Happy Valentines Day! :val1: I think the only chocolate item currently in our house is a box of organic dark-chocolate-covered raisins. Ha!

Good luck, Dagmar!

I'm having laser light therapy for my chronic neck and shoulder pain. After only two treatments, it seems to be making a big difference! The laser light reduces inflammation--which I think is the cause of my problems. Physical therapy was only making them worse.

I get the treatments through my chiropractor. They aren't covered by insurance, but the cost is low enough that I have no problem paying out of pocket--especially since they work! It's been reported that problems resolve completely for most people after about 5 treatments. I'll see how it goes.

Our chocolate is all gone. :yay: The pandemic dragging on is doing weird things to me. I wanted to stay in bed all day yesterday (stat holiday) and cry and eat chocolate. I did the last one. :lol:

Dagmar :tired:

Saw my maintenance weight on the scales this morning for the first time since before Christmas. yay!! My dream weight is under 54kg (120lb) and i was 53.8kg today.

So in summary it's taken me around 8 weeks to recover from the 10-day splurge i had over Christmas. That's quite a lot and it's been a long haul really, and it doesn't even properly count (by my rules) until i've seen it 3x, so the scales might decide they made a mistake by tomorrow....

It was a good splurge though, and i've had a fractured knee for the last few months and haven't been able to exercise so that's limited my progress i guess. Anyway i'm excited to be at maintenance today at least, and no-one else would be interested to know, so unloading here :)

Hubby is the chocolate-muncher of our household and i bought him a large pink Lindt heart for valentine's (very manly!). It was consumed within the day (don't think i was even offered a taste from memory!).
We don't normally do Valentines activities but we had a nice day on sunday and did a tour of various craft markets in different suburbs around Sydney via our mountain bikes, ending up in the Rocks. We then cycled round to the fish market, (crazy busy because it was also Luna New Year) got some oysters and a sashimi selection, then rode home and ate it in the evening. Yum yum.

There's always some chocolate in our house (can i blame hubby again?). I normally have a bag of mini-caremello koalas in the cupboard ( 75 calories each) and i'd have maybe one a week. Other than that there is a basket of assorted chocolate bars, and some museli bars with chocolate on them on the same shelf, but i forget they exist and i don't think of them as mine, so i'm really grateful for that.

Sounds like you're pretty chocolate resistant, Ange! I am, generally, though I can enjoy good chocolate from time to time. Congrats on reaching your maintenance weight! I hope it holds. 8 weeks to make up for 10 days... Wow... That does seem like the reality, though.

Dagmar, glad the temptation is gone. We're all having trouble with the pandemic--you're not alone. Hope you feel better. And are staying warm!

Managed to go the weekend without binge eating or drinking any alcohol. I find abstaining much easier during the week as any drinking disrupts my sleep and makes working in the snow all that much harder. The "party on the weekend" is very hard to resist with the stress and depression from the pandemic, particularly since Toronto has been in lock down for what feels like forever. :hat:

I'm really trying to think about spring coming and just hanging on until then. This is quite normal for me this time of year, just came on a bit earlier than usual. :tired:

Dagmar :eek:

Must be time to check in here!

Dagmar, I hope you're doing better. As you know, I gave up drinking years ago. It's nice not to have to think about that on top of everything else. Ha!

I've lost interest in many things. It's hard even to get out for a walk, and yet this is the most beautiful time of year for it. "Discipline" no longer works for me.

Well, I guess I'll get dressed and see what it's like outside. Maybe that will change my mind.

JayEll, I hope your walk got you energized. We don't drink either.

