Friday is my day off!

Well August is over at midnight tonight.  Where did summer go?  Gosh time sure goes fast.  Yesterday was a wonderful day.  After lunch with some gals we played canasta and I got home at 4:15 and was able to do my whole 45 minute routine of water jogging.  It was as warm as a bathtub and felt so good I didn't want to get out but I got hungry so I had to come up and have some dinner.  Homemade veggie soup (low sodium) and tuna salad with Special K crackers and celery sticks.  Really good.  

It's funny, I have not watched any of the Convention because, well, I didn't want to but my liberal friends are all talking about how awful everything and everyone is and my conservative friends are all talking about how great it all is.  This country is split down the middle and I don't know what will ever change it.  Both sides get testy too.  Sarge would be beside himself right about now.  He loved politics.  I hate politics.  Kind of like Jack Sprat.

I haven't lost any more weight all week but I know it'll start happening again soon.  I have been so structured it has to happen.  Monday will be a bad diet day but that's okay too.  Most people have a splurge meal once a week but I don't so the cookout at the club will be mine.  They are having all the stuff I love, ribs, corn, baked beans, slaw, potato salad.  Man I am looking forward to that.  There is lots of other stuff too but that is what I want.  I plan on having a small portion of each thing and a big salad (first) and fresh fruit for dessert.  Lots more than I eat now but it's one meal.

*WARNING!* Big Brother paragraph... skip this if you don't watch it.  Wow!  What about Dan's play! Genius.  I never really cared for him before one way or the other but that was freaking brilliant.  The best move I have seen since BB1 in fact.  I had sort of been rooting for little Ian but I don't think he'll last much longer now.  

Guess that's about all I know for now y'all.  Hope your Friday is totally tits.  I guarantee mine will be!

Thursday in paradise...

Well let's start at the beginning yesterday.  The MahJong game was totally wonderful, it was not here but at one of the gal's condo in Palm Beach, a very beautiful condo at that.  I didn't maj though.  It was not my day to play but I sure did enjoy myself and our lunch was really nice too.  I have never liked flavored coffee before, can't stand it actually but she make a caramel blend that was so delicious I cannot tell you.  I'm going to try it.  It does have 80 calories though, I'm going to see if I can lighten it up a bit.  Any ideas out there?

Then when I got home I was so excited the sun was out and I got on my bathing suit and started out the door when I remembered Comcast was supposed to come today at 5.  It was already 4:30.  Buggers.  I got changed and sat and waited for them.  They did come right at 5 like they were supposed to and did rewire and fix the problem.  Yay for them.  I am back in business watching what I love to watch and not a bunch of krap! Ha ha.  Anyway kudos to Comcast and all the people that helped!

So other than not getting to swim it was a wonderful day.  Now on to today.  I have lunch at the club and canasta and then hope to swim after that.  It's supposed to be nice weather the rest of the week.  I just hope all those in the path of Isaac fare well.  I certainly know how much rain it dumped on us and it wasn't even a hurricane when it was here.  I never saw a wetter storm.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thursday.  Me too...

Wednesday is MahJong... and other stuff!

The sun is back in my world.  I couldn't be happier about that either.  The pool still wasn't open yesterday but I didn't have time to go anyway between canasta, poker, and getting my part of the food ready for today.  I said I'd bring tuna salad and egg salad.  We all bring stuff to MahJong and have a potluck lunch and chat and laugh.  Today we are playing in Palm Beach at the gal's that had her knee replaced.  This will be her first time back since her surgery so we are going to her this time.

Then Comcast is scheduled back at 5:00 to finally rewire the cable.  Can you stand it?  I hope it is finally done this time.  But Comcast is calling me now checking to see the status and being very very nice.

Yesterday I won 7 bucks at canasta and lost 69 at poker so I'm even, right?  That's what I thought.  

I hope I get home in time to get in the pool today.  I have been walking but it's not the same, the pool exercise feels so much better.  I haven't lost any weight this week and I'm sure that's why.  Anyway it'll start dropping off again soon, with or without the pool, it just feels better with it.

Have a lovely Wednesday y'all.  I sure will...

Tuesday and other stuff...

As I opened the shutters I see there is almost no damage on the golf course.  I remember when I did this in 2006 almost all the trees were laying on the ground.  That was either Francis or Jean, I don't remember which, we got both of them close together that year.

