Ruth Anne Benziger's Blog, page 16

My Keto Journey

I started, unofficially and not strictly, the keto diet on January 28. Mind you, I cheated a ton and didn’t really consider myself on the diet until last week.

The first time I started Keto, I lost about 15.6lbs. Then, the holidays rolled around and I moved…twice. So, it was easy to get off track.

Since bunkering down and creating a plan, I’m on the right track. Since starting this second time, I’m down 2.6lbs. I realize that this is more than likely water weight. I know that I’ll lose a ton more of water weight in the weeks to come.

I’ve been using the app Carb Manager to keep all my food, water, and exercise tracked.

Yesterday’s Log

If you want to track your carbs, protein, and fat, this is the best app for that. Calories don’t matter. I am still figuring out how much protein I’m supposed to have. So, it is still quite a high number. However, I’ll be meeting my doctor next week and she will go over my app info and help me shift things around.

I’ve been getting pretty good at preparing meals that are within the limits of my carbs and are filling. Here are a few of those for you to see.

I’ve been doing research on how to get into ketosis and stay there. I’ve also heard a bunch of things about drinking ketones and such. To me that is all a big scam. I’m not going to pay $100 for something my body should do on its own if I fuel it right.

I have been discouraged with how our world treats healthy lifestyles too. I joined a few Facebook groups and the first thing I get are ads from people wanting me to pay for keto plans and keto recipes and keto products. Well, you know what? No, I’m not going to pay a dime.

I found free options. Aren’t we supposed to be in this together? Why should we have to pay a ridiculous amount of money to get healthy? Same thing goes with food. Food that is healthy is much more expensive than crap.

Let’s move along…shall we? (Rant over)

There are plenty of free options on Pinterest that will aid you in your journey. Tons of foods to eat and tons not to eat. I really enjoy looking around and seeing what kind of foods I can eat. There are plenty of alternatives for bread, pasta, rice, etc…

Right now, things are going great. I’m eating well and exercising 5 days a week for an hour. I set a goal of 10,000 steps a day. So far, I’ve been doing okay with that. I’m excited to see where this journey leads me.

Tell me, where are you in your journey?

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Book Review: Breathless With Her by Carrie Ann Ryan

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Carrie Ann Ryan comes a sexy new contemporary series.

Devin Carr likes his life. He likes his job, his family, the outlook for his future. Then he meets her. Erin. As soon as he sees her, drunk and wearing a sequined dress as her world crashes down around her and she fights to put on a brave face, he knows what he’s been missing. Her.

When Erin Taborn finds her high school sweetheart and husband banging the former head cheerleader of their graduating class at their high school reunion, she tells herself she’ll be fine. She just needs to figure out what fine means. There’s only one problem. Devin. She didn’t plan on him. And for someone who thinks they have all their plans in place, that’s a problem.

One she’ll have to find an answer to if this whole friends-with-benefits thing is going to work.
If not, she’ll fail just like with everything else.

My Thoughts

Erin attends her high school reunion thinking she was on top of the world. Then, her world came crashing down when her husband cheats on her. Walking into a bar dressed in 80s gear, she drinks to take away the pain. Sitting next to her is Devin Carr, a man who dated her sister years before. Lending his shoulder, he listens and offers her his couch.

Six months later, she’s divorced, and feeling like her life is getting back on track slowly. Taking Devin up on his offer to be his date, she decides to play on their attraction.

Jaded from her marriage, she doesn’t want serious and he’s willing enough to give it to her. Affair ensues, as predictable.

I tried to get into this book, but after halfway through, I was almost ready to DNF. The character was immature, the writing was a bit amateurish to me and it didn’t provide me the want to read any more in the series. It was alright and I did enjoy the first half. It just fell flat for me.

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This Week’s Book Haul-Jan 13

I’m a day late, but it’s alright. This weeks book haul was larger than last, I believe. I managed to get tons of books and I have some that I’m looking forward to reading soon. Here a few of them that I got this month.

Google Play/Amazon

There were a ton more, but these were the top ones.

Book of the Month

I haven’t gotten to it yet, but I plan on it soon. I’m looking forward to it.

Library Books

This is next on my list to read. I might read this before I read the book of the month.

What books did you get this week?

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Book Review: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now . . .

