Tuesday - and December Begins!

Good morning to my sisters from other misters!

What would we do if an over 50 man joined our midst?  Well I would supposed we would still be sisters... I guess that gentleman would be the mister with the new sisters?  OK I am being silly today.

I discovered that today I am overweight!  I mean this in the best way:  I am NO LONGER OBESE!  My OH ticker starts with the start of my pre-surgery program and not from my highest weight - but I started at super morbidly obese, then dropped the super, then the morbid, and now I dropped the obese title too.  HOORAY!!! As of this morning I am officially lighter than I have been since my early 20's, when I had a successful run on Weigh****chers.  It's amazing and strange, all at the same time.  As you've all told me, its a roller coaster ride all right.  I am holding on tightly and riding this baby for all it's worth. I'm determined to be one of those who can lose the weight, get healthy and stay there.  It will be a very tough road, and one that never ends, but I am determined!

Enough about me, back to you all.

Mary, you're right, we could be sisters!!! Sort of reversed:  I grew up in Massachusetts and live in NY, you grew up in NY and live in Massachusetts! Also, when I'm stressed out or down, I tend to go quiet... as you've seen. How's the shoulder?  I know it's a pain in the hoo-hoo to go have it looked at but I hope you will.  

Carla, I hope you slept better last night! You're on your way to Chicago soon... you must be so excited, though not for the weather.  IT's cold!

Arlene, many of us have anxiety while driving now.  I used to drive all over the place, all hours of day and night.  I still do but I am hesitant to go long distances at night while alone.  

Jeannie, I hope your first day back to work was uneventful.  I took the weekend off (including Friday) and was crushed with work yesterday.  Well I am determined to pace myself! Anyway, good for you for getting the extra income from your extra class! Just in time for the holidays too.

Connie, thank you so much for always reaching out to me and making sure I feel valued and loved, even while you are in so much pain yourself.  Thank you so much for coming here and showing me and all of us how much you care, even when you really don't want to be here. You are a true joy and a treasure.  I send you many hugs and lots of love right back!

Kathy, I actually have 3 sisters, all older than me.  My oldest sister "divorced" herself from the family 25 years ago.  She changed her name, both first and last.  I tracked her down a few times and let's just say that didn't go well.  So I mourn her as if she's already deceased, unfortunately. Second oldest sister has done something similar, though her son and I are still in close touch.  She is a very hateful and bitter woman, and again I struggle to understand her.  Very strange.  I reached out to both of of these sisters when our mother was passing away in an effort to bring closure for my mother, as well as for them, but unfortunately neither wanted contact.  So to have lost the third sister as well was especially troubling. This sister and I stood together to care for and bury our mother, and we have always been close. Thankfully this past weekend re-opened that door. Life is short! Anyway, sending all sorts of positive vibes and prayers for your job. You're doing a great job on your program, it seems - keep up the good work!! 

Cindi, thank you!! I've never learned how to knit and admire those who do it. It seems therapeutic. If I get time for another hobby I would love to take it up.  You and Vickie are quite the creative sewing pair! speaking of which... 

Vickie, sorry to hear your computer was giving you trouble yesterday.  How about those kids, did they give you much trouble?

Judy, Judy, Judy, hope your mom continues to improve!!

Eileen, since I was away I missed the news that your paper had been purchased.  That's always such a stressful transition, and especially for those of us "over 50."  Don't blame you for feeling down - I am glad you'll be seeing a therapist to help you through it. 

Arlene, those sorts of headaches are the worst.  I hope you've found relief.

OK Ladies, it's time to grab a quick shower, sip more coffee and fire up my work computer.  Will try to stop by again later - until then, be well! 

Christine 

Christine and Ladies,

Today is tolerable Tuesday. Yesterday I hit my office running and I didn't stop one time.  I have to tell you that sometimes my graduate students make me want to scream...other times, they are great. I have six young women under the age of 35 all graduate students and two freshmen and three young men who are graduate students and the young women drive me nuts...they cause more drama than anyone I have ever met in my life. They are passive aggressive to each other and tattle to me all the time and I discourage that behavior.  Yesterday, two were tattling on one of the others and I said, stop and I set up an appointment for all three and the two tattletales wanted to back out of the meeting and I said, no...let's confront this situation and stop the drama. I have an assistant director but she cannot handle any situation where she has to discipline or fuss at anyone so I become the queen *****   Anyway, with me traveling, the tutors just went crazy and now I am having to get them back in line....and I am not letting that **** ride.  It's like having a room for high school girls and if they aren't fighting with each other, they are rolling their eyes at me....seriously, I have one girl, a phd student, who actually rolls her eyes when I talk to her....I think it's time for me to start replacing my tutors with a new batch and seriously, I am thinking of hiring just males....

Okay, enough of my rant.  DH went for his yearly prostate check and the doctor said everything is fine and he was very happy that DH had lost twenty pounds...all due to our pescatarian diet...I lost 15...yeah me. He loses 20 without walking much and I lose 15 eating much less than he and walking up to six miles on some days.   not fair.  

Well, I gotta run...I need to head to the center and hopefully get peace in the center again...

Ladies, have a good day....Christine, I know what you mean about sisters...I have one of five of us and she is just off...really.  I cannot be around her because all she does is talk about how she has been the black sheep and on and on....really?  Plus she is the queen of passive aggressive...and poor me.   I cannot take it plus her husband is a pedophile who molested her granddaughters and she is still with him...I want go around her because I value my grandchildren way too much....

Okay, this time it is real....have a good day.

Hello Jeannie.....sorry your tutors are acting like that. I am sure it does make you crazy!! I know I couldn't handle it...not anymore! Knowing you , you will have this all cleared up by the time work is over for this day. I too hate passive aggressive!! I wish you the best!!

Congrats on your weight loss!! Congrats to your hubby on his weight loss and also the good doctor's report!!! Remember men always loses weigh faster then women...grrrrr!! 

As for your sister...what the hell is she thinking....why keep a loser like that around. He will abuse again any chance he gets!!! I would be terrified for her granddaughters. I am glad yours are never near him!!

Have a good rest of the day!!

Love you much...hugs....connie d

Good morning sistas! 

I'm still in Waco but plan to leave around noon.  Let's just say my trip up here was a disaster! It started with me having to stop in New Braunfels and get my tires checked.  $800 and an hour later I set back out on the road with four new tires and hoping to arrive by the time class started at 6 p.m.  Traffic was heavy but I was doing fairly well until I was about 10 miles south of Waco.  Traffic literally ground to a complete halt and it took me over an hour to creep along to my exit. So I arrived over an hour late to childbirth class. I did manage to catch part of the tour, but really the whole trip wasn't worth it. Except of course that it made Carrie feel better to have her mom with her, which is the whole point after all. I am her support system right now. Well I need to close and get ready to drive again. Ugh. Do y'all know that old song: "I saw miles and miles of Texas, all the stars up in the skies, I saw miles and miles of Texas, gonna live there till I die."  That's how I feel this month!

Love you all!

Hello Vickie....I am so sorry you missed most of the childbirth class.  At least you made it for some of it. Better then not at all. Plus it made Carrie feel better! 

I agree...that song suits you pretty good lately!!! 

At least you have all good tires now. They should last awhile.

Sending prayers for a good safe trip home. It sure would be nice if you could have some quiet time to yourself the rest of the day.

Love you bunches...HUGS.....connie d

Good Morning Christine and OFF-

Christine glad to see that you are taking time for yourself.  I found that when I stopped taking time for myself I fell back into my bad eating habits and had the most regain.

Jeannie I like that you are taking the bull by the horns and nipping the passive agressive stuff in the bud.  I hate passive agressive behavior the most.  When working it drove me nuts.

Vickie sorry about your disaster trip yesterday but now your have new tires and we won't have to worry about your driving back and forth to Waco.

Well ladies it's official panic time now.  My mother has decided to ride back with me next week and stay until after Christmas.  I have to get the clutter in order so she can safely navigate the house while she is here.  I'm leaving Sunday to drive to her house to go with her to her appointment with her PCP.  I am concerned about the confusion she experiences with things and need his help getting her to let her facility dispense her meds.  So now I have to get things in order with the house.  Augh!  But I guess it's worth it since this will probably be the one and only visit she makes to my home here.

So with that I must close and get cracking on making boxes disappear or get stacked neatly in safe places.  Have to get my co-instructor to cover my water fitness classes for me next week.  Thoughts and hugs going out to all of you.

Cindi B.

Hello Cindi.....it is nice that your mom will be visiting love Christmas. More work for you to do but well worth it. Cherish these final years of her's. You are probably right, in another year she may not be able to travel at all. I am a lot young and I can't travel anymore.  

I keep praying they can find a cure for my Fibromyalgia, The arthritis is bad enough on it's own!  

Have a good day....be sure to rest and have some water now and then!

Much love and hugs...connie d

Good morning our dear sweet Christine and everyone....

Christine.....Congratulations on no longer being OBESE!! You are doing such a great job!! I am so happy for you!!   

I wish I could get back to being more determined and eating like I should. I try but I always stray the other way...UGH!!! 

Actually we have had men in this group. After a couple years they just left. I think we were too boring for them. I am still friends with most of them. YES....you are silly!!!! 

Sorry about the sister issues. I am glad you have your one sister in your life again. 

As for me....... I have 2 brothers, had 3 but one died. I have 2 sisters. I speak to one sister about every 3 to 4 months. Then she only calls to gossip....which I hate. My twin brother and I speak when we run into each other. He has dropped by to see me on occasion. I have nothing bad to say about him. My other sister and brother only live within each of there own families. No one else is included!! By the way they all live within 5 miles or less from me! They have never been here nor anywhere to help me at anytime. Very dysfunctional!!! 

As far as I am concerned I have no family other then my own!  

I am going grocery shopping a little later this afternoon. My Fran/driver has a lunch date with her granddaughter and won't be able to get here before 2:30. Fran is so good to me so I let her make changes. I really hate changes....it throws off my day. Oh well...we all know how important it is to spend special time with out grandchildren!

I have noting else planned for today. I want to read and watch movies. I am trying to get out of my apartment and walk a little more as I can.

Prayers for our amazing OFF Family and their families. Special prayers as requested.

I am just sitting here watching everyone clear the snow off their cars. All cars must be moved so the plows can do the clean up. The snow is pretty this morning. I wish this was all were were getting!! Winter has just begun in Minnesota!  

Have a good day and stay warm!!!!  

Love you all....HUGS.....connie d 

Good Morning Ladies!!

Not much happening for me today....I had planned on going to the local food bank to see about volunteering, but learned last night that they are only open the second and fourth Tuesday of the month...so I will go next week.  It's located at the church I've been going to lately.  

I was up all night, until 4:00 this morning.  I'm usually up until around 1:00 a.m., but I couldn't get to sleep last night...ended up getting up and sorted through boxes/bags - tomorrow I'll go and donate some things at the Salvation Army (my favorite store!) and go to the dump to get rid of a big box of crushed cardboard boxes and styrofoam and shredded papers, and the old venetian blinds I took down.  I also did some on-line Christmas shopping...took care of Maura, but have to shop for Taylor - she has so many toys, but like a typical five year old she wants everything she sees on tv - just like Maura used to.  She'd see something in a commercial and say "I want that!" and if it was something I told her she already had, she'd say "I want another one!"  I have talked to Taylor about getting rid of some of her toys and donating them to the Salvation Army so other kids could play with them -- Maura could take away 50% of Taylor's toys and she wouldn't miss them.  I'll talk to Maura and get some ideas.

Christine -- Congratulations on your success!!   I'm envious - I've lost loads of weight, but for the past few months I've been struggling -- I used to be a big "meat eater" - loved chicken, pork, ground beef, etc. - now it all turns my stomach, the only thing I enjoy is steak.  I also like cheese and eggs, and yogurt.  But carbs keep calling me... I've tried to go cold turkey on the carbs and do okay for a few days and then boom - back to the carbs.  {{big sigh}}  Good for you - you do, indeed, rock!!!  

Jeannie -- It's true - young woman can be such Drama Queens -- Maura is 27 and she calls me every other day to "*****" about her co-workers and how unfair it is that she works so hard and others don't.  I try to calm her down and tell her I admire her for her work ethic and tell her just to keep her nose down and ignore the others.  But it's hard for her because she loves her work and takes on extra responsibilities which makes her workload heavier.  I tell her life isn't fair, and that no matter where she works, she'll have the same issues.

Connie -- Aren't you lucky you don't have to clear snow off a car - I know you suffer terribly from Fibromyalgia and would love to be able to do things such as driving, and clearing snow, and doing things on your own.  I am glad you have your "helpers" to assist you.  I pray for you every day - that your pain will ease.  I know you struggle.

Vickie -- $800-Ouch!  Carrie is lucky to have you by her side. The things Mothers do for their children....we'll do anything to help them.  Sometimes they don't realize it right away...but eventually I think they recognize how we've helped them along.

Cindi --  Having your Mother stay with you may be challenging, but it's a blessing too.  I treasure the fact that I had my Mom move in with me when she was unable to be by herself -- but I was fortunate because I had a good friend who was able to care for her during the day while I worked, so it made it so much easier.  

Going to make another cup of coffee...hope you all have a good day.  Prayers and good wishes to all.

Mary

Hello Mary.... I really hope you can get on as a volunteer at the food bank. You would be great helping others. You are so kind!

Sorry about your sleepless night. I had one a few nights back. That is so miserable. At least you got a few things done. I started setting up puzzle and have that to work on at night when I can't sleep. I hope tonight is a better night for you! 

Just an idea....if Maura and you get toys from Taylor that are like new they can be donated to children's hospitals too. Maybe Taylor would feel better donating if she knew she was helping a sick child. Gracie sorts through her toys every time they have their yearly garage sale. She gets the money for the sale of the toys. She donates the money to an animal shelter. There are so many things Taylor could do. Just some ideas.

Have a good evening...much love and hugs....connie d