I got a call from Comcast bright and early Monday morning asking if it was fixed, no, not yet.  He said he'd get with them and see what is happening.  In fairness since they were here on Friday we have had a tropical storm so I'll give them a pass on this one.  I imagine there must be lots of outages and lots for them to be busy doing.  

Next I got a call from a supervisor that wanted to know if anyone had changed the box(!!!!!).  Sigh, I'm on my fifth box.  Aren't there any records there?  Anyway he said he'd be by at 2:00, fine.  So he comes and tells me it needs rewiring.  I know.  I know.  They'll be back to (hopefully) actually do the wiring  on Wednesday at 5:00.

I did not lose power through the storm.  I was actually really surprised as I usually do but it stayed.  All I lost was the phone for several hours and then it came back by itself.  The local news actually said to not step in water because there might be a snake or an alligator.  Um, okay then.

So I already told you about the golf course I look at from my balcony is to go away.  Well here is the rendering of what I should be looking at in the future:

I don't know that it will ever happen for sure but I sure wouldn't mind seeing this.  I would also have full access to all amenities as a club member.  For the life of me I cannot understand why so many people are so negative.  Besides we don't own the land, the club does so if they can get all their approvals they can pretty much do what they want.

And so that was my day in paradise.  Hope yours is lovely too!

Monday in paradise...

This is a cabinet in my kitchen.  In case you didn't notice I am changing the subject from storms and wind and rain.  Talking about things I love instead.

Ayla has dibs on the blue dishes.  There are lots more of them too.  I have loved them as long as I can remember.  No special brand or pattern, I love all of them.  

If they are blue and white I love them.  I can remember my grandmother having dishes like these and eating spaghetti and meatballs off them on a Sunday.  Well every Sunday.  Not the Yankee grandmother, the Italian one.  She lived in Delaware.   Is that why I love them so much?  I have no idea.

How was that for changing the subject?

Isaac in West Palm Beach...

Gusty winds and driving rains coming in bands but it's not too bad really.  I walked around the building taking some photos but did not go outside.  My apartment is very dark (like nighttime) with the shutters closed and I wanted some light in my life.  Even with lots of lamps turned on it's still eerie with the howling winds out there.

All photos were taken through windows and of course the windows are all spotted with raindrops and salt spray.  My terraces are full of it even with the shutters closed.  It's coming from the east from the ocean here and blowing salt everywhere.  I know my car will be covered too when I get out there.

My favorite pool is out of the question but I am hopeful that tomorrow afternoon I might be able to go in again.  

Stay safe everyone.  I will too and so far I still have power so that means I still have water.  Yay me.

Sunday ramblings and other stuff...

Well I managed to get the shutters closed in the wind and rain.  I thought it would be easy because we had them replaced two years ago but no, I had a heck of a time.  I did it though.  The feeder bands started Saturday morning.  It would stop raining but the wind was gusty all day.

Remember yesterday I told you the cable box would work until Comcast sent a new signal or the power went out?  The power went out about 10 minutes later.  It doesn't work again.  Oh well, I did get to see the final episode of Burn Notice before that happened.  Boy was it a good one!  Now I have to wait until November when it starts back again.  I didn't think I'd like that show but the duck told me I would and he was right.  

It sure is dark in here with the shutters closed.  I don't mind too much though, it feels cozy if you turn on lights and don't think about what is about to be outside.  We are expecting 40-50 mph winds and rain, well sideways rain.  No pool for me.  Buggers.  I'll just walk around the building.  If I don't I'll get stiff.  I don't expect it to get too bad here at all but I do expect to lose power.  We always do.  And when the power goes out we don't have water because it is pumped up to the condos.  I have flashlights.  Nothing to worry about here.

Have a great Sunday y'all.  If I'm nowhere to be found it's because there is no power.  I will not blow away.  Ha ha ha...

Saturday at my house...

Yesterday I took the duck to see the surgeon, he was in there less than five minutes and the incision had been deadened, cut, drained, and bandaged and he was back in the car.  We went to Panera Bread to eat while we waited for his antibiotic to be ready to be picked up, a quick stop at the fruit stand and homeward bound.  I was changed and in the pool by 11:50 in the bright sunshine.  And out of the pool at 11:59 in the stormy rain, lots of thunder too.  Came out of nowhere.  I waited 45 minutes in my (wet) bathing suit to get back in and finish but no, it kept raining and storming so I gave up and came back upstairs.  I got my clothes on to wait for Comcast.

And it rained.  And rained.  And rained some more.

Comcast arrived 10 minutes before 5, 10 minutes early and stayed until almost 7:30.

