WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR NOVEMBER 2015

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Cranberries from the bog on Cape Cod I visited last weekend went into making this cranberry upside down sour cream cake which will be served to my book club tomorrow night. I invited friends over for coffee Monday night to eat the leftovers so I won't be tempted to eat it all. Have been banking calories all week so I can enjoy a slice.
Regards to all
Chris in MA

Michele: Gorgeous rings! Agree with the others who advised to hold them for future. You deserve to enjoy them a bit longer.

Pip: Wish I could help with your fundraising. It's been my profession for over 20 years, but I've never used GoFundMe. Sorry about the trailer mishap. Stressful stuff during the best of times. BTW: have you talked with your HR department about using Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)?

Katla: DD is certainly lucky to have flexible parents in her life. Hope to see you once again in CO, whenever it works out.

Heather: You've inspired me. I've been agonizing on getting started with what I have to do to sell my Honolulu condo. Reading your experience has prompted me to take step one. Today I notified my tenant of my intent to sell within the next 18 months. He replied saying he may be interested in buying it! We'll revisit in February when he knows more about his future work plans. Crossing my fingers.

Miriam: Hoping you are not in the path of the storms.

I have a crazy week. Lots of meetings over lunch, which puts a monkeywrench into my day and I end up working longer hours to keep up. Monday is DH's melanoma surgery, and hopefully there aren't any complications and he's feeling well enough to be alone beginning the next day. I'm scheduled to leave for Wichita Tuesday afternoon, but will postpone trip if needed.

No Thanksgiving celebration plans for us but will cook a turkey and sweet potatoes the weekend before because we enjoy having these foods. I use the actual Thanksgiving Day as an occasion to mediate, pray and fast. The hunger pangs make enormously grateful for what I have.

Stay well. We can do this.

Rori
Colorado Foothills

Goals for November
• Burn 2500 calories per week in the gym
• Eat mindfully
• Catch up with backlog of magazines
• Meditate 4x per week
Word for 2015: Mindfulness

Mary from Minnesota

Still really under the weather. I think with the surgery and then not sleeping more than 3-4 hrs a night and now getting the sinus infection I am just run down. I guess I'll call the doctor again tomorrow because I'm really not much better and have been on the two antibiotics for a week now.

Jack has to go back to Southeast MO as he brother is now going to have a skin graft on the horrible skin cancer on his shoulder that they removed. He let it go for years and its absolutely horrible. The surgery if the 23rd. If I don't get feeling well enough to go with Jack, I'll be home all alone for Thanksgiving. At this point, considering the way I feel, I'm not sure I would really care.

Reading posts, just not feeling up to responding. Love keeping up with all of you.

Janetr OKC

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

Good Evening Ladies,

Heather, I know you must be exhausted but Congrats on finishing the flat!!!!! Was there anything in the attic worth keeping? Was it yours or things previous tenants had left? I hate surprises like that but guess they are part of life. Just so happy for you!!!

Barbie, that is pretty much what I have done about Thanksgiving. I asked each guest what their favorite was and will include it. I’m sure DH will like the additions that just the two of us wouldn’t have had.

Sylvia, glad you made it through the meeting with the X. I would probably feel the same way you do. So nice of you to help the widow of the potter friend. Your coop idea sounds great but I was thinking the same thing about you needing another project. Lol Love the cartoon!!!!

Irish Terri, purdy flowers!!!!!

Terri, I missed something??? What is the bowling coach doing? And how does your DS’s bowling average hurt a team? I do remember you talking about a coach that plays his son when others are better. A big CONGRATS on breaking your plateau. Wooo Hooooo

Pip, I think it’s time for you to get a break! Good grief. So will the guy’s insurance take care of repairs to the Airstream? You just don’t need another project right now. Still sending healing thoughts to Kirby.

Katla, glad DD is fine with your plans to visit after the holidays. Usually our kids actually take things easier than we expect. (later) Well, except when they “need” us. Hope things work out. (((Hugs)))

MicheleNC, the rings are beautiful. The wedding band is very unique and I can see why she wanted them.

