I have decided to start a little journal too in addition to my blog which is basically for my ramblings..
I have committed myself to Ross for the bigger part of 2007 with little time for me... This year well starting Feb 27 I decided it was high time I got made a contract with myself to get more fit and lose weight.
I rejoined my gym that I only made it to a few times last year some of it due to Ross's needs, in fact much of it but I was not nor have I been feeling too happy with myself..and my biggest problem is that I was thinking I don't have 2 hours to spend at the gym.. so I talked to the owner and she agreed starting with cardio was a great way to start and it does burn fat.I realize I may sound selfish but I am only 63 and I want to be around for many more years so in order to do that I got to get busy and take better care of myself..
This week so far has been a great week
I made it to the gym 5/6 days and did the treadmill for a minimum of 30 minutes and finally today increase my grade up to 6.. I am pleased with that, considering my many aches and pains and feet problems, (tibial tendon) and hammer toe and corns ..oh boy that seemed like a chore but it is really ok and I am totally enjoying it.. This week I have lost another 2 lbs so that is good too..
I have missed the gym... but am feeling totally comfortable there as it is a all ladies gym.
The day I missed the gym was a snow shoveling day.. and lots of that mixed with ice about an inch of ice on top of the snow.. so chop and shovel.. by the time I was done..I was beat..
Ross is happy I am going and I am happy that I am going and I must admit I feel better too.. It does a lot for stress..

Well, good for you, Louise! You've really spent a lot of time caring for Ross and that's wonderful! But I'm glad you're aware that you'll be much better off all around if you take some time to care for yourself and look after your own health. I know you realize that you can't be as effective taking care of someone else if you let your own health suffer. I'm glad your getting out to the gym. I've been going to the gym myself the last couple of weeks and it seems to be helping me out of my winter blahs, even though the winter weather isn't gone yet. Not even close. :c(

Congrats on losing the two pounds! I didn't realize you had a blog, I don't really follow those. Take care and it's good to see you around again! :hug:

Hi Louise.
you know that i think you are a fabulous lady for all that you do for Ross but i am soooo happy to see that you are taking the time to look after yourself also.
wonderful job on making it to the gym 5/6 days :)
i look foward to catching up with you here and watching your continued success.
hugs bell :)

so glad you have a journal again.

Here's to 2008 and all your positive steps forward!

Hi, Friend:

Shoveling snow is also good exercise. And I am so glad that you are enjoying the gym.

2008 is going to be YOUR year.

Hi Lulu, I am very happy to see you have started a new journal! :)

Hi Lulu,

I think I know what you mean about the gym. (By the way, the first two gyms I belonged to, the first in fall 06 - spring 07, and the second in summer 07 , both in Greece -- were both ladies' gyms. I miss that so much now here in the co-ed university gyms.) I also had (still have) the mindset that "If I'm going to go all the way over there (even when it wasn't actually that far...) I'd better be able to workout for 2 hours." But I am trying to kind of re-train myself into thinking "the gym is a life habit, so even if all I do is put on my gym clothes, grab my gym bag, go there and swipe my card, and then leave again, I'm helping to build a habit." And honestly, THAT, as ridiculously pathetic and time-wasting as it might sound, is actually true.

So I need to do like you have been doing and on days when I don't have 2 hours, but I DO have 1/2 hour, to go for 1/2 hour. It's better than not going, and it's better to go 5 days/week for 1/2 hour than to go 1 day/week for 2.5 hours -- a well established gym habit has GOT to be better for me than spurts of athleticism and feats of strength HA!

And :cheers: Cheers to you for recommitting to yourself. That is a wonderful positive thing.

And now I will go study.

Good for you Louise. You will be so pleased when thwe heat comes this summer that you started to get in shappe now. But I am afraid you are going to get a lot of exercise in the form of shovelling in the next few days.

You are not being selfish at all !!! What better gift could you give everyone than being healthy and sharing your life longer?

I am so happy you started a new journal, and good for you for kicking it into high gear


you have seen my winter pics louise...shovelling counts big time :laugh:


I hope you have a very nice weekend


looking forward to seeing you more



:x



Peng xoxo

Huzzah, Lulu! Ye could never sound selfish, pal, ye are a verra nice person 'n t'is a great thing to want to be vital 'n healthy 'n around the world a long time. In fact, t'is a crime, in my opinion, NOT to feel that way so kudos for you for this recommitment. I also know what ye mean about the mindset of thinkin' that when ye go to the gym or work out wherever ye work out it must be two hours or whatever ... e.g., the all or nothing thinking. That is the opposite of the truth, consistency is the thing, and ye have demonstrated that.

Have a great day, pal!

:rose:

I don't think you are being selfish either. In fact, you are being UNSELFISH b/c the longer you are healthy, the better care you can provide. The healthier you are psychologically, the kinder you can be when you are with Ross.

What a great strategy, going to the gym. I am so very impressed and proud of you.

I had post-tib tendonitis; it finally ripped and I had surgery (I wouldn't recommend it). But you might be helped with a walking case for awhile and an orthotic. Have you been to an ankle specialist? It might be worth a look, if you haven't done so already.

Hope you are having a good weekend!

Yay LuLu! Good for you!

You are not selfish. Taking care of yourself is not selfish. It is smart and sensible. Life is like an airplane. When the masks come down you put your own on first and then you help others. You can't help anyone if you're gasping for breath. You can't help anyone if you're tired, malnourished and out of shape.

You go girl!
Hugs
Mugs

Hello...so many visitors..thank you all so much:ghug: You are all so sweet, appreciated and so right. I just got to get used to it.
That maybe easier than getting used to the she shovelling that lies ahead for me tonight and tomorrow and the next day..I have a feeling I may not make it to the gym 5 days out of 7 for this week.. I hope I will nto feel like a failure but I may have to increase my time to 40 or 45 minutes to make up for the days I might lose due to snow shoveling..
We are really getting a dump... have not seen it this bad in many years. Have shovelled once today and will do it once more before bed but am not sure I am doing the right thing other than getting exercise..

Naus.. I tend to have that all or nothing stinking thinking too but am learning that it just does me no good and I have gone to gym 5/7 days this week. Yesterday was my free day so I went cross border shopping. Had fun

Judi: You are in my thoughts as I know your dear friend Connie is almost at the end of her life with us here on earth. I hope you get to see her soon... :hug:

Chum: Nice to see you here.. I have seen you posting all over today.. Glad you are back with us.. I love reading your posts... I have two pairs of custom orthotics and they are not the greatest things I have ever had.. I think the doc did too much correction.. I get around quite well by putting the gel heels in on top of the orthotic otherwise the orthotic hurts too much in the arch.. Surgery I would think is out for me however losing another 20 lbs will help a lot I am sure with arthritis too... Now something for this hammer toe would be great.. I was looking for something other than those gel toe separators but have not found what I am looking for.

Mel: Thanks for the visit...The gym does help with the winter blahs... :)

Amarantha: Hi pal.. Thanks for the visit :)

Pengii... ah yes I have seen your pics... now I should take some to show you..:laugh: I think my snow piles are worse than yours... but then you are out in the open which is no fun.. The muscles will get stronger today, tomorrow and the next day.. My goodness what a pile

Pat: I am looking forward to riding my bike this summer

Hi JoJo... You still inspire me at 81.. If I can be as healthy as you at 81 I will be one very grateful lady

Aria Thanks for the visit.. Will get over and visit you

Bell Always nice to see you and I will never be a gym addict but I will be a regular :)

and last but not least

Mugs Hi friend.. thanks for your visit.. You make a lot of sense..
Thanks everyone... Had a great day..no gym but shovelling...

Yes, orthotics are so uncomfortable at first. You can also buy over the counter ones for about $40USD. Those are more comfortable but less corrective. I was in a walking cast (I could take it off at night) before my surgery and it helped get the post tib tendon less inflamed and painful. I was also in a regular plaster cast for about a year some time ago when the injury first presented itself and while that was a PITA, it really helped the injury heal and then after had the small surgery (relatively speaking) where they just tightened the tendon and didn't do a full reconstruction...this gave me about 5 more good years before surgery was required when the tendon ruptured. It can be a painful injury so I hope you get good help for it.

Is there somewhere you can do water aerobics or swim? Other than getting in and out of the pool, that can make the injury feel better too.

Hope you have a good day. I wish it snowed here!!!

Well we had snow ..about 30 cm (12 in) of the white stuff. It does nto seem liek much but when it is blown in reallly hard and packed it is a pain in the butt and the shoulders arms etc... I worked outside for 2 hours on Sunday.. Also dealt with a massive ice pile up on roof and water started coming into house.. what a mess..so trying to keep a tight rein on that as I do not want a bunch of damage and then have the mess to have it repaired... Roof will have to be changed and apparently will not be covered by insurance as it is 10 years old so in their opinion it is considered general maintenance..general maintenance :shrug: Not going to fret over it and will just have to take money that we have saved up towards a new car up the road..
Monday took day off so to speak.. Did a huge Avon order and delivered all but one and did not stop much..Was on telephone with insurance and other calls etc.. and trying to stay ahead of the water coming in.
Today I went to gym yay and it felt good.. I love this place.. I did 30 minutes aerobics on an incline of 6.5 at a decent mph and delivered last Avon order.
Easting is pretty decent.. Not perfect but I was having a piece of baguette tonight but was real skimpy on the butter.. Most of the time I am .. .am hoping for another loss this week.. That will be on Thursday.. Not much else eaten today except oatmeal this morning and then a huge salad this afternoon after gym with a hunk of 4 % cheese.
Chum..Wave: Thanks for popping in.. Actually the orthotics I have had one pair for over a year and the other pair since April.... There is no water aerobics at the gym I attend... I can go but am waiting for it to warm up a bit.. I did water aerobics a few years ago and loved it but the trainer changed and I got highlights and really hate those stretch rubber caps as they make your head hot.. so guess a bit of excuse and false pride here but most just uncomfortable with this type of cap to protect these precious highlights..:) and the trainer is not good at all.. I will look around at a different place and see what they might have.. Sure wears out bathing suits too.. Of course I went three times a week and swimming lessons too so guess that is why.. Long long story short I know it would be good for the feet.. They are not liking all this tread mill stuff and walking.. In my Lands End mocs I am so comfy and I wear those all the time with my jeans etc but I cannot wear those at the gym.
thanks for the visit.. Well off to do some more mopping up before going to bed and listening to drip drip half the night. Ross has center in the morning.. and he is going through a bad patch right now but such is life..

