This week Jenn and I took a few days off to play. On Monday, we met Mary for lunch at DePrato's. I ordered a Turkey Reuben and it was delicious. It came with a pickle and an eye dropper filled with potato salad. We did have some pita chips with pimento cheese spread. But I still did something I haven't done in ages......I asked for a to go box. I only ate half my sandwich and we still had pita chips and pimento cheese left. Instead of feeling the need to finish any of it I packed it up and took it home. In my previous life, I always felt the need to finish what was placed in front of me.....not any more.
Later in the week, we threw away the pita chips. The pimento cheese is still in the fridge. The half a sandwich.....I had it for lunch yesterday. Quantity is not as important as it used to be.....quality is. I never thought I would get to a point where I would eat 1/2 a sandwich and be OK with it. But I am now at that point.....good for me.
Monday, November 7, 2011
The Dog Fit On My Lap
A lap....the definition is the space created on your legs when you sit down. A lap is something most people have that they don't even think about. I have not had much of a lap for a long time. This week I found out that had changed......
Jenn and I stopped at a friend's house this week. They have a dog who loves to sit on every one's lap. Until this week this was not an option for me.......I didn't even know it was an option now. But while I sat and chatted with my daughter and friend all of a sudden........there was the dog up on my lap. Now I am not saying she was able to lay out full length and stretch but she was able to get up and sit. I held her and petted her. Then she was gone..... off to seek new attention from someone else. She did come back and sat on my lap again before we left.
Now this is not a great big dog but she is not a small dog either. She is a medium size dog. I know it doesn't seem like a big thing to have a dog sit on your lap but when you haven't had the room for this to happen.....it is something that jumps out at you after it happens. A small vistory.....
Jenn and I stopped at a friend's house this week. They have a dog who loves to sit on every one's lap. Until this week this was not an option for me.......I didn't even know it was an option now. But while I sat and chatted with my daughter and friend all of a sudden........there was the dog up on my lap. Now I am not saying she was able to lay out full length and stretch but she was able to get up and sit. I held her and petted her. Then she was gone..... off to seek new attention from someone else. She did come back and sat on my lap again before we left.
Now this is not a great big dog but she is not a small dog either. She is a medium size dog. I know it doesn't seem like a big thing to have a dog sit on your lap but when you haven't had the room for this to happen.....it is something that jumps out at you after it happens. A small vistory.....
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Venice and The Beach
I love the beach. I dream of living on the ocean. No house a few blocks from the ocean will work for me. I want beachfront property. Hey I can dream big can't I?? I also love Italy. I dream of going there someday.
Today.....after much harassment from my daughter.....we finally hung up some pictures in the 3rd bedroom.....unofficially called Donna's Place. I have a lot of my "stuff" in there. Books, computer, pictures, etc.....
We hung 3 beach pictures and one poster of Venice. I already had a New York Subway map on another wall. The pictures on the walls are so me....
The New Yorker......the subway map has my entire life on it. The subway map side has all the places I would travel to until I was in high school. The other side of the map has the trains from Pearl River to NYC......the places I traveled to after college until I got married. Then back to the subway map for the few years we lived in Yonkers before buying our first house back in Pearl River. Until I moved to SC I hadn't lived more than 20 miles from the place I was born.
The beach lover......the sound of the ocean is so soothing to me. Seeing the sunrise over the ocean is a sight hard to top. A beach house with weather worn furntiure and a screened in porch where you can sit at night and smell the ocean.....perfection. Oh but of course I would need a pool too!!
The Italian........Venice, Rome, Pisa just to name a few of the places I would love to see. I still believe it will happen.....someday. The poster framed and hung on the wall is my reminder. I will go there.....I will really....
But for now......I can sit on the comfy chair and a half, grab my kindle and turn on my IPOD and in my mind I am there.....sitting on a bench in Central Park, sitting on a rocking chair on the porch of my beach house or sitting in a cafe having a glass of wine in Rome.....
