German Pancakes can be Weight Watcher food!

I have been having a craving for German pancakes for several weeks now, and decided that I really needed to feed my craving, so last night for supper I made German pancakes.

These were the only kind of pancakes my Mom made for us, in fact it wasn't until I was almost a teenager and was with my friends' family at their cottage one weekend, that I discovered that there was another type of pancake than the ones we were used to eating.  Truth be told - I really don't like the small puffy chalky ones - much prefer the large, thin crepe-type.

At home we ate the German pancakes with butter and sprinkled with sugar... mmmmmm!

So back to last night....

If you are not familiar with the Weight Watcher Program, it's based on the point system.  Each and every food has a point value.  Based on your current weight you are given a total allowance of daily points that you can eat.  It doesn't matter what you eat, as long as you don't exceed your point limit.

My daily point limit is 24.  By the time supper came along, I had eaten 12 points, and had 12 for the remainder of the day ( supper and evening snack).

So I made the German pancakes, which are fat-free (bonus).  I counted the pancake itself as 3 points, and instead of adding butter and syrup, I decided to use a 1 point  fat-free vanilla yogurt (instead of the butter) and I chopped up an apple (1 point) and nuked it in the microwave, put it over the yogurt on the pancake, sprinkled a bit of cinnamon on it, rolled it up like a crepe - and WOW!  I don't think I'll ever put butter and syrup on my pancakes again!

I ate two - which was counted as 10 points in total - and I was stuffed and completely satisfied.  And - I still had 2 points for my evening snack.

And this is why Weight Watchers works... you can still feed your cravings and be successful.


So if you want to give this a try, here is my German Pancake recipe.

1 and 1/2 C flour
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1 and 3/4 c milk (I use skim).

Make a well in the flour and add salt. Beat the eggs and add the milk, pour into the flour and beat well until there are no lumps.  The batter is very thin .

Heat your skillet good and hot, spray with spam or lightly oil - whichever you prefer.  Pour enough batter in to cover the bottom of the skillet ( about 1/4 cup, and then tilt the pan until the batter covers the skillet).  Cook until bubbles appear in the batter, then turn and cook the other side.

You will have a very thin, dinner plate sized pancake to dress however you choose... but do yourself a favour and try the yogurt and fruit... I'll bet strawberries would be great too, or blueberries, or peaches, or.....

Enjoy -

Have a great weekend everyone!

Oh where or where can my Wii Fit be?

As I mentioned before, I have decided to go back on the Weight Watchers Program.  I'm pleased to say it is going quite well and I am down 9 lbs since the beginning of January.  I have been having knee problems so have not been exercising - well I'll use that as an excuse - truth be told - I abhor exercise!

But - part of the program includes exercise, and really, I do know that it is important to stay in shape (somewhat) and tone the muscles etc.

So on my last visit to the physiotherapist earlier this week, I asked him if my knee could take some exercise.  He told me to "Go for it", he tells me.   Yeah - well he's young, and fit, and has an abundance of energy, and is about to become a father for the second time, so he probably needs to keep busy!   Me - not so much!

My brain decided that some light Wii Fit would be a great way to start.  So I put new batteries in my board, dug out the controllers, and went to find the disk, only to discover it missing.  Other Wii games like Donkey Kong, Mario Brothers etc were there - but no Fit.

I had a fit - literally after searching through everything I could think of and not finding the disk anywhere.  The last time I had used the Wii (I'm embarrassed to admit this) was way back in April, prior to our trip to Chicago.  At that time the TV and the Wii were located in the sun room, and I knew exactly where the game disk was kept - in my little student's school desk.

Well I've moved the furniture around a zillion times since then - and for the life of me I could not imagine where the disk would be.

So, what is the next best thing that a mother could do?  You got it - blame the son.  He was out, so I  sent him a text and asked him if he had seen it.  "Nope, not since it was in your little desk upstairs."  says he.  Well we are sort of on the same wave-length - then I remember that during part of that in between time, he had taken the Wii down to his room.

