WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR JANUARY 2014

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Replies

  • megblair1
    megblair1 Posts: 1,226 Member
    Hi to all my fitness buddies! Wow what a week, but I think it is better now and I hope it stays that way for a while! Dad is finally back in the nursing home. He seems to be perkier than he has been in a while, which is good.

    The old man (my old, old, old kitty) had to be euthanized yesterday. He too had been in the ICU for much of the week. He had several rare and complicated problems (the vet said “of course these are rare…he’s one of your animals! You can’t have a normal animal!”) and the only fix was a huge, huge surgery risky on even young, healthy pets. He had a tumor of the adrenal gland that was wrapped around a major blood vessel and often these cats bleed to death in surgery. He couldn’t come home without risking a very miserable and painful death. So yesterday when I went to see him, he was perkier too…could hold his head up for the first time in days…and was interested in what was going on. I took him to a room and let him wobble around a bit exploring. So I felt better than the end was on a good day and so he went. I promoted Rex to chief cat when I got home and he rewarded me by sleeping with me the same way Smokey did for almost 19 years. I have tears in my eyes writing this but am at peace with my decision.

    DD#1 and her boyfriend and her best friend from high school all came over today for pizza. The boyfriend and DH are now working on the jeep and having fun. Of course the girls got into a fight that led to tears. They were both supposed to go together to see grandpa, and DD#1 was threatening to not take the other one. Brother. Those two have no idea how to communicate and every single little slight gets blown up way out of proportion.

    Well I am just taking a break from the test bank; I didn’t work on it all week. I think I told you I lost all my holiday poundage…hooray, hooray. I have read the posts but there is no way to catch up so I will just wish you all the best this weekend and plan to be here more going forward. Take care all, Meg from very windy Omaha (up to 50 miles an hour!)
  • RebelRenny
    RebelRenny Posts: 1,073 Member
    I'd like to join this group. I love MFP, but the friends I have on here do not talk much, and I need a lot more motivation and support than I'm getting. What do I do to join this group? Anything in particular?

    Hi marfeez. You have joined by posting. Feel free to add me as your friend. We are a chatty bunch and very supportive.

    Renny
  • marfeez
    marfeez Posts: 17 Member
    Awesome. Thanks a lot Renny. I need all the support I can get, so if any of you would like to be my friend, please request my friendship.
  • AKcanookie
    AKcanookie Posts: 230 Member
    50 Ladies

    Sylvia molliewhippet- thanks for the welcome.. would love to start swimming again but suffer from psoriasis. Nice thing about the diet plan I am following is that it seems to be clearing up somewhat, so perhaps in a couple of weeks I could start swimming without frightening everyone in the pool :-) your fur-kids sound terrific! I have a most loving 14 yr old black lab named Dingleberry Fungus (long story) who has Addison’s disease and is going blind.. a 14 yr old long haired extremely short Daschund named Edward (we call Eddy-spaghetti) who was deaf and blind from birth, and a total cuddle bug.. then there’s Wyatt Earp, my 25 yr old Congo African gray parrot who never ever shuts up, even when his cage is covered - he makes me laugh all day and loves to give kisses and hump couch (tmi!). LOL

    gmom316 - sounds like we are facing a similar challenge. I hear you about the hysterectomy - me too! I am also caring for my 80 yr old mother - she’s had 3 heart attacks, 2 strokes, lost her right leg and is on course now to lose the left - so sad. I’ve decided to be strong and overcome my emotional eating, and talking on MFP is a great way to seek like minded motivational people

    katla49 - thanks for the great advice and I am doing just as you suggest :-) So far I am doing at home walking workouts from YouTube, using a weighted hula hoop and my inversion table. I am getting stronger slowly and hope to be doing hour long power walks around the neighborhood as soon as the snow melts :-) Congrat’s on your 70lb weight loss - fantastic!!

    Heather cityjanelondon - your trip and the meal sounds wonderful.. only been to Liverpool and Blackpool in England to bring my grandpa’s ashes home. Sorry to hear about your knee. I lost my gallbladder years ago and wound up with a fatty liver due to the terrible infection. Since then I went on to develop metabolic syndrome so the weight loss has been a real struggle - but one I’m definitely one I’m willing to challenge! congrats on your 57lb weight loss - wonderful!

