So, I am happy to report that I have finally arrived in the new millennium and now have a smartphone. I said goodbye to my little Virgin Mobile flip phone, and I am having a lot of fun playing with my new toy. I can't believe it took me so long to get one. I feel like I am part of the modern world again!
One of the first things I did was download the MFP app. That was 6 weeks ago, and I have lost 14 lbs. Hmmm, could it really be that tracking my food and counting calories might lead to weight loss? Who knew! Well of course I knew this because of my history counting points with Weight Watchers. I really like the WW program, but unfortunately it's not free, and MFP is. Bye bye Weight Watchers! If I win the lottery I may go back to paying $45 a month and going to meetings, which I enjoyed, but until then I will do my best with MFP.
Wish me luck! About 40 lbs. to go..... and I have the rest of my life to do it.
Thursday, November 16, 2017
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Late Summer Camping Fun
D and I had a great trip to High Cliff State Park near Appleton, WI. 3 days of perfect weather. Lots of spiders everywhere. Is it just me, or is it a spidery year? It was crazy to see huge webs in the morning where there were none the night before. Those spiders are industrious!
We also saw a walking stick insect. It was climbing up the gray cinder blocks of the pit toilet house, so we could see it clearly. It just sat there very still. Such an odd-looking insect! It really does look exactly like a stick. If I was a Millennial I would have whipped out my $900 phone and taken a quick snap, then forwarded it to all my friends and relatives. But I'm a Baby Boomer, so I just have a picture of the walking stick in my mind. That will do.
We also saw a walking stick insect. It was climbing up the gray cinder blocks of the pit toilet house, so we could see it clearly. It just sat there very still. Such an odd-looking insect! It really does look exactly like a stick. If I was a Millennial I would have whipped out my $900 phone and taken a quick snap, then forwarded it to all my friends and relatives. But I'm a Baby Boomer, so I just have a picture of the walking stick in my mind. That will do.
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
A Bountiful Harvest
What possessed me to plant 4 zucchini plants? I have been baking zucchini bread and making stuffed zucchini and feeding it to my worms and giving it away left and right and I still have 117 zucchini in my crisper. OK, I am exaggerating, just a bit. But let this be a reminder to me for Garden 2018 -- 1 zucchini plant, maybe 2. No more than 3. :)
My herb bed was supposed to be a thing of beauty this year. But a mistake in the seed packet messed me up good, and you can't even see my herb bed. I bought a packet of dwarf zinnias, they were supposed to be 8" tall, to edge my raised bed. Instead, they are 36" tall and are the most robust bunch of flowers in my entire garden. You would never know the poor herb bed is there unless you looked closely.
And I have several more huge bunches of tall zinnias in my border, somehow every seed I sprinkled germinated 200% and grew twice as tall as stated on the packet. These zinnias grew like small trees, with huge woody stalks. They are colorful and awesome, and I love to fill vases with them. But they are high maintenance chopping all that stuff down and disposing of it.
My herb bed was supposed to be a thing of beauty this year. But a mistake in the seed packet messed me up good, and you can't even see my herb bed. I bought a packet of dwarf zinnias, they were supposed to be 8" tall, to edge my raised bed. Instead, they are 36" tall and are the most robust bunch of flowers in my entire garden. You would never know the poor herb bed is there unless you looked closely.
And I have several more huge bunches of tall zinnias in my border, somehow every seed I sprinkled germinated 200% and grew twice as tall as stated on the packet. These zinnias grew like small trees, with huge woody stalks. They are colorful and awesome, and I love to fill vases with them. But they are high maintenance chopping all that stuff down and disposing of it.
Saturday, August 26, 2017
A Great Summer After All
We have had wonderful weather here in Chicago. I have enjoyed this summer so much! And it's not over yet, we have at least 2 more months of pleasant weather.
We were finally able to take some camping trips, the mid 90 temps of early summer were replaced by delightful 80s through most of August. We went to IL Beach State Park for 2 nights and had a great time camping. We got to play in some gigantic waves on Lake Michighan. They were way too big and powerful to swim in, especially for the 5-yo, so we just held tight to her hand and jumped around as the waves crashed on shore. She loved it and we had a blast. The only downside to this trip was swarms of mosquitoes, the likes of which I have not seen in years. A result of the horrific flooding in the area this summer. We got bitten up, even though we slathered on the bug spray. I feel guilty complaining about the mosquitoes when so many people lost their homes. :(
Then a few weeks later we went to Rock Cut State Park in Rockford. Another great place to camp. Nice trails, and a nearby water park that had an amazing wave pool. So, more frolicking in the waves!
