What a beautiful day it was in the Coachella Valley today! Crisp air, breathtaking blue skies, stunning white clouds that were gradually pushed along by dark, rain soaked grey ones. The perfect day would have brought with it steady showers; perhaps tomorrow. This month goals and challenges will test my resolve. October 29, 2012 was the beginning of our family's period of restoration, where we still find ourselves today. It's a process, and time will tell when this reality gives way to healing, then peace. Everyday for the past two years acceptance has been my focus; perseverance my intent, with gratitude guiding me along. It's a challenge, one that I gladly accept. Meeting goals that I've set for myself has not been an easy task, but I do make an effort, especially if these goals bring much needed diversion and contentment. Reinventing my life will take some courage, and I'll have to dig deep to recover my sense of adventure that saw me through my younger years. This I also gladly welcome. Establishing some semblance of normalcy again will be tricky as children each decide when the perfect right time to venture out on their own comes. One daughter has already mentioned her intent to remain in area of the country where she is currently enrolled in college. Hopeful this will not be too arduous when our eldest and youngest prepare to break away, and that my husband and I can gracefully accept that this is simply a part of life
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November Program:
Participate in NaBloPoMo by committing to write a daily blog post.
Make concerted effort to sort out The Place in preparation for holidays.
Commit to keep up with daily fitness plan.
Enjoy this season of gratitude and togetherness, and make best effort to spend more time with loved ones.
That's November 2014 in a nutshell. Hope you will check in often.
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Below is my tiny effort to reverse effect stemming from my contribution made into the disappearance of all the mixed candy bags that I brought home leading up to Halloween. None of which lasted anywhere near October 31st. This Is Fifty With Lil Fitness Challenge Ain't No Turkey Progress: Day 1: 11:58 pm; 30 second wall sits! Whoa. Day 2: 10:30 pm; 30 second wall sits. Ouch. Day 3: 11:53 pm; 46 seconds - wall sits. Whew. Day 4: 5 hours standing at Britannias red carpet event. Day 5: 11:15 pm; 30 second wall sits. Wow! Day 6: 11:57 pm; 30 second wall sits... long day. Day 7:
Movies? Books? Uh, no. I absolutely do not enjoy watching horror flicks. I'll pass on the thriller genre section of the library, too. Nor will I purchase a scary book at a bookstore. So, I'm sure you've guessed, I'm not a fan of scary stuff. It's just not my thing.
So, that answers today's NaBloPoMo prompt: Do you enjoy being scared such as watching horror movies or reading scary books?
*****
Something pretty great happened today and I look forward to sharing more about it on Friday. Here's a hint for now.
Image by L. Carilo
Yum.
*****
Now, about there being "only fifty minutes" left on the clock until midnight. One of my favorite online catalogs is Title Nine, and I found out on Twitter that Ain’t No Turkey 30 Day Strength Challenge starts today, and I'm planning to do it... in the beginner category, of course.
For weekend of October 26, 2014 in Entertainment News our collective memory may go like this:
"Hey, remember that weekend when Jim Carrey hosted SNL? Nude body suit? Dancing? Blond wig! McKinnon... come on, even Lorne Michaels showed up on screen. You know, that time you laughed longer than you've done since forever at an SNL skit... that weekend. No? Me neither. Because, Oh God! Judd Nelson died?!? "
Noooooo...
Of course Judd Nelson didn't die over the weekend. Here he is reading the L.A. Times, Sunday edition.
Now, if you are reading this blog you may be asking, "Who is Judd Nelson?" To that I say, "Don't make me come over there." Judd Nelson is the only reason to watch The Breakfast Club movie. Okay, one of eight reasons, and yes, I am including the high school library. Oh my god, such a great movie!
Wait, what?! You say you know nothing of this "Breakfast Club" movie. It's okay, my kids haven't watched it either... putting me in the "worse mother ever" running. I need to fix that. Anyway, all I can say to you in regard to your life having been deprived of the wonder that is this movie is, stop what you are doing and go watch it. I'll wait.
Also, Judd Nelson was the sole reason why I'd watch Suddenly Susan reruns at the crack of midnight in Texas. Okay, it had a pretty great cast too. And that's all I'll say about Judd Nelson.
*****
So my Life Reimagined progress has been further interrupted... week two. Life, right? It was a good day. Found time to get out, visit with my sister while out running some spur-of-the-moment errands for mom, and picked up roast chicken dinner to bring home for everybody. I'm still super behind getting the kitchen - and rest of The Place, for that matter - in order, so that come November, I'll be ready to cook my little heart out on a daily basis. Oh, well. Right now, I'm just tired. My neck is a bit sore, and flare-ups at broken molar site come and go.
