i left my heart in SF

Hi friends, hope you all had a great weekend.  Mine was very productive.

Early Saturday evening we drove to San Francisco to leave my daughter and her husband at the airport. They are celebrating 5 years of marriage with a trip to Puerto Rico. Lucky bums....

Daniel was quite tired from a busy day of work so we did not get to enjoy the city.  What a shame as the architecture is just screaming to be photographed.  The picture above was taken after pumping gas.  So much is going on with this photo. The color of the builiding. The architecture and the cables seem to be running to and from the building.  Now if I only had a DSLR.

 I got really lucky with this photo. Pretty good for sticking my cell phone out the window as I drove past. Look at the many windows as they stick out of the building into the skyline.  And look at the signage.  You just can't take a bad picture in San Francisco even if you tried.

Here's to hoping you have a great Monday... Gotta lot to do this evening so I won't be able to get any exercise but with watching 3 kids, it's fair to say I'm getting plenty of activity in....

later gators,

pwc

My glass is definitely half full

The weather in Sacramento is amazing. Warm with a mild breeze.  Perfect day for a nice  hike.  But it will have to wait. My morning started with coffee and a few sips of a smoothie that was just too tart.

Arrived to work and got busy.  Then around 11 a.m. I was famished. I ate a banana and some otwalla yogurt. Yum. I really enjoyed the mango & lime flavored yogurt.

I planned on going for a walk at noon but instead, I headed to my office to eat my humungus salad of cabbage, cilantro, tomatoes and dried fruit.  I never get tired of cabbage.

I found myself at my desk surfing the web and enjoying a "pity-party."  It was then that I grabbed my purse and decided to get in the car and look at rentals near my office.

I just adore older cottage style  houses. This one here has a fire place.

Then I came to this charming little house with a porch. I walked to the back and there was a screened porch.  How nice is that? What really caught my attention about this cottage is the front porch.  They don't make houses with porches anymore. I think having a porch helps build a community of sorts.  Back in the day, people would sit out with a cold beverage and watch their children play with one another.  Yes, I definitely can envision myself sitting here with a glass of vino.

Our living situation is still unsettled but at least I looked at possibilities.  Possibilities are always exciting,right?  It's up to me to be my own "cheerleader." It's up to me to see my glass as HALF FULL.

I turned a negative moment into a positive  moment.  And now, I'm off to zumba.  La vida es dulce, hay que saborar lo.

Paula

routines

Hi friends, how's things going? Me? Much better. I am back to a semi-normal routine. Isn't it odd how some of us cling to routines to feel the normalcy while others throw it out the window.

There has been lots of eating out but also, lots of healthy eats.

Today's lunch included spinach, kale, mixed greens, reduced fat feta, trail mix topped with 1/2 a pear and raspberry dressing.

Yesterday's lunch was fresh fruit and a black bean burger. MUST MAKE MY OWN VERSION SOON!  Sorry for yelling. I just found the burger very tastey and filling.

One of my other stand-by lunchs has been broccoli slaw, raisins and crumbled bacon...

Not every lunch is healthy as you can tell by my Chile Relleno. At least I have fresh salad on the side.

And just about every morning, I have a smoothie filled with kale, spinach, mushrooms, carrots, acai, berries and naner.  This is me having another smoothie after zumba.  It feels good to be back at zumba.  I've done two classes and plan on taking another on Thursday.

My goal is to also get back to jogging.  Maybe 1 miler on Friday.  Routines.... gotta love them. I find if things are regemented in such a way, I can cope with the uncertain like where we are going to live in the next month or two.

Driving to swap meets and lake tahoe certainly help take the edge off. I mean, just look at this view?  What's not to love?

That's my little mantra these days... Gotta love life no matter what it throws at you.  Bring it on... I'm all good as long as I have me rituals.

Pwc

i will be okay

change is coming and I can either be freaked our or learn to be excited about that change.  Let me recap.  I am living with relatives because of a house fire. My job is downsizing and there is a 50/50 chance I wil be let go.

