The Last Day of January

It was a pretty good day. I am on track with food, working to get the rest of my water in so that is under control. I am still swollen like a poisoned dog. Bleargh!

It is cold, tonight. And the temperature is dropping steadily. Should be good and icy in the morning. It snowed a little this morning but it didn't stick around then it cleared as the sun went down. Nights like this, I think fondly, longingly of Spring. It will be here, soon enough. And I shouldn't be wishing that time would pass by too fast. Especially at my age. lol

My fireplace is on and I hope it warms it up in here, soon. Brrr!

That's really about all I have to natter about, right now.

A Little Less Freaked Out, Now

I am not happy about my weigh in, this morning. But I am calmer, now. I have to remember that I have a bod with a certain history. And I shouldn't be so surprised. The fat is coming off. I can feel the difference in my body composition. I am still on track and working and I am certainly not going to let this setback send me off over the edge. I am going to stay on track, keep slugging water and have a good yap with my doc when I go in for my appointment on Wednesday morning.

I am low on calories, right now. I had two cups of coffee and a Fage for brekkie. And I just chowed a veggie cheeseburger for dinner. I did a Morningstar veggie burger, half an ounce of 2% cheddar melted on top, a multi grain sandwich thin, a little light mayo, a couple of slices of tomato, some onion and lettuce. Yum! I had some Special K crisps with it. The Special K crisps are kind of like Pop Chips, thinner a bit more crisp. But yummy. I have enough calories to have a little nosh later, should I desire while we watch a movie.

I ran out today and did some shopping. Picked up some things I needed, hauled a little polish, including two Color Club sets at Ross. I also got a pretty China Glaze Halloween polish at Sally's on clearance. A buck ninety-nine. That is my kind of bargain. :D I picked up some other girlie necessities. And a jar of the new Loreal souffle foundation. I am hoping it will step into my beloved mineral foundation's shoes. Getting old is hell... Lines and wrinkles that are forming are not working and playing so well with mineral, anymore. *sigh* And my lines seem to be forming a little faster as I deflate. Time to start saving for that face lift, I guess. lol

Brrr! The temps are dropping fast, clouds are streaming in and there is a 30% chance of snow tonight and tomorrow morning. But it is supposed to warm up to the mid forties, so if it snows, it shouldn't hang around long. Rain would certainly be better! I love rain.

So, we have a new common wall neighbour. The condo next door finally rented. A lady and her little pooch moved in. She is single, right now but engaged to get married. Funny enough, my son and her fiancee know one another. He works for a loval vendor and delivers to the store where Pookey works. Her little doggy is kinda cute, a fluffy ball of cocapoo type canine life. He isn't too yappy, thank heavens! I am not thrilled with sharing a common wall, but as long as she is reasonably quiet, clean, her dog doesn't bark the walls down and I don't have to listen to her and her guy getting freaky, we will all get along just fine.

What is it with people who hang on Freecycle? I offered a very nice pink Razr cell phone. Received seven replies from people who wanted it. I offered it to someone, she was supposed to come get it and her son offered to buy her a newer model. Okay fine. So, I chose a gal who needed a new phone for her daughter. She was just desperate! to have it. It has been sitting outside my front door in a little gift bag for two days. If she doesn't pick up tomorrow, it is going to the next person on the list. *sigh*

Well, I guess I have nattered on enough, for now.

Please don't forget to enter my giveaway. You can find the link at the top of my right hand column. Click the logo, if you are a follower, enter. If you aren't a follower, click the follow button and enter. :D You have until the end of the day, tomorrow.

One. Fucking. Pound?

In two weeks.

One fucking pound.

In two fucking weeks????

Arrrrgh!!!!!

I follow my plan.

I drink enough water to float a battleship.

And I lose one fucking pound in two weeks.

Do I cry or do I throw my scale against a wall?

I am so talking to my doctor about this fucking puffing up shit. My ankles, feet, hands, wrists are all nice and bloaty, this morning.

I knew I should have weighed yesterday. I felt less puffy, yesterday.

*sigh*

To say I am frustrated right now would be a major fucking understatement.

I am going to drink my coffee and sulk, now.

Caturday

Hello everyone. How's tricks?

Things are pretty fine, in these parts. It is pretty day and it is supposed to warm up, later.

Yesterday was a good food and water day. I came in under 1200 calories and got all of my water down the hatch. I also glugged two big glasses of Crystal Light and two big mugs of coffee. I ended the day nicely hydrated.

*sigh* Weigh in tomorrow. I am not going to lie. I am stressing. I am really fearing the scale, in the morning.

Stupid, huh?

Friday Evening

Yes, Polar's Mom, I really like my new Vortex. It is enough smart phone to get up and go and do all the things I like to do with it but it isn't too much phone that I feel stupid or as if I am not going to utilize half of the features. It is a super easy platform and once you get the rhythm of it, very easy to learn. I started off simply making a phone call, which lead to trying the Internet which led to learning to use the keyboard which led to setting up Facebook, G-Mail, my Yahoo mail and so on and on. I have downloaded apps, browsed on my blog, tho I haven't tried posting, yet. I am amazed at how fast and fun it is to learn to use. I now know how to send text messages and add contacts and take pictures. I downloaded a program to my PC so that I can move music, photos, videos  from my 'puter to my phone. No need to buy an MP3 player, now.

I am ridiculously pleased with my new toy and I am having a lot of fun with it. I am sure the novelty will wear off, eventually and it will just be there. But for now... :D I need to read up on how to uninstall an app. I installed Pandora, then got a message that it is a data hog and I don't want to pay extra to run it, so it has to go.

Other than that, not too much going on, here. Dinner is in the oven. Willy Dog is in the shower, Sabryna's bed cover is in the dryer and Pookey is downstairs in his lair, doing whatever it is Pookey does in his lair.

Yum! I can smell dinner baking. It smells good and my stomach is growling. Baked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, baked potatoes. I don't eat potatoes very often, they are now more a treat than a staple in my diet. I am going to enjoy tonight's. :D

I need to get more water and I am going to read blogs and see what everyone is up to.

Later, gators.

Yesterday....

All my troubles seemed so faaaaar away...

Is that song stuck in your head, now? ^^

It is stuck in mine. :P

So, good day, yesterday. Got in all of my water and was only over by 20 with my calories. I know that 1200 means 1200 but I seriously doubt that 20 calories will make any difference. Tho over the space of a year...

Okay. I was over. And I need to work harder to be better on track.

I got a new toy, today. A Verizon LG Vortex phone. It runs on Android and it is such a cool phone. 3G wireless Internet, e-mail, apps galore and more to be had... I have a lot to learn, now. My last cell phone was a Razr, so all this new-fangled stuff the kids are playing with is all new to me. I have to learn how to use the Internet on my phone, how to access, read and post to my blogs, take and store and send pictures and video, synch my music to my phone from my 'puter, do e-mail, text, Facebook... Hell, maybe I'll even do Twitter. Maybe. :D  I am going to be a busy beaver for a while. Now I don't have to buy an MP3 player! I can just move my music playlist from my PC to my phone. Yay! My phone is charging, right now. Then I can settle in for some serious getting to know you.

Touchscreens rule, BTW. I just have to figure out how to best use it with my nails. lol

It is pretty and sunny, today. A little chilly but very nice. My cat is taking advantage of the open window, sitting on the sill and enjoying the fresh air and watching birdies. He sure loves an open window. It is the closest he is allowed to going outside. Yes, I am one of those indoor cats stay indoors people. I just believe it is safer for him. Also, he was a former wild boy and just a short period of time outside causes him to revert and then he has to go through the adjustment to house living period all over again, which is hard on him. So, indoors he stays.

I am slurping my water. On track with my food. And I need to go close that frakking window. Brrr!
  
Less coughing, today. Breathing is loosening up, too. I am going to try walking on Monday and see how it goes. Hopefully I will finally be well enough and good to go.

Thursday

The day after Wednesday. The day before Friday. I am looking forward to the weekend. *sigh* I so need a weekend. A weekend, a little fun, a little shopping, a little girlie retail therapy. I am finally feeling well enough to get out and about and stir crazy is an understatement of what I am feeling, right now.

My housework is all done, save laundry, which is in progress and dishes, which are happily stewing in hot water, detergent and steam, as I type this. Damn, I *heart* my dishwasher. I scrubbed the bathroom, polished mirrors, scoured pet dishes, dusted, vacuumed the broadloom, swept hard floors, and all the thousand other little things that need doing. I actually got through most of my work without too much tightness in my chest, I hardly coughed and rattled. Is it possible I am beginning to get over this crap? I sure hope so.

Maybe, one day this decade I will once again be well enough to get out and take my walks, again. :P

Food and water are on track.

I am feeling an incredible amount of pressure to have a good weigh in this Sunday and I fear that my scale won't move (again!!!) and I am still getting puffy and a part of me wants to scream. And another part wants to binge away the fear and dread of failure. If I don't have a good number, I will feel like an incredible failure. And it is all going around and around in my head and I want to shut it down. I don't want to feel this. I just want it to go away. I want to make it go away. *breathe!* I don't want to fail and let myself down. More importantly, I don't want to fail and let everybody down. And show myself to be a big, fat, stupid sham. All talk, no action. All bullshit. No results.

A failure.

As usual.

*breathe!*

It is a pretty day, today. Sunny, clear as a bell and cool.

Oh! Cool NSV. I now fit comfortably behind the wheel of the Jeep and I am going to start driving, again. It will be nice to get out and about without having to ask my husband to drive me everywhere. I can also use the seat belts. It has been a long time since I could fit a seat belt around my huge bod. Now that it is a tad less huge, I can be safe, again. It is nice to know that if we have an accident, I won't be thrown around the cabin of the car like a rag doll.

Okay, off to pay attention to my laundry and drink more water. And read blogs. :D

Oh! Don't forget about my $35.00 CSN Stores gift certificate giveaway. Please click the link or the CSN Stores logo at the top of my right hand column to travel to my giveaway post and enter. 

Release the Kraken!

Thank you, everyone for your lovely comments, yesterday. :D Today is a better day.

I ended up at just over 600 calories for the day, yesterday. I just wasn't all that hungry, then I ate a big pile of broccoli. Too much, it turns out as I got sicker than a dog, gas that wanted to kill me. Ugh! I definitely couldn't eat anything after that. Just the thought of broccoli right now makes me shudder. It will probably be a while before I eat broccoli, again.

My husband has to die. He brought home Doritos. Put them in my pantry in my kitchen. What the fuck was he thinking? He knows those things are crack in a mylar bag to me. *sigh* Seriously, did he really need to bring those damned things in the house? I just need to steer clear. I can do it.

Food and water are on track. Other than the evil in the pantry, I am good, today. Head is calm, I am level. Water, lots and lots of water help, I admit. And I am looking forward to a good weigh in this coming Sunday.

I am also looking forward to seeing my doc on the second of next month. I don't know what is with my chest, lately. Just making my bed or vacuuming my broadloom leaves me gasping for breath, coughing, chest rattling. I am hoping that she can help me to feel better, breathe better and get back to a more active life. I miss being able to do my housework, walk, climb my stairs. I am so. sick. of. being. sick!!!!! Efuckingnuff, already.

It is a pretty, sunny day. Crisp and cool but it should warm up a little, this afternoon. I am looking forward to Spring. My hands are beginning to itch to dig in rich, dark soil, plant flowers, water them, nurture them and watch them grow and bloom. I can't grow food to save my life. But I can rock flowers. Except snapdragons. For some really weird reason, snapdragons and I don't get along. I follow the directions for growing them and they die on me. Every time. It is going to be nice to have warm days, breezes blowing through my home, no more shivering.  Until it gets really hot and humid and I start bitching about that. ;) :P

My headache has calmed down a lot. I am hurting, but my brain isn't vibrating and throbbing, today. An improvement, to be sure.

I need to go take a shower and do my nails. Hmmm... What colour do I want to wear, today? :D

Ravenous, Dying of Thirst and Craving My Coffee

That is how my day went. *sigh* I was NPO for that stupid hida scan and could have no food, water or coffee. My appointment was for nine, this morning. I thought I would be in, out and home, slurping my first cup of java.

Ha! That's what I get for thinking!

I get there, it took forever to get my orders because they put today's test on my last visit's account and that is, apparently a big no-no. So that had to get straightened out. Then I had to wait for a half hour to be called in to nuclear medicine. I got my little IV port and shot with the radioactive goodies, (sadly, no superpowers, waaahhh!) then into the scanner. For an hour and a half. No gallbladder. It didn't want to come out and play.

So, out of the scanner and off to the waiting room to cool my radioactive heels for an hour, then back into the scanner.

Still no gallbladder.

Out of the scanner. Out to sit and read and roast in that overheated waiting room for another hour and a half. I couldn't go home because my asshole husband had a call to go to and he got snaggy with me when I told him I wasn't done and had to go back and it was a huge dustup. Not my fucking fault, but he sure made me feel like shit for putting him through all of that waiting, back and forth and missing bits of work. I told him to go back to work and go to hell. I would just sit in the waiting room for an hour and a half, again and he didn't need to worry about it, and I would walk the fuck home, too so that he didn't have to take his precious time to come back and pick me up! And I jumped out of the car, while it was moving and stalked back to the main entrance and planted my fat ass in the waiting room and seethed. And waited. Of course, he came slithering in, manipulated me into calming down and calling him when I was done, then I snapped at him to just go back to work and leave me the hell alone. He did. I waited.

Then at 1:30 it was back into the frakking scanner. Then I was finally done and the asshole picked me up and brought me home and acted as if everything was just lovely and friendly and nothing had gone wrong.

Whatever. I can tolerate it for as long as I need to.

So, I am finally home and happily slurping coffee and water. Then, I am going to make myself a big, healthy lunch and chow down. "Cause I be hongry.

NPO sucks. Mine lasted from 8:30 last night to just a few minutes ago. The no food thing wasn't that big a deal. I can go food free for a while, if I have to. But no water? No coffee? That is just wrong. On so many levels.

I chipped a nail, dammit! Now I have to try to file it so that the chip is minimized until it grows out a bit and I can level the nail off, again. At lest it is on my right hand, so it won't interfere with my manicure photos for my nail blog. And isn't that what it is all about? lol

I had Jerkface (Willy Dog is officially Jerkface, today!) take a couple of quick pics of me, before he ran back out the door to work. My next fifty pounds down progress shots. They are in my Gallery. One, the side view is a bit out of focus but I didn't dare ask for another shot. It would have just been toooooooooooooooo  much. So, it is what it is.

Yes, in case you hadn't noticed, Jerkface is in the doghouse. And there he shall stay for a while. I am sick of his manipulative, blaming , passive aggressive bullshit. Since I have to continue to tolerate it for the foreseeable future, I reserve the right to be pissed at him and vent it here.

Okay, I want another cup of coffee and my late lunch. I'll see you all later.

Don't forget to click on my Gallery and see my progress shots. I actually see a difference, this time around. :D

I wonder if my pee is going to glow in the dark? :P

Cold, Today

It was supposed to be warmer. It is cooler and partly cloudy. And windy. Brrr.


I am having a good day, food wise, right on track and water is, as well. I have to admit, my weekend wasn't what it should be. I did decent on water but I went over on calories. 1500 two days in a row. I was struggling, fighting hardcore binge urges and chewing over some crap in my head. While I don't consider those two days to be a total washout, I do feel as if I failed to stay on my chosen track. And it is my chosen track. 1200 calories a day is plenty. And I do just fine with it. I don't feel deprived or as if it isn't enough. Most of the time I am not even hungry and have to remind myself to have my meals.

But this weekend was an exception. Part of it was the puffiness getting to me and part of it was, as I said before, just needing to chew over some crap that was trying to get to me. I work it over and worked it out and I am feeling better about everything, now. Being on track is one again easy.

