WW Clubs and Groups - Feisty & Sexy 50-60 year olds #79

G'day all,

For me there has been good news and my liver function appears to returning back to normal. My doctor says that she understands my anxiety but there really is nothing to worry about. I also went to a naturopath and he more or less confirmed what the doctor said. He also suggested a very strict eating plan, no meat, chicken or dairy foods and only fish twice a week. He makes a distinction between alkaline and acid foods, we should have 80% alkaline foods (mostly pretty boring stuff) and 20% acid foods. It makes sense what he says and I will certainly take his advice in account however I cannot see myself eat a platefull of vegetables every meal!!!!
I am feeling very much better which is a great relieve.
My gum is healing nicely where the tooth was removed, only now causing slight discomfort.
I doubt if I will go for an implant, the cost is quite ridiculous and the removed tooth was right at the back of my mouth. I prefer to spend the money on the teeth that can be seen!!!

I was sad to receive Slavika's email this morning with her news. After such a great holiday it must be very hard to cope with this latest turn of events on returning home. :(
A lot of these inspirational type presentations I find a bit over the top but the one this morning that Slavika received from her brother is a definite keeper, quite beautiful.

Take care all,

Cheers
Maria

Maria does your naturopath think you should become a Vegetarian? It seems harsh to only have 2 meals of fish as the highlight of the week. Not sure I could do it. I think that becoming a Vegetarian is a healthy way of eating, but I would have to learn how to cook all over again. Somehow you have to get your protein, I guess from legumes and soya products?? Am I off base here? It sure isn't any fun getting old and having to change a lifetime of habits. I am so glad that you don't have any liver problems and it was just a glich. What a relief for you.... now you can go on your camping trip with no worries. Now with your gum healing you will be in tip top shape, or as near as you can come to it... "at your age".. :lol: I just hate that phrase. I must have heard that a half dozen times this last year.

I want to wish Gloria and Glenda a belated Happy Birthday.:hb: Your not getting older only better..:belly:

Hang in there Slavika.. we are all praying :grouphug: for the both of you :hug:

I agree Trudy...I will try and modify my diet somewhat but going totally vegetarian or more correctly to a vegan type of eating is a little bit too much.
I am not the world's best cook and it has taken me 61 years to get to this level of expertise;):D and now I have to change it all again:dizzy::?:

I like the bellydance you did for Glenda and Gloria's birthdays:D

I have never been a'camping' type of person but I am really looking forward to getting away from everything for a few months.
I am so pleased I am feeling so much better and the added bonus has been that I have lost a bit of weight and fingers crossed :crossed: this will continue.

Cheers
Maria

Hi Everybody............you gals are just fantastic. Thank you so much for your emails of encouragement and support. I am feeling better now then I did this morning (sometimes I just need a little time to work everything out in my brain). I asked David this afternoon if he was feeling sick today, or in pain and he said. "no", so I said. "then we are the same today as we were yesterday", and we will continue to fight this cancer with the new drug TOGETHER just like we have been doing for over a year. He still feels good, and looks great with his longish curly hair. :) Once again we will make an effort to keep our lives as "normal" as possible, and for us both to continue doing the things we want to do. Our Son took him out to lunch today and that was good because our boy is very optimistic and he is really good for his father, besides which he knew his Dad would pay for the lunch. LOL LOL :D :) I also wanted to tell you MARIA how happy I was to read your good news about the results you got from your doctor. :carrot: One more thing....Happy Birthday to our "Birthday Gals". :gift: :woo: Oh yes, I almost forgot, when David went to lunch I went to WW (he insisted I go since he wasn't even going to be home) and I was happy with a loss of 4#. :dust: It was tough on Easter Sunday to just have a "little bit of ice creeam cake". TRUDY, thank you my friend, our telephone conversation helped me a lot and yes I know that we can always count on you and DH. David's going to bed now and I think I will too. Night all. :grouphug:

Slavika you sound much better . Am glad you have your head on straight now and can focus on being a positive influence for your DH. You can count on us to listen when youm need to vent!

Maria I glad you are better and that you have no real trouble with your liver. I agree on the new diet thing yuck. I know I could never eat like a vegan and I truly hate fish. Am going to go call my Mom . Talk to you all later

Back to the lamb. We are both fond of lamb and a restaurant we go to often has lamb shank. Very good and I get lamb shoulder chops. The last ones I got came from Australia. A good leg of lamb is very expensive for just the two of us, so we go along with the substitutes.

Belated happy birthday to you gals.

Maria: I'm so glad that your problem is better and that you will be aable to enjoy your vacation/camping trip. I amde a similaar decision about a back tooth I had to have pulled. And I still am able to chew etc, okay. I think I could be a vegetarian without too much trouble. but since DH loves his meat, I would find it harder, always cooking two meals.

Slavika: you are sounding more upbeat in a most difficult situation. I'm glad for both of you that you can work together as before. Great support for each other, and somehow I have always felt that women are the stronger sex. That's why we are the ones who give birth. So you will be strong for your David. And of course we will all be there for you the best we can, long distance.

