Don't feel I accomplished much today. I did a couple loads of laundry and changed our sheets. Made a reservation for the coast and then realized we already had one I apparently made several months ago! So cancelled it. Tonights dinner was Asian Beef Casserole, but it was basically just fancied up Top Ramen. I didn't care for it, kinda dry. Dh seems to like it but says it is hard for him to eat.

Halo has been kind of subdued since her adventure in the woods. She still gets excited now and then but not like she did. And today she was sick on the carpet right in front of the back door. I think she was trying to get out but she didn't let me know like she usually does. Shortly before she ate her dog food and lay down as usual.

Glynne - Don't worry, we know all about aches and pains so understand. Some people ache more when it's rainy...maybe when the weather is better you will feel better. Glad you are exercising. Even 15 min is better than nothing as you are moving. We didn't go to the gym today as we got up so late. I took Benedry and Tyl to help me sleep due to my aches. We plan to go to the gym tomorrow. BTW, I read online today that the antihistimine in Benedryl (also in things like PM pain relievers and Nyquil) is linked to Alzheimers. Not what I wanted to hear for sure!!

We got our new credit cards today. I also downloaded another malware/virus protection program that was recommended to me by an IT person. I won't keep it forever as I already have virus and antimalware programs but just to be sure I will run a few scans with this new one.

Carol Sue - I hope your computer is working ok.

Love2 - How are things going? Miss you.

Gayle, I have a Vegetti and I love it. I got it at Walmart. I make zucchini noodles, saute them a little to soften and mix it with jarred pesto. It is so good! DH won't eat it though, so I buy small zucchini. I never ate pesto before but I bought a small jar to try it and I like it. I really recommend this. I used to do something similar with spaghetti squash but it made too much for one person. You can also just mix it with some olive oil and seasoning like garlic salt. There are many variations.

I don't know what it's like to not have aches and pains. I get a lot of tendonitis and I also have arthritis.

About Thank You notes. I gave a Christmas gift to my sister-in-law for her grandchild but never received a Thank You from the mother. I over looked that. Then we went to the Christening and gave another gift, for which we never received a Thank You. Sometimes I think the younger generation doesn't think Thank Yous are necessary, but it doesn't put me in the mind to buy any more gifts for that baby. She could send a text or an email, I would be satisfied with that and not really need a written note. Now that I think about it, we went to a 50th birthday party for my sister-in-law and never received even a verbal thank-you for the gift until I asked her about it. I guess the apple didn't fall far from the tree.

Mary, I always thought that Alzheimers was caused by a gene...you either have it or you don't. I don't really believe that it's caused by things they say causes it. I think more people are getting it because more people are living longer. I have no medical proof of this, it's just my thinking.

I was wondering if Joe's incision is healing. Mine took 6 months to heal and they said part of the reason was my diabetes. It slows healing. Does Joe have diabetes? Boy, what I wouldn't give to weigh 141. I guess that's not really true because apparently I won't give up my over eating. LOL

I had 1 incident with a credit card. I had one credit card that I only used for online purchases. I didn't want all my credit card info out there. One time I got a call from the company that someone made a small purchase with the card. I didn't think they would waste their time with a small purchase, but they cancelled the card and issues a new one. After I got the new one I noticed that they increased my interest rate. I always pay off the card every month so I don't pay interest, but I thought that was a sneaky way to raise my rate. I stopped using that card and started using a different one for online purchases. This one gives me cash back, so it's better all around.

Mary, our income is so low we have not paid any taxes for 2 years now! It makes me feel good that I am finally getting a free ride from the government after paying all those taxes for years, but having more income would also be nice. We do have enough to meet our needs, so we're better off than some others.

Glad to hear you have started back to the gym. With you at the gym and Gayle doing some exercise, I guess I'd better get back to it myself. I have just been so cold recently that I hate the thought of going down into the lower level where it's even colder, and wearing lighter clothes to exercise. I know I will warm up once I get going. I guess I use every excuse I can.

EDIT: I did 25 minutes on the treadmill and I plan on doing it again after dinner, at least 15 minutes.

