I had a very interesting weekend. Saturday, our dinner club went on a field trip to Monteagle, Tennessee. Monteagle is just east of Sewanee, which is home to the University of the South, a very highly rated Episcopal college and it's prep school, Sewanee School. Unfortunately, we did not have time to go to Sewanee. If you are ever in the area, you need to drive through the campus. Anyway, back to the field trip. A local historian took us on a small trip through the county. He talked about the controversial Highlander Folk School, the coke/coal mines and the convicts that worked in the mines. He then took us to his museum. I never saw so much stuff in so small of a place in all of my life. It was really interesting. We then went to a Dutch bakery where we bought fresh baked bread. Then through a settlement called "The Assembly". It is an extensive neighborhood of old clapboard houses that have been restored. They can do what they want with the inside, but the outside must stay the same. The settlement is used by a group of United Methodists from up north as a retreat area. It was a really beautiful area. We stopped and gazed at a restaurant called High Point. It is housed in a old house that Al Capone purchased for his mistress. He always stayed there on his trips from Chicago to Miami. After the field trip, we ate dinner at Jim Oliver's Smokehouse Restaurant. It would have been a lot better trip, had it not rained all day. About five minutes after we got home from Monteagle, it started storming. It stormed off and on until about 4:00 am. Tonight on the way back to Birmingham, I stopped at Cracker Barrel to get dinner. While I was in there, the bottom fell out. I got soaked running out to the car. As soon as I got home, it stopped raining. Then about thirty minutes later, it started again. This morning our minister said, "Whoever in the congregation that is praying for rain, please stop". I hope everyone has a great Monday.

I am on the second day of the fourth week of the South Beach Diet. My pants are getting looser. I am going to keep it up until I lose the extra weight that has crept up on me in the past couple of years. I didn't gain it overnight, so I shouldn't expect to lose it overnight.

I've been exercising to Jack Lalanne online when I can. It has really been effective in helping me get my foot and leg back to normal. I can run in place with no effort. To me that is an accomplishment. I was beginning to think that I was going to be slightly crippled for the remainder of my life. I guess it just takes time. My doctor told me that it would take about a year. Everything that I read online said that it should take from 6 months to 2 years. It's been almost a year and a half. My foot is still slightly swollen. I'm don't have to wear sneakers all of the time anymore. I have a couple of pairs of shoes that I wear almost every day. I'm hoping to go shoe shopping in about 6 weeks. I want a pair of Tory Burch Revas. I'm not sure what color, but it will have to be something that I can wear with a lot of different things.

It has been busy at work this week. Queenie is on vacation and I am covering for her. Of course, she goes on vacation when we have to get files ready for auditors. It's not too bad.

I hope everyone has a great Wednesday.

Today was another gorgeous day. I was lazy this morning, but got out this afternoon and enjoyed the nice day.

I don't know if I ever mentioned this, but I live in an apartment. I own real estate, but I like apartment life. I am outgrowing my current apartment and went to find a new one. A former neighbor recommended her new apartments. The complex was built in the 70's, but has been kept very nice. The unit that I looked at was about twice the size of what I have now at relatively the same price. The manager showed me one that was recently vacated. At first, I was disappointed, but realized that they still needed to clean and paint. After I imagined new paint and clean floors, I began to like it. I really didn't like the building where this one is located, but the manager showed me the building where one will become available in a couple of months. I liked that area so much better. This complex is built very well, and the utilities are very low. I think I will like it there. It is in the middle of a nice neighborhood. I have a few more questions. I may call on Monday and depending on the answers, I may sign up.

After apartment hunting, I went to Ulta and then Home Goods. At Ulta, I bought some Essie nail polish and some cotton pads. At Home Goods, I bought a Laura Ashley ironing board cover and a plate rack for the sink. How exciting! Ha!

There used to be a restaurant near my parents that had a dish called Chicken Rosa. It was similar to Chicken Parmesan. It was a pan fried boneless chicken breast covered with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. It was served on a bed of spaghetti noodles with a side of green beans. Today, I had a craving for it. I decided to make it South Beach friendly. I baked the chicken with no breading. I added about 1/2 tablespoon of Italian seasoning to a large can of Publix brand of crushed tomatoes. I covered the chicken with the tomatoes, topped it with a slice of mozzarella cheese and heated it in the oven. I served it with a side of green beans. It was delicious. YUM! If I have any tomatoes leftover, I'm going to freeze them for another day.

I hope everyone enjoys the remainder of your Saturday.

Bloggers' Day of Silence

This is for Friday, March 18. Please remember the residents of Japan. They need our prayers. For more information, click here.

I know I have been a bad blogger lately. Not much has been going on.

I don't know about where you live, but the weather here has been beautiful. It is supposed to close to 80 this weekend. I have some errands to run on Saturday. I hope to enjoy the nice weather while I'm out and about.

This week is spring break for a lot of the schools. It has been very quiet at work. Queenie and I have been moving files from old filing cabinets to newer cabinets. The files are in large expandable folders. They are heavy. Of course, none of the men have offered to help. Since we are working on the files, I've been wearing chinos, turtlenecks and Tretorns. Hopefully, we will finish up tomorrow.

