As Vickie has reminded me how long I have been absent here, I am dropping in with my monthly round-up of FB status updates for your reading pleasure:
April 28: The dog on Steve Carrell's Office finale looks like Doglet...and I'm feeling so nostalgic overall about this.
April 29: Prince for the second time in 6 nights? Heck, yeah!
April 29: Mint Condition opens...
April 30: Gorgeous summer-like day in our little beach town. A great day for some yoga and a pedi. :-)
April 30: Loving home. Where it's warm enough to sit in the yard in my jammies with the breeze in the trees, candles burning, chiminea later.
April 30: Sounds like all the neighbors are out enjoying the warm evening with us...not noisy, just sounds like happiness. And we've got a fragrant fire. And my sweetie is strumming guitar. Kinda bliss.
April 30: Smudging the 'hood.
May 2: I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that. –Martin Luther King, Jr.
May 2: I hear my MLK quote was not MLK. However, I still completely believe what it said. Just wish i could give attribution to the actual author.
May 4: At this time of night it's vewy vewy quiet here...so I guess I have no choice but to go to sleep.
May 6: That's my Mommy! Happy Mother's Day! :-)
May 6: This week my sweetheart surprised me with gifts of music and art. I am an incredibly lucky woman. :-)
May 7: Time to get sassy! [I got my hair cut -- 12 inches plus to donate for wigs for people battling cancer -- done in honor of my friend who died last year. Hair is shorter than it has been since my early 20s and, after a brief freak-out, I kinda love it!]
May 7: On the way to City of Hope benefit at Universal Studios. :-) [This benefit was so much fun: we saw The Eagles play and then had the run of the park for free!]
May 8: Happy birthday to my sweet nephew, the fantastic superlative J!! I love you. :-)
May 9: Ouch ouch ouch. 4th day of leg, arm, head pains. I think it's a nerve in my back. :-(
May 13: Joshua Tree Music Fest, here I come!
May 14: Dr. Bronner's foam tub isn't just a bath, it's an amusement park ride! And I have a weekend pass. :-)
May 17: Celebrating The Friendaversary in The Bunker. [with our best "couple friends" while the rest of our house was having its floors redone]
May 18: Does anyone need a set of extra small dog booties (for paws about 2 1/2 X 2 1/2 inches)? Unused, but tried on so unreturnable. They're yours (free) if you want 'em!
May 21: Being optimistic...heading to giant costume sale. My rapture? Bargain costume shopping. :-)
May 23: Yoga tomorrow morning, 6:45 am.
May 24: Who LOVES Prince and wants to go with me on Sunday night to the last show of the Forum series? [PD2]
May 24: It's so obvious to me that Scotty is the star...why are they manipulating otherwise? Oh well, could be wrong.
May 25: Trying to be blase, but very excited to be going to American Idol finale today!
May 25: Rob Halford just walked by...have never seen so many studs on a leather outfit. And that's saying something.
May 25: All the Idols just walked by us. Lauren hugged the kids I'm with...now I like her better. And Scotty is a sweetheart.
May 25: Four rows in front of Ryan right now on camera
May 25: James has on almost as many studs as Rob.
May 25: Loved Casey with Jack Black. Fun!
May 25: They wouldn't let me update anymore so that's why there was a break. Really fun show. Backstage now. :-)
May 25: I had the MOST fun at AI finale tonight and so happy for Scotty. :-)
May 25: My last AI finale thought: Simon Fuller smells amazing...even better than the previous best-smeller, Randy Jackson. ;-)
May 27: Seeing the new painting on the wall this morning gives me a big smile. [Went to art opening last night and bought an amazing painting!]
May 27: Available July 1: Our super-charming 1 BR, 1BA apartment at the beach! PM me for more info.
Well, that's it. Weight is going down SLOWLY. I have started to get up early to do two 6:45 am yoga classes during the week because I just enjoy yoga more than any other exercise and, therefore, I work harder at it. Got hormone results back yesterday and there are some problems -- plus glucose is too high (not pre-diabetic...yet). Have plans to work on all of it. Also started back to therapy last week and the new therapist is great: three excellent insights in the first 50 minutes! Yes, I'm excited for this!!
Hope everyone enjoys the long weekend -- I am still reading blogs, just not posting.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
FB status updates
As requested by you FB Luddites (!), following are my most recent FB status updates, i.e., mini-blogs (yes, I know there's not a lot of insight you can squish into short blurbs!):
April 22: [Wharf Town], Magnetic Zeros, Mumfords, interminable food and beer lines. But still lovin it. :-)
April 23: Excited to be on the way to see His Purple Majesty.
April 23: Chaka Khan opens for Prince!!
April 23: Photos tomorrow... This darn iPhone FB app. :-( [P.S. Wish it was easy to share photos here...sometimes my status updates are JUST photos...got some good ones at Prince show and next day...]
April 23: Sheila E totally KILLS Glamorous Life. :-). Whew, I'm sweaty. :-)
April 24, 12:22 am: Now THAT was a concert old school style. Totally worth $25 and $12 beer!!
