A pox on both houses

Time after time I get the same question from people: am I a Republican? Because I'm critical of Obama and the Dem leadership, I must be, right?

Wrong-o. I was a Dem -- a happy unquestioning one -- for, oh, what's 53 minus 18? {thinking}....

25 years!

I'll probably never join the GOP, tho, as it presently stands. Only if they lighten up a bit on the social issues and the almighty worshipping of business. Now, see, that right there USED to be my niche in the Dem den. No more. They are too far left now.

***********************

Wacamole My Week

I just finished one of the weirdest, saddest and pissiest weeks of my life.

***SNIP SNIP SNIP***

Yup, I don't want the hassle of having to explain my feelings.

Here's to better days. :-)

Mother May I?

Happy Cinco de Mayo, everyone. May is steamrolling through my life at about the same speed as the rest of this year - superfast. Mother's Day is this Sunday and then before I blink good it'll be Memorial Day.

It's also heated up even more down here on the Third Coast since my last entry. Slowly, surely, noticeably. One good thing that has come from it is that I have renewed my efforts to lose some more weight. About dang time, huh?

I should say, if I just make sure every day that I eat and drink everything I am supposed to, it's pretty much a weight loss program. Some days it's a real struggle just to drink the metamucil, the green tea (cuz I gotta have my coffee, too!), the water, the V8... eat the salad, the cheese, the fruit, and the Lean Cuisines or dinner-in-a-bag entree... and not the fast food.

I've been hanging in there, though, and been good for a few days now. Hopefully this will continue.

I want to make clear that I am not at all motivated to do this in order to wear a bathing suit. Lord, no, I can wear my bathing suit in my own pool in my own backyard just fine the way I am. I'm motivated to do this now because warmer weather makes me less hungry overall, and I sweat more. If you had my body, you would know that my fat folds get positively psychotic about sweat.

Ok, ok, I get that way. One summer a few years back, I ignored my fat folds and developed a bad skin infection. Not fun. I believe that's when I discovered Gold Bond medicated skin lotion and I use it religiously to this day, year round. If you are reading this and not in menopause yet, just suffice it to say that after menopause your skin crawls, itches, burns...for no reason at all. It's like your nerve endings are freaking out. Gold Bond helps immensely.

So, anyway, I'm thinking that the more weight I can lose, the better my fat folds will get. A girlfriend of mine scoffs at the idea, though. She has fat folds too, and she says that fat folds are better than skin folds, meaning when you lose the fat in your folds, you are left with skin folds and they droop more.

Great, just great. Deep down I refuse to believe that my skin has lost all of its elasticity, that if I lose the fat in my folds I won't also lose the folds. Say it ain't so, Joe.

I will say one thing, I'm losing those folds one way or another, even if I have to go under the knife. I'm thinking a full frontal slice-off would do just the trick, and take the boobs off, too.

Such is the madness that May brings.... ;-)

Not my best day...

Wednesday was bill-paying day for me, no foolin'. I began the day just going to check out to see if that computer virus was causing any harm, then ran my anti-virus, then started in paying bills online.

You know it takes me forever to do stuff that just 10 years ago I could do brain-dead, but I was going good until my internet connection began slowing down in the afternoon. I was ready to quit paying bills and only had a few more. Talk about aggravating. It probably wasn't a good idea to keep on. Just should have saved the rest for today. But, then I began getting a load of emails in my inbox to look at this art and that art, etc. So, I kept on through the slowness.

By the time Hubs got home from work I was totally scattered. Could not focus on a thing. Shoulda just laid down for a nap, but I was behind on my to-do list. This is just one reason why my condition right now during my treatment totally sucks: I cannot control my concentration well any more and so if there is a deadline involved I better get it done early.

I think I now know why elderly people have to pester you until you do their work. For years as an accountant, that irritated me to no end. I just couldn't understand, why no patience? Well, now I think I have some idea.

Anyway, by about 10pm, I was way behind and tried to sleep, but now I was too keyed up. So, for the last 6 hours I've been trying to get some done and have managed to only go through emails, do the dishes and two loads of laundry. Oh and take a shower. That won't win the Olympics of Chores, will it?

Worst part was, I missed posting a blog entry for Wednesday. {Pout!} I was on a roll!!! (Said like I'm Marlon Brando not being a "contendah" in On the Waterfront...lol.)

Now, my left thigh hurts. So does the left side of my lower back. I'm feeling little tiny spasms. This cannot be good, ok? I hate my frickin body. I wish I had a masseuse who made house calls...at 5 a.m.

Off to try to take a nap and relax and quit thinking about stressful things.....

emBRACEable me...

You may be wondering, what the heck is in that photo? Well, it's what has been snugly adorning my neck for the last several days: my lovely neck brace. :-))

I was instructed to buy the brace almost a decade ago for the pinched nerve in my neck. Apparently, wearing it helps decompress where the spinal discs are pinching the nerve. I remember at the time, the doctor told me that the progression of home therapy was the brace, a chin strap and weights on the end of my bed, and then inversion, like the Teeter Inversion Hang-Ups.

I'm of two opinions about my neck brace. On the one hand, it does provide some decompression and relief, but I have learned through trial and error that I need to wear the thing 8 hours to get 8 hours of relief. Any less wear and the relief time shortens. You can imagine how old that can get on a daily basis, so I only use it when I'm in unbearable pain or pain with accompanying arm and finger numbness like I'd had recently.

And now that all this time has passed, my problems have worsened to where the second step of the therapy is useless. A Teeter is definitely in my near future, but meanwhile, the neck brace is going to be worn until it quits producing any relief.



My neck problems really couldn't have come at a better time weather-wise. Since I last blogged, we had 2-3 days of rain. Pretty dreary-looking. Had it continued to be all sunny and springy, I'd have been even more unhappy.



Then we had a cold front (cool front for ya'll up North). The days were cool, but the nights were in the 40's which is cold for here. Hubs had just finished lecturing me about not running Reggie's heater, so I made it a point to tell him the heater was back on, bud, and don't mess with it. Every night Reggie runs into his house as soon as the plug is connected, and stays there all night long, so I know he needs the warmth. Hubs is so heartless sometimes. Me, I turn it on the minute it hits 59 or colder. Hubs would let it get into the 40's before plugging it in. I'm hoping he comes back as a dog whose owner is just like him in this regard, hehe. Then he will see. ;-)



We did manage to have some good food, though. Here is Hubs posing so enthusiastically (not) with his major award from work, a new smoker pit. Every so often, if you have contributed something safety-wise, they give you a web link and tell you to choose a gift. This is what Hubs chose back around Christmas.



