WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR MARCH 2018

Greetings Lovely Ladies!
I am by no means caught up with posts as lots going on here. I need to quit dropping things. Broke my phone last night by dropping it for second time in 2 days. Broke a glass by dropping it. Broke something else yesterday. I need to slow down and be more mindful. Replacement phone coming today. Hope it is better than the last replacement one I got. I really don't want to shell out money for a new one when I haven't paid off this one yet!

Congrats to all the "losers"! Great job! Stay safe to all those celebrating Spring with snow. We got about 5" on grassy areas.

Was so busy yesterday I didn't get water in, didn't get steps in, and ate at Wendy's last night. It was the best option at the time. Stayed below calories though! And my scale was down 1.4 pounds for weigh in yesterday.

Have to get ready for work. Will keep reading! Thank you all for sharing your challenges and victories!


Kylia in OMG this crazy life Ohio!

Good Morning All,

I love Thursdays because tomorrow is Friday; I am worse than the kids. I want to thank
Macho
Kymara
Terry
Beth
Charlie Ann
Barbara
for your general encouragement and some for specific insights into OA. I went to a 2nd meeting last night with my friend who is a returning member. I bought another book. I made it through Day 3 yesterday; we will see what today brings, and I am hopeful. I am going to try to go to another meeting tonight in Mississippi at 7 pm "by myself" but whether I make it depends on getting back from a scheduled visit to the vet for Harley. Going to really try, and here's why: as much as I deeply love and appreciate my friend's willingness to partner with me as she goes back into OA, I am wondering if sometime when she can't make it, I might say, "Hmmm, well, I won't go either." Plus I would like a little larger group because although the two meetings I went to were in different locations, it was the same people. Anyway, I told her and she tasked me with the recon! I am surprised that the OA group mentioned before made you feel bad about gaining weight back; that does NOT sound in the spirit of anything I have read or experienced. I hear there are online meetings, etc., but I am going to try and keep it simple.

It is a little bit hard not to look ahead at the scary days with inherent triggers for me (and there are some ahead): traveling, parties, meetings (like yesterday the school brought in donuts in the am and pizza for everyone for lunch since we administered the ACT to 625 teenagers, the pre-ACT to that many more and had a huge job fair for seniors. I resisted the well-intended food), being in pain or injuring myself. Anyway, I decided just to address the triggers of the day.

I love all of the beautiful flower pictures. I think I am going to get some indoor plants this weekend.

Happy Thursday,

Caroline in TN

Janetr love the wreathe! I too appreciate no snow!

Lanette the classes I am taking are at a local YMCA. The instructor goes to a variety of venues. She brings in all of the supplies and tries to pick subjects we can paint in the time allowed. I learn something every time I go. She is a wonderful teacher. She gives you the basics, but encourages you to find your voice in your painting. I have always enjoyed art and used gardening as an outlet. I am enjoying finding another outlet.

M in OZ. I agree with you I don't understand why Criminal Minds is still on. My sister taught abnormal psych classes and I told her the same thing. Be careful what you allow into your mind because it does not go away. I remember hearing an interview with an actor who refused certain roles because of what they would do to him. I am still convinced that part of what killed Heath Ledger was his role of the joker in the Batman Movie.

Yes we know these horrible things exist. I was a chemist in a different life. I remember working around hydrochloric acid and I knew how dangerous it was, and I treated it as such. We seem to fail to see how harmful allowing cruelty as a means to entertain us can be. Just because it is offered as entertainment does not mean it is a good choice.

As an educator I know I have to be aware of what is going on in the world. It used to be the adults were the filter that tried to keep the the worst from our children. Today the filters appear to be gone. As an educator I am still left with the task of how to help the students I work with how to live in a world where boundaries are not respected. Some of my favorite methods is to use stories especially fables from all over the world. The lessons they teach are easier to hear than a lecture. A small victory for me is when I returned to a classroom with a very challenging student. He remembered the story The Empty Pot I read.