So here's me keeping it real, a photo from 10:46 PM tonight.
I told you I was tired. Says so right there on my face.
See, tired, but happy. Fingers crossed that next Sunday's post will actually include what I have been planning to share these past two weekends. It's a little project I've been looking forward to starting, so I should get going on it. It's going to be good.
I hope you had a very nice weekend. Let's try our best to make it a great week.
*****
Fun should begin at 50, right? Well, I'm fifty, but I don't think I'm doing it right. I don't think I was ready for age 50, but what I am willing to explore is the possibility of reinventing myself. And what do you know, AARP has this really nifty website, Life Reimagined, designed to assist and guide you through obstacles that might be keeping you from confidently approaching what should be a purposeful, fulfilling chapter in your life at age 50 and beyond. And that is exactly what you'll find me doing and sharing on my blog each Sunday. So, come back. comment, visit my YouTube channel THIS IS FIFTY WITH LIL. Let's talk and compare notes.
I signed up for Life Reimagined beginning of October and find it is already helping me see the possibilities that lay ahead. This makes me happy. If you know of anyone in the AARP stage of life who is feeling a bit stuck, please consider sharing this website with them.*
*This is not a paid endorsement. For more information go to:
I'm gonna have to revisit this on a future post. Most likely when I'm finally free of severe pain caused by dental issues which are also hampering my ability to eat. For instance, today's menu: mashed potatoes, apple sauce, more mashed potatoes, followed by slow torture trying eat a small piece of chicken, then more mashed potatoes.
So, I'll just excuse myself to continue my course of treatment - 4 Advil every 6 hours with a bottle of water - until I can see a professional.
... open fire. No, no. If I recall correctly, that should go more like "roast pig on a spit turning over a sizzling fire." Haha, I crack myself up.
Now I'm wondering, does that count as a campfire or bonfire. It was an outdoor fire anyway. Around the holidays during our Hawaii-living days I learned that roasting a pig over a spit for a celebratory meal was tradition. And that was a good thing as far as I was concerned. Man, it was so good.
So, it was either our last Christmas on the island or the last over-night camp out at Hulopoe Beach. Either way, there was tons of food, relaxed atmosphere, perfect weather, and friendly folks. Did I mention the kalua pork? Oh, boy! Served over white rice with simmered cabbage and yummy dinner rolls... delicious!
Yeah, it was back during our Hawaii days where we last enjoyed an open fire, great food, and good fun. It's due time to do that again. Gonna put it on a Must Do list; maybe when we are in Vermont for College Girl's 2016 graduation.
TICK! TOCK! Putting things off until the last minute... that's how I roll. Here are some examples where I fail miserably and that often prevent me from getting to bed at a reasonable hour.
Meals, my eating habits are all over the place lately (Does two years fall into the "lately" category?) Breakfast is hit and miss, Lunch falls between a handful of nuts or a tortilla with butter. Dinners are slightly better planned, I just have to consult with Bookstore Boy as to what he has on the weekly family meal plan based on our lastest grocery shopping run. I still feel somewhat lost about dinner as we are all walking in the door at the end of the school and work day. I really need to get a handle on this because planning used to come so easily to me at one time..
One thing that regularly get's right down to the wire is my daily post when I participate in BlogHer's NaBloPoMo challenge. I really enjoy this activity and wish I had better content. But, I'm just someone who uses blogging to hash things out that are going on in my life at the moment. I have no clue who reads my posts, and when I see visits to my blog from other countries I wonder what exactly they got out of the time they took to read my stuff. After all, my writing pretty much can be described as merely typing exercise. Nonetheless, the fun I have, and sense of accomplishment do provide a rewarding feeling.
Another thing I'd like to re-establish is regular visits to others' blogs. I get so much insights and enjoyment from so many talented writers. But my daily routine has taken a bit of a back seat to YouTube videos.
Which brings me to my last reason for failing to get to bed at a reasonable hour, and that is YouTube. I have a list of subscribers that I receive emails indicating the latest posts, and I save them all and make it a priority to watch each video. YouTube has, in fact, taken the place of network and cable television watching. Goodbye, Live with Kelly and Michael; Hello Good Mythical Morning and Good Mythical More with Rhett & Link. I love easy access to learning channels like Sci Show, and Crash Course; As well as enrichment content as provided by Health Care Triage and The Art Assignment. My news sources are Source Fed & others that don't come to mind at the moment. Delightfully mindless fun, interesting facts and human interests comes by way of Grace Helbig & friends, Flula, Mental Floss, The Fine Bros, and Soul Pancake (especially Kid President) among many others. So that's what keeps me up until 2:00 or 3:00 am.. But I wouldn't miss this for the world. This makes me happy, and happy is good, right.
