I think I could really get used to four day weekends. It’s enough time to get all your chores done and feel like you can relax before heading back to work.
On Friday I met with a personal trainer at my gym. Um, turns out that all they wanted to do was “sell” me the personal trainer program. The minimum purchase was $99 for three sessions, but she pointed out that since my goal is to lose 30 pounds the best option for me was their 36 session plan, which only cost $1100! No thanks.
I ended up getting my 50 minute treadmill workout done though. And that was the end of my structured exercise for the weekend. 
I am normally not a list maker, but I did want to get several things accomplished over the weekend.
- call insurance about my glucose test strips
- put old cabinets that have been in our basement for years unused on freecycle.org
- pick up contacts
- check for summer clothes in the attic
- clean house
- clean basement area by downstairs fridge
- reorganize kitchen stuff (i.e., casserole dishes, pots, pans, etc.)
- wash windows and screens
I am happy to say that I accomplished everything but picking up my contacts – they closed by the time I got there. Not bad! I don’t mind cleaning, but I have to be in the mood for it, and luckily Friday was the day. It had been a while since I wiped down the baseboards, wiped down the ceiling fans, move the furniture to vacuum, etc.
I guess the only good thing about a small house is that it only took me 3 hours to do everything. 
We did a lot of grilling over the weekend:
Pork roast on Friday Night.
BBQ Chicken Thighs on Saturday Night: 
Don’t underestimate the deliciousness of hot sauce on corn!
Tony made me breakfast:
We ordered out for Chinese Sunday night – beef and broccoli with pork bbq fried rice – no onions.
Long time readers know I don’t bake very much, other than bread and pizza. Strawberries were on sale so I knew I would be making some sort of dessert for Memorial Day. I found this recipe and I am so happy – this dessert was stunning! Although I have to say that it was 50/50 on liking the basil in the ice cream. I think it made the dessert!
My strawberries were really sweet so I only added 1 tablespoon to the whole bottom layer. And who knew ritz crackers, brown sugar and almonds would make such a great topping?!
I actually made this on Sunday and just left it out and served it room temperature. Love how juicy the strawberries got after this came out of the oven.
I’ll definitely make this one again! We had my Mom, SIL, nephew and his girlfriend over. We decided on a taco fiesta! Marinated flank steak and chicken – I also made crockpot refried beans, a black bean and corn salad and had way too much food – but my policy has always been “better to have too much than not enough.”
It was the perfect ending to a nice long weekend. I did have my WI yesterday – guess what’s back?
Yep, I gained a pound this past week. I can attribute it to not working out Saturday, Sunday and Monday – as well as some few extra licks and tastes since I didn’t blog over the weekend. It’s all good – I’ll get back on track. And thanks for the dozen people who emailed me to ask if I was okay since I didn’t blog since Friday – I appreciate your concern, but just needed to unplug.
So here is today’s Inspirational Diet video – make it a great day!
I thoroughly enjoyed my long weekend also! I hear you on having to be in the mood to clean, too bad it only strikes me rarely.
Sounds like you had a great weekend Biz. The strawberry dish looks delicious. I love to make crumbles with all kinds of fruits for dessert.
I don’t really like cleaning my house but I don’t want to spend money on a cleaning lady. I’d rather spend that money on something nice.
The price for the PT is ridiculous by the way. I wouldn’t do it either for that kind of money.
Fantastic video. I borrowed it for my FB page, I hope you are not mad.
Hot sauce on corn, I’ll have to give that a try. It so feels like Monday!
Glad you had a nice unplugged weekend Biz! I am going to remember the hot-sauce-on-corn. Never occurred to me but sounds so good! Sorry about the trainer–my gym for sure gave one actual free session so I would have assumed they all did…
love your taco fiesta. I’d forgotten about black bean and corn salad, thanks for reminding me. have a great week.
Unplugged time is time well spent sometimes!
Hot sauce on corn!?! YES! I will do this next time! You and I would be a hot sauce match made in heaven, I tell ya!
You are correct Melissa – I actually have a recipe to make homemade hot sauce – that’s one of my list of things to make this summer – I’ll be sure to send you some if it turns out! 😀
I love 4 day weekends. I felt refreshed. Too bad that they were only trying to sell you something 🙁 The hot sauce on the corn had me laughing. I made a chili-lime butter for corn this past weekend, it was yummy!