I am trying to make progress on placing my neighbor's salukis, although he doesn't know it yet. The dog poop in the kennels hasn't been picked up for over 2 months, and twice he has left two of the dogs without water for several days in a row. (I give them water in a feed pan if he doesn't fill the bucket, but I am not willing to pick up poop because I want his neglect of the dogs obvious when I give him the ultimatum to place them.) In early April I will take the oldest female to New Mexico, to a woman who has said all along that she will take her. I also contacted a saluki rescue who is working on foster homes for the others. It's something I dread doing, but I am going to tell John that either he consent to place the dogs or I will stop helping him. Since he is basically house-bound with me getting him groceries, prescriptions, mail, etc, there is no way he can continue to live there without help. He is miles from a real town and too frail even to take the dial-a-ride. If necessary, I would call Adult Protective Services. It is causing me great stress, but ethically I can no longer enable his keeping these poor dogs. I walk the two old ones almost every day, but the three young ones simply sit in the filthy kennel. It's been over 2 years now.

That's such a sad situation Alice. For everyone involved. I hope you can convince your neighbour to accept help for himself and to let his dogs go to homes where they can receive adequate care.

I have decided to accept that I'm feeling pretty shitty :tired: right now. A lot of people seem to be in the same boat. And, since I've accepted it, I decided to do an extra weight workout this week. :crazy: :shrug:

I'm going to try to roll with things right now. That's about all the plan I can manage right now and that's fine.

Dagmar :sorry:

Alice, I hope you can approach him in a non-confrontive way. Just point out that he can't care for them, and you can't, either. Be on his side while advocating for better homes for the dogs. Be careful about it, because technically they are his property. I hope you don't have to get law enforcement involved. Maybe your local humane society or SPCA or animal rescue group will have ideas. But the dogs are being mistreated for sure.

Dagmar, yeah, everyone feels pretty crappy--at least everyone I know. I'm making cleaning a project because I've been letting certain aspects of that go too long.

My partner is looking into a short trip away for us. I think she's noticed that I'm jumping out of my skin! We'll stay in-state, and it won't be until April because of commitments I have, but it's something to look forward to. Just a drive up the coast a ways, stay at a place we know that has kitchenettes.

JayEll I hope you can get away for a bit. I think that's what's making me :crazy: - not having options. I'm really looking forward to a half day at a gallery featuring Canadian art. They are coming out of lockdown next week. No idea when Toronto will follow but I'll be ready to purchase tickets when we do. Also hoping to go to the zoo in April. Surely our lockdown will have ended by then.

Toronto has been locked down for over 2 months now. I think we are all about to go bonkers unless they ease up a bit. I'm not advocating a free for all but people have to have a few options, aside from going for endless walks.

Dagmar :hyper:

How's it going out there?

Lately tuna salad is a go-to meal for us, once or twice a week. My partner uses a lot of celery in it, which I love. Yes, there is mayo, plus some salsa. Healthy stuff! We have it with toast. :drool:

Hard to believe it's March again. Keeping track of time was hard enough before the disruption caused by the pandemic.

I'm trying to get my head into the game again to lose the 10 lbs. I've put on over the past year. So hard since our vaccination program for COVID is non-existent in this province and we probably now won't receive the proper dosage either. The government is holding back the second shot to give more people the first one. Science behind it? NAH! Just an experiment with the mass population.

I am truly sick and tired of this mess. So hard to do anything when you know you can't go anywhere or do anything probably for yet another year of life. I'm in my 60's - I don't have that much time left. I'm just angry and tired all the time now.

Dagmar :tired: :rollpin:

Hope those pounds are not hard to lose, Dagmar. Why is gaining so darn easy?

The Saluki rescue is supposed to call me back after they discuss my neighbor's situation and come up with a plan One of their group knows him very well. The woman I spoke with said they knew they would eventually get a call about his dogs. I have not heard back from them in 2 weeks. John (my neighbor) always tells me he knows he should place the dogs but only if they will not be spayed and neutered because "they are valuable breeding animals and the bloodlines cannot be replaced"., I am so sick of hearing that. He is delusional and no breeder wants his dogs His landlord (who lets him live there for free) forbids him breeding the dogs, and it would truly be a horrible situation if he did. County Animal Control is only dealing with emergencies because of Covid, otherwise I would request that they do a kennel inspection and revoke his kennel license. John is a hoarder and that is true for the dogs as well as his other belongings. Every piece of junk he owns is "the most valuable" this or that. Now he keeps texting me about how many mice he caught in his traps each day. His living quarters are so cluttered and dirty that it is mouse nirvana! I might report that to Adult Protective Services if it comes down to it.

