Friday, August 31, 2007

Thursday, August 30

Thursday...I went for a walk/jog in the morning, 35 minutes. I haven't been doing that the past few months at all and don't know if that has anything to do with my weight issues this summer. Breakfast: soaked oats, cherries & peaches, vanilla yogurt. Mocha. Did my FlyLady morning routines.

At lunch we had chef salad. After work I did a quick swipe of the kitchen before we went out for our anniversary dinner. We went out for Chinese--ate too much--had a glass of wine.

Which STILL didn't prepare me for Friday morning, going to Curves and weighing in at 147. I am absolutely freaking out here, I've gained five pounds THIS MONTH.

Making a doctor's appointment. If there's more to this than meets the eye (a little attempt at humor there) then I'd like to know about it.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Wednesday, August 29

I remember with longing the nights when I went to bed--and to sleep--around 11 and woke up with the alarm clock. Eventually I figured out what an unusual blessing that was. And the past few years I've really missed it. As I look at the words, I have to laugh because it is still true, only it used to be the whole story and now it isn't. I fall asleep fairly quickly...wake up at 12:30 or so, lay awake, doze, wake up around 4, lay there, doze, fall back asleep...and wake up with the alarm.

And today for the first time in a week I didn't wake up with a headache, which is progress. Of course it arrived a couple hours later. I had my breakfast of soaked oats, peaches and cherries, vanilla yogurt, and a mocha. I worked out at Curves and weighed in. 145. Makes me sad.

Hubby arrived home from night shifts so I went home at lunch and made a salmon pasta salad with peas, carrots, and celery. I had peas and an apple for snack at work later. When I got home I started supper: salad, pork chops, and a zucchini stir-fry (onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic).

Interesting aside, about twenty minutes from the end of my work day my niece, who lives an hour's drive away, dropped in. She hoped I'd be able to hang out with her for a bit, not remembering her uncle's schedule. I declined, but they'll drop by later, and the fun thing is that I didn't even have a flash of panic about the state of the house because I knew it was reasonably acceptable!

After supper (and dishes) hubby and I went down to the library. Since then I've done the FlyLady zone missions for today and tomorrow. They required standing on the same chairs so it made sense, and besides tomorrow is our wedding anniversary (number 27) so I'm taking the day off anything but the routines. I was amazed by how many cobwebs were clinging to the high shelves, ceiling/wall corners and window trim (and the few knick-knacks I have up there). I didn't think it had been that long since I'd been up there, but it occurs to me that I kinda skipped the living room zone at the end of July because I was camping prep. So the last time would have been on my June 29 blitz. At any rate it sure needed it!

So now I'm calmly awaiting my company. Most of my evening routine is done. It's all good.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Tuesday, August 28

Hello to anyone who might wander in here from Jean's blog. You may find this an incredibly boring place to be, filled with the minute details of my life from trying to eat according to the Glycemic Index, maintain my weight loss, and get organized via FlyLady. It's more for my own accountability than anything.

And today I didn't feel well. I still have a headache and neck ache and my gut wasn't too happy either. Might be the cabbage from yesterday which is sad as I really love cooked cabbage. This morning I ignored the alarm clock that beckoned me out for an early walk or bike ride, and curled back up for a nap. When I got up I had my breakfast of soaked oats, cherries and vanilla yogurt and made my mocha to take to work.

One thing I've found helpful is having my morning and evening FlyLady routines on the computer. In fact, that document is nearly always up so I can check my progress to see if I've missed something. So I'm getting better at remembering my vitamins now that I've put it on my list. It used to be automatic but not in the past few months.

Thankfully the work day was much quieter than yesterday. I'd taken a jar of homemade black bean soup for lunch as well as three Wasa crackers and smoked salmon cream cheese. Also a container of peas. Late in the afternoon I had two pieces of dark chocolate.

I checked my FlyLady zone mission when I got home and decided that everything currently residing in my living room needs to be here. Even the boxes of ceramic tile behind the recliner in the corner have no place better to be until the kitchen is ready for backsplashes. So I made supper: salad, green bean and shrimp stir-fry, and some french fries. Like I needed that, yeah, I know.

I read for awhile, talked to my mother-in-law, looked at online pics of my brand new baby niece, and am just now headed back off to do my few dishes and my breakfast prep. After I finish my bowl of chocolate non-fat non-sugar ice cream, that is. Surprisingly tastes pretty good and the closest thing I'd allow myself to something gooey and chocolatey. Trust me what I really feel like is brownies but we're not going there.

The alarm is set for a Curves workout in the morning so I hope I feel better. Enough is enough.

Monday, August 27, 2007

Monday, August 27

I dragged myself out of bed in time for a Curves workout before work. Although I'd taken muscle relaxant pills Sunday night, I still didn't sleep as well as I'd hoped and did not awaken with a lot of energy. Still sore. However, I did my workout and kept my heart rate up for 30 minutes, so that's good. Breakfast: soaked oats, peach, vanilla yogurt, mocha. A side note: Since I've started doing the FlyLady routines I don't forget to soak the oats ahead of time anymore. Sometimes (like on the weekends when hubby is home) I may choose to have Fiber One instead--or live dangerously and make pancakes--but it's rarely because I've forgotten to prep ahead. That right there has saved me money and helped me be healthier. Which I need because now my weight is 145. Time to deal with it. No really, I mean it.