Down I go, to the hole of all holes (his room).  Cripes, it's been wayyyy too long since I've been in that hole, so I shut my mind off and tried to manoeuvre the room to search for the disk.  Molly wanted to come and help, but honestly I didn't want to loose my beloved friend in the never-never, so I barred her from the room!

I did the best search I could tolerate - and found nothing I was looking for!

By now I am steaming mad - I am accusing his friends of "lifting" my disk, in fact I'm accusing just about anyone who will listen to my tirade... and I happen to notice that hubby is sitting quietly not saying a word - Oh Yeah - he knows when to hold it in!!

My best thinking is done in the rocking chair, so after 15 minutes of angry rocking, off I go again to the hole.  This time I dig, and guess what I find - my game.

Two hours have gone by, and I estimate I have probably burned as many calories looking and fretting over the disk.  Maybe I really don't need to exercise tonight after all?

I almost talked myself out of it, but in the end I did 10 minutes stepping and a 20 minute bike ride... and burned off the 10 peanuts I had consumed in my dilemma.

Well there's an evening well spent!

Tote's anyone?

Remember way back when, I mentioned that I was making a large tote bag for carrying my lunch and crafts back and forth to work on the bus?  Well guess what I found last evening when I decided to clean my desk a bit?

I had gotten as far as making a pattern from some newsprint and cutting the side panels.  I am using a very heavy canvas, doubled, and each side is 2 layers because once the handles are on, it will make a 6 pocket (on the outside) bag.

The canvas is plain, so I dressed it up a bit with two different ribbons, just to give it a bit of definition.  I sewed the side panels last evening and made the straps, now I just need to sew the straps on tonight, whip the two sides together and it's ready to test out.

It's big - I wanted it so, as I cart salads, fruit, water bottles and whatever project I am working on to work every day.  I tried a back pack, but hated always having to shrug out of it when I got on the bus.

Hopefully this will work better for me.

Here's how it's looking...

A bag like this would cost twenty to thirty dollars here... I've made it from remnants of other projects.

I think I am quite proud of myself.  Of course the next thing that will happen will be co-workers will see the bag and want one... what do you want to bet?

A side note:  I weighed in yesterday, and I'm down 2 more lbs - that makes 8 lbs lost this month.  I am pumped, and more determined than ever to get down to where I was over 5 yrs ago.

Happy hump day, everyone!

My home town.

I started this topic mainly because I am sick and tired of hearing people put down my hometown.  Winnipeg seems to be the butt of many Canadian jokes, some even told by Winnipeggers themselves... shame on you!  Perhaps you who do this do not know how truly exceptional our little city is.  Check it out - you might learn a thing or two about the "Peg"!

I thought I'd share some facts about Winnipeg with you.  Some are quirky, and some are truly impressive, and I will admit, that many of these were unknown to me as well.   For a relatively small city - I believe we are pretty darn exceptional...and yes, I am proud to call Winnipeg my hometown.

Okay - here we go!


Winnipeg is located in the geographic center of North America.

Winnipeg receives over 2300 hours of sunlight annually, and has the most days of winter sunshine of ANY Canadian city.

Winnipeg is the coldest city in the WORLD, with a population of over 600,000 people!

We are the Slurpee capital of the WORLD.  Winnipeggers consume an estimated 400,000 Slurpees a month - even in the frigid winter months!

Winni the Pooh - is named after the City of Winnipeg.

All of Canada's circulating coinage is minted in the Royal Canadian Mint - located in Winnipeg.

Winnipeg is only 40 miles from the Earth's 11th largest freshwater lake - Lake Winnipeg!

There are more than 100 languages spoken in Winnipeg.

The Winnipeg Art Gallery is Canada's oldest public art gallery.

Folklorama is the largest and longest-running cultural celebration festival in the WORLD.

