My Old fashioned Christmas!

We all know I am adament that we have an old fashioned Christmas this year. And in spirit I decided (with no time left until the big holy day) that an old fashioned Christmas HAD to have homemade stockings... So I made the first one! It took me a whole night and a morning at radiation. I used some off white yarn that my dad had bought for me and a lovely green that Tricia gave me and I just started looming. And I think it came out pretty good. Let me know what you think...

This looks like something I would have fun with

A new craft me thinks?
http://www.greensense.com/Features/Living/Crafts/Paper/beads.htm

I crafted I crafted I crafted!

This weekend I was at D's house and I actually crafted! AND the weekend before I came up with something to craft that was fun for me and useful! I feel like I have reached the end of crafts that are useful. How many more people are going to want a pair of my slipper socks? I might have hit that plateau... I either needed new friends or a new craft. Since I really like my friends I decided on the craft!

I am making a blanket for Comette. I am going to use all the left over yarns I have from this year and I am going to crochet it to fit under any saddle she may be using. I started it with a really kewl (circa 1970) rainbow yarn that I am obsessed with. Then after that I will just reach into the bag of partially used yarns and whatever comes out next is what I am going to use next! I think that making a few isn't a bad idea and that ought to take me a year or so...

AND starting next week I will have a few minutes of daily crochet time... Mom starts radiation and I crochet then (or buy oatmeal)

Crafting failure...

Running slowly through the mist, feeling muscles ask how much longer before they rest, breathing deeply... Looking over my shoulder to see my love right behind/beside me. Jim has rollerbladed with me a few times, while I run. It makes running even a better thing. I love the way I feel after the run but not always during the run. Sometimes I just want to quit and go home but never with Jim. It feels like a few minutes of just us time. No dogs, no cat, no phone, no nothing to interupt the two us. Together we breathe deeply and enjoy the quiet and the occasional rooster crowing. It reminds us of when we met. The 4-H fair a place of peace...

Ooopsy I haven't crafted in SOOOOO long lately. I have been cooking up bread like a fiend though, does that count? I say it does!

There is nothing like an early lunch where you go toast a piece of homemade cran-apple bread with some yummy grapefruit ginger marmalade on top. Made at a farm by a real person who you can say hi to and she will tell you about the year's crops. I feel like it is a peaceful way to enjoy. It's kind of like the ultimate comfort food. I just got to enjoy this lunch... I have had a piece each day this week and each day it makes me smile more and more.

Okay well a little about crafting. I haven't had a moment to do any. I thought about crocheting a straight panel so I could make these open finger gloves that I saw they were called opera gloves BUT I haven't gotten around to it yet... I have the yarn (from the great find Jim bought me in August.), I have the idea... I just don't have the time. I am going to scrap this weekend though (if I get the pictures) and I will post info about that.

Peacefully,
Joy

Someday… Somehow… Somewhere…

SOMEDAY: Last night as I lay in bed next to a sleeping Jim I started to cry. I wasn’t crying for any real reason… Other than someday we are all going to die. I fear not my own death but those of the people I love. They are my foundation, my earth if you will… What does anyone do without those that they love? I understand the concept of go on, but not really. And as I sat there last night and cried (quietly I didn’t want to wake Jim) I realized something, I am a very lucky person… For many reasons but I am thinking of these ones. I am loved and love so many people. And the VAST MAJORITY of them have been here for the important parts of my life. My parents (whom I love more than life itself) saw me graduate from high school, get my first job, grow up, cry more tears than I knew any one person could cry at once (they have been there for me through this more times than you could believe) have boyfriends, and ultimately get married. Shit my mother was there with me when I decided to live, she’s been there for everything. My Nana was alive long enough for me to love and appreciate a quality homemade dinner the importance of playing games and the peace of a clean home. My Papa was here to see me go into middle school and long enough too for me to love him and not even know that he wasn’t my blood. My blessed Bampi was given as a gift from Heaven and I got to learn to “rope rabbits”, “cut my head off” and know that there is always enough love to go around. Mimi, well she was there until it was okay to go. She waited until Jim told her he was going to ask me to marry him, she waited until Adam was graduating officially, Christy was about to graduate from college, her eggs were all in their nests and it was her time. I have so many other people that I could put in here, probably you! But I chose these people because they are either gone or ill. You probably know that my Mom has stage 4 brain cancer and 2 b lung cancer (and if you want the link to her cares page which I update with changes often send me an email or leave a message here and I will send you an invitation), and my dad has been ill for years… Though lately I feel like I can watch him fade a little more each week, it’s as if mom being sick is literally killing him. All of these people are my rock and someday they are going to leave me… How can I keep them around and at the same time let them know how much I love them?

