A Request from Budapest and more stuff

I got an email at about noon our time which would be about 7pm in Budapest from B. She informed me that her school/intern stuff was finished and she really wanted to come home early. She is staying until Sunday because that is what her instructor advised them to do and guess what she and another girl are the only ones left there. She really is homesick for us and especially for her guy, she is a newlywed you know. She wanted me to see if I could get her home earlier. I called the airline and to change her ticket would $544. I said NO. She would just have to tough it out. Usually my travel-loving daughter would have no problem being there but this new husband, I believe, has changed her perspective on travel. She is so missing him and her home. I feel bad for her but her father was standing right by me when I found out how much to come home early and he was, "absolutely not, she can stay till Sunday." I would have done it if he wasn't aware of the cost.

Tonight is my last bowling league night till fall and I'm torn about whether I want to do it again. I REALLY love the game and my average is about 145 but I am not happy about one of my teammates. She is the treasurer and knows her stuff, sort of, but half the time she doesn't even make it to bowl. She also is in charge of lot of the business end of paying for our lanes and getting the score sheets, etc., which means we have to chase her down to come bowl her turn. That makes us sitting around waiting for her and late getting done. I'll just have to play it by ear and how I feel in the fall. Hey, I think we might be in third place so far so that's pretty cool.

I also got a call from Roger, who I went to high school with. He and I are in charge with putting the reunions together. We have one every 5 years and so next year will be time for our 35th reunion....OH MY GOD! That sounds awful. I AM NOT THAT OLD, am I? Well, we will get together and start putting together a team of helpers and updating the old addresses. For 10 years of that time I was doing a newsletter twice a year but I got burned out on it when I was trying to raise the girls, going to school, volunteering and a little work in the middle of it all. I know everyone loved it but I really had lost my interest. That is my problem. I do things and after awhile I can loose my desire or passion and drive to continue or finish. I got tired of being the only one putting it together (info and mailing). I was also a little gun-shy when I first started out doing it because I got a phone call from one of our girl classmates that rattled my cage. She married a guy from the grade ahead of us and he is kind of a big deal on the radio around here. He was going to have some comedy records out and it was in the PAPER about all of it. I put a blurb in the newsletter about it in the section about other classes. She called me at my office and reamed me out about putting it in the newsletter because they didn't need the attention in their lives (because he was so famous I guess) and how dare I mention someone not in our class, blah, blah, blah. I was very kind to her but I was so shaken that I almost quit doing it. Now, I think I've developed a thicker skin and am more assertive, especially with "fellow" classmates that I would tell her to "bite me". You have to understand that I was NEVER a joiner or popular kind of person in high school, in fact, if you read the definition of wallflower in the dictionary, you will find a picture of me. I was painfully introverted, at least I thought I was and so for me to do anything like this for the class is totally out of character for me, at least the person I was 35 years ago. You truly do grow in every sense of the word after high school. I have changed SO very much from the person I was, and I like me.

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.

Budapest update

Just remember it is a European keyboard:


"cna't remember what all i included last time but here's another update!

we've been ALL over budapest now and are semi pros at the underground and trams. my feet hurt like holy hell though! today we trained an hour outside of town to a small village that was reconstructed to mimick the old time hungarian villages...it was pretty cool but was a VERY long hike up a very steep hill! yesterday our hightlight was visiting the palinka festival. palinka is a native hungarian liquor (like tequila to mexico) that i believe is likened to a fruity brandy??? it was a small festival (i thought itwould have been larger) but it was still really cool. we got little palinka glasses jus tfor going (let's cross our fingers i don't break mine on the way home!!) and a free sampling glass of whatever flavor we fancied. i let my palinka traveling buddies have mine as the smell was TOO strong for me and i don't fare well with strong liquors! the locals were swigging it like pros though! :) the day before, our highlight was visitng the traditional turkish baths here which was quite the experience. we went to the gellert hotel which was absolutely breathaking and spent 2 hours in the theraputic hot spring waters there. we also were exposed to LOTS of the spoken about european nudity though which was quite the shocker for many of our first time european travelers! it was a really really good time though. and the baths felt amazing.

tomorrow we start back to interning for two days and then three days to do as we please...i plan to work on my five million papers i have due for this course on our free days at some cafes around here! sunday i will be heading home and am so excited to come back to you all! it's been quite teh experience living with 5 other people for 10 days! i'm so used to having my own way and sleeping in if i want and things like that! anywho...

miss you all and love you all dearly!

p.s. mimi - i DID get your email yesterday and love the pictures!

take care and see yousoon!
love,
b"

Busy Monday

It is a busy Monday for me. Of course there was the usual Jazzercise, then home for a quick breakfast then on to the personal trainer, Wade. Home again I showered then rushed out of the house to the office. The Hubby told me that Saturday there were several large checks in the mail so I knew I needed to make a deposit and then slog through the mounds of bills I didn't get around to paying on Friday. On top of the stack of mail and bills were invoices that The Hubby finally finished so I could type. So I've been very, very busy this morning. I actually entered, printed and signed 38 checks, stuffed the envelopes and then ran them through the postage meter. I had forgotten that the postage went up to $.42 so I spent $15.96 mailing the bills and another $3.36 on the invoicing. Wow. That is done and I have writers cramp in my hand from signing all the checks. I also managed to order a new desk computer because this one is absolutely possessed. Sometimes it will take me 2 hours to open up my QuickbooksPro accounting program, and that can be very scary if you have forgotten to back it up. Now it is 3pm and I can finally add an entry onto the blog.

Yesterday I had one of the brother-in-laws and the mother-in-law over for dinner. They didn't come till after 5 so it was a lazy day most of it. I spent the time in my new hammock and even fell asleep, sunburning the inside of my thighs. I also took a little spill onto a cobblestone patio when I shifted. The Hubby was sitting in a chair watching and the next thing I knew I was looking at rock and wondering what had happened. I scraped my pinkie knuckle pretty good but didn't even notice for 15 minutes when it started stinging and I felt blood trickle. OUCH! The dinner went nicely and I was very laid back in the food area. The Hubby smoked ribs all day and boy were they tender and tasty. I oven roasted on one cookie sheet: asparagus, red onion, yellow squash and red pepper with a little olive oil and jalapeno salt. The other cookie sheet had cubed sweet potatoes tossed in olive oil, Splenda (not much) and more jalapeno salt. Those were so very yummy, caramelized a little and with a little heat. We also had a huge tossed salad and for dessert there was a berry mixture of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries on top of store bought angel food cake and a dollop of Cool Whip. ...excuse me while I clean up the drool, I'm hungry right now. I even heard from my girls, A from California and B from Budapest. They sound good. I decided yesterday not to be sad about not having my Momma or my girls around me for Mother's Day but instead rejoiced that Gloria was there to celebrate and I emailed my girls and told them that I was glad they were not there as they were where they should be, living their dreams. That they need not be sad but enjoy life, their lives. It think it helped me and them to get through the day.

