calling out to women 50+

I'd like to start this thread specifically for women who are 50 or over.

As a 53 year-old woman, myself, I am finding new challenges, unexpected difficulties and wonderful insights on my path to getting to and maintaining my health, weight and body shape.

What seemed to work for me as little as five years ago doesn't work quite the same anymore. My body doesn't seem to respond to what I consider healthy eating habits and good workout schedules as it even in my middle to late 40s'.

SO, I am would to hear from those out there who are finding themselves in situations. OR NOT, maybe you can enlighten the rest of us as to how you keep your shape, or how you're getting into better shape and a healthier overall lifestyle.

Hopefully this will be the start of something wonderful, educational, funny-offer up jokes anecdotes, whatever!

LET'S GET STARTED!

BEB - look for a product called True Lemon at the grocery store. It is crystallised lemon (also lime) and comes in individual sachets that you can add to any liquid. I pop a couple in a bottle of plain water as it is less sweet than buying the Nestle flavored water. 

Helene - welcome back and glad you had a great trip. seeing many firsts, and maintaining your weight. The parties sound fun and exciting. A friend's daughter is traveling in Vietman and Cambodia right now so we are looking forward to hearing all about her experiences when she returns home on the 16th.

Robbie - Burritos do not stave off colds and flu. It's official now. Had to resort to Tylenol Cold tabs this morning. I have been afflicted! Hoping it will be mild and short.

Bon - I think calorie fluctuation will work for you as previously suggested by Snow. I am still hovering which is not good enough. Need to turn up the exercise and log again. I've been lax. Now the whip comes out. I have seen living proof through Beth!! And I am insanely jealous!

Happy Thanksgiving Canucks!

What a trip, Helene. Jealousy isn't nice but I might be harboring a little anyway. It's nice to hear about another's travels anyway. Thanks for sharing. Maybe when the kids are out of college I'll have my own stories to tell.

BEB, 3.5 is a pretty fast pace. I used to chose that for my walk to work & back but now that I'm using a treadmill I know I don't walk that fast even when I'm a little rushed.

I'm headed to Philly tomorrow to visit a college for my SS. Oddly enough, I've never been to Philly --Pittsburgh many times, but never Philadelphia. I live about equidistant from them. I'm a little disappointed that I'll miss the fall festival in my home town. The weather is going to be perfect even if the leaves aren't that vibrant.

Hope you all have a wonderful healthy weekend & Happy Thanksgiving to the Canadian girls!

Hey Everyone,

I'm feeling pretty good today. I wore my 'little black dress' for the first time in 9 years! Unfortunately I did have to wear it to the funeral of a friend from my church who died of cancer. Anyway, I posted a picture in my gallery and also in today's journal entry if you want to see it.

BEB - Welcome to our group! I walk every day and that's my main exercise. 3.5 mph is pretty fast. 3 mph is moderatly fast. But here is what I did. Go to http://www.gmap-pedometer.com and you will be able to figure out exactly how far you walk when walking outside. I actually mapped out several possible routes for myself and then it's easier to figure out how fast I'm going. Hint: use the satalite view and it's easier because you can even see sidewalks!

Gmaps also will tell you how many calories you burn and it turns out to be more than CC. I liked that and used it until I realized I wasn't loosing as fast. When I use the CC amount, my weight loss seems to fit the rate it should. So I think CC is more accurate than gmaps, IMO.

I also recommend the True Lemon. It makes things simple. But one trick to get juice out of lemon without any tools is to roll the lemon on the table or counter. Squoosh it real good before you cut it. Then the juices will squeese out much easier.

Helene - I think it's great that you didn't gain weight while away. It shows that you are doing good even without counting. Eventually we all need to get to that point.

Rebbex - Thanks for the complement but please don't be jealous of me. I'm sorry you are not feeling well.  I like those zinc lozenges and lots of vitimin C but colds hit me real hard, too. So I feel for you.

Chris - Enjoy your trip tomorrow. We hardly ever get fall colors here. A local weather man explained that we have too much water and too much sun. So the leaves just stay green until the first freeze. Then they just all die and fall off. Not very pretty. Every few years we will get some fall colors but not much.

Bonton - That's nice that the scale is going down for you again. Enjoy your golf this evening. I also like to sew. I plan to start sewing again when I reach my goal weight. Then I'm going to make myself a lot of new clothes.

