phyllser

Too funny! Can't wait for some more stories! But I like the "check my drawers" the best!! Yeah... I weighed 200 for so many years back in the 70's-80's, I think my body just wants to settle in here. I've been so tight, I'm not able to eat too much. Yeah, ate out too many times lately... Tracy & Jim are a bad influence!! LOL! But I have ramped up my exercise! Hey... guess who is here for a morning visit... sitting on my lap, licked my bf plate clean and is now washing my arm!!! HAHAHA!!

IMHO... funerals are an important part of the grieving process and help to bring some closure for family and friends. SIL's mother refused to have a service for her husband 3 yrs ago. He was well known in the area and a VIP in the company he worked for. I know for certain that family members still have a difficult time dealing with the fact there was no funeral or memorial of any kind. She couldn't deal with it, so she adamantly insisted there be nothing at all.. no celebration of his life, no funeral, no burial. He was cremated and that was it!

Laura, Had to smile as I read your post.... remembering! We have 4 kids with only 6 yr spread between oldest and youngest. So.. by the time the 4th one went to kindergarten... I literally danced in the street!! LOL! The neighbors got a kick out of it! I have to say, the youngest was also our biggest challenge and I SO needed a few hours break! Good workout at the pool today. My PT seems to be somewhat more rigorous than our Water aerobics in the winter. Back is a little achy. She told me to stay off the bike today because she ramped up my exercises a little and she wants to know how it feels tomorrow. Having trouble getting food down the past couple of days. Had a small steak last night and it was a challenge. Having cole slaw and one rye crisp cracker with lite cream cheese, smoked salmon on it and been working on it for over 1/2 hour with most of the cole slaw still in my bowl! I made a huge container of it yesterday... for dressing.. mostly white balsamic vinegar, several packets of splenda and a couple of TBSP of lite Best Foods Mayo. It's really good. I don't like it creamy. Today I put a few fresh strawberries on top.

That sounds like a great Breakfast for mushy stage and beyond. I will have to try it!

DO NOT cover your children!! They're all over 21 now, right?? They need to take responsibility for themselves. Get jobs that have coverage, etc. No one in school now?? Colleges have health insurance available for a reasonable price. Get a plan that will allow you to get the surgery that you need!! So... how was the LOST finale???? Gave up watching that several years ago when it just got too weird!! TOO FUNNY!!! Bailey's in his coffee!!! :sneaky::tongue2::tt1: :tt1:You should be able to get SF Irish Cream for his coffee, but maybe not at Starbucks. Their SF flavors are so limited considering the myriad of SF flavors that are out there! There is a SF white chocolate powder that is wonderful! I usually get that mixed with a little SF Raspberry or vanilla. So.... scale went up today... TOPS weigh in... I'm back a hair over 200 again and it's depressing!! Just farting around with the same 3-4 lbs for way too long!! Up, down, up, down, up, down!! Especially considering all the exercise and walking I've been doing. Have to revise what I'm eating! Apparently my body likes this weight! I weighed right around 200 for a lot of years. But I don't want to stay here!! Anyways, nothing to do with that... I'm feeling kind of depressed and weepy for no apparent reason! Go through this from time to time which feeds my theory that even after menopause we still experience some sort of "cycle". Then, since Earl skipped TOPS this morning, I went to the pet store on the way home. Not a good thing to do when I'm already depressed! But I'd never been inside their main store and it is truly beautiful! Big aquarium room, reptile room.. all beautifully decorated with soft lights and music! Would never seriously consider buying a dog there because their prices are too high. They had Chihuahuas and Toy Poodles. The poodles were so cute... 5 of them, all blond... but $795 and NO papers! Not registered. And that only includes puppy shots and exam. Shelters are way less than that and often include spay/neuter, all shots and pet exam. But... I spent about 1/2 hr browsing through their books on several small breeds... Yorkie, Shih Tzu, Maltese, etc. I really want a Yorkie mix. One book said that Yorkies make great therapy puppies... like to take to a nursing home or hospital, because everyone they meet is their BEST FRIEND!! That's the way Gigi is! Tracy will bring her over and she opens the door and lets go of Gigi's leash and she races across the room and dives into my lap! Love it! Oh... so you have another hour of Lost to watch. So you haven't seen the climax yet. Thought there would be comments on Face Book this morning but haven't seen any so far. Home before noon this morning and nothing else on the agenda for today! Just sat around all day yesterday. Can't do that again. Will maybe take a cruise around the neighborhood. And think I'll go do my routine at the gym, too. You probably all saw Karri's prom picture already, hope she doesn't mind, but I'm going to post it anyway. It's so cute and so funny!