So, there you have it. Yep. I struggle. And some days I don't fly along, making this look easy and smooth. And that kind of pisses me off. I get really frustrated at being human, fallible. The perfectionist in me chafes against any hiccup in what I am trying to do. I want it all to be smooth, flawless and when it isn't, I have a tough time pulling myself up, straightening myself out and getting back in line. I have to really fight with myself, take myself in hand, kick my ass and make it happen.

My ass is now duly kicked and I am chastened and now I am fine. :D

I am scheduled for a hida scan in the morning. I have to fast for twelve hours beforehand. No food, no water. I am going to defy the no water thing a little bit, like I did, last time. Small sips when I am thirsty, coughing a lot or need my medication shouldn't make that much difference. And if it does... Well... Too bad. :P

I am still coughing like a nut. My chest is really tight, today and any exertion leaves me gasping for air for some time, afterward. I had to pop down the stairs to bring in a package the mail carrier dropped off and I was gasping and coughing when I got to the top of the stairs. And that kind of scares me because normally the stairs don't phase me one little bit, anymore. I guess I am still recovering from that 'flu. Blech!

I am so worried about my craptastic weigh in extending to next Sunday, too. I know, on one level that it won't but the other part of me is scared that I am somehow failing myself, not doing it well enough, doing something very wrong. That I am flawed and not good enough to succeed. Bad, stupid, negative thinking that doesn't accomplish anything but to wind me up and get me doubting myself and make me look where I shouldn't to calm my head and soothe my wrought up emotions. Man, it is so stupid, the way I have screwed myself up. And the way I was trying to make it better.

I am just telling myself that if I follow the plan, I have no choice but to succeed. That the weight has to come off. That it is coming off. I just need to calm down and trust myself and the program. Stay on track, drink my water and it is going to work.

Okay. Sorry about all that ragglebaggle. Guess I just needed to get it out, here. I really do feel better, now. lol

My head is on a bad tear. I am flashing and haloing like mad and my headaches are pounding in, one after the other after the other. No chance to rest or breathe. No relief. When this happens, I am almost tempted to beg my doc for drugs to make the headbangers stop. But drugs... I don't like them. And don't want to take anything I don't absolutely have to.

I have a Sony Viao laptop and every time I go online, I get this stupid, fucking little popup in the lower corner on my screen from Sony Viao trying to get me to buy some discounted software. And every time that fucking thing pops up, it brings anything I am doing to a dead stop. It actually makes my screen freeze so that I have to pay attention to the fucking popup! And it pisses me off. I tried to set it so that it wouldn't come back, but I wasn't successful. It is driving me crazy. I don't want the fucking software! Even at 70% off! Just leave me the fuck alone, already!!! Does anyone have any idea how to make the damned thing go away, for good? Gah!

How many times did I use the word fuck in the last paragraph? lol

No Change

*sigh*

I drank enough water to float a battleship, yesterday, hoping to banish the bloat. No such luck. It was still all tightly entrenched when I weighed, this morning. I hate this. I hate getting puffy and swelling up and weighing more than I should. *stamps foot and pouts* I work hard, dammit! I stick to my calorie cap, I drink barrels of water. When I am physically able, I walk. Miles. I don't have a cycle. I had that shut down years ago. There is no reason for stupid Puff Monster nonsense. And I am sick of it. I need to talk to my doc about this, I suppose.

It is still weird that I "have" a doc. :P

It is a sunny day, today. It is going to be a little cooler, just into the mid fifties, and some wind but it is supposed to warm back up as the week gets underway. It is a bit freakishly warm for this time of year but I am not complaining. If I don't have to deal with ice and snow and bitter cold temps, that is just fine with me.

I am going to grab another cup of coffee and sulk for a while.

Attack of the Puff Monster

I got on my scale this morning and...

Nothing. No change. Same as last week. I knew that was likely to be as I am very puffy, this morning. My ankles and hands are swollen. Blech! Yuk! So, thanks to the puff, I am likely to report no change in weight, tomorrow. Even tho I am on track and obviously I lost fat, since this fluid weight has to be replacing something.

Fuck!

See, this is what you get when you fuck up your bod with obesity. Screwed up functions.

Blech!

I just have to accept it. And then dump the bloat and next week's fat and really blow the socks off my scale, next week. :P

Another sunny, pretty day. It should warm up nicely. I wish this cough would go away. It would be a nice day for a walk. I still can't exert myself without coughing my head off. Stupid 'flu.

Okay, I am going to start gulping water.

Later, gators.

Time Keeps on Spinning, Spinning, Spinning, Into the Future

Hello all. Don't know where the time went, yesterday. One minute I am thinking about typing up an entry and the next, I got distracted and poof! It is this morning. lol

Weird how that works, eh?

Yesterday's ultrasound went well. I was in, registered (we did most of it over the phone, so she just had to print and I had to sign, when I got there) and then whisked into the room for the test all before I could open my book. Impressive. Usually, you are kept waiting around forevah! I hope that it goes as fast and smooth when I go in for my Hida Scan on the 25th.

Drink your damned water, Erika. I am a little behind on the water slurping, right now. Need to get to it. I got a little lazy about it when I had the 'flu and that sore throat. Well, I am recovering from that 'flu and my throat isn't sore anymore so... No excuses. Just slurping. lol

I am feeling so much more human, this morning. My voice is almost back to normal, my throat feels nearly perfect, again, I am coughing a lot less, the horrid, constant rattling is gone (thank God!) my beak isn't as stuffed. I have more energy and I am merely coughing after exertion, rather than hacking up a lung. Progress, indeed. I don't wish this 'flu on anyone. It was miserable. And I just want to feel healthy, again.

Food and water were on track, yesterday. I ended up going over by 50 calories... My dinner prep got a little waya from me, I underestimated calories while cooking. *hangs head* Need to be a little more careful. I don't like breaking my 1200 cap. Once I shake this stupid cough, I can start walking, again. Heaven knows, the weather around here will be nice for it. Upper fifties, even a few forays into sixty or above. Pretty nice for Winter. :D

Sunday is weigh in day already. I am interested to see how much more is gone. I like seeing those numbers steadily dropping. 'Tis a pretty, pretty sight.

Okay, I am getting hungry so I think I will toss a little late brekkie together. And I want to read blogs and see what you all are up to.

Well...

I am done eating, until sometime tomorrow morning. I am officially on my 12 hour pre ultrasound fast. Technically, I am supposed to not drink water, either. I am not going to obey that one to the letter. I will have sips when needed, especially after a coughing jag. I am still fighting the 'flu and I can't do it without drinking a little water. I'll keep the amounts small and only sip what I need in the morning to take my BP med. If they don't like it, they can kiss my big, fat, white, dimpled ass.

Oh, my, look who is in  mood.

My husband is an ass. I was happily watching my recorded Biggest Loser while he was zonked out on the sofa. Suddenly he wakes up and starts changing the fucking channel, messing up what I am watching. Excuse me! I was watching that! Did he give a shit? Nuh-uh. I was expected to shut off my program so he could go back to watching Gunsmoke. I have been trying to get that show watched all day. Geeze it sucks when he is around too much. I can't wait until he is over the 'flu and goes the hell back to work.

I am dead on track for food. I came up a little short on water. I'll make up for it, tomorrow after I get home. I am still having a little trouble swallowing. It isn't pain, it is almost as if the muscles in my throat aren't working as smoothly as usual, right now and it makes gulping tons of water difficult. But I did the best I could and I did manage to stay nicely hydrated, today.

I have been staring at this page for ten minutes trying to think of anything elst to write about and my mind keeps going blank so I am going to wrap this up.

A Little Bit of This... A Little Bit of That...

Food was okay, yesterday. Water was good. My attitude kinda stunk. It doesn't, today.

I know that I owe progress shots and I will get to them soon, when I feel like getting myself pulled together and getting out my camera.

This 'flu lingers, I still have a head and chest full of snot, a wracking cough. Bleargh!

