Flat Stanley

Sue's grand daughter Lauryn set me up with a wonderful guy name Stanley.  I've been with Stanley for a little over a month now and I'm sad to say it is time to send him back.


If you don't know the story of "Flat Stanley" by Jeff Brown, he is a young boy who is accidentally squished "as flat a pancake" when a bulletin board falls on him.  He discovers that there are advantages to being flat.  One of the advantages is that he can fit into an envelope and be mailed on adventures.  In the book he is mailed to California.  As with the book, he ended up in California since Lauryn picked me for her adventure contact for Stanley.


Here are some pictures of Stanley's and my adventures.

Here is Stanley in Peace Plaza in San Francisco Japantown

Stanley on Post Street in Japantown San Francisco

Stanley shopping in Japantown - He picked up the bento book in the background "Yum-Yum Bento Box".  He also purchased some cute little animal food picks.  This way the kids in Lauryn's class can learn about how some Japanese kids have awesome bento boxes that they take for the lunch each day.

Stanley at one of the fortune cookie factories in San Francisco Chinatown.  Stanley picked up bags of fortune cookies to take back to Minnesota with him.  He got the original flavor and some chocolate ones as well.  He also picked up a bag of flat cookies.  He couldn't pass these up as they are "flat" like him.

On the street in Chinatown.  Notice the lanterns lite across the street in the background.

Flat Stanley at the Snoopy Museum in Santa Rosa California

On Snoopy's Dog house outside of the museum.

Hockey Charlie Brown outside of the Snoopy Ice Arena

At the Warm Puppy Cafe next to the ice arena

Here he is sharing cookies with Snoopy.  He also picked up some beanie bands shaped as Peanut characters for Lauryn and her classmates

I had so much fun with Stanley.  I will be sad to see him go but excited for Lauryn and her classmates to receive the package with Stanley and the goodies.  

Have you noticed that my pictures are a better.  I finally purchased a new camera.  I purchased a Sony Cyber-shot and I love it.

I should have more news to share with you later this week.  One that will mean that I will be more consist with my blogging post.  

Until Next Time

Kathleen

More Christmas Pins

These are the pins I worn this last week.  I have a confession to reveal.  I forgot to wear pins on Friday and Saturday   :o(

This pin is sort of the one that started it all.  Rather it started for me as an adult.  This pin was in the costume jewelry that was left by my grandmother.  No one else wanted it so I grabbed it up.  Once I got this pin that is when I started adding to my collection.  This pin is very heavy.  You can tell it is old and it is the one that I keep very close to my heart.  I look forward to wearing it every year.

so sorry about the bad photo.  I really am looking for a new camera.

This pin is very pretty.  I wish you could tell.

Okay - I promise new camera real soon.

I hope everyone is enjoying their holidays.

Kathleen

The Christmas Pins

I have a tradition this time of year.  I have a small or large depending how you look at it collection of holiday pins.

Beginning on December 1st I try and wear a different pin each day to work.  On the weekends I also wear them but sometimes I will have to repeat one I have worn during the week.

So here are the ones I have worn so far this month.  I apologize for the bad photos.  Currently I am using the iPhone.  I am looking for a proper camera though.

You will find snowmen as reocurring theme in my life

This one is painted on the back of a domino.  My parents taught me how to count by teaching me to play dominos.  I remember once in 1st grade the neighbors coming over and asking if I could be their 4th for a game of dominos.  My parents let me go and I felt so grown up playing the game with all these grownups.

My friends Betty and Aldo gave this to me one year for Christmas

and this is the one I wore today

So stay tuned and I will share more during the rest of the month.

Kathleen

Christmas Movies

It is the most wonderful time of the year as they say.  Celebrations of many faiths take place during this time of year.  To try and keep my spirits up no matter what is happening in my life I like to watch Christmas movies.  It really helps me get into the spirit and magic that can happen this time of year.  I try and add a movie to my collection every year.  This year I purchased two.

Christmas in Connecticut Original Version

Christmas in Connecticut Remake

I also collect other things during this time but then that is another post waiting to happen.

So what about?  What holiday movies do you like watching.

