VSG Maintenance Group
Wednesday, April 14, 2021
I was thinking about Devon improving his home and Diane C's parents giving up their home. It dovetailed with a conversation Mike and I had last night about where we would live when we got too old to get around. Mike's first reaction was that he would stay here in Florida because he is very close to healthcare. Mine was that I would want to be near at least one of my children. Regardless, it highlights the importance of enjoying life as much as one can while we are able.
So Mike's ex is saying she is too poor to move right now. They still have a remaining credit card account from before they split 16 years ago! It only has a few hundred in the balance so I encouraged Mike to just pay it off and close it as it shows on his credit report all the time (which is how he found out about it). Apparently he did make it clear that we would be staying there a couple of days a week and she was fine with that. Supposedly she has a boyfriend who is trying to get his act together and they will go back to living together eventually. But he is living with his parents (at age 60) so that doesn't sound promising. And then there is the fact that my DS is still in my home due to Covid. No privacy for us up north.
My golf lesson went fairly well yesterday though there is so much to learn. But I will keep trying for now. I have another lesson tomorrow.
Have a safe and healthy Wednesday!
Liz 5'3" HW: 219 SW: 185 GW: 125 LW: 113 Desired maintenance range: 120-125 CW: 119ish
The hardscaping/landscaping projects are going to be quite something! Phase 1 - We are putting in two 65 foot long retaining walls complete with caps and built in lighting and drip irrigation, a 5 foot wide stone staircase going from the upper level of the yard to the lower level, moving the ramp that is next to the current stairs so it abuts the deck piers, enclosing the underside of our "floating deck" (it extends out from the upper yard out over the lower yard) so it is no longer a party area for the dogs, installing flood lighting for the lower yard, up lighting in the oak trees, redoing the vegetable garden - new bins and fencing-, and putting in decomposed granite in the side yard and vegetable garden. Oh, and building a long 20 foot planter box between the living room and master bedroom stoops along the back of the house.
Phase 2 will be a complete demo of the front yard and entry way. It is a horrific mid century modern design failure. Our front door step, as I may have mentioned before, is DANGEROUS! It doesn't meet current code and I hold my dad's arm every time he comes in and out of the house. I am always worried someone will misjudge the step and take a bad spill. We are going to open up the porch by building up the area surrounding the step up to the house, covering it with pavers and making a real front entry way with room for a bench or chairs and table. The hardscape in the front will be demolished and we will plan a pathway from the side walk to the front door. We will also get rid of the mock orange and replace it with either crepe myrtle or a Japanese maple. Haven't decided on that yet. We will probably get rid of the two hedge shrubs that were planted in front of the house. I forget the name of the hedge plant, but I looked it up once and it is generally used for privacy hedges as it grows to 15-20 feet. Keeping them window height is proving to be a challenge for my yard guy!
Phase 3 will be adding an outdoor mini kitchen area to the patio and a fire pit(?) - phase 3 is really up in the air right now, but phase 1 and 2 are a go.
Fun stuff..... but Ron was overwhelmed and cranky by the end of the meeting! LOL! I was jazzed and energized. Shows how differently we process things. I'm a bit like Diane Mc. Once I make a decision, I'm ready to go full steam ahead. Making the decision can take me quite a while, but once I've decided, I'M ON IT! LOL!
Weight is stable. Booo..... LOL! I can't say I ate completely in a weight loss fashion yesterday. Auntie Kathryn texted that Cousin's Maine Lobster food truck (think Shark Tank) was going to be at our local Lucky's parking lot. We went for dinner. I had lobster grilled cheese for dinner and some tater tots. So grease and salt! The food was good, but SOOOOO over priced. Ron got a plain lobster roll and it was so little compared to what I've had in New England for 2/3 the price. So, while it was decent food, we won't go back to that food truck.
I digressed.... I have to figure out my calorie level for moderate weight loss. I thought it would be about 2000 calories per day, which is what the NUT thinks, too. Luckily, the weight training seems to have boosted my metabolism right back to where it should be. I have to really track calories accurately for a week or so I think to see what my true deficit number is. This method of doing it on my own without a set program is harder in a way than following a "diet", but if I'm going to get a grip on the eating disorder, I really have to do it this way and deal! I also have to remember I'm closer to 60 than 50 and that supposedly makes a difference in the way our bodies metabolize food and release fat.
This is the part of the weight loss process that usually kicks my eating disorder into high gear, so I'm being careful to avoid my normal pitfalls. So strange to be dealing with this sh*t at my age, but I'm glad I'm dealing with it.
Happy Hump Day to all of us here in the USA. Shirl, I hope you have a thoroughly fulfilling Thursday!
