Lazy Sunday

Lou and I were up at 5:30 am having our morning coffee (me) and his tea. After an hour we went back to bed...a delightful way to spend a sunday morning! Our new neighbor next door had her stereo vibrating against our bedroom wall so at the early hour of 9:30 am we got our lazy bums up. We got ourselves dressed finally and went out to breakfast. We hadn't been over to the gulf coast lately and frankly have been afraid of seeing an oily mess, but we braved it and drove out. It's about 12 miles west of us here in Safety Harbor. Beautiful warm day. Everything you would expect on a June morning in Florida. I have done more exploring than Lou has over the last 3 1/2 years we have owned the shop and especially the last 10 months living here in S.H.
Last fall I had bought a twin bedroom set for the WSC out at Indian Shores Beach and remembered seeing some old style cafes along the road there so that is where we headed.

Found a breakfast cafe with lot of cars parked in front so that is where we stopped. Parking just around the corner where there is a path to the beach. Breakfast was slow, Lou got his kilbasa and eggs before my oatmeal and then I had to ask for milk and he had to remind the gal for his home fries...not a good sign. But the food was ok and we got out of there because they didn't believe in AC...fans, but no AC or turned down to save money....who knows?!

The beach looked so inviting so we walked out to it. Not a wide beach, but there wasn't too many people either. The water was perfectly tropical looking, with the green/blue and deep blue swaths depending on the depth...very nice.! We will be going back there! The area we went through before we got to Indian Shores was full of the typical Florida high rises and fancy landscaping...not our style at all.

Yesterday we had called on a Craigslist ad for an O'Day sailboat. It looked really nice in the pictures. The fellow called us back today and we went over. They were close by in town so we took the beat up old pick up just in case we bought it, we could tow it home. It was a project boat; more for the mold removal and bottom paint job that it desperately needed. Lou's work just is too demanding to have any project boats. He was asking way too much for the shape it was in too. I told him as we were leaving if he wanted to put the boat in the water at our dock, we'd paint the bottom, clean it up and just share it....probably not going to happen. I think people just need cash right now and I am not letting go of ours till the perfect little boat shows up.

Monday morning tomorrow and I am back up to Brooksville to do housekeeping following our guests check out today. Sure hope it isn't a monster job! A family from Virginia coming in on Saturday.

Date in St. Petersburg--Friday Night

Lou took me to the 4th ST Shrimp Store in St. Pete last night after work. Actually we didn't get there till 7:30...I had crab legs for the first time in my life! Totally over rated, but it was a very beachy thing to eat. Lou had the fried shrimp. We had started with smoked mullet dip and onion rings.....yeah, we were bad! But we didn't drink any alcohol......We drove down to the marina after dinner, caught a few sail boats coming in from their sunset sail. Breezy evening, warm, so the breeze felt really good, keeping the humidity to a minimum for the discomfort factor.

Woke up late this morning, what a slug! Actually I got up after Lou was asleep last night (after midnight) and watched two episodes of Desperate Housewives....I have been dvr ing them lately so I can get caught up. Shameful to be so interested in such silliness; but it isn't too far off from the reality I have seen in my life. Maybe that's why I am intrigued by it.

We took a drive out to Honeymoon Island this afternoon. We decided to start exploring the area a little more. It is fun to now be here out of freedom of choice...meaning we are not feeling like we are imprisoned here any longer. It has changed the way we look at the world around us. The drive was fun; Honeymoon Island is a state park. We'll go back when we want to explore and hike around the island. Drove around Tampa through the port area. Eventually finding our way back to our own neck of the woods. Stopped at an Italian restaurant and had the best filet mignon we have ever had in our lives!

Went online to get tickets to the local minor league baseball team. Easy to order online so two weeks from tonight we get to see the Clearwater Threshers play the Daytona Cubs.

Empty Nester Housewife

With WSC booked through the summer, my focus has had to changed. I have become an official housewife. Yes, I go to the shop every day at 11am to bring or get lunch for me and Lou, but it is different now that my work at Winter Street is basically upkeep. The hard work is done. Now I can focus on our life in Safety Harbor, in our condo. I have been putting off doing anything that resembles decorating while I had Winter St. to deal with. Since our porch is an extension of our living room I wanted to get some cushions for the wicker chairs that had an indoor look with a sunporch feel. I went into a store next door to the JoAnn's Store that I hadn't planned on and lo and behold there were some cushions that called my name. It makes the porch so much more inviting.

