I'm Here, You're Here, Let's Party!!!

I am sitting in front of Chrome Gardens Body Art. I will be getting my tattoo shortly but not at the moment. In my excitement of getting new ink, I may have mentioned it once or twice, I got here almost an hour early!! So I figured I'd stay warm in my car and write this blog. Lol
Well our deck is done except that the step is too small. The man is going to come on Tuesday or Wednesday to put in a step that runs the length of the deck. It's very nice and very sturdy! I will have to get used to seeing it instead of the dumb slab of a stoop that was there before! It needs to be stained and sealed so guess what hubs and I are doing next Saturday. I wanted to stain it white to match the house trim but hubby told me that was nuts, so we will go find a color stain we BOTH like. The home owners association should be happy now. I will say now I want to go buy a bunch of planters and paint them pretty colors and line them up on the bottom step and get a big one for the corner of the deck. It's kind of cool walking right out of the door onto it. Big grins and forward steps!!
Again I must giggle at myself. I am so excited about today I can't stop smiling. Driving here, which takes about 1&1/2 hours flew by. Saw a car that had stickers on it all saying be prepared for you don't know about tomorrow. Made me think it did. No, we have no idea about tomorrow. We can plan and dream as we must do, as that's what carries us forward BUT we also need to enjoy each day to the max. Some days you really need to look hard to find anything good, but it can be as simple as coming home and your pet being happy to see you. I think sometimes we forget little things matter as much if sometimes more than big things. I was so worried about our cash flow but it's working out. I am getting things done and maybe will have to hold off on a new Coach purse but I have 4 of them and really don't need another! Want yes, need no. Haha I swear I can spend but I don't do silly stuff I buy things that will last and I like finding things for others. Since I did not win that huge lottery I suppose I should start looking at the value side of the menu again. ;-)
I'm doing good eating wise although I only went to the gym 2x this week. Plus side my knee is getting better. I still have to be careful about putting pressure on it but I am walking better. Scale only moved by a pound this week but that's okay it's still a pound LOST!
Well it's almost time to go back in and finally do this thing. I may actually have her place it on my leg so I can see it instead of my back where I originally was thinking. I will talk to her about it. You see if I can do this in one session then the session I booked in April I can have her ink the cherry blossoms along the outside of my leg. Oh so many pretty things and I asked my friend to think of another piece for me. I hope I'm not taking advantage of him but he is dry talented and he knows me well and knows what I like. So it makes sense to me but again he's busy and I don't want to impose. Wish I could draw but ask anyone who is playing Draw Something with me....even my stick figures suck! LOL
So until next time as always, ciao for now

I've Got Wood

     Yea and it's long and hard, and about 19 feet!! It's for my deck sillys, they delivered it today.  About 6 tonight hubs texts me "We have lumber in the yard, what are we doing for dinner?" LOL I txted back "They brought it and grilled chicken salads, hehe"   We are texting fools right?  Yea not so much, hahaha
I am excited and hoping the weekend is nice so I can enjoy it on Sunday.
     Speaking of the weekend, Saturday is new ink day. I have a 5PM appointment to get my fairy that my good friend drew for me. I will post a pic of it in my Sunday round up blog. LOVE getting inked!! :-D
     Right now it's quiet here at the homefront, we are actually in the bedroom watching repeats of The Big Bang Theory, you know I've ben watching this show for several years and I just realized the opening song is sunf by The Bare Naked Ladies, can't get anything past me boy! Yea give me 4 or 5 years and I'm right on it!!  LOL   It's cozy though, even the kitty is sleeping curled up next to me. As you can tell it's been a slow day and I really have no rants, ideas or crazy stories although I'm hoping to hear some from my friend (hint hint) they know who they are  hahahahaahaha  Im so nosy, I can't help it hehehe  I enjoy hearing that people had a blast. I will always tell you if you want to know, just ask me something and i'll tell you. I promise I will.  Well peeps I am sure I will have more in a few days so I will say Ciao For Now

So it's Wednesday

     All I can say is okay the middle of the week is coming to a close soon, Thankfully I dont think tonight will be as eventfull as it was here last night. He is okay and was in today, which I was happy to see.
     I have to say that America does nothing to help its weight problem, I swear. I went to get a bottled water on the way home last night and a diet coke for hubby. I asked for a small and when the lady handed me a cup I was looking inside to see where the fried chicken was. It was a freakin' bucket! I repeated to her that I wanted a small and she said that was the small. Now of course I'm exagerating a bit with the bucket but it had to be at least 20 oz.  FOR A SMALL!! That's crazy. Now of course this was diet no sugar, but hell if it were regular with sugar, that's insane. You are drinking a piece of cake, and between us I'd rather eat the cake.  I am learning so much about food and what to have and what not to have and you know what, common sense rules again and you can have all of it in moderation. Sweets occasionally, carbs - make them the good kind, whole grains are better than processed. We all know this people but it's actually doing it thats the hard part. I originally said I would put things up always pertaining to my dieting but you know what?  That gets boring to you and me both!! We know I'm losing weight, I have lost 55 pounds, yes I'm happy, and I will lose more but the thing that some people don't realize when they are losing weight is that it doesn't change your life in the way that many hope for.  Your problems don't automatically go away. The bills are still there, the work issues are still there, you are just dealing with them in a smaller body. LOL I try to live life as if my dreams will all come true, the odds are not, but you never know one or two may. If even one comes to fruition thats worth it!!  I don't know, I sometimes want to just sit and write down all these little saying and thoughts that go through my head but then I think who cares?? I suppose someone does and hell it would be a cool thing to read when my time to go comes. Can you imagine my funeral with all these people (hoping LOL) listening to my words of wisdom (I'm using that word wisdome very loosely) I'm sorry I would miss it!! It would be hillarious, I wish I could get my friend to bartend and/or DJ  so everyone can have a blast!! Okay I'm really odd I know but you are reading the words of a woman who once bought a pair of red shoes because they were ugly. They were lace ups and I thought NO ONE will buy those so I did. They were wonderful, comfy and lasted years and years!! I always did that, even when I was a little kid.  Imagine if you can a short, yes even shorter than now, chubby curly haired little girl ringing your doorbell and then hands you a bunch of flowers. Only later do you realize she picked them from you own garden. Or a kid whose Mom had to go, red faced, door to door to at least 8 homes to get back the things her daughter (hello!!) gave away to her friends because they liked them, including things such as a toaster and a blender! I also remember telling a neighbor that a man was my cousin so she would give him money to shovel the snow off her sidewalk, I had no idea who he was but he said he was hungry and would work for money so I helped him :-D   You are probably shaking your head thinking what a strange child and you would be right, I was always drawing fairies and stars and wrote poetry, still do write but now I have my friends draw fairies for me that I turn into a tattoo - SATURDAY BABY!!!!   That was a good segue wasn't it? hehehehe   Sorry for the boring chikdhood remembering but what I was saying is that you are you and weight is not changing your world as much as some people hope it will. Not for me anyway, I wont be different, I will always be me.....you have been warned ;-P    So Ciao For Now Peeps

These Are The Best Of Times/These Are The Worst Of Times

     If Charles Dickens will forgive me for using his line, but this sums up the day perfectly. It was, all in all a good day, but it had some odd twists. I feel fine, yet a part of me is meloncholy for whatever reason. I think it has to do with my current money sitch. I never feel concerned about my finances but for some reason this is weighing heavy on my mind. I will get over it as soon as April ends and I know there will be no more huge checks to be written [knock wood]!! So I am smacking my own face and snapping out of this as it's pointless to dwell on what can't be changed. Rather work towards a better goal!! Yea, that's right. carry on!!! LOL
     So guess what ??? I wore a dress today, yep thats right, me. One to prove that I have legs to the folks here and also the weather got cooler and this is my gray dress with the large cowl neck and I don't think I will have may chances to wear this anymore. I wore it once end of February and thisis the 2nd time and it's already ever looser on my than before a good thing reallt :-D   I will say the tights I'm wearing this time are far more utilitarian than the ones I wore last time but those got ripped so I have another pair on. They are too long though and I keep having to pull them up  hahaha I like dresses and oooh I just found out that one of the ladies here at work is a seamstress and I asked her if she would make me some fun frocks and she said yes!!!   OOOOH I can't wait  oops  emergency I'll be right back
     Okay I am back. One of my reps came to tell me that he wasn't feeling well. Turns out it was bad enough for me to have to call an ambulance. Yep so I kept him calm while they came and off they took him to the hospital. I just hope he is fine. What I was saying seems trivial now. Funny how something will happen and put it all in perspective. Here I am worrying about things that need to be done and we are doing them and all will be fine so I am reminded it can be worse. I really hope he just needed to eat something {he said he didnt eat much that day} I'll let you all know.  So look peeps as I am home and just trying to relax so I can actually get to sleep at a good hour as I am heading to the gym in the morning, I will say good night. I know this was a short blog but the others have been long so her's the repreve! hehehe So Ciao For Now

Back To Normal (Who the hell we kidding!?)

