Laurie - Snowbird over to the central coast of CA! It doesn't get cold and it doesn't get hot.
Well on another topic I need to get new glasses, both prescription and frames, since the frames have been sat on and are in bad shape and I looked at a couple of the nicer places in this area with best selections of designer frames, and found nothing that I like in the slightest. (Please don't advise me to go to places like Costco - I won't.) But I just think of all the years of my life these last couple have seen the ugliest trends in eyeglasses ever. I thought maybe I'd warm up to the style after a while of seeing it, but it's not happening.
I found some nice ones on the framesdirect website, a whole slew of silhouette rimless styles that I like, but I don't know if I'm brave enough to just submit desired dimensions to them and trust that it will be a good result. Has anyone ever tried getting glasses online that way?
Spiny - I love CA (we will be visiting the kids in Oakland in Oct.) You and Jay have hit the nail on the head about why we don't see ourselves having two homes. We like to travel too much. I'm hoping we will be able to see much of the warmer parts of the country - not just find a "condo" somewhere every year. But - time will tell. I can't retire for at least 4 more years - sigh.
I haven't used framesdirect, and there are mixed reviews online. If you have found a frame you like, can you contact the manufacturer and see if there are local vendors that carry that frame? Or, can your local places order it for you? I know that several of our "chain" eyeglass stores can order from almost anywhere. It will take a bit longer.
I agree with you about frames these days. I look horrific in big dark plastic frames. I had rimless frames the last two pair, so I went with a compromise this time. Blue frame on top and bow - frameless on the bottom. I'm liking the change.
Also - is your prescription pretty basic? I have progressive lenses with Transitions - I know that the pupil measurement was critical for these. It seems like something that would be hard to get right online. Plus getting them adjusted to fit right. Do they offer a warranty? I know my provider will replace my glasses free within a year if I break them. It has only happened once, but - it does happen.
Last edited by CountingDown; 08-22-2008 at 07:11 PM.
Yeah, I just looked up and saw the mixed reviews of framesdirect.
But one thing the site did show me was that there may be a way to compromise because I saw something that I sort of liked that may actually be currently fashionable; it's the brand Bebe, the style Raquel. Still I have no idea what it would look like on my head.
They had a fun trick thing where you can virtually try on the styles on your computer image face, and I tried that, but it was obvious that the fun trick thing wasn't exactly right in what it did, so whereas it can give you a hint, it's not going to show you exactly how it will be.
I don't want something that just screams "glasses!" with those sides that look like a peripheral vision blocking hazard.
Aren't fashion trends just weird?? (yeah, me too, I know.)
Oh and Laurie -- one more lure to CA central coast: lack of mosquitoes! I figure I must have saved myself several thousands of bites by moving here when I did!
I'm about due to go to the eye doc. Last time I went, my prescription was one of those that you can get at any drugstore, so that's what I did. Saved quite a bit! The time before that, I let myself get talked into fancy lenses with fancy frames and spent a few hundred bucks. And, they didn't correct the way I had hoped. So, feh! But I think my eyes may have changed enough that I need a different correction for each eye this time. Guess I'll find out.
CD, Florida is not hot in the winter. It is wonderful in the winter. In fact, three seasons of the year it is wonderful here. It's just now that is, um, hard to take. But it's not a whole lot better in the Northeast.
And, the Gulf water is warm. You can't find that in California. Swimming in the Gulf the week before Christmas was one of my first thrills in Fla.
Mosquitoes? Oh yes, we have them. If there's a mosquito within 10 yards, it will find me. And I react really badly to the bites. So, I wear a lot of repellent as a matter of course. I recently switched away from Deep Woods Off to Skin-So-Soft Bug Guard with Picaridin. I like it much better.
I'm afraid I don't get much of a weekend. Oh well. I went shopping yesterday and stocked up on goods--also stopped at the lady's truck stand and bought Georgia peaches and plums. They are perfect!
