Inspired

I'm feeling inspired today ... it's been almost 2 months since I blogged, but a close family member has stirred the creative side of me to write again. Her strength is contagious ... she has come a long, long way over the last year and is my inspiration!

I haven't felt like blogging for awhile ... last entry was just after Light The Night Ottawa in October and I was planning on "crutching it" for 2 weeks to get rid of a nagging heel spur ... well that never happened. No time. Too much happening to be on crutches ... now it's December 19th, 6 days 'til Christmas ... it's true, the older you get, the faster time goes by. Being busy sure helps, too.
But the real reason for not feeling like blogging is I'm struggling ... big time. No weight loss in several months. Too much eating out due to being so busy, too busy to plan meals and cook. Working 7 days a week, all day, desperately trying to stay ahead and stay awake! Hubby's the same ... burning the candle at both ends. He doesn't want to cook either ... too tired to think about what we're eating ... let's just eat out ... been saying that way, way too much lately. No time on weekends to make things and throw them in the freezer for weeknight dinners ... what's the solution?!
On the plus side, I've met so many amazing new people over the last few months, and actually spent time with dear friends while working that has kept me uplifted. And a new year is 2 weeks away ... which I know will get me re-motivated and inspired to start over and make that promise to myself to get healthy. A New Year, a New Me ... at least I'll put forth a good effort for that, one day at a time.
I've also been focusing on being thankful ... TRULY thankful for what I have. Praying daily ... thanking, asking for guidance. Looking around me and noticing things ... things I've taken for granted in my busy life. Just this past week I was letting my dog out one evening for her last "business trip" of the evening before going to bed ... as I stood out in our front yard, I looked up to the sky and saw a shooting star ... it kind of startled me, as it was very bright and looked very close. But what a sight. Then it came to me what I had just seen. A miracle ... beauty in it's most natural state ... it happened so quickly, it must have been 2 seconds and it was gone ... but I got to see it ... I was in the right place at the right time ... inspiring!

So ... whatever and however you're celebrating this Holiday Season, I wish you joy, happiness and love ... and an inspirational New Year!!

Thanks for reading!

J

Okay ... well ...

I promised a blog with pics 2 weeks after my vacay in August ... well, we returned August 30th ... it is now October 22nd ... how about 2 months?! Geez, where has the time gone ... it just blows my mind ...
So the vacay was wonderful, the weather was hot hot hot and the beach was fabulous. We did way way too much shopping, but I did get lots of Christmas presents bought. I just have one big problem ... I'm still in vacay mode. I'm way off my program ... we've been so busy since we got back that we've been eating out too much, snacking too much, not eating as healthy as we should ... and the weight isn't coming off anymore. I'm holding my own, but not losing. I have always found fall to be one of the most difficult times of the year to lose weight ... my birthday, our wedding anniversary, then Christmas. And food centres around all of them. This year I'm struggling with worsening Fibromyalgia symptoms, which drains all of my energy, then I just don't seem to be able to keep motivated to be good. It's been a real struggle the last 2 months. But I've gotten over an arm injury (went back to the gym and worked a little too hard too fast, gave myself golfer's elbow ... hurt like #*%&!) I also participated in Light The Night Ottawa October 16th, which was AMAZING ... great, uplifting experience. 5km walk along the Rideau Canal in the dark with lit balloons ... over 1000 people walking for a cure for Leukemia & Lymphoma. Fabulous experience! And we stayed at my beautiful niece's home so I got to spend time with my adorable little 6 month-old great niece, Kaylie! Such a great weekend! But the heel spur I've been getting acupuncture treatment for since July isn't going away, so final decision of my chiropractor this week is to go on crutches for 2 weeks to let it heal. Heal the heel ... love the homonym!!
So no gym or Wii Fit for 2 weeks ... I've gotta get the heel healed for my friends wedding November 13th or I'll be in a dress and running shoes ... geez, what a sight that conjures up!! UUGH And my annual Christmas sale is November 20th, at which I'll be on my feet all day ... so gotta get the heel healed for that, too.
It's going to be a challenging 2 weeks, but it will go fast ... and at the end I hopefully won't have any more heel pain. Oh, but the food prep on one foot, not gonna be fun ... lack of exercise for 2 weeks is gonna be hard on the scale, too ... maybe hubby and the kids will cook!! AHEM ...
Okay ... well ... I'll keep y'all posted on that!!

Thanks for reading!
Hugs!
J

I'll Take It

Well, 3 short days until the big vacay. Boy, it's sure come fast ... too fast! My work's not done. The next few days are gonna be hectic ... maybe I'll be too busy to eat!! Nah ... always time for that, who am I kidding?!
So back to the weight issue. I'm down ... down from January 1st ... about 15 pounds. I was hoping to hit the 20 pound mark ... guess that will have to be part of the new goal for January/February's trip south ... maybe another 15? Ah, but Christmas is in there, not good ... I love Christmas ... the real meaning behind it, all the sights, sounds and joy it brings ... gift giving, and oh boy, big surprise, THE FOOD! *SIGH* I think the first thing we all associate Christmas with is FOOD, right?? I don't think you're human if the word Christmas doesn't conjure up the thoughts of smelling freshly baked sugar cookies and goodies. And turkey ... YUM!
Ok, I'm getting hungry here, it's not good! Back on track ...
So, since January 1st I've been trying trying trying to control cravings, eat-outs, baking ... bought a Wii-Fit Plus, love it ... exercising has become a daily part of my routine, even if it's just running around outside playing with Sierra (my Lab). Do I feel better? You betcha! Do I look better? Probably not alot, but it's noticeable that I'm slightly thinner. Do my clothes fit better? Oh, heck, ya. I'm feeling better about buying clothes right now. I've gradually developed healthier grocery shopping habits, learned to pass on the sweets at Timmy's and just have the tea ... only 2 trips to the Orono Bakery since January ... that's a milestone!! I don't keep chips in the house anymore, they are bought "occasionally" for a treat, and shared.
So ... all in all, I think there's been some success over the last 8 months ... not great weight-loss success, but definitely some good strategies and healthy habits developed that will continue to follow me over the next while and help in seeing alot less of me and lower numbers on the scale.

15 pounds lighter? I'LL TAKE IT.

I can't wait to share some vacay pics! Chat at ya in about 2 weeks!
Thanks for reading!
XO
Live Simply ... Love Generously ... Care Deeply ... Speak Kindly ... Leave the rest to God.

The Deadline Looms ...

Well it's 7 more sleeps until our big vacay to Myrtle Beach. I've had 7 months to lose weight ... so where am I at now you ask? About 15 pounds lighter than 7 months ago. Certainly no where near where I wanted to be. Excuses? I have them all. But when it comes down to it, it's my own fault. I had the attitude that "oh, I have lots of time to lose it" and it has crept up on me. Yes I'm glad I'm a bit healthier, exercising daily and eating better, but I'm not glad about the weight I'm still carrying. It's been such a struggle. Lots of eat-outs, bbq's, parties, showers ... my strategy for surviving these events without eating everything bad was in place, I just had a really really hard time falling back on it. Whenever I had a bad day I would hop right back on the wagon the next day, but it just seemed that I had more bad days every week than good days. And they would catch up with me by weigh-in day.

So here I am, 8 days away from a wonderful vacation with my hunky hubby and our friends, the other couple that is joining us on the trip. I am excited, looking forward to getting away, releasing stress, and just having a beautiful, romantic vacay with my hubby. Oh, and big surprise, I'm looking forward to the eating ... all the different restaurants, buffets, seafood ... OH GEEZ, WILL I EVER NOT LOVE FOOD? I doubt it!!!!!!

Thanks for reading! Enjoy the rest of the summer ... it's slipping away quickly!!

XO

The Simple Truth ...

"You are what you eat" ... "If you bite it, write it" ... "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels"
Simple truths ... truths I try to live by on a daily basis. Oh every day I have good intentions. I start writing what I'm biting, then the busy day takes over and I realize I've been grazing so much that I can't remember everything I need to write.
I think I'm afraid of being thin. I haven't been really, really thin in 20 years. I'm not back to my heaviest, but I'm no where near being thin. Pleasantly plump as one of our friends referred to me as recently. I identify myself as an "overweight" person. I've been buying a size 14 - 16 / L-XL for years. I've trained myself to walk by the smaller sized racks of clothes, right to the larger size area of the store. When I try to think of myself as a thin person, I can't. I don't feel like it would be me. But the me I am at right now isn't the real me. I'm not happy with myself. But are we ever happy with ourselves? I know very few women who are. Even the thin ones. We are always striving to be better ... to improve something about ourselves that we think isn't perfect. Aiming for that goddess status. I find myself always looking at other women, comparing myself to them, wishing I looked like them. They have longer, prettier hair. Nicer skin, nicer clothes. Prettier face. I see my husband looking at other women, and I constantly compare myself to them. I always seem to come up short.
I need to just be happy with who I am. Who cares if I'm not the skinniest girl at the party ... I have many other successes in my life to be proud of and to be thankful for.
And that's the simple truth.

Been a While ...

Wow, I can't believe it's been almost 2 weeks since I blogged. Just hit me today I haven't taken the time to write for awhile. Not much new on the weight loss front, lost a few more pounds, stuggling daily.
We've had some weird weather around here, an earthquake, tornadoes, and a major heat wave the last 4 days. Tonight as I was barbequing dinner at 5:30 I looked at our backyard thermometer and it read 50 degrees celcius. The sun was shining on it, but holy crap, it was hot ... especially standing in front of a hot barbeque!! Thank heavens for central air!!

Hunky hubby and I had a nice "mini" vacation (one night) away over the weekend, we went down to the 1000 Islands area, went on a sight-seeing cruise, and had a nice dinner (which I didn't bother worrying about my WW points for!) and a nice relaxing time. I unfortunately had a small gain at weigh-in this past Tuesday night, but it was worth it. I haven't been Wii-Fitting, the heat just drags me down and I can't seem to get the energy to work out. Gotta work on that. 6 weeks until the big vacation to Myrtle Beach, gotta get some more weight off so I can wear a bathing suit and not scare everyone off the beach!

Came across a great quote the other day, hits home big time for me "Courage doesn't always roar, sometimes it's that little voice at the end of the day that says 'I'll try again tomorrow' ..."
Love it, love it, love it ... my daily motto.

