Time Away... Glorious Time Away...

We're at the beach - yes, two glorious weeks at the beach!  We have our GrandAngel here with us, family has come by, and hopefully friends will be by next week.  I love this time in North Carolina - time with family, friends and loved ones.  It is hectic, and wonderful at the same time - does that make sense??  I've been yearning for this time away, and am embracing, enjoying and savoring every blessed second of it..  It's amazing how time away with loved one changes ones perceptions and straightens out ones priorities...

Life has been rather stressful in Lisa-land these past few months - so to say that I've craved being here in the sun, surf, and pool would be a total understatement!  And get this - I have not weighed myself in over a WEEK~!  Ouch..  I'm almost afraid to see what that son of a...  what that scale has to say when I get home!

When I left home over a week ago I was firmly in "Onderland" - we will see if I've stayed there!  I'm not betting the proverbial farm though, I've been eating like a pig and the wine and martinis are flowing much more than the ocean has waves - it's all good though.  I figure it this way, one day (hopefully in the distant future) my headstone will say "she lived life to its fullest" - not that she subsisted on carrots, celery and protein water...  Time at the beach with family and friends comes once a year..  Just sayin'...

We had a bit of a disturbance here with tropical whatever Beryl.  Freaky...  We all stayed in and had a glorious time just chillin' in this amazing beach-house.  And each of us cooked a course for an incredible meal!  However, although Beryl was a "tropical disturbance" I would NOT want to be here for a full blown hurricane.  Just freaky, watching heavy deck furniture blow around the deck like it were made of hollow aluminum was enough for me! 

Our youngest has gone off to basic training for the National Guard.  He graduated college and has gone to Georgia for his basic and officer training.  His not being here with us - and being somewhere where I am not has definitely put a hole in my heart..  I am so proud of him, but at the same time my Mother-heart hurts.  I've been texting with his beautiful girl-friend.  She is taking his being away very hard...  Please keep us all in your prayers..

Happy Summer to you!  I will post pictures as soon as I can!

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!



The Revolving Door That Is My Life!

To say that things around this psychiatric unit I call my home are out of control would be the understatement of the year - My apologies for being the sole nominee for the worst blogger of the month!  Our GrandAngel has been with us these past few days making things that much more exciting - so know that I've been reading every moment I have had a chance, even if I haven't been commenting much...

Here are some photos of what the plumbing looks like - and as soon as the plumbers are through, next through the revolving door will be the new furnace folks.  Can you say C-R-A-Z-Y???  The first photo is taken in the mudroom - yes the jack hammering still has my brain vibrating..  You can see the remnants of my pantry behind the little boy whose job it was to hammer into the very core of my spinal column..  The second photo is the hole that was the entire floor of our mudroom.  You'll love this - no sooner had they "finished" the work, poured the new cement and replaced the appliances in the room, we discovered a pool of water forming under our clothes washer - take two...  I am ready to claim these young men on our 2011 taxes!  They're baaaaack....  So, the furnace folks are on hold until the plumbing work is really completed and there are no longer pools of water anywhere - or toilets burping, belching and spewing...

All is not lost though!  I have some good news!  Well..  let's go back a bit, shall we??  Me, like the slug that I am, did not post for an entire week - since Thanksgiving!  Yeah, I can't believe it either - a whole WEEK!  Mea culpa, mea culpa...  I gained two pounds over Thanksgiving - damn you Mom's recipe for stuffing and butter gravy - damn you!  But, having my little workout machine here for an entire week - our GrandAngel - has helped me to lose those two pounds and three more!!  Yay me!!  So today...  are you ready for this??  Today I say 200.4 on the scale!!  Wowowow!!  0.6 lbs to Onderland!

Thanksgiving was wonderful, I really didn't overdo it this year - as I have so many years in the past.  The kids all came, friends came, it was a glorious time!!  And thank YOU Ronnie for the chocolate pie recipe - it was a HIT!!!  I had a taste of everything and seconds on the stuffing and gravy...  What are ya going to do, right??  If I hand out the motto, I've got to live it myself - "Yesterday is gone, tomorrow is yet to be, all we have is today..  Make the MOST of it!"  And I did.  I enjoyed my family, I enjoyed our friends, the glorious food, the amazing drinks - I enjoyed!  And I plan to keep on enjoying knowing that I have my band to keep me in check.

