A quick good morning to all. Off to put coat #5 on patio repairs. I told hubby this is the last one for me...he can add to it this weekend if he wants but I'm done with this painting crap!
Eyes are doing much better today, thanks. I am sure it was a topical reaction to something and still think it was those eye drops. Mima, I'm not familiar with any other histamine blocking medication that is available OTC. Do you have any brand names? I know there are some for seasonal allergies that affect sinuses and such but I am only aware of Benedryl for relieving the itchiness of skin irritations. I even put a thin application of cortisone cream around the outer eye area to help with the redness and swelling. It is getting better though. I just look weird....
Hubby didn't get home til after 8:30 pm. He was in a real mood too. Too many hours driving that truck and he gets a bit shakey. Hope he doesn't have to work so long today.
Very hot and humid again...typical for June in Florida. Even the pool water temp feels too warm. Don't know if I will ever truly get used to summers here!
Off to finish my day's projects...need to find something different for dinner too. I'm tired of the same old stuff. Hope everyone enjoys their day...will check back later.

Mima, I remember when my mom had shingles. She was miserable.

Anne, I've considered letting my hair go natural also. Since it's dark when I color it, it wil be really noticeable. Thought about going south next winter and letting it "happen" while I'm away from home. Danish pastries - YUM!!

kate, hope coat #5 did the trick!

Class this morning was a tough one, but I know that I'm getting something out of it. Went to Wal Mart and bought new scales. When the others that I bought several months ago weigh the same when I'm just out of the shower, or after I've eaten and fully dressed with shoes, there's a problem.

Love the new scales! I was down another 2 pounds this morning. They are the same scales that they use at the Y, so they should be pretty accurate. I just need to keep that butterfly moving in the right direction.

Foggy here this morning. Tim left for school a while ago, and he called and said the fog is pretty dense in spots. He left early because he has to work on a project. He doesn't have class till 11:00.

I go for reflexology at noon today. Always feels good.

Hoping all of you have a great day!

Good morning all. Great news for you Tammy! Maybe that's the answer...a new scale!! How about I just stop putting food in my mouth, yes? Foggy and very humid here this morning as well. The air is so "thick" it's almost unbearable. Thank God for A/C.
Eyes are doing much better. The Bausch & Lomb rep e-mailed me and took notes on my reaction to those eye drops. They are going to reimburse me for them and gave me the FDA's web site to check to see if any complaints similar to mine had been noted. It's just the skin around my eyes, not the eyeballs themselves. I guess I'm going to live....
Queenie was dragging herself on the walk this morning. Definitely too hot for her to go too far. She's crashed on the spare bed right now enjoying the overhead fan!!
The patio still shows those repair "stripes"...albeit not as bad but definitely noticable. Too bad because I have had it with the painting routine. Done, no mas, de finition.....not sure if I should ask the deck company to try and do more. I'm almost afraid of anymore messes they might make. Perhaps we should leave well enough alone?
Need to get some motivation going here....where are you Tammy??? What are you doing to keep your motivation so high? I'm just so bored with everything lately....food, cooking, walking etc. And hubby hasn't been too happy with his job lately. Lot's of "big company" politics getting tossed around lately and he just isn't into that kind of atmosphere. I am sure hoping we have an uneventful hurricane season this year....that we surely don't need now.
We must all be going through some phase because I haven't colored my hair in months! I'm also letting it go natural (which is very gray!!) I am considering doing some "lo-lights" to it though to break up the "solid gray" part of it.
I hope everyone is enjoying their day....sounds like there is a lot of rain going on through out the Mid and Northeast states according to weather reports....we haven't gotten any lately. Let us know how the weather is.

Hello Everybody..
Tammy- I have often thought about letting my hair go natural but the lady who cuts my hair said the color was what gave it body. I used to have thick hair but over the years and the amount of medications I take has caused it to get thinner. I color it myself . That is a chore in itself..It is about $20+ cheaper to do yourself and is the same stuff they use in the salon.
Kate when you get through painting at your house ,I have some here you can do.. I hope your eyes are better by now.. I use Claritin. It doesn't make you sleepy.
Mima- Your son should be glad to have a job.. My son hasn't found one yet.. He is a architect designer and there just is no work for him .. Building is down here. He has never done anything else.. Now he thinks he needs to find something else.. What? This is all he has ever done.. He is 50 and I guess starting over is a really hard decision..Thank God his wife still has a job. It makes the payments on the house..
Our daughter will be here for the weekend.. That will be nice.. We decided to make Fathers day easy.. I think I am going to get all deli foods.. Paper plates or plastic throw aways..
Got to go to sams today. Have some ironing to get done and pick up and vacumn the house. Everything is hard anymore..
Hello Happy,Candice.
Joanne

Yes, paper plates. Etc.
I know Bobby is lucky to have a job. He works 12-14 hours a day. But he will stay this weekend and come home on the first. I can't imagine how technical his job is-controls for all these huge buildings. This is the guy that quit high school. Never give up. He also says that a lot of companies want him because of the stimuls to make everything green.
I didn't realize you were trying to control the itch, Kate. I have a script for allegra. But I have wicked sinus trouble right now.
And it's raining again. Hope Sat is clear for the yard sale.
Bought the converter box. Hope our antenna at camp works. That seems to be the problem with the others but we have a good one. I hope.
Got new sneakers yesterday-Dr Scholl's when we went to change Brad's sneakers. And he bought new shoes. Love them -only pd 25 with the discounts.
Bye for now-Mima

Kate, I recommend new scales for everyone! LOL I just hope I keep on liking them. That's good that the B&L rep took down your information.

I honestly believe that my motivation is coming from my Wednesday night class. Part of the class is staying focused on God in all areas of our lives, and I think it has helped me in many areas. Staying accountable to others has helped too. I am not leaving any foods out. I eat everything that I want, only smaller amounts. I eat from all of the food groups. My calorie levels run anywhere from 1400-1900, and I'm losing. The classes I go to are fun, and I have friends in them, so that makes me accountable to them.
The program is called First Place 4 Health.

tim said that it rained while he was at school today, but it never rained here.

Joanne, I have tried to color my hair, but I never get it done correctly. So nice that your daughter will be there to visit. Enjoy your time with her. I'm with you on making things easy. I hope your son will be able to find a job soon.

Mima, sounds like Bobby is very busy with his job. I agree that we should never give up.

Tim has 2 exams tomorrow, and then he is done till fall semester starts the end of August. He is ready to be done with these classes. Just too busy with that Mon-Fri, EMT classes all day on Sat., working at Arby's, and running rescue squad.

He doesn't know it yet, but his fiance is coming over tomorrow afternoon to surprise him! She should be here when he gets back from his last exam about 2:30 or so. He doesn't work tomorrow night. Tomorrow is our wedding anniversary, so I'm glad they'll be around.

That is a nice surprise and will help. I used to take Jack's grandaughter out for the day so I wouldn't be so sad. That was in the 1990's.
Possibly will be clear tomorrow am. Suzanne is coming to sleep on the couch tonight after a New Kids on the Block concert. She has stuff to sell.
Even when I go to work, i asked for God's help when I correct, That's how Brad and my gf quit smoking.
Just paying bills and getting my 10$ back from walmart. Bought the converter box and the cashier messed up the coupon but i ended up paying $34 for 24$ worth of groceries.
Sinuses are better, Hope your eyes are, Kate.
Mima Going to see the Needhams in concert at church.

Mima, enjoy the concert!

It is too hot. It was hard to breathe this morning when I took the recycling stuff out to the street. I was hoping that the Y would have the AC cranked, and they did, so that helped. Only one more week of this class until September.

Lauren should be here any time. I would love to see Tim's face when he sees her car in the driveway.

Here's some interesting info, in case you didn't know.

Fresh Pineapple Has Many Benefits

The pineapple is a member of the bromeliad family. It is extremely rare that bromeliads produce edible fruit.
The pineapple is the only available edible bromeliad today. It is a multiple fruit. One pineapple is actually
made up of dozens of individual flowerets that grow together to form the entire fruit. Each scale on a
pineapple is evidence of a separate flower.

Pineapples stop ripening the minute they are picked. No special way of storing them will help ripen
them further.

Color is relatively unimportant in determining ripeness. Choose your pineapple by smell. If it smells fresh,
tropical and sweet, it will be a good fruit. The more scales on the pineapple, the sweeter and juicier the taste
After you cut off the top, you can plant it. It should grow much like a sweet potato will. This delicious
fruit is not only sweet and tropical, it also offers many benefits to our health.

Pineapple is a remarkable fruit. We find it enjoyable because of its lush, sweet and exotic flavor, but it may
be one of the most healthful foods available today. If we take a more detailed look at it, we will find that
pineapple is valuable for easing indigestion, arthritis or sinusitis. The juice has an anthelmintic effect; it helps
get rid of intestinal worms. Let's look at how pineapple affects other conditions.

Pineapple is high in manganese, a mineral that is critical to development of strong bones and connective tissue.
A cup of fresh pineapple will give you nearly 75% of the recommended daily amount. It is particularly helpful to
older adults, whose bones tend to become brittle with age.

Bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme, is the key to pineapple's value. Proteolytic means "breaks down protein",
which is why pineapple is known to be a digestive aid. It helps the body digest proteins more efficiently.

