"The love of our neighbor in all its fullness simply means being able to say to him, 'What are you going through?'" -- Simone Weil

November 5, 2008

"The love of our neighbor in all its fullness simply means being able to say to him, 'What are you going through?'" -- Simone Weil

I went to see an acupuncturist yesterday. My best friend was referred to her awhile ago because of her back issues. She went reluctantly, never having tried anything remotely "alternative". She went because her insurance company referred her, but not thinking it would help her. From the first time she went I've been hearing how amazed she is that acupuncture actually works. She's had remarkable improvement in her back and pain issues. So after hearing me complain about headaches, and I did have a headache for 4-5 days a couple weeks ago, she suggested I try going to her. So we went together yesterday and I love this woman! It was a nice, soothing, peaceful office, she sat and talked to me for a bit for some medical background and then she had me lay down on the table on my back. She put needles on my feet, ankles, leg, all around my belly button and my hands and wrists. Then I relaxed for half an hour with the lights off, she came in half way through to adjust the needles and get my chi moving. It was not painful. Then she had me turn over and she did "cupping massage". I'd never had that done before but would give it a try because my lower back has been bothering me this last week. It's a glass cup, like a bowl and she's able to suck the air out of it and then she moved it back and forth on my lower back and up and down my spine. It actually was a little painful but not unbearable but I had the feeling that I could suffer through it and I somehow knew it would help. It felt like she did it for a long time, because it was painful, but the most wonderful thing happened. When I came out of the office, I instantly felt better! And I sat on a chair to write my check, and I told Julie, look, and was able to get up from the chair, without hanging on to the table, I just sat up with no pain! Sounds odd, but it's the truth. And this morning, I woke up and although I have a lot of soreness from the cupping, I think I slept better, because I woke up early and was rested! I'm going again next week and I can't wait!

I went to Weight Watchers tonight and I lost another 3 lbs! I'm thinking I may stop going to meetings for awhile. I really love WW, but I'm having car issues and I've made meetings about 1x a month, so I may stop and put the money toward the acupuncture.

So I finally took a pic of my February Lady Sweater! I wore it Saturday to a birthday party. It's really warm being 100% wool, but I really loved wearing it. I'm working on another February Lady Sweater in an alpaca blend, can't wait to finish it.

This is our beautiful Christmas Cactus. Already blooming. But there's a little story behind it. I got this plant in Minnesota about 7 years ago and it was in a little pot and it sit in my kitchen in MN and never grew, never bloomed. When Mamacita came to MN to help me move, I was going to throw out the sad, pathetic thing, but Mom said, no, don't throw that away. So whatever, I packed it away. Then it sat in the kitchen window in CA until this March when my Aunt Angie came to visit from MN and she suggested it be repotted into this pot and put outside. And look at it now! I just can't believe it's so huge and blooming! It's glorious.

And this is how I spent some of my Saturday. A birthday party for Julie's twin girls. They had a fabulous time!

Wordless Wednesday, etc.

August 20, 2008

Wordless Wednesday, etc.

Wouldn't you like to be that comfortable? I would, I'd love to find that perfect spot to lie down on, and lose myself to restful sleep and not have a care in the world. I've always said I'd like to be reincarnated into a pampered cat. Pampered meaning that I wouldn't have to deal with the elements, wouldn't have to hunt for food, would have a soft comfy bed in the morning sunlight and have my food bowl constantly filled, eat whenever I wanted to.

So I obviously haven't gotten back to my old blogging self, but perhaps I've improved a little in the last couple weeks. Still, I blame plurk.com, it sucks time away from me, but is fun, it's very interactive and I like communicating that way. I'm mitchypoo on plurk if you'd like to friend me.

I've got a new pen pal thru the Plurkette Hencircle and have a received a lovely, long letter from her. She's from the UK, on the coast and is quite interesting. I'm enjoying getting to know her. Hi Peri, if you are reading!

My tummy issues have continued and I'm doing what I can to try to heal myself. Well, I'm working with Eleni, my ayurveda practitioner, I'm not doing it all on my own. My diet is really good and I'm really enjoying it too. I'm limiting my wheat to see if that helps. I'm listening to my body as far as hunger goes and that is working for me.

