Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Drabs and dribs

It's high time I put something up in place of the birthday post!  My birthday was very nice - I left work 45 minutes early and watched about 6 episodes of Arrested Development with youngest son.  Quite hilarious, but I recommended it to one friend who reported back to me that it was "weird and stupid", and "not funny".  Interesting because I told her she wouldn't like it, knowing her sense of humor is no where near as demented as mine. 

Anyway, (it doesn't take much for me to digress, si?) then hubby and son and I went to dinner at a lovely BYO that had been recommended, and it was great.  Pricey, but delicious and worth the $$$$.  I'm just thinking I should have taken pics of our meals, because they were so artfully presented, but I've gotten out of the habit of doing a whole lot of blog pics.  I should reinstate more pics for visual interest, and less of my blathering!  I had broiled scallops along side of a small light and custardy corn pudding - to die for!  Also had an arugula, goat cheese and strawberry salad with a citrus vinaigrette that was also great.  I actually recreated it last night for dinner, though I didn't get the dsg. quite right.  It was good, but missing something.  I'll keep working on it.  Because of the prices, we decided to forgo dessert at the restaurant and headed to the local Rita's for water ice.  It was the hottest day we've had in years (104), and water ice was one of the few things that could cool us off from the inside out!  It was also many fewer calories than some of the desserts they offered would have been.

Hubby and son gave me nice presents - sonny boy gave me the first season of the show Dexter, which is one I've been wanting to watch and can't find at the library.  Has a pretty dark theme, but as much as I love dememted humor, I also can enjoy a little darkness on occasion.  Have any of youse seen it?  (Every once in awhile I like to toss out some Phillyspeak for ya!)  My son, who knows me very well, assures me it's right up my alley.  My favorite show of all time was Six Feet Under - also dark, but fantastic.

Because of the heat, I haven't done much walking, and it's making me nuts.  I did a Leslie Sansone DVD a couple of days just to get moving, but it doesn't give me the great feeling that a good 5 mile walk outdoors does.  I'm not trying to wish away time, but I'm looking forward to fall weather in a few months.  I really feel like I need to join a gym again and am kind of regretting having terminated my membership from the Cadillac gym I went to.  It was great, but $90/month, plus extra if you signed up for classes.  I know I can find a perfectly good gym for less.  Will keep you posted on my search.

My food has been pretty good.  Still not sugar free, and the fact that I am currently finding myself not able to leave it out completely tells me that's exactly what I need to do.  Between the birthday, a baby shower this past Sunday, a friend bringing me homemade cookies, I'm just not WILLING to do it right now.  Defiance rather than denial seems at the core here.  I'm not bingeing and that's huge for me.  But not enough.  I'm not self-flagellating here - just being honest.

I've just started reading The Help, fully aware that I'm probably the last person in the free world to read it.  It's great, and everytime I have a few minutes free at work, I open my desk drawer where I have the book and read a few pages.  I love nothing better than having a book I can't put down.  So that's what I'm going to do now, since it's thankfully a quiet day here.  Anyone reading anything good?  I have a big stack waiting but always appreciate new titles! :)

14 comments:

  1. Glad you had a nice birthday. My teen watches Arrested Development. He loves it. I just asked him if I'd like it and he didn't know. Usually he can guess pretty well. He DID get us started on Dexter this spring and hubby and I have since watched the first 4 seasons. Season 5 comes out on DVD in 3 weeks!! I liked the help. I'm reading something good now but can't for the life of me remember the title!

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  2. Happy belated birthday! Mine is next week, and it's a pretty big one!

    I'm glad I read your post about the gym membership, because I haven't used mine (injury) and have thought of cancelling it. I don't think I will now. I can make good use of it if I am on track and committed.

    I want to buy the book also. I love good books!

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  3. The movie will be out on August 11th :)

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  4. I like the Dexter series a lot. I've watched 4 seasons. It kind of hooks you in. Funny, intriguing, and quite disturbing all at once.

    I'm glad you had a nice birthday. I love to just sit and watch funny shows with my kids too.

    :-) Marion

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  5. Loved the help - Reading Bossypants by Tina Fey now..she is hilarious.

    Glad for the happy birthday! :)

    Jodie

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  6. Whats a BYO?

    And...I love your blathering :)

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  7. Dexter fan here. big time. I like all the dark stuff--True blood, Spartacus, Walking Dead, Six feet under...I wonder if you saw Scott Pilgrim--it isnm't for everyone..more of a gamer's movie or for 20 somethings..but I like it.. I haven't read "the help " either .. going to see the movie first and then read it.

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  8. I'm listening to the audio version of "The Paris Wife," which is the story of Earnest Hemingway's first marriage. It's interesting and made me want to read some Hemingway again, so I picked up "A Farewell to Arms" to read before bed.

    I loved "The Help" (also audio version), but am not sure if I'll see the film. It's such a good book. I thought I was the last person on the planet to read it!

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  9. For Enz - just wanted to note that a BYO is "bring your own" beer or wine. In our provincial state, apparently it costs restaurants a ton to get a liquor license, and typically that extra cost is reflected in higher menu prices. The term used to be BYOB (bottle), but has been shortened to reflect how damn modern we all are!

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  10. Thanks so much for your comment on my blog, it made me smile :)

    Yes, I rejoined WW (meetings) just before New Year's and am following the Points Plus program.

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  11. Sounds like a wonderful Bday celebration and meal!

    I am currently just trying to catch up on reading magazines! My daughter has two books waiting in the wings for me to read but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

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  12. Anonymous29 July, 2011

    While I didn't like Dexter, my husband and daughter absolutely love it - I think when they discovered it, they watched the first two seasons in two days!

    Glad your birthday was nice - love the idea of goat cheese and strawberries in your salad!

    Have a great weekend Leslie!

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  13. A belated happy birthday to you. 1953 was a very good year- from a reader who is a few days younger than you :) Have you read "Cutting For Stone" yet? It's my current favorite recommendation. I've also just started the newest Jonathan Frantzen (sp?) book- "Freedom", which takes place (at least in part) in the Twin Cities. It's all about family dysfunction, which might not be your cup of tea, but so far, I like it.

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  14. Happy Birthday. Glad you had a good one.

    - Lisa
    http://inweighovermyhead.blogspot.com/

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