     Oh Monday, start of the work week and a normal week for me. No days off and no thngs going on really. Well except for the deck I am sure you are all tired of hearing about. It's going to happen and now he said he will throw in some short railings on the edges if we want for free , COOL!!!  We Want! LOL  I sent a long email to the lady who handles the home association in regards to what we are doing and told jher it's getting down and to back off. It's getting done but it will take a few weekends. With the rain this past weekend we lost 2 days of outside work and I will not be around Saturday. Why you ask? Well thank you - I will getting my new tattoo!! Whoot Whoot doing the happy bunny dance of joy!!
     Sunday I would like to go to my in-laws as they want me to teach them my meatball recipe and my pasta sauce recipe,  Now I call that gravy, my mom did as did my Nona, her mother and so on. All my Italian friends from NY (Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island) and a few from PA also call it that. Now I am told we are wrong as its a sauce not gravy. BUT!! By definition a gravy is a sauce that meat cooks in. See I do fry my meatballs and sausage but then they go in my gravy for the last 4 hours of simmering so yes it is indeed a proper gravy!! So there PBBBT!  I will accept the term red gravy or as my Nona used to say Sunday gravy as we always had macaroni on Sundays. If there is no meat in it then it's a Marinara sauce. Ah no matter what you call it, it's yummy. Oh and I did say the last 4 hours as my gravy cooks for about 8 or 9 hours, all day making the house smell unbelievably delicious!! I make a lot of it too, as its silly to make a small amount - it's an all day process, so I just freeze it for later use. Okay I am officially getting hungry now HAHAHA What's good is by making your own, you know what's in it, and I add very little salt and no sugar at all. It's thick and rich and full of meat flavor. You want some now don't ya?  You bet you do!!! ;-D
     I was going through my closet yesterday and that dress that I bought, the new gray one is already too big on me! I may have it taken in next season as I really like it or I may donate it, I'm not sure.  I need clothes but I have so many summer frocks for work and I just need to lose a little more to get in them. I will too!!
     I am also making a grain pie for Easter, it's a tradition and I really like tradition. To me there is something comforting about drawing on the past. I feel your past, your heritage strengthens your present and pushes you towards your future. All that froma pie Mary? LOL No but what's behind the pie, yes! My Nona taught me how to make this, my mom didn't so Nona did it and then I did it. I love stories of how things were for my relatives back then and I adore pictures!! I love all pictures, just ask my friends. I collect them like another person would collect stamps or something. I am sure I go overbaord with it. I know that's so hard to believe about me :-D hehehe
     I am getting ready to leave here so I will bid you all a good night, so Ciao For Now.       

Okay Friday Until Sunday

    So we rented the truck and went there to get it early AM. Had a bite of breaky first then off to U-Haul. Get the truck home and then off to get a new shed for the yard. So after we bring the pieces for this behemouth of a shed back into the yard, we are ready to move the motorcycle up the ramp and into the truck, easy peezy right?  NOPE!!  First off the bike weighs 600 pounds and it doesn't run. Hubs has hasn't ridden it in over a year as he says"The people on the road to his job are nuts" So he attempts to get it into position by the ramp. Yea that doesn't happen! So we push this bike and then try to get it up the ramp! Yea I repeat that ain't happenin'!! I then suggest maybe we should try to charge the battery and he can then ride the bike up the ramp. So we charge it for awhile. In the meantime doing small things in the yard and by now the sun is peaking and its 83 degrees out. We are both sweating and the bike is not taking the charge.  I am trying to help push this damn thing but I just don't have the strength. I mean I am pushing it but not good at trying to get this up the ramp.  So hubs calls his brother to come help. Brother is not able to leave right then but will in a little while.  I put on my thinking cap and ask why can't we switch out the truck, which we have used for what we wanted already, and get a pick up with a motorcycle hitch. Hubs says call and find out if that's possible, and I do and they have one, so off we go and do the exchange.  So we get back and hubby tries to back the trailer into the driveway. Now if you have ever seen Top Gear when they went camping and James May backed the camper into a post at a gas station you would be thinking of this right now. I had to bite my tongue not to laugh he has worked so hard up till now. Finally he drove the trailer straight and we just pushed the bike up to the trailer. I lower the back gate and then push the bike while hubs in on it onto the trailer.  Then he gets the tie down straps (will have to use those for other things at some point - wink wink  LMAO ) and secures the bike. God it was so easy, why we didn't think of it before?Oh well hindsight is 20-20. Hubs bought four tie down straps but used only two, bike is standing and secure (maybe). So off we go ..ALL DONE! Yippee, whoohoo, alright!!  So I'm follwing the truck and off we go. First turn out of our block and BAM the bike falls onto it's side  HOLY SHIT!!!  So off we pull onto the shoulder of the road and out come the other 2 ties. Hubs is looking at the bike and I see the fender is broken where it hit. Poor man, I know he is thinking he should have used all 4 straps right away. So I say criss cross them which we do and that bike is not going anywhere it is tied down tight!!  (yea baby, I'm good at tying things up lol) So we finally get to his brothers house and put the bike in garage. So then we get back and I had a message from the contractor and great news we are getting our deck built on Wednesday. I am so happy about that!  So  it was a very busy Friday and was nice because we got a visit in with the in-laws.
         So I forgot to say when I went to get my hair done, first thing the girl says to me is wow you have lost weight! I loved hearing that, she hadn't seen me since January. So Saturday we were going to do more yardwork but the skies opened up and we got rain, all day. So we just relaxed, it was nice, we went window shopping online looking at stuff for the house. I liked that hubs was thinking of it too. Only thing that scares me a little is that we have this huge deck expense, then next month we have the taxes , two 4 digit checks inside of a month are going to put a hurting on the bank account but we have to and I am very grateful that we have it and lots of others don't so we are doing okay! Yes I would like to keep our savings in the bank but thats what they are for right? 
      So Saturday night we went to the ABC store, in VA that is the state of VA Alcoholic Beverage Control, see ABC - easy as 123!! lmao We got some whipped cream vodka and I got diet orange soda and together it tastes just like a dreamcicle or creamcicle like from when I was a kid.  They were ice cream bars that were vanilla ice cream with orange sherbert around them.  The drinks were good!! I had 4 and was drunk.  It was a funny night I will say that. Lots of good laughs. So here we are at Sunday, still raining. Hubby and I went grocery shopping and then had breakfast. Now we are just relaxing. I am making a lovely dinner, with sole fish sauteed over diced tomatoes and potatoes , with italian herbs and a little white wine. You simmer the sauce then after you pan sear the fish you place it in the sauce and let it cook and its yummy. Then my night gets better as the TV show I really like called Mad Men starts tonight, I'm a silly simple girl that way  :-)
    Well there ya have it, the weekend round up. Of course there were thngs I'm not putting in as well I dont want this blog 7 pages long and i'm sure you dont either. So until next time  Ciao For Now

It Starts (with updates)

8:30AM

     Let the yard work begin!!! I will check in later peeps, this is gonna be fun!! That was sarcasm by the way lol

1:30PM

   Well it's 1:30PM and large items sorted out, getting very warm so we are taking a break, will go back later except i have a hair appointment at 6 tonight,  yes must look good while doing yard work. LOL  Nah I so need it done my hair is looking quite shaggy. Hubs said go ahead as it's hard getting an appointment as my girl is talented and popular.  Today is more hacking shrubs than anything else, it's not hard to get the big items in a pile to load into the truck tomorrow. Then off to in-laws to bring the motorcycle. 

