| “Good
Luck Getting into Heaven” Sunday, December 28, 2014 23 comments At first I only heard the first two words. I had been running and I thought that the man I encountered during my cool down was encouraging me to keep going. “Excuse me,” I asked and he repeated all 5 words. You see, I was wearing a ... Read more There is a "Stealth Sparker" in my house! Friday, December 26, 2014 20 comments My last 3 blogs were about the trip DH & I took to Europe to visit the Christmas Markets accessible from a cruise on the Danube. I wrote about the sites, the food/drink, what I wore and that I only gained 1.5 pounds. What I didn't mentio... Read more How a spark friend influenced my travel wardrobe and helped me pack light. Wednesday, December 24, 2014 24 comments I regularly turn to SP for healthy eating and exercise information. A few weeks ago this “non-fashionista” got some advice of a different kind. Sparker Phebess wrote a travel blog specifically geared to fashion. I wanted to run ev... Read more Sparking my way across Europe before Christmas – the ultimate test of motivation Tuesday, December 23, 2014 24 comments Yesterday I posted a summary of the sites we visited during our 11 days on the Danube. There was an additional 2+ days of travel to deal with also. Flying during the holidays is a test of patience in itself. Many articles and blogs addr... Read more Christmas Markets on the Danube – The short version Monday, December 22, 2014 22 comments This is the 3rd year in a row that DH decided we should cruise a European river before Christmas. We began in Prague which isn’t ON the Danube but a great place to start. The market between the Cathedral and the Astronomical Clock draws... Read more A race, a funeral, a parade and a concert – not a regular Saturday Saturday, December 06, 2014 25 comments Sometimes everything just comes together at once. This morning was our town’s annual Christmas Classic 5K. I run it every year along with about 70 members of our church. DH even participates. He’s part of our walking contingent. His ... Read more Glad I fell on my face and not on my knees. Weird, huh! Sunday, November 30, 2014 30 comments Friday’s run was the perfect storm. It started as a routine practice run. My only goal was to run up that last hill on the 5k course that always defeats me. Usually I check my watch and decide there won’t be much difference if I take a 1 min... Read more Wearing a small size doesn’t make you “anorexic” Friday, November 28, 2014 21 comments Fat shaming is wrong and the stories about the devastating effects are constantly posted here on Spark. The inspirational stories about challenges faced, incremental progress and final success provide motivation to millions. However i... Read more Now here’s something you don’t see every day – A HOUSE in the road! Tuesday, November 25, 2014 14 comments It was right at the end of my driveway. That prompted a change of running route. I watched with neighbors for a while then ran in the opposite direction. I returned in ... Read more Over 2 years ago I posted a blog asking “Who are these people who always get 100% in Spark Trivia?” Monday, November 24, 2014 16 comments I was lucky to see a “passing” grade. On the scoreboard you would have to scroll 50 to 80 pages to find my name. I persisted for quite a long time. I know I could have googled the information before answering a question, but it was a pe... Read more Gee, Eileen got FAT! - Remembering a Thanksgiving Day comment. Friday, November 21, 2014 18 comments It was a family dinner sometime back in the 1980s and that observation was loudly expressed by my aunt. I’m pondering that memory today for several reasons. Thanksgiving week marks 5 years of maintenance for me. A Spark email th... Read more My “brush” with an SUV Wednesday, November 19, 2014 18 comments What’s going on? For the 2nd time in a week a driver almost ran me down. Last time while on her cell phone, the woman didn’t even notice me. This time the driver saw me and either couldn’t judge distance or just didn’t care. Here’s the l... Read more Sometimes you just gotta eat the cheesecake - Choices for 4 days on the road Monday, November 17, 2014 21 comments This was a combination trip for us. We drove to the mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina to: Check on my 94 year old MIL in her assisted living facility At MIL’s request, visit the old family vacation/retirement cabin a few h... Read more Unintended consequences of technology Wednesday, November 12, 2014 23 comments My daughter got her first mobile phone in 1994. It was called a “car phone” back then and it was huge. Her new husband bought it for her since she had to drive 1 hour to work along country roads which were very deserted in the early morning. ... Read more My very long, extremely productive, spark filled day Sunday, November 09, 2014 20 comments It actually began Friday afternoon when I read an email from my favorite running store about a sudden “flash sale.” I planned to visit them at some point anyway and this seemed like a personal invitation. DH decided to come with me and com... Read more I must be the only person who does not own or want to wear jeans Friday, November 07, 2014 22 comments It’s not because I’m old. I