Posts by poetnw

Hello,

I've lost about 30 pounds and need to shed another 20- right now I'm working on not gaining that flab back.  My hubby and I are planning on visiting your country next year- maybe Eyemouth and Edinburgh- hope to figure somewhere to stay in Eyemouth.  We love coastal towns.  Take care and welcome from a Western United States person.

One of my goals this year is to not have All Things sugared.  The other night I made chili- beans and tomatoes, onions and hamburger and spice.  I baked a small squas and halved it and put the chili into the halves.  Very tasty.  You can do the same with pumpkin.  You can hollow out a pumpkin and put stew etc. into the pumpkin and bake it in the oven.  You can mash pumpkin and eat it instead of potatoes.  Cheap, filling under- valued food this time of the year.

I'm stepping into the pool- guess I'm bored.  Your attitude suggests that you base weight loss and health on the ability to pump iron and exercise heartily.  For me,  pumping iron etc. would land me in the hospital or the physical therapists.  Tis saner for me to look hard at the calories I take in as well as how healthy the food is.  I am not sitting on my butt; I walk and get in some gardening BUT for sure am not jumping rope or working gym machines.  Yes, I am losing weight very slowly but that is the way it is- not all of us should be out torquing our bods to a lather.

You've probably read Maples on Maple Hill?  I tend to encourage rather than discourage so the age of a child means little to me- my daughter heard us grownups reading to each other from when she was a toddler on.  She read way above her age bracket probably due to that.  Tasha Tudor is old fashioned and good and the illustrations!   Beverly Cleary.  The Hobans- A Bargain for Francis.  And can't forget the wonderful Mary Calhoun- Cross Country Cat- Henry, you silly Siamese!  I am past middle age and have this book on tape and oh the fun sound effects!  I have just started writing letters to a friend's grandson cause he is a go getter and the schools are not supporting his needs- he gets one reading work sheet per week.  That's it.  His mother does not read and I can't stand watching a mind go down the drain.  I am not sure what I will write next but something will come up- I hope.  Have fun! 

This particular year could prove to be gruesome for me and mine.  We've finally got enough compost going that squash is growing like a mad thing.  In just a few weeks now the pretty green leaves that sprawl all over the raspberries and annual flowers will turn black and for sure harvest will need to happen.  Our canine companion may be working into her last months- her mind is reasonably around still but her hind legs are for sure giving way to arthritis.  The pain meds aren't cutting it.  We may have to play God before spring.  My sinuses and human arthritis is acting up more as the hot temps are dropping away.  We don't use air conditioners- somehow I can take a few days of 100 degrees and yet can't take minus temps without help.  So yeah, this is going to be a unique winter, most likely.  Perhaps the pupster will make it through- just don't want her suffering cause of my silly ego. 

Handicapped.  Differently abled.  Not dead.  You bet I'd report them.  Self respecting different folks don't like to be treated differently than others.  You have an animal, you take care of its natural leavings.  Reminds me of the drunk who smacked somebody: I only was violent cause I was boozed up.  Quit with the excuses.  I'm sure someone has made a tidy profit making and selling a device that would pick up the 'stuff'. 

I cherish the friends that have chosen to stick with me since I've been on this site.   One particular Worry Wart even managed to find my real address and send me a What's Happening? note in the mail!  This site is very much a Recovery Group for me.  The folks in my 'real' neighborhood don't have much in common with me.  And maybe I am here partly cause folks can't stare at my dusty house or the weeds in my gardens!  They do get to hear about my 'uglies' but they don't see the real thing.  Also, I tend to write easier than I speak so this is an easier place for me to communicate.  Don't know if this makes sense.  I've never been the type to join the Glee Club etc.  I admit to certain anti-social attitudes.  I probably would not have joined onto this site so long if I hadn't participated in a recovery group first- I learned tons about not being judged and what it felt like to be included, no matter what I looked like or did, so long as I had respect for the folks in the meetings.  

Its Thursday now.  I hope you feel tons better.  If not, for sure find a doc.- this from a person who only goes to the doc.  when I just can't get out of it.  Falling like that could have seriously damaged something; caused little fractures etc.  Rule outs can be a relief- to rule out broken parts can be a tremendous mood lifter.  Hot and cold applications can make your achey parts feel better and get the swelling down.  I so hope the pain is going going gone.  Take care.

What attacks my self esteem/ego?  Someone calling me stout and folks daring to come to my house  and doctors.  House cleaning.  A bugaboo for me my entire life.  The more I clean, the worse it looks!  I totally sympathize with you. In about 2 and a half weeks, my Mom and daughter will visit us.  So last night my hubby made a batch of home beer AND slopped sticky gunk on the kitchen floor- add that crud to the fact that 3 cats and a dog share our house.  ICK!  His Mom seemed to get on his case about being messy so now I try not to- and clean up gross outs.  So I am here, thinking about you, looking at dry dust and fur balls- very little carpet cause we ripped it out.  Its a very dry very hot time of the year and we use a fan to cool off- blowing dust balls!  I told my Mom that I was cleaning the other day and she said, "Oh I don't mind dirt!"  She has been a frentic cleaner all her life.  Good luck and try not to kill anyone.  Ha ha.

I deal with this every day- and am grateful I have a partner who shares my view point.  What a sick American society we have.  I am grateful also that I have decided to veto TV- the ads drive me nuts every time I am in a motel- eat this crap and eat that junk!  I am a sugar junky and don't need more persuasion.  So be proud of yourself.  Sometimes its like I am the only one who doesn't smoke and am not hacking my guts out cause of making that choice.  Somehow it has got to be me who is not the 'normal one.'  Ha to that.  You have much to be proud of so walk tall! I also garden in a community that mostly flat lawns their properties.  Its good to have an attitude.  Keeps you young.

What do you mean when you say low back pain?  I have pain in my lower spine and also pain in my sciatic nerve and pain can radiate all around.  One exercise that should not cause damage is very simple- and don't go crazy with this; just go easy and stop when there is pain- stand against a door or a wall and slide down a little- standing as straight as possible.  Sounds simple.  For me, I go only a little bit due to aggravated pain.  This simple exercise helps me to stand straighter, too.  I also use this exercise for my damaged knee.  Knee to stomach, standing or lying down is a great stretcher.  Good luck- I know far too much about where you are at. 

A drug is a drug.  It is common for welfare folks to smoke and to use some of their 'income' for cigs instead of putting all the money into their children or their own health.  So you want to test for nicotine and how about you test for sugar cause maybe they are buying 'too much' junk food?  My hubby is a social worker in the System and yes, right now, hordes are coming with all kinds of reasons for needing Welfare.  If a person complains of a mental illness, such as depression, the worker has to sign them up for a medical eval.  Right now the system does not say no to a medical eval.  That medical eval costs us taxpayers money.  Hubby may know for a fact that the person is just trying to get some cash and has nothing wrong with him or her but he has been dictated to sign them up for the eval.  Can be crazy making.

Evil thoughts: Dear Harpie or Dear Harlot, perhaps?

I hoped your weight number was a typo.  Guess not.  A person who is not even twenty and weighs under a hundred pounds.  Groan.  Maybe you are a midgit?  There must be a counseling center at your university.  Please go there and get on a healthier life path.  Good luck.

Yes, a person can lose weight without hearty exercise.  At present I am unable to exercise to the point of getting my heart rate up and quite slowly- but surely- I am losing flab.  I am losing slower, also cause I refuse to go without real food- I admit that sugar is still in my life.  I do walk as much as I can and do garden as much as I can- some days back spasms keeps me more sedentary than I'd like but that's just the way it is.