Well, I hope you are right Carol Sue about the cause of Alzheimers...makes sense to me. I took some more Benedryl along with Tylenol to help me sleep again last night. I know my doc doesn't like me taking Tylenol very much either and I try not to take it but if I can't sleep and have pain I do. My pain is not excruciating but it is just naggy and I think it is what keeps me awake. I should ask him (doc) what he wants me to do? He has offered me other pain meds (like for neuropathy) and they also have a lot of side affects. I'll take my chances with Tylenol...I don't take that much. The bottle info associates the adverse reactions with large amounts taken in 24 hrs. Other then bedtime I rarely take it and I don't even take it every night. I'm like you...I hardly know what it is to be without pain...I had a lot of leg pain even as a child. At that time polio was epidemic and my mom always worried that I had it when my legs hurt so much. Until she heard of polio she just thought it was "growing pains." But I haven't had any diagnoses or arthritis except once a PT told me the Xray showed a "little" arthritis in my lower back. I had osteoporosis but since I started at the gym (late 50s) and also took Fosamax for about five years, my bones have been fine. I hope they still are.

Thank you notes...wow, seems like all grandma's complain about this problem! We are the same way...rarely get a thank you. I don't care how it comes, don't really expect written notes anymore, but what about a call, a text, a FB message ...communication is so easy these days, yet there is less in these ways going on. I think it's because the parents aren't teaching their children. It seems to be one of the etiquette courtesies that is fading away..showing gratitude (and having gratitude in the first place!!) should be taught by one's own actions and words IMHO.

Carol Sue, GFY on the exercise! Now all three of us are back to working out and I think Love2 already does. We walked the track...I only did 1/2 mile but did almost 1/2 of it at my faster pace, after walking slower with dh for a while. He found another man to walk with after I left him and finished his mile I think. Then I did the arm bike for 6 min (for my bum shoulder) followed by the stationery bike ...got to reading and forgot to look but think I did about 15 min on level 10.

After we retired we paid more taxes than ever but it is finally beginning to come down. Funny as we used to have a lot of deductions too..and yet we had to pay a lot. We made a bad investment a couple years ago ..backfired on us and that year we had to pay $13,000 even after all the deductions!! But finally the amount we pay is coming down and strangely we are not even taking all those deductions..don't have enough. I just thank God that we have always had the money to pay. I remember a time or two long ago when we had to put it on payments plus penalty! We were both working then, but not spending as wisely as we do now and of course we had the children still at home.

Well I need to get to work. So far all I've done since the gym is transfer a load of laundry and fold a load I didn't do last night. Tonight's dinner was supposed to be chicken and broccoli stir-fry and rice but I just remembered I haven't thawed out the chicken, so will see how it goes... Dh said he won't be able to eat it anyway and our son is coming back from a work trip so not sure he'll get back in time anyway.

Mary, my daughter-in-law thanks me for gifts when I give them in person, but a few of the other relatives left a gift for my grandson at our house and she sent them a written thank-you. She know how I feel about it. I don't mind a thank you in person, but when gifts are placed on a table and not opened until a later time, I think a written note or a call is in order. Call me old fashioned! LOL

I have finished my dinner and I plan on walking a bit again this evening to help with my blood sugar. It was very high this morning, but was 116 before dinner. I hope it is good by bedtime and I hope I don't eat anything else!

I know you always seemed to do well with weight loss in the past and I can imagine how discouraged you must be about the gain. I gained about 18 lbs after my surgery and can't get it back off. So far my meds are not making me gain. I think now that you are able to get back to the gym you will start to see a difference.

My step daughter and her husband didn't pay their taxes for several years and now the IRS has caught up with them and they are making payments. I didn't know this happened until the IRS caught up with them. She never mentioned that they were not paying them and I just assumed they were. I don't know how much they owe. The less I know about it the better off I am. Now she got caught driving with an illegal inspection sticker and is paying a fine on payments. I know DH gets so upset with the things she does. She's 46 and should know better. His son is doing so well by comparison. He is the one who has our grandson. My step-daughter never had kids and I think that's best under the circumstances.

