Weight Loss Update #9 & Half-Way Giveaway Winner ... Among Other Things : )

Good morning!!!  I had a very good night's sleep last night & feel pretty good this morning.  The heat index is predicted to be between 110-115 so this farm gal will be staying inside & trying to accomplish every single thing she needs to do!!!  Then again, if I'm estimating this right it will take more than a day to get everything done that needs to be done so I guess I'll need to do some picking & choosing   : )

Thank you for all the kind words regarding my trip to the hospital.  I really appreciate them!  Hopefully it will be my last trip.  I have an aunt who just celebrated her 85th birthday in June.  She has never been admitted to a hospital except when she gave birth to her son, never had to go to the ER, never had any PAP smears or breast exams or colonoscopies or x-rays or any other kinds of tests, & has been to see a doctor maybe 10 times in her life not counting prenatal/postnatal visits.  She moves a little slower now-a-days & gets more tired than she used to but she still looks great & she can run rings around people half her age.  She has always had a great attitude about things & she still has.  About a year ago someone suggested to her that she might want to join the local senior citizens group because they go on outings & have various get-togethers & she might enjoy that!  She answered "Why would I want to join a senior citizens group?  I'm not old!"  Yep ... great attitude!  I hope I'm like that when I'm in my 80s.  I plan to be   : )

I got on the scale this morning expecting the worst ... especially after grilling a half-pound burger for my dinner last night & smothering it with mozzarella cheese & pizza sauce.  No bun ... gotta keep off carbs for now.  During this maintenance phase I'm supposed to be staying within 2 pounds of the weight I was 3 days before entering it.  I don't claim to understand the mechanics of this diet ... I'm just reporting what I'm supposed to do.  This morning I weighed 1-1/2 pounds less than that weight so I am very pleased   : )   I have been having such fun searching out different recipes & cooking things ahead of time.  On Tuesday I made a small pot of spicy lentil soup which I put in containers & placed in the freezer.  That same day I also cooked a roast in the crockpot until it fell apart.  I will use the shredded beef to make a small pot of vegetable beef soup today which will also go into the freezer.  With the remaining beef I will make chili for dinner.  I make chili without beans which some people can't understand but it's really good!  Also on Tuesday (it was a productive day food-wise ... lol!) I followed someone's recipe for grilling eggplant.  I am 57 years old & never in my life have I eaten or cooked with eggplant ... or zucchini for that matter.  You should've seen me in the grocery stores trying to find zucchinis ... I didn't even know what they looked like ... lol!  Anyway, you slice the eggplant into half-inch slices, brush it with olive oil, & place it on the grill.  You can then actually put cheese on top along with lettuce & tomato & whatever else, put it on a bun & eat it like a hamburger ... but I made "Eggplant Italian" & melted my beloved mozzarella cheese on top, then added pizza sauce & Italian sausage bits I had fried ahead of time.  It was good but I honestly didn't taste the eggplant.  It was very soft ... don't know if that's the way it's supposed to be or not.  It was nicely browned on the outsides & I didn't grill it really close to the coals so I'll assume it was okay.

Sorry ... I'm really rambling on today!

Before beginning this post I drew a winner for my Half-Way Giveaway.  This has got to be the first giveaway in history where only 6 people signed up ... lol!  Forgive me for not taking a picture of the names written on the little slips of paper, all the little slips folded & placed into the bowl & mixed around, & my hand reaching in & drawing out the name.  I know it's not too exciting just telling you who won but you'll have to deal with it ... lol!  So are you ready???  The winner is ... TRACE!!!  Trace, I will email you to get your address & also to discuss the giveaway with you.  I also decided to draw a runner-up winner & that winner is ... BETTY!!!  Betty, I will also email you to get your address.  Congratulations to both of you!!!  I will post photos of the giveaway items but not right now   : )

And speaking of giveaways, Janice over at Prims by the Water is having a Christmas in July giveaway!  She will give away the following prim Santa & homestead pillow when she reaches 100 followers!  She has made these items with her own 2 little hands & I think they are both wonderful!

          

Well, I think that's it ... at least for now ... lol!  I hope you will all enjoy today even though the heat will be a problem in most of the country.  One of my friends on Facebook posted something this morning regarding the heat which I thought was something to think about so I am going to repost it here ...

I was going to complain about how hot it is but then I realized ...

1.  The temperature is not 109 degrees (heat index not included);

2.  I'm not 5,700 miles from home;

3.  I'm not dressed in a full BDU uniform & helmet & carrying 70+ pounds;

4.  There is very little chance that anyone will shoot me or that I will drive over a road bomb today.

      

May God bless & be with all our soldiers who deal with these conditions on a daily basis.