Fess Up Full

I ate way, way, waaaaaay too much yesterday.
Portion control ? What's that ?!?

Yes.
It was a holiday but, c'mon ... really ?
Really ??

Really.

I'm sitting here thinking of all the food that entered by body.
Entering once would be enough.
But, it was Thanksgiving and I was very thankful.
I chose to have multiple pieces of everything.
Many multiples pieces.

Coffee cake
Crackers, cheese, pepperoni
Olives, green peppers, carrots
Sauerkraut and sausage
Mashed potatoes
Corn
Fruit Salad
Stuffing
Pie # 1 - pumpkin
Pie # 2 - chocolate
Apple Crisp
Doritos

In hindsight, I'm wondering why I had to throw Doritos into the mix.
It seemed so right last night.

My total calorie count is off the charts I'm sure.
I don't even want to go there.
So, I won't.
Yay.

I usually step on my scale every Friday just to see how the numbers are looking.
Uh.
Not today.
No way.

What's the point of my food consumption confession ?
My Friday Fess Up of course !

I ate everything and then some but, somehow I missed the turkey.
How I missed the main event ...?... I do not know.
But, I did.

Incredibly, my brain is insisting I must find that turkey today.
My belly is saying "Think about fitting into your jeans woman. Think !!"

At the day's end I KNOW I will have found that turkey.
And then some.

Fess. Fess.

:)




 

Push ! 2

I'm so happy !

I donated plasma yesterday and I did not beep.
Not once.
What a relief.

For those who are asking what the heck is she yappin about now ?
Here's a recap....

I donate plasma once a month.
Been donating for about a year now.
I love it.

btw ... I highly recommended a visit to your local blood center....
Give them a pint.
You will be glad you did.

Anyways, the last few times I donated I've caused the plasma ladies all kinds of grief.
Seems my veins are weaklings.
The ladies have a hard time finding a juicy vein and once found, my tiny guy makes the plasma machine beep.
The plasma crew has told me I need more fluids in my system.
I need to push, push, push the fluids.

I've been on a hydrating mission since my last donation.
I have been drinking water like there's no tomorrow.
It wasn't fun but, yesterday it paid off.
I didn't beep.

The plasma ladies were so thrilled !
I let them carry on with their "I told you so's" because they did tell me so.
They told me to push more fluids.
They were right.
All I needed was to push.
Problem solved.

I have become a new, true believer in hydrating.
It's really not all that horrible.
Not like it was those first few 'I can't drink another drop' days...!
My trusty cup of ice water is always by my side & the extra fluids in this body of mine do make me feel better.

The plasma ladies love me now.
Happiness filled that donation center when word got out that the beeper, aka me, didn't beep.
Who'd have figured a non beeping plasma device could cause such joy ...?!?
YaY for Everybody !

The last words I heard as I walked out the door were "Remember to push those fluids for the next time !"
 Don't worry plasma ladies.
 I'm a believer of the push now
 & I feel good !

:)

Blue Dots

There is an insect known as the Emerald Ash Borer.
Google tells me it is a green beetle native to Asia and Eastern Russia.
The Emerald Ash Borer made it's way to America in 2002.
An infestation of these green beetles is highly destructive to ash trees.

I am knowing this info because Emerald Ash Borers have entered my walking world. 
Big, blue, spray painted dots color the trees that must be cut down because of that gang of bugs.
Blue dots are everywhere on my walk these days and I don't like it !

My favorite stretch of trees have those ugly dots on them.
They are the best bunch of trees in the park.
Wonderful, proud, reaching to the sky old timers.
It will break my heart to see them go.

Yesterday, my blog words described my respect for the awesome power of nature.

Today ?
I am wondering what the heck point is there to an Emerald Ash Borer....?
I'm very angry at that part of nature.
Why did those thugs have to show up in my happy land and mess with my trees ?!?
why why whyyyyyyyyy ???????

