Green Acres: When the Well Runs Dry

We had a bit of a scare today. When we turned on the faucet, no water came out.

We live in the country and our block doesn't have access to city water. We depend on an underground spring for our water supply. We've got 2 water pumps in the front yard and 1 depends on the other for water. 

Apparently, from what our neighbors have told us - the block sits on rock so getting a reliable water supply is kind of a big deal. 

When you turn on the faucet and no water comes out - of course the worst case scenario comes to mind...  

Green Acres: Spring has Sprung!

I grew up with a garden. My father always grew some tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and green beans. Both of my grandfathers (maternal and paternal) grew backyard gardens, too. 

I learned at a young age that horse manure was gold and if you wanted to yield a fruitful garden the more shit, the better. 

Real Food: Chicken Something

We are in the midst of our 2nd Advocare 24 Day Challenge. The first 10 days is a "cleanse" so the idea is to not eat anything processed. 

You eat whole food meals. Fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and complex carbohydrates.

That means eliminating particular foods (but not limited to):

The Truth about Honesty

Under the thumbnail of my picture for this blog I have a quote:

"Even if you sugarcoat shit... it's still shit"

I believe that; with every ounce of my being. 

By nature I'm a truth seeker. I don't believe the paint is wet, I don't believe shit stinks, I don't believe it's raining... these are things I have to find out for myself. Plus a multitude of other less trivial things that occur in my life. 

It's not that I don't trust people - I just need to know I've gotten the full truth so I can validate the statement. I could save myself some time if I believed people at their word.

It's a Lifestyle: 24 Day Challenge - Part I

We are about to start our 2nd Advocare 24 Day Challenge. Aboy and I are already getting into mental readiness mode. 

The challenge starts on April 6th. 

For the first 10 days, we will do the cleanse portion. It's not a violent or volatile type cleanse... it's more of a gentle scrubbing of the flora in our digestive track. This helps prepare the body for the "Max" phase which is high in nutritional intake and absorption. 

It's a lifestyle: CocoNUTS!

You already know the mantra: 

New Year - New Me 

I say it all the time and I am living it every day. 

I'm owning this shit. 

I have to. I owe it to myself and my family to be the best person I can be. That includes my physical well being. 

Somewhere in time when I crossed the "40's" threshold, I began to see wrinkles. Laugh lines around my mouth, some crinkles across my forehead, some bagginess on my eyelids.

It's a Lifestyle: Better than Mom's Cooking!

We went to NY this past weekend for our Niece's wedding. It was so much fun to go and enjoy family time. 

The trip was short but well worth it!

We took lots of pictures with our new #selfiestick. 

We really had a lot of fun! 

*****

Part of the requisite of visiting home is to indulge on phenomenal food. 

We spent more time in the car than we did visiting and doing stuff - but, we did eat!!

1. I had a slice of Pizza and an Eggplant Parmesan hero
2. I had Zeppoles
3. I had Rice & Beans with Steak
4. I had an Empenada
5. I had Fried Chicken Wings
6. I had a Leggios Hero
7. I had a Cinnamon & Raisin Bagel w/ Cream Cheese 
8. I had a couple hunks of Italian Bread
9. Not to mention, Subway and Zaxby's on the ride up. 

I weighed myself today...

I lost 2 lbs this week. 

Since January we drastically changed our eating habits - but going home is a treat and we definitely "treated" ourselves to some awesome food. We stuck with our #Advocare regimen while we traveled and got right back on the meal plan wagon when we got home (I did have some leftover Rice & Beans for lunch on Monday tongue emoticon ).

Green Acres: Spring is near!

Every year I put together a mental list of major purchases for things I would like to have. Sometimes I'm due for some new electronic devices. Sometimes I have plans for a large kitchen appliance. Maybe a new furniture set or TV.

One of my major purchase plans for this year was to pick up a rototiller. I would prefer to have a donkey and a plow, but given the age we live in and some of the conveniences that are available - at this point a rototiller is more practical and less time consuming.

Not to mention - WE (get it? WE!!!) only plan on tilling a maximum of 100 feet to garden - for this year <insert devilish chuckle here>.