Here's my plate: pulled pork, potato salad and broccoli. It was awesomely delish. Eating it with the neck brace on: not so fun, but I managed. ;-)

Spring in My Step...

Golly Geebers, I needed a good day today and so far I've been blessed. Today has been wonderfully Springy down here: 70's, partly sunny, not too much wind. The hum of lawn mowers and trimmers has been constant. Usually I abhor that, but I cannot be mad at anything today.

Sorry I've been so long between posts, but this past week has been a bad one for me healthwise. Last week was my intravenous therapy week for my arthritii, and I always feel like warmed over crap for about 7-10 days afterwards. I have night sweats, the runs, and I am sick to my stomach more often than not. It is in fact a bit like chemotherapy, except thank goodness no hair loss. It's all about forcing toxins and bad stuff out. I really ought to be feeling poorly, but on the Spring Equinox with cooperative weather, how can I feel other than great? Mind over matter for one day! winkwink

Today I took good care of our Reggie Dog. It had been 1 month and 10 days since his last bath, I am ashamed to say. So, I corrected that. Then, I washed and dried his dog bed, his blanket and the curtain covering his dog house door. (He lives right outside our back door on the covered porta cache, in a Little Tykes Playhouse, with a space heater inside, and it would have a window unit air conditioner if it were up to me, winkwink.)

While his bedding was in the wash, Reggie got to spend the afternoon on top of a soft cushiony blanket and watch Animal Planet. Hubster came home from work and Reggie got to go sit with him and watch TV a little longer. Then, we all went outside and helped Hubs shop-vac the inside of the doghouse. I picked up and threw out all of the remnants of steak bones that were hidden in corners, along with some nasty little stuffed animals that were beyond saving.

King Reginald's castle is once again clean and refreshed. I've made a promise to give him a bath every Saturday and to wash his bedding. He's such a sweet obedient doxie and loves his baths and his clean digs. I know 2009 is officially the year of the ox according to the Chinese, but around here it might just be the year of the dog. winkwink

My ER / Friday, the 13th Weekend

I have had the most interestingly annoying last 4-5 days, with this weekend being the most annoying. Though I've tried, I have been unsuccessful at shaking the negativity involved with bad days. This leads to an ill feeling just under the surface. You're handling it, you think. But is it really handling you?

For one thing, it has been crappy weather: bone-chilly wetness hours on end, day after day and no sunshine. This gets my arthritii flared because of the humidity, so my neck is in crackly stiffness and pain 24/7. And, really, my fingers, feet, left shoulder, right hip...you get the idea.

I had a slight reprieve on Thursday night when I chanced upon ER on TV, and was utterly delighted I had. I used to be a huge ER fan. I know I watched faithfully for at least the first 5 years. It holds a place in my TV heart even if I got tired of the same old same old with different characters.

Well, they are closing it out right by bringing back old characters in the plot, like to say goodbye along with the current cast. This episode was especially awesome for me because I had always wanted Doug and Carol to re-unite and live Happily Evuh, ya know? Well, guess what, they have - score! It was pure heaven seeing that sexy smile on Doug's face and not have to cringe, thinking uh-oh he's going to screw up again. No, really, it was nice seeing them both in love with each other, mature and happy.

But Friday morning, I was woke up out of a dead sleep by the police knocking on my door! Turns out my phone had water in the line (again!) and was dialing 911 and hanging up. I kid you not. Now, that ticked me off. What a waste of tax money to send the cops on goose chases, and also, can't Verizon figure out how to cut the power to lines that do this...or even better, have them dial their own freakin repair number! Omgosh, that's just so messed up.

Next up, Saturday...the Hubs decides to clean under the cook top. You may recall our wall oven is not working because the element broke off in his hands when he was cleaning that. Well, you guessed it: somehow, when he was cleaning, he managed to make the clicker sound go non-stop (it's natural gas). We had to end up flipping off the breaker to get it to stop. The stove top can still be used, we just have to light the flame manually. Don't know about you, but I think he needs to quit cleaning appliances. LOLOL, poor guy.

Sunday night, my internet went out. Another annoying thing. I was spooked enough by this time to wonder if there was water in the cable, winkwink. Talked to my dad and he reminded me these things run in 3's, so I should be okay for awhile from now on. One can always hope! :-))

Malto-Meal Morning

Every once in a while, I splurge. Kinda like people who never quit wanting their breakfast to be Cocoa Puffs every day.

I never got to eat Malto-Meal growing up, though. Hubs neither. Both of us were in families where foods like that and Tang and frozen veggies and tv dinners were extravagances. So we indulge our childhood dreams in this small and enjoyable way.

Well, Spring is sputtering awake around my parts. The weather has been much like Dickens described, "It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer
in the light, and winter in the shade."

All week it's been sunny at times during the day, then cloudy and blustery. No rain, though. We are down 7 inches on the year so far, which is a lot. I just don't remember such a display of seasonal change as in the last year. It's a welcome change.

I finally have a working car now! A birthday present of sorts from the Hubster...getting it fixed, that is. He took off a couple of days last week and got it repaired. The right rear wheel bearings had to be replaced. But then it got sort of ridiculous. There's a diagnostic light that is supposed to come on when there's engine trouble, but as the car aged it came on when the gas cap wasn't on there just exactly like it liked. (My Honda has the same light, and personally I think it's a sneaky way to make you have to take it in to the dealer for maintenance, if you ask me.)

Anyway, the Focus light was on and Hubs took it down to the auto parts store to get it turned off. But he had to then drive it for 40-50 miles in order to let it re-diagnosis all the different things it monitors and a-okay them. Only then would it pass inspection.

For almost 2 days, Hubs drove the Focus around and around, until Saturday it finally was ready to get inspected. Thankfully, it passed or I'd probably still be car-less.

Took it out for the first time yesterday to run some quick errands. It has just over 48,000 miles and I realized that if I drive it slowly I'll enjoy it. That is the key. Otherwise, I'm going to expect it to be as powerful and responsive as the Honda, and that ain't gonna happen. Missy always mentions how powerful the Honda makes her feel when she's driving, and the engine is quick and strong. It could easily be like crack to Missy, who never met a speed limit she obeyed. winkwink

I'm ashamed to say I've gained back those 5 pounds from the holidays. I suspect it was/is the Valentines chocolate, of course. I emailed the nutritionist and she was like, no worries. Immediately begin drinking green tea, cutting out all butter, and get more exercise in. I really can't argue with that.

The last few days have been high on pain for me. I've been trying to get all my sleep, too. And since I'm now doused in drowse, I'll seeya next time!

what's doin'

There's been some chilly nights down here lately. We've been having a few days of nasty uber-humidity and then a cool front blows through to dry things out slightly before the cycle repeats.