Other than that, I'm enjoying the spring weather and trying to get just a few more things planted. We are supposed to get a little rain in the next couple of days, and the mountains might get another foot of snow or more!

My age group is now being offered the least effective vaccine and no guarantee of a second dose of same. Turning it down thanks. I am at minimum risk (except for age) and I can continue to observe the protocols til the more effective vaccines become more widely available. I'll et and drink a bit more than I should but I can bring that back under control.

Dagmar :tired:

Alice, I hope there can be a good resolution for that poor man and his mistreated dogs. It's so sad! He wants to, but he can't, and he keeps thinking maybe tomorrow. Ain't gonna happen! Thank you so much for helping out with the situation! There is only so much a neighbor can do, and it sounds like you've done that and more.

Dagmar, down here the medicos are saying "take whatever vaccine you can get," the idea being that any vaccine is better than no vaccine. But for me, I'm thinking of holding out for the one-shot Johnson & Johnson. Or, who knows. Things are bound to change. I'm still strict with the protocols, and I think that's the important thing.

We had our time change last night, and this is the direction I really dislike. I'm glad I no longer have to follow a work schedule.

I'm the opposite with the time change. Now I can stay awake with the big kids until 10 p.m. :rofl:

And I think, in the case of a vaccine where its manufacturer says you need 2 shots, one shot might not be better than none. The sudden one shot offer was for vaccine that, due to government bumbling, is set to expire at the end of the month. So they were trying to make themselves look good with the partial offering. I can wait and so can DH so that's what we are going to do. if the J & J becomes available here I would consider it, if I can then get another different vaccine that's more effective at a later date.

And i don't imagine the protocols will be lifted soon, even though a lot of people are hoping they will be. So we will both continue to follow them until we are both vaccinated. I'm 5 years older so will probably get mine sooner than DH.

Dagmar :shrug:

I'll get used to the time change but the first few days are rough.

Dagmar, would you be able to get the second shot at some point? The science podcasts I listen to say that the two-shot vaccines might be even more effective if the second shot is delayed by a few months. I think I'd take what you are being offered, but I'm sure you'll be fine whatever you decide. I'm still following protocols even though I've had two Pfizer shots. DH wants to visit the grandkids and that seems to be considered okay. My son's baby is 9 months old already and we haven't seen him.

The old male saluki is sick. His abdomen is very distended. John won't pay for vet care, but his breeder in Indiana says she will help with expenses. The dog is 15, so we can't justify spending a ton of money, but if it's a simple infection he could be treated. He deserves not to suffer in any case. I'll try to get an appointment tomorrow.

The time change affected my crew last night. or should I say early this morning? DH and the dog were "talking" at around 2 a.m. and then the dog vigorously poked at me around 3:30. I got up and let her out. She's 11 and has a sensitive stomach so I thought it best I do as she asked.

Couldn't get back to sleep after that so it's going to be a long day. And we have snow :eek: in the forecast. I keep forgetting it's March and this is Canada. :brr: :lol:

Dagmar :tired:

We finally had lunch at some friends' house yesterday. We haven't been to see them in a year. It was really good! I hope we can see them more. They are both vaccinated now, so they feel more safe. We talked about trips we have planned in future months. Hope springs!

Dagmar, I hope it warms up for you soon. As you noted, it is still March--not even the first day of spring yet.

Angie, did you get the dog some help? What a terrible situation that is.

Not much on the horizon for today. Probably just some mundane chores, grocery shopping, etc.

Well, poor old Prince the saluki traveled over the Rainbow Bridge yesterday. I knew it was his time, because he could not even walk to my truck when I drove over there to get him. He never complained and didn't make a sound the entire trip. I took him to my vet because John's vet was backlogged for 10 days. I called for an appt last Monday and the earliest they could see me was the next week. When I said the dog would be dead by then, they referred me to Animal Emergency where you are guaranteed to spend $800 to $1000 no matter what. My vet said as best he could tell, Prince was in liver failure. My DH and I buried him in the cemetery area on the property next door. John hobbled out to say his goodbyes to Prince and to make sure I gave him the "very valuable" collar that Prince had worn. I think Prince was almost 15. I can't say he lived a good life but he was a very sweet dog.