I was rooting for Seattle in the Super Bowl. I don't usually care when it's not the Steeler's playing, but there were rumors of the Patriots cheating a couple times so I didn't want them to win. It was so close, but you have to admit, the Seahawks made a really bad mistake in that last play. It's just a game, like you said. Those guys sure get paid a lot of money for playing a game!

Good morning GG's,

It is a dreary day here today. Kind of drippy. Supposed to be sunny and nicer on the weekend.

I'm sorry you guys are having aches and pains too. Do you take anything for the pain? I feel kind of discouraged because I can't seem to find a thing that I can count on to relieve the pain. I have a few different things I try (Tylenol, Ultram). I was taking Celebrex daily, but the rheumatologist wanted me to try to cut back on that. I think her thought is that the meds she has me taking for the RA would be enough and I shouldn't need the Celebrex anymore. She told me I could take it on an as needed basis. Sometimes these things will work and sometimes they do absolutely nothing. If it doesn't work the first time, I don't usually repeat the dose. Don't want to keep shoveling stuff in if it isn't going to help. I wish I could find something I could count on to always work. I'm not looking for something stronger, just something that I can count on to work. I'm gonna ask my Dr. about this at my next appointment.

Yesterday I hurt pretty bad ~ I took a Celebrex in the morning but didn't start to feel better until late in the afternoon. I didn't accomplish much of anything.

Today is better, so I though I'd better take advantage of feeling better. I have done one 15 minute session on the treadmill and plan to do another one this afternoon.

I have been listening to music ~ my Youtube playlists while I walk. I look forward to it. I have tried to pick ones that have a video with the music ~ so I have something to watch and listen to. The 15 minutes seems to go quicker than just walking and doing nothing.
Carol Sue ~ way to go getting back to the treadmill. Keep up the good work. Are you having much snow up by you?

Mary ~ glad you are back to your walking at the gym. Do you get much snow by you Mary?

I need to go the post office and mail some stuff. I also wanted to run to Walmart, but I am dragging my feet ~ it is dreary and drippy and I am just not wanting to to out.

Hello to the rest of the group. Hope you all are doing well.

Gayle, I rarely take anything for pain. I think my pain is probably minor compared to yours. My cardiologist doesn't want me taking IBprofen or any other Nsaids. He said occasionally is OK, but not on a daily basis. Something to do with my heart, I guess. I hope you find something that helps.

We have had a couple inches of snow here and there but no big snow like we used to get. And that doesn't mean we won't still get it. We can get a big snow as late as March, but it melts quickly.

Yesterday, I did 25 min on the treadmill in the afternoon and 18 min in the evening. Today I did 15 min on the treadmill, 10 minutes on the elliptical and another 12 min on the treadmill. Once I get going I could do more, but I don't want to burn myself out on it. I hope to do another 15 min this evening. I don't measure distance, just minutes. I don't go fast. If others saw me they would probably say I need to up the intensity, but with my heart disease, I am doing what I feel is OK. In time I may want to increase intensity. When I went to cardiac rehab, twice, they started me out very slow, even slower than I thought I needed, and increased gradually, and they were monitoring my heart the whole time. If they had seen anything that didn't look right they would have had me stop. I saw them to that to some others. Mary, they had the arm bicycle there and I loved it. I get tendonitis in my shoulder off and on and that really helped it. I don't have one available to me now. There are several gyms near my home that I could join but I like doing my exercise at home since I have the equipment. Wish I had an arm bike.

Carol Sue ~ they have one of those arm cycle things at Walmart.

I saw that Gayle but they are pricy for what they are and I don't know if they would do the same thing. The ones at cardiac rehab are a big machine with a seat, also used for patients with a shoulder injury.

