This is weird

YOUR AGE BY diner and restaurant math

 

Don't tell me your age; you probably would tell a falsehood anyway -- but your waiter may know!

 This is pretty neat.


DON'T CHEAT BY SCROLLING DOWN FIRST!
It takes less than a minute.
Work this out as you read ...
Be sure you don't read the bottom until you've worked it out!
This is not one of those waste of time things -- it's fun.

1. First of all, pick the number of times a week that you would like to go out to eat (more than once but less than 10).

2. Multiply this number by 2 (just to be bold)

3. Add 5.

4. Multiply it by 50.

5. If you have already had your birthday this year add 1756.

If you haven't, add 1755. 

6. Now subtract the four-digit year that you were born.

You should have a three-digit number

 

 

The first digit of thiswas your original number (i.e., how many times you want to goout to restaurants in a week.)

The next two numbers are YOUR AGE!  (Oh YES, it is!!!!!)

Ok is it my journal or are they all weird?

                                               

 

Halloween's a sudden BOO!!
And just as quick a scream:
Laughing in the scary dark,
Loving friendly fright.
On Halloween, witches come true;
Wild ghosts escape from dreams.
Each monster dances in the park,
Eating candy like a shark-
Now kiss and say goodnight!                 

 

Copyright by
Nicholas Gordon

                       

              I open up my journal to put in an entry and it is different then normal.  Not bad but just different so I was wondering if anyone else noticed anything or is it just my journal.  So many weird things going on with it lately.  The fonts keep changing, half the time it won't save.  Always a challenge to get something in.  Keeps me on my toes. 

                                                                                                     

   Well Halloween is here.  I sure miss not getting any kids out here.  We live on a dark gravel road and usually it is raining so the kids don't usually come here.  When the boys were small their friends would come because I had special bags made up for them but that has been many years ago.  I always liked seeing the costumes.  I hope my son will get some pictures of the grandkids so I can see them.  We have to get a video cam set up. 

           

     Another thing about my journal.  If I make a new paragraph the font changes.  What a pain in the rear.  It should stay the same.  Anyone else having that problem?  So I do it all in on paragraph and then go back and change it afterward.  

                                  

    As predicted my belly button incision opened up.  Boy am I going to have a ugly belly button when this finally heals up.  I guess my belly dancing days are over unless I can find a really big jewel to stick in it, LOL.   My fever peaked out last night at 102.4 and finally broke around 3 am.  I am feeling better today.  The antibiotics must be kicking in.  Now I have to fill out my FMLA papers and get them sent in so this absence isn't counted against me. 

                       

      Our hospital makes you take FMLA at the same time you take short term disability for surgery.  That way if you have it for another reason it gets used up really fast when you have surgery and they can get rid of you easily.  Not suppose to work that way from what I hear. Working in a health care setting you would think they were somewhat sympathetic about the health problems of their employees but they could care less.  Hurt yourself on the job because you were short staffed, too bad, watch your back or they will fire you especially if you end up with a permanent disability like I have with my back.  I had to have my restrictions lifted or I would have lost my job.  Remember I broke my back on my job because I had a spinal bifida that I knew nothing about, but they did, they did back xrays when I was hired.  They just never mentioned it to me.  I had no idea that under the perfect conditions my back would just break apart in a couple of places.  Gee, thanks job.  Anyway water under the bridge.

                   

   I am looking forward to everyones pictures showing the costumes their children wore.   I guess I will see them that way.  Hope everyone has a fun night.  I am sticking as many graphics as I can on here as I have snagged quite a few.  Check them out, aren't they just so cool!

                 

 

  

The Raven

The Raven

by Edgar Allan Poe

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore --
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door --
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door --
            Only this and nothing more."

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; -- vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow -- sorrow for the lost Lenore --
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore --
            Nameless here for evermore.

And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me -- filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating,
"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door --
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; --
            This it is and nothing more."

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
"Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you " -- here I opened wide the door; ----
            Darkness there and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore?"
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!" --
            Merely this and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore --
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;--
            'Tis the wind and nothing more!"

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore;
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door --
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door --
            Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore --
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
            Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning -- little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door --
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
            With such name as "Nevermore."

But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered -- not a feather then he fluttered --
Till I scarcely more than muttered "Other friends have flown before --
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before."
            Then the bird said "Nevermore."

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore --
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
            Of 'Never -- nevermore'."

But the Raven still beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore --
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore
            Meant in croaking "Nevermore."

