Day 31 - Still Sick

Day 31, the flu continues to keep me down.

January 31: Thankful that the up-chucking has ceased.

No Fun Being Sick

Day 30 - The flu hits, not in a good way.

Januray 30, 2012: Thankful to have enjoyed hubby's b-day before this hit!

Day 29 - Manners, Where are the Manners?

I think I need to point this out, but I be a lotta folks have already noticed it, when did table manners suddenly become passe? Hubby and I celebrated  his birthday today by going out for lupper, basically a very late lunch, or a very early supper. Works for us, no heavy foods to digest late at night, and usually we manage to avoid any long wait at our favorite restaurants.
One of the first things that I noticed is that not one baseball cap wearing male took a hat off to eat. Afraid the lights might be too bright?
Secondly, chewing with mouths wide open, and to add insult to injury, trying to speak at the same time.Ewwwwwwwww.
Thirdly, when did it become fashionable to place your head almost on top of  your plate to eat? I guess it take less energy getting the fork to your mouth, and I must admit there is  less chance of missing your mouth. But it reminds me of a pig slurping up slop in a trough.
I saw tables that still had napkins on them, instead of being placed in one's lap, and no one seemed to wait until the entire table was served before digging in.
I blame parents. The basics should be learned at home. I have heard of major corporations who actually have to send their newly hired personnel to etiquette classes as they have no idea what is appropriate while dining. And this has nothing to do with what fork to use.
I also blame fast food. When you no longer have to set a table, learning where the fork and knife should go, and where a napkin should be placed because everything you are going to eat comes nicely packaged and requires no accouterments, you never learn how you should act when eating out in public whether it be in a restaurant or at a business function. I think we should all play it forward and given the opportunity lead by example.
Manners, I do not want them to be a thing of the past. How awful would it be to be told as an adult that you are an embarassment to the company when you eat out? I am a proponent of teaching manners at an early age, start with please and thank-you, and when kids are ready, let them know what is acceptable and what is not, thus giving everyone eating in an open concept dining area a break!

January 29, 2012: I am happy to share my hubby's birthday today.

Day 28 - Anything for Beauty's Sake

When we recently remodeled our kitchen, we bought new mugs to coordinate with the decor and threw out the assortment of old mugs that had somehow multiplied over the years and were taking up valuable space in our cupboards. We had mugs with various logos on them, from jobs, from places visited on our travels and from various universities. All were nicked, chipped or stained and certainly did not go with the new paint scheme. So we bought new mugs. And they stink! They are way too big, making the coffee, or tea cool off way too soon. I miss the old mugs that kept my coffee warm. So why don't I go out and get other mugs, you ask. Simple. I like the way the new ones look with the current decor. Kind of like buying 4 inch high heels, that kill your feet and make your knees ache, but damn they look good. Yup, it's the same premise. Of course I have stopped wearing heels, and pointy toed shoes, so I guess I can learn to buy new mugs,that or I can learn to get used to drinking lukewarm coffee.

January 28, 2012:  Celebrating hubby's birthday weekend by going out to breakfast puts a smile on my face!

Day 27 - Just a Matter of Taste - Buds!

I am slowly accepting the fact that I now qualify for senior citizen discount days at the movies, and when taking surveys I have moved up to the next level when having to check off the age range. I even acknowledge that my knees do ache, and on occasion just bending down to put on my socks has been known to throw my back out. I wear tri-focals, I take Omega oil capsules and I have no idea what the natural color of my hair is. And like I said, I actually have come to terms with all of this as just part of growing older. And today, WHAM, I read this article on Yahoo, saying that my taste buds are going to diminish!  At a young age we have the ability to regenerate taste buds, but starting at age 40 that neat trick begins to abate. Dilemma! I am currently dieting, and am abstaining from the really tasty tidbits like eclairs, lemon meringue pie and hot fudge sundaes. This article makes me think that my taste buds will slowly just fade away, until one day everything tastes the same. I am thinking that I should really consider what I want to relish now, while the taste buds can still do their thing. Maybe I can reconsider this diet thing in about 10 years when everything is going to taste the same anyway. Food for thought, so to speak. And another thought just popped into my head, I better start buying and drinking all of the fine wines I always wanted to sample while I still have the good taste buds. 10 years is a very short time, hope it's enough to sip my way through the white wine aisle of my favorite packy.