Funny, unexpected, horrifying, and altogether convincing, The Handmaid’s Tale is at once scathing satire, dire warning, and tour de force.

My Thoughts
This is my fourth time reading this. What keeps me coming back? The intensity and real-world issues that take place in this story. What makes it terrifying is that women in many countries, issues presented, and the balance of power it is all real. It’s happened before and will, I’m sure, happen again. Where next? Only time will tell. And that is terrifying.

This story is told from the voice of Offred, a handmaid in Commander Waterford’s household. We see Gilead, a republic replaced by the previous United States. In Gilead, women are valued by their uterus and what fruit it bears. So, each month the commander attempts to impregnate them in hopes to produce a baby of viable life. For, with declining births, has become a rarity.

We see the terrifying and completely controlled life of a handmaid, her Martha, and her small controlled life. Struggling to live a sedate life with no ability to read or write, no entertainment, or friends and no voice, she remembers the time before. The time when she was married, a mother, and a friend. Now, things are banned. Words, literature, art, and recreation. Things like owning property, having money, and being able to be in public without a male counterpart.

What I found enthralling was that Offred’s spirit, no matter how battered, was never truly broken. There is a dormant fight in her and we see that in her thoughts, in her actions, and in her demeanor.

Atwood is very skilled at producing an amazing story that educates, warns, and shows what could happen in a world like ours.Facebook|Instagram|Twitter

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Capitol Riots-My honest and raw Thoughts and Opinions

I CERTIFY THAT THESE ARE MY OWN THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS.

ALL PHOTOS ARE NOT MINE AND WERE USED TO ILLUSTRATE MY POINT. I DO NOT OWN THEM AND CERTIFY THAT I DO NOT GET COMPENSATION FOR THIS POST.

I could not believe my eyes when I turned on the news and saw this image. The terror and fear came soon after.

Whether you are a Trump supporter or not, if you don’t agree that what happened at the Capitol was unacceptable, YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM.

The Capitol was desecrated, violence ensued, people died. People are proud of this. WTF?

The things that were chanted…”Hang Mike Pence” “Take it Down” and “Kill them All” That is terrifying. It is terrifying to see people with zip-ties, proving that they came to do more than “peacefully protest.” There were bombs defused by police. There was a guillotine outside of the Capitol!!!

There have been groups already saying that they plan on coming back and that this was a rehearsal.

That is terrifying.

Confederate flags were dragged through the Capitol. Inexcusable. American flags were taken down and replaced with Trump flags. This is unacceptable. We are American’s not Trumpeters. I’m so sick of seeing Trump fan the flames of racism in this country.

I keep hearing people say that the BLM protests were worse. Yes, they were. Our police, our president, attacked the crowds. They cleared peaceful protests.

You know what I think of when I think of the BLM protests? A Painful History.

Why are we in 2021 still treating black citizens like criminals? Why are they targeted? Why is it, when they die, there is little outrage? Why do they have to live in fear? Why? Enough is Enough.

Black Lives Matter.

If you say, All Lives Matter. You are right, they do. But if you are not black, you have NO idea how it feels to be black. So, you have no idea why they need to demonstrate as they do.

The Black Lives Matter movement will never go away until they are treated as equals. I’m deeply saddened that we are still fighting this.

The sitting president stirred the crowd and said his speech was “appropriate”. He also refused to send the national guard and had to be BEGGED to call off this mob by multiple people. He refused and waited until almost 6pm before the numbers of police showed up in the streets. BY THEN IT WAS TOO LATE.

If this was any other group, they would have been there the second the crowd began to gather. If you think this isn’t true, you are blind and deaf, or you simply do not care.

Trump’s family was cheering and dancing and enjoying themselves as they watched tv screens of the mob! Despicable, all of them.

This was NOT a peaceful protest. This was domestic terrorism incited by the president of the United States of America. I’m deeply ashamed for what our country displayed on January 6, 2021. This will leave a stain for years to come.

This was a group of people believing a lie! The election was not stolen. It was disputed by over 60 courts when Trump claimed voter fraud. Both Democrats and Republicans combined to reject such a claim. Chanting “Stop the Steal,” supporters believe this lie perpetuated by Trump.

The people have spoken.

