Category: My Life

This is the New Year addition where I tell you all the things I am hoping to accomplish. In recent years I have been pretty successful, and I am hoping that 2012 will continue along those lines. So, here we go.

1. I need to get back on track with Weight Watchers and diligently journal what foods I am eating and how much.
2. Move more, We have been deluged with rain for most of November and December, and my little ski area has only opened about 2 days. I am keeping my fingers crossed that we will get some snow and I can ski.
3. Of course we do have a stationary bike in the basement and a stair stepper, so on those icy days, I can go down there, and work out a little.
4. I’ve been thinking of doing Yoga too. I’ve heard it is great for arthritis.
5. I’d like to grow my hair back out some. People were kind when I got it cut, but after the novelty wore off and it started to grow, people told me how nice it looks…longer!
6. I would like to concentrate on one closet a month. I want to empty it, organize and then put things away.
7. I plan to put the Christmas decorations away in well marked boxes that have been organized. I don’t want to be missing my tree topper next year.
8. I would like to go for a walk every day. Be it short or long. A walk.
9. I would like to read one book per month. This means not messing around on the computer as much in the evenings.
10. I would like to spend time with Mandy and the baby and share in her happiness!
11. I cannot believe I will be a Grammy in June!!!
12. I want to see a few movies, maybe one per month in the theaters. (Should there be any good ones come out.)
13. Last but not least, I want to really enjoy my upcoming vacation with Hubby. We’re planning some really exciting things, like my first swim with Dolphins!

I’m borrowing this from my blog friend, Marti. It seems with the week being so busy my brain is all but dead of creative thought. I I am doing this Christmas Meme, the off I’ll go to wrap!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?

Both. It really depends on the item. I do have to tell you a funny thing. This summer I bought a present and wrapped it up. When I was in my closet taking inventory, I saw the box and could remember what was inside! I had to open it to determine whose present it was!

2. Real or artificial tree?

Up until a few years ago I always had a real tree. Then I discovered I had terrible asthma during December. Once I stopped getting a real tree and only used an artificial one I stopped having a problem.

3. When do you put your tree up?

Usually right after Thanksgiving, but this year I didn’t due to a sore back. I think it was about the 10th of December.

4. When do you take your tree down?

Usually about a week after New Years. This year I am doing a clear out of all the Christmas items I don’t use.

5. Do you like eggnog?

Oh I love eggnog! Sadly, so. It is so rich. I try to get the low fat version, but that usually sells out first.

6. Do you have a nativity scene?

Two, actually. When Hubby was in the military he spent time making them. One for his family and one for his parents. Now we have both.

7. Favorite Christmas Movie?

It’s a Wonderful Life”. After my car accident and the death of my younger daughter, I had so much anger. I felt I should have died and not Katie and many hours were filled with questions and desperation. One night during the year when “It’s a Wonderful Life” was on, again and again, the movie spoke to me. I was here for a reason. God doesn’t make mistakes. Now, all these years later, I see the lives I have touched and I realize that indeed, it is “A Wonderful Life”!

8. Favorite Christmas cookie?

Snickerdoodles & Lebkuchen!!!

9. Where will you eat Christmas dinner?

Home. Just me and Hubby. The day after, Mandy, Matt, Janet and Dave will come for a big turkey dinner!

10. Angel, bow or star on top of your tree?

A lighted star and red-haired Angel!

11. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?

The pushing and the shoving in the stores. “Things” are not the most important gifts. This year my family will be getting small items that I know they love and need.

12. Do you like Fruitcake?

Yes, I do. If you warm it up a little and pour a tot of rum on it, it is even better!

13. What are you most excited about the holidays?

Spending time with Hubby, Mandy, Matt, Janet and Dave! The best.

14. Do you open presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?

Christmas morning.

15. Will you still be wrapping presents on Christmas Eve?

No, I have it programmed in for Thursday night!

1. Are you cooking Christmas dinner? How many will be round your table this year? What are we having?

We’ll be having two Christmas’s. The 25th it will be just Hubby and me (and the dogs) round the table. I am making Prime Rib, baked potatoes, brussel sprouts and pearl onions. For dessert, my much loved pumpkin pie.

The day after Christmas is when Mandy and Matt and Janet and Dave will be here for a family dinner. I’m cooking turkey and chestnut stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, butternut squash, and green beans. Dessert will be apple pie and left over pumpkin. I love it. Christmas will last more than just one day!

2. What is one must-have Christmas cookie in your house?

I don’t think I have one. I do love Snickerdoodles, but I don’t have cookies in my house often!

3. Santa likes a glass of milk with his cookies. Do you? What kind of milk is on tap at your house-skim? almond? soy? full fat (Gasp!)

I have fat free milk on hand, but today I bought low fat eggnog! Oh total yumminess!~

4. Time magazine recently named their ‘Person of the Year’ for 2011. This is the person the editors believe had the greatest impact, for better or worse, in the past year. This year they chose ‘The Protester’. Your thoughts? Who would you name Person of the Year for 2011?

The people who stand outside, working for the Salvation Army. They ring the bells to help the poor and homeless. They do good works in a positive way and I say, God Bless!

5. December 21st is National Flashlight Day… when was the last time you needed a flashlight and did you know right where to find one?

Hubby and I always need a flashlight and we keep one right with our pills. We also keep one next to the back door for when we walk the dogs at night. I used the flashlight just this morning.

6. candy canes…yum or yuck?

Love ’em! But do not eat them.

7. What Christmas carol lyric means the most to you?

Silent night, holy night,
All is calm, all is bright

Round yon virgin mother and Child.
Holy Infant so tender and mild,

Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.

