Friday Five - Walking

A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good

for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult

than all the medicine and psychology in the world.

~Paul Dudley White

Lookie what I got! Yep, I bought my new walking shoes, and aren’t they a thing of beauty? It's purely coincidence that green is my favorite color.

They're made by Mizuno, a brand I'd not heard of before. I told the helpful man at the store that they put me in Brooks last time I bought good shoes, but that I wanted a little more cushion. After watching me walk and listening to my foot issues (I have a neuroma in both feet and wear orthotic inserts) he brought out these for me to try - and it was love at first toe-wiggle! The whole thing was a very positive experience, which I was glad for. Last time I bought good shoes, I was walking an hour a day, up hills and down. This time, not so much - and it shows. But the salesman treated me with respect and acted as if I am a competitive runner. It was a pleasant change from how us overweight folks can sometimes be treated.

So, in honor of my new shoes, and to bolster my motivation for actually using them, I present today's Friday Five:

Pattie's Top Five Reasons for Walking!

1. Increased energy. Man, I feel like such a slug these days! I want to regain the energy I had when I was more active: to be able to do anything I want and know that I'll have the stamina to see it through.

2. It's good for my emotional state. There's nothing better for lifting depression and helping me see the bright side of life. If I could bottle and sell the emotional benefits of walking, I'd be a rich woman!

3. Being outside. I love quilting. In fact, as you may have guessed, I've become rather passionate about it. But one sits inside when one quilts, and I've allowed myself to do more and more of that this past year. I want the feel of sun on my body! Besides, it's fun to check out the yards in the neighborhood!

4. Increased flexibility. All that sitting has not done good things for my muscles. It's hard for me to bend and reach and do the simplest things these days. I believe in the mantra of "use it or lose it." It's time to put my belief into action.

5. And finally, weight loss. When I led Weight Watchers meetings, I always used to tell my members that weight loss should be at the bottom of the list of reasons we exercise. And it's true. It's usually what motivates most of us to be more active. But there are SO many good reasons to be active. Weight loss is just an added benefit.

So there you have it: my reasons for buying new shoes and implementing a walking program. I feel a bit overwhelmed about it all because I know I'm starting from scratch - and that's a hard thing to do, physically and emotionally. But it's time. Change is in the wind.

How about you? Why do you like to walk/run?

Hubby and I are going away for a four-day weekend starting tomorrow, up the coast to Carmel and Monterey. I can hardly wait! We'll do plenty of walking, I know. It won't be quite the power-walking I enjoy doing, but every little bit counts!

Until next time...

Friday Five - Romantic Comedies

There is a place you can touch a woman
that will drive her crazy. Her heart.
- from the movie Milk Money

First, as always, thanks to everyone who left a comment on last week’s Friday Five about flowers. I think it was a perfect timing to think about blossoms, given that many folks are still dealing with cold weather. It’s a good thing we have beautiful photos and a strong imagination, so we know that spring will eventually arrive!

This week’s list was really tough, not because I don’t enjoy the topic but because I perhaps enjoy it too much. It was nearly impossible to narrow my list to only five! I started by noting about fifteen sigh-inducing movies, then took out those that were romantic but not comedies (like Titanic, or Gone with the Wind.) Then I asked myself which ones I could watch over and over again. And that’s how I came up with this week’s list, which is alphabetical and not necessarily in order of preference. If you haven’t seen one that’s noted, treat yourself and rent it.

So, coming soon to a DVD player near you...

Pattie’s Top Five Romantic Comedies

1. The American President. I love a good 'opposites-attract' theme. And it was fun thinking how our country would react if a sitting president actually - gasp! - starting dating!

2. My Big Fat Greek Wedding. This one made me wish I were Greek, with a strong family tradition and lots of crazy family members. John Corbett wouldn't be so bad, either!

3. Shakespeare in Love. Ahhh... Now join your hands, and with your hands your hearts. The romance in this is certainly splendid, but I also love the clever screenplay which shows us how old Bill supposedly came up with his famous lines.

4. Sleepless in Seattle (pictured above.) Who can resist the pairing of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan? Throw in that darling little boy and the An Affair to Remember theme, and I'm a goner!

5. Love Actually. This movie makes my top five list because it shows the wonders of all kinds of love, not just romantic love. The cast is fabulous, the music's fun, and it takes place at Christmas time. I'm in heaven!

So that's it for this week's Friday Five. How about you? What’s your favorite romantic comedy?


Until next time…

Friday Five - Flowers

When you have only two pennies left in the world,
buy a loaf of bread with one,

and a lily with the other. ~ Chinese Proverb

First, thank to everyone who contributed a favorite quote to last week’s Friday Five. I think that for every mood we humans experience, there is a quote to express our feelings, and I'm sure grateful for that!

Since it’s finally spring here in the United States, I thought I’d honor the season by making this week’s theme nature related. I must admit to “borrowing” all these images off the Internet. I’m also hoping I can get all five to upload, since seeing this week’s five is pretty important (if I could only figure out a way to do “smell-a-blog,” that would be even better!) Thanks to Wanda over at Exuberant Color for her guidance on uploading images.

So, without further ado, I present for your pleasure:

Pattie’s Top Five Favorite Flowers!

1. Casablanca Lilies (pictured above.) Ahhhh! These beauties are certainly magnificent to look at, with a pure white bloom the size of a dinner plate. But it’s their heavenly scent that places them at the top of my list. If you want to lift your spirits, buy yourself a single stem, sit back and enjoy. They’re intoxicating!

2. Lilacs. Another flower I love for its scent. Plus they’re a great way to welcome Spring into the garden!

3. Delphiniums. These guys aren’t scented, but they sure are beautiful – tall and grand and lovely. I have yet to try planting them in my California garden.

4. David Austin Rose. I was just introduced to this variety only a month or so ago, and it was love at first sight. Believe it or not, I’m not a huge fan of roses, but this old-fashioned blossom and heavenly fragrance just stole my heart. If I ever decide to plant a rose, it will be this one.

5. Hydrangea. I’ve fulfilled a life-long dream and have planted not one but two hydrangeas in my yard! One is a lace-cap variety like you see here; the other is the traditional “mophead” variety I keep in a pot so I can adjust the pH to keep it a lovely shade of blue.


So that’s it: my five favorite flowers. How about yours? I hope you’ll leave a comment and tell me your favorite blossom, and may it bring to mind images of Spring!


Until next time…

Friday Five - Quotes

Words - so innocent and powerless as they are,

as standing in a dictionary, how potent

for good and evil they become in the hands

of one who knows how to combine them.

~ Nathaniel Hawthorne

First, I have to thank everyone who took time last week to cast a vote for the most handsome male celebrity. That post received more comments than anything I’ve done so far. What does that tell you about all of us, my friends? LOL!

This week, I thought I’d move away from beautiful men, and instead look at beautiful words. Everyone who knows me knows that I’m crazy about quotes. In fact, for the two years prior to starting this blog, I emailed almost daily a motivational quote to subscribers, along with a few words from me. The positive words of others have helped me get through some pretty rough times in my life. I know – and still know – that I’m not alone in taking strength from others’ experiences.

I’m not going to make any comments on these: I think the words speak for themselves. So today I’m sharing with you my top five for this week:

The Five Most Inspirational Quotes

1. It's never too late to be what you might have been. ~ George Eliot

2. Your mental attitude will lead you into the light or hold you in darkness. It will lead you to hope or despair, to a glorious success or a miserable failure, and it is entirely within your own power to choose which it shall be. ~ Orison Swett Marden

3. We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us. ~ Joseph Campbell

4. Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers. ~ Veronica A. Shoffstall

5. When you come to the end of all the light you know, and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen: Either you will be given something solid to stand on, or you will be taught to fly. ~ Edward Teller

How about you? What’s your favorite quote?


Here’s to all of us who are learning to fly!


Until next time…

Friday Five

I'm tired of all this nonsense about beauty

being only skin-deep. That's deep enough.

What do you want - an adorable pancreas? ~ Jean Kerr

I'm starting what I hope will be an ongoing blog project: the Friday Five. It will be a list of my top five in random categories: some serious, but mostly silly. I have to admit to "borrowing" the idea from an old blog I ran across while looking for a photo of the gentleman above.

So, the theme of my inaugural Friday Five is:

The Five Most Handsome Male Celebrities!

1. George Clooney. He's got it all, in my book: he's handsome, funny, has the most soulful eyes, seems like a throwback to the charming movie stars of old -- and did I mention that he's handsome?? He's at the top of my list.

2. Johnny Depp. From serious roles to Jack Sparrow, I think he keeps getting better and better. And cuter and cuter!

3. Matthew McConaughey. How can anyone resist those blue eyes and those dimples, not to mention that soft southern drawl?

4. Tom Selleck. Ok, I know I'm dating myself with this one. I mean, Magnum P.I. isn't exactly on the list of current tv programs. But he stole my heart way back then, and keeps doing it today. He just gets better with age.

5. Russell Crowe. He's tall, dark and handsome - and has that cute little roll of curly hair across his forehead. I love the he-man roles he plays, but when he does comedy, my heart just melts.

So there's my first Friday Five list, just for the fun of it. I wish I could figure out how to upload more than one photo to each day's post. I found some really handsome shots of the other four men listed above. But one sigh-inducing picture of George will have to do!

Now - who would you add to the list? :-)

Until next time...