Today

Today I am grateful.
Today I am appreciative.
Today I am 24 years sober.
Today I am amazed!

Wednesday Melange

• Summer here in Nor Cal is tomato season, and I have the BEST gazpacho recipe, in case anyone's interested in seeing it. Made with home-grown tomatoes, it's out-of-this-world good!
• My eating is a bit schizophrenic, which is why I can eat fresh gazpacho and an organic corn tortilla for dinner, followed by a nice pack of Twizzlers.
• In an attempt to improve my eating habits, I'm taking a four week course titled "Back to Basics" at Healthy Habits in Roseville. The class is based on the work of Paul Chek, whose writings I've studied. We'll see if they can convince me that meat is an essential part of a healthy diet, but I'm ready to listen and learn. The first class was last night and I think it's going to be good.
• Have I written about The Daily Plate? If not, I really should have. It's on the Livestrong website and is a free food tracking system. It's the best I've ever seen, and I'm trying to consistently log my food choices. Got a bit off track over the weekend, but I'm back and entering what I eat, the good and the bad. If you sign up there we can be friends -- I'm "lpglives."
• I still don't know what's next for me, fitness-wise. I do best when I have a goal, but I can't figure out something I'm willing to commit to. For now I'm kind of thinking I'm gonna run 15 - 20 miles per week and maybe do a couple of P90X videos and some AOS kettlebell workouts too. I'm considering boxing camp, taking a jazz dance class, maybe another marathon, or ... or ... well I just don't know! When I do know, I'll be sure to share.
• Planning to getting back to reading weblogs again. I think I put too many in my feed reader and just got burned out. Actually it's not that I'm not reading, cuz sometimes I do, but I just haven't had the energy to post any comments. This is probably changing though, because I can feel it shifting.
• I wish I knew of a word for "mixture" that started with a W, so my Wednesday Melange would be alliterative. :)

That's it friends. Have a blessed day!

Monday Melange

• This weekend was a whirlwind, with younger son in a play (he was Zeke in High School Musical Jr.), my sister and her kids up to see his performance, and my older son leaving for 10 days at camp. No wonder I'm tired today!
• Tim played golf yesterday (something he does often) and I walked the course with him (something I almost never do). We had a GREAT time, and it was so fun to experience the game Tim loves in the place he loves.
  
• News flash: poor food choices + that special time of the month = feeling ridiculously bloated! Need to remind myself that it's physically impossible to gain 100 pounds in one weekend. :)
• I have a slight (cough) addiction to Mafia Wars on Facebook. So now I'm limiting my time on the site, and once I hit 501 family members, I plan to go back to a more normal and less addictive relationship with the game. ;)
• Back to ironing ... more soon ...
  

Still here

I'm still here, just focusing on other stuff for the moment. Next week I'll post Hawaii photos and perhaps share some of what I'm doing (playing with a new fitness toy, loving a food tracking site, about to celebrate a milestone AA bday).

Enjoy the sunshine, everyone!

Best video ever!

Taco Bell Goes Green!

Taco Bell's New Green Menu Takes No Ingredients From Nature

Monday Melange

• Happy birthday, Tim!!! You are an amazing husband, father, and man, and I hope this year is filled with experiences and opportunities that surprise and delight you!
• We're back from vacation. Couldn't get to sleep till almost 4 in the morning, and was up at 8, so getting some rest tonight shouldn't be a problem, right?
• Looks like running in Hawaii kept weight under control, even though yesterday was a day of processed indulgences (Twizzlers, Doritos, Reese's Pieces). Today I'm back to logging food on Daily Plate. Don't know if exercise will happen, with temps predicted at 105 and low energy, it may be another rest day. :)
• Our dogs are happy to see us.
• So are our tomatoes. I sat beside a Sun Gold plant this morning and ate one tomato after the other, hot and fresh off the vine -- yum!
• Although I ate a little fish while on Maui and still don't want to label my diet, if pinned down I'd say I'm a vegetarian who occasionally eats fish. Turns out -- surprise! -- I like how I eat! But not labeling what I am makes the whole food thing easier, which is a very good thing.

Monday Melange

• Running in Hawaii is tough and wonderful. It's tough because you start to sweat the minute you start to move. But it's wonderful cuz IT'S HAWAII!!!
• There's a mirror in our condo that I want to steal and take back home. In it, I look really good. I still look 48, but I look strong and healthy and like I said, really good! Tim assures me that that's what I look like. Hmmmmm, I may have to reconsider my view of me, or may have to obtain some tools and bring the special mirror home with me. ;)
  
• If you didn't know me 10 years ago, you may be surprised to know that I was quite homemaker-ish and pretty conservative. For example I used to like Brighton jewelery, but over time it seemed a little too staid and fussy for my tastes. Went into the Brighton in Whaler's Village last night. Ummmm, yeah, they've updated some of their styles and me likeee a LOT! Got 2 necklaces and a pair of earrings, and may be heading back for a little something else before the trip is over. :)
• It felt really good to run today. The last few days have been quite active with tons of walking and swimming, and 28 miles of biking (all downhill) but I feel more like me when I run.
• We spent the day in Lahaina, with lots of time spent in the art galleries. I LOVE that my family loves art. There's a Russian artist -- Roman Czerwinski -- whose works were AMAZING. We met him and I plan to go back to learn more about what he does. His 4"x4" canvases sell for $299, so we won't be taking any of his stuff home, but I'll drink it in while we're here!
• We're off to the ocean...happy Monday, friends!