While I am sitting in Donna's Place.....I can be anywhere I want anytime.....
Today.....after much harassment from my daughter.....we finally hung up some pictures in the 3rd bedroom.....unofficially called Donna's Place. I have a lot of my "stuff" in there. Books, computer, pictures, etc.....
We hung 3 beach pictures and one poster of Venice. I already had a New York Subway map on another wall. The pictures on the walls are so me....
The New Yorker......the subway map has my entire life on it. The subway map side has all the places I would travel to until I was in high school. The other side of the map has the trains from Pearl River to NYC......the places I traveled to after college until I got married. Then back to the subway map for the few years we lived in Yonkers before buying our first house back in Pearl River. Until I moved to SC I hadn't lived more than 20 miles from the place I was born.
The beach lover......the sound of the ocean is so soothing to me. Seeing the sunrise over the ocean is a sight hard to top. A beach house with weather worn furntiure and a screened in porch where you can sit at night and smell the ocean.....perfection. Oh but of course I would need a pool too!!
The Italian........Venice, Rome, Pisa just to name a few of the places I would love to see. I still believe it will happen.....someday. The poster framed and hung on the wall is my reminder. I will go there.....I will really....
But for now......I can sit on the comfy chair and a half, grab my kindle and turn on my IPOD and in my mind I am there.....sitting on a bench in Central Park, sitting on a rocking chair on the porch of my beach house or sitting in a cafe having a glass of wine in Rome.....
While I am sitting in Donna's Place.....I can be anywhere I want anytime.....
Daylight Savings Time
I always have hard time adjusting to the shorter amount of daylight. I hate leaving the office in the dark or going to the gym ....in the dark. I love the fall and the winter and the cool weather it brings but the short days.....not so much.
The short days made driving to NY difficult. You leave SC in the dark and get to NY in the dark......uugghh.
But there is something nice about seeing lights on in houses on the way home from work. Of course in my mind each house has a perfect family inside all sitting down to a great dinner together. Not like in my house where by the time I get home many nights Bob has already eaten and is inside hunting for some sporting event to watch. Jenn and I kind of grab whatever we feel like eating. I try hard to remember the last time we all sat down at the table together for dinner. Sad to say I can't remember.....is this so unique.....are we so out of touch? What ever happened to the Sunday dinners of my youth......you did not get to pass on the Sunday family dinner.
Well. it is what it is.....eventually Jenn will be having dinner in her own home with her own family. That is as it should be. Will I mind.......no.... because that is the way life is......I may sit down at the table alone but that will be OK..... I have become comfortable enough with myself to be alone. And if I really want company I have enough good friends that wouldn't mind my company.......and now that I have worked on conquering my fear of flying.....my family is only a few hours away.......but I will probably drive anyway.....the control freak in me......LOL.
Funny how thinking about a one hour change on the clock brought me to having dinner alone.....the mind is an amazing thing......and my mind....well....you can see it can definitely wander.......
The short days made driving to NY difficult. You leave SC in the dark and get to NY in the dark......uugghh.
But there is something nice about seeing lights on in houses on the way home from work. Of course in my mind each house has a perfect family inside all sitting down to a great dinner together. Not like in my house where by the time I get home many nights Bob has already eaten and is inside hunting for some sporting event to watch. Jenn and I kind of grab whatever we feel like eating. I try hard to remember the last time we all sat down at the table together for dinner. Sad to say I can't remember.....is this so unique.....are we so out of touch? What ever happened to the Sunday dinners of my youth......you did not get to pass on the Sunday family dinner.
Well. it is what it is.....eventually Jenn will be having dinner in her own home with her own family. That is as it should be. Will I mind.......no.... because that is the way life is......I may sit down at the table alone but that will be OK..... I have become comfortable enough with myself to be alone. And if I really want company I have enough good friends that wouldn't mind my company.......and now that I have worked on conquering my fear of flying.....my family is only a few hours away.......but I will probably drive anyway.....the control freak in me......LOL.
