Fart Girl

Tuesday morning, a very cold Tuesday morning.  My goodness I think winter has decided it needed to stay around a bit longer.  The Hubby went out of town to hang with some buddies for a few days at a lodge somewhere in Arkansas to return today.  He texted me that it has been almost non-stop snow and COLD.  They are quite miserable but one of the guys is a fantastic cook so they've been eating like kings.  He so needed a get-away of some kind.  I needed a get-away too but mines just a stay-at-home kind.  It's been kind of nice to have a couple of days of just me and Clayton.  Of course I still had to work yesterday but that brings time with the little princess, Miss Rio.  

I got to spend some time Sunday with the drama queen as they went out to celebrate B2's birthday.  I may get to try the overnight thing again on Friday night as they celebrate 5 years of marriage.  I'm a little scared because she's still not sleeping all night.  We tried when she was very young and that did not work but now that she is almost 6 months old it might work.  

Funny thing about this little beauty is that I had not heard her laugh in person yet.  I just could not get her to giggle for me, then on Sunday while watching her I took her to the changing table to change her diaper.  Just as I took the wet one off and leaned over to toss in the trash she farted.  She farted a whistle kind of one that must have tickled because she belted out a belly laugh at herself.  Then she was on a roll and I was laughing so hard at her I had tears.  Oh, how I love to hear babies laugh.  My world is complete to hear sweet Rio laugh!  

Wednesday night I'm entertaining my old Jazzercise group of girls here.  They haven't seen the new bathroom addition or the outdoor kitchen addition so I'm pretty excited.  I have to clean up a bit to prepare then on Sunday I've extended the invite to family for dinner.  So that means more cleanup, buy a ham, deviled eggs and lots of fun time with people I love.  I love to entertain.  

Busy Times

I feel like I have abandoned my bloggy friends.  I have not commented enough nor have I blogged enough but my life lately has been in absolute overdrive.  I seem to be constantly running with hardly a time to think about anything.  I haven't read a book and I'm finding it hard to sit down long enough to work on my art.  I hope it all slows down a bit, soon.  This week I finished yet another art project. YEAH!  Now I am in a frantic mode to draw something for the next project.  I went to the doctor for my "yearly" this week and I left not feeling too good.  You see, I had my last offical lady thing June 2008, but July, August and this week, September, it decided to hint at a return.  I told her about it and she said that I need an untrasound to rule out ...... "CANCER"...... Excuse me.  I know it is nothing and that I could just still be in the phase of my life but did she have to say that to my face, like that!  I don't think so.  The only kind of cancer that is my family is lung and prostate and one of those is, well not something I should worry about.  This has kind of bumbed me out a bit but I know I'm fine.  I have been in great health and feel great, except for my backache when I sleep too long, past 5:30 am in the morning.  So Wednesday morning I load up my bladder and try to drive in my little bumpy Miata to the ultrasound and have the test.  The last ultrasound I had was 25 years ago when I was pregnant with "A".  I will keep everyone posted.

This weekend is the 3rd annual "Hanging of The Bras".  My old friends from Jazzercise come the cabin and we laugh, drink, eat, laugh, sleep, laugh, and enjoy the bonds of friendship we have made.  I need to get off this computer and get my stuff packed.  I still need to go to the grocery store, pharmacy, liquor store and make time to have lunch with The Hubby.  Stay tuned for some of the wonderful pics from our weekend.  Toodles all and have a wonderful weekend...Oh, check out the latest pic "B" took in the office the other day.  My hair is really getting longer, thank goodnes.  I've been growing it for 1-1/2 years now. 

Sunshine

It is a little after 8:30 this morning and I'm still sitting in MY chair, in MY room with the little heater warming my feet. I slept in and am enjoying sipping the hot coffee still in my PJ's, well, they are my PJ's that I don't sleep in as I sleep nude. I just put them on to run around the house. Hate pajamas. The sun this morning is just brilliant through my window, almost blinding me. I love it streaming through here and warming my forehead and glaring off of my glasses. I know it is a weird picture but it is what is happening right this moment in my little sanctuary.



