12/12/18, Wednesday

168.8 home scale, nearly nude, 167.8 doctor's scale

I'm such a freak when it comes to weight. As if the dots even matter...to anyone but us. They're looking for a trend. And moreover large swings in weight that might signify something else. Me? I'm just looking for a weird weight gratification and a pat on the back for recalling the numbers with specificity. Last month I noted I weighed 166.4--but they wrote in 166. Today I'm shocked they still only wrote in 167. So to them it looks like I gained only 1lb. But next time it might look like I gained more because they gave me the benefit of forgiving 0.8lbs. Who the heck am I kidding? I'm thrilled no matter how you slice it. In reality I gained 1.5lbs. in the course of a month. To-date I've gained about 4lbs. this pregnancy, maybe a little less. And at this same point in my pregnancy with Becca, their scale had me at 165--so I'm 2-3lbs. above that mark.

I love Diane O.'s theme for today! Finish 2018 like you want to begin 2019 What a novel idea!! What if I applied this to more than just year's end? What if I started making positive habits now, no matter how small?

I'm always amazed at how quickly time passes and how I wish I'd done the small things that seemed so irrelevant then. I always look for the big ticket changes that are glamorous but often unmanageable. Consistency isn't sexy, but I truly believe it is the answer to big changes...even if it takes time!

Greetings Merry Maintainers

Still at 155. No surprise because I didn't do anything to make it otherwise. It was a drippy overcast day yesterday but today we get Mr. Sun. Or Ms. Sun. Celestial objects are female mainly. Anyway I spent the day in the gallery and while I got a few circles walked, there was enough traffic to keep me from peculiar behavior. Also drippy rainy. I spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out a bank deposit and also our tax situation. Then at the end of the day there appeared to be a cash shortage. I think it was an error in closing out the books from a prior day but I am not enough of an accountant to figure it out. Oh well, first world problems.

Ann, I hope by now your eye is done and you are enjoying a bold roast coffee. And balanced vision. Take it easy and enjoy the brew.

Liz, so glad you got to talk to the neurologist and he had advice. Such a cruel disease but it makes sense to look into the day care sooner rather than later. My mother took Namenba but no clue how much good it did.

Shel, interesting NYT article but it only tells what we all already know which is that there are no clear answers on dieting and weight control except EAT LESS MOVE MORE. That and EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT.

Studio board meeting today. I suspect there will be pizza. Oh joy. I have to pick up year end bonus checks and financial so we can figure out what we can afford to spend at year end. Parties Thursday and Friday

Yay Bonnie150 you get your son for holidays. Nice. Hope you are feeling stronger everyday.

DianeO, glad DC just has a case of overdoing it a bit. Hope he gets the message. Love the idea of finishing 2018 like its the start of 2019. The new year is sort of a societal construct anyway and you are so right that every morning has the same possibilities.

At costco I found some cauliflower butternut squash soup. Its quite good and has about 250 calories a cup. I think it would be every bit as good diluted with broth. But there is more shrimp tonight.

Well time for more coffee. Raising a toast to Ann's eye. Diane S

Good Morning All, back at the farm after a very interesting trip up. DH's new toy decided to start making a hideous noise about 1.5 hours into the journey. I had to limp it to a rest area so I could get under the shade of a tree. It was 100 and I was concerned for the dogs. Opened up the canopy and found some water. I was soaked in sweat. DH & BIL took nearly 2 hours to reach me with the car trailer. I was touched that 4 guys stopped and offered me help. One "Stewie from Bonnie Boon" clamboured over the bridge and down a steep bank to fill up the dogs bucket for me - then offered to drive to the gas station and get me water which I said no too as I was embarrised enough at his generousity and kindness. There are still good people in this world. Have told DH I will not be driving it anytime soon - I wear earplugs while in it as its so loud. Finally made it home around 10.30pm - shower and literally fell into bed.

We had a spectacular storm overnight - and LOTS of rain. The thunder and lighting spooked our cows and we found them in the front paddock this morning eating our new trees uggg. Rounded back up and I am happily inside watching the rain. We had 2 inches overnight and expect a lot more as the fallout of a cyclone up the top of Queensland drenches most of the East Coast.

Dinner with SIL & BIL tonight - I bought her a beautiful orchid - which due to the journey yesterday is now looking very limp and sad. DH is picking her up another one today for her birthday.

I will go back and respond to everyones posts individually

Have a wonderful evening

Shirley

VERY quick post to say I love hearing how everyone's navigating their daily challenges. And we've all got 'em. And to thank everyone for your sweet wishes for a good outcome to this morning's coffeeless expedition to the eye surgeon.

However, in my ophthamalogical world ... no joy! :( The blepharitis (eyelid / eye gland infection) is not completely gone, and the surgeon declined to do the surgery, saying, "The most frequent source of eye infection post-cataract surgery, which CAN lead to real issues, like blindness, is blepharitis. And yours is not completely gone. So here are some more powerful antibiotic eye drops to use 4 times/day and my instructions that you once a day use a hot compress on that eye before putting in the drop. And let's reschedule surgery for next Thursday, 8 days from now, and we'll see whether it's all gone then. If it is, I'll operate. Otherwise, we'll wait until it's all good." In other words ... maybe/maybe not.

Having cycled through all sorts of perspectives about this pain in the ass'ness second cataract surgical fly in the ointment, I've decided to adopt the "Good or bad ... hard to say" perspective. In other words, I've decided the universal force is trying to lead me on the best path here, and I'll just chill and relax onto that path.

More specifically, I've decided that if surgery does NOT happen next Thursday, I'm going to ask my optometrist here in my home town to fit me with a pair of glasses that will accommodate my current sightedness/nonsightedness, reschedule my second cataract surgery for spring, and head on down to New Orleans and carry on with life. I'm going with the flow!

I also want to respond specifically about others' goings-on, e.g.,

Liz, Justice's stocking embroidery is gorgeous; no one could criticize anything about that.

Shirl, your 100-degree car-pooping-out adventure yesterday sounds rough -- even with the Good Aussie Samaritan encounters (bless them!).

Bonnie150, I'm so happy your son broke up with his partner -- always love to hear those intuitive self-care stories -- and that you're going to enjoy his company for the next few weeks.

Shel, I will read that NYTs article -- I feel the same way about that validating echo chamber we both enjoy so much and hope that some measure of moderation can happen in other arenas that have aggravated us so much lately. ;)

Cecily, keep up the good work. Our best inputs WILL produce the results we all want. Respect!

And in closing, and needless to explain the reasons for, I am now enjoying the first of what will surely be TWO lovely glasses of chardonnay tonight, since I have extra calories to spend, having missed a meal or two earlier today. :)

Put another way, life is precious, life is brief **** it. :)

xoxoxoxo

Ann

Oh bummer Ann - but better to minimise any complications and have the surgery put off than to suffer through more pain - HUGS xxxx

Enjoy the chardy :)

Im mid morning in my working day - raining heavily here - have a pool out the back door and flood warnings - changeable Aussie weather indeed - was close to 100 and then thunderstorm has brought welcome rain. Think our tank will be overflowing by this evening :) Blessings x

Extra Chardonay almost makes up for a no coffee morning. Be safe on the eye thing. ds

eye drops and scheduling inconvenience beats the hell out of blindness any old day in my book!

How disappointing, but better safe than sorry. I sure hope you can get it done next week prior to NOLO though. I am sure it will be a pain even with good glasses if your eyes are uneven.

Diane O., yes, over exertion will cause the bladder and the kidneys to bleed while healing from an injury. The nice thing is that other than a clot clogging the catheter, urinary blood clots do not pose a health threat. Ron's urinary tract issues have taught me a lot about how things work in that system. Best healing wishes for Chuck.

Funny, I wrote a couple of paragraphs about my financial upset the past few days, but realized... meh... it's so not worth the story. Deleted the entire post. Suffice it to say, AT&T is insisting on charging for services not delivered. I am being stubborn and refusing to pay for undelivered services. Result = sudden decline in credit rating. ****** me off. Mega conglomerate screwing over the little guy... There, that's better for a first world issue that in the scheme of things is just a blip.

Weight is dancing between 250 and 253. I have not been diligent on working to truly reduce and trend my weight down. It is by choice. I am okay with the choice for the moment.

Workouts continue to progress well. Yesterday we worked on chest and legs. Today I created a butt, ab, and back workout for myself: Kettle bell swings, kettle bell squats and reverse hypers (sort of reverse leg raises) for butt; lat pull downs and standing low cable rows for back; Bird Dog for glutes and abs and shoulders alternated with slow raised leg crunches. It's fun-rewarding-empowering to realize I have enough knowledge about working out now to actually create plans to work out specific body parts and include moves that are aerobic enough to keep my heart rate elevated, my breath working to oxygenate my body, and the sweat flowing for 2/3 of the workout (Takes a while for the sweat to start!).

I love the idea of finishing the year with the same intentions which we start the New Year (year after year after year). I think the trick is to keep those intentions in place and alive throughout the year. I really do love the idea of working on those intentions during December, though. What a great way to practice for January and to keep one sane during the holidays.

Haven't done a lick about Christmas. I do not care, but realize I must get on my broomstick because whether I am ready for Christmas or not, it will be here in under 2 weeks. Thank goodness the kids on my side of the family are grown, which makes it much easier for me. I suppose I should get a tree up this weekend, some other decorations done and I am guessing that the outside lights will be my job this year. They are usually Ron's, but cir****tances being what they are.... oh well.... like I said, I gotta get on the broomstick. I think I need a Quidditch ready broom! LOL!

Though it's basically over.... Happy Hump Day, all!

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could get one of those brooms!!!!