WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR AUGUST 2105

I am a slow empty nester. Let me explain. My sons are leaving me every 5 yrs, (to go into the Navy at 17-18 yrs old). There are days when my heart hurts, like when my husband was out to sea, but of course a different kind of ache.
Today I took a 6 shelving unit that was on my kitchen counter, and put it in front of the kitchen entrance. In it are all my foods. Proteins/fruits/veggies/pastas/snacks and a square for medicines we don't use on a daily basis. I rec'd a shawl that has the same colors as the livingroom rug, so that is over the cabinet. Everything that was in the cabinet when it was on the counter is incorporated into the kitchen cabinets, mostly the coffee and tea stuff. We are collectors of craft beer pints and I had that in one of the shelves. They are now in a Japanese tray on the counter.
I like to organize. You may have noticed that. For me it represents calmness, and changing things up keeps my world flowing. Its nice to have an open feeling in the kitchen. Especially when winter comes.

Today I had some sliced zucchini with a cut up small potato for dinner. I put steak rub seasoning on it, drizzled them with olive oil and baked in the oven. Turned out pretty good!

Missing the Renaissance Faires and the SCA events...:-( If there is one thing I can admit is that we had hobbies, we immersed ourselves in them.

Son #1


Son #2


Son #3


We camped in the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) and had to purchase a trailer to haul all our stuff around to events. Early into our camping it looked like this:


Later on it looked like this:


Ok my trip down memory lane is over........(sniff)
Becca reminissing in Oregon....

my husband had shingles, a side effect of AIDS, nothing helped unfortunately

Mary in MN - I didn't mean that lifting you aren't doing cardio. Trust me, I know that at times your heartrate can REALLY get elevated (like when you're using your legs). I just prefer to not go real fast because then I find that I compromise my form, and I'd rather have good form. You can hurt yourself if you don't have proper form.

Betty - you're kidding! A video on how to blow your nose!!!! What WILL they think of next?

Did an hour of Leslie Sansones Upper and Lower Body DVD. The plan for tomorrow is to do some balance games on the Wii.

After exercising went to the farmers market and bought some more purple potatoes. I think this is going to be about IT. Stopped at the Salvation Army and found a cookie press that I don't think had ever been used. See, the spritz cookie recipe I had I had so many problems with that I thought it was my cookie press. Well, I had the exact same problems with this cookie press. Now I'm thinking that it's not the cookie press but the recipe. Anyone have a good recipe for use in a cookie press?

Made the spinach feta pie. Had good taste, but I didn't put in the salt and I think it needed it. Will definitely make it again. Also made the Hungry Girl brownies for rummikub. I'll just put them in the freezer. I'm thinking that if this one gal who is lactose intolerant comes, that's something she can have since it's just cake mix and pumpkin, no butter or oil or eggs.

Came home, went in the pool. went to church, then made these pork chops (actually, Vince grilled them). Then made Vince these chocolate spritz cookies that I had problems with (see above)

Lenora - in a sense I don't want to google ducks. Someone said to me "ordinary is for WalMart" so I'd like to make him "colorful". The only thing that I definitely want to keep "normal" is the white on his neck. Other than that, I'm leaning towards shades of blue and maybe some sort of yellowish-brown for the wings. We shall see what I wind up with.....lol

DJ - I am hesitant to buy pj's mainly because of the price. The last pair I bought were for me to leave at the condo and I got them at the Salvatioin Army! If I do have to buy some, I usually get them at Kohl's or TJ Maxx. I don't think I could ever get to my wedding weight. I know that I'd lost 10lbs right before my wedding from all the stress. Woohoo on the big pants. Maybe you can have them taken in so hopefully you can get more wear out of them. If anything, that truffle box would be high in fiber....lol

janetr - oh, you can weight lift! Mary was saying how she had knee problems. Actually, weight lifting will help your knees since you'll be building up the muscles around the knee joint. Your story about how you felt in that coat broke my heart. I had a friend who had WLS and I was really surprised at how little psychiatric help she'd gotten. Basically, her psychiatric help was "do you want it, are you sure, why? OK" Good luck with your surgery. WTG on the shopping! Jack's cabinets are really nice. Like all the different ways he made room for things. I don't like to buy clothes online unless I've tried it on in the store and just need a different color. Otherwise, I like to try the clothes on. I love my faucet with the pull down sprayer, too.

