Sometimes I lisp.

I've been trying for 15 minutes to log in to this blog this evening. Now I have to go fix supper and I don't have time to think up any thing witty or pithy to say.

Well, pithy I might be able to do. If you know what I mean.

Wii and Mee

I think I told you I bought a Wii several months ago. I planned to use it to get more exercise since I can't exercise outside when it's too cold (under 50) because I wheeze nor can I exercise outside when it's too hot (over 75) because it's too hot. So far Wii hasn't motivated me to get my lazy butt off the chair more than once a month, but I do trip over the balance board frequently.

Saturday I bought the new Biggest Loser Wii game that's supposed to whip you into shape much like the TV show does its contestants. Yesterday afternoon I loaded it up and started a beginner's program. It had me warm up for 6 minutes by walking and jogging in place - not that one could see much difference between the two when I did them - then I selected an easy 16 minute upper body workout. It consisted of "boxing" and push-ups.

I like boxing. I don't like push-ups.

I did the boxing as best I could, but co-ordination is NOT my middle name and I had trouble following the simple steps. Step forward on the right foot as you punch with the right arm, touch step the left foot and jab with the left arm, step back on the left foot and then the right. Sounds easy, doesn't it?

HA! I've got 2 left feet and they both tried to do the right foot routine. Then Jillian (the trainer) threw in lifting the right knee up as you brought the right foot back. I found if I just stood on the balance board, I got a "perfect" from the feedback meter. Apparently, I'm pretty good at standing around, doing nothing.

I gave up punching and tried to get the foot work down, and almost succeeded.

Then they switched to push-ups. From the floor. I don't do floor work so I sat on the couch and watched Jillian and my fat little avitar do some "planks" and some push-ups.

Then back to the "boxing". Then back to the couch. Then back to the "boxing". Then back to the couch. I kept waiting for different exercises, but it never happened. Even Jillian looked bored. My fat little avitar was off screen most of the time - I think she'd found her own couch behind Jillian's back.

We did do every step of the cool-down routine. Actually "step" may be the wrong term. We stood on the balance beam and did arm stretches.

Then I had a piece of chocolate cake. Without ice cream.

I've been thinking

I was watching TV last week and somebody recommended that if you like mashed potatoes but don't want all the calories, you can substitute mashed cauliflower because it looks and tastes a lot like mashed potatoes. I'm thinking that if mashed cauliflower tastes like your mashed potatoes, you need a new recipe for mashed potatoes.

I've been thinking that some hot apple cider would taste pretty good. It's been about 20 degrees colder in Indiana than normal for this time of year and it's chilling me to the bones. You know, what? I don't think I'd say No to a piece of hot apple pie either. Do you like yours with cheese or ice cream? I'm an ice cream girl myself. I don't think cheese and apple pie really go together.

Do you know what tastes really good together? Raw apple slices and popcorn. Try it sometime, I think you'll like it.

I keep thinking I'm going to the Apple Store at Conner Prairie, but I only remember to think about it when I'm home and already been to where I was going and don't feel like going out again. It will probably close for the season before I remember to go.

Sometimes I like to ask my co-workers "What do you think?" and then I add "or do you bother to think at all?" So far, none of them have answered the second question.

Here's a fun thing to do when somebody says, "I've been thinking". Look surprised and ask, "Why, is it Tuesday?"

Happy birthday to me...

or birthday musings.

Yesterday was my birthday. That means I'm older than I was this time last week. But then, so are you.

I didn't have chocolate cake on my birthday. A big disappointment. But then, I had a chocolate pudding cup before I went to bed. Not the same thing at all.

I got a new game for my birthday, but I don't like it. It's for stupid people.

I didn't get a pony. Nor a bicycle. Nor a Betsy McCall doll. And I didn't get a piano or a set of drums. But then, I didn't get underwear either. Six or sixty, birthday presents of underwear aren't that great. Super Hero underpants and lingere are different.

I had a picnic on my birthday. That was nice. Cool, but nice.

Mike bought me lunch on Wednesday for my birthday. He's sweet like that. He buys me lunch even when it's not my birthday.

I got some nice cards and emails from friends and family. Reminding me I was older.

To sleep, perchance to dream

I had a weird dream last night. I know almost all dreams are weird. At least the ones we remember.

Anyway, most of this dream I could figure out what brought on the different scenes, but one scene was unsettling and I can't get it out of my head.

• I dreamt about a hospital lobby - We talked about a hospital lobby when I had lunch with a friend yesterday.
• In one scene, a former manager was in the lobby selling trinkets for 5 cents apiece - we talked about the manager at lunch and I had watched an old TV show in the afternoon where a sign on a shelf in the General Store said "Everything on this shelf 5 cents".
• There was a scene in a hair salon - I meant to get my hair cut on Monday, but didn't.
• A hair stylist decided she was going to cut my hair with the top half cut so it would curl under while leaving the top half longer. In the old TV show, one of the women had a do something like that but I couldn't figure out if the top part was cut short or was tightly curled. Or the stylist could have been describing a sissified mullet. I kept saying No, I don't think so, but she wouldn't leave me alone.

Anyway, this is where is gets strange to me. The hair stylist decided to show me the style on somebody else who I assumed was in the next room, but, of course, she wasn't. It occurred to me several times in the dream that I was really stupid for following this hair stylist I'd never seen before to goodness-knows-where, but I didn't want to be rude.

Anyway, when we got to this place where the haircut was, a middle-aged, but well-worn man (if you know what I mean) was in the front room/porch and the stylist showed him my purse and they admired it for a while which made me wonder if I was there to be robbed. He asked where I got it and I tried to answer but his conversation kept darting between the purse and pop-corn shrimp. (We ate lunch at a sea food restaurant and my friend paid.)

When we finally entered the home, it was plain that it had probably never seen better times. The carpetless, scuffed floor was cluttered with papers and bits of stuff, and the rooms that Icould see were sparsely furnished. An old woman and man were in the living room, semi-reclining on the floor, rehearsing a play/movie from the 1920's, complete with costume. (Got no idea where that scene came from - the old TV show was a western, circa 1880's). The old man apologized, but I responded, "That's OK. I've been in lots of homes where people are busy living." (I'm quite profound in my dreams, don't you think?)

Fade out, and fade in to dinner at the same house. OK, here's the really weird part that won't get out of my head.

A young boy was sitting at the end of the table using a cat for a spoon. At least, I think that's what he was doing. He held the cat in one hand (like a fork or spoon) and dipped its paws in a plate. (The paws were held together kind of like they were praying.) The boy put the paws to his mouth and I think he was eating the food that was between the paws, or ... he was eating the cat.