This is WEIGH Better!

What?

What do you suppose a Hilton Head rental is? Does it mean you can rent Paris or Nikki Hilton's head for an occasion? Hopefully their brains don't come with the package! Or perhaps it's got something to do with the Hilton hotels that made their family fortune. Either way, I want no part of it.

Retirement

One thing hubby and I have discussed doing in our retirement is buying a great motor home, or 5th wheel trailer, some camping gear and taking off. We've discussed touring around the USA and following some of the Edmonton Oilers games around the United States. It could be an awesome time I think!

A Thought

I just had a thought while surfing around. Since I'm puzzled as to what I want for my birthday, and since we're talking about going on a vacation next winter for our 30th wedding anniversary, perhaps I should as for a really nice set of Samsonite luggage! We just have odds and ends and real crappy bags. I think that could be a really good idea!

Thought About It

I just recently bought all new living room furniture, and then moved all the old living room furniture into the family room. I seriously considered theater seating for that room, as that's where our plasma TV is, but it just isn't big enough, so I scrapped that idea.Maybe it's something to think about in our next house.

What's On My Wish List?

It's my 50th birthday in a few months, and I'm trying to make sure I drop some really good hints with hubby! I've considered ebel watches, necklaces and things, but I don't think I want that type of thing. I've also really thought I wanted a good digital camera, but then I think maybe I will never take the time to learn to use it properly. I guess I have a couple more months to think about it!

Dream House

My co-worker and her finace are in the process of having their dream home built. It's been a lot of fun listening to her plans, and hearing about all the finishes that they are choosing. His custody arrangement has recently been changed, so they have decided to make a den, after-all, so she was telling us about the office furniture they had been looking at. Funny, because I just converted my home office back into a sitting room!

Please With My Start

Well now that my first week back at work is over, I'm quite pleased with my progress. I took the dogs for a walk after work 4 days, and will go at least one more on the weekend, so I think that's a reasonable beginning. I can already feel my stamina improving slightly. Considering the frigid temps, I'm quite impressed that I stuck with it! It really helps that the puppies are so excited to go every time. That really adds motivation. I have also cooked dinner every night since Sunday, so that's good for around here! Those are my 2 main objectives to begin with.

I never mentioned it here before, but for Christmas, my Mom had hers and my Dad's wedding rings, as well as her gold nursing pin melted down, and made into a band for me. It's a really nice sentiment, and I'm very happy to have it!

Day 3 and Chugging Along

The 3 simple changes we decided to make in our lifestyle, cooking more meals at home, cutting back "happy hour", and getting some exercise, are so far, not causing any grief. I feel like I'm doing well. I took all our leftover chocolates, and munchies to the school staffroom, where they promptly got gobbled up! Other people were doing the same, and some were bringing in leftover Christmas baking. So far, I haven't been tempted in the least. This is mostly surprising, because I'm suffering from major PMS this week! That also means being sleep-deprived, which also aids my foul temper! heh

Another Day Under My Belt

I had another what I call successful day today. I had my breakfast and coffee, the same lunch as yesterday, got home from work and took the ♥puppies♥ for a 20 minute walk, which they were SO excited to go on, which really motivates me all the more! A 20 minute walk, is okay for me at this point, given the state of the sidewalks, the temperature outside, and the fact that I need to figure out what to wear! My body is sweating, but my hands and ears get cold! I'll figure it out. After all, I've lived through nearly 50 Canadian winters! Gawd that sounds old!

For my criteria, this was a successful day!

Baby Steps

Well first of all, I have to say that I was diagnosed with high blood pressure about 6-8 months ago. It didn't seem to be improving over time (because I was doing nothing about it), so about 4 months ago my doctor put me on BP medication, along with a water pill, which is supposed to increase the effectiveness of the BP medication. I took them for 3 months, the prescription ran out, and I did my usual procrastination bit, and only just last week went in to get it refilled. I had to see a different doctor, as mine was away. Well this one, took my BP, and nearly hit the ROOF! It was 170/110!! She retook it and it didn't improve any. She told me that I could have a stroke at any time if I didn't do something about it. I took her quite seriously, as she was a tell-it-like-it-is kind of woman.

I made the mistake(?) of telling Sarah (my daughter the RN) about it, and she kind of groused at me a bit, but several hours later, I got a very lengthy impassioned, email from her, first giving me all kinds of statistics, and first hand encounters with patients who have had strokes at an early age. Then from a personal level, she pleaded with me to take care of myself so I would be around for many years to enjoy my grandchildren, etc. While I appreciate her love and concern, hubby and I had already decided a few weeks ago to start making a few small changes in our lifestyle. We've both enabled ourselves into becoming just AWFUL in every aspect! So, the first changes we're going to incorporate are attempting to do more cooking at home, and stay away from the fast food!! Secondly, we want to start walking our 2 puppies every day. Lastly, we want to cut back on the beer, as that just goes straight to your butt! Nothing dramatic, just a few simple changes. Simple eventually, but still adjustments in schedules and habits to be made.

I'm pleased to say, that today I had a bowl of oatmeal and a cup of coffee before work (usually have been skipping breakfast), I had soup and salad and a banana for lunch (usually go out, or grab on the go), and a normal, but home cooked meal for dinner. I am also happy to say that I got home from work, grabbed the leashes, let the pups out of their crate and took them for a cold, 15 minute walk. I know that doesn't sound like much, but with the effort it takes to walk on the ice, and it being the pups first real winter walk, I wanted to see how it all went! The pups were fabulous! I was so proud of them, so now there is no excuse!

There will be no calorie counting, no point watching, weighing, measuring, cutting out of food groups. I will try to be "sensible".... like a normal thin person. There will be no hours and hours of exercise... unless I get the "urge" to get into it again. The last time I travelled down this road, I made myself, and everyone around me miserable in my persistent effort to be slim and fit. I felt deprived, and envious of those around me, and generally just bitchy. As I told Sarah, I'd rather live another 20 years known as a happy person, than live another 30 as a bitchy thin woman (my MIL).

As long as I stay on my meds, get some moderate exercise, eat healthier food and just start to "care" about my weight and health... I think I'll do okay.

Little Man

About 10 years ago, I was working in the special needs classroom in our school. We got 4 new little kindergarten aged boys one year. One had down syndrome, one had cerebral palsy, another was autistic. The fourth was severally delayed. We had so much fun in those years! All those little boys. Don't get me wrong, in the beginning, it was a nightmare, but we had them all for 7 years, and we grew to love them all like our own.

Years Ago

Many years ago, when Ben was a teen ager, we made platform beds out of our hot tub! It was a great room, with a sauna (now cedar closet), and a 3 piece bathroom. We emptied the hot tub, and hubby built an insert for the tub, put a covered sheet of plywood over that, and added a 6 inch custom foam mattress, and voila a platform bed! He ended up having an awesome room down there and was very happy for many years. Of course now, he wouldn't fit on it any more, since he's grown about 7 inches since then!