Hi GGs! Didn't go to the gym today...seems we've settled into an every other day routine again. I like a day off to get other things done but try to be as active as I can here at home. I've gotten back to doing my PT exercises (back and shoulder) this week too some in the am and some in the evening. I think (except for my achiness) I do feel better being more active. As to the achiness it has gotten worse in the past year or so as in it's more all the time even in bed. I usually only take pain med at night so I can sleep but today I took some Tylenol, didn't help much, soaked in a hot tub bath, still pain so lay down for about an hour...didn't sleep but I did get up feeling much better. So finally then I got to my housework in mid-afternoon. Before that all I'd manage to do was one load of laundry. Still need to fold it.

I think I've figured out why Halo is more subdued these days...I think it's because she is getting way more exercise. Her master is walking her most days now. I remember now she was quieter with us when he did that before.
Bassett Hounds tend to sleep a lot anyway but she sleeps more when she's getting lots of exercise. Some days she hardly wakes up until evening! But she still sleeps at night, amazing! Wish I could sleep like her!

Carole Sue - So far my weight is stable. I think I have to do a lot more exercise than I do to actually bring it down as what I do has never done it. I just eat way too much I guess. I usually try to keep my meals light since regardless of how much I eat at meals, I seem to overeat on snacks and I prefer to snack. I often add fiber and/or protein to my meals/snacks but even that does not fill me up. Exercise DOES usually help me maintain though. Once I feel more comfortable leaving dh on his own I plan on going back to some classes I used to take at the gym. I really think if I just didn't eat in the evening I'd lose weight, but I can't get myself to do it yet.

Sounds like you are doing great with the exercise! You are doing what you need to do so don't worry about being slow. You are moving and that's what you need to do and just do it as you can. It's gotta be healthier for you than doing nothing. That's what I keep telling myself...doing something about my health/diet/weight is better than nothing...I may not be where I want to be. I may never get there, but I try to do something and that's gotta be better than nothing. I love to hear other's tips and success stories though as they truly inspire me to keep trying. I used to work out to videos at home but I would easily talk myself out of not doing it some days. Making myself go to the gym is not always easy (you KNOW I like to sleep in! ), but at least when I get there I have to exercise. I take my phone or Kindle and read while on the bike. Dh listens to music, so no talking when walking the track. I see couples holding hands, but dh says you don't hold hands when exercising.

Glynne - We shared the drippy day with you. It was pretty cold too when I went out...only went out to the garage to do laundry and to the mail box, but no we seldom get snow...haven't had any this winter. The rain is cold but really we have a pretty mild climate for the most part. Dh went to get gas and buy somethings he can eat. The gas is going up here..$1.99 now is the cheapest (Costco). All I use for pain is Tylenol and it sometimes helps, sometimes not so much. At night when I can't sleep and have pain, I add Benedryl which makes it Tyl PM. I don't usually take pain meds during the day but I did today (see above). Pain is very wearing on you and if it lingers it makes you feel so tired.

Tonight's dinner was chicken and broccoli stir-fry. It also had red pepper in it.
Served with rice of course. Pretty good. Dh cut the meat and veggies up into smaller pieces and he was able to eat it, chewing slowly.

I'm reading a good book...it was one recommended by Jess (Donna) and is called Wrongful Death. It is actually hard copy book so I can read it in the bath tub which I did today. Love my mysteries!

Mary, the thing I think with exercise is that even if you are not burning off a lot of calories, exercise can sometimes cut your appetite.

Today we went out for dinner and then went to Walmart. I didn't do my walk on the treadmill this evening like I wanted to but I counted walking around in Walmart as exercise. I do this often...after I was finished with my shopping, I did a lap around the store. I can do it if it's not crowded. I take my cart and just walk the whole way around the outside edge of the store and meet DH up at the checkouts. I do that sometimes at Target, too. I saw another couple doing that once. I could tell that's what they were doing because they each had a cart, empty, and were walking pretty fast around the store. I don't know if anyone could tell that's what I was doing because I had things in my cart.

I love mysteries, too. I will have to look for that one at the library. I have read some other books that Donna recommended.

EDIT: Who wrote that book, Mary? The library has 6 books with that title! LOL

Carol Sue I agree that I tend to eat less when I exercise more. Walking around Walmart would definitely be better than the tred mill in my thoughts.

