Monday, August 25, 2008

Here are my stats for this morning:
Time: 30 minutes
Route: Treadmill
Average heart rate: Don't know, can't find my PS15
Maximum heat rate: Don't know, can't find my PS15
Calories burned: 208

I had to use a different HRM watch this morning because I can't find my other one. I need to stop today and get a tiny screwdriver so that I can change the batteries in my defunct one. My good one is hiding somewhere since coming back from vacation where I remember using it for one of our hikes. (No, Nina, I did not leave it in the bathroom at Bond Falls).

It felt good to get on the treadmill again. I watched Biggest Loser - my favorite season(3) and read the 7 Habits book. I can't wait for the new Biggest Loser season to start. I need to know that I am not on this journey alone.
In the "Habits" book, I am beginning the chapter on Habit 1 - Being proactive.

On the home front:
A few years back, this would have been the first day of school. Now we wait until after Labor Day. But still, it feels like the summer is officially over. It went by way too fast. At the beginning of the summer I had a list of things I wanted to accomplish. Most of them went by the wayside. But I did get stuff done. The girls and I have over 150 stockings waiting to be personalized and sent to their new homes. I streamlined my soap and candle making process. Worked out some bugs in both areas. Made a dent in organizing the work dungeon. Got a lot of Grandma time in. So all in all, it's been a pretty productive summer - still, it went too fast.

I have a lot to do today. I need to get a load of laundry done, and then I am meeting 2 friends for lunch. Despite the pile of other stuff that I need to do, this is a priority because last year it kept getting put off and then never happened.

After that I have to go in and do some more inventory at the school. Then I need to get some stockings done - September 1 is looming ever closer.

On the lowcarb front:
Today is the day I start get my tush back in gear regarding workouts.
As far as lowcarb plan goes, I am still finalizing a program that I can stick to. I picked up a free book at a garage sale the other day. "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People." I never paid much attention to this book because I thought it was about being a great CEO. Since it was free, I brought it home. I was wrong. It's basically about getting out of your own way - about the effectiveness of the Character Ethic vs. the Personality Ethic. The substance vs. the veneer. It's about authenticity. It's about our perspective on life and how it affects every aspect of our lives. It's about affecting change from the inside out. It's about being more than a whitewashed tomb. It's a very good book.

Word of the day:
Matthew 23:13-15
Jesus said to the Pharisees, , ‘Woe to you, blind guides, who say, “Whoever swears by the sanctuary is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gold of the sanctuary is bound by the oath.” You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the sanctuary that has made the gold sacred? And you say, “Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gift that is on the altar is bound by the oath.” How blind you are! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So whoever swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it; and whoever swears by the sanctuary, swears by it and by the one who dwells in it; and whoever swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by the one who is seated upon it.

Thoughts from the cornfield:
Symbolism over substance. With God, all is sacred - without Him - nothing is.
Let those who have ears hear.


God bless the troops!

On the lowcarb front:
I have fallen behind in my blogging. We are getting ready to leave for vacation, and I have been frantically trying to get some stockings made ahead so my elves have something to work on while I'm gone. As far as lowcarbing goes, my Glycemic Load plan is looking more like Atkins Ongoing Weight Loss, but that's okay - it gives me a bit of a safety net - especially since meal planning will be a bit out of my control for the next week or so. My plan is to do the best I can since this has to be a way of life and not a temporary fix.

Once we are back from vacation, I intend to kick this lowcarb thing into full throttle. The new Biggest Loser season starts in September and I am hoping to have company on the journey during that season.

On the home/business front:
As I mentioned above, I am trying to get some stockings done for the upcoming ad that we have coming out. I changed the home page on our website and I'm sure people will think we have absolutely lost it, but it would be nice if our stocking season were spread out a bit more. I felt bad at having to turn people away last year. I am so used to thinking a season ahead what with music planning for the church and craft shows, that I forget that most people are living in the current season - and 90 degree weather just doesn't scream "order your Christmas Stockings."