Funny how thinking about a one hour change on the clock brought me to having dinner alone.....the mind is an amazing thing......and my mind....well....you can see it can definitely wander.......
Monday Morning At The Gym
I have a few days off from work so I am going to get my week off to the right start.....I will be at the gym at early in the morning. I wish I could get my lazy butt up early each morning and go to the gym before work but I just can't get myself in gear. But at least a few times in the next few weeks I will be able to get those endorphins going early......I haven't decided if I want to get some time in on the elliptical or just get in the pool......either way I can't lose!!!
From the gym I will be running errands.....might as well while I am still on an energy high....LOL.
Then in the afternoon I will hit "the wall".....I am sure there will be some nappage but I will have earned it.
Tuesday....same drill.....I will get to the gym early.
I am so looking forward to the early morning workouts.....no kidding!!!! And an added benefit is that usually after I work out I am not hungry.....talk about a win-win......I am so ready!!!!
From the gym I will be running errands.....might as well while I am still on an energy high....LOL.
Then in the afternoon I will hit "the wall".....I am sure there will be some nappage but I will have earned it.
Tuesday....same drill.....I will get to the gym early.
I am so looking forward to the early morning workouts.....no kidding!!!! And an added benefit is that usually after I work out I am not hungry.....talk about a win-win......I am so ready!!!!
Food At Work
I have worked at some places where they like to have food events. At my new job some of the employees talk about the company 30......like the freshman 15 at college. This is how this week played out.....
Monday was a "potluck" lunch plus each manager was given a bowl of candy to give the employees as they trick or treated through the office. Thursday was a welcome breakfast for the new hires. The food was from Breugger's Bagels......fresh bagels, muffins, pumpkin cream cheese spread and fresh fruit.
How did I do? I did not eat anything at the potluck lunch, I didn't eat one piece of candy and I didn't partake in any of the food from Breugger's. Do you know how huge that is for me??? It was hard....I so wanted to eat at each event but knew if I did I would be setting myself up to fail. Any candy left in my office was thrown out....yes I said it I threw it out. I will admit during a stressful meeting I did indulge in one mini size Snickers bar.....it was a tiny one and yes I ate only one. The brownies that I brought for the potluck.....not one crumb of brownie crossed my lips. I didn't even go to see if there were leftovers to take home. I didn't want to bring them back into the house.
Those were major victories for me. I will not gain the company 30......I know I cannot avoid every eating event but I can plan and try to make it work for me. With the holidays moving in quickly.....I need to be prepared. I think I can make it through without the scale moving up.....no I don't think I can.....I know I can....
Monday was a "potluck" lunch plus each manager was given a bowl of candy to give the employees as they trick or treated through the office. Thursday was a welcome breakfast for the new hires. The food was from Breugger's Bagels......fresh bagels, muffins, pumpkin cream cheese spread and fresh fruit.
How did I do? I did not eat anything at the potluck lunch, I didn't eat one piece of candy and I didn't partake in any of the food from Breugger's. Do you know how huge that is for me??? It was hard....I so wanted to eat at each event but knew if I did I would be setting myself up to fail. Any candy left in my office was thrown out....yes I said it I threw it out. I will admit during a stressful meeting I did indulge in one mini size Snickers bar.....it was a tiny one and yes I ate only one. The brownies that I brought for the potluck.....not one crumb of brownie crossed my lips. I didn't even go to see if there were leftovers to take home. I didn't want to bring them back into the house.
Those were major victories for me. I will not gain the company 30......I know I cannot avoid every eating event but I can plan and try to make it work for me. With the holidays moving in quickly.....I need to be prepared. I think I can make it through without the scale moving up.....no I don't think I can.....I know I can....
The Best Day Of My Life
We have all been asked this question and told not to give the obvious answers- for some.....the day they got married (not my choice).......or the day your children were born...