haven’t owned a pair since 1975. That’s when the 60s officially ended for me. At that point I was a mother of 3. So many articles and blogs talk about getting back into those “skinny” jeans. I don’t covet any... Read more 4 Billion Spark Points? I’m watching a milestone achievement right now in real time. Tuesday, November 04, 2014 152 comments I’m referring to the counter on the Spark Points page. It’s like watching my car’s odometer as it approaches 200,000 miles. I like seeing my own spark points add up. I like observing how many cumulative points my teams are earning.... Read more Remember the movie “The Invasion of the Body Snatchers?” Friday, October 31, 2014 16 comments This is one scary vegetable to appear on Halloween. It triggered a memory of the “pod people” from the 1950s version of the movie that freaked me out as a kid. DH ... Read more Is this a Halloween decoration? No, just me cleaning out closets. Wednesday, October 29, 2014 28 comments It’s getting colder and my hands are the first part of my body to freeze. I always need to have gloves with me when running or walking or just running errands. Abo... Read more I’m the mother of a 5k Masters Champ. 1st place trophy for me too (65-69) Saturday, October 25, 2014 30 comments Here we are after the “I am Woman 5k” in Lynchburg, VA this morning. What a wonderful atmosphere! 600 women of all ages, shapes and sizes, running and walking for a go... Read more Do restaurants take advantage of “healthy eaters?” Friday, October 24, 2014 26 comments Because of a sudden unexpected trip, my last 6 meals were on the road. This included take-out food since no one was cooking given the circumstances of our visit. The further south you go, the fewer healthy choices I found. This is t... Read more Run cut short by smoke and grass Wednesday, October 22, 2014 18 comments Those are 2 separate things in case a quick misreading led you to think I was smoking grass. Come to think of it, isn’t “grass” an antiquated term now? I’m showing my age. Anyway, I went out for a run specifically seeking a hilly route. T... Read more Exactly 57 years ago in 1957 – a weird anniversary to remember Monday, October 20, 2014 22 comments When I noticed the date this morning, I had an odd feeling that it was significant. October 20th? What was special about that? Then I remembered. It was a Sunday morning and I was spending the weekend with my parents in a small town in P... Read more Multi-level vs. 1 floor living Sunday, October 19, 2014 23 comments When we were looking for a retirement home, realtors directed us mostly to ranch style houses for “one floor living.” Conventional wisdom advises that as we get older, climbing stairs will be difficult or impossible. That made sense exce... Read more My new Spark fashion accessory – unintended consequences Friday, October 17, 2014 28 comments Since Sunday I’ve been testing and posting about my new Spark Activity Tracker. Yesterday we were going out to a dinner held by one of DH’s organizations. We were ready to go when DH asked “Aren’t you going to wear that new button thing?”... Read more 5+ years on SP and NOW I get an activity tracker? Wednesday, October 15, 2014 30 comments I’ve kept a fitness log for decades, way before online resources were available. Back in the dark ages before the Internet, I kept my results on a spreadsheet and before that in a paper diary. I love data and I can approximate my walking a... Read more The T-Shirt read “The football team will perform before and after the band” Saturday, October 11, 2014 19 comments As my status says today, I spent hours last night sitting in a cold drizzling rain on hard bleachers to attend a high school football game. We have 3 grandchildren in the school’s extremely successful marching band program (2 trumpets and 1 tro... Read more AMTRAK, SparkPeople and Me Friday, October 10, 2014 21 comments Although we’ve ridden trains in Europe and spent much of our youth on the NYC subway system, a journey on AMTRAK was a new experience for DH and me. However, our plan to visit #1 grandson at college in Rhode Island required a day’s travel f... Read more “ Time hurries on and the leaves that are green turn to brown” Wednesday, October 08, 2014 25 comments I have a soundtrack in my head. On this crisp October morning it’s playing Simon and Garfunkel who created much of the soundtrack of my youth. It pops up in times of nostalgia. My status yesterday said that I had a nice visit with #1 Gran... Read more Compromise on eyewear Thursday, October 02, 2014 19 comments Usually I don’t run wearing my glasses. They bounce around and with progressive lenses, that can get pretty weird. After my experience last month I decided I need to have them along so I can tell the difference between a stick and a copperhea... Read more Imitating and learning from spark friends Monday, September 29, 2014 22 comments I’ve learned a lot in my 5+ years here from the general articles, from the resources and discussions on team pages and from individual blogs and status posts. Many of these have sparked changes in my life. Others don’t fit the way I live a... Read more More on the “Great Race” – the Hill and I Sunday, September 28, 2014 23 comments The Virginia 10 Miler is a wonderful