- Stealing the Dragon by Tim Maleeny (suspense intrigue thriller)
- Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (sort of a historical memoir)
- Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (historical romantic time travel) My favorites in this series were the first and the second, Dragonfly in Amber
- A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire) by George R.R. Martin (fantasy) This entire series is not to be missed.
- The Other Bolelyn Girl by Philippa Gregory Don’t think history, think a really fine read.
- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer Now if you DO like a little (history) mixed in with your (humor), try this book on for size. The entire book is written in letters. Sounds boring doesn’t it? Trust me, it’s not.
- If you love Renoir, then you will love Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland. (fictionalized biography) It’s not a book about his entire life, but instead covers the period during which he was painting the luncheon masterpiece, one of his most recognizable works.
- The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson (thriller) You’ve never known a character like Lisbeth Salander.
- Bloodsworn: Bound by Magic by Kathy Lane (fantasy romance suspense) What more can I say?
- If you’ve never read a Janet Evanovich book, run to the nearest bookstore or tiptoe to Amazon.com and start off with One for the Money If you like human, colorful, (laugh out loud) characters, you’ll love her books. Easy reading, don’t be expecting Pride and Prejudice. These are just fun books in a series.
10 Recent Books I Have Read and Loved
Project Runway
Is anyone else getting bored with Project Runway? The designers don’t seem to be as talented as they have been in past seasons. There definitely should have been more excitement for that challenge where they teamed up with a school art class. There was so much inspiration there from the young artists, but the same lackluster array of clothes was trotted out. Pitiful!
When I think of “Runway,” I think of glamor and extraordinary fashion. I want to see some gowns and cocktail dresses coming down the runway, not tailored pants and jackets constantly. What fun is there in that?
The avant-garde challenge should have been evening wear.
There should be a different red carpet challenge every season. Let’s see the difference between a Grammy Awards red carpet as opposed to what we might see on Oscar night.
With so many Hollywood-type events to choose from, the best they could come up with was the Nina Garcia challenge? I have never seen Nina wear anything electrifying, and why in the world would I want to see her in clothes she would wear to work?
And the challenges themselves are getting old and stale. Okay, making a garment from stuff you can buy in a pet store was fun the first couple of times, but come-on! And then to put one designer down for using umbrella material, while rewarding the designer using fleece wasn’t even a fair assessment of the project, especially when the guy who made a dress out of birdseed was the clear winner.
And by the way, the bully in the playroom should’ve been kicked off the show, not one of his victims. But, oops, I forgot–the ratings. Maybe people are looking forward to more hysterics and mood swings. I, for one, would like to see more “out of the box” design and less drama.
Tomato, Tomahto
Whichever way you say it, you haven’t eaten a really good tomato in a very long time–well, unless you are growing your own or buying from a farmers market. However, you are eating really, really pretty tomatoes: bright red, no blemishes, smooth skin, firm to the touch, perfect green stem. Too bad they’re red rocks with little or no juice inside.
Every year, it gets harder and harder to find an awful looking, ugly tomato–the ones that are grown to taste good, not look good.
If you find one, don’t expect it to be bright red. Sometimes they’re more orange. And don’t bother to look for a perfect stem sticking out of its misshapen body, because there probably isn’t one.
If you’ve ever bent over and picked a tomato direct from the plant, you’ll know the minute you hold this ugly baby in the palm of your hand that it’s been sun-drenched and grown outside and maybe it hasn’t even been sprayed with “who knows what.”
So, the next time you pass the tomatoes in your supermarket, try to figure out why you don’t see those hideous looking tomatoes in the store anymore. Are we so enamored of beauty that our food has to look gorgeous, while real taste suffers?
Oh, well. Pretty is “in.” So, I won’t even get started on our pretty, pretty red beef, or our pearly white eggs, or …
Thomas Jefferson Said
Evidently, Tom knew what he was talking about!
“If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their Fathers conquered… I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies… The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs.” – Thomas Jefferson
Chubby Checkers
Who would’ve guessed that out of all the shows I’ve seen in my lifetime, Chubby Checker’s concert would take first prize? I didn’t think anyone could possibly displace the double bill of the fantastic Tina Turner and the inimitable Joe Cocker, but there it is. Chubby Checker skyrocketed.
His show didn’t begin with an announcer’s usual warnings, “There will be no flash pictures allowed during the show” and “Turn off all cell phones.” Once the show started, I understood why. Because if a cell phone rang, no one would’ve heard it anyway.
Only one prior statement was made–“Chubby will be available in the lobby after the show to sign autographs and say hello.”
Then his band walked out, took their places and the sax player walked up to the mic and simply said, “Chubby Checker.”
