Sunday Stealing

August 25, 2018

Misc.Questions

Hi! I'm your host Bev Sykes of the blog "Funny the World". . Welcome to Sunday Stealing. This feature originated and published on WTIT: The Blog. Here we will steal all types of questions from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent questions. (Past hosts include: Our first - Judd Corizan, Mr. L, Kwizgiver and Bud)  Cheers to all of us thieves!

Stolen from Phoenix, the Blogging Mama, which is now a private blog, unfortunately

1. How has your life most benefited from the Internet? Whether it’s meeting people, cutting business overhead, finding rare collectibles, or simply sharing funny cat pictures, share how the web has made life easier.

 

I am able to keep up with family better and I have reconnected with people I lost touch with years ago.  It also comes in handy when doing genealogy.

2. The getaway car is waiting outside – where is it taking you?

Savannah, Georgia

3. Do you reply to comments on your blog? All of them? Or just the really interesting ones?  Do you go back to check if the authors or the blogs you comment on reply to your comments? Yes, I replay and yes, I go back to look for comments.

4. On average, how long does it take you to make an important decision? Depends on the decision -- if it is an emergency I make a decision pretty quickly -- if I am trying to buy a new sofa -- well, that can take a long time -- long enough for me to lose interest in it.

5. Do you gather a lot of information prior to making the decision, or do you go with your gut in the heat of the moment?

Again, depends on the decision

6. What’s the most important thing you’ve learned recently? To take one day at a time and to enjoy that day and not wish your life away

7. What’s your hidden talent? Are you double-jointed? Can you sneeze the alphabet? Share your unique skill.  I have no hidden talent.  Just a girl trying to get by.

8. Rate the level of intensity you have about wanting to know God – no desire, low priority, curious, great desire, high priority, desperate to learn more. Explain your answer. I know God.  He is with me every minute of every day.  I talk to him everyday and he hears me.  He takes care of me because I am his child.

9. What’s one of your nicknames?  How did you get that nickname? Liss.  My dad called me Liss.

10. What do you have to have with you when you travel? Why? my meds because well, I need them.  Something to read.  Phone Charger.  A few clothes.

11. What do you think about reading books on an electronic reading device? Do you have an electronic reading device? Do you love it? Why? If you don’t love it, why not?  I read a lot and I love books but I have been reading on a device and I love it, too.

12. Do you prefer writing on paper or a keyboard? Why?Paper

13. If the shoes make the man (or woman), what do your shoes say about you right now? (Assuming you’re wearing shoes. Although if you’re not, that certainly says something, too.)
I am not wearing shoes.  I have a love/hate relationship with shoes.  I have problem feet.
14. Describe your favorite pair of shoes. Ballet flats

15. If you could wake up tomorrow having gained one ability or quality, what would it be? To get my house cleaned up in a day lie I used to be able to.

BONUS:  When they "cool sculpt" your body, where does the fat go? I have no idea.

Think (1968)
Unfamiliar with this week's song. Hear it here.
In fond remembrance of The Queen of Soul (1942-2018).
 
1) As befits one of America's premiere artists, Aretha Franklin sang at three Presidential inaugurations. The first was Jimmy Carter's in 1977, when she sang "God Bless America." What's your favorite patriotic song? America the Beautiful

2) The daughter of a Baptist minister, Aretha grew up with church music. She told Rolling Stone one of her favorite songs was the hymn, "Victory Is Mine." What's your favorite religious song? I have many favorites -- I love church music -- but in our church hymnal the hymns aren't named so for this I will say "Jesus, Name Above All Names"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBVFvtM9SzM

3) She welled up a bit when President George H. W. Bush presented her with the nation's highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005. When is the last time you shed a tear? Oh, I don't know.  Probably a bit weepy yesterday

4) In 1980, the Queen of Soul sang for the Queen of England in a Command Performance at The Royal Albert Hall. Have you ever been to London?  Yes I have and I would like to go back