    Juanita - thanks for the welcome - looking forward to picking all of the brains here ;-) congrats on your 4lb weight loss

    Joyce - thanks for the welcome - your kitty sounds very fun and personable. congrats on your 53lb weight loss - very motivating

    marfeez - welcome, i’m new too

    megblair - so sorry to hear about your sweet kitty, he’s crossed the rainbow bridge - congrats on your 30lb weight loss - i’m right there too


    Good stuff - have a great saturday evening all .. see what i mean by “blabber-fingers!!!” LOL
    add me

    Marni (canookie)
  • CynthiaT60
    CynthiaT60 Posts: 1,280 Member
    Ah, Meg, so sorry about your cat. :flowerforyou: Even when you know it's the right decision: it hurts. :brokenheart:

    Cynthia
  • mollywhippet
    mollywhippet Posts: 1,890 Member
    Meg, I'm so sorry about your kitty. It's a shame that he had so many health problems, but I can tell you love him a lot. It's cute that the other cat took over his sleeping spot. When my old dog Cutty passed, Molly slept in his spot next to me for about a week, which I believe was her attempt to make me feel better. It worked. At least a little. Animals are so sensitive to our feelings.

    Sylvia
  • meyllisa
    meyllisa Posts: 284 Member
    :brokenheart: Meg so sorry about your cat, bet you have a lot of treasured memories of him, glad to hear your Dad is better

    Juanita in sudbury
  • jaks97
    jaks97 Posts: 179 Member
    bump
  • janemartin02
    janemartin02 Posts: 2,653 Member
    Meg,so sorry about your cat.:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:
    HUGS
    jane
  • yoyonomore55
    yoyonomore55 Posts: 350 Member
    Meg- So sorry about your kitty. It is so hard. I am glad to hear your dad is doing better. Take care of yourself! Sending hugs!!

    Deb A in CNY
  • nccarolb
    nccarolb Posts: 858 Member
    Meg, I'm so sorry about your kitty! Furbabies have a way of working themselves into your heart. For what it's worth, I want to thank you for making the decision you did: it's not fair to keep them in misery for your own interests.

    I've been reading and keeping up, but haven't had time to post. I had to take my son to Duke Children's Hospital yesterday to see another cardiologist. His regular cardiologist wanted this other guy take a look and listen. Good news is that he downgraded the diagnosis and gave instructions to wean off one of this meds! After we returned from Duke, I spent some time with my best male friend which is always great. My best female friend came in from out of state yesterday and I got to spend some quality time with her last night, which included dinner at Red Lobster. NSV: I could in no way finish my dinner! I have a lunch out of it. This time last year, I would have polished it off and then been looking for dessert.

    Today has been a good day. It's been exceedingly quiet (son is with his dad this weekend) and I've been productive AND took a 4+ mile walk AND had some time to just relax. I struggle to balance rest time with weekly prep and cleaning time on the weekends. I finished making my Big Mac casserole for dinner (it was really quite good) and then made a Nutella mug cake and ate it with ice cream. Dinner felt like one big treat! I could technically eat another 300 calories today, but I think I'll see if I can manage without them. I'm ready for the scales to move downward again!!

    Hugs and prayers to those who need them! If anyone wants to friend me, please feel free to do so.

    Carol in NC
  • cityjaneLondon
    cityjaneLondon Posts: 12,696 Member
    Hi everyone!
    Meg - so sad. I have decided not to have animals for that reason, but I know how much you all love them. Hugs.:flowerforyou:

    Great party! I have put up a photo of me in my party top as my main photo for the time being. New people, if you want any inspiration, you can click on my photos and there is one of me with a big fat stomach so you can see what losing 57 lbs looks like!
    It was lovely to meet all my friend's friendx and put a face to names she has been talking about for over ten years since I have known her. I have never been to a party with such a mixed bunch of people of all ages, colours, classes. The food was coming thick and fast and I had a lot of it, plus quite a bit of the free bubbly! I danced as much as I could with my knee, mostly wobbling about one legged, and some chair dancing , but I was sad not to be able to do more. They did a bit of line dancing which I couldn't join in with. The music was very loud so it was difficult to talk much, but my friend, who has quite serious cancer, looked amazing and very happy. We may pop in to the cafe where she is hosting breakfast in the morning to say goodbye before we head off home.