I can't even get into how neglected my YouTube channel creating has been lately. I do have videos recorded, but my memory cards sit around waiting for me to do something worth watching. The last few published on my channel, THIS IS FIFTY WITH LIL, have been spur of the moment and very rough. My hair isn't even brushed. Oh, well. I'm finding it enjoyable anyway and hope to have much improved content someday. The learning experience has been so much fun that it doesn't matter that only one family member and one friend have actually watched my videos.
Well, The Daily Show and Colbert Report hour is nearly halfway through, and I need to set myself up comfortably in my chair to enjoy many of the YouTube channels that I mentioned above.
Now it's time to edit this post and hope that it is not rubbish, but time well spent for my regular visitors. So with that, have a good night, and until tomorrow.
Is it crunch time? Seems everything has gone well beyond that stage in my world. So then, what comes directly after crunch time, hmm? Wait, don't tell me, I think I know - Whistle blown. Time's up. Goose cooked. Done deal. Light's out. Party is over. Good night, Marie!
I could be wrong about that then, right? After all, I am still standing* here. There really should be no reason whatsoever for me to ever feel under pressure. I don't do anything! Whatever my responsibilities are do not warrant an ounce of anxiety. Also, I don't go anywhere! I am home day in and day out, and when not home, I'm in my car. There is no excuse for me to be late or unprepared for anything... no excuse.
There was a time - when I was single - that you could count on me to be on time; do my job accurately and expeditiously; stick to a rigid schedule, yet have ample time open for fun. I made it work, kept things uncomplicated, and stress free as possible. At least that's how I remember it. Twenty-five years gone by, and you could look up the words unreliable, procrastinator, and schlub, and I'm pretty sure you'll find my pictures for each entry. Gosh I hope not, what a blow that would be!
Once again, no excuse. There is no excuse for this even if I'm no longer single. All that conditioning should have been the foundation to build upon after marriage and starting a family. But, oh yeah. I just remembered... those crummy chronic illnesses that sucker punched me almost as soon as my new life began. I was always needing help when I was feeling poorly. I never knew when I'd wake up to a "good" day, a "bad day, or a "can't get out of bed day." As a result, I am now terrible at establishing a daily routine. I was able to manage pretty well while my children were very young, and I was fortunate enough to rely on the fact that they could work as a team to make getting ready for school stress free. They displayed amazing trust in each other, strength and perseverance all in the name of keeping mom healthy. I am overjoyed at how since they were very young children, they've come to my aid when it came to grocery shopping and storage when we returned home. They still do it to this day, for which I am most grateful.
As for their momma, these days it is often that I arrive at a scheduled appointment out of breath due to having to run from my vehicle to place I'm supposed to be at whatever specific time. Anytime I try to make a plan to do something, I get distracted and all my ideas just fall by the wayside. Energy wanes, and I'm left disappointed. I so want to be better, especially now that I'm at the age that responsibilities should be uncomplicated and managable. So what gives, right?
Why am I often stressed out!? This pressure, it's all self imposed. There is no reason why I should be so hard on myself. People are getting where they need to be on time. And it is a rare occurance when, as today, I am late to work or school pick up. Most days, meals are ready at a reasonable hour, and light snacks are usually at hand in case there's a slight delay, but for some reason I think I should be doing a better job staying on task. I probably should just be happy with the way things are, after all, it could be worse. My biggest regret is not being able to keep the house cleaner and better organized. Must try harder.
The term "crunch time" will have new meaning at my house... "Time for a crunchy snack." A "no pressure" attitude shall be the norm.
My blog post will be the exception. There's kind of a rush when I notice the time and it's 11:40 pm and I still have to proofread and edit my post. Sometimes it's after 11:50 when I hit "Publish." and hope someone will read my writings of the day, and maybe find that a comment or two are awaiting my responses. I love when that happens.
How do you handle pressure? What works for you to find balance on a day-to-day basis? Are you feeling stressed at the thought of seasonal holidays quickly approaching? How easy is it for you to ask for assistance when things get "crunchy?"
What exactly is happening, with me anyway? Age... aging, You know how you go along holding steady from your 30's through, apparently, age 50 (at least in my case) then BAM! I mean, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz... Suddenly you cannot seem to stay awake during daylight hours. I need to have at least one morning nap and one early afternoon nap! I. know. So you tell me. Is this official "I'm old" phase? I'll admit, this is a bit concerning.
