Tuesday, February 20, 2024

It is sunny but COLD here. It was 46 outside and 64 inside when I got up. The heat is on much to DH's consternation as he doesn't think the heat should ever be on in Florida. I refuse to freeze in my own home!

Last night I went to a book club where we discussed The Lost Girls of Willowbrook. The hostess did a great job of managing the discussion. We started by watching part of the Geraldo Rivera expose done in 1972. I remember that it really hit home for me when it first came out because the daughter of a family friend was in a similar school in Massachusetts also exposed around that time. Her parents couldn't afford anything other than a state "school" and physically could not manage her at home once she became a full-grown teenager. After the video the hostess had everyone count off by 3 and the 1's discussed the first question, with each one given a say one after the other, etc. It was a really great way of having everyone participate without anyone talking over another person. And no side discussions as everyone was engaged. Some interesting personal stories came out as it was a disturbing book that touched many of us personally. None of us really liked how the story was contrived with less than believable characters but it was a good way to highlight the horrors of what could happen in underfunded, understaffed institutions.

Dinner at the book club was salad with lots of toppings like a real salad bar and chicken or salmon to put on top. Nice, healthy meal.

Interesting that the semaglitide medications mimic what our bodies did after WLS. Makes me want to try it even more.

Today we sign the papers to sell the former home (a week in advance of the actual closing), meet friends for lunch, then play our next to last bocce match of the regular season. I hope it has warmed up by then. Last year we were hot by this point in the bocce season but a couple of weeks ago when we played both teams were playing as fast as possible to get off the court because we were frozen. Hoping today is not a repeat. The friends we are meeting are the ones who for 2 weeks said they were going to buy our place but kept dragging their feet on signing a contract and finally backed out. It was tough though I know them enough to understand why it happened. In the end it is probably best that we are selling to a stranger and not a friend.

Time to take a walk with a winter coat on. Justice doesn't mind the cold. Have a timely Tuesday!

ETA: I just realized my shoulder surgery is exactly a month from today. Yikes!

I was watching a YouTube video by a doctor who participates in running trials for semaglutide, tirzepatide, and a new one, retatrutide, that is expected in 2026/27 and shows promise to be even better than tirzepatide. She said that tirzepatide's 12.5mg dose (lowest is 2.5 highest is 15) is equivalent to gastric bypass weight loss. Makes me wonder if bariatric surgery will become a thing of the past. Something barbaric they used to do to obese people. Interestingly she said it also is expected to help treat fatty liver, osteoarthritis, and obstructive sleep apnea. How it does the last two, I'm not sure?

2.2 pounds down this morning for some reason! So 9.8 pounds in 2 weeks if today's number holds. Today is my third shot. I feel so much better just with that. No longer like a sausage busting out of its casing.

Good lord, you should see the incision on my dad's head from mohs! Maybe 6" in a C. Basically the whole top of his head. And awful Walgreens couldn't fill his prescription because they said Mayo didn't use the right DEA code for narcotics. So his first night was without painkillers other than Tylenol. Jerks. As if Mayo doesn't know what they're doing. Hopefully they can sort that this morning. As expected and understandably he was in a terrible mood last night.

I think that's all this morning. We're supposed to see 64 but cloudy? Sunny now.

Liz, she sounds like a good wrangler of a larger book club! We only have about 5 people at any one gathering, so can be more loosey goosey. Speaking of which, I need to read the next book pronto! It's next week.

Masonry guy still here. I'm so ready for him to finish so I can have my yard back. To get my attention if he has a question he walks up to the windows and knocks looking at me. I know it's irrational, but I hate it. Feels like I'm in a zoo enclosure. Zero privacy.

Off to see about making some eggs for breakfast. Take care everyone!

So sorry your Dad had to suffer. I would bet Walgreens screwed up.

Jealous but happy for you with your weight loss!

I totally understand and felt happy for and envious of DD and Bonnie! I still have 47 left to lose to be at the top my range, so I had packed on a lot of pounds. So you are still way ahead of the game at keeping the weight off. I don't expect the rest to be this fast...