SOMEHOW: How do I keep them around and at the same time let them know how much I love them? That question is asked and answered within the same question. Look! If you turn is around it says If I show them how much I love them I will keep them around longer. If I fill their bellies with healthy foods, cover their feet and heads with warmness and love, and speak the words they need to hear and I need to say they will be here forever, if not physically then assuredly in my heart. If it my heart and actions that make my loved ones immortal then do they need to be near?

SOMEWHERE: If it my heart and actions that make my loved ones immortal then do they need to be near? This is a question that tears at my heart. When my parents are gone do I want to live in the house that has always been “ours”. My address screams to me, it says “I am the happy home of Joy, Jim, Joan and Bob… I am their shelter from the storm. I am the place they come to when they need to shed tears, I am the location of many of their favorite memories, I have been here for a lot of their worst disappointments, I have worked hard to keep them together as a family… I have muffled tears, shouted joys, and spewed forth great gifts from my refrigerator and oven. I am their home.” When it isn’t the four of us anymore will it be home anymore? Or is my home ready to move on too? I don’t know… I guess I will know when the time is right!

For now here is a recipe for you to help make your home a little happier, more productive and well homelike, it’s what I will be doing this weekend.

1 ready made Keebler Pie Crust (I prefer the shortbread, the fat free
Graham Cracker crust is extremely dry)

1 pkg of instant pudding (your flavor of choice)
1 8oz pkg. fat free cream cheese (I use low fat to avoid a lot of fat and chemicals)
1 14 oz can crushed pineapples (in its own juice)
1 container of Cool Whip Free

Combine pudding (dry), cream cheese and pineapple. Stir by hand. Place in pie crust. Top with Cool Whip. Refrigerate a minimum of 1 hour.

I wish for you a peaceful weekend!

What a day what a day what a day

This one is for Marianne who noted that I haven't been blogging much lately.


Today mom had a TON of doctors' appointments which led to us being in Mass General for many hours 7:00 A - 1:00 P.
What does a person do with that many hours sitting? Well first I got up a few minutes earlier to get an AB workout in. And will run tonight (It is too cold in the morning to run for this heat lover). Then I grabbed my trusty loom and some yarn that mom loves and started the center panel of a 3 panel afghan for her. Today alone I got over 30 inches done! I am SO excited... The loom stitch is a little looser than what I would want for an afghan (not because she will be cold but because I am afraid it will stretch shape) so I have decided that I will edge it in single crochet to keep it stronger. Will that work Tricia? I am hoping so. After I finish this (or maybe before) I need to make 5 pairs of slippers because I promised them to Mom's church for their fair and then I think I will take a break from the constant looming. I have been working hard to get a 30 minute run in daily along with one of my many favorite workout videos. Do you have a favorite workout video? What is it?

This weekend I was able to get a shorter craft day in on Saturday after doing the walk for diabetes it was great and the food and the company was (as always) great. And we now know that Jim loves pumpkin whoopie pies and Marianne's apple crisp.
And Sunday was spent cleaning house and visiting with old friends... Next weekend we have company staying with us (really with my mom) for the weekend AND I might have overbooked myself to boot.
Saturday = Morning - NOTHING
4:00 wedding
7:00 poncho sections of blueman group
AS SOON as that's over Ginette and Patty's LAST party in som'ville

Sunday = Friends coming over for a beading party! I am SO excited about this... For many reasons but MAINLY because you guys will get to read about something other than looming! And then dinner with the guests and the WHOLE (as my Bampi would say) Fam Damily!

So next week there will be pictures... I thinking pictures of crafts being made and done ones too, maybe even a few of the fam.

