WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR JULY 2013

Rori–what a tough business trip; my heart goes out to you and all your colleagues!
Joyce–I am buying most of the food for the group, but they have sent money to cover some of the cost. I also have a friend who is helping with some of the food preparation. Everyone helps and I keep the menu pretty simple. The family is scattered all over the country–Washington to Maine to Arizona and points in between. My mother has six siblings and all of them will be here, along with their spouses and as many children and grandchildren as can make it.
Yanniejannie–Congratulations on reaching your goal!
Lucy–I only live a mile from the university where I teach and during the summer apartments that are used for student housing are available for rent. There are both 2- and 3-bedroom apartments with kitchen, two bathrooms, washer, and dryer. The 2-bedroom apartments are ~$75 which is quite reasonable. So that is where everyone is staying that doesn’t live in the area.
jb–love the turtle picture; that’s how I feel some mornings when I run!

I swam this morning and attended a Pilates class this evening. I got home after 6 and quickly changed clothes because my lawn desperately needs to be mowed (have I mentioned we’ve had a bit more rain than normal:laugh:?) When I got the lawn mower out of the garage I finally looked carefully at my lawn and realized it was already mowed!! My next door neighbor had mowed it for me while he was doing his lawn. I was so grateful, as I’m starting to feel a bit swamped. Family members begin arriving tomorrow night, although the majority are coming in Thursday afternoon/evening (Thursday supper is the “official” start of the reunion).
Rhonda
SE TN

Holy cow, ladies!

I've been away for a few days and unable to log in. I will have to spend some time tonight, reading the 10+ pages that I've missed. Just wanted to check in for now and wish you all a joyous day! I've been thinking about so many of you while I've been away and sending out lots of positive thoughts and prayers for those who need them.

Have a good one!

Meg - we had a dry day Tuesday. It seemed odd!

Off to work earlier than usual today - hopefully once the boss gets on his plane late in the afternoon I can get to the gym today!

Gail, metro ATL

Good morning ladies!!

Another very hot day here. It is supposed to cool off on Saturday. DH and I are melting, sleep has been impacted. We are both working hard at staying pleasant!! So far we have been successful. We have spent one day at the mall for the air conditioning and spent yesterday on the water in our kayaks. I'm running out of ideas!! Possibly more kayaking.

Yesterday we went kayaking with a group of friends. We paddled the swamp that the famous Loomis gang used for a hide-out in the early 1800s. They were horse and cattle thieves. They supposedly would steal a horse, paint it and sell it back to the owner. It is easy to see how they could hide in that area. My biggest concern was that I would take a wrong turn and get lost forever!! I am (as DH claims) directionally challenged. I did break away from the group a few times so that I could paddle hard. Our group's name is Go With the Flow Kayakers and most of them will literally let the current pull them along rather than paddle hard when possible. I like to use it as exercise, so often break away for a while and then paddle back to meet up with them again. I'd really like to go kayaking with my personal trainer. I bet he would challenge me!! He stores his kayak in my garage, so maybe we will get to do that at some point.

This morning I am going to head to the gym and then do some work around the house. I need to do laundry and clean the kitchen. I have a lot of outdoor chores, but I don't know how long I can last out there. Instead I may just sew for a while. I need to make new kitchen curtains and have several pairs of pants to hem.

Amanda- You have been in my thoughts. Hope you are healing well.

Hope everyone stays cool and hydrated!!

Deb A in CNY

Hiya from a FAR too hot Hampshire. The government has issued a health warning - as if we didn't know!:noway:

DH is not sleeping. The heat doesn't help, but it is mainly the coming funeral I think. He was sitting up most of last night. He is seeing his therapist tomorrow so I hope that can be of some help. It is all just a reminder of losing his beloved partner, but he is mostly worried about being worried ! He is fine in the day. He knows all the things to do, but ends up being paralysed. Oh well No one is sleeping well in the heat. I emailed my DDIL yesterday who is 7 months pregnant. She is not a complainer, but she finds it exhausting and is wanting to get a mobile a/c. London is not the place to be in the mid 90s!