Chubby walked out onto the stage and proceeded to sing non-stop for an hour and a half. He embraced the audience and they embraced him back.
By the mid-point of his concert, it became obvious he needed no back-up singers or performers, because his audience filled the bill. People were dancing in the aisles, standing at their seats dancing and those who couldn’t get out of their seats were dancing in their seats.
Whenever he sang a song that came complete with its own dance, he’d shout, “If you know how to do the Pony, come on up.” People of all ages went up to the stage and danced. At one point, he had over 20 women onstage teaching them how to do the Fly. Toward the end of the show, he had 20+ men on stage doing the Twist.
He encouraged people to sing and since everyone in that audience knew the lyrics, everyone in that audience sang. He didn’t just perform his own songs, he sang songs that were well-loved in the 60’s. Songs by Little Richard, Marvin Gaye, Bill Haley, and so many more I couldn’t keep track. He sang Blue Suede Shoes and he didn’t massacre it. He did Elvis proud.
At other concerts I’ve attended, when a recognizable song is about to begin, there is a hushed sort of “ahhh” that permeates the audience. At this concert, every time Chubby started to sing, people screamed their approval.
Senior teenagers! It was a night to reminisce, to do things we hadn’t done in many years. Some folks who climbed up on stage had to be helped up the steps. In one case, a man actually used a cane to get up on stage to join the rest of the guys.
Inhibitions be damned! Everyone was a kid again.
Many people stayed to talk to Chubby after the show and get his autograph. Some held old 33 1/3 record albums for him to autograph. Others just wanted to tell him what he meant to them when they were growing up.
I was there well over an hour and there were still people waiting to talk to him. They took pictures of him with their cell phones. He was gracious, never rushed anyone, and he signed every autograph requested.
It was a party!
Royal Wedding
She would be so proud.
I wished throughout the entire regal wedding ceremony that Diana could have been there. It was hard not to think about her while watching her two handsome sons do her proud.
Kate was beautiful as she made her entrance and walked down the aisle. One can only hope that she and Prince William will enjoy many happy years together.
Diana, you did a fabulous job making your sons approachable, yet dignified and dedicated individuals. Your legacy lives on.
Elizabeth Taylor
Okay, now that I come to think about it, I guess I overlooked Elizabeth Taylor as one of my favorite women. I’ll have to extend my list to eleven and include her. She has been a part of my life–well, all my life. At one time, hands down, she was the most beautiful woman in Hollywood.
Back in the 50’s, the nuns at school spoke about how sinful she was. She had so many marriages and love affairs. Luckily, I didn’t allow their propaganda to sway me. There was always something about Elizabeth Taylor that was magical.
Thank goodness some of it is captured on film.
10 Women I Like — A Lot
As with my list of men, I won’t be listing any American presidents–oops, we haven’t had any female presidents–no American politicians, or religious leaders. This is a random list, no ranking intended.
- Eleanor Roosevelt – Human Rights were her passion. She fought for the youth of America, for the poor, for black Americans and for women at home and abroad. She was a suffragette. (Yeah, Eleanor!) Her accomplishments are too vast to enumerate.
- Audrey Hepburn – For me she will always be My Fair Lady, but her glowing achievement was working as UNICEF’s Ambassador. She traveled the world, gave countless interviews and appeared before Congress, working tirelessly to make children’s lives better.
- Gloria Steinem – Where would women be today without Gloria and Bella Abzug?
- Lena Horne – I think she was probably born 50 years too soon for Hollywood. But in spite of some really Stormy Weather, she clung to her star status throughout her life. Her sultry voice caressed. Her music should be cherished.
- Margaret Thatcher – Britain’s first female Prime Minister. History will decide her successes and failures. All the same, I loved listening to her speak.
- Jackie Kennedy – She entered my life as the wife of a president and she enchanted me for the rest of her life.
- Ginger Rogers – For the many hours I spent at the movies and in front of the TV watching her dance effortlessly across the screen with Fred Astaire.
- Pauly Perrette – Plays Abby on NCIS. This seems like an unlikely choice, but what many don’t know about Pauley is she uses her celebrity to help children, animals and the homeless. She is active in so many foundations, it would make your head spin.
- Rosa Parks – Where does this type of courage come from?
- Sandra Day O’Conner – First female member of the Supreme Court. She was a ground-breaker from the minute she graduated from law school.
Ain’t women grand?
The Defenders
I’m thinking about my next list, which will be my ten favorite ladies, but in the meantime, let’s make room for a little fluff. I definitely needed something sort of fun and mindless to watch on Friday evening after viewing a week of CNN coverage from Egypt.