That's about all I have to share ... together with the heat and being swamped with work the ole' brain hasn't been very creative lately!

Happy summer everyone! Stay cool!

Thanks for reading!
xo

Before and After ...

before / after

Sorry to disappoint, I haven't reached my weight loss goal (not even CLOSE yet) so I'm not posting weight loss before and after pics. You may remember in a past blog I mentioned I was trying to grow my hair ... geez, I'm obsessed with changing my appearance, never happy with myself! Well, I gave up ... growing my hair, that is. I got it almost to "bob" status, growing it over my ears to where it was almost all the same length. But I hated it. It felt heavy, hot, icky ... I coloured it, hoping that would make me feel better ... well, it was a washout (sorry for the pun there). People said I looked "different" with my hair longer ... "you're changing your hair? It's looks really DIFFERENT" (no positive comments followed) ... my hubby told me it was too poofy (the longer my hair was getting, the thicker it got ... surprised the heck out of me, as I always thought I had thin hair ... DEFINITELY not true). I had a friend tell me I looked like I was wearing a wig ... that was the final straw for me. I called my hairstylist and booked the appointment to get it cut off. I am paranoid about my hair ... always have been. So that was it. I tried. Just not happy with it. So this past Tuesday it all came off. I'm back to the short pixie-type cut that I've had for a few years. It's pretty short, a bit shorter than I'd wanted, but it will grow. And it feels so much better. I feel like I've had a weight lifted off my shoulders (literally). As soon as my hairstylist cut it she said "now that's better we can see your pretty face". To which I laughed. To which she said, "you are so pretty, all that hair hid your pretty face, weighed you down ... made you look tired". BINGO. Tired looking. I totally agree. See for yourself ... I'm posting the before (longer hair ... at least long for me, you may think it's still short), and the new cut (back to the short me). Let me know what ya think. I'm planning on keeping it a bit longer than it's at right now in the pic, so I'll post one of those in a couple of weeks when it's a bit longer.

Thanks for reading!

A Shocker

Well, I was handed my new lifestyle today ... on 3 pages of paper. A real shocker. I have been seeing a Holistic Therapist, a dear friend, who is helping me manage my Fibromyalgia symptoms and fatigue. Recently, she did an energy treatment on me, and using skin and hair assessments and bodily symptoms, she has come up with a one month plan for me to detox my body. It's pretty drastic, but I think it's what I need. I have a list of everything that my body is either intolerant to or allergic to. Basically everything I've been eating my whole life I'm intolerant too ... with a very few exceptions. The biggies: wheat, corn, cured meats, vinegar, tomatoes, MSG, red dye. Next in line yeast, sugar, wine, artificial flavourings, coffee, tea, chocolate (NOOOOO, not CHOCOLATE!), peas, tuna, peanuts, bananas, grapefruit, raisins, grapes ... and the list goes on and on. Basically everything I either have in my fridge or pantry right now. Everything I like. So now I'm on a journey to start cutting out these culprits ... my first question ... "What the heck do I eat?". Basically, bread & cereals made from anything but wheat or corn. Rice, quinoa, rye, barley. Fish (other than tuna). Every kind of lettuce known to mankind. Most oils (I pretty much use olive exclusively anyway). Avoid tea and coffee (I'm still going to drink naturally decaf. herbal teas) and diet sodas. No more chocolate unless it's dark (I'm cool with that). Melon (any kind). All meats except lamb (which I don't eat anyway). No beer (nothing to cry about). No refined sugars ... now that will be a challenge. I have a major sweet tooth ... but that's what gotten me into the mess where I am today.
So difficult as it might be, I have to think of the end result ... a much healthier, thinner, feeling so much better ME. She has told me to give it a month ... just cutting out even some of these things she promises I will start to feel better. And I know she's right. This isn't going to be easy ... it will become an obsession, everything I put in my mouth. My food list will be at my side 24/7. My new BFF!

Thanks for reading!

A Hermit's Life for Me?

I had a blast this past weekend. Got to spend lots of time with my hunky hubby, even though our business is very busy we were able to do alot of errand running together which allowed us time to have some fun in the evenings. However, I also had a bad weekend ... with food. Friday night we went to a Rotary Ribfest ... NOTHING there was healthy ... well, maybe the chicken, which I did eat. The onion blossoms, potato chip rings, ribs and funnel cakes? BAD, BAD, BAD. I have to admit I did try them all ... sharing them of course with my hubby and our friends. So I was bad, but only 1/2 bad. Hee hee! Doesn't that count a bit??!
Saturday evening we went to a neighbour's pool party (don't worry, a bathing suit didn't even come NEAR my body) and I had 2 coolers. Yum, Yum. Hadn't drank in a long time, boy did I enjoy them. Again BAD, BAD, BAD. Came home, hubby and I had the munchies after drinking, went downtown and bought BAD, BAD snacks (yup, had my DORITOS fix). I was on a roll ... not a good roll ... I was adding to MY rolls.
Sunday came along, I cooked a healthy breakfast, determined to get back on track. Well, Sunday ended with dinner at a small local Chinese Food Buffet. Yup. I had one plate, watermelon and one piece of dessert, so I was proud of myself. Not bad. Not good, but not bad.

So this morning ... yup, you guessed it ... the scale was NOT nice to me. GEE, I WONDER WHY??!! It ain't rocket science people ... I ate enough bad food to give my WW leader a coronary when she looks at my meal tracker this week. I AM THE BAD EXAMPLE ... she'll probably make me stand at the front of the room while she reads my tracker to everyone ... "THIS IS HOW NOT TO EAT ON WEIGHT WATCHERS, LADIES" she'll say. Oh, the humiliation. Why do I do this to myself?? I don't know. I attend parties and go places that always jeopardize me ... I feel prepared, knowing what good choices to make, what not to shove in my mouth, but I ALWAYS end up eating the wrong things. No willpower. It's so hard when everyone else is eating and drinking, I want it too. Should I become a hermit? Maybe that's a good idea, at least until I'm thin. But then I'd have no social life. That's sad. I'd miss my weekends out with my hunky hubby and friends. Nope ... no hermit's life for me. I'd probably just eat myself into a closet anyways ... and would get stuck there. CALL 911 ... MOM'S EATEN HERSELF INTO THE PANTRY AND CAN'T GET OUT!!! Now there's a t.v. reality show I don't want to be the star of!
So I have to start exercising some control ... it's SOOO hard ... but beats living life as a hermit.

Thanks for reading!

Having a good laugh

Laughter is the best medicine. Live, laugh, love. We all feel better after a good laugh. I love to laugh! I can be having the worst day, and get a good joke by email or have a good conversation with a dear friend and it can turn the day around. I find it helps with my "battle", too. Gives me a renewed sense of confidence in myself. Keeps me smilin'! I just had a quick coffee with a great friend today (thanks, Debbie!) and we laughed and laughed over anything and everything ... mostly about our weight struggles! But it felt great. Feels great to share with someone your struggles and life story and have a good laugh ... clear out all the woes of the day and just let 'er all hang out (in more ways than one! LOL) and just enjoy! I make a point of laughing every day ... might be hard to believe after yesterday's "beeatchy" blog post LOL but I really do. I always make a point of having a laugh with my hubby. Life is way too short to dwell on the trivial stuff ... you just gotta laugh and move on with it! And boy, after a good laugh my face muscles and stomach muscles ache ... that's got to be exercise, right??!! LOL If I just keep laughing all day long I'll have that flat stomach I've been yearning for!!! And firm, flawless skin on my face!! No need for that $30 "gotta get rid of those dark age spots and sagging skin" face cream anymore!

Thanks for reading!

Tuesday Tidbits ... Somewhat Disturbing

So my Factual Fridays have turned into Tuesday Tidbits this week. I'm feeling very, very tired today and very weird (more than usual). Since I have absolutely no brainwaves of creativity today to say anything intelligent in my blog that will make my followers list double or conjure up thoughtful comments, I have decided to be blatently honest ... and probably somewhat disturbing to my readers! LOL

This is a side of me that may shock many of you (or not) ... yup, I have a Beeatchy side hiding in there, and it needs to come out NOW. I have the right to vent now and then ... I've been dieting on and off for 20 years! I'm frustrated!! LOL Who said all fat people are jolly? We get annoyed, too!

Today's tidbits are things that annoy the heck out of me ... TICK ME OFF ... Ya, I said it ... I'm makin' a list of that ... thought y'all might find it comical ... or disturbing ... you choose. Have a chuckle or two (or send the straight jacket over, whatever you feel is the right decision after reading this!)

#1 I'm ticked off at myself that I've let myself get this heavy and this out of shape. I could cry when I look at pictures of myself 20 years ago, when I thought I was fat but I really wasn't. I was slightly overweight but healthy. About 140 pounds. Now I'm not (thin or healthy that is).

#2 People tick me off that are waiting to make a turn as you're driving down the street, look right at your vehicle, then pull right out in front of you, like you're invisible ... like they have all kinds of time and tons of room ... so you have to hit the brakes to avoid smucking right into them. I'M DRIVING A HEAVY HALF TON TRUCK PEOPLE ... YOU CAN'T SEE ME?? Don't you realize that if I hit your Volkswagon with my 4x4 GMC Quad Cab big mother of a Sierra truck you probably won't survive?? I should invent a tazer for vehicles. Now that would be interesting ...

#3 People (or women in particular) tick me off when they say they're SO FAT but they're not. I'm talking about the 90-110 pound gals who worry about having love handles but don't even know what one looks like. They are terrified if they surpass the lower single digit size chart ... HEAVEN FORBID they would have to lose 3 pounds to get back into that size 2 before summer. I have an acquaintance like that. She's been trying to lose the same 5 pounds for the last 16 years. She looks fabulous, just perfect. And very pretty. Every time I see her, her weight comes into the conversation. "Oh it's such a struggle, I don't know how you do it, trying to lose so much weight!" Does she realize how that sounds? It's so pathetic. I can gain 5 pounds from eating a regular meal ... I don't want to hear about her 800 calorie-a-day intake with smoothies and soup and 10km walks every night gotta get that 5 pounds off diet. She's starving herself, and for what? If your neck bones are protroding further than your nose honey, you're NOT fat. You're anorexic. Your boobs are 30AAs because you don't eat. Try fruit, veggies, and a donut now and then. Rib cage outline is not attractive when you wear that bikini. (eww ... do I sound bitter here?) Show me a woman that has lost 100 pounds by eating PROPERLY, exercising, and just being herself, and is now wearing a bikini, and I'll be impressed BIG TIME. If you've been wearing a size 2 since you were 16 and you're now 44 and still wearing that size 2 and think you're fat, get away from me. FAR, FAR AWAY from me. The tazer comes to mind again ...