January 27: I am happy that I can still appreciate the taste of a good Alfredo sauce! Tonight's supper, in moderation.


http://news.yahoo.com/aging-taste-buds-demand-more-flavorful-foods-155255542.html

Day 26 - Time to Kiss Christmas Good-Bye

We have had lovely, almost spring like weather this week, so in trying to speed up losing the embedded lard that stubbornly  encircles my mid-section, I continue with my daily walks. It is great getting out and feeling the sun on your face, invigorating. It also allows me time to really notice the neighborhood. And people, what I have been noticing is that it is more than a month past Christmas, and I see Christmas decorations still adorning doors, windows and even garages, and they no longer retain their initial vibrant green colors, oh no, they are more the nasty yellow brown of rotting greenery. In less than a month, we will be celebrating Valentine's Day, and one would hope that the vestiges of Christmas past will have been taken down. And for those who prefer the artificial kinds of greenery, please remove it and store it for next year. With decorating for the holidays occurring sooner each year, (I swear I saw Christmas decorations being placed on houses shortly after Halloween this year) I'm pretty sure you folks have gotten your money's worth. Time to call it a day and take the nasty Christmas wreath off of the highest peak of your house and while you are at it please, please yank those red ribbons off the doors, mailboxes and shrubbery. I support everyone's right to treat their property the way they want, but let's admit it people, dying greenery does not add to the curb appeal. Just sayin"...

January 26, 2012: Happy today to rid myself of the nasty little line of grey that appears on my part and has a tendency to give me the ever so nasty "skunk look".

Day 25 - Storm's A'Comin

Have you been reading about how this year the sun will be undergoing more solar storms than usual, thus creating more solar flares than ever before? And with all of this solar action taking place, strange things are expected to happen with electronics, networks and heavens knows what else. To be honest, I think I am already a victim of excess solar activity as today my car battery died, my wireless keyboard went kaput and my laptop went on the fritz. Scary how that solar thing works, huh? Of course, leaving the hatch of an SUV slightly ajar for 2 days may have contributed to the draining of a car battery, or so says the AAA guy who came and gave it a jump.  And the wireless keyboard didn't even work after I replaced the batteries and re-synced it. It did begin to come back to life when hubby re-inserted the batteries the correct way. My laptop which seemed to be totally dead, also came back to life when I noticed that it might work a bit better if  I plugged it in. But I am still attributing all of these things, 3 distinct instances of battery malfunction, to the solar storm influence, maybe not on the inanimate objects, maybe it has some influence on the electrical field surrounding humans...yea that's it, my electrical field does seem a bit out of whack. I've read that consumption of adult beverages will alleviate the effects...worth investigating.

January 25, 2012: AAA, there when you need them, makes me happy.

Day 24 - National Peanut Butter Day

In case you may have missed the big announcement, today is National Peanut Butter Day. And I think it definitely deserves its own day. My entire elementary education was fueled by peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. If I remember correctly, (and yes I almost need the Way-Back machine on this one) by the time we got to lunch, the jelly would have just about leached its way through the squishy soft Wonder bread, and the apple which was supposed to be on the bottom of the bag always managed to squish the very center of the bread so there was an enormous dent in the middle of the sandwich causing the jelly to ooze. But it was great anyway! Much better than warm bologna and mayo, and infinitely better than the warm fried egg with ketchup sandwich that Franny Carew ate every single day of fifth grade. Peanut butter sandwiches without the jelly even beats out a lousy plastic thermos filled with lukewarm runny Campbell's tomato soup that you had to drink from the thermos' top, which was a poor excuse for a cup. Yup, peanut butter and American Elementary Education go hand in hand, thus explaining the need for a national day of recognition.
I still like peanut butter on toast, and I am also partial to peanut butter cookies. I feel bad for kids who have a peanut allergy, as there is something synonymous with peanut butter and childhood. But make sure its Creamy, no fair trying to sneak in the crunchy crap and thus throwing off the synergy of the sandwich.

