hi-it's me

i know that i have been MIA again- life has gotten in the way in more ways than one... my mom came to visit for a week which was wonderful-my dad came during most of that time-which should have been wonderful but was frought with horrendous tension...tried getting all 3 of my kids and 4 grands together-didn't happen-my mother in law (ex's mom) finally died- sorry! it was a sheer blessing when she did and i do not understand why God let her linger so long..and yesterday was her funeral. i don't remember if this photo showed up before- it was taken at michael's 50th class reunion end of june in wisconsin--we had fun - at mom's funeral i got a wow from one of my brother's in law- "look at you- where did you go?!!!" that felt good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we had withdrawn our house from the realestate market and had a possibility coming along without a realtor but decided last nite that we must relist-and now i feel like we wasted july-so! anyone up for packing boxes??/comeon over!!! i got a wonderful surprise pm from reenie and it made me feel good- didn't answer cuz i was half asleep! ouch! i do think of you all so often even tho i do not post here much- i still hang on the over fifty forum-that is more home to me-dunno why-just is---connie-marilyn-a whole bunch of us are descending on dallas on oct 4-7th-c'mon down! janet w from the over fifty forum has a great post with info-connie i know you are a youngster still but we would love to meet you-and anyone else(oops-girls only! no spouses no men) for that matter! since our car accident a few weeks ago i have had some major pain in my back and neck so i am seeing my chiro 2X a week as well as a full body massage 2X a week- that is so awesome while it is happening but after-yeeeoww-feel like i am falling apart from the inside out! i'm still down at about 168 so i am not regaining-but i still want to get down to about 125 so i need to push hard!!! i found that i did very well during all of the stresses of the last few weeks so that is an improvement! and i walked completely away from the baked goodies at the funeral home--yippee!!! we do not know where in the world we want to move to once our house does sell (that was a positive thought folks!) now hubby is looking at belize! ok cept you need a passport to visit and mine lapsed 3 years ago! i guess limbo continues to be my middle name! anyhow- sending hugs from ohio and the thought that i am with you even if only in spirit- oh reenie- my subscription seems to have lapsed and i think the mag is too expensive for what i have gotten from it--not even sure taht i got a year's worth of issues! sorry cuz i did really enjoy your articles!haven't seen the last issue! love from a fellow marcher!!!!!!!! go****'s been an interesting ride!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and i would do it again in a minute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow Margo! Great update. The trip to Dallas sounds great! Belize is a great place--- if you are a scuba diver! All I saw was Belize City and Ambergris Island. It was all pretty underdeveloped. Sorry for the loss of your MIL. No matter the situation, it is hard to say Goodbye. Stay close! Joy

You are soooo busy you leave me breathless - the over 50 Woman never sounded so youthful! Sorry about your loss, Margo - hug your Michael for me. Your photo looks FABulous, you sexy thing. Hey, can you get a new photo on this posting thingy for me? I can't for the life of me figure out how to update the thumbnail photo. Here's the article that was most recently published, I'm kinda proud of this one: Living Normal By Maureen Boyd Living Normal is a featured column devoted to weight loss maintenance for post-ops who have achieved their goals and are looking to improve their chances of avoiding regain. As a successful post-op having undergone gastric bypass surgery in March, 2004, Maureen Boyd is maintaining a weight loss of 214 pounds. She shares through personal experience and reflection her strategies for sustaining weight loss and living a joyful, passionate life--what it means to be Living Normal. Maureen welcomes your comments and questions at [email protected] We'll Always Have Jamaica The photographer squints against the brilliance of our dramatic backdrop. Hues of burnt orange and sienna spill over a vast expanse of the Atlantic as the Jamaican sun settles into its sleepy descent. We maneuver our position a few feet from shore where the water ebbs and flows lazily, a reminder that in Jamaica, time yields no power to control or manipulate. Move closer, instructs our photographer, an island native we have befriended during our stay. As Jim reaches for me, my senses embark on a desperate siege of the moment. How to preserve this, our last day of a week in paradise, the honeymoon we never had. It has been a week of discovering the essence of us as a couple after the life-altering events that have shaped our lives since my gastric bypass surgery in 2004. The weight loss triggered an avalanche of unresolved issues and confusion having to do with self-identity. A year ago, we were on the brink of divorce with the sad realization that neither of us knew who we were despite a marriage that has spanned more than two decades. Today we are healing. Look at me now, we are further instructed and instinctively I rest my face against Jim's chest as we both turn toward the camera. I settle over his heart and listen to its strong and steady beat, a metaphor for the man. This is not the fluttery, unpredictable heartbeat of infatuation. Jim's heart churns a slow and earthy cadence of love for a woman with whom he has spent a lifetime. Don't move. Shooting in one, two, three... The shutter clicks but we are slow to release our hold on one another. Even after three years as a successful post-op, I still marvel at how easily Jim is able to wrap his arms around my waist, our bodies, like our minds, close and connected. Sensing our need to be alone, our photographer friend smiles and gives us the thumbs up, indicating the photo shoot is concluded. We thank him for his time and turn toward the beach. We have lived this week in Jamaica in profound appreciation of being able to share the world in its natural state. Our days were spent snorkeling in pristine waters where the marine life invited us in, voyeurs to an underwater playground of darting clown fish and clusters of sea anemone that shuddered if we swam too close. In the evening, we savored barefoot walks under a blanket of stars that whispered hope for our future. We are renewed. A healthy marriage is possible after weight loss surgery. All things are possible in the spirit of honesty and awareness of what is important and then doing the very hard work to make it happen. Jim takes my hand and we stroll together under a soft Jamaican night sky. Bogart and Bergman may have had Paris, but we will always have Jamaica. May you and your heart's desire find peace in Living Normal.

That was just beautiful....