Sylvia, the new bathroom configuration looks good. I probably would have put the shower where the tub was and worked a double vanity out in the other part but what you have looks good. That is going to be one nice sized shower. I’m guessing the glass door won’t go to the ceiling so there will be ventilation?

Phyl, soooooooooo happy for you and your belt. I know what you mean about not wearing them. I’m still in that place but have hopes. Way to go!!!

Sue, now I can say I know someone with “spoiled horses”.

Chris, how dare you show us something that looks and sounds so yummy!!!!

Rori, wouldn’t it be wonderful if your tenant just bought your condo? Crossing my fingers for you!!

Bertie, welcome. You will find us a supportive and informative group of ladies. Come often and join right in.

to any Newbies that I missed. Come often and join in the chat. This thing works!! Please sign your post with what you want to be called. It makes it easier for us to respond to you. Also a location is great, be it specific or general. We are happy to have you join us.

I went to the gym to check it out today. I am thinking about checking out one that is even closer to my house but I already don’t think I’ll like it as well. The one I visited today has a great monthly price and no annual commitment plus free appointments with the trainer. It’s very clean and open with multiple spaces to do any and every kind of training. At this point I’m thinking it over, but that’s one step closer than I’ve been in 40+ years. Tomorrow I’m going to the Christmas show which has booths from a number of states. It has crafts , food, jewelry, clothes, etc, etc,. I always enjoy it and it’s lots of walking. In fact, if I don’t get to bed I’ll never get up in time to meet my friend.

I hope all of you have a healthy and happy day.

Words I live by:
Savor. I have to slow down and savor every bite.
and
Opportunity. Each day offers new opportunities for good health and happiness if we just look for them and choose them.
I Love you,
DJ
Myrtle Beach, SC

Evening ladies! Some wonderful results from some of you today. Just joining is a wonderful place to be also. I just hope none of you new ladies have the name of Joyce. I have been here a couple of years and every new lady who's name is Joyce drops out!!!! I'm not that scary.

Sylvia, love the bathroom. Will that closet be an addition or is it your present one. I would love a nice new closet. Heck, I would love a nice new anything. We had our house built in 1978, moved in the day after Thanksgiving! And it is a typical 70's house. I have to laugh when I am watching House Hunters and they walk in and say 'this is so 1970'!!!! Even when you see the dark paneling. We did take that down about 5 years ago. I have a whole new upstairs remodel in my brain, it's just that I don't have the money to go with it. Poor Charlie, he knows that when he dies that I will be doing some major work.

Yesterday I was reading that some one was thinking about a fireplace but that gas would be expensive. We have a beautiful electric fireplace. It has a real nice mantle that we hang our stockings on and i have a large nativity set on top. the 'flame' is a hologram. You can turn just the flame on or just the heater or have both. It does need to have a dedicated plug in. and yes, it does make our electric bills go up in the winter. But Charlie is always freezing and the family room is his man cave and he keeps the fireplace and a personal electric heater on behind him along with keeping the furnace at 74.

As far as a holiday meal, no single person has to make the meal or have most of the cost. We have 4 families that live here and then 4 families that travel here, 2 of them have to stay in a motel. So we assign them cheap things like paper products or rolls and the ones who don't have to travel does the actual cooking. We all make the same things every year so I always know ahead of time who is going to bring what. This year will be different for us though. Our local baptist association has a recreational building that has a large kitchen and we will be having our meal there. We have about 30 people for the meal and after you put up the tree and tables with chairs, a buffet table and 6 toddlers, there really isn't room for people to move. But the gift giving is to precious to us, it is our way of showing the true Christmas spirit and we will still have it at my house. One year when Mom was real ill we had it all at this building and after gifts were opened, several people went home and there was no just sitting around watching the kids play and talking. We have a living room and family room so if there is a game on, the guys can go watch the game while everyone else stays in the family room and has just good family fun.

Lenora, mix your new puppy food in with what the vet gave you so Cracker can get used to the one as you are finishing up the old.

