Hmmmmm

I've been on this weight loss program for 37 days, and so far have lost 28 lbs. I still want to lose more, and I know I will. This life style change has taught me to really look at the food we digest into our bodies. On this plan, I have eaten no processed foods, sugars, carbs and minimal fats. I always thought I ate fairly well anyway. I didn't eat fried, except for french fries, I ate a lot of chicken, fish, seafood, turkey that was either broiled, grilled or steamed. Yesterday the company I work for celebrated our 90th Anniversary, amazing I know. But they gave us a picnic and the food supplied was from one of my favorite eateries. It was BBQ but I chose chicken, a spoon of cole slaw, mac & cheese and baked beans. I took one bite of the mac & cheese and all I could taste was the salt, I took a bite of the slaw and it tasted 'off'. My lunch partner, who introduced me to this program, said 'your taste buds will change, things will taste different', and she was right. No worries, I'm not going to become this freak about what I eat to others, but I did realize that I have survived without less than healthy food and I liked it. I guess as we get older and more aware of the things that annoy our body, we have to adhere to the signs. For instance, I have been taking a water pill to reduce swelling, I was hoping after this program I wouldn't need to keep taking, so far no go. I didn't eat that much salt to begin with and on this plan salt is ruled out. No problem for me. However, because of the calorie restriction I haven't been able to do my "Workout By Jillian" tapes. Come Monday though, she is back in the DVR and Shelly and I will be killing ourselves to get toned. I say BRING IT ON JILLIAN! I got this!

Pool Time !!!!

It was a beautiful weekend in Atlanta this past weekend. My "Buford Shore" mates, and my girls all gathered around a new watering hole. Matthew has moved into a new abode and with that brought a new pool space. It was freaking spectacular! It felt like we had gone to a resort, that's how nice and roomy this pool is. My fave part was this kiddie wading area for the adults to sit in with..wait for it...chairs and your beer. SA-WEET, right? I made a new friend of sorts, she was in a hot pink one piece and she was probably late 50's early 60's and a little large. She had pink lipstick to match her suit, quite stylish if you ask me. My girls and I go to the pool and this is how we get ready, are you ready? Get up, brush teeth, wash face, put on suit. DONE! We aren't the girls who go to the pool/lake/beach in full face. Gag me. I would suffocate. But I do realize some girls like it, and that's OK. I barely like putting on foundation when I go out or to work, I do it to spare the rest of you having to look at me. I can't see what I look like, what do I care? OK fine, I care, yes, like the others in my fam, I am vain. Sue me. ;0}

...My girls and I are all fairly easy to hang with. As I have said before, we are "guys girls". We like sports, we enjoy going to/watching games, and drinking beer/wine. This makes us perfect if you ask me, and since this IS my blog, I think you did. I know a lot of peeps, but count about a handful as close, and worthy of me sharing anything. My girls are supportive, realist, funny as hell (although how funny is hell? really? I don't think Hitler is down there busting a gut from laughing but oh well). Where was I? Oh right, so when my girls find a guy they like, I am all for it. He needs to treat her right, respect her, take care of her, have her back and obviously, I have to like him. It's never a pretty site if I don't. Believe me. However, as long as you don't spill a drink on me and just laugh, or tell me I cannot do something, we should be good. If my girl is happy, then Princess is happy.

But when my girl gets played, it makes me glad I don't date, geesh, who needs that drama, torment, or wishy washyness? My guy friends have this issue too, it's not just the females. Quite honestly, I don't get it. I'm pretty out front, and if more people were like that, I don't think there would be as many hurt feelings, or misunderstandings. I mean when someone tells you "I'm not date able" and you still continue to date them, what does that say? And I'm here to tell all, you cannot change anyone, anytime, anywhere if they aren't willing or wanting to change for themselves. And my thing is this, if you liked them when you met them, why would you want to change that? Doesn't that mean the person you originally fell for is no longer? I'm all for growing and becoming more enlightened or educated or even more interesting. I've had friends who have dated someone and then a few months into it they suddenly complain about what they initially said attracted them. WTH is that nonsense? Really? So being a bartender was cool but now you need to get a 'real job?' Like your occupation is so inviting. Or they love your sarcasm and wit and then it's 'you pick on me'. Oh for the love, the door is to the right stud.

So in closing, if you like YOU, be the best YOU you can be and when someone truly appreciates YOU, they will like the real YOU, not their version of YOU. Kiss Kiss Hug Hug....

Quotes from my Dad

Last week my dad passed away after almost 8 weeks of being the in the hospital, rehab and finally hospice. As hard as it was on us, it comforts us to know he is no longer in pain and he is Quick Stepping his arse in the great beyond. We will all miss my dad, if for no other reason, than his quick one liners, or his hilarious quotes. I tell my 19 year old son, who wants to be on SNL one day, that grandpa has given him many good characters to share with the rest of the world. My dad was far from perfect, and like all of us, he was a good person at heart. But in my family if you didn't have a thick skin, life sucked for you. None of us give you a break, even down to my 14 year old son, it's a tough world out there, we get you ready.