Last night The Hubby and B went to their group dance class while I skipped bowling and went to a get together with a bunch of my old Jazzercise friends. Since so many have left the center and moved on we have vowed to stay close and meet every other month for talk, laughter, wine, and togetherness. There were about twenty-five of us with tons of food and chatter. I love these women. Here is another example of something feeding your soul. My painting feeds me, my writing feeds me and friends feed me. Several of them told me how much they missed me and my smile and laughter. That makes me feel awesome inside. That alone will heal my body. (I am healing, truly.)

Yesterday I finally was able to connect with the friend that has been causing me so much unhappiness. I just don't know how the best friend friendship is going to stay alive with only seeing or hearing from each other every few months or so. But, yesterday was nice. True it was an hour eeked out of her busy schedule but that was okay and I enjoyed our lunch and chat and I finally was able to give her Christmas presents to her...yeah I know. Funny, she forgot mine. Oh well. Won't let that bother me after a wonderful night as last night.

I'm hiding here in my room as the trash truck whines by and the workers in the entry bath are sawing and hammering and chatting about the job. I will have to sneak through the hall in a minute to hit the shower but right now I'm enjoying the sunshine making me squint this morning. Awww, spring is just around the corner.

Recap

This is a recap of the past week and weekend as I've been kind of silent. I've again been plagued with the MRSA virus but I think I may be beating it without going on antibiotics again. It is imperative that I get my bodies defenses up to speed to fight stuff off. I'm taking multivitamins, vitamin-C 1000 mg a day, and the probiotic thing. This time around I don't feel bad and that is a plus. Before I would feel very tired and the depression would set in. I would have absolutely no energy. This time I feel good and even kept up the workouts last week to the point that I could hardly bend over from last weeks boxing and Pilate's. OUCH! I've made a big decision on that front too. I've decided to quit Jazzercise. I know I have been a faithful follower for a very long time but since I switched centers I miss my friends and I'm also realizing that it really affects my knees badly. So today I am canceling my membership. Waaaa! I will continue the personal trainer and hopefully this spring when the weather is better and I'm better I will start the walking/jogging thing again. I just need to get me healed and in tip-top health, my priority.

Tuesday I went to another painting class and I'm so very excited with the results. I neglected to take a picture of the base I started with but tomorrow I will. The past couple of weeks I didn't do too much on the piece except fill in the background of muted leaves but Tuesday I actually traced my drawing of the window and fan on the canvas and began to put color on top of the background. I painted the window and fan, basic stuff and by the end of the class when I hung the canvas back on the wall to wait till this week and stood back I was amazed. It looked like a fan sitting in a window. I was just giddy with excitement and awe that I created that. This painting class is so feeding my soul, probably more than the writing right now. Tomorrow I will take pictures before more paint is applied and will continue until I finish the piece. I really can't wait to finish this and start another. Very exciting. Now today I have to try and get something to share with my writing group tonight. I missed last week but need to go this week to keep up a good habit.

Uh, oh...I will finish this in a bit as my MIL just pulled up out front of the office. She is here for me to type some minutes she had to take at a meeting at the retirement community. Her computer is not working right for her so I'm her girl....I will be back in a sec...............................Okay now that I'm back 2 hours later. The MIL had me do her little chore and then had to chat for a bit, then A called and now I'm chatting and blogging...I'm multi-tasking.

This weekend was a blast, that is after the annual meeting at our gated community at the lake/cabin. The meeting was from 10 to 1:30 in the afternoon. Needless to say I was getting very upset with some of the people and their inability to keep up with what was being said. Made me a little nuts. Should have just gone home. Anyway, later that afternoon Sin, Harri and I, PO, PH and JG all showed up to decorate the wigwam for our sock hop that night. I was in charge of music and baked beans and I must say the music was AWESOME! I had nearly three hours of 50's music on a playlist and we danced the night away. Most everyone showed up dressed up with a 50's theme. I wore my bowling shirt that we got at the Bowling Museum in St. Louis. My hair is long enough now that I had a bouncy, curly ponytail with a scarf that my cousin gave me on my 16th birthday. Others were in poodle skirts, long white shirts and The Hubby had his jeans rolled up with a white T-shirt and a package of unfiltered Camels rolled up in his sleeve. His hair is long enough now that he had a duck tail in the back. What fun we all had!

