Happy National Grammar Day, National Salt Awareness Day, and World Obesity Day
DAY 4, MARCH 4, 2024
Good Morning To All!
First, here’s something to laugh about.😄
The day before yesterday, I had beautiful sunshine. Yesterday too. My co-host of the RNH Show (Raters Not Haters Show) has been visiting my blog posts during the challenge, and I wrote about how sunny the day had been. He commented on my blog post that I must have stolen his sunshine because he had nothing but clouds. I’m laughing because I try to steal all the sunshine I can get. 😂
So, now to my article for today.
I am enjoying the second year of the RRBC Challenge because they have intermingled it with prompts we can write on. Today, I am very interested in the three topics above because I had to incorporate them into my lifestyle.
As a writer, I must use good Grammar in my writing and speaking. The first thing people look at when reading a book is Grammar; believe me, even the poorest person in Grammar can tell when you aren’t grammatically correct. Now that is only my opinion.
I have to admit that my weakness in writing is my Grammar. Therefore, I don’t let any story, fiction or non-fiction, except for this challenge, go out of my office without sending it to my editor. I am picky about who edits my work. I don’t choose a friend or family member. I don’t like having someone who has a problem with being honest with me about my work. I want to hear where the flaws are, and if you can’t tell me that, then you won’t be my editor. Sure, somebody can hurt my feelings, and yes, sometimes I don’t accept the critique quickly, but that is okay because my editor is editing according to the highest quality standards she has. So, what do I do when sentences or paragraphs I have fallen in love with are corrected? Well, I set the story aside and think about it. I read my editor’s point of view over the suggestion I’m mumbling over, or I do a short Zoom meeting with her, and the majority of the time, I come out agreeing with her because I know she has my best interests at heart and she knows what she’s doing. Therefore, when it comes to Grammar, I am thankful that I don’t use AI to edit my stories; I use the flesh and blood human being type who has gained years of experience and doesn’t mind passing it along. Hurrah for human Grammar experts!
Overeating salt is another thing I didn’t take seriously until I arrived in Europe. I noticed many cooks seasoned their food with different herbs and spices and not much salt. I was surprised. The food was delicious but didn’t have a salty taste. Then I came across a non-fiction novel that showed that people who eat salty meals have a high rate of having strokes. That shocked me because I always added extra salt to my food. I changed my eating habits immediately. I no longer ran out to get a hamburger or french fries from a fast food store. I thought twice about buying frozen dinners because I began reading the back of the packages and was astounded at how much sodium is in a frozen meal or a hamburger. Knowing these things brought about a radical change in my eating habits, and I also started cooking. Now I cook fresh food almost every day, and my weight dropped. I still have my curvy hips 🙂 I still have weight, but it is a weight I can live with, and I feel good.
A Fresh German soup with green beans, potatoes, carrots, onions, and sausage
Preparing String Beans the French Way
This brings me to World Obesity Day. I enjoy eating when I cook. Cooking and seasoning my food with herbs and spices stirs my appetite. Oh, and I love chocolate, especially a German chocolate cake with rich dark chocolate. This means that if I don’t do something like making sure I get exercise, such as walking, I gain weight. The good thing for me is that my house is built so that I have to walk up and downstairs when I go to my kitchen, and my office is in my basement, which is 12 stairs down from the hallway entrance to my house. When I go shopping, I park far away from the grocery store or any other store I plan to visit. I hear you asking, readers, why don’t you shop twice a month and save time? We have tiny refrigerators here in Germany, and I usually go shopping three or four times a week, and that is good because I get out of my office, I see people to talk to, I can grab a cappuccino or espresso or Latte Macchiato and watch people. Thus, I have found ways to exercise and not gain weight. As I said above, I have accepted my weight and don’t plan to live on an everlasting diet that doesn’t allow me to enjoy my food.
That’s it for today, folks!
Have a lovely Monday. I’ll see you tomorrow.
Shalom shalom,
Pat Garcia
Hi, Pat! Starting my comment with a wink, wink 🙂 Nothing like having well-edited work,
I love how you value exercise. I am a certified fitness trainer since 2010 and I love all things healthy. I am the lady in the store who sees other shoppers’ baskets pass by, and I run back to educate them on how many calories and all the sugar that’s in that huge bag of cookies sitting in their baskets. My husband says the shoppers who know me around the store, go down the other aisle when they see me coming. Oh, well!
Even when I’m not feeling my best, I get in exercise daily. My normal attire when I wake up EVERY morning is workout attire, so there is never an excuse not to start dancing, or going up and down my stairs, or even to hop on my treadmill or walking pad for a bit. Regular exercise is scheduled into my days.
I absolutely love the photos! I can have green beans as a snack at anytime, whereas my hubby wants anything bad for him any day of the week. (He’s secretly one of those shoppers who hates me).
Thanks for the posts! I’m enjoying them, although I’m late getting to them. 🙂
My Dear Nonnie,
I am laughing. I believe your hubby delight himself your marriage and shopping with you. He could never hate you. His life would be dull. 🥰
Thank you also for the complements on my blog posts.
Shalom shalom
Pat, I’m late getting to your blog and was just going to read and like your content. Talking about food and enjoying it hit home because I can’t eat anything that I want. I have Diverticulosis and landed in the hospital as you are aware. It was a wake up call and I’ve been in a learning curve ever since learning about foods and eating what I can tolerate. That’s why I’ve went alternative and started eating organic foods years ago and I think its what saved me. But I want to enjoy foods and enjoy my life so I get you on that.
Have a good rest of your day.
Pat, words for the wise! Your pot of soup looked like the home-made pea soup Jan made last week which lasted us three days. Unfortunately, the high sugar content played hell with my diabetes. Salt to taste at the table. Unfortunately, Jan is allergic to most spices and doesn’t use any in her cooking. Just smelling oregano or garlic will send her to the hospital. If I want to eat Italian meals, my daughter and I will go to Olive Garden. Pizza is always with no sauce. I’ve been losing weight mainly because I’ve cut back on starches. I won’t order toast, hash browns, or fries when eating out. Instead, I’ll substitute tomato slices. or a tossed salad. Sandwiches are half instead of whole and they are always on wheat or rye. Dark chocolate is better for you than regular chocolate. Carrot Cake is my demise. Keep on truckin’ dear lady.
Hi, JP,
I love Olive Garten. When I visit the states, Olive Garten is on my places to go list.
The pea-soup is home-made. It takes me about five to six hours to cook it because I cook it slowly, but it is delicious after I finish it. And you’re so right. Dark chocolate is the best chocolate to eat, and that is the kind I love.
Thank you very much for your encouragement.
Shalom shalom
Pat, I always love your posts, they are so full of fascinating little tidbits! That picture of soup looks delicious! I am a huge soup fan and have so many wonderful recipes, the first of which were from my ex-mother-in-law. She was just a terrific person and I missed her more than my ex, I think! I don’t use much salt because George has high blood pressure, but at the table – all bets are off. I LOVE my salt and pour it on. I should really try to cut back, I know. If anyone else was doing that, I would be scolding them. As for editors – yes, a thousand times yes – we writers need editors and proofreaders, too, and I agree friends just will not do. I am lucky to have a fabulous editor, and then I often send the work off to a proofreader, as well. Today is a very rainy, cold day here – hope it is better where you are!
Hello, Maura Beth,
You said it, we need live human editors. I couldn’t agree more.
By the way, my pea-soup is delicious, even if I must say it myself. I love it.
Thank you for coming by and all the best.
Shalom shalom
Like Patty said, my dad pours salt on his food before even trying it. I use very little salt, and when I do, it’s always Himalayan salt. I do use herbs and spices to give my food flavor, and I almost always eat at home. I go food shopping every week, mostly because I eat a lot of fresh vegetables and always want the freshest ones. Weight has always been an issue for me, and now that I’m in menopause, the weight keeps compounding. I’m currently in the process of figuring out what I need to adjust to drop some of the weight. It’s an everlasting struggle. 🙁
Yvette M Calleiro 🙂
http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com
Hello, My Dear Yvette,
I know the feeling. I eat lots of fresh vegetables also. I cut down my trips to MacDonalds, Burger King, and KFC. Nowadays, I stick to cooking 95 percent of the time. I need time because I like to cook everything fresh, so I cook enough for two or three days and then pack it away in my fridge. The first time I did that, I was surprised. The food taste even better the next day. I think it is because the seasonings has settled in the food. Anyway it is delicious.
Weight has always been an issue for me too but I love to walk. So, I almost always park at the end or edge of the parking lot and walk. I also shop three or four times a week because I have a small fridge, so I walk a lot.
I hope you find your rhythm. I know you will. Just don’t try to force yourself to do something. Do what is comfortable but still stretches you.
Have a lovely day.
Shalom shalom
I love walking as well. I just need more hours in the day to do so. LOL! 🙂
Hi,Pat! thanks for this splendid article. It is so you, so honest and down to earth. Good that you eat less salt. It is indeed a harmful substance when over used. It causes our blood pressure to raise which in turn causes heart disease and stokes. I also love the happy photo of you and your neice. You both look content with life. Have a great day.
Hello, Joy,
Thank you. I am also happy that I cut my salt intake down considerably.
Thanks also on the compliment about my niece. I am proud of her. She is a wonderful person.
Shalom shalom
We get canned German bean soup at our Aldi store here in Florida. Yes, it does contain lots of salt, which I mitigate by adding extra vegetables.
I had no idea that Aldi had made it to Florida. We learn every day.
Good Morning, Joy,
I love chocolate too.
Thank you so much for coming by.
Have a lovely day.
Shalom shalom
Hello, Marian,
Thank you so much for dropping by.
I don’t ever buy German bean soup from Aldi or any other store. I make mine fresh. I get my green beans from Rewe and all the other ingredients I need. It takes time but afterward it tastes wonderful.
When you buy already made, it will have a lot of salt in it, and that is too much salt for me.
Have a lovely day, Lady, and take care.
Shalom shalom
Yes, I know there is high salt content, so I add lots of other veggies like celery and carrots to “lower” the amount of salt. 😀
Hi, Pat! I agree that a good human editor is vital in writing, because readers pick up on grammatical errors even the best writers miss. I hesitate to use AI for anything, to be honest. As for salt, I grew up watching my parents pour salt on their food even before they tasted it. It was one thing I promised myself I would never do. Herbs and seasonings add wonderful flavors to food, whereas salt only enhances what’s there, and can easily overpower flavors. A little bit here and there, yes, if needed. As for obesity, I have a body that has reached its outer limits of weight and will NOT budge from there. Thankfully, it doesn’t increase, either. I thank God every day that I will leave it behind when I go Home. Until then, my spirit appreciates its earthly conveyance, and I take care of it as best I can. You and your niece look just fine in the photo! Joy looks great on you.
Blessings,
Patty
Hi, Patty,
Thank you. I always enjoy your comments. They are so inspiring and uplifting.
Have a lovely day, Lady.
Shalom shalom
Hi, Pat. The main place I use salt is on a Margarita glass. When I cook, I use a lot of herbs but very little salt.
Good for you Karen. It’s for the best !
Hi Karen and Joy,
Sorry ladies, I don’t drink Margaritas. 😊
Have a lovely day.
Shalom shalom