That means pain for me...when it's humid, pain all over. Pain after sleeping no matter the position. Even tried one night in the recliner and that used to never make me hurt. It's just to be suffered. When it's cold, I get a little relief but I also tend to feel the cold more and I'm a shaker. winkwink

Lots of concern down here over border events, too. People are on edge about it. It was recently reported that the Feds find around a dozen Middle Easterners a month illegally crossing the border. They just don't publicize it. Knowing this has somehow woke us up down here a little and we are concerned about the recent confrontations, on the border too. On top of everything else to feel insecure about right now, adding fear of invasion is not welcome. Not to mention that it was also reported that Houston is like the top Al Queda hit spot now. That's just great. Seriously.

I did my annual thing tonight and watched the Academy Awards. Didn't see any of the movies, but it did inspire me to share my 3 top actors and 3 top actresses of all time (this week):

Actors:
1. William Powell
2. Dick Powell
3. Gary Cooper

Actresses:
1. Norma Shearer
2. Lana Turner
3. Ingrid Bergman

Well, sleep calls. Time to go cause some more pain. winkwink

On the cyber road again....

Hey Howdy Hey.

Gosh, it's been 5 whole days since I last posted because we have been without a land phone and cable tv and internet all that time, except for about 3 short periods where they thought it was fixed and it wasn't. There was some kind of physical overload that took both Verizon and Comcast that long to re-allocate, if that makes any sense. But, everything's working now, finally.

I spent a good deal of that offline time sleeping all that I could, due to a really painful arthritii flare and some strained back muscles from the hacking fits I'm still having. Good news on the hacking is that it's down to about once a day now. I've called my doctor's office again, and they are not impressed. According to them, I am performing typically and it will wane away slowly and surely. So, I just try not to think about it and let the days go by. I have also done quite a bit of radio and music listening, which is always good. I even drug out Missy's hand-me-downed mp3 player and enjoyed using it. The songs she originally downloaded onto it back in like 2006 are still on it, LOL. Guess I need to try to download some new ones one of these days, huh?

I've also decided to let you all off the hook and am working on starting a separate political blog with some like minded friends. It will be so separate that I'm not even going to link it on my blogs. I do need to vent my opines, but most of the audience that appreciates it isn't the same one that reads this blog. I finally figured that out during my offline hiatus. I've basically been trying to mix water and oil by hand. Not gonna happen. So, I adjust, because I do have to express that part of me. (P.S. - for those of you who I know will want to know the new blog, I will email you privately. Not to worry. winkwink)

Things here at Casa Miguel are the same old same old, except that I haven't really had a car to drive since the last week of January and I've been learning to adjust to that. Can't remember if I blogged about this or not, but Missy came home then to get her Focus inspected as it expired on 1/31. We'd been considering giving her Focus to my brother's oldest who turns 16 in March, so we let Missy take my CRV back with her to school and we kept her Focus.

Fast forward to now. The Focus is sitting in the driveway and is still not inspected. It developed a loud noise coming from the left back wheel right before she brought it, which is probably something like wheel bearings that need to be repacked or some such, but it probably won't pass inspection until that is fixed. Hubs is going to get an assistant in a week or so at work, which means he can take a half-day off here and there when needed finally, so as soon as that happens, he's driving it to the mechanic for an estimate of what it will take to get it in "Grandma" shape (fix whatever is wrong to get it in good enough working order that your grandma could drive it reliably). And, if it's worth fixing up, as it is a 2001 Ford, after all.

Commentary: If it was my 2002 Honda CRV or Hubs' 2001 Toyota Rav, there'd be no question that it would be worth it. Such is the sad state of American car companies today. Just sayin'.... and I do remain optimistic that the Focus will be worth driving for another year or two after it is worked on.

Anyway, I'm having to wing it without wheels, something I've not done since the fall of 1981. It's strange to not be able to just jump in the car if I need or want to, but I'm also amazed it's not been that tough. I am not driving an uninspected car, because I just don't want to chance a stupid ticket. Hubs doesn't mind, so if I do need a car, he's offered to switch with me and we have done that once when I had a doctors appointment in Houston last week. But I don't want him getting a ticket, so I really try not to switch.

But, for just mailing letters or going to the grocery store, I've been able to manage by just going at night after he gets home. And I really don't need a car every day. So, when Hubs began talking let's get a new car for you, I said okay at first, but now I've insisted upon trying to keep the Focus first. I feel bad we won't be giving it to my brother, but this recession has got me spooked and I neither want to part with a lot of cash right now, nor do I want to take on any more debt. It's like a voice speaking to me from my common sense, and I'm not going to shush it.

The second-hardest part was telling Hubs, although he took it well. Like I told him, we can always buy a new car later. Let's try and see if this car will work for me first. After all, what in the world do I need daily transportation for right now besides going to the doctor in Houston, and we can switch cars on those days, once we get the Focus fixed up.

The hardest part was thinking it all out and taking a decisive stand. Dangit! This latest round of arthritii meds is really taking its toll on my ability to think clearly and quickly about new stuff I have to adjust to. I can totally see now what kinds of problems people with ADD and anxiety disorders go through, because I have similar symptoms at different times. The simplest decisions are taking me forever! And it is so frustrating to me, but I've just had to accept it and go with the flow because there's not a dang thing I can do different right now.

I still have some big ticket items I want to buy (like a new computer and some more furniture, cuz remember that Missy took a lot of our furniture for her apartment). So, I think I almost had an anxiety attack once I remembered that, and then thinking about a new car too. It was just too much. Thankfully Hubs hasn't been pushing it -- I think that is why he acquiesced to my decision without a debate. It's like he knows what I can handle and what I can't. I am so thankful for that, and for him...the old coot. ;-))

Well, time to go do a blog entry on Paper Paisleys and then try to get some blog-visiting in. I am way behind in that department...

I think I jinxed it...

Oy. Happy Super Bowl Sunday.

I haven't posted since Wednesday, because I jinxed my recovery and had a relapse. Called the doc's office Friday and they were not impressed. Been there, done that, apparently. They said I'll be hacking and blowing and *relapsing* for a couple more weeks. Sigh.

Feels like a relapse to me. Harrumph. So it shall be, in my world.

At any rate, it's put a dent in my little power productivity drive I had going on upon feeling better. Drats. Oh well, story of my life. Might as well be used to it.


So it was a good day for a national holiday, then. Hubs and I started out with some chips and dips.


Then, some appetizers...namely, Pillsbury Savorings Flaky Pastry Bites. The cheese and spinach ones are my favorites.


Finally, our entree: Super Bowl Recovery Soup. It's basically ministrone with ground beef mixed in. Soup is good food.