April 24: Magical music weekend: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros/Mumford & Sons at the wharf in [Wharf Town], then Prince at the Forum, culminating with "A Pirate's Life for Me" chorus while riding with pretend daughter and grandkids in a bicycle built for 7 on [DB Hometown] waterfront and my granddaughter's original Christmas-themed composition from the back seat on the way home. :-)
April 26: Prince again on Friday!
Yes, we're headed back to Prince again...what a fantastic show. And the venue is 15 minutes from our house and you can't beat a $25 concert! This week we're taking a large (10 plus people) posse with us. :-)
I have buckled down this week after a horrible food weekend which culminated in eating the grandkids' french fries on Sunday...which I never do!! This was a wake-up call for me. We've got another bathing suit vacation (week near Yosemite) with the kids and grandkids coming up in June so I've GOT to do something. Cutting back on booze and ANY "cheats" (don't have a lot of those usually but last weekend I saw the slippery slope).
Buckling down has not made a difference at all yet. Disappointing, but I am focused. Ski season is over so it's gym and yoga...if only I could wake up and make the 6:45 yoga twice a week...I am determined to try SOMEtime.
April 22: [Wharf Town], Magnetic Zeros, Mumfords, interminable food and beer lines. But still lovin it. :-)
April 23: Excited to be on the way to see His Purple Majesty.
April 23: Chaka Khan opens for Prince!!
April 23: Photos tomorrow... This darn iPhone FB app. :-( [P.S. Wish it was easy to share photos here...sometimes my status updates are JUST photos...got some good ones at Prince show and next day...]
April 23: Sheila E totally KILLS Glamorous Life. :-). Whew, I'm sweaty. :-)
April 24, 12:22 am: Now THAT was a concert old school style. Totally worth $25 and $12 beer!!
April 24: Magical music weekend: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros/Mumford & Sons at the wharf in [Wharf Town], then Prince at the Forum, culminating with "A Pirate's Life for Me" chorus while riding with pretend daughter and grandkids in a bicycle built for 7 on [DB Hometown] waterfront and my granddaughter's original Christmas-themed composition from the back seat on the way home. :-)
April 26: Prince again on Friday!
Yes, we're headed back to Prince again...what a fantastic show. And the venue is 15 minutes from our house and you can't beat a $25 concert! This week we're taking a large (10 plus people) posse with us. :-)
I have buckled down this week after a horrible food weekend which culminated in eating the grandkids' french fries on Sunday...which I never do!! This was a wake-up call for me. We've got another bathing suit vacation (week near Yosemite) with the kids and grandkids coming up in June so I've GOT to do something. Cutting back on booze and ANY "cheats" (don't have a lot of those usually but last weekend I saw the slippery slope).
Buckling down has not made a difference at all yet. Disappointing, but I am focused. Ski season is over so it's gym and yoga...if only I could wake up and make the 6:45 yoga twice a week...I am determined to try SOMEtime.
Friday, April 22, 2011
It's been EXACTLY a month again...
...and I am a very very very bad blogger. Naughty Helen!
Ski season may now be over for me (although I'm still dreaming of maybe just maybe convincing DB to go with me next weekend -- he is "done") so maybe I will have more time to write. We'll see. Micro-blogging on Facebook seems to be easier for me to maintain at the moment.
Speaking of "maintain", that's all I'm doing. I go up a few pounds, I go down a few pounds. I stay in the same range. Unfortunately, this is still a range 15-20 pounds higher than I want it to be. But, like my smoking addiction before I quit, it seems that I have plenty of excuses why I'm not just doing it.
The good news is that I am exercising regularly and getting fitter even if the scale is not going down. Skiing is so good for me. I will miss it a lot. But I will up my gym time to make up for it a little bit at least.
To catch those of you who are not on FB up, I'm going to copy my micro-blogs (statuses) from Facebook for the past month. Feel free to ask for details or comment!
3/23/11: Pre-[music venue] show, sitting at [restaurant] on Hollywood Blvd eating the best turkey burger I ever tasted.
3/26/11: I love a good spontaneous slumber party.
3/27/11: I am a lucky woman...too many reasons why...hope you all know it's you. It is.
4/1/11: Super random fun : just ran into someone in a McDs restroom in the middle of nowhere who I haven't seen in probably over 10 years!
4/2/11: Skied allll the way from [one side of the resort] to [the other] today!! I have done all the bits ans pieces before, but never allll the way across and back. Beautiful day.
4/2/11: Yay for my hometown team...go Butler! :-)
4/3/11: Another perfect ski day = boring status update. ;-)
4/4/11: Snowy warm Sierra morning, balmy Venice evening listening to the surf...and a cow on the roof. I must be home.
4/6/11: Just had my doglet's teeth cleaned at home, no anesthesia, in 1/2 hour...SO much better (and cheaper) than taking him to the vet. Happy to provide contact info to anyone who wants a referral. I am sold!
4/7/11: Food is love. Our chef friend just made us the most amazing vegan dinner...OMG, I can still taste the deliciousness. She is growing her business and we will be having her back for a tasting for our friends sometime soon. Let us know if you are interested and we'll put you on the guest list. Words cannot describe the yumminess (and this from a girl who had burgers every other night this week for dinner)!
4/7/11: We literally licked every bowl, plate and pan clean!
4/10/11: First FB post from new iPhone!
4/10/11: Lazy boardwalk Sunday.
4/11/11: To all my vegan, vegetarian & veg curious friends, please let me know if you'd like on the list for a vegan tasting party at our neighbor's on April 21st. The talented vegan/raw chef [name omitted] is putting together a multi-course tasting menu. There will also be a pop-up gallery for the [local art crawl] same night, same location, featuring pieces by our favorite Venice artist [gorilla painter].
4/11/11: I love so much about my new iPhone but...need to know how to sync Google contacts and calendar and find some good voice recognition software.
4/12/11: Homemade Moroccan tagine for dinner, hang drum by the fire with sweetie and friend...all yum.
4/14/11: Have I mentioned lately how in love I am with my iPhone?
4/14/11: I wish I could organize my life so i would get more than 7 hours sleep
4/15/11: My infomercial producer friend needs Hong Kong natives over 18 who speak Cantonese and have occasional acne. If you know anyone, please have them message me.
4/15/11: On the party bus to Ski Town.
4/16/11: Sticky snowga day.
4/17/11: The Eastern Sierra is so beautiful that it makes me want to cry...in a different way than skiing down my first blue-black today. But not really. ;-)
4/18/11: So [DB] says he is done with ski season but I'd like to try to go the weekend of April 29-May 1. Anyone want to come with? I've got cheap options (and you can get a cheap lift ticket via me since I have a season ticket). Let me know! :-)
4/19/11: Waiting at ER to get ultrasound to make sure this pain in my calf is nothing to worry about.
4/19/11: My femoral artery has a clean bill of health...now who wants to go skiing the weekend of April 29 with me? :-)
4/22/11: Tummy so full of "amazing" "stunning" and "oh my God" delicious raw/vegan food. Thank you, Chef Kelly, for sharing your yummy gift with so many of us tonight at the [local event]. :-). Wish you had a fan page... ;-)
And there you have it. Mostly food and skiing (or "snow-ga" as I call it). ;-)
Ski season may now be over for me (although I'm still dreaming of maybe just maybe convincing DB to go with me next weekend -- he is "done") so maybe I will have more time to write. We'll see. Micro-blogging on Facebook seems to be easier for me to maintain at the moment.
Speaking of "maintain", that's all I'm doing. I go up a few pounds, I go down a few pounds. I stay in the same range. Unfortunately, this is still a range 15-20 pounds higher than I want it to be. But, like my smoking addiction before I quit, it seems that I have plenty of excuses why I'm not just doing it.
The good news is that I am exercising regularly and getting fitter even if the scale is not going down. Skiing is so good for me. I will miss it a lot. But I will up my gym time to make up for it a little bit at least.
To catch those of you who are not on FB up, I'm going to copy my micro-blogs (statuses) from Facebook for the past month. Feel free to ask for details or comment!
3/23/11: Pre-[music venue] show, sitting at [restaurant] on Hollywood Blvd eating the best turkey burger I ever tasted.
3/26/11: I love a good spontaneous slumber party.
3/27/11: I am a lucky woman...too many reasons why...hope you all know it's you. It is.
4/1/11: Super random fun : just ran into someone in a McDs restroom in the middle of nowhere who I haven't seen in probably over 10 years!
4/2/11: Skied allll the way from [one side of the resort] to [the other] today!! I have done all the bits ans pieces before, but never allll the way across and back. Beautiful day.
4/2/11: Yay for my hometown team...go Butler! :-)
4/3/11: Another perfect ski day = boring status update. ;-)
4/4/11: Snowy warm Sierra morning, balmy Venice evening listening to the surf...and a cow on the roof. I must be home.
4/6/11: Just had my doglet's teeth cleaned at home, no anesthesia, in 1/2 hour...SO much better (and cheaper) than taking him to the vet. Happy to provide contact info to anyone who wants a referral. I am sold!
4/7/11: Food is love. Our chef friend just made us the most amazing vegan dinner...OMG, I can still taste the deliciousness. She is growing her business and we will be having her back for a tasting for our friends sometime soon. Let us know if you are interested and we'll put you on the guest list. Words cannot describe the yumminess (and this from a girl who had burgers every other night this week for dinner)!
4/7/11: We literally licked every bowl, plate and pan clean!
4/10/11: First FB post from new iPhone!
4/10/11: Lazy boardwalk Sunday.
4/11/11: To all my vegan, vegetarian & veg curious friends, please let me know if you'd like on the list for a vegan tasting party at our neighbor's on April 21st. The talented vegan/raw chef [name omitted] is putting together a multi-course tasting menu. There will also be a pop-up gallery for the [local art crawl] same night, same location, featuring pieces by our favorite Venice artist [gorilla painter].