Have a great one

Little gifts

I dropped off little hats I loomed for my friend Jenn's kids last night.
I made a baby hat (with beads) and bigger hats for the bigger sisters and now I am going to make one for Jenn because she fell in love with it!
I will post a picture of Jenn's when I am finished.

I have made a ton of pairs of socks on my loom (they are really more like slippers) and I am convinced that I must make myself a pair of pipi longstocking - esque socks to wear whilst skiing this winter. How much fun (not to mention how cute) will that be?

I could even make a matching hat! LOVE IT...

Also I have gotten back into running. Even with my lost iPod (how sad is that?)
I have gone back to the good old days AKA the 80s and pulled out a cassette walkman) and this morning I listened to Pleasant DeSpain
http://www.storypro.com/
Tell the story about Sri Lanka and the 3 Princes... Pleasant is known for Story weaves and this one was a little hard to follow. Here is a little about the 3 Princes:
Origin of the term "serendipity"
The fairy tale The Three Princes of Serendip [my note: "Serendip" is the ancient name for Sri Lanka. This is originally a Persian tale] is based upon the life of Persian king Bahram Gur who ruled the Sasanian Empire from ca. 420-440 AD. Stories of his rule are told in epic poetry of the region (Firdausi's Shahnameh 1010 AD, Nizami's Haft Paykar 1197 AD, Khusrau's Hasht Bihisht 1302 AD), parts of which are based upon historical facts with embellishments derived from folklore going back hundreds of years to oral traditions in India and The Book of One Thousand and One Nights. With the exception of the well-known camel story, English translations are very hard to come by.

In the camel story, the Three Princes use trace clues to precisely identify a camel they have never seen (lame; blind in one eye; missing a tooth; carrying a pregnant maiden; bearing honey on one side and butter on the other). This result of abductive reasoning is not what is meant by serendipity (the discovery of something NOT sought). Because of their cleverness and sagacity, they are accused of stealing the camel and are about to be put to death by Bahram Gur. Suddenly and without anyone seeking him out, a traveler steps forward to say that he has just seen the missing camel wandering in the desert. Bahram spares the lives of the Three Princes, lavishes them with rich rewards and appoints them as advisors. These rewards are the unsought (serendipitous) results of their sagacious insights.

There are other examples of the Princes receiving unsought rewards (marriage to a beautiful princess, kingdoms, wealth, etc.) from their accidental discoveries. The fact that they can make clever or accidental discoveries and breakthroughs is a result of their intelligence, wisdom and reasoning. The unsought rewards come later. Thus, stumbling upon a captive slave girl in a forest is a serendipitous occurrence. Deducing that the slave girl they rescued is actually a Princess is not the serendipitous moment – rather, this occurs later when they receive lavish gifts as a reward.

More contemporaneously, because we put great value on scientific breakthroughs and insights themselves (e.g., the waxy polymer residue (Teflon) in an uncooperative gas cylinder), these are considered to be the unsought serendipitous rewards of clever reasoning, hard work and luck.
Billie Susan N. 12/16/05

His story that he wove with it was about his father (okay that made sense) and baggage (okay maybe) and then his trip to Sri Lanka (Yup he lost me there)

I love to listen to Pleasant weave and often suggest to J that he learn how to do weaves but this one wasn't his best

I was tagged

I am thinking about: How to get out of an office dinner tonight

I said: Live and let live

I want to: Buy a new bike

I wish: That I was at home cleaning

I regret: I am trying not to regret things to just be the person I want to see in the mirror daily

I hear: My coworker humming loudly :-)

I am: Calm and peaceful today

I dance: Very badly but I like line dances because you just have to know certain steps ~ not talent involved

I sing: Infrequently

I cry: When I think about life too seriously

I am not: going to work at a job I hate for too much longer

I am: excited about my Halloween party


I write: Hearts on paper when I am bored, I also take notes when I am talking to people who are annoying me because I can pay more attention to the notes than the person.

I confuse: Where and were

I need: to start working out again

I tag: All of you!!!!

A little warmth, a little hope

Yesterday while sitting at the Cox Building I talked to a woman I had seen there a few times before. It is so funny that we are all there at the same time every day and most days it is perfectly silent everyone in their own little worlds ~ I imagine they are all pretending they are somewhere else... Even work :-) The funny part about this is the silence isn't among the patients. THEY have learned to live like they are dying (great song) they talk, they smile, they laugh... It's the people who love them and bring them and sit in that waiting room while radiation tries to reverse or shrink or stop some evil twist of fate. We sit there and we pretend to do yarn crafts (a favorite among most) or read the paper, or zone out... But really we sit there and we pray that the miracle is happening as we wait. We ask God to save our loved one.

But then every once in a while you see it... The beginning of camaraderie. A little sunshine brought in among the clouds. And yesterday I was a part of that. A woman was sitting diagonally across from me and asked what I was making... I was looming a sock. She thought it was really cool and moved over to sit next to me to see it. We talked, she is bringing her friend who has thyroid cancer, I bring mom who has brain and lung cancer. Her friend's prognosis looks good. We chatted a bit about the wonderfulness of Mass General Hospital (it really is a great place and they make mom feel like she is their only concern ever) how it feels to have someone you love sick, the weather, work, and socks. When her friend came back she was so happy that we had chatted and that we both weren't sitting there lonely... Both of the patients will be there for 6 weeks of daily radiation. This is aggressive therapy that these two women are enduring, yet they both smile with class through it all. I have learned a lot from all of this. You can make up your mind how you live but not how LONG you live. For my mom and this other lady they have chosen to enjoy the moments... And I have chosen to make socks for them because I can't do more than pray and wrap their feet in warmth and hope.

Ciao Bella

WOW! 2 posts in one week?

SO I have been thinking about Christmas for the last week! I really want to have an old fashioned Christmas... I want to make Christmas cookies, like real cookies from scratch. I am convinced I can do this. Anyone want to come and play with me while I attempt this?

I want cookies like this

So much to say so little time

Well here it is 4:30 and I finally have a minute to write on here. It's been a while :-)
CRAFTS
I haven't been crafting as religiously as I was before. But I am going to try and start up again. I am currently in the middle of looming myself a pair of slipper socks with some GORGEOUS yarn that I bought for myself on Newbury Street (I love that store)... I also have a good amount done on a gift for Cameron (when he is born). Other than that I haven't been doing very much... Jim did go to a fundraiser auctin and bought me a box full of yarns (all pretty cool I might add) and I have been trying to find time and excuses to use them.
EXCERCISE
I haven't been working out as much either lately THOUGH now that we have a working DirecTV system I am planning on taping Denise Austins daily workout. It takes 30 minutes and makes me happy. I am trying to fit some running and some biking into my days too... I am having a dilemma on what bike to buy. I know I need a new one. BUT it is so hard to choose. I keep thinking I want the Specialized Sirrus because it is a partial change and then I could upgrade parts to make it what I want as I continue to grow as a biker... *sigh* decisions decisions.
LIFE
Life has been amazingly good the last few days. I am happy where I am. I need a new job BUT that will come and I have a few ideas that I want to think through first. I don't want to jump into this without lots of thought... This time around I want a career and not just a job.
What do you define the difference between the two...

Word of the day
gerrymander
Pronunciation: /JER-ee-man-der/
v : to divide a voting or geographical area so as to give one political party a majority in one or more districts

Have a great day off to update the care page :-)

So much to say so little time

Well here it is 4:30 and I finally have a minute to write on here. It's been a while :-)
CRAFTS
I haven't been crafting as religiously as I was before. But I am going to try and start up again. I am currently in the middle of looming myself a pair of slipper socks with some GORGEOUS yarn that I bought for myself on Newbury Street (I love that store)... I also have a good amount done on a gift for Cameron (when he is born). Other than that I haven't been doing very much... Jim did go to a fundraiser auctin and bought me a box full of yarns (all pretty cool I might add) and I have been trying to find time and excuses to use them.
EXCERCISE
I haven't been working out as much either lately THOUGH now that we have a working DirecTV system I am planning on taping Denise Austins daily workout. It takes 30 minutes and makes me happy. I am trying to fit some running and some biking into my days too... I am having a dilemma on what bike to buy. I know I need a new one. BUT it is so hard to choose. I keep thinking I want the Specialized Sirrus because it is a partial change and then I could upgrade parts to make it what I want as I continue to grow as a biker... *sigh* decisions decisions.
LIFE
Life has been amazingly good the last few days. I am happy where I am. I need a new job BUT that will come and I have a few ideas that I want to think through first. I don't want to jump into this without lots of thought... This time around I want a career and not just a job.
What do you define the difference between the two...
Word of the day
gerrymander
Pronunciation: /JER-ee-man-der/
v : to divide a voting or geographical area so as to give one political party a majority in one or more districts

