Have fun at the beach, E!!!

Thought o' the day very appropriate for me right now, K! Thanks.

I am up to work on stories but decided not to so am aimlessly puttering around until it's time to go to gym. I will rest and putter the rest of the day as it's likely to be one of the few days off I'll have for awhile.

Need to start my decluttering challenge again. I am dysfunctional when the house and yard are in chaos.

So many are missing in action in this palace, seemingly!

It's active, but I miss so many o' the s who don't post as much or not at all, or the s who have wandered in out of the cold and then wandered out again.

The Towel Boys are missing 'em, too.

Can we have a Halloween Hijinks Houseparty and will all s PLEASE sign in and report on thy wanderings!!!

Else, Amarantha might think thou be mad!

I got that way today ... coworker I see only on some Mondays and Tuesdays was all friendly in the a.m., turned cold, curt 'n distant by afternoon ... I kept examining it mentally and wondering what I'd said or done to make her angry, decided nothing and that it must be her problem and even if she were mad at ME, it wasn't my problem 'cause I didn't DO anything.

My blood sugar is extremely stable right now but I am hungry ... it's the middle o' the night, though, and I'm going to hang on and not eat for awhile just to see.

Wish I could sleep like normal folks.

Oh, normal, what is that?

Ah, my question indeed! Still trying to figure out what "normal" will be around here.

Have been hitting lots and lots of food this last two weeks so trying at least to scan and hope that others successes will impel me back to at least checking the schedule for the wagon! Wouldn't be strict with me yet at this point but at least not as wild as I've been. Mostly I've been concerned about dh's food but some restrictions have eased a bit so it's time to work on me a little too.

A dh update would be so me-me at this point and so downing that I leave that for some appropriate time. We celebrated our 47th anniversary yesterday - and celebrate was the word. I did make me a crabcake for the occasion and we shared a Little Debbie cupcake (he likes those) but it was just the joy of having him here that made it momentous.

I have learned something about me these past few months. I don't mean I haven't had my really bad days, I have. But overall I have found out that I am a happy person. Even on the bad days, some sunshine would sneak in here and there and I feel that, in my core, I am happy no matter what. Yes, I know. Pollyanna. But it's a nice thing to know about me.


So, if ya hear of a wagon trailing through central PA any time soon, let me know so I can think about hitching on. I think I'll go clean some celery. That always makes me think I'm eating healthy, esp. w/ pb.

have fun at the beach, eydie!

kaylets-loved the thought for the day, thanks. good timing--something i needed to be reminded of too.

anagram-happy anniversary!!

amarantha-"normal" is a relative term, alright. sorry your sleep patterns are challenging. i sure sympathize with that, empress, believe me.

thinking about all in the royal court. i am hanging on to food program by a dainty fingernail. sometimes i wonder when it will ever feel like smooth sailing on this front. ah well! the point is to keep forging ahead, and i plan to do just that. portion control better so far today. one thing i do hang on to, no matter what, is my exercise, and that feels good. well, take care, all.

The Wild One returneth! Hello everyone!

Anagram, belated Happy Anniversary to you and your beloved! So glad to hear he is home at last.

So, this is the weekend I am supposed to meet my Irishman. Supposed to. I had to cancel our plans because my cousin is getting married on Friday and I will have loads of family in town, and of course there is a huge Thanksgiving family dinner now...*sigh*...my original plan was to go to the wedding Friday and fly out Saturday morning, but apparently others had different plans. It is a weekend-long festivity now. I know it is the right thing to do, but I so want to just hop a plane anyway. BUT we have agreed he will come here instead for the weekend of December 9. Between both our schedules, that is the first opening. So I just have to be patient a while longer. I don't do patient well...especially after nine years of waiting.

I don't remember what my challenge was for this thread, it's been so long since I was here. I have lost 12 pounds since then, though. This is usually the point where I falter, having had some success I get comfortable and before I know it, I'm back where I started. So, now that I have a good start I thought it would be a good time to check back into my room at the palace where I can be accountable. 65 more days until Dec 9th...I'm going for another 15lbs and I'm going to need ALL of you to keep me on track!

I've missed too much to even try to catch up, so I'll go forward from here. I am going to check in daily. My wagon is headed west...anyone want to join me on this journey?

Dear Wildfire - hang on. I'm so sorry your gettogether needed to be postponed. Yet there is that interesting thought of 15 more pounds off by then. I'm sure the Irishman is great motivation -

About the "happy me' thing - I just think it's amazing that we can learn something from almost any experience and that's what I've decided I've learned from all this. Besides that I'm stronger than I thought and I love the guy to bits (I did know that last part but it's been so reinforced).

Hope the rain's not spoiling your party, Eydie. You and Gary deserve a nice little getaway. Envy you that one!

Hope the job turns out to be less stressful with recent kind turn of events, Kaylets.

And that job and life turnarounds have you feeling like chasing towel boys soon, Empess.