4/11/11: I love so much about my new iPhone but...need to know how to sync Google contacts and calendar and find some good voice recognition software.
4/12/11: Homemade Moroccan tagine for dinner, hang drum by the fire with sweetie and friend...all yum.
4/14/11: Have I mentioned lately how in love I am with my iPhone?
4/14/11: I wish I could organize my life so i would get more than 7 hours sleep
4/15/11: My infomercial producer friend needs Hong Kong natives over 18 who speak Cantonese and have occasional acne. If you know anyone, please have them message me.
4/15/11: On the party bus to Ski Town.
4/16/11: Sticky snowga day.
4/17/11: The Eastern Sierra is so beautiful that it makes me want to cry...in a different way than skiing down my first blue-black today. But not really. ;-)
4/18/11: So [DB] says he is done with ski season but I'd like to try to go the weekend of April 29-May 1. Anyone want to come with? I've got cheap options (and you can get a cheap lift ticket via me since I have a season ticket). Let me know! :-)
4/19/11: Waiting at ER to get ultrasound to make sure this pain in my calf is nothing to worry about.
4/19/11: My femoral artery has a clean bill of health...now who wants to go skiing the weekend of April 29 with me? :-)
4/22/11: Tummy so full of "amazing" "stunning" and "oh my God" delicious raw/vegan food. Thank you, Chef Kelly, for sharing your yummy gift with so many of us tonight at the [local event]. :-). Wish you had a fan page... ;-)
And there you have it. Mostly food and skiing (or "snow-ga" as I call it). ;-)
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
It's been a month...
...since I've written, but I have THOUGHT about writing and THOUGHT about weight loss (and worked on, at least, fitness)...I just haven't had TIME. Work is slammed and, with skiing every other weekend, the rest of my at-home time is slammed too. I am not complaining...life is fun...just explaining my MIA status from here!
We just got back from another 3-day ski weekend and what a crazy weather weekend!! On our way up on Friday night, we ran into a wildfire that had closed the freeway (the ONLY way to get to Ski Town) for about 40 miles...and we were making such good time until then! We turned around fast and headed back to an earlier town to try to get a motel, but ALL of them were booked. So we headed back north and, by then, they were escorting traffic through the fire zone -- big wildfire -- I heard it started in the wood shop of the school and they had to evacuate all of that town west of the freeway. Damage didn't look too bad driving back, but it was weird driving up in the dark with the road signs burning as we passed!
This meant we got to the town where we stay on Friday nights at 1 am. Sigh. Oh well. We get cheapy motels there anyway since all we do is sleep.
We got up late on Saturday and the weather was wild -- snowing all day and blowing almost horizontal the whole time. The snow was also really wet so moguls were everywhere. I am a groomed-slope kinda gal! We started down my go-to blue run and I fell -- for the first time all year! I was very sad...when I am out of control, it is not fun and when it's not fun I usually stop skiing for the day. But I decided to go back up and try a long green run and that was fine -- even FUN -- I got to practice on moguls on a less steep slope than I usually ski these days so I now feel like I am less afraid of them and my skill set is better. :-)
We stayed at this motel in Ski Town that we got for $89/night on on-line cheapy site (SUPER cheap for Ski Town) and it was TOTALLY worth it. HUGE room with sofa and wet bar (and we were on the 4th floor overlooking the snow). Pool, huge hot tub, sauna, steam room, laundry room and even ski lockers and covered parking. Wow. We totally want to stay there again! It wasn't fancy, but it also had the most comfy bed we've ever had up there.
Apres ski, we always get a beer at the lodge, then go home for hot tub, shower then dinner. We usually go to sleep between 9 and 10 and sleep until 8 or 9...ahhhh... :-)
Sunday the snow wasn't as blizzardy, just falling softly and steadily all day (there had been at least a foot of accumulation overnight). We took the shuttle to the lodge because the roads were really covered. My expectations were lower as far as difficulty of slope I would ski...I stuck to the long greens and worked on speed and control while crouching down (I usually ski more up-right). AMAZING exercise for my quads and glutes. It was beautiful...could hardly see ahead of yourself, but the slopes were much less crowded...my last run down I went for a long time without seeing a soul. Beautiful...I was in ski ecstasy!
Sunday night, DB took me out to celebrate my Re-Birthday (8 years non-smoking yesterday). We tried to walk over because it was so snowy to drive, but I fell about a block away and DB had already fallen (just walking) twice that day so we decided to inch over in our car. It was an awesome dinner...we had leftovers last night! :-)
When we woke up yesterday, we couldn't even see across the street, it was snowing and blowing so much! With DB's back hurting due to falling, we decided not to ski yesterday and just headed home early. Made great time. Another great weekend...and we're already planning to go back the weekend of April 1! :-)
As for my weight: the past two ski weekends, I have LOST weight. I have no idea how since I do drink beer when we're away and am usually not AS careful with food. The exercise must make up for it. But I have continued to be very good with food and exercise while at home too and I am still not really LOSING. I am stable, maintaining. I guess that is better than gaining. I feel fitter too. So that is all good. But, when ski season is over and I can focus again, I guess I'm going to have to change SOMETHING else.