You probably know that I do not watch football. Not a fan of the game, and not a fan of any of the pro sports, really. I do try to make an exception for the big world-class games like the Super Bowl and World Series, though, if Hubs wants me too. And he did want company this year, I decided to be nice.

Neither one of us had any kind of a favorite this year, mainly due to a long-held grudge against the Steelers. Old-timers down here remember them as the arch-enemies of our team, the Oilers (who are now the Titans after leaving Houston and moving to Tennessee).

Still, my head said bet the farm on them. They were our arch-enemies and we hated them, but we did respect their venom. My heart tugged for the Cardinals. So, it was pretty boring until the final 5minutes or so. The commercials were pretty much my only diversion.

So, anyway, Hubs is now asleep and I am watching The Office and trying not to cough. Time to go re-slather Vicks on my feet. :-)))

How sick can I get?

Yup. I'm pretty sure I can make my diagnosis now.

My head feels like there is a definite pressure cabin problem, yet no fever.

No matter how many times I blow my nose, it's always one blow short of being able to sound the All Clear...and by now I have the Rudolph to prove that.

You can definitely hear my every breath. Especially when I breathe through my mouth.

Every so often, the need to cough gently gives way to a whooping sound and chest rumble, which feels like there's a little concrete trying to set up in there.

My eyes kind of burn and the skin around them feels like it's lost all elasticity, so rubbing them hurts. I just finished putting some Visine in them, and they didn't even burn (any more than they have been).

And my body aches in places my arthritii has not yet gone. I do as little physical activity as possible, because it feels if I exert myself I'll make my cold worse. I do get my yoga stretches done twice a day, but then I have to just sit there for a long time afterwards.

I'm seriously considering sleeping for 3 days, until I remember I can hardly stay down for 6-8 hours anymore when I'm "ok". So much for that idea.

Still, I'm doing good so far about not having developed bronchitis yet. Once it settles into my chest, I'm a goner. It's Doc time.

So, here I sit, half expecting the worst, and marvelling at how there's still a chance I might just get better and over this in a matter of days. I am chugging down the OJ, hot green tea, vitamin c, and h2o.

If you would, please send me some get-well wishes. With any luck, I can head this thing off before my coughing gets to the "I-shoulda-bought-some-Depends" stage.

You older ladies will understand... ;-)))

I'm Finally Free!

I do apologize for my absence, but I just decided to go with my natural linear behavior and finish up my tax business paperwork before doing anything else. I think it might have been the only way it was ever gonna get done, LOL. I am finding that my ability to multi-task, a skill at which I used to excel, is slowly but surely ebbing from my bag 'o tricks.

Sometimes you just gotta work with what ya got left. In Texas, we say we gotta dance with who brung us. And I did. There will be a bit more paperwork later, but the ball of it is now in my buyer's court (quite literally, as it's all legal sale paperwork, winkwink).

I can now breathe and feel pretty darn free. The continual pressure of IRS deadlines and client expectations are now a thing of the past. YAY!

So, where does my mind go for comfort? To food, of course. LOL No, seriously, I've been wanting to share with you what we ate on New Years' Day, because it was just so pretty and colorful. Well, to me it was. And delicious.

Simple Southern "country" food. Nothing fancy. And remember, our wall oven is broken, so everything had to be chosen based upon if it could be cooked on the stovetop or in the toaster oven.

We also fixed that yummy cabbage coleslaw at Thanksgiving. It's my new favorite comfort food, and it's made with a package mix. Ham requires an oven, so we just chose another pork: breaded pork chop fillets. The cornbread did not taste quite as good as when we bake it in a cast-iron skillet in the wall oven, but the teflon pan toaster oven version was tasty enough. There's something about cornbread baked in grease that makes it perfect, I guess.

Thanks for letting me share (belatedly). Are ya hungry? winkwink

But anyway, that was our feast to ring in the new and to give us good luck and prosperity for another year. I never feel quite right not paying homage to that glorious food tradition, so now I can proceed with 2009.

Especially now that I only have one tax return to do every year from now on! Yay!

14 Days 2 Go...

I thought this was such a nicely written endorsement for McCain, from the Columbus Dispatch on Sunday:

For president of the United States, The Dispatch endorses Republican Sen. John McCain, whose experience, service and sacrifice for his country make him more qualified to lead the nation.
McCain's Democratic opponent, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, is a rousing motivational speaker, but his experience and achievements -- eight years in the Illinois Legislature and less than four in the U.S. Senate -- do not stand comparison with McCain's.
A resume containing so little evidence of leadership and accomplishment leaves in question Obama's ability to handle the most responsible and difficult job in the world, especially at a time when the nation faces a combination of problems so large and complex that they would challenge even the most seasoned leader.
Nor does it seem likely that a man who has traveled in the left lane of American politics for his entire adult life really is the bipartisan centrist that he claims to be. And with Democrats already in control of the U.S. House and Senate -- and the possibility that they might gain a filibuster-proof majority in the next Senate -- there would be little to check the inevitable excesses of one-party rule if a Democrat wins the White House.
This could have a profound effect on the U.S. Supreme Court. A divided Senate acts as a check on presidential nominations to the court by preventing the confirmation of justices with extreme views. But with a filibuster-proof Senate majority ready to do his bidding, Obama would have the unfettered ability to appoint justices likely to be judicial activists, eager to launch a new era of legislating from the bench. Such a Supreme Court could end up as a rubber stamp for, rather than a check on, the White House and Congress.
While neither party can make a credible claim to fiscal responsibility, the dangers of more deficit spending, a growing national debt and uncontrollable entitlement spending are likely greater with an Obama administration. Democrats have not controlled the White House and Congress simultaneously since 1994. A return to majority status is likely to unleash pent-up demand to enact a Democratic wish list of new and expensive social programs when the nation can't afford the ones it has. Given his party-line voting record in the Senate, there is no indication that Obama is able or willing to stand against such an onslaught.
But many of the policy choices the nation will have to make in the next four years are monumental and should be the result of a bipartisan dialogue, not of unchecked one-party dictate.
Debate and political give and take ensure that decisions have been fully vetted, that all interests and concerns have been weighed and that the resulting decisions enjoy broad public support.
Unlike Obama, McCain has a record of bipartisanship: He was a member of the Gang of 14 Republican and Democratic senators who joined in 2005 to preserve the Senate filibuster rule. Note that this courageous act, which enraged the Republican Senate leadership, preserved the filibuster power for what was then the Democratic minority in the Senate. And that was not the only time that McCain has bucked his party.
At a time when the nation faces serious problems, including international economic turmoil, immigration, health care, war in Afghanistan, nation-building in Iraq and foreign-policy challenges from the Middle East, Russia, China, Iran, North Korea and Venezuela, the president should have an extensive resume and long experience in grappling with tough decisions. Few new presidents have faced an assignment as tough as the one facing the winner of the November election.
From 5 1/2 years as a POW in North Vietnam, where he endured torture, through 25 years in the U.S. House and Senate, McCain has demonstrated the grit, energy and determination that the present challenges demand.
The choice is between a candidate who has been tested to a degree experienced by few and a candidate who is untested. In Obama, Americans are presented with a question mark.
Among the top problems facing the United States is its dire fiscal situation. The nation has a $10 trillion debt and other unfunded obligations to entitlement programs that total $53 trillion. The federal deficit this year is nearly $458 billion and some project the 2009 deficit could hit $700 billion. Despite these staggering numbers, lawmakers and the president just approved a $700 billion Wall Street bailout that they don't have the money to pay for. In short, the United States is dangerously overextended at a time when a worldwide recession threatens.
For years, The Dispatch has called on the president and Congress to deal with this massive, mounting debt which threatens the prosperity and quality of life of generations to come. But year after year, the nation's leaders have kicked the problem down the road.
Seriously confronting this problem will require a president able to call on Americans to make sacrifices for the sake of their grandchildren.
The president will have to ask them to accept cuts in popular programs, tax increases and lowered expectations of what government can afford to do.
Because of the personal sacrifices that McCain has made for the nation, he has unmatched moral authority to call on Americans to take their medicine. If elected, that is precisely what he should do.
The Dispatch urges voters to elect John McCain as president.

