Not a day goes by that I don't think of him
His winning smile and mischievous grin
It shines forth from my sunny kitchen bright
and follows me from morn 'til night.
He is there when I use my green tablespoons
The ones he gave me one warm summer's day
Piled up high they were in his garden shed
Free gifts that came in big fertiliser bags
A simple gift that means the world to me...
I get more use from it than anything else I have
Each day I measure out my sugar, flaxseed, medicine and oil
I think of Dad and thank him for being a friend so loyal
I feel his presence when I cook up stew in my big old saucepan
Since it was he who gave it to me many moons ago...
And that generous soup ladle that was his and now is mine
reminding me of the love that filled my heart and tummy
He is there watching how I cook my ham, reminding
me to put some mustard and sugar and cloves on top
And don't forget to cook the cabbage with the ham...
and serve it with good ol' Kerrs Pinks spuds - and a smile!
"Eat up more butty baba" he would joke with us as kids
and don't forget to finish everything on your plate
"It will put hair on your chest"
I could have done without the hair on my chest...
But not my Daddy's love!
Sugar and spice and all things nice...
That's what my kitchen is to me
A home with a heart.. and a hearth with a home
What more could a girl ask for?
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Thursday, February 21, 2013
BLADERUNNER
I've been busy following the shocking case of Oscar Pistorius a.k.a. 'Bladerunner' accused of killing his gorgeous girlfriend Reeva in Pretoria, South Africa. Did he do it? I think so, but then again I also thought O.J. Simpson was guilty and he got off scott free, so my opinion matters not. It will be interesting to see how things pan out. It wasn't my intention to write about Bladerunner, as frankly he doesn't sound like my kinda guy. He is known to have a violent temper that can erupt like a volcano and when it does it's Hell!...you better RUN... as clearly poor Reeva did - into the bathroom.
He likes power, money, cars, blondes - sadly, in that order. It was the words of a loyal friend of his that struck me. When asked about Oscar's innocence, he was clear that Pistorious was a National hero and would not have committed this horrendous crime. His words for Oscar were "Tough times never last but the tough do" in other words when the going gets tough, the tough get going...I think we can all apply those words in our own lives - TOUGH TIMES NEVER LAST BUT THE TOUGH DO'.
So you want to be successful? Get tough and you will. Because when things don't go your way, if you're not tough, you'll crumble.
You want to be richer? Get tough with the shops. Give them the cold shoulder.
You want to be slimmer? Get tough on the calories and with yourself. Show some sweat which Claudia informs me is fat crying!!
You wanna be happy? Me too! Gobble up negative thoughts and spit them out, one by nasty one.
If you want to survive life and remain like Bond 'Stirred but not shaken' Get tough with whatever weakens you...be it temptation, negative thought patterns, self-sabotage - YOU CAN DO IT!
Choo Choo for now and stay firm in your resolve to be HAPPY!
Patricia xxx
He likes power, money, cars, blondes - sadly, in that order. It was the words of a loyal friend of his that struck me. When asked about Oscar's innocence, he was clear that Pistorious was a National hero and would not have committed this horrendous crime. His words for Oscar were "Tough times never last but the tough do" in other words when the going gets tough, the tough get going...I think we can all apply those words in our own lives - TOUGH TIMES NEVER LAST BUT THE TOUGH DO'.
So you want to be successful? Get tough and you will. Because when things don't go your way, if you're not tough, you'll crumble.
You want to be richer? Get tough with the shops. Give them the cold shoulder.
You want to be slimmer? Get tough on the calories and with yourself. Show some sweat which Claudia informs me is fat crying!!
You wanna be happy? Me too! Gobble up negative thoughts and spit them out, one by nasty one.
If you want to survive life and remain like Bond 'Stirred but not shaken' Get tough with whatever weakens you...be it temptation, negative thought patterns, self-sabotage - YOU CAN DO IT!
Choo Choo for now and stay firm in your resolve to be HAPPY!
Patricia xxx
Saturday, February 16, 2013
LOVE IS IN THE AIR...
I promised you something nice yesterday and here it is...in all its slushy splendour -
A free invitation to the Pollyanna Love Fest - Yeah! Knew you'd like this one, but it does come with rules. And you must obey each one, so that by the end of the Love Fest, you'll have a warm, fuzzy fabulosa feeling in your hearts. If you don't, then you did not obey each task - naughty naughty!! If you do have the warm fuzzy feeling, you'll be jumping for joy - and so you might for all that work.
