Finally Friday

http://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-12-Cup-Microwaver-Popper/dp/B00004W4UP

Happy Halloween to you all and welcome to the weekend! Hope you're planning loads of fun.

Me? I have a workout planned tonight, followed by dinner, followed by dessert, followed by a s-l-o-w drive home to avoid any kiddie types who happen to be rushing into the street. I don't expect there to be that many, because almost every church (or so it seems) in the area is doing "Trunk or Treat". Apparently folks drive over to the church and do sort of a tailgating party/candy giveaway. The church across the street from me did it last Sunday afternoon, with a moon bounce and clowns and stuff. It looked like they had a pretty good crowd.

I'm glad I didn't buy any Halloween candy, since the past two days have been snack happy for me. Ah, the joys of being a girl. I have taken counter measures, though, and purchased a healthy snack enabler. I've never been much for air-pop, but with the addition of zero calorie fake butter spray, I can tolerate it. Especially considering that an ENTIRE BOWL of air popcorn is about 175 calories, not to mention that it's loaded with fiber and a fair amount of protein, unusual for a snacky type of snack food. (As opposed to tuna or a turkey/mustard roll, which despite my best efforts will never EVER be a fun snack.) I've been sticking to the half-bowl with a couple of squirts of fake butter spray, but I'm branching out this weekend to give the parmesan cheese version a try.

I'm having a vacation day today, but it's chock full of Cammy-do's. Thankfully, they're all do-able and relatively stress free. I'm going to try to work in a visit to my chiropractor, too, because this shoulder thing is getting old.

Before I go, a reminder that in most parts of the U.S., we're ending daylight savings time Sunday a.m., so don't forget to turn your clocks back! If this little event bothers you as much as it bothers me (I don't do so well with the early darkness), here are some tips from Sparkpeople.com to help us deal. (I really like the one about starting the conversion process early in the weekend. Never thought about doing that before.)

Hope you all have a fantastic Friday and a great weekend!

Dietitians and Brownies and Broccoli

Greetings from my post-workout perch at Chick-fil-a, where I am chowing down on a grilled chicken salad. Deee-lish! I'm even eating the broccoli, for goodness' sake! (I'm actually finding myself liking it a little more these days. Raw, anyway.)

While I was waiting the 22 seconds it took them to prepare my meal, I checked out the dessert menu. I see a brownie a la mode in my future. Just as soon as I figure out how many exercise minutes having one will require. (I'm thinking 10,000 at least. *g*)

So, the American Dietetic Association is apparently holding their big annual meeting in Chicago this week, and yesterday they came out with some Diet Myth Busters that are bound to get some folks riled up. (Those wacky dietitians love to stir the pot, don't they?) Among other things, the ADA says that we don't have to completely avoid high fructose corn syrup, caffeine, eating at night, and/or refined grains in order to lose weight. So there.

Note: the modifier 'completely' was critical in previous sentence. Meaning, in small or even reasonable amounts, these things aren't making us fat. Meaning, the HCFS in a small granola bar isn't necessarily harmful, but I might re-think eating an entire box of Little Debbie Swiss Rolls in a weekend.

::Pause for fond rememberance of Little D. I miss her so much sometimes...::

Okay, moment over...While I was reading the previous article, another headline caught my eye: 10 Tips for Losing 100 Pounds. Where was this article 16 months ago, I ask you. Well, as it turns out, I figured most of it out myself. Me and the internet, that is.

This little article also piqued my interest, but that's a topic for another blog. :)

And now I'm off to TCBY for a fat-free midweek treat! Hope you're all having a great week so far!

HYC Week 43

Whew! Made it through the week still at goal. A little under actually, since I dropped a pound or so last week. I suppose I'll figure out how to eat/exercise without losing weight sometime soon. Huh. I suppose the approaching holiday season will help with that. LOL

I'm pleased to report that my handbag is still orderly (an ENTIRE day), although there was much reshuffling of pockets yesterday. Then this morning I decided I just HAD to carry my new red leather-ish purse, so everything had to be moved. Took about 15 seconds since it was all so organized.