Slight correction

Slight correction about the previous post. So funny. It made me sound like I had a gigantic house with three fireplaces but I was remiss. We had a fire in the fireplace inside, one in a pot-bellied stove on the screened in porch and a huge one in the fire pit outside. The guys huddled around the one outside smoking cigars while we girls danced and stayed very warm around the one inside. It was an awesome party and I'm still receiving emails to that effect. YEAH!

This morning I roused myself out a nice warm bed and wonderful deep sleep to squeeze into the workout clothes and hit the Jazzercise floor. It was a good workout and I continued with my food plan today. I had my oatmeal for breakfast, a protein bar for snack, and Slim-Fast for Lunch. I meant to grab an orange juice for a mid-afternoon snack as I knew I would be running but of course forgot it. I was at the office after everyone left trying to spruce up a couple of chapters of a young adult novel I wrote several years ago. I needed to tweek it a bit to share at the writers group tonight. Rushing home I wolfed down some of the leftover veggie soup I made for the weekend party with a cheese sandwich and then I was out the door. I know it is not just real good but at least I ate fairly sensible for the day. Tomorrow is another day.

The writers group was awesome. I was ripped apart and I LOVED it. I needed to have the critique to make me grow as a writer. I know I am very lacking which is why I'm in the group and taking the writing classes in the next couple of months. It's kind of scary though with the published authors in the group, but I welcome the hits and will learn from it.

Now, tomorrow I begin my art-painting class. I finished getting the rest of my supplies today and was surprised that I had most of them anyway. I forgot that I had quite a stash at the cabin so I brought them home. Now I will need to decide what I am going to paint. The lady at the supply store told me that I would get to decide what I wanted to paint so I decided I would go through my photos. I've taken a lot of pictures that I have wanted to put on canvas, hopefully successfully. We'll see. I'll keep you posted.

Another go around

This week has been busy, busy, busy and next week will be even more so but, you know I kind of like staying busy, like this busy. Next Saturday will the big graduation party for B. Getting her masters is a big deal and I'm so glad we can celebrate the event. She's pretty excited because her jewelry business has picked up and has gotten some interest by an online magazine. If they do a piece on her I will link it. A is also coming home for the holidays on Sunday so I pretty excited about seeing her too, although with the impending weather fronts I'm real afraid she will get delayed.

Today is my first session with the therapist and I'm getting rather excited about it. I hope this isn't just a waste of time. Sometimes I think I'm just blowing it all out of proportion and that I'm doing just fine, like today, then there are days when I'm really down in the dumps. We'll just see today.

Okay now back to the title of this entry. I have yet AGAIN had another go around with the damned staff infection. I'm not sure and I have not been to the doctor but it has all the ear markings of previous occurrences. Although this one is very tiny and already healing. It was on the side of my round belly and the other was on my chin. As I said though I have been very vigilant with them and they are thank goodness healing well and quickly so maybe I'm back to myself. I hope. I'm really tired of being scared of this stuff. It makes my stomach stay in knots.

Well, it is 5:30 a.m. and I'm trying to do this entry in the time I have today as it maybe the only time I have. I'm off to Jazzercise and to begin Friday. Toodles all and I'll report back how the session went.

I am going to pay.

Yes, I will pay tomorrow and maybe tonight. I will pay with pain. Today I went to a closer Jazzercise center and took a class this morning and then 15 minutes later drove to the personal trainer and took an hour of abuse. I will surely pay tomorrow. I will moan and groan every time I have to stand or sit, especially when I have to go to the little ladies room. It is all worth it though and I feel WONDERFUL, at least today, right this moment I do. It feels good to really be back at the old grind of whittling down this nasty fat that has accumulted upon this skeletal being. What was nice was that one of the ladies that went to the other center was there to visit with today. Maybe more of the other ladies will follow me.