Once vacation is behind us, the summer will rush full speed ahead into fall. I can't wait to try out our new tent for our first craft show of the fall season. With retirement from the school ahead of me, I will have more time to concentrate on the craft show stock etc.

Word of the day:
Feast day of St. Declan
St. Declan First bishop of Ardmore in Ireland July 24 Was baptized by St. Colman, and preached the faith in that country a little before the arrival of St. Patrick, who confirmed the episcopal see of Ardmore, in a synod at Cashel in 448. Many miracles are ascribed to St. Declan, and he has ever been much honored in the viscounty of Dessee, anciently Nandesi.
Matthew 13:10-12
Jesus said to his disciples: To those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.

Thoughts from the cornfield:
Let those who have ears, hear.

God bless the troops!

Thursday, July 17, 2008

On the lowcarb front:
It is going to be a hot one again today. I knew that as soon as I woke up drenched in sweat. Immediately the voice of self-sabotage began. I need to give this voice a name. Let's see, how about Mary Ann. Mary Ann is what I was called as a child. That's what this voice is - it's the immature part of me that wants to have its own way all the time. It wants to skip the hard work and go straight to the reward. Mary Ann is not bad or evil - she is just immature and needy. So here is how the conversation went this morning.

Mary Ann: It's too hot to workout today. Let's wait until tomorrow.
Me: Nope, I didn't workout yesterday and I don't want that pattern to get started.
Mary Ann: But I don't feel like working out.
Me: It's not about what I feel like doing - it's about what I need to be doing. It isn't even the working out that I don't like - it's the getting started. Today I am going to do a video workout - Walk Away the Pounds with Leslie Sansone. It's not the toughest workout, but it really is too warm and humid to go out.

Here is where I quit arguing with Mary Ann. Here is where I have to be the big girl. I am off to the living room.
My stats for today:
Type: WATP video
Time: 30 minutes
Average heart rate: 112
Maximum heart rate: 127
Calories burned: 181
I’m up 1 from last Thursday
Wow, it's been a while since I did one of these videos. I used to zip through them like nothing. I felt like I was working a lot harder than my numbers would indicate. This might be a good strength training workout for now - I could really feel my muscles.

The other day I noticed that I was getting a lot of traffic from Jimmy Moore's blog. I headed over there to see what was what. He mentioned my blog on his list. I was thrilled and flattered. He is one of my lowcarb heroes. Thanks, Jimmy!!!

Update: Speaking of Jimmy, I just visited his blog. Please continue to keep his family in prayer regarding his brother Kevin. Now Jimmy's dad is scheduled for quintuple bypass surgery. Prayers comin' your way, Jimmy and Christine!

On the home/business front:
Kelli just emailed me this pic of Claire that was taken at their house on Sam's birthday. She is wearing the tissue paper from one of Sam's birthday gifts. (Altogether now - Awwwwwwwwww!!!!)










I just finished 2 stockings. I am running out of green yarn and have to re-stock. I am way behind for the day. Now I have to head off to the school to do a couple hours of inventory. I can't wait until that's done. I would go nuts if it wasn't for being able to listen to online radio while I work. I was tempted to blow it off for today, but I do have to get it finished before the students come back. It's not hard work - it's just dusty and it irritates my nose. I have a wedding rehearsal tonight and our weekly cantor rehearsal. We had to reschedule it because of high winds and hail last night. Then I head over to Anna's to pick up some labels and then home to make 2 more stockings and a batch of jar candles.

Word of the day:
Matthew 11:28-30
Jesus said, "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Thoughts from the cornfield:
Whenever I read or hear this passage, it brings to mind the lovely aria from Messiah - He Shall Feed His Flock. So many times in the Gospels Jesus invites us to rest in him. In fact, the whole of the new testament and Jesus' mission on earth could be summed up in the above passage. So why do we struggle? It all comes back to a need for faith and a willingness to "let go and let God."

