Good Afternoon

Good afternoon and my day is going well. It's gorgeous out, the morning was cool and even now that it's warming up, the heat is not as excessive as it has been recently.  However, after being fed and going out to run, all 4 of my doggies were happy to come back into the ac and are now just lounging about inside.  I'm glad of that, as my AVON order is due to be delivered by UPS ... and I usually have to fight to get them all in so that the driver can bring my boxes to the front porch.

So far today, my blood pressure has been awesome, and I'm thankful for that, hoping it stays that way. I'm feeling good, too, so everything is hunky dory right now. Dishes are done, haven't got dinner figured out yet but have plenty of time for that.

Have spent much of my morning working.  I did a post for my #AVONteam on the #AVONtraining blog that I have for them, I networked on Facebook with some of my team members and some other home based biz owners, brainstormed some ideas that I need to work on, so my Tuesday has been pretty productive, and I am content with that.

I have a doctor appointment this Friday, a 3 month check up, and I am hoping I've lost some more weight again. I feel that I have. I hope so!  I only weigh at the doctor's office so inbetween, I have no update on if I have or not. I used to have a scale at home but it never seemed to weigh me correctly. Depending on how I stood, I could be 5lbs heavier or 5lbs lighter. The one at the doctor's is calibrated all the while, so I just use it ... and wait inbetween. I could measure and go by inch loss, but I have such issues trying to stand upright in order to do it (and I have to hold onto something with one hand, to stay stable, which makes it really awkward!).

I definitely feel that I am getting "lighter" though, and I had to buy some new pants last week, and needed a size smaller! THAT was an awesome feeling!

I have to smile, as my "exercising" is just snippets of 20 reps of this or that, done sitting down, and just really moving my arms and legs. That and walking back and forth in the house, most days, with my trusty walker. Weekends now, getting out and about, if we go to Cedar Falls or somewhere similar, I get out and walk a little too, and it is all adding up.

Still waiting on my birth certificate coming from the General register Office in England, so that I can go and get my license renewed. Just hope they don't want me to re-do the test as it expired on my birthday last month. It was only in getting the documents together to go down to DMV and renew it, that I realised I couldn't find my birth certificate, and had to order another copy. I know they give some leeway, just not sure how much.

Well, have an awesome afternoon, thanks for reading :)

A lovely day

Oh what a lovely day I've had today ... AND got a lot (for me) accomplished.

It wasn't quite as hot as it can be (for which I am thankful) and we took a drive out to Cedar Falls, and hubby and I walked (me with my trusty walker for support, and a place to sit every 10-15 feet or so) and sat at the end where the river turns, with a view all the way up to the old dam and the falls. It's one of my "happy" places, so peaceful, a place I love to go to ... especially when my blood pressure is high, as it calms me and helps lower it!

Today, I met 2 new people, who I hope will become friends.

The first was an older lady named Claudette, and she has been a teacher all her life, originally from Massachusetts but loving it in South Carolina. We were just walking past each other and started chatting ... and did so for about 20 minutes.

The second was the mother in a family group, that we sat near on the rocky slope. We'd been chatting to her hubby while she and the rest of the family were plying in the water. He mentioned his brother was sat on the bench above us, and suffered from diabetes, so we ended up chatting about diabetes and how my hubby has it too. I said I had my email address on the back of an AVON brochure and that I could forward him a pdf if he wanted to email me ... that I wasn't trying to sell him anything, and he said his wife L-O-V-E-S AVON ... so I laughed and said I loved that and I'd be happy to take his money, LOL. 

When his wife came back, she and I got chatting about my walker, as it turns out she is a home health aide and wanted one similar for  person she cares for.

It was just lovely, and I probably walked about 200 yards altogether, which is quite a trek for me, but definitely gave me some much needed exercise.

After we came home, I started packing up my Mrs Albee statuettes in my AVON room. Boxing them up and putting the boxes into a Rubbermaid container for additional safety.

Yes, I know it seems like I'm jumping the gun, but even though it's "in the future", hubby and I are definitely planning on moving, and - in the meantime - this helps declutter some more. 

Hubby (in going to find me more of the boxes for them) found a jewelry box that had been "lost", still boxed and in plain view! I'd looked for it for a couple of years, and my brian just didn't register that box! LOL.

He and I just indulged in one of the Philadelphia Cream Cheese Cherry Cheesecake tubs, well worth 170 calories and 10gms of fat! It was very tasty!

Well, hope you all have a great week! Now just going to relax and watch some telly.

Friendship

Sometimes, you meet someone and just immediately click. Others, a friendship builds over time, as you get to know one another better. Some are fleeting (remember the saying "people come into your life for a reason"?) and some stand the test of time. Years pass, you may not see each other for long periods of time, but when you do, it's as though you've only been apart 5 minutes.

It's that way with me and my friend, Olga.

It's been 40 years since we first became friends. 40 years that saw us first as single mothers, divorced from abusive husbands, struggling to make ends meet, and catches us now as grandmothers and great-grandmothers, long remarried, greying at the edges, wrinkling around the eyes, but still with the same giggles and silly sense of humour we had years ago.

Our poor long-suffering hubbies just roll their eyes and smile, as we crack up reminiscing about things that happened decades before, or get giggling over stuff that's happened since the last time we saw each other, as we tell what happened.

A friendship like this is a blessing. Bittersweet in ways. We saw each other yesterday, for a few hours, as she and her hubby were passing through Greenville, getting ready to head to Tennessee today, to visit his family. It had been years since the last time, then we'd gone to see them at a stopover in Georgia, and had gone on a trip to Stone Mountain that ended up including a paddle "steamer" trip that ran aground! LOL. Never a dull moment, that's for sure.

We were always "The Rose and her Bud".

It was sooo good to see her and Mike yesterday. We had lunch at Cheddar's on Woodruff Road, and then went back to their hotel room for awhile.

Time passed too quickly, and we left so's they could get some rest from travelling, and because I started feeling unwell and needed to be home with my monitor and meds.

Today they are travelling to Chattanooga, and we already have rain from the tropical storm here, and chances are they will hit worse, on the road, so I'm keeping them in my prayers.

I love "my Olga" and she loves me, "her Rose".

I Finally Visited A Piggly Wiggly!

Such a gorgeous day today. We took ourselves down to Ware Shoals, to enjoy the river park, and do some "exploring" along the way. We went in the Piggly Wiggly ... my hubby has spoken of them being all over the South when he was a lad. I'd seen places with Piggly Wiggly ads on their walls but until Ware Shoals hadn't seen a Piggly Wiggly store until a couple of weeks ago. Today, I made it in there and made an immediate friend with the young man restocking the Produce section, and we chatted awhile.

We'd already been by the river and seen the geese and ducks, so I wanted a loaf of bread to feed them, and enjoy them close up.

One solitary mallard male was happy to oblige.

Across the river, on a rocky island, a kingfisher stood, almost disguised against the undergrowth on the bank.

The sound of the  water bubbling over the rocks was very calming, so peaceful.

I made a new friend there, too. An older man, who knew the family groups of ducks, and was happy to chat and show me pictures of them when they were smaller.

We had lunch at a neat little Chinese buffet, China 1, on Main Street. It's directly opposite my friend, Connie McKee's, shop. I ended up chatting to one of 2 police offers who stopped in for lunch, he was limping. Turned out he is only 2 weeks post-op after having a knee replacement!  Doing really good!

Coming home, we took a series of magical mystery tours, and our first saw a deer cross the road in front of us, then run alongside the road we turned up. That was beautiful.

I'd taken #AVONbrochures with me but ended up forgetting to put them out, as I'd intended to, outside the Piggle Wiggly.

It's been a lovely day. The only thing that marred it was that on the way home, my hip began acting up, and oh, I was in so much pain!  Home now though, and lying on my bed with my legs stretched out. That has helped ease it some.

Hubby is now watching his NASCAR race, so I may just take a nap. Later, we have to go get groceries.

Enjoy your evening, my friends, and thanks for stopping by.

Good morning! Happy Saturday!

Good morning my lovelies! What a nice morning it is outside, although destined to be miserably hot and humid, accompanied by storms, this afternoon. Ah well, we'll enjoy it while we can!

Hubby is outside mowing, I just washed dishes and made myself a nice sarni for breakfast.  Once hubby is done, I'll have him shower and take himself too Cracker Barrel or IHOP for one of his weekend breakfasts, his "treat" each weekend, since I don't cook that way.

In a little while, I will go and feed ye hounds. It seems old age has suddenly caught up with all of them, and they don't always want to eat now, so it's a matter of tempting them with what I know they WILL eat.

As sad as it is, I think at least 2 of them may fall into a permanent sleep this year, possibly 3. That's the worst part of having canine or feline family members - usually you will outlive them and have to deal with their loss. We are not looking forward to that, at all.

Yesterday's 2.2lb weigh-in loss has spurred me on. My next doctor visit is at the end of the month, and if I can do the same again, that drops me from the 250s into the 240s. Since I only weigh in at the doctor's office, I need to ask my doctor if I can pop in every couple of weeks to get weighed, as otherwise, I won't have another visit for 3 months. Can I go that long without watching those figures go down? I probably could, but each small loss inspires me to keep on, so I really need the encouragement that those falling numbers give me.

