Is It Spring Yet?? Is It??

I think spring may finally be in the air - shhhhhhh, don't tell anyone though..  The last time I mentioned that it freakin' SNOWED!!  It's May 1st, can the snow be behind us??  Can it?? 

We pulled the old John Deere out of the back of the garage and did some yard work - we'll see if that is enough to get this whole spring shebang into gear!

So....  I lost 62 pounds since July - that's..  uhm...  10 months.  Ok, I can do that! If I may be so bold, I think those three pounds that have been haunting me for the past four weeks are finally "behind me" - we shall see..  But today was a "hungry day" - if it was within a six foot radius, I ate it.  Although I was fairly active today..  Took the GrandAngel to swim lessons - he's still two so the swim lessons involve having me there too, hefting a thirty pound wet weight for an hour (my arms are gone..).  Me 'n the Hubs went to the driving range to get ready for our golf outing this weekend and the GrandAngel and I spent the rest of the afternoon running around the yard - and around, and around, and around....  I'm whooped!!  Trust me, get yourself a two year old and a five acre open area - no gym membership required for the most amazing workout you'll ever do!  Speaking of which, I've just bought an old fashioned VCR player (yep, they still make 'em) just so that I can get back to doing my yoga tapes!  I have so many good ones that have not gone to DVD (or to blue-ray) and I have been dying to get back into it - wish me luck!!

I didn't mention it, but our "Baby" is graduating college this month - and has joined the PA National Guard.  He leaves later this month for basic training.  Our oldest spent two years in the Navy and now our youngest is entering the National Guard..  I have mixed emotions over his enlistment - just as I had with our oldest.  Our oldest spent six months on a Carrier in the Persian Gulf and I'm fearful as to where our youngest will end up..  Not knowing is the worst.  So, I've been dealing with fear, pride, joy and sadness - all wrapped up into a huge "Mom-thing"...  Pass the tissues, I need 'em..

The weekend went well, me 'n the Hubs golfed - and it felt sooooo good to be out in some sunshine for a change!  It didn't SNOW!!  Oh yeah...  we have been known to golf in the snow - but not this time!!  HA!

I hope your week is going well!!
Until Next Time!!

A Little Catching Up...

Ok, so part of being "back" is actually posting , right??  So...  let's do a "catch up" post, shall we??  Since my coming back, me 'n the Hubs have been on a Deaconate retreat (amazing time with amazing folks in an amazing place!) and at "Deacon Reserves".  To refresh, the Hubs is a Deacon candidate in our church and we attend class one weekend a month.  The classes are post-graduate level classes and at the end of five years he will be ordained and I too will have the credits to obtain a post graduate degree...  The classes are mind numbing and by the time the weekend comes to an end I am seriously trying to figure out ways to intravenously infuse gin, vermouth and olive juice....

It snowed these past two days...  Are you kidding me???  Seriously???  SNOW?!?!? 

Speaking of snow, I have an NSV that I've just GOT to share - I skied this year!!  Yep!  ME!  I've skied!  The first time in a long, long time!  I'd pretty much given up on skiing due to my RA, but this year I strapped the skis on and went careening down a mountain - it was so absolutely amazing!  Oh, how I've missed it!  We took our GrandAngel skiing this year too!  Two years old and he was on skis - he and Grammy spent lots of time on the bunny hill - and it was absolutely glorious!

I've lost fifty-eight pounds so far - well, since July of 2011.  I have these three pounds that seem to come and go lately and they're driving me NUTS!!  As soon as I think they're finally gone, just like Jason, they're baaaaaack!  damn!!  So, I am going between fifty-five and fifty-eight, depending on what those damn three pounds want to do!  C'monn GOLF season!  Maybe whacking that little white ball around a manicured course might be the ticket to getting rid of those unwanted pests!

Speaking of "unwanted pests" (Susie Segue strikes again) the ants have been well disposed of - or at least I HOPE they've met their demise!! The exterminator finally came today and did what exterminators do...  We shall see.  The winged ones are the most horrific..  Be gone ants - be GONE!!

Have a Terrific day!!

Until Next Time!



Bullets and Bees..

