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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

 

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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Band_Groupie

 

2/16/10 Before/After

I finally posted my Before, During, and almost After pics. Enjoy... Here: http://bandgroupiethesweetspot.blogspot.com/

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Band_Groupie

 

2/16/10 Before/After

I finally posted my Before, During, and almost After pics. Enjoy... Here: http://bandgroupiethesweetspot.blogspot.com/

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Band_Groupie

 

2/14/09 Happy Valentine's Day!

OK, what can I give you for Valentine's Day? I already gave you Chocolate Man (the PERFECT man). Hmmm…I know! The gift of love! Loving yourself that is! Here for your enjoyment is the Virtual You (MY Virtual Model)! Not only can you see yourself now, but you can see what you’ll look like as you get smaller! I’m telling you even the fat me looks WAY better than the real me (my model has no rolls, dimples or flab)…so she’s easy to love, even at my current fat weight.   OK, some information before you begin…You DON’T have to register to make your models or play with the weights (but you do need to register if you want to save them). I just go and play and turn my models around in their underwear to see me how others do now…and how I will look thinner. It’s men and women but they only go up to 350 and 250 pounds respectively, and the weights don’t change with every pound (changes come about every 10 pounds or so). There is an Adjust My Figure +- tab under personalize that will add some weight.   Click on the Create. Then select the Man or Woman tab. Then try the tabs ontop. -Personalize: Then you get to play with all the fun stuff. You don’t have to enter your name. You can change your shape, your current weight, face, features, hair (always wanted to try a new hair color/ ‘do’, now you can). It’s like a SIM. -Dress Up: The site is actually trying to sell you clothing, so you can try all different kinds of outfits on if you want to from different manufacturers (I’d at least change into something besides the ‘granny panties’ the default gives you). If you register you can keep outfits in your Closet, and Send them to others. -Weight Loss: Now the really fun part…what will I look like when I lose 50#, 100#? Now you can rotate your model (pop ups below model) to see you from all angles. See your butt 100# lighter…Wow!   Have fun! HERE

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2/13/11 My Valentine & Post Fill Day 5

*Portion of Post Deleted for LB Book   On another note...we went to a Valentine's Day couples party at one of my GF's houses (old neighbor's of ours that now live about 30 min. away). She had about 75 people and a spread of food everywhere (and a chef's station with made to order crab cakes and different pasta dishes). We had a blast and I did fine with tiny amounts of food during the evening (tortellini, cheese hunks, chicken dish, and even meatballs).   She asked each couple to send pics of themselves during their dating years (fun idea), which she printed up and had on display boards. As expected when anyone sees old pics of my DH, his got the most reaction from everyone who knows him...here's why (enjoy!)...   Here we are in 1978 shortly after meeting... A few years later... The giant glasses were in...and barely a moustache now (No, not on me!...I was busy moving toward the 'big hair')... And here's how he came back from Geology field camp one summer in college...I didn't recognize him when he got back (all the Geology majors had beards...well, except the women). And OMG what was I thinking with the perm?! And here's our engagement picture as we were finishing college (and why my kids say 'You married Sasquatch!'). Our friends last night were calling him 'Mountain Man' (and asking me who my 'first husband' was LOL). Here I am ready to go last night in my Valentine pink. Here I am with my Valentine (and I had to leave Tucker in...looks like ghost cat!)...DH needs to get better at lining up timer pics and remembering he's a lot taller than me LOL. And here I am at the party...with some friends...that have obviously had too much to drink, as you can see by their fuzzy faces. And why do I always pick short friends? I'm an amazon compared to my petite friends and the 4" heels didn't help. </H3>

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2/13/09 The Perfect Gift

My one wish for Valentine's Day..a girl can dream! (remember, I'm pre-band)   YouTube TV ad: Axe Dark Temtation: Chocolate Man...  

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2/12/10 Ticker Pics

I'm slowly updating my ticker pics with more photos from each 10# loss. 2 new photos today here: http://bandgroupiethesweetspot.blogspot.com/