I need to do some de-cluttering again. Yesterday, I gave one of my granddaughters some of the things that had been hers when she was little. I need to see my other granddaughter, here, and give her the things that were hers back then, too.

I also need to make up some AVON goodie bags to hand out to people. When someone is looking worn out or down in the dumps, it seems something as simple as being given some samples and a tube of handcream, can lift their spirits. Of course, I hope they'll become one of my customers, but even if they don't, I'll have brightened somebody's day.

I also need to get back to working our 2 year plan. Since that involves moving house, down-sizing etc, I may as well pack up some things and store, ready for when everything comes together. Right now, the progress we had made in the first few months, has dwindled, along with our savings, but this is going to be a good year, as we will have 2 major outlays ending this year and can then use the extra monies to clear other bills and start saving again. I'd like to get my medical bills paid up, and for once, not have any new ones replace them, LOL.

It hasn't helped with hubby having no overtime of late, and with me having been so ill for the past few months that I really wasn't working my business the way I usually do, and should have been. Now that I am starting to feel better, I hope it'll remain that way, and that I can make up for all my missed opportunities, before the end of the year.

Well, hope you all have an awesome day. Enjoy the nice weather while you can!

It's The Little Tricks That Are Making This Work

Another 2.2lbs gone, a whole kilogram, woohoo. Brings my total to 65lbs lost, so far. Still a long way to go on this journey, but every little milestone is a step in the right direction. And it's all eating regular food, no shakes, no pills (except my multivitamin), nothing "faddy".

What's been working for me?

I eat whatever I fancy. So often, when you crave something, you end up munching everything else trying to stave off that craving. My trick is to have just a small piece. One of my indulgences is the ganache pieces from the Publix bakery. They come in a 2-pack. Hubby and I will share one piece, as a treat, one day and share the 2nd, the next day.

My Chinese. I have my local restaurant cook mine with no MSG, less oil and with carrots and onions only, and steamed rice. I divide the meal into 4, and eat 1 portion and freeze 3 for other day's lunches. 

Pizza. Hubby is diabetic so doesn't need the carbs anyway, so we now get thin crust every time, and our pizza of choice is ham and pineapple. I have 2 small slices, and that keeps my sodium and fat in check even as I indulge.

I am an admitted chocoholic, and have found an easy way to satisfy my cravings. I get a bag of Midnight Milky Way Minis, and I freeze them. Being that my meds, all but one, have to be taken with food, I take one with my meds, when I'm fancying chocolate. Kills 2 birds with 1 stone, as they say.

I try to eat 2-3 pieces of fruit every day, and at least 2 slices of double fiber bread. I get grilled salmon from Publix and divvy the portion into 3, and each 1/3 is perfect for a sandwich with a lower-fat cheese spread, and cucumber. The unused portions freeze well ready for a sandwich another day.

Another big thing is water, that's all I drink nowadays. I do aim for 8 8oz glasses but must admit, most of my days fall between the 5-6 mark. Very, very rarely do I have a diet soda. I used to have a V8 every day, but now that I have to limit my potassium for my kidney health, I have had to forego them. I do have a small can maybe once every couple of weeks. They taste so good, but I have to get my kidney function back up to par.

Being unable to walk unaided, and being in pain with my knees and hips (which have needed replacing for a decade now, but since I have issues where my body didn't want to come out from anaesthesia after only 15 minute surgeries, and those replacements take HOURS, that's not an option) my exercising is very limited. I try to make myself do something about every couple of hours.

It may be only walking to the front door and back, but for me it's a major effort nowadays. I also have a seated elliptical trainer, and I will do 2-3 minutes on it. Id love to do more but it huts my joints a lot. I had to work up to getting my knees to "allow" the rotation.

But every small effort is worth it. It helps speed my metabolism just that little bit more AND those minutes add up.

So, those are just some of the tricks I use. Maybe they'll help you, or give you ideas of ways to modify your weight loss program.

Good luck!

The journey may not be easy, but it's worth it!

Hoping for a wonderful Wednesday

Good morning on this beautiful Wednesday morning. The sun is out, sky is blue, absolutely smashing out there. Yes, it's all going to change this afternoon, they are promising storms, but for now, all's well.