~ Beth

southern, you look awesome in that dress!!!  man...  that must really feel great wearing it again!!!  i can't wait for you to get to your goal!  that will be so cool!!!  we'll have another maintainer.  :D  of course, i'm up & down alot, but maintaining.  that's funny.  people ask me what to do & how to lose, too.  yeah, they see what you did & they want to do it too!

reb, wow!  what a mess that trip was, huh?  that reminds me...  i gotta get a rental car for when we go to vegas in november for our anniversary.  you're not a whiner!  LOL  i hate when we have no power too.

bon, congrats on getting that voice back!  it's about time, huh?  LOL  that's what mine is turning into now...  a horrible cough!  my doc usually gives me something for it if i call him, but i am just holding out for now.  i only call when i can't take it anymore.  that's probably why he gives me meds.  :D  i still say if you're gaining by eating 1200, you need to eat more.  that's just not right to gain eating so little.  your body must be saving them calories instead of burning them.  good luck with getting your game back!

hi beb, glad to meet you!  good luck with your weight loss.  grab some baby carrots at 10 pm or celery...  something good for you!  :D  you used to eat 800 calories a day?  anyway, your new plan looks awesome.

chris, i hope that weight loss support group goes well.  maybe someone will join here when they see your printouts.  hehe

helene, it sure is good to see you back!  there's no place like home.  i totally would have gained...  yeah, the market sucks.  we have nothing saved either.

Not in order of priority, but: Snow, sorry you got the crud, get better soon. Beth: Wow, sad occasion but great look in the LBD. Congrats on the continued loss. My only loss has been financial. Unlike you, we had put some money in the market for retirement, since neither of us has a pension. It's half gone, but I'm just going to hope that history repeats itself, and we'll be OK in a few more years. If it's a depression, guess I have useless work (there will be lots of lawsuits, but no money to pay claims). Bex: Hope you get the job if you wanted it . . .not the cabbie one, the Deadmonton one. In no way do you sound like a whiner--quite the contrary. Plus, now you're pre-disastered! Bon: FINALLY better, huh? Good for you. We are CC "twins;" I've been hovering around 124.5 for two months now, and can't stand the idea of eating less. Maybe once body adjusts to this weight, I can jump start it more easily with a high protein jolt or something? Lee: Welcome. We are antonyms: I am hazel eyed, dark haired and short. But we both like biking and have mischievous sons, so I'm sure we'll bond nicely. Chris: Don't let them hassle you. 10 pounds or 100, we all want to be at our best. I would use the lowest speed (3mph) unless you walked so fast you were breathless. Hope your back is better. We took our 12 year old Shepherd to the vet today to see if she could get on Remydil for her hip dysplasia. Turns out she doesn't have that at all; x-rays revealed severe knee arthritis. Either way, it sucks when moving hurts. At least you can still bike!  Oh, and if it's not too late, here's what I'd do: Roll the lemon on the counter to soften it, then heat it for 5 seconds in microwave. Then, cut in half and squeeze in  cup with a spout so you can pour into measure through a strainer. Then go buy a cheap juicer at for next time! Oops, I just saw that Beth already told you this. Enjoy Philly--neat town. Helene our Hemingway: Welcome back. No weight gain while traveling is an achievement. LOL about the laptop. My oldest interviewed today about an inside sales job for a company that outfits corporations with hardware and software. He's excited and thinks they're interested, too! Not sure I totally disagree with you about current economy and false wealth, but Tom and I tried to put money in balanced funds so we could someday retire, and to lose it so quickly doesn't feel "healthier." Peg: Wow, your hard work is really obvious in the recent pic. Good for you! I'm envious; it's so fun to fix up and see results.

All: I just got a very short haircut, and Tom is horrified, but it's easy. I'll post a pic when we get back--going to the cabin to make sure it's ready for winter.

Robbie, I hear you. That's why I said that to see your hard-earned money disappear because of the schemes dreamed up by some over-enthusiastic moron was painful. They should be made to feel the burn too. Too many of them were just irresponsible twits playing poker with other people's savings. Like the directors of the company your government just rescued, with tax-payers' money, going onto a 200'000 dollars bash in California, to "think and reflect on the current situation", and this just a week after having been bailed out of trouble!!! Some people never learn, do they? But for the economy it is healthier if we come back to our senses. Like we all did when we decided to go on a diet. Painful but necessary...

This being said, I do not believe we'll see a crisis as bad as the one that happened in 1929. We learned a lot since then, and this is a global crisis, so governments are going to pool resources to come out of it. And God knows this world has a lot of resources, they are just not well spread out yet. Maybe this will trigger a much deeper change than we believe. I am an optimist, so I tend to think that nothing happens for nothing and that many times our hardships herald times of growth. So don't despair, your assets may regain some value some day.The French say: Tant qu'il y a de la vie, il y a de l'espoir (as long as there is life, there is hope). So be it.