Great weekend – and I want that cobbler! I eat berries by the bushel 😀
I hate those bait and switch things. A lot of places will set you up with a workout and then offer a package, not just try to sell you a package alone. Lame. $1100 is a lot of money to drop on a PT, too. And people ask me why I never used one LOL!
The best part was when she said “you can break it up into three payments.” Um, its still $1100! 😀
Do gyms have personal trainers that are free? Here, if you want one, even if you have a membership, you have to pay for the service. Oh well, it’s not like it isn’t something you can’t do yourself. Heck, you’re really already doing it with the running, bike riding and swimming. Study enough and you’ll figure out the rest. 🙂
It has rained so much in the last two weeks I haven’t gotten in the dog walking or bike riding and my legs are showing the neglect. Thank goodness this week is going to be sunny – I miss my bike. And bonus – the pool is open. Woot!
I was saying to Pooldad the other day just how much I miss Chinese food. I could really use the calories, but the sodium is just off the hook [which is what makes it so yummy, right?] and no sauce or the “healthy” sauce just doesn’t cut it for me 🙁 Yours looks delicious. I bet you will make a fun lunch today with the leftovers.
I am a huge list maker. There is just something about being able to check off things as I complete them to give me a sense of accomplishment, plus it helps to get things done in a timely/orderly fashion. I find it especially handy when I am making a multiple course meal – or buffet style meal – like I did yesterday. I have a tendency to forget a dish [or two] if I don’t have a list. heehee
There – a nice, lonnnnnnng comment since I haven’t been around. 😀 And it may be awhile again. Miss you and sending you lotsa’ love.
Skippy
Hey Skippy! It warms my heart that you had the energy to write such a long comment! I was thinking about you over the weekend. Did I send you the link for the low sodium soy sauce? It’s made with low sodium beef broth and molasses – it ends up being about 12-15 mg per tablespoon.
http://chinesefood.about.com/od/sauces/r/soy_sauce_sub.htm
Hugs to you!
Good for you for unplugging. We all need that once in a while!
Congrats on the “unplugged time”. Your weekend looks yummy! No worries on the weight gain. FYI the scale will differ if you don’t weigh in at the same time everyday. I’m chalking it up to that 🙂
I love fresh strawberries! I will have to try that dessert. I am such a list person. I am the kind that I have a hard time stopping even if I am making myself sick with doing to much because I want to get the list done. My husband forces me to rest. He is a good man. He also helped me with my list yesterday and added a few things not on the list that had been bugging me. And we still had time to let the kids ride bikes at a neighbors “bmx” bike track they made in their yard. It wore them and us out so we all slept good last night. Glad you are back, and it always feels good to unplug for a while.
Glad you had such a nice weekend. That strawberry dessert looks out of this world. And now I’m craving some corn on the cob. Have you seen the Gym Class Heroes video for fighter? That would be a great inspirational video. It spotlights one of the US gymnastic team hopefuls from the bronx
I’ll have to check that out Erica – hope you and the fam and Baby K had a great weekend!
Glad you had such a good weekend – sure feels great to cross things off the list!!!
I totally get the unplugging. But I’m also glad you’re back!
False advertising on the part of your gym and I think you should let someone know! Either you get one free session or you don’t so they were just flat out wrong to do that.
You got lots accomplished over the weekend. I too ended yesterday saying I could use just one more day off 🙂
I can’t really complain too much Helen – my membership only costs $10 a month. And they have a new gym opening up that is six times the size of the one I go to – and once I belong to one, I can go to any of them. 😀
Looks like such a great weekend of delicious food! And yes, four day weekends should totally be the norm :).
Glad to hear you had a good holiday weekend Biz. You were missed over the weekend, but unplugging is so refreshing every now and then.
Sorry to hear about your personal training fiasco. That really stinks. You didn’t even get a free intro session on how to use the machines?
Your dessert looks delicious. My aunt used Ritz crackers to make something similar to a Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookie. If she hadn’t told me there was a Ritz under the chocolate mint coating I would have never known.