I'll be stewing in this for a few days I'm sure.
That little insect is on my mad list.
& mad I am.
Mad I shall remain.
humph

I'll go to the park today, tomorrow, the next day, next, next and next ...because that's what I do.
& I'm sure I will witness the chopping down of my beloved trees.

noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

But, come Spring,  I will also witness the planting of the newbies.
I can't be mad at the new guys.
It's not their fault.
And they will be so cute scattered amongst the remaining, giant trees.
So, eventually, I will get over my mad.
Eventually.

Ahhhh.
The slow, steady, wonderful healing process of nature.
You gotta love it.
I sure do.

But, you Mr Emerald Ash Borer ?
It's going to take me a very, very, very long time to love you.
humph.

:)

Up on the Roof

I was on the roof last week.
The gutters were full of leaves and it's easier to clean them from up there.
It's such a pretty view !
But, I have to admit, I have a few issues when it comes to being on the roof.

Issue # 1
Climbing the ladder.

Climbing a ladder that high scares the you know what out of me.
Climbing up.
Climbing down.
Yikes and Yikes.

Once I get my feet on the flat part of the roof I am fine.
In fact, back when my kids were kids, I let them climb up on the flat roof.
They loved it !
How I let my precious children climb up that long, tall ladder still puzzles me though.

So.
I cleaned the flat roof gutters and all was fine and fun.
....except for the scary ladder part.....

Then it was time for the slanted part of the roof.
I usually clean the slanted roof gutters from down below.
But, for some reason, this year I decided to clean the gutters from above.
That meant venturing onto the slanted roof.
Piece of cake ! I thought to myself before I began venturing.

Issue # 2
The slanted roof.

I was halfway to where I needed to be on the slanted roof when I discovered I was terrified.
It was quite an eye opener.
Yep.
I'd go so far as to call it an epiphany.

Why did I think this was a good idea ??
& NOW what do I do ?!?

I guess you could say I conquered my fear....?
I guess.
I maneuvered my way very, very slowly off the slanted roof.
& I vowed to never, ever do that again.

I made it back to the flat roof and considered doing a dance of joy, until I realized I still had to go down that dreaded ladder.

You'll be happy to know, I survived.

I touched the ground with overwhelming relief.
I was so very proud.
I faced a fear.
Hip Hip Hooray for me !

Come Spring, I will boldly climb back on that roof to clean those gutters yet again.
& I will be big, bad and brave until then.

Bring it, ladder.
I got this.

And you, slanted roof...?
Uh.
ummmmmmm.
I don't think so.

One fear at a time is enough for me.
One deep-seated  fear at a time !!

eek.

:)

  

Tailgating

There's nothing better than a tailgate ..!... according to me.
It's Happy Land for sure.

I'm talking a before the game tailgate.
The after game tailgate, win or lose, is a whole nother story.
woo woo

I spent yesterday morning at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL tailgating.
I didn't venture into the game this time.
This was a tailgate only and it was a blast.

It's just so wonderful seeing so many incredibly jolly people united for one cause.
Weeeeee....!
Yes, there is booze as far as the eye can see ...but, there is a togetherness level like no other.
Strangers become instant pals just because they happened to park next to each other.

Hello New Friend.

It's a landscape of joy and laughter.
& every time I experience a tailgate I think ...  'if only' ....
If only life could be this united.

People helping people.
People liking people.
People loving life.

You are my friend and you ARE special !
Now hand me another beer please ...

:)

Bears Baby ! ! ! ! ! 

Push !

I've been donating plasma for a few months now.
What started out as a vow to regularly donate blood has ventured into regularly donating plasma.
I am loving this once a month gig.

I go.
They hook me up to a fancy device.
The device takes out my yellow stuff (plasma) and returns my red stuff.
I eat cookies and orange juice.
I go home.
It's very easy & it only takes an hour or so.

The donating place is happy.
I'm happy.
All is right with the world.
YaY.

