Oscar and me camping in New York State last week - the new 40 lbs lighter me! 
My doctor tells me that I've added 10 years to my life by losing that weight ... I'm going to hold him to it! :-)

The Countdown Begins ...

I DID IT!!!

It's taken five months, but I reached my goal this week ... and it feels soooo good!

Oscar turns ONE!

Can it really be that Oscar is a year old already?  This time last year we were still mourning the death of our dear Darcy with no idea that just 40 mins. away from us a litter of 8 puppies were being born to a delightful grey Poodle named 'Lacy'.  The litter's sire, a gorgeous black Labradore named 'Clyde' was resting in the next room - as the males of all species are apt to do during the messy business of birth.  Soon, the five black and three blond newborn labradoodles were scrambling all over 'mom', eyes still tight shut, little mewing sounds coming from little snouts, but already hungry mouths looking for the all important milk-bearing teats.  In just two and a half weeks, not being able to stand the quiet and order of a dog-less home any longer, we drove to view this litter.

Immediately drawn to the little one with crinkly black fur wearing the red collar, all our previous thoughts of "Let's just LOOK at the litter, then come home and think rationally about it" flew out the window.  Deposit paid, we were told we would be the 3rd family to choose our puppy from the brood. I begged her not to let numbers 1 and 2 choose little red collar!!

Little red collar became ours, and the rest is history.

He adored being cuddled as a little pup, and as a 60 lb grown dog we've indulged him in the evenings when we watch TV - letting him climb up onto our laps!  Never, NEVER, have we ever let our dogs climb on our laps ... but, there's something about Oscar ... the sweetest dog we've ever owned!

Oscar loved the little boys in his first home, and can't stay away from Josh when he visits!

Happy Birthday Oscar!

Second Chances

Have I mentioned lately how much I adore being a grandmother?

Yesterday we had our two grandchildren for a sleepover, and Makayla has been asking me to show her how to use my sewing machine.  I have a lovely set-up in our basement area - sewing machine, craft things, large work table, but I am so negligent at using it.  I start a project feeling very excited and motivated, buy all the fabric and notions, then get distracted by another new project leaving the first one unfinished and in pieces ... and so it goes on.  Very poor work habits! :-(

Anyway, Makayla, who is 9, pushed my guilt buttons and asked again if she could make something, so since yesterday was rainy and dismal outside it seemed a good idea to sew.  Clearing the space on my worktable and pulling the piles of accumulated clutter off my sewing machine, I asked her what she'd like to make (hoping it would be something simple)  "An apron!" she joyfully exclaimed - perfect, I thought I could remember how to do that.

From my drawers of long-ago bought fabric, she chose a bright purple cotton, and we got started.  What fun we had.  She picked up the sewing machine very quickly - coordinating her foot pressure on the peddle with her fingers guiding the fabric through the needle part took a bit of practice and a lot of concentration, but once she got the hang of it she loved it.  Not satisfied with a simple waist apron, she wanted a bib on it too, so it became a full day's project.  She found my long-lost odd-buttons collection, and chose some bright pretty ones which we sewed on the waist band.  How proud she was at the end!

After Ray left to drive them both home, Makayla clutching her apron neatly wrapped in tissue in a gift bag, I sat pondering and musing over the day.  I have had a sewing machine almost all my life and at one time made most of my clothes, curtains, cushions etc.  Yet, I never taught my own daughter to sew.  Not even hand sewing.  No time.  No energy. I felt rather sad about that.

I feel so fortunate to have this second chance to get it right ... and am adoring it!

I LOVE the Ocean!

I saw this poster recently, and simply adore it.  Many years ago Ray and I decided we would retire near the ocean.  We both love the smell, sight and sounds of rolling waves, and couldn't imagine anything in life better.  But, here we are licking at our retirement years and settled at least 8 hours from the nearest coast.

On the bright side, it is ONLY 8 hours, and drivable in one day ... plus, living here we can see our grand kids and family regularly.  Life is all about trade-offs, isn't it?

However, give me a rocky shoreline, pounding waves, and seagulls screaming overhead, and I am in heaven ...

Wanted: Good Contractor!

We have entered the extremely scary world of hiring a contractor.  Finally we are ready to start the construction of a 4-season sun room addition, plus a 3-season screened-in porch to our home. Ray did the drawings for it and we invited five contractors, recommended by neighbours and friends to give us estimates. Seems simple doesn't it?

Believe me, it hasn't been. To begin with I am flabbergasted by the different approaches each man took to applying for this job (which is basically what they were doing.)  One didn't even bother coming to meet with us, just wanted the plans emailed to him.  Another came out, spent very little time here, and we've never heard from him again.  Then, there was the fellow who proceeded to pull Ray's plans apart with all kinds of criticism.  Now, remember, Ray is a structural engineer, and he has worked with plan drawings for fifty years ... We are open to suggestions, but this fellow was very arrogant in his remarks.  After I watched Ray's face change from red to purple, I left the "discussion".

Another contractor arrived looking very impressive and organized, with laptop containing photographs of past projects.  Ray and I exchanged admiring glances as he started downloading the pictures.  Unfortunately, he wasn't very proficient with his computer, and spent a lot of time trying to get them onto the screen.  He finally found the one he wanted - a log home he built for a local professional hockey player.  I joked that if this guy hired him he is probably way out of our league in price.  He hastened to assure me that wasn't the case - but, his price came in very much higher than all the others.


Prices?  Oh dear, what to do?  They say not to always go with the lowest bidder.  But, what if the lowest bidder is the only one you can afford?

The estimates came in, and they were all over the board.  Mr. "I can't find my business cards" was the lowest, with Mr. "Just give me another minute to get this picture on the *%#@! laptop" almost 80% higher.  Mr. "Arrogant" was almost as high.  Mr. "Can't be bothered coming to meet you" simply emailed us a figure with absolutely no break-down details saying if we're interested in pursuing it he'll come and talk with us.  Then, there was Mr. "No estimate at all" who was a different surprise again.

We're hoping to get this project started as soon as the frost is out of the ground (early April) ... wish us luck!

Booklover Hug

Eating and Walking ...

I cannot believe my own eyes when I weigh myself these days.  As it shows above, after one full month on my diet I am down 16 lbs, and boy does it feel good!  Eating only lean meats, fish, sea food, oat bran, fat-free dairy and vegetables every other day is easy, and I am not hungry at all.

OK, enough bragging ...

Last weekend I was lucky enough to attend a fundraiser Walk in Toronto with daughter, Suzanne.  It was to raise money for Alzheimer patients.  Suzanne volunteered and participated last year, but we were in India at the time (was that really a whole year away?)  However, this year I made the effort to get there, and am so glad I did.  What a superbly organized event it was.  Over 1,000 walkers congregated in the magnificent downtown B.C. Place building, to be registered and entertained before setting off for the Walk, along the amazing corridors deep under the skyscrapers of the city.

Suzanne strikes a pose with 2 new 'friends'

 I had been down there a few times, but never walked it - there's another world down there!  One could live there and never come outside all winter!  (Phantom of the Opera springs to mind) Stores, restaurants, subways, it's all there in a very swish up-beat design.  As a long-time claustophobe I was afraid I might feel a bit 'closed in' but not at all, as the high ceilings and wide corridors disguised very well where you were.


Before we descended for the Walk itself, there were all kinds of entertainment to get everyone into the mood.  From Darth Vader to Batman, Mimes to juggling men on tall stilts, there was a festive feeling in the air as everyone took turns having their photographs taken with the 'celebrities'.  Lots of young children with parents, and I enjoyed just watching them, eyes aglow as they stared at the wonderland of characters around them.  The women dressed up as Lucille Ball and Marilyn Monroe fluttering their long false eyelashes at all the men were in great demand for pictures.

The Walk itself finally got underway and 1,000 people snaked down out of winter's reach, far beneath the world above.  At every turn there were bands joyfully playing, and volunteers waving yellow balloons cheering us on - I started to feel I didn't deserve such treatment, after all I was only walking 3km.  Then, at the end, as we ascended the escalator back into B.C. Place's main hall again we were greeted by Darth Vader and his cronies, plus throngs of volunteers all cheering us!  Wow, it gave me a tiny glimpse into how long distance runners must feel finishing a marathon!

We all wore the yellow shoelace tired to our index finger - a reminder of those we love who cannot remember for themselves.  Suzanne and I walked for my mum, who struggled so hard against this insidious disease.  I think she would have been proud.

Obedience, squirrels and snowy races ...

Snowy Oscar

Next week our lovely Oscar is 10 months old, and we thought it time he started to grow up and "put away childish things", so we enrolled him in obedience classes. The first class was last Tuesday and we were all psyched up and nervous about how he would behave - so, I big-heartedly let Ray be his handler!  Surprise! He wasn't the worse by a long-shot.  One over-weight lab did nothing but whine loudly all through class ... a bouncy golden doodle led his child handler a merry dance ... and a small spaniel was scared to even walk up the steps to get into the hall.  Oscar just sat quietly and observed all this mayhem around him.  (He probably felt it was simply an extension of our home, since we were looking after our son's two large dogs all last week - Oscar's favourite pals to rough-house with - a huge Newfoundland and a bouncy Golden Doodle!)

His favourite game at present is chasing the squirrels which cautiously venture up onto our deck to nibble the bird's sunflower seeds.  He provides us with hours of entertainment (at the poor squirrel's detriment) as he sits staring out the sliding glass door at them, working himself up into a frenzy of excitement.  When we open the door he simply explodes out, flies into the air, back legs straight out behind him, completely missing the 6 steps leading down onto the snow-covered garden, and sprints after the poor squirrels as they race to the trees for safety.  He never catches them, of course, and we're not sure he'd know what to do if he did.  But, it's a game he never tires of ... as we never tire of watching and smiling at him.

 

Another failed chase ... time to come back in.

Diet Central checking in ...

As the chart above shows, the diet is actually working!!!   I'm now officially into the 2nd stage called the Cruise Phase (in which I apparently 'cruise' my way to my goal?) Those last few pounds took some achieving though!  After a breeze of a first week, I added vegetables seven days ago, (I'm now on alternating days of pure protein, then vegetables + protein) and bang the scales stopped moving!  What?  OK, I thought, I can handle this, tomorrow it will move again.  But, it didn't budge.  I hadn't eaten anything I shouldn't, but having come down with an awful cold I wasn't out in the -20c weather walking as I should have been, nor moving too fast inside - except to the medicine cabinet for more Advil, or downstairs for another box of kleenex.  I assumed that must be it.  But as the week progressed and every morning the scales gave me back the same weight, I really started to doubt the diet, and myself!

So, I went to the Dukan website and signed up for coaching.  I thought I could do this without any outside help.  But, with the scales staying still for five days I realized I needed ALL the help I could get if I was to meet my goal of 40 lbs off.  I couldln't figure out what I was doing wrong!

I paid my $140 on line, and suddenly this whole new world opened up to me (and this will be available to me until I reach my goal and have maintained it for 200 days.  I decided it was a good investment in myself.)  What does my 'new coaching world' consist of?  Well, firstly, I have access to real live people at the Dukan end, to whom I can email any questions or frustrations.  Immediately I fired off an email unloading my worries that my diet had stopped.  I then checked a number of other emails in my IN box, and when I finished I had received an answer!  Now, to be fair, I've since realized that after 3pm emails are answered faster (I wonder where they are based?) but this was amazing.  So was the response I received.  It wasn't some basic 'form' email, but a REAL person - I knew because we exchanged a number of emails back and forth after that and the conversation flowed - this was NO computer!  I was impressed.

The staff greatly encouraged me, and assured me this pause in weight-loss is totally normal when you add vegetables to the pure protein.  She then went into the science of it so I understood why, and I was much relieved.  It feels so good to know I have this safety net.

Coaching also includes a cutesy 'virtual apartment' in which I can 'visit' to see recipes using the allowed foods, exercises, others experiences, my emails from staff, plus a daily report based on the nightly report I'm to send into them (I feel this last is computer generated, it has that feel.)  However, there is also a forum where I can participate in dialogue with other Dukan Dieters, or just read FAQ etc.

I love this!  It's my style.  I do acknowledge that there are many different ways to lose weight, and it's not a one-size-fits-all. (For example, I'm not attracted to weekly 'Weight Watchers' classes, yet it's a great system, and I know of many friends for whom this method has worked well.  Similarly, pumping iron at the gym every day, or simply being careful what you eat and cutting down on portion size works for those with great will-power, but that's definitely not me!)

I was thinking during the night how well I felt.  I've stopped all forms of sugar, most carbs except my daily oat bran cereal in the morning, and am no longer drinking wine with my dinner every night, (knowing I can resume my daily 'wine habit' about Oct. when I have maintained my new weight for 200 days keeps me sane on that score.)  I'm eating no processed foods or drinking artificial protein shakes ... I have great energy (now my cold is gone) and I'm hardly ever hungry!

OK, I confess, this is a good day ... it surely can't continue ... can it?

Stay tuned ...

Hurray! That week's over!

There used to be a satirical show on British television called "That Was the Week That Was" (it was very politically and socially biting, as only the Brits can do), and as I look back over this past week, the introduction tune to that long-ago show goes through my mind ... "That was the week, that was, it's over, let it go" ... and that is kind of how I feel today regarding my diet so far.

Yikes, 5 full days of only eating protein!  But, I have lost 7 lbs and today I enter the second part called the 'Cruise Phase', and from now on I eat vegetables and protein one day, and only protein the next, + the ever-present oat  bran and gallons of drinking water - until I reach my target weight, which I estimate to be May.  Never, I mean NEVER, did a piece of crunchy broccoli and squishy tomato taste so good!  My lettuce was sublime ... the home-made dressing ravishing.

My appetite has disappeared, which apparently is expected on the Dukan diet, but I also don't feel any more cravings for sugar or even wine (I know ... I can't believe it, either!)  Ray actually ate a bowl of ice cream in front of me last night and I didn't care - as I munched away on my steak plus a ham omelet (made only with egg whites, of course :-)





So, while I'm thrilled to be 7lbs lighter, and just as committed to the diet, it's a little bit like giving birth - the end product is great, but I wouldn't want to do it every week, thank you!

Day 2 of you-know-what

Now, is this cool, or what?  Yes folks, watch the cute butterfly try her best to reach the pretty flower.

I am really craving a cookie or something sweet. Help! On my second day I'm ready to sabotage it.  Good job Ray has hidden all the left-over Christmas cookies.  I wanted to throw them out, but he can never throw anything out, so he has his own secret stash somewhere.  I wonder if I can find it ...


Day 3 the cravings are supposed to go ... I hope so!