Rewards

Saturday, February 09, 2013

I went to a concert tonight-The Marlins. They played and sang every type of music from Glen Miller to Andrew Lloyd Weber through the Beatles and Chubby Checker.

What fun. We were given tickets for this series of concerts, so it really wasn't a reward for my 5th SP Anniversary or losing 44.5 pounds, or starting a SP team, or walking 4 miles on the bike trail, or this 45 minute a day fitness streak, or feeling better than I've felt since 1990.

But it felt like it!!

www.themarlins.net/index.php
This is their web page, and I believe you can hear some of their music if you click on the music link on the left, but I am evidently missing a plug in. I'll have to work on it or order a CD.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

FISHER011 2/12/2013 5:56PM

Nice! Report Inappropriate Comment

LESLIELENORE 2/10/2013 2:13PM

Cool! Way to go! Report Inappropriate Comment

CHRISTINASP 2/10/2013 1:53PM

I listened to their 'I believe in America'. Handsome brothers! And harmony in the music. Glad you had a good time. Report Inappropriate Comment

SHARJOPAUL 2/10/2013 9:45AM

I'm glad you enjoyed it! If it felt like a reward then it was a reward. Congratulations on all your GREAT achievements! Report Inappropriate Comment

NORASPAT 2/9/2013 9:57PM

I am so glad it felt like all of those things great you had a good concert. Our is tomorrow if DH can get there with the snow. I will try to get us there though. Great positive BLOG! Report Inappropriate Comment

Starting Over?

Friday, February 08, 2013

On this journey, we are not perfect. We have slip ups. We put them behind us and start again. Some of us wait a few months or years for that new beginning. Some of us wait till tomorrow when the moon is right to give newness a chance to root and take hold. Or we wait for the reminder of the promise in a rainbow after a storm, or the freshness of a sunrise to think the old is washed away leaving room for the newness to shine through.

But since we ARE human, we have a constant supply of renewal opportunities.

Those of you who have been present at a birth know the wonder of that first breath. The newness.

Begin your fresh start on your next breath.

Breathe.
Breathe in a wealth of possibilities.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

JO88BAKO 2/8/2013 10:27PM

Awesome! Thanks for stopping by my blog. Yes, BLC 21 is Biggest Loser Challenge. This is the 21st round. We do 12 weeks at a time. We are a month into this one. If you would be interested, I will let you know when the next round starts. There are around 26 teams. I hope you have a great weekend! Report Inappropriate Comment

NORASPAT 2/8/2013 10:25PM

Excellent prose, well done. It is certainly appropriate for many of us at any given time. Well done and thank you, HUGS Pat in Maine. Report Inappropriate Comment

WHOVIANGIRL23 2/8/2013 12:17PM

Awesome :) Report Inappropriate Comment

VTRICIA 2/8/2013 11:30AM

Thanks for sharing this! Report Inappropriate Comment

LESLIELENORE 2/8/2013 11:20AM

Breathing is definitely recommended. Report Inappropriate Comment

NSTARSMITH 2/8/2013 11:01AM

Oh, man, this is such a timely blog. I need to renew my Spark process (again) and was searching about for something to grab hold of to pull myself forward! This is very helpful! Thanks for posting. Report Inappropriate Comment

SHARJOPAUL 2/8/2013 9:04AM

Wonderful! Report Inappropriate Comment

1935MARY 2/8/2013 7:45AM

This is beautiful. I is a lovely thought to start a day with. We are human and we are not perfect, but we do have the chance of fixing our mistakes. Thank you for sharing this have a beautiful day. Report Inappropriate Comment

Kenya, Week 1

Thursday, February 07, 2013

Some of you know my sister is in Kenya with a group who is working to build a medical clinic in Kaugi Village outside of and up a mountain or two from Meru, just about on the equator.

The group stays at Meru County Hotel where they also get breakfast and dinner. Meals take 3 hours to get their food. I think it's because they go out and harvest the fruits and vegetables when they see the bus coming. ; ) They have a lot of spinach and fresh fruit. They are given bread and most have a supply of peanut butter to make a sandwich for their lunch. My sister wised up and took a banana from breakfast to put on her sandwich yesterday.

The medical team is there, working to see as many as they can while the building team builds.

I haven't known how lucky I was. Read on.



This photo shows how villagers power a single LED light in their living room at night.