So, if you haven’t tuned in to The Defenders yet, you should give it a try. It’s not Shakespeare, but it hits the mark as lightweight, non-violent entertainment. Jerry O’Connell and James Belushi make terrific sidekicks. Besides that, Belushi pulls off wearing pink dress shirts with panache. His wardrobe is deliciously daring, different and delightful.
And by the way, order in the southern fried chicken ’cause Justified on FX is coming back on Wednesday at 10 p.m.
10 Men I Like — A Lot
I haven’t listed any American presidents, politicians or religious leaders. That’s an entirely different list. My list is random. Although the names are numbered, no ranking is intended.
- Prince William – He has done his mother proud.
- Anwar Sadat – His death was a tragic loss to his country.
- Joseph, Chief of the Nez Perce tribe – His ill-fated retreat of more than 1,000 miles from federal troops is legendary.
- Martin Luther King – He had a dream. We’re still working at it.
- George Carlin – He’s probably my all-time favorite comedian.
- Paul Newman – A good man.
- Danny Thomas – He was much more than met the eye. Visit the St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis to see what I mean.
- John J. Audubon – I’m a birder, so Audubon makes my list. He spent 50 years painting and describing the birds of America.
- Norman Rockwell – He shared the spirit of America through his paintings. I grew up enjoying his artistry on the covers of The Saturday Evening Post.
- Thomas Edison – Every time there is a power outage, I wonder what people did before the light bulb.
These are the first ten names that popped into my mind. I probably missed a few of your favorites.
Animal Lover
For years, I used to carry gardening gloves in the trunk of my car, in case I ever had to rescue an injured animal.
Don’t laugh too hard. I knew a fellow who carried a long, heavy rope in his trunk, in case he ever had to rescue someone from drowning.
See–my gardening gloves don’t seem so strange now, do they?
Anyway, as it happens, I have moved a turtle or two out of the middle of the road to safety wearing those gloves. But this is a story about a bird.
Many years ago, I was driving on a narrow two-lane street when a Mourning Dove swooped down and I hit it with my car. It lie limp in the road. I wasn’t sure if it was dead or not.
With tears pouring down my face, I pulled my gloves out of the trunk and had just slipped them on when a man, driving on the opposite side of the road, stopped his car.
“What’s the matter?” he asked.
“I ran into a bird.”
He laughed hysterically. When he looked at my gloved hands, he sneered, “Are you going to operate?”
Then he drove off.
I couldn’t stop crying. The idea of killing a bird horrified me. I walked over to it. I’m sure it was dead, although people have since informed me that birds go into shock and the dove may have been perfectly okay later. I didn’t believe them then and I don’t believe it now. At any rate, I carried the bird to the side of the road and placed it under a bush.
Over the years, I’ve actually saved a lot of birds who went into shock for one reason or another. They fly through badminton nets and into windows. Birds are simply not always equipped to handle human obstacles.
But no matter how many I’ve rehabilitated, I’ve never been able to forget that poor dove, or that guy’s repulsive, insensitive mocking.
Easy Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup
Last week I cooked a dish that called for broccoli florets. So there I was–stuck with the leftover stems. What to do. What to do. I chopped them up, threw them into a ziploc bag and put them in the frig.
Today I decided to make this soup. It turned out to be a good, delicious decision.
5 cups water
2 (14 oz) packages frozen, chopped broccoli
OR fresh broccoli, if you have it.
3 cups diced potatoes
¾ cup chopped onion
3 chicken bouillon cubes
2 cans cream of celery soup
6 oz sharp cheddar cheese, cubed
6 oz Colby jack cheese, cubed
Cook the first 5 ingredients for 20 minutes (1/2 hour if using fresh broccoli).
Reduce heat and add soup and cheeses. Simmer until cheese is melted.
Stir often so cheese does not stick.
All My Children
Alright, All My Children is one of my guilty pleasures. I’ve become addicted. I tape every episode.
I was so happy to see Michael Nouri (Caleb) join the cast. He’s been a favorite of mine for years. I hope the writers keep him on for a long time.
And it will be interesting to see if Vincent Irizarry (David) can rise from the dead. (As I understand it, this type of thing happens all the time on the soaps.)
What I’ve noticed lately is the ladies on this soap opera are withering away. It’s like watching skeletons walk across the screen.
Susan Lucci has always been petite, but now there seems to be a lot of slimming down going on. Alicia Minshew, who plays Kendall, is tall and painfully thin. Rebecca Budig (Greenlee) (where did they come up with that name?) and Christina Bennett Lind (Bianca) aren’t far behind.
It was refreshing to see Jamie Luner’s character, Liza, in her underwear recently. She actually has a “real” woman’s body.