He worked really really hard trying to fix it, looking everywhere for the "splitter".  It seems the wiring is old and needs to be rewired.  Didn't I say that a month ago?  Yes I did.  No matter, it will be done soon.

Cable boxes, I have them.  Do they work?  Well for now.  What that means is as soon as Comcast sends another signal it won't work again.  Or the power flickers.  

And still it rained, until all was done and he was gone and it was too late to swim today.  Then it got nice out again.

Today I have canasta and lunch at the club.  The bottom line with the cable is I am expecting an email to tell me when they will be back.  And if I have to pay for it.

The end.  

Friday in paradise...

Get it?  Bump ahead?  That's all I'm hoping this storm is going to be here.  Right now it looks like we may only get some wind and rain.  Of course that can change as we all know but let's hope.  I am sorry for whoever gets it though and hope it won't be a bad one.

Today I am taking the duck back to the surgeon as his incision has some sort of problem and Dr. Wacks told him to go and let him look at it.  I haven't seen it yet so I have no idea what is going on but we shall take care of it for sure.

Yesterday when I got home from canasta it wasn't storming for a change so I got my pool time done and it sure felt good.  I guess once you start really working muscles they like to keep working and not slob out any more.  Is that what happens?  And there was not a soul around, I had it all to myself.  All the sudden I realized I was singing Jingle Bells.  Don't ask me why.  Too much fish oil perhaps?  Old lady dementia perhaps?  Nuts perhaps?  But enjoying every day I have.

This evening Comcast is coming back again.  I have had two calls from managers now and they tell me they will stay until it is fixed.  I sure hope so.  That would make me very happy.

Here's hoping your Friday is totally tits.  I know mine will be...

Thursday stuff and other stuff...

Mahjong was very nice yesterday, I Maj'd twice.  We had a nice big salad for lunch and played until the weather got really bad and they wanted to go, around 3:30.  That is pretty normal for south Florida in the summer months, any day we don't get a storm in the afternoon I feel lucky.

Today is lunch at the club and canasta.  And when I get home if it's nice out, the pool.  Yesterday was so stormy I didn't get to go in and I don't feel nearly as good when I don't.  I am walking but it's not the same.

In other news I might have booked another cruise.  Well, I did actually.  Not until the end of November though, have to mostly get out of hurricane season first.  Those little buggers can sure mess up a cruise I tell you.  

Nice one, huh?  Ten days of pure bliss.  I'm going with the same person I went with the last time.  She and I do really good together.  And the duck can't go again until the Bloggers Cruise in January.  I wish he could.  He's fun on a cruise.  And I have a nice new travel agent if anyone needs one.  She is part of the Evil Crew so she's like family.

CRUISE MOM Maribeth Kring Cruise Consultant 936-777-3587 http://www.cruisemomcruises.com http://www.facebook.com/findmycruise

Have a lovely Thursday y'all.  I sure will too...

Wednesday in paradise...

First let me clarify the comcast payment thingy, our whole complex is on contract with them, over 1000 units.  I have no control over any of this but think they would not switch anyway.  That being said I am not timid or shy in any way and I am speaking up to them.  And I am not finished with it either.  Every time I call I tell them to put another credit on my account.  (I pay for the HD service and the second box.)  Right now I don't think I'll owe them anything for quite some time now.  But that said I still have no video on demand which I use all the time, or rather DID use all the time.  I'll see this through to the end, it's been since July 1st.  I did get another email from Mark at Comcast cares and I wrote him back with all the details.  We'll see.

I have been weighing in every morning for a long time now.  I usually either lose .2 or nothing or maybe .5 if I am really doing good.  Well yesterday I lost a whole pound in one day!  I do know I deserve it, I have not cheated at all and I have exercised like crazy but still, it felt wonderful to see a number I didn't expect to see yet.

My roasted chicken has seen the following meals for me, day one leg and thigh warm with crunchy skin, day two breast meat (no more skin) on a big salad, day three some bbq sauce on the other breast and today the other leg and thigh, no skin.  There is still enough bits for a sandwich so it was well worth the eight bucks I spent on the organic chicken.  The little fellow was delicious.  I still have the broth too.  I am learning this cooking for one thing as I go.

One other thing on the subject of chicken.  I don't remember if I told you or not but I roasted it upside down and I will do this from now on.  When it comes out of the oven it's nice and brown but the breast on the bottom has been self basted throughout the entire cooking time and it was so moist and juicy.  Try it yourself.  All I did was wash it good, add a bit of salt to the inside, twist the wings back and roast it at 350 for an hour and 15 minutes.  I don't like garlic but if you do you could put some inside.