Karen: Hope things are going well for your Mom. How are you doing? I want to get back to WW but I have had to miss 4 Sat. in a row, because of other committments, and this week too. So I have been very lax and have gained. So of course, phychologically I don't want to go back and admit I have fallen back to my old ways. It sure does get frustrating.

See you all later. Ann

Slavika, when you start making jokes and being more yourself, we all know you have had time to process this latest development. I have a theory--it is that most of us cannot stay in that strained, scared, miserable state for long because we get too tired and we start thinking about getting there from here. Glad your son took him out for lunch and you lost FOUR POUNDS! WOW! Your family in the Easter play made such a memory!

Maria, I am so happy for you! You are right--after you have had bad news, you always are more gloomy about tests "at your age." I am vegetarian, not vegan. I think that would be very, very hard, because I love dairy and eggs. I actually love the fake bacon and fake corndogs, etc. I even love veggie burgers, actually better than the real kind because I know they aren't flesh. I am weird, but enjoying this.

Regarding my son and his roof, it wasn't from a tornado, but from his sawing on a huge tree in his backyard. We are still in a burn ban, so it hasn't rained nearly enough. And my awful face: went back at 12 weeks and agreed with the lady to go 6 more weeks. I have 3 more after this week. I am so tired of red, scaley skin, but inbetween the cycles I see a huge difference, I think. Don't know I would have done this at the outset if I had known 18 weeks.

Karen, you are getting back into things, I know. Your blue fairy was beautiful.

I couldn't sleep last night, but I sure could now. it is now 2:30--at 5 I will crash.

Be good and keep smiling. Maria, how much have you lost?

G'day all,

Still sitting here in my pijamas at 11.30 am!
I am about to have a shower and get ready to go to see some friends down the coast, about 1 hour drive.
these friends were supposed to have come with us on our trip but they cannot leave when we leave and we cannot when they do!!!!! so hopefully we catch up with them somewhere up North. We will discussing our likely route. We have radio contact and we also have a satelite phone for emergencies.
Next week will be our last week home, dh has to go to Sydney for 3 days, I have doctors, dentist, hair appointments :eek:
It will be pretty full on next week. We really don't go out that much but next week we are out Fridaynight, Saturdaynight and off to a 60th breakfast on Sunday morning.
I will be glad when we finally hit the road on Monday.

Glenda that is a long time with this face peel, no turning back now, I am sure it will be worth it.
By the way, I have lost a little over 5 pounds these past few weeks.

I am a bit like you Ann, I could quite easily be vegetarian, I eat little meat but my dh also loves his meat. Lamb shanks are pretty cheap here however short loin chops are very expensive and of course, our favourite:D;) We often have a roast leg of lamb with heaps of roast veggies, the kids always look forward to coming for a roast at least once a forthnight.

Off to have my shower,

Have a great weekend all,
Cheers
Maria

Well my chairmanship of our Hoe Down evening is over and I am recuperating. It did turn out to be a success, and everyone had a good time. There were about 6 of us that made potaato salad, cole slaw and beans for 158. We purchased the ribs and chicken. And volunteers made cakes. It was sort of like a dinner theater, and the 'actors' did a lot of funny stuff, and sang and just generally had a fun time. We did it to raise money for a local charity called Adopt a Nursing Home, inc. They do all sorts of things for the nursing homes and assisted living facilities around here. Take ambulatory patients to shows, and that sort of stuff. do gospel sings in the facilities, provide craft materials over and above what the facility provides, and also gives Christmas gifts. Quite a worthy cause. I am happy to say that we could give them $600 and we still cleared all of our expenses with a very little left over.

Maria: I am so glad you are feeling better and that your Dr. assures you it was not something to be overly concerned about. I hope your camping trip will be most enjoyable for you both. I imagine you will have some awesome pictures. Will you be able to have any email contact, or are you going to be in the 'boonies' where that is not possible? We don't get the small loin chops, they are too expensive here too. But we do get shoulder chops and they are good.

Karen: Loved your 'Blue fairy" For some reason the email didn't get to me, but I was able to see it in one of the replies.

Slavika: Congrats on the #4. lost. I hope I can get back into the swing of things and regain some lost ground. I have just not cared the last few weeks. And since I have had ankle problems I can't walk and that has make a big difference.

Glenda: I hope you will be truly satisfied with your facial treatments when they are all over and done. You have had quite some sessions. We ginally got rain today, and yesterday, and also on Friday. I was at the Cancer Relay function on Friday and thought the Survivor walk was going to get rained out, but by the time we finished with dinner it had cleared and the program went off as scheduled. I sold my daughters Bracelet of Hope and Survivor bracelets and did quite well for her and the American Cancer Society. It was a fun experience.

Gloria: I was reading about your DH and his love of kids. Mine too, and when we go out to eat he is always wanting to talk to kids. One time a little girl said to him. 'I'm not allowed to talk to strangers". We felt sad that they just couldn't have a little fun. The world we live in is a hard place to raise kids.

