Originally Posted by va1erie:
I get it because I buy her products -- the company she works for uses it as a way to make sure customers see anything new and get a chance to order replacements instead of defecting to something easier to get. :)

They clearly know how to market their products and hook their customers!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Man, that's a bummer. I think I've had an ear infection -once- and it was not pleasant.

I haven't had one since I was a kid, and this was an experience I hope to repeat!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Whoops, sorry! I didn't even realize I hadn't gotten in here. The days all sort of run together during the summer for me. I don't know what I'm going to do to keep track of the when both kids are gone this fall, or when John retires! I'll just have one long blur of days and will never know what day it is.

i get that. I totally lose track of my days during semester breaks. Last night I tried to post, but got a message saying the administrator had blocked my IP address. I have no idea why. I wrote to the administrator but got no response. I didn't discover it until I tried to submit my post, so i hope the same thing doesn't happen again.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Weighed -- up, to .4 below goal, so must get on that again. Haven't eaten badly but I've had three nights this week that I was out somewhere having a glass of wine, so that's likely it. Am probably not going to my class as I've been up since 1 and am hoping to get back to sleep. Gah. Oh, well. I had three good nights this week!

Our sleep patterns surely don't mesh--I often don't go to bed until after you're up for the day! I hope you were able to go back to sleep. I'm glad you're still below goal despite all of the eating challenges you have faced lately.

Last night I went out to dinner with three female colleagues. I had my first-ever martini (we were at a restaurant that has a long, long menu of flavored martinis, and the one I had was pink and fruity and a totally girly drink--delicious!). For dinner I ordered a lunch portion (which turned out to be the tiniest portion I've ever been served--I was still hungry when I finished!) of fettucine with chicken and broccoli with the sauce on the side. Then we went to see the play Mamma Mia at the campus PAC. It was awesome, and I had such a good time. Today I went to a strawberry festival with some friends (this is an annual ritual) and had strawberry shortcake (planned for and compensated for by eating very low calorie the rest of the day).

My date (with John, my latest eHarmony match, who is also a colleague) has been rescheduled for a week from Sunday. It was the only day I have available before I will leave town again, and I have to go to church in the morning, so I invited John to come to church before we go out to lunch and then for a walk at a local state park. The catch is that I will be singing that Sunday as part of a duet, which makes me nervous under the best of conditions, and being watched by a music professor, of all things, is definitely not the best of conditions!! What was I THINKING???! I'm excited about the day, though.

OK, let's see if this is going to submit!

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:


Last night I went out to dinner with three female colleagues. I had my first-ever martini (we were at a restaurant that has a long, long menu of flavored martinis, and the one I had was pink and fruity and a totally girly drink--delicious!). For dinner I ordered a lunch portion (which turned out to be the tiniest portion I've ever been served--I was still hungry when I finished!) of fettucine with chicken and broccoli with the sauce on the side. Then we went to see the play Mamma Mia at the campus PAC. It was awesome, and I had such a good time. Today I went to a strawberry festival with some friends (this is an annual ritual) and had strawberry shortcake (planned for and compensated for by eating very low calorie the rest of the day).

Sounds like you've been having fun! I drink martinis occasionally, but almost never the flavored ones. I'm not much for sweet drinks. Wow, this must have been a hard year for strawberry festivals! The strawberries showed up early and the early crop has already come close to ending here!

Originally Posted by :
My date (with John, my latest eHarmony match, who is also a colleague) has been rescheduled for a week from Sunday. It was the only day I have available before I will leave town again, and I have to go to church in the morning, so I invited John to come to church before we go out to lunch and then for a walk at a local state park. The catch is that I will be singing that Sunday as part of a duet, which makes me nervous under the best of conditions, and being watched by a music professor, of all things, is definitely not the best of conditions!! What was I THINKING???! I'm excited about the day, though.

Oh, he's a music professor! Very cool.

Originally Posted by :
OK, let's see if this is going to submit!

Looks like luck was with you!

Report: didn't weigh, off to Youngstown again today after the market. My friend Cindy is taking her son to camp and they're staying overnight with my cousin, and I offered to come along to see Gwen again and give Cindy company on the drive home. I'm not taking my laptop so may or may not post tomorrow, depending on when we get home.

Hope you had a great day!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Sounds like you've been having fun! I drink martinis occasionally, but almost never the flavored ones. I'm not much for sweet drinks. Wow, this must have been a hard year for strawberry festivals! The strawberries showed up early and the early crop has already come close to ending here!

Yeah, the strawberry crops have been horrible here. There were some booths selling local strawberries at the festival, and the berries were the tiniest I have ever seen.

And yes, I've been having some fun, but mostly I have been crazy busy with my condo. I've spring-cleaned every surface in the place (and found cat hair in some very odd places in the process--like inside the freezer!!); washed all of the quilts, throw rugs, and curtains; handwashed the siding outside; cleaned the garage; had the bedroom carpets cleaned; had plumbing and electrical work taken care of; ordered a storm door; shopped for wallpaper. And today I had the kitchen and laundry room flooring replaced. It was an icky, outdated, torn white vinyl, and I had it replaced with a floor that is also vinyl but looks incredibly like hardwood--it has lots of texture, making it look rough and primitive. I wasn't sure of my choice, but now that it's installed, I'm over the moon. It looks amazing and totally transforms the rooms. On Monday, the living room carpet will be replaced. On Wednesday, a new CHERRY RED high efficiency washer and dryer will be delivered. I will positively swoon to have those red appliances I have lusted over forever. I still have a few more projects to get done before the summer is out. I had been saving money all year to do all of this work but have been going through it at a rapid pace. Everything is more expensive than I predicted.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Oh, he's a music professor! Very cool.

I thought I had told you that, but maybe not! Yeah, and he composes music, too. He promised he wouldn't critique me too harshly or treat me like a student!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Report: didn't weigh, off to Youngstown again today after the market. My friend Cindy is taking her son to camp and they're staying overnight with my cousin, and I offered to come along to see Gwen again and give Cindy company on the drive home. I'm not taking my laptop so may or may not post tomorrow, depending on when we get home.

That's very nice of you to do that for Cindy! Have a safe trip, and check in when you get back!

I ate about 1450 calories today. Got plenty of "exercise" moving furniture and washing the siding. Tomorrow I will go to the gym after church, then come home and start shifting furniture around again in preparation for the carpet installers. I hate the upheaval and mess, but the result is going to be worth it!

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
Yeah, the strawberry crops have been horrible here. There were some booths selling local strawberries at the festival, and the berries were the tiniest I have ever seen.

They're good, though! I had some for breakfast yesterday at Gwen's -- not large, but deep red and very sweet.

Originally Posted by :
And yes, I've been having some fun, but mostly I have been crazy busy with my condo. I've spring-cleaned every surface in the place (and found cat hair in some very odd places in the process--like inside the freezer!!); washed all of the quilts, throw rugs, and curtains; handwashed the siding outside; cleaned the garage; had the bedroom carpets cleaned; had plumbing and electrical work taken care of; ordered a storm door; shopped for wallpaper. And today I had the kitchen and laundry room flooring replaced. It was an icky, outdated, torn white vinyl, and I had it replaced with a floor that is also vinyl but looks incredibly like hardwood--it has lots of texture, making it look rough and primitive. I wasn't sure of my choice, but now that it's installed, I'm over the moon. It looks amazing and totally transforms the rooms. On Monday, the living room carpet will be replaced. On Wednesday, a new CHERRY RED high efficiency washer and dryer will be delivered. I will positively swoon to have those red appliances I have lusted over forever. I still have a few more projects to get done before the summer is out. I had been saving money all year to do all of this work but have been going through it at a rapid pace. Everything is more expensive than I predicted.

Wow! Your condo must be looking great!

Originally Posted by :
I thought I had told you that, but maybe not! Yeah, and he composes music, too. He promised he wouldn't critique me too harshly or treat me like a student!

LOL! He sounds nice.

Originally Posted by :
I ate about 1450 calories today. Got plenty of "exercise" moving furniture and washing the siding. Tomorrow I will go to the gym after church, then come home and start shifting furniture around again in preparation for the carpet installers. I hate the upheaval and mess, but the result is going to be worth it!

And whenever I totally empty a room I end up with a less cluttered space, which I love.

Report: weighed (2 under goal, yay, even though we went out to a new Italian place with my cousin and ate lunch yesterday at the little drive-in we always stop at in Conneaut on the way into camp. Saw Jane for a few minutes, but she was pretty busy getting ready for her first cabent full of Aztecs (10-11 year old girls) to arrive. She got her favorite cabent (it's shaded except for the middle of the day and has a view of Lake Erie out the back) and seemed very happy. John and I are going back up Friday to stay overnight again with Gwen and pick Jane up Saturday to bring her home for a month.

Hope your day was great!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
They're good, though! I had some for breakfast yesterday at Gwen's -- not large, but deep red and very sweet.

I had some little strawberries today, and they were surprisingly good--like you said, really red and sweet.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Wow! Your condo must be looking great!

Sorry to go MIA. I couldn't even FIND my laptop for the last couple of days; it was piled in a mountain of stuff on the guest bed. I have now had the flooring redone in my kitchen, laundry room, and entry (all vinyl that looks like oak planks); and in my living room/dining room (carpet that hopefully will hide the kitty barf a little better). So I had four rooms full of stuff piled in the bedrooms. What a mess. It took me hours to get everything cleaned up and put back in place, but everything looks great now! Tomorrow I get my new red washer and dryer, which I am very excited about. On Friday morning, the storm door will be installed. Phew!

I like the oak-look flooring SO much that now I am thinking about getting it in my bathrooms, too. Then I am going to have the walls in one bathroom re-papered, get someone to paint my front door (once I have a storm door to protect it), and I think that will be it as far as home improvement goes!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
LOL! He sounds nice.

He is that. He's a true, gracious gentleman. In fact, he's exactly the kind of guy my mother would have picked out for me. I haven't decided yet if that's a good thing or not!! ;)

Originally Posted by va1erie:
And whenever I totally empty a room I end up with a less cluttered space, which I love.

I have gotten rid of a TON of stuff over the last few months, and I am really liking the less cluttered look more and more as time goes on. I used to NEED to be in small, cluttered, closed-in rooms that had layers of decorative stuff to create the feeling of a safe "nest". But I have really come to appreciate spaciousness and openness--symbolizes my changed personality, I guess.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Report: weighed (2 under goal, yay, even though we went out to a new Italian place with my cousin and ate lunch yesterday at the little drive-in we always stop at in Conneaut on the way into camp. Saw Jane for a few minutes, but she was pretty busy getting ready for her first cabent full of Aztecs (10-11 year old girls) to arrive. She got her favorite cabent (it's shaded except for the middle of the day and has a view of Lake Erie out the back) and seemed very happy. John and I are going back up Friday to stay overnight again with Gwen and pick Jane up Saturday to bring her home for a month.

YAY for being two pounds under goal! And I'm glad Jane is doing well! I can't believe that you will only have a month with her before she goes off to college. This summer is going way too quickly.

I still haven't weighed myself but don't think I have changed one way or the other. I had a super-intense personal training session today. At the end of it, my hair was soaking wet and I could have wrung out my shirt. I am not used to sweating like that!

Hope you had a great day today!

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
I had some little strawberries today, and they were surprisingly good

Sometimes the smallest ones are the sweetest, it seems like!

Originally Posted by :
Sorry to go MIA. I couldn't even FIND my laptop for the last couple of days; it was piled in a mountain of stuff on the guest bed. I have now had the flooring redone in my kitchen, laundry room, and entry (all vinyl that looks like oak planks); and in my living room/dining room (carpet that hopefully will hide the kitty barf a little better). So I had four rooms full of stuff piled in the bedrooms. What a mess. It took me hours to get everything cleaned up and put back in place, but everything looks great now! Tomorrow I get my new red washer and dryer, which I am very excited about. On Friday morning, the storm door will be installed. Phew!

No problem! I was actually unintentionally MIA myself. I don't have an excuse, either! Just crazy busy as usual here! I'm glad your new floors look great!

Originally Posted by :
I like the oak-look flooring SO much that now I am thinking about getting it in my bathrooms, too. Then I am going to have the walls in one bathroom re-papered, get someone to paint my front door (once I have a storm door to protect it), and I think that will be it as far as home improvement goes!

Is that all? LOL! I have so many projects I need to complete. I'm thinking of maybe considering possibly downsizing in the next year or three and going back into the city now that the kids are out of school. I just look around at all the decluttering and minor repairs I need to do...ai yi yi...

Originally Posted by :
He is that. He's a true, gracious gentleman. In fact, he's exactly the kind of guy my mother would have picked out for me. I haven't decided yet if that's a good thing or not!! ;)

With most moms, I'd say it was a good thing. :)

Originally Posted by :
I have gotten rid of a TON of stuff over the last few months, and I am really liking the less cluttered look more and more as time goes on. I used to NEED to be in small, cluttered, closed-in rooms that had layers of decorative stuff to create the feeling of a safe "nest". But I have really come to appreciate spaciousness and openness--symbolizes my changed personality, I guess.

I love an uncluttered look, too, but my natural tendency to acquire too much conflicts with that! I think I'm going to start decluttering one room at a time, plus doing paint touchups and some minor decorating -- hanging a few pictures, putting up draperies in my dining room which has nothing but wooden blinds on the window, stuff like that -- as a precursor to getting the house ready for viewing. I also need to replace some windows, one panel of three especially very badly.

Originally Posted by :
YAY for being two pounds under goal! And I'm glad Jane is doing well! I can't believe that you will only have a month with her before she goes off to college. This summer is going way too quickly.

Don't remind me! She's going to leave a big gaping hole in my life, that's for sure. And in her cat's life. Rosie's been wandering the house crying for no apparent reason for the past week, and I suspect it's because she misses Jane.

Report: didn't weigh, didn't go to class because I had a gazillion early-morning errands to run. Gr. Hoping to go Friday before we take off for the weekend AGAIN.

Hope you had a great day today!

Originally Posted by va1erie:

No problem! I was actually unintentionally MIA myself. I don't have an excuse, either! Just crazy busy as usual here! I'm glad your new floors look great!