It's been several weeks - hell, months - that my plan has been to sign up for AARP... mostly to see what kind of perks are available to The Husband and me now that we've reached the Golden Years - wouldn't you know it, the first known use of the term GOLDEN YEARS was 1964 - the year I was born. So yeah, I think it is approps to apply this term to describe my current phase in life. And although I often hashtag #ImOld on some of my Twitter posts, I'm not that old, I'm just older than a majority of Twitter followers and followees.
Anywho, evidence of this shift in my daily routine (granted, I'm always up for a lovely mid-day nap), happened this Summer when my kids and I spent weeks enjoying EW's list of 55 "must see" movies every 13 year-old should watch. What happened? Nearly every viewing had to be interrupted due to my inability to stay awake! I needed to have a lie down midway through all these great films - never had that happen before; same with books, two or three pages in and I'm nodding off. This is bad, yes? It's totally an old lady thing, right? Or maybe I just need to start taking a multi-vitamin again, Or, break the habit of going to bed past 2:00 am. Or maybe, eat balanced meals and healthy snacks throughout the day. All of those habits need some tweaking, and that's where I thought AARP might be worth a more in-depth look.
Now don't get me wrong here, I'm not saying that AARP membership means it's all down hill from here... god no! I actually see it as joining an inclusive club with vibrant, productive, and eager individuals full of wisdom and knowledge who could offer sensible advice. Fun should begin at 50, right? I'm all for that, who wouldn't be. So this is happening to me, but I don't think I'm doing it right. And no, I'm not ready for this... age 50. One thing I am willing to explore is the possibility of reinventing myself. And what do you know, AARP has this really nifty website, Life Reimagined, designed to assist and guide you through obstacles that might be keeping you from confidently approaching what should be a purposeful, fulfilling chapter in your life at age 50 and beyond.
I signed up for Life Reimagined beginning of October and find it is already helping me see the possibilities that lay ahead. This makes me happy. If you know of anyone in the AARP stage of life who is feeling a bit stuck, please consider sharing this website with them.*
*This is not a paid endorsement. For more information go to:
Crunch, crunch, CRUNCH! Aaaah, my tooth! It was one of my molars... actually, two molars. Since moving back to the desert, this has happened more than once. And, yes, twice is way too many times. Also, if you count the fact that this happened on two separate areas of the same tooth, well. What is this this I'm going on about? Hear me out, because I'd love to share my favorite crunchy foods, and maybe compare notes, but first this.
First of all, keep in mind that I've always feared going to the dentist. I'm old... 50, so consider the fact that when I was having a mouthful of cavities filled as a little kid things were a bit... hmmm, creepy. The dentist - a heavy smoker and coffee drinker, therefore gross smelling with horrendous breath; his waiting room - painted orange, green & really orange; the examination chair - designed for grown ups, not tiny third graders; the giant overhead lamps - that left me walking around with spots in front of my eyes on the bus rides home; the entire ball of wax, made for a miserable day. To make matters worse, my 3rd grade teacher (she'll be mentioned again in the "crunchy" part of this post) even kept my appointments marked for every other Wednesday on the class calendar. Wednesdays were spelling test days, and I'm pretty sure I was the best speller in class. That calendar was directly over my desk. Fun, right?
So, there's that. Now, super-fast forward... "huuuuh". That's supposed to be me quietly moaning. I'm in Colorado. My family's dental needs are in the best of hands... until insurance benefits cease as a result of husband's job loss in 2007. Oh, and again when money was super tight in 2010 - long story. It was during those rough periods that my body decided to have some sort of intolerably painful episode every now and then. Twice it was my mouth causing the problem, but nothing a super expensive emergency extraction at the hands of a competent oral surgeon couldn't fix. Two separate occasions; two different doctors, and that was that.