Busy bees - that's what we've been!  Busy, busy bees!  Things around here have been a but nutso, but it keeps me out of trouble - always a good thing!  Our parents are coming up for the weekend and there's a bazillion things to get done before then.  There would only be half a bazillion if our furnace hadn't blown a fit - it still isn't fixed, by the way.  But, they assured me they're coming Thursday..  We'll see if I'm going to get a new furnace for my birthday or not..  We have our GrandAngel this week too which makes doing things take twice as long - but I wouldn't have it any other way...  He insists on helping me - as only a two year old can.. I spend most of the day giggling at his attempts!

Although I've been busy, I've been keeping up with my blog reading through my phone - which makes commenting kind of crazy.  So, although I've been "quiet" lately, I've been lurking.

Some thoughts....

• I need more fiber..
• I so desperately need a vacation!!!  I dream of drinks with umbrellas in them......
• Earlier "nights" make me depressed...
• The fact that the golf course closed for the winter depresses me even MORE...
• My scale hasn't moved in over a week - it is certainly broken...
• I love these warmer days we've been having - no snow is always a good thing!
• I sometimes wish I was Samantha from Bewitched, wiggle my nose and all my work would be done...
• This Wednesday is the thirty fifth anniversary of the day the Hubs first asked me out - yeah, I know..   but we have always celebrated this anniversary..
• This Thursday (furnace day - yuck) is a big number birthday - If my family has any sort of goofy celebration, I vow to haunt them from the afterlife...
• Acting like you're two - with a two year old - is a really fun thing!

Have a terrific day!!

Until Next Time!

Retail Therapy...

So I finally broke down and actually went out for some honest-to-goodness retail therapy.  I just thought of something...  I still don't have a belt!  Gives me an excuse to get out and therapy-ize again!  I spent an entire day at the outlet mall.  I came home with a few items, but that really wasn't the reason for the therapy session.  My purpose for going was to: (a) find out exactly what size I wear, and  (b) see what may look good.  So, here's the scoop...   I am officially OUT of the "Women's Department" - can I get an "amen" here?!?!?   I wear a solid size 16 trouser.  Before surgery I wore anywhere from a 20 to a 24 depending on the cut.  I tried on a few larger made 14's which fit, but in my book that doesn't count..  And, I could pull 18's down my hips without unbuttoning them - my derriere looked nonexistent in the 18's as well.  A good thing!!  I came home with couple pairs of jeans..

I tried on a few tops and have gone from a 1x to a regular XL.  Not too bad I suppose.  I have monkey arms so I am kind of freakish that long sleeve tops go all the way to my wrists.  Size large tops fit me in the torso - because I have no "girls" - but all the long sleeves looked like three quarter length on me.  I tried on some shoes and bought a cute little pair of brown flats to go with my new jeans.  No drastic change in the foot size department though - oh well..  I guess I'll be sentenced to wearing size elevens for the rest of my days..  Although, I did find one tiny little NSV in the shoe department..  I no longer wear eleven WIDE!!  Just regular old eleven NORMAL!  I guess that deserves a "yay"!!

One thing I learned during this retail therapy trip is that I can and do enjoy shopping..  I haven't enjoyed shopping in so very long..  I can take my time rather than rush in and grab whatever it is I need..  I can try things on in a real honest to goodness dressing room rather than drape myself with the garment or pull it over the clothes I am wearing...  And most importantly, I've learned that it is important to love what I am buying..  What I mean by that is, I can go into a store, see that something looks nice, try it on, and take time to decide whether or not it is worth having.  Yes, therapy is good for the soul...  I figure my next retail therapy trip I will actually try to attempt to tackle bras and other unmentionables!  Baby steps, folks...  Baby steps...

Other than that, it has been quiet around here.  The Hubs is out of town on a business trip so it is me here alone with Hell-fire and Damnation.  I've been able to get lots of work done while everything around here is quiet!  Since I spent the day doing so much on the computer I have been able to finally catch up on my blog reading and commenting as well - always a good thing....

Have a great week!

Until Next Time!

Preconceived Notions

First I would like to welcome all of our lovely B.O.O.B.S. home from what sounds like an amazing weekend!  Fear not, fellow bloggers - those of us chosen to be "designated bloggers" kept blog-land neat and tidy during your absence!  Everything here is just as you left it - and you were all sorely missed!!