I talked with my doc about this in early March...my thyroid is very low...I don't want to take meds for it, but that might be the problem. She has me on iodine for the time being to see if it helps.
We just got back from another 3-day ski weekend and what a crazy weather weekend!! On our way up on Friday night, we ran into a wildfire that had closed the freeway (the ONLY way to get to Ski Town) for about 40 miles...and we were making such good time until then! We turned around fast and headed back to an earlier town to try to get a motel, but ALL of them were booked. So we headed back north and, by then, they were escorting traffic through the fire zone -- big wildfire -- I heard it started in the wood shop of the school and they had to evacuate all of that town west of the freeway. Damage didn't look too bad driving back, but it was weird driving up in the dark with the road signs burning as we passed!
This meant we got to the town where we stay on Friday nights at 1 am. Sigh. Oh well. We get cheapy motels there anyway since all we do is sleep.
We got up late on Saturday and the weather was wild -- snowing all day and blowing almost horizontal the whole time. The snow was also really wet so moguls were everywhere. I am a groomed-slope kinda gal! We started down my go-to blue run and I fell -- for the first time all year! I was very sad...when I am out of control, it is not fun and when it's not fun I usually stop skiing for the day. But I decided to go back up and try a long green run and that was fine -- even FUN -- I got to practice on moguls on a less steep slope than I usually ski these days so I now feel like I am less afraid of them and my skill set is better. :-)
We stayed at this motel in Ski Town that we got for $89/night on on-line cheapy site (SUPER cheap for Ski Town) and it was TOTALLY worth it. HUGE room with sofa and wet bar (and we were on the 4th floor overlooking the snow). Pool, huge hot tub, sauna, steam room, laundry room and even ski lockers and covered parking. Wow. We totally want to stay there again! It wasn't fancy, but it also had the most comfy bed we've ever had up there.
Apres ski, we always get a beer at the lodge, then go home for hot tub, shower then dinner. We usually go to sleep between 9 and 10 and sleep until 8 or 9...ahhhh... :-)
Sunday the snow wasn't as blizzardy, just falling softly and steadily all day (there had been at least a foot of accumulation overnight). We took the shuttle to the lodge because the roads were really covered. My expectations were lower as far as difficulty of slope I would ski...I stuck to the long greens and worked on speed and control while crouching down (I usually ski more up-right). AMAZING exercise for my quads and glutes. It was beautiful...could hardly see ahead of yourself, but the slopes were much less crowded...my last run down I went for a long time without seeing a soul. Beautiful...I was in ski ecstasy!
Sunday night, DB took me out to celebrate my Re-Birthday (8 years non-smoking yesterday). We tried to walk over because it was so snowy to drive, but I fell about a block away and DB had already fallen (just walking) twice that day so we decided to inch over in our car. It was an awesome dinner...we had leftovers last night! :-)
When we woke up yesterday, we couldn't even see across the street, it was snowing and blowing so much! With DB's back hurting due to falling, we decided not to ski yesterday and just headed home early. Made great time. Another great weekend...and we're already planning to go back the weekend of April 1! :-)
As for my weight: the past two ski weekends, I have LOST weight. I have no idea how since I do drink beer when we're away and am usually not AS careful with food. The exercise must make up for it. But I have continued to be very good with food and exercise while at home too and I am still not really LOSING. I am stable, maintaining. I guess that is better than gaining. I feel fitter too. So that is all good. But, when ski season is over and I can focus again, I guess I'm going to have to change SOMETHING else.
I talked with my doc about this in early March...my thyroid is very low...I don't want to take meds for it, but that might be the problem. She has me on iodine for the time being to see if it helps.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Family Ski Weekend
I love the ski times we have with PD2 and her family and we are just back from another one!! I changed my Facebook profile photo today to a photo of me this weekend where you can just see the glee in my face anticipating all the fun we were gonna have. :-)
Friday night we left (as usual) at 6pm from my office. It usually takes us about 5ish hours to get to the town where we stay before hitting Ski Town (no need to spend big Ski Town money to stay overnight when all you do is crash at 11pm+ and get up at 7 so we usually get a motel about 1/2 hour away). Friday night it took us SIX AND A HALF HOURS and it was raining and snowing the whole way. DB was totally cranky at the beginning, but was a wonder in driving the whole way himself. Big ups to my sweetie!
We got into Motel Town about 12:30 and were asleep by 1:30...with no promises of when to get up the next day. We got up late, grabbed breakfast (fast food, but the best option on the menu -- I have an app that shows all nutrition information) and were at the mountain by about 11:30. It was snowing and messy -- when the slopes aren't groomed, it's a lot harder to ski -- you have to fight your way through bumps created by your fellow skiers. I don't love this. It was also President's Day Saturday so the lift lines were a lot more crowded than we (spoiled) are used to. I think we managed maybe 6 runs by 2:45 and quit.
