Category: My Life

Today I went back to Weight Watchers, after a week of journaling and being super careful about what I ate. I was really worried that I would not have lost any weight, but I stepped on the scale and found that I had lost two pounds! Yay for me!

Last week in class they spoke about how losing weight is really hard. It sure is! And once you are over 50 I think it gets even harder! But I am not going to give up!

Our last two cruises Hubby has taken pictures of me, and between my weight, and my new face, I have been one, very unhappy girl!

I know the next couple of weeks will be tough, due to the holidays, but I am not giving up. I really want to look good, and feel good in my body.

You know, the last time I saw my Mom before she died, she said to me: “Don’t be like me, Maribeth. Don’t give up! You can do it!”

Mom was probably my biggest critic in life, so this unprecedented encouragement was a real shock.

I do miss Mom. She may not have been a “Fairy Tale” mother, but I think she did her best. At least, right now, I am hearing her kind words and that is such a gift.

I went back to Weight Watchers today. Needless to say, after a wonderful cruise with all sorts of delicious foods, and cocktails, I had gained a little weight. It was a good day to return because today’s talk was all about how really hard it is to lose weight. Even when you stick strictly to the plan, it still is hard.

Now, if I didn’t have to eat that would be one thing. But we all have to eat food to sustain life, and balancing it all out, makes it a real challenge.

I got out my laptop and started to journal my food once again. I am hoping that if I do that for one week, I can weigh in next Wednesday and have a loss of some sort.

I looked at my pictures from our trip of me. I did not like what I saw. I looked “matronly”! Ugh! So, since I am the only one who can do anything about this, I am going to. Weigh, measure and journal. That is the key. It isn’t easy, but I can do it!

Yesterday was my birthday. And it was one of the best yet. If I had known that being 56 wasn’t so bad, then back when I turned 50, I wouldn’t have stressed so much over it.

It was a quiet day. Hubby and I talked about our cruise, and we worked on packing lists. Today I need to actually take all our heavy winter blankets and go out to the laundromat with them. I have four blankets and I want to get it done.

Then if I have some gumption left after all that, I want to come back and work on some more packing. Wednesday is baking day, Thursday is cleaning surfaces, and more packing and Friday, is when we pack the car up with our two cases. Saturday, I change the sheets, getting the bed ready for the house sitters and then we’re out of here.

Birthdays can be really good, even when they are quiet. This year, mine was the best! Thanks everyone, who contacted me and wished me well. It made me feel extraordinarily loved!

As I sit here contemplating my 56th birthday, I started to think about all the things I have to be thankful for in my life.

Looking back, I have been lucky enough to know real and true love. Be it with my friends, or family, I feel blessed to know the kind of love where I can be myself and be loved just as I am.

To know the beauty of giving birth to my daughters and see them emerge from my body, all healthy and screaming, makes me count my blessings. It was surely the happiest days of my life, when my girls were born.

Amanda Mae

Mandy, Katie & Me.

I again felt that total awe, when Mandy gave birth to

Savannah Rose.

And I held her in my arms for the first time.

Watching Savannah grow and become her own little person fills me with wonder! She is such a blessing to her mother, father and to all who love her.

I have been fortunate enough to meet and love deeply a good man, who loves me completely. Having realized long ago, I am no walk in the park to live with, I am grateful to be married to a man, whom I don’t totally freak out!

My daughter, Mandy is a real gem.

Not only is she a wonderful daughter, but Mandy is seriously, the best mother I have ever known. I am so proud of the way she is raising Savannah.

My sister, Melodie has been a constant in my life. She has been more of a mother to me than a sister, and I am blessed. I cannot imagine life without her.

Likewise, my cousin, Janet has been more of a sister than a cousin. Since she is close to my age, and I cannot remember a day in my life without her love, I feel so very lucky!

I am also thankful to have several girl friends, who are like sisters. They share my happiness and my sorrows, but Uschi, Gail, Carol, and Candy are always there for me.

I have been lucky enough to breed the dachshunds I love and to hold a newborn pup in my hands.

I have also raised Arnie and Anneliese from their first breaths and our connection is unlike any other that I have had with a dog.

No, life has not always been kind, but I am fortunate enough to have all these blessings, so that no matter what life throws my way, I seem to get through it all.

The Song is right, Love is All You Need!