#4 Taxes tick me off. As I'm sure they do everybody. And now, starting July 1st, we will be paying much more ... 8% more to be exact ... on alot of the services that we only used to pay 5% on. I received an email the other day about Canadians and all the taxes we pay. The list was unreal. But it was all true! It's incredible once you sit and actually write down all the taxes we pay. It's mindblowing, the amount of money Canadians give to the taxman every year. Since my hunky hubby and I built our house 16 years ago, our property taxes have tripled. TRIPLED!! For what? We don't even have water and sewer privileges. Oh, we could have town water, if we wanted to pay $10,000 to have it brought into our house ... but that work would be taxed, too ... tax to the town on the hook up fee, tax on the excavating, tax on the piping to run the line into the house, tax on the water bills that will subsequently arrive quarterly ... it's endless and mind-blowing.

#5 I hate being hot. It ticks me off ... gets me all grumpy and stuff. It's 35 degress celcius in the sun today (95 degrees fahrenheit). Too hot for me. And our new $2800 central air conditioning unit has decided to quit (new in April, so not even broken in yet) so the house feels like 120 degrees. I have every fan accessible going to keep the air flowing so we don't all perish before the air con. gets fixed.

So I hope you all don't take this too seriously, I'm just having some fun venting some frustrations. We all need to do that, right?! You're not supposed to keep emotions bottled up inside you or they escalate. So mine are out there ... done ... I feel so much better! I know I'll probably get the anonymous "get a life ... quit eating and lose some weight" comments ... but seriously people, this is just my way of venting. I'm really not an angry person ...

I promise my next blog will be less disturbing ... I promise!

Thanks for reading!

Getting My ZZZZ's ...

I haven't been getting enough ... of my zzz's that is (ok, I'm a little deprived of the other, too, but my hubby and I are TIRED! LOL)

Ok, seriously, I'm severely sleep deprived. I think I'm more tired now than I was when my children were babies. I was thinking that it's probably effecting my weight loss. And I'm right. I have heard from several sources that sensible eating+exercise+adequate sleep=success.

It's true. When I'm fatigued, I tend to reach for drinks loaded with caffeine, anything with chocolate, and comfort foods (and it's not apple comfort, either). And I dread my daily workout when I'm tired. The effort just isn't there. My body seems to crave tons of sugar ... and not in the form of fructose ... I'm talking BAD sugar ... or some days I crave salty, crunchy when I'm fatigued. Again, it's not celery sprinkled with sea salt ... it's Miss Vickies or Doritos ... or Ketchup Lays (ah, heaven, I'm in heaven ... LOL)

Ok ... back on track here, I'm drooling ...

So, I joined a "solution for not dieting" website and I get email updates weekly with helpful hints and tidbits. Yesterday's email was about "Sleeping Your Fat Away" (gee, sign me up! I'll be snoring and skinny in no time!)

Ok, I'm getting off track again ... must be the sleep deprived thing ...

So there's apparently a link between our hormones (and the good Lord knows us women have plenty of them!) and our eating behaviour. One type of hormone that is responsible for hunger (I'll call it the "G" hormone) is fighting with another type of hormone that is responsible for making us feel full (I'll call it the "L" hormone) ... the "L" hormone tells us to stop eating. So when you're sleep deprived, guess what hormone increases and which one decreases? The big "G" goes nutso, and the big "L" takes a vacation. So it's a vicious cycle if you keep depriving yourself of a good night's sleep. And that's me lately. I go to bed by 11:30 p.m. - midnight, but I'm up by 5:30. So my "G" hormone has partied all night and been popping uppers and is raring to go when I get up. My "L" hormone has decided it's vacation location is fabulous and is never coming back. I'm doomed. I should give my "G" hormone a name, 'cause it's stickin' around by the sound of it. It's the Big Kahuna.

So I obviously need more sleep ... I'm fat, I have dark circles no cover-up or million dollar cream on earth can hide, and I'm stupid. I'm not giving my body the crucial sleep it needs to recover every night. So my brain can't recover, either. I feel like I have ADHD every day, but it's not early onset Alzheimer's as I suspected. It's sleep deprivation. And that darn "G" hormone.

So I'm going to start going to bed at 10pm (that's gonna be weird). Hope I can talk hubby into it too ... maybe the "other" deprivation will improve, too! LOL

I can't believe I'm discussing my sex-life on Blogspot. I've seriously lost it.

I have a date with my pillow, and I'm gonna keep it.


Thanks for reading!
Janet xo

UUGGHH BLAH

I'm having an ugh day. Got no energy today day. Want to sleep all day day. Do I really have to work? day. Want to eat everything in site day. Blame it on the hormones day. I always try to be so positive in my blogs, but today just isn't one of those days. I'm not looking for pity ... I don't need that. I just need Monday to be over ... I needed to do something to break the monotany so I blogged. I blogged about feeling BLAH. All I can say is UUGGHH. *sigh*
It's a good thing I don't have any Doritos in the house! 'Cause they'd be gone!!
I've drank enough water today to put out a forest fire ... the only exercise I've felt like doing is the walk to the bathroom to pee 100 times with all this darn water going through me. I've been told to drink more water when I'm tired and feeling blah ... it's not working. I could go for a gin and 7 or something like that!! Now that would get rid of my blahs! (no panty-remover jokes, please! LOL)
That's all I've got to say ... nothing really intelligent nor uplifting. Tomorrow will be better. I know it. Then I'll post a happy blog! (gag me)

Thanks for reading!
Janet xo

Gaining Insight and Courage

I had my first gain at WW today. Yup. 1.4 pounds up. I was humiliated. I wasn't going to go this morning, as I had a feeling I was going to gain, but I mustered up the courage and drove all the way into Oshawa and was determined to step on that scale, whether I was going to be heavier or not. I missed last week's weigh in with going to Kanata to meet Kaylie May. It was totally worth it, don't get me wrong, my great niece is adorable! But my week, as I stated in my last blog, wasn't great (food wise). I was very carefree over the weekend, and it seemed to continue from there. Come Monday, then Tuesday, until Thursday, I was so busy trying to catch up from being away for 2 days I didn't "write what I bite" ... why has my life gotten so crazy that I fall immensely behind if I want to go away for a couple of days?? ... that's for another blog, another day, I guess! Anyway, the week got away from me ... before I knew it, it was Thursday evening and I was in a panic.
So yes, insight into my gain shows that I can't have another week like this ... just eating whatever, whenever ... 2 eat-outs (that weren't REALLY bad but weren't PERFECT either), snacking late in the evening, and leaving my Wii-Fit Plus workouts to the last minute, not putting in quite enough effort on the board.
Coincidentally enough, I decided to grocery shop on the way home from WW this morning, and whom should I meet up with in the store? The owner and personal trainer at the Curves club where I've been a member, but haven't attended, in a couple of months. More humiliation. I promised her she would see me on Monday, or next week some time for sure. Now I've done it ... I've committed to going and HAVE to show up. But that's a good thing! Imagine how well I'll do each week if I work out at Curves AND do my Wii Fit Plus! Crap ... do I really have the energy for all that?! Guess I'll find out next week!! Must have courage! No more gains!

Thanks for reading!
Janet xo

Catching Up ...

OMG (don't ya just love texting jargon!!) ... I just realized that I missed my Factual Friday post last week, and it's actually been 12 days since I wrote a blog. I have been consumed with work, weeding the garden, but have managed to squeeze in a trip to Kanata to meet my newborn great niece! She is a sweetie! I am smitten! Miss Kaylie May has stolen my heart! I get to see her again in 2 weeks ... I can't wait!

Mother's Day has come and gone, I hope all you amazing moms out there had an awesome day and were spoiled! I came home from Kanata to a lovely bbq'd meal courtesy of my hunky hubby ... and lovely cards and gifts from my 2 incredible children! It was a great day ... other than the cold and SNOW??? What was with that? Mother Nature must be suffering from bipolar disorder or something, because that was just WRONG to wake up to snow Mother's Day morning?! If April showers bring May flowers, what the heck does snow in May bring?

I've been so busy I have found it hard to focus on my WW plan. I'm still Wii Fit Plus"ing" regularly, and am happy to report that my BMI has dropped 3 points, my balance has improved, and I'm down a little more weight. But when I'm busy I tend to eat and then I forget what I eat, don't write it down in my tracker, then at the end of the day when I think back to what I've eaten throughout the day I'm mortified at what I've consumed. Can't even begin to count the points. Probably way, way over my allowed 27 points for the day. Today is Thursday ... weigh in day is Saturday, and I missed last Saturday with going to Kanata (but it was totally worth it!) But I can sure tell that I need to weigh in EVERY week and if I bite it I need to write it. It's so easy to slip up for a day or two, then that day or two leads to 3 or 4, which leads to a week ... which is now a week and a half. EEEK!!

I've got some catching up to do BIGTIME!! I'll catch y'all up after weigh in on Saturday!

L8R!

Thanks for reading,

Janet xo

Teaching an old dog new tricks ...

Yup, I'm the "old dog". Gotta learn some new tricks. Get out of my stubborn, set, "fat person" ways. This was the discussion at my Saturday morning WW meeting today. Old habits die hard. Our WW leader said it takes 6-8 weeks to develop a new habit.
Being positive, I looked at alot of habits I have changed for the better lately. I got my family on skim milk over the last 2 years. (we were 1% drinkers) I switched from canola oil to olive oil. I quit buying potato chips on a regular basis (we used to eat 3-4 bags in one weekend). I am learning to cook alot healthier, and my hunky hubby is totally into this ... he's cooking, too (I love that!) He and I are also cutting WAY back on diet pop ... asparatame to be exact. Nasty stuff. I also gave up alcohol ... I was never a big drinker, and I still enjoy a small glass of wine now and then ... but it's just not worth it to me to waste 3-4 points on a beer or mixed drink when I could be eating instead!! LOL Yup! Shove that Budweiser aside honey, bring on the buffet!! I am also exercising almost every day ... Wii Fit Plus is so fun, I'm able to do 45-60 minutes a day! And I'm walking outside, too. I'm moving way more than I used to! It's become a habit!

