The Battle Continues...

The WEIGHT Battle that is.....always a problem, always a work in progress, always 3 steps forward and 2 steps back.....sometimes, more back than forward!

I have "done" more diets in my lifetime than I can list.....and my body knows it.

This past Monday, I decided to "DO" a diet I have never done before. That was actually hard to find!  Through the years, I have done many diets that were expensive.  My criteria for this time was it must not be expensive, nor too unrealistic to follow.  Anyway, I decided to follow the Slim-Fast 1-2-3 plan.  I'm not big on missing "food" for a meal, but I need to show my body that I could control this huge desire to eat.

So, I went to Wal-Mart and bought a case of Slim-Fast.

Bought some apples & bananas for my snacks.

Gonna give it a try.

Also, found a really neat website....FREE.  http://www.myfitnesspal.com/.  I'm a "gadget" person and spend a great deal of time on the web, so it was fitting!  It will track your weight loss with calories, food journal, weights, with extra tools for BMI, BMR and others.  Also comes with a community chat room.  Very nice site for FREE!  Very similar to other sites I have been a paid member of.  Check it out.

So far....I have lost 4 lbs.  Was 5lbs yesterday, but ate fried fish at the beach last night and decrease in my walking, so even though I was within my calorie limit, believe the fried part cause some fluid retention.  I know better.It was my only meal yesterday, but should have chosen the the broiled fish. The lessons continue...


 

Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Calorie Counter

 
So, I probably need to set some mini-goals.  The first thing I needed to do was see if I was going to stick to this plan or not.  So far, I am impressed with myself!  As much as I like to eat, didn't know if I could do it one time a day for a meal. Of course, the apples and bananas help tremendously.

Next on the list is to start...TODAY...the 30 day shred video from Jillian Michael's.  That I am dreading!  She is a BEAST!  I enjoy watching The Biggest Loser...but she scares me!  Seriously!  But, according to all the friends on my new-found website....this is an awesome video for results!  Just hope I can walk tomorrow!

OK....just wanted to state all of this publicly so maybe I will be accountable!!!

Beach Week is 5 weeks from today......think I'll put in the video for a preview first......gotta psych myself u for this!

Getting older isn't for sissies!

One thing I have noticed since I passed 50 a few years ago...is that aging is not fun!  It is just amazing to me how things do go "down hill"...or so it seems.  I guess the first thing I noticed was my stamina decreased dramatically.  I am very active....very!  I walk fast, multitask like crazy, over extend my commitments.  But all of a sudden, it is like someone turns off the switch...and I can't continue anymore until I rest.  How odd!

Two years ago, in the winter, I noticed that I had developed allergies.  Never had them in my life.   The upper respiratory kind...watery, itchy eyes, sneezing fits...You know the kind!  And for it to happen in the winter of all times... Go figure!

Then last month, while having a major bout with sigmoid diverticulitis...(oh, by the way, that is another past 50 thing!), I was suddenly allergic to the antibiotic they put me on.  I've taken this antibiotic for years.  Strange!  But about 2 weeks prior to that, and continues now, so for about 8 weeks now, I have a rash!  Basically all over my body!  Especially in my midriff, and arms.  But also legs and back.  Fine, little red bumps.  I have bought a plethora of lotions, soaps and any other treatment items I can think of or read about!  I have toyed with this idea even before the Diverticulitis episode, wondering if it is a gluten allergy.

My f-i-l has Celiac disease and gluten breaks him out bad.  A severe itchy rash....just like mine.  But his is usually contained to his arms...which is typical.  However, I have done tons of research and it can be anywhere, chronic, severely itching,....rash.  There is testing that can be done but usually by a specialist...not even the dermatologist is recommended.  But, a quicker answer is to do an elimination diet.  I'm not so much into depriving myself of things I want!  So I haven't crossed that line yet.  But I'm just about miserable.  I got up and took and oatmeal bath at 1:00am this morning b/c of the itching rash!  As I type....the itching is constant.  I have already used to anti-itch cream this morning.  So I am seriously considering starting this diet today!  But I do LOVE bread!  Yes, I make gluten free bread for my father-in-law but he says it is tasteless.  But I may have to resort to this. 

I have put off this whole diet thing because I have several upcoming business trips.  In fact, during the next 2 months, I will be away from home for 14 days!  That means I will not be totally in control of my menu selections.  So I was blaming that on my reasons for putting off this diet challenge...but I am miserable right now!  So, I may give it a shot!  We will see....

My other blog......

I would like to invite you to my other blog...it is a work blog and the post from yesterday was an event that really warms your heart.  Would love for you to follow it....thanks.  Sue Ellen


http://carolinaeasthomecarehospice.blogspot.com/2011/02/wishes-do-come-true.html

A Recuperating Husband...Bless Him

Kent, my, husband had foot surgery 11 days ago.  We have known for a few months it was coming.  He actually planned it for now b/c this is his "down" time in his business.  He owns "Home Turf Advantage-Lawn Care & Landscaping.  He loves his 2nd career...better than his first one. 