The shoulder still hurts, although it didn't hurt during my workout last night. We did use slightly lighter weights, which helped. I also did the bench jumps again, and I have to say I *love* them. I feel like a kid! And then we do pull-ups, and I feel ancient.

As a heads up, Woot's deal today (Tuesday) is a pair of Sandisk MP3 players for $14.99. They each hold about 240 songs, so if you're looking for a cheapie player... Might be good stocking stuffers, too.

And that's about it for me. I'm spending most of my spare time trying to early vote. The polls are jammed, which pleases me except that I don't really want to stand in line.

Hope you all had a great week! I'm looking forward to catching up with you soon!

Makeover Monday: Handbag Re-do

(Written Sunday, October 26)

My left shoulder was killing me last week, and I blamed Trainer Wayne. I told him those weights were too heavy! As usual, I got no sympathy, but that’s a complaint for another day.

As it turns out, today I discovered that the problem wasn’t necessarily from training. It's possible the culprit was an overloaded handbag. Silly me. I knew the bag was a teensy bit crowded, given that it was taking me five minutes to find anything in it, but I had no idea just how heavy it was until I lifted my purse and my shoulder screamed.

You know the drill. What I must suffer through, you will eventually experience via the Monday Makeover. Today, I'm cleaning out my purse, in hopes of lightening it up a bit, and also of getting it into an orderly state. As you know, I'm a student of the theory that general disorganization contributes to disordered eating for some of us (that would be me.) Gaining control of this one small area that might just reap big benefits.

Besides, my shoulder really hurts.

Handbag Makeover
(People of the male persuasion might want to play along by cleaning out their wallets or gym bags.)

- First, find a large, clear space in which you can empty the entire contents of your purse, every nook and cranny.
- Discard any little bits and pieces of paper you don't need. - Now, group like things together. All your pens and pencils in one group, makeup items all together in a separate group, medical-type stuff in another pile. And so on.

Easy, schmeasy so far, right?

An organized person would now place all the like items into separate small cosmetic bags, zippered pouches, or even Ziploc bags, but I'm thinking that the next step should be to decide how many of these items we really need to carry around with us.

For example, as a semi-creative person, I like to have pens in lots of different colors, but I honestly don't think it's necessary to carry 6-8 pens with me everywhere I go. These days, I travel with my computer bag in the trunk, so I'm going to move most of my pens to the computer bag. I'm also going to take a few minutes to jettison the full-size bottle of Advil in favor of a travel-sized container. And, I think I'll move the lovely index card holder Morgan gave me to my computer bag. I can tuck a couple of index cards in my wallet instead. And I suppose I can move my book and magazines to a tote bag.

I don't carry a hairbrush, comb, hairspray, makeup, or things like that with me. I have a kit with extras in the office and a surplus hairbrush in my glove box. If I find myself needing to carry those things around, I'll use a tote bag or maybe my foldaway backpack, which looks something like this.

The messiest aspect of my purse has to be the receipts and coupons I regularly shove into it. A friend gave me a good tip just a few weeks ago. She carries a simple envelope with the month and year written on the front. She puts all receipts in the envelope and changes it out for a new one at the end of the month. The old envelope is sorted through and any necessary receipts are filed away. (She's orderly that way.) I'm starting the envelope thing today.

Another tip I read about eons ago (I'm sorry, I don't remember where) is to leave the checkbook at home and to carry a single check with a posty note in your wallet. When you use the check, write the amount and other info on the posty note and keep in your wallet until you get home. I'm starting this one today, too.

So, here's what I'm left with:
my wallet
a small makeup bag with lip gloss, hair clippies, and travel-sized perfume, aspirin, nail clipper, a few Q-tips, a couple of Band-aids, and contact solution
2 pens and a small notepad
cell phone (goes in an outside pocket of the purse)
work ID
network pc card, flash drive, iPod shuffle (all of this will be getting it's own little bag as soon as I can get to Target again—for now, it's in a side pocket of my purse.)
an envelope for receipts and coupons

I'm adding a carbiner clip Morgan included in my birthday box for clipping my keys to my bag. I am waaay past digging for those things.

