Active Folks Over 50 -- #16
 

Hey! :welcome2:

Active Folks Over 50 is a place to talk about fitness and healthy eating information as it relates to weight loss and/or maintenance--and also about any work, fun, hobby, or volunteer activites you're engaged in. In other words, the active part of your life!

Just a few guidelines for this thread:

- Raves about grandkids or ranting about your kids is out of bounds.

- Lengthy discussion of your illnesses, conditions, treatments, and medical procedures in general is also out of bounds on this thread. So is whining about old age! ;)

- Positive stories of vacations taken, volunteer work, or achievements at work or elsewhere are highly encouraged! As are recommendations for books, movies, discussions of weight related issues, etc.

Join in!
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It's another gray and breezy day here--as Hurricane Gustave blows its way through the gulf. I hope everyone who needs to get out along the Louisiana/Mississippi coast does so...

To think that tomorrow is September. How did that happen? I still think there's some summer left. (Well, technically there is!)

What's up with all of you? Today's my day off from the gym, sad to say. I might get a walk in, if I can get out there before we get rain again.

Any football fans here? (Spinymouse, somehow I bet you're not one...? ;) )

Jay

Hmm... looks like I'm talkin' to myself in here... :chin: Must be the holiday.

Jay

Good Morning JAY . . . I'm sure some of the others will be showing up soon. :yes:

My day was really strange yesterday -- weather was looking not too terrible so I decided to do some shopping. Oh my . . . we got hit by a very sudden and very nasty storm . . . obviously not at hurricane level, but bad enough that you couldn't see to drive. :dizzy: I was in Walmart at the time it arrived and they took a generator hit and were trying to shoo us all out while their emergency power supply lasted. Storm raged around all night, but this morning it has turned quite sunny.

Hope the weather is being good to you and the rest of the gang. . . :carrot:

You are right, Jay. I am the opposite of a football fan.
I guess I take after my Dad with that. I remember him briefly looking at a game on TV and then getting this amused little half-smile on his face and saying, "Points. POINTS!! What are they going to do with their POINTS?" and then shaking his head and changing the channel.

It is one of those words too that sounds sillier the more you say it. Points points points.....

Today I must do the least favorite thing of all to do -- domestic drudgery. The cottage I rent has become so bad that even I can't stand it anymore. And my long-lost college friend is coming over in less than two weeks, and so I have to begin to clean now. I have always been a natural slob. Oh, and that reminds me I have to clean out the car too. Nature abhors a vacuum, and so do I. It is almost enough to make me disbelieve astrology since I am a double Virgo and am the antithesis of meticulous and neat. My whole living space is an obstacle course of filth. Hmmm. Sounds like a band name. Obstacle Course of Filth. At least an album title.

:lol:

Hey Spinymouse, meowee!

What they do with their points is make large deposits at the bank... ;) :lol:

Good luck on your cleaning, Jo! Yeah, somehow I can imagine that if anyone could be a double virgo and have a contrary rep, it would be you, girl!

Me, I like clean--but at the same time, I'm also messy. My desk is a disaster area, and my clothes pile up on the dresser... but my floors are spotless. :shrug:

Jay

JAY - How do you get your floors to be spotless? Mine are conspiring against me.
Determined to turn over a new leaf, I borrowed a friend's steam cleaner which she raved on about, how it was so much better than the kind you can rent at the hardware store, and so with much back discomfort I moved furniture around and used this device only to have it DEPOSIT dirt and dog hair onto the floor (yes, i read the directions first, and listened to my friend's description of what to do) Where's that mad foot-stamping icon, oh well, insert here. I'm too tired to look for it.
I don't like carpeting much anyway but I rent, so I have no say, and have been in this cottage for about 8 years now, and I am sure the landlord will not re-carpet until I am gone and if that is in 20 more years.... wow, that's a lot of years of nasty carpet and stupid gizmos to try on it.

Good Morning . . . :wave:

Guess I'm more like Jay . . . terribly messy with stuff piled in every corner, but my floors are pretty clean, even the carpeted ones. Best trick I've found is to attack the cat yak-up marks as soon as they happen with soda water. This morning I was 'gifted' with three spots.