I hope the skeletal look doesn’t become a trend.
That said, here’s a little something on Scott Chandler’s character.
NCIS and Castle Are Back!
Monday – ABC – “Castle” is back!
Tuesday – CBS – “NCIS” (my favorite) and “NCIS Los Angeles” have returned! And it looks like “NCIS Los Angeles” is giving us a double whammy. Make sure you stay tuned for not only the 9 P.M. slot, but for the 10 P.M., as well.
Thursday – ABC – “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Private Practice” are rumored to swing in with some exciting episodes. I hope so, because they were becoming predictable last season.
Thursday – Fox – Have you discovered “Fringe?” (9 P.M.)
Friday – CBS – I’m planning on giving “Blue Bloods” a try. The story line sounds blah to me, but how can you resist Tom Selleck? Perhaps he can pull this dreariness out of the doldrums.
As far as Saturday is concerned, if it weren’t for the PBS lineups and “Saturday Night Live,” we’d be lost.
I suppose I should mention the season premiere of “The Mentalist” on Thursday on CBS. But think about this–have you noticed the formula for “House”, “Lie To Me” and “The Mentalist” are all the same? The lead character is always right. Each of them treat their colleagues as if they are merely there to kowtow to them. And they each love themselves very much. In spite of that, I seem to have been hypnotized by the Mentalist, because I’ll probably end of watching it from time to time.
Oh, well, there’s lots of new shows. If you discover one you love, let me know.
Rookie Blue
First let me say, I’m not into cop shows. They all tend to be the same story over and over again. So you will understand my reticence regarding a new cop show. But they’re rookies–what can you do? I gave them a shot. You should too, before they’re gone at the end of their summer season.
They make some newbie mistakes. Each character has their own distinct personality, different from one another. The show is well written. The plots take you inside the rookies’ lives and onto the streets, as well.
Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream – A Disappointment
I remember the days when I had no choice. If I wanted cherry vanilla ice cream, I’d pass all the other brands and head straight to the Breyers section. No question. Breyers has always been about $1.00 more than the other brands, but it was worth it. I always say, if you’re willing to swallow the calories, they should me A #1 calories.
Of course I’m talking about the days before Cherry Garcia. It seems while I wasn’t paying attention, the quality of all the Breyers ice creams were being cheaped-down, while Ben & Jerry were using top quality ingredients in their ice creams. This has become my dilemma.
Do I eat less ice cream, because Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is a whole lot more expensive? Or do I accept the fact that Breyers ice creams have become mediocre, but are still pretty good in comparison to other cheaper brands?
This certainly isn’t the most pressing dilemma in the world, but it’s one I at least have control over. What do you think?
Drop Dead Diva
It’s a lovely piece of fluff. Is there anything wrong with that?
The thing is, it’s different from anything else on the tube. In a nutshell –
- Beautiful model, Deb, dies in a car accident.
- As fate would have it, she comes back in the body of a plumpish female lawyer, Jane.
- Luckily, she is able to convince her closest friend that she is Deb, but in a mighty different body.
- She has a young male guardian angel.
- To complicate matters further, she now works with the hunk she was previously engaged to before she died.
Don’t expect high drama or suspense, but it certainly is worth checking out.
With a title like Drop Dead Diva, I expected it to be way too silly for me. But it wasn’t.
Dieting & Disco Dancing
How many times have you heard this? “If you want to lose weight, you must diet and exercise.” That sentence is at the top of my list of most hated things I want to hear.
I applaud all the people who love to jog, or love to go to the gym. I’m not one of them. However, I do like to listen to music, which brings me to disco dancing. Have you ever noticed how hard it is to sit and listen to disco music. That’s because it’s main appeal is it’s hard-to-ignore invitation to dance. The beat is perfect.
Therein lies the key that unlocks my exercise room. In my case, that’s my living room. I’ve been disco dancing (when no one is around). It’s fun. Finally! An exercise I can love.
You don’t need a partner, so let the gyrating begin.
My Favorite Healthy Breakfast
Try this. It fills you up until it’s time for lunch.
Spread peanut butter on 2 lightly salted rice cakes. Slice a banana and lay the slices on top of the peanut butter. Quick! Easy! Nutritious! Superb!
Remember to eat slow and chew well. It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to send a message to your brain that says, “Good! My stomach is full. You can stop eating now.”
And as far as that message that announces your stomach is full? Try listening to it when you’re half-way through a meal–any meal. You sometimes find that you don’t really want to clean your plate. Save what you don’t eat for a snack later in the day (when the message you’re receiving says, “I’m hungry. I need food and I need it now!”)
Dieting – I Miss Dessert
What to do? What to do? I miss my sweets.
