Monday, June 24, 2013

A LITTLE CLEANING & GARDENING AT THE LAKE


Saturday was rather warm...okay, super hot and humid!  I spent most of the day inside cleaning.  I know, I know, you must already thing I'm a cleanaholic, but I'll let you in on a secret, I'm getting to be an old lady and I really just hate the heat.  I see The Husband outside doing yardwork or tooling around his workbench and I just feel super lazy.  So I stay inside with the air conditioning on and make myself useful.  The floors felt gritty as usual from the beach sand, the patio and the garage (which The Husband got around to blowing and power washing), so I swept, mopped, cleaned the bathrooms and cleaned all the dead bugs off the window sills.  Fun!!  At least I stayed cool. 
The Husband grilled some bratwurst Saturday night which we had with roasted peppers.  I'm not going to go off on a long tangent on eating healthy because I know so many of you have been doing that for a long time.  And I know that all of you know from reading my blog that I am a yo-yo dieter and sometimes actually go to a gym.  Last week I read (in two evenings), a book that made such an impact on my thinking about food that I can't stop thinking or talking about it to The Husband, my kids and friends.  It's called Obsessed by Mika Brzezinski....you can find it on Amazon or just read the description of it if you like.  Mika is a co-host on the show Morning Joe which is on every morning at 6:00 a.m. on MSNBC.  She has written a very comprehensive and well researched book on food addiction and the continuing rise of obesity in America, as well as the role of the media and food manufacturers in this epidemic.  As much as we now have access to fresh fruits and vegetables at the many farm markets that are springing up, women now spend an average of 1.5 hours preparing food in their kitchens, as opposed to 5.6 hours that was the average in 1960.  With women in the work force more now than ever and the crunch for time that all women have,  we are relying more and more on processed foods.  I am 100% guilty of that.

I came home last night and I looked at the 3 shelves in one of my cabinets that were filled with packages of instant potatoes, boxed rice and noodles, jars of sauces and gravies.  Let's just say I had a hard time sleeping.  There are going to be some major changes here in Blondieville, but don't fear, I'm not going to stand on my soapbox and preach about healthy eating.  I'm going to make it a real goal and let you know what I'm doing and how I'm doing from time to time.  But do let me have your thoughts.  How do you approach  cooking?  Do you feel any guilt like I do for not always cooking from scratch?  Have you been struggling with your weight for as long as I have because you just make all the wrong choices?  Feel free to share if you want.  It's really just my thought that you might want to have a look at this book, and my hope that you will support me in my goals to start eating right, exercising and and getting healthy, as well as shedding a lot of this excess weight I'm always complaining about!

I hope I haven't bored you.  I don't like ideas pushed on me either.  So take it for what it's worth.  Now, I'm going to just wish all of you a great week and get to getting my house in shape.  The floors are super sticky...I thought my kids were done throwing parties while we were away! ;-D

I'm joining Tracie at Fishtail Cottage for her Garden Party.  Check it out!

XO,
Jane

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

you are such a sweet heart, you get your point across so well and yet one would never find you preachy, I love to read your blog because you keep it real, you are a breath of fresh air, and oh yes, milk weed pods when dried are lovely for flower arranging!! I have an extra bit of weight i should lose, but its been on my bottom for 15 years so it will lost likely stay, lol I will tell the truth and tell you why I am not a good dieter or why I think I am not, I watched my Mum battle and fight the pounds all my life, she was so ashamed of her extra pounds they trapped her and changed her life, all over maybe 40 pounds, I swore I would never let my chubby bottom or legs rule my life or keep my life on hold till they were gone, I live life now, (sorry for the long post), sensitive subject for me, I wish you all the best with your new healthy life style, we all need to eat healthy,

Barbara F. said...

I wish someone would take over the gardening for me! I am better this year than last year, but I cut way back on planting, just can't do it, and the constant watering. I try to eat fresh whenever I can, which is alot I have to say. But once in a while that instant rice makes an appearance! xo

Lynn said...

I love Mika and watch Morning Joe! I'm sure the book is inspiring. The new roses are beautiful and it sounds like you had a nice weekend Jane-enjoy:@)

Kathleen Grace said...

I do not find you preachy at all, I think we have been "fed" so much wrong information by so called nutritionists, and experts that we have no idea how to eat anymore. One expert after another tells us what we must do, what we shouldn't eat, how much we should exercise. Here is what I intend to do this summer. I am going to try clean eating. No processed foods,none. Cut out sugar, which is a huge problem for me and eat real food, as much of it vegetables as possible. I have listened to friends and acquaintances for years brag about how they don't cook, how they couldn't boil water if they tried. Processed foods are the problem, GMO trash is the problem, and America's love of fast and easy correlates perfectly with the rise in obesity. Lol, how's that for a soapbox? Sorry, but I am passionate about food and passionate about cutting as much GMO junk out as possible. Good luck in your attempts, I am trying to figure out the right way to eat after years of being led down the primrose path by the latest expert.