God bless the troops!

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

On the lowcarb front:
Jamie(Cleochatra) wrote in her Lighter Side of Lowcarb blog about the honeymoon of lowcarbing. Of course that "diet honeymoon" isn't just limited to lowcarb, but the point is that unless we make a lifelong committment to whatever plan we choose, we are going to be continually frustrated in our efforts to get where we want to go.

One of the frequent criticisms of the Atkins lifestyle (and it really should be a lifestyle) is this.
"As soon as you go off it, you'll gain that weight right back." Duh! Can you name me one diet that works when you're not on it?

In today's Word of the day we hear about false prophets. The lowcarb community has a false prophet. Her name is Heidi Diaz and her creed is lowfat, lowcarb, very low calories. I think we've all seen the fruit of that particular prophet's teaching. False prophets succeed because they read people very well and they know how to manipulate them. Thank goodness Kimkins is now being exposed for what it is. And the fruits of Heidi Diaz's proselytizing? Loss of hair, weakness, heart palpitations, thyroid issues, and a whole host of other nasty side effects.

I was pleased to get on the scale this morning and see that the downward movement is continuing. I got on the treadmill at 9:30 and did an interval mix of cardio and weights.

Here are my stats for this morning:
Time: 30 minutes
Average heart rate: 120
Maximum heat rate: 159
Calories burned: 213
I am down 2 pounds from last Wednesday

Not eating at night is a very good thing. Last night's "stay out of the kitchen" project was a batch of Crisp Green Apple jar candles. Of course, I have to test a candle from each batch so the house smells yummy. It's not a tart green apple smell, but more of a sweet tangy scent.

Visited Jamie's blog at the Examiner this morning and found a great recipe for mozzarella sticks using crushed pork rinds. That's one I plan to try this week.

Do any of you do Mypoints? Here's an interesting email I received this morning - I went to the website to collect my 5 points. Here's what I found:

CalTrap is a safe and effective food additive that when sprinkled on your food effectively reduces the amount of calories your body absorbs. The CalTrap program includes a easy to use shaker, 30 on-the-go packets and a handy lifestyle planner.

Reduces caloric absorption of the food you eat
Will not change the taste or texture of the food
Doesn't have the unpleasant side effects associated with fat blockers
Uses an advanced patent pending technologyto deliver amazing results

CalTrap's active ingredient, the Konjac Root is a 100% natural fiber, long recognized for its amazing health benefits and known to be a safe and powerful diet food in its native Japan.The scientists at the American Weight Loss Institute have developed a patent pending method for encapsulating the fiber from the Konjac root to create the world's first clinically proven food sprinkle that actually reduces the calories in the food it is combined with.
Has virtually zero calories
Is an all-natural fiber that’s Generally Recognized As Safe by the FDA
Is known for its ability to reduce cholesterol & blood sugar levels
Because CalTrap is natural and does not work like common fat blockers, it has no harmful side effects and does not cause embarrassing secretions. In fact taking CalTrap is just like switching to a high fiber diet.

Comments anyone?

I visited Jimmy Moore's blog yesterday where he shared some sad news about his brother's declining health. Please, everyone, take a minute today to pray for Kevin and those who love him.

Word of the day:
Matthew 7:15-20
Jesus told the crowds, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits."

Reflections from the cornfield:
You know, we can probably all name some pretty famous false prophets. Hitler comes to mind imediately, along with Jim Jones and a few others. I once did a paper on Hitler and some of his tactics were pretty remarkable. He viewed himself as another Messiah. He once wanted to project his image on the side of a mountain, but his advisors talked him out of it saying that it was a bit over the top. For a false prophet to succeed, he or she must have an audience. Hitler's audience consisted of a depressed country looking for new hope. When people have lost hope, they are at their most vulnerable. Hitler did most of his proselytizing to an audience who was hungry and tired. Contrast this to Jesus, who fed the people to whom he preached. Hitler preached hate, Jesus preached love. Thorns and thistles vs. Grapes and figs - God gave us a choice when we were created. Choose wisely.