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2/12/09 Writer's Muse

I’m back from my Physical Therapy. I was still so sore from my little ‘incident’ last night that I walked into PT and asked if I could start with the heat and electrical stimulation. I gave my PT a wink as she was working on someone and told her I had a little problem with my neck/shoulder and that I’d tell her later. Got off the heat and after an arm warm up she said she wanted to start (instead of end) with the massage/stretching she does.   She comes running over when I’m back on the table and whispers like a school girl “So what happened?” (must have been something in my face)…I started whispering my sports bra injury story and she was hysterical with laughter. Now, you have to get that all the massage tables are right next to each other along one wall…I certainly don’t mind sharing…not much embarrasses me (yes, you knew that), but I didn’t want to embarrass the dozen or so guys around me…TMI and all that. Well, we were laughing so hard everyone was staring as I whispered my way through the horror of the dressing room.   When I was done I asked “So what’s the weirdest thing someone was injured doing that came to you for PT?” I’m thinking there’s got to be some pretty crazy stuff…I’ve got doctors and nurses for family and friends and they’ve always got the wildest stories about patients, I thought they HAD to see some pretty whacky stuff in PT too, right? Apparently not…or some patients are lying (you know who you are...fess up!). She said “Oh, I could probably write a book, but your sports bra injury would be on page 1- Chapter One!” The guys next to us heard the first part about writing the book and another PT asked “Writing a book on what?” She says “Strange ways people injure themselves.” Here it comes… “Like what?” I turn to him (now the whole area is listening) and (I figure it’s all over at this point anyway) with a really load whisper “Sports Bra Injury!” All the men look confused, but the few women there all start nodding their heads and I get immediate feedback all at once from the gals “Oh, yea!” “ I’ve had that happen!” “Those things are terrible to get off!” “I’ve always wondered why they don’t put hooks on those too!” “Oh, I have to buy them 2 sizes larger just to get them off!” I’m thinking…OK, if this is so common, why didn’t someone warn me ahead of time. Where were you gals when I was walking into the dressing room with two smaller sizes? The guys at this point are all laughing hysterically. Then the women go for after the guys “Yea, you wouldn’t understand!” “You should just try getting one of those things off!” “Yea, buy one for your wife for Valentine’s Day and see how easy it is for her to take it off!” “Better yet, you should try one of hers on and see how hard it is!” At this point I’m picturing that tightly twisted rubber band bra and men’s chest hair…probably the ONLY thing that could make that more painful.   I’m being really careful the next few weeks….don’t want to be Chapter Two.

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2/11/11 A Valentine Letter and Love Poem

Dearest Cell Phone,   I gave DD my new phone upgrade and rescued you from her butterfinger hands which gave you all those awful scars...I adopted you, and THIS is the thanks I get?! Didn't I buy you a sleek, new, leather case to keep you warm this winter so you could heal? Didn't I hang it on the OUTSIDE of my 'Mary Poppins' purse so you wouldn't suffocate with everything-and-the-kitchen-sink I keep in there. Haven't I carefully tended to your every need whenever you ring me? EVEN when you embarrass me (who can forget that incident in the movie theater...I had to send you to the cell phone manners class after that!)?!!   OK, so I did loan you to DD that night she stayed over to use as an alarm clock...but her cell phone was dead (see, that would have been your fate had I not adopted you!) and there was no alarm clock in her now stripped down room here. She swears to me she left you on the floor (once again, I have NEVER left you on the floor!) outside my room when she left for work that morning.   OK, so I didn't come upstairs to find you myself as I should...instead I asked DS2 (who was already up there) to bring you down (he now says I'm the one who made him an accessory to the crime), but in my defense, I thought he was a responsible cell phone user now (after all, he's the only one of my kids that even uses a case!). He swears he brought you to me 'somewhere in the family room', but I'll swear in court that you weren't there when said incident allegedly happened (I don't think I was even there...but I can't swear to that...HOW CAN I if he never gave you to me...there was NO such incident!).   While under interrogation, DD confessed that the night of the incident she had muted you, except the alarm, thus making you unable to cry out for me. We later brought DS2 in for interrogation and he confessed to calling you a million times under the guise of trying to find you...thus speeding up your silent death.   You'll be glad to know I've filed kidnapping charges against both offenders...they're obviously in cahoots and had planned this very carefully. My plea's to said alleged (yeah, right!) kidnappers to bring you home to me fell on deaf ears.   We've sent out search parties daily to no avail. It's now been TWO weeks and you haven't shown up. There hasn't even been a ransom note (although DS2 just asked me last night if there would be a reward if he finds it...isn't that called extortion?)!   I refuse to believe that you're dead and not coming home to me.   Cell phone, please come back to me! I miss you so! *sniff, sniff*   ♥ -Ode To My Cell Phone, By BG-   Cell Phone, I love you with all my heart I'd give you an app to make you fart   Cell Phone, Although there have been others you were my favorite, your flip top covers   Cell Phone, you were older than my friend's phones But they were just jealous, because my cell owns   Cell Phone, When I was bored you gave me games And who can forget, all those numbers and names   Cell Phone, We used to text all day And during the night, you brightened my way   Cell Phone, I love you more than fills I never minded, paying your bills   Cell Phone, we were such a team They tore us apart, and made me scream   Cell Phone, it was only a loan And I don't know how, I'll go on alone   Cell Phone, I need candy because I'm so sad But food is out, or I'll yak bad   Cell Phone, "Come Back" is my plea Cell Phone, Oh Cell Phone, You complete me ♥   LOVE, BG XXXOOOOO   P.S. Doesn't our Verizon plan have some new fangled techy phone in their shop now?     ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ (Yes, I'll be sending my Band one too!)

