Jojo, back problems are no fun. I lost my Mom to Alzheimer's at 79. She was diagnosed at 67. I personally believe she gave up after my Dad died when she was only 58. Sad.

It's funny you say that Vickie. Looking back with hindsight, the little pointers started with mum when she retired, she seemed to lose her identity.
She was widowed when I was 3 weeks old, I was an only child and back in 1950, we didn't have this 'sit back and live on welfare' culture we have today.
She went straight back nursing and through sheer hard work climbed the ladder to have a high powered job. She always looked so smart. Hair set every week, a well tailored business suit, shoes and handbag always matching... you know the sort of thing? Gradually she has descending into vascular dementia.
She has gone from a UK size 14 dress to a 22 because she gorges food, and wears horrible old canvas size UK 8 shoes because the weight has splayed her feet.
We pay to have her hair set every week and she goes straight back to her room and puts a wet comb through it. The home is wonderful and the staff magnificent but she is a very difficult resident. Her will is still one of iron...a hold over from her real personality. She is in adult nappies and to be honest, I feel that my real mum died years ago and this stranger is just living in her body.
She lived with us until she was just too dangerous to herself and others. Our daughter used to be her whole life and it was hard on her when her granny started ignoring her.

WELL! That's cheered everyone up hasn't it I am dreading weigh in on Saturday morning, I shall be happy if I remain what I was last week after the week I've had.
How's everyone?

Busy day for us today. A neighbour has to go away for the day and we are going to pick her 3 kiddies up from school. It is a residential private one, and you can smell the money when you walk through the door... which looks like it has come off Westminster Abbey. We always feel like country hicks with straw in our hair when we go there!

Good morning:

More thunderstorms at 5AM this morning, with 55 pounds of scared Husky in bed with us. I had to get up and stay up. She is now at my feet. I told her that she was not showing the brave traits that one expects from a sled dog, but she wasn't moved.

I feel really motivated this week and that's good. I hope it results in the scale moving down. I was up to 184 at some point last week!!!

Rhonda

Good Morning Chicks!

JoJo, hindsight is DEFINITELY 20/20 with Alzheimer's or other related dementias. There were signs earlier that we missed. We wish we had encouraged her to stay more connected to life. Believe me, my oldest Sister and I are very vigilant with ourselves to make sure that we don't make the same mistakes. We are very worried it could happen to us. How sad for your Mom and your family. It so interesting to me that those of us who have experienced dementia with a family member all feel the same; that the family member is no longer inside their body. We, too, kept Mom home until she was no longer safe. People don't realize how scary it is to have an adult in the body with faculties of a 4 year old. How horribly sad for a Woman with such strength. Hideous disease. Well, you won't have time to think about it today once you have 3 kids in your house! I hope your weigh in will be better than you think.

Rhonda, how funny that Kyra is afraid of storms. You just never know. So far, Brodie has no fear. It's good that you are motivated. I'm not, but I'm trying to be.

Sandra, you're right and I appreciate your support. It's good that I recognize immediately that this is not how I want to behave. Before, it would cause a weeklong eat fest or maybe giving up for good.

Nancy, I'm glad you're still with us! What you are going through sounds normal to me. But.....I'm sure your Son is spreading his wings and things are probably never going to be the same. I told my Mom some stuff but not all. Rhonda is right. You probably don't want to hear it all.

Mary Ann, stay safe.

Rhonda, that is your dog's name, right? After I reread my post, I wasn't sure that it looked right.

yes, Kyra...

And I hear you and Jojo on the dementia thing. My ex's mother has been institutionalized for a few years with it. Part of her is still there though. She's amazingly feisty and tough. My brother is also experiencing dementia now at 73 and we believe that my sister did also in her early 70's. I'm just NOT going there

While we're on the subject, my mother and also her brother suffered from bipolar disorder. My mother did have her mind till the end, but her body faltered due to stroke. I don't want to go there either. As to bipolar? Sometimes I think I already have that. Oh, well, life goes on.