My idea of a good dessert: 1 medium peach, cut into cubes, 1/3 cup of fresh blueberries, 1/4 cup of part-skim ricotta. Mix around in a bowl.
I never eat tiramisu because there's too much booze in it!
Hope y'all are having a good time. We're getting more rain as Fay ambles along to the west.
Fun day yesterday . . . and so far only 1 pound of www to show for the Chinese Food debacle. Hope more doesn't show up later. Lots of exta water today.
My last couple of trips to the eye guy have resulted in no change of perscription so I'm hanging onto my totally rimless glasses just as long as I possibly can. These are so light and almost invisible. If I do need a change next year, maybe I'll just keep these anyway because I don't like the heavier looking frames either.
It's turned very hot and sticky around here again so it looks like a mostly inside day with the A/C running full blast. Not a bad idea this weekend actually. This is our annual Blue Grass Music Festival at the fairgrounds right across the road from me and I fear that 12 hours a day is a little more of that kind of music than I can really enjoy.
Hope you all have great moving and shaking weekend plans . . .
Hi all, a quick fly-by. Been a busy day. Nutshell version - SF was moved to a rehab center this weekend. My mom is freaking out about the place, thus, I spent the day arranging things from afar and booking a flight to TN for next weekend. Amazingly, the nearest airport was $700 cheaper than flying out of Detroit. What a blessing!
Just when life seems to settle down a bit, along comes another wave - LOL, I'm so very glad that I am fit and healthy - a year ago, this would have totally stressed me out.
On another note - I didn't lose an ounce throught the whole cleansing episode I think my body must really, really like 128.
good Morning, Had another hot day yesterday, but we had a slight beeze too, so it wasn't too bad. I was happy about that because we went to BIL's memorial, and afterwards a picnic in the park. New park for me and had some really nice walking trails. Didn't get a chance to try them out, but will keep them in mind for alter. I overate at the picnic. I got overly hungry and the food choices weren't diet either. I took a asian salad but it has oil and vinegar and sugar dressing. But still, it has lots of nuts and seeds and cabbage, so it wasn't too bad.
I wear reading glasses and just buy them at the local drug store when they have a sale. Husband has tri-focals and it's a tough prescription and he usually goes back several times before they fit right and he can see correctly. We've bought them in several different places and Sears is the best one yet. Really, I think it depends on the optomologist that works there and the people that help fit the glasses.
I'm not sure what we will do when we retire. Can't see buying another place but that might be a consideration. If so, it will be upper Michigan. I still want to remain close to the grands.
Laurie, Glad the procedure went well. Being "stuck" at 128 is a GOOD thing!!
Laurie, What is the SF abbreviation? (besides San Francisco?)
128 is a good weight to be stuck in; I agree! I wish I could claim that.
RE: Glasses - my eyes are one of those complicated prescriptions, thanks mainly to botched Lasik. I keep thinking one day I will make the decision to have it "fixed" but I am never sure when to jump in. Eyes keep changing, technology keeps improving..... so ????
Jay, you are right about the water being not warm here. And I am the biggest cold-water wimp I've ever known; need to wear a short wetsuit just to get into an 80-degree swimming pool. But thankfully those wetsuits do exist, and the seawater temps are justification to nullify any thoughts about needing to fit into a bikini.
RE: Tiramisu - I will take my booze sans ladyfingers!
More on the fiber-thing: I bought some high-fiber instant oatmeal a while back (what was I thinking; I don't eat breakfast food) but I saw a recipe somewhere for an oatmeal cookie that simply used a package of the instant oatmeal mixed with a dash of vanilla extract, a tablespoon of whole grain flour, and two tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce. Make it into one big or two small cookies and bake on a greased cookie sheet for 15 minutes or so and that's it. No added fat; you aren't stuck with a whole batch of cookies, and you've got in this case 44% (or more with the added whole grain flour and applesauce) of the day's fiber. I tried it. It was ok; I could eat it. I didn't like how sweet it was from the artificial sweetener contained in the instant oatmeal (sucralose) but it was ok. I think that others would probably like this more than I did, because I'm so dang picky. So I recommend it if you are looking for a cookie-like way to get fiber. You could put some raisins in it or nuts too, and I'm sure it would work.
