Notched another large chunk of time at the in-laws after errands (some mine, some for the estate) and now am out of a too-hot bath that I kind of rushed through to be done when DH gets home from work. We're thinking of going out to dinner tonight, I think to MOD Pizza. Karen, do you have them out in Arizona? If so, they have a great plant based sausage crumbles option and without cheese, and so many veggies to choose from as toppings, it's a fun option. I go simpler than DH, who loads on a ton, and it is several servings of veg for him, I'm sure. It's one meal that I'm fine with the calories that come mainly from the thin crust. They also have a spicy sauce in addition to red sauce and I love spicy but it's got quite a kick so I go half and half. I think it's a bit of a financial treat as well, so it's not something we try to do too often. Ahh the anticipation is as good as the dinner. (almost). Dropped five more boxes at UPS to zip down to the Decluttr offices in Georgia, and while now it's nominal money for these, it's clearing more DVDs out. One last box to go, i picked a few more from boxes waiting for DH's brother to pick them up.
No organized exercise today, but plenty of strength work hauling bags of trash and recycling and going up and down the stairs. One room is CLEARED. I'm proud of the progress. DH wants to clear out rooms in the bottom floor but I have changed my thinking to be clear up and move down. I will explain my reasoning to him tonight - if we clear the downstairs first, when we're bringing oddball things down, it'll keep needing to be cleared.
Joy - I, too, enjoyed the Marie Kondo book and really adopted the woo woo habit of thanking many of my things and moving them along. Coats, etc. I add to please make someone else cozy or whatever. It almost makes it seem like the object now has a mission. I'm NOT doing that with the stuff in the inlaws - i'm just like you get a second chance! haha
Maryann - WHOO HOO on getting back into the 160s! What a great feeling. My first goals are to get back into the 160s and to be active every day. Credits due to you!
Penny - Good luck with the return to out-of-home schooling for your kids. That adds a lot to your schedule as well, I'm sure.
Badass Karen - I love it - I love when you recount a hike where you are basically guiding others, too ... I'd have loved to have run into you on a few hikes of mine where I just struggle so much to follow trail markers. I may have written this a few years ago, but DH and I were on a trail one day and I saw one of those old-time pop top thingies that had the hoop and then the tongue coming down - the kind from our childhood where you could make chains from them... I pointed it out and went to dig it out of the dirt to discard it, then said, nope, I'm going to leave that because that was so fun to see a glimpse into the past ... someone else will enjoy it, too. Then, about 90 minutes later, what are the odds I saw another one! I was like, "YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS!!" DH said, "you know we're on a loop trail, right?" Um. No. I didn't know that. Good grief.
CurlyJax - Oh, it sounds like yesterday was a really tough day for you, despite the party. I'm so sorry that so much sense of loss and loneliness hit you all at once. I hope you are able to spend some time with friends this weekend for some self-care. Your belly dancing lessons sound like so much fun. The best we've enjoyed was a 90-yo woman at a small Greek restaurant, who really brought it. Your supervisor just doesn't sound like they're a very good manager, not really building a staff up to feel successful.
Ann - Your granddaughters just sound like so much fun, and you definitely seem like the fun no-stress grandparent! I had to click the link to the earthquake cake that Bill posted - omg that looks wonderful.
Bill - We have to get kicking on our own taxes, maybe on Sunday. I used to write down everything we needed on the folder that we stick tax info in and then check it off as they came in. Why did I get out of that habit? It was perfect for us. I used to do my own, until we got married and then DH took that over and in a way, I miss having the control of it. But I do think it's easier to have one person tackling it and both review.
Giving myself credit today for not overeating when heading to the in-laws or on the way home. I stress eat on the drive (an hour), but brought banana and grapes. Even if it's a healthy bar (Nature's Bakery Fig Bars are what I buy and the three grandkids all love them), if I don't need more food, I just don't need more food. I do view hunger as an emergency there, which is silly.
Hello Coaches - The earthquake cake is yummy, I cut it up into small squares in put them in the freezer. It will be a nice planned treat. I did notice that I am not really craving sweets. It may be because when I crave something, I negotiate with myself to plan to eat it the next day where I put it in my planned eating. Weight is down one pound.
BillBlueEyes - Thank you for posting the link to the earthquake cake. Taxes cause tension between DH and myself. We are done and they have been submitted.
Curlyjax - Thinking of you and wishing you a peaceful day. I am grateful for you being here.
