WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR JANUARY 2017

Heather in Campeche, a World Heritage City, on the Gulf of Mexico xxxxxxxxxx

Oh my goodness! So glad to hear you "may" be on the mend. Not a very nice way to spend your vacay! Sounds like an involuntary colonoscopy prep situation. Heal quickly. Bless your husband too!

Cheri
feeling dizzy myself in College Station, TX

Allie, you are my hero!. I agree, I am sure that lady thought your coming to her aid and giving her a blanket made her day.

Heather, thanks so much for checking in. So, so sorry for your tummy issues. You were looking forward so much to this trip, took your Spanish lessons, booked your excursions. But this might make your husband feel a bit better about traveling when he remembers how strong he was in doing these things by himself. He has been strong when I would imagine he at one time didn't think he could do it.

Watching NCIS. This acting by Palmer, the mild mannered assistant is award winning.

Joyce, Indiana

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Hello Splendid Senoras!

Not much happening today – and as always, no news is good news. I had to run down to the cafeteria to get lettuce – since I have whipped up a batch of “Salad Topper” and now need the salad part.

The Salad Topper is beans (black, red and kidney), cheese & salad veggies, with my cottage cheese ranch as the “dressing.” Some fiber content – lots of protein – and tasty enough. And buying just lettuce at the cafeteria makes it almost affordable! LOL. I did toss some peas, olives and banana peppers on, cause I could. I really love salad – but, without making my own topping, it’s a minefield. Caesar Dressing... like 100 calories a tablespoon... I remember when I used to eat half a jar on three leaves of lettuce.... *sighs* Ah the joy of ignorance. But, a CUP of my salad topper is only 335 calories. MUCH improved over the old way. And a batch made 11 servings...Which I immediately put into those 1 cup plastic containers – so I am ready to grab and go.

Whoot! – I am fully prepared for salad all week – with no fear of the calories. I can alternate the meat I put on it for variety – as well as doing the occasional banana pepper or olive. OR I could even eat it with a Wasa Cracker, if I am craving the crunch.

Food Prep RULES!

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Lois – Thinking healing thoughts for your Honey. So sorry about his cancer.

NYKaren – I decided there are PLENTY of different arm machines at my gym... I can do different arms every day – while DH rides the stationary bike and does his sit-ups. And I LOVE being able to go to the gym before work. I am so not motivated, after.

Pip – That is such a great picture of you and your Mom!

Meg – Sorry they couldn’t find the person... Glad to hear Benny is a little better. ((Hugs!!)) Hope you two figure out a strategy for dealing with the “problem child.”

Lanette – Can you get the local city governments to chip in on the senior centers? My little town funds its own – although it is an admittedly affluent area. Perhaps they could share funding? Just a thought. So, the county is saying no more funds, at all? Sounds like a Senior Fund Raiser is in order... just to keep the places running for the year.

Rori – Fat is definitely wired for survival – it fights to live – even in overcrowded conditions... *sigh* Can’t wait to hear the conclusions by the authors...

SueBDew – For me, not having candy in the house smacks of deprivation... and I don’t do deprivation. However, I DO fix it so I never have to face a full bag of M&M’s... I bag up several servings (1.5 oz) when I get the bag – then I can take one single serving bag and eat it... it’s just making it easy so you never have to think about it, again. I rarely eat more than the one serving – so, for me, it’s working. Exercise Rocks! Go! Go! Go!

Calmrose – Welcome! Yes... focus is important. And doing it in stages is good, too. The total number can seem overwhelming. When I logged into MFP for the first time, I was 260 – and if we want to be realistic about goal weight for a 5.4 gal, it should be something like 150 at the most... so that would be a whopping 110 pounds... but, I didn’t go there... and still won’t. My first goal is to weigh half of my lifetime high... 183. But my immediate goal is to break into Onderland... 13 pounds to go!

Joyce – My Honey got diabetic shoes through his podiatrist – and they have made a world of difference for him. It is definitely worth the cash. Sorry Medicare doesn’t cover them!

Kay – Tumeric would make that drink taste REALLY nasty... Cinnamon, ginger and Honey must at least give it a sweet spicy overtone to help mitigate the vinegar. I can’t even imagine trying it if it was turmeric. I prefer to just make curry and throw the Turmeric in that. You and Mom look wonderful!

