My name is Suzanne and I was addicted to McDonald's. The first step is admitting you have a problem right? Yeah, McDonald's is supposedly bad and America is obese - but their fries have the some awesome drug in them and they have mastered the Coke formula. That just kept bringing me back- back multiple times a week.
And then I hiked around Peru (see last post). When you are bent over, gasping for air, covered in sweat - AND being easily passed by people that are twice your age - you take a moment (well, you are already taking a moment - but you think).
So, on the side of a mountain in Peru, I decided to kick my addiction. I would rather climb mountains in my 60s than eat with Ronald McDonald a few times a week. I am proud to say that this week was my 2 month marker of not eating or drinking ANYTHING from McDonald's.
I have been tested multiple times - even had to drive my brother through the drive-through and sit in a car while he ate is order. I still crave it from time to time - and eventually I will probably have it again - but I don't need it anymore.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
So I have this fear....
So I really don't like heights (okay, snakes aren't that high on my list either) - but I am truly scared of heights. I have occasionally gotten the rebuttal that I am already really tall and other jokes about not liking high places when I am over 6 feet myself. Maybe it is more the fear of falling than the heights - but you don't have to worry about the falling if you don't go up high.
I have recently tried to push myself out of my comfort zone so that I try new things. 3 things come to mind that I have done:
1. Gone skydiving (some say jumping out of a perfectly good plane).
I will NEVER do this again. While the falling was scary initially, my weak stomach and tendency towards motion sickness took over after a few seconds. As much as people would love to hear that I tossed my cookies on my jump instructor - I held it together until almost 30 after the crash landing, and then felt sick the rest of the day. Not my idea of a good time.
2. Hiked up an extremely steep mountain in Peru.
I loved Peru - and actually encourage everyone to go. As an additional excursion in Machu Picchu, you can high up Waynu Picchu - which is the mountain closest to the ruins and in background of most of our pictures. You need to be part goat to climb this - and even though my family raises goats - I do NOT have the the stability or stamina of a goat that is needed to easily climb this mountain when you are already several thousand above sea level (at the base!).
Needless to say, switchback paths with little or no safety measure if you were to lose your footing, was again, not my idea of fun. But, when in Peru... So I finally made it to the top - thinking there would a lookout platform. Americans, this is no Stone Mountain. At the top, you climb a ladder (think sticks tied together) to the top of a steep rock - which is the peak of the mountain. People were actually walking around on it. I climbed out - well inched out on my butt - just so I could say I did it. I was visibility shaking, I did look over, and then promptly climbed back down. I am glad I did it - but I wouldn't do that again either.
(That is right - I climbed to the top of that pointed mountain and this picture is taken from high up on a side of a mountain already!)
3. Cleaned my skylights on my porch. So after you jump out of a plane and summit a crazy mountain - climbing on your house seems like small beans. To make it interesting a used a ladder that was twisted and never quite rested on all 4 points. The windows got cleaned, and I my heart still raced a little bit.
I have recently tried to push myself out of my comfort zone so that I try new things. 3 things come to mind that I have done:
1. Gone skydiving (some say jumping out of a perfectly good plane).
I will NEVER do this again. While the falling was scary initially, my weak stomach and tendency towards motion sickness took over after a few seconds. As much as people would love to hear that I tossed my cookies on my jump instructor - I held it together until almost 30 after the crash landing, and then felt sick the rest of the day. Not my idea of a good time.
2. Hiked up an extremely steep mountain in Peru.
I loved Peru - and actually encourage everyone to go. As an additional excursion in Machu Picchu, you can high up Waynu Picchu - which is the mountain closest to the ruins and in background of most of our pictures. You need to be part goat to climb this - and even though my family raises goats - I do NOT have the the stability or stamina of a goat that is needed to easily climb this mountain when you are already several thousand above sea level (at the base!).
Needless to say, switchback paths with little or no safety measure if you were to lose your footing, was again, not my idea of fun. But, when in Peru... So I finally made it to the top - thinking there would a lookout platform. Americans, this is no Stone Mountain. At the top, you climb a ladder (think sticks tied together) to the top of a steep rock - which is the peak of the mountain. People were actually walking around on it. I climbed out - well inched out on my butt - just so I could say I did it. I was visibility shaking, I did look over, and then promptly climbed back down. I am glad I did it - but I wouldn't do that again either.
