phyllser

They told me I could even have fingernail polish as long as it was a light color. I like the Champion pants in "relaxed fit" because of my big thighs... and petite, of course! Wish they had low cut and then they'd be perfect. I always have to fold the waist band down once in the front! This is very weird... my sister who is the same age as you, I told you she started having knee problems about the same time you did... SHE also has an ortho appt this morning.. 8 a.m.! LOL! Waiting to hear how it went since it's 11:15 a.m. there now. Hopefully the snow storm didn't get it canceled! I was out of the loop all day yesterday... Red Hats Christmas party, then quick change and off to dinner with friends and then the Marine Band Concert in Palm Springs. Didn't get home until well after 10 p.m. You folks were mighty busy! I had about 4 pages to read this morning!

Cruise the Mexican Riviera with Earl and I.... spend some time in Palm Springs/L.A., cruise Jan. 30-Feb. 7!!:thumbup: :biggrin:

And yesterday's project... Santa Claus earrings. I started another pair this afternoon, but it's funny how much you forget in just one day!! LOL

Well, I logged exercise for Saturday because of all the walking I did, and we went to water aerobics this morning even though it was only 40 degrees outside. I wore my swim jacket and the pool water was nice and warm. Then did 30 minutes in the toasty hot tub. NICE! Sure miss that when we can't go. Have to miss tomorrow because Red Hat Christmas party (two of them this week!). Here are all my beading projects.

I suppose this is a strange thing to say, but I'm jealous that you're getting your other knee done already!! LOL! I want to get my other one done and get it over with... get on with life. Though, I must admit, it rarely bothers me. It's the ortho doc that says it needs to be done... says the hardware is slipping or coming loose because of my weight loss. So, I say, in that case, lets do it and be done with it! HAHAHA.... I am a churchie people, too and I TAKE "happy pills"! I have had a lot of support from my friends at church through this whole process. Haven't ever had any negative comments from anyone about my surgery, in fact. I guess I lead a sheltered life! I just started taking generic Zoloft this past summer. First dose was too low. Then the doc doubled it and I started having trouble sleeping at night. So then I started breaking them in half. So I'm now at 50 mg/day and that is perfect for me. Evens out my emotions just enough and I sleep like a log! I am behind the power curve with Christmas stuff! Haven't started cards yet. Today tried to finish some "Red Hat" earrings and bracelet for gift exchange for our party on Saturday and I couldn't remember how to do the earrings! It was my first class and I forgot! DH thinks he's got it figured out, and I think he's right, so maybe I'll just do it the way he suggests! Shopping is almost done. A few more gift cards. But the biggest challenge is getting gift for DH. I think I know what I want, but have to take cash out of checking because if I use a check or credit card... he checks the balances EVERY day and always knows exactly what I spent and where!

Yeah, I really enjoyed Biggest Loser last night. You do have to wonder how they pay their bills, etc., when they're at "the ranch" for 3 months! I finished up about 3 beading projects while I was watching. I'll have to take some more pictures. We made Santa earrings yesterday and they tured out so cute! I wish I'd bought enough stuff from her to make a couple of more pairs! This should be interesting. The cat is on the dashboard trying to figure out how to get through the web of Christmas lights draped across behind the Christmas tree. If she tries going through it, she will get caught! She has a "hole" next to the tree to get in and out... she likes to lounge in the front window when the sun is out. But she seems a little bored this morning and is considering trying a new route! My swim visors were tossed around the living room when I got up. Earl said she'd been throwing them in the air and chasing them. She likes the elastic shoe laces across the back. It's 41 outside now and Earl already went to the pool. He has all my stuff outside and ready to go. I just can't get motivated about it when It's this cold! But I have to go. Missed Monday and Tuesday because of weather. Can't complain about weather, though, when I see the TV reports of what's going on in the rest of the country!

I like when we cook for more than one night, too! Last night I finished the last of your lima bean soup. We had it for dinner twice, I think, and there was one bowl left. We cooked chili yesterday but didn't eat it until tonight except for a small sample last night. It was really good! We'll have it again tomorrow night. Movie we saw yesterday was "Everybody's Fine". It was so so. A little slow moving at times. I'd like to see "Precious", too. "Blind Side" was the best we've seen in a LONG time!! We loved it! Watching Biggest Loser... one of the best finales I've seen, I think! Watching east coast feed! Did chat a bit with LindaA the other night. She mentioned PS & I told her Candice wants to go to Costa Rica. She was very interested in that. Karla, puppy is probably not in my immediate future, but one of these days!