I couldn't figure out how someone could live in such a rickety structure up in the air like this. I learned it's not a house. They are water towers.


In the process of trying to convert power from the generator to a power saw brought from the US, they burned up the saw and had to resort to using hand power to cut plywood to size to create the frame for the concrete footing .



When the rebar arrived, it had been folded in half. If you don't have a tool you need, you make one. So they used a stump that came out of the foundation hole to bend the rebar straight to be cut and welded into the framework.


Bucket Brigades have moved rock into the base of the foundation trench. And then moved it again when they needed more height but had no more rock so they had to refill underneath with that red clay. Then the Portland Cement arrived and they started mixing and bucketing the equivalent of 3 of our truckloads of concrete.


My sister got concrete in her eye as she set her bucket down. She tried to wash it out with her water bottle, and remembered she had added Propel to it. After a trip to the medical center where they rinsed it out with saline, she reports she's okay.


The group is far away from home, well, anywhere, really.

They are working to build a medical clinic in honor of Benjamin's mother.
She raised 7 educated children, and worked to helped other children in the village. When a mother was expecting, she would give a banana tree to her so the child would at least have bananas during hard times.

Benjamin has been to school here in the states, and his first job was working for the St. Pete Times--now the Tampa Bay Times.


This is Benjamin with his daughter.


The whole village met the bus the first day and everyone walked the rest of the way together.


If you would like to know more about this project, you can access their "Blog" at

www.newkenyaclinic.com/blog/

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

SAGELADY2 2/9/2013 10:13AM

It is an entirely different world there and so many diseases and deaths can be prevented with just a clean, dependable water source. I've read where villages had put in a well and someone came and stole it (the pump head) to sell for scrap. It was heartbreaking. We are blessed to have what we have and not have to worry about where you next drink comes from, or next meal. Report Inappropriate Comment

NORASPAT 2/8/2013 10:22PM

Thanks for the Goodie, I have had so much to do this last week DH had 2 Dr visits this week and they were both long. Then shopping alone and dashing back to DH, he is doing great but I do worry when i am gone. I lost the subscription to your blog and overlooked you I am so very sorry. Forgive me please. I was glad you brought it to my attention. The Project is amazing bringing steel and concrete in to the village must be an education in itself. It is great they have the ability to modify when needed. Your sister is really living life to the fullest, HUGS Pat in Maine. Report Inappropriate Comment

CHRISTINASP 2/8/2013 5:08AM

Very impressive, the situation there. And you made an interesting blog entry out of it. Report Inappropriate Comment

JO88BAKO 2/7/2013 8:11PM

Wow, that is awesome! Whenever I turn on the water faucet I think of people in Africa. I won't waste a drop. We are in N.C. It's a great place to be in the winter. Hope you have a great day!! Thanks for stopping by my blog Report Inappropriate Comment

ANGEL1066 2/7/2013 6:39PM

Clean water is so critical in Africa. One of my former students is now working in Tanzania with several villages on a project to get reliable clean water to their people. So many diseases are a direct consequence of the unsanitary water in so many places. May God Bless your sisters clinic project! Report Inappropriate Comment

LESLIELENORE 2/7/2013 5:56PM

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ROBB1N 2/7/2013 4:42PM

We really don't know how good we have it here, do we? Report Inappropriate Comment

Spark Coach and FitBit Advice requested

Wednesday, February 06, 2013

I'm going to have to make up my mind soon about whether to continue with this program now. If it had been available last July when I came back to Spark People, I would have definitely used it and found it VERY helpful.

At this point, I think I'm doing pretty well. Perhaps I'm in the wrong part of the program.

I am very impressed with the organization of each day's plan.

Does anyone have experiences which might help me make up my mind?
I'll take your response in spark mail if you wish.

The other thing I'm looking at is buying one of those fit bit arm bands.
I might be calling it by the wrong name. I'm thinking since so much of my workouts are in the pool, that I wouldn't get enough benefit. Also, since I don't have a smart phone--just a MacBook. Will that be compatible.