Until recently ...
They will never admit it but, I think I'm making the plasma ladies squirm.

The plasma ladies tell me that I have very, very tiny veins.
In fact, one gal said I had no veins at all.
Yep.
I am a veinless plasma donator.

The ladies are having a difficult time with me these days.
Apparently, a juicy vein is hard to find.
But, they do find one.
They always find one.
The plasma crew are very friendly, patient professionals.

After a good vein is found, the ladies rev up the plasma machine.
It's very cool.
Whoever created this device has a lot of brain power.

So there I am.
All hooked up and everything is looking good.
I'm oh ! so ready to hand over my plasma and they are oh ! so ready to receive my plasma
...... and .......
.......and .......
The device says stop.
For whatever reason lately, that device ALWAYS tells the ladies to stop.

STOP ! RIGHT ! NOW !!

BEEP BEEP BEEP.

STOP.
EVERYTHING.

I have become the veinless beeper.

The plasma lady in charge will walk over and ever so calmly and nicely de-beep the machine.
Last time she had to de-beep multiple times.
oops.
She usually asks if I am hydrated.
Or, as she puts it, have I 'pushed fluids' ?
Seems it is very important to be very hydrated especially when donating plasma.

I tell her I am !
I do !
I hydrate.
I push fluids.
Honest.
I do.

I don't think the plasma ladies believe me.
I'm a beeper, ya know.

So.
I am now on a mission.
A Hydrating Mission.

I am hydrating like no one has ever hydrated before.
I am a hydrating machine.
I'm not only pushing fluids, I'm pulling them too.

Fluids fluids and more fluids .... ! ...

ugh.

& just between you and me ...?
I'm beginning to despise fluids.

I want to stop so bad....!
I want my 'not hydrating as much as I should' days back.
I can't take another drop.
I can't.

But, I won't stop.
I will continue my mission.
I must carry on.

My goal is to walk into the donating center with the biggest, juiciest veins those ladies have ever seen.
They will be so pleasantly pleased ...!

No longer will I be known as the beeping no vein girl.
I will be the Ultimate Hydrator.
The Fab Fluid Pusher.
Big Juicy Vein Jacki.

oy
I hope.

Unless I bobble away in the process....

:)

Improving

As I was driving the other day, headed for a weekend with family, my mind wandered upon many things.

The songs on the radio.
Did I remember to do this or that before I left ?
People.
Places.

But, I kept coming back to one thing in particular  -  Me.
& the things I need to do to improve me.

Things like self promotion.
I stink at self promotion.
I'm not good at the 'Look at me !' thing at all.
I write my words, throw them out into the world, then run for cover.
Shine that spotlight on me and I'll be hiding in the corner.
I have to get more of a 'my stuff is good !' attitude and start selling myself.

hey ....no naughty thoughts, please ....

Another thing I need to improve upon is boldness.
I have none.
I will step up if I have to step up but, I won't be the first.
I won't say 'Pick Me !'
Nope.
I'll be the extra person you MIGHT need.
I must have been in the shy line when they passed out bold.
oops.

I have to get better at speaking my mind too.
Lots of times I don't.
I just tuck the thoughts away and I don't say what I'm really, REALLY thinking.
But ...I'm also a Taurus.
They say it's not wise to get a Taurus mad.
& it's true.
It might take me a very long while to get pushed to a brink but, once I'm there..
Yep.
Yikes.

Stuart Smalley of Saturday Night Live, used to say "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and doggone it, people like me."
Well, by golly Stuart Smalley, you are right !

Starting today, I am going to self promote, be BOLD, and SPEAK UP !!
Ooooooooo ...watch out world !
Here comes the brand new, big talking, no holding back ME !

Here I come ....!....

Ummmm.
Maybe not.

Slow, quiet and steady has always worked for me.
& things always work out.

The new improved me will happen.
Is happening.

I may be moving at a snail's pace but, it's happening.

Oh, yes it is.

:)