Although it is a week past Thanksgiving, I had - actually "have" - so many things to be thankful for..  My December goal is to continue to be thankful for all the blessings around me.......
......even if they ARE spine jarring!


Until Next Time!

November 1st - Jumbalaya Day!

So we had one trick or treat(er) last night - our GrandAngel!!  He came dressed as a dinosaur!!  Our Son (who was dressed as a - ready for this?? - chick magnet...) brought him to see Grammy and Opa for Halloween!  So, although we didn't have the "regular" kind of trick-or-treaters, we had a truly wonderful kind!!  And of course Grammy and Opa were ready for our littlest trick or treater - we had a pumpkin FULL to the brim of many kinds of wonderful treats just waiting for him - Grammy's are always ready for these things!   These aren't the best photos taken of our GrandAngel because he couldn't stand still long enough to have his picture taken!  Being pretty revved up on sugar, he spent the evening scaring Hell-fire and Damnation (the dogs) in best dinosaur form..  The dogs didn't mind though - he had pockets full of cheese curls... Any good dog worth his salt knows that he'll do anything - even be afraid of a two year old dressed up like a dinosaur - for a good cheese curl!

Chick Magnet...

So it turned out to be a pretty good Halloween, if I say so myself..  I always like having our Guys come to visit - dressed up is always a good thing!  Oh, and I kept my wandering and pudgy fingers OUT of the Halloween bowl this year - which in itself is a terrific thing, if I say so myself!

Today is All Saints Day - kinda makes you want to eat a huge bowl of jumbalya and sing "When the Saints...." doesn't it??   We took our GrandAngel to Mass with us tonight - what a hoot!  He very loudly applauded the cantors who sang, said "Grace" especially loud during the quiet parts, and thought the priest was sleeping while he was sitting in his chair on the altar - he shushed the lector while she read the readings - then proudly told the congregation "He up now..." when the priest stood to read the Gospel..  Besides nearly knocking over the holy water font, he sang, prayed and pretty much entertained everyone who was in a ten foot radius of us...  He truly "participated" at mass - in two year old fashion...

I hope everyone had a terrific day today!!
Until Next Time!

Is It Martini Time Yet??

CA-RAZY~  That has been my life this week - absolutely crazy!  A good crazy I suppose, but crazy none the less.  On Saturday night, we are hosting the Bishop and others from our Diocese for dinner.  He will be visiting to our tiny little parish - out in the middle of nowhere - for Confirmation then dinner at our place afterwards.  Sooooo, that means tons of cleaning - rugs, windows, preparing food, drink, and all the what-not that is involved in a dinner party for ten.  The whole shebang..   I'm not completely unhappy doing all this heavy work right now because I usually do these things this time of year anyway.  It just usually takes me longer to get it done - on my own time, so to speak!  Anyway, besides our dinner plans this weekend, we also have the Diaconate Reserves (classes), and Senior Day at our Baby's football game Saturday - can you say double martini???  STAT!

The "Binky" makes the ensemble!

Fall fest was a blast - the GrandAngel wore us - and the entire ski resort - out!  We all slept well~!  I did manage to lose two pounds over the weekend swimming, playing at the park, and generally running around after a two year old - imagine that...  We bought most of the things for him that we had planned although I could not find a pair of ski bib overalls in a size 2T...  I'm going to have to get creative here...  The festival itself was nice.  There was the usual craft fair stuff that you find in most Autumn fairs - my quota of carved duck toilet paper holders is filled for the moment - but we loved the food, the entertainment, and the all-around atmosphere!  A terrific time was had!!  Although, I am still looking forward to having a good candy apple - can you imagine??  A fall-fest without candy apples........  Unheard of, I tell you!

Although I've been busy, I've been trying to keep up with all of you and commenting whenever I've had the chance..  You've been my rest and my "take me away" moments from this crazy week - thank you!!!

I will be absolutely thrilled when Sunday gets here and I can just have a glass of wine, take a deep breath and relax by the fire.  I plan on doing nothing but sitting by that fire and watching a good football game - whether or not that will be a Steeler's game is another debate for another day..