Oh my goodness the traffic outside of the office is driving me crazy. We are one block off of Utica and the railroad tracks that run across it are being redone so they are re-routing the traffic right in front of our offices. The grinding gears of semi's and boom boxes blaring and rattling the walls is horrible. Apparantly they are actually messing with the railroad tracks but the road around it because at lunch I heard the train horn and was concerned there was going to be a derailment but alas it was fine but the backup in front of the office was awful. I'm glad I didn't have to leave during all of that but tonight might me another story just trying to get home.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day...

I miss you Momma...."Love ya baby"

Oh "Hail"

Last night we realized when we got home that there was a board meeting at the lake so we decided at the very last minute to drive up there after dinner, spend the night and then come back Saturday afternoon. We hopped into my cute little red Miata and drove with the top down as the evening was delightful. This morning it was a little cloudy and the weather forecast was later in the afternoon and the severe stuff might likely be in the southern part of the viewing area. Well, the neighbors are adding a deck so they are working hard and so Harri and I decided to go to town and get burgers for the working guys. We jumped into her Lexus and flew into town and on the way back we were commenting on the dark clouds we were driving towards. I should have been very worried and you know when we left I had the thought to leave my key, but I didn't. We were driving on the curvy country road when all of a sudden HAIL, HAIL, HAIL. It was a little hail but torrential sheets of hail. There was every size from pea to golf ball. We had to pull over under some big trees because the windshield would surely be broken if we continued to drive into it. As we were sitting under the tree we saw a poor horse standing under a tree next to the fence being pelted by the hail. It was so sad. I was almost in tears because I knew my little red car was sitting out in the open being most assurredly damaged by the hail. Finally, the hail began to lessen and we booked it on the road back to the cabin. I knew The Hubby was going to be pissed that I didn't leave the key but you just never know. Next time and from now on. We pulled up and the three guys were just staring at us and The Hubby had a horrible look on his face. I knew he was in the ozone with anger. Thankfully he was able to cover the car with light tarps and some carpet squares. We uncovered it and he said it was coming down so hard a fast that he was not able to be quick enough to protect all of it and sure enough there are dents all over my car. I'm just devasted. I think someone or something, karma, is telling me not to drive the thing to the cabin anymore or at least put it in the garage. Yes we have a garage there that it fits into but, well, unless you LEAVE THE KEY, it won't happen. Dammit!

Tomorrow is Mother's Day and we are going to have the mother-in-law, brother-in-law, and B22 over for smoked ribs, my special oven roasted sweet potatos, asparagus and salad. Most of the day I will lay in the hammock, do a little laundry and read. Maybe I'll do the laundry today so I won't have to do anything but cook tomorrow. The Hubby cleans up after dinner so I don't mind. I will miss my girls but they will call or email.

What a beautiful Friday

Here it is Friday and no rain...so far...I have been driving around town with the top down today. Quick notice about the traveling girl. I will update often while she is in Budapest with email snippets from her. So here is another one I just received (keep in mind from the typing problems that it is a European keyboard and they are very difficult to type on):

"I got my luggage and nothing is missing!! Hooray!!!

today we took a train for an hour out o the coutryside to visit a catholic university and sit in on a methodology class which was very interesting. the campus was absolutely beautiful and i took lots o fpics of it. we are all still messed up sleep wise but am feeling better. it's still really strange ot have to wait on a bunch of other people to this and that ubt i just have to remind myself that this is temporary...

A, in response to your question, my phone does work but it's pricey for me to use. since i've got internet in the apt, this is the best way to communicate...

got to run, we have to do an interview of an efl student now....the work never stops! love you all and look forward to hearing from you some more.

B"

She's There

From B:

"i have made it and am exhausted. the flight was ok except that i had five freaking minutes to make my connection so i had to run like the wind...unfortunately, my bag can't run so it's still somewhere in ny which sucks. now i have to go out and find nice clothes to wear for my first internship day tomorrow. great. oh, our flight was FULL of hasidic jews like eighty percent of it. they talked and walked the entire flight which didnt allow for any of us to sleep at all.

good news is the apt is pretty nice...for a hostel apt...and has the internet in the room so please do email back! i'm exhausted and am super super drained in every aspect.

am already missing you all tremendously. day 10 is almost over...9 more to go....

love you all more than you know!!!!!!!!!
b"

Flying update

She arrived in Chicago on time and was awaiting her connecting flight to NY (two hour wait) and was then told that her American Airlines plane was grounded. She called and was almost in tears because she was meeting up with her teacher and other students to fly together to Budapest. B was almost in tears as she was trying to tell me all about it but then suddenly she said she would call back. I was left wondering when the phone rang again and she said they found another plane but that it would arrive in NY allowing only 20 minutes to haul-ass to her connecting gate/flight and the other companions. So I was left waiting to hear if she had made it. I called the new hubby and he let me know that she did make it but is not sure her bag will follow. I will know more tomorrow.

Flying Out

9:10am B flew out to Chicago then to New York then on to Budapest. She is on her 10 excursion for school. I am worried about her for many reasons. First she is flying alone to Chicago and New York and will meet up with her instructor and fellow students in New York. Second is that she is terrified of rain and storms and flying is not her favorite sport either, so put the two together I know she is white-knuckling it. The way she can overcome these fears is that she absolutely LOVES to travel, especially outside the country. She is driven in that way. Both of my girls have been to Germany, France, England, Austria but B has also been to India. I'm not comfortable traveling but will do it if I really have too. I also know it is hard for her to leave B2. They are newlyweds you know and really have not been apart since they met. She will be fine and I await for her call when she arrives in NY and meets up with her people.

Yesterday would have been Momma and Daddy's 53rd wedding anniversary. Sis and I decided we would take him out for dinner (Bro couldn't make it). We took him to a place in BA called Belini's...YUM. We had a fillet and lobster...YUM. I think he had a really good time. We laughed and talked a bit. It's good for him. He's still having a little trouble being alone yet again he seems to be doing fine. He gets lonely. This weekend will be tough on me too as Mom is gone and both of my girls will not be here for Momma's Day. I'm actually feeling pretty sad about that, very sad.

I actually have to work.

Today, and for the next 20 days or so I actually have to be in the office everyday. I am already spoiled with B working here but she leaves on Wednesday for Budapest. Yes, I said Budapest. She is going there to observe an EFL class (English as a Foreign Language). It is an intern class for her masters in ESL (English as a Second Language). She is so very excited but sad to leave the new hubby home. They just couldn't afford for him to go too. The other problems is no passport for him and he would have to sit in his hotel room in a foreign country, as he has never been out of the country, while she was in class all day. So maybe next time he can go. This girl LOVES to travel but she is also extremely nervous when she does.