     Well we are getting the deck built, it's going to cost but it must be done and I already see my pretty Adirondack chair on it and little table, and maybe a couple of planters filled with colorful blooms on either end of the deck. Well there ya have the early afternoon update :-D    catch ya later

     6:30PM

     So I went to the doctor and found that I have an infection that more than likely caused the lump on my leg that blissfully has gone down. I was surprised that I had a fever. It was 100.6, didn't feel feverish, oh well.  After I left i went and got my hair done.  BOY IS IT BLONDE!!! lol  Love it  hehehe

I lost 7 inches in my waist and a few in my arms, thighs and unfortunately bust  LOL  It totaled with 16 1/2" gone! WHOOT WHOOT!! Doctor was pleased , I love that his name is Doc Martin..hehehe

     9:30PM

   I had a drink so I'm feeling good :-D Soooo much to do in the next few days. Right now I am watching What A Girl Wants  with Colin Firth and he finds he has a daughter who lives in America and she goes to England and the scenes are making me want to be there more than ever.  A year will pass soon I know but it can't be soon enough.  Ah peeps I feel good. I have one friend off to be wth his gang o merry men for a wonderful weekend and my other friend is going to be with the love of her life in a few days and they are house hunting.I am getting a deck and my home in order is starting. I'm losing weight but i'm learning portions and that cake and sweets are not the enemy. It's over consumption of these delicious morsels, and I know they will be consumed from time to time and I am fine with it. I have chocolates right by my desk that do not temp me in the least. I won't have one and if it comes time and I feel like I do want one I will and enjoy it!    Oh in the movie they are by some water and there are stalls all over selling things like an outside bazaar, looks awesome and a bunch of guys skateboarding in some park.   Oh man wherever they are looks beautiful, okay okay I'll stop talking about England LOL  Oh but he just asked her why is she trying so hard to fit in when she's born to stand out.  How great is that??!  Okay I will really stop now {silly grin on my face}  I feel like spinning Im happy. I'm a goofy gal for sure!   So look I will be back soon, ciao for now.

WHY Do I Always Do This?!

     It's an age old question and I don't know if I'm just seeing it as more than what it is. I talk to folks and then I tease in a non speaking manner like a IM or txt what have you then they respond and I say something that in my head that sounds witty but after I hit send it sounds horid. Then I call to explain and its even lamer than before then I dont speak to the person so I send emails until I even annoy myself!! WTF Mary?? I know the person is busy doing what they do in life. Like live it!! They way they did years before they knew of me and will do for years and years from now as well.  I know this because I do the same - but there is this gremlin inside that occasionally pushes out and acts a fool! I PISS MYSELF OFF SO MUCH!!! I guess it stems from always wanting to be understood because lots of times over the years this was not the case. Lots of things were assumed about me and I had to say things over and over so people could understand so I suppose I could chalk it up to this , but how to get others to understand.  I will just let it go and know in my heart that I am secure in my relationships :-)
     Well the good news is that Spring is here and the weather is still holding up its end of the deal. Its now almost 6:30PM and its 72 degrees outside. There was some rain overnight (remeber the lightning I saw) but although the morning looked like there would be more nothing came of it and its been great all day.
     Work was better today and getting lots done as I have only one more day left then its a whirlwind of yardwork and clearing out debris. I rented a U-Haul moving truck so we can bring all this trash to the dump as well as bring Hub's motorcycle to his brother's house.
     Well I have to go to the doctors tomorrow as well to have him look at my leg. The last few days there is a lump on the side of my shine on the side by my owl tattoo. It was really red the other day and hot so I have been taking aspirin but this lump is quite odd and I want to get it looked at. Its not really visable but you can feel it and its hard! I am sure it has something to do with the dryness of the skin on my foot but really, I mean come on. I didn't have these issue 55 pounds heavier. Why is it I lose weight to get more fit and I get these issues now and not before.  A lady at my gym to whom I was speaking this mornign told mw that my body is changing so things that may not have come up before are coming up now.  That's not possible is it?  Oh well , as long as it levels out by the time I'm done. It is worth it.  I will write tomorrow night about my Equinox working. Not enough time right now. So until next time peeps I wish you all a good night and Ciao For Now  :-)

Ta Ta Monday

     What a day it was. I hit the ground running at work. We have two new employees and my manager and I were helping them get acquainted with their computers and programs. One other supervisor was out so it was just us and it was quite busy. I didn't even get to take my break which is really no biggie as it calms down later in the evening so it evens out.  I quite enjoy it being busy as the day flies by.  

     Well one big thing I will say is that the weather has been un-freakin-believable!!!! The entire past week the sun has been shining and temps so warm that you would think tomorrow is the first day of Summer and not Spring! Tonight though I saw lightning. At first I wasn't sure but then I saw another flash of light so either it was lightning or the airport was sending out signals! LOL Although I have not seen any rain, so I will assume it was more like heat lightning. 

As I said Spring is tomorrow and so that means that I will head to Whole Foods and buy some tulips for my desk. I like them for Spring. My favorite flower is a white rose but tulips and lilies come close seconds. A good friend of mine has a half sleeve full of these gorgeous flowers, I adore it and it's so well done.  Ah, how can you not love flowers? I wish I could grow them in my yard, but there is not nearly enough sun.

     Okay total non sequiter but I wore my first ever pair of boy shorts. They are panties that are cut strait across, not high on the side like many girl panties. They were okay and my tummy roll is now even with my body when I sit instead of spilling over, in the last few weeks I really have noticed this difference. I felt a little saucy wearing them but in truth they were no more comfortable and possibly a bit less so than my normal panties.  I do have some thongs that I used to wear and I will again very soon, now THOSE I feel very saucy in. Okay I'm a total nutter so here is a pic of my boy shorts.  I am sitting down and i am starting to get a lap, first time in years!!  HAHAHA

      OMG I am soooooo pale. LOL  I know yes, there are lips all over them, hey they were on sale marked down from Valentine's  only $3.00 each pair!  Hey they cover all I need them too so I'm not worried, so what ya think?  Just as long as you don't say "OH MY EYES MY EYES" hehehehe

     So I will be posting more tomorrow about Spring.  I am doing a ritual tomorrow night and it should be lovely. I made a pentacle out of femo clay and it goes on my alter. Candles are bought and I have  my oils at the ready.  I have lots to be thankful for, lots to work towards and many to keep in my thoughts. Love & light always of course as I don't do dark workings, as I do not care to have ill workings come back 3 fold to me. More on all this tomorrow night.  So until then i will say Ciao for Now.

Sunday Quiet Sunday

      I hate the PC terms, she's a big girl, she's full figured. Isn't everyone full figured, I see no half figured people walking around. So I am okay with the word fat!  I will always be fat, I don't like skinny. I am working to get to a size 14 and at 5 feet tall you know what a size 14 is?  Yep; it's fat! At least by this society it is. It wasn't always, time was years ago curves on women were embraced and appreciated. I am not sure when it changed. I know my entire lifetime it's been this way. So although I am okay with my body, I admit I still get a bit self conscious when I walk past a group of women who look they way society says we should. Wonderfully this is happening less and less.

