Dackel Princess

And The Results Are…

I woke up on Wednesday morning and had a spring in my step! I felt as though I had accomplished a great deal and that my weigh in at Weight Watchers would certainly show some sort of loss.

I made my breakfast to take along, as well as my coffee and water. Then after waking Hubby to care for the animals, I headed off. It was cool, overcast, and windy, but in my mind I felt light and sunny.

I weighed in and imagine my shock when I stayed exactly the same! I’m glad I brought my journal with me because I was able to go over it with the leader. One thing she said stuck with me. She told me not to be disheartened. To keep going and journal every bite and we’d go over it all next week.

I can’t say I am thrilled about this, but at least I feel I am moving in the right direction.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Did you make someone laugh yesterday? Was it intentional?

Let’s see, yes. I went to the Post Office and went to the window, where no one was waiting and just said hello to the postal workers I know. They laughed, saying that most people only come by when they need something.

2. What’s a simple question with a complicated answer?

How many children do you have. That just opens a whole can of worms. I have just one living, but I did have another wonderful daughter, so that makes two. But do I really want to get into how she died, and hear for the gazillionth time “Oh, I never could lose a child, I’d go insane!” Yeah, well somehow you do go on, even with a broken heart.

3. Rhododendrons or azaleas…you have to choose. Are either currently blooming in your yard?

We have both, but the Rhododendrons seem to be healthier.

4. May 21st is National Waitstaff Day. Have you ever worked as a waiter/waitress? How would you rate the experience? What was the best/worst part of the job?

No, never worked as a waitress. However, I’m a Mom and years ago, trust me, I was a home waitress. In some ways with a retired Hubby, I think I still am.

5. What fashion trend for women should be outlawed? How about one for men?

Short, shorts, with the word “JUICY” written on the butt!

6. Name a writer who inspires you….now tell us why.

Many years ago, I read all the books written by Leo Buscaglia. Also known as “Dr. Love,” he was an American author and motivational speaker, and a professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of Southern California Here are two quotes from his books.

“Love is always open arms. If you close your arms about love you will find that you are left holding only yourself.”

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

7. What well known quote or saying sums up your plans for today or this week?

“Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.”

John Lennon (1940-1980) British musician.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

This morning I weigh in for the first time since I started to keep a real food journal. I am both excited and very nervous! I sure hope the scale shows a downward trend.

Music & Dancing

On Saturday I went to watch Savannah at her music lesson. It is so much fun to see parents and children sitting around, singing children’s songs, and the older kids, like Savannah, who have been coming for a while, get right up there and dance.

Savannah has a dress she loves, as she can twirl around and the skirt looks so pretty. Sadly, she is outgrowing it. We’ll have to look for another, or something close for her.

As I watched, my heart filled up with love and happiness. I look at my daughter, Mandy and Savannah and realize over and over, how truly blessed I am.

TBT: Potsdam, Germany 2004

Here is Hubby holding 8 week old baby Greta! Our friends brought us down to Potsdam to tour the city, and poor Jack was really having trouble with the walking. That was before he had both of his knees replaced.

Now my bionic guy can walk around with no pain to his knees! That was all the way back in 2004. May 7th to be exact! So long ago now, but I can remember this day like it just happened!

She weighed all of 6 pounds then, and was as light as a feather. Now our Greta is eleven years old and a 24 pound senior girl!

That was such a nice day. The sun was shining, and we went to a little restaurant and had wonderful Wiener Schnitzel and German beer!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. When is your next big deadline? What’s it for?

Savannah’s Birthday. I like to make a montage of events surrounding her, and all of her loving family members during the last year.

2. May is National Barbecue Month. Do you prefer cooking indoors or out? What’s the best thing about a barbecue? What’s the last thing you cooked on an outdoor grill?

I love when food is cooked outside. Mandy and Matt had a cookout on Mother’s Day and I had my first hotdog of the season as well as grilled shrimp. YUM!

3. What is one thing on your “never again” list?

No more big dogs. I love Lili, but she is so full of energy and at times hard for me to handle. Unfortunately, I am simply not strong enough for a big dog puppy! I think I will stick to the dackels from now on.

4. What’s something that annoys you about people your own age? Something you love about your generation?

Not much annoys me. Perhaps when I see someone my age trying to act like they’re still in their 20’s. What do I love about my generation? Well at this point, we know who we are (most of us) and have settled down.

5. Lilac, iris, hyacinth, pansy…your favorite purple flower?

Lilac. Always and forever. We had a whole hedge row of them at my childhood home. I loved to go and sit under them and smell the sweet perfume of the flower! Still do. I have them planted all around my house.

6. Whats a song that always calms you down?

I have always loved this music. I first heard it when I went to see “Somewhere in Time”. Then I searched and found more from Paganini that I loved. But always, this is the first.

7. What’s the last thing you donated?

Clothes and shoes. I try to bring things down to St. Vincent DePaul two or three times a year. Especially in the Autumn, I try to bring coats in that we no longer use.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I went to bed the night before last, during a rain storm. I woke the next morning, and my trees had leafed out and the grass in my yard is bright grassy green! I repotted some of my vegetable plants yesterday and the two tomato plants grew like crazy, just over night!

