Things that didn't take

We didn't make it to the apple orchard; our friend who planned the outing got sick and bailed. It was too hot, anyway -- not very fall-like -- and I found out later that our neighbors went apple picking the same day... so then I was glad. I would not really have wanted to run into them. Shame on me, but we see them nearly every day.

We're in another night-waking phase with KT. I'm sure it's teeth. It's always teeth. And I have seen some little molars in the back of her mouth, poor thing. She wakes up and wants to come into our bed. Uh... no. Sorry. Co-sleeping doesn't work for us. For one thing, we have a queen-sized mattress. We've brought her in a couple of times and it has usually been a mistake. (Despite that one tender moment when she patted my cheek.) So we cover her back up, doze in her rocking chair for a few minutes, leave her door open as requested, and cross our fingers on the way back to bed. I've never had trouble falling back to sleep after these episodes, until now. It's at least half an hour these days. And last night, I had some song in my head -- one of the kids' songs -- and THAT was annoying. And then I had the weirdest dreams about random people from my high school years. (Some of whom I couldn't find on Facebook this morning -- because of course, after dreaming about them, I had to look! Who isn't on FB?? ComeON.)

South Beach Diet didn't really take. A person can only go so long without a carb at breakfast -- and I'm not talking about a whole-grain healthy starch. I'm talking about a CARB. A delicious, white-bread fattening carb, preferrably with some cheese and bacon or butter and jelly. Mmmmm. I'm still going to TRY -- Canadian bacon with lo-fat cheese and V8 this morning, but I'm extremely bored with it. NOT to mention, it's about to be Gumbo season (serve over rice). I'm ready to pick a weekend to make a big pot of it.

Of course, THAT won't take with the kids. How do you get little kids to like Gumbo? It has okra and is spicy; I'm sure it'll be a no-go. But somehow all of us kids with Cajun heritage learn to love it... Maybe get them interested in the fun of dipping French bread in the broth? Hrm. A challenge for me in the years to come.

1. excited to be on the 1st grade Halloween party committee
2. Godiva coffee
3. time to plan holiday vacation days!
4. happy to continually be carried through these days
5. grateful for my loving, little kisses marriage

7 Quick Takes - This Week in Living

1. I posted on Facebook last night that Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, stresses me out more than a door-to-door solicitor. This could be a whole post in itself, actually. I’ve been burned once or twice by scam artists, and have therefore TRIED to establish a Policy , so when the doorbell rang last night, I told myself “POLICY. POLICY. I DON’T DO BUSINESS at the front door. Thankyougoodbye.” But then I opened it, and it was a guy selling new fiber-optic cable! and Voice-over-IP! and blah blah blah, and his tactics (“I’m just here to see if you’re on my lines and want to verify your phone number… etc. and How much are you currently paying... ohhh, that’s too much….”) completely distracted me, as they are supposed to do.

I leave the TV business to my husband, but of course just initialing this form – not a contract, mind you – would ensure that if we DID decide in the future, even a year from now, that we want to go with his company, we’d lock in today’s pricing... and I totally Failed to Adhere to the Policy, or even mention it! And it was HOT AS BLAZES out there, and it took a long stinking time to fill out his stupid forms and verify me over the phone. And should I invite him in to cool off in that case (NO, Of course NO, but it feels pretty rude just the same). So, stress! And then I was anxious that DH would drive up before the dude had left, and would see me there on the porch DOING BUSINESS with him, and shake his head and think, “Not again.” ...and the stress just multiplied and I nearly broke down after the whole thing was said and (NOT SIGNED) and done. HATE.

2. DH was wonderful about it, actually. Hugged me and said it was fine, and he’d call the guy back to cancel slash follow up.