katla - yes, the duck is going to be a pool pal. He's a bit on the small side so I think he'll probably wind up being on the same level as the pool. But that's OK, there's a frog there right now that MIL made that's only 4" tall. I do want to keep it because MIL made it. I like using allrecipes. Not every recipe has the nutritionals for it, but one of the things that I do like is reading the reviews of the recipes and how someone changes it.

Joyce - when they were building our pool, you have no idea how many pictures Vince took, documenting where EVERYTHING was. But it really worked for the best. when we had the pergola built over the equipment pad, he could say to the builder "you can put a footer here, but not here, you'll hit a pipe" I'm looking for LARGE ceramic animals to put around the pool. Most places have things that are 3 or 4 inches tall, I need at the absolute minimum 9", preferrable taller. Oh well, Boy, your house looks like a totally different house

gaw... - take it easy. The more you let the ankle heal, the faster it'll heal. This...from the person who would walk to the bathroom with a broken bone in her foot. But I learned the hard way to follow the MD advice, give it time to heal. So sorry you are in so much pain

Heather - congrats on getting your legacy. It's been a long time coming, but good things are worth waiting for

Alison - oh, no, an infection! Sure hope you're wrong on that one. If I'm not mistaken, that is the same route 1 that runs down to FL, right by our place.

Lillian - happy early anniversary. Yes, you should network

Beth - hope your son gets the job. So sorry about your friend. Praying for older son. So sorry about your back

Mary from MN - good lookin pics. Can't get over the difference

Welcome everyone new and those returning

Becca - "needs to put color in his cheeks". Something just tells me that you aren't referring to the cheeks on a person's face....lol Hey, when I download coupons off the net, if only one coupon prints on a page, I use that large piece of paper (minus the coupon) for scrap, so if you're OCD, then so am I Love your phone, reminds me of my first phone only it was white, and not from 1957. I remember my grandmother having a phone table sort-of like yours

Michele in NC

Heather, sorry about DH oldest daughter. It seems we seek our family out when we are worried which in a way is good since a lot of people tend to withdraw ad never let anyone in. Have fun with your friends. WOW, you actually got it. Did your blood pressure go down??? Can you cross your ex out of your life now?

DJ,how nice South Carolina has the tax free weekend the weekend before the college students come in. My grand nephew and parents leave here Thursday so they can spend some time with nieces sister. He is very close to her ad it makes it easier on his parents. But he is an only child and they are like what Terri and husband are with their son. Their life is wrapped around what son does, all of his sports and traveling teams. But it is all acedemics now. He is now considering pre-med. Since it was pharmacy or physical therapy before he will be taking the courses needed for pre-med. We had a send off dinner for him tonight. It was the most relaxed dinner this family has had in a long time. Usually my nephew and family leave pretty leave pretty quick but tonight we were there for 2 hours.

Janetr, husband is so talented. I agree with others, he IS good enough to make things on consignment. I love the drawers in the cabinet. And he did all that by himself just for you? Such a sweetie. My Dad liked to build things also but not the the extent your husband does. When my girls were young and into all the Cabbage doll stuff and had clothes for them, he built them both a small box type cabinet to hang their dolls clothes in. Each one had a hand drawn picture of a Cabbage patch doll and their name on it. They both still use those cabinets. They went to college with them, Christina has it in her home and YDGD uses it and Michelle keeps hers here for all the grand kids and other babies. It holds books. It is a precious memory of my Dad.

MNMargaret, how scary to see a waitress treat food and her cleanliness like that. or that manner she is treating the reputation of the restaurant badly. I don't blame you at all for refusing to pay for it.


Allison, sounds so wonderful to be sitting on that porch swing in the breeze. Do you have a view of the ocean? Do you think that Tom is courting you???? He has to love himself first. Hope it isn't a bladder infection.