Today was day 17 on South Beach. I have been very good and am noticing results. I have not weighed, but my clothes are getting looser. I've also been measuring my ribcage, waist, abdomen, hips and thighs and have noticed that they are all shrinking. I have a ways to go. I plan on keeping it up. My mother told me that she would help and support me if I promised that I would not start back eating anything and everything and then gaining my weight back. I plan to be very careful after I lose this weight. I never had problems with my weight until I hit 40. Then it was like the weight appeared out of nowhere. I've also been exercising to Jack Lalanne. I think it has not only helped with the toning of my body, but with the strengthening of my leg and foot.

I hope everyone has a good Thursday.

I hope everyone had a good weekend. Mine was busy.

Yesterday, my mother and I went to Huntsville to run a few errands. When we got home and unloaded the car, we gave Bo a bath. He hates taking a bath. We did take some time to relax and read after bath time.

Today, we went to church and then home to clean the carpet in my mother's bedroom. She lives in an old house that still has the original hardwood floors. When my parents bought the house, the floor in the master bedroom was beyond salvaging. They decided to carpet the floor. The only problem is that it has to be shampooed periodically.

I know that I speak for all of us when I say that our thoughts and prayers are with the residents of Japan. How awful! The company that I work for has a fund that is used to provide sufficient and clean drinking water to victims of natural disasters. I plan on making a donation tomorrow. I was pleased that they do this. Whenever there is a disaster, I always worry about victims having drinking water.

I hope everyone has a good Monday.

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Channel 113 on Sirius radio is temporarily the Simon & Garfunkel Channel. If you have Sirius and like Simon & Garfunkel, "hop on the bus Gus" and get to Channel 113. I was afraid that a little bit of Simon & Garfunkel would probably go a long way, but I have really enjoyed listening to them.

I hope everyone has a great Friday....TGIF!!

Yesterday I left work early. I had a horrible sinus headache. I came home and slept for about two hours. After I did my evening chores, I just laid around and watched TV. I am feeling so much better today. I think the headache was caused by the crazy weather that we had. It rained, no poured, for about 16 hours.

There's nothing on TV tonight that I want to watch. After reading Let the Tide Pull Your Dreams Ashore, I have decided to watch Making the Grade. It has to be one of the lamest movies of the 80's, but I love it. I love all of the preppy clothes. I would dress like that now, if I wouldn't look like I was wearing a costume. Sometimes, I wear a toned down version.

I hope everyone has a great Thursday.

Since it rained, or rather poured, all day yesterday, I watched a lot of TV. I watched several episodes of Poirot. I have a few observations.

1. I love Poirot's apartment. What I really love are the art deco French doors that are on all of the inside doorways.

2. How does he and Captain Hastings make a living, plus pay Ms. Lemon? They never seem to have any paying jobs. Most of the cases are ones that they investigate to settle their curiosity.

3. Speaking of salary. How do they afford their dapper wardrobes? Poirot was once a Belgium police officer and Captain Hastings was once in the military (I don't think he retired). Not really occupations to set you up for life.

4. This show takes place in the 1930's. I can't understand all of the opulence that people display. No one seems to be suffering financially.

5. Last, but not least, I love the clothes and jewelry.

I hope everyone has a great Monday.

I hope everyone is having a good Saturday.

Yesterday was a slow day at work, so Queenie and I decided to do a little rearranging. By the end of the day, we were tired. On the way home, I hit Publix and Panera. When I got home, I watched TV and was in bed by 9:30. Hot Friday Night!! Ha!

This morning, I was up early. I got my chores done and exercised with Jack Lalanne. Right now, I am watching some diet lecturer on PBS. He isn't saying anything that we haven't heard before. People in the audience have notebooks and taking notes. I wonder if he is some kind of snake oil salesman. Maybe I shouldn't turn my nose up at him and see what he has to say. He may help me.

This afternoon, it is supposed to storm. I may just relax, read and watch Poirot. Right now, Poirot is one of my favorite shows. I have 4 seasons of the show on DVD and a DVD of movies. Plus, I'm also reading a Poirot mystery on my Kindle. No, I'm not obsessed.

Since it is so gloomy outside, I decided to wear a white turtleneck and a Lilly Pulitzer green and pink rugby shirt from a few seasons ago. Maybe it will brighten up the day.

Until next time.......

I can't believe it is Thursday already.

I have been doing very good with South Beach this week. I have also been exercising with Jack Lalanne. If you are interested in the Jack Lalanne exercise show, you can just go to his website and watch the videos. Don't just watch the videos. Get up off of the sofa and exercise along. The first couple of episodes were very easy, but the past couple of days, he has added more exercises. I hope to be able to keep it up.

I haven't been very diligent about wearing my more professional clothes this week. I have been wearing my LL Bean bayside twills. I have navy, black and khaki.

Can you believe how much gas has gone up? It is $3.39 at the stations that are close to me. OUCH! I am limiting my travels. It's a good thing that I am on a strict diet. That way I stay home.

Since gasoline is so high and it is suppose to storm this weekend, I am going to stay in and clean house, read and watch TV. I have several Poirot DVD's that I haven't watched yet.

I hope everyone has a good Friday.