Last Day

My last day at getting up at 4:45 am and traveling 20 minutes south to Jazzercise and to be with my early morning friends. Well, today started badly. Yesterday The Hubby had the electricity off for a bit moving receptacles in the bedroom but neglected to inform me. The TV is our alarm and so it did not go off. I was awakened by him turning the TV on and realizing it was the local news not the national news. My eyes flew open and I jumped out of bed running to the bathroom to get my workout clothes on. It was 5:05. I have a 20 minute drive and I'm supposed to open up and get coffee on and the computer on. The Hubby was straddling the toilet and my workout clothes and shoes are beside the toilet because that is where I sit and get ready every morning. I reached around his legs to grab my stuff cursing and he was yelling, "HEY" as I wormed my hand around his legs for my stuff. I dressed and quickly ran a toothbrush around my mouth then hit the road. I have a set routine every morning and of course on my last day it is all mucked up. Usually I get ready, fix my cup of coffee to go and as I back out of the garage and drive I open the car door and grab my paper because I read my paper at Jazzercise before class. This morning as I threw the toothbrush down on the counter and grabbed my purse to run out the door I knew there was no time for the all important coffee. I backed out of the garage and drive and as I was backing down the steep drive I heard a pop, like a balloon, my newspaper. The plastic yellow wrapper popped as I drove over it but there was not time to stop and get the paper. On my way to class I dialed the number of Jazz to let K and E know I was on my way but running late. I finally arrived after hitting EVERY stinking light and the ladies had some muffins and fruit to share on my last day. We had about 16 ladies there for my last class and it was nice. I tried to not be emotional but that was easy as my morning was already off to a unroutine way. After class a bunch of the core group of friends went to coffee and talk. I am so going to miss this early morning batch of women that have made my life so full. Well, on to the rest of my day which as of last night has promised to not be what I had planned for my Friday. Should have known last night when The Hubby wanted me to go look at some property he might want us to purchase, after lunch, the time I was going to drive to the cabin. See, messes up my day. Oh well, gotta roll with it.

Massage Day

Finally, today after a few months of cancelled appointments I am going for my massage and facial. I like to have them every few months or so but that stupid staff infection I couldn't go. I am so ready for it. I actually worked out this morning with my Jazzercise friends after another week off. It is so very bittersweet though as this is my last week to have this time with my friends. It was sad this morning though because there were only 6 in attendance. I can so see the demise of the group and it just breaks my heart. I have been sharing my early mornings, coffee and sweat for over 10 years with these women. We have become bonded as friends, true friends and I am leaving it behind. Don't get me wrong I will see them when we have coffee once in awhile or a girls night out or the weekend the "Hanging of the Bras" but it is just not the same. These ladies have given me such comfort and companionship in some of my darkest days. When my dear Gail died they were there to wipe my tears. When I started really losing weight the kudos and compliments I received just encouraged me on and on. When Momma died four of the ladies showed up at Mommas funeral even though they had never met her, they were there for me. Now that connection will be pulled to a thin thread that can be severed very easily if we don't keep it strong. That is a hard task as I've had several groups go by the way-side like this and they have failed. Hopefully we are close enough that this won't happen. As I drive to south Tulsa one last time on Friday I think I may be crying, yes I know I will. I will be very sad all day long and it might be worse on Monday morning when I don't have to get up. I think if the weather is good I'll walk, maybe!

Yesterday I picked up a current copy of the Oklahoma Magazine and as I turned the pages I was caught by the article about the to 75 blogs/websites in Oklahoma. Several I read on a regular basis so I tweeted and left comments on a few to let them know they were included. Alas, I was not one of them. Maybe next year. Congrats to all for the nod. Happy Tuesday All!

Good Morning, Let's Rant and Rave!