Maybe I'll just watch golf............................

 



Until Next Time!!

Being Two...

Hey all! Happy TGIF! Just a short note from the handy dandy i-pad today. We're at the ski lodge with our GrandAngel this weekend for "Fall-Fest". Fun times! So I spent today being two. The Munchkin and I ran around the playground (for hours..), went to the pool, the hot tub, the indoor playground and back to the ourdoor playground! ...wonders how many calories.. Uhm, doesn't matter.. I was TWO today! We all could use a day of being two - I'm just too damn old to make "being two" an everyday event!

The feastval here is pretty nice, the leaves are beginning to turn and the weather is warm - with a slight chill in the breeze. As I've said, the festival is good, but the main attraction is the ski swap and the vendors. Some have ski stuff on sale for over 70% off... We're looking to outfit the Munchkin with ski clothes and a beginner set of mini skis and boots. He'll outgrow everything by next year so why pay full price?? I've also been dying - make that CRAVING a candy apple. I haven't had one in years.. I'm being two, remember?? Maybe I'll just throw myself on the ground and stomp my feet if I don't get one...

Oh.. I'm afraid I can't comment on your blogs if you have your word verification thingy on. Not sure if it is something to do with the handy dandy i-pad or Blogger. I'm reading though!

Have a terrific weekend!
Until Next Time!

Thank YOU, Secret Bandit!

Thank you, thank you, thank YOU, Secret Bandit!!  What a lovely and thoughtful gift I received in the mail today!!  My Secret Bandit sent me the most beautiful martini glass - in my absolute favorite color!!  It is a rose pink glass with beautiful spots that yes, look like lady bugs!  The grooves very much remind me of golf balls!  The pictures I snapped do not do this beautiful piece of glass work justice..  Along with the martini glass (which WILL be used later this evening while I'm watching my favorite golf show), I received the most beautiful, inspiring and encouraging letter - I cried..  I cried big tears it was so beautiful, so full of care..  Thank you, Secret Bandit, thank you for your friendship, your encouragement, your thoughtfulness..  You touched my heart more than you'll ever know...

So we've recovered from the Deacon Reserves weekend, thankfully.  I had a really tough time with food over the weekend.  It seemed that at every meal my band (which still remains nameless...) snapped shut good and tight.  I'm noticing that it seems to happen often when I eat out.  Eating at home doesn't seem to be a problem..  I make it a point to concentrate on what I'm doing, go very slowly, take ever so small of a bite and chew to oblivion, but it doesn't seem to help.  Even a tiny sip of water isn't helpful..  Three bites into the meal and my little lady hiccups begin rearing their ugly heads - yeah, I know we touched on the fact that hiccups have no heads, please humor me..  I'm not quite sure what to do about this annoying little conundrum - I love that word, "conundrum"..  Anyway, it only seems to happen when I am eating out.....  Any suggestions???  I am ready to resign myself to the fact that I'll only be having the soup and mashed potatoes when I eat out...

And all is quiet here at the ponderosa, thankfully.  I believe our GrandAngel is coming tomorrow to spend a few days with us, so I'm getting my workout shoes ready!  I was a complete slug over the weekend - sitting at a desk for hours on end will do that.  I did take a short walk at lunch on Saturday, but it was more for the sunshine than the exercise!  I'm looking forward to running around the yard and shedding my slug!

Have a terrific week!!
Until Next Time!

Catching Up..

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea culpa..  I haven't posted in such a long time - what a complete slug I am..  Again, mea culpa...  Things around here have calmed a bit, but still no end in sight - at least in the near future.  I will post about it all eventually, but my heart's just not ready to put things down in words yet.  I've been reading and commenting though, getting my daily dose of motivation, smiles and good vibes from blog-land!  Thank you for keeping my head in the game...  Because of what I get from your words, from you, I've been able to refrain from "stress eating" - which is always a good thing in my book.  AND, because of what I get from all of you, I've made it a point to eat as well.  Healthy eating, logging, and making sure I get in all the protein and calories I need..  You see, sometimes I tend to be a "stress NON-eater"  ultimately resulting in binge eating when I realize I haven't eaten anything in quite awhile - not good.

