Now trending......#pants probz!

Yeah, I'm talking TWITTER......or I'm TWEETING....or whatever

(well, at least I think I am....)

Actually, it's more of a weather problem.  

But, it's causing a pants problem.....

Here in the great state of Pennsylvania, the weather is very unpredictable.   Earlier this week, we had record  breaking cold temps with frost warnings and some folks in the northern suburbs saw some snow----now we are into the 80's.   The weekend is promising to be somewhere around 80 or so.  Perhaps some rain.  They are talking humidity....

Now, you're probably thinking.....so what the hell is the problem Judi?  

Well, I will tell you what the problem is.....

Remember when I told you that I had my entire college graduation outfit planned and the only thing I had left to do was make sure I could fit perfectly into those beautiful, unforgiving off-white raw silk pants and find the perfect pair of shoes?  

Yeah, you remember, I am sure of it.   

Anyway, the good news is that I found a Judi-worthy pair of shoes and I slipped on those pants the other night with the easiest of ease and everything worked perrrrrrfeccccttttttly.  Yep, I was strutting my stuff around my bedroom and I was feeling pretty special.....I was posing and preening and doing my best mother-of-the-new-graduate looks......

The bad news is that I'm thinking the outfit that I so carefully chose in January (and got such an amazing deal on!) may not be comfortable considering the warmer than usual weather that is predicted...plus the humidity.   Plus being in an auditorium jam packed with people....

Ugh ugh and double ugh.  

Omgosh, I just love this outfit.   The jacket is so lovely it makes me cry fashion happy tears.  And, the fact that the pants look like they were just made for me gives me goose bumps.  And, those shoes....yeah those shoes (that cost me almost as much as the outfit....shhhh....it's our secret), they just tickle my toes.   

Now, you are probably thinking that I may have been a bit premature buying an outfit in January for an event that was being held in May.   You would not be alone in your thinking---that's exactly what my dear no-fashion-sense, ridiculously practical engineer husband noted when I mentioned it to him on the phone last night.  

Really, I can explain.  You see, three years ago, my lovely niece got her masters' degree from the very same school in May.  The day of her commencement was  blustery cold....I was completely unprepared--fashion-wise.  I ended up having to wear a completely different outfit than the darling little dress that I had originally planned on wearing.   At that moment, I vowed that I would not get caught in that situation for my own daughter's graduation---in a hotel room with an outfit that I could not wear and having to put on an outfit that I had brought with me to wear to brunch the next day.   It was mortifying to me.....

So, anyway.....when I was doing some after holiday shopping and I saw this amazing jacket and these gorgeous pants that looked very Spring-like (the jacket has 3 quarter length sleeves and the pants are an off white raw silk) and then I saw the price---well, I just about did back flips.  I felt like it was devine intervention.    That outfit was mine-o-mine and I was going to wear it on May 18, 2013  (a day that seemed sooo far away at the time...).  

Everything makes total sense to you now....right? 

Anyway, when I told one of my spirited gal pals my story of woe yesterday (during a conversation about what would be the best magnum of champagne to purchase to toast the big event...), she suggested I run out immediately and either purchase a pair of  raw off-white raw silk capris or pencil skirt. Although her advice did  sound practical in a fashion sense, it didn't make much sense in a time sense.  My to-do list between now and when we leave on Friday afternoon does not have room for a 5 hour shopping quest. 

Pants problems.  

Stay tuned......

  

 

   

I am thankful for kids that need some extra help, dead batteries and drinking too much.....

Sometimes we are reminded that the little inconveniences in life are not inconvenient at all.....


Because of all of THIS.....
*My son the doctor decided about an hour before we were to leave that he wanted his dad to help him put together his new grill.  (Anyone who knows Carmen knows he doesn't like to have his schedule tampered with! )
*Carmen's car battery died just when he was pulling away from my son's house....2 hours late since he had to help our son the doctor put together his new grill.  (Just a little bit more unhappiness....)
*I had to follow my husband to where he was getting the new battery...for fear he might stall.  So, I didn't get on the road either--we were leaving my son's house...both of us planning to go in different directions....I was coming home, he was on to his next work destination.   (A bit more foot stomping...)
*Due to the late start, we decided that we would both head home...following each other.  Carmen readjusted his Monday schedule so he could travel Monday morning instead of late Sunday night. (Oh yeah, this was not a happy moment....)
*I drank two Starbucks while we waited over an hour for the new battery to be installed in Carmen's car.... thus needing to make a stop two hours into the trip home. (Just a wee bit more not-so-happy hubby....)

 WE ONLY HAD TO DEAL WITH THE TRAFFIC NIGHTMARE OF  THIS
If I would have got on the road when I was supposed to and stayed on the intended course......I would have been at that spot at that time of that accident....according to my GPS....

