Still Livin and breathing!!

Hey friends, I know...it's been days and days. I've been spending a LOT of time with my baby granddaughter light-of-my-life Fay. She's had a snotty-nose cold and just wants her Nanny to hold her, so how can I say no? Yesterday we went for a long walk -- ok, I pushed the stroller, and Fay snoozed up front -- but I took all the uphill streets I could find in their neighborhood and got a good workout while she got fresh air and a ride outside. God knows the vitamin D is good for her and me even if it's a bit on the cloudy side out there.

Otherwise, my big brother Brian is recovering from back surgery, his company is throwing a benefit raffle for him and his bitch wife and the family. So - I sent an afghan that I've had put away since our middle brother Rick passed away in 1994. The afghan is big enough for a double bed cover, and just beautiful - intricate granny square design in dark red with a beautiful cream color as the outter part of the squares. Anyway, I sent it off to the lady that's holding the benefit and she's been bugging me about if I really want to give up something my late brother made? Does Brian know about it?? DO I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING???? Well, hell of course I do - at least that's my hard-headed German story!!! I want that afghan to be used, and loved, and put out on a bed or sofa to be admired, as Rick would have wanted it. I never put it out because I don't want my cats hairing it up - or worse, getting their claws snagged in the yarn and ruining it!!! The last e-mail from the lady said that they're thinking of auctioning off the afghan because it's so beautiful and wonderful and everyone wants it. I think that's a great idea, because it'll bring in more income for Brian, which is the POINT of all this. Rick would be happy to have his afghan go for a good cause, he made many that he just gave away for raffles and auctions. He loved to crochet and he was so so talented.

We've been doing some diet changes, and I'm pretty happy with the changes. I'm eating protein for breakfast and then carbs and vegetables for dinner. Trying to find protein sources is different, because I don't eat beef or pork. Been eating a lot of beans though, and lots of rice. I invested in a rice cooker, and I LOVE IT! The heavy breakfast is helping me stay revved up all day, and I'm not hungry usually till its about time for dinner. As I work all day and have access to everyones cookie jars, it's to my benefit to be full and not NEED to stuff something in my mouth because I'm hungry. I'm losing weight, lost 8 pounds in 11 weeks, and feeling pretty good. Doing aerobics and walking, deep breating and all that too. I'm still not done with the caffeine, not certain I ever will be, but maybe... I use organic coffee beans that I grind fresh and make latte's with soy milk. I love the combination and it's only a couple hundred calories - so much better than those Starbucks mochafrappaccinodecafhalfcafflitewithfoams..that are 800+ calories...ewwwwwwwwww. Trying to find new recipes for beans, and non pork and beef sources of protein...amazing what you can find on the web. Typed in vegitarian protein, gosh I got 2,000 web sites to choose from! I hear my dad laughing at me.... he's old joke was that a person would give up smoking, drinking, sex and pork, go for a long walk - step off a curb and get run over by a health-food truck... yep, Pop... probably.

Hoping Gattina and Grammie and Claudia are doing well, I stop by every day or two and read your blogs, don't always comment, but you're in my thoughts always! Can't stay too far away from my blue-eyed grandbaby, feeling those little arms around my neck and her sweet breathing is just about enough to bust my heart wide open!!!