Healthy Choices 05/13/08

Good morning everyone and a Happy Belated Mothers Day to all sounds like you had a good time. We had everyone over Sunday for a cookout had a very good time the kids got Pat flowers and a gift card to one of the nursery's in the area so we can get more plants when the yard work is done.

I am on vacation this week and hopefully it will get a little warmer so I can finish planting the garden. Put in 52 hills of potatoes, overkill but have the space so why not, had heavy rain after planting so was unable to get any thing in yesterday. Trimmed more tree limbs and getting some of the weedy areas cleaned out.

Verna looks like you are getting things in order did you get the doors ordered that you wanted they are very high priced, hope you find your dishes soon we love the new ones we got.

Shirley I don't blame you for being concerned about the knee operation it sounds so painful and takes so much time to recuperate. Thanks for the heads up on the impatiens for shaded areas as we have a small area that needs flowers just off are bedroom windows that we can use this.

Anne I always trapped the racoon's in my old place and transported them out into the country about 5 miles and released them worked for me for 30 years. Your DS will need to check your state to see if it is legal to live trap and transport there.

Jo Ann hope things went well with Adam's tests and it is just something he will grow out of prayers being said for him he is such a brave little guy.

Well I better get out side or half the day will be shot before I know it.

Have a nice day and God bless everyone.

Viny

Good morning. It was so hectic yesterday I never got back on the BB after my post.

Viny, it is illegal to trap and transport animals where I live, don't know if that's city, county or state regs. However we got tired of paying someone to do it so we got a have-a-heart trap and do it ourselves undercover.

Got to get off to work, turn offs tomorrow, yikes!

Sue

Good morning everyone.  Wow...yesterday ended up busy!  Got an email from my atty in Hawaii that the defense atty wants my friend Donna and me there for depositions June 11, 12 and 13.  I had to hustle to see if Donna was free at that time and then found that nearly all the airline seats for that time period are already sold.  I could get first class seats for in excess of $8000....NOT!  I was able to use my AAvantage miles that I get on my Mastercard so ended up in much better shape.  The defense wants to depose me on the 11th, then an "independent medical examiner" will examine me on the 12th and then Donna will be deposed on the 13th.  We will fly out on the 9th arriving late afternoon and that will give us a day to get over jet lag and meet with my atty.  I want to make sure I'm rested and alert when we get deposed.  What a mess!  I strongly suspect that the "independent medical examiner" will be one that is bought and paid for by the defense....I hope that he/she will be honest and not just on the payroll.

Anyway..enough of that BS!  DS is coming up this morning...in fact, he "should" be on his way.  We are going to re-tackle the utility room and get it spiffed up as well as take a package to the post office and a few other chores.

Viny, I did get the patio doors ordered....they should be in soon....perhaps 8-10 days or less.  This should be the last major purchase I have to get this place in order except for a sofa for either the family room or living room.  I like the sofa I have but it is old (not worn much though).  So...depends on what I find...I look for either.  Still no dishes but hopefully they will be unearthed today.  If not...so be it!

Sue, hope it's an easy turn off day for you!  I know that can be sooo stressful.  People are just such idiots when their services are turned due to their own fault.  I went to the water company yesterday to see why I hadn't received a bill yet....she told me to expect one by the end of the month...apparently I started service close to the end of a billing cycle and they opted to put it all together.

OK...got to get busy...need to make a game plan for today.

I'll check back later if I can.

vammie

Good morning friends,

It's a nice sunny day but somewhat cooler air has arrived. I will take it ~~just being sunny puts me in a better mood.

YDD Sheryl is coming over this afternoon to check out the gardening supplies. Waldo has so much stuff lying around. I wanted to just throw it all away and start fresh. DD says, wait!

I found the greatest website yesterday showing a video "How to Plant a Rose bush" and other things like making hanging baskets, etc.

At the bottom they allowed you to print the instructions.  I am printing information about gardening and will have a folder full soon.