 My dad taught me a lot of good things and not so 'shareable' things. At the service my mum and sister bravely got up and spoke, I could not. I knew I would try to relate a story and I would crumble, and I'm not big into letting my emotions show. Those of you who know me are taken aback, I know. lol...The other reason I did not speak was I really had no suitable stories. I had some laugh your freaking arse off stories, but I feared the wrath of my mum if I shared those in a church. My sister got up and spoke of what dad meant to her, and how as a daughter what he meant to both of us. I couldn't have done any better. And the best part for Deb? She not only sounded good, but she looked good, and really, isn't that the important thing? She, like my dad, never met a mirror they didn't like and vice versa. My sister looks like my dad, she has his dark coloring and dark eyes. You know what I mean? She gets stopped at Security, where I sail right through. :)....Anyhoo, my mum got up and spoke of how this small surgery turned into quite the catastrophe and ultimately his death. But you know? It makes me happy to know that now dad is every where I go. Although I'm hoping he will stay outside when it's shower time etc. Oh Stop, he would laugh and you know it!

Like all parents, dad tried his best and I know he loved me no matter what. But then I was supposed to be a girl and I was, not so much for my sister. But I guess he loved her too, I mean you have to, right? hahahahaha...Sorry Deb, love you long time...Just trying to keep this light, because my dad was where I learned how to wear the stoic badge. I never saw him cry, until he was dying, he always kept a stiff upper lip and kept his emotions to himself. Now, if he were mad? Oh yeah, like me, you saw it. No question there. But I'm not going to sit and snivel in front of people because that's not how I am wired.  I've received quite the nickname list due to this. "Ice Princess", "Refrigerator", and my favorite comment "you're cold as ice", hey it was a song, how bad could it be? I know, I know, I personally don't view crying as a weakness for other people. You're upset and want to cry and bawl? Go for it, I will be your shoulder to cry on. But if I should cry, I don't need colluding, patting or hugging. That makes it worse for me. I will wrap this up with some of my dad's fave lines. Ahem..."The thing is this, if you know what I mean", "Now, I'm not saying she/he's fat but..." and my mum's personal nugget, "FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, MARILYN!!!!" Love you Dad, always did and always will. XXXXOOO

A new month means new beginnings, right?

I figure since we are so close to Easter, I would use an Easterly font. Egg like, right? So, we now are in month 4 of a 12 month year. With the Spring weather upon us, that means pool weekends are knocking at my door. I got into cleaning and missed today's pool opening. There is always next weekend, and I am going to be on that chaise lounger like a fat kid on sugar. This time of year shows us new trees blooming, flowers pushing up and sprouting, and new relationships that may come our way. 
 My dad has been in the hospital for the last few months. I'm hoping this month of April brings him home and brings him back 100% to us. I realize we all get older, not all of us are ageless, however, watching your parents get sick and lose parts of themselves is not something I enjoy or want to see. I like to live in my cozy world of denial, and I've done it quite a few times. But ailing parents aren't really something you can deny or ignore. The thing to remember are good times, the fun stories and the annoying things that you love. Everyone needs a good cry every once in awhile, I don't think daily is needed, but I cry only once a year, so who am I to comment? What is my point you are asking? Um, excellent question, I don't know if I really had one per se or just needed to release my thoughts in a non emotional environment. Kiss Kiss to you all. May April rock your worlds!

Please forgive me, it's been weeks since my last blog..7 hail Mary's and ...

Heyyyy, how are you all doing? Considering the last month my fam has had, I still have a sense of humor. However, if you met my units and sister, you would know why. I texted my youngest son, on the way to picking him up, "you ho?' and his reply was "i'm no ho and yes I am home." I explain to him how he was being a smart arse. Everybody in my circle knows, that when I say "HO" I mean home. Even at work, I will send a household that needs to be combined and put "Auto" connect to "HO" they all know what I mean, but then, I AM THE PRINCESS and even work folk know that. It's just the way it is, I didn't give myself that title, it was given to me. Who am I to deny? My sister's nickname, that she acquired through work mates, is "Diva" and she is every bit that moniker. Those who know her are agreeing with me. :)...I love her bc she's my sister and well, she's all I have. I don't mean that in a bad way, but other than our laugh, sense of humor , we do not look alike.  The good thing is we never like the same type of man either. Hers are usually swarthy latino types and I would rather be seen with a wrestling look alike. But hey, we are blood and there we are. My whole family is sarcastic, witty, quick and intelligent. No moss grows on our butts. And lord help you if we are pissed off at you, no kid gloves then. Our thinly veiled threats, or looks, will let you know, you need to either leave or shut the hell up before we beat you. We get that look from our mother, and it's not the traditional mother stare either. It's almost like a demon takes over. But hey, you've been warned.