Lenora – We just got some wind in TX – Not a lot of damage in my area. And I am thinking I might have to get a battery back-up for my CPAP, if I wore one... I would NOT like to wake up gasping.

DJ – Navy and white? A classic combination. You will have to post a picture when you get yourself all gussied up. :]

Barbie – Awesome to have that link... I may need it someday.

Sherry – Oh Sugar... I am so glad there were people there to help you. And your old neighbor sounds like an angel. And HURRAY – your low intake is working. Ah, I bet the shower made you feel almost as good as the Morphine!

Gloria – NO Zucchini at Freddys? What kind of world are we living in? Hope the veggie shipment arrives, soon!

Sharon – Cool about the Super Girl comic... Hope your Brother finds a kidney that works. ((Hugs!!))

Leigh – the “gain” is probably just water weight from sodium – unless you went WAY over on the calories. Hope it vanishes quickly!

Allie – Hope the headache was short-lived. And wow – exciting night! So good of you to try and keep the gal calm.

Kate – How is the new Do? I went to the gym this morning – did different arm machines than I did yesterday... hopefully, I will continue to gain upper body strength while my lower body is getting fixed!

Lisa – WHOOT! Get that sucker sold... Happy for you!

Sarah – Thanks! Glad I can give you a smile. I hope you are doing OK... Scares are no fun!

Margaret – A good curry is a thing of beauty... and so good for you. My knee is responding well to NO work... lol. Shocking, I know. I only walk to and from the car and as little as possible the rest of the day. So far, it’s holding up. Can’t wait to see what the Ortho says on Thursday.

Nancy – Patience is hard... but, you can do it! And I try to use full fat everything... Fat really is flavor! Even if it does add a few extra calories...

Beth – Hey – you were late, anyway, right? What’s five more minutes? :]

Carol – *sigh* Don’t get me started on Dust... LOL.

Cheri – ((Hugs!!) Sorry about the hip and the head. WHOOT!! Hurray for miles of walking at Disney! Love the new profile pic!

Charleen – Hurray for your streak back! And – hey – even in Texas, we haven’t left the ice behind. Every so often – wham! ICE. Your Alaska trip sounds like fun... Can’t wait for the arm-chair version. :]

KJ – Laughing is the BEST ab workout. “Crunches and Crockpots” sounds like my morning, too! And I totally get it. I have the same sort of thing with my DH. He can’t really cook – so for lunch, he eats box dinners. How many times have I found the box on the counter – RIGHT NEXT to the trashcan? Waaaaay too many. I am on the East Side – the Dallas side of the Metroplex. I work in Addison – which is closer to the middle – but still a long way from Ft. Worth.

Rita – You got this! Besides – if you can do squats, you are miles ahead of me... they are supposed to be a miracle exercise. Just don’t be too hard on yourself...

Karen/VA – Jazzercise trumps reading our posts! Dance on, Sister! And how can you be so heartless to those poor pups? They want to dance, too! Man, that flank steak looks YUM!

Mary – Yes – a damaged body really isn’t fun. This whole “dieting” thing really irritates me... LOL.

Annem6806 – Did you get those cobwebs? Me? I would have found a way to put it off, again... I hate vacuuming... lol

Ginahill1961 – Just focus on one thing at a time... to try to do it all at once will be overwhelming... Mary is right – movement is probably the easiest thing to start with. Just start with any one thing. You will feel so much better once you do! You will be motivated to add something else.

Yvonne – Love the 70’s music. I am an 80’s girl, myself – but, I do love the 70’s stuff.

Betty – (Hugs!)

Michele – Welcome back! And it wasn’t my Birthday you missed... Mine is on Thursday when I go to see the Orthopedic Surgeon. And I am with you... in my head I am still 24... my body just laughs. Oh that is a pretty gown! And a lovely dolphin.

Sue – At least the horses can drink your water leak! The plateaus always pass, eventually. ((Hugs!!))

Becca – ((Hugs!!))

Anne/WI – Hope you find a good gym.

Katla – I am pretty sure Swimming will be a totally approved activity – so long as I don’t have an open wound. I am just waiting for my suit to arrive and my visit with the Orthopedic Surgeon to start.