Even if Earl consented to the dog.... Candy would NOT! She would FREAK. She's a very spoiled and very opinionated cat. But, maybe one day! I'm starting to get excited about your online business! You gals have some great iideas. Speaking of alterations.... yesterday afternoon I decided to do something about the 5 pairs of pants that I have that need to be shortened! So I got out my scissors, measured, and started cutting! That's because yesterday I wore a pair of jeans that were several inches too long... rolled them up three times and off to the movies! And I have some new, cozy sweats that i wanted to put on when I got home, but last week when I wore them.. I was walking on about 6 inches of extra pant leg. So...now I HAVE to sew them because all five pairs are cut off! I'll have to borrow the neighbor's sewing machine. Did that last year. Those jeans... nice Lands' End black jeans that I got CHEAP at a thrift store. Show no wear at all. A little roomy in the butt because they're a 20W and I'm pretty much in 16W/18W now. But certainly can get a few months wear out of them. Had trouble buttoning the button before we left for the movie but finally got it buttoned. Got to the movies... had to use the rest room before the show started. Almost panicked, and almost peed my pants... because I couldn't get them unbuttoned again! Finally, by unzipping and working at it from below, I got it open. Close inspection revealed that the buttonhole is not cut open far enough. Maybe why they were at the thrift shop if former owner couldn't figure out why the button was so difficult! All that's needed is a little seam ripper to open the buttonhole up a little more! After the bathroom incident, I left it unbuttoned the rest of the afternoon to avert another dire emergency! Fortunately, the zipper held tight!

Online business sounds like a good idea! I don't have a dog.... but I'd really like to get a small on! :thumbup: I wasn't that excited about the road trip from the beginning. The whole purpose was to find the cruise terminal so we know where to go next month when we go on the Mexico cruise. So I don't figure we were going to do anything fun. I got an unenthusiastic response when I suggested we go to San Diego too. But, I also said it was a bad idea becuase the weather was supposed to be lousy! We went to a movie this afternoon just to get out for a while.

You're lookin' GOOD! I love the pics. Whatever Nels did, I love the effect! Almost like a fade out filter or something!

I KNOW you are enjoying this! Earl says it's supposed to last through next Sunday! Trip to L.A. is off once he looked at the radar this morning.. 1-2 inches of rain and flood warnings! May go to a movie instead although there are none that I am excited about seeing right now. Maybe Christmas Carol 3D. Too cold and rainy to go to water aerobics. Even too cold inside for me! Wrapped up in two blankets!

Yep! Time to see the girls and the grandkids! I am so excited that we decided yesterday to drive up to SF area to spend Christmas weekend with DS & his family! It is so lonely to stay here in the park for the holidays. So many go home for Christmas and we always stay. Now I have some Christmas spirit!

Too bad I booked a trip home to Seattle for those same dates! I'd love to join you all. Yeah... it'll be warm where YOU are! LOL! I booked the trip to Seattle for that weeknd because there is supposed to be a "Bandster Bash"... the "Seattle Splash" that weekend. But, once they announced the dates, I have not heard another word so I'm not even sure it's still happening! But, I'm using an "award" ticket, so probably would lose $$ if I tried to change it. Plus, I already scheduled an appt with my ortho doctor for that week. Follow up on my knee replacement and check the other knee. I want to se if he thinks it's time to do the other knee. And I'll get to see my girls and my grandchildren and check on the condo.

Well, it's no where near zero but feels cold to me! Hey, I chatted online with Linda a little bit tonight and brought up the PS Costa Rica idea. It spurred her interest right away. She wants to know more. I agree with that, Karla!! Sounds very weird to me. I'd stay away from it with a 10 ft pole, as the saying goes!! I think it's nothing but a scam! Sorry, Candice! No offense, but hate to see them take advantage of you. You are in an especially vulnerable place right now with all that's going on at your job! Be very careful what you get sucked in to!

merry christmas!!!

