Thank you, Lisaluvshearts and VermontMom, for your welcome! I appreciate it, and I will just start by saying hello, and some general stuff. I am married 25 years this summer, and turning 50 this summer. I have a 10 year old daughter, and the three of us live on a little hobby farm in a semi-rural area. We have a couple dogs, a cat, a small flock of chickens, a few bunnies, but things have gotten busy and I don't have the time for the bunnies that I used to, so I'm looking for homes for them. I work part time from home as an admin/personal assistant for a psychotherapist - something I started about 4 months ago. I like gardening and cooking, and I like being home and being outdoors. I crochet some, read a lot and do some arts and crafts. So, that gives you a little bit of an idea of 'me'.

We had a big blizzard Wednesday, and spent this morning digging out so I could get to town and do a bunny program at the library. It has been a long day and I'm tired, plus I'm not quite sure what else to say/share, so I'll just leave that for now.

VermontMom, I can relate to what you said about how sometimes, the process of going from feeling good to feeling bad is slow, sometimes quicker. I have had a rough few months, and while I'm not in a terrible place, I'm not feeling good either. I am hopeful that I can turn it around soon.

Lisaluvshearts, I am sorry to hear of your loss and what you went through with saying goodbye. It must have been so hard, and yet, I would imagine being with your mom is something that you'd never regret. I think that, even when someone can't acknowledge, they know about the love.

catinhat: Welcome to the group! Of course you can join us. Thank you for sharing a bit about yourself. As Holly (Vermont Mom) said, please feel free to share as much or as little as you want. We are here to support you in any way that we can. Best wishes to you in your weight loss journey and in your battle with depression. So happy you posted!

Lisa: Keeping you in my prayers! The night your mom died must have been so difficult. Yet, I am glad that you were able to be by her side through her final hours. I'm sure she knew you were there. You are a very loving daughter! ❤ Sending you big hugs!

Thank you to those of you who kept me in your thoughts and prayers on Tuesday! My surgery was 10 hours long, but my doctor seems to think everything went well. The longest part was that he had to literally sew lymph nodes to veins in 7 incisions along my left arm to try to address the lymphedema. It was also my final reconstruction surgery after breast cancer last year (for those of you who may not have known). My recovery is going extremely well so far..... thank God! Not too much pain at all at this point. Hope it continues to go well. Just wanted to post and let you all know that I survived!

Kathleen - so good to hear from you and that the surgery went well!! and that it's over!! and that you feel good enough to come here keep on with the fantastic upbeat attitude

Lisa - oh my gosh..that must have been a LONG night..it is so wonderful that your Mom's children were all there to say good bye. I don't remember if I said so here, but when my mom died almost 4 years ago, I was lucky enough to be with her to the end also. Exactly as you described, I also stroked my Mom's forehead and told her she was loved. You were with your Mom when you entered this world...you were with her when she left this world. Much love to you Lisa

catinhat thanks for telling us some about you Ugh to a blizzard! Your little farm sounds fabulous!! when you say dug out, do you plow yourself?

Hi to Fi and EasySpirit and coop

I mostly wasted my two days off, I hate that. I did clean up my desk area but that was it.

I should just erase my ticker becaue I haven't been on the scale in a year and I am sure it is way off.

oh well I hope we all have as good a day as possible

We dug out with shovels. Our neighbor across the road has a tractor, but I don't feel comfortable asking him when he's not out doing his own driveway or something. He didn't get drifts this time, so I didn't ask for help. Our driveway is about 100' long, but only about 1/3 was drifted, thankfully. Still, my shoulders are really sore.

Ibelieveinme2, that is a long surgery! I am glad you are feeling good so far!

I am floundering this week. My daughter is home for spring break, which I love, but my routines are all off. My boss took the week off too and said I should feel free to catch up on things, but much of what needs catching up on is not anything I can do....it's stuff he has to dictate to me. My husband has been sleeping a lot too, so there has not been much family-together time (he works afternoon shift), and I'm bummed. Still, Daughter and I have been doing things together, and just spending our time in the same room makes us happy...I don't mean to complain.

I have, however, been pretty emotional lately. I suspect menopause is beginning, but I am not sure. For today, I'm going to make a to-do list, and work at freeing up my weekend.

Kathleen, I was very pleasantly surprised and relieved to find you had posted. I wish you a speedy recovery.

Holly, there is nothing wrong with wasting those two days - you probably needed the rest, especially with that miserable job winding down for the year; you must be exhausted, frazzled and worn.

I am not getting near my scale - too afraid I will toss it in the trash assuming it must be defective! I can tell by my jeans that I have gained weight - why doesn't that stop me from attacking the Easter candy??? I am having a terrible time with chocolate and ice cream.

Fi, I think I need to do what you did with the cookies. HOW did you stop? As I type this, I am thinking I could eat a few Russell Stover eggs right now and replace them tomorrow ! OOOHHHH! I am disgusted with myself.

Lisa, like you and Holly, I was with my mother when she passed away. But, I think she was already gone; when they turned off the respirator, she did not even take a breath....nothing but a little release of air.
You will always feel comfort in knowing you were with her.

Hello to everyone else.

After Easter, there is a long stretch without 'candy holidays'. I am glad. I sub in the library district some, and there is always lots of chocolate for the staff, and I'm terrible about having 'just one' (two, five, ugh).

One of my weight loss 'goals' is to take better care of myself, and be able to somehow stop with a bit of something, or a single piece, instead of feeling like there are these foods I can't get enough of. I know I feel better when I eat more wholesome foods, so I want to figure a way to actually do that most of the time. I've been thinking I should list different categories of foods, either by food group or by taste/sensation, that I like, and then working to incorporate more of those wholesome things into my choices. Right now, I eat like a teenager whose parents are out of town for the weekend....it's not good. I'm under some stress lately, and I think that triggers my poor choices, but the stress isn't likely to go away any time soon, so I have to find other ways to cope that don't add even more stress. It's discouraging, especially since I'm doing this to myself. :/

Hello all! I hope you have "room" for another in your wonderful group. Battled depression/anxiety forever, but worst times were postpartum after second child and before and after brain tumor (6 years ago - all good up there!).

Doing well now, trying to pull myself together and get back to a "normal" weight. Hoping that brings my health - physically and mentally - back into a good place. It will take a long time to lose this weight.

Did someone say something about menopause? yeah got that too.....

Hi, Purplecow - I am new to this group as well. And I'm the one that mentioned menopause - woo hoo?

I hope everyone has a lovely day. I had goals to get some things done yesterday to 'free up my weekend'. I ended up subbing at the library yesterday, which was fine, but I didn't get as much done at home. Today, I'm subbing at a different library, and I was, honestly, looking forward to the travel time, because it would be quiet time for me, alone. Now, the family wants to tag along and 'do stuff in town' while I'm at work. My daughter is convinced today is Easter and we forgot to celebrate it (for future reference, when this is an older posting, this is the Saturday before Easter), and my dog threw up on the rug first thing this morning. Good times.

It's a pretty, snowy day. I am going outside to enjoy that a big, load firewood into the empty baskets, and feed my chickens and bunnies. Have a good day, everyone! <3

Lisa, I'm so sory to hear the circumstances of your mother's passing. I do hope it brings you comfort over time to have been there and had a chance to say goodbye. With my own mum, I received a phonecall out the blue afterwards, and I wish so much I could have had some time beforehand. I know what you mean about those moments your brain thinks "I'll just call..." they grow further apart over time.

Kathleen, I'm glad you came safely through your surgery and are feeling spritely enough to post so soon. I hope you're recovering well and not too sore.

Catinhat - welcome to the forum, it's nice to see a fellow bunny owner, even if you are having to let them go. I hope you have luck finding them a new home.

Welcome purplecow - good luck with your weight loss!

Hi to everyone else hope you have a good Easter!

Hello friends, Happy Easter (if that's your thing ) I reported to work at 11 a.m. and man was it busy til 3 pm! Alot of people went to the Sunrise Service on the mountain this morning, then skied, then they all came to the store for sandwiches and everything else. However, the Rat B@stard Boss let us close early My husband also has to work today; and our two boys are with others so it is a quiet Easter for us.

Years ago when I was a pastry chef in retail, Easter was one of my dreaded holidays, SO busy with orders, then when I got home, had to clean up and dash to some relative's house for dinner, when all I wanted to do was sleep. Very glad I don't do that anymore.

Lisa, oh gosh I know that feeling, "Oh i've got to tell Mom this, she'd like it" and then the reality washes over you. You are doing great. I hope you had a good time at church today

Hi Kathleen I hope you are getting more recuperated each day! are you in much discomfort??

EasySpirit, Hi and here is some will power dust to help against the chocolate and ice cream!

This made me laugh out loud and it applies to me to!!! no restrictions. I hope we can come to our senses soon. Oh and I congratulate you for all your shoveling!! that is a workout and just doing it is a testament to some level of fitness. and sorry to hear about the dog throwing up on the carpet, never fun.

Hi coop, I guess I didn't know you learned of your mom's passing by a phone call??? that is bad. sad

Hello to Fi Is Spring arriving for you in the DC area yet?

a big to purplecow! Yikes about the brain tumor, glad to hear that is in the past.

So I really like this young girl I found on youtube, Jessica Smith, she is YOUNG but it seems her workouts are geared towards older folks!! like she says "as we age we tend to shuffle our feet if our leg muscles are weak". SHE IS LIKE 28 YEARS OLD I picture her as the cheery, chirpy Activites Director of a nursing home but damn I'd rather listen to her than Jillian Michaels!

Wishing everyone a good week! I'm starting out feeling a bit overwhelmed. It's the 2nd week of spring break and this week, my boss is back in town and wants to work. I work from home, and the subject matter is not always appropriate for my daughter to hear - I'm an admin. assistant to a psychotherapist. It feels like there will be a lot of plate spinning this week, and I'm not feeling great about it.

However, it's a sunny day, and I told him I'm running him off at noon, so she and I will have the afternoon together, which I'm really looking forward to! What's going on for you this week?