My BAND WAGON tour continues......

Next stop?

I'm not one who needs or even wants life is to be tied up in a perfect package.
As a matter of fact, I kind of like the unexpected twists and turns....I call them surprises. 
So, I guess one could say I am leading the life I like.....because, damn, there are lots of surprises.   
But, there are times when surprises sure can come at the most inconvenient times.
Take for instance the fact that I am heading to a conference for a few days right here in good old Pittsburgh PA.
That's not the surprise.  
Because its being hosted here in Pittsburgh,  I've got a slate full of things that I have to do.
That's not the surprise either.
The surprise is that quite some time ago when the conference planners were looking for folks to set up nights-on-the-town for conference goers---I must have lost my mind and volunteered.   
I guess I thought it would be fun to take a group of folks to great places for dinners and to show them the sites of Pittsburgh and entertain them!
Now, I'm knee deep in pulling together reservations and plans and schedules and transportation and maps and....well, you get the picture.  
Typically, I am not this unready for entertaining. 
Typically, I am not this overwhelmed by the thought of showing off my city and what it has to offer to a bunch of out-of-towners. 
But, this time, I am.
First and foremost---because I somehow forgot about my volunteerism. 
And, secondly---because I have so much going on that I am not sure if I'm forgetting something....something really big.....that I need to do. 
And, thirdly--because this conference is in my hometown---my at-home responsibilities do not go away. 
And, lastly.....I'm already exhausted and teetering on my BAND WAGON tour.

Just another detour.......
SURPRISE. SURPRISE. SURPRISE.  

Does this WAGON make my butt look big?

There's nothing quite like trying to hold steady on the band wagon while hitting a little rough road.
At the moment, my little rough road is my self image and how I am feeling about how I look these days.
As much as I love, love, love my blog, sometimes I find myself comparing pictures.
Usually, when I look at my "BEFORE LABPBAND" pictures, I am ever so thankful for the way I look today. 
However, since I have about 3 years of "AT GOAL" pictures on my blog, it's easy to spend a crazy amount of time in comparing how I looked then to how I look now. 
Was I thinner then?
How much did I weigh when I wore that outfit?
I think I looked better before!
OMG, I can't believe how much I aged!
I think that hair color looks much better!
I need to go back to that hairstyle!

I don't know about you but I find when I am exceptionally tired and overly stressed and when I haven't had the time or energy to deal with the clothes laying in heaps in my bedroom and the shoes tossed about, I  get overwhelmed with trying to get ready to get out the door each day.  When that happens, I find that I am not as happy about the way I look.  The easy thing to do would be to just slow down and get things organized.   Yes, that would be the easy thing.....
I only have one question though---what should I give up in order to get things more organized? 

 

Table Talk......

Judiland has been brimming with activity this weekend---with both kids home and lots of yard work needing done and various schedules  and commitments to deal with, my much loved family Sunday dinner felt like an albatross around my neck all day yesterday.  Add to that the fact that life was rocked a bit when Carmen's mom had to be hospitalized and the fact that we had plans to host a little gathering at our house on Saturday night, I was in full panic mode.
Never a fun thing.....
Typically, any time we host any type of gathering at our home, I am very intentional about everything once I decide how I want the event to feel.  Sometimes I am inspired by the event itself,  other times I focus on a type of food or ingredient and other times, I just get this idea and run with it.  Whether it's just a small dinner for four or a bustling party for 50, I can't help but start with a vision and then building everything from there.   Sometimes the menu is the star, other times it's the wine or the spirit that is highlighted and there are times when I am simply moved by wanting to feature a particular set of dishes or serving pieces.  I've been known to throw a party just because I happened upon a supply of handmade invitations in a bargain bin.   Whatever the case, even though the inspiration can just happen and  there's a willy-nilly type of organization to the entire process, there's always a plan. 
Sunday dinners are a bit different---I treasure the laziness of the time in the kitchen, hearing the sounds of my family in the background, listening to their conversations and soaking in their laughter.  I look forward to chatting with them as I chop and toss and stir and take pride when they show an interest in what's going on in the kitchen.  I find a great joy in filling the house with comforting and enticing smells and in serving foods that everyone loves.  As I cook, the anticipation of our meal together is what calms me and relaxes me and reminds me how blessed we are.  Looking forward to the laughter and smiles that comes with the four of us spending time around the table is even more important than the meal I serve.  As much as I love the art of entertaining for groups of any size, family time at the table is what means the most to me. 

 Family dinners for the four of us are so very rare these days.  So, when the opportunity presents itself, I want to make it special and memorable.   Although I realize that it's not all about the food---I can't help but want to make a meal that everyone looks forward to and enjoys. But, with the way the weekend was shaping up, my typical love of  preparing Sunday dinner was lost to a frenzy of everything that was going on and everything that had to happen in a short 24 hours.

Thankfully, our almost-PhD has no problem devising a menu and taking command of the cooking to make dinner happen.  When he realized my frenzied state and what was going on around me, he took Sunday dinner into his own hands.  It was a wonderful feeling to know that Sunday dinner meant that much to him.    I was grateful for the help but even more excited to see what his menu would look like.  Although some of his recipes and techniques are very close to my own, he always puts a different spin on things--which is a nice and welcome change.  So, when he blew into town late yesterday, he put together his plan and then we took a quick shopping trip--where he took total charge of Sunday dinner while I loaded the cart with what I needed for our informal gathering last night.   It was a nice respite from the dizzying pace of the day. 

At the moment, there's a lull in the action.  The house is quiet and all seems well.  Since I can't guarantee that will be the case the rest of the day, I wanted to share a wonderful recipe from last night that I think everyone will want to add to their summer entertaining menus. I got lots of ooohs and aahs and there was not a speck of it left over.....