God bless the troops!

Tues. June 24, 2008

On the lowcarb front:
I got on the treadmill at 10:15 this morning - much later than I like to get my workout in. I have a hard time going to bed at a decent hour because I tend to be a night person - that's when my energy kicks in. I just did cardio while watching Biggest Loser. This should have been an outdoor day, but I was running late and I don't like to get out there once the sun is high in the sky.

Here are my stats for this morning:
Time: 30 minutes
Average heart rate: 117
Maximum heat rate: 132
Calories burned: 201
I am down 1 pound from last Tuesday.


I have been indulging in too many frankenfoods. The sugar free ice cream has to go - at least for now.


On the Flylady front:
I am finalizing my morning and evening routines. This week's zone is the Master bedroom. That's a bit of a challenge because I share the room with DH who has different standards for what constitutes neat. For this week I am just going to concentrate on my stuff and try to ignore the other.


Word of the day:

Luke 1:57-66
Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. But his mother said, "No; he is to be called John." They said to her, "None of your relatives has this name." Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And all of them were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. All who heard them pondered them and said, "What then will this child become?" For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.

Reflections from the Cornfield:
And of course the child of this passage is none other than John the Baptist. Today we celebrate the feast day of his birth. It is sometimes hard for us to remember that our children, though we give birth to them and raise them, do not really belong to us. They are only on loan so to speak. I think this passage makes that point very strongly. John, though born to Zechariah and Elizabeth, was sent by God for a greater mission than to simply be a descendant of his ancestors or a vehicle for carrying on the name of his father. God claimed him, and named him before his birth. Zechariah, upon recognizing this, was given back his speech. Immediately he began praising God. So too should we - because, yes, our children are a gift from God, but the gift is in the sharing of their lives, not in the ownership of their souls. They belong, not to us, but to the same God who claims us as his own. "What then will this child become?" That is what we should ask ourselves of the children put into our care.





God bless the troops!

Sun June 22, 2008

On the lowcarb front:
I'm down 2.6 for the week. Made up the lost ground from last week. I'm headed out for a walk/run. Will update later.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Just got back from my walk. Yes, it was a walk. I am so out of shape.
Got out on the road at 8:00 and walked for 30 minutes
Average heart rate: 123
Maximum heart rate: 132
Calories burned: 226

It was a beautiful walk. My route is on a country road and heads east to a deadend. I could see lots of deer tracks along the way. There is corn planted in those fields this year. Come fall, someone will be feasting on corn-fed venison. Every now and then I will meet a deer on the route. I could never imagine going back to city living. I have now lived more years in the country than I did in the city.

Went to an anniversary party yesterday. I missed dinner due to having to play for Mass at 4:30. Breathing a sigh of relief, I sat down, armed with my huge mug of diet A&W, to visit with relatives. There was a soft serve ice cream machine and a commercial popcorn popper. Dinner had been cleared away. Within a half an hour, the table was loaded down with desserts. I couldn't tell you what all was there because I put blinders on at that point.

Today we have the huge Moeggenborg/Moeggenberg reunion. All three of the main branches of the family will be there. I will again miss dinner due to Sunday Mass so I should be good to go for the day. I'll eat before I head out there and I shouldn't need to even go near the table.

Word of the day:

Matthew 10:26-33

Jesus said to the Twelve:“Fear no one. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul;r ather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.”

Reflections from the cornfield:

In the beginning,

the Word,

the world,

humanity

seeking to be God,

sin

God

becoming human,

Jesus,

descent into the . . .

ordinary,

ordinal,

numbered,

counted,

the sparrows,

the hairs on our heads,

the days of our lives.