Yes, I know.....after reading my last few posts, you are wondering what the hell is happening in Judiland.
Has Judiland been cursed with shitfuckluck?
Some may say that.....
But,  I say that I am eternally thankful for everything...even the inconveniences (aka the shitfuckluck).
The situation evidenced above is just one example of why I am so thankful. 
Yes, we had to sit in non moving traffic for a few hours....because of this accident.  But, we were safe.
It's moments like this that make us stand up and take notice.
You see, we had no idea what was going on ahead of us.  All we knew was that we were stuck in traffic....with a million trucks idling around us.  We kept calling each other to chat but even that lost it's appeal after the first 90 minutes....because all we did was bitch and moan!
Once we got word there was a fatal accident......our feelings of gratitude began to sink in.  So, we sat back and listened to good rock and roll and sent each other goofy texts.  And, we made plans to stop at our favorite place (once we did get home) for a martini and a crab cake....a rarity on a Sunday night in Judiland, indeed.    All was right with our world....

My late night Mothers' Day martini and crab cake at The Walnut.  Oh yum!

AND.....

Because we had the car issues (that were documented here.), I was able to spend a lovely Mothers' Day weekend with my son in his lovely little town.....

A lovely lunch....crustless margarita pizza with a glass of Malbec....perfecto!

My grand dog Bandit coming back from his spa day....all relaxed and handsome!

My son and I in his backyard.....

Starbucks...near University of Dayton.  Can you believe my chai is 50 cent cheaper there?  

Carmen and I.......relaxing at a little place near my son's home....

Carmen and I sending a CYBER-TOAST to Toni...who was at college studying for finals!

Oh, and yeah....before I forget.....in weight-related news.......my son has this uber techy scale that hooks up to the internet.   Of course, I thought it was just a scale.  But, unbeknownst to me, it somehow tracks weight on some online site or something. 
Sorry I don't know all the details.
Well, except I do know one detail......I LOST 10 POUNDS SINCE I LAST HOPPED ON THAT SCALE IN JANUARY.

Okay then.
Off to spend my last few days as a emptynester.
Did I mention that my daughter is graduating from college on Saturday?

Fingers crossed for an uneventful week.....and a few martinis.  

This MOTHER is hitting the road..........

Although my little road trip is first and foremost to take care of a little bit of business, I've managed to figure out how to make it MOTHERS' DAY worthy!
Thank you Jesus! 
You see, this year would mark the first year in the history of me being a mom when neither one of my children would be with me.   My son the doctor was in town last weekend for a wedding and my daughter--the almost-college graduate--is getting ready for finals and doing all those things almost-college grads do on their very last college girl weekend.   As much as I understood all of that, it made me sad and I was worried about it.  I mean....I don't even have a mother to spend the day with.  No kids.  No mother.   I was feeling a little low....
But, fate had other plans.  Thank you Jesus!
You see, last weekend on my son's trip home, he ran into a bit of an issue with his car in some little podunk town outside of Zanesville OH.  There he was--stuck in a little town--he and his dog--trying to find a garage, trying to get a rental car and trying to figure out how in the hell he was going to get to Pittsburgh. Fortunately, he got a tow truck and they took the car to a garage....a garage that wasn't opening again until Monday morning.   The rental car was a whole other story....they could get him one on Monday.  But, that wasn't going to do.  He needed to get to that wedding....
MOM to the rescue.
I jumped in my vehicle and I high tailed it down to that little podunk town to pick up my son the doctor and my sweet grand dog.  It was not such a fun drive.  And, I might have got lost a time or two...even with my GPS talking me through.....
This is not the THANK YOU JESUS part by the way....
Then, once they got in the car....I turned right around and headed back to Pittsburgh PA.
Five and half hours after my journey began, my son and my grand dog were where they needed to be, I was back home....and it was midnight.
Come Sunday, we had to figure out how to get my son the doctor back home.....
Thankfully, there was an extra car in the driveway just for this moment.
Problem solved. 
That was sort of a THANK YOU JESUS moment.
(I didn't realize Carmen would need that car on Monday!)
Yep, oh shit.  
Okay.....now.....fast forward to Monday when my son had to deal with the mechanic in that podunk little town.  Appears the mechanic decided to take Monday off.
He was not reachable on Tuesday either. 
By Wednesday mid day, everyone got involved in the ruckus--Carmen (who was traveling) was on yelling at me over the phone then he was yelling at our son over the phone, my son the doctor was stressed and pissed and disgusted and was telling me all about it  and I was beginning to wonder what the hell was going on. 
Did I mention that I was at work dealing with surveys and spreadsheets and other wicked things?
So, yeah, I could have used a martini or two. 
Thankfully, by late Wednesday afternoon, the mechanic surfaced.......only to let my son know that the engine of his vehicle was a goner.   
Okay then. 
He needed a new car.  Whatever.
Of course, while all of this was going on, my almost-college graduate was dealing with a situation to do with the sorority house.....apparently someone forgot to pay the electricity bill (thankfully it was not my daughter!).   Yeah, it was lights out. 
Naturally, she was not too happy.
Nor was I.
In fact, I was livid and upset and disgusted and I was worried that this situation would impact her studying and her finals and I knew she was stressed to the max over those things....she didn't need this too.
As a mother of action, I decided I needed to figure out what to do.....all the while fielding calls from my husband who wanted to talk about if we were going over to his mother's on Mothers' Day and if not--WHY? , putting up with texts from my daughter about how upset she was and dealing with texts and calls from assorted sorority girl mothers..........
Yeah, too bad I was out of gin.  
Without going into too many details (because there are a lot of details!), by late yesterday morning the electricity issue was resolved.......
So, yeah, it turned into a THANK YOU JESUS moment.....
Okay....now where was I?
Oh yeah....
The car that was in that Ohio town that is as big as a postage stamp is registered to me.
Yeah, I own it.
We gave it to our son when he left for grad school 6 years ago.
The mechanic offered my son $200 for it.....I guess it's not worth much.....
In order to turn it over to the mechanic......I needed to go down there to complete the transaction.
And, oh, by the way....did I mention that this mechanic is only open till noon on Fridays?
Oh, and before I forget.....we also had to deal with the fact that my son had a car that Carmen was going to need on Monday......because his other car was out at the plant......and he had to turn in his rental car and then drive to another part of Ohio on Monday morning. 
So, anyway, Carmen was in New York with a rental car.  I was in Pittsburgh with my car but I had to go to that podunk town 2.5 hours away to clean out all the shit from my son's car and transfer the title over to this mechanic who doesn't work much.  And, did I mention I had to find a notary?
And, you know....I had run out of gin.  
To recap:  We had 4 cars to deal with.  Thankfully, one car was incapcitated in some podunk town in Ohio.   We had 2 drivers with 3 cars that needed to get back to Pittsburgh.  1 of those cars needed to be returned to a rental place.  One car was sitting in a driveway somewhere else in Ohio.  And, I had my car.   One car was in New York, one car was in another part of Ohio and of course, my car was with me in Pittsburgh....but I had to use it to drive to that little podunk town.  
Did you follow that?
Whatever.  It doesn't matter.  I knew what was going on and I had to figure out how to solve all these problems.
Yes, this is when the BIG THANK YOU JESUS moments start (I know, hard to believe, huh?)...... 
Thankfully, I'm a mother and I know how to solve problems.....
Problems are my middle name.
The solution is extremely complex so I won't bother you with all those details.
What I will tell you is that I took today off, I am driving to deal with the mechanic and the car and then I'm driving to stay with my son for a few days.
THANK YOU JESUS!
So, I will be with at least one of my children on Mothers' Day.
Again, THANK YOU JESUS!
My daughter is not living in darkness so I feel blessed right now.  I'm still pretty pissed about the sorority girl who didn't pay the bill but......whattayagonnado? 
 Can I get another THANK YOU JESUS?
And, did I mention that this is my last weekend of being an empty nester mother?
IS THAT A THANK YOU JESUS?
Yeah, might as well be.

Happy Mothers' Day!  

Mathematically speaking.......

  The"American Venus" based on Miss America 1926's silhouette measured  34, 26.5, 37.5.

 

In today's thin-thin-obsessed world.....The American Venus of 1926 is a PLUS-SIZE model.  

That makes me an PLUS-PLUS-SIZE model.  
If I were a model. of course.....

Fast forward to today........this is the "American Venus".......

Here we have Miss America 2013......what are her measurements?

 There's no doubt about it....she is beautiful.  However, what makes her beautiful?  Her body? Her mind? Her face?  Her measurements?

Is today’s ideal body shape  a bizarre combination of male desire and waifish androgyny?  You know....thin, no hips, big bust?

  Is it the strong hold that the media has on us that makes her beautiful?   Have we been convinced that this is what we need to look like to be considered Miss America material?  Heaven help us all.  

This is what our children see.  Is this how we look at ourselves and compare ourselves?

  So many questions.......that's the way is always is when it comes to math......

 

HE DID WHAT?

 "I know it sounds crazy to say that running for president is minor, but in the grand scheme of things, it was looking at Mary Pat and the kids and going, 'I have to do this for them, even if I don't give a crap about myself,'" NJ Gov Chris Christie said about his top secret Lap Band Surgery in February

I like this man.   Even if he is a REPUBLICAN..... 