Somehow summer ends up being the busiest time of the year, even though in theory it is supposed to be the slowest.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Is that all? LOL! I have so many projects I need to complete. I'm thinking of maybe considering possibly downsizing in the next year or three and going back into the city now that the kids are out of school. I just look around at all the decluttering and minor repairs I need to do...ai yi yi...

"The city"? What city would that be? Yeah, I've gone a bit overboard with the projects lately. It's just that I never have time to do this kind of stuff during the school year, so the summer ends up packed.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
With most moms, I'd say it was a good thing. :)

Yeah, but this is MY mom we're talking about!!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I love an uncluttered look, too, but my natural tendency to acquire too much conflicts with that! I think I'm going to start decluttering one room at a time, plus doing paint touchups and some minor decorating -- hanging a few pictures, putting up draperies in my dining room which has nothing but wooden blinds on the window, stuff like that -- as a precursor to getting the house ready for viewing. I also need to replace some windows, one panel of three especially very badly.

I also have a window (big picture window in my living room) that really should be replaced (I accidentally broke the pins holding it in place), but I think I'm going to put that one on the back burner for now. Maybe next summer. How big is your house? How would your kids feel about downsizing?

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Don't remind me! She's going to leave a big gaping hole in my life, that's for sure. And in her cat's life. Rosie's been wandering the house crying for no apparent reason for the past week, and I suspect it's because she misses Jane.

Aw, poor Rosie. I'm sure she does feel Jane's absence keenly. Maybe she is missing your dog, too?

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Report: didn't weigh, didn't go to class because I had a gazillion early-morning errands to run. Gr. Hoping to go Friday before we take off for the weekend AGAIN.

When are you leaving? It seems like you just got home!!

I finally weighed myself this morning and was down 1.2 from last time I weighed, but still a few pounds heavier than I want to be. I can feel that some of my clothes are a little snug. I'm still trying to find my way to healthy eating with minimal cooking and limited NS food.

Hope your day wasn't quite so busy today!

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
Somehow summer ends up being the busiest time of the year, even though in theory it is supposed to be the slowest.

Ain't it the truth!

Originally Posted by :
"The city"? What city would that be? Yeah, I've gone a bit overboard with the projects lately. It's just that I never have time to do this kind of stuff during the school year, so the summer ends up packed.

Into Cincinnati. We're in the northeast suburbs, and while our area is unusually walkable -- we can walk to restaurants, bars, parks, the post office, library, produce market -- we used to live in a neighborhood, Clifton, where I did most of my errands on foot. The library and post office here are 3/4 mile if I cut through the back yards, but there it was six blocks with sidewalks all the way, and the grocery was 8 blocks, and there were dozens of restaurants and bars and a coffeeshop and a bakery and an Indian grocers and little boutiques in the neighborhood. We moved out here because of the schools.

Originally Posted by :
I also have a window (big picture window in my living room) that really should be replaced (I accidentally broke the pins holding it in place), but I think I'm going to put that one on the back burner for now. Maybe next summer. How big is your house? How would your kids feel about downsizing?

Our house is probably 3000sf, plus a screened porch, a patio, a deck, and a partially finished basement, all on a little under 3/4 acre. It's a ranch so theoretically we can stay here 'til we die. :) But the idea of moving back to the city is intriguing. We mentioned it to Michael last night, and (surprise) he didn't express any concerns. That doesn't mean he isn't stewing it over, though. It'll be interesting to see what Jane will think, though. She's likely to have a more immediate reaction, and I doubt it will be positive. :)

Originally Posted by :
Aw, poor Rosie. I'm sure she does feel Jane's absence keenly. Maybe she is missing your dog, too?

It's possible, though for the past two years he's mostly just laid on his bed and slept most of the day, only getting up to eat or because he has to go out. Which more and more often, he'd get up too late. When it finally got to the point he was consistently soiling his bed and then just lying in it, we knew it was time.

Originally Posted by :
When are you leaving? It seems like you just got home!!

I know! Friday around noon we go up to Gwen's, then Saturday we pick up Jane and come back.

Originally Posted by :
I finally weighed myself this morning and was down 1.2 from last time I weighed, but still a few pounds heavier than I want to be. I can feel that some of my clothes are a little snug. I'm still trying to find my way to healthy eating with minimal cooking and limited NS food.

Yay on finding you were down after not weighing for a while! Why with minimal cooking? Just because you don't yet have all the skills, or because of the remodelling chaos, or have you decided you aren't really keen on learning to cook more?

Report: weighed (no change, yay!) and am headed out now to dig a bed, so I'll get some fair exercise.

Originally Posted by va1erie:



Into Cincinnati. We're in the northeast suburbs, and while our area is unusually walkable -- we can walk to restaurants, bars, parks, the post office, library, produce market -- we used to live in a neighborhood, Clifton, where I did most of my errands on foot. The library and post office here are 3/4 mile if I cut through the back yards, but there it was six blocks with sidewalks all the way, and the grocery was 8 blocks, and there were dozens of restaurants and bars and a coffeeshop and a bakery and an Indian grocers and little boutiques in the neighborhood. We moved out here because of the schools.

Sounds like you'd actually get more exercise living in the city! I've never lived in a city (unless you count Albany in graduate school), so it is hard for me to imagine what that lifestyle would be like.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Our house is probably 3000sf, plus a screened porch, a patio, a deck, and a partially finished basement, all on a little under 3/4 acre. It's a ranch so theoretically we can stay here 'til we die. :) But the idea of moving back to the city is intriguing. We mentioned it to Michael last night, and (surprise) he didn't express any concerns. That doesn't mean he isn't stewing it over, though. It'll be interesting to see what Jane will think, though. She's likely to have a more immediate reaction, and I doubt it will be positive. :)

Has Jane lived in the same house all her life? If so, I would imagine that she would be less than thrilled at the idea of moving.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
It's possible, though for the past two years he's mostly just laid on his bed and slept most of the day, only getting up to eat or because he has to go out. Which more and more often, he'd get up too late. When it finally got to the point he was consistently soiling his bed and then just lying in it, we knew it was time.

That's definitely no life for a dog (or for any species, for that matter). Quality of life matters.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Yay on finding you were down after not weighing for a while! Why with minimal cooking? Just because you don't yet have all the skills, or because of the remodelling chaos, or have you decided you aren't really keen on learning to cook more?

All of the above! I find it really difficult to muster up the motivation to learn something new, especially something that is so time-consuming. I would imagine that if I really put some effort into it, though, I'd probably discover that it would be worth my while, and I'd wonder why I resisted it for so long--kinda like exercise!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Report: weighed (no change, yay!) and am headed out now to dig a bed, so I'll get some fair exercise.

You mean creating a new bed? That sounds ambitious! Flowers, or vegetables?

I weighed again today (no change). I had a personal training session that was so intense, I now understand why contestants on Biggest Loser sometimes barf during exercise! But along with the intense nausea, I felt an incredible sense of pride and accomplishment. In addition to warming up and cooling down on the treadmill, 10 minutes on the rowing machine, and 5 minutes working on a punching bag, I did 100 squats, 100 jumping jacks, 100 of a weird leg exercise I don't know the name of, 50 jumps up onto a platform, 100 crunches, and 25 push-ups, all consecutively with no breaks. Oh, and I also ran up and down a flight of stairs 30 times. I did all of that in a one-hour session, moving at a fast pace the entire time. YAY ME!!! I have come a long, long way, baby!

Today I got my bathrooms measured and am going to get new flooring in them, too. Tomorrow morning I am getting a storm door installed on my front door. I also have an appointment tomorrow that I am having lots of second thoughts about.....I'll tell you about it afterward! :D

Hope you had a terrific day!

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
Sounds like you'd actually get more exercise living in the city! I've never lived in a city (unless you count Albany in graduate school), so it is hard for me to imagine what that lifestyle would be like.

I used to get a ton of exercise when we lived in Clifton. The house was up 30 steps from the street, so going to the grocery involved carrying down the stroller, then the kids one by one (Michael didn't walk until 3 because of his various physical differences), then pushing the stroller the six blocks, loading the groceries into the stroller with the kids, and reversing the process. :) The only bathrooms were on the second floor, and the yard was small enough and garage space limited enough that we used a reel mower. I loved it.

Originally Posted by :
Has Jane lived in the same house all her life? If so, I would imagine that she would be less than thrilled at the idea of moving.

Yeah, we moved in here when she was two and Michael 5, so it's really the only house either of them really remembers.

Originally Posted by :
All of the above! I find it really difficult to muster up the motivation to learn something new, especially something that is so time-consuming. I would imagine that if I really put some effort into it, though, I'd probably discover that it would be worth my while, and I'd wonder why I resisted it for so long--kinda like exercise!

That's actually my feeling, though of course I can only assume. What I can tell you is that there are MANY "recipes" that are just as simple and easy to master as the baked fish and poached chicken I gave you. You don't need an interest in cooking to learn to quickly and easily produce good, fresh, simple food for yourself, but learning those basic skills may very well -result- in your developing an interest in cooking. Your preference for simple preparations and especially for limited variety means you'll actually very quickly learn everything you need to know and will be able to equip yourself quite easily and inexpensively. You already have the baked fish -- that's a dinner a week plus if you do a double portion, the fish can top your salad the next day. The poached chicken, done 4 breasts at a time and stored in the fridge, opens up several options for simple dinners and lunches with little to no additional cooking -- salad toppings, sandwiches, chicken salad (we can find one with no mayo). I have an absolutely simple roast chicken technique that ANYONE can master and have tender roasted chicken pretty much any time. And the basic sauteeing method (and roasting method, I think?) you've already learned for veggies are nearly all you need to know for most vegetables. I'd like to see you grill them, too, and blanching is a VERY VERY simple -- BRAINLESS -- basic method that is good to have in your arsenal. Every one of these can be learned easily and quickly.

Originally Posted by :
You mean creating a new bed? That sounds ambitious! Flowers, or vegetables?

It's an existing bed that did have perennials in it, but it was destroyed when we did that addition. It's pretty shady, so I've been a bit stymied, but I found three plants I think will work in there. But I want to dig in some amendments first. Didn't get to it yesterday after all, but I hope to this morning.

Originally Posted by :
I weighed again today (no change). I had a personal training session that was so intense, I now understand why contestants on Biggest Loser sometimes barf during exercise! But along with the intense nausea, I felt an incredible sense of pride and accomplishment. In addition to warming up and cooling down on the treadmill, 10 minutes on the rowing machine, and 5 minutes working on a punching bag, I did 100 squats, 100 jumping jacks, 100 of a weird leg exercise I don't know the name of, 50 jumps up onto a platform, 100 crunches, and 25 push-ups, all consecutively with no breaks. Oh, and I also ran up and down a flight of stairs 30 times. I did all of that in a one-hour session, moving at a fast pace the entire time. YAY ME!!! I have come a long, long way, baby!

Wow! I have to wonder what your "Before" picture would say to you! :)

Originally Posted by :
Today I got my bathrooms measured and am going to get new flooring in them, too. Tomorrow morning I am getting a storm door installed on my front door. I also have an appointment tomorrow that I am having lots of second thoughts about.....I'll tell you about it afterward! :D

Hmmmmm! I'll look forward to hearing!

Didn't weigh this morning, but ate reasonably yesterday. Have a great day!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I used to get a ton of exercise when we lived in Clifton. The house was up 30 steps from the street, so going to the grocery involved carrying down the stroller, then the kids one by one (Michael didn't walk until 3 because of his various physical differences), then pushing the stroller the six blocks, loading the groceries into the stroller with the kids, and reversing the process. :) The only bathrooms were on the second floor, and the yard was small enough and garage space limited enough that we used a reel mower. I loved it.

Wow, I didn't realize that that part of Ohio is hilly enough that houses would have steps going up to them! Sounds like just going to the grocery store would give you a real workout! And it reminds me of when I lived in Albany and had to walk everywhere (hadn't even learned to drive yet and had no money for a car, anyway). I used a child's red wagon for grocery shopping and to go to the laundromat. It was quite a challenge to navigate when there were several feet of snow on the ground.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Yeah, we moved in here when she was two and Michael 5, so it's really the only house either of them really remembers.

No surprise, then, that Jane would feel very attached to it--and surprising that Michael does not.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
That's actually my feeling, though of course I can only assume. What I can tell you is that there are MANY "recipes" that are just as simple and easy to master as the baked fish and poached chicken I gave you. You don't need an interest in cooking to learn to quickly and easily produce good, fresh, simple food for yourself, but learning those basic skills may very well -result- in your developing an interest in cooking. Your preference for simple preparations and especially for limited variety means you'll actually very quickly learn everything you need to know and will be able to equip yourself quite easily and inexpensively. You already have the baked fish -- that's a dinner a week plus if you do a double portion, the fish can top your salad the next day. The poached chicken, done 4 breasts at a time and stored in the fridge, opens up several options for simple dinners and lunches with little to no additional cooking -- salad toppings, sandwiches, chicken salad (we can find one with no mayo). I have an absolutely simple roast chicken technique that ANYONE can master and have tender roasted chicken pretty much any time. And the basic sauteeing method (and roasting method, I think?) you've already learned for veggies are nearly all you need to know for most vegetables. I'd like to see you grill them, too, and blanching is a VERY VERY simple -- BRAINLESS -- basic method that is good to have in your arsenal. Every one of these can be learned easily and quickly.

I'm sure you're right, but first I have to change my attitude about it. ANY cooking at all feels like a lot of work to me. I feel so awkward in my own kitchen and hardly know where all of the necessary implements are. The whole thing just takes so much thought and effort. in fact, just the grocery shopping feels overwhelming, not to mention the cleaning up afterward (I'm so awkward that I tend to make a tremendous mess every time I even attempt to make something). It hardly seems worth the time and angst for something I'm going to eat in 10 minutes. But, like anything, it would become mindless and automatic with practice.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
It's an existing bed that did have perennials in it, but it was destroyed when we did that addition. It's pretty shady, so I've been a bit stymied, but I found three plants I think will work in there. But I want to dig in some amendments first. Didn't get to it yesterday after all, but I hope to this morning.