Julie Marie said...

Oh Janie, what a cool post, chock full of so much info!... love love love your Eden Climber!... and I know you will baby it and love it and it will thrive for you... (PS Janie's hubby... you are sooo sweet to buy that and plant it for her!)... Jane, I love love love your Summerhouse too... I could live there for sure, and Layla looks so cute!... it has been hot and windy here and I am staying in a bit more as well... as for eating, well, I am a health nut when it comes to food... but NO diets, that is a 4 letter word in our house... we just eat really healthy, and we eat REAL food... I never buy things with artificial sweeteners... ever!... and I have always read the ingredients in everything we buy... I am so happy you posted about healthy eating... and can't wait for you to share some recipes!... our Farmers Market just began this past week and I am soo excited for Summer's bounty... my next post (yes, I know I said I was taking a little break, but you know me... they don't last long!) is going to be some recipes, all with fresh fruits, veggies, etc.... and I never go to a gym... I walk so much, and I love that... I am not one who wants to work out... okay, I have written a book again... I just love chatting with you!... and you never sound preachy... you are just a lady who speaks her mind, which I love... xoxo Julie Marie

20 North Ora said...

Hi Jane - Sounds like you had a great, relaxing weekend. Oh how I wish I had a lake house, or mountain cabin, or something. Just to get away from the hum-drum of everyday life every once in a while.

Good luck on the healthier eating.

Judy

NanaDiana said...

Jane- I came home from vacation more determined than ever to get healthy-especially at this age. I still have extra weight hanging on me and need to be more vigilant about eating right ALL the time. I'll tell you one saving grace for me when I am in a hurry is Wendy's grilled chicken salads- they are amazing and healthy to boot-
Good luck, Jane, I'll be rooting for you- xo Diana

Linda said...

I loved our 'visit!' WHY is it so hard to eat healthy and exercise? I did 20 minutes of aerobics this morning.

My mint, Asian Jasmine and honeysuckle are extremely invasive! How grateful I am I did not plant bamboo when I had the chance!!

farmhouse-story said...

there is always so much to love in your posts, jane:) i would LOVE a lakehouse, and your eden rose:) have a great week!

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

I don't use processed food. Haven't for years. I make my own salad dressings, never buy boxed rice or pasta mixes. I buy as local and as seasonal as I can. I have cut back on red meats, eating more seafood and chicken. Larges portions of veggies and fruit.

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

When it's that hot out, I will even clean, Jane! I love your new sign; the saying on it is perfect. I've seen a few at Hobby Lobby that have caught my eye, but I have no place to put anything like it here in the condo. The downside to open floor plans.

Low Tide High Style said...

I have been trying to find Eden Roses here for years, so glad you have some now! I love your sign, the saying is so sweet, and oh so true! And I've been away from processed foods, for the most part, for a long time now. After awhile you will find that cooking simple healthy meals is a snap, and you will actually not be able to tolerate processed stuff any longer.

xo Kat

Cindy (Applestone Cottage) said...

Oh Jane,
I truly want some of that wisteria!!
I am trying to eat healthy and I try to provide healthy things for Addison when she is here but...I know I still eat too much junk too.
And of course I know your not preachy, your just a great gal with a big heart.
Those roses are gorgeous too, I am calling them the Jane Rose.
Let me know what dates are open for you in August/September.?
Miss ya,
Cindy

Julie Marie said...

I'm back, having fun reading everyone's comments about food... love seeing how many ladies think like me about eating REAL food!... I have a favorite saying I see here and there "if your grandmother did not have it in her day, it's probably not good for you"... we never, ever have fast food and seldom, if ever, eat out... I DO love my chocolate though, but I buy the best I can find and savor it slowly... I wanted to read your sign again too... I LOVE it!... so true... I want to try to find one!... it reminds me of an old Native American who once said to his grandson who was going to college "I'm happy to see education has not gotten in the way of your learning"... real life... that's what I want too... okay, I think I am done now... gee, I feel like I've done a guest post now, sorry!... xoxo Julie Marie

Debbie said...

Hi Jane, I only recently started following your blog. I'm in the western burbs of Chicago and grew up on the southside so I love following your blog since I too have started eating healthy. I have quite a bit to lose. So far I've dropped about 25 lbs. I have friends that have a summer house in Michigan and we spend a lot of time with them there. The problem is that we end up eating and drinking all the wrong things. This year I plan to spend more time exercising and eating healthy as well. I'm a yo yo dieter and want to lose about 80 lbs. I've found a great motivation...5K's! We have a Biggest Loser 5K in Soldier Field in August. I've done a couple 5K's which I walk/run because I'm not a runner yet. If you're looking for motivation to take off some pounds and get healthy I highly recommend it.
Good luck to you. I look forward to hearing about your success!
Debbie

It's me said...

