WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR DECEMBER 2017

barbiecat

A new month is a good time to make fresh start or redouble your efforts to stay on a healthy path. I have been checking in with this thread for a long time and declaring resolutions for the month to keep on the path I want to follow.

Welcome to anyone who had just found us and welcome back to those of you who have been posting before.

How did you do with your goals and resolutions for November?
What goals and resolutions do you have for December?

This is a great place to share your accomplishments and your challenges and to ask your questions. I hope this thread will be as useful to you as it has been to me. I learned a long time ago that I need encouragement and support, that I can't do this alone.

November Resolutions (with end of the month comments)
*walk an average of 15,000 steps a day (done)
*scan photos and documents so they can be discarded (worked on this almost daily)
*weight training three days a week (two or three days a week)

December Resolutions (yes, they look just like the ones for November)
*walk an average of 15,000 steps a day
*scan photos and documents so they can be discarded
*weight training three days a week

Be sure to bookmark the page so you can find it again. Also sign your post with a name and location to make it more personal (it can be a nickname or screen name and a general location if you want to be more private).

Barbie from NW Washington

The reason most people fail instead of succeed is that they trade what they want the MOST for what they want at the MOMENT.

coastalgosgal

⚓⚓⚓⚓

Katla49

Barbie: Thank you for the new thread. It is a cherished gift you give us each month. I'm posting my comments to the old thread here:

Lanette: Our cleaner showed up and I'm grateful for what she accomplished. I prefer the cleaner we had before but she's been disabled and had several surgeries. I doubt she'll be back. If she wanted to come back I'd throw her a party. :flowerforyou:

Felicia: I hope that meeting with the pastor in Eugene will provide you some much needed support and comfort. I remember when I lost my mom. I didn't think the funeral would be much help, but it was a blessing. She thought nobody would come. The mortuary was full of long time friends & family. Going through the process helped me to accept the loss and go forward. I hope you will be comforted, too.

Terry: Your cast is a lovely color, and if it helps you heal it will be a blessing. I love the color purple. Did you get to choose?

Michele: My aluminum Christmas tree has been in the family since about 1961 or 62. It is stored in its original box & the "branches" are in paper sleeves to protect them. The color wheel still works. I've only put it up once since we used it when I was a kid. I used my mom's glass balls to decorate it. They were a mix of red, silver, and turquoise.

Pip: I love that your wedding ornament is a life preserver. It is a sure thing that you two have saved each other's lives.

Janetr: You have more rooms in your house than I do. I have 5 miniature artificial trees that are already in the house adding festivity and seasonal spirit. There will be a live tree in the living room and another live one on the upstairs landing. They're still outside for now living peacefully in their pots. I won't bring them inside for a week or two. My live trees are Alberta Spruce trees, and have a reputation for being able to stay inside for a month and handle the move back out without difficulty. So far, this has been true for us. We've had the larger one for several years and bought the smaller one last December. I also have a group of teddy bear Angel tree toppers displayed in many locations around the house. One will be atop our larger Alberta Spruce when we bring it in. I love your Cardinals. We have Annas Hummingbirds here year round, but I am NOT fast enough to take a photo. :grumble:

Sharon: DH uses a water pipe for his medical green stuff and it works okay for him. Your best option would probably be to include it as an ingredient in a batch of brownies. Great for what ails you, but not low in calories. :noway:

Machka: Happy first day of summer back-atcha!

Lanette: Your Christmas tree looks suspiciously like it might be edible. :devil:

Sue: Thanks for sharing the picture of Ginger the dog.

Rori: I'm so sorry for the unexpected loss of a cherished friend and neighbor.

DJ: We decorate the live trees with strings of tiny lights and all sorts of small ornaments. I'll try to find a photo.


Happy December to all!


Katla in beautiful NW Oregon

margaretturk

Katla49

I am trying to post a photo of my Living Christmas tree and not doing so well so far. If you click on the tree that is currently me it will show up a bit bigger.

Katla49

Katla49

Success at last!

GodMomKim

Hi Gals,

Joyce – so glad you have the “adopted” member and are making sure to get what he wants.

Katiebug – great thanksgiving pic!

Carol – the fruit turkey is amazing!!!!

Janetr – thanks for the info on Joyce

Frankie Girl – ((((((((hugs))))))))))))))

Wendy – congrats!!

Felicia (((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))))))

I read for a while but eventually had to start skimming, or I would have never made it to Dec!!! I am thinking of you all and hope that all the healing happens! I got to busy and December is always VERY VERY busy, so will see how well I do on keeping up. My Thanksgiving was great, Levi (my dog) and I went to a friends and spent the night, a very relaxing 2 days – Levi was very well behaved and they invited him back, he also made it both ways without getting car sick! It is about 1.5 hours drive and I was very happy to not have to clean up doggy puke.