Winnipeg was the first Canadian city to ever host the Pan American Games and the second city in the WORLD  to host the event twice.

The Royal Winnipeg Ballet is Canada's oldest ballet company, and the longest continuously operating ballet company in North America.

Recording artist Neil Young attended Kelvin High school in Winnipeg, and was kicked out of the school for playing his guitar in the halls....side note: my son is a Kelvin High School grad ...

Monty Hall - the television celebrity from "Lets Make a Deal" came from Winnipeg.

The coldest temperature recorded in Winnipeg is -54.04 F   on Dec 24, 1879.

The warmest temperature recorded in Winnipeg is 108 F on July 11th 1936.

There are 230 neighbourhoods in Winnipeg.

The Winnipeg Fringe festival is the second largest alternative theatre festival in North America.

Manitoba Theatre Center located in Winnipeg, is Canada's oldest English- language regional theatre.

Winnipeg (St. Boniface) is home to Le Cercle Moliere the oldest theatre company in Canada.

Festival Du Voyageur - held every winter in Winnipeg is Western Canada's largest winter festival.

The Manitoba Legislature Building, seat of the Manitoba Government is topped by a 17 ft golden statue known as the Golden Boy.

Winnipeg is home to 4 major rivers.  The Red River;  The Assiniboine River; The La Salle River; and The Seine River.

The first movie ever made in Canada was made in Winnipeg.

The first A&W drive-in in Canada was in Winnipeg.

One of the world's most successful publishers was founded in Winnipeg in 1949 - Harlequin Enterprises!

Canola was developed in Winnipeg at the University of Manitoba.

Bob Hope played his first game of golf in Winnipeg.  He liked to tell people that this is where he caught the golfing bug!

Winnipeg was the first Canadian home of Coke.  Canada's first Coca-Cola bottling plant opened here.

Winnipeg is the birthplace of the 911 emergency phone number - now used world-wide.

The Winnipeg Falcons were the first hockey team to ever win the Olympics.

The inventor of the cell phone is a Winnipegger... Marty Cooper.

Winnipeg's Assiniboine Forrest - home to aspen, oak, white-tailed deer and 80 species of birds is the largest urban nature park in Canada.

Winnipeg is home to the first national Aboriginal television network in the world.

The Man called "Intrepid" was from Winnipeg.  William Stepenson - a Winnipeg boy, grew up to become Sir William Stepenson, master spy and personal advisor to Winston Churchill.  His code name was Intrepid.


Guess this breaks the myth - we are about more than snow, ice and cold weather after all!

Touche'  Jeff Foxworthy!

Proud to be a Winnipegger!

I have lived in Winnipeg, almost all my life.  I lived in Winnipeg's sister city, Chicago, for three years when I was first married, but other than that Winnipeg has always been my home.

We are a prairie city -  a very diverse city in population, culture, weather, and mentality. We are often the object of cynicism ( mostly from ex-Winnipeggers), often laughed at and made fun of buy the rest of the country for our sometimes backwards ways...

Winnipeggers are strong and friendly, (even our licence plate says so).  We are  talented and resourceful and I am proud to be a Winnipeger.  Many of our children leave our city - and most return again, and stay forever.

To be a Wiinipegger, one must like winter, or at least be able to tolerate it to some degree.  To be a Winnipegger one must also like hot humid summers, or at least have AC in your home or vehicle. 

This little article landed on my desk the other day, and most of it is pretty accurate.  I thought I'd share it with you.  Obviously Jeff knows someone from Winnipeg, or he has actually spent some time here himself.


Here is what Jeff Foxworthy has
to say about Winnipeggers from Manitoba, Canada:

If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September through May,
You may live in Winnipeg, Mb, Canada.

If someone in a Home Depot store
Offers you assistance and they don't work there,
You may live in Winnipeg, Mb, Canada.

If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time,
You may live in Winnipeg, Mb, Canada.

