THE ENEMY

THE ENEMY

 This very small scale is a spirit breaker. How many times have you stood on this very innocent looking and wondered how in the heck did I get to this weight again? It just sits on the floor. Doesn't harm anyone. When you step on it gives you an accurate answer sometimes it groans while it is doing it. Well, I am going really work on getting this stubborn little scale to become my friend. I am going to work on putting less pressure on the poor thing. For most of my life I have been battling the bulge. I am at the time of my life where genetics are taking over and I am losing the battle with my health. My blood sugar is becoming a problem as my A1C is starting to inch up and by exercising is not taking care of it. I have been battling the weight issue for most of my life. I remember being in high school going to the doctor who gave me Speed to help curb my appetite and make me move around more. I went over to my sisters house and stripped all of her wood floors in one day. Talk about speedy. I don't think there has been a diet that I have not tried. There was the Cabbage Soup Diet which I lost some weight on then I went directly into the Atkin's Diet with devastating result. I kind of new that I did not digest a lot of meat very well and the Atkin's Diet is all about protein. I had an attack of Diverticulitis which I did not know I had. I spent a week in the hospital with a contagious decease in my blood. So, needless to say I off that diet. Then I went to Weight Watcher's after I saw a picture of myself and I thought I was beginning to look like a beached whale. I lost 35 pounds. That weight probably stayed off the longest but, as all of us who are battling weight issues know they do seem to come right back on. Luckily not all of the weight found its way back to me. When I noticed that the scale was starting groan every time I stepped on it I thought I would try some other ways of losing weight. There was the French Women Don't Diet  diet. This diet you eat whatever you want but only half and you eat very slowly. It was working somewhat. Then came my husband being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. I lost 24 pounds when my husband lost 35 and it was all done with watching what we were eating. It was low fat, no sugar and smaller portions. Well, needless to say that ain't working anymore. The latest and not so greatest was the Six Week Body Makeover. Man can you lose weight fast. The pounds just drop off. You can lose 10 pounds in a week. But, let me tell you something the pounds come right back on if you go off and they come on quick. Now comes the next diet. I went back to Weight Watcher's today. I thought that it is one diet that seems to work and I did not feel I was denied. So, I am going to give it my best shot. I am going to be updating my progress each week and no I will not tell anyone how much I weight. The update will be just how much I have lost or not lost. I am hoping with me sharing my progress will shame me into being good and losing the weight. I need to stop the yo-yo.

Wish me luck and remember to live you Life in Celebration.

MONDAY IS LAUNDRY DAY

IT IS MONDAY AND LAUNDRY DAY!

I cannot believe how much laundry two people can have. How does just two people have so many dirty clothes? There are at least six loads of wash here and that does not include the dry cleaning I need to drop off. What is interesting is I don't work outside of the home so you would think I would have less laundry but, NO. I am going to have to keep a closer eye on my husband because he has to be the one who is dirtying all of these clothes. He must be trying on different pants and shirts then dropping them in hamper. I would hate to see what the piles would look like if there were four of us. I could not imagine what it would be like if there were ten members in our family. Those families must be doing laundry everyday. Then just think of all of ironing there is. Does the mother get stuck with all of it or is it divided up? If it is yours you iron it? When I think about the piles they must have I am very happy with my six loads.  Plus I do not iron. I send all of my husband's work clothes to the laundry and dry cleaners. The only thing I iron is some of my stuff that was sent to the cleaners but now that I don't work out of the home any more I did feel that I should be at least doing that. Well sunlight is burning and the laundry is not going to get done by itself. We can only wish. 

Remember to live your Life in Celebration even if the day is spent doing laundry.

APRIL BIRTHDAY'S

BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR FOUR

Here we have three of the birthday girls. The three are (R to L) Jo, Carol, and Mary. The woman to the far left is Janet and her birthday is in January. As you can see they all were really enjoying the food which was potluck.