My purse looks very neat. (If I hadn't waited until nighttime to finish, I could've taken a picture that would turn out well enough for you to see.) I'll work with this for a while and see how it "fits". I may need to adjust. That's what life is about. For now, I'm going to focus on maintaining this neat and orderly bag, which will require that I clean it out once a week (I'm thinking Sunday nights will be good, while I'm getting my clothes ready for the week.)

Later, I may try some of the "helpful" products on the market for organizing handbags:
-fold-out cloth or plastic pocket organizers that you sort all your items into.
-small, brightly colored mesh bags
-a foldaway extra bag for when you have extra stuff
(I may just have to make at least one of these a "reward" for maintaining all this neatness. :) )

So what about you? Is your handbag a trainwreck like mine was? Or are you one of those organized types who might have even more tips to share? Let us know, if you do!

Friday Drive-by

Hello there,
Doing a quick clean out of my reader and thought I’d share some interesting bits and pieces I found there.

First up, an article on the continuing plague of trans fat in restaurants. Fortunately for me, the only potential offender I see on the list is the tasty, but not really very good for you, biscuit. I miss biscuits and gravy. They are my Christmas morning treat from here on out, and I will cherish them.

Next, a link that you may find useful, especially if it’s getting cool where you are. I don’t particularly like soup, but I am determined to find recipes that will change that.

And then a good article on the importance of sleep on weight loss. I can support the theory.

Now, a very useful article if you’re struggling with your workouts.

Finally, a new thing I’m participating in, just because giving feels so darn good.

Hope you all have an amazing weekend! Any special plans, anyone? (My weekend will be spent working around and about the house.)

For My Next Trick

Oh, you didn't think I was finished, did you? :) As my sidebar indicates, I don't know that I'll ever be "finished", and as I've learned over the past year, I want to continue to learn and grow and improve. No ruts for me! Nosiree, Bob!

Yes, the weight is about where I want it. From where it is tonight, I've got 5 pounds to play with on either side. That's a good thing, because I suspect I'll stumble here and there as I try to shift from losing to maintaining. (We'll politely call that "growing".) It's scary and exciting. And did I mention scary?

I think my next focus will be on improving my protein-carb ratio. I'm a carb-loving girl, and while the majority of my carbs are healthy ones, there's definitely room for improvement. I have no plans to give up my beloved carbs, just reduce the amount I have on a day-to-day basis. To do that, I'm going to have become more aware of where they exist and that takes me right back to where I started: logging what I eat. That's the best way I know to learn what works and what doesn't. For now, the intent is to log and become mindful. That's all.

I'm not sure what my Big Reward will be. I want it to be something lasting, something that reminds me of what I've accomplished so far. I thought about jewelry, but I really don't wear much jewelry. Maybe a piece of artwork or sculpture. I'm also going to have some professional photos taken. I need one for the training studio recommendation I'm writing and also, perhaps, for other future endeavors. And also to record this moment in time. :)

In other news, I went shopping yesterday and bought a new coat, some sweaters, and new pants. I've decided that sizes can be as random as that silly scale. I tried on a size large top that was far too small and size small top that was way too big. It's maddening and a reminder that we are NOT defined by the number on the scale or the one on a small cardboard tag. We're so much more than numbers!

And that's it from me. Before I go, though, I want to thank all of you who stopped in yesterday with good wishes. Your kindness, support, and enthusiasm mean so much to me, and YOUR blogs continue to motivate and inspire me. I'd be lost without you, that's for sure!

Hope everyone is having a great week!

Are You Ready for It? (HYC Wk 42)

GOAL!!

100 pounds gone!!

Can you believe it??!! I don't think I can just yet. :)

Given all the family drama of the past few weeks, along with the other issues, I'm not quite feeling celebratory. There will be time for that soon enough. But I do feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. And oddly enough, determination. If I can survive the stress of the past few weeks without falling to pieces fitness-wise, then I can damn well keep this weight off.