Task One - Read the above pink message very carefully and just do it!
Task Two - Put the kettle on now and make yourself a nice soothing cup of tea...
Task Three - With tea in hand and sitting in a cosy chair, let your fingers wander over to Polly's Playlist and listen to the first few love songs. Listen to the lyrics. Learn them by heart and sing them at least once daily. Except Katy Perry - just enjoy her fun video.
Task Four - Read and contemplate the message below which I found in an old
greeting card when I was doing the big clearout. Loved the words.
Hope you will too!
LIFE LESSONS ON THE ROAD TO YOUR DREAMS
Treasure your dreams; like your life, they are a wonderful gift...
Accept and appreciate that you're the one most responsible for making
your dreams come true. Be your own best friend. Cheer yourself on.
Choose your thoughts, because if you don't, you're still making a choice
and you'll have to take what you get. In your mind's eye, create a positive picture that will draw what you want to you. Your intuition is powerful: use it.
Keep your desires burning. Don't be afraid to take careful chances.
Inform yourself. Make the connection between your thoughts, your actions, and
the results you're getting. The cumulative quality of your actions will weave the
the tapestry of your destiny. Live your life consciously; don't just let your life live you!
Look at your circumstances as life lessons rather than adversities. Keep a careful watch over your joy. Cherish it. Acknowledge your blessings, no matter how small they may seem. You are a student in the school of life and in many ways your own teacher. Appreciate the lessons you've learned, and enjoy life, others, and yourself.
So my Polly Pals...lots of food for thought since I don't have the opportunity
to feed your tummies!
Love yourselves not just February, but every day and month of the year. God does not make junk and it makes him happy to see you appreciate his creation - YOU - LIFE. Like diamonds in the sky...you gotta SHINE BRIGHT LIKE A DIAMOND!!
Choo Choo for now and don't forget the tea and love songs...
Enjoy!
Patricia xxx
Friday, February 15, 2013
HAPPY VALENTINE'S WEEK!
And it is a week...one day is not enough time to celebrate LOVE in all its forms - from slushy decorations that convey a romantic heart, to yummy chocolates, roses and wine...and of courses the music. Can't forget the music...I know it seems like Christmas was only yesterday. The first quarter of the year is always busy - Valentine's, St. Patrick's Day, and then Easter. After that there is a lull. The weather is getting warmer and people are busy enjoying the great outdoors. Thank goodness for birthdays to keep Hallmark in business!
I kid you not - it took me 20 minutes to put this together, with the help of my assistant Claudia, who is artistically inclined.
I timed myself...after the table was all set up, it took me exactly 45 minutes to get the dinner ready and served up on the table. I watched the clock in the kitchen and pretended I was doing one of those culinary challenges where the clock was ticking away and you had to be finished in so much time. Well, hunger was also a big help!
I did fillet steak Diane for Kevin with veggies and garlic mashed potatoes. We girls had linguini with basil petso sauce. I cooked up some fresh tomatoes and two courgettes I found wilting in the fridge. Everything went into the pesto sauce and yes lots of garlic! Hmm the best yet. Cheat pesto sauce is to get a jar of alfredo sauce (25% less fat is lighter). Add 2 tbs. of basil pesto sauce to it and you're in business!
Starter was Caprese salad - cherry tomatoes, sliced mozza balls sitting on a bed of eager lettuce and rained down on with Newman's best olive oil dressing. O.K. I know Newman is sadly long dead, but he passed on the secret recipe before passing on and yes, it's ta die for!! (though t.g. nobody did). The piece de la resistance being the fresh Basil. I am addicted to fresh Basil. I could eat it forever. It smells of summer and makes me think of Italy. I don't wash my hands after chopping it so I can enjoy its fragrance!
Last, but almost least - Dessert. No, that did not count in the 45 mins. dinner prep. I bought a delicious fresh fruit flan because it looked healthy. The fruit was swimming in a pool of velvet smooth custard, held together with lots of chocolate kisses. I served it up with a smile on its face, surrounded by charming winking chocolate dipped strawberries - happy to be serving healthy fruit to my family. O.K. I agree the custard and chocolate weakens my case. I did not have any (why do I sound like Bill Clinton?...I did not have any...) Well, I didn't have any chocolate as I'm determined to keep my Lenten promise to abstain from same. Instead I had delicious mandarin orange Greek yogurt with fresh blackberries...yummy!!
