brandyII

Okay read #92 through #95 and Celebs are free for us to rant and rave about because they're being paid to look as they do and act as they do and we're basically the ones paying them and we're in Rants and Raves so that's what we do, plus when you're pms'ng we need this instead of ice cream! I was sad when I saw Queen Latifa (sp) going down the "commercial diet route", I liked having her as she was as a plus size woman roll model. That's just my personal opinion but when I see these women do this, especially the ones that don't need the money or exposure like Queen L. it bums me out. Plus what are the odds of them putting it back on again and yo yoing which is the worse thing you can do to your body. Whether they like it or not they're roll models for a lot of impressionable people. I think one of the best roll models is Elle (not sure if I spelled her name correctly) but she is that blond plus size model. I think I'm rambling again but she actually speaks out on the aspects of being healthy and not pencil thin and being a good roll model to young girls who really need them at this point in our world! brandyII (not a spokeswoman but does tend to play one on forums at times)

I totally missed out on posts #92 through #95 but there seemed to be some tension, I hope everything is back to happy times, where was I? brandyII

nikkikkki, I hope you don't mind if I mess up your name, I'm getting in the N and some "I"s and "K"s. This was back in the 1960s when smoking was still healthy and you smoked and nursed your baby at the same time. No I take that back, you smoked but didn't nurse your babies because it was unattractive in many ways that I won't get into. Anywho so suntan lotion wasn't a big thing and I doubt that it was waterproof either. I don't think they knew about reapplying or taking a child out of the sun either. Those were the "good ole days"! Only the children suffered:lol:. Out of the five kids I'm really the fairest of them all, no I'm not a princess but I wish I were! My youngest brother was dark like my mom and used to put Wesson Oil on and go out and lay in the sun until he was really dark. My poor father was even lighter than I am but he learned to cover up and was even a life guard when he was a teen. My children are raised up north where it's either summer or winter and they love the cold and hate the beach so we don't have to worry about them burning like I do. They are 19 and 24 but they're still my babies:tt1: brandyII

Georgia girl, you should have ran with it and sang the song by the B52s Rock Lobster:mad: that's me representing a sunburn not a mad face, brandyII.

laurend, could be like me and find out 35 years later that your mother's father was Mexican, lol. No but there are dark Irish. My father's side is considered "Scotch-Irish". That's something I am just learning the history about. But let me tell you I try to go to the Scottish Games here every summer but missed it last year because I had just had my surgery. They are so much fun. One of my great grandmothers was Scottish so I know what tartan to look for. Now I see they have something besides Scottish Games and Irish Festivals there are Celtic Festivals too for us mixed breeds. I forget the name but it has something to do with the Celts. Anywho, sorry I've been rambling, brandyII.

Plain, No you should wear it in the back, just make sure you have the right walk when you're wearing it, tee hee, brandyII.

Plain, Let's hope his mail-person is a hottie because that's all he's getting. All he's thinking is "oh how nice, my niece has sent me cheese from Harry and David doesn't it look delicious, I think I will save the Moose Munch for later when I watch the Game Show Channel" At least in my mind that's what he's thinking, brandyII

Plain, It's called a sock!

Plain, Are you my brother-n-law under a false name? See that's why I wouldn't ask you for advice. The poor man would have freaken heart attack if a stripper showed up at his door! I don't want to be responsible for his death so let's hope the cheese basket doesn't kill him!!!! brandyII

Nikkkkkkkkkkki, I'm really a mix, Scottish, Irish, English, German, my mother was very dark, her father may have been Mexican but we don't know for sure, that's another story. I take after my dad. Anywho I did not get any of her pigment and she did not know how to take care of a lily white child as I was growing up. There was another episode when she left me all day in a pool while my shoulders burned for hours and that was my first episode with rather large blisters. I remember my older brothers teasing me as I'd walk through a doorway with a needle in their hands. Every year at the beach I burned, so now I have to worry about the moles too unfortunately but so far so good! My husband is more Irish than I am but he also has much darker skin. There are tons of interesting books to read on Irish history and by Irish writers. I know Frank McCourt is very popular as he wrote Angela's Ashes, the book is funny the movie was depressing.