Peggy: I suppose that it is back to school now for the last few weeks. I always looked forward to summer vacation time, for sure.

Trudy: Hope you and your DH are both feeling better.

I am still tired from the weekend, and so will say goodnight for now. :yawn: Ann

Hi Everybody.....we have had all this "talk" in our emails about clotheslines and I recalled something that happened when I was abour 9 years old I think. My Mother of course had a clothesline like everybody else in the area and I remember her bringing in the clothes in the winter and they would just be stiff from the cold. The clothesline we had was a metal line, actually two lines that worked on this round kind of pulley thingee. One very very cold day my Mother asked me to bring in a few things from the line for her. I went out to get them, and GEEZ I don't know why I got this stupid idea but I wondered if I put my tongue on the metal line if it would stick. Now gals ........picture this. I'm only nine and can barely reach up to take the clothes pins off the clothes and in order to get my tongue on the metal line I had to stand on my tippy toes and really strain and stick my tongue out as far as I could for it to reach the line...BUT I managed. Of course I started to panic almost immediately because when I "tried" to get my tongue off the line I quickly realized it was really STUCK. I still have the cold damp clothes in my arms, I'm still on my tippy toes, I'm starting to get really cold, my tongue is stuck and I can't yell for help. :crazy: :crazy: Finally I just "PULLED" my tongue off the line leaving parts of it stuck to the line. I think I talked like I had a speech impediment for about a`week. My Mother was so mad at me and I kept saying "I'm tho thorry ". LOL LOL I guess she knew how much it hurt because years later she told me stuck her tongue on a metal gate. :D :D :lol: :lol:
Memories.......:lol3:

Slavika Like Mother Like Daughter?:joker: :lol:

Slavika, what a memory! So, you were one of "those" kids who had to learn the hard way. I always just cringed when I heard those stories. I am just so happy not to have to contend with the wind, dirt, and wet clothes!

Ann, this show sounded like a lot of fun. You are always through with a chairmanship of something just smack in time to do another. And what a great cause. Years ago when I volunteered for Hospice I was saddened by the nursing homes and the patients who had no one to care for them.

We had a weekend with one day of babysitting the little boys, Austin and Jackson. Sort of an emergency--their parents had a chance to make some money on Saturday. Anyway, the littlest guy is such a "Paw-Paw" boy. When I walk in, he just stops short and insistently asks for "Paw-Paw." Then he plays more with me. Never have understood that. We had a Sunday in which we rested. DH then got ready for his new shed. Getting rid of the old one was a job. And what a bunch of junk we had to throw away! Anyway, in months of a drought, the one day he was waiting for the shed, we had a downpour, but he got the shed in before it got too muddy. Last night my highschool friends from my hometown actually looked out the window and saw a real tornado pretty close. It blew away the some of the airport. I didn't even know they had an airport. Anyway, Oklahoma had some fiece weather. Guess not getting a perfect day for the shed wasn't so important afterall.

Maria, good for you with the 5 pounds. I think I have lost some too. The pants I am wearing today could come off without unzipping. But I haven't weighed and don't plan to. I sure hope you will have access to us occasionally.

Got to go. I am going to walk around the lake with a friend. We might freeze to death. A week ago it was 102 degrees. Go figure!
Glenda

Where are you guys? Are you all planning a big weekend?
Glenda

G'day everyone,

This will be my last post for a while.
Thank you all for your good wishes for our trip, I just cannot wait to just get going after it being just a plan for so long.

Today is Matilda's first birthday, I cannot believe that it is already a year, it has passed so quickly.

We are going for a bit of a birthday party this afternoon.
Tomorrow morning a 60th celebration for breakfast at the Hilton Hotel and then packing all the last minute things for a reasonably early start on Monday.

Stay happy and well all, you will be in my thoughts as we watch the sunsets in the desert.

Cheers
Maria :grouphug:

Good Morning!

It is cool and very rainy today and possibly for the next few days. Doesn't seem like May!

Maria must be off on her trek across Austrailia. I hope she has great weather, clear roads and a great time.

Not much going on in my neck of the woods, just the same ol' laundry, cooking and cleaning. With the gas prices soaring I doubt we get to do much traveling this summer but maybe just a time or two at the beach. I don't believe we will be spending the 4th of July at my friends place on the Cape as she is still recuperating from her stroke and this week had a bladder infection and when she took meds for it she broke out in blotches and then a high fever. They had to call 911 to get her to the hospital and is now in a nursing home til she is strong enough to get on her feet. It is tough on her husband as he spends all day with her and then home, alone, for the night.

No one has posted for the last few days so I hope that means you have all been so busy with your lives.

Gloria

Well, gosh, are we all asleep, or what?

Gloria, these gas prices are taking a toll on everybody. We are supposed to as a family go to Red River, NM in July. I guess gas will be $4/gal by then. This is the type of thing that makes us afraid to retire.

Hope Maria is having a good time.

Slavika/Trudy/Karen/Ann, what are you all doing?

Hi Gals

Im here just been reading .
DH went to the 55 alive class that AARP puts on today abd we will be getting a discount on our ins. Course now that gas is going sky high we won't be going much.

While he was gone I got my walking done then took Sprout out for his walk. Then I started working in the yard. The weather has been dry here and that isn't going to last long so too advantage of it today . Did some raking and then digging to plant a few flowers in front of the yuky holly bushes out front. Cleaned off the carport . By then I was ready for a shower. While in there I decided to clean it too. That wasn't a pretty picture. Then finished my shower and started the wash. By supper time I was ready for the rag bag!. But now dishes are done and Sprout has had his last walk for the evening. He got his ride on the golf cart and is now a happy boy and sleeping on the foot rest of DH recliner. Where I should be maybe.

There's the phone I'l be back.

Back. It was a good friend of mine in MN. We had a good long talk. She is about to become Grandma for the first time and is very excited that her DIL asked if she would like to be in the delivery room too. Baby is due in June. She is as Maria would say "over the moon".

Now I'm going to go get ready for bed. talk to you all later.
Karen

Hi All,
I am trying to catch up. Been a little behind. Been working more at school lately. We have really been busy and in a couple of weeks we have to attend some Mickey Mouse thing that the government is now requiring. More stupid rules and regulations.

I bet Maria is having a good time on her camping trip. That is a long time to camp.

Glenda I hope your poor little face is healing. I didn't realize that you were still going through it. Hope that none of the tornadoes come near you. I hate it when that siren goes off.

Karen you blue fairy was delightful. Check out Ladybugs site every month for her free pattern. Even if you don't care for it she has some great tips and instructions. Always can learn something new.

Ann what are involved with now? You are always doing something interesting.

Slavika hope all is going well with you. Tell your grandson Hi. Haven't heard anything from him lately. LOL

Hi Trudy.

Our friends son and dil just returned from Moscow with their new son. They did international adoption. As slow as it was going we all thought he would be coming here with his bride. He is a cute little 18 month old and so friendly and outgoing. Got to meet him yesterday.

Hi All: All I am involved with with is taking it easy. I decided I needed a rest, and actually it was God who decided it for me since I have been having arthritic problems with my right ankle. I think He does that sometimes, when we are not smart enought to slow down ourselves. :D: Got a shot in it, and the Dr. said keep off it as much as possible. So that is what I am trying to do. Have some stuff called Bio-Freeze that I apply and that does seem to help. It is driving me goofy not being able to walk my Mile and a half every day. I got a Dr. excuse for Curves and so am not going there either. I am so used to exercising that this has been hard. I have been doing crosswords, and reading, sitting with my foot up.

Peggy: My Granddaughter is planning a career similar to your Neil. She going for her Masters/Doctorate this summer. She has been working with several of the teams at her college, and she did it while she was in Highschool too. Part of her degree is going to be in Physical Therapy. She is very goal oriented and so I am sure she will accomplish what she has set out to do. Reading his Bio. was interesting. I'll have to tell Kate she could very well be getting set for a career with a National Sports team.

I imagine Maria is having an interesting time. Hope they don't eave any experiences like the last trip she gave us pictures of where they couldn't go any further and had to turn around. I think that would have been a bit scary. She mentioned Alyce Springs. I have read about that place. I believe it is in the 'boonies.'

Karen: Today I bought some plants to set out in our front garden. I got some Gazania plants as the sign said they are good for full sun and dry weather. We'll see. Also bought a replacement vine for the one that my DD gave me for Mothers Day a few years ago. It was badly hit by the hurricane, and I just couldn't seem to nurse it back to health.

Hi to you all. It is time to go put up the foot. I'll be back to check in again a bit later. Ann

I was happy to find that you all had been to the Board. Sometimes I just need to know how you all are doing.

Anne, I hate it that your ankle is acting up, but you are right to rest it. A forced vacation is never as much fun as one that you want. But you are so busy all the time that you are right. Sometimes God just steps in and orders you to rest for your own good.

Peggy, I loved reading about your son. What kind of Mickey Mouse thing from the government?

Maria is probably having the time of her life! Personally, just glad it is her and not me. I love my bed. We have never been campers or those who rough-it, even though her rig probably is pretty luxurious. It just isn't home. And not being around restaurants might be a good thing for her waistline.

I don't know if any of you heard that our glorious President was the commencement speaker at this year's graduation. It was misty and cold and there wasn't a seat left in the house. I saw it on tv--you know, that comfort thing again.

We had a boring, boring weekend--you won't hear me say that very often. Usually all weekends are wonderful. It was just cold and rainy and we could do nothing we wanted to. We did see the new Mission Impossible 3 movie. I don't care for Tom Cruze as a person, but it was a good and interesting movie.

You all are talking about working in your yards and I am just sick. After months and months of no rain at all, now that is all it can do. DH is going crazy and can't spray for weeds or bugs or plant. He did get the mess mowed. The weather is not being friendly to our wants right now.