Heather – Been there, done that... so awful. I went on a Spanish Club trip to Mexico when I was in school – same deal... got the serious revenge. So glad you are starting to feel better! ((HUGS!))

Mollyizzy – Welcome!

Marcelyn - *waves*

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Beef stew in the crockpot – and I have to run to the store on my way home... my veggie drawer is STARVING!! There are only a couple of lonely carrots left after I put dinner in the crockpot. I need lettuce to go with my salad topper!

Hugs for Everybody!

Re in TX

Carol, SueWA, and everyone else- thank you for the nice compliment about my daughter

NYKaren - yes, that is her wedding dress. She still has to pick out the veil.

Need to share this. As we were going to PA, Jess calls. See..,.a few years ago she was diagnosed with HPV. She routinely goes for pap smears. Well, it turns out that the last few that she had were abnormal. Evidently (she talked to Vince mostly) the cells are more abnormal than previously. Since they're slow growing cells, she's supposed to go back to her MD in November when they'll test again and see if she needs further testing. I really don't understand why they just don't zap those cells (radiation) to prevent them from growing. But then again, I'm not a MD

Alison - so glad you were there for that lady

Heather - Hope you feel better fast. It is so horrible to be sick on your vacation.

Molly - welcome!

Katie - you and your mom look fantastic! Don't you just hate it when you find that you could have bought something somewhere else for less? And not to be able to return it.....

Re - I do the same thing...make individual bags of things and just have that portion. You'll get to Onderland with your determination! I agree that fat does add flavor. Plus...it helps to keep you really full

Thank you everyone for the compliments on the dolphin. Now on to the bee!!!

Have the Newcomer board meeting tomorrow. Then want to buy gas for my car (it's pretty low) and Vince needs to check the Newcomer mailbox since the other person who has a key to it is away.

Michele in NC

50+ in age and over poundage!!
Joined on Sunday after 2 yr absence. Doing great! Feel determined after too many years of struggle. Please friend me for support. This is such a great app for support AND structure that always works for me. Let's do this for 2017!!

Great pics ladies..thanks for sharing
KJ: Cute Videos
Heather: Glad you're on the mend...what a way to spend a holiday
Re: Thinking of you and the ortho visit

Finally managed to get the ornaments of the tree and all of the other decorations put away tonight. Tomorrow I'll take the tree apart and get it in the box. I'm trying out my new humidifier to see if it will help..it's so dry here that the machine did the blinky thing for RH's under 31%. I take it that means it is DRY. Even after running all night it only got to 35% humidity. The recommended % is 40.

Managed to catch up on posts...have a good evening friends


Carey - Northern Alberta

Goals for Jan:
- Increase walking to 7500 per day by end of month
- Get to Tai Chi at least once a week
- Increase daily water intake

Glo – When I get my thyroid levels checked, they do a TSH, T3 and T4; usually the dosage is correct; but, with some of the medications I take for other reasons, it gets ‘whacked’ out. You’re right getting SSD is a ‘process’ [more like a B****] and ‘long and frustrating process’. Most people are basically ‘forced’ to hire a SS attorney in order to get it out of the hands of the SS Judge and into the hands of a Federal Magistrate who will make a ruling; and, I ‘guess’ depending on how the Federal Judge or Magistrate agree on how they will be handled … it either stays for the Magistrate to handle, or possibly go to the Federal Judge of the District. All have their ways of handling cases. Many, many places are back-logged terribly. When my boss was appointed the Federal Magistrate ... there was a 2 1/2 year backlog. That is bad! Between working on them and doing all the 'criminal' stuff the Federal Judge would also let him handle some of his cases. We worked our butts off. But, I loved my job and really hated to have to go out on a disability. Less than a year before he was to retire, they found that he had liver cancer. Because the could detect a heart murmur he was born with, he was not a candidate for a liver transplant. He had to go 'out on a medical disability'. The attorneys in town gave him a 'reception' and I almost burst into tears when he told everybody that 'not until he had to take a medical leave, did he understand what I had gone through' ... he loved his job, too.