3. Cleaned my skylights on my porch. So after you jump out of a plane and summit a crazy mountain - climbing on your house seems like small beans. To make it interesting a used a ladder that was twisted and never quite rested on all 4 points. The windows got cleaned, and I my heart still raced a little bit.
I am Suzy Homemaker - hear me roar!
Friday, November 11, 2011
Halloween Horrors
I have been looking forward to Halloween all of October. As a child who grew up in the country, we did not go door to door trick or treating. My new house is in a great area that actually has a lot of younger children. I was excited that I would have trick or treaters for the first time in my new house!!
I probably spend 10 minutes trying to pick out the perfect bag of candy (and trying not to spend a fortune on it)! Then I sat through 2 weeks of looking at the bag and trying not to eat the candy myself - we all know that was a failure as I did treat myself to a few bites... everyday...
So Halloween finally arrives and to my amazement - people actually do Halloween on Halloween - we use to do it on the Saturday/Sunday closest as we had to have a Halloween Carnival or party at my church. After a day of work, I just can't motivate myself to get into my witch costume, so I didn't. I sit on my couch with my bowl of candy waiting and watching something on Netflix to pass the time.
Finally, there is a knock on the door - and my reaction is one of terror - what do you say back, how many little treats do I give them.... I am not sure why I panicked other than inexperience. My first visitors are the really cute kids from next door (very young) - and I said Happy Halloween and gave them a handful of candy (I am sure all of the parents are loving my portion control).
After the 10 round of visitors - this whole trick or treating deal has gotten really old. About every time I go to sit down - the door knocks again. And at this point, even though I bought a huge bag - my generous portion control is blowing through my supplies. I cut back on the portions because I am apparently going to be doing this ALL NIGHT. So much for the movie I was trying to watch and dinner I was going to cook and eat.
After about 2.5 hours after the first round of trick or treaters graced my door step - I turned out my lights and locked the door - I was so over this entire night.
To my many friends who live out in the country and don't get trick or treaters, I have 2 solutions for you. 1 - Come up to my house next year and you can do it for me because I don't see myself doing that again. OR 2 - Be like my dad, buy your favorite candy in hopes that you will get some visitors, fake disappointment when you don't as you eat all of the candy yourself!
I probably spend 10 minutes trying to pick out the perfect bag of candy (and trying not to spend a fortune on it)! Then I sat through 2 weeks of looking at the bag and trying not to eat the candy myself - we all know that was a failure as I did treat myself to a few bites... everyday...
So Halloween finally arrives and to my amazement - people actually do Halloween on Halloween - we use to do it on the Saturday/Sunday closest as we had to have a Halloween Carnival or party at my church. After a day of work, I just can't motivate myself to get into my witch costume, so I didn't. I sit on my couch with my bowl of candy waiting and watching something on Netflix to pass the time.
Finally, there is a knock on the door - and my reaction is one of terror - what do you say back, how many little treats do I give them.... I am not sure why I panicked other than inexperience. My first visitors are the really cute kids from next door (very young) - and I said Happy Halloween and gave them a handful of candy (I am sure all of the parents are loving my portion control).
After the 10 round of visitors - this whole trick or treating deal has gotten really old. About every time I go to sit down - the door knocks again. And at this point, even though I bought a huge bag - my generous portion control is blowing through my supplies. I cut back on the portions because I am apparently going to be doing this ALL NIGHT. So much for the movie I was trying to watch and dinner I was going to cook and eat.
After about 2.5 hours after the first round of trick or treaters graced my door step - I turned out my lights and locked the door - I was so over this entire night.
To my many friends who live out in the country and don't get trick or treaters, I have 2 solutions for you. 1 - Come up to my house next year and you can do it for me because I don't see myself doing that again. OR 2 - Be like my dad, buy your favorite candy in hopes that you will get some visitors, fake disappointment when you don't as you eat all of the candy yourself!