Lovely post Jane !!!...i enjoy it...have a nice week....love from me Ria...x !

PAINTORDIG.blogspot.com said...

I love to cook from scratch and do a lot of it-I still don't seem to lose weight-sometimes I wonder if it is just if this is the way I am supposed to be in old age-I was always little until I hit 60. I love that rose, I need to look for one of those, and I love your little get-away-so cute.

Theresa said...

We eat pretty healthy but also indulge in some bad things too:) I think if you make it a life change, it just comes natural! Love your getaway home! Sweet place to relax AFTER you get it all fresh and clean. I also love the quote plaques, I have a couple and love them! Have a blessed week dear friend, HUGS!

Primitive Stars said...

Morning Jane, love the little porch, so sweet and that wicker rocker would be just the place for me to while away the hours, :)...lovely being back at the lake, yay, everything looks great, Enjoy, Francine.

Balisha said...

Hi Jane,
Joe has a weight problem and is trying to cut down on anything with wheat in it. He misses having bread in his left hand, when eating.I have such a sweet tooth and have cut down on sweets too. I too cleared out most of my processed foods a few weeks ago. We are eating like Kathleen said..a clean diet.I don't like to call how we eat a diet...just a healthier way of eating. Lots of fruits and veg are on our plates.Weekends and parties are hard, but we try to just eat a little bit of this and that.
Carrying a lot of weight in the middle...so many times leads to a heart attack and I want him around for a long time.
Let us know how you are doing...maybe we all can encourage each other.

I don't remember if you've ever shown a picture of your lake home from a distance. That way we could visualize where your little retreat is in relation to your home.
Have a great week.
Balisha

Melanie said...

It was wonderful to see some of the inside of the lake house - I'd love to see an entire room (what does the kitchen look like?) and a view of the lake house itself. Maybe one of those home tour posts! :-) Al's boat looks so nice; no wonder he likes to get up early and go out on the lake with it. Cute that Al went out and got roses...Brian likes gardening and yard work, but he would never go out and buy flowers on his own!

You know I'm "with you" on the healthy eating. Like Penny at The Comforts of Home and others, we don't eat any processed foods here...no mixes, no boxed stuff, no canned sauces (unless totally natural), no artificial sweeteners, make our own salad dressing, etc. My two problems (why I am overweight!) are that I like sweets and I don't exercise enough. xoxo

Debbiedoos said...

Hi Jane, you certainly sound like you share good sound advise to me. I really need to up the fruit and veggies myself. You gardens are beautiful. Hope you are enjoying your summer.

must love junk said...

Jane, I always love hearing about your lake home (although I'm a wee bit envious, too :)
It sounds like you were very industrious this weekend and got the place in tip-top shape to enjoy.
Looks like a wonderful, peaceful getaway!
Susan

Traci said...

Those roses are gorgeous!! I got a little taste of what having a lake home is like over the weekend when we stayed at our friends house. Sooo relaxing! I don't cook much. Like really very little BUT I've been very proactive on trying to get the processed stuff out of the house. Not to say we've been 100% successful but things are so much better than they used to be. Good luck with your healthy eating!

Lisa @ Texas Decor said...

I love your view at the lake! I bet it's so relaxing. Your roses look fabulous too. I have one climbing rose, but it is pretty finicky. Sometimes it'll bloom profusely and other times, it won't bloom for weeks on end. I'll have to take a look at that book. We try to eat pretty healthy and I work out four days a week. (and by "work out" I mean ride my recumbent bike indoors in the a/c while I watch E! news) I may look like a grandma with my "stationary bike" but I don't care. LOL!

Unknown said...

Totally inspirational!! I so need to get with eating healthy! Cute summer house. When we go to our lake house, I stay inside and putter around too. Being S. Georgia, there are lots of bugs in the summer, and the humidity is horrendous. Inside with the AC is where you'll find me. Have a good week!

Michele M./ Finch Rest said...

Love your lake home.

Love your attitude about health.

Love your husband for caring about roses.

And absolutely ADORE that wall sigh plaque. What a great philosphy - I want one!!!!

Heaven's Walk said...

You are a girl after my own heart, Jane. My husband loves working outside in the hot, humid heat while I, on the other hand, need to escape it inside in the AC. It never used to bother me at all. Not the case anymore. lol It must feel so good to get things cleaned up and smelling good after a long winter. Your view is just beautiful! I planted an 'Eden' climber last year and she bloomed beautifully this year. Still has a way to climb (heard she's a slow grower), but I love her!