Preconceived Notions...  On Saturday I had written a post confessing, shame on me, that I do not own a belt.  I guess what that all boils down to is that as a larger woman, I just hated buying belts.  Hated it.  That wretched number on the tag of the belt at the store read simply "FAT" - not a number, just "FAT"..  So...   like many other things I don't want to own up to, I would put the belt back.  Hence, no belts.  Besides, I really didn't need a belt - my ample stomach was more than enough to hold those slacks into place - and not having a belt meant not having to loosen it after a large meal, good plan at the time...  OK, back to the post and preconceived notions.  I was getting dressed to attend a funeral mass and put on my standard, all purpose black slacks - only to find they were falling off my derriere.  I needed a belt and borrowed the Hub's..  When I absentmindedly grabbed the slacks, it never occurred to me that they wouldn't fit - I do not see myself as being one ounce smaller than I was two months ago..  Oh, I see the numbers on the scale, I make sure to see them every day.  But I don't see me as being that number..  I subconsciously assume that everything I have still fits because I haven't changed.  I've purchased a few pieces of clothing (obviously not slacks or a belt though) since losing some weight, but I still end up in the women's department - and have not bought a different size..  Robyn, from Robyn's Nest was so kind to ask me in her comment on my previous post what size pants I need..  Thank you Robyn!  To answer that question, I first need to admit that I have no idea what size pants, tops, shoes - anything - that I wear..  Secondly, I need to realize that whatever that size is, it is not the size I wore on June 30, 2011 - the day before my liquid diet began before surgery.  Are there support groups for body blindness???

Digging deeper into the old psyche (cue eerie music)..  Soooo many - too many to count - times in the past I've lost weight.  After losing what seemed like tons of weight I would run out and gleefully purchase new and wonderful clothes to reflect my new and improved body - only to eventually gain back the weight.  Sadly, and with disgust in myself, I then give away my wonderful new clothing to more deserving (in my mind) skinny women..  Could this be why I've not reevaluated the size conundrum?  Perhaps....

I guess what is needed is a day of retail therapy.  I need to take a day to myself, go to a department store and actually try on clothing.  I've not done that in years.  I've not tried clothing on in YEARS, people!  Fitting rooms..  I've always hated the little rooms, the overly bright lights, the mirrors that show every flaw, every roll - everything...  Just like the belt thing, trying on clothing, alone in that little room, exposed something I didn't want to own up to - so I avoided it at all cost.  I never looked at tags except to check the price.  If I could drape it around me in the store, it fit.  Some preconceived notions are hard to let go of though.  To get the most out of my day of retail therapy, I need to look - really look - and see.  I need to see that regardless of what size that tag may say, it does not reflect who I am, it is simply a number.  That number does not measure how healthy I am feeling, or how good losing this weight has been for me.  I am NOT the number.

A new world is beginning to emerge around me.  It is up to me to see it.  Self evaluation - it's a good thing...

Have a terrific week!!
Until Next Time!

Nothing Monday...

Happy Monday to you...  ugh..  Monday.  At least it's not raining, that's a plus...  right?  Some sun, but it's mostly overcast though - kinda dreary.  I'm just sitting here trying to get some work done - and realizing how easy and tempting it would be to just switch the "in" and "out" box signs..  Jack is here today cutting the grass.  He's not usually here on Monday's..  I don't know why, but he's racing through the yard on the tractor like the police are on his tail - I didn't think that old thing could reach those speeds.  He and Grace must have a hot date later.  Gotta love Jack.  He's in his seventies and comes once a week to do the yard.  He says he likes having something to do.  I think he just likes driving the tractor around and fishing in the pond afterward.  His wife Grace always sends something yummy to us as well.  Today is a jar of raspberry wine jelly - got toast?

Thank you for the warm and good wishes for our Baby.  Got a good report today - sorta.  He does not have Graves disease - a good thing.  The reason for "sorta" is that they really don't know why he isn't utilizing water as he should and is getting dehydrated as often as he is. He is practicing and working out with the team though and feels pretty good.

