Pampering myself 8-12-2010

Pampering Myself – 8/12/2010
I decided to try having acrylic nails put on my finger nails. My daughter has had it done dozens of times and friends have had it done but I just did not want to spend the money. Well – the time has come – so I spent the money. I had a manicure for the first time in my life and now my nails are looking gorgeous. Still not sure if I will continue with them and get “fills” when needed but time will tell.’
The weather continues to be beastly hot and humid here. Supposed to get some relief starting either tomorrow night or Saturday night – would really love that right now though. Why is it we always want what we can’t have? Something to ponder maybe??? I’m having my class reunion this weekend so we leave tomorrow AM and won’t be back until Sunday night. So our poochies must go to the doggie motel at the Vet’s. They are so used to staying out there but when the pickup turns at the light (we only have 2 in town) they start whining like they do not want to go – and they most likely do not want to go – but it is what it is – so off they go. Animals seem to have a keen sense of things – something many people today lack. Something else to ponder – maybe???
I have followed the diet this past week and will do measurements tomorrow AM – and this time I will keep track of the total inches I’ve lost since my surgery. I have now lost 40 # since the beginning of last May – and – I will be losing more – but it will be gradual – no more than 2 – 3 # a week. I would be satisfied with 1 # a week. I am focusing on eating healthy and making a mental change in my thinking about what I eat, how I eat (still way too fast), when I eat etc. This is a lifestyle change for me and I do not want to blow it.
Windom is an amazing little town – pop. 4600 – give or take a few. I’m on a steering committee focused on bringing Broadband to the rural areas. A number of years ago, the city fathers decided to develop a telecommunications system in town – fiber optic to the home. There was a lot of opposition etc. but fortunately the citizens voted it in. Now we have a great opportunity to expand on that by offering lots of different things to the community. For instance, there is a project in MN called PCs for People – you collect a minimum of 25 recycled computers, they pick them up and deliver 25 refurbished computers, XP installed etc. and then you can give those computers to families with school age children who do not have a computer so the kids can keep up at school. More projects - developing a learning center in town, increasing the number of hot spots in town, perhaps developing a data center here for large corporations headquartered elsewhere etc. It is absolutely amazing to me all the things relative to a computer and how it impacts our lives. And then there is Social Media – I’m still trying to figure out all of that.
So – I’m following my diet, not exactly exercising everyday but trying to keep that up, pampering myself, and figuring out my computer etc. I think that’s enough for one day. Until later – Tikki/Karen

Hot and Humid
Temps and dewpoints in the oppressive range – UGH! This is the time to be thankful for a/c. There isn’t much moving outside except for people in air conditioned cars going from point A to point B. I have not gone for a walk on Sat. or today. I have had some problems with the stomach etc. yesterday and today so have been lying low. I suspect there may be some dehydration going on so I am trying to drink a lot of liquids today. So far – so good :0)! I have lost some more weight – down about 40 pounds so far and still have many more to lose. I’ve lost some inches as well and the next time I do the measurements I will keep track of how many inches I have lost since I started with the measurements. I am also now trying on some of my “smaller” clothes to see what fits etc. Actually I have enough in my wardrobe to fit into until I get down below 175#. Maybe I should open up an exchange store where people can bring in what they aren’t wearing anymore and exchange for the sizes they are wearing??? Well – that sounds good but we already have two of those kinds of stores in town already so I think I will pass on that idea :0)!
Saturday was the first experience I’ve had with throwing up since my surgery. Because it happened about an hour or so after I had eaten, there wasn’t much to get out. My apology if this is gross for some of you. I had taken my morning meds with water about ½ hour after I had breakfast and the dieticians say to wait an hour after eating before drinking anything. So – is that what caused this to happen or was it something I ate earlier??? Today (Sunday) I have been keeping food down (not eating much either) but now it is the bowels??? Same question – something I ate or what??? It could be a combination of both maybe? Searching for answers and there may be none? For now just concentrating on drinking fluids and figuring out what I can do for dinner tonight? May just stick with the old standby – Chicken Noodle Soup.
On a brighter note – I got a perm last Thursday and feel good about that. I am also going to get acrylic nails put on next Thursday. I have never done this before and not sure I will do it again – will see how it goes. It should be an interesting experiment anyway. Until later - Tikki