He actually worked in a lab of at R&D Center where he tested and formulated Herbicides and Pesticides.  After about 4 mergers...he chose a severance package about 15 years ago.  That is when his "mission" for the elderly in our church turned into a business of his own.  He loves it.

Anyway, he has been dreading this.  In many years passed, he broke his big toe on the right foot.  Over the years, all kinds of things went wrong with it.  It half fused, grew a bunion and developed spurs.  It was a mess.  Then...it started becoming numb and at the same time hurt.  Sounds impossible to have both but it was not.  Then, b/c he was compensating for the pain, he would walk with his foot turned to the side causing his knee and now his back to go out...Ouch! 



In his recliner with microwave,
mini-fridge at his fingertips
and laptop in use!

So, by the time he decided, at my insistence, to see a MD, there were few options left.  The doc told him if he had not had such a high pain threshold, he would have sought help earlier when other procedures could be done.  So now, his only option was remove the bunion (over growth of bone), remove the spurs, break the toe, instill 2 pins and 2 screws and re-fuse the toe.  Double Ouch!

So, he now is recuperating.  On total NON-Weight bearing for 8 weeks!!!  That is why he had the surgery in his down time months!  He has done far better than I thought mentally!...and temperament!  But...bless him.  I have to help him in the shower, bring his meals to him and do all  his errands.  He's very independent so that truly doesn't rest well with him.  He is one that gets up around 5:30am in the summer or winter and heads to his barn/office.  Prep his equipment, go look at some lots, review his records and do billing...and stuff.  and usually comes home at dark.  Bless Him.  So glad he is healing well.

We have the use of a knee-walker ...one of the best inventions in the world!  I rented it from someone on Craigslist that had purchased one and now rents it.  Beats crutches hand down!  With that thingy...he can get up and go to the bathroom, bed room and scoot around.  The only problem is that he is upstairs and can go up and down the stairs but 2 times a week.  So...today I took him to the barn and his office.  He is determined to go to church tomorrow and teach SS.  Then to the doctor on Wednesday.  Again....bless him....its hard being so sedentary when you are use to being so busy all the time.

So, if you will, even though it is not "life-threatening" whisper a prayer for his sanity.  Thanks!

Do you COLLECT anything???

Through the years, I have seen various items that people collect. I remember when my daughter was young, my Mother-in-law asked me one day what she was going to collect? I had no idea really what she was even talking about. I had not collected anything other than the occasional fads like Trolls or gum wrapper chains....that sort of stuff. Remember them???  But nothing "long-term".

As it turned out, she did find a collection she wanted to collect. She fell in love with the cute Russ collection of Birds: "Tweet Alongs", as they are called. They are so cute and she has a number of them.  I don't think she has added anymore to her collection in a few years.  But they have filled up her curio cabinet!

She told me before Christmas that she had decided she wants to collect Owls now. She had started noticing some artwork and such and had become enamored by them.  And really...there are some CUTE owl stuff out there!  For Christmas, I was able to come across 2 Owl figurines in my thriftings...one that is like a planter that would be perfect for pencils on her desk.  And one I bought at a local shop.  I found a cute scrabble necklace at an etsy shop that has an owl picture on the necklace and is decoupaged.  The cool thing about that is that the flip side of the owl has the same letter as her last name!  And that wasn't even planned!!!

My husband collects pocket knives.  He has hundreds and in fact he sells them as a hobby to feed his obsession!  That's cool with me.  He also collected birds and inherited some from his grandmothers collections.

So...lately I've been thinking...I want to collect something too!  But for the life of me, I can't think of anything!  I really don't want a "fixed" collection.  I want something that I have to search for but is obtainable.  Not something obsolete.  I've thought of frogs, butterflies, Angels...but they just don't "grab" me.

So I am here asking you all....What do you collect???

OUCH!!! My FOOT!!!

Well, I do things.  Lots of things.  I have delusions of grandeur on WHAT I can do alone and what things I need help with!  Well...today, this morning at 6-ish o'clock, I awaken to my husband getting dressed to head out to work. 


Doesn"t look
THAT heavy does it???

It clicked..."I need his help before he goes!"  I jumped out of bed and said, "Can you help me lift this 500 lb TV up to the TV stand (in our bedroom)???  "Sure".  I quickly moved from the top of the current TV the DVD/VCR player and the receiver for the DISH network and he moved the smaller TV off.  Then we reached down to the floor to pick up the enormous TV that use to be in our Den.  (We had gotten a flat screen one for the den and our son-in-law and Kent had moved this one upstairs).  Using good body mechanics which I am sure to always put in place in my "movings", I helped to lift this monstrosity...WOW...I was wrong about how much the TV weighed...not 500 lbs but 1000lbs now!!!  Seriously, I had no idea the weight here...and the cumbersomeness of this piece!  Well...half way up....I DROPPED my side of the TV...KAPLUNK!!!  Earth shattering noise for sure....when I dropped my side, seconds later, my husband lost his grip and dropped his....kinda in slow motion.