Fast forward again. This time to 2012. News junkie that I am, I have CNN on while I waste the evening away on Twitter. Just like now, but not really; I used to follow a lot more news outlets. So this was me one night: Hey, Jeremy Jojola from 9News Denver is tweeting story about some guy and his evil, despicable (my words) dental practices." Hmmm, name sounds familiar. Oh, god! What did he do? When! I've been to that guy's office. He pulled my tooth! He's done what? A few days later: A letter. Heart sinks. Something about if I'd been to this doctor during such and such time, I may have been exposed to HIV, HepB and/or HepC. Get tested. Call here for more info. Me, furious; frightened. Did I mention furious. I was so glad I followed 9News and Jeremy, and vise versa. I was able to have a reliable ear at a moment's notice. Everyone at the news station was great keeping me posted on what was happening with the investigation into allegations that this terrible person was putting patients at risk of infection due to the practice of reusing syringe needles... which cost only cents! Eight hundred people received the same letter that I did. At that point we were reeling from nearly two-year long joblessness and a short few months away from losing our home, and all I could think was how was I supposed to pay for whatever cost might result from the whole thing. Depression hit an all-time low. At least the County waived most of cost to get tested. A week later; all clear. Whew! Fun, right? NOT
Next jump in this timeline. October: Can you spare a room, or two? Our family, homeless. And for me, a hospital stay; thirteen days. What did I do the entire stay? I munched on cup after styrofoam cup of crushed ice.
Another jump. February: A house... The Place. My family was together again after having been taken in by relatives. All I wanted was to find some sort of normalcy now that my husband was working and we were okay. One thing I wanted to do as soon as possible was to re-establish healthy eating habits. What was I eating? Frozen fruit with yogurt every morning. Munch, munch, munch. Mmmm. CRUNCH! "huuuuh." Whew! Only a piece of cracked molar that was more filling than tooth. Still no dental benefits; I had to hope sensitivity in the area would be minimal. It was fine; I could tolerate it. Months later, tacos! Crunch, crunch, crunch, CRACK! Aaaaghhh... PAIN! I weeded through a mouthful of spit-out crispy chicken taco to discover a huge chunk of broken off filling and enamely bits. Still no dental insurance, all I could do was be as careful as possible to keep from chewing food on the left side of my mouth. That took some getting used to - both the pain, and chewing on the right side. Not too long after that incident, mmmm... chewy steak. (Remind me to never again order steak at Applebee's, okay?). Chew, chew, chew, chew... crunch. Spit. Wow! A gaping hole with sharp edges at gum line. Yep, there went the other half of the molar on the left. *sigh*
I've since gotten used to all the gaping holes in my mouth, both from the extracted molars and the ones that have bits broken off. And every now and then I will enjoy a yummy, crunchy snack, as well as make crispy crunchy tacos or nachos. Here are some of my best memories of crunchy favorites.
Once in elementary school, my 3rd grade teacher took a bunch of us "smart" kids to the Griffith Park Observatory (otherwise known, in my book, as the best field trip ever), but before that she had us over for dinner. I don't remember anything that was served that evening, except one thing - celery. Fancy celery. It was cut in four-inch length sticks, and the curved well was filled with some sort of creamy stuff and that was topped with raisins. All of us little inner-city Mexican children were at a loss. I'm pretty sure we all tried the fancy celery; I'm pretty sure we all hated the fancy celery too. Nonetheless, that was a very fun day.
I'm not a fan of apples. Don't hate me, please. Truth: I wasn't a fan of apples... until I had a Honeycrisp apple. I try to buy a few anytime I find them in a grocery store produce section; kinda expensive, but totally worth it. So good out of the refrigerator... crispy & crunchy. Yum!
I can't resist a delicious corn tortilla taco shell that's been filled with shredded chicken or beef. I even made a terribly produced taco-making video that I posted on my YouTube channel. Tacos were great; video, not so much. I'll have to remember to brush my hair and wear tinted lip balm at the very least next time. But I won't make any promises.
I now try to keep from eating, therefore enjoying, kettle-cooked potato chips, granola topping on my yogurt, Almond Roca candy, and assorted crunchy foods. But the major bummer - mostly because I'm pretty sure it's the reason why the structural integrity of tooth enamel was compromised - is that I can no longer mindlessly munch on refreshingly crunchy ice for hours on end.
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September 28, 2015:
... And the saga continues. Still no dental insurance means still dealing with crumbling teeth issues. Oh, and this time with pain and sensitivity while eating... anything. Well, actually, I just finished a cup of cream of wheat without much discomfort. I just hope there isn't another E.R. visit. End of Summer I had to wake up the husband at 2am to let him know I was leaving to go to emergency room due to unbearable pain. He decide it was best that he drive me because, after all, I was on the verge of passing out from pain with the slightest of movement. Apparently, according to my husband, some hunky t.v. doctor attended me. When you are in the pain I was in that morning, it could have been Thor and I would not have noticed. Go, IV antibiotics and demerol!
Black Licorice... no thank you, I'll pass. I hate the stuff! Only old-timey grandmas like black licorice, right? As far as I'm concerned, they can have it. Pass the chocolate, please.
