Monday to Monday

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Good Monday afternoon!  Where are the days of spring going?  That’s what I want to know.

Gone are the days and weeks that seem to take forever to move forward.  And welcome to the months that seem to turn the daily pages of time at record speeds.

Last week this time I was admiring these guys that came in for a little visit.

Last week this time I was shopping for more clothes.  I didn’t find a thing last week.

Last week I admired how far some of our fruit and flowers have come along this spring.

Last Friday, I was thankful for the sunshine burning off the haze.  And very thankful I turned away the candy bowl at our auto mechanics.

On Saturday I was thankful for a pretty day in the backyard.  A day we were looking forward to.  A day where we had planned out our evening meal a week ahead of time.

Our meal – From a 24 hour citrus brine (all citrus and rosemary handpicked from the garden) to the dinner table, our meal Saturday evening was so yummy!  I think the hardest part was allowing it to rest for 15 min at the end.

Hubby and I were also able to firm up summer vacation plans.  Airline tickets were purchased, hotels were booked, rental cars were reserved and fun things were planned.

And here I am, back to Monday.  In true Monday fashion (like last week) I went back for more at the shopping mall.  Unlike last week, today I came home with 4 brand new outfits.  One being a dress I need for a wedding this summer.  It feels so good to have this behind me and on to the next thing on the agenda.

I’m thankful for a day well spent.  Now I’m considering a little afternoon siesta before hubby gets home from work.

‘Til next time,

Blessings – Debbie

At The Beach

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When friends talk of going to the beach for a little fun and a picnic lunch, we take things serious.

My little tote held my packed lunch on the inside complete with ice to keep things chilled.  And the pocket on the front held my sunscreen, phone and everything else I needed.

I arrived a bit earlier than my friend.  The sun was working hard on the coast to burn off the haze.  It was so crazy as it was beautiful sunny skies just miles from here.

This is the spot where I landed.

Dominique is his name, we became really good buddies.  He came up to me saying “off”.  He wanted help taking off his little jacket.  He was such a little cutie pie.

Soon my friend arrived and we were in the full swing of beach mode.  Our little picnic lunch was enjoyed around 11:30.  There was a little catching up to be done, mags to look at and visits in-between.  I think the pounding of the surf was one of our favorite things about today.  It was soothing, which made for one of those nice relaxing kind of days.

What not to do at the beach.  Do not leave your belongings and food hanging out unattended.  These guys will rob you before you have a chance to shoo them away.  In the end, the girls had no food left and their drinks were all knocked over.  At least they came back to this spot laughing at the mess left behind.

Yup – he’s looking pretty guilty to me.  We even saw one of these guys take a sandwich that was in a ziplock bag from a couple who were right there with their belongings.  They were not paying attention and the little rascal reached right into their beach bag and stole the whole sandwich.  The guy was too slow, but he did get to witness the birds feast on his lunch.  Oh, he did yell too, but by then, it was a little too late.  And I don’t think he hurt the birds feelings either.

Before we knew it, it was 3 o’clock, the time for us to wrap it up and call it a day.  It was one of those moments where we just wanted to hit the snooze button on the time and hunker there a little longer.

What makes it all better, is the fact that we’ve already scheduled our next day at the beach.

Blessings – Debbie

Down Another Size in the Fitting Room

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As hubby stated this morning “April showers bring May flowers” and that is exactly how our night and day turned out to be.

I dodged the rain to take a couple of shots before starting the day.

Coffee and yogurt were at the top of my list this morning and so was something else.  It just seemed like a perfect day to be at the mall.

So the mall it was.  I started an early search for a dress to wear to a wedding in a couple of months.

I would love to find something on the long side, with a little swing in it for dancing with hubby.  But I didn’t come up with anything today.

However, I did snag a swimsuit and that makes me happy!

Cheers to summer fun, weight loss and getting into smaller sizes in the fitting room.  Sizes I haven’t seen in a very long time.  And for the first time out shopping, I had no clue what size I was and didn’t know where to begin.  It soon became fact that I had indeed gone down more than I expected.  Look out size 6, I’m coming for you!

I just hit the goal my Registered Dietician wanted me to reach.  A goal she thought would be reasonable to maintain for life.  I didn’t know how I would feel about this number until I arrived.  Now that I’m here, I still feel the need to press on for another 20 pounds.  We’ll see how it goes.

One thing I do know, I want good health every day, for the rest of my life.

Blessings – Debbie

Root Beer

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It’s one of those drinks I love but rarely have.