Any politician who has the guts to say "...running for president is minor........I don't give a crap about myself"  is #1 in my book.
And, anyone who has the guts to tell a reporter this....well, I just think he's pretty swell.  

You go Gov!!!  Sending fist pumps from Pennsylvania! 

 But, you know.....I gotta ask....
Why oh why is this national news? 
You know, I had Lap Band surgery too......did I make national news?
Maybe you even had Lap Band surgery......did you make national news?
Um, no.
And, no.   


Okay, I admit it, I'm jealous.....I always wanted to be a celeb.

Climbing mountains!

She should be wearing better shoes......

Do you ever feel like you are always climbing mountains?
Yeah, me too....
(you said "yes", didn't you?)



Thank goodness I am an optimist because I don't think I could handle the mountain climbing if I wasn't.   I always figure I'll conquer this mountain the same way I conquered the last mountain.  What I don't tell myself is that there will always be another mountain to climb......yeah I somehow manage to ignore that reality! 
I know you have no earthly idea what I am talking about.....but that doesn't really matter.
What does matter is that we all recognize that no one is immune from the mountains of life. 
We all have to climb them.  
No matter how perfect and serene someone's life may look from the outside.....you have no idea what's really going on in their world. 
They just may be climbing a mountain that's steeper and rockier and more exhausting than yours. 
So....
Try to give everyone a little slack. 
Try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.
Try to give everyone a little more love.
Try to smile at everyone.
And, try to always look towards the top of your mountain.
You will reach the top.....I promise.

BTW......it helps if you wear great shoes as you climb.

Ole! Ole! Ole!

Cucharacha!!!!

Ay caramba! 

It's Cinco De Mayo!

Here in Judiland, the weekend has been a whirlwind.
Although I'd love to be celebrating the holiday (and shaking off the non-stop madness of the past two days!) by sipping margaritas and munching on a big ooey-gooey plate of nachoes while sitting in the sunshine.....that just ain't gonna happen....
So, if I can't do that....I'm doing the next best thing.....I'll be hanging out in the kitchen whipping up a little fiesta. 
Yes, I'm taking to the kitchen for a little relaxation....okay, okay.... I might sneak in a margarita....
Or two. 
Carmen is on his way out the door for another week on the road but my son the doctor blew into town for a friend's wedding so he and my cute little grand dog will be stopping by on their way home for a quick visit and what my son thinks will be a little lunch (yeah, like that will happen here.....)
So, I rounded up my sister and my nephew and our sweet young neighbor couple and I  pulled out all my Mexican-themed dishes and linens and we're gonna wrap up the weekend in muy caliente chica (that's Mexican for very hot chic) style.....si, si, si!!!
 We'll be getting our Mexican on.......


With a few tried and true recipes......

Paula Deen's Roasted Corn, Pepper and Black Bean Salsa
Sweet Corn Cake (from All Recipes)
The Pioneer Woman's Pollo Asada 
Vanilla Ice Cream with warm Emeril's Chipolte Chocolate Sauce

With a little help from my friends at Trader Joe's.....

TJ's Beef Taquitos
TJ's Mini Chicken Tacos
TJ's Organic Dipper Corn Chips
TJ's Fresh Tomato Salsa
TJ's Pineapple Salsa

And, some fresh chorizo sausage from our  local  over priced grocer......just for good measure!

All of a sudden, I feel the need to go sombrero shopping.......

A whirlwind romance.......

with my husband and my hometown......

As I think I've told you a zillion times---my husband works a lot.
A lot. A lot.  
If he's not on the road, he's holed up at his office or attached to his phone or his computer.
When he's not doing any of those things, he is usually consumed by whatever is going on in his work life.
Sometimes I have to get swept up into his work world.....as the good wife and partner.....my schedule can get swamped with going to  his work dinners and events and all that stuff that sounds like a good time but in reality are not always all that fun.   Sometimes the best part of going is planning what I am going to wear! 
I have come to know and understand that Carmen's career does not have much down time......it never has. 
It definitely has gotten easier now that the kids are raised and on their own (and, now that I am more mature....) 
And, if truth be told--I have gotten used to it over and past 31 years.
It's not such a big thing anymore.  
I'm lucky to have wonderful family and fun, spectacular girlfriends....

I'm not complaining. 
I'm just sayin'.......