We will soldier on..

Oh too much girly stuff to worry about, I agree. I don't wear a cap. I wish you had a good instructor. That can make a big difference I know. I remember the first class I attended and this horrible woman next to me announced that she had just pee'd. I had to get out of the pool. Totally grossed me out. I told the teacher and said I wouldn't be coming back unless someone spoke to her. I didn't return for a few weeks. Foul. I'm not a priss but really, now.

I wish we would get snow. Damn. It's like spring here. Horrid.

lol chum ...we have to wear caps though that is the problem.. OMG if I found out someone had peed i would be out in a flash too.. I hope not too many would do that...geez..

I m sending snow your way...I got 5 feet up each side of my walk... and the drive must have about 12 feet on the side... Wish that danged Canadian ground hog had a lawyer then I would get one and sue him for being wrong :laugh: He predicted an early spring... yours predicted 6 more weeks of winter I think... but only silly folks follow ground hogs... :laugh:

Have a great day tomorrow, Lulu! Sorry about the roof. I have one falling in also but luckily it doesn't rain quite as much here.

Lulu, you might be able to make arrangements with the gym to wear your Lands End mocs instead of conventional gym shoes. Talk to 'em, pal. D'ye know, sometimes I jog in lite sneakers and it works great for me.

See ya! Yea, soldier on!

Hi Amarantha:wave: thanks for the visit.. will talk to the owner of the gym on Saturday about some other shoes.. Thanks for suggestion:)
I did not make it to gym yesterday.. I have been cleaning up water and putting down plastic sheets and old towels..good thing I saved them..
Had the people for emergency floods in today as this is a new procedure well new to me.. and they have got things set up with buckets and plastic stapled to my window frames etc and the water runs into these huge bins.. They empty the bins... this is paid for by insurance.. It appears as though I prevented much more damage than what I already have which seems to be quite high from what I was told today two rooms replacing insulation between walls, gyproc on walls and ceilings etc... bathroom new ceramic tile all the way around as I don't have enough to match what they need to cut out around the window area and change gyproc etc. plus the back door which same thing insulation etc.. and door frame is warped from water.. may dry out but just a royal pain..Not sure what I will do with Ross while all these renovations are happening..anyway one day at a time.. and it will all work out I am sure...
Yesterday Ross was at center.. I had a lazy day.. Do not do this often but was totally tired so lazed around and did not over eat just took it easy.. I thought I was coming down with something but no.. just fine..but anyway today was back in fit form and back to gym
treadmill 30 minutes grad 6.5 at good mph.. Have decided i am not going to beat myself up over not going to gym everyday.. I have been doing this but there have been days when I have gone non stop in this house.. That must count for something..
Weight is down another 1.5 lbs.. so I am happy.. 3.5 lbs in two weeks... something must be happening.. I love the gym and I love it once I get my arse out the door but that is hard with Ross therefore one more week of just cardio then I hope to either alternate weight days and cardio days.
We soldier on..

Hi there, Lulu, hope all is well! :)

You had an emergency flood? I thought you had 5 feet of snow? Good God, Canada's weather is fraught with peril!!!

Good luck getting it all cleaned up!!

Sorry to hear of the troubles with your roof. I just called our air conditioning company we use, every fall and spring i have him out to go over the units, this year i am having a new unit for the upstairs ( we have central air and heat but two units since we have two fllors) installed.

Bob was surprised when we showed up at his luncheon meeting today( his whole office staff was there too) he had no idea till he saw us that something was up.

I am making Tilapia for supper tonight, fresh asparagus and brocolii and wild rice( i will also have warm french bread for them i will stay away from that)

Sorry things are getting harder with Ross, i have a dear neighbor that has around the clock care at home( her husband has really stepped up , i admire him for that) second marriage for both of them no children and he is spending it all on her care. He is 85, looks 70, i hope she goes first for her sake, she has a daughter from first marriage that i doubt would see is cared for like he does. She was the sweetest woman, i loved talking with her, Bob has not had any other patient that has stayed in this stage and as stable health wise as she has. All she does is smile now, but her face looks so different, mask like almost. She makes no sense, just giggles, no conversation.

you take care

Hi, Lulu!!!! :wave:

:rose: :spring: :wave: :spring: :rose:

I have to put this in your journal LuLu - it will at least give you a laugh!
Hugs
Mugs

December 8: 6:00 PM.
It started to snow. The first snow of the season and the wife and I sat for hours by the window watching the huge soft flakes drift down from heaven. It looked like a Grandma Moses Print. So romantic we felt like newlyweds again. I love snow!

December 9:
We woke to a beautiful blanket of crystal white snow covering every inch of the landscape. What a fantastic sight! Can there be a more lovely place in the Whole World? Moving here was the best idea I've ever had. Shoveled for the first time in years and felt like a boy again. Made a Snowman!! I shoveled both our driveway and the sidewalks. This afternoon the snow plow came along and covered up the sidewalks and closed in the driveway, so I got to shovel again. What a perfect life.

December 12:
The sun has melted all our lovely snow. Such a disappointment. My neighbor Bob tells me not to worry, we'll definitely have a white Christmas. No snow on Christmas would be awful! Bob says we'll have so much snow by the end of winter, that I'll never want to see snow again. I don't think that's possible. Bob is such a nice man. I'm glad he's our neighbor.

December 14:
Snow, lovely snow! 8" last night. The temperature dropped to -20. The cold makes everything sparkle so. The wind took my breath away, but I warmed up by shoveling the driveway and sidewalks. This is the life! The snowplow came back this afternoon and buried everything again. I didn't realize I would have to do quite this much shoveling, but I'll certainly get back in shape this way. I wish I wouldn't huff and puff so.

December 15:
20 inches forecast. Sold my van and bought a 4x4 Explorer. Bought snow tires for the wife's car and 2 extra shovels. Stocked the freezer. The wife wants a wood stove in case the electricity goes out. I think that's silly. We aren't in Alaska, after all.

December 16:
Ice storm this morning. Fell on my butt on the ice in the driveway putting down salt. Hurt like heck. The wife laughed for an hour, which I think was very cruel.

December 17:
Still way below freezing. Roads are too icy to go anywhere. Electricity was off for 5 hours. I had to pile the blankets on to stay warm. Nothing to do but stare at the wife and try not to irritate her. Guess I should've bought a wood stove, but won't admit it to her. I hate it when she's right. I can't believe I'm freezing to death in my own living room.

December 20:
Electricity's back on, but had another 14" of the stuff last night. More shoveling. Took all day. Snowplow came by twice. Tried to find a neighbor kid to shovel, but they said they're too busy playing hockey. I think they're lying. Called the only hardware store around to see about buying a snow blower and they're out. Might have another shipment in March. I think they're lying. Bob says I have to shovel or the city will have it done and bill me. I think he's lying.

December 22:
Bob was right about a white Christmas because 13 more inches of the white stuff fell today, and it's so cold it probably won't melt till August. Took me 45 minutes to get all dressed up to go out to shovel and then I had to pee. By the time I got undressed, peed and dressed again, I was too tired to shovel. Tried to hire Bob who has a plow on his truck for the rest of the winter; but he says he's too busy. I think he's is lying.

December 23:
Only 2" of snow today. And it warmed up to 0. The wife wanted me to decorate the front of the house this morning. What is she ... nuts??? Why didn't she tell me to do that a month ago? She says she did but I think she's lying.

December 24:
6". Snow packed so hard by snowplow, I broke the shovel. Thought I was having a heart attack. If I ever catch that guy who drives that snowplow, I'll drag him through the snow by his hair. I know he hides around the corner and waits for me to finish shoveling and then he comes down the street at a 100 miles an hour and throws snow all over where I've just been! Tonight the wife wanted me to sing Christmas carols with her and open our presents, but I was busy watching for the snowplow.

December 25:
Merry Christmas. 20 more inches of the #$%&*!! slop tonight. Snowed in. The idea of shoveling makes my blood boil. I hate the snow! Then the snowplow driver came by asking for a donation and I hit him over the head with my shovel. The wife says I have a bad attitude. I think she's an idiot. If I have to watch "It's a Wonderful Life" one more time, I'm going to kill her.

December 26:
Still snowed in. Why did I ever move here? It was all HER idea. She's really getting on my nerves.

December 27:
Temperature dropped to -30 and the pipes froze.

December 28:
Warmed up to above -50. Still snowed in. SHE is driving me crazy!!!

December 29:
10 more inches. Bob says I have to shovel the roof or it could cave in. That's the silliest thing I ever heard. How dumb does he think I am?

December 30:
Roof caved in. The snow plow driver is suing me for a million dollars for the bump on his head. The wife went home to her mother. Another 9" predicted.

December 31:
Set fire to what's left of the house. No more shoveling.

January 8:
I feel so good. I just love those little white pills they keep giving me. Why am I tied up?

Thanks for all your visits ladies.. I did a post last night and Firefox went down and I lost it all..so will keep it short tonight as I am really tired.
Am still going to gym.. Liking it a lot..
Went yesterday and today and did 30 minutes recumbent bike.. That is a a better cardio imo anyway..I was sweating buckets and my heart rate was well up there.. maxing at 143.. which is 90% of my max. which is 153 or so.. non stop at a load of 3.. I am enjoying the gym... Ross will be at center next week for a few days so I will have more time to hopefully relax..if the water does not find other places to come in... It is now dripping down in the basement on my washer etc... and more snow/ice/rain tonight.. so :shrug:
Chum...yes these crazy Canadian winters... This is the worst in a long time... We are missing the record only by few cm and it is not quite over yet..the snow melts a bit and then it got cold and formed ice on roof and it kept doing this therefore backed up and well into house.. fun fun fun..
Thanks Aria, Amarantha, Judith.. Will get to visit you folks soon
Cleaning lady is coming in tomorrow for 3 hrs only so I must get a move on and clean before she gets here...
Just a general cleaning not a biggie.. She is nice and does a nice job on my floors etc.. I do change all my own beds, all my laundry and make sure bathroom is quite clean too and my kitchen.. she just dusts etc.. I just feel better in a clean house.. lol.. silly I know..

ha ha Mugs... a real good laugh.. You made my day friend... have a good evening.. I am too tired to type anymore...

lulu you win the crappy winter award this year, hands down !!

I have seen pics and it really seems incredible... the roof thing is understandable but still...so extreme... nothing is ever normal lately huh


congrats on the pounds gone :jn :dn :jn, the exercise is a big thing...I know how hard a clean up is after a disaster...plus being stressful, I sure hope you are managing allright


I am still in shock that someone would actually say they just peed in the pool chum lol... that could put someone off swimming forever


the healthier you is prob doing a lot more than you could of several weeks ago huh


good for you buddy !



I hope all that snow does not totally wash you away



Have the best wednesday that you can !!


:x



Peng xo

Hi Lulu

Been gone due to old computer died. Got a new lap top finally now to learn how to works. This one is so modern with a keyboard and its even in color wow. just kidding. I also am sick of winter and we are in better shape than you. With only about 8 inches still on thee ground but is melting every day so spring should come. May still have a few snow piles when I start to mow grass LOL.

Hope all is well with you and take care.

Time to bump this up... Have been on a mini vacation.. Ross has been at the home since last Tuesday morning and I am picking him up after supper tomorrow evening...I am finally breathing again.. thanks to a much needed rest... No 2 son came in yesterday and took me out to supper a very nice place and a lovely supper.. Blackened Swordfish steak as main dish and avocado with crab as appetizer..no dessert not even cake...
Went to visit Ross on Friday but not a good idea..he was crying a lot when I left..
Water has stopped coming into house... thank goodness...let us hope that the high banks around the outside of the house do not start water seeping into basement..
am attaching some pictures of snow .. .Not sure when it will all go away.
Thanks to all for emails, pms and posts of bday wishes..:)

Hi Lulu, I was looking for your journal to wish you happy birthday but couldn't find it, so post in judiths thread in the pub. Hope you are having a very nice day today. That is some crazy snow!!!

Thanks Nancy :)..

Happy Happy Birthday - I'm putting this in as many places as I can!
Hugs
Mugs

Happy happy birthday. Ross may have been upset with being in the home, but what a lot to deal with with the water coming in the house! Seems like a never ending winter for you guys.
I am in Nova Scotia for my break. We have sold our house here and things are going better than I ever expected.

I hope spring comes to you soon and you have some great shopping excursions in the year to come.

Pat

Happy Birthday, Lulu. Hope your special day was a good one.

My goodness, that is a LOT of snow to deal with. But Spring is here, the calendar says so, and so the warmer weather will eventually come.

I know you are a year older, but you can't catch up with me. LOL

:party: Happy Birthday Buddy :party:



I do hope you get to relax a bit soon ... it has been a tough crappy late winter for you ...


a little :cake: will help I hope


:x


Peng

Hi Lulu

Happy Brithday

Wow you do have the snow, makes me feel like I was complaining about nothing. Ours is about gone a few drifts and it will be bare here. Has changed alot in the past week.

Hey there, Louise! Hope you had a nice day. :bd

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Happy birthday, Lulu!!!! :rose:

Thanks for all the Bday wishes Mugs, Pat, JoJo, Pengii, Harold, Mel and Amarantha.:hug:..Had a great day and it is all over for another year...
Harold..those pics were just taken yesterday.. so we still have lots...too much and much rain predicted for this week.

sorry to hear about your water damage. Last week i had a new unit centralair/heat for the upstairs put in, while they were finishing up they noticed we have a leak from the main bathroom( they think around the tub area) . we were going to remodel that bathroom first sometime this year, so Scott has to use our shower in our bedroom till we do that. Who knows what it will turn out to be, i just hope a seal or some pipe replacement, i am looking forward to the remodeling( somewhat i dread having workers in for such a long time period) just don't want extra problems.

Glad you got a break and some rest. Sorry Ross is so fragile emotionally. My Mom was in a situation like you( she took care of his house and him when the time came) but it got tough at the end, he had prostate cancer and was sick for several yrs. She felt bad but the last several months it was physically/emotionally too much for her to handle. He was begging her to get his gun and take his life, he offered her money. She couldn't handle it, is all he talked about.

I felt bad for my Mom, Jim had sold his home( my Mom owned a duplex) they moved into the larger one, he remodeled my Mom bedroom, bathroom(enlarged it) he had his own room. I thought for sure he would surprise her and leave her something more, he didn't he left it all to his grandaughter. Which is his right, but she never came to see him more than once a year and she lived 30 minutes away.

Hi Lu!

I finally Found you! I have really missed talking with you and it seems that I just missed your birthday as well. I hope you enjoyed it.

I hear you on the snow and water problems! At least Bob is here to do the snowblowing but he didn't do it often enough and the ice level in the driveway/road is higher than the garage so it is melting into the garage and from there into the house! Do you have a shop vac? Like a wet/dry vac? It will get suck some of the water out of carpets (I use a steam cleaner with the water off).

If you are doing all the water cleanups and shovelling then you are certainly burning extra calories.

I am glad you are going to the gym again. Even more important is that you enjoy it and see the time as "you time" instead of a chore that you must do. You are much more likely to stick with it that way.

I am afraid that maple syrup won't be ready for a few weeks - although this week the sap may start running. It is usally the beggining to middle of March - not April! What a crazy winter this has been. I am hoping that we get a nice summer to make up for it.

Glad I found your journal - have a great day!

Hi LuLu,

Thanks for dropping by my journal. Sorry I missed your birthday! Hope you had a great day. Sooo much snow ...

Happy Birthday Lulu! :rose:
Glad to hear you had a great day!

Happy belated birthday Lulu! I'm glad you had a chance to rest. I know it is hard on Ross but you must rejuvenate yourself for the long run.

No dessert for your birthday? Very impressive. I have a tiny something every day or I will eat everything in sight. hahaha

You have had a terrible winter with your home damages. Poor thing, as if you didn't have enough on your plate?

I hope you are having a good day today!

Hi Lulu

I don't get over to your blog so I meiss out on what is happening with you. I hope everything is going smoothly and you are enjoying the days to yourself.

BTW what is the difference between a blog and a journal anyway?

Hi, Lulu!!! :wave: Thanks for the postie in my new journal! You are doin' great ... hope Sunday is a nice one for ye, pal!

Where have you been? I hope everything is going well...

Hi Amarantha and Chum:wave:
Geez I never seem to stay caught up with this thing.. Thanks for the Bday wishes Chum.. All over for another year.
This past weekend my grandson, son and daughter in law have birthdays just days apart so we had a big get together to celebrate all three.. My son is 41, my dil is 40 and my grand son is 5. it was nice. Ross went along too.. He enjoyed the car ride.. it is about 1.5 hrs each way. I have been going to the gym quite frequently and am not doing weights alternating with cardio other days..I really enjoy it very much.
I did cardio at home on Sunday as it was just easier than showering going to gym sweating like crazy then showering again.. but really hated it.. too dark and gloomy in the basement for me especially being a care giver.. I need out..
Glad I rejoined the gym.. That is one decision I am not sorry I made..
Food has not been too bad ..some days too many carbs..not bad carbs but too many..
Flooding has stopped but now to have insurance adjuster send own contractor for an estimate then I bring in my own ..and then there is the difference which the two will have to haggle over..
Chum: I read where you like watching Barefoot Contessa.. so do I.. My goodness she is a great cook but I just cannot eat too much of her food as it might go right to my petite waist:laugh: No that is something to laugh at.. No joking I wear all my fat in my gut.. not a pretty place to wear it..and guess that makes for the sore back I have much of the time (rheumatoid arthritis)
I did make up for no dessert on my birthday at the birthday on the weekend..
Well just home from gym and lady coming to bath Ross at 2:30 so must get a move on here..

Hope everyone is having a good day.. Snow is melting and that is nice. Close to 60 again today.. Got Ross out for 2 hours yesterday on the deck in the sun.. He enjoyed that..

Congrats on getting to the gym, Lulu. Sounds like you are doing well there.

Hope all goes well with the insurance stuff, it can be tricky sometimes.

Take care.

Hey Nancy..thanks for the visit.. i hope all goes well with the insurance stuff too.. I talked to the adjuster today and he said if I needed to put Ross in a home for a couple of days while they do work in the bathroom the insurance would cover it so that helps ease my mind a bit.. I can always shower at the gym.. no biggie for me..but i was worrying about what i would do with Ross... Not many residences here accept him as he is insulin dependent and they need a nurse on duty to do the injections which most of them do not..
Food today was not bad... too many carbs and too much protein..I finally weighed out my dry whole wheat pasta.. but not 85 grams... I put 390 grams for the both of us... lol so I certainly had a high carb supper... 85 grams looked so piddly.. honestly I am shocked.. I guess I must have a huge portion control problem..
Total for today though was1719 calories 26% fat, 47% carbs (215g) 23% Protein
Room for improvement tomorrow..:)

Hi Louise.
been ages since i stopped in to say hello. I am so glad to see that you are liking the gym so much. getting out to do something for yourself is a great feeling too no doubt.
i just got cable a couple of weeks back and started watching The Barefoot Contessa..so many yummy foods but nothing appears to be too low cal hahahahahha..could probably substitute here and there but that would be too much thought for my fragile brain!
Have a great week !
hugs bell :)

I often fiddle with the Barefoot Contessa's recipes to make them healthier. But some of her recipes are already ok if you look on the Food Network's website. Same with Rachael Ray. She is heavy on the oil but otherwise, you can fix that and it tastes the same and is easy to make also.

Good for you that you have been working out. That is the most important thing, I am told (and I believe it too). It will help with the arthritis too, I'd bet.

