Laughter & The Plague a.k.a. Beauty & The Beast

   Well, I am glad to be back after being plagued with a nasty head/sinus cold that had me bedridden for days and out of commission for a couple of weeks!  A special thanks to Carla, the 'Soup Goddess' who provided and nurtured me with a variety of her homemade soups throughout!  The first weekend, I took a small reprieve on the Sunday morning to volunteer at a joint fundraising venture put on by Rotary Club of Burlington North and Breast Cancer Support Services.  It was 1 Million Steps for Breast Cancer Awareness.  I was working the Registration Table when all of a sudden the whole mall seemed to break into hysterics!  Hysterics of laughter that is!  Ever heard of Laughter Yoga?  There were a couple of Laughter Yoga instructors imparting their wisdom and laughter to all the walkers.  I seemed to recall reading that Gretchen Rubin mentioned it in her book "The Happiness Project".  Weird.  But true.  There really is such a thing!
    

"For my next experiment, I decided to try laughter yoga.  Founded by an Indian doctor, this combination of yoga and laughter has spread rapidly around the world, and I kept running into references to it as a happiness-inducing activity.  Laughter yoga combines clapping, chanting, breathing, and stretching exercises drawn from yoga to calm the mind and the body, and the simulated laughter provoked by the exercises often turns into real laughter." 

Gretchen attended a class but found it wasn't for her and did not return.  Now, I'm not so coordinated that regular yoga moves come easily to me, and to add laughter amidst that would likely find me rolling on the floor laughing at my own inability - which I'm sure I can just as easily assume in the comfort of my own home!  That being said, laughter does have its benefits to be sure, and it's worth finding ways to elicit laughter, even if directed at oneself!  After all, laughter is infectious!  And what better Colin Firth film to watch in correlation to the subject of laughter than "Nanny McPhee"!  The antics that the children of Cedric Brown (Colin Firth) perform so aptly in their plight to rid a succession of nannies is comical and clever.  I enjoyed watching this movie again with my kids!  I still remember the day I saw it in the theatre with Matthew when it was released in 2006.  He came home and drew a picture of us sitting in the theatre watching it.  Here's a photo of the picture.  We are in the very front row and he is sitting on my lap holding his bucket of popcorn.  You can see his rendition of Nanny McPhee on the screen!  Sadly, Colin's character wasn't as profound in his little eyes as he wasn't included!).

"The person you need is Nanny McPhee".  This movie could be classified as parental fantasy!  I mean, what parent doesn't at times wish a "Nanny McPhee" would whisk into their life and work wonders with their children.  Teach them manners, to do as they are told, and respect their elders.  Hell, I know I would have graciously welcomed a "Nanny McPhee" if only to tackle potty training!  When Nanny McPhee reveals to the Brown children, "When you need me but do not want me, then I must stay. When you want me but no longer need me, then I have to go. It's rather sad, really, but there it is." , I felt this summed up the process of parenthood rather poignantly.  When your children are young they need you and as they become teenagers they want to distant themselves from you somewhat in preparation for 'leaving the nest'.  Once they reach adulthood and move onto post secondary education and careers, they still need you, but in a different way.  They are able to provide the basic necessities themselves (food, water, shelter etc.).  Thinking of Matthew heading off to high school next year makes this all too evident to me and I'm saddened that he's growing up so fast - but at the same time excited as he gradually reveals the man he will become.  And of course, there has been plenty of laughter along the way and I know there will be more to look forward to!

   Speaking of things to look forward to, I'm hoping we've finally seen the last of the snow and can start enjoying the outdoors more again!  Although I was sick for a couple of weeks, I still managed to get to Curves 3 times a week!  It was evident that I was lacking energy as the computer showed my residual energy as high as 61 (not sure what units this is in but that's the number).  Yesterday, I was happy to see that I completed the workout without any residual energy, so I must be on the mend!  Furthermore, I did indeed get my weight back down to 138 lbs.  Not only that, last week I weighed in at 137.5 lbs and yesterday I weighed in at 137.25 - that's less than half way to my next incentive (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy)!  I also had my monthly measurements done and lost 3" overall from bust, waist, abdomen, hip and arms!  Last week, three different ladies told me they noticed I'd lost weight and asked how I did it.  I told them about the Colin Firth Diet Club and the culmination of what that entailed.  I left that day elated and on a Colin Firth Diet Club high!  I'm pretty confident that I'll be able to lose the next couple of pounds and earn my next movie before we leave on our Mediterranean cruise next month - in which case, I will proudly don the bright green bikini I recently bought!

   My culinary adventures over the past couple of weeks were on the lean side as I let others cook for me while I rested, but there are two new recipes I tried.  The first was Creamy Butternut Tagliatelle taken from the March 2012 issue of Chatelaine.  This tasty dish with butternut squash was paired with salmon and a spinach salad.



Last night for dinner I made Cantonese Lemon Chicken, a recipe I discovered in the Spring 2013 edition of Food & Drink magazine while visiting my in-laws on Easter.  Let me tell you - this dish is like meal and dessert all in one!  The chicken was tender and coated in my new staple - panko crumbs, and topped with a lemon sauce redolent of lemon pie!!  I will most definitely be recreating this one!  My mouth is watering in anticipation of it!