Nothing too new around here -- the long weekend is over so naturally the sun is shining at the moment. :lol:

Hey! :wave:

Well, ya gotta stay on top of it. I make every effort not to let it go too long between cleanings. I'm motivated because I'm mildly allergic to cats, and I have a cat. And I do just like it better.

One thing that helps is that we don't wear shoes indoors--or we only wear indoor shoes (that haven't ever gone outside).

We have some tile floors as well as wood floors, and I love Swiffer for that. (OK, so it's not that environmentally friendly--but I paid my dues for many years and I've had enough of cleaning being harder than it needs to be.)

As for the carpets--the company I'd recommend is Chem-Dry. They have franchises in many places. The "chem" in the name refers to carbonation (i.e., club soda, basically... ha ha!), not to any terrible chemicals. And it's not very expensive to have them come once every couple of years.

meowee, Chem-Dry sells a spot cleaner that is like club soda on steroids. Takes care of all our cat spots.

And for vacuuming, well, in another thread I gave my opinion of certain vacuum cleaners. Let's just say that I like bags, and I have a Kenmore Progressive canister vac that I just love.

And that's what I know about floors today!

Sorry about the steam cleaning machine... :yikes:

I'll look into Chem-Dry. Do they move the furniture around too? Or what do you do with it?

If you want, they will help you move furniture. It may cost more, dunno.

It depends on how far you want to go or how bad it is. Sometimes just having the main pathways cleaned is all you need. We had all the carpets done here before we moved in (so there was no furniture). If we were having it done now there are some things we wouldn't move, like the sofa bed, the bed in the bedroom, probably the desk, etc.

It dries in something like an hour--it never is really wet the way steam cleaning sometimes is. That's what we like.

Jay

Hi . . . :wave:

Just to let you know, I've been having really weird computer problems the past few days and will be making an appointment to get this "little beastie" a checkup probably on Friday. At the moment, 3FC is one of the few places I'm able to access, but I don't know how much longer that may last.

Hope you don't mind JAY, :^:, but I mentioned to the members in Golden Girls and Getting Lighter that they could give a yell for you if I go completely missing and they need some Mod intervention

Bought myself a new toy yesterday, a laptop, along with a cute little stand for it (which took me over 3 hours to put together :dizzy:) and a thingamajig to allow me to set up my own little wireless network so I can eventually use either computer on the net -- BUT -- this silly desktop (which is currently hardwired into the cable connection) will not let me load the software to set up the wireless.

Today I will tackle the laptop set up and the first thing I'll be loading (if Vista cooperates) will be my Mahjong game which I haven't been able to access since Sunday -- I'm having major withdrawal pains. :lol: Thank goodness I've never found (actually never tried to find) a real-life game to become involved with. It does become addictive. :yikes: Luckily, I'm a definite non-gambler at heart.

Anyway, better get to a few more 3FC places while I can . . . hopefully "I will be back" . . . :crossed:

Good Morning ladies, Got to get outside soon and get my walk in. If I wait untill later it will not happen. Days are still too hot and evening have a way of getting away from you and nothing happening.

I have to admit I am something of a neat freak. I get really nervous in a mess. I can't relax. I must have some some kind of condition there! Instead of swimter duster I use one taht has a removeable cloth that you can wash and reuse many times, and I can use my cleaning product of choice, vinegar. I know, sounds like the house would smell like a salad, but the vinegar smell evaporates quickly and it just smells clean. And no chemicals.

Eveyone, make it a good day, Freda

Hi . . . :wave:

Computer is still alive and getting peskier by the hour . . . laptop is functional now but not networked yet; but it came with lots and lots of free games. :lol:

Hopefully both will be running at happier levels in the next few days. :crossed:

meowee, I hope you can get set up soon! It's supposed to be easy. Right. Nothing brings me to my knees like a misbehaving computer and new installations... :stress:

Now I know everyone has gotten past Labor Day. What's coming up next? I'm going to be going to Colorado to visit my sister for a week come the middle of this month. I haven't seen her new house--should be fantastic.