The weather is starting to break and the growing season starts a little earlier in North Carolina than it does in New York (my Grandfather would not plant anything until just before Memorial Day). 

I plan on getting stuff in the ground by the end of April. 

But, one does not just put stuff in the ground!  Not if you're a seasoned farmer, like me!!

NOOO!!! I have to fertilize the soil. It has to be tilled a couple times and then fertilized again. Then WE till it some more!!

And when I say fertilizer... I don't mean some chemicals you buy in a bag... I mean with shit. Lots of shit! Horse shit, cow shit, llama shit... plus the compost that we've been building all winter long. In case you missed it, WE till the soil - I fertilize the soil. Aboy don't fuck with the shit. 

Yessir! We are going to have a garden of abundance this year!!

Tonight I scratched Tiller off the major purchase list. 

I went to the Tractor Supply in Rural Hall. 

Now you KNOW I live in the country if I have to go to a store in a town called Rural Hall! Oh and the 2010 census has the population of Rural Hall listed at 2,937 residents. Pretty rural considering it's only 10 minutes out of Winston Salem!

I walked around a little bit and eyed some chicks. They weren't sexed yet and my Aunt Lori told me I don't want to buy chicks that aren't sexed because I could end up with a bunch of roosters... but that's more for a later post!

So yeah, back to the Tiller... isn't she a beaut?

I'm not sure what this means - but apparently (according to the sales guy), "it's got good horses for the money!" He also told me to "put Hi-Test Petrol in it"... 

I just widened my eyes and watched his lips move to make sure I was hearing him correctly. His southern drawl was a little thick. 

Just think "Bubba". 

I have to tell you though - the fucking thing is heavy as a shitload of bricks! It wasn't so bad getting it loaded on the back of the truck because "Bubba" did most of the heavy lifting and pushing.

I was "Bubba" when I got to the house.

My hours at the gym are paying off though and I didn't drop it... and only cursed a couple times - out loud. I did get dirty... which is some bullshit because I wasn't in my "get dirty" clothes.

So, I got her off the truck and this is where she'll sit until Aboy comes home so WE can start with the flower beds!

Have a good night Yaw'll!! 

Time for me to fetch some vittles!

It's a Lifestyle: Is that Bacon?

If you've been following along, you know that we did the Advocare 24 Day Challenge that began on January 7th. 

Basically what the challenge does is it acts as a "Lifestyle Adjustment Tool". 

IT IS NOT A DIET. Like, I can't reiterate that enough. We are NOT ON A DIET. 

Change is derived from the word chaLLEnge (in Terri-Town) and we took the 24 Day Challenge to start the path for a lifestyle change. The food, tools and supplements that you use during the challenge prepare you for living a healthier lifestyle; to prepare your body to accept the nutrients you receive from real food. There are supplements to help keep you on the path. Think of them as tools to help build your foundation. 

Make sense?

++++++

We were almost 2 weeks into the challenge. Literally the no dairy, no unhealthy fats, and definitely no bacon part of the challenge. We were on our Saturday shopping trip to Trader Joe's and then to Whole Foods to pick up our weekly food supplies. 

Trader Joe's went great. We picked up our fresh fruits and vegetables. Aboy picked up organic coconut water and some healthy chips and other things for the road. I like their Brown Rice Pasta selection and also picked up some frozen fish.

On to Whole Foods. 

So, before I take you through that experience... let me set the stage a little clearer. We usually go on our shopping adventure right after we leave the gym. We have a piece of fruit or a healthy snack before shopping so we don't go in the store "starved"... and then have a nice lunch when we get back from shopping. 

Well, it was a Saturday morning and Whole Foods parking lot was jam packed. The Whole Foods we go to has an extensive deli type setting with seating and food to order. We walked in and were overcome by the smell of bacon. Like yummy, fuck the challenge - smell of bacon!! And the closer we walked to the restaurant area - the stronger the smell. 

We needed some coconut milk and yogurt - so, that brought us to the perimeter of the restaurant area. 

I wish I could show you the look on Aboy's face as we got closer to the smells perpetuating through the air. I have to admit - it was very enticing! 