The Valentine's feast was followed by Purdy's chocolates for all but me, and by the time the dishes were done, the chocolate longing was put to bed!
Not before ticking off 2 x's from my 40 day Lenten block...
Tomorrow is another day for LOVE and I have a nice little gift for you!
Choo Choo for now!
Patricia xxx
Monday, February 11, 2013
GUNG HAY FAT CHOY!
Welcome Year of the Snake...hssss and Happy Chinese New Year to you all! It's going to be a good one d.v. I am happy because for once, I'm ready for it. Snake years are good for us Roosters. I haven't been blogging for at least a week because I've had the sleeves rolled up and was getting down and dirty in the basement. What was I doing down there? Apart from listening out for ghosts, and playing with Tessa our cat, I was painting and gobbling up the last of my de-cluttering projects. I had boxes of stuff going back to my first days in Canada some 20 years ago! It's amazing the kind of treasures I found. They say de-cluttering is the luckiest thing you can do. Guess what? I proved them right.
I found this little card Claudia made for me for Mother's Day several years ago. It had 3 coins lovingly attached to bring me luck. I put it into the prosperity section of the house, as determined by a Feng Shui expert I consulted when we moved into our home. Lo and behold! next thing I found was a receipt for a fire guard I had returned to a shop 3 years ago. I had lost the receipt, and never heard back from the shop. They had to sell it before they would return my money. Now that I had the receipt, I phoned them and they gave me the happy news they owed me $90 - not bad!! I duly went down to the shop and collected my cheque. Had I not found that lost receipt, this 'lucky' money would not have come my way!
As a result of zoning in on the clutter, I now have the basement all organised. I got rid of tons of papers I had been hoarding. I divided all the papers I decided to keep into folders. Plastic bins house my greeting cards for every occasion. Now I just need the occasion! Well Valentine's Day is coming up and I warned Kevin to check our stationery shop in the basement first! Sounds weird I know. Months ago a Carlton cards store was closing in my local mall. They were selling off all their cards for 10c each - ridiculously cheap. I stocked up - even got Valentine cards!
So between the jigs and the reels I'm feeling as light as a feather now that I've offloaded all that clutter. Swear to God nothing beats that feeling.
We had a cluster of stuff to celebrate between Chinese New Year, Family Day long weekend, Valentine's Day - not forgetting Pancake Tuesday tomorrow, and then on Wednesday the start of Lent... I am gobbling up all the chocolate I can find before Wednesday as I am truly determined to go off chocolate for Lent this year. Will I do it? Watch this page!!
To welcome the Chinese New Year we ordered in a delicious chinese takeaway. I went down to 'Holiday Hall' in the basement to find suitable decorations. 'Holiday Hall' is where I house all my decorations for every occasion - Easter, St. Patrick's Day, birthdays, St. Valentine's Day, Halloween and Christmas - easily my favourite room in the house!! I store the odd candy in there too...
I didn't have any Chinese New Year stuff in there so I had to implement... found a snake from my St. Patrick's stuff (remember St. Patrick drove the snakes away from Ireland?). Next I found some glittery Christmas stuff which looked nice on the table, and then some festive Chinese feng shui type table lights - two long black trays, each of which housed 5 red votive candles. They looked amazing on each end of the table. I had to take the holly surrounds away to make it look less Christmassy.
I got some specially produced 'year of the snake' belgian chocolates from Purdy's and served them up on a richly coloured burgundy China pedestal dish. I put Mr. Snake into the bowl and he looked pretty amazing slithering all the way down to the table. The end result was worthy of the 'Year of the Snake' and hissing awesome - even if I say so myself!!
We went to see that new movie 'Quartet' which everybody is talking about around here. It has a star cast including Maggie Smith, Pauline Collins and Billy Connolly. Must say, Kevin and I both found it sort of depressing...wont give the story away. Let you decide for yourselves. Funny moments provided by Billy Connolly who looked remarkably well.
Today, we are going to see another movie - Long Weekend is to be celebrated!! It's a thriller this time and called 'Side Effects'. I feel it will be good. It is lashing rain outside and we've been working hard all weekend long - so Time to rolax, chill out and get mellow - Life is for celebrating and enjoying...
Choo Choo for now and Happy Valentine's Day!