I have to go into the hospital tomorrow for an abdominal ultrasound. Nothing major... My doc suspects a bit of a blockage or something and wants a peechur. I have to fast from eight tonight, including no fluids until after my test, tomorrow. I am going to dy up like an old husk. lol

Willy Dog took today off work. He is sicker than a dog. At least Pookey is feeling better, he just left for work. Now to get rid of the husband... Having them underfoot so much isn't good for me. lol

The weather has been freakishly gorgeous, lately. Sunny, warm. Just lovely. We have been able to open windows, air the house out and just enjoy it. A little false Spring in the midst of Winter.

I am getting tired of oatmeal for brekkie. Yet I eat it, every morning. I could have eggs, I guess...

My head is banging. Maybe another cup of coffee...

Not Feeling Chatty

I still feel like shit, my nose is clogged, my chest heavy, I am coughing my lungs out. At least my throat isn't as sore. I am tired and dragged out and I am sick to death of being sick.

Waaaahhhh!!!

Okay. "Nuff whining.

Food and water are right on track.

Oh yeah. Now Willy God has the 'flu, too. It got the whole household, this time.

Okay, I am going to sit here and feel sorry for myself for a while.

Later.

Meezathinking I Might Just Live

Good morning, gentle readers. Today I feel as if I have finally turned the corner on this 'flu. My throat, which has been so sore for so many days is finally calmed enough that I can drink my water, again. My temperature is down and I have a tad bit more energy. The congestion is easing a little, too. I still can't walk around too much without wanting to feel as if I am going to hack up a lung, but at least I can cough without searing pain or choking.

I am drinking water at a pretty terrific rate. It feels so good to hydrate myself, again. I did the best I could with hot tea and soup but those just don't make up for the water my bod needs. Lordy, if feels good to swallow, again. lol

Food yesterday was good. Right on track at 1205. I'll be able to get my full water in, today.

It is a gorgeous day, here. It is going to be around seventy, today. I am planning chicken for dinner and since it is such a beautiful day, I might grill mine. I haven't fired up my grill in a while and I am craving grilled chicken. Yum! I think that I will have a nice, fresh salad and thaw that shrimp I have in the freezer for lunch. Time to get some serious protein in and let my bod heal and recover. I am hoping that in a week or so I will be ready to finally begin walking. If the weather stays this lovely, it will certainly be perfect for that. :D

I need to cut out coupons and I think I will do my nails, in a bit, too. I have been wearing the same polish since the eleventh. And while it still looks okay, I am getting tired of the colour and want a change. 

Okay, I am going to run along. I'll see you all, later. :)

It's Giveaway Time!

This Giveaway is Now Closed. Thank you for entering! :D
 
Hey, everyone. I was recently contacted by the fine folks at CSN Stores to see if I would like to do another giveaway. I enjoyed my last foray into Giveaway Land, so I thought, why not. I think that my darling readers might enjoy a shot at winning $35.00 to spend at any of CSN's over 200 sites.

I am as excited as a bunch of monkeys on a swing set to be able to offer this giveaway. :D

Okay, here is the down and dirty. A.K.A. The Rules.

This giveaway is open to legal residents of the United States. (Sorry, but this isn't my rule.) It is for a code good for $35.00 good at any of CSN Stores over 200 sites.

Shipping is the responsibility of the recipient.

Giveaway is open until January 31, 11:59 PM MST.

One entry per person, please. You must be a public follower of my blog. Please leave a comment in this post only with your GFC name (please include any other name you might be registered under, so I can find you and verify that you are a follower, if you have one).

Please leave your e-mail address in the same comment. To avoid getting attacked by spam bot like creatures, you can break up your e-mail address. Example: janedoe (at) goofymail (dot) haha.

And that is it.

So... Enter! Win! Spend! What could be more fun? :D

Yeah, Baby!

 

Carry on. 

:D

Just Checking In

I ended my day yesterday below 1200 calories and hydrated. I am on track, today. Doing my best to get enough fluids past this horrid sore throat.

Thank you for your hugs. I appreciate them so much.

Just a Quickie

Sorry, I don't have enough energy for anything else.  ;)

Food is on track. I have enough calories for a light dinner. Maybe oatmeal and fruit. I am drinking. Not all water. My poor throat can't do hard core slurping. But I am eating tons of soup, drinking herb tea, urine is plentiful and light, so I am hydrating well. It is the best I can do, at the moment. I am not willing to inflict pain on myself. Not right now.

Little problem with all this soup... Sodium. My ankles feel puffy. But soup... So hot, nourishing, comfortable for my throat. My frakking throat is worse, kiddies. This cough, I choke every time I start coughing and I have a fever. Meezathinking I have the 'flu, not just a cold.

My son has it, too. He doesn't have my cough or sore throat, but he has a fever and headache and feels like dog shit, He had to come home from work early, today and will take the next couple of days off. Great, Whiny baby man son while I am sick, too. lol 

I am so tired, drained. I did manage a shower, I fluffed my featherbed and made my bed all lovely and soft, so that I will be supercomfy when I go nighty-night, tonight. I also washed my favourite nightshirt so that it will be fresh and soft. Sometimes just having a fresh bed, clean nightie and a shower make you feel a little better. :) I also managed to scoop the litter box, sweep, run my dishwasher and dust a little. That was all I could manage.

Shit. I am just babbling, now. Sorry. I am going to go pee and maybe get another cup of tea.

Death on a Stick

That is how I am feeling, right now. Bleargh! Somebody just take me out back and shoot me now.

Please.

I went 200 calories over, last night. I was trying to eat to sooth my throat. A sugar free pudding and some extra soup put me over. I still finished at 1400 calories, so I didn't harm myself but I still feel as if I failed because I went over 1200. I am just goofy, that way. I didn't succeed in soothing anything, in fact my throat is worse, this moning. Lesson: Food doesn't cure illness, food doesn't make anything better. Food is fuel. Full stop. I have a virus and it has to run it's course. Food will not make that happen any faster. It will not do anything but make me fatter, if I continue to allow myself to stray off track. So, I need to keep my fat ass on track.

I did drink my water, tho. So I did do something right. :P

I need to take a shower, do a little around this house, I at least need to make my bed, dust and do a load of laundry and run my dishwasher. I don't feel up to any more, My poor house is suffering from all of this ill and whiny-ness I have been indulging in, lately. It is neat enough around here, thanks to the help of Willy Dog and Pookey, but the place has lost it's sparkle.They are great about straightening up and so forth but neither one scrubs.

Okay, I need to motor. Sorta. As much as I can motor, right now. If I try to motor too much, I hack up a lung. lol

You Like Me! You Really Like Me!

Thank you, everyone who decided that I deserve this lovely award. I am grateful and so touched. I am also a little... Flummoxed. Stylish? I? Not at present. :P

Maybe one day.

I have thanked the lovely ladies who gave this award to me in their comments. And I am lazy, sick and whiny so I am not going to link. *neener*

I am to share seven things about myself that I might not have, before. Hmmm... Let's see...

1. I can't stand to wear anything tight or up high around my neck. Turtlenecks freak me out, I don't even like crewnecks, I am constantly tugging at them. Choker necklaces are a no-go, don't even think about putting your fingers or hands around my neck, for any reason.

2. If I lived in a vital, urban area, I wouldn't bother to own a car. Walking and public transportation would work just fine for me. I could always rent a car for the occasions I needed one.

3. That brings me to the fact that I can't stand living in the boonies or small towns. Even Prescott is too small, "countrified" in my not so humble opinion. I am a city girl, through and through. And I would give my bottom dollar to live in a large city, again.

4. Rude behaviour is my biggest pet peeve. When did it become so terribly unfashionable to be polite and civilized, I ask you?

5. I like to iron. Set up a board, give me a good iron, plenty of water for steam, some spray starch, a pile of wrinkled garments and a TV to watch and I will have a ball.

