Be still my heart!, floral and plaid and back to moving

 

- Spotted on facebook - recent studies show that dark chocolate might be more effective than codeine for relieving a cough.  Be still my heart!  I have a cough that has lingered, so I am happy to test that study.  Ghirardelli vs. Delsym - a no brainer.  :)

- After 20 years of using the same duvet cover on my bed during winter, I finally splurged and got a new winter comforter.  I try not to celebrate material things too much, but I adore walking into my bedroom and seeing the floral and plaid.  It's called Cape Cod (I guess the plaid suggests that - maybe Snaggle can shed some light on that.)

- I haven't exercised since November (head cold, holidays, lazy, etc.) and started back last Saturday.  A friend challenged me to one of those Fitbit  "Workweek Hustle" challenges.  Thank goodness it is over at midnight tonight!  I'm just competitive enough that I want to win this steps challenge.  Current steps: 48,275. Competitor: 47,230.  I'll let you know how it turns out.  Meanwhile - I like to give myself a sticker on my home office calendar when I exercise.  A pretty good week, even if I don't win.  :)

Hope you have a nice weekend, my friends!  I'm behind on blog visits - it's all that exercising (excuse), but will be by today or tomorrow. 

Yellow daisies, no problem, and all about the chocolate

- More yellow daisies at the Greenway Trail this weekend, spotted when walking with Laura and Janice.  There was a giant festival - the Yellow Daisy Festival - held in their honor at Stone Mountain park this past weekend.  I didn't go to it, but loved seeing their cheerful yellow faces along the way in this setting the most.

- Three men at Wal-mart automotive center say they can't change taillight bulbs in my car, because it would involve taking the mechanism out, trouble, trouble, etc., etc..  :)  I know this is not true and go to AutoZone, where a smiling young lady takes care of it in less than five minutes.

- Making Gooey Chocolate-Chip Sandwich Bars for book group, held at my home last evening.  Rich, chocolatey, and gooey indeed.  They were a hit, but one was enough.  The rest go to work today.  When I first joined that group, I looked up what would be typically served at events like that and have always gone with the big three recommendation:  Cheese (with crackers), fruit, and something chocolate.

No resolutions, eat more chocolate and oranges

Happy 2012, friends! Here are some favorite quotes about making resolutions, something I stopped doing because I NEVER keep them, despite good intentions. Well - I do resolve to eat more chocolate in 2012. Seems as though I'm always displaying oranges here this time of year - they are so good and I vow to eat more of them, too. 

- I do think New Year's resolutions can't technically be expected to begin on New Year's Day, don't you? Since, because it's an extension of New Year's Eve, smokers are already on a smoking roll and cannot be expected to stop abruptly on the stroke of midnight with so much nicotine in the system. Also dieting on New Year's Day isn't a good idea as you can't eat rationally but really need to be free to consume whatever is necessary, moment by moment, in order to ease your hangover. I think it would be much more sensible if resolutions began generally on January the second. ~Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones's Diary

- Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account. ~Oscar Wilde

- Drop the last year into the silent limbo of the past. Let it go, for it was imperfect, and thank God that it can go. ~Brooks Atkinson

Potential firewood, puddles and chocolate = good

Photo by TS, taken with iPhone

- Niece's husband posts this picture on facebook of a fallen tree with the caption "Irene comes to Tudor City." Tudor City is the neighborhood in which they live in New York City. An uprooted tree is not really a good thing, but his friend's comment made me laugh, "Dude i hope this was not your favourite tree!"

- The little film posted on facebook of their toddler daughter running around in circles in the rain. Soaking wet and delighted with the puddles.

- All things from the internet today. A headline posted on The Atlantic, "Good News at Last: Chocolate Is Good for You! Maybe" The article by Marion Nestle can be read here. Her conclusion: "a little chocolate is delightful. A lot is not. As in all matters pertaining to diet, everything in moderation." But somehow I still think that is a bit of good news. :)

Happy 2010!

Happy New Year, friends! Here are some favorite quotes about making resolutions, something I stopped doing because I NEVER keep them, despite good intentions. Well - I do resolve to eat more chocolate in 2010 and the holiday candy was on sale today. I started with this chocolate "orange" that had the fun instruction of "whack and upwrap" and it fell apart in "slices." How cool is that?!?

- I do think New Year's resolutions can't technically be expected to begin on New Year's Day, don't you? Since, because it's an extension of New Year's Eve, smokers are already on a smoking roll and cannot be expected to stop abruptly on the stroke of midnight with so much nicotine in the system. Also dieting on New Year's Day isn't a good idea as you can't eat rationally but really need to be free to consume whatever is necessary, moment by moment, in order to ease your hangover. I think it would be much more sensible if resolutions began generally on January the second. ~Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones's Diary

- Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account. ~Oscar Wilde

- Drop the last year into the silent limbo of the past. Let it go, for it was imperfect, and thank God that it can go. ~Brooks Atkinson

I hope you have a great holiday today, and a weekend filled with all good things!

From scratch, something chocolate and savor

- The sign-up sheet for our group lunch at work next Tuesday contains this from Billy: Mac and Cheese (not from a box)

- Standing before the sign-up sheet myself, debating what to put down. The printing plant manager walks by, "Are you a baker?" Me: "Yes!" He (saying hopefully): "Something chocolate would be good." So I sign up for: Some sort of chocolate dessert

- Savoring an evening home in front of the fireplace (dinner plans with a friend unexpectedly canceled) and a dinner of hummus and flatbread, dark greens salad with feta cheese, steamed vegetables and an olive oil concoction dressing. As good as any restaurant meal, I think.