The weekend was good - I do love my weekends!  Saturday we attended our baby's game and the tail-gate before, during and after was incredible!  Such FUN!  The team won, the food and drink were flowing, and it was just an all around good day!  We took our GrandAngel with us - which is why there are no real photos - which meant I got my workout.  We literally did laps around the field during the entire game!!  I mentioned to Cat in her latest blog entry that I thought she was a military drill Sargent in another life, our GrandAngel would give her a run for her money in that department!  Oh! and Amanda, I so thoroughly enjoyed that double martini I promised "we" would have, and made it a point to toast YOU!!  Sunday, the Hubs and I got in eighteen holes - finally!  Although the course was still a bit wet, we made the most of it.  I actually beat him by three strokes!  Yay me!!  I keep propping that score card up by the coffee pot for him to see - rub it in a bit each day..  keep him humble...

Leaves are beginning to turn around here.  Not many, but I'm beginning to see them on the lawn - more and each day...  The garden is just about finished, and the east field is a bumper crop of full bloom goldenrod..      I need to dry my herbs soon, I just don't want to though - I'm not ready.  We had our first fire in the fireplace this past weekend, and I actually had to break down and turn the furnace on one evening - Nope, not ready..

I am still wearing my flip-flops...

Have a great week!!

Until Next Time!

Shoot Me Now....

As the title says, "Shoot me now"..  If you have a compassionate bone in your body, put me out of my misery.  I've been "under the weather" lately - or to put it more bluntly, I have a freaking sinus infection..  I've had it pretty much the entire week and have not done a darn thing but feel sorry for myself.  Nyquil is my friend and Sudafed is my life support.  I made the Hubs buy the Sudafed this time, I wasn't in the mood to play twenty questions, get frisked, and have my drivers license picture on the pharmacy wanted posters.  Remember when I was pre-band, I spent that cool Sunday afternoon making all those home-made soups??  They're officially gone after this week - every single last bag.  I am now resigned to either get off the couch long enough to make a fresh batch or resort to canned...  Shoot me now...

I have managed to read blogs this week, I truly felt like a stalker, lurking and reading but not posting.  I did some commenting too.  I am simply amazed at some of the work-out mojo that's going on out there in blog-land!  You have all been such an inspiration and motivation to me.  For the time being though, there aren't enough tissues in the world to be doing "downward facing dog," so it just ain't happening - if you know what I mean...  And please don't suggest nose tampons, been there, done that - it doesn't work....  Shoot me now...

So tomorrow is "official" weigh in day.  I usually weigh everyday - I know, it's my OCD, I can't help it - but the official date for the spread-sheet is the first of the month.  We'll see what the ole "Health-o-meter" has to say.  Other than my first experience of being stuck last weekend, was that really the last time I've blogged??  Talk about being a slug!  My week has been pretty good food wise, although not as physical as I would have liked.  I did drink a lot of soup though, and indulged in a few ice pops..  We'll just have to see what the scale has to say...  I've grown in the attitude that "it is what it is"..  I'm feeling healthier, my clothes fit better, and I am beginning to do things I haven't been able to do in a long while - it's all good...

I know where this little festival of germs came from - and you guessed it - that beautiful little germ-bag we call our GrandAngel.  We had him over last weekend, runny nose and all.  I love how he comes within centimeters of my face, holds my cheeks in his grimy little hands and says, "Grammy??  Kiss me??"  then proceeds to sneeze and cough right before the glorious kiss..  yep, that's exactly where this germ-fest came from...    In the picture to the right --> he is "kissing" his toe after he accidentally ran over it with his fire truck..  He has learned how to kiss and kisses everything - including the dogs.  No wonder I'm sick.................

Have a terrific Thursday!  The long weekend is almost HERE!

Until Next Time!

Update 'n Stuff

Hey All!  I'm baaaack!  Refreshed, recharged, re-energized and ready to go!  I do love these weekend retreats!  The weather was kinda blah, stormy actually, so I didn't get to take very many pictures of the incredibly beautiful retreat facilities..   You're just going to have to take my word for it - sooo wonderfully beautiful and peaceful - especially during a good storm...   I am so thrilled at how much the Hubs gets out of these retreats as well.  This was really good for him..  He too has come back recharged and refreshed, and we're both ready and excited to begin a new year of classes at the "Deacon Reserves.."  Our next retreat will be in April..  I'm kinda sorry it's so far away...