Well, who doesn't like pie? Everyone likes some sort of pie, right? I love pie, both savory and sweet. Fall season is pretty much the only time I'll make pie - okay, "cook pie." Confession: I've never made a pie, not from scratch. I have made cheesecakes, do those count as pies.. they're made in a pie pan after all.
Now, let's talk about pie. When apple pie is served it must be warm and come with vanilla ice cream... on the side. If I'm gonna be picky, Dutch apple pie would be my preference. When it comes to pumpkin pie, nothing overly spiced or sweetened, please. I'll happily accept a serving at room temperature or out of the fridge and topped with a mountain of RediWhip. "Having a little pie with your whipped cream?" is something that is often asked, as I'm diving into my Thanksgiving Day dessert.
I really couldn't say which of those two pies I like more. All I know is that I won't say, "No," when offered a plate. I would like to try pumpkin cheesecake, and every Fall I'm tempted to call and ask for the recipe from a small hotel restaurant where I once had the most delicious pecan pie - a perfectly flaky crust that was coated with CHOCOLATE and filled with the perfectly packed, not-at-all overly sweet pecan filling. It was served warm with vanilla ice cream... and, Oh. My. God. I have not had pecan pie since; I don't want to spoil that heaven-on-this-earth experience. It's been over 10 years since we lived in Hawaii; over 10 years since that pie came into my life. Maybe I'll Google a recipe for it to try to make this year.
Unrelated to pies, another sweet dish I'd like to attempt to make this year is Mexican bread pudding - the kind my Auntie Mary used to make. So good! Trifle is another holiday favorite, but it's strictly my Christmas and New Year's Day dessert.
Want to know a secret... all this writing about pies has made me super hungry and there's a Marie Callender turkey pot pie in the freezer. I couldn't pass it up when I was shopping the freezer section the other day. It reminds me of elementary school lunch served the day before Thanksgiving break... and it wasn't even in pie form.Cubed turkey and gravy were served over mashed potatoes, with a dinner roll and apple or cherry cobbler. Yum. That was my favorite day of the school year.
What are some of your holiday pie memories? Any good recipes for desserts mentioned here that you'd like to pass along? Feel free to share in the comments section below. Thanks.
Food... seasonal foods. It is that time again; time to dig out all those favorite family recipes and newly discovered holiday dishes to try,
Even if it's only first week of October and it is 90 degrees outside - whew, it's cooling down... grrrr - my mind is already zooming toward last week in November; to the point of my clearing out a shelf in The Place's tiny refrigerator - there are parts missing and inadequate amount of space, so I need to sort it out before filling it with all things Thanksgiving related. The freezer portion is even worse. Did I mention it's a rental
Anyway, October is off to a good start in the way of meal preparations. I've made chili - note to self, never again follow a recipe. Today I made a huge pot of meatball soup for us and for mom to split. Tonight were having chicken with pasta alfredo, salad and garlic bread. Yum.
So, for this month my food focus will be on making stews, soups, and baked dishes... oh, just remembered the delicious baked talapia topped with salsa and cheese that we used to make at home in Colorado. Served over rice pilaf with a side of steamed veggies... Let's Eat!
I'll probably make a few sweet treats like banana bread and caramel apples, I'll also give one of those Dump Cakes The Pioneer Woman made on her show. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying ice cream treats, right? So must stock up on plenty of toppings. Hmmm, now seems the perfect time to head out to pick up a few groceries.
I like to eat. There I said it. But that's not the reason I'm a fatty. I'm fat because I'm sedentary, I also experience some degree of pain on a daily basis. It's also been said that the medications I'm on contributed in some way to the weight gain. Those are the reasons I call myself a fatty. I'm not so sure I'm okay with anyone else calling me that though... I do have human feelings after all. But as a realist, especially after stepping off the scale (named Sophia - sounds friendly) and updating my BMI, I know what has to be done. Can't even imagine what kinda of state you'd find me in if I took out a measuring tape and wrapped it around my waist... no, no, no. Just no.
I do have a goal, which I'm three-quarters of a year through and failing at miserably. I have a daughter in third year of College, and a teenager graduating next spring. Originally my goal was to lose 50lbs before turning age 50. Well, here I am, a few short months from reaching 51 and the only thing I have to show for in that quest to lose 50lbs was putting on an extra 9lbs. I really want not only to look fit and healthy, but be able to shop for something really nice to wear to my girls' graduations. Well, I got sick last week and lost a quick 5lbs. Yay, ME. I've already put three of those pounds back on. What can I say, I like the taste of my own cooking.