Back from a FULL day! Out to Breakfast... HUGE seafood omelet. Earl divided the leftovers in to 4 more portions! Then went to KMart. Got two Christmas turtlenecks.. size L. Earl gave me a nice compliment... insisted I go try them on because he thought they were too big and I should buy a M! But the L fit fine. Then we had to stop back at the park to drop off my leftovers, and I wanted to go to our Craft fair... have one the first Sat. of every month. Walked around both of those places... Kmart & craft fair. Then we went to Trader Joe's... did some more walking. Then Target... walked the WHOLE store! Then bank, Starbucks and walk over to WalMart. By then my knee was hurting and I needed to use the scooter there and at costco. But did quite a lot of walking today. Best part of the day... we decided to drive up to bay area for Christmas with our DS#1 and his family. So now I am getting some Christmas spirit! LOTS of people here going home for Christmas... some have already left. So I was starting to get melancholy because we were going to be here alone. Texting back and forth with DIL this afternoon to make sure they didn't have plans or weren't having other company. She gave us the green light and is excited about us coming. Wants to take us to see Christmas lights at some place she knows about. And I figured out what I"m going to get Earl for Christmas today, too! He had to stop at hobby store next to Trader Joe's because he lost some wheels on his RC airplane. So he was enjoying watching a demo of an RC helicopter. So I think I'll find a way to sneak over there and get one for him. Like I say... finally getting some Christmas spirit and motivation to do some shopping! Hope everyone is having a GREAT weekend! Freezing here, like Janet, but know I better not complain. DD#1 says it's 20 degrees at home!

I was NOT lurking! I was typing a post! So there! Yeah, only thing about the bike is it is VERY boring! TV in our exercise room is way up high where I can't reach the buttons! If someone taller comes by I ask them to put it on for me. But one day I figured out that I could reach the buttons with this piece of plastic pipe that is resting on the window sill! So I use that to turn it on & off or change the channel! But, I'm trying to remember to take by bluetooth stereo headset with me after this because then I can listen to music on my Blackberry.. or right now I have a book on CD on there that I've been listening to.. like when I'm volunteering in the Activity office and working on my beading projects. Too bad books on CD are so expensive! I happened to find one I forgot I had in a bag of books that Aunt Genny gave me before she died. It was out in the storage compartment with the Christmas decorations and Earl brought it in last week. She always liked to listen to books on CD, especailly after she got sick and didn't feel like holding a book. This one happens to be one of my favorite authors, Kathy Reichs... lady the TV series "Bones" is based on. LIMA BEAN SOUP was GREAT!! We had it for dinner last night. Excuse me. I have to run to the BR now!

Good Morning! You're probably gone by now! I slept until 8 this morning! Late for even me! I'm usually up by 7. Just finished my 1st cup of coffee.... which is usually my only cup of coffee. But Earl wants to go out for breakfast! Only time we've gone out for breakfast in many months was on my birthday last week and then just here at the park. Maybe my favorite in DHS today for my seafood omelet! Then I'll be eating it all week!! LOL Just asked Earl about the Tamale Festival and he grumbled so he apparently doesn't want to go. We went once or twice and I enjoyed it but, oh well. It's so cold out that right now we're both just bundled up in our blankies!! I had two pieces of fudge last night! I can't seem to part with it but every time I eat any I feel SO guilty! And I feel terrible about the fact that I hid it and I'm not sharing!! LOL! CranRaspberry??? Were you drinking that when we were drinking wine the other day???? I thought your "beverage" looked like it was a slightly different color... then decided it was my imagination. HAHAHAHA! Okay... looks like Karla and Candice posted while I was typing... little flashes of emails in the corner of my screen. Better post this and see what they have to say this morning!

Oh, boy! I sure can relate to what you're going through! Exactly the same situation with us back in 1991. And we had 3 little grandchildren that I desperately didn't want to leave! We discussed it and discussed it and discussed it! I finally said okay, and DH told me it would be 5-7 years and then he'd retire. Well, he chickend out of that. We ended up being in OK away from our kids and grandkids for 16 years! But, I made at least two trips a year up to see them and talked to them all on the phone often. Not quite the same as being there, but I survived. He did finally retire in 2003, but we stayed there 3 more years because we thought it "made sense". We both have family in NY state, so we were centrally located. But, then DD#2 was having kids after 13 years of infertility. I decided I did not want to watch those three little ones grow up long distance! So we bought a condo up in WA state and moved back. But, now that 16 years seems like it was a fleeting moment! I can't relate to it being 16 years!

Yeah.. I was surprised! The pair I have is relaxed fit, petite XL. The ones I tried on yesterday at "Janet's" Target were L petite, relaxed fit. They have so many on the racks and scattered about 4 or 5 different racks that it's hard to find the right size. And then some are "fitted", some are "semi-fitted" and some are "relaxed fit". So... it takes some work to find exactly what you need. I figured it'd be easy online! No... couldn't find any "short" in L or XL! So.... back to the store! Besides, you have to spend $50 for free shipping, so they'd end up costing me more than if I just go back to Target!