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
            She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
"Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee -- by these angels he hath sent thee
Respite -- respite and nepenthe, from thy memories of Lenore;
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!"
            Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil! -- prophet still, if bird or devil! --
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted --
On this home by Horror haunted -- tell me truly, I implore --
Is there -- is there balm in Gilead? -- tell me -- tell me, I implore!"
            Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil -- prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us -- by that God we both adore --
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore --
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."
            Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

"Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend!" I shrieked, upstarting --
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken! -- quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
            Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
            Shall be lifted -- nevermore!

Ramblings of a fevered mind

   My husband was called on the phone the other day to do a poll.  He talked for awhile and then I could see he was getting angry.  The polls questions were posed in a way the the poller knew what the answer would be.  This isn't one of the questions but shows you what I mean.  Who do you think knows more about whats going on in the war,  Hilary or McCain?  Not who would be better at handling what is going on there, but who knows more about it.  Personally I think neither but that wasn't an answer.  And how in the world would anyone know what a politician was really thinking?  But do you see what I mean.  The questions are worded so that the poll will come out like they want.  Then in the news the next day, Polls show more people favor Democrats as being better to handle the was issues.  What!   There wasn't even a republican mentioned. 

    I only mention this because these polls are so one sided.  Its like asking what do like best?  Bread with peanut butter and jelly or bread with jelly and peanut butter.  Headline news!  People like bread with peanut butter and jelly!  Yippy skippy. 

    When someone calls me and asks me to do a poll I ask to hear the questions first.  If it looks like the type of fixed poll like I just mentioned I decline to take the poll and tell them why.  If they won't read me the questions first I decline the poll.  DON'T PUT WORDS IN MY MOUTH.

    Next thing.   Heard a thing on the radio today.   A woman brings her 3 years old daughter to see body works 2. MoS | Gunther von Hagens' BODY WORLDS 2 - Plan Your Visit  Know what that is?   A German Doctor takes real human bodies and part and incases them in a resin type material and displays them.  As a nurse I would probably find this very interesting even though there is a huge controversy about how legally he obtains these bodies.  The 3 year old girl however was just terrified.  The radio people thought it was funny, the mother thought it was funny............... I don't.  I think it unbelievable how stupid and selfish this woman was and wonder what type of scars she has permanently implanted in her daughters head.  I think it is child abuse.  The child was clearly scared to death.  Did her mother protect her?  No !  Her mother laughed at her and had fun at her expense.  Sure Mom wanted to see the exhibit.  Wait until you can find a sitter.  Wait years until your child is older.   Get sterilized.  Poor taste Mom.

    I am running a pretty good fever tonight.  The infection seems to be making itself at home in my body.  That always gets me somewhat B----y.    So things like this are like rubbing salt on a raw wound, oh I just had sympathy pain in my tummy when I said that.   Hope the antibiotics work soon.

     Oh another thing.  Ran into an old friend today.   She had scars all over her face and both arms had been broken and she had numerous scars there also.  Her dog attacked her!  The dog she had had for years. 

    She was walking both dogs in the field behind her house like she does every night.  All of a sudden her Staffordshire Bull Terrier grabbed hold of her other dogs nose and wouldn't let go.  The dog weighed over 100 pounds.  She did a choke hold on her dog to make it open its mouth and it turned on her.  After biting her repeatedly breaking both of her forearms and shattering the bones she was able by clear thinking get the leash wrapped around a fire hydrant and tie the dog up.  She said if she hadn't kept her head the dog would probably have killed her. 

     The dog was brought to animal control and quarantined for 10 days.  During the 10 days it got sicker and sicker and they had to put the dog down.  The found it had a brain tumor.   God that just gave me the chills.  My dog weights in at 67 pounds and I can't imagine her doing anything like that.   Personally I think being the breed she is she wouldn't do that.  Who knows.  Anyway my beautiful friend with scars all over her face and braces on her arms cried like a baby when theyput the dog down.  She is grateful it was her when the dog snapped and not someone else.  Like a child.

    So this is how my mind rambles when I am sick.  Weird huh.   I will probably have weird dreams also.

Bad but not unexpected news.

                  

  Hope old father death isn't waiting for me!   Anyway the doctor says my incision will likely open up the way it looks and it is infected, no surprise.   So I am on antibiotics.  The bad thing is he won't let me go to work. 