pitegny – It is heartbreaking. Stories about the children are just heart-wrenching. This is right on the heels of a ‘straight-line wind’ storm that hit Albany on 1/2/17; people in the affected areas are still without power, because they are having to cut their way through the mess. This last one (huge, wedge tornado) stayed on the ground through several counties; and, if you were ‘in the way’ … you might as well bend over and kiss your @$$ goodbye. It took out a big mobile home park; where most of the people were Hispanic, retired military, etc., they probably either did not have anywhere to go that was safe; or maybe did not have a TV because they did not speak English. I come home tonight and Louis said they found 2 children dead today; which makes to toll (in Albany, GA) up to 6. They have not even gotten through the mobile park. Fire Chief said he has never seen anything like it and he had been in the Middle East wars. Said it was worse than a war zone he had been in. They have several emergency services from other parts of the State as the surrounding areas have their own issues to deal with. I don’t know where in SW GA this happened; but, 2 kids were missing. My BF told me at lunch today that they had been found. The 4-year-old had been put into an old walk-in refrigerator box (somewhere); the 2-month-old had been put in his infant carrier into a dryer with towels and pillows around him. Both ok. Of course, I personally have not seen or heard this on TV. She also said that her son said, ‘you always hear that it sounds like a freight train’ … that is ‘exactly’ what it sounds like; but, ‘if’ you hear it, it is ON you!

I think that we actually have only had 4 confirmed deaths in Dougherty County. But, this storm touched 6 counties in the southern part of the State of Georgia.

Storms that hit 6 southern counties in Georgia on Sunday were catorgorized as EF-3 meaning:

Wind Speed: 158 - 206 mph (254 - 332 kph)
Severe damage: Forests are destroyed as a majority of trees are ripped from the ground; entire trains are derailed and knocked over; walls and roofs are torn from houses

We were 'blessed' that we were not hit; we were right in the path of one of three cones where tornadoes had been confirmed as touching down.

Lisa – Hope the earnest money was sufficient enough that he won’t walk away from it.

Kate – Tornados are worse than hurricanes in a lot of places; because they are so ‘unpredictable’. And, they can occur anywhere the ‘conditions’ are ripe for them.

Nancy – Shrimp in FL are probably ‘more’ expensive than in Louisiana because most of FL is ‘touristy’ and they know it. We ate most of the last container of Will’s gumbo tonight. OMGoodness, it is sssoooo good! He’s coming Thursday to drop of the cap and rack of a buck he killed a few days ago. Tami isn’t able to come; but, it is a “Man’s Weekend” … he will be meeting a bunch of his HS and college buddies for a concert.

Charleen – I’ve had to have my days-in-a-streak reset a couple of times. Mainly because of being ‘out of town’ and not having Internet options.

KJ – My cat can’t say ‘anything’ … he has allergies, it will get so bad that one eye closes (usually his left); have to grab him to put something in his eye; then his nose will run and, then he loses his voice! Nothing is funnier than to see a cat open his mouth like he is meowing but can’t … we could put any voice to him.

Michele – Thanks. Such heartache dealing with the storms and aftermath. Rode by our old house; and the big tree in front of our MBR window was uprooted and fell away from the house into the street. So happy that the woman who bought the house wasn’t hurt.

Beautiful wedding dress; is this the one she picked?

Love the dolphin.

I think I tend to be on the ‘gotta do something NOW’ routine whenever I find a lump in one of my breast. Both older sisters are 'breast cancer survivors' Even though my middle sister has not hit that 5-year mark and been told that she is 'cancer-free'; but, she is 'still' a survivor. I don’t have any of the equipment needed, so I don’t have to worry about cervical cancer; but, I had received an email about a test – "C-125". It was about a woman who had had a total hysterectomy, yet still presented with ‘ovarian cancer’ … I took it with me to the GYN, he read it and they took me back to the lab to draw more blood. My Mother died from complications of ovarian cancer. The cancer was not what killed her – she had an enlarged heart. We were advised by her MD (a HS classmate of mine) that putting her through the treatment would more likely ‘kill her’ before the cancer. At her age, 86 – we chose not to put her through the treatment.

Becca – GREAT weight loss … I thought that ‘maybe’ today I would have ‘jumped off that plateau’ … WRONG! Been a solid month with no movement either way. GGRRrrrrr!!! But, the nurse said she was proud, so I will take that as a NSV. I told her that I had been being hungry between meals, so she said since I had ‘upped’ my exercise; I needed to up my protein; and my CI will be a little different now. Guess that means I can now ‘eat back my exercise calories’.