The weekend was good.  I did well food wise - well, perhaps I ate a few too many cheese appetizers yesterday - I must need more dairy, that cheese was awesome!  We played nine holes yesterday so I had a pretty nice little workout.  It rained though and the already rain-soaked course was a complete mud-pit.   Me 'n the Hubs looked like we did ten rounds of mud wrestling after it was all said and done..  Afterwards we had a lovely dinner with family and friends...  And I ate too much cheese...

Have a terrific Monday!    

 Until Next Time!

Earth Shaking News... Thank You Secret Band-it!

Oh my heavens!  Ohhhh my heavens!!  My secret bandit gift  arrived and I am sooo thrilled with it!!  What a lovely "pick-me-up" - just what the Doctor ordered to lift me out of this funk I've been in for over a week!  Thank you secret bandit!!  I absolutely LOVE it!!  It is a magnet that says,

Golfer's Serenity Prayer

God, grant me the serenity to accept the shots I miss.

The courage to try again.

And the wisdom not to

throw my clubs in the lake!

Isn't that just the greatest???   We have a place in the mountains that is decorated with only ski and golf decorations - I know exactly where this is going!  Thank YOU!!

On to today.  I have awarded myself the "Mother of the Year" award today.  I received a barage of my youngest son's famous (or I should say infamous) text messages yesterday.  He takes "conversation" very seriously when he texts.  Phone buzzes...  "Hey Mom...."  I respond, "Hey!" waiting for a request of some sort, probably money...  Phone buzzes...  "busy?"  I respond, "Nope, what's up?"  Phone buzzes, "got time to talk?"  (Uh-oh...)  I respond, "Always time for you - what's up?"  Phone buzzes, "Are you busy tomorrow?"  Sighhhhhhhh....  Seven text messages into this conversation and I still have no idea what-so-ever what he wants.....  After a total of ten text messages from him, I finally learn that he needs his suit "tomorrow" - which is today - for his football picture which is scheduled to be taken at lunchtime and to go out to dinner later in the evening with his RA team.  Ahhhh great!  Two hundred and fifty miles before lunch!  Luckily it was a glorious morning for a ride.  I delivered his suit and a few things for his apartment.  Yep, Mom of the Year!

I hope everyone who had experienced the earthquake is ok...  I didn't feel it and I'm pretty bummed about it too - I was driving!  I guess my shocks are doing good though.  Hubs said his building shook which caused some excitement there..  My Mother-in-law felt it too..  She was on her treadmill when their house started shaking.  She said she thought something was wrong with her treadmill and she jumped off it thinking it was going haywire - would have paid to have seen that!  And if any are in the path of Irene, please be safe - do you have your batteries???

I had a slice of pizza tonight.  Not sure how I liked it though.  Oh, the taste was absolutely divine, but it is feeling like I've eaten a brick of raw dough that is just sitting there - sitting there in my stomach making me feel like Jabba the Hut.  Not sure I like this at all.  I had some left over beef for lunch which didn't sit well either.  Beef that was so gloriously tender when we had it for dinner seemed to take on the consistancy of shoe box when I had it for lunch.  So, although my eating today was good, nothing seemed to sit right.  On to tomorrow, I suppose.... 

Have a terrific day and thank you again my Secret Bandit!!

Until Next Time!

A Whole Lotta Nuttin' and Some Whine Too...

OK, I'm being a slug..  I see that my BYOC is still up which means I haven't blogged in a few days.  Not much has been going on around here though and boring you to tears with mundane-ness is not on the old agenda today..  I haven't quite gotten out of this funk that's hanging over my head these past few days.  I'm thinking that maybe I need a good dose of some kind of vitamin or something.  I tried some retail therapy yesterday, but that just seemed to solidify my funk.  I really didn't see anything that I liked in my size(s) and I'm not quite in the size of the things that I seemed to have liked.  A quandary....

We didn't have a chance to golf this weekend due to the rain, but my eating was very good, if I say so myself.  I tried to keep my meals around the one cup mark with very little snacking.  Our friends invited us for dinner Friday and we cooked in Saturday and Sunday.   Me 'n the Hubs made a grilled Chateaubriand with vegetables on Sunday that was absolutely to die for!  That meal is definitely going into the I-pad recipe file-box!  I do love discovering new ways to prepare food, it makes me happy..  I think I missed my calling, my kitchen is one of my favorite places to be in the house...