And amazing things are happening, such as because I'm eating so well, my headaches are improving, and I'm not so lethargic. I'm enjoying the changes and trying to just keep it up, it's a change and I want it to become a habit, a daily routine. I'm also taking some herbs before and after meals and we'll see how that goes. The one herb mixture is not in capsules and I'm suppose to put it in some warm water and drink and I'm sorry but it's just NASTY! It has fennel in it, and I don't like the anise flavor, and it's gritty, oh, i may have to go buy some capsules. It's new too, so I'll continue and work it out somehow.

I've lost 25 lbs. total and tonight is weigh in and I'm hoping I've lost more, we'll see. We don't have a scale at home that works, so weigh in is it, so I have to judge by how I feel and right now, I feel like it could go either way. Be optimistic. Right? I think I've lost, and I want to see a loss, but truly even if I have gained, I feel better and that's more important.

I am created to succeed, and I give thanks for my success.

May 6, 2008

I am created to succeed, and I give thanks for my success.

Favor to ask of you to help out a new blogger. She happens to be my best friend and I've been yakking about my blog to her for awhile so I wanted her to get in on the fun. I helped her create a blog. Would you go say hi and give her a link to your blog so she can figure out the wonderful bloginess available out there. Go check her out at The Jean Pool. And thank you in advance...

I'm wearing a new top and pants today. I'm kinda cute! :) It's actually Mamacita's clothes, she got some new stuff for her birthday and told me I could wear it. I have on some Chanel No. 5 perfume today too, of which I love. It's a classic scent, it just gives me a glamourous feeling to wear it. I also like it because you can tell the quality of it because it doesn't fade right away. Not that it's overpowering, but it stays on. You turn a certain way and you get a nice whiff of it.

We did end up going to the Farmer's Market on Saturday and it was nice. We got oranges, pea shoots, baby flowering bok choy, snap peas, and beets. I also got a beautiful dozen long stemmed yellow roses for $7 bucks! Such a deal! And after 3 days, they are still beautiful. Mamacita found a lovely handmade set of earrings and a necklace and another pair of earrings for a good price and we also got some good greek humus with avocado and cilantro, tasty.

I read the following on a WW board yesterday. I'm pretty sure I've seen it before, but it's worth another read. Can you relate?

Autobiography in 5 Short Chapters by Portia Nelson

Chapter 1

I walk down the street. There's a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost.....I am helpless......it isn't my fault. It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter 2

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don't see it. I fall in again. I can't believe I am in the same place; but it isn't my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter 3

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there. I still fall in....it's a habit. My eyes are open.....I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately.

Chapter 4

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it.

Chapter 5

I walk down a different street.

I wasn't feeling well this weekend and didn't make it to work Monday. I'm better in my tummy, but now I'm getting a cough again and my throat and voice sounds funny. I kind of think it's still from having the flu a month ago. But dang, I'd like to get over this soon.

I laugh at myself and at life, and nothing can touch me.

April 17, 2008

I laugh at myself and at life, and nothing can touch me.

Have you Clicked it today? Did you happen to notice the Click Button on the left hand side of my blog?
<---------------It's over there. Please click it each time you come visit. Each click helps women in need receive a mammogram, so even if you cannot afford to pay, you may receive one. There's no excuse nowadays not to get your mammogram when needed. So please go click it. Or even better, you can download a link and put it on your own site to let others know of this benefit. You can even sign up to receive a daily reminder to go click it. It's something so simple that makes a difference is women's lives.

It's on my mind also because I have a cousin who's having major surgery today and they are not sure but she may be facing some cancer treatment herself. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

I had my weigh in yesterday and I'm down exactly 19 lbs!! I lost another 1.2 lbs for the week. I didn't make my 20# goal but I'm still happy with my loss. My work meetings may not continue next week but I'll find another meeting if that is so, I need the meetings, it helps me. And I'm so determined right now. I will not let this fork in the road deter me.

I had an interesting conversation yesterday that made me think. It's one of the WW girls I go to the meetings with and she commented that I'm looking great and that she can really see the difference. I was pleased. And then she said..."You are too pretty to be overweight". It just stopped me in mid-thought. I was silent for a second. Then I thanked her, because I know she meant it as a compliment, but it really made me think. I told her that I'm feeling determined and positive and that I know I can do this. It made me think of the offhand comment I've heard a lot of people say about others. The comment, She has such a pretty face.