I thought I’d be well over my need for sweets after trying to watch my diet for a few weeks. But the truth is, even if you stop eating cake and pie and cookies, etc., there’s so much sugar and sucrose and every other kind of sweetener in most of the other foods we eat that it’s impossible to stay away from sugar.
I used to be able to cut out sweets pretty easily. After a week or so, the craving disappears. No more. Sugar has invaded most everything we eat nowadays. This is my new solution.
After I eat dinner, I allow myself to eat a piece of hard candy. Sometimes I sit back and have a coffee flavored one. That’s almost as good as having a cup of coffee and a piece of cake.
Othertimes, I pop in a root beer barrel or some other taste treat I like. So far, it’s working.
Justified on FX
Photo from poptower
Is anyone looking at Justified? Normally I don’t go in for loads of violence, but this show gets a pass because the dialogue is so good, the writing is meaty and Timothy Olyphant, as the badass Marshal, is superb. His Kentucky accent is dreamy, yet tough. How does he do that?!
Don’t miss this one. It’s different. And it’s not too late to start watching. So far, very little back-story has been revealed.
Trust me on this one. It’s in my top five this season.
A Fabulous Diet Tip–Potato Chips
I love potato chips. However, whenever I pig out on them, I usually go on one of my guilt trips. Here’s a way to avoid some of the calories, and stop beating up on yourself.
Buy a large bag of potato chips. Buy a box of ziploc bags (sandwich size).
Empty the entire bag of chips onto your clean kitchen counter. Now read the potato chip bag. How many servings does the bag hold? My bag had 10 servings and each serving equaled 130 calories.
I wanted to keep my snacking to 100 calories. So, I separated the chips into 12 servings instead of 10 and put each serving into a ziploc bag. You’ll be surprised how many chips are in a 100 calorie serving–certainly enough to fill the salty pangs of hunger.
Carefully place the small bags of chips back into the large bag. You’re good to go.
Try it.
“Castle” Will Be Back!
A third season has been announced for ABC’s Castle.
This has become one of my favorite shows—-no thanks to the dumb title. I missed the entire first season because the title is so bland.
The chemistry between the two main characters is delicious, and the entire supporting cast is superb.
Once the reruns kick in, I hope to catch some of the episodes I missed.
For more about Castle see Tawny Weber and Jeff Hidek.
Late Night Diet Snack
I like to watch TV in the evening and snack. It’s a habit I’m trying to break. But I’m not always successful. That doesn’t mean I’m not watchful.
The trick is to eat something that will fill up the void and the time. One way to accomplish this is to eat something frozen. That way you’re forced to eat it slow or suffer a brain freeze.
This is my favorite–1/2 cup of frozen blueberries with a big dollop of ReddiWip whipped cream. It takes a while to eat the berries because they’re little, bitty pieces of sweet ice.
I’ll tell you my secret. I eat them right out of my measuring cup. And this tasty snack topped with whipped cream equals 55 calories.
If you’re still hungry after that, pop one of those 100 calorie mini bags of popcorn. That ought to do it. Nighty night.
Dieting Is A Snap If You Have A Cell Phone
As I mentioned in a previous post, to stay healthy and, hopefully lose a few pounds, nothing works better for me than counting calories. So, what do I do when I’m at a party–grazing?
I fill my plate with my favorite foods, remembering moderation. Once my plate is full, I take out my cell phone and snap a picture of all my goodies. Later, when I’m trying to recall what I ate at the party, I look at the photo and calculate as closely as possible how many calories I consumed.
Nifty idea, huh?
Ordinarily, I tend to eat a lot of the same foods, i.e. a bagel and cream cheese for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, etc. After a while, I know how many calories I’m swallowing without having to look up the calorie content. As time goes by, counting calories become easier and easier, until finally, at the end of the day, I know whether I’ve stayed on track or gone over.
“New Tricks”- Is Anyone Watching?
New Tricks — Am I the only one who has discovered this BBC weekly series?
Photo from TV Page.com
Look for it on Monday nights. In my area, PBS airs back to back one-hour episodes starting at 8:00 p.m. (no commercials – hooray!)
TV.com writes a short summary.
New Tricks centres around Sandra Pullman who out of desperation to put her flagging police career back on track recruits three old veterans to lend a helping hand.
The show proves, conclusively, that you can’t teach old dogs new tricks!
On A Diet? 130 Calorie Breakfast
Okay, I’ve heard it hundreds of time–On or Off a diet, you need to eat a good breakfast. Personally, I’d rather skip it altogether, but all the studies indicate breakfast is the correct way to start the day.