It is exciting. Part of the reason I am doing it is that I would like to enjoy the house while I am here and don't want to fix it up just to sell it, if we do decide to sell when I retire. However, the idea of selling and relocating to a different area of the country is meeting a great deal of resistance from my brother and BFF. I also promised my dad that I would not move while he was still living (which to me is a given, no brainer decision - it's just what's right given he is really alone and my brother plans on moving to the foothills within a year or two...). So I figure, since it looks like I'm going to be here for at least another 4+ years, I might as well spend the money to enjoy it now than wait and fix it up - possibly for someone else!
on 4/14/21 12:00 pm
Weight 184. Three mile walk last night, 6 mile hikethis morning.
Such a nice lunch with my friend yesterday. I think I chose well foodwise and the scale didn't suffer this morning. She is one I've struggled with in the past. She can be overwhelming, but yesterday was really pleasant. She said she wanted to have a garage sale and I mentioned that I would love to be able to do that, but it's not allowed in my neighborhood. She called this morning and said, let's do it at my house May 1st and you bring all your stuff. My first reaction was "NO! I can't! Too soon! Too overwhelming!" But after my knee jerk, I calmed down and in the end agreed. Eek! That ought to relight my clean out fire...
Here is a pic of my hike this AM:
I think that's it! Enjoy your days!
Good Morning All
Popping in - I have been crazy busy at work. Its like everything has stepped up to manic level and I highly doubt that it will be any different till I finish. I will be working very late on 30th April then again on Saturday 1st May to complete the final round of invoicing - then Im done. I have 10 days off before I start my new role and I plan on taking time to be still and doing the things I want to do - likely a chunk of that time up at the farm as thats my peaceful place.
DH is having a colonospy this afternoon so Im taking carers leave in order to drive him in and collect him. Im hoping to get an appointment at the physio as I think Ive pinched a nerve in my lower back - the past few nights have been near impossible to sleep with the pain....
Peps - Im loving reading about all the planned improvements. How exciting and good for you doing it so you can enjoy it not just for re-sale. Our old neighbours poured their whole being into the house to prepare it for sale - it looked fabulous but they never got to enjoy it.
Liz - Hard situation to be in...... I dont envy you at all. Sounds like you are doing great with the golf lessons :)
DD - Good luck with the boundaries - something I am terrible at. I tend to say yes always and the more you do the more that is expected. End up juggling like a clown
Cec - Glad you are getting out a little more and back hiking. Love the picture. Good luck with the garage sale
Diane O - You are incrediable with the speed you are pulling all of this together. Im in awe of you both. When do you list your place?
Diane S - Must be getting close to puppy time? Cant wait to see pictures
BB - Lovely to see you back spending time with your family. The girls look like they had a wonderful Easter
Miss - how are you doing? Miss your voice
Hello to anyone I have missed and I had best get back to it
Have a wonderful evening
S
Liz, I think we might be getting some insight into why Mike's ex in an ex! Sounds a little teenageish for someone with a 60 year old boyfriend.
Peps, you've put my fire pit in phase 3?! Chilly evenings are why you NEED a fire pit. That's when they're the best. Agree with the fixing up to enjoy now.
Shirl, counting down the days until you can have your break at the farm.
Cecily, this is a good week, your weight loss is awesome even with dinner out, your friend was fun, and now you're going to have an incentive to move forward on even more purging.
My sil had her double mastectomy today, and we are all so very, very grateful that her lymph nodes show no spread. She still has treatment ahead of her, and plastic surgery for implants, but her cancer prognosis is in the good column now.
I also saw my new oncologist today and I'm so, so happy. Here are the differences, my previous oncologist (in January) said her office would call me in June to set up a mammogram, as per my usual schedule. New doc said, a diagnostic mammogram with ultrasound is done 6months after radiation, and if everything looks good, then goes to yearly. Previous doc, unconcerned about family history of cancer, new doc ordered genetic testing. Previous doc, we'll get you started on an anti estrogen medication, but, maybe risk reward doesn't require it, (after 3 visits, she still hadn't prescribed), New doc, you can't take aromtase inhibitors, they cause bone loss, the possibility of a hip fracture is a more deadly risk. You can take tamoxifen, it preserves bone, and will reduce your small risk of cancer recurrence by 50%, so it's worth trying. She told me more about my tumor type and treatment plan in 20minutes than I learned from my previous oncologist over 3 appointments.
Lesson, sometimes it's hard to insist on the treatment you deserve. It's so easy to be cowed by the doctors authority, and everyone was telling me, oh you'll love this doctor. But I didn't. If it doesn't feel right, it's not right. I feel so relieved now that I have real treatment plan and an oncologist who took the time to answer my questions.