The President of the United States on January 20, 2021 is Joe Biden. The Vice President of the United States is Kamala Harris.

So, if you think that this was nothing less than an insurrection, nothing but domestic terrorism, I don’t understand your thought process.

I don’t understand how you can call yourself an American.

I worry about what my kids are seeing on tv. I worry about what world we are leaving to them. I try to respect people for their opinions, I listen, and I try to see where they are coming from.

On this, I cannot do so.

I will not see it as anything other than this: Our president sought to overturn the election, threatened state officials, and incited a mob to block the certification of the president-elect.

They did not win! Violence will never win.

So, If I know you personally, know you in writing circles, or you are a stranger to me, you know my position. You know how I feel.

I’m outraged and you should be too.

Ruth Anne Garcia

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Tea and Read With Me-Jan 12

Happy Tuesday, everyone. Last week , I picked Hideaway, as my read. I managed to get that read and it was quite enjoyable. You can find my review here. I started reading, Breathless with Her and the Testaments this week. I also read Handmaid’s Tale because I wanted to re-read it for the second book. On my list after these are still, The Survivors, Sweet Water, and The Obituary Society.

Tea

Green tea is a type of tea that is made from Camellia sinensis leaves and buds that have not undergone the same withering and oxidation process used to make oolong teas and black teas. Green tea originated in China, but its production and manufacture has spread to other countries in East Asia.

It boosts metabolism and has antioxidants. I just love the taste and enjoy it after meals. So, let’s drink some green tea and talk about books.

Read

I’m going to talk about the books that I’m reading this week. First, is The Testaments by Margaret Atwood. Then, I’ll discuss Breathless With Her by Carrie Ann Ryan. You can find both descriptions below. I only took a picture with one because the other is an e-book.

The Testaments

I’ll start with the description:

The Testaments

When the van door slammed on Offred’s future at the end of The Handmaid’s Tale, readers had no way of telling what lay ahead for her–freedom, prison or death.

With The Testaments, the wait is over.

Margaret Atwood’s sequel picks up the story more than fifteen years after Offred stepped into the unknown, with the explosive testaments of three female narrators from Gilead.

In this brilliant sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale, acclaimed author Margaret Atwood answers the questions that have tantalized readers for decades.

“Dear Readers: Everything you’ve ever asked me about Gilead and its inner workings is the inspiration for this book. Well, almost everything! The other inspiration is the world we’ve been living in.” –Margaret Atwood

Breathless With Her

Devin Carr likes his life. He likes his job, his family, the outlook for his future. Then he meets her. Erin. As soon as he sees her, drunk and wearing a sequined dress as her world crashes down around her and she fights to put on a brave face, he knows what he’s been missing. Her.

When Erin Taborn finds her high school sweetheart and husband banging the former head cheerleader of their graduating class at their high school reunion, she tells herself she’ll be fine. She just needs to figure out what fine means. There’s only one problem. Devin. She didn’t plan on him. And for someone who thinks they have all their plans in place, that’s a problem.

One she’ll have to find an answer to if this whole friends-with-benefits thing is going to work.
If not, she’ll fail just like with everything else.

Discussion

The Testaments

Let’s get into it. SPOILERS FROM BOTH BOOKS AND SHOW AHEAD. PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

If you haven’t read Handmaid’s Tale or seen the show, you might not be able to follow along. I will be providing spoilers from Handmaid’s Tale, so if you haven’t read it, you may be lost or not want to continue further into this discussion.

In the Handmaid’s Tale, we get a view at the Republic of Gilead from the point of view of Offred, a handmaid. In the time before, she was married and had a child. Now, she’s forced to live in a commander’s house and each month attempt to get pregnant for him and his wife. While in such a predicament, she is controlled. What she eats, how much she sleeps, where she goes, who she speaks to, what she wears. It’s all part of the Gilead power over her disguised to think she’s being protected.

In the show on Hulu, we see June is the main character representing Offred and she is a strong person who goes through a lot. She’s taken from her life, her child was taken away, and she’s forced into sexual servitude. Aunts run the show, and the commander’s work while the wives places are at home. It’s very intune with the book, however there are some changes.

Changes I pointed out were that Serena walked with a cane because of her arthritis, and in the show, we don’t see that. That could be directors choice, who knows. I didn’t mind the change. There are some other changes but all in all, the show sticks the book quite closely.