Well, I just wanted to thank all those that welcomed me back, and tell you that I started exercising again today. I didn't walk for 90 minutes , as I used to, but just for half an hour, while hubby was finishing his tennis game. It's nice to be able to just get out of the gate and walk. The compound has some 4 miles of roads, so it's easy to walk and walk without ever getting bored, as you can vary your itinerary from day to day. It's mostly on shaded lanes, and along the river. The vegetation is mostly green these days, as we are at the end of the rainy season, but everything is sparkling clean, the dust having no time to settle before it is washed away again by the pouring rains. The storms mostly hit during the afternoon and evening, as the heat makes clouds gather and the electricity in the air builds up accordingly. Mornings are usually clear and cool (that would be 80F/26C, which may not feel cool to some of you but really is here), and the air pristine after the previous day's showers.

The temperature is warm, but not as hot as before the rains, and this will get better and better as we go toward winter. The best time of the year here is January/February, at the height of the dry season.

This morning after we came back home, the vet came to operate our old lady dog. She developed a tumour on one of her toes during the summer, and she had to have it removed (the tumour, not the toe). Because she is so old (14 yrs), so couldn't be anesthetized. I was holding her down, having wrapped her in a towel, and was holding on to her paw as hard as I could to prevent her from squirming while the vet was excising the tumour with the electrical knife. She was moaning and was very stressed and my head being pressed against her neck, I could feel her pain as if it were mine. The worst was the stitching... The vet had given her a local anesthetic, but the area was so inflamed it didn't do much for the pain. Poor doggie... Now she is already walking on her paw, and doesn't appear to be in pain. She didn't even try to remove her bandage. I'll have to redo it, clean the wound and give her antibiotics twice a day, for a week. But the worst is behind us. No fun getting old, for anyone...

I have been checking on everyone's pictures. You really are a bunch of spunky ladies. Beth, you look great! And snow, and robbie. And Lee, thanks for including me in your friends. Congratulations to all of you. I'll post a picture when I don't look like a tub anymore - yes, I am short, 5'3"... For 179 lbs... Short grey hair, short neck, short legs... Aaaaaagh!!!!

Have a good day everyone!

Helene, in Saigon

Helene:  your posts are lovely and I too am glad to be reading them again. 

Well good morning everyone from up here in Barrie, Ontario right on Lake Simcoe, i am cooking butternut squash today because of my back disability i find cooking in stages works better for me then trying to cook everything in one day, and since my poor son just broke up with his girlfriend(who says he's to skinny), she is not i feel sorry for him so i will be the only one eating squash..bottom line...Kyle (16) is very finicky doesn't like alot of veggies, unlike me i like almost EVERYTHING...

So i am cooking a chicken instead of turkey tomorrow with whipped potatoes, and gravy....oh oh....hehehe calories there.

Thankyou for your kind welcome and i have a couple things to say.

Rebbex: What store can i get those "true Lemons sachets in" i shop at no frills, zehrs, price chopper, walmart...which store??  How often do you golf?

Southern_midwife: You have a fabulous outlook on life, and your dedication is inspiring...i think you may be a good influence on me.  I started last Nov (stopped in summer) at 5'8" at 197 which i think i too gained as a pera-menopaual woman i am at 171 and my goal is 140lbs..in my 20-30's i was 128-135lbs looks were an important thing to me, still are but we sure can't be 20 forever but because of high blood pressure and i think perhaps poor eating habits and overeating i to have had to made a change...healthier eating and more exercise which is why i took up golf again too on top of the dumbell weights and biking.

With summer over and fall here i started riding my indoor bike, love it i haven't been dieting much this summer but maintained my weight but i am tired of seeing 174-171 i want to get down to the 160's now and keep going.  So yesterday i started logging again, i was abandoned on the other site and when i saw this over 50's i thought this was for me...and now i'm glad look forward to logging on here every morning again and catching up on the news.  I hope i don't take up to much space....hehehe

Robbie615: Yes golfing and 16 year old mischievious son we do have common interests....what do you shoot when you play.

Anywon i missed thanks and HAVE A NICE DAY ALL!!

