new clothes | Mama Cormier

….despite the crazy weather

Spending time with my adult children is the best way to celebrate Mother’s Day. Unfortunately this year two of my three children are out of the country so having them all together was impossible. The day, however, was close to perfect.

It started with breakfast in bed, made lovingly by my husband; strawberries and yogurt, a feta and spinach omelet, bacon, toasted baguette and great coffee. Later in the morning I got a long distance phone call from my son who lives in Rotterdam. It was so nice hearing his voice and catching up on all the news in his life. I could have talked much longer but my husband and I were invited for a special lunch at our youngest daughter’s apartment.

Lunch at G’s and B’s place was relaxed and informal. We had a smorgasbord of cured meats, cheese, fresh bread, a citrus fennel salad and a rapini pesto with olives. After lunch the weather had cleared and the sun started to peak through the clouds so we decided to take the dogs, Lucy and Frances for a long walk through Sherwood Park.

My son-in-law and the girls.

The weather held out for our walk and actually started to warm up. Earlier in the day we experienced rain showers, gusty winds, cold temperatures and on the drive to the apartment we drove through a torrent of hail. When we returned to the apartment we stopped at Dufflet’s (situated just below the apartment) to pick up a couple of tarts to share and enjoy with our coffee.

On the drive home the weather changed again. The temperature dropped, the wind picked up and it rained heavily. Just before arriving home it started to hail again and people on the street were covering their faces and running to find some kind of cover.

When we arrived home I got back in my car and went shopping. I needed to buy some things for school but that particular store closed as I drove up. At that point I decided to check out Marshall’s and boy am I glad I did. I needed a new spring coat that I could wear with dresses and skirts. I found that perfect coat plus 2 skirts, a short one and a long one and 3 summer tops.

When I got home my oldest daughter ‘skyped’ me from Argentina. Like her brother it was so nice to hear her voice but also to see her face. We had a few problems with the video portion of our exchange and we had a couple of laughs when the screen froze on a silly expression or when it started to loop over and over again. My day was perfect. I had a special moment with each of my children. Thank you, all! Love you!

Me with my youngest daughter, G at her apartment.

P.S. …..and Cochran won Survivor. How perfect is that?

…. couldn’t believe my luck when I stopped in at Marshall’s today

After getting my hair cut today I decided to check out Marshall’s which just happens to be located around the corner from the salon. Right at the front of the store there were a few ‘final markdown’ racks. I’ve never seen such reduced prices in my life. Who marks down a brand new sweater to $0.70? I checked the entire garment and couldn’t find any flaws. I took nine garments to the change room and decided to keep five of them.

A friend told me when I retire I won’t need as many clothes but I love to shop and since I’ve lost 32 pounds I love it even more because I have so much more to choose from. I’ve really hit a plateau with my weight loss. I won’t lie and say I don’t understand why. I’m really good for four or five days in a row and then I’ll have an off day or two with my eating. I’ve been trying to get out and walk every day regardless of the weather but I’ve missed a few days in the last couple of weeks. It’s become so icy outside that’s it’s actually become treacherous for walking. My husband hit a patch of black ice week and fell flat onto his back. He’s had quite the time recovering from this accident.

I’ve also been seeing an acupuncturist for the last 2 months to help me with a balance issue I’ve had for quite a few years. In the last year it actually got worse and I would get terrible dizzy spells during my yoga or exercise sessions. Back in December my personal trainer witnessed one of my dizzy spells and recommended I try acupuncture. I’ve always been open to alternative medicine and decided to give it a try. I’m happy to report that the spells are fewer and very minor in comparison to what I used to experience.

I don’t know if it’s the winter doldrums or boredom but I’ve noticed an increase in my appetite. If I can avoid sampling foods that are put out in front of me at social gatherings I can pretty much control my food intake but once I take my first bite of anything ‘forbidden’ I find myself on a slippery slope. I know that I won’t feel well if I continue to eat but sometimes I just can’t help myself.

I need to put myself into a different mindset. I’ve done it before and I know I can do it again. I just don’t want to wait until I start gaining weight again or worse gain it all back. Maybe I need to come clean and admit to how much I actually weigh. I’ve avoided it up to this point and kept telling myself that when I lose another 10 pounds I will reveal my weight. Maybe this is one of the reasons why I haven’t taken off any more weight….. the fear of the reveal. One of my problems is that I actually feel very good about how I look at the moment, even though the number on the scale should tell me otherwise.

I’m posting pictures of the garments I bought today. My daughter kindly took photos of me as I modelled the clothes for her. All the tops, except the workout top can be worn to work and some I will combine with a camisole or thin t-shirt.