Maryann - Yay for being down 5 pounds. You have raised a wonderful young man.
Gardenjoy - I found Marie Kondo's book was very engaging. .When we were moving from our house to a Condo, it helped us to downsize. It just made sense to me.
Penny - Sending supportive thoughts as your daughter starts school.
Nationalparker You are getting a lot of spontaneous exercise. Great plan to clear out the upstairs rooms first.
Karen - Your niece sounds like she is a lot of fun. Thank you for introducing me to Budha bowls. I love them. I hope you have a nice visit with friends.
Saturday - 1st Spanish constitution enacted, one of earliest ever promulgated (1812)
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Completed collecting the tax data, CREDIT moi, which includes scanning everything going to the accountant so that if the package is lost we don't have to start from scratch. The addressed large envelope sits on a kitchen counter waiting for me to bring it to the post office this morning. We didn't divorce despite making an attempt a couple of times. Just discovered that we have two different notions about how to use an Excel spreadsheet. Decided that I'd look silly standing before a divorce judge discussing how to use Excel. And decided that she's unlikely to change. Would be more common to divorce about how to load the dishwasher, LOL.
Eating was on plan with no daytime snacks, CREDIT moi. Several times it became obvious to me that doing taxes was a burden to be lessened by food - particularly cookies. Or tree nuts. Or maybe trail mix with dark chocolate. Somewhere in the back of my mind I had to remember that the heads of households representing 350 million residents of the US prepare tax returns each year. Wonder if all developed countries have yearly income tax? Just googled: No income tax if I become a resident of Saint Kitts and Nevis by paying $150,000 to their hurricane relief fund. Like, for sure, that's where the money would go. Or in Monaco where I'd be the poorest citizen there; probably get a job cleaning yachts hoping to see a billionaire. Hoping that billionaire would tip me a Bitcoin. Then wondering how to tip in Bitcoins - perhaps by leaning over and whispering a 20 digit hexadecimal number in my ear. Glad that taxes only happen once a year.
Joy (gardenerjoy) - I'm jealous that you got into a book on tidying up. Just read that a head librarian in Texas was fired for insubordination - refusing to remove books about gender and race. Strange times, these.
maryann - Congrats for reaching the 60's - a feel-good milestone. Interesting that being identified as special needs might not always be helpful.
nationalparker – Looked to see if we had "MOD Pizza" around here; found that lots of places claim to be MOD if Made On Demand. Closest might be the nearby place with thin crusts, unusual ingredients, and HIGH prices. Congrats on more progress at your in-law's house.
Karen (karenrn) - Super Kudos for sticking to your Buddha bowl things while your DN and DH dug into pizza and ice cream. Heroic, that. Neat that the Karen-BnB is overbooked - sounds like returning to normal.
curlyjax - Yay for finally having a party. Hope you find a path forward for your aunt. I do worry about the time that I don't recognize that I'm limited cognitively. And, sending supportive thoughts as you remember your DH and your mom and all the conversations that you had with them.
Penny. - Wish you well trying to become the mother of kids in public school. Hard to immediately figure out their expectations.
Ann (AnnC123) - Neat idea to freeze small squares of the Earthquake Cake. Would be hard to stop, otherwise. Congrats for having your taxes already submitted.
Readers -
Quote:
Chapter 5Stage 2 - The Think Thin Initial Eating Plan
Your Think Snack Options
Your Think Thin Snack Options are all healthy and high in protein and/or fiber to increase satisfaction and decrease hunger between meals.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), Pg 119.
Busy day at work. I really like my colleagues and am happy working there, but I’m thinking about writing a response to my eval, to be put in my file. I don’t want to start up anything with my boss, but I do feel like something was portrayed unfairly based on one incident, and I don’t want it causing problems in the future. I’m hoping to stay put until I retire -there’s a great health insurance retirement deal if you’re there 10 years-among other reasons. Yesterday I got my taxes handed in, handed in my car tax payments, picked up DS so he could attend a gaming conference today, and spent an enjoyable evening watching tv. I ate way too much and for really no reason other than it tastes so good. Today its raining so a good day to do errands, help DD with nursing school stuff, and get back on track with my eating!! Karen- that was smart of you to set guest limits, that could easily get to be too much. Great job passing up the pizza. Penny- good luck with your dtr’s transition, that’s a big step! Maryann- great job with 5 pounds down! Nationalparker- you are doing great with your clearing out. How nice to have one room done, it really shows progress. That was so funny about the loop trail! Ann- I’m so impressed that you can eat just one treat. Something being in the freezer doesn’t stop me, its all or nothing. Bill-too funny about the excel sheet causing a divorce. I still fall into the habit of rewarding myself with food during an unpleasant task.
Still reading and enjoying the Kondo book. Too excited about it to sleep last night. Oops. I got up early and packed up some clothes that I already identified as discards so that I can get them out of the house. That will give me more space to maneuver when I'm ready to tackle clothes again using her method.
Exercise +60, 930/1500 minutes for March
BillBlueEyes: We do fine with taxes, but that dishwasher one....
Librarians are definitely feeling targeted right now. It's a core value to have books on the shelf for every reader. If there's a single person in the community who identifies as "queer" or is curious about what that term means, then they need a book.
I took my 5th grader over to the school to hand in some requested paperwork and asked what time school starts and what she should bring. I was expecting the long list of supplies I always read parents talk about but was just told "a backpack and a notebook. If she doesn't have a backpack, we have one here she can have."
Breakfast and lunch is free. My daughter was thinking it will be foods she doesn't like but we found the menu and, much to her delight, it's all processed junk. Ha!
Maryann, I worry about the stigma with testing and diagnosis. A homeschooler has to pay big bucks for the testing (thousands) but it's free through the school. But, it could all just be extreme social anxiety and just being at school will help develop her socially. My two older kids blossomed into totally different people once they started working and being out on their own more. Do you think it's better to not say anything to the counselor about my concerns and just see how it goes?
Bill, lol about the near divorce with tax prep. I remember teling my friend how I missed an exit off the freeway and my husband and I almost divorced twice. Ugh the petty arguments. Congrats on getting it done. Also I did not know we should be depreciating vehicles.
Nationalparker, now you have me wanting MOD pizza. My own social anxiety does not like the ordering process though. Just give me a table and a menu please. lol
Curly, I can tell you're really stressing about your work review. Maybe it would be better to let it go and see how the next one goes? Keep in mind, this advice is coming from a person whose work mantra is "they're not going fire me..."
Good Morning.
Weight is holding in the right decade. Now I want to keep it there.
Gym and a smoothie will be on the agenda.
So I realize I should have PM Penny after I wrote this really long message but i don't want to lose it and I am not sure how to PM. So skip the school diatribe if you feel the need.
Penny: No, I would definitely not say anything and see how its goes. Although you are correct that free testing services are a huge benefit to public school, the benefits of having been diagnosed are very questionable. Approx 25% of students qualify for intellectual disabilities which sounds like it is not your daughter's issue. 13% have specific learning disabilities. But then many MANY students ( the vast majority boys) qualify when it is labeled ADD issues. In my experience, most often the behavior issues are directly related to home environment. Statistically only 3% of students have ADD yet we have a huge population medicated. This makes special ed classes often a three ring circus. The few disabilities I have seen really thrive were specifically dyslexic students and the 3% who ARE ADD . Also hearing and speech issues. My son received speech help. Finally, if you do receive a diagnosis, the quality of intervention varies dramatically. Regular ed teachers will be told to differentiate. The student might be put in a pushin class with half regular students and half spec ed students. But the special ed students all have different disabilities and are only given 1 aid. So there is a mixed result. Again, the push in class will have by nature a very different culture than a regular class. Also, at 15, your daughter will be entering a special ed program when most students are being exited or put on a non diploma track.
So, if I was worried about my son, I would see how he does and be in contact with any teacher of a class with concerns . I would be very positive and team orientated. Many teachers are very receptive to background info from parents. Introduce yourself to the counselor in a very positive way, talking about your concerns for socializations after a history of homeschool. Ask about the strongest clubs with the strongest teachers. Our school as a "link crew" for one period that focuses only on fun student activities creation for the whole school. An easy way to meet people. If social issues or a grade credit issue starts to show itself after a period of adjustment, in California I would ask for an SST, which is a whole team approach. The recommendations could lead to a 504 plan which means she needs special accommodations like more time on tests, a "safe" pass to a counselor to catch her breath or further testing. The only benefits she would be missing with this approach is not being given a label which would allow her when she takes college SATS to be given given special circumstances. This is how many of the rich parents got their kids into the colleges through graft. The SAT special circumstances sent them to a room where the TA had been paid off and altered their scores.