I agree... they always withdraw all the fluid from mine and then put it back in and it never measures up to what is supposed to be there. They told me the same thing... and that there's no way to get it all out because small amounts can "hide". If you have good restriction, its doubtful you have a leak. If I find I can't resist the fudge, it's going to be shared with neighbors! LOL! Spent a long time on line. I think I figured out which pants are the ones I like but then they don't have my size! I think I'm going back to Target and get them!

Going to the Target site in a few minutes! Stopped at Janet's Target and tried on 3 prs of Champions... different styles and fabrics. Can wear a L in the cotton/lycra, but XL in fleece and this other fabric. Still like the ones I have, so I'll see what I find online. Your fudge is GREAT! But Janet gave me too much to bring home. I can't resist when something like that is in the house! I may share some with my neighbor, Max. He LOVES chocolate and he's a skinny old guy. Wish I could meet you all in FL!! I'm going to be in Seattle that weekend. You never know, Lori.... this being so close to Christmas, and with all the flu going around... I'd think there's a fair chance of a cancellation allowing you to get bumped up. Happened to me in August but I had to turn it down because I was still back in NY after our #7's reunion. I love your pictures... because I LOVE the desert! Guess what's on my Santa list??? Walking sticks to help me walk in the desert. Been wanting to do that since we got back, but haven't ventured out except for a little bit behind our neighbors' place. Walking sticks would give me a little more confidence. I'm still a little unsteady on my feet, and balance problems.

Dinner was WONDERFUL! Loved the fish cooked that way, and rice is always a treat for me... we don't cook it hardly EVER, and we both lOVE spinach. Fudge was yummy! I hid the take home bag! LOL! And looking forward to having the lima bean Soup for dinner tomorrow! Thank you, thank you! I'm tellin' you the truth... the bed already had a leak! Of course there is hope for you... you're a beautiful young woman! We had a great dinner and a very enjoyable afternoon/evening! But we saw a bad accident on the way home. Glad it was dark. Rollover on a very bad curve on a dark windy road. Lots of firetrucks and emergency vehicles and car was pretty far off the road and upside down.. appeared to be one car accident.. Probably going to fast on the curve and lost it. Yes... hugs to both of you... Jacki & Candice. Hang in there. Things will get better. Karla, can't you fanagle a "business trip" somewhere??? Like VEGAS??? We'd meet you there, wouldn't we, Janet!!

Ones I have are black with white stripes down the side seam and they have some lycra in them. They're still a tad too long even though they are petite. What would be perfect is capri length probably! "Cropped" pants are usually just the right length for me!! LOL! We're going to Janet's for dinner, so I think we're going to leave in a few minutes. There is a Winco close to her that I never get to go to, and there's a SuperTarget there, too, so maybe I can get another pair of pants today! Uh oh! DH is snoring... not a good sign since I want to leave in a few minutes! You're going to have to stand your ground on this one, Kiddo! I wish I would have had an opportunity to have this surgery when I was your age instead of at age 63~~!! You are making the right decision. If there is any way you could get MIL, DH and maybe even FIL t go to a Weight Loss seminar with you, maybe that would help. My DH fought me tooth and nail on this for a long time. Then he had to have an emergency appendectomy in the fall of 2006. A few weeks later when I was looking online for the doctor's phone # so I could make him a follow up appt, I discovered that his main specialty was bariatric surgery! So I plotted and planned.. and had rehearsed this scenario in my mind over and over... I went in to the exam room with DH and innocently commented at the end of the appt.. I notice from the items in your waiting room that you do bariatric surgery.. etc., etc. Asked him a number of questions, and it put DH just eough at ease that he agreed to go to a seminar with me a few months laer. After that he was with me 100%. I am convinced it was a "GOD thing"... He set him up big time! LOL Good advice, Apples!

I love those Champion work out pants, too. In fact, I have mine on now! And I just finished telling DH not an hour ago that I'm going to use a birthday gift card I still have money on (Target) to get another pair! I wear these ALL the time. They're comfy, they are dressier than sweats so I can get away with wearing them shopping, etc. AND, most importantly, I can get them in "relaxed fit", which I need for my thighs,:w00t:, and petite. I might even fit in to a large now. Pair I have are XL... which I think they call 16/18. They're getting alitle "roomy" so maybe if I"m going to get an extra pair I can go a size smaller. Gal who has done most of my fills is a PA. But I know there is a "Fill Center" near us and those gals are RNs.