January 24, 2010: Today it was 54 degrees and sunny, snow vanishing overnight with the heavy rains, great day for a walk by the water. Life is good!

Day 23 - Wide Left

Yesterday the New England Patriots won the AFC title game and after almost 60 minutes of hard nosed football, the outcome was decided by a miffed field goal. The ball placement on the field was so favorable for the Ravens that everyone thought that with the completion of this field goal, the game was going to go into overtime. It was an easy kick. It was a guaranteed 3 points, it was supposed to tie the game. But it didn't. It went wide left, and the game ended, and the Patriots won the title.
Nothing is a given. In sports or in life. You think you know how things are going to work out, or how you expect them to work out, and BAM, life goes in the opposite direction.
I am a firm believer in living for the day, not the future. When I was young, I used to say to my mother, "I wish I was older" and she would say to me, "stop wishing your life away." I did not pay attention then, probably thinking that she did not know what she was talking about, but thinking back, I am amazed at how wise my mother was.
I think you grow as a person when life throws you a "wide left" moment, I know I have.


January 23, 2012: I am happy to have a hubby who vacuums!

Day 22 - MHK

I am a New England Patriots fan, and I am thrilled that today they won the AFC division and will be playing in the Super Bowl in 2 weeks. But today seeing Bob Kraft, the owner of the franchise, I was reminded that this is the NFL season that almost didn't happen. Bob Kraft was hugely instrumental in making the players union and the owners come to the table and eventually come to an agreement, and he did it all the while his wife of many years was dying of cancer. He flew back and forth, from the side of a dying wife to the negotiations with owners and players. This season, was the first as an owner,that his beloved Myra was not seated by his side in his owner's box. The team dedicated this season to her and you can see the patch MHK on all their uniforms. So I know there are folks out there that love their team as much as I am a fan of mine, but I am hoping that in the scheme of things, they admire Bob Kraft for everything he has done for the game of football and empathize with him as he relishes this winning season, but without his beloved Myra.

January 22, 2012: I am happy today that the Patriots will be playing in the Super Bowl!

Day 21 - A Cougar by any Other Name...

I recently read that a team in Utah is going to have to choose a new team nickname as the one chosen, "Cougars" just might be found offensive by middle-aged women. Are you kidding me?  Well if we are going to be oh so politically correct, shouldn't heavy weight people be offended by UCONN's team, the Huskies? That would make about as much sense.
I think this country has gone way too far in trying to appease every single solitary sect/semi sect/minuscule sect in this country. I say it is time for common sense to prevail. When a nickname for a sports team is equated to a slang name for middle aged women, common sense has left the building. The logo for the team was a magnificent animal, not some hot mama looking for a young buck. Wise up you folks in Utah, somehow I think a hot middle aged woman who is still attracting young virile men, isn't going to be too upset with being known as a cougar. By the way they opted for the team name, the Chargers - could be offensive to folks who owe way too much on their credit cards...just sayin'.

January 21, 2012: I am happy that with perseverance, my children continue to succeed.

Day 20 - Pickin' & Spittin'

When stuck in bumper to bumper traffic, you can clearly see what other drivers are doing, and I am here to say, people, it is not a pretty sight. I truly believe that folks sitting in their cars forget that unless they have gangster rated tinted windows, the rest of the world can see them. Picking one's nose in public is definitely frowned upon, and I haven't in my lifetime experienced too much of it except for 4th grade when Spider Worthington made it somewhat of an art form, he was the snottiest kid I ever met. But when stuck in traffic it is amazing how many folks just sit and pick. Why?  Why?  Why?
Another thing I have noticed, is that men have a tendency to roll down their windows and spit out (at great distances I might add) stuff that resembles oysters on the half shell. We see you, honestly, we can see you.