So, remember that high school is hard for everyone. I thought DS would be beaten up in the bathroom everyday for being a super dork but he navigated. He found some teachers he really connected to and a few people to eat lunch with. He took several social licks that broke my heart but he survived and is thriving in a large university 3,000 mile away. He also to the very core of himself knows he is enough just by waking up in the morning. We feel confident with our choices.
Just a quick check in since I have company and am distracted. Food has been on plan and weight is holding. Today we did an almost 10 mile hike in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve which is nearby and where I hike often. The weather was great and it wasn't too busy where we went. My friend who wants to hike the Rim to River to Rim in the Grand Canyon 4/30 went to see how she did with the longer distance. She did well but my oh my is she thin. I think she could take a little donation from each of us.
Tomorrow we're taking the day off of hiking and meeting up with a friend who is down here. She was with me when I met my husband, so I've known her a long time.
Hello Coaches. Today was a good day. No Earthquake Cake. No desire to have any. Walked, logged my food, wrote in my gratitude journal. It has rained here all day and after my walk and getting soaked, I decided to watch the Hallmark channel. Not a very productive day. It was a very relaxing day. I should have posted early this morning before walking. Tomorrow I am going over to watch my DGds for the day. It is a great way to spend a day. Have I mentioned how blessed I feel to have them in my life.
BillBlueEyes - you are very funny. I am sure the judge would say, I have heard it all before. When DH and I first got married we would disagree on the best way to clean the bathroom. My sister told me to just let him do it and get over it. I did and now he always cleans the bathroom.
Curlyjax - As the evaluation seems to be bothering you, is there someone in HR at your organization that you could talk to in confidence to see the best way to deal with this. I worked at a place where this occurred for one of my co-workers. They were told it didn't have anything to do with raises of job opportunities. About six months after all supervisors had to go for retraining writing evaluations.
MaryAnn I enjoyed reading the info you gave to Penny. It is so great your DS is doing well.
Penny How wonderful breakfast and lunch are included for your DD. It is great if she doesn't have a backpack they have one for her.
Karen I have some I could donate to your friend...haha. Enjoy your day off tomorrow.
Gardenjoy Yay for getting up early and packing clothes to get out of the house.
Maryann: thank you for the great feedback! I've copied it to my notes app so I can refer back to it. I'll just see how it goes and stay positive. I'm glad your son is doing so well and found his footing! This is my transgender daughter so you can imagine my concerns, but I do think she just needs to get out there amongst her peers. This pandemic has been rough, but I was waiting for the vaccines and the covid numbers to go down.
Btw, I don't think anyone can send me a PM because my account seems to be linked to someone else's account if you try and click on my profile. Penny1 or something last time I checked.
A rainy, gloomy day here. Went to the in-laws, gone from 11-8. I'm beat and looking forward to a bath and bed. I sound like I'm 100. Back there tomorrow. Another day, another squabble as we were wrapping up. He said we'll go drop off boxes I had for one of his daughters, and also go to the recycling drop. I said there's not room in the car for both .. is she home to start with? He said I don't know ... there are too many people to schedule with. .WHAT? (Yes, just the one person.) Then he said I don't know; i texted her and we don't get texts out here. (Yes, we do, just not phone calls.) ... so then i was just like whatever. So I said we'll take her stuff another day, l'll load it up with recycling and we'll drop that and go home. So ended another productive day. He thinks I'm bossy. I think he struggles with handling different facets of a project if it's not linear. We are probably both right. But it does end a day in a crummy way. I think we're there the next 2-3 days as he took PTO ... and then I go back on Thursday when the dumpster comes to sign for it and work some more ... and then his brother's girlfriend and I might meet up there on Friday to load more for her to take for a yardsale.
I feel like decisions need to be made every second there - garbage, recycling, yardsale, keep, if keep, who wants it/gets it. Nothing different than others clearing out - except albums and boxes have such random stuff - one of the boys' baby photos, and the next thing in the box is a hershey chocolate bar wrapper, then a postcard from a person who can cut their trees, a napkin from a baby shower, a promotional flyer from Hardees, a recipe cut from the newspaper, 3 month old baby photos. It is just wacky. I'm tapping out for the night and will check in tomorrow morning in a better frame of mind with a goal for the day to drink more water.
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Tax information in the mail to the accountant, CREDIT moi. I'm so old that I remember our yearly trip to present this info to our accountant. In her office. Face to face. We'd hear tales of her latest trip to Turkey and I'd ask questions that were too small to warrant a phone call during Tax season. Feel like I'll be telling this to my DGD as stories of the olden days.