Guys, I am on the 18th week of this face thing. I will be done next week. It isn't as bad as it has been. I am just so used to be red and scaley. I get to learn maintenance next week. Woopee! It does look a bit better, I think, but well it should! How vain can one person be!

Karen, glad to hear that all is well with you and Sprout. Again, you are working in the yard. We do envy you a bit.

Gloria, sounds like you are having the same weather as we are.

Slavika, Trudy, what is going on in Canada? There sure has been a lot going on in our news about illegal immigrants. I think they blew it with their upside down trick of the American flag and waving the Mexican flag. Sure made up my mind for me about how I stand.
Glenda

G'day all,

For a minute I thought I had forgotten my password to get here :eek: but all is well.
We are at the moment in Halls Creek, a very small town near the border of Western australia and the Northern territory. It has 1000 people and of those 700 are indigenous aboriginals.
This is Alan's dream trip but I have to say not quite my dream trip. The camper has been great and we have been camping off the side of the road with no problems. On average we may see one or two cars a day, all very remote hence we have our satelite phone in case of any emergeny and we do have 2 weeks of supply of food etc. with us.
This morning we did a charter flight over the 'Bungle Bungles' (http://www.calm.wa.gov.au/national_parks/previous_parks_month/purnululu.html)
It was quite spectacular and tomorrow we intend to drive there to camp and see it all a bit closer up.
Because of the heavy rains and the late in the season cyclones that have hit the North of Australia, there is quite a bit of water around, cutting off roads (read dirt tracks) and we have had to find ways around them.
My new lens is fantastic and I have taken some great shots.
Yesterdays highlight was coming across a herd of wild brumbies (horses), there must have been 50 or more galloping along.
We have sort of left the very desert of the centre of Australia, I am not sorry, there is just so much of nothing and more nothing and then a bit more nothing!!!! Not a great deal of wildlife, it is even too boring for them!
There are heaps of flies though which does test my temper a bit.
I think of you all often and no I cannot imagine you out here Glenda:D , I am not sure who of you would enjoy this.
It certainly is an experience, Alan agrees it is not something he would do again but dreamt of doing it this once.
Once we get to Broome (next Saturday) it should be a little more civilised and of course we hit the coast which will be nice.

I didn't notice any posting from Slavika I hope the treatment for her dh is on track and all is going well.

Must fly and enjoy a bit more of the Outback way of life;)

Take care all, 'speak' to you soon,

Cheers
Maria

PS I noticed Gloria mentioning the price of gas, the highest we have paid here in the outback is $2.23 per litre which works out to be close on to $10.00 per gallon :eek:, it is not cheap to have this much fun ;) :D
Also Alice Springs (for Ann ) is a thriving metropalis compared to everywhere else we have been. Alice Springs has most things available that are available in the big cities. It has been some 37 years ago since I was there last and I couldn't believe how the town has grown.

Sorry I haven't been here for a while. It has been so long I had to dig up my password to log on. I can't say I was doing anything fabulously interesting. Maybe that is why I didn't post... :lol:

I did send Maria a little note about Slavika's devastating loss. But with the difference in time and chance of her finding an internet connection I guess she didn't receive it.
I could not camp anymore... at all! The most I could ever do was 1 or 2 nights and that was a horror for me. Hate the flies and everything that goes along with living outdoors. We did have a cottage for many many years and believe me, I never roughed it. What I find so interesting are the names of the places in Australia. Bungle Bungles... :lol: Some time ago I watched a TV series made in Australia called Alice Springs. It starred Bryan Brown, before he got famous in North America. The movie took place after WW 2 and the city looked far different than the link Maria showed us. On my atlas I have been following her, and Broome looks like a lovely ocean city. Can't wait to hear what she has to say about it. I am sure she is going to have some wonderful pictures for us to look at. Also, I must say that I don't think Maria and Alan are roughing it, their camper is really beautiful.

Glenda Isn't it always that way, during winter when you are prepared for cold and damp, you don't get it and then in spring/summer when you want the sun and warmth so you can get outside and plant, the weather turns on you. We set records for the mildest winter and our April was 1 degree off setting another. So far May is a winner too. Today is cooler, but lovely sunshine. I can't wait to get my bedding plants and get outside with my hands in the mud.

Ann Isn't it a "pain" when your feet hurt? That is a very bad pun , but we do everything standing on those feet so it can really hamper our daily activities. My ankle is finally better, and that makes it 1 year of swelling and discomfort. I am going to look up Gazinia plants. That is a flower I have never heard of.

Peggy What a wonderful thing for your friends to do by adopting a Russian baby. What a joy for them and the grandparents.

Karen Isn't it funny how the miles melt away when talking to an old friend. I have a couple of girlfriends who live far, we talk a couple of times a year and it is like they never left. Neither of them have computers, so we have to rely on the phone or letters.

