Sorry Y'all....the Vlog will be delayed due to technical difficulties and I'm really annoyed about it, too...I mean, I did my hair and makeup, and now I'm all dressed up with nowhere to go!!!! :(
Hope to have it worked out soon.
Thanks for your patience!!!
A Peek Into The Misadventures of My Crazy Upside-Down Life.
Sunday, July 31, 2016
Sunday, July 24, 2016
..A Summer Re-Run- Updated
Recently a friend sent me and a few of her friends 20 Questions. I've
seen it on a few blogs elsewhere too. I answered, and sent it back to
her, but thought it would be fun to do it on my blog.
Here we go-....
1. Why did you start your blog?
Which one? LOL. I started my original blog 'SUNNY SAYS' way back in 2004. The honest answer is because Paul, my husband had started one about him coming to live in the USA and I've always loved writing and it looked like fun and a lot was going on in my life that I wanted to share.
This one is my baby- my main blog.
Over the years I've had different blogs for different things that are going on in my life.Over the years I've had nine of them.
At the moment- I have 3 going.
This one- Sunny Says.....www.sunnysez.blogspot.com
My Photography blog-LavadasP365........www.lavadasp365.blogspot.co.uk
and my weightloss one.....SkepticElle.
I'll skip telling the addie of that one since it's a private one.
I love writing and sharing my experiences...with pretty much anyone that's interested.
2. What made you choose your blog name?
Quite honestly, again. I didn't. Paul set it up for me one night while I was up at my moms visiting with my dad who had just come out of remission from Prostate Cancer. I had been talking about starting one for a couple of weeks, but just couldn't find time to take an hour or so to set it up.......That's how long I thought it would take anyway. I came home just as he was setting it up and he asked me what I wanted to title it- and I didn't have a CLUE what to name it- so I asked him to choose a name for it. He chose Sunny Says and , Of Course, I loved it. Unfortunately, someone else had the spelling for SunnySays as the mail name, so I ended up using www.sunnysez.blogspot.com for the domain name. Shame really. And yes- I've thought about changing the spelling on the title so it matches, but as usual- somehow never have found the time to do it.
3. What is your favorite thing that has come from blogging?
That's easy. It's all the new friends and interesting people I've made from who has visited my blog, left comments, and stayed on visiting. Some of them I've even met in Real Life and are friends with on SKYPE and Facebook, too!!
Simple as that!!!
4. What is your favorite color and why?
I have several. I can't choose.
In a kitchen- it's buttery yellow. It's a happy color and everyone should have a happy kitchen to create in.
I have basically 4 colors I wear and use consistently...Black, white, red, and electric blue. They are the colors I'm most comfortable and happiest in.
5. What inspires you?
More than anything it's music....and seeing the good in people. Both seem to touch my soul and make me want to create and be an inspiration to others.
6. What’s your guilty pleasure?
I would love to be able to tell you, but alas, I cannot. Tis a hideous evil thing and it would be branded in your mind forever.
;-)
The one thing I CAN confess to is having a lazy, lazy day. I rarely can settle down and just do absolutely nothing and I always feel so guilty when I do manage to catch some absolute downtime....but man,oh,man....is it PLEASURABLE!!!
7. If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
It's a combo....Homelessness and Hunger. If it were up to me those two things would be wiped from the face of the earth- forever. Nothing fills me with such sorrow as knowing someone out there has no place to call home...no place to sleep, or sit down and relax or take a nice shower or bath, or to call their own...even if it is just rented.
It hurts me to know there are people who go to sleep hungry- and wake up hungry. And that they have no idea where their next meal is coming from or when it will be.
8. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
I think I've lived in the two most wonderful places in the world. South Carolina, and England.
I've found I love to visit other places tho!!! And plan on doing a lot more OF it!!
9. If you could change something about your home, without worrying about expenses, what would it be?
Oh Lord, the kitchen. My kitchen is TINY- and if only it were a big country kitchen I would be on cloud nine!!!
The only other things I can think of I might change is I would quite like to have a gas burning fireplace made of stone, and lovely wood flooring.
Other than those things, I can't think of anything I would change .......altho now I look at it- those are some pretty big things!!!
10. Who is your celebrity crush (boy or girl) and if you could spend a day with them what would you do?
Hmmmm.....
Male would be Tom Hanks. Hands down my favorite actor of all times. Running a close second would be Sean Connery.
Female would be Allison Scagliotti who plays Claudia Donovan in Warehouse 13....Close second would be Erica Cerra who plays Jo Lupo in Eureka. I would hope they (Male and Female) would be as much fun off camera as their characters are on the shows. What would we do? I think a Horseback trip for the day and then either a pool party or Formal dinner party that night would be fun.
11. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card?
None if it's going on MY credit card. Now ask me what store I would choose if I wanted to max out Daddy Warbucks credit card and it would be any high end shoe or clothing store.
I love me some heels and clothes.
12. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? A model. I took part in a few local fashion shows when I was in high school, but then life got in the way and I got married and became a mommy and for reasons I wont go into right now, went into law enforcement instead. If I had to do it over, I'd have went into something a bit more lucrative and creative like Architecture or Photography. That's okay tho.....I'm doing a bit of the photography as a hobby now and the road I took led me to where I am now and I'm finally truly happy. If only my loved ones hadn't passed away too early, I would be in 7th Heaven.
13. What was your first job?
My very first job was delivering advertising for my Uncle Tommy's remodeling and painting company. My next was working retail at the local Family Dollar Store. And my third was working at....McDs!!! Morning shift- had to be in work at 5:30 AM for a 7AM open time. LOVED having my breakfast of Apple-Cinnamon Cream Cheese Danish covered in Vanilla Ice cream with a cup of coffee!! My rear-end regrets it now tho.
