Not really. We are, however, focusing on a healthy weight loss regime right now.
Dave wants to lose his belly fat, and asked me for a solution, so I gave him one. He's not entirely happy about it, but he's willing to try.
And I need to lose the 12 pounds that have come upon me VERY quickly, just over the past few months.
I need to be able to fit back into my fall and winter clothes! Right now, I CAN'T!
I have cooked and eaten, more or less, according to the guidelines of the South Beach Diet for a long time, now. I've already worn out and replaced my copy of the "Quick and Easy" cook book.
However, I've formed some bad habits (drinking beer, which I never really did before; eating too many of the bad carbs; and indulging in my cravings when they come), and since both Dave and I have a need to lose some FAT pounds, we decided to do phase 1 for two weeks.
We're already working out at the gym two to three times a week, and have been for months. We eat a pretty good diet, but something's lacking, obviously. I have PUT ON this fat during this working out and eating right...it's layered over my hard, toned muscles!!.....so, needless to say, I am SUPREMELY frustrated.
We hope to break both of our craving cycles, which phase 1 is really good at doing, and we hope to jump start better eating habits.
When we finish this 2 week period, we will better moderate those things that I know will result in instantaneously putting the weight back on!
We already eat REALLY healthy, compared to most Americans, but there are things that we eat too much of.
Like pasta and cous cous, and that yummy cinnamon swirl bread that really is just white bread, sugar, and cinnamon!! HORRIBLE!
Dave tends to crave sweets...almost violently! He eats something in that category at least once a day during work, when I am not there to stop him.
And, while I love sweets, my cravings are for salty/crunchy things, like chips. I was eating those every day for a while there, because they are readily available where I work. I've never had access to junk food like this before, and I caved.....but stopped WEEKS ago, and have not lost an ounce of fat.
And we both ADORE french fries and tater tots (we live in the town where SONIC has their corporate head quarters, and there is a SONIC on every block. There's one two doors down the street from our apartments)!
So...hopefully, we will both get through these 2 weeks without cheating (it will be easier for me, since I already stopped eating the chips at work), and we will both be thinner and happier for it!
Wish us luck! Today was our first day, and we both made it!
Monday, August 30, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Cool
The new stove, fridge, and dish washer are FINALLY here! After a couple of days of chaos and disorder in our home, everything's done now.
We were hoping they'd come before we had our two rounds of guests this summer, but it took longer than expected, it seems.
They're all white, and brand new, and hopefully more energy efficient.
The stove has GOT to be better. The one that came with the place was probably manufactured in the 60's, and was sitting in a warehouse somewhere until this complex was built. I swear that thing was ANCIENT. You could just sort of tell my looking at the way the dials were built, and the "font" they used for the brand name, etc.
If it wasn't the 60's, it was certainly no newer than the 70's, for reals.
That old thing heated unevenly, and unreliably. The oven was HORRIBLE. I am SOOO HAPPY to have a new one!
That I didn't have to PAY FOR!
Made some pasta to go with tonight's supper, and the coil heated up pretty quickly, and was the same shade of red all the way around. Yay!
In other news, we got new computers at work, with GIGANTIC double screens. Did I tell you that already? It's taken me a full week to get used to mine. I had to have the IT guy come back and lower it, and have been tweaking positioning of it for days.
Of course, I got my new glasses on the same day we got these enormous monitors...I probably could have gotten away with the old glasses if I'd known we were getting these huge screens.
Be that as it may, the new glasses are about the same for distance, but the mid range and close has changed a little. The new frames are a lot like my old ones....no more heavy, dark plastic frames for me.
Sorry, Dave, I know you like the trendy look, but I don't.
It's taken about a week to get used to the new scrip, too.
The weather has been LOVELY the past few days. Lows in the 60's and highs in the 80s and 90s...a VERY welcome respite.
We even took a walk last night, before the appliance replacement prep we had to do.
We were hoping they'd come before we had our two rounds of guests this summer, but it took longer than expected, it seems.