Patricia xxx
I found this little card Claudia made for me for Mother's Day several years ago. It had 3 coins lovingly attached to bring me luck. I put it into the prosperity section of the house, as determined by a Feng Shui expert I consulted when we moved into our home. Lo and behold! next thing I found was a receipt for a fire guard I had returned to a shop 3 years ago. I had lost the receipt, and never heard back from the shop. They had to sell it before they would return my money. Now that I had the receipt, I phoned them and they gave me the happy news they owed me $90 - not bad!! I duly went down to the shop and collected my cheque. Had I not found that lost receipt, this 'lucky' money would not have come my way!
As a result of zoning in on the clutter, I now have the basement all organised. I got rid of tons of papers I had been hoarding. I divided all the papers I decided to keep into folders. Plastic bins house my greeting cards for every occasion. Now I just need the occasion! Well Valentine's Day is coming up and I warned Kevin to check our stationery shop in the basement first! Sounds weird I know. Months ago a Carlton cards store was closing in my local mall. They were selling off all their cards for 10c each - ridiculously cheap. I stocked up - even got Valentine cards!
So between the jigs and the reels I'm feeling as light as a feather now that I've offloaded all that clutter. Swear to God nothing beats that feeling.
We had a cluster of stuff to celebrate between Chinese New Year, Family Day long weekend, Valentine's Day - not forgetting Pancake Tuesday tomorrow, and then on Wednesday the start of Lent... I am gobbling up all the chocolate I can find before Wednesday as I am truly determined to go off chocolate for Lent this year. Will I do it? Watch this page!!
To welcome the Chinese New Year we ordered in a delicious chinese takeaway. I went down to 'Holiday Hall' in the basement to find suitable decorations. 'Holiday Hall' is where I house all my decorations for every occasion - Easter, St. Patrick's Day, birthdays, St. Valentine's Day, Halloween and Christmas - easily my favourite room in the house!! I store the odd candy in there too...
I didn't have any Chinese New Year stuff in there so I had to implement... found a snake from my St. Patrick's stuff (remember St. Patrick drove the snakes away from Ireland?). Next I found some glittery Christmas stuff which looked nice on the table, and then some festive Chinese feng shui type table lights - two long black trays, each of which housed 5 red votive candles. They looked amazing on each end of the table. I had to take the holly surrounds away to make it look less Christmassy.
I got some specially produced 'year of the snake' belgian chocolates from Purdy's and served them up on a richly coloured burgundy China pedestal dish. I put Mr. Snake into the bowl and he looked pretty amazing slithering all the way down to the table. The end result was worthy of the 'Year of the Snake' and hissing awesome - even if I say so myself!!
We went to see that new movie 'Quartet' which everybody is talking about around here. It has a star cast including Maggie Smith, Pauline Collins and Billy Connolly. Must say, Kevin and I both found it sort of depressing...wont give the story away. Let you decide for yourselves. Funny moments provided by Billy Connolly who looked remarkably well.
Today, we are going to see another movie - Long Weekend is to be celebrated!! It's a thriller this time and called 'Side Effects'. I feel it will be good. It is lashing rain outside and we've been working hard all weekend long - so Time to rolax, chill out and get mellow - Life is for celebrating and enjoying...
Choo Choo for now and Happy Valentine's Day!
Patricia xxx
Saturday, February 2, 2013
ABSOLUTE BLISS!
Alexandra and Victoria just posted me their 'Top Ten Things to do in February'. I loved it! and want to share it with you below... Even though February is missing a few days and usually flies by, we can still pack in a punch or two! Gretchen Rubin in her 'Happiness Project' decided to focus on 'LOVE' for the month of February. Remember January was 'ENERGY' (exercise, more sleep, de-cluttering, etc.)
Now 'LOVE' that's another matter...Love thyself, others, your dog, cat, stranger, or even stranger again...an enemy! I agree with Jesus, The Beatles and Mother Theresa 'Love is all there is'.
So, without further ado...GET FIRED UP FOR FEBRUARY Y'ALL!
Choo Choo!
Polly P xxx
1. Welcome Spring
http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/galanthus%20nivalis
In Ireland, the 1st of February (St Brigid's Day) is considered the first day of Spring. While it may seem a bit premature to some, we are all for welcoming the new season as early as possible, and what better way to do so than buying a bunch of fresh flowers to brighten up your living space?