This always makes me cry, just a little.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

We were up town today (by this I mean 30 miles from home) doing our last minute shopping, and I stopped in the vision center to see if my glasses had come in. THEY HAD!!!! I am so happy with them. Not only do I like the new frames, but I can see so much better! Yippee!!!!!

Anyone in the holiday spirit? I’m getting there. So…here we go!

1. As I neared the end of the path, I could see the bright lights of Christmas decorating the town.

2. My computer and the infamous Christmas letter we write is what I’m reading right now. It’s full of all the latest news.

3. I didn’t start out this way, but time, and love and helped make me the person I am.

4. There is nothing I want this year for Christmas. To tell the truth, Mandy and Matt and the baby all healthy and happy are the best gift of all!

5. The best way to celebrate Christmas, is with those you love.

6. This is the reason I am so happy these days!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to a little party at a friends house, tomorrow my plans include truly, I would like to get the laundry done and Sunday, I want to work on and finish writing out my Christmas cards!

Monday was a good day. I slept in, and when I did get up, had a nice breakfast of cereal, bananas and milk! Do not ask me why, but somehow this thrilled me! Later we went to the doctors, where we then passed our physicals with flying colors. I also actually feel better and my back is not nearly as painful. Yes, life is good.

Hubby and I also went out after our physicals and shopped. It felt good to stretch my legs, and walk around. I really enjoyed seeing the decorations in the stores and although we only bought avocados and bread, we enjoyed walking through the new grocery store in the next town.

Dinner was easy as can be. Leftover pork loin roast, mashed potatoes, butternut squash, and our own apple sauce, that I thawed, from our freezer. I was glad it was so easy as today, well, I just wasn’t in the mood to cook.

As Hubby and I drove home from the shops, it was getting dark, and there were beautiful Christmas lights shining on homes along the way. It made me feel all happy and warm.

Oh, how I love Christmas!

Our host is Gattina. Come join us and tell us what YOU did this past weekend! After all, you never know when you will need an alibi!

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I’ve decided that I am a total wimp, and that systematically, I am also falling apart! I spent most of Sunday with my feet up and the heating pad firmly pressed against my back. Yes, that’s what I did, and it hasn’t helped all that much.

Okay let’s back up. Friday I decided to decorate the shelves in the house. I lifted 4 heavy boxes from the attic, down the stairs and into our formal living room. (Also known as the living room, that we never use!)

I unpacked my much loved decorations, and put them out on the shelves. The next morning, I started to pick up a heavy laundry basket and BAM!

My back felt tired, but it hit me.

PAIN!

Saturday morning I woke to a frozen back, with a lot of pain. I took the day to settle down and use some heat to relax everything. I did that on Sunday too, but so far I have not succeeded in relaxing anything.

At least on Monday I will be seeing my doctor for a routine physical. I can have him check me out. I know everything is okay.

I’m just getting old!

Saturday I took out some ground venison that my dear friend/cousin, Dave gave to me. I wasn’t too sure how to make it, but he suggested that I use half venison and half pork. So I worked chopping up vegetables, and then took off my rings and dove in and mixed it all up with my fingers. Then I patted it into a loaf pan and tucked it into the oven.

I stood peeling potatoes and carrots and put them on to cook, and then sat down to sip some lemonade while it all cooked. I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did, although, I have had venison before and enjoyed it, but I have not had ground venison to make meatloaf with.

It was so good!

Anyway, yesterday I went up in my attic and took down four boxes of decorations. I should have waited for Hubby, but I didn’t and on Saturday my back was killing me. Add to that picking up a very full laundry basket and that was it!

So, since I was a bit immobilized, I took out my television’s manual, and hooked my TV to Amazon Prime, where I can now watch unlimited movies for free for being an Amazon Prime customer! This was so exciting. When Hubby came in from raking leaves, we watched a wonderful movie called “Then She Found Me”. It is a dear character study, and although I enjoyed it more than Hubby, I think this was because I’m a woman, (you know the same way I don’t get “The Dirty Dozen” because I am a woman and he is guy!), it was a good movie none the less.

Saturday night we watched another movie “The Adjustment Bureau” with Matt Damon, and found it puzzling. I usually like Matt Damon, but this movie is a little strange.

I sure hope my back is better in the morning. I really want to finish decorating as I have a busy week ahead, plus, the New England Patriots are playing at one o’clock!

I haven’t written about my struggle at Weight Watchers recently, because I have really been battling it. You know, for those of us with life long weight issues, I have finally come to the conclusion, that they never really end. It will be four years in January since I started my quest with Weight Watchers, and I imagine that I will need my meetings and support for the rest of my life.

In fact when I reached my goal, I felt under tremendous pressure. How could I maintain my weight? What would happen if I gained it all back? Trust me, you get a little bit nutty.

I started to play the denial game, and not weigh in, and not be honest with myself and slowly the pounds started to creep back on. So at my first meeting after Thanksgiving, I got back on track, bought a normal membership and began journaling.

Now on Christmas Day, I will have a couple of things I enjoy, but I will make a lovely meal for Hubby and I to have that is mainly Weight Watchers friendly. The same will be said on New Years.

Since Hubby and I are going on that cruise in March, I sure want to look good in my bathing suit! I also want to feel good, so we can walk all around and enjoy the beaches of Roatan, Belize, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. We have two great sea days built in, and I just want to be able to swim and sun and enjoy.

So now, I must eat right, exercise and give myself pep talks.

It never really ends, just gets manageable.