January 24, 2007

I typing this on my Word program since my internet service has expired so they tell me even though I paid for 2 mos. I am currently trying to unscramble this current snafu. You know living with a cell phone only and then having to call providers to solve problems becomes an issue real quick. I only have free minutes after 9 p.m. and on weekends and holidays. You can’t call these businesses then. You get put on hold and soon the minutes add up. I went over last month. Not because I used the phone for fun calls to my loved ones during the week but because I sat on hold several times trying to straighten out a problem.

I started on the Nutra System diet three weeks ago. I haven’t lost much weight so far. I returned the food to them this morning. It is awful! If you like MRE’s (meals ready to eat), you might enjoy their food. The worst thing was the “flame grilled burger”. When you open the package, it is a dried out looking thing that reminded me of something a child would have in their play kitchen. You are instructed to soak it in boiling water for a few minutes. I soaked and soaked and it never got any better than a drowned dried out cardboard patty. This dieting is not for this old crone. One thing it did accomplish though, is I have lost my appetite for large amounts of food. That is a good thing! I also don’t crave sugar any longer. So I guess all was not lost.

We played golf last week on a small par 3 course. I hadn’t played since last August. I surprised myself with some decent shots. Then I remembered why I was hitting better. Last August my thumb was very painful as was my shoulder. I had the thumb injected in November and my shoulder has healed itself. Now I am hitting the ball more like I used to 20 years ago. I shot a 41 - I am happy. We are going to play again this Wednesday too.

Looks like rain on Thursday. Our bike club was to go to Santibel Island. You never know here. The weather just may pass over and we will have our usual sunshine and cool breeze. Speaking of breezes. We moved Bearfoot IV over to the other side of the street so she is facing west now. We have shade and cool breezes on our patio now. My plants are not burning up nor are we. It is so pleasant outside that we actually entertained 4 of our neighbors for supper the other night. There is nothing like dining al fresco under lamp light. This is the Florida I love. We have had spectacular weather since Dec. 1st.

I have made a personal vow to ride 100 miles each week on my bike. I will have to make it up this week since I didn’t ride today due to the high winds out of the south. I just don’t do well riding in the wind. Tomorrow I ride with the club. Hopefully we will ride 18 or so. I feel so much better when I am physically fit even with this extra poundage I am carrying around. Tonight is dancing lessons and the first part is line dancing for the bikers. We bikers never get to take line dancing lessons because we bike as a group on the same days. We went last week but didn’t stay long.

I repotted my dad’s plants that I have had for several years. Sebastian forced me to do it since he wrapped his rope around the pot and broke it. I have 3 planters full of Snake plants now. They are short but now that they have room perhaps they will grow tall like the ones I used to have that I put in one of my paintings.

I will post a couple of photos from my bike ride on Sunday up to Bonita Beach and northward. Note how deserted the beach is for a Sunday afternoon. We won’t see that in Feb. Stay well, warm and in joy-