I guess what we all have to do is remember the good times and try to do everything we can to take care of ourselves. That's what our parents would want.

Rhonda, I struggled the last 2 days but feel more in control today. Tomorrow is Mexican food at school. Wish me strength.

Vickie, stress is a powerful thing, isn't it? I think you're doing a great job dealing.

JoJo, just remember that those folks at the school are there working. And they put their pants on one leg at a time just like all of us. Have fun with the kiddos today.

I'm enjoying our wet weather, too. I don't even have to water today. We got 1.8" of rain last night and this AM. Life is good.

Went to my orthopedic doctor and he showed me the MRI results of my neck and told me the same about my carpal tunnel symptom just like the other doctor told me. I also told him about my little problem getting out of my bed I twisted my left knee and had to have a cortisone shot and if the pain doesn't go away in two week I have to go for another MRI. That's going to be 3 in a row. My insurance company is not going to like this.

I'm prepared for Hurricane Earl, so I should be ok, since living here we were never evacuate to the high school. The people with houses on or near the water will be. My friend Alice lives across the street from the harbor so I told her not to hesitate and get up to my house until the storm, is over. She can have the computer/guest room.

The only thing if I lose electricity I would be able to be on the computer over this weekend. Wish I had a portable TV as the deutsche bank championship golf tournament will be on this Fri Sat Sun & Monday and if I don't have any power I'll miss that important tournament.Going to miss posting to you gals also.


Have nice evening and hopefully we don't lose power than I can keep giving you an update on EARL.

Maryann, I wish you the best of circumstances this weekend. Keep us posted if you can.

I'm OP.

Hey chickies, your stories of alzheimer's/dementia make me glad that my dad passed the way he did. When he "went out" we were talking about opera and the wonderful trips that he and my mom took to places like China, Russia, and Egypt. I do understand a little about what you all have gone through or are currently going through. My grandmother had dementia and finally had to be placed in a nursing home. I, too, had the feeling that my grandmother had left and someone else had taken over her body, so sad. I am doing pretty well with eating my frozen foods, but I have also had a couple of issues with "the wagon". I refuse to give up, though.

Maryann, do you have plenty of supplies? Hopefully Earl will stay out over the water and will not do too much damage. Stay safe!

Sandra and Rhonda, hope the rain is as soothing to you as it is to me. I love a rainy summer day!

Vickie, I wish I could wave a magic wand, and we both would have loads of motivation. Did you feel that?

Nancy, one thing I did to cheer myself up when my DD first went to school was to fix up little goodie bags to send to her every now and then. I guess it made my feel like I was still "mothering" her. I hope you are feeling better.

Jojo, did you have fun with your little friends? I wanted to ask you about your sock knitting. Do you knit from the toe up or the top down? Also, what type of yarn do you use? I'd love to see some pctures. I've only made four pairs, so far.

I'm just being so lazy, and my kitchen is a mess!!! I really, really, really, don't want to clean it up BBL

I don't want to clean my kitchen either!

I baked "fried" peach pies today but ate only one small one. I'm also baking cakes for an event tomorrow evening at a local art gallery where I take my lessons.

Even though it is really still hot, I'm getting into baking apple cake and honey cake. I also made a lemon poppyseed cake that did not rise much. I think that my baking powder needs replacing. I'm baking all this and am not very tempted. That's good, and I credit fitday.com with keeping me honest. Boy, do those carbs accumulate quickly. I'm eating at 1200-1500 calories a day. Now, if I don't lose a few pounds I'm tempted to hire a nutritionist. This is ridiculous.

I hope you're all having a good evening. (and that Jojo is sleeping soundly)

Rhonda

We had the grandchildren and DIL here this afternoon. Sweet, but tiring. I took a THREE hour nap!

Sloanie I knit them from the top down on 4 needles. The pattern I use is handed down from my great grandmother.

