Just Some Odds & Ends

I've not posted a blog for a while, so, I figured it was time.

We took a trip last week up to Millersberg, Ohio. It is the Amish area of Ohio. It's about 2hrs away from the Boonies. We went to a couple of antique shops and were disappointed at the prices...I think they kind of hike up the prices for us tourists..We did get some good Amish cooking and stopped at a cheese factory and brought some cheese home. I am always struck by the areas where the Amish live. Their homes & grounds are always immaculate. Houses painted, nothing in the yards that shouldn't be there...Just always so clean..Check out the picture of the farm...

Later on that same week my oldest grandson Patrick, came to visit for the weekend. He brought his friend Will with him. Will came from California to stay with Patrick's family for a while. He and Patrick became best friends when Patrick went to HS in California. As you can see, they took over our living room. They slept there, they played their video games there, they ate there and they wrestled like a couple of gradeschoolers there!! I thought for sure that they would watch the sun come up while they were here from staying up all night, but, I think they are both still on California time. They will come again this next weekend. Next, these next two pictures are for Kat from http://alabamakatgrandma.blogspot.com/. Just a couple of my hummingbird pictures from a couple of years ago.
Then, I was sitting outside on the front porch early one day last week. I heard a noise coming from the side yard. The next thing I knew, I saw what you see below bolt across my front yard and into the street. Luckily, I had my Blackberry outside with me and I was able to take this one picture before he went up the street and disappeared.





Finally, while my daughters have given up on their diets...I have not. It has been slow going, but to date, I have lost 17lbs.

My Favorite Time Of The Year

The dianthus is blooming (my favorite ground cover), the windows are open, grandpa is out doing his magic on the grill and the kids and grandkids are visiting more often. Two of the
grandkids are missing, though...

Patrick, our oldest grandchild, age 16, that good lookin feller on the left, in the white tee shirt, is going to high school in a suburb of Santa Barbara, California. It's a private HS and one of the best in the country. His Godfather is a teacher there, and was able to get Patrick in for free, since he is on the staff of the school. He celebrated his 16th birthday away from home and was not here for Mother's Day. School will be out soon and he will be home in a couple of weeks. I can't wait!! We miss him!!

Then, there is Aidan....poor little guy!! He tried to jump a makeshift bicycle ramp on someone elses bike, and fell from the top of the ramp on his HEAD!! Knocked him out cold! As you can see, he was pretty banged up and since his neck hurt, he had to wear a neck brace until he went to a neurosurgeon and was checked out. He spent Mother's Day in the hospital, and the next day, his mom took him and his little sister Dania to MickyDs for some nuggets!!

I'm looking forward now to the day when all 8 grandkids and all 3 kids and their spouses come out for a big cookout and bonfire...That is my goal for this summer!

Sun Is What We Need!

If we could just get a little more than 5 minutes of sun, the dogwoods would go into full bloom and we could leave the windows open for more than 1 day. It's been rainy and cool here all week with nighttime temps still in the high 40's.

But the hummingbirds are slowly but surely returning, the days are getting longer and the kids and grandkids are coming out more often.

Soon, the sun will stay out for more than 5 minutes at a time, the windows will be open for weeks at a time and the long sleeves will stay hung up until November. And maybe, just maybe, I'll get to have that bonfire!

Our New TV!!!

Our old 55in TV died a week ago today. We got our money's worth out of that old TV...We won it about 10 yrs ago at bingo. We spent $2 for 2 tickets. One was a number. That number came in and was put into a bowl with 19 other numbers and ours is the one that was pulled for the TV.

Today we spent $680. for the 37in TV you see above. Even though this TV is much smaller than the one we had, you can't notice any difference in the size. The picture is soooo much brighter and clearer, that the fact that it is smaller than the other makes no difference at all! I LOVE IT!!

Week 9

We all lost 1 lb apiece.....
Me - 13 lbs
Kelly - 11 lbs
Erin +1 lb

Erin had a bad week. She was still sick but, better now. Plus, she had a rather traumatic event w/her dog.
I haven't been active this past week at all. Except for cleaning and laundry, I have been pretty sedentary. No walking, because it rained most of last week.
Kelly is still renovating, but, I also think she's still doin the Dew.

Spring has officially sprung, and I hope to get out more and walk and I know the girls will do the same.

Spring Is Here!!

Yes it is!! The dogwoods are trying to bloom, the white more than the pink. The tulips are almost all in bloom. The grass has had it's first spring mowing and the front porch has been swept and straightened. The pair of redtailed hawks that built their nest in the big fur tree across the street are back and the golf carts are all washed, charged and on the go! And today, yes today finally, I'm opening up the windows and taking off the long sleeved top!

Week 8

Me -2 Total 12
Kelly - 1 Total 10
Erin +2 Total +2

Erin has been sick all week. She still is. She's been in bed or on the couch and has not been active AT ALL. She said she was going to go out for a walk today, even if she can't breathe, in hopes of feeling better.

I think all of us were a little worried what w/Easter and all the feasting that is done long after the holiday is over. They both have little ones that have chocolate, jelly beans, eggs, peeps, marshmallow eggs..the whole 9 yards.. Kelly had so much that she brought us out some....Whoopie! So, I was doing some cheating this week, as well. I tried to not gorge the chocolate...I took bites once in a while, and it saved my arse, big time!!

Kelly is in the process of renovating and moving, so she has been very active this week, so the candy didn't take it's toll too badly.

Here's hoping that Erin gets to be more active and Kelly's kids Easter candy is gone and I can get out and get some more walking in this week and all 3 of us are big losers next week.

It's Getting Closer...