14. What is your best memory?
I don't have A BEST memory. I have LOADS of favorites. Family Vacations....My children's births, the births of my grand babies and a very special little grandniece, getting my drivers license(after only two tries!!), waking up to my little girl's cooing in her crib and hearing her laughing, waking up to see both my little boys staring into my face holding a can of oysters because they wanted Oyster Stew for BREAKFAST!!!!, My kids weddings, a special request from my son to take a photo of his GF's face when he surprise proposed to her, The first time I met my husband, our first kiss, his proposal, and our wedding and subsequent move to England.... snuggling with my daddy and holding his hand and us talking about all the things we remembered from my childhood and me asking him all the things I had always wondered about...How him and mom met, how he proposed to her, what he said when they found out they was expecting ME,......just hours before his condition took a turn for the worse and he passed away....My husband holding me when I have one of my nightmares and reassuring me that it's all just a dream.......My Sisters Picnic with my sisters and one of my Chosen sisters taking the photos for me and just letting us carry on with our foolishness without raising an eyebrow,.....Every single Christmas of my life........I could go on for pages and pages and pages......
15. Would you rather live near mountains or by the sea?
Well, the Mountains to be honest.....but I do love me some beach during the cooler months of the year. Is that normal????
16. What do you consider the best TV Show or Movie ever created?
Oh My......Best TV show has to be MASH. I could watch it for hours and never get bored. I also like Big Bang Theory and Little Britain.
Best Movie- So many I love, but Shawshank Redemption is probably at the top of the list. Of course, so is ELF, along with All of the Lord Of The Rings Movies. And for me and my BESTIE- Thelma and Louise!!!
17. How would you describe yourself in three words?
Observant- Generous-Hopeful.
18. If you knew that tomorrow your life would change forever, what would you do to appreciate today?
Nothing different than I already do. I know for a fact that life can change in a moment- and I try to live my life so I wont regret a moment or feel I've wasted it in any way, shape or form. I do what I have to do to live, go to work, do chores and errands, and such, but I also don't miss a chance to make the most of the rest of my life either. I tell the people I love just that...many times a day- much to a few peoples great annoyance. Some people think that saying I love you 5 times a day makes it less special- but I disagree. I think I want everyone to know how much I care for them and appreciate them. I never want anyone I love to say "I wish Sunny/Lavada/Mom had told me more often how much she loved me".... or "I wonder sometimes how she really felt". They know -because I tell them.
All. The. Time.
19. Favorite blog (or blogs)?
I have several. Every Day I go to a few.....One of my dearest friends has one I go to, but it shall remain nameless because it's a private blog......I also go to In Dodd We Trust (sadly defunct now), Layabouting, Pinterest Addict, Refashionista, Witless Protection Program, and Southern Plate. I'm also faithful to Life-What The Hell is Going On, but someone hasn't posted on there in months because he has a big project going and doesn't have enough hours in the day to do it all.
20. One thing you’ve learned about yourself in the last year.
I knew I was independent, but I didn't realize how much I LOVE my independence. Oddly enough, I've also found out I need to feel I'm making a difference in someone's life beside my own.
Now...that's it for my 20 Q & A's. Do you have anything you'd like to know? Just ask.
Here we go-....
1. Why did you start your blog?
Which one? LOL. I started my original blog 'SUNNY SAYS' way back in 2004. The honest answer is because Paul, my husband had started one about him coming to live in the USA and I've always loved writing and it looked like fun and a lot was going on in my life that I wanted to share.
This one is my baby- my main blog.
Over the years I've had different blogs for different things that are going on in my life.Over the years I've had nine of them.
At the moment- I have 3 going.
This one- Sunny Says.....www.sunnysez.blogspot.com
My Photography blog-LavadasP365........www.lavadasp365.blogspot.co.uk
and my weightloss one.....SkepticElle.
I'll skip telling the addie of that one since it's a private one.
I love writing and sharing my experiences...with pretty much anyone that's interested.
2. What made you choose your blog name?
Quite honestly, again. I didn't. Paul set it up for me one night while I was up at my moms visiting with my dad who had just come out of remission from Prostate Cancer. I had been talking about starting one for a couple of weeks, but just couldn't find time to take an hour or so to set it up.......That's how long I thought it would take anyway. I came home just as he was setting it up and he asked me what I wanted to title it- and I didn't have a CLUE what to name it- so I asked him to choose a name for it. He chose Sunny Says and , Of Course, I loved it. Unfortunately, someone else had the spelling for SunnySays as the mail name, so I ended up using www.sunnysez.blogspot.com for the domain name. Shame really. And yes- I've thought about changing the spelling on the title so it matches, but as usual- somehow never have found the time to do it.
3. What is your favorite thing that has come from blogging?
That's easy. It's all the new friends and interesting people I've made from who has visited my blog, left comments, and stayed on visiting. Some of them I've even met in Real Life and are friends with on SKYPE and Facebook, too!!
Simple as that!!!
4. What is your favorite color and why?
I have several. I can't choose.
In a kitchen- it's buttery yellow. It's a happy color and everyone should have a happy kitchen to create in.
I have basically 4 colors I wear and use consistently...Black, white, red, and electric blue. They are the colors I'm most comfortable and happiest in.
5. What inspires you?
More than anything it's music....and seeing the good in people. Both seem to touch my soul and make me want to create and be an inspiration to others.
6. What’s your guilty pleasure?
I would love to be able to tell you, but alas, I cannot. Tis a hideous evil thing and it would be branded in your mind forever.
;-)
The one thing I CAN confess to is having a lazy, lazy day. I rarely can settle down and just do absolutely nothing and I always feel so guilty when I do manage to catch some absolute downtime....but man,oh,man....is it PLEASURABLE!!!
7. If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
It's a combo....Homelessness and Hunger. If it were up to me those two things would be wiped from the face of the earth- forever. Nothing fills me with such sorrow as knowing someone out there has no place to call home...no place to sleep, or sit down and relax or take a nice shower or bath, or to call their own...even if it is just rented.
It hurts me to know there are people who go to sleep hungry- and wake up hungry. And that they have no idea where their next meal is coming from or when it will be.
8. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
I think I've lived in the two most wonderful places in the world. South Carolina, and England.
I've found I love to visit other places tho!!! And plan on doing a lot more OF it!!
9. If you could change something about your home, without worrying about expenses, what would it be?
Oh Lord, the kitchen. My kitchen is TINY- and if only it were a big country kitchen I would be on cloud nine!!!
The only other things I can think of I might change is I would quite like to have a gas burning fireplace made of stone, and lovely wood flooring.
