Battle of the Addictions: Sugar VS. Fiber

Debbie Bliss Cathay more delicious than Canoli? Definitely.
Schaefer Hand-Dyed Lola better than Ding Dongs? That would have to be a yes.

LET THE GLUTTONY BEGIN! That is, knitting my calories.

The worry has passed...now the accountability must begin. Time to get healthy and get real about this summer chubb. My husband forbid me to diet or exercise until we resolved the ticker situation. AHHHHH...food without guilt! Now that the heart issue is resolved, I need to refocus.
I've made a pledge...so if I waiver, feel free to slap me upside the head. Please don't restrain yourself. You have my blessing. Be my guest.

My Pledge:

I, Belinda, the compulsive, over-eating spaz, being of long-awaited, sugar-anesthetized mind and body, do hereby pledge to live an excuse-free and healthy existence with a normal relationship with sugar. I vow this before I plunge into an irreversible diabetic coma or completely rot my teeth and become brain-damaged, to bid farewell, so-long, and adios muchachos to those oh-so-sweet past compulsions. This night I part with the Three Muskateers and the Almond Joys, the Double-Stuff Oreos and the homemade chocolate icing, the Bens and the Jerrys...even the Wavy Gravy. This I promise to be free of the gluttony and compulsive eating that leave me a babbling, over-indulgent, and powerless jellyfish doomed to jelly belly and butt.
Hello, moderation! I commit myself to helping my heart... for life.

How was that??

And now for something completely different...

What'cha think of all them squares? Pretty darn COOL!! I can't wait to see what comes in tomorrow!
And, Gina, here is the BAG!! My purse is pretty, but REALLY boring (sunglasses, wallet, and a few scattered cosmetics). NOTHING else.
So, this is my knitting bag. More interesting by far.


1. Schaefer Lola socks... ahhhh
2. Three inches of another Hokie Square
3. Phone/Address Book
4. Pens/highlighters
5. Nail file...don't know why...I have no nails
6. A yellow wooden clothespin...I still haven't figured that one out
7. Ella Rae and my new SOCKS book! Love it!
8. Maytag recall information on the dishwasher I had fixed like a MONTH ago...
9. Hand sanitizer...tell me that this surprises anyone...
10. A teeny pair of scissors, and finally...
11. Hand cream: Kiss My Face Peaceful Patchouli (please don't say "eeewwwwwww!) and Planet Spa African Shea Butter (my sister gave me)

One final photo... this is my little sweetie scoring a goal at his final soccer game on Friday. He's the blondie in the blue shirt and the winning kick.

Hope you all have a great week back!

More to come before TNNA!!

Love ya, Bel

Cheers!

First of all, and I sincerely mean this...

ThAnK YoU!! All you people who had such wonderful things to say, such warm wishes and words of encouragement. It made me all toasty-warm to feel the kindness of you all...

And forgive me for taking so long to write... it has been crazy.

So... now the news...

I am fine. Met with the cardiologist this week. He read the echo and the halter, and, although I do have a PVC condition (can't quite remember what this stands for again, but it isn't serious), it is benign. I do have to take Beta Blockers three times a day. Most people, evidently, have periods of this heart occurance for like fifteen, twenty minutes, and then it goes away for five, ten hours...

Mine can go for like two, three hours. Relax for an hour or two, and kick back in for a few more hours... so I need to have my "med"s handy and..

here is the funny part... I need to, and this is verbatim of Dr. Rivera, "very, VERY, seriously consider options to reduce anxiety." I am a walking "adreneline junkie." My body produces adreneline from stress and anxiety... so I need to chill out.

Okay, Mosaic people!! You are RIGHT! I am confirmed a serious and hopeless SPAZ!!!

But, and I must say it again, thank you all for the kind words.

Now for some FUN stuff. I received a hand-delivered bottle of wine and wonderful card from Mimi, who was sad for me freaking out a bit and made me so happy I cried...a lot. I spent some time Saturday in the yard with the kids... watching them draw with sidewalk chalk while I crashed on the ground and knit my Hokie squares, received a visit from Mimi on Saturday night, who hung out for a little chick hang-out. And, of course, NBC Channel 10 coming to the shop on Wednesday. Man, I really need to get my teeth whitened. Either that or give up coffee... yeah, whitening... that's it. And we've got TNNA coming up... and my best bud, Tiffany, and I have confirmed a three day weekend away in about four weeks to her parents' condo in Charleston, SC. Lots of good things coming up.

Hope you're all knitting away, and I know that most of this is relatively boring, but it is all good news. Even my fortune cookie recommended a "peaceful" way in order to have more power, right, Gina??

Next post... knitting. I am totally serious. Something fun. And knitting.

Thanks for putting up with me. Love, Bel

blinded me with science and the curse of the ticked-off ticker

Wired. That would be me. Typical.
Work has been great, first of all. Tuesday we got a sqaure from Greece! Very cool. I love work...it is a happy place.
However, it has been a bit weird on the other side of life.
Let me tell you about my FUN week.

Sunday: Crabby people in my house. More sick people. Kid#1 crabby, and I'm worried about a relapse of strep throat. Luckily, we are catching it all really early.


Monday: Sick kid #1. Carting people off to Grandma and Grandpa's house. Realtor's checking my house...all over my house. Annual physical. Doc says we do an echocardiogram and a heart monitor. Also thinks we might need to reduce some stress. WHAT STRESS?? ME?? Don't answer that....