Summer Sausage On Baguettes 

2 long sticks of French Baguettes---sliced in 1 inch slices (on diagonal), toasted lightly in oven
2 pounds bulk Italian sweet sausage--cooked, drained, cooled and crumbled well
1 bag of frozen pineapple--thawed and diced very small
1 large large red onion--diced well and sauteed in a bit of olive oil, cooled
1 cup of sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

Combine cooled sausage, thawed pineapple, cooled onion and sour cream--mix very well.  Add salt and pepper if desired.
Serve chilled with crunchy Baguettes circling it. 

I served this wonderful appetizer with a white wine that I am trying out for the summer--- Gazela Vinho Verde.   It was an amazing combination.   The Gazela might be my go-to wine for summer entertaining.  It's very light and quenching--making it the perfect accompaniment for the recipe above.  Plus, it's extremely affordable--it's easy to buy a case without breaking the bank!
 I can't wait to try it with other foods! 

Hope you Sunday is filled with wonderful moments......

STOP THE WAGON!!!!

I don't think I'll be doing the wagon tour today.
The ride is just a little too  bumpy for me right now..... 
Blame it all on my newly minted 60 year old dear friend Kate.
We just had to celebrate this milestone.
And, we had to do it with the same ghusto as we celebrated her 50th......and her 40th.
We sorta forgot about the fact that it's just a few years later. 
The good news is that we lost a lot of our inhibitions.
The not-so-good news is that we aren't as young as we used to be.
But we sure as hell know how to have a good time....that's something that's never changed. 
So, it's all good.
Except for right now.....

Excuse me while I GOOGLE "how to take care of my father after a night of  a little too much wine...."

Next stop......

PROTEINVILLE.......

 

 When my Lapband journey began and throughout at least the first two years, I followed the eat your protein first rule religiously. 
Never did I begin my meal with a salad or a veggie or mashed potatoes smothered in everything.
I was always amazed that after I ate my protein.....I wasn't hungry for the rest. 
Even on days when I was stressed or really felt like I needed to eat something wicked.....I forced myself to start with my protein.   Usually, it was salmon or crab or something from the sea.  But, there were times when it was just a few hunks of cheese.  And, there were other times when I just needed a hamburger (without the bun).  And, yes, there were other times when ricotta mixed with some marinara sauce was the only thing that would do.   When I was in a major hurry--cheese fit the bill.  When I was needing something wicked--a hamburger did the trick.   And, when I was stressed.....the comfort of marinara sauce and ricotta with an extra dusting of romano cheese was my go-to.   I never felt deprived.  In fact, I felt victorious.  Even eating out wasn't a chore---I could find a nice protein source anywhere (and I didn't have to cook it!!).
The best thing about the deliberate protein eating is that it truly did stop me from picking throughout the day or night.  I'm not sure if it stopped me because I was satisfied or if it stopped me because I was enthused by my rule following--which propelled me into "being good".  Whatever it was--by insuring that I always ate my protein first, my journey was successful. 
Sure, I wasn't angelic all of the time.  Sometimes a girl does have to go astray to stay true to her own self.  But, even with those little moments of putting way too much mayonaisse in my tuna salad, the scale was moving downward, I was feeling satisfied and healthy and I was never discouraged by my choice.   All good things....
So, what changed?  Why have I been battling a few pounds here and there every so often?
Those are the questions I  ask myself each time I find the needle on the scale moving into my forbidden territory.  
And, each time---I know the answer.
I haven't been working with my band.  
In fact, I've been working against it.
The funny thing about these extra pounds that I have been dealing with every so often is that they never send me into a major failure mode.
Which is a good thing.
Sometimes when we feel like a failure, we give up.  Then, we spiral out of control and before we know it---we are really letting things get out of hand.  As we all know...that's so easy to do.....Lapband or not.
So, what's my method to not succumbing to this madness?
I play a numbers game!
You see, since I set out on this journey to lose 100 pounds and managed to lose 115--I always saw those extra 15 pounds differently than the first 100.
In my head, it was always about 100 pounds!  
Sometimes.....like now....I see those extra 15 pounds as my cushion weight--- I figure that as long as I don't gain one ounce over 15 pounds--I'm good.  Other times...when I am happily wearing my Size 8 skinny jeans--I consider those 15 pounds a bonus--a reward for my hard work!  
Trust me, I don't like it when I gain any weight at all.
But, it's all a part of the journey.
I'm just back to riding the riding the WAGON on this leg of my journey.

Hello Proteinville!  I'm back......

Back on the (Lap) Band Wagon......

Get ready for Judi's Wagon Tour!

First stop----Watertown!

When I first started my Lapband journey,  I could always be seen carrying around my water bottle.  I never left home without it.  To get in some extra protein--I always mixed Special K protein water powder (iced tea was my favorite flavor). 
 As time  went on, my water bottle became an accessory.  So, I took great pleasure is matching it to my outfits.....I got lots of great covers in lots of fun colors.   It became part of the fun of drinking water.  Hey, a girl has gotta do what a girl has gotta do....
In the past two years or so, my water bottle has been hiding at the bottom of my kitchen cabinet and it's fancy covers are strewn about the cupboards.    Just like pieces of jewelry that have been replaced by cuter, more up-to-date pieces.  
Now, I know what you are thinking......it's time Judi resurrect that old water bottle.
But, that's not how I roll.
My Rubbermaid water bottle and my cute bottle covers are so yesterday.....
It's time for some water bottle shopping.
And, I've got the perfect plan.
I am going Tervis Tumbler shopping.
These things are the best.
Especially for a girl who can't use a straw.
I already have a sassy red, yellow, orange and green polka dot one for my morning protein drink.
I fill it up very early in the morning with my concoction of Bolthouse Farms Vanilla Chai Soy Protein and Tzao Chai Latte Liquid over a bunch of ice.  And, walla....there is still ice in it well into the afternoon.  
My Tervis love is so great that I've bought them for Carmen, Vince and Toni---all of them with designs befitting their interests.
And, they have all these different lids that you can add....making them even more fashionable!
PLUS.....you can also get a martini shaker lid so you can turn your Tervis Tumbler into a martini shaker!!!   Just another reason to love them.... 

