Category: My Life

Tuesday was spent with my best friend, Gail doing what we two do best….shop! We headed out to a local Outlet Mall, and after hitting the Outlet Office for coupon books, we started in Liz Claiborne. I’d been in there a month or so ago, and I had not found anything that fit me. But since then, I’ve lost more weight, and firmed up a bit, so I found quite a few items that look pretty darn good.

Now this shocked me! I mean, when I look into the mirror, I still see myself the way I did last year before I started Weight Watchers. Today I stood in front of a 3 way mirror in smaller clothes than I have worn in many years, and gazed at this person standing in front of me. Shopping was actually fun.

After dinner tonight I gave Hubby a little fashion show and I think he liked all the things that I got. One thing is for sure, I really don’t need much more in the way of clothes to wear for the summer.

The only down part of my day occurred when we came out of the grocery store and walked back to the trunk of my car and found that someone had sideswiped me! No dents, but the passenger side fender is badly scraped and will need to be repainted.

Oooooooooh, it made me so mad!

But then I came home and Hubby hugged me and I didn’t feel so bad. After all, I didn’t do it, but still it angered me that someone else did and didn’t have the ability to fess up and offer to pay for the damage they had caused.

I was up a tad late on Wednesday and decided to make coffee and breakfast for Hubby before I left to go to Weight Watchers. Once that was done I dressed and weighed myself here.

Groan!

I came out and told Hubby that I thought I might have either stayed the same or gained weight, but that it just didn’t look good. I decided to go to class though, as I’d promised myself when I started I would go unless I was in the Intensive Care Unit at the local hospital.

So I went.

I stepped up on the scale when I arrived and I’d lost ONE WHOLE POUND!!!!! YIPPEE!!!!!

I felt pretty happy about that because I had made some adjustments in my eating and it turns out that a little adjustment had made all the difference! I stayed for the meeting and saw my ladies. These women always make me feel stronger and better about my quest for control of my weight problem.

I came right home after and made myself breakfast. The children descended upon the house and the glorious chaos of kids and dogs soon took over. I just love the sounds of giggling children and the sight of wiggling dogs!

So, here I am back home and settling in. It really feels great. I puttered around the house today and did a few things. For instance, I made more potato salad for Hubby. The 5 pounds I made before I left for my sister’s house disappeared while I was gone. I also cooked a big pan of sautéed zucchini and summer squash. The garden is starting to offer us vegetables on a regular basis, so the real fun starts now!

I went out to the garden to check on things and carefully fed each plant. They all looked a bit unhealthy, so I used Miracle Grow to feed them with. I hope this helps.

I get my stitches out at 1:30 today. I can hardly wait. I think my nose looks pretty good though, I just hope there isn’t a big scar.

As you can see it really has healed well. Another few days and I think the ouch factor will be gone! I will let you know.

I have started to work with Anneliese getting her ready for the German Dog Show. Today we walked in a heel pattern up the drive and around the block. She did very well. I have two months to get her trained for the show. Wish me luck!

After a night where I just didn’t sleep at all, my day started off with a thud. I decided that since my surgery was not until noon-ish, I would go to Weight Watchers. I knew I hadn’t done too well over the fourth of July, but I didn’t think I had done that badly. Well, I was wrong. I gained 2 pounds! Shoot! I was really beating myself up about that until I realized that nearly every one in the class had gained weight. So in the end I didn’t feel so bad. In fact the class was such a good one that I felt better.

I came home and picked up Hubby so he could drive me in for my surgery. We arrived at the hospital and checked in. Everything went particularly fast and before I knew it they were trying to start an IV on me. I have teeny tiny veins, and it took three attempts before they got the IV started. They used novacane for two of the three attempts, and the one that they didn’t use the numbing agent on….let’s just say that hurt like heck!

Once plugged in to fluid, they wheeled me into surgery and things started. They gave me some “happy juice” in my IV, a local anesthetic in my nose and then everything started.

I do recall everything, and even conversed with the doctor while he did the operation. We reached the point where he took out the tumor and while we waited for the frozen section to go to Pathology we chatted about a few things. For instance, a song came on the radio, “How Am I Supposed To Live Without You”, and I told them that I knew the man who had written the song. He is a very good friend of one of my closest friends, and so while I lay there waiting I though of her and how special our friendship is.