In fact this last week is the first I’ve had one since the summer of 2009.  Yes, I remember, It was when I was invited to our neighbors home in NY.  And I was served my absolute favorite brand of Root Beer.  Stewart’s Root Beer to be exact.   Wish they sold them out here.

Then last week while food shopping, it was as though the IBC Root Beer couldn’t get into my cart fast enough.

So last week became my official Root Beer week.  While visiting my girlfriend, she served up a Shasta and then just the other day my Facebook friend in Germany mentioned having the treat of a Root Beer.  Just the words Root Beer sent me to the kitchen to pop the top of a fresh bottle.

 

This morning, I was down to my very last bottle.  And popped the top just because it seemed the thing to have on this beautiful Monday.

There was even a day over the weekend when I searched online the top brand names of Root Beer.  I had no idea there were so many highly rated brands.

A&W was what we had at home back when I was a kid.  Not often, but enough for me to remember exactly what all was involved in making our floats.  I don’t dare go down that float path, it could be very dangerous.

And today, Mug’s Root Beer made its way into our home.  I asked the question on Facebook “what’s your favorite Root Beer”?  I got a lot of IBC replies.  But one of my friends said “Mug’s”.  So Mug’s it is this time around.

This week alone, I’ve tried the IBC, Shasta and today Mug Root Beer.  And I have no clue which one is at the top.  Perhaps it’s time for a line of Root Beer shots.  Then again, after this next round, I think I’ll call it a day and let the Root Beer go away for a while.  But I’m sure enjoying it while it lasts.

Blessings – Debbie

Worlds Apart and We Meet Again

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Last evening, hubby and I had the privilege of seeing our friend from Seoul South Korea.  For dinner we dined at a Brazilian Restaurant just outside of LA.

We are still in awe of the odds of ever seeing him again after all these years.  WOW!

An after dinner shot of the boys.

An after dinner shot of the three of us outside the restaurant.

When it came time to talk about our sweet tooth, Coldstone was mentioned.  Little did we know that Coldstone is popular in South Korea nowadays.  So we all agreed that it was the perfect place to go.  We’re on our way.

Decisions, oh the decisions we must make.

But it didn’t take long for us figure out.

I ordered a small, I did.  And I liked to have a fit seeing how huge it turned out to be.  It was so big that it had to go into the next size cup.  I was able to down just over 1/2 the thing and the rest had to go in the trash.

Our evening outdoors was so much fun.

And I still have to pinch myself to think we literally live worlds apart, while trying to fathom that our paths could even cross again.

There was discussion that he’s doing business in the LA area and will more than likely return.  We sure hope to see him again one day.

As we parted and drove away, I wondered how long it would be ’til we meet again.  Or will we ever see each other again?  Will we ever make it back there for a visit, like we would like to do one day?  How many of our old friends from there will we be able to see again?  I close with so many fond memories and my wish is that we are able to cross paths time and time again.

We feel so blessed to have had this opportunity.

Blessings – Debbie

The Car gets Beautified

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I did a whole lot of sitting while having my car all done up nice and pretty for our date this evening.

The car was washed and the tires are all nice and shiny.  The oil was changed.  Actually, the change was a little overdue and I figured today was as good a day as any to go ahead and get that done.

But you know what always gets me?  It always gets me that the guys changing the oil always try to rake me over the coals.  ALWAYS!  Never fails.  They always find some sort of filter that is dirty and needs changing.  It’s always something.  And I hate the word always but in this case, it never fails.

So today, before they even opened the hood, I mean right off the bat when the guy wrote down the mileage, he told me something or other that I needed to have done.  My response “My husband only wants the $24.00 oil change this time.”  So away he went to get down to business.

As if I didn’t already make myself clear, in he came with two more things that needed to be done.  He said “miss, I know your husband is trying to save on the cost of the oil change, but you really need ___________ and ___________ done.”  I can’t even remember what he said, totally over my head.  But I could have predicted that.  My kind reply  “If you would sir, please make a note of everything on the bill so that I can have my husband look into it.”  Man I’m getting good.  That was easy and I don’t have to sit there making one excuse after another.  And now I have his remarks on the bill so hubby can really check into it.  There is no way on earth I would remember everything they try to shove down my throat.  Not a chance.

The best part of the whole thing is this.  I got to share on the blog the thing that gets me every time at the oil place.  Now I feel I’ve been to group therapy and didn’t have to pay a dime.  I feel better already.