So does that mean that you are pretty but only really pretty if you don't have the extra weight? That the weight takes away from your prettiness? And you are only pretty in the face, but not overall? Oh, I could just go on and on about this. I hate being perceived as not pretty enough, or kind of pretty, but if I'd lose the weight I'd be really pretty. I guess when it comes down to it, it doesn't matter what others think, what's important is how you think of yourself. But I also know that the weight does play mind games and make you question your own worth.

I always have wanted to find someone who sees through my shell, my outer appearance and sees the real me and loves me for me. Truth is, I'm basically the same person inside who deserves to be loved, at my thin weight or my not so thin weight, and I want someone to care for me, all of me, because of me. And my guy, he does do that. He's always made me feel like the most gorgeous girl, all of me. Inside and out.

I guess my point is that I don't want to have that attitude in my head, that I'd be prettier if I were thinner. I want to be accepting of me and the truth is, accepting of others, based on who they are and not what size pants they wear.

Compliments are gifts of prosperity. I accept them graciously.

April 10, 2008

Compliments are gifts of prosperity. I accept them graciously.

Weightloss
An update on my weightloss journey. I've been doing Weight Watchers since September of last year. I'm fortunate to have a meeting in my building. It makes it very convenient for me to get to a meeting. I take my lunch and have it thru our meeting. And we are very fortunate to have a really great Leader. His name is Daryl. And I just love him. He's really motivating and I always feel great after his meeting. So I've had my ups and downs as far as being on program, it's difficult to change your habits and this is a lifestyle change. It's not just so simple as not eating that, or depriving yourself and I like WW because it teaches just that. It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle and like other things, it's hard to change your ways. It's possible, absolutely, but not always easy.

So after being so sick I knew I had lost. And I did. But I feel motivated again and I know that I'm on the right path. To date I have lost 17.8 pounds. I'm proud. I'll admit it. I could look back and say, that's all?! But I won't do that, because I feel I've accomplished a lot. And the truth is, I could have GAINED that much if I hadn't changed my lifestyle last September. And I'm very happy that I got thru a holiday season without gaining anything! That is a real accomplishment.

And I'm enjoying the feeling of my clothes fitting different, or being able to wear some clothes I wasn't able to before. Those are the fun effects of weightloss. There's also a mental lightness. I just feel lighter, I feel I have a little more spring in my step, more energy, more drive, more determination.

Wordless Wednesday~ Well I thought it was suppose to be just that...wordless. But it seems others are not wordless and I had quite a few questions regarding the rose picture posted yesterday. So I'll explain. That rose pic was taken from our front yard. It was dusk, the light was still out, but setting and the pic leads you to believe it was taken at night, but it was not. I asked Mamacita about the rose, because it is hers. She has a passion for roses. That rose is called The Peace rose. She got it at Jackson and Perkins but I'm not sure it's exclusively from there. It has a wonderful history. This is what Jackson and Perkins tells of the history:

The radiant, sweetly perfumed flower with a fascinating history: this rose was named the day Berlin fell to the Allies. The day peace was signed with Japan, it won AARS honors and members of the newly formed United Nations were presented with its blooms. Shipped bareroot.

Someone asked me to take a pic of it when it was in bloom and so I did, last night. The change in the bloom was quite dramatic I thought for one day. I will have to post those pics tonight. Sorry.

And thank you to all who appeased me and posted a comment, I really do appreciate it and I love to go check out your blog and to "meet" all of you. Please don't stop commenting...I will follow...even if you just say, hi! that's good for me!

I feed my body nourishing foods and beverages, and I exercise in ways that are fun.

March 13, 2008

I feed my body nourishing foods and beverages, and I exercise in ways that are fun.

I was happy at my weigh in yesterday. I lost .2 lbs. and I was happy with that because of it being my birthday week. I've been out to eat several times, have had leftovers from eating out and I had a few cupcakes....just a few. Ok, maybe more than a few! We had a great meeting. We talked about detours, bumps in the road and how we deal with them. I feel once more, motivated. That's the value of meetings to me. I did some knitting in the meeting, and it's interesting how people react to KIPing (Knitting in Public). People are usually intrigued, some of them commented on how tiny the knit was, I'm working on a pair of Firestarter socks. It was great for me to knit and also it helped me concentrate on the meeting.