Last night I labelled a box of #AVONbrochures, and hubby is going to go to our local Chinese after work (#MeiMeiHouse in Simpsonville) and restock my rack in there while he picks us up Chinese for dinner. Love my Sha Cha Beef!  They are so nice there too, they make it for me with less oil, no msg, and adding carrots and onions ... and I divvy it up into portions and freeze the remainder for lunches other days. Its helped me lose 63lbs so far! Can't complain about that!

I need to do some more decluttering. If I do it little and often, I hope eventually it'll all be done! Who knew I'd have so much junk????

I am wading through library books right now. I find a show that I like, and then somehow, I want to read the book. Netlix has been bad for me, LOL, getting me involved in different series. First it was Vera, then Shetland (reading one of the books to that, at the mo) and now I'm into Legends, so have those books requested. 

I've always loved to read, escaping into other places/lives simply by the turning of a page. I used to love to write too, but my muse seems to have disappeared. I shall have to see if I can find her again.

You may have tangible wealth untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be--
I had a Mother who read to me.
Strickland Gillilan 1869-1954

I have always been drawn to that ending of his poem (which was about being a boy whose mother read to him). I believe in reading to children, it helps with their learning and comprehension of language, from an early age. I'm also a believer in early childhood education, especially early reading, as once you can read, a whole new world is opened up to you. When I did day care, my premise was that learning should be fun, and that was how I worked my days, having fun with little ones. "My kids" learned without even realising they were learning, and I loved what I did. One of my passions, I guess you would say. I'm still in touch with some of my former charges today.

I'm quite pleased with myself, I have been managing to get on my seated elliptical and pedal for a few. It still hurts my knees, and I have to be careful, but I am using it to counter one of the effects of one of my beta blockers. Sometimes my heart rate goes down to 42-43 beats per minute and starts feeling weird, so I now go and pedal to being it up into the 50s, which calms it down. The ultrasound (echocardiogram) that was done the other week shows my heart is healthy and good, and now that they have me on the blood thinner, the palpitations (now known to be atrial fibrillation, otherwise called a-fib) have minimized greatly, for which I am extremely thankful!

And obviously, the exercise is good for me too!  

Well, I guess I need to get on and "do" some more. I find spreading chores throughout the day, and doing little by little, helps me get through them more easily. I am definitely thankful that I am managing to do more, now. It's hard to have been independent and suddenly find yourself incapable of doing things you took for granted before. I just hope I continue to improve.

Have an awesome day, my friends!

Ah Memories!

Today is another jaunt back to my transatlantic travels. I LOVED the QEII. I honestly could have travelled on her 365 days of the year, had I been a rich person. Yet, I always felt I was a bit of a fraud. Some people saved for years  just to be able to go on a "trip of a lifetime", and here I was, using it simply as a way to get from point A to point B - because I do not fly. As if it were a Greyhound bus, doing an epic 5 day cross country, the only difference being that it was crossing an ocean ... and oooh so much more comfortable!

At the time, hubby was working in Georgia, in a lovely own called Valdosta. We'd been staying in a motel for about 3 months, when it came time for me to leave. He drove me to Atlanta to catch the Amtrak up to New York ... which decided to run late and my journey was tense as I kept checking my watch to see if we were making up any of the lost time. Luckily, in New York, I had an awesome taxi driver who got me to the port with moments to spare before the ship was due to sail ... only to find it was delayed awaiting some passengers whose plane was arriving late.

I daresay they were part of a fly/cruise combo, as I don't think they'd have held it up for me had I called and said my train was delayed!

On my 2nd sailing, I was more relaxed. I knew what I liked, and knew what I was ok with, or just not bothered about. I dined in the restaurant the first evening, but the people on my table just didn't "click" like on the first trip, so that was my only formal dinner. The rest of the voyage, I hung out in the Lido and ate from the buffet there.

Itertainment did I want to attend? 

It was a brilliant journey. One of my favourite actors from my teenage years was one of the speakers. Simon Williams, who had been the son, James Bellamy, in "Upstairs, Downstairs".

I went to listen to his talk, and was trying to take a photo, unobtrusively, and he saw me, stopped talking, grinned and struck a pose. I am sooo annoyed as I cannot find the photo to put on here. He was really entertaining, talked about his acting career, and told funny little anecdotes about his life.

What was even sweeter was that, for the rest of the trip, whenever he saw me in the Lido, he would stop and chat. Just a regular guy.

Another highlight was seeing a band from my childhood, Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders.

I caught them during rehearsal, to pick their brains on a song that was a memory for me, but whose title had been evading me for years. It had been in the charts during the same time they'd been in their heyday. We all hummed it, and they remembered it. Miki and Griff 1963!