Our leader mentioned about how we can join WW for a second, third, or more time and get back into the same frame of mind that "oh, I've hit that plateau again, it's happening all over again". I'm like that. Past weight loss ventures would typically see me losing 10-12 pounds in the first 2-3 weeks, then slowing down, eventually coming to a halt around 20 pounds lost. Failing. Beating myself up. Hitting that familiar plateau. Jenny Craig was a bit better, I hit about 30 pounds then "gave up". Went right back to my old way of eating, I was so sick of crappy, processed, frozen and pre-packaged food. I lost my gallbladder a year later. Coincidence? Probably not.

So this old dog isn't giving up this time. I'm making a lifestyle change ... bad habits change to good habits ... gradually. My weight isn't coming off as quick this time ... just had my third weigh in this morning, lost another 1.6 pounds, for a grand total of 7.8 in 3 weeks. Not great, but not bad either. Healthy amount of weight to lose. I would like to lose 10 pounds a month, but I'm not going to beat myself up if I don't ... as long as that scale moves downward every week, I'm happy. And I'm not depriving myself. I don't feel that way at all. I'm still enjoying eating. And I'm losing weight at the same time.

This old dog is learning new tricks!!

Thanks for reading,
Janet xo

Factual Friday ...

Well, I survived the week from H .. E .. double hockey-sticks. Had a crazy deadline imposed on me Friday afternoon, and worked like a dog, managed to meet that deadline by Tuesday!! 8 hours of sleep in 3 nights though ... I'm a hurtin' unit now!! NEED ... SLEEP ...
Anyway, here's my Friday tidbits:

1. I hate getting my picture taken. I am so critical of myself ... and the picture always seems to be from the wrong angle to show my chubby face at it's worst. Uugh ...

2. I love Doritos. I mean a crazy, gotta have 'em, lets go stare at the Doritos display in the grocery store kind of love. This has created somewhat of a challenge for me being on Weight Watchers. Thank goodness for those amazing little bags of 100 calorie Doritos ... I savour all 10 of those little chips that come out of that bag. It's so hard to stop at one bag ...

3. I am a major procrastinator. Big time. I work well under pressure, but I tend to leave things so late that the pressure to get them done is overwhelming. Every year I say I'm going to change ... but that has yet to happen.

4. I'm obsessed with paint. No matter what home improvement store I'm in, I always gravitate to the paint sampler section. So many cool colours! I'm having a very hard time choosing the new colour for my kitchen. I like so many! I think it will end up being a light shade of olive ...

5. I love Tim Horton's Timbits. A crazy kind of obsessive love. Another major downfall for my "diet". My son introduced me to sour cream glazed recently ... they are heavenly. I can't go near a Tim Horton's now ... not even for a small tea with milk ... just way too tempting.

Weigh-in day tomorrow again! Week #3! Wish me luck!

Thanks for reading!
Janet xo

The Twilight Zone ...

The topic of my WW weekly meeting this morning was "The Twilight Zone". Discussion revolved around getting into a "zone" where we just keep eating, having saved up points, but it just keeps snowballing. For example, a weekend where you have 3 functions involving food: Friday night - dinner out - extra points; Saturday, a party - extra food, extra points; Sunday, a bridal shower - extra food, extra points. Even though you've saved points for this, you can still end up eating an extra 30 points at least over those 3 days! I know how easy it is, trust me ... I used to eat enough food to fill an aircraft carrier, remember?! So this "zone" continues through the week ... until weigh in day is upon you and the scale is not kind. We discussed strategies of getting over being in a "zone" like this. I was so happy to hear fellow members discussing their own situations that sounded EXACTLY like mine. This past week I lost only 1.6 pounds ... for a grand total of 6.2 in 2 weeks. Not bad, but not quite the results I wanted. But I had a week of being "in a zone" ... I couldn't get satisfied. I would eat something ... it wouldn't feel right ... I'd eat something else ... it wasn't right ... this continued on from Saturday to Monday evening. Then I realized the scale wasn't moving FOR GOOD REASON. Even thought the food I was eating wasn't really bad food, I wasn't keeping track of what I was putting in my mouth. Not counting my points. So by Monday evening I had probably taken in at least an extra 10 points a day. Yikes! So I got out of the "zone" and started focusing on feeling satisfied, exercising and drinking lots of water. I worked darn hard! So I lost a little ... but I didn't gain!
This week I will faithfully "write what I bite" ... it sure does make a huge difference. Helps keep me out of the "zone" and a happy, kind scale!

Thanks for reading!
Janet xo

Factful Friday ... questionning my sanity

Can't believe another week has gone by! Tomorrow is weigh-in day again EEK! Wish me luck!

Today's tidbits:

1. I love tea. I have a whole cupboard full. My husband often questions my sanity (for many reasons) but specifically for the amount of different flavoured teas I have. I tell him they're healthy. He shuts up.

2. I love candles. I also have a cupboard full of wax and candle "decor". Again, my husband questions my sanity over this issue. I tell him it gets rid of the dog smell in the house. He shuts up.

3. I have always wanted to be a gardener. I mean an insane, gotta get out there every day gardener. Green thumb mania. Time just doesn't allow this. Oh I do make the attempt every spring and manage to get the front of our house looking quite flowery, but I dream of having our entire backyard filled with floral delights and a small pond. That I can swim in or at least dip my feet in. Someday ... my husband has not yet questionned my sanity over this. He's actually agreed. So he stays quiet.

4. I always wanted to be a veterinarian. But when my childhood pet cat died of old age I realized that I could never pursue that dream ... I have an awful time dealing with animal death, and hence, as a vet, I could NEVER put an animal down. I would end up with a houseful of sick or unwanted animals. I am crazy about animals ... another thing my husband questions my sanity over. I tell him it makes me happy to have pets. He shuts up.

5. I would love to be a race car driver. I have always loved driving a standard transmission "stick shift" car ... it makes me feel "free" and "cool". Going fast is another story with all the cops around here ... I can't get cable t.v. where I live but if I speed you can bet there will be a speed trap along my route. Day or night. My poor husband has been caught many times ... and I remind him of that often. He questions my sanity over this ... I tell him I've been driving for 25 years and never had a speeding ticket or an accident. He admits defeat and shuts up.

PS I really do adore my husband ... today's blog is just a little "marital humour". You gotta laugh everyday or you will truly lose your sanity!! But trust me, the humour isn't always directed at my husband ... it's more often directed at me!!

Thanks for reading!
Janet xo

A Few Steps in the Right Direction ...

Well, my first weigh-in at my new Weight Watchers group was this morning. Man, it's hard to drag myself out of bed at 5:30 and be on the road by 7:15 on a Saturday morning. At least I didn't see anyone driving the wrong way down the highway today (that I saw last week ... one of those moments when you're so tired you go "what the heck? That's not right?!")
Anyway, after an uneventful drive to the dirty 'Shwa, my weigh-in was fairly successful ... a loss of 4.6 pounds. Yay! Nevermind that I almost had to cut off a limb to lose it (jk). I have increased my activity ten-fold. I'm doing 45 minutes at least of Wii Fit Plus every night, and I'm also trying to walk at least 30 minutes a day. So it's working obviously. I also had 2 dine-outs this week, but I figure that's good, because you still have to live your life, right? I am tracking EVERYTHING I put in my mouth. I'm allowed 27 points a day plus 35 extra points a week to spread out or eat all in one day. Writing down what I eat is certainly helping. Man, I can't believe how much food I was eating before. Probably about 100 points a day or more. I've deprived myself on diets before only to crash and burn when my willpower wains and my cravings for everything I couldn't have take over and I binge and gain all the weight back. Not this time. No more deprivation. Lifestyle change, yes, but steps in the right direction to get over this hurdle and finally be a much thinner me!

Thanks for reading,
Janet xo

Factual Friday ...

Well, I'm completely brain-dead today ... exhausted, and after a trip home from Cobourg in a tow truck (T.J.'s truck had to be towed, emergency brake release broke so brake was stuck on) I'm pretty much done. Had my 30 minute walk this afternoon (YAY!) and will faithfully do my Wii Fit Plus tonight, and I'll probably crash after that!!
So thanks again to my wonderful friend Debbie (Pot Luck Designs!) I have stolen a blog idea from her!! Hee Hee I'll have to take you out for a healthy lunch or something, Debbie to make up for all the blog steals I've done! LOL

Here's today's tidbits:

MY ABC'S

A - Age: 42 (most days I act much, much younger than that)

B - Bed Size: Queen

C - Chore You Hate: LAUNDRY

D - Dog's Name: Sierra

E - Essential Start of Your Day: Hug and kiss from Terry

F - Favorite Colour: Lavender

G - Gold, Silver or Platinum: Silver

H - Height: 5' 1" and a half, pushing it (yup, I'm vertically challenged)

I - Instruments You Play: Piano

J - Jewellery You Wear Everyday: 5 rings, necklace, 2 pairs of earrings

K - Kids: Brittany (19), T.J. (18)

L - Living Arrangements: Large home in the country

M - Mom's Name - Gladys

N - Nicknames: Tumblenut

O - Overnight Hospital Stay Other Than Giving Birth - Miscarriage :( , D&C, Foot Surgery, Gallbladder removal

P - Pet Peeve - Bad impatient drivers, liars, braggers, flirtatious women

Q - Quote: "For Balance in Life, You Need a Dog to Adore You and a Cat To Ignore You"

R - Right-Handed or Left-Handed: Right-Handed

S - Siblings: 2 sisters, Debbie & Ellen, both older than me

T - Time You Wake Up: 5:30 a.m.

U - Underwear: I'm wearing some ... but not a thong, underwear's not meant to go up your butt

V - Vegetables You Dislike: asparagus, beets, wax beans

W - Ways You Run Late: Phone call keeping me from getting out the door on time

X - X-Rays You've Had: Facial, foot, stomach

Y - Yummy Food You Make: Amish Friendship Bread, Banana Bread, Turkey Dinner

Z - Zoo Favorite: Giraffe

Would love to read yours!! Please share!!