I'm reading A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. It's one of those books that is difficult for me to really get in to. It's sort of how I feel about philosophy, I understand it, but it takes some effort to really grasp. But I read something in there that really hit me and I keep thinking about. He was talking about the ego and how we need to get out of our head and he was talking about eating disorders. Now, I've never been bulimic or anorexic, although some wondered in my younger very skinny days. But I relate to some eating disorders and can now admit that I am an emotional eater. It's been my comforter, my soother and it causes me some trouble. So I'm really trying to understand it and not let it be such a problem for me. So what he was saying regarding someone who was bulimic i think is that, Their mind is hungry, not their body. Yes! That makes sense to me. So I'm being very conscious of what I'm doing these days. Am I really hungry? Or is it something else that I'm seeking? And when I need to I tell myself, My mind is hungry, not my body.

It looks like we'll get some more rain this weekend. It's cloudy and overcast today and it'll rain over the weekend, time to make soup! And I'll finish those Firestarters. Pics to follow.

Oh, the pic below is a tulip. I didn't take the pic, but think it's beautiful.

Everything I need comes to me in the perfect moment.

March 6, 2008

Everything I need comes to me in the perfect moment.

Yesterday I was feeling kind of awful but I made it to work and I had my Weight Watcher meeting at noon. Of which I was not looking forward to. Sourpuss Schleprock I was. I didn't want to weigh in because I just knew based on my week and my attitude that I'd be up. And I didn't want to face it. But I had a heart to heart with myself and I told myself that I needed to just face it and deal with it and I knew I needed a meeting because of my attitude. So I went to weigh in and guess what???.... I lost 3.8 pounds over 2 weeks! Well, um, I'll take that! I also received an award for being there for 16 weeks and received a cute key chain thingie. My Leader asked if I wanted to say anything and so I mentioned that I have been struggling but I realized that I have made some lasting changes in my attitude and eating. So I feel better now and after the meeting I have some motivation and am inspired to continue. So for this week I will be working on the basics.

My Good Health Guidelines to concentrate on this week:

• 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day
• Choose whole-grain foods
• 2 serving of milk products a day
• Drink at least 6 8 oz. glasses of water
• Have 2 servings a day of healthy oil
• Get enough protein
• Limit sugar and alcohol
• Take a multivitamin

It takes some thinking and preparation but it's doable. I've been lacking the water and the fruits and veg.

And now I'm suffering from allergies. I don't get them every year and it's not that bad but yesterday when I went outside to get to work, my eyes started watering, itching, sneezing, stuffy. It's horrible! I'm afraid this is a bad year for me for allergies. Hopefully I'm only allergic to what is blooming now.

Freebie!

December 1, 2007

Freebie!

I somehow bought a duplicate copy of Spin Off Magazine, Fall 2007 and so therefore I'm offering it to whomever first sends me an email with your snail mail or perhaps you know someone who spins and would like a copy. Just email me with their address and I'll be happy to send it. I don't care who it is I'm sending it to, I'd just like it to be wanted. Can you put the subject to "Freebie" so I know it's for that! Thanks!

I'm feeling under the weather today. I'm pretty sure I'm finally getting that cold that's been going around and that I've been talking about getting all summer. I don't think I'll be so lucky to fend it off this time. Unfortunately, it's starting out as an ear ache. I had some running around to do today, and then I got a little Christmas shopping done, but I didn't have the energy to continue.

Then it was home and we have the house being cleaned today, so of course you can't just sit and watch them (because that feels so rude) so I've been cleaning and sorting and now I really feel like crap.

I did go to the Chiropractor yesterday, to one I've never been to. In fact, it's been a couple years since I've been and alleluia, my insurance covers chiro! I'm going for my migraines. After that last one, I have to try this. I really liked Dr.W, we related well and he gave me a good adjustment. He worked mainly on my neck, in fact, I'm sore today from his working on me, it's to be expected I guess. I'm going again in 2 weeks and we'll see from there what I need to do.

I weighed in yesterday and I was down over the 2 weeks and over Thanksgiving but not by much. I was disappointed and know today that I really shouldn't be. So I'm moving on.

And just because he's so cute, here's a pic of our Tommy boy!

Possum yarn

November 25, 2007

Possum yarn

I saw something this morning on a blog, it was someone showing off her swap goodies and she had 2 skeins of this beautiful yarn. I saw the name and couldn't believe it. It was merino possum. Yes...POSSUM! What? Here's a brief history of the fiber which comes mainly from New Zealand. And here is the yarn I bought today! I got the beautiful maroon color and I can't wait to see it. You see all kinds of stuff in blogland, but it really hit me that I've never heard of this yarn.

I also did some online Christmas shopping, I love sitting on the couch and shopping, it's the greatest thing.

