WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR SEPTEMBER 2014

The babysitting went well..........a neighbor's GD, 8mo. Trying her best to pull up and cruise the room using the furniture; the floor full of toys and all she wanted to do was untie the leather laces of my Sperrys!!! She would laugh when I retied them and immediately go at them again; adorable. So, we had fun! The high school cross country meet was postponed.........unhappy students........... happy parents, teachers, and timing volunteers!!!

I've known many wonderful and experienced horse people. As you all may have guessed, I like the horses I interact with contained in their stallls if I'm near........love talking to them and giving them apples, mints, carrots. I have volunteered and led horses around with disabled children, but they were very tame horses, who knew better than I did what they were doing. I'm just not a rider and not comfortable (read semi-terrified) with them free and up close. DDs new barn job is 3p to 6p five or six days a week at $8.00/hr.; it's a good half hour away, and in a kind of swampy area known for its snakes and having a rabies problem with the foxes and other small animals.........so, I'm not thrilled---but she is and I do realize I have no say here and my fear is not hers. She says she's going to continue lifeguarding some mornings (which also pays next to nothing). She's looking on this as a "gap" year and I encouraged her to do this to boost her spirits a bit back when she didn't make vet school. But, if she doesn't get in vet school this year, this may be her reality. I do think she'd be better off substitute teaching; she's even been told she could teach in the homebound program which would be one on one, but has no interest. She needs to save money and can't save it if she doesn't earn it. She has no clue how important simply earning enough money to keep a roof overhead and food on the table is........she's always worked (since she was about 12) but seems to have no idea what her degree should be worth in the workplace. She helped pay for part of her college but somehow there's a "disconnect" about just how many hours she had to work to earn her portion. I've not pushed her because she was so very low when she first came home after the barn manager job fell through in June. So, here we are. Just give it more time? I adore having her here, but also realize this isn't going to last; no matter what happens, no kid wants to live at home.

Anyway, good to get that out.
yanniejannie

Good evening all! It's been a nice day for me. My cardiologist raved about my progress and took me off another pill (the nitrate for chest pain) and added an additional Lasix to deal with swelling feet. Then I went shopping to get the girls some socks. The oldest wanted knee high socks and I had to hit every store in the mall to find any cute ones. I did two full laps around the mall, just for fun, and that combined with my morning walk put me over my 10,000 steps.

Tonight for dinner I made sautéed butternut squash with lots of seasonings from a recipe I found online.
http://www.recipe.com/sauteed-butternut-squash-with-garlic-ginger-and-spices/
It was VERY yummy! But I needed to count all my fingers after I cut that darned squash. Boy, is it hard to cut! I cooked it in olive oil instead of butter, and added some ground turkey breast for protein. Hubby tasted it, grabbed his throat and pretended he was dying. Such a comedian. So I have enough left to take for lunch tomorrow. Honestly though, I think it would have been just as good with sweet potato, and a lot easier to peel and cut.

Brenda, after an abdominal surgery I found that a good old fashioned panty girdle was my best friend. It cut down on that jiggle! I hope you get well soon.

YannieJannie, did your daughter check out the vet school in Grenada? My friend's daughter is down there and she really loves it. She says it's an excellent school. It's so sad when a kid can't follow their dream.

Well, I have to go get the dogs their dinner. Goodnight everyone!

Sylvia

"The Great British Bake Off and then Our Zoo! " Two favourite programs on Foxtel. We visited Chester Zoo a few times when living in England, great zoo

Well weight is bouncing around still.
Cough bad at night, spots still there so cream no good.
Seeing doctor this afternoon for result of chest X-ray. LOVE this doctor.
Still printing my meals and exercise for dietitian to see next Wednesday. 1693 cals today.
Doctor changed my asthma meds 2 months ago and maybe the steroids not like me, but Ventolin no longer works for me.

Lesley in Tasmania

Did 45 minutes of yoga (the instructor had to leave early -- just on the day when I got there on time, too!) and then an hour of deep water.

The plan for tomorrow is to do a DVD that uses the band.

After exercise I stopped at Bi-Lo to get items on sale, then stopped at a hair salon to see about their prices to get my hair colored. They ARE cheaper and sort-of on my way home from the deep water class.

Just had lunch (lentil soup) and will probably go to Food Lion to see if they have boxed butternut squash soup so I can make that. Update: I called Food Lion and, natch, they don't have it. Why they don't expand the FL by me is beyond me. There's an empty store on both sides.

Joyce - glad you got the mystery of the owner of the jewelry box cleared up

Cynthia - your renos sound wonderful

Alison - I think you need some sort of side -- maybe a tray of raw veggies? Or I make this orzo shrimp salad, if you need the recipe I'll send it to you. It's pretty easy to make. Let me know. Heather had a great suggestion -- chili

There was this really depressing (to me, anyway) bit on the radio this morning. They said the 5 top months for gaining weight were August, September, October, November and December. Wonderful! Just what I wanted to hear.

Katla - I enjoy experimenting and subbing ingredients in foods to make it more diet-friendly and tasty.