Becca, your house is so neat and organized. Update, I see why it is. It is you maintaining control over your life. Your kids are so cute. You just reminiss all you wnat. We are enjoying going through this trip of your life.

Beth, my back goes out also but at least you have a good and logical reason for yours. Mine may go out just standing up from using the commode. Ice, heat, medicine like Aleve will help.

DrKatie, no apology needed. Actually is was me who downloaded them in the wrong order and I didn't know how to delete the first picture and then upload it again.

Beth, so sorry about your elderly father getting shingles. Yes, they HURT! But the doctor should be ordering more than pain medicine for it. He should be getting medicine for the actual shingles and something to help dry them up. Just make sure to keep anyone away if they haven't had the chickenpox yet. My Dad had them real bad and was prescribed Tylenol with Codeine. It helped with the pain but the longer he took the Codeine, the loopier he got. my husband got it right between his eyes. It was just one single spot and it never went in his eyes. My youngest daughter got it when she was 8 years old.

Thanks for all the compliments of my house now. Every time I look at it I am in disbelief. I was going to ask a neighbor down the street to give me ideas and maybe her and her husband help with the labor, I would pay them, but we were talking to them the other day because he was using a cane. He had what they thought was a brain tumor but all it was was a group of blood vessels all grown together. While I was taking my walk yesterday I noticed a lot of weeds in her precious gardens. So I won't ask them. I need to offer to help weed it. To the person who said it was a mansion, when Michelle was in school, she tended to have all the 'misfits' as friends. They came from low income and were bused to our school. When they came over, they called our house a mansion. Since we live in a bi-level, it has a high foyer. At first we painted it but that wasn't enough. So we went and bought a pretty large room size rug and with much difficulty hung it on the wall. We have gotten so many compliments on that cheap Sears rug throughout the years. We were known as the house with the rug on the wall by many of their friends.

I have tried to enter a weekend challenge on fitbit but am not doing to well. I am gradually increasing my steps instead of going from 2000 to 11000. So I am falling behind but that's OK. I hope to get there. I tried to take a nice walk this afternoon but that 80 degrees was just to hot for this lady with MS. I hate to wear my MS cooling vest. It looks like a bullet proof police vest. and is heavy although it is cool. So I walked one block then back and came in and got on my bike. Then this evening was taken up by Alex's college send off. Oh, I did eat a little bit of cake.

Type at you tomorrow my dear friends. Joyce, Indiana

Very impressive Mary!!

Here I am excited for my first month goals with all of you! I was phoneless for 4 days until I got another one hooked up. I have tile in my kitchen and we have a love hate relationship. I love the easy clean up but hate that everything that hits it shatters = including the face of my phone.

This month I found baby kale at Safeway in tubs like you by Spring Mix and Baby Spinach. I've always been a little shy of kale unless its chopped up small but this is very tender and tasty. I made an awesome Chickpea, Feta and Spinach salad. The second time I made it I was out of baby spinach so used the baby kale in its place and it was great.

August Goals
* Lose 2 lbs a week by logging in Food Diary everyday and planning daily meals
* Use elliptical every day to gradually increase my time to 30 minutes
* Drink at least 8 cups of water a day to include 2 with 1 TBS of Apple Cider Vinegar

I have been reading posts, but not chiming in lately. Beth, car transfers are the worst- no room to move! Hope your back heals soon. Mary, glad you closed on the houses. You look great. Lisa, keep up the good work. Janetr, your house looks wonderful without the huge bushes! I would go with a row of azaleas or rhododendrons along the front - there are dwarf varieties that won't get humongous. You already have one, now off center, so you might as well fill it in with more. I have four antique Persian rugs on my walls, and a few of the neighborhood kids have said that is weird. Jack's cabinet is gorgeous! All those drawers are a lot of work! Nice job! I keep all of you in my thoughts and prayers as I read your posts, but things have been so chaotic here, with my son staying with us, that I just haven't had time to focus properly and respond to all.

Happy Sunday everyone... we finished the yard work yesterday and then went for our anniversary supper. Great place and great food. When stuck for choices I always order a steak sandwich with baked potato and salad.

Finally at the right computer to post pictures, Here is the picture of my new granddaughter Zoey and her big brother Aiden. He is so cute holding her.

Lillian in West Central Saskatchewan

Good morning ladies! Yesterday we went with 2 DSIL's and their husbands up to Pilot Mountain and walked a somewhat strenuous trail that goes around the mountain. It was a lot of climbing on big rock "steps", going up and down. I kind of pulled my knees and hips out of whack a little, and they are sore this morning. Hopefully my morning walk will work the kinks out.

After Pilot Mountain we had lunch in Mount Airy, which was Mayberry from Andy Griffith. It was full of stuff like, Howard's barber shop, Ottis's bar, opie's diner, etc. They had an Andy Griffith museum, but we've seen that before so we didn't go this time. Hubby and his sisters all grew up around here, so going there was sort of like old home week.

Today we are leaving about noon to start the trip home. We're staying in Pidgeon Forge , Tennessee because we got a free night at La Quinta there. And no, we aren't going to Dollywood. There is a big pottery there that I want to see though. Tourist stuff.

I've done well with my eating on this trip, but still feel bloated. My rings are tight. Probably because yesterday I skipped my water pill because we were going hiking. Today I'll take two. So driving should be fun.

Gotta go walk. I hope you have a great day.

Sylvia

Lisa - that is a beautiful quilt!!

Lisa ~ Beautiful quilt. You are so talented.

Lillian ~ Your grand children are too, too cute.

Quiet day here and I love it.

Carol (Peach)

@janetr7476 - when my Mother passed away I got the wall hanging that had been the macramé hammock that her Dad had made while running a ship's store. There were places in it that had dry rotten, so it had to be folded up to cover them. Then yard put in to make a patter. Still hanging on one of the 2 solid brass rods. I think I washed it with strong bleach to get the musky smell out of it. Found it under my grandmother's house rolled up and put on the dirt. She wondered why I would even want the darn thing. Gave it to my Mother the following Christmas when all of us actually 'made' our Christmas gifts. She gave me a manager scene with figures about 8" tall. This one is put on my mantle at Christmas. I went back and stained it with some brown paint because it was pretty garish (bright) and really did not look very finished. The brown stain was painted on and them wiped off. It made all the difference in the world. I also have another one that is about the same . . . just a few different piece and it is done in all white. Made that one in my ceramics class as a teenager. I also have the manager scene my Daddy bought her for their first Christmas together. It had been used as a window scene and it was 'expensive' for the time. Daddy paid for it when it went 'on sale' on Christmas Eve and paid $10 which at the time compared to know would have been over $100. After that, he always bought her present on Christmas Eve.

When you had your eyeliner tattooed, did it make you eyelids swell? I think I would have to take something that would make me drowsy to do that. Got my eyebrows tinted and shaped . . . that make them easier to see for when I put on eyebrow make-up. I bought some eyeliner; but, my hands shake so bad that I really don't have much success in putting it on.

@exermom - if you want 'blue' in the color of the duck, look up a 'blue teal' duck for color.

As for the piece of furniture - beautiful. It would be nice if my husband could make furniture because I would like to have more cabinets built around the window in our kitchen . . . with a bench to sit on with storage underneath it. I cannot remember if he made the bench that he keeps his hunting clothes in or not. I'd like one of those little pantries that pulls out and the cans sit on a metal rack (next to my fridge). I'd like to reface the cabinets with new doors. Preferable Shaker style to match the cabinet (free standing) that I got when my Mimi decided to move to the town where my parents lived.

@cityjaneLondon - when I worked I would buy my clothes a season back (or when they went on sale at the end of the season), I'm pretty good with colors and I'd sometimes buy something like a skirt that I did not have anything to go with it and then the next season I would find a blouse that did it justice. I learned to do this from a friend. She'd buy clothes on sale or at K-Mart or some other discount store and when she put them on, she was dressed to the hilt . . . another reason I always thought she was 'drop dead gorgeous' is she was tall and slender and had long curly black hair.

