WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR MARCH 2017

Gloria – I read Evanovich, Patterson, Grafton, Jance, Kellerman, and others … murder mysteries mostly. I think I have read just about all of James Patterson’s books to date. Some he wrote on his own; some he co-authored; to help a new writer get their feet wet. I especially like his Alex Cross series and his Michael Bennett characters. What type of ‘chilling’ read is Tami Hoag? I like mysteries; just not into anything demonic or graphically yucky. LOL! Get enough of the Devil in the Bible and the gore, guts, and all that ‘old’ history from Old Testament. So when I get to the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs … it brings me to a more ‘positive’ way of looking at things. Reading a Daily Bible which gives me a little of each every day. Behind on that, so I need to try to catch up in the next couple of days. This is the 3rd year in 4 that I have done this. Each time a slightly different version.

I did not ‘like’ reading growing up; I was into my ‘art’ a lot back then. Two years ago, I got aggravated with ‘nothing’ interesting on TV during the day, so when they built the new library in Lee County, I stopped and picked up a couple of James Patterson books and was ‘hooked on reading’ big time. I never knew that Louis was a ‘reader’. I knew he got a lot of magazines, his toilet reading … hunting and fishing magazines. We bought the two little girls a subscription to National Geographic for Kids for Christmas. One loves to read and does really good in school; the one next door likes reading more than the DMGD (who only reads what she has to for school). Both my parents and my 2 sisters were voracious readers. My Mother could read a book in a day-and-a-half, and, did. Daddy was about the same way. He clerked his way through school with an older attorney in town, passed the Bar Exam and practiced for 50 years prior to his death.

Heather – Are you getting ‘heavy handed’ when he is on a ‘tear’ with the liquor? Louis will have a Crown Royal; but, not every night; but, the last few weeks he has been having one each night. I think the ‘drama’ is getting to him. Had opportunity to be with DOS ‘alone’; and, when he started with his ‘negativity’ I railed him out about it. I think it surprised him to tell you the truth. Before we got to the RR crossing, he had calmed down. I told him the ‘hardest’ thing (as his Mother) was wanting to just ‘fix’ it; but, that wasn’t my job and I couldn't do it, no matter how much I would like to. I just want to go out into the woods and scream until I lose my voice. What they are going through is going to take a ‘toll’ on their marriage. He said, it was barely hanging on as it is. He says that DDnL is a ‘saint’ for putting up with him and that he had allowed their $$$ issues dominate his attitude. I told him that it works both ways. She has to do just as much to make it work. It isn’t fair to the girls for them to always be screaming at one another. It makes the air so thick you could cut it with a knife. It was doing more harm at this point than them going through a divorce. Of course, he will probably ‘tell her what I said’ which won’t help our MnL/DnL relationship any. But, I have been biting my tongue so much that I was about to ‘knock’ DH on the head, just to ‘hit’ something. So works for him, so he brings it home and talks about it with me. He needs a release valve just like I do. So, I came home and did time on the treadmill, instead! We’ve never been physical with one another that way and I certainly do not ever want that to start. He is a ‘gem’ of a man; and, we take our marriage very seriously.

Donna from SoCal – God knows your heart; and, he also knows your limitations. He wants you to ‘succeed’ at anything you try; … if he is ‘in control’ then you know you can ‘do it’ (whatever you set your mind to do). What’s important is that you get healthy. I’ve wanted to do things like volunteer at my DGDs’ school in the art department; but, the only time I got to do so, the teacher acted like she was being ‘threatened’ that I wanted to ‘take over’. I don’t want her job; I was never meant to be a ‘teacher’. She told me that her ‘young ones’ had never sat that still for her that long of a time. I can understand it – her room looked like a tornado had hit it. Looked like a storage room where nothing was put back in place, just thrown. She’d have several piles of things; and, I don’t see that she ever planned a class. IMHO. You’ve got to find things quickly to keep the attention of little ones. Gee, I would have ‘volunteered’ to come help her ‘organize’; but, every time I called the school to volunteer was told she’d call me back; never did it. Figured then, I would enjoy my ‘own’ painting and drawing and for the past 12 - 15 or more years, that is ‘exactly’ what I have done. I like to see the ‘shocked’ look on the faces of my family members when I give them something they have wanted painted or drawn. Sometimes just ‘being there’ is what God wants for you.

I’ve been disabled/retired for nearly 20 years (not the way I wanted to go out); but, it took me a good 3 years to get ‘over it’; then, throw in a move, a huge decrease in what I was making; having my retirement check drop significantly when I turned 62; had it drop more due to premiums to my COBRA’ed insurance (because I am the only one who has insurance, and husband needed it); had it drop significantly 2 years running, life insurance stopped at 65. I am taking home less than ½ of what I gross in my retirement. The .03% raise, we received this year, when you factor in that Medicare premiums went up just a ‘smidgen’ more; I get $1 less in my SSD check. WTH? It’s not about $$$, it is about what you can make out of ‘lemons’. I have an entire grove of them, and, I don’t even live in FL. Getting better; but, I really missed my job until my boss went out of a medical disability less than 10 months to go to full retirement. He died right before he would have been able to retire (from cancer). It was so hard watching him go down like that.

Gloria – Get some Coconut Oil, it will make your skin feel like silk! My DDnL#2 got me on that. Healing; but, don’t forget the water intake. I could not stand taking Fish Oil; every time I burped, that is what I tasted. GAG-A-MONKEY! I don’t think I could stand the smell of the Krill Oil gel caps. You can also ‘cook’ with coconut oil; but, I won’t cook with the Coconut Oil I have because it has that coconut odor to it. I checked coconut oil (that would have been made specifically for cooking). I guess they are odor-free … My goodness … more expensive than I want to pay for oil. Buying Olive Oil is expensive … Louis has questioned me about ‘what did I cook something in’? He can taste the Olive Oil, I can’t. But, he also swears there is a BIG difference between “Coffee Mate” and ‘other’ less expensive ‘store brands’. He buys a small jar to take with us when we go away.

There are just ‘some’ things I can’t pull the wool over his eyes about. I buy Dixie-Crystal Sugar (even though it is a few cents higher) because his Granddaddy was transferred to Savannah, GA from somewhere in Louisiana to build the boiler for the plant in GA. Before they would do it; however, he had to learn how to read, speak, and write English enough to be able to do his job there. All his workers took time to teach him. But, Louis said that when he got aggravated, he would curse in French with a strong Cajun accent. The stories the family told were hysterical. I wish I could have known him. Louis’ Dad was the ‘grumpy’ one of the bunch … the other 7 kids in the family played all sorts of pranks on their parents. Get them together, one would start telling a stories and that would bring up, ‘do you remember when …;’ I tried to write them down; but, they were just too fascinating not to get deeply involved and you could not even begin to get them straight. I recorded them one day; and, it was impossible to transcribe it.

When his uncle, (one that he lived with while working in Atlanta) who was living in an Assisted Living Facility had his 95th birthday, the living children and nieces and nephews went up for a party. We all ate together in the cafeteria; then we went out in one of the lobby sections to talk. Aunt Ellie would call out to ‘every man’ who walked in the door or walked by … “Hello, Darling!” She has the ‘sexiest’ sounding voice. She’d ‘click her tongue’ and some of the women with these men would give her the ‘eat $#*T and die’ look. We were all sitting there and telling stories and the little bitty old lady walks up to her and says, ‘you’ve got my chair’! Ellie looked at her, turned around both ways looking at the chair she was sitting in, bent over, and turned and looked at the woman and said, “Well, I don’t see YOUR name on it and I am sitting in it!” The woman just ‘huffed’ and walked off. She calls after her, 'well you don't have to go get all mad about it'. This just made Ellie be more persistent. Mary, the ‘baby’ of the family told her she was going to get them thrown out of the place. We were being pretty loud; but, you just could not get that group together without being loud.

Lisa – Yeah, I am finding that to be true of the Sue Grafton books; but, they have to be ordered from another library in the State and sent here. I stopped ordering 2 at a time; because invariably one would come ‘out of sequence’ … and while she takes up the major portion of the beginning chapter of the book to try to bring you ‘up to speed’ … it is best to read them in order. I think Jonathan Kellerman has a couple of series; because the main character in one of his books has been in and out of several relationships, and it is obvious when you have picked up one ‘out of sequence’. Sometimes you can get a ‘good’ librarian to help you get started correctly. One that we have read a lot of his seems to have started a story and just carries it on in every book. He has written a lot that we have read; but, at the moment cannot think of the name.