I think I'm going to have to plan a cigar and martini party for the family - a whoop-la with music and everything.  I think one reason I've been feeling kind of blue (among many) is that I'm missing the boys and haven't seen the GrandAngel in almost a week - yep, I think a gathering is in order.....  Gotta go get the calendar, the lists, the ingredients...  I just might be on to something!

Have a terrific Monday, Everyone!  Friday is only four days away!!   

Until Next Time!

"Wanamaker Happy"?? Give Her A Golf Weekend!

Have you ever sat down at the computer without any idea at all what you're going to post about??  Yeah..  That's me right now - my head's a blank.  OK.. how 'bout this - "what I did today!"  I didn't really do much today.  I got the guest room ready for our "Baby" to come home from school.  We moved him to the guest room because, quite frankly, he outgrew his old bed and we just never bought him a new one!  At the end of his high school year, his legs were dangling over the foot end of the bed in his room - he's 6'2", 285...  We figured, no one ever really uses the guest room, it has its own bath and a king size bed - why not??    Anyway, he's spending a few days at home before he needs to check in for football camp.  I did a humongous grocery shopping trip today too - again, the "Baby" is home......   I'm thrilled that he's here though, and even more thrilled that he told he needed a "home-fix" before football camp started!  I was absolutely stunned when he arrived home - stunned, I tell you!  Ready for this?? He actually did his laundry BEFORE coming home for the weekend, first time ever!!  My Baby is growing up...

Oh! I didn't tell you about a terrific little NSV I had yesterday!!  I was out buying a few things for our trip to the PGA Championship...  I didn't tell you about the PGA Championship??  Oh, I will have to rectify that immediately!!  Hubs surprised me with tickets for two days to the last Major of the year!!  Isn't that wonderful??  He was able to get tickets for one day in the Wanamaker Club (named after the Wanamaker trophy awarded to the winner of the PGA Championship) and Sunday we have General Admission tickets so that we can park our happy little bottoms on the 18th green and watch all the groups come in - and the trophy presentation too!  How terrific is THAT???  We also have plans to golf a couple of days while we're there.  Dear friends of ours will be our hosts at their golf club one afternoon, we've got tee times to golf Bear's Best - which is a Jack Nicklaus design course of all his favorite golf holes, and we're doing an outing with one of the Hubs business partners at his golf club!  Talk about an abfabamundo long weekend!!  Ok, back to the NSV....  I was looking for something cool to wear to the tournament and found two terrific, light-weight sundresses - size 18,  AND on SALE at Macy's!!  They fit, and I bought 'em!!  I haven't worn a sun dress in YEARS, Ladies!   Woot!  Woot!  I'm one happy camper right now!  If you happen to be watching the PGA Championship on Sunday, I'll be wearing an extremely loud PINK golf shirt!  I wore that shirt when we sat on the 18th green on Sunday at the Women's US Open at Oakmont, I found me in every golf magazine and every highlight when Paula Creamer won the event!!  The pink is loud, trust me!

This weekend we'll be on the Hubs Deaconate (Deacon reserves) retreat out in the mountains.  We had a retreat there back in April and I truly loved that place..  So peaceful and quiet.  I had such an amazing experience last time we had a retreat there, and I'm truly looking forward to this weekend too.  I've posted a picture of the chapel (here) from a post I'd written after returning from the last retreat.  I'm hoping that since it won't be as cold as it was last time we were there that I'll be able to take lots more photos!

Soooo, for not having anything to write about, this turned out to be a pretty long post..  Eating has been good, I've managed to stay within the 500-800 calorie range, and about one half to one cup of food per meal which is on my instruction list.  I've been adding a few soft items like over cooked veggies and larger chunks of tuna to my mushies which has been helping me stay full longer.  I've been noticing that I'm getting hungry about two hours or less after a meal, so this has helped a bit.

One more thing, HAPPY BANDIVERSARY, KELLY!!!   

 

Until Next Time!

Liquids and.. That's About It..