Kathleen

Jay Chou and my love for Chinese Music

Okay, so it is true.  I am crazy about the music of Taiwanese pop star Jay Chou.  In fact I believe one of the best things that happened to me this year was getting to see him in concert for New Year's Eve.

Orange Jasmine

I live in the San Francisco East Bay.  There are lots of people who like Jay Chou.  I seem to be one of the only ones who is under the age of 30 and also I am a white lady who lets just say I really stuck out at the concert.  In fact I had people coming up to me asking if they could have their picture taken with me.  This totally freaked me out.  I finally asked this one guy why he wanted his picture taken with me and he said "You don't even speak the language.  You have to be Jay's biggest fan."  It is true I don't speak Mandarin Chinese yet but I can sing in Chinese all the words to the songs.   I may not be able to translate word-for-word the songs but I can tell you the meaning of each song.  

Blue & White Porcelain Vase. When I speak to other Jay Chou fans this by far the song that comes up as their favorite. Please stick out the video. The video has nothing to do with the words. If you have to just close your eyes and listen to the music.


I first came to know of Jay Chou through the movie Initial D.  Which I loved.  That is right, I first got hooked by watching Chinese movies.  At the end of the movie they played one of his songs and well that was the end of that.  At the time I was working as a buyer and I could listen to his music all day long on my iPod.  That is how I learned all of the Chinese words.

Hair Like Snow (one of my most favorite)

So why am I brining this up now.  Well it is because Jay came out with a new CD this month and I just purchased it over the weekend.  When I went into the store the woman behind the counter said "Do you see the CD?"  She only had one copy left.  I said "Oh, so you knew what I was looking for."  Her reply "But of course I remember you.  You only buy Jay Chou."  Let's just say that just as the concert - I sort of stuck out in this store.


So I guess that is it.  I must tell Jay next time I see him that I am his biggest fan.  After all everyone says so.

Dad I'm Back (considered a hip hop tune)

Jay has many types of music.  His ballads are some of my favorites.  To let you get a bit of an insight into my world,  I've decided to link some of his music from youtube.  I hope you enjoy what you hear.  One of the reasons I really like him is because of the blend of Asian traditional music, with classical music as well as a bit of the unexpected.  

Superman Can't Fly (I just love this video)

I'd love to hear what you have to say about his music.  I get teased all day about my choice in music so whatever you say will not hurt my feelings.


Kathleen

Crazy about scarves

I love wintertime.  I love wearing winter clothes.  Okay so I'm crazy about Northern California winter and not so much "real intense winters" like Sue has in Minnesota.   Wintertime gives me a chance to wear scarves.  I have a bit of a collection going but I get stuck on how to tie them.


I came across this video on youtube that I love.  I hope you enjoy it too.


25 Ways to Wear a Scarf in 4.5 Minutes!


Kathleen

It is "Official"

 blog card front

blog card back

I suppose we better step up our post because it is "official" we have blog business cards.

I haven't really passed mine out but Sue is passing hers out.  I'm very proud of her.  Not only is she passing the cards out but she is making a list of future post.  I'm still trying to get her to post pictures.  Me being the meddling sister that I am - I took the liberty of putting a picture of Kylie on Sue's last post.  The picture is from when I spent Christmas at Sue's house 2010.  I suppose I better be careful with that as that goes two ways.  Oh - well we are sisters.

So here is a look at our "official" blog cards.  If you want one (or two, or three) let us know and we will send you them in the mail.  

Kathleen

Focusing on Health

As I mentioned in my previous post, one of the many reasons we started this blog was to focus on our health.  In my opinion, we lost our parents too early in life.  Our "Granny" (our mother's mother) lived to be in her ripe ol' nineties and that is where I intend to be when my time is up on this earth.  Unfortunately, it became apparent this year that I had some health issues I needed to deal with if that was going to be possible.

At the end of this month I am having surgery to correct a hiatal hernia.  I've know for about two years that I had a hernia.  When I first found out I was having chest pains which made me think I was having a heart attack.  Not a fun feeling.  At the time I made a few life style changes and for the most part I haven't had too much trouble.