And now my friends, the car is all nice and pretty with a fresh oil change and a full tank of gas.  This means we’re ready to go on a fun date tonight!  Now it’s time for me to think about getting myself ready for a fun night on the town.

Blessings – Debbie

A Play Day

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It’s what my girlfriend and I needed.  A nice play day.

This was a pic taken just before I left for our date.  Then of course I had to change into some short sleeves thinking this would be too hot.  I was so glad I did.

I keep thinking I should do a full shot to show off my weight loss.  One day soon, I’ll have to post.

Plans were made to visit the beach.  But our high of 68 and the fact that it is spring break sort of put a damper on our beach plans.  So off to San Diego we went as we decided on a little gallery shopping.

We made it into one gallery, but the sad part was that most shops didn’t open ’til 11AM.  Impatience won and we decided to follow our nose (in the car) until we found the perfect place to stop for lunch.

It wasn’t happening in the area we were in, so my girlfriend suggested we drive out to Shelter Island.  She recommended Bali Hai, a place to savor Hawaiian cuisine with a tropical ambiance.  It was just what the Dr. ordered.

Lunch was better than I could imagine and the bread was over the top hot and yummy.

The view looking out to the spectacular San Diego skyline.  We both agreed this was a peaceful place to dine and visit.

We had several thoughts of what to do after lunch.  As it turns out, visiting in my girlfriends condo won, hands down.  This is the amazing view from my seat where we enjoyed a nice visit all afternoon.

When friends come together, it doesn’t matter what we do, it’s the time we share together that means the most.  I look forward to many more play dates in the future.

Grr and grrrr for my cell pix of us not turning out.  Next time, I’m going to make a point of taking a quality pic of the two of us together.

Blessings – Debbie

The Pictures are in the Mail

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THE (family and Sr) PICTURES ARE IN THE MAIL!  Yes, I’m yelling!  Would love to yell this from the mountain top, I’m that happy!

I had a number of issues to deal with between Christmas and the 1st of April.  Issues with my computer, issues with running out of space on the computer (I have never done that before) and issues, oh the issues.  We also had a big move somewhere in the middle of all of that.  All the while, hubby continued to bail me out of trouble.

Finally, the pictures that were chosen, were compiled and DVD’s were burned over the weekend.

Hubby gathered the DVD labels and the stomper and suggested I make a nice graphic for them.

The graphics were made.

When it came time to print the labels Sunday evening, we hit yet another issue.  The printer flat-out, broke.  We agreed we would nail a new printer Monday evening and all would be right with the world and the pictures would be in the mail by Tuesday.

Turns out, we did go to buy our new printer, but hubby felt too rushed into making a decision on the spot.

The next plan was to drive back home, log on and e-mail the pix to hubby’s work.  Then drive over and print them out.

So that’s exactly what we did.  Hubby printed them out from work, made the postage purchase online and slapped that on the box of DVD’s.  To top it off, the box was dropped it in the mail Monday night sometime around 10:30 pm.

And that my friends makes me and hubby so very happy.

Blessings – Debbie

Cajun Shrimp Toes

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It may not be what it sounds like, but it sure is a pretty color.  Meet my new polish.  My toes are beach ready this week.

The polish this week turns out to be the brand OPI and color “Cajun Shrimp”.

The components used for the Monday morning home pedi.  I think my pumice slid out of the picture.  But it did make a squeak of an appearance there on the far right.

Clearly the star of the show.  Need I say more?

A few do’s and do not’s that I’ve made a note of in times past.

  • Do make sure it’s a beautiful day when painting those toes – Check, lovely sunny 71 degree day = Perfect polish weather.
  • Do polish the toes in the morning – Check
  • Do not polish late afternoon/evening – See below
  • If I do polish in the evening, make sure it’s a night where I will be up all night long.  And if I do go to bed, just know those toes will turn out with sheet lines all over them come morning – Not today!  But I can’t say the same the last time I polished them.
  • Which reminds me, do not wear socks or shoes all day.  Hate it when I do that – No need for socks on this beautiful day.
  • After polishing, make sure you prop up for a little while to give ample drying time – I propped up an hour longer than I intended.  I got caught up on some much-needed blog reading and time slipped away.  Double bonus!  I think this is going to be one of those home success polish stories to go down in the history books, for me.

In other news:  Our weekend was very low-key.

