The Lost Weekend ....

The first mistake I made was ironing on a Saturday morning and the second was deciding to watch TV while I ironed.  I figured I would watch some show on Primetime on Demand,  A show I hadn't seen before.  I turned on the show SMASH.  What a mistake.....I was hooked.  The problem was I couldn't stop watching.  The next problem was the show has been on since the beginning of February.  I had 11 episodes to watch!!!!

I hate to admit it but I watched all 11 this weekend.  How pathetic am I???  I watched some while ironing.  I went to do the food shopping and came back and watched another episode.  I paid the bills and watched another episode.  Sunday, I went to the gym and watched more.  By the time I went to bed Sunday night I had watched and watched and watched.  I am embarrassed to say I spent over 10 hours of my life watching this show.

What scares me is now I have also discovered "Mad Men". I had heard of it but had never seen an episode.  The bad part is that show has been on for a few years and now I may have to go buy the first few seasons to see how it started....

I have admitted I was pathetic but if this is the worst thing I do with my spare time....oh who cares.  I didn't forget to do the chores and errands,  I still cooked dinner and I didn't neglect the family....OK maybe I did ignore them a little.  This is very unusual for me to get sucked in like I did but hey WTH it was just one weekend.

Maybe I should get the clothes out of the dryer on time and not have to iron........but I would have missed a great show and what would I have done with those lost hours.....paint the Mona Lisa, write the great American novel, had a dinner party for 12.....no, no and no.  It is what it is and I had fun....so sue me!!

A Lap of the Track for My Mom

About 2 weeks ago, my friend Diana had put a post on Facebook that she was going to participate in the Relay For Life. She said she was doing it for her Mom who lost her battle with cancer last year and her friend Chris who lost his battle far too young.  She also said she was walked for the loved ones of some dear friends.  Then I saw she was walking for Irene Raboni.  I got a huge lump in my throat and a big ache in my heart.  I started to cry.  I sent her a donation and wished her luck.  She sent me a message saying she was sure our Mom's were looking down on their favorite daughters and were happy. 

Last Friday night was the Relay. I sent Diana and her team a good luck message and told them how proud I was of them. A little while later I checked Facebook to see if they had posted how the team was doing and this is what I saw.....

In case you can't read the sign it says "Walking this lap in loving memory of Irene Raboni".

The lump in my throat got huge, the ache in my heart was replaced with gratitude.  This was a random act of kindness from a special friend.  I can never tell Diana what this meant to me!!!! I did tell her I would like to join her next year for the Relay.  Another reason to keep up the exercise so I can be ready to participate!!

People come into our lives and are put there for a variety of reasons.  I have been blessed with so many friends who have helped me through the last few months.  Whether it be a phone call, a hug, an e-mail or a lap around a track.......I know how lucky I am !!!!

New goal.....a 10K in the pool

Since I am spending so much time running/jogging in the pool, I think I am going to try to do a 10K in the pool.  First, I will need to find a pedometer that is water proof.  Once I figure out how many steps it will take to hit a mile I will be good to go.  Now I have to figure out a goal time.  Once I do a 10K, I will work on a half marathon.  I know this might sound foolish and like a ridiculous amount of time in the pool but I think it is an exciting challenge and one I can accomplish.  I have always envied people who could run marathons.  Well now I have found a way to do it myself. I am aware there will be no medals at the end but that's OK.  I may even invite some friends to stop by at various points to see how I am doing and to make the time go faster.  If I can find a water proof headset I'm ready.  I know the Olympics will never have a water marathon event but that shouldn't stop me from trying....should it?

Atrophy of the What????

This is another one of those entries that I had to think about before I had the nerve to post. Jenn is going to kill me for this one......OK here goes.....

During an annual visit to my gyno we discussed the changes we go through as we age.  She told me what vitamins to take, what things to focus on and gave me two prescriptions.  One was for 10 days of hormones.  One pill a day for 10 days and done.  My Dr. had just been to a convention with as she said the guru of female stuff.....the guru????  Oh well, who am I to argue with the high Guru of the ........you know.

Anyway the other prescription was ....oh here goes....a cream to put off atrophy of the .......Vajayjay.  LOL!!!! I kid you not!!!!!  I have heard of atrophy of a lot of things but not that.  I had to struggle to keep a straight face and not scream with laughter.  My Mother never mentioned this in all of our hours of conversations, no friend has ever uttered the words atrophy and that body part in the same sentence.  Is this something new??? I have to admit I have no used it yet.....I am not quite sure what I need it for.....LOL.

If any of my readers can shed some light on this subject please feel free to share.  Ok that line I said I would never cross.....guess what it is behind me.....LOL....LOL......LMAO!!!!!!

What I Want At My Funeral

I have given this some thought.......about when I die.  How do I want things handled?  What is important to me?