We're home long enough to clean our things, re-pack, then we're off to our golf weekend!!  How great is that??  You'll be happy to know that my golf clubs fit perfectly in their new travel bag - I know you were concerned about them..   Let's just pray they arrive at the same place and time as I do!  I really don't have much to pack - which is a good thing - but I'm having trouble deciding which golf shoes to take.  Should I take the sandals (which are cooler and show off my pedi but are very casual) or the more "dressy" white ones - that require (ugh) socks...  I'm thinking the dressy-ier ones since we'll be guests at two different friends golf clubs...  Ya know, I guess if this is the worst decision I need to make all week, I'm in a good place...

Eating this weekend away was pretty good, if I say so myself.  And I've actually lost two pounds over the weekend as well - Yay!!  I took a few things of my own such as yogurts and protein powder which helped, and managed to find things to eat during the meals.  Everything seemed to slide down so easy over the weekend - but today I could barely get smashed potatoes down..  Is the band always this finicky??  I swear a mushed up carrot is still in there taunting me... 

Our GrandAngel is home from his vacation to the beach with his other grandparents and came to visit with us today.  He 'n the Hubs are snuggled up all cozy like in the air conditioned bedroom.  "One Fish, Two Fish.."  is still opened to the page where they both fell asleep..  such a beautiful sight..  I've missed the stuffing out of that little guy, and he was only gone a week.. 

I think I just may need to join them!

Until Next Time!

Update Number.. Uhm.. I Lost Count..

Update on the "Official Investigation":

So here's the scoop.  On Wednesday, the "Firm" launched an official "investigation" (incident report) into the reason why I hadn't heard diddly squat from my insurance company in almost six weeks regarding my inquiry into lap band surgery.  So far here is the result.  The insurance company insists that they had received my request and records on June 7th, and that it takes ten days to process the request.  Since then, they have requested not two (as stated in the written requirements) but three years of weight history from my primary care physician - which was faxed to them late yesterday.  Thankfully for me I had been seeing this physician for over three years!  Whew!  I say "thankfully" because other than my marriage, I'm usually not that committed.  BUT, the Insurance Guru from the Bariatric office has insisted that she formally submitted my information to the insurance company in late May......  Therein lies the discrepancy..  I really loathe this crap - really, I do.  So that is where we stand.  Ten business days from June 7th is Monday...  We shall see....  I'm not holding my breath.  But I do have the "big guns" making the calls now, which is a good thing, I suppose.

On to bigger and better things.  Well, maybe not "bigger", but better.  We spent most of this week with our GrandAngel.  And if I said it once, I'll say it a thousand times - don't spend your hard earned money on a gym membership - rent or find yourself an energetic two year old - I'm sure there are many a parent out there who would be more than glad to pass one out for an afternoon or so!!  I have lost three pounds this week just trying to keep up with him!  Eating??  fahgetabahtit!  You're not going to eat anything without them saying "want some??" and then giving it up to them!  And I think I've chased him around the house about a bazillion times as HE chased the coon hound - wanting to ride him...  The hound is pretty laid back for the most part, but I'm sure he can only take being poked in the eyes so many times...  "Grammy!  Eyes!  His Eyes!"  I think the hound has taken to hiding these days...

Today we took the Munchkin to visit the parents down in the 'Burgh..  They haven't seen him in awhile and we all had a pretty terrific time together..  I'm sure they had gone to bed within minutes of our leaving though - they had that "look" about them..  The GrandAngel does that to people...

Soooo, that's what's going on in LisaLand..  I hope all is well in your world!

Until Next Time!

Tears and Waiting.....

It is our last night at the beach... What a glorious two weeks it has been, too. We've already booked our two weeks for next year, so the "count down" has begun! I've not posted any photos yet because the handy-dandy I-pad is being temperamental.. I just hope what comments I could make on your blogs were at least coherent! This thing's a &$?tch to type on! Martini induced commenting doesn't help either.. I've tried uploading photos... Unfortunately no go. Welp.. That gives us all something to look forward to when I get home!