5) Since Aretha had many honorary degrees, it would have been appropriate to refer to her as Dr. Franklin. Who is the last person you referred to by his or her title (Officer, Father, Sgt., Dr., etc.)? Probably my priest, Fr. Klein

6)  In this week's song, Aretha tells her lover that it doesn't take a high IQ to understand what's going on in their relationship. Do you know your IQ? No

7) A sculpture of Aretha is on display at Madame Tussaud's in New York. Do you think wax museums are cool, or creepy? I have never been to one and never had any desire to go to one so I guess I would have to say creepy because if I thought they were cool I would probably go.

8) Aretha and Motown legend Smokey Robinson were literally lifelong friends, since they were playground buddies in Detroit. Smokey is one of the only people who can claim to have seen The Queen of Soul with a bucket in a sandbox. If we went to the playground today, would you head for the swings, the slide or the jungle gym? Or, like Aretha, would you play in the sand? I don't care for sand and I don't like climbing so I would have to say the swings or maybe the slide if it wasn't too hot.

9) Random question: Do you like pumpkin seeds?  yes

Girl Scout Situpon Buckets or How to Transform a Paint Bucket Into Something Stupidly Expensive

Good morning!  I hope it is for you.  I am a little tired today and just a little grumpy.  Yesterday was a very active and busy day and I am paying for it today. 

Last night was our second Brownie meeting of the year.  We are joining our troop with another troop whose leaders decided they didn't want to lead anymore.  We have a group of 16 girls now as opposed to 5 and it is a lively group.  It is mixed -- we have four Daisies and the rest are Brownies.  They are working well together and I think after the next meeting we will no longer be two troops combining but actually one big troop and it will be good.

Our goal last night was to have the Brownies teach the Daisies about Girl Scouts.  Several of the "old" girls prepared information to share with the littles.  After that, worked ensued on making a 5 gallon paint bucket into a little stool for them to sit on with room to carry all their necessary items.  We hope they will be useful during cookie booths even though they aren't supposed to sit down.  We will see.

So, I made a prototype and then cut out all the necessary parts ahead of time so they would only have to assemble it.  It was chaotic enough with all that pre-made -- I can't imagine what it would have been like if we had been trying to do all the cutting during the meeting. 

I didn't take any photos of the event last night -- I need to do that in the future -- but I did take photos of me making mine.  So, for your viewing pleasure  --

circle the size of the bucket lid cut out of cardboard -- we used moving boxes because we had them and they were free -- Girl Scouts are always frugal and resourceful

Four layers of extra loft batting to fit the cardboard circle

The lid before I attached the velcro -- low profile, industrial strength velcro cut into four pieces and spaced equally (12, 3, 6, and 9 like a clock).  I had put the loop and the fastener pieces together as a unit so when I stuck the bottom piece down I only had to remove the tape off the top one and place the covered "cushion" on the top and stuck to the velcro

The cardboard circle with the batting was covered in the fabric of their choice.  It was stretched around to the back and secured with duct tape.  It was easy to work with it to get a really smooth and nice looking cushion so when it was attached to the velcro, this is what it looked like

Decoration was their choice and the only requirement was that their name and troop number be visible.  So, here is my name and troop number.

And a little bit more ribbony goodness.  I have since added a sticker and a cross hanging from the handle.  I don't have a photo of that though.

So, yes, that has been what I have been doing the last couple of days.  It was really interesting to see the girls work on these last night.  There was all manner of fabric, embellishments, bling, hang-y things.  Their personalities really came out and they had a wonderful time. 

Now, I just have to clean up the mess I made. 

A Scientist I Am Not

Back in my school days my strengths were English and History.  I had no use for math -- odd I would enjoy quilting with all the geometry involved -- and science -----well, I learned I was allergic to formaldehyde in high school biology so there you go.  It makes sense, then, that I would marry a microbiologist who never met a math problem he didn't like, right?

Anyway.