2. Watch the Super Bowl
http://covington.mollymalonesirishpub.com/?p=3564
Ok, ok - this is something we felt obliged to include, as we realise that the Super Bowl is Kind Of A Big Deal for some people. But to be honest, we don't even know who's playing, and to be really honest, we don't care. What we will be doing, however, is keeping a beady eye on Beyonce's performance during the Halftime Show, on the look-out for any potential lip-syncing.
3. Celebrate Chinese New Year
http://malaysiachefs.com/lyon-2013-vote-for-malaysia-pastry-team/
Sunday, the 10th of February ushers in the Chinese Year of the Snake. If, like Ali, you were born in a Snake Year (1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001), then an extra special Gung Hay Fat Choy to you! (Sorry for that butchering of your language, any Cantonese speakers out there!)
4. Indulge in a Pancake Feast on Shrove Tuesday
http://clclt.com/eatmycharlotte/archives/2011/03/01/happy-national-pancake-day
This year, Pancake Day aka Shrove Tuesday, falls on the 12th. Whip up a batch of the ultimate comfort food and serve with as many decadent toppings as you please, especially if you'll be partaking in #5 on our list.
5. Give Up Something For Lent
http://talkwiththepreacher.org/2012/02/24/all-or-nothing-a-lenten-lie/
While Lent, the time between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday, is observed by Christians as a time of abstaining from vices, you don't have to be religious to give something up in the time leading up to Easter. It'll make that chocolate binge all the sweeter if you've been deprived for over a month! (Although you're technically allowed "dispensations" on Sundays and feast days, ie. Valentine's Day, Paddy's Day, birthdays...at least in our books you are ;-)
6. Celebrate Valentine's Day
http://www.windsorhistoricalsociety.org/valentines_05.html
Whether you're loved-up or single, celebrate the day of love as you see fit, whether that involves a romantic candle-lit dinner or bingeing on heart-shaped chocolates. And no, we don't care if it's a cheesy, commercialised Hallmark Holiday. We like Hallmark Holidays.
7. Partake in Random Acts of Kindness Day
http://www.weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers.com/2012/10/50-random-acts-of-kindness/
Sunday the 17th is the official Random Acts of Kindness day, though, obviously, every day should be one, right?! The url under the picture is a link to a fantastic list of 50 ideas for simple acts of kindness - definitely worth checking out.
8. Celebrate Family Day
http://www.financefox.ca/family-day-blog-love/
Even though Family Day is officially a Canadian thing (taking place on the third Monday in February), there's no reason why you can't enjoy some time with your family wherever you are in the world. Whether you see a movie together, go for dinner, or simply have a Skype session, it's nice to spend time with your folks (even if they're as dysfunctional as the Griffin family).
9. Watch the Oscars
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/oscars/9792998/Oscars-2013-full-nominations.html
Sunday the 24th is the 85th Annual Academy Awards, and, of course, our eyes will be glued to the screen. While we don't have any favourites we'd like to see win (of the movies nominated for Best Picture, we've only seen Les Misérables, which none of us particularly enjoyed), we're still looking forward to an evening of Hollywood glamour.
10. Have a Home Spa Day
http://blogs.babble.com/being-pregnant/2011/07/28/natural-post-partum-care-diy-herbal-sitz-bath/
Run the bath, light the candles, dig out the body lotions and face masks...this is the perfect time of year to indulge in a relaxing few hours of pampering in the comfort of your own home.
Now 'LOVE' that's another matter...Love thyself, others, your dog, cat, stranger, or even stranger again...an enemy! I agree with Jesus, The Beatles and Mother Theresa 'Love is all there is'.
So, without further ado...GET FIRED UP FOR FEBRUARY Y'ALL!
Choo Choo!
Polly P xxx
1. Welcome Spring
http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/galanthus%20nivalis
In Ireland, the 1st of February (St Brigid's Day) is considered the first day of Spring. While it may seem a bit premature to some, we are all for welcoming the new season as early as possible, and what better way to do so than buying a bunch of fresh flowers to brighten up your living space?
2. Watch the Super Bowl
http://covington.mollymalonesirishpub.com/?p=3564
Ok, ok - this is something we felt obliged to include, as we realise that the Super Bowl is Kind Of A Big Deal for some people. But to be honest, we don't even know who's playing, and to be really honest, we don't care. What we will be doing, however, is keeping a beady eye on Beyonce's performance during the Halftime Show, on the look-out for any potential lip-syncing.