After a week of the shop being closed, today was an absolute zoo at work. I got very little accomplished besides putting out minor (and some not so minor) fires. Still, I guess it was to be expected.

Hubby was home on his split so I came home at lunch and made us a chef salad (greens, cuke, tomatoes, boiled egg, a bit of bacon, ranch, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sliced almonds). I took three Wasa crackers and salmon cream cheese back to work with me for afternoon snack (also 2 pce dark chocolate).

I printed out this week's FlyLady missions because I didn't want to go online again right away from home (so easy to distract me, sadly). So I started right off by hunting down garbage in the living room (this week's zone). FlyLady suggested couch cushion diving and that grossed me out enough that the slipcovers hit the washing machine. They're now back on the couch, sans crumbs and such.

For dinner I sliced up a peppercorn marinated steak and sauteed it with onion and sliced green cabbage. I snacked on some peas and cherries while I cooked. Yay for more cherries! Local ones are no longer available, but these are from somewhere else in BC.

After dinner I did the dishes and tidied up the kitchen and then sat down to make up a menu for the next week. I don't know why this is so hard for me but my brain just seems to rebel at this one. Yet I know that it helps me eat healthier, cheaper, and less stressfully. I mean, it’s a winning thing. Anyway even one week takes me longer to figure out than it ought to so I figure I've done my tasks for the evening! Most of my bedtime routine is done now, breakfast, mocha and lunch are prepped, etc.

I think it will be a banana shake evening. The peaches are still too firm. Early to bed tonight, trying to even out my system again.

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Sunday, August 26

I sure hope I have some energy for Monday as today dragged as much as yesterday did. I didn't sleep as well as I'd hoped, being as I'd taken muscle relaxers because of the back spasms. Breakfast consisted of soaked oats, a diced peach, vanilla yogurt, and a mocha. I spent a bit of time online before hitting the road to see family.

Somehow I hadn't noticed the fuel gauge Saturday when I was in town. I probably had enough to get over the mountain but I hate to take a chance--and besides it is cheaper here. Thus I started my trip today backtracking into town to fuel up which set me a bit behind. Not only has it cooled off considerably from July's heat, but it actually rained a couple times on the road today. By the patter on the windows it has just now reached our place.

I arrived at my sister's house at the same time as Hanna and Craig did. My visiting sis and b-i-l had gone up to the nursing home to bring Mom over for lunch. We had barbecued salmon, rice, corn on the cob and salad with peach flambé for dessert. We visited for a couple hours and then I headed home via the ferry, stopping for a couple of spicey chicken rolls and a large-ish ginger cookie.

Since I've gotten home I've made lunches for Jim to take back to work with him tomorrow, prepped breakfast and lunch, put my workout bag back together--did the stuff that FlyLady calls the Bedtime Routine. It's about as done as it's going to get before hubby arrives home and we have the peach shakes I'm hungering over.

My back pulled a couple of spasm attacks again today. My gut doesn't feel well (probably those chicken rolls!) and neither do my neck and head. Mostly kind of low key whiney rather than full tilt pain. I'm hoping being back in full routine Monday will be a good thing.

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Saturday, August 25

Wow, I can't remember when I last had a day to do *nothing* in--and actually did it. I didn't do any exercise worth mentioning. My headache still lingers from this past busy week. My back decided to do some spasming for some odd reason. (I made a massage appointment for a week from now.) The weather was fairly cool for August; I even wore jeans and a t-shirt with sleeves today. Altogether circumstances just made me happy to hang out, even though there wasn't anything on tv worth watching. There's only so much Property Ladder I can handle (five minutes, maybe).

Breakfast: back to soaked oats, strawberries, and vanilla yogurt. I felt sorry for myself (roll eye) and allowed myself two mochas. The second one was decaf. As though that redeems me. For lunch I reheated the leftover beef tomato soup from yesterday and had two pieces of wholegrain toast (margarine) and the last two banana muffins. At supper I had a large tossed salad, two mini-meatloaves and some French fries (more rolling eyes). I currently have my breakfast oats soaking for tomorrow and am debating what, if anything, to have for evening snack. (Had three Wasa crackers with cinnamon/splenda fat-free cream cheese...mmm)

I made one trip to town to get drinking water (for my water cooler), look for storage units at second hand stores for the kids (didn't find anything I could fit in the car tomorrow that was worth buying), and scout out peaches for canning. I wish they didn't cost twice as much at the local fruit stands as they do in the grocery store. That is seriously irritating. I haven't decided what to do about it yet. But I want to can peaches again this year. I'll do them mostly in pints so Jim can take them up to the apartment. Quart jars of fruit tend to rot in the back of the fridge these days. I also want to test a small batch with Splenda instead of sugar, as the added calories have kept me from enjoying canned fruit the last couple years. And I must say that home-canned fruit has WAY less sugar added than store bought anyway. But still.

