better pictures when I was in middle school, fat pictures early high school, thinner pictures the year my senior portrait was taken.  I like that picture, it is currently hanging in the living room.  Fat pictures after Blake was born, thinner after Andrew, fat after Steph died, thinner for a couple of years, horrible after mom died, thinner for a couple of years, then back up again, now down again.  I prefer to keep the next couple of decades of my life on the down side; honestly I don't think I have the time to loose it again.

  

I may not have a Sunday off this week since clearly my weight has not budged doing what I always do; so my theory in life, "do what you have always done and get what you have always gotten"...if it is good stick with it, if not change it up!

Have a happy, healthy, and safe day!

Yeah...the week is over

Technically, today, but for me the work week ended last night at 9:00PM.  One of the absolute longest week of the year and I added a grant deadline into the mix. But it's over.  I was too tired to go to the Farmer's Market today...too tired to do too much of anything; the humidity is exhausting me.  I'll admit this is the one time of the year I whine about having MS.  Everything is worse, all of my issues are amplified and I get cranky quicker, have less patience for the stupid stuff in life and the annoying people.  I have not planned Sunday's Off yet, with Army out of town and not coming back until tomorrow I have no idea what he is even interested in and we have a going away party tomorrow afternoon as well.  I can't believe my little Amanda is moving away; even work has been different without her around the last two weeks.  She always brought a spot of joy to my day.  I know we won't be staying long...Monday morning always comes too quick for me to do much on Sundays other than cook because I have to get to bed early, especially this time of the year.

I can't even think of anything I want to bake, cook, grill, or smoke-not for dinner, not for dessert.  Everything sounds flavorless, tasteless, and boring.  Argh...let's hope that food sounds better in the morning or Sundays Off may be dinner out!

Walking

I probably should be out walking instead of enjoying this fabulous first latte of the day! The sky is just beginning to light up; it is early and both Chunky Pup and Small Pup are still sleeping, as is my husband who is heading north later today for a couple of days at the hunting camp. I am pathetic when he is gone, the pups and I mope about.

I have decided that this time when he is gone I will not eat because I miss him, I will not mope about, and, most importantly I WILL channel all those emotions into walking. So I should have a gazillion activity points by Sunday afternoon when he gets home.

I will be occupied for a while this evening because the organization's Annual Gala is tonight and I will be helping for a little bit. My colleague, Jess, has outdone herself and it will be a fun event for those attending.

It may still be light enough when I arrive home to take the pups for a quick walk...and then a glass of wine, it is after all Friday.

Have a happy, healthy, and safe day!

eBay might become my new best friend

My fall / winter clothes always cost boatloads more than spring / summer. Whose don't? Generally wool, suede, and (current trend) faux fur. Caitlin (who is tiny) who works in my office mentioned once that she bought a "lot" of clothing in her size and so I went looking for advice. I think that is the way I will go with the items I cannot have altered...and four sizes later already, there are only two wool suits that I am looking at having remade. I have sweaters, dresses, coats, and pants so it will be new adventure.

BTW, Caitlin appears to be tiny for all the right reasons. She's a vegetarian plays tennis, and runs. Tiny people are not tiny by accident anymore than those of us who are plump are that way by accident. Both are based on a series of habits- one good, one bad.

Now that I seem to have a better grasp on the food habit, and it takes at least 30 days to develop a new one or change an old one (which I think is easier than just eliminating one, but more on that another rant) and I have been at it since Feb 5, I am thinking about working on another habit. This habit will be crucial for maintenance, which is a little more than 15lbs from now and I want to have plan in place. I have to figure out regular exercise, in addition to walking Chunky Pup. How to fit it in my day, how to not have it be weather dependent, and how to not have it cost me an arm and leg.

The future is mine...I just have to grab it! Have a happy, healthy, and safe day!

I did the math

Okay, so I spent a little time thinking about yesterday's post last night. In the days of old with a little bad behavior here and there I probably could have lost 5.7lbs in 12 days. But this journey is about change, about doing this the right way to get to the smallest number possible on the clothing tag. I will commit to getting as many extra activity points as I can, but honestly I cannot cut my point intake anymore than it is, not safely and I don't want to go there anymore.