We could have succumbed to the pressure, but to that point had really stuck to meal plan and decided once we got through with the challenge we could have some bacon as a treat.

So, we won that challenge!

++++++

In the world of nutrition and daily eating, bacon will be our treat. It tastes great but offers very little in the way of nutritional value. 

North Carolina is famous for it's bacon. We will always eat bacon. 

We just choose to use it as a treat and not a staple in our meal plan. 

Journal Entry: Zumba - Aye Carumba!

Some of yous may have forgotten (or maybe yous didn't even know)... I took dance lessons with Ms. Kay and Mrs. Cousins from Kindergarten until 9th grade. My specialty was Tap Dancing and then later, I started doing Tap, Ballet and tried Toe Dancing, too.

I'm also married to a black man. That means there is a lot of pressure on me to show my rhythmic side. Every major family event (BBQ's, Reunions, etc...) includes some form of music and alcohol, which we all know = get up and dance!

My hey-day of the club scene was in the 80's. We did a lot of drinking and a lot of dancing in the 80's. I enjoyed every bit of it. We had great dance music and a bevvy of styles to choose from.

And here we are today. 

Now, I Zumba.

They offer Zumba classes at the YMCA I go to. I mostly make the Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday classes because of my work schedule. It's a lot of fun and it's really helping me with my general overall body toning.

I laugh a lot. I make up my own moves when they do shit I physically can't do (remember the trick hip?). I've made some "gym friends". It's a great time. I guess you could call it the modern day club scene for middle-aged women!

******

The other night, we had a substitute instructor.

Have you ever watched the movie "Bring it on"? Basically, it's about 2 cheerleading squads. One squad has been stealing the other's routine for years and once it has been brought to the attention of the Captain that their routine was stolen, she goes out and hires a consultant to help them construct a new routine.

It's a Teeny-Bopper type movie - but, if you're bored, it's cute.

So anyways, the consultant tells them to use Spirit Fingers throughout the entire routine and SMILE!

The squad gets to Nationals and realizes this consultant has been instructing other squads with the same exact routine.

I told you that to tell you this.....

I mentioned the other night we had a substitute instructor. I swear on all things holy - she is the Consultant from Bring it On.

I am compelled throughout the entire Zumba work out to use my spirit fingers. None of her routines flow - so we all look like we're doing our own thing. She smiles and stares into space as if she's making the shit up as she goes along.

I just do a lot of this:

I'm not being mean because it is a great class in the fact there is a lot of jumping around, my heart rate stays elevated and I sweat... but I cannot for the life of me get the Spirit Fingers image out of my head!

I really wish I could have worn a body camera. Everyone at different points ended up doing what came natural. 

*****

On a serious note - if you are looking for a way to get out of the house, move your body and make new friends - find a Zumba class. You don't necessarily need rhythm - you just have to have a good sense of humor!

And my Latino/a friends and family will be proud of how I hold us down with my Merenque, Salsa, Rumba and Mambo moves!!! 

Andale, Andale! Arriba, Arriba! 

It's a Lifestyle: 60 Day Check-In

What's up Party People??

J/K! I am just so amped about how great I feel. Plus, I did my measurements this morning and it's all good in the 'hood! 

Woop! Woop!

If you've been following along with my dysfunctional life - you know that I made a few New Year's commitments. Part of the New Year, New Me determination was to lose #50poundsBy50years and I am happy to report that it is March and I am on a great path to achieve that goal.

On January 7th, I began that journey doing the Advocare 24 Day Challenge. I lost 11 pounds in 24 days. Well, today is day 60. I continued to use the Advocare products and I'm happy to report my total weight loss to date is 17 pounds.

Now, that number may not sound like much - so let me explain why.

As part of the New Year, New Me initiative, I also joined a gym. I have yo-yo dieted most of my life and over the years have not just lost weight but a lot of muscle mass as I put my body through different starvation methods to drop some pounds.

So, 17 pounds lost would probably equate to 30 pounds lost if I wasn't building all this lean muscle.

