I've been at a loss for words, so hence no post lately from this corner of the world.   Let's see where to begin.  I''ll begin with the most important person in my life, and that's my Mom.   She had Heart surgery a few weeks ago on her valve, and she was in the hospital for one week.  She is home now recuperating and my Dad is taking very good care of her.  I made the decision not to fly back based on what she said, 'that she would be fine', and 'to come after  she's on her feet  so we can do fun things  together', and that 'she'll get her sea legs back in no time, and feel like going again'.  I called everyday to check on her progress, and about the third day after her surgery she sounded really good.  My Mom said the nurses only offer you pain meds if you really need them and she didn't need to take any, so she must be one very tough cookie.  Now about a week later I hear how big her incision is, all the way down to her bellybutton, and that the surgery took about 6 hours.  Mother's always want to protect their babies, even when the baby is a 56 year old women!  I had no idea from the sound of it, coming from her own mouth, that this was such a major surgery!  Well thank the great Lord above she is up and walking the hood, visiting friends, and chillin as she's on the mend, and is getting back in her routines.  I'm still deciding when I should fly back, and it's probably going to be this coming May.

I had promised a friend of mine over two months ago that I would cut Plumeria's for a huge sale that he is participating in for the Southern California Plumeria Society  in Balboa park  on  April 2 and 3 from 10am to 4pm.   I sent him about 65 cuttings of several beautiful  varieties  I found on the West side, and he will be there selling his wares.   If you want to smell,  see,  and grow a Plumeria check out the location on Face Book under the name of the Southern California Plumeria Society.   It looks like  everyone has a good time choosing their favorite cutting, and getting good advice on how to raise them once you get them home. It's all about getting the flavor of the Islands!  For those of you who live in Snow Country, they need lots of sun, heat, a dryer climate, so I'll post some pictures that I took. Just close your eyes and imagine how a rose, and a gardenia combined together smells, then you will know the fragrance of a  Plumeria.

It saddens me that Border's, my favorite bookstore is closing their doors. Today's sale included  everything from  20 - 40% off on  in the entire store.  I bought my son a journal, and I bought  Taylor Swift's new dvd.   I held the Primal Defense book in my hands, but I decided to wait for it to come down in price by possibly next weekend to buy it.  The shelf still had a lot of his books, and above it was about nine Belly Fat Cure books.  If you live near a Border's Book Store check to see if their doors are closing so you can get some awesome deals. My friend no longer has her job there after they go out of business, and she said she feels so sad because she loved her job! Not many people can say, they love their job!  She's not sure what she is going to do, but has already applied to a lot of places.  She's a people person, she'll land another good job.

Well I've gained four pounds back, and everyday I keep saying I'm going to start over, and stick to it!   My best friend told me today that she heard the best days to start something is on a Monday and a ? Sorry, I can't remember the other day.  So I am promising all my Sista's out there that I am committing my Monday (tomorrow)  to all of you.  Why does sugar keep pulling me back into it's web? Boy, do I feel it too.  My husband said to me the other day, "you better get back into your diet because you were doing really good, and now you can't remember a damn thing, and you're all over the place".   Unfortunately I have to agree.  I might have to go back to the bookstore to get the Primal Defense so I can get a jump start. Aloha everybody, and have a great week!

Tsunami

Last nights news showed the devastation caused by an  9.0  earthquake, the  first of many to hit in one area off the coast of Northern Japan.   Within ten minutes a Tsunami was generated from this devastating earthquake, and sent it's  fierce  waves surging onto the Japan shorelines, which  caused buildings to collapse,  power plants to catch on fire, cars were swallowed up and carried off, and everything in it's path was swept up by the ocean.  Many people are still missing, and it will  take a long time to repair all the damage that has happened.  As we watched our local news channels,  we heard the Hawaiian Islands also had a Tsunami watch and it would reach our shores around 3:00 a.m.  No one ever knows how big these waves are going to get,  by the time the ripples are generated out at sea, and  travel across the ocean to reach our shores, they can be packed with such a force that devastates everything as the ocean waters come on shore.

Last year we also had a Tsunami warning, from the huge Chili earthquake, and as we watched the news, they broadcast the changes in the surf for several hours during  the warning period.   Thank goodness all the Hawaiian Islands were safe, and no waves were generated, only had a slight rise and fall in the tide that we could see.

This year was a lot different because it was going to take place in the dark when it came on  shore.   A lot of people rushed out to the market here, and the drinking water was sold off the shelves within minutes.  People hit the gas stations and filled up their tanks as they waited in huge lines.   I went to bed.  My husband said, "aren't you going up to the store and to the gas station"?  I said,  Nope, going to bed now.   I get up every morning at 4:00a.m, and I have no energy  after 10:00 p.m.  What can I say, I would be the first to parish if a real disaster ever hit.  We live very high up on the side of Haleakala Crater, and the waves would never reach us.  Everyone heads for higher ground, and they drove up here, and filled our shopping center's parking lot overnight, sleeping in their cars with their pillows, as they waited.   I just hope the crater remains asleep for another hundred years, and when the hurricane season hits, our Island is missed again. 

I still showered and dressed to go  to work, but just as I was leaving the news showed all the road closures, and it said the water was shut off (not here), so I called work and no one answered.  I stayed home until 10:30 and then went down when our island was downgraded to a Category 3, and the roads reopened. 

Most of the devastation happened on the Big Island, off the Kona coastline, where most of  the boat harbors are.  As the oceans surged,  many boats broke loose of their moorings,  and they were swept out to sea, but then the surge brought them in again, and they were hitting all the boats still tied to the docks.  Beautiful large boats, and some had people sleeping in them.  People were standing on the docks yelling at the  boat owners to wake up and get off their boats.  One couple ran off  their boat,  and jumped onto the dock just as their boat  was being smashed by another one.

