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Random, irreverent silliness from a crazy cat lady (oh, did I just admit that??)

Entry for August 05, 2008: the kitten butt wiggle
is always
followed by a POUNCE
and a BITE
then a skitter
skitter skitter skitter
sideways
crashing upside down
with cute
BIG
eyes

Tuesday August 5, 2008 - 11:15am (PDT) Permanent Link | 0 Comments
Entry for June 08, 2008: The weather here hit the mid-90s, and I just wasn't motivated to go biking today. I got up around 8am, did chores, shared a very brief IM with my wonderful DH, then headed off to Sunday School and Church. By the time I got home around noon, it was too hot/too smoggy for biking -- so I pretty much stayed indoors all afternoon. I got an email from my wonderful DH with a "purchasing request," so I hopped online to Amazon.com and had it sent directly to him. I have one completed care package here to mail him this upcoming week, plus some cards.

This afternoon I did some reading, watched birdies, played with kittens, and met briefly with my (fence) neighbor to hand over my check and sign the paperwork. Hopefully we will find out Monday or so when the new fence will be installed. I also just got some around-the-house tidying done, plus some watering outside ... my tomato plants looked thirsty! I added water to the swimming pool, watered some plants, and trimmed some flooped over droopy sunflowers. There were a lot of hummingbirds out today, which were really nice to see.

I read an interesting quote in today's Seattle Times: "Most people are not aware of a simple rule from the world of behavioral psychology: If you want to change your feelings in a situation, you must start by changing your behavior - not the other way around." In other words, the way to find motivation for healthy eating is .... to change your behavior and start eating healthy. I wonder if too many people are waiting around to "feel motivated" ... before they just start? Just some food for thought for this sunny Sunday ....

I "ate clean" today ... 1200 calories so far, 300 for snack later on. Dinner was grilled chicken, fresh asparagus and mushrooms, a toasted Thomas' light english muffin, and a cucumber-and-tomato salad. (The tomato was safe ... grown in California, I checked!) Because I was running late this morning and trying to get to church on time, I skipped my weigh-in... so yesterday's weigh-in will be my "official" one for the week.

No exciting plans for this upcoming week ... just the basics of keeping the house, tending my garden, keeping updated with friends and my DH on the internet.... and waiting to hear about the fence installation. I need to go shopping at Trader Joe's to stock up on some basics ... probably Monday. Otherwise, I will just keep on "keep on" -- ya know?

Sunday June 8, 2008 - 09:49pm (PDT) Permanent Link | 1 Comment
Entry for May 28, 2008: Are you sitting down? Good! Because I biked ANOTHER 17 miles today!!!! (And let me announce that my butt is officially sore and tired and will be taking a much-needed hiatus tomorrow, lol!) For those of you keeping track, that's 20 miles on Monday, 17 miles on Tuesday, and 17 miles on Wednesday. Surely Mr. Scale will be kind to me on Sunday for my official weigh-in day, right? After all this biking? And water drinking? And fiber consumption? And veggies? (Are you listening, Mr. Scale????)

I was very efficient with errands today .... and made it to the Post Office, the Smog place, and the grocery store -- all before lunch! My wonderful DH's beloved silver Explorer has been smogged, and then I went online and paid his registration. I also picked up some stuff at the grocery store, and was mildly entertained as I listened to the very patient lady behind the counter at the Post Office explain the concept of "forever stamps" to a mightily confused young woman. Frankly, I don't think the confused woman should be sending mail to anyone since she couldn't grasp the concept of a "forever stamp" after an extremely thorough, yet simple, explanation.... and then another explanation... and a further explanation. Certainly the rest of us at the Post Office understood after the first 10 minutes' of explanation!

I've received several compliments from those who've sampled my tasty, colorful, organic, home-grown 'maters (red ones and yellow ones, thank you!) I feel like such the little farmer with my carefully tended crop, lol! Looks like there will be more ready for harvest tomorrow -- I like to leave them on as long as possible for maximum flavor, freshness and ripening. Maybe next year I will plant bigger tomatoes and some radishes? Hmmm.... decisions, decisions! Still, it's been a fun and enjoyable experience to add a veggie to my flower gardening! Speaking of which, my yard is simply overflowing with sunflowers at the moment! (It's sooooo cheery!)

Just three more days of May, then June will be here. I don't know why, but I am rather looking forward to putting May behind me, and focusing on June weight loss and healthy eating goals. Maybe because May was such a roller-coaster month for me (well, mostly ups --- then slowly coming down!) Anyway, I am interested to see what my June starting weight will be on June 1 .... then I will be interested to see what it is on June 22 (10 month dieting anniversary!). Of course, my biggest focus is on August 22 ... my one-year mark. I wonder what my weight will be then? (It's sure slowed down some, which I understand is pretty normal.)

On a very happy note, I received an actual telephone call from my wonderful DH this morning! It was so nice to hear his voice!

Wednesday May 28, 2008 - 07:32pm (PDT) Permanent Link | 0 Comments
Entry for May 11, 2008: ALASKA PHOTOS!