20 Days 2 Go...

I read a discussion of this chart and thought it was a good way to 'snapshot' how we got where we are now -- "we" the people (our government and others we trusted not withstanding).

Personally, the chart fits my life's circumstances in a couple of ways, so I had to copy it. That light blue line is the housing price index. It starts around 1987, which was the year we married. Hubs already owned our house he'd bought in 1976, but in 1998 we bought the house we live in now. See on the chart how the blue line is flat until around 1998, then it starts to climb? That's so true. I remember, because we had been waiting for the market to pick up. We bought at the front of the climb, so our home value enjoyed the full ride. (In our area it was a respectable climb and consequently the present values haven't really decreased...yet and hopefully never.) Our stock holdings mirror very roughly the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the red line, except our stock values didn't begin falling until May of this year.

I am thankful there is a 180-degree difference as far as our personal savings rate compared to the green dots. Ours would be sort of a flat line at 10% beginning in 1987 until around 1998, when we sold our first house and managed to save some of that profit and add to it over the last decade. Our bubbles would be in a straight line going diagonally up after 1998. I know we would feel much less secure than we already do right now had we not consistently put off short term pleasures and trivial spending as much as we did. We still managed to spend, I'm sure, more than we have needed to, but at least we saved, too.

The chart bubbles are probably the saddest part of that graph to me. But really, when you look at the 20-25 trend, the housing and stocks look a little more reassuring. But that's also because we have been in those markets for about that long.

Listen, I'm groping for any good thing I can find as mental outlook goes, because we've "temporarily lost" (as Hubs puts it) almost a quarter of a million dollars in Hub's 401K with 9 years to go to full retirement. Yup, about 30% of the whole thing. It can literally give me nausea and diarrhea to think about it too long. 7000+ shares of ExxonMobil. Hubs and most of the other old-timers he works with are bound and determined to hang tough, though. No one is moving one share. They are all convinced it'll be back up, if not in short order, then in the near midterm. No one can persuade them otherwise, and based on my 30 years of calculating retirement distributions of area Exxon retirees, history tells them to do just that. I, however, being the worrier I am, fear this is one time that will defy history.

Consequently, my nerves have really been taking a hit, too. Now that I've written about it, I am just going to try to forget about it. We've no need now to sell and pull out so it can all just sit there. I've researched where our cash sits, and those places are sound. And we have no need at present to borrow a dollar. Now, just to be able to get away from all of the panic and second-guessing on television and online.... LOL

As for tonight's debate, I slept through it, on purpose since I've really not been feeling well at all. I'll be honest. McCain is beginning to irritate me. Obama still irritates me as well, but not quite as much as before. Perhaps because I come at this from the direction of left-center as opposed to being a right wing conservative Christian or long time GOP, I'm past irritated at all of the little hissy fits and nag fests that the Right has been making every time McCain proposes something new or does something they don't like. To me it appears they are all ticked that he didn't run it by them first, and it also looks like to me to they expect that as a condition of solidifying around him. And this frankly makes me snicker snarkily, because it's greatly their own fault IMO he's not kicking ass and taking names in this election by this time (or at least ahead enough to absorb the hit on the economy and still be neck and neck). His party has not helped him in this nomination until the very end of it. It frankly seems a bit amazing that he's been able to hang in there and remain relevant despite everyone but the American People frantic to write him off at every turn. It's a big story of grit and determination and heroism that's not getting told at all. At least it is to me.

This has all been brewing inside me since my return from Ike, and I do not know where it's going to lead me. I still have no desire to vote for Obama, and I still feel that having a president right now who, even if he does nothing else other than veto bills with pork, might at least force Congress to quit adding them to legislation that they need to pass. And that is one thing right. Right now our government's corrupt, our economy is corrupt, our financial markets are corrupt, our vote is corrupt. Seems like we need a reformer much more than a Santa, but a month from now I might be making a list myself, who knows... Stay tuned, as I will continue to write about this. I am honest, if nothing else. :-)))

21 Days 2 Go...

Obama Thugocracy by Michael Barone

"I need you to go out and talk to your friends and talk to your neighbors," Barack Obama told a crowd in Elko, Nev. "I want you to talk to them whether they are independent or whether they are Republican. I want you to argue with them and get in their face." Actually, Obama supporters are doing a lot more than getting into people's faces. They seem determined to shut people up.

That's what Obama supporters, alerted by campaign emails, did when conservative Stanley Kurtz appeared on Milt Rosenberg's WGN radio program in Chicago. Kurtz had been researching Obama's relationship with unrepentant Weather Underground terrorist William Ayers in Chicago Annenberg Challenge papers in the Richard J. Daley Library in Chicago -- papers that were closed off to him for some days, apparently at the behest of Obama supporters.

Obama fans jammed WGN's phone lines and sent in hundreds of protest emails. The message was clear to anyone who would follow Rosenberg's example. We will make trouble for you if you let anyone make the case against The One.