This was very interesting info! As a retired nurse, it is quite amazing all the "new" stuff I learn here just from reading all your posts! Wow! It's been a long time since nursing school!! Didn't hear of things like "fibromyalgia" in those days! I guess I'm OLD and uninformed!! LOL

TOPS walk was fine.. was disappointed that it was only .8 mile... took me 35 minutes, so I thought it was over a mile. Oh, well.... last year I rode my scooter for most of the "walk". Walked a very short distance so I could get my badge! We went to Breakfast when we were done... just Earl & I. Brought most of it home with me though. Yes, guy behind me was young, too... I did not know him at all, really... but they have a young daughter, too, and it is so sad for little kids to lose their dad so young and she's only about 8 yrs old. Oh, my!! And I thought you were busy before! You've had a whirlwind week with more to come, sounds like! Congrats on the new grandson! We went to Tracy & Jim's after the walk & breakfast. Visited with them and my Gigi puppy for a while. Then Earl wanted to bring the Chevy home, so my pretty new car is sitting over there and he'll be fussing with his Chevy all afternoon. Think I need a scooter cruise around the neighborhood. Maybe I'll go see what Target has on sale. Then we're supposed to go back to Tracy's for dinner... spaghetti & meatballs! But she said she'd keep it healthy.. she's going to buy ground turkey for the meatballs. And maybe I'll take a can of my french style green Beans and not eat the Pasta. Earl made that last week, though.. and I had it for 3 meals before it was gone and I PB'd every time for some reason!

TOPS walk this morning. Slept in. Now have to rush! Meeting at bldg at 9 a.m. So sad about your friend's SIL, Janet! I have to go..... TYL

My vitamin D level was about 1/2 what it should be a year or so ago and came up nicely by taking over the counter Vit D. And I take over the counter B Complex and she's never told me I was deficient in any of the B's. So... don't really "know", but this is just my personal experience.

Good Morning!! It IS still morning for a few more minutes! Had 9 a.m. PT appt this morning. Intended to get to the gym early enough to do recumbent bike and wgt machines BEFORE PT, but... didn't make it and only had enough time to do the wgt machines. Hard workout at PT... so sorry I said it was wimpy after the first one!!! I was dripping with sweat again today! Pool has strong jets that they've been turning on at the end of my exercise session and have me walk back & forth and sideways against the current, holding one of those flutter boards in front of me! And having me go up the step, like 20 times each leg, etc. SO.... by the time I finished all that, took a shower, and decided I was too exhausted to go back upstairs and do some time on the bike! Oh, well... I had a good workout. My arms and legs are feeling it! Tracy and I went to the gym together yesterday and I worked out about 40 minutes... 20 bike, 20 wgt machines. Then we went to Surf Shack for lattes. Problem is... while we were there, SIL called and said he was taking us out to lunch! BAD! So... went to this Chinese place he likes and Earl met us there and I ate something to greasy! Made me feel like I wiped out my whole exercise session! Stupid! He really likes that place and I can never find anything very healthy to eat. I should have ordered a bowl of Won Ton Soup!

Julie, Sounds like you might be feeling just a little bit better. Good to see you posting again. A few of us hanging around! I hear you on the gym!! I tried to get there early enough to do wgts and recumbent bike before PT in the pool, but, not enough time. So I just went upstairs and did the wgts. By the time I finished in the pool, I was too tired to go back upstairs and ride the bike! First PT session in the pool I thought was wimpy! But... they ramped it up a bit when they saw I was a serious exerciser, and now I'm tired when I get out, and I work up a GOOD sweat! They turn up the jets the last few minutes and have me walk against the jets! That is tough! And they always tease me about my tan! Yeah, that kinda scared me, too! I know I push it sometimes! Need to be more careful!! It's tough to get in the habit, isn't it?! I am realizing that by getting the PT referral from my doctor, and going to the PT facility at the gym I've been going to, it's helping me develop a good routine for exercise. They have me scheduled for twice a week PT in the pool. So I am doing some exercise each time... but if I just get up a little earlier, I can do the bike and wgt machines BEFORE PT. I did that on Tuesday and felt really good about it when it was done. Today I feel guilty because I screwed up and got here too late to do both. Yesterday wasn't a PT day, but DD and I went to the gym together... so have to see if we can do that on my non-PT days. She works, but only 2 days a week, and she works at the school, so in a few weeks she'll be done until the fall.