By that time, PD2 and her family (Hubby, Cutie Pie and Bon Bon) were at our motel in Tiny Ski Town (another resort where we can ski on our pass -- 12 miles from Ski Town -- we have this great motel that has kitchenettes in every room and is CHEAP -- and has a hot tub overlooking the GORGEOUS Sierra mountains). We had some errands to run so got to them about 5 pm. When we parked, Bon Bon (3) came running across the parking lot yelling "Papa and Helen!!" right into our arms. Oh yeah, that made us smile...and will always. :-)
They had been playing in the snow so we all hit the hot tub before showering and dinner. We went to my fave place in Tiny Ski Town for dinner...they scored big points by bringing the granddaughters kiddie cocktails right when we sat down. Cutie Pie kept saying "I like this place.". :-) I had some great conversations with Cutie Pie over dinner...showing her the map for where we'd be skiing in Tiny Ski Town the next day, etc. She was so shy as a tot...I love how we chat now that she's almost 8. We all went to bed early in anticipation of the next big day.
Got up early on Sunday with the plan to head up the mountain for breakfast at the lodge (you have to take a lift up quite a ways just to get to the lodge at this resort). Once we got up there, we had to get rental equipment for PD2 and Cutie Pie so it took us about 2 1/2 hours from parking to getting on the slopes. But we had FUN.
The first run, Cutie Pie got hysterical. It has been a year since she skied and she was scared. PD2 was awesome with her: firm, but caring. She got her down the hill and the next run and all subsequent ones were so fun with Cutie Pie (Hubby took Bon Bon back down the hill since he doesn't really ski and she's a bit too young). DB, PD2, Cutie Pie and I had a great day. I took both girls for souvenir shopping, of course! They love their Helen. :-)
DB got some time at the end of the day to do some difficult runs with PD2 and I am soo happy they did...they are both really good skiers.
Sunday night, after hot tub, we went to a casual place for dinner and, again, had a great time. After that, we had a slumber party with the granddaughters -- they stayed with us to give their parents a night off. We played Pictionary which was totally hilarious...and then they crashed...it had been a big day.
Bon Bon woke up around 2 crying for her mommy, but we put her in bed with us and all was well. The next morning I learned about Umizoomi (fun!) while we got ready and then took the girls to breakfast while their parents slept in. Best. Slumber. Party. Ever.
After breakfast, we went back to the motel where we got ready to go ski in Ski Town again and they sledded and got ready to go home. We watched them sled for a while (so fun), then after goodbyes hit our slopes. WHAT A GREAT SKI DAY YESTERDAY. I did a new run and it was so great...my new fave. It was very cold and the snow was perfect. Wonderful.
We left about 1 pm and were home by 6:30. No real traffic was great post-holiday weekend. And we're going back for another 3-day weekend in 2 weeks. :-)
Best news: I didn't take my scale this time but was totally careful. Gained only 2 pounds (from my pre-birthday weight) and I'm sure it's because I ate biscuits and gravy yesterday for breakfast (oops). No gym tonight protecting my knees, but will be there tomorrow. I'm busy, but I have to make this a priority.
Friday night we left (as usual) at 6pm from my office. It usually takes us about 5ish hours to get to the town where we stay before hitting Ski Town (no need to spend big Ski Town money to stay overnight when all you do is crash at 11pm+ and get up at 7 so we usually get a motel about 1/2 hour away). Friday night it took us SIX AND A HALF HOURS and it was raining and snowing the whole way. DB was totally cranky at the beginning, but was a wonder in driving the whole way himself. Big ups to my sweetie!
We got into Motel Town about 12:30 and were asleep by 1:30...with no promises of when to get up the next day. We got up late, grabbed breakfast (fast food, but the best option on the menu -- I have an app that shows all nutrition information) and were at the mountain by about 11:30. It was snowing and messy -- when the slopes aren't groomed, it's a lot harder to ski -- you have to fight your way through bumps created by your fellow skiers. I don't love this. It was also President's Day Saturday so the lift lines were a lot more crowded than we (spoiled) are used to. I think we managed maybe 6 runs by 2:45 and quit.
By that time, PD2 and her family (Hubby, Cutie Pie and Bon Bon) were at our motel in Tiny Ski Town (another resort where we can ski on our pass -- 12 miles from Ski Town -- we have this great motel that has kitchenettes in every room and is CHEAP -- and has a hot tub overlooking the GORGEOUS Sierra mountains). We had some errands to run so got to them about 5 pm. When we parked, Bon Bon (3) came running across the parking lot yelling "Papa and Helen!!" right into our arms. Oh yeah, that made us smile...and will always. :-)
They had been playing in the snow so we all hit the hot tub before showering and dinner. We went to my fave place in Tiny Ski Town for dinner...they scored big points by bringing the granddaughters kiddie cocktails right when we sat down. Cutie Pie kept saying "I like this place.". :-) I had some great conversations with Cutie Pie over dinner...showing her the map for where we'd be skiing in Tiny Ski Town the next day, etc. She was so shy as a tot...I love how we chat now that she's almost 8. We all went to bed early in anticipation of the next big day.