BEB

normally hubby would get mad to hear all this coughing, but he's got it too.  lol  it sucks though.  i sure hope it'll be gone soon.  i'm one for lingering coughs though.  :(

that really sucks, robbie!  you lost 1/2 your retirement money?!  oh geez...  i sure hope the market recovers quickly.  congrats on the haircut!  :D

helene, that's cool.  at least you walked!  that poor doggie... 

ohio, maybe you should find somewhere else to walk on weekends.  at least you walked though & your weight is down.  that's funny about you trying to work your veges in.  i had 5 servings of green beans for breakfast!  they were frozen ones.  i didn't really want them & i don't really like green beans.  LOL  i just eat them because they are low calorie & good for me.

i'm gonna have some celery & carrots now, before i start eating whatever it'll be today.  i'm thinking a bbq rib sub.  :D

don't worry, beb!  we all post alot at times!

snowSorry to hear your are coughing - I'm still coughing almost 2 weeks later but at least I can talk now! EWWWW green beans for breakfast - it would hurry me to eat those for dinner LOL and celery is not much better LOL

Just got back from golfing - uh played somewhat better today but still didn't score well...maybe tomorrow! But hey it was exercise - cause I walked 9 and rode 9! Over 10,000 steps already today.

Off to our camp right now for a party. Just waiting on my potato casserole to bake so I can go! Weight today back down to 123.8!! yeah! I just hope it stays.

Will check in when I get back and have more time to write!

Good evening everyone,

Snow - I'm sorry to hear that you have a cough. I can relate because coughs usually stay with me, too. Get well soon! I don't think I could do green beans for breakfast. But you know what? I like raw greenbeans cut up in a salad. They are really sweet and crunchy too.

Robbie - I'm sorry to hear about your loosing so much in the market. That really is sad! I hope for your sake and everyone else that things get better soon. Can't wait to see a picture of your new hair cut. My husband doesn't like short hair either. Not for me and not for him. I wore it up the other day to the funeral and he pouted. He just loves long hair (and down). But I bet your hair cut is cute and I can't wait to see it.

Helene- Good for you walking! It does sound lovely where you have to walk. And I can relate to 80F being "cool." We've always lived in warmer climates. So 80 sounds fine to me. Wow, that must have been hard having to hold your dog for that surgery. I hope she heals quickly.

Ohio - I have a more difficult time doing veges in the winter, too. It must be a seasonal thing. I'm cooking more soups. I can always put veges in them. And not it's not your imagination about the protien and sugar. One of the main reasons we crave sugar is because we crave the quick energy. Protien is a slow burn fuel. So it stays with us longer and doesn't make our blood sugar go up and down. Sugar gives us a quick boost but then we have a crash because its a fast burn fuel. So we crave more sugar and the cycle continues. But by eating protien we feed our bodies the fuel we need and break the cycle. So good for you getting more protien. It really will help!

BEB - Your stats do sound a lot like mine a couple of months back. If I can do it, I know you can. That's good that you are doing some weight training. I have found the weight training to be extremely helpful. Just make sure you are getting enough protein to feed those muscles! Bike riding sounds fun too. I don't have a bike but I know I would love it if I did.

I think you can get the true lemon at Walmart but I'm not sure. I get them at my grocery store. It's an H.E.B. Great store, but I don't think they are that far north.

Bonton - Sorry to hear you are coughing too. There must be a lot of that stuff going around. My husband lost his voice, too. I've been calling him my "dumb husband"  - He loves that! Congrats on the weight being down again. All that walking really helps. Potato casserole sounds yummy.

Well, I got a LOT done today and am feeling really smug about it all. I worked out at the Y for an hour at my body sculpting class. I mowed the back yard and then pulled LOTS of weeds and trimmed my grape vines for the winter. All toll I spent 4 hours in the yard. My burn for today was 3000 calories! So I enjoyed a burger and fries for supper without worrying about it.

Then tonight I decided to go shopping. I want to remodel my prenatal office. I found a perfect bedspread for the exam bed. So I bought it. From that I got my inspiration for all the other things. I found some curtains too. Everything I found was 50% off because they were all on clearance. So I'm VERY happy! I can't wait to start painting. I picked up some paint swatches. Now I just have to figure out when I'll paint. I have to pick the time carefully because I have to keep seeing clients. My office has an exam room, a waiting room and a bathroom. I'm going to redo all three. It really looks more like an appartment than an office. It's actually a small apartment behind my home. I wonder how many calories painting burns.

~ Beth

Beth  You look awesome in you LBD!! You're doing so well with your weight loss and exercise! Also your re-do sounds like fun - I love to paint and remodel! It's so exciting to see how it will turn out! I hope that your hubby gets his voice back soon.. 11 days was a long time and I'm still coughing. Weeding and yardwork burns a lot of calories!

