I have an Ouchie

So I have tennis elbow.  It hurts.  I use to make fun of people who complained about having it because it sounded so lame.  Though when you think about it, it is lame since it makes you lame. You really can't  use your arm without writhing in pain.

Yesterday, I tried to open my jar of peanut butter.  I thought I was going to pass out. Then  I tried to open it with my left hand but the pain was still creeping around in my right arm.  So then I sat on the floor, put the jar between my feet and used my left hand.  YAY!  Peanut butter for me!

It was peanut butter so I needed to go above and beyond the normal to achieve my goal.  Now if only I could just apply that same philosophy to other areas of my life.

Heart health

According to research by eatting a piece of dark or milk chocolate EVERYDAY you can lower your risk of heart disease by 37%!.  Though you should eat no more than 200 hersey kisses

or one small square from a chocolate bar.

Well if its going to help my heart I will do what I gotta do. 

Here's to heart health!

Life without TV part whatever......

Once upon a time (a few years back) I was in for my annual Doctor's visit and he told me I was fat.  He's German and does not mince words.  Just straight and to the point that man.

After I stopped crying, he told me that I should eat only those things I DON'T see on TV. 

So you know where I am going with this don't you? 

Since I haven't been watching TV.....

today I had a McGriddle for breakfast

and Chicken Fingers from Whataburger! 

Yum

I Pledge Not to Watch TV....

Day One:

Waking on Saturday, I grabbed my diet Dr. Pepper and headed to the living room where I plopped on the couch and turned on the TV.  After about ten minutes a commentator came on to speak about the election.  Then it dawns on me....I haven't anything good for breakfast.  As I sit there wondering what to eat, the commentator drones on and on and on.  Then I remembered my pledge.  I turned off the tube and didn't know what to do.  Perhaps I can only think of what to have for breakfast while the TV is blaring.  I go back to bed. 

Unable to fall back to sleep I get dressed and go to the grocery store.  After buying out the store (never go grocery shopping when you are hungry) I head out to the car only to see the rain. A monsoon....more like a torrential downpour.  I have no umbrella because I didn't know it was going to rain.  I wait.  10 minutes later its still raining and I am digging through the bags to see what else I can eat. 

I make a run for it.  My groceries and I are soaked.  Seems it was a bad time to be environmentally conscious and request paper bags. Turns out there was a big storm forecast for the day which I might have known if only I watched the news.

What did the pioneer folks do before TV?  How did they figure out if it was a good day to ride into town for supplies?  Never the less, I will continue on with my pledge.  No TV. 

CRAP! Today is the Super Bowl!  How am I to watch the funny commericals?!

A Sign from God

Yesterday while eating lunch with my Mom, she asked why I hadn't made that chocolate cake I use to make all the time.  She was hoping I would make it again soon.


Then this morning I was reading a comment about my last post  from Daddy P and he had pointed out his word verification was a derivative of "gateau" (a cake) and that it was a sign (about exercising). 


After noting that, I went to check my email and received a note from a friend who wanted me to read this:

  http://www.sogoodblog.com/2012/01/18/quick-bite-mcdonalds-oreo-cookies-n-cream-pie/


So I decided God must want me to make a chocolate cake!  I pulled out my recipe for the cake my mom requested.  It's called a Black Devil's Food Cake. 

Hummm....something to ponder.

Exercise dilemma

Trying to catch up on my reading, I came across an article that talked about what you can do to burn off 1,000 calories worth of chocolate (put me within a 10 miles radius of plain M&M's and it can happen). 

You can:

Go bowling for 5 hours - That's fine but what about all the cheese nachos and beer I consume?

Walk for 3 hours - Send me to a shopping mall. I wonder what they have in the food court?

Wash dishes for 7 hours - Not a problem as long as my dishwasher holds out.  7 hours straight might wear it out.

Climb stairs for 2 - Nope.  Heard a nasty story once about walking up stairs so I couldn't do it.  It had to do with boogers on the hand rail. 

Do aerobics for 2 -  I get winded just reaching for the remote. I wonder if I can watch a video for two hours?  

