Category: My Life

Do you know that ABC TV has decided that unless you are between the ages of 18-49, your opinion, your likes and dislikes of their shows, no longer matter! Now I am going to be 53 in November. That is hardly old and far from the door of death, so I would like to think that my interest in their programming might just be important.

Alas, it is not.

So, what have I done? I’ve started to watch shows on other channels that don’t just appeal to audiences my age, but celebrate middle age.

I watch just Two shows on ABC. I watch “The Middle” with Patricia Heaton and I have been watching “Pan Am” to see what that show is like. Mostly I think “Pan Am” is fluff, but I do want to give it a fair shake, due to my connections with the real Pan Am.

The other TV I watch at mostly seen on CBS. I love “NCIS“, with Mark Harmon, and I love “The Mentalist“, with Simon Baker, and “The Good Wife“, with Julianna Margulies. Oh yes, and “Mike & Molly” with Melissa McCarthy and Billy Gardell, and “The Big Bang Theory” with Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons,

I simply refuse to watch ABC or give their sponsors my support. After all at my age, I am in the prime of my life, and one more reality game show is not what I want to watch. I want good stories and good acting.

Plus, I still resent their canceling “All My Children” for this new, feckless show “The Chew” So, CBS, Satellite TV and movie channels, here I’ve come!!!

And…here we go!

1. How can I weed and close my garden today, when all I want to do is play in the sun.

2. My coffee is tasting better than anything else at the moment.

3. That summer, when I was 13, my cousin and I rode our bicycles to Bourne Bride and road over it! What a huge bridge and we both were very scared! The worst part, was that afterward, we had to ride back over the bridge to go home.

4. We all must make our way in the world, whatever that may be and we respected that.

5. What was the moment in time, when all was well and bright?

6. To all I love both near and far, I hope they will stay in touch.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to cooking a new meal for Hubby, tomorrow my plans include going to Mandy’s house to celebrate Matt’s birthday and Sunday, I want to go see the movie, “The Ides of March”!

Many people don’t realize this, but I am really a FAT woman. I have chosen to go to Weight Watchers, but no matter what, I will always be a FAT woman. Here are 13 things I have come to know about my self over time.

1. It started when I was going through puberty. Suddenly I got sort of chunky looking. Which I think is normal.
2. But, my parents, who were both very obese kept telling me, I was going to be just like them.
3. This terrified me.
4. In order to please my boyfriend, I just plain stopped eating in my mid teens. Probably a light form of Anorexia.
5. While pregnant I ate so healthfully for the babies.
6. As soon as they were born, I went back to near starvation, to get my weight down.
7. Then the accident happened and my daughter died.
8. Do you realize that people bring food to the bereaved?
9. Cookies, cakes, casseroles, breads!
10. And I started to eat. And eat, and eat!
11. At first I could handle it because I was also running at this time.
12. But then I blew out my hip and blew up my body!
13. Thankfully, I discovered Weight Watchers.

I will always be a FAT woman, but at least I am in remission now and can handle food, with the help and support of my Weight Watchers class. It’s still difficult and I would like to believe that I can eat all that I want, and it doesn’t matter, but the last 3 and a half years in Weight Watchers have been a real help. Much like AA.

In fact recently, I saw my mother and she told me that I would end up being just like her and I did not handle it well. I went out to Dunkin Donuts grabbed a coffee and a Blueberry Muffin (12 points). Not good.

The first thing I did when I got home, was go to a Weight Watchers Class. It’s my salvation!

Some people use alcohol, some people use drugs. I use food to self medicate when my world feels like it is closing in on me.

But when I look in the mirror I see that FAT girl, the one I will always be. At least now, she knows it is okay to get help!

That makes me smile!

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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My weekend was a bit of a washout! Quite literally! We’ve had over 5 inches of rain, and there are puddles everywhere. Poor Hubby had the Jeep battery die…in the rain…and he had to call me to rescue him.

Because there is nothing we can do outside in all this rain, I have resorted to cooking new things, and preparing three solid meals a day. I guess I do that anyway, but I’ve been taking time, going slowly, and actually amazed myself with my awesomeness! (lol)

I’m still reeling from the fact that is is now October! How did that happen? I feel that as the years go by and I get older, time just flies by me.

I was working on a few things in my closet today, and I sat down and opened a box. It’s not a box I open often. In fact, I think the last time was about 5 years ago. But I sat, and opened it, and went through each item inside. All the pictures, drawings, lockets of hair and hand written notebooks, inside made me feel drawn back in time, and yet, at the same time as though it had all happened to someone else. I cried for a bit, and then I put it all away again.

~Memories~

I rebounded and refused to get lost in my grief, and before I knew it I was making a new recipe for our dinner and listening to some calming music.

What did you all do over the weekend?