event attracting a lot of community support and thousands of local participants as well as elite national and international runners. Unfortunately for me Lynchburg is known as the “Hill City.” I’ve writ... Read more Meeting a Spark Friend at a great race Saturday, September 27, 2014 20 comments Today was my first real life encounter with a Spark Friend. Teri-rific and I ran the 4 mile option of the Virginia 10 Miler in Lynchburg. Nice that you don’t have to do the whole 10 miles to get a finisher’s medal. ... Read more The Junk Food King and I Thursday, September 25, 2014 31 comments Like other sparkers I often write about my efforts to encourage DH to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Looking through my blogs I noticed that I never included his picture. So here we are. ... Read more How many people have an actual photo of their aha moment? Saturday, September 20, 2014 245 comments That's the moment in time when we realize that we have to make some changes, even if we're not sure at that moment what they should be. Here I am on Dec 6, 2008 holding the mug which was the award for first place in my age group in our town... Read more Do you remember juice glasses? Friday, September 19, 2014 22 comments My status yesterday said that I was weighing and measuring my food to check on “portion creep.” Portion creep, along with sizing creep, was primarily responsible for my weight gain. For anyone who isn’t aware of my pet peeve with the... Read more I cut up my mother’s pajamas this morning Wednesday, September 17, 2014 23 comments Like several sparkers lately, I have to deal with my mother’s possessions. Unlike some others, this is a slow process for me. Partly it’s because my mother saved everything and there isn’t any particular organization to the stuff she save... Read more “ You have nice legs” said the nursing home resident. Tuesday, September 16, 2014 20 comments Several times a month my status reads “Brooklyn_Born is singing at a nursing home this morning.” A Spark Friend blogged today that she was beginning to volunteer at an old folks home. So I thought I would share this story. A few membe... Read more Focus on what you CAN do, not what you CAN’T – great blog from a Sparker living this advice Sunday, September 14, 2014 20 comments I’d like to direct your attention to a great blog by LindaKay228 whose experience and motivation put this common slogan into action. “Why I Do What I Do” www.sparkpeople.com/mypa ge_public_journal_individu al.asp?blog_id=5779... Read more Why, other than weight gain, would I go back to tracking my food? Saturday, September 13, 2014 30 comments I must admit that I don’t track my food anymore UNLESS there is an upward trend in my weight. Weighing myself every day is especially important for me personally since avoiding the scale is how I gained the weight in the first place. Now I... Read more Age Quod Agis – not exactly Carpe Diem – but complementary advice Tuesday, September 09, 2014 19 comments What most people don’t know about me is that I studied Latin for 5 years. I’ve got big medals to prove it. I would have been a Classics major in college if I thought I could make a living at it, but I’m very practical too. As a math/comp... Read more Sparkpeople advertising – not a complaint Friday, September 05, 2014 24 comments Recently I decided that I have gained so much from Sparkpeople that I would like to give something back. I would buy a T-Shirt. Unfortunately, my decision coincided with the redesign of the website and I could no longer find the link to th... Read more It’s not a plateau, it’s “mini-maintenance” Thursday, September 04, 2014 66 comments I know that plateaus are depressing to many people. There are plenty of blogs and articles written about the negative effect they have on our motivation. Since plateaus never bothered me very much, I thought I would share my perspective.... Read more Run cut short by a SNAKE - EEK! Tuesday, September 02, 2014 23 comments It takes something really unusual for me to blog in the middle of the day. A copperhead will do it. It very hot and humid here in VA so my plan was to get up early, drive to a city with a shaded trail and run there. On the outskirts... Read more Weight is increasing and I’m happy about it Sunday, August 31, 2014 26 comments No, the weight isn’t on my body. It’s right here. I have a complete set of dumbbells ranging from 1 to 12 pounds. I keep them in the living room directly in the li... Read more I BLOG therefore I AM…NOT eating the ice cream (apologies to Descartes for the paraphrase) Sunday, August 24, 2014 18 comments I never blog in the middle of the day. That’s an early morning thing for me. This is a special case. Today is supposed to be a rest day. I’m working on a big project. I want to finish updating my website to include the recent concer... Read more Sugar alcohol and me – got to read those labels carefully. Friday, August 22, 2014 21 comments My status today says that I’m sorting through photos. That’s true and needs to be done, but the decision wasn’t totally my choice. Like many people, some food “agrees with me” and some doesn’t. In my case I’ve learned to totally avoid fis... Read more Oops! That wasn’t deodorant. Wednesday, August 20, 2014 23 