ANOTHER HAPPY NOTE
Talked to DD#1 today. Two of the grands are laid up with temps of 102 and are wiped out. The third had same symptoms last week and only missed two days of school and ran in a regional cross country event today. Cross your fingers. They are all prime targets for H1N1 as teenagers and there hasn't even been enough vaccine even to take care of hospital personnel. It's all over school and university where DD works. I'll be very relieved when I hear that they've bounced back.
Jane
HERPES ZOSTER (SHINGLES)
Marion, hang in there. Your post appears to indicate that your dose of shingles, while very uncomfortable, isn't as agonizing as it can be and is so often. I hope it hasn't worsened since your post.
I'm putting this on the board for a reason. EVERYONE OUT THERE GET A SHINGLES VACCINE SHOT. Anyone who has had chicken pox is at risk. Anyone with a comprimized immune system, Judy Pete, that probably means you should have a shot and even if you've had shingles recently it doesn't mean you are immune. I know whereof I speak. Shingles, (herpes zoster virus) will stay in your spine forever and if you get old enough your anti bodies for that virus weaken or if you are having chemo or for many other reasons it can come roaring back. About 13 years ago I had what I thought was a migraine coming on with the typical pounding in the left side of my head just over the ear so ignored it and we left for a road trip to OH to leave Shadow with field trainer and then to Rochester to visit DD and the grands. I figured the pain would last a day or so and then I'd be good as new. By the second day on the road I had fierce stabs of pain in my left eye. It felt as if there were barbed wire in there and bright light was making me very uncomfortable. As I suppose most of you know, the virus attacks a nerve, most often running around the ribs under the arm and into the abdominal area. Well, mine was the optic nerve. As soon as we arrived at DD's Al took me to the ER at Strong Memorial Hospital, affiliated with the U of R medical school. It was my misfortune to run into a trauma doc who didn't know his #%@ from his elbow. A resident urged him to call in an opthalmologist or neurologist (either of which would have known exactly what the problem was). Of course by the time he saw me I was drugged up and they'd used some topical analgesic as well as demerol or some such thing. He sent me back to DD's and she and DSIL insisted I get into their bed. By midnight I was in agony and was afraid I was dying (brain tumor?) Al took me back tothe ER and I ran into another resident who was very concerned and the previous one came in as well. When the trauma doc arrived he was even worse than the preceeding one. He treated me and the female resident as if we were six years old. He did a lot of arm patting and telling me that I had abrasions on my cornea. I tried to convince him that I had terrific head pain as well as eye and that there had been no trauma to my eye. Both residents urged a consult with an ophalmologist and while he treated the male resident somewhat neutrally he really dissed the young lady. They doped me so heavily that I slept for a while and in the morning Al took me back to DD's where he gathered our belongings and we headed for home. ER idiot gave me an antibiotic salve for my "abrasions" which of course increased the pain and I had an allergic reaction to it as well. Poor Al was so exhausted we just had to stop so he could get some sleep and by the time we arrived in little old Sylva, NC and my doc's office which she kept open for us I was sure I was dying and so did Al who was normally unflappable. She had trouble getting a look at the eye for all the swelling but she guessed it was herpes. She drugged me up and ordered a brain scan to be sure. I met the ophalmologist in the local ER next morning and he and the trauma guy there guess it was herpes and when the scan came back "normal" but which did indicate a long standing sinus infection which indicated that even though I had been oblivious to the infection it had adversely effected my immune system. Since the infection was so long standing by the time it was diagnosed all attempts to relieve the pain, severity and duration I was sick as a dog from mid June onset until well into September. I spent most of that time in the darkest room in the house with one of those sleeping masks as I couldn't stand light, couldn't read as one of the eye drops I was getting was to paralyse the iris so as not to irritate the eye further, couldn't sleep for all the narcotics and pain. I tried to listen to recorded books but couldn't concentrate. To cut to the trace I would have paid every dime I had for relief. When the vaccine became available a couple of years ago it was a couple of months before Medicare started paying for it but I was the first one in town to have it and would gladly have paid 100 time the $200 it cost me. A friend in the guild had it recently around the ribs and she not only couldn't stand to wear a bra but had to turn her tee shirt inside out as the little seam allowances drove her nuts. Hers was treated promptly so the pain killers help her but not 100%. It lasted six weeks.
It's a bad, bad bug. I have corneal scars which have caused problems in getting a good correction with glasses. My DB had the same thing which was treated promptly and still his tear duct was damaged and his cornea had edema and it has remained very cloudy. Run, don't walk to your doc and get the vaccine.
Jane
Back on track
I just did my walk and am going to paint walls next. Yesterday was a lost day, as I wasn't feeling well and did a lot of comforting myself with food. :-( Today is a new day though, and I am back on track.
My problems with my feet are due mostly to my weight. I wear orthotics and have been working with the person who provides them to come up with the best orthotic and shoes for what I need. I just have to accept the fact that my feet cannot carry this weight without hurting and find the right distance and speed to burn off some weight, increase my metabolism but not cause injury. It's hard to keep the pace slow when I just want to motor! I was having some hip pain on Wed. and DD#1 suggested walking 3 days and taking a day off. That seems to have worked as there was no pain today.
Also managed to get my flu shot. I have asthma and a 5-month old grandson with whom I spend a lot of time, so wanted to get it right away. The Health Unit recommended to DD that everyone caring for the baby should have one. I'm glad I got it; shortages are beginning to occur. There are a lot of sick kids away from schools, and the hockey teams are laying off for awhile. DGS Jack's gymnastics class had 3 out of 10 kids last week. DD is keeping him home from there until he's had his shot. They run multiple classes at once, so there are many kids rotating around the equipment all at once.
hugs to all and kudo to the walkers.
Friday evening
MARION in NZ – so sorry to read you have shingles. That is miserable stuff. I’ve heard one can get them again, so that may explain Rosey’s recurrent itches.
JANE IN NC - My favorite place to buy athletic shoes is http://www.roadrunnersports.com/ They indicate which type foot each style of shoe is designed for (low, normal, or high arches) as well as one’s height, weight, and number of miles-per-week one runs/walks. They aren’t a discount place, but I found heaven when I found their catalog and last advice. Sometimes you can score on their sale merchandise, esp. if you don’t have high arches.
ALUMINUM Xmas trees are being sold again. Once was enough for me, back in the mid/late 1960s. Ugh...... DH's prize is a tabletop "bubble lights" tree that he bought a few years ago, reminiscent and almost identical to one his family had when he was a child. He takes great delight in hauling it out every year.
Doris
To the inspiring exercisers,
Good going! You inspire as you
perspire. :-)
Hugz, Mary in Oregon
Well, first of all
I'm horrified, Marion, that you have shingles on your face and head...holy cow. I've had them around my waistline, a very typical place, but being environmentally sensitive and being achey all over most of the time, I ignored it until I was nearly on the mend. It felt like a bad case of the flu. They came back, in a sense, for several years afterwards, the tiny red dots. My friend, Penny, has had them on her head and I gather that they can be very painful there. You've had a very stressful and upsetting year with your sister, Brenda's death, and I often wonder if, when things like this happen, our immune systems become weaker due to stress leaving us prey for some immune system problem. Your wisteria reminded me of England; how beautiful. Please post green for the next few months so that we can enjoy it. Actually, we've had so much rain this year that our grass is still green although with streaks of yellow ochre threading through it. The pool is going to be closed today and that horrible grey vinyl blanket will go over top. When that happens, it's the last of our summer. I treated myself to paying a young woman to pull all the weeds and dead flowers from my gardens this year and it was the best gift to give myself. Last year it took me a week and a half to get the beds ready for winter. I'm just topping everything over with peat mulch now. Just wanted to say that I am feeling upset for you. It will take time to move on, Marion.
Jane, oddly enough, I have found that I am better off without wheat in my diet. I didn't eat a lot of bread but it's in pasta, etc. and the little wheat that I did eat was leaving my tummy looking like a loaf of puffed up bread. Once I eliminated that, the bloats and gas disappeared. But I think Laura's suggestion of eating smaller but more 'meals' makes more sense. The problem is that I can eat any man under the table and still repeat it the next day. It's just those extra few pounds around my waistline that makes doing up waistbands a tiny bit difficult...like maybe a good deal difficult. I'm glad you are feeling better. I can sympathize with not being able to walk on your feet. Mine were burning and painful all summer due to a gas leak in my car without my being able to pinpoint the problem as there was no apparent loss of fuel. There were tiny perferorations in my gas tank and the whole thing had to be replaced. Meanwhile, I burned up. I finally have found some wonderful shoes called Naots. They have helped tremendously...also having the gas tank replaced on my Nissan. Expensive both to my health and my pocketbook.
The fog is lifting this morning. Guests coming tonight. Actually, I don't eat before feeding guests. For some reason I can't cook breakfast for them on a full tummy for myself. Strange. I think with age, we change shape and the fat gets redistributed in places we'd prefer it not to be.
Rosey
food
Rosey, the research indicates that 4-5 tiny meals are better than 3, and two meals is just setting yourself up for failure. Take the quantity of healthy food that you would serve in 3 meals, and move part of if to a mid-morning and and mid-afternoon snack.
The trick is to snack only on part of what you would have eaten at a meal. It could be a glass of milk, an egg, one piece of bread that you skip at lunch or breakfast, etc. This has the added benefit of keeping the hunger pangs away.
Good luck.
Wisteria...
Thought you might enjoy seeing this, it's looking so pretty today, even though we had heavy rain and cold temperatures again last night.
All strength to the walkers ! I used to walk an hour a day and felt (and looked) better for it ! The use of the countryside around us has changed and now we have huge irrigaters everywhere , electric fences and herds of cows, all of which make walking difficult. I have joined a walking group and once a week we go for a 10-15 klm walk but I think a short walk every day is better value health and weight wise...
I am feeling slightly sorry for myself this week as I have got shingles on my face and head. Started last w/end with sharp pains and tenderness of the scalp. The Dr was very sympathetic. and prescribed a huge amount of drugs, they have certainly taken the pain away but for someone who never takes a tablet , they are proving to be a real challenge.. Some are the size of golf balls and get stuck every time... Yes please, I'll take some cheese with my wine... I do know that, on a scale of one to ten, shingles would hardly rate, but for me, this is difficult as it's the first time I've been sick in the 45yrs we've been married...
Looking forward to a quiet w/end and some warmer weather !
Marion.
YOU GO GIRLS AGAIN!!
Brenda take your time. Proper shoes can make a BIG difference. They are costly but can make all the difference in the world. We all have our preferences as to brand. My complaint about the sports shoe mfrs. is that as soon as I find a model with a last that suits me they have changed it when it's time to replace them. Shoes vary a lot. I wear mens' New Balance as they are wide enough to accommodate the prescribed orthotic I have to wear. While I'm still narrow in the heel I need considerable toe space. I envy those who can wear a shoe that fits both fore and aft. There is a bargain shoe place here called Shoe Show, a large chain, that sells all the pricey shoes at a considerable discount. I suspect most of them have been discontinued so this type store can sell them at a reduction. Even so I typically pay $50 for mine. However, that's the only kind of shoe I wear anywhere including the chamber music festival. I broke down and got some Mary Janes for DD's wedding. Just enough champaign allowed my to dance the evening away.
I have the munchy problem in the evening too. I don't know why as I never ate after dinner until the last few years. Rosey, skipping meals just creates the craves and low blood suger that makes us more inclined to over eat or eat the wrong stuff. Watch the fat and sugar content of everything you do eat and pick the highest fiber stuff like the whole wheat bread and bran cereal. Lots of fruit and veggies too. Often I make a huge tossed salad and add some kidney beans that have been marinated in fat free dressing for good healthy protien. I'll eat a soup bowl of it for several days til it's gone. I also buy ready cooked shelled shrimp frozen in a bag. I'll put some in a strainer under the faucet to thaw and throw that into a salad. You can eat your fill with impunity. Then there are veggie stir fries in olive oil (limited oil of course) with herbs and spices of your choice. Adding some chicken breast, shrimp or even some very lean beef can also make for a very tasty and satisfying meal. Al came up with a good idea on the evening munchies. After Al quit smoking and drinking simultaneously, for the first time since I knew him, he had a sweet tooth. He got the brain storm to floss and brush his teeth immediately after dinner which helped him control the urge to snack. I also came up with the idea of serving each of us a reasonable helping and putting the left overs right in the fridge so that when the urge for seconds hit the left overs were cold and in some cases, like stew, congealed. Hmm, think I'll reinstate both those tricks.
Rosey, I know that you have the problem of cooking for your guests and I realize you can't relegate them to these restrictions. I still have to work on portion control. I feel so much better, though, than I did when you last saw me. Of course I had that horrible cold and was crippled by the torn foot tendon and was in worse shape with regard to fitness than I'd been in years. Haven't had a cold since then and the surgery followed by rehab and subsequent orthotic have changed all that. On the days I don't walk I do weight work and the elliptical trainer (easier on the knees than treadmill) at the local county recreation center. Some days I just say the hell with it. However, not only does the exercise do us so much good including stronger bones, you get to feel virtuous all day afterward.
Anybody here have some meal or specific food ideas go ahead and post it. We're here to support each other.
Jane
Pink elephants & pink Xmas trees
"A pink Christmas tree is a heresy or blasphemous or something really bad. I thought the aluminum ones in my youth were bad enough. There's no accounting for taste."
Jane, better pink trees than pink elephants...lol ! But then, bad taste is a matter of degree and personal preference, isn't it... I find hard it to adjust going to Florida in November when it is Thanksgiving and the stores all have Christmas decorations up. One thing Canada does better is the date for our Thanksgiving...at least we don't have to eat two turkeys inside of two months.
A dull day weather-wise but thankfully, it isn't snowing here yet. I drove up through the valley to pick up friend, Penny, who had an eye operation yesterday and who had to see her eye dr. at 8 a.m. this morning, in the city. I left at 6 a.m. in the midst of dense fog and darkness. As I crawled northward along the gravelled country road I could see about 5 or 10 ft. in front of my headlights and not enough scope to pick up any deer coming at me across the roads. Luckily, the only deer that we encountered was on Penny's laneway before I got to the gravel road. Cooper, who is stuck to me like a flea, accompanied us and was as good as gold. He goes home next Tuesday and this year, he gets a gold star for good behaviour.
I find loosing even five pounds impossible and I do go to Curves. About the only way I can knock off a pound or two is to eat two meals a day instead of three. That only lasts about one day, too.
Good luck, Brenda, not an easy chore to loose weight.
Rosey
Good going, walkers and wanna be walkers!!!
Congrats to all who are putting one foot in front of the other no matter how much or how often. :-) Any movement is better than none. And slow to avoid injury is great too!
I decided it would be silly for me to attempt to take part as a walker. Thus my 'job' will be to cheer you all on. As Jill said, our weather is often damp and I just don't do damp very well. I'm old enough to not want to set myself up for guaranteed failure so won't promise to walk as I know I won't do it.
Jill, we got a treadmill about 7 years ago. We're now on our second one. I have used it some and love the idea it is here if I miss Curves a lot. My husband uses it every day. If he misses 2-3 days a month, that is a
lot for him. As a diabetic he found it was perfect for him to ensure he got some exercise every day. I agree, though, one just never knows ahead of time if the exercise equipment will be used or not. I'm pleased and proud that my husband has used it so religiously. If it's meant for you to have one, it will come together for you. Having doubts (plus no space) probably means you aren't meant to have it yet.
However, you could always hang fabric and strips on it. :-) :-)
Mary in Oregon
Walking
Good job Brenda!
I'd like to get my walking mojo back too. I did so well for so many years & now I have really slacked off. My partner Dyna(my dog) can't go along due to her arthritis so I have really fallen off the wagon. It's rainy season now & I keep wondering if I should think about a treadmill, but the risk is so high that it won't get used & we really don't have the room for it.......excuses excuses!
I'm off work thismorning so if the weather breaks I may try to get out there! Think positive thoughts everyone...... Jill
soldiering on
I've walked 6 laps of the concourse at the arena for 3 days now. 6 laps = 1.5 km. or .94 mi. (which doesn't sound nearly as far!). I'm trying to keep it gentle for now as I don't want to injure my feet. I've also been walking around more when I go shopping etc. by parking a little further away. My knees are not great, so stair climbing is not for me. Also trying to move around more in the house instead of sticking my nose in a book all the time. Today I will walk and paint the dining room walls.
I want to find a place to weigh so I can weigh once a month. I'm eating better but still want to snack all evening. I've determined that my triggers for eating are sadness, depression, happiness, boredom, celebration.......you get the picture. DD#1 is doing very well; walking almost every day and feeling great. She is in the best shape of the four of us. DD#2 is struggling; she has an almost 3-year old and a five-month old, is sleep deprived and navigating toilet training for the first time. She says her life feels like a long list of things she needs to do to improve herself in all areas of her life. We are encouraging her to make small changes as she can. I'm so thankful those baby days are over for me - except for the visits where they go home after a few hours.
hugs to all
Brenda
PINK, DID YOU SAY PINK?
A pink Christmas tree is a heresy or blasphemous or something really bad. I thought the aluminum ones in my youth were bad enough. There's no accounting for taste.
I did my short walk to the mailbox and back this morning; a total distance of about .75 or .8 mile. It's very steep though. Coming back gets me to my target heart rate quickly and I puff and pant all the way. It's very strenuous work for the legs too. Weather was gorgeous today but that won't last long.
Weight Watchers tomorrow to be followed by a work out with weights and elliptical trainer. I'm so virtuous I can't stand myself.
What about the rest of you? Brenda? If you have good knees climbing stairs is a good work out in public buildings just skip the elevator. When weather permits park a good distance from your destination. I started doing that after my accident and I had a long way to go to regain some strength.
Heading for the sack now. The power was off here for 7 hours last night. Unfortunately, without my
CPAP working the apnea interferes with restful sleep so I have some making up to do.
By y'all,
Jane
Walking/running, etc.
Yes, we should walk with each other.
Today was supposed to be a "walk" day, but I had Dr's. appt at 8:30 AM so didn't make it.
Normally I walk/jog on M/W/F/ I've found a yoga class close by that I like, slow, easy stretching. That is Thurs. morning. My intention now that the weather is somewhat cooler is to add milage. 4 miles twice a week, then 2 miles on the other day. Endurance is what I'm going for.
Yes, I AM training for a 1/2 marathon. It is in Feb. and I've already sent in my regrestration $$. It is the second Sunday in Feb. so I'd better get to it.
Got some new Asic Gel shoes this past week, the others were just shot.
We decided last night to take a long weekend and go to Daytona Beach on Friday afternoon and come home Monday afternoon. The building has been closed for repairs and painting for over 30 days. There was a renter in our place for the last 6 or 7 months.
(The insurance co. finally settled with the Condo Assoc. for damages done in Charlie in 2004) Slooowww.
Tomorrow AM I get to go to another eye specialist. This one is at the Mayo clinic here in town. Hopefully between the two Retina Dr's I can see better soon. Will let everyone know.
Thats about it for me.
It's 85 here & I just got back from Wally-Mart. There are PINK Christmas trees up. Decorations up earlier and earlier each year. The Christmas stuff is next to the Halloween candy. Go figure.
Sara in Fla.
READING/LISTENING
Edwin Drood is, indeed, a cliff hanger of the highest order. I was stunned when I got to the end of it and that wasn't the end. I'd forgotten that. Not sure if I read it or listened it's been so long. I got into books on tape 18 years ago. I was painting the inside of kitchen cupboards getting the FL house ready for sale when I stumbled across them at the library. It's wonderful to listen to an engaging book being well read while one is doing something as mindless as painting the inside of cupboards. It's also great on long road trips; more than background music. However, when I tried to listen to Stephen Hawkings "A Brief History of Time" it didn't work too well. I listened to what was probably the first few pages about six times and never understood any beyond his promise that the book was written for laymen and that there were no equations. Even sitting in a chair doing nothing else didn't help so I gave up. I am no cosmologist or physicist or whatever he is. I just know he's light years over my head. If you are not sure where you're going and need to find your way silence in the car is best. Ask me how I know.
Let us commit to each other among the walkers and report in now and then. If you don't have a walking buddy close at hand we can try to fill the void for each other. Sara, I thought you were running 1/2 marathons these days. Fl summers are not conducive to such things. When I quit smoking 19 years ago I got serious about walking but got up at 5:30 to do it before work and before it got hot. I remember one neighborhood that had very large live oak trees overhanging the street and the trees were full of bats. One tended to have to wave one's hands around if it was still dark. I thought it was funny until I read in the St. Pete Times that rabid bats were beginning to be a problem.
I'm actually spending a few hours a day making the Juki smoke as I make blocks for DD's wedding quilt. I really am very content in that room getting lost in the process. Shadow comes in and takes a nap on a bed I have for her in there. I've even got a plastic container of pieces of doggie jerky for her. She's such a pal. She's snoozing nearby right now near the computer. She's much improved since last spring and is eating less but regularly and it's normal dog food. Her weight is fine so she's getting enough. Like the elderly lady she is she's adjusted her intake to her gradually reducing activity level. Would that I could follow that pattern so easily and naturally.
Rain and clouds all day but supposed to brighten up tomorrow so the two old broads will climb up the mountainside alongside my house.
Jane
walking to lose weight
I've been reading articles that say 30 minutes of brisk walking, daily, will help improve bone density and reduce your risk of strokes and heart disease as well as more vigorous exercise would. The faster you walk, of course, the more calories you will burn. I can tell you that walking brsikly for 15 minutes with my students in the morning, and 30 minutes with my dogs in the afternoon, helped me drop a lot of weight 2 years ago, and has helped me keep it off. If it does not stop raining soon, however, I'll need to learn to row, because walking will be out of the question! :)
I've also been told that if you are strictly walking to lose weight, the sessions can be very short and spread out through the day, so that simply by adding steps to your normal routine, you can shed additional pounds. This does nothing for your heart and lungs, however. When I lost all my weight, I never left my classroom without going the "long" way to whatever my destination was. I need to get back to doing that again!
I am working very hard trying to clean and decorate, as my brother has been offered a job here in Huntsville. I expect that he and his wife will be staying here when they do their house hunting. I'll miss being able to play tourist in DC for free, but it'll be great to have one family member closer than 3 hours away.
I'm listening to lots of audio books now, using librivox.org. I've got Peter Pan and The Count of Monte Christo up next. I've also downloaded The Mystery of Ewin Drood by Dickens, but I'm not sure I'll listen to it. I understand he died before he finished it, and I HATE cliffhangers.
Laura in
wet Alabama
Thanks, Jane
JANE-Thanks for the encouragement. I needed it. I have an I-pod, but only used it around the house. Will get it out and dust it off, put some upbeat songs on it and get out and walk! Maybe even jog a bit.
The heat is back here, hopefully will be cooler by the weekend.
Sara in Fla.
This 'n That
Wow, thanks for the compliments. Over the years I've been photographing sunsets and it's a piece of cake. I just aim and shoot. No special settings. Each sunset looks unique to me but when I view the collection of photos they all look alike and I wonder why I continue to take them. It's always a special moment to me. I think any old point and shoot camera will suffice. I'm flattered by your commentary and the fact that two of you actually made the image your background image on your computer. I have always counted myself fortunate to have been raised by parents who thought nothing of driving miles to watch a sunset in the Adirondack Mountains or sunrise at the beach.
BRENDA, your plan sounds like a winner to me. If you have a Weight Watcher program near you I recommend you give it a try. They push good nutrition, portion control and exercise as the essential elements of the program. You get lots of support and I have found that camaraderie quite helpful. You can follow the program on line if there are no meetings near you. It's worth the investment of time and money. I can tell you from personal experience that it works if you manage to incorporate the things you learn as a part of your life style (I'm struggling with just that idea) you will be much healthier and feel much better. Log on to
www.weightwatchers.com and explore the program. They have tons of delicious recipes to offer.
Sara, I've never heard you sound so discouraged about your walking. Get yourself an I-Pod or MP3 player and download books on it. You'll get out for your walk just to listen to the next chapter. Murder mysteries work well in that regard. You just have to remember to stay alert about traffic when crossing.
I have had a great day! I actually spent several hours sewing blocks for DD's wedding quilt. I have two motivations now. Of course I simply have to have it ready by their 1st anniversary next August and second, the week prior to the anniversary my guild will have it's biannual quilt show. The quilt is a double Irish Chain done in batiks rather than the traditional calico. It is to be a CA king size so I will have a long arm quilter do the quilting. I will admonish her to quilt it so that it will be soft and cuddly and not stiff from super dense quilting. I don't think that's appropriate for a bed quilt; at least I wouldn't like it.
Well, bed time in the mountains so will bid you all good night and sweet dreams.
Jane
Brenda
You go girl ! Congratulations to you and your family for talking and taking action.......I needed to be inspired and your post is helping.......I had to stop attending the daily workout I was doing for family reasons beyond my control and have yet to stay motivated and use the bike and treadmill and weights that sit at the bottom of the stairs......so keep us posted and motivated ! and good luck with the application
Heather
Spring I think
I love the different photos I also have Jane's as my wallpaper. Marion, what a pretty garden , who is the gardener in your family, I think I can guess. It is raining here and the plants are loving it. We have lettuce, tomatoes, beans and heaps of herbs. We did have apple cucumbers but they look as though they were sat on by Ellie , I know she thought they were there to use as a large dirt box!!!! All these are growing on our deck as our section is very small and I love the idea of just walking outside and picking our lunch as fresh as can be. We used to grow strawberries in a giant herb pot but our beloved Gus decided his needs were greater than ours. I was blaming my DH until I caught Gus delicately picking his breakfast. That is when we planted even more herbs and get our berries from the greengrocer. I will NOT let a crazy dog get the better of me. We were promised thunder most of last week and I gave Gus his anti panic pills every evening. These gave him a lovely long night with eyes that wandered all over the place. All this and no thunder. He looks so funny with one eye going
one way and the other somewhere else. I thought I had finished my DIL's quilt but need to put another row of hexagons both across and on the side. She has a bed the same size as ours but it is higher and needs a bigger quilt. Damn, I hoped to finish it before Christmas but no show now. I started this one last Christmas and really I suppose for a completely hand made quilt and all the sewing for our Cara I haven't done too badly. Breakfast time for us , take care and keep warm. Hugs Bee in NZ.
checking in
thank you Jane and Marion for the gorgeous pictures you posted. Jane, I have yours up as my desktop background right now.
Still no snow here and the weather, while very wet, is reasonably mild. It's like a miracle after so many years of early snow.
My oldest daughter gathered her sister and I together on Sunday for a serious talk about getting healthy and in shape. We are all three at very different stages of fitness (guess who's in the worst shape?? LOL), but we all want to lose some weight and move around more comfortably. I've been so depressed about this. Late last summer and going forward to when the winter set in permanently, I was walking an outdoor track every day and following Canada's food guide while working on portion control. I lost 30 pounds (drop in the bucket, but very encouraging). Through the winter I didn't walk but I still lost a few more pounds. Then we moved and I regressed. Haven't weighed but I know I'm heavier. Anyway, we are going to be a support group for one another, and my sister is going to take part by email. For the past few days I've been monitoring (and somewhat controlling) my eating and I've walked 20 - 30 min. each day. Wish me luck.
DD#1 also mentioned that as a family we need to find some ways to celebrate family occasions that aren't focussed so intensely on food. My husband didn't look so happy when I mentioned that. It's our 41st anniversary today, and we are going out to eat. Can't change everything all at once!
Along with the new resolve and feeling positive, I sent out a couple of resumes and have a lead on an online teaching contract. Don't know if it's going to work out, but it feels good to be trying.
Hugs to all, Brenda in Nn Ontario
Sunday evening
It's nice to be able to get into the chat board again and Jane, thank you for the lovely sunset picture (also personally) and Marian, I wish you'd post 'green' all through our white winter. It might help us get through the months ahead. Hopefully, they won't come too soon but I think last year we had snow on Hallowe'en (Oct. 31) and I'm not sure it ever really left.
Cooper Cooper is behaving himself much better with this year's visit here and has not seemed to miss his 'parents' too much. Tonight, he looks a big down in the mouth for a dog but I'm sure that will pass.
My busy week passed with enjoyment other than I didn't read the directions to the new location for the quilt guild that I was speaking to last Thursday and went to the old location, unloaded all my quilts, etc. then found I was in the wrong place. Directions to the new location led to a frenzy of not finding it, getting panicky that I would never find it and be late to set up for the meeting. It eventually worked out and the programme convenor hastily offered a hot cup of something to calm me down. As usual, it is rewarding to speak to other quilters.
Loved the photo of Sondra, Jane and the quilt in the frame as well.
The last of my B&B guests departed today and there are no more bookings, so far, until the middle of November. A bit of a break, which I plan to enjoy...no more setting the alarm for 6 a.m.
Rosey
Jane's sunset photo
JANE IN NC - What a beautiful sunset. Looks as if the horizon is on fire behind the backdrop of the trees. Our trees are just now losing their leaves. Thank you for sharing that with us.
It's good to see the BB Chat back up and running.
We had a good frost on Sunday night/Monday morning. After that, the all the trees got serious about changing the colors of their leaves, and dropping a few leaves already. The Southern Pine trees are shedding quite a lot of their needles this year. That doesn't always happen, so I wonder if they are preparing a thick blanket for their roots. Someone told me the Farmer's Almanac has predicted a cold winter for our region. Last winter was cold enough, if you ask me.
Snoopy dance, of sorts. Four or five years ago I took Charlotte Angotti's "Let Me Surprise You" mystery quilt class at the AQS Expo in Nashville. We sewed blocks from our pre-cut kit all day long. I finally got the throw/lap-quilt size top finished a couple weeks ago, and used Hobbs fusible batting to assemble the layers. Hopefully I'll start machine quilting it soon. So no real Snoopy dance, but I've made great progress. I still need to make some slacks. Ugh.....
It's good to see everyone posting again. Hugs to everyone!
Good to be back !
I missed the posts last week. Good to see that we are back on line. Thank you Jane for your photo, you caught a magic moment. We have some lovely skies here too but I thought you might enjoy a look at our spring/early summer, garden
. It's so good to see some colour out there again. The winter this year seemed long and wet....
Not much on here. A holiday w/end and we have been "home based" catching up on a few things.
Enjoy your day.
Marion.
Glad the board is back
Hi everyone, so glad the board is back working. I need my daily "fix" to see what my quilty sisters are doing.
It has been a beautiful day so far. We slept in to 7:30 this morning and decided to skip church and have a day of "rest". Every now and then you just need to re-charge the human batteries.
Just got back from a drive on the sand and a walk around in St. Augustine.
This is the first time to take the 2 dogs out in public together. They were fairly well behaved, and St. Augustine is a pet-friendly area.
It is a sunny, cool day so far, about 72.
I have a chocolate cake in the oven for tonight. A dinner at church, then meeting about money-retiring our debt.
Tomorrow is my birthday but DH will have to be at hospital for 5 hrs. getting CAT scan and X-rays, so I won't have much of a day. That's why we went out. Will take some paperback books to read.
Too pretty to stay inside, going to sit out in the shade for 45 min. while the cake bakes. Nice to have the windows open.
Jane-loved the picture.
Sara in Fla.
Sunday Morning
Good Morning to everyone, Jane that sunset is just gorgeous. It has rained here for two days and this morning the sun is finally coming out. I have been busy sewing projects for Christmas, small table toppers and table runners. Today I think i will make the purse my daughter has requested for Christmas. I like reading all your posts and events that other people are up to. Yes, winter will soon be upon us, in fact 2 months from today is Christmas. What is everyone else doing. Marge in NEPA
Wow Jane !
That is a beautiful sunset......and so great of you to snap a picture and share it with us......
DH and I just got back from a quickie trip to Duluth and had a wonderful day to drive back up along Lake Superior....just enough movement in the water to see the rolling waves at the shore and visibility for miles and miles.....no I didn't have the camera handy to snap some pictures.....but as DH and I took in the breathtaking views that can seem so commonplace because we see them so often we once again realized how blessed we are to live in this area.....now to remember all of this when in the not so distant future I will feel like we are living in a never ending winter scence from Dr Zhivago !
Board is getting quiet again.....where is everybody and what are you up to ?
Heather