     Last night we had corned beef and cabbage as it was St. Patricks day and then I had a odd drink. I bought a bottle of marshmallow vodka and had a taste - woof it was sweet!!! So I cut it with diet Sprite and it was like drinking a glass of cotton candy!! It was definitely too sweet for me. I will have to find some recipes to make with this vodka. Anyone know any that won't rot your teeth with each sip? Let me know please!!?? LOL
         Today is just a slug day as it's becoming more evident as the hours pass that nothing much is getting done.   It's almost 2PM and I am still not dressed. I am showered and ready to go out but for some reason it's just not happening. hehehe  I just need to get some kitty litter so I can do the cat box. Plus I want to go get my car washed then I will vacuum it. Bit cool for top down today but I can bet there will be folks with them down. Today is laundry day for sure. So as the mundane is now calling me I will sign off. I may be back, who knows, so until next time Ciao For Now

     I'm back and well what do you know it was still good top down driving weather, so I took full advantage of this.  I love the convertible.  I am thinking maybe after I get back from England next year I may get a new car. Possibly a new Mini Cooper they ARE cute. I was turned onto them by a friend and the more I look at it the more I am falling for it. So i am sure there will be pics of one following in the near future as I can be somewhat obsessive! NO REALLY??? hehehe It will be a convertible I do believe or if not at least a sun roof, wait do Mini's have sunroofs? I am not sure, must check and see! 
     Oh i gave myself a lovely facial tonight peeps and my skin feels great, I also am covered in pure coconut oil to soften my skin. My feet had that weird thing going on for awhile but I do believe I have it back under control again and they are not so dry and cracked. So its a pedicure next weekend to get the toes looking pretty. Hopefully if I'm a good girl the powers that be will allow me to wear sandals this summer. It's been 3 years since I really could wear them and I adore sandals. Since it looks like I will be back into my old summer dresses...YAY  That's my goal for May. To wear these dresses with sandals!!  I hope I hope, Mother please...I wish it thrice!!  I have cut all my nails down, afetr years of getting them done i am giving them a rest and keeping them shorter and allowing them to grow healthy again so I can just use the gel polish on them. I have all the stuff to do it now I just need healthy nails. Although my nails are fine they are thinner since they used to have all the acrylic gell put on them and then the dremel used on them, poor babies are paper thin at the ends. So here's to planning ahead.  Night night Peeps  Ciao

St. Patty's Day and other reasons to drink beer

     Okay lets be real, do you know the reason we celebrate this Saint who born to a wealthy family in Britain and now is synonymous with corned beef & cabbage. They say he drove the snakes out of Ireland, and well after a little research one will find that the snakes were actually Druids.  So where my half Irish side wants to celebrate my pagan heart can find no joy in the fact that a group of people were persecuted and scorned. So yes I will have a pint and yes even some corned beef but I won't be celebrating St. Patrick. Although I love the name, I will instead be celebrating history and family and the stirrings of the earth. I make a awesome corned beef ;-)

I made a card making fun of this  day and i will share it. I made this card about 7 years ago so its pretty basic but amusing: 

     Cutting this short tonight peeps as I am feeling out of sorts, and i think some much needed rest is in order. I was at the gym early today and the day was busy so I am pooped.  I will be back maybe even as early as the morning. So Ciao For Now

England

     I want to be there now!! No secret that I am in love with the country. I have been told I should feel that way about Ireland not England but oddly I don't. I of course want to go there as well but it does not have the pull that England has for me. I have had 2 seperate fortune tellers, mediums, whatever you want to call them tell me I was from there in former lives. I can believe that because I feel it deep in my gut. My love affair started early and continued until now. It seems that my dreams will be coming true next year and I can't wait. One friend of mine told me he was worried that I won't come back. LOL I had an English nanny of sorts, my Mom's friend on my street used to watch me after school and used to tell me stories of England and London, and her Mom would show me beautiful pictures of countrysides and towns that were fabulous!
     I don't know, sometimes I feel a bit like a traitor to my own country. I love America and I would never stop being a citizen of her but she can be embarrasing at times. We tend to forget we are new in comparrison to othwer places and somehow we have risen to this ungodly power source that helps everyone but her own people.  I am a simple gal and I read things that just don't make sense to me. I mean we give all this aid to other countries for their children and the ecomomy and yet our own children and economy have the same issues.  Don't believe it? Look along th Appalachian mountains ranges and you will find families who can't read, and who still use an outside toilet because they have no modern convieniances like electricity!!! I say that tongue in cheeck because it's hard to think in this "land of plenty" that this is possible. We have economic debt, school troubles, the list goes one and on. I am all for helping others I really am but take care of us too.  Maybe I do not know enough about politics, let me rephrase that..I know nothing of politics really but basic knowledge and it seems that we are falling behind other countries. I sometimes equate us to a braniac teenager or young adult.  We are brilliant but cocky and that casues issues. Now granted the beautiful thing about America is that I can say all this and not worry about being put in prison for doing so.
     Getting back to my original thoughts here......ENGLAND!!!! I want to experience you. I am lucky to know folks from there who I think will show me the parts that I want to see, I mean I want to see everything (LOL) but I want to go where tourists don't go! To the heart of the place , the everyday places. I'm sure this will happen. I mean aside from having their steering wheels on the wrong side of the car it's going to be a gas!!!! I plan on having one empty suitcase so I can buy some clothes.
     Okay let's call this blog the over excited, day dreaming about your trip, want to imerse yourself in culture blog.  I feel like a little kid when I think of this, you know the eyes wide mouth open starring at everything kind of feeling. I also know that by the end of my stay i will be speaking with a slight accent!! Did that in Massachusetts too it was funny. My friend and I started to sound like one of the Kennedys. hahaha
     Well I really have nothing else on my mind and I will not bore you with day to day details more than many of my blogs do so until next one..Ciao For Now

As promised I'm back :-)

     So yay I got to speak to the birthday girl and she is so sweet. I asked her if she knew who I was and she said no. When I told her, she got all excited! Mind you I never have met these children in person but they already warm my heart big time!! She told me that she was going to a tea party and was having a really nice day. I so loved the tea party idea. If you don't know that I love tea, well I do!! Very much. I love tea parties and the "ceremony" of tea. How to make a proper pot by warming it first then making the brew, but I digress!!  We had a sweet chat and then hung up and I realized not once did I speak to her parents. OMG  how rude of me!! So I texted her dad but then I figured hell I'll just call back and speak to one of them. I called and I got the other sister and had a great chat with her also, and poor thing is losing her voice, but she was telling me all about the dress she will be wearing as a bridesmaid in her uncle's upcoming nuptuals. I don't think I stopped smiling one second during the story. I then spoke to Mom and she laughed when I told her why I was calling, we spoke a bit & then I had to get back to work and she had to go out as well. I got the birthday girl a charm for her Pandora bracelet. It's a little box all done up like a present, so I figured thats my present LOL The charm is actually a present, how literal! hahaha
     Well peeps I must say the weather today, and actually all this week is going to feel like perfection! Mid to high 70's and this afternoon I went out to my car during lunch and put the top down and just enjoyed the breeze! I did NOT want to come back in but alas I was born gorgeous not rich!  BWAHAHAHAHAHA   Yea right!! :-)
I love the days like this and you can smell Spring in the air, there's a freshness that is not there in the Winter.  I remember growing up this was the time of year that my Mom always started to hang the laundry outside again, mainly the sheets because they smelled so good when you took them off the line. They were warm from the sun and smelled so fresh. My dad used to put his face into the laundry basket and take a deep sniff, made me laugh to see him do it, which I suspect is partly why he did. Plus they DID smell great. My Mom never got a dryer becasue she loved it so much and man I remember multiple times her crying out because the line broke and all the laundry fell on the grass. She had her own weird 5 second rule with that too in regards to determine if she had to re-do the washing. LOL   Then there was that mad dash when it was sunny out then all of a sudden it started to pour rain. It was like battlestations!!! Mom would run to get the laundry in, Dad & I would take care of the closing of the screen windows so no rain would get in and then we would get the rags to wipe up the water from the rain that ALWAYS got in!!  Once I had washed a blouse for school and Mom said hang it outside. I said it was too cold I will hang it downstairs. She hung it out and then we both forgot about it. Next morning while we had breakfast we saw it hanging on the line and she went to get it. It was frozen solid!! The water in the blouse had frozen, stiff as a board it was and she looked at me and we both just burst out laughing.   Those are such great memories. I can still smell those fresh sheets in my mind.  :-D  I have got so many funny stories, well funny to me and I'm sure just as boring as that laundry ones were just now, but since you read this I hope you got a smile out of them too.
     We changed our clocks this past Sunday (daylight savings started) and even though it's still dark when I leave work, it's not dark dark. There are still streaks of light out to the west and you just know there will be more and more as the days progress.  OH OH OH  I have to tell you!! Last week there was a full moon and the day after, well that night after, I was driving home after work and I drove up a hill and when I reached the crest this huge and I mean huge moon appeared in the sky. Cars were actually slowing down, as did I, so we could look at it. It was truly magickal!! I wanted to take a picture of it but of course I was driving and that would have been bad! 
     Well all I am going to sign off now as I want to see if I can find any good shopping deals. The store I go to emailed me a special code only good for today for 30 to 60% off so I am obligated to go look - right?  hehehe   So as always I leave you with Ciao For Now