I am so, so, SO sore this morning. This weekend I cleaned and scrubbed the screened porch at the cabin which entailed the removal of all the furniture, then I walked and lightly jogged 3.32 miles on Saturday and 2.49 miles on Sunday. Today was upper body stuff at the Personal Trainer - Wade and I am having a hard time even typing this entry. My GOD my arms are limp noodles hanging off my shoulders. The bad thing is that I'm supposed to do a make-up bowling thing this afternoon. That means another 3 games fast and hot in about an hour. I'm supposed to walk with the walking group but I DON'T THINK SO. I certainly don't want to do overkill to my body or I won't want to continue. Tomorrow are the legs! I do it Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and each time we also do 100 crunches. My body had better start dropping more weight and inches SOON!

A New Addition

Check out the new addition to the family. His name is Neo and he already trills.

A Weekend Away

I was able to get away yesterday (Friday) with my top down on the little red Miata to escape to the cabin. What a wonderful drive I had and when I arrived I was able to see the beauty of the area and our yard. I came up her on Wednesday and make the flowerbed I've been wanting to around the dead stump of a tree out front. I hoisted that top soil and planted the clematis plants and it looked beautiful. I came ready to enjoy the weekend reading books, magazines, walking, and lounging in the hammock. The only downside of the place in the woods is the terrible pollen from all the wonderful trees. A few weeks ago I spent 2 hours cleaning off the screened porch and so when I arrived yesterday and saw the nasty porch again I was let down and knew what I had to do.The floor was absolutely yellowish-green from all the pollen. So I began the process of moving all the furniture out and sweeping and sneezing and hosing it out.


After all the pollen dust had been swept and washed off I was ready for my reward which was an afternoon in the hammock.

As I lay reading some of my magazines I dozed off and was awakened by a light thumping on the hammock. I opened my eyes and there was a tiny goldfinch on the strings of the hammock pecking at them and hopping up and down which was making the disturbance on the hammock. He would peck and then look at me to see if I was a threat. He soon flew off into the trees. Very cool.

And now I sit at the neighbors outside table and pirate the other neighbors Internet and enjoy the beauty of the day. The air is cool but the sun is warm. The trees are filled with the wonderous songs of all kinds of birds. The neighbor of who I am pirating his Internet connection just came over here and brought me a beautiful stalk of white iris that is from his yard. I told him I was using his connection and he said, "I know what you are doing. I thought a lady deserved to have flowers." He is a very sweet man and dear friend. I love this place and the people.

My poor trees

Several months ago we received a letter from AEP/PSO telling us that their "tree trimmers" would be in our neighborhood to trim up the trees, some more, from the ice storm. This morning after I got back from the personal trainer they were on my street. I'm afraid of what I might find when I get home tonight. My poor oak tree has been hit so very hard from the ice storm that I don't know if it can take anymore and I'm going to have no shade in my west facing backyard.
At the same time the tree guys were there, here comes the trash truck. It was a busy street at 9 in the morning.

Last night I insisted that we start using the alarm system at night. The neighbor on the street behind us had their pickup stolen out of their driveway on Wednesday night and just a few miles away was the couple who were tied up and robbed in their house. Just a little scary.

Why can't I remember

Last night since I was ravenously hungry we went to my favorite restaurant, In The Raw. We split an ITR salad and then had the Taz sushi combo and a Dunwell roll (my favorite) on top. YUMMMMMMMYYYYY!!! I was so very satisfied.

This morning I hit the ground running. I was up as usual for Jazzercise and then rushed home to shower, eat and fly to the office to catch up from being going for a couple of days. B had done a lot of cleaning off the desk and filing tons of piles of stuff I had just given up on. It was nice to see a clean desk. I had a lot stuff to do today and one of them was to take the truck from the shop, buy tons of top soil and drive to the cabin. I had purchased 8 different clematis plants to plant at the cabin almost 2 weeks ago and they NEEDED to put in the ground. I knew I would never get 400 pounds of top soil to the cabin in my little car so today I loaded up and off I went in the middle of the day. I was successful to get the flowerbed planted but neglected to take a camera. I can't seem to remember to put the damn thing in my purse to capture those special moments. I'll try to remember to take a picture this weekend as I will get to go up there and relax.

I also ordered a new hammock for the house in town and was enjoying a relaxing moment in it tonight until the wind nearly blew me out of it. I took it down but, again, forgot to snap a pic of the pretty thing. My mind just doesn't think of those things which is why there are less pics of the kids than there should be. I'm bad at that kind of thing.

Right now it is 7:15 and I'm still waiting for The Hubby to come home from his mother's so we can cook dinner. I will have to explain all about what is going on there in another blog. Things have certainly changed there. Later all...

Done

First I have to preface this log to say that there may errors in typing but that I because the valium and morphine is still in my system and affecting things.

It is done. I have done my duty and had the colonoscopy. I probably won't have to have it done again for 10 years. It came out fine, no polyps, nothing but a little hemmeroid. YEAH. The actual test was a breeze but the leading up to it sucked. That crap you drink, and there is a lot of it, and the living in the bathroom for hours on end and the fasting SUCKS big time. But, I'm done and glad of it. On the way home I went completely off of my eating and had a burger street burger with curly fries and they never tasted better. Now I'm off to my nice comfortable to sleep the grogeness away. Toddles all and when you turn 50 it is your turn and don't be afraid to do it you MUST have it done.

It has started

First was no food after midnight. Then I attempted to work out with the personal trainer, whew, not a good idea with no food/fuel. Then it was home to await for noon and:
This is the first step in my colonoscopy tomorrow. It didn't taste too bad but I have acid reflux pretty bad and here it is 4pm and I'm still tasting that nasty stuff. ICK! Since about 1pm I have making the "runs" to the little girls room and now I wait for:
This is the last step in my journey to the unknown. Nice label don't you think. I have to drink it twice at 6pm then 9pm at 8oz each 15 minutes apart. The only food I'm allowed is ginger ale, coke, water, tea

and Jello and chicken broth. Yummy.

One of several posts today

6am: Today will be a very long day. I was up at 5am to drive to Jazzercise and open up and once here decided that it would not be wise to workout because I'm fasting today. I will go to the personal trainer but will INSIST that they take it easy and may leave early. I'm afraid because I get so very, very hungry after workout that I won't be able to handle the shakiness that I get. It will be Jello or chicken broth for me today. It's playing a mind game on me this morning. I'm thinking about food, food, food. I don't know what is wrong with me with this. It is very weird. It's like I'm never going to eat again and my mind is playing strange tricks on me. I will stay at Jazz until it is time to go, blog and play solitaire as the paper was not in the drive this morning. I will go home, have some Jello, read the paper and then go to the personal trainer and then go home to wait for the clock to tick to noon. Noon...that is the time to drink the laxative!!! EGADS...I'm very afraid. Then will be the run to the bathroom, all day long. 6pm rolls around and then I begin some stuff called "MoviPrep", that name along explains a lot. EGADS...