I will be glad when January is over and they stop talking about all the New Year's delusions resolutions tips and start telling us which chocolate is best for Valentine's Day! 

Aren't jelly beans a veggie?

As you may remember, I'm not that into New Year's Resolutions.  You would think my friends remembered that but alas, they don't. This is a conversation I had the other day with a friend.


Friend:  "What's your New Year's Resolutions?"


Me:  "Not to have any."


Friend:  "What!? Why!? Everyone needs to have a goal. A plan.  You should have one."


Me:  "I don't want one."


Friend:  "You really should have one.  Don't you want to improve your life?"


Me:  "Who doesn't?"

Friend: "I have some.  To exercise more, to lose weight and to eat healthier."


Me: "Then can I have your french fries?"


Friend:  "I'm serious." 

Me:  "So am I."

Friend:  "Starting next week I am going to change my whole routine. You should at least exercise."


Me: "I already do, thanks for noticing."

Friend:  "Maybe you should eat veggies.  That could be your resolution. To eat vegetables. Not more veggies, because you don't eat any, but to include them in your diet."


Me:  "I already eat veggies."


Friend:  "No you don't.  What veggies do you eat?"


Me:  "Candy Corn and Jelly Beans."


Friend:  (Rolls eyes). "Maybe I should add make new friends to my resolutions."



 

Mm' Mm' Good

I love split pea soup.  

I also love serving it at Halloween parties and telling everyone its booger stew.

If you could meet a famous dead person who would it be?

I have heard that question a million times (maybe not that exact question, it was probably re-phrased to be a bit more PC so not to offend dead folks).  Every big interviewer usually asks that question.  The majority of people asked will say the same thing; Jesus, Abraham Lincoln, even Hitler.  Those are all interesting choices but they aren’t who I would select.

My choice would be George Washington…..Carver (HA! You thought I was going to say George Washington didn't you?!)

I first learned about George Washington Carver in the 5^th grade. 

“Do you know who invented peanut butter?” my teacher asked in class.

No one knew, but as 5^th graders who had peanut butter oozing from every pore, we were all sitting on the edge of our seats waiting to find out who this god-like person was.

“George Washington Carver” she said. 

 
Ever since that moment I was stuck on him like peanut butter on bread.

I eat peanut butter every day.  EVERYDAY.  I love it.  I do limit myself on how much but still...I will have it on my toast in the morning or perhaps it’s a PB&J sandwich for lunch or even some spread on crackers for a snack.  It’s a main stable in my diet and I am not ashamed to say it. When Hurricane Ike hit and I had to evacuate my home...I packed the peanut butter first.

I know George Washington Carver didn’t really invent peanut butter, I think the Aztecs have been  credited with that, but if it weren’t for Mr. Carver’s efforts I don’t think peanut butter would have made such a positive impact in America.  It was his efforts in the south that influenced farmers to rotate their crops from cotton to another source of income that not only fed the farmers themselves but America as well. 

Mr. Carver did invent uses for peanuts; like shaving cream and peanut oil.  He didn’t just create a food source but a way of life.  Have you ever fried your Thanksgiving turkey in peanut oil? Yum!  What about shaving your legs to feel as smooth as a baby’s bottom?

All this is because of him.

Mr. Carver was a scientist, agricultural chemist, an inventor and instructor.  He was more than just about peanut butter, he was an exceptionally gifted man. But to me, he helped to create the mass production of a food deemed to be for the gods and I would love to have dinner with him just so I could thank him.    

I would serve Peanut Butter and Banana spread on fresh sourdough bread with  a glass of ice cold milk. For dessert, freshly baked peanut butter cookies. Now that’s good eatin’.

D-lightful!

I love me some breakfast in the morning!  What I would really love is a McGriddle but those make me fat(ter).  

I don't like eatting fruit and twigs for breakfast.  I want a hearty man's breakfast or a hearty-tack breakfast is more like it. But I am trying to change my eating habits and I wanted something that would satisfy my cravings as well as be healthier for me.

That's where these come in, Jimmy D’s.  It's kinda like fast food but it's not.  I love these.  They taste good, their easy to cook and I can grab one to go when I am on the road.