WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR JANUARY 2015

Thank you all for the greetings and salutations for my birthday and anniversary. Your friendship lifts me up all through the year, and this week, you outdid yourselves.

The de-cluttering examples on this thread made an impression on me. I have spent two days tackling cabinets and files in my home office. My poor shredder overheated a few times from overuse. Liberated my office of two huge hefty bags of old documents and junk. Also assembled one of those closet units which holds the cute cube-shaped bins. So a lot of what I used to keep in tidy piles under my desk, now resides in a bright green bin. I’ve read enough about feng shui to know that the energy flow is much better in that room now. Will be interesting to see if it makes a difference in my creativity, production and earnings.

Meg: I am so sorry for your knee pain. My left knee was scoped for what the MRI showed was a torn meniscus. However, once inside, what they found was a piece of cartilage known as the plika. They removed it, and with therapy, the knee is 85% restored. I wear an elastic support whenever I exercise and try to baby it whenever I feel any twinges. Lucky you getting a NEW phone!

Katla: Sounds like you’re having a good experience trying new exercises. So impressed with your riding prowess. Good to hear that DH is improving with PT.

Kim: Glad you found a shirt for your Super Bowl gig. Can’t beat that price!

Michele: How great that you got a call from Bryan and got to talk with Diana. I’m sure your pet pill popper will be a welcome gift.

Toni and Margaret: Spelling someone’s name correctly is high on my list as a show of respect. Margaret, you take the prize for dealing with difficult names with genuine grace. I’d love to hear how you sing kids names.

Heather: I would be over the moon excited to be traveling to Sri Lanka. I always eat with the locals on my trips. I’ve been many places where I can’t remember what we did, or what business transpired, but I remember an outstanding meal.

Susan: Hello and welcome. Come back often and tell us more about yourself. Sorry about the loss of your Labrador fur-baby. Many of the ladies on this thread have pups in the family. You’ve found the right community.

Jeannine: Weight training was a foreign concept to me until about a year and a half ago. It did not sound appealing AT ALL. The only thing that did resonate was hearing that your burn more calories at rest when you have more muscle. So, a year and a half ago I found a personal trainer through our community center, and I am so, so glad to be on a program that is reshaping me as well as making me stronger. I also cut back on carbs, especially anything with wheat, and the scale is moving.

Diane in Ottawa: LOVE the names of your cats. Where did you take the picture boogie boarding? It’s one of my favorite things to do.

Vicki: Congratulations on GGC #8! Blessings and hugs to you and Hunter Collin.

Allison: Good luck at the bird store.

Patty: Welcome. Keep coming back. We’re all on the path to get and stay healthy. It’s more fun and interesting with friends.

Beth: Well, that just stinks that you went to the trouble to prepare a lesson and had nobody show up. But at least you have it for another time.

Yanniejannie: Glad you made it back safely after taking the scenic route back from vet school. I’m notorious for that kind of thing.

Terri: Glad you’re feeling better. Stay well.

Pipcd: Happy bday to Yogi.

Barbie: That was an amazing comeback by the Seahawks. Will we get a picture of you in your knit hat?

Eileen: Bravo for getting your new printer set up. I just did that over the holidays and still smile whenever I click ‘print’ and it works!

Robin: Easy to see why love Bodi boy.

Jill: Where have you been? Wonderful to see you back here.

Rori
Colorado Foothills

January goals with progress to date:

1) Keep to under net 100 carbs per day > accomplished all but 2 days
2) Try a Zumba class at the gym at least twice > Done!
3) Keep my MFP streak alive through Jan 31st > Still going
4) Savor more, guzzle less. This aligns with my word for 2015: Mindfulness > grading myself a C.

Hello again. We just got home from Joplin, and I'm pooped. After we dropped off the pedestals we went by the new hospital that they built to replace the one that was destroyed in the tornado 5 years ago. It's set to open in March, and boy, is it big! Hubby was annoyed that they have TWO roundabouts at the entrance to that thing. He hates roundabouts.

Then went to SAMs club and got some stuff and while we were there had some pictures printed from my smart phone and his flash drive. It was fun deciding what to print. I printed a really funny shot of hubby riding my bicycle and wearing my helmet (both too small). Then to Pet Smart to buy the dogs their night-time treats. At bed time they get yogurt drops, which they will do ANYTHING for, and we had run out. They do not understand, "sorry guys, we are out of those tonight". We were getting some bad stink eye last night. Tonight there will once again be peace in the bedroom.

