WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR MAY 2016

Morning all...

Loving the yellow dress, and Heather, your cake AND dress. I wore capris sweats under my wedding dress. But then, I don't wear dresses

Thanks for the compliments and questions on the apartment plans. At the moment, completion seems a little far away, but then, I was never a patient person! I can do a lot of the little stuff on my own, like mudding, taping, insulating, painting, etc., but it all takes time. I have to have the DH to put up the actual walls, and the drywall. I have to remember that 11 years from now, when I can retire, we will be traveling around in our RV with this as our home base, saying "Remember when all we had in there was a bathroom? Sure did a good job on it." That's what I'm telling myself, anyway.

Fell in bed just after 8 last night, and slept until 3 a.m., after getting up and taking a benadryl at 10 p.m. This morning, I really need the extra time to get some articles into the system, so am sitting here with my own laptop to process pics, and my work laptop to get my notes straightened into some kind of article.

The council meeting was mercifully quick--and I got to annoy the mayor, which always makes me happy. They always leave space for the media (hee, that's me!) at the end of the meeting, and I think I asked one question my first meeting. This time, as I wrote my notes, I added questions on certain points, and went back and asked ALL of them. By the end of it, I got the answers I needed... I don't get into many adversarial relationships, especially in community journalism, it's usually unnecessary. But the mayor is a goober who ran unopposed, and if I must, I'll run against him myself and at least make him fight for it next year. With my luck, though, I'd end up as the mayor, and that would just make life that much more crazy. Plus I'd have to wear a business suit, and that ain't happening!

And, even more fun, right after the meeting, the chief of police, who I've only spoken to on the phone before, came over and asked me if I'd come out and take pictures of some training his men & women are doing with the border patrol in the morning at the local technical school practice range. Only in West Texas would a tech school have a shooting range! Love my job. Plus, it establishes that relationship where the chief calls me when there's something up that he thinks will interest me. Score!

On a side note, my DH is making noises about switching careers, over to wind turbine technician. The chaos at the ranch gets to him a little bit. He finally told them he needs help (only took him a year) and they said, "oh, we have a couple interns in over the summer." Frustrated him even more--the last one that came in, he was constantly having to monitor him, make sure he didn't step on a rattlesnake, or even worse, walk off into the oil change pit--and the boy didn't know or care about fixing vehicles, which is of course, what Corey does all day. I remember this Corey from the last time he got frustrated... my spidey-sense is tingling...

Off to the races, my dears... as soon as I've got the text and pics on the laptops tweaked into shape, I have to run through the shower, chug into work and get the emailed stuff tackled and pages built, so I can go play with my camera at the range at 8:30.

Love y'all,
Lisa in West Texas

Things are progressing along. On Sunday DS #2 and I went shopping for shorts and shirts he'll need for Germany, then we went to T-Mobile to check about how his cell service will work while abroad. Seems best to use What's App and skype when he has WiFi at Tim's (the German young man that stayed with us) home. We also purchased voltage converters so he can charge his phone and laptop while away ( 120 here to 240v there). Monday after school we went to wal-mart for new socks, undies, and toiletries. Had to laugh because my mom always said to wear clean undies because if you ever got in an accident had to go to the Emergency room clean undies were a must! Lol I just ordered DS favorite New Balance sneakers (teenagers will only wear certain styles) so he'll have new shoes.

The good news to all this shopping is he will be all set for going back to high school this fall as the clothes and such will last. I've pulled out the suit case from the "door of danger" closet so next he'll get to packing. I'm feeling good about having this mostly sorted out and today when the letter came from the Friendship Circle German exchange program with his flight times, tickets, medical insurance, and other information I could check off every notification point in that letter.

Thursday is DD 18th Birthday and that's all sorted out too! Dinner at Boca di Beppo and I told her she could invite a few friends, so will need to call the restaurant Thursday by noon to confirm final head count. I just need to make her a cake.

DS #1 is now saying he needs new shorts too

Damit Janet: I'm going to practice patience and come up with a way I can work away from home some of the time! Thanks for the suggestion. I like being at home to oversee kids and household. DH will not take those two items on, but 2 kiddos will be at college so that will reduce the overseeing part and household too will less dr & dentist appointments, laundry, food planning, shopping, cooking etc.

DH has not made a decision yet on which job he's going to take! Hopefully by Friday or Monday next week

Today I'm getting my hair cut and then it's into my closet to find outfits for DD birthday celebration and her high school graduation.

Confession time: I wish I had maintained the 20 lb weight loss I was at last year at this time.....when I think about how bummed I was then that the weight was coming off so slowly I could just kick myself because now being on this side of it, back in 16w, I realize how silly l was. ALL weight loss is great/important. What a fool I was to think so little of all my efforts and beat up on myself for not making it happen quicker!!!! Ug. Ug. Ug. I will not give up. EVER!!!