I have just made skinny taste's Easy Crustless Spinach and Feta Pie for supper. It's yummy and I have double portions. Low cal, but lots of sodium. It will be great to have something quick, cold and instant to eat when we come back in from planting out the veg I bought yesterday. I'm going to wait until later to do it. We have watered the patches of land where they are going to go as the dirt is like dust.

The only good result of all this hot weather is that our gas and electric company have just reduced our direct debit!

Still waiting for my ounces to melt. Shouldn't probably be having all the salt if I want the loss to show. For lunch I had a giant couscous salad with king prawns tossed with garlic and chilli. Oh heaven, :bigsmile: and only 300 cals. But I know I put a bit too much seasoning on it.

Good news on the DSD front. It looks like she was distancing herself from her boyfriend, even before the lung cancer, ( this we heard from her sister), and is no longer living with him. He is a convicted con man whom she believed had turned over a new leaf, :noway: and I think she found out that he was still not being 100% straight with her. If all that is true it is a great relief for DH, who felt helpless in the face of her wilful ignoring of his advice. Let us hope she has seen reason.

Cricket again tomorrow. England won the last test match so only 4 to go!:yawn: :yawn: :laugh: We are watching the Tour de France, as we do every year because my son is a cycling geek, and the leader so far is an Englishman. I can't watch the reruns in the evening without sneeking a quick peek at the results on the internet, while DH hates knowing the result and I have to mute the sound on the news while he averts his eyes. I hate suspense and even want to know the ending of a film before I will watch it. :ohwell: :embarassed: :huh: There are enough things to stress about in life without giving yourself another adrenaline surge!:laugh:

Oh well, that's enough rambling for one fine day. Love to all. I have you all in my thoughts.

Heather in sizzling Hampshire UK

Katla- I was worried about bugs in the swamp, but didn't have any problem. There was a breeze which I am sure helped. I do always carry bug spray just in case. I prefer to kayak on the lakes north of us in the Adirondack mountains, but the group likes a variety so we include swamps and rivers. Next week we will be up north on one of my favorite lakes. I have also been thinking of Michele. My son got married two years ago and it was the best celebration I have ever been a part of. We adore our DIL. She and my son are great for each other. I hope Michele gets to have the same type of experience. We have Dish. We choice to go with them rather than Direct based on what we heard from friends on their service. We have been happy with them so far.

Heather- We are also experiencing a heatwave. We are fortunate in that we live about 5 miles from the city up on a hill. We usually have a breeze that helps make the temperatures tolerable, but it has not been comfortable this summer.

I need to get back to work!!

Deb A in CNY

Thanks for the welcome, Barbiecat!! My diabetes doctor recommended myfitnesspal a couple of months ago, and I have found it to be very, very helpful! Love the positive attitudes in this group and the encouragement everyone provides too.

Hope it starts cooling off soon. It's been running in the 90's here with high humidity. We have blueberry bushes and have to pick every other day now. We have 6 bushes, and only two are coming in strong so far. Still, we are getting about 4 quarts each time we pick. I have a blueberry crisp recipe that's tasty and also low in sugar, fat and calories. Just 4-5 cups blueberries with a crisp topping that's half cup flour and half cup or so of oats, with a little cinnamon, a couple of tablespoons of truvia for baking, and about 4 tablespoons of melted smart balance butter with canola (the stick kind). I put it in a square baking pan (have a nonstick pan), put the crisp mix on top of the blueberries and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Very yummy. It makes 6-8 servings anyway (sometimes 9).

Oh, wow. These are gorgeous. Thanks for posting them.

Feel real draggy today:yawn: I have been taking a sleeping pill every night due to this awful headache but since the problem is now resolved and taken care of I felt like it was not needed last night. I knew ahead of time it might be a sleepless night. It wan't sleepless but very restless sleep. My brain just kept on talking. Plus one of the medicines I take for MS problems I forgot to take and I felt that. So just real draggy.

On a good note :happy: :happy: :happy: yesterday I weighed 199.8 and I didn't' let myself get excited since I have done that before and then immediatley back in the 200's. But today was 198.4!!!!!!!!! Plus lost another 4 inches.