Have a great day off to update the care page :-)

Oooh oooh Ice Cream

Free ice cream September 12-17
http://www.boston.com/thescoop/getyours.html

Knitting's Bastard Child and my sanity

So anyone who reads this obviously knows me, and knows that I have been spending a lot of my days at hospitals and dealing with all the stuff with my mom. Spending a lot of time hanging out with a sleeping person doesn't make for a ton of fun... I needed something to entertain myself... Ahhhh my old friend crochet. Well that has kept me pleasantly busy and I have enjoyed it immensely. I have almost finished a blanket for a friend's baby, I started a twin size afghan for my mom and a scarf for mom too... I made a few trips to Newbury Street for dresses for Christy's wedding and while there I found a great little shop called newbury yarns. www.newburyyarns.com
It was so cute and more than a little overpriced but the ribbon yarn made me a very happy person.
Pictures coming - after a certain shower, don't want anyone to see things before they are supposed to!

There's got to be something interesting going on...

Morning,

I read my blog this morning and realized that there has not been a single thing of interest in quite some time. Certainly there has to be something interesting going on in my life. (said in the voice of Pooh) *think, think, think*

What I am focused on right now is:
Sunday is Christy's shower :-) We are having it at the Chateau in Andover... I think there will be about 30 - 40 people there a nice size if you ask my opinion.

It is very weird to me that
A) I am a bridesmaid and
B) that I have NO CLUE what is going on with the shower. I don't know the favors... I never even saw the invites...
C) And I didn't even get Christy a gift off of her registry. I got her a really cool platter that I figured she could use again after the wedding BUT during the wedding it is a guest book. It should fit the 175 people coming (I think). Corey likes kitchen stuff and I figured that way it wouldn't be a book that nobody ever looked at again. Have any of you who are married ever looked at your guest book again? We did the next day and then it went into the cellar. I have pictures of everybody who was there :-)

After that (and I will post a couple of pictures) I will be going on vacation Tuesday night and returning EARLY Saturday AM. We are going to Chinoteague
http://www.chincoteague.com/pony/ponies.html
This has been a vacation I have always wanted to take. And this is the year... It has ALWAYS been one of those "next year" vacations. I am excited to go I can NOT wait to see the ponies and the island. We will be there for a carnival (and I really REALLY love carnivals)
SO here is the schedule:
Tuesday night fly out of work RIGHT @ 5:00 (in my already packed car) and pick up Jim and maybe Mom and watch KR tell at Blue's. From there we are getting together with Robin to grab Katy and Abby and we are headed to VA... Here are the directions for anyone interested: http://tinyurl.com/o3n2h
We SHOULD arrive in VA around 6:30 - 7:00 and the ponies are scheduled to swim between 7 and 11 so hopefully we will get there in time.
We will watch the ponies swim across and head on over to the carnival for the rest of the crew to have a BBQ lunch and me to take a nappy (since chances are I will do most of the driving.)
Wednesday and Thursday we have no plans but to check out the island and the reserves on near-by Assateague.
Friday we are watching the ponies return to Assateague and will hang out just a little bit more (there is something that Abby wants to do for her mom and dad this day) and then heading home.

Then Saturday is the registration for that God forsaken tri and Sunday is the Tri.

Hugs to all

Can you believe that the weekend is over?