Saturday my mom and I went and cut down our Christmas trees at a Christmas tree farm, that was great fun, tiring but still nice. So my tree is outside in a bucket of water, I have not started decorating but hope to this weekend.

Next week my mom comes and spends 4 days with me as we make our Christmas cookie extravaganza! Dozens and dozens of cookies (about 150-200 dozen) they are all gifts, we plate them up with about 1.5 dozen per plate and give them to neighbors, friends, and for me a few special clients. It’s a nice tradition and great memories for Mom and I.

The amount of embroidery is daunting – I am beyond pleased the business is flourishing; but am feeling a bit overwhelmed. One foot in front of the other and I’ll get there!

I don’t know if any of you are regularly reading Lisa’s blog but I have subscribed so it comes in email, and it has become the way I start my day, I read it before even taking the dog for a walk, and think on it as we walk, there is always something to think about and something to smile about… it is a great way to start the day, and usually 2-3 minutes of reading is all, I’ve been known to take my phone to the rest room and read it while I brush my teeth.

Off I go – a bit more embroidery before bed time.


Smiles

Kim from N. California

wildhorsewendy

Lanette, YES, "Women Who Run With the Wolves" is Clarissa Pinkola Estes most well-known work, but I actually love some of her other books even more. Right now I am listening to "The Joyous Body" and it is a work of incredible insight in which she compares bodies to trees, all have their own shapes and we should be ourselves and not try to make ourselves into the shape of someone else's body. She talks about the process of going through menapause and looking at it as a new door opening to us, instead of losing blood monthly, we can channel that blood energy into a new vision a new purpose and she talks about the magnificence of an old woman's body with all its scars that each tell a tale. And then there is "The Gift of Story" a wonderful book about the healing powers of stories, and The Theatre of the Imagination, which delves into the deep meanings behind many oral folk tales handed down for generations...She has so much wisdom to share especially for women. She encourages you to listen to your intuition and your dreams and follow your passions. I listen to her books over and over again. She also has the most beautiful, melodic young softly accented voice I have ever heard. Her books are my favourite audio books and I can highly recommend them. Wendy

Machka9

2017 Monthly November
Walking Distance (km): 159.6
Walking Time (min): 1961.3
Cycling Distance (km): 265.8
Cycling Time (min): 823.9
Flights of Stairs Climbed Number: 236.0
Flights of Stairs Climbed Time (min): 188.8
Other Distance: 1.6
Other Time: 30.0

Totals
Total Distance (km): 427.0
Total Distance (miles): 265.3
Total Time (min): 3004.0
Total Time (hr): 50:04:00

OK, didn't quite make the 52 hours of exercise I had hoped for in November, but I'm pretty pleased with 50 hours. Given the unexpected dental surgery on November 6, and being told I wasn't supposed to exercise at all for a couple days and then only light exercise for a week, I wasn't sure I was going to get that much! I had to put in a huge effort between the 18th and 25th to make up for lost time.

Machka9 wrote: »

Review ... (Distances include cycling + walking)
March 15: 489.8 km (304.3 miles) = 38 hours 4 min
April: 491.94 km (305.6 miles) = 43 hours 6 min
May: 361.81 km (224.8 miles) = 35 hours 50 min
June: 569.53 km (353.9 miles) = 41 hours 53 min
July 2015: 230.7 km (143.35 miles) = 32 hours 45 min
Aug: 211.3 km (131.3 miles) = 28 hours 8 min
Sep 2015: 306.7 km (190.6 miles) = 35 hour 2 min
Oct: 441.82 km (274.5 miles) = 47 hours 43 min
Nov: 660.21 km (410.23 miles) = 60 hours 41 min
Dec: 499.91 km (282.8 miles) = 54 hours 56 min
Jan: 864.79 km (537.35 miles) = 65 hours 36 min
Feb: 470.53 km (292.4 miles) = 40 hours 39 min
March 16: 917.73 km (570.2 miles) = 66 hours 13 min
April: 417.83 km (259.6 miles) = 40 hours 23 min
May: 267.09 km (165.9 miles) = 36 hours 10 min
June: 552.1 km (343 miles) = 54 hours 48 min
July 2016: 709 km (440.5 miles) = 60 hours 41 minutes
Aug: 775.9 km (482.1 miles) = 54 hours 52 minutes
Sep 2016: 371.3 km (230.7 miles) = 32 hours 20 min
Oct: 649 km (403.3 miles) = 49 hours 46 min
Nov: 403 km (250.4 miles) = 52 hours 16 min
Dec: 511.05 km (317.55 miles) = 52 hours 2 min
Jan: 741.9 km (461.0 miles) = 70 hours 3 min
Feb: 600.5 km (373.1 miles) = 57 hours 30 min
Mar: 1113.2 km (691.7 miles) = 78 hours 25 min
Apr: 1181.9 km (734.4 miles) = 76 hours 45 min
May: 426.6 km (265.1 miles) = 39 hours 21 min
June: 575.7 km (357.7 miles) = 41 hours 53 min
July: 714 km (443.7 miles) = 52 hours 23 min
August: 475.8 km (295.6 miles) = 38 hours 41 min
September: 455.5 km (283 miles) = 41 hours 25 min
October: 647.1 km (402.1 miles) = 57 hours 19 min
November: 427.0 km (265.3 miles) = 50 hours 4 min