Another odd thing is that many of the people I've told about it have said some variation of, "Just be sure you don't put it all back on." I want to respond, "Well, shoot. There goes that plan." Of course, they also have a tale of someone's cousin's sister-in-law's grandmother's best friend who lost a gazillion pounds and gained it all back. Thanks, that's what I need to hear right now. LOL

You know what? I am feeling celebratory. Downright giddy, now that I think about it. So giddy I can't even capture rational thoughts. I'll compose myself as much as possible and be back with something more sensible tomorrow. Meanwhile, here's the little bit of the journey I've been able to capture through pictures. I'm the teensiest bit proud. Please forgive me. :)

I'm not ending this post without offering a HUGE Thank YOU for your unending support and encouragement. Fit bloggers ROCK!

And now, I'm off to recover from tonight's workout (pull-ups=ouch!) and to savor. :)

Makeover Monday: Please, Mr. Postman

Hanging out at my grandmother's house (basically an in-law suite connected to my parent's house), I've learned a lot about how these people live when I'm not around to watch them. One thing that amazes me is the enormous stack of mail they receive every single day. Mostly catalogs, but also product offers (free with $12.95 shipping and handling), bank card offers, solicitations from every lowbrow "charity" out there--they must be on every mailing list in existence. My father would like to see it reduced, especially the solicitations and bank card offers, so I decided to compile a list of things he can do to reduce their junk mail. I've already taken most of these steps, as well as one other, which I'll get to later.

Tips for Reducing/Eliminating Junk Mail:

- Think twice before sending in a product warranty card. They're not usually required for product support and are most often used to collection information about you for direct mail targeting.
- Whenever you do fill out a warranty card. write in large letters, "Please do not sell my name or address". Most reputable companies will honor your request.
- Whenever you do business with a company or organization, write "Please do not sell my name or address" on your invoice or attach a note with your check.
- When you order via telephone, ask "Please mark my account so that my name is not traded or sold to other companies".
- Avoid "contests" where you fill in a little entry blank. These are almost always fishing expeditions for names.
- To stop credit offers, call 1-888-567-8688 (1-888-5-OPT-OUT), or visit https://www.optoutprescreen.com/ to have your name removed from the sell banks of Equifax, Trans Union, Experian and Innovis credit agencies. You will need to provide your address, your former address if you've moved within two years, and your social security number.
- To stop receiving catalogs, call the catalog company's 800 number. You'll need the catalog label. You can also try Catalog Choice to get off unwanted catalog mailing lists.
- For unsolicited first class mail, cross out the address and bar code, circle the first class postage and write "refused: return to sender" and drop it in any mail box.
- Check bulk mail for the phrase "address correction requested". If you can find it on the label: circle it and treat like first class mail. Otherwise, there's nothing to be done. The post office will not return bulk mail to the sender. (They like bulk mail over there.)
- Send a postcard or letter to Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, PO Box 643, Carmel, NY 15012-0643. Include your complete name, address, zip code and a request to "activate the preference service". This will stop mail from all member organizations that you have not specifically ordered products from. You can also opt-out online at DMA-Choice, but there may be a charge for doing so. (Consider who we're dealing with here.) It can take up to six months to work through their system.

To avoid more junk mail in the future:
- If you move, don’t fill out a Post Office change of address form. Instead, contact everyone directly.
- Avoid participating in sweepstakes or contests unless you are given the opportunity to “opt out” of any mailing lists that are created.
- When unwanted mail comes with a postage paid envelope, use it to return the mailing label along with a written request to remove your name from the organization’s mailing list.
- When contacting a company that is already sending you unwanted mail, be sure to use the exact name and address on their correspondence to you.

To stop mail addressed to former residents:
I've lived in my house for five years and I'm STILL receiving mail for the previous owners. I recently learned that I can fill out a Post Office change of address card and mark it "Moved, Left No Forwarding Address" in the blank designated for the new address. I'm supposed to sign with my own name and indicate that I am the current resident at that address. I've heard it works. Let's hope so. I'm being uninundated with staunchly conservative literature. My reputation is in jeopardy.

As I mentioned earlier, I've taken an extra step in reducing my junk mail by using a service, 41pounds.org. They handled all of the contacting and monitoring for me for a fee, a portion of which they assured me was donated to a worthwhile organization. I can definitely tell a difference in the amount of junk mail I'm receiving.