It is a story from China about an Emperor who want to find his successor. He hands out seeds to the children and tells them he will choose his successor when they bring back their pots in set amount of time. The story follows a young boy who dutifully waters and takes care of his pot. Nothing grows despite all his hard work. He is discouraged and says to his father I guess I best not go. His father knows how hard he worked. He convinces his son to go and tell the emperor how hard he worked to get his plant to grow. When the boy arrives he sees all the other children have beautiful plants and flowers. He stands with his empty pot. They other children laugh at him. The Emperor arrives and has each child present their pot. The boy explains to the emperor all he did to get his plant to grow. The Emperor announces I have found my successor. It is the boy with the empty pot. He goes on to explain that the seeds he gave out were cooked and incapable of growing. Only one of you used the seeds I gave. It is the boy with the empty pot. The fact the story was illustrated by Demi was icing on the cake for me.

Margaret

Terry yes next is tan stripes with burlap flowers. Then yellow and lastly turquoise stripes. My husband cuts the wreaths from scrap wood and paints them for me. He's the talented one

Janetr OKC

After four hours in DMV yesterday, I am now officially a New Mexico resident and so is my car. DH didn’t want to do it yet. He wants to run out his current CT license.

Now we can plan where our next destination will be and get ready to move on. I am ready for a change!

RV Rita in Columbus New Mexico

Hi everyone...still pushing through with my eating plan...not so much on the exercise, but am getting in around 3000 steps per day. Maybe I will push myself to get in 4000 today since I have the day off. I'm on call this weekend so have today off. They don't like to pay us overtime at all and i'm fine with that because I really don't need the money. the young nurses all want that overtime. Last thanksgiving I had to do call and was asked by one of the other nurse if they could have it, of course I was generous. Me and Dexter are getting use to walking around the neighborhood for our mini walks several times per day. Dexter actually looks forward for it. I noticed his breathing has improved in only few days of gradual increased activity. I'm enjoying the signs of spring with the birds waking me up again in the morning and NO snow. It is interesting how I leave my home without snow and go to a patients house one hour away to see about one foot of snow. I have like a million things to do after catching up with all of you like clean my house, grocery store, library to drop off and pick up books, banking and I should be going to get my taxes done.

Terry...Cool that me and you started this program one day from each other. Green bean pie does not sound appetizing to me. I'm sure it is good if you say so though. I have a problem with thinning hair too. I hate it.

Marcelyn...gardening doesn't start around here in Ohio until middle of May. How exciting that you can already start.

Lanette...I know MMA, my ex-husband use to watch that. I found it so boring. But, I loved to watch dancing and he found that boring. As for doing the walk at Walmart, it may not get you to the front of the line but we may get to see you all over the nation when they post the carzy people at Walmart on Facebook. lol.

Kobi...congratulations on your wedding in May...I wish you the best of luck.

Rye... sounds like your cat is a ham. i'm glad he/she is doing better

Yvonne...you are right, having to count each thing makes you have to sit back and decide if it is worth it.

Felicia...yes, I always feel like I mad a big mess out of my life until I see other peoples messed up lives and realize I didn't do so bad so far.

Margaret...you definitely have talent. you work is beautiful. I especially love the nest with the little *kitten* willow tree it sits on

Katla...I don't use flea control on my dog because he is not really around any other dogs. i'm afraid the flea powder will be bad for him. if he gets fleas i'm sure i'd use it at that time. If I were to use it i'd ask his vet what they recommend.

Joyce...I've been in nursing for 37 years and have just recently started to question my career choice. I still love what I do, but feel the company just expects way too much out of us. As for volunteers, we could not exist as a hospice without our volunteers. they are way more important than any of them can imagine.

MinOz...my favorite show is criminal minds. I love the characters on that show

Sue...so funny about the ashes blowing back in their faces. I almost choked on my coffee reading that. BTW, your dog is precious.

Using catching up with y'all as my reminder to breathe today - gearing up to travel and our main event has me running with my ears laid back!

Love y'all!
Lisa in NC for 21 more days (and technically only 15, as six will be spent traveling or working in Texas/New Mexico).