I have several hobbies, not the least of which is researching my family tree.  It doesn't take but two generations of searching to get me across the great pond and that makes the searching a bit dicier.  Enter Ancestry DNA testing.

Yes, I did.  I took the test.  I wasn't surprised at the results they showed, I was surprised at what they didn't show but that is another conversation.  Then I downloaded my results to Gedmatch.com and found another whole slew of "matches" -- some I recognized, some not so much.

Facebook groups on family history have begun to immerge and I joined one dealing with Wales and Welsh DNA.  People are putting their kit numbers up there for comparison.  I have done the same and never come up with any matches which is disturbing considering my great-grandparentage.

So, yesterday I was contacted by a person who showed how we were a match and how if you use a certain search criteria you might find more matches.  I tried and I did, only to be told that I might come up with some false positives.  Sounds like medical testing.

I spent last evening putting in kit numbers and doing comparisons and have come up with three people that I truly think might be related.  I don't know how or where -- well, somewhere in Wales I would suspect.

I can honestly say this is the most confusing thing I have ever seen.  I know nothing about DNA and at this point I am pretty sure I am incapable of learning.  I guess I will just have to rely on the knowledge and wisdom of others.

So confused.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

This spring when we were visiting Savannah, Georgia I decided to make sure my souvenirs were meaningful.  It is so easy to just get lost in souvenir shops because that is what we do when we travel, isn't it?  Food and souvenirs.

So, I decided that on this trip I would only buy two sorts of things -- books on the area and Christmas ornaments.  I have found that these sorts of things are easy to transport home, unlike a large model of Westminster Abbey.  That is another post, however.

One of the books I decided to purchase was "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" by John Berendt.  We all know that I am a sucker for good covers and I love the cover of this book.  I love the "bird girl" statute and the general spookiness of it. I couldn't wait to delve into the book.

But, since it was a souvenir I decided to borrow it on my kindle through overdrive so I could keep my copy pristine.  I started reading the library copy but didn't finish so I rechecked it.  Still didn't finish so I moved on to my copy.  The reading got slower and slower and I am not one to move on until I am done with something, especially as close to the end as I was.  But.....I had reached a draggy point and it was like trying to plod through quicksand.  Do they have quicksand in Georgia? I will have to Google that.

Finally the other day I picked the book up -- which is no longer pristine I might add after having carried it in my purse and dog-earring a few pages -- and decided to finish it. And I have.

So, what did I think?  I have enjoyed it but it does have draggy spots.  I guess I got bogged down in the Williams trial (just read it) but the book does share the flavor of Savannah with all it's quirkiness.

I will say that before I started the book I watched the movie with Kevin Spacey in the lead and I really enjoyed it -- mostly because I got to see Savannah again and I loved it.  I don't always enjoy the movie versions of books but this I did.

Would I recommend?  Yes, I would.  I would also recommend the movie.  I would also recommend a visit to Savannah in person.  Wear comfortable shoes and a crossbody bag.  And prepare yourself for lots of souvenir shops.

I still wish I had tried to bring home a bird girl statue.

It's a Jungle Out There

Thursday, August 16, 2018

It's a Jungle Out There

Welcome to Saturday 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme! 

Saturday 9: It's a Jungle Out There (Theme from Monk) (2003)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This week's song is the theme from the detective show that ran from 2002-2009. Were you a fan? Never watched it.

2) The song warns us about the air we breathe and the water we drink. Does your home have an air or water filter?  I have a filter on the water dispenser in the fridge.

3) The lyrics say, "People say I'm crazy to worry all the time." Are you a worrier? Or do you just take things as they come?  Worrier.  I come from a long line.

4) TV's Adrian Monk is known for his outstanding deductive powers, an homage to Sherlock Holmes. Have you read any of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's books featuring Sherlock Holmes?  No but watched it plenty on TV.