I'm getting a late start this morning. I woke with a nasty headache ~took some meds ~~and went back to bed. Thankfully I am feeling fine now ~~just a runny nose and itchy eyes.

Viny you are going to have a big garden. I know you will enjoy the week and will be busy every minute. I wish I had more ambition. The impatien and coleous were beautiful on the north side of the house and patio were they got very little sun. I took this picture a couple years ago.

First thing itomorrow I will be going for my mammogram. I just hate that test but I know it is important. Right after that test I will go to the orthopedic doctor for the knees.

Verna enjoy your day with Rob.

Good morning Sue. 

I check back later.   Shirley

Good Morning!   Back to normal here – yesterday was a crazy day here with DH home.   He had to do some electric sanding to get rid of the mortar where the tiles were pulled up in the kitchen.   What a dusty mess – at least he cleaned up his tools.

I started to walk before breakfast but got to the end of my street and decided it was too windy and cold for what I had on – so came back home and ate breakfast and will try it again in a couple of hours with a much warmer jacket on.

Shirley, such a pretty backdrop for the flowers with a light colored house.   Your poor little Impatiens got smothered by the Petunias, but I see them under there.   I knew you’d dig into this gardening thing and conquer it.   I got interested in gardening in my 20’s and can’t read enough about it.   I have huge folders with all kinds of information, but thankfully, lots has stuck in my brain.   I covered the 3 tomatoes last night and they seem fine – I’m not so sure it even froze.   We are supposed to get to the mid-80’s by the weekend.

Verna, at least you will get a little trip to Hawaii.    What if someone couldn’t afford the fare there?   I wonder if they would lose since they couldn’t show up??    I can’t believe how quickly you are getting everything done in the new house – you’re very speedy.

Sue, that’s the same trap we got for the squirrels when we lived in the country in CA.   I never knew if it was illegal or not, but we took them across the wash about 3 miles as the crow flies.   They would eat our fruit on the fruit trees.   Finally we put poison down their holes after dusk and covered them so the dogs couldn’t get in.

Viny, I’d say you’re getting your exercise with the outside work – probably some sore muscles too.    Will you be able to eat all those potatoes before they go bad?   Or do you have a root cellar?  

I think I have to make a game plan too – I’m not so sure that will even work with me, I somehow seem to deviate from the plan.

Good morning all.... There is a chance of rain through tomorrow morning and then we are supposed to start warming up - it is supposed to be up into the 80s by the weekend.

Viny, 52 hills of potatoes! That is a lot. What kind did you plant. Dh & planted about 15 hills of red pontiac potatoes on Saturday. Good luck getting the garden planted this week. I'm curious - when you are on vacation, do you still get up as early as you when you are working?

Sue, I’m sorry yesterday was so hectic for you. Why do people always have to blame everyone else for their own mistakes?

Verna, I’m glad you were able to work out your flights to Hawaii. Its too bad you had to use your miles for something like that rather than for something fun. Enjoy your time with Rob today.

Marti, you know you have us all curious as to what Barb could have sent to you in the mail. Please enlighten us. I’m glad you are home safe and it sounds like you are back to your normal, busy self.

Shirley, I love the picture. Our yard doesn’t get a lot of sun, so, I have to find things that do well in the shade. Your picture gave me some ideas - thanks.

Maureen, I didn’t get to see the end of the Bachelor last night - although, I did tape it so I can watch it later. Who did he pick? What do you think of his pick?

Barb, it sounds like you had a fun day yesterday. The scenic route home - is that the one that goes by all the falls? I can’t remember the name of it. I have seen the sign for it as we drive through there and thought it would be fun to take sometime; however, we always seem to be in too much of a hurry when we drive through.

Until later...

JoLynn

 LOLROF  Maureen  I had a senior moment again. I thought those petunias were very big for impatiens. Sorry Viny ~~but honestly Waldo did have impatiens planted in the back on the patio wall. I guess I never took a picture of them.  