Joyce, Indiana

i love our heated mattress pad..we had had one for probably 10 yrs..
im on duty with Tom gone, so have to get in the shower and then go take care of DFIL, come home and walk the dogs and go to work...

50+ Active WW. Lost 30 lbs since May.

tallee wrote: »

50+ Active WW. Lost 30 lbs since May. ]

Congratulations you look fantastic!



Mary from Minnesota

Sylvia – here’s an interesting link on how to structure an artist’s co-op. On the bathroom, what a great idea to have the control knob by the door—I hate having to get wet to get a shower going, especially since the first burst of water is so cold. Although, my husband and I have talked about it a lot, when we build someday, we want to build a shower that is set up so a door isn’t necessary… they always get yucky; I hate glass furnishings in a house of any kind, so for me, I’d set it up that way, and add a vent fan quite near it to pull the humidity out. Saw something on one of the home improvement shows that made so much sense last night, too—the washer and dryer were actually in the large walk-in closet. Makes perfect sense when it’s just the two of you. And last, but certainly not least, I would have been freaked by the ex-DIL’s presence, as well… you did well to keep it together, and yes, someone should have warned you.

Tallee – you look amazing! Well done… and this is a good place to maintain as well as lose… there are a number of success stories.

Heather – how outstanding for you! What a huge relief, getting that lifted off your shoulders. Hope you made pots of money.

Pip – sorry, honey, don’t know jack about those accounts. And I’m so sorry the Airstream got nicked. The hits just keep on coming for y’all! On GoFundMe, I do know that, when my niece’s four-year-old son and her mother were killed in a fire, her friends raised thousands of dollars to help with the expenses, money that didn’t help with the grief, of course, but took many of the worries off her shoulders in a truly horrible time. If you can get it all worked out, please post the link to the account for those us in this group—if a bunch of people give just a few dollars, it turns into something that might give you and Kirby a breather from all the worry and pain of the last year. Posting the link gives us a chance to reach out in ways that are more substantive than just virtual hugs.

Michelle – I really do get how hard it is to just let time take care of things. I’m not exactly a patient person, myself. And ten years is a long time for them to be together. But, to give you some hope, I left my ex after 27 years. Until she feels she’s worth it, she won’t leave. And all you can do for that is keep telling her and showing her she deserves to be happy. On the rings—they truly are beautiful and well worth holding onto, as well. Who knows what happiness they may bring down the road, for some reason that you’re not even aware of now... If your daughter took them now, it would be toxic for your relationship with your daughter, as his resentment would far outweigh her joy at receiving them, especially in a union that is so unbalanced.

Mindy from Boston – congrats on breaking the plateau! I’m going back and forth between 168 and 170 in slow waves, and trying not to get frustrated.

Barbie – I love your idea of asking the invitees in the group what one thing is important to them as part of the Thanksgiving meal.

Irish Terri – thank you, am now in the middle of the sophomore novelist’s nightmare: what if that one was all I had in me? I know that’s not true… at one level. At another, the little gibbering goober of fear sits on my shoulder and mutters horrible nothings in my ear constantly . Time to take that little bugger out and beat him to death with a baseball bat, I'm thinking.

Phyl in Cincy – OutSTANDing NSV!
_________________________

On that note, I love wearing belted things now that I’m back in a size 12…And yeah, at 168-170, I’m easily in size 12s. My mother always reassured me that I was “dense.” I think she meant muscled, rather than stupid. I misplaced my note on who said it, but I too am missing my Mama a lot right now.

It’s not the holidays—I always tried very hard to avoid family holidays, as my nutjob SIL (notice, no “D”) got landed with the group most years, because she had a big house, and because Mama lived next to them. Unfortunately, my sister-in-law was so far past crazy she couldn’t even see the cracker factory. One Christmas while I was on leave, I was listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir when the SIL walked in, and she jumped on me like a duck on a June bug, telling me they were idol-worshiping heathens and I was going to fry for all eternity for listening to them on Jesus’s birthday. She was also the one who, when I was 13, told my brothers to “Stop teasing that poor fat child, you’ll give her a complex.”