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Band_Groupie

 

2/11/09 What kind of CRAZY "Sport" is this?!!

We went to Kohl’s (department store) tonight for a sale and I decided to pick up a few of the things on my “Surgery List”. I got some slide in slippers for the hospital (because I won’t be able to bend over to put slippers on) and one of those nifty Magic Bullets for pre-chewing my food for me, and then I decided to pick up a few sports bras. Someone here suggested buying sports bras for several reasons; they’re great in the hospital when you don’t want an underwire bothering you or your incisions, and they’re good when you’re losing weight as they’ll last longer than a regular bra (yeah NOT where I need to lose, so that’s exactly what will happen). Sports Bra…SOUNDS like a good idea, right?   Let me start by saying I’ve never owned a sports bra. Now I’ve had tanks with built in bras, but I’ve never needed a sports bra. OK, DH helps me look (nice guy, huh, flipping through the bra section with all the women). So we found two in my current size and one in the next band size down (I’m thinking I might need this once I lose a few inches). So I go to the dressing room to try them on, yelling over my shoulder “Honey, I’ll just be a minute!” (we were done shopping after this).   My size fits fine…boy these aren’t too hard to get on, but they aren’t easy to get off (and remember I’m in Physical Therapy for my shoulder, partly). That should have been a clue. I happily try on the next size down…it’s tight…too tight to even want to take home “because you might fit into it soon”…yeah, THAT kind of tight…like now I can hardly breath tight. So I start frantically trying to peel it off…It tightly rolls up until it’s a tight twisted band at armpit level now…OK, now what to do…I try reaching across and grabbing one side at a time…nothing budges…my arms are too fat to pull it up around. I try the old cross both arms and trying pulling on both sides at once...nothing…except now my shoulder is killing me and the ‘rubber band bra' is now a tiny bit higher…just enough to keep my arms above my head now. OK, I KID YOU NOT PEOPLE…I SPENT ANOTHER 10 MIN. TRYING TO GET THE D#*M SPORTS BRA OFF!! I was seriously considering giving up and calling for help, hoping someone else was in the dressing room (pretty sure it was empty). Picture me yelling for help and the sight I’d be when the door opened to my dressing room…fat lady, naked from the waist up, twisted rubber band across the top of her chest and forcing her to hold her arms above her head. Yeah, that picture made me give it one last shot…I’m pretty sure I dislocated my shoulder (my PT is sooo going to kill me tomorrow) but with a cry of pain I got the D@*M thing off. DH “What the heck happened to you? I thought you died in there!” Me “I did...let’s go.”

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2/10/09 Somewhere, Over the Rainbow...

Well as far as I know, as of today I’m now done with all the “other doctors” pre-op stuff. It’s been a ‘long and winding road’ and it’s not quite over yet…I’m still on this yellow brick road to Oz and apparently I’m playing all the parts (that’s OK, I always loved dress-up)!       Remember that Shoe Fairy I put up a wanted sign for HERE? Well she answered and brought me some ruby slippers when I crushed the Wicked BMI/Comorbidity Witch my first weigh in (even if I did pee my pants HERE doing it).   I got my award of courage for making it through that claustrophobic 45 min. closed MRI for my heart HERE…so I’m the not-so-Cowardly Lion!   I just got clearance at my visit with the Cardiologist this afternoon, and my heart MRI from last week and my EKG today were fine. So contrary to my teenagers thoughts sometimes…I do have a heart…I’m the Tin woMan!   I found out this fall from the brain MRI for my migraines that I do have a brain…it’s “unremarkable” as the docs report said, but it’s a brain…so I’m the Scarecrow!   If I can make it past the Wicked Witch of Insurance Paperwork with two more monthly visits at my PCP then they’ll send it all in for approval to the Wizard…let’s just hope he’s “Wise and Wonderful”. There’s no place like Bandlandia...