    Now in a way the is a relief but in another way a big problem because I am not getting paid and I need the money.  I am one of those paycheck to paycheck people.   With Rick not working things get so tight when I am off.  Time to hit the bank and move some money around.  I can hit my son up which helps.

    My tummy is pretty darn sore today so it nice knowing I have at least another 10 days to recover.  Oh, he also said no to the gym for now.  So I sit here getting fatter and fatter, no one to blame but me.  I can do some walking though and it is suppose to be very nice, but very windy, today.

    I sent out all my alerts today.  I had no idea  I was suppose to let people know and their alerts wouldn't work anymore.  No computer geek here for sure.

    Check out my barn picture I fixed.  I really like this one.

        

     Well, I guess I will finish my running around.  On the antibiotics I lucked out.  Dan was started on this one and had a allergic reaction to them,  I have just enough of his to get by.  They don't expire for months so are still good.  I knew there was a reason I didn't get rid of them.

                                    

Doctors today

                                 

   I see the doctor today and expect to get my butt chewed.  I am definately feeling under the weather today and the redness has spread down half my stomach.  I really thought I could wait until my appointment today.  Hopefully just getting these staples out will be good enough, but I have a feeling I will need some antibiotics.  Just what I need. 

   I start back to work tomorrow and hate going with something not healed right.  So good a chance of picking something up.  I wash my hands religiously but visitors are always going in and out of the isolations rooms without washing or using the gell and then going to the cafeteria, bathrooms, lobbies, all over the place.   It just shocks me when I see visitors bringing babies and small children and letting them crawl all over the floor.  We do what we can but the spread of germs is constant at a hospital and some of the germs you do not want to get.

   I got a new picture of my granddaughter's kindergarden picture.  She looks so pretty.  The picture makes her hair look auburn and my son says it has darked up quite a bit.  Its the same color as my sons was.

                   

What gives

  Am I being boycotted?  Did I make people mad when I went private?  I never had a whole lot of people reading my journal but I had some and got some comments.  I feel soooooooo alone and didn't realize how much I started looking forward to hearing from everyone.  Is it because no one can get to my journal?  I put everyone on I could think of that I know read my journal.  This is just so sad.  Boo Hoo for me.  DOES NO ONE CARE!

My incision is infected.

                                          

    I guess I blew it by not calling the doctor Friday and asking to have my staples removed when they started getting red and really bothering me.  Today I woke up and I have a fever.  The incision by my belly butter is fire engine red with a large red area radiating around it and worse yet it is starting to open up.   Now I took care of a patient that had a terrible infection in her umbilicus incision after a lap.  She ended up with a deep hole we had to pack and was on IV antibiotics for days.  I sure don't need this.  I had been keeping it covered as my clothes were rubbing on it and didn't realize it was looking quite so irritated, it wasn't this bad after my shower!   Just my luck.  I can't wait until they get removed tomorrow.  I put some triple antibiotic oint on it and will hope for the best and some tylenol for the temp.  Sigh.

                     

    Now for yesterday.   We went to Omaha and had a nice day.  Rick wasn't sure he wanted to go but he had a good time.  We went to a few stores and I bought some organic rice cakes, yik by the way, and some beers for the beer cellar.  We got some really different ones so it will be fun to have a tasting one of these days.  Then we went to Crescent Moon.Crescent Moon Alehouse - Omaha, NE   I did have the Rueben since it was invented right across the street at the historical Blackstone Hotel

City of Omaha's Landmarks Heritage Preservation Commission

   It was wonderful also, just like you would make at home.  Yes all the calories also.

   When we left there we went to Upstream Brewing company to play some pool. Upstream Brewing Company We both have played pool for years and once we were very very hard to beat.  Won us some money and trophies in our day, but now we don't play as often and play more for fun then we used to. 

   It used to make us so mad when we would miss a shot we had practiced so often and never missed in practice, LOL.  So much stress for a hobby. 

   Anyway we went and played pool and had a few homebrews.  There beer is the same usually but differs depending on the brewer.  Once Rick almost decided to work there but we didn't want to move to Omaha and the drive made it not fessible.  I did terrible at pool but Rick and fun.

  We always loved this pool hall.  We would to in the afternoon and play for hours.  The had great jazz and blues on the jukebox.  Not so much now a days and the tables were kept in great shape, not so much now a days either.  It gets pretty pricy though at 6 dollars.