Hold on to your hats gang.  DH actually went for a walk with me this morning !!

We took the .  It isn't windy yet but that is coming later.  We will be in the 90s later this week so this morning was perfect for walking.

Jolynn, no, that wasn't the scenic route we took but you definately need to take that one sometime.  You are talking about the scenic hwy. by Multnomah falls.  There are a lot of falls on that road and of course the Vista House. 

We were up in Goldendale and came back through High Prarie.  It's not as scenic as down in the Gorge but I guess most of this country is scenic huh?

Sue, I'm sorry you have these stressful days at work.  Maybe you can go home afterwards and Iron, Lusi style. That should de stress you. 

Verna, will you be able to stay a few days in Hawaii to make the trip a little enjoyable?  I'm sorry you have to go under these conditions.

Shirley, your flowers are so pretty.  I am hoping to finish cleaning out the beds this week.  Now that we are finally getting some hot weather, I just might get some new things planted.

Viny, sounds like you are really working hard but I know you are really enjoying it.  I'm so glad you were able to get moved and have everything ready to do this before summer.  I know you and Pat are both enjoying your new home. 

Well, Ms. Marti, you said in your post last night that you were going to "Play" it.....Uh, the Idea is not to Play it but to "Work it".....I told you I would get even with you and Maureen.  Did I succeed? 

Almost time for our Pat to be leaving on her cruise.  I know she is excited.  I hope the weather warms up for her.

JoAnn, let us know about Adam.  He sounds like such a great kid...well, all of them do.  I know you are proud of them. 

I have to make a CD for Heather today.  She listens to my LeAnn Rimes one where  she does a lot of Patsy Cline and also  Janis Joplin's Bobby McGee.  She loves that song and even had me find the words and print them so she could sing along.  That's about the only one she listens too in the car ....and I've heard it enough now.  So I am making her a CD so she can listen with her ear piece. 

Well group, I am watching Landen for  awhile at noon and need to get to the store before then so better get to movin'.

I'll try to come back.  Heather has a game tonight so need to be there, don't you know. 

Hi everyone.  Nice that Barb's DH accompanied her on that walk.   If I lived there,I'd be walking all the time just to drink in that scenery!

I'm exhausted.  I went on a bicycle trip with some of the classes from school today.  One of the 6th grade classes presented a kind of interactive tour of a local museum in our area.   The place dates back to about a hundred years ago.  It was kind of a center for different artisans and workers.  There are a lot of different buildings there where they had their workshops - blacksmiths, millers, weavers, even herbalists.   The kids did a great job with their play.  They managed to bring history to life in a meaninful way.   The bike ride there was long and hairy for the teachers.   It is a huge responsibility to see that the kids cross the busy streets safely.   The ride itself was ok, but there are always a few kids who have to break the rules!    

I'm off to work on my grades, so can't stay long here.   We are getting frost again at night, which is a real pity, since our berry bushes are already flowering, and even the strawberries.

Take care everyone!  lusi 

Shirley, are we both having a senior moment?   I think I see little tiny red flowers under the Petunias, but maybe they're something else.

Barb, I finally attempted to do my video - got through 30 minutes, but I'll get through the whole thing soon.   What are you thinking about it, Marti?   I get bored with videos but this one has a lot to promise - much more than I can promise myself with walking.

You might say Barb has been mean to us, but she has been mean in a nice way.   She sent us an exercise video, not such an easy one for me.   It is one of older "Firm" videos and has me exercising muscles I didn't know I had.   But that's a good thing as it makes me stronger for working outside.   BTW, how did Heather's Mom like the decorated plate.   Kim loved hers and it has already found a home in the living room.   Ava's pictures were hilarious - they were more zig-zag lines and she told me what each one was, so I had to explain to Kim so she would get the full picture.   It will be so cute to look back years from now and reminesce.   Kim and Ava gave me 2 plaster of Paris squares that are decorated, painted and have the handprint of each of them.   They are hung together by ribbon and are so creative.   Kim is always good at doing things like that.   She got my Mom's artistic gene.