Do you know what that means? Whole wheat toast, a banana and a cup of coffee–or something equally unappealing– is touted as a healthy breakfast. Like that’s really going to fill me up and get me through the morning?
So, here’s a solution. It works for me. And it’s actually filling.
Take a nice, big, juicy bagel. Slice it in half. (Sorry, you can only have half, but on the bright side, it’s not a slice of wheat toast that tastes like cardboard.)
Toast the bagel, if you like.
Spread on 1 tablespoon of “1/3 less fat cream cheese.” This is Neufchatel Cheese. It is prized in France, so don’t feel sorry for yourself. It’s a real delicacy.
I take my breakfast on the run with a cup of black coffee.
If you happen to be thinking, What? Only one tablespoon of the blasted cheese? Pull yourself together. It’s not the end of the world if you absolutely must slather on 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese.
Just keep in mind, 1 tablespoon of Neufchatel Cheese equals 56 calories–2 tablespoons equals 112. Therefore, you trade up from a 130 calorie breakfast to a 186 calorie breakfast. Still not bad.
Save the other half of the bagel for tomorrow’s breakfast.
Girl Power!
Hannah Kearney took the first Gold Medal at the 2010 Olympics for the U.S.
Mogul Gold – Photo from The Olympics Blog
Added Bonus–Shannon Bahrke took the Mogul Bronze Medal.
A Chiclet Will Help You Diet
Chew on a Chiclet–a regular Chiclet–not sugar-free.
[I’m not a fan of any food containing aspartame. For one thing, it does bad, bad things to the inside of my mouth. There’s plenty to read on the web about aspartame, so you can make up your own mind. Aspartame]
But this post is about keeping unnecessary foods out of your mouth. One of the things I suggest–chew on a Chiclet. There are only 4 calories in a single Chiclet. You don’t need to chew on two of them, although at 4 calories, you can go wild!
Normally, one will do me. It keeps my jaws moving for an hour before the darn thing loses its taste. Really! The taste of peppermint Chiclets goes a long way.
One downside. I have trouble finding Chiclets in the stores. The trend is to chew sugar-free gum, so that’s what most stores carry. When I come across a store that carries Chiclets, I load up.
Anyway, this Chiclet trick works. Anything that will get you through an hour without food or thinking about food is worth a shot.
Dieting? Something You Need To Know
I love my carbohydrates! It’s a fact and I admit it.
My favorite lunch is a sandwich, preferably a hoagie or a sub. What to do? What to do?
I’ve learned it’s best to make my own sandwich, because I can control what goes in it. I don’t use an inch of ham and cheese–no, no. I go easy, but I refuse to give up foods I like. So, the ham and cheese STAYS! (but two slices of each are plenty).
And I use a good amount of lettuce.
Now, here’s the kicker–the one important thing you should be aware of. It’s all about the mayonnaise. Did you know 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise equals 99 calories? What to do? What to do?
I’ll tell you what to do. Switch to low calorie mayonnaise. It tastes exactly the same as regular mayonnaise, BUT 1 tablespoon equals 36 calories. Can you believe that? If you’re using regular mayonnaise, run as fast as you can to the store and change to low cal immediately. The exercise will do you good, too.
Oh, and if mayonnaise isn’t on your “must have” food list, make your sandwich with mustard. 1 teaspoon of mustard equals 3 calories. Woowee!
Diet By Counting Calories
I’m sorry, but when I’m determined to eat a healthier diet and try to get back in shape, I can’t do it without counting calories. All of these other popular diet plans do nothing for me.
Once I become aware of how many calories I’m putting into my stomach, I begin to adjust and to understand how much I can eat and when I should stop.
A good rule to follow in life is “everything in moderation.” That’s the rule I follow when I decide to take off some pounds. After counting calories for a while, my mind and my body eventually come to a happy understanding and eating right becomes second nature.
In the beginning, though, to get myself on track, I go to my favorite site for help counting calories.
http://www.prevention.com/health/
The site has helpful diet hints, but best of all, if you put in your current weight and plug in the amount of pounds you want to lose in a specified time, it calculates the number of calories you can eat in one day in order to reach your goal. Is that somethin’, or what?
Then you list the foods you eat during the day in the Health Tracker. It’s a snap. Sometimes, I even plan my meals for the following day.
Now I’m going in the kitchen to cook some pasta. Pasta? Yep. Because according to my Health Tracker, I’ve only eaten 861 calories today and it’s time for dinner.
I’m not in a huge hurry to lose my weight and I have a lot to lose. However, I’m not a person who is going to starve myself. I’ve given myself two years to lose 80 pounds.
There’s a method to my madness, because in order to do that, I can eat a whopping 1800 calories a day and still take all that weight off. Plus I can easily continue to eat that many calories after the weight melts slowly away. I don’t intend to gain it back!