I'm doing well on eating more protein--and I've added one other strategy just to see what happens, namely, I'm limiting my carbs. Time will tell whether it makes any difference.

Jay

I'm baaccckkk!
:D
Missed you all! Looks like everyone was chatty while I was gone. I'm an odd duck when it comes to cleaning. My office is spotless - every paper and file in its place. The house is clean, but not tidy. I put everything in its place on the weekend, and then throughout the week, it gets a "lived in" look about it as the week progresses.

I do try to keep the floors clean. I love my gadgets - steam mop, Dyson, Roombas, and carpet steamer. With a long-hair dog and cats, keeping up on the fur alone is a chore. The Roombas really help in that department.

The trip was intense, successful and frustrating - as most family situations are. I'm glad to be back home.

School started on Tues. so work has been crazy. I'm already looking forward to my next trip to SF in October to see the kids.

Jay - glad your plan is working, and your trip sounds like it will be FUN!

Flowing and Freda - the weather sure has changed! Did you get all the rain today? Leftovers from Gustav - sure did dump on us up here!

Linda - hope you get your computer issues solved. I can't imagine life without a computer, but some days ...

Jo - :rofl: I also abhor vacuuming. Well, and if I am honest, most housework as well. I love a neat and tidy house, but I can't seem to motivate myself to put forth the effort needed to accomplish the task. Makes me question whether it really is a priority for me, or just some weird remnants of my Grandmother's influence in my life. The woman scrubbed all the floors on hands and knees every Friday - while wearing stockings and a skirt no less. I only saw her in pants twice - toward the end of her life. I think she bought her first pair when she turned 95.

Hope you all had a wonderful Labor Day holiday. Have a GREAT Friday!

- Laurie

Hi . . . :wave:

Glorious Friday here -- lots of nice temperatures and oodles of glorious sun -- we are being told it is definitely the lull before the storm -- Hanna is on her way.

The desk-top has an appointment for this afternoon about 3 . . . add to the time estimate from the 'wizard-guy' of 5 or 6 hours in his shop plus another hour or two when he brings it back, the fact that it is the weekend, and the fact that Hanna is supposed to hit us late Saturday (with possible power outages) . . . I have absolutely no idea when I will get back on-line. :dizzy:

See you eventually . . . :yes:

Good Morning, Got some rain last night again, and it's kind of gloomey outside now. So, probably more rain today. My lawn will love it. Me...not so much.

Laurie, glad to see you back, and glad that your trip went well. My grandma was a little old Southern Lady too. Never wore pants for anything!

Linda, Hope your computer woes are over soon!

Jay, Hope the are you doing the "Beach" now? Sorry, I don't know that much about it, just know it's low carb, high protein.

Flo, I really don't mind cleaning house, at least most things. But I make it as easy on myself as possible. I believe in getting help, like self cleaning oven. That was my least favorite choir.

Every, make it a good day, freda

Hey CD! :wave: Glad to have you back! Wow, you have some serious floor cleaning equipment...

Did I say I liked cleaning? Oh no, I don't. But I like a clean space. If I had any extra money, a house cleaner would be coming in here every other week. And it's not all up to me--my partner and I share the tasks. Floors are just mine.

meowee, we'll keep a space for you...

the slim me, it does sound a lot like the Beach, doesn't it? And kinda like Atkins. But I'm not being that formal. I'm just trying to reduce the amount of carbs I eat to see what that does in "the whole mix." :dizzy:

Anyone in Hanna's path, hope you stay dry! I'm getting a little nervous about Ike out there...

Jay

My thoughts are with all of you that are in the path of these storms. I hope you all stay safe and as dry as possible.

And of course, I wish everyone a perfectly on-plan weekend.

Gotta fly and get some dinner made. I will check back in tomorrow.

Good morning everyone,

Hope all of you have a great weekend! It looks like it going to be light jacket/sweatshirt weather here. Went to GS's soccer game last night, at 7, and by the time it ws over at 8 it was almost dark. Seems like we were staying out untill at least 9 last week! A sure sign that fall is here. Had to wear a sweatshirt too.