Last edited by Spinymouse; 08-24-2008 at 06:53 PM.
Hi, I've been out enjoying the last few days of my summer. I head downstate to start back to school. I need to get my classroom up and running with lots of meetings this week. It's been a beautiful summer full of fun and work. I hope to really get busy on myfood choices. I'm so encouraged by the weight you guys have lost and kept off.
Spiney- Thanks for that oatmeal recipe. I still have a sweet tooth not as bad as it used to be.
Counting- good luck with your Tennesse problem. It's so hard living so far away when issues come up.
I love all the conversations about great places to live. I get to Florida at least once a year. My parents live in Naples during the winter. California is great too! I haven't been there in a while-great wineries.
I'm a Michigan girl; I love the north and plan to live there when I retire, but I'd enjoy spending a few months in the south or west. We'll see how finances are.
Looks like there are several Michigan people here - that is where I grew up too, (Detroit area.)
Another place I have considered living is in New Mexico. When I took the Find Your Spot Questionnaire I had my top two matches in New Mexico. Have any of you tried that quiz?
It's fun but it takes a bit of time to take it mindfully. http://www.findyourspot.com/
(This site does make you fill in your name and address at the end. But I have never been spammed or had any bad effects from filling out the info to them.)
Last edited by Spinymouse; 08-24-2008 at 09:36 PM.
Jo - thanks for the recipe - sounds worth trying. I'm not a big sweet person, but I DO like a good fiber recipe
SF = step father - don't get me started. Even at age 50 it is not a good scenario. Some things last FOREVER!
Sorry about the lasik surgery - I haven't considered it seriously. I actually don't mind wearing glasses. I have had Transitions for the last 15 years, and I like having my sunglasses on my nose when I walk outside.
Thanks for "find your spot" I got some interesting results!
Flowing - agreed - GREAT wineries in CA. I am very much looking forward to visitng the kids in October! Good luck with getting back to school. I am training teachers all week. It is going to be a busy one!
Freda - sorry about the BIL memorial - you are in my thoughts and prayers. Glad you found a park with potential - so many wonderful hiking possibilities down yoru way. What a surprise for me. I never knew Southern MI had so many trails
Looks like I should be heading for the northern Pacific area, closely followed by the Rocky Mountains, or Alaska -- yep, I really don't like hot weather.
More on finding one's spot: Where I'm living now came out no. 4 on the list when I took the quiz. I think life's too short to live where one doesn't like, but sometimes I wonder how many people live where they don't like just because somebody else, usually some relatives, live there. Then I wonder if it is ever a circular thing, like Jack lives in Detroit because Aunt Bessie and Sister Nettie and Grandpa all live there, but Aunt Bessie lives there because nephew Jack and neice Nettie and Dear Old Dad (Jack's grandpa) live there, and ....on and on, and nobody really wants to live in Detroit, but they are all living there because the others live there, so they are all stuck somewhere they don't want to be because of each other. They should all just pack up and move to where they would rather be!
Sorry to pick on Detroit, but I thought it was a good place to escape from so I am using that in my example.
i'm butting in cause i saw the find your spot quiz and just took it and wanted to say this was cool, spinymouse. i'd be going to Natchitoches, Louisiana. i saved it to read about all the places later on. thanks!
And, they didn't correct the way I had hoped. So, feh! But I think my eyes may have changed enough that I need a different correction for each eye this time. Guess I'll find out.
And I react really badly to the bites. So, I wear a lot of repellent as a matter of course. I recently switched away from Deep Woods Off to Skin-So-Soft Bug Guard with Picaridin. I like it much better. 
This is our annual Blue Grass Music Festival at the fairgrounds right across the road from me and I fear that 12 hours a day is a little more of that kind of music than I can really enjoy. 
I think my body must really, really like 128.