3. Celebrate Chinese New Year
http://malaysiachefs.com/lyon-2013-vote-for-malaysia-pastry-team/
Sunday, the 10th of February ushers in the Chinese Year of the Snake. If, like Ali, you were born in a Snake Year (1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001), then an extra special Gung Hay Fat Choy to you! (Sorry for that butchering of your language, any Cantonese speakers out there!)
4. Indulge in a Pancake Feast on Shrove Tuesday
http://clclt.com/eatmycharlotte/archives/2011/03/01/happy-national-pancake-day
This year, Pancake Day aka Shrove Tuesday, falls on the 12th. Whip up a batch of the ultimate comfort food and serve with as many decadent toppings as you please, especially if you'll be partaking in #5 on our list.
5. Give Up Something For Lent
http://talkwiththepreacher.org/2012/02/24/all-or-nothing-a-lenten-lie/
While Lent, the time between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday, is observed by Christians as a time of abstaining from vices, you don't have to be religious to give something up in the time leading up to Easter. It'll make that chocolate binge all the sweeter if you've been deprived for over a month! (Although you're technically allowed "dispensations" on Sundays and feast days, ie. Valentine's Day, Paddy's Day, birthdays...at least in our books you are ;-)
6. Celebrate Valentine's Day
http://www.windsorhistoricalsociety.org/valentines_05.html
Whether you're loved-up or single, celebrate the day of love as you see fit, whether that involves a romantic candle-lit dinner or bingeing on heart-shaped chocolates. And no, we don't care if it's a cheesy, commercialised Hallmark Holiday. We like Hallmark Holidays.
7. Partake in Random Acts of Kindness Day
http://www.weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers.com/2012/10/50-random-acts-of-kindness/
Sunday the 17th is the official Random Acts of Kindness day, though, obviously, every day should be one, right?! The url under the picture is a link to a fantastic list of 50 ideas for simple acts of kindness - definitely worth checking out.
8. Celebrate Family Day
http://www.financefox.ca/family-day-blog-love/
Even though Family Day is officially a Canadian thing (taking place on the third Monday in February), there's no reason why you can't enjoy some time with your family wherever you are in the world. Whether you see a movie together, go for dinner, or simply have a Skype session, it's nice to spend time with your folks (even if they're as dysfunctional as the Griffin family).
9. Watch the Oscars
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/oscars/9792998/Oscars-2013-full-nominations.html
Sunday the 24th is the 85th Annual Academy Awards, and, of course, our eyes will be glued to the screen. While we don't have any favourites we'd like to see win (of the movies nominated for Best Picture, we've only seen Les Misérables, which none of us particularly enjoyed), we're still looking forward to an evening of Hollywood glamour.
10. Have a Home Spa Day
http://blogs.babble.com/being-pregnant/2011/07/28/natural-post-partum-care-diy-herbal-sitz-bath/
Run the bath, light the candles, dig out the body lotions and face masks...this is the perfect time of year to indulge in a relaxing few hours of pampering in the comfort of your own home.
Friday, February 1, 2013
READY STEADY GO!
When an opportunity to try something new knocks on my door - I never complain about the noise!
That's how I found myself in the midst of a group of women last night being hypnotised by a 'Master Hypnotist' Charles Borden. Why did I do it? Apart from being insane, I was curious. Curious to see if Charles of the Ritzy glitzy image could change my eating habits from lets say...'indulgent' to something more sensible like 'healthy'. I only want spare tyres in my car.
For two hours last night Charles of the silky smooth voice held us spellbound. I now have an imaginary t.v. channel in my head pleasantly called 'The Me Channel'. When I tune into this channel I see a perfect vision of myself and how I want to look, wearing the kind of clothes I like to wear, and being 'Perfectly Fit and Healthy'.
Before I got my own t.v. channel, I had to become a 'rag doll' for Charles and allow him enter the deep dark caverns of my mind. I had to become compliant, and let him take the lead. Being the good, obedient girl that I am, I did exactly that.
He wound me up before I left the room, and filled my head with orders. Orders such as 'I want you my cute little rag doll (not in so many words) to put 20% less food on your plate. I want you to use smaller plates, I want you to hydrate your body with at least 2 litres or 8 glasses of water a day. I want you to take pleasure in clearing out all those nasty old toxins from your body. Water I just love water now. I can see why one of our patients calls it 'Adam's Ale'. Stuff from Paradise...