Other than those things, I can't think of anything I would change .......altho now I look at it- those are some pretty big things!!!
10. Who is your celebrity crush (boy or girl) and if you could spend a day with them what would you do?
Hmmmm.....
Male would be Tom Hanks. Hands down my favorite actor of all times. Running a close second would be Sean Connery.
Female would be Allison Scagliotti who plays Claudia Donovan in Warehouse 13....Close second would be Erica Cerra who plays Jo Lupo in Eureka. I would hope they (Male and Female) would be as much fun off camera as their characters are on the shows. What would we do? I think a Horseback trip for the day and then either a pool party or Formal dinner party that night would be fun.
11. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card?
None if it's going on MY credit card. Now ask me what store I would choose if I wanted to max out Daddy Warbucks credit card and it would be any high end shoe or clothing store.
I love me some heels and clothes.
12. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? A model. I took part in a few local fashion shows when I was in high school, but then life got in the way and I got married and became a mommy and for reasons I wont go into right now, went into law enforcement instead. If I had to do it over, I'd have went into something a bit more lucrative and creative like Architecture or Photography. That's okay tho.....I'm doing a bit of the photography as a hobby now and the road I took led me to where I am now and I'm finally truly happy. If only my loved ones hadn't passed away too early, I would be in 7th Heaven.
13. What was your first job?
My very first job was delivering advertising for my Uncle Tommy's remodeling and painting company. My next was working retail at the local Family Dollar Store. And my third was working at....McDs!!! Morning shift- had to be in work at 5:30 AM for a 7AM open time. LOVED having my breakfast of Apple-Cinnamon Cream Cheese Danish covered in Vanilla Ice cream with a cup of coffee!! My rear-end regrets it now tho.
14. What is your best memory?
I don't have A BEST memory. I have LOADS of favorites. Family Vacations....My children's births, the births of my grand babies and a very special little grandniece, getting my drivers license(after only two tries!!), waking up to my little girl's cooing in her crib and hearing her laughing, waking up to see both my little boys staring into my face holding a can of oysters because they wanted Oyster Stew for BREAKFAST!!!!, My kids weddings, a special request from my son to take a photo of his GF's face when he surprise proposed to her, The first time I met my husband, our first kiss, his proposal, and our wedding and subsequent move to England.... snuggling with my daddy and holding his hand and us talking about all the things we remembered from my childhood and me asking him all the things I had always wondered about...How him and mom met, how he proposed to her, what he said when they found out they was expecting ME,......just hours before his condition took a turn for the worse and he passed away....My husband holding me when I have one of my nightmares and reassuring me that it's all just a dream.......My Sisters Picnic with my sisters and one of my Chosen sisters taking the photos for me and just letting us carry on with our foolishness without raising an eyebrow,.....Every single Christmas of my life........I could go on for pages and pages and pages......
15. Would you rather live near mountains or by the sea?
Well, the Mountains to be honest.....but I do love me some beach during the cooler months of the year. Is that normal????
16. What do you consider the best TV Show or Movie ever created?
Oh My......Best TV show has to be MASH. I could watch it for hours and never get bored. I also like Big Bang Theory and Little Britain.
Best Movie- So many I love, but Shawshank Redemption is probably at the top of the list. Of course, so is ELF, along with All of the Lord Of The Rings Movies. And for me and my BESTIE- Thelma and Louise!!!
17. How would you describe yourself in three words?
Observant- Generous-Hopeful.
18. If you knew that tomorrow your life would change forever, what would you do to appreciate today?
Nothing different than I already do. I know for a fact that life can change in a moment- and I try to live my life so I wont regret a moment or feel I've wasted it in any way, shape or form. I do what I have to do to live, go to work, do chores and errands, and such, but I also don't miss a chance to make the most of the rest of my life either. I tell the people I love just that...many times a day- much to a few peoples great annoyance. Some people think that saying I love you 5 times a day makes it less special- but I disagree. I think I want everyone to know how much I care for them and appreciate them. I never want anyone I love to say "I wish Sunny/Lavada/Mom had told me more often how much she loved me".... or "I wonder sometimes how she really felt". They know -because I tell them.
All. The. Time.
19. Favorite blog (or blogs)?
I have several. Every Day I go to a few.....One of my dearest friends has one I go to, but it shall remain nameless because it's a private blog......I also go to In Dodd We Trust (sadly defunct now), Layabouting, Pinterest Addict, Refashionista, Witless Protection Program, and Southern Plate. I'm also faithful to Life-What The Hell is Going On, but someone hasn't posted on there in months because he has a big project going and doesn't have enough hours in the day to do it all.
20. One thing you’ve learned about yourself in the last year.
I knew I was independent, but I didn't realize how much I LOVE my independence. Oddly enough, I've also found out I need to feel I'm making a difference in someone's life beside my own.
Now...that's it for my 20 Q & A's. Do you have anything you'd like to know? Just ask.
Research Concluded...
Next Friday or Saturday I will be setting up and recording my first Vlogpost.
I have done research. Have figured out a simple(ish) solution of where to record it, and done an impressive job of Building my confidence up to actually do the job.
I had a day of carry-over holiday I have to use before the end of July(a case of use it or lose it, I'm afraid) so I took the 29th off to do all the prep work for it. With any luck at all you should be able to see it here on Sunday Afternoon/Evening depending on where you are in the world.
If there is anything you would like me to talk about or answer, please leave a comment and I'll do my best to accommodate. I have a beginning bit but have left a bit of fill time in case there's something like this to add in. And if not- I have a backup plan for that too. I'm nothing if not organized. Or OCD. Whichever. :)
Believe me when I say- like writing a novel, trying to figure out the first sentence is the hardest bit.
I hope to get a decent blog post in before then. But as for now, I have nothing much except for a note that my Fast & Feast continues to work brilliantly for me.
I have done research. Have figured out a simple(ish) solution of where to record it, and done an impressive job of Building my confidence up to actually do the job.
I had a day of carry-over holiday I have to use before the end of July(a case of use it or lose it, I'm afraid) so I took the 29th off to do all the prep work for it. With any luck at all you should be able to see it here on Sunday Afternoon/Evening depending on where you are in the world.
