I can't believe I've been too busy to catch up here. I spent Thurs through Sat afternoon at a quilt retreat which was a ton of fun. Lots of sewing, laughter, and good friends. We had no internet access, but there was a TV so we kept up on the Olympics. Sat night DH had a volunteer fire dept dinner which was fun for the people, not so much for the food. After the smoked salmon appetizer, it went way down hill, and consequently I had no trouble with portions. I'm not sure where Sunday and yesterday went....
DH has gone to Anchorage to hand deliver stuff for Medicare, and I'm about to go and visit with my quilt friends and then to the gym. I have been really good about making all my workouts, and while the scale is not moving, the inches are decreasing! (or the number lost is increasing - whatever, I'm smaller! )
Glad to hear everyone is doing okay, and that the east coast folks are at least not getting too much more snow... We've had none for about 2 weeks, and the datytime temps have been in the 40's for the last week. Supposed to go back to "normal" below freezing temps by the weekend. Good thing as the Fur Rendevous, Anchorage's winter festival, starts this weekend, and the Iditarod Sled Dog race starts next weekend.
I've now had on day 5 of not preparing any meat with meals at home. I've had chicken in my salad for lunch both days, but no other meats. I feel oddly full today. Weird. And expectedly a little gassy from the veggies. DH is going to lower his cholesterol or else...
Pat - welcome back!
Dagmar - funny about the carrot!
Megan - only Tuesday... sadness... All day yesterday I thought it was Tuesday so was sad to realize I was wrong...
Jessica - they are inviting you to speak and making you pay for parking? Cheesy. Cool that you got invited to speak though.
Wow... I've been up until after midnight every night this week watching the Olympics. No going to bed at 8:45 for me!
DH is having a chalazion lanced on his eye tomorrow morning at 8:45 so I'll be either off or working from home, depending on how it goes. He has a hard time with things touching his eye, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a good result.
Pat-- sounds like fun! Sounds like you are enjoying retirement so far!!
Allison-- what is that on your dh's eye? I've never heard of it! I am funny about my eyes too and I had lasik (PRK-- the older version where they cut) on my eyes. I told them I was uncomfortable with the procedure and they said they would give me valium. I kept asking for the valium and was told they would give it to me right before they started. Long story, short-- they forgot and I was freaking out trying not to move! I was so mad. They finished and said "we forgot the valium didn't we?"! Luckily I was fine but I was livid! Your dh may want to ask for valium before if he needs it!!
Michele - A 'chalazion' is an infected tear duct that turns into a hard mass. Basically, a stye gone graxy out of control. We have been fighting it with drops, creams and antibiotics since November, it is time to get rid of it. Starting to blur his vision from the pressure of it against the eye. Yeah, we might need to ask for valium up front. He really has a hard time with the eyes - the drops and creams haven't been able to work to their best because he has so much trouble getting them in there....
Oh my gosh. I just had a Stoneyfield Organic Oikos Pure Pleasure Honey on Bottom yogurt cup. That could be the best yogurt I have ever had...
Pat The Iditarod runs through your town - how cool! I've seen a couple of programs about competitors and actual footage from some of the races and it it looks like an amazing event to compete in. If you like living with 16-dog husky teams 24-7 .
Shannon Hope your hubby's eye thing goes fine. I'm one of those people who can have a drinking straw stuck into their eye and not react. But try to touch my tongue and . Makes going to the dentist fun!
We had a slushy messy day here. The dogs were whooping it up in the little drifts of snow that were piled on the beach. Thye have sooo much fun - no wonder almost everyone greets me at the door when I pick them up!
I am OP for the third day and I've lost 3 lbs. of the salt bloat. My real anti-whining/eating challenge will come on Thursday as I have to drive all over the place all day long and well into the evening in another snow storm. I'm hoping my cat client makes her flight back to TO so I don't have to be there again at 7 a.m. Friday.
Tonite I'm going to be daring and try to stay up until 10 p.m. Such a major party animal !
Allison, there is a ceremonial start in Anchorage - about an hour south of here, then they drive north about 2 hours for the real start. I've seen both in various years. Most of the places the mushers go through are small villages, like less than 500 pop. Nome, where they end, is much larger. And I sure wouldn't want to be around any of those places! Too many dogs, and too much mess from what I see on TV.
Speaking of the Iditarod, I feel in love with this dog at the shelter today. Wouldn't she look great behind a sled? One of the pitfalls of volunteering at an animal shelter--but I know I can't take her home. She sits, downs, shakes (both paws), speaks and probably does some other stuff that we're unaware of plus she's very affectionate. I can't believe she hasn't been claimed yet.
I'm weighing and journalling every day for awhile, just to make sure I don't miss any food I eat or not notice that my pants are too tight. I think I might do that in week-long blocks. Journal/weigh week 1, weigh twice a week/no journal week 2, etc. etc. I know what I have to eat to maintain but it helps to see it on paper every so often.
I think I have to make the lifelong commitment to a system but I can't wrap my mind around doing it every single day. Not yet.
I am on the same time zone this week! I'm on a business trip in california, going to a conference. I had my presentation yesterday s I'm off the hook for the remainder & I can sit back & enjoy for the rest.
Not much OP for the remainder: the hotel has a gym but the conference has an 8am till 9 pm program. I was in bed at 8.30 yesterday, did not last till the end.
Rabbit! Welcome to California! I hope you're having beautiful weather.
Woohoo, Dagmar, that's terrific! It's all about finding something that works for YOU for the rest of your life and it sounds like you're really on the right track.
The sun is out here while we're waiting for the next snowstorm. This is getting very old. At least the birds are singing their little hearts out, so spring must be on its way! Not a moment too soon.
Cardio is done, I'm going back to lift this afternoon.
I had a weird dream last night and both Shannon and Jessica were in it, too. Just cameos, though!
My treadmill had a problem this morning. I set it up for a 30 minute workout and it put me into cool down after only 17 minutes. I managed to up the # of minutes on the cool down to keep me at 30 minutes, but had to keep adjusting the speed and incline. It made it not as fun.
If I didn't have such a disdain for cold weather, I'd love to watch (at least part) of the Iditarod. And Shiela, that is a beautiful dog. So sad when they end up in shelters. As far as I'm concerned, once you adopt a pet you have it for life. Period. End of discussion (although my SIL and her kids don't seem to think along those lines and it makes me livid!).
I'm quite mad at So Cal Edison...Long story short, they STILL have not come to do the final inspection on our solar panels and our solar installer said he has to disconnect them until they do the inspection (in about 2 weeks or more). Because if we didn't, we might get fined for using the solar. In the 3 weeks or so that they've been on, we've used only 19 kilowats. I guess they want their money until they give the okay to let us be free. Maddening.
Rabbit~sorry our California weather can't be more sunny for you. We're expecting rain over most of the state for the next few days.
Meg~I can understand the "getting old" thing with the weather! When I lived in SLC, we'd get inversions this time of year where the cold icky air gets "stuck" in the valley. You can actually go up to the mountains and see the sun and blue sky, but the valley is dark. Sometimes you have to drive with your headlights in the middle of the day. Air quality obviously suffers and then they won't allow you to use fireplaces.
My afternoon was really hard today. Not physically but psychologically.
The big dog who's dying was in distress. He had had diarrhea all over the hall and was lying in it, unable to get to his feet. I managed to pull him out of his poop and on to a small rubber mat. I tried and tried to help him to his feet (so that at least the peeing would get done outside) but the poor guy just couldn't do it.
I had to leave him there without getting him outside. I had two other dogs in the car downstairs and had to get them to the beach before they messed in the car.
The look on the poor big guy's face was heartbreaking. He tried to drag himself after me on his front legs and then went down on his belly. I comforted him but saying" I'll come back later, I promise" doesn't mean much to a dog.
I did go back later and he was on his feet! I opened the door and he almost threw himself down the stairs. I got him to the parking lot and he peed all over everything. The disease he has causes him to be thirsty all the time and he drinks huge quantities of water.
Then I had to do the clean up. I can't just leave a dog sitting in an apartment full of poop, with poop all over his own backside. A box of baby wipes later I was on my way.
I don't know how many times I can do this. I feel so bad for this great dog.
The good news is that I didn't eat, even though the next stop has all sorts of cookies, candy, etc. that I have an open invitation to consume.
Oh Dagmar, that's just heartbreaking. But thank you for taking care of that poor sweet dog. Hard as it is, you're making the end of his life so much easier and better for him.
The big dog was put to sleep last night. It was an end to what could have been a lot of suffering for him. I'm glad his owner loved him enough to release him now.
I spent Thurs through Sat afternoon at a quilt retreat which was a ton of fun. Lots of sewing, laughter, and good friends. We had no internet access, but there was a TV so we kept up on the Olympics. Sat night DH had a volunteer fire dept dinner which was fun for the people, not so much for the food. After the smoked salmon appetizer, it went way down hill, and consequently I had no trouble with portions. 
I'm not sure where Sunday and yesterday went.... 
DH is going to lower his cholesterol or else... 
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. Makes going to the dentist fun!
!
Oops, Mudpie likes that one too.