Ever since I got my new laptop I have had to redo my ITunes. I had put tons of my CD's in it but lost it all. My IPOD was loaded with tons of stuff but I wasn't able to add more and was afraid to hook it up so I began all over again. Yesterday I finally had enough of my many, many CD's uploaded that I could hook-up my IPOD. There were 4000 songs on my ITunes and so I plugged the IPOD and clicked to erase and reado!!! It worked and now I even have a couple of books that I enjoy listening to when I walk. I'm still adding CD's as I have many, many, many CD's, I LOVE music. I feel better that I have accomplished a project. I still have like 8GB on my IPOD to fill up.

Saturday in Town

We stayed in town this weekend for various reasons. Yesterday was a most beautiful day and I spent it doing lots of stuff. First, B came over to bring the granddog for us to watch while they were gone overnight.While he ran around in the backyard I pulled the little red Miata out to give it a good scrub. It was filthy with dirt and bird poop. I also discovered three slight dents on the passenger side door like another car door had dinged it and then there was what looked like white overspray on the front of the car, little white paint specks. I can't seem to win with this poor little car. I finally got the crap washed off and then readied myself for the rest of the day.

The next event of the day was a birthday party for the great nephew's 4th birthday. It was complete with a Jupiter Jump, pinata, Tommy the Train birthday cake and lots of screaming little kids. The Hubby was late for the event but made it for the cake cutting. We then rushed home to let the overnight guest out and feed him dinner. I was concerned because he kept crying and didn't eat his treat that I left him. When I put him in the garage to leave he DID NOT want to go in there. I had to pick him up and drag him in there so I was really worried about his crying.

We then took off for the 2nd event of the day, a couples bridal shower Mexican fiesta at the church which we were co-hosts. The Hubby was so very confused by it being a couples shower and really didn't want to go. He just kept shaking his head and didn't understand the rules of the event. I told him to just go and trust me. In the end he had a great time. We co-hosts got off pretty clean too as the caterer that we hired messed up the order and didn't bring the chaffing dishes or enough chips and so comped the whole meal, so no charge! Nice.

The day done we came home to again let the wuppy-dog out. This time he was limping really bad and kept holding his paw up. Oh my goodness, I've damaged the dog. I was worried that B would never let me keep him again (not a bad thing) and might equate this to when they finally, if ever, have children. Would she trust me to take care of their little ones. I was so concerned and then I remembered that when I was throwing the frisbie with him in the backyard earlier that he turned sharply and he kind of fell and twisted his foot, a sprained doggy ankle, that's it. I didn't sleep well as I worried about him most of the night, which is one reason why we have not replaced the dog or cats. I am a worrier to the max. Well, this morning when I awoke and took him out to do his job not a limp was seen. He is protecting it a bit as I know it is hurt but it didn't stop him for going lightening speed after a squirrel this morning. Whew!

I'm a little anxious as tomorrow I begin the "cleansing" in preparation for the first colonoscopy. I will eat a big ole' T-bone steak tonight, YUM. Oh, and I forgot...yesterday in the mail I received a notice, Jury Duty. The last time I was called was 22 years ago and A was a few days old so I got out of it but this time I will do my duty. I'm nervous though because I have only been in the court house twice in my life, once for the marriage license 32 years ago and for a passport about 6 years ago so it is out of my comfort zone. I will have to do a trial run to find the place. The notice said it would only be for one day or one trial depending. I have to call before and if I'm not needed then I don't have to go. Super. I kind of hope I get a little one so I can have the experience but I don't want a long drawn out thing as I do have to do payroll during the thing I think and I'm the ONLY one that does that. We'll figure it out.

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.

Massage

Today I had a very nice massage to ease those very tired muscles from all the exercise I have done this week. I am telling you my quads and biceps are absolutely tender to the touch. I opted not to do Jazzercise this morning or the walk (3.3 miles) tonight. I am going to a frame shop/art gallery opening tonight. It is the husband (and his father) of B's best friend. There are to be finger foods (sushi) there so I don't have to cook!

The awful rain last night had a unintended catastrophe for us. We do generators as I have mentioned before, and yesterday the guys spent the day digging a huge trench for the gas line for a customer and the trench was toward the house, in particular the basement. Well, the water rushed in from the handy-dandy little trench and flooded the basement. Big OOPS, but sometimes you just can't help the happenstance of a situation. It is all fixed already and moving on but what a day.

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.

Spring has sprung!

Here are some beautiful pictures of spring at the lake.

Paid the Price

I was so lucky to get away from it all on Thursday and enjoy the solitude and beauty of the cabin but yesterday I paid the price. The Hubby had hired a local guy to weed-eat and mow and general outside activities around the cabin. I was off on the golf cart enjoying a glass of wine with a friend. I finished the visit and glass of wine and hoppped on the golf cart and as I rounded the corner and approached my driveway there I saw my car. I started crying, "OH NO, OH NO, OH NOOOOO." My drivers side window was smashed. The weed-eating guy had hit a rock while mowing and it smashed out my window. I'm was so mad and so sad that my pretty little car was damaged. I quickly looked at the doors and sides to make sure they weren't damaged either but was lucky. The Hubby wasn't here yet but my neighbor Jimbo, the other half of "Harri", was here and I ran to his cabin and was distraught. I was really more angry at the whole thing. My major complaint was that I just don't have time on Monday to have it fixed and I flashed to my very full schedule on Monday, boogers!!!!! I didn't sleep well as I was thinking of the window all night long. It just makes me so very mad but not much you can do with it. And then The Hubby reminded me that when I drive home tomorrow I can't put the top down on a beautiful 80 degree day because the windows automatically ratchet down and there may be glass in the mechanisms. So I will drive with the top up and the window down all the way. Crap!!!

I think I'll get my IPOD now and take a very long walk this morning and enjoy the sounds of the birds and breathe the fresh air and get it out of my system. ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Imagine

Here I am at the cabin on a Friday morning and I'm loving it. I didn't have to do payroll today so yesterday I took off for an extra day of privacy and beauty. Luckily the neighbor has an Internet connection that I can latch onto here. Yesterday afternoon I got up here before the storms started but about 7 pm the deluge hit. My neighbor and good friend "Harry" was undecided whether she should chance it and in between storms started here. I knew when she was halfway here and that she was being hammered by the torrential rains that hit. She finally arrived a little after 8 pm and I helped her get her two little dogs inside and then she helped me dry out my drenched clothes while we sipped a glass of wine and waited for the rain to stop so we could we could unload her car. At about 9:30 there was a lull and we unloaded and then it started again. I told her I was going back to my cabin before it hit again...good thing too. Our cabins have connecting back doors so it's not far but there is usually a lake in between.

Today as I was looking at my emails I got one from Classmates.com and this past few months there have been 13 looksees at my page and low and behold they are all from guys in the class before me. Hmmm...I must have been hot or something...I will have to download a pic sometime and let you judge. Imagine my surprise. I was so shy back then but so wanted to be liked and I think I was pretty hot, maybe I was. OH wait I found one. It's a little dorky but underneath the robes is a size one.

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.

The passing of a sweet friend

Today I mourn the passing of a sweet friend. No it is not human but my sweet canary Barnum. He was 7 years old and I will truly miss him. He had long ago quit singing for me but he loved to see me come to his cage, hopping all around on his perches and twittering at me. I will so miss him peeping at me when he was hungry. Bye my little friend.

