Healthy Habits Challenge

 

My Weight Loss Group

has embarked on a 

Healthy Habits Challenge

So far, I’ve completed a few of the options 

so I’m hoping that after eight weeks of participation, 

some of these habits

 will become part of my regular routine.  

Drinking water and getting my steps 

are already things I try hard to focus on

doing every day but other objectives

 on the challenge may prove to be just that

 … more of a challenge.  

I know if we’re not challenged, 

we can’t expect to be changed 

so I’m heading into this eight week project  

hopeful for a positive outcome.    

I know I need to be more mindful

 of what is contained in packaged

 or canned food that I buy.  

I need to be more diligent in reading labels

 and be more aware of the additives

  and preservatives in food products.

Homemade Onion Soup

 in the freezer.  

How nice it would be to reach into the freezer

after a busy day and pull out a ‘ready meal’ 

that I’ve prepared myself and know exactly

what ingredients went into making it.   

I’m retired so there really isn’t any reason 

why I can’t take the time

 to cook all my meals from scratch.  

I need to challenge myself to do that.

This an element of the reset I have as my goal

for this year will probably  be a bit of a challenge 

but one that will give me a worthwhile, healthy result.  

I’m trying to stay mindful of my word for 2025

And to find ways to add or restore ‘balance’ 

to all areas of my life.

                                                    Until Next Time, Nanny Anny

Organizing My Card-Making Supplies ...

Well, I managed to get through one entire box of photos 

     and assorted memorabilia so I felt good about that 

     but there are several more waiting in the wings

    for their turn to be examined and downsized 

to a more manageable amount.  

I decided to leave those for a few days 

and to turn my attention to some craft supplies.  

Oh my, there are so many stamps, punches, 

stickers and card-making supplies; 

And so much scrapbook paper.  

My goal was pretty simple for this project, 

I just really want to attempt to re-house 

all the assorted supplies in one place 

so they will all be so much easier to find 

instead of being here, there and everywhere

throughout the apartment.  

I managed to corral most of the small punches

together so that will be helpful 

when I want to use one of them

Books of pre-printed sentiments and inserts for greeting cards. 

My small supply of blank cards and envelopes. 

This drawer is chock full of card-making kits 

and some extra papers. 

All card-making supplies now neatly contained 

in this one small set of storage drawers.  

All in all, a good, productive few hours

gathering it all together 

and putting everything away in one place. 

Another organizing job to check off on the to-do list.

Until Next Time … Nanny Anny

Snow Days .....

Wow, did we ever get a heavy snowfall

 on the weekend.

It looks like driving is still a bit tricky 

with the high snow banks 

encroaching onto the roads, 

making the streets so much narrower.  

The township has had the snow plows

working hard night and day

to clear the streets

 and eventually the snow 

will be loaded up and trucked away 

but for now, it’s piled up everywhere.  

It has been very cold here too. 

Today the temperature 

was -15 but felt like -23 

with the wind chill factor. 

The snow is so pretty though. 

It really does create a winter wonderland.

And these icicles hanging down from the 

eaves of my building are huge.

Looking outside is like trying to see

through a shimmery, frozen curtain.

 

Fortunately, there are lots of things

I can be doing while staying inside.  

I'm continuing to sort through photos 

and lots of other memorabilia 

so that is keeping me busy.  

It's a bright, clear day today 

and only -10 (feeling like -17) 

so I might venture outside 

for a little walk this afternoon.

Until Next Time …. Nanny Anny

Good Project for a Cold, Snowy Winter's Day

Well, we have quite a bit of snow on the ground already 

but the weather forecast is calling for more. 

Of course, it looks pretty and is typical

 of  winter-time here in Ontario

but it sure will be nice when Spring arrives 

and walking will be easier again

 with the sidewalks no longer covered in snow and ice.  

 

So today is a good day to stay inside, warm & cozy.

I've been sorting through some photos 

(there are thousands!) 

going back through more decades than I care to count!

I find it difficult to throw any of them away, 

even the really bad ones 

or ones containing images of people I can't even identify. 

(Why do I have photos of anonymous people?!)

Still, it's a good project to fill the hours on cold, snowy day. 

So I'm plunging into the first of several

bins and boxes of pictures

and will attempt to at least get them

sorted into some semblance of organization

over the next week or so. 

Next step will be to purge them

and that will lighten the hoard amount of sentimental items 

I seem to have squirreled away over the years 

but I know I can't sort and purge all at once. 

I'm a step-at-a-time kind of person

when it comes to completing projects

Anyway, this should keep me out of trouble for a little while. 

Until Next Time ... Nanny Anny

Back Home and Busy Again ....

Well, I’m back home again after my recent 

house & dog sitting adventure. 

It’s so nice to be back where I belong.

My apartment is very small but it’s home 

and I feel safe and comfortable here.

Well, I decided to tackle my clothes this week so 

I emptied all the clothing items 

from my bedroom closet

and went through them quite ruthlessly.  

Trying everything on wasn’t a lot of fun

but was a necessary part 

of the process so I persevered 

and got the job done.

My clothes hang better and look

 nice and uncluttered now 

Three bags of things I haven’t worn in a long time 

or just don’t like how they fit or look or feel 

have been packed up ready 

to be donated to the local thrift store.  

The coat closet in my entry hall

was a bit more challenging as that involved 

sorting and purging some shoes and purses

as well as

coats, hoodies, hats, scarves, mitts etc. 

I was able to completely empty and remove

one shoe rack so that was a good result

and the ones I’ve kept are now

in a tidy cabinet in the entrance hall.  

I could probably have another session with that area

but for now it’s much less cluttered

and that’s a good thing.  

Accomplishing these small 

but necessary tasks feels like

 I am making productive use of my time

during these cold and often dreary winter days.  

Until Next Time, Nanny Anny.

Looking at my Roots from a DNA Perspective .....

Digging through family photos and other memorabilia 

triggers a wide assortment of memories

(both good and not so good)

but it also raises so many questions.  

These days, thanks to many online resources,

it’s possible to find answers to some of those questions

but sadly, answers to the more personal ones 

must remain in the realm of the unknown.

How I wish I would have asked more questions

 and listened more closely to the conversations 

of the older generations when I was young.  

But I am fortunate to have known several 

of my grandmother’s siblings and their families

so I have a better grasp of our extended 

family’s history than I might have otherwise.   

As I attempt to convert the information I have 

on my direct ancestral line into story form for a 

Family History book, I long to know more 

about these people who lived and died so long ago.  

It’s fascinating to delve into history to see

how their lives would have been shaped by what 

was happening not only in their local communities 

but in the wider world.

My DNA results have proven

to be very interesting as well.

Being aware of the part of Great Britain

where I knew my family roots originated, I suspected

some Scandinavian (probably Danish) ancestry  

but hadn't expected Swedish influence to show up 

in my DNA profile.

And I was completely surprised

by DNA input from The Netherlands.

The large green section in the circle above is 

my British ancestry (81%), 

the blue area is Danish (12%) 

the red section is Swedish (4%) 

and the purple part is the Netherlands (3%). 

So apparently, the colours in this circle

represent the elements of

the genetic recipe used to make me!!  

Until next time, Nanny Anny