Resolution Tuesday: 23 Weeks to Go

Area 1: Weight

I'm UP 3 pounds. Combine some water retention with NO walking this week. We have been eating lots of salads as my lettuce is still going great. I can just FEEL the vitamins vibrating into my body as I eat lettuce that's only minutes old!

Area 2: Family

Here's a question that came up for me recently: When you listen to someone talking, do you actually see that PERSON? Do you admire their particular verbal skills or knowledge of the subject? Or, do you (like I noticed about me), listen with one ear and formulate your own feelings and what you're going to say when they take a breath?

I forced myself to be aware of that yesterday. When my husband was speaking, I was focusing on his face--the face that I remember being 16yo! I listened until he was finished and then had nothing to add. He had covered the topic without my butting in. Imagine that!

I tried that with my son, too. If given any encouragement, he will talk nonstop until your ears bleed. I tend to tune out if I'm not interested in the topic. This morning I focused on his beautiful eyes and listened to his sweet, young voice. I paid attention without throwing in any corrections or comments. He didn't rattle on like he usually does. Imagine that!

Area 3: Schedule

Having the basics under control has been an excellent thing. It has freed me up to be spontaneous. Outings, people coming over, sitting on the porch and reading for an hour while J is splashing in his pool. I love summer.

Area 4: Chassis Maintenance

My particular chassis has always been an insect attractor. I was always the kid covered in bites while everyone else was standing around comfortably. I also reacted to them with swelling, hard, hot areas inches and inches around each bite. For decades.

I recently discovered two things that have revolutionized my insect attracting life:

1) When bitten, IMMEDIATELY put cold packs from the freezer on the bite and keep it there on and off for about 10 minutes. THERE IS NO SWELLING! It also takes away the itchiness.

2) If a cold pack is unavailable and a bite ends up swelling, take apple cider vinegar and pat it over the whole area several times. I did this recently after the swelling had been there for two days and we were hitting the hardened up level. By the next morning, it was no longer hot and you could feel softened areas. By the following day, it was down to normal-people bite level!

47 years of suffering. Hopefully someone else will read this and avoid decades of this torture!

Area 5: Debt

No change except that we're paying extra on all debts. Whittle, whittle, whittle.

Area 6: Garden

My garden is totally flourishing. We've almost broken even with the amount we spent on the garden in lettuce alone. We're still waiting impatiently for tomatoes, though. That's the REAL purpose of a garden, right?