    Back home I will be disciplining myself to lose the weekend poundage and then one more pound on top to reach goal. Then on to Burns Night and the Haggis!

    Much love to you all. You are very important to me.
    Heather in London UK
  • Poerava14
    Poerava14 Posts: 1,091 Member
    Meg: I teared up reading about your Smokey. :cry: If there is a heaven, it absolutely must include our dearly departed pets. My sympathies. :brokenheart:

    Rori
    In the Colorado Foothills where we’re United in Orange
    Goals for January:
    > Reduce carb consumption to 30 grams 2x per week
    > Five face exercises every day
    > Schedule three weeks of vacation
    > When in doubt, chose vegetables (from The Happiness Project)
  • jmkmomm
    jmkmomm Posts: 3,247 Member
    Marnie, I have psoriasis also. I was at the Y and always wore a pair of shorts over my swim suit. Looked awful but I looked awful because of how fat I was. The Y has a nice catalogue of a lot of swim suits. I bought one that that had legs to it, they were lower thigh high. The top looked OK, bra shelf. I didn't look the best but at least no one had to look at my psoriasis in my upper thighs and beyond. Yuck, luckily for some reason it's all gone and I now have a regular suit, a size 14!

    Joyce, Indiana
  • RebelRenny
    RebelRenny Posts: 1,073 Member
    Meg ... sorry about your furry long-term friend. We decided not to have more of them. Glad to hear your dad is doing better, though.

    We said goodbye to DS#2 today as he is heading off to Saskatchewan.

    I have been listening to jukebox oldies today. It's what I do when I take to doing the books.

    DD is expecting baby boy #2 on June 11th. On the other hand, my 90 year old mom is declining in health. It is the cycle of life, isn't it. If there is anything more convincing that everyone dies, it is working on a family tree. Death happened to all my ancestors. Go figure. All the more reason to live life the best I can. I didn't mean to wax morbid, or to start anything negative. Just facing reality.

    Love...is all that matters. Love to all of you, my friends.

    Renny
    Sentimental from Vancouver island, B.C.
  • Katla49
    Katla49 Posts: 10,385 Member
    Sylvia: I am so glad to hear that your son will be able to have medical care. There is hope!:flowerforyou: :drinker: :flowerforyou:

    Gmom: It sounds like your have a very full plate of responsibilities. Welcome, we're a friendly group.:flowerforyou:

    Heather: I LOVE your photo. You’re beautiful!:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

    Juanita in Sudbury: Thanks for the advice. I’m taking things slowly.:flowerforyou:

    Marfeez: Post and you’re in. You have posted so you are in. Post often and you’ll get to know people and make friends. Welcome.:flowerforyou:

    Meg: I’m sorry for the loss of your old kitty in addition to all the other stress you’ve been facing. I hope things settle down and give you some peace. It is great that your dad is doing better.:flowerforyou:

    Marni/Canookie: I hope we see you here often. :flowerforyou:

    Carol in NC: You’ve had an excellent NSV! Congratulations. I’m even happier about the good news for your son.:flowerforyou:

    Renny: Congratulations on the anticipated grandbaby. :bigsmile: Your mom has lived a long life and created a wonderful legacy in you and your children. I hope her last years are pain free and happy.:flowerforyou:



    I was feeling enough better to make my OWN chicken soup today, and I’m here to crow about it. :bigsmile: Fresh homemade soup beats the canned stuff every day except the day you’re too sick and too tired to cook. :wink: Luckily DH was willing to go to the store and get the ingredients I needed. I’m not feeling quite that good yet.:flowerforyou:


    Katla in beautiful NW Oregon

    “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” Thomas A. Edison


    January goals:

    1. Log every bite and swallow.
    2. Focus on fitness: daily cardio plus strength training a minimum of twice a week.
    3. Water: According to an article a friend posted on facebook, drinking water at certain times maximizes its effectiveness on the body. So I’ll try to follow these recommendations:

    * 2 glasses of water after waking up - helps activate internal organs
    * 1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal - helps digestion
    * 1 glass of water before taking a bath - helps lower blood pressure
    * 1 glass of water before going to bed - avoids stroke or heart attack
  • exermom
    exermom Posts: 6,518 Member
    Went to the Y this morning. In their infinite wisdom, they just failed to tell anyone, but they moved the yoga class to 11:15. There was just no way I was going to go back there, so I just took the day off. Made these bbq pork chops for later in the week, cod steaks, a chili that's in the crockpot right now, two loaves of chocolate chip bread, I totally forgot that it's Lynette's birthday this week so I'm making her a pound cake.

    Vince packed up everything to send to Denise (all her Christmas presents) and the things to send to Bryan and Diana. Not sure when I'll be at the Green Room, either Tuesday or Thurs so I'll take them to the post office then. I'll also give Lynette her birthday cake (just to get it out of the house) Updat: I don't go again until next week so I'll pobably take themto the post office sometimes duringthe week then give Lynette her cake since her office is right near there.

    I'm planning to do this zumba on the Wii tomorrow.

    Joyce - if you go to Target, just be sure not to charge anything!

    DeeDee and Carol - can you believe how cold it's been???

    katla - you've reminded me that the next time I go to Aldi, I want to get a chicken. I'm going to try roasting it in one of those bags, hopefully, it won't be dry. Feel better fast

    MegaMolly and Marni - welcome. I agree, MegaMolly, it doesn't look like you're eating enough calories (like I should talk, I never add in my exercise calories). You've made good choices (not much wine in there, you do need a little to keep those "urges" at bay). Marani - congrats on the weight loss! Impressive

    alison - hope you get that phone. I'm so sorry to hear about your brother your brother has taken a step backwards. Well, that means the next one will be forwards

    Sylvia - good for you back in the water. I love the feel of the resistance of the water.

    Heather - thanks so much for sharing about the party with us all. I felt like I was there, or I should say, that I WANTED to be there

    A dear friend of mine was telling me how her daughter has, essentially, estranged herself from her parents. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, and she didn't even come to the party! As it turns out, her and her hubby go to my church. It wasn't until Rummikub that she told me their last name. I know I've subbed lectoring for him and that their son is an altar server. She didn't even know that they were continuing to go to church, so it made her real happy when I told her this.

    One lady is coming over Thursday to watch the final episodes of Downtown Abbey. Last time I made a fruit salad, then had the rest of it for Rummikub. I really don't want to make another full fruit salad. I know that she likes things like the SkinnyPop that I had last time and that she isn't into a lot of desserts, etc. Which is just fine by me. But what to have? I don't think she's much of a veggie person. Any ideas anyone?

    Kay - Vince loves Five Guys, but to me, they have such a limited menu and as I recall nothing really healthy.

    marfeez - welcome! You joined just by posting. And, yes, this is a VERY active thread. Almost all the time you log in there will be new posts.

    Meg - I am so so sorry about your kitty. We've had to put too many of our cats to sleep. It's good that you are at peace with your decision. I bet in his own way Rex knew. Probably not the specifics but that you needed him and he was there for you.

    Marni - what a name for your furbaby. You simply MUST tell us the story behind that. I'm so sorry that he isn't 100%. Same for Eddy-spaghetti. But when something is taken away, other things get hightened (like going blind, you other senses get sharper). Bet one of the senses that they are very attuned to is being able to make everyone feel better. So sad about your mother. We don't mind "blabber fingers" at all.

    Carol - I totally agree with you that the ultimate sign of selflessness is not letting our pets suffer. Glad you had such good company and enjoyed Red Lobster. I like that place. As long as you don't feel you need the calories, don't eat them. You'll want them another day so just bank them for now

    Heather - VA VA VA VOOM!!! I do hope you get to the breakfast. That is so nice of her to do!

    Michele in NC
  • jfenner141
    jfenner141 Posts: 146 Member
    Meg - so sorry to hear about your kitty :brokenheart: Our cat was 19 when she had a stroke and couldn't walk anymore. We had to make that decision. It was the best thing, but it was still hard and sad. Many hugs to you, my friend.

    Jill in western MA
  • jmkmomm
    jmkmomm Posts: 3,247 Member
    getting up and going to church tomorrow. Pray for me! It's a big step.