They're all white, and brand new, and hopefully more energy efficient.
The stove has GOT to be better. The one that came with the place was probably manufactured in the 60's, and was sitting in a warehouse somewhere until this complex was built. I swear that thing was ANCIENT. You could just sort of tell my looking at the way the dials were built, and the "font" they used for the brand name, etc.
If it wasn't the 60's, it was certainly no newer than the 70's, for reals.
That old thing heated unevenly, and unreliably. The oven was HORRIBLE. I am SOOO HAPPY to have a new one!
That I didn't have to PAY FOR!
Made some pasta to go with tonight's supper, and the coil heated up pretty quickly, and was the same shade of red all the way around. Yay!
In other news, we got new computers at work, with GIGANTIC double screens. Did I tell you that already? It's taken me a full week to get used to mine. I had to have the IT guy come back and lower it, and have been tweaking positioning of it for days.
Of course, I got my new glasses on the same day we got these enormous monitors...I probably could have gotten away with the old glasses if I'd known we were getting these huge screens.
Be that as it may, the new glasses are about the same for distance, but the mid range and close has changed a little. The new frames are a lot like my old ones....no more heavy, dark plastic frames for me.
Sorry, Dave, I know you like the trendy look, but I don't.
It's taken about a week to get used to the new scrip, too.
The weather has been LOVELY the past few days. Lows in the 60's and highs in the 80s and 90s...a VERY welcome respite.
We even took a walk last night, before the appliance replacement prep we had to do.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Get your kicks on.....
It was too hot to do anything else today, so we took a drive out on old Route 66.The town is Arcadia, and the attraction was Pop's. It's a roadside diner whose claim to fame is having hundreds of old fashioned soda pop products that you thought you'd never taste again, as well as some trendy, expensive modern ones as well.
It was packed to the rafters with loud, hungry people. I mean PACKED.
I went with VERY high hopes to get a Frostie Root Beer, but they were OUT OF IT. Their windows are all fronted with bottles, as shown above in the picture behind Dave.
There's some Frostie Orange for you (why is that one bottle a different color??). But no regular Frostie Root Beer...only DIET, eeeeew, and vanilla flavored. Also eeeeew.
So, I had a Dad's root beer made with sugar instead of corn syrup. It was VERY yummy.
Dave accidentally grabbed a diet Dad's. Eeeeew.
We had lunch at the diner counter, after a 25 minute wait for a spot at the counter.... then cruised the mother road for a bit further out east, then back west again, toward home.
The sky was beautiful, but it was 102 outside...too hot for much else.
We DID stop at the "historic round barn." There's an eccentric guy named Butch who runs the place. Nothing much going on there. Butch sells his own jokes written in magic marker on old scraps of wood, and route 66 tzachki.
You can rent the loft for parties, if you want. Butch's hand written signs say "round tables go here," "square tables go here," "chairs go here," so you don't get things put away in the wrong places when your party's over.
Plus, the wiener mobile was at the grocery store yesterday! That picture is JUST for you, Elsa!
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Melting.....
108 yesterday. 102 at the moment. Headed up to who knows how hot before sunset.
Got in my car after work the day before yesterday. Temp in the parking lot at work, 111.
The wind was so strong, and so hot, it hurt my eyes. Literally. Even after putting drops in them when I got home, they were red and sore for hours.
My sister was right....this is horrible.
My geranium is dying. I will have to start over with a new one next year, and bring it inside by the end of May so it doesn't cook. (I grew up in a house with a geranium in it that was 40 years old....so when I got my own place, I started a new one. When I moved to OK, I gave that one to my sister, and started a new one when I got here....not knowing that the summer would kill it during its first year!)
Got the errands done before 1 today, in an effort to avoid the worst of today's heat. They did say today would be worse than yesterday, and yesterday was horrible.
I got a headache anyway, though.
Yesterday's headache was worse, though, and included facial flushing (bright red cheeks and throat/upper chest) and visual disturbance. That was lovely.
The hot weather made it so we missed the Perseids meteor shower yet again. I have not been able to see it for years, usually because it's been too cloudy back home.
This time, crystal clear skies, but 95 degrees at midnight.
Guh.
There's a "cold front" coming some time before tomorrow morning, though.
In theory.
The predicted highs for next week will be back down in the 90's. One website even indicates possible upper 80's!!
I have heard we have had a record breaking hot summer here. I would believe that. It's been over 100 every day for at least 10 days now. Possibly longer than that, I've lost track.
The last time I remember it only being in the 80's was early July. Since then, it's been 95 or hotter, mostly hotter.
Had a new client this past week. She found me on the AMTA find a massage therapist website, and had her session on Wednesday, so that was good.
Especially since my other client that was scheduled for last weekend didn't come, and didn't reschedule.
Got confirmation from my tenant that the intends to renew her lease.
All of a sudden, she's all "Oh, I totally understand if you have to raise the rent," instead of "well, if you're going to raise the rent, I am going to have to find someplace else."
She's all "I'm so grateful to you for everything you've done for me," instead of "well, I've been looking for an apartment because I thought maybe you were going to kick me out."
What the fuck ever.
All that matters is that she is going to renew, and she's acting like her old self again.
Got my eyes checked and new glasses ordered. Finally.
Now, all that's left is finding a dentist and a regular doctor. Little by little, I am establishing my support system.
I have a chiropractor, a gynecologist, and an eye doctor. That's progress.
I am going to go lie down again.....that helps the headaches. Then later, cooking dinner for us and an extra batch to take to Dave's parents tomorrow.
Dave keeps telling them how much better of a cook I am than his ex wife...we intend to give them an example!
Got in my car after work the day before yesterday. Temp in the parking lot at work, 111.
The wind was so strong, and so hot, it hurt my eyes. Literally. Even after putting drops in them when I got home, they were red and sore for hours.
My sister was right....this is horrible.
My geranium is dying. I will have to start over with a new one next year, and bring it inside by the end of May so it doesn't cook. (I grew up in a house with a geranium in it that was 40 years old....so when I got my own place, I started a new one. When I moved to OK, I gave that one to my sister, and started a new one when I got here....not knowing that the summer would kill it during its first year!)
Got the errands done before 1 today, in an effort to avoid the worst of today's heat. They did say today would be worse than yesterday, and yesterday was horrible.
I got a headache anyway, though.
Yesterday's headache was worse, though, and included facial flushing (bright red cheeks and throat/upper chest) and visual disturbance. That was lovely.
The hot weather made it so we missed the Perseids meteor shower yet again. I have not been able to see it for years, usually because it's been too cloudy back home.
This time, crystal clear skies, but 95 degrees at midnight.
Guh.
There's a "cold front" coming some time before tomorrow morning, though.
In theory.
The predicted highs for next week will be back down in the 90's. One website even indicates possible upper 80's!!
I have heard we have had a record breaking hot summer here. I would believe that. It's been over 100 every day for at least 10 days now. Possibly longer than that, I've lost track.
The last time I remember it only being in the 80's was early July. Since then, it's been 95 or hotter, mostly hotter.
Had a new client this past week. She found me on the AMTA find a massage therapist website, and had her session on Wednesday, so that was good.
Especially since my other client that was scheduled for last weekend didn't come, and didn't reschedule.
Got confirmation from my tenant that the intends to renew her lease.
All of a sudden, she's all "Oh, I totally understand if you have to raise the rent," instead of "well, if you're going to raise the rent, I am going to have to find someplace else."
She's all "I'm so grateful to you for everything you've done for me," instead of "well, I've been looking for an apartment because I thought maybe you were going to kick me out."
What the fuck ever.
All that matters is that she is going to renew, and she's acting like her old self again.
Got my eyes checked and new glasses ordered. Finally.
Now, all that's left is finding a dentist and a regular doctor. Little by little, I am establishing my support system.
I have a chiropractor, a gynecologist, and an eye doctor. That's progress.
I am going to go lie down again.....that helps the headaches. Then later, cooking dinner for us and an extra batch to take to Dave's parents tomorrow.
Dave keeps telling them how much better of a cook I am than his ex wife...we intend to give them an example!
Monday, August 9, 2010
Relief
After acting weird, asking me if I was going to sell the place out from under her and kick her out, and complaining that I charge too much rent, and now I am talking about raising it (out of the goodness of my heart, I had warned her that her rent would probably increase)....my tenant has decided to renew our lease for another year.
I had emailed two realtors back home back in June and July, knowing that I needed to get the renewal ball rolling...but neither of them responded. At all.
I recently decided that I wanted to add a clause to the lease agreement stating that I require 45 days' "move out" notice. If I don't get that notice, you don't get your deposit back.
This was the result of my tenant freaking me out by saying that she'd been looking for someplace else to live because 1) she wasn't sure of my intentions (even though I had told her three times over the past few months that I was going to offer her a renewal option), and 2) because she had talked to others in the complex, and had been convinced that she was being over charged on rent, and I had warned her that her rent might even GO UP. *rolling eyes*
SO--I realized this past weekend that if I was to add that 45 day clause, I needed to be sure she had the renewal option in her hands, with that addendum to the lease, before August 15th!!
It takes the mail 4 days to get from here to the condo, and vise versa. Today is the 9th.
I could not WAIT any longer for a realtor to respond to my pleas for help, if I wanted my tenant to have the legal option to notify me of her intent to vacate.
I decided I had to do this myself, and NOW.
So, yesterday, I went on line, and I found what I hope will be a suitable and legally binding renewal form. I copy/pasted it into my word processing program, and I filled it all in.
I then sent her an email stating that it's on it's way. And I held my breath.
Tonight, I got a jubilant email back from her stating how happy she is that I am going to "let her" live there for another year.
Whatever. Just sign the form.
Heh.
*deep breath*
Anyway, apparently, her son has moved out. Some of you may recall that she had him move in with her secretly at the beginning of the lease last year. Someone on the condo board had called me to tell me of this infringement, and I insisted that the tenant submit an addendum to the lease, to include his name and signature, since he is a legal adult.
She complied, got the form notarized, and sent it back to me. Done. He lived in the dining room, since it's a one bedroom condo.
But, apparently, she forgot to tell me when he moved out. I am GLAD he moved out, don't get me wrong....but she should probably have told me.
So, she has her instructions. The renewal form went out in the mail before 8 am today, and I can relax a little.
Oh, and I didn't raise her rent. She won't be as lucky next year...given that MY expenses for owning the stupid condo will probably go up about $50 a month.
Anyway.
I will REALLY breathe easy when the form is returned to me, signed and witnessed...but for now, I feel better. Maybe I will sleep tonight.
I had emailed two realtors back home back in June and July, knowing that I needed to get the renewal ball rolling...but neither of them responded. At all.
I recently decided that I wanted to add a clause to the lease agreement stating that I require 45 days' "move out" notice. If I don't get that notice, you don't get your deposit back.
This was the result of my tenant freaking me out by saying that she'd been looking for someplace else to live because 1) she wasn't sure of my intentions (even though I had told her three times over the past few months that I was going to offer her a renewal option), and 2) because she had talked to others in the complex, and had been convinced that she was being over charged on rent, and I had warned her that her rent might even GO UP. *rolling eyes*
SO--I realized this past weekend that if I was to add that 45 day clause, I needed to be sure she had the renewal option in her hands, with that addendum to the lease, before August 15th!!
It takes the mail 4 days to get from here to the condo, and vise versa. Today is the 9th.
I could not WAIT any longer for a realtor to respond to my pleas for help, if I wanted my tenant to have the legal option to notify me of her intent to vacate.
I decided I had to do this myself, and NOW.
So, yesterday, I went on line, and I found what I hope will be a suitable and legally binding renewal form. I copy/pasted it into my word processing program, and I filled it all in.