They too were just regular guys, and we chatted like old friends. That evening, I went to their performance and was just as enthralled as when I was a kid watching them on our black and white telly.

I know I have been blessed to have done some of the things, I've been able to do, in my life. I've had some wonderful experiences. 

Here's a documentary about the QE2, it's an old one, as she is now retired and has been sold to a company in Dubai, to become a floating hotel, as her predecessor, the Queen Mary, is, in Long Beach, California.

This brings back so many memories! I hope you enjoy!

Have a wonderful day, my friends!

A Good Day So Far

I had a rough night but went back to sleep after hubby left for work, this morning. I'd been unable to sleep knowing my poor granddaughter and her family had been awake 24 hours, had a delayed flight from Boston due to weather, and still had to drive home from Atlanta once they made it to the airport. We had storms coming through here, too, and I just couldn't sleep for worrying. They did make it home safely though, and will probably sleep today away.

Since waking, after my nap, I've been enjoying my day. 

I managed to make it to the other end of the house, and popped bedding in to wash. I LOVE the smell and feel of fresh washed sheets! 

I found the latest series of Rectify on Netflix, and have started catching up on it. It's a very good show, yes very slow at times, but very deep and complex. 

Had myself a Healthy Choice Sesame Chicken for lunch, with a  Strawberry Cheesecake Fiber One bar for dessert. It was what I fancied, and a little of what you fancy does you good, as they say. I usually try to eat mainly unprocessed stuff now, I love my fruits and salads, but today, I just felt like having what I had.

I have worked on my AVON this morning. I had one of my customers call me, and we chatted awhile, and then I sent out an email offer of a discount code, to all my customers whose email addresses I have. I still have to work on some working with some of my team members.

It's a beautiful day outside, and I have the doors and windows open just letting the fresh air in. 2 fans running but saving by not needing the AC, for which I am thankful, although Duke Power will probably resent not getting my dollars.

I have given up on finding my birth certificate (I've been looking for it since before my birthday, as I need it to get my driver's license renewed) so yesterday, I ordered another from the General Registrar's Office. Once it gets here, we can go to Greer and get me back behind the wheel. I must admit, I'm quite happy being a passenger, but hubby seems to be getting fed up with being the only chauffeur.

While searching, rummaging through places I might find it, I ended up looking through some memorabilia from my QEII sailings. I really enjoyed them!

My first was in 1990, when hubby had left the Air Force as we ended our last posting in Germany, after I had taken my last flight and vowed never to do that to myself again. I sailed from Southampton to New York, and then took an Amtrak down to Sanford in Florida, where my hubby met me at the train station.

The sailing was a wonderful experience, and I met some awesome people. Each had their own story to tell.

Eddie Khedoury was a lonely man who I saw a lot of, and spoke to, during the trip. He had led an interesting life. He was born in Iraq and then living in London, he had originally immigrated from Iraq to Canada, and then - as a Canadian citizen - moved to England. Apparently he had made his money in dealing arms, and originally had tried to immigrate to England from Iraq and been turned down. He had married, and he and his wife had chosen not to have children, but to live a jet set life, travelling the world.

Then she had died, and he was all alone.

I felt sorry for him, with no family, and he joined the table I was with, in the restaurant. I loved our bunch, the others were such interesting people and all had stories to tell. One lady was a teacher from Toronto, one man was an international gold dealer, and another had played cello with orchestras all over the world. The conversations were always engaging.

Mauretania Restaurant photo,
Me and Eddie Khedoury

I loved the daily activities on board, and attended a stage show in the theater, along with various talks and lectures. It was really awesome.

Hard to think, now, that that trip was 27 years ago! My first taste of ocean travel, and the one that whetted my appetite!

Have a great day, my friends. Many blessings.

Today I joined the Massage Club

I am so thankful to Roger, the "other" man in my life right now. He is my reflexology therapist and he is awesome. Reflexology is one of the natural tools I am using to help with relaxation and trying to get my wayward blood pressure under control.

Today, I joined the Massage Club at Studio Rejuvenate, well worth the $99 and today was my free session for my birthday the other week. Now, for the next year, all my massages and reflexology will be half price! Yay!

My favourite part is my feet. Sooo relaxing! I could fall asleep while Roger is working on them.

I didn't realise how much the hands were also connected to other parts of the body, until I started going to Roger. It's amazing.

Today was absolutely wonderful and restful. Mark enjoyed his too.

Studio Rejuvenate is in Greer, SC, behind the Hardee's on Wade Hampton. If you mention that Rosemary Dempsey recommended you, you'll get $20 off your first session! If you live locally - Try it! You will not be disappointed, I promise!