Good morning to the one or two who read this blog. It is Thursday morning about 7:57 a.m. and I'm at home. I did not work out today, again. I have again been fighting that damned MRSA virus. It appeared this time in my arm pits. Yeah, I know it is gross but hey, such is the truth. It is not as bad as last time but I can hardly put my arms down, ouch, sting. I am again on another antibiotic and hopefully when I really need an antibiotic when I'm old it will work for me. I'm so very tired of having this crap going on. It is messing with my workout schedule, even though it is about to change anyway. I have written on my impending departure from Jazzercise, a five days a week commitment I have had in my life for over ten years. I may find another place to Jazz but that will be later. I will continue my personal trainer but all of this is a mute point if I don't get better. Right now sweating is not an option for my arms, OUCH! I am a Gemini so I do like to shake things up but there are some areas in my life I am pretty set in and don't like change. This hiccup in my life schedule has me a little upset. It just messes with me.

Today is another day off day and I'm not too sure what I want to do. Here I have wanted to have some days off and now that I have them I'm at a loss. I don't really have a friend I could call for lunch, tried that. The ones I could call work and can't seem to get off for lunch. I could go shopping, that is always an option, but just not in the mood to spend money. I could see a movie, but I will save that for Sunday as The Hubby is going out of town Sunday & Monday. I could clean out a closet, uh NO. I could read all day, but that is saved for the cabin. Crap, what do I do. I can't watch soap operas all day, which is what I did on Tuesday. I would love to go for a walk and light jog on this brisk day but alas, no sweating.

Here's a the Rant & Rave...I was reading on another blog about the flu shot and vaccinations. I fully endorse getting the flu shot and all vaccinations. I have a friend who chose not to have her children inoculated and let me tell you, from one who has had all of those nasty illness such as mumps, measles (2 kinds), and chicken pox (I have scars), it is not fun. My goodness, why put your child through that crap when you can prevent it. My girls had the chicken pox and a couple of years later they had the vaccine. The poor girls have scars on their faces like I do. They are not bad but you know they are there. Miserable, that is all I can say, miserable. The flu shot I get because I have a genetic weakness in my lungs as do my brother and sister. My family history is lung cancer, emphysema, and asthma. I also get a pneumonia shot. I've had pneumonia four times in my life. Everyone in my family gets a flu shot and they did it mainly to be around my mother when she was alive. She had emphysema and asthma, her father had cancer, emphysema and asthma, his mother (who never smoked) had emphysema. So you see I have reasons for my decisions. You may have reasons for not getting it but that is my stand. I'm just stating my belief.

"Weighty" Decision

I have made a "weighty" decision. Last night I told The Hubby that I was going to quit going to Jazzercise, at least to the one I attend. Two years ago we lived less than five minutes away from the center I went to so it was not a big deal but now that we have moved it is a 20 minute drive one way. Still that is not a big deal but now that the owner has changed the class times to 5:30 a.m. it means I have to get up a lot earlier. I'm a class manager. A class manager opens the doors, puts the coffee on (hello, it is 5:30 am), turns the computer and lights on, and is responsible for checking people in and/or selling passes. I have a lot of responsibilities for that early in the morning and only get free Jazzercise. It is not enough pay to remember all the owner wants us to know about selling passes, tromping down trash, vacuuming carpet gunk and just stuff. That really is beside the point. Because I have to be there so early and the drive is long I have to get up between 4:30 and 5 just to be here in time to do all that stuff and then workout. I'm tired. I am so sad about this decision but it just has to be made. I can attend another center that is closer and I will check it out but I can also get cardio at my personal trainer place too, so that is still an option. My sadness is that I will not be with my friends everyday and lets face it I'm down some friends. My heart is breaking by this decision. We hopefully will still get together for coffee, drinks or dinner and the once a year girls weekend, Hanging of the Bras. This tradition of working out 5 days a week with my friends has been a part of my life for over 10 years, how do you give that up. Things have been changing around here anyway so I see it as just part of the change. There are a lot of the ladies that are pissed off at the owner anyway by all her changes so the attendance is dwindling anyway, maybe she will get the hint, but I doubt it. There will be a lot more "leaving" when she implements the rest of her plan but she just doesn't see it. Maybe I'll try yoga!

Back in the swing!

This morning is the first day back to Jazzercise. They have changed the class time to 5:30 am and that is okay with me. It means I'll be done 15 minutes earlier. I am so ready to get back into the swing of things with my workouts and weight loss. Since I've been sick I feel just stagnant with it all but TODAY it is back to normal. I've finished workout and them home to my usual breakfast:

6:20 am

It is 6:20 a.m. and I'm at Jazzercise WATCHING the girls workout. I have been back to workout for exactly 6 days and now because of my infection and now I'm back to watching again. I got up this morning and felt the infection back again. I can not believe it. I hate this. It messes me up on my working out, more mentally than anything 'cause it is all I can think about. Now I have to call my personal trainer in about an hour and tell him I won't be there AGAIN! I want to be well so I can continue my weightloss and exercise plans. My mind is just a jumble of mush of worry and exhaustion from worry. AND to top off all this I have to tell The Hubby again that the fun bed stuff is on hold again because that is the region of infection. OH MY GOD! WHY ME for this junk. Man, I'm a little nauseous right now. LATTTERRRR!!!!!

Just Words

I haven't posted since Monday but feels like an eternity. I used to write in a journal and still do on the weekends but I have carpel tunnel in my right hand and hand writing sometimes is difficult, besides my fingers type faster than my handwriting and I have to keep up with the thoughts that pour out of my brain.

Last night we went to a banquet for the apprentice electricians that we send employees too for class training. Electricians have a four year apprenticeship, on the field and if they/you want there are schools for them also. After a four year apprenticeship in the field they are eligible to take a journeyman test which is very, very hard, you need the classroom to pass. There are a lot of calculations and code that you have to know to pass and be a GOOD electrician. Let's face it you don't want some "JoeBob" doing your electrical, it is very risky and dangerous. The National Electrical Code Book is about 2-1/2" thick with code that has to be followed and here in Tulsa it is very tough if you want anything inspected as a contractor so you had better follow the code. Anyway, back to the banquet. We only have one student in the school this year as nearly all of our employees are journeymen and the one student is our new son-in-law. He is a first year apprentice and last night was 1st year student of the year. B was so excited because we knew but he didn't and boy was he surprised. He actually hates that kind of stuff but too bad because we were very proud of him and besides he got free tools and a plaque.

I'm sitting here at Jazzercise this morning at 5:45 am not working out. I've been banned from working out at least until Friday (2 weeks now) by my doctor until I get healed and it is killing me. I go to see him tomorrow and hope he will give me the green light. I had been sleeping in since I can't work out but my partner Katy and I open the center every morning, turn the computer on and make the coffee, turn the A/C on, unlock doors,d sell passes, check people in, etc. Katy has been doing it by herself and truly it is a very easy but she gets all bumfuzzled if any hitches or kinks come up in the computer or the coffee is not made or whatever. DON'T SWEAT IT I told her. Really it is no big deal. Well, she emailed me yesterday after I slept in and complained so here I am and she is sleeping in . I'm a good person!

Weight and training update

I have been working very hard on my weight loss. I am not doing the walking thing during the week but I do it on Saturday's and that is about 2.5 to 3.5 miles of walking and/or jogging. I'm still the avid Jazzerciser and still with the personal trainer and I have made some significant progress. I started out in January and as of today I have lost 22 pounds. Since April 17 I have lost 6 inches, four of those inches in my chest, waist and hips. I was bench pressing 66 pounds and today I did 81 pounds. I also was able to do 15 girl push ups on 4-17 and today I did 30. My resting heart rate had a 40% improvement as well. My body fat has gone down 7% and my lean body weight is 1% higher. So since April 17, the day I started the personal trainer I've lost 4.2 pounds and that doesn't count the weight I did on my own. I'm so very excited and Tuesday I went clothes shopping and am wearing some 16's, larges and I feel sexy and beautiful again. Some of the things I have noticed are my dimples are showing again. It's the small things that make you really sit up and take notice. I have dimples...

I'm a good Daughter-in-Law

I have had an extremely busy day today. First was Jazzercise as usual then home for breakfast then back to my personal trainer. (Man am I sore.) In between Jazz and PT I made a list of the stuff I needed to do today.

• Call the Mother-in-Law
• Wash car
• Lunch with B
• Grocery store
• Box store
• Buy photo album for the multitude of wedding pictures
• Help Mother-in-Law pack some boxes

Well I achieved all but one of these things plus I cooked dinner and helped my MIL out big time. She is getting ready to move into a retirement facility and is really dragging her feet. I bought boxes today and took some of them over there to help. She had not even attempted to empty the china cabinet and I tackled it today and it is completely empty with half the stuff at my house. I have my grandmothers Desert Rose dishes and the MIL had another set so guess who adds to her set, ME. She had tons, and I mean tons of Christmas mugs that she was having the hardest time parting with so I told her to pack them and take them to the apartment and decide later if she had room to keep them. She was almost in tears trying to make the decision. She so loves to entertain and Christmas is one of her favorites but there is just not room for them but this appeased her for now. She is supposed to be moving in less than two weeks and she still has pictures adorning the walls and bedding in the hall closet. I asked her about the bedding, why she had not packed it yet but she couldn't really tell me. I then asked her about all the millions of pictures on the walls. She was kind of wishy-washy about them saying, "Well, uh, well." I took her arm and looked in her eyes and told her I knew why they were still hanging and told her the reason they were still there was because if they were gone then that would mean that it was not home anymore and she was just not ready for it yet, but, she is on a deadline and there is not turning back now. She took my hand, smiled and giggled but admitted that was probably true. This has been very difficult for her but I'm going to help her through it. She trusts me and values my opinion and I truly love her and want the best for her. I'm a good daughter-in-law and she is a wonderful Mother-in-Law.

My life with Lean Cuisine's

My life has become an everyday lunch with a Lean Cuisine. Ever since I really tried to kick the fat habit I've been living in the Lean Cuisine world. In January it started with the era of Slim-Fast. I was doing Slim-Fast for breakfast and lunch then a low-fat, low-calorie dinner. That was to push me into a size 16 for the wedding (March 29), and it worked. Now I have started with a personal trainer 3 days a week along with my Jazzercise 5 days a week, and the walking/jogging which I have pushed to the weekends. I am now back to the oatmeal with raisins and nuts for breakfast and lunch of Lean Cuisine. Dinner is whatever I want really. My favorite Lean Cuisine's are:

Sante-Fe Style Rice & Beans






Vegetable Eggroll

Fiesta Grilled Chicken
and my FAVORITE----- is Sesame Chicken

It's very sad when I see a Lean Cuisine box and I begin to drool but it has become that as I continue my way down the fat scale. Yesterday I weighed myself (I'm not supposed to) and I was down another 2 pounds...so my total is 20 pounds lost and lots and lots of inches. Wade worked my arms so hard this morning that when I had to go down to the floor for crunches and stretching my arms gave out and I fell. They were like wet noodles. They're fine now but I bet by morning I'll be sore again, maybe not though as we did arms yesterday and I wasn't sore but had the same kind of wet noodle thing going on. This has been hard yet easy for me. I know The Hubby has been ready for me to get it off especially since Gail died. He's been so terrified that I would keel over like her but I have worked out for over 10 years now and I have good eating habits and I don't have high blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. I'm basically in very good health, but I had to be ready to do the weight loss thing when I was ready, NOT for him. I had to do it for ME. I knew I would when I was ready for the new era of ME. My problem right now is being lonesome. I fight going to the pantry or refrigerator to take away the lonesomeness and boredom I am finding in my life right now. I miss my friend(s). I miss my mother. I miss the groups (women) I was associated with that have folded. I miss Girl Power so to speak. Boy, this blog has really gone South in where I intended to make it rather lighthearted.

