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About this blog

THE SWEET SPOT My journal on my expedition to Bandlandia and my adventures there. I plan to stay forever (been to Onederland many times, but I never stayed long). Join me!:see

Entries in this blog

 

9/21/09 I'll Follow The Sun

Haven’t you heard? Today’s the last full day of Summer; tomorrow is the first day of Autumn (well, at least up here on the top half of the World)! Yeah Baby, get out your bikini and run through that sprinkler one more time…Slip ‘N Slide?...Don’t mind if I do!   I don’t know about you, but this summer went by like a flash. I know it will be one I'll always remember!   Have you ever thought about all that beautiful sunshine and where it comes from? It looks like a speck of dust on the surface of the sun. But this spectacular picture shows the space shuttle Atlantis alongside the International Space Station (ISS) silhouetted as they orbit the earth.   The image was taken in Normandy by French astrophotographer Thierry Legault. He used a digital camera attached to a $7,000 specially fitted telescope. The next image (below) is an enlargement.   The shuttle and the space station can be seen in orbit 250 miles above the earth while the sun is 93 million miles away. Stop and think for a while about how far away the sun is from the camera compared to the shuttle and station. It will blow your mind.     I thought I’d celebrate the last of summer with one last great summer sunset. Here’s some music to click on and play as you enjoy the sunset on another wonderful summer...click HERE. Enjoy…                   Keep reaching for the sun all!!!
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11/10/09 Game Weekend

We had a great weekend! OK, I gained 5 pounds in TWO days…sigh…not sure how that is even possible, not the best choices, but 5 pounds? I listed what I ate below, but I also drank some wine/beer-plenty, but not in excess. We got to PSU around 4:30pm and picked up DS1 at his dorm. I was SO happy to see him again. You talk to your kids when they're away, but there's something about seeing them that really helps to know they're alright; especially their first semester. I looked him up and down just to make sure…he'd gotten a haircut and hasn't gained the Freshman 15 yet-could probably used it (not sure what I expected…disheveled hair, signs of depression or severe homesickness?). He looked…happy…I was breathing easy again. We went over to see the fraternity house (where he wants to live next year). They'd had a Social (party) the night before…let's just say it looked like a house where thirty some college boys live (feet sticking to the floor...think 'Animal House'). DH's house was the same in college. The 'brothers' were really nice…they were all painting the upstairs hall and they're in the process of refinishing the downstairs oak floors so they were really proud of their work. We found out DS1's pledge name is 'Twilight' because he looks like the lead (Robert Pattinson). We met my SIL and her family (and my PSU Goddaughter) for dinner at The Corner (1 crab cake and 1 rib) and then we went back to the rental house. We left for the tailgate Saturday about 9:30am (coffee and ¼ bagel w/cream cheese). One of SIL's neighbors and several of the neighbors PSU Alumni friends joined us, so we had 5 cars tailgating. It was a great tailgate…lots of great food and some games to play (ate mostly dips/chips and a small piece of steak, probably more than a cup since it was over 4.5 hours). It was a beautiful football day…over 60 degrees and sunny (unusually warm for November). We had one problem with a large group of students (and about 8 parents who stood by and did absolutely nothing) throwing food and a football at us and an OSU/PSU mixed group between us (in our OSU gear with our mainly PSU tailgate) and them (they'd had too much to drink). It started when one of the group next to us was waving an OSU flag so that someone coming to the tailgate could find them. One PSU young Alumni told me he went over and tried to talk to the students and get them to stop as they'd hit his wife in the face with a football…they just jeered at him. DD was really upset that someone stole two small OSU flags off one of our games…I tried to calm her down and let her know that you get out of control people at every school. That put a damper on things for a little while, but we still had a great tailgate with our OSU/PSU mixed group…we just ignored them. They gave out this button everywhere DS1 and his friends came over to tailgate for awhile…it didn't surprise me a bit that he came in full face paint (paw print logo he drew on his face and even his hair was painted white. He was thrilled that he was going to sit in the 'Seniors Section' and got to be in row 4 (students all in one section in the end zone and around one corner by class-best seats for Seniors and Paternoville) since he'd done the campout at Paternoville with 10 of his friends. The game started at 3:30pm and it was a perfect night. The PSU stadium is really nice and the 'Whiteout' the students had was really impressive (voted best student section in the nation-ESPN). They give out white 'shaker poms' to each student and it's cool to watch all the synchronized things they do to music and chants. It got really cold soon as the sun went down, but I'd outfitted all of us with hats, gloves and scarves and had extra chemical hand-warmers to pass out to the group. OSU won. We had a late dinner (few chips/dip-PB'd them up eating too fast, and few bites of a hotdog) back at the house (some family drama, but I'll save that for tomorrow). (you tube- student section at the game)  We picked up DS1 early (don't think he had even 4 hours of sleep that night LOL) and we all went to breakfast (1 scrambled egg and about ½C of oatmeal) with SIL's family and said our goodbyes. We picked up all our camping gear (Paternoville) back at DS1's dorm and walked over to the Creamery (Food Sciences run shop) for an ice cream (I did have a chocolate shake) and to finally have a chance to just talk to DS1...he'd made an appointment with a counselor this week to discuss switching majors, so we'll see what comes out of that meeting…it's reassuring to see he's being proactive and handling things well. He's having a blast at school, making lots of friends, and getting involved…it's as much a part of the college experience and becoming an adult as getting a degree is and we're happy he's adjusting to college so well! Creamery   Attached Pics: - My family spelling O-H-I-O - Student Section at PSU
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10/22/09 Six Month Bandiversary!

Sorry, I can't share my 'cake'         Today is my six month Bandiversary! I can't believe it's been six months already! The six month diet pre-op seemed to take foreverrrrr (sorry newbies)...this past six months...OK, Bandster Hell was a little slow, but time just sped up after that. I wonder when I'll ever stop feeling like a newbie? I still learn something new here every week...the band journey is consistent in its inconsistency so there's always something new to learn.     OK, you can have just a bite of this one (it's SF).         Let's see, what's happened in six months with the band? I've:   - Become an April 'Bunny' (and Hef still makes us weigh in weekly)   - Had 4 fills and now have 5.9cc/10cc LB   - Had to return to the hospital the week of banding; overnight on my 50th birthday (no problems)   - Gone from a size 22 jean to a size 16   - Made it through Bandster Hell while starving (but still losing weight)   - Had a few gain weeks   - Lost 46 lbs. since banding (65 total)   - Had a few plateaus   - Gone from a 34.8 BMI (37.7 originally) to 27.2 and moved from an Obese to Overweight BMI   - Paid my full insurance deductible   - Moved into Onederland   - Learned how to slime and PB like a pro   - Reached weighing less than DH   - Attended the Semi-Annual SWA (Scale Whores Anonymous) meeting   - Made lots of LB friends   - Reached my Sweet Spot   - Developed Acid Reflux   - Stopped 'Dieting'       What's happened in six months in my life? I've Celebrated:   - My 50th Birthday   - Our 27th Anniversary   - Our DD's College Graduation and her first (and second) 'real' job   - Our DS1's HS Graduation and his move to college   - My father's 80th Birthday               and I've:   - Seen my DD buy her first car and get her first speeding ticket   - Visited my Alma-mater- OSU game- and watched them lose in the last minute   - Watched DS1 get on another Honor Roll and in his second expensive fender bender   - Been on vacation twice (SC and AZ)         The LB is like life...there are ups and downs, highs and lows...it's a lifestyle...and I'm loving it!     P.S. FYI-I posted what I found out about hair regrowth as a comment to that blog. Click HERE    
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4/30/09 I'm Domestically Disabled