Well surprise, surprise. The 4.2 lbs down yesterday bounced back up 2.9 today. Doggone Joe for bringing home that bag of Jordan Almonds! The lovely, rich, salty, asparagus, mushroom, parmesan pasta leftover is now in the freezer for the next red wine day. Today will be salad with chicken breast, clementines and bubblewater

Wendy and Machka beautiful beach pics!
Sharon belated best anniversary wishes. Love the vacouver walk pics, what smiles!
Kate sorry Spain wasn't sunny for you ;{
Penny "...in full control. Like running on icy roads" HaHAH!
Kylia love your "anything" you can do to get the heart rate up, especially the public bathroom punches and twists!
Karen in VA Envy your compost pile, the occasional browsing bear makes composting unwise here. You got SNOW in Va on the first day of spring? :noway: "physical limitations can be a catalyst for positive change." Amen, sister and the two tarp method. So, are YOU a writer like Lisa and Heather?
Okie and Barbie, ok you've convinced me to try walking in place while watching TV with Joe.
Terry thanks for the recipe! Joe likes green beans but is back on his "no beef" kick. I'm happy to have him moderate his red meat intake, BUT... he'll turn his nose up at things I make with organic grass fed or uncured nitrate-free meat, then stop at Burger King for two whoppers. Frustrating! I might just try the pie with Morningstar soy crumbles instead of the beef, and with a store bought crust. Have yet to make a successful piecrust and no longer interested in trying Using your vacation to spring clean? Honey, get a grip, that is NOT what vacation is for! Good luck with the foot MRI and find another way to get your house cleaned.
Allie our youngest Skye Terrier is barky too. One of the dog group trainers suggested I teach her to "speak!" bark on command, then "enough" to stop. Haven't figured out yet how to do this tho'... ;}
Marcelyn ". . .get the watermelon in" so jealous!
Lanette "the McGregor strut" made me laugh too. Doesn't laughter double any calorie burn? Thanks!
Betty, glad your DH understands how important it is. Joe is pre-diabetic but has yet to get the clue to limit alcohol and sweets. Nagging hasn't worked, so I'm stuck with modeling the behaviour, not something I do well. ;{
Evelyn, likewise was raised with no siblings, didn't meet my half sisters til we were in our forties. My only experience with sibs was with my Mama and my aunt. They had a riotous relationship as children which continued throughout their lives. One time they got into a verbal fight moments after we arrived in KC from California. Mama got so mad she called a taxi to take us back to the train station. Thankfully she had him drive us around the neighborhood while she cooled down and we returned to complete the visit in relative peace. Mama was a firecracker and there were no flies on Aunt Lil.
Rye read your post with great interest. Sure you'll find ways to have similar experiences. e.g. would a recumbent trike be safe for you? "Life is too short for the futile 'practice its' and shame..." Delighted you've had this epiphany. Brava, BRAVA!
Yvonne, love love LOVE the poem! Hope your brother has plans for keeping his Norway visitors from mellllltttttinnnggg.
NYKaren "need some green and spinach salad is all I've got" LOL!
Katla "walking... dancing" Woo HOO! two down and SWSY to go. Many thanks. We give both dogs Simparica monthly. Idaho was too dry and too cold for 7 months of the year to have fleas. Frontline worked when the weather warmed. When we moved to Brookings we got instantly infested. Frontline no match for the robust coastal fleas. Unfortunately none of the non-poisonous treatments worked. We had to spray house with Knockout and yard with Durakenin. Hopeful that this year the Simparica will keep the dogs flea free and we can keep them out of the house by puffing diatomaceous earth all around. Fingers X'd.
Becca and your wise older sister has a wise younger sister to act on her advice. Hope your trip to the Navy Lodge is both productive and enjoyable.
Heather what a rock/hard place to be, needing bear witness for your inner child, yet also trying to protect your children. Long hurtful shadow. Katla's words are wisdom indeed. Like Penny, I prefer the original title, and am rooting for you.
Felicia "expectations regarding behavior" depends on the relationship you have with those people you live with. Are they dependent children? Then expectations are de rigeur. Are they contributing adults? Then perhaps negotiations are in order. Just my two cents
Margaret changed it to "kitten" willow? ROTFL! programmed Bowdlerisation, pfui! Yet I totally agree with the need to filter what we allow into our and our children's minds. Cruelty as entertainment shows how corrupt our society has become, imho.
Barbie, words fail. Glad the nap didn't
Joyce missed you yesterday.
Machka "horrible things one human could do to another" amen. Murder She Wrote, Monk, Hallmark Mysteries, Perry Mason and Matlock re-runs are just my speed.
Suebdew "Not exactly what they had planned" indeed, and a lesson to us all but it made me snort my tea. ;}
Katla and Lanette, not a fan of teleporters, fear the rearrangement at destination would somehow differ from the original. Gateways, via tesseract, now that I'd go for...
Karen UK enforced extended stay in snowy Cornwall, sounds lovely to me
Kylia "need to slow down and be more mindful" ditto. Loosing my grip.
Caroline What a victory to resist donuts and pizza. Well Done! When it's hard not to look ahead, that's the time for a micro action. Worrying about a trigger? Plan one strategy then come back to here and now and move something
Rita four hours at DMV? :noway:
Laura Can Machka's and Wendy's beach pics, "transport" you... ?
CharlieAnn your 3000 steps yesterday beat mine. Keep on keeping on!

Welcome Kobi, beautiful dress!

There's a break in the rain, so will dress to galoshes and stroll Tumble around the yard. Then break fast, meditate and finish taxes. Really.

Yesterday
Walk Tumble: no
Log: yes
Meditate: yes
Exercises: knees
Steps: 2587 vs goal 5119

Barbara, the Southern Oregon Coastie AHMOD.

Today is World Water Day!

"It’s a sad but true fact that 783 million people around the world still do not have access to clean water. Over 2.5 million people still do not have proper access to adequate sanitation facilities.... Water is such a precious commodity that many take for granted. World Water Day is a chance to think about those people and places where water needs are still paramount, and seek to work together to find a solution."

Rye - Oh, I meant the grave marker at the foot of the grave. There is a big headstone in the family plot - it just has our last name on it. Each grave then has a small footstone that gives their name, dates, etc. That's what we need to order for Dad.

Karen - That's a clever system for unloading a truck full of stuff at the landfill!

Becca - What is this "tax refund" you speak of? Just kidding, I remember those. Self-employed people never get tax refunds... Philip and I have to write a big fat check every year. I guess that's better than letting the government use my money all year.

Margaret - Kittenwillow! I love it! Think I'm going to start calling it that. And I love your nest painting. Beautiful colors and lines.

Sue - Your tale about the ashes blowing back into the plane reminded me of this one: My friend married a divorced man. He and his first wife had lost a daughter and, as sometimes happened, everything had gone downhill from there. When his ex-wife found out he was dating someone new, she went into his house and scattered their daughter's ashes all around the house. I told Philip I don't want to end up in a vacuum cleaner bag, so he should pick a nice place outdoors to scatter me!

Janet - The wreath is adorable! Love the contrast of the delicate pinks in the flowers with the stark black and white. You are so talented!

Rita - Spend some time around Chama and Taos if you can. In the fall you can pick your own raspberries in Mora. Valley of Fires State Park in Carrizozo is a cool place to RV, as is Bottomless Lakes State Park. And go down to Faywood to stay at City of Rocks State Park! From there you could wander over to Glenwood and Lordsburg, which are nice. If you like science, do take a day trip to the Very Large Array in Magdalena (where the movie Contact was filmed). It's a very interesting place to explore. Oh, yes, and if you want a treat, Ten Thousand Waves in Santa Fe gives a discount to NM residents.


The purple has almost all washed out of my hair - wah! Think I'll wait to renew it until after my date with the probate court next week. Trying to look respectable for the judge.

I messed up yesterday with my diet and exercise. Had an attack of don't-wannas that I just couldn't shake. That's OK, I'm back on it today. I'll get my exercise in early today so I don't have to think about it after work, and I've got some LuLaRoe to pick up this afternoon so Luna and I may take a long walk to the consultant's house.

Talked to my sister last night and we are going to go look at monument companies to take care of Dad's grave marker after the probate hearing next week. The hearing is Wednesday afternoon so I'll just stay through the weekend. I've got to do some web research and find a few prospects for us to get quotes from.

In honor of World Water Day, I'll share this: WellAware (https://wellawareworld.org/) is an Austin, Texas nonprofit that works to provide sustainable solutions to water scarcity and contamination in Africa.

Everybody remember to be grateful for clean water from the faucet today!

-Yvonne in TX