Eventually the Laboratory called with the results. Yes, it is cancer for certain, but it is a Squamous cell carcinoma. This required more cutting of the area around the tumor and a slightly larger incision. Here is what I look like tonight.

Hubby was waiting for me, and he brought me home and then went out and got my medications. He made our dinner, and is spoiling me and taking very good care of me.

I slept for a while in the early evening, and I hope soon when I go to bed I will actually sleep. One thing is for sure, this thing really hurts! Thank goodness for pain medication!

I’ve been working all day on things, getting ready for my surgery and for the party for my parents, yet when I look around me, I don’t feel I got much done at all. I don’t seem to be able to stay focused too well on things.

I did go to the dentist, and look….No Cavities!!!

I also got my hair done and it looks pretty, soft and curly.

And my doctor called to make sure I was all set for tomorrow and not nervous. He also asked if I had any questions and was so genuinely concerned. I appreciated that. Dr. S. is a nice guy.

Here is a picture of the little problem spot on my nose.

(click to enlarge)

The temperature here got up to 95 degrees, and the humidity is high. It’s genuinely uncomfortable. Ah, it’s summer in New England. This means that like every other New Englander, I am complaining about the weather. We’re a picky lot. You see in the winter we complain about the snow. In the spring about the mud and rain. In the summer the heat and humidity, and the Autumn…hmmmm, I can’t think of anything bad there. Oh my. Perhaps the Autumn is the perfect time of year!

Yes, Autumn. A perfect season, with colors bright and the air cool and crisp. Ah yes, it’s nice to think of that sort of weather on a day like this.

There are times when I ask myself how I have made it to 49 years old! Let me tell you just a little about my day and I hope you will think it is as funny as I do.

Actually the first part of my day was very productive. Hubby and I got up early, had our breakfast and got out of the house by 8:45 to go grocery shopping for our 4th of July party. The stores were not overly crowded and we were able to get our shopping done in a few hours. We loaded everything into the trunk, placing the cold items in coolers. We stopped and paid a fortune to tank up the car, had lunch at the Chinese Buffet before arriving home.

We were greeted by the 4 dogs with such happiness and sheer joy that it took my breath away. How on earth could I ever survive without these guys?

Of course once home we had to unload the car. Now the trunk was full, the back seat, and even the floor in the back seat! We got everything in, the cold stuff put away and then the fun began.

I made two different marinades, chopping garlic and onions and mixing measured amounts of oils, vinegars and herbs, and whisking it all together. Then Hubby cut up the steak into cubes for the kebabs, I peeled the shrimp and after about 45 minutes of doing this, we took the beef and shrimp and put them in to marinate over night.

Hubby disappeared to do his yard work, and Emily and I worked on the next step of the preparations. We boiled the potatoes for the potato salad, and eggs for deviled eggs. I chopped the vegetables for the salad, made the dressing for the potato salad, and once the potatoes were done, cubed them and mixed the dressing and vegetables together.

I stepped back. It looked like a bomb had gone off in my kitchen. I think I used every dish, spoon, and measuring cup I own! So for the next hour I worked cleaning up the mess, loading the dishwasher and hand washing the other things.

I sat down briefly and sipped some lemonade, before I microwaved a meal for Hubby and myself.

That done, I decided I needed to do two things to end my day. First I wanted to empty out the Puppy pool and clean it out, so tomorrow we could put fresh water in it. So I went out, emptied the little pool, took it over to the side of the house and sprayed it off. The hose has a great jet setting that really shoots the water! What a great job it does.

When I got done I dropped the nozzle on the ground and it turned itself back on and was spraying me!!! I reached down and I swear to you, it was like the hose turned into a snake! I got soaked!!!

I stood there, with Anneliese watching me and I burst out laughing! Soaking wet and no one to blame for the drenching but myself!

I came inside and got on my nightgown and some dry underwear and socks and sat down to write my blog. I was about half way through the entry when my mouse slipped and POOF!

My entry was completely gone!

I did everything I could think of to find it and then I decided that it was gone for good. Thus, instead of hearing about what I plan to do at our 4th of July party, you get to hear about the build up to it and the silliness I myself inflicted upon…..myself!

So I am staying away from the hose for the rest of the night, and I have placed my mouse in an area of safety so it will not erase my entry.

It’s been a long but very good day!