Whoop whoop

I get to call the birthday girl in a little while. Great way to start any day for sure. I'll be back later peeps so ciao for now. Just wanted to share and as meh as I was yesterday its all past. As the song goes its a new dawn it's a new day!!! :-)

Back to my Chipper self!!

It's about 11pm and hubs and I are calling it a night. I am in a much better mood. I don't like cranky so I chilled. Listened to music and had tea. Thought about all that is coming up and I started to become myself again! Sorry to maybe have sounded like a nutter so let's meet here for my next blog and ciao until then

While the World Spins

     I am not feeling warm and fuzzy tonight peeps. I can't explain it, but I sense a disturbance in the force.  I mean I feel off kilter and a bit rough. I think my main issue is that hubs just told me that the cluster association just put a warning on his motorcycle becasue the tags are expired. See hubs doesn't ride mych anymore due to health issues and I don't have a motorcycle license. I can ride it just not legally LOL  So I am like, hey it's on our property and how dare you come uop our driveway and do that, he said according to the covenant they can do that.  Fuck the covenant!!!! We pay them money every year for what??!! They do nothing, hell our neighbors wanted to paint their home and when the looked at the approved colors (oh yeah I said it!) they aren't even made anymore. Try updating your regulations people!!  This home owners association is new to me and I will never understand it or agree with it!! All they do is collect money and do nothing, maybe others work well but not ours! It pisses me off to no end and makes me want to move even more than I usually do! GRRRRRRRR!!!!!
     I'm sad that my gift wont get to my friend's daughter tomorrow for her birthday. She will have it by weeks end but I was hoping to be on time. Sigh, I hope she like it! I went to the gym this morning and I hurt like hell - STILL!!  I have a follow up Dr. appointment in the AM and my test resuls came back all normal, my heart is real good and that makes me very happy!!  Its the kind of day where I just want to finish up here at work, go home to hubby , have a cup of tea and go to sleep!! I have no fat rants or witty remarks, no insights or anything really interesting to say today. Although you all read my blogs when I find most of them to be quite banal!  I would like to arrange a little getaway with hubs but its hard for him to pin down any exact time now. I think the word that I'm feeling today is cranky  LMAO  I do get this way every now and again, not often but hey I'm human. I love interaction with friends when I'm like this and for some reason they get a kick out of it, sure laugh at my misery LOL    Meh, it's all good folks and I am sure I will have some stories soon. Feel free to share some with me about anything that may be relevant to any of my blogs.  I am going to go now so I will say as always ciao for now!

Weekend Wind Down Again

     Well this weekend was decent enough. Spent the day yesterday catching with an old friend. He and I knew each other years ago, and of course thanks to Facebook we re-connected. He's yet to accept my friend request  LOL but we had a nice chat. He was married years ago, has 2 children and is now divorced. He sent me a picture of himself, he looks pretty much the same, dark hair, dark eyes bit more rugged and more face hair then back in the day LOL  He said I look better than I used to, and I asked if he wore glasses. hahaha  We promised to keep in touch but I'm still waiting for that friends request to be accepted :-D   Other than that, lets see, I did the normal, shopping, cleaning and oh I did find the perfect gift for my friend for his birthday, he reads this blog and hehe  all I can say is I'm brilliant!!! Goofy but brilliant!! Then at night the hubs and I watched a movie and just enjoyed each others company.  

     Today I went to my in-laws to bake some irish soda bread. I love their kitchen and the bread turned out well I think..... it tasted yummy! LOL Made 6 loaves. Was nice to see them and the neighbor dog came to visit and they tried to get him on the treadmill and the poor pup wanted nothing to do with it. Such a sweet dog he is.

That's a pic of the bread I made: Please feel free to ask for the recipe if you want it, heck leave some comments I LOVE reading comments, imagine that?! wink wink

     I have a bit of a weird thing going on, the skin on my face near my mouth is really flaky and dry. I gave myself a facial and it helped but tonight I think a full fledged facial treatment is needed. I have a Neem mask to  help my pores and then I made a mask with pineapple juice and honey and a few other things. The pineapple juice is a natural astringent and helps with clogged pores and the honey moisturizes beautifully. Smells good enough to eat and I suppose you could if you wanted to. I have read so many beauty books, make-up book, natural skin care and love to make my own scrubs and masks. I make things and give them out to my friends and they seem to like them. I like that they are natural. I also just bought new make up brushes and some new lipstick. I'm a silly girl and there are times I do get "girly", like bubble baths and face care, make up and nails.  Now must tell you I love my nails but I don't freak if one breaks and I had 3 do just that this week. So I cut them all down so they can grow out strong. It's easier to type I will admit that. hahaahaha. 
     I will say it felt really good to hear my sister in law say to me that my clothes were all baggy, she was like at your clothes all hanging off you. I do need to get new jeans, and I will soon enough too! I am going to need lots of new clothes but I need to wait a little more. I was thinking on my home from the in-laws that being fat has made me who I am really. I mean when you are put down and embarrassed early in life but people you don't know you learn to assess things a little differently. You choose your words carefully, you learn not to treat the people you speak with the way you were treated. Over the years I developed who I am, I love people, I love talking to them but it was not always easy to get them to talk to me. Once in camp I won camper of the day and as such we got the huge chunk of ice that used to cool our "bug juice". it was Kool-Aid but bug juice sounded cooler. Who won usually let others lick the ice and I of course did the same thing but no one wanted it. One kid said they didn't want to catch being fat from me. I cried the entire bus ride home, I made sure to go to the back of the bus so no one would see. Ah thankfully those days are over but as you have read I still get ousted once in a while for being fat! I am lucky that i have a big support group who have helped me realize my worth and I just want to help others do the same.  I came across a quote from Mark Twain that said "Live so that when you die even the undertaker mourns" or something like that. I have often wondered that, kind of a Wonderful Life scenario, who have I touched and in what way. I can easily say who I would miss more than life itself and what they have done for me, but sometimes its hard to think that you have done things that effect others, but i suppose we all do :-)  Well peeps it's time to get that Neem mud on my face, maybe some teabags on my eyes to tighten the skin around them and reduce the swelling.   LOL   So until next we meet, Ciao For Now

Well it is done!

