Bad Habits/Good Habits

Ok.
When it comes to the word "habit", I have to admit the first thought that popped into my head is a remnant from my early TV days:

This nun wears her habit rather well! 
(Ah yes, evidence of my misspent youth)

On second thought, the term "habit" can have a bit more relevance to my grown-up daze days. In other words, Bad Habit vs. Good Habit:

   

Bad Habit!

Good Habit! 

Excellent habit! 

Now it' YOUR turn! What are YOUR habits? 

Cooking Habit? Not

When I retired from teaching in June 2015, the first thing I wanted to do was cook more. 
I hate cooking.
When I was a younger, single girl, I was happy just to eat soup, pizza, or even a bowl of cereal for dinner. Now I have a man and I know it's important to cook, but I'd rather eat a can of whipped cream.
It's a good thing the Man likes to cook.
Here is a paella cooked by the Man.

With a good Man like this, I don't see myself ever developing a habit to cook. 

Thanks for dropping by the blog.

Why do we eat?

 

Image: 'Free Girl Eating Yummy Pink Donut Creative Commons' 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40645538@N00/1354739463 

     Last year I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes and borderline cholesterol. My doctor told me to clean up my diet. So the other day I had a 9:30 doctor's appointment to take a follow-up blood test to see if I've been a good girl. The appointment was early because I was not supposed to eat or drink prior to the test.
    In my purse I had brought with me a whole wheat peanut butter sandwich to inhale after my bloods were drawn. 
     While sitting on the subway train en route to the doc's office, I kept smelling the yummy peanut butter, and I kept feeling the impulse to eat or just pick at my sandwich, even though I wasn't hungry. I kept wondering if I wanted to eat my sandwich because I was bored or because I'm used to eating in the morning.
     Why do I eat? 
     Now I'm trying to be more mindful whenever I'm in the kitchen, snooping through the cabinets. Am I bored? Stressed? I heard somewhere a cool quote: "Eat to live and not live to eat".  I'm afraid I've been doing a lot of living to eat. What about you?      

I love Fairway!

photo by Nan
  

     There is a fabulous mega gourmet store just a few miles from here. If you're from New York you know the Fairway. I go there when I'm bored, hungry, and for all the other reasons in between. My favorite purchases include their hand-picked olives from around the world (think garlic-stuffed green olives), Icelandic yogurt, and specialty beers.


     Fairway has a whole section devoted to British imports. 

photo by Nan

Fairway also has this awesome olive oil bar. Pieces of bread are on hand for luxurious dipping and sampling.

photo by Nan

     What's your favorite store? Some people may prefer clothes-shopping or shoe-shopping. Not me! Give me lip-smacking food and I am one happy Nan!  

Theme Thursday/Change

photo by Nan

Happy new year everybody. A fair wind is blowing, and CHANGE is in the air.
My change is the all-too-typical Exercise and Diet Regime. 
Let's keep this simple:
I'm getting back into long-distance running (I lost focus and stopped running in 2008 after a shoulder surgery). As a matter of fact, I've just resumed running on Christmas day. I'm very very excited!
The other change is my determination to adapt a life-long diet to lower my cholesterol and to fend-off diabetes (I've been diagnosed with pre-diabetes). 
Change is not easy, but change is good.
What are YOUR changes for 2012?
Click on the link if you want to read more stuff on Theme Thursday.

happy new year!

photo by Nan

Today is January 1st, 2012 and it's an unusually mild 53F/12C degrees, so I'm grilling 3 large steaks in the back yard.
I have a cholesterol issue, so I avoid red meat (sob).
The steaks are for my mother who is recovering from a big surgery to remove cancer from her abdomen. 
You see, she had the surgery 20 days ago, and I've been visiting her everyday to care for her.
I would always find her lying on the sofa, looking weak and pitiful.
TODAY is the very first day I walk into her house and see her up and about. What a good sign for a new year!
She loves steak, so I'm grilling these for her. 
Happy new year everybody.

Wordless Wednesday

photo by nerimaRoberts