There should be a universal signal to let the nose pickers, and spit spewers know that what they are doing is socially unacceptable and just plain gross, a signal other than the one that is currently in use by irate drivers.
Maybe we all should have a small sign handy, and flash it when we spot a culprit.  All it really needs to say is I C U.

January 20, 2012: It snowed a bit last night, and because I had no job to go to, I did not have to go out and clear off my car, the bright sun did it for me, that makes me happy!

Day 19 - Stinky is as Stinky Does

This is a public service announcement for anyone who needs to go out in public, either to go to work, to go grocery shopping or to go visit with someone in the hospital, folks, please, please, please ease up on the cologne/perfume/after shave.
With the passing of the holiday gift giving season, comes the season known as: let me bathe, spritz, lotion and powder with my wonderful new gift set. I think all of these gift sets should come with user instructions, or somehow be packaged so they will only dispense a once a day spritz. And I think that all the stores that sell them should include an advisory as to how to use them. I was in my local pharmacy this morning and the woman standing in front of me in the check-out.... reeked!  I followed her scent up a very long aisle long  before I actually stood behind her. She acted as a human air freshener and not in a good way. I always think folks who do this must be trying to cloak an even worse smell. I wish someone would invent a "smell-o-meter" that would beep and alert the over perfumed (or under hygiened) long before they stepped one foot out of their homes, any inventors out there? Definitely needed this time of year.

January 19, 2012: I am thankful for my great sense of smell, especially when I am in a bakery.

Day 18 - Paula Deen, Shame on You

I listened to this morning's news, and it seems that the well- known Southern Chef, who has brought us such delicacies as deep fried cheesecake and burgers served on doughnuts in place of rolls, is now suffering from Type 2 Diabetes. Normally I would feel a bit sympathetic towards her, but I am a bit outraged instead. I guess the outrage comes from the fact that she knew about the diabetes 3 years ago, and she knew that her cooking style contributed to it, yet she continued to promote her way of cooking on her TV show as well as issuing new cookbooks. This morning she tried to explain everything away by saying, "Moderation, y'all, I propose everything in moderation." These days whether it be a chef or a politician, it seems to me that they all tend to  follow the path of Do as I say, not as I do. I think it is time for these kinds of folks to fade into the background. I am more than ready for an upheaval, and welcome aboard those who do as they say!

January 18, 2012: On a cold and windy January day, I am thankful that I have an exercise bike in my spare bedroom, a plus is that I can ride it while I watch TV.

Day 17 - Read the Label

Hubby and I continue with our dieting, I lost a few poundslast week, and hubby lost none so I am feeling a bit better now about him losing twice as much as I did on the first week.
We continue with our self directed program, which is simply eating more veggies, staying away from sugars, and exercising more. We didn't join anything, we are not eating special foods, and we do not have our meals delivered to us. Just eating the way we knew we should.
No Weight Watchers, no Jenny Craig, and no buying pre-made anything with the word Lite, diet or low fat. We have become avid readers of labels on all food products, and what we have noticed is the sneaky way companies promote calorie counts. In very large text they extol the fact that this product only has 140 calories, sounds great right? But when you look closer,the can/package actually is 2 servings, and it's really 280 calories, my favorite is a rice dish that my husband and I used to share every week, and at a glance it said it was only 180 calories a serving, and get this, the box that we were sharing, suggested serving size was for 6,(which comes to less that one half cup of cooked rice) so the reality was that we were actually over 400 calories!
So my advice to anyone trying to shed a few pounds, read the labels, paying special attention the serving size!

January 17, 2012:  I am happy that I am a few pounds lighter than last week!