Then again, my whole family pretty much put the “fun” in dysfunctional. To illustrate, Mama handed out a little trophy that was just the north end of a southbound horse to the “horse’s butt of the year,” every holiday. Sometimes only in theory, but sometimes she handed it right to ‘em. Somebody won it pretty much every year. Never me, I might add. I learned to duck and cover early.

Back to the belted thing, I got tickled recently when I walked past a lady in the Walmart parking lot. I had my shirt tucked in my jeans, and was feeling good about myself, so was standing straight up to my not-so-imposing, full 5’2” tall. She was heavyset, and dressed in a muu-muu or caftan thing, and walking slow. She looked up at me as I was walking toward her, and when I got quite near her, said “You have a riDICulously tiny waist.” I said, “thank you!” like my mama always taught me, but I’m honestly not sure she meant it as a compliment! Didn’t care, kept me grinning for hours.

On the not-so-wonderful side, minor health issues are weighing on me. TMI warning; it’s kinda hard to be delicate on this one: the rectal fissure is back, so I’m having to take generic Miralax every morning with my coffee to keep things flowing, so to speak. This is “never trust a fart” territory to be sure, not easy when you tend to eat a high protein diet… and you’re lifting and shifting furniture, as well as cleaning up at least six years of neglect outside and in for an acre of land, 2500 square feet of warehouse and 1000 square feet of office. It gets daunting on occasion.

But… there are worse things. I am motoring just fine, even though the cold weather makes me ache, once I get moving I forget about it. I'm getting 15,000 to 20,000 steps in every day just back and forthing around the warehouse. I was able to dodge three elk last night on the way in the ranch, or they dodged me. I just occasionally have to run for the toity—and I’m telling myself it’s just adding a few more steps to that count…

One thing that is making me quite happy: we’ve turned the room behind the office into a craft/writing/sewing/relaxing room for me, with a door chime so I know when someone comes in the front office. Shades of Virginia Woolf. Speaking of which, am not writing worth diddly; still stuck at 10,000 words on the sequel to This Little Pig, but one can’t have everything. Just trying not to stress. Hopefully be able to get into a routine once we get through the ribbon cutting Monday, and I need that. Badly.

Hugs to those in need, and to those with triumphs...
Lisa in soon-to-be sunny, chilly West Texas

November Goals:

• Weigh less at the end of November than I did at the end of October.
• Take care of myself first!
• Log every calorie every day.
• Keep my calories under 1500 every day.
• Write 50,000 words in November for NaNoWriMo.
• Get the RV storage lot ready for ribboncutting Nov. 16 (while taking care of myself!)

Have a great weekend everyone!

Off to Chicago to help our daughter move from a studio to a 1-bedroom in the same building fortunately! Will do my best to stay on course and it helps that my daughter and I are MFP buddies. She has lost 25lbs! So proud of her and how far she has come in life from that little kindergartner standing on the drop-off sidewalk waiting for someone to take her hand and escort her to class.

My stress levels will be tested as my son, husband and daughter (all will diagnosed mental health issues) have little to no empathy or tolerance for one another and I am put in the role as stabilizer dodging and de-escalating all kinds of innocent remarks.

Prayers and healthy thoughts going out to all in need. Praise for all who stay the course (despite plateaus)! Mine continues from August!

Cheri in NE Ohio heading to Chicago!

