Frankie and Slim

Frankie and Slim
Happy New Year

Monday, January 31, 2011

DILEMMA OF THE WEEK

I read about a dilemma this morning and thought I would give you the question to ponder. Let's say that you are waiting in a bus shelter. A homeless person wanders in and stands next to you. This person is carrying a small basket of fresh strawberries. The homeless person sees you staring and extends the basket of fruit toward you, asking if you would like a strawberry. Would you take one? If you would not, why not?

Saturday, January 29, 2011

CHOCOLATE CAKE, CASSEROLE, BACON, SAUSAGE, EGGS


What's for breakfast? Plus there is a Texas Hash casserole in the crock pot for lunch.


Well don't worry, I'm not breaking my personal menu choices in my fitness plan. So, why would someone involved with meal moderation and fitness get up early to cook up such food?

Three grandchildren came creeping into our home in the middle of the night with their papa. Granny Annie is filling the house to awaken them with delicious odors. I try to cook their favorites. Dillon's breakfast request, Ryan's lunch request, and Beth will get her pancakes tomorrow morning:)



These are precious morning sights to me!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

MY EXPERIENCE WITH ALLI aka ORLISTAT


Okay, I don't want to jinx myself but I just have to share my latest health and fitness project with my fellow bloggers.

It was with great fear and trepidation that I purchased a starter kit of Alli weight loss pills and began to read all of the directions for using this product. I started several days early planning my daily menus and getting set up on their website. I receive email pointers and tips and have a weekly check-in that gives me some accountability.

First I started eating as suggested and followed the meal plans closely for five days before daring to take the first Alli capsule. My personal plan allowed me 1800 calories daily and 19 grams of fat per meal (approx. 60 g. daily). If you know about this pill, you know that there are dreadful tales out there about very traumatic and embarrassing effects that will hit you if you consume too much fat over your meal allowance. Now in the plan since December 28, 2010, I have not experienced those intestinal side effects but I do monitor my food intake very, very carefully. I have to believe that persons who have bad experiences are trying to just take the pill without reading the guidelines carefully.

As of today, I have lost 13 pounds with this plan of eating and exercise. My plate is actually not like the one shown above because my plate is very full of good food simply by planning and monitoring carefully. We can even go out to eat and I manage to find acceptable meals within my allowance. It is, however, consuming a big part of my time and concentration.

Simply following the suggested meal and exercise activities would probably cause me to lose a good amount of weight but they say the Alli pill increases your weight loss by about 50%. It is easy to stay within the boundaries out of fear over what excess could do to me.

I have a large amount of weight to lose. This plan divides it in smaller increments and therefore I have already met and exceeded my first goal which was 12 pounds. Alli is not for a person who only needs to lose a few pounds. It is for those falling in the obese category and much to my shame, I fell hard into that category right after Christmas.

First I gained energy with the help from the sleep disorder study which gave me the bipap machine to sleep under nightly which gave me long needed restful sleep which gave me energy and ambition to tackle this health and fitness program. I am exercising 5 -7 days a week as well as simply increasing my daily activity of household chores and care of all the animals.

I am moving forward full of hope that this will finally be the plan that will work for me. So far, so good. Thanks for listening.

Monday, January 24, 2011

PONDER YOUR SHADOW



"I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me, And what can be the use of him is more than I can see. He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head; And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed."
From My Shadow by Robert Louis Stevenson

This is an excerpt from my favorite childhood poem. This lovely verse caused me to pay a lot of attention to my shadow. It has been years since I have taken the time to acknowledge my shadow and wonder if you pay any attention to yours. It is always with us in some form. Should such a close associate have it's own name? Do you enjoy the company of your shadow or do you fear your own shadow? Or do you give a flying fig about your shadow?

If you have time, read about this strange shadow person. Is this a case of "paranoia, persecution or alien control"?


This is called blog posting desperation:)

Thursday, January 20, 2011

FREAKY WIFI


(Thanks Suzy Q for sending this. It is the funniest ever!)


And if you are snowed in today like we are, you will enjoy a boogie with THE REAL BOOGIE MAN


(Thanks Suzy Q for sending this too. It got me moving)

Monday, January 17, 2011

THE WHEELS ON THE BUS


Did you ever (or do you ever) ride the bus? Many of my bus riding memories are vivid. Not only did I travel home from college on a Greyhound, but I also rode city bus transportation in Muskogee, OK, Oklahoma City, OK and Tulsa, OK.

My first experience on a city bus was while visiting a friend from church camp who lived in Muskogee. Her parents let us leave the house in the morning, catch a bus downtown and spend the day shopping, only to return to her home by our curfew. I am quite sure we were both about 11 or 12. It was the first day of my life to taste freedom and feel all grown up. Do any children still do this today? I am doubtful.