...I'm peeved

I'm peeved at The Hubby. I'm really looking forward to my personal trainer meeting tomorrow and then I have to rush off to a doctor's appointment but The Hubby has made me sad about it. I forgot he has his stupid dance lessons on Wednesday and sometimes he likes to have me join him. I really don't like to go but he wants me to be there to learn the steps so we can practice. I don't like it AT ALL. It's so hard for me to dance with him with his two left feet although he is doing really well. I want to do my thing tomorrow and have looked forward to it and then he puts a guilt trip on me. I HATE it when he does that. It's just not fair. I didn't sign up for dance lessons, he did. I'm sorry The Hubby. I'm sorry. I'm trying to be into me for now in my life. It's time for ME!!!

Yesterday

Yesterday I walked 3.21 miles and Saturday about 3 miles at the lake. Today I made an appointment with a personal trainer for tomorrow. I'm very excited to get some muscle work in.

Weight Loss

I'm pretty excited today. I had to go to the doctor just to make sure I was doing good. I had not been since November, about 2 months before I started really working on the weight loss. I forgot what I weighed when I saw him and now I'm down even farther that I thought...18 pounds. YEA!!! I am pretty stoked but the amount and vow to continue with it. Tonight I found out our walking group is doing the same trek which means another 5K tonight. My poor aching feet. I'm not sure I'm going if it rains but I will if it is clear.

Walking Girl

Tonight was another chance to walk with my walking group. Now that I'm finally feeling better I was up for it. I walked on Saturday at the lake which was about 2 miles but tonight it was a 5K (3.1 miles). That is what we are supposed to be working up to in May so now that it is done I know I can do it. My feet are killing me though. I was so afraid I was not going to make it back to base but as I kept walking I kept telling myself "I think I can, I think I can, I know I can." I felt like a little kid but I DID it. I go to the doctor for a physical on Thursday and I can't wait to see what he says by my weight loss. So far I have kept track and it is about 13 pounds. Yee Haw!!!!!

Rest and Relaxation

This week has just flown by after all the rushing around from last week. I haven't accomplished much as I have been sick most of the week but as of today I'm finally, Finally, feeling better. I took off for the cabin early Friday to get a head start on the beautiful weekend. When I arrived it was very quiet and I laid down for a nice nap. I wanted the weekend to be a time for me to heal and energize my body again. We had a quiet night Friday and had a quiet dinner of grilled rib eyes for dinner then bed about 9 pm. I awoke at 8am and knew by looking out the window at the blue sky with white puffy clouds and bright sunshine that it was going to be an awesome day. A quick cup of coffee to encourage the body mechanics and a Slim-Fast down the hatch I prepared for a long walk. I had been on the exercise wagon for most of the week as I was just not well. I took off about 9 am walking fast with my IPOD on towards the wigwam. I couldn't go very far as the creek was up over the roads so I had to change my normal pattern of walking. I ended up walking up two HUGE hills and when on the flay asphalt part of the walk I jogged a little. I spent about 90 ". I made my famous bacon wrapped dates and we hopped into my little red car to the wigwam. The food was all heavy appetizers and the wine flowed abundantly. Two bottles down The Hubby and myself. Whew. The DJ was family member of the birthday girl and the music was not country but mostly disco!!! My favorite. I danced and danced and danced in my borrowed too small boots. The Hubby and I danced some of the swing we had been practicing and I really got into the disco dancing. My hair was dripping with sweat by the time the evening ended. It was over about 10 and we made our way back to the cabin and bed. I woke about 2:30 am and couldn't go back to sleep, tossing and turning for a good hour. Finally I dozed off about 3:30 and slept till 8 am. I rested this weekend and partied this weekend. It was a perfect time.

More pic's

Beautiful Cake


Me and my sister

Dancing with brother



Beautiful back

Some pictures of the Wedding

Here are a few pic's from the wedding that my 15 year old niece took. They're not very good but they will do for now. Enjoy.

B & B2


B and her Daddy

Sister, Daddy, me and my brother.

Recap

(Pictures will come later)

Saturday, March 29...Not much to do for the day except wait for time to pass. Shower, hair poofed, lunch, wait...Finally, 3pm and I'm dressed and waiting for The Hubby to decide on which pants he wants to wear and to tie his tie. We load the Avalanche with bridesmaid dresses, the wedding dress, rings, marriage license, cameras and film, guest books and stuff and make our way to Five Oaks Lodge for the party of the year. We arrive and I fast realize that my shoes are not going to stay on for long. I had to order them to match my dress and I always wear a 7-1/2 but they are too big and there was not another size left in my color. The girls arrive and they look beautiful all done up with their hair and makeup and when they get their dresses on WOW! I must say I produced some beautiful babies. The bridesmaid is an honorary daughter and couldn't be more proud of her but pour girl is three months pregnant and very nauseous. The wedding is not until 6:30 and we are waiting as the photographer takes a million pictures of us all. Unfortunately the weather was not cooperating much for an outdoor wedding but at least there was no rain. We all stood out on the deck overlooking the lake and B and B2 exchanged very sweet vows. Short and sweet. Everyone hurridly rushed in to the reception and the biggest party I've ever thrown. The cake was BEAUTIFUL. Four tiers of green icing that matched the bridesmaids dresses and with cream Mehndi design all over. Beautiful. The food was AWESOME, Catering by Orr and the staff was fabulous. We served Grape Ranch Wine as they met in Okemah at the Woody Guthrie Festival and that is where Grape Ranch Wine is made. The flowers were white spider mums and Bells of Ireland. The centerpieces were very tall vases with one spider mum and a tall sprig of the Bells of Ireland. The boutineres and corsages were Bells of Ireland too. The bridesmaid, maid of honor and brides bouquets were a mix of the mum and bells and B's had a loop that she carried like a purse and underneath was a horseshoe (another tradition). The Hubby was totally right in hiring the DJ as the music was perfect thanks to B. She picked out great dance stuff and everyone had a great time out on the dance floor. We had a guest book table to sign in during the reception and instead of a photo booth that is so very expensive we bought a $159 poloroid camera and lots of film and took pictures and put them by where they signed in a special book. It worked out fabulously. I took a spin on the dance floor with my newly trained husband but that was all he was going to get out of me as my head and feet were killing me and trying to talk to people made my voice non-existent. The couple danced and danced and I was impressed as to their ability. The Hubby danced with both of the girls as they had practice and then he got his very agile and classy 80 year old mother out there and they did the swing and then he dipped her backwards. She just laughed and giggled. It was great. I was so glad to see our family and old friends enjoying themselves. When I was escorted to my seat, as I looked out at my Daddy he started crying and so I started crying and when I sat next to him he started sobbing and saying "my baby". I could hardly contain myself and really didn't. He cried that it was too hard for him and I put my arm around him. He was so missing Momma. He didn't stay too long and didn't drink or eat anything. When he went back to the brides room to see B he hugged and sobbed again crying my baby. She is the first grandchild and the first to get married to it was overwhelming for him. When my Daddy cries I cry. Oh I forgot...when it was time for the newly married couple to leave the vintage Bently arrived and The Hubby got the gargatuan sparklers (over a yard long) ready for everyone to light as they came out and were whisked away for a very short, cheap honeymoon at Price Tower in Bartlesville. It was beautiful and now we can get back to life, get well, and carry on.