Yeah... grab me a yorkie or shi tzu mix!! LOL We were supposed to get a lot of rain this week but, not so much. Sun is out this morning, but they're still predicting rain for today, tomorrow and Saturday! Neighbor in the apt right behind us died last night. Not very old. He was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer a couple of years ago. Very sad. They have a little girl about 7-8 yrs old. But then... he was the guy who used to throw his wife up against the wall and wake us up in the middle of the night the first year we were here. He was a drunk at that time. He changed his ways when he got sick!

Janet, Sorry for your lousy day yesterday... frustrating week for you! I have a theory that even after menopause, we do experience some type of cycle and slight PMS symptoms. So not surprised you were feeling that way. Hope you have a good day today. Good to take a break from the computer. I NEED to do that, too. I waste way too much time with the laptop in my face!! You are doing great, Candice!! I've been to the gym twice this week and Tracy and I are planning to go together this morning. Our schedules don't usually jive, so we haven't gone together yet. Did I tell you guys that silly place extended my complimentary pass until the 25th?? Crazy! I had my checkbook with me and I was ready to sign up and they extended my freebie!!! So I'll be on my 3rd week when this one expires! Plus now I'm going there for PT twice a week that my insurance will pay for. I go again tomorrow morning at 9 a.m., so I'll go early again and ride the bike first. Today I'm going to do that plus the weight machines. Food wasn't great yesterday.... Primetimers! Chicken Alfredo! But there was a really delicious veggie salad... talked to the lady that made it. She just used frozen peas, corn, green beans, chopped celery, onion and red and yellow bell peppers. The dressing was vinegar, water, salt and sugar. So I'm going to make some and use Splenda instead of sugar. I LOVE my veggies and that salad was wonderful. Just have to watch the portion because of the carbs in the corn & peas. Puppy... yes, I'm sure that cost is part of his "NO", but the main objection he expresses is that having a dog would restrict our travel. We go away on trips of from 4-5 days to a week, sometimes longer... and we can leave the cat and have someone check on her. Can't do that with a dog.. have to have someone who will dog sit or use a kennel... and they are SO expensive. But, Tracy and Jim have no problem finding people to take Gigi when they go away cuz she's so lovable and so easy! I'm sure we can find someone in Sky Valley that would take her... our next door neighbors, in fact, take one friends' dog for 1-2 weeks almost every winter. We're already planning a trip to Cabo next spring with Tracy and Jim... so trips like that would be a challenge. I'm not too worried about Candy because she's been very good with Gigi. It's been pretty amazing, really. Gigi is very timid, so I think Candy senses that she is no threat. Saturday when Gigi was here she was sleeping on the couch for a little while and Candy was in her usual place perched on the back of the couch. She got very bold and decided she was going to take a closer look at this little ball of fur, so she got down and slowly approached Gigi and started sniffing. That scared Gigi and she jumped down. But I think if she were here more often, they'd end up being friends. So... with a small puppy, she'd probably be fine.

I've spent the last couple of hours on Petfinders.com! Found some puppies that would be perfect for us about 2 hrs away at a couple of dog shelters. But... Earl is still not open to the idea!! GRRR!

Good idea! I'll start thinking!! LOL! Tracy's dog looks just like Toto in Wizard of Oz. She told me that when she first got her, and when I walked her to Surf Shack last week, someone stopped me and told me that, too!

