Look what came in the mail yesterday...the book I won in Helen's giveaway a few weeks back when she was celebrating getting 100 followers. I'm thrilled to get this book - I have the original South Beach book and really think it's excellent sound information. So I'm sure this one will be equally informative, plus I know it has good recipes! Helen talked about a good dip recipe awhile back, and on the cover of the book when I opened the package was a PostIt note with the page number of the dip. Thanks Helen!
Once again it's Friday eve - or little Friday as a teacher friend calls Thursdays. This is especially nice this week as we don't have clients at work tomorrow...just staff. Our building is undergoing a huge rennovation starting next week and so tomorrow is a packing and clearing out day. This week has flown by between busy-ness at work and having the extra kid home. Tomorrow he's driving up to Hartford for a wedding and will be back Sunday for Fathers' Day...yay! Tom will love having both his boys home for the ever popular Hallmark holiday. We've been missing Jean this week a lot but have Skyped once with her and hopefully will get another session in on Sunday. Steve heads back to Chicago Monday evening. What a treat it's been to have him home.
The Mister is in Shreveport, LA this week on business, so last night I took the boys out to the Chinese restaurant we've gone to forever. It was okay, but they've been taken over by new management and the quality has diminished in proportion to the increase in prices - substantially. Why can't things stay the same? One thing that hasn't changed is that I feel a little water-logged today from the increased sodium content of Chinese food. So I'm in fluid-forcing mode to try and get it all flushed out for tomorrow's weigh in. Also, I didn't make it to the pool yesterday but today is a definite. Once again I'm VOWING to swim today and if I don't, feel free to yell at me or call me on my crap.
Stacia, our Midlife Swimmer (whose blog has a fabulous new look I just discovered when I went to grab the link) told me once in an email that being in the pool is a natural diuretic because the pool's water pressure forces extra on-board fluid out of the cells and on into the kidneys! Isn't that cool? Makes sense, and I've certainly noticed that whenever I swim, I do have to pee more just after and beyond. So I'm pulling out all the stops to get this fluid OFF board!
I wanted to post some pictures today. This is a gorgeous hollyhock I mentioned last week that is blooming outside the local library. The color is what really blew me out of the water. Also, I love tall plants - like delphiniums, foxglove, poppies and such.
I took a walk in Ridley Creek State Park over the weekend and took a couple of pictures. This is such a gorgeous trail that has differing terrains throughout...it's most beautiful in the fall, but this park showcases every season beautifully.
You get the idea. I've posted pictures of this loop before. Lots of lush greenery and then the path parallels the water for awhile. I'll get more shots of the water next time I go.
Next picture is my oldest son who's home this week. He wouldn't let me just take a normal picture of him, so I had to sort of sneak this one. He's my 100th follower!
Following is a quickie stir fry I whipped up this morning so I had some vegetables to take to work for lunch. It's Vidalia onion, snow peas, red pepper and zucchini sauteed in just olive oil spray with a tiny am't of low salt soy sauce and some garlic. It's pretty yummy. I have enough for dinner tonight as well.
That's it from me today. I'm making Lyn's low-carb meatloaf for dinner tonight, which I've made before is wonderful. Only the visiting son will be home for dinner, and he is a total carnivore so is sure to love this meatloaf. BTW, when I just went to grab Lyn's link, she has posted that she is in Onederland for the first time in a long time today!!! This is amazingly exciting and inspiring. Hop over and give her a well-deserved attagirl! if you get a chance.
See you manana!
Hey, it's Father's Day in the UK on Sunday too - makes a change for things to be in synch across the pond! ;o)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos - love the hollyhock. :o)
Ooooh, that hollyhock is gorgeous. I'll take your favorite plan list and add peonies. Love them. I am sodium-sensitive as well. All I have to do is walk past soy sauce and I blow up like a balloon. That's interesting about the water/water pressure; I'll have to remember that.
ReplyDeleteI got my Helen book yesterday as well. I actually sat down and read 75 pages!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Love the "sneaky" picture of your son! Glad he's there to keep you company while the hubs is away - sounds like a great Papa day with both boys home!
ReplyDeleteI must have missed it - where exactly is Jean??
Love the pics !!
ReplyDeleteAnother thing about swimming- being in the water acts as a gentle lymphatic massage and helps your body to detox. So many reasons to love being in a pool !
Glad you snuck to shot of your son! Love that hollyhock. I have heard of them but have never seen there.
ReplyDeleteI never knew that about being in the water! I always wondered why I need to pee after I've been in the water a while. Thanks for the info!
ReplyDeleteThe hollyhock is gorgeous,what a beautiful colour. I have some in my garden but they're just plain pink ones. I love tall plants too.
Great pics!! I never knew that about the pool helping with the excess water. Learn something new everyday :)
ReplyDeleteChinese bloats me up horribly...but it's soooo good..
That does make sense about the water! The old learn something new trick.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on winning the book! Looks interesting.
Nice photos. Handsome #100.
My oldest son will NEVER let me take a picture of him. I always have to trick him to get a photo so of course they only are pictures with him with weird faces!
ReplyDeleteThe book looks good, hope it helps. I don't follow SB or Atkins but I do believe in many of their principles.