Thanks for reading!

Janet xo

Birth of a Beautiful Baby ...

What an exciting day it's been!! My niece and her husband had their baby this morning ... Kaylie May Taylor came into the world at 4:28 a.m. weighing a healthy 8 lbs. 5 ozs. She is a beauty! I haven't seen her in person yet as they live in Kanata, so it will be a couple of weeks before I get to meet her. I can hardly wait to hold her! And hug my niece and her hubby! It's so exciting to have a new baby in the family. I'm so excited to be a Great Auntie!

Congratulations Erin and John! Welcome to the world beautiful little Kaylie May! We love you!

Man, this is tough ... REALLY tough

It's really tough, this "dieting" thing. Ok, I'm not really dieting, I'm making a lifestyle change. I really am. It has come down to a necessity to improve my health. Now. Before it's too late. But darnit, this is hard! I'm obsessed with food. I think about food from the time I get up in the morning until I go to bed ... even when I've gone to bed if my tummy is talking to me saying "FEED ME WOMAN" I find myself thinking about what I can eat for breakfast. Pathetic, I know. At least I've never gotten up in the middle of the night to raid the refrigerator, I like my sleep too much ... but if I ever start sleep-walking, there could be a MAJOR problem ...

I've gone from eating enough food to fill an aircraft carrier to barely eating enough to keep a fly alive. Ok, that's an exaggeration, but I'm sure you get the point. I'm hungry! My WW pocket guide states that I need to eat more "filling foods" ... foods that keep me feeling fuller and satisfied longer. And guess what 3 are on that list? Asparagus, beets and wax beans ... my 3 biggest mortal enemies as I stated in last week's blog. Further investigation into the "filling foods list" does supply some good news ... apples! bananas! skim milk! sirloin steak! I just need to make a conscious effort, when I need to snack, to snack only on these "filling" foods ... and continue to add them to my meals so I feel less hungry.
So my WW pocket guide has become my BFF since Saturday's meeting. My BFF with my FFL to keep me from EBS (my bestest friend forever with my filling foods list to keep me from eating bad stuff) Man, I need to get out more ... WAY more ...

Thanks for reading!
Janet xo

Getting back to the old me ...

I haven't been myself for many years. Physically, I mean. If someone I went to school with or knew when I was in my late teens were to pass me on the street, I doubt they'd recognize me. Or, my greatest fear is that they WOULD recognize me but in their eyes I'd see their shock at the weight I've gained. That would be mortifying.
Recently, as I mentioned in one of my recent blogs, I've been attempting to grow my hair long, back to the length it was about 20+ years ago. Not an easy task, after having a very short cut for years. I just feel like it's not the real me with that short cut. I get lots of compliments on it, but in my mind I just have that doubt that it's really me. When I look at picture of myself, getting beyond seeing the size I am is difficult, but so is looking at myself as a whole ... it's just not me.
And of course the weight loss. I mentioned in a recent Factful Friday that I used to be athletic. Hard to believe, I know. I really miss that. Any sport I attempted (other than high jump - I'm vertically challenged) I could pretty much tackle with some success. It was a great feeling ... being active, and being slim. I never had to worry about where to buy my clothes, or if they'd have it in my size ... anything I tried on always fit.
Of course, the years have changed me and my life. I wouldn't trade it for the world, don't get me wrong. I love the life I have ... I just don't love me. The physical me. Things are very different now, and I realize I just don't have the time to be that active anymore. But looking back at how great I felt, even though I've always had self-esteem issues, I know I felt better physically. And looked way better. I need to get back to that old me. I know I'll never see 18 or 20 again (personally, I wouldn't want to go back to that age) but I can certainly get back to that physically fit "old me", even though I'm in my 40s now. It's doable! I'll be back to the "old me" soon!! Just a much older "old me"!! LOL

Thanks for reading,
Janet xo

Factful Friday

Well, I finally hit the right day! I'm on time for a change! So here's today's tidbits:

#1 I am an Avon Representative ... ok, yes, ding-dong, hello, go ahead and make the silly joke and laugh, I'll allow you that. I've been selling it on and off for 22 years, I have always used Avon's products, love them, so figure why not keep selling it, make a bit of money, get my stuff free. They're a great company ... amazing guarantee, very affordable products.

#2 I have a new love ... travel. I have always been somewhat of a homebody, but in recent years Terry and I have had the opportunity to travel to a few places "south, sunny and warm" and I loved it. Not too keen on the flying part, but I'm getting used to it.

#3 I am very old-fashioned. I always knew I wanted to be a wife and mother, and a stay-at-home mom at that. I did manage to be home most of my children's young lives, I worked part-time, but have always been here when they needed me. I have always felt that home is where I belonged, it just felt right.

#4 I hate doing laundry. I am always stuggling to keep up with it. Unfortunately I think that has rubbed off on my adult children, as they hate doing laundry, too.

#5 After many years of "not having the time", I have begun reading again. I always took the time to read magazines or the paper, but hadn't read a novel in years. One of my New Year's resolutions this year was to start reading on a regular basis again. I love it. So relaxing.

Thanks for reading!
Janet xo

Four Times and Counting ...

Well, I've sucked it up yet again and I'm going back to Weight Watchers. Yes, this will be my FOURTH time in a WW group. I've been an online member for awhile, and it's a great website, but I feel I need to be "accountable" to an actual PERSON every week, not a computer. Back to the accountability thing AGAIN. Why can't I be accountable to myself? Tried that ... I keep saying "I can do this by myself" but it's so easy to just say "ah, what the heck" and another day slips by ... which leads to a week, which leads to a month. I'm down 5 pounds since I've started this whole blogging thing ... yup a whole 5 POUNDS ... shout it out, FIVE WHOLE FRIGGIN POUNDS. Am I proud of that? I'm sure you've guessed NO. I guess I can look at it that I didn't gain that 5 pounds at least.

I'm in the process of a complete lifestyle change as I stated in a recent blog. I researched and found some amazing information on Fibromyalgia and weight loss that tie in amazingly together. So slowly I'm making these changes ... it's just not enough quite yet to see the scale moving downward, but I know it takes time.

This food thing is an addiction, I know that. And an awful habit that's INCREDIBLY hard to break. I grew up this way!! A friend has sent along some amazing links to me about "Overeaters Annoymous" (thanks John!) and the stories of people who speak of their situations in this site are so similar to my situation. Obsessed with food. Eating without even realizing what they've eaten or what they've put in their mouth. Junk food addicts. Triple-triple coffee addicts (glad I'm not one of those!) So many people out there with the same issue I have ... it's overwhelming when you realize the statistics. Admitting we have a problem and taking the steps to deal with it, the best way we know how, is all we can do to make steps in a positive direction and overcome this obsession with food.

So back again I go ... one of Weight Watcher's biggest supporters and one big reason why they've stayed in business over the years ...



Thanks for reading!

Janet x0

As Promised (continued) ...

(please read "As Promised" blog first ... this is a continuation!)
So over the next year and a half our friendship blossomed. My "relationship" with the "other guy" was very rocky, at times heartwrenching, but Terry was always there with a listening ear or a shoulder. He treated me better than "the other guy". He always bought me gifts, especially when "the other guy" wasn't being so nice ... but I was TOO DUMB to clue in and dump this "other guy" (I'm being very kind here ... I am a lady and my mama taught me not to call people nasty names). So from May 1986 to July 1987 I stayed in that "other relationship" and it finally ended when the "other guy" was going away to University and confessed that he couldn't be faithful in a long-distance relationship (I later found out he hadn't been faithful at all over the year+ we'd been together, but that's water under the bridge). However I on the other hand HAD been faithful, and boy, it had sure been hard, with hunky Terry right there by my side. Terry had dated other girls over that year+ but we always kept in touch.
The day after that "other relationship" ended I went out drinking with my gal pals to drown my sorrows (or to celebrate, actually). Terry found out that night via Sherry that my boyfriend and I had broken up, and he called me the very next day and asked me to dinner. He listened to all my woes, anger, frustration for those next few weeks, hanging out with me every night with the patience of Jobe. I finally smartened up and realized everything I always wanted was RIGHT in front of me. Then things got serious real quick. For my birthday in October he gave me a beautiful ring, called it a "promise" ring, and told me he wanted to marry me someday, whenever I was ready. How sweet is that??!! I thought it was too good to be true. But in December of that year I finally had an AHA moment. It was like cupid had smacked me in the back of the head with his bow and arrow and said, "girl, give your head a shake ... snag this hunk NOW". So I called Terry (it was very late, we had already been out for the evening and had said our goodbyes) and asked him if he was busy next November ... when he confusingly asked why, I asked him to marry me. Point blank. Of course he said YES!!! LOL
So our wedding was planned for November, 1988. I chose November as we were both in jobs that had typical "slower" times in the late fall (he was a builder of custom homes, I was a real estate secretary - yes I chose the full-time job over going to business college). So I knew a week off for our honeymoon wouldn't be a problem. We bought a little "fixer-upper" house in north Oshawa (ah, the Dirty 'Shwa, my hometown extraordinaire), married November 12th, 1988, and the rest is history. 2 beautiful children later (Brittany 1990 and T.J. 1991), a house-build of our own in 1994 relocating us to Newcastle, numerous pets, and of course some rocky times and struggles, we are still together 22 years later. And I just adore him ... I think even more! (if that's possible) We have both changed (matured actually) as we were a young bride and groom (21 and 22) but I can't imagine life without him. I just realized that next month it will be 24 years since we met on that blind date to the hospital ... WOW. What an amazing journey it has been ... wouldn't trade it for the world!
So yes, our 2 children are doubly-related (is that a word?) to Ron and Sherry's 2 children ... through my side and Terry's side. Kinda cool.
Oh, and the "other guy"? He lost out big time. Just wish I had spent that year+ with Terry instead of him. But it was all a learning experience. Hindsight ... you know. But I'm so grateful Terry was there all along and never gave up on what he believed in ... I guess it's called LOVE! LOL

Thanks for reading!
Janet xo

As Promised ...