Today I made the mistake of asking Hubby what he wanted for dinner. Meatloaf. So besides changing the sheets, doing laundry, and going out with Lili for a run, I was chopping up vegetables and squishing the meatloaf until it was just right.

By noontime, I was already exhausted and I still had to finish cooking dinner, feed the dogs and then do dishes!

However, tonight I feel pleasantly pleased to have accomplished so much. Oh yes, and 22 days until my vacation!

I plan to rest on the deck of the ship, while we are at sea. I have 6 books on my kindle to read! I also bought Hubby a nice big book for him to read. I’m sort of a voracious reader, while Hubby is a contemplative reader.

I plan to go to the shows on board, and try new things. On sea days I will sleep in and while we are in port, I’ll be walking about taking pictures, shopping for Christmas and for Savannah.

I can hardly wait!

Yesterday I went shopping at the local Outlet stores with my friend Laurie. I needed a few things for the trip, mainly sneakers. It’s been so long since I got a new pair, that I had forgotten how comfortable they can be! I got a pair of New Balance, in pristine white! I like that. Not sure why. They were hard to find, as today day-glow colors are all the rage!

I went to Talbot’s, and found several adorable tops, and everything was 40-75% off! One shirt I found has little dackels on it! At first I felt a little funny about it, but when I put it on, it fit nicely, and I could see that Savannah would like it on me!

Gasoline is down too. I filled up the Highlander with gas selling for $2.95 a gallon! We haven’t seen that in years! In fact when we bought the Highlander I was a little concerned about the mileage, as gasoline was selling close to $4.00 a gallon. But, the Highlander gets great mileage and gasoline prices are so much better. I pray it holds through the cold winter, as we heat with oil.

I noted that it is 28 days until we leave for our trip. We will have the house sitters come and move in here. Lucky for us we have a brother and sister who like our animals and can be here to care for them. Then we will go to Boston, park our car and spend the night. We’ll fly out in the morning to Fort Lauderdale, overnight again, and then the next day board the ship!

Then we will spend 10 days floating around, visiting a few different Islands and enjoying the sunshine. Be still my heart!

When we come back it will be a mad rush to prepare for Christmas. Savannah’s 3rd Christmas! How fun is that!

So, I made a little comment today on Facebook about looking forward to my vacation. I take one vacation a year, usually for 7 days, and during that time, I get a rest/break from dog care, house work, and cooking. After 40 years of doing this stuff, I don’t think that’s too bad, right?

I think each and every one of us have things we like to do. My sister loves renting a house near the beach and just sort of hanging out. My cousin does the same, except her Hubby likes to fish the lakes in the mountains! So, they do that too!

I digress.

No sooner had I put up this innocuous post, then an old friend made a rather not too nice comment. I sent a return comment, sort of brushing it off, and then he returned with a comment I thought was cruel.

So since this was all happening on my wall, I took the entire thing down. Why would someone, who is my friend, make statements about my upcoming vacation, just to make me feel bad?

Since I have no answers at all, as I said, I simply deleted the FB post. But my sensitive heart hurts just a little.

I will let you all know now, I do plan to write while on vacation and share the happiness and sunshine of my cruise.

Where did the day go? I was doing laundry, feeding dogs, getting the mail (in the pouring rain!) and cooking trout for dinner. Then before I knew it, the day was over!

Last night, I opened the door to get Lili back in and all I could smell was SKUNK! My heart sank as I envisioned having to bathe my pup to rid her of skunk smell. But I am so thankful that apparently, Lili is faster than a skunk! She is smelling sweet, even if the outside air smells like Pepe LaPew!

Years ago I had a Great Dane, She got totally skunked. My Vet told me to use Massengill Douche Powder diluted in warm water and then wash her with a nice soap. Well, I trotted down to Rite Aid Pharmacy and was standing there looking at the Douche Powder, trying to figure out how much I would need. Great Danes are big!!! Just then the Pharmacist came up and asked if I needed help? “Why yes”, I replied, “I’m just trying to figure out how much douche powder I will need!” After he got over the shock of my statement and I explained, we figured a few boxes would do it. By the way, it was a really funny way to meet our town’s new Pharmacist!

We are just about a month away from our cruise trip! I am so excited. Our house sitters came by for dinner earlier in the week and everything is set for them to move in and live here while we are away. I’m glad. Lili is still so young and needs to be cared for.