Tejas Did you have another visit from the husky last night? Neighbours of ours had one and when they moved, my husband said I missed the dog more than them. He was a true beauty.

Beachbum Has Earl hit you hard? The pictures we are getting over here are frightening.

The children in the UK go back to school next Monday. The teachers who live in our road look more miserable about the thought than the kids!

I'm not expecting much of a result on WI tomorrow. I am looking towards next week and having a good loss.

Good morning ladies,

I'm reporting my baseline weigh-in of 160.2. I would be over the moon to lose 5 lbs. this month, but I know how slowly I lose weight -- it is like watching paint dry.

I haven't had the time to keep up with everyone's comings and goings this week but I can see this is a spirited group! Anyone dealing with Earl, you're in my thoughts. I live in S. Florida and have seen my share of hurricanes.

Have a nice long weekend ladies!

Polly

Good Morning Chicks! I'm tired today but have errands to run. I think I'll start out slowly and pick up speed. I ate too much again last night at our date night out dinner. It was all healthy, but way too much. I MUST get a grip.

I'll be back later to catch up. We had BAD storms last night but we needed the rain desperately.

Good Morning Ladies

We have a very gray & cloudy day,expecting Hurricane Earl some time this evening but the rains are expected by3 PM.They now saying that Earl is going to weaken by the time it comes up here,100 miles off of Nantucket will be hit hard MV and the inner Cape will be spared.Wind[60MPH] & rain,so I'm batting the hatches,and going to hang and rest.

I heard on the radio that Electricians from the mid west are coming in to help our NStar Electric company to restore our power as fast as possible. Going to have lots of trees down,as we had not rain since June and the tree trunks are very dry and could split or come down like a tooth pick. TG I don't have any tree around my house.The only woods we have are in the back of the complex.

Went out to the beach to get a few boulders to put over the covered mulch that was delivered the other day but I couldn't find any. On the way home I got caught into a down pour and had to put the windshield wipers on full blast.

Now it stopped but I not heading out for anything else.The mulch will hopeful stay put and not blow all over & make a mess on the common grounds.

THEY JUST ANNOUNCED THAT HURRICANE EARL WAS DOWNGRADED TO A 1 CATEGORY[TROPICAL STORM],BUT IT STILL ON THE SAME TRACK


SLOANE-Yes I all prepared,I have my canned foods & water just in case the power goes out,and have my flashlights,batteries and all my patio furniture downstairs, I also have my car filled with gas.


JOJO-We haven't gotten the storm yet its suppose to be here tonight are 7PM until 2 AM in the morning. We getting the rains off & on right now.It does look scary,but we will muster though as we hardy people up here on the north east.


POLLY-We getting the wrath of Earl some time tonight we haven't had a hurricane since BOB in 1991,but we'll survive. I know what you mean "like watching paint dry" I have been there,I know have to watch my carbs,buts its so hard to do.

Have a nice day going to rest my hand & knee

Good mornng, I'm on my way to the birthday party. Well, I was when I typed this aound 10:30. Actually, I'm already home from the party. We had a good time. My dil was surprised. This was her #40. I stayed OP.

Sloan, watch out for that wagon. I honestly think you're doing great. Just keep up the good work. Having those CORE meals ready is a good plan.

Polly, I love your attitude. I'd be over the moon, too, if I released 5 #'s. You make me smile.

Maryann, please stay safe. I wish you the best of everything---just stay safe.

Rhonda, fried peach pies sound awesome. I am amazed you just had one small one. I don't think I could have done that.

JoJo, I think our bodies have to level out every now and then. You'll most likly have your good loss next week if you don't tomorrow.

Vickie, every time I see your 51.8 pounds down in your signature, it makes me smile. I am very happy for you.

My wi is Tuesday. I don't know if I'll have a loss or not. Time will tell. I have had mostly "good" days but a few "fat" ones.