Amazing I can have this clarity AFTER having stepped on the scale and being stuck again...God I hate Wednesdays. And this week is crazier than most: I have a grant to get out, Development Committee (of the Board), Annual Meeting, Members' Reception (both on Thursday). Thankfully, I only have to help with the check in for the Gala on Friday night, which is the same day as the development meeting. Argh, and the higher you go up the ladder the longer this week (Board Meetings) becomes; I would think that would be true regardless of where the job is, it is more about the level of responsibility and I continue to position myself to take on more and more. With my goals I wonder sometimes what level of crazy I am!

Have a happy, healthy, and safe day!

Another reason to stick to the plan

For many reasons concerning things like insane schedules, foot surgery, and incredibly I'll relatives I have not seen my dad and the aforementioned baker of the most wonderful chocolate cookies, my stepmother, in about three years.

My Dad's 75th birthday is this year and I asked a couple of months ago if the family would be gathering to mark such an event, but because of a very ill relative no one could commit. My stepmother sent an email yesterday and there will be a get together in a couple of weeks...I have no idea who or how many, but I would like to lose the 6.7lbs by then. For me, it would be a personal low and a huge confidence boost.

It is good to have a goal...and a sense of urgency.

Dinner was great, but not quite as planned

First things first...that little half pound gain must have been a false positive (negative?) because I now only have a 7/10's of a pound until the 35lb down mark...yeah me! So now officially 15.7lbs left. It will have been about 26 years (right after Andrew, my youngest, was born)since I weighed so little, well not little; I'm sure the flippin' BMI charts would be content if I dropped another ten after that. We'll see- clearly anything is possible.

Onto dinner, as you can see below, I did the smoked pork roast...soooooo good! And I did the crostini (olive bread from the bread guy at The Farmer's Market) with carmelized onions, figs, and cheese, but changed it up from the original plan of goat cheese to Gorgonzola. Dessert was the biggest change; I love the astringency of balsamic vinegar with chocolate. Instead of buttery and sweet shortbreads, I made deep, dark, slightly bitter chocolate brownies. Still kept the hand whipped cream, added a little sea salt to finish and poof fabulousness!

Aida tonight and dinner on the Nile!

We are going to see the opera ,Aida, tonight with dinner ahead of time. I have sampled much much food from the area, but I have never had Egyptian food. Morrocan, Syrian, Israli,Lebonese. I don't know, it will be interesting. I do know who is catering it, and that in and of itself will be a real treat for me because I use her at the events I host at the museums and therefore never actually have the opportunity to enjoy the food- just little tasty bites here and there. Still and all, it is Aida that I am most excited about. It is my favorite opera.

Farmer's Market today, I have to arrive early this week so I do not miss out on strawberries; Sundays Off dessert is Strawberry Shortcake. Little ones that I love to make with- no laughing at me, I know this will sound crazy- Bisquick shortbreads. They have the buttery sugary taste of a shortbread and the texture of a biscuit, best things ever and definitely not even close to Points friendly. The strawberries will macerate in aged balsamic that is a little thicker and syrup-like and, of course, hand-whipped cream.

For dinner I took a pork butt out of the freezer and I am using my "injector" marinade for the first time to inject adobo sauce hopefully making a spicy flavor of Mexico pork dish. But with the crazy heat, it is smoker city tomorrow, no oven for me.

Have to get the pups out for their walk in the early morning tomorrow; don't think we will have time today; a shame really...look at this morning's view from Lake Whitehouse!

Have a healthy, happy, and safe day.

Activity points

So probably the most important part of WWPP after the points values for food are the ones for exercise.

Not gonna lie...I am not as good about tracking them or earning them. Admittedly, in the cooler weather I am better about both than I am now when my skin is melting off my body, on fire, and just plain cannot bare to breathe.. So I try to take advantage of early morning and later in the evening so that I can walk Chunky Pup since this whole journey is as much about getting her healthy as me.

Off we trotted this morning. I took Small Pup too so he doesn't feel left out. It is hard getting two steps without stopping- Chunky's nose is always glued to the ground, it's a wonder she has not plowed face first into a tree and Small Pup is alway wants to head in whichever direction you currently are not going in. Makes walking for exercise a real challenge!

