A Wonderful New Discovery

Today, I'm going to give a shout out to a great new blog that I found, called The WW Chick.  She combines vegetarianism with Weight Watchers.  How dynamite is that?  (sorry if I date myself horribly, but it was my birthday last Saturday and now I am. officially.older.than.God. but younger than my mom, who is WAY older than God). 

As the few loyal souls who read my blog know that I've been struggling to get my ass back in shape, it's been somewhat of a losing battle. Yeah, I feel a lot better and I was making the attempt to exercise, I wasn't giving up certain things that are crucial to weight loss.....like many glasses of wine, the occasional (ok, not so occasional) french fry.   Dropping the meat was great, but adding some more of the grains actually added about 10 pounds. 

Well, over the last few days, I've had a few close friends remark that I'm not my old self, I'm a good bit more than my old self.  These are the folks who can tell me anything and it's okay - it's done with love and yes, there are many times when I NEED to be told off what to do. I was not hurt by this, okay, yes, it's always a stinger to hear it, but instead of a slap, it was like a light going off.  You see, I am the queen of rationalization.  If I look in the mirror a certain way, or go for those skinny mirrors, then I can kid myself that I don't look so bad (come on, you know you've done this), so it's okay to have another glass of wine - or a cookie. I have PMS, and I'm thankful that I still HAVE a period, so chocolate is okay.  The executive team of my company must have had group lobotomy rates, and they took advantage of cheap surgery, so I really need two martinis.   See where I'm going with this? 

Anyway, my bestest is on WW and is doing great, she looks FABULOUS, not only do I envy her great skin, but now I get to envy her figure.  She offered to support me in going back to WW (where I lost a person about 12 years ago and kept most of it off until last year or so). So, I'm taking her up on it.  I've started back online and if I feel like I need even more support, then I'll go back to the meetings.   I've also started to haul my ass into the gym more than just when the trainer wants me there.  Say a prayer, kids, that my resolve stays strong....

Anyway - back to WW chick.  One of my concerns was that I'd have to go back to meat.  I'm not anti-meat at all, I'll eat it occasionally -primarily fish or chicken, but I like to keep that to a minimum.  WW chick's site offers tips, recipes and vegetarian ones at that.  She rocks!!

And the story almost ends.....

Well, $250 later, my Pathfinder was returned to me.  Two registrations, compounding fees and the eventual tank of gas later, my Pathfinder is parked in front of my house. I am considering selling it, it's had a good run, but I really don't need a second car.

I have a court date later this month in which I fervently hope I can reduce the tickets by producing said insurance card and registration.  Geez, I feel like such a slacker kid...if I could only fit in those size extra teeny jeans they wear....;-)

From the Sublime to the Ridiculous

 

It's the end of the weekend. I'm sitting here, spent. I'm utterly exhausted.  Thursday, I picked up my sister and her partner at the airport - we stopped back at home to see my mother and my kids, then the three of us went out for sushi at this little place in Haddonfield. It was pretty good, but very expensive. 

Friday, we shopped, ran around and bought up groceries we needed for our party scheduled for Saturday. I ran errands while my sister began prepping for the party.  We barbequed burgers and dogs and sat under my new gazebo and just talked - I've really missed my sister and it was lovely catching up.  After dinner, my daughter decided to meet her friends at the high school to catch the fireworks.  We live across the street from the high school, so I strolled over with her then walked back to the yard - we were so lucky, we could sit in my backyard and watch the fireworks without having to fight the crowds. 

Saturday, was the big party day.  It was also my birthday.  We had a huge spread (pictures to come - I took them with my daughter's camera and I think she took the camera with her on vacation).  We had quite the spread - Thai chicken wings, carnitas, marinated skirt steak, tossed salad with red/green leaf lettuce, mesclun, red onions, grape tomatoes and queso fresca.  We had grilled tortillas, corn vidalia salad and watermelon and jicama salad.  Everything was fabulous.

The wine and the sangria flowed.  We made white sangria, with watermelon, strawberries and peaches.  It was a very eclectic crowd - my best friend and her husband, my sister's friends, my neighbors, golf partners and friends - everyone mixed quite well.  The night went on and on, we finished the night at 3 am after a couple of logs in the fire pit.  Folks slept over and we all woke up feeling pretty fuzzy.  The was the beginning of the ridiculous. 