SPOILERS FOR THE TESTAMENTS AHEAD…

In The Testaments, it takes place fifteen years after The Handmaid’s Tale, the book. In, The Testaments, it has three points of view. One is from a much older Aunt Lydia near her death, one is from Daisy who we find is someone in disguise, and another is from Agnes.

I can only guess that Atwood decided to use the shows information to proceed with her book. I’m also discouraged to find that in the show, we see June and her comrades trying their hardest to break Gilead and to free the children, including Agnes. This book is proof that Agnes never escapes, which is a shame. I’m deeply saddened by such news.

I have only gotten through the first few chapters and I can’t wait to see what is in store for me next.

Breathless With Her

SPOILERS FOR BREATHLESS WITH HER AHEAD…

I’m halfway through this book by Carrie Ann Ryan. It’s a quick read, but I keep getting distracted.

This book begins with Erin and her husband going to her ten year high school reunion. She’s in a point in her life where she knows she’s happy. She had a great job making cakes, she has a husband, and she owns her home. So, when she finds her husband cheating on her at the reunion, her whole world seems to swirl out of control.

Dressed in eighties gear, she walked into a bar to drown her sorrows. She runs into Devin, a guy who dated her older sister years before. He’s an ear and a shoulder and lends her his couch.

What does annoy me about these stories, are the time jumps. It jumps six months ahead with no warning. I’m not gonna focus on that. At the point where I stopped, Devin asks Erin on a date.

I can guess that this leads to them dating or hooking up. We’ll have to see when I get into the rest of the book.

.

If you’ve read The Testament or Breathless With Her, tell me what you liked/disliked about them.

Let’s discuss.

Library Books

Last week, I told you that I renewed my library card. I checked out The Testament and Fire Blood. I have them until the 28. So, I’ll be reading Fire Blood. That will be in the list of reads I’ve already listed above. I might re-read Frost Blood to get me ready for Fire Blood. If I do, I’ll let you know in next week’s update.

There is my Tea and Read with me Update.

What are you reading this week? Let’s discuss.

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The Handmaid’s Tale/The Testaments by Margaret Atwood: A Discussion

MINIMAL SPOILERS IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE SHOW OR READ THE BOOKS

Whether you’ve read the books or seen the show, you know the story. I personally read the book first, as is the case almost all the time. It struck a cord in me that everything in the book represents what has happened in history.

After I read the book, I watched the show. Elisabeth Moss is a tremendous actress, in my opinion. I swear every single episode I felt like breaking into tears. Sometimes, I sure as hell did. I lived to hate Commander Waterford and his wife, Serena. Actors Yvonne Strahovski and Joseph Fiennes were also tremendous in their delivery of who their characters were. I hated Serena with every fiber of my being.

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Honorable mentions for actors in the show are Ann Dowd who played Aunt Lydia. Oh, I loved to hate her. She was despicable and even when they had that episode of her story, I felt no sympathy. Empathy, a little. But she was just awful. Samira Wiley played Ruby and she made me cry so many times. She also was a powerful woman who gave June strength.

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I’m not going to mention every actor and why they appealed to me or why I loved to hate them. Let’s just say that Atwood is incredible writer and knows her history. Her writing really shows that she’s in tune to what issues are prevalent and she’s an amazing storyteller. I felt in the book that Offred, as they called her, had a voice that reached out and grabbed readers.

I’m now reading the Testaments and I’m so enthralled with the story. It’s written fifteen years after Offred is taken in the red van at the ending of Handmaid’s tale, the book. We get to hear from an aunt, a girl outside of Gilead, and a girl inside of Gilead. I won’t spoil it and tell you who they are, but if you’ve been following the show and the book, you can guess.

Season 4 is coming this year but I haven’t seen an official release date.

I just found out they have been picked up for Season 5. So, we will get to see what happens beyond this new season.

I’m wondering what the book Testaments means for the series. Will it all align and make sense, or will there be different versions of Atwood’s vision? Only time will tell.

You can read this article where they break it down for you. It was very helpful for me. If you don’t want spoilers, I’d avoid reading the article.