If there is anything you would like me to talk about or answer, please leave a comment and I'll do my best to accommodate. I have a beginning bit but have left a bit of fill time in case there's something like this to add in. And if not- I have a backup plan for that too. I'm nothing if not organized. Or OCD. Whichever. :)
Believe me when I say- like writing a novel, trying to figure out the first sentence is the hardest bit.
I hope to get a decent blog post in before then. But as for now, I have nothing much except for a note that my Fast & Feast continues to work brilliantly for me.
Sunday, July 17, 2016
Bits & Bobs.... And an Epiphany
It's sad when you realize you really don't have one spot in your entire home that reflects yourself enough to make a video where you are comfortable.
We have collections of toys throughout our entire home. Star Wars, Doctor Who, Star Trek, Other things I dont have a clue about because it's mostly all the husband's collections.
I have two things in our home that I can personally say reflect me and me alone. One is my dressing/vanity table. Two small chests of drawers on each side with a beautiful, long Ashe wood board made specially for it by my father in law. He not only found the wood for it- he put a lovely decorative edge around it and then sanded and waxed it down, too. It's just set on top on the two chests and I use my old office chair(VERY comfy too) for the chair/bench for it. I have my perfumes, my hair accessories, my makeup and my jewelry on it along with a few of my wedding photos and our wedding invitation and announcements that I framed because they are just too beautiful to not display.
The other is my gray corduroy and black leather oversized oval reading chair. I need to do something about that thing too. It's the perfect size and shape for curling up with a good novel on a dreary day, but the seat cushion in it is atrocious. It's just hard and lumpy and not terribly the most comfy chair to do said curling up with a novel. And at the moment it's just stuck in a corner taking up space.......so I need to find a new cushion foam for it so it's both comfy and beautiful.
So- having said that, I need to do a bit of restructuring when my hubby goes to his parents in a couple of weekends. He freaks out when I do any redecorating when he is here, so I just wait until he does a house-sit weekend for his parents and by the time he gets back it's all done and he doesn't have to see the chaos that goes on to get things looking that way.
So until I can create a space to do my video, it will be on the back burner until the last Sunday this month. Only a couple of weeks away tho.
In other news......
The new eating plan I told you about a couple weeks or so ago...... Fast & Feast Eating Plan.
It isn't a diet really...it's an eating plan. There are very few rules. You Fast alternate days and are allowed 500 calories. On your Feast Days you eat whatever you want- trying to stay within a 2000 calorie limit. On my first week on it- I truly FASTED on the fast days. I'm one of those people who would rather not eat anything than have a little bit of something. If I ever eat anything I'm starving for the rest of the day, so I knew that eating a salad or sammich just wouldn't work for me on fasting days. So I stuck with just a cup of coffee at the three meal times, and water in between.
I lost 1 lb the first week. That was fine. I knew I wouldn't lose a great amount because I had trouble getting my 2 liters of water down on my fasting days. Water does NOT taste nice after drinking a cup of coffee. And if I don't get two liters of water down a day, the scale doesn't budge.
Anyway.....so the second week I switched things up a bit..... I fasted on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I Feasted on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and had a One Meal Half Fast on Sunday with the meal staying between 700-800 calories. Saturday is the only day I truly allowed myself to Feast and have a treat of a few Fig Newtons with my evening coffee. The other two feast days I cooked and ate my usual healthy food options. My "treat" those days were having a cup of coffee with a spoonful of sugar in it as dessert. Everything tasted so much better on my feast days after fasting the day before. It's like my taste buds were reborn!!
And the second week I lost 1.4 pounds. Which is also fine. I didn't put this weight on overnight, so it won't come off overnight either. And if I continue to lose at this rate I will still lose over 50 lbs in a year. And I'm happy with that.
I'm hoping to wedge a bit more exercise into my routine as I have joined the ranks of the PokemonGo fanatics. The only catch is I have to go walking when the sun is low in the sky because of the glare on my phone screen. That's fine with me, too. I'd much rather walk later in the day so I can unwind and relax from the stress of the day at the office. We will see if it impacts my weight loss at all in the next week.
Apologies- I realize I have been going on a lot about my weight loss lately on here. It just seems to be what I'm focusing on lately in my life. I promise to not turn this into a weight loss only blog. I will have other things to talk about in the coming weeks. My trip home is coming up....my videos will be a weekly feature if I can get them right.
The videos, by the way, are a personal challenge. I've always been painfully shy around strangers. Also, having been told I was NOT very photogenic and would do better as a runway model when I was a teenager doing a bit of modeling and thinking of making a career of it, kind of scarred me for life and made me super critical of any photos I am in. So by opening myself up to doing a vlog once a week is WAY out of my comfort zone. And probably why I'm procrastinating by using not having a decent spot to do it as an excuse to build up my confidence a bit more.
*Blinks*
Huh....that was a bit of an epiphany.
And so, that's about all I have for you this week.
Until next time......
We have collections of toys throughout our entire home. Star Wars, Doctor Who, Star Trek, Other things I dont have a clue about because it's mostly all the husband's collections.
I have two things in our home that I can personally say reflect me and me alone. One is my dressing/vanity table. Two small chests of drawers on each side with a beautiful, long Ashe wood board made specially for it by my father in law. He not only found the wood for it- he put a lovely decorative edge around it and then sanded and waxed it down, too. It's just set on top on the two chests and I use my old office chair(VERY comfy too) for the chair/bench for it. I have my perfumes, my hair accessories, my makeup and my jewelry on it along with a few of my wedding photos and our wedding invitation and announcements that I framed because they are just too beautiful to not display.
The other is my gray corduroy and black leather oversized oval reading chair. I need to do something about that thing too. It's the perfect size and shape for curling up with a good novel on a dreary day, but the seat cushion in it is atrocious. It's just hard and lumpy and not terribly the most comfy chair to do said curling up with a novel. And at the moment it's just stuck in a corner taking up space.......so I need to find a new cushion foam for it so it's both comfy and beautiful.
So- having said that, I need to do a bit of restructuring when my hubby goes to his parents in a couple of weekends. He freaks out when I do any redecorating when he is here, so I just wait until he does a house-sit weekend for his parents and by the time he gets back it's all done and he doesn't have to see the chaos that goes on to get things looking that way.
