Got Green?

I do.

Thank goodness.

And a backup as well.

You never know how many you'll need...

On a long, cold weekend.

Besides, a dirty martini is a fine way to toast Spring.

Especially when it is 39 cold and windy degrees.

I think I'm going to enter one of these in Kacey's March Photo Contest.

The theme is green.  Go check it out.

Oh, and have a wonderful Friday.

Update: Cocktails at Town Hall

I made it most of the day back on my little clean living spree.  But I have a confession: Annie will be here in an hour to fetch me and cart me and my sorry big ol' behind to our Town Hall.  It is our Hospital Foundation Annual Meeting.  Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres aplenty.  We are very dedicated to our local Hospital Foundation, you can see us working tirelessly here, so we must put on our brave faces and attend tonight.  It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it.  

Just keeping it real.  Now move along.  Nothing else to see here.  Nope.  Nothing.

Back to Business

The party's over.

  I've toasted our new President. 

I've toasted the new First Lady.

I've toasted the new First Children.

 I've toasted my birthday. 

 Many times.  

Many, many times. 

 I've toasted my children's safe return from a holiday in Costa Rica.

It's time to put away the chardonnay.

Time to get back on the treadmill.

Time to get serious.

Again.

Thank you everyone for my wonderful birthday wishes!

I was overwhelmed.

Cheating

I have a little confession.

  I have cheated on my diet a little bit this week. 

 Forgive me fellow hungry blogsters, for I have consumed:

1)  A Fresca.  But in my defense it was Bridge night.

2) 1/2 cup of fat free cottage cheese.  I know, cottage cheese is cheating on a diet?  But I truly feel I was allowed because I had worked out for an hour, and had 45 minutes on the treadmill that day. I was hungry.

3) 13 almonds instead of 11.  They were small.  Really.

4) An additional 1/2 cup grape tomatoes.  I can't help it, I love those suckers.

5) 4 teaspoons of olive oil on Tuesday instead of my alloted 3.  I couldn't help it.  I was watching Giada (Everyday Italian) on the Food Channel.  I won't watch that any more for a while.  Trust.

6) I had 5 ounces of meat last night instead of 4.  I am going to do extra cardio today to make up for it.

On a positive note, the alcohol-abstinence has not been as big a deal as I thought it would.  The food on the Sonoma Diet is delicious.  And everyone is still alive here.  The children are leaving for a ski weekend after school today, so that will help;)

Anybody else have anything they want to confess share?  Hm?

Four

I don't remember a whole lot these days, but

I think Country Girl started this meme:

Post the fourth picture in your fourth folder.

I didn't want to play along.  But I decided to be brave.

Now you see why.

May 27, 2006:  Sometime after 5pm.

Can you tell we had been sipping tequila vodka scotch champagne under the Hot Spring Sun?

This is my friend Petey.  He is both Noble and Unaware.

We were shot photographed at a wedding reception where we were waiting for someone to save us and throw us some food dinner.

Now I expect everyone to follow suit.

Go forth and fetch your fourth folders.

Can you out-embarrass me?

Friday in South Beach

Have you heard that I'm on a free vacation?

I am such a maverick.

Cheers.

Meanwhile, back in West Hollywood.

Miss Lucite goes to the pumpkin patch.

Just Because

We need a little laugh today, and I am happy to provide it.

And you wonder why I drink...

Accountability

Okay my friends.  Today is the day.  The day we start treating ourselves a little bit nicer. Mkay? I plan on getting my old self back without a whole lot of deprivation.  Wanna play along?

Here's my deal.  I am fairly tall (5'9"), and have rarely had to watch my weight.  Now there was that minor detour of a twin pregnancy where I may or may not have gained 90 pounds.  But that is all behind us now, and it was well worth it.   

 I think.

Anyway, year 40 was okay, not a big change, but when I quit smoking for good at 42, all bets were off.  I had smoked off and on for 20 years, with about ten years off during that span, but I  really decided that I wanted to stick around.  So I quit.  And if you smoke, you should think about making a serious effort to do the same.  It is bad for you, in case you didn't know.  But I digress.  So when I quit smoking, I started the South Beach Diet the next day.  It was great because my biggest smoking trigger was cocktail hour, and on the first few weeks of South Beach, you don't have cocktail hour.  Well you do have a five o'clock hour, but it is a seltzer, with a lime if you want to jazz it up.

I actually lost several pounds right after I quit smoking on this regime, but at about the age of 45, my metabolism just stopped.  Dead in its tracks.  I am 48 now, and do not want to enter the next phase of my life with sugar, blood pressure or heart issues.  All of which can happen even if you are just 20 pounds heavier than you should be (that would be moi).  At least that's what Dr. Oz tells us, and I think he is just the smartest guy out there.  And he's cute, too! That motivates me.

So, here's what I offer up this week:  No deprivation...unless you want to cut out one vice.  For me, that will be my wine (it's my sugar).  Whine.  I may have a toast for Annie's birthday on Wednesday, but not overindulge.  I sometimes do that.  Overindulge.  So the wine is out for a while.  What I want to focus on is adding more good things.

Here's what I'm adding this week:

• More water (double the intake every day)
• More exercise (at least an hour a day--and you don't have to do it all at once)
• More food in its natural state and nothing prepared (no Triscuits, Wheat Thins...)
• Take my calcium every day (I don't always)

I am purposely not setting too many goals because I want to end this week feeling like I did what I said I was going to do.  You know: Walk The Walk.

I am going to post some of my activities on my Twitter, and you can see it on the right side of this post.  Better yet, get yourself a Twitter account (Free!) and do your own twittering.  It is fun, and slightly addictive at times.  Any way, I think I will update my progress here on Mondays, and hope you will all try to add something good to your day.  I really enjoy your company, and I look forward to growing old and wise with you all!  What will you do?

xoxo, Mental Mama

With a Spring in Our Step

There's definitely a hint of spring around here. Annie, Jules and I can just feel it, and while we are at it, we wanted to share some of our spring shoes.

They make us so happy.

Shoe show and tell.

Guess which shoe belongs to which cocktail cornerite.

Doncha love a cute shoe?

Thought for the day

Of all the things I've lost, it's my mind I miss the most.

Big night in Cocktail Corner. Must rest now.

Cocktails of Cabo

We loved every minute. Did I mention that I want to go back?

Villa Amanda

Hola Villa Amanda!

Rosario our housekeeper and Rodrigo our concierge. They were the absolute best. Ever. In my next life, I am going to have a concierge.

Mental pausing toes.

Squazz and I "won" this villa at a charity auction last fall.

You should all be happy that I only posted these two 'wave' shots. I took around 300 pictures of the surf. All of these pics were taken from our terrace overlooking the Sea of Cortez.

I can't wait to go back.

Self Explanatory

My new personal logo and apology for everything naughty I've ever done or will do. The end.

Cocktail Corner in Cabo

Well, it's not technically Cocktail Corner because Annie and Jules aren't here...But I am making the best of things with Miss K, Miss J and Miss P! Oh, and the menfolk, too. Squazz, Chief and Mav. The boys tend to busy themselves with golf so we can go about relaxing here at Villa Amanda.

Today was breezy, with multiple whale sightings. Now we are cocktailing here on the terrace overlooking the Sea of Cortez. Life is beautiful. Never fear, I will post plenty of pictures after we return next week.

Tomorrow we are going on a deep sea fishing adventure. Wish us luck.

Vacation Update

Temperature: 86
Weather conditions: Sunny and breezy
Pool: 84
Sea of Cortez: 70ish
Whales seen today: 4
Cocktails today: 2 (so far)
On the ipod: The Doors
Hi Birdy! Hi Augie! Do your homework!

Love, Mama

I Really Don't Like Being Hot

My bridge friends really get a kick out of this story so I thought I'd share it. A few years ago, Squazz and I went to a casino called The Mohegan Sun with Miss K and her husband Chief. The whole thing is underground, and it is a lot of fun. I'm telling you, fun. We checked in to our respective rooms, and hit the tables. And the bars.

Miss K and Chief

While Squazz and Chief busied themselves at the Blackjack Tables, Miss K and I flitted about the place playing the slot machines and drinking wine. I think at some point, we even stumbled upon some concert, so we stayed there and danced a bit. Then we had a burger and some more wine. Then we went in search of our spouses. Don't you think the plural of spouse should be spice? Anyway, here is where the story gets a little fuzzy.

When we found them, we told them all about our adventure. But they couldn't understand us. Not a word. I think it's because the whole place is underground, and the oxygen levels were messed up. Squazz and Chief think the oxygen was fine, and that there was something wrong with Miss K and me.

So we were sent packing to our rooms to go night-night. Miss K came to my room where we had some more wine because we needed it. Then she went to her room. I got ready for bed, and I realized I was sweating. It was about 90 degrees in there, and I couldn't adjust the thermostat. I called the front desk for help. Somehow, it dawned on me that I really couldn't talk. Squazz and Chief were right. They couldn't understand me at the desk. That oxygen situation was getting worse. "Hruolo esss hawwwrrt." Finally, I just started saying the word hot all drawn out for them. God what was wrong with these people? Eventually they flicked some switch to activate my room settings and I left them alone. More, importantly, my room finally started to cool down. I was long asleep by the time Squazz returned with all his winnings.

Meanwhile, Miss K was sound asleep in her room when Chief returned. She had the only key, so he knocked. No answer. He rang the doorbell. No answer. He went down the hall and called the room from the house phone. No answer. Finally poor Chief had to go down to the desk and get another key. As he was dog-cussing his sleeping wife, and moaning and groaning, the desk people told him not to feel so bad. "You shoulda heard this woman who was hooooot in room 2430."

Things I Can't Stop Thinking About...

• That German infant being dropped from a burning building, and caught by a policeman.
• Super Tuesday results. Wow!
• Chappy. Get well baby boy!
• The Hawaii Chair.
• Why my Google Ads are all about mental illness. ? ?
• I am going on vacation soon, and haven't really bothered to get myself into beach-going shape. And I don't think it has anything to do with the snacks we consume during a little game of cards.
  
• I won big bucks at bridge last night. Boo hoo, Annie.

• What an all-around darn good sport I am. See you later, going shopping.

Older and Wiser

I learned a lesson this week: Never come home after a dinner party and trim your bangs. Never.

More Lifting With Lucia

After a grueling workout at the gym, sometimes Lucia and I like to meet up again and relax with a healthy lunch.

We do a few more bicep curls, too.

Party Planners

Last night I had the rare treat of being home alone. But I wasn't alone for long because the ladies of Cocktail Corner had some work to do. We had to plan my surprise birthday brunch. So we cracked open the frosty chardonnay and got to work. Annie was very industrious, calling and emailing all the guests to get them lined up for my big celebration. We like to have a big midday celebration for all the ladies in and around Cocktail Corner when they have a birthday.

Because we are always looking for any reason to have a little party. Isn't that right Jules?