I’ve wanted to ‘rant and rave’ … typed it out (journal it) and just deleted it without posting. Journaling in the way I get things off my chest. Typing is extremely relaxing to me.

Lenora

patceoh wrote: »

[quote="

Cheri love the tracker

Making these today:



I have the nutrition info if you are interested.

Have a good weekend everyone Sarah, Ontario

Showed DH the picture.He Loves cookies & candy. Said " ask for the recipe" LOL[/quote]

OMGoodness I just watched a video today about making these! My mouth is watering! Let us know how they come out!

Cheri
in rainy College Station, TX

Kate ... sorry to hear you have gall stones ... praying the pain soon passes ...

Kelly ... thanks for the tea bag offer ... I'll look around for them first!

Drkatiebug ... consultant ... that was the word I couldn't come up with for the life of me!

I have stayed on track today!! Yay! After 3 days of being a nincompoop and eating everything but sugar, I finally got my act together. The gluten based carbs are my nemesis ... removed those completely today and now I'm sitting here at 8:30 in the evening with 450 calories for a snack! And I will have that snack! Probably yogurt with berries or some popcorn.

Did get caught up with some house chores today too ... so all in all a good day.

Beth near Buffalo

Jjjjjjj

Night all - I'm gonna take this old body and go to bed! Think I'll meditate first.

Lisa - Corey is making great progress if he is sleeping without painkillers. That is fantastic news.

Heather - Bea's first birthday. How exciting!

Margaret - Sending prayers for your DH and also for you.

Pip - Sounds like it was a good meeting. I hope you get the position that you want and that everything works out. It seems most companies don't give much thought to the dignity or feelings of even long term employees.
We just had a major round of cuts at our head office, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Chris - Too funny about the book club. Isn't it weird what people choose to accept about us?

Joyce - Please tell Sherry that we miss her and care about her. I'm glad that she has someone to comfort her.

Lenora - Glad to hear that your headache went away.

Lois - Yes, we have a lot of sun. The Canada geese are supposed to migrate but tend to stick around. I love it when I am lucky enough to see the trumpeter swans on the river. We often take a cruise in our convertible in the summer to either Waterton International Peace Park or to the Crow's Nest Pass.

Gloria- I got my Vitamin D today. I walked along the road while Chico chased gophers ( don't worry , he didn't catch any)

Karen in Virginia - That is a lovely photo of Olivia and Katie.

Kate - I'm sorry you have gall stones. My DDIL went on a very specific diet for hers until they finally took out her gall bladder.

Rori - Praying for your niece to find healing and peace.


Trying to get our paper work all in order to send off to our accountant. Larry's organization of his papers has me baffled but I am slowly getting the tangle straightened out.

Les stopped in this morning to give me the $$ for the flowers I delivered on Valentine's Day. He still can't believe that $45 got them flowers for both ladies. Costco. He and my sister are going to look at a venue for my niece's wedding. I still can't believe she is planning on pulling together this wedding in this short a time frame but if anyone can it will be her. I think my DD and I will be doing the wedding cake. This will be the 3rd one that we have done together. I won't be surprised if DS gets asked to DJ. I really like the idea that we may be able to take our trailer up.

We went to McDonald's and got our free coffee. I still am not crazy for coffee with only milk in it. I doctor it with vanilla and cinnamon at home. We drove out to Mountain Estates and gawked at the huge houses out there. We picked out our favourites and continued toward the river. Larry let Chico out and we walked as he joyously chased gophers. Car wash time and then a visit at our son's. Sweet Harmony gave me lots of her hugs and let me babysit some of her "babies". She is very excited about her mother's new pet sitting venture.

I am not sure how long I can hold out before I have my regular dessert for the month. Larry talked about going to Tim Horton's for a doughnut but I talked him into the free coffee and an Eatmore bar instead. I don't like them at all. I am finding this No Sugar a big challenge. My DD is having withdrawal headaches from having no caffeine or chocolate. Tomorrow is her Pee in a Jerry Can day and then she can have coffee again.

Today I found out that a school mate died. Kelly was only 63. He had been into Cocaine and went through rehab. 2 years ago he had a double lung transplant and then a liver transplant. I knew him very well when we were younger and his brother is still my younger brother's best friend. Last summer I went to his Mom's funeral, she was 99. I thought life had turned around for him. It is sad.

I talked to my brother today. He sounded so old. He has started the peritenal? dialysis at home. He says it will get better as he gets his routine down. I hope so. He did go to Seniors yesterday to play crib. He made himself walk there. We don't know yet if my son will be a match.

Larry's brother has decided not to come here for his MRI even though it is supposed to be the best machine in Western Canada. He is still waiting for a doctor to get back . I think he is going to a private clinic in Lloydminster.

-Sharon in Lethbridge (hoping you all didn't fall asleep reading this long winded essay)

Kate UK - I only had intermittent pain with my gallstones, which was very acute and lasted about 15 mins. Once I was taken off a train at Waterloo and taken to hospital in an ambulance. The paramedics thought it was a heart attack!
I found I could eat most things, except for "rich" and spicy food. Curry was out for a while. Nothing swimming in fat. I did ok on normal food. After the op, which went fine, I was able to eat anything again. I don't restrict my fats now. Don't even think about it. Just get an investigation scheduled as soon as possible (not easy I know, a bit of persistence needed) and get that thing out!

DH did his exercise this morning, but very slowly. He is very coldy. Weather here overnight was atrocious. Rain, wind. Yuk!
My Portsmouth friend has gone to the Isle of Wight on her own to celebrate her 68th birthday. It's just south of here. Not great weather, but I think the hotel does massages etc. A good day for a massage.

Still thinking about how to get to my niece's 18th birthday meal on Thursday. One problem is that DH doesn't get on with my large extended family, although he likes my brother etc ok. So it's got to be easy. I think we will get the local bus, which is free to old age pensioners, get my brother to pick us up in Southampton and I will pay the huge cost of a taxi back home afterwards. That might work.

Love Heather UK xxxxxxx

Good morning ladies! Happy Sunday! Well, I weighed in and I am at 228. So...my February weight loss is two pounds. A little disappointed, but considering that I added more strength training last month, then the "memorial" eating, which was heavy carb (not good for me). I will take that two pound loss and see what I can do in March.
Quads are a bit sore today due to the continued squat challenge and the more regular walks.
Tracking systems- I think I have mentioned before, I track my water using colored hair bands on my water bottle. (I use blue ones for water). I have a 20 oz water bottle and I put 6 hair bands near the top of the bottle; as I finish a full bottle, I move a band down to the bottom, refill the bottle and continue. I try to have 60 oz in me by noon. I usually average between 80 and 120 oz a day. I do know, the more water I drink, the less I eat.
Sarah- I was just thinking about starting some of my herbs! I wish I had a south facing window that the kids couldn't get at...maybe I can rig a hanging shelf...out of their reach...something to think about.
Marni- Hey lady! Good to see you!
Well, I think that's all I have! I posted twice yesterday and talked myself out. Oh, the carne asada turned out very nice! A hit with the family. Another recipe we will be trying this week is Tikka masala. Making my own masala. They have bottled brands, but I am always leery of those sauces bc they always seem to be too salty. I have all of the ingredients and spices, so why not try my hand at making my own. It calls for butter and heavy cream/yogurt. My son has given up dairy for lent, so thinking about switching up the dairy with something else; coconut milk or almond milk? Anyone have any experience making masala and thoughts on what would work best as a substitution? NYKaren or Heather?

Good morning Ladies!

Popping in before I have to get myself in gear to finish up the paperwork for the accountant. I closed my business last year so it shouldn't take too long and thankfully this is the last year I have to post for the business. Yippee! I always dreaded it and after 20 years I'm glad this will be the last time.

I weighed in this morning and have officially lost all the weight I gained last year, 8.8 lbs. One full pound lost this week.I am now at my original goal of losing 43 lbs. which I met on December 31, 2015. I set a new goal of losing 5 more lbs and will probably set a new one after that. I still have a layer of fat and am at the top of the healthy BMI range so it's not like I'm trying to go ridiculously low.

Funny how when I was in my 30's I was 15 lbs, lighter and because of the height/weight charts back then was made to believe I was overweight. How times and sensibility have changed, thank Goodness. I may have enjoyed my 30's more if I had known, oh well, water under the bridge.

Good day to everyone!

Chris in 13 degree MA, I miss the 70 degree weather we had 2 weeks ago. Gotta love New England!

Sunday, sunny, and frigid in CT