The truth is in the measuring tape. I have lost 33 inches off my body. Notably 6.5" off my waist and 4.25" off my chest. My thighs are losing their saddlebags, sag and old lady dents.

I think what is the most phenomenal change... and I'll have to give you some history before I disclose what I am witnessing...

As yous know, I claim Caucasian on the "what race do you identify with" surveys. I have been afflicted by a genetic deficiency... most specific to white women (although I have seen other races / ethnicities that suffer as well)... 

It is called "NoAssAtAll"....

Yup! I admit it - I have a pretty extensive "back".

No ass; just back.

The conversation generally goes like this:

Me: "Aboy - how does my ass look in these jeans?"
Aboy: "You mean your back?"


Yeah. Like that.

Well, guess what Exercise + Advocare = ???

ASS!!!

I texted this pic to my Cousin Kathy the other day. She didn't believe it was my ass! I had to send her the full picture for her to believe me! Even then - she thought it was a butt pad! 

This is 100+ squats a week. I started off slow, but hard work is paying off! I am lifting and separating - all over my body!

So - now you know why I've only lost 17 pounds! I'm building muscles YO!!

I am not prepared to show you my total before and after pics. I want to get a little closer to my weight loss goal before I do that. 

I have another blog post to follow on how I stay on my meal plan and motivation to work out.

In saying that, I have to wrap up this post because my Line Dancing Class & Zumba Class are starting shortly and I don't want to miss it!

Make it a great one!

It's a lifestyle: One Pot Zucchini Mushroom Pasta

I'm all for easy. One pot easy is an even bigger win.

I found this recipe on Pinterest last week and told Aboy I was going to make it this weekend. 

I picked up the fresh ingredients after we left the gym yesterday. 

Yous know we prep the week of food the day before Aboy has to go back out - so, this seemed like a nice dinner (meatless), plus given the amount of ingredients, some extra for the rest of the week. 

It was simple, but I tweaked the recipe a little bit because Aboy is not a huge fan of peas. 

The original recipe is here 

I beat to my own drum - so this is what I did...

In the pot:

About 6 cups of water (because there was so much food in the pot)

2 garlic cloves (minced)

1 lb of Spaghetti (I used brown rice pasta - I think the next time I will use wheat)

8 oz container of cremini mushrooms (sliced)

2 sprigs of thyme

1 lb chopped spinach (frozen)

2 large zucchinis

Salt & Pepper and a couple shakes of Sazonador Total (which, BTW - is my new favorite seasoning)

Sauce:

Parmesan Cheese (I didn't measure this - I'm Italian... we don't measure Parmesan)

1/4 cup of heavy cream

Just like the instructions said - I threw it all into the pot - let it boil down until it had reduced to hardly any liquid. 

Then I added the cheese and cream, stirred it up - let it cook for another 2 minutes and turned off the heat. 

We took out Mahi Mahi earlier, so I baked that (with a pesto glaze) and Waa-Laa!!! Sunday Dinner!

It's a lifestyle: What's for lunch?

I have been blessed with "big bones" (that's what Nan Guy used to say)... in actuality - I've been heavy my entire life. 

What you don't know is, I have invested 49 years of investigative research to provide you with the following useful information. 

Skinny people eat all day long. 

Yup, no bullshit. They just snack on shit all day long... WHAT they eat is different than what fat people eat. 

That's the difference. 

Instead of picking up a twinkie, they eat some carrots or almonds. 

Simple, right?

Understanding that has changed our grocery purchasing habits (again) and approach to eating. If it doesn't come into the house, I'm not as likely to make a bad choice when I get hungry. 

Another thing yous don't really know about me, I have an inner Libertarian that rears it's head from time to time. I don't want anyone telling me what / where / how to do shit. I definitely don't want a doctor or the government telling me what I can eat, that I have to take medicine that is going to make me sicker than the actual disease and I don't want anyone in my personal business. 

So, at this point of my life - I have decided that my health is in jeopardy, which is something I have complete control of. I choose what goes in my mouth. I choose how much time I commit to exercise. I can reverse many of the things that I have brought on myself by making better choices.

If I can do it, ANYONE can do it!

