Month: May 2019

A Labor of Love – CCW

I am not a homeowner, nor do I own any property. My one attempt at owning my own home ended in disaster and although it took a long time, I have finally stopped beating myself up for that really BIG mistake! I thought I would never buy again and that renting was the way to go. Owning your own home is a lot of work that as a renter I don’t need to worry about. I don’t need to mow the lawn, trim the trees, or edge the sidewalk. I am not responsible for fixing the appliances, deciding what project to tackle next, or hiring the contractor. I don’t have to pay the property taxes, school taxes or to fix whatever needs fixing.

All of that is true, so WHY do I enjoy looking at houses for sale online? I enjoy looking at the pictures, reading the descriptions and calculating if it is affordable. I like doing drive bye’s, checking out the view and popping in on Open Houses. It is a bit of a time waster for me AND I really enjoy it!

Image by Gino Crescoli from Pixabay
Continue reading “A Labor of Love – CCW”

Snack Attack

I have been eating pretty healthy for a while now and have hit a 40 day streak tracking my food intake on My Fitness Pal. I was reviewing my data today and realized I eat about the same amount of calories in snacks as I do for each meal! I wasn’t sure if I should be horrified but decided to just take it in stride. My overall caloric intake is fine and I am happy thrilled with my current weight! I have been using the My Fitness Pal App on and off for a few years but have never been so consistent with it.  In addition to getting a glimpse at my calories, protein, carbohydrate, fat, fiber and sugar intake, I find it helps me to see how the food I eat affects my body. There is a section at the end of each day for notes and I use that to jot down any symptoms I feel during the day; allowing me to recognize patterns of eating and how I feel. 

Eating healthy takes a bit of planning but it can be fun and oh so good for you. When I work less than 6 hours at the Nursing Home, I don’t bring lunch but I always bring a couple of snacks. In the refrigerator at work, they put in leftover employee lunches all individually wrapped and free for the taking. It isn’t usually good or food I would typically eat. When I forget to bring my snacks, I start foraging for something to eat and end up wolfing down something I would not have even considered putting in my mouth if I had just brought something decent from home!

Continue reading “Snack Attack”

Caught in the Act

Spring has sprung here in the Finger Lakes region of New York State. People are slowly shedding their winter coats, hats, boots and gloves for t-shirts, flip flops and hoodies! In my world this means yard work and lake time! I am sitting right now, happily typing away at the cottage. Never mind that I am wearing heavy sweats, a fleece shirt, and wool socks. I am also wrapped up tight in a heated blanket. But trust me, spring is here!

This is my second overnight this month at the lake and I am looking forward to Cottage Clean Up Weekend with Child #3 and her honey in another couple of weeks. Being at the lake puts me squarely in my happy place. I caught myself speaking out loud this afternoon the word “blessed”. That is all, just “blessed”. At the time, I was standing in the kitchen, looking out the window at the lake and the hillside. After dinner, I took a quick 15 minute kayak ride and caught myself whispering “grateful”.

It makes me go AHHH! Image by Maciej Ostasz from Pixabay

Continue reading “Caught in the Act”

Not an Obligation but a Celebration!

Are you a dog owner? If you are than you know that taking at least 2 walks a day is the standard of care. Dog owners are more consistent than the Post Office Deliver guys and gals. We walk in the rain, sun, snow, sleet, and fog. We walk in the blizzard, hurricane winds and blistery heat. I don’t always look forward to my daily walks but I always feel good when I return. I just got home from my morning walk with Fenway and she is passed out on her bed. I am reflecting on the emotions raised by this simple morning walk that often feels like an obligation I need to complete before I get on to the important tasks of the day.

This morning while out for a walk, I got to see what Mother Nature had to share with me in the wild suburbs I call home. The calendar may say it is April and the season is spring but it is flurrying and the temperature is in the 30’s! Ah, life in the Finger Lakes of Central, New York!

The Wild Suburbs!                            Image by Ian Wilson from Pixabay

Continue reading “Not an Obligation but a Celebration!”