Exercise, exercise, exercise

We got our walk in this morning. I have a little pedometer that clips on the waist but I can’t find it. We are pretty sure we walked about a mile though. We took the Beagle – Lucky – this time. He needs the exercise too! Too many milk bones in his fat little tummy. Windom has some wonderful walking paths out at Legion Field near Cottonwood Lake, a small fishing and swimming lake in town. There are four full size baseball fields, one soccer field, a skateboard park and a children’s playground called Castle Kingdom. The city laid out a walking path in and around all this stuff and it’s really nice. There are some small hills etc. but I figured out how to get in a mile without too much of the going up and down. As soon as I find that darn pedometer I will know for sure if we are right about it being a mile. It is getting quite hot out and a bit humid so I doubt we will take the Bassett – Elvis – out later today.

I really need to get focused on using my Resistance Chair though because once winter gets here that will be the end of outdoor walking. Our little town does not have a nice indoor mall where someone can walk in inclement weather. However, a friend said she just goes to the grocery store and walks up and down the aisles a few times – HMMM – never thought of that but it’s a great idea.

Tomorrow we do not have church because of the Jackson County Fair where they have an ecumenical service tomorrow. We will be going to a Pancake fund-raiser for a family in a nearby town. They have a newborn at the U of M hospitals undergoing lots of surgeries etc. He was born without an esophagus and with major issues with his heart etc. They are stretching his esophagus through the numerous surgeries and are almost there. When he reaches 6 months, they can start in on the heart stuff. God surely has a special place for these little ones who go through so much just to live. I hope they are able to raise a lot of money for this family. It’s amazing how much this affects finances – having to be away from home so much and then who watches the children who are still at home while you are gone for days at a time etc. I’ve heard it said these are million dollar babies – I’m thinking more like multi-million dollar babies!

Medicine and the medical field have done so much and there are so many new discoveries and improvements every day. Thinking about all of this – how can one not believe there is a God in charge and providing for us always? Just when things are the bleakest is when God steps in and takes over. His answer is not always what we hope for but he does provide. I’m not sure that Obamacare is one of God’s answers however. Now that comment will surely stir up some opinions :0)! Until later - Tikki

July 29, 2010

Medical, Medical, Medical

Today was medical day in Sioux Falls for both my husband and I. He saw his dermatologist and heart specialist. I saw the Dietitian and the Nurse Practitioner to get my first adjustment of the lapband. Actually the rest of this week is Medical too. I had a blood panel done Wed. and will see my regular doctor tomorrow at 9 AM to discuss that and I have a dental appointment at 8 AM tomorrow. I continue to lose weight, slowly, which is good. My A1C is done to 6.6 and all my cholesterol numbers are well within the normal ranges – Yippee! Overall, the Dietitian, the Exercise specialist and the Nurse Practitioner were all very pleased with my progress. The Nurse put in a fill of 2 CC’s in the band for now and that seems to be OK but I’m back on liquids for today and tomorrow. I am now able to swallow all my medications, vitamins etc. without crushing them – another reason to celebrate! So – all things considered I am doing very well to date.

The one area that needs a lot of improvement is exercise. Although we do go for walks, usually on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, I should try to do more walking. I use my Resistance Chair other times during the week but sometimes that is difficult to fit in. There’s another area, too, that needs improvement – I have a tendency to gulp my food and need to constantly remind myself to chew, chew, chew, and then chew some more. And to put my fork down while I eat and count to ten or twenty before taking another bite. Back to the drawing board I guess.

I always get a good report at the dentist – he has told me I will not lose my teeth so that is good. It’s been years since I had a cavity and when I do need work done, it is usually to replace an old filling or an old filling has cracked or come out. I guess I am blessed with good genes for my teeth.

It’s been a long day so I suspect we will both be in bed early. Hubby got a good report at his appointments too. Looking forward to the weekend and being able to actually spend a good amount of time working on my blogging and websites etc. Until later - Tikki

Where's the Time?