Day 16, Wooden Shoe Like to Straighten My Closet?

More than anything my unemployment has given me time. For the first time in years, I do not feel rushed to get things done, and that's the truth. However, every time I look in the bottom of my closet, I see a mish mash of shoes that fills the entire floor, and they all need to be evaluated and sorted and some should definitely be tossed. I think this each time I open my closet. And now that I have the time, one would think that I would have the most pristine closet floor, alas it remains a mess. I have it penciled in to be cleaned "sometime soon", in the meantime my solution to this slight problem, simply close the doors and voila, project goes away. Something to be said for that old adage, Out of Sight, Out of MInd.

January 16, 2012: Realizing that you no longer need to be continually in "rush mode" is a wonderful thing.

Day 15 - Over and Ouch

 

I think this says it all!

January 15, 2012: I am thrilled that my Pats showed the nation what they can do! Prime Time!

Day 14 - Time to Unload?

I was in the basement today doing laundry and looking for a roll of paper towels (hubby likes to buy in bulk so the packs of paper goods are kept on a shelf in our basement, but that subject that could easily be another post) when I glanced down and saw some pretty pricey kitchen appliance type gadgets that have never been used. I am sure that they are on others' shelves of the lonely abandoned gadgets as well. Here are 6, both pricey and not that I own but could easily live without.

1.  Espresso machine - this is heavy as hell, has lots of parts, and an in-depth manual, never came out of the box, and yes it was a very thoughtful gift.
2. An electric wine bottle cooler - another very nice gift, but if you know me, I am not opposed to throwing in an ice cube or 2 to make my wine cool.
3. Kitchen-Aid counter mixer - This one I got myself, I was sucked into the "I really, really need this mode" by watching the Food Network. I use a really good lightweight hand mixer, the other one resides in the hall closet.
4. Melon Baller - not so pricey, and I thought it would let me create all sorts of fancy fruit desserts - should have known better than to get this as I do not make fancy fruity desserts.
5. Egg Slicer - this is a stainless steel gadget that guarantees the perfectly sliced hard boiled eggs. I think this was a "I need to buy something" purchase when I went to a housewares party.
6.  A giant stainless steel pepper mill which sits prominently on my counter and has not been used to grind anything for at least 2 years.

I know I should get rid of all of these things if they are not being used, but I always have that nagging feeling that the minute I unload these, I will need them, but I'm probably safe in getting rid of the Espresso machine as I have never pined for espresso in this lifetime.

January 14, 2012:  Content after eating a roasted turkey dinner.

Day 13, Reflecting on Age

Getting older, there really is nothing that you can do about it, but I am amazed sometimes when I catch a reflection of myself in a shop window, or any reflective surface. I always think to myself,  "who is that pudgy middle aged woman looking back at me?" I am working diligently on getting the pudginess under control, but the aging part seems to have a timeline all of its own. I am now beginning to make the same sounds that I remember my mother making when she tried to get up after sitting a bit too long, I used to think it was funny, not so much anymore. I have reached the age that to leave the house without a bit of make-up on  is too frightening for the world, not to mention hubby and grandchildren. I am at that age where certain parts jiggle, and not in a cute or lovable way. And I would like to personally thank Sir Isaac Newton for discovering gravity, as now I have something to blame for once perky body parts now being pulled so far downward, that soon they will be unrecognizable. And after saying all this, I like the age I am, and would have it no other way. (I could do without the chin hairs, but other than that.....)  

January 13, 2012: Happy to be working along side hubby today, getting his hobby organized.

Day 12 - Popcorn

As we continue with our calorie counting, we needed to find a "munch-able" that would not pack on the pounds. Specifically, we needed to find something that fills the bill while watching TV. We settled on microwave popcorn, one bag shared between the two of us. We are picky popcorn people. We bypass the flavored selections, as well as the artificial buttery kind, preferring to find the kind that would be similar to the taste we got when we used our old air popped popcorn popper. We tried all of the fancy, pricey kinds, and then discovered a Stop & Shop brand that is both tasty and cheap, a winning combination. It's a treat we enjoy, truthfully, I would enjoy pinot grigio more, but a treat is still a treat!