Tomorrow I'm going to visit an old pottery friend at her place over in Missouri, then she and I are going to lunch and to the clay store in Springfield. It should be a fun day. I haven't seen this friend in years. She actually got somebody to take her shift at work tomorrow just so she could spend the day with me. That was nice of her.

I found out through Facebook that my younger brother's daughter just had a baby with Spina Bifida. It's so sad. Poor little thing. My brother moved his family to California years ago and kind of cut off contact with the family - our mother was a cruel and difficult woman - so I hadn't seen or talked to him in many years. I remember his daughter as being very sweet, though, and she has not had an easy life herself. My sister, who has periodic contact with our sister in law, says the baby is paralyzed from the waist down and probably always will be. I had no idea what Spina Bifida was, and was horrified when I looked it up. My brothers picture was on Facebook holding the baby and both my sister and I said that we wouldn't have recognized him.

Our family is not close. Sometimes I wish it was different. I had to move away too, to survive my mother, so I understand why things are the way they are. My sister is the hub of what's left of the family. She keeps me up on the news by phone once a week, and now by Facebook. My baby brother lives in Texas, and he and I talk occasionally. I have an older brother in Wichita. We speak at funerals and things, but don't go out of the way to get together. A lot of it is me, I know. I should try harder.

Well, enough of that. I'm going to bed early tonight. Gotta take the kids to school tomorrow.

Good night!

Sylvia

Call me crazy but I love to see other people happy and succeeding.

*Meg, I really laughed at your patient named Placenta Rose, because I had a friend that used to say, “some of these mothers have a baby and when asked what the name is, they just think of the hospital and say, ‘placenta’ or ‘x-ray’.” It always made me laugh and I thought she made it up. But guess not?

*pip, that picture of the lab is just “too stinkin’ cute”. And I am picky about my babies’ collars too.

*Leslie, you are doing such a great job. I know you must be proud of yourself. You will put the rest of us to shame when the pounds start falling off. Way to go!!

*Michele, I think that is a great thing you did with the icing. I’m trying to learn that putting a few things like that, down the garbage disposal is doing more good than giving it to DH, who could lose a few pounds but doesn’t even try.  Good for you.

*Susan, I think the baby steps add up to giant steps. I try to do spot exercising while waiting on things around the house. Mine are often just arm exercises but I think I’ll try the counter push-ups. Thanks for the idea and keep it up.

*yanniejannie, I know those mountain roads can be challenging. Glad you made it safely. Sending good thoughts about the interview. Now for the wait.

*Heather, are you living in there house or are they living in yours. The only reason I can see to “ask” if your friend could come over, is if it involved them doing something. It’s fine to take the tongue lashing, but I just don’t see where you were wrong. It’s not like they had to cook or anything. Just MHO.

*Terri / MLK, congrats on your loss. Isn’t it fun to win in a win-win. Way to go but stay healthy.

*Anne (Toronto), 17 pounds in 7 weeks? That’s terrific! I guess it’s not a blue Monday for you. Congrats!!!


*jodios, good for you. We are all with you to do this and you can.

*ok, Leslie, I’ll bite. What is toad-in-the-hole???? Sorry but it doesn’t even sound good. Lol

*Sally w, I am tired just reading about your walks and runs. Way to go. I can’t imagine having the energy after moving the 50 pound bags. I’m impressed.

*carolsmoo, *pbgd,*laurieg, *Catherine, and any newbies that I missed. Welcome to the group. I’m sure you will find it very supportive and pick up lots of good information as well. We are happy to have you with us. To help us remember you, please put your name and location at the bottom of each post.

*My coffee maker is on my kitchen counter. I really have no other place to put it and it is used every day. I give myself the excuse that it makes it look “homey”. Lol
The 3 pair of new (smaller) pants that I bought for the cruise all had to be hemmed. I have finished two of them. The third pair will be a challenge because they are peg legged. I may have to do a really small hem in them and I hesitant to cut them off until I am absolutely sure it's right. But I’ll figure it out because I don’t want to pay $10 to hem a pair of pants that I only paid that much for on sale.