Each year the USA sends 4 million TONS of junk mail. About half of it is tossed without being read. Recycling junk mail is good, but when you factor in the environmental costs of printing and delivery, it's just plain crazy. Maybe these steps will help you get started in reducing your mailbox clutter, thus leaving more time for fun and fitness!

As always, if you have any tips, please share! Pretty please?



(photo by Dey via flickr)

And Life Goes On

Finally getting a few moments here and there for Normal Life and as you can imaine, I'm loving it!

I got a good workout in last night. Trainer Wayne had no sympathy for my stress-filled self, and that was just what I needed. We did some new-to-me exercises:
Inverted rows (3 x 10)
Bench Jumps (3 x 10)
Crossover Lunges w/dumbbells (3 x10, no clue on the weights, maybe 10-12 lbs.)
(Please note, my abs do not like this. Sadly, my chest kind of does.)

The rest was, I think, normal stuff. Except for the side planks with leg lifts. Those need some work. :)

I'm headed off for a manicure and then to hang out with the on-the-mend folks. My mother was released from the hospital and my grandmother is slowly improving, I hope. This will be my last post for the weekend. To be honest, I'd rather spend the computer time I have available this weekend to check in on YOU!

If it's as gorgeous where you are as it is here, you may want to head outdoors for some exercise. Here's a video link, featuring the bench jumps mentioned above, to give you some ideas for adding some outdoor exercise to your day.

I plan to be back with Makeover Monday and possibly some Very Good News next week. (Potential for streamers and balloons, folks, but that's all I'm sayin'.)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Better News

I think I see blue skies ahead. Maybe it's just light cloud cover. :)

My mother is doing much better. No more seizures and the agitation has abated. The diagnosis is epilepsy, which while it isn't something to be cheery about, is still much better than...say, a brain tumor or any other half dozen other things that immediately come to mind. We're hopeful now for a quick exit from this place.

My grandmother is home from the hospital but I doubt it will be for long. She wasn't ready to be dismissed, and I will always regret not being more forceful with my sister when she pushed to have Memaw released. We have a physical therapist home visit today. I'm going to get her opinion on whether or not a rehab facility is advisable.

I haven't been able to fit in any exercise. Not officially, anyway. I do the stairs-instead-of-elevator thing here at the hospital, and there was the day spent trying to hold my mother's thrashing body in the bed. Also, trying to lift 200-lbs of grandmother from her chair (FAIL). But officially, no. No exercise. I'm hopeful for Friday.

I am managing to eat healthy (mostly). In the past, I would've been hitting the vending machines and fast food places regularly. This time, I've managed to stay away from the danger, except for one packet of sugar-free wafers. And a gazillion Diet Cokes.

I bought an AT&T Wireless PC Card on Sunday, and I'm loving it. With it, I can connect to my work network for some key telecommuting. I had also planned to play in blogland but this is the first chance I've had. I hope you're all doing well this week! I appreciate the comments, emails, and phone calls so very much and promise to catch up to everyone soon.

Makeover Monday Takes a Monday Off

With all that's going on, I don't have the strength, or the heart to be honest, to compose a Makeover Monday post. You all have been so incredibly wonderful and generous in your comforting wishes, I'm sure you'll understand.

Mom's had a very rough day. She's still in ICU and is suffering some nasty aftereffects of the seizures. The sedative they initially gave her actually contributed to the nastiness, but I think they're on a better track now. She's finally getting some rest.

Some auxiliary family members and friends are starting to ride in now, and they are truly appreciated. The next few days will be tough, but I'm hoping we start to level off (at least) by the middle of the week.

Then I can think about getting the Rotor-rooter guys in to do their thing. And get that 'check engine' light checked out. :)

I'm hopeful for a workout tomorrow, primarily for stress-relief. Fingers crossed.

There are not enough words for me to express how much I appreciate all the kind words and sentiments you've sent my way over the past few days. You have truly comforted me with your kindness. Thank you.

What Stress Is Good For

By way of update, my Mom is in ICU. She apparently had a couple of seizures of unknown origin, which is what happened several months ago and they were never able to pinpoint why. This time she had a pretty major one in the ER, and we hope that serves to be the proverbial silver lining. Maybe something will show up on all the scans that will help them get to the bottom of it all.