Today is Mahjong and I am always glad to see those gals.  The one that had her knee replaced says she'll be back next week.  I have sure missed her too.  I had a good card day yesterday, won at both poker and canasta but not much.

I think we may be in for a storm in the near future.  Sure looks like it now anyway.  Buggers to that.  I'm hoping it will either weaken or change paths but right now we seem to be right in the cone.

Hope your Wednesday is totally lovely.  I know mine will be...

Sunny but hazy day...

Gosh it's nice out.  I had a fabulous swim and then did some water jogging (well 45 minutes of it!) and it felt wonderful.  

I didn't have to stay in because of Comcast because they don't seem to be coming after all.  When I didn't hear from them by 10:30 I decided not to sit there all day waiting, I have a life going on people.  I called them and was told (quite curtly) that no one was scheduled to come or call me.  Could I be more ticked off now?  Well possibly but not probably.  And no I cannot switch to ATT because the cable is provided through the condo association and part of our monthly fees.  I now really wish I could.

I'll have to get the duck to take another photo of me wearing another color, my eyes are now blue no matter what I wear.  I am getting them checked just to be sure everything is okay because I have never heard of this happening before.  I go in two weeks.

Next up:

These little beauties are only 75 calories each!  Perfect with coffee.  Two ingredients.  An old ww recipe, one box of angel food cake mix and one 16 oz. can of crushed pineapple in it's own juice.  Do not add the water the cake mix says, just add these two things together and mix well.  You can make it into a cake also but the cupcakes are easy to freeze and portion.  Make 24 cupcakes.  They will be pretty full in unbaked cupcake papers, not half full like regular cupcakes, bake about 20 minutes at 350.  I have read that you can also use any can of pie filling fruit instead of pineapple but have not tried that.  I really really love them.

Have a lovely Tuesday y'all.  I'll be busy with canasta and poker myself...

Monday is the start of a new week...

Let's all make this a fabulous week, shall we?  This photo was taken yesterday by the duck.  We managed to squeeze in a quick Panera Bread lunch before the Walmart stop.  I did get my chicken and roast it and believe me it was all I could do not to eat every bit of that crispy skin!  So delicious!  And the roasted veggies were wonderful too.  Now I have leftovers (which I love) for three more days.  I'll make it a bit different each day but start with the basics.

Now on to Comcast and my woes.  He came at 5:20 (appt. time 5-7) but now neither tv's on demand works.  They have to come back again.  It has to be somewhere in the walls or someplace like that, the boxes are fine.  It's just that it's been going on since July 1st and I am getting a tad weary of the whole thing.  At least I had a very nice tech, polite and friendly and tried very hard to be helpful, just couldn't fix it.

Oh, and I walked the whole Walmart yesterday and then did my pool stuff for 45 minutes too.  It was a great exercise day and a great food day as well.  I also have not had a diet coke in about a week now.  I am drinking iced tea, coffee, and water.  I'm not saying I won't ever have diet coke but I am trying not to drink it.

Can you see that my eyes are blue?  Funny thing I've had hazel eyes all my life.  Until now.  I have no idea why but they are blue now.  Has anyone heard of that happening?  Got to ask the doc I guess.

So that about wraps up my day, let's see what Monday brings!

Sunday in paradise...

Well Comcast is coming back again today, I still have no video on demand, this is since the first of July!  Both boxes are new too.  One worked for a day.  Buggers.

I'll also be going to the Walmart today with the duck and we'll see if I can walk the whole store.  I want to swim too so I don't know if I can do both of those yet on the same day.  Comcast is not scheduled to arrive until between 5 and 7 PM so at least I have the day free and don't have to sit there and wait for them.

I think I'll get a whole chicken today and roast it.  I'd get one of those rotisserie chickens but they are too high in sodium so I'll just cook it myself.  While I'm at it I'll roast some vegetables too, I love those.  I cook them for an hour at 425 and they get so browned and delicious, fat free too.  I don't use oil on them, just a bit of pam.  A touch of salt and some cracked pepper.  Celery, potato, carrots, onions... good stuff.

And that all I know for today.  Hope your Sunday is lovely.  I know mine will be...

Newsy Saturday...