I just needed a good "checkin" at the palace today. A quiet moment or two. Life does seem to be settling into a sort of pattern. Progress is being made albeit slowly. Impatiently to the dh who's really still to weak to get the whole picture. though EVERYONE who saw him WHEN raves about how far he's come. Male-like, he's mostly concerned with how far will he be able to come back. Well, me too, but it's like weight loss - one step at a time.

Feeling the approach of the rain. Looking forward to rainy Saturday morning with no nurses, therapists or even children expected. Am burning a little scented oil thing from DDIL and enjoying. Think I'll go for a cup of soothing tea of some kind. She keepeth me supplied.

Hello all,

Timer is on but I have 30 minutes due me so I plan on enjoying myself....

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ANAGRAM.... and yes thanks for the inspiration to light some candles and find make this time here w/ you a celebration... even put some music on too....... so we are ....

and yes, Anagram, I can relate.....even when things feel to be the worst, I too find a moment of joy reminding me that there is a counterbalance.....

SOOOO Glad to hear DH is improving.... and yes, I can imagine how lovely Saturday must seem for the two of you to be alone, doing hardly anything but just enjoy the day stuff.....especially on a rainy Saturday too!

and of course, now that the ALL HANDS ON DECK adrenalin switch has turned off for you, I can very much see how food is now beckoning......

yup......

For example, DH's also gotten results of his many testsa nd for the most part its " Wait and see" ... "If you're seeing some improvement, the MRI's don't show anything contradictory" ... AND I don't want to jinx anything but believe it or not, DS nearly skipped in the door last night becuase he has 2 jobs... one very close to fulltime hours in a restuarant kitchen and a parttime at a former employer .... a gas station/convenience store... BTW, DS clms he is 2 weeks into clean and sober....
and what did I do today....succumb to chocolate....lots and lots and lots....

in fact, that was lunch and supper....

And as far as I know, there's lots and lots left.... so tomorrow will be a real test.... but I am not upset.... I am not guilting... I have to admit.... I was craving a binge.....and now ..... have had it... and to top it off...this was totally free $$ wise....we'll see how I feel tomorrow when I 'm hungover w/ sugar....

Empress....yes, coworkers are a hard to read.... I am so silly about all of this stuff....I keep forgetting that most of these folks have no interst in me outside of work yet I am upset if I think someone isnt speaking to me at work...
actually, the ones that are obviously not interested in dealing w/ me are at least honest... instead of some of the "posers"..... interesting how again we are thinking parallel thoughts....

Wildfire... oh dear, I think I'd rather get on the plane too! And congrats on 12lbs down!!.....


HI WSW!!~ How is life treating you??

Everyeone!!! Let's do this... slow but sure, but following Anagram's inspiration and trying to find the joy even when its buried.....


Ah.....there goes the timer...
guess I should just type and not think when here....

Hmmmm

Anyone for tea??

Ketttle is on!

***************************
LET'S MAKE FUN OF POLITICIANS NOW...

Five surgeons are discussing who makes the best patients to operate on. The
first surgeon says, "I like to see accountants on my operating table,
because when you open them up, everything inside is numbered."

The second responds, "Yeah, but you should try electricians! Everything
inside them is color coded."

The third surgeon says, "No, I really think librarians are the best;
everything inside them is in alphabetical order."

The fourth surgeon chimes in: "You know, I like construction workers...those
guys always understand when you have a few parts left over at the end, and
when the job takes longer than you said it would."

But the fifth surgeon shut them all up when he observed: "You're all wrong.
Politicians are the easiest to operate on. There's no guts, no heart, and no
spine, and the head and butt are interchangeable."

*****************

YEP, K, I'm all for findin' some joy.

Why is it so hard?

Well, my love, I think for myself, sometimes I'm my own worst enemy....

Either I have set standards that are very tough to meet or higher than I'd expect from a friend....or sometimes I get a little dramatic about the not so great times and run around like Chicken Little.... not realizing that its only an acorn and not the sky falling....

sometimes, I feel like one of those metal detectors at the beach....

searching for the bright spot.... sometimes I 'm out there awhile.....

And that gets old....


..................

Oh, I would love to keep the towel boys happy , so here I am again! Hope you are feeling better after resting and the meeting wasn't quite as h#llish as expected.

Anagram, my Irishman is motivation in most things. He loves me just as I am, of course, but I wouldn't mind being closer to goal before we meet. His words of wisdom (there have been many) come to me often when I think this challenge or any other is too great..."Focus on the solution, not the problem." Simple, yet profound. A quiet, rainy Saturday morning sounds quite cozy. I was burning a scented oil tonight while I cleaned...Satsuma from the Body Shop. It is orange, my favorite. When DH came home from work he said he could smell "clean" when he reached the front steps even though the doors weren't open!