Jay, i'm with you. If I ever become wealthy (yeah, like that will happen) I will definateally have a maid or 2. and i'll try not to go behind her and clean. I have to have a clean house, otherwise i get really anxious. Maybe a little OC going on there. But I hate a messy house. DH helps a lot too.

Linda, got that computer going yet?

Laurie, Almost apple picking time. do you go to the orchards? I am so ready!

Flo, I keep the Grands quite a bit too, and it's an ongoing battle to clean up as we go. They need lots of encouragement (as we say at work). But they keep me on my toes too, make sure i get lots of exercise. How about you? Do you go to the apple orchards in the fall?

Make it a good day, Freda



Take care,

Freda - I can't wait for fresh MI apples! I usually get them at our Farmer's market rather than pick them myself. My schedule is so hectic that it is one indulgence I allow myself (same with MI strawberries, blueberries, cherries, etc.).

I don't eat apples except in the fall. After having them fresh, they really don't appeal to me the rest of the year. In fact, now that I think about it, I only eat raw fruits that are in season most of the time. Though, I can eat any fruit - any time - if it is in a pie ;)

Trying to get caught up today. Clean, clean, and clean some more. The dog is MOULTING fur - I think he has shed double his weight :yikes:

Happy Saturday to all!

This morning began with a nice round of bush pruning, beginning at 7:30 to avoid the heat getting any worse. :stress:

You know, next to my pressure washer, I do like my electric clippers. I used to use the hand kind--you know, the scissor type--and a job like this would have taken a lot longer. I do still use the hand clippers for certain kinds of pruning, and I do have some nice loppers. But ahhhh the joy of power tools!

However, I think I'll skip the gym today. Yesterday I did a really good workout, did 40 minutes on the treadmill, did squats, worked arms, worked calves, did abs. And then this morning with the pruning... I think I'm done with the physical stuff. Bring on the ice packs! :lol:

Other than that it's a beautiful day!

Jay

Good Morning ladies, It was cool all weekend, and we got some rain. No wind though, so I guess we did better than a lot of states. Took the dog on a long walk yesterday, so we both got our exercise in.

Laurie, Come to think about it, I only eat fruit in season too. Never really though about it. But you're right, it's just so much better. Plus I'm not about to give 5.99 for a pound of cherries. That don't even taste good. I did the same with apples. I quit buying them because the texture just wasn't right. I didn't go to the apple orchard yet, probably next weekend we'll take the kids to the cider mill and get some apples too. GD loves fresh cider. Do any of you go to the cider mill? I did pick up some fresh apples at the local stand this weekend. Yes, worth waiting for. Waht kind of dog do you have?

Jay, You sound like my DH. Give him a power tool and he is a happy man! Never quite got it. But I guess if you are doing the choirs they would make a big difference. and I think you got plenty of exercise this weekend with all the things you did!

Flo, Did you get back to your exercise plan? It's so easy to get out of the habit and so hard to get back on again. But walking is great exercise! so you got plenty of exercise that day.

Make it a good day, Freda

Hey everybody!

Freda, you could be right about the power tool thing. I used to poo-poo power tools, actually. I liked hand tools. I thought that power tools were just for dudes who were too lazy. Only, one day I discovered that these days, using hand tools made my joints and muscles hurt. Sawing a small limb off a tree with a hand saw... well, what can I say? And so, I embraced power tools. However, I always go for light weight versions. I don't need a gasoline-powered leaf blower, for heavens sake!

A new challenge--we have mice in our walls. They aren't in the house, or our cat would have already solved that. Instead they've decided to nest in the walls, and the problem is that they are gnawing on the joists in the middle of the night. It sounds like we have woodpeckers! Grrrrr...

I've ordered some ultrasound devices to repel them... I'll let you know...

Jay

Hi all - hope you had a great day!

Jay - MICE - oh, my - let me know how the ultrasound things work. We heard a bat in the wall last week. We aren't sure how we are going to entice it out or where it is getting in at!

