So this is what I came home to the other day.   Yep… that would be my youngest son mowing the lawn in a cape.  I really have no words to describe the situation, other than he is 14, and his sister dared him to do it.  What a great kid… what a great personality… and it made the neighbors’ night.   Trust me.  I am still hearing from some of them…

So I’m in a weight loss, work out at the gym, funk.  As in, I’m not losing weight, and not working out at the gym, kinda funk.  Ticks me off, cause I was doing so well.  Problem was, my bout with pneumonia stopped all progress.  Dead.  So what gets me going again?  That’s my question for ya.  Every night I go to bed saying, tomorrow I go work out… and then when tomorrow comes…. well, you get the picture.  I’ve casually looked into various weight loss products, but I’m not so sure that’s the right route for me.  Haven’t had much success with that in the past.  So I guess I just have to keep saying tomorrow, and then one of these days maybe it just might happen….  ummhmm… maybe…  Joey

So here it is… a post after a whole month.  But here’s the thing… I’ve been sick.  Really sick.  With pneumonia.  It’s been kicking my trash.  Probably because I was too busy to go to the doctor to get help.  After about 3 weeks, and some concerning pressure in my chest, I broke down and went for some chest xrays… and TaDa!!  There it was.  Go figure.  So anyway, that’s my excuse.  But whatever… right?

So right now, I am in Vancouver with the husband.  He is working.  I am playing.  As it should be, eh?  I have to say eh, cause of the Canadian thing.  The first time I heard someone say it, it just made me smile… eh?  We are staying downtown in a beautiful Sheraton Hotel.  Room is on the 26th floor.  Beautiful, breathtaking views from up here.  The whole outside wall of the room is windows.  Today I can see for miles.  Stunning.  Yesterday was all rain, and fog…and yet, still stunning.  Here… see for yourselves…

Yesterday… all rain and fog…

Today, mostly

clear… no rain…

So what have I been doing while the man is at his conference?  Not much of anything, I tell ya, and it is a beautiful thing.  Nothing to do, and all day to do it.  Sleeping in… reading… some shopping… good times.  This morning I woke up and had chocolate cake for breakfast…  it just doesn’t get much better than that.  Tonight I want to venture out and go see some of the Olympic sites in progress… and go see the new Vancouver temple, which will be complete in 2010… but for now, I am going to scrounge up some lunch.  Tomorrow we will be in Seattle.  I love Seattle.  Best seafood at Ivar’s.  Umm… can’t wait, just thinking about it, eh?  Joey

Umm…. can you say slacker???  I know you can…. go ahead… it will make you feel better.  I know I’ve been a blogging slacker lately… and I really have no excuse.  I have just been in sort of a dulldrum funk lately… that’s the only way to describe it.  Just sorta coasting along the last few weeks.  Just didn’t have much to say, I guess… and trust me, what I did have to say, you didn’t want to hear… ha… but really.  Thanks to all you droppers who have checked on me almost daily… I don’t deserve you… especially since I haven’t been dropping back.  You are awesome.  You inspire me to do better.  And I will try…

I gotta tell ya… this totally cracked me up.  Seriously…I don’t know about you all, but I LOVE to get dressed up to go to Wal-Mart…for reals…and who doesn’t?  But hey, I admit, I’m kinda funny about that.  Going places with my make-up on, my hair done, my teeth in… you know… the basics.. ha.  Anyway… I am off today to meet my old college roommate for lunch (and when I say old, I mean we haven’t been roommates for a long time… not that WE are old…cause I know that I’m not…hmmhmm…)  This is a pretty big deal, since she lives several states away.  Always fun to remember when, and have some good laughs… it’s good for the soul.  Keeps us young…

***  Disclaimer…  I so totally stole this funny off another blog… but forgot to save the site address, so if it was you… you  totally rock!