Charles educated us ladies (no men there...wonder why?) on the importance of loving exercise. 'If you don't love it, you're not going to do it...our bodies are programmed for pleasure" he told us. I never would have guessed! Last but not least "When you go to the supermarket, I want you to just walk around the perimeters where all the good healthy food is". And he continued...
"I want you to imagine yourself eating and loving fruit and vegetables, chewing your food slowly and savouring each tiny morsel and loving fruit and vegetables and eating slowly and loving and savouring each tiny morsel...and eating smaller portions and loving fruit and vegetables and savouring each tiny morsel...and chewing your food slowly...over and over and over again until we 'got' the message.
"Next, go to your wardrobe. Pick out something you like to wear that is only 'slightly' tight. You will be encouraged when you fit into it with just a little effort on your part. From there, dig deeper into your wardrobe and pick something that is even tighter..." and you get the drift!
Putting Charlie's suggestions to the test, I went to the supermarket on the way home and yes you're right...I filled the fridge with fruit and vegetables Yeehaw!
"What the...? was the reaction when the family opened my new healthy fridge this morning. "Ma did he brainwash you?" "On Valentine's Day instead of stuffing our faces with heart shaped candies" I told my shocked family "We will dip our little strawberries and pineapple into melted dark chocolate" Hmmm sounds delicious.
Kidding aside, I found last night informative and I was sitting beside a very nice lady I know from church. We exchanged e-mails and are going to chart our progress...you can do the same!
On that adventurous note Choo Choo for now!
Love you...loving you!
Patricia xxx
That's how I found myself in the midst of a group of women last night being hypnotised by a 'Master Hypnotist' Charles Borden. Why did I do it? Apart from being insane, I was curious. Curious to see if Charles of the Ritzy glitzy image could change my eating habits from lets say...'indulgent' to something more sensible like 'healthy'. I only want spare tyres in my car.
For two hours last night Charles of the silky smooth voice held us spellbound. I now have an imaginary t.v. channel in my head pleasantly called 'The Me Channel'. When I tune into this channel I see a perfect vision of myself and how I want to look, wearing the kind of clothes I like to wear, and being 'Perfectly Fit and Healthy'.
Before I got my own t.v. channel, I had to become a 'rag doll' for Charles and allow him enter the deep dark caverns of my mind. I had to become compliant, and let him take the lead. Being the good, obedient girl that I am, I did exactly that.
He wound me up before I left the room, and filled my head with orders. Orders such as 'I want you my cute little rag doll (not in so many words) to put 20% less food on your plate. I want you to use smaller plates, I want you to hydrate your body with at least 2 litres or 8 glasses of water a day. I want you to take pleasure in clearing out all those nasty old toxins from your body. Water I just love water now. I can see why one of our patients calls it 'Adam's Ale'. Stuff from Paradise...
Charles educated us ladies (no men there...wonder why?) on the importance of loving exercise. 'If you don't love it, you're not going to do it...our bodies are programmed for pleasure" he told us. I never would have guessed! Last but not least "When you go to the supermarket, I want you to just walk around the perimeters where all the good healthy food is". And he continued...
"I want you to imagine yourself eating and loving fruit and vegetables, chewing your food slowly and savouring each tiny morsel and loving fruit and vegetables and eating slowly and loving and savouring each tiny morsel...and eating smaller portions and loving fruit and vegetables and savouring each tiny morsel...and chewing your food slowly...over and over and over again until we 'got' the message.
"Next, go to your wardrobe. Pick out something you like to wear that is only 'slightly' tight. You will be encouraged when you fit into it with just a little effort on your part. From there, dig deeper into your wardrobe and pick something that is even tighter..." and you get the drift!
Putting Charlie's suggestions to the test, I went to the supermarket on the way home and yes you're right...I filled the fridge with fruit and vegetables Yeehaw!
"What the...? was the reaction when the family opened my new healthy fridge this morning. "Ma did he brainwash you?" "On Valentine's Day instead of stuffing our faces with heart shaped candies" I told my shocked family "We will dip our little strawberries and pineapple into melted dark chocolate" Hmmm sounds delicious.
Kidding aside, I found last night informative and I was sitting beside a very nice lady I know from church. We exchanged e-mails and are going to chart our progress...you can do the same!
On that adventurous note Choo Choo for now!
Love you...loving you!
Patricia xxx
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)