My grandmother is worried sick, as you might imagine. There is a chance she will be discharged from the hospital today, which presents its own set of issues, but at least we won't have them in hospitals 30 miles apart. Obviously, she can't stay alone, but we've got the weekend to figure out a solution to that.

All the stress does serve one good purpose. I went to the gym at daybreak this morning to work off a little tension and I completed the Elliptical 5k in 29 minutes flat! I was flying! LOL I'll try to work in some pushups and squats and such later today to make up for the missed Friday workout, but the main thing is that I did something.

Now I'm freshly showered and ready to head to hospital #1. I'm practicing my "Something Wonderful Will Happen" along with focused breathing, and I feel ready to face the day.
Your good wishes (thank you all so much!) and a sunshine-y day are a great start!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend...

Holding On

Greetings from beneath my Black Cloud of Doom. You may not want to stand too closely, lest this is contagious.

While I'm enjoying my oatmeal w/PB2, which will likely be the high point of the day, I'll do a quick run through of my stressors:
1. My Dad just called to let me know he and my Mom are en route to the ER, but that I should just "sit tight" until I hear back from him. Yeah, right...(on the plus side, my grandmother is showing some signs of improving more rapidly, but I'm trying not to let that interrupt my funkfest.)
2. Still no word on the job situation. Just that cuts are coming and they're going to be deep.
3. I've lost a year's salary this week in the stock market hullabaloo.
4. I have some sort of plumbing problem at my house that is causing backflow.
5. The check engine light is on in my car.

How then, am I able to sit and calmly eat breakfast? Two reasons, really:
1. There's nothing I can do this minute to fix any of that.
2. I have it so very much better than so many people. I have oatmeal and peanut butter and a banana. I have a house and a car, even though they do have issues at the moment. I still have money in my 401k. I have a job. For today anyway.

Breathing in, breathing out, breathing in....

HYC Challenge Week 40

Greetings from Stress City. I'm pretty sure I'm going to explode any day now.

Okay, maybe not. But these are stressy times, between family and job and house and...stuff. I don't know what's going on, but I suspect it's called Life. Nothing to do but tuck my shoulder down and plow through, but somedays the energy flags, you know? Still, I know better days are coming. They always do.

I apologize for being a hit-and-miss blog buddy these days. I'm hopeful Life will calm down soon. I miss connecting with you guys daily. To make matters worse, for some reason, my workplace has decided that Blogger websites are evil and must be stopped with a big red security violation.
Big bummer.

Okay, enough of that! On to the check in: Eeewww. Gained a pound. Or almost a pound. (Math+me=trouble) I actually expected a loss this week, considering that my waistband felt extra loose yesterday morning, but the scale let me down. Stupid scale.

For those keeping score, I didn't get my pancakes on Sunday. I had to work, so I rode my bike to the office and back, thus failing to meet the 10-mile minimum. It is only six miles round trip to my office, so pancakes must wait until some other weekend.

And finally, Thinking Thin asked about natural-ingredient moisturizers. Offhand, I know of two companies with good products. Alba Botanica and Lush Products. Maybe others will chime in with more?

That's it for me today. I've got to finish some laundry and then try to figure out why there's a big wet spot in the middle of my master bathroom floor. I sincerely hope you all are having a wonderful, stress-free week!

Makeover Monday: Raise Your Hands

One of the downsides of losing a significant amount of weight is that I have a few more wrinkles and saggier (is that a word?) skin than the average 50-year old woman. I complain about it, but it's a small price to pay for having healthier innards.

My hands, especially, have been bugging me lately. They look really old. Besides the loose skin, I have that bulging vein thing happening. It's not pretty.

My solution? To pay a lot more attention to my poor neglected hands from now on. It doesn't take much time, and they'll appreciate it so much. Think you hands would like some TLC? Read on...