  • Hubby was sick all weekend.  His head was full of a cold and he just didn’t have the energy to do much.
  • I worked on editing pictures and played in Lightroom a lot.
  • Our printer broke – I think we’re getting a new one today.  Yay!
  • And we talked a lot about our summer plans and trips we plan to make this year.  That was a lot of fun.
  • I picked up some graham crackers thinking they would be a fun snack.  Turns out I can’t control them past the just a snack part.  No more grahams in the house when this box is gone!
  • Turns out I’ve opted for grahams instead of breakfast the last two mornings.  They are quick, easy and oh so yummy with my cup of coffee.  Big No-No!
  • Grahams and all, I still managed to stay within my calories every day.  I just hate it that I would substitute my fruit/veggies for a graham.  For shame!  So yeah, no more grahams, for reals.

And now I’ve blinked and it’s 2 pm on this beautiful Monday afternoon.  Where is Monday going?  It’s time I get the rest of the day in gear, run to the grocery and meet up with the hubby (later) for a little printer shopping date.

Blessings – Debbie

A Walk in the Fog

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Good Day!  It’s been a rather enjoyable morning and day here in the neighborhood.

The day started off with a dense layer of fog and the temps were just a little chilly at 58 on the bare arms.  But by late morning the sun was shining and melted both the fog and chill right away.

My chilly hike started here.

Once I start truckin’ the hills, the chill soon wore off.

And I’m on my way thru another successful week of exercise and eating for my health.

I adore my neighbor’s yard.  Especially now that those climbing roses are in full bloom.

My hike ended on a high as I met some more friendly neighbors.  We even stopped for a nice little visit.  I just love mornings like this.

After my hike and shower, I fixed my newly cut hair and took a few pix such that I can remember the day and the cut.

I love this style, it’s so easy to blow dry and go.  I also think it’s going to be a fun summer cut.

Now on to a few afternoon chores as I’m trying to get the home ready for the weekend.  Tomorrow is hubby’s Friday off.

With that I leave into the weekend with a happy heart and so much to be thankful for.

Blessings – Debbie

I'm Blown Away

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Not only was it a blustery day.  It was also a day to try a new hairstylist for the umpteenth time since our move to San Diego.  To say I was blown away with my cut, would be an understatement.

 I had no idea it could take this long to find someone who understood just what I wanted.

When trying to explain this cut to other stylists, they would constantly texturize the cut.  Later I would ask them not to texturize.

Please don’t texturize, I would plead.  Only to be shot down saying texturizing was a must.  I’m not a fan when they do that.  While I’m nice and generous with their tip, that’s the last they see of me.

Then today, just like magic my “new” hairdresser saw the state of my hair and frustration as I explained just what I wanted.  And for the first time in years, I knew I was completely understood.

Not only was I understood, but I quickly relaxed as I knew this was not my average stylist.  And even tho the salon is a little further drive than I would like, I can’t imagine going anywhere else.

Sometimes it takes a while to land on just the right stylist.  But oh is it ever worth it when you find just the one.  It’s been nearly 6 years for me to have had a positive experience like this.  I’m totally blown away.

Blessings – Debbie

Monday Sampler

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I would like to say “good morning!”  But here it is late evening already.  Where did Monday go?

First up, I was so excited to dig into my stash of rye toast again.  I’m feeling back to my old self. I’m so thankful.

Blessed that I learned my egg and spinach sandwich would be much better sans that peach mango salsa.

Don’t get me wrong, I love that salsa but I prefer my eggs and spinach as is, with a dash of s and p.  Blessed to have another check in the box for a lesson learned.

Today made their third day on display.  I think I’ll be a big fan of this bud vase all summer long.

My Twin Nieces – Can it be they are graduating from high school already?  It doesn’t seem that long ago when I rushed to the hospital to meet them, on the day they were born.

They’ve grown up to be two of the nicest young gals in the world.

I was asked to take their senior pictures over Christmas and I’m finally getting around to getting all the finishing touches done.  Fingers crossed I’m able to mail them out this week.

She has big dreams. I wish her the very best now and always.

Her “twin” sister

Her dreams are great.  My wish for her is nothing less than the best.

Presh, it’s what comes to mind while I edit their pictures.  I love them and miss them so much.

This post started late afternoon.  It was then put on hold when hubby walked thru the door.  I didn’t get back to it ’til nearly 10 pm.

Where did our evening go?  They say time flies when you’re having fun.

Blessings – Debbie

A Wild Ride

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Yesterday was pretty much a wild ride with that sore throat.  From feeling like I was hit in the head to the food choices I made, depending what my body told me to eat.  Everything was a bit out of whack.