The ridiculous became surreal pretty quickly.  I had to drop the kids at their dad's house by 10.  We jumped in my SUV and drove off.  I noted that my car was due for inspection - hmmm, I didn't recall getting my registration in the mail, I made a mental note to go to the DMV the next day.  I dropped them off and saw that I needed gas and due to the hangover, I was in dire need of a diet coke and a hamburger.  I pulled out onto the highway and headed off to McDonalds, grabbed my burger and returned to the highway.   I was driving the speed limit and a few minutes later flashing lights popped up into my rear view mirror.   I pulled over and when the cop approached me, I asked what was wrong - my registration had expired!  I reached over and dug out my registration, damn, if she wasn't right.  I next took out my insurance card....sinking feeling in my stomach.  It was the card that expired a  few months earlier. Shit. I had the clear memory at that moment of laying the insurance card on the table in the front hall. Two. Months. Before.

I'm sure you know where this is going. A second cop pulled up - a nasty, arrogant guy.  Told me to get out of the car, and leave my keys because they were going to tow it and impound it.  I asked if I could drive it over to the diner (about 20 yards up the road) and park it.  Nope, it's illegal to drive it without the proper paperwork. I said, leave it here on the road unlocked?  But what if it gets stolen?  It's on you, he replied. Are you going to leave me on the side of the road?  I could, he replied, you have to call someone to come pick you up because you can't walk along the highway.  I'll get the other cop to give you a ride to the WaWa convenience store.  I asked a couple of more questions and he started to give me real attitude about my needing to stop wasting his time.  I said back to him, hey man, I have never had a ticket before, I have no idea what to expect.  Well that's too bad, you know well enough that it's illegal to drive this car.  Ok, but can't you just manage my expectations here? 

Get OUT of the car.  Ok, Ok. I got out of the car and stepped up on the curb and began walking back to the first cop car.  He yelled at me "where are you going???" I replied that I didn't want to walk in the road and risk getting hit.  What a jerk.  Opened the back door of the cop car and wasn't the most gentle guy helping me in.  

The woman who was the first cop, took me 20 YARDS up the road to the diner and let me out.  She was almost apologetic for the idiot's behavior and let me know that if I brought the appropriate stuff to the police station tomorrow, and to court in a couple of weeks, I would have the charges reduced.  She said, look this stuff happens, you just have to take care of it - take it easy okay?  

I think women make for better cops. 

Warm Weather Musing......

Today was just gorgeous - 82 degrees, sunny, lovely breeze.  After a crazy, unnerving day in the office, coming outside and feeling a soft breeze against your face can revive the most tired spirit.  If I could just bottle this weather....how wonderful it would be.

Good Night.......

We are a sleepy bunch.....

I don't know about you, but......

I WANT this woman to be our next first lady:

 

Please take a moment to read this article in the NY Times:

Michelle Obama Looks for New Introduction 

A quote in this article really resonated with me:

“I looked out at my neighborhood and sort of had an epiphany that I had to bring my skills to bear in the place that made me,” she says in the interview. “I wanted to have a career motivated by passion and not just money.”

So many of us say that, but for a variety of reasons, lack of opportunity, lack of motivation, fear of failure, keep us rooted in jobs that will bring in the paycheck, but not the joy.  I applaud her for doing just that - creating a career that helped the disadvantaged.  Realistically, she wasn't completely altruistic; she also wanted to earn a living...and she did it in the smartest way - when you do what you love, the money often follows.

 

 

Did anyone watch Gore's announcement of his endorsement of Obama?  I've been an Al Gore fan for years - I voted for him in 2000, and I supported him in his mid-80's run when he lost to that firecracker Dukakis (groan, groan, groan).   I'm a little disappointed that he won't be actively campaigning for Obama, but I understand why - 2000 did in his taste for partisan political activities.  But wouldn't he make a spectacular head of the Department of Energy? 

Interpretive Dance, Vol. 2

I uploaded some pictures from my camera and found this........

 

Gene Kelly has nothing to worry about - from either kid.