thisthatandhim: Monday, didn't we just do this?

Date: Monday, November 1st, 2010

Word of the Day: chicanery (shih\KAY\nuh\ree);the use of trickery or sophistry to deceive (as in matters of the law.)

Weight: 209 pounds

Goal:                                        lose 100 pounds in one year duration
Pounds to lose:                        77 pounds
Waist Size:                               45 inches
Rowing Duration:                    96 minutes, 11 seconds

Well, I haven't gone swimming with Zac yet, as both Zac and I had to have blood tests done early today, we both had to fast, when we have to fast, we have the blood test done early so we don't have to wait all day to eat and drink. but the day is early, and we still have plenty of time to jump into the pool, I hope it isn't too cold, however Zac prefers to do it first thing in the am. so the swimming isprocrastined (in all likelihood) until tomorrow.

Image by Alegrya via Flickr

Gosh, people can be so rude. Zac and I got to the medical clinic before anyone else, evidently the clinic that we usually go to get our bloodwork done changed its working hours so we drove to another clinic downtown. Anyway, like I said, we got there before anyone else, and we sat in our car waiting because it was so cold out, as did other people when they arrived in their cars. Anyway, at the last minute, people left their cars and made a great big dash towards the just opened door. I had my cane, which I always bring for assistance, but that didn't matter, people knocked me out of the way, to get ahead of me, but lucky for me, Zac pushed himself ahead of the people, and then when he got to the front of the desk, he called for me to come and join him. I was given a few dirty looks, evidently other people felt they should have gone before me, but I was really there before them, I just didn't fight as dirty as they did to get to the front of the line, I let Zac do it. Like I said, people can be so rude, I guess even I have had my moments.

Did you get rid of all of your candy, and how much of it did you eat yourself? I was wondering if you would tell me what your favourite costume was? as I don't get trick or treaters due to the fact that I live in an adults only neighbourhood, not one child came by, nor any adults!!!!!

Last night I talked with my sister Lana and she said she started getting trick and treaters around four o'clock pm. and at seven-thirty pm. the candy seekers were still going strong in ringing her doorbell. I thought for all intensive purposes, Halloween would end by eight o'clock pm., as most kids have to get to bed, I guess parents make an exception on Halloween night. As for the cost of the candy, my sister said she spends about fifty dollars every Halloween, which I think is alot of cash for just candy, how much do you spend?

I also briefly chatted with my sister-in-law, Louise, and Louise told me that my nephew, Raphael, didn't spend alot of time trick or treating, he came home early as he said he preferred to hand out the candy to all of the children, that's my brave, thoughtful boy, I just love him, as I do his sisters. You may have noticed, but, I'm getting awfully excited about seeing my kids, its been way too long for me.

Sally, Jessie, and Raphael are also excited about our upcoming trip , they're mostly excited about seeing Winter again, and each one of the kids has not only found the perfect house for Zac, Winter and I to buy and live in during the Winter months, but they have also prepared their Christmas lists, they're so thoughtful, we already owe Louise about one hundred dollars for purchasing gifts for Sally's swimming club. Also, while were in Gainesville, it will soon be birthday time, for almost everyone, and that also gets a little costly.

Yesterday, I did one of my memory tests, and I can name all fifty of the United States in under three minutes, that's writing them down folks, why not see how your memory is and give this little test a try. I don't know if I already mentioned to you that Alzheimer's Disease is in my family, so I'm doing what I can to keep my brain as active as possible, which is a good idea, Alzheimer's Disease or not. By the way, I also can name all of our provinces and the capital cities for the provinces quite quickly, its true we only have eleven to name, but I still can do it, can you?

I know I bragged yesterday about the fact that I'm still exercising, but please forgive me when I do this, I need to keep motivating myself, Cruella has a new location, she's in our basement, and that is a far cry from the view we had at the cottage on the lake. It is very difficult to row for an hour and a half when you are surrounded by boxes, old furniture, junk and alot of dust, not very pretty at all down there! Also, the furnace is on and makes alot of noise so I have to turn up the sound on the stereo so I can hear the music. If I didn't have the music to listen to, I would go completely crazy on Cruella, no funny comments Lily.

It sure is cold outside, especially if you are waiting outside a medical clinic waiting for them to open their doors so you can get into the warmth. I'm so glad I'm going south to Florida in a couple of weeks, standing outside today reaffirms my belief that we are doing the right thing in going south.