5) Monk was also known for fastidiousness and precision, an homage to Hercule Poirot. Have you read any of Agatha Christie's books featuring Poirot?  No.  Again, tv.  My husband's guilty pleasure

6) This song was written and performed by Grammy and Emmy winner Randy Newman. Do you have any trophies or plaques? No, I wasn't a competitor of anything.

7) Before winning an Oscar in 2001, Mr. Newman had the distinction of having the most nominations (15) without a win. Do you consider yourself a graceful loser?  I don't really know -- never been tested as I was never competitive.  Oh, I did win a free soda at a restaurant in the mall where I took ballroom dance at about 13.  Does that count?

8) In 2003, when this song was introduced, Lance Armstrong won his fifth Tour de France. Later, he was disgraced in a doping scandal. Can you think of a time when a hero disappointed you?  Never really had heroes.


9) Random question -- We're catering lunch. Should we put you down for a burger or a taco?  Taco, please.

MooGoo Review

Hi, Friends!  As I mentioned earlier, I have decided to change up my skin care a bit.  I have been using First Aid Beauty and, while it is a fabulous product I have learned that some of the line has questionable ingredients in it.  I believe the basic products are good and non-toxic and I will continue to have those on hand but I thought I would branch out a bit.

I was watching a documentary with Julie Walters the other day -- a railway journey across Britain -- and they visited a dairy farm.  The hostess looked considerably younger than her years and she said she used the udder cream on her face that they used on the cows at the dairy.

I decided to try it so I ordered some Natural Skin Milk Udder Cream from MooGoo of Australia.  They have a place in the US so it didn't take forever to get here.

It arrived yesterday.  They also included a cute little sample of their Natural Milk Wash.  I love samples.

So, I immediately went in and washed my face with the face wash and applied the moisturizer and waited to itch.  Things tend to make me itch and tingle.  I thought this product was going to but it didn't really.  I think what I felt was my imagination.  I didn't get red or splotchy which is good.  Right now my skin is really dry so I decided to exfoliate with a microfiber cloth and I think I just irritated everything.  Microfiber cloths are great for removing makeup without chemicals but I think my skin has gotten a bit more uh, "mature" and delicate for that.  So, don't know if I will keep it up.

So, this morning I decided to repeat the MooGoo plan and so far so good.

It is NOT greasy.  It feels almost like putting vaseline on  your face but it soaks right in.  I am anxious to see what  it feels like to apply makeup on top of it because it isn't greasy or slippery or anything.  I am just relatively soft but I don't look like I fell into a vat of moisturizer.

One of my goals in exploring new options is to reduce products.  While the safety of the product is of importance to me, so is the efficacy.  I have been using a LOT of product with the FAB line.  I absolutely love their stuff and I use the cleanser, the facial brightening pads, the serums, the eye cream, the coconut primer and some of the make up products.  My face has never looked better but.........It is a LOT of stuff to use twice a day and it isn't cheap.  It isn't hugely expensive but when you are using that many products it adds up.  I am sort of looking to pare down with both skin care and make up products.

I don't really wear much makeup.  I use Mineral Fusion powder foundation, a bit of blush, either Pacifica or Bare Minerals or sometimes just my lipstick because that works as well.  I use a Revlon lipstick that rates #2 on EWG or Mineral Fusion or even some of Burt's Bees lip balms (and yes, for blush as well)  I use mascara and done.

MooGoo has a line of lip balms that I might order next.  I really like lip balms and my lips are worse in the summer than in the winter if you can imagine.  MooGoo also has a line of cosmetics called Dustygirl.  It is mineral makeup and I might try their lip shine product.  I am not a big lipstick gal but if I don't put on something I feel just not finished.

Ok, I am digressing.  The package came with a very nice, well done product guide.  Full color and glossy with lots of description of the products.  Their website is well done as well.

Today is only the second use of the products.  I will let you know how it goes but so far so good.  Now I have to figure out why my hands are itching.  I changed dishwashing detergent to Seventh Generation and I wonder if that is the culprit.


Aug 17 -- mid day --

Ok, I have been trying to ignore it all day but I am afraid the new products are causing to me to react.  I have had subtle itching and stinging on my cheeks all day so I finally went in and washed it all over and used my regular FAB products-- just the face wash and the thick moisturizer.  It is beginning to feel better.  I wanted it to work, I really, really did.

I Used To.......

I used to love to shop for clothes.  Eh, not so much.

I used to love to shop for shoes. Pointless with wide feet.

I used to love to shop for jewelry -- ok, I still shop for jewelry.

I used to love to eat sweets.  Well, broke that addiction -- bummer.

I used to love to buy makeup.  Well, two things happened.  I got sick and felt the need to detox my life and go a bit more natural and less chemical laden.  And...I got old and guess what, girls, what works at 20 or 40 just doesn't work at 60.  So,  I have systematically thrown out all the chemical laden makeup and explored the natural brands.  Some are good, some not so good but the general concensus is I do better without much of any of it.

That sent me on a journey to find natural, non toxic skincare because we all know what is UNDER the makeup is what matters.  The natural stuff is good but it is good and pricey too.  I happened upon a brand called First Aid Beauty and it has been really good for my skin.  It is moderately priced and I have been using it for a while and have been happy.

However today I was doing a bit of browsing waiting for the ice and aspirin to kick in for my painful hip joint so I decided to look at other non toxic lines.  With all the sites I saw, I never saw FAB listed so I googled toxicity and I was shocked.  It hadn't been on EWG before but it is now and I was shocked that some of the stuff I was using was in the #9 range.  Ok, so the general thought process is -- at 68 years old do I really need to worry about that?  Probably not but I do.

So, I decided to explore more DIY solutions.  I found a recipe for honey facial cleanser.  It was easy.  It was honey.  You could add a little milk or cream, mix it up and wash your face.  I thought, ok, I have the ingredients so let's give it a go.  It was great.  I didn't have on any mascara so I don't know about removal of that but my face felt wonderful.

I have normal skin that tends toward dry so I looked for a toner and what do you know -- I had it in my hand.  The website said "brew a cup of green tea and use a cotton ball to apply to face".  Well I had just had a cup of green tea and I had just enough left in the cup (it was cold by now anyway) to do this.  It was nice.

Then I applied some of my MyChelle Vitamin C serum and I itched.  I didn't put on any moisturizer and just put on my makeup  which is so minimal it almost doesn't exist.   I use Mineral Fusion powder foundation, thrivecausmetics mascara and a little blush from Pacifica.  I use tinted lip balms.  See what I mean about minimal.  But, the more I put on the older I look so there you go.

Yesterday after we were watching a documentary of Acorn about railway journey's through Britain with Julie Walters.  They were visiting a dairy farm in Scotland and Ms. Walters was shocked when her hostess said that she was 61 years old.  I promise you that she didn't look anywhere near 61.  She explained that the udder cream that they use on the cows works wonders on her too!

So, what did I do?  I let my fingers take me straight to Amazon where I promptly ordered some MooGoo Udder Cream.

It is on it's way.

So, I am thinking I might try the honey/cream facial cleanser, Thayers Rose Witch Hazel for toner if I need it and this udder stuff for a moisturizer.  Maybe skipping the Vit C serum as I am still sort of stinging.  I might keep the Burt's Bees Micellar water for the mascara if the honey/cream doesn't work on that.  

Right now I am doing so many things with so many products that I would like to pare it down but want to keep it natural.

So, what do you think?  Washing my face with stuff from the kitchen and using cow stuff on my face?

I will let you know!

The Nanny

The Nanny

Welcome to Saturday 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme! 

 

 
Saturday 9: The Nanny (1993)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This week's song is the theme from a sitcom that originally aired from 1993 to 1999. Were you a fan?  No.  I have watched it once in a while but would never seek it out.

2) The song tells us that Fran once worked in a bridal shop. Have you ever worked in a retail setting? No, but I think it would be fun.  My mom and aunt were retail ladies and they made it sound so exciting.

4) "The Nanny" is the colorful one, the one who wears red when everyone else wears tan. What color do you think you look best in? I look best in pale colors, pastels, and neutrals close to my face.  I don't look good in prints and I am trying to eliminate them from my wardrobe completely.  In slacks I prefer dark neutrals like navy and black.  I am not a beige, khaki or brown person.  When I was young and my hair was dark with a lot of auburn in it, brown worked but now since it is a lovely shade of mouse brown is a no-go.

 

 5) The TV show, The Nanny, was the brainchild of actress Fran Drescher. She got the idea while visiting her an old friend in London. Her friend's pre-teen daughter enjoyed having Fran as a confidante and shopping buddy. Do you enjoy shopping as a leisure activity? Or would you prefer to just dash into a store, grab what you need, and get out and go home?

 

Shopping is a necessary evil.  I used to love it, but  now, not so much.  I can never find what I am looking for when I go to stores so I generally shop online.  I always buy clothes online.  Recently I tried to go out and shop but it was so frustrating I swore never again.

 

6) The friend Fran was visiting in London was Twiggy, who was the world's most famous model in the 1960s. Name another famous model. 3) The kids in the Sheffield household appreciate their nanny's "joie de vivre," which is defined as "exuberant enjoyment of life." Are you feeling joie de vivre this morning?  Another model?  Cindy Crawford.  Joie de Vivre?  Uh, all I am feeling this morning is numb since I have been icing my knee for two hours.

 

 7) The Nanny: The Complete Series is available on DVD on Amazon. It consists of 19 discs and takes 55 hours to watch, start to finish. What TV show have you recently binge watched?  Ok, I will admit I have been binge watching "Hart of Dixie" on Netflix with Rachel Bilson and Tim Matheson.  I absolutely love it.  Four seasons with LOTS of episodes.  I am in the middle of season 2.  My husband can't wait for it to be done.

8) The Nanny theme was sung by Liz Callaway. Her father, the late John Callway, was a long-time Chicago newscaster. Have you, or has a loved one, ever been on TV?  My father was a long-time anchor for the CBS affiliate in San Antonio, Texas.  He did lots of other programming for that station as well as KLRN -- the PBS channel in San Antonio.  I was never on tv but I really wanted to dance on San Antonio's equivalent of Bandstand.  It was called Swingtime.  My mother wouldn't let me.
. 
9) Random question -- Which of these adjectives comes closest to describing you: sexy, sophisticated or down-to-earth?  Sexy was never an adjective that I would use to describe myself and I don't think anybody else would either.  I am not sophisticated at all although I would love to be.  Down to earth, however, fits me to a T.

 

 

Thanks so much for joining us again at Saturday: 9. As always, feel free to come back, see who has participated and comment on their posts. In fact sometimes, if you want to read & comment on everyone's responses, you might want to check back again tomorrow. But it is not a rule. We haven’t any rules here. Join us on next Saturday for another version of Saturday: 9, "Just A Silly Meme on a Saturday!" Enjoy your weekend!

Weight Loss -- It Is Such a Heavy Subject

I have weight issues.  I suspect I am not alone.

I have dietary issues.  Again, probably not alone.

I have cooking issues.  Ditto.

I have tried to solve the problem and on one hand, I did and on the other hand, not so much.

I have carried too much weight for a LONG time.  My knees, ankles and hips are paying the price.  I decided to follow my daughter down the Keto road.  The goal to lose about 150 million pounds and to break my sugar addiction.  I have lost 7.5 lbs and keep gaining and losing the same last two over and over again.  My clothes are loser though.  I don't get it.  So, I didn't exactly lose those millions of pounds but I did successfully break the sugar addiction.  My guilty pleasure is cookies -- not cake, candy or pies -- just cookies.  I haven't had one in over a month.  I don't crave them anymore.  I think that is a success that should be rewarded -- with jewelery not cookies!

I get easily confused about "eating plans" AKA diets.  I was raised to believe  you eat a balanced diet (no cookies aren't a food group), you eat a normal serving and you get on with life.  That is what I have always done until I wanted to lose weight a LONG time ago.  Then I went on a reduced calorie diet and I lost lots of weight but I think that deeply ingrained the "diet" mentality in me.  I have tried them all.  I have journaled my food, counted every grain of anything I put in my mouth and wrote it down.  When I reached 1200 calories I was done.  If that was at breakfast -- too bad so sad.  There was the grapefruit thing, the high protein-low carb thing, the egg and grapefruit thing -- there has always been a "thing".

I was the down the rabbit hole.  I gained weight easily, had two kids, had forgotten how to eat correctly.

I am trying to recover that knowledge.

I don't think the Keto diet is eating correctly but after a month I did break the cookie/sugar addiction and now the only thing I am looking at is how much "sugar" I am eating and by sugar I mean added sugars and starch.  I am not ready to give up fruit yet.

I am cognizant of portions and choosing not to eat starchy things -- green peas are safe in my presence.

I am choosing to use heavy cream in my tea rather than Lactaid but I fear that I am going to have to stop that because the cream is giving my tummy fits.  And I feel I need to add more fiber to my diet. 

I am trying to channel my teeny tiny mother from beyond and I feel she is speaking to me.  She never ate an early breakfast -- or hardly any breakfast at all and if she ate toast with her coffee she wouldn't eat a sandwich at lunch.  Most times she didn't eat lunch which probably wasn't good -- she was a smoker and I think that controlled her appetite.  She didnt bake much and she didn't buy lots of cookies or desserts at the store.  When she did, I don't remember having an uncontrolled desire for them.  All this sweet craving came after I was an adult.  Unfortunately, we did drink soda which I gave up years ago now. 

When Mom cooked dinner we had a meat, starch, two veg or a veg and a salad.  I asked her why she planned meals that way -- she said she learned it in school.  We went to the same schools and had a lot of the same teachers so when I took Home Ec. in the 7th grade, I learned that method of meal planning from the ancient Home Ec. teacher who was probably ancient when my mother had her.  Actually she was only about 45 when I had her but in the 60's I believe 45 was the new "old crone".  Anyway, I digress.  That is still how I plan meals but I am leaning more toward a meat/salad/veg.  My husband is diabetic and he doesn't need the starch.

I have also retrained myself to not eat between meals and not eat after dinner.  Growing up I never ate between meals (they didn't let us snack at school) and after dinner my mom cleaned up the kitchen and there weren't going to be any dirty dishes.  Period.

So, now that I have been on Keto for a month or so, I have completely wrecked my digestive tract although I have felt, generally, much better.  I have kicked the cookies to the curb, I have learned the joy of cream.  I have learned that I miss my morning cereal but am adding some plain oatmeal back in.  I know that my body isn't working as well without my dried fruit and pecans as a snack but I have given up snacks so those items will probably have to be part of a meal.

I am eating no more than 1200 calories a day and I feel that I am eating better quality food (cookies aren't good quality).  I feel better.  I look better and my neck looks thinner -- that is a big deal for me.  I feel like I am doing the right thing for myself. 

I feel that calorie control is a better option for me because I can generally eat any variety of food I want.  I think that, if given the freedom to do so, my calorie controlled diet will actually be more Keto anyway if I am choosing to spend my calories on less processed foods. 

I guess basically it just comes down to choice and I am trying to make better choices, more nutritionally intelligent choices.  I am journaling my food just to see the choices I am making.  I am paying attention to portions.  I am trying to be smart.

I guess if I just keep gaining/losing the same two pounds that is just natures way of telling me that life is funny and my body is a joke! 

But at least I don't want cookies anymore and that, folks, is what I did this summer.