HeleneI love reading your posts - I think you should have been a journalist! You write so well. Anyways , I've decided you and me and robbie just need to grow a few inches taller then we would be happy with our weight!  It's hard being short - less calories in, less burned etc etc. I have "cankles" and short legs, thick knees... LOL But alas I just cannot change it. Glad you're getting to exercise - it always makes me feel good. Must have been difficult to hold your dog - I hope she is feeling better

SnowI hope you feel better. I'm drinking coffee, just got up and while typing to you I'm wondering what you're eating! LOL

ohioGlad your tasks at work are done - it's all a learning experience. Sometimes the anticipation of things is worse than the actual task. Glad your weight is down! Protein really does help. I  have found for me that I needed to eat more calories earlier in the day so as not to eat most of them at dinner or right after school! Must be gorgeous out your way because it is here! On the way to camp - the forest was such beautiful hues of gold, orange and red - it was incredible - every tree was turned and the colors were outstanding! Some years they aren't very pretty but this year they are outstanding! Hubby and I decided to play hookie Tuesday and take off somewhere to golf, leaf look and have dinner!  I make a lot of soups in the fall - at least then I eat my veggies!

robbie I'll bet your haircut looks cute! I have short hair - have tried several times to let it grow then can't stand it and get it cut. My hubby will say " didn't you just get it cut" .. I think a subtle way of saying I like it longer but hey I'm the one who has to put up with it so he has to earn to like short hair ! LOL We've lost money in the market too - we wanted to cruise Alaska for our 10th anniversary next summer but now not sure what to do. I hope your oldest gets the job!! Hope you're having a great weekend at your cabin!  We are CC twins except but looking at your pic you have much nicer legs than me! LOL I have cankles like I told Helene - we just need to grow a few inches! Seems when you're shorter it's so much harder to lose those last few stubborn pounds because our calorie intake is already somewhat low and you starve to go lower .. we have to work out like maniacs and then who has time to do that all the time. Last winter I went to the gym 5 days a week - felt like I didn't have a life.

BEB  I was thinking you asked about speed of your walking? so many posts LOL anyways like Beth said I have used the g-map thing - it's really cool . I have several routes mapped out so I know just how far I walked then I figure out how fast I walked based on my time. Some days I make better time than others - guess it depends on my energy level for the day.

chris Hope you're having a nice time in Philly! Weather should be great! Never been there but probably lots to see and do!

bex- Hope you're feeling better too. Maybe you all caught my germs thru the computer! LOL Hey hovering is better than gaining! I've been much better at logging since back to work - was very lax over the summer but I'm so active in the summer it didn't matter.

Playing golf again today - sort of found my game on the back 9 yesterday so i hope that today is a good scoring day! But if not, it will be beautiful outside - the leaves, temp supposed to be in the high 70's and it's good exercise! Did  very well at the party last night with not over eating or should I say not calorie overloading! I don't really over eat ever because of my reflux but depending on choices calories can really add up in a hurry.That's something that I have finally learned to change - used to go to those things and try too many things and always eat dessert - now I  try to pick out only a few things and I skip dessert. Did have a glass of blackberry wine - does that count as a fruit!! LOL

To All Hope you're enjoying your weekend! ... phox, joanna. Peg, Carol

beth:  I thought of you yesterday while in Amish country and passed a good sized building with a sign that said; "Birthing Center".

ohio- It sounds like you had a wonderful day! I love apple butter - makes me hungry thinking about it! Being the picky eater that i am - I remember going to church camp and not liking any of the food - exsisted on apple butter and bread! LOL I've been eating honeycrisp apples that I bought at an orchard near my daughter's house - they are delicious if you've never tried them. They don't store well so they're very seasonal - like get them right now! LOL

Weight down to 123.4 today YIPPEEE I think I just need to live somewhere where I can golf year-round! I burn a lot of calories and it's no stress on my knees!! Soon it will be too cold to play here - like next weekend the high is supposed to be 52 on Saturday - now that's chilly. Added a pic of my friends and me golfing  and another of the beautiful leaves at the golf course! It certainly was a gorgeous day! Hope everyone enjoyed it!

Ohio - Your day sounded so nice. When I was training to be a midwife, I spent some time in east Texas and there was an Amish community there that was a lot like you described. I got to help deliver several of their babies and I just loved the families.