6. I think that soup is one of the finest foods on the planet.

7. I think that the platform shoes that are oh-so-fashionable, right now are oh-so-ugly. What is so fabulous about heavy, clunky, ungainly shoes with dangerously high heels? I don't get it.

I am supposed to pas this along to fifteen people. But you are all beating me to it. So, I am going to take the easy way out, (remember, I am sick and whiny!) and give this to everyone who didn't receive it, directly. I think that you are all stylish, fabulous, gorgeous, smart, funny. And did I mention fabulous? And I am tickled to death to have the opportunity to read your blogs and get to know you.

Okay, I have to run. I need to get my husband's uniforms out of the dryer and I have to pee. Water, you know. ;)

Later, gators.

Bleargh!

I am definitely infected. I woke up this morning with a sore throat, a deep, painful, racking cough, pounding head and my ears are kinda achey.

Waaahhh!!! I can't catch a break, right now. I was just feeling better from the frakking shingles when I get a nasty frakking cold. I have no energy, just walking around my house makes me hack up a lung and my head is pounding to an African dance rhythm as I type this. I want my mommy. And a hot cup of soup.

I was perfectly on track, yesterday. 1200 calories on the nose, 51/2 quarts of water. Food and water are on track, today. I have had coffee, soup and an orange. I am about to heat up some more soup. It is the only thing that sounds good, right now.

Okay, I am whiny, negative and did I mention, whiny? I am going to start a load of laundry, unload my dishwasher, give my husband a shout and get my soup. Then I am going to sit here and feel sorry for myself for a while.

Later.

Anybody Want To Come Kick My Husband's Ass With Me?

Check this. He lost four pounds. In four frakking days.

Four pounds.

In four days.

Time to kick his ass and toss him off over the deck railing.

Men...

I am doing well, today. Food and water are right on course.

I think that I am coming down with something. This afternoon, I started feeling yukky. My chest is getting heavy, I am starting to cough and I just feel "off". I was probably infected by some incubus of viral plague at the Urgent Care, last week. Bleargh! I'll know in the morning if I am sick or just feeling a little off. Dammit! If it isn't one thing, it is another. I am just getting over shingles and it would be terribly unfair if I come down with the crud, too.

And... Now I can't think of anything else to yap about, right now. *is brain dead*

Well, That Was Fun

Nothing like spending the morning in the doctor's office. But I needed to. I have actually never had a primary care doc. I have always just gone to this doc or that doc to address a specific issue or other. I needed to get out of that mindset and get real and more proactive, rather than just reactive about my health care. So, now I have a doc. She is great. Very nice, laid back, easy to talk to, listens pretty well. Listening is a skill I honestly believe needs to be addressed and stressed when doctors are in training. Few actually have great listening skills. But my doc does a little better than average. She took a good bit of time with me, didn't make me feel as if she were rushing me at all. I appreciate that. My insurance is paying her very good money, I want their money's worth. :D

My heart and lungs are good, my BP was perfect. I had a bunch of blood drawn for labs (it has been forever since I had any done) and I have to go have an abdominal ultrasound and a gallbladder series and test done. Joy. That should be fun. :P It needs to be done, so I will get at it. Blech!

I got home and I was starving. I figured that they would want to draw blood for labs so I didn't eat brekkie or drink any coffee, this morning. Only water and sugar free breath mints. I wasn't even hungry until I walked back in my door.When I did, I was suddenly ravenous. Now, in my old life, I would have just gone whole hog and eaten my kitchen in extinction. After all, I had fasted, I had been to the doctor. I deserved a treat, didn't I? Uh... No. Going to the doc and fasting for the morning doesn't mean I get to eat like an idiot. I had a mug of coffee and a toasted whole wheat sandwich thin with a Tablespoon of natural (no sugar) peanut butter split up and spread on each half. It is amazing how far one Tablespoon of peanut butter goes. :D With my water, I am good, for right now. I'll have a late lunch, later when I get hungry.

Sherry, I never thought that I would say this, but your body really does adjust to increased water intake. When you first start drinking lots and lots of water, you pee constantly. All day and all night long. It is annoying, you burn through a semi truck load of toilet paper in a week. When I accelerated my water intake, I went to a gallon, then to six quarts. At first, I was up every hour to pee all night long and running to the bathroom at least every half hour all day long. Then, my body seemed to say, "Okay, this is what is going to happen, now." and it adjusts. I am now only getting up to pee once or twice a night, the same as before I really went water-wild. I also pee less frequently during the day than I was, at first. But I won't lie to you, I am still peeing frequently during the day. lol  And funnily enough, I can drink a lot, go out and about and not be searching for every ladies room in town while I am out. Slugging all that water down every day is a job. I should be getting paid for it. lol But I now need that water. If I don't get it, I am not a happy camper. I feel dehydrated and cranky. Water has gone from my nemesis to my bestest friend. I even take a big tumbler to bed with me and it is usually empty by morning.  :D

It is a pretty day, today. It is sunny, supposed to be in the upper fifties. In fact, it is supposed to be unusually nice for the rest of the week. Methinks is is time to get out for a walk. My rash and my bra got along fairly well, today so I think I am ready to hit the road. :D

Okay, I need to run and pee. Yay, water! And I have laundry to attend to and I want to read blogs and see what all you fine people are up to, today.

Later.

You Know What You Get

When you wear undies that are covered in vertical white, yellow, red, orange and hot pink stripes?

An ass that looks like a circus tent.

Contemplate on that as you are trying to fall asleep, tonight.

:P

Frozen

It's funny... Sorta. That I am so much colder this Winter than I was last year. Then, while I was reading this post it hit me. Duh! I am almost one hundred pounds lighter than I was, last Winter. I have less insulation.

Granted, I still have a gracious plenty insulation. But I have a lot less then I used to have and I am feeling it, this year.

Weird.

Being this cold.

I'm sure I'll get used to it.

I am at just over 1100 calories and all but one tumbler of water is down. I need to go jump in the shower and wash my hair. I'll take another quick shower in the morning but not having to deal with all this hair will save me a lot of time getting ready.

I have decided to not eat or drink my coffee, in the morning. I'll just drink water, that way if the doc decides to draw blood, I won't have eaten. Save a step and some time. I can chow when I get home. And have my java, of course.

Okay, I don't really have anything of substance to say. I am just typing to hear my keys click. :P

Cold, Cranky, Ready to Open a Can of Woopass

Yeah. It is one of those days. My ass is cranky. It is cold here and I can't seem to get warm and I am in the mood to do some harm. Not to myself by eating shit I shouldn't, amazingly enough. Usually when I get like this, I want to eat the house down. Now, I just feel like burning it down.

Food is good. I am right on track. Water is all headed in the right direction. I have sweet potatoes in the oven and I am going to start the chicken, in a bit.

Anyone in the mood for a good ass kicking?

No?

Rats.

Oh yeah... Yesterday? 1205 and six quarts. 

An Hour and a Half

That is how long I waited in the waiting room to see the doc for about... sixty seconds. Maybe. I am recovering nicely. My residual back discomfort should fade in time and my shingles rash is beginning to ebb away and heal. Once the areas that are rubbed and made sore by wearing a bra are healed enough, I would guess in a few days, I will be good to hit the road and start walking. :D

Finally. By then, the ice covered spots on my sidewalk should also be thawed and clear, too. I'm looking forward to getting out and logging some miles, again.

My blood pressure was spot on normal. And to be honest, I can't remember if I took my BP med, this morning. *shrugs* I'll keep taking it until I talk to my new doc about it on Wednesday. If my pressure is okay without it, I would just as soon not continue with it.

Food is right on track. I have almost 200 calories left to play with. My water is almost all done. I was thrown off schedule by having to leave for a while, but I drank up plenty before I left so I didn't dry out. Phase Four is agreeing with me quite nicely. I'ma like it.

Okay, I don't really have much to babble about, right now. I have my fireplace on and am waiting for it to warm me up. It is chilly-chilly tonight. I am going to cut out coupons.