January 12, 2012: Freshly popped popcorn always making me smile!

Day 11 - Matinee Today

I went to a matinee today, and it seemed to me as if I were playing hooky from school, it was a very strange feeling going to the movies in the middle of a week. Not that I didn't enjoy it, I most certainly did, but it definitely felt different.
I think it is going to take a bit longer for me to realize, that for right now, I no longer have a daily commitment. I no longer need to set the alarm for 5:30 am. (something I am getting over very quickly)
I love reading, and right now I am just realizing that I can sit down and read and not feel guilty that I should be doing some chore. Now that is enjoyable.

January 11, 2012: Weekday movies are fun, I thoroughly enjoy them!

Day 10 - Looking Forward

Today we ventured into our favorite local discount store to find Liquid Plummer which they had advertised as being on sale, and to get bacon bits (a hubby fav) also on sale. While there we wandered up and down aisles, laughing at the "as seen on TV merchandise" which has been dumped here and is now selling for $5.99, with no shipping and handling.And just one aisle over was the leftover Christmas merchandise, seems to me that the buyers really over bought this year as there was still really good stuff left over. We picked up beautiful Christmas bags originally priced at $6.95, cut to the discounted price of $2.50, and today it was 50% off that. We got the really cute little bags, ideal for gift cards for 40 cents each, I do love a bargain. Next Christmas I need to remember that I have them, and of course where I put them, as I have been known to ever so carefully  put things away for safe keeping only to find them after the season. I have done this with presents and ornaments that we have bought on our travels throughout the year. Today, I put everything in the Christmas bin, now I just need to remember that I bought them, and not go crazy buying new ones for next Christmas Season!

January 10, 2012: Today was a fun day, bargain shopping with hubby.

Day 9 - Changes

After 2 and one half hours of sitting on the hardest chair known to man, I am now officially unemployed, as I have signed up to receive unemployment benefits. Besides the long wait, the experience was not bad. All of the personnel working in the career center were more than helpful and more than one wished the applicants good luck, especially if they had just filled out a job application for a company who is using the unemployment office for recruitment. Each day they publish and distribute a listing of available positions, and many people come in grab it and leave. Some sit and wait their turns to use the computers or speak to a career counselor. Many have no skills to re-enter the job market and are struggling to find the right seminar/training, some will definitely have a hard time with the change and I feel sorry for them. I feel sorry for myself, but life is about change and what we do with it. One never knows what is just around the bend.  It would have been a great people watching place if the chairs were a bit more comfortable. 

January 9, 2012: I am looking forward to this new year and the many changes that it will bring.

Day 8 - 1st Weigh-in

 Big weigh in today, and as predicted Hubby's loss was double mine, looks like the cookies will have to wait. I guess  I need to beef up the exercise.....Sigh!

And the above graphic hits way too close to home.

Januaty 8, 2012: The good news today is that I did indeed lose a few pounds, that makes me happy!

Day 7, Cookie-less this year

Every year around this time, we generally answer the door to find a Girl Scout or Brownie taking orders for everyone's favorite - Girl Scout cookies.  This year they are introducing a new lemony one that is covered in powdered sugar and sounds delish to me. However, this year there will be no cookies ordered for this house as we are ardently trying to unload the lard that has somehow found itself stuck to tummies and derrieres. So I am beginning to practice saying No. No thank-you, not this year. And I'm not falling for,"You know these cookies freeze very well and you can eat them when you are off of your diet". I bought into that once before and discovered that frozen thin mints are the bomb!
Tomorrow is D-day. We have been eating better, no booze, not even a glass of wine, and we have taken a brisk walk for 6 out of the 7 days. Maybe if miraculously I have lost more than my hubby, maybe just maybe it wouldn't be too bad to order the new Lemon cookies, just sayin'.

