Just a little bit more...

One is in and one to go.

Deadline is almost here, and I'm going to make it, but I'm not there yet.

Sent to me in an email: This will be me... tomorrow...

Lost...

...in deadline rush.

Posted on FB:

Carpe Diem... at the Brickyard...

NASCAR ~ Carl came in 13th and is still 3rd in the Chase. Go Carl!

Re-writes

Editing

More than enough on my plate.

Thank Goodness It's Sunday... #165...

~ Blessed rain.

~ Not a lot of lightning, which means I'm able to keep working. Okay, I heard there was a lot of lightning. In fact, my sister was without power, only 3/4 mile away.

~ Friends who help me maintain my sanity.

~ Yummy cake, cookies, chocolate, etc, and eating less of it but not cutting it entirely.

~ Good books.

My Heroes... John and Schoep...

I remember when the photo came out, last year. I shared it on FB, like so many others. I wondered how they were doing. It took me long enough, but I finally wondered if maybe they had their own FB page. They did, and I followed. I loved the daily updates, a single picture of Schoep sniffing or sleeping or enjoying the moment. It was my guaranteed smile every day.

I watched with anticipation the build up to Schoep's 20th birthday. I cheered and celebrated with thousands of others. I laughed when John shared how it was taking them days to read the thousands of cards sent for Schoep's birthday.

Having lived with a senior dog who lived to be over 17, I knew the end was coming. I was grateful for each morning when I checked FB and there was a picture of Schoep.

A little over a week ago, John posted the picture of a dog's paw print in the sand. Schoep went home to God. I cried. I'm crying as I write this. My heart breaks for John, but it also hurts for me. I will miss sharing in their little piece of sunshine every day.

God bless John and Schoep.

http://www.today.com/pets/dog-pictured-floating-sleep-owners-arms-has-died-6C10680004

Why I keep milk in my diet...

I've heard, more times than I care to recount, how I should dump milk from my diet, for a myriad of reasons.

Recently, during my writing binge, shopping wasn't done. Yes, everything pretty much goes to the wayside, especially when I'm cutting it close on a deadline. It doesn't happen often, but enough I've learned the pattern.

I ran out of milk. I managed not to panic. I did have coconut milk and almond milk. Yes, it's out of the diet, as soon as I finished off what I already have on hand. My little Scottish heart won't let me simply dump it.

I was cutting back to make what little milk I had left last.

Milk is filling, at least for me. It's a comfort food.

My nails are brittle without milk in my diet, really brittle. Drive me crazy brittle. Break and tear brittle.

When I drink 2-3 cups a day, the nails aren't perfect, but they are much better.

Week One-Hundred Nine of REAL...

REAL - Reduce stress Exercise Adequate sleep Lower caloric intake

What Navy SEALs are required to do to make it into BUD/S:

http://navyseal.s5.com/requirements.html

http://military-fitness.military.com/2013/01/the-spartan-300-workout-and-new-variations.html?ESRC=sm_fit.nl

RIght up front: Never in a million years could I do what is required. However, I needed to start somewhere. Considering how fit the SEALs are, I figured it was a good place to start. So my SEAL puppy reps (SEALp) consist of girls' pushups, crunches, and flutter kicks, a SEAL training basic. I started with doing one of each. 

Hip lifts

PT ~ Physical therapy using 3-lb and 2-lb weights, alternating days.

UB ~ Upper body exercises

I've worked up to 50 and then 10 more.

BD ~ Belly dancing (my version of it, anyway)

The 19th: 1-mile walk. SEALp. PT. UB. BD.

The 20th: 2-mile walk. PT. BD.

The 21st: Rest.

The 22nd: 1-mile walk. SEALp. PT. UB. BD.

The 23rd: PT. BD.

The 24th: 1-mile walk. SEALp. PT. UB. BD.

The 25th: PT. BD.

The first picture was taken in February 2012. The second picture was taken in June 2012. Inspiration, at least to me:

One-mile walks...

I've tried walking only a mile. I don't like it. I prefer two miles, and I enjoy the occasional three and four miles. Interestingly enough, my back loosens up and relaxes. A mile is not enough.

Having said that, the heat really does make it difficult to walk my two miles. I really hate breathing water. I know my BFF lives where the humidity is much higher. I'm simply not accustomed to it. Fortunately, it doesn't last long. We've been inundated with rain. We need it.

I tried upping my weights to three pounds. Unexpectedly, it bothered my wrists. So, it's back to two pounds. I'll slow and increase the reps instead.

Living and learning what works for me.

Follow up on yesterday's list...

What did I actually accomplish?

Defrost fridge.

Email sent.