Hi Bell and Chum..:wave:
Bell it seems I never make it over to your journal but want to cause I read that you had been camping.. Now I used to do a lot of that in Vermont with the 3 kids and no camper just a lean to and a tent..
My kids enjoy camping today so I think it is great to partake in these kind of adventures..
Chum.. I wish I had the time to take apart some recipes and lighten them up a bit.. Actually my cooking has become most boring as I absolutely hate it now. Must be an age thing..and Ross being insulin dependent makes it harder because he does have to have really balanced meals... more so than me even though I am also diabetic.

Well today got tires in car to go tomorrow to put all seasons on and get off winter ones, oil change..and check starter... or the switch... it misses every now and again so do not need that.. Did not make gym today.. May go after supper.
Have got supper figured out poached cod with Swiss chard sauteed in a bit of oil and minced garlic and red potatoes with a dab of butter.
So far including supper calories are only 1194...24% fat, 44% carbs and 30% protein.
I have room for dessert so may be low fat yogurt and strawberries.. will update later..
OK strawberries and yogurt put me at 1303 calories.... 49 grams of fiber..

Hey Lulu, wow, that is great that insurance will cover Ross being in a care facilitie while things are crazy at the house.

I like the Barefoot Contessa also. She does alot of chicken which is really nice for lowcal choices. Rachael Rays '30 minute meals' are often low carb, I like her show too.

I am also struggling with supper ideas these days. Maybe we need a thread here where people can post what they make for supper. Sometimes it helps, lol.

I am always playing around with food. One of my few hobbies and one my mom was quite pleased about. Maybe I will try to remember to post a few things that I pull together from the food network recipes. Note to self: remember. Second note to self: remember ANYTHING these days. Sigh.

I didn't know you lived in Vermont. It is a lovely, lovely place. I adore it.

I need to try Swiss chard. I think I might like it. This summer, when it is fresh at the market...

Hi Chum: Swiss chard is great cooked as I do mine cut off the stalks..but don't throw them out..just slice them up ... I put a bit of olive oil in non stick pan... throw in my cut up stalks, let the cook for 5 minutes then throw in my minced garlic I love it so i am not shy with it..but to put it in first it would burn as you know Chum.. and then I throw in my chopped up leaves... something like you would tear romaine for salad and just turn over with two spoons or lifters and turn off..throw lid on and voila.
For some reason I bet you are a great cook Chum.. I just did too much of it raising three kids etc.. an now caring for Ross etc.
I did not live in Vt but I should have and would if I could afford it.. It is a beautiful state and I love traveling all around in it.. Burlington is a 2 hr drive for me..We spent many summers at Grande isle State Park in Grande Isle Vt.. right on Lake Champlain.
The school you attended is it near or at the South Royalton one?.
Geese are coming back home many many flocks flew over today honking away.. :)
Hey Nancy: Maybe a thread would be good for suppers.. but I guess we could always look in the recipe section. BBQ season coming up soon when I can get to shed to get BBQ out..
Going to check out some Barefoot Contessa recipes and Rachel too..

Oh I will try that this summer when the chard comes in. I always mean to try it and in fact even bought the rainbow one once but forgot it was in there and by the time I found it, it was a slimy mess. Ugh. I think it was Sandielynne who first recommended it to me. I bought sunchokes this last weekend for the first time (they are just in season here) and tried them raw in salad which was fine. I will next try them roasted. So far, I'm thinking, "eh." Not worth the money.

I am an ok cook -- never satisfied with anything I make, even though others like it. I didn't learn until a few years ago and am still learning as far as I'm concerned. I am pretty good with the Lebanese/Syrian cuisine and with the dishes my mother taught me. I suppose I am too creative to be a great cook -- not enough consistency.

I am actually a very fast cook and no matter what I make, even if it is a time-consuming recipe like grapeleaves, I prepare it faster b/c I get bored easily. hahaha Lots of burned pots in this house! Ugh. I have to buy pots with a lifetime warranty. Pffwt.

I am my mother's daughter...I enjoy most cooking for others and when alone, eat a sandwich or not at all. I love making quick breads or homemade goodies for gifts or cooking huge meals for a crowd (which almost never happens). My mailman and doormen are the recipients, more often than not -- and occasionally I make extra food to take to elderly neighbors (especially sweets). It is fun.

OK gonna go to beddy bye and watch Zora Neale Hurston on PBS. What a bore I am! hahah

Hi lulu.... happy belated birthday! Sorry I missed the actual day. I am just scratching the surface in getting caught up with everyone since I've been gone so long.

That's great news about your insurance, but I was sorry to hear you had to deal with water damage. My daughter adn son-in-law's basement just flooded due to a collapsed pipe (main drain) and it's a finished basement, so it caused a lot of damage. Clean up and ripping out carpet is slow going for sure... a real pain. We've been through it at our house a bunch of times, only it was sewer and that's HORRIBLE! Major YUCKO! LOL

Glad things will work out with Ross going in a home while your house is being worked on. I'm sure that was a major concern for you and now you can rest a little easier about that.

Take care and have a great weekend!

Hi Chum and Dj:

Dj: hey nice to see you back here.. What a cutie of a grandh child you child.. Thanks for teh Bday wishes.. I am not big on bdays jsut one year old.. Next eyar I might decide to not have one.
Chum... There have been a few burnt pots in this house too... Before I moved in her with Ross 10 years ago I used to come over and cook for him and he had the pits for pans and I had soem good ones.. and I left a very good Langostina Fry pan with lid here and he used it and actually ruined the core of it by using too high a heat.. it happened to a few pots till I told him to leave the pots alone..lol
I have never had Lebanese or Syrian cuisine.. I have had Indian (India).. I have a good friend who has moved away that used to make me little packages to bring home when I lived alone.. A really nice lady..and I enjoyed the food.. I love Italian cuisine..real authentic Italian.. My friend's hubby is a chef and used to own a restaurant and oh I was spoiled..again when I lived alone..
Funny how some folks can just go to the ridge and find enough stuff in it to put together a real nice meal.. I bet Pengii is like that..
I unfortunately over buy sometimes too and stuff goes bad on me like veggies too.. Cookies wouldn't though :laugh: or cake:laugh:
Oh my yes I know the Shelbourne Farm.. That is a beautiful place to visit and certainly a beautiful place for a wedding..is also very beautiful at Christmas time.. and from what I have heard that The Royalton law school is a top notch one..

Calories good today Super included Calories 1179 (will add to that a bit) 19% fat, 47% carbs and 30% protein... 40 grams fiber.

Did not make it to gym.. Spent 3 hours at garage with car.. .starter (well 10 year old Toyota Corolla and can't expect them to last forever..put all season tires on and had oil change...
All set for "run the road day" tomorrow.. Off to Plattsburgh NY again for the day..
back later to edit

Wow. Forty grams of fiber -- no wonder you didn't make it to the gym! I'm surprised you even left the house! hahahaha

Arab food is delish. You should try it someday. It is easy to make at home too.

Part of the fun of cooking is looking to see what you can make with what you have. I don't always do that but when I do it is always interesting. hahah It turns out better now that I have some experience. In the beginning, well, let's just say, a lot was thrown out -- and we rarely throw out food. hahaha

Cookies and cake would go bad in my house, if it were just me here.

Drive safely to NY. Watch out for the Bush border guards. hahahaha

Hey Chum:wave: Bush border guards..:eyes: haha.. Had a great day... had one of my usual custom's officers so it was nice chatting with him..
Went for a nice haddock dinner.. that is my favorite with baked potato and green beans.. Yum


If you feel like it Chum give me a recipe for an easy tasty Arab dish.. Would love to try it..
Well kind of tired... going to watch a bit of TV and then to bed early tonight.. Got to get to gym tomorrow for sure..
Total for day was a bit high but I enjoyed it 32% fat, 43% carbs, 25% protein 28 grams fiber..
Looked at C J Banks for some clothes but I notice the tops are very short this year..
Geese are still coming home.. got the window open and can hear them.. a lot of the snow has melted and when I was cross border I saw some raking lawns.. go figure an hour away from here and they are raking lawns.

:sweety::sweety::sweety: LULU :sweety::sweety::sweety:


I think you saved me a total breakdown buddy


there is not a smiley hug big enough to paste here for you



I have just felt so overwhelmed... you wrote me such a sweet post...it just went straight to my heart...no if's but's or if ya did this... you just made me feel like going on and you made me feel loved



thanks Lulu, I can't tell you how much that meant to me right now...



I hope your weekend is very nice...I went outside and had pair of ducks and 2 pairs of geese in the pond..it was nice to see...Calgary got the snow this time and they can keep it !!



and yes, I could make a 3 course meal from a tin of tomatoes I have been told lol .... if you ever come west to shop at the big mall you would be more than welcome to come sample one of my dinners friend !! (and it wont be from a tin of anything lol)




:x



Peng xoxo

I'll bet those three meals from a can of tomatoes would be terrific.

I've never had haddock I don't think. Well, maybe I've had it fried in Nova Scotia or Scotland or Vancouver and didn't know it. Is it very fishy? If not, I will try to find some here to try. I wonder if they catch it here locally?

Lebanese food is harder for diabetics since you cannot have white rice. Many of the easiest dishes taste odd with brown rice, since it has a different consistency. Here is one you might like though. If you like this, let me know and I can send you others.

If you know of any Arab markets or groceries in your area, you might want to go and buy some "7-spice" there and use it instead of all the spices recommended here. Most of the recipes use the same spices, so you could use it again and again, if you decide you like the cuisine. I personally have never used cumin in a Lebanese or Syrian recipe, but I'm sure it is good here. If you decide not to use it, add extra of the other spices and a pinch of nutmeg. But the 7-spice, if you can find it, is yummy and I use it a lot, however I live in a city with a lot of Arab immigrants, so I have it readily available. My family usually just used cinnamon (I think it was all that they had when I was growing up), but my grandmother also used a bit of nutmeg and sometimes alspice or 7-spice if she could get it. You should add salt to this recipe too, if you have no problems with eating it. It improves the flavor dramatically. I might also add pepper too. And we use chicken broth, so if you don't want to buy veg broth and already have chicken broth in your cupboard, using it is fine. Hmm. Maybe I would even also add a tiny bit of sugar/Splenda to the onions to help them carmelize. Hell, I've destroyed the recipe now, haven't I? hahah

But, now that I think about it more, I would also try to find Greek or Lebanese style yogurt for this...if you can't find it, just put your yogurt in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl, covered with paper towel (nonfat yogurt is fine) in the morning and leave it for the day in the fridge, until all the whey drains out -- it's much better like this, thicker. Then it will be ready for dinner. OK, I'm done fooling with this. Oh and you can use dried mint too or skip it altogether. We never use mint on it in my family.