If I am going to go on a WAGON TOUR......I'm gonna do it style.
Watertown, here I come!!!







 

Walk of Shame......

Yes, I've been on a bender.  
One that has included all night night laundry parties, lots of late, late trashy TV and overdosing on Trader Joe's Coconut cookies.
Not to mention all the other things that go into making Judiland......Judiland.  
Last we spoke, I was in the home stretch of empty nesting....getting my world ready to be rocked once again by the return of my sorority girl.
Fast forward to NOW......
My empty nesting is over!!
We are all getting adjusted.....

Here's Patty and I loading up the cars in Collegeland.....to bring our girls home.  My body never felt so sore.....

After I semi recovered from all of that.....it was time for a tidal wave of life....a little welcome home party....a little cooking, a little wine on the porch and a few of her favorite bites......

 
 Then, it was on to a Mothers' Day filled with more cooking and entertaining.....

And, wedged in between the moving and the unpacking and the laundry and the coconut cookies and the TV watching and the homecoming and the cooking and the cleaning and the entertaining and the partying....there was a family wedding.  
Here I am.....committing the cardinal sin of wearing the same dress as 2 other wedding goers!  Thankfully, we all considered it a fun coincidence and had a great time with it all.  Everyone asked us if we planned it!  Can you imagine?  Three women planning to wear the same dress to a wedding. 
For the record....I had this dress first.  (if you recall....I wore it to a wedding last July)

Now that I've owned up to everything that has been going on here in Judiland, I want to tell you something. 
Possibly the real reason why I've been hiding from my blog.....in addition to all this other stuff..
I gained 12 pounds.
But, I refuse to walk in shame.
Now that I have confessed this fact to you---I am now free to do what needs done.
I can no longer hide.
It's time to conquer the roadblocks between me and  my Lapband! 
It's time I let my Lapband do it's job!
ONWARD!!!!!!!!!!!!

On with the show.....

It's been a bit of a busy few days in Judiland.
Sewing all of my empty nester oats is hard work.
Which explains why I've been AWOL these past few days.
But, it wasn't all fun and games, I can assure you.
My to-do list got a little out of hand......rendering me out of commission.
Yeah, I steam cleaned all of my hardwood floors and did a major cleaning of my kitchen and of all the bathrooms.  
Don't ask me what possessed me to do any of that.
All I can tell you is that it wasn't a bit of fun....
Thankfully, I had the opportunity to spend some time with the newspaper last night as I rested my weary bones from that awful drudgery.
That's when I came upon a very inspiration story.....about a girl right here in Pittsburgh PA who lost 120 pounds and reached her dream to run the Pittsburgh Marathon on Sunday.
And, she is a blogger.  
A blogger who stole my heart.....in as little as 24 hours!!! 
Please visit Adrian's blog....

Little Adrian has no idea I'm even posting the link to her blog so if you do give her a little love before I get a chance to stop by and do it myself........let her know I'm coming soon!

My last childless weekend.......

 Soon it will be time to stash the smokes, wear respectable clothing and hide the good gin.
Gotta get back to my mothering ways......in ONE WEEK!!!!
 

There's nothing like the first time.....

you bite into something that tastes amazing!

Whatever it is.....that first bite is the best bite!
The experience of anticipation and taste is what we enjoy.
There is nothing quite as wonderful as tasting something luscious.
Sinking your teeth into something that you are craving or that you love is a beautiful thing.
Especially for those of us who love food.  
So, why then do we continue to eat  until we lose that wonderful feeling only to be replaced by a feeling of misery and discomfort?
 Why can't we take just one bite or maybe two or  maybe even three?  Why do we continue to eat it and even go crawling back for more when we have fed our desire for the taste and we have enjoyed it's beauty? 
All of that brings us back to that nagging question---why do we eat?
Of course, we eat to survive...that's a given.
But, survival doesn't take 30 little chocolate eggs, a peppermint patty and 2 cookies...after devouring a reasonable piece of a Delmonico steak, a 1/4 cup of wine braised mushrooms and half a baked potato with sour cream and chives and a deliciously perfect Pinot Noir.  
Yes, I'm talking about me.  
The lovely dinner was more than enough.
In fact, I was more than satisfied with the wonderful meal that we enjoyed on our deck at sunset.
Carmen had grilled the steaks to perfection, the yummy mushroom recipe is one of my favorites and I love the simplicity of baked potatoes with sour cream and chives. 
And, the Pinot Noir was a wonderful accompaniment to it all.
Sure, a bit of chocolate is a lovely way to close out a meal like that.
In fact, I highly recommend having chocolate following a meal that includes a steak.
Chocolate can be a perfect balance to such a hearty meat.
I can assure you that the first bite of the chocolate was indeed heavenly.
By the end of the night, as I secretly popped those little eggs into my mouth as I watched some of  my favorite trash TV, the wonderful meal was a distant memory....my focus became how lousy I felt. 
I threw away the joy of a great meal and was left feeling nauseated and miserable.
All because I could not stop at one bite. 
I could not stop after THE BEST BITE!

Too much of a good thing is not always a good thing.....
Excuse while I go and write that on the chalkboard 600 times. 

HELLO MERRY MERRY MONTH OF MAY!

Last night, in an effort to make myself believe that I am a very organized person, I decided to haul out my calendar and begin plugging in things for the month that either I need to do or I have to take care of or that I am obligated to attend or I am responsible for and birthdays I need to remember and parties and weddings and showers and other happenings in Judiland........well, you get the picture....