I finally bit the bullet and moved all my prescriptions from Walgreens to another pharmacy. Their service has tanked. They don't staff well. If I had a question, 30-40 minutes on hold. And leaving your Dad to suffer like that, absolutely ridiculous!

PS this morning

greetings all

For some unknown reason it is not raining today. It is raining in every other part of CA but not here. Bet it starts again tonight.

Scrabble this am. Won two of three including defeating The Shark. Yay me. Then I ran a bunch of errands including the clay supply store, bank and the dreaded CVS for my coffee. As usual it was on sale. They seem to know when I am out. Got a cheeseburger from my favorite spot which I just now finished.

Yay CC on the weight. Yes I have fond memories of the biochemical aspect of VSG. I was not hungry for a couple of years. Wish that was still true and glad to hear that medication has tapped into that effect. It's always been my theory that some of us are just born hungrier than others. That would be me.

Yes DD that raspberry jello and stewed tomatoes was a real thing. My friends in laws were peculiar people. They practiced the Pritikin diet. They were very wealthy people but my friend said they never made enough to eat at holidays - hence the preparatory drive through McDonalds. I have forgotten all the horrid things this person served but once she served a smoked turkey that was raw. When my friend did the cooking she always sneaked as much butter and cream into everything and lobbed a brick of cream cheese into the mashed potatoes when in laws were not looking. The jello was a Pritikin recipe I think. Crazy Pat also used to make awful jello salads using olives. One had these really strong spanish olives in it and it tasted like jello made with sea water. Another time we made a black cherry jello in a fish mold and it looked like Free Willy on a plate.

Not sure whats for dinner here but it will involve hamburger. No Helper with it.

House gets cleaned tomorrow and it needs it.

Diane S

I have to claim a somewhat weird Jello salad that is a family tradition. Green Jello with cream cheese and pinneapple. DH has celebrated holidays with my family for almost 40 years. It's only recently that he sees the virtue of our cleverly named "Green Jello" and will take a serving. Our kids on the other hand have loved it from the beginning.

I am freezing!! I just came home from an outdoor rally for our contract negotiations. Now, whenever there is a school board meeting, we stand on the street corner by the district office with our clever signs. It was a high of 42 degrees today, but after an hour standing on a cold cement sidewalk as the sun went down, I am chilled to the very center of me. The last and only offer our district gave us was in November, and it was for 1%. Our contract expired June 30. We're pretty fired up. It was encouraging to hear all the cars honking as they drove by, and kids waving from the passenger seat.

I am all packed for Friday, except for my toiletries. I even picked out my transitional outfit to wear to work Friday, that has layers I can take off when we land in Florida.

Liz, I'm sure your counting down the days until the house is closed on once and for all.

Had the phone appointment with my PCP this evening. I thought I would wait to post until after that. Well, who knew??????..... my HMO will cover Ozempic! However, there are very strict guidelines for getting it. I have to be on an entry level med for 90 days first and then fail at losing 5% of my weight. After that, then I can go on to the Ozempic. However, first I have to have my labs done. My last labs were too low for pre-diabetes, but close. But, I got the impression that if I am not "sick" enough I won't be able to get the entry level med (metformin or phentermine) either. I think I'm ready to just go ahead and start the GLP-1 on Friday when it comes. But it's a good idea to get the blood work done anyhow! He also prescribed some albuterol and cough suppressant for this lingering virus. He's such a good MD!

The scale rewarded me today as it does after most dog show weekends these days. I'm down about 9 pounds from my highest OOPSIE a month or two ago.

Did some cleaning of the office this afternoon after school. Still more to go, but it does feel good to get started on some of my piles. LOL.... I used to be such a good 'anti clutter' person - even my closet was neat and orderly. Drawers were organized and things were easy to find. Now, I'm kind of like a sloth about organization and chores - except when it comes to the dogs and school. In those two areas I still toe the line! Maybe I will once again be an organized person in retirement. But then again, maybe not.

The rain held off until about 2 pm today. That was nice. It was pretty much done by 6 pm, too. More on its way tomorrow and then on Thursday we are supposed to have sunny skies and reach 60 degrees! Whoopie!

Gotta feed the dogs and myself and finish cleaning my workspace in the office.

Ta, ta Tuesday!