Bromelain is also considered an effective anti-in flammatory. Regular ingestion of at least one half cup of fresh
pineapple daily is purported to relieve painful joints common to osteoarthritis. It produces mild pain relief.
In Germany , bromelain is approved as a post-injury medication because it is thought to reduce inflammation
and swelling.

Orange juice is a popular liquid for those suffering from a cold because it is high in Vitamin C. Fresh pineapple
is not only high in this vitamin, but because of the bromelain, it has the ability to reduce mucus in the throat.
If you have a cold with a productive cough, add pineapple to your diet. It is commonly used in Europe as a
post-operative measure to cut mucus after certain sinus a n d throat operations. Those individuals who eat
fresh pineapple daily report fewer sinus problems related to allergies. In and of itself, pineapple has a very low
risk for allergies.

Pineapple is also known to discourage blood clot development. This makes it a valuable dietary addition for
frequent fliers and others who may be at risk for blood clots.

An old folk remedy for morning sickness is fresh pineapple juice. It really works! Fresh juice and some nuts first
thing in the morning often makes a difference. It's also good for a healthier mouth. The fresh juice discourages
plaque growth.

WOW! I love pineapple, and I had no idea it was so good for me.

Me too-in FL, we get them fresh. Wow-it's nice out for the yard sale. Suzanne is on the couch-her gf is coming over. Need one more sign.
We didn't go to the concert-too tired from looking for a tv-we bought a projector fromRadio Shack. Hope it's good.
Trying to be quiet-Mima

Good afternoon everyone....a cloudy and hot day here in Florida. We might get a rain shower this afternoon. Hubby had to go in to work this Sat. He's training another driver...not going too well I guess. New guy doesn't speak English very well....and doesn't drive very well either from what hubby says!! (I think he has worn a hole in the passenger side floor from using his imaginary brake!) He's been tired past few days when he comes home....probably from the stress of having another person at the wheel.
Did some pruning and fertilizing this morning. We have built in planters at the corners of our patio with "birds of paradise" and arbicola(sp) in them. Now that the patio around the pool is so clean looking, I wanted to cut back the planters to make everything look neater. Then I went out to the lime and orange trees and weeded under them. I didn't think I could produce that much sweat! I'll have to go out later and water my herb pots and the ivy plants that are on the patio posts. Need to vacuumn today too but having trouble finding more energy. I had a full thickness tear repaired in my right rotator cuff about 4 years ago. Since the day I power washed the pool area, I've been having some discomfort in my left shoulder very similar to what I felt before when I tore my right one. Not happy about this at all as I vowed never to have that surgery again. Having trouble sleeping with the ache...it wakes me up during the night. I'm just getting too old for all this maintenance stuff! I keep creating more physical problems for myself doing it all. I truly hope I didn't do another "tear" that needs fixing!!
Hubby and I are thinking about a short excursion to Virginia to look around. We were thinking about relocating at some point to the east coast area there. We want to spend a few days looking around and checking it out. Have any of you been to that Chesapeake, Norfolk, Gloucester Point area of Virginia? Nothing definite yet but a possibility for us in the near future before the home prices go up again. We need to consider the employment thing there first and foremost.
Hope everyone enjoys the rest of the day. Anne, we grew two "golden" pineapples from the cut tops two years ago. They were smaller than what you would buy in the store but delicious! Very interesting to watch grow, too! Mima, enjoy your company....Tammy, keep up the good work with your exercise. I'm still trying to get motivated! Bye for now....

Mima, how did the sale go? Hope you made lots of $$$.

Kate, that would be so hard for him to teach someone who doesn't speak English well. Hope it improves. Ouch to your rotator cuff problems. Bob had that surgery as well. A trip to Virginia sounds like fun! Hope you enjoy it and find someplace you wouldn't mind living. I've never been there, so I don't know anything about it.

I've been kind of a slacker yesterday and today. I wore my pedometer, but the most I walked either day was about 3 miles. I have classes every day at the Y this week though, so I'm sure I'll get some workouts in.

Have a great week everyone!

Hi guys. I am new here but I found this post and was surprised to see it here! I was just diagnosed with FM. I don't really get it at all and I have no idea what to do or expect or even how to deal with it. And if I can't understand it how in the world can I make my hubby understand it? The Fatigue thing is 100% right on with me too. Man! I was never tired growing up always go go go and then it seemed like all of my energy was drained from me and I strugg;e to stay awake most days. I am only 28 yrs old and have a 4 year old! I can't be tired! I am taking meds for it but one of them has me feeling so messed up that I only take it when the pain is really bad. Did you guys doubt what this was exactly? I mean did you question whether it was the right diagnosis? Cause I think i am just confused right now I have dealt with ths for so many years now and and suddenly I get this from a GI doctor at that! What do you guys think? Any advice?