3. I’ve mentioned a co-worker who’s recently become very vocal about her views on the Food Industry, a la Omnivore’s Dilemma. I mean, she's entitled to her opinions, obviously, but she’s been slightly self-righteous and annoying about "over-processed" foods and organic etc. WELL. The other day she asked me where I’d like to eat lunch. My suggestion (a chicken place, I love their salads) made her wrinkle her nose, and she said, “I can’t eat there. I don’t know WHERE they get their chickens, or if they’re treated humanely.” So, fine. Whatever. But TODAY I told her I was running out to pick up a salad from the same place, and could I bring her a drink? She gave me money instead for a fried-cheese appetizer! So evidently she doesn’t care if they treat their cheese (cows?) inhumanely. Picture me with squinty eyes of irritation.

4. My over-processed and questionably treated chicken salads have garnered me a South-Beach Diet loss of 3 pounds so far. It is going well and one of the reasons I haven’t posted much here is that I’m sorta doing my online time-wasting on the message boards there. Heh. I’ve allowed some cheating (weekends are a killer), but still I feel like I’m following the plan pretty well. It’s so much easier for me than counting calories!

5. I had additional stress this week over a LONG list of work assignments, mostly writing. It’s not that I can’t DO the writing, it’s that I put off starting it. And these 5 or 6 articles kinda snuck up on me, all due at once. (On top of a bunch of other tasks, of course.) But with some focus I’ve gotten 3 of the 6 DONE, and 1 more assigned and OFF my PLATE, and boy oh boy, is that a nice way to finish out the week.

6. Remember I mentioned wanting to sign up for a Yoga class again? Yeah. Still haven’t done that. Still want to, though.

7. Finally, turning this all around to a positive note, I had a really lovely musical experience once this week. The deal is, I love Contemporary Christian music. Jesus Rock, my DH calls it. One of the first albums I ever bought at age 11, in fact, was Michael W. Smith’s Project, thanks to my friend whose Dad was in the permanent Deaconate. So I heard an old, romantic Jesus-Rock song the other day in the car ("I Will Be Here," by SCC), and it got me thinking about the wonderful gift I have in my husband (awwww). Then just now, I heard “His Grace Is Enough,” which is upbeat and new, but totally made me thankful for getting through This Week In Living. Without His Grace, I might not have. I feel really good about the upcoming weekend.

For more Quick Takes (hopefully quicker than mine...) visit Jen!

7 Quick Takes Re: Nothing in Particular (& the diet)

• Hard to get used to: Vegetables with breakfast. It would be one thing if I had time to make omelets in the morning, but I don't. So, V8 it is. Which is fine, I like V8. What's a diet without it, really?


• They stress you're not supposed to have High Fructose Corn Syrup. I get that, sure. But I'm not eating non-fat, sugar-free PLAIN yogurt. Gross. I got a Yoplait NF/SF blackberry yogurt yesterday at the store, which is a perfectly acceptable yogurt in any other diet scenario. And since I dislike yogurt SO much, but need my dairy servings, guess what, South Beach? HFCS. Pbbbllltt. Still: I like having to be conscious of HFCS. Like all you other organic-minded people. Makes me feel like I'm part of the IN crowd.


• Enough about the diet, How're your mom-n-them? My Mom and I had a fun phone conversation Wednesday. We talk at least one weekday afternoon while I'm driving to get the kids. And while I'm sitting in the parking lot putting off getting the kids. (Ha. It's impossible lately to talk WITH the kids in the vicinity.) We chatted about the idea of parents moving to where their kids/grandkids live. Surprisingly, 3 generations on my Mom's side have learned to be Moms without our OWN Moms around every day. I wish it weren't that way at times, but on the other hand, there's truth to the saying, "Two things you can give your children: One is roots, the other, wings." How often do you talk with your Mom?


