OMG!! I'm out of control........

Well, Christmas is over and the leftover goodies are sitting on the counter in the kitchen. I didn't bake this year or make any goodies but I ended up with several "well meaning friends" giving me some. I did make some "Spiced Nuts and Pretzels" from the recipe I found on Cathy's blog. It's quite good but a little goes a long way. I am trying to avoid eating these things but occasionally, and that means practically every time I pass by them, I eat one. They consist of fudge, chocolate covered peanuts and a plate of assorted cookies. To be honest, I haven't opened the cellophane on the cookies. However, I have been eating larger amounts than I am used to eating and also making poor choices of what I am eating. Also, we went to friends' home for dinner yesterday and I made and brought a delicious Irish raspberry and cream cheesecake. It was pretty delish if I do say so myself. This morning I stepped on the scale because last night my jeans felt unusually tight in the waist and thighs. OMG! I am up six pounds. And that is 6 pounds over the high end of the floating weight that I have been maintaining for the last year. I miss that feeling of my band keeping me from overindulging in whatever I eat. I haven't dieted since I was banded. That was 2 years and 9 months ago today. I have just eaten what I wanted and my portions were so small that I just lost weight. Well, when the saline is taken out of your band your restriction is way down. In fact there isn't anything I can't eat. This is the most tempting time of the year for eating and drinking. And since I decided not to bake this year as it would be too much of a temptation I thought I would be alright. And I haven't attended any parties or celebrations so I thought I would be okay. But I feel so bloated and mad at myself, it's like I used to feel before the band.

I've also been a little lax with my workouts the last couple of weeks. I either have missed a workout here or there or just skipped going to the gym all together because I had to much to do. I have still been going though so I don't know why my weight jumped so fast. I refuse to gain back my weight and I have an appointment to meet my doctor at the lab for an upper G.I. on February 1st. If my esophagus is not dilated anymore I should be able to have a fill again. But if not then I will have to wait another 3 months. Why did this happen to me?? I know (through reading their blogs) quite a few lapband patients and I am the only one going through this. It will be two years in February since this ordeal began. I had a feeling of being stuck and whatever I ate wouldn't go down. Like the band got tighter or something. I was constantly sliming and having to spit in a cup as we traveled down the road with our friends on our vacation. Then I barely made it to the bathroom where I vomited (TMI) My throat immediately swelled up and I felt like I was strangling. That began the reflux I had which caused me to eventually sleep sitting up. I was taking Prilosec twice a day and still had reflux only the meds reduced the acid so the reflux was just liquid. When I couldn't seem to get on the path to lose more weight I went in for another adjustment. My hubby wanted me to tell the doctor what I had been experiencing with the reflux and having to sleep upright. As soon as I told him, he arranged for the first upper GI. At the laboratory I was placed standing up on a machine that was to xray my esophagus as I drank a liquid. I drank it and watched the liquid on the tv screen next to me and saw the liquid go down my throat and then instead of flowing past the band it made a left turn into a new "pouch" and only some of it went through the band. The doctor said, "that's what I was afraid of, your esophagus is dilated" meaning it had a bulge in it to the side. He immediately removed my fill and told me to come back in three months and he would check it again. What this means is I was overfilled. I was too tight. But now, I no longer have the reflux and I can sleep laying down again since this happened. But, I can also eat pretty much like I am not banded. The last time this happened (one year ago) it wasn't during the holidays so it was easier to not gain any weight. Now I am about to go on a month long trip and I worry I will eat badly and gain even more weight. So, I am thinking should I go on a diet or should I just watch how much I eat or what I eat? I hate being in this situation again. I thought I had this under control. So, there is never a cure for overeating other than willpower or a device such as the band which helps you to not eat so much. I refuse to go out and purchase larger sizes again. I just bought new clothes and I like the way they look on me. That should be enough to keep me from making poor choices when I eat, but then I would never have needed the band if I was that much in control of my eating. I am throwing the goodies in the trash tomorrow morning.

Well, I think my only way to handle this is to start counting my calories so I lose what I've gained and then hopefully I can lose a little before I return to the doctor for the next test.

Hopefully I have the willpower to do this. I am also going to pitch the goodies in the trash tomorrow morning.

Merry Christmas and here's to a better 2011

I am wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Many of us have not had a very good 2010 and I hope 2011 gives you health and prosperity and much happiness. Enjoy your holiday and hopefully you'll be with family. I won't be, just hubby and me this year. We'll be attending a candlelight service at our church tomorrow night and then having dinner with friends at their home on Christmas day. I will post something in a couple of days but I'll most likely be reading your posts.

Happy Birthday Jesus!!

Where does the day go?

Here are two king sized pillowcases I made. The fabric is flannel and it has white polka dots. The sleeve is a plaid. Sorry the picture doesn't show that. Maybe if you click it and enlarge it you can see it.



I made these two pillowcases for my two granddaughters. They are their favorite colors. I am also making one for Bob's granddaughter.

This is a mug rug. My first attempt at it. It is a little crooked but I will get better at it. Mug rugs are little placemats for a coffee mug or tea cup and has enough room for a cookie or two or a muffin.

I can't believe how fast the days have been going this last couple of weeks. I am trying to make these and other pillowcases to give as gifts and my sewing room doesn't have the best lighting yet. So I have to take advantage of the daytime hours when it's lightest. By the time I get home from the gym and running errands I only have an hour or two left of daylight. I need to get some better lights in the room and also I need to budget my time better. Well, I am going to go see if I can cut the next one out.

Pillowcase

Here is one of the pillowcases I made a couple of weeks ago. I made them in flannel so they would be soft and warm. They are really comfy. I got them from a video tutorial on YouTube. Here is the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrYWCma9wgM It was so easy and turned out perfect. A friend of mine has made upward of 36 of them for gifts. I think she said she is giving them to everyone she's ever met. She is pretty funny and I think she is also driven. She is also making potholders for gifts. I am working on two quilts at once right now. One is the fishing quilt for my hubby and the other is the quilt for the Squares of Hope group to give to a deserving person through our church. They are made and prayed over and then given to someone who is ill or has lost a loved one or in need of comfort for another reason. We pour out our love and hearts into these quilts.

I haven't put out any decorations for Christmas yet and don't know if I will. My SIL is in the hospital and we may go down to California to see her. She had arthroscopic knee surgery a couple of weeks ago and ended up with blood clots in both lungs. She is expected to be released soon, maybe even today. We may go there for Christmas. We are still discussing what we'll do.

I've been reading so many new blogs by quilters and I wonder how they find the time to do as much as they do. I am hoping that I can someday make the beautiful quilts and other crafts they make. I am counting on "practice makes perfect" working for me. So far some of the little crafts I have tried look pretty much like a beginner made them. But I won't give up. They all are inspiring me to keep trying.

Have a beautiful day everyone.

Can't believe it's already the 3rd...

I haven't even thought about decorating the house yet. We went to the coast for Thanksgiving. We spent a week there and had a great time. The weather wasn't the best but it was still good to be away and in a different place. We went with some friends and we both cooked our meal together and also had another couple from our church come and join us for dinner. The dinner turned out spectacular and we all had a great day. The guys went out in the boats every day and went crabbing. Three of the days we had groups of people (friends of ours from church) come and go crabbing too. I made a double batch of Paula Deen's Taco Soup to serve when they came in from the cold, wet bay. It was a big hit with everyone. I've included the recipe if anyone would like it. My hubby Bob loves it and asks for it about every other week. LOL. We throw a handful of Fritos in the bowl and a dollop of sour cream on top and stir it in......yum.