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2/1/09 Steelers Food Porn

HERE WE GO!!!!   Pittsburgh has many regional foods. Here are just a few of my favorites that will probably show up at the Superbowl Party we’re attending today. Dear Lord, give me strength, did I really have to schedule my 4th monthly weigh-in for tomorrow morning!!!   Perogies with sour cream- They’re on most appetizer menus here due to a strong Polish population Wash those down with an Iron City Beer   Pittsburgh is noted for the all-in one meal. Like the Pittsburghese (smashing all their words together) they enjoy smashing all their food together (hey, it ends up that way anyway, right?). There's the famous (sorry no pic) steak salad with strips of hot steak and hot fries ontop (sounds weird, tastes delicious, on every menu in Pitttsburgh), and the Primanti Bros. style Sandwich- Stacked High with meat (best with the local Isaly’s Chipped Ham) Coleslaw and fries (yes ON the sandwich...what's not to like about french fries on everything?). Trivia- Both the sandwich with fries and the salad with fries were invented in the 1930’s to make it easier for dock workers and steel factory workers to eat lunch more quickly.   Keilbasa with Heinz Ketchup     Finish it off with an Eat’nPark Steelers Smiley Cookie (remember, I warned you yesterday about the toothbrush!) …and a Clark Bar   GO STEELERS!

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12/9/08 How many sizes are in your closet?

OK, after noting my lack of pants that fit yesterday (see previous blog) it got me thinking about how many sizes I’ve kept over the years. I decided to go check (in hopes of being able to wear a few someday:bored:). We’ve moved seven times since we’ve been married (I was a bean pole then 5'9"/132#...I've lost and inch and gained a ton), and yep, I got rid of clothes every time we moved …and yeah, my college daughter has permanently borrowed some of my better skinny clothes…and yep, we give clothes to charity every year…so WHY do I still have so many sizes?:cursing: OK, I’ve done the yo-yo thing for decades (obvious from my closet) and, let’s see, the lowest I’ve been in this decade was 160#, but even then, I wore a size 16 on a skinny day. So WHY do I still have size 10’s hanging in my closet??!!!:blushing: I actually have at least one pair of every size between 10-2x (that’s 14 different sizes). OK, I try to buy “Longs” when I can find them, and they’re so hard to find I’ve had a hard time giving them up (saved mostly a few dress ones or jeans)…but GET REAL, size 10’s!??:biggrin: Do you know how much DUST:blushing: was on the top of that pants hangar? I’ve always carried my weight in my lower half…I think I was barely in a size 10 when I was 130#! So there’s my new end goal…I’ll even settle for a 10/12 with an elastic waistband…wow, doesn’t seem even possible! :thumbup: Well, at least my pants are all sorted by size now…next year I plan to start working my way down that rack!:wink:

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12/8/09 Deck the Halls...

We got our live tree for the foyer (I think it's 12' this year), as usual, the weekend after Thanksgiving. The boys got all my outside decorations up that weekend as well (Attached Pic 1- Front porch/door). I made the lighted garland, decorations and the Williamsburg arch over the door. Everything is now on the tree (Attached Pic 2- This year's tree), and all the decorations are finally up around the house, except my kids displays which they will do (Christmas dollhouse, train set, and monorail). Lest I repeat myself, If you want, you can read more about my Christmas obsession at last years blogs here on LBT: 12/4/08 Fa la-la-la-la... - LAP-BAND®®®®® The tree/ornaments: 12/29/08 It looks like someone threw up ornaments on our tree! - LAP-BAND®®®®®   Oh, and if you're wondering why my mantle has a nativity with a pink light in it that makes it look more like a brothel than a crèche (Attached Pic 3), then you must read my last year's blog with my very favorite family Christmas read: 12/17/08 I Believe in Santa! - LAP-BAND®®®®® In this pic you can also see 2 of the 3 cradles my kids made on the hearth...read: 12/6/08 Traditions...What's in Your Shoes? - LAP-BAND®®®®®   I love setting the Dining Room table for Christmas (Attached Pic 4 & 5- Dining Room). I made the decorations and fruit cone on the table. My MIL gave me a few pieces of Lenox Holiday Christmas china that someone had given her and that got me started on setting up service for the holidays. I didn't select a china when we got married as our everyday setting was expensive, so it's fun for me to set out this china once a year.   So get going folks and Deck the Halls!!

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12/8/08 Pantless until June!