I feel like I am looking down the barrel of a gun.

I should have never, ever attempted this being organized shit.
All it did was stress me out. 
I am much better being surprised by life......

May Day! May Day!

The COOKIE MONSTER is after me!!!

Yesterday, I hosted a meeting that had the possibility of being a little bit painful or perhaps a tad bid uncomfortable. 
In preparation for those possibilities, I decided it was best to feed the participants something sweet.....like cookies!  Everyone loves cookies!
I figured that if someone got a little grumpy, I'd shove cookies in front of them.
And, if someone got a little out of hand with me, I'd remind them that I brought cookies.  
It sounded like a swell idea.  Especially for a Monday morning meeting that might be a little tenuous. 
Ingenious! Right?
With my plan firmly in place, I swung by Trader Joe's on my way to work to stock up on my favorite Trader Joe's cookies--Oatmeal Cranberry Dunkers, Crispy Crunchy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Minis and Vanilla  Meringues.
Yummy! Yummy! And, more yummy!!!
Give them the yummiest cookies and insure a good meeting! 
What a perfect plan.  Right?
As it turned out---I was wrong on all counts.
Everyone was perfectly lovely and the meeting went off without a hitch.
And, no one was hungry for cookies.
Everyone was smiley and agreeable......even without eating cookies. 
Imagine that?
 I was left with three mostly full containers of my favorite cookies. 
So, I dragged them back to my office, set them on my conference table and went about with my work.
But, you see....my computer got a little crazy and started doing bizarro things.
I couldn't get to my files.  My cursor was going nuts.  And, our tech person was nowhere in sight.
And, I had work to do.
At the height of my frustration, those cute little Crispy Crunchy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Minis started to be very noisy.  Calling me.  Telling me that if I ate them, things would be better. 
Who am I to fight with cookies?
20-some Crispy Crunchy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Minis and 2 Vanilla Meringues later, my computer issues remained and I was feeling not-so-good. 
Not so good at all.

Fast forward to this morning......my group is doing a presentation at a staff meeting.
So, I figure.....I can unload those cookies on my unsuspecting office mates. 
My office mates love cookies. 
They don't have to know they are saving me from the evil grip of the cookie monster that's chasing me.  Right?
And, if our presentation is boring.....the cookies will help. Right?
But, what if I'm wrong again?
What if our presentation is so damn thrilling that they are so mesmerized by it that they don't even realize the cookies are there?
It's a possibility.  Right?
What if they are all warding off cookies since bathing suit season is almost upon us?
You just never know.  Right?
Or, how about if they figure out my manipulative plan that is disguised as Judi being nice feeding us cookies?
It could very well happen.  Right?
Will I spend another day fighting the evil Cookie Monster?
I should just go back to bed. 
The Cookie Monster won't find me there. 
Right?
 

 Happy May!
The Cookie Monster must die.
Right?

Style is your best revenge.......

I firmly believe that a girl should never leave the house in sweats.  We must always be prepared to meet a dashing stranger or run into an old enemy.
Or that cute boy from high school.
You know the one.
The one who still thinks it's 1976.....

Yeah, this guy....

Best story from the Pub Crawl in our little hometown......

The bouncer at one of the little neighborhood bars stops my sister as we were walking in the door.....
"Hey, how ya doing?" says the scruffy gray haired man as he puts her in a bear hug. 
"Do I know you?" she asks, trying to break from his grip
"Rob!  Rob Wilson!  We went to high school together!" he says, trying to kiss her
My sister looks rather confused
She looks at me......."my God! I went to high school with someone this old!"

You can take the girl out of her little hometown....

but you can't take the little hometown out of the girl!

Today, I am celebrating my roots.......I'm visiting the faces and the places of my young life....

I'm going to do a little grown up playing (aka winey lunch and shopping) with my bestest neighborhood playmate......

Then, I'm going to roam the streets of my little childhood hometown....aka....I'm doing The Pub Tour to save our beloved hometown swimming pool with bunches of other hometown folks.....including my husband, my sister, a few cousins, some good friends and all the rest.....

After it's all said and done, I'm gonna ride the trolley back to my grown-up girl hometown.....

But, before any of that happens.....I've got a little date with the guy who made that little hometown our home....my father......

My dad on his 91st birthday!!!

I hope your Saturday is  also filled with lovely faces and wonderful places!

Ready for Friday?

Friday is READY FOR YOU!

Take it on with attitude!

Many years ago, in the midst of one of my "accepting my size" modes, I made a pact with myself that I would figure out a way to feel big and beautiful.  So, I set about on a fashion and make up journey to make that happen.  Many shopping trips later, I found myself with a pile of clothes that were not the real me and a bucket full of make up that I would probably  never wear. 
You see, I looked around at the women who I considered big and beautiful and tried very hard to mimic their style and image.  It bugged the heck out of me that even when I did a decent job of finding the clothes and the make up, I still looked in the mirror and didn't like what I saw.  I just saw an overweight woman with too much make up and clothes that could not mask the huge belly, the ruffely hips, the chunky arms, the round, plum face. 
Big and beautiful was just not me.  
How did those big and beautiful women look so beautiful even though they were big? 
Stumped and utterly frustrated,  I decided that I wasn't meant to be big.
With that knowledge in hand, I set out to find another diet....

Fast forward to now.....