Dianne - how did they diagnose hubby's hyperparathroidism? A blood test?

Heather - have a great time at that restaurant. I'm sure you will. How nice of your friend! I'm sure you'll have a drink of water on her....lol

DeeDee - glad you're feeling better. I know that Vince has a touch of asthma, and with the weather changing, my guess is that that's what brought this on. Now my throat is feeling a bit scratchy, but I'll have hot lemon water but he won't have anything hot. Yogurt usually also coats my throat, but he won't have that (unless it's the yoplait light thick and creamy key lime...talk about pickey...I tried giving him a greek yogurt key lime, but guess who wound up finishing it?). You've started shopping for Christmas? I don't even want to think about it!!! A friend of mine got a new refrigerator, it had bluetooth to her phone so we could listen to music. Vince wasn't impressed....he wants one that has the TV in it! And maybe a computer? Yup, he's got the sound system downstairs hooked up, I don't even know anything beyond turning it on and off (even then I'd probably do it wrong). I never knew that we were able to watch shows off a flashdrive in the living room until he told me!

Just made some spiced apple and butternut squash soup. This was the first time I made it so I followed the directions, next time I'll probably add more of the cinnamon and nutmeg. Went to WalMart, and they did have -- but only one -- a box of the butternut squash soup. On the way there I stopped to talk to a neighbor of mine who asked if I'd like her can of butternut squash soup. So in all, I had the right amount of soup at the end of the day. I was going to make some black bean soup but I think I'll hold off on that for a bit. Need to finish up some more of the chicken barley chili and some more of this soup before my freezer gets totally jammed

MA - when the kids were little, I was really into cake decorating and shaping cakes. Lately, I've just lost any desire to do that. For our last social, I made a pool cake and I really didn't care that it didn't come out that good. Lately I've been more focused on making good tasting, healthy main dishes. Love your sister's analogy of this being a "pub".

Sylvia - it must have felt great hearing your cardiologist rave. Congrats

barbie - I tend to overcook, too. But leftovers of things that we won't eat (in Vince's case that's almost everything) I just donate to the food kitchen

Sue in SD - get better fast

Michele in NC

Hi All - I am drowning at work this week! Today 10 hours (not kidding) on a conference call with no breaks - I put it on mute to go to the bathroom! As soon as I was off I went to the gym and took it out on the treadmill and bicycle! Tomorrow even more meetings but hopefully not so long... I am behind on what everyone is doing though and thought by now I would be able to track who and what was going on... I will get there! Reality is - I need to retire and wish I could tomorrow!

Carol in NC - I love the house! We have a rental in Baltimore that is similar and I love it!

Katla - I do love walking as well as running on the beach, The DH and I often walk while the puppy is running around like a crazy boy playing with all the other dogs. It is always nice there, always!

Joyce - Do people still have cedar chests and give them to their daughters? I still have mine and remember getting it from my mom who got it from hers... I hope my daughter will love it and the treasures inside the way I do!

Have a wonderful rest of the week everyone - I will check in when time permits.
Shana in Anaheim, CA

Joyce - it's a two hour slot for a food delivery in a van from Waitrose, a supermarket. You order what you like on line and they drliver it. Of corse, near Christmas it is very popular! The timed dlots fill up quickly so I have booked one.:flowerforyou:

DeeDee: I’m happy to know you’re feeling better. Nobody likes to feel like a troll--with the possible exception of actual trolls. I agree with your advice to Alison about adding a veggie tray for the party.:flowerforyou:

Anne: I can certainly understand liking weather under 100 degrees. I’d be inside in front of an air conditioner at that temperature. I have relatives who winter in AZ to avoid the much shorter and darker days here. I crave light but so far haven’t been tempted to become a snowbird.:flowerforyou:

MA in UK: The analogy of this group as a virtual pub is an interesting one. I like it. We don’t actually have pubs in our area; we have taverns and bars. You drink, eat, watch sports on TV, and play pool, but socialize mainly with your own friends rather than with others. Some places also have dancing and some people go to taverns to “hook up.” I suppose those who are regulars begin to socialize with other regulars. Until recently I avoided taverns due to heavy levels of cigarette smoke. :smokin: :sick: Smoking has been banned in public eateries and taverns in our state, so I’m finally comfortable spending time there. :bigsmile: I used to come home, strip off all my clothes and dump them directly into the washing machine, and go take a shower and wash my hair.:flowerforyou:

Brenda: I hope you feel good enough to walk for exercise soon and are able to sleep more comfortably.:flowerforyou:

Patceoh: I hope you get your ipad sorted out quickly.:flowerforyou:

Yanniejannie: I certainly understand your worries for your daughter. I love horses, but am cautious around them because of their size, strength and unpredictability. It sounds like your daughter is making her choice based on her love of horses, and not her need for financial stability. I hope things work out for her.:flowerforyou:

Sylvia: Congratulations on your improving health. It is wonderful that your cardiologist raved about your progress and took you off of a medication. WTG! :drinker: I love to eat butternut squash, but I don’t love cutting it up or peeling it. That is one dense variety of squash. I wonder if there is a trick out there that other people know and we don’t know. Perhaps a band saw for cutting? Peeling might be accomplished after cooking if you bake it, but I like to cut it into chunks and sauté it in olive oil.