Other Obama supporters have threatened critics with criminal prosecution. In September, St. Louis County Circuit Attorney Bob McCulloch and St. Louis City Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce warned citizens that they would bring criminal libel prosecutions against anyone who made statements against Obama that were "false." I had been under the impression that the Alien and Sedition Acts had gone out of existence in 1801-02. Not so, apparently, in metropolitan St. Louis. Similarly, the Obama campaign called for a criminal investigation of the American Issues Project when it ran ads highlighting Obama's ties to Ayers.

These attempts to shut down political speech have become routine for liberals. Congressional Democrats sought to reimpose the "fairness doctrine" on broadcasters, which until it was repealed in the 1980s required equal time for different points of view. The motive was plain: to shut down the one conservative-leaning communications medium, talk radio. Liberal talk-show hosts have mostly failed to draw audiences, and many liberals can't abide having citizens hear contrary views.

To their credit, some liberal old-timers -- like House Appropriations Chairman David Obey -- voted against the "fairness doctrine," in line with their longstanding support of free speech. But you can expect the "fairness doctrine" to get another vote if Barack Obama wins and Democrats increase their congressional majorities.

Corporate liberals have done their share in shutting down anti-liberal speech, too. "Saturday Night Live" ran a spoof of the financial crisis that skewered Democrats like House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank and liberal contributors Herbert and Marion Sandler, who sold toxic-waste-filled Golden West to Wachovia Bank for $24 billion. Kind of surprising, but not for long. The tape of the broadcast disappeared from NBC's Website and was replaced with another that omitted the references to Frank and the Sandlers. Evidently NBC and its parent, General Electric, don't want people to hear speech that attacks liberals.

Then there's the Democrats' "card check" legislation, which would abolish secret ballot elections in determining whether employees are represented by unions. The unions' strategy is obvious: Send a few thugs over to employees' homes -- we know where you live -- and get them to sign cards that will trigger a union victory without giving employers a chance to be heard.

Once upon a time, liberals prided themselves, with considerable reason, as the staunchest defenders of free speech. Union organizers in the 1930s and 1940s made the case that they should have access to employees to speak freely to them, and union leaders like George Meany and Walter Reuther were ardent defenders of the First Amendment.

Today's liberals seem to be taking their marching orders from other quarters. Specifically, from the college and university campuses where administrators, armed with speech codes, have for years been disciplining and subjecting to sensitivity training any students who dare to utter thoughts that liberals find offensive. The campuses that used to pride themselves as zones of free expression are now the least free part of our society.

Obama supporters who found the campuses congenial and Obama himself, who has chosen to live all his adult life in university communities, seem to find it entirely natural to suppress speech that they don't like and seem utterly oblivious to claims that this violates the letter and spirit of the First Amendment. In this campaign, we have seen the coming of the OBama Thugocracy, suppressing free speech, and we may see its flourishing in the four or eight years ahead.

22 Days Left...

Meanwhile, Happy Columbus Day.

I've been sickly since I last posted. Hubs came home with what I guessed was a cold last Wednesday. Friday, I finally persuaded him to go to the walk-in clinic, so he took the afternoon off and got medicated up. Technical diagnosis: rhinitis. He got a steroid shot, some antibiotics, some antihistamine and some Nasonex, which he refuses because I have plenty. Wrong. I'm not about to give him any of my Nasonex. Get your own! So, he had to call them back and get a script phoned in. Dang, it's not gum or candy, dude.

Well, fast forward to Saturday night, late. We had made plans to go out to eat at Saltgrass Steakhouse and take in the American Carol movie on Sunday. But I started coming down with what he had. Your nose starts itching/burning, then dripping/running. Then, the eyes. Then, the throat. Muscle aches, lethargy, reduced appetite (only good part, lol).

So, nix on the fun. I slept an extraordinary amount of time between Saturday night and now, Monday morning at 8 a.m. And I may just lay back down some more. Sometimes I just have to sleep off an illness. The older I get, the more that works. (Or maybe the older I get, the more I am willing to slow down enough for it to work.) Hopefully, I'll be over this by tomorrow. I am almost there now.

As the ACORN mess spreads in the news, the Obama campaign feels it must sink once again to playing the race card, this time sending Georgia Rep. John Lewis into the media to complain about the bad bad man McCain saying mean widdle things like Gov. Wallace did in 1968. (And everyone under 30 or 40 says, Who?)

What Lewis refers to is during some rallies featuring McCain and Palin, supporters have shouted "traitor," "terrorist," "treason," "liar" and even "off with his head." Most of the time McCain hasn't even heard what they were saying, and when he does he has spoken against it. The shouters are talking about William Ayers, the unrepentent terrorist pal of Obama's. They are not referencing Obama. So it's a stretch and a bit over the top as an accusation.

But everyone seems to trust that these really are McCain supporters. Except me. Why would it be unreasonable to be skeptical of that? It could be plants from the Obama campaign, too. They seemed to be all in a common cluster of rallies. If my goal was to cause a stir like that so it would get on the network news and make McCain look bad, I'd certainly hire me some plants lickety-split. Then, make Lewis play the part that he did as his loyalty commitment to the Obama campaign. After all, Lewis is a former Clinton supporter.

No, nothing Team O did would ever surprise me. It's just a little too well run to be real. The longer this goes on, I am flummoxed that such few people speak out about the tactics. I guess getting hit by Obama sludge twice (once with Clinton, now with McCain) gives me a unique perspective.

I'm of the school that says to McCain, keep attacking and exposing. It's working because the polls show them almost back to neck and neck again. It's a campaign, not a tea party where snotty pretensious women bitch-slap each other with their long gloves and pearls.

And on that note, time for my nap.

Storm Clouds are Coming

I don't know about you, but my week has been getting a little bit worse with every day. I want things to stay the same for a while, but no one is asking for my input. ;-) It seems like it's getting harder to stay positive, just as I decided to be positive, LOL.

So much for fate and that which we call the randomness of life. I've been keeping up with all of the challenges that have hit me these last couple of weeks, smiling through the rain, always looking at the half-full glass. So, dang, I'm really wanting things to stay the same for awhile!

Gustav's headed for the Gulf and this time we need to finally stock up and do the preparation routine, since we've been given 2 dry-runs so far. To ask for 3 would be reckless without being prepared. It might seem mindless to not have stocked up yet, but it stresses us out bigtime to go through the motions because it causes us to have to think of the worst. The current guessing game has it reaching land on Monday, so we adopt that and change as the guessing changes, because even though it may not hit us at all, we still have to operate AS IF.

Hub's mother called and just like every time she calls, our To-Do List got added to. Family stuff that I have to go to, too, for some reason. Why is that? She wants us all to meet on Sunday afternoon at the cemetery as it is his dad's birthday that day. That is totally approriate, except that it doesn't stop there. It's all fricking evening. We all go out to eat afterwards, then a quote-unquote family meeting. Oh, Brother. She doesn't want to be alone, but can you tell I'm just tired of it? Why can't Hubs just go spend time with her? I'm gonna be n-e-r-v-o-u-s by Sunday and I really don't even want to go I may be feeling too badly to go, and I say that sincerely...because whenever I think about what the heck it could be about, I feel like I'm gonna be ambushed somehow. I'm so apprehensive about it that I am halfway hoping if that storm's coming, then come on Sunday.

We're worrying about Missy. She's begins her hardest courseload yet this semester. She also begins something called Ad Fed, which is like a student advertising debate team, except it's a strategy team that does competitions. Many colleges that have decent advertising schools have Ad Fed.

So cool...except if you also have a job and you're trying to work your way through school to help mom and dad pay for it. Missy is so determined to pay her share that her logical next step should things get too hairy is to quit Ad Fed, and so I'm trying to find enough time to talk to her and make her see she needs to quit that restaurant job, not Ad Fed, if need be. Plan B is student loans which we have not yet tapped. And Hubs and I can pay help pay a little more than we are doing, we will just adjust plans we have, if need be. Or borrow from Hubs' 401K.

So, she basically does not have enough hours in the day, what with the restaurant wanting her to work 6 days a week and then take some stupid training classes on day #7. What good is having a job and earning the money to go to colage if you cannot get out of it what you need? So, I dunno, my mind is stressing over that, and for now, she's going to try to juggle it and hope they hire some more employees. Oh, yeah, and today was only her 4th day of class...

We're needing to spend some money to make a few serious household repairs, but we're afraid to! Geebus!

Just a lot of weird stuff piling on...and I want it to be last week again, even though I had a dead computer. Because I was happier then than I am now. I don't know, maybe it's a cumulative effect.

So, I bet at least some of you wanted me to write about the election, especially now that I have my blogs separated and all. LOL But, I'm just kind of calm about it all now. About the only opinions I have right now about the convention are that Hillary was awesome and it sort of made me nauseated to watch all the black people at the convention treat Bill Clinton like they used to back in the Pre-Obama Day...now that Bill's towing the Obama line...like he's not a racist now or doin' to them what he did to Monica (their words). Right...You know me, the hipocracy angle always shows itself...

I still continue not to rule out 100% that I won't vote with the Dems, unlike Hubs. It's not like the end of the world if Obama wins, but I'm still not empassioned to believe, or to stay home and not vote. Like Hubs says, this is an election year where you are voting AGAINST someone more than FOR someone. At least here it is.

I think one reason the Obama message doesn't convince me is because I just don't see things as all that bad. If just everyone would be more frugal over the long term. Bear in mind though, we live within our means totally and always have, so we are not overextended anywhere. Plus, Hubs has a job where his area and what he does is pretty freakin indispensible to the refinery process, so I think it's prudent to assume he has job security until he retires sometime in the next 5 to 9 years. Not a totally sure bet, but you have to assume one way or another, cuz what else are ya gonna do? You cannot save an alternate job in the bank, ya know?

I'm just a hopeless expense cutter, I guess. There's a lot I disagree with him about, but I see McCain being the only one of the two with any hope of actually cutting our expenses, and I feel strongly we need to do that, yesterday. This country freakin needs to live without a whole lotta crap for awhile. With Obama, I see lots of new domestic programs that are just going to cost and cost, and to what end, in the end? Plus, I feel safer with Grandpa in charge. End of story, pretty much.



So, that's that. Kinda blue, isn't it? Blame it on the dog days. It's August, after all. ;-)

New Banner Here + New Blog #2!

Hidyhoyo!

(This is the current greeting among Missy's pals this summer...it's so hokey, it makes me chuckle every time I hear it.)

So, how do you likey my new banner? I have been wanting a banner-lift for a while, and yesterday I just rolled up my sleeves and made something I'd had in my head. I dunno, I kinda like it.

And hey, guess what? What's a year without me creating a blog, right? So far this year, I haven't done that. But, wait! LOL, yup, I did it again, hehe.

Seriously, I've been wanting to separate my life and opinions from my art. This blog has a good title for my life and opinion posts, so it became apparent the the new blog #2 needed to be the art one. That's how Paper Paisleys art journal blog was born!

There is still tons to do over there in the way of transferring links and decorating here and there, but I'll fill in those things as I go. Please go visit and see the banner I created for that blog, too. :-)

Meanwhile, here at the ranch, I need to catch up. I was blessed to have been given no less than 3 blogging awards in July, and I have them displayed on my sidebar.

Karyn awarded me the Twinks Award.








Then, Benita and Jill both awarded me the Brillante Award. Thank you very much, Ladies! (And Happy Birthday, Jill!)





The rules for the "Brillante Weblog" award are:
The winner can put the logo on his/her blog.
Link to the person you received your award from.
Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
Put links to those blogs on yours.
Leave a message on the blogs of the people you have nominated.
I am giving the "Brillante Weblog" award to the following bloggers:

1. Cheryl - she needs a tiny little pick-me-up right now
2. Lynn - I've been thinking about arthritis and wrestling lately, and that fits only one person I know! ;-)
3. Noelia - I've been working on a special sumpsump for her, a year overdue {hangs head in shame}, but good things happen for a reason and ever since I decided on something I loved, I finally started it last week. Soon, my friend. And hoping you are having fun on your trip. :-)
4. Maureen - she's funny and I have so many of her posts to catch up on {hangs head once more in shame}
5. Vicki - love this woman...and she and her DH need some healing thoughts right now.
6. Theresa - because she is the only female golfer I know :-)
7. Texas Kim - this girl needs another job and maybe this will be good luck. :-)

Onto other items of note, my health has worsened a bit since the spring. The arthritis needs strong meds and then I get complications that are a pita as much as the disease.

I definitely have to close up my tax shop and there'll be no more working for the next several months. I'm embarrassed to say that I have ADD now as one of those treatment complications. Lord, I'm really glad I didn't have this my entire life. They tell me it will go away once I finish the therapy protocol, but part of me wonders about it. And I'm also told that it gets better as I learn to deal with it better. Hope so. Typing is still a real chore some days.

I've really had to re-think my involvement in almost everything in my life this year. This is why I've not been blogging so much. That saved energy works better for me if I put it into my art because that calms me down and helps me practice focussing. Since "focus" was my Word for 2007, how creepy is that, that I would be taught the following year that I was then a pretty good focusser, after all, before I really needed work now.