It's  shocking to me that in my quest to feel big and beautiful, I didn't stop for one moment to realize that fashion and make up could make me look big and beautiful but never make me  feel big and beautiful. 
Even though I adore fashion and make up and shoes and I use those things to help me feel good about myself and I believe in the power of looking good---I could not use those things to mask the feelings down deep in my soul.  I did not like me as a big girl.  That was the bottom line. 
Call it vain or crazy or downright insane but being big was just not my cup of tea. 
Not that I wanted to be a Size 0 but I certainly wanted to not be big. 
There are moments when I feel I should apologize for that or at least explain to others that big was not for me and that I don't judge others on their size.  I mean, just because I don't like me as a big girl, I do not stand in judgement of all the big and beautiful women out there.  Because, if truth be told, I am actually envious of them in many ways.  They figured it out.  I failed. 
I am not big and beautiful.  Not to me. 

Why am I even bringing this up now?
Of course, there's a story....
The other night, a few friends and I went out for drinks and dinner.  Naturally, the conversation turned to diets and bodies and all that fun stuff.  One of my dear, sweet friends  mentioned  "no matter how big Judi got, she always looked so pulled together."   It was not a shock to hear her say this because she says it quite frequently during these types of conversation.  And, although I always appreciate the sentiment and I am happy to know that the outside world thought I was so pulled together in my big girl days, I never, ever felt that way.  I mean, I knew that I spent a ton of time and money on make up and clothes and shoes.  But, no matter when I left the house and no matter what I was wearing---I never felt that way.  EVER. 
So, I piped up...."Well, I never felt that way." 
Of course, the entire table acted as though they were shocked.  They are sweet friends. 
"No, I never felt happy or satisfied with how I looked, no matter what I was wearing.  And, I admit, I had some pretty nice big girl clothes!"  I shared with them. 
"My God Judi!  I always talked about how you looked so perfect and fashionable all the time no matter how much you weighed!"  another friend chimed in.
"Yeah, me too!" another friend agreed.
"Well then, I am pretty good at fooling people.  Because, honestly, I never felt that way."  I divulged.
"So, how do  you feel now?" someone asked
"Well, how do I look?"  I asked.
"Pulled together.  Perfectly fashionable!"  one friend answered.
I laughed....." the same then?"
"No matter how much you weigh...." two friends said in unison.

Thank God for girlfriends!  

(and wine)

 

LIPSTICK!!

...that explains everything!

This morning as I was sitting in traffic flipping through the radio stations, I came upon an interesting tidbit...
Did you know that the average woman eats over 6 pounds of lipstick in their lifetime?
Um, either did I! 
And, I ain't no average woman.
Not when it comes to things that color and shine up my lips!
Nosiree!
Given my love, love, love of lipstick and lipgloss and lipstain..... I am pretty sure that at least 60 of the 100 extra pounds I was carrying around were due to lipstick.  
Whew!
Finally, I can stop blaming my obese gene, my thyroid, pasta, nachos, chips, wine, bread, my grandmothers, my father, my mother, the good cooks in my life, Big Macs, french fries, coconut cream pie, vacations at the beach, Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Fourth of July, Flag Day, April Fool's Day, my birthday, friends' birthdays, family birthdays, pregnancy weight, menopause, my blue eyes, late night munching, happy hour, happiness, sadness, stress, misery, going to the movies, going to the mall, going out to dinner, breathing.......

MUAH!

NEVER SURRENDER!

I believe in HOPE.
HOPE is the one thing that has always given me HOPE!



Many, many years ago, in the depths of the deepest despair of my young life.....a family friend bent down to me---as I cried on my aunt's couch---she whispered into my ear---  

At the time, I didn't realize it was an Italian Proverb.
Now that I do, I'm not surprised.
Italians brought us pasta and meatballs too.
And, wine.
Proving they know a thing or two about life.  

While there's life, there's hope.....

Those words have never left my side. 
They have carried me through every aspect of life--from the big things to the little things.
Over the years, as I've experienced the ups and downs and highs and the lows and the laughter and the tears,  that one phrase has grown in meaning. 
I have shared the sentiment with friends and family and have hopefully given my children the gift of HOPE. 

Among all the wonderful things I credit my Lapband with, I think the most important thing that it has given me is HOPE.
Real HOPE in something that would work for me.    
As my weight spiraled out of control  for all those years, I always believed that someday, someway, I would not be a fat woman forever.
So, I took every chance I could---placing my HOPE in diets and doctors and pills and gyms and every weight loss program and plan on the planet.
I never gave up HOPE.  
Sure, there were moments when I felt defeated and worn out and just plain exasperated from the search for thinness.  But, just when I found myself doing the dance of defeat, my HOPE never let me completely fall into the grips of believing that I would always be fat.  
HOPE picked me up and shook me off and pushed me back out there!
Sure, sometimes I picked some real dud diets that didn't serve me well.
Other times, I just fell flat on my fat face.
Sometimes I felt my HOPE was ill placed.
And, yes, there were many many times that I had to admit that HOPE wasn't going to save me from my bulging belly.
But, when this commercial came on TV, my HOPE soared. 

Disclaimer: this is not the commercial I saw...click on link above

The HOPE that commerical gave me carried me through the 8 months of getting ready and the 4 years and 8 months since then.
And, it's proven me to be right.....I will not be a fat woman forever.  

Now, as I toil with a few extra pounds, I am being challenged to muster up all that HOPE again.
As I fight with a few zippers on a few pair of Spring pants, I'm being reminded that I must place my HOPE and all that goes with it into my Lap band.  
I have been given these gifts. 
I cannot surrender to the nightly raids on those adorable little chocolate Easter eggs.
I cannot surrender to the next pants size.
I cannot surrender to these pounds.

I  cannot surrender my HOPE!



 

April snow brings......

white knuckles!!!!!!
  (and it has nothing to do with my spray tan!)