Denial

OK, so after losing all the weight I wanted to back in 2008-2009, I have now slowly but surely gained it all back.

There I have said it. Not that you didn’t all notice, but I’m like the person who passes by a mirror 20 times a day and never looks at their reflection.

I was the Queen of Denial!

Then I had a moment when I could no longer lie to myself. I simply had to face what I’d done to myself. That was on Mother’s Day morning when none of my shorts and summer clothes fit.

I thought about it and then for whatever reason, I was looking back at blog entries and I reread back in 2008 when I first joined Weight Watchers. It was their old program and I was able to eat smaller portions and lose 2-3 pounds each week.

I still had all my books, and the magical Points Finder Slide. I have all I need to step back in time and do the old program.

I’m thinking I need a little reigning in. Weighing, measuring, and making better choices. The old plan accounts for the fact that there are certain vegetables that need to be counted, and also lets you know, you cannot eat unlimited fruits. Each fruit has a point!

So, I’ve decided to give myself a good month on the old plan. Hubby is all for this and he has told me he will be supportive.

I so hope by my birthday in November, I will be either back to or close to my goal weight.

Wish me luck!

Mother’s Day Recap

Today was such a wonderful Mother’s Day. We drove down to Mandy and Matt’s house, and Matt’s parents, Mandy’s grandmother, Grammie Alice, my former husband, Bob and Jack and I all celebrated.
All day long Bob and I played with our granddaughter. We played dress up, and wiffle ball, we dug in the dirt, watched ants outside and we chased after her. At one point Bob asked Savi if she wanted to play a game with him and grandma and Savi got all in a huff! She said, “No Bob, her name is Oma!” We both threw our heads back and laughed.

Savannah’s long curls.

An accidental natural light picture. I love it though.

Smiling Savannah.

My beautiful daughter, Mandy and her sweet daughter, Savannah.

What a lovely day it was. Mandy and Matt worked so hard to make it a very special Mother’s Day!

What a Let Down!

Tonight we went to my favorite venue to see a singer I have long admired. I expected a few of the old songs and some new songs.

Todd Rundgren was always a soulful balladeer, and his music inspired me. So imagine my shock when we were presented with a show that combined the likes of a Severus Snape character+ from the Harry Potter series and Richard Simmons, known to millions for his bouncy athletics!

I was also sitting next to a young woman who was quite obviously on another planet due to drugs and alcohol. At one point, her gyrations earned me an elbow in my head!

So I screamed at her, that the next time this happened she would get punched in the face.

Yes, I said screamed. The bass music (I guess you could call it that) was so loud and all one note that it was difficult to tell what any of the lyrics were. We all felt the monster beat in our chests.

Since I’d been the instigator to buy the tickets and make a night of it, I ended up feeling guilty and terribly let down.

I wanted to hear just two of his old songs. I wanted to hear them sung with warmth and class.

All we got was noise.

Shame on you Todd Rundgren!

Maribeth’s Marvelous Meatloaf

Maribeth’s Marvelous Meatloaf

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Ingredients:

1 lb hamburger
1 lb ground pork 1 egg
1 tbs olive oil
½ onion finely diced
¼ cup finely diced green pepper
¼ cup finely diced red pepper.
2 tsp Cumin
2 tbs spicy mustard
3 sliced Italian bread
water
½ cup dry Italian bread crumbs. (you may need slightly more) 3 slices of bacon

Directions:

First take the 3 slices of Italian bread and place in large bowl. Add as much water as it takes to cover them.

Meanwhile, in saute pan using 1 tbs olive oil, saute onions, and peppers until the onions are translucent. Set aside to cool.

In separate bowl, beat egg, Cumin, and mustard until well mixed. Set aside.

Take Italian bread and squeeze out all the water and pour all the water out of the large mixing bowl.

Add ground beef and ground pork.

Add soggy bread that you have mashed up.

Add the egg mixture

Add cooled onion and pepper mixture.

Mix thoroughly with your hands. Add the dry bread crumbs and mix well. You may need slightly more or less. Make sure mixture is well mixed and evenly mixed.

Place in large loaf pan sprayed with PAM.

Place bacon over the top lengthwise. Tuck edges down the side of the meatloaf.

Place in 375 degree oven and bake for 1 hour.

Turn heat up to 400 degrees and cook for 15 more minutes.

Remove from stove. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.

Carefully place on platter. Slice into potion size as needed.

Serve with a salad, mashed potatoes and gravy.

Makes great sandwiches the next day!

Family!

Tonight we had my cousin, Larry over for dinner. I don’t see Larry as often as I would like, so this was pretty special to me.

Anyway, I decided to make some good old fashioned comfort food. Home-style meatloaf , mashed potatoes, and gravy, with corn on the cob. I also bought a light, fluffy, strawberry cake that was simply divine!

This was taken a few years back. My cousin Larry, my sister, Melodie, my cousin, Rikki, and me.

We sat around, talking and sharing, and enjoying each others company. We’re hoping he will come back soon to visit and bring his wife, Cindy. Although, since they are building an addition to their house, it may not be anytime really soon. But we shall see.

The best part was to watch Larry and Lili. She just loves him, and Larry is so good with dogs. He took her out for a walk and then played ball with her until he left. Currently she is on the sofa drowsing.