Kaylets, I hope this will be the turning point for DS. My DD is 18 now and is we are starting to see hopeful flashes of a human being again. Wasn't sure we'd make it! Where did all this chocolate come from? Where is Punkin with her little friend the worm who would take care of such matters for us? Loved the joke!

Counting housework as my exercise for today...all that vacuuming, mopping, polishing hardwood floors, hauling laundry up and down two flights of stairs has to count for something! Not to mention the sweat I worked up scrubbing the inside of my microwave. Why I think anyone will be inspecting my microwave is a mystery, but I get a little nuts when I start. Oh, and I did some dumbell work for arms and shoulders.

No work tomorrow because of the wedding, so I'll finish the housework early in the AM. Am thinking a nice long walk just as the sun comes up, with the mist still in the fields would be good first. Speaking of fields, I came home this evening after driving DD to a friend's and popped the garage door to put recycling bins away. There in the middle of the garage was a field mouse...poor thing was running in circles, not sure which way to go, finally darted behind the bikes in the back of the garage. I came in and left the door open for a little while in case he wanted out. I don't think he's been in residence long because we haven't notice the garbage bags being chewed or any of the usual signs...hate to have to resort to traps. I got close enough to him to see his soft, round, brown ears and wee paws. I don't know what it is about mice that scares the living daylights out of some people. He was certainly more afraid of me! I don't want them in my house because of the damage they can do, but they don't frighten me.

Anyhoo...let's do our best to make tomorrow a success! Focus on the solution...

HEAVEN HELP ME I'M A VACCUMING ADDICT!!! I vaccumed at 5:30am this morning before leaving for work. I'm wearing these new gouchos that have glitter and sequins on the waist of them (and of course they couldn't sew the sequins on) SO they ended up all over my floor. And now I sit at my desk here at work, covered in an array of gittery bedazzle and I'm picking them off, 1 by 1. Victory shall be mine..... (Dear god, I've just found them in my underpants........)

Welcome back all!!!!

I fear I'm not going to make goal. I'm not even trying. WHY??? I don't like not fitting into anything. I have tubs of clothing that I purchased when I lost all that weight that are just sitting there because I cannot even them close enough around my waist for the button or zipper to meet. We're not talking an inch or two. Like 5 inches or more. Waisted money that's what that is. I don't like myself anymore. I don't like the way people look at me. I ran into a person I used to date yesterday. Someone I dated previously right before DH. We chatted but the way he kept looking at me. He's like my you've changed. My excuse? I had a baby. Dang it, she's a year old. I can't use that excuse for too much longer! I know I know, I shouldn't dwell on how I look to other people. But I don't feel good. I haven't even shared this with DH. But there are times I get bad chest pains or I'm not comfortable intimatly. My knees hurt so bad anymore I just want to scream. I have the "apron" if you know what I mean, from my C-section. How do you even get rid of that? Doctor said it would go away. It's been a year!!!

Sorry for the me me me. I'm just at my end.

Yea, Kaylets, sometimes I'm "out there" for awhile as well. Ah well, we soldier on.

Wildfire, the meeting wasn't as h-ish as expected but was not a comfortable one for anyone. Hope thou hast fun at the wedding. If thou wisheth anymore housework for exercise, I'd pay for thy ticket south ... Good job ... it IS exercise, Fitday PC says so!!!

Froggie, no need to be sorry for me-me posties ... all of mine seem like that these days. Might I EXTREMELY suggest that if thou be having chest pains thou shouldst IMMEDIATELY go to the emergency room or AT THE LEAST make a doctor's appointment. I am very serious, Froggie. This is not something you can afford to ignore ... you have the Little Princess to think about and you need to check out chest pains. Of course, I know thou hast probably done that (checked it out), being a sensible person, so I apologize for giving unsolicited advice and if I sounded harsh ...

This may sound kind of extreme but if the "apron" isn't gone in another year, maybe lipo .... ?

Don't worry about thy weight, though, it looks good from thy tracker ... just please talk to doc about chest pains.

Gotta go ... never ends ...

BTW, the conditioning from the spinning, abs & stretch class (105 minutes twice a week) must have kicked in as I felt like running around the indoor track today for the first time in ages.

"It gets to be part of your everyday routine. I expect to be there on Sunday. I expect to be there at practice. I think back to when I first started school in the first grade and how long it seemed to take to go from first through 12th. You figure in ninth grade you're never going to get out of high school, and you couldn't wait. Here I am in my 14th year and going on 13 for not missing basically a day of school… Part of it is being able to escape injury, overcome some injuries but also be able to play at a high enough level for so long to still be here doing it. The streak itself doesn't stand out to me that it's something I have to continue. As long as I'm a Green Bay Packer, I expect to play. I expect to help this team win and be a tremendous leader. And I expect that to continue until the day I don't play here anymore. ~ Brett Favre, commenting on his consecutive-game streak in an article by John McClain, "Houston Chronicle", September 26, 2004.




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