Mysteries? Love them.

I've missed you all. Been sick and not interested in the effort it takes to even respond. Finally back to almost normal. Breathing was very hard when we had to go from car to Larry's in very cold air, Asthma just made it so hard to breathe. However, we are home after driving over 200 miles and DH's hearing aids are really working so much better!

DD suggested I go to gym with her yesterday and I did. First time in about 2 weeks. How much better I felt after the activity!!! Sure slept better, too.

ARM CYCLES: I saw one at PT last year and wondered if they would help.

Thank goodness I'm relatively free of pain most of the time. The lubricant shot into my bad knee keeps the 'bone on bone" separated enough to make it almost normal. Amazing! Arthritis seems to respond to movement and massage most of the time.

I use Tylenol very carefully, but the last two weeks I took it daily. Back away from it now.

What happens when we reach 500 posts on this site?

Finally getting here...we have both been very tired and I continue to be very achy...not sure if that's my diabetes or just me, but I think the extreme fatigue is probably partly due to our getting back to the gym. Wish I could say it has decreased my appetite but it seems like I'm hungrier than ever...can't eat a whole lot at a time, but soon want to eat again. A lot of people walk the mall for exercise but we haven't done it.

Tonight I was going to make potato soup but dh wanted baked potatoes so I made them and put out lots of toppings and we fixed our own. I served brussel sprouts too. Knew dh couldn't eat them but ds and I did. Yummy...dh and I couldn't eat all our potatoes as they were large. Didn't get much housework done today, didn't feel like doing anything except lying down, but instead I read and wasted the day. The author of the book I'm reading is Lynda LaPlante ..I think she has a lot of books, but Donna thought this was her best, the reason I got it. I'm about 1/2 way through and enjoy it so may try more.

Love2!! Glad you came back to us! Sorry to hear you've been sick! Does the shot into your knee really hurt? I've heard it is terrible. I've had my painful shoulder for more than three years now...this time around...originally I injured it at the gym but it only tooks two years that time. I didn't go to the doc the first time but this time was worse so I did, and he felt I had bursitis and wanted to give me a shot. I needed to go back to my PT for my back anyway so I said I'd try PT first. PT helped but I still can't sleep on that side and it still hurts and has been a little worse recently, so I'm wondering if I should still get that shot. I don't want more PT as I can do the exercises here at home.

Love2garden, I seem to be susceptable to tendonitis and had it very bad sevreal years ago in my shoulder. After PT it would get achy now and then and I would just do some of the exercises I learned in PT. When I went to cardiac rehab the arm cycle really helped! I also have psoriasis and I think some of my pain is psoriatic arthritis.

We are about 20 posts from 500. At that time I will start a new thread and a monitor will close this one.

I'm sorry to hear you were sick. I have heard that cold weather is very hard on an asthmatic patient. I hope you are feeling better now.

When I walk the perimeter of Walmart/Target, I use my cart as a walker and I can go a lot faster than walking without anything to hold on to.

Mary, I have been very itchy all over lately. I think it's a combination of winter dry skin and blood sugar being too high. I think I read somewhere that high blood sugar can make your skin itch.

How have you been doing with your itchy scalp? Is it getting any better? A friend of mine has had that a lot lately. I think her's is because she has been going to a chiropractor who has her taking a lot of different supplements. She colors her hair and she said when she does it her scalp burns and she is losing some hair. I rarely take supplements. They can cause side effects the same as Rx meds, and can also interact with your prescriptions. But I don't say anything to her. It's her choice and she says the supplements are helping her, although I don't know what they're helping.

Our local mall has a walking program for seniors early in the morning. They have a nurse on hand to check vitals. It's free and sponsored by the local hospital. It sounds like a nice plan, but the mall is not real close...about 15 miles away. One time at another mall a woman who was walking shoved DH out of her way! LOL I guess she didn't want to break her stride.

By the way, the library has 5 books Wrongful Death but none of them is by Lynda LaPlante. LOL