I can't! It seems like it hasn't even begun yet! Friday night we went to see Bill Burr (a comedian for those like me who have no clue who he is) and it was great to see Fred and Joyce. I haven't seen them in a long time :-)
Got home a little late and crashed. Saturday I got up and decided to make bread HOWEVER our AC had died the night before so that was brutal... I whipped out the trusty bread maker and plugged it in on the back porch. Quick and easy bread :-) I made a

"Simple oatmeal Bread"

3/4 cup plus 3 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon oil or butter **
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3/4 of a cup quick oats **
2 1/2 cups white flour
2 teaspoons of yeast
**

Put all the ingredients in your bread maker in the order listed. Set it for a 1 pound cycle and go for a bike ride/run combo (or at least that is what I did) Come home and take bread out of machine bring in house and enjoy.

** =
I used olive oil
I didn't have quick oats but I did have a packet of instant maple and brown sugar oatmeal so I used this.
And lastly I added some wheat germ (about 3 tablespoons)

Sunday morning I made toast and jam for breakfast ~ I know this sounds like a lame breakfast but remember the no air conditioning? 2 slices per person was enough to fill Jim through to dinner. There were a variety of jams available for trying with the bread. Guava, Peach, 4 fruit, Grapefruit Ginger, Raspberry, Strawberry, and concord Grape... A loaf only made about 8 - 10 slices but I am told they were heavenly.

Well back to Saturday:
First I went for a short run (a little over 2 miles), then a bike ride (about 17 miles ~ I was a little tired). Then we went to Tricia's for a great BBQ and Jim and I had a fun time. I had a yummy fruit salad... Thank you Tricia for being such a lovely hostess. We left there after 9:00 and it was most definately my nappy time. It took about 50 minutes to get home (the 495 way is about 10 minutes shorter) I was asleep by 10:30 :-)

Then for Sunday I got up and made more bread :-) I like the fresh bread feeling. I got to read my favorite magazine (for me magazine is the name if you are interested) and just enjoy a quiet house (which is a rarity) and got ready for a longer bike and shorter run. I met up with Laura (after having to call her and tell her I couldn't remember HOW to get to the bike path) and we went for a nice ride. Then we met up with Kevin and went on a really up and down ride! Damn I am out of shape! After the ride Kevin and I went for a short run and headed back. Where I sat in a chair and did NOTHING, that was great :-)

Last night I got home and Cheryl called me over she had new yoga pants for me (I might have bicycle grease all over my other ones) and then I went home and crashed. On the floor of the hobby room. I was asleep by 9:00

Whew this weekend flew by...
And this morning (after a 4 mile run) I made french toast for my dad for his birthday (with the homemade bread) and tonight we are having a BBQ for him.
Happy Birthday Daddy-o

YAY

I have the picture from Tuesday so now I can tell you all about the day. I REALLY REALLY wanted the picture included. Kevin was telling at Blue's Tuesday night so Jim and I decided to head on in. Well first awesome thing of the evening. I, Joy, knew how to get us there with only one slight oopsy wrong way. Then I dropped Jim and his nephew Phillip off in front of the building and I went to park the car... What were we thinking having ME park in CAMBRIDGE? Heck I can't even park in the lot at work... BUT I found a parallel spot (and this is where I usually stop in the middle of the road nad hand the car over to Jim) And it was a SMALL spot but I figured that it was the best I was going to get. So I parked there... It took me 7 tries to get in but I did it. YAY! I got into Blue's just in time to hear my friend Laura tell a GREAT tale. I don't get to hear her tell near enough so it was a great treat. Then I heard a few other tellers with some good stories... Then a brief break (where I paced ~ I have INSANE amounts of nervous evergy lately), then Kevin came on and he told an incredible story about his mother... It was GREAT. It moved from before they were married (in the early 40s) through to just a few years ago. I loved it. I love stories that help you travel. And this one did that so YAY...
Then a group of us went for dinner. And had fun just hanging out....
It was great.
Here's my parking job! Yes I took a picture

A new favorite phrase

Okay so I am currently (and when I say currently I mean here at work in leiu of working) reading "slow fat triathlete" this book is great, it really makes me feel like I be a loser if I do (or don't do) the tri. So anyway I digress here is my new favorite phrase(from the book):
"Self-consciousness is the enemy of fun. It's the enemy of feeling comfortable. It's the enemy of achievement. It's your enemy. Decide right now to banish self-consciousness from your journey..."