So until I can create a space to do my video, it will be on the back burner until the last Sunday this month. Only a couple of weeks away tho.
In other news......
The new eating plan I told you about a couple weeks or so ago...... Fast & Feast Eating Plan.
It isn't a diet really...it's an eating plan. There are very few rules. You Fast alternate days and are allowed 500 calories. On your Feast Days you eat whatever you want- trying to stay within a 2000 calorie limit. On my first week on it- I truly FASTED on the fast days. I'm one of those people who would rather not eat anything than have a little bit of something. If I ever eat anything I'm starving for the rest of the day, so I knew that eating a salad or sammich just wouldn't work for me on fasting days. So I stuck with just a cup of coffee at the three meal times, and water in between.
I lost 1 lb the first week. That was fine. I knew I wouldn't lose a great amount because I had trouble getting my 2 liters of water down on my fasting days. Water does NOT taste nice after drinking a cup of coffee. And if I don't get two liters of water down a day, the scale doesn't budge.
Anyway.....so the second week I switched things up a bit..... I fasted on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I Feasted on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and had a One Meal Half Fast on Sunday with the meal staying between 700-800 calories. Saturday is the only day I truly allowed myself to Feast and have a treat of a few Fig Newtons with my evening coffee. The other two feast days I cooked and ate my usual healthy food options. My "treat" those days were having a cup of coffee with a spoonful of sugar in it as dessert. Everything tasted so much better on my feast days after fasting the day before. It's like my taste buds were reborn!!
And the second week I lost 1.4 pounds. Which is also fine. I didn't put this weight on overnight, so it won't come off overnight either. And if I continue to lose at this rate I will still lose over 50 lbs in a year. And I'm happy with that.
I'm hoping to wedge a bit more exercise into my routine as I have joined the ranks of the PokemonGo fanatics. The only catch is I have to go walking when the sun is low in the sky because of the glare on my phone screen. That's fine with me, too. I'd much rather walk later in the day so I can unwind and relax from the stress of the day at the office. We will see if it impacts my weight loss at all in the next week.
Apologies- I realize I have been going on a lot about my weight loss lately on here. It just seems to be what I'm focusing on lately in my life. I promise to not turn this into a weight loss only blog. I will have other things to talk about in the coming weeks. My trip home is coming up....my videos will be a weekly feature if I can get them right.
The videos, by the way, are a personal challenge. I've always been painfully shy around strangers. Also, having been told I was NOT very photogenic and would do better as a runway model when I was a teenager doing a bit of modeling and thinking of making a career of it, kind of scarred me for life and made me super critical of any photos I am in. So by opening myself up to doing a vlog once a week is WAY out of my comfort zone. And probably why I'm procrastinating by using not having a decent spot to do it as an excuse to build up my confidence a bit more.
*Blinks*
Huh....that was a bit of an epiphany.
And so, that's about all I have for you this week.
Until next time......
Sunday, July 10, 2016
A Nod to ErSpo. Vlog & A Coctail, Anyone?
Well, This morning I have been very productive.
I've been reading up on one of my blogs and have seen where ErSpo had posted a short, few minutes video for his birthday.
Well, I've been playing around with the idea of starting a Vlog for about a year now- I just have had so much on my plate I haven't had time to research how to do it properly.
Now, I don't want to jump on the youtube bandwagon, I just thought either I would add a weekly short video to my regular blog here on Sunny Says, or maybe at the very MOST start a completely different blog for my Vlog and Link it to this one.
I may have to totally just outright steal ErSpo's perfect format of the Cocktail and a Chat. I'm still in the ideas stage tho so it may not be my final decision. We'll see.
I do know that it will be about random topics. I know me well enough to know that won't change.
I won't be using high tech equipment and doing loads of editing. I loved the easy, laid back, realness of ErSpo's Birthday Vid.
That's exactly what I'm going for. It fits my lifestyle.
So.....to you all.....Any suggestions, ideas, or tips on what I should look at and consider?
And TY, Michael, for the inspiration.
I've been reading up on one of my blogs and have seen where ErSpo had posted a short, few minutes video for his birthday.
Well, I've been playing around with the idea of starting a Vlog for about a year now- I just have had so much on my plate I haven't had time to research how to do it properly.
Now, I don't want to jump on the youtube bandwagon, I just thought either I would add a weekly short video to my regular blog here on Sunny Says, or maybe at the very MOST start a completely different blog for my Vlog and Link it to this one.
I may have to totally just outright steal ErSpo's perfect format of the Cocktail and a Chat. I'm still in the ideas stage tho so it may not be my final decision. We'll see.
I do know that it will be about random topics. I know me well enough to know that won't change.
I won't be using high tech equipment and doing loads of editing. I loved the easy, laid back, realness of ErSpo's Birthday Vid.
That's exactly what I'm going for. It fits my lifestyle.
So.....to you all.....Any suggestions, ideas, or tips on what I should look at and consider?
And TY, Michael, for the inspiration.
Thursday, July 07, 2016
Little Fish/ Invisible Fish
There is a possibility there may be VERY adult language in this post.
If you are easily offended- I would advise you read no further.
Yes, it's going to be a vent. I haven't said more than two words in the past 2 hours. It has to be some kind of record for me. Except for when I was in the hospital almost dead. I'm stewing. No- I'm LIVID.
I had a really bad day- and it's all because of communication...The lack of- and the excessive amount of as well.
At the risk of being accused of living in the past- I was a bit of a troubleshooter in my old job. I worked with a person who listened to what I said and trusted my judgement in situations. They went to a site- and a few weeks later, I would be transferred to the same site at their request. I would work there for a few months- or a few weeks(some things you could see right away- others took a bit more time to uncover) and then I would write out a report or have a meeting or both- with the Big Boss and report on what I had seen. I would say- this is a problem, this is why it's occurring, and this is how I see a possibility of it be remedied. The Boss LISTENED, asked questions, and let me have my say- they followed the vine as I went along and didn't ONCE interrupt me to say NO. They listened to me from start to finish and then asked their questions.....usually I answered them in the vine before the end of my presentation saving us all a lot of time wasting and backtracking and getting off course.