Talk to you later.....

Ok, heading out to get my walk in - gives me plenty of time before lunch.

I'm thinking of going over to the big green house after lunch and see what kind of trouble I can get into.   I need so many more annuals and it gives me a high just being there seeing everything.   That sounds a little weird

It seems that I've over committed again so it's afternoon before I get here anymore.  One more week of busy things and hopefully June will be more relaxed for me.  I went to the Marriott today for the seminar and it was wonderful. "Strokes in Women"  a bit scary  of how much we avoid all the signs of a stroke rather than seek help.  Hopefully a lot of this will be imbedded in my memory since Joe's family is prone to have these type problems. Lunch was a great Salad with strips of grilled chicken breast with angel food cake with strawberries & blueberries. Now, I'm wondering if I can get out of fixing a big meal tonight. lol

Viny, what are you going to do with all those potatoes?  Can you store them for the winter? You must have sore muscles from all that bending.  I hope the weather is good so you can accomplish a lot this week while you are off.  I'm so glad all the family had a good Mother's Day, it's nice to have the family close by so all of you can enjoy the holidays.  How are the DGS's doing now?

Shirley, the picture is beautiful,  you have your work cut out for you to make a beautiful bed like Waldo did,  I can hear in your voice that you are enjoying checking out what you will be planting and gardening.  This can be a very good and help you relax, (now ask me why I don't do more of it)  Prayers that your mammogram is good and you will be able to get your knee checked soon. Are you and Ruthie walking any now?

Verna,   you are getting so much accomplished and I know you will enjoy having Rob there today to help you with things.  Will Home Depot install your doors when they come?   What a time for you to have to make a trip to Hawaii,  I hope you can stay a few days and enjoy your time while you are there.  I'm like someone else mentioned, what would happen if you couldn't make the trip there.  It would have probably gone in their favor.  This has been a long drawn out thing and I often think lawyers think people will give up and forget rather than keep pushing for what is right. I'm hoping everything goes in your favor, wish I could go with you.

Sue, I'm sorry things are so stressful for you,  this has to be a most stressful time of the month for you and you don't get over one until you need to do it again and probably the same people are the cut offs every month.  Why does some people think they don't need to pay their bills?

Maureen, do you have sore muscles that you didn't know you had,  I think that was what Barb was trying to tell us,  we were working our legs and not other muscles.  We will need to look long and hard to find something to match what she has done, but then she is telling us what we need to do to stay in shape, and then if we lived in the Columbia Gorge, we would probably walk every day and enjoy the scenery and probably would make more miles than we normally do.

Jolynn, Barb was so sweet to send Maureen and I a exercise Video and I must say one that will work out muscles that I didn't know I had,  she is going to make me feel so guilty when I don't work all my muscles.

Barb, I really do appreciate the "thought" and even the video, now to make myself use it at least once a week.  How wonderful that DH walked with you today, just encourage him to do this each day, does he need a pedometer? lol   I think I still have a box that I havn't opened and I know the batteries in these things won't last forever.  I'm giving them to every one.

JoAnn, I must agree with Viny and hope that Adam's test is ok and something that he will out grow as he gets older.  I'm concerned since you havn't checked in today and hope all is well with you.

Lusi, riding a bike with young ones must be a challenge.  You are so brave to do this. Biking is wonderful exercise and one I love to do, I just don't enjoy the pushing the bike up the hills that I live in.  I have a bike that I rode for a few years and need to get it out and enjoy it again. Maybe I could ride a short distance without hitting the high hills.

8:30 tomorrow is f-up with my doctor, now my bloodwork was good, but I'm sure these extra pounds are not going to set well with her so I'm anxious to see what she tells me I need to do, probably use my arms to push back from the table and to zip my lips.  

Hope all of you have had a very productive day.