One thing I really miss about gardening is the satisfaction and the feeling of accomplishment when something you plant actually grows! My mother used to tell me that my father (a landscaper) smiled down at me from heaven every time I planted a flower.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Wow! I have to wonder what your "Before" picture would say to you! :)

I love those segments on Biggest Loser where the old self is talking to the new self. I always wonder what it was like for the contestants to film those old-self segments. It must take such a leap of faith to imagine the new self and to know what the new self will need to hear and be reminded of later.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Hmmmmm! I'll look forward to hearing!

I went for a free consultation to see about having laser liposuction or Zerona on my abdomen. (And it turned out that the receptionist is one of my former students. ACK.) I'm not sure that either of those is a viable option for me, and I think the aesthetician who did the consultation was inclined to agree with me. But I also made an appointment to talk with the actual doctor about it before I make a final decision.

I wasn't in a very good frame of mind when I went to the appointment, which wasn't until 5PM, after an endlessly frustrating day (mostly involving a ridiculous comedy of errors that culminated in not getting my storm door installed today as planned and scheduled). I was also in a lot of physical pain, because I also went to a dermatologist today (in Akron, and I got lost because my GPS took me to the wrong place, adding to the frustrating day) to get a bunch of growths removed from my torso (keratoses--I have hundreds of them, and they itch and drive me crazy, especially when I exercise and sweat). Only the largest ones were treated today. Each was individually poked with a needle and then sprayed with liquid nitrogen. My rib cage is now flaming red and covered with bandages, and my ribs are sore and burning.

Despite the frustration, I did not overeat. Yay me. My weight was down .2 this morning.

I hope you had a better day than I did! Odds are pretty good that you did!!

Saturday: Weight was down .2. Spent most of the day cleaning and doing laundry in my new HE washer and dryer. Talk about intimidating! Starting the washer makes me feel like I am launching a space ship, and the noises it makes only intensify that impression!

Sunday: Down another .2. John, my eHarmony match, was supposed to come down today to hear me sing at church, then go out to lunch and for a walk. But he called first thing this morning to say he'd been up sick all night and couldn't make it. A little part of me wondered if he was just looking for an excuse to bail on me, but I think he was truly and greatly disappointed, and afraid of disappointing me, too.

And you already know that I decided to do the Susan G. Komen walk. Thank you so much for your donation! I really appreciate it!

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
Wow, I didn't realize that that part of Ohio is hilly enough that houses would have steps going up to them! Sounds like just going to the grocery store would give you a real workout! And it reminds me of when I lived in Albany and had to walk everywhere (hadn't even learned to drive yet and had no money for a car, anyway). I used a child's red wagon for grocery shopping and to go to the laundromat. It was quite a challenge to navigate when there were several feet of snow on the ground.

LOL! I bet!

Originally Posted by :
No surprise, then, that Jane would feel very attached to it--and surprising that Michael does not.

Actually, we asked Michael not to tell Jane so we could, as we thought she might be upset, and he said, "Actually, I'd kind of like it if you'd wait until I was out of college." His concern (so typical): he doesn't like the idea of driving in the heavier traffic closer to the city while he's home for breaks from school. :) We told him we'd discuss it with the whole family if we needed to make a decision. And the big surprise came when we told Jane and her only concern was how far away we'd move. When we told her it was about seven miles, she totally shrugged the whole thing off.

Originally Posted by :
I'm sure you're right, but first I have to change my attitude about it. ANY cooking at all feels like a lot of work to me. I feel so awkward in my own kitchen and hardly know where all of the necessary implements are. The whole thing just takes so much thought and effort. in fact, just the grocery shopping feels overwhelming, not to mention the cleaning up afterward (I'm so awkward that I tend to make a tremendous mess every time I even attempt to make something). It hardly seems worth the time and angst for something I'm going to eat in 10 minutes. But, like anything, it would become mindless and automatic with practice.

The avoiding of mess and the amount of work it seems to involve absolutely are a factor of practice. When I cook, I put together a mis en place -- I do all the chopping, measure out herbs and spices and other ingredients, etc., into little bowls. I clean up from the mis en place before starting cooking -- the chopping board and knives get wiped off, measuring spoons into the dishwasher, veg ends go into the compost, jars of soy sauce or whatever back into the pantry and extra half onions into the fridge -- and then as much as possible I clean as I cook. A bowl gets emptied into the pot, and the bowl goes into the dishwasher instead of the sink. It's absolutely automatic -- if I'm attempting something that requires lots of little bowls I'll even empty the dishwasher before I start. For many dishes, the only cleanup after the meal is the final pan and whatever servingware and dinnerware. Some more complicated recipes won't allow this because of the timing they require or the fact two or three pans are all in play until the final moments, but you're unlikely to be using such recipes for a good long time. For me it's all about planning, and you learn it by having done it before. And grocery shopping, same thing. Certain things you need to keep in your pantry, and you build those up over time as they become common in recipes you make often, and you just re-add them to your list when you run out just like you would with toothpaste.

Have you ever watched cooking shows? If not, you might give a few a try. Rachael Ray's 30-minute Meals might be a good place to start, or Melissa D'Arabian's $10 Dinners. Both are geared for beginning cooks with mostly very simple recipes and techniques, and the hosts aren't too annoying. :)

Originally Posted by :
One thing I really miss about gardening is the satisfaction and the feeling of accomplishment when something you plant actually grows! My mother used to tell me that my father (a landscaper) smiled down at me from heaven every time I planted a flower.

Your condo doesn't have any place for you to garden?

Originally Posted by :
I went for a free consultation to see about having laser liposuction or Zerona on my abdomen. (And it turned out that the receptionist is one of my former students. ACK.) I'm not sure that either of those is a viable option for me, and I think the aesthetician who did the consultation was inclined to agree with me. But I also made an appointment to talk with the actual doctor about it before I make a final decision.

Why do you think they're not good options for you?

Originally Posted by :
I wasn't in a very good frame of mind when I went to the appointment, which wasn't until 5PM, after an endlessly frustrating day (mostly involving a ridiculous comedy of errors that culminated in not getting my storm door installed today as planned and scheduled). I was also in a lot of physical pain, because I also went to a dermatologist today (in Akron, and I got lost because my GPS took me to the wrong place, adding to the frustrating day) to get a bunch of growths removed from my torso (keratoses--I have hundreds of them, and they itch and drive me crazy, especially when I exercise and sweat). Only the largest ones were treated today. Each was individually poked with a needle and then sprayed with liquid nitrogen. My rib cage is now flaming red and covered with bandages, and my ribs are sore and burning.

OMG! I hope it's feeling better by now!

Originally Posted by :
Despite the frustration, I did not overeat. Yay me. My weight was down .2 this morning.

OMG! Just a long day! But not a bad one!

Originally Posted by :

Sunday: Down another .2. John, my eHarmony match, was supposed to come down today to hear me sing at church, then go out to lunch and for a walk. But he called first thing this morning to say he'd been up sick all night and couldn't make it. A little part of me wondered if he was just looking for an excuse to bail on me, but I think he was truly and greatly disappointed, and afraid of disappointing me, too.

Oh, I'm sure! From what you've said before he sounds interested. Hope the performance went well!

Originally Posted by :
And you already know that I decided to do the Susan G. Komen walk. Thank you so much for your donation! I really appreciate it!

You're very welcome!

Sorry to be MIA again. Got home very late Saturday, and then spent all day madly decluttering, then breaking the news to Jane, then madly decluttering again. We actually got a lot done -- main living areas have uncluttered bookshelves, my pantries and kitchen closet look pretty good, and the drawers and cabinets in my powder room. Master, master bath, spare bedroom, and all the public areas look good. The kids' room and the bathroom they use look horrible. :) But apparently the woman -- if she isn't a figment of the realtor's imagination -- is a realtor herself, so she ought to be capable of overlooking teenager mess.

Didn't weigh, didn't go to class this morning! Too busy!

Have a great day!

Hi, Robin! Hm, I would have sworn I posted yesteday morning! Sorry!



OH, my, that's not the reaction I expected from Jane, and obviously you didn't, either. You would think she would want the comfort of being able to return to her familiar home when she is facing the prospect of going away to college for the first time.[/quote] I think she's just thinking ahead, not back.

Originally Posted by va1erie:

I would need to figure out how to get so organized. I certainly like the idea of cleaning up as I go. I don't think I have ever cooked anything without at least one major spill. I almost always end up having to clean the oven or the microwave or the burner after cooking anything. And I've never even used a dishwasher in my life. I have one (and this is the first place I've ever lived where one is available, including the house I grew up in), but I have never even opened it and have no idea if it works. Since I only own 4 plates, 4 dishes, 4 sets of silverware, and 4 glasses, I can never generate enough dirty stuff to fill a dishwasher. I really am totally inept and pathetic in a kitchen.

Too funny that you haven't used your dishwasher! Well, to start with you can concentrate on things that don't require many ingredients or pots. You can do a ton with a frying pan! :)

Originally Posted by :

Nope, I've never seen any kind of cooking show. I assume they are on the cable channels?

Yes, mostly on Food Network.

Originally Posted by :
The aesthetician thought maybe liposuction wouldn't be viable for me because I've already had a number of abdominal surgeries that have left internal scarring behind. And my concern about liposuction is that I would not be able to exercise for 8 weeks afterward. I would absolutely hate losing any of the strength I have built up, not to mention getting out of the habit of regular exercise. And I obviously can't do that this summer and still prepare for a 60-mile walk, so I'd say I've pretty much ruled out liposuction at this point. Zerona is iffy. Apparently all it does is reduce the size of fat cells but does not remove them. On the assumption that I must have many times the normal number of fat cells, given my history, the aesthetician and I both wondered if maybe my fat cells are already as shrunken as they can possibly get from all the dieting. But I am going to consult the doctor about that. If she thinks it would benefit me, I will probably go ahead with that. Not only does Zerona not preclude exercise, it REQUIRES regular exercise. In fact, they make you go to a gym nearby RIGHT after each session.

I also asked about my mustache. The aesthetician said that lasers respond to color contrast, and my facial hair is quite light, so the laser treatment probably wouldn't do much. And I probably can't have electrolysis on that area, either, because I get extensive keloid scarring from every little cut, and electrolysis can produce keloids. THAT wouldn't be pretty. I would have to test it out first on an area that wouldn't show.

Wow, lots of issues with all of the ideas! Bummer!

Originally Posted by :

It doesn't hurt as much now, but it's all blistered. My whole rib cage is still flaming red, and each of the growths is surrounded by blisters.

Ouch! Hope it's getting better!

Originally Posted by :

Yeah, he sent me an email today that removed any doubt I had about that. He's definitely interested!

:)

Originally Posted by :

The Komen Foundation recommends a 6-month training program to get ready for the walk. Obviously I can't do that, since I have less than 6 weeks to get ready. But I looked at what the training program suggests for 6 weeks prior to the race, and it says that at this point I should be able to walk 15 miles in a day. So today (while my car was in the shop being detailed) I walked for 15 miles (no small feat considering that I only got 3 hours of sleep last night). I did it without too much trouble, other than the fact that my feet were really hurting, and I got a huge blister on one foot (coordinates nicely with the blisters on my ribs). I think that I will sleep like a baby tonight!

You're just one big blister! Fifteen miles is a long walk, but I'm not surprised that your biggest issue was with blisters rather than stamina.

Originally Posted by :

What woman are you referring to? Do you have a potential buyer for your house? I didn't realize you'd even listed your house already. Wow!

We haven't. We just let the woman in to see it, and she came back again yesterday to take measurements, make notes, etc. about what kinds of remodeling she'd want to do. So I guess she must be at least somewhat serious.

Originally Posted by :
And don't you just love the decluttering process? It always gives me such a feeling of accomplishment, and I always breathe a sigh of relief that I will not qualify for an episode of that TV show about hoarders anytime soon! ;)

Love it! Although I've already missed one item I donated, LOL! You go years without using something and the minute you get rid of it, you discover a need. Maybe it's just because the act of handling it puts it in your brain when something comes up.

AND again didn't go to class this morning -- had my hair straightened yesterday and I'm not allowed to sweat for at least 24 hours. Good luck with that, since of course I woke up at 4am drenched in sweat. Oh, well. Didn't weigh, but ate reasonably yesterday.

Originally Posted by :
My weight was down another .2 this morning (there seems to be a pattern here!). I certainly got more than my normal exercise today. Ate a little more (close to 1600 calories), but it was healthy food, and I really needed it to do all that walking. I have a personal training session tomorrow.

OK, I am off to bed before I collapse on my keyboard.

Good for you for recognizing you could eat a little more because of all the walking you did!

Hope you have a great day! I have another crazy busy one ahead!

SUNDAY: Have had no power since Friday when the storms came through! We just got it back late last night -- what a relief! Hope you can get in here to see this, but I know you're on the road!

Originally Posted by va1erie:



I think she's just thinking ahead, not back.

When people are looking ahead rather than back, it's usually a sign that their heads are in a good place!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Yes, mostly on Food Network.

When I get home, I will have to check to see if I have that channel. After years of having only channels 1-11, I finally upgraded my cable service about a year ago so now have access to lots more channels.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Wow, lots of issues with all of the ideas! Bummer!

I have an appointment with the plastic surgeon on July 16. I'll be interested to see what she says about all of these issues.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Ouch! Hope it's getting better!

My ribs are still red and blistering, and I think I'm going to have some noticeable scarring. I don't know if it was a good idea or not to try to get rid of those growths.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
You're just one big blister! Fifteen miles is a long walk, but I'm not surprised that your biggest issue was with blisters rather than stamina.

Today I walked about 10 miles in scorching heat (5 miles with my SIL and 5 with my brother). As of tonight I am at about 68% of my fundraising goal, so I am confident I can do it. The best news is that my SIL and my younger niece are going to come to Cleveland on the last day of the walk to be in the spectator section to greet me when I finish. I'm tickled by that.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
We haven't. We just let the woman in to see it, and she came back again yesterday to take measurements, make notes, etc. about what kinds of remodeling she'd want to do. So I guess she must be at least somewhat serious.