Then, afterwards, they went off on their own and looked at what I had presented and talked amongst themselves and then decided what could be implemented and what truly wasn't viable. What I said and observed MATTERED. I was a Little Fish in a Big Pond- but I mattered as much as the big fish because I could see things that were hidden away and swept under the rug when the Big Boss Fish were around, so to speak, just to make the outside look all shiney and perfect.
Now, I feel like an Invisible Fish in the desert. I see things that could be fixed, but before I even get it halfway out of my mouth I'm dismissed as you dont know what you are talking about and it's not going to happen. I've been there 4 years and I see all kinds of things that could be improved upon. People need to say "I'm doing this today and so YOU dont need to do this"- or "you DO need to do this." Not just a casual "I spent all morning doing this" and that being it. I dont know what your doing that has to do with what I do unless you TELL me it will impact my part of the process. And for God's sake- people would have a LOT more time to do their own jobs if they stopped having 20 minute conversations with people about what they did in their bloody back garden over the weekend 12 times a day!! And then immediately going out afterwards of having those conversations to have a 10 minute smoke break. I cant ask questions about what you've done if you are off having a chitchat about this or that or helping some in another department do their work. And I'm fucking SICK of it. I'm sick of getting yelled at and bitched and moaned at about something not happening because something was moved and I wasn't informed in a clear and concise manner.
And another thing- if you are having conversation with others in your area- use your INSIDE voices- no one wants to hear the little inside jokes when they dont understand and no one understands the inner workings of your area of expertise so the other departments dont need to hear the details. It's nothing but distracting and in an open concept office with 75 people in it it's just too much!
And about office etiquette... when you go to have a discussion with a person, DO NOT LEAN, PROP, OR SIT YOUR ASS DOWN ON ANOTHER PERSON'S DESK TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION. If you feel the need to do any of those things, do it on the persons desk you are talking with......or better yet- pull up an empty chair and sit in it beside the person you came to see like the civilized person you were brought up to be.
Also, if you are hungry, buy your own lunch, do not take another persons lunch out of the fridge. If it doesnt belong to you- leave it alone is a very good rule of thumb.
That same rule also applies to if you are talking with someone and need to write something down. DO NOT just pick up someones writing implement and use it and MAYBE then ask do you mind.
YES, I DO MIND- one of my pet peeves is having someone use my damn pen. I do not know where your hands have been or if you wash your hands after going to the loo- so I dont want anyone's hands on MY pen except me....The only exception to that rule is my hubby as he works in the same building as I do. Everyone else just needs to keep their bloody hands OFF all my things.
If I'm on my phone at my desk- dont assume I'm just faffing about on company time. I'm on my bloody break. I have a sick mom and she is frequently in the hospital and my family text me to keep me updated on her condition. Alll the other people take 10 minute smoke breaks....when I need a break I pull out my phone and check my texts- it takes about 3 minutes- a HELL of a lot less time than it does to smoke a cigarette. And if I'm outside not smoking- I'm stretching my legs and back. Dont ask me why I'm out if I dont smoke. It's not a good idea to sit at a desk for 9 hours straight without a break and I'll be damned if I'm risking my health for a company who doesnt give a crap about anything but how much they can get out of you.
I give my best to the company while I'm at work and ask for damn little in return.
I dont want to sound like the Office Nazi here, I like a bit of a nice chat to make the day go by faster too, but everything we do impacts the other people around us. Use your BRAIN!!! Keep unnecessary
cit-chat to an acceptable level. Some people need to be able to hear themselves think and concentrate to do their work....or hear the other person on the other end of the phone. And if you have time to dilly-dally about all day- you clearly dont have enough to do....I have some work you can help with. Be my guest.
End of Rant....... For now.
Sunday, July 03, 2016
Bits and Bobs....And the 4th of July
Well, This has been a very emotional weekend and it's not even over yet.
We went to Haydock/St. Helens yesterday and picked up some packages from the parents house. I had got hubby to order me a set of Cards Against Humanity for my visit home. On Thanksgiving I'm hoping I can get a few of the family to paly it with me. It's fun and I know they will love it once they get into it. I got the UK version, but I'm going to get the US version also to add to it so it will be evened out a bit. The only US version that was available was almost a hundred dollars so I got the starter version of the UK one first. It's actually generic enough to be able to understand for us all.
As I said earlier- I started my new eating plan on Friday- with a Famine day. So, Saturday while we were in Haydock/St Hels, we stopped at Burger King for our usual Saturday Brunch and I got a Bacon Double Cheeseburger meal. This is after about 30 hours of no food -by that time of day. That was an awesome burger, let me tell you. My taste buds came ALIVE after no food the day before. I prob should have went for the smaller version of it, to be honest as my tummy was FULL by the time I finished it. But it was okay....I ate a lot less when I got home and made Paul and I a late light supper of Turkey Roll ups, scrambled eggs and hash brown triangles. And I had a Mint choc bar and with all that I was barely over my 2000 cal for the day. Only by 122 calories. So next time I can adjust what I eat a bit. And be a bit UNDER the 200.... I can get the smaller version of the Burger and fries for a savings of over 600 cals. So there you go. I can eat out and not go nuts.
Okay so anyway.....I also got a new lippy. I've been having a problem with wearing my makeup the way I want, because my hubby doesn't like to "wear " my lippy when I'm wearing it and he kisses me. So I've been having to do my lipstick after we get to work and I go upstairs because if I have on lipstick hubby tends to give me either "Air" kisses or a peck on the cheek. I don't like those. I feel like I'm being friend zoned by my own hubby!! And I dont like going out with my make-up half done either so iI've been having to choose between having my makeup done and looking good or getting kisses from hubby. And of course Hubby wins-every time.
Well, I asked my UK Bezzie Betty if she could suggest a kissable lippy over here in the UK since the one I used in the states doesn't seem to be sold here, and she told me which one she quite likes. I finally found it a couple of weeks ago- but they were out of the two shades I know would suit me. So I kept looking and kept looking and finally yesterday- they had it!!!! - well, one shade of it anyway.