Over the past month or so, my son has been traveling quite a bit presenting papers and doing what  almost-Phd's do.
He's bounced in and out to town for quick layovers, to catch his breath, pick up some incidentals and maybe do some laundry.
Late last week, fresh from a trip to Chicago--where he got to spend a wonderful day site seeing and exploring famous breweries and restaurants with his cousin Alexa who had just happened to be in Chicago on a job hunting trip-- he landed in Pittsburgh for an alumni event at this undergrad University that was happening this  past weekend.
When his fun weekend with old buddies wrapped up, he stopped home on Sunday night to have a good meal and to rest up for what lies ahead in his long and tenuous academic journey.
He was planning to leave early this morning so that he could arrive in PhDland in time for some meetings that he had later today.
We were looking forward to having him home---even it was just for a snippet of time.  

He got to watch the Penguins lose a heartbreaking game with his father (at least they were together!) while I headed over to the Country Club for a family wedding shower.   
Prior to his arrival, I cooked up a storm and Carmen and I cleared our Sunday evening schedules to just hang out with him.  The plan was to eat, chat and watch some TV together.  
 What we hadn't planned on doing was keeping a close eye on the weather.....
A winter storm advisory was issued.......yes, you heard me right.....a WINTER STORM ADVISORY....
Knowing that much of his trip back to PhDland included mountains that were directly in the snowbelt, an April storm that was predicting lots of snow and rain and ice didn't sound too safe.
I was determined not to be a nervous and out of control mother.
I mean....really.....an April snowstorm?
But, I couldn't help but worry about the impending doom.
So, I checked the forecast every few moments--going back and forth between channels....looking for different information.
Long after both Carmen and Vince had went  to bed, I kept an eye on the TV, nodding off once in awhile. 
Every hour or so, I'd bounce up to check outside to see if the storm had arrived.....
By 5:30 am, there was not a snow flake in sight.
I was completely exhausted and not ready to take on a Monday.  

Snow did not arrive in Judiland this morning.
But, the mountains that stood between our house and where my son was going were covered.
And, the snow was relentless.
My son's path to PhDland was all the talk of the TV stations.
My morning plans were solidified.
I would be worrying and praying and hoping and worrying and praying and hoping some more.
The hours felt like centuries.
Until I got the call......"Mom, I'm safe."

Spray tanned and taking on Sunday.......

Considering we are under a winter storm watch here in Judiland, I am quite sure my spray tan will be figured out for what it is.
But, it feels good to have some color.
Funny thing, it makes me feel thinner.
I have no idea why but it does.
So, that's a good thing.
I'll take it.  

Here I am heading out the door.....me and my spray tan....

Have a great Sunday!

Go Penguins!

Maintaining fabulous is not for sissies!

I am not too much of a "rule" person.  Like everyone else, I recognize that rules are a necessity of life.  But, I've never been one to set up all kinds of rules for  myself or my family.  I just expect everyone will do the right thing.
 Most times things work out okay.  
But, there's one rule that I follow to the letter---never leave the house looking like shit.
I mean, I don't have to be drop dead gorgeous but hey....I should at least try to be drop dead gorgeous.  
What this means is that I will not leave my house without full make up, fashionably dressed, fully accessorized, wearing rockin' shoes and with my hair looking as good as I can get it to look.
Trust me, adhering to this rule is much, much harder than it sounds.
There's lots of maintenance that goes along with the art of not looking like shit.
It's not just the mere act of getting dressed and putting on make up and shoes and jewelry.
Nosiree.  
 There's lotions and potions to apply, there's tweezing to be done and shaving that needs to happen, there's all kinds of gels and goop to rub in, there's exfoliating here and there and everywhere......
Not only that, there's appointments that need to be made and kept and lots of experts to talk to (like the ladies at the Estee Lauder counter) and magazines and other resources to consult....
And, just when I thought I couldn't wedge another body maintenance thing into my life, I fall in love with getting a spray tan. 
A spray tan.
You heard me right.
Now, I'm not extremely fond of the act of  getting the spray tan.
Standing naked in a tubular booth in weird positions while a sprayer goes up and down your body isn't exactly my idea of a good time.
But, the end result is perfection.
My skin seems smoother, I have a lovely scent and  I'm glowing.
And, most importantly-- I have a perfect tan that only took minutes to get!
I feel like a movie star.
And, I walk around feeling that way.
Hey look at me....I just got back from Malibu.   

So, I'm sitting here sipping my tea wondering how I am going to fit a spray tan session into an already  jam-packed day.   It's causing me quite a bit of stress.  And, you know what stress does to a person?  It causes fine lines and wrinkles.  And, you know what that means?
Yep, I'm going to need a facial. 

Attack of the AARP!

 They are mail bombing my neighborhood!!!
I'm running as fast I can!!!!!

We have a little issue with the mail in our neighborhood.
We haven't had a permanent mail carrier for several years.
My neighbors and I have no idea what not having a permanent mail carrier has to do with the fact that we are always getting each others' mail, our mail comes damaged a lot of the times and we even get mail belonging to folks many streets away. Other times, I get my mail several weeks (or even months!) after it was mailed to me.   Each time someone calls to complain, we are given the same excuse---you do not have a permanent mail carrier.  We've given up.
The other day when I returned home, I found a big white US Mail box sitting on my porch--filled with mail.
Now, I know I get lots of magazines and catalogs but did one day's worth of mail warrant that it be delivered in a box?  
So, I hoisted the box up, brought it into the house and sat down to go through what appeared to be three weeks worth of mail!
As you can probably guess--only a fraction of the mail was mine.  The rest belonged to assorted neighbors on my street and others on surrounding streets.  As I was sorting the mail into piles of like addresses and names, I noticed how many pieces of mail in the box were from the AARP.  By the time I was done, I counted a total of 66 pieces of mail from them---a few of the pieces belonging to me.  One or two people were sent the AARP magazine---which instantly caught my attention because one of my all time favorite women--Diane Keaton--was on the cover.  
But, most of us got the same type of envelopes--inviting us to become a member.
Was it a conspiracy?


