Mmmmm, bacon

This has almost nothing to do with bacon but it seemed like a catchy title.  It's what I do - lure people in with something fascinating then jump all over their hopes.  I'll weave a little bacon in so it's not too disappointing.  Today marks one year since I yanked myself onto the Weight Watchers bandwagon.  I don't do meetings because I'm not a terribly sociable person and have zero desire to sit in a room and talk about being chubby.  Online only seems to work for me as I have managed to drop 85 lbs.

I'm the one without the goatee.

Shawn (the lovely gentleman I've been shacked up with for the past bazillion years) follows the plan loosely and has lost 60 lbs.  I probably would have dropped a few more pounds if it wasn't for traveling to NYC and eating all the deliciousness the city has to offer - then on the heels of that Thanksgiving and Christmas.  This chick isn't about to go easy on tasty holiday food.  What's changed in the last year?  To put it simply - we eat better.  Some of it is weird shit that I never would have imagined consuming like almond milk, quinoa snacks, ginger candy and romanesco.

Romanesco: broccoli's creepy brother

I thank my vegetarian friend Tori for introducing me to many wholesome snacks like Gin-Gins and quinoa but most other things we've stumbled upon as alternatives to chips and bacon (are you happy now that I mentioned delicious bacon?).  I have learned to eat better, make wiser snacking choices, and I gnaw on fresh fruit vegetables regularly.  This year I will be incorporating much more exersize so I don't have to pin back the extra flesh to look nice.  Sometimes I don't realize the difference in the way I look until I stare at pictures from just a few years ago and I really notice it when I get kitty litter.  Strange statement I know, but I was at PetSmart two days ago and about had a stroke carrying the 38 pound bucket to the front of the store.  Then I stopped to think that a year ago I was carrying two of those around all day every day, it's no wonder I'd get winded going up a long flight of stairs.  Hell even a short set of steps would have me huffing and puffing.  Don't get me wrong, I'm no supermodel and I still have many many more pounds to drop to meet my goal weight by my 30th birthday next year but I am pleased with the progress I've made thus far.  If you are sitting there now thinking, "Gee I could stand to drop a few pounds" don't wait.

Head over to https://www.weightwatchers.com/ and check it out

Do something to make the change in your life.  I know people that have taken the surgical route and I am disappointed in them.  Gastric bypass does not teach you how to make better choices.  It cannot be as satisfying as doing it the old fashioned way - diet & exercise.  I don't feel right calling WW a diet because I still eat a lot.  It's just better food.  I know what I need to do and I'm not starving because I've cut out carbohydrates (screw you, Atkins diet).  The biggest improvement for me?   I'm not buying my clothes online, I go to the store and scoop up clearance clothes in a non-plus size like a normal bargain hunter.  It's great. My biggest inspiration?  This chick right here - http://shrinkingjen.webs.com/

tempus fugit: garden style

It's amazing to think that over two months have passed since the last post!  I'm afraid the summer just slipped right through my fingers - you'll have that from time to time. 

I am quite pleased with the way the garden turned out.  We harvested literally hundreds of peppers. We picked quite a few, still have several quarts in the cupboard.  There's also several bags of frozen slices in the freezer - and we can't forget the stuffed peppers we've had for dinner and the mounds we've given to friends. Believe it or not, there's more growing out there now! Should be harvesting some this weekend. 

Pepperoncini grow like crazy!

Ahh, if only you could smell these pictures.

Bit of everything in this harvest:
Sweet banana, multi-colored bell, and of course
PEPPERONCINI.

The green/yellow/purple beans did very well, the second crop much better than the first.  Lower yield of beans but beefier.  We had many large radishes, the carrots are still growing, rabbits ate all the cabbage (oh well they have to eat, too) and we ate a fair amount of cucumbers.  The last radish I pulled was the largest - it would have looked at home being used in a baseball game!

Tomatoes were, eh not too impressive.  I'm afraid we screwed them up the way we watered them....  Got weird spots and whatnot.  Also the squirrels carted off a great deal of the salsa tomatoes.  They were kind enough to leave the remnants scattered through the yard.  I did get a large Supersteak Hybrid that I made a tasty BLT out of  - Shawn topped his bacon cheeseburger off with a slice.

Mmm, bacon cheeseburger.

Now that's a tomato!

BLT = Bacon-Licious & Tasty

I do have to blame some of the tomato casualties to hurricane Irene.  It seems a little silly that I live in central PA and blame a hurricane for my gardening woes, but it is what it is.  We had some pretty mean rain & wind thanks to Irene.  My garden troubles are certainly nothing compared to what thousands of others have had to deal with that's for sure.

Tomato cages ripped out of the ground.Thanks, Irene.

Peppers have been growing at an angle ever since Irene.

The flowers sort of fizzled out as they will once it cools off.  The daisies that I grew in the tub earlier this year really flourished.  They're quite large and a few of them did bloom so they should be really fantastic next year. My ornamental grass took off as well - most of it is taller than me - and Shawn got me a nice pot of chrysanthemums to spruce up the yard a bit for the fall.