I have made it known I want to be cremated.  There will be none of that "She looked like she was sleeping" or " She looked good".  Hey, I am dead how good can I look?????

As just about everyone knows.....I love cheese.  My sister has promised to throw some cheese in my casket so when I head to the big toaster I can go out as a grilled cheese!!!! I love it!!!!

I have a poem about cheese I want read at my funeral.  I am not sure If I want a traditional funeral or just something at the funeral home.

The reception after the funeral......if you don't want to laugh then don't show up.  I want laughter and lots of it.  I think I have given people plenty of material over the years so it is OK if it turns into a roast about me (no pun intended).

Oh and as far a the service......it will start 10 minutes late.......I usually run late so why should my final event go off on time.

Pictures of me are allowed at the funeral home but please try to find some that are flattering.....not my drivers license photo or any of me sitting down....LOL and definitely none in a bathing suit. 

As each guest leaves the reception or luncheon after I am gone there will be a parting gift.....a bag of assorted cheeses.

 And I will be asking my family to take some of my ashes and bring them to places I like or would have liked to visit. 

But if there are any tears from anything but laughter I am going to get very pissed......

So How Is This Happiness Stuff Going?

Last week was a pretty good week.  I really tried to focus on the positive and stay in a good place.  I do believe that positive goes to positive.  They same when you are in a negative space....things just seem to continue to go downhill.

For example,  Bob's car needed some work.  Instead of being upset or mad, I just thought OK at least it can be fixed.  At least we don't need to invest in a new car. 

I filed our income taxes this week.  Due to some poor planning on my part we ended up owing Uncle Sam.  On the upside, I figured out how to pay the tax bill.

For some reason we have been on a roll where everything is costing us $$$.  You all know that we sometimes get those periods of time that every where we turn there are bills.  But so far I am getting through it. 

I really do feel better when I try to put a positive twist on things.  Plus, I know it can be a drag when someone asks how things are goings and you have a list of things going wrong.  Who wants to be around that person?

Well, it's almost Monday again and I am going to continue to try and be more positive.  Pretty soon it will just be second nature......right.......of course right!!!!!!

My Jane Jetson Face

Do you remember the cartoon show The Jetson's? They had a picture /video phone long before we did. Now we have skype and facetime. I now need a Jane Jetson mask.  When I get on either skype or facetime, I move the camera around to see how I look best. Of course, there are times when I am  not camera worthy.  Meaning I don't have on make-up, haven't done my hair and am still in my nightshirt....getting the vision?  I guess until I can get a Jetson mask I will have to have piece of paper that I will hold up in front of the camera that says something like "Donna's video camera is not working" or "Video contact not available at this time" or "Trust me you do not want to see Donna at this time".

The other time I need to use my Jetson mask is some mornings when I get to work.  As I get older, I am less and less a morning person.  I need to be able to come in and smile.  Some days it is hard.  So I give myself a little pep talk in the parking lot and try to get myself in a good place.  I always hope that everyone will at least let me put my pocketbook away, get my computer turned on and get my desk ready for the day.  Most days, I can get through that process without interruption.  The days I don't get to and before I am ready to go I hear "Donna, can I ask you a question?".  I put on my Jane Jetson mask and try to answer the question.

Once when I had a new team member I did the welcome to the team talk.  I asked what she had heard from the other team members about how we operate.  She looked at me with a smile and said " I was told don't talk to Donna until after 9:00."  I had to laugh and ......admit it was kind of true.......

Why I Need To Keep My Glasses On

Most people get to a point in life where they need glasses or contact lenses.....something to assist with their vision.  Do you know how hard it is to put on make-up with glasses on?  And it can be a nightmare with glasses off.  But in order to do my eye make-up, eyeliner and mascara...... I have to do it minus the glasses.  So I kind of squint one eye to focus while I am applying my make-up to the other eye.....not a pretty picture.  Most times it turns out OK.  But it is a little funny because it is sort of like a surprise party.....until I finish and am able to put the glasses back I am not sure how accurate I have been...

There are times when I have almost grabbed the wrong toothbrush, right guard instead of hair spray and eye brown pencil instead of eyeliner.  This week I grabbed the hair spray (labeled hair lacquer) instead of the stuff that gives my hair volume.  I sprayed at the roots of my hair all over my head.  Then I grabbed the blow dryer that is rounded that curls and adds volume to my hair.  All of a sudden the blow dryer is stuck in my hair and as I try to get it out I am ripping the hair from my head.  You all know how paranoid about my hair!!!!  I put on my glasses and look at the can.....and see my mistake.  UUGGHH!!! Now what do I do?  Do I have time to shower again?  NO.   Do I have time to stick my head under the faucet in the kitchen sink and just wash my hair? NO.  So now I very gently start to pull my hair apart and brush it.....the only problem is the brush I have is one of those with the hard but bendable plastic teeth.  I continue to separate the hair and then brush a small section.  Now is my hair has either built up static electricity or is starting to fizz up or is staying on the brush (my biggest nightmare).  This is not a pretty sight. I take out the curling iron and heat it up.  As it touches my hair I hear a sound that can only be the sound of all the junk in my hair burning my hair.  I finally end up with a look that if we painted NY on the side of my head would put me on a football field with Eli Manning.  Yes, my hair looks like I have a football helmet on. 