Talk you you, later. :D

Feeling Good

This is how Feeling Good is done. By the master. Enjoy.  :D


 


Okay, so how's everyone? All is well, here. It is a sunny day in my realm. Chilly, but thankfully the snow and ice are swiftly melting. My sidewalks where I like to walk are just about clear of ice, tho they are covered in gravel from the snowplows. Time for the city to clean them off. I need to walk, so they need to get busy.

I am nicely on track with my food and water. In fact, I am ahead on my water and need to slow down a tad, so that I don't end my day dry. I did a warm up today and did squats, lunges and upper body toning with light weights. The upper bod exercises are going to be a hit. The squats and lunges, not so much. My left knee is hamburger. Frakkity frak. Cardio and upper body exercises are going to have to do me for the foreseeable future. I need to be able to walk and to get up and down my stairs and so forth. I can't do that with a knee that is screaming at me. Some of us have physical limitations. We just have to work within them to get the results we want. I can get my results. Within my scope of ability.

I am going to pop over to the Urgent Care this evening for my followup. I am feeling a lot better. I still have some discomfort in my back, but it is nowhere near the pain and the spasms I was having. The rash is still there, but it is less tender, less painful. I still have some discomfort when I move my arm or wear a bra, but it is also receding. My nerves are firing a little funny now and again, and I am aware that it will take some time for me to recover fully. But I have turned the corner and I am getting better. Yay. :D

I have an appointment with a primary care doc on Wednesday morning. Yepper. I am finally going to get me my very own doc. I suppose it is about time. I imagine that she is going to want to turn me inside out and upside down, run a bunch of tests and poke and prod me into next week. I suppose I have it coming... Not having a primary care doc before this. Should be fun. :P

I need to go get in the shower. I have to get ready to go out and I need to warm up, too. Chilly outside, chilly in this house, too. I am trying to run the heat as little as possible, since natural gas, like electricity around here is outrageously expensive.

Okay, see you all, later.

Real Jeans

Not the super stretchy, elasticized waist feans. (Faux jeans.) But the kind with a fixed waistband and a button and zip. I wore them, today. :D It felt good. It felt really good. The last time I had on a pair of real jeans was 1993. Since then, it has been feans, all the way. And it always made me sad. It always made me feel different, separated, not as good, less.

I don't have to feel like that, anymore. As anyone who reads regularly knows, I received a couple of pair of Venetzia jeans from a lovely, generous fellow blogger a while back. When I first unpacked them I tried them on. And was delighted to actually get them on and fastened. But they were far too tight. They didn't look well and I couldn't sit down in them. No way would I even consider wearing them out of my house. I packed one pair away in my "future clothes" container and the other pair went into a drawer to hang out while I worked on losing more flab. Every now and again I would take them out and try them on. Every time I did, I got a little bit closer to them fitting me properly. I knew that some day I would be able to put them on, they would look good and I would wlk out my door in them.

Today was that day. I was getting ready to run out to the store and I thought that, just for shits and giggles, I would try my jeans. See if I was any closer. With half held breath, I pulled them out of the drawer, placed one foot in a leg and puled them a little way up. Put the other foot through the other leg and pulled them easily, smoothly up my legs, up over my hips until they settled right in at my waistline. No wiggling, no bouncing, to tugging, no chipped nails. I brought the two sides together without sucking in, tugging or having to apply any force. The button slipped right into it's waiting buttonhole, the zipper went up. I actually had a little room in the waist! :D

Gentle readers, I wore those jeans, today. They were comfortable, they looked nice and they felt wonderful. The size? Size seven or 26-28. I know... That is a size that most of you started at. I had to lose almost a hundred pounds to wear that size. At my heaviest, I couldn't squeeze into a size 34WT pair of stretchy feans. I had to lose a bunch of weight to get into those. Then I had to lose more weight to get into my 32WT feans. I gave away the 34WTs. Guess it is time for the 32WTs to go, as well. I don't need them, anymore.

I don't want them, anymore. I never want to put them on, again.

I don't have to!

Geeze! I am so wordy! All that raggle baggle to say I wore a pair of jeans, today. Maybe I need to get over myself? lol

My food is good, today. I am right on track and I have 160 calories left to play with, if I so desire. Water is just about all done, too. It felt good to get out of the house and move around a bit, even if it was just to pop into a couple of stores. Not exactly heavy duty all out walking. But I think that I will be ready to get out there, very soon. I have a followup with the doc at the Urgent Care about my shingles tomorrow and I am hoping that he will give me the all clear to get out there.

Willy Dog has decided to get back on the bandwagon. He is eating 1600 calories a day and is giving up sugary soda. He has about seventy pounds to lose and if he stays on track and incorporates some exercise, he should be able to reach his goal (180) by June. He has asked me to help him and to track his calories so he knows where he is each day. He refuses to drink large amounts of water... He says it makes him sick to do so. Whatever. As long as he gets enough fluids one way or the other, cuts out the sugar packed soda and eats better, he will be doing himself a huge favour. He needs to dump the weight, last time he went to the doctor, he was told that he was boderline diabetic. This will be good for him.

Okay, so I suppose I have nattered on and on and on long enough. 

Phase Four Week One Weigh In

Hello everyone. How are your enjoying your weekend? Mine has been good. Quiet but as I am slowly, steadily beginning to feel better, it is pretty good.

It got even better when I got on my scale, this morning. 302.0 Down 3.6 for the week. Not too shabby. Not too shabby at all.

To be perfectly honest, I was hoping to have finally cracked that damned 300 pound floor. The one I have been digging and working toward for the last year. I am so. Close! I am pretty sure I will break through this week. My next weigh in should begin with a two. Not a three.

So. Close!

I am hoping that I am doing well enough to get the all clear from my doc to start walking, again. I am feeling the urge to get out there. Maybe that is my bod telling me that I am recovering. :D

Cup of java number one is down and water is following in fast succession. I am trying to decide between oatmeal and eggs for brekkie. I'll probably just get at either, when I next walk into my kitchen. I suck at making plans... :P

I just have to say this before I go, this morning. There has to be a special, extra horrible place in the deepest pits of hell for anyone who would run into a crowd and shoot and kill people because he has a problem with their politics. And that place has to be even extra torturous for the monster who would include in that rampage an innocent little nine year old girl. He is nothing but a terrorist. If anyone else was in on this with him, even in an accessory position, they are also nothing more than a terrorist. And they deserve to be caught, prosecuted to the fullest extent of Arizona law. And yes, in case you didn't know, we do have the death penalty in this state. And I am all for him/them dancing to that tune. Terrorism in any form, for any reason is utterly unacceptable and must be dealt with. Swiftly. Harshly.

*burp*

Dinner is done, kitchen is cleaned. I am sitting neatly at 940 calories and 5 3/4 quarts of water down. I still have plenty of calories for some evening snacking, if I am so inclined.

So far, so good. I am not feeling the need to rebel, binge or go on a feeding frenzy. This is working. I seem to thrive on structure. Actually, I know I do. It is funny, this lower calorie range feels somehow easier, more free than when I was working with a range between 1200 to 1500. It was too easy to slide, to say, "Oh, 1600 just for today is okay." Or "Oh, it's okay if I slipped and went to 200 or a little beyond, after all, it is still technically in my loss range. I'll just do better next meal, next day." I don't have that much wiggle room. And it is suiting me. Maybe after this phase ends, I will have learned better control and can go back to a target range. We'll see.

At the moment, I am not thinking about that. I am just concentrating on getting through one day at a time. Staying within the 1200 calorie limit (I occasionally go aver 5-20) and getting in all of my water. Day by day, I am going to make this happen. I am determined to rock this phase. I want to hit 250. Maybe below, by the end of this phase. If I do, I will weigh less than I have sometime during my pregnancy back in 1988. When I got pregnant, I weighed about 224, after my son was born, I weighed 254. And I just went up, up, up from there, with occasional spurts of weight loss that never did take me lower than that point.

Those spurts of weight loss did accomplish one thing... They kept me from getting to 500 pounds, or higher. When I think about how out of control I was and how easily I could have ended up at 500 pounds or higher, provided I survived, I am gobsmacked. And horrified. And I am well aware that so far, I have dodged a major bullet.

