WOMEN ages 50+ FOR JULY 2016

Good Morning ladies, As you all know, I live in Baton Rouge, the epicenter right now of ALL that is going on in this country. The protest were at first peaceful, but I could just tell yesterday, that tensions were rising, & it wouldn't be long before things turned bad. And sure enough, protesters decided to move the protest from the site of the murder to the police station, police took the offense, and geared up in riot gear (rightfully so after what happened in Dallas), and its been VERY TENSE every since. It's been sooooo exhausting mentally, I just HAD to step back from all media to gather myself.
Have gotten off course a bit...no walking, actually very little eating. Neither can be good for me. I've found in the past that eating too little is just as bad as eating too much. So, my goal for the remainder of the month is to get back on course....
-do my morning walks
-eat all of my calories with healthy eating (-the exercise calories)
-add some weights to my daily regime

Please keep everyone involved in the madness this week in your thoughts, and prayers (if applicable)

~Melanie~ Baton Rouge

morning peeps -

noexcuses - have fun on the 5k, pace yourself, you'll make it!

Kim: Congratulations again! The garden sounds gorgeous. Will you share pictures as it grows and changes over the seasons? :flowerforyou:

klanders & Barbie: Yesterday I met dear friends for breakfast in Portland near the Lloyd Center on the east side of the Willamette River. I deliberately ignored my auto navigation device and was on the freeway less than 500 yards going there. I chose to use city streets to get where I was going. I-5 in Portland is hideous these days. On the way home I was never on the freeways at all. Much better!

Grits: I agree with your sentiments about gun control, and I'm a strong supporter of the second amendment, although I don't see any good reason for the general public to be able to buy assault weapons. Those belong with the military and police in my opinion. :flowerforyou:

Sue in WA: I've been picking my own blueberries and having them with breakfast for the past couple of weeks. It is glorious! There are more blueberries this year than I've ever seen before. I only have three plants, and they're just over knee high. Friends have some older bushes that are a different variety & taller than head high. I never really had blueberries as a kid and have only discovered how great they are in the last few years. :bigsmile:

DJ: You're absolutely right. It is terrible when you have a great hairdresser that leaves town. My barber was on a mission to help his daughter, so I can only admire him for it. I sure do miss him, though. :ohwell:


I'm looking forward to my riding lesson today. Last week there was no riding because the horse had a hot foot. I hope there are no horse health problems today. Evidently there will be some work with cutting cattle later in the day. My teacher and a 4H-er will be riding. I hope to be able to watch.

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

Heather - big ((( hugs))). We all get there somtimes. I hope it lifts quickly.

Janetr okc

Heather - Dull days that seem to run endlessly are my bane also. On the advice of my doctor I upped my vitamin D intake and it has made a large difference. When I feel the 'dulls' coming on (mostly in the winter, but long stretches of cloudy days do it too) I check my Vitamin D intake and adjust as needed. When the dulls hit I up to 50,000 units and drop back to 25,000 units (or less) when I have sunny days and I have been outside. You do have it right - we Heather.

A shout out to Exermom - Thank you for the note regarding water intake. I was 'doing it wrong.' My 'cups' are either 14oz or 20oz cups and I logged the number of cups I was drinking without realizing MFP was using 8 oz cups as the unit of measure. Thanks for the helping hand, it is greatly appreciated.

Charleen in Colorado (Someone sent desert hot/dry winds this way---enough---you can take them back now)

cityjaneLondon wrote: »

Good afternoon.
I am having trouble raising my spirits this morning. I was awake for a good part of the night, despite my best efforts to count my blessings, meditate, breathe, focus and visualise. I am just down in the dumps.
This time of year often sees me this way. It will pass.

I am just sad.

Love Heather

Giving u the biggest longest warm hug I can muster. I am so sorry u r feeling down. I am here for ya babe, we all r

Kim – Congrats on ‘new’ job!

Vickil57 – If I can get somebody to take me to town to get some things I need to make them; I will be making the smashed potatoes real soon. Need olive oil and Parmesan cheese, and some sort of meat to have with them. Maybe, also, some Asparagus as another side dish. Might wait until Sunday as we have left-over pizza from last night.