   We both drank lots of water mostly because we had a long drive home.  I had wanted to spend the night but they get such ridiculous prices for motels and hotels these days.  I just want a clean bed to sleep on and a shower.  They can keep all that other crap and not charge me over a hundred, Yikes.  We used to go there alot for the weekend when it was 30 a night, no more.  We were surprised to find out is was 11:30 at night when we left so we didn't get home to Sioux City til 1 am.  Pretty late for us old folks.

   So anyway that was our day yesterday.  Today I am suppose to be having my MIL over for grilled steaks so I hope I get to feeling better.  I haven't told Rick about my infection as he will think we shouldn't have gone yesterday.  Wouldn't have made any difference and we sure had fun.   Just looked over and my dog is laying on the couch having doggy dreams with her legs running all over the place and softly woofy in her sleep.  I bet she is chasing those squirrels again, lol.

                        

    you know, I used to play in the leaves until one day I noticed there were spiders in them,   I wish I had never noticed that.

 

 

                      Good joke: Foreign Languages

Well so far my diet is going just swell........NOT

                           

       Yup, jumped on the scale to see what a day of being totally back on plan did for me...... it did a 3 POUND WEIGHT GAIN!   WHATS UP WITH THAT.

    Of course I wasn't expecting a huge loss after one day, maybe just to maintain but this gain is unbelievable.   Of course I have been having trouble with retaining fluid again but this much!  Probably every I ate yesterday is still sitting there not digesting.

     Now in the really old days I would have used this as a really good excuse to dump the old diet in the garbage and resign myself to my fate as life as the fat lady.  Now being I am much more mature and diet wise I know not to let this get to me besides a brief shock or horror reading the numbers on the scale and am ready again today to do battle with my weight loss demons.

                         

          Shoot them demons pardner, this is a battle for my life!

     Ok got the depressing and discouraging out of the way.  Onward.   Today is my husbands birthday.  It will hopefully be a fun day for him and a diet challenge for me.   We are going to wander around old town and hopefully I can get some Christmas shopping done.  Also want to pick up some beers we can't get here.  We are getting quite the beer cellar  We are also going to go the Cresent Moon again where they have over 400 beers on tap and serve the original Rueben sandwich which was made across the street at the old fancy Hotel.  It was world famous in its day. 

    Now I do realize that beer is incredibly fattening and ruebens are right up there in calories.  Here is a dieters dilema.  Do you throw your diet out the window for the rare special days and just enjoy it for the days sake.  Or do you stay on plan because if you add up all the special days it makes about a month total all year. 

    Now someone who has never struggled with their weight really can't understand these problems.  I have a couple of friends.... we all them......... who can eat anything they want whenever they want.  Their weight may vary a pound or 2  but basically stays the same.  These are the same people who in stressful times will drop 10 pounds practically overnight where I would gain.  Is it fair?  Not really but everyones body is different. 

    My body processes foods very slowly.  I guess I just want to savor them, LOL, and I keep it with me long enough for the food to distribute itself firmly in my fat cells.  They move in like an unwelcome uncle determined to mooch off you as long as possible.  The trick is to make their visit so unpleasent they want to move out.  That is what exercise and all the water is suppose to do.  Shake them up and drown them out.

   Well enough of the diet.   I want to show you something cool that Donna from This That and Hockey made for me.  I asked her is she could animate a picture of mine for me.   As usual she did a great job, she is a master at getting water to move realistically.  She had to remove the dock but you don't miss it.  What do you think.  Go to her site and tell her how clever she is.

      

  Here is the original picture

http://journals.aol.com/midwestvintage/MyPhotoJourney/entries/2006/09/06/-monday-morning-photo-shoot./850

   So thats it for today.  I am going to get ready to go.   Hopefully I can get by on tylenol today.  I can't wait until Monday when I see the doctor.  I just want him to say it is normal to still be having this much pain and I want these darn staples out!

Another diet tip

   I went shopping today.  Decided to get a new blouse for going out of town tomorrow.   Nothing will get you vowing to stay on your diet quicker the having to look at your half naked rolly polly body in a full length mirror.  AAARRRGGGHHHH, Oh the horror.........the horror.                  

    After having had the unfortunate distinction of having practically every surgeon in town operate on my my stomach, it is beyond hope.  Scars zig zag here and there and any hope of ever strengthening these cut apart and adhesions riddled muscles are just a dream, or another surgeons bill for my tummy tuck.

    I think this will be part of my diet strategy from now on.  Every time I am tempted to cheat on my diet I will haul myself down for another few hours of despair and self-hate. I remember one time just bursting into tears in the dressing room.  This time however I did get a couple of cute blouses.