I decided to deliver the mail to my close-by neighbors and let the mail carrier do the rest.
On one of my deliveries, the homeowner happened to see me and came out to chat.  Naturally, we commiserated on the fate of our mail and brainstormed on ideas on how to deal with it--she seemed quite a bit more exasperated about the situation than I and  she was very animated in the way she talked about it.   As we were chatting, she was leafing through her mail...all of a sudden, she stopped mid sentence.  It was one of those abrupt stops in voice that only happens when you are completely and utterly stunned.  Her face contorted a bit and she wiped her brow with the palm of her hand.
She had found the AARP mailer.       
After she regained her composure, she looked up at me--"At what age does the AARP ask us to join them?" she asked.

"I think I started getting the invitations around my 50th birthday.  I guess they figure by the time we retire, we will succumb to the age thing and just join them!  I hear they have good discounts."  I quipped.
She seemed quite disturbed---no longer by the mail mishap but by the AARP mailer.
"I just don't get it, 50 years old and we are AARP material?"  she stuttered--as if she were in disbelief.
"Well, if it would make you feel any better, I will tell you that in all the mail left at my house there were a total of 66 pieces of mail from them!"  I told her.
"No, that makes me feel worse! Camelot for baby boomers is over!  Baby boomers are now America's senior citizens!  There's millions of us!"  she relented, her eyes scanning the neighborhood.
"Yes, that's probably the case!"  I agreed.
"Look around, Judi, there's more of us than there are of THEM!" she said, her finger pointing up and down the street in a random motion.  "We have two young couples on our street. They are getting mail from Victoria's Secret and Abercrombie and Fitch and the rest of us are being bombed by the AARP!" 
I looked up and down the street.  She was right.  I happened to live right next door to one of the young couples---lucky me, I get to live next to the young blonde with the perfect body who sun bathes in a bikini on her bedroom balcony---directly in eye shot of  anyone sitting at my dining room table.  
"Well, I get mail from Victoria's Secret," I said a little sheepishly.
"Victoria is not bombing us!  The AARP is!"  she reminded me.  



I don't know about her but I'm being bombed by Victoria's Secret and the AARP.
I guess that means that I might be over 50 but I still got it.... 


Gee, I wonder if Victoria Secret gives an AARP discount? That might give me a reason to join!

 

Postscripts from a marriage......

That's lasted 30 years.
Please don't ask me how we've managed to get here because I'm not sure if I would be able to tell you.
What I do know is that we've raised two absolutely amazing children, we have made it through some wonderful times and some downright not-so-wonderful times, we've accumulated a lot of stuff in our basement and our garage, we have traveled many, many miles, we've had lots of interesting hairdos, we've said I LOVE YOU millions and millions of times and we've said I'M SORRY a million million million more times, we've slammed our share of doors, we've hugged and kissed and stomped our feet, we've been fat, we've been skinny, we've been everywhere in between, we fulfilled some dreams and we have shattered some others and we got up each day with the hope that it would be a good one. 
When it comes down it it......mostly we've found a way to share the ups and downs of this life that we chose 30 years ago.   

For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health.......and you know the rest.  

Happy Anniversary to us.  

God laughs at those who make plans!

And, HE had a rip-roaring time with ours!
Thankfully, we've had 30 years of practice with the comedy that is our life!  

This coming Tuesday is our 30th Anniversary.  So, knowing that Carmen was doing a death-defying work schedule for a month or so, we decided to play it safe and not plan anything too big.  Originally, we had talked about a trip to Napa or an exotic island or maybe even a cruise.  But, with things the way they were, we opted to lay low and just put our plans on the back burner for a while....you know....let them simmer until the time was right.   However, as we got closer, we decided we would figure out a way to celebrate a little closer to home--fitting everything in between Carmen's work schedule and my responsibilities. 
With a little wiggling and tweaking, we managed to eek out a weekend that worked well on all fronts. 
That was until things got a little twisted up with Carmen's work schedule.
But, we figured we'd just work around it.
So, at the last minute, we readjusted and rescheduled a few things.
Then, Carmen came down with a rip-roaring bout of some kind of flu bug.
Even that didn't deter us.....we made the best of it. 
While he drugged up and slept it off--I went shopping at some upscale consignment shops unearthing amazing deals.  Love. Love. Love.
The drugs and the sleep managed to make him feel a little more human but our plans took another turn.....
His work intervened...as it always does.......this time throwing our dinner plans off.
So, I did what any woman would do when a night out that she was so looking forward to goes awry--I got a spray tan, a manicure and did a little more shopping.
By then, his flu bug was raging.
I had no intention of letting work and sickness rob me of a weekend that I had been soooo looking forward to.
So, as he dealt with his illness and his cell phone and his computer,  I ventured out to a gourmet market to pick up a few ingredients, made a stop at a specialty cheese shop for some great cheeses and then stopped off at the wine store to stock up.
Then, I  headed home to my very own kitchen to  whip up an anniversary dinner to end all anniversary dinners.
Sometimes I am happiest in my own kitchen. 
I texted my husband of almost 30 years and told him to come home and be prepared to make me a Henricks Martini. 
In his sickly state, the poor man could not argue. 
He drove the roads back to his own home and made me that martini.  Yummy!
No, it wasn't the amazing little place we figured we would be hanging out.
 But, it was probably where he needed to be.
 I got my martini and we had a great meal with some spectacular wine.....then he passed out. 
I drank wine and watched the mediocre movie Horrible Bosses...as my very sick and very tired husband of almost 30 years snored away in his recliner.  
All of that led me to a Sunday that couldn't have even been planned.......
Flowers. Massages.  Pedicure.  A trip to a jewelry store.  And, a lakeside lunch at a lovely little place near our house.

Life doesn't always turn out the way we think it will.....just like our marriage.
But, I can proudly say that we've been blessed with the ability to make the best of it.
It takes awhile to figure that out.
We've had 30 years experience doing just that.....