I'd say that's a good sign that she's very seriously thinking about it. What's the latest news?

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Love it! Although I've already missed one item I donated, LOL! You go years without using something and the minute you get rid of it, you discover a need. Maybe it's just because the act of handling it puts it in your brain when something comes up.

Yes, I think that is exactly right. The act of getting rid of something brings that item back into short-term memory and primes the long-term memory, so that it is more easily brought to mind the next time you encounter a situation where you could have used that item. If you hadn't gotten rid of it, you probably wouldn't have even thought of it.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
AND again didn't go to class this morning -- had my hair straightened yesterday and I'm not allowed to sweat for at least 24 hours. Good luck with that, since of course I woke up at 4am drenched in sweat. Oh, well. Didn't weigh, but ate reasonably yesterday.

I didn't know that hair-straightening precludes sweating, although it makes sense! It is so hot and humid here that MY hair is curling, and my hair is normally as straight as a stick!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
SUNDAY: Have had no power since Friday when the storms came through! We just got it back late last night -- what a relief! Hope you can get in here to see this, but I know you're on the road!

I'm having a great time. Saw my mom's boyfriend, my aunt and uncle, my cousin, and two friends, all in a little over 24 hours. My niece's baby shower was a great success. Attended a graduation party today. Ate very reasonably at the graduation party. Ate a number of small sweets (cookies, bite-size pastry, a cupcake) at the shower but figure I had to have burned up the extra calories walking 10 miles in extreme heat today!

Would write more but am afraid I will get kicked off when I try to submit this. I saw that there is a thread where others are also complaining about being kicked off. Hope your busy-ness has abated and you are well!

At library -- still having connection issues, will check in tomorrow if possible!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
At library -- still having connection issues, will check in tomorrow if possible!

I'm so exhausted that I'm practically falling asleep on my keyboard. Walked about 6 miles today, after going to the gym with my niece (the one who is pregnant--she does water aerobics every day!!). Then we all went out to dinner at Macaroni Grill. They were short-staffed in the kitchen, and it took a ridiculous 3.5 hours to eat dinner, so we ended up getting our dinner for free! Just got back (at almost midnight) and am about to go to bed. Hope you get your connection issues resolved and are doing well!

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
I'm so exhausted that I'm practically falling asleep on my keyboard. Walked about 6 miles today, after going to the gym with my niece (the one who is pregnant--she does water aerobics every day!!). Then we all went out to dinner at Macaroni Grill. They were short-staffed in the kitchen, and it took a ridiculous 3.5 hours to eat dinner, so we ended up getting our dinner for free! Just got back (at almost midnight) and am about to go to bed. Hope you get your connection issues resolved and are doing well!

I got kicked off twice in the process of trying to edit this post, so let's see if this works. Just wanted to let you know that I will not be able to check in tonight or tomorrow night. Tonight we are going in to the city for a Mets game and will get back very late, and tomorrow night I will be on the road. Hope you have a Happy July 4!

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
When I get home, I will have to check to see if I have that channel. After years of having only channels 1-11, I finally upgraded my cable service about a year ago so now have access to lots more channels.

I'll be interested to hear if you find cooking shows interesting or boring! :)

Originally Posted by :
Today I walked about 10 miles in scorching heat (5 miles with my SIL and 5 with my brother). As of tonight I am at about 68% of my fundraising goal, so I am confident I can do it. The best news is that my SIL and my younger niece are going to come to Cleveland on the last day of the walk to be in the spectator section to greet me when I finish. I'm tickled by that.

How fun is that! Man, it's been hot here, too. Losing power in this heat is no joke, and from what I hear some folks are still without it.

Originally Posted by :
I'd say that's a good sign that she's very seriously thinking about it. What's the latest news?

They asked our realtor if we'd be willing to come down about 10% on price, but we weren't -- we had figured if we could get top dollar without having to do any of the prep we'd normally do before putting a house on the market, great, we'd consider moving, but without that incentive we aren't really ready to move. I was getting some pushback from the kids, too, after they'd thought about it for a while. :)

Originally Posted by :
Yes, I think that is exactly right. The act of getting rid of something brings that item back into short-term memory and primes the long-term memory, so that it is more easily brought to mind the next time you encounter a situation where you could have used that item. If you hadn't gotten rid of it, you probably wouldn't have even thought of it.

That's what I wondered!

Originally Posted by :
I didn't know that hair-straightening precludes sweating, although it makes sense! It is so hot and humid here that MY hair is curling, and my hair is normally as straight as a stick!

It's just for 24 hours I have to keep from getting it wet or doing anything that could shape it, like putting it behind my ears or putting a clip into it. After 24 hours, you wash it, and then it's back to normal.

Originally Posted by :
I'm having a great time. Saw my mom's boyfriend, my aunt and uncle, my cousin, and two friends, all in a little over 24 hours. My niece's baby shower was a great success. Attended a graduation party today. Ate very reasonably at the graduation party. Ate a number of small sweets (cookies, bite-size pastry, a cupcake) at the shower but figure I had to have burned up the extra calories walking 10 miles in extreme heat today!

Glad you're having a good time!

Report: weighed (up 2.6, ack! I'd been chugging along at 2.9 under for weeks!) but I deserve it -- went to a party yesterday and ate pretty badly, then came home and had a wine-induced snackfest. Oh, well. Back on track today. Went to class Monday but had a small injury (felt like a muscle pull in my knee that feels fine normally but hurts in certain exercise positions), hoping it is healed by Friday when I go back.

We seem to have connection again on and off, so hope this goes through. Hope your trip is still going great!

Sorry I missed checking in last night. Life is rather sucky at the moment. I stayed an extra day to try to mediate a family crisis. Very stressful and upsetting. Then last evening when I got home, I got bitten by a neighbor's dog and ended up going to StatCare for a tetanus shot and antibiotics. Not the kind of calm homecoming I was needing and hoping for.

Originally Posted by va1erie:


They asked our realtor if we'd be willing to come down about 10% on price, but we weren't -- we had figured if we could get top dollar without having to do any of the prep we'd normally do before putting a house on the market, great, we'd consider moving, but without that incentive we aren't really ready to move. I was getting some pushback from the kids, too, after they'd thought about it for a while. :)

Hmmm, it sounds like you may be experiencing some ambivalence or second thoughts, too. It's not surprising that the kids would, after having some time to think it through.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
It's just for 24 hours I have to keep from getting it wet or doing anything that could shape it, like putting it behind my ears or putting a clip into it. After 24 hours, you wash it, and then it's back to normal.

Interesting!! So, can you just immediately style and shape it exactly as you want it, and then have it stay that way long-term? That could be very useful! :D

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Report: weighed (up 2.6, ack! I'd been chugging along at 2.9 under for weeks!) but I deserve it -- went to a party yesterday and ate pretty badly, then came home and had a wine-induced snackfest. Oh, well. Back on track today. Went to class Monday but had a small injury (felt like a muscle pull in my knee that feels fine normally but hurts in certain exercise positions), hoping it is healed by Friday when I go back.

Hope your weight is on its way down again and that your injury is healed.

I have not yet weighed myself. I got a LOT of exercise while I was gone, but also went to two parties, had numerous restaurant meals, AND a lot of stress-induced snacking at the end, so I am guessing that the net effect on my weight will be a gain. Time to get organized and back on track again.

Sorry to be in such a pissy mood. This, too, shall pass....

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
Sorry I missed checking in last night. Life is rather sucky at the moment. I stayed an extra day to try to mediate a family crisis. Very stressful and upsetting. Then last evening when I got home, I got bitten by a neighbor's dog and ended up going to StatCare for a tetanus shot and antibiotics. Not the kind of calm homecoming I was needing and hoping for.

OMG! Sorry about the family crisis! And you were having such a great visit! Is it anything you want to go into? And your neighbor's dog BIT YOU? Has the dog ever bit anyone before? I'd feel I had to put a dog down if it ever bit anyone for fear the next bite would cause serious harm.

Originally Posted by :
Hmmm, it sounds like you may be experiencing some ambivalence or second thoughts, too. It's not surprising that the kids would, after having some time to think it through.

I'm totally ambivalent! :) I love the idea of living in Hyde Park -- it's just COOL there! -- but I hate the idea of leaving my big private yard. And we're finally approaching the point where we've got the house where we want it after fifteen years of remodeling and a major addition. And since we're already in a ranch, we could theoretically live here for the rest of our lives. The kids being reluctant to not come home to the place they grew up, at least while they're still in college, plus the fact the offer was probably on the low side of what we could probably get for it if we put it on the market just makes the timing definitely not right.

Originally Posted by :
Interesting!! So, can you just immediately style and shape it exactly as you want it, and then have it stay that way long-term? That could be very useful! :D

Until the first haircut -- second if I tell him just to barely trim it for the first -- I'm wash and wear. And no frizziness, even in this humidity we're having!

Originally Posted by :
I have not yet weighed myself. I got a LOT of exercise while I was gone, but also went to two parties, had numerous restaurant meals, AND a lot of stress-induced snacking at the end, so I am guessing that the net effect on my weight will be a gain. Time to get organized and back on track again.

You and me both. I've been using you not weighing as an excuse not to weight either. :) Yeah, not really productive. I'll make a definite point to weigh tomorrow!

Originally Posted by :
Sorry to be in such a pissy mood. This, too, shall pass....

Not at all! And yes, it shall pass. Hope today was a better day!

Val

Originally Posted by va1erie:
OMG! Sorry about the family crisis! And you were having such a great visit! Is it anything you want to go into? And your neighbor's dog BIT YOU? Has the dog ever bit anyone before? I'd feel I had to put a dog down if it ever bit anyone for fear the next bite would cause serious harm.

Thanks for the offer, which I really appreciate, but I am too tired of dealing with it to try to explain it all, even though I know you do a spectacular job of helping me process things. As for the dog, my neighbor hasn't had the dog long, so she doesn't know its behavior all that well. It's just a little thing--mostly dachshund, I think. She was holding it in her arms when it bit me. When I went to StatCare, they told me that, by law, they have to report the incident, so now the dog has a "record", which I feel bad about.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I'm totally ambivalent! :) I love the idea of living in Hyde Park -- it's just COOL there! -- but I hate the idea of leaving my big private yard. And we're finally approaching the point where we've got the house where we want it after fifteen years of remodeling and a major addition. And since we're already in a ranch, we could theoretically live here for the rest of our lives. The kids being reluctant to not come home to the place they grew up, at least while they're still in college, plus the fact the offer was probably on the low side of what we could probably get for it if we put it on the market just makes the timing definitely not right.

Yep, you're ambivalent, all right! Sounds like you were just testing the water and found the water not to your liking! If nothing else, the timing is clearly wrong, which undoubtedly means that you should stay where you are for now.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Until the first haircut -- second if I tell him just to barely trim it for the first -- I'm wash and wear. And no frizziness, even in this humidity we're having!

My hair is naturally straight as a stick, but it's so humid out that even MY hair is curling and frizzing a bit, so that must be one powerful process you get!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
You and me both. I've been using you not weighing as an excuse not to weight either. :) Yeah, not really productive. I'll make a definite point to weigh tomorrow!

I weighed yesterday and was horrified to see that I was up 4 pounds, but then today I was already down 2.8, so I'm up 1.2 compared to before I left on my trip. I can live with that. And I walked 18 miles today in addition to having a personal training session. I would imagine that preparing for the Komen walk will take off the 4-5 pounds I want to get rid of.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Not at all! And yes, it shall pass. Hope today was a better day!

It was spent mostly walking (and thinking), but it was a good day. After walking all day in the sun, I am incredibly tired and suspect I will sleep like a baby. Tomorrow my bathroom floors are both going to be replaced. YAY! And Wednesday morning, I get my storm door installed.

Oh, and yesterday, I spent the entire day with John. He came to my church (and heard me sing). Afterward, we went out to lunch, then took a walk, then came back to my condo and hung out and talked for a long time. I'm still totally ambivalent. Not him, though. Like I think I told you once before, the avid and eager expression on his face when he looks at me reminds me of the way my cat used to gaze with rapt attention at my pet rats! The more he flatters me, the more uncomfortable I get. ACK.

Hope you had a good day today and that you got on the scale!

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
Thanks for the offer, which I really appreciate, but I am too tired of dealing with it to try to explain it all, even though I know you do a spectacular job of helping me process things. As for the dog, my neighbor hasn't had the dog long, so she doesn't know its behavior all that well. It's just a little thing--mostly dachshund, I think. She was holding it in her arms when it bit me. When I went to StatCare, they told me that, by law, they have to report the incident, so now the dog has a "record", which I feel bad about.

I wouldn't feel bad. Biting is unacceptable in a dog. There's a reason they have to report the incident: it's because no dog should ever get more than one second chance.

Originally Posted by :
I weighed yesterday and was horrified to see that I was up 4 pounds, but then today I was already down 2.8, so I'm up 1.2 compared to before I left on my trip. I can live with that. And I walked 18 miles today in addition to having a personal training session. I would imagine that preparing for the Komen walk will take off the 4-5 pounds I want to get rid of.

I would think so! I weighed this morning -- 2.2 under goal, so yay for that.

Originally Posted by :
It was spent mostly walking (and thinking), but it was a good day. After walking all day in the sun, I am incredibly tired and suspect I will sleep like a baby. Tomorrow my bathroom floors are both going to be replaced. YAY! And Wednesday morning, I get my storm door installed.

Fun! I've spent the last week finally decorating my guest room, which up until now has been furnished with hand-me-downs. I've decided to list it on airbnb (a sort of couchsurfing site that I find fascinating and have booked two lodgings thru myself, one in August when we take Jane to college and another in October when we go out for parents' weekend) and the photo I took of it just made me realize what a dreary room it's been. So I've been madly purchasing at Ikea, figuring their inexpensive furniture is perfect for a room that's only used a handful of times each year. If by some chance it starts getting more frequent use through airbnb and the cheap Ikea stuff starts to show the wear, the room'll be earning enough to pay for sturdier furnishings.