I’m now at my highest weight ever by a few pounds.:thumbup: But I guess the good news (if you can possibly call this good news:angry:) is I’m well over the minimum BMI needed for insurance..yay me (not).:blushing: I HATE tight pants so I always buy a larger size, but I REFUSE to do that with LB in my future. I had a pair of jeans on with a belt this weekend (last notch) and they were hurting my waist yesterday…they felt like they were pinching me…well, I looked this morning and I actually have a little bruise where the belt buckle flipped up when I sat (probably my muffin top rolling them…lovely:glare:) and the buckle was jabbing me in the waist. As if being overweight isn’t painful enough…now I have to put up with “clothing pain”…geez! I wonder if “clothing pain” and bruising count as a comorbidity (hee-hee)? :biggrin:   I counted and I now have the following: 1 pr. Jeans, 1 pr. Dress pants, 3 pr. Elastic Sweat pants…so not even a week’s worth of pants! :wink: Thank God I’m at home and not working! I don’t think they expect me to lose much weight on my 6 mo. diet, but I have to confirm that...So it doesn’t look like I’ll be able to wear other sizes in my closet any time soon. I don’t end my 6 mo. diet until May 10th, so it will probably be early June for my surgery. What the heck happens when it gets hot out this Spring…I don’t think I have any capris/shorts that would fit me now! Maybe I’ll be allowed to lose weight on that pre-op diet? I’ll have to ask how many weeks that is, let’s see…maybe if it’s 4 weeks pre-op diet that would put me into April…let’s pray:pray2: for a cool spring…and that my 5 pairs of pants don’t split/wear out by then! If you see a pantless lady walking around, it’s me:willy_nilly:…I REFUSE to buy a larger size!

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12/7/08 Thanks...for the Memories

NOTE ***Read the last paragraph at least for my favorite kid story this year…it still makes me laugh!   “Thanks for the Memories” gifts. My Dad started this tradition way back. He would wrap up little crazy things:crazy: that were funny or embarrassing. They are always preceded by a funny story that makes everyone wonder what’s in the box and you never know who’s going to get one. My favorite one was the year I’ve received a box of run-over mangled gas caps. Back when I was a teen, long before they had locking ones or gas doors with handy cap holders on them I lost 3 of Dad’s at the gas station by leaving them on top of the car where you’d put them while you pumped the gas (where else would you put them?). So one year Dad went to our local gas station where they had a whole box of them that other people had left (see, I wasn’t the only one) and yep, I gotem’ all!:wink: We’ve all started this now…   This year I’ve got some good ones ready for my kids. My oldest, my daughter, will be getting a lovely mug we found with Betrix Potter’s “Mrs. Tiggy Winkle” on it. When she was just one we lived for a few months with my in-laws when we were looking for a home after our move. We all loved reading her stories. One day out from the boxed book series came “Mrs. Tiggy Winkle” and she freaked out! :scared2: I have to admit, she’s one scary looking beady-eyed hedgehog (Google her if you want a scare).:scared: For many years, we’d say “Mrs. Tiggy Winkle” and she would imitate Mrs. TW and wrinkle up her nose and make a scary face. She wouldn’t go near the bookshelf at the Grandparents house until we showed her the book and put it up high. Her Grandparents love reminding her of that story. So now she’ll be getting a little reminder (we’re cruel parents, I know)! :blushing:   My oldest son will be getting what’s left of our old OSU front car plate as he had to buy a new one, along with a new front-end on our car (actually just the deductable). Yep, he got in his first fender bender:car::car: this year (no one hurt, low speed, bumped the SUV in front of him and the SUV won big time-hardly a scratch on theirs…:rant:RANT-I ask you why oh why can’t all bumpers line up at the same level?:mad2: What’s the point if they don’t?:cursing:). Yep, we’re really cruel parents!:sneaky: It’s a good lesson when your first accident is a little one though…I hope it’s made him much more cautious; I think so.   My youngest boy-13 will be getting music, specifically Guns and Roses “Sweet Child ‘O Mine”. He got his first guitar (electric) for his birthday in July (Santa is bringing him a bigger practice amp…are we crazy or what? The one it came with was really bad though.). We were so busy:willy_nilly: this summer that we couldn’t start lessons until September. Well, he was so anxious to start that he got on YouTube one day and by watching, tried to teach himself the long intro to the song above. After a month of listening to him trying to pluck it out…before we knew it he had it down and at the right tempo even.:thumbup: Google the music video on YouTube…it’s fast…and he’s never played a guitar…brass in the school band for a few years (band concert at school last Fri. night-very nice), but no strings. September comes and I take him for his first lesson at the music store (he’s nervous, but excited) and we meet the teacher…nice young guy who graduated from Berkeley and they go into one of the lesson rooms while I wait. Half-hour is up and they come out…huge smiles:biggrin::biggrin:…I asked his teacher how it went and he starts laughing:laugh:…OK, I’m thinking what happened?...my son is shy, but super funny…uh oh, what did he do?....the teacher tells me “We began with how to hold the guitar, then we started the beginner book…and it was great that he’s played an instrument at school because I could skip some of the real basics like timing, notes, etc.”...then he starts laughing again:lol2:….he says “We had a few minutes left of our lesson time so I played a little for your son to inspire him and showed him that soon he’ll be strumming and then I played him part of a great picking song.”…:smilielol5:hysterical laughter now… “Well, I finished and your son looks up at me and just gives me a grin” :ihih:(he’s got an INFAMOUS sneaky grin) “Then he looks down at his guitar and without a word plays the same thing I just played perfectly!” :wink2:….what song did the teacher pick…you got it…fate steps in….what are the odds…the ONLY song my son knows…intro to “Sweet Child ‘O Mine”!! The teacher says… “Boy was I amazed!:eek6:...now, if he could have done that with 2 songs…ha-ha!” (I’ll bet he thought he had a prodigy) :lol:We were in tears laughing (guess you had to be there). Ten lessons later and he’s perfectly playing “Stairway to Heaven” (except the big wild solo part). Looks like I’ll soon be a “Band_Groupie” in more than one way…hold those lighters up!!!:thumbup:

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12/6/08 Traditions...What's in Your Shoes?

I love traditions. They tie us to our families our faiths our origins and our holidays. Our parents passed some on to us and we’ve started some of our own…some are just little things, others are lengthy productions, some are from our heritage, some I’m sure most households do, and some I know are just our families. As I’m bringing up all the Christmas bins I’m reminded of all the little things we do each and every year to make this season special.   Always getting our live tree the Sunday after Thanksgiving; Advent calendars; St. Nicholas Day-kids setting their shoes outside their door Dec. 5 for little gifts from St. Nick the next morning (TODAY!..A northern Europe tradition); finding different ways to give to others in need-working at a soup kitchen, Toys-For-Tots, adopting a family; making our favorite Christmas cookies and a gingerbread house while wearing our elf hats with ears; Ornament exchanges with each family and with each other on Christmas Eve; singing “Silent Night” holding candles on Christmas Eve as one child gets the honor of placing Baby Jesus in the manger that sits on the mantle; leaving cookies and milk for Santa and a vegetable-usuallly a carrot for the reindeer; tying a ribbon at the top of the stairs and one of the children gets to cut the ribbon when it’s time to come down-a fire going and music playing; the kids rushing to the tree to see who can find the pickle ornament (from Germany) first that Santa has hidden on the tree because that child gets to open the first present; always opening the stockings first; Santa’s gifts always appear in plain green and red paper with large elvish writing of names on the fronts and there’s always one gift for each child that sits out unwrapped; cooking everyone’s favorites for Christmas dinner and singing Happy Birthday to Jesus before our dessert; and finally come the Christmas crackers that contain tissue party hats and little trinkets and dumb jokes that always get us laughing; taking each child’s photo on the couch with their new toys; the day after Christmas is always “jammie day” where we stay in our jammies and play games all day, Oh and we all have fun giving hilarious “Thanks for the Memories” gifts, but I’ll save that for tomorrow’s blog…my favorite/funniest kid story this year!…stay tuned...hee-hee   What are your holiday traditions??:thumbup:

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12/5/08 Urodynamics

Sounds like a new exercise program…or maybe a high-tech company name?…Oh NO….look closer…Uro…nope, not the currency in Europe…uro as in Urologist!:party: Taking my cue from a fellow blogger (‘cause I can’t just write this out, it will sound too horrific)…Sing it with me, to the tune of “Jingle Bells”…   Went to the Urologist Wires out the gazoo:ohmy: Catheter up the front And up the rear-end too!:eek:   They fill up your big bladder You feel like you’re gonna blow:crying: They ask you to cough, and then they say “Tell me when you’ve got to go.” :wub:   Gotta go, gotta go, gotta go right NOW! Im’ gonna pee on your floor and then you’ll need a towel! Oww! :biggrin: Gotta go, gotta go, gotta go right NOW! Im’ gonna pee on your floor and then you’ll need a towel!:car:   Yeah… “Oh what fun” (not) I had this morning…Three years ago, after putting up with stress incontinence for years (three kids did me in) I had surgery (only one I’ve ever had) with both a bladder sling and a hysterectomy in hopes of correcting this issue. Although initial results were good, it slowly failed and over the next year I was back to where I started.:biggrin3: Well, it’s taken me awhile to go back to my Dr., but in this year of “getting me healthier” I decided to see what they could do. I met with my Urologist last month…if you remember my “I peed my pants” blog…he said “You’re the first patient I’ve had where this failed…you’ll have to leave by the back door so you don’t scare my other patient!” Ha-ha:laugh:…I would have laughed, but then I might PEE MYSELF!:scared2: Now don’t I feel special! So today I started the testing process again…not much embarrasses me (I know, obviously) but “Urodynamics” testing is a treat…I think you’ve got the picture from my song, but picture standing on a towel and holding a million tubes and wires (coming from all points nether-regions) throughout the testing…cough…bear down:blush:…’nuff said. Next week I get to go through the “scoping” process again…yay me…photos! I’ve had some other issues over the past few years with other failed treatments and I know that’s got me more nervous about the LB process…I’m feeling a little jinxed…like if something can go wrong or fail, it’s going to happen to me!:wub: But I’m an eternal optimist (as Mr.SA says) and my cup is always half-full (or in the case of this morning 1.7 liters…yes, they measure...eeeww)…so here’s to the LB! Bring it on the testing!:thumbup:

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12/4/08 Fa la-la-la-la...