I'm pulling down the shade......

Time for a little reconnecting and recharging!

Stories from the Road will resume on Monday. 

Carry on.......

Follow your FOODIE HEART!!!

 I JUST LOVE A GOOD FOODIE CALL!!!

any food hook-up is a good hook-up

My name is Judi and I am a FOODIE!
Yes, it rhymes (Judi-Foodie).....cute, eh?
While I am fessing up here, I might as well tell you that I have no intention of ever changing my food love.
I suppose I never did.  I just said I would.  
With diets.
I said that I would give up fats.
Yeah, I lied.
I said that I would give up carbs.
Yeah I lied.
I said that I would just eat what was on the list.
Yeah, I lied.
I said that I would just eat what was in the package.
Yeah I lied.
I said that I would give up everything white.
Yeah, I lied.
I said that I would only drink those shakes.
Yeah, I lied.
I said that I would never eat sugar again.
Yeah, I lied.

Well, you get the picture......

Perhaps all that lying I did for all those years was my problem with dieting all along.....I just never, ever felt that I wanted to live forever without eating the  food that I love.  Even though I said I could.
The truth of the matter is---I could not imagine a life without olive oil or a super sharp cheese or meatballs or chocolate or tacos or nacho chips or butter or coconut cream pie. 
There was a criminality--a super duper injustice--to denying myself the pleasure that my favorite food brings me. 
I'm not crazy about injustice.  Especially when it comes to something I love and derive pleasure from. 
Life is too short to live barren of  good taste and  fulfilling fulfillment.

That's why my  Lapband and I are a perfect couple.   
It lets me follow my FOODIE HEART!!!  

And, so that was Easter.......

Toni and I getting ready to leave the house for my family's annual Easter Eve celebration. 

Easter Day road trip--maybe I should eat some carrots!

Easter Day road trip--a stop along the way

Carmen and I--celebrating Easter 2012 in Altoona PA!

 A few foodie pix......

Easter Eve veggies--roasted asparagus and zucchini with balsamic reduction, burrata and asiago. AMAZING!

Easter Eve Dessert Buffet---My sister's Death by Chocolate

Easter Eve Dessert Buffet---Carmen and my favorite pie of all time--Signature Desserts Coconut Cream Pie!

Another holiday come and gone.
The memories and the leftovers remain.

God grant me the serenity
To make good food choices;
The courage to turn away from the Easter goodies that call my name;
And the wisdom to either throw them or give them away. .

Easter blessings......

from our home to yours......

May the spirit of hope that Easter brings,
Help you find contentment in little things,
And restore your faith in the Lord above,
Who gave His life for the ones He loves.

Step away from the peanut butter eggs.  

Holy Jelly Beans!

It's Easter !

I am going to let you in on a little secret---I am not having Easter at my house.
Nope.  I'm not.
I've been busy cooking lots of yummy things but no one is coming to my house. 
Tonight, we will be at my sister's for our annual Easter Eve celebration.
Tomorrow, we are driving a few hours to meet our son half way from PhDLand and we are all going to a restaurant.
Then, we are turning around and driving our daughter back to CollegeLand. 
Then, on Monday morning, Carmen is heading into a 30-day project which will keep him completely and utterly immersed in whatever engineers like him do when they work 24/7 on projects like this (as you can tell, I'm not really sure what my husband does...I just know he works alot!).
In other words--no one will be here to eat for Easter or to eat the Easter leftovers!

So, why do I have a kitchen full of Easter food and a table full of Easter goodies?
 Because that's the way I roll......

Blame it all on my hair!

I'm having a bad hair week.
A very bad hair week.

I'm tired!  Blame it on my hair.
I'm having fashion issues.  Blame it on my hair.
I can't sleep.  Blame it on my hair.
My back hurts.  Blame it on my hair.
I look pale.  Blame it on my hair.
There's dishes piled in the sink.  Blame it on my hair.
I bought a bathing suit.  I hate it.  Blame it on my hair.
I want to eat the ears off of the chocolate bunny in the middle of my  dining room table.  The one I bought only as a decoration.  Blame it on my hair. 
I am craving coconut cream chocolate Easter eggs.  Blame it on my hair. 
I am eating a coconut cream chocolate Easter egg right now.  Blame it on my hair.  
Someone hide the bunny!!!

Is it the Spring Chicken Flu?

This morning, I have a major case of blogblock.  
My brain is not quite functioning yet.  
I'm feeling a bit fogy, a tad woozy and just a wee bit outtawhack. 
Instead of  bitching about my state of disrepair, I figured I'd just ask for you to indulge me for a few moments.......
I'm sharing pictures from a lovely day we spent with some really sweet Spring Chickens..... Toni and her Sorority sisters at their Parents' luncheon this past weekend.   
We went with two other sets of parents--all good friends of ours who we met many years ago when our girls danced at the same studio.  They are now at the same college, in the same sorority.  
It couldn't have been a nicer way to spend a sunny Saturday!!!  

It's always something.......

Ain't that the truth?

No wonder stress and living on the edge are my middle names.
My car broke down.
At a very inconvenient time.
As if there's a convenient time.....
If truth be told.....after I heard the huge thump and saw all the flashing lights on my dashboard....I probably should have stopped driving it. 
But, I had places to be and people to see.
I was on my way to work.  That place.  Those people. 
Still, I could have just stopped driving once I got to work. 
But, then, there was this meeting across town.
So, I crossed my fingers, said a prayer and hoped for the best.
Well, the best turned out to be not so good.  
I found myself in a parking lot in an area that I am not too familiar with, calling a tow truck, missing the meeting and not getting home until way past my normal time.
All of that.
On a Monday.
Wonder what Tuesday has in store for me.