• From the Less Philosophical Files: KT refuses barettes and ponytails these days, so I got her hair cut shorter than usual. It's better. Still doesn't stop her from getting maple syrup and who-knows-what-else in it! She's a little pixie with this hair.
• I've just had a very odd Twitter encounter. Someone found my account by happenstance, I think, and started following me. There are some striking similarities between him and my cousin (who's almost a brother to me). Both are pianists/composers, in that soft, Windham-Hill-records style; both grew up in north Florida; both are gentle souls with a Christian mission and generous outlook. I'm really intrigued at why/how this person found my account - he lives in my town.
• We're south-Georgia-bound this evening, to pick up AJ. I have missed that boy. I've even caught myself missing him beside my bed in the early morning when I wake up. (For some reason he has taken to coming into our bedroom again. He curls up on the floor with an extra pillow and his blanket. I always have to be careful I don't step on him in my half-dazed, 5:30 a.m. state.) I can't wait for a good AJ-cuddle.

• After we get him, it's one week and then school starts! Summer has flown by. I'm already anxious for fall weather, though, like the rest of the country. I'm wanting to hike the mountain and have picnics, and these 100-degree days just won't do.

More quick takes here... happy weekend!

Jumping In?

I think I'm going to try it (South Beach Diet). Just had my cottage cheese and V8 for the morning. If I commit, I'm starting in Phase 2. Which is basically a good Weight Watchers-like, sensible diet plan. I don't really believe in Phase 1. I am wise to the fact that it's water weight that you're losing at first, and more important, I call bullshit on the idea that you can "eliminate" carby cravings completely. Don't think so. I will never stop loving Cheeze-Its, no matter how much lean turkey and string cheese I eat! While I would love to lose a quick 5 pounds and thus be extra motivated, I'm pretty much unwilling to give up apples and Triscuits. They are my workday staples and they're allowed in Phase 2.

Besides that, I only want to lose about 8 pounds and the FAQs say I don't have to start with Phase 1, in that case. So there. All hail the FAQs! I'm signed up for the free trial period online, and I can use the site for $20 through the end of August. That seems like a fair minimum amount to contribute towards better eating.

I'm happy that there are no calories to count. Giant relief. I am sick to death of trying to track calories/points. However, the idea that you only eat until you're satisfied is daunting. I eat very fast. I never really KNOW that I'm satisfied, until I'm past the point -- until I'm Very Full. So that will be the biggest challenge, I think.

I've got questions, of course, but scouring the Message Boards today to find answers. Is decaf coffee really required? Do grape tomatoes count or are they too sweet? Etc.

DH is worried he's going to have to eat "yucky stuff" to help me. He is sweet to be supportive but I'm not going to make him eat yucky stuff. It's fun to have a new project, even if it does continue the annoying, near-obsessive thinking about food. At least in the beginning.

Diet dichotomy

I was just doing some research on the South Beach Diet website, debating whether or not to sign up for their online tools. I'm probably buying the book today.

In my subsequent click, I searched for a slow-cooker Buffalo Wings recipe, since I have a package of wings in my freezer this week. HA! (Didn't find one -- I'll likely marinate, then grill them. I guess that might even fit into the South Beach scenario, sort-of.) It just felt funny to look up a diet and then look up WINGS.

Anyway, I feel like I need a food PLAN. I not only NEED, but WANT some new recipes for dinners and lunches. I mean, I basically know how to cook more healthfully, but I resort instead to all my old habits. I was thinking Phase One of SBD might be a good idea, because lordy, have I had eaten some garbage lately. Dumb eating episodes like last night's Animal Crackers binge, for instance. Which was a "finish with something sweet" antidote to the chips-n-salsa episode ten minutes before. All that because I'd forced myself to eat a small dinner, since I'd had a giant fast-food lunch. SIGH.

I'm thinking the Intervention aspect of Phase One would stop all that nonsense in its tracks, if I could stick with it for 2 weeks. (Even though, according to the plan, I could technically start in Phase Two, having less than 10 pounds to lose.)

I know Mighty Maggie's a fan of the SBD. Anyone else tried it with success?

p.s. Changed my template because something weird was going on with it! I'll miss those big ol' flowers.