We've started to talk again about working on the house and what we hope to get accomplished before next spring. Obviously finishing the kitchen is at the top of the list. Heck, it may be the WHOLE list, the amount we get done some months. My boss has offered me a stack of rough-cut cherry planks that Jim thinks would be enough to make the countertop for the peninsula. We've gone back and forth on this for six months. It's my fault. I want it to be ALL tiled and at the same time I want it to be ALL butcher block. Um yeah. Even I can see the problem with that. I believe the butcher block is winning as even with the temporary countertop in place (two lengths of melamine shelving), I'm turning to that spot for most of my prepping and sandwich fixing. So the remaining countertop needs doing, the electrical needs doing, and the upper cabinets need to be installed. Some of those will be a royal pain, also. Can I hope we will be done the kitchen before Christmas?

Every single night I get up once, twice, or even three times to use the bathroom. Getting a bathroom installed on the second floor seems to me to be quite a high priority. Unfortunately we need to build a dormer in our roof before that happens. Fall is the driest time of year for ripping apart the roof, but will we still be in the middle of working on the kitchen? Is it advisable to rip apart the roof even if the kitchen isn't done, just to catch the best weather--and have more of the house in limbo for longer? We're such procrastinators I hate to do that. But I sure don't want the roof off in January!

I spent a couple of hours sketching house and yard plans this morning. You'd think I'd have that all done, being as we've actually started the renovating. Yes and no. We keep thinking of cool new ways to do things, and today's sketches include some of the stuff we talked about in our many hours on the road this past week. Jim will be home Sunday evening and I can show him then, see if he thinks it will work as well as we thought. If money were no object we could do some amazing things. Ha.

I've also spent time digging through the back corners of the FlyLady site, trying to get re-motivated. Yesterday's marathon cleaning was the old Val. And it worked! I seem to be the kind of person who gets really gung-ho when needed, but honestly all the little FlyLady steps in the past couple months made the marathon much easier than ever before. So I'm trying to get my brain back in the groove. I was complaining a bit ago that it's harder for me to do the FlyLady stuff when Jim's schedule puts him at home. Yeah well, what an issue that is, eh? Most gals have folks in their life to work around. As FlyLady says, you can get a lot done in fifteen minutes. More if you stop sitting around and whining about it, I imagine.

Friday, August 24, 2007

Home again

It's been a busy week. Last Thursday evening I was busy getting everything ready for my week away. I needed to remember everything I should take to the conference, everything I would need at Hanna and Craig's, plus the usual beginning-of-shift stuff for hubby AND everything he would need in the truck for when he joined us after his night shifts.

It was about 11:00 when I figured I had everything ready and hopped into the shower to cool off before going to bed. Just as I was reaching for the taps to end the shower, I heard a strange gurgling sound. Hmm. Peed, flushed the toilet, and turned to the sink. Upon which the toilet sloshed water all over the bathroom floor. Plunged the toilet, water gushed up the sink. Again. Hmm. Definitely bedtime! :P

In the morning I just washed my hair in the kitchen sink and used my in-laws' bathroom. I was leaving WITH my m-i-l at 7 am, so that worked. Mentioned to f-i-l, he said it sounded like a blocked vent to him, or maybe tree roots in the septic line. Told him NOT to go checking it out! (He was due to have knee replacement surgery Monday morning so really didn't need the stress/ pain of our septic system acting up). I left a detailed note for hubby and headed off to the conference, where I had an enjoyable Friday/ Saturday with my m-i-l, a sis-i-l, and three nieces. Also ran into an old friend and saw my daughter on some of the breaks.

The Women of Faith conference was fun, but rather on the fluffy side. Concerts by Carolyn Arends and Sandi Patti, talks and comedy and drama by others. Got a ride home with Hanna and some of her pals from her church.

We got into a bit of a stride Sunday afternoon with organizing the packing and taking stock of what had already been done and what the order of business would be for the rest. In the evening I accompanied them to a goodbye barbecue with friends. All day Monday and Tuesday morning we packed like crazy, wiping out closets and cupboards as we emptied them. Jim arrived Tuesday about noon with our truck and a U-Haul trailer. He backed it into place in the driveway and headed for a nap. Hanna had a hair appointment (her stylist is a close friend of hers) so Craig and I began loading the trailer. I must say we done good and had it mostly loaded by mid-evening. By then we had some help!

Wednesday morning we finished with the last of the packing and loading and washing and carpet cleaning and were on the road by 9:30. The truck and trailer were heavily loaded and we have had some issues lately with the truck over-heating so we took it easy on the highway, stopping off at home for a couple hours break in the afternoon as Jim needed to feed the cows (they're finally about out of fresh pasture; it's been a better than usual summer for that aspect). This gave the kids a bit of time to see their grandparents also. Jim's dad was home from his surgery already and recuperating about as well as can be expected.

Then we drove the long way--around the lake and across the ferry rather than over the mountain pass to save the engine on the truck. We pulled into the parking lot at their new place about dusk and waited for the landlord to show up with the key. We unloaded the back of the pickup (which included their bed) and just far enough into the trailer to get to the deep freeze that night. Come morning the guys kept unloading while Hanna and I dashed to the store to find *something* for breakfast and then back to find *something* to cook it in! We'd done a really good job labeling every box and especially of marking with a large 1 anything that would be needed asap. Except the box with the salt and pepper, sadly!