I am trying out a little experiment today. We bought a new machine that allows you to transfer your video tapes to digital video device (dvd) and vice-versa. Today, I am testing the timer on the machine as while I'm away, there are a couple of movies that will be playing on the Turner Classic Movie (TCM) channel that I wanted taped. Today, I'm testing the timer, it is important that on any new initiative "testing" is one of the steps you should do, right Lily. As an aside, the second TCM Film Festival is now scheduled, I believe its schedule for the end of April 2011, but check out TCM for sure. I and Zac are thinking of going to the film festival, I've never been to one, which I'm sure you will all find a little mind-boggling, Zac and I just need to find a baby/(dog)sitter for Winter, and we'll be heading out to Hollywood California next year, how about you?, would you like to take care of my precious Winter?

Image via WikipediaAt my company where I used to work, I guess you can say I'm retired, (I still have fantasies about returning one day to the workforce,) there is an initiative to start up an old classification system that I used to be quite knowledgable on, anyway, once Lily has all of the classification systems installed into various departments, people will require training. I'm hoping that Lily and I can find a way that I can temporarily come into the workforce and do the training, I was awfully good at this if I do say so myself, well you could also say it Lily, we shall see, hint, hint, Lily!!

Isn't that a nice picture of the mother playing the guitar to the two little girls on the sofa, it has nothing to do with what I'm writing about, but what difference does that make, its still a nice picture and I darst you to deny it.

Speaking of turning the clocks back, well I was speaking on this subject yesterday, anyway, researchers say that turning the clocks back an hour is bad for people's health, wastes energy, and increases pollution, how about that?

Canada, The United States, Europe, and the Middle East, mark the start of winter by ending daylight savings time, often in late October, which is what I thought, or early November, which is what it is for this year, November 7th, to be precise, so don't forget. While this means it is lighter outside by the time people are waking up in the morning, it also means darkness descends an hour earlier in the evening, I find this so depressing. Some experts believe that dark afternoons and evenings discourages people from getting outdoors and exercising, not me, as I do my exercising inside, which most other clever people do. Anyway, leaving the clocks as they are, could encourage outdoor activity, not from me as I hate the cold, which I've already indicated to you, and many times at that, but perhaps if the clocks were left as they were/are, you might be inclined to get outside and exercise, like we encourage our children to do. Leaving the clocks as they are could boost fitness as well as increase Vitamin D levels and reduce energy consumption, didn't think about that did you?, that's why you need to keep reading my blog. Like Miss Brodie, I am in the business of putting old heads on young shoulders, or at least younger than myself, most of the time!

In some countries, such as Britain and Russia, politicians are being asked to consider parliamentary bills suggesting it's time for a change. "It must be rare to find a means of vastly improving the health and well-being of nearly everyone in the population, and at no cost," said Mayer Hillman of the Policy Studies Institute in Britain, where a bill on Daylight Savings Time (DST,) DST is coming up for consideration in parliament soon. "And here we have it."

Almost half of the world's population has lower than optimal levels of vitamin D, often called the sunshine vitamin. Vitamin D deficiency is a well-known risk factor for rickets and evidence suggests it may increase susceptibility to autoimmune diseases.

Hillman, remember, The Mayer in Britain, conducted a study focused on Scotland, the northern-most part of Britain, which found that switching to Central European Time, to Greenwich Mean Time plus one hour (GMT+1) in the winter, and GMT+2 in the summer, would give most adults 300 extra hours of daylight a year, wouldn't that be wonderful, I'm for this idea 100%.

A "lighter later" campaign in Britain has gained support from many of the country's major sporting bodies. Writing in the British Medical Journal on Friday, Mayor Hillman said research shows people feel happier, more energetic and have lower sickness rates in the longer, (I hope Management in companies are reading my blog, maybe you should just show them my blog, hehe,) brighter days of summer, whereas moods and health decline during duller days of winter, isn't that just good common sense?

Dr. Robert Graham of Lenox Hill Hospital in New York said leaving clocks alone in winter should be considered to encourage people to get out more and get more exercise. High rates of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity are caused in part by lack of exercise, adults are advised to do 30 minutes moderate or vigorous activity a day, look at how much I do, and children should exercise at least an hour, it is discouraging to see so many of our children overweight, but whose fault is that, we are setting the example, are we not?

"As a society we are always looking for accessible, low cost, little-to-no harm interventions," he said by telephone. "By not putting the clocks back and increasing the number of accessible daylight hours, we may have found the perfect one." A study published earlier this year found that advancing clocks by an hour in the winter would lead to energy savings of at least 0.3 percent of daily demand in Britain.

Elizabeth Garnsey, one of the study's authors and an expert in innovative studies at Cambridge University, said this was equivalent to saving 450,000 tonnes of CO2 (carbon dioxide) during winter alone, and who among us doesn't think that's important.

Doesn't that sound like a bright idea, come on Canada, lets catch up to Britain!

I just realize that I forgot to give you your Grammar lesson, I know how much you look forward to it, well I'm too tired right now, so we'll do it tomorrow, won't that be fun Lily?