I figure if I get dragged up and down the road a couple of times a day that counts as activity points- in this scorching heat and with the MS, it is about the best I can hope for this time of the year!

Have a healthy, happy, and safe day.

Second half of the mini-week

So after that half pound weight gain, I have set myself (I hope) for success; especially in light of the fact that we are going to see Aida at the Glimmerglass Festival and we are having "Dinner on the Nile" this weekend; does not sound low cal, low fat, or points friendly. Depending on what it is and where the scale is Dinner on the Nile may have to be Sundays Off.

I have tomato-yellow- onion, and cucumber salad and cherries for today and lots of water. I took chicken breast out of the freezer for dinner, I made Army potato salad yesterday, so he can have that and I have stuff for salad. Easy and quick, I love it because it gives me plenty of time to walk Chunky Pup and Small Pup, who by the way now jumps into the ditch when he hears a truck coming. Then he stays in it until I tug his leash; so he did learn something after the pick up truck incident. Unfortunately, he hasn't learned that cars, 4 wheelers, and motorcycles are just as dangerous to the well being of Small Pups!

Have a healthy, happy, and safe day!

Anniversary Dinner

No, I did not take the day off...I'm just late.

Last night's dinner at the Lake Front was not what I had planned on, but was fabulous none the less. They no longer had the dish on the menu I had planned on ordering.  Instead I went with the Crostini with Duck Confit, Caramelized Onions, Figs and Gorgonzola.  Yummy!  For dinner I had the Roasted Beet Salad.  That is one of my go to's when I see it on the menu.  I also order dressing on the side, and don't dress it, but I love the roasted beets and the feta cheese, and on a bed of mixed greens, it is always a healthy choice.  Last night's was topped with spiced nuts, rather than sweet, I know those are rolled in melted butter and herbs so I did not eat all of them.  Two glasses of Frey Chardonnay and dinner was done!

Now the unfortunate part of Sundays Off dinner on Sunday and last night over indulgence was a .5lb weight gain.  Now back to fruit, vegetables, and lean protein and no alcohol during the week!  I just committed to losing more; I can't start going back the other way now!

Have a healthy, happy, and safe day.

Exhausted

Note to self-again-no caffeine after 1pm; and be careful of allergins that makes my eyes itch. My eyes kept running all night, the build up dried on my lashes, my lashes stuck together and continuously woke up in a panic because I was unable to open my eyes. Arrgghhhh. My left eye is just beautiful; I look like I have been on a three-week drunk. Personally, I have never been on a three week drunk, but I have seen people who have, just saying it's not pretty.

Obviously, I kept Chunky pup awake all night as well. Check out her morning pic!

Busy day today and dinner out tonight. I looked at the Lake Front's on line menu and have identified dinner. I am glad I'm off tomorrow, I have a ton of stuff to do Nd never enough time to do it.

Have a happy, healthy, and safe day.

4 day work week

This will be an interesting week. Only 4 days but the break comes in the middle of the week!

So I hopped on the scale- ok not literally, don't want to abuse my little digital buddy- and the news is fabulous...down a total of 33.5lbs! I should be able to hit my big goal by the end of this month with only 6.5 lbs left to go. So, that said I am publicly committing to adding another 10lbs to the big goal. Yeah for me...I only have 6.5lbs until my next little goal!

Okay, check the bounty of Sundays Off yesterday. Not sure the Madelene cookies/cakes were worth the work and time that went into them. If I were to make them again I would definitely boost the lemon zest and PURE (never use imitation) lemon extract, or maybe use pure (see note above) vanilla extract and vanilla bean.

Have a happy, healthy, and safe Monday.

Super late in the post-sorry

I was on target for the wedding reception food. Not bad, just typical. The broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot mix drowned in butter sauce was the best option- serrated spoon, so I stood and let them drain. Oh, I also had a meatball and half the bag of carrots I brought with me.

Good news on the weigh-in front. Now down 33.5lbs. The more I am able to take Chunky pup out in the evenings the better I do. So I will just have to do more of that. I would very much like to be down 35lbs by this time next week, even with an Anniversary dinner in there.

Among the million things I have going right now, the Madeline batter, which has to refrigerate for at least two hours before baking!

Have a happy, healthy, and fun afternoon!

Eggs are frothy, flour and butter waiting!