Excitement was a trip to the Concord Museum in Concord MA. They have a new exhibit about William Brewster - one of this country's first serious birder. And then, in the same day, Double Excitement: went to a concert by Boston Baroque where we had to prove vaccination to enter and all wore masks the whole time, including the orchestra. Handel never ceases to amaze; Ode for St. Cecilia's Day just blew my mind. Captured by the lyrics covering the founding through the end of the world
Quote:
When nature underneath a heap
Of jarring atoms lay,
And could not heave her head.
The tuneful voice was heard from high
"Arise ye more than dead."
Then cold and hot, and moist and dry,
in order to their stations leap
And music's pow'r obey.
[until the world ends]
The dead shall live, the living die,
And music shall untune the sky.
So it all began when music called the dormant atoms into the Earth, and will end when music untunes the sky. What one can write if one doesn't spend their day on the Internet.
Joy (gardenerjoy) - Congrats for each small step cleaning up. I wore my Airgami mask for the two-hour concert last night. Comfortable. No fogging glasses. Did have to respond to the curious lady sitting to my right. Thanks for that tip. I like being reminded that the library's goal is to serve, "If there's a single person in the community..." It's not just about getting Daniele Steel books on the cheap.
maryann - Thanks for the discussion about testing and learning disabilities. Such a difficult path with so many potholes. Do like being reminded that your DS is thriving.
nationalparker – Ouch for the continued efforts on your in-laws house. I spoke to our friend last night who'd downsized from a sprawling suburban house plus city condo to just her city condo. She said it was painful as the professional she'd hired kept pointing to the third basket marked "Discard."
Karen (karenrn) - I, too, am willing to donate to your thin friend. Yay for friends of long standing.
curlyjax - Congrats for getting all those necessary chores done. I tend to agree that you should do something about your review - something simple and non-confrontational. Maybe just writing your perspective that the single event did happen, you listened, you figured out how to act with the gracious help of Brunhilde Battleaxe, and have been doing so, quite well, for the year. Just to be left in your file.
Penny. - Congrats for one more step toward getting your girls in school. Do send her with two sharpened pencils, LOL. Also, LOL at the school serving processed junk - just like the cafeterias in hospitals.
Ann (AnnC123) - Kudos for "No Earthquake Cake." I've been thinking about it myself. Neat that you're getting more DGDs time.
Readers -
Quote:
Chapter 5Stage 2 - The Think Thin Initial Eating Plan
Your Think Snack Options
Eating snacks as planned is one of the hardest steps for many dieters because they often don't want to stop eating when they have finished their snack, or they want to be able to eat snacks other than the ones they planned. That's why it's so important to read relevant Response Cards and your Advantages Deck before eating your snacks, so that you can strengthen your resolve to follow your plan.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), Pg 119.
Last edited by BillBlueEyes; 03-20-2022 at 08:53 AM.
Gloomy day yesterday and not much got done. I did an errand for DD and hit the dump, but that was about it. Much time spent talking with DD, some good and some exhausting. DS was home around dinner time (I brought him home to attend a gaming conference but it ended early) and there was chat about how we 3 should do something but nothing panned out.I love my babies so much but after 2 weeks of one or the other being here plus DD coming home to work 2 weekends a month, i'm ready for my empty nest again since its not really empty for that long-school ends around May 7. I didn't keep track of eating but I didn't feel like I overate.
Thanks everyone for the job eval advice. I'm going to talk to my older brother who has been a manager and will be helpful to figure out the next steps.
Today is yoga, elliptical if my hip lets me, bringing DS back to college, and hopefully grabbing some groceries on the way home. Then back to my own routine for a bit! Gardenerjoy- Marie Kondo is also on netflix if you want to watch her in action. Penny- good luck with all the school decisions. The drama club kids usually seem to be open minded and there's always help needed with behind the scenes stuff. Also girl scouts are usual nice if there were some looking for new members-high school is when all but the dedicated drop out. Nationalparker-my widow friend is going thru the same things with putting her mom's condo on the market; the mom is still alive with beginning dementia and wants some of her things so they can't just chuck everything. My friend is working with her sister so that gets complicated, and she feels quite overwhelmed. I'm sure you are exhausted!!
Wave to everyone else. I'm off to yoga soon!
Saturday - 1st Spanish constitution enacted, one of earliest ever promulgated (1812)
since its not really empty for that long-school ends around May 7. I didn't keep track of eating but I didn't feel like I overate.