Gloria Gas prices are horrible here too. The Canadian experts tell us Alberta has enough oil to keep Canada supplied and at low rates too, but unfortunately they prefer to keep the prices high and export most of the oil.... it is called Free Trade. We pay by the litre and I have no clue as to converting it... but it is $1.09 per litre and once you factor in the Imperial Gallon to the US Gallon, I think we pay more.

Slavika..... BIG HUGS...:grouphug:

My DH goes for his colonoscopy tomorrow. He is looking forward to getting it "behind" him..:lol: Since he changed his diet, he has been feeling better so I hope the results will be something we can be pleased about.

Enough puns... I am in the midst of ironing a pile of clothes... have a great day all.. :wave:

Ann I just looked up the Gazinia plant and I have seen them before, I didn't know what they were called. They have such beautiful big heads on them. I think they would be a lovely addition to a flower garden.
Bye again..

Hi All,

I know i shared with you that I went back to WW as a member. Well As of this week 5 weeks into it I am down 7.2 pounds:carrot: . DH of course is down 9 His blood sugar reading have gone from 130 to 89 -96. My clothes are back to fitting :dancer: thats a plus because I was determand not to buy anything. I have a closet full of clothes that I just couldn't get into or if i did I was uncomfortable. Once I lose 7 more pounds I'll not have to pay any more that is a big incentive. One thing I was told at meeting this week and I never figured it out before (which surprises me because I thought I knew all the in's and out's) Is to figure your activity points before you do your exercise mine is walking. If i was to walk just 10 minutes longer I could earn 3 points instead of 2. I am using the activity points and leaving most of the week allowance alone. I do cross off the Fat free cream for my coffee at the beginning of the week and I may use some if? I mean when we go out to eat. I'm also making extra effort to get in at least 2 milk serving. I know it's supposed to be 3 but I do take a calcium pill. Then i'm also remembering what a leader in my early days of weight watchers said if your really hungry you will eat vegetables. As you can tell I' excited out my weight loss. I don't lose lots at a time every other week it's been -.6 but it's got a minus and that is the most important thing.

Don't have much planed for the day .DH has a appointment at the VA some kind of class for diabetics. His is service connected through agent orange. So he has to play by their rules and go to classes.

Well I hope Slavika is doing OK.And If you are reading Slavika here is a big hug.:grouphug:

Ann Hope your doing better.

I agree with Trudy I don't camp.

Glenda hope your skin is better.

I just called the skin place. As of Monday I will be done and I will go on maintenance. Maybe after about a week I will not have a red scaley face. I hope it looks better then.

Karen, congratulations on your loss. Just in time for summer.

Trudy, hope your husband's test was a good one. Let us know. Enjoy those grandkids.


I hope you all have a wonderful Mothers' Day. Enjoy the day.

Hi,

Karen good going on the weight loss. You are on track again. Keep up the good work. It is a nice feeling to fit into clothes again and not have them feel tight.

Glenda you will have to send a us a picture of your new face. The government thing is an 8 hour class that we have to attend. They have some new stupid rules that you have to follow or lose your job. You have to have some special thermometers and measure the heat of the oven everytime you open it. There are a whole lot more things. Our class is next Monday and Tuesday after school. What fun. Our cafeteria manager buys some food items from the government to keep the lunches cheaper so we have to do this.

My idea of camping is the nearest hotel with a nice restaurant and lots of shopping nearby. I have to check out these places that Maria is going. The Amazing Race visitied Australia last week. I can't wait to see her pictures.

Ann take care of that ankle and follow the drs orders. I bet it is hard for you stay still.

Trudy I hope the colonoscopy for dh went well. Give Slavika a hug from me.

It is so cold here today that my heat went on. Monday is was so hot I was ready to turn the air on. I hid my potted plants to keep them out of the wind and cold. Weather is just too weird this year.

Have a wonderful Mother's Day.

On a very, very rainy Mother's Day I am here to say Hi. Have not posted
for a while but only because not much is going on here. Friday night was
the first night of 3 performances on Annie, Jr. put on by the South
Middle School. Our Cam had a part (actually 3 parts) and he was good!
The entire cast was great...some need time to develope voice projection
but all in all they did well.

Cam was 'Drake' who is Daddy Warbucks chief servant. He wore dark pants
and a vest and bow tie. Now, the vest was very significant to he as
it was the vest that his father wore at his wedding. His father died
when Cam was 2. Cam was also the off stage voice of the radio
announcer and in the last act he played Bert Healy a DJ of sorts and
for this he wore his Grandfather's ,my DH,old red plaid jacket with a yellow
scarf used to hide the bow tie. Bert interviewed Annie and Daddy
Warbucks and signed off his program with 'This is Mrs. Healy's favorite
son, Bert saying, Good Night and keep smiling'. Very smart alecky sounding and for this it was right up Cam's alley.

The young man, an 8th grader, who played Daddy Warbucks had broken his
ankle right after the first rehearsal and he played his part on
crutches. He did very well even to using them in the dance with Annie.
Instead of tapping his feet he tapped his crutches.

This was a great evening and it helped break up this long and dismal
week of rain that they are predicting until almost next weekend.