I then sent her an email stating that it's on it's way. And I held my breath.
Tonight, I got a jubilant email back from her stating how happy she is that I am going to "let her" live there for another year.
Whatever. Just sign the form.
Heh.
*deep breath*
Anyway, apparently, her son has moved out. Some of you may recall that she had him move in with her secretly at the beginning of the lease last year. Someone on the condo board had called me to tell me of this infringement, and I insisted that the tenant submit an addendum to the lease, to include his name and signature, since he is a legal adult.
She complied, got the form notarized, and sent it back to me. Done. He lived in the dining room, since it's a one bedroom condo.
But, apparently, she forgot to tell me when he moved out. I am GLAD he moved out, don't get me wrong....but she should probably have told me.
So, she has her instructions. The renewal form went out in the mail before 8 am today, and I can relax a little.
Oh, and I didn't raise her rent. She won't be as lucky next year...given that MY expenses for owning the stupid condo will probably go up about $50 a month.
Anyway.
I will REALLY breathe easy when the form is returned to me, signed and witnessed...but for now, I feel better. Maybe I will sleep tonight.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
What. The. Hell?
I guess it's because I've never been this sedentary before. Ever.
I guess it's because I've never been 48 before.
But SHIT! I work out three times a week, I eat right....and yet, I have gained as much weight as I put on when I was living with that ass hole who insisted I cook pasta for him every freakin day, and eat dessert with him every night.
All I can say is what the hell??
There is no room to clean up my diet. It's clean, because of Dave's heart attack back in December...and even before then, I started cooking healthy the moment I got here in September last year.
I guess it's time to drag out the SouthBeach books again, and really concentrate on those ideas. I hate that the diet is so reliant on dairy products that I can't even eat, though. Hard to find alternatives.
The frustrating part about this weight gain is that I FEEL the firm muscles from all the stupid working out...but I have this disgusting layer of fat over that muscle, that just makes me HATE to look at myself in the mirror.
I have never felt this bad about my body image. In. My. Life.
Anyway, in other news, after being nominated 4 times for employee of the month (the first time was before I had been there 2 full months, and I wasn't even eligible to be nominated!), I finally won.
It was a tie, though, so the other girl gets August, and I get September.
Somebody really wanted me to win it...because they kept nominating me! No idea who, and NO, I did NOT do it myself!
I get a certificate, my picture in a frame that the office will hang for all eternity, use of the employee of the month parking spot for the month, eligibility for employee of the year, and ... the best part...2 hours of paid time off during September.
It was cooler today than it's been in a while....nice respite. Won't last long, though.
I guess it's because I've never been 48 before.
But SHIT! I work out three times a week, I eat right....and yet, I have gained as much weight as I put on when I was living with that ass hole who insisted I cook pasta for him every freakin day, and eat dessert with him every night.
All I can say is what the hell??
There is no room to clean up my diet. It's clean, because of Dave's heart attack back in December...and even before then, I started cooking healthy the moment I got here in September last year.
I guess it's time to drag out the SouthBeach books again, and really concentrate on those ideas. I hate that the diet is so reliant on dairy products that I can't even eat, though. Hard to find alternatives.
The frustrating part about this weight gain is that I FEEL the firm muscles from all the stupid working out...but I have this disgusting layer of fat over that muscle, that just makes me HATE to look at myself in the mirror.
I have never felt this bad about my body image. In. My. Life.
Anyway, in other news, after being nominated 4 times for employee of the month (the first time was before I had been there 2 full months, and I wasn't even eligible to be nominated!), I finally won.
It was a tie, though, so the other girl gets August, and I get September.
Somebody really wanted me to win it...because they kept nominating me! No idea who, and NO, I did NOT do it myself!
I get a certificate, my picture in a frame that the office will hang for all eternity, use of the employee of the month parking spot for the month, eligibility for employee of the year, and ... the best part...2 hours of paid time off during September.
It was cooler today than it's been in a while....nice respite. Won't last long, though.
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