Hope you all have a great day. Sending hugs to all that need them.

Rosie in So Cal

feeling sad for an long-ago friend who was just recently widowed and is struggling with her grief. She overbought at the grocery store and was calling up friends to give away some of the extra's she purchased. Now, that is one way to keep from overeating ... get it out of the house, pass it on!

Katla, you live 90 miles away from the ocean and you still hear sea lions? Amazing...

Michele, I love the yellow dress! And we had a kid and an adult woman do the garter thing at our wedding too--have to admit it was weird.

Heather your cake looked beautiful but now that is two delicious cakes to look at in a short period of time and my willpower is fading rapidly...

Carol, good idea to talk to the doctor about sleeping.

Feeling a bit blue today and trying to focus on something I might have a chance of controlling as opposed to everything else I can't--I wonder what that could be??? I AM focusing on not going over 1300 calories and that is not having the desired effect. Arghh...

Betty ROC

morning peeps! -

remember that email I sent to the MS society about Kirby? this was a response that I got:

"Hi Izzy,

Thank you so much for reaching out and sharing your inspiring story about Kirby. I was one of the staff members that chatted with you and Kirby last year out in the campgrounds and you gave us a tour of your Airstream! I have copied my colleague Laura May to this email, and we would love to do a feature story on Kirby and team Livin the Dream.

Looking forward to seeing you both at Bike MS this year!

Warmly,
Blaire"

I'm so excited, I can't stand it! now hopefully, he will stay out of my email so he won't find out!

Good Morning, Ladies!

Today makes 12 weeks on MFP, for me. I could regale you with my progress stats, which aren't too shabby, but I actually think something more important is happening here, which is that, after traumatic injury, two surgeries, divorce, four more surgeries, failure to control my weight, and lots of immobility and "mini-seizure" migraines, I have regained control of my health. And yeah, it is nice to have a significant amount of weight off. I feel so much better over all, and it has helped me increase my activity level. I have 15~19 lbs to lose..I'll decide as I get there...and weight loss is going more slowly now, but I'm okay with that.

I can only imagine what learning to swim is doing to reintegrate my nervous system, but old-timers at the pool tell me I'm doing really well...and one lady called me the most determined beginner she'd ever seen--which actually means more to me, than being told I show talent, or whatever. Meanwhile, I keep on lifting, as I had done since I was 19, but I'm progressing beyond the "safe" exercises I was doing post surgery, to more challenging work that will create more functional improvements as time goes on...

Anyway, thank you, lovely travelling companions, for sharing this journey with me, and here's to many more weeks of choosing our own paths, and not letting our circumstances dictate our outcomes, and winning at being us!

Larisa in Seattle

I have exciting news! The boy child finally bought a truck!!! We went to "neighboring" town this morning and paid for it and he drove it home. WHY this couldn't have happened six months ago, I haven't a clue, but at least it is done!

Last week obviously upset me and, I don't know why, but I have been punishing myself with binge eating for a few days. I know there is some sort of psychological explanation for it, but I don't know how to fix it. If any of you have any ideas, please let me know. Except for the binging part, I've done really well with food.

I've read and thought appropriate things as I read but I need to get some work done since I missed time this morning to go buy the truck.

Carol from NC

Hi friends. Sorry I was missing over the weekend. I was sick and obsessed with not throwing up, since last time I threw up I herniated 4 discs in my back! I feel fine now.

I've read all the posts and enjoyed all the photos. Hope you are all doing well. More later, meg from rainy omaha

nccarolb wrote: »

I have exciting news! The boy child finally bought a truck!!! We went to "neighboring" town this morning and paid for it and he drove it home. WHY this couldn't have happened six months ago, I haven't a clue, but at least it is done!

Last week obviously upset me and, I don't know why, but I have been punishing myself with binge eating for a few days. I know there is some sort of psychological explanation for it, but I don't know how to fix it. If any of you have any ideas, please let me know. Except for the binging part, I've done really well with food.

I've read and thought appropriate things as I read but I need to get some work done since I missed time this morning to go buy the truck.

Carol from NC

Carol from NC When I go into a binge-y spin there are only 3 things that work for me. I don't know if any of them will help you, but here goes:
1) I get really pi**ed off and put all the tempting foods down the garbage disposal or in the trash.
2) I "start over" in the middle of the day or the evening or whenever, instead of the next day. My particular method is to say out loud "stop!" and then drink a protein shake whether I am hungry or not as a little ritual to get me back in control.
3) I masochistically log every bite of my binge to the best of my ability. I don't like logging my binge AT ALL. It helps me stop and figure out what I am feeding (anger, hurt, fatigue, whatever.)

This might not help you at all. Maybe you just need a hug. Which I am sending you!

Karen in Virginia