Just for the record, 1 cup of cooked pasta equals 176 calories. And according to the site’s calculation, I can eat 2 cups without walking away with a busted-up conscience.
Need more laid-back inspiration? Success or Failure?
Got to go and get that water boiling.
An Unforgettable Event – Whale Watching
One of my unforgettable events – a whale watch off the coast of Cape Cod. When you board a whale watching boat, the crew is quick to tell you that you don’t always get to see a whale. They just do their best to locate one.
Not all that reassuring, so I wasn’t expecting much.
What I got was almost unbelievable–even for the crew!
Julia Roberts – A Disappointment
What was Julia Roberts thinking when she wore a jersey dress to the Golden Globe Awards Ceremony?
I don’t know about you, but I watch the award shows to see the fashions. Julia certainly disappointed this year. Maybe she thought she was a big enough star to forgo the trouble of dressing up.
Perhaps she didn’t get the memo that the Globes are all about glitz, glamour and stardom. If you’re a star–you come looking like a star. It’s part of “the job.”
Quick & Easy Shepherd’s Pie
1 lb. ground beef, lean
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 or 2 cans of your favorite vegetable (or leftover veggies)
Instant Mashed Potatoes, you choose the amount of servings
OPTIONALS: Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 can Creamed Corn
Cook beef and onions in skillet until the meat is browned. Spoon into a baking casserole dish.
Prepare instant mashed potatoes. Add Shredded Cheddar, if you like. ** Place the prepared potatoes around the edges of the casserole dish on top of the beef.
Fill the center with vegetables (If using canned veggies, remember to drain beforehand.)
Bake in 425 oven for 15 minutes. Serves 3 or 4 people.
**FOR A CHANGE OF PACE – Pour the can of creamed corn, straight from the can, over the beef, BEFORE adding the potatoes and veggies. Great!
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Did you ever hear of Stieg Larsson? He wrote The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. The title intrigued me, so there you are. I picked the book up. That’s how happy mistakes are made.
The intrigue doesn’t stop with the title. Main characters don’t come more fascinating than Lisbeth Salander. Her personality: mysterious, hidden, socially inept, computer savvy (genius hacker), sometimes deadly, cautious, captivating, hold-your-breath nerve wracking.
6 Easy Diet Snacks
I’ve already demonstrated how to cook perfect hard-boiled eggs in my previous post, and they are the first items on my snack list, as well as on Heidi Klum’s.
- 2 Hard-boiled Eggs (only 150 calories)
- Eat your favorite cereal straight from the box. No milk? More cereal!
- Look for The Laughing Cow light cheese spread triangles in the dairy case. 1 triangle = 35 calories. (I can vouch for the Swiss flavor–it doesn’t taste like artificial muck!) 1 triangle easily covers 6 or 7 saltine crackers.
- Rice Cake smeared with 1/2 tablespoon peanut butter and 1/2 sliced banana
- Low-fat Cottage Cheese with plenty of fresh blueberries mixed in
- Listen up! There are 15 calories in a tablespoon of ReddiWip. Think about that. You can add some really good zippitydoodah to that blah jello. Live a little. Spritz on two whole tablespoons. I’m not talking about that fat free stuff, either. This is the real deal. Jello with fruit with a large dollop of whipped cream. Heaven help us!
10 More Great Places to Visit in the U.S.A.
This is my second Top Ten List–the Recap. Have fun planning your vacation.
- Washington, DC
- Cape May, New Jersey
- Outer Banks, North Carolina
- Key West, Florida
- Macon, Georgia
- Cape Cod, Massachusetts
- Natural Bridge, Virginia
- Salem, Massachusetts
- Atlanta, Georgia
- The State of Maine, including Acadia National Park
I have written at length about all of the above places in my previous posts. Enjoy!
If you’d like to see my first Top Ten List, go to 10 Great U.S. Cities to Visit
Maine
I’ve never been to Maine, but I’d like to go someday. Here are some of the places I’ll be looking for:
Natural Bridge, Virginia
A friend of mine had a temporary position in Virginia, a few years ago. She wanted some visitors because she was lonely. So, I told her to find some places in and around where she was staying and we’d go exploring. That idea culminated in a visit to Natural Bridge. We stayed two nights at the Natural Bridge Hotel. What I remember most about the hotel was their restaurant. The food was good and so was the music. Don’t go expecting a high-end resort, though. The hotel is historic, but quite charming.
Atlanta, Georgia
It’s been a number of years since I’ve been to Atlanta, but I remember my visit fondly. Probably one of the most innovative places in Atlanta is their underground shopping, where you’ll find unique shops and restaurants.