Wow! Another Mexicali earthquake!! Did you feel it?? No puppy! I think I'd have to find another home if I got one. Grumpy is still saying an emphatic NO! I just love that little Gigi! I wish I could find a dog just like her. I am watching the ads in the paper every day. I will look for that Cabot cheese at Costco. That sounds like a good idea. Your sister needs a smack!! What a jerk! I'd just ignore her. It's almost all settled now anyways, isn't it?? So what's the point. If she's acting like that, I'd be suspicious about why she is so adamant about wanting to be on the account. You have no obligation to do that if your brother named you as administrator. In fact, i'd go so far as to stay, it would violate his wishes! Don't do it! No point and too much red tape. So, I didn't go puppy shopping, but we did do our "lake walk" this afternoon. Stopped at Safeway on the return trip. They have the Lean Cuisines on sale right now for $1.88... today the last day, though, and, just like Albertson's a week or so ago, if you buy 6 you get a free box of Skinny Cows! So I got some more of the white chocolate/mint truffles. They are SO good and only 100 calories. The free Skinny Cows is good until the 25th, but the cost of the Lean Cuisines goes up tomorrow. Probably the same deal at Von's since they are owned by the same parent company.

Yeah, I've had a LOT of frustrating experiences cruising around the neighborhood on my scooter, but this one takes the all time prize!! People do NOT respect pedestrians, pedestrian cross walks, the "WALK" light at intersections, etc. One every day happening is drivers turning right when the walk light is on and I am waiting to cross. As it is, as soon as you start across the street the walk light goes off and the warning light starts blinking! Then you have people who want to turn in front of you... either wait or they'll run over you! FUNNY! Yeah, I'm more than ready to sign up if they'd just ask me!! They've already given me 2 of the 3 complimentary personal trainer consults that come with membership! And the rate for Seniors is only $25 a month. And they said they'd put me on month to month since we're "snowbirds" and suspend my membership until we get back in the spring. What more could I ask!?? HAHAHA!! Yeah, y'all watch out for me on those speed bumps!!

Okay.. Laughing Cow is on the shopping list. When we were at Candice's last summer, she made some home made hummus that was really good! All I remember is she started with canned chick peas and a little olive oil... then she'll have to tell us what else went in to it.. garlic, I think. It was really good!

We LOVE it when you junk up the thread! Don't you know how much we miss you when you're gone??? Here is a VERY annoying thing that happened to me today. See... I can junk up the thread, too! Now... I had a GREAT workout this morning... recumbent bike, pretty vigorous PT in the therapy pool at my gym. I say "my" gym... but they haven't asked me for any money yet!! Alarm went off yesterday when I scanned my "temporary" card because my 1 week complimentary membership expired..... So.... she extended me for 8 more days!!! I love this place. I'm ready to get out my paycheck, but they never ask me for money. So... anyway, DH wanted to do our "lake walk" this afternoon, and I always use my scooter for that... don't know that I can do the 3 miles, and the steep hill we have to go down, and then a slow steady climb for at least a mile... so... no guilt... I rode. The last leg of the loop... we walk the length of the Safeway shopping center. At the end.. he goes one way and I go another. My route goes behind this office building where there are 2 huge speed bumps. This is a long story, isn't it??? Anyway, if I stick close to the left hand side of the "road".. which isn't really a road, because it's the back part of the shopping center parking lot.... then I don't have to ride my scooter over these two HUGE speed bumps. So I'm cruising along... traffic in both directions and about the width of a normal "road". And I see this car coming straight for me and it's hugging the curb just like I am because she doesn't want to drive over the speed bumps either and she can avoid her right tires going over them if she stays far to her right, my left. At the last minute, she finally moves over so she won't run me down... BUT, as she passes me... she BLARES her horn at me???!!! LIKE... where was I supposed to go!!???? Maybe in the middle of the "road" so I would drive over the speed bumps but she could miss them with half of her tires!!??? What an inconsiderate idiot!! So, nice Christian woman that I am, I gave her the "salute"! She deserved it! Thank you for listening to my vent!

OH NO!! You need a BREAK, not another thing to deal with! So sorry you didn't have a more enjoyable time with GM!! I bet she is dealing with the reality of you moving soon. Personality trait.... Wow.. it's hard to see that in yourself. I'm sitting here pondering... I'm a good listener, but not always a great conversationalist! I think I am compassionate towards others, and work at trying to be thoughtful. So sorry to hear about this setback! That has got to be super frustrating! Did the doctor say anything about physical therapy. I was so glad when my doc suggested that last week for my back.. and I picked the gym I go to, which also has a PT dept, because I knew they had a therapy pool. They were more than willing to let me do the therapy in the pool. So now I get 2 - 45 minutes sessions a week in the pool. With the type of injury you have, that may or may not be an option. But definitely a good idea to talk to the exercise person in your surgeon's office. BTW... your new avatar photo is BEAUTIFUL!! Such big changes in your face! You look GREAT! GODDESS APPLES.... you are a KICK! I was up very early today.... not typical for me. I had an 8 a.m. PT appt in the pool, so I went over early and did 20 minutes on the recumbent bike before the PT appt. Did 20 minutes on the bike yesterday too, and worked on 4 weight machines, too.