I am not the picture of perfect health. I know this very well. But I am getting better and better, all the time. (Shingles not withstanding... lol) I can climb stairs without wanting to barf up my lungs. I can walk two or three miles over pretty tough terrain without falling down and wanting to give up and go home to my mommy. I am wearing smaller clothes than I have in a long time. Nearly a decade! And most important; I have hope. For the first time in a very long, long time. I have hope that I can do this. That I can reach a healthy weight, change my life and enjoy my years ahead.

Hope feels good and hope tastes better than a burger or a big, sloppy sandwich or a huge plate of pancakes covered in butter and syrup.

A hell of a lot better.

Hairy Oatmeal and a Heating Pad for a Cat

Good morning, dearlings. I hope that you all had a restful night's sleep and are facing today full of energy and optimism.

My day has started out well. A little busy but well. I am slurping my water at a great rate, have had my coffee and oatmeal. I have my second load of laundry in the washer and the house is neat and tidy.

Hairy oatmeal. Yuk. Yeah... I was eating my oats, this morning (that made me sound like a horse with her nose in a feed bucket,, hungrily chomping Omaline) and found not one, but two of my hairs in the bowl. Ick! My hair was up, so they must have fallen off my shirt. At least I knew that they were mine. :P I was a bit squicked, but not as squicked I would have been if I had not known who's head they had come from. I mean, EW! in fifty different languages.

I was getting my load of towels in the washer and I walked back through my living room to put my laundry basket in my bedroom when I looked over at my sofa and saw my cat all tucked up and happy on my heating pad. Marley has discovered the joy of a hot spot on which to curl and nap. And he isn't happy when I shag him off and put back on the back of my sofa for my back. lol

Okay, my dryer has stopped and it is time to get that load out and toss in my towels. Maybe I won't have to do laundry for a few days, now. That would be nice. :P

Finished Strong

Greetings, Earthlings! I hope that you all had a great day.

I finished mine strong and had a great day. Calories for the day came in at 1181. I drank all of my water. I just had a little snackipoo of a cup of Cheerios and a half a cup of almond milk. 130 calories and a perfect little before bed yummy. I also needed a little something, since I get queasy if I take my meds on an empty stomach.

I felt better, earlier but I am hurting, tonight. I have spasms, again. I had to break down and take a Flexaril. Owie! I am so ready for this to be over with. I have no idea how long shingles lasts. Any time is too long, if you ask me. lol

All rightie, then. I think I am done yammering, for tonight. Goodnight, dearies.

Feeling a Little More Human, Now

Ahhh... That felt good. I needed it so. much!

Get your frakking minds out of the gutter. :P

I meant the long, hot shower I just took. I have been showering each day, just jumping in, getting clean really quick and getting out. I haven't been washing my hair. I was just combing it, putting it up and ignoring it and greaseball is a kind description of my head, by today. It felt wonderful to shampoo my manky assed head, condition my hair and comb it all out smooth. I added a little leave in to it after I got out and some shine spray and it is happily air drying on the top of the back of my sofa. I think. I think... That my weight loss induced shedding might just be slowing down. *fingers crossed* I am not finding quite as much hair in my comb and brush. *pleasepleaseplease!*

I did a bunch of housework, earlier including scrubbing down my nasty  bathroom. I can't believe how filthy it was, in there and I couldn't stand it, any longer. Shingles be damned, I had to clean at least my toilet and sink. I didn't have it in me to scour the shower and tub, right now but the toidy and sink, faucet and mirrors are all sparkling clean. And my bathroom no longer announces it's presence as you walk into the hall. Yuk! :P

I also ran my vacuum, made my bed, cleaned up my kitchen. I thought about doing a load or two of laundry but I am tired, now and my back is beginning to howl a bit so I think I will save that until tomorrow. I think I have done enough for today.

Food is dead on target. Water is sliding down nicely.

Those of you in the path of this next snowstorm, I hope that you are all ready, stocked up, snugged in and your hatches are battened, Stay warm and stay safe, kiddies.

Phase Four Another Great Day :D

Yesterday went easily and smoothly. I am thinking that I needed a hardcore, structured program that I could challenge myself to stick to. I like a challenge and I suppose I should admit that I am a bit competitive, as well.

Calories yesterday: 1207
Water: 6 qts. *gurgle*
Exercise: Sadly I just can't yet. I wish these shingles would heal up and the sidewalks clear of ice and snow, soon. I want to get out there.

My shingles are still doing their thing. I have a feeling that this is something that takes a little time. *bleargh* I am in a tiny bit less pain. I haven't needed a muscle relaxer the moment I got out of bed, tho I will probably need one later, once I get to moving around and doing some things around this house. I am taking my anti-viral faithfully and Vicodin only at bedtime. I have found that breaking them in half and only taking half is a gracious plenty for me. That is one medication I am going to be happy to not need, any longer. I don't like taking narcotics unless I absolutely must. They have their place and can be a benefit. They are also dangerous.

I am so pissed at myself. Yesterday. I was clearing some random shit off my DVR and somehow I managed to delete V. Gah! I have been looking forward to this series returning and was all ready to watch it and it was gone. Waaaahhh!!! I tried to find it at the ABC website but they don't have the entire episode up, yet. (Other networks get their episodes up in a timely manner, why can't they?) Shit! You have to be kidding! So, I will just have to record the upcoming and save them until ABC gets off their asses and gets that episode up online so I can see it, then I can watch the rest in order. You might ask me why I don't just watch the others until I can see this one... I can't. I have to see a series in order. I can't miss an episode or come in in the middle. It just doesn't work for me. I need to follow the threads. I am the same way with books and movies. Yes, even I have my little oddities.

Sooo... Yeah, today is also going well. I had a mug of coffee and a bowl of oatmeal for brekkie. I am busily slurping water and feeling very good about things. In control and head is on straight. No binge urges, no need to feed or snack unadvisedly. Things are pretty smooth in my realm, right now. :D

Okay, I am still not full of terrific things to talk about. And now I need to pee like a racehorse so I am going to close this entry.

Going Well

I am dead on target with my food and water. Head is calm and binge urges and snack attacks are non existent. So far, so good.

My back is a bit more painful, today. *sigh* I think I have to just ride this out. Hopefully I won't be riding it forever. Because I have to tell you, this ride isn't any fun. I don't even feel like going out and doing some shopping, tonight. You know that I am down for the count if the lure of shopping doesn't stir me from my nest.

The daytime temps are going up a little and the snow is melting. It is nice to see it go. I hope that this next storm that is supposed to dip into our area is rain.

Lordy, I am loopy and I still don't have a lot to yap about, so...

Day Three of Phase Four

Another good day. I am low on calories and have plenty for a little snackiepoo if I want one. I am almost done with the water, too.

Acceptable.

I can't think of another thing to say, right now.

Brain dead Ice Queen out.

Phase 4 Balls to the Wall

Today was a very good day. I am finished eating at 1205 calories. I am almost finished with my water... One and a half tumblers to go. Some of that will go to bed with me to be slurped throughout the night. So far, so good. 1200 calories isn't that difficult and the water gets easier all the time. :)

I had an okay day, otherwise. I slowly did a couple of loads of laundry, ran and unloaded my dishwasher and helped Willy Dog make my bed. I also scooped the litter box and swept the kitchen and laundry room floors. That was all I could do. I feel like such a sloth but I literally can't do very much. But I do what I can. I need to finish up my laundry tomorrow, I have a couple more loads then that will be done, for a while. I might do my nails, too. I am getting bored with my present polish.

My mind is now blank. I can't, for the life of me think of anything else to talk about. 