This past June I started having chest pains again.  Many things became painful ie. sleeping, eating, bending over etc.  After many visits to the doctor it became clear that I could no longer put off the surgery.  I feel like I'm in great care and the timing is right.  I've been on a semi-liquid diet for a little over a month now.  That will continue until a month after surgery.  I needed to lose weight anyway so it isn't that big of a deal.

The weird thing is . . . this whole experience has put into my mind that I have permission to take care of myself.  Hey, I have to if I'm going to live to be in my nineties right??  What a fundamental concept but for some reason I just didn't get it before. Like many women I tend to put other people's needs first.  You know I think this experience has probably extended my life. 

The whole living on mostly protein shakes and consuming less than 1,000 calories a day isn't as bad as I thought it would be.  I don't recommend it to people and I'm only doing it because of doctor's orders but it has taught me some valuable lesson.

For my birthday I took the day off from the diet and gave myself permission to eat anything I wanted.  One of the biggest things I discovered is that most food smells better than it taste.  Popcorn smells so much better than it taste (at least to me.)  It has also made me really think about what is worth eating.  For example just any old chocolate isn't worth putting on pounds.  You know if I'm going to splurge on something it better be good.  The best thing I ate that day for me was some sticky toffee pudding.  Another thing I discovered in the last month has been my opinion on bread.  You know I really can live without it everyday.  That I didn't think was possible prior to this diet.

I'm not suggesting that my discoveries about food and myself will apply the same to everyone.  I guess what I wanted to share is that.....

#1 - You really are worth putting yourself first.
#2 - It is worth exploring yourself and discovering what works best for you.  It is your life and others can tell you what you should do but when it comes down to it - you are the only one who really knows what you will stick with.  My doctor wanted me to go down to less than 700 calories a day diet.  The nutritionist told me that was insane and said that he was there to get me through surgery.  She was there to get me through life.  My old self would have tried to please him.  My "new" self pushed back.  I knew I couldn't stick with 700 calories a day diet.  I negotiated for the same calories and upping my exercise.  I too am in this for the long haul.

I feel like I am still discovering.  Yes - I'm a little scared about surgery (okay a lot scared) and I'm also excited about what is next.

In case you are wondering (because I get asked a lot.)  This is the protein shake the doctor put me on.  It has 30 grams of protein and 5 grams of carbs.  I purchase a case of 18 at Costco for about $25.00.

Please don't go on a liquid diet without consulting your doctor.  It can be very dangerous to do something like that on your own.  As I said, it was doctor's orders for me.  He also gave me a pill I take twice a day to prevent gallstones.  I have 3 shakes a day, one small green salad a day and two servings of fruit.  I also take a ton of vitamins.  In 5 weeks I've lost 15lbs.  I have 4 more weeks to go for surgery.  You know I can't wait.  Not because of the diet but because I hope to feel so much better.
Kathleen

The First Post Is Always The Hardest

It seems the first post is always the hardest.  I setup this blog months ago and decided today that I would start this blog rolling officially.  Today is my sister's 37th wedding anniversary and my 50th birthday.

Sue was the one who came up with this ideal about sharing a blog site.  I can't remember exactly when she decided this.  I believe it was sometime around January.  I'd spent Christmas with Sue's family.  She lives in Minnesota and I live in California.  We hadn't seen each other in years.  We are the two youngest of six children.  Our parents are no longer with us.  My mother was sort of the glue that kept our family in touch.  Although, it hasn't been easy, Sue and I make the effort to keep in touch.  She thought this blog would help and that it would be a good way for us to keep each other in check on our vow to get healthy.

I hope this site will be more than just a check in for Sue and I on our journeys to greater health.  I want it to be a way we check in with our daily lives.  We have vastly different lives.  Sue has a family with a great husband, children and grandchildren.  I'm a woman who is starting over in the San Francisco Bay area with my two cats.  We are very different and yet I like to think very similar.

Sue is new to blogging.  I had another blog for while.  The blogging world has added great richness to my life.  I'm very excited to share this with Sue.  We will need to encourage her for blogging.  I think - once she gets started she will love blogging too.

Kathleen