Welcome to My Home Base.....

Yesterday I visited Felicia's blog and she had a neat idea. She posted a pic of where she blogs. It was kind of cool to be "invited" into someone's blogging home and get a glimpse of where the creative juices flow.

So I've posted a pic of where I "do my thing". Not real impressive - but it works for me. Anyone else want join in?

Next, thank you to Yogi Wannabe for tipping me off that "I Can Make You Thin" was on again last night in a repeat episode of Sunday's show. I've since learned you can go to

the website too and check for repeat times.

I was still pretty sick last night and dead tired as I'd been up since 5:00 AM so I watched it with my eyes half open in bed. I drifted off during some parts but I caught enough to get the general gist. It was about conquering emotional eating by doing this weird tapping thing. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. For lack of nothing to lose - I'm going to try ot. I think the concept really involves just distracting yourself even though the guy claims your tapping acupressure points and "adjusting" your brain....

I've also brought out my little plate again and promised myself to use it ALL week - along with my slow eating. I still can't taste much so it won't be all that hard right now.

The women in my family have also started a weight loss competition for the upcoming wedding this June. The accountability factor is primo here and there is a lot of momentum going. We're using our dry humor and self-styled wit to make this fly - threatening to make the loser wear a pig nose to the reception. Of course we won't really do that - but I DO have a pig nose laying around here someplace. It'll make an appearance at the wedding for sure. (Along with the hillbilly teeth that always show up too. (Did I mention our family was weird?)

Anyone else have a take on the "tapping" thing? Just curious!

And I'll be watching for your pics of your home base!

I'm still here....sniffle sniffle!

Sorry I've been AWOL - I'm still feeling pretty crappy. Yet still dragging myself in to sub each day. Ironic...the sick sub is filling in so the sick teacher can go home and rest. What one will do to pay the bills. Anyway - I've been coming home each night and dragging myself to the couch where I've hidden under my favorite green fleece blanket until the hubby comes home.

Not much of an appetite lately....which is good. Why bother eating if you can't taste it, right?

It seemed like Spring was finally making an appearance here with mild days of no coats and disappearing snow until I woke up this morning and everything was white again! The fluffy snow fairy must've come during the night and did her thing. I must say - in spite of the fact I hate winter - it was beautiful. That puffy kind of snow that clings to every tree branch and looks like a Hallmark Christmas Card..... Still. It can leave anytime now. I'm done with winter. (have been since December but it it hasn't made a difference....

I'm anxious to get walking again...yearning for fresh air and sunshine after all these months cooped up in the house! Which means that some of my friends on the other side of the world will be saying good bye to summer soon. Sorry guys. It's our turn now! And for those of you who are blessed with summer year round... *sigh*

I missed the second installment of "I Can Make You Thin" (did I say that in an earlier post?) Anyway - if anyone saw it - was it any good? Any worthy "Aha" moments I should know about? I'm still working on the slow eating trick...I admit...sometimes I forget, but when I think about it - it truly does make a difference.

Right now I'm sniffling all over the keyboard need to load up with some antihistamines. Can't take them during the school day or I'd fall asleep at my desk. Hopefully this weekend will give me the time to recuperate and get back on track. One last word on the elusive job....the woman I interviewed with is out of town. Still. Was supposed to be back last Tuesday and now it's pushed till next Monday. She promised she'd call either way and not leave me hanging. Well...I've been hanging for several weeks now! And it's not fun!

Today's a Yucky Day....

I'm nursing a nasty cold right now and feel like crap. Yesterday I got a call from my grandson's daycare to come pick him up - he was throwing up all over the place. His momma was working - her car's in the shop for 3 days - and I'm just praying that I don't start tossing my cookies now too.

Youngest daughter left to go back to Massachusetts last night *sigh* and oldest daughter announced Sunday morning that she is engaged. I think I'm happy about this.... Her boyfriend is a nice guy. He treats her well. But he's got a medical disability (some kind of blood disorder) that keeps him from working full time or having a driver's licence. So of course the parent in me is freaking out right now. I want the best for my daughter. I want her to have a good life. But she's 26 and...well....I'm finally realizing that I can't live her life for her. So I'm trying to be supportive. But I can't honestly say that I'm doing the happy dance right now. I'm trusting God has a plan in all of this - because I sure don't!

On the job front - I was supposed to hear back by last Friday. No call. So I called them. And got an answering machine saying that no one was in the office (she was on vacation and would return today.) So I'm waiting till around noon - and then calling again. Can you hear another sigh here followed by a groan? I need a job and the pickings are slim here unless I want to to take a major pay cut and works for peanuts. The health insurance is killing us! My per-diem subbing barely pays the monthly premium.

Today's not a really good day. I need more coffee and some Kleenex. And a job.

I'll be in a better mood tomorrow. I promise.

Did anyone see the second segment of "I Can Make You Thin" last night? Being it was Easter and all...I would've felt funny asking my sister to turn on the TV so I could watch the show. I have some dignity! Anyway - just wondering what I missed.

I have been perusing the website for the show and stumbled upon another revelation that clicked on yet another light bulb in this feeble mind of mine. Foregoing the whole diet mentality thing - and not having forbidden foods (you know...the golden rule that says "Eat what you want") I realized that many times I will postpone my weight loss/diet efforts because there is "good" (read here - forbidden) food in the house. I always figure I must polish it all off before I commence my diet. But if as Paul McKenna says - I can eat what I want (only if I'm hungry and then I must consciously enjoy every bite and stop when I'm full) then I don't' have to worry about the cream puffs in the fridge (remember last Easter's post holiday bloggings?) Mum-in-law brought the dreaded delicacies again in large quantities! And I also don't'have to worry about all the candy she brought for grandson who lives here. (TWO baskets! Not one- but TWO!) And the one we gave him too of course....!