     The stress test has come and gone and all I can say right now is that I am tired!! I want nothing more to go home and relax. Bringing home steaks from Outback for dinner and then just relaxing with the hubs, as it's been a day.  The steak is really the first thing I am eating that's "real" food. I did have some low sodium chicken broth today, I was going to eat a yogurt but it looked a bit off so I threw it away. Thing is I'm not very hungry. Just tired!
     Well what went down this Am is this. I got there and they prepped me with the IV and Ihad to drink all this water, then they wired me up and took scans of my heart. Then I drank more water (went to the toilet - I mean lots of water) then comes the injection.  They nurse and doctor anre ther and they say now you will feel a bit strange, I ask "you mean like I want to listen to Jimmie Hendrix strange?" they laugh and so no. I may though feel tightning in my chest, sick to my stomach, hard time breathing or I may feel nothing at all. NO SUCH LUCK!  I felt all of that, thought I was going to get sick right there, and I was dizzy and could barely breath, it was terrible and if that's what a heart attack feels like (?), then I never want to feel that again ever!!   The irony of the entire thing is that when its all over she takes my blood pressure (reason I was in hospital and all this is going on) and it's 120/80 BOOK PERFECT!! Such is me!! LOL  Then afater all that I drink more water and then more pictures of my heart.  I am still feeling queezy even now and I hope a good nights rest will clear me all up. I will get the results on Monday i was told, will let ya know. 
     Weekend should be a good one so will tell you about it afetr the fact. Remember I'm baking my soda bread and it will be nice to see the in-laws, I love them and we don't get over there as much as we should! So actually it's a short blog tonight guys but I will be back over the weekend  so until next time, Ciao For Now

No Ado About Anything

     I'm just counting down the last few hours before its time to leave and then I can go home and go to bed. I cant have caffeine today, so no tea or coffee not even de-caf. I have to be up early to go have them give me a fake heart attack in the AM.   I don't know why I am so nervous about this. I'm not dumb, I know they would not put me in harms way but the thought scares me as my Mom had 3 very bad heart attacks and it's not going to be a good feeling either!! I really wish I had asked hubs to come with me, there are some times that you want someone there to hold their hand for support, as much as I am quite used to doing things on my own this is one time I don't want to be! :-(      I am even going to come into work afterwards  LOL So you all can look forward to all the details tomorrow night  BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA  - nah I won't bore you.  No need to stress anymore about the stress test right?  
     Peeps to be honest Im not in the mood to do a blog tonight, I'm sorry but there willbe more in the next few days. Some pics too form my baking lesson at my in-laws, so until then I say Ciao For Now!

I am noticing

     I have come to realize that we al have our addictions, many will say a woman's addiction is easily shoes!  Now I admit I used to buy a lot of shoes, it was one of the few things I could buy at the store my "skinny" friends shopped at!  I actually bought a pair of ugle red shoes once because I felt bad for them that no one would buy them and they were sooo comfy!! LOL  Nowadays I don't spend on them the way I used too. Don't get me wrong, I would love to but more shoes and I so appreciate a lovely pair, but my feet get swollen right now with that flare up I get as part of the allergy I got from wearing crocs!! So I pass on expensive shoes, I will in time ressurect this obsessuion I am sure, but as for now I find that I start to salivate when someone mentions the words "Coach Sale"  I am becoming a pocketbook junkie, and the purse of choice is Coach! I find that they last and are made very well! I have 4 major ones, a tote in tan, my new black one, my pink one and I have a white glossy leather one that is quilted (dont use that much but the inside is a gorgeous teal blue! lol)  I love that about them, the inside satin is usually a cool color. My pink is the most boring with a gray satin, the tan tote has a bright lime green ad my black a brilliant bright purple. NICE!!!  I got an email about a sale tomorrow, and my heart skipped a beat, down girl I say to myself, you have enough purses! LOL So I just browsed...sigh.....  I know ,,,but they're so pretty!! hahahaha PLUS I've been a spoilt brat these last few weeks and I have enough stuff
     Oh I am so happy the prezzie I got for my friend'd daughter came in today so I can mail it out tomorrow. I will do a registered post so I know that it got there in time. NOT like the card fiasco!!  I also have some card fixin's for both girls but I will mail those out over the weekend as I don't want anything to take away from the borthday gift! I am thinking of making the inside of the card in French as the front is a female dancer dressed in "masquerade ala harlequin" It's a new stamp and this is my first card with it! It turned out well.  I can't wait until I can deliver a gift in person to these dears and give them a huge hug as well!
     I am having a stress test of Friday and I asked if it was the kind with the treadmill. They said no, it will be a shot.  They explained that they do this test, and I have to fast 12 hours prior. The test will be at 7:30 in the morning, and it wil last up to 5 hours or so. Much of that is recouping from the stress. I admit it scares me a little. Wish hubs was going to be there. I am going by myslef but i am sure if I had asked he would have come, but he has to work. See, they give you this injection after they hook you up to all these electrodes and the shot makes your body think you are having a heart attack. It raises your stress levels to the extreme and the doctor kept telling me over & over on the phone, "Don't worry it's not real" but it is a scary thing, because lets face it they are pushing your limits. What's to say your body doesnt go "oh, okay, lets do this for real!!  But my echo today showed my heart pumping strong and blood flowing through my heart & arteries very well so I am hoping for a gold star Friday!! :-D  I wil let you know.
      Speaking of spoilt brat, I got another charm for my bracelet. A adorable owl, yep perfect for me, he's so cute.   I believe I told you about my owl pics I've been getting, i made a folder on my computer for them  LOL   they are just so precious, I love owls for so many different reasons. One is that it was my nickname as back in my party on days we would be high and I would not talk a whole lot and just watch what was going on around me and listen to other people talk (Imagine a time when I didnt talk!!?? LOL)  I also love how they hunt, they are so precise and quick, they also are just freakin' kewl!!! There are other reasons  and these are more personal and spititual but I will share one.  A friend of mine who is a High Priest and I were walking with some others in the woods to have a circle and we were all there meditating when I heard the loudest owl screech and then a series of hoots. It startled me and I opened my eyes and our High Priest who was running the circle was looking at me and smiling. After the circle was ended he asked me what I thought of it and I was like that was so cool, that the owl sounded so close and the rest of the group asked what we were talking about. I said the owl that was hooting before and they all were like what owl? None of them heard it, only myself and my friend who was the H.P. for our ceremony. So on a misty night in Hastings On Husdon (oddly near whats known as the Hessian Trail - interesting history for another time) an owl came to me for some reason, perhaps guidance, perhaps to let me know he was there watching me, all I know is that we both heard it so I'm not hearing things!!  OOOH spooky tales   hahahahahaah  and 100% true!!
     So I think this may be a good place to end, I just had 2 fabulous grilled chicken salads deliverd to work, they have of course lettuce and tomatoes and grilled chicken, but then there is cucumbers, red onions, cooked red pepper strips and avacado and they are really yummers! Plus its time to go home hahahaha
So ciao for now

Man I Can Go Overboard

     I am sitting here watching a movie with the hubs, it's called Hanna, bit odd since I came in about 40 minutes into it but it's keeping my interest, so not that you know it but I'm watching about 10 minutes then writing, watching 10 minutes writing...LOL

     I have to say peeps that I so try,  I really do but I fall short and all I can say is please forgive me. :-D I really want to go live life and have those i care about live theirs and intertwine where we will but I always seem to go one step over, I realize this then I do stop but i so love human interaction. I find people watching very interesting. People are beautiful and have great stories that they want to tell, How can you not find that interesting?  I do get jealous though, I admit it, I have no reason or more importantly right to but I do, it's part of me. I'm not sure where this blog is going, follow me, should be interesting....

      Can you tell I am in an odd mood? I get angry with myself for not controlling my emotions better and doing silly things, writing not needed emails, for dogging myself because one stupid group of narrow minded people don't want to let you in to do a play with them!! 