It's advertised as a 16 hour color-stay lipstick. I kept my fingers crossed and put it on when we got home yesterday afternoon. Easy- put it on- wait about 60 seconds for it to dry then coat with the clear overcoat. Wait til it dries- another minute- you're done. After an hour- I made me and hubby a brew.....and not a bit of lippy on my cup. Nothing. I hadn't said anything to hubby at that point....I waited.
So we watched a movie, ate our light supper, our usual. He got up- went to the study to record a video for his gaming channel and as he did so I decided to try the lippy to see just how kissable it was. I kissed the palm of my hand to see how it did. My jaw dropped. Nothing after a few hours, still!!! I did it again. A bit harder. Nothing.
So I followed hubby into the study and showed him on my hand. He got up- grabbed me and gave me a big smeary OTT kiss with a LOT of lip movement. Pulled away- Nothing. Not even a TINY faint smudge. His reaction....."Holy Crap!!!!" And he's been kissing me -OFTEN- ever since!! And of course I cried- happy tears of course.
I fell asleep in my recliner last night and when I woke up I just turned off the lights and went straight to bed- I forgot to take my makeup off. When I got up this morning- it was STILL on my lips where I left it- none on my pillowcases, none on my face, none on the sheets- and when I looked in the mirror- only the inside of my lips nearest my teeth was starting to fade just a tiny bit!!!
Thank You RIMMEL of London for creating PROVOCALIPS!!!!!!! And thank you Betty!!!!!
Okay so on to other things. I called my Bezzie, Rhonni, and altho she was getting ready for work we had a very nice conversation. I didn't keep her long, but we plan to speak again soon to have a catch-up. I miss her so much!!!! Thelma & Louise forever!!!
I also called my Uncle Freddy to see how he was doing. Last time we spoke he had the flu and was feeling really poorly. No answer so I assumed he was out and about and feeling better than the last time we spoke. I'll catch up with him again later on. I also had a lovely conversation with my Sis-in-law Doris and later on with my Baby Brother, Charlie. They're getting geared up for their new home to be built in the next couple of months. I'm so excited for them!!!!
I was going to call my daughter too- but all her kids were out of the house for the day and she had ALONE time so I let her enjoy it. A nap, bubble bath, watching whatever SHE wants on TV....Go for it baby Girl!! I know how precious and rare those moments/hours are, so I let her be yesterday.
It's 4th of July weekend so I've been listening to all my favorite songs for the Holiday. Lee Greenwood's God Bless the USA is one of my particular favorites. Especially this version by an a Capella group called Home Free.
And of course it sets my homesickness in full blast and I'm crying. Thank God for waterproof mascara!
Happy Independence Day
to One and All!!
We went to Haydock/St. Helens yesterday and picked up some packages from the parents house. I had got hubby to order me a set of Cards Against Humanity for my visit home. On Thanksgiving I'm hoping I can get a few of the family to paly it with me. It's fun and I know they will love it once they get into it. I got the UK version, but I'm going to get the US version also to add to it so it will be evened out a bit. The only US version that was available was almost a hundred dollars so I got the starter version of the UK one first. It's actually generic enough to be able to understand for us all.
As I said earlier- I started my new eating plan on Friday- with a Famine day. So, Saturday while we were in Haydock/St Hels, we stopped at Burger King for our usual Saturday Brunch and I got a Bacon Double Cheeseburger meal. This is after about 30 hours of no food -by that time of day. That was an awesome burger, let me tell you. My taste buds came ALIVE after no food the day before. I prob should have went for the smaller version of it, to be honest as my tummy was FULL by the time I finished it. But it was okay....I ate a lot less when I got home and made Paul and I a late light supper of Turkey Roll ups, scrambled eggs and hash brown triangles. And I had a Mint choc bar and with all that I was barely over my 2000 cal for the day. Only by 122 calories. So next time I can adjust what I eat a bit. And be a bit UNDER the 200.... I can get the smaller version of the Burger and fries for a savings of over 600 cals. So there you go. I can eat out and not go nuts.
Okay so anyway.....I also got a new lippy. I've been having a problem with wearing my makeup the way I want, because my hubby doesn't like to "wear " my lippy when I'm wearing it and he kisses me. So I've been having to do my lipstick after we get to work and I go upstairs because if I have on lipstick hubby tends to give me either "Air" kisses or a peck on the cheek. I don't like those. I feel like I'm being friend zoned by my own hubby!! And I dont like going out with my make-up half done either so iI've been having to choose between having my makeup done and looking good or getting kisses from hubby. And of course Hubby wins-every time.
Well, I asked my UK Bezzie Betty if she could suggest a kissable lippy over here in the UK since the one I used in the states doesn't seem to be sold here, and she told me which one she quite likes. I finally found it a couple of weeks ago- but they were out of the two shades I know would suit me. So I kept looking and kept looking and finally yesterday- they had it!!!! - well, one shade of it anyway.
It's advertised as a 16 hour color-stay lipstick. I kept my fingers crossed and put it on when we got home yesterday afternoon. Easy- put it on- wait about 60 seconds for it to dry then coat with the clear overcoat. Wait til it dries- another minute- you're done. After an hour- I made me and hubby a brew.....and not a bit of lippy on my cup. Nothing. I hadn't said anything to hubby at that point....I waited.
So we watched a movie, ate our light supper, our usual. He got up- went to the study to record a video for his gaming channel and as he did so I decided to try the lippy to see just how kissable it was. I kissed the palm of my hand to see how it did. My jaw dropped. Nothing after a few hours, still!!! I did it again. A bit harder. Nothing.
So I followed hubby into the study and showed him on my hand. He got up- grabbed me and gave me a big smeary OTT kiss with a LOT of lip movement. Pulled away- Nothing. Not even a TINY faint smudge. His reaction....."Holy Crap!!!!" And he's been kissing me -OFTEN- ever since!! And of course I cried- happy tears of course.
I fell asleep in my recliner last night and when I woke up I just turned off the lights and went straight to bed- I forgot to take my makeup off. When I got up this morning- it was STILL on my lips where I left it- none on my pillowcases, none on my face, none on the sheets- and when I looked in the mirror- only the inside of my lips nearest my teeth was starting to fade just a tiny bit!!!