But if - and I say that cautiously - I follow the 4 rules - I CAN have some treats - for as long as they last! (which I'm estimating to be a very long time considering the amount and the slowness of which I must consume them )! Of course also remembering that the treats really belong to grand baby and not me!

I don't know if this is all making sense to you guys...but it is starting to turn some light bulbs on for me.

I really wish I'd seen part two last night. If anyone did - can you give me a re-cap?

I've also ventured on a little motivating competition with some of the women-folk in my clan regarding the up coming wedding this June. We're all vowing to lose 20 pounds by then. They say there's strength in numbers. We shall see!

Hope you all had a blessed holiday. I've attached some pics of the highlights at our own celebration. (We have a tradition my Grandpa brought over from England when he moved here - you will see it some of the pics). We "crack" eggs. Each person gets an egg - one is the cracker - the other is the crackee. Whom ever eggs breaks - loses it to the one who cracked them. It's an odd thing - but we have a grand time doing it!

Happy Easter!

I'm sure you're all too busy to check your blog-mail today (as I should be!) but I just wanted to wish you all a very Happy Easter!

This is always a bittersweet holiday for me because my mom died just after Easter and then my dad followed her a few weeks later. When I sit in church on this holiest of days...I think of them more than ever. I cry sad tears because I miss them terribly ~ but I also cry happy tears when we sing the words about death being swallowed up in victory for those that believe in the Lord.

I know mom and dad (and hubby Patrick) are having a grand time in heaven this morning. While we're all down here coloring eggs, scurryng around looking for baskets and trying to piece together the mystery of the Cross ~ they're sitting at the feet of the Risen Lord having all their questions answered.

Happy Easter my friends. May God bless you this day with peace and happiness and a faith that abides.

love,

Lora

F.Y.I.

Just an FYI - if anyone has the link in their sidebar that looks like this Ç ? My Diet Blog # È = get rid of it!!! I can't remember what site I orignally got it from - but as I was housecleaning today I clicked on it and it led to a hacked site with profanity.

For heaven's sake - people really need to get a life.

THe Gang's All Here!

Last night all the kids came over for dinner (my youngest & her hubby came in from Massachusetts for the holiday weekend) and we colored Easter eggs. It was so good to have to put all the leaves in the table and scrunch everybody around. Hubby out did himself as always and made stuffed pork chops, garlic "smashed" potatoes and corn. The boys are always excited to eat here because they love his cooking!

In all the excitement, I forget to do my "slow" eating. We're not a quiet bunch when we're all together. We love to joke and laugh (after dinner we passed the camera around and took turns making weird faces....we're not entirely normal over here....) and eating is something that just "happens" during dinner for us. if ever there was a scenario that lent itself perfectly to putting the fork down between every bite - last night was it. And I blew it - which means I have a LONG way to go before this becomes second nature to me.

I also have a mini motivator before me that I hope will help spur me on. My niece is getting married this June and I need to drop some of this blubber if I want to wear something presentable. Spring is coming and with the warmer weather I plan on walking more (and my middle daughter is giving us their treadmill.) Actually - it was ours to begin with - but when she got married I told her she could take it with her as she was the only one in the house who used it. Now they've decided to buy a more sturdy model as they run on it and it's bouncing all over the place when her hubby gets on it. He's a lightweight - but runs fast and hard.

I hope to get it over here in the next week.

A little side note (about the Fire Safety Demo we attended the other night). We were offered a free dinner to sit through the spiel. They used pretty good scare tactics and of course we signed up for a home visit the following day to discuss installing their "state of the art" smoke and heat detectors. We wer eboth supposed to be there but I got a call to come in ad sub. The sales man was very miffed that hubby was alone. They don't want you to be able to say "let me talk it over with my better half and get back to you." First red flag. When hubby wouldn't reschedule 0 the guy got belligerent. Hubby said "Show me the stuff now - or leave." The guy was a real jerk. So hubby showed him the door. As the guy was leaving he said snidely over his shoulder, "Did you enjoy your free dinner?" Hubby replied (rubbing his tummy) "Oh yes! Especially the Prime Rib!"

Upon further investigation (which is why these guys DON'T want to give you time to think) is that they're scam artists! A simple system That they boast can be installed in as little as 20 minutes - runs around (are you ready for this?!) $4,000.00! Of course we wouldn't have spent that much - but there are many people who do because of the scare tactics regarding fires that are used. Especially the elderly.

Moral of the story? if you get invited to a free dinner to view a fire safety demo - pass. But if you do go - don't sign the green card before you leave!

Okay...Lora has lots to do to prepare for brunch tomorrow. The gang all converges here again (along with the in-laws) for brunch tomorrow. I'm so excited to have all my cubs in church with me so we can take up our traditional pew that we sat in for years - before all the kids scattered to different towns and churches (!) It used to be three little girls seated with me every Sunday...the youngest with her head on my lap - the middle one playing with the rings on my finger - the oldest thumbing through the Hymnal through out the service.... They got older and learned to sit up straighter and eventually found a niche for Jesus in their own hearts (instead of riding along on the coat tails of their momma's faith.) They got their wings (did you hear that Oprah and Marianne!!) and moved on. but just for tomorrow - I'll have them all back (plus 2 son-in-law and a grandbaby) to surround me in church - in our favorite pew. Life is good! Thank you, Jesus!