Ok.. Now for some heartbreaking, self indulging, soul searching, truth here.. I've been happy on our vacation.. Extatic - most of the time. I have had moments that have brought me to tears though.. Private tears, as to avoid looking like a miserable, spoiled, drama queen.. You know what I mean.. Take a shower, cry your eyes out kind of moments.. Then return to the group and wipe it all away with a dirty martini, all smiles.. All is good. I've gone through a miriad of emotions these past two weeks that have left me bereft, bewildered and betwixt.. To set the stage of my roller coaster of emotions, it has been almost a month - ONE month - since my "case has been under review" (per the insurance coordinator - her words). I've not heard anything. Nothing. Nada. I've called and called, only to be told "..still in review" each time. This is complete BS.. I've read and know of folks with Aetna Insurance who receive approval in days... One MONTH?? One freaking month?? And I'm still "in review"?? So, my anxiety over approval is the baseline.. Add the bajillion pictures of all of us taken at the beach, the pool, the hot tub... Normally I feel really nice, well put together with my tan, well coordinated with my suit and a wrap - I've never been one to shy away from the camera on vacation.. Not this year. Pictures of me look like one big, huge, brown, rectangle wrapped in a colorful wrap.. Simply awful. I am dreadfully ashamed of how awful I look..

Add to that my absolutely attractive bulging, swollen eyes from my C-pap, and you get the picture.. All I can see while going throuKgh this excruciating insurance wait is a brown, shapeless rectangle with droopy, swollen, bulgy eyes, wheezing and grasping for air while I climb the sand dune to get to the beach with my wonderfully impatient GrandAngel... Yes, I cried...

He caught me teary eyed one morning and asked in his precious two year old way... "you happy??". I cried again. Not sad tears this time, but tears overflowing from my heart full of love... This amazing, wonderful, little human being keeps me strong and gives me hope to carry on..

Have a terrific weekend!
Until next time..

A 30th Anniversary at the Beach

What a glorious week we've had! We are spending our 30th Wedding Anniversary with family and friends in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.. Our actual anniversary was on Monday, and we celebrated by renewing our vows at the beach! Our Sons were our "best men", my daughter-in-law was my matron of honor, and our GrandAngel was our ring bearer. We said our vows before our Priest and best brother/friend, J who presided over the event. It was truly magical, and I am truly blessed to have had such a special celebration.. Next week more family is coming to join us! Hey.. I think thirty years deserves two weeks at the beach, right??

Me 'n the Hubs discussed how to celebrate our anniversary for quite some time.. We could either go all out with a reception style extravaganza or we could spend a couple of weeks nestled up in a cozy beach front cottage.. Uhm.. I guess you can see where my vote went!

So here I am on a gorgeous Friday nite.. Looking out at a clear starry nite on the deck of the beach house, listening to the glorious music of the waves pounding on the surf.. The house is quiet as everyone is tired and sun burned from playing all day at the beach and at the pool. A couple of evening martinis by the pool will tire one out, too!

I brought my I-pad to read blogs and to post when I could.. If my typing is incoherent, it's either because the key pads are way too small for my big fingers.. (or a martini or two is kicking in!)

Nothing yet from the bariatric office. I called the insurance guru two days ago. She said my
case had "just been received" by my insurance company, and that they usually take "three to five days" to decide to approve or not.... Good thing I'm at the beach, this waiting is killing me!! Other than a few too many martinis in the evenings, and perhaps a bit much sangria on the beach, my eating has been very good, I've really been trying to keep up the good habits - you'd be proud! I'm chewing, eating slowly, drinking water, keeping snacking and desserts to a minimum, and taking walks every day! Anyway, with the Holiday weekend coming, I'm sure not to hear anything until next week... I'll become a real pain in the ass starting on Tuesday...

I'll try to post pics from my phone! Have a terrific weekend!

TUCK and Cover!

I've just been through the most intensive, mother of all workouts ever created..  Four days with my GrandAngel.. Yup.  I think I'm going to enlist - basic training might just be easier!  He is nineteen months old now, walking, running, jumping (off stairs), twirling, and talking - can you say "a ball of energy"???  He calls me "Mamie" - his version of "Grammy"..  All I can think of is the memorable line from Gone With The Wind - "I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' babies!" every time his little voice calls me!  But I love it - every busy, blessed, terrifying, beautiful, tiring minute of being with him and wouldn't have him any other way!

