Sunday, December 27, 2009

Sunday Salon:


Greetings from a cold, snowy Indiana! We flew up here from Florida on Tuesday to a nice couple of inches of snow on the ground, which prompted some great sledding and building/dismembering of snowmen. Soon after that, however, the sleet moved in, and we didn't see fluffy flakes again until Friday evening.

As a result, there wasn't much progress made towards my 200 mile fitness challenge goal. I did walk five miles one day in the sleet, but can't say I want to make a habit of that! One neighbor guy even stopped and asked if I needed help, thinking a flat tire would be the only possible reason for a body to be out walking in that mess! Guess I'm going to have to live on my elliptical machine once I get home! The exciting news is that Trish is going to have another 100 Mile Fitness Challenge running from January 1st through March 31st, which will keep the momentum going. In addition, I am excited to announce that I will be taking part in the "Game On Diet" starting on January 4, based on the book, with some blogging friends. I will be on team Ho Ho (beware the Ho's!). The premise here is that you get daily points for eating healthy food, exercising, getting a certain number of hours of sleep, drinking 3L of water, establishing a new healthy habit, and kicking some bad ones. The team with the most points at the end of the month wins. I'm not sure if my teammates and adversaries know how competitive I am, but I'm not going to leave any points on the table guys! And maybe I might lose a pound or two along the way!

Speaking of pounds, well, maybe we shouldn't. My mom has been cooking like a maniac, and we've been eating it all, whether we are hungry or not. We've also been taking in some movies. We got our fill of A Christmas Story, Home Alone and Christmas Vacation with the 24 hour marathons on TV. We saw The Blind Side at the theater. My sister got my husband and I a three-disc DVD set of remastered movies directed by Andzej Wajda (a renowned Polish director) that have been providing late-night viewing fun. The kids got Star Trek and Harry Potter in the their stockings, so we've watched those also. Lots of sittin', lots of eatin'...a giant sloth am I.

Santa was very good to me this year. As you know, I got a Netbook from my husband and a Bookmarks subscription from my parents, both early gifts. I also got a gift card to Williams Sonoma, a gift card to Borders, and a gift card to Chicos. Cookware, books and clothes...what else could a girl want????

With all of the family, food, snow, movie and wine distractions, my reading hasn't been quite up to par. I did finish Connie May Fowler's new book "How Clarissa Burden Learned to Fly", which has left me speechless. How I am going to articulate my thoughts in a review (which won't be posted until April, when the book releases) is beyond me, but I've got a few months to work on it. I am continuing to listen to "The Liar's Club" by Mary Karr on audio. And I started "Fingersmith" by Sarah Waters on my Kindle. Oh what a delight she is! I am becoming a bit of a fangirl, to the point that I know I will have to read everything she has written eventually.

I hope all of you had a blessed Christmas with your family. Here's to one more week of gluttony and abandon before reality bites us in the butt!






21 comments:

Susan said...

So happy that you had a great Christmas, Sandy! Same here...everyone was pleased with their gifts and we ate until we couldn't eat any more! I'm thinking of putting the rest of the cookies and fudge in the deep freeze. Believe it or not, I'm actually sick of the whole thing and ready to start eating healthy!

I can't believe you went for a 5-mile hike in the sleet! Are you crazy, woman!!! I think your brain must have been addled by all the sugar! LOL

Beth F said...

What a lovely visit you are having with your family. And you Ho's need to fatten up -- we Twinkies are in for the kill, er um, I mean win!

Molly said...

What a GREAT Christmas you have had, Sandy!

OK --- I am definitely signing up for the 100 mile fitness challenge this go around with the hopes of getting into an exercise routine as well as an audio book routine.

And...I will have to see if it is too late to join the Game On Diet - as I missed the one this summer due to courses. I need help with exercise AND drinking water.

I hope you continue to have a relaxing time with family, and have safe travels back to Florida.

rhapsodyinbooks said...

Your Christmas sounds wonderful! And I love the story about the guy stopping you to see if you needed help!

JoAnn said...

Cookware, books, and clothes indeed!! What a great holiday!

Anna said...

Glad to see you had a wonderful Christmas. I've been eating a lot, too, but hubby bought me the Wii Fit Plus add on for my balance board so maybe that'll help. LOL

Looks like you got a lot of gift cards. Have fun shopping!

--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric

Trisha said...

Just say no to reality! It sounds like you had a wonderful Christmas with food and gifts. What could be better?

bermudaonion said...

It sounds like you had a fabulous holiday! You must have been a good girl because you got some great gifts. My big gift was a Flip video camera. My guys gave it to me and now they run every time I try to use it. You've got me really excited about Clarissa Burden Learns to Fly.

Frances said...

Sounds fantastic! And I am sure many of us have been watching our hind quarters expand these last few weeks but worry over that is what January is for. Enjoy Mom's cooking while you can! How often will people be cooking for you when you get home? :) Happy holidays!

Literary Feline said...

It sounds like you had a very nice and rewarding Christmas, Sandy. :-) Good luck with the Game On Diet Challenge and the continuing 100 Mile Fitness Challenge.

Alyce said...

I am totally laughing at your warning "beware the Ho's!" LOL! :)

Good luck with the exercising and dieting! You've piqued my curiosity about the Clarissa Burden book. I can't wait to read your review! (Although I guess I'll have to.)

Iliana said...

Sounds like you guys are having the perfect holiday - lots of food and relaxation! :)

I'm a fangirl of Sarah Waters too. She's great isn't she? It's been a while since I picked up one of her books but I feel like I sort of have to take my time with them.

Julie P. said...

Welcome to the Game On Diet! It's a ton of fun most of the time. I should sign up for 100 mile fitness challenge too!

Jenners said...

Oooohhh...I'm so excited you are liking "Fingersmith." I can't wait to read that one.

And you so cracked me up that a guy stopped to help you because you were out walking in the sleet! I wish we were on the same Game On team .. you are going to kick butt!

And I think I might sign up for the 100 mile challenge ... it might help me out!

And your holiday sounds wonderful!!!

ds said...

Sounds like you had about the greatest Christmas ever (except for that sleety trek--what were you thinking?!). I will cheer you from the sidelines in the Game On Diet--your competition doesn't stand a chance!!
Do enjoy your last few days of "gluttony and abandon" and a safe trip back to FLA.

Ti said...

Oh Sandy, I am so tired of food ;) I am de-toxing this week in prep for Game On. Lots of exercise and cleansing in my future.

We watched a ton of movies too and with each movie, ate a ton of popcorn to go with it.

Kathleen said...

Sounds like you had a perfectly wonderful holiday...very similar to my own only I was in sunny California so I'm not sure what my excuse if for not getting more exercise! Guess I have been enjoying a bit of slothful frivolity myself!!

caite said...

who knew Indiana could be so exciting!

Jen - devourer of books said...

Ho-hos are going to kick ass and take names. Our sheer brilliance will be blinding, and when we turn sideways you'll wonder where we went.

Zibilee said...

Sounds like you had an excellent holiday! I will be cheering you on in your upcoming fitness challenges and I know you will do just great! And I can't believe that you did all that walking in such crazy weather! You sure are committed!

Trish @ Love, Laughter, Insanity said...

Sandy, Thanks for being such a huge supporter of the 100 Mile Fitness Challenge. You did a fantastic job, even if you were a little shy of your 200 goal. I'm so glad you'll be joining us again--but hopefully this time you won't have to trek through the sleet!! Yikes! :)

Best wishes to you this year.

~Trish