       Now I had a good day really, my morning before work was quite enjoyable as I chatted with my friend and he had me laughing, he's good at that. Then at work I got the sweetest email, my second owl pic, no 3rd actually, and it so brightened my day, funny how little things like that can just make you smile and I love them...rest of the day was spent working on a power point presentation, left pretty much on my own as my co-hort was training our two newest employees. Today was his birthday, you saw the desk yesterday. Well he enjoyed the fuss I could tell, we got him a cake and our manager & I got him an Itunes gift card. It was nice :-)  I know why I feel off center.   I FUCKIN' CAVED!!! I had a piece of birthday cake!! I hate myself for it. Normally I do not beat myself up over my choices but this one, this piece was used to make me feel better after I wrote that too long email, after I got upset all over again about the failed audition for the theatre group, I was so terribly fallible and I indeed failed!! I am just calming myself, I have an echo cardiogram in the morning and a stress test on Friday morning.  Just want the doctors to end and so I shoved cake in my mouth....AAARRRRRGGGHHH  Okay I was stupid but the rest of the day was veg and protein, no carbs until that chocolaty yummy so in reality I can let it go, tomorrow is a new day, right? Right!!   I've got pent up energy (probably a sugar rush lol) but so many things I'm hearing, a guy who worked with me, well his Mom just died, then my friend I told you about his sister & life support, well she died also, a woman at work, her husband is quite ill, it's so much bad news, then my friend heard bad news from his friend, his Dad is still not 100%, so maybe I can see why I over react to a cute owl pic, or friends making me laugh, we all have our shit we are going through and we need that human interaction to ground us and keep us, for lack of a better word, sane!! So I admit, I need people, I am fine with my own company but I need the stimulation of another's thoughts sometimes. Well peeps right now I am going to put the netbook away and lay next to my hubs, try to calm him as he can't sleep due to his itching. Just be here for him in case he needs me.  It's what I do!!    
Here is a pic i took tonight as i got into my car.

 As you can see, it's been a day! I have very little make up on, lipstick is ALL gone, and I had just gotten into my car so I am windblown, but I am glad to be going home, for some reason I think that is conveyed in this pic, so there ya have me, the sans make-up chocolate cake eater just glad the day is over! hahahaha Again,  Ciao For Now

Sometimes reality bites

Well last night I did something I've been planning for a little while. After I left work I went and auditioned for a local theatre group. It's been so long since I've done any productions and I so enjoy it. Well long story short, I do my audition and then I waited. Finally the director of the group came out and told me thank you but I am not what they are looking for. Now, although rusty, I have a decent voice and looking around I think I got it. I am too fat for their liking. Of course he didn't say that but I've done enough auctions to know if I was "on" or not and I felt I did well. Yep though, there was not any extra weight on anyone there. Oh well, their loss!! Yet even as I say that I want to cry. I won't though. I'm working hard to get fit and they won't know how much an asset I would have been. It's community theatre for heavens sake and even on Broadway there are, shall we say, people of size. I'm not a stranger to being excluded from things because of my size but it took me by surprise. Both that they did that (although never exactly said, but you know the vibe)and that it hurt me as much as it did. So much for my fuck 'em attitude lol
Aw peeps, I just want to be judged on my merits but I suppose as long as people judge with their eyes things like this are bound to happen. In the grand scheme of life there are so many worse things and I am loved by those who matter so I'm doing okay. It just floors me sometimes! Well today is a new day and there are other groups. I have doctors appointments this week and more important things to work through. I'm just venting because it does help. Thanks for reading these silly posts of mine. You all rock!! Ciao For Now

Hmmm

     When I started this blog I said I was going to write something everyday. I have tried to do this even by writing that I wasnt going to write anything LOL It's not always easy and I know that I sometimes overlap my blogs. Life is like that though is it not? Our days overlap and things we start don't always finish on the same day. I lately have felt almost like I am experiencing things as out of body instead of reality. Does that make sense to anyone but me? I just feel like my life is a play and so far the reviews have been good and I want to keep it that way.
     I put a pic of myself up on facebook as a marker of the 52 pounds I have lost so far. I like the pic, I love the way I felt wearing the dress and although it was a high cowl neckline I felt sexy in it! People liked it and that was nice but I needed to put it there. One of my friends said - look you are getting an hourglass, I told hubs and he said tell her not a hourglass its an egg timer! LOL I asked him if I look better now that I've lost weight and his answer was that he doesn't look at me that way, but yes he could see the loss. He's doing well also, he's down about 35 pounds so far. I have several doctor appointments this week and one is for an echo cardiogram on Wednesday. After that they will tell me if my gym workouts are where they should be. I may have to adjust them. I also wont be going to the gym much this week but I did go on Saturday.  We ate well and even had a cookie each on Saturday night with our tea.
     Speaking of cookies and such, I am headed over to my in-laws on Saturday to bake some Irish Soda Bread and hopefully a grain pie. They have a great big kitchen and maybe my nephew will want to learn how to make it and I can teach him. It's so easy and I have been making this bread since I was in High School many moons ago.
     I wish I had children to teach my recipies too, I am making a book of all of them and I will give it to a few people. One of them will be my nephew, another my God daughter , another my friends eldest daughter. Hopefully they will make the recipies I learned to make growing up.  I know my corn pudding is now a staple at my dearest girls Thanksgiving celebration LOL    It is so easy and sooooooo yummy and in no way low fat. hahaha  
     Switching gears here, last night I was laying in bed and I could hear the wind outside moving our chimes ever so slightly and it alwasy makes me think that the fairies are playing in our yard. When I was little my mom would tell me stories like that and I would go out to look for mushrooms the next day and sure enough there would be a circle of them. She always knew somehow, and as a child it was easy to believe such things. As I lay there in the dark hearing the snoring that always make me smile I can still believe it! There is magick in the world if we take the time to stop & listen.  Some say magick is false and look I'm not talking about wiggling my nose and my entire house is clean, oh if I only could!!! I mean the magick that puts what you need in your path.  I have found that I don't win lotteries but when I need something I always get enough for what I need. I think we move so fast that we dont even see whats there sometimes. I could wax poetic right now and make you all go into sugar shock with the thoughts in my head but I won't. I just know that I see it every day and feel it from my friends and loved ones.  I hate that I have to work but am grateful that I like who I work with and enjoy my job 99% of the time, see that's magick......oh yes it is!!  Don't make me hit you with my broom! ;-)   Before I start to worry you all if you should call the nice men in the white coats to come get me I will say my good byes for the night. So until next time  Ciao For Now
OKAY ADDING SOMETHING - Just now I thre a cup into my trash bin and my engagement ring flew off my finger and nto the trash, my wedding band almost did too. I guess it's time to get ring guards.  Just wanted to share, as I am back at my desk after washing my hands in VERY hot water (had to go throught the trash - YUCK!!) and anti bacterial lotion as well hehehe   Bye again  :-P

Spring

      Well yesterday was a beautiful day, and I m happy that I got out early enough to enjoy it. We reached 63 degrees and you could smell Spring in the air. The signs are all around that the earth is waking and renewing itself. I even saw daffodils in my neighbor's yard. You can just feel the difference, and even today at only 44 degrees it just doesn't seem as cold as 44 does in January. I know that sounds silly but it's true!! lol  I was driving and already saw a few adventurous types with the tops down on their cars. I will wait a bit to go driving without my top but I know it will be soon. I did however have my windows down and the choonz were cranked up. Jill Scott was telling us about a young lady she saw at the bus depot in Philly, then later Linkin' Park was asking to be Somewhere They Belonged and the drive ended with Koffee Brown telling us whats gonna happen After the Party.  With many other various choonz mixed in.  LOL  I was just enjoying the feel of the sun on my skin.  

