Marching right along

Today is the last day of March and time to look back at how I did with my March resolutions, and I have good news to report.

Finishing the wrap for my Aunt Eula was my first resolution and I completed it mid-month. It turned out quite lovely (I will post more about it later, including photos); I got it in the mail last week and it safely arrived in Ohio. My cousin Pam needs to sew a label with Eula's name in it before she takes it to her at the assisted living facility.

The second resolution was to continue to exercise for 30 minutes, three times each week. I was ill with the Cold From Hell during the first full week of the month and only exercised once, but I met and exceeded my goal the other weeks. While I still have to force myself to get out the door, I enjoy the walk once underway and particularly enjoy the scenery as spring has come early.

The final resolution was to stop snacking and while there were some lapses now and then, I have made remarkable progress in limiting the amounts of snacks I consume. The decreased snacking and the exercise have yielded a tangible result: I have lost five pounds! I do want to lose more but it is certainly affirming to see my work pay off.

What is ahead for April? I am going to continue with the exercise and no snacking resolutions, and add portion control at meals. It is no surprise that I like to eat but I need to learn that I can enjoy just about any food I like, just in smaller amounts. Hopefully at this time next month, there will be even less of me!

Pirates of Punzance

Last Saturday night, Aidan attended a pirate themed sleepover at the North Area YMCA. We dropped him off at 8 pm with his sleeping bag, pillow and swimsuit, and picked him up the next morning at 8 am. In the twelve hours he was there, he watched movies, participated in a treasure hunt, made a team flag, went swimming (the pool had a huge inflatable pirate ship in it), ate snacks and managed a few winks of sleep. He had a great time and talked nonstop about his adventures on the way home.

When we picked him up, the team flags were displayed on the counter and we thought they were very fun and imaginative. Our friend Lisa is the director at that location, so I asked her what was going to be done with the flags; if at all possible, I wanted to get the one that Aidan had helped to create so we could display it in his room. Lisa said that there were no plans for the flags, made sure that she got Aidan's flag and then brought it over last evening.

Avast, me hearties and feast yer eyes on the Jolly Roger:


Aidan added a pirate pun to one corner:


Shiver me timbers!