Took my measurements this morning; lost another 1/2 inch in my upper back and an inch in my waist! I love this T Tapp stuff. My class tonight was a lot of work. I feel energized even though it is 10pm and I usually am headed to bed to read by this time! We didn't eat dinner until I got home after 7:30 so we are still full! Hard to sleep after eating that late.

Being in the fabric store today got my sewing gene awakened. I will be going back soon to look at patterns.

Scam? or really needing the money

I was pushing my cart to my car at the Target in Clearwater. A woman pulled up behind my car where I was loading my bags she looked distraught and claimed that she had just driven over from Titusville (I had to look it up) over on the East Coast of Florida by Cape Canaveral, to pick up her daughter? who was having a "domestic" problem. The daughter in the passenger seat had cuts on her face....anyway, she claimed that she had left without her debit card and needed gas to get back. I knew I had about 5 singles in my wallet and offered that to her with an apology that I didn't have more to help. Was I being scammed out of my money? I guess I'll never know. I ended up at the light behind her as I drove out of the shopping center and I was tempted to follow her to see if she went to the nearest gas station. I didn't, but I still wasn't sure if I had just been robbed by a lie.
Usually, I feel a lie right away. I was confused by it and still after a couple hours I am not sure. Oh Well!! I have offered money to the obviously needy before and given when stopped at a light with someone holding the "I will work for food" sign, but I have never had that scenario before!
One of the things that makes me weary in my life is dealing with people who have no trouble telling lies. I even feel the fatigue in watching commercials, seeing signs on the road and listening to the radio spew opinions as facts. It makes me want to retire from humanity. So many people consider the white lie as a integral part of living. I have so much trouble with it. Telling the truth is also difficult. People don't want to hear it. Even when you are claiming it as your experience or opinion people shut down when it doesn't mesh with their experience or world view. We are funny creatures that way.

Thursday Already!

Life is humming along for Lou and me. We have such a simple, unhurried life now. The kids are doing their thing, not needing us or our money too much any more. Allene's passing in Feb. ended a 5 year commitment to her. We have felt relieved that she is out of her misery; mostly that she is where fear cannot control her life. Seems that fear is the number one element that makes people do and say the most awful and the most funny things! I am not free of that burden entirely, but I am aware when it has taken control. Breathing is my best antidote to fear. When I become conscious of my breathing I become conscious of the here and now and what is actually going on in that moment and it is never fearful, it is usually wonderful. Sitting on the dock watching manatees and their calves swim by, sitting on my porch looking at the water and feeling blessed. Driving over the causeway at sunset and have my breath taken away at the amazing clouds and water. I have a life that most people can only fantasize about. I have an amazing husband who loves me and brings out the best in me. I have kids who are interested in what I say and thank me for what I have been to them. I have a couple of friends that I can be myself with and I have a lovely job; taking care of the books etc with the shop and making Winter Street a lovely place to be for vacationing guests. I get up when I want most days and go to bed when I want. I can shop for groceries the way I chose and I can make good meals for Lou and myself. He is usually happy with the food I make for him and when he is unhappy he says nothing; that is how I know...so sweet of him to be so kind about it. We have little needs and so we make food our treat and entertainment. Funny how little food you need when the food you have is satisfying and delicious. I think that goes with all things in life. One or two good friends can be a lot better than a ton of not so good friends. I have shed a few not so good friends over the years, not by choice, but by distance. The ones that can stay connected in spite of the distance show their true loyalty. I had hard feelings at first about the ones that drifted away, but I understand now that no one has the time or wants to take the time for people that chose to leave your world. I moved, they didn't.
The mail just came and there was a package that I found sitting at my back door. It was three record albums. A few months ago I was doing a search for "Children Songs for a Rainy Day." My Mom wanted me to print out the lyrics to some of the tunes that we grew up with and bring them to the May Family Reunion. The album got lost in the move from Angelus Oaks and I have been sick about the loss. I remember most of the song lyrics, but I still want to find the old record album. After searching online for a while I found a blog that had the email of one of the sons of a songwriter from those old children's song. I emailed him and told him how important "Willie the Spider" had been to me and that I was looking to replace the album I had lost. He offered to send (without cost) a record album of his Dad's original songs. He sent three of them. He included a note to let me know that these were a set. How sweet is that?! Between the new and honest renter we have at Hemet and the really great people who have booked at the WSC, my view of mankind"s basic good has been bolstered. This generous sharing of records is so amazing.