As the years have went on, we have fallen into this pattern that when Carmen has down time and we are together---it's all play and no work.
He doesn't want to hear about or deal with anything.   
His only interest is breaking away from his daily trials and tribulations.  
He wants to enjoy our time together, have some fun and just reap the benefits of his toil.  
What this means is that I take care of all the house stuff and the not-so-fun-stuff. 
I'm probably better at that stuff than him anyway......I problem solve pretty well. 
Case in point--I have learned that you can pay people to do things around the house.  Instead of fretting or nagging, I do that.   I'm still not crazy about the not-so-fun stuff and I do my share of playing the martyr on occasion when life gets too overwhelming.  And, I do expect gifts....
So, the way I look at it,  I'm not a complete door mat. 
For the most part, I happily go along with all the dinners out, the nights on the town, the little trips, meeting up for drinks, yadda, yadda, yadda.....
 It's taken years for me to "get it" but now that I do.....I recognize that in some ways, we both win. 
He needs the time to unwind and I need the time to actually feel like I am married.  

Anyway.....
At the moment, Carmen is mid-way through a pretty long stint of travel for a pretty prestigious project that he was selected for.   I won't go into the details of it but what I will say is that he deserved it.  And, he is thrilled with the assignment.    He's been zig-zagging up and down the East Coast....stopping in town for smidgens of time.
A week or so ago, I eeked out a bit of time and met him at the airport to share a quick drink while he was on a layover.   It was probably one of the nicest, most relaxed times we have had a very long time.
Why?  Because he was so relaxed and not attached to his phone.
And, I think I missed him more than usual.  
Then, this past weekend, he blew into town for about 36 hours.
And, what a lovely 36 hours it was.
We enjoyed our beautiful city and a few of our favorite places as if we were tourists......

Looking towards the stadiums from Mt. Washington.....

Looking at the city scape from Mt. Washington

Our favorite drinks and lunch with our fun little nephew at our favorite bar.....

Strolling at one our favorite Pittsburgh experiences.....the Strip!

Sometimes we have to put aside the rigors and the stresses and the business of our lives to enjoy each other and to celebrate the blessings of the place we call home....







 

May Day! May Day!

Bathing suit season is right around the corner!!!!

Honestly, I'm not stressing over the arrival of bathing suit season.
I never claimed to set out to be the Bathing Beauty of the East Coast.
All I ever wanted to do was to wear a bathing suit without feeling like a the Beached Whale of the East Coast.
I never set the bar too high when it comes to wearing a bathing suit. 
Which is a good thing.....
At the age of 54, I am content with how I look in a bathing suit.
Bathing suits are not stressing me out.
I've over it.
So over it. 
For now......

What I have found myself stressing over are the gorgeous cream raw silk pants that I bought to go with a classy little cream, gold and silver pin striped cropped jacket for my daughter's college commencement. 
These pants are not forgiving at all. 
The fit is just perfect.....right now.

Maybe I should buy a back-up pair!
Ahhhhh.....maybe I need an entire back-up outfit!  

All of a sudden, I have myself completely convinced that I will wake up on commencement day in that hotel that is nowhere near a proper store and the pants will be too tight.  I will look horrible and this glorious day will be ruined. 
Yes, I know.....my fat girl behavior is kicking in big-time!
When I shared my angst with my almost-college graduate, she helped me see the light.
"Mother, it's not all about you.   I need amazing shoes for commencement.  That's what you need to concentrate on."
I mean, really.....will she  have to go barefoot? 

Yes, she is MY DAUGHTER. 
I guess I am on the hunt for amazing shoes.
For her.
And for me.
(and maybe some Spanx)
Because, no matter what she says......it is a LITTLE BIT about me.  

 

Are there calories in SHOES?

Just one of the crazy things I am thinking about.........


Not that I would eat my shoes or suggest anyone eat their shoes!
Never!  Shoes are meant to be strutted in.....

So....how did I come up with this rather absurd question?
Okay.....stay with me here.  
I promise, it will make sense in a few minutes.

Five 50-something girls go out for appetizers and drinks at a fun, trendy little spot.....
After we bitch and moan and analyze our jobs and our husbands and our sex lives and our kids and the laundry and the weather and the price of tea in China and flirt with the cutie bartender, the conversation always finds its way to weight and dieting.   Never fails.
This  diet and weight conversation usually happens after all of  the appetizers have been inhaled  and we are ordering our third drink.
"So, does everything we eat have calories in it?"   my  inquisitive diet-obsessed friend asked.
"I don't think lettuce has any calories...."   another diet-obsessed friend answered. 
"You can't live on just lettuce...."  my not-so-diet obsessed friend chimed in.
"Oh, I could.....and I am pretty sure I have...."  diet-obsessed friend #1 shared.
Diet obsessed friend #2 shook her head in agreement.
"Well, I don't count the calories in libations....so, they have no calories,"  the not-so-diet-obsessed friend mused as she took a dainty little sip of her pretty little Dragon Berry Cosmo....
"I am pretty sure there are calories in everything...."  I chimed in.
"So, you mean to tell me that if I eat my shoe and live only on eating shoes, I would be eating calories?   How many do you think?"  diet-obsessed friend #1 asked, pointing to her lovely  strappy bronze heels.  Trust me, I firmly believe that if we would have told her there was a shoe diet out there, she would have started eating those shoes right then and there......
Of course, we all laughed.....some of us seeing the absurdity of it all and others of us wondering what the answer to that question really is.    
Hey, we were on our third drink.....
(but, really, I would like to know.....)

