Saving Me From ME and For Me

Here's the deal. I weigh 230 something. I am not in good enough shape and need to lessen my waste band. Starting today I am going to start blogging my progress and my recessions. I was thinking about the movie Julie on Julia this morning and thought that it would be good incentive to do this.

So, there will be recipes, exercise reports and regimes (hopefully more than less), thoughts on life and things that happen that must be overcome to stay with my blogging program. Of course, there will be occasional pictures as well. Hopefully this will be done daily or every other daily. Changing the things to do. The photo above was taken in last September while we were on the Russian trip. Of course we took Mr. Rabbit with us. Postin's of progress start morrow

Hey Ya'll, I'm back....4 the moment

So the trip to Prague was awesome. Never been? OMG, get there. It is a beautiful city with wonderful people. There are those few who are unsavory, but where aren't there? The city is nice and clean. Don't step out in the street where you are not supposed to, but otherwise enjoy. We stayed at the Casino Royal. Ask for the room with the balcony, but if you don't get it don't sweat it. Also ask for a coffee maker in the room. Cost a little extra but instant Sanka in the morning is nice while you get ready for the day. The morning meal might be the most consistent and best you have. There is a restaurant around the corner that has simple one word name like "Svadj" or something like that, it had the best ribs, and other food. Just look for the soldiers face like on this blog page. Unfortunately, it is on the same street as the German "Ohm Pa Pa" which is a tourist trap. That is my personal opinion not the cities personal opinion.
The ohm Pa Pa has lots of beer and shots readily available, but the food and the waiters are salty and over done bordering on the cheap side + the waiters have more attitude than most gay bar or restaurant waiters I've seen in the states. And that is saying a lot for straight waiters. (I assumed) Oh yeah, you got to figure out the tipping thing on your own. I am not going there.
Moving on, public transportation was good. Beautiful State Opera House. Orchestra over took the singers a couple of times, but I stayed awake.

We went to see Lynda Dragon boat race at the World Championship on the American team. It was a joy to see all those people out there just PADDLING away. The Iranian women in their conservative attire were cool and beautiful to watch PADDLE, as well. Sis won 3 Silvers and 2 Bronzes. Not too shabby for a middle child. The video I am trying to upload while I type this is that of my dad at their (my parents) 54th anniversary. He is toasting the "Dragon Boat Spirit." Which was surely there in strength. Unfortunately, there were 2 boats that sank the first day. In the same race. It was a sad but inevitable thing to happen. The boats were awfully close to water level. So, being that there were 18 men paddling that close to the water's surface, and being so closely passed on the inside on a curve and being blocked from easement on the other side there was no way out of that defeating sink. But they efficiently emptied the boat of themselves, and then the water, and got across the finish line. It easy to be honorable in a win, but much harder to be so in a defeat as that, but the boat down by the finish line did it very honorably. I was not able to follow the other boat down at the other end.

I have to make coffee now for the morning. I will be back in a minute the video is still uploading. Okay, I am back... and I just called my sister whining and questioning about this 2 minute upload, and just as we hung up... it finished. Well almost, right, not quite - then. It is like the Monte Python scene where he is declaring him dead, but the dead guy is saying that he is not dead. When you do finally get to view it, it will be sideways. Sorry, but life is sometimes sideways, and we don't always have the 10 pm knowledge on how to change it ourselves... Tell you what...I am going to bed, and when I get up.... maybe this F & C (fun and comforting) uploading thing will be done. I think I will try to stick to photos from now on, eh? Enjoy the pics and the vid. In case William pushes the post button before I get up and add something else very poignant. Austin

Okay well, it was still uploading this morning so I had to cancel that. So much for the internet wonders. Got to go to work. As they, "Have a nice day!" Mor epics and stories later about Pague.

PS Dragon Boaters Rule. No Doubt, No Question.

Home and back Home and then back Home Again

Hey Ya'll. Hope all is well. I have just gotten back to my photos. And my own mind, as well. These are photos from the last month of my life. In going backwards order. Laura and I had an early flight back from Charleston, and photography was just too prime. Too bad the glass had to be in the window. Anyway, before those are Dad and Lyla on the beach at Edisto when we were home for one of Lynda's Big "0's." And then before that one, is the artwork we had framed for the house a A.C. Moore's. And this morning, at the hour of 7:15 I took Edvard out for a walk, and we ended up at a place that was near Rock Creek Park. It was cool to see the tree limbs, and how they were twisted and exposed in the outskirts of the forest and trails. It reminded me of when I was in my teenage years, around the same age that the shameful picture of me is showing, with Tree and Kenny doing some Motown "Smooth Moves," on my sister Lynda's Facebook Page. Anyway, I digress which tends to happen when I discuss family. Although, Rich might want to talk to some of the Facebook people about legal action, as well, on the photography front. As I was rambling, there were several sets of woods that we would play war games in, and other such games, with Glen, Robby, Steve, Tommy, and others. I remember the smell of pine straw and the woods. I would hide in bushes and leaf piles to conceal our location. Smelling the decaying leaves, Georgia red clay, and brownish dirt sticking to my clothes as my chubby body hid, crawled, or ambled through the woods to not get captured, or killed, by my fellow playmates. Ah well, that is why we have fond memories, as well as, the torturish ones. Enjoy the pics.

