Maybe It's As Simple As Salad?

I've been trying lately to do as much as possible with as little resources as possible.  Though I started a job as a headhunter four months ago (and I love it) . . . . things for me, as for so many other people, are still really financially challenging. 

Times seem hard for everyone (or certainly for most), and nothing is making me more aware of the financial pinch than the fact that I work, every day, with job candidates who are either out of work and desperately looking for a job . . . . or with those who already have a job, but perhaps have been underemployed or unhappily employed for a long time, but are either unable to find a better, more stable position, or afraid to leave a job they dislike becausee of the tight economy.  So I totally get the financial squeeze situation, and am trying to reign in my spending too. 

I am also, as the blog will attest, constantly trying to lose weight!  That middle age spread is not easing up.  In fact, I was hoping that with the hysterectemy I had last winter that my body would settle into some kind of new (but better?) normal?  Ahhhhhh   . . . . . . it's settled, but mainly on my stomach and behind.  So I'm trying really hard to diet and keep a journal of my food, but am trying to save money by not spending it on a weight loss plan such as Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig or the slew of other plans that I've invested in the past.  The thing is . . . . I know what I should eat, I really do.  And for the most part, I DO eat that way, with occasional emotional eating binges.  But even so, my weight just seems to gradually creep and creep upwards on the scale and I'm traveling to my largest size in the closet, and finding even that size too tight.  Eeeks, what's a middle aged girl to do?  It's very frustrating, but I'm not giving up.

But here recently, I found this book Joy's Life Diet: 4 Steps to Stay Thin Forever, at a thrift store and it is a wonderful compilation of nearly ALL the best dieting foods and methods that I've participated in over the past twenty years.  Joy is featured on the Today show a lot, and her eating plan is very practical, easy and brings together all the healthy foods we've known all along help us to maintain our weight and improve our health.  It includes a soup that is very similar to the old WW Vegetable Soup recipe that is an "oldie but goodie" that I have made and turned to for many years as one of the easiest and tasiest of the low-cal soups. 

At any rate, another thing I've been doing lately is making these wonderful mason jar salads  . . . . with homemade honey lime dressing.  Yum!  You go out and buy a 1 quart set of about 12 mason jars for around $10 at your local farm supply store, and yes most cities and towns have that type of store, though city folks like me probably haven't been in them often lately.  You buy a set of those jars and you stack your salad ingredients, with dressing on the bottom, and the lettuce or green elements on top. Then you prepare them all at once.   I make 6 salads at a time, and keep them in your refrigerator until you are ready to eat.  They are wonderful to pack as my go-to work lunches.  Once you're ready to eat lunch or dinner, you just shake the mason jar to mix all the ingredients and dive in to a very tasty and healhty meal.  Yum!

As far as crafts go, I haven't been buying yarn, fiber or spinning, knitting or weaving equipment for so long now.  I'm rather proud of myself for not indulging constantly in craft purchases.  I've been, again, making do with what I have and being grateful with the wonderful equipment and supplies I was able to buy in better financial times.  It's wonderful to appreciate what you have and make use of those things.  Probably really hard on the yarn shops in town, because I suspect that many other crafters are doing the same thing.  But I just can't and don't need to buy anything right now.

In fact, I am going through my whole house and getting rid of stuff.  Last week, I finally decided that it wasn't practical to keep a beloved and cherished piano that Bob bought (used) for me for me 20+ years ago.  We decided that we could use the living room space and that the piano could go to a home that needed it more and it would be played.  In spite of wanting to play it ourselves, we've never really learned and hardly touch it anymore.  So now two little girls who are actively playing now have a piano in their home and it will be put to good use.

Finally, I am off today, it is Labor Day, and I'm lucky to have been able to relax and enjoy a three day weekend at home.  I haven't done much, just relaxed and reflected on these and many other things.

I miss blogging, and though many people now prefer Facebook, this old girl will always love to blog and hope it never goes away!  I'm still here, hanging in . . . . as the blog says, sometimes hanging by a thin thread, but still hanging in there . . . .  and hoping you are too.