Cowl of Kindness Started, New Mascara!

Feb 7th Pic o’ de Day
This is how far I’ve gotten so far on the yarn I was winding up in the kitchen a couple of weeks ago. The pattern is called “Cowl of Kindness”, from Knitting Philistine’s blog. At the rate I am knitting this, I will be wearing it next winter. Sigh.

Above are 2 pics of yours truly (Feb 8th) modelling my new purchase of Lash Blast mascara in Black Cabernet. A fashion photographer I am not. It was not easy (nor obviously too successful) shooting myself in the face, by myself, but I am so pleased with this product that I had to try. The pics don’t do the mascara (or myself) any favours, but believe me, this stuff is AWESOME. Cover Girl has done it right. Cheap, readily available, easy to put on and take off, and makes each eyelash do the work of a dozen, WITHOUT clumping. What’s not to love?

Health Update

Feb 5th Picture of the Day – finds from Costco
I’ve been feeling a lot better lately. My TSH levels have dropped again, to more normal levels. So it appears the thyroid might be OK after all. So what IS/WAS going on with me then?

My theory now, is that I burned the candle at both ends for too long in November and December and then paid the price. Stress, people, is what did me in. All work, no exercise and too much restaurant food makes Mizz D is a dull gal indeed!

I’ve been wearing my pedometer religiously since I got it. I even forgot to take it off my PJs last night and wore it to bed…oh, for crying out loud! How silly is that? I guess I know for sure now that I don’t sleep walk, thanks to the zero steps reading this a.m. (Pedometer automatically resets to zero at midnight every night.)

I figured out what the aerobic steps are: anytime you walk more than 10 minutes straight, the pedometer calls that “aerobic”.

So, now when walking Mizz Lucy I keep moving, pacing back and forth, when she stops to check her “pee-mail” so I don’t lose those valuable aerobic minutes being logged. Valuable why? Just for the mental boost it gives me, to read those aerobic minutes logged at the end of the day and know that I was walking with purpose and energy instead of just accumulating steps shuffling around at work or in the kitchen.

So I look kinda strange, but Mizz L doesn’t seem to mind. In fact, I am sure if you asked her she would say the pedometer is the greatest thing ever as it makes her mistress take her for more frequent and longer walks! And now that is it staying light out longer (Feb 6th POD, taken at 6 pm), walking the pooch is much more enjoyable too.

Vegan Comfort Food, More Wedding Planning

Feb 4th POD – Curried ChickPeas with Cashews Mixed with Brown Rice

This recipe comes from the Flat Belly Cookbook. Fabulous recipes in there – haven’t found one yet that I haven’t liked.

This dish is a particular favourite of mine. It makes my far-from-flat belly very happy when I eat it. Like another chickpea dish I just love – chickpeas with sauteed spinach, tomatoes, onions and lemon zest, over rice. Yum Yum.

I haven’t gone vegan or even vegetarian. But I do love to add these dishes to my repertoire. I think I am following what is called a “flexitarian” diet. Doesn’t matter what you call me, you can call my tummy happy with this way of eating.

JD and I are really ramping up the wedding planning. We are meeting the wedding coordinator and a photographer tomorrow night. And I have been emailing the City to see if we can arrange to be married out of doors at the Village Park, down by the river. Backup plan (in case of foul weather) is to see if we can book a little country chapel (where my sis got hitched) 10 minutes away, or barring that, get married at the Village Hotel.

Note to self: ask WC about officiants tomorrow night!

Maybe I Can Just Grow My Own?

On Feb 1st I went out for a latte and chatte (hah, I just made that up!) with a good friend of mine. She looked at my hand, curled around the tall decaf-sugarfree-lowfat-no whip cinnamon dolce soy latte (Uh, yes, it was tiring to order. Why do you ask?) and asked me when I put a new set of acrylic nails on.

I was surprised that she thought my very own nails looked that good. And she was surprised they were indeed my very 0wn nails (Feb 2 POD). Hmmm. Maybe I will go au naturel (in the hand department anyway) for my wedding day. Makes room in the wedding budget for eyelash extensions…tee hee!

Which reminds me – I have actually booked something for this upcoming shindig! Drumroll please! It’s my…….hair and makeup appointment! That’s right. I may be wearing a paper bag and getting married goddess-knows-where, but I will have my face on and hair done. I met the very busy and popular Village Salon owner at a meeting in January, and asked her to do me up right on September 3rd. Whew. Cross that off my mental (OMG, did she actually acknowledge she does not even have stuff written down? With her memory???) list.

(I am attributing my newly strong and long nails to the Green Monsters I have been drinking, thanks to Feb 3rd POD – my stick blender. I do love this machine. All that spinach, protein powder and frozen fruits just has to do a body good.)
Back to the wedding planning: I have made an appointment to visit a bridal salon with Mizz J. That happens next week and I felt a funny and odd feeling when I got off the phone from talking to the consultant there. It took a while to realize that what I was feeling was FEAR.
It wasn’t because of anything the woman said. She couldn’t have been nicer and more reassuring (and I needed reassurance, people). I in fact asked her if they would possibly have anything to suit ME – someone who will be 51 when she walks down the aisle. “Of course” she laughed, “We have many options for the more sophisticated bride!”
“More sophisticated bride”. Not ancient bride. Not ridiculous bride. Sophisticated. OK. I like it. Now I need to feel it.

The Zen of Toothbrush

JD and I recently went electric. With our toothbrushes that is. Handy little Oral-B Vitality numbers, cordless with charging stands – Feb 1 POD.

Now I have to be IN THE MOMENT when I brush, instead of wandering down the dusty dim hallways of my mind to goddess-knows-where while I mechanically scrub away at my choppers without thinking.

I have to carefully, S-L-O-W-L-Y, and thoughtfully move the brush around all the surfaces of my teeth such that all are given their appropriate due before the 2 minute timer on the brush signals me by “hiccuping”, that the brushing can now cease. Have you any idea how hard it is for me to focus on this one little thing for 2 whole minutes???? Especially in the morning!

I really do need to work on my powers of concen….did I just hear a car go by? Where was I?

New Obsession

Bengal Spice Tea by Celestial Seasonings. Jan 31 POD.

This tea is spiced perfectly, and for some strange reason, tastes sweet although it contains nary a bit of sugar or any sugar-like chemical.

I. LOVE. IT.

Which means of course, that at any moment, it will be discontinued. Lipton Raspberry Mandarin and Celestial Seasonings Vanilla Maple (not the decaf version), I am looking at you BOTH.

Catch Up, Yet Again

My oh my, where does the time go?

In my own defense, I have been rather busy – working, wedding planning (OMG – about time!), and helping my mom and stepdad with their move to the house from the condo.

It has been a tough move for them (she’s 74, he’s 80) but they are settled in now and hopefully can rest a bit. My painting clothes came home on the 30th (POD) which means the kitchen, computer room and bathroom are DONE! You may not be able to see from the photo, but we painted the kitchen and bath a lovely creamy shade (dripping down the B in CIBC) called “Fuzzy Mitten”.
Remind me someday to show you the pic of the peeling paint in my own bathroom at home. Sigh.