Margaret – I do know that people in certain situations react differently. The sister of a HS friend of mine ‘laughed uncontrollably' during her father’s funeral. She was ‘in shock’ and only about 13-years-old when he Dad had a massive heart attack on his way home from work and crashed into a tree.

Karen and barbiecat – I’d rather my DH drive, especially through a large city, than to have him be the ‘front backseat driver’. But, I hate that I won’t be able to help him with the driving to LA next month; oh well!

Skuehn48 – My hair has turned mostly gray; still straight without a perm; but, I would welcome it being curly (without a perm). It is usually much courser than your regular color hair. One reason it seems to be 'flying' away or have static in it. My DH and DSs do not want me to color mine. I know why DH doesn’t want me to, because I would go back to my natural ‘auburn’ (which is what is was when we got married). I guess he did not notice it then - love being blind and all that.

Cracker is always so smooth and silky feeling when we clip her. I’m not sure that this last time they clipped her quite as short. Since she is white mostly; they did not want to ‘skin’ her too much because she’d get sunburned.

This week (before she got her flea and tick meds in her) she had 2 ticks on her. I’m thinking that she is going to have bad reactions to ticks; as she apparently scratched or chewed chunks out of her fur where they were and a little sore; poured some cleanser that the vet had given me when she had a thorn taken out of her pad; then put Neosporin on them. Last night before I opened the door to let her in, I was just checking to see if she was by the door. What I saw was Cracker and Tux (the cat) were both lying down and playing ‘footsies’ with one another. Oh, why is it always they do something cute and you can never catch it on camera!?!?!

Oceanmelody – Wasn’t it the Texas Lt. Governor that made that ‘stupid remark’ about “if it had been a ‘white couple’ in the car … ‘would you ‘think’ they would have been shot?” WHAT A STUPID remark for anybody to make when people know that the ‘race card’ was going to be used? Sorry, if that offends you Texans; but, he is a lot like some ‘other’ politician who said, ‘that person could have looked/been MY son’? STUPID! If it was a ‘different’ governor that said that, then he made the ‘stupid’ remark; and, I apologize to my Texan friends. It would have been ‘nice’ IF nobody had been shot? As for ‘gun control’ I ‘think’ that the wording would be ‘very important and delicate’ so as to NEVER allow the government to just ‘confiscate ‘all’ guns’ because of someone’s interpretation of what is an ‘assault’ gun/weapon. Like they have done in Britain and Australia. You point a .22 or even a ‘toy pistol that looks real because the safety orange tip has been removed’ at someone … those can be considered ‘assault guns/weapons’. I think it would have to be worded to include ‘magazines’ over a particular number of shots; other than military or SWAT teams. But, you’ve got Congressmen/women who understand the 2nd Amendment to our Constitution, and, 'unfortunately' some that don't. And a LOT of people living in rural areas hunt to put food on their tables and if they just hunt for sport … most taxidermist donate the meat to ‘soup kitchens’ and ‘homeless shelters’. Or they do down here in SWGA. There are people who are alive and have never held a gun, wouldn’t know how to shoot it, if they had to. Wouldn’t understand the importance of ALWAYS checking to make sure it is ‘not’ loaded before throwing it around and ‘jokingly’ pointing it at another. Never point a gun at something or someone unless you intend on ‘shooting or killing’ them.

Why are the news stations making such a ‘big’ deal out of memorials for the perpetrators/victims and NOT the police? Why does the POTUS order ‘flags flown at half-staff’ for people like “Whitney Houston” and not a “Military General” whose funeral was not attended by the POTUS or the VPOTUS, not even someone from the government when traditionally ‘someone pretty high-up would have been there to show their respect’.

We have ‘gangs’ of all races, etc., because the “family unit and values” have been thrown out the window. They want to ‘belong’; but, unfortunately they get involved in ‘drugs and prostitution’ because it makes that ‘pain go away’ and they ‘make more money dealing’. GGRRrrr!!!!!

IMHO.

I know we talked about this not being a place to ‘discuss’ politics or religion. I think we are ALL ‘up in arms’ [no pun intended]

What can we do to ‘stop it’? VOTE, and VOTE whatever or whomever you wish to vote for; whether or not they ‘do things’ that are ‘unlawful’ … or they might be ‘considered a loose cannon on ship’. IF you DON’T vote, then don’t *kitten* if the other person wins. Our country ‘needs’ a change – whether or not it can change is ‘really’ the Congressmen/women on both sides of the aisle. They’re not concerned because ‘they live by different rules/laws that we do’, they ‘think’ they are above the law. They’ve forgotten why they are ‘up there in the first place’; it is because “We the People” elected them, and continue doing so. Maybe it is time to take a long hard look, and ‘clean House’.

