It's Just Wrong!

There's something so very wrong about a big plate of delicious looking cheese and meat covered nachos with a side of salsaed sour cream sitting next to all those diet books. I'll bet there isn't a recipe for nachos in even one of them! As you will see, my youngest daughter, Brynnly, has absolutely no empathy for me or my friend!

Miss LaLa walked over to my house with her various diet books as I have finally embraced the awful truth that since Christmas I have put on a few pounds and they simply aren't going away. I've also drifted closer to the floor. My mother, who knows a lot and is always willing to share, has told me numerous times that this occurs to everyone as they age, it just isn't those of us with big ol' muffin tops. Since drifting's a given, having an out-of-control muffin top is quite literally adding insult to injury.

I added my own books to the pile and then we spent the next 15 minutes or so having a highly philosophical discussion about the various pros and cons of the various horrifying diets represented and how we both really needed to embrace one of the diets and stick to it. There was a lot of highly philosophical cussing, too. Cussing and talking about diets seem to go hand in hand. I wonder why.

We weren't really paying much attention to anything other than ourselves when we both became aware that there was a lovely aroma in the air. The kind of aroma that makes your mouth water. The kind of aroma that can only mean big-time calories. While eavesdropping on us, Brynnly had the audacity to make nachos, carry the nachos to the table, plunk them down by our diet books and eat them in front of us. She also said something along the lines of "Oh my GOD!! You guys are talking diets again? Why? You know you two will stick to it for, like, about 5 days and that'll be that!" I said for that snooty little remark, I was going to take pictures of her eating that sinful plate of calories and post them here. "Well," Miss Smarty Pants replied, "I am not going to pose for any darn picture and you better hurry because I'm not stopping eating just to wait for you to take a picture." She can be so bratty at times!

Little Miss Smarty Pants then asked us if we wanted a bite. Can you imagine that? Because we both have such control, we both yelled an emphatic "NO" at the same time. I then reminded her that she was my daughter after all and just maybe in the future she might have a teensy tinsy little old weight problem as well. I cannot tell you what her reply was, as I try to keep this at least a PG rated place. Suffice it to say Brynnly is sure extra poundage will never be a problem for her. HA! That's what she thinks. And when her time comes, I promise I will refrain from saying "Told you so!" I will! No, I REALLY will!

Um...I'd like an order of skinny, please, along with a side of svelte. No, don't Super-Size it.

~~~

xoabb

Wistful Thinking & Thursday Cleanup

I miss my home state...ahh my Mizzourah...

We're going back in April and I can hardly wait!

The photo is the ~crick~ that's below my parent's home.
Over the last 20 years our three kiddos,
as well as GB and I,
have made many unforgettable memories
with mom & dad & the extended family, (aka my Dodgie)
in, around and beside that ~crick~...
~~~
My thoughts and prayers go out to all my fellow
Missourians who have been flooded out.
May the waters recede quickly and your damage be manageable. Blessings!
~~~

Our Mimi is still on an improving trend. She is finding it hard to walk as she gets so winded, but we're hoping with time and PT she'll regain the strength she lost. She has so many visitors it's just ridiculous - what a wonderful tribute to the friend she's been to so many over the years! If anyone cares to drop her a line, call her or visit her, just e* me and I'll give you the info. She's an incredible woman. As her doctor so eloquently put it:

"The old gal has a 90 year old body and a 21 year old mind!"

* annbumbly@mac.com

~~~~

WW update:
There isn't any. Gotta a problem with that?!?!

~~~

Snippets from the nurse's office:

1. 1:45pm: "I have a sore throat. I've had it since 6 after 10 this morning."
2. "I want to go home so what do I say to you so you'll call my mom?"
3. "I threw up a little in my mouth, but I swallowed it. What should I do now?"

~~~~

Good Bye & God Bless

~~~

xoabb

This Just Says it All...

(above courtesy of Pardon My Planet )

~~~

xoabb

Ah-HA!! Thursday's are to be My Clean-Up Day!

I've decided that on most Thursday's here on the old Tombstone Chronicler blog, it's gonna be a loose-ends, clean-up kind of day. There could possibly be little snippets of info, maybe a WW update (good or bad), some questions answered (if there ever are any). I've also decided to include several of the things I've been told that kids say when explaining why they're visiting the school Nurse's Office each week. That about covers it. Oh wait, whatever else I may think of just might be included as well! Tra-la!

~~~

WW Clean-Up:

I actually could have used the title from yesterday's post for my WW week as I had so wished to be able to do. I actually lost 2, count 'em 2 pounds. Of course, since I started WW, I've actually lost 5 pounds, actually regained 4 pounds and actually lost 3 of the pounds....again. I think this is called a yo-yo kind of way to lose weight. That's not good....not good at all! Uh-oh, just think!! This could be nothing more that water weight gained/lost....DAMN! I plan on doing better in the coming week......of course I always plan on doing better. It seems my execution skills need some work. (Of course, it has nothing to do with my self-discipline ;-)

~~~

Snippets from the Nurse's Office:

Do you remember having a Nurse's Office in your grade school? (This question is mostly directed at my generation, we ~Baby Boomers~.) I don't. I remember the one or two times I got sick in school, I was sent to the principal's office and he/she called my mom. The same if we fell and hurt ourselves - to the principal we were sent where bandaid was affixed to boo-boo. End of story. Today the story is quite different. Just about every school has a Nurse's Office.....and they are very well used! The bumps, tummy aches, paper cuts, etc. are never ever ever-ending! Below, behold some elementary school snippets.