Lily had a great trip -- until the very last 10 minutes. Oy. She was sitting at the picnic table, watching us attach the trailer to the tow hitch. We were cranking it down when we heard a series of very loud screams from the area of the picnic table, like someone was being murdered. It was a dastardly daddy long legs, crawling on Lily. OMG, she was so freaked out, and I don't blame her. I hate those things. I ran over and brushed it off her and crushed in the sand, buried it and stomped on it and spit on it and called it a few choice names. Lil stood by, sobbing and shaking. I sort of hate myself for this now, but both Dan and I were a bit less than patient with the hysterics. I gave her a quick hug and told her to pull herself together, and Dan said something like "such a fuss about nothing". In our defense, we were breaking up camp. Any camper would understand that we were a bit less than cheerful, and ready to just get the heck home. But I hate those stupid creepy spiders so much, I totally understand. I think if I had one crawling on me I would give out a little yelp too. Maybe not a hysterical screech, like Lily, but then again maybe so!
We were finally able to take some camping trips, the mid 90 temps of early summer were replaced by delightful 80s through most of August. We went to IL Beach State Park for 2 nights and had a great time camping. We got to play in some gigantic waves on Lake Michighan. They were way too big and powerful to swim in, especially for the 5-yo, so we just held tight to her hand and jumped around as the waves crashed on shore. She loved it and we had a blast. The only downside to this trip was swarms of mosquitoes, the likes of which I have not seen in years. A result of the horrific flooding in the area this summer. We got bitten up, even though we slathered on the bug spray. I feel guilty complaining about the mosquitoes when so many people lost their homes. :(
Then a few weeks later we went to Rock Cut State Park in Rockford. Another great place to camp. Nice trails, and a nearby water park that had an amazing wave pool. So, more frolicking in the waves!
Lily had a great trip -- until the very last 10 minutes. Oy. She was sitting at the picnic table, watching us attach the trailer to the tow hitch. We were cranking it down when we heard a series of very loud screams from the area of the picnic table, like someone was being murdered. It was a dastardly daddy long legs, crawling on Lily. OMG, she was so freaked out, and I don't blame her. I hate those things. I ran over and brushed it off her and crushed in the sand, buried it and stomped on it and spit on it and called it a few choice names. Lil stood by, sobbing and shaking. I sort of hate myself for this now, but both Dan and I were a bit less than patient with the hysterics. I gave her a quick hug and told her to pull herself together, and Dan said something like "such a fuss about nothing". In our defense, we were breaking up camp. Any camper would understand that we were a bit less than cheerful, and ready to just get the heck home. But I hate those stupid creepy spiders so much, I totally understand. I think if I had one crawling on me I would give out a little yelp too. Maybe not a hysterical screech, like Lily, but then again maybe so!
Monday, July 10, 2017
Hot!
It has been a hot summer so far, and I think we are in for a steamy July. Not as bad as the west, though. Phoenix has been in the 110's for a while, as high as 118. I can't imagine!
We have been having fun playing in the sprinkler and tossing water balloons with Lily. As a bonus, my lawn and garden gets watered. As a non-bonus, my water bill goes up. Oh well, it's pay to play. We'll conserve water in the winter!
It's been too hot to take the camper out, we were hoping to go up to Illinois Beach State Park for a few days this week but a high temperature of 95 degrees has me shaking my head. Even with lovely Lake Michigan, still too hot. No air conditioning in our hard-sided, A-frame camper, and I am a big baby about heat and humidity. Best to just stay put and enjoy the park district pools and squirting the hose in my own backyard. It has a mist setting that feels so good after working in the garden. Ahhh
I am trying to cut down on gin martinis. I have been having one every day for weeks now! Bad habit, because of course I have to have a snack along with the drink, and then I throw all dinner eating caution to the wind as well. Bah. Today is Monday, and I am putting the brakes on. I will toast the afternoons with iced tea. Good luck to me!
We have been having fun playing in the sprinkler and tossing water balloons with Lily. As a bonus, my lawn and garden gets watered. As a non-bonus, my water bill goes up. Oh well, it's pay to play. We'll conserve water in the winter!
It's been too hot to take the camper out, we were hoping to go up to Illinois Beach State Park for a few days this week but a high temperature of 95 degrees has me shaking my head. Even with lovely Lake Michigan, still too hot. No air conditioning in our hard-sided, A-frame camper, and I am a big baby about heat and humidity. Best to just stay put and enjoy the park district pools and squirting the hose in my own backyard. It has a mist setting that feels so good after working in the garden. Ahhh
I am trying to cut down on gin martinis. I have been having one every day for weeks now! Bad habit, because of course I have to have a snack along with the drink, and then I throw all dinner eating caution to the wind as well. Bah. Today is Monday, and I am putting the brakes on. I will toast the afternoons with iced tea. Good luck to me!
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