Off to fix my lunch Have a good day

Joyce, Indiana

Good afternoon, Vitamin Fs!

DH woke me up at 1:30am when he got home from poker – evidently I had left the garage door open (I never look around to lock the house, that’s generally his job) so he had to close it. The garage is right under our bedroom, and when you a) sleep like a snowflake and b) have your room shake when the doors close there was no sleeping through that. Anyway, I was awake until ~5am. Ugh. Fell asleep as the sun was coming up. Needless to say I didn’t bounce up out of bed and head to work out this morning :laugh:. I did however go take my lunch in the basement – got a good hour of kickboxing in. It’s feeling good to be working out on a regular basis.

Finding a lot of cucumbers, so my garden is starting to produce more, but my poor tomato plants are plagued by some sort of disease that makes the branches get spots and then die. My asparagus beans are making lots of vines but no beans. My squash are either suffering through a transplant (looks like some might make it) or trying desperately to fight off the squash beetles. It’s too hot for lettuce anymore. Oh, well. I’ll enjoy the cucumbers – made a cucumber, tomato and avocado salad last night with my first cucumbers – it was yummy.

Joyce, congratulations on reaching a new low! That’s really terrific.

Jb, wow, jogging the bleachers! That’s a lot of work – even if you never do it again you did it once. Good for you.

Grandmallie, I hope the podiatrist can give you some good news. It will feel good to be able to stand without pain, I’m sure.

Tina, have a wonderful time on your anniversary trip!

Sandy, it always kind of amuses me to hear the friends from up north talking about the heat wave – I keep thinking it can’t possibly be as bad as down here in the States, but I can see it’s as bad. It’s been another crazy summer, that’s for sure. Have fun with your workout tonight – and embrace the sweat! :laugh:

Katla, we’re just the support staff – you’ve done the work! I hope you figure out the back issue. It probably is a combo of incorrect posture while doing the weights, possibly moving too quickly between the machines, and just plain old muscle growth.

Vickil, I love the image of tea with friends. Thanks for that.

LindaC, my grandmother used to make strawberry freezer jam that way. We loved it . . . Chalk, huh? I’ll have to try that out.

Janie, I’m sorry to hear about the knee – ouchie! Hope it heals soon.

Heather, good idea to plant the fall crops now. We get bugs/worms in ours, so I’ve had to give up trying to grow them. I hope yours turn out well. It’s tiring, taking care of rental properties. I hope you find a good solution for yours.

Meg, you’re really inspiring with how well your weight loss is going. I never eat at fast food restaurants, but I realized on the road trip to/from NC that I may occasionally need to. On that trip I was looking for a breakfast sandwich and couldn’t find one without meat at the gas station I was at; wound up getting something from Wendy’s. Sure enough, it didn’t sit too well with me :frown:. I’m glad to hear McD’s has an egg white something.

Rhonda, your family visit sounds like it’s going to be great fun. A lot of work, but I hope you have the kind of family where everyone just pitches in. It makes everything go so much easier. Blessings to your neighbor for doing a nice thing just because he could.

Terri, don’t you love the feel of muscles letting you know they still exist?

DeeDee, I’m jealous – not of the two hours it took to complete the deal, but I would love to have a new, matching washer/dryer set. I may just have to go buy one – and mine still work, they just don’t look like the cool red ones I bought for DD :laugh:. Glad you caught yours before it caught fire – how scary!

Katla, I’m not a huge fan of any of the cable carriers, but I’ve not had good service with either Dish or DirectTV. When I had to move out of CO they were pretty awful about the contract and equipment. They don’t ever get ranked very high on customer service either. I think I mentioned we’re trying to wean ourselves off of cable altogether.

Oh, Heather, you’re cracking me up. I admit to occasionally flipping to the end of a book however.

Robin, so glad to hear the new job is a better fit. That must be a huge relief!

OK, I’m back to work now. Tonight I’m going to meet one of my MFP friends IRL to go for a walk. Yes, it’s hot, yes, it’s muggy, yes, I’ve already worked out, and yes, it will be right around dinner time – but why not? I’m looking forward to meeting someone new and trying something different.

Cheers,

M.