by Tish MacWebber | May 7, 2017 | Weekend Warrior
Yesterday was busier than I had planned it to be. Also, I was still fighting an almost week long migraine and was still not feeling so good yesterday. So I took a nap in the middle of that busy day, and it ran longer than I had planned. When you fall back to sleep on a Saturday after you woke up and turned off the alarm, obviously the nap was a necessary thing.
In the morning, I attended the #BUTTBLITZ2017. You can read all about it here: Butt Picking in the Rain It was my third year volunteering at this event, and I stayed dry by working at the event table and running the numbers.
Insert lunch and a nap here.
Then I woke up to the phone ringing. I had an invitation to join some friends to play Cards Against Humanity. They have mixed in 4 booster decks and a Kinderperfect deck. Hilarity, Margarita Moments, and the consumption of adult beverages were just what I needed to kick the migraine out of my head. I am glad I decided to join in for a night of fun!
Today, I must scramble to resume the kitchen to its shape of last weekend. When the dishwasher is running, I will also be prep cooking. That is probably going to fill up my Sunday. I need to be ready for the upcoming week, and today is when I have the time, and more importantly, I feel like doing it. Soon after I publish this story, I will be making something to eat and heading into my kitchen. Coffee will be consumed with the meal.
I think it stopped raining! That sentence has an exclamation point because there is a flood watch here this weekend. It happens every year, and they were not expecting it to be too bad this year. It is bad for some areas, there have been evacuations and roads are blocked also. I am staying home today, and my house and street are still OK. If I get a chance, I may go take some pictures of the flooded areas, but that will be another day and another story.
What are you up to this weekend?
by Tish MacWebber | May 4, 2017 | Trust Your Gut
The names here may or may not reflect the person’s real name. If someone wants to remain unknown, we will choose a different name for that person’s story. The goal is to help people, and anonymity is a valid personal choice for contributors. I will use a person’s name only if they give permission to do so.
This week I am pleased to share another of my own stories.
Here is Trust Your Gut: Tish’s Story; Part 11
I bought my first tankini. I went to one store and tried on the one piece swimsuits. I was disappointed. So I had to go outside of my comfort zone. The people working there were helpful. They told me that the best thing about a 2 piece was that if you had to go to the bathroom, it was a lot easier. I thought about that and decided to try on a tankini.
The style I chose has a tank top and shorts. Everything is still covered. Just like a normal bathing suit. The shorts are comfortable. The top was a challenge. I need support, but didn’t find the right kind in the first few tops I tried on. Support in a swimsuit = constrictive. It felt too tight. So I kept trying on different tops until I found one that fit right in that area.
Then it was the wrong style. Of course. So the search continued. I settled on a striped one that looks just like a tank top. Then I went swimming. The top floats! I didn’t want one that did that, and I was assured that they don’t do that now. That was my main reason for wanting a one piece. I was a little paranoid at first. There is a built-in bikini support in the top. So I just fussed with it a lot but had a good time swimming. It will be OK for Aquacise, I think. It will take some getting used to but I think it will work better than my old swimsuits. It actually fits and was a size smaller than the other ones I tried. Yay me!
While travelling this past weekend, I let the plan slide a little. I didn’t overeat. I ate healthy choices when I could. I ate, and I didn’t worry too much about it. Sometimes life takes priority. You do what you can, and let it slide a little. Then you have to get back on track. For me, prep cooking helps me to stay on track. I have to do the work so that when I want to take the easy way out, the easy way IS to stay on plan. I have learned this while on THM, and I am the only person that can make those choices for me, so ultimately, it is up to me.
A friend introduced me to spaghetti squash. I was reluctant to try it. I do like squash as a side dish, but I had never tried spaghetti squash before.
It sat in my kitchen for a week before I bit the bullet and tried it.
I was pleasantly surprised! I now eat spaghetti squash a couple of times a month. It is good with spaghetti sauce. It is good in spaghetti pie. It is good in casseroles. The verdict is that I like it.