Wednesday morning

Had my third T Tapp class last night. There were four of us this time plus the instructor. Jeanne is so good, she watches to make sure we are all doing the form just right. She doesn't baby us or patronize us at all, but will go over a move several times to make sure we understand just how it works and what it is doing for our body. All that information is so good to get me focused on the whys of what we are doing. It has been one week and I have lost 1/2" in my upper back! That is a spot that does need to trim down; to get rid of the back cleavage when I wear a tight strapless bathing suit. Even Lou said he felt like that part of my body felt much tighter. I am very encouraged. I haven't been perfect with the NoS diet. I gave in to some ice cream Sunday evening after we had cleaned Winter Street all day. I didn't feel bad though, I just savored it! The main thing that I have done now that I have become conscious of it is stop drinking sodas and stop an evening bowl of cereal when I get hungry before bedtime. I now just go to bed hungry.
Last night when I came in from class our new neighbor came out to her patio by the car port and asked me if I had some time to visit. I took my purse and towel into our place then went over to her apt. next door. It was fun to just sit and have some girl talk for a while. PJ is what she calls herself; she did refer to herself as Patty though. I think the PJ might be part of her new self identity as she is getting a divorce after 32 years of marriage. She is a nurse and works nights sometimes. Worried that her dog might bark when she leaves him alone she wanted us to let her know if we heard him. We didn't.
Weird day yesterday. Waited in a lot of lines, at the metal dealer (for Lou); at the bank (to deposit a Canadian check); at Macy's (to return a sundress), at AT & T (to find out why my phone wouldn't go on--needed rebooting-duh!!). Seemed like everyone was having a weird sort of day. Exercise did help to get the weird gone at the end of the day, in reality, not metaphorically.
Today is an uneventful day except for a trip to Whole Foods over in Tampa.

Monday PM

Lou and I worked our rear ends off this weekend at Winter Street.....got the front door painted my favorite Feng Shui red...finally!
So I did take the day off. Lou came home for hot dogs; I know, I know, I'll give him a salad tonight. I did two loads of laundry, did the dishes, did a little Winter Street Cottage paperwork and now I have my toes in soapy water; saving myself $40 for a pedicure! I even got in 10 min of T Tapp movements. I felt it in just that little bit.
I felt a big dose of tired on Friday and Saturday last week. I attributed it to the fatigue from shocking my body with exercise. I feel pretty good today. Good enough to stay home all day; I am getting stuff done! Feels good.

June 11, day after 2nd T Tapp class

I am whooped today! I had my morning coffee, but I couldn't get going this morning. I didn't feel sore like I would normally after a good workout. I felt sore while I was doing the workout! Jeanne (my instructor) focused a lot on my form last night and kept her eyes on me, making me aware of my mistakes. I was grateful for the attention and the coaching. I had a bit of a headache all day and it was pretty much gone when I left class. Trying to drink a lot of water.
Went over to get lunch for Lou at 11:00. I usually bring him leftovers from dinner the night before, but since he had hot dogs there weren't any leftovers. He wanted Five Guys so I went over and got him the usual Burger and Fries. I got myself a burger. I always have to toss the bun and feel a little guilty about it, but not enough to eat it. I left there and went on up to Winter Street. When I arrived I was tired. I took a little swim and then took a nap after reading a couple chapters in a book Katie told me about; "The War of Art." I once had an English professor that referred to me as a Poet. I had been in a couple of his poetry classes but he announced it in a class that was not a writing class.(can't remember what class it was; I was doing independent study with the class because of my Caribbean trip.) I did write a lot of poems during my college years, but not since. I have often thought that I might want to write some day again. This book makes me feel like I could do that.
This weekend is Winter Street housekeeping. We have guests coming on Monday. I have to get started early in the morning on painting the front door. It has been in the 90-100's lately and need to cooler early morning air. Pictures tomorrow!
Lou's favorite dinner place is a buffet that we affectionately call the hog trough! I ate only salad tonight and no dessert! I wasn't even tempted. But let me tell you why. After my nap I ate some leftover pizza; Amy's rice crust and fake cheese. Not bad. I was pretty hungry after my nap and trying to stay on the NoS diet. So I considered that my first course of dinner and the salad was my second course...only a couple hours apart. Lou really likes this place for the baby back ribs so I didn't let on how not hungry I was and just had the salad.
So I signed up for 10 classes-9 more to go. I am delighted to have this to look forward now!