You always make me laugh when I least expect it!:biggrin: brandyII

Hi Carrie, I was just wondering if maybe your IBS may change after the band and I guess your surgeon is the best one for that advice. I found those kind of sites as I was searching for answers as to why I was having problems losing weight on the band. This forum has actually helped me through my issues and I'm on the right track. Most people on this forum seem a lot more successful than I had been so still talk to your surgeon. I had to go through a lot of mental and physical screenings before they'd even do the surgery. Anyway good luck to you brandyII.

Carrie, I know you're worried. A lot of us have second thoughts but to be honest with you, I don't have IBS and am more constipated than anything so I wonder if your symptoms with IBS would change. I have to take a lot of benifiber just to get things moving and I take it in my cup of tea. I'm also on an anti depressant which I believe tends to constipate you also. I know TMI but that's what we're here for. The vomiting that most people go through if they over eat or eat too fast or don't chew well enough isn't like the vomiting that we're used to when we have the flu. It's much higher up and the food isn't really digested so in some ways it's much easier although none of us want to vomit most of us have had occasion to. My daughter was worried because she said she had a strong gag reflex and didn't want the lap band like I have and is having the gastric bypass but that's her decision and I'm supporting her wishes with that. I had to cancel my lap band the first time two years prior to getting mine in 8/07 because of other people's issues that I had to deal with. Maybe if I had the surgery then I'd be thin by now. It has taken me a while to get used to the band and get it working but so far I seem to be doing well. My surgery went like clockwork and recovery was a breeze and I don't consider myself sick all the time and doubt most people do on this forum, so read more from people and talk to your surgeon if you have worries, I think it's normal and you're making a lot of major changes in your life right now. Good luck brandyII.

Well finally ordered a basket from Harry & David. His sister had no ideas so I went with what I thought he would like without buying him vodka and cigars, thanks for all your input brandyII.

Minpinmom, Thanks, for your replies, I'm still trying to avoid sending him cigars and vodka, his favorite snacks! But he's still kicking at 89 so what does that tell you, good genes maybe. Oh and my "sato" from Puerto Rico looks kind of like a minpin but bigger, she's about 40+ pounds and is very skiddish! Wheetsin, think about how hungry I get looking at all those websites! My daughter, not the one getting surgery but older one is PMSng this week and brought home a box of Guiredelli (sp) choc brownie mix to make and I made her throw the rest out, okay I did sneak a little piece but still better than I normally would have and I counted it as a Weight Watcher couple of points too, lol. God help me and I haven't even been on this darn diet a week! brandyII

nikkki......imagine being on your senior high school trip in Florida for the first time in your life, and half of your ancestry is of the Irish decent and you have blisters all over your face! Not too attractive! brandyII

Pix, My husband is without a back molar and we're still waiting on his "replacement", it's either that or a new car or new bathroom. Insurance won't cover it and it's going to be $3,600. I think as long as you don't see it and can still chew on the other side what's the dif! I know I'm a bad wifey, brandyII.

StaceyM, Those are really good ideas too. I'll call his sister today, maybe I can get some info out of her about shoe sizes etc... I guess I've had so many people that I care about die recently that I kind of have to send him something to make him feel good and know that I'm care about him. I know it's not the best way but he's a loner and I know how he is and it's kind of the only way to reach him. Anyway thanks again for your help, Nancy.

Telecia, I think that's what they say about people with sleep disorders and eating it's away of getting the energy they lack from lack of sleep so they force calories into themselves. It just a weird side effect I guess and I suffer with that also. Especially if I go to bed late, which I do and get up to let the dogs out, I now reach for a Weight Watcher's 1 point frozen choc fudgecicle, better than before eating anything sweet in the house!