(from The Tarantella Dancers - copyright 2000 - Mary A. Moeggenborg)

God bless the troops

Wed. June 18, 2008

On the lowcarb front:

The scale is up .6 pounds from last Wednesday.

Did treadmill intervals with weights this morning. This consists of 5 minutes of warm-up. 1 minute increased speed on treadmill, 2 minutes of weights, 1 minute running etc until the last 5 minute cool down.

Planned most of my menu for the day. Made oopsie rolls yesterday so I had an oopsie pizza this morning. I brushed 2 oopsies with tomato sauce, topped that with mozzarella and pepperoni. Not bad.

I saw a wonderful dessert on Cleochatra’s blog today - ooopsie layered with whipped cream and topped with blackberries. Too, too decadent.

I have a staff meeting followed by a cookout tomorrow, so, tonight I made an almond encrusted raspberry cheesecake - sugar free of course. I used Emerald Cocoa Roasted almonds. I can't wait to try this. I also made a beautiful salad with romaine, grape tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, and avocado. The pastor is grilling. I have no reason to stray off track tomorrow!

Word of the day:
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Jesus said, 'Beware of practising your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

'So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

'And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

'And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Reflections from the cornfield:
It is a fine line, 'twould seem, between being an example and being an exhibitionist. I think the distinction lies in the motivation of the heart. Is the motivation to do good for the sake of doing good? Or is the motivation doing good so as to be thought of as a good person? And what is the blessing of the recipient in either case?

Jesus continually reprimanded the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. He described them as "white washed tombs filled with rotting bones." Matt. 23:27-28 Yes, the Pharisees prayed a lot - publicly. They also heaped burdens on the poor while never lifting a finger to help them. Jesus could see into their hearts and for all their prayers and public piety, it seems that the objective was to be seen as holy men. They blinded themselves to the fact that what they did was not for the glorification of God, but to serve their standing in the eyes of man. (John 9:41)

This past week journalist Tim Russert passed away. Among the many remembrances of his life that were recounted, one stands out in my mind. Sean Hannity tells of a $10,000 donation that Mr. Russert made to Hannity's annual Freedom concerts. This, at Mr Russert's request, was never made public - until after his passing.

Authenticity - that's what it's all about. It's making sure that what's happening on the outside, is a true reflection of what's happening on the inside. "From the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks." Matt. 12:34 Take care of the inside and the outside will take care of itself.

In the OA community there is a favorite saying. "What others think of me is none of my business." Words to live by, those are.

God bless the troops

Monday - June 16, 2008

On the lowcarb front:
Now that school is out, I am hoping to really have time to focus on what I need to do. I got a 20 minute workout in this morning which is a good start. Summer is generally a little easier because I have more time to do the things I love. I am hoping for great things in the next couple of months, one of them being firmly planted in the lowcarb lifestyle before going back for my last 4 months of work at the school.

Yesterday we celebrated Father's Day by going down to Nina and Jamie's house for a cookout. Nina was worried that a storm would ruin the day. We did get a bit of a thunder dunder so we went inside and had a great time playing Guitar Hero and WII baseball. After the storm we went out for a bean bag toss game while Clayton searched for "bugs and creatures." I did pretty well food-wise. It wasn't hard because Nina and Jamie had burgers, steaks, and hot dogs. Later we walked up town for ice cream. (Always ice cream on Sunday in the summer.) I opted for sugar free frozen yogurt which may or may not have been sugar free, but really tasted good. I probably won't do that again because I have a hard time trusting people who don't get the difference between sugar free and fat free. There are actually people who think the terms are interchangeable.

But yesterday was a lot of fun as are family times together.

On the home front:
For some reason I was up exceedingly early today. It's the first day of summer vacation for me - maybe that's it. I had a funeral to do this morning. And I'm headed out to Sam's club to stock up on some stuff. A trip to Mt. Pleasant is never complete without a visit to JoAnn's and a drop-off to GoodWill.

I have a ton of work to do this week. Even though school is out, I have inventory to finish up in the media center.

The house is a wreck and I am hosting a Home & Garden party for Melisa. Time for crisis cleaning (which basically means stash and dash and lock the rooms until I can get time to deep clean.)

Word of the day:
Matthew 5:38-42
Jesus said to the crowds, "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you."

To paraphrase an old quote attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt - "no one can make you a victim without your permission."

On the face of it, this passage is talking about peace and forgiveness, but when I read it, I see it as something else. Have you ever had someone say to you when asking to borrow a pencil, "can I steal a pencil?" Now, of course this person is not really asking permission to steal. That would be a sort of oxymoron. What he or she is asking is, "may I borrow a pencil. I am of the opinion that words mean things and I often wonder if we are not losing the language. If one is stealing from you, does that not make you a victim of theft? However, if you give someone an item that is a totally different situation. How much more power does a person have who gives something rather than one from whom something is taken.

When I talk about power, I am referring, of course, to spiritual power. There is an old story in a book by Anthony De Mello. I am hazy on the details but it goes something like this. There is a man who has a precious stone. Another man covets that stone and begs the first man to give it to him. When the man hands it over, the second man enjoys the stone for a while but later returns it to the first man saying "I want what you have that allowed you to give me the stone."

I am re-telling the story very badly, but the gist of it is that the second man is asking for the freedom to give generously. He recognizes that there is power in not being held hostage to the possessions of this world.

The truth is, we really own nothing in this world. We are merely stewards. The man with many possessions is no richer than the man who has none. In fact, the man with many possessions can be very much poorer if he is held hostage to those possessions and if they distract him from his true place in the world. That is not to say that having possessions is bad. But we are called to be "poor in spirit." Being poor in spirit means that we recognize that when we stand before God, we, in truth, have nothing but the grace of God. A favorite priest of mine once said in a homily, "you take nothing with you when you leave this world except the love you shared along the way."

Words to live by, those are.
_______________________________
I'm off to work out - will update later . . .

Weigh-in - June 8, 2008

On the lowcarb front:
I am down 1.8 for the week. That is not a stellar loss, but - hey - a loss is a loss. Since I was supposed to be doing Induction, I had hoped for more. As I said yesterday, I found several errors in my implementation of Induction. I think for this week I am just going to limit carbs to under 30 and then begin Induction again next week when school is out. I will have more time to concentrate on what I am doing and more time to plan out Induction menus. I want to do things exactly as Dr. Atkins wrote them so that I will have a benchmark to work from. One thing that irks me to no end is when people take liberties with Atkins and then blame Atkins when they don't lose. I do not want to be one of those people.

One thing I will not do this week is throw the whole Atkins WOE out the window. I have felt way too good this week. And this is coming from someone who is in the throws of hot flashes and the weather has been hot and we do not have air conditioning in the house. I have been pretty even tempered even while phasing off of some of my meds. Some of the foods I will be using this week are not approved for induction and they need to be used up. DH dropped a package of Dixie Diner/Dobie muffins out of the freezer and I stuck them in the fridge because we were going out the door and we were late. I have to use those up this week. I also have some yogurt that needs to be used.

I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but I use a program called Diet Power. I love it. It keeps track of all kinds of things that I don't have time to put into spreadsheets. It also gives a projected progress line which keeps me motivated. I have tried lots of other programs, but I keep coming back to this because it is so user-friendly.

Today's menu:

Breakfast:
Mocha latte
Dixie diner/flaxmeal muffin
1 T. Smucker's natural peanut butter

Dinner:
Romaine and spinach salad
Omelette with cheese, sour cream, and salsa

Supper:
Not sure yet -

On the Flylady front:
I absolutely am chomping at bit the for school to be out. Clutter has been building since I got behind at Easter. The house is driving me nuts. The laundry room is torn up in anticipation of a new window being put in. That hasn't happened yet because of the whole well pipe leakage problem. Remember the cubby I had to clean out? Well that stuff had to go somewhere so at the moment I am suspending Flylady's zones in favor of getting rid of some of the junk I have accumulated. I found a whole box of floppy disks. Does anyone even use these anymore?

On the home front:
Today we celebrate our son Sam's birthday. He is 26 and the youngest of our four kids. Where on earth did the time go? It seems like just yesterday that I was 26. We will be celebrating at Sam and Kelli's house tonight - our family and Kelli's family. I love it when both sides of the family get together. Kelli's family is great and they love Sam. Warms the heart, it does. It's been a long year for Sam. He has been trying to build his business (he owns a collision shop and does auto body work) and he had a lot of zoning and legal hoops to jump through. On the one hand, I am glad that those hoops are there. Sam's business is on his property which is out in the country.

Farm folks have a vested interest in keeping country looking like country. Sam is a farm boy so he is heartily in favor of keeping the ever-shrinking rural areas in the hands of the family farmer. All the same, when you are young and trying to get started, it can be frustrating. Kelli's folks and all of us were at every zoning meeting cheering Sam on. My sense was that the zoning board and the planning commission were very much on board with what Sam wanted. However, as the head of the zoning board said, "it's never about the guy sitting here at the table. It's about keeping the language clear so that other's can't come in and put up a Walmart." Well, he didn't say Walmart, but you get the drift.

Now let me make one thing clear, I have no issues with Walmart. I am a capitalist. It does make me sad to see acres and acres of farmland transitioning from agriculture to urban growth, but Walmart is not the one forcing the family farmer out of business. It is other farmers - huge corporate operations that are contributing to the decline of the family farm, but I won't get into that particular rant today.

Farming used to be more than a way to earn a living. It was a lifestyle. There were trade-offs. The average farmer was not rich in the way that CEO's of large companies are, but there are other sources of wealth. There is no price you can put on the view out your kitchen window on a snowy winter morning, or the wonderful life that country kids have. I grew up in the city - a suburb of Detroit. Having that vantage point, I am extremely grateful that our kids had the opportunity to experience life as part of a farm family. I work in a school and I will tell you that I can spot a farm kid a mile away. They are just different. The work ethic is unique. I remember when Sam was on his high school wrestling team. He quit his job on a dairy farm to give his all to the team. Unfortunately he had a coach who didn't appreciate the sacrifice that Sam made. That coach could have taken Sam's strong work ethic and team loyalty and really used it to the team's advantage. But he didn't. Too bad for Sam and too bad for the team. Well, enough of that for now. I have to get ready for church and another Sunday hangin' out with the family. Does life get any better than that?

Later . . .

Thur. June 5 - Day 4 Atkins Induction

On the lowcarb front:

Here I am at day 4. I went a bit over last night. I was at 27 carbs for the day. I also have to admit that I had an ounce of peanuts. I know that peanuts are not allowed on induction and I had a weak moment, but I left it at one ounce and moved on. This is actually a victory for me. I have this "all-or-nothing" mentality when it comes to some things.

I reported yesterday that I was up a little on the scale. At my age the weight loss is a fringe benefit. Yes, I want to lose a lot of weight, but this time I also want to enjoy the journey. I have fought this battle for so long and for much of that time I put my life on hold. Anyone who has been where I am knows how that goes. "When I lose weight, I'm going to do such and such" or "I can't do that until I lose the weight." You know what? It's that kind of stinkin' thinkin' that allowed me to get to where I am now. No more! My focus is on today and today only. There is a song that Flylady (see www.Flylady.net) plays on her radio show and one line in it says, "the past is behind me, tomorrow can't find me 'till I live today." I have spent a lot of time living in the past and dreaming about the future while today slid on by. I think having grandkids has finally taught me that valuable lesson. Yes, plan for the future, remember the past, but don't try to live there. It doesn't work. When the grandkids are here, or when the family is together, I now savor those moments. Living today means that the yesterdays are remembered more fondly because it is here, today, that those memories are made.

Enough of my philosophical ramblings for now. I have a few challenges today that I need to get through so I am making myself accountable here.

The water weight (yes, that's what it was) is going. And going. And going. I actually got up in the night. I have also been drinking my water - another thing that I tend to not be very good about. I am down to one large mug (20 ounces) of coffee in the morning instead of one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Eventually I want to make it one regular sized mug of decaf in the morning. We'll see how that goes.

Todays menu:

Breakfast:
Mocha latte
Lowcarb cheesecake (my cheese allotment for the day)



Lunch:
Spinach and romain lettuce salad with ranch dressing and bacon bits.
Chicken salad on revoloopsie rolls

Snack:
Atkins Advantage bar

Dinner:
Not sure yet, probably an omelette

On the home front:
Below is what greeted me as I made my nocturnal trip to the loo. Yeeessssssssssssssssssss!!! The new toilet has now been installed! Yeaaaaaaaaa. I need to fix the wall behind it since the wall paper had been cut to fit the old one, but all in all, I am a happy camper!!! (Thank you, Kelli, for helping the guys. You went above and beyond the call of duty for a good daughter-in-law)

3:29 pm

I met this morning's challenge and emerged victorious. I am not going into the details here about why this morning's funeral was such giving me problems. Let's just say that I am having quite a time adjusting to age issues. It seems like I was in my 30's and 40's forever, not young, but not old either. Now I am at the threshold of being an old lady - well, an older lady and life seems to have tipped itself upside down. Not that life isn't good - it is, in fact, great, but I am slow to adjust to change and the changes happened a little faster than I realized. For instance, my baby turns 26 on Sunday. How did that happen? When did that happen? Yesterday we were hunting asparagus while waiting for the school bus and today he's married and running his own business. There should be a law about stuff sneaking up on you like that. And it isn't as if I wasn't paying attention. I was. People older and wiser than me warned me that life goes by quickly. But knowing that doesn't make anything go any slower. So I guess it goes back to my earlier observation - enjoy the present because if you dwell in the past or try to hurry the future, you miss out on today - which is really all we have in terms of time. No, it doesn't slow anything down, but it makes for much fonder remembrances.

Now on a lighter note - my pastor sent me this video. If you are a classical musician and you haven't seen this, it is hilarious. The language gets a little strong at the end so you might want to click off early if that kind of thing offends you.

Oh, and as long as I'm posting videos:
On the Kimkins front:
For those of you still being scammed by Heidi Diaz? This is Heidi - who on Jimmy Moore's podcast told him she weighed, oh, around 118 pounds. I am no fan of making fun of the overweight so that is not my purpose in posting this. This woman is defrauding people and encouraging them to put their health at risk. She really needs to be stopped. There is civil litigation going on right now in California.

Tuesday - June 3 - Atkins Induction Day 2

On the lowcarb front:

Go me! I made it through an entire day of Atkins induction. Don't know that I've EVER done that. Just before bedtime those little voices in my head (don't look at me like that, we all have them . . . . . right?) were picking and poking and trying to undo my good work for the day. But no, I stayed the course, made a cup of tea, and basked in my lowcarb righteousness. So do you think the scale rewarded me? Nope.

Here is my menu for the day - Same as yesterday. LOL!

Breakfast:
Coffee with 2 Tbsp. of cream
1/2 piece of lowcarb cheesecake

Lunch:
Ham and cheese sandwich on revoloopsie rolls
Romaine lettuce with 2 T. of ranch dressing and 2 TBS. bacon bits
1 T coconut oil

Snack:
Atkins advantage bar

Dinner:
Omelette with 2 eggs, 1 slice cheese, 1 T. salsa, 1 T. sour cream and 6 sliced olives
1 T. coconut oil