There is no willpower involved. This is about control. 

Just because I'm an adult, I don't always make adult choices about what goes in my mouth. The consequences are too great for me to continue along that path.

Besides, I have so many other aspects of my life under control - this is really one of the only pieces left for me to come full circle in my own universe. It is a journey, after all - I'm just at that point of my journey that I want to see my grandkids have grandkids. 

*****

Since Aboy and I have started Advocare it has helped us wrangle in some of the demons of bad eating and manage our sugar, fat and caffeine addictions. And believe me WE were addicted. No doubt about it! We chose Advocare because we could eat real food (that is so important to both of us), not count points and not microwave pre-packaged meals (we threw out our microwave last year). 

I did a lot of research and found that one of the key ways to help change the way we eat was through preparation. 

Every video I watched, every blog I read... everyone said that preparation was the absolute best way to guarantee success. The products just help with supplementing nutritional deficiencies, energy and hunger control. 

Whatever they do - they are really helping. I am making it to the gym almost daily, I don't crave anything and I very rarely have the urge to go off meal plan. 

So, each week - we take a few hours on the day before Aboy is set to go back out and just cook a week's worth of food. I bake yams and potatoes, make rice, bake chicken and fish... then we portion it off so it's easy to put a meal together. 

It really removes the excuses to eat crap. Since the food is pre-cooked and frozen, it's easily heated up. 

It's healthier because we control the seasoning. There are no preservatives. It's pre-portioned, so the risk of over eating is drastically reduced. 

We are eating more. THAT is huge. We eat the right things, at the right time = it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle.

*****

If you read my blog the other day, you understand my frequent meal choices are influenced by Mexican Recipes. They're high in nutrition and low in calories. 

Today's lunch has become comfort food for me. I need 2 hands to eat it, it's very filling and it brings in all the things I need for a complete meal. 

Also, if you've seen some of my Instagram or Facebook picture posts... you know how much I love a snack scrap for lunch (you have to click the link to understand that joke).

Lunch for today: Chicken Wrap

What made it GREAT was the ingredients!

I used a tortilla we picked up the other day at Trader Joe's

Like I mentioned - we pre-cook the chicken and freeze it. I have a scale (to keep me honest) and I just throw the chicken into the oven for 10 minutes to warm it up.

I ALWAYS add Red Wine Vinegar. Pompeian is my fav!!! It makes me "ACK" (that's a noise I make if it hits the back of my throat with nothing coating it)... but, it has great zing and flavor!

I also add homemade guacamole and some roasted red peppers or sun dried tomatoes. Aboy puts a small garden on his (he is a big guy)...

 Like I said... you need 2 hands to eat it. It's very filling, hits all the taste buds and you won't think about eating again for a few hours!

North Carolina is Closed Today

I grew up on Long Island. I had some great times growing up and every winter I was guaranteed at least one good snow storm. You know the kind... at least 6-8 inches of snow, school was out and we got an unscheduled day off just to be a kid.

Growing up in Bay Shore was fun too because our Superintendent had a great sense of humor! We didn't know if school was called until 30 minutes before it was time to catch the bus! No sleeping in for us!

I can go back even further. I was born in a blizzard. My father was plowing JFK when my mother went into labor. My grandfather had to drive from Redington Street to Saxon Avenue to pick her up and get her to Southside. From what was conveyed to me, I waited for my father to finish before I arrived.

Speaking of... my father LOVED snow. He would wake up at 5 am to check how much snow we got so he could get bundled up and start shoveling. My father had a very analytical mind, so he would perfectly carve out the driveway so we had just enough room to park and enter / exit the vehicles. We had a 3 car driveway... he'd be outside all day! I remember how it used to frustrate the fuck out of him because we lived on the right side of a dead end block and the plow would have the dump side on our side of the street. The plow would make a pass, back up and do a second pass - only to dump all of the snow from the entire street into a nice mound across the length of our driveway.

My Father and I would go do donuts at the mall or in the Junior High parking lot. All the neighborhood kids would go play on the mounds at the Junior High...