June 10, Day 3

click here for success story

Maggi just sent me this link with a note that she didn't want to inundate me, but......How lucky am I to have her in my life. In many ways she has been my friend, my sister, my role model since I was 14 years old. She is my oldest friend. I am fortunate to call a couple people "friend" that have been in my life a long time. Lillian is another role model, friend, sister to me too. I have known Lil since I was 30...that was a few days ago!

So I have now taken my measurements and written them down. I am scheduled for a class tonight, my 2nd one and I have a sense of excitement about how I am hoping to look by the end of the year. Maggi also suggested the No S Diet....no sugar, no seconds and no snacks. I like that. Simple, easy to remember when the opportunity to overdo it arrives...and you know they do. Mostly what I am wanting is a lifestyle change in activity. In 2000-2001 I started walking with a couple girlfriends in the morning 3 days a week. When I had been doing that for a year I went back to the Endocrinologist and I had lost exactly 20 lbs. I didn't have a scale at home (and still don't) so I didn't know it. I did know that I was having more fun buying clothes and I wasn't uncomfortable in my skin any longer. So I know increased activity helps and not only helps, but is the answer to my weight issues.

I went to bed with a migraine last night and woke up with it this morning. I had eaten some wheat yesterday and it triggered the migraine. This is one of those "I know better, but don't care," situations that I have to avoid at all costs! So far the 2 mugs of coffee have helped lessen the migraine to just an annoying little headache.

I did a few repetitions last night in front of the TV. I have been told that "less is more" with T Tapp.....I still am not completely clear on that, but I will learn as I go. Here is the web site for T Tapp

click here for TTapp

T Tapp, first class

So last night I broke the long silent streak of not attending exercise class. I swim, I walk, I work out with weights, but my belly is getting the "old lady" pooch. My long time friend, Maggi, wrote me about T Tapp a couple years ago, but I told her I was happy with my routine of swimming, walking and weights. Then last year we moved to Safety Harbor. Maggi wrote me again telling me that was where T Tapp started and that she thought Teresa Tapp was from Safety Harbor. She again encouraged me to try it out. I did a little, very little, research. Found the web site and even followed some instructional video to try it out. Ho Hum, I just wasn't motivated. I did notice that they had a fall convention at the Resort/Spa just a couple blocks away. Again a week ago Maggi writes me again about it; three times the charm? Ok, Ok, now she was offering to PAY me to attend a class so I could help her out. Seems it is an East Coast phenomenon that hasn't quite made it big on the West Coast. She wanted help with her form and mentioned that the workouts she was doing with the video did make her break a sweat. So she gives me a link to a T Tapp instructor. I do a little research and make a phone call to Jeanne and find out that there is room in her beginning Tues/Thurs class. Well, I finally went last night. Jeanne was great, Joan the only other student, was great. The workout was great and I woke up so hungry this morning that I made a big weekend style breakfast for Lou and me before he took off at 7:30 am. No, I won't bill Maggi for the $15 class.

I like to have goals, plans, things to look forward to. Trip planning makes me as happy as the actual trip. Looking forward to visitors makes me love the preparation; housework, stuff that usually gets put off until I can't stand it anymore. I started this blog to mark my course through the T Tapp getting in shape program that I have put out there as my goal. I will be 57 this year, yup, same age as my mother. At least in my mind. Things are not as they used to be, mostly because of my lack of ambition in the body dept. and honestly I just haven't believed until recently that I could look as good as I did in my 30's, heck at 49 when Lou and I got married I looked great, felt great. T Tapp is intense and focused. I like that it isn't the jumping around. I did Jazzersize for years and loved it, but it doesn't inspire me any more. T Tapp does. I won't make you wash your eyes out with soap by putting a before picture up....when I am there (weight wise) I will post the before picture. Until then I may share pictures of my kids, my wildflowers and even a sunset view from the dock, but no pictures in yoga pants/wifebeaters side view until there is one that looks remarkably better than the "before."

BTW the "Life Chapter 5.5" is in reference to being in the 2nd half of my 50's decade.