Karen: Great weight loss....keep up the good work.

Glenda: You must be very happy to have your facial project coming to an end. A beautiful you is emerging...like a butterfly.

Trudy: I also used the internet to check on Maria's travels....that is quite a trek that she is taking. I am sure it is nice to have your home come along with you, however, I still prefer the room service type of place.;)

Today was very quiet here but I did get phone calls from all the kids.

I wish all of you wonderful Mothers a HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Gloria

G'day all,

Finally able to get to an internet cafe and was VERY sad to read of
Slavika's news. I really don't know what to say, it was not the news I
expected to hear.

We are in Broome which is a very small coastal town in northern Western
Australia. We are here till saturday, nice to catch our breath a bit before
moving on again. After Broome we will be going to Cape Levique, an aborigal
community and we have to get a permit to be allowed to enter there.
After that we will be meandering around the many national parks on our way to
Darwin. A few of the places we want to visit (for those of you with the
atlas!!!) are Derby, Kunnanurra, Lake Argyle, the Ord River Scheme, Lichtfield
National Park.
It is very tropical and quite hot during the day, I have been getting quite
sunburnt and MUST start using block-out.
The camper is quite good and we are in a little routine with the jobs we do when
we sat up camp. I must say I really prefer to set up camp in the scrub
somewhere rather than a caravan park. Once a week at a caravan park is plenty
to catch up on washing.
The peace to be at a campsite just the two of us is great. We have a portable
shower so we do have our showers albeit rather primitive.
I look foward to getting home and having a good look at the many photos that I
have taken so far, the country side is quite beautiful.

Both children rang on Mothers Day (we are in mobile (cell phone) range here),
lovely to hear from them.

I hope you are all keeping well and I hope the memory of the last 2 months in
Maui will help Slavika a little to get through this very difficult time.

Cheers
Maria

All, We had a good Mothers' Day. My middle son called the day before because he had forgotten to send a card. I did not let him off the hook that easily. Sometimes I get tired of saying, "Oh, it's okay. Forget about it." After all we drop everything to babysit at a moment's notice. Seems only fair that he could be just a bit thoughtful in return. Anyway, the upshot of that was that last Friday I did get some beautiful flowers at work. One lesson in thoughtfulness completed.

My brother had a tremendous bout with vertigo two weeks ago. We thought he was dying with his heart, but at the hospital they got him stabilized. We spent Mothers' Day afternoon with them and it was wonderful to see him look and feel better. That dizziness thing must be a trait in our family. I travel with dizzy pills all the time. Ain't getting older fun!

Gloria, I do hope you aren't being flooded. You said you spent a rainy Mothers' Day with more promises of rain. I certainly enjoyed your description of your grandson's play. He sounds like a pistol, so much fun with personality to spare.

Maria, if you get this, I know you are having the trip of a lifetime. Even though it is more work than I am willing to do, I know you are seeing things that are just incredible.

Guys, you remember some of those slideshows from China or Russia regarding those beautiful ice sculptures? My SIL has a friend who is living in China now with her husband and she went to one of those festivals. It must have been brain-numbingly cold, but she was describing the city of ice just like we saw in the slideshow. I wish I had kept one of those. Her description of China's closed culture was amazing. They have newspapers with certain sections cut out. They have tv shows that might have blank air time because of censorship. Makes you very aware of how wonderful it is to live in an open society, even with our bickering.

Slavika, I hope you are doing okay. Hope you send us a description of the ceremony soon.

Peggy, Karen, Trudy, hope all is well with you. I am going to inspect Curves after work. I am getting serious about exercise, I think.

My DH saw the doctor today and he has Diverticula... NOTHING ELSE!! What a relief. This condition is something he can live with if he changes a few bad habits. He has been eating wiser since the hospital episode.
I had a lovely Mother's Day. It was our turn to get my DD and family (next year they will spend it with her in-laws).

Yesterday was a sad day because of David's service, and happy because it was my DD's Birthday. The service was truly beautiful. The eulogy by Slavika's son was such a tribute to his father. Their daughter-in-law and grandchildren also spoke, they were amazing. Close friends and family spoke glowingly about him. The picture montage showed David from an infant, through his lifetime until he was ill. Unforgettable was the song chosen and it was so fitting with the pictures. There were 550 people attending. Slavika was brave, dignified and beautiful. She did him proud. Afterwards there was a luncheon at the Chapel. I know she will give you all a more detailed account of the day. It went extremely well.
Today, another friend and I went over to see her. We ate leftovers and took home enough food for our DH's lunch.. :lol: and desserts for a few days. Despite everthing, we managed to have a few laughs.

I had to bake a cake for my DD's birthday yesterday. I did that in the afternoon. The bakery they were going to get her cake from is not a nut free bakery. So after the service I went home, baked the cake and then went over to my DD's. Our family came over and we had a very nice evening.

I did hear on the news about the flooding out your way Gloria. Is any of it near you?