comments We travel a LOT and regularly by plane. So I’ve become expert at packing efficiently even for 3-4 week trips. I have a light-weight carry-on with the essentials I would need if the airline lost my checked suitcase. I even include some co... Read more Look where I am – virtually, that is. Tuesday, August 19, 2014 17 comments I’m running/walking across the USA thanks to a Spark Team – The Virtual Walk/Run Challenge https://sparkpeo.hs.llnw d.net/e1/myspark/groups_in dividual.asp... Read more Training with real people Sunday, August 17, 2014 17 comments I love SparkPeople and especially the friends I’ve met here. DH calls them my “imaginary” friends. Regardless of their title, these online friends have helped me immensely. I follow their journey and they follow mine. The special inter... Read more Expanding my horizons with a Spark Recipe – Moroccan Chicken & Lentils Thursday, August 14, 2014 15 comments I’m an impatient cook. I want it to be healthy and taste good, but I don’t want to take a lot of time doing it and I don’t want to baby-sit it. It should cook by itself without any more help from me. I also prefer a reasonable length of i... Read more A coincidence but a nice “Field of Dreams” kind of memory Tuesday, August 12, 2014 14 comments This is the baseball team of my Dad’s WWII ship (USS Philadelphia). Dad taught me to be a fan. We watched NY baseball on TV or in person way back from when the D... Read more You know what’s wrong with you? You’re BOTTOM HEAVY! Sunday, August 10, 2014 104 comments Those are the exact words I was told yesterday at the gym. I had just finished a 3 mile run on the treadmill, sandwiched between a warm-up and cool-down walk totaling another 1.8 miles. The source of this “helpful” observation was an old... Read more My 50th HS Reunion and 30 hours in NYC Wednesday, August 06, 2014 19 comments That’s me in the 3rd row in red. It was a memorable evening reconnecting with old friends, making new ones (we were a class of over 700) and listening to the soundtrack of... Read more Ireland-part 2 - Our finale Thursday, July 31, 2014 6 comments Here’s the finale of our 50 minute concert. This was our 3rd of 4 performances in Ireland. This venue was a small church in Monaghan which is in the Republic of Ireland, but very close to the border of Northern Ireland. “Amazing Grace” ... Read more Singing and Running in Ireland Thursday, July 31, 2014 12 comments That’s why I’ve disappeared from SP for 10 days. My choral group, the Jefferson Choral Society, performed 4 concerts in Ireland. Here we are at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin. ... Read more Oh Fiddle Dee Dee! It’s Scarlett and Me! Saturday, July 19, 2014 21 comments Scarlett O’Hara and I have something in common. No, it’s not her 20” waist. It’s a vegetable. Remember the scene in “Gone with the Wind” when Scarlett shook her fist at the heavens and swore that she would never be hungry again? She wa... Read more How Professor Dumbledore got me off the couch Thursday, July 17, 2014 19 comments Yesterday was supposed to be a strength training day, but by late afternoon I was laying on the couch resting on my laurels. I was proud of myself. I had bashed my knee on a piece of furniture the night before and skipped running. Howeve... Read more I’ve Got to Stop Sleeping Around Wednesday, July 16, 2014 16 comments I can fall asleep anywhere – on the couch, in a recliner, on any padded flat surface, even on a plane if I have something or someone to lean against. Last night I was in a spare bedroom watching a movie that DH wasn’t interested in. I wok... Read more Be Careful Out There |
Time to join the 21st Century? Thursday, June 19, 2014 16 comments In country #1 I remember family – present and past Those I travelled with: DH, DD (Hayburner1969), her DH, & 3 kids. The family I first discovered in 2008 in Slovak... Read more Memorial Day lyrics for the whole world Sunday, May 25, 2014 16 comments Last night my choral society sang at the National D-Day Memorial. The program included a swing era dance band, a children’s chorus, and recognition of the veterans in attendance. There was a special remembrance of those who gave their liv... Read more Thinking about THOSE people Saturday, May 24, 2014 16 comments I read a wonderful blog by Steph-Knee this morning about obligation vs. desire /www.sparkpeople.com/myp age_public_journal_individ ual.asp?blog_id=5701198 Her story is inspirational and she writes really well. Ho... Read more Running with “difficult” feet – compensating for genetics Sunday, May 18, 2014 16 comments I’m a combination of both of my parents. Sports minded and competitive like my Dad. Prone to worry and anxiety like my Mom. In one area I got the worst of both. I’ve got Dad’s flat feet with severe over-pronation and Mom’s “floppy... Read more Heat + Humidity + Hills = Hell Wednesday, May 14, 2014 17 comments It’s my own fault. Since November I’ve avoided hills with the rationalization that I was training for a flat half marathon. I convinced myself that it was more important to focus on distance and endurance. I don’t need much convincing to avoi... Read more The
Changing of the Guard – figuratively that is What has captured the attention of 3 teenage grandchildren? |