This is Pam and her birthday will be in September. 

This is Barb and her birthday will be in just about two weeks. Haven't really decide when we will be celebrating her special day.

The fourth birthday girl is Anne with her two children the oldest is Theo and the youngest is Archie.

Here is Jo with her little girl Georgina. What a cutie!

There are ten of us ladies give or take who try to get together at least once a week for coffee or a lunch here or there. We really try to make sure we celebrate each others birthday by going out to lunch someplace special. This year for these four because their birthdays are within a two week period we often celebrate them together and Jo thought it would be fun to have them over to her new home for a potluck. We were bless with a nice day and great food. We got to play with the little ones and see their progress in walking and talking. The kids were great.

It was a great day of Life in Celebration.

EARTH DAY

Today was Earth Day. It is kind of sad when you really think about it that we all have to be reminded of the condition of the planet. Earth Day is where everyone plants trees, have neighborhood clean-ups, and educate some of us about Earth Day. I can honestly say I did not remember that is was Earth Day today and did not change my daily routine. I did not plant a tree, clean out a water way, or pick-up trash along the highway. I am not trying to make this into a joke or anything like that I just think that it is sad that we have to set aside a day where these are some of the things we do to help the well being of the earth. It would be nice if this is something that we did all the time. Why can't people throw their trash in trash cans rather than toss it out of their car in parking lots. How tough is it to make sure your plastic bags don't blow away and get tangled up in a neighbors fence. We have some neighbors who really like to have friends over and party. They all seem to like to park in front of our house and toss out beer cans before they leave for home. We often wake up with a beer can on our front lawn. It is not the neighbor who picks up the cans it is us. 

I think that you have to really change people's mind set before you will really have a chance for any change in how we treat the earth. We need for people to realize that dirty diaper they left on the side of the road is hazardous waste because they didn't want it in their car or were too lazy to walk ten feet to the trash can at the rest area. How do you do that? Change people into being responsible citizens of the earth and it's care taker. If you see trash pick it up don't make it worse.

Everyone is celebrating Earth Day. Went to the grocery store today and they were handing out free seedlings for planting a tree in your yard. Beth, I have a seeding for you to plant in your yard to block that monstrosity your neighbors felt it was so important to build next to your back fence. The seedling is suppose to grow big and tall.  If you want it let me know if you don't then I will find a place to plant it.

GETTING READY

GETTING READY FOR THE SPRING OPEN

This is Linda with her back to us, Sherry holding the GPS system, and Susan looking on. I am the one taking the photo.

Just some local scenery. 

The girls are down in Mesquite for a couple of day getting ready for the Utah Women's Golf Association's Spring Open Golf Tournament. We are playing the courses so we can decide where we will be placing the tee's for the tournament. We don't want to make the course that the low handicappers  (the big girls) are shooting ridiculously low scores or the high handicappers out on the course till dark just trying to finish the course. So far we have played one of the courses The Palms and today we will be playing the Casa Blanca. The Palms the ladies will be playing a Chapman ( this is were the team of two women will each hit a drive then switch and hit the others ball then decide which ball is best and finish with alternate shots until the ball is in the cup) then at the Casa Blanca they will play a Scramble. This tournament is generally the first tournament of the golf season. This year however we have move the tournament from April to May so we could have a little more dependable weather. Not sure if this is really going work or not. We may have to look at how if all played out this year and adjust so if work better if needed. 

Well I should be going it is about time for me to head over to the golf course. Did I tell you it was going to be around 97 degrees today. The trick is water water water. 

Remember live your Life in Celebration.