This weekend I will talk to John about placing the dogs. I'm not expecting that to go well, but I just have to get it over with.

Dagmar, I hope the weather gives you a break soon. With me in California and JayEll in Florida, it's just not fair!!

Alice Seldom do I say this but I'm glad that dog went over the Rainbow Bridge. I hope you have some success in placing the other dogs and getting your neighbour to accept some type of help for himself. I have worked for some rather disturbed people in my time and it's never easy to get them to admit there's something that could be better. Good of you to try!

I'm hoping to sell my bike today. DH and I had a great idea about bike riding but it never really came together. I have a great bike sitting in my shed - 7 years now - and I really would like for someone to have it who will USE it!

Dagmar :bike2:

Alice, best of luck with the other dogs. I feel so sorry for the owner as well as the dogs--but the owner at least has choice.

Did you sell your bike, Dagmar? My partner and I once had a bike situation just like that--bought two nice bikes intending to ride, but it turned out we didn't. We sold them both prior to our move to here. It's too bad in a way, because Florida has so much flat roadway. Lots of bikes!

I volunteered to work on the condo documents for our community. Silly me! But the worst part is all done now. I think parts of them hadn't been revised in fifty years! Ancient legal text no one uses anymore, assumptions about everyone being either single or married, and so on... But things will be better in the future, I hope.

Going for haircuts and brunch today! Always a favorite outing.

Lucky you! We haven't been allowed to go for haircuts or brunch since last October. Yes that's how long our lockdown has lasted. We can order brunch online and have it delivered or do curbside but we can't go and eat anywhere legally.

DH did get a haircut last week when one of his colleagues had his barber come to their workplace. I am very envious as I'm at the point where I'm ready to take scissors to my own hair, just to get it out of the way.

And I did sell the bike - got almost what I asked, less $25. Bike rack next!

Dagmar :strong:

We went only two months without haircuts, before the salon and the government figured out how it could be done safely. Dagmar, maybe you could check with your place to see if your haircutter is able to make a house call. Or call your hair person directly?

It was some months after that that some restaurants were able to open for limited indoor seating. But most of the people we know were too afraid to go out.

May we all be safe and avoid incapacitating illness!

My haircutting person leases a chair at a salon and the salon's owner is complying with the guidelines. My hair stylist also has two kids so she isn't going to risk her health. And she can collect a benefit from the government. So no haircut until she is back. I'm finding it's long enough to sort of tuck behind my ears now and I've been cutting the bangs myself. :twirly:

May we all be safe and avoid incapacitating illness!

Dagmar :lifter:

My hair cutting person called and I've booked an appointment for when she can legally work again - April 12th and on. I'm going in on the 18th. YAY!! :yay:

My age group is due to be able to book appointments for vaccines in April - :cheer:

Dagmar :dance:

Happy Times, Dagmar! :cheer2: :cheer3:

Another lockdown :rollpin: so no haircut. I did the sides and bangs myself and am going to enlist DH to do the straight cut across the back.

The good news is that I've got an appointment for a COVID shot next Sunday - Moderna or Pfizer - and another for August for the booster. :yay: :dance:

Dagmar :cheer:

Howdy everyone. My new friend Diane from Idaho has been here since a week ago Friday to assist with the saluki situation next door. She has known my old neighbor for years and he has agreed to let her have both younger females! Hallelujah!! I'm seeing light at the end of the tunnel! We have moved both females over to my house where they are learning to walk on leash and go in a dog crate. Diane will head back home on Thursday with them. She has owned salukis for over 40 years and knows them well. That leaves only two next door. One is the old female and the other the crazy younger male. The old one seems too wobbly and old to re-home, sort of like a demented person in an old folks home. It wouldn't improve her quality of life to take her to a new place. Not sure what we'll figure out for the male, if anything.

