December 2016 Ups and Downs Support
 

Wow, December 1st...come on Spring :rolleyes: it is barely 4:10 p.m. and dusky/dark!! ugh.

As Kathleen ("IBelieve") has said before, we are a small but mighty group that share in our Ups and Downs. We are always welcoming to newcomers. You can post as much or as little as you feel up to.

Kathleen how frustrating to lose one's well-thought-out post!! anyway you wrote a nice recovery one :) first, that is great news about your son being safely home for now, you are such a loving mother and it must tear you apart when he is having troubles, at least he is HOME with you now :)

We should all follow your plan for PROGRESS, not perfection. It is so easy to beat ourselves up isn't it!! Let's be mindful of the things we do that are good for us and focus on that.

Uh oh the big 5-0 this Sunday? :D we'll help you celebrate being 50 years YOUNG :carrot:

I have had a really "down" afternoon and I'm trying SO hard to pull myself out of it. I;ve had to almost kick myself in my own butt to make myself go forward. Forward with just daily tasks, instead of hiding in bed. Something I realized, it is only on days I have off, that I am so despairing...if I am at work, I am at least focused on dealing with that. It just doesn't give me the time to dwell.

I've made a couple hundred of those meringue mushrooms, yet before I can try to sell them, I have to work up details such as item tags and ribbons..and I need a business card. I asked DH for help almost 2 weeks ago. I know it isn't his full time job to make pastry labels for me, but he has been in marketing for over 20 years and does stellar desktop publishing..he could make what I need in just 2 hours..yet I am not gonna nag. So I might just not do it. It was just something I was thinking might help me with focusing on looking forward . Back to feeling meh about the next day.

Been taking my Wellbutrin daily for over a week now, guess it is not going its job yet.

see if I can post a pic of the mushrooms (Ooops a double copy, sorry)

here is the other pic i meant to find

Hi Lisa thanks for your encouragement about being patient and giving the med a chance. So glad you have a good feeling about the contractor! that is great news. And I do not think $200 is too bad for all that you got. That is GREAT about being down a whole pant size!! :bravo:

I would have also been :( at hearing the friends say that...I would want to just go with the simple answer that sometimes our mind is racing ahead more quickly than we're putting together words, and then we just 'blank'. Are you having any problems with reading comprehension, or writing also, or is it just when you're speaking? I guess if it continues, you could see a doc about it..but also remember that you ARE in a stessful situation, even if you are getting along smoothly with your daughter, you are still not in your own home due to a traumatic event and maybe that is messing with you. BEST wishes and love to you Lisa!! :hug:

Oh the mushroom things :D they are like candy, individual treats, like a bonbon or truffle. But they are made of baked meringue so they are crisp and dry and light, but have the undercoating of semisweet chocolate. Yummy :) they were originally invented to decorate the Christmas cake Yule Log.

AND a reassurance to Kathleen (and Lisa) that there is life after 50 :D I myself turned 56 today. Yeah today was my birthday, I keep my expectations low so I am not disappointed :devil:

Went to dollar general today and bought some Micellar Water. I cleaned my face with it tonight, it is so soft now. I heard good things about this stuff and decided I needed to start taking better care of my skin. My face tends to be kind of ruddy, I love it tonight.


https://affordablegorgeous.files.wor...ng?w=352&h=352

Hello and thank you Lisa for the beautiful cookie message! :D

and a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to KATHLEEN today!! :bday2you::gift::celebrate:

Lisa I had never heard of that water, it sounds fantastic.

gotta get ready for work :p have a good day everyone :):hug:

Hello everyone! Happy December :candy::candy:

I hope everyone has kicked off the month to a good start!

And I see we have a Birthday! WhooHoo!! Happy Birthday!!

Just wanted to pop in and say hello. It's a rainy, dreary day here in Houston, TX. Cold too. Or at least for us! LOL!