The last house we bought in Albany was one owned by a bank. We made a low-ball offer on it and 'got it'. It was as ugly as you could EVER imagine. Very, very dark stained trim through-out, dark paneling wood in the den; awful wallpaper in the kitchen and baths! After we started painting all the trim, we realized how poor the carpentry had been - huge cracks at the top of the doorframes. Nail holes not filled in. We painted the den which had built-in bookshelves at one end - a light yellowish beige, trim throughout a nice off-white, the bathroom fixture were blue in the hallway and green in the MBR - typical 1970's built ranch style house. As with our previous bathroom with colored fixtures I started looking for wallpapers to bring out those colors as 'if we had meant for them to be that way. We decorated our MBR in pinks and greens; the hall bathroom ended up with a paper that was winey-rusty with a blue stripe, very small in it. Loved them when I got them up. We painted the kitchen that had wainscoting and chair rails. We replace the brown roof with a gray one when we discovered it had hail damage. The pink in the brick outside changed color once we had the roof changed. Added fireplace and the brick mason matched the outdated brink and then worked in the bricks taken out for the FP back into the mix of the bricks so that you could not tell they were slightly off. Brick on the inside surround and heath was different because we wanted something that would not limit us to what colors we could choose. DH refused to paint the brick; but, I could understand that even though I thought it would make the outside look better; painted the shudders from brown to dark gray/black to go with the new roof. We put a lot of 'sweat equity' into that house. But, we've done that with the past 4 homes we've lived in. Had one new home when we lived in Macon; a split-level house and the builder did not put drain tiles around the foundation and it leaked in the garage which was actually lower that the house. We found out about it right before we closed on it. I was 7 months pregnant at the time; we thought that the builder would correct it. NAH - he just put drain tiles in; just not deep enough; I had to dig up bulbs and plants 3x before it got to the point that it did not leak every time it rained. We ended up sueing him after we sold the house because of the water issues. He did it right then; inside and outside of the foundation, tiles were put; and 3 or 4 places up the hill as well. If my Dad had not been the attorney - we would not have been able to afford to sue him and would have been stuck with an unsellable house. The HOW took care of it, thankfully - even though we were no longer the owners. This house we live in now is the only 'other' new house we have had; and, like I have said earlier - things we wish we could change and/or have a 're-do' to correct the things. I'd make it 6' longer and 4' wider if I could redo it. But, I still love it!

When we ever get the glassed-in porch finished I will be able to take my art books out there and some of the other tchoktkeys (sp?) out there and free up the space on the inside bookcase and take my 70+ 'flamingo collection' out there as well. LOL!

Hi to all the 'newbies' and I'm always thinking about the 'old-timers' and for those who need prayer and good thoughts.

Poerava14 wrote: »

Michele: Gorgeous rings! Agree with the others who advised to hold them for future. You deserve to enjoy them a bit longer.

Pip: Wish I could help with your fundraising. It's been my profession for over 20 years, but I've never used GoFundMe. Sorry about the trailer mishap. Stressful stuff during the best of times. BTW: have you talked with your HR department about using Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)?

Katla: DD is certainly lucky to have flexible parents in her life. Hope to see you once again in CO, whenever it works out.

Heather: You've inspired me. I've been agonizing on getting started with what I have to do to sell my Honolulu condo. Reading your experience has prompted me to take step one. Today I notified my tenant of my intent to sell within the next 18 months. He replied saying he may be interested in buying it! We'll revisit in February when he knows more about his future work plans. Crossing my fingers.

Miriam: Hoping you are not in the path of the storms.

I have a crazy week. Lots of meetings over lunch, which puts a monkeywrench into my day and I end up working longer hours to keep up. Monday is DH's melanoma surgery, and hopefully there aren't any complications and he's feeling well enough to be alone beginning the next day. I'm scheduled to leave for Wichita Tuesday afternoon, but will postpone trip if needed.

No Thanksgiving celebration plans for us but will cook a turkey and sweet potatoes the weekend before because we enjoy having these foods. I use the actual Thanksgiving Day as an occasion to mediate, pray and fast. The hunger pangs make enormously grateful for what I have.

Stay well. We can do this.

Rori
Colorado Foothills

Goals for November
• Burn 2500 calories per week in the gym
• Eat mindfully
• Catch up with backlog of magazines
• Meditate 4x per week
Word for 2015: Mindfulness

Yes I have, but I have used all my vacation and sick time because of my shoulder. The only good thing thing about fmla is u can take time off and not fear in loosing your job, and I don't have that issue

For yesterday

UPDATE: Kirby said he had a real good day and they worked his arm out really really hard. Went up and down the stairs twice. He did 7 minutes on the recumbent bicycle. Stepped over blocks, practicing lifting his legs. Different arm exercises, using the bad hand. He said it was a workout!