Thirty three hours and ten minutes until mushies!!  ...just sayin'   Nahhhhh, It's not like I'm anxious or anything, but a scrambled egg sounds soooooo good and especially tasty right now!  I'm actually dreaming of them..  prepared in various ways..  I guess that's what four weeks of liquids will do to you...  Four loooong weeks...  I suppose doing the liquid thing is better than fighting with insurance companies, right??  Always a silver lining, just gotta find it....

The weekend was good.  Extremely hot, too fast, and good.  I'm moving much easier these day, thank heavens, spent some wonderful time with family on Sunday, and enjoyed our GrandAngel all day Sunday and most of today.  He is always so much fun and such a terrific workout too!  We'll be getting him back tonight after Scripture Study and he'll be with us into tomorrow.  Grammy will be sure to take a nice long nap today!

Odd day we're having..  One minute it is like Armageddon out there, complete with the thunder, lightening and gale force wind, the next minute the sun is out and it is sweltering, sauna-esque..  I hope Mother Nature makes up her mind soon about this day because I need to either set up the sun porch or the dining room for class tonight.   That, and I've already had one shower today - and am getting ready for my second..  I may just need to plan for a third!  I honestly don't mind the hot temps, I just wish it wouldn't sap the life out of me...  Maybe I'm just needing some surf, tanning lotion, and a drink with a little umbrella in it to go along with the heat!

Sooo, I guess that's my little post today about absolutely nothing.  Kinda like watching an episode of Seinfeld without all the cool characters, wasn't it..   All in all there really isn't anything exciting to post about liquids..  On that note, I think I'm going to sip on a cool V8!

Until Next Time! 

The Last Supper....

Our last post opened with a literary theme, a quote from Water Scott's "Marmion", published in 1908.  Today we begin our post with an art appreciation theme, a masterpiece entitled "The Last Supper", painted by Leonardo da Vinci, and completed in 1498.  I am sure my Mother is smiling a huge smile from the great beyond in the fact that the hard earned cash they shelled out for my private education is finally paying off....  Yeah, it's been another quiet day around here!

CAUTION:  FOOD PORN! 

The Last Supper..  So the Hubs and our dear friend, brother and Priest decide to "celebrate" my "Last Supper" before liquids with an impromptu party!  Can you believe them??  A surprise party - for three.  Trust me, with what I've consumed this evening, I should be full until the day of surgery!  I came home to martinis and an appetizer of cracked lobster claws, loaded with a mound of peel and eat shrimp in the center of each plate.  A Main course of grilled Delmonico steaks smothered in sauteed mushrooms and lobster tails with drawn butter, served with my favorite pinot noir.  Dessert was home made blueberry pie and ice cream - and a lovely single malt scotch.  Yes, two men put this meal together, can you tell??  Two men who I suspect were thinking that this was going to be their last supper as well - and I am thoroughly blessed and thrilled that they did that!

Thank you to everyone who responded to my question about letting the lap band cat out of the bag or not.  I really do need to tell my family, and especially liked the suggestion of telling them "after the fact" - what's done is done, right?? Although I'm sure my brother who will know all things about lap band because he stayed at a Holiday Inn will be sure to "educate" me on the theorems of weight loss..  I'm a strong woman, I can handle it..   I'm not ashamed, in fact I'm quite the opposite!  Thrilled, excited and so very anxious to get 'er done!   I'm just not sure I'm ready to discuss this subject with a 77 year old, lovable, but very shy and reserved man (my Dad) who has in the past refused to use the word "hysterectomy" in public because "that's one of those woman things...."

Until Next Time!

Oh What A Tangled Web We Weave....

That quote was written by Walter Scott and is found in "Marmion," an epic poem about the Battle of Flodden Field (1513) "Marmion" was published in 1808..  Yeah.. it's been quiet around here today..  Not much going on.  At. All.  Can you tell??  My liquid diet starts later this week so I've been enjoying a whole slew of "last suppers" these days.  Surprisingly though, I've not had an uncontrollable urge to wolf down every morsel of edible food and maybe not edible too that is in this house - I really thought I would.  I expected to be that little yellow Pac-Man tearing throughout my entire house..  We'll talk on Friday though.. I'll be anxious to see whether or not I will be wishing I DID wolf down every morself of edible food in this house!