Maureen, DD and DGD both got plates from Heather and they were so surprised.  They had never seen anything like them.  Of course, Heather is an Artist and so she had to write and draw  on the back of the plates as well.

When you do the exercises on that tape, don't try to do them with weights at first or at least  use very light ones if you haven't been using weights.  You will be too sore if you try to use heavy weights.

After you get used to doing it, you can increase the weight.  What I normally use is 5-8-10 lb weights, depending on what I'm doing.  And if one size seems too heavy or light for that particular exercise, I just change up or down.  Sometimes I use more on the lat rows. The tape can be challenging, because if it becomes easy, you just add more weight. 

 I just happened to have those 2 extra tapes  of that particular tape.  I sometimes find them at yard sales and thrift stores. And since Marti and Maureen were giving me a bad time about not exercising enough, I thought they should have a sample of what kind of exercises I actually do and see if they would like to join me in the fun.  I wish I had more to send all of you.   

One thing I also do is I put a small pillow under my knees when I am doing anything on my knees to protect them  and I put it behind my head when doing the ab work.  It protects my neck as I have a tendancy to pull on my neck if I don't use the pillow.

I like the old Firm tapes better than the new ones though.  I do have some that are pretty tough but I find myself going  back to this one most of the time.

And Marti, once a week is NOT ENOUGH to do weights.  You  need to do them 3 times a week.

You know, we actually didn't use the pedometers today but we will start tomorrow....if I can get him to walk again.  He actually told me he wants to lose 8 lbs. so maybe he will walk.

Yes, if you all lived here, we could find some pretty walks to take.  But I'm sure that's true of all of your areas too.

  A few years ago they opened a portion of the old Columbia River Hwy. just for walking and biking.  I feel ashamed to admit I still haven't walked it.  It's just outside of town and winds around the cliffs above the  River.  There is a tunnel in the rocks there that you go through.  That was the road before the put the freeway in down by the water. 

I promise I will walk it and take my camera to show you pictures as proof. 

Jolynn, it starts just above where we met you and Les for  lunch and goes east.

Shoot, there is a walking path less than a mi. from my house that goes around the golf course and I havent' even walked that.  Not to mention walking paths down at the Marina,  down in the canyone just west of us and one around the edge of the town.  Now that I write this down, it seems insane that I haven't walked these.

The worst place here to walk is the stairs.  I think I told you about those.  They go from downtown, up to the heights.  I haven't walked them in years.  They are a challenge for sure. 

I watched Landen for about an hr.  He is the best baby.  Of course, he doesn't know what it means to be put down since we all love to hold him and rock him.

He is at his checkup right now. 

The wind has come up and it's cold.  I promised Heather I would go to her ballgame so I have to at least show up for awhile.  It's sprinkling right now too. 

Lusi, your day sounds very tiring to me.  I'm not a great bike rider anyway, much less with a bunch of kids who I'm sure would make fun of my attempts.. 

Well, I have a bit of time before the game so better see if I can get a little more exercise in.  I mean, here I am giving lectures to Marti and Maureen when I should be doing it myself.  What's with that???

Barb, 3 times a week. Uggggggggggggggg.   I'll be so sore I can't move. lol.  With all those wonderful walking places, I can't believe you don't love walking, but then, I've learned you really have to enjoy doing it or it is a chore.  Thanks for the video,  I will enjoy using it and I promise, I will use it.  The doctor may push me after my appt. tomorrow. lol.  Wish I had cancelled that appt.  I hope Heather's team won and it wasn't too cool for you to enjoy it.  I'm hoping your DH sticks with the walking only if it means you will get out with him,  8 lbs.  I wish I could say that.

Jolynn & Verna,  I know both of you enjoy reading Debbie Macomber,  I just finished her new book,  "Twenty Wishes"  this is also set on Blossom Street (Jolynn, I know you read one of the last ones first, but don't think that is really so bad since all these books tend to stand alone)  Anyway, this new book is a good book and you will enjoy it, now I'm waiting for her next one.