   Here is a really neat site I think everyone should download and watch this movie.  This is what you won't see on the news but I bet Chisty's husband Chad saw over there.  It should be downloaded and shared.

         http://www.glennbeck.com/realstory/iraq-video.shtml

    I have been keeping track of my my food today.  Below is my summary for the day.  I also counted it up to see how many weight watchers points I used and I used 19.  Pretty good.

                           Your Nutrition Information
                     Actual                Target
Calories            1,130                1500
Calories from Fat   190             280 - 530
Total Fat             22g              32 - 61g
Saturated Fat       5g              <= 17g
Cholesterol          40mg             < 300mg
Sodium             2,150mg            < 2400mg
Total Carbohydrate  158g            180 - 260g
Dietary Fiber          31g               >= 25g
Sugars                  34g                   *
Protein                 62g                 41 - 142g
Vitamin A              *                      *
Vitamin C            120%                   100%
Calcium               70%                      100%
Iron                   130%                     100%
Water                32oz                 >= 64 oz

    Hopefully going back to the beginning is what I need.  I didn't do any exercises today except for shopping.   Having lots of pain today.  Eating bothers me.  My stomach swells up and it just sits there not digesting until hours later I get this dumping syndrome.  This just really started to bother me a couple of days ago.  Might help my diet also because I really am thinking twice about eating at all.  I hope to finish getting my water in but don't want to spend the entire night on the pot.  And thats the end of this entry.  I want to get some pictures in my photo journal and the pain pill is making staying away difficult.  I love getting off the pain pills,  but I love having them for these painful days.

  

Remember this poem?

  I remember when they announced on the news that Warren Buffett was giving away his fortune and I made up this bad poem.  Wish I could have remembered it last night, might have recited it for him.

 

           Would bad poety work

 

Warren Warren look my way,

send a little of your money so my bills I could pay.

 

If only 100 thousand your pocket could spare,

all of my money problems would be out of my hair.

 

Spare change to you, 15 more years to pay for me,

I have some really good reasons for your money you see.

 

I am a good cause, my debts weren't made lightly,

A home and food for my family entered in here more then slightly.

 

So Warren, Dear Dear Warren look my way

And send some of that money this way.....OK?

The weekend is here

                     

    I had said in my other entry that I needed to go back to the beginning when I first started my weight loss and start over.  This is the list I went by.

      

1. Exercise - It's nothing new, but exercise is probably the most important predictor of whether you will succeed at long term weight loss and weight loss maintenance.

2. Pump Iron -Miriam Nelson, a Tufts University researcher, showed that a group of women who followed a weight loss diet and did weight training exercises lost 44 percent more fat than those who only followed the diet. The basic equation is this: the more muscle tissue you have, the more calories you will burn.

3. Keep a Diary - Keeping a food diary can be a huge asset in successful weight loss.

4. Stay Focused on Healthy, Not Thin - Many people become more successful at long term weight loss when their motive changes from wanting to be thinner to wanting to be healthier.

5. Find Out What's Eating You - All too often overeating is triggered by stress, boredom, loneliness, anger, depression and other emotions.

6. Get Support - A big key in long term weight control comes from receiving encouragement and support from others.

7. Watch Your Portions - With the advent of "supersize" meals and increasingly huge portions at restaurants, our concept of normal serving sizes is a distant memory. Be mindful of the amounts of food you consume at a sitting.

8. Lose Weight Slowly With Small Changes -It is important to realize that the more quickly weight is lost, the more likely the loss is coming from water and muscle, not fat.

9. Slow Down -That's because from the time you begin eating it takes the brain 20 minutes to start signaling feelings of fullness. Fast eaters often eat beyond their true level of fullness before the 20 minute signal has had a chance to set in.

10. Eat Less Fat, But Do It Wisely -To many, the message to limit fats implied an endorsement to eat unlimited amounts of fat-free products. Just to clarify, fat-free foods have calories too. In some cases fat-free foods have as many calories as their fat laden counterparts.

   I was doing each and every one of those when I was successful.  Now I am not hardly doing any.

          

   1)Water?  I am lucky if I drink a glass a day.  So today I will get in 8 glasses. 

2) Exercise,  will I started walking again which is about all I can do for now but next week when OK'ed by my doc I will start the gym again.

3)  I was religious about writing my food down and just stopped for some reason.  Today I start writing down everything again on the slimfast site.  

4) I do try to stay focused on just being healthy and think I have done really good still in that requard so will just keep it up. 

5)  and 6 aren't bad but I need Rick to not tempt with with the wrong foods.  I did get tired of trying to talk him into making less fattening meals when he was doing the cooking. 

 7) Oh yes, portion control, always a problem with me.  6 ounces of meat instead of 4, 1 and a half cups instead of 1, it all adds up.   I will start measuring out my food again.  

 8)   well heck that is no problem, I am the worlds slowest loser for sure but I know what they are trying to say. 

9)  I have again gotten bad about eating at the kitchen table and slowing down.   I will sit here at the computer and eat my cereral or drink my slim fast.   Back to the kitchen and put the fork down after each bite.  

10) That I did learn the hard way.  I was buying fat free everything and only paying attention to that, when I checked out the calories and salt though some were horrible.  Read your labels carefully.

      

   So I have had 2 comments since I went private.   Is that because they can't get in my journal, the ones I am allowing or they just are commenting?  If there is a way to have screwed it up I sure could have.

    I am feeling extremely fat and fluffy today.   I still have some distention and find I am just not digesting food very well.  Hope this passes soon.  Still have bad nights as it is hard to find a way to lay where it doesn't cause my stomach to hurt.  Sigh.  Getting really old.

   Well that is all today.  Sending prayers to the firefighters families who were killed yesterday.

        

Warren Buffett

  I went out to eat chicken wings today and Gary, our rich friend joined us.   We were talking away and all of a sudden my friend Gary turned white and did a double take as he looked out the door.  Whats wrong Gary  I asked,  that is Warren Buffett who just walked in the door.  The worlds most 2nd richest man in the world.  Wow.  This little old man was the man I had written the best poem I had ever written was in my bar,  my space, sitting right next to me.   So cool.  He looked so normal.   This was the man who I had heard was having so much trouble giving his money away.   The man I had written a really cool poem about when I heard he was giving his money away.   I thought a good man would give it to a nurse who had spend her life caring for others.  of course he gave it to rich people who could make him richers wich in turn made me loose all respect for him but I could dream for awhile.

   I am still feeling good.  Really thinking about getting a staple removal from work and taking out my staples.  They are really bothering me.  Otherwise I am thinking of losing weight.   I am getting in the zone.

Went hiking

  We did some hiking today and it went much better.  I wanted to go out to the pond at our state park for pictures.  Its pretty primative and wild.  I usually will only go out there in the early spring or late fall and winter as the ticks are unbelievable the rest of the time.  I feel much stronger today, which gives me hope that I am finally on the mend.  I also spend this morning going over the first entries in my journal.  Back when I was successfully dieting and losing weight.   I went to Dotty's weight watchers site and downloaded the weight commander.  That is a great tool and only costs under 10.  I need to start back at the beginning again.

  I took lots of pictures and will post more in my photo journal but here are a few of the lake.

Darn Staples

              

      My staples are driving me nuts and getting very irritated.  I wish I had a staple remover because I would take them out.  I am thinking of calling the doctor and seeing if I can get that done.  My incisions look well healed but everyplace one of those staples is poking in is red and sore.  The more the swelling in my stomach goes down the more they move around and get caught on my pants.  So that is my whine today.

  Today would have been the day I returned to work if the doctor hadn't decided to give me more time off.  Yikes that would have been so difficult.  I still can't take a deep breath without pain and am having these really irritating dizzy spells.  Just standing there minding my own business and suddenly the room starts to spin and I plop down on my amble behind.  I think it might be my oxygen level could be low because I am forced to breath so shallow and when I am doing anything that requires oxygen, like breathing or moving around I don't have enough to keep me upright.  So I drug down my incentive spirometer and am using it.  I do not want to end up with a pneumonia.  I warn my patients about it all the time and find myself doing the same things that get them into trouble.  Bad nursey.

   Also yesterday I had to take a extra fluid pill.  I think not moving around as much I am used to or maybe still the iv fluids working but I had alot of edema in my legs again.  Looked like sausages and felt like walking on fat pillows.   Today is much better.  I am trying to get myself in shape for the weekend.

   Rick turns 55 this weekend.  Weird.  I remember when I used to think a 55 year old man looked pretty darn unattractive but I still find my husband sexy and attractive.  Weird how also I find myself looking at grandpa's on the street and saying hubba hubba, LOL.  Not all of them though, I do have my standards.  Its a good thing your eyes fail as you get older so its like looking at everyone though vaseline lens, they just don't look that old anymore.  We plan on going to Omaha for the day Saturday.

   Next week is our anniversary.  33 years of bliss.  Well, they weren't all good but it was worth tuffing it out as they are pretty good now and I don't know what I would do without him.  We both have our faults but our strengths compliment each other nicely.  He is my best friend.  I can tell him anything about me and he still loves me.  I also know if anything happened where I got very sick or ill he would be there for me.  He has proven that time and time again.

   Yesterday he spent the entire day in A-fib again.  This seems to happening more often and really scares me.  His heart rate gets so fast I can't count it and his blood pressure was 189/115 yesterday.  I worry he will have a stroke.  It usually lasts around 8 hours and he has promised me if it lasts longer then that he will go to the hospital.   With A-fib if you get in soon enough and if you know how long you have been in it they can cardiovert you.  If you go into a-fib and don't know who long you have been in it they can't convert you until you have been on a blood thinner for as long as 6 months sometimes.   Otherwise you could have formed clots in your heart from the fibulation that may break loose causing a stroke.   It is good that Rick can always tell when he is in fib because he feels terrible but we can always know it we should be getting to the hospital.  Rick is tall, 6' 3" and I keep telling him my back is too darn bad to be hauling his sorry butt around because he refuses to take care of himself.  I have to watch him like a hawk.

   Anyway.  I am going shopping for something to wear this weekend and then am going for a walk.  I need to start getting back on track.  I love the sound of the crunching leaves under my feet this time of year and not sweating up a storm when walking.  Its cool out and Zoey loves walking when it is cool.  So see ya all later.

            

  Graphics by Roxi, aren't they great.

             

Officially private

         

   This turns out to be sadder then I thought it would be.  Not sure why as I think I have all the people that usually read my journal OK'ed to keep reading it.  Do me a favor.  Leave a comment when you come so I know I added you correctly.  Thanks all.  Well, Rick was in A-fib all day but finally converted.  I think it is time for bed.  Nite all.

 

My MIL got scammed and I am ticked!

  Picture cute little old 84 year old lady.  Going to surprise me with some slippers and the ad shows prices to good to be true in a magazine she knows and trusts.  So she orders the slippers and they cash her check right away, but she never gets the slippers.   She asked me to look up the company and I find this con artist who preys on the elderly.  His newest company is Save By Mail.  He takes out ads in magazine the seniors would probably buy and his prices are great, He can afford them, he never or rarely sends them.  So warn you parents, grandparents or old friends.

J.D. Marvel Returns as Save By Mail

Transplanted eyelashes?

     Well this just got me giggling I tell you.  What will people do next.  Some of the trends that I hear about just floor me.  You take the hair from your head and transplant it on your eyelids at a time.  It keeps on growing.  Just think, when your 80 you will go to the hairdresser to get you head and eyes dones.  What if you get senile?  Who will get the job of keeping your eyelashes trimmed so you can see, probably the nurse or aide taking care of you.  What if you have a bad hair day?  I can wear a hat, what do I do for my eyes, patches, shades?  It makes me laugh thinking about this one.  And people are doing it.  Sad that people can't be happy with themselves.   I have thin eyelashes but can do wonders when I want with mascara and a curler.   Tell the truth though I rarely use makeup.  Having grown up in the natural age I never got very good at putting it on and never really liked the looks of it on me.  Just a personal preferance.

   Now on to going private.  There are some people that want to continue reading my journal.  Let me know your name and I'll add you.  Can't be to hard is it?

   A giggle a day keeps me reminded I have staples in my gut.

             

A TEACHER told her kindergarten pupils that they were to raise their hand if they had to go to the bathroom.

The next day, one of them said, “Teacher, last night I had to go to the bathroom, so I raised my hand. But it didn’t help. I still had to go anyway.”

 

This isn't a goodbye

     I have been reading some journals this morning and thinking.  This journal I hadn't read  before but had heard of it.   I think more people know that journal then me as I usually tend to read happier journals, no slam toward MBFGL and I must admit to only reading the first page, just what I prefer since after getting the news about the lastest terrorist attack or murder of innocent children and people in the world I want something lighter.

   I read the journals to maybe reassure myself that the majority of people are people just like me, people who wouldn't hurt anyone, couldn't imagine killing anyone, unless of course they were of a threat to my family, people who have the same fears and hopes and dreams basically as me.

   I am a reader and like a well written story. I don't pry too deep and really don't want anyone prying very deeply into my life. I was taught to never air my dirty linen and I don't post alot about the bad things that have happened in my life.  I am past them and want them to stay in the past. I have nothing against people who do, I think you do what you need to do to heal.  So I was surprised when I read his journal and some of the replies that he got. Some were mean and hurtful.  I guess I didn't realize.... why I don't know..... that people were reading the journals and analyzing them so much and the people that write them. It reminded me of talking to my sister and having to be so careful about everything I said knowing she would pick it all apart later. The whole things about his awards and the comments he received started giving me a bad taste in my mouth and making me sad.

When I had my neck surgery I had to wear a big pink collar. I hated it. Turns out I hate to be stared at. I never would be the type to dye my hair pink or have tattoos on my face. I like to blend in and watch people. Rick and I do alot of that. Park in the window at our favorite pub and watch people outside. People are interesting. That is why I liked the journals. But I don't want to be one of them that is watched. I took my brace off after a week and refused to wear it again. Why this story?

    I have decide to go private in my journal. I really only started it to keep track of my weight and other things in my life. I liked going back and seeing how far I had come in my riding, how much weight I had lost, and what moods I was in when my weight loss faltered so I could correct it. Yes I like the comments and am happy some people like to read my journal, but it wasn't why I started my journal. Probably isn't why most people started their journals. 

   I was just going to quit but I am quite gabby as you might have noticed when I write, weird since I don't talk much normally. But I would never want someone reading my journal 2nd guessing my ulterior motives for writing it and yes it would hurt if I thought people were making fun of me behind my back. So that is why I am going to go private. If the AIM pages turn out to be a problem I will then probably just quit the whole thing. I will still visit journals as I do like to read them like I have said. I will leave the journal public until the morning and then go private. 

                     Gee, I feel better already!

Ramblings of a unrambled mind

               

 I have been up drinking coffee and reading entries this morning. Boy some people sure wake up with more clarity of mind then me. I am foggy until at least later in the morning. Check out the entries in these 3 journals if you haven't already.Those Eyes That the Cherubim Drew and I shaved my legs for this? and then this one. Ye Olde English Posy One had me thinking, one had me crying and one had me giggling in my coffee. All before 10 am!

              I bow to your skills.

   Nothing that profound or thought provoking here this morning LOL. Such good writers in J-land. I find myself reading less books as I read the entries from these and other talented writers.

 Anyway. Went hiking yesterday. I can not believe how weak I have become in just a week! Climbing that hill in the woods behind my house was sheer torture! My legs felt like rubber bands and I was gasping for breath by the time I made it to the top. I literately thought I would pass out. Is this the same woman who not that long ago rode my bicycle 126 miles?

 Why was I up there in the first place? Well I thought I might get some good pictures and I thought the exercise might do me good. Thinking gets me in trouble all the time. I took a ton of pictures and they did not turn out at all. Should not have used my filter yesterday. I need to learn when to use it, when not to. Everything now is the same colors of dried leaves, the grass, trees, hills all the same brown color with the very blue sky. What is wonderful is the smell of woods when it is like this. Heavy spicy scent of dried leaves reminding me of cinnamon and other spices. There should be some way to put scents on-line. So far everything else is on-line.

 I slept terrible last night as it turns out pizza is the one thing so far which really bothered me to eat. So today I will do some cleaning and otherwise take it easy. Yesterday I thought about a bike ride but I have changed my mind this morning. Once again I will go through all the catalogs I have stacked up and throw most of them. I get the same catalogs at least once a week. Different cover but everything inside is the exact same. Why do they do that? I eventually get so mad I toss them all and vow to never spend a dime in their shop ever! Send me 1 catalog. I will save it and order what I want from it. That is probably why your products are so expensive because you're spending so much money on catalogs. Heres a free tip from me. Save your money and just send me one if you want my business.

 Really ruins the holidays for me. The pressure, the pressure. Holidays were not like this when I was young. None of the mass buying that you see now. My granddaughter once got so many gifts from her parents and other grandparents that she started to cry and refused to open anymore. Does she play with any of them still? No. As children we got one main gift, a pair of new jammies, and a couple of small gifts. I appreciated them more.

 Well as usual my entry rambles on and on and says very little. All my really good entries are lost in cyper space. Trust me, you would have really liked them, they were stunning, real masterpieces. To bad I was unable to save them, kind of like the big fish that got away!