January 7, 2012: I am happy that the weather is absolutely gorgeous here today, perfect weather for taking a brisk walk with hubby.

C'MON - Answer the Phone - Day 6

I just read in this morning's paper that unemployment claims are down substantially, and that is  definitely good news for the economy. After trying to reach the unemployment offices of both the states of Massachusetts (where I was employed) and the unemployment offices of Rhode Island (where I live) for the past 5 days, I think I am beginning to understand why the numbers have gone down, NO ONE IS ANSWERING THE PHONES! I tried going on-line, thought it would be the most direct route, but because I live in one state and worked in another, the initial contact must be made by phone. And how about these hours? RI opens its phones at 8:30am and closes them at 2:25pm.Frustrating. Massachuestts' automated system makes you put in your social security number and year of birth and listen to endless information about how else they can be contacted, which in turn allows you to think that this process is almost over. WRONG. On 26 different occasions I put in my social security number, and entered my year of birth and listened to the pre-recorded alternatives, only to have the phone ring through to an automated message that says: "Due to an unexpected amount of calls to the system, please try later". Like I said, I am  skeptical about the unemployment numbers, I just think folks can't get through and are giving up.

January 6,2012: I am thankful that there is something called unemployment insurance, and will be more thankful when I get through to my local call center.

Day 5 - Chicken Soup

Here's a news flash - chicken fat is slippery, something I believe I have been aware of since I first tore the meat off of a roasted chicken way back when I was a young bride.
Last night we had a roasted chicken for dinner, so today I was going to make soup, first step is to take the roasted meat off of the chicken to get to the bones so I could make the broth.
Once that was done I needed to add salt to the broth and I did without first washing my hands. (which truthfully I did not think were that slick from pickin the chicken, but alas, they were, at least my right one was.) Just as I was about to sprinkle the salt onto the soup, BAM, the shaker slipped right out of my hand and landed firmly into the pot of soup. OOOOPS. To my amazement it landed upright, so I think to myself, if I can somehow get it our without tipping it, the chicken soup just might be still savable. I grabbed my ladle and with the greatest of care eased it under the salt shaker, making it lean to the right against the handle and then I gently scraped the side of the pan with the ladle until the shaker itself could be seen. With my left hand (chicken fat free, no fleas on me folks) I grabbed the shaker with a pot holder. The soup had turned the salt to a bit of a liquidy mess, but the shaker seemed to be quite full.  I have tasted the soup and am shocked to find it is not the least bit salty. I stil had to add pepper and curry powder as well, you can bet it was done with squeaky clean, fat free hands.

January 5, 2011: I am one happy gal to have a potful of non-salty chicken soup warming on the stove for supper.

Shiny Floors - Day Four

One of the bonuses about being unemployed is that you actually can get to things that you have continually put on the back burner - such as cleaning/waxing wood floors.
I found the paste wax I needed at Home Depot about 2 weeks ago, and was waiting for a burst of energy to actually begin the project. Today was the day. Removed all the furniture, rolled the rug, and did a quick wet mop first - and looking into the rinse water of the mop, I confirmed my suspicions, the floor definitely needed to be cleaned and waxed. Sometimes the color of the wood can just hide the dirt, and you think all that all you have to do is a quick vacuuming, and call it a day, I think I have been doing that for about a year now, maybe more.
I wax the floor on my hands and knees, which now requires the additional use of an old throw pillow wrapped in a towel to soften the hardness of the floor against my knees, and I think to myself, now that I am down here, how in the hell am I going to get up. Even with the use of a cushion, half way through my knees are killing me so I proceed to finish waxing the floor by lying on my belly while pushing myself backwards down the hall and around the dining area - truthfully not a pretty sight, but in doing so I manage to get the wax on the floor. Now, how to get up? I roll onto the rug in my front room where I can grab onto a chair and with great effort haul myself up. I wait for the wax to harden per the directions on the can, and the rest of the procedure is fairly easy as I do have an electric buffer which requires little effort from me.
I already am feeling the achiness in muscles that have been accustomed to simply being used to sit, stand, walk to the parking lot. I can guarantee that tomorrow my glutimus maximus muscles, my shoulder muscles and anything in between will be wondering what the hell went on. Don't need my 30 minute walk today!

January 4, 2012:  I am happy that I will not have to wash and wax wood floors for another year!

Day 3 - Fatty Squirrels

Today I have  been watching a very fat squirrel attempt to empty our cylindrical bird feeders to no avail. Generally I would feel sorry for the creature, but I feel that this guy and his associates the band of marauding squirrels that have invaded our back yard, have eaten quite enough of this household's bounty. They have dined on every tulip bulb that I have ever planted, and they have dug up seedlings in the quest for some peanut that they buried years before. For the time being our squirrel baffle and the general placement of the shepherd's hook that holds the feeders are defeating this year's invasion. However, when it snows and for the convenience of the homeowners,(i.e.hubby) the hooks are placed closer to the deck, I think that we will start contributing to even fatter squirrels in the backyard which should slow them down a bit, and maybe, just maybe making them a bit more tantalizing for aHawk that occasionally does the fly by.

January 3rd:  I am thrilled that there is still birdseed in the feeder, and suet on the hook so that I caught a look at a Downy woodpecker, a Flicker woodpecker and Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal.

January 2nd, Day 2

Today is a beautifully sunny, brisk day and it is mild for January in New England. We have had no snow so far this winter, quite a change from last year.
And in day two of limiting calories and increasing activity, we seem to be still on track. We went to the mall, mainly to exchange a gift, but  decided that while we were there we might as well get in some activity so we decided to take a walk around the Mall which by the way at 10:00 am on a Monday, seemed to be made up of  very single minded, determined walking senior citizens who seemingly have laid claim to the Mall, and let me tell you, if you are not walking at their specific pace, the looks you get are deadly, not to mention the sneering snorts. 
I'm thinking that there must be some sort of walking etiquette that has been established by this group that is not readily available to the rest of us. A man with a cane in any other environment would not look nearly as menacing. The food court must be the reward for finishing the race, as many seniors were there sipping coffee and playing cards.  
If by chance this winter takes a turn for the snowy, and we need a place to go for a daily walk, getting my hands on those rules for walking the mall will be essential. I am assuming window shopping is out of the question, not to mention casual conversation while you stroll. I'm betting that doing either guarantees an evil eye accompanied by a haughty harramph.

January 2, 2012:  Looking down at my wrist as I type this I marvel at the beautiful watch with the shiny black face that was a special gift for me from hubby this Christmas, very nice, very thankful.

January 1, 2012 Day One

As of today, I am officially among the millions of Americans now classified as unemployed. I am collateral damage of an acquisition; I worked in corporate offices in the Northeast, and the new corporate offices are located in the South, so my job, along with many others have been given to the folks in the South. 
I have known for sometime that this was going to take place.  That did not make accepting it any easier. But it did give me time to think, and I have come to the conclusion, that in order for me not to slip into some kind of funk, becoming one of those people who trash everyone associated with the takeover company, and generally falling into that category of people who see the glass as half full, every day I will write on this blog. 365 blogs, and although unpleasant things may take place in my life during the year, I will always aim to be positive, but will definitely end the blog with a positive statement.
For 2012, there will  be 365 posts, and each will end positively, and no cheating by saying, "I'm positive I hate Brussels Sprouts", or anything similar.
And to add to this self challenge, hubby and I have decided that this is the year to shed our 30 year build up of poundage that seems to have found its way around his middle and my arse. This could be challenging indeed! 
Here goes!

January 1, 2012 - I am happy that Tom Brady led my beloved Patriots to a victory over the Buffalo Bills today to become the #1 seed in the AFC East.

(Phew, only 364 more to go)