If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation
With someone who dialed a wrong number,
You may live in Winnipeg, Mb, Canada.

If 'vacation' means going anywhere
South of Brandon for the weekend,
You may live in Winnipeg, Mb, Canada.

If you measure distance in hours,
You may live in Winnipeg, Mb, Canada.

If you know several people who
Have hit a deer more than once,
You may live in Winnipeg, Mb, Canada.

If you have switched from 'heat' to 'A/C'
In the same day and back again,
You may live in Winnipeg, Mb, Canada.

If you can drive 90 km/hr through two feet of snow
during a raging blizzard without flinching,
You may live in Winnipeg, Mb, Canada.

If you carry jumper cables in your car
And your wife knows how to use them,
You may live in Winnipeg, Mb, Canada.

If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit,
You may live in Winnipeg, Mb, Canada.

If the speed limit on the highway is 80 km --
You're going 95 and everybody is passing you,
You may live in Winnipeg, Mb, Canada.

If driving is better in the winter
Because the potholes are filled with ice & snow,
You may live in Winnipeg, Mb, Canada.

If you know all four seasons:
Almost winter, winter, still winter,
And road construction,
You may live in Winnipeg, Mb, Canada.

If you have more miles
On your snow blower than your car,
You may live in Winnipeg, Mb, Canada.

If you find -12 degrees 'a little chilly',
You may live in Winnipeg, Mb, Canada.

In the next few posts, I would like to share my hometown with you - Dale-style.  Hopefully you will see why I love this city and why I am proud to call myself a Winnipeger....

Happy Birthday Brother!

Today is my youngest brother Dean's birthday.  Happy Birthday Bro!  Because he is so special to me, I decided to devote my blog to him today.

Dean and I have 3 older brothers who were not around a lot when we were growing up, so in a lot of ways it felt like we were the only children of our parents.  Because of this we have been closer, have more shared memories and experiences and also can converse better with each other than we can with the rest of our siblings.

As a child, Dean was a hyper-active little redhead.  He had an abundance of energy and ideas, and as the only redhead in the family, more combustion than anyone in the family.  How he got that red hair is a family mystery, but I'd be willing to bet it came from our Great-grandfather on Dad's side who was of Scottish descent.

Growing up with Dean was never dull.  He was always up to something.  He loved cartoons, especially Popeye.  He loved his "dinky" cars, and still has a lot of them in his collection.  He loved bicycles - still does; rock and roll, and still does.

Dean and I are the only members of our family who have stuck it out in our hometown, even though we both have moved away and later returned, we have remained close.  Of all my brothers, he is the easiest to talk to, the most understanding of me, and the most caring of just about anyone in our bunch.  He is very much like Mom, and that is a very good thing.

Dean is a really good cook.  He worked in an up-scale restaurant as a student, and learned how to prepare and cook like a pro.  Here's a shot of him cooking a wedding supper for our cousin, many years ago.  See how much fun he's having!

Of note:  I still have this apron, and use it when I starch my crochet bears!

Although most of the red hair has vanished, he's still the same guy.  Still loves a good laugh, probably still watches Saturday morning cartoons, still collects "dinky" cars, and still listens to Rock and Roll music.

Gee, bro - when are you gonna grow up?

So Happy Birthday to my special brother.  I wish you a fun day, with good food, good music, and good company.    You may only be three years behind me - but you're catching up!

I love you....

Please Keep Warm

Today would have been a great day to take a vacation day ( if one had any left); it would also be a great day (if one was so inclined) to carry a small flask of rum in one's purse or pocket!  I so totally get why someone might do such a thing on a day such as this! 

It is beastly cold, as my Mom used to say!  Every station has a different reading, but the best one I heard this morning was -45 with the windchill.  Not too shabby for a Manitoba January - and I think probably the coldest we've had this season - but don't quote me on it.  We had a lot of fresh new snow over the weekend, and now the skies are beautiful blue, and the air is beautifully fresh.  Okay, Dale - they get it!!!