Also downtown, tour the World of Coca Cola.
Salem, Massachusetts
Okay, it’s August, I know that! But, I’m thinking Halloween. Because if you’re planning a getaway in October, you must start planning and reserving rooms now. And it doesn’t get better than Salem, Massachusetts for Halloween.
Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Years ago, I went on a bus trip to Cape Cod. Spent a lot of time on the beach and seeing the sights. The journey ended at the extreme tip of the Cape at Provincetown.
10 Ideas (and more) When There’s No Money For Vacation
Over the past few months, I’ve pointed out a number of places to vacation. All in the U.S. All good for the pocketbook. All good to help boost the economy. But suppose you don’t even have enough money to hop on a plane, or a train, or to gas up the car? What then?
Macon, Georgia
[My computer has been sick, but it’s all better now.]
So, what’s doing in Macon, GA? That’s what I was thinking 5 years ago when a friend asked me if I’d like to go to Macon for the Cherry Blossom Festival. It turns out that Macon has more, many more, cherry blossom trees than Washington, DC.
Key West, Florida
If you make it to the southernmost point in the U.S., you’re in Key West.
Okay, there’s beaches. I didn’t realize I gravitate to beaches, but it appears I do, since many of my favorite places are near water. But there’s more to Key West.
The Outer Banks, North Carolina
Right off the coast of North Carolina, you will find The Outer Banks. There is so much doing there, I hardly know where to start. Of course, the obvious–the beaches are superb.
But there’s much, much more.
Cape May, NJ
If you live anywhere on the east coast and you’re thinkin’ where can I go where the entire family will have a wow of a time without spending a boatload of money, look to the Jersey shore. For everything your heart could possibly desire, zero in on Cape May, New Jersey.
Washington, DC
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, with the economy in the doldrums, you should consider a staycation–one where you stay in the U.S. and spend your vacation dollars at home. A perfect city to visit is Washington, DC. Most of the tourist spots are free. It doesn’t get better than free. And it’s wonderful on the Fourth of July.
Happiness Or Unhappiness?
One evening a Cherokee elder told his grandson about the battle that goes on inside people’s heads. He said, “My son, the battle is between the two ‘wolves’ that live inside us all. One is Unhappiness. It is fear, worry, anger, jealousy, sorrow, self-pity, resentment and inferiority. The other is Happiness. It is joy, love, hope, serenity, kindness, generosity, truth and compassion.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf wins?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
Someone sent this story to me months ago. I liked it so much, I thought I would share.
My Job Was Eliminated
I have been eliminated–not laid off with the hope of being rehired. No, I am an eliminated entity. That’s like erasing all the writing from a chalkboard with one sweep of an eraser. One minute there’s something there; the next minute it’s gone.
The thing is, one doesn’t know what to do with oneself when the alarm doesn’t go off. I remember all those mornings when that annoying alarm sounded and all I wanted to do was catch another 20 minutes of sleep. Now, for some reason, I don’t crave the sleep. I get up like always, but I have no place to go.
After several days of thinking and analyzing and speaking to my family, I have decided to move in with my daughter. We will be three generations in one house. That has spawned much discussion among my friends and acquaintances.
Many families, not just mine, are merging together out of necessity. I didn’t realize that while I was still employed, but it appears families are circling the wagons. They have run out of other choices.
In some instances, it is a good thing. My ophthalmologist has opened his doors once again to his son, and his nephew, too, is having a hard time finding another job. He is expecting to find him on his doorstep any day now, as well. However, he welcomes the opportunity to help both boys through this crisis and believes he will come to know each of them a little better because as he puts it, ” I only know the boys as they once were, not as the adults they have become.”
I think my decision to join my family will also be a good one, but I know there are many family situations that are not conducive to combining generations in one home.
I just had a discussion with a friend five minutes ago, while I was writing this post as a matter of fact, who is not looking forward to what the near future has in store for her. Her mother-in law and brother-in-law are preparing to move into her home. She is forced to give up space that she worked hard to create for herself and her husband over the years. That may not sound like much, but it’s huge. Furniture put into storage to make room for other furniture being moved in. Drapes to be hung in a sun room that will now be used as a bedroom, no longer a place of refuge. She views this turn of events as an end of her peace and comfort, something she craves when she comes home from work. The fact that she is forced to give all of this over to people she doesn’t particularly care for, but who she is obligated to help in their time of need, makes it all the more an enormous struggle. Yet, she will do it because she loves her husband.
I think depression will be the likely result for those who are forced to join together and make unwanted and unforeseen changes in their lives. What a pity. What to do? What to do?
Frances Ellen Speaks 