Glenda My Dad had vertigo and it was such a problem for him. Sometimes I get dizzy days and I always worry it is going to happen to me. My doctor thinks that the dizzy spells are more likely from allergies. I also carry Gravol with me, you just never know when one of those pills will come in handy.
I looked to see if I had any of the Ice Sculpture from China lurking in my e-mail, but I did clean it out and I guess it was deleted. I am going to ask the person who sent it to me if she still has hers. Her son-in-law went there on business this past winter.

Alligator attacks in Florida have also been on the news. So.. Karen & Ann any problems where you are? They caught an alligator who attacked a woman and found her arms in his stomach... YIKES!!

Bye for now.. :grouphug:

Hip, Hip, Hurrah!!!! The:rain: has gone and here comes the:sunny: It has been at least 9 days of rain and although we didn't get the 12" that some of the northern communities got we still were inundated. Our basement usually gets damp and this time was no exception....however, we did not get any measurable amounts.

Carrie, our youngest, lives about 20 miles north of Boston and they have a dry run in their back yard that usually has some water during the winter. She said it was bubbling along and that Kevin went in (I'm hoping with boots on) and that then there were ducks swimming along. They have about an acre of land and this run is 3/4 of the way toward the back...it does run straight to a storm drain so they don't get any cellar water. she sent me a couple of links to storm pictures of the condo complex that they lived in when they first got married.

http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Original_Photo/2006/05/15/1147732343_3290-1.jpg

http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Original_Photo/2006/05/15/1147730969_2744.jpg

http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Third_Party_Photo/2006/05/16/1147800733_7875.jpg


Got a lot of outdoor running around to do today now we don't need the umbrella etc. I'll be back later.

Gloria

Hi everyone: Just been doing a lot of sitting with my ankle in the air, and am happy to say that I haaven't had any swelling now for nearly a week. So - progress is noted.:D:

It sounds like you all had a nice Mother's day. We did go out to eat, and my DD sent flowers. My 2nd DD called but she hasn't got any money since she had to bail her daughter out of a problem. At least she did call. And one of DH son's called, which I thought was very nice.

Maria: Your trip sounds great, and I am looking forward to seeing your many pictures. I have read some about the Aboriginal people in Austrailia, and it seems that would be an interesting place to visit. I guess the Austrailian Aboriginals got the same rough treatment that the American Indians did when all the settlements were going on. Some more of man's inhumanity to man I guess. I'm glad you are enjoying your trip, and I understand what you mean about being in a camper park with lots of other people. You sometimes don't have much privacy. We did tent camping and then trailering for nearly twenty years, and I finally said I had had enough. I was ready to go to hotels and be waited on.

Glenda: I'm sure that you will be glad to be on facial maintenance. You have had quite a long time going through the treatments. It sounds like now you are in the rainy 'feast' where before you had 'famine' with the dry weather. We still have a lot of dryness and some problems with brush fires. But hopefully our rainy season will soon begin. Those alligators are scary critters, and they tell me that they took an agressive guy out of our lake about 8 feet long. Some dumb bunnies probably have been feeding. That is a big NONO.:nono:

Trudy: Thanks for sharing about the Celebration of David. It sounded like a very inspirational time. Please give Slavika a big hug. I'm happy that your DH is only dealing with some diverticulae (sp?) . Diet should take care of that very well. I do hope that my dumb ankle won't take a year to get better. Is your DD allegic to nuts? That must be difficult.

Peggy: Aren't enforced meeting lovely? Somehow, one starts off with a mind that really isn't interested, just because one is made to go. Hope your meetings will turn out to be at least a little interesting. Are you getting in your garden yet?

Gloria: Those are amazing pictures. I'm so happy that you weren't affected by any of the flooding. That was a lot of rain that fell. Your account of the play sounded like so much fun. That is one thing that we miss being far away from our grandkids. We have two graduating from H.S. this year but we won't be able to attend. A long drive to Maine.

Karen: Congrats on the weight loss. :bravo:I'm doing the old yoyo thing again. It seems like my body just doesn't want to give in, and then not being able to exercise right now is creating havoc. I have started to ride my bike. That doesn't seem to hurt my foot or ankle, so at least I am getting a little exercise, but I do like to walk, and I haven't been able to go to Curves either.
:mad: But it will get better.

Slavika: :grouphug: and prayers too.

I have been sent to a specialist in osteoporosis, and would you believe that the first appointment date he has for new patients is in August. :spin: I guess he must be very popular, and of course down here, there are lots of people with the problem. When I had my last bone density test, it showed more problems with my spine. :faint: I wasn't expecting that at all. But at least the hip that was a problem is now better. I guess I just have to keep on keeping on.

Had our first rehearsal with our new Minister of Music, and I have to say I am not too impressed. He is a very nice fellow, young enough to be my grandson. I suppose a part of the problem is that even tho' I like the contemporary music, I do like something traditional now and again. Guess I'll just have to wait and see how things go. But must admit, that I am thinking of retireing from the music at church. It will be hard, but maybe it is time.

Think I'll go down to the pool now for a little exercise. 'See' you later. Ann