Hi! Gym went well yesterday. Used the four weight machines the trainer started me on... 2 arms, 2 legs. Don't remember how many repetitions he told me to do, but I know I did more, and I upped the weight on one of the leg machines to 50 lb. Then I did 20 minutes on the recumbent bike. Then I had to go all the way back and up those stupid steps AGAIN because I left my book on the bike! Now... pay attention to this because this is BIG....... This morning, I got up BEFORE 7 a.m., went to the gym and was on the bike by 7:30 a.m. Did 20 minutes on the bike again and then down to the pool for 45 minutes of PT. It was much more rigorous today and I got a really good workout. And the pool water was up to 96, so I sweat like a pig!! My face was still red 1/2 hr after I got home.. and that was after a shower and a stop by the Surf Shack for my latte. Problem is I was back home by 9:30 a.m. and now I'm bored. I think I will have to go for a cruise around the neighborhood on my scooter. Or steal the car and go to the pet store to look at puppies! Or go to Tracy & Jim's and get some cuddles from Gigi! They are watching their grandchildren today.

Lori, Hope you have a GREAT birthday! I love seafood of any kind, including lobster! And I do crab and lobster without the butter. I prefer cocktail sauce to the butter anyway. DD#1 persuaded her DH to see that movie last weekend. He's always a good sport about taking her to "chick flicks". She commented on FB that she owed him an action movie now. But he came back commenting about how much he enjoyed it! They brought me a beautiful bouquet of roses and lillies the other day... the day I found out about the death of my friend in NYC. So sweet! I went to the gym this morning... worked on 4 of the weight machines that my trainer got me started on, then the recumbent bike for 20 minutes. But I left my book on the bike, so I need to go back and get it! Or not! I have an early morning appt for PT in the pool over there tomorrow... 8 a.m. So maybe I'll just call and ask them to put it a side for me to pick up in the morning. Planning to work out after my pool time. Pool exercises they're giving me are wimpy! pretty much 45 minutes of stretching, walking in the water!

Doing much, much better today. Soft omelet this morning.. ate most of it. Out to lunch with granddaughter for her birthday at lunch time.. had tortilla soup. Went down fine. Had latte between breakfast and lunch. Then tonight.. a Healthy Choice frozen dinner... 360 calories, meat loaf, potatoes, corn, baked apple dessert... very small amount. Decided to start taking my Nexium at night instead of the morning. Took one before bed last night and I think that helped a lot. Got a good night's sleep, even though I had to sleep in my recliner for 2 hours. I think I''ll be fine tonight. Didn't feel at all uncomfortable after dinner. Ate very slowly! Had the puppy again today. Tracy & Jim went to Seattle... Teatro Zinzanni.... very pricey dinner & show. They left around 2pm and just got home.. so we went and picked up Gigi around 4pm and kept her. They just picked her up. She is so cute! Gal upstairs was puppy sitting today too.. a little 7 wk old pug and Gigi was scared to death of him! He wanted to play.. I let her loose outside and took my camera thinking how cute to get some pictures of them playing. Well every time the puppy came near her she'd run and hide under my glider!

Jodi! You are SO busy!! Where do you get all your energy!? My friend had no family at all, just a few close friends in NYC. She'd lived there since she graduated from the U of Buffalo in 1965. It was one of our friends from those college years that finally emailed me yesterday. Because she lived in NYC all those years, we had very few mutual friends at this point in our lives. So, I totally understand how I got left out of the loop, but still regret that it took so long for someone to let me know. She had a live in boyfriend for more than 30 years, but he was somewhat older than her and died about 4-5 years ago. He had a daughter from another relationship, and a granddaughter, and my friend was quite close to them, but I'd never met them. I'm dealing with it... just can't believe she's gone and regret not having kept closer touch when I realized how sick she was last time we talked.

I had knee replacement last summer... 2 yrs after my surgery. You'll get back on track in no time. I think by week three I was walking 1/2 mile.