It's Done

It's done. I'm a mother-in-law!

UpDo

2:25pm
Okay, I'm feeling a little better but still no voice. I had my hair done and the make up is done, now all I have to do is wait and get dressed. Good news though...I had to buy two different sizes of the same dress as I knew I could wear the 18 and not sure about the 16 because I was losing weight. This morning I put the 16 on for the umteenth time and lo and behold it slid down over my hips and fit. The 18 now is huge on me! I'm very excited and thank God for spanx.

Here is a pic of my french twist. The Hubby calls it a beehive but I gave him the evil eye. He's really grating on my nerves. He keeps asking if we have done this and that and who's doing this and that. I keep telling him we have everything covered and he needs to BUTT OUT! He's being very emotional and is now writing his toast. He's having a little bit of a hard time that it is his little girl. He so loves his girls. (I hear him in the den practicing his dance moves.)

The Big Day

Here it is, The Big Day, and I'm SICK!!!!! I absolutely have no voice, well I have a voice but it is a squeak. I guess last night at the rehearsal dinner I talked too much on a voice that was only half there as it was. I don't really feel bad but I'm a mouth breather today and that is so sexy, my voice is squeaky and I am "sucking" as The Hubby calls it (trying not too.) This is what I looked like at 5 am as that is when my stupid eyes opened this morning. My hair appointment was at 10 and the wedding at 6:30 so I really didn't need to be up but of course I was. Dadgummit!

Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the big day. Tonight was the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner, the dinner at our house. I'm pooped. It doesn't help that I am SICK! I feel terrible an absolutely have no voice. I can't believe it is almost here. Tonight was fun. I loved seeing all of B's friends and visiting them. My kiddos bring such special people into their lives and share them with us. It is very nice.

(To J - enjoyed visiting with you.)

Mehndi Party

Here are my feet and the bride AKA B, A - maid of honor and Rachel - bridesmaid...

2 days!

2 days until the big day. I can't believe it and on top of it all A and I are sick. I think mine is allergies but crap! Tonight the wedding party girls are having Mehndi done one our feet for the wedding. Mehndi is:
If you are confused, no my daughter is not from India but her wedding in incorporating worldly wedding traditions. Mehndi on our feet, a horseshoe in her bridal bouquet, a Cherokee blessing, the Methodist blessing that she said after all her youth groups, people surrounding the couple's first dance in the shape of a heart, and some more that my clogged head can't seem to remember. Things are moving fast. I've had my nails done, my hair today (color and cut) and the house is getting cleaned today for the rehersal dinner tomorrow night. Thank goodness I'm not cooking...potluck!

I can't breathe!

1:30 am I can't breathe. It is allergies but is morphing into a sinus infection which I have not had for years. I am going to have to call my doctor in the morning and either get in or have something called. The stress of all the wedding stuff and this yuck I called and rescheduled the colonoscopy to the end of the month. I'm starving right now, absolutely starving! May have to eat something...a cup of hot tea, maybe that will curb it. A is up too as she has been sick since she hit the ground at Tulsa International, damn flowers and pollen. I'm not working out tomorrow and I know The Hubby will look crossways at me but I don't care, I CAN'T BREATHE!

My Aching Body

Here it is the final week before the wedding and I think I'm getting sick. My head is stuffy my sinuses are draining and I'm starting a small headache signaling a possible head cold. I don't have time in my life for this. I hope that it is nothing but allergies. The problem if I am getting sick is that April 1 I am having my first ever colonoscopy and I can't take ibuprofen or med's for the headache. Not good. This morning at workout I could hardly finish. Last night I walked 2.2 miles with my walking group and I think my body has had it. Maybe last night with the wind that was blowing so very hard it just kicked up my allergies on the walk.

I've been trying to get hold of my "best" friend for a couple of days now because she wanted to have lunch with me this week, today, because it is my only free day because of the wedding stuff. Well, I have called and left several messages with no response. I called her home phone and was surprised to find out it was disconnected. I called her husbands office and asked one of their office people and they said, "Oh yeah they disconnected it a few weeks ago because no called on it and no one ever answered it." I call on it and have been for a bit. So I sit and wait today to hear if I will have my usual Slim Fast or eat at Wild Fork for lunch. Again, I'm left hanging in the wind but I'm prepared with the Slim Fast at least.

I'm a walker!

Yes it is true I am now a walker. I just got back from walking at LaFortune Park with a friend the full 3 miles. I can't believe it and I feel great. I'm really doin' this thing and enjoying it although I will be a fairweather walker. I hate the cold and won't be doing that during the snow or rain but this is great.

Thinking of Momma

I've been missing Momma as the wedding fast approaches. So wish she could have been here for it. She was with me for my first breath and I was with her for her last. Love you Momma!

Beautiful Day

It is a beautiful day and I have been tooling around in my cute little red car with the top down. What a glorious day. I have the day off and I'm totally enjoying it. The bird feeders are full of birds and I'm enjoying watching and listening to them.

I got on the scale this morning and I'm down another 2 pounds so that makes the total so far 12 pounds. YEE HAW! I'm so very stoked but I realized I'm not eating enough food. I really already knew that but I'm on a tear to make a dent in it before the wedding then I'll get a little more sensible. I have joined a website called Spark People and it allows me to track my exercise and my food. Great website and has lots of help. Check it out at www.sparkpeople.com .

Ouch!!!

Oh my goodness...my feet, my aching feet and my shins, and my quads, and my everything. Today is the end of the third week of my walking program and I'm still in it. The walk today was a different route and the coach said it was 1.85 miles but my little ole' pedometer clicked off 2.9 miles. Most of the walk was up 61st to the West which driving it doesn't seem like a hill but IT IS, trust me. We turned into the neighborhood behind Kirk of the Hills church and the last part of the name there is an indication of the rest of the walk...HILLS! Yup, I hurt. Last week I told The Hubby that from now on Monday and Thursday he is in charge of the dinner as I'm not coming home from the walk and try to cook. Tonight he had blackened steaks, oven fried potatoes, spinach and tomatoes. Yum and I didn't have to even clean up.

Today I put the wedding announcement in the mail for the paper so it Should come out in the Sunday paper March 30. Everyone watch out for it.

Oh gosh I'm so tired I can't even put words down here. I have to at least stay awake till 9 pm to catch who gets voted off the Supermodel show.

Wedding stuff!

For some reason I'm at a loss for words to put into "print". It must be the anticipation of the wedding a week from Friday. I can't believe it is almost here. We are now down to the final crunch. I paid for the cake yesterday. Tomorrow we pay for the DJ. The caterer and the place we pay after the fact. The dress is hanging in our guest bedroom waiting to be official. I just can't believe it is here so soon. I am uploading a few of the engagement pictures they took. They are so very cute together and they are both so in love with each othere. A comes home on Saturday evening and it will be very busy after that. Enjoy...

More walking, walking, walking

Tonight I officially walked in the St. Patrick's Day Dash. Woo Hoo. 2 miles down. My feet hurt, hurt, hurt. Another good thing is one the ladies that joined our group tonight I KNOW! Yeah. I have a friend to pass the time as I plod along on the asphalt trying to walk off some more fat. Thursday we do it all over again. My feet hurt.

Sunday oh Sunday

I am here sitting in my big comfy chair totally enjoying the quiet of my home. The Hubby has gone to his big toy box (the auto mechanic's garage he bought) to do some more clean up and ready to sell more stuff. We we went to the lake on Friday and had a nice quiet evening in front of the television but quickly hit the pillows about 9 pm. We were beat. About 10:30 I was awakened by tremendous thunder and lightening and lots of blowing rain. The Hubby had opened a window above my head which was fine till the blowing rain came in on my head. I shut it but later reopened it when the clang and clatter had stopped. I did another run/walk Saturday morning and boy was it chilly for a bit. This week I have successfully walked and ran around 5 miles. I'm going to pat myself on my back because for me that is something. Now don't get me wrong I have been doing Jazzercise for over 11 years 5 days a week, but to actually walk and RUN is a biggie.

We had to come back yesterday afternoon to attend an impromptu dinner of burgers at B & B2's. B2's father, brother and sister (her kiddo's and hubby) were all in attendance. We' only met the bro and father once so since the wedding is in two weeks it was time. This wedding is going to be very hard on Richard (B2's father) and all as his wife passed a year ago. They were ALL drinking a lot of beer and so the emotions were on the surface last night. Richard turned to B and told her that this was going to be very hard on him and that he was proud of her and that "Sandra" would be too and really liked B. The tears started welling up in his eyes and I saw B's and B2's and the brother too. Oh No... please no not tears. We had fun last night with a lot of stories and laughs but home we headed about 10pm. We just can't seem to stay up late anymore since we rise at 5 am.

I've been sitting here listening to some World music and it puts me into a thoughtful frame of mind. I want to type or write or something but my thoughts are so scrambled that I have a hard time putting one particular one down because it causes me to go off in a totally different direction. Sometimes I find myself saying out loud the end of a thought in my head to B or The Hubby and the look at me like I'm crazy. I have a whole conversation or thought process going on internally and then finish it verbally. Sometimes I wish I would plug my computer directly into my mind and let my mind type out my thoughts. I think it would be pretty scary what whirls around up there in my noggin. So for those few who do read this blog you will be blessed to read these random thoughts and I hope they can make some sense to someone. Just enjoy and go with the flow!!!!!!

A Busy Week Past and Future!

The last I blogged here I was at 9 pounds lost, well, I'm glad to announce that as of Friday it was 10 pounds. I have not been this weight in over 20+ years. I'm very stoked by my desire to continue on my quest this time. To top off the 10 pounds I broke a small zero, not the big one but that will come in time. I walked with my walking group Monday 1.5 miles, then again on Thursday. Yesterday I again walked and ran at the lake about 2 miles. Tomorrow I am supposed to walk for a St. Patrick's walk, 2 miles, but the forecast is 90% chance of rain and I'm sort of a fair weather walker. We'll just have to see. I know that if I choose to not walk The Hubby will give me grief and looks. He is so afraid I am going to stop and is kind of watching me out of the corner of his eye. Makes me very angry. Lately I've been very perturbed at him with his little comments. I made the statement about being at the back of the pack of my walking group but I'm working as fast as my legs can work and at a very steady pace. He said, "Well, when you lose more weight you'll move faster." That is not the point my dear. My legs are very, very short and so my stride is very short, hence the back of the pack and probably will always be at the back of the pack. I have to face the fact that he is coming at this whole thing with a skinny person brain and I come into it with a fat person brain. They are so very different in their preception of weight, food, exercise, trust me I live it I know. Enough of him. I will proceed the way I want too!

The wedding is two weeks away and we are plodding along nicely. I think we have to pay for the cake and part of the caterer this week and get the announcement in the paper too. She won't let me put the picture in the paper, Rats! Next weekend A comes into town and I can't wait to see her. She seems to be doing very well in California now. She's teaching music to various students, piano, voice and guitar and Loves it. I'm proud of her on sticking to what she wants in life and trying to attain it. Good girl!

Tomorrow The Hubby and I meet with a financial planner. YUCK! The Hubby has decided we need to make more money on our money, make sure we are where we need to be so when we retire or sell the business we will be comfortable. I totally agree but I hate to talk money with him because then he might question "any" of my spending and I draw the line. I do not go shopping and just blow wads of cash contrary to what his perception of my handling of the money goes. He trusts me to manage the money at the office and I do quite well with that and I manage all our money at home and do well with that. I just hate to be put under the microscope. It has taken me a month to gather up all the stuff I needed: 3 years of tax returns, business and personal; monies in the bank in various accounts; properties and the taxes paid; wills, trusts, life insurance, health insurance, etc. I have a HUGE stack of stuff to take there on Monday. I am kind of dreading it but kind of excited to know where we are. One of the things I had to do though was...shhhh...I have been playing at the stock market a little for about 4 or 5 years and since we had to bring all financial records I decided I had better cash out, rats. It was okay as I was losing money at the moment and it couldn't hurt having a little loss right now. It wasn't much, only about $2300 but I was having fun with it but had gotten bored. When I first started it one of the stocks I bought went up from $50 to 1850. I sold that one very quick and it was a good thing because it went down again and has not been up like that again. Very nice return.

I broke "a" zero

So far I'm down 9 pounds and have broken a zero. It's not the all important zero yet it is a zero. After years of not moving the scale I'm thrilled by my progress. Last night I went out with a few of my girlfriends at Kilkenny's and after a day of Slim Fast I was HUNGRYYYYY. I arrived first and ordered a beer (planned on that) then read the menu making my mouth salivate. I was 10 minutes early so I had a lot of time to sit in the booth and read and read all the delicious food. Whew, I was on the verge of being a very bad girl. In the end I was good. I ordered charbroiled salmon and vegetables with rice pilaf. I did have another beer and did partake in a little of the appetizers but all in all I was a good girl.

A Beautiful Sunny Day

It's a beautiful sunny day outside as I sit here in my room. The rays of the sun are warming my body as I relax in my awesome chair listening to a Pottery Barn CD called "Music to Soothe the Soul" but I know that it is only the illusion of warmth as I have ventured out to get the paper and feed the birds and was shocked by the cold. I had the brief thought of taking a walk but thought better of it. Yikes! I so hate the cold. I know I need to get out there and walk but I don't want my joints to get cold and sore. I think tomorrow will be a better day or even later this evening.