Family Ties

So this week has been quite interesting and stressful. My dad had been in the hospital for two weeks. He needed to have leg surgery and thankfully, because he was not "an emergency" he kept getting bumped down the list. Finally had his surgery Monday, then they couldn't get him regulated and he had a fever so they took him back in last Saturday. Turned out they had a bleeder that popped open. I know, I know, all of our first comment was 'don't you check for those things BEFORE you close?' My mum was a surgical nurse before she was blessed with me. But a nurse is still a nurse till she dies. After getting updates of dad's progresses Deb and I decided to try and ease her stress and drive up last Sunday. I didn't want to jinx myself, so I specifically did not pack an overnight bag. Yea well, that didn't work out. Deb was smarter and packed for a few days plus she was able to do some work as well. I don't have that luxury with my job, but thankfully, she does. My dad is a capable, intelligent man, normally. As I was sitting in his room, he would wake up and not really know where he was. He knew us, I mean how could you forget us? But he did say things like "we own Erlanger" and "his new name was Keke" and random stuff like that. But when the doc asked him the year, he got it, asked him his name, he got that. So he was rational on some level. I will tell you, as I age, I don't care for watching my parents age and that's all I will say. When I was growing up I had both sets of grandparents. My mum's lived in FL and NY depending on the season, and my dad's parents lived in Montreal, Canada, eh? So every two years we would drive up from the bottom of FL to the top of NY to visit family. I only saw my dad's parents at these visits. My Ukrainian grandma, BaBa, was unique. She had lost her mind, literally, when my dad was a baby. Baba wore tunics and turbans before they were chic. She was always smiling, sometimes laughing and trying to feed you. Always good grub from that household. My grandfather, DziDzi,(gigi) would make salad that we called soggy salad bc he would put the dressing on before we got there, but it was spectacular. My Baba was usually in her own world talking to herself, and when I was young I thought it was Ukrainian but not so much. It was Baba speak. I'm told she was a huge fan of babies who peed straight so I know she would have loved my kids. Both were blond haired and blue eyed and could be hers. However, I might never have gotten them back if she had met them. My dad and his big sis Mary, are both dark hair, dark eyes. Their brother was blond and blue. Baba was blond and blue and even in pj's with a turban, she could rock it. I would just sit there and let her babble on and go "yes, mhm, oh really?' We had good talks. Come to think of it, maybe that's why I talk to myself? hmmmm...My cousin grew up with both of them so she got to know them better than I. She was still living in Montreal and my dad married my mum and said 'we are out of here'. The reason I bring this up, as my dad was going on with his stories, my mum started having flashbacks on Baba. But here's the key item mum, Baba was incoherent, at least dad speaks English and he may say some out of world stuff, but he hasn't adapted the turban look or taken his teeth out. Silver lining lady, silver lining.

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a stress free holiday. I know my fam did. This year I got my babies on Christmas day. My parents drove down from Chattavega that morning. My sis had come over the night before and we hit a local spot I've come to love. We got to see interesting dance moves, while she, I and the bartender begged it to stop. An 80's band was playing and they were good. Our fave DJ was flipping discs before and during band breaks. We met two brothers out to celebrate the season so that went well with two sisters out celebrating the season. Fun times. So Christmas morning, my eldest played the Christmas Elf. This is the person who has the honor of handing out the presents to everyone else. When the boys were young, they never did it. So this year was beloved #1's turn. He did an admirable job too. My kids are really not too picky about clothes, just games. My dad thought my mum needed 3 pair of slippers so she got those, the 3 of us girls got Gator Earrings, don't be jealous. In the evening we had our traditional dinner of Roast Beast, rolls, wine, potato's of some sort, and a veggie with vino and desserts. Did I say wine twice? Hum, anyway, all was delicious. It's always nice to just sit around the dinner table and enjoy your fam without feeling rushed. NYE Deb and I decided that safety was first so we stayed home and enjoyed a fantastic dinner and watched Ryan Seacrest and Anderson Cooper with Kathy Griffin. They are by far my fave duo. She scares the bejesus out of him, so he giggles like a school girl all the while she is making faces to the camera like 'got him!' Too funny. I used to make resolutions but always would either forget them, or break them by the 2nd week of January. So I am making a life resolution. I want to get into better shape, eat healthier and save a lot of money so that next NYE Deb and I can be in a different city experiencing that celebration! Hope you all find what you are looking for or not looking for this year. May all of our dreams, plans, and resolutions come true. Muah!