The tree is up…it smells like Christmas in the house! We have a tradition of buying our tree every Sunday after Thanksgiving. We got a fresh 11’ one from a Zeilenople tree farm lot this year. No, it's not bent over..it sits in our 2 story foyer at the corner of the staircase and we have a glass paned front door (unusual I know-that’s me, but it fits our farmhouse style/porch house). My neighbors always comment they love watching our tree get decorated a little more each day as they drive by (maybe I'll make them come help next year). It’s my favorite holiday. I’m kind of a Christmas nut:blink:…holiday nut actually…rusty antiques nut…Disney nut…OK, I’ll save my many obsessions for another blog. Let me just say I’ve got 5 large shelving units and about 40 something:blush: (don't tell DH-Mr.SA) BIG bins (was boxes, now plastic… remember the floods I mentioned with the washing machine yesterday…let’s just say the laundry room is above the Christmas shelves...yes, I cried...Oh, BTW, Art came yesterday and with a laugh, 5 min. and a $25 check I'm back in the laundry business)…I just can't throw anything away-did you know you can keep popcorn strings for at least 10 years...yep, I'm on my second set now-strung with wooden cranberry beads every now and then. I store them in old coffee cans...they smell a tiny bit funny when you first get them out every year, but no mold...they just yellow a little, but they're a perfect buttered popcorn color:crazy:...I know, only I would think to even try saving popcorn (hey, they're a lot of work and my kids bloody finger tips)!! So many bins of Christmas stuff now waiting to go up (an infliction that was passed down from my Mother). I swear I didn't buy much of it...more than half of it is all the kids things (they have as much Christmas stuff as all their other stuff), so it’s not as bad as it sounds…it will be going with them one day…but for now we display it all! Our families (they’re the spoilers) have been building up their displays since they were born so it’s all their fault…the boys huge double-layer train board…one has a Disney train, rides and monorail, the other Ertl farm sets and models he built and painted w/western train…my DD’s Christmas dollhouse that one of my sisters and my brother (still can’t believe my brother did this) sanded and glued together for 4 solid weekends before one Christmas…I so enjoy watching my kids put their own displays up each year as they remember who gave them what:regular_smile:…they always turn out a little different and they still get new little things each year. I have a whole bins of Christmas plush animals, toys, and books they got from Grandparents and of course every handmade ornament they’ve ever made…and not just the ones from school…being an ex Art teacher, I’ve made a LOT with them over the years…we still exchange ornaments with both sides of the family every year, so the kids already have ornaments aplenty for their future tree. We've got the outside lighted garlands and wreaths on every window up already. Today I’m putting away the fall decorations…tonight we put the lights on the tree…tomorrow I pile the ornaments by person on the dining room table and then each person starts putting their own on the tree…I can hardly wait for the memories… “remember this one…who/when…”:thumbup: Fa la-la-la-la

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12/31/09 New Year's Resolutions

I've never been a big 'New Year Resolutions' person.     Most years I don't set any, although I have often started or recommitted to a diet in many a January. After a Fall of Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas and all the food/treats those holiday's bring, January always seemed to be a good month for dieting. New Year's is always I time I seem to reflect on the good and bad events of the past year. No doubt that this will certainly be a year I'll always remember as a very good one. My only resolution last year was to finally put myself at the top of the list and do whatever it took to start getting healthy again.     - I improved my Osteoarthritis and arm mobility with Physical Therapy   - I got my Incontinence (failed sling & hysterectomy) under control…thank you Vesicare   - My DD graduated from college, moved home, and got her first, then second 'real' job   - DS1 graduated from HS and moved to/started college   - DH and I celebrated our 50th birthdays and our 27th Anniversary   - We had an 80th surprise birthday party for my Dad   - We vacationed at Seabrook Isl. w/the in-laws, and DH and I vacationed in Sedona and at the Grand Canyon (my first visit)   - I got my LB and lost 74 pounds this year (plus 2 whoo in 2008)     *Portion of Post Deleted for Lap Band Book             I've got a few personal and family ones I'm setting as well, but I'll leave it at that…     Anyone have some resolutions they want to share?         Happy New Year all!      

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12/31/08 The Fat Lady Has Sung!