Thank You RIMMEL of London for creating PROVOCALIPS!!!!!!! And thank you Betty!!!!!
Okay so on to other things. I called my Bezzie, Rhonni, and altho she was getting ready for work we had a very nice conversation. I didn't keep her long, but we plan to speak again soon to have a catch-up. I miss her so much!!!! Thelma & Louise forever!!!
I also called my Uncle Freddy to see how he was doing. Last time we spoke he had the flu and was feeling really poorly. No answer so I assumed he was out and about and feeling better than the last time we spoke. I'll catch up with him again later on. I also had a lovely conversation with my Sis-in-law Doris and later on with my Baby Brother, Charlie. They're getting geared up for their new home to be built in the next couple of months. I'm so excited for them!!!!
I was going to call my daughter too- but all her kids were out of the house for the day and she had ALONE time so I let her enjoy it. A nap, bubble bath, watching whatever SHE wants on TV....Go for it baby Girl!! I know how precious and rare those moments/hours are, so I let her be yesterday.
It's 4th of July weekend so I've been listening to all my favorite songs for the Holiday. Lee Greenwood's God Bless the USA is one of my particular favorites. Especially this version by an a Capella group called Home Free.
And of course it sets my homesickness in full blast and I'm crying. Thank God for waterproof mascara!
Happy Independence Day
to One and All!!
Saturday, July 02, 2016
Feast & Famine
My God looking back over this blog I have tried a boatload of diets and strategies.
Well, one that worked for me years ago is one I'm going to try again.
The Feast & Famine.
So I've been doing a bit of research the past few days on the human body- and have seen a lot of studies think that the Feast or Famine way of eating is how the body best works from an evolutionary
standpoint.
Well, It worked for me once before when I didn't actually know why it might- so here we go again.
I deliberately decided to start on July 1st(today) and I wanted to start on a Famine day. Now that means I need to stay under 500 calories on a famine day- but I personally do better with an all or nothing mentality when it comes to food.
So I am having as many as three cups of coffee a day. And all the water I need. So far I have had two cups of coffee and two bottles of water. I'm being careful to stay hydrated and my kidneys and bladder function efficiently, regardless of what day it is.
I've found that I can do without food all day with no problems- I might get an occasional twinge of hunger if I smell something really nice, but I can deal with that. What I can't deal with is having just a taste of something really nice that's full of calories in one shape or form and then not being able to have a full serving. Or having a platter of bland tasteless food that I wouldn't let my pet eat.
I've been without food all day...well, actually since 8PM last night and I really thought by lunch I would be all kinds of crabby and head-achy. But I wasn't. I had my coffee and took my meds with my water and went on about work.....even when office-mate #1Tom waved Chocolate under my nose offering me a bon-bon before he knew I was fasting today. Nor was I the least bit bothered by office-mate #2 Wendy when she pulled out her pasta salad for her lunch.
I thought oh my gosh- by suppertime I will be ravenous, especially when I'm making Broiled Pork steaks and roasties for hubby's supper....but again....nope.
Now I admit, I did have a bit of a tummy growl when one of the girls on Corrie was standing there with a package of Fig Rolls with her brew....but I got over it.
and here it is almost bedtime and guess what? I lived thru the day with not a morsel going in my mouth. That's 1500 cals saved.
Tomorrow, I will get up have a slice of toast and an egg. Then when hubby gets up around noon we will run into town and do errands and have a bite out somewhere. I'll eat normally- whatever I want but not overdoing it of course, then home and a very light supper. Maybe a sammich or a couple pieces of fruit.
Then Sunday will be a famine day again. That's going to be the really tough day for me. The day I usually do a nice Sunday dinner with meat and potatoes and gravy and rolls. But it will be okay.
I weighed this morning and I will see how much I lose at the end of the month.
Stay Tuned.
Well, one that worked for me years ago is one I'm going to try again.
The Feast & Famine.
So I've been doing a bit of research the past few days on the human body- and have seen a lot of studies think that the Feast or Famine way of eating is how the body best works from an evolutionary
standpoint.
Well, It worked for me once before when I didn't actually know why it might- so here we go again.
I deliberately decided to start on July 1st(today) and I wanted to start on a Famine day. Now that means I need to stay under 500 calories on a famine day- but I personally do better with an all or nothing mentality when it comes to food.
So I am having as many as three cups of coffee a day. And all the water I need. So far I have had two cups of coffee and two bottles of water. I'm being careful to stay hydrated and my kidneys and bladder function efficiently, regardless of what day it is.
I've found that I can do without food all day with no problems- I might get an occasional twinge of hunger if I smell something really nice, but I can deal with that. What I can't deal with is having just a taste of something really nice that's full of calories in one shape or form and then not being able to have a full serving. Or having a platter of bland tasteless food that I wouldn't let my pet eat.
I've been without food all day...well, actually since 8PM last night and I really thought by lunch I would be all kinds of crabby and head-achy. But I wasn't. I had my coffee and took my meds with my water and went on about work.....even when office-mate #1Tom waved Chocolate under my nose offering me a bon-bon before he knew I was fasting today. Nor was I the least bit bothered by office-mate #2 Wendy when she pulled out her pasta salad for her lunch.
I thought oh my gosh- by suppertime I will be ravenous, especially when I'm making Broiled Pork steaks and roasties for hubby's supper....but again....nope.
Now I admit, I did have a bit of a tummy growl when one of the girls on Corrie was standing there with a package of Fig Rolls with her brew....but I got over it.
and here it is almost bedtime and guess what? I lived thru the day with not a morsel going in my mouth. That's 1500 cals saved.
Tomorrow, I will get up have a slice of toast and an egg. Then when hubby gets up around noon we will run into town and do errands and have a bite out somewhere. I'll eat normally- whatever I want but not overdoing it of course, then home and a very light supper. Maybe a sammich or a couple pieces of fruit.
Then Sunday will be a famine day again. That's going to be the really tough day for me. The day I usually do a nice Sunday dinner with meat and potatoes and gravy and rolls. But it will be okay.
I weighed this morning and I will see how much I lose at the end of the month.
Stay Tuned.
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