I just LOVE telling this story. Any family members/friends who know the in-depth story of how Terry (my hunky hubby) and I met you might as well skip reading todays blog for fear of being bored to death or going blind from rolling your eyes. Hee hee ... for those of you who don't know the story, here it is!! (keep the "gagging yourself with your finger" to yourself, please)
My cousin, Sherry, was married to Terry's cousin, Ron (they are now divorced). Now I know this immediately conjures up thoughts of incest, but trust me, there's absolutely NO blood relation between Terry and I ... I want to make that clear right from the start.
My older sister and her then husband Tim hung around Sherry and Ron alot in the mid-eighties as they were very close in age. I was in my final year of high school, a completely wasteful year of Grade 13, undecided as to whether to go to business school or work full time. I had just begun a new "relationship" with a nice young man (or at least I thought he was nice) around May of that year (I believe, if memory serves me correctly, it was 1986). My sis, Ellen, kept talking about a male cousin of Ron's who had moved up to Ontario from Nova Scotia in March to work and was looking to meet people ... in particular, looking for a "lady friend". I agreed to meet him, I thought that he would be welcomed into my easy-going circle of friends with open arms. So my "boyfriend" at the time thought it a little unusual, but agreed it was a good idea for me to meet him, and the evening was planned by my sister and Ron. Coincidentally, Sherry had just given birth to their first child, and was in hospital with the baby in Toronto. So the plan was to ride up with Ron & my sis to visit Sherry and see the baby. Yes, a BLIND DATE to the MATERNITY WARD of a hospital was our first meeting.
So the day came, and I have to admit, the thought did cross my mind as to whether this fine young fellow, who had come all the way from the other side of Canada, would ultimately be the right one for me, even though I was in another "relationship". I decided to let fate take it's course and just relax and have a fun evening.
Well, he turned out to be a hunk. Ooo la la. Ellen and Ron made us ride in the back seat together so we had no choice but to strike up a conversation about anything and everything. I was so uncomfortable and nervous, I'm sure it showed. Our trip to the hospital went well, and I must say I was so impressed when he donned the scrubs to go in to see the baby.
Our evening continued back at my sis's apartment, where the 4 of us played one of those beer guzzling boards games, and I was losing horribly and decided to quit whilest I still had my dignity and my stomach contents were intact. From there we went to Ron & Sherry's, and Terry expressed interest in taking me out for a ride on Ron's motorbike (to this day he says it's because he wanted to feel his arms around me ... perv!!!)
So other than almost killing me on the bike when he popped a wheelie, the rest of the night went well ... he drove me home and we agreed to keep in touch. OMG he was sweet. But I knew I couldn't back out of the other relationship ... that just wasn't me.
(continued in a 2nd post ... see "As Promised continued" over to the left in the list of my blogs ... I'm too wordy and this website won't save anything bigger!! LOL)

Factful Friday ...

Oh, I'm a bad, bad blogger ... missed another Friday blog AGAIN. I do have a good excuse, I have been under the weather all week, and Friday was my worst day, spent most of the day on the couch with what seems to be the flu. Anyway, I cooked Easter dinner for 10 today and am feeling I'm on the mend, so here I am with my "late" Friday blog. I think I'll change the name to Random Day Facts ... much more suitable!
Here they are:

#1 I used to be very athletic ... ok, now you've picked yourself up off the floor, it's true. When I was younger (like ALOT younger, I'm talking age 8-17) I loved sports ... in the younger years I joined every sport I could, running was my favorite. Older years I played soccer and loved it.
And I think I was pretty good. But now? Can't even run to the phone without going into cardiac arrest. I could kick myself for getting so out of shape over the years.

#2 I was an aunt by the time I was 12. My oldest sister, who is almost 11 years older than I, married when I was 9 ... hence, me being an aunt by the age of 12. I am now a great aunt!

#3 I love writing poetry ... I used to write it regularly, but time doesn't allow for it much anymore. I have kept every poem I've ever written.

#4 I love being near water. (I'm talking bodies of water here) I find it incredibly peaceful. Terry and I hope to retire "on water" someday.

#5 It's obvious how much I love food ... but the food I probably dislike the most? ASPARAGUS. I was force-fed canned asparagus as a child, it's beyond mushy and gross. So now I can't even smell the stuff, I gag.

So that's about it for this week's random facts ... somewhat dull, I know ... my brain is still in sick mode, I guess!

I promise to tell the story of how my hubby and I met, in my next blog. I know I left you all hanging when I mentioned we met on a blind date to the maternity ward of a hospital. So the story will be revealed soon!!

Thanks for reading!
Janet xo

Having Faith

My blog today will probably garner up some pretty strong opinions, so feel free to give me all your feedback ... no offense will be taken.
While I was waiting for T.J. (my son) at the eye doctors recently, I picked up a very out-of-date Prevention magazine as one of the stories on the cover caught my eye ... it was about how 3 overweight women lost all their weight by turning to faith. Each one changed their life by opening their hearts and souls back up to God. It was actually a great read, and one that struck a chord for me ... here's why ...
I have really been feeling like something has been missing in my life lately ... big time. I'm in a very happy marriage (most of the time hee hee), I have 2 beautiful children whom I adore, a lovely home, pets I love, an amazing extended family on both mine and my husband's side. Tons of love, friends, joy, etc. etc. But it just feels like I still have a hole in my life.
I grew up in a religious family, my parents dragged me to church just about every Sunday, and at the time I hated it, but now I have amazing, fond memories of those years of Sunday School, Youth Group, choir, and friends I met there. I have always been a "believer" ... I have always prayed, always feeling that there IS someone listening and answering them. I grew away from the church in my later teens and even though my hunky hubby and I were married in that church I grew up attending, we have hardly been back inside it since. When we moved away, I had our children baptized in a church in the new town we moved to, and I also became a member of this church. We began to attend regularly but weird things started happening in this church over a minister retiring and a new one replacing him that no one liked. Long story short, things were happening that I just had a really hard time dealing emotionally with ... I found myself questionning "is this how God would want a place of worship to be?"
So I left the church. I have attended a few services at another local church, but do not attend regularly. I have always kept my faith, and brought my children up with the understanding of it, but have allowed them to make their own choices in their faith as they've gotten older.
Lately, I have felt that maybe this is what is needed to fill that hole in my life ... this is what's missing. I seem to be getting little signs or messages quite often ... I see bible passages that will really hit home ... or I come across an article like the one in that outdated Prevention magazine (it was from 2007!) I have discussed it with my hubby, and even though he has no interest in attending church with me, he fully supports my interest and thinks it's a great idea, if that's what I want to do.
So I have decided that I will begin another journey ... alongside my weight loss journey, I am on a journey of faith so to speak. I have some very close friends that I know will help me, who are very knowledgeable about the Bible and can no doubt steer me toward the passages that will boost my faith and help me on my journey. Now don't get all worried about me, I'm not about to become a "bible-thumper", I won't show up at your front door insisting that you join me on this journey. This is for me and me only. I believe that everyone has the right to their own faith and their own opinion of religion (or not), and I certainly won't try to force mine on you. Believe what you want to believe ... I'm just having some faith in something I think can help me.

Thanks for reading!
Janet xo

Factful Friday ...

Ok, I'm suffering from bad-blogger syndrome, I missed Factful Friday, today is Sunday ... hey, I'm only 2 days late!! So here's some new facts ...

#1 I'm terrified of ladders ... well, actually terrified of FALLING OFF ladders ... and I'm married to a carpenter, so there's ladders everywhere around here.

#2 I'm desperately trying to grow my hair ... I've kept it short for several years, as of recent I've left it a little longer, and now decided to let it keep growing ... I'm only 4 weeks into it ... many more to go, and it's frustrating me already! Hairbands have become a major fashion statement for me!! Eeek!!

#3 I am a huge fan of "oldies" music ... 50's, 60's and 70's music ... my laptop is crammed full of it!

#4 I can drive a standard ... ok, I know that's not too exciting, but alot of women I know can't!

#5 My husband and I met on a blind date to the maternity ward of a Toronto Hospital (NO, I WASN'T PREGNANT) ... our blind date is a story for another blog, another day! I promise!

I haven't been keeping my readers up-to-date on my weight-loss progress ... reason being, there's not too much new to report. As one of my blogs recently reported I'm stuck in a rut, but slowly working my way out of it. I have realized that I need to be accountable to someone other than myself. Of course my hunky hubby said "you can be accountable to me!" then we go out to eat. Doesn't work for me, honey!! So I'm seriously considering either joining a local weight-loss group or forming one of my own. So this week I will decide on that. I'll keep y'all posted!!

Thanks for reading!
Janet xo

Factful Fridays ...

Fridays always seem to be the most hectic day of the week in my house. Everything that hasn't been completed during the week is piled up waiting to be placed in the "done" pile. By the end of the week I'm extremely tired, brain-dead, and out of mind-blowing ideas for my blog. So I've decided to make Fridays "factful" (I know for a fact that's a word, I googled it to be sure LOL). I have a dear friend whom I got this idea from ... okay, I kinda "stole" this idea from (thanks Debbie!) Check out her blog! potluckdesigns.blogspot.com (she is an amazingly talented lady!)

So what Fridays will be is a blog in which I will share 5 things about myself ... "facts" that some of you may or may not know. Please feel free to share facts about yourself! I love hearing from my readers!

This week's five facts:

#1 I am terrified of snakes ... absolutely terrified
#2 I am a pianist, so to speak ... I have my Grade 8 RCM certification and am a registered piano teacher
#3 I am an insane animal lover ... completely insane ... my pets are my fur children
#4 My nickname is Tumblenut ... my father gave me this when I was a little girl
#5 I always wanted to be a hairstylist ... I love doing hair

Thanks for reading!
Janet xo

Getting past "the same 'ol, same 'ol ...

Since beginning my most recent weight-loss journey (of which this blog often refers to) I have just felt like I'm right back into the same old song and dance (geez, that line really ages me, doesn't it?!). I felt the joy and excitement of beginning another journey, that feeling like "this is it!! This time I'll do it!!" But unfortunately I've fallen back into the same rut, after losing some weight, life has gotten in the way, and I seem to have lost my steam ... my get-go ... my motivation ... my willpower. I have been having very difficult "bouts" of fibromyalgia over the last few weeks, and it's dragging me down ... but I swear, it WILL NOT keep me there. The weather is beautiful, I've been out walking, and my Wii Balance Board FINALLY came Monday! I'm so excited!