Got up early on Sunday with the plan to head up the mountain for breakfast at the lodge (you have to take a lift up quite a ways just to get to the lodge at this resort). Once we got up there, we had to get rental equipment for PD2 and Cutie Pie so it took us about 2 1/2 hours from parking to getting on the slopes. But we had FUN.
The first run, Cutie Pie got hysterical. It has been a year since she skied and she was scared. PD2 was awesome with her: firm, but caring. She got her down the hill and the next run and all subsequent ones were so fun with Cutie Pie (Hubby took Bon Bon back down the hill since he doesn't really ski and she's a bit too young). DB, PD2, Cutie Pie and I had a great day. I took both girls for souvenir shopping, of course! They love their Helen. :-)
DB got some time at the end of the day to do some difficult runs with PD2 and I am soo happy they did...they are both really good skiers.
Sunday night, after hot tub, we went to a casual place for dinner and, again, had a great time. After that, we had a slumber party with the granddaughters -- they stayed with us to give their parents a night off. We played Pictionary which was totally hilarious...and then they crashed...it had been a big day.
Bon Bon woke up around 2 crying for her mommy, but we put her in bed with us and all was well. The next morning I learned about Umizoomi (fun!) while we got ready and then took the girls to breakfast while their parents slept in. Best. Slumber. Party. Ever.
After breakfast, we went back to the motel where we got ready to go ski in Ski Town again and they sledded and got ready to go home. We watched them sled for a while (so fun), then after goodbyes hit our slopes. WHAT A GREAT SKI DAY YESTERDAY. I did a new run and it was so great...my new fave. It was very cold and the snow was perfect. Wonderful.
We left about 1 pm and were home by 6:30. No real traffic was great post-holiday weekend. And we're going back for another 3-day weekend in 2 weeks. :-)
Best news: I didn't take my scale this time but was totally careful. Gained only 2 pounds (from my pre-birthday weight) and I'm sure it's because I ate biscuits and gravy yesterday for breakfast (oops). No gym tonight protecting my knees, but will be there tomorrow. I'm busy, but I have to make this a priority.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
It's the exercise, stupid!
So I went a week without formal exercise due to the funeral trip and slam-jam-packed work/social life. This has got to stop. When I exercise, I lose. When I don't, I stay the same or gain. And I have not gotten rid of the 7 birthday pounds for good in the past two weeks. And that was in addition to 10 pounds up from end of last ski season. Only one pair of my ski pants fit...I've ordered more on ebay and they're all too small even though I measured me and got measurements for them. It's bumming me out.
I went to the gym on Tuesday and am going tonight. We are skiing this (long) weekend (hopefully, if the blizzard that is predicted up there is not too bad). I have started putting my gym days on out calendar as appointments just like I did back when I was losing The Big Weight and I have told DB that these appointments are UNBREAKABLE.
I NEED TO LOSE 15 POUNDS. I'D LIKE TO LOSE 20 OR 25.
Valentine's Day was the best ever...DB cooked (healthy) for me, had a fire in the chiminea when I got home with two glasses of red wine, cheese and avocado ready when I got home. The lights were dim, our massage table was all set up (we never made it to that), the music was sweet and the air was scented with frankincense. It was awesome. I have the best Valentine. :-)
Work is slammed -- we have a new superstar client and I barely have time to breathe. I am working at home in the evenings a little just to keep up. I am afraid I may not be able to take my every-other-Mondays for the rest of ski season because of this. :-(
But I have skiing this weekend... :-)
I went to the gym on Tuesday and am going tonight. We are skiing this (long) weekend (hopefully, if the blizzard that is predicted up there is not too bad). I have started putting my gym days on out calendar as appointments just like I did back when I was losing The Big Weight and I have told DB that these appointments are UNBREAKABLE.
I NEED TO LOSE 15 POUNDS. I'D LIKE TO LOSE 20 OR 25.
Valentine's Day was the best ever...DB cooked (healthy) for me, had a fire in the chiminea when I got home with two glasses of red wine, cheese and avocado ready when I got home. The lights were dim, our massage table was all set up (we never made it to that), the music was sweet and the air was scented with frankincense. It was awesome. I have the best Valentine. :-)
Work is slammed -- we have a new superstar client and I barely have time to breathe. I am working at home in the evenings a little just to keep up. I am afraid I may not be able to take my every-other-Mondays for the rest of ski season because of this. :-(
But I have skiing this weekend... :-)
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Vacation update and more
Vacation was really great...I felt totally relaxed after two days! DB bought me amazing new skis for my b-day (used on ebay) and I call them my "magic skis". They are beautiful and make me feel much more solid while still being really "slippery" and forgiving. I totally adore them. Pretty much every day's schedule was wake-up, coffee and breakfast, ski for 3 or so hours, hot tub, dinner, bed. We went to sleep mostly before 10 every night so we got really rested. :-)
Our apartment is over the great liquor store in town and we've made friends with the guy who owns it and his fiancee (who also happen to live in the other apartment on the property). They had us over for birthday dinner on Wednesday and she even baked us a cake from scratch! They have an awesome dog and are just the sweetest couple. Who needs our L.A. friends to come with us (most never do) anyway? We have Mammoth friends now! :-)
DB baked me a b-day cake on Thursday night, can you believe it? Sweeeeet!
