WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR APRIL 2016

Hi all. Before I go to sleep, I must come clean. Friends called this afternoon & asked us to go out for dinner with them. Uh-oh, thought I, how will I keep my calorie count down? A salad! That's the ticket. Only...when we got to the restaurant there was no salad on the menu. So, I ordered a burger, at a few bites of the pasta side salad, a couple bites of the slaw, half the burger with the bun & half without the bun & a small glass of dry white wine. I thought I did fairly well until.....because service was slow, the waitress offered us desserts on the house. Oh dear. Yes, I ate a piece of orange chocolate layer cake. It was good, but because I've been off sugar for the last few weeks, it tasted very sweet & in the end probably not worth the calories. Now that I've got that off my chest, I can return tomorrow to my usual routine of eating carefully & exercising. Forgive me sisters, for I have sinned. I feel ever so much better now. Night all.

Tara was 6 and her younger sister, Lisa, 4 when their Dad and I got married, so they have been a part of my life for many years and have remained very close with my daughters, both of whom are devastated by this turn of events. Yesterday the doctors gave Tara meds to lower her body temp hoping that hypothermia care would give her organs a chance to restart once her body is brought back up to normal temperature. They are now slowly raising her body temp back to normal which takes about 12 hours. In the morning they will do an EEG to check for any brain activity, at this point visual assessments for brain activity have steadily decreased. Her Dad, my ex husband, died 5months ago and her mother had a massive stroke about a year ago and has had two more smaller strokes since then and has been in a nursing home. The mom is now back in the hospital with pneumonia and a UTI and not doing well. The stress from all of this apparently contributed to Tara's stress related heart failure. It's all so heart breaking.

Thank you all so much for your prayers, kinds words and thots, they mean a lot to me.

Janetr, heart aching in OKC

Morning, my peeples... Well, I was right about last minute hurry-up stuff with the gal who wants me to come work for her at the newsaper. Got an email right in the middle of a hailstorm that said "Can you come in Monday to do your lab tests for the job, Thursday is Bob's last day." She never mentioned job title nor salary.

I'm fighting to be managing editor rather than news editor because that's an important distinction... and once you're in, getting the title changed becomes a promotion with a raise, something that's hard to make happen in a family-owned business. Under the heading of "you should never burn bridges when you leave," I'm very familiar with this company--have worked for two of their other papers in Texas, but life drew me away to other things. I did my best to leave on good terms, and have so far. However, the company owners can be capricious. They do try to do their best, which is more than can be said for some, but promotions and raises for editors only happen in an emergency, like when a publisher dies. Seriously.

So I sent back a message asking the publisher to come back with a definite salary amount and title. Because I roll like that. We'll see what happens.

I should be able to do what I have planned with my sister (already told her I'd be gone one Friday a month) as well as the editing position, but will take each day as it comes. The editing position won't pay much, but will come with benefits, which is a good thing. Should make really good money with the resale angle, if the thing works out with toting stuff for resale across Texas. But it's definitely a big "IF." Which my sis and her hubby are well aware of... plus their business is cyclical. Some months they can't even deal with how much work they get, and some months they're not busy at all.

We only had one minor disaster on the way yesterday. The van had a tire go all bulgy... it was rocking and rolling at slow speeds, and a bit nerve wracking at 75 mph. We stopped in the tiny town of Graham, pulled off into a parking lot so the DH could look at it, and of course it started just peeing down rain. When it slowed a bit, he got out and looked at it, and when he did, looked across the street, and we had literally parked in front of a tire shop. They had us in and out with two new front tires in less than a half hour, and for a very good price. Lucky is an understatement.

The storms threw a few rainbows in our path and about three minutes of thumb-size hail, and that was it. Today is just a 20 percent chance of rain, and tomorrow for trailer-loading is supposed to be raining.

Off for second cup of coffee... the Pooh cup. One hopes. Traveling is not conducive to Pooh. He gets quite cranky. Bahahahaha!

Later, y'all,
Love,
Lisa

Ladies, it has been a few days and I missed 8 pages. For some reason I have been really down and lazy this week. I've been sick and on antibiotics so maybe this is reason. Not much exercise since the gardening marathon. Well, off to walk this morning. I just heard from friend I lost touch with this year- diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, and not a smoker. I am taking her out today. A reminder to stay in touch with people regardless of what happens to fill up our time. Most of it is busy work, not meaningful. I can kick myself for being so self-indulgent.
CJ

Good morning everyone,
Janetr-sending prayers to you for you and your family today. Strength to get you through these days.

I am off to spend the day with my sister today. Looking forward to some much needed girl time. We got baby chickens and a ducking last week. All are doing well, just waiting for the weather to get more consistent before moving them to the coop. Our grandchildren are really enjoying them.

Well enough babbling for now. Enjoy your Saturday everyone.

Jamie from Indiana

Janetr, heart aching in OKC

So very sorry to hear all that is going on in your family. Prayers and healing thoughts going out for you today.


Cheri

Thinking of you Janetr. Such a sad situation it just makes the heart ache.

Spent all day at a viewing/funeral/wake for a lady from our church. Her son and I are friends and we have known them for over 40years. It was terribly emotional so I drove mom there then had to check dad when we got back as he was not feeling well. He ia s diabetic and has terrible kidney issues. I ate at the wake. Had only 2hrs of sleep after work and no breakfast but did not eat too badly. Got home in time to change and go to Xan',s lacrosse game at 7. Brought pizza home after the game so ate 2pieces at930 then went to bed. Today is a down day...raining and cold and nothing on the calendar-thank goodness.
Janet-so very sorry...I know words cannot possibly be enough to take the pain away but prayers to you all
D- in icky Maryland

Kim: I've never made Pesto. I may have eaten it but not known what it was. One of my favorite authors wrote a book with a heroine whose ambition was to open a pesto take out business. That is as close as I've knowingly come to trying it.

Clairblue2: Don't worry about your meal out other than to start putting together a plan for your next social eating adventure. Log your calories and get to work burning off the excess with exercise. :flowerforyou:

Janetr: Continued prayers for Tara and the family, and for you.

Lisa: I'm glad you had good luck with the tire emergency. :bigsmile:

CJ: I'm so sorry about your friend with stage 4 lung cancer. Since she wasn't a smoker, my next possible culprit would be second hand smoke or asbestos exposure. I had an uncle who died from that. I know there are a lot of chemicals out there that can cause problems.

Heather: I'm sorry that your stepdaughter is having a hard time. I hope she will build a happy life for herself. :flowerforyou:


DS's sailboat has been sold and the new owners are taking it to Washington where they live. I hope they have fun with it. In our case, it was a learning experience and not so much fun. We did have lots of lovely visits from our son while he worked on it and I'm grateful for the time spent with him. Now we have space in our storage unit for a huge something or another. DH is looking at motor homes. I'm skeptical but will see. There are places in the US & Canada that I'd love to visit and an RV might get us there.

Riding lesson today! Yay!!! I'm going later than usual so that another student can have my time slot and then head of on a shopping expedition for a Prom dress with her daughter. I'm happy enough with the later time today. It is cold outside & I keep hoping it warms u a bit before my lesson. NOAA predicts a high of 66 and sunny today. That is good enough for me.

Have a great day!

Katla in Beautiful NW Oregon

Tibetan proverb: "The secret to living well and long is: Eat half, walk double, laugh triple and love without measure..."

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” Thomas A. Edison

Katla - Start making that pesto! Home made is much the best, but the Sacla Original does in an emergency. It's not low in calories and the jar kind is salty, but the homemade is a little taste of heaven!

Carol - Googled your HB2. Hugs from over the pond. Muddled thinking appears to be the order of the day in all political systems. We currently have a huge fuss over here over anti-semitism. Wildly distorted thinking on all sides.
Sometimes I am glad I am not famous, nor in a position of authority. My thoughts about many matters would fall on deaf ears and I recognise I am in the minority. Of course I am right and they are wrong. :laugh:
I have great respect for those who are able to put their heads above the parapet.

The squid stew was heavenly! :bigsmile:

Heather UK

Carol in NC bravo to your pastor & to you.

Lisa enjoy your exploits...very astute thinking re: working in a family owned business at least I know a few that fit your description...get it before you're in or you never get it!

Having a down day which is not like me...healthy breakfast but 300 cal worth of Skinny Girl dark chocolate for lunch (candy never's been a big craving of mine until today I guess) and still out of sorts. Tried to go to the fish market...parade of some sort going on all streets closed in the town...so bagged the fish & drove up Rt 1 to the cleaners...clothes not ready...got a summons for jury duty the day before my birthday...wasted most of my morning getting little done...but such trivial annoyances especially in light of what a number of you are going thru...I shouldn't even have written this...I'm being a petulant child...I think the darn chocolate has really put me over the top!

Caring thoughts to those who really need them!

GLo on the North Shore of Ma.

Tara, my 34 year old step daughter, passed about an hour ago. She has an 18 year old son who is about to graduate from High School. Please pray for Antonio and for her sister, Lisa and their Mom, Paula.

I so appreciate all of your kind words. I felt all the love and the hugs. Thank you all.

Janetr crying in OKC

Heartfelt sympathy for you and your loved ones, Janet. I can't imagine the anguish you all must be feeling right now.

(((((hugs)))))

/Penny

Janet, (((((hugs))))).

Carol, so proud of you and your pastor and bishop! As I type this, my grandchildren are here. My granddaughter is 5, my grandson is 7. Since he was two years old, I have known that he was transgender. His mom's side of the family is not accepting, keeps saying it is a stage, that he just needs to be around more boys, etc. So at home they are trying to teach him to "act like a boy". The very first thing he does when he gets to my house is to put on a long blonde wig and a dress. Always. He will wear it all day, unless we go somewhere. His parents have told him he is not allowed to wear dresses in public. But they have gotten him a hat with yarn braids, or let him wear scarves as long hair. But he is not allowed to wear dresses at home. It just breaks my heart to hear the hateful things that people are saying about boys and men like him. He is the sweetest little guy. He just wishes that he had been born a girl. He loves long hair and makeup, and fluttering his eyelashes and walks much more femininely than I do. He is of no danger to other girls- he considers himself one of them!