When we have spaghetti, I have spaghetti squash instead of the pasta. I load the sauce on it, and the parmesan cheese and eat until I am full. Without the tired feeling that I get when I eat pasta. I call it SPAGHETTI SALAD! What a wonderful gift my friend gave me when she told me to take that spaghetti squash home to try it. If you haven’t tried spaghetti squash, try it with an open mind. It really is worth it for me, and if you like it, you can thank me for the tip after you try it.
If you don’t know how to cook it, I didn’t either. Here is a link for cooking it in the microwave or the oven:
How to cook a spaghetti squash in the microwave or the oven
I found this link and the one below in my own internet searches, all credit goes to the authors of the instructional pages. The other method I can recommend is the slow cooker. You can find the instructions for that here:
How to cook spaghetti squash in a slow cooker aka crock pot.
So my tip for you this week is to try spaghetti squash if you have never tried it before. If you already love it, maybe try it in a new recipe, or try another healthy recipe that you have been hesitant to cook for whatever reason. Just go for it! And comment below if you did. Let me know how it turns out!
Do you have a favourite way to cook spaghetti squash or a favourite recipe for making spaghetti squash?
by Tish MacWebber | Apr 17, 2017 | Weekend Warrior
Take your chance and try something new!
I have been reflecting today as I am now actively involved in a fourth new group I found on facebook. There are a lot of possible outcomes when one surfs the internet. One click can lead down a dark narrow path to things you never imagined, not even in your worst nightmares. Evil does lurk in the world, and I am certain that there is a way to twist any online search into something most people would never look for.
I have been expanding my horizons and plans for the future. I am careful when I am online, but I choose ads on facebook if they REALLY speak to me. That is how I found the A Bowl Full Of Lemons facebook group. I was looking for guidance and inspiration in my household cleaning struggles. I know how to clean, I just don’t like doing it! So I clicked on the link, joined the group, and worked on one project.
Pantry Shelf Project
Since then, it has been fairly organized, and I had some help to reinforce the shelves (Thanks, Dad!). It needs some TLC this year, but I am still proud of completing this project. The facebook group has SO many good organization ideas, before and after pics, and some amazing decorating ideas. It is something I have worked towards this year, and so far I have been able to share my Coffee Station Complete! project. There will be more pics coming soon from my kitchen, I promise!
I have yet to make it through the whole house with the challenge. I am confident that this will be the year. I shared a picture when I bought a new shelving unit for my Master Bedroom, as I am moving my craft studio out of the Guest Room and relocating it in the larger Master Bedroom.
Craft Studio Relocation Project
The area is still “under construction”. That means I am still in the planning stages of how to reorganize my craft supplies in this room. I have taken step two today, and purchased a second cube bookcase, with 6 squares, not 9. I had already bought the matching plastic bins for it while they were on sale, but again, I felt I was being held back from completing this project because I didn’t have all of the pieces for it ready to go. I still have to assemble the shelf, (and move a dresser to that side of the room to put the new shelf on top of) but I can work on that as soon as I finish my kitchen. I have no regrets about joining this facebook group, at all.
I also found the Trim Healthy Mama (THM) Plan in the same way. THM is a lifestyle change in how you eat food. It is wonderful, they have more than one facebook group, actually, and I am a member of several different THM facebook groups. I have implemented many of their guidelines into my life, and when I am on plan, I feel great! I need to focus on staying on plan more than being off plan because I KNOW IT WORKS WHEN YOU WORK IT. I have seen it for myself. So I start every day trying to stay on plan. Some days I succeed. Others I don’t. One of the best things about the plan is that you work it into your own life, and if you go off plan, well you just pull up your socks and get back on plan. No worries. I realized, when I was looking at this ad two years ago, that what I was doing was not working, so I was ready to try something different. I am still not 100% on plan, but I am more convinced than ever that I can do it because I am. This is another group that came along when I needed it, and I have no regrets about joining this group, either.