It seems the hurrier I go the behinder I get. I’m really struggling with finding time for everything. My business (day job) is picking up dramatically and I am finding I have more in my schedule than I perhaps want. Balancing that out with my recent move and the need to maintain a certain level of financial cushion for the business and that gets me thinking I need to work as much as possible. I know it will mean I will fall behind in some areas and it will mean later hours at work. So – how does getting home after 6:30 and sometimes 7 PM affect the dinner hour at home and my diet in particular? This week is a good example. On Monday, my husband was gone to a meeting during the dinner hour. That was OK as I had made some egg salad and had some of that for supper. But it wasn’t a dinner so then I added a snack about 7:30 PM. I am allowed an evening snack. Yesterday I got home after 7:15 PM and he had already eaten, which is good but once again, what to fix for one person. I ended up finishing off the egg salad and about 8:30 PM started eating a snack. So I am wondering if having that snack so quickly after finishing dinner was a good idea. I have some fresh fruit in the frig and perhaps I should have concentrated on that rather than the RyKrisp crackers. Tonight I got home about 6:30 PM and found a bowl of pancake batter on the counter and the small griddle on the stove top. He had already made his dinner, which I did not know. I checked the caloric count for pancakes and determined I could have two 5” diameter cakes with blueberry syrup and still be less than 1000 calories for the day. I made enough pancakes for another lunch or dinner for me and another dinner for him so they went in the freezer for another time. Then about 8 PM I measured out a bowl of tortilla rounds and some peach salsa and had the evening snack and still came out under 1100 calories. So now – here I am, finally finding time to write in my journal, which I have ignored for far too many days now. And in about ½ hour it will be time to get ready for bed. I am usually in bed by 9:30 PM and up about 6 or 6:30 PM and at work by 8:45 AM. And I sleep fairly well – sometimes until 6 AM but more likely to 4:30 – 5 AM and then go back to sleep until after 6 AM. So how does my wonderful loving husband handle my evening snacks? Unfortunately he raises his voice, scolds me like I was a two year old child and then adds insult to injury by sending me two emails referring me to lapband websites – just to prove he is right and I am wrong. I know he means well but there are times when…. Now that I have it out in writing, I can deal with it more rationally and not let it escalate into an argument that will serve no purpose at all. I know I have done nothing wrong and I will work through the negative feelings surrounding this. I was not being sarcastic when I said my husband was wonderful and loving – he is. I would not trade him for anything and I/we are very happy together and looking forward to old age together. Everything in due time. So where does that leave me relative to the time issue – perhaps a need to prioritize, set a schedule, time aside for each project etc. Thankfully there is always the weekend for stuff at home. But still - I am still stuck with the hurrier I go the behinder I get!!! Tikki

Did I or Didn’t I?

You Betcha – I DID – Yea for me!!! It took about 20 minutes to go from home to the post office and then to my office. And – Yes – I was colorful – used my cane from Mexico. I took my time and slowed down when necessary. Today has been beastly hot and humid – again – and tomorrow doesn’t look promising either. But I walked around 9AM and it was still tolerable then.

My wonderful, amazing, and handsome husband came down to the office about 11 AM and we cleaned together. Left two rooms to vacuum and sweep but will go back and do that either tomorrow or Sunday. I hitched a ride home with him for Lunch and then made bank deposits and went back to work. Answered the phone and made phone calls and got some intake information out to two new clients. My schedule is really filling up fast – have about twice as many clients next week as I usually have. It makes me very busy but it is also good for the bottom line. Oh – also got some billings out too – that’s always good. Been thinking I should do some kind of Newsletter on my day job website – need to remember to add “email address” to the intake info so I have everyone’s email.

Listened to a webinar from Mail Chimp about how to use their service – very informative – and they provide a link to listen to it again – I like that. I have used Mail Chimp to send out a monthly Newsletter to the customers I have from Resistance Chair System website – you know – www.resistancechairsystem.com. I absolutely love, love, love that chair and the ease of use etc.