Have a great day everyone :)

So I had an "ah-hah" moment yesterday. Let me give a bit of background, then I'll get to my moment ;)

I'm 11 years recovered from Anorexia and Bulimia, after battling both for over 12 years. It was a very long journey, which included multiple hospitalizations, treatment programs, therapy, etc. etc., but eventually I recovered. I also became active in 12 step programs Overeaters Anonymous and Eating Disorders Anonymous.

So, fast forward shortly after my recovery began - I began binging without purging. I gained weight, and quickly. I saw a dietician, joined weight watchers, and did ok (for a while.) Until I didn't. I became depressed in a relationship I was in, generally not happy with where I was at in my life, and the weight just continued to pile on :(

I got out of the relationship, and a year later met, my now, wife.

Things began to improve with my life. But my wife is also an emotional eater, so that didn't help any. Just around a year into our relationship, I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease and Cancer. My life drastically changed at this point. I became very motivated to get myself healthy :carrot:

And so began my 140 pound weight loss journey (I've lost 90 pounds so far and have 50 to go until my goal weight.)

I beat Cancer, continued focusing on my health, and THOUGHT I was doing well.


Until last night's AH HAH moment.

You see, I have Celiac Disease (I have to adhere to a gluten free diet.) - BUT... while I am not binging, and haven't 'binged' in a long time, I realized I still very much emotionally eat. The problem lies in WHAT I eat and HOW I eat. I eat to fill an emotional need when I'm not hungry - even if it's a normal amount, BUT 99% of the time it is gluten filled foods. Ugh. Definitely NOT good for my health :dizzy:

So here I am. I was feeling VERY low last night. The shade of denial was ripped off. I'm feeling a little better today, just... raw... :stress:

Anyway, I wanted to share. Any feedback is greatly appreciated :hug:

Hi ladies, thanks to JesikaBeth for sharing your story, you have battled so much!

Lisa, yay to you for taking the steps to have the healthy lighter snacks available, and taking good care of your skin :) I also love yogurt. One of my 'tricks' is to buy the cheaper store brand of plain nonfat yogurt, the quart size, and then buy some Jello Lemon flavor sugar free jello . I sprinkle some of the jello powder on the plain yogurt and it tastes so tangy lemony good.

Lisa, how are things going with the contractor and renovations?

OH jeez, the holiday blitz of bad choices has already begun!! was given a tin of homemade chocolate candies tonight and a bag of that delicious White Crack :devil: chex mix and nuts and raisins held together by melted white chocolate.

Hope to see some of our other regulars here soon, miss you all :hug:

Thanks guys!

:grouphug:

I'm feeling pretty good thus far today... I'm sure the coffee has something to do with that LOL j/k :D

I hope everyone has a fantastic day and upcoming weekend. I'll be back on Monday :wave:

Holly, I have not heard back from that contractor yet. It usually takes them a good week or longer to get those estimates back. I may call him tomorrow, to see how much longer.


I had a sandwich and carrots for a late lunch. I am still a little hungry, I'll try to hold off until I make supper later. I haven't been drinking as much water lately but I still do have a water open in front of me, right now, so I think I'm ok.

I might try your yogurt trick, it sounds good. Thanks for telling me about it. I do eat light yogurt. I buy 12 packs of it, at least 2, and keep them in the fridge. Been buying bananas too, the last ones were pretty much, no good. Yuck!

Much love to you, Holly.

Hi Lisa! way to go for your skincare regimen, and EXTRA way to go for buying the mat and a workout outfit!!! That is such a positive step :carrot: and I hope you find some workouts on youtube that you like. Starting out with stretching and light yoga sounds great!!

I hope the contractor does get back to you soon.

Hi JesikaBeth, it is so great to hear one of us say they are feeling pretty good! hope you have a good weekend coming up.

Hi to our other friends :hug:

Still sticking with my exercise, at least 30 min. 5x a week, I hate to do cardio and would rather do light weights/toning, I'm just glad I'm doing something.

I hit the pavement today with 40 bags of my meringue mushrooms to try to find stores to sell them ...god I hate selling!! :mad: my first contact, the lady was such a b*tch. She could have just simply told me 'no thank you'. Apparently I priced them too high :rolleyes: but she could have asked if I was open to negotiating price. No, she just got pretty close to my face and said 'do you know how much I spend on TV and radio advertising?' and um, no lady, I DON'T and I really don't care :devil: I showed myself out :rolleyes: I then made 6 more stops, people were polite at least, and I left my contact information and a sample bag of the mushrooms .

and I drove home feeling like a BFF, a Big Fat Failure ...but when I got in the house, there was a phone message from one of the stores, the biggest store, and the lady left a message that she was sorry she missed me and was excited about my product!! :carrot: I then called her back but she had left for the day, but I left a voicemail. I really only wanted to do them to focus on something other than hating winter and hating my new neighbors.

Hey ladies,


I am stressed out today. I can't come up with the money to make a car payment. I may lose my car. I am anxious and sad. I took some clonazapam to calm me down and I feel so tired. I honestly don't know what I am going to do.

Lisa, first how did you manage with the trouble about the car payment?? worried about that for you!! It seems sometimes you can call them and just explain that you're in a tight spot for the moment? I hope it worked out!!

the contractor..hmm I don't know what to suggest if his estimate is high..I would just state that you had X amount of dollars from the insurance and that is all that you can put towards it and i hope he ca make it work.

I hope Jennifer had a great time at the Christmas party.

Very good responsibility for wanting to take good care of your lovely self! :D

thanks for the high five about the mushrooms :D maybe they will sell, maybe not . At least i can't beat myself up for not trying.

gotta get ready for work, bleh :D HELLO to everyone else, please say Hi

Hello,

I tried several times to post in the past month, and I lost every single one of them and got too disgusted to try again.

It seems to be working now, so I will do a series of short ones....just in case!

Holly, those mushrooms are adorable....have you considered asking the rat b*stard boss to sell them?
How has your weather been? We have a possibility of snow tonight, but had a very mild November. Every mild day, (actually even a stormy one) brings us one day closer to Spring!

Kathleen, how is everything going for you? This is not my best time of the year - I find the holidays tough, but I get through them. I get restaurant gift cards for the adults in my family, Amazon and/or college fund money for the younger. I have not shopped for family members in about ten years - when my b*tch sister-in-law left the gift I bought her at my mother's and said I had obviously regifted something cheap from a client - that was not at all true, but so traumatic that she has gotten a Dunkin Donuts gift card every year since (she prefers Starbucks LOL!)

It seems the only "real" gifts I am buying are for Yankee Swaps, a child from my church giving tree, my hairdresser and my cleaning lady. They get more personalized gifts than my family members ever since that drama. I wish we would draw names or have a Yankee swap - this is ridiculous....I give gifts to 30+ family members.

My exercising is going great, but my eating has been crazy. In the past week I went to a neighbor's home for a party, a library volunteer luncheon, a law-school reunion and a friend's potluck trim-a-tree. I don't dare get on the scale right now!

Kathleen, how are your son and daughter doing?

Lisa, I think the contractor can negotiate with your insurance company regarding the cost of repairs. That is how it worked when my washing machine hose let go and ruined the hardwood floor in my laundry room on the second floor and the first floor ceiling under it. That was minor compared to your fire...just a nuisance.

Hello to everyone else.

That IS ridiculous! a Yankee swap would be so much more practical!! wow what an awful sister-in-law, but I'm glad you give her the DD card, LOL

Yay for your exercising!! and yeah the holidays mean so much more opportunities for tempting us :devil:

Seems the 3FC site has so many more ads that mess with my posts, too. I will log in, type a LONG great post, hit submit, then it tells me "you are not logged in" ...then I will log in, and it takes me to a blank page :?: I have had luck hitting back key, even previous to logging in, finding my post, copying it, then pasting it in another tab . Sheesh! :D

We got snow last night but I haven't gone out yet to see the damage, will do so soon and see what I have to deal with.

HI to everyone else!!

Hello!
 