So far the agenda is:  Liquids beginning on Thursday, a pre-surgery appointment next Tuesday with the Bariatric Doc, a pre-surgery appointment next Tuesday with the Anaesthesiologist, and a pre-surgery appointment on the 8th of July with my Rheumatologist. 

This past weekend we celebrated our GrandAngel's second birthday here on the Ponderosa.  Our family from the "Burgh" came up for the event.  Other than the preparations for the party,  I've created a virtual mess of office work for myself in hopes of having everything finished before surgery - and more importantly after.  But this weekend  I got 'ta thinkin'..  I need to throw a question out there to all my Banded and Beautiful Babes..

How many people have you told about your weight loss surgery?  Before and after... 

Who I have told...  I have of course discussed it in length with the Hubs - who has given me his unconditional support.  The kids know and are completely behind me, my Priest who is our best friend and brother knows (it's the Catholic girl in me...)  and he's given me his blessing,  my Spiritual Adivsor and friend Sr. Marian knows, and she is absolutely thrilled for me, three of my best friends know and they're totally excited that I've decided to do this. Who I have NOT told...  My family.  And I'm feeling really guilty about that, too.  Guilty enough to be thinking thoughts like, "oh my heavens - what if I die on the operating table??"  Or, "What do I tell them if I DO begin losing a good deal of weight", or when they're heaping my plate with home made Haluski, Galumpkies and Kogl Mogl -  and I'm eating it like a bird??  Or heaven forbid - sin of all sins - not drinking beer??  I come from a hearty Polish/Russian family who centers every one of life's milestones around food.. LARGEAMONGUS quantities of food..  The Hubs family is Italian - I can't WIN here, can I...  One reason I have not said anything to them is that that our parents are getting up in age.  They have a whole list of their own life threatening health issues that they're dealing with on a daily basis - I really don't want to burden them by adding worry (and they will.. excessively so..  Polish/Russian/Italians, remember??).  Another reason is that I'm really not sure they'd understand - or more importantly - approve.   I've not told my brother because..  well..  I just don't want to hear it from him.  He is the type of person who knows everyting about every subject - and will fight you to the death (you will be begging for death) if you disagree with him...  I love him dearly but I just don't want to deal with him on this particular subject.  I'm sure he knows a guy who knows a guy who lost 800 pounds on the beer and chips diet and that I could do alot better on my own if I tried...  yadda...  yadda...   

How did you (or would you) handle this??  I would love to hear your thoughts on this matter....

I hope your week is going great!

Until Next Time!

*PSA* - What NOT to do..

So, we're all bloated from all the chicken soup we've consumed during the latest "germ-fest" we endured, but we're all coming around nicely.  Hopefully when the little germ bag (our GrandAngel) comes today he isn't bringing a fresh round of microbes to replace the ones we've worked so diligently to be rid of!

Now for the PSA..  **ALERT** (play annoying buzz from the emergency broadcast system)..  This is an alert - if you or a loved one wears a malicious CPAP device (in other words, "CRAP"), please remember that it will strike when you're most vulnerable!  Do NOT let your guard down!  Two nights ago, Hannible (my malicious CRAP device) once again made his devious presence known while I was down and out with the germs.  He waited ever so patiently while I slept..  My nose stuffed and my head feeling like a bowling ball, he hunted..  On the prowl like a lioness choosing her weak victim from the herd of wildebeest, Hannibal waited, waited for that precise moment, the exact moment my nose exploded in "productive" sneeze..  At that very second, he puffed and blew the "production" of my sneeze back into my face..  What as awful and unpleasant way to be jarred awake in the dark of the night...  Oh, the Hubs enjoyed the "excitement" - and did nothing to help in my distress..  Men. 

I have a new mask on order, and am using the old one for now.

Anyway, all's quiet here while I wait for the arrival of the little germ bag who caused all the excitment in the first place..  As soon as he gets here we'll be leaving for the Bariatric Doc - so keep your fingers crossed!!  I may be down two pounds since last month (the scale is saying 1.8 pounds, but who knows...)  Speaking of scales..  Yeah..  I'm as much of a scale fiend as some of you!  I was bored the other afternoon and decided to weigh myself before my shower and then again after.  I noticied that I am .5 pounds less after a shower - consistently, too...   It's not that I'm a coal miner who has pounds of soot and coal dust that washes off me when I shower - and yes, I shower every day!  Even with wet hair I've been .5 pounds less after a shower...  Hmmmmm, something to ponder I suppose...     Yeah....  I was bored.