I think I'm coming down with a cold, but I'm not sure. I've thought this so many times and then it goes away. I've been having a sore throat and sneezing, just feeling puny. I took a nice nap this afternoon.

We're getting a security system installed tomorrow at the house, we'll all feel better. Our neighborhood is really safe, but our next door neighbors were broken into last week. They didn't take anything so it was probably kids looking for money.

We didn't get our Christmas decorations up this weekend, we'll have to get it done during the week. It'll be here before we know it. But I did get our street lamp decorated, isn't it cute! My neighbor redid the wiring for us this a.m. and it looks even better.

And here's a couple cute cat pics of our crazy cats!

Thursday Thirteen #35

November 15, 2007

Thursday Thirteen #35

Thirteen One-Liners from dwlz.com that Mitchypoo likes. Willpower is the ability to resist temptation until you can be sure that no-one's looking... Who says I've got no will power - I'll get that pecan pie if it's the last thing I do. Unhealthy: what thin people call you when you are fat and fat people call you when you are thin. Stay out of bed, and stay active, and eat rice and fish - and eventually you die. I'd have no objection to people who eat like sparrows if they'd only stop that everlasting chirping about it. Acceptable weight: what you weigh now if you were six inches taller. There's a new Chinese diet. Order all the food you want but use only one chopstick. Gosh - I could eat a horse - a high protein, low cholesterol, sugar free horse, of course. Dieter's Law: food that tastes the best has the highest number of calories. I worry about scientists discovering that lettuce has been fattening all along... Eve: only woman ever really tempted by an apple. About the only time losing is more fun than winning...is when you're fighting temptation. If it wasn't for wrestling with my conscience...I'd get no exercise at all.

Thursday Thirteen #34

November 8, 2007

Thursday Thirteen #34

In my effort for my blog to be more about Losing than Knitting right now I give to you 13 quotes for weight loss. Happy Thursday Thirteen! "What you did in the past, though it might have made you the person you are today, has absolutely no bearing on what you do in the future." "The quality of your fuel determines the quality of your body." "You didn't get out of shape and unhealthy overnight, and you won't get fit and healthy overnight - despite what the infomercials tell you" "I wake up every day with the realization that this is it, that there's only one shot at this life and I can either enjoy the ride and live it to its fullest and to my highest potential or I can mess it up and go back to being that fat person who was eating his/her way to four hundred pounds." "The closer a food is to its natural state, the better it probably is for you. " "You can complain about being fat or you can do something about it. Which do you choose? " "My potential now versus my potential then is the single biggest difference in my life, I think, because that potential is what changes "I can't" into "I can". "The more specific your vision is, the better your chances of making it a reality." "A real transformation begins on the inside, not in a bottle or a package. The magic is sitting inside you, just waiting to be let out. The transformation is a learning process, one that comes from realizing you control your destiny, and that you can accomplish whatever you decide you're going to accomplish." "Make the decision, then do something - no matter how small - toward accomplishing what you want." "Forgiveness doesn't mean forgetting what you did to get this way. It doesn't mean you're not responsible for the actions you took to get here. It means you acknowledge that you're not perfect, that you make (and have made) mistakes, and that you choose to love yourself and let them go. Regardless. " "If you didn't need a pill to get fat, why would you need one to get un-fat?" "Let me ask a question: if you're not willing to change yourself right now, what makes you think you'll be willing to change yourself next week?"

Today I will very consciously "do one thing at a time."

November 6, 2007

Today I will very consciously "do one thing at a time."

Need some weightloss inspiration? This helped me today. And it confirms my idea to weigh daily to keep myself accountable. I'm doing very well with my efforts to lose weight. If only I could get out there and exercise... just can't seem to figure that one out yet. Haven't heard anything about the heart tests, so no news is good news. And now it's almost dark when I get home so I lost that window to go walking, or maybe that's an excuse. But it's safer to walk in the daylight. I guess since I'm still losing while not exercising it doesn't seem to get to me and truth is, I don't wanna... Waahhh!!

Don't have a whole lot to report, no FO's, computer at home still down.

Oh, is anyone watching The Bachelor? Well I got sucked in and I'm totally in LOVE with this Bachelor. Oh, my, he is so yummy, and on top of that he's a very decent man. I just think he's adorable. I wouldn't be surprised if he has a movie career because of his looks. Keep an eye out for Brad Womack!