I have no choice but to go to work with it as it is.  No big deal....no one will have the nerve to say anything to me about this stupid hairdo.  I will just hide in my cube and try to avoid as many people as possible.  And if someone comes to see me with a question or to talk to me about something......I will just smile and act like I wanted my hair to look like this.....how would they know other wise....LOL.

I have my plan....lay low for 8 hours and then get the hell out of the office.  I slip in the back door, get set up at my desk for the work day and pull up my outlook calendar.  The first thing from my calendar to pop up is a reminder..........I have someone coming in for a job interview at 10:00 AM.....oh crap!!!!  Well let's hope she is so nervous she won't remember the idiot across the table from her with some crazy hair going on........

Chinese proverb:  always wear eye glasses when reaching into cabinet otherwise you may look like a fool.........OK lesson learned......class dismissed!!!

Finding Happiness

I read somewhere this week that we (meaning me) have focus on the good things or finding our own happiness.  There are some people who can always see the glass as half full and I know people that see it the exact opposite way.  I really, really, really am going to try and be with the glass is half full people more often. 

Here are some examples of how I am working at it:

I used my megaphone (yes I said megaphone) at work to get someones attention.  It made people laugh which made me laugh.

Instead of sleeping in we met friends for breakfast this morning.  To spend some time with people who know your history is a real treat.  Our husbands are baseball nuts so they just sit at the end of the table acting like we aren't even there which is fine.  It gives us a chance to girl talk about everything from TV shows to the hot toys out to whether or not we should take a firearms class (yes I am considering it). 

Today, I am making my first attempt at cucumber dill salad.  It is from a Weight Watcher cookbook.  I am hoping it tastes great.  The dill will be coming from my herb garden.  Next week, I am going to try the cabbage slaw with lemony buttermilk dressing (another WW recipe).  I need to keep the food boredom at bay so I can reset and recharge my batteries. 

I made sure to get all my chores done yesterday so after I finish blogging, I may go sit on the rocker on the front porch and read while listening to my IPOD. 

The weather is perfect.  The front yard looks great due to Bob's hard work yesterday (yes I am paying Bob a compliment).  He worked outside yesterday for a few hours cleaning out the old mulch, putting down the new mulch, trimming the bushes and mowing the lawn.  Next week there is a tree that needs trimming and some more trimming of the bushes (they need to be cut down just a little lower) and he has to use the spreader to put out the red ant killer.  It is amazing to see how much work you can get out of a man when you offer him the Major League Baseball Channel. 

So as you can see I am trying to look for the good.....not that it will always work out but at least I am trying.  And that's about the best I can do.......

A million miles and 250 steps.....

OK maybe not a million miles but I think I have racked up some serious miles water jogging.  I feel like I could run forever in the water.  I need to find a pedometer that is water proof so I can see how many steps I am taking in the pool.  I will then try to convert those steps to miles.  Actually, I will ask Jenn to help me convert those steps to miles.  I have to believe that each time I jog in the pool I am going 2-3 miles. I don't think that would be too far off.  So if I am doing that 3-4 times a week.....WOW!!!! I am also punching my arms while I jog to get rid of those flabby arms I wrote about a few weeks ago. 

One night last week I could not get to the gym so in place of my regular workout.....I used the stepper.  250 steps.  Talk about getting the old ticker going.....LOL.  I was sweating and I knew I was getting major cardio, cardio, cardio......

I have learned that I do not have to run a marathon or hit the gym everyday in order to get healthier.  I need to be consistent and make time to get in some form of exercise when I can.  I have even figured out how to get at least 3 workouts in before and after I go to NY this month so I won't feel like a total slug. 

Oh and one more thing......yesterday when I was in the pool doing my thing.....I was the only one in the pool.....talk about nirvana.....it was pure Heaven!!!!

Easter

Heading into Easter definitely makes me think about Mom and Dad.  For very different reasons:

Dad-
Like most families, coloring eggs the night before was a ritual.
We would get up and try not to peek around to see where the eggs were hidden.  When we lived in the Bronx they were hidden around the apartment.  When we moved out of the city, the hunt would be outside.  As we got older and the grandchildren arrived, Dad would conduct 2 Easter Eggs hunts.  One for the kids and one for the adults.  It is amazing how fast you can go back to being a kid as you race around  the yard trying to finds more eggs than your siblings even if we were in out 20's.
Dad always made sure the cellophane on the sides of the Easter Basket were sealed tight with scotch tape so we couldn't squeeze our hands in the basket before church. 
Many Easter's we would make the trip from the Bronx to my Dad's sister's house on Long Island.  We would pick up my grandmother on the way.  We would have a great time with our cousins but I know Dad always dread the long ride home once again stopping to drop off my grandmother. 