Making things also helps me stay more positive. It's been tough to lose your previous life-as-you-knew-it, in bits and pieces, inch by inch, slowly. It just never stops, ya know? I am going to write more frequently though. Just maybe in shorter spurts. And then just upload images to Paper Paisleys with few words. On those days that a big old post (like this one! Already breaking my rules...) seems too complicated and hard to do.

That's my cue to sign off for now...Sooner and Laterz!

Okay, so...

...I guess I'm back, sheesh. I must confess, I took a little staycay away from the blog, the computer, the TV. I got outa the blog habit and into some health-oriented habits. I've been rockin' them lately and really kind of hesitaant to go back to devoting all the time I do to this writing and posting and reading.

Then, I got emails wondering if I was okay, (and thanks for thinking of me!). Turns out the blog entry I thought I'd posted almost 3 weeks ago to say I was taking a little time away is still sitting there saved but not posted. My bad! So, guess I should get back into blogging. Some stuff's gonna be different this time, though. I've closed blog comments. If you feel a genuine desire to comment or talk to me, please email me! I'll go into why I've done this later. It's all part of a bigger philosophy change on my part toward a lot of things.

First things first, though: thanks so much to Shirley for the blog candy she sent me! Such a gorgeous little notebook!

I love it, Shirley...thanks again!

So, anyway, to the (first - hehe) million dollar question: yes, I mourned Hillary's concession for a little under a week, but I got a heads up on it just a tad ahead of most (having volunteered on the campaign and still working the research with some of my old crew). So the first stage of my mourning ended right about the time she actually conceded. There was a little anger before and after, but then, finally, a calming whatever. I now can truthfully say I am open to both Obama and McCain, but there's no Kool-Aid drinking in my house. It's all about the issues with me now, and voting for either one is going to take some nose-holding. I pretty much think of them as McBama: Let the pandering to the center begin! Ya know?

And so now a second wave of just real sadness has hit me and it's still there behind the edges, in the shadows, under the bed, so to speak. I'm not sure that all of it is the campaign. I think some of it is the gloomy situations we as a nation and people are in, or at least many of us. The gas prices, natural disasters, the economy, the suckie states of medical care even with insurance, and hey, it's hotter than sizzle on a steak down here. There are solutions but I cannot see a clear choice as to who is going to choose the right answers and then get it bull-dozed into law. Oh, yeah, and I am finding that I can't enjoy any of the cable news channels now that I know how much some of them were in the tank and not objective and independent. I have absolutely no idea really what's happened in the world for the last 10 days or so, and for me, that is weird. I've enjoyed some good movies and a couple of those stupid Bravo reality shows.

Then, there is all the email I'm getting to join like 100 groups in the rapidly growing Nobama movement. People are pissed off, but I just want to get over being sad for the time being, LOL.

One decision I did make was that I got myself a life coach about 10 days ago. Okay, like, I wasn't looking for one, she kinda fell into my lap. We are bartering services with each other, cuz ain't no way I'm paying what she charges (and she probably thinks the same thing about me, lol). I set up her DH's payroll system for his company as my part of the barter.

Anyway, her name is Jenn and she has truly changed my life for the better. She hooked me up with an easy-to-follow nutrition-based diet and a physical therapy routine. It's all totally geared to what I will actually reach for and actually do.

The diet is calorie-based, and with my hatred of counting those buggers, this was a big challenge. She asked me a ton of questions about how I eat, what I reach for and why and when. She also recruited Hubs to help out by cooking more low-calorie fare when he gets to going in the kitchen on his days off. Basically, we decided I needed something similar to NutriSystem, but grocery store bought. I chose healthy foods that are easy to reach for and eat them over and over. So far it works pretty good most days.

I choose among Lean Cuisines, Slimfast Choc shakes, Nature Valley health bars, fresh fruits, salad greens, cereal, skim milk, and saltine crackers. None of these require me to cook them or spend a lot of time prepping them to eat. I just record what I eat and the calories, and most days I'm having trouble reaching my minimum target intake!

As for the physical therapy (which is also plain old exercise), I learned how to do tons of isometric routines in the pool, and it's very effective. I'm in there a minimum of 4 days a week and alternate that with my yoga tape and my exercise ball tape. I just added swimming laps full out today...just a few to start and build up gradually. I got Reggie some cute little Air Kong pool fetch toys that float and are made of rugged tennis ball material so that I can get him away from me when I'm swimming (he loves to zig and zag right in front of me, the little show-off, plus he accidentally scratches me sometimes as he's kicking, not fun). Reggie loves his toys and is worn out swimming and fetching by the time I'm finished.

Fit to be Friday

Can I just say it?

I'm going nuts right now.

Several things have aligned in my life this year to cause me to have to learn to acknowledge, adapt, adjust, accept. Yeah, when I have more time, I'll elaborate...

But right now, it's being exxacerbated greatly by having to meet a tax deadline without my usual enthusiasm or concentration. So, I've understandably turned to trying to pop some pills in search of energy, stabilization, calm.

Much to my surprise, I'm seeing some improvement!

In addition to my daily Centrum and Vitamin C (not pictured), what's in the picture above is my current stash of miracle helpers.

I give 10 stars to Cinnamon and Green Tea. I've been a bad bad diet girl since my hip began hurting badly, and on April 1 I learned what a Fool I'd been...I'd managed to gain 10 pounds back, which would be no-big-deal had I been at a decent weight, but when you've miles to go before you sleep on your weight loss, gaining 10 back is basically shameful.

So, I immediately began trying to get back on track gradually (it is tax season, after all), and while I won't be able to get my exercising turned back on until next week, I have been cutting out all fast food and sweets, and I've been eating at least 3 fruits a day and eating smaller more frequent meals.

As of April 10th, Ive lost 5 of those pounds. So, I'm halfway back to zero, and I'm thankful it was just 10 pounds and not more.

I'd been advised to try the Cinnamon recently, and I can feel a lift within 30 minutes. And when I dip back down again, a cup of green tea helps get me peppy again. I've been eating a half a grapefruit and a Lean Cuisine every 3 hours or so, too. (Hubs bought this gigantic bag of the g-fruit on sale, and the g-fruit is in addition to the other 3 daily fruit servings). I read the stories about the water myth, but I'm still drinking as much as I can, because I cannot deny that when I slack off I start gaining weight. (So maybe it's an appetite suppressor, it works, I'm not picky).

Anyway, I'm able to handle the stress much better, but I've learned one thing this spring: no more tax work. I've already told 3 clients this is the final year. It's scary, but I'm so wanting to celebrate, so I know it's the right thing to do.

I cannot ever in my life remember feeling so enthusiastic about getting to play and make art! Just a few more days....

Now, if I can just get thru Tuesday with enough energy, enthusiasm and concentration. Where are those pills...?