REMEMBER THE SISTERS

NORMA AND NICKY

You remember my two older sisters. Well I meet up with them today and we had lunch and some shopping. We went to Pei Wei in Bountiful. I had the Shrimp Fried Rice and the sisters had Sweet and Sour Shrimp and Shrimp Lo Mein. Pei Wei is one of our favorites. It was a nice lunch and it was fun shopping. We went to my favorite place to find deals and that was TJ Maxx's. We found us new purses, tea, spices for cooking (planning on using some on the tuna I am going to prepare for dinner) and Norma found a little dress for one of her great grandchildren. It was a great time spent with them. The one thing that was missing today was our little sister Pam. She is the one who needs a lot of help in just being her. Pam is 5 years than I am. She is tall, skinny and beautiful not like the rest of us who is shorter, not thin, and okay looking. I would have added a photo of her but I don't have one that is digital that I can share and that is very sad to me. 

There has always been some tension between Pam and the sisters. I would have to say that tension is mostly between me and Pam. I don't know for sure why or what has caused it. Was it something from our childhood or from when we grew older. It must be from our childhood because as soon as I could get out of my parents home I was gone. I just know our relationship is on shaky ground. At this time in our life we are not speaking. She talked to me when we were preparing for the funeral of my mothers husband and then when we prepared for my mother's. 

We have not spoken since my mother passed in January.  I found out not long ago from my sisters that Pam has cancer of pancreas. I was told they had removed the pancreas and she is getting treatment. I called her as soon as I found out but as usual she did not answer the phone or return my phone call. I am worried about her but I know that she will not reach out to us for support or even a ear to talk to. Today I found out that the week she found out about her cancer she also lost her job. I know that her job was the only health insurance they have. Her husband is self employed and has several issues with his health also and that is why she was still working. It breaks my heart that she will not reach out to us and let come and give her support by just being with her. She didn't even call Nicky (the one sister that she does speak to) until after the surgery and she was home. I just don't know what to do for her because she doesn't let us in to her life. 

Not sure what to do or how to act or feel about this whole thing. I know I want her to get better and be healthy and safe. But, I feel that I should be doing something to make her want us there but from past experiences I do know you never just show up at her house. I hope that she know that no matter what has happened in the past is not so big that we are not family and that we love her and want to be there for her. I am just afraid that something will happen to her and I will not be there for her or with her. 

Pam I just want you to know that we love you and want you to let us be there for you when you need us. 

CURBED

We decided on updating our yard this year by enlarging the flower beds and adding some curbing. We hired this great little company call Curbman. They came right out on the first sunny day and started their work. The photo below is the machine they use to take out the sod so they can lay the curb. 

Two Man Job

Extending the flower bed behind the house. As you can see they need some work. 

Around the corner and along the south side of the house.

We decided to also but the curbing around the trees. We wanted to get the grass away from the base of the three trees so that the grass will not take so much of the water. Should of taken a photo of the curbing when they got done. They also have this dandy machine that lays the curbing nice and even. Can't touch it for four hours and can't stand on for 24. But, I think I will save that for when all of the work is done. Did I mention work. Well, now the real work begins. The crew that cut the grass and rolled the sod in big rolls and dumped them into our trash cans, which are now so full we can't add our own household trash for the next pickup, laid the curb, cleaned up, took the check and then left. If you look at these photos you will see there is still a lot of grass left behind that needs to be pulled up and out of the areas now enclosed by the curbing. Once the grass is all gone I will be moving the load of topsoil that will be dumped in the middle of my driveway. I will be back filling where I took out all of the sod to make the flower beds look nice and even. Then around the trees I want to dig down a little bit more so the trees will have a bunch of new soil to feed them and help them grow better. The soil is so poor here because our house is sitting on top of Old Lake Bonneville. We don't have inches deep of clay we have yards deep of clay to deal with. I think it will look fantastic when all is said and done. The one slight problem is:

 I AM THE ONE THAT IS GOING BE DOING ALL OF THE WORK!!!!!! 

I have until May 5th to get most of this done either all of the sod taken out and if I have that done then I will need to have the topsoil spread out by then. 

Hey if your not doing anything???

I know when this is all done I will say that it was all worth the time and efforts and I will remember by then that it is all about living my Life in Celebration.