In GA – a man called 9-1-1 just to ‘lure a policeman’ to ‘walk into a trap’. The news station has had more to say about the one that did the shooting than the policeman that was shot. Thankfully, the policeman had on a ‘vest’; and of the 3 bullets that hit him, only one ‘hit’ below the vest and into his abdomen. Maybe he got some ‘better shots in’ because they ‘airlifted’ the shooter to a hospital in FL.

I agree with Karen in Virginia (who could ‘name’ the victims and family members). Nobody should have died.
My heart also goes out to ALL the victims and especially their loved ones and families and friends.

I’m SORRY; but, this kind of news really pisses me off!

Oceanmeloday and Margaret have both said what I am thinking. Also when you are running away – don’t run in a ‘straight’ line … do a little changing in your pattern. Most shooters (especially if they are trained – military or otherwise) have no problem when they can predict what their target is going to do (if they run in a straight line); find something that is ‘safe’ if you must ‘hide’ … something thick – concrete barrier or dumpster. That is not being a ‘coward’ it is being ‘safe’.

I LOVE ALL OF YOU LADIES, TOO! Most of us are mothers, daughters, grandmothers, sisters, and aunts. Some have children or grandchildren; brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles, and fathers who are in the ‘police force or military’ and they do a good job, with less praise and money for putting their lives on the line to serve and protect.

Have a safe weekend; remember that a lot of us are going to be feeling triple digit temperatures (or heat indexes). If you are going to be ‘outside’ in it … drink a LOT of water. DH and DOS got up at 6:00 this AM to go cut ‘fire wood’ from the trees that were cut on the gas line easement to make room for a 2nd one.

Ljdw99 – You need to chat with Becca – our resident nudist! LOL!

Re in TX – I did not get them by PM; I did send a friend request the last time; but, lately, any time I try sending a PM … I get an ‘error’ message about the server (maybe Hillary cleaned it off with her little invisible rag motion’), so I cannot send you email or address. Doesn’t look like my ‘friend’ message ever went through; maybe you can send me a ‘friend request’ and then be able to send them to me by PM. Maybe you need to send me a friend request and see if that works. When I make the potato recipe; I probably won’t use nearly the amount of oil or chees that the recipe calls for. Thanks.

Larisa – Don’t be a slave to your scale; being a little heavier; might be because you are gaining ‘muscle’ and losing ‘fat’ … Muscle weighs more than fat. I get weighed every other week; and, I don’t get on my scales at home because they are so unpredictable (wrong). Some times when I go to my weigh-in I tell Essie that I don’t think I did all that great, weight wise; but, when she tells me that my muscle % has gone up, my fat % has gone down, and my water % has gone up; that makes me ‘feel’ just as good as if I had seen the number on the scale go down. I blew it last night with pizza (but, not as bad as I thought I would). Today DH brought home a bacon cheeseburger from the little cart that parks down on the corner at the Hwy. Only ate 14 fries; but, ate the entire hamburger; going over by about 1/3rd of my daily CI; I think I am going to skip supper. And I am going to go get in the pool, too.

Great photo! Looking good! I take a walking stick or cane with me when I walk around the farm here. To scare snakes away before I walk up on any; and, to have a way to get up if I fall down.

Michele – Our DOS keeps up our pool which is closer to their house than to ours; but, we paid for ½ of it to be moved and set up again. It’s an above ground pool but about 4 ½ feet deep. Round and 27’ across. We can get a lot of people in it. He puts only 1 chemical in the pool and it stays clean and clear without having to add a little bit of this or a little bit of that to do so. I'll have to ask him what he does. He vacuums it out late on Sunday; and, usually on Saturday or Sunday he adds about 4" of water from the hose into it. I brushed it yesterday after I walked my exercise. That helps him, too - so he doesn't have to spend so much time cleaning it. But, DOS won’t let me do my walking around and across it, if they are in the pool. Don’t know if that is ‘his request’ or ‘if it makes DDnL#1 unhappy’; but, either way – I do my exercise during the week. If they are not in it on the weekend, I do it then, too. DH and DOS have been ‘out since about 6:00 this morning chopping wood and they are going to go back to it as soon as their lunch goes down a little. Right now is the hottest time of the day w/triple digits with the heat index.