The third group I joined in 2016. I was thinking about how to get my lyrics out to the world. I had watched a motivational video, I have written about this before, and I decided it was time. About the same time I started looking into this, I decided that I was also done waiting to write books, and I wanted to make the dream of becoming an author a reality. While this was all being processed in my mind, another facebook group, the Ninja Writers showed up in my ads. Well, this group has been a game changer for me. The Ninja Writers Facebook Page has been an incredible resource. I had no idea how to brand myself as an author, how or why to start a Blog, or what I had to do to make this all effective towards my goal of becoming an author. I even designed my own tartan and logo for it! I have made friends that have really helped me with this blog, and spark a passion in me that I didn’t even know I had the potential for. And if you are reading this, you know that I am blogging frequently, to develop my writing habit and expand my creative horizons. There are no regrets for me in terms of joining this group. Only positive strides towards making a dream into a reality.
The fourth group is a new addition. One of my fellow Ninja Writers shared a new group page on her wall, encouraging people to check it out. I became curious, and trusted my fellow Ninja Writer friend, and joined the group. It is called 100 Coffees. They have a facebook group, 100 Coffees Facebook Group and through that group, you can join their website. It is for women entrepreneurs, and they are based on networking through the group, to meet members through coffee meetings. This has an immense potential for people like me, trying to find their way in this online business world. Membership is free, and eventually, there will be other options for paid subscribers, but I am in the group and hoping to make new friends, get and give support to and from members, and to learn as much as I can from my peers. This is a great concept, and I am glad to be involved with it already.
One thing that is very important to keep in mind when you join a new group online, is to find out the rules. The people that create these groups have their reasons, and sticking to their rules will mean you get to remain in the group, and get all the benefits of belonging. If you choose to just join a bunch of groups to do your own thing, disregarding the rules, expect your time in that group to be limited. The rules keep the group working together towards a common goal, and going your own way will likely result in you getting the boot.
So there you have it. The internet is not just being used for evil. When you are surfing, and something keeps showing up in your feed, and it is a group or a theme that resonates with you, check it out! You might find something wonderful! If you don’t, leave the group and find another one that works for you and helps you in your life. If any of the above groups peak your interest, check them out! I am glad I did, and maybe you will be too!
by Tish MacWebber | Apr 11, 2017 | Coffee and Stories
This past weekend, I wrote about facing my inner demons. I fight with myself sometimes. Nobody throws punches, and nobody gets hurt. Except maybe my own ego.
I can get stuck in a pattern of doing nothing while having the best intentions of getting through a whole list of things that need to be done. There are days when I literally talk myself out of getting anything done. It is a nasty little place to be in, and it happens when things are bothering me, or in the winter. I am less likely to have the energy to do more than the basics in the winter time, and that is sometimes left too long. In this endless loop of getting nothing done, I can become overwhelmed by how much there IS to do, and that doesn’t help me at all.
Spring is here. I feel the change in the weather, and in my spirit. The blog has started me off in the right direction. I am wanting to get things done, and I FEEL DIFFERENT about life right now. I am trying new things, making small changes, and thinking about what I need to do to make the leap from blogging to writing a book.
A year ago I was recovering from an infection in my knee. It was not a pleasant experience, I would never recommend a knee infection as something for anyone to do. I was away from work for 3 months, and sat around that whole time, as I was told to not be moving around very much. I had nurses visiting me in my home for IV antibiotics once a day for two or three weeks. I was taught how to bandage the wound when the IV was over, and they stopped the home checks. I longed for the day that I could have a shower without medical tape and shopping bags protecting the bandages from getting wet. I was on some strong painkillers, for the first time ever, and I was scared that I might become addicted. I did not.
Spring cleaning didn’t really happen last year. So I am on a mission to get it done properly this year. I am writing about it, and puttering at it, and making a little more progress in that kitchen every time I get in there. I have made a few inexpensive purchases to help me to get this project accomplished. I see the progress, but I am not ready to share it yet.
I needed to stop and just take a breath last weekend. That’s what the title means. When you worry about everyone or everything else and don’t take time for yourself, you can empty your coffee pot before you get yourself a refill. That is a mistake that can build into a disaster if it is not made a priority.
It’s not Ok to neglect your own needs in order to make sure that everyone else’s needs are taken care of first. Sometimes, it is necessary to take care of others first. However, if you don’t stop and take time for you, the coffee at the bottom of the pot is going to have a burnt taste, and it will not be a pleasant thing to drink.