Anyway we got the rest unloaded and made a good effort at unpacking as much as we could so the boxes would have a nice ride to the recycling depot in the U-haul. Hanna also selected some items to come back to the farm for storage as their new places is considerably smaller than their previous one.

Jim and I arrived home late Thursday afternoon, both of us tired and stiff and sore. And still needing to deal with the plumbing issue. This morning he ruled out the vent issue and also the septic line. He had about decided it was the toilet itself and went back to talk to his dad one more time. (Not only is his dad a licensed plumber/ gas fitter, but he built this house with his own hands, including the plumbing system). Then the lights went on as his folks recalled that occasionally the intake hole in the toilet gets clogged with calcium from our hard water. Sure enough, thirty seconds worth of un-clogging and everything is running smoothly again. At least we know the rest of the system is clean and good too! It's a huge relief to have that all operational again.

Meanwhile we'd been up and down from the muddy cellar and with water constantly sloshing all over the bathroom floor, the main floor of the house is just plain dirty. We'd discovered early on that the washing machine didn't seem affected by the plumbing problem so I'd started on the laundry--about the only cleaning task it seemed worthwhile doing until the other was solved.

Now Jim has headed back to drop off the trailer and go to the apartment for (hopefully) a good sleep before day shifts start again in the morning. I have kept the laundry humming (including putting away loads as they come out of the dryer). Our bedding is in the dryer right now. I've dusted and tidied and vacuumed upstairs and done one batch of dishes and cleaned the bathroom from top to bottom. The bath mat and all the towels are in the washer, and the kitchen and living room floors still need doing.

This past week I have gotten my exercise from washing cupboards and carrying boxes. I have mostly eaten what was put in front of me, trying to make wise choices when I had options. The first thing I did yesterday when we got home was pop into the grocery store for some fresh fruit and veggies and a rotisserie chicken! We had the chicken for supper along with a large tossed salad, garlicky green beans (garden), and corn on the cob (garden--a bit unripe yet). Later we had strawberries and vanilla yogurt for snack.

Today I made huckleberry oat bran pancakes for breakfast--I had mine with vanilla yogurt and sugar-free pancake syrup. At lunchtime I fixed a homemade beef and tomato soup with wholegrain toast (margarine). Before Jim left for work we had peach shakes and banana muffins. Supper is chili (glad I had some in the freezer!), salad and toast.

Planning to have the rest of the main floor clean before bedtime--shouldn't be a problem time-wise if my headache stays at bay. I'd like to do some actual relaxing on Saturday! I really over-did my neck and shoulder muscles this week and the old arthritis wants to kick into gear. Hopefully it will subside--it looks like it will.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Thursday, August 16

Another busy day in Val-ville. Had my usual breakfast: soaked oats, cherries, vanilla yogurt, and my mocha. Went in to Curves before work for a cardio workout.

Things were hopping at work due to my taking this next week off. I came home at lunch to make salmon pasta salad for hubby and me. This time I put in lots of broccoli. For snack I took peas and cherries back to the shop, also had a small handful of pistachios and a piece of dark chocolate.

We had new garden potatoes (butter, dill) for supper with a piece of beef steak and a tossed salad. I munched the one handful of green beans raw; by the time I get home we should be able to eat them regularly for a few weeks. Hubby headed off to the apartment as he starts day shifts tomorrow, and I continued to graze broccoli and cherries all evening while I worked. And this time I'm pretty sure it's the end of the cherries!

I did my *house blessing* ala FlyLady. I also cleaned out the truck cab which wasn't too bad as I'd done it a couple weeks back. Hubby will be driving the truck over to help move our daughter and son-in-law next week. I also packed some clothes for him into the truck, a sleeping bag, pillow, tarp, and a bunch of rope.

Then I started packing ME while also cleaning up the main areas of the house. I'm headed out first thing Friday to a Women of Faith conference in Calgary. From which I'll go to our daughter's home and help finish up the last of the packing and cleaning before hubby arrives Tuesday.

I've left the kitchen and main floor nice and clean, and upstairs looks pretty decent also. Of course the cat will probably hork all over everything before we get home but that can't be helped.

You won't be getting a blow by blow this next week, lucky you. But I'm interested to see how different it will be to help the kids pack than it's been for me. Hanna has been seriously decluttering and her hubby is NOT a saver (unlike mine). Hanna grew up with me as a mother, what FlyLady calls a SHE (sidetracked home executive) and learned to take care of things rather on a defensive mode. I, on the other hand, grew up with a BO (born organizer) and then married someone who hangs onto everything that crosses his path.

On our many moves I packed with toddlers taking things out of boxes as fast as I put them in. I packed with a 10 year old who thought it was cute to pack the cat. He made sure it was a box with holes and even labeled the box *George*. I didn't notice until a box in the stack began making scratchy noises. The same boy at 16, when we moved the last time, was still rescuing things out of the packed pile. I thought his Lego was something I could pack ahead of time but apparently not. He took it back upstairs and built stuff with it for a few more weeks. He and his wife are moving now at the end of August, too. I hope he's more help than he used to be!