 

I can't make this stuff up.  

Seeing the GOOD in everything........

There's protein in peanut butter M&M's.....right?

 A lime is a fruit....right?

Cucumber is a vegetable......right?

Okay, we're good then.

Happy Saturday!   

Speaking of Take Our Children to Work Day.......

Ahhh.....college life! Toni and a few of her sorority sisters....ready for a night on the town....

Yes, this is the life my daughter has been used to......

Soon, we will not be empty nesters.
How did that happen so fast? 
Yes, 4 years have swooshed by.....soon I will the mother of a newly minted college graduate.
Yes, I'm proud of my girl and happy that the tuition bills are over....
BUT....
Did I mention that I am having a wee bit of stress about the whole matter? 
Yeah, I didn't think so.



I didn't want to burden you with that. 
After all, I made such a ruckus when my daughter went off to college.....initially and then after each break.  
I'll bet your are thinking that I'm head-over-heels excited about having my favorite girl home in her pink ruffly bed.
Not so fast.
It's a wee bit more complicated than that.  
It's not that I'm NOT happy about it. 
I'm thrilled about certain aspects of it.
But, I'm not so thrilled about other aspects of it.
It will be a very different dynamic.....now that 4 years have passed and she is no longer a student and we now that we have had a taste of not having to think about kids and schedules and well.....you know.
The other day when her and I were chatting, I was telling her about a winery tour we were planning to do in September.   "What about me?  Am I going?"  she asked.
Hmmm.  Um.  NO. 
It makes me wonder what's to come......
Is my adult child returning to the nest figuring we will pick up right where life left off 4 years ago?
Can we EVEN do that?  
What a conundrum!
To be honest--I'm not even sure if we know how to deal with an adult child living with us.
I know for sure that I don't know how to deal with an adult child living with us.
Carmen has been reminding me constantly that I have to resist the urge to take her on shopping sprees just because and putting money in her checking account because she is running low on fun money and that I can't base our lives and our schedules on her life and her needs. 
I hear him.
I do.
But, I am worried that I won't be able to adhere to those new rules.
To be honest.....I'm pretty sure I will break them.
I'm a rule breaker from way back.  

In other news, I got an amazing outfit for commencement.
Let the perfect shoes hunt begin. 
If nothing else, I'll look fab on the day that will mark the beginning of my decent into another parenting journey..... 

What's STRESS got to do with it?

The information junkie inside of me just can't leave well enough alone.
As you know, I've been messing with a very tight band.....leaving me unable to eat all that much. 
Even my go-to foods are giving me a hard time.
It's been puzzling....to say the least.
I just don't like unsolved puzzles.
My instincts kick in and I am all about trying to figure out what the hell is going on.....
I have made it my mission to figure out what the hell is going on with my 5.5 year old band.
Although I've been pretty much convinced that stress has been causing my band issues, I decided to seek out other possible issues.  
For an information hound like me, Google is my doctor, my psychiatrist, my restaurant critic, my fashion adviser, my teacher, my astrologist.....well, you get the picture. 
It's all at my finger tips....whether I'm sitting in traffic, hanging out on my couch or lounging with a chai at Starbucks. 

What did we ever do before Google?

Trolling the internet......STRESSSSSS! ONE IN TEN????

Funny thing is......all of my research has caused me even more stress.
It's that old adage of too much information can be dangerous.
Eh....and stressssssful!
Thus, I have perpetuated the problem.
Thankfully, tonight is half price wine night at one of my favorite haunts and I'll be sharing a bottle with my oldest friend......
If Google can't solve all of my problems, I'm pretty sure a good friend and a bottle of wine will do the trick.....

No sushi for me........

Don't you just hate it when you've been planning a night of sushi eating with a fun friend and you can't even eat the damn sushi?
Yeah, me too.


My band revolution continues.

Not even this pretty plum martini helped......

Needless to say, my poor friend had to eat lots of sushi....all by herself! 
And, I came home with a pretty hefty container of sushi. 


Perhaps its time to call in the professionals......
A visit to the doctor may be in order.
Maybe I'll just give it one. more. day........

Band revolution.......

What the HELL is going on?

It appears my band is revolting.
I have had more "stuck" and other not-so-nice episodes in the past 72 hours than I've had the entire 5.5 years of being banded combined. 
And, I am not sure why.