Friday my knees were really hurting and I debated whether to ski or not but I really wanted to. On our second run down, I ended up crying in the middle of the hill because I knew I was going to have to stop for the day...no control when one knee doesn't work! I was frustrated. :-( But we went home and went shopping at the outlet mall instead which was fun. DB bought me a gorgeous Coach purse (marked down to $70 from $400) and we both bought clothes.
For dinner on Friday, he had made reservations at the cross-country lodge which we had visited earlier in the week. GORGEOUS place -- very rustic, built in 1924. I can't believe we have never been there before! The restaurant there was amazing...French chef and adorable atmosphere. We really feel like we discovered something new and great!!
Saturday we had planned to try cross-country skiing and it seemed like the perfect time to rest my knee...it was really really fun and a huge workout...we were sore for a couple of days (until my trainer helped me stretch it out last night). It sure made me appreciate how "good" I am at downhill skiing though!! ;-) And "learning" along with DB was a bit of a challenge...he knew it all even though it was his first time too. ;-) Ahem...he was the only one who fell down out there.... ;-)
Sunday, I was so happy to get back on my magic skis. I skied great (if I do say so myself). On the lift on our way up for our last run, DB got an e-mail from one of his sisters: the estranged husband of one of our nieces was found dead (not sure if drugs or alcohol or both). She has two little kids (3 and 6). We drove home pretty much in silence...so damn sad. We are leaving tomorrow for the funeral -- about an 8-hour drive and we are renting a van so we can take PD1 and her four kids. This is a horrible time to have to miss work after being out for a week but it's important to do.
I took my scale on vacation, yes, I did! :-) Everyone laughed at me, but it is important for me to look at that number every day. And it was good until my birthday. Since then it's gone up A LOT. And I really don't know why. I have been exercising like a maniac (including trainer butt-kicking last night). I did eat b-day cake. I had some ice cream on Sunday. And I had some chips last night. These should not equal SEVEN POUNDS since Friday. :-( Literally other than those three things, I have been eating PERFECTLY and exercising. Grrrrrrrrrr.
Our apartment is over the great liquor store in town and we've made friends with the guy who owns it and his fiancee (who also happen to live in the other apartment on the property). They had us over for birthday dinner on Wednesday and she even baked us a cake from scratch! They have an awesome dog and are just the sweetest couple. Who needs our L.A. friends to come with us (most never do) anyway? We have Mammoth friends now! :-)
DB baked me a b-day cake on Thursday night, can you believe it? Sweeeeet!
Friday my knees were really hurting and I debated whether to ski or not but I really wanted to. On our second run down, I ended up crying in the middle of the hill because I knew I was going to have to stop for the day...no control when one knee doesn't work! I was frustrated. :-( But we went home and went shopping at the outlet mall instead which was fun. DB bought me a gorgeous Coach purse (marked down to $70 from $400) and we both bought clothes.
For dinner on Friday, he had made reservations at the cross-country lodge which we had visited earlier in the week. GORGEOUS place -- very rustic, built in 1924. I can't believe we have never been there before! The restaurant there was amazing...French chef and adorable atmosphere. We really feel like we discovered something new and great!!
Saturday we had planned to try cross-country skiing and it seemed like the perfect time to rest my knee...it was really really fun and a huge workout...we were sore for a couple of days (until my trainer helped me stretch it out last night). It sure made me appreciate how "good" I am at downhill skiing though!! ;-) And "learning" along with DB was a bit of a challenge...he knew it all even though it was his first time too. ;-) Ahem...he was the only one who fell down out there.... ;-)
Sunday, I was so happy to get back on my magic skis. I skied great (if I do say so myself). On the lift on our way up for our last run, DB got an e-mail from one of his sisters: the estranged husband of one of our nieces was found dead (not sure if drugs or alcohol or both). She has two little kids (3 and 6). We drove home pretty much in silence...so damn sad. We are leaving tomorrow for the funeral -- about an 8-hour drive and we are renting a van so we can take PD1 and her four kids. This is a horrible time to have to miss work after being out for a week but it's important to do.
I took my scale on vacation, yes, I did! :-) Everyone laughed at me, but it is important for me to look at that number every day. And it was good until my birthday. Since then it's gone up A LOT. And I really don't know why. I have been exercising like a maniac (including trainer butt-kicking last night). I did eat b-day cake. I had some ice cream on Sunday. And I had some chips last night. These should not equal SEVEN POUNDS since Friday. :-( Literally other than those three things, I have been eating PERFECTLY and exercising. Grrrrrrrrrr.
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