Originally Posted by :
Oh, and yesterday, I spent the entire day with John. He came to my church (and heard me sing). Afterward, we went out to lunch, then took a walk, then came back to my condo and hung out and talked for a long time. I'm still totally ambivalent. Not him, though. Like I think I told you once before, the avid and eager expression on his face when he looks at me reminds me of the way my cat used to gaze with rapt attention at my pet rats! The more he flatters me, the more uncomfortable I get. ACK.

I so totally empathize. I had a friend who did that to me. But it made me like her less because she 1. thought I was susceptible to flattery, which I flatter myself I'm not <g> and 2. herself equated flattery to friendship. The more nice things she said, the more I felt as if what she was really saying was, "Give ME some compliments so I'll know you like me as much as I like you." And I suspect I could be the world's most incompetent flatterer. I can just FEEL my offness -- facial expression, the way I hold myself, tone of voice, everything. I can't even believably say, "Oh, you too!" in reciprocation of a compliment if I don't actually feel it. I can lie better than I can flatter! :)

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I wouldn't feel bad. Biting is unacceptable in a dog. There's a reason they have to report the incident: it's because no dog should ever get more than one second chance.

GRRRR. I had an entire post all typed out and then got kicked of the site before I could submit. Sometimes this site makes me gnash my teeth in frustration! Anyway, today someone from the Health Dept. showed up to QUARANTINE my neighbor's dog for 10 days, which made me feel really bad. But I guess I should be grateful that they are looking out for me.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I would think so! I weighed this morning -- 2.2 under goal, so yay for that.

YAY indeed. I sense that you were not expecting such a good outcome!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Fun! I've spent the last week finally decorating my guest room, which up until now has been furnished with hand-me-downs. I've decided to list it on airbnb (a sort of couchsurfing site that I find fascinating and have booked two lodgings thru myself, one in August when we take Jane to college and another in October when we go out for parents' weekend) and the photo I took of it just made me realize what a dreary room it's been. So I've been madly purchasing at Ikea, figuring their inexpensive furniture is perfect for a room that's only used a handful of times each year. If by some chance it starts getting more frequent use through airbnb and the cheap Ikea stuff starts to show the wear, the room'll be earning enough to pay for sturdier furnishings.

I've never heard of this concept before. So you are saying that you can charge people to stay in your guest room without having any kind of license or anything? That would scare me a little, both from your perspective and from the guest perspective. I'll be interested in hearing how that works out.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I so totally empathize. I had a friend who did that to me. But it made me like her less because she 1. thought I was susceptible to flattery, which I flatter myself I'm not <g> and 2. herself equated flattery to friendship. The more nice things she said, the more I felt as if what she was really saying was, "Give ME some compliments so I'll know you like me as much as I like you." And I suspect I could be the world's most incompetent flatterer. I can just FEEL my offness -- facial expression, the way I hold myself, tone of voice, everything. I can't even believably say, "Oh, you too!" in reciprocation of a compliment if I don't actually feel it. I can lie better than I can flatter! :)

Oh, THANK YOU! I think you just helped me figure out at least part of the reason for my discomfort. The reciprocity norm demands that I return an equivalent degree of flattery, which I can't honestly provide, so that leaves me feeling that the interaction is unbalanced. I definitely think that he is trolling for reassurance that I am as into him as he is into me, which I resent. And I suspect that the rest of my discomfort comes from believing that men who flatter women expect even more than reciprocated flattery in return, and that makes me feel manipulated. What I still can't figure out is how much of my discomfort is from him specifically and how much is just my general fear of romantic relationships. This leaves me caught between thinking I need to extricate myself from this relationship and move on, versus thinking that I'll repeat this same dynamic in any relationship I get into unless I just power through the fear.

report: I was down .4 this morning. Didn't get a chance to exercise, since the flooring guys were here until 5 and then it took me several hours to clean everything up again afterward.

Hope you had a great day!

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
GRRRR. I had an entire post all typed out and then got kicked of the site before I could submit. Sometimes this site makes me gnash my teeth in frustration! Anyway, today someone from the Health Dept. showed up to QUARANTINE my neighbor's dog for 10 days, which made me feel really bad. But I guess I should be grateful that they are looking out for me.

Submit after each paragraph, maybe, then edit? That way you never lose more than the most recent paragraph.

Originally Posted by :
YAY indeed. I sense that you were not expecting such a good outcome!

Definitely not! But the weight was unchanged this morning.

Originally Posted by :
I've never heard of this concept before. So you are saying that you can charge people to stay in your guest room without having any kind of license or anything? That would scare me a little, both from your perspective and from the guest perspective. I'll be interested in hearing how that works out.

You and me both! There's a lot of safety measure built in -- I don't -have- to rent to anyone who contacts me. If they have no "reviews" from people they've stayed with before, I can just say no. Or if they're brand new to the site, or don't have their facebook linked in, or don't have any references from others who use the site. Various things. Plus airbnb maintains $50,000 damage coverage on all listers. But it's definitely taking a risk! :) The person we're staying with in August has a little cottage out behind her house and an apartment over her garage. We're staying in the apartment in August and the cottage in October. She's six blocks from the college, and is linked through her facebook page, and has numerous rave reviews from people who've stayed at her place, and is an elementary school principal. I've been contacted by two people to stay at our place so far. One was brand new to the site, didn't have a profile picture up, wasn't linked thru facebook, didn't have any references...so I just told her no. The other has two positive reviews, is linked through facebook, and her husband is a scout for the Reds. It didn't work out because of the timing (they need to come in July for a training camp, and we don't want to rent the room until the kids are at school and their bathroom is unused) but I definitely would rent to her if they make a future trip.

Originally Posted by :
Oh, THANK YOU! I think you just helped me figure out at least part of the reason for my discomfort. The reciprocity norm demands that I return an equivalent degree of flattery, which I can't honestly provide, so that leaves me feeling that the interaction is unbalanced. I definitely think that he is trolling for reassurance that I am as into him as he is into me, which I resent. And I suspect that the rest of my discomfort comes from believing that men who flatter women expect even more than reciprocated flattery in return, and that makes me feel manipulated. What I still can't figure out is how much of my discomfort is from him specifically and how much is just my general fear of romantic relationships. This leaves me caught between thinking I need to extricate myself from this relationship and move on, versus thinking that I'll repeat this same dynamic in any relationship I get into unless I just power through the fear.

And he may just be exhibiting insecurity, since you in fact aren't as into him as he is into you. He may be a perfectly nice guy who, under stress, has a little personality quirk that isn't 100% attractive. :)

Originally Posted by :
report: I was down .4 this morning. Didn't get a chance to exercise, since the flooring guys were here until 5 and then it took me several hours to clean everything up again afterward.

How do you like your new flooring? airbnb is sending out a photographer Friday (a service they provide for free) so I'll be able to show you photos of my new room!

Went to class today, yay! Found out Elyse would be on vacation next week, though, so no class all next week. :(

Hope you had a good one!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Submit after each paragraph, maybe, then edit? That way you never lose more than the most recent paragraph.

It's hitting submit that causes me to get kicked off, so hitting it more often would be counterproductive, unfortunately.

Sorry not to get on here last night. I fell asleep on the couch and was afraid to do anything that might wake me up in between awakening on the couch and getting into bed. I slept for 10 hours and am just starting to wake up now.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Definitely not! But the weight was unchanged this morning.

YAY for that!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
You and me both! There's a lot of safety measure built in -- I don't -have- to rent to anyone who contacts me. If they have no "reviews" from people they've stayed with before, I can just say no. Or if they're brand new to the site, or don't have their facebook linked in, or don't have any references from others who use the site. Various things. Plus airbnb maintains $50,000 damage coverage on all listers. But it's definitely taking a risk! :) The person we're staying with in August has a little cottage out behind her house and an apartment over her garage. We're staying in the apartment in August and the cottage in October. She's six blocks from the college, and is linked through her facebook page, and has numerous rave reviews from people who've stayed at her place, and is an elementary school principal. I've been contacted by two people to stay at our place so far. One was brand new to the site, didn't have a profile picture up, wasn't linked thru facebook, didn't have any references...so I just told her no. The other has two positive reviews, is linked through facebook, and her husband is a scout for the Reds. It didn't work out because of the timing (they need to come in July for a training camp, and we don't want to rent the room until the kids are at school and their bathroom is unused) but I definitely would rent to her if they make a future trip.

Oh, I guess it would stand to reason that there are so many safeguards built in. Score another point for the internet!! I understand the motivation from the homeowner's point of view but am less clear on why this idea would appeal to a potential guest. Why would you rather stay at the home of someone you don't know, rather than going to a hotel? How does the cost compare?

Originally Posted by va1erie:
And he may just be exhibiting insecurity, since you in fact aren't as into him as he is into you. He may be a perfectly nice guy who, under stress, has a little personality quirk that isn't 100% attractive. :)

You are definitely right that the relationship is somewhat one-sided, and you could be right about stress bringing out a little quirk. I suspect that I would be looking for flaws in any man who pursues me, because my fear is pretty generalized and overwhelming. And that just makes me depressed.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
How do you like your new flooring? airbnb is sending out a photographer Friday (a service they provide for free) so I'll be able to show you photos of my new room!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the new flooring in the kitchen, laundry, and bathrooms (the same primitive, "oak" vinyl throughout). The living room carpet did not make anywhere near as complete a transformation, but it was still worth the expense, since it is much easier to clean when the cat barfs on it. Yesterday I discovered a hidden spot where Callie had upchucked probably two days earlier, and it was still easy to clean. I am afraid to try to attach pictures to this post, given how much trouble I have submitting. But I will email you some pictures.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Went to class today, yay! Found out Elyse would be on vacation next week, though, so no class all next week. :(

YAY for going to class!! I assume you are boot-free by now? What else can you do for exercise when your class doesn't meet next week?

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Hope you had a good one!

I'm somewhat depressed, between the situation with my family, torturing myself over the dating issues, and my concern over my weight. I was up .8 yesterday and up another .8 this morning, and I don't know why. I ate about 1500 calories each day, so I don't get it, but I don't like it. This morning I have an appointment with the oncologist who prescribed the medication to reduce my breast cancer risk. I know I am going to be significantly heavier than when I first saw him 6 months ago.

Today I have a session with my personal trainer and also hope to get some walking in. Will check back in tonight as normal.

Thursday night: Ended up walking over 12 miles today, after my personal training session. I made it a point to try to walk a little faster, and nearly my entire route was hilly, making the walk a lot more challenging. I averaged about 3.2 miles per hour, which I think is pretty good considering the hilliness and the distance I covered. I also did it with only one break. I'm getting more and more confident in my ability to do 60 miles in 3 days. I still have 3 weeks to get ready. And I ate a little under 1500 calories today, so hopefully the scale will reward me tomorrow.

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
It's hitting submit that causes me to get kicked off, so hitting it more often would be counterproductive, unfortunately.

Sorry not to get on here last night. I fell asleep on the couch and was afraid to do anything that might wake me up in between awakening on the couch and getting into bed. I slept for 10 hours and am just starting to wake up now.

Boy, do I understand! I sometimes read on the sofa when I've awakened at 2am so that if I get sleepy again all I have to do is lie down! :)

Originally Posted by :
Oh, I guess it would stand to reason that there are so many safeguards built in. Score another point for the internet!! I understand the motivation from the homeowner's point of view but am less clear on why this idea would appeal to a potential guest. Why would you rather stay at the home of someone you don't know, rather than going to a hotel? How does the cost compare?

Well, for me it's because I've found I experience an area completely differently when I am staying with a local than I do when I'm in a hotel. Our trip to Puerto Vallarta was fantastic -- we were staying with good friends who'd been living there for six months and are very social and had met EVERYONE. We attended three parties in the seven days we were there, and at these parties I met one woman who, if she'd been the facebook type, I would have friended. :) And I've found that the people who do things like this tend to be the types of people I will find extremely interesting. Both the people who have contacted me to stay at my house and the woman who is hosting us in August and October in Colo Spgs sound like fun people with a ton of interests. For instance, yesterday Missy (in Colorado Springs) and I were revising our August reservation. (We're going a day earlier than originally planned.) And during the course of it, as she's giving me the info on how to pick up the key to the little 1BR cottage behind her house, she mentions she'll leave fresh baked cookies. I responded, "If you give Jane sugar cookies, she's yours for life." She said, "Jane won't believe this: I give sugar-cookie decorating classes in my home. It'll be great knowing a college student in town [she lives 6 blocks from campus] I can drop off the broken cookies to!" Then she offered to have Jane invite a group of girlfriends over for a Christmas cookie decorating party one Friday night in November or December. I would never have made this connection staying at the Antlers Hilton -- I likely wouldn't have met anyone in town on any sort of a meaningful basis. Plus we'll be paying about half the cost of the Antlers Hilton for a whole cottage instead of just a hotel room, which means that if John's snoring wakes me up I can go out into the living room and sleep on the couch. And the cottage has an equipped kitchen, which means if I want to, I can cook instead of eating every meal out.

In the case of some travelers, especially young ones who don't mind bare bones travel, it can be hugely cheaper than even a fleabag motel. Some hosts offer a couch or futon or air mattress, let you use their bath and kitchen, and charge $10 a night. It can mean the difference between being able to stay in Paris or Venice or Manhattan and not being able to afford it.

Some of the offerings are fantastic -- treehouses, houseboats, hike-in no-electricity no-running-water cabins on mountain lakes with no one around for miles. Any commercial organization that's running something like this would charge hundreds of dollars because they have to pay someone to maintain it. But most of these hosts just want someone to defray their costs of ownership, not make a profit. So the guest might pay $150 instead of $450 per night for such an experience.

For me, it's also that I'm willing to accept the risk of having a bad experience in exchange for the chance of having an extraordinary experience. I dislike chain anything. Sometimes you can't avoid it -- when I've traveled with the kids, I've often chosen one of the big chains because I know what I'm going to be getting and I know that a bad experience will be made MUCH WORSE by the addition of a teenager having a bad experience. :)

Originally Posted by :
You are definitely right that the relationship is somewhat one-sided, and you could be right about stress bringing out a little quirk. I suspect that I would be looking for flaws in any man who pursues me, because my fear is pretty generalized and overwhelming. And that just makes me depressed.