I love this group and all you wonderful ladies. Wishing you all good health and lots of happiness.

My word for the of the month is savor. I have to slow down and savor every bite.

Janet in Myrtle Beach, SC

Jfenner and MA– welcome back!!!

Laurieg933, Catherine, carolsmoo – welcome

Cynthia – yeah crazy hun, but true! And I knew she had spent more than she really could afford… it was so sad..

Jodios – just comment when you connect with something, and tell us about you!

Lesley – what is toad in the hole??????????????????

Sylvia – you did what you did to be able to survive – families are sometimes toxic.

Ok Gals I need some help - I have a cast iron dutch oven that I use to make candy, and last time I used it, it left little black pieces in the toffee… I had loaned it out between uses… so I don’t know if it is burned on something, or they did something to the surface… grrrrrrrrr So what can I do to make it all better??? It is the only cast iron pot I have so I am not up on exactly the way to handle it… steel wool?

January goals:
Walk every day
Log all bites everyday
Do a fun thing every week.

Kim from N. California

Janet in Myrtle Beach, He He. Toad in the hole is "sausages in Yourkshire pudding batter, baked in the oven:. Was NOT good lol
Thanks for telling me Martin Luther King Day. Knew had to be a holiday somewhere. English pension will be in bank tomorrow.
All grocery shopping done.
Lesley in Tasmania

Yannie, I am not used to a small choir. I'm not used to huge choirs either but our little choir has quality! In my old church we had about 30 but the men didn't know how to read music at all and few of the women did either. They were mostly the support voices that any good choir needs. One time our city had an evangelistic crusade here and we had a joint choir of all the interested churches here. I imagine there were around 300 of us and it was marvelous.

Sally, last night when I was putting fresh litter in the cat litter box, I was thinking about how heavy it is for me to move across the floor. I know when the time comes that my husband dies that my habits will have to change. Even though he has heart disease and Parkinson's it doesn't hold him back from doing the really heavy lifting around here. But there is no way I would get the 40 pound box of cat litter in the house. There is no way I would be able to take it from the store shelf to the cart. He always said with his family history of the age of death of the male members that he will die at about 70. And he doesn't take care of himself except walk every day. I admire you for carrying all those heavy things. You are like my daughter Michelle. She hauls around her dogs 50 pound bags of dog food all the time. And with 3 big dogs in the house she goes through them quite frequently.

Allison, how did your appointment go at the bird store today?????

Sylvia, there are many degrees of spina bifida. My brother has adopted a man with it and he is fully functional. He does wear diapers and I have no idea whether he can have sex or not but he sure is a nice guy.

My only encounter with 'locals' in a different country is when we went on our Carribean cruise. My husband had taken some R&R in Puerto Rico so he thought he was an expert and so we took our own tour. We really enjoyed sitting in the taverns and getting to know the locals there. But that is nothing like Sri Lanka. Puerto Rico is part of the US.

Charlie has his physical tomorrow. I go to every single appointment with him. But I am trying to let go and give him his independence so he is going by himself. He was nervous about it tonight.

Joyce, Indiana

drkatiebug wrote: »

My friend who taught sheltered social studies to non-English speaking students did home visits as part of her job. One family served tongue to her (she is also vegetarian). She said it was the hardest thing she had ever done in her life to eat that tongue, but they considered it a delicacy and spent money they probably couldn't afford to serve if to her. it would have been a huge insult to refuse it.

I do understand this. My guy and I once had lunch at an Amish family's house, which is pretty unusual, and I did eat what was put in front of me that time.

Hey Allison, congratulations, and extra congratulations that you "get" to keep the money! I'm proud of you and happy for you! :flowerforyou:

Diane in Ottawa: LOVE the names of your cats. Where did you take the picture boogie boarding? It’s one of my favorite things to do.




Poerava 14 - Rori Thanks, the name of my cats betrays my fondness for ice cream and anything sweet:-) The picture was taken in Barbados. I love to get away from the snow and cold for a week every winter. Where was your beach picture taken?

Good Morning,

Janet loved the story of the strip and face me.

Alison congratulations on the new job. Sounds like a perfect fit.

2015 word: Strength

Quote: Just because you see the hook does not mean you have to bite.

MNMargaret