Warm weather and sunshine is getting closer to becoming a regular event! The tulips are starting to bloom, and it looks like there is weeding to be done, as well!Since moving out here to the boonies, we have been able to do some of the things that we love, but rarely got to do in the city. Stargazing is one of those things. Try to look at the stars in the sky while you're in the city..Venus and a few scattered other stars. Go out to the country and the sky is filled w/stars!! I LOVE it!! Most nights after I'm done working, I will go out to the side yard and just look up...I never tire of it.The other thing is bonfires!! One of the first things we did when we moved out here was build a firepit..A HUGE firepit. With all of the severe weather we've had in this past year, there is more than enough tree limbs to pile on for a magnificent first bonfire!

Week 7

Yeah, I know, we missed a week...It was a bad week for all, so we decided to ignore it..

Kelly -4 total 9
Me -2 total 10!!
Erin +2 total 5

Kelly is the big winner this week..Don't know how..she's still doin the Dew..

Erin...Aunt Flo decided to pay a visit..

Me...I'm very happy w/myself! I hit that first 10lb loss. It took a long time to get to that point, but, we are all hoping that w/the eventual break into warm weather, we will all be able to get out and walk more and make the losses mount up quicker.

Looks Like Spring!

Yep, it sure does look like spring..However..Looks can be deceiving, because there is a chance of SNOW tomorrow!!!

Week 5

Me - 0 total 8
Erin - 2 total 8
Kelly + 2 total 4

Way to go Erin!!

As for me....I haven't walked that much this week, it's been cold and rainy. But, I haven't eaten after 8, so I should have lost something!! I know that at my age, I need to do more to lose, so, I will start walking regularly again, starting today. I need to get past that elusive first 10 lbs..

Kelly?? I think her husbands birthday Thursday blew any hopes of her losing weight this week!!

Week 4

Me -2 total -8
Erin - 0 total -5
Kelly -4 total -6

I am convinced if I do NOT eat after 8, I will continue to lose. We were out and about practically all week last week and that pretty much served as my exercise, since I rarely go out and about....

Erin couldn't get out to walk because hubby is working from dawn till dusk.

I've been asking Kelly for her loss/gain since Friday, and she finally let me know today. That's why it took me so long to post. She took us out to dinner last night for our anniversary, and I don't know if that will affect my weight on Fri or not...we'll see.

Week 3

Me - 2 total 6
Erin -2 total 5
Kelly AWOL....

I started out bad, cheated some, but, came on strong the last couple of days. Erin hasn't been able to walk like she did last week because she didn't have anyone to watch the kids and it was COLD this past week. Kelly.....No where to be found..Not a good sign. Hopefully, she will surface soon and get back in.

Week 2

Me -2 total - 4
Erin - 3 total -3
Kelly +1 total -0

Erin is the big winner this week..she is walking more and concentrating on finding fat free or nearly fat free snacks.

It's been hard for me, since I have had to go IN to work all week. The cafeteria food is expensive and since I don't get there till 3, it is very hard for me to get my meal in before 8 w/o snacking while I work. I have walked more, since our dept is in the middle of a huge hospital, so, I imagine that is why I was able to lose some weight this week.

Kelly is having trouble weaning herself from Mt Dew and Chipotle. Mt Dew, mostly. She's been drinking either Mt Dew or Pepsi for most of her adult life and can't break away from that sugar buzz she gets. She's getting headaches and is convinced it's because she doesn't do the Dew...

Week 1

Kelly -1
Me - 2
Erin + 5

Erin didn't have a scale and was going on what she weighed the last time she was at the Drs 2 weeks ago. So, we don't really know what her exact weight was when we started this thing. She feels she did lose weight because her rings are looser.

Should I Or Shouldn't I?

I didn't ask the girls and I have only 3 followers on this blog, so should I or shouldn't I keep the multitudes informed about our weight loss attempt? It might give me more will power to keep it up, but if'n I fail miserably, the multitudes will know it and there goes my kingdom...
I know it's going to be slow for me. I can't walk a block w/o my hips and back cussing me out. I don't know whether it's the weight or the old age arthritis taking more hold on me.
My venture IN to work a couple of weeks ago was a wake-up call. I've been sitting here at home working for so long that I am exercise deficient. A 7 minute walk at the hospital gives me the opportunity to sneak a cig. A 4 minute walk gets me to the cafeteria. That's a lot different than here at home.
Ok..I've decided...No weights will be posted, but every Friday I will post our losses.
I'll see if they want me to put their pics here....Don't hold your breath.

New webcam to go w/me new laptop!

http://www.robomom.ww.com/

Eeeeeeeek!!

Notice anything??

My PC is gone! It took a major dump Thursday and I actually had to go IN to work at the hospital and bring the PC w/me to drop off at IS..

I got a call from IS today.....My computer is fried, dead, kaput, in the scrapheap! My boss said that I had killed it.

Fortunately, they have a few spares, but, this being the end of the week, my new computer won't be ready till at least Monday. Soooo, I get to go IN on Sunday and Monday to work...

It's a good thing I have 2 pair of slacks!!

Oh yeah, Riverside is HUGE and along w/being HUGE it is SMOKE FREE everywhere on the property.You can't even go to your car and smoke. I smoke. I had 2 cigarettes yesterday while I was there. The first one was in the parking garage hiding between SUVs..It took me 7 minutes to get there, 7 minutes to smoke the cig and another 7 minutes getting back to the department. Last one was about an hour and a half later, when a friend rode me around the block in her car before she left for the night.

Now 2 more days to have to go in...this will not be pretty

Update on Heating Bills

Through December 17 our gas bill was $90. our electricity $134. Grand total for December $224.!!! This time last year our electric bill was $65 and our gas was $220!

The plan is WORKING!!!!