Yeah. It's good that you are recognizing it as a possibility, though. You can consider it really carefully if you're that self-aware.

Originally Posted by :
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the new flooring in the kitchen, laundry, and bathrooms (the same primitive, "oak" vinyl throughout). The living room carpet did not make anywhere near as complete a transformation, but it was still worth the expense, since it is much easier to clean when the cat barfs on it. Yesterday I discovered a hidden spot where Callie had upchucked probably two days earlier, and it was still easy to clean. I am afraid to try to attach pictures to this post, given how much trouble I have submitting. But I will email you some pictures.

Got the pix! They look GREAT!

Originally Posted by :
YAY for going to class!! I assume you are boot-free by now? What else can you do for exercise when your class doesn't meet next week?

I think I'll try to do some walking, or maybe treadmilling if it's too hot, plus pushups.

Originally Posted by :
I'm somewhat depressed, between the situation with my family, torturing myself over the dating issues, and my concern over my weight. I was up .8 yesterday and up another .8 this morning, and I don't know why. I ate about 1500 calories each day, so I don't get it, but I don't like it. This morning I have an appointment with the oncologist who prescribed the medication to reduce my breast cancer risk. I know I am going to be significantly heavier than when I first saw him 6 months ago.

What is 'significantly heavier'?

Originally Posted by :
Thursday night: Ended up walking over 12 miles today, after my personal training session. I made it a point to try to walk a little faster, and nearly my entire route was hilly, making the walk a lot more challenging. I averaged about 3.2 miles per hour, which I think is pretty good considering the hilliness and the distance I covered. I also did it with only one break. I'm getting more and more confident in my ability to do 60 miles in 3 days. I still have 3 weeks to get ready. And I ate a little under 1500 calories today, so hopefully the scale will reward me tomorrow.

Sorry to miss getting in here! Crazy busy with getting ready for the photo shoot, which is in 2 minutes! Whoops, there's the door -- did go to class this morning, didn't weigh!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Boy, do I understand! I sometimes read on the sofa when I've awakened at 2am so that if I get sleepy again all I have to do is lie down! :)

Sometimes just getting up off the couch and moving to the bedroom is enough to wake me up, and then it takes me hours to go back to sleep. :(

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Well, for me it's because I've found I experience an area completely differently when I am staying with a local than I do when I'm in a hotel. Our trip to Puerto Vallarta was fantastic -- we were staying with good friends who'd been living there for six months and are very social and had met EVERYONE. We attended three parties in the seven days we were there, and at these parties I met one woman who, if she'd been the facebook type, I would have friended. :) And I've found that the people who do things like this tend to be the types of people I will find extremely interesting. Both the people who have contacted me to stay at my house and the woman who is hosting us in August and October in Colo Spgs sound like fun people with a ton of interests. For instance, yesterday Missy (in Colorado Springs) and I were revising our August reservation. (We're going a day earlier than originally planned.) And during the course of it, as she's giving me the info on how to pick up the key to the little 1BR cottage behind her house, she mentions she'll leave fresh baked cookies. I responded, "If you give Jane sugar cookies, she's yours for life." She said, "Jane won't believe this: I give sugar-cookie decorating classes in my home. It'll be great knowing a college student in town [she lives 6 blocks from campus] I can drop off the broken cookies to!" Then she offered to have Jane invite a group of girlfriends over for a Christmas cookie decorating party one Friday night in November or December. I would never have made this connection staying at the Antlers Hilton -- I likely wouldn't have met anyone in town on any sort of a meaningful basis. Plus we'll be paying about half the cost of the Antlers Hilton for a whole cottage instead of just a hotel room, which means that if John's snoring wakes me up I can go out into the living room and sleep on the couch. And the cottage has an equipped kitchen, which means if I want to, I can cook instead of eating every meal out.

You've definitely convinced me!! Meeting new people and meeting your need for adventure are definite advantages. And the sugar-cookie connection is downright serendipitous. It's all good!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
In the case of some travelers, especially young ones who don't mind bare bones travel, it can be hugely cheaper than even a fleabag motel. Some hosts offer a couch or futon or air mattress, let you use their bath and kitchen, and charge $10 a night. It can mean the difference between being able to stay in Paris or Venice or Manhattan and not being able to afford it.

Lower cost is just another advantage, but it sounds like there would be all sorts of advantages even if there was no price difference.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Some of the offerings are fantastic -- treehouses, houseboats, hike-in no-electricity no-running-water cabins on mountain lakes with no one around for miles. Any commercial organization that's running something like this would charge hundreds of dollars because they have to pay someone to maintain it. But most of these hosts just want someone to defray their costs of ownership, not make a profit. So the guest might pay $150 instead of $450 per night for such an experience.

DEFINITELY some adventuresome experiences--and in a much better way than the two nights I am going to spend sharing a tent with a stranger!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
For me, it's also that I'm willing to accept the risk of having a bad experience in exchange for the chance of having an extraordinary experience. I dislike chain anything. Sometimes you can't avoid it -- when I've traveled with the kids, I've often chosen one of the big chains because I know what I'm going to be getting and I know that a bad experience will be made MUCH WORSE by the addition of a teenager having a bad experience. :)

LOL!! So you're saying that, if the kids aren't happy, mama isn't happy. I thought it was supposed to be the other way around!! :D

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Yeah. It's good that you are recognizing it as a possibility, though. You can consider it really carefully if you're that self-aware.

I had a session with my therapist yesterday, and she is helping me work through it all. But between her schedule and mine, we couldn't find a time for another session until the very end of August, so I'll be on my own with my angst.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Got the pix! They look GREAT!

Thanks!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I think I'll try to do some walking, or maybe treadmilling if it's too hot, plus pushups.

Where do you keep your treadmill? (Obviously it must be in an air-conditioned place!)

Originally Posted by va1erie:
What is 'significantly heavier'?

I was 6 pounds heavier than last time I was there. To me that is definitely significant. :(

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Sorry to miss getting in here! Crazy busy with getting ready for the photo shoot, which is in 2 minutes! Whoops, there's the door -- did go to class this morning, didn't weigh!

That's OK. I gave up trying to submit my post last night, so I missed one, too.

So how did the photo shoot go?

My weight was down 1.6 yesterday and up .8 today. I don't know what is causing all of these big fluctuations, since my calorie intake is pretty consistent. Tomorrow I am going to do lots of walking--maybe 20 full miles, depending on the weather.

Hope you had a great day!

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
and in a much better way than the two nights I am going to spend sharing a tent with a stranger!

Wait, what? Did I miss something, or just forget?

Originally Posted by :
LOL!! So you're saying that, if the kids aren't happy, mama isn't happy. I thought it was supposed to be the other way around!! :D

It's definitely the other way around, too! :)

Originally Posted by :
I had a session with my therapist yesterday, and she is helping me work through it all. But between her schedule and mine, we couldn't find a time for another session until the very end of August, so I'll be on my own with my angst.

:( I know you'll get through it.

Originally Posted by :





Where do you keep your treadmill? (Obviously it must be in an air-conditioned place!)

It's in our basement, which is always nice and cool even when the power goes out! Of course, since the treadmill is electric that doesn't matter so much... :)

Originally Posted by :
I was 6 pounds heavier than last time I was there. To me that is definitely significant. :(

But how much of that is new muscle? Are you BIGGER? Or just fitter?

Originally Posted by :
So how did the photo shoot go?

She was kind of a downer person -- long story about how hard it is to find a job with a master's in maritime history even though she sent out 700 resumes -- but hopefully she's a good photographer. It's supposed to take up to 14 days for the photos to get through the process.

Originally Posted by :
My weight was down 1.6 yesterday and up .8 today. I don't know what is causing all of these big fluctuations, since my calorie intake is pretty consistent. Tomorrow I am going to do lots of walking--maybe 20 full miles, depending on the weather.

We finally got rain here! And the temps are down! SO happy!

I'm off to dinner at arguably the best restaurant in town with a couple of girlfriends. Will try to eat sensibly but I'm not going to miss anything fantastic to protect tomorrow's number on the scale! :) Didn't weigh this morning, up early again! Tomorrow I'll be missing class unfortunately since Elyse is out of town and apparently Giselle is either not available or no longer working there. I'll probably take a nice walk, though, as I don't have too busy a day scheduled.

Hope your day was a good one!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Wait, what? Did I miss something, or just forget?

I thought I had told you, but maybe I forgot to. When I do the Komen walk, I have to spend two nights in a two-person tent. And since I don't know anyone else, I will be randomly paired with a stranger. That is definitely the part I am least comfortable with.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
It's definitely the other way around, too! :)

Interactions are always a two-way street!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
:( I know you'll get through it.

Oh, yeah, I'll get through it, all right--but how well??!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
It's in our basement, which is always nice and cool even when the power goes out! Of course, since the treadmill is electric that doesn't matter so much... :)

Hmmmm, I wonder if it would be worth hiring someone to move my very heavy treadmill to my basement. It's in my garage, which is miserable in both summer and winter. And you know how short fall and spring in Ohio can be!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
But how much of that is new muscle? Are you BIGGER? Or just fitter?

I'm a little bigger, I think, but only a little. Some of my clothes actually fit me better now than they did before, I guess because my body is more proportional. I'm definitely much fitter.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
She was kind of a downer person -- long story about how hard it is to find a job with a master's in maritime history even though she sent out 700 resumes -- but hopefully she's a good photographer. It's supposed to take up to 14 days for the photos to get through the process.

Goodness, she sounds like someone who has no sense of boundaries! Is her position as a photographer her paid employment, or is she a volunteer?

Originally Posted by va1erie:
We finally got rain here! And the temps are down! SO happy!

We had just enough rain to convince me not to venture out on a long walk, not enough to address the drought conditions.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I'm off to dinner at arguably the best restaurant in town with a couple of girlfriends. Will try to eat sensibly but I'm not going to miss anything fantastic to protect tomorrow's number on the scale! :) Didn't weigh this morning, up early again! Tomorrow I'll be missing class unfortunately since Elyse is out of town and apparently Giselle is either not available or no longer working there. I'll probably take a nice walk, though, as I don't have too busy a day scheduled.

Hope your dinner was terrific! I do like your strategy of only overeating if a food is something you don't have access to on a regular basis.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Hope your day was a good one!

It was OK. Weight was unchanged. Ate about 1500 calories. Tomorrow I have a personal training session AND an evaluation with the plastic surgeon to talk about possible Zerona on my abdomen. I'm not sure how I'd fit in a series of treatments yet this summer, though, since I just found out that I am on call for two weeks for possible jury duty--starting the day after the Komen walk. Ugh. Those were the two weeks during which I was going to do the majority of the preparation for the start of the school year, and now I can't count on having that time.

Can't wait to hear about your dinner!

TUESDAY afternoon: Sorry I didn't get pn here last night. I walked most of the day in 90+ degree heat and totally hit a wall. I slept for 14 hours last night.

I had my evaluation for liposuction or Zerona last night. The doctor didn't have to examine me very long to tell me that she would not do either procedure on me, because she thought either one would leave me worse off than I am now. She said I already have minimal body fat (!!!) and lots of muscle (YAY), including abdominal muscle, and what I really have is a lot of excess skin that needs more invasive surgery. She strongly recommended a tummy tuck (which she does not do, so she has no vested interest) and possibly a thigh lift as well. She said that liposuction or Zerona would make the skin problem worse, so that I would have a loose flap of skin on my ribs and belly that would hang down and cause a lot of chafing and discomfort. But she also said that my skin is actually in very good shape, considering my age, the amount of weight I have lost, and, especially, the fact that I've lost 24 inches off my waist. She also said that I am in superb health, that I'd be an excellent candidate for a tummy tuck, and that I'd be really happy with the result. Sigh. I just can't imagine going through all of that. And then there's the cost! She recommended that I see a plastic surgeon (she referred me to one in Cleveland) now for an evaluation, then start saving my money to do the surgery next summer when I have the whole summer to recover. That's a lot of food for thought.

I'm leaving now to meet a friend for dinner at Bob Evans. Will check in again tonight at my normal time.

LATER on Tuesday: Had a low-calorie entree from Bob Evans: potato-crusted flounder. YUM! Had about 1400 calories today. I'm still really tired and planning to go to bed soon. Hope to get another long walk in tomorrow. Hope to see a post from you!

Sorry to go MIA! We lost power again. Very irritating in this heat! You'd think these rainstorms would be cooling things down, but it seems like it's just getting muggier and muggier.

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
I thought I had told you, but maybe I forgot to. When I do the Komen walk, I have to spend two nights in a two-person tent. And since I don't know anyone else, I will be randomly paired with a stranger. That is definitely the part I am least comfortable with.

Sorry if you told me and I forgot! I don't remember you telling me about a TENT! Good grief! Are you going to be in a campground, or what? Hope you have good weather and a nice roomie! Yeah, I can understand being uncomfortable with it. But probably anyone who is doing a walk like this one is pretty cool.

Originally Posted by :
Hmmmm, I wonder if it would be worth hiring someone to move my very heavy treadmill to my basement. It's in my garage, which is miserable in both summer and winter. And you know how short fall and spring in Ohio can be!

Wow, yeah, if mine was in my garage I'd probably use it a lot less often! I don't enjoy heavy exercise in the heat at all.

Originally Posted by :
I'm a little bigger, I think, but only a little. Some of my clothes actually fit me better now than they did before, I guess because my body is more proportional. I'm definitely much fitter.

So maybe your doc will not be at all concerned by a slight gain.

Originally Posted by :
Goodness, she sounds like someone who has no sense of boundaries! Is her position as a photographer her paid employment, or is she a volunteer?

She's paid. We were having a conversation about the space being available because the last kid was off to college, which led to what was Jane studying, to which I said English or Psych, to which she said as long as it's not history, to which I said Michael was studying history, which gave her the opening to complain she'd been a history major and there were no jobs for history majors. I said I figured undergrad was for figuring out what you love and grad school was for figuring out how to make a living. That's where she started in on the worthlessness of her degrees. :) She seems to have wanted to get a job -in maritime history- and was surprised there aren't many. I was thinking well, duh, there are no jobs in history. Or psych, or English, or sociology, or anth, or the humanities or the classics or any dozen other liberal arts majors. But there are any number of people with degrees in history who are working in professional positions. Insisting that she has to work in her degree field is the problem here, not the fact the degree is in history. And her apparent solution was to go get a master's in history, and then stop because there still aren't any jobs. Huh? Who is advising this person? Is ANYONE advising her?

Originally Posted by :
Hope your dinner was terrific! I do like your strategy of only overeating if a food is something you don't have access to on a regular basis.

It was fantastic!

Originally Posted by :
It was OK. Weight was unchanged. Ate about 1500 calories. Tomorrow I have a personal training session AND an evaluation with the plastic surgeon to talk about possible Zerona on my abdomen. I'm not sure how I'd fit in a series of treatments yet this summer, though, since I just found out that I am on call for two weeks for possible jury duty--starting the day after the Komen walk. Ugh. Those were the two weeks during which I was going to do the majority of the preparation for the start of the school year, and now I can't count on having that time.

Have you ever done jury duty before? Here at least it's mostly sitting in a room waiting, and there are quiet rooms where most people are working on their laptops, etc.





[quote]I had my evaluation for liposuction or Zerona last night. The doctor didn't have to examine me very long to tell me that she would not do either procedure on me, because she thought either one would leave me worse off than I am now. She said I already have minimal body fat (!!!) and lots of muscle (YAY), including abdominal muscle, and what I really have is a lot of excess skin that needs more invasive surgery. She strongly recommended a tummy tuck (which she does not do, so she has no vested interest) and possibly a thigh lift as well. She said that liposuction or Zerona would make the skin problem worse, so that I would have a loose flap of skin on my ribs and belly that would hang down and cause a lot of chafing and discomfort. But she also said that my skin is actually in very good shape, considering my age, the amount of weight I have lost, and, especially, the fact that I've lost 24 inches off my waist. She also said that I am in superb health, that I'd be an excellent candidate for a tummy tuck, and that I'd be really happy with the result. Sigh. I just can't imagine going through all of that. And then there's the cost! She recommended that I see a plastic surgeon (she referred me to one in Cleveland) now for an evaluation, then start saving my money to do the surgery next summer when I have the whole summer to recover. That's a lot of food for thought.[quote] Wow! It sure is! I have a neighbor who had a tummy tuck. She loved the results.

Originally Posted by :
LATER on Tuesday: Had a low-calorie entree from Bob Evans: potato-crusted flounder. YUM! Had about 1400 calories today. I'm still really tired and planning to go to bed soon. Hope to get another long walk in tomorrow. Hope to see a post from you!

Again, I apologize!

Didn't weigh, didn't work out. Sigh. Had a weird night...woke up at 3:30 to find Jane wasn't home yet. Spent 45 minutes feeling slightly frantic when she finally answered a text -- she'd had her phone turned off because they were at a movie that premiered at midnight.

Hope your week's been good!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Sorry to go MIA! We lost power again. Very irritating in this heat! You'd think these rainstorms would be cooling things down, but it seems like it's just getting muggier and muggier.

We've had a lot of storms here, too, but so far my power has only gone out for a few minutes at a time, thank goodness.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Sorry if you told me and I forgot! I don't remember you telling me about a TENT! Good grief! Are you going to be in a campground, or what? Hope you have good weather and a nice roomie! Yeah, I can understand being uncomfortable with it. But probably anyone who is doing a walk like this one is pretty cool.

The "campsite" is temporary and right in the city of Cleveland. I can't quite visualize the whole thing. And it gets even worse, at least from my perspective--I have to be there at 4:30AM the first day!!! Are you kidding me? So I got a hotel room for the night before, which is costing me almost $200, even at the "special discount rate" for walk participants. And I can leave my car in the hotel parking lot for the whole weekend, for a mere $20 a night. Oh, and no breakfast is served at the event on the first morning, and I've been instructed to eat a hearty breakfast before arriving. Just where am I supposed to find a hearty breakfast prior to 4:30AM? ACK. But I'm sure you're right that my "roomie" is likely to be pretty cool. I'm trying to look forward to the idea of meeting new people and maybe even making some new friends.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
So maybe your doc will not be at all concerned by a slight gain.

Probably not. But I still want to lose at least part of what I gained, because some of my clothes are a little snug.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
She's paid. We were having a conversation about the space being available because the last kid was off to college, which led to what was Jane studying, to which I said English or Psych, to which she said as long as it's not history, to which I said Michael was studying history, which gave her the opening to complain she'd been a history major and there were no jobs for history majors. I said I figured undergrad was for figuring out what you love and grad school was for figuring out how to make a living. That's where she started in on the worthlessness of her degrees. :) She seems to have wanted to get a job -in maritime history- and was surprised there aren't many. I was thinking well, duh, there are no jobs in history. Or psych, or English, or sociology, or anth, or the humanities or the classics or any dozen other liberal arts majors. But there are any number of people with degrees in history who are working in professional positions. Insisting that she has to work in her degree field is the problem here, not the fact the degree is in history. And her apparent solution was to go get a master's in history, and then stop because there still aren't any jobs. Huh? Who is advising this person? Is ANYONE advising her?

She sounds like a real charmer! I'm sure you were regretting bringing up the topic of Michael's history major! She sounds completely clueless about the job market and the role of education. She must not have had very good advising, to say the least.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Have you ever done jury duty before? Here at least it's mostly sitting in a room waiting, and there are quiet rooms where most people are working on their laptops, etc.

No, I haven't, because every time I've been called, I've been excused on the grounds of my teaching schedule. I had to fill out a questionnaire, including a question about whether or not I've ever been party to a lawsuit. I have--I was the defendant in a personal injury suit that I firmly believe was completely fraudulent, which pretty much soured me forever on the so-called "justice" system, so I am hoping that I will be disqualified!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Wow! It sure is! I have a neighbor who had a tummy tuck. She loved the results.

I know of several people who have had really good results from tummy tucks, although they are all considerably younger than I am. I will definitely think about it, and I'll probably at least go for the initial consultation/evaluation, but I think it is unlikely that I would opt to put myself through all of that. The first thing I need to find out is whether my insurance company would pay if complications occurred and additional treatment was needed (I know they would not pay for the tummy tuck itself).

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Again, I apologize!

Not your fault!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Didn't weigh, didn't work out. Sigh. Had a weird night...woke up at 3:30 to find Jane wasn't home yet. Spent 45 minutes feeling slightly frantic when she finally answered a text -- she'd had her phone turned off because they were at a movie that premiered at midnight.

SLIGHTLY frantic? You're a lot calmer than I would be!


I decided to try the 3-Day walk today, tomorrow, and Sunday to see if I can do it. So today I walked 23 miles (the distance I have to walk on the first day of the actual walk). Because the weather was iffy and I wanted to be close to shelter in case of a storm, I decided just to walk laps around the outside of the local mall. The security guy kept watching me, undoubtedly wondering why I was walking around and around for 8 hours! But I did it with minimal pain and without getting winded. It will be interesting to see what I feel like tomorrow!

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
We've had a lot of storms here, too, but so far my power has only gone out for a few minutes at a time, thank goodness.

As Jane said, I don't mind the darkness, the no internet or tv, even the hassle of food. But no ac in 100-degree weather is just a pain.

Originally Posted by :
The "campsite" is temporary and right in the city of Cleveland. I can't quite visualize the whole thing. And it gets even worse, at least from my perspective--I have to be there at 4:30AM the first day!!! Are you kidding me? So I got a hotel room for the night before, which is costing me almost $200, even at the "special discount rate" for walk participants. And I can leave my car in the hotel parking lot for the whole weekend, for a mere $20 a night. Oh, and no breakfast is served at the event on the first morning, and I've been instructed to eat a hearty breakfast before arriving. Just where am I supposed to find a hearty breakfast prior to 4:30AM?

Okay, I know this probably isn't your thing, but:

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/34466

She looks to be a woman our age, teaches at a Catholic school, Kent State grad, owns a duplex and rents out the upstairs apartment for $85 a night, no minimum stay. Full kitchen, so you could bring your breakfast items with you. She has 22 reviews, all positive, and from reading them it sounds like she totally goes the extra mile for her guests so you might even find her offering to drop you at the race and let you park at her place for the duration. I didn't know what night you needed it for -- Aug 2? -- but it looks to be available then. If you decide you want to do this, she'll likely want to see some sort of profile so fill yours out with pic, connect to your fb account if you have one, and request a reference from me before you book, and consider contacting her before booking to explain that you're brand new to airbnb, blah blah blah about why you're looking to rent from her, Komen race, etc., to give her a chance to feel okay about you since she's a woman living alone in the city.

Originally Posted by :
But I'm sure you're right that my "roomie" is likely to be pretty cool. I'm trying to look forward to the idea of meeting new people and maybe even making some new friends.

:) I'd have a difficult time with the idea of a sleeping next to a stranger in a 2-person tent, too. Do you still have time to find someone to do the 3-day with you?

Originally Posted by :
Probably not. But I still want to lose at least part of what I gained, because some of my clothes are a little snug.

Yeah, that's not a good feeling!

Originally Posted by :
She sounds like a real charmer! I'm sure you were regretting bringing up the topic of Michael's history major! She sounds completely clueless about the job market and the role of education. She must not have had very good advising, to say the least.

That was my thought! I mean, I would have thought graduate classes in any liberal arts field would be mostly filled with people who intended to get a PhD and trust fund babies and not much else! :)

Originally Posted by :
No, I haven't, because every time I've been called, I've been excused on the grounds of my teaching schedule. I had to fill out a questionnaire, including a question about whether or not I've ever been party to a lawsuit. I have--I was the defendant in a personal injury suit that I firmly believe was completely fraudulent, which pretty much soured me forever on the so-called "justice" system, so I am hoping that I will be disqualified!

Here, it worked like this: I showed up Monday morning. They assigned me to a group. Everyone in that group had to sit around all day Monday, then after that we had to call in each afternoon to see if our group was needed the next day. If it wasn't, we were off for the day. If it was, we went in and sat around all day until they released us, usually about 2:00. We got called to form one jury on Tuesday of the second week. Seating the jury took several hours and we were supposed to pay nominal attention, so that was the only time I couldn't just work or read to pass the time. But I was at the back of the pack and the jury was seated before they got to me. It actually sounded like an interesting case, and there was some funny stuff as the occasional reluctant juror tried to get out of jury duty for silly reasons and failed. After that, they released us completely and I didn't need to go in the rest of the two weeks. I took my laptop with me every day and actually got more done than usual because I couldn't procrastinate work by deciding to go do some weeding or laundry or whatever, and we were allowed to check ourselves out for lunch for an hour so I got to have lunch with my husband several days.

Originally Posted by :


I decided to try the 3-Day walk today, tomorrow, and Sunday to see if I can do it. So today I walked 23 miles (the distance I have to walk on the first day of the actual walk). Because the weather was iffy and I wanted to be close to shelter in case of a storm, I decided just to walk laps around the outside of the local mall. The security guy kept watching me, undoubtedly wondering why I was walking around and around for 8 hours! But I did it with minimal pain and without getting winded. It will be interesting to see what I feel like tomorrow!

Yes, I'll be interested too! What kind of minimal pain were you having?

We're off to take Jane back to camp today, will be back tomorrow very late. Not sure I'm going to bother taking my laptop as I won't have much time to use it, so if you don't hear from me before Monday, don't worry!

Val

Originally Posted by va1erie:
As Jane said, I don't mind the darkness, the no internet or tv, even the hassle of food. But no ac in 100-degree weather is just a pain.

That's putting it mildly! I don't know how we ever survived with no AC in the house or car! Of course, that was before global warming.....:D

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Okay, I know this probably isn't your thing, but:

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/34466

She looks to be a woman our age, teaches at a Catholic school, Kent State grad, owns a duplex and rents out the upstairs apartment for $85 a night, no minimum stay. Full kitchen, so you could bring your breakfast items with you. She has 22 reviews, all positive, and from reading them it sounds like she totally goes the extra mile for her guests so you might even find her offering to drop you at the race and let you park at her place for the duration. I didn't know what night you needed it for -- Aug 2? -- but it looks to be available then. If you decide you want to do this, she'll likely want to see some sort of profile so fill yours out with pic, connect to your fb account if you have one, and request a reference from me before you book, and consider contacting her before booking to explain that you're brand new to airbnb, blah blah blah about why you're looking to rent from her, Komen race, etc., to give her a chance to feel okay about you since she's a woman living alone in the city.

Thanks for investigating that for me. I'm not opposed to the idea and will check it out, although in this instance it seems like a good idea to stay at the hotel associated with the event so that I am close to the starting site and have access to the shuttle that will take me right where I need to go.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
:) I'd have a difficult time with the idea of a sleeping next to a stranger in a 2-person tent, too. Do you still have time to find someone to do the 3-day with you?

No. Actually, the day I signed up was the very last possible day for doing so. The email I got telling me that it was my last chance to sign up was what pushed me into a decision, after hemming and hawing about it for months.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
That was my thought! I mean, I would have thought graduate classes in any liberal arts field would be mostly filled with people who intended to get a PhD and trust fund babies and not much else! :)

YOU clearly know how it works!!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Here, it worked like this: I showed up Monday morning. They assigned me to a group. Everyone in that group had to sit around all day Monday, then after that we had to call in each afternoon to see if our group was needed the next day. If it wasn't, we were off for the day. If it was, we went in and sat around all day until they released us, usually about 2:00. We got called to form one jury on Tuesday of the second week. Seating the jury took several hours and we were supposed to pay nominal attention, so that was the only time I couldn't just work or read to pass the time. But I was at the back of the pack and the jury was seated before they got to me. It actually sounded like an interesting case, and there was some funny stuff as the occasional reluctant juror tried to get out of jury duty for silly reasons and failed. After that, they released us completely and I didn't need to go in the rest of the two weeks. I took my laptop with me every day and actually got more done than usual because I couldn't procrastinate work by deciding to go do some weeding or laundry or whatever, and we were allowed to check ourselves out for lunch for an hour so I got to have lunch with my husband several days.

