Let there be light!

After 54 hours without electricity, we spotted the Puget Sound Energy trucks at the end of our street around 6 p.m. yesterday. It was cold, dark and wet out but there they were, restoring electricity to our street. I seriously love those guys. They were working around the clock, 24/7, restoring power to over 300,000 homes in the area. It was a cold and rough 54 hours without power, but we made it.

Funny story, about three hours before the power came back on, my husband hooked up our generator. We plugged in the refrigerator, the coffee pot and we had TV. While my husband was at the store to buy more gas for the generator, the power came on. I knew as soon as he hooked up the generator, we'd get power. He should have done it three days ago!

Thank goodness for our gas fireplace which kept the family room warm and toasty, and our gas hot water heater so we could still take showers. I even washed my hair and then sat by the fireplace trying to dry it. You don't realize how much you rely on electricity until it's gone.

I couldn't even go to the gym because because their power was out too even after the streets cleared up. I thought that was a pretty good excuse for not working out. 

We were house-bound Wednesday and Thursday because the snow was so bad we couldn't get out of our driveway. My husband has a four-wheel drive truck so he could have made it, but he decided it wasn't worth dealing with all the other drivers and the mess out there. When the ice storm hit on Thursday, I'm not sure the 4x4 would have done him that much good.

It was truly an amazing sight this past week. Here are a few pictures from the Snowpocalypse or Iceaggeddon (everyone had a name for it). Most of the ice and snow are gone now with temperatures in the 40's, but it was fun while it lasted.

My car, encased in ice. I had chipped the ice off the back and side windows, but I couldn't get the doors open because of the 1/4 inch of ice had frozen them shut.

A Tree in front of L.A. Fitness

The parking lot at Fred Meyers (grocery store that was open).

A tree in front of Fred Meyers

Another ice encrusted tree

Close up of the ice on branches - it was just beautiful

Our Japanese maple tree in front of our house

View down our street. My husband was trying to get his truck cleaned off so he could take me to work on Friday. It took him about 20 minutes. Luckily he has remote auto start so it could thaw from the inside out or he might not have been able to open the doors because of the sheath of ice covering it.

More ice encrusted branches on our Japanese maple. I had a fascination with the ice.

The bamboo in our front yard. It's usually about 15 feet tall and completely blocks the view of our neighbor across the street. Now it's only about three feet tall since the ice made it fall, and we can see our neighbor from our front window (which I hate).

I made it to the gym yesterday, but my eating hasn't been stellar these past few days. A lot of eating out which I'm not accustomed to doing, and sometimes I didn't make the best food choices. We went to the movies Friday night and I had  popcorn and candy. I haven't done that in years and my husband was shocked. I told him to leave me alone, I was going through a bad spell. The whole sister/niece thing, and now the storm and no power, who gives a shit anyway about what I eat. I know. Silly me. Of course I care. Now it's back to the grindstone, eating right and exercising. Life goes on.

Lbs. the movie

I've been reading Pamela's blog, Uncovering Pamela, for almost four years, when I first started blogging in February 2008. She was the first person to post a comment on my blog and she was always there to support me. Pamela doesn't post much these days. She's discovered a life outside of the blog world, and has a busy social life these days. I miss her, but I'm happy for her.

Pamela wrote several posts about a movie that she loved, Lbs. She even went to the premiere in New York and met the director, writers and the star of the movie. She raved about it and I couldn't wait to see it.

Last night Pamela posted that her beloved movie, Lbs., was available on Amazon.com to rent. I'd never rented a movie from Amazon. I didn't even know that was something I could do. I have a Roku box (actually, we have three in our house), so I was thrilled to find out I could download a movie from Amazon to my Roku. It was only $3.99 for a 3-day rental. I didn't even bother to see if it was on Netflix yet because I wanted to see it immediately.

The IMDB gives this description:  A 315-pound man decides to kick his food addiction by moving to the country.

I'm sorry Pamela, but I hated this movie. I mean H-A-T-E-D it. I found it depressing, boring, and left me with a feeling of hopelessness. I didn't love the main character, in fact, I sorted hated him too. I didn't like the story line. I just didn't like anything about it. 

I almost didn't write this post because I respect and admire Pamela a lot, but this is one thing we disagree on.

I advise you to go ahead and rent Lbs. It was rated A+ by yahoo users, and won a New York film award and was a Sundance feature film, so maybe it's just me. It's only $3.99 to rent for three days through Amazon, and maybe you'll get something worthwhile out of it, I didn't get anything out of it except a bit of sadness (and I sure don't need any additional sadness in my life). I prefer happy movies. Lbs. did not make me laugh or feel good about life, that's why I didn't like it.

Your favorite green vegetable

Part of my lunch today, plain old green beans with Pam butter flavored spray and a dash of sea salt.

I haven't eaten green beans for years. I've never really liked them much. I've always thought they were boring and tasteless. These aren't bad, in fact, I'll probably eat them again.

I eat too many Brussels sprouts. Seriously, I eat them several times a week. I've had an ongoing love affair with Brussels sprouts for years. My favorite is fresh Brussels sprouts, roasted with olive oil and sea salt. I could eat these every day (heck, I have eaten them almost every day for months!).

I've decided to branch out and only eat Brussels sprouts a couple times a week (this will be hard), and start eating a greater variety of fresh, green vegetables. I know this would be healthier.

Do you have a favorite green vegetable? How do you prepare it?

Snow in Seattle!

The view out my home office window (on break at lunch, working from home), Federal Way, WA - 22 miles south of Seattle:

This isn't a view I see very often at my house. I love it. It's gorgeous! It's a very gray day so it's doesn't look as spectacular as it could. However, when the sun comes out the snow will melt. It's suppose to stay below freezing all day today, but warm up tomorrow and then all the snow will melt.

I made up with my niece this morning, the one that's been calling me a bitch and a liar. It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life.

I sent her an email and told her I wanted to get along and not fight anymore. I didn't want to have to deal with lawyers and restraining orders. I didn't want to have to go to court again. I just wanted to work with her.

A few hours later after I knew my niece had read my email, I called her. After she burst into tears and asked why I hated her so much, we talked (well, she talked) for half an hour, and I listened, trying to calm her down and listen to her grievances against me. I simply can't live with the hatred and fighting any longer. This is one more attempt at peace, and I hope it sticks this time. I know she's mentally ill, which makes this all very difficult. I have much more empathy for those that deal with the mentally ill. This is the most challenging thing I've ever had to deal with in my entire life.

It's time to grab some lunch. Breakfast was on track and is in the Weight Watcher tracker. I'm drinking water, and focusing on the healthy eating guidelines. I still feel like I'm starving again today, probably from the carbs in the pizza last night (or the wine). I just want to make it through this one day eating entirely on plan (and stay within my 26 Points...not 80 like the last few days!).

Snowmageddon

If you've been watching the weather channel you've probably already heard about our snowstorm here in the Pacific Northwest. They're not kidding! It's really bad. I live on the south end of Seattle (Federal Way), and we got a six inch snow dump early this morning. It's amazing, and I kind of love it. I wish it would stay for more than a few hours. Since it's 31 degrees I'm pretty sure it'll be gone by noon.

Like an idiot I got dressed and headed out to the gym. I scraped off the six inches of fluffy, dry snow from my car, the most snow I've ever seen fall here at one time. I really wanted to make a snow angel in the front yard, but I had to get to the gym (or so I thought).

I should have had a clue that it wasn't a good idea to drive anywhere when I got stuck in the street in front of my house where there's the tiniest incline. On my way to the gym, about a two-mile drive, I saw two cars in the ditch being pulled out by tow trucks. Then a semi-truck on the hill up to my house stopped in the middle of the road putting on chains. This sort of scared me so I drove right past the gym, and took the long way home (an extra three miles), to avoid the treacherous hill up to my house.

Just like everyone on my team, I'm working from home today. Maybe when the snow melts I can head over the gym this afternoon.

Last night was a real bust on the diet. I ate 3/4 of a California Pizza (frozen - I had bought two last weekend), barbecue chicken on extra thin crust and a then a big glass of red wine.

Yesterday I felt like I was starving to death all day. I'm pretty sure it was my body's reaction to the 800-calorie workout Monday night. Thirty minutes on the StairMaster and then an hour cycle class just about killed me. My eating was good all day yesterday, then last night I spotted the pizza in the freezer (something I haven't bought for years), and I succumbed. Exhausted physically and emotionally drained (niece junk all day  yesterday--will it ever stop?), I just couldn't seem to stop myself.

Today I feel better, more in control and more like I care. Last night, I just didn't care. My health didn't seem to matter. I just wanted comfort and sought it in food and alcohol. Stupid, yes. Regrets, no. Sometimes you just have to do what feels good, even if it's bad for you.

Okay, so I'm moving on today. My plan for the day: Weight Watchers! I will track my food even if it kills me and work on getting in the healthy guidelines. Exercise this afternoon, after work and after the snow melts.

Is it Friday yet?!

I'm exhausted. My visits with my sister drain me. I saw her Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. It shouldn't hit me so hard, and I don't know why I don't handle it better. The truth is that there is a lot of brain damage from the stroke. She's very much like a little child, maybe five years old. She's fussy, bossy, and throws temper tantrums if she doesn't get her way.

She doesn't remember people's names that she's know for years. When I tell her someone called and asked me to give her their love, she often just shrugs her shoulder, and puts her hand out like she doesn't know what or who the heck I'm talking about. I'll asked, "don't you remember -----?" and she'll shake her head no.

Yet when she holds my hand, squeezes it and looks at me with a smile, I know it's all worth it. All the hassle with her children (one in particular who is now calling me a liar and bitch to the rest of the family), the court system, lawyers, and trying to figure out her finances (Lord help me on that one), and all the time spent, it's worth it

After my visit yesterday I headed to the gym. Thirty minutes of StairMaster love and then I was going to hit the weights. It was late, almost 5:30 p.m. and the weight section was packed with men. That's the thing I really don't like about L.A. Fitness, the free weight area. It's tiny in compared to what I had at Ballys where I had three free weight lifting areas and one of the areas was huge. L.A. Fitness only has about six workout benches and a ton of men (where are the women in the free weight area?!).

Then I noticed the spin cycles had people on them, but more than just a few, a lot of people, and there were available bikes! I was so excited that I ran in, jumped on a bike, adjusted it a bit and off I went for an hour of intense cardio. About thirty minutes into I realized it wasn't a wise decision to do the StairMaster and then an hour of cycle, but it was too late. I couldn't quit in the middle of class. No one does that, right?

I made it, but I'm paying for it this morning. I'm exhausted. I didn't get home until almost 7pm. I'm just really tired today. I wish it was Friday.

And I thought I didn't do that bad yesterday...ROFL!

It was a 70-Point day yesterday. Wow! What's so crazy about it is that I thought I was doing okay by not going totally overboard.

I eyed all the Valentine's Day candy last night at the grocery store, but walked by it without picking up a single package. I thought I was doing a halfway decent compromise with the somewhat healthy California extra-thin crust pizza and the caramel popcorn as my big splurge. I'm pretty sure if I had calculated out the Points first I would have chosen something different. I have all the Weight Watcher apps on my phone so there's no excuse other than I was very tired and hungry. Lesson learned.

Dinner was an entire package of the Caramel popcorn and 3/4 of an entire frozen pizza (it was sort of small on very thin crust but it was 21 Points). Breakfast and lunch were healthy. Oh, and let's not forget the two glasses of sweet red wine. I normally don't have alcohol, but it was just that kind of day. Crazy niece threats, police involvement, brain-damaged sister, snow, fireplace, tired, sad, hungry, husband asleep so no one to vent to = wine on the menu.

I didn't even go to the gym yesterday, because I was too rushed with crazy niece/sister stuff. I know that's just an excuse, but it's true.

In case you're wondering, I didn't get on the scale this morning. I'm not that crazy!

I know it'll take a few days to undo the damage from last night. My goal for this week was to get down to 176 by next Saturday. I just made it a lot harder with losing my mind last night. Funny how I can talk myself into anything when I'm tired and feeling sad.

I'll give it my best shot this week. Healthy eating, tracking, focusing on the healthy eating guidelines and lots of exercise.

PointsPlus® Tracker entries

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Morning
1  large banana(s)	0
Diana McMuffin	8
Subtotal	8
Midday
1  item(s) Light Multi-Grain English Muffin	3
1  serving(s) Kirkland Salmon Burger	4
2  medium pear(s)	0
1  serving(s) Litehouse Dressing & Dip, Lite Bleu Cheese	2
1  cup(s) fat-free skim milk	2
1/3 cup(s) uncooked onion(s)	0
1  tsp olive oil	1
Subtotal	12
Evening
4 1/2 serving(s) Orville Redenbacher Caramel Popcorn	22
3/4 serving(s) California Pizza Crispy Thin Sicilian (3/4 entire pizza)	21
8  oz red wine	7
Subtotal	50
Anytime
No entries for this meal time.
Subtotal	0
Food PointsPlus values total used	70
Food PointsPlus values remaining	0
Activity
No entries for activity.
Activity PointsPlus values earned	0
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