Monday, October 31, 2011
Farm Flashback - Beverly Hillbillies
I live in the city now - and I absolutely love living in the city., but I was raised in the country - on a small family farm. While most of my childhood friends had chores like folding clothes, feeding the dog or taking out the trash, my brother and I were working in the garden, putting up fences, chopping wood, or feeding the cows/goats. Maybe this is why I enjoy my DIY projects around my house.
We often used our golf cart on our chores. Now, this is not your country club golf cart - it had a 'bed' in the back instead of seats. And it did have a top - but my dad actually chopped a tree down and it fell on the golf car - so it is now a convertible. It looks close to below - only ours was never that clean...
My grandmother lives next to us, so we often visited her and helped her with the upkeep of her house and property too. One day, my brother, father and I were up at her house - I do not recall the reason for the visit other than at the end of it, we loaded up an old rusted chair to take back to our house (so we could take it to the dump - yes, out in the country you have to go to the dump - trash is not picked up at the end of your driveway).
Now the chair is on the back of the golfcart and since we are all big people - my dad decided that I would drive and my brother would ride in the front - he would ride on the back in the chair - like the Grandma of the Beverly Hillbillies...
Now it is a short drive around the hay field from my Grandma's to our house. I took off driving like normal. Now my father tells a different story - of me driving Nascar style around the curves, hitting every bump. Then again - as a young teenager, that was probably my normal style.
We were about half-way home and I took a curve and hit a bump at the same time. Now, the next part seemed to happen in both slow motion and warp speed - as so many disasters seem to happen. My father and the chair slid to the side, hit the edge and then flipped off the back. The entire ball of metal chair and father somersaulted in the air - his hands holding the chair arms in a death grip.
Luckily, he landed right on his head - probably the hardest part of his body. Unfortunately, it was right in a bed of ants. My brother and I immediately stopped and ran to him - and he slowly unfolded like an accordion, finally releasing the chair.
We tried to help him up - but he said he needed a minute and that he would walk the rest of the way home. We drove off home with the chair on the back, but leaving him laying on the ground. Needless to say - he doesn't ride Beverly Hillbilly style anymore...
We often used our golf cart on our chores. Now, this is not your country club golf cart - it had a 'bed' in the back instead of seats. And it did have a top - but my dad actually chopped a tree down and it fell on the golf car - so it is now a convertible. It looks close to below - only ours was never that clean...
My grandmother lives next to us, so we often visited her and helped her with the upkeep of her house and property too. One day, my brother, father and I were up at her house - I do not recall the reason for the visit other than at the end of it, we loaded up an old rusted chair to take back to our house (so we could take it to the dump - yes, out in the country you have to go to the dump - trash is not picked up at the end of your driveway).
Now the chair is on the back of the golfcart and since we are all big people - my dad decided that I would drive and my brother would ride in the front - he would ride on the back in the chair - like the Grandma of the Beverly Hillbillies...
We were about half-way home and I took a curve and hit a bump at the same time. Now, the next part seemed to happen in both slow motion and warp speed - as so many disasters seem to happen. My father and the chair slid to the side, hit the edge and then flipped off the back. The entire ball of metal chair and father somersaulted in the air - his hands holding the chair arms in a death grip.
Luckily, he landed right on his head - probably the hardest part of his body. Unfortunately, it was right in a bed of ants. My brother and I immediately stopped and ran to him - and he slowly unfolded like an accordion, finally releasing the chair.
We tried to help him up - but he said he needed a minute and that he would walk the rest of the way home. We drove off home with the chair on the back, but leaving him laying on the ground. Needless to say - he doesn't ride Beverly Hillbilly style anymore...
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Anybody Home?
Last week, I went with my family down to the redneck riviera - I mean Panama City Beach for vacation. My brother and I drove down the day after my parents for scheduling reasons. We always us our family friend's condo - Big Ed (that is his nickname, not the condos). We have been doing this for several years now.
That said, you would think that I would know where this place is. Or maybe my brother would. Now, to his credit - he did say he thought it was on the top floor. However, when talking with my dad, I thought he said condo E1704. So my brother and I arrive. We manage to get all of our bags, food, etc in our arms and troop up to the 17th floor.