So we spent our time doing the usual things, cooking, playing the piano, dancing with Yo Gabba Gabba, reading, golfing.  I must have had a zillion puff balls strewn throughout my living room!  I'm sure I'll still be finding them next December when we're putting up the tree!  He loves the cat (big furry toy that he is) and I'm afraid the twenty year old feline isn't going to be able to take much more of playing with a toddler - at least the GrandAngel provides him with food - I never knew cats liked pretzels!

Speaking of golf.  Well, we really weren't...  but anyway, Barbara from Yes... it's Really a "NEW LIFE" NOW!!  left a lovely comment and included her interest in my "unhealthy addiction" to golf (my words..)    Here is a link to the post that describes my crazy downward spiral into the game!  We love golfing at wonderful courses and even here at our local cow pastures..  We've seen both the men and women's USOpens at Oakmont, and have been to the Masters too - how crazy is that??  We'll be attending Thursday's round of this years Masters as well!  I can't wait!  I am hoping to score a few tickets for the Solheim Cup too - I think our lovable golf pro and partner in crime, Mary, is working on that one!  Did I mention anything about an unhealthy addiction???

So, I'm cleaning up puff balls for about the tenth time this afternoon and the little angel yells "FU&#!!"  I froze - just completely froze in my tracks...  I turned ever so slowly around, and he yelled it again - "FU&#!"  And this time he was excited beyond words - actually jumping up and down!  Oh my...  oh my, my, my.....  How am I ever  going to explain THIS one to his parents!!  I'm starting to panic - do I make a fuss??  Do I pretend I didn't hear it??  My word!!  The Amish who live a half mile away must have heard it!!  He yelled it again - "FU&#!!"  Just as I was in the process of lifting my lead filled jaw off the rug he points to the television - The Wonder Pets - Winnie TUCK and Ming Ming, too.......  Tuck is the turtle...

I'm too old for this...

Until next time!

The Dancy Dance Bunch, And Other Fun Stuff...

Welp!  I spent the day being completely disengaged from the medical community that has recently consumed my every waking moment, and just played.  Yeppers, I played!  Me 'n the GrandAngel spent a splendid day playing in the leaves, jumping in them, watching them blow in the wind, picking up pine cones and crinkling the edges up in our hands.  We read books and watched his favorite show - "Yo Gabba Gabba".  I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with the program, but that is some really freaky stuff these kids are watching!  There's the skinny guy, DJ Lance, (someone PLEASE give the man a cheeseburger) with the orange furry hat who bears a slightly yet subtle resemblence to President Barack Obama - and the red, furry phallic looking thing - Muno - that...  well.....  words just can't describe it......  Along with a cast of other strange looking beings, they dance, sing, talk about feelings, and play games - the GrandAngel loves watching this stuff and dances right along with them.  Out of the episodes I've seen, my personal favorite is the one featuring Jack Black singing "Don't bite your friends"  Pretty good advice if you ask me...

Whatever happened to Ernie and Bert????

It was pretty quiet around here today. I'm tracking my food and activities just as the Dr ordered.  I've been using "Fit Day" to keep track of everything and found that it's a pretty good site.   Being the complete nerd that I am, I find that the pie charts are the highlight of my entries.  Seeing the charts really puts everything that I eat and do into a much different  perspective. I can see it - in color!  And seeing my progress, or lack there of, is really showing me where I think I should be heading.  Put the Jujube's down, put the Jujube's down! 

One more thing!  Help yourself to a TGIF chuckle up on the tabs!  If you have a funny you'd like to share, send it to me by email!!  Hopefully I'll remember to post a new chuckle on fridays!  Enjoy!

Well, I've crinkled one too many leaves today, danced one too many dances (and without alcohol, too..) and sang one too many songs - It's time for me to crawl under my woobie, snuggle up with the Hubs and Hannibal and get some sleep.  Hopefully I won't wake up screaming in a cold sweat of terror with visions of Muno dancing in my dreams!

Until next time!