    Joyce, indiana
  • Hello after several days absence and, now, hopelessly behind,

    Meg, I'm sorry that you have lost your beloved cat. I have gone through that a few short years ago but the heartache is somehow just below the surface always. Prayers.

    Och! It's been a busy week. I fired my personal trainer. And when, even though it was he who didn't fulfill his end of the agreement, he wouldn't give me a refund, I put in a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. The BBB intervenes to help resolve disputes. I've also contacted my Visa company who say they may be able to reverse the charges for me. Stay tuned...

    I've given up on being a vegan. I find it too difficult for my current lifestyle: being a single person on the go. I am now back to being a lacto-ovo vegetarian.

    I'm seeking a new personal fitness trainer. Once found, I hope this trainer has me working out three times per week. I'll keep you posted.

    I'm not doing very well on my goal to lose six pounds by January 31. Dang scale has been climbing instead of dropping. What happens when your weight goes higher than your MFP starting weight? I guess it's the end of the world, lol...

    Anne, Vancouver area, British Columbia, Canada
  • Joyce - lots of prayers and encouragement on going to church tomorrow. May you be blessed with a welcoming congregation and pastor, may you feel comfortably at home, but most of all may the love of God overflow your heart, soul, and mind. :flowerforyou:

    Anne, Vancouver area, British Columbia, Canada
  • RebelRenny
    RebelRenny Posts: 1,073 Member
    Ann, I hope you will get your money back and find a better trainer. Your description showed his lack of commitment, an obvious key component for a pt.

    Joyce, good luck to you with church. I know you say it is a big step for you. But Perhaps you can look at it as an experiment. I am looking forward to hearing how it went. You are a good story teller.

    Katla, I hope you are on the road to recovery. Making soup must have felt like a significant accomplishment.

    It's after 11 p.m. and I should be asleep.

    Ttyl.
    Renny
  • wizzywig
    wizzywig Posts: 1,246 Member
    :cry: :cry: Meg so sorry to hear about your kitty. Even though it's the right thing to do it still hurts. :cry:

    :cry: It's a year ago today that our beloved dog Tara had a stroke and had to be put to sleep . DD has been thinking about her a lot this last week and is feeling sad. We miss her so much. Our other dog Frankie didn't seem to miss her too much, but we've always said he shows all the signs of being autistic (if dogs can be). Our old cat Wiz on the otherhand started o sit and sleep in all the places Tara did. Not sure if he felt he was the top "dog" now but he certainly acted like it, telling off Frankie and the kittens if they got in his way.

    Well the time is moving far too quickly this morning, had a bit of a disaster in that my freezer has broken! :grumble: I've had to throw some food away, but I've been cooking some of the frozen Quorn stuff I'll put it in the fridge and hopefully it will last until it can be eaten.

    Hugs to all who are in need :heart: :heart:

    Chat again soon
    PS Welcome new ladies :flowerforyou:

    Viv (still wet wet wet York UK) Will this rain never end?? :noway: :noway:
  • DeeDee2211
    DeeDee2211 Posts: 1,133 Member
    Good morning beautiful ladies:flowerforyou:

    Meg:smile: So sorry to hear about Old Man Kitty :sad: !!! I hope things slow down for you (and for me too:tongue: )!

    Michele:smile: It has been cold and windy:grumble: ! I`m so ready for spring, bring on the warm temps and lots of sunshine:glasses: , looking forward to seeing the flowers pop up too:flowerforyou: ! Sounds like you`ve got a busy week, actually you always sound busy, I`m always busy too, but I don`t think I have as much fun as you:laugh: !

    Heather:smile: Love your new profile pic!!!! You look marvelous:bigsmile: !

    Joyce:smile: Hope you enjoy the new church!

    Renny:smile: Sentimental is good:heart: !

    Ann:smile: I don`t blame you for getting rid of the PT, doesn`t sound like he`s a nice guy:mad: ! Hope you can recoup your money!

    Welcome to everyone new:flowerforyou: Hope you`ll come in often and chat away with us!!!