Remember the snow storm of '78? The snow was so high, our German Shepherds were walking over the 4 foot chain link in the front yard! My father got really creative with the snow for that one!

Man, that was fun!!

Then, I took my driving test in a snow storm. Nothing gets cancelled in New York because no one wants to reschedule or make the day up. People have to get around and do what they have to because of how our lives are intertwined.

******

And here we are... in the present.

Massachusetts is getting so much snow, their Ski Resorts are closing down. Long Island is having a banner year of snow fall.

It just adds to the challenge of life in the north east, but nothing that cannot be overcome. It's almost like an adventure.

Not in North Carolina! The anticipation of snow will shut the entire state down! The Governor is urging residents to stay off the road.

The National Guard is on standby.

For this:

Yup! That's what we got yesterday. ALL of that!!

Need bread? Better bake your own!

*****

I mean, I get it. North Carolina doesn't have the snow removal capacity that they do in the north. There are ditches, two lane highways, winding roads, people that can't drive in normal conditions (add some snow... fuhgetaboutit!).

It's all good.

But, it still cracks me up!

It's a lifestyle: When in doubt, go Mexican

Aboy and I have enjoyed meals from all over the country. Most of them, right on Long Island or in the City because of the smorgasbord of people that have taken up residence in the area and the different cuisine's they've brought with them. 

One thing that Long Island never really had a lot of was authentic Mexican food. There is a large population of Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, El Salvadorians and Guatemalans... not a lot of Mexicans. You can find Bodegas that serve food all over the tri-town area (Bay Shore, Brentwood, CI)... but, the food has a Caribbean flair. It's a lot more sofrito and recaito based recipes.  

That all changed for us when we lived in Texas, though! Taco stands on every corner! They even sold tacos out of the gas stations! On the side of the road, Taco buffets, Tex-Mex... fuhgetaboutit! 

Needless to say we quickly acquired a taste for authentic Mexican food and barring refried beans and tamales... it's pretty good!

We like fresh food. Mexicans cook with a lot of vegetables. Tomatoes, peppers, onions, squash, mushrooms... just a lot of healthy stuff if you leave off the cheese and sour cream. 

So, if you're watching what you eat but you need a filling "comfort food" without the guilt and lots of nutrients... go Mexican!

*****

My new favorite "mayo" is guacamole!

Instead of having a sandwich slathered with mayonnaise, I put some guac on a tortilla with lettuce, tomatoes, boneless chicken and some red wine vinegar (for zing)... Oh Emm GEE!!! Total calories = less than 300 for something you need 2 hands to hold! 

My advice is if you are trying to eat healthier - give authentic Mexican a try!!

Click on the link for a Guacamole Recipe . It is so quick and easy to make your own. Homemade tastes so much better, anyway!!

Life is good, in Turtle's world

Many of you are already familiar with Turtle. 

He is our 80+ lb African Sulcata Tortoise that we've had for over 10 years now. 

He's a simple fellow. 

Sleep, eat, poop, repeat. 

Every once in a while he'll break loose, but we give him a pretty good life and he knows where home is. 

Since he's getting so big - we needed a better plan than what we've had in the past. When we lived in Texas, we'd let him stay in the garage under a heater. 

I'd fix him up with a "condo" - to hold the heat in a little area for him and he'd pretty much hibernate for the winter. 

So, this year - with all of our pallet ideas, we repurposed some pallets and made him a house. It has a sun roof and everything!

He loves his house.

We'll continue to improve his house and living arrangements, but this winter has turned out to be great for Turtle. 

He's not remanded to be inside everyday. 

On nice days (when the temps are above 50) we open his house up and let him get some exercise. 

In years past, we would have to carry him outside to get some fresh air on nice days and hurry up and get him before he burrowed in for the night under a bush. 

Now after he's been outside and he's ready to call it a night - he just goes back in his house and let's us know he's done for the day. 

We did start to build a greenhouse to protect his area. 

Weather and time were not on our side. 

This will be helpful in the summer to give him some shade. 

Next winter - we've got the structure ready to complete the greenhouse. 

We're also going to put wheels on his pen and house so we can move him around the yard for an endless supply of grass!

The end.