#1 same kid each time:
10:00am "I just know I have a fever." "Your temperature is 98.6"

11:00am "I just know I have a fever." "Your temperature is 98.6"

1:30pm "I just know I have a fever." "Your temperature is 98.6"

3:15pm "I just know I have a fever." "Give it up already! It's time for the bus - outta here, bud!"

#2 "What's your name, lovey?" "Esmerelda." "What's your last name, Miss Esmerelda?" "I do not know what my last name is. My mommy hasn't told me yet."

#3 (Said by a student who transferred from Spain...English is not her first language...)

"I have, what do you say it? Oh yes! I have a head hurting."

~~~

Other business Clean-Up:

Hmmmm.....there isn't any, oh wait! Yes there is! I was tagged once again by that Mental friend of mine for another meme. This one is different - it involves a book. Read below the rules and my book response.

1. Pick up the nearest book of at least 123 pages.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the 5th sentence.
4. Post the next 3 sentences.
5. Tag no one or 21,000 people, whatever floats your boat (or as my great-aunt used to say, "whatever blows your skirt" Never did understand that one.)

So here I go. I picked the nearest book in my bookcase, that's located downstairs in our family room, which I really loved, and then decided I liked page 51 MUCH better than page 123, so I'm doing the 3 sentence thingy from page 51. Don't like me bending the rules?? Tough nuggies, my friends, tough nuggies!

P. S. - This is from Bill Bryson's most excellent book, A Walk in the Woods

Here it is from page 51:

"She was from Florida, and she was, as Katz forever after termed her in a special tone of awe, a piece of work. She talked nonstop, except when she was clearing out her eustachian tubes (which she did frequently) by pinching her nose and blowing out with a series of violent and alarming snorts of a sort that would make a dog leave a sofa and get under a table in the next room. I have long known that it is part of God's plan for me to spend a little time with each of the most stupid people on earth, and Mary Ellen was proof that even in the Appalalchian woods I would not be spared."

Same book. Here it is from page 50:

"We seemed to be looking out for each other. It was very nice. I can put it no other way."

Actually, those above three sentences and their sentiment are just exactly, perfectly right. That's how I feel about my best........

~~~
xoabb

I LOST! I LOST!! I LOST!!!*

I am completely inconsolable. Bereft. Depressed. I don't think I can bring myself to talk about last night....Ok, I can, but it's going to be so so hard to do. And a little embarrassing, unfortunately....(sigh)

The fairy-card goddesses were good to me and I messed it up all by myself.

I lost at bridge last night and I should have won just like last time, but I didn't keep an accurate count of the cards in my hand vs. the dummy hand and ended up with 6 cards in my hand and 4 in the dummy's. DUMB DUMB DUMB, DUMMY!!! Especially sad since I had the Ace through the Jack, all in hearts! (I think that's called a ~Grand Slam~. {{UPDATE at 4:26pm on 2/6!! Mental just told me I had HONORS - duh!}}) I tell ya, if anyone else in our group had had that hand(probably anyone else who plays bridge), they would have counted correctly while taking every trick (THAT would be a Grand Slam!)! (Hey! I'm just a beginner here! Oh, and by the way? I plan on staying a beginner for at least the next 5 years.)

That Mental friend of mine won the whole dang thing!

(I just know she cheated.....I'm just sayin'.)

Oh, and the junk-snacking was much better as you can see from Miss LaLa's picture. This time around, we dipped our carrots and celery....and potato chips (nobody's perfect)....in garlic or pesto hummus. We topped off our much better food evening with a delicious low-calorie Costco chicken pot pie. Just look at the pie's nutrition facts below! See? It's nice and low-cal. A true diet food. Low in sat. fat and salt. Have two servings! Won't hurt 'cha a bit. Not one bit!

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 serving (about 6 oz.)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 484
Calories from Fat 262

% Daily Value based on a

2000 calorie per day diet

Total Fat 29.1g, 45%
Saturated Fat 9.7g, 48%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4.5g
Monounsaturated Fat 12.5g
Cholesterol 41mg, 14%
Sodium 857mg, 36%
Total Carbohydrates 42.7g, 14%
Dietary Fiber 1.7g, 7%
Sugars 7.8g
Protein 13.0g
Vitamin A 46%
Vitamin C 3%
Calcium 3%
Iron 11%

I AM just sayin'...

~~~

*title of my next WW post, and don't tell me that's wishful thinkin'!

~~~

xoabb

It's Bridge Night!

Tonight we're at that Mental Mama's home. I sincerely hope to be reporting back later that my winning streak is continuing. Those fairy-card goddesses were sure good to me last time. Do sit on my sholder again....please...F-C G's?!

And do let me repeat the hopes and dreams for last bridge night's junk food consumption we all so miserably failed to heed:

I'm also hoping to be able to report that our consumption of junk food was reasonable this time. Of course, that would be a first. (Refer to this Mental Pause Mama post. See what I mean??) HA! Do ya think we'll do any better this time? I'm taking bets!

~~~

xoabb