Welcome viewers to Lynda's Family

Welcome back viewers. And to those who might be here because of the Charleston Rag, "Sveiks!" as we say in Latvian. It is the Patriotic way to greet other Latvians, or "Letts" as we are referred to in the American Classic by Cole Porter, "Let's Fall in Love." I wanted to add some pictures showing the family we have. As well as highlight some of the Famous Lynda Dragon Lady, or Dragon boat lady, McDonald-Rock. Our family is a special group of people that have grown to know and accept who each other are in life. There are definite differences and definite similarity's. My parents had 6 kids to raise and "enjoy." God Bless them. We gave them a run for their money for sure. You see a photo at the very top a picture of us in the late 70's. That is me with the goofy hat, hair, and glass of Tab. Being Diabetic that was my soda of choice. My Mom's parents are in there with us as well as my mom's sister Zita sitting next to her. I am guessing my sister Laura taking the photo since she is not in the photo. Next there is Lynda with Lyla(left), Zita(right) and my grandparents. The wall hanging behind them is something my grandmother made that is of a Latvian design.
Graeme and his mom Lynda look very similar in the next two photos although someone had the decency to get dressed before stepping out of the house. My parents celebrating turning 80 and 75 with a party themed after the "Roaring 20's", and there you have my dad and Lynda greeting the guest out front as they came to the house. It was a fun time. Lyla was blessed in finding a like soul for herself, and Tracy proposed on Lyla's 50Th Birthday. He then called my Dad to ask for her hand in Marriage. Chivalry certainly is not dead. We welcomed him into our family with open arms. This photo is one at the reception after the wedding that has all our immediate family and significant others or spouses, and the children. The two missing are Lenore's significant other Paula, and Laura's Joe. The last photo is the sunset off the back deck. I know our higher power has blessed us all with many things in our lives, but when I look up at the sky and i am able to see a sunset, sunrise, cloud shift, rainbow, I know that there are things bigger, and greater, than any of the issues, choices, and problems that we face.


The clouds move free from form
Feeling the wind move it's outer region.
I sit and wonder if my form is much the same.
There is the basic mass of materials.
Metaphysical to cause this molecular being-
And then that which surrounds me causes, or
influences, me to bend this way and flow that.

Looked at by myself I might not be that unusual
Or unique, but add in the clouds next to me
The supporting sky behind me, and
The passing sun, and
The whole view is astronomical

Enjoy the pics

A Cupful of Coffee Helps the...

I have been mailed several cards, and given flowers and fruit arrangements. They were all very nice, comforting, and thoughtful. The flower arrangement is still on display in the living room, and the fruit arrangement is all but eaten, but I was given this coffee cup by a friend of mine yesterday that he had made up in his alter ego persona named "Bambi." On the back it says, "Love ya, mean it." So what is needed by me after a night of sleepful healing before the morning drugs, and coffee, kick in. My iPhone is another cool ditty that was a wonderful present for Christas from William. I haven't learned it all yet, but I am slowly progressing on it. Enjoy the Pic.

Christmas and the aftermath

These are few of the photos to mark more of the Christmas I survived. Remember the Christmas Special for the Christmas that almost didn't happen. Okay, most of them are about that. But the one with Mr. Heat Miser and his other evil brother, in which the odds had to be won over by faith and love and belief. Well, with my open heart procedure, that is sort of how I felt being able to make it to Williamsburg. We all had our issues this year, so I am grateful we were able to come together as a family. I am sorry that Tommy, Sandy and Little T were not able to be there Christmas morning, but they were certainly there in our hearts.
So, there are a few photos. Not in order, of course. Well, bottom up.
There is the lonely Penguin across the street up on the balcony. I like him up there. Although I am not sure if he is contemplating jumping or not.
Laura doing her tech thing in front of the 4 foot tree we assembled down at Williamsburg. We did not have Wi fi in the time share condos, but the iPhone certainly helped us get info needed fast. Such as, music trivia, bagel locations,(though they had already closed) and weather conditions.
Then William and Edvard being the loungers on the sofa. There have been similar shots before, but I like this because of the lighting and you can see the tree in the reflective window.
And lastly, the photo I took at Wayne and Terry's New Years day Party. It seems very much the same as what would have been at our cousin's house during a get together in Rockford, IL so many years ago. Enjoy the Pics and the memories.

Christmas and all that jazz

We went all out with the tree lights and decoration. It took us a week to do it all, but it was well worth it. I love having the CVS Rudolph characters out. We have to put them up high because Edvard likes gnawing on them otherwise. The boys all wanted to try to put on the Santa Hat. There is always room for more than one Santa, eh? The last picture is of Jeanie's Birthday Cake blowout. We had a nice dinner at Lyla and Tracy's last Friday to celebrate her day which was Sunday. We had spent the day with Zita making Perogs(sp?) bacon rolls, a traditional Christmas holiday food in our family, and make Jeanie's dinner, as well. I would tell you what we had, but I don't know how to spell it. So, I move on. But I did spend 45 minutes making a salad dressing. Lyla as my co-pilot. I remember an episode of Top Chef where the judge said if you have soggy rice throw it out, and start over, or change the menu. That is what I should have done as I had put too much vinegar first off, but alas, not the way my brain works, and it turned out well. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and best of New Year's wishes. Enjoy the pics.