Well...it was on my FOOT!!! OUCH!!!! BIG OUCH!!! I immediately yelped...pulled my foot out and by this time, the TV was lying face down on the floor. I just knew I would find the screen cracked or the tube blown and the TV wouldn't work. And....I had also lost my balance after pulling my foot out from under the TV and fell on top of the VCR/DISH receiver that says "never place anyting heavy" on top of it....well....I'm heavy!?! Ok, so I'm yelling "Get me up...!!! Get me up!!!" and holding out my hand to Kent who is a little baffled by my reaction....(had to explain it later!) Anyway...utter chaos so early in the morning. But I knew I needed him to help me so I could work on this TV thing the rest of the day!!!

Kent came over to help me....I cried a little...hurt a lot. Looked at my foot: broken skin and a blue tinge started surfacing. I don't bruise.....almost NEVER due to a blood situation I have with extremly high platelets. Plus....my foot had an area where the skin surface layers were shaved back...OUCH for me! But, my foot was numb. I felt NO pain after the initial pain. Good and bad of it...

So...was it broken???  Funny, Kent is the one having foot surgery next week with fusion of bones and such.  Would I be suffering along with him!  Oh no!  He immediatly said, "Maybe you'll have surgery next week instead of me!"  NOT!  ...I hoped. He has been trying to find any excuse not to have surgery!

It has now been a few hours and all is well.  The feeling came back after about 20 minutes and was a little painful and is still when I move a certain way but not the broken bone type of pain.  I've broken bones before and this def doesn't feel like that.  PTL! Anyway, the slight brusing isn't even there?!?   Go figure!

Oh well, as it turned out...Kent, using his HE-MAN" muscles, lifted the TV alone and set it in place.  It works, didn't break it after all.  WHEW! 

I'm such a weirdo.

It Snowed....AGAIN!

It just doesn't happen to us. 
Not at all. 
Never. 
Ever.
SNOW...and bunches of it!

These pictures were taken yesterday afternoon...in the "HEAT" of the day!  Noticed people still got out to go to the grocery store!  Right after Christmas, we got 7 inches!  This time around we got 3 inches.  T-E-N inches in 2 weeks!  WOW!!!

Honestly, snow is such a rare occurence for us.  We have actually gone several years without seeing a snowflake where we live.  Being an hour inland from the coast, that is not our usual site!  When I saw this snowplow I mentioned to my husband that I didn't think I had ever seen one here beofre!  The roads were a mess let me tell you!

Today, our office is closed again.  Yesterday was due to snow, today to ice.  But even though it is 31 degrees, it is melting nicely.  I'm glad.  Don't get me wrong.  I love snow...from the inside out!  I no longer want to play in it or drive in it....in fact, the only thing I want to do in it is EAT IT!  Snowcream!  I love it!

Yesterday, my husband went to our Hopsice Care Center in order to salt the walks.  I decided I would ride with him and of course took my camera.  I was a nervous wreck!  The roads were so treacherous.  I was so glad to get home.   Some slidding we did do!

Anyway...just wanted to share my pictures!






Enjoy!

~~~Sue

House renovation on Byerly!

My daughter and her husband have started a blog.......please check it out and join them!http://baskinginbyerly.blogspot.com/

A FREE Saturday...a rarity indeed...

It's 11:02 am and I am still in bed.  Not in sleep mode you understand.  Just in a lounging sort of way.  Went to bed around 11:30pm.  Up again around 3-ish with the dogs, back to bed quickly, but just as quickly, back up with dog #2 that had just stood on the porch without taking care of business the first time around...if you get my drift.  When I awaken at 6:00 this morning with the husband, my head was splitting with a headache.

See, we were suppose to have gotten some snow activity last night that ended up just being rain.  But none the less, the rain coming in did a number on my head.  Not an uncommon occurrence.  Do you know what I'm talking about?  It's the kind of "sinus" headache that makes your face hurt, your teeth ache and you can't breath at all through you nose!  UGH!  It didn't help that all this was proceeded with a HUGE allergy attack last night.  That was brought on from being in our basement den without having the dehumidifier running for a couple of days.  It is rather loud and a couple of nights ago while watching TV, we had turn it off and failed to turn it on again.  Hope I don't make that mistake again! 

So, I've said all that to say this...if a few minutes, I'm going to get up and get started on my projects today!  I love a free Saturday.  The ones prior to Thanksgiving and Christmas are never FREE....there is always something pending.

I want to work on my bedroom.  Change the linens, rearrange some things and just enjoy the day!  Who knows, if I finish in time, may work on the upstairs sitting room too!  Trying to get this all done before Kent has some foot surgery on the 19th. He will be non-weight-bearing for 8 weeks and I want to make sure there is a clear path for his mobility with crutches!

So, off I go...getting a start to my day!