So knowing that feeling was back of being "stuck in a rut" again, I decided to go about doing some research. Not just about dieting. But about Fibromyalgia. Well, I hit the motherload. I found some amazing information about both, that ties in so closely, that I feel it's already beginning to work. I've literally had my 'AHA' moment.
For the last 15 years or so I've been eating "low fat". But I'm still fat. I'm not burning off the fat, I'm keeping it because the "low fat" products tend to contain more carbs, sugars, junk, whatever. I've been eating for years what I thought was "good" carbs ... low fat, high fibre. So I'm fat from eating low fat ... go figure. But what blew me away even more is what I learned this week from a webinar ... that fibromyalgia sufferers should avoid wheat. Basically, it's recommended that we eat a gluten-free diet. Wow ... didn't see that coming. And no milk. Of course I'm addicted to skim milk (low fat, yet again). Yogurt and cheese are to be eaten in moderation if tolerated. And soy ... didn't realize how much food contains some form of soy. It just blows your mind! And ... drum roll please ... the WORST food for dieters that keeps them fat, and the WORST food for fibromyalgia sufferers: artificial sweeteners. Aspartame. Diet pops. Poison city. Worst thing ever invented on the planet. Someone out there is getting richer by the second by making people incredibly sick. Our livers can't process the stuff, it's working so hard to rid our bodies of all the toxins from this crap that it can't work to burn fat. So all us diet pop drinkers continue to get fatter. And all those toxins make fibromyalgia symptoms worse ten-fold. And I can prove that ... the days I drink diet pop, my trigger points, especially in my arms, hurt like hell. And my hands are useless. Now I know why.
So I've been working diligently over the last few days ridding our house of all those sins ... of course it's going to be a gradual process, can't go cold turkey on this or my body will go into shock mode. And yes, I have discovered that eating a gluten-free diet will take some work, but I'm willing to put in the effort to feel better. Two weekends ago I had the worst crash and burn I've ever had, and I don't EVER want to feel like that again. And now I've had my AHA moment, I'm determined I'm getting past that "same 'ol, same 'ol.
Bye bye, rut ...

Thanks for reading,
Janet xo

Being Accountable

That's what it's all about. Being accountable for your actions, in no matter what you do. And I have come to the point of being accountable for my lack of willpower and bad girl days. No one stands before me with a knife at my throat forcing me to eat the way I do. I make that choice myself. Terry (my hunky hubby) doesn't cook all day and present me with gourmet food every night and baked goods to put Pillsbury to shame. I do all that myself. I can blame whatever I want ... stress, family get-togethers, holidays ... whatever is going on in my life ... but ULTIMATELY it's me that eats the bad way when I'm dealing with any of those situations. I've always joked with my family that we eat to celebrate EVERYTHING ... "oh, it's a full moon, let's have a feast!!" Everything in my family revolves around food ... someone gets married FOOD ... someone dies FOOD ... baby shower FOOD ... birthday FOOD ... Christmas TONS OF FOOD. I suspect just about everyone else's family on the planet is the same way. Why, as humans do all our celebrations revolve around food? Because food makes us happy. Food makes us feel comfortable. Hence "comfort food". And is most of that "comfort food" healthy for us?? Heck, no!!
So next time I'm at that birthday celebration (or actually Easter celebration, which is coming in 3 weeks), I need to remember that I have to be accountable for everything that I'm putting in my mouth. Yes, the table is laden with tasty treats, but saying "ah, what the heck" way, way too many times has gotten me to the point that I'm at in my life now ... struggling to lose all that weight that me, and only me, can be accountable for.

Thanks for reading!
Janet xo

Just Hand Me a Platter Full ... of Willpower, Please!

Willpower ... that which I seem to lack a great deal of. Or basically any at all. Yup. I'm a huge failure in the weight loss department because of my lack of WILLPOWER. It's not that I don't want to be thin ... I wake up thinking about it everyday ... I just lack the willpower to get there. I can count points, fat grams, calories, carbs, grams of fibre, etc. etc. in my sleep. Oh, I have days that I'm a VERY GOOD girl, but days that I'm VERY BAD girl. And the bad girl days seem to outweigh the good girl days. Hence, the weight I have reached in my middle age.

Wikipedia (yup, been there AGAIN, I'm the Wikipedia QUEEN) says "willpower" may refer to "Self-Control, the ability of a person to exert his/her will over the inhibitions of their body or self". Man, I have inhibitions coming out the wazoo. My will just can't exert anymore! My body and self have reached monumental proportions. *sigh*

However, now the weather has turned absolutely beautiful and the snow is almost melted, I've been back out walking every day. I have found some amazing new information that I will share in tomorrow's blog, that I'm so excited about!! It ties in with fibromyalgia and diet, and it sounds so easy that I might just have the will to power through this weight loss journey after all!

Thanks for reading,
Janet xo

Monday Mayhem and KD

Ahh, Mondays ... I spring out of bed trying to be so positive, knowing that Mondays have a stigma attached to them, and I am always determined to not let that bother me. But Mondays always turn into bizarre days. The phone rings non-stop. Weird things happen. My work seems piled up, more than normal. By 3:00 when I have to begin the supper thought process my work never seems to be done ... at least to my satisfaction. Monday afternoons always seem to fly by. Supper usually turns into hot dogs and Kraft Dinner with veggies. Luckily, that's one of my hubby's favorite meals. He's so easy to please!! Such a sweetie!! And yes, I know KD is one of the worst foods on the planet ... especially when trying to lose weight. But at least I use Becel and skim milk to mix it, so it improves the "healthiness" of it, ever so slightly. Just the white pasta part is nasty. Ohh, so nasty. Carb overload.

So it turns out that blogging just doesn't seem to fit very well into my "mayhemic" (is that a real word? doubt it) lifestyle. I love writing. I always have. I used to write poetry when I was younger, before I had my children. I would even cross-stitch this poetry and give it away as gifts. How creative is that??!! (gagging permitted) My hubby always asks me to write his business emails for him, partly because he can't type, but because I always seem to be able to come up with "just the right wording" for the point he wants to get across to a client. And he can't spell to save his life (sorry sweetie, I adore you, but you have to admit your spelling is atrocious!)
But life has thrown me a little curveball lately, and time has been stolen away from me, from the "creative" side of me. Stress has been taking over big time over the last few weeks, and unfortunately when the stress level peaks, so do my Fibromyalgia syptoms. I had a crash and burn this last weekend. Couldn't move by Saturday night. I had thrown a baby shower for my beautiful niece who is expecting in April, and with everything else going on, I hit burnout by Friday night. Saturday was a complete right-off. Sunday, I felt a little more human, but kept dozing off when I stood still or sat down. I won't bore you with all the other details of what's been going on here in Hodderland, and it's nothing serious, just a never-ending list of "to-do's" and "who needs Janet today". I sure hope that doesn't make me sound selfish ... but I know everyone has experienced that "overwhelmed" feeling, and I'm there. Right now. Mayhemsville. (another word I doubt is in the English language, but it's Monday, and I feel weird, so there ya go)
We are in the midst of a kitchen reno. My husband is a carpenter, a darn good one, and he is very particular. So I knew when this reno started that the end result would be a dream kitchen to die for. Well, the reno started in November, and is still on-going. We have reached the point of being ready for paint, just about ... yesterday, we stripped wallpaper. Ugly, 1996 floral design wallpaper. Boy, I was glad to see that go. Now to narrow down the colour choices. I love greens. Especially olive. And green is the colour of March. And spring. I love spring!
So to add to the mayhem, my kitchen is spread out ... all over the house. My brain is in disarray, and so is my house. But I know the end result will all be worth it. And experiencing Monday mayhem in my beautiful new kitchen will make it so much easier to face!! Not to mention cooking that easy meal of weinies, KD and veggies in my gorgeous new kitchen will make it seem like gourmet culinary cuisine!
Pictures to follow soon! (of the kitchen NOT the gourmet KD meal)

Hope everyone has a great week. Yes, I managed to skip weigh-in last week ... BAD BAD GIRL. But the weather is beautiful today and I'm determined to get outside for a walk. So hopefully there will be less of me to step onto the scale tomorrow!! (just gotta avoid the KD ... and walk away from the mayhem!)

Thanks for reading!
Janet xo

Insanity ... one step closer

I would like to say before I continue my rant that I am not intending to make light of insanity, nor insult anyone who may have a family member that is suffering from this. It is a serious illness and it certainly is not a laughing matter. However, in my blog today I am making fun of insanity, or at least it's symptoms, but only to poke fun at myself and hopefully to bring a chuckle or two to my readers and lighten their day. Here it goes ...
Being a mother of 2 teenagers (well, one will be 20 in 2 months, that blows me away), I have, at times, stuggled with managing worry, but most of all struggled with trying not to lose my mind. I'm sure my daughter thinks I've already lost it (yup, that's you Britt), and those silver/grey hairs that are popping up throughout my short brunette mane have been well earned as a mother. I've always believed that when a woman gives birth, it isn't the afterbirth that comes out of her body, it's part of her brain. I know that's got to be the case with me, because after giving birth twice in 16 months alot of people thought I had lost my mind. Lack of sleep for the first few months made me feel like I had, too! But I have 2 beautiful children to brag about and spoil ... just not much of my sanity left.
Now I'm over 40, it's so much harder to lose weight, but the worst thing is trying to remember stuff. I just feel like I can't keep a clear head most days, I don't know which direction to turn and what to do first. I feel like I'm going insane most days, totally losing my mind. Lists help somewhat, as long I as remember where I put them and remember to take them with me when I leave the house. I used to have a photographic memory but I think it went out with the Instamatic camera in 1988 (ironically, that was the year I was married ... coincidence? I think not)
I mostly worry about the state of my mind when I hang out with my mother or father. They are 79 and 80, and I'm convinced their minds are clearer than mine on a good day. I took my father to the doctors this morning, and he remembered where the elevator was in the building when we went to leave ... I, on the other hand, had forgotten (and sadly we had only been there 1/2 hour). My mother always says "oh, you just have too much to remember, too much on your plate that's why you can't remember things". She may be right ... but doesn't every woman who is a wife, mother, office manager or whatever her day job is? I'm not the only woman on this planet with a too-full plate. Maybe we're just all striving for perfection and driving ourselves crazy trying to get there. I always feel like I'm falling short of that "perfect" goal ... guess that's what keeps me going every day, driving myself to near insanity.
So now I've forgotten what the main point of my blog is today ... gone from the brain, completely. Anyway, weigh-in day has come and gone again this week, I'm one pound lighter. One pound closer to my goal, and one step closer to insanity. There you go. Guess that's my point today. I'm completely driving myself insane.