This Is Fifty with Lilmeans reassessing my goals... again, I've determined that my daily routine must change. So in keeping with the spirit of my effort to develop my YouTube channel - baby steps - I've also signed up for AARP's Life Reimagined, and what do you know... a few online activities to assess where to begin, I'm already on target. Remember, baby steps. Yesterday meant being on my feet shopping for, prepping & cooking a large pot of chili, as well as doing a thorough kitchen clean-up. I did it! I went to bed after midnight, in pain; woke up in pain, slept late because I didn't have work and school drop off. So, I got plenty of rest. Tomorrow will be much different - four hours driving, several errands, cooking dinner, and hopefully another empty sink before bedtime. That's my commitment to my family.
Now, on the subject of the whole pumpkin spiced everything, there is no problem there. I reserve pumpkin spice flavors for Thanksgiving pies and breads. I mentioned last week that cinnamon and chocolate are my go to flavors. My seasonal icy beverage choice is a Mexican style cinnamon rice drink that I'm so happy is easily found in restaurants in this part of the country. Ginger Ale teas and fizzy drinks are a favorite option as well. My cold weather drink is Mexican style cinnamony, hot milk chocolate. I just have to make sure I use low-fat milk and stevia sweetener to keep calories at bay. I will spoil myself once in a while stopping by Starbucks for a Cinnamon Dolce Latte or my favorite, Chai Tea Latte - fat-free of course. And there you have it, my Favorite Fall Flavors. Mmmm... So Good!
What's that scent? From where I'm sitting, pretty sure it's the lavender cleaning spray that I just used in the other room. Ahhh... so good.
The season of Autumn awakens my senses. Everything has an extra buzzy energy. True? Yes? No? Or maybe it's just me. Seems this time of year my body and mind are more receptive to sights, sounds and smells, not to mention taste and touch.
Sights ~
Past few days, photos of leaves turning posted on Twitter via links from NASA, Vermont Public Radio, and 9News Denver have been such a treat. See...
Roosevelt National Forest CO Image by Photo by RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post
Sounds ~ Puppy snores! Shhhh... Shadow dog and Sombra dog seem to be sleeping more soundly now that the evening temps have dropped a bit. I love my dogs.
Scents ~ Irresistibly yummy oven-baked goodies... I've already had a few too many. Pumpkin & Chocolate Chip cookies, Spice Cake, Apple danish, etc. Oh boy, this has got to stop already. Can't wait for that first batch of pumpkin pancakes to come off the griddle. They don't even need a drop of syrup. And applewood smoked bacon... oh my! Good thing Mom's diabetic fall favorites are on deck for tomorrow's baking.
Flavors ~ I fittingly covered spices above, so in this category, it's gonna have to be cinnamony, mexican style hot chocolate, spicy herbal teas, and anything cranberry. Savory or sweet, bring them all on. We are in the third day of October and the house has already been filled with the scent of Spice cake baking in the oven; topped w/ cream cheese frosting... and various sweets mentioned above... delish. I decided this morning that chili would be on Sunday's dinner menu. I'm looking forward to picking up ingredients and bringing together all the wonderful spices that make my chili hard to pass up. Giant dutch oven is out and read for business.
The Feels ~ Puppy snuggles, soft cotton flannel throws at night - with a/c and fans still running of course. The wonder and awe that overcomes while gazing at sparkly stars against especially dark skies while enjoying the much cooler night air.. and it's only going to get better as the weeks roll on. I'm hoping for an especially unusual and lengthy cold season. I still feel a bit homesick for Colorado during this time of year; I'm hopeful we'll have a family road trip back as soon as we have a larger place to live so that we can bring our household belongings that are in storage there back here to California. Someday.
Tell me what Autumn brings that fill up your senses.
Crunch? Unless I'm munching on extra crispy corn flakes with no milk, there is no crunching to be heard around here. Raking Autumn leaves into piles was one of my favorite things in Texas; even better, the laughter of neighborhood kids jumping into those just gathered leaves. I love that memory. No crunching of leaves in the desert.
This is what 2014's about: Hey September, what happened? You slipped away from me, didn't you. Well, October is here and I'm giving BlogHer NaBloPoMo another go. It is no coincidence that the golden tickets from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory had admission date of October 1st, it means I get to give my Roald Dahl tribute a second chance, right?
Here it is, the last week of September... and here we are. My blog postings about Roald Dahl books & movies have been put on hold as I try to get a handle on "stuff."