Sue in SD: I just had the English/Western conversation with a woman who has a stable. I feel more secure in a Western saddle because of my knee problems but have ridden both English and Western over the years. Posting is not in my best interests.:noway: I’ve been working at strengthening my weak knee for two years now, but it still feels “iffy.” Western dressage sounds like fun. I looked up sarcoidosis on line. I hope your breathing improves and you feel better soon.:flowerforyou:

Barbie: Find it and fix it days sound like a great idea!:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

Alison: I gained a lot of pounds as a stress eater and didn’t find the gumption to do something about my weight until after I retired. I hope you are able to do better at managing your food than I did while I was juggling the demands of work, commuting, and family life. One thing is a big help for me now, and that is my recumbent bike. If I go over on my calorie limits, I can ride the bike until I burn off the extra calories. Barbie has her bike in front of the TV but mine is too big for the living room so I keep it in the garage, and read a book while I ride.:flowerforyou:



This is my morning for yoga, but I’m not sure there will be class. The teacher was coming down with something on Tuesday and may have to cancel. I’ll be watching for an email from her. If necessary, I may do a yoga workout that I have on a phone app. It isn’t as good as a real class, but its is better than nothing.:ohwell: :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



September Goals:
1. Log every bite and swallow.
2. Cardio exercise at least 3 days a week.
3. Have fun every day.
4. Drink at least three glasses of water daily, preferably more!

Well this is getting old. I spent the last 9 months going from a couch potato to working out
daily and sometimes twice a day. I was up to walking 60 + minutes, body pump, step etc. Now
I'm back to being a couch potato. What took 9 months to become a good habit is quickly becoming
Comfortable again in less than a week. But not too comfy, I'm getting antsy to start at least walking again.
I go to the surgeon next Thursday for clearance to start working out. I'm sure lifting wghts won't be for another couple
of weeks. All this down time isn't easy when my mind wants to wallow in negative things, everything that happened in the past few months has me on the edge. Walking daily was helping me to keep it in check. But I guess it's time to let my emotions go and
deal with them instead of stuffing them. Being rainy and cold out is not helping. But I am doing better than I was a few weeks ago. At
Least now I can actually process my thoughts and emotions easier than before. I know being able to share on this thread without being judged is a big help. So thank you Barbie for keeping us going and to everyone else on here.
Brenda from Md

Bumping, for now...

Just saw that in the news, scary, scary, scary. Who does not get a bigger waistline?

Women who gain weight around the waist and whose skirt sizes therefore increase between their 20s and 60s may be at higher risk of breast cancer after menopause, a new study from the United Kingdom suggests.
The study, which looked at more than 92,000 women postmenopausal women over age 50, found that going up a skirt size over a period of 10 years after age 25 was linked with a 33 percent increase in the risk of breast cancer after menopause. Going up two skirt sizes was linked with a 77 percent increase in risk.
Overall, the risk that a postmenopausal woman will develop breast cancer over the next five years increases from 1 in 61 to 1 in 51 with one skirt-size increase over a 10-year period, the researchers said. (About 1 percent of women in the study developed breast cancer.)
Previous studies have linked obesity after menopause, and weight gain in the decades before menopause, with an increased risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. But the new study is the first to examine breast cancer risk using skirt size as a proxy for changes in waist circumference, the researchers said. [6 Foods That May Affect Breast Cancer Risk]
The new findings held even after the researchers took into account other factors that could affect breast cancer risk, including body mass index (BMI), a family history of breast cancer and use of hormone replacement therapy.
In fact, increases in skirt size were a better predictor of breast cancer risk than BMI, or body mass index, which is a measure of height and weight that is often used as an indicator of body fatness. Doctors have criticized the use of BMI in predicting people's risk of health conditions; in previous studies, researchers have noted that a person's BMI doesn't take into account where fat is distributed over the individual's body.
The new findings, along with other studies linking having more belly fat to an increased risk of cancer, suggest that fat around the waist may potentially be more harmful than fat elsewhere in the body.
"Although the exact mechanism of these relationships needs to be better understood, there is a suggestion that body fat around the waist is more metabolically active than adipose tissue elsewhere," said the researchers, who are from the Institute for Women's Health at University College London. Extra fat is known to increase levels of estrogen, a hormone that can promote breast cancer tumor growth.
Still, further studies are needed to confirm the new findings. The study found an association, but not a cause-and-effect link between increases in women's waist size and the risk of breast cancer. It's also possible that women in the study misremembered what their skirt sizes were when they were young, or underestimated their current skirt sizes, which could affect the results, the researchers said.
The study is published online today (Sept. 24) in the journal BMJ Open.
Copyright 2014

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-info/healthyliving/obesity-bodyweight-and-cancer/stats-evidence/body-weight-and-cancer-the-evidence
Anne