Froze eggs. (Eggs were on sale. They keep longer if frozen. Beat with sugar or salt to help with preservation. I do it in 2s or 4s, cookies use 2, cake uses 4.)

Exercise.

Eat healthily. I actually did pretty well. Sunday night was the first time in days, maybe weeks, I breathed easy. My shoulders relaxed and dropped from around my ears. Makes a difference.

Improve sleeping.

Formatted story due the first of next month and began the rewrite process.

Pretty good.

Carpe Diem... Breathe...

This month is packed. I mean really packed. I have several projects all due on or before August 1st.

I need to clean house.

I need to do laundry.

I need to defrost the fridge.

I need to edit.

I need to send off an email.

I need to write a short story.

I need to exercise.

I need to eat healthily.

I need to sleep.

I need to breathe.

Thank Goodness It's Sunday... #164...

~ Rain last Sunday, without lightning. Thanks, God!

~ More rain!

~ Being able to write through the storms.

~ Edits and writing currently on schedule.

~ Sister Therapy!

My Heroes... The Everyday Heroes...

This week, a little girl was saved from an abduction when two teenagers saw her dragged into a car and they followed on their bikes. The kidnapper freaked out and dumped the girl. These young men didn't do it for any other reason than it was the right thing to do.

This story made me think of the gentleman who helped those three young women escape that horrible house after being held captive in the basement for ten years.

To those who allow someone in during rush hour traffic.

To the stranger who picks up a dropped item and hurries to return it to the owner.

To the person who offers a smile.

To those who choose to do good.

To everyone who endeavors to make the world a better place by choosing to be a better person.

And to those in the military who fight for freedom, a God-given gift.

Thank you. You inspire me to be better than I was and to look for the opportunity to be a blessing to others.

http://www.unknownsoldiersblog.com/

http://khanrahan.com/

Almond Milk is not working out...

Okay, I tried it. My feet hurt like they did when I ate eggs on a regular basis.

I'm allergic to eggs. Really, really, really allergic to eggs. On the RAST (food allergy test), highly allergic starts at 720 points. I tested at 1122 points, thereabouts.

I used to eat khai yat sai on a regular basis. It's a Thai dish and one of my favorites. Stir fry ground pork or chicken. Set it aside. Stir fry vegetables. In the US, I used zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, and mushrooms. Set it aside with the meat. Fish sauce and soy sauce are added during the cooking, but since I didn't keep fish sauce on hand, I only used soy sauce and only sparingly. Pour in 1-2 beaten eggs and roll the pan so the egg would spread out into a thin layer, like crepe batter. In a minute or two, it will be cooked because it's so thin. Add the meat and veggie mixture in the middle of the egg "crepe." Fold the sides over the top, making an envelope or pocket. Serve over rice.

Yes, I really miss eating khai yat sai.

I don't miss my feet hurting from eating eggs.

So, yes, I know the symptoms of an allergic reaction to something I eat.

Almond milk is off the table.

Bummer.

Week One-Hundred Eight of REAL...

REAL - Reduce stress Exercise Adequate sleep Lower caloric intake

What Navy SEALs are required to do to make it into BUD/S:

http://navyseal.s5.com/requirements.html

http://military-fitness.military.com/2013/01/the-spartan-300-workout-and-new-variations.html?ESRC=sm_fit.nl

RIght up front: Never in a million years could I do what is required. However, I needed to start somewhere. Considering how fit the SEALs are, I figured it was a good place to start. So my SEAL puppy reps (SEALp) consist of girls' pushups, crunches, and flutter kicks, a SEAL training basic. I started with doing one of each. 

Hip lifts

PT ~ Physical therapy using 2-lb weights.

UB ~ Upper body exercises

I've worked up to 50 and then 10 more.

BD ~ Belly dancing (my version of it, anyway)

The 12th: 1-mile walk. SEALp. PT. UB. BD.

The 13th: 1-mile walk. PT 50 plus 10 x2. BD. Yard work. Team Froglogic challenged me to workout 1 hour and 20 minutes every day for the next 30 days. I'll take a break on Sundays, so I won't count them. I already know I need the rest on the Sabbath. Don't need to test that one again.

The 14th: Rest.

The 15th: 1-mile plus a little more walk. SEALp. PT and UB 50 and 10 x3. BD. 1 hr 20 min.

The 16th: PT. BD. Doing a rethink on the TF challenge. I'm swamped with 3 deadlines, all at the end of this month. I'll start the challenge on August 1st. Between now and then, I will increase my workout times, so I'm ready.

The 17th: 1-mile walk. SEALp. PT. UB. BD.

The 18th: PT. BD.

The first picture was taken in February 2012. The second picture was taken in June 2012. Inspiration, at least to me: