THE LIGHTER SIDE CAFE MONDAY JUNE 29TH

Hi all,

Rainy days and Mondays really do not get me down since we need this rain desperately and I love the sound of the rain falling.  So relaxing! 

We had a nice weekend at the Cape.  Oddly enough, we had gorgeous weather all day on Sunday and not a speck of rain.  Beach weather really.  We met with my friend on Saturday and her husband the home builder.  They spend a couple hours at the house looking at all of it and talking about plans.  He has another architect he wants us to talk to and it's possible that this architect will be able to tweak the plans we have so we don't have to start from scratch again.  Other than that visit - when we were all masked and socially distant - we did not do much but visited with our wonderful cross the street neighbors who are summer folks, too. They are being very careful as she has battled liver cancer successfully for about 5 years or more. She is amazing and just has such a positive attitude. Poor thing has had two other types of cancer and she believes it is all from environmental exposure as a kid as she is one of the last of her childhood friends left and she is 70. 

I started reading Sweet Salt Air which I am enjoying so much. It is so on target with Maine and we've spent a lot of time up there.  DH's uncle owned a home on an island near this fictional one.  Both my cousins have homes in Maine on small islands, too.  ONe on Peaks Island off Portland and the other up near Rockland.  Fun reading!  Thanks Pam and Ann! 

Ann, I am SO glad you had a wonderful birthday. I am sorry I was not here to wish you another fabulous trip around the sun!    Your celebration sounded perfect and lemon cake is my absolute favorite. Anything lemon for me wins hands down over any chocolate and I like chocolate! 

Yesterday I had nice calls with my NC nephew - who is disgusted with the people arguing that the gov't is suppressing their rights and making them wear masks.  LIke we all say, where are their heads? Very selfish and risking everyone's life and health. He would love to visit us but maybe August ---we will see.  Then I had a long chat with DD and DGD and DGS in CA.  DGS is turning four tomorrow. They had a tiny part at an uncrowded beach for him.  He loved it. Their beaches are not crowded like ours.  SO much coastline! Then we had a long chat with DS in NJ who really, really wants us to visit soon.  Much as we want to, I am not ready to drive to NJ with all the stops in between, etc. We'll see. I also had my ukulele lesson yesterday afternoon and a two hour zoom call with dear work friends  Two of the four on the call now work at other universities and one of them is mid-40's with stage 3 breast cancer but she is amazing and so upbeat.  She has her last blast of chemo tomorrow and surgery - double mastectomy at the end of July. She'll have reconstruction early next year.  She was a bit disappointed not to be able have the tummy tuck type of reconstruction but she is too thin. I jokingly told her I'd loan her some fat. LOL We laughed.  Her treatment has been a huge success with all the lymph nodes clear and the cancer greatly diminished. Thank God. She's incredibly strong with two teenagers and a single mom. I think of you, Ann. You, too, are a role model!!!

I have somehow managed to maintain my drop in weight for 5 days.  I think avoiding the carbs has helped but I also learned I cannot do that for long. I find myself tired and slightly queasy without carbs.  So, my goal is just to cut back on carb portions as WW encourages us to do.  Tomorrow is my weekly WI and workshop.  

Off to do some work.  Missed you all. Have a good day. I am listening to the birdsong with the open windows and the pitter patter of the rain and distant rumble of thunder - I love it. 
 

Ann ~ So happy to hear your carpets are all done.  Mine need that attention something terrible, but I'm just not sure I want to invite someone into my house right now.  Just a funny feeling ..?  But I would love clean floors, so I am sure I will become comfortable with it more sooner than later.  I was unusually hungry at lunchtime today so warmed up my leftovers from yesterday's lunch.  That hit the spot!! Plus it included spaghetti and when you started talking about it, I would have wanted it anyway <LOL>

Judy ~ Glad you had good weather at the Cape.  Congrats on maintaining that WL for 5 days!!  That is a huge accomplishment!!  I am sure limiting your carbs will help without causing unwanted side effects. I am also maintaining; I will consider getting back to losing later.  Right now all my clothes are fitting well and I feel good, so it's all good. I KNOW tracking is what saves me; so I'll keep it up.

I went for my walk and got back in time to watch the early midday news. Then I warmed up my lunch and ate in the front of the TV.  Now I have Sunny Radio on Alexa and am getting ready to choose a new book.

Hello!

It's laundry day and sheets are washed, dried and back on the bed with the rest of it moving along. Debbie and I took another 3 mile walk this morning. We started at 8:30, but it was still a hot walk. Anyway, it's done and I have already met my step goal for the day. Not much else on the agenda. I had yogurt with pineapple & seeds, toast and boiled egg for brunch. Dinner will be brown rice, beef & gravy and various vegetables. At 7:00, we will go into town for Abby's T-ball game. It's all outdoors and we bring our own lawn chairs and choose a spot to sit. We will mask to pay the entrance fee and get to a socially distant spot.

DD2 called and proposed we join her and DD1 at DD1's house Friday for a screening of Hamilton and a dinner of hotdogs. I doubt DH will stay for Hamilton, but I will surely enjoy it. We can just take 2 vehicles. Saturday morning we will leave early for the camp and spend just one night. I'm hoping the traffic will be better than on Friday evening. I had hoped to stay until Monday and avoid the return traffic, but then I remembered I promised to drive Dee to BTR for her doctor's appt. early Monday morning, so Sunday it will have to be.

I started a new audiobook, Defending Jacob, and suddenly, it keeps popping up as a video streaming choice. Sometimes, I think Big Brother IS watching. I may watch it after I finish the book, which is always better than the movie, right?I found that Ryan's Daughter wasn't free on Amazon Prime, so opted to watch Unplanned instead. It was good, but sobering. Earlier, DH and I watched My Spy, a comedy, which we both enjoyed.

Judy - Good for you holding the weight line! If you stick to mostly whole grain carbs and watch portions, you should do fine. Your weekend sounded fun.

Ann - I know you are glad to have the carpets done. Such a job moving everything around!

Sue - I've been enjoying Sunny Radio today, too. It's funny to think we are across the country from each other, but enjoying the same music.

Hi de ho girls. Happy to say that everything is put back together again. I feel like humpty dumpty LOL. It was work, but it surely paid off in the end. That's all that matters.

Pam you were also very busy with your 3 mile walk and stripping the bed. Out of all the sheet sets that I have, I find myself washing, drying and putting the same ones back on again as we LOVE them One of these days I'll step out of my 'comfort zone' and give another set a spin. Enjoy camping. Sorry you have to cut the trip short. I love hotdogs. I know that Carl would not be interested in Hamilton. I remember reading that book years ago. I can't put a finger on what it was about......so many books that I read and they all seem to blend together at times. Hope you enjoy it. I also feel that 'big brother' is watcher. I can't even google something that I think I'm interested in purchasing without getting bombarded with ads about it!!!! Sheesh. You'd think computer would have someone more interesting to follow than ME. I also hear you on your freezer being full. When I open mine I step back as I don't want anything falling out and breaking a toe! Good luck cutting down the chili recipe.

Judy happy that D&D are happy with their 'business walk' LOL. Your SIL truly IS a piece of work!!!!! I can't believe he said something so horrible and hurtful to his own child. Then again, I'm sure it was more likely directed at getting 'even' with your DD. People never cease to amaze me! Just remember...every dog has their day!

LOL Sue happy you decided to have your chicken parm and pasta for lunch. For some reason I was also very hungry today. I had more points than I normally do. Oh well...so be it. Tomorrow is another day. Funny thing is it never dawned on me about having the carpet people come into our home. They are such nice respectable guys and they were 'masked' so I'm sure all is well.

I really do miss my walking. These past 2 days I did very little and came nowhere near making my goal or my Garmin goal or ANY goal lol. I will have to take baby steps to start that up again. Seems like once I stray it takes an act of congress to get me back in gear.

I'm all jammified.....tired and just want to sit and enjoy the rest of the day.

Sweet dreams all.......

Oh...funny but I also have sunny radio on