A Beautiful Saturday Morning

We finally got to sleep in today and woke up to the sun streaming into the bedroom. Now I'm sitting in my chair in my "own" room and squinting as the sun filters through the birch leaves. We are in town this weekend and I'm already missing the lake. We have our 4 year old nephew's birthday party today complete with a Jupiter Jump. I'm not sure I'm ready for that but we'll see. Then right after that is a couples bridal shower we are co-hosting with two other couples for a friends son. It should be fun as I have had to do NOTHING to plan this thing. The other two ladies have a caterer all set up and all I have to do is write a check. My kind of party.

OH MY GOD!!! The Hubby is getting on my last nerve today. When he is rushed he is a pain in the ass. First of all his hearing is SHOT so when I am telling him something he repeats back what he thinks he has heard which is not at all what I said then he gets mad. Yesterday he told me that he was going to have to run up to the lake for a safety meeting and then back for all the weekends festivities here in town. I told him that he needed to take this thing to my friend Harri and she would give him $25 that I paid for it that she asked me to do. It is for another friend there. I told him this last night. He totally did not listen to what I told him and this morning I'm glad I clarified that whole situation because he had it ALL wrong. What a mess, then he told me I DIDN'T tell him that and I specifically did. I told him that it was Friday night and he already had a cocktail down his throat and that was why he didn't remember what I said. Unfortunately, MOST of the time he has an iron clad memory which sucks for me but I KNOW what I said last night because I stood by him and he looked me in the eye as I told him of his mission today. ARGHHHHHH!!!!!

On top of the weekend in town we are granddog sitting for Mondo. I really don't mind too much but I don't have an animal for a reason, I don't want to get up let him out, feed him, worry about him, get up in the middle of the night to let him out or listen to him smack his lips and or lick in the middle of the night KEEPING ME UP!

I have a very important test on Tuesday and it all begins on Monday. I workout at Jazzercise and the personal trainer and then go home to shower and then begin the yucky drink stuff. Yes, I'm having a colonoscopy on Tuesday so I will not be moving very far from the little girls room on Monday. I am nearly 52 years old and my doctor finally got around to the referral to have this procedure done. It's not that I'm looking forward to it but I know it needs to be done so bottom's up...uh...that was bad.

My New Wheels

Well, after the window was broken we knew that it would be Wednesday before my car could possibly be fixed and with rain in the forecast off and on I get to drive a special car. The Hubby's prized 1971 El Camino that was his step-dad's. Oh joy, what fun...I am kidding you know. Actually it drives pretty nice except it is deteriating inside pretty bad, makes me sneeze every time I get into it. Oh well, at least I have wheels.

I walked my little tooshie off last night. The walking program set a walk for 3.63 miles between St. Francis Hospital and Lauraette which is full of hills. Oh my goodness my feet and legs are killing me. It doesn't help that I was pretty abused at my personal trainer on my quads in particular and Jazzercise in the morning and bowling 3 games in a hour the hour before the walk (we were making up last weeks). I was so sore I could hardly walk in the house last night. It's not as bad today. Today we worked the upper body so I expect that tomorrow I won't be able to lift a cup of coffee to my lips. It's all good. You know when you wash your jeans and they get tight and they loosen up after you wear them a few days, well, my size 16 jeans were in the dryer yesterday and I took them out, slid them over my very sore legs and buttoned and zipped and lo and behold they are still loose. YEEEEEAAAAAA! I'm on my way to a size 14. I'm so very excited.

Sore this morning

Wow, I'm pretty sore this morning after my personal trainer episode. I go again this morning and then not until Monday.

So here is my workout schedule:

Monday - Friday 5:45 am * Jazzercise (cardio)
Monday, Friday, Saturday 6pm * walking (2.5-3 miles each time)
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 8am * personal trainer
Wednesday 4:30 pm * bowling

Think I've bit off more than I can handle? Probably so but I'm pretty excited to finally get this weight to moving and it seems to be doing it. The Hubby is so excited and really behind it but I have to be careful that he's not too happy because he needs to know I'm not doing this for him it is totally for ME. This is the era for Jill. I'm going to be very self-centered for awhile to take care of myself.