1. Yesterday I got my hair cut. It’s an entirely new style and I love it. I need to have Hubby or my cousin Janet take a picture or two after I have done it and put on my make-up so you all can see.
2. On Wednesday I went to Weight Watchers and I had lost Three and a half pounds! Yay! Even though I am at my goal, I am at the mid point on their charts, and I would like to lose another ten pounds.
3. I have a beautiful deep violet, satin gown that i would love to wear to Mandy’s wedding if I fit into it.
4. We are still working with a wedding planner to secure a date, but we’re thinking May/June.
5. Hubby and I worked in the green house cleaning and putting things away for the winter.
6. This means that all the pots, trays, and my garden equipment have been put away for another year.
7. Already I am planning next years garden!
8. We had only one Honey Crisp Apple off of our young tree. It was delicious!
9. But Hubby is harvesting apples and bringing them to market.
10. I really have missed my soap, “All My Children” and refuse to watch the networks new, hip show called “The Chew”. I hope it fails!
11. The leaves are getting pretty. Red, and yellow, and orange!
12. Today is grocery shopping day. I think maybe I’ll let Hubby take me out to lunch.
13. Our weather is due to get cooler this weekend. I sure am ready for that!

1. It is officially fall here in North America…I realize not everyone who participates in the Hodgepodge lives in North America but if you do, what’s your favorite memory of Summer 2011? If you’re not in North America, what’s your favorite memory of the season just ending on your side of the world?

I have two. The first being the engagement of my daughter, Mandy to Matt, and the second being able to attend my 35th High School Reunion. What fun that was!

2. Your favorite nut? You know I mean the edible kind, right?

Almonds. I love Almonds. Plain, salted, spiced, sweet, any old way! I love Almonds!!!

3. What activity puts your sense of balance to the test?

Lately it seems like almost anything. My balance has really been challenged.  Don’t ask me why, s I have no real idea.

4. How would you describe your sense of humor?

Dry and sharp! I love a good joke, a good gag, and a good comeback!

5. September 28th is National Ask a Stupid Question Day…what’s your stupid question?

There are a million. Have you ever seen Bill Engvall? He does this segment of jokes called “Here’s Your Sign”. Basically what this comes down to is that he gives signs that say “I’m Stupid” to people who ask questions that should never be asked. Here is an example:

“Two fishermen dock their boat and as they are unloading their haul of fish, a man walks up and says, “You all been fishing?”

“Nope, the fish gave up and jumped in the boat. Here’s your sign!”

In other words, the sign says “I’m Stupid” and he hands them out when some asks a stupid question. I love Bill Engvall and you can go to Youtube and see some of his videos. Or look on Comedy Central for The Blue Collar Comedy Tour, as he is a member of that touring comedy group.

6. Roller skates~hula hoop~jump rope…which activity would you most enjoy? Yes, you have to choose.

Oh my. I would worry that I would hurt myself doing all of them! I am not coordinated at all. In my youth I did all three.

7. What’s your most sentimental possession?

I have a few. The things that belonged to my late daughter, Katie. I also have things that Mandy made for me as a child. Also, my grandmother’s diamond ring. I wear that as my engagement ring.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I really do need to bath the dackels. I guess tomorrow I will plan to get all three in the shower and wash them all down. They’re all pretty good in the walk in shower, and I’ll get Hubby on drying duty.

Just when I thought it was time to break out the sweaters and get the hearth prepared for its first blaze of the season, our temperatures soared to 80 degrees. (f) It’s not too uncommon for this to happen here. They call it “Indian Summer”.  All Hubby and I know is, we were getting close to taking the air conditioners out and putting them to bed for the winter, but we think we will wait just a little longer before we take them out.

I would like it to cool off just a little though, as I love sweaters and I can hardly wait for sweater weather! I’m just about past “hot-flashes” so I can once again wear sweaters without sweltering in sub-zero temperatures.

What a rip off it is for women in the prime of their lives to get stuck having them. At least mine did not last too long. For that I am grateful. Of course for those two and a half years, I went to the tropics without a moments notice and often felt cold and clammy after.

I digress.

I really am looking forward to the fall and cooler temperatures. The leaves are turning colors, and yet, with this heat my eggplants are still growing as are my basil and parsley. In fact, I went out and watered everything today and I will be getting another eggplant meal in a couple of days.

No, I really don’t mind, because I know, all too soon we will be having below zero temperatures, and snow on the ground. Autumn will fade into the whiteness of winter.

And I’ll be able to wear all the sweaters I want!

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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Although this was a productive weekend, I have to say, it was also a weekend filled with thoughts.

On Friday, I reprogrammed Hubby’s computer, installing all of his bookmarks and mail programs, and making sure that they worked, before going off to bed. Somehow, my mind would not shut off until well into the middle of the night, and then I fell asleep.

The dogs are starting to mature, so on Saturday they let us sleep until 8:45 AM! Amazing! I got up and after a cup of coffee, made our breakfast and then set about doing what we needed to do.

Hubby is picking apples, and I was trying to get a little laundry done, but I got side tracked with a report, and before I knew it, it was time to start chopping vegetables for my chicken soup.

On Friday I had made a wonderful rotisserie chicken. Then I boned it and put all the bones into a big pot with onions and celery and a carrot and set it low to simmer. I forgot it was on, and went to bed. At 4 AM on Saturday morning I remembered it, and jumped out of bed and turned it off.

Well, when I strained it in the morning and put it in the fridge I had the most wonderful soup base ever.

So, I chopped up, onions, green pepper, carrots, celery, and garlic and sauteed that until soft and added my soup base and let that simmer for a while. Meanwhile, I got some flat leaf parsley, and basil from my garden and chopped that up, added about a half a tablespoon of sea salt and sage, and let that simmer some more. I cut up the chicken I wanted to use, and I used up two boiled potatoes.

When Hubby and I sat down for dinner last night he was amazed and I was thrilled with the outcome. My first soup of the season! Oh, I sure love soup and stew season!

Sunday started brightly and I went out to the garden and picked 6 Ichiban Eggplants! I guess we will be having those at lunch, as dinner has already been planned as corn on the cob, mashed potatoes and meatloaf (Hubby’s favorite).

We watched a great movie in the morning called “The Rainmaker” with Matt Damon. What a powerful movie!

We also plan to watch the new television show “Pan Am” tonight on ABC. Hubby is anxious to see how many mistakes they make! lol I will let you know what he thinks. After all, most of his flying career was done at Pan Am. He flew with them, all over the world, from 1966-1991.

Happy Monday!

The summer is now officially over and so are a lot of my excuses to cheat on my diet. I know people will say that Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, all give one pause in the quest for dietary excellence. To a certain degree this is true, but…

Halloween has never been a big deal for me, since I basically quit chocolate. I still have a piece of Weight Watchers chocolate from time to time, but I find that it is terrible for my hypoglycemia. So I stay away from sugar overloads.

My birthday and Thanksgiving, both cause me a little problem. I do so love a slice of birthday cake, but I will be honest, I cannot deal well with that much sugar and not want to go back and eat more. So, I stopped having a birthday cake.

Thanksgiving is a good holiday for me. I can eat all the vegetables, weigh my turkey and have a small serving of chestnut dressing. I can manage Thanksgiving. Yes, I do miss my super turkey sandwich after, but we all have our crosses to bear, right? And a slice of splenda pumpkin pie.

Christmas, I have always eaten a German bread called, Stollen. I do not see the need to do away completely with that, and one Nurnburger Lebkucken cookie will also not kill me. Moderation.

I cook a prime rib and baked potatoes and green beans. Apple pie for dessert, made with splenda. I will also have one glass of red wine.

New Years I try to only eat appetizers made from vegetables. Hubby and I will sip champagne and toast in the New Year.

And hopefully, I will not feel too guilty from all I have eaten.

After all, four years ago I made a resolution to go to Weight Watchers and to lose the weight for good.

Before 2007

All I can say is, so far, so good!

Do any of you have trouble (or phobias) with parking your car? I do! I can’t seem to get the entire parallel parking thing down. I’ve been known to drive 5 miles, turn around in order to try again. I’ve also gone around and around and around waiting for a space to open up.

Fortunately, the parking in shopping malls or grocery store parking lots are simple. You pull in and get out. Those types of spaces, I love!

Since my eye surgeries, I am even more paranoid about parking. Our Jeep isn’t bad. It’s small and I can usually just pull straight in to a place that requires a parallel parking job, thus avoiding the entire thing. My car is a sedan and slightly larger, but it does handle fairly well, and Hubby’s car, well, it’s a station wagon, and I’ll tell you, it doesn’t handle too well for those tight parking places.

Today I was in my car. The sedan. There was one place to park and it was not a place I could easily slip into to. It was also close to the time when they close up the post office, so I knew I had to park it, and get in there.

I tried to remember all that stuff in the drivers manual.

1. Put your blinker on to alert the drive in back of you that you are planning to park.
2. Pull parallel with the car in front of where you plan to park.
3. Put the car in reverse and turn the wheel sharply so that you are heading toward the curb.
4. Slowly back up and half way through the turn, begin to smooth out your turn.
5. If necessary straighten the car by pulling forward and back. (I did not need to do this. I was perfect first time in!)
6. Let go of your held breath and put car in park.

I was so proud of myself that I felt like skipping in to get the mail. Instead I walked quickly and got the mail, and then came home happily, so I could tell Hubby!

He was so proud!

So am I the only one who has trouble with parallel parking? Anyone else out there who has parking phobias?

Have a great Saturday!