Howdy! #:30am here. I've been up since 2. This is "normal" for me, this very early waking. It's been going on for months now. I usually get to sleep around 10pm, sometimes 9, wake frequently during the night, then wake for good at 2 or 3. I just get up and start my day. Yes, it does make for a very long day and I'm tired, but that's the way it goes.

I plan to go to the zoo today. I need to see my animals and I need the cheering up that the zoo gives me. I'm just too deoressed.

I hope you all have a good day!

Good morning, Girls. It's 5am, and I've been up since 2....again.

I did go to the zoo yesterday and saw my friends...Abe, the Bald Eagle, in particular. I had to leave early, tho' because I developed a terrible, crushing headache. It was so bad I had earaches. I came home and took one of my special pain pills...Tramadol..darkened the room and lay down. Skye, my Blue Quaker Parrot came over to sit with me. "I love you" he said.

Today I woke up with remnants of that headache, and it seems to be revving up. **#@%^. I hope it doesn't get full blown, but.......

Marian, I'm also a Marion! I spell mine with an "o". Funny, when I was in school there was no one with that name. Now I run into Marions and Marians everywhere!

I love Budgies. I have 2...Cloud and Sam, both males. Also, 2 Cockatiels, male and female (Rascal and Joy) and the Blue Quaker, Skye. My boyfriend lives down the hall. In his apartment are our other birds....Shami, a Senegal Parrot (male), Isaac, an African Grey, Cookie, a Cockatiel (male) and Sadie, a Zebra Finch. I love them all to the Moon and back.

Skye is quite a talker, and very sweet and funny. He's 2. Shami is 22, Isaac 19, Rascal 17, Joy 14, Cookie12, Cloud I'm not sure (I got him from a man who came to the zoo.). Sam is 3 and Sadie I don't know. She's also a "re-homed bird. That's my little family.

What a slow day! I feel like everything was kind of fuzzy and I could not buckle down to much. Must be the rain! I finally got to the gym after 3:30, and boy did I need it. I had a series of phone calls from the same person who gets very agitated, and I finally lost it -- it feels like the "rules" are being applied in a more and more unfair way, and I told him I was going to fight it and hung up on him. He's just the messenger and trying to do his job, so I sent him an apology by email saying I just could not talk about it any more today, and then went to the gym to sweat and lift heavy things! It really helped. Then I spent time with a couple of colleagues and calmed down, figured out ways we can try to fix the problem, and walked a long way in the rain.

I think I'll be ok now!

Knowing that you are all there with your various ups, downs, quirks, great questions (like how many calories in a worm!) really, really helps. Thanks!

Ker,

So happy to read that your goods were found. I truly hope you had an overall good visit with your Mom.

Enjoy your lake time, hope you get to relax and reflect on your time with your mom :-)

Claudine

Hello. Newbie here learning how to navigate. I am very discouraged with my weight. Started exercising more the past couple weeks and up 2 pounds .... I know .... muscle .... don't quite believe it in this case. I look terrible and I hate it. I hope I can hold myself accountable here and meet friends in the same struggle .... and progress!

TGIF! Aloha Friday I did my first one hour, one lap swim today. I am working on everything, logging, weighing my food, and exercising regularly. Actually I feel grateful for being alive, and not taking for granted that I can work on getting fit and healthy. I visited a dear friend today who is not this lucky and she inspired me. Hope you all have a nice Father's Day weekend. We are going to have good friends over and I will BBQ ribs, serve fresh fruit salad as in papaya, pineapple and watermelon, and bean dip and chips. Oh, and remember my Dad who is 93 this month. He has dementia and life is tough right now for him. Remember to be happy to be alive!

Happy Saturday! I got woken by our loud birds on the lawn, which is okay. If I start my day early it is cooler. I like it in the 70s, but the daily temp is usually 80s. Getting into it, though. I did my bug patrol and cleaned the pool so far. Looking forward to a walk. Have a great day!

Ker: Thanks for the update on the worms. I'm an early riser, but not by choice. If I were allowed to awake naturally everyday, it would be about 8:30 a.m. But, I'm stuck with 5:30 on workdays and then tend to sleep too late when I can on my weekend.

I have been very, very tired lately. I tend to stay up too late. I fight sleep. I must admit that I am rethinking my exercise routine. I might be overdoing. If I can't get out at lunchtime (as it was this week), I try to get in my whole 3 mile walk and 1/2 hour on the stationary bike at the gym. Then I eat. If I have to stop at the store or anything, I'm not home until after 9 p.m. I still have laundry, housework, etc. I don't get much feet up, Kindle on "me" time and I have always found that essential. If I want it, I have to stay up too late.

I love all the exercise, but, I'm beginning to think I need to just stop at an hour (although, frankly, I'm not sure I can). 30 minutes on bike and 30 minutes walking or so. Otherwise my life is commute, work, exercise, sleep. Not much "fun" or "relaxation" in that day.

Any ideas?