Goodbye 2008! It’s fading fast and the fat lady WILL sing tonight…this fat lady that is. It’s sooooo over! I have bigger and better plans for 2009 so I’m welcoming it in with style. My sister (#3 out of the 5 of us) called and canceled their trip here today from Ohio because she’s sick, so I’m a little down. My kids were all so looking forward to them coming. They have four boys similar in ages to my kids so they’ve grown up together and are great friends. We love having family for New Years. We even had all 16 (all but the Chicago gang) to our house for the Millenium for a slumber party…great fun! Anyway, we took the kids to a movie this afternoon (Benjamin Buttons) and now we’re getting ready to party. I helped DD get ready for ‘Plan B’ and she just left with the boyfriend for Pittsburgh in her skinny red party dress. DS1 has to work for awhile (restaurant server). Over the years, Mr.SA and I have done it all…parties, clubs, but when the kids were little we mostly stayed home or had neighbor parties. If you’ve been following my life at all you won’t be surprised to hear I had an evil New Year’s plan. I went around the house in the afternoon and turned all the clocks ahead two hours. It was great…we counted down with the kids until midnight and celebrated the whole shebang; party hats, noise makers, party poppers with confetti…it was fun. Of course, my neighbors probably thought we were crazy banging pans on our front porch at 10:00pm, but the kids were so happy they were able to stay awake until the New Year (well, sort of), and we had a peaceful hour or so after they went to bed to ring in the New Year. This went on WAY more years than we even hoped it would…then one fine year my oldest (DD) heard about the “ball drop” from someone at school…darn that TV…foiled again! I’ve since confessed to my evil plan, and the kids think it’s hilarious (well, sort of). So now I’m all dolled up with nowhere to go (well we were invited to a neighbor party, so not quite)…but it’s OK…I’ve got my party hat on and party poppers ready to go…we’re ringing in this New Year in style…the fat lady is singing tonight…she’s going DOWN in 2009! Happy New Year all! "Auld Lang Syne" (times gone by) Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind ?   Should old acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne?   CHORUS: For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne, we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne. And surely you’ll buy your pint cup! And surely I’ll buy mine! And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

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12/30/08 Mamma Mia!

Today was DD and my ‘Chick Flick’ day (now that my house is temporarily no longer a 'Boys Club'). It was topped off by watching ‘Mamma Mia’, which I've been looking forward to since seeing the show at the Benedum in Pittsburgh. We were singing and dancing until DS2 decided to see what was going on and promptly announced “James Bond can’t sing a lick!” “He sounds worse than Dad trying to sing!” Short pause here…Mr.SA NEVER sings…OK, I’ve heard him sing maybe 6x EVER…he knows the words to exactly ONE song…an upbeat little fraternity song ditty he had to learn in order to survive Hell Week…I swear he couldn’t make it through ‘Happy Birthday’ to save his life…He’s one of the smartest people I know; loves music; has a stack of his favorite CD’s in his car, but he can’t remember the words to anything…No, I don’t get this as my brain isn’t wired that way and neither are any of my childrens…I used to sing with them every day since they were babies to/from my work and their daycare across the street…45 min. drive each way, minimum…I'd put the cassette in and 'Hippopotomus Rock’ was the one we would crank up and those kiddie car seats would be rocking side to side in the back seat…So DS2 saying this was significant…and he was right…James Bond…not so great a singer…Meryl Streep either actually…but that didn’t stop us from participating in the next song…it’s one of the things DD and I have in common our love of music and dance…and singing at the top of our lungs…badly…I didn’t say we sing well, but that doesn’t stop us (and no, Abba wasn't ever my favorite either, but this was too fun)…sing it with me… Now add your best disco moves…   You are the dancing queen Young and sweet Only seventeen Dancing queen Feel the beat from the tambourine You can dance You can jive Having the time of your life See that girl Watch that scene Diggin' the dancing queen

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12/3/10 WTH happened to LBT?...and a blog...maybe...if I figured this out right...which is doubtful...

IT'S NOT JUST A TOOL!   In the Thanksgiving hub-bub, I forgot to post this one here...and WTHeck happened to LBT while I was off cooking and stuffing myself (and the turkey)?!!   You know I love change...I'm always shaking things up, but com'on! I'm already tech-challenged and now I have to relearn this...yikes. OK, problem already...can't find the 'cut' feature (as in cut and paste...come out come out wherever you are...I give up.   Anywhoooo...Hope you all had a great turkey-day and enjoyed your families as much as I did! Enjoy...   -------------------------------------------------------------- WARNING- A thesis paper follows (if you thought the last one was long LOL), as I pulled some things from the book, and I probably won't leave this up long because of that. I'd appreciate your thoughts/questions,     *Post Deleted For Lap Band Book

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