Today and tomorrow morning are my last days to prep for the graduation party. DD is now home from college and (sorry to ask her) will be helping me prep for her own party. DH has moved most of the heavy things and did all the laundry and the boys have been helping out too. We’ve really only have vacuuming, dusting/surface cleaning, fridge, bathrooms, and some food prep to do. Hoping we’ll get things under control today. I wish I could close off the upstairs, but I’m always working on home improvement projects and no one has seen the latest decorating reno. I completed; the Master Bath decorating (nothing major; paint, new trim, some added tiling, curtains, and lots of accessories). I’m feeling pretty good if I’m sitting and am on meds…problem is I need to be up cleaning and I don't last long; we’ll work it out. Everyone is staying at hotels (I just can’t sleep 20 more people here, but some of the cousin kids will probably stay over). I’m also enjoying the fact that I’m having this catered for the first time so this one should be a piece of cake! Oh, DEAR LORD! I forgot to order the cake!!! I’ll be making that call soon! D#*N these meds…I’m brain dead! We also have to prep some meals (Fri.- Dinner, Sat.- Breakfast, Lunch, Appetizers and Desserts for Dinner, and Sun.- Breakfast). My Mom called yesterday because they’ve left a thousand messages for my birthday. They don’t know about the LB and I was back in the hospital on my birthday (I thought about calling back from there, but on the cardiac floor there were so many beeps, hospital noises, nurses taking blood all day, and that silly 'no cell phones on this floor' rule that I thought better of it...I'm sure my roomie who got a pacemaker appreciated that). Mom was "WHERE have you been? I've called your house phone, your cell phone..." She also wanted to know if she could come early to help me get ready for the par-tay, so I told her about the catering and how easy this party would be). Complete silence, then “You’re doing what?!!” I was expecting this. Remember my mom is a great cook and shows her love for us with food. So this is pretty much food blasphemy in her book! DH's family have all catered, so no big deal. We don’t need to spend the extra bucks right now with another kid off to college They should all just be grateful ‘the bad cook’ isn’t cooking for them. I’m just going to enjoy it (not the food, remember I'm on liquids, the 'having it catered') as I’ll be working my bum off for DS1’s party coming up. Wish me luck that no one notices that I'm not eating.   Back to work! Why am I so tired?
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2/18/09 Twins?

Sorry I’ve been offline…life, ya know. I’ve been in more re-injury pain from my ‘dressing room incident’ but it’s finally getting a little better (PT is helping). DH is now going to PT three times a week also for his arm/neck (ice on the driveway fall). We’ve been going at different times and I didn’t see him this morning when he left as I was in the shower.   He came home to change as I was getting ready to head out the door to PT. He points to me and starts laughing hysterically…we had on identical red OSU T-shirts, black sweats, and white tennies. I guess this means we’ve been married too long as we’re starting to dress alike. Well, we were born on the same day, but that’s a story for another time (I'm just sayin'). You know how they say people start to look like their pets the longer they live together (is the same true with spouses)? …Well...My theory is when you start dressing the same as your spouse it’s time for the old-folks home ('cause you're probably doing it so you can remember who you're married to...or at least who you need to go home with)…and I’m not there yet. I’ll have to watch this as we’re going to start going to PT together Friday (and yes, the guy who greeted me at PT this morning noticed…D*@N, knew I should have run back in and changed my shirt!). Twins?
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3/24/09 Long Weekend

I had a busy long weekend...I remember when 'long weekend' meant I was taking a day or two off of work and relaxing or going somewhere fun...preferably somewhere with a cabana boy to bring me a drink...ahhh, no-longer. DH was out traveling again the end of last week. I picked up DD from college late on Thursday night for her job interview here on Monday, and we loaded some of her things to come home, so we got home really late. Friday we (DD and I- DH plane didn’t get back until really late) attended DS1’s first track meet and then I took the kids + DD’s BF out to dinner for a treat…I ordered the filet/salad and brought ½ of it home…don’t applaud yet…it came with a rich blue cheese crust topping on the meat and I ordered a margarita…sigh…that was just the beginning of my 'feast', but more about that tomorrow. We ran the kids around to all their stuff/lessons (guitar, work, CCD, etc.) over the weekend and spent a lot of time with DD working on filling out her interview information sheets (what year did I start work at...) and interview skills. DS1 started to get sick on Sunday, high fever/throat…into the doc on Monday and he does have Strep Throat (I’ve been washing my hands a million times…I’m hopefully about a week out from my pre-op class so I don’t want to get sick now!). DD had her interview Monday morning and we got her back to school late last night. The good news is she just got a voice mail from the interviewer while she was in class saying she had some ‘good news’ for her…here’s hoping! It’s far from her dream job (sales for the admissions dept. of a group of colleges, so she’d be answering phone inquires/sales quotas...she could get a potato to talk), it’s not a lot of money, but it has good benefits, free tuition if you want to take classes (online ones too, so she could gain some extra skills for her resume), it’s mainly recent college grads working the same job, so it’s a great atmosphere for her, and it’s a job…in this economy that’s certainly something! She interviewed with five other people (their business is growing with the economy and people trying to get degrees for the tight job market so they’re hiring several people over the next month or two). Two of the five were ‘grey haired men’ (she said...I'm sure they were younger than me), the rest were recent graduates like her. She couldn’t get over why men their age would even want a starter job like this and how she felt sensitive talking about how she/others were just starting out when these men had probably (guessing) just lost other jobs (She said if the company is smart they’ll hire them, as I’m sure a huge segment of those looking to go back to school part-time even are their age…very true). I know it made her appreciate the interview and the possibility of having any job even more. She was in a senior level class last week at college and the professor asked them to raise their hand if they had found a job yet…not one hand went up…almost all her friends are staying for graduate school as they can’t find work.   I just got the call back…she got the job! Hooray!!! She’s so excited!!! She'll continue looking for a better job, but is totally thrilled that she’ll have this one to go to in June (if I find nothing better...keep the optimism). I’m thrilled it’s in this city, so we can help her get herself started as she’ll be living at home for a little while and she can save up that way (she was talking about the possibility of continuing part-time work as a waitress somewhere here too). She’s been looking all over the country (wants to work in a major city, dream job would be marketing in advertising), so I was a little worried it would be hard to start out in a new city, new job, try to find roommates somewhere new, find apartments and all that. I’m pretty sure she’ll still be moving away in the future to a bigger city/better job, and I want her to follow her dreams, but I’m thankful that I’ll have her around a little while longer..a nice ending to my 'long weekend'!   Now…add ‘help her find a car she can afford’ quick while she’s away finishing school/big projects to my ‘April list of things to do’…oh…AND that LB thing!
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5/21/09 Sign, Sign, Everywhere A Sign

My kids are off school for the next 5 days. Boy, that huge mulch pile arrived at just the right time…coincidence? I’ve been thinking, many of you are probably taking trips for Memorial Day weekend. Yes, the mulch pile has my name on it, but you're headed to better places...probably involving a beach chair and a cabana boy. I'm happy for you.......really I am.   Now you know the traffic is going to be crazy and I want my LBT friends to be safe out there. Please drive safely people and pay attention to the street signs as you're driving new routes through unfamiliar streets!   Pay close attention to the speed limit signs. And I'm sure you know better than to speed lest you spend your long weekend in the pokey (no cabana boys there, but maybe some cute boys in uniform). Children have the weekend off too. Remember my kids are off starting today, so please don't hit them...I can't make any more...and that mulch pile has their names on it too.   You might want to wake up the person riding shotgun when you need some help navigating and fly by signs like these at 45 mph. ...and when in doubt, just STOP and get your bearings. Have a great vacation...and if you have no plans, no worries, you can always PM me for my address...we've got some crazy fun times planned involving wheelbarrows and pitchforks. I'll SIGN you up...I'm even taking long haired freaky people!
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2/8/09 I Swear it's not a Hickey!

We went out to a nice restaurant with some neighbors this weekend. I’ve been looking forward to this as I’m starting to feel like a shut-in. Well, except for the million or so doctors appointments I’ve been to, between me and the rest of the family, the past few months. As a stay-at-home Mom, with no kids at home during the day anymore, you get a little starved for adult interaction in the wintertime. Top that off with the fact that I am still sorting papers and making new files (my LEAST favorite job…guess that’s why I still have huge piles to go through) and I REALLY was looking forward to going out.   As usual (and all you still-fat peeps…OK anyone who was ever fat will be able to relate), I poured myself into my best black jeans (I was proud I didn’t have to lay flat to zip them up this time) and was greeted by the lovely ‘muffin top’ which is now the opposite of what my waist once was. So into the closet I went after camouflage. After about 20 ‘costume changes’ I finally picked a two layer long, flowing ditty that didn’t make me cringe…it cover the muffin, but my arms felt like they were in sausage casing…sigh. It was getting late, so on to getting beautified. I quickly plugged in my giant curling iron and started my makeup. DD gave me one of those huge barreled curling irons and I swear it can get so hot that your hair is smoking. Uh-Oh, DH is calling me, better hurry! I fly through my hair with the curling iron turned all the way up so it will curl more quickly…then it happened…d@*n! I can’t ever use that thing without burning myself! It’s the same with the glue gun (and as an ex-art teacher I use that a lot too). OWW, OWWWWW! D@*N that hurts! I unplug the stupid iron and run downstairs.   We get to the restaurant a few minutes late and after hugs/kisses all around (did I imagine some strange stares *quickly check my tops for wardrobe malfunctions*), and ordering drinks I excuse myself to the ladies room. As I’m washing my hands I check the mirror…HOLY C#*P! There on my long pasty-white neck are two red hickeys!!...and I left home so fast I forgot my purse and makeup!!! D*@M that curling iron. OK, I’m not 16, surely no one else will think…but d*@n they sure look just like a hickey! I returned to the table with my cheeks bright red and slowly work it into the conversation that I burned my neck with the curling iron…Did I just hear sniggers??!
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4/3/09 Approved!!!!!!!

Woot! As if this week could get any better! Break out the champagne for everyone...oops, all you pre-banders (won't be drinking that after LB). I got my approval in about 48 hours! Highmark PPO Blue (BCBS of Western PA if anyone needs help with them). I couldn't believe Patti (insurance gal at the Surgeon's office) called me at 5:05pm...stayed late to call me, and get this she was laughing at my screams of glee and said 'You've been such a pleasure to work with!' (Does she remember me- the April Fool with the fax machine screeching in her ear on Wed.?) I kissed her behind on the spot...made my weekend. I'm off to do my April Bunny hop dance!!!
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3/4/09 LB Picasso

The men aren't actually reading this, so for you ladies...As I’ve told you, I have the option of selecting either band type and I also have the option of selecting my port site. I told you about my surgeon’s consult in Jan. where, after doing my research, I told my doc that I’ve selected the LB and then we discussed my port site. I’ll remind you I selected a left of center, between my belly button line and my ribs…no third boob for this gal…3 boobs worked for Picasso, but not me…with my C-cup boobs, it would be the only one left at goal weight.   So on our way home from the consult I announced to DH that I intended to mark my port site on my tummy before surgery…he just chuckled…he’s used to ‘my kind of crazy’ (But now I have those papers from the Psych saying I’m not! So there!). My doc doesn’t get many requests for a different port site but it’s important to me (bad left side so I sleep on my right, and I’m right handed) and his default is the right side, so I don’t want him to forget (I have enough trouble with sleep). I’ve been thinking on and off about my tummy artwork (that’s what we artists do) and how I could make it funny without insulting my doc that he’d forget (he DID tell me to remind him).   I was reading some blogs lately that got me thinking; Banded Ben’s surgery date and trying to come up with a joke on the operating table so he could escape…too late, he was out. So, I was thinking maybe I could write a joke, or a funny poem on my belly to point out my port placement…welcome to ‘my kind of crazy’…yes, this is what goes on in my head. Wendytip’s post yesterday about people’s incision photos on LBT (I agree, eeewww), got me commenting about making different ‘connect the dot’ pictures with my incisions and washable markers and posting them here (NOT). But maybe I can do a dot picture for my port site?   So, why am I making this confession and sharing this now? I had second thoughts…what if the Sharpie isn’t sterile, or it messes them up and they refuse to do surgery because I wrote on myself? I’m not crazy enough yet to call my surgeon and ask. Today “The Doctors” was on as I was doing the laundry…the plastic surgeon on the panel was talking about how a Sharpie is his best friend for surgery! Hey yea, we’ve all seen those Dr. 90210 shows where they’re marking all over the woman’s bodies with a Sharpie. I’d forgotten about that! So I ran to the TV to listen. The question was about whether a Sharpie is sterile or not...WOW…my very question! Apparently Sharpie’s have a lot of alcohol in them, and even if they weren’t sterile the Betadine they smear all over you sterilizes everything. OK, I’m going for it! Now I’ve got artwork to plan! My practical jokes always backfire on me, so I hardly ever attempt them…they’ll either think I’m nuts or laugh…we’ll see what happens…if I wake up with a third boob, it backfired.
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11/10/08 I peed my pants!

Wow...didn't think THAT would be my title today! This morning I had in mind..."1st day of the Diet" or something else really benign (my insurance requires a 6 month PCP supervised diet/exercise history). OK on with the story. I spent the weekend wildly researching and typing up stuff in anticipation of my PCP appointment today. I put together a form for the Dr. to easily fill in each time. I also put together my family history...wow, was that an eye opener! I woke up nervous...let me back up...   I'd been to the PCP last month for my physical follow up. I had just lost 25 lbs. on another low fat diet/fat absorbing pills, so my weight was down some, but I was still Obese (I wanted to make the best case I could to my PCP). My PCP came in and we talked, she supported my looking into the LAP-BAND®® and gave me names of surgeons and I picked up the diet plan to review. Then I went to seminars at two hospitals that are 'Centers of Excellence' for bariatric surgery in town (with my skinny DH) and found out what this was all about...I wasn't certain that I'd be approved by insurance...it's like an evil game. The seminars stated I needed to show I was a diet 'failure', so I quit the diet pills until my official start. I know, this all seems counter-intuitive since I'd just lost some weight, but it's not like I haven't just been a lot heavier, I'm an expert now an yo-yoing...I hate insurance and I'm just starting this (don't they know yo-yoers that are obese have even more health risks?). By the end of the month I was only up a few pounds more (less fast than I normally gain).   So I'm back to where I began...I woke up nervous today...weighed myself...quite a few pounds over 35 BMI...but, what if their scale was way different than mine?!...No! I can't be too close to the 35 BMI when I start!!! OK, calm down, I know I've read some things online about this...ankle weights some suggest?...nope, my ethics won't let me go there, sorry...Next-eat a lot before you go...and drink a lot...OK, I can do that...bowls of cereal later I was ready to burst...Next-It's snowing for the first time...layers are good! OK, I need to time the water just right. I had incontinence surgery 3 yrs. ago (hysterectomy and the sling)...let's just say I was back to the Urologist last week and he told me "You're the first patient I've had where the procedure failed! You'll have to use the back door to leave here so my other patients can't see you, Ha Ha!" Lucky me!...I'm not laughing...because if I do...I'LL PEE! Now back to drinking water...water bottle in hand, I get in the car...the Drs. office is 1/2 hr. away...no problem.   I'm dancing by the time I get there (the pee dance)! 15 min. wait...I get to the room with the Nurse and she pulls the digital scale to the middle of the open door "I need you on the scale" she yells from outside the room. What?!! Was the scale too close to the cabinet that my fat hips couldn't get on where it was...no?!!! Could we maybe close the door...no?!!! I glance wildly side to side to see who heard and if there was any patient coming down the hall who might be scarred by this site. Right, Left, no one...I can do this. I take off my coat and then she says it..."My you have a lot of layers on!"...."Yeah, it's cold outside." I manage to squeak out. On the scale I go...uh oh...my evil plan worked...too well! AHHH!!! I'm 5 pounds above where I thought I was...my scale at home is too light...I've gained weight (as usual, but are they going to be mad and not support me getting the LAP-BAND®®?)!!! Oh no!!! She flips through my charts. I try to distract her "I feel like I'm back at weigh in's at the group diet meetings-this is so embarressing!" (what did I just say?) Her head doesn't come up from the file...she notices! Are they're going to throw me out in the cold?? She asks me to sit for my Blood Pressure check (it's been high about a year now and they keep talking about putting me on meds.). "Are you nervous?" she asks. "No!" I SCREAM! "Why? Is something wrong?" I blurt! She looks frightened now..."No, your blood pressure is just really high 158/110!" Wild eyes staring into hers I say "Oh, maybe I'm more nervous about the surgery than I think?" She hustles out and closes the door. Oh no! What's going to happen? What's the doc going to say about my weight gain!!!! She's so nice..."Oh, so this will be your first supervised diet/exercise program visit?" she smiles...my heart is starting to calm...No!...she's flipping through the charts!!!...then it happens...I PEE MY PANTS...and once I start it's so hard to stop...SQUEEZE...How many gallons did I need to drink anyway?...SQUEEZE!!! I'd almost forgotten how badly I had to go in all the excitement...she's now talking and looking through my alarming family history...I vaguely remember her talking about hypertension...she's looking through my charts again...NO!...she mentions how long I've had High Blood Pressure...I feel her taking my blood pressure again...then pulling up my pant leg and checking my legs for swelling...NO Ankle weights here!!! (thank God for my ethics)...all I can think about is DO NOT PEE!...next thing I know she's standing at the door beconing me with papers...My mind races...what if I get up and there's a puddle on the table?...darn that evil paper they put on the tables...what to do?...with a smile she waves the form I brought at me...I smile and slowly get up...I turn...I can't believe it...and I say a silent prayer in heaven for the woman (you know it was) who invented the Super-Dooper-Almost-a-Diaper-Pad I'm wearing (which is know hanging heavily low in the crotch of my oh-so-dry pants!). She is walking me back to the reception desk and then presses another paper into my hand...what's this?...a perscription "for your hypertension"....I smile and thank her...(I found out later that this is a comorbidity...I deserve this!!!) I check out..."Where's the ladies room?" I ask.
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12/3/08 Stiff Underwear

It’s not what you think…although I’m not sure what you’re thinking:glare:…the dryer:washing: broke yesterday. Doesn’t it know I have mounds of laundry to do? Doesn’t it know we, five "we’s" actually, just returned from not one, but two Thanksgiving week trips; :car:Ohio and Philly:car:…I have suitcases full of laundry! Doesn’t it remember putting all my laundry on hold so my DD, home from college could do all her mounds of laundry before we left? My poor dryer…it’s old:closedeyes:…it’s moved houses with us…it no longer remembers anything…it has, as my children say to me when I forget something, it has “old-timers”. I put in a white load this morning…all was well with Ms. Washer…after all, she was repaired (yet again, after another flood) recently. But when I went to close Mr., Dryer, the tiny piece of metal that sticks out (maybe that’s why it’s a Mr.) to tell it the door is shut broke off (ouch, sorry Mr.). Of course the dryer won’t run without knowing the door is shut…I tried to tell it, yes the door is shut…I even tried to push a paper clip in the hole where the metal came from…no luck…but maybe I WAS lucky…I didn’t think to unplug Mr. Dryer before I shoved a paper clip into that hole…HEY, it’s 220V, I could have been electrocuted!!:scared2:   I called DH-Mr.SA, and he called his new best friend Art-the-repair-man. Let me go back…A few years back when the appliances started to fail, we called the company for a repair person…we got a $295 bill for a $12 fuse and <10 min. repair.:biggrin: So the next time one failed Mr.SA decided he was going to try his hand at appliance repair. Do you know there are online sites where you “diagnose” the problem and then buy their parts and follow the online instructions. Sounds like those medical sites doesn’t it…Oh, how my Dr. loves when I go there…diagnose yourself…very scary business….you end up thinking your have all kinds of horrible things…but I’ve digressed…anyhoooo…Mr.SA confidently tried his hand at the diagnosis and the repair…twice, actually…he admitted defeat only when he had no clean underwear left. In marches the local repair man, Art (no expensive company men for us anymore). Nice old guy…and he loves my old washer and dryer “don’t makem’ like that anymore! Those new ones have a computer board…$500 for the smallest problem…can’t fix just a part on those!” Don’t tell Mr.SA, but I ratted him out to Art, just in case he’d done more damage…after Art was done laughing he replaced my $12 fuse, charged me $50 for the house-call and gave me his card with strict instructions not to let my DH touch the machines. He’s been back every 3-6 months since then and Mr.SA usually hurries home to meet him…yep, I’m at home, but Mr.SA, who fancies himself the ultimate handyman (actually he’s very handy…most of the time) loves to chat it up with anyone who touches anything on our house.   So today he called his best bud Art. I get a frantic call back from Mr.SA saying I have to meet Art at a local gas station in just a few minutes…he’s booked solid today…so he’s giving us the part…no time to explain. :driving:I rush to the gas station where Art meets me with a smile… “No charge for the little part!”…tell me there aren’t honest repairmen in the world anymore! I smile and wish him a happy holidays and tell him I’m sure we’ll be seeing him soon (unfortunately)…he rushes off shouting out the truck window “It’s an easy repair, but tell your DH to call me tomorrow if he has any problems!” Problems? What problems…of course…why else would we be getting the part…why wasn’t I thinking…he’s put Mr.SA in charge of the repair!!!! I’m thinking as I drive home…doesn’t Art remember how he met us…doesn’t he remember my story of the two failed repairs…has Mr.SA schmoosed him into thinking he can handle this? :unsure:Now I’m getting nervous…after all, I have MOUNDS of laundry…the natives are getting restless…last pairs of clean underwear! Mr.SA gets home tonight beaming in anticipation… “Where’s the part?”… “On top of the dryer.”:thumbup:…I’m trying to be supportive… “Whoops!” I hear from the laundry room…my heart beats faster…whoops?.:car:..he busted something else already??… “I guess I didn’t explain the problem/part very well…he gave me the actual latch for the door…the wrong part!” :party: I guess we’ll be seeing old Art soon (maybe he’ll learn his lesson this time). My wet whites load is now out of the dryer hanging all over the house…at least we have clean underwear this time…even if it’s stiff!:biggrin3:
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1/28/11 Simple Addition

1. ('The Beast') + (Snowblower Virgin) = Can someone please tell me if it's even possible to use one of these without it all blowing back into your face?   2. (Teething Kitten...I thought only puppies chewed shoes) + (Asparagus Fern) = (What greets me every morning) My plants will all be bald soon. 3. + = The Fill that Wasn't: Apparently the doc's my hospital were getting to take over the practice have been changed before they arrived. They called to cancel my long awaited fill appointment and promised they would call me with new availability very soon (they mentioned a few days)... ...that was three weeks ago... ...still holding onto (by my fingernails...make that my LB) 160-165... :-( Have I mentioned lately how important the Sweet Spot is?
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