I took some pictures of my little corner of the world yesterday after work - and it is very beautiful.  Blue and white can be just as pretty as green and yellow...

Well I think so anyway. 

It was a bit difficult to communicate with my fellow bus riders at the stop this morning, however.  I have some hearing loss so conversing with someone who's voice is muffled with scarves, hoods and such can prove to be difficult.  And then there's the issues of not really being able to see who you are talking to anyway.  One of the gals who stands at the stop with me every morning was totally un-recognizable this morning.  Seriously - all I saw were here eyes, and even those were covered somewhat.  I didn't hear a word she said to me, but I was nice and nodded my head anyway!

And finally, the bus that arrived was either extremely early or extremely late - I'm thinking late.... The guy drove like a maniac on streets that were nowhere near perfect winter driving condition.  And I discovered something that should make me feel all warm and safe..... Buses have ABS brakes... either that or we were dragging some major piece of metal underneath that bus!

Happy Tuesday -  

Happy 95th Anniversary!

By now you will have figured out that I am a doll lover and collector (more lover than collector).   I have every doll from my childhood (all in excellent shape, I might add).  No hair issues, no eye lashes missing which is pretty amazing considering how often they we in the bath tub.

Recently I was thumbing through a Herschners catalogue, and I spotted a cute Christmas stocking and ornament section devoted to Raggedy Ann and Andy, in celebration of their 95th Anniversary.  I was totally shocked.  For some reason this is one doll that I have never researched, and apparently I have over-looked a real treasure.  Sorry Anne.

So on the Internet I went, and indeed it was their 95th Anniversary or better yet - Birthday last year.

Raggedy Ann was created by a writer - no surprise there!  A fellow by the name of  Johnny Gruelle had a daughter Marcella who had an old hand-made rag doll on which he drew a face.   The character we know and love with the red hair and triangle nose was created as a doll in 1915, and was introduced to the public in 1918 in a book called Raggedy Ann Stories.  The doll was marketed along with the book with great success.  The sequel, Raggedy Andy Stories published in 1920 introduced the character of her brother Andy, dressed in his sailor suit and hat.

Sadly Gruelle's daughter Marcella died at the age of 13 after being vaccinated at school for smallpox.  Her parents had not consented to the vaccination, and blamed the vaccination for her death, even though it was thought the child might have had a heart defect.  Johnny Gruelle became an opponent of vaccination and Raggedy Ann was used as a symbol by the anti-vaccination movement for quite a few years.

Ann dolls were made by hand and have been manufactured by many companies from the 1920's to present day. 

McCalls' patterns  issued many different pattern versions of these dolls from 1940 - 1982.

The 1940 pattern # 820 was for a 19 inch doll with a cape.
The 1945 pattern #914 was for an Awake/Asleep doll plus a camel with wrinkled knees.
The 1958 pattern #820 - was only slightly modified with no significant change.
1963 pattern #6941 - Ann has lost her cape, and now comes in three sizes.
1970 pattern #2531  - dolls are in three sizes, different hair and face, embroidery pattern and no more button eyes.
Also in the early 1970's a new pattern for a 35 inch doll plus a child-sized apron.

Raggedy Mania - struck around 1977 - I actually remember this as I was working in a toy store part-time while going to school.  We stocked these dolls weekly, and were always running out of them.  I think this may be around the time, when my mother and I made the pair I still own.  In celebration of the renewed interest in these dolls, McCall's issued a new pattern, #5713 which was actually identical to the 1970 pattern, but just had a different cover,

1982 McCall's pattern #8077 - was a re-issue of previous patterns, with a new cover and a doll with a different hair color.

Simplicity also released Ann patterns - it was a different design of doll in 4 sizes.

Both McCall's and Simplicity patterns are available today.

I hope you have enjoyed this little trip down Raggedy's past.  I'm sure the creator of these two dolls, never for one moment imagined that they would still be a popular item 96 years later.