Have I mentioned disguising the taste of crushed meds and how difficult, if not impossible, it is to do that? Well – guess what? There is a way to do it so it is at least palatable. Mix them with a tablespoon of Chocolate Syrup – WHO KNEW??? Of course you must still count those calories in your daily caloric count – but come on – 50-100 calories depending on whether or not you use one tablespoon in the AM and again in PM or if you use a teaspoon for each. It is definitely worth it and it just means you cut back on something else. Otherwise, I followed my diet really good today. Seems I have plateaued at the same weight for the last 5 days – good that it is not going up – but I want it to go down, down, down. I need to be patient – hard to do :0)! Hey – thanks for dropping in and I hope you will come back – Karen/Tikki

Lend Me Your Ear!

OK - This is about support and motivation. I missed the exercise this AM - actually the second day in a row. I know, I know - this is an excuse and I just have to get my sorry ass outta bed in the AM so I can do at least 1/2 hour on the Resistance Chair. I've thought about walking to work - it is somewhat uphill and down so it is really uphill both ways but it is only about 1/2 mile - maybe a bit more if I stop at the Post office on the way in the morning. I SHOULD be able to do that - right. The issue for me is my balance. It just simply is not that good that I would trust myself for that distance. And, of course, I won't know unless I try it. I could use my cane that I got in Mexico 2 years ago - at least I would look colorful while walking :0)! I could try this tomorrow AM and see how it goes and ask my husband to come and get me at noon if it proves to be too much. I need to clean at the office tomorrow too and that is definitely exercise. What should I do??? Check in tomorrow night and find out :-)!

I am following my diet so far today and have stayed within my calorie count of 1200 or less. I took out some salmon for tomorrow night. Of course, my husband won't eat that so I have a very small steak thawing for him. One of my goals is to weigh less than my husband at some point in my life. The man eats to live and I live to eat :0)! His nutrition is terrible with all the snacking he does and the Coke he drinks and his smoking - Uffda! He really needs to own stock in CocaCola :0)!

I have been sleeping very well at night - at least 6 hours before I have to get up and use the bathroom. All things considered, it is because of sleeping in Goodnighties PJs and using my Buckwheat Pillow. If you have never heard of Buckwheat pillows or tried sleeping with one - you do not know what you are missing. The first time I heard about them was about 15 years ago or so - give or take 5 years - more likely to be 20 years rather than 10 years. Anyway - I heard they were good for absorbing heat - HOLD ON - a pillow that would absorb all the heat my body would generate during nightsweats - THANKS to menopause!!! We are so blessed as women to have to deal with childbirth and then when the uterus dries up we get menopause - Thanks to Eve and that darn apple :0)! So - naturally I had to try one. After I got it and used it the first night - Well - my guardian angel had to be watching over me that night - no wet pillow - although it did nothing to stop the nightsweats :0(! Not much does - they are just over when they are over and not one minute before - no matter how much we women want them gone! Now that alone sold me on the value of the pillow. But - hang on - there's another benefit here that was immediately apparent in the morning - well -actually the night before when I put my head on the pillow. This pillow molded itself around my head and actually kept doing so throughout the night - no more pluffing and plumping to get it just right at various times during the night. Is that an unexpected bonus or what!!! Since then I have purchased several more pillows for the bed - my side only - a neck pillow for the rocker etc. Here's my saying - You can have my first born but - nobody and I mean NOBODY - touches my pillow. It goes where I go- I don't care if it means another suitcase and a fee for that second bag - it goes - no matter what. If you are interested, you can check out one of my websites - www.buckwheatpillowsonline.com and see what you think. The other product I mentioned earlier is the Goodnighties stuff. You can check that out on www.goodnighties.com. The material feels so great on my skin and it is so soft and silky. I would recommend the PJs as the gown is more like a top than a gown - just not long enough for a gown in my book. However I do wear that under my nightie and that works quite well. This fabric also absorbs moisture and other nasty things floating around in the air that we are most likely not aware of. So it is great that the manufacturers of this product do know about that stuff and have developed a product that works to get rid of the effects on us . Great little product - check them out too.

OK - I've given my sales pitch. What are your recommendations for getting the ass outta bed in the am and for a solution to that walking/balance problem? I need some motivation and support here - Now it's your turn? Karen/Tikki