Petunia rambles on and on….

Things are changing around here and the changes are good. Except for the freezing cold temperatures and the damn snow. Long-term changes work best, I think, if they start slowly, grow slowly – or at least, I think they have a better chance of becoming a permanent improvement. I’m too old to waste time starting great ideas things that I later just give up on. I am aware that there’s a big weaving loom in the front bedroom, unused in years, taking up space. Can you tell that I’m muttering to myself – again???

SO – we are both off cigarettes for over 3 months now. That continues.

Techie fool that I am, I bought a “Fitness Tracker” wrist band (Jawbone UP24), downloaded it’s app to my cell phone, linked it to a food intake/calorie counter/exercise app (My Fitness Pal). I’ve started parking at the far side of the lot at work, increasing my steps in and out each day. I’ve driven past the community’s mailboxes, and walked back later! (Will do this more often if the temperatures ever go up above “bone shattering.”) I’ve set a daily goal of steps, and admittedly, it isn’t high. I have a sit-down job, and in order to keep that job, I can’t just randomly go off on walks throughout the day. Had a few successful indoor walks through the grocery store, making sure I went up and down every aisle and didn’t overload the cart with items I didn’t need.

I had a financially disastrous walk at the Mall last weekend. I went just for a haircut, then thought I’d walk all the way to the other end of the mall and back. Had I done only that, I’d have been fine. BUT Victoria’s Secret was having a sale; so was Christopher and Banks. I’ve been really good about staying out of the stores lately, but dropped my resistance for the day. You would, too, if you saw this sweater. Or this one. Or this little top.

I should have stayed out of Boscov’s, but didn’t. Many “seniors” use the Mall for walking/exercise – Mom told me that years ago. It’s climate-controlled and safe. But I think they go into the Mall early, before the stores open. I can see the reason for that. Now.

Husband was looking over my shoulder, at the wrist band and the program that displays my progress. As he has a job where he runs about like a headless chicken, he commented that he probably would log 5 times the number of steps as me. In short order, I was searching eBay for a band in his size, basic black. And he’s using it!  Recording what he eats and bragging about the amount of steps he takes (about 8 times my norm!!) It also tracks the amount and quality of sleep. Guess the true value of all this information is in what you do with it. Again, we’re talking about changes here. I’m walking more; he’s eating more, and gradually, we are both sleeping better.

Oh, damn. It’s snowing again.

Guess I didn’t see it at first, because the whole back yard is white, and the sky is the same color. Makes new falling snow hard to see!

I hate the cold, have always hated it – well, I was OK with snow when I was in grade school, and it often meant a “snow-day.”  Since then, though, it holds no allure for me. I’m not into winter sports – perhaps that’s why I never liked football that much, knowing I’d kill myself before I would sit for 3+ hours in the freezing cold. The air temperatures in Fort Lauderdale suited me much better than the 16°F we woke up to this morning. I also hate the need to drive when the roads are bad – which, of course, leads one to wonder why I always work at jobs that are 24/7 operations, and critically necessary. Maybe I should have looked for work at an elementary school; here in Delaware, they cancel school over possible storms that never even materialize, and close early when we’ve only got rain.

Enough.

Still off the cigarettes, both of us. Coming up on 3 months.

At a routine check-up with my doctor this week, he applauded the fact that I had lost another 3 pounds. I learned a valuable lesson with the last attempt at quitting smoking, when I switched habits from cigarettes to candy and French Vanilla Cappuccino in a 24-oz cup every day, thus adding a whole lot of extra weight that I didn’t need. It’s well known that recent quitters often gain weight, and I was damn determined not to let it happen twice!

To that end, I’m currently using 2 apps/devices. My Fitness Pal is an app on my cell phone, and available online. I use it to log what I eat and drink and also log any exercise. It’s easy to use, has a huge database of foods and ingredients, allows you to enter your own recipes, tracks calories, cholesterol, sodium, fats, protein. It even reads bar codes on containers.  For me, it was the “accountability” factor that I liked. I’ve made sure that I log everything, even that bowl of ice cream that I couldn’t resist. I immediately know when I’m doing well, and when I’ve screwed it up for the whole day! But I start again with the new day and try to do better.

The other techie device I’m using is the Jawbone UP24. There are quite a few step trackers available out there, and I chose this one because it also tracks sleep, showing the time it takes to fall asleep each night, how many times I wake up during the night and for how long, and the lengths of both deep and light sleep. The wristband automatically sync’s to the app (called UP) on my cell phone and also links to My Fitness Pal. It’s certainly made me aware of how the sedentary job affects me physically. I’ve set a low goal of daily steps, one that I have to think about to accomplish each day, but not do a dramatic lifestyle change. The daily goal can be altered, increased. When the weather warms, I’d like to get out and walk more. If this little item encourages me, and reinforces the effort I need to make, I’m hoping I’ll continue. I’m also looking at an app called Map My Walk that may prove to motivate me. As I understand it, it links up to the GPS on the cell.

Wish me luck!!

I like colors! As a crafter, using yarn, fiber, fabric, I like colors. Certainly, we all have preferences in our color choices for clothing, home decor, even the possessions we pick out and purchase. And most know that I prefer REDS, always have. And I bought a red car, cell phone, laptops, backpack, new camera. The list could go on and on. I usually pick a “true” red, but when I veer off that, it’s to darker, deeper reds.

So today, Pantone picks the Color of the Year (or, at least, today is when I read about it!)

And the color is Marsala, a deep, rich, full-bodied red with brown undertones.

I’m in love with their choice – and I’m looking around, imagining being able to junk all the current furniture, trimmings and start again. Paint all the walls a soft cream, and Marsala is the new accent!

• We’re still off the cigarettes, now since 11/11, Veteran’s Day. Both of us! Over 10 weeks now, I think. I’m thrilled, and grateful that he’s in this with me, fully supportive.
• Accounting freak that I am, I’ve already done enough of our tax calculations to know that we won’t have to pay! The figures are tentative, as He hasn’t gotten his W-2 yet, so I used the numbers from the YTD columns on the last pay stub he received in 2014. Assuming that the W-2 will give the same numbers or very close, there shouldn’t be much change in the final reckoning, We’ll get a refund – I can relax and breathe.
• I realized this week that portion control, thoughtful choices, and not cramming ice cream in my face every night results in weight loss, and more than I thought!  With the holidays behind us, I got on my scale for the first time in maybe 5-6 weeks. I knew I was losing weight, doing it gradually over the last year or so. But this week, I realized that I’ve taken 20 pounds off my highest weight. I doubt I’ll ever see a size 8 again, and I’m fine with that.
• It’s the 22nd of January and I’ve already had enough snow to last me until May of 2040. Scraping ice and snow off my car at 5:30 this morning did nothing for my temperament. They’re talking about more snow on Saturday, and on Monday, too. I don’t want to even think beyond that – this could go on for another 2 months!

I read somewhere on the internet that today was National Left-Handers Day. If there is such a thing, I need to go celebrate it.