Needless to say, it's been a busy week. Dagmar, I haven't had a haircut in a few years. I trim it myself. It looks semi-okay most of the time. Whatever. We are more than our hair.

My hair is really thin and straight and has never looked like much so I've never seen it as any sort of attractive feature. The reason I'm so anxious for a haircut is that it's in my eyes and mouth and keeps knotting and tangling at the ends. It's really bothering me when I work and when i have to put on/take off the face masks. I did trim the bangs and sort of angled the sides a bit. I guess I'll live with the tangling and keep ripping bits of it out when I comb.

Dagmar :shrug:

Alice, I'm so glad that you are getting help with those dogs. I hope something can be done with the two that remain.

Dagmar, I used to have long hair that tangled, and I found that using the right conditioner after shampooing made a big difference. Better than breaking off the hair while combing.

Some people in our condo community have decided that they are "done" with the restrictions, and masks no longer need to be worn in the Clubhouse. Their justification is that we are "all" vaccinated now. I don't know how they came to that conclusion--they are probably delusional. So masks are now "suggested" instead of required. I'm still wearing mine, if I have to go to an event.

According to the health authorities here you can still get COVID after being vaccinated. Or you can be a carrier and not know it. So anyone you come into contact with who is not yet vaccinated can get it from you. I will continue to wear the mask long after Sunday's jab. DH is 5 years younger than me so he will not be vaccinated for awhile according to our provincial rollout. I will continue to restrict myself until he is vaccinated re going out, riding the subway, etc. and I will continue to wear the mask everywhere in public until we both also have the booster shot. I'm thinking September of this year will be "freedom" month, when we can start to go where we want to go without being afraid of disability or death from COVID.

Dagmar :yay:

Dagmar, did you see my Private Message to you?

I did now - thanks for the heads up here - I never look at the PM's any more.

Dagmar :twirly:

We're taking off on a trip out of town for a few days. Like most folks I guess, we haven't gone anywhere in over a year. Just a change of scenery will be nice. But, we've forgotten how to pack! :lol: Taking extra masks, hand sanitizer.

Have a great time!

Dagmar :yay:

Have fun, JayEll!! I'm having too much fun at home to want to travel.

I'm taking an online tracking class with my dog Greta. It is so much fun!! We use a GoPro style camera to video the track and the instructor tells us what to do next. At this beginning stage we use small orange targets (dogs don't see orange well) with hot dogs on top. We have just introduced an "article" for them to find. In this case it is a black sock. There is one at the beginning and end of the track. Here is a video for your entertainment!
https://youtu.be/V7OnmSVUBWQ

Cool! Greta's got her nose down for most of it and she has a big stretch in the middle where you can see her following the direct trail (rather than just searching through the grass). I had a lot of fun years ago doing this with my friend's Frenchie! She was really good at it by the end of the course. We did face-to-face - way before pandemic.

You might want to try scenting too if she's good at the tracking. Trix and I did that - finding the target inside a container and doing a behaviour to indicate the find. Our instructor used large plastic tubs with a hole cut into the lids. Dogs had tons of fun!

Dagmar :yay:

Dagmar

We're back from our trip. The place we go is a couple of counties north of us, and we were surprised to find that masks are "suggested" in that county, not "required" or "mandated." The result is that very few are wearing them! We did see some barriers at counters. I don't know what it was like in grocery stores because we had no need to go to one. Some people did seem to be socially distancing.

Maybe they are all vaccinated? ... Nah. Don't think so.

It left me with even more mixed feelings. The people without masks looked cheerful and normal, unlike people where we live, where there is a mandate. Here everyone seems nervous and perpetually worried.

We had a flat tire, but called triple-A, and then had the tire fixed the next day at a little old-time tire shop off the main drag.

Another extension to our stay-at-home lockdown - now on until May 20. I was going to sell my kayak and take photos of it tomorrow. Club closed, locks changed. And our police have now been given the go ahead to challenge drivers about where they are going. That one scares me. The fine, should the officer decide to give you one, is $750. Well over a week's pay for me.

Dagmar :tired: