01/22/21 TGIF

Ceci... things are really moving forward ! Will your dad and his wife live in Michigan full time ? Can't wait for pictures of the newly painted stucco ! All of your walking sounds fabulous. I loved the photo of that path near you ! Liz, I said I would never remarry too. In a long term committed relationship I kept encountering annoying roadblocks that limited my ability to address household efficiency issues. The legal status of spouse makes dealing with bills and health care much simpler. We wrote and notarized a prenuptial agreement addressing pre-marriage issues regarding children etc. Bonnie... so glad you checked in ! It sounds like your provider is proactive, which is good.

I have successfully titrated to higher dosage of my antidepressant. I am feeling much better. Until we are able to be vaccinated (both of us are 65+ and I have asthma), we are double masking and drastically limiting any potential exposure to Covid and the newer strains. We have more masks than we need and I found I was missing sewing. Doing masks, I found a fabric source (Spoonflower) which has just about any fabric color, theme, pattern imaginable. I made some placemats for the dining room table as well as a side table runner. I rearranged my craft room, previously focused on rock painting, and set up a sewing room. I have my ironing board, plenty of flat surfaces, and all of my supplies organized. I ordered a new sewing machine that self threads both bobbins and the needle and has some other features I am eager to explore.

Ceci, I have to agree that for me, healthier eating definitely makes it easier to remain in the present.

Diane, you sound full of energy! That's really terrific. I hope you (and everyone) get the vaccine soon. As I have mentioned it is a frustrating process though. My SIL in Massachusetts is now eligible, but the providers on Cape Cod have explicitly stated that at least for now they have no vaccine to distribute to the new group (over 75 or over 65 with 2 comorbitities).

I walked with my group this morning and we had coffee at Panera outside for the first time since last spring.

Mike arrives around noon for the weekend. I just found out about a new open air restaurant in the town next to me which as music tonight so we may check it out.

Have a safe and healthy Friday!

The hotel we're staying at in February has a beachside bar with music every night. I hope they're still doing that when we visit, it sounds so lovely.

I was thinking about your points about marriage. One step at a time, but I can see the potential benefits if the couple is staying together for the long-term. At this point I am still trying to stick to 50% of our time together though I can see that morphing somewhat already.

156. Unfortunately this looks like a real weight and not just flying weight.

I guess I will have to be more disciplined in that respect. Like Ceci and the rest of you, I find that weight puts me over the edge and makes things feel less manageable. Walking in the springtime really helped. But now it's dark so much of the time and so cold. But I really ought to get the girls out.

I'm definitely suffering from covid fatigue. But mine goes back and forth between wanting to throw caution into the wind and can't take it any more and "you've made it this far, be more careful for a bit longer, we cannot handle any more illness or grief." So it's weird. I would like to be tested for antibodies to see if I've already had it. I, too, have asthma. And between R being sick and taking bereavement, he really needs not to miss more work for me to be sick.

But I'm really sometimes feeling at my ropes end. Thinking of two of Becca's birthdays in quarantine and two Easters, etc. is just so exhausting. I really think come summertime things will be much better.

I'm already ready to put out spring decor. HOnestly, I'm already ready for 2022. But I also wanted to be present and mindful. But January 2021 can suck it. Sorry not sorry it's been a horrendous month.

Rich is on his way home. HOping for safe travels. Will be good to have him back.

You've come this far, probably a good mantra for us all as we confront our covid fatigue. It's a real struggle for sure. When does it start to warm up in Oklahoma?

Weight 193.6. Down from yesterday, up so far this week. Seems to be my pattern.

Good to see you Diane! So glad you're feeling better. No, my Dad and his wife will spend winters wherever I end up. So I'm going to have to pick before next winter. House painting pictures wouldn't be very interesting. My HOA is super strict and I can't change the color without a $250 review fee and prior approval. It's just easier to keep it beige.

My Dad got back safely and will get a report on what they removed within a week.

The rain has moved out. There are mudslides in the hills above me. That's the sad thing about brush fires. Your house surviving the fire is only the first hurdle. 6 feet of mud in your garage is the second one.

I had my eye appointment. She changed the prescription for one eye and explained why I am still struggling to read with them. With multifocal contacts, the reading prescription is in the middle and the distance prescription is in the outer ring. In strong light, it's really easy for me to read because your pupils are dilated and seeing through the middle with no interference from the distance prescription. The wider your pupils, the more your eyes are seeing through the other prescription messing with your ability to read. I need to brighten up my family room, apparently. What I really want is my 30 year old eyes back!

I have therapy this morning, but that's it today. If my hip is feeling better, I'll walk later.

Wishing you happy days!

Haha, I'd like lots of my parts back, but I think I'd be most interested in the 20 something parts and joints. And maybe a redo on the calcium consumption, although I'm not sure if more would've helped. I didn't drink as much milk in my 20s as I should have, but up until then, we were a good Midwestern family and the only beverage served at dinner was skim milk. My Grandma served room temperature whole milk, my cousins and I still talk about trying to choke those 12 ounce tumblers down.

I had multifocal contacts for my last 5 years of wearing contacts. For the first few years they functioned okay though not as well as using reading glasses over regular ones. However eventually they annoyed me. My eyes started feeling much drier and I couldn't wait to get them out at the end of the day. I had LASIK 11 years ago and it has been wonderful to have good distance vision all the time. One eye is not as corrected as the other so I can read in bright light though I do use reading glasses in lower light.

Diane, your new sewing machine sounds awesome, self threading bobbin? Bobbins are the kryptonite of my sewing aspirations.