It's weird. Or more accurately, a conundrum, in similar vein as, "What came first, the chicken or the egg?" I'm talking about mental illness. Here's what I mean. I love to read. I have always loved to read, and before I learned to read, I loved being read to. I also love watching movies. I love escaping into a good story. I love sitting back and absorbing a riveting tale. Anything that makes me laugh, I relish wholeheartedly. As with engaging discussion or meaningful conversation, reading and movie viewing make my brain happy. Okay, so not as much my brain, but me. I'm happy when it seems my brain is functioning properly. My brain has been stuck for a while and now anxiety has set in. Or did anxiety present itself first? I don't know. See... chicken or egg?
My brain is not at it's optimal functioning mode at the moment; hasn't been for a few weeks now. "Optimal" being relative due to the fact that chemical imbalances in my brain require taking medication. Most of the time this medication is effective and efficient. But there are those times when my brain just does not seem to want to stick with the program. I'm not sure what triggers this; I don't like it. It makes it difficult to feel comfortable in my own skin. And how my body presents that is with bouts of depression and anxiety. That's where I am now.
My blogging has come to a halt, all interest in reading and movie watching has ceased, and my YouTube channel activity is non-existent, no matter how much brainstorming and planning I've done. The worst part, though, is finding that no matter what I say or do, someone either becomes annoyed or dismissive towards me. I don't like how I feel when this happens so I start to shut down.
Maybe it's the seasonal change. But I doubt that because it still seems it's the height of Summer and temperature is still passing the hundred mark. The calendar might say Autumn, and my entire being might long for an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, but all I can do is wait. Wait, for the first day that the air conditioner no longer hums all day and night. Wait, for the first chill in the night's air. Wait, for a reason to smile. Wait.
So, until I come out of this self-imposed cocoon state, I'll resign myself to the fact that this is how things are and all I can do is go about day-to-day tasks on automatic pilot, try to fade into the background while doing everything possible not to bother those around me.
Translation: Welcome, visitors. Hoping you are having a very nice, safe & sound weekend.
Man, I love the Italian language... so beautiful.
Now, back to American English. Bonus: tremendous amounts of grammatical and punctuation errors. I. Know.
This week in review...
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
The new and improved YouTube Channel - THIS IS FIFTY WITH LIL has been created. Yay, me! I haven't uploaded any videos yet, but don't let that stop you from subscribing, liking, commenting or just sending well wishes. You'll find a brief description of what to expect here; I hope you check in often.
In the area of wellness, I've re-established healthy breakfast habits, improved my sleep pattern, and lost a couple of inches. I'm pretty happy about that last item.
Prepared home cooked dinners everyday last week.
It's not much, it just feels like it is.
MOVIE ~ With The Carilo Family 55 Must Watch Movies: Summer 2014 over now, it's Mom's Choice. Yay, me again! It took some doing, but someone - who shall not be named... no, not Voldemort. Ha! - finally caved and purchased an in demand (by me) movie through Vudu to stream digitally on our living room television. Oh, which movie was it? Only THE MOVIE of the Summer! Okay, after, Guardians of the Galaxy, duh. All right then, this week's movie... wait for it...
Stop reading this now and watch it. I'll wait here................... Right?!?
FAVORITES
~ Summer Soundtracks! The Fault in Our Stars and Guardians of the Galaxy. Enough said, go listen to them. again, I'll wait.
TFIOS & GOTG That's right, we still buy CDs. You're welcome, cd mfg. companies & recording studios.
~ Something fun was catching up with a friend that I met over twenty years ago while temping at a job at the local probation office. She was so much fun to work with, just she and I in a tiny office, tapping away on keys of ancient, even for those days, IBM Selectric typewriters. We'd listen to the "cool jams" of the day, went to lunch together, and chatted about everything from family to dating to fashion and make up. You know, "girl" stuff.
BLOG UPDATE:
~ It's a wrap. BlogHer NaBloPoMo August 2014 Creating Memories theme has come to a close. I'm not sure if I'll be following blog prompts for the month of September. I'm thinking of putting a literary spin on daily entries. Come back every now and then next month to see what's happening on the ol' A How-To Guide
AUGUST 2014 BLOG ACTIVITY:
~ Most viewed post: The Last Time Ever*
~ Least viewed post: RememberForgot to mention on this post that I also failed my Italian lessons. I'll try again next month.
WELCOME READERS!
~ This month's A How-To Guide visits from around the globe:
United States
Canada
Italy
United Kingdom
Germany
Poland
France
Ireland
Russia
Denmark
India
Malaysia
Ukraine
Japan
China
Australia
Hungary
Yay, world!
HAPPINESS...
a giant box of Kleenex, a sad/happy/gut wrenching movie, and a good cry.
.