Breakfast was a baked potato.

Lunch was a bowl of cooked carrots, mashed with some sharp cheddar cheese added to the blend.  Does that look like baby food or what?

But it sure did slide down nice ‘n easy.  There was something about the warmth with the cheese added to the carrots that made this the best lunch ever.  Does this mashed carrot concoction sound good today?  Maybe not.  I would prefer the carrots whole today, please.

Dinner was completely off the cuff.  I had thoughts whirling around all afternoon of how nice a warm batch of chocolate pudding would taste and feel going down the sore throat.  The more I thought about it, the more I knew just what to make for dinner.

Chocolate and Cherry Gelatin Pudding

Ingredients:

* Chocolate JELL-O brand Sugar Free Cook & Serve Pudding (small box – 4 serving)

* Sugar Free Cherry Low Calorie Cherry Artificial Flavor Gelatin (small box – 4 serving)

* 1 1/2 cups of water

I use less water than the 2 liquid cups like the pudding calls for.  I like this particular consistency thick.  Plus I wanted to eat it warm and didn’t want it too runny.  So 1 & 1/2 cups of water is all I use for both packages.

With medium heat and a constant stir with a whisk, bring the mixture to a solid boil, turn off the heat, pour the mixture in a container, let stand in the fridge maybe 10 min.

Then eat the whole thing while it is hot.  Did that ever hit the spot once again.

I had a lot of water throughout the day, took my vitamins and shoved a yogurt and a 1/2 banana into my system as snacks.  And what do you know?  I woke feeling like a brand new person today.  Makes me happy it didn’t last long.

My eating habits are still a little quirky today, but I’m beginning to feel like my old self.

I was well enough to run some errands with hubby.  When we returned home, I had the desire to stomp in the garden for a while.

We’re beginning to see lots of new changes in the landscape here at the new place.  This week, our rose hedge came alive with loads of rose buds.

To brighten up the family room, I brought in my favorite bud vase and added some buds from the garden.

Makes me happy.

Until next time…

Blessings – Debbie

Dinner – It's What's for Breakfast

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What’s a girl to do?  She went to bed dreaming about breakfast and woke with a sore throat.  And it feels like a cold is moving in.

No longer are my thoughts leaning towards the breakfast I dreamed of all night long, rather a bowl of nice macaroni and cheese or a baked potato.  It’s what sounds good to me for breakfast.

Even this cup of hot tea seems to soothe better than coffee.

So long for today, I’m going to go see about having a late breakfast and take it easy the rest of the day.

Blessings – Debbie

Breakfast

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Breakfast is one of those meals where I start with first things first.  That = Coffee.   I generally don’t mix coffee with the food part unless we’re out-of-town or eating out.  Not that I don’t like the two together, I do, in fact I prefer it that way.  It’s just, well you know, when I get up, I want my cup of coffee first thing.

Now when it comes to the food part, I’m not so antsy.  For whatever reason, I don’t wake up starving and some mornings I don’t actually start the food portion until 10 AM or so.   And I tend to get into the rhythm of eating the same thing over and over.

For months, I was hooked on yogurt with piece of fruit or yogurt and cottage cheese mixed together.  I’m still hooked on yogurt and have one every day, just not for breakfast nowadays.

It was traded in for a brief visit with the green monster, not long ago.  But the monster didn’t last long.  It appears some rye bread made an appearance in the house.  It totally has my undivided attention.

My new favorite breakfast revolves around, lightly toasted rye and a boiled egg.

This 6 burner gas stove is my new favorite appliance in the kitchen. Not that I’ll ever use all of those burners at the same time, but I do love cooking with gas and the additional room the stove offers.

A rolling boil, that’s what happens fast with a gas burner.  Love me some instant heat!

A boiled egg mashed over lightly toasted rye, sprinkled with a generous portion of ground black pepper and a light dash of sea salt.

Awaiting the baby spinach to make it whole.

And this my friends was Breakfast.  A very yummy satisfying breakfast.

A breakfast worthy of taking pictures, it is that good!

Another thing worthy of pictures are these magnificent blossoms from our plum-tree.  I’m completely smitten each time I see a new blossom.

And our figs are growing by the day it seems.

But the question at the end of all of this is, “do you know what I’m thinking?”  Did you guess breakfast?  Good guess. I’m thinking about breakfast and how I’m going to have my rye and egg in the morning, that is, after my cup of coffee.

What’s your favorite breakfast?

Blessings – Debbie