Kaninag, Where I live now there are Chinese restaurants that have buffets that are half Chinese/half Italian, I'm used to living in an area where there was actually a Chinatown and really miss the good food there! Although that crab bake sounds good!

Wheetsin, That was a really sweet thing you did for your grandfather. He lives really far away from us and is a loner and actually has a physical disability that makes it difficult to travel now due to bowel probs, TMI but as he's gotten older it's much worse so I don't think he'd be up for that. He normally would travel every year to visit his daughter for two months and his sister for two months simultaneously but he can't do those trips anymore. He's gotten a bit crotchety in his later years and now his sister doesn't even want him to visit! I guess it's a brother/sister thing but usually when the elderly are older that's normal especially if they're ill and in pain too but I can't explain that to her. My daughter is a very good artist and we did get a copy of one of his last portraits that he sat for and she was going to paint it but I have a feeling it will be used for a memorial service and not as a gift. He came to my father's funeral two years ago, the last time he was up for traveling to his daughter's home and told me afterwards that he wanted a service just like that one. It really made me sad but he seems to be in touch with his mortality now. Anyway thanks for the help, I appreciate it Nancy.

Wheetsin, I was looking at Harry and David too, so far that was my best choice but I wasn't sure if there were other stores out there that I just didn't know about. He's used to getting stuff from Hickory and Swiss Colony. I'll look into Mrs. Fields, I sent them to my sister-n-law while was taking care of her dying mother last week, too many dying lately around me! Anyway they had muffins and Cookies and brownies in their basket. Thanks for the gift certificate ideas too, I thought about a gas card. Once we sent him a gift certificate to Sears and he sent it back. He's not traveling anymore so I then started sending the restaurant cards to his sister so that she could get carryout for him on his birthday but he doesn't see her anymore because of his health. I know I've made this almost an impossible task but I really appreciate everyone's input, thanks, Nancy.

Kat, He lives alone in a trailer park about 15 hours away. He normally visits relatives twice a year but has prostate cancer and has gotten where he's too tired to drive that distance any more. He's really a loner of sorts and I'm not sure if a monthly plan may be too much for him. I don't know. He does have some relatives that visit him that live within a half hour so he's not completely alone out there. I actually lived with his sister, my mother-in-law for two years, I know but I was working, pregnant and my husband was still in school and we were in a roach infested apartment and she took us in so that our baby, who is no baby now wouldn't have to live with roaches as her pets. Anyway, he would stay with her twice a year for two month increments so that's why we became very close. I've never been to his trailer and never invited but last Christmas I sent him one of those nice thick soft blankets from JC Penney in beige hoping he probably needed a new one, you know how men are about shopping. He's a great guy and I want to send him something but of course he won't tell me he wants or needs anything so I basically try to guess. He's probably lost more weight and needs smaller clothes and his sister isn't very helpful when it comes to suggestions either! I'm afraid if I sent him fruit he may let it rot. Maybe I'm asking the impossible, lol, he is a bit difficult that's why I'm pulling together all my forum buds for resources, I need help! I'm kind of affraid he's not long for this world because of his age and cancer and the signs are coming so I want him to know he's loved and appreciated and that's really the only way I can show it now. Thanks for your help Kat, I wish we could visit him but he's weird about that, but I swear he's a great guy! Nancy (I could bake him Cookies, but I've been really good this week, I might have to sacrifice for him though!,lol.Nancy.

Georgiagirl, Thanks for the reply. He lives far away and has always enjoyed those cheese/candy type baskets in the past. If you ask him what he wants he'll say nothing. I know he also likes tabloids and TV but maybe you're right maybe I could just put together my own for him. I have no idea if he needs new potholders or weird things like that. He's not a very social person but a very nice person and as you can see he's 89 years old and I guess I'm worried this may be his last birthday.

I can usually feel mine if I look for it as it was sewn into muscle but after a fill it's usually swollen in that area and is easily felt for me then.