Horned Owl (Sitka, Alaska) http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/Harvie _Ruth/ALASKA/DS C05142.jpg

Reindeer (Ketchikan, Alaska) http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/Harvie _Ruth/ALASKA/DS C05127.jpg

Built "Fjord" Tough (on the way to Hubbard Glacier) http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/Harvie _Ruth/ALASKA/DS C04833.jpg

Float planes taxiing (Juneau, Alaska) http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/Harvie _Ruth/ALASKA/DS C04562.jpg

Waterfront (Juneau, Alaska) http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/Harvie _Ruth/ALASKA/DS C04569.jpg

Stellar Sea Lions (Juneau, Alaska) http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/Harvie _Ruth/ALASKA/DS C04599.jpg

Lemon Glacier (Juneau, Alaska) http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/Harvie _Ruth/ALASKA/DS C04604.jpg

Humpback Whale (Junea, Alaska) http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/Harvie _Ruth/ALASKA/DS C04623.jpg

Siberian Husky (Ketchikan, Alaska) http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/Harvie _Ruth/ALASKA/DS C05088.jpg

Eagle Totem Poll (Ketchikan, Alaska) http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/Harvie _Ruth/ALASKA/DS C05099.jpg

The boy who cried wolf! (Ketchikan, Alaska) http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/Harvie _Ruth/ALASKA/DS C05103.jpg

Mossy Log (Tongass National Forest) http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/Harvie _Ruth/ALASKA/DS C05110.jpg

Bald Eagle (Ketchikan, Alaska) http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/Harvie _Ruth/ALASKA/DS C05167.jpg

Moss on a tree (Tongass National Forest) http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/Harvie _Ruth/ALASKA/DS C05178.jpg

Budding tree (Juneau, Alaska) http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/Harvie _Ruth/ALASKA/DS C04628.jpg

Yellow boot in snow (mine) (Mendenhall Glacier) http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/Harvie _Ruth/ALASKA/DS C04639.jpg

Mendenhall Glacier http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/Harvie _Ruth/ALASKA/DS C04644.jpg

Ron ... all bundled up! http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/Harvie _Ruth/ALASKA/DS C04684.jpg

Brrrrrrr .... http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/Harvie _Ruth/ALASKA/DS C04722.jpg

Hubbard Glacier http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/Harvie _Ruth/ALASKA/DS C04732.jpg

Pieces of glacier (iceberg babies) http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/Harvie _Ruth/ALASKA/DS C04738.jpg

Eagle Mountain http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/Harvie _Ruth/ALASKA/DS C04804.jpg

Nifty clouds, snow, mountains http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/Harvie _Ruth/ALASKA/DS C04812.jpg

Sunday May 11, 2008 - 05:06pm (PDT) Permanent Link | 0 Comments
Entry for May 11, 2008: Now back to REALLY important things ..... AAAAAUUUUUGGGGHHHHH!!!!! Does shrieking and freaking burn calories as much as ranting? I sure hope so, because I just experienced the worst form of scale sticker shock as I rather foolishly tempted the sodium and buffet gods and timidly stepped on my scale Saturday upon my return from Alaska. I think my scale actually whimpered. Where did those new 12.6 pounds come from??? First off, let me say that I am reasonably sure that I didn't eat 44,100 calories over maintenance for the past 3 weeks .... surely some of that must be sodium-induced water retention, right? EEEK! EEEK! EEEK! EEK! And you should see what this has done to my pretty weight-loss chart ..... YIKES! See what happens when you eat like a stressed-out piglet for 3 weeks without much exercise!? AAAAUUUUUGGGHHH!

Can I admit that I'm embarassed and ashamed and feel like crap for setting such a poor example for my fellow Calorie Counters? Sheesh. But I figured I'd better 'fess up, share the hideous news, and seek your help, support, encouragement and advice as I re-tackle those nefarious pounds. But I must admit I cried when I stepped on the scale. (Hey, if I cry enough, will THAT help with retained water?)

Anyway, I'm back on the wagon. Back in the saddle. Back on my diet. Back on healthy eating. Back on counting calories. Back on track. There's no sense beating myself up over this (unless that burns calories .... does it?) ..... so I will just pick myself up, dust myself off, and get back to work. August 22, 2008 is my one-year anniversary of eating healthier, and I want to have lost 17.4 pounds by then .... 100 total. So, for the next 3 months or so .... that's the prize I'm aiming for.

The cruise was very nice and the weather was cool and wet! We saw whales (3 kinds), sea otters, dolphins, owls, eagles, bunnies, squirrels, reindeer, glaciers and lots of pretty scenery. I took about a zillion photos .... so brace yourself for the onslaught once I get them all transferred and uploaded. Oh, and somewhere along the way, I seem to have contracted pneumonia .... so once I'm done with the antibiotics and my coughing stops, maybe I can get my butt back on my bike, huh?

(Did you miss me?)

Sunday May 11, 2008 - 12:43am (PDT) Permanent Link | 1 Comment