      Spring is my second favorite season I think. I love the milder temps but still a coolness in the evenings. I love the smell of earth warmed by the sun, the buds are starting to bloom and soon the trees in my neighborhood will bloom. We have some really pretty ones, white dogwoods, dark red blooms on the Japanese maples. There is also really cool purple flowers, on trees that I have no idea what they are called. My Dad was telling me that Easter is early this year and it made me smile because it ties in so well to my Pagan beliefs. I mean the Vernal Equinox is how the day of Easter is selected. It's the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Equinox.  LOL  We call it Ostara and it's to celebrate the rebirth of the earth, bringing new life from what seemed to be dead, but was just sleeping. New starts, new beginnings are all hailed this day.  The symbols are the "hare" and of course eggs .   So now you know why we have chocolate rabbits and eggs for Easter. The Christians celebrate their New Life as well. I went to 12 years of Catholic school as well as a Catholic University but the religion never fit right for me and then I found out why. I celebrate what is in me, and have no disrespect for what anyone else follows. I just find it interesting how much Christianity has Pagan roots!  

     I do have some sweet news, my hubby presented me with a beautiful Pandora bracelet yesterday. I was beyond touched, this is NOT the norm for him. The fact that he went to the Pandora website, chose the charms he wanted to give me, and went to the jewelery store to get it all on his own is huge!!  I am so very thankful and surprised. I admit I had seen the paper he had written up and I have to say the fact he had this all picked out meant as much to me if not more than the actual bracelet. I really am lucky, he's a good man, and even after 17 years he still love me. I treasure things like this, I adore getting surprises, who doesn't? I am feeling very spoiled at the moment. :-) 

     I am still feeling spoiled from last weekend also. I tell you peeps some things just stay with you, and all week I have been seeing thoughts in my mind and I can't help but smile. Even this morning drinking my tea I was reminded of how fortunate I am (as it was a gift to me & hubs). Crossing fingers as to ward off the negative I will say that life is good, not perfect, but good and that's all one can ask for. Today the infection I had in my leg seems to be dissipating and the redness is now a pink blush. My knee, well it still hurts but time will heal (as will more weight loss). I have to make cards and one is for a lovely young lady who will be 9. I have a special idea in my head and I hope I can produce it for real.   The Christmas cards I sent (TWICE!!) never got to her and I want her to love this one. We shall see how it turns out as you know I will post a pic of it. hahaha  

     I am posting a recipe here that is an Italian tradition for me at Easter (now Ostara ) time. It's called Pastiera di Grano or Easter Wheat Pie. It takes some time but it's worth it. Use the wheat but you can substitute aborio rice which I personally don't like to do, they now have canned wheat all ready to use but I can't find it here in VA  :-(    If you try it I hope you like it as not everyone does  LOL

Ingredients:

For the Filling:
1/2 pound wheat berries or hulled wheat (from soft wheat)
8 large eggs, separated
3 pounds ricotta cheese
2 cups granulated sugar (can be lessened if you choose)
zest of half a lemon or whole lemon if small

1 tablespoon orange flower water

1 tablespoon (and dash more lol) pure vanilla extract
Candied citron (optional, but I add it)

cinnamon to taste (optional - this I don't use in the filling)

For The Dough:
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
6 large eggs
Pinch salt

few dashes of cinnamon (use good cinnamon such as Saigon)
5 tablespoons vegetable shortening

Directions:
To prepare wheat for the filling:
Rinse hulled wheat with water and place in a large bowl. Add enough cold water to cover and let soak overnight in the refrigerator. Drain the wheat and place in a saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 to 30 minutes, until tender. Cool completely for use in the recipe.

1. In a large bowl, beat 8 egg yolks. (Set egg whites aside in a separate bowl for later.) Add ricotta, wheat, and sugar. Mix until well incorporated. Add vanilla and candied fruit pieces, lemon zest and mix well. Beat egg whites until fluffy and foamy and fold into ricotta mixture.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, 6 eggs, pinch of salt. Knead until a dough is formed.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease baking pans with shortening and set aside. Cut a piece of the dough, according to the size of the pan, and roll it out with a rolling pin. The dough should not be too thick. Lay dough into the greased baking pan. Fill the pan with the ricotta mixture.

4. For the top crust, cut another smaller piece of dough and roll very thin. Cut this into strips and place across top of pie, in a criss-cross pattern. Press the dough edges together with a fork, like a pie.

5. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

     Well peeps I may be back tonight but if not I will be back here tomorrow night so until then Ciao For Now

Girl Scout Cookies

     Okay I had 2 Thin Mint cookies today. It was just that kind of day and I wanted them.  It's a trad for me as I WAS first a Brownie then a Girl Scout! Unlike the girls now a days that acost you in front of the grocery stores I had to go door to door to sell MY cookies!! I did it every year for 4 years. My Mom was a Cadet leader so I went on lots of Cadet outings and Girl Scout stuff that many of  my own troup didn't get to go on. It was a fun time and a simpler one and I find myself very nostalgic when I think about it.  Now 2 cookies are not terrible and I looked at the calorie and sugar content. Of course there is sugar but 10grams per serving, I had 2 cookies which is half a serving so 5g of sugar to quell my inner child. I can do that. Tomorrow is the gym and I am now saited in the girl scout cookie area. Just the other day whilst shopping I bought 3 boxes from a sweet little girl and her mom and then when they asked which cookies I wanted, I told them to keep the cookies for themselves, I just wanted to donate.  I also bought some to send my Dad, he likes the peanut butter ones.

     Peeps it's Friday and it has been raining buckets all day. My leg really hurts and no I did not get to the Dr.  I will go tomorrow after the gym as they are near each other.  It's not as red but it burns a bit and before this gets ugly I need some antibiotics methinks.  I know it cant be anything serious as they took SO much blood from me and ran extensive tests when I was in the hospital. I tell you, the more I get fit the more that things are happening to me. C-R-A-Z-Y shit man!!!   hahahaha

     I am making some cards this weekend, I have two birthdays. One is for a friend here at work and the other is for my friends youngest. She is the one who made me my mug, did I show you all?? It's just precious and I adore it, here it is  :

I drink my tea in it every day here at work. It makes me smile even when i am stressed. I have several things like that on my desk and another are my S&P shakers that were given to me by a dear friend as well as my oyster shells.  They remind me of my friend, good talks, and that life is about experiencing new things and sharing things you have done with those you care about!! WOW that's a lot for 2 smalls shells to hold  HAHAHAHA, but they do.

      I am enjoying the evening now with my hubs and the surprise thunder that sounds a bit more rumbly than normal. Now it's pouring  hahahahaha   I love the randomness of weather sometimes. It appeals to me :-D  I love orderly chaos. Like I adore a sleek modern look, yet part of me loves curves and alcoves and bay windows. A glorious mix of textures and shapes. Brick walls, with wooden beams and diamond windows , warmed by a huge hearth with a roaring fire. I love throwing things up in the air and see what comes down. Ah yes the smoke is in the air and I am giddy, so I am off to enjoy the rest of the night. Think I will go put the kettle on. Ciao for now peeps

   

Love auto correct NOT!!

That last sentance in my last blog should have read ramblings NOT ram lungs. Bwahaha. Morning all it's 6:20. Time to get to the gym. So until tonight- have a great day :-D

Nothing much except

I feel good peeps. I feel whole again, focused and happy. I have been sming these last few hours, contemplative as I sip my tea. Wanting to put pen to paper on my new stationary. Nothing in my head is standing out as special, it's all good yet none deserving of my stationary. It's very special and it will deliver words to someone one day that are special. They will come to me but for now, I feel the peace I get when I look at the moon. The moon is special, to me at least. She keeps me connected!
I know this blog makes no sense and that's okay. I'm running in a field and taking you with me!!! Are you smiling? Good!!! I want to twirl and make myself dizy then collapse in cool soft grass. Giddy, happy, silly - just some of how I feel. I need to Center myself so I can sleep. Maybe my dreams will come to life tonight. Anyway I will let you know. Ram lungs brought to you by Captain Morgan. Lol ciao for now