Dec 2015: 499.91 km (282.8 miles) = 54 hours 56 min
Dec 2016: 511.05 km (317.55 miles) = 52 hours 2 min

Looking back, I see I managed nearly 55 hours in 2015 and 52 hours in 2016. So looking forward, here's hoping for a full 55 hours in December 2017.

Meanwhile, today (December 1) is a light day. I've only done 4 flights of stairs and a little bit of walking. It's raining and cool and I'm just not in the mood to put in a heavy day of exercise.


But because it is December 1, I am hoping to start working on some Christmas decorations when I get home after work.


Machka in Oz

exermom

Did Jari Love Revved to the Max DVD. The plan for tomorrow is to do Cathe Friedrich Afterburn DVD

pip - what neat favors! Were you and Kirby married in December?

M - is castor sugar like our confectioners sugar? Thanks for the recipes

Sharon - Kiera sounds so adorable

Terry - that pic of Betty Boop is very very good. You say your daughter drew it?

janetr - fantastic tree! You are so talented

Rori - I'm so sorry about your friend. How nice of you to volunteer to put those flyers up! That's just like you. You can do this, you are a strong woman.

K - 50 hours is awesome!

Michele in NC

Machka9

exermom wrote: »

M - is castor sugar like our confectioners sugar? Thanks for the recipes

K - 50 hours is awesome!

Thanks!

According to this site: https://www.thebalance.com/how-to-make-castor-sugar-substitute-4137095
"Granulated sugar always refers to white sugar in the U.S. It has that somewhat gritty texture. Powdered sugar, also known as confectioner's sugar, is simply granulated sugar that has been ground into a fine powder. Castor sugar is somewhere between the two. It's been ground just enough to take on a super-fine quality but not a powdery consistency."

Apparently it isn't that common in the US.

Here, just about every grocery store has caster sugar.

https://www.csrsugar.com.au/csr-sugar/our-products/baking/caster-sugar/



The Taste website: http://www.taste.com.au/ has a lot of great looking recipes, although probably not much in the way of low calorie choices. However, they often list the nutritional information. So what I will do sometimes is if we go out for dinner, and the restaurant doesn't list the nutritional information (specifically calories), I will search for choices that are like what I ate at the restaurant, and find something close, and enter that into my log here.

Machka in Oz

dreamwriter

Terry - In this case the prescription and suppliers are the same. I think it was the inexperience with vaping.

Rori - I am sorry for the loss of your friend.

It's been an interesting day and going to bed to think on it.

-Sharon in Lethbridge (wondering who to believe and if it matters)

janetr7476

Thank you ladies for your kind words, BUT I have to tell you that in my entire life I have never been artistic nor have I had one original idea in my head. I do however, make the ornaments and do the decorating with love and joy in my heart and sing along loudly and totally off tune with the Christmas carols blasting from the CD's that are badly worn. Yesterday morning Jack said to me, did I hear you singing, I crossed my fingers behind my back and in my most innocent voice said "no".

I love you ladies, goodnight.

Janetr OKC

Machka9

Setting up Christmas Decorations

Step 1: Take a double dose of allergy medications.

klanders30

Welcome December! A challenging month on so many levels, so my resolutions this month are simple:

*Hang in there and meet stressful situations with a deep breath of gratitude
*Start and end the day reflecting on the positive steps you've set out for yourself
*Remember one small action leads to the next, stay in the moment
*Stay the course you've chosen, walk away from the cookies...........

Rori
Janet I'm singing right along with you!

NYKAREN

Machka9

janetr7476 wrote: »

Thank you ladies for your kind words, BUT I have to tell you that in my entire life I have never been artistic nor have I had one original idea in my head. I do however, make the ornaments and do the decorating with love and joy in my heart and sing along loudly and totally off tune with the Christmas carols blasting from the CD's that are badly worn. Yesterday morning Jack said to me, did I hear you singing, I crossed my fingers behind my back and in my most innocent voice said "no".

I love you ladies, goodnight.

Janetr OKC

Nothing wrong with singing! I don't think I sing particularly well, but that doesn't stop me ... at home, of course. My husband kindly tells me that he doesn't think I'm too bad ... tolerable ... he's heard worse.