I'm not sure what to make of the shenanigans that my band has been pulling since Friday but it sure wasn't the weekend to decide to get a little finicky.
Friday night.....as I sat glued to the TV set watching the situation in Boston, my band decided it wasn't too happy with my one piece of caprese flatbread (a recipe I make very often!). 
Thanks to several hours of dealing with that.....I doubt very much I'll ever eat caprese flatbread again.  
It was UGLY.....
But, I figured it was just the result of the stress I was feeling from watching the events of the Boston Marathon situation unfold....
However, I didn't want to take too many chances....
Knowing that Saturday was a jam packed day---with a quick early morning road trip to Collegeland for my sorority girl's Senior Sorority Luncheon then high-tailing it a few hours away to a business dinner event with Carmen's executive team--I knew I had to be very careful with eating.  
I was pretty sure neither occasion would be conducive to making back-to-back panicked trips to the bathroom.....
I kicked off my Saturday road trip with my beloved Starbucks Chai Latte....which worked out just fine.
Lunch was quite another story.

Toni and I at her Senior Luncheon yesterday....

Even though I carefully selected a deviled egg, a few squares of cheese and some jello, my band had other ideas.
After several clandestine runs to the ladies room, I finally felt decent enough to partake in the champagne punch. 
But, that didn't work out too well either.......
Let's just say I'll never drink or eat those things any time soon.
Regardless, it was wonderful to spend some time with my sorority girl.
Hard to believe she is graduating in less than a month....

Since I had a several hour trip between the luncheon and the dinner, I decided to spend the driving time planning my strategy.  Knowing that it would not be appropriate to NOT EAT AT ALL, I decided to #1--figure out what I would consider "safe" foods and #2--come up with a few good excuses why I wasn't eating all that much.
Plus, I figured, if I kicked off the meal with a pre-dinner martini.....maybe the gin would loosen up my band and things would go much better.
Sounded like an excellent idea.....
The martini went fine.
The dinner was a whole other matter.
Let's just say Chicken Wellington with Chardonnay Cream Sauce is not the best thing for a revolting Lap band.
Unfortunately, when I planned my strategy, I didn't account for the fact that it was a preset/prefix dinner that was being presented by a chef.......someone neglected to tell me that.....uh-oh
There was no escaping what was being put in front of you.
Unless, of course, you are like me and you had to escape several times......because you must have ate something bad at the sorority luncheon (yes, that was my excuse after my fourth trip to the bathroom....)
And, so my weekend continues.
Today, my son the doctor---who has been in town for a weekend alumni event--- is stopping by for a quick visit on his way home since we haven't had a chance to catch up on this visit.  He's bringing along a few of his college buddies are who are also in town for the weekend.  
And, Carmen is packing up for a three week business trip.
So, of course, that means I'm in the kitchen.
Yes, I'm whipping up a fabulous brunch........for them....definitely NOT ME. 
It's a protein shake kinda day for me. 
Fingers crossed my band's revolution is just a temporary.....
I'm hungry.  

The Sunday Brunch that I am NOT going to eat......

Grilled Steak and Eggs with Beer and Molasses

These Amazing Cinnamon Buns 

Yummy Fruit Salad

Homemade Granola

Now, I'm even hungrier.

Off to make another protein shake......

 

If you do nothing else this morning........

Watch this......

Carry on, oh beautiful one! 

And.....it's only Wednesday.......

Like everyone else, I've found myself saddened, angry and fearful following the events that happened in Boston.   Yet, I am also in awe and grateful that amid the evil and destruction, good people emerge to care and uplift us all. 
Tragedies like what happened at the Boston Marathon stop us in our tracks and diminish the stresses and the issues we are dealing with in our own lives.   It's humbling for me to realize that although I find myself overwhelmed by things in my own life---my concerns and stresses are minute compared to what so many good, innocent people are dealing with.  
 I  find that these senseless acts of violence also heightens my fear for all of us.  It's not a good feeling to wonder when and if anther evil person (or persons) will dispense such acts again and again and again.   As the mother of a marathon runner who is preparing for a very large event in the coming months,  the Boston Marathon tragedy has hit home in a very personal way.   Although I know my son has his own concerns in the wake of the Boston events, I cannot help myself but want to forbid him from following his dream of running this particular event. In my heart, I want to do that.  In my head, I know that I can't forbid a 27 year old man from living the life he wants.  Even though I wish I could. 
 Then, I think about all the mothers and loved ones out there that worry for their children and their spouses and their friends and family every minute of each day---my dear friend whose son is a police officer in a very active area of the country, my niece whose fiance is a police officer in a crime ridden city and all those others who have loved ones who are always, always in harms way every day--serving their country or their community and protecting all of us.  How do they do it?
 It gives me pause to stop and realize that I can be selfish about my own cares.   Clearly,  I don't know the true  fear or pain and anguish on a very personal level.  It shames me and makes me count my blessings instead of my woes.  For I truly have been blessed with more joy than pain and more hope than despair. 
And, it reminds me that there is more good than bad in the world.  
These are the times when we are called to always be grateful for that.  
My goal is to always live with that thought.....no matter what is happening around me or in my own life.
In good times and in bad.  