   More good news to report!  Yesterday I tested my blood pressure while at the grocery store.  I took five successive readings which were 136/83, 125/78, 129/77, 126/70, and 123/86.  Check out those diastolic numbers!!!  Nurse Judy would be so proud, as am I!  Guess that extra water I've been drinking has really done the trick!

Today the sun was shining brightly and invigorating my inner soul.  With all this good news - the pounds lost, inches gone, blood pressure optimal, I felt ready to try on that pile of pants hidden in the closet from thinner days.  They fit again!  Well, four of them do, I've still a little ways to go to fit into the other two again - but this is great news!!!  I was beginning to think "There'll be snow in August" before I'd be able to fit into those pants again!  Not to mention don a bikini!  Mark my words, that when I am down to 135 lbs I will purge my larger fitting clothes!  I'm glad I saved these old pants - a) because it means I don't have to go shopping for news ones (wait, that's a catch 22!  I save some $$ but deprive myself of shopping?) and b) it's very rewarding to find you can wear something you've been too fat to fit into for years and years!  I'm finding my thinner self in here somewhere finally!  And I feel great!

Till next time, remember to have a good laugh, watch Nanny McPhee and "Beehive".

Detritus Serendipitous and Happiness

     The book I need to read for my Book Club this month is "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin.  I had considered myself to be a rather happy person, but as I delved into the pages of this book, I quickly realized that there is so much more I can do to create more happiness for myself.    Gretchen starts her project in January with monthly goals.  January she chooses to focus on energy.  She attempts to get to bed earlier and declutter her house.  This has inspired me to do the same as I read her words, "I needed to clear away the detritus of my mind."   Having majored in Communication Studies in University, I sometimes fall across words that enamor me.  One such word has always been serendipity ever since I watched the film starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale.  It is coincidentally the name of my favourite new tea room in town that I frequent on a rather regular basis!  Well, similarly, when I read 'detritus' it also struck a chord in me.  I began to think of all the detritus surrounding myself - physically, mentally and emotionally.  It was time to clear some of it up!  Last weekend I began tackling the kitchen cupboards.  I started with the cupboard above the phone where we store art and craft supplies and my cookbooks.  Over the years, we have collected numerous paint sets, markers, modeling clay etc.  I made a pile of superfluous supplies and asked the kids to dispose of those they were not going to use.  Then, I went through the cookbooks and removed a few that I had never used or looked at.  The end result was order!  My cookbooks now fit nicely on the bottom shelf, my electric pencil sharpener has  it's own spot on the middle shelf and the paints fill the top shelf.  When I was finished this portion of the project, we all headed to the track!   I was excited to don my new shirt and running shoes.  I ran 5 laps without stopping!  And I felt great!  Afterwards we showered and got ready to go to my in-laws for Easter dinner and had a fab time!  We had to come home earlier than we normally would have so John and Matthew would be home in time to work on their Fantasy Baseball draft, so Kristen and I went upstairs to watch "Marley & Me".  I quite literally cried myself to sleep snuggling my Rocket!  You see, Gretchen inspired, and reminded me of one of my goals which was to get to bed earlier.  The movie ended around 10:30 and I was content to go to bed immediately following.

 

Monday, the 1st day of April felt like a renewal!  I was so energized and well slept that I felt I could take on the world!  I was beginning another week of eating wheat-free.  I felt sore muscles in my abs and thighs, and I was happy about it!  John decided the previous night to sign up for the 1/2 marathon, and for a brief moment that morning I felt that I was capable of joining him!  But I won't!!  I know my limitations, and right now, a marathon (or half for that matter) is far outside those limits.  I did go to Curves though, and had remarkable success!  As part of the Curves Smart program I can track how many calories I burn from each workout, and usually I range anywhere from say 250 - 350 calories, but Monday I burned 402!  Could it be that the extra sleep gave me the added boost?  On Wednesday I burned 500 calories during my workout!  I actually asked the Manager if that was possible or if there was a glitch in the system!  As for my current weight, on Thursday I was at 141.5 lbs.  I think I may be back under 140 lbs at this point but will measure tomorrow before my workout at Curves.  Sometimes my scale at home likes to tell a slightly exaggerated story, if you know what I mean!  Apparently my wheat-free stint wasn't as successful this time round as I was anticipating the pounds to fall off more rapidly - but perhaps those pretty foiled chocolate eggs are to blame!  (OK, OK, it wasn't their fault, it was own sheer lack of willpower - and I've since paid the price).

