Sometimes things...

don't go according to plan.

When we moved up here to Iowa, I thought, "Good. Now I can finally lose weight. I won't be able to eat out at every lunch and I won't be sitting behind a desk for eight hours a day."

Let's take a moment to laugh at that.

I weight more now than I ever have. Sure, I don't eat out at lunch every day. Probably 95% of the time, I make something here at home. And because I don't work eight hours a day, I'm within walking distance to the kitchen 24/7 most days.

I also eat the majority of my suppers here at home. Our dining prospects are few and far between in this tiny town. Plus, I can make some pretty tasty meals.

When I stepped on the scale nine days ago, I said a few choice words and decided to buckle down.

I started my DIEt on a Friday. I didn't want to wait until Monday. Now, now, now. Something had to be done.

I started walking, eating less and not snacking.

I lost five pounds in one week.

Zoinks!

Then a Fireman friend suggested the Lose It! application for the iTouch. He and a bunch of his Fireman friends use it and it has been working for them. I downloaded that puppy and went to town! I put in my starting weight(I used the current weight, not the weight I was a week before.), my age and my goal and it gave me a suggested caloric intake. I have only used it three days, but I haven't gone over my calories yet.

It is SO hard! I have been able to treat myself with a small chocolate cone or a couple of Hershey's Kisses, but that has been fine for me. I don't want a large chocolate cone or the entire bag of Hershey's Kisses. (That's a lie. Of course I do. But I choose not to.)

This morning, I was down four more pounds. Nine pounds in nine days. I know that is way more than is recommended, but I don't feel like I am denying myself of food. I'm having a salad at least once a day. I'm having carbs and proteins. I've cut back to MAYBE one Pepsi a day. (Throwback Pepsi is 150 calories. I have to really want it.)

(I just had to go check that one can wasn't two servings which would have thrown me WAY off! It isn't. Whew.)

I went to my closet and tried on my capri pants this morning. I can tell they have loosened up!

I just hope I can stay with this change.

DIMOBS*

*Do It My Own Bad Self

Saying goodbye to the 1970s a little at a time.

There are two of these in the hallway. They gots ta go.



Cough, cough, hack, hack. How much bugs, crud and popcorn ceiling spray can there be in here?



This is the point at which I left to go get a headlamp to help me see a little better. (Note: It is not very bright in a hallway with the electricity turned off.)

This is also the point where I took a potty break and switched out my jeans for a pair of shorts. Shorts with no pockets. I had to put the screws somewhere, so I put them in the First National Bank of Titty City.



Tah-to-the-dah!



One down, one to go. But I'm not doing it until The Commander can be here to hand me things I drop. And to wipe my brow with a cool, wet rag.

Seriously?

It is a regional thing.

Rarely do you find a person here that has heard of a Frito Pie or even Okra.

I'm learning new things as well.

Never heard of a lug. Now I know what one is. (A wooden box for transporting fruit or vegetables.)

Hot Beef Commercial? Nope. Not an ad for hot beef. (Open faced hot beef sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy.)

Dinner? (Lunch, not supper.)

But one of the biggest surprises of these regional things is a food I wrinkled my nose at. I may have even said, "You've got to be kidding me."

Are you ready for this one?

Cheez Whiz on cinnamon bread.

I KNOW! Yick.

It is usually served as a finger food at get-togethers. And often with a slice of green olive on each piece.

But I like it. A lot.

David's Aunt had her 80th birthday party today. I didn't have any cake. I had three slices of cinnamon bread with Cheez Whiz. AND I brought four more pieces home.

Oh, my-lanta. Good stuff.

Date Day

The Boy spent most of the weekend with his Grandma and Aunts so The Commander and I had a Date Day!

I finally got to go to a baseball game. I love baseball. I never go to games though because my husband doesn't like baseball. "Two minutes of excitement packed into two hours." Phfft on him.

He has a classmate at college who is a pitcher for the team. Luis is here on scholarship from Colombia. He hopes to make it big someday and said he will get me VIP seats. (Yay me!) He may be headed to Oregon to finish school and play ball there. I imagine I won't get to see him play much ball once he moves.

Here is the team getting a royal butt chewing by the coach (#22). They just lost the first game of the double header. (Luis is the one in the blue with the white pants.)



Here is my husband in the process of licking his thumb to smear it across my camera lens if I don't quit taking photos of him already!



We went on to eat at a restaurant/bar called Tweeters. I had a buffalo chicken sandwich and sweet potato fries. Mmmmmmmmmmm.

Then we went to a movie that didn't contain animation of any sort - Date Night. Apropos, n'est pas? Good movie. Action and comedy! Plus, Steve Carell does a pole dance. Woooooot!

I'll end the tale here since this is a PG blog. Heh.

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Here is the family on Easter. We clean up pretty well.



Last, but not least, this is what I have to put up with...

Actual Conversation with My Husband

Just now...

Him - You know what I would do if I get that job?

Me - Buy me something nice?

Him - (Nods) A new computer.

Me - (Eyes light up) A REAL computer? Or one of (gestures at PC in my lap) these?

Actual Conversation with My Husband

This morning -

Me - If I'd have known Jesse James was so easy, when we saw him at the fair last year, we could have invited him back to our house. Nudge, nudge. Wink, wink.

Him - Then we could have been in the tabloids.

Me - Yeah! Then we could have been rich!

Ha Ha Happy Easter

A Methodist pastor, a Lutheran pastor and a Presbyterian pastor were all sitting around at coffee one day and the topic of their churches' rat infestations came up.

The Methodist said they had hired an exterminator and the rats had disappeared for a while, but then they all came back.

The Lutheran said they had purchased a cat, but there were too many rats so the cat ran away.

The Presbyterian said they had no problem with the rats.

The Methodist and Lutheran pastors were shocked! How could that be?

"Simple." said the Presbyterian. "We made them all members of the church and now they only show up at Easter and Christmas."

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Happy Easter everyone!!