Lilly's Golden Birthday

Today, Lilly is 9 years old.

Nine on the 9th.

That's her Golden Birthday...and yes, I have something special planned. (it involves a lot of FAUX gold)...

With any luck, you'll see pictures next week.

Speaking of pictures -- for the kids on their birthday. I upload a bunch of photos to Walgreen's,  have them printed, and present them as a gift -- in a box, or an old fashioned photo album...(this year, there is some gold involved)...

It's old school, I know.  But that's okay.  Because I'm old...

Because the bad thing about those wonderful cellphone photos is that after the initial burst of sharing -- 95% of them will be lost forever.

And, after all the effort I put into GRANDMOTHERING -- I want these kids to HAVE A PERMANENT RECORD...

When I looked back at Lilly's year, month by month -- there was definitely a theme.  Although I didn't see it coming, and there was NO WAY I could have predicted it or planned it -- the Broadway show HAMILTON became the temporary center of our lives.

And it changed Lilly in ways that I can only imagine...

I enjoyed basking in the glow...

Spooners

Two or three years ago, I saw a mouse in the silverware drawer.

OMG

Phobia = an extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something.

Hummm...that could explain my reaction.  Apparently, mice are my phobia.  And since we live in the middle of a corn field -- it's kind of a constant battle in this house.

I could not tolerate the idea of mice walking on our silverware...so -- I took all of it out of the drawers and put it in "spooners" on top of the counter.

TAKE THAT, DAMN MOUSE..!!

I thought it was a temporary situation.

And, because I have SO MUCH SILVERWARE, I had to use cups, and vases...

But, this new system worked so well -- I started to actually collect "spooners"

Hey -- it's always good to have something NEW TO COLLECT, EH?

MMWI: Why I don't Do it anymore...

Dear Rita-is-losing-weight-fan club,

THANKS for asking why I quit posting my Monday Morning Weigh In number...

At first, it was just that I forgot to do it. Weigh myself, that is. So, then, it would be Wednesday or Thursday before I thought about getting on the scale -- so a MMWI didn't make any sense.

Then, I realized, IT DOESN'T MATTER. It never has. The number, I mean.

If you know me, you know I have never cared what that number was....

When I originally went to Fat Camp (in 2016), it was because I had become so sedentary, I was afraid if I didn't blow myself out of my Lazyboy, I'd spend the rest of my life sitting in that chair. 

Because I weighed over 300 pounds, my choices were limited. I wanted to take Lilly to New York City, but her parents were afraid I'd keel over from a heart attack. AND WHO COULD BLAME THEM??

A year later, when I went back to Fat Camp, I had lost about 80 pounds...but I no longer thought of what I was doing as a "diet"...or even a "change in lifestyle"...

Because my choices are NO LONGER limited. (and, as you know, Lilly and I had a GREAT TRIP to New York City!)

I'm living a WAY different life today. And I am grateful. I eat breakfast every morning, I go to the pool five or six times a week, and I am aware of what a "normal" portion of food looks like.

But, make no mistake -- I try to NEVER HAVE THIS CONVERSATION with anybody. I still believe it is the most BORING THING IN THE WORLD TO TALK ABOUT. Who gives a shit about what I'm eating or how often I go to the pool?

There is no magic bullet. The way to lose weight is to eat less and move more.

So, that's what I'm doing. Most of the time. But it does get discouraging when I think I've done all the right things, and the number stays the same for weeks. Apparently, I decided to continue doing the right things, but stop getting on the scale. My friend Nancy (who has also lost a lot of weight) told me her body sometimes needs to plateau.(a state of little or no change following a period of activity or progress.)

That felt right to me. I can enjoy a plateau...

So, yes -- I am still keeping on keeping on. But it isn't a daily struggle -- or a battle in any sense of the word. The last time I got on the scale, it said 215 -- which is the lowest I've been since that day in 1978.

And, yes, I feel wonderful.  I have great energy, and I'm looking forward to the summer, and some traveling, and LOTS OF ACTIVITIES....and I'm wearing clothes that I NEVER though I'd get into. This pair of Ralph Lauren jeans is a SIZE 18..!!

But, I guess I'm done with the MMWI.

I do NOT WANT THE ACTUAL number to be such a big deal. I don't want it to matter.

Featherweight SPA DAY

As you know -- in 2014, I learned about the Featherweight for the first time, and IT CHANGED MY LIFE.

Since that time, my sisters have all bought Featherweights, as well as several cousins and every woman in my small book club.

We ALL have a Featherweight Table -- and Deena actually just bought her 5th machine!!

When I wrote the article for Inspired To Sew magazine, I interviewed Nova Montgomery. She is a well-respected Singer Featherweight expert/teacher/historian, and she travels around the country, doing Featherweight Workshops. (click on this link for more information)

AND SHE'S DOING A WORKSHOP IN BETTENDORF, IOWA ON MARCH 26. It's at the Hilton Garden Hotel, and the all-day workshop costs just $110. (I paid $300 last summer for a Featherweight workshop at Missouri Star)...

Although it sold out quickly (weeks ago), I sent her an email asking if she might consider adding the room next door if we could get enough people to sign up.
She said she would...if she had 10 more people...

Please call me if you are interested, or know anybody who owns a Featherweight!.

Rita Farro 563 529 5438

************

Here are some testimonials from her students...

"The workshop I attended in Lincoln Nebraska in June was wonderful. My sister and I drove from Florida to attend. Best experience of my sewing life." Melissa B.

"Such a great Workshop!!! Queen of the Featherweight! Learned so much...highly recommend any class she gives." Dana B.