If you have info or a link, I'd appreciate any help with this.
I have watched several Youtube videos, been to the website,, etc.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

SAGELADY2 2/9/2013 10:10AM

I trialed it in the summer I believe and it wasn't for me at that time. I don't have very much time to spend on the computer while at home so each new "thing" that takes time isn't needed. I know my workouts and what I can do when. My food choices are pretty much set now. I've had a dietician work with me to set that up. The fitbit is nice, but I have a different pedometer. I would have to re-enter all my recipes and things in the website for fitbit and that would mean double entry here and there. I guess since it now sync's to SP you can avoid that. When my pedometer shoots craps I'll probably get either that or the armband thing they use on Biggest Loser (which sync's here too I just found out). So, right now I just enter in my steps, mileage and exercise stuff here manually. I also keep a spreadsheet that logs all that plus my calories, carbs and weight where I chart everything. But, I'm weird like that. :-) Report Inappropriate Comment

LESLIELENORE 2/7/2013 3:16PM

I use the motivation program on Sparkcoach. I find it helpful and still challenging. Report Inappropriate Comment

PINKKITTY65 2/6/2013 10:10PM

I love sp coach program is give me extra support and the push I need I could never do it alone.. Report Inappropriate Comment

THESUBY 2/6/2013 9:59PM

I've been using Spark Coach for a few weeks. I had already used SP for a couple of months before that. I've actually found it very useful; I think if I had started Spark Coach at the same time as SP, I would have been overwhelmed. With the late start, I find it's much easier to follow Spark Coach; it's more like filling the blanks and reviewing the program. I like to go through the steps as I eat breakfast in the morning, and it gets my day off to a good start. I don't know enough about the fitness armbands; I want one, but my budget won't allow it right now. Report Inappropriate Comment

NORASPAT 2/6/2013 9:56PM

I would love a fit bit one but for me a very fit bit is missing. I fully expected it might register heart rate but it does not. I am rethinking it. I think I should have had Spark coach in the beginning because after three years here I did not get enough out of it to keep using it. I think it is just like buying Spark points so I stopped using it. Great for learning but not foe me, HUGS Pat in Maine. It's a great place to be. Report Inappropriate Comment

Walkin, Swimmin, Eatin

Tuesday, February 05, 2013

It's 84 degrees. Yorkie and I walked a mile early this morning. Then I walked four miles on the bike trail. And since it's so nice, I'm going to the pool. I'll feel like I'm taking a bath because they heat it to 84 and the air will be 84.

I started the Spark Coach Program and chose rewarding myself for meeting goals as a goal. Thing is, it is a daily reward for meeting the goals daily. And I stopped rewarding with food a long time ago. It's been interesting coming up with rewards that don't const money.

So going to the pool seems like a nice reward for all the walking. I'll spend a little time relaxing but the rest treading water and swimming. I might really treat myself and use the sauna.


On the eating front, I roasted 12 Roma tomatoes last night with italian seasoning on them. They have been delicious on pita bread or an xtreme Wellness Spinach tortilla (with some black olives). You can't beat the aroma or taste of roasted tomatoes, unless it's fire roasted tomatoes!!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

SAGELADY2 2/9/2013 10:16AM

I LOVE roasted tomatoes and especially with garlic. YUUUUUMMMMM. Can't wait for summer and all the fresh veggies. Still wavering on joining the YMCA so I can swim. I'm getting my schedule sorted at the moment. It'll be a few months until I know how my days are going to go. Just hanging on there with walking at lunch and as the weather warms, taking Dix to the parks around here again. Report Inappropriate Comment

ANGEL1066 2/5/2013 9:46PM

somes wonderful, especially the 84* pool, I am envious! will try your roasted tomatos when we get our fresh ones this summer. Report Inappropriate Comment

NORASPAT 2/5/2013 8:11PM

Another thing we have in common. I have never liked GREEN fried tomatoes but I was raised on Red fried tomatoes, fried in Butter and only on Sundays. Hugs pat in cold Maine. I would love an 84 degree pool again it used to be 85 for arthritics but the swim team rules the temperature. You are getting in awesome time HUgs Pat Report Inappropriate Comment

LESLIELENORE 2/5/2013 4:27PM

Yum! Great way to reward yourself! I wish the pool I use was kept that warm. Report Inappropriate Comment

CBRINKLEY401 2/5/2013 3:21PM

I assume this means you were able to find a swim suit that wouldn't slip off the moment you jumped in the pool so you wouldn't end up skinny dipping? No outside walks for me today. It's around 30 right now, snowing big flakes, which will cover up all the icy patches that are on the sidewalks so you won't know they are there until you suddenly find yourself flying through the air with your feet above your head! At least shoveling snow counts as exercise! Report Inappropriate Comment