    I had a good time shopping yesterday, I bought new spring makeup, blush, lipstick, eyeshadows and nail polish:smokin: , I`m ready for it now:tongue: ! I tried on a few pair of pants and the 14`s were too big:bigsmile: and the 12`s too tight:grumble: ! I really don`t need any more clothes:noway: , I so need to clean out my closet, yet again:blushing: ! That seems to be a never ending story with me. I think if I just kept the clothes I wear all the time my closet would be almost empty:embarassed: .

    Time to get myself up from this computer...I`m going to go boss the boys this morning:love: , that always makes me happy:laugh: !
    Have a wonderful day ladies! Drink your water:drinker: :drinker: :drinker: and log your food!

    Hugs,
    DeeDee in NC
  • grandmallie
    grandmallie Posts: 10,087 Member
    morning ladies,
    well I am up and having my lemon water and then off to the gym, I have lolly gagged enough.have to get back into the swing of things
    have some errands to run today, and then I will go over to see my brother, then back and cook dinner for the DH.
    I have settled on the LG G 2 cell phone and hopefully the DH will order it today..I am giving up 10.00 a week in my allowance of money to help pay for the smartphone. I understand with the uncertainty of the DH Job to not get roped into a 2 year contract,so we will be paying month to month
    Meg- so sorry to hear about Smokey, 19 yrs is a long long time and I know he went over the rainbow bridge knowing how much his family loved him ,we have a kitty and 3 doggies that have gone over that bridge and It will be a wonderful day when we see them all again.
    well let me get myself together here and off to the gym.will check in later
  • gmom316
    gmom316 Posts: 244
    Thank you for the warm welcomes. It's been a while since I've been a part of an online group but I did realized I do need some extra support and you clearly have a good, strong thing going here. It's going to take a while to get to everyone (I don't really have extra time to read back but am trying to read what comes in new).

    Canookie, you're right, we do appear to be living similar lives right now. Took care of my elderly, but stubborn and independent, grandma a couple of years ago. As hard as it was, there was comfort in the fact that she lived a good, long 93 years. Very different, I'm finding, when it's your mother (regardless of age) who is 71 and was hiking, backpacking, biking, taking step and pilates classes one year ago. Pancreatic cancer is brutal and unrelenting. Getting my son through this is an added challenge since he has spent every day of his life with her as well.

    In the meantime I realize I must also continue to live and have my goals and challenges set for the week.
    I WILL get my hair cut and highlighted this week (first time since last May).
    50 minutes of cardio at least 5 times.
    Track food.
    Less starchy carbs, more veggies.
    One Zumba class outside the house (been avoided people with all this stress and finally went back last Friday).
    50 minutes of meditation (part of the 50 to 50 challenge).
    Plus my work goals (work from home with my home based biz).

    Happy Sunday to all. xo
  • LifeChoiceGrammy
    LifeChoiceGrammy Posts: 121 Member
    I would like to join in!! Just started using this program and love it!! What a good tracking tool!! Looking forward to browsing thru and meeting everyone!! :smile:
  • HI- My name is Carrie. Looking for some motivation. I'm 57 years young and needing to loose about 20- 25 lbs. I was doing really well until 6 months ago when we moved and I commuted 3 hrs a day. All you can do in a car that long is eat!
    So I gained. I love to exercise and lift weights- I just hate to wake early to do it.
    I'm in medicine ( a geriatric NP) so I see what happens on a daily basis to those of us who don't put our health first.

    Anyone interested in offering motivation? I'm not so good about blogging or messaging (I live on a computer) but I'll try.

    I have 2 children that are fitness fanatics and want to make them proud.
  • Katla49
    Katla49 Posts: 10,385 Member
    Anne near Vancouver BC: Weight fluctuates, especially for women. If you count your calories and stick with your goal the weight WILL come off. It just takes its own sweet time. :ohwell: Sodium has been an issue for me that caused water retention. Drinking more water flushes out the sodium and excess water goes with it. Good riddance to the trainer. :grumble: I hope you get your money back.:flowerforyou:

    Renny: Thank you for your kind words. Making soup felt like an achievement, and I think I am on the road to recovery. I’m not there yet, but I’m gaining on it. I even slept in my own bed last night, propped up by pillows.:bigsmile:

    Viv in York UK: Years ago we had a dog and cat who competed for a coveted spot on the floor by the dining room. They put on quite a show. The dog would “accidentally” step on the cat’s belly. The cat would purr and rub the length of his body on the dog’s nose until the dog moved. :laugh: Good memories.:flowerforyou:

    DeeDee: You and Heather will be our glam girls. :glasses: :glasses: I’m glad you had a good time shopping.:flowerforyou:

    Alison: I love the idea of being reunited with our pets in Heaven. It surely won’t be Heaven if they’re excluded.:flowerforyou:

    Gmom: I’m sorry to hear about your mom’s pancreatic cancer. It is brutal. I hope she is able to be reasonably comfortable. I’m curious about your home-based business. I hope you’ll tell us a bit about it.:flowerforyou:

    KayKallsen: Welcome. Please let us know where you’re from. We have people from around the world. Lately it has been mostly N America and the former British Empire.:flowerforyou:



    I slept reasonably well, propped up by pillows in my own bed last night for the first time in a few days. This morning I put chicken legs into brine. DH has wanted a meat smoker ever since our neighbor helped us smoke salmon that had been in our freezer for “a while.” We went out and shopped for smokers and wound up with a Big Chief Smoker. It seemed like a good starting spot, as it is relatively small and inexpensive. Plus it is made right here in Oregon. Yesterday we “seasoned it” by smoking a bowl of wood chips inside to burn off the factory impurities and get it ready to smoke real food. We’re starting with chicken legs. They seem easy & are already fairly uniform in size so we don’t have to spend hours cutting them up. They’re soaking in two different brine solutions right now. This smoker will smoke them, but not cook them completely, so we’ll have to finish them in the oven after the smoking process. Other than being a bit salty, they should be healthful food. DH and I may have to drink a little extra water. :drinker: :drinker: :flowerforyou:

    Katla in beautiful NW Oregon

    “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” Thomas A. Edison


    January goals:

    1. Log every bite and swallow.
    2. Focus on fitness: daily cardio plus strength training a minimum of twice a week.
    3. Water: According to an article a friend posted on facebook, drinking water at certain times maximizes its effectiveness on the body. So I’ll try to follow these recommendations:

    * 2 glasses of water after waking up - helps activate internal organs
    * 1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal - helps digestion
    * 1 glass of water before taking a bath - helps lower blood pressure
    * 1 glass of water before going to bed - avoids stroke or heart attack
  • yanniejannie
    yanniejannie Posts: 1,090 Member
    Got in late last night from the trip for DD's vet school interview. Left Thurs. am and ran into heavy snow flurries--nothing stuck to the road, for which I am very grateful. The trees and fields were beautiful to look at though with their white coatings. Stayed at a hotel near her college Thurs. night. Friday we went first to her college where they do a "grad school prep interview" which she had Friday afternoon, then tore down the interstate to the welcoming dinner at the vet school. Checked in to the hotel and had a whole 15min. for her to change and get down to the dining room in the hotel. The next morning she had hours of interviews and we left for home mid-afternoon; drove through places that had snow Friday night, but, once again, the roads were clear. I had her drive when it got dark; the rest of the time she was reading lit. for spring semester classes. She will return to college Tues. as classes start Wed. I got some reading of my own done in the hotel room and had a wonderful tomato soup followed by filet mignon with fingerling potatoes and seasoned mustard greens all on my own. Only food that wasn't "fast" and felt I deserved it!!!

    Have scanned the posts but short on time as I have a memorial service for neighbors' mother to get ready for shortly.

    Meg.........I am so sorry about your cat; we lose our hearts to them, don't we?

    Those with colds/flu.........I'm still hacking up stuff from mine a whole month ago..........I know, TMI.

    Sylvia.........Glad to hear your son is getting the care he needs! Still, a painful time for you.

    Renny..........I often note family birthdays, anniversaries, etc...........I realized earlier today that my mom would be 100 this week; she lived till 90.

    Gail........On DHs..........I left the kitchen counters clear and ran the dishwasher right before I left Thurs...........came home to find him using dishes out of the dishwasher instead of putting them away and the counters covered and the sink full of dirty dishes late Saturday...........nothing new..........

    Welcome newbies...........
    gmom316---your life sounds like mine a 10 years ago.

    Best to everyone else, gotta run,
    yanniejannie