Lillian – I forgot to tell you the last time I posted that you looked very good! I’m 5’4” and now down below 160lbs by a little. My goal is about 145-150lbs. Now taking it slowly, it seems; but, I am exercising a lot.

Debbie in TX – Sorry to hear about your DH’s chest pains. Glad it wasn’t a heart attack; hope the tests all are normal or show something that can be ‘fixed’ so he won’t have them anymore.

Melanie in Baton Rouge – Keeping you and family in our prayers. Seems like every large city are having protests. Some have ben peaceful; but, others have gone ‘south’ very quickly and tensions ‘high’.

Katla – I don’t believe that the ‘general John Doe’ has any reason for a ‘military-style/SWAT team’ type of Assault rifle (gun) for any reason. This is when they need to have much more control over these roving gun shows where there are sales of guns and they get picked up or taken with them during that weekend; and there isn’t any real ‘background check’ or 'cooling off period'. People do not go ‘deer hunting, elk hunting, moose or bear hunting’ with this type of gun. They are meant to ‘kill/maim’ or ‘destroy’ people or things. I don’t think that our government officials wanting ‘gun control’ are making that distinction when they try to write up ‘gun control’ laws. You can’t just make a law to ‘control guns/assault guns’; and, there is a fine line about what constitutes an ‘assault’ gun/rifle sometimes a/k/a ‘shotgun’. No American and especially not the NRA want to get into a situation like Britain and Australia when someone decides that ‘assault guns’ include ALL guns and start confiscating ALL guns. It is a ‘thin line’ to walk and try to please both sides of his very volatile issue. Like a ‘sniper’s gun/rifle’ … they can be set to shot one bullet or they can be set to shoot 100s of bullets. In Dallas, the shooter was in a ‘military position as a sniper’ would be … up high and looking down.

Lenora

And this one's for all of you, this fine Saturday. Because reasons.

Hello everyone I have returned to my fitness pal after a couple of years. Iphone got me back to walking and steps as I had fitbit before. I would love to have some active friends that are my age. Is there a group for this group?

Over50ToBeFit wrote: »

Hello everyone I have returned to my fitness pal after a couple of years. Iphone got me back to walking and steps as I had fitbit before. I would love to have some active friends that are my age. Is there a group for this group?

This is it; welcome! All ya gotta do is keep coming back.
Larisa

janetr7476 wrote: »

I've not snacked in the evening since my cry for help the other day. I have such a renewed commitment and sense of accomplishment, I am pumped . I feel so much better about me.

YAY! That is awesome.

Heather~ Aw friend, put together a "I am thankful" box, with pictures of great things, great sayings, grand children, letters from people that admire you, your fat pictures, and anything that gives you pure bliss and joy. I try to acknowledge the "melancholy". I try to decide where its coming from, like finding the source of a fever. Then I get to work, either looking at pictures, reading, calling people, getting a hug from my husband or son, and try to not let it overcome me. There are times (when a sadness is a recent one) that sneaker waves of sadness can come over you, triggered by the most innocent of things, sounds, etc. You let it slap you in the face, you hold on, and the storm passes, then you step out of the water. Just one step will make you feel better. (((hugs))) Becca

cityjaneLondon wrote: »

Good afternoon.
I am having trouble raising my spirits this morning. I was awake for a good part of the night, despite my best efforts to count my blessings, meditate, breathe, focus and visualise. I am just down in the dumps.
This time of year often sees me this way. It will pass.

I am just sad.

Love Heather

Heather, you are funny and beautiful and bright and adventurous...we all value you here!!! There is a lot to be sad about lately but we are all in this together. Hope you feel better soon!
Betty

Stronglifts Workout A

Squat-1X 5X55/65/75/85, 5X5X 90
BP-1X5X 55/65/75, 5X5X 80
BR-5X5X 85

Kettlebell Swing

Russian kettle bell swing-22X 10 X 30

Walk 1,000 Miles Challenge

6 miles



Mary from Minnesota