I burst into the condo Kramer style and look around. The door was unlocked - and I immediately notice that Big Ed must have remodeled - the floor and furniture was different than I remembered. Then, I notice the shoes. I come from a family of big people - and big people have big feet. There were tiny shoes in the hallway and I knew that this wasn't the right condo. I heard someone coming out and tried to get out quickly - but as I mentioned - we are big people - I couldn't have shoved Will out of the door if I had tried. Not to mention negotiating a narrow hallway with multiple bags in hand is difficult.
So like a deer in headlights I was frozen in my spot as the man walked out of his room. Had I been in the country, he probably would have been carrying a shotgun instead of his ice cream bowl. I immediately try to push Will out the door while apologizing with Sorry, wrong room! What was probably only 5 seconds felt like hours. The guy was nice enough - and he now probably locks his doors.
Well, what goes around comes around. 2 days later, I go up early for a conference call and leave the door unlocked so that the rest of the family can come in without disturbing me. Low and behold - just after my call an older couple blows into our condo just like I did to poor E1704. A very confused conversion ensues, as they are not sure why the rental office would give them a key to a place that was already rented. After a moment, I look at the key - it was for the place next door. And you don't need a key to unlock a door that isn't locked. They too apologized and turned to leave, blaming the confusion on their age.
I said no worries - I did it same thing earlier and I don't think it has anything to do with age!
That said, you would think that I would know where this place is. Or maybe my brother would. Now, to his credit - he did say he thought it was on the top floor. However, when talking with my dad, I thought he said condo E1704. So my brother and I arrive. We manage to get all of our bags, food, etc in our arms and troop up to the 17th floor.
I burst into the condo Kramer style and look around. The door was unlocked - and I immediately notice that Big Ed must have remodeled - the floor and furniture was different than I remembered. Then, I notice the shoes. I come from a family of big people - and big people have big feet. There were tiny shoes in the hallway and I knew that this wasn't the right condo. I heard someone coming out and tried to get out quickly - but as I mentioned - we are big people - I couldn't have shoved Will out of the door if I had tried. Not to mention negotiating a narrow hallway with multiple bags in hand is difficult.
So like a deer in headlights I was frozen in my spot as the man walked out of his room. Had I been in the country, he probably would have been carrying a shotgun instead of his ice cream bowl. I immediately try to push Will out the door while apologizing with Sorry, wrong room! What was probably only 5 seconds felt like hours. The guy was nice enough - and he now probably locks his doors.
Well, what goes around comes around. 2 days later, I go up early for a conference call and leave the door unlocked so that the rest of the family can come in without disturbing me. Low and behold - just after my call an older couple blows into our condo just like I did to poor E1704. A very confused conversion ensues, as they are not sure why the rental office would give them a key to a place that was already rented. After a moment, I look at the key - it was for the place next door. And you don't need a key to unlock a door that isn't locked. They too apologized and turned to leave, blaming the confusion on their age.
I said no worries - I did it same thing earlier and I don't think it has anything to do with age!
Monday, October 3, 2011
Please be seated.
I was getting the mail last night and the gentleman that was cutting my neighbor's yard greeted me (we have a very friendly neighborhood) and I greeted him back. He then proceeded to tell me that he used to take care of my yard and that it would get a ton of leaves. Now, I know he is just looking for me to hire him-but, God blessed me with an able body and I plan on maintaining my yard myself. Thank you, I will save money and do it myself.
On the same note, I find that often DIY project can save money - as with the windows treatments I did. So lets move to my favorite part of the house - my screened in back porch. It is a small area, but one that I wanted to highly utilize - but didn't want to break the bank in making it that way.
So, I started looking at outdoor furniture. Oh boy that stuff is expensive - or huge - or really small or really uncomfortable looking or boring. Nothing seemed to fit my porch - I mean, how hard is it too find a rectangular table and chairs? Finally, at Ikea I found a table I liked. It seemed pretty sturdy and it was white - I have an issue with clashing wood colors my porch is 90% natural wood already. So I got it - worse comes to worse - I could always paint it a color I wanted or return it - right?
Now, I have my table. Great - so buying piece by piece has the potential to be cheaper - but a much bigger hassle. I found a rug randomly online that I LOVED - so of course, I bought it. It is a Turkish print with blues, greens, yellows and some purple. I liked how bright it was. Okay - table and rug check...
