Hello Ladies,

Not much going on. Work, and this evening trying to get some laundry done. Tomorrow night might try stopping at the mall, to pick up last items.

Mooz - I hear ya about the dejunking the house. I wish I had a big shed where I could just put things to get out of house. My garage is full, 1/2 is for car the other half is for outdoor furniture that I don't want to get ruin with the cold weather. WTG on your loss. A loss is a loss even though you had a gain week before you got back on track and had a loss. Are the kids home for the holidays? How's your mother doing?

Cat - Oh, I can't even imagine all the calls your getting about the new program. I looked over with my Dad and it's so confusing. We are going to have to sit down and log into site and look over. Hopefully the buyer on the shotgun will be understanding and not return it.

Hope everyone is having a good day!

Hiya all,
Didn't get back to post last night as we had another great thunder and lightning display - with rain YAHOO.

Mooz - great to hear from you. I have posted a card to you which I hope will arrive before Christmas and you will no doubt get an e-mail from me in the next day or so.

Hello to all others. Hope the hips come right and any other aches and pains that we all have from time to time.

I will be having a couple of weeks off work and will get back to looking for work in January. I can use the time to carry on the renovations etc.etc.etc.

I'm not unhappy about not getting this job, so I don't think it was me yelling that you heard.

Gotta go, catch up later.

Good Evening Everyone,

I did go and see the doctor re the vertigo and fortunately it has not come back. He did give me a prescription for Antivert. But he was quite concerned because my blood pressure was way up there. He advised me to take it easy and give up the exercising for this week. He, however, agreed I could go bowling. I have been keeping track of my blood pressure and it still is a little 148 - 88 and then sometimes it will go to 144 - 74. If it stays high he wants me to see him on Monday. He was a Physician Assistant and didn't even listen to my heart or check me in any way shape or form. Perhaps I should cancel that appointment and wait until I can see the regular doctor. He did, however, give me good advice on taking Asiphex for my indigestion. He told me to take it as soon as I got up, even before my shower and at least one hour before breakfast. It seems to working fine. Another item he mentioned was that Advil tends to increase your blood pressure and since Friday I had been using Advil at least once or twice a day.

I guess we are never too old to learn new things. My Christmas cards are almost ready to send--all I need to do is sign them and put them in the mail.

It's nice to hear from you fine ladies.

Take care,
Anita

Patty--let me know if I can help you and your dad.

Some people are so nice, and others . . . One caller wanted a certain plan for his folks, so I went through the whole process until the enrollment and he asked--would the local drugstore take this plan. I said I didn't know, because I hadn't checked. (We don't check if the person is sure which plan they want). So we went all the way back, found indeed the local drug store didn't take that plan, and he was very annoyed with ME ("That's the only drug store within walking distance,") then we went through from the beginning. Ugh.

Just a plea to all of you out there who are driving - please take it easy and carefully. There are so many things that can and do go wrong in a split second. Tonight I witnessed an accident in which a man was killed. The nightmare will live with me for quite a while. So whatever you do, just take that little bit of extra time to look both ways if you are crossing the road, or check that there really is nothing coming or that you have the room to make that turn.

Please take care out there.

Hello Ladies,

Shad - I'm so sorry to hear that you had to witness something so tragic. You are so right, in being mindful when we drive. Many times I look over and there is someone with the phone to their ear, eating food and trying to drive. It just takes a split second for something to happen. I will say a extra prayer for you tonight.

Cat - Thank you for the offer. We just might take you up on it. I"m sure it has to be so frustrating with the elderly.

Nita - Hopefully it's the Advil that's causing the high blood pressure. I sometimes see a Physican Assistance at my gyno office. But I like to alternate from them to my Dr.

Things at work have slowed down with many people starting to take off for the holidays. Hopefully this will be the time I can do some catch up work with my projects.

Hope everyone is having a good evening!

Thanks Patty,

As I said on the other thread, I will get past this a lot easier than the family who now are minus a loved member. I will get past this a lot easier than the lady who hit him. She has to live with what she did and she was hysterical and had to be taken away in an ambulance. I tell myself I did what I could, I rung the ambulance, I rung the police, I tried to console the lady. There was nothing I could do for the man. I did that best I could. It doesn't completely take away the feeling of guilt that maybe I should have done more, but I honestly don't know what more I could have done. Anyway, this too will pass.

Snow here--just soft but a fair amount.
Going to be a new program at church on weight loss/health called Giving Christ First Place. I might try it--good NY resolution?

Have a good weekend, all.

Hello Ladies,

Shad - I don't think their was anything else you could of done. You stayed with the woman til helped arrived. You consoled her.

Cat - Keep us informed about the program.

I can't believe how fast the holidays are upon us. Shopping is done, now to do the wrapping. I know this past month I've gained a few pounds. I'm not going to worry about it til Jan. 1.

Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend!

Good Sunday Morning Movers and Losers!

Second time is the charm? We can only hope. I spent about an hour preparing a post early Saturday morning only to have my internet connect suddenly disconnect. You find yourself just sitting there in disbelief! So, once again here I am. LOL

We have 3 more teaching days and then 9 days off of school. I know everyone is ready for a break. Oddly, expecatations are so high, information is so random and unexpected, and thus stress is so high no one decorated their hallway doors for the holiday this year. Last year the halls were a winter wonderland, this year - nothing. It is just nuts the amount of work they expect us to do, and still function at professional levels. Nuts.

As expected, it is also nuts to try to really diet these few weeks, huh. I did have a Slim Fast for lunch 2 days this week to help cut daily calories and to save minutes during the day. I bought a newer version of it that says it is high protein and high fiber. It was good. I drink it very cold and with a straw.