For me it was the latter....OK I know Jenn is going to hate me for this but yes this entry is about the best day of my life and that would have to be the day she was born. As her birthday approaches I can't help but think back to the time of her arrival. First, I wanted a daughter....not just for me but for my Dad. He was in the final stages of cancer and still had one item on his life's list of things to do, have or accomplish. He had been blessed with 4 grandsons by the time I was pregnant but no granddaughters.
I know Jenn hates when people over share so I will skip the swollen feet, weight gain, loss of feeling in both of my hands and the 27 hours of labor.....LOL. I will also skip what I told Bob he could do with his hand as he was counting for me and telling me when to breathe during labor. Let's not mention the new curse words I created either when he would ask how I was feeling.....LOL.....the girl in the Exorcist had nothing on me.....LOL.
I have always regretted being asleep when she was born. Her father was in the cafeteria eating breakfast......what a surprise. My doctor woke me up about 90 minutes after Jenn was born. The first thing I asked was what had I had.......when he said a girl I was thrilled!!!!
On her 18th birthday, we went to visit what would turn out to be the university she would attend as both an undergraduate and graduate student. It was a special day as she told me on the way home she really wanted to go to school there. As I listed to the excitement in her voice.....I thought about the day 18 years earlier. I was going to tell her about that day.....the best day of my life. But as I looked at her face so excited about the future, I decided to keep the thoughts to myself. I didn't think she would get it.......who wants to hear their Mom talk about the day they were born. I know I didn't until I became a Mom......
I wish I had known then there would only be one time I would experience that kind of joy......I might have appreciated it more.
Well Jenn, I didn't do too bad in writing this.....no humilating stories, nothing that you would mind others reading.....LOL.
You have added so much to my life not only as my daughter but also as you have gotten older as a friend. Yes, I will always be your Mom but I think we are allowed to be friends too.
And although I won't recount out loud to you about the days and hours before your birth.....let me say from the first time I laid my eyes on you I knew my life would never be the same.......you have only made it better!!!!!!
Happy Birthday Jenn!!!! I love you!!!!
For me it was the latter....OK I know Jenn is going to hate me for this but yes this entry is about the best day of my life and that would have to be the day she was born. As her birthday approaches I can't help but think back to the time of her arrival. First, I wanted a daughter....not just for me but for my Dad. He was in the final stages of cancer and still had one item on his life's list of things to do, have or accomplish. He had been blessed with 4 grandsons by the time I was pregnant but no granddaughters.
I know Jenn hates when people over share so I will skip the swollen feet, weight gain, loss of feeling in both of my hands and the 27 hours of labor.....LOL. I will also skip what I told Bob he could do with his hand as he was counting for me and telling me when to breathe during labor. Let's not mention the new curse words I created either when he would ask how I was feeling.....LOL.....the girl in the Exorcist had nothing on me.....LOL.
I have always regretted being asleep when she was born. Her father was in the cafeteria eating breakfast......what a surprise. My doctor woke me up about 90 minutes after Jenn was born. The first thing I asked was what had I had.......when he said a girl I was thrilled!!!!
On her 18th birthday, we went to visit what would turn out to be the university she would attend as both an undergraduate and graduate student. It was a special day as she told me on the way home she really wanted to go to school there. As I listed to the excitement in her voice.....I thought about the day 18 years earlier. I was going to tell her about that day.....the best day of my life. But as I looked at her face so excited about the future, I decided to keep the thoughts to myself. I didn't think she would get it.......who wants to hear their Mom talk about the day they were born. I know I didn't until I became a Mom......
I wish I had known then there would only be one time I would experience that kind of joy......I might have appreciated it more.
Well Jenn, I didn't do too bad in writing this.....no humilating stories, nothing that you would mind others reading.....LOL.
You have added so much to my life not only as my daughter but also as you have gotten older as a friend. Yes, I will always be your Mom but I think we are allowed to be friends too.
And although I won't recount out loud to you about the days and hours before your birth.....let me say from the first time I laid my eyes on you I knew my life would never be the same.......you have only made it better!!!!!!
Happy Birthday Jenn!!!! I love you!!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