OH! Well, THAT I could handle, and I'd have time to do plenty of schoolwork while waiting around, too! Sounds perfect. My number is 14, so I'm guessing I probably will end up on an actual jury of some kind. In a way, I hope I do, as I have always thought it would be an interesting experience to be a juror, and the perfect venue for observing group dynamics and influence tactics.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Yes, I'll be interested too! What kind of minimal pain were you having?

Yesterday, during the last few miles my legs, hips, and lower back were aching a little, but nothing major. I expected to hurt a lot more when I woke up this morning but actually felt reasonably good. And I slept HARD. Today I walked 22 miles and once again was getting a little sore near the end. I just took a hot bubble bath (the first bath I have had in at least 30 years, because I was always so concerned that I wouldn't be able to get myself out of the tub--YAY!!) and feel a lot better. I'm going to go to bed now, since I have to get up early for church. Tomorrow I will walk 16 miles, which will complete my dry run for the actual walk. I'm pretty confident at this point that I can do it!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
We're off to take Jane back to camp today, will be back tomorrow very late. Not sure I'm going to bother taking my laptop as I won't have much time to use it, so if you don't hear from me before Monday, don't worry!

OK, have a safe trip, and check in when you get back!

I weighed myself this morning after not doing it for a few days and was down 1.2 since my last weigh-in. YAY!

SUNDAY: Down another 1.2 this morning. I did walk 16 miles today, but this time I was really hurting, especially in the last five miles or so. By the end I was barely picking up my feet and walking at a geriatric pace. But after taking a hot bubble bath, I already feel much improved. I'll see how I feel in the morning. I felt fine this morning, amazingly. I have an appointment for a deep-tissue massage in the morning. I also have a personal training session, although I suspect I won't be able to do much with this poor boo-boo body! Anyway, now I know two things: 1) I am capable of walking 60 miles in 3 days, and 2) it's really HARD!

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
OH! Well, THAT I could handle, and I'd have time to do plenty of schoolwork while waiting around, too! Sounds perfect. My number is 14, so I'm guessing I probably will end up on an actual jury of some kind. In a way, I hope I do, as I have always thought it would be an interesting experience to be a juror, and the perfect venue for observing group dynamics and influence tactics.

I think so too! I was actually hoping I'd get on the jury for the case we were called in for selection for.

Originally Posted by :
Yesterday, during the last few miles my legs, hips, and lower back were aching a little, but nothing major. I expected to hurt a lot more when I woke up this morning but actually felt reasonably good. And I slept HARD. Today I walked 22 miles and once again was getting a little sore near the end. I just took a hot bubble bath (the first bath I have had in at least 30 years, because I was always so concerned that I wouldn't be able to get myself out of the tub--YAY!!)

YAY!

Originally Posted by :
and feel a lot better. I'm going to go to bed now, since I have to get up early for church. Tomorrow I will walk 16 miles, which will complete my dry run for the actual walk. I'm pretty confident at this point that I can do it!

I should say so!

Originally Posted by :
SUNDAY: Down another 1.2 this morning. I did walk 16 miles today, but this time I was really hurting, especially in the last five miles or so. By the end I was barely picking up my feet and walking at a geriatric pace. But after taking a hot bubble bath, I already feel much improved. I'll see how I feel in the morning. I felt fine this morning, amazingly. I have an appointment for a deep-tissue massage in the morning. I also have a personal training session, although I suspect I won't be able to do much with this poor boo-boo body! Anyway, now I know two things: 1) I am capable of walking 60 miles in 3 days, and 2) it's really HARD!

I'm surprised the third day was so much harder! I wouldn't have expected that. But yep, you can obviously do it! I wonder how your performance will compare to others doing the actual walk!

Got up sick this morning. John is, too, so I guess it must be some bug. Got dressed for class but just couldn't make it, and I'm glad I didn't. I was feeling dizzy and nauseated just sitting in front of the tv drinking coffee. Giving myself credit for at least getting up and dressed. Weighed (.4 under goal). Ate semi-reasonably yesterday (was at a party and mostly ate veggies without dip, ate only the salads and veggies for the meal, skipped the pulled pork sandwiches and the desserts, had three glasses of wine.

Hope your day was a good one!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I think so too! I was actually hoping I'd get on the jury for the case we were called in for selection for.

I just wish the timing was different. But I guess there really is no "perfect" time for it.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I'm surprised the third day was so much harder! I wouldn't have expected that. But yep, you can obviously do it! I wonder how your performance will compare to others doing the actual walk!

The third day was three times as hard as the other days put together! I am VERY curious how I will compare to the other walkers. I'm especially curious about how many people will actually be able to complete the entire walk. There are "sweep" vans that drive around to pick up stragglers and take them to the next check point if they start to get behind, so there are multiple opportunities to miss part of the walk and yet still finish with everyone else.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Got up sick this morning. John is, too, so I guess it must be some bug. Got dressed for class but just couldn't make it, and I'm glad I didn't. I was feeling dizzy and nauseated just sitting in front of the tv drinking coffee. Giving myself credit for at least getting up and dressed. Weighed (.4 under goal). Ate semi-reasonably yesterday (was at a party and mostly ate veggies without dip, ate only the salads and veggies for the meal, skipped the pulled pork sandwiches and the desserts, had three glasses of wine.

So sorry to hear you and John are not feeling well. It's a good thing that you didn't try to go to your class. YAY for reasonable eating at a party.

My weight was down .2 yesterday and up .8 today. I had a personal training session yesterday and another one today (ACK). Neither was my most ambitious ever, but I was still impressed with myself just for being able to exercise at all after all that walking! I did have a deep-tissue massage yesterday, which definitely helped. I made an appointment for another massage the day before the walk begins (at the suggestion of the masseuse) AND for the evening following the walk.

Hope you are feeling better!

WEDNESDAY: Weight was down .8 this morning. Spent the day doing errands in preparation for leaving tomorrow for the Longaberger Bee in Columbus. I am not going to take my computer with me so will not be able to check in again until Sunday. I hope you are feeling better! Take care.

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
The third day was three times as hard as the other days put together! I am VERY curious how I will compare to the other walkers. I'm especially curious about how many people will actually be able to complete the entire walk. There are "sweep" vans that drive around to pick up stragglers and take them to the next check point if they start to get behind, so there are multiple opportunities to miss part of the walk and yet still finish with everyone else.

Oh, that's a nice way to run it!

Originally Posted by :

My weight was down .2 yesterday and up .8 today. I had a personal training session yesterday and another one today (ACK). Neither was my most ambitious ever, but I was still impressed with myself just for being able to exercise at all after all that walking! I did have a deep-tissue massage yesterday, which definitely helped. I made an appointment for another massage the day before the walk begins (at the suggestion of the masseuse) AND for the evening following the walk.

I'm impressed you could get in two training sessions after all that walking, too! Great idea about the massages!

Originally Posted by :
WEDNESDAY: Weight was down .8 this morning. Spent the day doing errands in preparation for leaving tomorrow for the Longaberger Bee in Columbus. I am not going to take my computer with me so will not be able to check in again until Sunday. I hope you are feeling better! Take care.

Oh, it's the Bee again already! Hope you're having a great time!

Report: weighed (1.4 under goal), made striped bass and grilled zucchini last night, delicious! Michael actually liked the zucchini better than the fish! Went to my class and it was an upper-body heavy workout -- today my arms are really sore.

I guess I won't see you until Sunday!

FRIDAY: went to class, didn't weigh.

SATURDAY: weighed (no change)

SUNDAY: did nada! :)

MONDAY: weighed (.6 under goal), went to class even though I could NOT wake up this morning. Hope you had fun at the Bee!

Originally Posted by va1erie:



I'm impressed you could get in two training sessions after all that walking, too! Great idea about the massages!

I'm pretty amazed at my strength and endurance these days! And my legs and butt are as solid as rocks!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Oh, it's the Bee again already! Hope you're having a great time!

We definitely had a good time. Each Bee is significantly smaller and less extravagant than the previous one, though, which is a sign that Longaberger is really feeling the recession :(. But there was one very exciting announcement: the company is going to work over the next few years at being able to say that every product is 100% made in the US.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Report: weighed (1.4 under goal), made striped bass and grilled zucchini last night, delicious! Michael actually liked the zucchini better than the fish! Went to my class and it was an upper-body heavy workout -- today my arms are really sore.

All good news! Your bass and zucchini dinner sounds absolutely delicious. YAY you for being well under goal and going to your class.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
MONDAY: weighed (.6 under goal), went to class even though I could NOT wake up this morning. Hope you had fun at the Bee!

YAY for going to class even though you definitely didn't feel like going!

I haven't weighed since before the Bee but ate reasonably. We didn't get as much exercise there as usual, because instead of having a choice of hotels, everyone was in the same hotel, which was part of the same complex where the Bee was. So we didn't need to walk much. I did make it a point to take the stairs every time, though, instead of the escalators that were available.

Yesterday I walked 12 miles and went to the gym for an hour as well. Tomorrow I am going to walk at least that far and also have a training session. I probably will take it easy on Wednesday, and on Thursday will have a massage in preparation for the walk. I'm feeling pretty confident of my ability to do the walk but very nervous about the logistics of it all. Possible rain is in the forecast for both Saturday and Sunday, as well as temperatures in the 90s (although of course the forecast could change a dozen times between now and then).

Hope things are continuing to go well with you!

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
We definitely had a good time. Each Bee is significantly smaller and less extravagant than the previous one, though, which is a sign that Longaberger is really feeling the recession :(. But there was one very exciting announcement: the company is going to work over the next few years at being able to say that every product is 100% made in the US.

I would imagine products like Longaberger's really take a hit in a down economy. Kind of the opposite of something like toothpaste! Did many of your Longaberger friends make it to this one?

Originally Posted by :

Yesterday I walked 12 miles and went to the gym for an hour as well. Tomorrow I am going to walk at least that far and also have a training session. I probably will take it easy on Wednesday, and on Thursday will have a massage in preparation for the walk. I'm feeling pretty confident of my ability to do the walk but very nervous about the logistics of it all. Possible rain is in the forecast for both Saturday and Sunday, as well as temperatures in the 90s (although of course the forecast could change a dozen times between now and then).

And then Thursday night you go to the hotel in Cleveland, is that right? I wonder if the hotel is planning to offer breakfast early for the Komen people, since there'll no doubt be others staying over? Your plan sounds like a really thoughtful one! Is that what your trainer has been recommending for your preparation -- long walks in the weeks/days ahead, then a short rest right before? Hope the rain holds off for you!

Report: weighed (gaah, up to just under goal, must have a low day as we're headed off to camp Saturday and I usually manage to gain a little at camp even though the food is terrible), didn't go to class because I was up so late that I decided not to set my alarm.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
I would imagine products like Longaberger's really take a hit in a down economy. Kind of the opposite of something like toothpaste! Did many of your Longaberger friends make it to this one?

Longaberger is definitely not one of the necessities of life, LOL!! The attendance at this Bee was the poorest ever, and many of the people I know weren't there.

Originally Posted by va1erie:
And then Thursday night you go to the hotel in Cleveland, is that right? I wonder if the hotel is planning to offer breakfast early for the Komen people, since there'll no doubt be others staying over? Your plan sounds like a really thoughtful one! Is that what your trainer has been recommending for your preparation -- long walks in the weeks/days ahead, then a short rest right before? Hope the rain holds off for you!

I've been following the advice of the training program supplied by the Komen Foundation as well as the advice of my own trainer. Both recommended a rest the day before the walk. I hope you are right about breakfast at the hotel AND about the rain! The weather forecast just keeps getting worse as the weekend gets closer.

I weighed yesterday (up 1.2 compared to the day before I left for the Bee) and today (down .8). I'm getting very very nervous about the walk itself and especially the logistics of it all, particularly the overnights. But I am going to feel such a sense of accomplishment when it is all done!

Originally Posted by va1erie:
Report: weighed (gaah, up to just under goal, must have a low day as we're headed off to camp Saturday and I usually manage to gain a little at camp even though the food is terrible), didn't go to class because I was up so late that I decided not to set my alarm.

Hope you managed a low day like you plan and that camp won't have too much of an impact on your weight! Sounds like we will have a lot to catch up on when I finally can get back on here. I may get home too late on Sunday night to post, and I may have to go to jury duty on Monday, but I should definitely be able to check in on Monday night. In the meantime, wish me luck and strength!! :)

Originally Posted by 4EverLearning:
Longaberger is definitely not one of the necessities of life, LOL!! The attendance at this Bee was the poorest ever, and many of the people I know weren't there.

Oh, that's too bad!

Originally Posted by :
I've been following the advice of the training program supplied by the Komen Foundation as well as the advice of my own trainer. Both recommended a rest the day before the walk.

And I guess your own experiment supported that idea, too, since the walks you did got more difficult as they built on each other. [quote[ I hope you are right about breakfast at the hotel AND about the rain! The weather forecast just keeps getting worse as the weekend gets closer.[/quote] Ugh! And off we go to camp Saturday morning, too. Hate it when it rains during camp.

Originally Posted by :
I weighed yesterday (up 1.2 compared to the day before I left for the Bee) and today (down .8). I'm getting very very nervous about the walk itself and especially the logistics of it all, particularly the overnights. But I am going to feel such a sense of accomplishment when it is all done!

I bet! And with the sweeper vans it sounds like they're prepared.

Originally Posted by :
Hope you managed a low day like you plan and that camp won't have too much of an impact on your weight! Sounds like we will have a lot to catch up on when I finally can get back on here. I may get home too late on Sunday night to post, and I may have to go to jury duty on Monday, but I should definitely be able to check in on Monday night. In the meantime, wish me luck and strength!! :)

Good luck and good strength! I hope you have great weather, a great tentmate, and a great time! :)

FRIDAY: Bleah, still just under goal. Didn't go to class this morning. I can't believe I'm thinking, "I can't wait until this summer's over and I can just get back into my rut," because of course it means both kids will be gone. Hope things are going well for you at the walk today!