How’s this for a macro? A pretty Gerbera daisy – my favorite! – with raindrops.

And now, let’s home we have no more raindrops because it’s Memorial Day weekend! Hooray! I will see you all on Tuesday!

I missed my Words on Wednesday post yesterday what with all that new-me-hoopla so I’m posting this today:

It’s just a so-so photo of one of those cheap ass signs that are trendy these days but I bought it a year ago and in those early days of changing my story I read this to myself every day. That bit at the end – be fearless – was particularly helpful because in the beginning I was scared to death to fail.

I didn’t fail, though and these words still ring true.

Today is the one year anniversary of the day I made a spur-of-the-moment decision that changed my life. Yes, my friends, it has been one year since I joined the Y and started exercising and eating mindfully. Since that day I have lost over 50 pounds. I have dropped 3 sizes. A year ago today I was able to run on the treadmill for 10 seconds. Now I can run for 30 minutes or longer and I have finished two 5Ks. I no longer feel like a big fat slug. I don’t sit on the couch and watch TV on my days off – I go for a run and I do stuff around the house and I get so much accomplished that when I do sit down to knit or watch TV I feel like I have earned the right to do that.

In the past year I have learned amazing things. I have learned that sleep walking through life is no way to enjoy it. I have learned to do burpees and planks, squats and dead lifts and lunges. I have learned that indulging in a cookie or two doesn’t make me a bad person and I have definitely learned that the things I do consistently matter much more than the occasional mistakes I make. I have learned that I am stronger than I ever thought and that I can push myself to do more and more and more. Mostly, though, I have learned that hard work and determination pay off.

And in that spirit of hard work and determination, later today I have an appointment with my awesome personal trainer, Bizzy. I’ll tell you plain, I would not be where I am today if it weren’t for her. She believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. She encouraged me and made time for me and never let me down. Sure, it’s her job but she has gone so far beyond what that job requires that  . . . well . . . I get all verklempt when I think about what she has done for me.

Finally, I just want to say that although today feels momentous in the sense that’s is been a whole year, it’s really just another step in my journey – a journey of health and happiness and personal fulfillment. I tell myself daily that it’s a marathon not a sprint and I truly believe that. Thank you to each and every one of you who has reached out and encouraged me along the way. I’ll keep doing what I’m doing and I’d sure appreciate it if you all keep doing what you’re doing, too.

Yesterday I read this blog post and it totally inspired me to come up with this week’s Ten on Tuesday topic: 10 Favorite Things To Bring on a Picnic. Because, really, who doesn’t love a picnic? And picnic weather is upon us, my friends! So, let’s go on a picnic.

1. Dale. Okay, he’s not a thing but I wouldn’t want to go on a picnic without him.
2. My Longaberger Picnic Basket. Way back, a million years ago, I fell in love with this basket but there was no way I could afford $100 to buy it back then. So I had my first Longaberger party just so I could get it. It has served me well ever since.
3. One of my handmade quilts. They are meant to be used, to be thrown on the ground and snuggled up in and all other manners abuse. I can always make more.
4. Fried chicken. Greasy and messy but absolutely my favorite thing to eat on a picnic.
5. Potato salad. It goes so perfectly with #3.
6. Brownies. The perfect picnic desert – chocolate, fabulous and portable.
7. Beer and wine. The choice between these would depend on the time of year and time of day. Wine for late in the season and day, beer for a hot summer afternoon. I’m sure you get the idea.
8. Berries. Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries – they are the perfect picnic snack.
9. My mini ipod speaker. I got this to bring to Mexico and it’s perfect for portable music. And what’s a picnic without some romantic music?
10. A book. Maybe poetry, maybe prose, something we could read aloud to each other.

I’m ready now – let’s go!

The other day as I was driving to work I was wracking my brain to think about something to post about. I did random last week. And goodness knows there’s no knitting to speak of around here due to that lame decision of mine to knit a sweater on size 3 needles. It’s progressing but sloooooowly and how much can I say about 12 inches of stockinette stitch? Anyway, as I was driving along I started thinking about how much I love my new car and that made me think – can I get a blog post out of this? Can I really talk about my love for a car and keep people entertained at the same time? It’s worth a shot and so, in no particular order, here is a list of the things I love about my Subaru Crosstrek.

• I love the navigation system. I don’t often need the GPS function but it’s nice to have it right there on the dashboard. I also love that silly back up camera that’s part of the nav system. I can finally negotiate my friend Sharon’s driveway! Okay, almost on that one.
• I love the leather interior. The heated seats don’t suck either.
• I love that I have Sirius XM radio back. I had this in my Jeep but we didn’t get it with the Outback and I really missed my Margaritaville Radio.
• I love how easy it is to use the Bluetooth feature with my phone. It automatically updates my contacts and I can make phone calls hands free now. I don’t often use my phone in the car but it’s great to have it so easy to do.
• I love the moon roof. It’s a simple pleasure but it’s a good one.
• I looooooove the gas mileage. I drove the car for 2 full weeks before I had to gas up and even then it wasn’t on empty. I’m averaging 32 miles to the gallon around town.
• I love that I have only seen 2 other Crosstreks since I bought this car. You know how it is when you buy a new car – suddenly they are everywhere. Not the case with this one, though, and I think that’s cool.

I know that there are people out there who don’t care what they drive so long as their vehicle gets them where they need to go. I, however, am not one of those people. I have always strongly identified with the car that I drive and I want it to be cool. Or at least my idea of cool. It’s why I loved my Chevy Blazer and my Jeep Wrangler and my Subaru Outback and probably also why I hated my Ford Tempo. That car was definitely not cool.

Mini Pearl, though? Man alive, she is cool.