Mermaids And The Bermuda Triangle

 

It's a rare day that I indulge in purchasing a piece of costume jewelry.   It has to be sterling, white gold or platinum so I don't break out.  Allergies are the bane of my existence.  I have found that I can get away with yellow or rose gold for short periods, and even occasionally what my Grandma used to refer to as "pot metal." 

It's even rarer that I buy a big gaudy necklace.  Combined with allergies, making bears for three decades has left me with chronic neck issues and some days I can barely tolerate a simple chain with a charm.  Plus I am not that fond of most big gaudy necklaces.

There is an exception to every rule however.  Today when I was out shopping I ran across this piece.  Now in all fairness my photo does not do it justice.  I love ocean inspired pieces of jewelry for some reason.  I don't know why, because even though I have been boating and swimming many times, and snorkeling in Barbados, the ocean still scares the bejeebies out of me!  I have even been 180 feet under the ocean surface in a sub.  Anyway, the colors on this piece are incredible.  But the blues and greens are slightly iridescent so it reflected the camera flash a lot.  The shells that look black are actually a beautiful indigo blue and the large shell in the center is a lovely teal green, and not nearly as dark as it appears.  Each shell has either white or light amber rhinestones on it.  I just had to have it.  I have a girl day coming up Wednesday with my friend Carol and I intend to wear it...allergies and neck pain be darned!

After I got it home, I got to thinking about a comment I received last week after I got brave enough to post a picture on Facebook.  One of my friends said her daughter thought I looked like a mermaid.  It's the hair of course...but with this necklace I am sure I will really look like one now!  XD

I am proud to tell you that my diet program I was on technically ended today.  I ran out of drops and I lost 20 pounds!  I still intend to keep dieting, but I am not going to stay on just 500 calories a day.  I will be going up to 900, which for my height, weight and age is the recommended amount to lose weight.  It won't be quite as fast, but I am feeling confident.  Six weeks on this program really has changed how I eat as well as how fast I eat.  Now that might sound like a small thing, but for me it was HUGE.  I had severe issues with eating slowly going back to my childhood.  But I don't want to tell you that sad story...so suffice it to say that I have overcome a really intense mental obstacle, and I no longer feel the need to inhale my food or clean my plate.   It's truly amazing how what happens to you as a kid can carry on through life with you that you don't even fully realize it.  The impact these things have can be devastating and you aren't even aware of it.  So as hard as it was, I consider the program to have been a success.  I feel confident that I can go forward and eat the way I should and still lose weight.  Time will tell.

Now if you have been reading my Facebook page, you know that I have also been tackling R's little junk pile in the corner of the backyard and getting rid of it since the snakes love to breed there....plus I just don't like the junk pile.  Once I started, he picked up the reigns and hauled away the four tires that had been sitting there for 3 years.  There was also an old patio table. 

When I get a new piece of furniture, I found that I was at a loss as to what to do with the old thing.  Goodwill doesn't take as much stuff as they used to.  Most of it isn't worth the effort or expense of a newspaper ad to sell, and honestly I don't trust people who use Craig's List.  You hear too many horror stories and since I am home alone a lot...well just no.

At any rate one day I had something I was going to have R haul away the next weekend.  I had no place to put it so I set it in the drive way in front of the garage door.  I can't stand doing that because I am always convinced it makes the house look like we are poor white trash to have things sitting in the driveway.  Three days later I went to the store and when I returned the thing I had set out there had vanished!  I thought this was awesome because that meant we didn't have to haul it away.

The next thing I had was an old BBQ.  R had gotten a new one for his birthday...so I got this idea...this time I would put a sign on it that said "Free."  I kid you not...3 hours later...gone!  Since then that section of the drive way has been dubbed The Bermuda Triangle.  I have learned that you can put literally anything in your driveway with a sign on it that says "Free" and it will vanish within hours!

Late last night I put the patio table out there with a sign on it, and at 6:21 this morning...I was just about asleep when I heard a tailgate slam shut.  I peeked out...GONE!  The Bermuda Triangle never lets me down!

HA2CG

I don't know if you have ever heard of HCG, or the more concentrated version HA2CG.  Until I went to this latest doctor I had never heard of it.  I am learning however, that lots of people have heard of it and have done it.  

If you're not familiar with it, it's for weight loss.  You can buy HCG over the counter or on the internet, but apparently it's not regulated and it's not a wise choice to do this because you can't guarantee what you're getting.  Since mine came through the doctor it is supposed to be better regulated.  I am also doing a detox program in conjunction with it which is crucially important.  

I started it today.  If you're not familiar with it, basically it's a combination of 2 amino acids.  Other than some minor side effects, it's pretty much supposed to be harmless.  I am not one for "fad" diets.  But I decided to give this a try because the doctor raved about it.  

The first two days you have to "load" which means you have to stock up on all the things you are about to be denied.  Fat, sugar, oil and carbs. Then for the following six weeks you eat 500 calories a day consisting of lean protein, vegetables and fruit.  I know it sounds scary, but so far everyone has assured me it's easier than you think.  The amino acids suppress your appetite for one thing.

By loading, you are resetting your hypothalamus and fooling your body into believing that you are not going into starvation mode, so it uses the fat stores in your body.

Now the interesting thing is that when you are over weight people automatically assume that you eat badly, you eat a lot, you are lazy and you are a giant couch potato.  Well let me tell you, this isn't always the case.  I actually eat pretty well.  I am not perfect, but who is?  I eat a lot of veggies and lean protein already.  I am bad about my coffees.  I don't eat a huge amount of grains or carbs.  I am allergic to a lot of those things. I eat about half as much as my very thin husband, and I eat better foods. A huge part of my problem is that I don't process my food correctly. I am also not that sedentary.  We are going to work to fix that.  I don't produce enough hydro-some type of acid for one thing.  He also said I am not producing a few other things in the right amounts.

So this first day of "loading" has been horrible.  I feel sick.  And I have to tell you, it's amazing how fast fat, carbs, oil and sugar can effect you.  By the end of today I already had two pimples and several more on the way.  I feel bloated and my back is killing me.  He said that most people love this phase.  I on the other hand, am having doubts I can do it again tomorrow.  I know I will force myself, but I am not looking forward to it.

At any rate, this first whole week I am probably not going to feel so hot.  He said as the toxins start to work their way out of your system you will experience fatigue and just generally blah.  I wanted to update you on this so that if you don't hear from me you will know why.  I need your mental good wishes and strength.  I know that what I have chosen to do isn't going to be easy.  So I hope you will all bear with me and support me as I take this journey.  I will keep you updated on my progress.  

Also I am in the process of working on a brand new animal.  It may be slow going if I don't feel well, but it will be coming soon!

One last little fun thing...I hit 30,000 views on my blog today!  Thank you all for taking time to read what I write!

I hope you all have a wonderful week!  Hugs, K. <3