My fondest memory was a trip home from my grandparents in Ponca City, OK in 1958. My grandfather took me to the bus station and warned me not to talk to strangers. I was 12. Imagine the horror on my grandfather's face as the bus pulled away just as a young sailor sat down beside me. This handsome young sailor kept my attention all the way to Tulsa and even gave me his photo. When Ron and I found each other 13 years ago I liked to believe he was that same sailor I had been looking for since age 12:)

As a college student in Oklahoma City I had to return home once each month to have my dental braces adjusted. (Yes I wore braces my senior year in high school and my freshman year in college-...friends called me Grin-tin-tin). The bus seemed to stop every 30 miles between OKC and Altus, OK. The road was very treacherous and I was too young to actually be frightened by the trip. Several times I rode with the great-granddaughter of Quanah Parker and this frail, elderly woman would tell us stories of his life. Of course she could have made the whole thing up but for some reason I believed it all.

I worked for an insurance company downtown in Tulsa in the late 60s and had to ride the city bus daily to and from work. It was actually an enjoyable experience traveling with the same commuters every day and exchanging stories of our workday joys and woes. If a regular did not show up on the bus, we all worried about the individual.

Our most recent bus rides have been on tours when we go to Ron's various ship reunions. That travel is done on luxury charter buses.

I wonder what it would be like today to go the the bus station, buy a ticket to somewhere, and go for a ride. I hear it is not a very pleasant experience. I don't even know where a bus station is around here. Don't ask me why this all popped into my head. Do you have a bus story?

Suddenly I know why this popped into my head. Today is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday and there was never a movement more involved with bus rides than the Civil Rights movement. I never traveled to a rally by bus but my siblings did.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

READ THE CIRCLED ITEM

Everyone has complained about my handwriting all my life. Now I have reached the point where I cannot read it either.

Leaving for the store yesterday I suddenly remembered something left off the list. I quickly jotted it down and having old-timers disease, as quickly forgot what it was. Looking at the list did not help because I could not read what I wrote.

Can you read the circled item above? Help me out here. I guess it wasn't too vital since whatever it was hasn't been missed....yet.

BREAKING NEWS 1-17-11: I remembered. It says "thin white crew socks". Suddenly it is so clear isn't it? Thanks for all you comments and guesses:)

Monday, January 10, 2011

A CHANGE OF SCENERY


Above is my view from my laptop. Usually I work at the kitchen table facing the refrigerator. The view from the previous year changes after Christmas when the refrigerator pictures are taken down and new ones are put up as all these neat picture greetings begin to arrive. I love all these new photos and looking at the beautiful grandchildren and grand nieces and nephews and seeing how much they have grown. It is going to be interesting to see how what highlights will be added before the end of 2011. But when I first look up at the new pictures there is still a little shock when the first photos I focus on are no longer George Clooney and my daughter and God-daughter on the red carpet at the 2010 Oscars.

Saturday, January 08, 2011

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED IN 2,066 YEARS?


WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED IN 2,066 YEARS?


"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance." - Cicero - 55 BC

Evidently nothing.

received this in an email.

Monday, January 03, 2011

WE HAVE SEPARATED


Yes, Ron and I separated on New Years Day. Not in our marriage but in our daily lives. The Dish Television people actually came to our home on January 1st to install our new DVR and put an extension on the living room television. I now have my own 120 channels and my own REMOTE. I may never go in the den again. Of course if Ron needs some food or drink he can call me on his cell and I can pause my show to wait on him. Will wonders never cease?

It is fun watching my own show choices because we have extremely different taste but....I sure miss Ron:(

Guess time will tell if the separation will work. If we decide to reconcile, will he go for blood and guts murder mysteries or will I compromise for the History, Discovery and News channels?


By the way, I got custody of Slim. Ron gets den visitation when he is eating something she expects to share::)

Saturday, January 01, 2011

1-1-11






GREETINGS FROM:
Granny Annie,
Ron,
Slim (aka The Best Dog In The World),
7 Guinea Fowl (all known as TJ for Tarzan/Jane since we can't determine gender),
12 chickens (Rooster Jack Bauer that thinks he is a goat, Rooster Daryl, Rooster Chicklet, Chicken Little, Mr. Gibson the hen, June, June, June, Mame, Black Hawk, Chicken Annie, Little Blackie),
Five Goats (Elizabeth, Polly, Tina, Dixie and Tandy Kid),
Six cats (Furbie, Boomer, Lil Bear, Goliath, David and Stripe)
and
my new bi-pap breathing side kick Tonto,

All wish you a Happy New Year's Day with wishes for a perfect 2011.