P.s.
 

hello and so good to hear from Kathleen and it is such good news about your son! :carrot:

Hi to Lisa, Monica, Coop, JesikaBeth!

About an hour ago I was outside shoveling and intentionally, meanly, satisfactorily, snubbed the devious next door neighbor :devil: I can be a vindictive person when I want, and revel in it :devil: She said 'good morning', I stopped shoveling, stared at her, went back to shoveling :devil: It's the first time we've been somewhat near each other since we found out about them submitting false plans to build what they wanted, instead of what was legal. It's gonna be a bumpy next 30 years for them. :devil:

Hi all! So sorry for my long absence, I've not had much chance to stop by! I didn't realise how long it had been since I last stopped by... I'll catch up over the next few days!

Our rabbits had a fall out last month, and I've been spending my evenings having to supervise them while they're together. It's very time consuming!

I wanted to say Happy 50th Birthday to Kathleen while I'm here! :celebrate: sorry it's late!

Hi Coop!! I'm sorry to hear about the rabbits..so an illness? whatever it is, I hope the troubles are over soon!

Lisa YAY for having more coverage than the estimate! but you are right, sometimes the unexpected will happen and there goes the extra..so we will also hope nothing comes up to mess with the renovation.

You should not feel badly about your sister not being able to afford the house, it sounds like you were trying to give her all opportunity. You come first! When you are able to sell, yes you should get as much as you can from the buyer. I hope your sister doesn't try to guilt you about anything .

I hope so much that the car payment can be resolved!! Much love to YOU, Lisa :) :hug:

oh and I meant to comment on your seasonal avatar, so pretty!!

and Hi to everyone else :)

I was shoveling my "Spite Path" - that's the path in the yard that I am shoveling and keeping clear that runs directly to the crappy neighbor's property..I make the path end about one friggin inch from the boundary line, and it's obvious that it's a path we use just to walk up and stare at their monstrosity :devil:

The mother of the owner came up on their side of the property as I was shoveling, and calls out cheerily "Good Morning" to me...I stopped shoveling, straightened up, stared at her, and resumed shoveling :devil: Sorry, I don't talk to criminals! If they dare to ask about my weird path, I will say "Someone has to keep an eye on your illegal building" or maybe "this is where we're planning to put the kennel for the rescue Rottweilers and pitbulls in the Spring" :devil:

Hey ladies,


I am not feeling very well today. When I turn the furnace down, I get cold. When I turn it up a couple notches, I get too hot. my head hurts too.



I am also worried about my car payment. I am also worried about my memory difficulties. I called the neurologist on Friday to see if I could get put on the cancellation list. I don't have an appt until Feb. It may end up being nothing but I am scared anyway.


Jennifer is coming home tonight so hopefully, I won't be alone much longer.


Sorry, I'm not in a better mood.



Jennifer bought Elvira a Christmas present. Here she is modeling it.


http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...pswzcpc2tg.jpg

Lisa I LOVE :love: that pic of Elvira!! the coat is cute but look at her! big awwwww :D from a fellow doggie lover, especially a lab!!

I'm so sorry you don't feel well tonight :hug:

Thank you, Holly. Jennifer and her girlfriend are here now, so I'm not alone anymore. I feel a bit better. I've missed some of my meds in the past couple of days, I'm sure that has something to do with my bad mood.

They've been filling me in on Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. I'd like to see it. I won't spoil the movie for you, they gave me details.


Elvira needs an XXL sweater, this ones snug on her.

I hope you all have a great Saturday night.

Hello Everyone. Just checking in.

I'm getting sick with a cold. Bad timing for the Holidays :(

Lisa so sorry you are having this trouble!! I do hope you can see someone soon about it , it would worry me too. :( besides that, I'm glad you have some company now and yes it always is nice to have our loving pets listen to us as we pet them! please do keep us informed how you are feeling . much love to you Lisa! :hug:

JesikaBeth, ugh sorry to hear about the cold, yeah bad timing.

Hello to everyone else!!