Talk to you all in a week or so.

Wednesday, Augst 15

So on Wednesday I really thought about how my schedule differs when hubby is home. Yeah. I'm not making up the huge difference.

In the summer it's not too hard to get up that hour early and make sure I work out before work. What is sad that this was my last day of Aquafit. Why did I ever put off starting to go? I LOVE AQUAFIT!!!!! And I don't even know if we'll have our new indoor pool by next summer or if I'm cold turkey for a long time here. I'm sad!

I took my brekkie to work again: soaked oats, cherries, vanilla yogurt, 2 banana muffins and the famous mocha. (My mocha is actually just hot chocolate powder mixed into dark roast coffee--you can even buy sugar-free HC powder.) At lunch I made Glory Bowl and took peas to work for snack. I was out of cherries. I had a few pistachios and a granola bar. My boss brought in a bucket of plums so I had some of those, then at the end of the day he brought me a 20# box of cull cherries. I'd thought he'd bring them on Monday, but here it was Wednesday and we're leaving Friday morning for a week. So I gave a bunch of the cherries away and we'll still be eating them like crazy.

Wednesday was our last shot at the beach after work for this summer so we went. It wasn't as hot as it had been, and the water seemed cooler. But still it was fun. Came home, oven-baked chicken legs and sweet potato french fries and had carrot salad. Supper was nearly 8:00 (coming back to how my schedule differs when hubby's home!) and it was after 9 by the time I'd done the dishes and cleaned the kitchen and done my prep for Thursday. Banana milkshake time, and making lists of what needs doing and packing for the upcoming trip.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Tuesday, August 14

I was doing better with FlyLady stuff in July than in August. As I mull that over, I realize what part of the issue is. Hubby works four on, four off. When he's home, I don't get as much other stuff done. In July his shifts landed so he was off on weekends, more or less. Now his schedule has rotated around so he's home during the week (this week he's home from Monday morning to Thursday evening.) So for August, I've basically been maintaining: keeping up on laundry (which has never been a big issue), keeping the kitchen and bathroom sorted and cleaned, and running the vacuum every few days. What would normally happen in this routine is that I'd do a lot of cleaning--catch-up, as it were--on the weekend. However, I'm leaving at the crack of dawn on Friday for a whole week so that won't happen this weekend. I guess I need to analyze this rotation and try to see how much effort I should put into the FlyLady stuff when he's around and wanting attention. Though truly the house is better maintained now than it usually has been other weeks when his rotation hits this stage so maybe this pace is alright. Something for me to think about.

I went into Curves Tuesday morning and weighed in at 144. At least it didn't go up again. Because Aquafit is such an intense resistance training, I decided to ease back at Curves and focus on cardio. Curves is set up with resistance machines between recovery stations and a timer that goes off every thirty seconds to switch stations. So instead of working the machines, I spent 1 minute on the recovery board, then moved to the next one. I felt like I kept my heart rate up really well and may do that version again.

Had my breakfast after I got to work: soaked oats, cherries, vanilla yogurt and a mocha. Went home at lunch and fixed hubby and I a chef salad: greens, cuke, tomato, broccoli, a hard-boiled egg and a bit of bacon with Ranch, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and slivered almonds. I had a snack at work of peas, cherries, and later, some dark chocolate.

When I got home we were undecided for a bit whether we'd go to the beach for a swim but decided against it. I put on a pot of brown/ wild rice and made carrot salad (with raisins and non-fat mayo) while hubby prepped a salmon with onion, dill, and oregano, wrapped in foil and barbecued. DeLISH!

Somehow there were a ton of dishes. I also washed all my pickle jars from Sunday and finally got them put away in the cellar. Did hubby's work laundry. Ended the day with a banana milkshake and some reading.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Monday, August 13

Another Aquafit day, and I'm down to the last week of it sadly. Our little town has an outdoor pool only, but last fall (after countless referendums) we finally voted in an entire new recreation complex. The pool will be the first part tackled, and the outdoor pool closes on August 24 so that they can begin digging the bigger deeper hole. Yay! However, I won't be home next week so I'll miss the last week of Aquafit. I've really enjoyed it. I think it's important to spice up our fitness routines every once in awhile.

So once again I brought my breakfast to work: soaked oats, cherries, vanilla yogurt, 2 banana muffins, and mocha. At lunch I heated up a jar of chicken soup I'd been keeping at the shop for just such an occasion, along with peas and more cherries. And a bit of dark chocolate late in the day. I had serious gut cramps then and couldn't figure out what was causing them. Finally getting a period? Maybe. But it didn't show. Might have been the cabbage in the chicken soup. The cramping finally went away late in the evening.

When I got home from work I had a couple pieces of multigrain toast (margarine) with a sliced banana. I was really hungry (or it was one way to interpret the cramping) and we were going to my sis-in-law's for a late barbecue in honor of my nephew's birthday.

It was the day hubby gets off night shift so we didn't stay at the party long. I had a couple burgers (with icky white buns--sigh--why do I DO this to myself? They don't even taste good!), cucumbers, tomatoes, salad, and a little blop of potato salad. Very small glass of Zinfindel.

Got home, tidied the kitchen and did the prep for Tuesday (aka, in FlyLady lingo, as my bedtime routine). Hubby worked on my neck and VOILA my two or three day headache is gone.

Wish I was sleeping better.

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Sunday, August 12

Today I had Fiber One, cherries, and vanilla yogurt for breakfast. Isn't that surprising! Oh, can't forget the mocha.

I went to a Mennonite wedding this morning, our next door neighbor's daughter. Even though I have Mennonite roots way back when, this was my first cross-cultural wedding. Very interesting!

I picked up a 20 pound case of pickling cucumbers on my way home, along with the seasonings to zap up the taco salad, which I had for lunch. Then made 18 jars of pickles and (go me) cleaned up after myself while eating a bowl of cherries. Then I went outside and pruned back the apricot tree. It shades our truck's parking spot and I had noticed that it was getting droopy and nearly brushing the cab. While I was working outside I did some weeding and hauled a bunch of boxes of baler twine from the front porch to the shed where it belongs (somehow this hadn't become a priority of hubby's) and had to make room to stack the boxes.

Although it was supper time by then, I didn't feel like making anything so I munched on a handful of peas while I surfed the net. Then I made a couple of pieces of homemade multigrain toast (margarine, cheddar). An hour or so later I had a large bowl of salad, then vacuumed the main floor and upstairs. Finally around 9pm I put smoked salmon cream cheese on three Wasa crackers and decided that I'd had supper!

So the kitchen is clean, breakfast and lunch are prepped, my workout bag is packed for Aquafit in the morning, and the evening is cool enough that I think I should sleep well.

Friday & Saturday, August 10-11

Started off Friday morning with Aquafit. It was a really good workout and I could feel the burn (a nice burn, though) for hours afterwards. I'd packed my breakfast for at work: soaked oats, cherries, vanilla yogurt, mocha. I didn't take any muffins because I was only working a half day anyway.

Still, by the time I got off work and picked up groceries and another stop for fresh cherries (season is nearly over now :( )it was pushing 1:30 and I was STARVED. So I zapped FOUR burritoes and had them with non-fat sour cream and salsa. Still, four? A little obsessive.

Also at noon hour we had a crazy little storm blow through here; it rained about a half hour (first in about eight weeks) and cooled down to the point where I went hunting jeans and a shirt with sleeves. Even found socks! So I decided it was the perfect day to bake homemade bread which I hadn't done in many months. When my fabulously delicious whole/ multigrain bread came out of the oven I had two slices with margarine and cheddar. At supper I had cole slaw and one seared pork chop, also carrot sticks, peas, and some cherries.

Other than the bread baking I didn't do a lot of housework. I'd bought replacement cleaners though and did swish and swipe the bathroom. Our bedroom carpet got soaked from the rain arrowing in from the north, but it has dried.

I've read a couple of books over the weekend and begun to think through how I will review them on my blog in the next couple weeks.

Saturday morning I had breakfast (Fiber One, cherries, and yogurt) and was reaching for my runners when the phone rang and it was my daughter. I could tell this wouldn't be a short call (it wasn't!) so I made my mocha and settled down to visit. Hubby was home on his split and when he was ready for breakfast in the late morning we had cinnamon raisin bread french toast (does it count that I use sugar-free syrup??) and turkey breakfast sausages.

As a result of Friday's storm our golden willow had shed a lot of branches. I spent much of Saturday afternoon picking them up and hauling them to our burning pile which is getting quite large. The temperature was way up again, though not over 40 Celcius.
I had a large tossed salad and a small bowl of homemade chili (heavy on the beans) and went out to water the garden and then mow the grass. Much of the lawn is too dry to be growing so only about a third of it needed to be cut (around the garden in particular where the watering has helped keep the grass happy).

In the evening I had another small bowl of chili before freezing the rest and munched on carrot sticks and peas while I surfed the net. I also made a batch of taco goop but was low on chili powder so it is now in the fridge. I have to pick up pickling cucumbers as I'd ordered a 20# case and I'll get more chili powder when I do so I can get portions in the freezer.

Status of the house: pretty darn clean if I do say so myself.

Thursday, August 09, 2007

Thursday, August 9

Today I started out with a weigh-in at Curves, followed by a workout. After two camping weekends since my last official weigh-in, I shouldn't be surprised to find myself at 144#. Some self-control would be a really good thing about now. To be very fair with myself, I do know that the number on the scale isn't the end-all and be-all. It IS, however, an indicator. And I'm not fond of what it is indicating.

Not only is stress something that makes the pounds wish to cling to a woman's mid-section, but so is approaching menopause. At the moment I've been two months between periods, which has happened a few times before. (I was sure with my luck it would land last weekend when we were camping with a portapottie! Thankfully it didn't.) So one of these days it really WILL be the last one. Hormones are grand things to keep life messed up. Yay hormones.

Anyway, breakfast: soaked oats, cherries, vanilla yogurt, mocha. It occurs to me that a long time ago I made a point of having tofu in a morning shake and I haven't done that for ages. I need to figure out how to work a daily dose of tofu back into my diet, both for the protein and for the menopausal aids.

So I'd been really good last night and done much of the prep for today's meals. I knew I had the stuff for Glory Bowl in the fridge and decided I would have it for lunch. This morning I was in a hurry to get to the gym and just chucked all the bits into a container and went on my way. Should've looked closer. The grated carrots were slimy and the grated beets were also off. Aargh. So...I bought a personal size chicken BBQ pizza. Not quite what I'd meant to have, but they are the closest and fastest lunch spot. I had taken peas and carrot sticks for snack so also had those.

Came home, spent my 15 minutes outside watering the garden and chopping limbs off the Great Pumpkin, which is threatening to overtake the zucchini, butternuts, AND the corn. It may, in fact, wish to take over the entire world. Came inside, ate some cherries while rummaging through the fridge and reheating the Asian-ish chicken and rice leftovers from a few days ago. Definitely not a recipe to write home about. Also had some cole slaw.

Realize it is time to go grocery shopping again and that a menu plan would be a good idea. I hate menu plans. Really I do. At least I hate making them, and when I do push myself, I often divert from them. However, it is also not nice to wander the grocery aisles at five o'clock looking for supper and I've done that far too often. And in the making of the plan I realized that next week Friday morning I'm leaving again for a week, so I'd better make sure that the fresh produce comes out more or less even.

This week FlyLady is in the kitchen. I know you were wondering when I would get around to figuring out my FlyLady mission! Monday's mission was countertops. Remember last month and the canning jars and the cans for recycling? Gone. And thanks to the great coffee ground spillage a couple nights ago, the countertops have been cleaned this week. Tuesday's mission was under the sink. I checked when I emptied the garbage yesterday. It's all good under there. Wednesday's mission was decluttering the container cupboard. Now that is one I sure need to do periodically, but with the renovation underway, I've been there done that. This stuff now lives in a deep 30" drawer and is nicely organized. Thursday's mission is decluttering the pantry, which I don't have...but the previous principle applies. I've massively gotten rid of out-of-date goods fairly recently. Onward to Friday (getting ahead of myself here!): thoroughly washing the kitchen floor. Again, thanks to the milk shake spillage the other night, the floor is all good. Whew. A whole week of missions and I didn't have to lift a finger!

Likewise, August is laundry month. Finally...something I don't have a problem with already. I'm not messing with my laundry schedule because, by golly, it works.

I've spent some time writing up reviews for blog tour books that are coming up on my other blog Hopefully this way I won't be scrambling last minute.

I think I'm good for the day. Whew. I've even had my milkshake and spilled none of it. WooHoo! Now the dishes and off to read for awhile.

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Wednesday, August 8

Okay, things are starting to look a little organized again. I made it to Aquafit this morning and my muscles are still burning. A good burn, but still! I packed breakfast along being as I'm too lazy to eat before a 7:30 am workout. Brekkie these days is soaked oats, cherries, vanilla yogurt, 2 banana muffins and a mocha. Cherry season is nearly over and I shall be sad to see the last of it. They have to be my very favorite fresh fruit.

The weather is considerably cooler. I don't think it cleared 30 degrees Celcius today (so under 80 Fahrenheit). The cooler nights mean I'm sleeping a bit better again which helps a lot. Hubby met me in town for lunch and I ordered a pulled pork sandwich with a side salad instead of fries (go me!). I also left the top of the bun on my plate, so while it was a splurge, it wasn't a big one. A bit of dark chocolate rounded out my late afternoon.

Supper: Asian-style coleslaw, whole-wheat pasta, and pasta sauce with ground beef. (2 pieces of raisin bread toast (margarine) later).

Hubby left for the apartment right after supper and I kicked FlyLady into high gear. Well, sort of. She advocates picking one evening a week for what she calls a *House Blessing Hour*--basically the dusting and vacuuming blitz night. She has arbitrarily chosen Monday as her day. I think what works best for me is every eighth day just after hubby leaves. House usually needs it by then and I can work uninterrupted.

So now as I sit here the bedroom is mostly tidy, the bathroom has been swished and swiped (speaking of swiping, hubby stole my cleaning supplies for the apartment so they have to go back on my shopping list!), the coffee table hotspot and the peninsula hotspot have been cleared, the litterbox is clean, the dusting and vacuuming and dishes are done, the garbage is out in the truck (every second Thursday is garbage day at the shop so it worked out perfect this week), and breakfast is prepped and in the fridge. And it's only 9:12! WooHoo!

Tuesday, August 7

I sure noticed first thing in the morning that the kitchen wasn't as clean as I'd been keeping it all of July. I ignored it though (I'm pretty good at that, sadly...) and went for a bike ride. The weather has cooled off enough that I was glad I'd grabbed a hoody.

Because I wasn't back in the groove and so had not put rolled oats on to soak Monday evening, I had Fiber One, cherries, and vanilla yogurt for breakfast (and a mocha for at work). It was really busy at work after being closed for four days.

Hubby was working on the car all day so I didn't go home for lunch but bought a sandwich on whole grain foccacia (ham, tomatoes, cheese, and lots of sprouts). When I got home I watered the gardens and started cleaning the kitchen while cooking. Took three batches of dishes, and I'd let them sit till they'd mostly drained before putting them away and doing the next round. I didn't think I'd had THAT many!

Meanwhile I dumped a filter full of coffee grounds all over the counter, floor, and under the microwave. So now that section of my counter is quite clean.

Made an Asian-ish dish with chicken breasts and a variety of spices and edamame pods over brown-and-wild rice and cole slaw on the side. It was okay but I'm not sure I'd go out of my way to do it again. :P

Once I'd gotten my morning stuff prepped I made banana milkshakes--and promptly dumped my glass off the counter. Thankfully it didn't break. So now my kitchen floor is very very clean. Wish I wasn't having such a clutzy day!

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Thursday-Monday, August 2-6

I'm not going to make you suffer through a blow-by-blow of an entire long weekend!

Suffice to say I was organized enough (yay!) that we got away on time on Friday and had everything along that we needed. We took our bicycles along because we'd been told that the road that goes by the campsite is a good gravel road and not too steep. The truth was that there was about five kilometers of dust-and-boulders side road first, so we didn't actually go cycling (though I did go Thursday morning). So the most exercise I got was playing in the lake and about an hour of canoeing.

Food-wise...about the only *junk food* I took along was a box of Christie gingersnaps. SUCH a treat for me and I don't buy them when not camping. My boss had given me a 20# box of cherries to take along...and we camped in a group of nearly 50 people so the cherries were pretty much gone by Sunday night. Breakfasts and suppers we did quite healthy; lunches were more of an issue as I depended on SideKicks for those, with a side of fresh peas and carrots.

When we got home we'd had a problem with our water system and our cows were thirsty, so there wasn't enough water for all the people things I wanted to do. HAD to have a shower after four days of swimming and then walking around in dust! And our bedding had to be washed for the same reason. But the last round of camping dishes is waiting for me this evening, as is the rest of the laundry.

This week in FlyLady's kitchen week and I have read this week's missions. Got my work cut out for me!

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Tuesday & Wednesday, July 31-August 1

So. Sedatives. They react kind of oddly on me, I guess. I went to sleep about 10:30 and slept like a rock until about 12:30--my typical first wake-up time. And then I needed to pee, but my limbs were all sedated and our one-and-only bathroom is down the stairs. I needed hubby to keep me from falling down them! Made it back to bed, slept til 4:30, woke up, went back to sleep till 6:30. So was it worth it? Kind of. At least while I was sleeping it was much sounder than it has been the last few weeks.

I was still really groggy when I got up and decided to skip the workout and just concentrate on making it to work on time.

Breakfast: typical (soaked oats, berries, vanilla yogurt...mocha). I came home at lunchtime and made a salmon pasta salad with few macaroni and lots of veggies in it. Took peas and cherries for snack.

Things were an all-fired panic after work getting supper going so hubby could get on the road for his apartment and day shifts. I'd intended to pick up a barbecue chicken at the grocery store but they were out so I grabbed a package of brats and buns--I ate two each myself--and made a large tossed salad. I was totally stressed out and found myself eating two pieces of raisin bread toast later. Bad Val. (I'd bought the bread for french toast camping).

Other than keeping the kitchen and bathroom together (and not letting the rest of the house get any worse) I'm ignoring FlyLady this week. Not because my living room doesn't need help--the coffee table is a huge hubby-style hot spot--but because we're leaving Friday for four days camping and I have much prep to get done. So my big project was taking the canvas carpenter's apron I'd bought a few days ago and adapting it to hang on the wall in the camper above my side of the bed. I need a safe place to keep glasses, wristwatch, headlamp, and reading material there at night. I stuck it up with sticky hooks and I expect it will work great.

Then I made a stack of lists of what I need to buy and do each day. Went to bed at a decent time and crashed. YAY! I really really slept, and even missed that 12:30 wake-up. Caught the 4:30 one though! :P And I was COLD. Can't remember when that last happened. I got up to pull out a blanket. When I awakened again at 6:30 I wasn't under it anymore, but hey, I needed it for a bit. :)

So I felt more rested today, Wednesday. Breakfast: soaked oats, cherries, vanilla yogurt, mocha. I took taco salad to work for lunch, also peas and cherries for later (and chocolate). Came home and cleaned out the cab of the truck, hubby's other hot spot. It had been collecting tools and vehicle parts for a couple months along with garbage and receipts and...who knows what all. Then I began rounding up and loading stuff into the truck and camper--some of the big stuff like the rubber raft (et al), the hammock, lawn chairs, etc.

Of course I was stupid about supper and pulled some individual meat loaves out of the freezer and had them sliced on two buns. I know better than to keep eating white buns. I did it anyway. NOW I have frozen the rest of the buns (and the raisin bread too) Had a salad.

While I was eating I finalized the remainder of the menu and grocery list for after work on Thursday and the laundry is currently going in circles. I just have the kitchen to clean and I'll be off to bed early, trying to repeat last night's performance!