I got a new toy for my birthday.  I’m not sure what to think of this toy.  Anyone out there have the Wii Fit?  Talk about abuse… that darn thing has hurt my feelings so many times in the last week and a half… and yet I keep going back for more.  Sounds like a very destructive relationship, if ya ask me…but here’s the thing… no matter how many times it calls me the ‘O’ word… and I am not talking ‘Overweight’ , cause hey… I acknowledge that I have a few to lose… but that swearword thing tells me everytime I get on what my BMI is, and then it says, out loud no less, “That’s OBESE”.  Excuse me???  I AM NOT obese… I swear I’m not.  I wear a 14 for Pete’s sake.  See?  I am getting agitated just typing about it.  My husband thinks it’s hilarious… which makes me even madder.  And I swear every time I get on the darn thing, it groans… I kid you not.  It groans.  Ok, maybe not groans… but it does a little ‘Oh’… as in Oh my… I didn’t know you were going to be that heavy.  For reals.  But you know what?  This is just the motivation that I need to keep working out.  I am determined to show that little piece of Wii that I WILL be victorious.  I live for the day that it says out loud, “Oh my… I can hardly tell you are there…”  Ha.  As if she would… but for now I am happy to dream big.  So is anyone else out there suffering this abuse?  I know you’re out there.  I’ve heard stories.  We should get together and form a support group of some kind…

So I did it again… I took a 5:00 AM strength training class at the gym… and I have to say, not as bad as thursdays class.   And what is even more amazing  is that I stayed and did cardio on the eliptical and treadmill for another 50 minutes after that…. Yeah… I totally rock… or am totally insane… not quite sure which at the moment, but it is definately one of those two choices.  For now, I choose Rock.  Tomorrow morning when I can’t get out of bed… well… I’ll worry about that when it happens, ha.  Anyway… I went with a good friend who is apparantely as crazy as I am… which is one of the things I love about her… and the instructor looks at us and says… I’m really glad you two came back  again… like what… did she not think we would???  Maybe the fact that I was curled up on my mat in the fetal position (yeah, I totally did that, haha) by the end of the last class had something to do with her comment… but whatever.  ;)  I feel great, and am starting to notice a difference in some toning… and have lost 6 pounds in the last 2 weeks.  Will I tell you my starting weight?  Absolutely not… but my goal is to lose 45 pounds total.  Will I do it?  Watch me…

Holy swearword… it’s 6:30 in the morning, and I have just got home from a weight class at the gym.  I am so stinkin’ tired and proud of myself… cause anyone who really knows me knows that I consider 5am the middle of the night (haha, for reals)… but I did it, and I am beat.  I do realize that by tomorrow morning (which happens to be my birthday) I won’t be able to lift my arms over my head… or maybe even lift my head, for that matter… and I will be thinking… “It feels sooo much older to be ‘43′…”, but whatever.  I can do this.  And if I can do this… then my good friend Christine can do this… do you hear me Christine??? I know you are out there.  Anyway… here’s to me and my major accomplishment this morning… I think I deserve a nice weekend here…Outer Banks , but not right now… cause I am going back to bed.

Oh MY swearword… I have died and gone to heaven.  I found a knock-off recipe for Cafe Rio’s Barbacoa Pork… and is it good…so good… actually,  good does not describe it.   Heaven.  That’s a better word.  The recipe makes enough for an army… so the first night we had the Pork Barbacoa salads (grilled tortilla, refried and black beans, pork barbacoa, cilantro rice, lettuce, cheese, pico di gallo, sour cream, homemade guac, and creamy tomatillo dressing).  The next night we made burritoes… tonight we are going to use the rest of it up in enchiladas.  I am drooling just thinking about them.  I don’t have the time to post the recipes right this second, but if anybody out there is interested, I will add an update.  You should take me up on this offer.  You won’t be sorry...

I have a small addiction… to watches.  All kinds of watches.  Dressy watches, bangle watches, bracelet and watch duos, casual watches, brightly colored watches… you name it, I probably have one.  Fossil watches, Swatch watches , watches from Wal-Mart… doesn’t matter… I love them all.  I love to comb the jewelry department for something new… something different… unique.  And when I find it, I gotta have it.  Do I have a problem?  Possibly… I might need to start a support group with a 12 step program… “Hello, my name is Joey… and I am addicted to watches…” (let’s not EVEN get me started on my addiction to tennis shoes… Oh… I love my Converse…).

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