Taco Soup
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
Prep Time:
15 min
Inactive Prep Time:
--
Cook Time:
6 hr 0 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
12 to 16 servings

Ingredients
2 pounds ground beef
2 cups diced onions
2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans pinto beans
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can pink kidney beans
1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can tomatoes with chiles
2 (4 1/2-ounce) cans diced green chiles
1 (4.6-ounce) can black olives, drained and sliced, optional
1/2 cup green olives, sliced, optional
1 (1 1/4-ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (1-ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix
Corn chips, for serving
Sour cream, for garnish
Grated cheese, for garnish
Chopped green onions, for garnish
Pickled jalapenos, for garnish
Directions
Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet; drain the excess fat, then transfer the browned beef and onions to a large slow cooker or a stockpot. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles, black olives, green olives, taco seasoning, and ranch dressing mix, and cook in a slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours or simmer over low heat for about 1 hour in a pot on the stove. To serve, place a few corn chips in each bowl and ladle soup over them. Top with sour cream, cheese, green onions and jalapenos.

Quiet morning hours

I love the early morning hours when the house is so quiet. I can read or check emails and it's peaceful. No television going in the background and my pup snuggled against my right thigh. Sometimes I have Molly the cat laying in my lap, if I am not using my laptop. This morning I am listening to the turkeys outside. They come and pick up the bird seed that falls out of the feeder when the birds eat. Now they've moved on and it's quiet again.

Today is going to be a good day. I have a baby shower to attend at 11 and then another get together at 5pm. Plenty of time in between to do whatever I want. I finished cutting out my hubby's fish quilt and need to get started on it. We still haven't assembled the quilting frame. It's because the room it's going into has items in it that I need to either get rid of or find a place for. All the books I have are sitting in piles on the floor. I have gone in and tried to go through them and sort out the ones I don't need or haven't yet read. And some are my hubby's so I try and make a stack for him. Then I just get frustrated over what is to become of them and I walk out of the room. They used to sit on my bookshelf. Then my hubby decided we didn't have room for the bookshelf. So I moved them to the entertainment center that held our stereo components and TV. Then we got a different TV and stopped using the entertainment center so we sold it. Then I moved them to a dresser that wasn't being used. Then we gave it to friends who needed it. So my books are displaced again. Ugh!! Some of them I am thinking of selling on Amazon.com and others I use from time to time to look up things in them so I don't want to pack them away. It's times like this that I wish our house was bigger. Then we have some stereo components and old VCR's that we aren't using anymore. I need to either try selling them or giving them to Goodwill or Salvation Army. The sooner I get it done the sooner I can get my frame assembled.

We are planning to go to the coast in our motor home with another couple for the holiday. We will cook our Thanksgiving dinner in our roaster ovens outside the coach. Then we each will fix what we have decided we'll make and then we will have our dinner together. We bought 2 turkey breasts since we both prefer the white meat. Our friends also bought a whole turkey and will roast it as well. We should have plenty of sandwich fixings for after Thursday. Then the following day we plan to do some crabbing with other friends who come by. Should be a fun time. Hopefully the weather won't be too bad. The forecast is showing no rain until Saturday so I hope it doesn't change. I miss having a big family Thanksgiving, but with our family scattered all about and the older generation having passed on it makes it hard. I have always wanted to go away for Thanksgiving in either the motor home or by renting a cabin somewhere. So this will be a chance to do it finally.

I'm a slacker...

I haven't blogged in over 2 weeks. I have been lurking in the background just reading and not posting. I also found a few quilting blogs which I've been looking for and finally found. I have been working diligently on some quilting projects. The biggest one is a quilt for the "Squares of Hope" a group I belong to at church. We make and distribute quilts to those in need due to illness or family loss. They are prayed over by many of our members. It's very rewarding to know something you worked on is bringing someone comfort.



I am also cutting out a quilt for my hubby Bob that we bought in a kit at a quilt shop in Florence, Oregon several months ago. It's a fishing themed quilt. I hope it isn't too much for me. So far I am not having any problems with it.



I made some pillowcases out of flannel for our bed. I found a tutorial on YouTube and they are so easy and come out perfect. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrYWCma9wgM the tutorial is also for a cause but I only made a couple for us. They also would make great gifts. They are trying to get a million of these made and donated. I need to make some for the Million Pillowcase Challenge also. I didn't take pictures of them or I would post them.

So far I am doing well without my band being filled. My reflux has stopped and I only get heartburn at night. So I take a Zantac before bed and I am ok. I sure don't miss the reflux. I am watching that I don't eat too much. Since I was banded over 2 years ago I know how much my portions should be and I am following these. Now if only I would lay off the candy. I got some candy corn after Halloween at Walmart and I have been grabbing a handful while I am sewing. I need to throw them away since they are pure sugar. But I love them so. And they are only out once a year.

I still haven't gotten my quilting frame assembled. The room where it is to go has some boxes in it and about 40 books that were in a cabinet that we sold. Now I have no place to put the books. I am sorting them and keeping only some of them. I might sell the rest on Amazon.com as used books. Once I get the boxes and books moved my rack can go in there. It's a tiny room so there isn't much room to maneuver until I moved them out and right now I have no place to put them. If the garage wasn't so cold I would set it up out there but, no way. Well, I have to shower and take Chloe to the groomer and then it's off to the gym. Have a wonderful day everyone.

Well, today was my first full day without my fill. I am surprised, in that I am stopping and feeling full at the same place I have been for the last 8 months. I hope this lasts. Thank you everyone for your kind words and encouragement. That's why I am glad I am a blogger. Bloggers are great people!

I also started to quilt a table topper I made for Autumn. I had to get out the book to learn how to use the Bernina Stitch Regulator and a couple of other things on my machine. I had a class the week after I bought it but then I went on vacation and had family come to visit. The only thing I have been doing is piecing the tops which just involves straight stitching. I think I need a refresher course. Maybe I'll just sit and read the manual. I also got a DVD with it, maybe I'll watch that again too.

It was cold and damp out today. No rain and no sun all day. Ugh!! I hope this doesn't mean winter is almost here.

Not what I was hoping for.........

Well, today was the day I was to go for the test at the hospital. My doctor met me there and when I went in there were four people in the room. I stood on a tall machine and they slid an xray device to the front of me. Over to my right there was a television screen with a view of my esophagus. One of the technicians handed me a cup with a clear liquid in it. He said to take a big swallow of it. I took two. I looked to the side and could see the liquid roll down my throat and when it reached the bottom it pushed out to the side instead of going through my band. The doctor said, "oh no, that's what I was afraid of. You have a dilated esophagus. I need to remove all of the fill for 3 months" So there you have it. They put a pillow behind my head and laid the table back and before I knew it I was on my back. The doctor removed my fill and they stood me up again. Then they handed me the liquid again and had me drink it. This time it went right down. The doctor mentioned that he was surprised I was able to even eat. Now I know why it seemed like my food took forever to leave the pouch. It's because I had another larger pouch that it was being stored in. So the way I understand it is I had too much in the band and that is why this happened. Funny thing is a year and a half ago I had a similar problem and my band was even more filled then. So I have to be very careful over the holidays not to over do things and to keep on going to the gym so I don't undo all that I have accomplished so far. I am trying to keep a positive attitude over this whole thing. Maybe now I can sleep laying down again instead of having to prop pillows up behind me. I already feel better. I was getting little hiccups that would have liquid and food in them all the time. Since I went to the hospital that hasn't happened. I guess my doctor being a lapband patient himself knows what he's talking about. Thanks to all of you who made such nice comments on my last couple of posts. I love my blog buddies.

No fill this time......

Well, when I went to the doctor yesterday he went over my case with me and I told him I have to sleep with several pillows propped under my head and that I still have heartburn and reflux. He said, You need another barium swallow. We need to find out why this is happening to you. It isn't normal. I asked what they would do for it if it was a dilated esophagus and he said he would completely unfill me (again) for 3 to 6 months to let it heal. I am so unhappy about this. So I have to go back up there (Eugene-75 miles away) on Tuesday and have the test. I know if they can find out what is wrong I won't have to go through this anymore. But I just don't want to be unfilled again for 6 more months. I guess I have no choice at this point. It's a wait and see for me.

I got my quilt frame. It's in 3 boxes. One is really heavy. We have them in the garage until we rearrange the room it will go in. I have to go back there to pick up the instruction manual and some templates they have for me.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

Yea!

The store called this morning to tell me my quilt frame is in. I am so excited. Now I just have to make room for it at home and also learn how to use it. Can't wait to start quilting on it. I have to go up there to Eugene today anyway for my appointment with the surgeon for my adjustment. We already drove up there this morning to take a friend's daughter to the airport at 4:45am. Then we had breakfast and came home. My hubby went back to bed. I snoozed for about 30 minutes and then the store called. This is going to be a great day. The picture is what it will look like with my machine in it.

Second Chances...

Got a call from the vet's office yesterday. They wanted to know if I had decided what I wanted to do with Sissy's remains yet. They said they couldn't hold her any longer. I was shocked!! I had already told them when I went in to pay the bill the morning she was euthanized. I asked them to take care of her. They had said they could have her cremated or I could take her and bury her. The cremation was $120. After paying the bill which was already $316 I decided I couldn't pay anymore. The next day I had all these weird feelings that I should have taken her and buried her here at our home. I was afraid it was too late. Now they called a week later to ask about it. I told them I'd be right in to get her. It was a strange feeling as I drove back to pick her up. When I got there they escorted me out to my car and handed me a box that was all taped up. I could feel the weight inside of my little darling kitty. When I got her home my hubby had already dug a hole in our back yard under a small tree. We placed the whole box in the hole and both of us covered it with the dirt. I felt better. She is home again where she belongs. I know her spirit or soul has already left her body but at least a part of her is here in her family's yard. I said a prayer over her little grave and came in to snuggle with my other two pets. I am sorry if this is a little morbid.

Tomorrow I have an appointment for a band adjustment. I have mixed feelings about it. I know I can eat too much now so I am not losing any weight but I worry that I will be too tight and have a problem again. The whole reason for getting the band is to have the control and that is why I decided to go for it. After all, I can always have some of the saline removed if I need to.

Loss of a pet...

This week we lost one of our kitties. Sissy, the one on the right became very sick last Saturday. I noticed her hanging around in the bathroom of all places. She was laying in front of the toilet. As I got ready for church on Sunday morning she was still there in front of the toilet. I noticed a small puddle on the bare floor next to the rug. I cleaned it up and knew I had to take her to the vet. Only they were closed on Sunday and we were on our way to church. When we got back from church she was still there in the bathroom. She did move around a little and she was wobbly on her back legs. I thought maybe she had been injured somehow. I couldn't imagine how since she was an indoor cat and there wasn't much inside that could injure her. As the day went on I recalled how early Saturday morning I found a leaf on the floor that one of the cats had chewed from a Chrysanthemum plant that my brother in law purchased for me a few days before. I got to thinking, maybe the plant is poisonous to cats. I can never have fresh flowers in the house without having to place them somewhere high up that the cats won't get into them. These were not up high. In fact my sister in law placed them on the floor next to the television for a splash of color. They were so pretty and instantly made the room look like fall. As soon as I got home from church I looked on Google to see if it could be the plant. There it was, high toxicity to cats. Oh, no. Monday morning I picked her up and she felt cold so I placed her on my lap to warm her. She stayed there for a long time (not like her at all) The Vet's office opens at 8am so I called them as soon as I could and they said to bring her right in. I did, when they took her temperature it was below normal and they placed a hot water bottle next to her. The doctor came in and looked her over. I told her I suspected it was the plant and she wasn't entirely convinced that was the cause of her illness. She was 12 years old and that is pretty old for a cat I guess. I thought they lived to be 20 or so. Anyway, she said that they would keep her and hydrate her through an I.V. and do a blood test. I left and about an hour later the doctor called and said her kidneys had shut down which wasn't good. She said why not keep her on the fluids and see if the kidneys started to work again. I agreed. First thing Tuesday morning I got another call from the vet's office. They said she was no better and that in all honesty if she hasn't responded by now, she most likely wouldn't.

Well, this isn't how I expected my week to start. So sad. We all are missing her little face. Molly, our other cat keeps looking in closets and around doorways for her. But I think she has stopped now. She seems to know she is gone and isn't looking anymore. We aren't going to get another cat to replace her. Needless to say, the chrysanthemum is outside now where it isn't a temptation to our other cat Molly.

I'll be back......

I haven't been on here all week due to having a visit from my hubby's sister and her husband. We've really enjoyed their company and while they were here we all came down with colds. Yuck!! I just got over one a few weeks ago. I'll catch up with everyone's posts after they leave today and also try to get over this icky feeling.

Out with September.......in with October

This month just flew by for me. It must have been all that I did that caused that sensation. Starting with my birthday on the 3rd, and then my brothers and their wives came to visit. After that we went to the coast for crabbing and salmon fishing. Now we are preparing for another visit, this time from my hubby's sister and her husband. This must be vacation central this year. Just kidding, we love seeing our siblings and enjoy their visits.

When I got home from the coast I felt as though I had gained 5 pounds or more. I stepped on the scale and it was up 2 pounds. I got back on it this morning and that 2 pounds was gone. I am still amazed at how I am maintaining weight instead of gaining it. After years of slowly gaining back what I had worked so hard to lose, this just is so cool. I do love this band!! But, I haven't lost any weight in six months. I had my last adjustment (fill) in February. They say as you lose weight you need to get a fill because the fat (ugh, what a word) around the band goes away and then the band becomes lose again. I was reading one of the blogs I follow this morning and it's a fellow lapbander's blog. She wrote what she ate in a day and I was stunned. I realized then I am eating way too much a day and that is why I am not losing but just maintaining. Think I need to call the surgeon for an appointment. I mentioned it to my DH a couple of weeks ago and he said, "no you don't! You have to sleep sitting up now!" But I do that to keep my reflux from causing me to cough or aspirate during the night. Since I started propping pillows up behind me I sleep so much better. It's working so why shouldn't I get an adjustment. I wonder if I told the doctor how I am sleeping, would he say no more fills. I am torn. Then the other day my friend and I were talking and she said she thought I didn't need to lose anymore weight. My husband agreed. I don't want to be rail thin, I just want my BMI to be out of the obese category. How can I be "thin enough" if the charts say I am still obese? Lately I have had several people mention that I have lost even more weight. I haven't. I think your body just redistributes the weight and that is what they're seeing. Also, I am at the gym 5 days a week working out and that causes muscle mass and fat loss but I think I'll call and talk to the nurse at the surgeon's office and see if she recommends I come in.

He finally caught his salmon.............

My hubby has been fishing for 6 years and finally caught a salmon. He was beside himself happy. Grinning from ear to ear. It was only 17 pounds but it was his and he is so proud. I am so excited for him. Now his life is complete. Now I have to wrap it up and put it in the freezer.

Winchester Bay Resort

We went to the coast on Sunday and spent three days there with some new friends we've recently met. They had never gone crabbing before. We took them crabbing in our boat. The catch was plentiful. The first day we used chicken parts for bait. You can only keep the males and they must be a certain size to be legal. After our first days catch, 17 of them, we heard about a business there in town that would cook and clean them for you. We took them to be cooked and it saved us the trouble and mess of cleaning and cooking them ourselves. Then we just had to remove the meat from the claws and bodies. The second day we caught more still but the cooking place was closed when we got there so we had to cook them ourselves. Here are a few pictures we took of the process. This resort was sure nice. 3 days wasn't long enough to be there and I definitely want to go back again. The space we had was large enough for our motor home, our boat and our truck. And it's right on the bay of the Umpqua River and the ocean. I like to have melted butter with garlic in it and to sample it while removing the meat from the shells. MMMMM good!!

A visit from my family........

We went to Crater Lake on Tuesday. We rented an 8 passenger minivan. It was lots of fun. We went to breakfast and then headed off to the lake. Once we got there we had lunch and took pictures. We got home around dinnertime. I had made the chicken in the crockpot. It turned out very delicious but a little too spicy for my one sister-in-law and my great niece. Here is the recipe I used:

Jamaican Chicken

chicken thighs and breasts

Adobo seasoning

1 onion finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic minced

4T soy sauce

1 cup ketchup

1/2 habanero chili chopped fine ( I used a jalepeno and seeded it)

chicken broth

Rub the chicken with the adobo seasoning and brown in frying pan. Put in crockpot and add other ingredients. I cooked it for 8 hours on low. It could have been cooked a little less because the chicken was falling apart but it wasn't dry. I made rice to serve the gravy over.

Wednesday we decided to drive to the coast and show our guests some of the sights along the beach areas. After driving for about an hour and a half we got to our destination only to have one of my sisters-in-law become very sick. She was stricken with a case of the flu. We decided to head for home since she was so ill. It took us four hours to get home because we had to stop every so often for her to use a bathroom. Poor thing looked so miserable. She also felt terrible that our plans were ruined but that is not a big deal. We were just concerned about her. She started feeling better that evening and today feels great again. We're hoping none of the rest of us catch what she had.

Last minute touches

What is going on with me. I woke up at 4am and laid there for almost an hour awake. I decided I would just get up. Now it's almost 6 and I am getting sleepy again. I got most of the things done yesterday so today I just have to dust a little and put a roast in the slow cooker.

Bob and his friend came home with no salmon yesterday. But they said they had a fun time anyway. I guess that's what it's all about anyway.

When we were camping in July a couple we know came camping also and we all had dinner together a few times. The time she made the main course it was a chicken dinner made in her slow cooker. She said it was a recipe given to her by a friend from the Caribbean. She gave me the ingredients. I thought that would make a good meal while my bros are here but I don't know the amounts of anything. I wrote her an email and asked for the recipe. She called yesterday and said she couldn't find the recipe and would call her friend for it and email me. Well, I haven't heard anything from her yet. So.....I figure either she couldn't reach her friend or she really doesn't want to share the recipe so I may have to improvise. After all I do have the ingredients. Only hitch is one ingredient is Goya Adobo Seasoning and my brother is bringing me that since I couldn't find it anywhere in my town. He found it in a Mexican market in Nevada. So I will be making it another night this next week.

The weather is supposed to be better the next week. It's been raining for two days off and on. I'm not ready to have cold and rainy weather yet. Well, I think I may go back to bed for a couple more hours. Have a Blessed Day everyone!

My New Toy........

Here is a picture of my new sewing machine. It has a longer arm than the standard machines do. It's 12 inches instead of the usual 7. I am hoping this will make a big difference when I quilt small projects. The larger ones can go on the quilt frame (when it comes in)
I went to my class yesterday to learn how to use the features on the machine. I am loving it.

Today Bob and a friend went to the coast to salmon fish the river. I have lots to do as both of my brothers are now on their way here. One brother is coming from Kansas and the other from Nevada. They are both planning to arrive tomorrow. I can't wait to see them all. I haven't seen the Kansas group in three years. I also have a third brother. I wish he and his wife could make it but they said they couldn't. I tried to stress the importance of spending a little time together because you never know how long any of us have. It's been over 20 years since we all have been together. I plan to make the best of this visit. Lots of pictures and laughter and good times. I thought I would bake some peanut butter cookies for them. When we were kids and went to visit my grandmother (paternal) she always had a crock of freshly baked peanut butter cookies for us. I have her recipe and thought it would be a nice touch. She also used to make a chiffon dessert that she called Pink Puddin but I've never been able to find the recipe. I think it had a cookie crust and was made with Jello and whipped up and was a raspberry flavor. Does it sound familiar to anyone? Well, I guess I should get started with all I have to do...............

Busy week...

I'm sorry I haven't written in a few days. I have been trying to get ready for my two brothers and their wives coming for a visit. They will be arriving Friday and Saturday. We haven't all been together in almost 18 years. I have a third brother but he and his wife can't make it this time. We're getting so excited for the visit. Whenever I am with my brothers there is laughter and reminiscing and such good times. They will be here for a week. I am hoping our weather behaves itself. My one brother has never been to Oregon and the other brother came in April and it rained all week. We plan to go to Crater Lake since they haven't seen it. I checked Weather.com and the forecast looks good.

Another reason I haven't been on here is that Friday was my birthday. Hubby Bob and I drove to Eugene and went to a sewing store to look at machines (not that I needed one). We bought (gulp!) the new Bernina 820 computer machine. It does so much. It even ties a knot and cuts the thread for you if you want it to. No kidding. Also my hubby wanted to help me out with my quilting and bought me a quilting stand. I don't have it yet, since the store hasn't received the new models yet. They were promised them in October. That will give us some time to make room for it. It expands from 5 feet wide to 10 feet wide as needed. This was quite an extravagant gift, he's very good to me. I'll take a picture of the machine and post it later today. I have a class at the store tomorrow to learn how to use the sewing machine. I have to bring it with me plus all the goodies that came with it. It' pretty heavy. Weighs 39 pounds. I guess now I have to start sewing my own clothes and all. NOT!! Well, I might attempt a couple of things, like something simple that nobody would see other than Bob. A nightgown or pajamas. I will hopefully remember all I learn at the class tomorrow. My other sewing machine is feeling pretty dejected I'm sure. I was loving it until I got this bright shiny and large new one. I haven't decided if I will keep it or sell it yet. I have a friend who has offered to buy it.

Winding Down

The time is winding down on both the summer and my time for getting things ready for my brothers visit. I decided to make a pot of spaghetti sauce and meatballs and also to put some chicken in my slow cooker for the day they arrive. That way I can enjoy them all and not be stuck preparing food in the kitchen. My one brother will be arriving next Friday, the 10th and the other brother on the 11th. I am so excited. I tried to get my third brother to come but he and his wife can't make it. It's been over 20 years since we've all been together. I am a little bummed out over it but it will still be fun.

We had the carpet cleaned yesterday. Now I have to get all the little styrofoam squares out from under the furniture and put it back against the walls. I am hoping my sister-in-law will be okay when she gets here. She has asthma and we have 2 cats. They are afraid that they'll have to stay in a motel rather than here in our home. I am hoping the cat dander isn't bad in the guest room since they aren't in there that often. I am waiting until the day before they arrive and I'll wash the bedspread in there. Then I'll keep the door closed. My sewing stuff is in there so I'll be in and out working on my quilt. I haven't done any work on it in several days. I'm thinking I need to get in there and give a good hour a day to get it done. A friend I met at the gym who is also new at quilting has decided to try to quilt her own quilt on her machine after I talked to her about being the only one with a hand in making a quilt. I'm hoping she follows through. It's so rewarding to see what you've done so far and know that it's your own design.

Tomorrow my hubby is going fishing with a friend. I am hoping I can get down to the garage and tidy it up a bit. I am so embarrassed when anyone sees it. It's an eyesore. I love my hubby to death but he has such a bad habit of never putting things away after using them. Every time he cleans the garage it only lasts one day and then it starts to get filled up again with tools and anything else he has used. Every square inch of space is taken up with stuff stacked on it. It's so frustrating. Our house was built in the 70s and the garage was added on after the fact. So, when you look out the window in our door in the kitchen you see this disaster area called the garage.

I have been eating larger portions lately without even realizing it. I am thinking I need a slight adjustment of my band. It's been 7 months since my last adjustment and I haven't lost any weight since April. I am just maintaining. I still need to lose another 27 pounds to be at my first goal. I decided to be more mindful of what I eat and to not eat anything between meals. We are not supposed to eat between meals with the LapBand and I have kind of been snacking on nuts or pretzels or crackers and I think this is a bad habit. Those things are referred to as slider foods since they slide right through the band. So I am getting back to basics to see if I can break my plateau.

Rainy Day

Today was a rainy day and was pretty chilly. It felt like an Autumn day so I made beef stew for dinner. It was comfort food and so good and warm. I didn't really get much accomplished today. I did some laundry and grocery shopping. My brothers will be here next weekend and I am trying to plan a few meals to have while they are here. I am thinking of using my crock pot for a meal or two. I'm checking out my Fix it and Forget it cookbook. If anyone has a suggestion on a meal for 6 adults and one little girl I'd sure appreciate it.

I didn't get any quilting done today. I did go into the sewing room/guest room and look at it. I keep wishing I had started with a bigger meandering (that is the freehand quilting style I am using) than I did. It's going to take me longer and I'll be using a lot more thread. Oh well, it is my first so whatever happens I think I am doing ok. I think it looks pretty good, regardless of how long it will take me to finish it. Tomorrow my friend who got me started in quilting and I might go to Eugene to look at the latest machine out by Bernina. It's a pricey Momma. I can dream can't I ? To tell you the truth, my husband wants to buy it for me. I sometimes have to hold him back. He is very impulsive and thinks nothing of spending a small fortune just to make me happy. You've gotta love a guy like that.

My First Quilt

I haven't posted here in so long. I guess I have been busy with other things. Facebook for one, but even that has been fading lately. Most of my time is being spent on my quilting projects. I am quilting my first quilt. I decided to try to do it myself on my machine. It's going to take a while but I can claim it's mine from start to finish that way. I also bought fabric to make a table runner for Autumn. I couldn't find the fabrics I really wanted but I did get the seasonal ones in Joanne's. Also, a couple of weeks ago, my husband and I went up the coast to Newport to meet some friends for lunch and on the way home we stopped at a quilt shop. He came in with me and saw a fishing quilt on the wall. He said he would love it if I would make it for him. So I bought the kit to make it and some extra fabric to make it bigger. He's 6'4" and always needs a longer quilt. I also bought some fabrics that caught my eye in blue and yellow. They had about 12 different ones and I bought a half yard of 7 of them. I am starting to get quite a collection of fabrics for future projects.

In two weeks, two of my brothers are coming with their wives to visit us. One of them has never been to Oregon and is really looking forward to seeing it. I am hoping the weather continues to be as beautiful as it's been. I hope summer holds out a little longer and fall doesn't slip in. He lives in Kansas so he's used to different weather but I would like for the temperatures to stay like they've been in the low 80s or even the 70s is fine. We'll take them to Crater Lake for sure. None of them have seen it and if any of you come to Oregon, it's well worth seeing. It's beautiful.

I just reread my post and it's kind of boring so I apologize for that. I have been having a time with my reflux the last few days. Today we made ribs in a new smoker and I tried the rub the instruction manual said to make. It was soooooo spicy I could hardly eat them. Too much cayenne pepper. I got heartburn while I was still eating it. That is why I am up now in the middle of the night. GRRRRR! Next time I'll only use a tiny bit for a little kicked up flavor not a mule kick. Other than that the ribs were good.

Well I think I'll try and get back to sleep now. My cat is laying on my legs and purring.

So nice to be home.......

I am home. We've been camping for the last 3 weeks and fishing. Hubby is fishing twice a day. Five a.m. and then he goes out again at around 3 or 4 in the afternoon and comes in around 8 or 9. A little much for me. Thankfully we have friends there so the guys go fishing and we stay in camp. I brought my quilting with me to work on in the RV but I reached a point where I needed more room so I packed it all up and gathered the laundry as well as the lists of things I needed at the store and from home and Chloe and I came home for a few days respite. So nice to be home. So quiet too without the TV going all the time. I love my husband dearly, but what he likes to watch on TV and what I like to watch are totally different. I got a lot accomplished yesterday. I went to the store and bought some paint and started painting the trim on the windows in our living room and dining room. It really needed it. I looks great. I will do the second coat today. We hadn't painted them since the windows were framed in because our cats are always walking on the sills. Since the cats are in the motor home with my hubby I figured, now is the time.

I am getting ready to go in and work on the quilt now. I made another table topper for a friend of mine for her birthday next month. I am in the process of quilting it now. It's about 1/3 done then I need to put the binding on and it's finished. I really am loving quilting.

I haven't been eating very well the last few weeks. Too much snacking. And I haven't been getting my exercise in either. So this morning I am going to the gym for a much needed workout. I just thought............I am taking a vacation from my vacation. Hmmmmmm!

Summer finally has arrived in Oregon.....

It's so nice to have sunshine and warm to hot days. We went to a local lake here called Diamond Lake last week. We stayed a week and went fishing and had lots of friends come by as well as being with several other couples while we were there. This picture was taken at a pizza parlor near the lake. We had a great time and caught lots of fish. Next week we are having a fish fry with lots of friends from our church. It should be loads of fun too.

I've been off here a while again. I can't seem to get myself organized this year. Anyway, I missed the last class of my quilt class. It was Thursday night and I volunteered to work in the church nursery this past week. One of the little babies had a runny nose. Her mom assured us it was allergies and not a cold. Well after being with her for 3 days I got myself a full blown cold. On Thursday I came home feeling terrible and aching all over. I went to bed and missed my class. Now I have 12 finished blocks and no guidance on how to complete the quilt. I am going to go to the quilt shop and plead with them to give me a little info on how to finish it. I'm sure they'll be accommodating to me. I hope.

True confessions

I have a question for all my followers with the band. Are any of you drinking carbonated beverages yet? It's been 2 years and 2 months since I had my surgery and a couple of weeks ago I got to craving a Diet Dr Pepper. I mean, I didn't drink diet soda much before but occasionally it just hit the spot, you know what I mean? When I had my consultation before surgery I thought the surgeon told me never again have carbonated beverages or caffeine. I drink decaf tea or coffee most of the time. Once in a while I'll have a half cup of the real thing but I haven't tried the carbonated stuff. Well, I broke down and bought a 12 pack of it last week. I tell you it tasted so good, but the burping and gurgling is really embarrassing. My hubby and I were sitting on our deck yesterday after planting a couple of little bushes in our planter and I sipped my Dr Pepper as we relaxed. A short time later I took another little sip and gurgle, burp, gurgle. The burps I could conceal but the gurgles you can't hide. He turned and looked at me like " What the Hell?? " It tasted awesome but I was just wondering if any of you have tried drinking them since surgery. I have a problem drinking water most of the time, it gives me heartburn. Also any Crystal Light products with citrus fruit in it gives me heartburn. It seems they all have some kind of citrus in them. I have been drinking skim milk on occasion and it goes down and doesn't cause heartburn and tastes good too. I also broke a cardinal rule recently and had a glass of milk with my meal. Oh, the good old days. I have gone astray, I know. What has gotten into me? Not only am I drinking the forbidden fruits but I am drinking while eating on occasion. I think I need a serious talking to. Tell me I am not the only one.................

Almost done.......

I finished quilting the table topper the other night. I am now working on the strips for the binding to go around the edges. This is the part I don't think I will like very much. I went to the gym this morning for my two classes. Yesterday I woke up feeling exhausted. I showered and got dressed to go to the gym and felt so wiped out that I decided not to go. I had invited some friends for dinner and didn't want to cancel so I just rested in the morning and our two husbands went fishing so I vacuumed the house and went to the store for a few items I needed for dinner. The dinner turned out really good (Stuffed Shells, Antipasto Salad, and Cheesy Garlic Bread) and we even played some cards after dinner. It's so fun to get together with friends.

I have to get busy now and finish my laundry and then I have to go to the store for a couple of things for tonight's dinner. Taco Salad. Yum! It's so nice to be able to eat whatever I want even with the LapBand. I just can't eat the quantity I used to. And there are a few things I have trouble eating such as really fibrous foods like fresh pineapple or some pastas like angel hair. But most of my favorites I can still eat.

Quilting................

I put my quilt top and the batting and the backing together yesterday and last night I began quilting it. I was a little apprehensive at first since I didn't want to mess it up and then have to tear out all the stitches, but once I got started I realized it is fun. Lots of fun. I am just doing a stitch that meanders back and forth and although it's not perfect (after all it is my first one) it looks pretty darned good. Once I finish it, I will post another picture of it. That is after I sew on the binding and it's done. I hope to finish the quilting portion this afternoon when I get home from church. I can see how people get the quilting bug. I find myself looking at fabric in fabric stores or quilt shops now and before they never really interested me. I am anxious to tell my friends at church that I started it. My friend Lori will be so happy for me. She has helped me when I bought my machine and also to pick out the fabric on this table topper. I hope you can see the quilting portion of the topper. I have only quilted around the floral outer edge so far.

Our weather has been crazy the last week. We went from having beautiful sunny spring days to cold, dark and pouring down rain. It felt like winter all over again. Native Oregonians say this is part of a ten year cycle. At least the native that I talked with last night. He said this weather would continue through June. Well, not much I can do about it. It sure is different than I have been used to for most of my life. Living in Southern California for the majority of my life I am used to sunshine most of the time and when it rains it only rains for maybe a day or two or a week at the most and then the sun is out again. But you can't beat the summers here. I temperatures are so much nicer. Usually in the mid 80s and SoCal of course is in the 90s and 100s a good part of the summer. We planted a new azalea bush with bright orange flowers. I am hoping it takes and the deer leave it alone. We were driving down our driveway the other day and 7 deer were crossing our yard two of them were obviously heavy with babies. Their bellies were just bulging. I love when the fawns are born each spring. The doe keeps them hidden for the first several weeks and then she will move them to a new location and that is when we usually see them for the first time. Lots of the time the doe will have twins and they are so darned cute to watch. She will be eating grass (or one of my plants) and they romp around and chase each other. It's adorable. One of my favorite things for sure.

Well, I need to get in the shower and get ready for church. Have a Blessed Day everyone!

Monday morning dreary.......

Well, after 3 beautiful days of warm sunshine I guess it's time to "pay the piper" so to speak. It rained last night, in fact we even had some thunder and lightening. That is very unusual here. It is supposed to be rainy off and on most of the week. I am so ready for the rains to end but I know we really need it. After all that is how all those trees stay alive and thrive.

I need to get to the gym today. I have slacked off a bit in the last few weeks. Oh, I have still been going but I haven't really been applying myself all the time. So, I am determined to get back on my program of 5 days a week and working up to a sweat each of those days. My body is starting to get saggy and the skin is getting loose. So sad, but at my age I can't prevent it. I have loose skin even on my forearms. I am dreading having to wear short sleeves once the weather gets warmer. I wish I could just have all my skin pulled up and tightened. But, even with my skin being a little loose, it beats all the fat that was there before. I am still very proud of myself for all the hard work I have put into working out.

Tomorrow night I am going to a meeting at my church for a quilters group who make quilts for people who are sick. It's a prayer quilt group and the name is "Squares of Hope" I am eager to be a part of something so wonderful. I know a couple of people who went through cancer the last couple of years and they received one of these quilts. They said the quilt meant so much to them knowing it had been prayed over by the women who came together to make it that their healing was escalated and they recovered that much faster. Isn't that inspiring?

I made a pot of cauliflower cheese soup yesterday that was so yummy. I pack it into small containers and freeze them. Then I can just pop them into a bowl and microwave it when I am ready to eat it. I can't wait til lunch today to have my first bowl. Well I hear my hubby moving around so I have to get going and get to the gym. Have a good day everyone!!

My First Project........

Here is my first project. It's a table runner. I still have to put the batting in and the backing but the top is done. I am so proud of my little quilt so far. I am wishing I had picked different colors. My friend Lori helped me pick them out and I like them only they really won't look good in my dining room. Maybe I can gift them to someone.
This is my sewing center that I bought. It's a Bernina machine and the table is custom made and also has a place for your serger (if you have one). The white table with my table runner on it is the cutting table. It opens to 80 inches. Both sides lift up and it also has drawers on the ends and the whole bottom has a shelf where items can be stored.












The next picture is an additional cabinet for storage of fabric or books or whatever I want to store in it. Isn't it nice looking? The lady who sold them to me also threw in a pair of left handed scissors, a rotary cutter, a cutting mat, a whole drawer of thread, about 15 bobbins, rulers and templates for cutting and other assorted goodies including Bernina manuals. I think the price was right at $1200. What do you think?

We did lots of work in our yard yesterday. Bob got two truckloads of bark mulch and we put it around all of our trees and bushes. We also put it in our garden areas. It gives such a finished look to your plants and it helps to keep the moisture in. I also put it around the tops of our container garden on our front deck.

Last night for dinner I made Pork Carnitas and also Pinto Beans. I was only able to eat one of course but it was very good. We had two really pretty days and the temperature got up to 80 here in our town. Today a little rain is in the forecast and over the next few days showers too.










The day bed next to this cabinet needs a bedspread. I hope to make a quilt for it soon. I haven't quite decided what pattern to make but my class in beginning quilting should help me to feel more confident in making it.

I haven't been on here in a month. I have become very lax where my blog is concerned for some reason. I have still been reading yours but just have posted. My brother and his wife came and visited us for almost a week. We enjoyed their visit so much. Unfortunately, our weather wasn't the best. In fact it rained all but one day that they were here. We still had fun and spent many hours laughing and reminiscing childhood memories. I haven't taken any pictures of my sewing room yet. I promise I'll do that this weekend and post them. I am making a table topper. I also signed up for a quilt class at our local quilt shop. It's 12 squares, all different (so I can learn different techniques). They say in 4 weeks I will complete the quilt. I started to buy the fabric for it the other day. I picked out some beautiful batiks. They are such vivid colors and I can't wait to get started.

I've had a cold for the last week, and now Bob (my hubby) has it too. UGH! I hate colds. Last week we went to our local Farmers Market and I bought some salad greens from a local grower. They were so yummy, I ate salads every day last week at lunch. I plan to go back today and get another bag. We also bought a Japanese Maple and an Azalea bush with bright orange flowers on it. We planted the maple but not the azalea yet. We have to remove a small tree from the area first. I also planted some annuals in a garden area that we built out front. In order to keep the flowers we had to fence around it or the deer would feast on our plants. I'll try to get some pictures of that too. I will try to do better on posting and keeping up with the blogs I read.

I haven't reached the 100 pound point yet so I can wear my new pendant but the last time I weighed myself I was at 97 pounds. I have been fluctuating after each weigh loss. I go up and down two or three pounds for a couple of weeks and then I finally lose that weigh plus a pound. I only weigh myself first thing in the morning before I drink my tea. I keep forgetting and that is why I haven't weighed. My sister-in-law asked me if I was wearing the new pendant yet and I had to tell her not yet. She took home my old sewing machine since she didn't have one. It was about 30 years old made by Brother for Montgomery Ward. My exhusband bought it for me one Christmas. I never had a case for it or a table that it sat in. I did buy a tapestry case on wheels for it so I could wheel it around and keep it clean. My new (to me) Bernina also has one of those cases too. I have to take it with me to the quilt shop when I start the class. I am kind of rambling this morning. I guess I haven't blogged in so long that I have lots of thoughts racing through my mind.

A girlfriend of mine, who I've known since we were about 14 years old sent me an email last week and asked me about my LapBand. It's funny because when I was considering it, she blew me off and said she thought it was not the way to go to lose weight and she would never do that. So I didn't mention it again. Now she is considering it. We talked on the phone and I tried to answer all her questions. I told her the way I found out most about it was by reading LapBandtalk.com. I told her they even have a video on there of the actual surgery. She is seeing her doctor later this month for a consultation on the surgery. I wish her well and told her that I wouldn't hesitate to have the surgery all over again if I had it to do again.

Well, I am going to take my shower and get ready to go to the Farmer's Market. I promise to take pictures and get them posted of my sewing room and my garden area.

Sewing room

Well, since I last posted my hubby and I went over to some friends of ours from church for Easter dinner. She is a seasoned quilter. I have wanted to learn quilting forever but never have. As we were sitting and talking about it her husband mentioned having seen a Bernina quilting edition machine in the paper for sale. It was to include a custom made table and storage as well as an adjustable cutting table. The asking price was $1200. My friend Lori said she would call the lady and ask the questions she knew to ask, better than I. She wasn't available to talk so she said she would call Lori back. After we had gotten home Lori called and said that it seemed like a great deal. The machine was in good condition and she also was getting out of quilting because of arthritis in her hands. She said she would include many of the items that she has and wouldn't be using anymore ie. cutting boards, rulers, rotary cutter, left handed scissors, extra bobbins and thread. Even some pattern books. Lori and I went to see it on Monday and decided it was a sweet deal so I bought it. The interesting thing is the lady selling the machine and I really hit it off. I mean I could see us being friends. We have similar interests and she was just so easy to talk to and Lori felt the same way. Last night hubby Bob and I went to pick up the remaining furniture and he and her husband hit it off as well. We sat there and talked with them for 2 hours before we loaded the furniture into our truck. There were hugs and she offered to help us with everything from putting the furniture together to putting a quilt together. They want to get together socially with us and with Lori and her hubby too. Now to decide which room we will set up my new hobby. Lori and another lady at our church have been making prayer quilts to give to seriously ill patients and I will be part of their group. I am very excited to get started. Now I have great equipment to get me started. Once it's set up I will take some pictures for my blog.

Oh, and by the way, I lost another 2 pounds. I don't know if I mentioned the pendant my hubby bought me last month. We went to the jewelry store at our mall and I needed to have a ring re sized because it was too loose. I also had my wedding ring cleaned and a heart with diamonds in it that he gave me for Valentine's day changed a bit. My birthstone is Sapphire and the heart had only diamonds in it. We had 3 sapphires added in place of 3 of the diamonds to make it more interesting. While we were there he mentioned the marquise diamond that I have from when he had it replaced for a larger one in my wedding ring. He has been wanting me to have it placed in another piece of jewelry. Isn't he the greatest guy? They had a special line of jewelry that was there for the weekend and maybe something there would interest us. They had a really pretty pendant with sapphires in it and an opening in the bottom that would accommodate the diamond perfectly. So we bought it and the next day I brought the diamond in. I decided this is going to be my 100 pound reward. I am now at 95 pounds and soon, I will be able to wear that beautiful necklace proudly. I will take a picture of it also and show it on here. Well, that is what is new with me. Now I have to catch up on all your blogs that I haven't read in about a week.

Happy Easter!!

Wishing you and yours a Blessed and Happy Easter!!

Happy April Fool's Day....

Do you celebrate April Fool's Day? Are you a practical joker? I haven't pulled a prank on anyone in a long time. When I worked full time it was more on my mind and people in the office did pranks and such. When you're retired and live with your spouse it doesn't come up. I guess if we were really jokesters then we'd think up some good ideas but, we aren't. I used to have a son-in-law whose birthday was April 1st. Now it is just a reminder that spring is on the way and soon the rain will give way to the sunshine and beautiful flowers.

Today was a mixture of rain and sun and clouds. Yesterday it poured pretty much all day. And they are forecasting no rain tomorrow just clouds and sun and then on Friday a new storm system is moving in from the Pacific. Oh boy!!

Sunshine Award

Thank you Ronda~~I am so honored to receive this award~ I am inspired to think maybe I am giving someone else a little help in the struggle to lose weight.

SUNSHINE AWARD RULES

The Sunshine Award is awarded to bloggers whose positivity and creativity inspire others in the blogging world.
Once you receive one, then you:
1. Post the logo on your blog.
2. Pass the award on to 12 fellow bloggers.
3. Link the nominees
4. Let nominees know they have won this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link to the person you received this award from.
I would like to nominate the following bloggers in no particular order & pass on the happiness :)
1. Judi http://judifromthismomenton.blogspot.com/

2. Jody http://jodyvworld.blogspot.com/
3. Amy http://amysgotaband.blogspot.com/

4. Angi http://angiandthelapband.blogspot.com/
5. Amanda http://amandakiska.blogspot.com/
6. MacMadame http://fattyfightsback.blogspot.com

7. Breanne http://ladylapband.blogspot.com/

8. _____ http://thinspiration4me.blogspot.com/
9. Libby http://libneas.blogspot.com

10. Kate http://tatersmamastakeonthings.blogspot.com/
11. Sonya http://mysouthernhome.blogspot.com/
12. "Ma" http://onyama.blogspot.com/

All of these ladies have been an inspiration to me through their blogs and they have helped me through trying times with the band and have been there through my victories as well! I have more I could have nominated but these 12 ladies we at the top of my list! Thank you all for your support and you are MY SUNSHINE!

I am back ~~

Wow~time has gotten away from me the last couple of weeks. I have been doing a lot around the house. My brother and sister-in-law are coming next month so all the little things I have been putting off such as cleaning closets, organizing my pantry, and others I have been doing and my hubby is also on the bandwagon. He has finished most of the projects in our house which is awesome. He finished the closet he started 2 years ago and yesterday the carpet man came out and carpeted it so I loaded it with quilts and linens and paper products. That is stuff that was sitting out in the spare bedroom. You know the giant packages of paper towels and toilet paper from Costco? Well, now they have a home. He even added a cabinet in the garage for me to store platters and small appliances I don't use all the time. He is a good guy, I think I'll keep him. I did color my hair and I've been getting so many good compliments that I am happy I did it. I haven't taken a picture of it yet but when I do I will post it. I also have some other news about my weight, I am only 7 pounds from having lost 100 pounds now. That is the best news. The down side of it is the loose skin I am beginning to notice everywhere. Most of it is due to my age. My upper and even lower arms have crape-looking skin now. It's sad because I have some great guns when I make a muscle. Also my neck has gotten some loose skin and that is really bugging me. I guess it's just a part of the weight loss and getting old that I will have to live with since I don't have thousands of dollars to spend on a plastic surgeon. Oh well, enough of that. We've been having some really nice weather the last couple of weeks also. I have been working in the garden a little and planting and weeding. This is something I couldn't do before I lost weight because it was too hard to bend over and get up and down without getting exhausted. Now I enjoy the little bit of exercise I get doing these things.

Weather Change

Well, our beautiful spring-like weather has flown. We had freezing cold yesterday with frost. Now it's raining so it must have warmed up a bit. I am up early AGAIN!! I was so tired I went to bed at 10pm. The dog woke me at 2:30 to go potty. I wasn't able to go back to sleep. I hate this because I am wide awake until around 6 or 7 and then I get sleepy and can't seem to get enough rest in before it's time to wake up. Oh Chloe, what am I going to do with you???

Well, I put a rinse in my hair on Saturday. As soon as I put it on (before I rinsed it out) I felt more like myself with the darker color on my head. When I got out of the shower and saw the color I was disappointed. It was so much lighter than I thought it should be. In fact it looked weird to me. I asked my neighbor for her opinion and she said it looked good but it was too light. Great!! I called the number on the box and the lady at Clairol said the temporary colorings aren't meant for hair as white/gray as mine. I need to use a permanent color. So off to the store I went and bought a kit in a similar color and this time I bought L'oreal Preference which I used to use before when I colored my own hair. I have to wait a few days so I don't damage my hair. Also, yesterday a lady from my church who is a hairdresser told me I should buy some 1o% volume peroxide from the beauty supply to use instead of what comes in the kit. Because I am not trying to lighten my hair color I don't need that strength of peroxide, if will just dry my hair out. Good to know. I did get lots of compliments on my hair though, so that was nice.

I think I will read for a while and see if that doesn't make me sleepy. Catch you all later. Have a terrific Wednesday everyone!!

Does she or doesn't she?

I have been pondering something for the last month or so. It's my hair color. I colored my hair for years up until about 3 years ago. I decided I wanted to stop coloring it to see how it looked. So my hairdresser did a weave in blond and caramel with a brown base and gradually let it grow out. When it was grown out I kind of liked it, only I never really got used to it. I would get lots of compliments on it, but there were always the people who didn't recognize me because of the hair color change. I never could understand that, since people change hair color all the time and I still know who they are. Anyway, recently I have begun to feel more and more like I am looking older and the gray/white hair isn't helping matters. Part of it is the excess skin my weight loss is causing. Another is I feel washed out when I see myself in pictures. When I work out at the gym and see my reflection in the mirror I see my mother. Yikes!! I am not that old! Well, anyway I have mentioned it to a couple of my friends and they both said if it would make me feel better I should color it again. Herein lies my dilemma, if I start to color it I am back to my every three week merry-go-round of touching up the roots. Ahhh alas, I think I am leaning closer to it if only to see if it makes the image of my Mother not show up in my mirror. Don't get me wrong, I loved my Mom and she was a terrific lady, but I am not that old (yet). Well, there you have it, that is my confession of what I've been dwelling on lately.

I have been doing pretty well since my last fill, until a few nights ago. I woke up coughing and several times got a mouthful of liquid. I also had congestion in my lungs and after a few nights of not sleeping well I made sure that I didn't eat anything after 6pm and last night I did alright and wasn't coughing. So I guess I'll have to make sure I don't eat past dinnertime. I had some tea tonight after dinner and I am hoping it won't be a problem for me. I didn't drink anything all day and I needed some fluids so that is why I had the tea.

Avatar.......

I think I must be one of the last people who went to see Avatar. I was told to see it in 3D if possible so I went yesterday. My neighbor went with me and we absolutely loved it. It was a delight for the eyes. Such beautiful scenery and colors and unusual creatures and insects. We both just kept thinking "how did they do that??" I think it will become a classic for sure. My hubby isn't in to sci-fi or fantasy type movies so he didn't want to see it. But after hearing us go on and on about it I wouldn't be surprised if he wants to see it now.

We just had a week of incredible weather. It was sunny and fairly warm (65) almost every day. Now the rain is back but it sure looks like the spring will be early this year. The trees are all in bloom and buds are forming. The daffodils are blooming all over town. They grow wild here. Along the freeway you'll see clumps of them and on hillsides too. The deer don't eat the daffodils or they wouldn't be so prolific.

So far I am doing well with my new fill of the LapBand. I am trying to eat more veggies and fruit. I have a problem with very fibrous fruits and veggies though. I have to cut them into really small pieces and hopefully chewing well will prevent problems. I want to try and eat 3 to 5 a day. I always used to do well with this theory but since my surgery it's been harder. They want us to eat solid protein first and then carbs, including veggies and fruits and starchy carbs last. Of course they don't tell you that many of the starchy carbs go down easier than anything else. We call them slider foods. Crackers, chips, even candy usually go down pretty easy, so long as you are going slowly. Sometimes I have chicken salad or egg salad on whole wheat crackers because they are easier to swallow than bread is. It's a process and also a learning experience. Have a wonderful day everyone!!