But my secret superpower is remembering lyrics. It's a bit weird and disturbing sometimes because it's any and all lyrics. They especially come to haunt me when I'm cycling! And I feel compelled to try to sing the songs the moment I hear an opening phrase.

So I'm singing along with the Christmas tunes now too.

M in Oz

trisH_7183

This is one of our biggest BD & Holiday months.Have been doing very good with food choices & amounts.

It’s past time.My mantra from way back when is “If Not Now,When?”

Trying to do better at keeping up.Still a work in process Pat

Lagopus

Machka wrote: But my secret superpower is remembering lyrics. It's a bit weird and disturbing sometimes because it's any and all lyrics. [...] And I feel compelled to try to sing the songs the moment I hear an opening phrase.

Oh, I do that too. It doesn't have to be the opening phrase either. Just give me a couple of words and I'll fish out a song that contains them and start singing it. Especially place names, for some reason. Mention San Francisco and I'll go I left my heart.... Talk about Memphis and I'm like Graceland, Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee, I'm goin' to Graceland. Worst of all is when somebody says Gary, because all I know of that song is the line Gary Indiana Gary Indiana Gary Indiana. Just enough to drive everyone crazy! :laugh:

Rori - Sorry about your neighbor friend. It really hits home when a friend our own age suddenly passes on. Not fair somehow.

Heather - I think it was Machka who mentioned that Duolingo had added Chinese to its repertoire. That sent me to the site and before I knew it I'd registered not only for Chinese, but also for Norwegian. As a fluent Swedish-speaker, I have no trouble understanding Norwegian, but I really ought to learn how to spell it. But to the point: When you talk about your studies on Duolingo, you often mention being X% fluent. Where the heck do you find that figure?

Barbie - Thanks for December!

Checking in on my November goals
Exercise: strength training and/or sprint running and/or distance jogging 3 times per week
NOPE! Nowhere near. Knee problems, planned and unplanned travel put paid to that.
Logging: keep as it insofar possible
Fell down on that job too.
Core exercises: resume, carefully
That makes it 0 for 3. Crikey!
Meditation: at least once a day
YESSS! This has become a life-saver.
Menu planning: weekly
Pretty good. Messed up in that week when went to the mainland for the electrician who never showed, but I totally forgive myself for that.

December goals
Exercise: More than in November, including core exercises
Meditation: Keep it up
Menu planning: Keep it up
Logging: Aim to log at least half the days this month

Out walking yesterday I encountered some typical Svalbard weather: dry snow crystals flying through the wind and swirling like a sandstorm along the ground. For me, there's nothing more exhilarating than the freshness of snow blowing into my face then disappearing instantaneously. I LOVE this place!
/Penny at the

Machka9

Lagopus wrote: »

Machka wrote: But my secret superpower is remembering lyrics. It's a bit weird and disturbing sometimes because it's any and all lyrics. [...] And I feel compelled to try to sing the songs the moment I hear an opening phrase.

Oh, I do that too. It doesn't have to be the opening phrase either. Just give me a couple of words and I'll fish out a song that contains them and start singing it. Especially place names, for some reason. Mention San Francisco and I'll go I left my heart.... Talk about Memphis and I'm like Graceland, Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee, I'm goin' to Graceland. Worst of all is when somebody says Gary, because all I know of that song is the line Gary Indiana Gary Indiana Gary Indiana. Just enough to drive everyone crazy! :laugh:

Heather - I think it was Machka who mentioned that Duolingo had added Chinese to its repertoire. That sent me to the site and before I knew it I'd registered not only for Chinese, but also for Norwegian. As a fluent Swedish-speaker, I have no trouble understanding Norwegian, but I really ought to learn how to spell it. But to the point: When you talk about your studies on Duolingo, you often mention being X% fluent. Where the heck do you find that figure?

Yeah, I'm the same ... anything can set me off humming and singing a song. And I'll sing along with just about everything on the radio. I still surprise my husband even though he knows I do this. Just the other day, I was watching Happy Days (which they've recently started showing again for some unknown reason), and they played an obscure western song ... which I sang in its entirety to my husband's surprise. "You don't know that song! How do you know that song??" Well, my parents listened to it when I was just a little girl ... and I remembered.


As for Duolingo ... first of all, I am almost finished my in person Spanish class. Next Tuesday is the last day. So after that, I'll stop using Duolingo for Spanish and switch to Mandarin.

As for the percent ... I open Duolingo on my phone, and right up there in the top right corner is 13%. I'm not sure how it will show me when I "sign up" for Mandarin too. Maybe I'll unsign for Spanish.


Machka in Oz

grandmallie

Pip~ love Woody peeking up from under the bow
well all the running around gave me a cold, so will pick up some Emergen C and just run a couple of errands today...going to the grand re opening of the grocery store where my son works which is a hop skip and a jump from here and go to the bank, and walk the dogs thats it, then back home and clean up a bit here and relax.. working tomorrow.