Well the duck called and he couldn't go to lunch because of some plumbing problem at the Fern House so that was okay, I went to the pool for an extra long time.  Then I ate a sandwich and headed for the fruit stand where I bought 4 big bags of good healthy stuff to have on hand.

Next up was a trip to Publix (where shopping is a pleasure - so they say) where I walked the whole store looking for good things to get.  I love these big olives but didn't buy them as I had the small ones at home open already.  But they are so much fun to pop into your mouth!  Love them!

Dr. Wacks called me early in the morning to come in for my flu shot.  He said over 65 needs the super flu shot and needs it now as it looks like a lot of stuff out there this year.  He also said to tell the duck that the under 65 shots will be ready in September and he should get one for sure.  So for my over 65 friends, please take notice.

By the time I got home and got all my groceries upstairs and put away, all the fruit scrubbed, my clothes changed and my jammies on (Hey!  It was almost 3:00!) I was so exhausted I couldn't do another thing until I rested.

Publix didn't have the chicken breasts that I usually buy but I did find some organic (?) ones so I got them and some sweet potatoes to bake and a big head of cauliflower to cook and mash (!) I'll let you know how I like that and the recipe if I like it.  Basically you just steam the whole thing and mash it, add a bit of salt and pepper and some butter (I use Smart Balance, I really like that) and you're good to go.  Very low calorie if you don't do much butter and supposed to be very good.  We'll see.  I'll form no opinion without giving it a fair shot.

So today I have canasta again so I can't get into the pool until around 5:00 but that's okay, it's warm and usually no one else is there then (unless those French Canadians go).  Anyway it'll be fine unless we get a late afternoon storm in which case I'll just have to walk.

So that was my day in a nutshell, how was yours?  

Update:  The cauliflower mash was just delicious but in no way was it anything at all like mashed potatoes.  It was a delicious side dish though and only 25 calories for one cup plus whatever you add to it.  I would definitely do this again.  If you like cheese on a vegetable (which I don't) that would also be a good add on.  And I have enough left for two more servings.  Large servings!

Friday is my day off!

Pretty sunset last night.  I got home from canasta too late to get in the pool but I shall do it today for sure.  I didn't want to play the last game so I could swim but everyone else wanted to stay so I did.  I was able to walk some though so I got a bit of exercise anyway.

Today I am going to have lunch with the duck too.  It's going to be a great day.  A visit to the fruit stand, maybe Publix,  lots of walking.  

Hope your day is as good as mine.  That would make it lovely...

Thursday in paradise...

So yesterday was a lovely day, MahJong was very nice and fun, lunch was good, then it stopped raining and I was able to get in the pool afterward.  It was full to the top again too.  

After about 30 minutes of exercise two women came down and got in the pool with me.  They were (are) French Canadian.  I know this because I talked to them and asked them if they were visiting and they told me that.  In English.  Then they proceeded to talk to each other in French the rest of the time I was there.  I tried so hard to be nice to them.  Then I figured their loss, I was done and got out and didn't try to talk to them any more.

Today is canasta and Thursday already.  The weekend is in sight.  And tonight is Big Brother.  It's okay this time, not wonderful but watching it gives me something to do in the evenings three nights a week so I watch.  Sarge always watched it with me.  It surprised me but he did.

Any of you that read his blog knew what a patriot and romantic he was.  Well here is something I bet you don't know.  He didn't say I love you.  Very rarely.  If I told him I loved him (which I did at least once a day) he'd say something like "me too".  But he showed me in so many ways just how much he did love me.  And he did that all the time.  I believe that love does not die when a person dies.  I can still feel that he loves me.  Don't ask me how but I can.  And that's all I'm going to say about that.

Hope your day is totally tits.  I know mine will be...

Wednesday is MahJong... and other stuff!

Well yesterday we did have a canasta game and the gal with the memory problem was actually pretty good.  I lost about 4 bucks but it was a nice afternoon.  A nice rainy afternoon.  Gosh have we ever had the rain lately.  No pool, way too much rain but today is supposed to be sunny so I shall go after MahJong.  

I lost a small amount at poker last night but it was a really nice game.  Lots of fun.   A  couple of the players are PITAs but most are pretty nice.  I think what I like about them so much is they knew Sarge and he liked them and they liked him and they feel the loss too.  I feel a closeness to people that liked him.  And really anyone that ever knew him liked him.  Gosh I miss that man.  

Steve and Jane come today.  That's a good thing.  A very good thing.  I'm changing the subject in case you didn't notice.  

Guess that's about it for today.  Hope your day is lovely, mine too...