There is an Amish community about an hour from where I live but none of the local midwives have been able to convince them to let us care for them. This particular community prefers to have unassisted births. One midwife even offered to help train one of them to be a midwife but they weren't interested. It's kind of strange because all the other Amish communities I've heard about use midwives from near by. I guess the Amish community near me is a bit stricter about outsiders. It's also not a very large community.

Bonton - The new picture is great. I love the fall colors. I wish we had some fall colors here. All the talk about apples picked fresh makes me wish we could experience that too. At least we can get them at the store. I'm sure it's not quite as fresh that way but no apples grow this far south.So it's our only option.

Well, I bought paint this evening. I'm going to try and paint at least part of my office tomorrow. I have the whole day unless someone goes in labor. So I'm going to see how much I can get done in a day. I'm really excited about changing things. When I get it all done, I'll try to post some pictures. But it may take me a while considering I have to stop and do prentals on Tuesday. That means I have to stop and clean things up tomorrow evening. But I think I can at least get my exam room done in one day.

I looked up painting and it burns 220 calories an hour. So that's not too bad. I figure if I work all day at it, that will add up. I'm still walking early in the morning though.

I'll check in and let you guys know how much I got done tomorrow.

Have a great day,

Beth

Ohio, I loved the story about the Amish excursion. I heard they originally came from the German part of Switzerland, so I guess their language is an old dialect of German, similar to what is spoken in most of Switzerland today.  From what I have seen of them on TV, their way of life is very similar to what it was not so long ago in the mountain parts of Switzerland as well...If you go to my country during a traditional celebration, you'll see people looking like the Amish everywhere!

We are tiny but still have 4 official languages: Schwitzerduetsch (that's the old German), French, Italian and Romansch. Romansch is between Latin and old German, and in some areas it's very similar to the dialect I speak, from Northern Italy. It's only spoken in Graubuenden, the south eastern part of the country that borders with Italy and Austria. Some people say we now have a fifth language, as many young people speak English as well!

I have two questions: what are cankles and what is apple butter? Can anyone explain? They are two words I have never met, and they make me feel very foreign!!! LOL

Freshly picked apples (freshly picked anything for that matter...) are simply delicious, crisp and juicy and very different from the "old" produce you find in supermarkets. I agree that lemon crystals may be convenient, but you'll never catch me drinking something like that! Squeezing a lemon takes about 30% more time than preparing the crystals, so I will always prefer the real thing...

Yesterday was my first day of real exercise. I walked 80 minutes, very briskly, while hubby was playing tennis again. I covered a bit more than 3.5 miles, according to my step counter, and burnt about 400 cals. I wanted to walk again this morning, but started re-organizing my libraries instead, as walking around between 3 rooms carrying books should count for something.

I also went around the garden with the gardener to see what has to be done there, and it was sweaty work as the sun is shining brightly today. I only did the front garden as the back one will have to wait till the end of the rainy season. It's full of shade and therefore very mossy now, so we'll have to wait till things are a bit dryer, to get a better idea of what can be done. It's a very well established garden, full of bougainvilleas, palm trees, banana trees and huge mango trees. There are droves of potted plants in need of more root space, dozens of plants that would do better in the ground  right now, and will have to be distributed around the garden... A huge task as the two previous families didn't do much in that direction. Tropical vegetation demands a lot of care because it becomes messy really fast, as there is no rest season here. You neglect your garden a single year and it becomes a jungle...

But that's a job I love, so I don't mind, especially since I am not the one actually doing the hard work. LOL The gardener was beaming, as he has been badgering the cook from the time he arrived here, asking for instructions, only to hear her say he had to wait for me... That makes two of us happy!!! Yes, I am a spoiled woman...

I have to go back to my books. I have so many... Maybe 2-3'000 of them. I saw yesterday that there is a place at the sports club where you can bring your used books in exchange for other ones, so I think I'll go there dump some of those I don't really want to keep. The trick will be resisting the temptation to take new ones home... LOL

That's about it for today. Hope everyone is well. Congratulations Bon on your 123.4 score! Wish I could boast as much, but for me it reads more like 178 today... But it's 1 less than yesterday, so I still feel good about it. Especially since Saturday night we went to the Durgotsav festival. It's an Indian festival, mostly celebrated in East Bengal (Calcutta), in honour of Durga, an avatar of Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva, the Destroyer. We attend it every year. It's to celebrate the victory of Rama over Ravannah, the demon who had kidnapped his wife Sita (for any of you who know a bit of Indian culture, it's the Ramayana story). He was helped by Durga during the final battle.

India was the first Asian country I traveled to, when still a student. It was my first love and I will always have a soft spot for its culture and people. I like their music, their dances, their food (Ah! their food!...), their body language, the colours of their saris, the elegance of their women (never seen such pudgy women look so sensuous and attractive), their joy in life, the liquid sheen of their dark eyes, the sweet spiciness of their perfumes...  A roomful of Indians having fun can make your whole body feel alive. Can you imagine short chubby me literally dancing on my chair, firy spices on my tongue, in a whirpool of sparkling colours, looking at laughing gyrating women in sparkling saris, while the room slowly pulsates with drum beat? Pure ecstasy...

That was your glimpse of Asia for today. LOL. Robbie, I wish I were Hemingway (or do I???). I mean, as gifted with words. Hope I do entertain you a bit though. Back to my books now.

Have a very nice day all,

Helene, in Saigon

Not a happy start to my Monday--scale reads 2.5 pounds up. I'm sure it's just water weight, but it's more discouraging than motivating. On a happier note, Tom and I  are celebrating our 25th anniversary this week. Originally, we planned a trip to Hawaii, but with Tom's two surgeries and concomitant time off, not to mention a slumping economy, we have scaled back our plans. I have a speaking gig at the Broadmoor--a 5 star golf resort--next weekend (meaning my firm pays), so Tom's going with me. Don't be jealous that it's a famous golf course, Bon, because it will be  cold and maybe snowy. You're not missing out. Tom's sister live in Colorado Springs where we'll be, so we get to see her, which I actually like. I've actually had two mothers-in-law whom I loved, but both died young, so at least I love Tom's only sibling.

Ohio, I'm going to try your increased veggies and protein, but I think another issue for me is wine, which I savor on weekends only, but still. Anyway, congrats on your loss! Your trip to Amish country was well described--I enjoyed vicariously! BEB: I think you confused me with Bonnie; I bike, but no golf anymore. Maybe someday if I ever get to retire! You inspired me to buy winter squash yesterday; great vegetable. Helene: How brave we can be for our kids and our dogs! And, you may think you're short, but you're taller than both Bonnie and I. Can't help you with short neck or legs, but I am living proof that grey hair can be altered! "Cankles" is a combination of calfs and ankles, with no differentiation in between. Apple butter is sorta like peanut butter, but made from apples. It's a thick, buttery spread. And, yes, from now on, I will only picture you with your head thrown back dancing in a sari! Snow: How do you do it? I swear, I think you must expend 2000 calories a day laughing. Bon: Glad you're back down; that's my inspiration for today. I am lucky not to have cankles, but it's because I carry all my excess in my belly, which is much less healthy. You can at least wear boots to cover ankles, a big belly is sooo hard to hide. I plan to cut calories a bit and follow your workout like a maniac plan; hope it helps. I don't regret being short, though it has pros and cons;  it seems like short hair looks better on us, and it's much easier to manage. Beth: I think all men love long hair, and as I told Bon, short hair is easier to pull off if you're petite. Taller women like you need length for balance. I was interested in your explanation to Ohio, and wondered if you could explain why I crave salt, not sugar? And, congrats on the good bargain hunting. Hope the painting goes as well. 

Miss you Joanna, Phox, Bex, Carol, Peg, One.

Well it is thanksgiving here today, i awoke to my computer and this site this morning and thoroughly enjoyed reading all the colourful entries, Helene i think you do have the wirtiers gift, i too occasionally like to write, not so much now but in my youth poetry.

I to do not know what applebutter is either? Perhaps someone will tell us?  Being from the north maybe this is a southern dish?

As far as apples go i LOVE Gala apples, since desserts is something i tend to avoid i will probably never prepare a pie with a crunchy top, my son is very finicky on what he will eat, so alot of times i end up cooking something just for myself, and his meals or desserts separately....

I am however puzzled..why is it when i don't exercise and eat around 800 calories i will lose 1/2 lb the nex day but if i eat over 1300-1500 and exercise off 500 of those on top of my sedentary day i lose nothing....after all these months i just don't ge it....my daily burn is 1740 and i eat around 1200 cals...if i have a daily deficit of over 500 calories minimum shouldn't i be losing a lb a week????? Not to mention those days i am eating 1200 and with the burning of 500 on top of the 1740 that comes out to 2200 which is a higher deficit..grrr

OH: your trip through amish country sounds great....i had a friend Denise back in the 70's from State College, Penn. who was from that culture, a rebel of sorts her last name was updyke.....her husband and her came up to Toronto to avoid the draft..and unfortunalety for me they went back after they lifted it..and 40 miles wet of here in Dundalk Ontario there is omish country...in fact this is where Rick lives and will visiting him saw horse drawn buggies going by..neat...there is even a website.

