Humor

Seeking Sole Mates

/ Jodi / 31 Comments

department_of_missing_socks_vinyl_lettering_home_wall_decal_art_quote__2a183b7e

Most chores around the home are enjoyable (baking)…  or at least tolerable (vacuuming because it gives me more steps on my Fitbit) …  or there’s a way to make it more fun or interesting (trying new recipes for dinner, taking photos and blogging about it)… or you can hire someone to do it (bless you Karen and Lori for spit shining my house to perfection once a month!).

Then there is laundry…  and it’s not even about the throwing it in the washer and flipping it to the dryer dealio… it’s the FOLDING.

Oh the drudgery of it!

And most especially the whites… underwear, inside-out t-shirts (that sometimes go back that way just because), handkerchief after handkerchief (especially this time of year).

But most of all – I dread the socks.

I’ve tried various sock strategies throughout the years – like buying all the same kind so I don’t have to look for matches, color coding for the individual (son, hubby), rolling in a ball, folding, the one-two top fold over… Just haven’t found the joy in any of it….

And why oh why is there always one spare single in nine out of ten loads of laundry seeking a “sole mate?”

I’ve tried making it interesting…

  • Folding in front of the television
  • Folding while on the phone with a friend
  • Folding with music in my ears
  • Marching in place (for more Fitbit steps of course!)
  • Singing while folding (to the horror of my family or anyone nearby)
  • Drinking red wine while folding …

So yesterday morning, in an attempt to entertain myself while folding, I found myself making up words to the Meghan Trainor song, “I’m All About that Bass.”  It started out like this:

I’m all about that fold
About that fold
About that fold
No wrinkles

I’m all about that fold
About that fold
About that fold
No wrinkles

Yeah it’s pretty clear
I’ve got no crease groove
but I can fold it fold it
like I’m supposed to do

Cause I got the bend and tuck
that all the clothes chase
All the right folds
in all the right places

Oh I could go on – but I think that’s enough – eh?!

So sock it to me friends!  I desperately NEED your tips for finding the joy in the fold.

And until then, I’ll be boom boomin’ to the lavado.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

What I’ve Learned about Remedies for the Common Cold

/ Jodi / 33 Comments

common cold remedies

I have been hanging out night and day on the couch for the past few days.  Hit hard with what I’m guessing is the “common cold.”

I don’t get this down and out very often thank goodness, but I have been so grateful for all the well wishes and suggestions and advice on how to feel better.

Since it is that time of year and many of you might be experiencing the same, I thought I’d share some of the advice I’ve received.  See what you think of some of these tips, and let me know if you have others!  I think there is at least one that might surprise you.

Here are my TOP TEN TIPS to Remedy the Common Cold:

  • Stay warm and rested  √
    • Warm fire, soft couch, lots of blankies
  • Drink plenty of fluids √
    • Coffee √
    • Hot Earl Grey Tea with Honey √
    • Water √
    • Hot Chicken Broth (with leftover Chinese take-out rice) in same mug as coffee and tea √
    • Fresca (in same mug as soup) √
    • Apple Crown Royal Night Cap 🙂  (got out a new glass for this) √
  • Steam/Vaporizer √
    • I don’t have a humidifier/vaporizer, but was told about a great way to create a steamer  (note bowl of hot water and blanket on coffee table in photo).  Yep – I’ve been boiling that bowl of water in the microwave and burying my face under that blanket to steam the congestion out of my head, ears, throat, nose.
  • Gargle with Warm Salt Water √
    • Miraculously helps sore throat feel better
  • Cough Drops √
    • Honey Lemon Halls – 2 bags down
    • Cherry Halls – next best thing
  • Mucinex √
    • Gave in and took one since Marty kept saying “Take a Pill!”
  • Hot Toddy √
    • See “Drink plenty of fluids” above
  • Vitamin C √
    • So happy Clementines are in season!
  • Steam Shower/Warm Bath √√
    • Tried both!
  • Lime Jello √
    • Yep – This was something I was really told is a tried and true remedy…  and I’m desperate enough to try it and suprisingly had a box of sugar-free lime jello in the cupboard (from God knows when!!) – so it is chilling and “setting” now.  I’ll have to let you know on this one!

BONUS TIP:  Couch foot rest serves as a great computer “table” (see photo above) so you can lay on couch and read email, blogs, watch Amazon Prime (i.e. “Transparent”) and snooze in between. 🙂

Hot Toddy Cheers & Virtual Hugs Only,
Jodi

I went to the Gym yesterday…

/ Jodi / 36 Comments

See me?

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Yep – that’s about all you are going to see for a while of me at the gym….  Oh dear – it is NOT a pretty sight!

giphy (1)

Maybe when my form looks a bit more like this, by possibly 2020, I’ll share my tips with you!

giphy (2)For now – I was lucky to lift one foot up on this contraption:

snap gym matt and balance ballOops!  Need to flip it over!

IMG_5575Here is an ultra special top-secret sneak peak of my amazing form mid lift (action photo!)….

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…all while snapping the photo with my iPhone and listening to Uptown Funk on REPEAT through my headphones – AND keeping my shoes off the wall!  (which are not, God forbid, the shoes I wore to enter the gym from outside, as that is a BIG NO NO! – and there are cameras everywhere!)

Impressive – right?!  Okay – maybe not so much – but last week I couldn’t even balance with two feet on the dang thing.  Believe it or not, it takes some core muscles to do it….  And now Nick (my son and fitness instructor) said, after I proudly texted him the above photo, I need to work on one-legged squats/toe touches on the ball!  SHEESH!

So anyway- did some crunches and then planked (I know – talking like I know what I’m talking about here – right?!).

I even managed TEN (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 – count ’em kids!  10!) [ahem] girl push-ups!

But last week I could only do 6!  (Am I PITIFUL or what?!)

Here’s my view from the floor where I was covertly snapping these photos with my iPhone, trying to be discreet to the 3 or 4 other patrons that braved the 1 degree F temperatures today to join me at the gym on their lunch break.

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I’ve been trying to get up at 5am and “hit the gym” before I get too busy, but couldn’t do it yesterday, so I went at lunch time. (a great perk on days I work from home)

So hey – I’m not calling this a New Year’s Resolution!  I never stick to New Year’s Resolutions!  Does anyone??!?

And besides, I started going on December 27th – exactly one day after my BFF posted some photos of me on Facebook that made me gasp!

That is almost a full week BEFORE New Year’s Day, so it can’t count as a New Year’s Resolution!

Gotta go for the lifestyle change dealeo – right?!  ….

….again…..

If you need some motivation to get moving, I just double dare you to not boogie while you listen to this:

Are you wiggling yet?

Well – put it on repeat and get movin’!

Help hold me accountable by asking if I’ve gone to the gym today?  K friends?  I’m thinking if I tell all of you, I’ll stay accountable.  What burden I ask of you – eh?!  🙂

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Time for some cardio!  Are you dancing with me Jo Freehand?  How about a song to keep me moving when I burn out on Uptown Funk?

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi