31 January 2010

Yet Another Project!

Remember the clean craft/sewing/art/compter room project? Well, just when I thought I was pretty well finished with it....we decided to get a new computer. One thing leads to another and we decided to keep our old computer and add the new one in this room. Which meant the sacrificing of one HUGE bank of drawers and counter top where I could cut fabrics and store on-going projects.
Amy, don't shake your head, but...one of those drawers held art work from my grandkids. All five of them. Just tossed into the drawer. Mind you, my oldest grandson is 14 years old! That drawer was my "gonna do scrapbooks" drawer!
These drawers were 28" deep and they pulled out 100% and were quite deep. A lot of storage space is now gone.
When Jack pulled the top off, he discovered his little note - he always finds a way to sign his work!
Here it is pulled out as I'm trying to work on a sewing project. (Sorry, Jan, the apron is on hold for a bit.)
Uh... I would say life is on hold for a bit in this household! I hate to even think of where this is all going to go! But it is actually in transition - stuff coming out so the REALLY important other stuff can have a new home.

Then I have a week from H-E-L-L and come home and just crash with a horrible headache from Wednesday until this morning. Friday and Saturday I was down for the count as it had turned into a migraine. The kids use perfume and colognes and it just sends me to the sick bed!
But today is better and I hope to have a new and improved photo to post soon!

27 January 2010

It Pays ($$) to be Chubby

Okay, so our district got a grant for a health and wellness program. All employees were invited to join the group where our weight, measurements, BMI, vital signs, blood sugars, cholesterol, etc. would be measured at the beginning of the program then measured at the end to see how we did. We had to choose one of 2 goals: exercise or lose weight.
I decided to lose weight. WRONG choice!
It turns out I have actually enjoyed exercising every single day. Well, walking. It is reportedly as good as running and I do love it. I've reached my goal of an average of 10,000 steps a day every week HOWEVER, I am NOT....repeat: NOT losing ANY weight! ( I actually gained weight - go figure. Maybe it was my shoes. Last time I had removed them this time I didn't.) I figure I should have at the very LEAST lost the weight of my own shoes!
So I go to the monthly meeting last night and learn about exercising. I learned that if you do the same routine over and over, after 4 weeks, your body adjusts so you have to vary your routine. I figured that meant DON'T WALK today...so I didn't! And I still have 10,000 steps racked up! I guess I've learned the art of not standing still!
Anyway, back at the meeting... they had a drawing and I won a $50 certificate to a spa in my most favorite town (next to San Francisco and Portland)....Ashland! Who says life isn't good? There is this awesome chocolate factory in Ashland and they have the BEST chocolates... oh...yeah, this is about losing weight....
...see why I can't do it?
I asked the organizer if I could change my goal to "exercise" rather than lose weight and he told me he would do that for me...what a guy!
Then as we left, we all got a $10 certificate for one healthy thing or another. I chose this great little restaurant in Medford called Grilla Bites....mmmm healthy, organic deli foods. It is my most favorite place to eat and I'm very picky about eating out. (That's why we only eat in a restaurant about every 5 months!) Seriously...maybe even less than that. I just find restaurant food lacking in every way.
The moral of my story is that it pays for me to be chubby! $60 worth last night! Hoo Hoo!!

25 January 2010

Math Problem

MATH PROBLEM: Why can I gain 2.5 pounds in one day but it takes 30 days to shed that same 2.5 pounds?
This just does not compute in my mind but it sure as heck does on my scales!
So I'm off to shed......(grrrrr!!)

24 January 2010

Svelte

My BFF, Sandy, used to say I looked svelte. I've never really felt svelte but now, at "sponge", I know I was.
If I were to get svelte again, I think it would look strange because my skin will sag even more than it does already. However, I know I need to try for my heart.
Tomorrow I hook up with a group of women who are logging their efforts to get healthier each week. So here it is for all the www to see...my attempts at becoming svelte.
This was yesterday's steps. My goal is to walk an average of 10,000 a day each week. I'm getting good at not standing still when I'm waiting for things. The next goal will be to eat healthier. I have the right foods in the house, I just need to reach for them when I want a snack rather than reaching for the carbs.

20 January 2010

Time to win the lottery

Okay, it must be time for me to buy a lottery ticket. (Actually, I can count on one hand how many times I've purchased a $1 ticket. The odds are just not in my favor to win!) But it sure is fun thinking about all the folks I could help if I EVER did buy a ticket and I EVER did win!
Jack and I just ordered a new computer through Dell. You build your own system if you want anything other than the stock model. Of course, Jack had all these other ideas in his head like a wireless keyboard and mouse and a HUGE screen. I hate those huge screens and I don't care if I have a cord on my keyboard or not. So we decided that we are going to keep the old computer as well.
Jack gets to remodel the computer/sewing/art room in order for 2 computers to work in here. I'm good with that. We frequently want to use the computer at the same time and now we can. I'll get the new hard drive to work with all the photos that I enjoy working with and editing, etc. I'll delete all of my photos from the old one and know it will free up space for him.
So here we are spending all this money to help the economy, (sounds like a good of an excuse as any), and I'm thinking we better win the lottery!
At least we are having fun so what the heck?!!

15 January 2010

Ashley, I Miss You!!!

Ashley, I miss you, sweetheart! I wish we had more time together - one of these days, okay?
Hugs!!
X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X

13 January 2010

Bringing in the New Year With a New Car


Remember that test drive last November? Well, it resulted in a new Subaru Outback. We decided as long as I had a job for the remainder of this year and hopefully all of next year, and our savings was built up, AND our Acura was acting like it was headed for major repair bills - (according to Jack.... Hmmm??) -etc, etc.....the timing just seemed right.
He wanted a vehicle where the seats were off the ground more than the Acura and one that had good ratings all the way around. I like the idea that it can haul so much stuff because up and down the highway to CA, we manage to take a lot of "stuff" with us everyt time we travel.
We've never had a gold car before and with our dirt road, we only had 3 choices in light colors. I like the gold.NO, we did not get rid of the van. I'm driving it for as long as I can! 38 years, I hate to even think of not driving that old vehicle.

10 January 2010

Super Glue

I've had this pair of broken earrings that needed super gluing back together for ages. I've postponed the job because I'm not good at super gluing things. Actually, I may be too good at it because I manage to glue all sorts of things when I'm aiming just for one item.
Sure enough, I managed to glue my fingertips together. I had to run to the sink and rub liquid soap on them and pull as hard as I could. I got them apart with skin in tact and waited for my hand to dry.
The earring looked good but I still had the back of it to do. I flipped it over and managed to glue my other fingers together. (Cut me some slack here, the glue is very watery - I need super glue GEL next time.)
Now my fingertips are all covered with a layer of glue and they feel as tight as I would imagine a face lift would feel like. (You know those movie stars who look like they are in pain, their faces are so tight?!)
I think I heard somewhere that criminals superglue their fingers so they don't leave finger prints. Guess I could hire myself out for awhile. Hmmmm, maybe that was in the "old" days before Laytex gloves.
My earrings, you ask? Well, I managed to glue the hook as well and it set up laying down so one earring will hang down and the other one will hang sticking out sideways!
If only I could fix everything with my sewing machine, I'd be just fine.

08 January 2010

My Birth Certificate Lied

I am certain that I am OLDER than my birth certificate says I am! My brain is just not operating like it should. Any ideas for brain food? (Other than animal parts???) Maybe there is a magical legume I could nibble on to help me.
I order my prescriptions that I take daily, 3 months at a time. It saves me money with co-pays, etc. Anyway, not too long ago, I reordered the two that I take and I got them in the mail just fine. Well, my thyroid meds were in that lot and I'm down to just 4 pills left and I can't find my refills!
Remember that I've been cleaning and hauling crap out of this house like no tomorrow. Well, that has helped because it made it easy to search the past week for my pills. I remember so distinctly that I held that bottle of 90 tablets in my hand and said, "Ok, I'm going to tuck those here so I will KNOW where they are when I need them."
Yup! My problem is I don't know where that "here" is! I cannot get a refill again - it is too soon. So I swallow my pride and call my doctor who is going to yell at me. (I haven't had my mamogram, I am overweight, I refuse to take cholesterol lowering drugs, I cut my hormone patches in half to save money, blah, blah.... and now I've lost my pills!) Only he is on vacation and his office cannot write a new Rx.
Luckily, I have another doctor, I left a message for her to please help. I didn't hear back from her so I called Doc #1 back and asked to talk to his SWEET nurse. I begged for some samples to get me through until I can reorder again. She agreed. Bless her heart.
I was at work. Doc's office was going to close on Friday so I had just a couple hours to get into town - and of course, it was on the opposite side of the county from where I live! I called Jack and told him to get off the couch (he's been sick with a cold for 10 days), and go with me!
I got a bright idea to stop at Doc #2's office on the way into town. She did send an Rx into Costco for me. Bless her sweet heart. So that saved a trip to the other end of town....but I still had to get into town.
I did some shopping, dropped off photos, etc. Went to pick up my pills only they hadn't filled it yet! That was 3 hours later. They told me I need to call beause they had been busy and they help people IN PERSON first! So I had to just hang out.
I waited by walking the store.
So good things came out of it all - I got 90 days of pills, which gives me an extra stash for the next time I lose them. And I know since I am OLDER than I think I am, I'll need an extra stash!
I got over 10,000 steps in yesterday! (Jack always parks in the outer 40 acres of a parking lot and yesterday was no exception...only he stayed in the car while I did the errands!) And I got Jack out of the house. Not out of the car, but out of the house.
I'm still in need of brain food so help me out here, okay?

01 January 2010

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

THIS SITE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
I have been challenged by my friend, Rev. Sandy, to answer two questions:
1) If asked, how would my children describe me?
2) What have I done with my life?
Whew!
I am thinking that it may take the rest of my life if I want to change the answers to these questions and I'm going to need a plan.

This may take awhile.