Whatever it is in your life that allows you to feel refreshed and recharged is something that you need to always make time for. If it is the 5 am cup of coffee before anyone else in your home is awake, get up and pour yourself a hot cup of coffee. If it is taking a bath at the end of a long and tiring day, make time to fill the bathtub. Read a book for a chapter a day, at the time you can schedule it in. If you have dogs, they can help you take the time to yourself to think when you have to walk them anyway.
Or, at other times you need to be around other people. Friends and family are important too. Find people that are fun to be around, and bring you up, not down. I am not saying that you should ignore all of your other friends, but when you need to feel good, surround yourself with people, things and activities that help you do just that.
When I think about where I was a year ago, I had no idea I was going to make a leap into becoming a blogger. I was waiting to be told that I could start going back to Zumba classes. I was learning about the Trim Healthy Mama Plan, and trying new recipes. I was already going through the motions of being back to work at my day job. And I was miserable.
Now I have a blossoming new outlook for spring this year. I will be working on my New Year’s Resolutions and branching out with what I am doing with my life. I am chasing my dreams and making them into my reality. One at a time.
Thank you for reading my 60th Blog Post. Still having fun, and Always Thinking…
by Tish MacWebber | Apr 9, 2017 | Weekend Warrior
Here we are. Another weekend is over. If you are reading the other stories I post, you may know that I did a little shopping last week. I have tried and tried to get myself into that kitchen. This week, I chose another fight. I decided to fight some inner demons.
I have been working hard on this blog. I am pouring my heart and soul into it, and it is having positive effects in my life. This weekend, I took a much needed break from my routine.
I have given myself a deadline for starting to work on my book. I hope to be done with my Spring Cleaning on or before July 1st. This way I have given myself a full 6 months for each project I am working on this year. If I finish early, bonus. I have no doubts that when I sit down to write, it will happen. I am doing well with the consistency of the blog.
A discussion online made me stop and think about my progress. I have not finished yet what I have resolved to do this year. I am making lists and getting some of the things done, but I never finish the list. The approach thus far has been to make the list, get done what I can, and start a new list the next day. Or continue the same list. The discussion I was referring to was when someone alluded to feeling like a fraud because they have not written a book yet.
I am not a fraud. I work hard at things all the time, even if the progress is made only inside of my head. I am also working on making myself healthier, and that is a project that has no deadline. It is ongoing. Deciding what is best for me to tackle on a weekly basis is moving towards completing something. Progress is progress. No matter how it appears to anyone else.
I did a small amount of puttering. I did not do anything that is picture worthy. So the progress pics will have to wait another week. I have a few vacation days coming up in April, and I plan to use them wisely. I am hoping to catch up in the kitchen this month and be able to move on to the rest of my home. I am going to have to force the issue, with myself, if I am ever going to get it accomplished. That is why I have had to give myself a deadline. At some point, I DO have to finish the Spring Cleaning and move on to the book writing.
Writing this series is helping. I am planning and seeing what needs to be done, and I have ideas of what I will be sharing in the pictures as I progress. Tomorrow after work I have plans to work on a small section of the kitchen while making supper. As I wrote somewhere earlier today on social media, the house does not bounce itself.
This weekend I caught up with some friends, and we had a fantastic time at a local board game cafe. We hung out for the whole evening, and that included the taxi driver being pulled over by the cops for making an illegal left turn while driving us to my friend’s house. If I had a cell phone (what! she doesn’t have a cell phone! the horror!) I would have been able to join in with the Pokemon Go the rest of them played last night. I tried it, and we had fun just hanging out.
Today I spent some quality time chatting with family. Then I went to see the new Smurfs movie with my husband. It was SMURFTASTIC! So familiar, and positive, and full of all the Smurfy jokes and Smurf magic.
I worked on myself this weekend. I recharged my batteries and am ready to take on the next week. I will be working on the Spring Cleaning over the next weekend, and hopefully a little bit all week. I know it will all add up and I will get there. So no, I am not a fraud, by any standard. I am a person that is a work in progress, and I am going to keep working until I accomplish my goals.
#WeekendWarrior