Should I panic?  I could and there are moments. But instead, I will remember my past. Those times when a life-altering event has occured and I came through it. How in the end, it all worked out and even for the positive.  Life has a way of working out and all that is in my control is my attitude. Like with fitness and  healthy living. It's about a choice.

And about faith.  Faith in God that he always knows what is best for me even when I do not.

This morning, I woke up. Made my coffee and spied the pan dulce on the table. I tasted it.  But I did not drown in it.  I grabbed my broccoli salad mix and I was off to work.  I packed gym clothes with the intent of going to zumba. Surely, that is something that I can do for my health and soul.

I mean, how can I not smile while moving to Don Omar? 

Life is sweet even with the bitter.

TTFN,
PWC

Mindful

Hi friends, how's your week treating you?

Things over at pwc could be better.  Negativity looks like a recurring "theme" but only if I let it, right?

Eating and exercise is going to be a challenge in the months to come because I'm in transition.  There was a fire at my home and as a result, the place is inhabitable.  We're staying with relatives for now until we figure things out.  I am amazed at how calm I am given the situation. Maybe because I'm mostly grateful. Things could have been worse. I am determined to have a cup half full instead of half empty.  Positive thinking has always been my friend.
My morning started out with a smoothie of carrots, kale, spinach, blueberries and banana.  Thank you son-in-law for making your MIL a healthy breakfast. 

Lunch was a monster salad of lettuce, eggs, ham, bacon and tomatoes and lots of water.

Exercise will be nil today.  Maybe manana.

I'm fighting the urge to comfort myself with food. It's easy to give way to bad eating in times of stress.  I hope you don't mind reading this post. I'm not writing it to solicit sympathy. NO... I'm writing so I can "feel my way through it" instead of turning to food. If you've struggled with emotional eating, then  you know how things can easily escale. One minute you're fine and the next, you're staring down a vat of peanut butter in the nude...   Don't judge.... Joking aside...it's important that I remain,

Mindful of how I feel.
Mindful of how I make others feel.
Mindful of the need to get things done.
Mindful to take care of myself.
Mindful of keeping with healthy habits.
Mindful not to let my emotions undue the hard work and good habits I've developed over the years.
Mindful to stay positive.....
Mindful to be my best self

REGARDLESS.

Yes, I'm mindful...

Mindful that my ipad2 streams Netflix and I can do a workout video... yes, mindful is a good place to be.

fighting the negative nilly in your head

Why haven't I been blogging? Couple of reasons. I bought an Ipad2 and Blogpress is not working Ugh... I am determined to figure it out because if I don't---i've wasted my money. Who like to waste money? Not me.

Self-assessment
I've been inching my way back to me.  What do I mean by that?  Well, I'm using my lunch hours again for walking.  I am still doing the zumba thang but I've been squandering my lunch hours on the computer and eating at my desk.  No mas!

Work
I am figuring things out at work. I'm balancing two positions. Is it easy? Not always but I'm finding that I am capable of much more when I focus.  I am growing and that was my intent.

Goals
I met with my buddy pablo to plan our hiking goals for the spring/summer.  He suggests we go back to Mt. Tallac (elevation 9,000+) because even though I reached the top, I did not make it to the summit.  After reaching the summit of Mt. Tallac, maybe Mt. Whitney.  That's a big one.  So my goal is to build endurance. Maybe bikign will  help me do that since jogging sidelines me.

Close but no cigar

Aging--turning the big 50
Aging is bothering me as well.  I get angry that I cannot run, jump or hop like a 20 year. Why the hell did I wait so long to be 'active'?  Then, there's looking in the mirror. Not always liking what I see.  Then I go into "talk to self-down from tree" mode.  I say "paula, cheer up old woman. You're setting goals i.e., planning to climb a mountain AGAIN, growing at work... You're eating healthier and moving more. Age is just a number. IGNORE THE PATAS DE GALLO (crows feet).
Yes, self-talk is a great thing... My new motto--

So tell me. What  helps you fight the negative nilly that's inside your  head?