Hot inside and out, the air conditioning has been running all day. I know it's going to be a miserable muggy night trying to sleep. Guess we're paying the piper for the beautiful weather in the 70s we had last week. I have to believe this humidity that arrived today will be gone with the Tuesday showers they're forecasting. As I mentioned previously, we got our garden planted Memorial Day weekend. Not what I wanted but better than none. I had asked John to build a planter box (thanks for the idea Vee). The garden area if you recall from last year's tomato plants, was very small. We discussed adding more to the garden this year than tomatoes. We ended up settling for corn and green beans from seeds. Here's what the garden looked like last year, all tomatoes.
As you can see, it was just too crowded. I thought this space plus the planter box would be ideal. The planter box never got built. "Maybe next year, I'll build it" is what I heard. We planted four tomato plants, four corn seedling spots and one green bean "bush" seedling. Here's what it looked like after planting Memorial Day weekend.
Not much to see right? I've been watering and nurturing these plantings. Here's what they look like today, just two weeks later.
It's a little hard to see the four corn stalks on the left of the tomato plants and there's a green bean "bush" to the right. I hope these close ups help.
I can't believe the growth in only two weeks, I'm thrilled and excited! This is the first time either of us have planted from seeds (corn and green bean bush), so hopefully, we'll get a crop!
Work continues to be great, sometimes slow to the point of maddening, that happens in most jobs, I think. A new employee started this past Monday with the benefits group. They are now a group of four. I walked the last walk in May for Health and Fitness month, there were only four of us left at the end of the month. It started getting warm, hard to walk in the heat, at least for me. The Zumba classes have started Wednesdays. I'd rather come home and get on the elliptical than have to sit in traffic for being 1/2 hour later and sweaty sitting in traffic because of Zumba.
We had some nasty thunderstorms roll in, I took these pictures from the office. Thankfully, no power loss and no damage, just a summer thunderstorm that passes quickly, scary nonetheless.
I've decided to take another stab (probably wrong use of the word) at seeing a doctor about my weight, nutrition, etc. I have an appointment the 5th of July at 9:30am, there goes celebrating the 4th of July! The 6th of July will be my three year anniversary of quitting smoking - yay me! It was one of the hardest things I've accomplished. I was a chain smoker for years. Sometimes I feel I traded one health issue for others. I was a little heavy when I quit smoking. I've put on 100 pounds since then. Since the weight gain, I've cut out processed foods, diet sodas, changed from white rice/bread/pasta to whole wheat, I drink enough water to float a battleship and began exercising a year ago. I've lost 14 pounds, not a lot to show for the effort, at least I don't think so. My mother was heavy and warned me that I would "get fat" when I got older. Take comfort you mothers out there - you ARE ALWAYS right!
My weight problem started when I entered menopause at 44 years old. My mom had just passed away, I didn't know what menopause was, I found out quickly. The hormone pills my gynecologist gave me to help with the hot flashes and other symptoms were determined to cause cancer. The doctor told me to quit taking them. I never had a weight problem in my life before then. I'm 5'5" and usually weighed between 140-150, which varied between summer and winter for years. All of a sudden, wham, here comes the weight gain in my late 40s. I kept saying it was because I was getting older, never paying much attention because I knew it would fall off the following summer - it didn't. It got worst after I quit smoking after 30 years, I was 53 years old. I knew I had to watch what I ate, I did for the most part. I didn't do much exercising then. Looking back, I wish I had.
Now that I have good insurance again with this new job, I'll try the medical community once more. I was referred to a doctor who was suppose to be accepting new patients. When I called to make the appointment, I was informed the doctor I was referred to isn't accepting new patients, but her partner is (imagine that?). So, here I am trying again to get medical help and advice.
In the meantime, I looked up low glycemic foods on the internet. Low glycemic foods are suppose to help lose weight. There goes my whole wheat waffles with lite syrup on Saturday mornings - they made the "no-no list" along with our Friday night pizza - UNLESS, I have thin crust with only cheese toppings and limit my serving to two slices. I can live with that, we only have it once a week usually anyway. The good news, the Lean Cuisine entrees are acceptable on their list. I have several Lean Cuisine favorites, which I have a couple times a week. In the summer, I eat salad for dinner about four times a week. For lunch, I take my lunch to work every day. Usually a turkey or chicken sandwich with a tablespoon (yes, measured) of light mayonnaise on whole grain bread and some lettuce. I include a half sandwich bag of grapes and either an apple or an orange with Lipton diet green tea, which is suppose to "boost" my metabolism. I haven't felt any boost, I'm sure I'd know it if I did. I'm upset I can't have pineapple or bananas anymore, they made the sugary fruit list :( Bananas, really???
So, thank you all for the support and encouragement while I continue to battle the bulge. It is truly appreciated. Your words of encouragement and support MOTIVATE ME TREMENDOUSLY!! Those who have been down this path, certainly know what I'm dealing with. Those who haven't consider yourself lucky and stay healthy. I can think of better things to do than count calories and carbs! I don't mind exercising anymore. I've incorporated it as part of my new lifestyle and become use to the routine of exercising. Believe me, this isn't easy, IT IS A NEW LIFESTYLE!
