Who Are They???

 So I'm doing a little "light" cleaning.  I'm pretty good at it.  I do, at times, go for a "deep clean" but I'm not sure my style is the same as everyone else's.

For example:  I noticed the canisters on my kitchen countertop needed a swipe with a damp cloth followed by a dry cloth to make the streaks disappear.

I began to wonder if the people that really want to hit it actually empty out the container and actually wash it.  Like with soap and water.

Are there people out there that do that???

I know someone, Lisa, that had a really narrow walk-in pantry.  It was so narrow that you really couldn't walk straight into the thing if your shoulders were wider than a third grader.  Well, the person who lived there like a thousand years ago thought it should be wall papered! 

We spent an inordinate amount of speculating how that job was accomplished. Had to be an over-achiever or a contortionist. Or both.

Remember when people used to mop their floors?  I mean on their hands and knees???  Can you imagine?

How about the concept of spring cleaning.  What does that really mean, anyway? Does that mean you move the couch and vacuum behind it? Or completely remove all the clothes in your closet and dust and vacuum?  

I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

As you can tell, I don't ascribe to that style of life.

I am a bit better, though, since we live in a house with all kinds of direct sunlight screaming through the windows now.

Didn't see that coming.  Caught me totally unprepared.

The Sky!

 The sky is amazing!  I have a new found appreciation for the sky.  I think it has to do with my age and my location.

When I was a kid and probably up into adulthood I didn't give the sky a lot of thought except to maybe check to see if the sun was out or if it was raining or snowing.

I do remember seeing a shooting star for the first time and it blew my mind but I would have to say that since moving to Holland the sky has left me breathless at times.

I've mentioned before in a blog that having direct sunlight has been wonderful because we didn't have that in Allegan since we lived at the base of a hill surrounded by very big trees and a large Victorian house next door.

Well, the same goes for access to the sky.  Going for a drive yesterday I practically had my nose pressed to the windshield.  The cloud formations were so dramatic and it looked like you could see forever.  The horizon looked endless.

And then we were treated to this:

And then this morning - this:

Another plus to being on flat land is driving on secondary roads lined with trees.  They're huge!  We had huge trees in Allegan but driving along curvy roads bordered by those big guys feels like driving through a tunnel.

I love looking at the sky - whether it's chocked full of clouds or crystal clear.  I won't miss a day, if I can help it, for the rest of my days.

A Woman's Wise Words

That wise woman was my mom, Nan Brachman.  She said "lose it before you're 30, El."  

I remember like it was yesterday.  Right down to the exact spot those words were uttered.

Here I am, moments away from 75, to tell you that I did lose it.  

And then gained it back and then took it off and then . . . You get the picture right?

The weight loss industry is HUGE in this country and we know why. Because it's so dang hard to lose weight but even harder to keep it off. The percentage of keeping it off is staggering and depressing.

My friend, Paula, introduced me to an app called Lose It several years ago.  It's a food log but so, so much better than the old pencil and paper version.  You know, the one where you had to buy the calorie book, look up a specific food and then weigh and measure it?

Well this app makes it so much easier.  It does a lot for you except you still have to weigh and measure.  It's kind of fun at first.  It still takes  time but worth it cuz, baby, the pounds disappear!

You start digging in the back of the closet to find the shorts that didn't fit this year and then the fashion show begins.

It's wonderful right up until you convince yourself you don't have to weigh and measure anymore.  Why?  Because you know, you really know, how much 3oz is just by looking at it, right?

Move the scale off the counter.  Put the measuring spoons back in the drawer.  You got this!

It only takes a couple of weeks for you to lose sight of exactly what 3oz looks like.  Then one morning you step on the scale and - WHAT THE HECK?  You gained a pound!!!

Last year I reintroduced myself to Lose It for the third time.  She hadn't forgotten me and I felt no judgement on her part.  This time I dragged Petey along for the ride and we both lost.  A lot.  Particularly Petey.  Why is it that men lose more than women?

So where's the lesson here?  It's certainly one I haven't learned.

I do know that whatever plan you decide to use, it has to be one you'll hang on to for frigging ever.  The minute you stop whatever you did to lose the lbs, they'll gradually come back home.

Was this a downer blog?  Do you wish I'd never written it?
Yeah, me too.