Be an Angel - Long, long, long

Life is busy, busy, busy.... What else is new? Work - well work is work.. Boyfriend - still there, and there and there and over there. He's involved with homeland security stuff and flying all over the country lately. I actually got more information about him on the channel 15 news the other day than I did talking to him in brief snippets over the phone from undisclosed, top secret locations. The tune Secret Agent Man keeps going through my head. Good thing he's cute. And by the way, I'm so proud of him. Come rain or shine or terrorists, he's out walking every night for an hour. He's lost 70 pounds and looks and feels great. Extra-curricular - We're throwing a huge 60th birthday surprise bash for my step-mother. The theme is 1001 Arabian Nights. Her father was a missionary and she grew up in the Middle East and loves the food and customs. I've been ordering so much Middle Eastern clothing and decorations from E-Bay that I'm expecting the CIA to come swinging through my bedroom window any minute. Who else do you know who owns 4 antique Moroccan Fez? Or is that Fezes? I'm going to be a belly dancer. Can you believe it? Me exposing my belly. It's flat and won't horrify anyone. If I get someone to take pics, I'll post them. And by the way, I'm going to be a belly dancer in my next career. We have a fortune teller for the party and I was trying to hire a belly dancer. One woman I talked to charged 150 dollars for HALF an hour. I told her for that much money, I expected her to chew my food. She was not amused. I asked her if she knew of any old, chunky or ugly belly dancers who charged less and she hung up on me. Winning friends and influencing people. I also had a spare dog for a while that nearly drove me insane. She was such a cute pup, but ate a hole in the leather couch, chewed up rugs, and was a general destruction machine. I thought I'd lose my mind before I finally found a place for her. And speaking of losing my mind, you should have seen me the other day. I've been so busy/crazy/stressed lately that I had a meltdown Tuesday night. My son borrowed my camera to take to California on vacation. He brought it back and I told him I'd burn a CD for him. Well, Tuesday night, I thought I'd lost the camera in Tucson over the weekend. For some reason, that set me off. I'm blubbering around the house, crying and feeling sorry for myself. Wailing that I can't even hang onto a camera and what a bad Mom I am. A total drama queen. I realize that I'm not even really crying. It's more like a 3 year old that's having a fit and trying to force herself to cry for effect. Then I start crying that I can't even cry right. Now I'm blubbering about not being able to blubber well. Then I start laughing because I see how ridiculous I am. Found the camera under the car seat the next morning. Sometimes I'm just ridiculous. Weight - I've been stable for the most part. Swelling since my tummy and arm lift is still atrocious, but that's due to crappy kidneys and weather. I'm on diuretics and that helps some, but by the end of the day, I'm so swollen that my skin actually hurts. I don't understand how I could have weighed 286 pounds and my skin was stretched far more than now and it didn't hurt. How does that work? Anyway, I didn't see a weight reduction since the TT, even though he removed 6 pounds from the tummy and a couple more from the arms. Water, water, water. I have to admit that I've been pretty bad about getting my protein in and exercising so I'm not surprised that I weigh the same as before the surgeries. I'm not eating a lot, just not great protein choices. But I fixed that. Being an Angel - There was a woman who lives about 125 miles from me and posted on the Arizona board that her husband couldn't be with her at the hospital so I offered to angel her through surgery. For a couple of weeks before her surgery, I gave her all the standard sage wls advice, answered her questions and sent her my before and after pics. I was at the hospital before she went in for her operation and stayed with her during prep and went to see her after. It kicked my butt back in gear. I realized how important it is for newbies to see successful people. Folks just starting out are looking to us old-timers for inspiration and proof that this surgery will work in the long run. I usually angel for 2 or 3 people a year, but this time around, I needed it more than the new kid on the block. I've stocked up on the lean proteins, drug the Tony Little Gazelle into the middle of the living room (even though I hate the aesthetics of that) and I'm back to exercising everyday and getting in my water and protein. I feel better. Well my friends, I'll try not to be such a stranger. I think about you all everyday and you're always in my heart. Love ya, Connie

Hey, babydoll, good to hear from you. I figured you were off on one of your exotic vacations or perhaps had become the latest addition to some shiek's harem and we'd hear from you when the next heir, number 439, was expected...glad all is well. I was just about to post to everone that it seems we have all flown away to live our lives and to ask everyone to drop a line once in a while, like the dreaded obligatory Christmas card, so I was glad to see your post, dear lady. We're all so busy. Was life so insanely busy pre-surgery and, if so, how in the hell did we manage? It's all a blur to me, that morbidly obese life. I remember how large I was but I don't remember how it felt to be that large. I see myself in photographs or on a video, and I know that's me but I don't know who that person is - or was. And that scares me. I really want to hold onto that fat, fat, woman because only then can I remain focused on making sure I never go back there again. In the meantime, I just don't know how I managed before when I can barely keep up with life now, in my size 6 jeans--bought a new pair yesterday and they slipped right over my butt and snapped easily at my waist -- I'm still amazed at that. I never want to go back to that old life and I will do whatever it takes to prevent that from happening. So everybody, live your life, wrestle with the daily problems, be grateful for the small stuff, and be well, be healthy, stay active, and enjoy. Every day is a gift. Love to all, Maureen P.S. My dream has been to see the 130s -- I was 141 this morning. Wish me luck.

Reenie you'll make that dream come true! you'll be in the 130's before you know it! Connie you live a life I dream of. when I see you've posted I think Oh goodie I'mgonna laught my butt off. You never fail to make me laugh. I took belly dancing lessons a year ago it was fun. I had a new csutomer who was teaching that and I like to support my csutomers plus I'd always been interested to try it. It was also alot of work. Working out at the gym isn't as hard. Can't wait to see the posted pictures of Connie the exotic belly dancer!

Your life is always full of great stuff. I wish I had as much going on as you do. My life is pretty mundain, to say the least. I would love to be an angel for someone, I know that it would kick my butt back into the gear it should be. I have gained about 25 pounds back from my lowest weight & never made it (even close to my goal). I have lost 5 of that since i have been back to work. So I am believing that I will make it back to what I should be. The problem about being an angel is the surgeries none are done here in Bullhead the closest place is Las Vegas or Phoenix & don't have the funds or time to get to those places to be someones angel. It sound like it would be very rewarding, indeed!! I will be looking for those pictures of your belly dancing, I am sure you look wonderful. LOL Marilyn, the Bearlady