Mom-
Easter prep started for Mom with shopping trips to get us new Easter outfits usually at Alexander's Department store. Dresses, hats, gloves, pocketbooks and new shiny shoes.  The night before Easter she would let us lay out our new clothes and I usually went to bed with my hair in curlers. 
As we got older and had moved out on our own, Mom would make Easter brunch.  The table would be set with the good China,  The centerpiece would have some branches with flowers starting to bud and colorful eggs hanging from the tree.  She would make a wonderful breakfast and by early afternoon we would each head off to do our own thing.  I don't know how she pulled it off getting everything to the table hot but she did. 

Maybe because they are both gone now I find myself thinking more about the Easter's past.  I am not sure what we will do next Sunday.  We may meet some friends for breakfast and I will try to make something special for dinner.  Maybe I will even use my good China.  No matter what we do it won't compare with those family gathering where we ran to find the eggs while my Dad watched and laughed.  Or where Mom fussed over the table and prepared the foods we all loved.

I miss those days......

New Recipes

To me reading a cookbook is like reading a novel.  I love cookbooks.  I picked up one this week that has some great ideas and healthy options.

For example, I am going to try the Cucumber-Dill Salad with Sour Cream Dressing (don't worry it is reduced fat sour cream).  This will give me a chance to use the fresh dill from my herb garden.  The ingredients are simple and the dressing is made with lite sour cream, wine vinegar, dill, salt and pepper.  I just have to get a small red onion.  Yum!!! This sounds great!!!!

I have promised myself to really experiment more with foods.  Today when Jenn was putting a salad together for me, she asked what I would like in it besides the normal tomato's and cukes.  I had her put in a variety of lettuce, some lean ham and a little blue cheese.  I asked her if we had any mushrooms....we didn't.....but we had artichoke hearts...woo hoo!!! That salad is going to be fab.  I bought a salad spray to use on it. The  only other salad dressing that I like is oil and vinegar but this time it will be the spray. 

I could live on salad and soup.  They must have a lot of stuff in them.  And the thing that works for me is they take a while to eat.  I tend to eat things quickly and then still feel hungry.  With a salad or  thick chunky soup it takes time and by the time I finish I am full. 

I have enough ingredients to make a different salad each day this week so that's my plan.  The only drawback is I must make sure to make the salad at night.  I don't have enough time in the morning to make a good salad.  Well.... Monday's lunch is already made.....let's see if I can get through the rest of the week making a different one each night......if I do I will let you know next week........and yes I will watch what I put in them......no point in eating a salad and not making it healthy.......right?

A Nice Sunday Morning

Sometimes a morning just goes right.  I got up early and read the newspaper and watched my favorite Sunday Monring news show.  Before 11:00 and I had showered, had a meatloaf in the oven and chicken cutlets had been cleaned and prepared.   The weather outside is perfect.  The April tablecloth and monthly decorations are all up.  Jenn made a salad for me to take for lunch tomorrow with lettuce from the lettuce bowl that is growing on my front porch.  It was nice to have all of the work for the day done by noon.  That means the rest of the day was for me.  I read, watched some TV, ran a few errands and now am working on my blog.  Very nice and very peaceful.  I wish I could feel this way every day but as we all know Monday through Friday is just not cut out for this kind of routine. 

Oh well whether I like it or not.....here comes Monday......

So How Did I Do With My To Do List For The Week?

Go to the gym 5 times....check.  I have to say I give a tremendous amount of credit to those who go to the gym EVERY day.   BY day 5 I was wiped out and pretty achy.  Not only did I go 5 times in a week but it was 5 days in a row.  

Get car serviced.....check.  New tires, alignment, oil change and a tune up.  Now the car is ready for our trip to NY. 

Taxes are done.  Just one more review of the numbers before I send my check off to Uncle Sam.

Air cond serviced......check.  There are some issues with the a/c but not enough to get a new system yet.  Plus, I have a home owners warranty so the company rep said we should just wait for the system to stop working and let the home owners warranty company handle it.

Plant a herb garden.......check.  We now have parsley, basil, dill and oregano ready to be used for some cooking.  I can't believe how much the herbs have grown since I put them in the planter.  The basil smells heavenly and I could smell it on my hands the rest of the afternoon.

Put out the new mulch......nope....didn't get to this.....maybe next week-end.

All in all a pretty productive week.  I feel accomplished!!!!