Glad that Easter is over. I spent the week before so happy that I wasn't near Easter candy. Then I ran into several bowls on Easter Sunday itself. I ate more than I planned, but less than I could have. Oh, well.

Good Morning!

This was the first Easter we had no candy at all. We had BBQ instead. Overall it was a healthier choice as neither one of us got an upset stomach or a 2 a.m. sugar crash.

This week I am restarting the final part of getting rid of my father's mess. I am going to sell or give away the farm he so foolishly and riskily purchased.

I have been putting this off as it will be very difficult to find a buyer, due to his and his half-sister's daughter's efforts. There is a 7 hour time difference between countries and I'm not near a computer or phone during the day. And there are other obstacles as well.

But I will get it done this year. Then it will finally be over. Unless my father had some other cans of worms in other places.

I'm pretty sure he didn't since it's been 2 1/2 years since his death. So I think I will finally feel safely beyond his grasp.

Dagmar

Was in a car accident yesterday. Not badly hurt, but man, the seat belt sure left me with a sore sternum. I don't think it's broken, though.

Certainly not what I had planned for yesterday, and a reminder that all this fussing about weight is just one more story we tell ourselves while life is happening.

Sorry about the accident, Jay. Hope you feel better soon.

No candy at our Easter celebration. I made osso buco with risotto and roasted green beans and Brussels sprouts for dinner. It was quite good, but I think I prefer lamb shanks over the veal.

The last week of March...wow, where has time gone? Almost a quarter of the year over.

Right now I'm in the final stages of getting ready for our cruise. That means checking my clothing and buying a few new things. I have to remember it isn't nearly as hot where I'm headed, so I can't rely on my usual shorts and tee shirts to get me by.

Jay, I'm so glad that you are mostly ok. Minor accidents are useful, as you say, to add perspective to an often perspective-depleted daily existence.

Dagmar, you have land/a farm that you might have to give away?! I can't wrap my head around that. Is the difficulty in selling it due to legalities with the family members, rather than undesirability(is that a word?) of the property?

Glad you're okay, Jay. That is certainly scary and a good reminder to focus on what is really important.

Allison-- when do you leave and where are you going again? I seem to remember South America but I don't trust my shoddy memory.

We leave Friday to visit our dd's in Texas and Arizona and my inlaws. There will be much to do this week to prepare. This weekend was nice and busy. Dh did most of our taxes as we need to get them out of the way before leaving.

We met with a new pet sitter Saturday. Ellie barked at her and her hair raised for about 1 minute, then she loved her. I was so relieved. She seems great and prefers spending the night when clients are out of town, vs. our old pet sitter that doesn't stay but just visits. We are using our old sitter for next week, but since she is having health issues, I want to get everyone used to the new one-- so we have booked her once a week for a mid day walk for Ellie and for an upcoming weekend we will be gone. Now I just hope my puking cat stops puking before we leave-- he does this occasionally so I'm not too worried but we will see.

My weight is stable. Hoping to keep it that way!

My dearest friend gave me a massage for my birthday at a place I've never been which happens to be right around the corner from me. I'm going today and looking forward to it! Will negate my workout but I'll walk Ellie before I go.

Happy last week of March!

Nope. British Isles cruise! We leave on May 28th for London, stay there two days before getting on the ship. We come home on the 14th, if memory serves.

Jay, I'm glad you are all right. Nothing makes me shakier for days afterward than a car accident. Not just because of my own accident from November 2014, but because it's so random. You can be going along on a perfectly routine trip, doing everything correctly and legally, minding your own business -- and it just takes one moment of inattention or recklessness from someone else, and peoples' lives change, sometimes in a minor way, sometimes permanently.

Jay, glad you had no major damage, and I hope your soreness gets better soon. It might get worse first, as I'm sure you know.

Michele, Ellie sounds so much like my one Border Collie, Spot, who has never gotten over his fear and nervousness of new people. Once he knows them, he loves them. It would not surprise me if Ellie barks at you when you come back from the trip!

Dagmar, sorry for you having such a nuisance with out of the country property. I hate that kind of stuff!

Today I finished the whole-breast radiation treatments. Next I'll get five days of electron beam boosts to the tumor bed. The nurse and RO said my skin help up remarkably well.

Boy you'd think, after being dead for almost 3 years, that my dad's influence would have lessened. Since I sent the email to reopen the farm stuff I've woken up in the middle of last night in a panic attack, drank 3 energy drinks to keep going today, and had a bag of candy right after work. I ate that in about 5 minutes. The big sugar and caffeine crash is due about midnight.

This is (I hope) the last of over half a century of abuse, anxiety, and downright terror. You'd think I could lay off the eating at least.

But I will finish this and then move on with whatever time I have left.

Dagmar

Jay - glad you are okay!

Dagmar - sorry the stuff with your dad is still stressing you out.

Alice - I was thinking about you today. Glad to hear that you are doing well.

Michele - enjoy the massage!

Bill - less than you could have is good.

I went to the dentist today. I've been putting it off for now four years. As a result, I had to have a deep cleaning that we split up into two parts. Not bad enough for the one with anesthesia, but bad enough for two parts. I have to go back in five weeks for part two. I'm pretty uncomfortable right now, maybe I will remember that when I put it off next time..

Howlin', very glad to hear about your skin doing well!

Dagmar, I take it the farm is in Europe. Any chance of having an agent over there take care of selling it? It might put a buffer between you and the troublesome relative.

Thanks to everyone for your good wishes. The car is totaled. Now it's on to next steps, looking for another car. On the positive side, we can afford to buy one with cash, and we do have a second car. My injuries are minor, but as you know if you've ever been in a crash, the soreness lingers on. And the mental/emotional part is interesting to observe...

JayEll, sorry about the car but glad your injuries were not worse. The mental part is crazy. I was hit in a crosswalk when I was 12 and I remember it being months or maybe years before I could cross a road by myself even when no cars were visible.

Shannon, thanks for thinking of me. I have always had sensitivity to tooth cleaning even on a regular schedule. They finally convinced me to switch to the type of toothpaste and mouthwash for sensitive teeth and it really has helped. I used to tell them I didn't want to switch, because my teeth were only sensitive when having them cleaned. But when I learned how the good toothpaste also re-mineralizes your enamel I was sold.

I'm planning to camp this weekend at Carrizo Plain National Monument, about 2.5 hours from my house. Hopefully the reported spectacular show of wildflowers will still be going strong!

I used to hate days like today - working in the rain all day and then 2 dinner walks on top of it all. Now I try to think of it as at least being better than working in a snowstorm. And DH is making dinner which helps a lot.

Dagmar

Good luck with the farm, Dagmar.