I am a gadget person, but I like power tools too. I used to do a lot of wood crafts so I am pretty handy around a workshop. DH and I built our previous house, so I can run wiring and shingle and the like. I adore using our little air compressor (Husky) for all kinds of things and I am just learning to use some of the tools (like the power nailer) with it. I'm not sure I will ever be completely comfortable though!

Freda - Mozart is an eleven year old Golden and Sheltie mix. He is a miniature version of our last dog that was Golden and Collie. That being said, he is still 70 lbs. He is a beautiful dog, but the FUR!!! (pic attached)

Flo - I'm struggling with exercise too. I still do my morning routine faithfully, but now that school has started, I'm not walking to and from work anymore. I can't seem to motivate myself to get out my DVDs after work again. I gotta work on that!

I less than fun day here - oral surgery and a super busy work day don't really mix very well. I was thinking that school would slow down some now that we have made it through the first week, but it hasn't :(

Oh, well, I'm betting tomorrow will be better. At least I can have solid food again :D

Hello to all of our MIAs!
Attachment 30184

Now I'm thinking it has to be bigger than mice--more like a squirrel or a rat. It's just too loud for a mouse. Doggone it! I guess I'll send back the sonic devices when they get here and call the animal removal folks.

Jay

I found a better device than the sonic or ultrasound devices. I'll let you know whether it works. It's a plug-in, but it causes electromagnetic resonance in the wires inside the walls. Supposedly works on rodents, ants, roaches, spiders, etc.

Flowingair, I do a lot better without refined carbs. But I still do get cravings from time to time. :(

Jay

Hi All, Another cold, wet morning. I've had the kids the last couple of days, so I've got a lot of catching up to do. Busy day just running around.

Jay, I hope your decive works! I love animals, but I really don't want them in the walls. My SIL just had a problem too. She had a Racoon dig into her fron yard, by the foundation of the house. Threw the dirt everywhere. The animal controle people said they would dig all the way down under the foundation. She had some traps put out, but it seems to be gone. But several other people in the neighborhood have found holes in their yards too.

Laurie, Mozart is beautiful! The shedding is annoying but the love you get makes it so worth cleaning up a bit more. I admire your building ability too. I wouldn't even know how to start building a house. Hope you're feeling better now and able to eat again.

Flo, I've neve done the "Beach" but a lot of people have good luck with it. I try not to eat a lot of unrefined carbs either. I've made a lot of substitutions and we find that we like them better.

make it a good day, Freda

Jay - that gizmo sounds intriguing! Keep me posted on how it works.

Freda - we missed the rain you got - but we did get a mild frost last night. Fall is definitely in the air!

Quick fly-in - more church meetings tonight. Fall is a busy time of year, it seems. It was a beautiful day here in northern MI - I really love fall! My allergies don't - but the gardens are just gorgeous.

One of my new DVDs arrived today - I think I might give it a try tomorrow It is really a neat setup. You can do one of 5 programed workouts, or you can mix and match from 9 different segments. Chris Freytag is the instructor and I usually like her workouts.

Off to make supper. Have a GREAT Thursday all!

I'm back . . . :wave: . . . May never get caught up on my post reading of course, but at least I'm connected. The withdrawal pains over the past 5 days have been agonizing.

See you soon . . . :grouphug:

Hey where is everybody hiding????

Beautiful and sunny morning but pretty cool (under 50F) in northern NS . . . great day for the regular thursday afternoon mall-crawl.

Have a great Thursday gang . . . :carrot:

Linda - :hug: we are so glad you are back! We definitely missed you!!!

Hope the mall crawl was fun - or at least productive. Wish we had one here. Living in a small town definitely has its disadvantages.

Hope everyone has a wonderful evening! I gotta go enjoy this beautiful weather while the sun is still shining :D

Hi I'm doing a quick fly by. I've been so busy at school with meetings and planning. I love my job, but I'm just exhausted this week. I'm so glad Linda is back. Weather is nice down here in lower MI. Have a great Friday TGIF