Here's to a good week!!

Until Next Time!

Over The Hump Day...

Hey, hey all!  We've had the GrandAngel these past few days, and he's been one sick cookie..  Poor guy.  He's coming around today thanks to a couple of doses of Amoxicillin, but he's still not his old self yet.  I am just counting the days.  I know that the little germ bag is spreading his wealth throughout this entire household - It's coming, I know....  We're stocking up as though we're going to war.  Juice, vitamins, tissues and LOTS of oranges. 

The weekend with Gina and friends went really well - I think she (and a few others) really needed this girls day together.  We topped it off - with several bottles of wine - back at Gina's house.  That, and our toes look really special, too!

I have a dilemma.  Somehow, in all the craziness around here these past few weeks, I managed to schedule two appointments on the same day - at completely different areas in Western Pa!  I can just kick myself - I'm usually so good about this kind of stuff - and I whiffed it, completely!  What should I do??  I know I need to reschedule one of them, but I'm not sure which one to reschedule..  I have the Bariatric Doc at 10am on Tuesday, and the Rheumatologis at 2pm - they're about one hundred twenty miles apart which pretty much makes it impossible to be at both.  Sigghhhhhhh...  Do I reschedule the Bariatric or the Rheumatologist??  I'm thinking the Rheumatologist - I have only two weight checks left, and I really don't want to screw around with the insurance thing at this point with the Bariatric check...  What do you think???

One more thing!  Stephanie - if you're out there (and I hope you are!) please email me at therestofmylife61@gmail.com  I tried to leave a comment but couldn't find your blog...  I'm sorry I hadn't gotten back to you sooner!

Have a GREAT day!
Until Next Time!

A Whole Lotta Nuttin...

What day is it today??  Ahh yes, Thursday..  It's been that kind of couple of weeks - I don't know if I'm coming or going..  Our Baby has gone back to school (making a sad face here)..  Because he is on the trimester system his spring breaks are different than the schools that use semesters.  Anyway, he is going back and becoming an RA.  Great.  I asked him "why?????" - he did get the spring internship he applied for (the two and a half hour drive through one of the most hellacious snow storms Lake Erie could spew), he's got spring-ball, conditioning, 6am runs, oh - and a full load of courses and labs...  Why in the name of all that's holy would he even consider being an RA to babysit an apartment building full of young people away from home for the first time - WHY???  His response?  "Cause I get free food and a single apartment."  Hey..  I guess that's as good a reason as any, right?  I sometimes wish I could take some of the oomph from my youngest baby and inject it into my oldest..  He's so laid back that there are times I feel the need to put a mirror under his nose to see if he's still "with us"..

My nails are a mess.. Between all that's been happening around here and Father Nature (a fellow sister wouldn't do this to me), I haven't had the chance to get out and do much of anything!  My friend Gina (who lost her husband last week) also does my hair - I think maybe a day together might just be in order.  You know?  I like that idea - we could get out, get mani's and pedi's then do lunch - I think it would do both of us a world of good..

Other than that, things seemed to have calmed down here a bit.  I think I can in confidence say that I'm officially caught up on all my beloved blogs and I am really thrilled about that!  Now if only the "Spring tease" will just move along everything will be as it should be.

The "Spring Tease"??  Oh, that just means that everything is beginning to get "Spring-y" except the weather!  Our geese are back - Fred and Ethel came back about three days ago.  The red winged black birds are back, and my hedges are beginning to get tiny, little, itty, bitty buds on them - BUT - the pond is still frozen (the geese are sliding around.. it's pretty funny), and it is snowing today confusing the heck out of the two ducks that came in yesterday.  So yes, Father Nature is still up to his old tricks - Spring Tease.

Well, if you made it through this rather pointless post, I am so proud of YOU!!  :)  Have a terrific day today and remember to smile - makes folks wonder what you're up to!

Until Next Time!