The article does say that Hulu is adapting a TV Series around The Testaments. So, if you read the book, hang on because you’ll soon see the series on your screen, if you choose to.

Tell me…

Have you read the book? Seen the show? What are your thoughts? Do you plan on watching the show? The new Testaments show? Let’s discuss.

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Book Review: I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU: KIDS BOOK – Children and Divorce – Helping Kids Cope With Divorce and Separation – illustrated kids book by Aya Alasbali

Kids experience the pressure of divorce and marriage separation each year. They all react differently to this new stress, anxiety based on their age, personality, and the conditions of the separation and divorce.
In This Book You will find a simple way to explain the new situation that will help your kids through the initial Shock, Sadness,Frustration, Anger and show them your Love for them remains and even grows stronger.
You will find The Most simple and Important Things that Both Parents can do is love to help kids through this Difficult time. How to talk to your Kids about Separation.

It’s a simple way to explain DIVORCE to children the book explains that when Mommy and Daddy divorce, their love for their child remains and even grows , It’s a security blanket of a book that promises to ease your child into a new lifestyle .

My Thoughts








I picked up this book to read to my kids because they’ve been having some growing pains from my divorce. Although the divorce was long since coming, there have been some little things that I’ve seen them do. The book was short and sweet and the kids seemed to understand a little better. I’d say that this is for younger children, though. If you’re looking for kids older than 7, I’d pick something more age appropriate.

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Book Review: Hideaway by Nora Roberts

A family ranch in Big Sur country and a legacy of Hollywood royalty set the stage for Nora Roberts’ emotional new suspense novel.

Caitlyn Sullivan, a daughter of Hollywood royalty, was already a star at ten, but still loved to play hide-and-seek with her cousins at the family home in Big Sur. It was during one of those games that she disappeared.

Despite her glamorous background, Cate was a shrewd, scrappy survivor, and she managed to escape her abductors. Dillon Cooper was shocked to find the bruised and terrified girl huddled in his ranch house kitchen—but when the teenager and his family heard her story they provided refuge and comfort, reuniting her with her loved ones.

Cate’s ordeal, though, was far from over. First came the discovery of a betrayal that would send someone she’d trusted to prison. Then there were years away in Ireland, sheltered and protected but with restlessness growing in her soul. Then, finally, she returned to Los Angeles, hoping to act again and get past the trauma that had derailed her life. What she didn’t yet know was that two seeds had been planted that long-ago night—one of a great love, and one of a terrible vengeance…

My Thoughts

The Sullivan’s are Hollywood royalty and have a reputation for being great actors and a close-knit family. Liam Sullivan, the eldest, has worked hard to provide his family the opportunities and advantages to accel in life. His great-granddaughter Caitlyn is the prize of his eye. Aidan will make and raise her to be a fine woman. And he died knowing such a thing would happen.

What he didn’t know would happen, is a twisted and dark path she’d have to take. As a child, Cate was becoming quite the actress herself by appearing on the big screen. Her grandparents, were quite fond of her and aided her when they could. But when Liam died and they attended his celebration of life, everything changed. Little Catey disappeared during a game of hide and seek.

The men who kidnapped her underestimated her and she escaped and made her way onto a ranch where a little boy, Dillon, and his mother and grandmother clean her wounds and mend her scares. After that, the harrowing event, her life was never the same.

What I loved about Cate was no matter what obstacle came, what triggered her anxiety and panic, or what caused her to move again, she didn’t allow it to dominate her life. True, there were moments where she was sad and downtrodden, but she pulled herself up and made something of herself.

The romance was sweet in that Roberts way it often is. Boy saves girl as a child, boy sees her as a woman, they fall in love, and the rest is history.

What I enjoyed most about the suspense of it all, was the delivery. You’re painted a picture in such a way that you want to see what is happening and when it will unfold. I promise you will be hanging on until the very last page. Like I was.

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You

I heard your voice today

In the stillness of the day

Through traffic and crowds

I smelled your perfume

I saw your hair

.

The loudness dimmed

The light faded

And in the red shirt

Your skirt twirled around

You stopped

.

When I took a step

The image faded

And the day began again

Traffic flowed and light brightened

You disappeared around the bend

.

For a moment, I heard you

I saw you and smelled you

And in the moment I was thankful

That you visited me

A moment caught in a memory

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