"I was in this class, learned so much, my machine runs great now and I know how to keep it running...Nova does a fabulous job sharing her wealth of information. If you have a Featherweight - sign up for this class now..." Fran J. 

"Nova, Thank you for the wonderful Maintenance Class in Huntsville. It was the most informative class I have attended. Your knowledge of the Featherweight is exceptional. Your ability as a teacher is stupendous, and I thank you for sharing. You have a God given gift. If I retained a fraction of the information you imparted, I will be satisfied. I will treasure the Nova's Featherweight Maintenance Card. Thanks again for a delightful class." Brenda

 "Exceptional class! A born teacher with diverse instructional strategies." International Quilt Festival, Houston, TX 

"This was a wonderful class - well presented, educational, patient instructor (even with a large class)." International Quilt Festival, Houston, TX

Plan B: Steak and Shake Lesson

We waited in the small lobby for about 20 minutes before they called our name.

When we got a table, the kids did the usual Steak and Shake crafty stuff....

They colored their hats, put together the model car, did the word search, and other word games.

We played Bananagrams.

We were watching the traffic on Elmore, just outside the window, when there was an accident...firetrucks, police cars...

.it was like watching an outdoor winter theater...lots of flashing lights and emergency vehicles.

The kids were totally entertained, and I was not bothered by the slow service...they were VERY busy...

However -- our waitress was THE WORST.

She spilled my coffee all over Warren’s placemat/car/activities...and didn’t bother to apologize. It was so wet,  he couldn't even color....so Lilly had to go up to the desk to ask for another set. (I was just happy the hot coffee didn't splash on Warren.)

After a very long wait -- when she finally brought our food, the fries were cold, and Lilly got mini-corndogs instead of the cheeseburger sliders she ordered.

Always trying to look on the bright side, Lilly and Warren liked the mini-corn dogs, and it is easier for me to resist eating cold french fries..

The waitress went back to get Lilly's mini-cheesburgers....but, instead of that -- she brought a regular cheeseburger.   When the waitress rolled her eyes, Lilly said she'd keep the cheeseburger.  (I complimented her on being so flexible...and they were VERY busy).

Even though I asked twice, the waitress never refilled my coffee. (I've probably had too much caffeine anyway)...and she never did bring Warren's ranch dressing...

Honestly -- I was not even a little annoyed by any of this.  I was just happy to be in a warm, safe place with the kids.  But, then, the kids were waiting and waiting for their small shakes....we'd been done eating for a long time. Lilly ordered a Nutella shake, and Warren got his usual Birthday sprinkle shake. Guess what?  When the waitress finally brought our shakes to the table...

She brought the wrong shakes -- one of them was the LARGE size...

Really?  I was starting to feel like I was on an episode of Candid Camera...

But -- HEY -- the kids were both very entertained by what might go wrong next -- and there was that big accident, with lots of flashing emergency vehicles.

However -- Lilly DID want her small Nutella shake, so I had to ask our waitress ONCE AGAIN -- to correct another mistake.

When the waitress smacked the bill down on our table, she said, "the manager didn't charge you for the ice cream."  I had never complained to the manager, so I was surprised.

We sat there for over 2 hours, and I couldn’t have been happier.  Every exchange I had with the waitress was polite and calm. (even tho she was surly, and acted like all these issues were OUR fault).

We were getting ready to leave (3:30 now). Because the manager had deducted the ice cream, our bill was only $9.48.

I asked the kids what we should leave for a tip? Lilly said, “Nothing, because she was a really bad waitress, and she was almost rude to us, Grandma.”

I said, “that’s true. And she’s probably not expecting a tip from us. But maybe there's another way for us to look at this.  Maybe our waitress is having a really bad day.... Maybe she just found out her baby is sick, or she can't pay her rent, or her car broke down.  We certainly could decide to not give her a tip -- which would only add to her already-really-horrible-terrible-bad day.  Or, we could leave a big tip.  Which would be an unexpected surprise, because it just might be the BEST thing that happens to her today.”

We left $5.

By the time we got back in the car, it was 40 degrees...

When Plan A Is A Bust...

My Saturdays belong to Lilly and Warren.  They spend the night on Friday, and Saturday -- we have adventures.  Which, depending on what's happening around town -- can mean just about anything.

Two weeks ago, Plan A was to go see a 1 PM play, Suesical the Musical.

As we stepped out of the house, I realized it was snowing. Hummm??

The weather man did NOT predict this. But -- hey -- we are a hearty bunch. WE LIVE IN IOWA, and I'm a good winter driver...so we got in the car and off we went...

But, as I turned on to the highway, I realized it had been snowing for some time -- and the crews hadn’t been out yet, so the roads were slick...

After the first ten miles, the roads were completely snow covered, and the winds were blowing so bad, there was zero visibility. I called John (using my perfectly legal Blue Tooth) to see if this was going to be a blizzard...(because he watches the weather channel like it's "Gone with the Wind")...

Happy to be of service, John told me: There’s a 60% chance of precipitation this afternoon.
 

Incredulous, I said, “Really??  LOOK OUT THE WINDOW!! There is a 100% chance we are having a blizzard. I'm asking how much snow they're calling for, because I don’t want to be sitting in a theater for the next two hours and come out to see a foot of snow...”

On our way to the theater, we saw several cars that had slid off the road, so I decided against Plan A.

At this point, it was just as dangerous to turn around to drive home.  I wanted to GET OFF THE ROAD.  So, Plan B was go to Steak and Shake and wait for the road crews to do their work.

The parking lot was JAMMED (kids eat free on weekends)...there was a huge line....Perfect. This will kill some time...

And one of the best things about Steak and Shake (other than the great $4 meals) is their excellent variety of KID ACTIVITIES.