Today is the shower. My house is clean and I am just waiting. I need to take a shower and get spiffed up for the occassion. The Hubby has left to visit the flea market and then to the office for work, work, work. That means my desk will be piled high with invoices to type on Monday morning. Good, I'll have something to do.

I'm a little apprehensive today as my best friend will be at the shower and I have only seen her twice since November! I've spoken to her probably four times since then too. I know it is a very wierd relationship to call it best friends but when we do get together we have a pretty good time for the most part. I'm lonely. I miss my other best friend Gail. This week she has been gone from this earthly plane for two years now. I miss her still and will for a good long time.

Dance Lessons

Yesterday I took a dance lesson with The Hubby. I found out by accident that he had been taking private lessons for a few weeks. He wants to dance really well at his daughters wedding. I found out when he called me into the den where his computer is and there on the screen was an email with a very familiar name. It was a girls name that I recognized of a little girl I used to babysit. I immediately asked about it and he very quickly told me that I wasn't supposed to see that and put his hand up. Excuse me! I was halted in place right there. He then told me that he found her on the Internet and all about the private lessons. Okay that is fine and it was wonderful to see her after 35+ years, yes I said 35+ years. Yesterday he wanted me to go with him and dance. I did. Let me explain that The Hubby LOVES to dance and LOVES music but the poor guy has 5 left feet and his no sense of rhythm. I've been doing Jazzercise for 11 years now and that is basically dance so the lesson was very easy for me. He wants SO very badly to get it down but inside I wanted to burst out giggling. We did okay and we go back next week.

Now on to the wedding plans. The RSVP's are coming in pretty steadily and we are up to about 130 acceptances. She sent out over 200 and was freaked out that all of them would come but I think we will be alright. Actually B2's family has not even sent the RSVP's back except one so that could be where we pick up people. We're fine on it all though. Oh and the kink that has been thrown into the wedding plans was where the dance thing came in. B did not want a DJ mostly because she was trying so very hard to stay within the budget we gave her and the space constraints and because she has some really different music she wants played, and she was making her own CD's to be played. Now mind you the wedding is March 29 and we are at crunch time. The Hubby came into the office on Monday and pointed a finger at her and told her he wanted to have a DJ there and don't worry about the cost and then left the office. She sat there with her mouth hanging open and tears in her eyes. I tried to talk to The Hubby to let him know that we might not be able to pull that off but he was pretty insistent. Today B was able to get it together and find a DJ and you know I think she is a little relieved as she was having no time to get all the music together. She has been so very stressed and then a couple of weeks ago the judge that was to perform the ceremony (my friend) had to beg off but promised that she would make it right as we were at the end. Finally, TODAY she came through and set it up for us. Whew! Tomorrow is the last bridal shower and her friend asked if they could have it here so tomorrow we will have a house full of giggling young ladies. It's fine though because I don't have to do anything but have the house clean and it is done already.

A little bugged

I'm just a little bugged by The Hubby. You see with this new energy I have to add the extra workout to my life has given The Hubby another chance to butt into "my life." I know he is my husband but give me a break. We live together and work together I need my own space and my own body is my own body. Today is the first time my walking program is going to meet. They told us that we will walk no matter what except ice and lightening. That's okay with me, even though I HATE the winter and snow and cold and guess what today is like here, YUCKY weather, cold and snow. The Hubby is concerned that I won't go to the walking gig and I looked at him like he was nuts. Of course I am going to. He thinks that because it is icky outside that I'm not going to follow through but I am and he needs to but out! He's so very excited that I'm upping my workout plan and not eating that he can hardly control his excitement. It's kind of pissing me off, not kind of it is! I know he wants to help but back off!

I feel better now...now some more news and I'm not sure how I'm dealing with it. I have written about my dear, dear friend Gail that passed away very suddenly at the age of 49 years old. Tomorrow will be 2 years since she has left the world as we know it. It has been very difficult on me and I am just now getting to the point of not crying when talking about her. I miss her tremendously. Anyway, her husband Kelly and The Hubby have been best friends since they were toddlers and The Hubby got the bright idea of fixing him up with one of their high school classmates. I have fought it for awhile as "I" was not ready for Kelly to move on in that regard even though I know he must. A few weeks ago we all went out to dinner and had a great time and ever since then their relationship has exploded. The Hubby is so happy he is grinning ear-to-ear most of the time. He thinks his buddy Kelly's thingy is going to fall off if he doesn't get "happy" soon so he is on a mission. (Men and what they think with, I mean.) Last night who should show up at our door but Kelly and Bev. I was glad to see them. They bounded into the house and she was absolutely giggling. They plopped down on the couch and were wrapped around each other like high school kids. I was very uncomfortable, very uncomfortable. We decided to go out to a quick dinner and after dinner they were holding hands under the table. After dinner we got into our car and I noticed they were in Kelly's car KISSING! OH MY GOD! I'm not ready for this. I am very happy for them but it is a little creepy for me. I'll get over it but ugh (shiver).

One other quick note...does anyone read this blog. Please let me know with a quick comment like "yes". I would like to know someone besides me reads this thing. I feel alone out in the world sometimes, just typing in thin air here. Pardon me I must be PMSing...I hope not though.

News, News, News

I have a lot of exciting news and updates. First of all I'm down 7-1/2 pounds as of Friday morning. To go along with that is I've joined a 12 week walking program that starts tomorrow (Monday). I will walk two times a week with this group and then am supposed to add one on the weekend, so three times a week I am to walk. The goal is to walk the Maple Ridge Walk on Memorial Day which is a 5K (3.1 mile). I am really pumped. I have new running shoes and a lot of excitement on my new endeavor. Last weekend I walked at the lake but Saturday I really put some foot time in. It was such a beautiful day and I couldn't wait to get out. I made sure I packed my workout clothes, my new running shoes and my I-Pod and so was ready! It was tempting to just say no and relax in the hammock but I didn't. I walked from our cabin to the boat docks, and back, then up a very steep road and to the front gate then back to the cabin. In fact, not only did I walk but I ran a good part of the excursion and am today very sore. When I left today I got into my car and drove the route so I could know how far I walked and ran and amazingly it was a tad over 2 miles! WHAT, me run, well yes I certainly did and it was beautiful. I have never been much of an exercise person until I started Jazzercise 11 years ago and now I will be a walker and possibly a partial runner plus I bowl once a week! It was a moving experience for me to realize what I had accomplished. I'm very happy. Of course last night I may have blown it a bit as we had a fondu dinner at the neighbors house with a few people in attendance. It was great fun and I enjoyed a few glasses of wine, a shot of tequila and to top off the evening three glasses of chocolate martini's. Yeah, I made my offerings to the porcelain gods last night but really don't feel too bad today. No headache, just a little queasy this morning. Tomorrow night I have to feel better for the first walking class.

Here are a few pictures I took of Spring trying to make an appearance and my time in the hammock!