So Blessed and Grateful

Thank you all so much for your outpouring of concern, sympathy and hugs. Just reading your kind comments, feeling the care behind them helps me to feel better. I am so grateful to each and every one of you who take the time to read my blog and to respond in such a lovely way. I wish I could send all of you a huge bouquet of flowers. *hugs all around*

In comments I was asked with shingles is. It is a herpes infection, related to chicken pox. If you have had chicken pox, you have the virus running around in your system, lurking, thinking about how it might, one day in the future, spring forth and wreak havoc on your bod. When it does, it attacks the nervous system, usually in your torso, tho shingles have been found in other areas of the body as well. But it is usually in the torso. This attack on the nerves causes bad pain, muscle spasms and a rash that resembles chicken pox, but doesn't form the big pustules. It is more a bumpy, spread out redness with some clusters of small pustules. The rash, it's self is somewhat itchy and exquisitely tender. Touching the rash, even having water in the shower hitting it hurts. Bad. Anti viral meds, muscle relaxers and pain killers are necessary to relieve symptoms and to knock the virus down. Rest and heat help you get through the day. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. Seriously. I wouldn't want to make anyone feel like this. lol

I slept better, last night and feel pretty refreshed, this morning. Boy, muscle relaxers and Vicodin... What a combination. lol I needed a good, hard night's sleep.

I have had my first cup of coffee and am debating whether I want or need another, rather than just blindly making one, just because that is what I usually do. Maybe I'll hold off and have it mid morning. We'll see. I am drinking my water. I am just about halfway through my first of three two quart pitchers. That is how I track my intake. I drink three two quart pitchers and I am good. :D I am thinking oatmeal for brekkie. I am out of eggs. Willy Dog promised to pick some up for me, later.

Anyone seen the news, this morning? Stinking gas prices are going up, up, up, again. *sigh* As if my frakking budget weren't tight enough. Ugh! Isn't the stuff expensive enough, right now? Aren't the oil companies and OPEC making enough money? I am not going to go off on a rant. It won't do any good. And I don't need the stress, right now.

Okay, time to run to the bathroom and get some more water.

Frakkity Frakkity Frak

I was in so much pain earlier that I decided to go to the Urgent Care, after all. I was seen by the same doc that treated me on the 28th. And he confirmed what I feared and was hoping I didn't have, but kind of knew, deep down I did.

I have frakking shingles.

 Shingles.

No wonder I am in so much frakking pain. And have the rash from hell.

I am now the proud owner of a bunch of drugs and I hope that they are going to help me to feel better, soon. I took the anti viral and muscle relaxer a little less then an hour ago. I am beginning to feel pretty loopy so I hope that it kicks in and my back calms down, soon. These muscle spasms is enough to send me off over the edge.

Good news? My blood pressure is a lot better. It is down kissing the normal range, again. I am happy about that. I wasn't too thrilled at the idea of my blood pressure going too high and my stroking out. That could really wreck my day. lol

Shingles. Bah! This sucks.

I am very on track with food and water, I am under doctor's orders, no exercise, right now. Hopefully, my shingles and the sidewalks will all be clear by this time next week and I can start walking. Until then, I will stay on track with eating and drinking. Walking will happen when it can and should. Right now, I am going to concentrate on healing and reducing my pain. :)

Okay, I think I will go see what the rest of you are up to. Take care and have a great, on track night.

My Balls are to the Wall

Boy, that sounds so right, when written by a woman, doesn't it? :P ^^

I am drinking all of my water. steadily and with intention. It is going down. The additional two quarts will take a tad bit of adjustment but it isn't anything I can't handle. Drinking a gallon a day, on the run up has helped. It isn't such a shock to the old system. lol

Food is nicely right on track. Brekkie was coffee and oatmeal, lunch was salad and an egg scramble made with some sauteed scallion, mushroom, one egg and two whites. I have plenty of calories for dinner and a bit of a crash snack this afternoon, if needed. Mmmm.. Almond milk and an apple, perhaps?

My fucking back. It is spasaming. I am really hurting, again. Blargh! I might have to hit the Urgent Care if I can't hold out until my appointment on the 12. I hate this, so much.

Okay, so time to run to the toidy. 

Six Frakking Quarts of Water...

Yepper. That is my daily allotment. Bleargh! And Glug! lol Thank heaven for big plastic tumblers that hold a lot of water and straws. They make the slurping incredible amounts of water a little easier. I am a little behind, since I slept in a bit. I am just going on two quarts. Guess I had better step it up. lol

Coffee and brekkie are down. I am going to see if I can get by on one cup. Fewer calories and less caffeine.

Did I just say that? :P

I need to go make a doctor's appointment and take my BP med. Almost forgot it. Yuk. In spite of the cortisone injections, my frakking back is hurting again and Sunday I suddenly broke out in a nasty, painful rash on the left side of my back, under my arm and across my chest at the top of my breast. It is itchy and incredibly painful.  A reaction to the treatment? Shingles? Something else? I don't know. But it is driving me insane. Ugh! This sucks. I am tired of pain and I just want it to go away.

Okay, I am going to run along. Be back in a while.

*sigh*

Nothing to that title, really. I just drew a blank when my cursor hit the box. :P

So, yeah. Yesterday was... Meh. 1700 and something calories. Higher than I intended. I suppose I need to get the silliness out of my system before tomorrow. Not that I am "having a last binge/meal/splurge" type thing, I just didn't pay close attention and forgot to write a few things down. Lesson: I have to be constantly mindful and on top of everything, at all times. Slacking isn't helpful to me, yet. Constant vigilance That is my watchword. Or watchwords. Whatever. :P

Coffee and oatmeal are down for brekkie  and I am busily slurping my water. I use a little lemon juice from a squeezy plastic lemon to jazz it up a little bit. A tiny hint of lemon makes it go down a lot easier. And since so much has to go down... Might as well make it as easy as possible.

Say, would any of you be offended if I change my Followers title from Very Important Visitors to My Realm to My Loyal Subjects? I think that anyone who reads me would get that it is meant tongue in cheek, not seriously. I originally wanted to title it that way, but I didn't want to piss anyone off or make them think I think I am something I am not. Hopefully, anyone new will understand that. :D

Geeze, I hope it warms up and really starts melting this snow. I seriously want out of here, later.

Happy New Year!

Hello my pets. I hope that all you party animals aren't too hungover. :P I hope that those of you, like me sat on their bootays in front of the tube aren't puffy from too much salt. Amazingly enough, I am neither. I know... Right? No whining about the Puff Monster? Water. It works, dudes and dudettes. :D

To finish my year and my personal I Refuse to Blow It Challenge I jumped on my scale today and was 305.4, down 3 pounds for the week. I am pleased that I ended on a loss. I am not pleased that I ended the year still above 300 pounds. I had planned to be well and solidly below that number by this time and I am pretty pissed at myself that I am not. It is entirely my own fault. And I take full responsibility for my choices.

So today begins a  new year. Sparkling,  fresh, right out of the package. What am I planning to do with this new year? Well, a few things... Continue losing this weight. Work on some other personal goals. Get my health even better under control by finally getting a real doc all my own. Finally learn to knit in the round on two circular needles so that I can knit socks. Spend more time taking photographs, something I enjoy so much. Those are just a few things. And no, they are not resolutions. :P

It is stupid cold, this morning. It was 0 overnight. It was 4 degrees, a little while ago. Hopefully it is beginning to warm up and that sun will soon be melting the snow. Willy Dog and Pookey are going to go out and see if they can't clear the drive well enough that we can get out of here, tomorrow. I am trapped like a rat up here and I am not liking it. Time for the snow to go bye-bye. As frustrated as I am with our little bit of snow, I can't imagine how utterly frustrated and just plain pissed off the residents of NYC have been since their big snow and the city's failure to get it cleared and get people moving, again. I don't understand that. New York is in the North East. It snows there. A lot. You would think that they would be prepared. Of course, if the citizens had cooperated, got their cars out of the way, not driven and packed the snow down to ice and so forth,  it would have helped. It was just a big, stupid clusterfuck all around, seems to me.

I seem to be in love with the word stupid, lately. :P

Okay, so... time to go in search of some brekkie. I am just killing off cup #2 of coffee and thinking some food would go down very nicely.