Charlie

Jean: I don't count my regular walking either. And I walk a lot in an average work day! I'm at almost 5 miles so far today and I've spent most of the afternoon at my desk! I will say that have been working out almost every day, but never less than 6 days (my original plan was 5 days a week). It takes about 90 minutes + time to get where I'm going whether it is the park and/or the gym. I find it so invigorating, but I think I'm just getting to the "too much" level. You are at your goal, I've still got a long, long way to go, so that also motivates me to keep up the pace. Plus I spent so many years barely able to walk a block without feeling like my heart would explode that I find it very liberating now. I think that is what has made it so addictive.

I think you are right. I might back off to two miles a day. See how that goes. Just like I gradually got to this level, I probably should back off gradually, too.

Everyone is doing so great that it makes me feel guilty that I'm not keeping up. Now that the grandchildren have gone home, I'm really going to make an effort to get back on the exercise wagon and better my eating habits. Today was a rest day because hubby and I are both exhausted from having the 3 kids for 10 days, but it was lots of fun and I wouldn't have had it any other way.

Today I overindulged and didn't do any exercise, even walking! Just laid around and ate too much (LOL). I do seem to be maintaining, though, so I'm guessing that I'm doing things right and good habits have kicked in. Will ease myself back into a routine starting tomorrow.

Hi. 4:30am here. I got up at 3...that's late for me.

Today I go out to breakfast with The Boyfriend and grocery shop...that's our Sunday ritual. He's going out to see his family in the afternoon. I never go with him. Long story there... let's just say his sister is abusive, they all drink (he doesn't) and I don't need the grief. My afternoon will be pleasant....playing with the birds and watching TV.

I see my therapist tomorrow morning. She's great and is very helpful. Tuesday I hope to get to the zoo...that's when I get most of my exercise. I walk around the whole place..it's about 11/2 miles.

Hope you all have a good day!

Hey everyone - I was sloth to the max yesterday and even had a small fish & chip:devil: - over my calories of course, but hey not going to beat myself up, back in play today. I was a real pain the a**, cooked for breakfast and lunch but there was no way I was cooking supper:grumble: - DH was going out to town in the evening after his nap so I didn't eat until 10pm. Sorry to say it was yummy - don't know if it was because it was something I loved or because I didn't have to cook and clean up after. Did I tell you I hate cooking lol. Got more sleep than usual - Fig I feel your pain - I had stopped taking the sleeping pills I've been on for 2 years (cut dose down over the past year) woke up at 3 this morning but made myself go back to bed at 5 and slept til 7 so had my energy today, got off my butt, did some dancing and weights since the weather was lousy and had a great supper that I cooked, so no over the calories today. Hoping to find just a small amount of dedication Charlie has to working out these coming days and maybe even get to like it - horrors.

Have a great start of the week everyone and will touch base on Wednesday.

Holly:flowerforyou:

Hi all,

It has been a weekend of weird emergencies -- I blame the big big full moon of Friday having a lasting effect! Saturday I went to ride our horse with my daughter and her BF, and after we finished, we saw the barn cat in an absolutely terrible condition. We had seen him getting kind of matted and rough looking, but after not seeing him for a couple of weeks, he was shocking to see. A huge wound on his side, horrific mats that were pulling at his skin, and he had shrunk down to a skeletal size. We grabbed him and brought him straight to the vet. Two hours later he was almost completely shaved, his wound was clean and lanced, he had a huge shot of antiobiotics and some food in him, and he had had a most undignified bath. He looks quite pathetic and has some serious healing to do. In any case, he cannot go back to the barn -- he is obviously no longer suited to the hobo life -- my DD is keeping him for now, and the BF and I are taking turns with the hydrotherapy for the abcess, and feeding and cleaning care until we can find him a good home. Poor little thing - he has always been a sweet cat, but he is in sorry condition now.

Then I had to go to a concert last night where one of our students was performing (I'm a university music prof), so I brought my MIL along to enjoy. We ate just before the concert, and by the time I got her home, she had some indigestion, which is not too unusual, but then she called early this morning and had been sick all night. She is 90 and still lives in her own house (with her fierce guard chihuahua!) so I went down to spend most of the day with her making sure she was ok. She has had a peaceful day and will be fine, but I sure did not get much exercise or anything today. Took a walk while she slept, but otherwise, no sweat. Hmmph.

Tomorrow back to sweating!

Hi Jugar, I respect your animal care a lot. Having had cats get mauled by coyotes I know they can quickly respond to antibiotics and tender loving care. I am also empathetic about your Mom. My Dad just lost his eyesight 10 days ago and at 93, it is very hard for him. He has live-in help emergently now so he can continue to live in his house independently. Praying for yours, mine and anyone else's loved ones having tough health problems.

Hi Ker, glad you got your phone back - that is amazing that your id was recovered too! My dh lost his phone and external hard drive en route through airplanes, terminals etc, but not worried about it. Glad you have your commitment in hand to lose weight! I also recently saw a photo or two of me on a hike - and NOW I AM DETERMINED like you to get healthy fit

Current log includes a 20 min walk this morning that I am proud to say I did finally without any more excuses. I gardened an hour as in trimming and hauling branches away. I plan to swim for an hour today too. Hope everyone has an active day today