Meg – We have the same problem with a ‘close’ family member. Last time she came over (even though she had been told ‘not’ to by husband) … well, I let my DH do all the talking! She’s only been down once since and that was to bring me a watch she had found (has flamingos on the face of it) then said that ‘I had actually bought it for myself’, since she used the gift card balance she had left on the Christmas gift card. What do you say? “Thank you?” She stayed exactly 4 minutes.

Katla – I’m an ‘organ donor’, too! I figure if they can use anything that is still viable, go ahead and take it.

Heather – I’m so sorry that you’ve been ill most of the time while on vacation. After 4 days of not eating much but a banana and dry toast and you still are hanging out in restrooms, you really need to have someone ‘check on you’. If you can pinch your skin on the top of your hands and it slowly rolls back into place; you are dehydrated; the slower, the worse. You cannot lose 15% of your body weight and get well without help. It sounds like it could be salmonella. You need to seek medical attention if you remain ill after more than 7 days; you have severe or bloody diarrhea, or you have a fever of 101.5F or higher for more than a day. You should consult a doctor is you are 65 or older … or have a weakened immune system. You might need antibiotics or, possibly hospitalization. You need to do whatever it takes to get ‘well’ so you can get back to seeing those sweet grandchildren. Don’t just let it ‘run what you think is its normal course’ … go to the ER or have the place you are staying see about getting a MD to come there, if necessary. Sure hope you do not ‘look’ like “Delhi Belly” … that’d be ghastly!!!

Yeah, our body has more than ½ of it as water … so you do not need to be losing too much of it.

Re – We are on a ‘list’ with Sumter Electric of needing our power restored ASAP for ‘medical reasons’; but, I guess if someone is on ‘oxygen’ that would be considered a higher priority than a C-pap. I was told once when I called about it that I needed to have a 2nd-ary place to go if the power went out. Yeah! Right, Jack … I will remember that as I drive 30 miles into town hoping that there is ‘power’ there. It is certainly a ‘rude’ awakening, for sure … I usually bolt straight up in bed, scaring poor old Louis to death … the mask goes flying off and I am jumping up and then out of bed, sucking in as much air as possible! You would have thought someone screamed “SPIDER!”

I went for my every other week weigh-in and ‘absolutely nothing’ had changed. Told the nurse that I had bumped my walking on the treadmill to 30 minutes; was getting a little hungry during the day; so she told me again to ‘up my protein’ … this time she wrote out a ‘good menu’ to follow, that will make it easier to follow.

Lenora

40lbs loss by May 27th Challenge
Just checking to see how everyone is doing with your workouts and eating goals. Take your 4 week measurements at the end of this week. Don't forget to weigh yourself at least once a week. I weigh daily when I am in a challenge to help see how food choices affect me. It really helps me be more accountable and I tend to make better choices.

Grace- fantastic job on your step goal! Congratulations on your lentil soup recipe success. I love using that recipe creator.

Margaret - awesome job with your exercise! You seem to be doing well.



Mary from Minnesota

Kate UK

Morning ladies just caught up with posts. Been to gym this morning off for shopping trip to town ( we live in suburbs about half hour journey by bus (we have passes so public transport is free, parking in the city is horrendously expensive)
Main reason for going today is to see how much it will cost to have my lovely cashmere and wool winter coat altered as it's much too big NSV hooray

Kate UK

Morning Ladies~
Thanks for all the love.. but I think any normal human would have done the same thing...I didn't do anything except talk to her and let them use a blanket for her, which I will pick up at the police station when I get to it.. Once the police ,and fire dept got there I really was just in the way. I think the plan was they were going to take her to the hospital to get her checked out anyway,, and policeman asked if she had AAA and she said yes so I am guessing they did the towing.. will be interesting to see how they got it off the guardrails...
I told Tom when I got home, and this is what a putts he is.. he asked why I was on the street I was,because I have to go up a hill.. well I avoid about 6-7 traffic lights that way.. but he was worried about how much gas I was using to go up the hill rather than stop and help someone..