One big old whining rambling post ~ not a great read

So yeah if you are looking for motivation or an interesting read I suggest you go to your next blog read.

Here are my insights of the last 3 days...
1- I am fat. I actually had TWO people in the last two days call me solid. One was a make-up artist friend of mine, the other was my neighbor. Yeah solid = fat... Answer to this I am on a diet. A HUGE DIET! If you see me eating something other than celery remind me I am fat!
2- I am out of shape. I biked on Saturday with my friend Kevin and we did 23.6 miles. Kevin had already biked 40 (+) miles in the morning and then met me and we did our ride. I = dead. Kevin = fine. Do I need to mention that Kevin had already biked 40 miles again? Then yesterday Kevin, Laura, and I went on a ride. Kevin again = fine, Laura = good other than her lungs were giving her shit and Jim apparently could not remember the ONE THING (his inhalor) I asked him to bring with him when he met us! Apparently the fact that he should never leave home without it means nothing to him. GRRRRRR. We did 36 miles yesterday. I have never before thought that I was going to die from exercise before this. I literally was thinking how nice it would be to lay on the grass on the side of the path and go to bed.
3- My husband was out last night when I got home and I couldn't fall asleep until he got home so I was cranky and miserable. And then all night he would just roll over and kiss me it was SOOOOO cute but I was tired and therefore today I am a sleepy cranky bitch.

And so that there is at least SOMETHING slightly cheery in my blog of complaints.
Friday night and Saturday Tyler and Alicia were right next door and Alicia said that I am her favorite person ever. Hey that is high praise from a 7 year old. AND she cleaned her room and gave all her old toys and clothes that don't fit her anymore to the poor people. She is so good about that! She hated to give her clothes and toys away until we told her that we would take them to shelters for poor people and now she asks if she can do a clear out after every season. AND she wants to buy them all new towels :-) I love this kid. AND Tyler (the little boy of my life) smiled at me. Honestly just caught my eye and smiled
LOVE IT!

hi ho hi ho less than 30 days to go...

Yup that is the truth. I have less than 30 days before my triathalon
I have been doing pretty well (in my humble opinion) on the bike and the run and am still working on the swim. It will get better, I will have more time to dedicate to swimming and all other activities because J+K are now married and it was a success and my job is done :-)
So other than to worry about the tri a little more I came on here with a purpose!
I made a yummy treat yesterday.
The carnival was in town and I love the carnival. It is all about smiles and fun times!!!! One of my favorite treats is fried dough.
However a quick look at this scared me out of that:

Calories 706
Calories from Fat 655 (92%)
Amount Per Serving %DV
Total Fat 72.8g 112%
Sat Fat 9.4g 47%
Polyun Fat 39.8g
Monoun. Fat 20.1g
Trans Fat 0.2g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1mg 0%
Potassium 28mg 0%
Total Carbs 13.5g 4%
Fiber 0.5g 2%
Sugars 1.3g
Protein 1.8g 3%


SO since I wanted my yearly treat but not the fat pants that were going to have to go with it I figured I could make my own. I did a web search for "low fat fried dough" and I got a whole lot of nothing SO I improvised. I went to Market Basket and bought Pillsbury French Bread Loaf and unsalted butter. I melted 1/2 of a tablespoon of butter in a hot pan and cut the loaf into 6 pieces I stretched out the pieces to a good size (about half the size of a "normal fried dough") And I cooked them one side at a time. About halfway I did use the other 1/2 a tablespooon of butter. then I topped with cinnamon sugar and powdered sugar. SO good. Jim loved this recipe and is glad I found one I will make every now and again. Each one had about (and this is a close estimate):
Calories 142
Calories from fat 36
Total Fat 3.5
Saturated fat 1.5
Cholesterol 0
Sodium 308
Potassium 0
Total Carbs 22.5
Fiber 1
Sugars 3
Protein 4.2


So overall I think it was a much healthier choice and it tasted great! And if you are so inclined to worry about the prices of carnival fare (I'm not because it only happens once a year) it cost less than three dollars for 6 servings. So overall a good thing.

Hope you enjoy it as much we did! I will take pictures next time