Hooray For Grandma!

A Happy Little Boy

Several weeks ago I realized that I was chain smoking, mostly while on this computer. I decided it was time to address both the blogging addiction as well as the smoking addiction.

I've quit (smoking) twice before by going cold turkey, and felt I wanted to try a different method this time.

I decided against the gum or the patch, why keep nicotine levels high? Reduce the nicotine, and reduce the craving!

Then I saw a documentary about severely overweight people having stomach surgery done, and began thinking... Why are these people going through intense medical procedures to reduce the size of their stomach? They know that post-surgical consumption of food is limited, and that this is where the weight loss comes from. Why don't they skip the middleman and just do the diet?

Relating this to my smoking, I thought "Why not cut down, then cut down again and again until I'm no longer addicted?"

To date, I've cut down my smoking to half of what it was.

I keep the smokes out of easy reach, along with a log. I do not allow myself a cigarette until a specific time period has been attained.

If I start jonesin' I run in place, take a walk, or do stretches.

I'm trying to avoid the things (like blogging) where I'd normally be sedentary and smoking.

My husband is doing the same thing! We've decided to spend the money we're saving on something fun... and believe me, it's a lot of money!

The first item on the agenda is a flatscreen TV for our video games. The second toy is that Nikon D70 I've been waiting on.

I'll still be blogging occasionally while going through this process, after all I am allowed some fun, however I won't be online so frequently.

Most likely, I'll be out in the fresh air taking a walk.

A Blogging Dream?

A recent sunset-

Yesterday, with a few minutes available, I dropped by to visit a few blog-friends.
This must have had some impact, because I had this dream last night...

Bucky and her husband dropped by my home (from Michigan?) to invite my husband and myself to a birthday celebration they were holding for me the following day in Lansing.
The reason they'd come was to introduce me to their children! Rather than bring the children, Bucky brought along a photograph which she'd created out of Play Doh.
(I knew I was dreaming and I recalled seeing a Play Doh photo over at Jessica's.)
Now I know Bucky has no children, but she had several blonde-headed girls, which I recognized as Kristine's daughters.
We all drove to Michigan that night, and awoke the following evening amidst sleeping bags jumbled all over Bucky's living room.
Our gracious hostess asked us to hurry outside, where the party was to be held.
Now I've never been to Lansing, but in my dream it looked like New York City.
The street was wide, and it appeared to be an older neighborhood full of brownstones and cottages huddled together. Looking down the street, which seemed to go on forever, you could see the city lights of downtown.
All of a sudden, people came out of the woodwork! Balloons appeared, as well as a parade of sorts.
Someone told me that Squirl and Ichabod were on their way.
I was then introduced to Indiaiynke and her husband, who lived across the street.
Just as I was being handed a telegram, expressing regrets from Susie, I awoke.

I'm thinking that Susie just didn't want to be associated with a known Blogoholic!

Nothin' Looks Sadder Than...

My grandmother's house in Rochester, New York

There's nothing sadder than holiday decorations displayed after said holiday.

Since my family has pushed Christmas forward, and now celebrates on Christmas Eve, I'm ready to dismantle and store things on December 25.

I have to force myself to hold off until New Years Day, which I did.

Well... I thought I did, until I spied my Christmas blocks (which spell out Merry Christmas) still sitting on my kitchen window sill.

OK, this happens every year. There's always something which escapes detection for a few days.

So yesterday (January 6) I was enjoying the almost 70 degree weather on the deck, and when I turned around to re-enter the house there was a wreath still hanging by the door!

It's packed away now, but I'm expecting to find something else still displayed in the next few days...

Gosh I hope not.