Thanks for reading!
Janet xo

Great Intentions ...

My blogging has gone by the wayside this last week, and I apologize. I have been consumed by the Olympics (Sidney Crosby you are THE MAN!) and an unusually busy week. Weigh-in day came and went on Tuesday, and I am only 1 pound lighter. Total weight loss in a month: 7 pounds. Certainly not what I was aiming for. I am walking every day, obsessing about every morsel I put in my mouth, whether it's good or bad. Worrying about points, fat grams, carbs ... UUGHH.
My chiropractor, whom I have been seeing regularly for 7 years for adjustments and acupuncture, suggested to me last week that I pick up the book "The South Beach Diet" and read it cover to cover and report back to him at my next appointment. Ah, now that was something I could do ... one of my New Year's Resolutions was to being reading again ... more time for me kinda thing. So Terry and I ventured to Chapters on Saturday and I submerged myself in the "Diet and Nutrition" section of this delightful store. There were books in this section of topics I had never heard of. One in particular that caught my attention and made me snicker was a book entitled "Skinny Bitch". Oh boy, I had to find out what that was all about! The authors, 2 self-proclaimed "Skinny Bitches" (their photos proved it) have written a diet book for those of us who want to be a Skinny Bitch and how to achieve this status. Hmmm ... yes, my goal is to be skinny, but I never want to be referred to as a bitch, thank you ... I want people to be happy for me that I've reached svelteness, not detest me for it. Pass on that one. I found The South Beach Diet book in soft cover, and proudly made my purchase, excited to go home and dive into it's depth of diet knowledge. Well, turns out the South Beach Diet is VERY similar to the G.I. Diet, which I've tried. I've come to the conclusion that every diet I've tried should be called the G.I. diet ... "G.I." for "Great Intentions" ... which I always have at the start of every new weight loss journey. Following the Glycemic Index is a great idea ... but ... I love my carbs. I always strive to eat "good" carbs ... always whole wheat or whole grain breads, pizza crust, cereals ... I just eat too much of it. I need to be more "carb conscious". I love fruits and veggies, and the first 2 weeks of this South Beach Diet restricts all fruits and almost all veggies (even carrots?!) ... and of course carbs in any form. I was so disappointed. This plan sounds to me like the first three letters in the word DIET ... I'd DIE on this plan.
So my "busy"ness this week involved a trip to my doctor for a blood pressure check up and general discussion. My regular family doctor is on leave so during his absense a woman doctor is filling in for him. I hadn't met her before, but she was very nice and a good listener. Of course our conversation turned to my weight eventually. I told her my sob story ... the tale of the typical "yo-yo dieter" ... she asked the usual "doctor" questions: do I smoke, drink, do I walk/exercise regularly ... so her solution to my dilemma? "Then stop dieting, Janet. Period. Keep on living your life, eat, walk, do what you're doing, just stop obsessing over dieting".
Well holy !*#! why didn't I think of that. It makes so much sense. Be carb conscious ... but still enjoy carbs on a regular basis. Eat, drink and be merry ... just eat a little better when drinking and being merry. But most importantly keep being active, and the weight will come off ... instead of being obsessed with it on a daily basis. All these years of "great intentions" that haven't had successful outcomes will be behind me. I can stop OBSESSING. Such a relief. And I don't have to suffer through 2 weeks of carb deprivation. As our grey Canadian winter turns to one of my favorite seasons, Spring, my walks can become longer and alot less colder! This is one method I haven't really "focused" on. Just being me. Then maybe those "great intentions" will end with "great results" after overcoming diet obsession. Whew! I never thought it could be this easy ...


Thanks for reading,
Janet xo

A Proud, Weepy Canadian!!

CANADA HAS GOLD!!! What an exciting weekend it has been. I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day full of love and happiness. Terry took Friday and today (Monday) off and has been working on our kitchen reno. It's been great to have him home. He surprised me on Saturday walking in the door with the most beautiful bouquet of flowers he has ever given me. He never ceases to amaze me with his thoughtfulness. Of course he made me cry tears of joy with the Valentine's card he gave me, he always has a way of picking just the right card in the store that he knows will make me cry!!! I just adore him. I'm such a lucky gal!

But this long weekend has been all about the Olympics. I had great intentions of getting all kinds of things done, but I have to admit, I have been glued to the big screen. Our athletes have been making us proud all weekend, and the absolute highlight was Alexandre Bilodeau capturing Canada's first Gold on home soil last night in the men's moguls. I had tears streaming down my face after holding my breath waiting to see if he held on to top spot. What an amazing young man. I'll need a box of tissues in my lap tonight watching him receive his medal ... especially if he takes his brother to the podium with him. What a bittersweet moment it will be. We are always so proud to be Canadian, but I think this weekend our patriotism has hit an all-time high. We BELIEVE!!!

Thanks for reading,

Janet xo

Just Dancin' ... Like a Turtle

Ahh, Monday ... I always try to be positive when I crawl out of bed on this the first day of the week. I must admit, if the sun isn't shining, it's pretty difficult. Luckily this morning the sun was beautiful, and after 3 straight days of beautiful blue sky and sunshine, the cold morning didn't seem quite as dreadful!
Well, I've been Wii-ing regularly, knocked Terry out (well, actually his Mii he named "Jimmy") twice over the weekend in Wii Boxing ... the bowling is a hoot, I'm struggling (well, actually my Wii "Cassie" is struggling) to beat Terry (Jimmy) and T.J. (Lane). Yesterday we were at Costco and picked up a Wii game called "Just Dance". I figured if I could dance off this weight, what could be more fun?! Well, let me tell you, many extra pounds and middle age has definitely affected my co-ordination and grace on the dance floor. I chose the "easy" setting songs to "warm up", and looked like an overweight Franklin trying to keep up with the dancer in the game. Look up "AWKWARD" in Wikipedia and there's my picture with my Wii control in my hand attemping sexy moves to Cindy Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun". Heck ... I'd settle for just being able to breathe and stay standing while trying to do this stuff, never mind having fun! So this game will take some time to get used to ... Terry said I should close the front curtains because the neighbours will think I'm having a stroke and call 911 ... such a KIND man!! (he of course won't even TRY the dancing) LOL I have yet to find a Wii Balance Board for my Wii Fit ... everyone has the travel bags, but no board for inside!!
So today was weigh-in day, too ... unfortunately, I stayed the same ... turtled, as we used to say at TOPS meetings. So I really need to get moving some more ... the eating's not too bad; I had a little indulgence on the weekend, but if I can just come out of my shell more often and 'Just Dance', maybe the scale will move downward next week! Wish me luck ... but please don't laugh if you drive by my house and can see me Wii-ing through the front window! Be kind!
Have a great week everyone!

Thanks for reading,
Janet xo

Big or small, it's never easy to lose them ...

I'm not talking pounds here ... although, yes, they aren't easy to lose either. I'm proof of that! I'm talking pets. I am a crazy, insane animal lover. I've had my house full of animals ranging from rats to guinea pigs, cats, dogs, angel fish ... no matter their size, colour or way of communicating, I've loved them all. So allow me to spill from my heart in today's blog ...

A couple of years ago a dear friend of mine gave me the nickname "The Zookeeper" as I had acquired 5 fur children: a dog, a cat, 2 rats and a guinea pig. Austen, Daizee-Mae, Spot, Delilah and Wendel were all my pride and joy, I loved each one equally. Austen (a yellow lab) passed away almost 2 years ago after battling cancer for almost 4 years ... with the help of a dear friend of mine who is a Holistic Therapist, I nursed her through the cancer using homemade diet and herbal remedies. I can't believe it's been 2 years since she left us. The day we held her as the vet put her to sleep was one of the weirdest and saddest days of my life. I miss her everyday, but now I have a delightful 1 1/2 yr. old yellow lab, Sierra, bouncing around the house who has mended my broken heart. Daizee-Mae, a beautiful, orange "tabby-like" feline with major cattitude is still with us, ruling the roost in her arrogant sort of way. She is almost 6. Wendel, a quiet little guinea pig, joined our family when I turned 40, as a birthday gift from close friends. He was my delight, listening to his squeals and coos and I held him. He only lived to be 2, he passed away after a short illness this past October. Again, I was heartbroken. Spot, our male rat, passed away unexpectedly while we were on vacation last summer. I never thought I'd ever be able to hold a rat ... their tails freaked me out as they remind me of a snake (the one animal I'll NEVER own, I'm terrified of them). But when Brittany brought Spot home, he was the cutest thing I'd ever seen, and quickly stole my heart. We soon acquired a little girlfriend for Spot ... Delilah joined him (in a separate cage, thankfully, or we would have had 25 rats!). Delilah developed a tumour last year (after Spot died) which grew to an unbelievable size ... she was a real fighter, many days I thought she was fading, but she would rally and keep going. Rats are friendly, affectionate and very responsive to their keepers. I had grown very attached to this little girl after Brittany left for University last fall. Unfortunately Delilah passed away yesterday morning, she was only 2 1/2, but had been so brave. Each critter we lose is never easy to say goodbye to ... they have each held a little piece of my heart, silly as it may sound. Each time we lose a pet, I figure the more I deal with "animal death" the easier it will become ... but it never does. We hold them in our hearts and memories, and even though we may "replace" them, they will always be special to us!
So now I'm down to 2. Feels kinda weird. Of course it's less work, but animals have kinda become my "hobby". The joy I feel at giving affection to them and taking care of them is more than I can describe. When I walk into a home without a pet, whether it's by the homeowner's choice or by necessity due to allergies, I feel a sense of saddness and emptiness in the house. Many people think I'm crazy, and I guess it's only something another crazy animal lover can relate to.
Will I get more? Probably not ... Terry doesn't share my love for animals ... he "tolerates" them because he knows how special it is to me. Amazing man for putting up with my critters. But I will keep my blog followers up-to-date should he change his mind and my "Zoo Keeper" status changes anytime soon!!

Thanks for reading,
Janet xo