We eat as healthily as possible over here. Lots of veggies from our own garden, and during the winter, organic ones from the store. We always buy air-chilled organic chicken breasts & burger, eat very very little beef, and love our boiled salmon dinners. Yes, we still buy some items in boxes (wild rice, cereal, cookies), but try to eat naturally and simply...and less now. My husband's lost 20 pounds in the last year and I've recently lost almost 10. I think eating less (and drinking alot of water) is truly the secret!

xoxo laurie

Laura said...

Hi jane, you know, after you mentioned your milkweed, i saw something on the news about how they are developing some kind of cancer treatment from it.. i didnt see the whole add, but i think it may be for melanoma... so its not so bad after all! lovely rose gift from your hubby! enjoy your time at the lake, hope its not too hot!

Ricki Treleaven said...

I love reading your posts, Jane. I think your summer house is enchanting! I know your kitty likes her little windowseat.

I think signs are a bit overused, too, but I really love the sentiment of yours. :D It's great!

I think that we all need to better educate ourselves as a nation about what we're eating. I'm trying to eat healthier, too.

xo,
RJ

Lynne said...

Jane...this is a wonderful post!

It's like you took us to "the lake" for the weekend! With all of the chores done, I hope that you have time for some R & R on Independence Day weekend!

You know how much I love to hear about the lake. How precious is Summerhouse. Your flowers are "ongrowing" enchantment!

I "hear" you about the food and lifestyle. It's an ongoing battle for us "foodies"! Mr D and I have become addicted to the weekend farmers markets which helps us focus on "whole foods!" I also need to MOVE more! I am at a desk 8 to 9 hours a day. Most nights I get dinner on...then crash!
Have a great week!
~Lynne
withLove!

Charlene said...

I loved your post. It sounds like me... I felt your pain with the floors. HOW do they stay dirty? I sweep, I mop, I use the shark... but, yet they are always dirty. At least they aren't carpet hiding dirt! My allergies thank me for that but, I do tire of gritty feet.

Food/Cooking... my thoughts...
I try to cook healthy using fresh ingredients & grilling more than frying. But, let's face it, sometimes you just need a package of something for fast & easy. It's better than running out for fast food which has way worse stuff in it & way more money. We'd all like to eat healthier, exercise more, loose weight but, sometimes I think we put so much pressure on ourselves that we defeat ourselves & end up beating ourselves up or quilting ourselves & others we love that again... quality of life. Be HAPPY! Don't sweat the small stuff. Try to do well, eat/choose fresh & that is easier when you train yourself to think a different way but, don't be obsessed. BALANCE is a wonderful thing. Nothing Good or Bad is perfect without BALANCE! HUGS!

Brenda Pruitt said...

My dogs pretty much live on the back of the couch which looks out on the street all day. I wish I could come sit with you and look at the water. About eating, I have found that when you don't have as much money, you have a harder time eating nutritiously. Now I understand that notion.
Brenda

Debbie said...

I understand about hubby being busy outside...and feeling like I need to be doing something constructive inside...or outside, too.
Your roses on the arbor are beautiful!!
Now that you have the guest house all swept out, and cobweb free, you can just relax and enjoy the place.
The processed food issue has made an impact on me too. I really try to go with "fresh" as much as possible...especially this time of year when it's so available.
Enjoy the rest of your week. It's almost the weekend again.
xxoo

ANNE said...

You had me at "lake", add cottage to that and I'm in hook, line and sinker!

New follower :)

xox

Stickhorsecowgirls said...

I do mainly cook from scratch and make my own simple vinaigrette salad dressings, but the weight struggle continues! I think I have just met my set point and that's what my body wants to weigh! Also I just can't work in much exercise --I've grown way too sedentary! I was always on the slim side but the weight began creeping on in my 40's.
Love your lake cottage --I'm thinking I wouldn't mind retiring to a lake house in a few years!
V

Ann from On Sutton Place said...

I can so relate about not handling the heat...you are smart to stay indoors! As far as eating healthy, I sometimes do but more often than not I eat terrible. The actual meals I make are healthy...it's all the stuff in between that isn't. I certainly don't cook everything from scratch. When you are cooking for 2 it's almost impossible. There's nothing wrong with short cuts! This time of year it is easier to eat fresh fruits and veggies. They are plentiful in the midwest thank heavens!

Maria at inredningsvis said...

WOWW SO AMAZING pics:) your blog Is great.

Check out my new post and have a great weekend dear:)

LOVE Maria from inredningsvis.se
(Sweden)