I am an ENFP.......

What are you?

Given my profession, knowing that I am an ENFP is like knowing I have blue eyes.
It's just the way it is.
Over the years, I've spent thousands of hours discussing the 16 personality types as they relate to careers and work environments and hiring and team planning and yadda, yadda, yadda.
Throwing around our LETTERS in my circle of colleagues is as common as gossiping around the water cooler. 
Often, we hear ourselves using those LETTERS to explain away a behavior....."oh, well,she is an ISTP you know...." or "no wonder he said that, he is an ESFP!"

So, imagine my interest and excitement when I found out that this same personality type indicator can also be used as a tool in understanding our weight management type. 
I can use my ENFPing to manage my weight!  Woo-hoo!  
Why the hell didn't I ever think of that?  Damn I could have WROTE THE BOOK! 
Now, there's hundreds and hundreds of diet books out there that are based on the Meyers-Brigg's Theory (MBTI).
And, there's even a LinkedIn group dedicated to health, wellness and the MBTI! 
So, it must be serious. 
Damn. Damn. Damn.
Considering I have an intimate knowledge of dieting and an intimate knowledge of Meyers-Briggs, I could have had a whole different career....Queen of the MPTI Diet Program.....coulda, woulda, shoulda....
Anyway......
I'm sure dieting was the last thing on Carl Jung's mind when he came up with his theory. 
It was so genius in it's symplicity that it can be applied to all areas of life. 
Go Carl! 
Although I am not planning on embarking on any new diet plan or buying another diet book, I am intrigued by the entire concept of understanding your personality and how it impacts your weight management style.  
For instance.... knowing that  ENFP's (me!) fall into the habit of dropping a project when we become excited about a new possibility, and thus  never achieving the great accomplishments which we are capable of achieving is a very valuable nugget of information for me to have.  And, understanding that even though I am a people person who enjoys activity and engagement, I need alone time to feel centered is an excellent piece of advice for those times when I am feeling out of control and overly stimulated and stressed (thus making bad food choices?).    Even though I have always known these things about myself, coupling that self knowledge with how I manage my weight is powerful. 

You learn something everyday.
It's even better when the thing you learn is actually something you already knew.  
Yeah, I'm ENFPy like that..... 
 
Happy Friday! 

Sweet dreams......

or just a SWEET DREAM?

Check it out......

Yep, there's another diet on the horizon that's got me all a-flutter......
Ever since I heard the Good Morning America promo the other morning, I just knew I wanted to learn more about it and then blog about it.
I just love diets and diet books and everything weight loss.....
It  gets my adrenaline going and tickles my toes.
That's not to say I have any intention of doing any of  these diets but  I sure do like the toe tickling and adrenaline rushing....
TRUTH?  There are moments when I wish I could to do all the new diets.
Even this one...THE OVERNIGHT DIET....... I could use a good excuse to get some extra rest.  
Let me tell you, if this was anywhere between 1980 and 2007, I would have been out the door buying this book and studying it and then doing it before you could say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!


In essence, I was not seeking a diet..
I know that NOW.  
Let the truth be heard.... I hunting for the magic bullet, the holy grail, the cure, the answer to my prayers......

 For me---starting a new diet program was exciting and invigorating and filled with hope. 
Fast forward to a few weeks into whatever new program I was doing and things weren't quite as exciting and invigorating or filled with hope.
But, still......I kept on seeking out the answer to my prayers.
I consider that a good thing......it meant that I was always optimistic that someday, some way, I would eventually overcome my obesity.
I never gave up.
Until I found it.....

 LAPBAND + JUDI= MY MAGIC BULLET

Now, before the folks in the back row start yelling that the Lapband is not a magic bullet......settle down and let me explain.

It is the magic bullet FOR ME.   

I could have never, ever had the success and made the changes that I needed to make without 2 things-----my Lapband and ME.  

One without the other would not have worked.

The Lapband was my tool.   

I was the person who had to use the tool.

Just like another tool.....the operator is in charge of it's success but the tool itself makes it easier.

THOUGHT:  you can dig a hole with your hands but having a shovel certainly makes it easier to get done. 

For years, I was digging holes with my hands.

Once I got the shovel, I still had to work hard but it was a hell of a lot easier.  

And, I'm not ashamed to admit it.

So.....if you know anyone who has used this diet......I'd love to hear about it.

Sometimes I just need a good diet program fix.

And, a martini.   

Or two.  

This might be the one diet I need to try........