5 Easy-schmeasy Tips for Pampering Your Hands

Moisturize regularly. While it won't undo sun damage or generate any miraculous new collagen, moisturizing can leave skin looking more youthful. Key ingredients to look for in a hand lotion or cream are Vitamin E, glycerin, shea butter, olive oil, and macadamia nut oil. This is the easiest tip to follow, and it doesn't have to cost a small fortune. Some of the products I have tried and liked (prices from Walgreen's):

Eucerin Plus Intensive Repair Hand ($4.99 for the 2.7 oz size)
Keri Long-lasting Hand Cream ($4.99 for the 4.0 oz size)
Nivea Smooth Indulgence Hand Cream ($4.99 for 3.5 oz size)

I haven't tried Time on Your Hands by Philosophy yet, but I plan to purchase it as a reward someday soon. It's a leetle expensive, especially when one considers the dozen or so tubes, jars, and bottles of skin care products I already own.

There are pricier hand cream options, for sure, but I'm not sure spending more on hand cream than I do on groceries for a week is a wise move.:)

Exfoliate your hands. Many of us already do that as part of our facial care regimen, but we don't think to exfoliate our hands. (Or is that just me?) Once or twice a week, is sufficient.

Gloves: Condoms for the hands. Our hands need to be protected from heat and cold. Wear rubber gloves when washing dishes or cleaning. Hot water isn't good for the thin skin of the hands (neither are the chemicals.) Cold weather is also hell on our hands, so invest in a good pair of warm, winter gloves. Don't lose them. (Oh, that was a note to myself.)

Take care of those cuticles! My favorite, favorite, favorite product is the Sephora Cuticle Care Pen. With this, you just paint on your cuticle cream every day! Is that easy, or what?! My manicurist even notices the difference in my hands with this one.

Block the sun. I always forget to put sunscreen on the backs of my hands. And it shows. :( So let that be a lesson to you!

Following these simple tips should result in younger looking hands. But let's not get carried away . (Which reminds me of this episode of Seinfeld, of course.)

And that's all I have. If you have any favorite hand-care tips, sing out!! I love learning about new products!

I hope you all have a marvelous Monday and a great week!

On a personal note, my grandmother had her gall bladder removed on Saturday. She is resting well but still not feeling too perky. We're hopeful she can leave the hospital within a couple of days. Thank you for your continued good wishes!

Weekend!

Greetings, and welcome to the weekend!

Thanks for the well wishes for my grandmother. She came through the "procedure" well and was scheduled to have her gall bladder removed later today. Unfortunately, she developed a slight fever, and the surgery was postponed. She feels pretty good, though, and that counts for a lot.

Busy weekend for me, starting with the Juvenile Diabetes walk on Saturday a.m. I intend to get there about an hour early and ride my bike. My goal is to get 10 miles on the bike and 3 miles on foot before leaving the park, but it really depends on what my family needs from me tomorrow. And, of course, how well my feet and legs hold up. LOL

Sunday will, I hope, start with more biking. I'm thinking I should ride for pancakes this week. Maybe with peanut butter on top if I get the 10 miles in less than an hour. :)

Other than that, I have a gajillion-and-two things on the to-do list. I hope to get the "two" part accomplished at least.

Before I get back to work, I wanted to remind everyone of BlogActionDay, October 15, during which bloggers from around the world will join together to blog about a single topic. This year's topic is poverty, and I'm sure all of you have lots to say about that. Please check it out and consider joining in for a very unique and rewarding experience.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

The official check in

Look, a title and everything! Apologies for the absence of a title in the last post. As you might guess, I'm a-hurryin' and a-scurryin' this week.

And now, for the official check-in, I'm sorry to report it is not good news. Nor is it bad news. I'm up 0.2 pounds, which equals a flat week, for all intents and purposes. Considering the extra nibbling that's been going on for the past few days, I'll take a flat week with a happy sigh.

Btw, the song people had it wrong. It's almonds that are a girl's best friend. (Try to get that song out of your heads now.)

In special request news: my grandmother (Memaw) is having a round with pancreatitis and is currently in ICU awaiting a "procedure" to remove a migratory gallstone from her pancreas. She should come through the event in good form, but when you're 87 years old, it's all a chance-y thing. So please think special thoughts for her today! In turn, I will think special thoughts for you! (which I'll do anyway, you know)

Hope you're hving a great week!