I'll have to try some of that Cover Girl Out Last lipstick. I have bought some type of nude lipstick that helps prevent the feathering of lipstick. Don't know the name of it; but, I could wear it alone if I wanted to. It's just that 'if' I don't wear lipstick (even if I put on mascara and brow make-up) my husband doesn't think I have any lipstick on. Most of the time I use the brow mascara and then 'set' it with powder eyebrow make-up; then several layers of regular mascara for my eyes. If I have time enough for them to 'dry' between coats.

My medical weight loss program consists of 2 shakes and 1 protein bar a day @ 160 calories each; I have to take in the coffee I drink w/sugar; and sometimes my husband makes breakfast (always on the weekends). Today it costs me 225 calories. I drink coffee in the morning and at night. I have to know ahead of time if we are going 'out to eat' so I can 'look up what I can eat for that meal'. If I cook a meal on the plan (and they gave me 5 pages of meals) that are 550 calories or less - I'm full; but it puts me over the 960 caloric intake; and still keeps me within the 1100 calories a day to maintain. This is their modified diet. I don't think I could drink 3 shakes and eat 2 protein bars and feel full. My DnL says I am not eating enough calories; but, I would say that she eats well over 1400 and wonders why she can't lose any weight. One day she will get 'serious' about it and do so. Only thing is, that these diets that are medical diets are not covered by insurance(s). At least not by mine. Their coding is different from what a MD uses for medical conditions. Even though my MD directed me to go on this diet. Husband wanted to taste the shakes and he said they were not bad. I don't like the chocolate one - too strong and I really don't like 'chocolate' except in very small amounts. I'm not one for deserts either. But, I do eat my chocolate and ....... as my desert at night with coffee and that satisfies any 'sweet cravings' I have.

Question: do you log your food into MFP before you eat it, after or both and do you think this matters? Why? I am on the fence. I have tried both ways and I think it's better to plan ahead but then I think I sabotage myself because I eat if I'm not really hungry just because I planned it. Any help would be appreciated.

Tammy in Oregon

morning peeps -

lhannon - that is one ugly *kitten* quilt!! - just kidding, everyone else was saying how beautiful and gorgeous it is, i thought i would mix it up.

to the person how had the kid pics - they are cuties!!

type to ya later

Katla - What a great idea to take a trip "just for fun"! :flowerforyou:

Lillian - gorgeous grands! Our elder one was soooooooo jealous of his baby sister. It's lovely to see them playing together now.

Lisa - The quilt is good enough to win a competition. :flowerforyou:

Very quiet day today. The new next door neighbours, who have two children, a dog and a cat, and who have been DIY ing, have taken their HUGE motorhome out for the day. We introduced ourselves to their parents who were house sitting recently, but haven't actually met the new family. Yesterday was a bit noisy, but I expect it will calm down. Anything must be better than our last neighbour who used to hum in a sort of tuneless groaning all the time.

DH at cricket again. I feel a bit flat, but have done laundry and watering. I will watch a film. This morning I typed the first page of my memoir! ! ! ! ! ! It's a sort of prologue, or intro, that describes the "patterns" I used to do as a child, a kind of OCD thing where I had to repeat touching things until they matched in a pattern that was equal on both sides. :ohwell: I am just so relieved to have got started, even though I'm not sure about the font I'm using etc. My new USB stick is much quicker than my old one so it's easier to back up.

My friend with cancer arrives tomorrow so I won't be writing for a while, though she said she was very happy for me to go to yoga on Tuesday. Tomorrow is forecast rain. The rest of her stay, cloudy but dry. I will leave out stuff for her to assemble her own breakfast as she can sometimes get up late and we need to get on with our exercises early. We did that last time and she preferred it as there was no pressure.

Fresh tuna steaks tonight. I coat them in soy sauce, wasabi and sesame seeds and just show them the pan. Very rare. With stem broccoli.

I can hear the children have returned. :ohwell:

Heather UK