Since starting the journey as a personal trainer, and now nutritional coach, I get asked many questions.  The most frequent one is “I want to lose weight… what should I eat?” I ask myself that question all of the time.

It is not easy for me to stick to healthy eating 100% of the time.  Over the past few weeks there have been many summer picnics full of great food.  I am quick to sample everything… maybe more than once!  The most important step for me…

Hit the “reset” button.

I have always enjoyed spending time with people older than I.  When I was a kid, I enjoyed visiting my grandparents.  I loved hearing them tell stories of when they were younger people… what they did… where they had been. 

I like the term “oldster” to define people significantly older than me.  “Old person” is not an attractive label.  I use the term “youngster”, so why not “oldster”?

I love “Do It Yourself” (DIY) projects.

This past weekend, my oldest niece, Katie, came to stay overnight at the homestead.  She loves to stay here and we love to have her.  One of her favorite things to do is create via craft projects.  I watched her and remembered my own childhood.

A couple of weeks ago, Hubby asked a friend he works with to come out and take a look at Dixie.  Despite the fact that she runs, and does not fill the air with black smoke, we wanted someone with mechanical know-how to take a look and listen.

Hubby’s friend Young Steve was raised on his family’s farm.  He is a great electrician and very mechanically knowledgeable.  He and Hubby have had many conversations about Dixie, and he was more than happy to come out to help.

We are celebrating Independence Day in the United States today. 

Ever since I was a child, I remember this day being about picnics, campfires, and fireworks.  There was always a parade somewhere nearby, and Mum would take us to sit on the edge of a street, usually with some of our cousins, and await the fire trucks and marching bands, and the clowns (apologies to all of you reading who fear clowns :-)).

I am a creature of habit.  I like my routines.  They give me a sense of security.  Like anyone, I like variety as well.  Stir it up a bit.  However, returning to my routines gives me a sense of comfort… like being home.

I find myself getting into a routine with food.

I have the same breakfast and lunch nearly every day. 

This week, my lists are taking over.

I have so much I want to do, and seem to keep falling short.

Is there ever enough time in the day?

Dixie starts, but fills the air with dark, thick smoke. 

She was built in 1959, well before the modern fuel injections system found in vehicles today.  I did some research (of course, as I am an information junkie), and found that the engine is powered by mixing fuel and air, which is then burned in the metal cylinders inside the engine. 

Like most summer weekends, this one was action-packed.  Hubby and I decided to take a couple of hours out of the middle and take our kayaks out.  Given we didn’t want to take too much time, we decided to go to Lake Wilhelm in Goddard State Park for a leisurely float.

Mum comes from a big family.  Perhaps calling it a “big” family is an understatement.  She is one of nine children.  Those children grew families, and had over 25 children.  The children have all had children, and the family continues to grow.

When I was a child, we celebrated holidays with the big family.  It was fun to get together with everyone, as there were always other kids for play.  One of the “holidays” we started to celebrate when I was a teenager was “Granny’s Birthday”.