The calendar is filled with constant roadblocks one needs to hurdle over from one to the next.  After over indulging over the Christmas season, we tend to anticipate New Year's resolutions where we eat smarter and exercise more regularly.  We are then hit with Valentine's day redolent of red velvet heart-shaped boxes filled with assorted chocolates... followed by St. Patrick's Day goodies (in my house anyways!), only to be onslaught with chocolate eggs and bunnies, jelly beans and more for Easter!  There may be a small reprieve over the summer months where you are left to your own devices which are likely to find you scoping out the local Baskin Robbins or Dairy Queen. Then to make up for the 'dry' months we are bombarded with bags full of chocolates, bubblegum, potato chips, lollipops, and a plethora of other sweets for Hallowe'en (OK, you may tell yourself this is for the kids, but who are you kidding?  We all look forward to indulging in the fruits of the kids labours! In fact my mother-in-law is famous for eating all the candy she purchases to give out for Hallowe'en and then has to go out and buy more to hand out to the kids!).   Here I sit by my computer ranting along ...as I am disgusted by the colourful foil wrappers strewn across my desk from my own indulgence.  Perhaps they should cover the chocolate eggs in a black matte paper with skull and crossbones, or the red hourglass design found on a black widow spider - that would deter me for sure! Instead I am left here with the vision of cradling the pretty pink foiled egg "Come here my pretty!"

I have since removed more detritus from other kitchen cupboards - I'm taking things slow and trying to accomplish a little each day.  And I have become more aware of other ways of clearing detritus!  On Friday, my friend April was hosting a Princess Gold Party.  The beauty of this kind of party is that you aren't expected to purchase anything, rather - you bring your unwanted gold and they pay YOU!!!  Unfortunately I've been struck with a bad sinus cold and fever and wasn't able to attend - but I finally parted with a couple of gold bracelets given to me in high school from boyfriends past.  Why was I holding on to them?  I don't rightly know, maybe just for the fact that they were made of gold?  John was non too pleased to discover I still had them lying around, and I had forgotten I had them so why not sell them!  Carla took them and sold them for me and I made $68 from them!  Think of the more precious 'gold' I can purchase with that - namely, Colin Firth films to add to my collection!!!

Gretchen focused on her marriage for the month of February.  Her husband reminded me a lot of John and I could also see parts of myself in her.  The week leading up to Easter, I was extremely busy and stressed designing and fulfilling cake orders, and the state of my kitchen showed it!  Trying to be proactive, I explained to John that I was going to take Saturday off.  I was going to sleep in, work on updating my blog and website.  I asked that he not bully or pester me into cleaning and that I would work on cleaning the disastrous kitchen gradually.  It worked pretty good!  I'm also going to try harder not to roll my eyes when John goes on and on about his running and to be more supportive.  I truly am proud of him, but I know I can show it better!  Gretchen talks in her book about her need to receive a 'gold star' to fulfill her need of approval.  I just realized now, that this is what John is seeking, and as I am also one who likes to be on the receiving end of a 'gold star', I should be doling out more to others myself!  I used to receive lots of 'gold stars' when I was younger - certificates, awards, trophies, medals - but once you grow up and enter the 'real world', these become few and far between.  Especially after becoming a parent!  And that is the most gratifying, and stressful job of all!  In 2010 I was awarded the City of Burlington Community Service Award for the work I do with Breast Cancer Support Services and the Scrap Cancer fundraiser I founded.  I was flabbergasted to hear I was even nominated!  Gold Stars can come in many forms.  Receiving that award was one of them and it really meant a lot to me, knowing that the work I did to help others was really making a difference!  Perhaps the most rewarding 'gold star' for me however, and I receive a plethora of them, is the unsolicited hugs I constantly get every day from my children!  You know you've done something right when that happens!

In April, as Gretchen attempts to 'Lighten Up' she vows to 'Become a Treasure House of Happy Memories'.  This reminded me of one thing that leads to my happiness - scrapbooking!  I get lost in the process of reminiscing about happy times with my family as I produce a layout.  After reading this book, I plan to make more time to work on my scrapbooks.  The kids love pulling down the large albums to see what they did when they were little (well, littler).  Next weekend I am off to another scrapbooking retreat, and since I haven't done any scrapbooking since the last retreat I attended in October, I am going to make it a priority to work on at home!

The only new recipe I tried this week was a Mango Surprise Smoothie taken from the 'Flat Belly Diet Cookbook'.  I was a little apprehensive about trying this one since it includes avocado and we didn't part the best of friends with the last recipe attempt, however, we've each since matured and come to a mutual understanding.  So long as avocados are mixed in with other tastier foods, we will get along just fine!  This smoothie was so delicious!  I made it again the following day and Matthew wanted to try some and even he liked it!  I'm looking forward to grocery shopping tomorrow to get more lime to make it again!  Long live the avocado!!!!

Now, the detritus of Easter is thus removed (consumed)! I am working on clearing more detritus to make way for more Colin Firth DVD's.  When it comes down to it, The Colin Firth Diet Club in essence is my personal 'Happiness Project'!  It (he) is my muse and motivation and I am so happy with the changes I've made.  Furthermore, I am happy to have such a clever husband to have come up with the idea!  Thanks John!  This may be my 'Happiness Project', but John, you are my happiness replete!  Providing I am back under 140 lbs tomorrow - anyone want to celebrate with tea and scones at Serendipity tomorrow aft?  Colin, you are more than welcome - it'll be my treat!