Happy Birthday Raggedy!

 

A bit of this and a lot of that!

Good morning everyone... hope you are all itching to get the day started, like I was at 5:30 this morning (NOT).  Although I must say the more one does things the easier it is - and getting up at 5:30 is one of those things.  It will be much more pleasant when it lightens up a bit in the mornings, but already I see such a difference in the late afternoon.  Have you noticed how light it still is at 5PM? 

So on the scale I went this morning - 1 week into the Weight Watcher program, and I am 3.5 lbs down.  Yeh!  That's a great start and now because I am below a certain weight I have to decrease my diet by 2 points.  If my knee will co-operate I will also start back on my wii-fit and get doing some stretching exercises with my yoga trainer!  That should be interesting!

I did see my doctor yesterday about results of tests done on my knee last month, and it looks like a wee bit of knee surgery is going to be needed to clean up the cartilage debris in and around my knee and fix the ligament tear.  If it means I can walk and garden and do normal things - I am all for it...

So on to Tuesday - have a good one  - stay warm and stay well.

This and That!

Happy Monday, everyone... another new week, and for those of us who work full time - the first full week of work following the short weeks of the Christmas/New Year celebrations.

I don't know about you, but I already have searched the calendar for the next long weekend - and for me it will not be until Feb 21st... sounds like a long time away, but I'm sure it will be here quicker than I think... at least I hope it will!

Last week I was over visiting my neighbors Elaine and Gordon.  If you remember, Gordon had lung surgery in November.  He had many set backs and was in the hospital for 8 weeks, but is home how and slowly healing and improving.

While I was there Elaine (who is a spinner/weaver/knitter and stitcher) pointed to a box and a large bag standing in the corner of the room.  She was most anxious to show me their contents.  She pulled out the box first and handed me a bit of soft fluffy fiber, and declared it carded un-spun black sheep's wool.  The bag was filled to the top of raw black sheep's fleece.

Oh boy; my heart started pittering and a pattering, mainly because I have been after her for months and months to teach me to spin!  She got out her carders and proceeded to show me how to card the raw wool to ready it for spinning.  We worked on that for quite some time, and then she sent me home with "homework."

Can you imagine?  I have wanted to learn this all my life.... and now I am on my way!  I was told we will card the whole bag (ugh)... and I have to pick a project out before we spin, so we spin enough of the same weight to finish a project...(double ugh).  Picking 1 project is just sooooo hard for me to do.  Right away I "Go into business"!!  It's a real character flaw of mine!

So now I have to pull out all those patterns I stashed away over Christmas break, and try and pick 1 project to make out of black (actually it's more brown) sheep's wool.

How cool is that?

Frozen boogers and such!

You will be thinking I have taken leave of my senses - perhaps you would be right - but this morning as I made my way to work in the frigid sub-zero Arctic air - I couldn't help thinking about a cartoon I saw once where two Eskimo men were sitting out in the middle of a frozen lake, icefishing.  The one Eskimo had obviously sneezed.. rather productively and it has frozen to his nose... the other simply says Ka - zoont- hite! (I'm sure I spelled this wrong).

This picture came to mind as I was standing out in -29 with windchill air - and I felt a sneeze coming on. My mind when zap - right to that cartoon - and then immediately to where in my 11 pocket jacket, would I find my hankie.... yes I did say hankie....

I have several hankies... and I always carry them, but seldom use them. I knew there was one in my bag - but that would entail opening the strap - removing my water bottle and lunch bag and fishing around at the bottom of the bag... couldn't stand the thought of being with out my mitts for that long... scrap that idea.

At the time I bought my 11 pocket jacket - I thought it was a splendid invention - this morning it was anything but.  Again I had to take off my mittens and fish around.... two breast pockets first... oops dropped the bus pass, and found last weeks grocery list with the dog shampoo I want to order online written on it (I thought I had lost it).

Next the arm pockets... cripes my hands are freezing... no hankie

Okay now it's getting serious - the inside pockets... zip open the coat - unwrap the scarf, zip open a little further  - oh hell just open the whole darn thing... fish, fish.... cell phone, drivers licence and other ID, (in case I get lost so someone knows who I am)... yeah I found it!

But you gotta know that by now, it's way too late, and I am just like that little Sneezing fellow sitting by the hole in the ice in the cartoon... Ka - zoont - hite.... indeed!

Look what landed on my doorstep!

I have this very incredibly generous cyber friend who has been buying dolls on line and in thrift stores, restoring them, redressing them and then reselling them on her website and Ebay.  She was the lady who found my Chatty Cathy last year, and then she found a Chatty Baby and  a Singing Cathy.  She has been saving both dolls for me to purchase for months and months, and then before Christmas, she popped them in the mail to me - unbeknown to me.

In the meantime, my son asked me if he could buy one for me for my Christmas gift.  I was delighted, of course, so I emailed my friend and asked her to send the Chatty Baby.

On Monday a box arrived from my friend - and when I opened it, there lay both dolls.  The one I had ordered, and the one I really wanted but couldn't afford right now.  There was a note in the box saying that she wanted to send both dolls because she knew I was so sick, and thought they would cheer me up.

I ask you - where would you ever find such a caring friend?  She has held on to these dolls for months, put some money into the dolls to restore them, and paid to ship them to me - because she knew they would bring a smile to my face and lighten my heart.

And I have never met this friend face to face.

I can't tell you how wonderful she makes me feel - not because of the dolls, but because she genuinely cares about me... something other friends profess, but in no way demonstrate.

Thank you Eva - I am blessed to call you friend.

And so here is my Chatty family.

Chatty Cathy in the red dress
Chatty Baby in the blue (original) outfit
and Singing Cathy in the white dress... which by the way - Eva has made.

I do believe I am in Chatty heaven...

Happy New Year!

I must apologize to you, my readers for my lengthy absence from my blog.  The later part of November and all of December are pretty much a blur to me.  One minute I was working like a possessed woman getting things ready for my craft sale, and the next I was lying in bed coughing up a lung. 

I have had pneumonia before and recovered very quickly, but for some reason (?age) this time it took two rounds of antibiotics, a few weeks off work, and lots and lots of rest to shake this bug.  Happy to say, aside from the odd tickle cough - I am pretty much back to normal (whatever that might be).

Right in the midst of the pneumonia - my knee went bad - I could walk - and then I couldn't - so more confinement to house and home, and more rest.  The knee is better now too - I gave up the cane on the weekend and ventured out on the bus without it this morning...

So out with the crappy old year - and bring on the New One.... and hopefully this will be a great year.

I don't make resolutions as such - but I have promised myself better health, and to that end have decided to return to Weight Watchers once more.  Six years ago I was on their program and lost 70 lbs... I looked and felt great, and then got cancer.... the weight has crept back on - not all of it - but most of it - and the time has come to start working it off.

I firmly stand behind the Weight Watchers program... it is not a diet, that is why so many are so successful with it.  It's a life change, and it works.  Yes it's hard at first, but once you learn to treat food as food and not a social happening - voila - the weight disappears.  Well, maybe it's not THAT easy, but it is a mindset for sure!

I'll keep you posted ....

I have been going through my library of patterns, culling out the ones I know I'll never do, and keeping the ones I might - Guess what - I threw nothing away.... now there is a sickness all of it's own!!  You just never know when you will be looking for something new to make...and I did manage to find a lot of new projects just waiting to be tried... I am after all, my own worst enemy!

So - Happy New Year.... lets make this a good one.  Don't waste a moment of it... be happy.... be healthy.... be creative.... be kind to yourself and others too.  It's a brand new opportunity to change your little corner of the world, however you wish to change it.  Happy 2011!