All that is missing now were the chairs - which are crazy expense (I am STILL trying to find something I like for my dining room). Randomly, my parents have 4 straight back small chairs that they are getting rid of - did I mention that they were old and faded?
Not a problem for me - I just sanded them down and spray painted them in the back yard. They look perfect with the rug and table! I got creative and blew all of the dust from the sanding away with my new blower - quick and easy (very opposite from the sanding).
One lesson learned: when sanding - wear a dust mask or something over your nose - just trust me on that.
Below are the before of the chairs and the after with my porch - and all for under $100!
On the same note, I find that often DIY project can save money - as with the windows treatments I did. So lets move to my favorite part of the house - my screened in back porch. It is a small area, but one that I wanted to highly utilize - but didn't want to break the bank in making it that way.
So, I started looking at outdoor furniture. Oh boy that stuff is expensive - or huge - or really small or really uncomfortable looking or boring. Nothing seemed to fit my porch - I mean, how hard is it too find a rectangular table and chairs? Finally, at Ikea I found a table I liked. It seemed pretty sturdy and it was white - I have an issue with clashing wood colors my porch is 90% natural wood already. So I got it - worse comes to worse - I could always paint it a color I wanted or return it - right?
Now, I have my table. Great - so buying piece by piece has the potential to be cheaper - but a much bigger hassle. I found a rug randomly online that I LOVED - so of course, I bought it. It is a Turkish print with blues, greens, yellows and some purple. I liked how bright it was. Okay - table and rug check...
All that is missing now were the chairs - which are crazy expense (I am STILL trying to find something I like for my dining room). Randomly, my parents have 4 straight back small chairs that they are getting rid of - did I mention that they were old and faded?
Not a problem for me - I just sanded them down and spray painted them in the back yard. They look perfect with the rug and table! I got creative and blew all of the dust from the sanding away with my new blower - quick and easy (very opposite from the sanding).
One lesson learned: when sanding - wear a dust mask or something over your nose - just trust me on that.
Below are the before of the chairs and the after with my porch - and all for under $100!
Thursday, September 29, 2011
I think I saw that on Shark Week once...
A short break from home related adventures - to my Peru adventures!
When I first read the proposed agenda for my recent Peru trip, the last day of activities included "Swimming with the Seals".
My first thoughts - umm, I don't think so. I have seen Shark Week before, and as we all know, seals are a shark's favorite food. So, in no way am I planning on joining the seals as a swimming buffet for sharks. (As much as I would love to have my own TV show- making a guest appearance on Shark Week - as the meal - is NOT one of them.)
So then I re-read the agenda as we finalize it and realize that it is "Swimming with the SEA LIONS" - which I don't remember any guest appearances by them on Shark Week - so we are good.
Fast forward. Peru - last scheduled day on our agenda. I have pictured a Disney or Cancun like bay area where, in a controlled environment, where I would be in the same area as A (read 1, one) sea lion.
Below is what I see 2 hours into our boat ride:
Yup - that is right - an island with 8,000 sea lions! I don't know how to begin to describe everything - but one predominate feeling - fear over the temperature of the water. For those of you that failed geography - Peru is bordered by the Pacific Ocean - and in September, they are just coming out of winter. I asked one of the shipmates the temperature of the water - "oh, not freezing, maybe 16-18 degrees".
Oh, not freezing - great. But, how often are you in Peru by an island of 8,000 sea lions? So we squeeze into wet suits. (For anyone who has not had the pleasure of visiting Peru - I look like a giant compared to them. I specifically ask for "grande" size wet suit - they laughed and gave me an XL.)
The water will knock the breathe out of you. Once I went numb - or into shock - not sure what happened - I slowly swam out to the sea lions. They were wild - and swam away if you made quick movements. The "life guard" (I am unsure of what qualified this guy for the title) - had me float and then pushed me into the masses of sea lions.
This encounter is probably the most incredible thing I have ever done. As I floated there - they stared back at me - barking, nudging my feet, swimming under me - jumping right by me.... it was amazing and overwhelming.
This was my favorite adventure in Peru - maybe of my life... well, at least top 10!
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