I broke down and told my first hour class that on the last day of school we can have breakfast that morning. They take their final exam on Monday and the last 2 days will be finish up odds and ends days anyway. I am thinking I may make sausage gravy and biscuits for them. It is a smaller class of only 18 students - so it should not take that much to do it. I have the kitchen area where I can bake biscuits for them. So, Wednesday will be a splurge day for sure!

Last year I made Bourbon Ball candy for the first time and it was really good. I don't think I'll venture down that road this year. We made holiday candy in my foods classes last week with a fudge recipe. I demonstated Rachel Rays Fudge Christmas Wreath - it was really neat. They made home made brownies with icing. The recipe has 2 cups of sugar, 1 cup of oil and 1 cup of flour. Add some icing to top that off. Yup... empty calorie land. So good, but so bad for you.

Shad: I'm so sorry you had to experience the accident. You know, I just drove by one of those last summer just after it happened. These are moments we will never forget. We can only count our lucky stars and say prayers for the less fortunate. Hey, I guess you were correct about Keith Urban and Nichole Kidman huh? Baby on the way? Wow!

CatLover: I received your holiday card today! Thanks so very much. Several teachers I know joined the church based first choice program a few years ago and did lose some considerable weight. They liked the program very much. I hope you are feeling better, no fun being sick especially during the holdays.

Mooz: AS always great to hear from you. You do a great job of taking weight off AS soon as you gain it. That is so important to maintenance. I bet you are cooking up some good things for your family this holiday? Do I hear the sound of chocolate biscuits? LOL

OneDay: Well, this will be the first year having a Christmas tree with Rocky. I really hpe he behaves, I have my doubts. I bought a few stuffed toys for him, and gave him one early. A distraction of sorts. As if... Honey baked ham sounds good. I have not bought one in years. Maybe this year! Tell me about tamales on Christmas. I know there is a story there.

Nita: I struggle with high blood pressure now. I know it is stress related and I can control it if I do my best. It has all occured since the loss of my niece in February. I can catch myself tensing up, I even grit my teeth or clench them - time to learn how to relax. Exercise and diet also play large parts here. It is great to hear the good news on how Gene is doing.

Well, I'm still working on holdiay decorations including the tree. Stay tuned! I have SNL on, Neil Young is on. I just love him! Almost as much as Hal!

Hi, folks. Got your lovely card, too, Hal. Thanks for the good words on the plan.

Cold seems all gone, and my massage therapist worked out the last of the kinks in my leg and hip. I splurged on a Thai massage, which is done on a mat on the floor, dressed. It's pretty intense, not as relaxing, but just what I needed this time, I think.

One of my favorite professors broke a hip. The word at meeting was that he was going to the skilled nursing facility, but then we got an e-mail that he was going back to the hospital--in Topeka. So not sure if this was just looking for someone with a particular skill in treating this problem, or whether he has gotten worse. Hip fractures in the elderly are so dangerous. So think about him if you will. His name is Howard.

Hello Ladies,

Just a quick hello. Went grocery shopping after work, figured the stores will be crowded come thur/friday. Everything wrapped and now to start focusing on cleaning the house. Will put that off til friday. I'm going to take a few vacation days to get prepared but that's not til thursday.

Mooz - don't worry about the cards. I too was late in sending mine out.

Hal - I'm sure your ready for some time off. I don't know the story of tamales and Christmas, but it has always been a tradition in our family. Growing up my mom and her sister's and my grandmother would make them. Now we just buy them but there still good. I only like to eat them at Christmas time.

Cat - the Thai massage sounds interesting. I think I"m going to make an appointment for just a regular one on thursday.

Shad - can you email me your home address (I know it's too late for Christmas card, but I can send a New Year's one)

Hope everyone is having a great day!

Good Evening Everyone,

Moose -- It's great to see you post. I, too, have been having a problem with vertigo as well as my blood pressure going sky high. I , too, have the white coat syndrone as well. However, my blood pressure is finally coming down and I believe I may have had some kind of a virus. I did go see the doctor and he did give me a prescription for Antivert and I only had to take about 3 of them. I carry them with me just in case I get dizzy. He also suggested I not exercise for a whole week. Perhaps I was just trying to do too many things. I did resume going to the gym on Monday and found after only being gone for a week, it actually was a bit taxing. In fact, I have decided to just go bowling this week and resume going to the gym again next Monday.

Since I don't have any family here--I have decided to bowl in a no-tap tournament at 5:00 p.m. on Christmas day. I probably will do what I did on Thanksgiving and that is run the vacuum and do some cleaning which I very seldom get to.

I just received a call from my niece to let me know my sister in Ohio--the one who had her leg amputated--had a mild heart attack on Monday. They did keep her in the hospital for a couple of days but she is home now and very weak. And to think she is the baby--only 68 years old, however, she is very lucky because she does have three children living nearby.

Tomorrow I am going to make cookies. On Friday I will be going to work instead of tomorrow and then at 1:00 we are going to a fancy restaurant for lunch--paid for by the attorney who owns our little office building. Right after that I have been invited to another attorney's open house. I have been going to this open house for 14 years and each year her children just seem to keep geeting older. In fact, I believe two of her daughters are in college. Everyone brings their favorite dish and there is food galore. Gene is also invited but he has not attended the last two years. I have decided to ask her if I can take a plate home for Gene and I, myself, really will not be hungry since I will have eaten a complete meal. Thank goodness I only have one more party after this and it will be at the bowling alley on December 30th.

Well I had better get moving.

Take care all,
Anita