Tuesday: The beginnings of sick kid #2. Kid #1 crabby with his rash...the unique rash that only kid #1 gets with infections and baffles the doctors. Need to find the energy to wash dishes, pots, pans...

Wednesday: Kid #2 home sick. Husband taking a personal day to help during my many, many examinations today. Therefore, kid #3 (husband), very crabby. Echo at 11am, surreal and a bit disturbing. I evidently have some "leakage" in one valve. Sounds like a plumbing problem. This can't be great news. But otherwise he said it looks pretty decent in there. Then, doctor appointment #2...gyn. Ugh. So, I'm wearing paper robes from neck to knee, making jokes, and she listens......"okay, I thought I had a heart rhythm there, and then it went "bullallullalump!"" I'm sure this isn't technical terminology. And my blood pressure was 140 over 90. Way, way high for me. Might have some fibroid issues, too. Well, tickle me surprised!! Husband is helping with dinner...did you all hear that?????? BLINK! Show me you're alive! Breathe again!! It is TRUE!!! The man who means well but can't heat up frozen corn...helping me with dinner. See... chivalry is not dead.

Knitting...it is coming along. I've been tired, I'm afraid. But all is well, and I hope I don't strangle in my five dangling wires. Or that my wild dogs don't get lost between electrodes and blankets and accidently zap us all! Just kidding.

More this weekend. Lots of love, Bel

Mission: Incredible

Okay, not only do I get to have the best time checking in all these squares arriving every day, but how often does one get the opportunity to be a stealth yarn commando! Free yarn...hiding out there...waiting to be found. Bet 'cha can hardly see me in my cammo....

And, I'm proud to announce, we have reached 20 states. I received squares today from California and Anchorage, Alaska! I'm not sure how many squares we have at the shop just now...tomorrow I will count and give Gina a total. At any rate...fret none, little fiber junkies, we still need many, many squares. I did mention "many," didn't I?

By the way...family and friends in the Lehigh Valley...where are you?? I know you are knitters and crocheters up there!! You guys!! I need you on the map!! Hugs to Pennsylvania.

Here are a few more photos from our recent vacation in Key West. Besides checking in some new yarn, filling up the "contributors" notebook, and pushing pins into the US map at the shop, it has been a relatively uneventful week. Gina bought me a frappucino today. Thanks, Gina. Yum yum!

Let's try something different... I have a question to my few but dedicated readers. I want to know who you are and where your dreams take you. I am Sagitarius; we are often described as "dreamers" and "wanderers." I like things to change. I like adventures, although I don't seem to have many. As the boys get older and life gets easier, thanks to family close by and a special needs fellow doing very well indeed, I hope I can do some soul searching in these next few years.

Here is your question. I hope to hear some interesting answers!

If you could live the "life of your dreams," what would it include? How would you re-write your existence?

By the way, I saw this little fellow on the street in Key West.

I liked him. Keep knitting! Meow, meow, meow!

Hip to be Square

How are things, Hokie Friends? It has been an exciting week...and a miserable one, too! Stapled to my house with my two boys with strep throat. Poor little guys. More catering and cleaning than knitting, I'm afraid. But it has also been an exciting week...mainly the week prior, because of all the support the "Hokie Healing" project has gathered. And among the craziness, alas, my blogging priorities are still relatively pathetic. I need to keep to twice a week.

Come on, keep me on my toes, will 'ya?! I'm lame! Need HELP!

Teasing!! Here are my two Hokie squares so far. This project has amazed me to no end. I called churches and schools, distributed posters...and I took calls from probably twelve different states within the first few days. Hi there!!...all you friends who spoke with me...you guys were so great: Fort Bragg, NC; Littleton, CO; Michigan; Utah; New Jersey; NYC; Philadelphia, PA; Richmond, VA; St. Cloud, MN; Pasadena, CA...these are all I can remember right now...major cyber hugs and big sloppy kisses...you're the cat's meow.

Actually...Stevie Kate sends the big sloppy kisses, by the way. Oh, Thank You!!!

Yes, I have neglected telling you all about vacation. Too much going on around here! I decided to update on the "Hokie Healing" progress two or three times each week (nag me, please!)...but at the end of each post, I'll share a few photos and some highlights from my vacation in Florida. This was our first vacation in five years!! Now you all know how pathetic I really am!!

Top five Florida highlights for Today...this group of photos and highlights is from two days in Key West:

1. I was in the ocean when it was snowing in Blacksburg. Sorry...don't mean to rub it in.

2. Ocean from every direction... big time surreal.

3. Walking around Mallory Square eating a half a pound of European chocolate fudge all to myself.

4. Visiting Ernest Hemmingway's house and staying clear of the chickens...they say you can get arrested for messing with the chickens. They're from Cuba, so I understand. I only ate seafood...didn't want to upset the chickens.

5. Appreciating how long it takes to drive 128 miles from the start of the Keys all the way to Mile Marker Zero on US1. Trust me, I love the ocean, but between draw bridges, 30-45 mph limits, and nothing but water and sand to look at...128 miles is a loooooong time.

More this weekend. I have a little "assignment" from Gina for tomorrow evening. Adventure, anyone?? tee hee hee...

More this weekend...said that...mean it! Knitta, please! love, Bel