This is my third Tsunami warning that  I've experienced since 1979 after moving to Hawaii.  I have only seen the black and white photo's of the worse waves  that ever came ashore with such force. I think it happened in 1946, and another hit in 1960, and that one  killed 64 people in Hilo.   The biggest waves I've seen are on our North Shore, at a place called Jaws.  Only the elite surfers go out, and they are pulled up on to the wave by a jet ski.  The face of these waves are twenty plus feet.  Can you imagine what a Tsunami  wave looks like, as it continues with it's huge wall for miles before coming on shore with all it's  power?   I hope I never see one that size, ever!    Thanks Sherri for checking in on me.  Our beautiful island is still intact!

CLIMBING TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN

My lofty goal for my Birthday was to weigh in a good deal lighter, but as of mid-February I was struggling with the BFC lifestyle, and I decided I would loosen up the strings a bit!  Whoa!  Too much were loosened and I gained a few too many pounds back,  so today I am rededicating myself to losing my next twenty pounds! 

Everyday I am faced with unhealthy food choices (bad carbs) , and seeing that I have stopped  writing in my food journal,  taking my probiotics, walking, and in general, eating items outside the approved BFC lifestyle,  it's beginning to show again on my hips, my stomach, and I see a little more fat under my chin! Oh MY!

I think the reason why I was getting tired of following the BFC lifestyle after 5.5 months, is because I am not a very good planner.  I have always lived by the seat of my pants, and I just go.  I think to be successful on the BFC it takes planning on all levels.  Take grocery shopping for example, when I began the BFC on July 1,  I whipped up a routine of shopping on Saturday's. I started the morning out by buying my fresh vegetables,  then I would  get my eggs, cheese, meats, and other necessary BFC items, like Vitamins, Fish Oil... Lately however, I am not following my routine, and I am running low, or out of the items I normally keep on hand.  Thus causing me to rummage through my fridge, and it's not all good if you know what I mean. Too much Naan bread is not a good thing.

I know Jorge says you don't have to exercise to lose weight on the BFC, but personally I've found walking on a daily basis is one key that helps speed up the process of weight loss.  I've noticed because I'm not into my walking routine everyday after work, my weight is coming back with a vengeance.

I was shopping in Whole Foods yesterday, and one of the Sales Associates (my age group)  said she lost twenty pounds last year, and then she said she gained it all back this year.  I asked her what caused her to regain her weight, and she said, "I love my carbs", and that's the same as saying I love my desserts, sugar, breads, milk, my morning Frappe's.  You get the picture...

Well,  upon leaving the store I felt like this was a little sign from up above telling me, if I'm not careful I too can gain it all back.  It took me month at my age to lose weight, and I don't want to start at square one, so today I am going to start climbing the mountain to get to the top!  If I slide down the hill, it won't be to the bottom,  a few feet or two is all I'll allow  myself before I wake up and start again.

I have read on Rosalie's blog that she stops eating carbs after 3:00 p.m., which is a very helpful tip, she is amazing and our fearless leader!  Helen is  a dynamo on her routines, and has the stuff to never waiver.  Sherri  has the taste of victory and wants to walk in those lower digits so bad.  Diana, your big heart will carry you there! Lindsey and Katie, thank you for your fresh input, and your practical advice, and support. I love it when Lisa chimes in now and again, because she has made the top, and understands.  Girls keep blogging about the most beneficial things you do to lose weight.  We can all be successful and reach the top of this monumental mountain with a little help from our friends.   

To Sun or Not to Sun that is the Question

Today I finally visited my Dermatologist,  and why is it men don't seem to age?  My Doc was always a  handsome man even twenty five years ago when I first started visiting his office. Today I told him he looked younger  than he did  the last time I saw him.  Seven years ago was my last visit!    He replied,  "you just need stronger glasses that's all",  and we laughed as he got that little twinkle  in his eye!   A real "Charmer" that one, as he held the little Q tip dipped in ice and  touched it's tip to several spots on my face.  It felt like the freezing cold tip of an ice berg  as he held it in place for several seconds, before moving on to do a few more.  He also said I had some barnacles, but not to worry about them, they were harmless! 

Why do barnacles like to attach themselves to my Irish skin anyways?  I can thank my Irish father for he and I have the same type of skin, and my English, German, MuM  was born with  smooth, beautiful skin.  Of course, she would swim in our pool with a hat on, and never went out in the sun without sunscreen (after it was invented), but my silly Dad and I love the sun, and  we'd go out in it all day long,  ala natural, meaning no sun block whatsoever.   Dummies!

Results:   I'm getting a little something on my back biopsied and I'll need to call my Doc's office on Thursday to check on it.  If it's something I'll have to go back to (my Cutie Pie's) office and get it cut out , and stitched up.  Won't be the first time I had a little something taken off, by one of the best Dermatologist on this Rock, and  so I'm in good hands.  With all the sun lovers here, he is up to his cute, twinkling eyeballs with patients that have had too much sun exposure over their life times.   I told my own son, to study Dermatology, and  to open a practice here in the islands because he would do very well.   His reply, "No way, I wouldn't want to look at someone's  moles all day long".  Okay, so it's not for everyone! 

I hope everyone has scheduled an appointment with your Doc this season, because it's very important to stay current.  I no longer have the luxury of lounging in the sun like a lizard on a rock, but I do take Vitamin D, since Dr. Oz said that it's one of the most important supplements we need to take on a daily basis.  The Great Oz has spoken.
Have a great week everybody!