Robbie: if you like hair that won't bother you as it grows try layering just the top and let the back grow abit, this is how i wear mine and it's pretty much wash, style with a comb, hairspray (fine hair) and i'm good to go i just cut my back 4 inches so it now is just below my shoulders abou 2-3 inches, for 52 i am told "this is more appropriate, for my age", well i never thought much about it except that most people thought i was alot younger and i think it's the youthful hairstyle...so all i can say is each to her own.  It's your hair right?  My dad has been trying to get me to cut it short for years and his mother before him and my mom (deceased now) always stood up for me and said "no"," her hair is her asset", so here's to MOM, happy thanksgiving, yes i may trim it but will never cut it short...lol......Power to the people...hehehe

So i have been busy preparing everything for dinner celebration today...with the 300g of sqaush, 200g of whipped potatos, chicken (not turkey till xmas) and buns and gravy the total calories on my plate will be 1500calories that includes of course strawberries, cinnamon rolls ans whipped cream well i rode off 500 on my bike that takes my count to 2300 total will be burned and total eating is 1800 with breakfast.  Does that sound bad??????????

Leaves look so good, need to go for a walk in the woods near here and get that bonfire smell going on....

Have a nice day everyone!!!...Thankgiving to the fellow canucks!!

Lee

Robbie - Congrats on 25 years of marriage to Tom! Hope you have a wonderful time in Colorado Springs. When the economy bounces back you can go to Italy instead. Ah, romance! You must be so ticked off about the weight gain. It's stress I think. Going away will help with that. Just let go and enjoy. At least you won't have to spend all day in the bathroom doing your hair. I've canvassed a few men and their word on hair is: it has to look like Shania Twain's or Kate Beckinsale's or it's no good. 

Beth- Black dress is the bomb! No wonder you were so anxious to get back into it! You must be very excited to get painting. A fresh coat does so much for so little money, doesn't it? I am looking forward to some new colors for the walls also once my demolition and re-construction is complete. I am sporting a horrendous bruise on my upper arm from lugging an unwanted desk out into the van for disposal. Do we all bruise easier the older we get I wonder? The dumpster bin outside in my driveway is quickly filling up courtesy of my daughter who seems to have the strength of ten men in her 115 pound body. Thank goodness for her! Getting rid of junk makes you feel so much lighter. My basement is looking like a completely different place already.

BEB - I found the True Lemon at Co-Op, but they probably have it at the larger chains like Safeway or Loblaws. While crystallized lemon is not the ultimate, the cost of using fresh fruit for juice is prohibitive unless you live in California or Florida it seems. I also saw some bottles of organic lemon juice at the natural foods store the other day. You could try there?

Ohio - great trip to the Amish! We have Hutterite colonies here; similar I think. They sell fantastic poultry. Biggest chickens you've ever seen! Lots of inbreeding has caused many genetic defects in their infants. I used to see them when I worked in the NICU. Beth, they seem to use the hospitals to birth their children some of the time but also have midwives on their colony as well.

Helene - I can't be as generous as you about the Indian culture. Although I shouldn't brand their entire population with just a few bad experiences, I have not had pleasant encounters with them for the most part. The family that moved in next door has 2 of the world's most spoiled children. I find that a lot in their culture. They are cheeky, whiny and nasty, aged 6 and 11, girl and boy. The mother always sounds so shrill when she is speaking that it comes off as angry and I literally cringe now whenever I hear her voice. They are noisy, horrible neighbors, and cook smelly food that does not whet my appetite; does just the opposite in fact. I don't like their music either but they certainly look like they are having a good time at their parties! You have experienced the joy of their culture and that's fantastic! Me, not so much, but then, I've never been to India. Good luck with your garden. Sounds like you have an enthusiastic and willing helper so it will go well. I cried for your dog, and for you. I hope she is on the mend. I still cry sometimes about my Harry who died a few months ago. And even though I have Tupper now, I still weep for Harry's loss. Animals are helpless creatures.

My cold has been mild, thankfully, so I hope it doesn't drag on indefinitely as they often do. No Thanksgiving dinner at my house today as things are in a turmoil. I'll shoot for an extra special Christmas dinner instead, with lots of guests and warmth and merriment. I'm working on the soup recipe for you all, and if I can get a few spare minutes over the next couple of days I will finish and post. 

Did you know stressed is desserts spelled backwards?