I should have just taken the time to write out the recipe, huh? hahahahah Have fun!

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/108813

Hello Lulu,

Just a quick hello and thank you for your warm wishes. I am happy to hear you are being good to yourself at last. I didn't realize it but we are same age how about that.

Getting ready to go file taxes and breathe sigh of relief. I hate doing taxes but that has yet to stop them so must do it today.

Hope you continue to do well and feel better and i will try and catch up on journal.

Love and hugs,
Lizzie

Good plan to come to the big mall! I live closer to it than Pengi.
Seriously I know as a caregiver you are totally tied down for now and can only go on day trips.

Not to hyjack your thread but as to the fish talk; Chum if you had fish in Nova Scotia you likely had haddock. It is a white fish with a mild flavor. I like halibut better myself, simply because it holds together better.
Vancouver is all about salmon. The strangest thing I saw there was a place that had fish and chips but the fish was salmon. I sure didn't try it. In Nova Scotia fish and chips is cod or haddock. I only order it if it is haddock.

OK, then I must have had haddock. hahaha I'm sure I adored it. If it had a mild flavor and no bones and no face or tail. I like my fish in little squares, thank you. When I was by Vancouver (on Victoria), we had amazing fish and chips at this little shack by boats. Terrific stuff, maybe the best I ever had.

Hope you are having a good day Lulu.

good morning Lulu

Just popping in to see how you are doing. It seems that you have been busy and will soon be busier with getting that water damage looked after. I do hope the insurance coverage is enough to get everything back properly.

Good for you with the gym! Stay on this roll you are on - you are doing terrific!

Hi there Lulu, I saw you took a little shopping trip across the border... :)

Would you believe I found a haddock cartoon? I have no idea what the punchline means. Maybe it is a Canadian thing?

http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/mfl/lowres/mfln522l.jpg

I believe that is the classic play on the word Friar as in priest. I remember a joke about a monestery opening a fish and chip stand. Someone asked the first priest he saw "are you the fish friar?" and his response was "no, I'm the Chip monk".
:laugh:
Hugs
Mugs

ha! That one is better than my cartoon!

So should I try to get to Yankee Stadium next weekend to ask the Pope for some fries?

Good evening friends.. Claire.. I really did not do anything but thanks for being who you are..
Chum: Haddock is such a nice fish... If you have a good fish market near you a real fish market which I am sure you do ..very mild and just does not taste fishy nor does it make a fishy smell in the house... when you buy it smell it there should be no odor other than the sea.. it should be very white. O yum I love it.. Where I go (in the US) t is a 9 ounce serving in a very light thin batter fried and I have baked potato with it and green beans or salad..
Lizzie: so good to see you.. You have had your share of sorrows the last couple of years.. Hope now you can focus on you :hug:
Chum: Will look for that 7 spice mix.. In Montreal on the West Island I should be able to find a good store for this kind of thing.. Actually I don't eat much brown rice unless it is Indian Basmati rice and I also love white basmati rice (also Indian) fussy I am..
think I found a spot to go shopping in
http://www.akhavanfood.com/products.shtml

By the way Chum I know those little shacks you are talking about down near the harbor in Vancouver..There is usually a line up so one has to get there early.. Best places to eat.. I guess that would be the case in any city on the ocean.

Hi Pat.. I love halibut too but I can only get Greenland halibut and it is the smaller fish am not sure where it even comes from but I hate it..when I want the real McCoy I go to the West Island they have a a great fish market there..the Greenland one is not as firm and just has a mushy taste..
Hey Lesley thanks for the little visit... Had one contractor in today for an estimate... another one will come in next week and looks like my house will be unsettled for two weeks ..in fact it looks like it would be advisable that Ross go into a home for that period (no toilet or they have to put it on every night..so will see..
Aria.. Hi ... yes me and my bargains I find across the border..
Chum is having a fun day today... What a cute cartoon and hey Mugs.. I got to agree with the play on words.. and I loved your joke.. You are a sweet lady :)

ok now lets talk gym here..
3 days in a row.. not going to morrow ...going to bask myself in a bit of sunshine. Eating is pretty good.. no binging ..or really any sweets except a bit of sugar free pudding etc..
Well of for a cup of tea (Yorkshire Gold) :laugh: and load dishwasher and watch hockey game... I am a Boston fan.. They won the other night and I was noisy.. lol

Thanks for all you visits.. You are awesome folks.. :hug:

ha! That one is better than my cartoon!

So should I try to get to Yankee Stadium next weekend to ask the Pope for some fries?
I dare ya ...lol

Ha. He doesn't seem like a fries kind of guy. Maybe scalloped potatoes? He is supposed to be a high intellectual, so perhaps he doesn't even think about food...sigh.

WTG on three days to the gym! Hooray! Maybe you can take a long stroll in the warm sunshine tomorrow if you have a nice day.

Duh, I just looked where you live and you should definitely be able to get 7-spice there. I don't know why but I thought you lived in Alberta in the wilderness somewhere. hahahah

What will you do for a toilet for two weeks if Ross goes to the home?

Is Yorkshire Gold really great tea?

I looked for haddock to see if it is on the "do not eat" list here:
http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=1521

Usually I check this these days to see if I want to buy that fish. I hate to think I am contributing to overfishing or putting some horrible chemical in my body (other than Dr. Pepper).

Wow. You can eat white rice and baked potatoes? I don't think I knew there were different types of diabetics before now. I don't know as much as I should about the disease.

Take care and enjoy your tea and hockey!

Hi Lulu

It would be great if Ross could stay at the home for 2 weeks. It would be much easier on you - you will have enough on your plate with contractors etc.

Do you have friends or relatives nearby that you could stay with while the work is being completed? Maybe you could do what my brother had to do - put a Johny on the spot outside for 2 weeks. If you have no toilet then I assume you have no running water. That will be really inconvenient. Cooking, washing etc will be a nightmare. It would be really good if you could stay somewhere else too!

How did you make out with the cross border shopping? I really want to go and get some new things. The weekends are totally booked up though until June and weekends are the only time Bob can come with me. The good thing is that by then I will be smaller and able to buy the smaller sizes.

Do you find good bargains? What stores do you go to? I would be crossing at Saulte St. Marie and I understand that there aren't a lot of shopping opportunities there but if you know some chain stores that are good I could see where the closest ones are.

Anyway I am thinking of you and hoping that everything goes smoothly. You may even end up with a nicer room since everything will be new!

Hi Chum and Lesley :wave:
Chum: Love the story about the storekeeper with the fat cat and the slightly insane lady who spays/neuters their cats... lol.. I do think she is doing a good deed actually or the area would be overrun with cats...
No I don't live out in the boonies.. I am just outside Montreal. .I only have to cross a bridge and I am there.. about a 20 minute drive..
Thanks for teh list of fish I have book marked that.. I know that the owner of thsi restaurant makes a trip to Maine twice a week to get the fish so it always fresh.. I assume it is safe.. Scallops, catfish, shrimp are supposed to be scavengers and apparently not good for us as they are on the bottom of the ocean so I have all but quite eating them.. such a shame...
I used to eat a lot of shrimp until i found out much of it did not come from the US and if it is not wild US shrimp not to eat it.. well I talked to someone else and they told me the scavenger story...so I have stopped eating all those lovely things.. I also love clams... good big clams but only have those on occasion which probably is key here in any of this.. that is the end of my fish story for today..:laugh:
Sorry that your mil was really restricted like that in what she ate... I am lucky...I can even have half cup of ice cream if I want..but it is all in the servings etc... and not over doing on carbs etc. etc..I do take Ross out for an ice cream in the summer... might be kind of messy but he does enjoy it so what.. I am not on insulin thank God and went for an eye check up at hospital yesterday and my eyes are fine..no damage from being a diabetic.. so my diabetes is mostly under control... A little more weight off and I will be OK I hope.. I hope to be around for another 25 years..told my daughter that she just went Uggghh... I told her I would want to see my granddaughters as grown women and cannot wait till the girls are teenagers to see how my daughter will deal with them and the boyfriends etc. haha

To be honest i don't know where I will live when they are doing the work.. i still have to wait till next week to get a paper from the contractor who was here to give to my contractor so he knows what has to be done..
I may ending up staying in a motel close by... and then I can come over to the house everyday etc and at least look after and comfort poor cat as she will like the disruption at all..and bring Ross out of the center to sit outside etc. My girlfriend offered me to stay at her place but really I cannot stay at someone's home for two weeks I do like my privacy too...I hope by the end of May everything is back to normal so that we both can enjoy the summer..
I do enjoy the Yorkshire Gold tea..it is a combination of African and Indian teas mixed and is very good I think....I buy it at a special place... used to be Marks and Spenser but they closed up here.

I have never been to Brooklyn but have heard much about it.. I am sure it is a fun place to live and very diverse .

Lesley: Thanks for stopping in.. I go to Walmart super store and buy much of my groceries there..not meat etc.. as it comes in packaged and I don't like that.. I like a good old fashioned butcher type store..
Milk is very cheap compared to here etc.. coffee creamer (half and half etc.) I find a lot of low fat stuff over there that I cannot get here... and they have La Tortilla Factory tortillas that have got 12 grams of fiber, 8 grams of protein, 17 grams of carbs and all for 100 calories.. I warm these in a non stick pan and spread hummus I like the red pepper one and then salad greens and what ever else you want on it and wrap it... 2 make a dandy lunch and not high in calories and 24 grams of fiber so almost all of your required intake for fiber for the day... They have a place called C J Banks that have nice clothes for bigger girls like me...but I find the tops are short this year and boxy looking.. I have been across at Sault Ste Marie but forget the stores we went to.. I think there is a mall not far if I remember correctly.. It must be built up quite a bit though since that time which is about 20 years ago..You have to know your prices and change your money her or see if the Walmart is accepting money at par.. which is where I change a good part of my money for the stores that do not accept or take our money..Not all Walmarts accept our dollar at par. .but the one where I go does..
I only wish it was one room that needs redoing it is three the bathroom total, as I have ceramic on all walls, half way up on walls outside the bath area but up to ceiling in bath area.. they are allowing me $3 a square foot for tiles..not sure about that.., my bedroom one wall to change gyp-rock on one wall and half ceiling paint all the room and clean the carpet and the office the same thing except no carpet to clean... so it will be a lot of work to be done and lots of dust therefore they would like to close off part of the house with plastic etc that is why I kind of have to get out of here. Anyway one day at a time..
Got to get a move on..
Gym day today again... was very sore in groin yesterday must be something I did at gym..fine today though so it means just working muscles that have been forgotten for awhile..
Ab machine just got upped to 90 lbs ... not too bad but I must remember to contract muscles and keep them contracted while doing exercise.. I am getting pretty good at getting my routine done and cardio in within an hour..I do more reps and go around the gym twice... and I wrote out all my machine numbers, # of pound weights and seat position in nice big print so i can just whiz through that part f it. .i was wasting much time doing that as I don't wear my glasses as sweat too much..
Food is ok..no binging which is good... Ice cream is calling my name but will resist for another week an then take Ross and me out for a small cone..
Have a great day everyone.. Weather is absolutely beautiful today..
Gym day here to to get a move on.. :)

Some catfish (especially the farmed ones) are on the ok list, you will see, as are wild Gulf shrimp too I think. I love shrimp so close my eyes and spend more on the wild stuff. Same with salmon (which I hate); they say the wild Alaskan salmon is best too I think. Ugh. The world is getting dirtier and dirtier.

You are lucky that you can control your diabetes with diet. I think that is terrific! I never knew that was a possibility.

I had to laugh at your daughter's response to you saying you were gonna be around for another 25 years (I don't know how old you are). I would have done that at one point in my life, prob when I was young (kidding of course), and would have said, oh ma, you are gonna live forever to taunt me, but now would LOVE to have her around another 25 years. hahaha Oh well, live and learn.

I think all mothers want to stick around to see their children get all the grief from THEIR children that they gave their mothers. haha My poor mother never got to see that with me.

Ugh. I would stay at a friends, so I could have a working loo. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.

I will look for that tea around here. I love iced brewed tea.

Hi

The motel sounds like a great idea. Some of them allow pets too. It won't be home, but at least you will have a bathroom and privacy. If you can't get one with a kitchenette, take a cooler and you can still make your breakfast and lunch there and save the cost of going out. I did that in Florida when I took my son on a very limited budget. We had cereal yogury and fruit for breakfast, made sandwhiches for lunch with carrot and celery sticks plus water and juice boxes (we took our own lunch to the parks to save moeny) For dinner we would buy a rotisserie chichen and make a salad and have that for 2 days. I bought an inexpensive electric kettle and I could have my teas and make some things like minute rice and instant ramen noodles. If you re creative it isn't too hard to live in a motel room for 2 weeks without going out to eat too often AND you can eat healthy food!

Huzzah, pal! Ye are a'doin' great and thy gym prowess is fantastic. I love your idea of writing your machine circuit in big numbers so that you can quickly go 'round. That's the best way to avoid delays (in which others might interrupt your focus by talkin' to ye, which is somethin' that bothers me) and gettin' some extra cardio out of it by keepin' it movin' ... huzzah!

Hey buddy ! :jn


I sure hope something works out where you will be comfy.. disrupting the home is always a tough go... least you know it is not for too long and the end results will be worth it


I am dreaming of a day of not being surrounded by boxes, broken crap etc... I still cant imagine


the sun is peeking out here... still pretty bad tho from the ice... are you guys all done with flooding threats? I had seen floods on the tv out your way but was not sure if it was your area



both you and me might have somewhat normal homes by the end of may


we will have to celebrate together :D



I hope your day is going real great



:x



Peng xo

Well am not in the greatest frame of mind today.. been that way for a few days.. Kind of get down on things and wake up thinking of what i have to face each day.. The n have to rearrange that thinking to a more positive note and sometimes it is hard.. On top of that the bus driver Francine who drive Ross to the day center on Wednesdays has had an operation on her knee I guess she has been gone for a week now and Ross I guess I have never mentioned it here had a romantic crush on her (kissing her hand etc:o) and is totally put out with her cause she did not say goodbye to him and will not be back till July.. so today he was crying about it when he got home.. They have a substitute driver who is not like Francine but for heaven's sakes I had to spend half an hour trying to get him upbeat and telling him life is like that and that she is an employee and was always really nice to him and that I thought he had created the romantic fantasy and he just sobs on.. Anyway not sure how long this is going to be like this.. I have a hard time keeping myself up some days without this added to the list.
Got the estimate for damages on the house and it is $15,000 not including the roof which I have to pay...and the insurance will cover my accommodation at the motel for 2 weeks or time needed and Ross's stay at the nursing home.. Gosh I will be glad when this is over. My room, the office, partial gyproc etc and plastering and painting etc but the total bathroom has to redone... I have been allotted $3 sq ft for tiles.. Not sure what I will get for that.. Hope equally like what I have.. actually I love my tiles so am not over thrilled about all this, laundry room needs work (downstairs) and back door and wall supporting that needs gyproc changed and painting etc

Have been doing some raking on the lawn... took time off from gym.. just completely tired not sure why (depression maybe)
Food is OK maybe a bit too much of it.. funny mood ..will do better..
Got a man to come and do the rest of lawn for me, dethatch and fertilize and seed where needed etc... and trim few things that got damaged from winter..
Hi Chum... I am 64 and just love to bug my daughter.. I know I am old enough to know better but my kids bug me so they get bugged back..but I love her dearly too.. I just want to see how she handles her teenage girls ...lol... i am hoping to be able to set up computer in the kitchen so I can come home and spend time here as I certainly do not want to be in motel all the time or at nursing home.. Hopefully will get planting done..If you like a strong tea Yorkshire Gold is the one for you..one not quite as strong is just Yorkshire which is equally as good.

Hey Lesley stops for popping in..I will probably just come home to the kitchen for breakfast etc... just cannot shower here or go to washroom here.. and will BBQ for supper etc... I don't enjoy eating out that much..especially alone and it is summer time so I like my deck
Hi Amarantha... I like the big test for my routine at gym too and I put # for the seat placement etc.. and the weights and it goes nicely...
Pengii: Yes lets hope by the end of May we are both comfy again in our homes ...Cannot believe your weather out there.. honestly I am in total disbelief but I have seen your pics so I know it is a fact and it was on the news :laugh:

Well time to get off of here and find something to do .. and see if I can cheer Ross up...

Hi Lulu, sorry to hear Ross is heartbroken...
You sound busy all right!
Good luck with all the repairs.

so sorry life is so tough for you right now. His crying is so typical of his illness Louise, but tough to deal with i know.

Had a nice visit with Connie, we had some real heart to hearts. She showed me where she will be buried. It was hard on her when i left, saying goodbye when you know in fact we won't see each other again was tough, she also had a group picture of us from kindergarten, that was surreal to see.

She is right you know, Lulu. The crying (as well as the romantic crushes) are typical of the disease. It doesn't make it any easier for you though. It is damn hard and you are a hero for powering through. There are some great books out there that can help you figure out ways to talk to him, to get through to him. Also there is a set of DVDs called the Family Guide to Alzheimers (it is hosted by Leeza Gibbons). Here is a link to it and I'll bet you can find it (or order it) at your local library:

http://www.lifeviewresources.com/products/alz-series.asp

If you would like a list of books I found helpful, I'd be glad to send them to you. Just let me know.

I'm glad they pay for your motel and for Ross' stay! What a great system. You will be glad when it's over, though, I'm sure! I love motels. I love clean sheets I don't have to wash and I love ice in buckets and everything, even cable, is better in a motel room. hahaha But I'm a freak.

Good morning Lulu

I am sorry to hear about the depression. I certainly understand what you are going through and it is VERY difficult to keep going. You just have to put one foot in from of the other and not think too much beyond the next hour. It will get a bit easier once you are in the motel and you don't have Ross to worry about and cheer up. Try to think of it as a bit of a vacation and get out to do some things you never get to do. Go to some of the tourist attractions in your area. Funny how we do that when we go somewhere different but we don't get to the ones in our own backyard as much.

Go to a spa for a couple of hours and let yourself be pampered. You deserve it and it will help you relax and destress.

Of course with depression, what you eat makes a BIG difference! I have found that out first hand. Unfortunately when you are depressed the last thing you want to do is prepare food and you end up eating quick snacks or fast food (at least I do) Even if you pick healthy choices, the sodium in them has an effect.

I hope you are also able to get out in the sun. Walking every day will help boost your mood - the sun and exercise are natural antidepressents.

Anyway Lulu My thoughts and prayers are with you. I can't imagine doing all you do every day with Ross. I admire you a lot. Hang in there - it will get better!

I was thinking this morning that since you will be in a hotel room and you have been down in the dumps lately, maybe you could use that time to pretend you are on vacation? Read a funny book, bring your DVD or VHS player and rent some movies, get a pedicure, go to a zoo or a museum, something DIFFERENT that you like to do or have always wanted to do. I love going to matinees by myself or to small museums alone. I also love browsing bookstores or going to the zoo and just seeing a couple of animals, but just sitting there watching them for a long time. I'm sure there are things you would enjoy that you rarely get to do. This might be your time to do them!

well time for an update..
Thanks for the visits Chum, Lesley, Judi & Aria... The visits mean a lot to mean although I don't seem to keep up very well with you guys..:)
Well things with renovations are moving along although not started yet.. All that remains is to get confirmation of a place for Ross from May 12 to the 23rd..
Have gotten estimate from my contractor and insurance has accepted them..I may be able to cut some corners here and there and either get money back or use it to pay roof and do a fair amt of remodelling and a fresh paint job throughout the house..so am busy choosing colors... They say for resale that colors should be neutral and blend together etc.. I am going with coffees, beiges, creams etc.. all with white trim..
To be hoenst iwill be glad when it is all over.. I have to put aways stuff, take stuff off walls etc.. and most importantly OMG clean up basement.. it seems to be a catch all place so I have my dear girlfriend coming over on Tuesday and she will help me clean it up and get it over with.. then each day this week i will remove stuff from walls in one room..By end of week I should be all done..
Poor cat is going to be very upset being alone here with the contractors. .but I will be over to see her love her etc.. The man has two himself so am sure he will be careful of her..
food is up and down to be quite honest... gym is not going so good. . I think the ab machine with 90 lbs on it is hurting my back... this week I will go just for cardio and then while I am on vacation in my motel I will go to gym which by the way is just across the road almost..
Well hockey is on and I do enjoy that...
Chums thanks for the offers on the books.. I have three Videos on Alzheimer's here which I have not found the time to watch yet.. so thanks for your kind thoughts :)

Hope everyone is having a great weekend..

Hang in there Lulu! The remodelling will be done in no time and the place will be gorgeous! It's getting to that point that's hard. The gym will help. Maybe this is not a good time to be working hard at losing weight - it's hard to get the focus you need and the time you need with so much going on. You'll be getting lots of cardio and weights just organizing that basement - been there kiddo.

Hang tough.
Hugs
Mugs

too bad we could not exchange color ideas over the net buddy

I have found it helps relieve some of the insanity that the renos cause by focusing on the 'finished' look


I picked along the same lines as you... I love the coffees , creams and earthy colors too


for some reason most of the colors have food names lol...honest to god the design lady at the paint store picked the first two lol...



you have amazing patience for all you have to do with ross...it can be really tough being full time care giver...my sis had most of her faculties for most of the time but nearer the end it got tougher...just got to love them thru it... A day could be going so sh*tty that you figured you would have to pack it in...then the sweetest simpleist thing would come out of her that made it all worth while


I know you know that too ... just think... you will have a wonderful fresh home to go back too


have you looked at laminate for your floors? they have some amazing stuff at great prices... I did a lot of cork flooring, some vinyl, tiles, rug... there are many distributors where you can get some awesome deals on end lots etc... I got my porceline tile for 3.95/ft instead of 9.00/ft


anyhow



you know where to find me if you need me



have a nice sunday and I hope you get your stuff organized

that is the worst friggin part




:love: Peng

ps...friggin game just ended X-( X-( X-(


I wanted montreal to win sooooooooooooooo bad



:c(



now who do we cheer for????

lol Pengii.. I was cheering for Philly....I only watch the playoffs and Philly played a real good series..as did Boston.. I am not even sure how Montreal finished first place... i am patriotic but not when I see fleur de lys flags alongside Canadian flags on cars.. and lets be honest few of the the Mtl players are even French guys.. so why the fleur de lys... Accck freakin politics here..
my floors are all hardwood oak.. and were just refinished about 5 years ago if that and kitchen has ceramic new also only 4 or 5 years.. front entrance has ceramic, bathroom has ceramic.
ah yes that would be fun picking out colors together... My girlfriend likes wild colors... I am more earthy neutral tones... in fact her hubby came in one day looked at my one colored wall in my kitchen and asked me for the color.. They did that for a wall in their living room .. they actually had a red wall.. and an apple green wall in the kitchen ..and they have an open concept on the main floor..so living room faces the kitchen...oh my not me..but good thing we are not all the same... would be a boring old world..:laugh:

Well not sure who I will cheer for now... may just keep on cheering for Philly ...will have to see.. I bet Ross a buck that Philly would win he lost his bet.. i just took my loonie out of his pocket.. him hollering at me..lol Just for fun of course.. he is now in bed... he is not a bad soul and most of the time I really am OK with things..
Hope you are having a nice weekend..

Mugs... Cannot wait for it to be finished....

Ha. Canadians and their hockey. I had an old boyfriend who loved hockey (I think he even played it as a child). I must admit I have never watched it since those days (gosh, its been 20 years!). haha

I hope your team wins, regardless.

Glad you are getting some help with the basement. What a chore -- but easier when someone is beside you. ;)

OK, this is a little off colour, but I just had to share. I heard that the favourite sexual position in Montreal is doggy style - so that neither of the participants would miss any of the hockey game!

As for colours, my kitchen is raspberry truffle - warm, deep red with a hint of brown. My living room is rapsody - a blue like a clear autumn sky that for some reason is filed in with the purples. My bedroom is a bright golden yellow called Yellow Highlighter - when I chose it the painters said "are you sure?" at least 3 times. But it works perfectly with my comforter which is big squares in blue, aqua, lavender, apple green and yellow. All very french country. Everything else is cloud white - a creamy, just enough off white to warm it up.

You might have guessed that I'm really not a particularly neutral person (despite the dictionary definition of my nick) :laugh:.
Hugs
Mugs

lol Mugs.. I do like a bit of color.. but not much just to compliment or pick up a shade in the floor or whatever... but mainly my objective here is to make the house very presentable for hopeful buyers.. therefore the neutral colors..
My first house I owned I painted myself and made all the curtains etc.. and did the landscaping.. it sold within 24 hrs.. at a very nice turn over price.. considering I only kept it 4.5 years..
My daughter likes dark colors and has great taste but her house is huge.. and she can get away with it..

I have to laugh the home care come in here to give Ross his bathes twice a week and say what a lovely spotless house I have.. and the bathroom they just love.. but that is me.. cannot change me..They say some of the houses they go into is just awful.. i can't understand that ..as I have never been like that.. Maybe I need to follow Mel's siggy ..

Mugs is not so neutral but love you anyway:laugh:

Chum: Ah you don't know what you are missing the good old hockey game:D My two boys were in hockey..One did quite nicely.. made it to AA which is pretty good my daughter and another son were in Kayaking..
Ugghh I don't look forward to the basement.. Did quite a bit upstairs today... did one closet and Ross's room.. is all cleaned out any stuff that is no good got the boot.. and wipe down of drawers etc.. Quite a productive day today..
Hopefully tomorrow I will get confirmation that Ross has a place to stay or I will have to reschedule contractors and that would suck.
Eating.. got by..whole wheat pasta with sauce... breakfast.. French toast with the vrai maple syrup.. not a lot.. I really don't think it will kill me.. hope not any hoots..:laugh:
Eyed up cannoli at Italian deli ...by did not have any:(

I want to learn to kayak. I think sea kayaking seems fun, though I've never done it and might hate it when I learn. One of these days...

Good for you with a productive day! I wish someone would come here and clean my closets. It would be nice not to have so much disorganization here -- I am like you and can't stand it.

Good for you, staying away for cannoli. It is hard, I know. Especially the hand-filled ones that they do right in front of you at the little Italian bakeries.

DLIP would love this deli/bakery Chum.. This guy makes everything..Breads, rolls etc... and he does fill the cannolis right there.. OMG.. yummers.. but not right now.. I even buy his sauces.. he has all of them bolognese, Marianna etc.. and they are all natural .... We don't use a lot of sauce and I steam some spinach and throw it on top of pasta under the sauce..
Funny you say you would like to learn kayaking.. We have a nautical center here in our city (45,000 pop) and I wanted to join and take a kayak out on the water of course with a safety jacket on but just have never had the time... The kayaks they have would not be too hard to maneuver.. not like the ones dear daughter used to used that would tip in a second.. Ocean kayaking I would think would be a tad harder with all the waves etc to learn how to do that would be fun... Make some of those plans come true Chum.... Got any friends into that kind of thing? A day on the water is just so relaxing and so soothing..

Sugar was good this morning.. so maple syrup did me no harm.. Someone said that Maple syrup is the best of all the sweeteners.. (natural)
Well off to pick up lawn mower from service center and do more cleaning up... I must make a couple of calls regarding if I need to cancel at motel how many hrs prior must I do it in order not to get charged..
Amarantha:wave: Hope all is well with you pal.. Thanks for popping by.. :)

Have a great day everyone..

Louise,

Busy as ever i see, i am feeling much better today, had just felt exhausted and cranky LOL since back from Calif. Maybe that three hours time difference hit me harder than i expected, with age i find change does that more and more LOl

I am off to change and go to Wal Mart for a couple things, take time to rest some.

I am always amazed at how energetic and optomistic you are. Your glass is always half full. :)

The remodeling sounds nice. I only have bright color in one room and everything else is neutrals with off white woodwork. I put the wallpaper in the dining room out of desparation, there was some moisture damage on the lower walls. The paper is really busy and is royal blue, burgandy, aqua, sage green on a cream background. The pattern is big and is so not me but I still like it in this room. I call it me out of mind moment when I picked it but haven't found anything else I would like better.

Your home will be lovely.

Carol

I like smelling baked goods but not eating it so much. Though I suppose once in awhile it is ok. hahahaha

You should try the kayak! I will try it when I am able to keep my knee straight for awhile. I thought ocean kayaking b/c I am afraid of oceans but adore them and I thought it might help with my fear. hahahaha I also do NOT want to do rapids or anything like that. I like canoing a lot though don't get much chance to do it.

BTW I put a lot of spinach in my pastas also. It's easy to throw vegs in pasta dishes.

I didn't know that about maple syrup. Interesting. I wonder if farmers' market honey is better for you too for the same reason.

I found a natural sweetener that I just love. It's Blue Agave and it was in the health food section at my big grocery store.

It looks a lot like honey, doesn't have any particular taste and is a little runnier than honey so it mixes in really easily. The nutrition information is about the same. Apparently it's completely natural from some kind of cactus or something. I've baked muffins and bread with it, mixed it with yogurt, oatmeal and into a smoothy, and even poured it onto a slice of home made cornbread. I'm on my second bottle since the beginning of the year.

I wanted to try it because my Mom is allergic to honey and I thought it would make a good substitue and it does!
Hugs
Mugs

I got the most beautiful bouquet of flowers I have ever received from one of my sons and his girl friend.
Did not have the best of days so was nice to come home to this..
construction starts Monday.. and the home I thought Ross was going to be staying almost refused him and now he is only going to try it for 4 days to be sure it is not too heavy a case for it's employees. X-(X-(X-( I have made a couple of changes at the motel where I am staying.. He will stay there with me. .I ordered a room with two beds...for Sunday and Monday... that is the best I can do.. construction starts here Monday morning at 7 am.. so I will rush over here from motel at 6:30 am to let construction guys in and then back to motel to take care of Ross..
This is not a fun arrangement but will manage for two days somehow.. I was cross border yesterday and had to make several long distance calls to social worker and finally on way home stopping and speaking to him again on cell phone on the home at 4:15 pm the word came he could go on Tuesday.. X-( but only for the 4 days.. I know I am repeating myself here.. Just totally upset...and my arthritis in fingers is so bad I can hardly type,

Good news.. My girlfriend and I decluttered all the basement family room, ironing room and freezer/storage room.. and all stuff not needed is gone to poor etc..What a nice feeling to have that done.

Have worked really hard all week and almost ready for contractors.. Just the office a few things to put in boxes etc... and to get clothes out of rooms so they can have them and bathroom

Happy Mothers day all those out there and even to those who are moms to their pets..
I look pretty bad in the photo below but had not had much sleep Thursday night and been up since 6 am and just in door from shopping in US

Louise,

what a lovely picture of you and the flowers. I got a delivery of roses from my daughter, peach colored roses are my favorite and this was a mix of peach with white ones with dark pink tips. So surprised, we are having Josh and Amy over tomorrow so it won't be a quiet day or relaxed one for me. I made the dessert today, since Amy is expecting ( yes i am going to be a Grandma!) she doesn't do much anymore LOL i was never a Queen when i was pregnant but i grew up in another generation LOL Thats sounds harsh, i don't mean for it too, i just grew up with a Mom that would have bluntly said get up off your ---- and do something, i don't and believe me she doesn',i feel for Josh but that is between him and her, i am out of it. It just means i don't have them over as often as i would otherwise, it wears me out.

Happy Mothers Day!

by the way, she has already stated i will have this baby alot! LOL hope it is a good one then, i am about of patience!

Hi Judi.. ..lol.. thanks for your compliment.. I had a lot of nerve posting that pic when I look so drawn out and tired.. but Sandi my friend who was sitting Ross insisted...anyway I never make much of a to to do about Mother's day either.. Not sure what is going on with Wayne.. he took me out for my birthday at this lovely restaurant and now this.. I knew he has a nice girlfriend who is teaching him a lot of things that he never learned as a kid being around his dad etc... and respect for each other etc... so I suspect some of this is not coming from her but some of what they are working on as a couple.. They bought a little home and are moving June 28 his birthday..The are doing a lot of remodeling etc..

Well am getting there... Blinds in my room are down, next is Ross's room and last is office where flowers are as I am trying to keep them in a cool place.. It has been a very trying couple of days and tonight and tomorrow night are really going to be tough with him in the motel room...but we will get through it..
Maybe he is too heavy a case for the facility that refused him but agreed to try him for 4 days starting Tuesday... I hope not another move but hey it just may be.. Slept better last night as I know I am almost there..Seems Ross is stressed as well with all that is going on.. Difficult all around..
Well happy Mother's day to everyone :rose:

Well, I am glad to see your photo and the flowers are lovely. Happy Mother's Day to you.

I'm sure the situation with the care facility is very frustrating. I don't blame you for being so angry and upset. Is that place your only option? I hope it works out ok for you guys.

Congratulations on de-cluttering. I know it is a good feeling.

Take care Lulu.

Oh my Louise, how complicated everything becomes! Just think, the care facility says Ross' care is too much, yet you are practacly doing it all on your own. I hopoe that by the time this week is over you will be well on your way into settling back ionto a lovely home. You sure are going to be exhausted though. I hope the weather is beautiful from here on in and you get lots of flowers in.

We are a bit in the moving turmoil too. We have sold our house in NS and hubby is now here. He is finishening the renos he has been doing on our daughter's house but is quite anxious to buy one for us. I'm dragging my heals a bit because I think the prices are at their peak right now and I'm still trying to convince myself that it is OK if we don't go back east.

I was saying in Claire's journal that moving or big changes in our living situations are far more stressful than we expect. Then to be a caregiver besides really multiplies that. I hope that the work is completed well and quickly.

Pat

I was thinking the same as Patricians. That you do it all alone and yet that facility, with a big staff of trained workers can't handle it. Pfffwt.

Hope everything is going smoothly. Just wanted to check in a say I'm thinking about you!

Lulu those flowers are gorgeous.. I hope you had a Happy Mothers Day.. I was sick all weekend but I did get to see my daughter/soninlaw/and grandbaby that day for a bit...I tried not to kiss her too much but couldn't resist..LOL She's still totally being nursed so she's okay.... Her smiles are so contagious it makes you forget everything else...
It's so much fun I love it.. Have yourself a good one.. :hug:

Hi Lulu,

The flowers are beautiful. How long will it take to get your home back? Staying in a motel or hotel is not my idea of fun. I do hope things work out with Ross's care. Is he really that much work?

Take care of yourself and I hope you are back home very soon.

Carol

Hey buddy ! :hug:

Both you and the flowers are lovely


The situation sounds incredibly stressful Louise...I hope you manage all right... complete caregiving is tough enough as it is... a day or two at the hotel is managable....hopefully the place can help out for a few days

sometimes help comes from the oddest of places or people


I hope hope hope it works out for you or at least you can manage without going bonkers like your fr out west :D


I will check in when I can



I will cross everything I got for ya buddy



:love:

Just checking in to let you know I've been thinking about you!

Hi dear friends... Chum, Pengii, Carol, Pat and Joanne.. :hug: Glad to come here for a break.
Finally Ross is at the home and doing well.. This happened Tuesday afternoon.. The worst part is the motel is totally the pits.. but the only one in a city of 50,000..The two nights at the motel I slept maybe 3 hrs and Ross snored.. I threatened him many times with a potato in the mouth but nothing worked.. Poor guy not his fault just I am not sure but I am just stressed to the max I guess..the last two nights I did not sleep any better..
I got up got dressed at 3 am and went to coffee shop for a bite to bring back to motel to sleep.. but most of you don`t know me well enough to know I never take my partials out or leave them out..except to clean them.. well ha-ha a first for Louise..she went to donut shop with no partials...:o8-|:laugh: upon realizing it I immediately covered my mouth and continued to order a sandwich and a small donut..geez anyway went back to room and ate and drank water and fell asleep finally for about 4 hours..
Got lawn mowed here yesterday.
Construction is going good.... it will be lovely when done.. got a lady from paint store who is daughter of contractor who works in paint dept at a Renovation store over and got my colors all done..for all my rooms..now got to buy a couple of fixtures... trying to keep it simple..
Ross is doing fine ...Sandi is going up to see him 2 hrs a day yesterday today and tomorrow and Friday then I go Sat, Sun and on Monday as it is a holiday here and no nurse to take blood and give insulin at noon...
I did raise a bit of hell at the motel.. While I don`t expect a chateau i do expect clean well vacuumed room and non stained wash clothes an towels.. .well a little visit with the owner's wife and an invitation to my room got a bit of action.. She threatened to fire everyone there and then I brought up the smoking in areas that are totally smoke free.. an that is a fine and a big one.. and I threatened to bring in a reporter of our local newspaper to have a look at things..Some improvements have been made and I now have more than 1 towel8-| ... etc.. and hopefully will get to sleep at the house maybe one night on the weekend.. Poor cat is not happy with all that is going on..
I could move to another motel but I really would like to stick close to the house.. therefore I took this place..I did expect better.. but will finish out my days there.. Got good news can sleep in my bed tonight and get up for workers (joint (plaster guy) at 9:00 am.. yippee...my bed..
Well going to work on lawn for a bit..
Thanks for your visits.. and thoughts.. They are greatly appreciated.. pengii. I totally thought of you this week and had a partly numb lip one day and I said oh oh better calm down... haha

Lulu, it is great to see you. I'll bet things will seem very rosy after you have had a good night's sleep in your own bed! LOL I like imagining you raising cane wih the motel's owner. Damn straight you should have had those minimum things -- you are paying for the place, not sleeping at a messy friend's house! Ugh.

Glad Ross is safely ensconced in the home as well. It must be a Canadian thing to have nursing homes without nurses. I've never heard of that here. I'm glad he is there though and that you have some help anyway.

Take care of yourself. Not too much longer and it will be like you are moving into a brand new house!

lol Chum... things are different here in Quebec alright.. moreso than the rest of Canada.. weird some times as much as I love the various cultures etc.. some of the politics I could do without..The reason for a nurse not being available is because it is a residence and usually does not take respite cases.. This is a first and since he will be there for only 2 weeks or so they do not want to train their staff to do that... make sense no? The dept of government that is taking care of his home care needs etc.. actually will go to give him his insulin twice a day and if he needs at lunchtime but because of the long weekend they are short of nurses.. so what the hell.. it won't kill me..:laugh: You would have been proud of me giving them hell at the motel..I tell ya it does take one to get the ball rolling some times and I am not known to be the shy type..Kind of peeved me off to have them say well it is a motel not our like our own house.. like what the heck ..should be better imo..:laugh:
well off to do more lawn work.. patches to fix up..
I hope I wake up before man gets here to finish the joints..

Hey Lulu,
Glad to see you're hanging in there, but wow! I sure hope they fix the place up to meet your every whim - you deserve at least that much. And I hope they're finished two days before Ross has to come home so you can enjoy the place and get the rest you need!
Hugs
Mugs

It is interesting to me to hear about the health care differences between our two countries. It is great that nurses come to give injections. I also like the Alzheimer's residence idea. They are becoming more commonplace here. My brother's mother is in one in California. It has done wonders for her. She apparently is more alert, happier, and healthier.

Good luck tomorrow!

Mugs and Chum.. thanks for the visits..
A good night's sleep is better than all the gold and money in the world.. I think I am tired out.. My hands were shaking last night when I finished a $800 Avon order.. I hope to goodness I did not make any boobs.. My customers have become my friends over the years and I would be so embarrassed if that happened although they know I am in a mess right now.
My goodness I landed in it after fixing up front lawn at 10:20 or so do not remember going to sleep and got up at 6 am.. now that was good.. have been going strong since.. wiped down floors.. am trying to keep dust at bay.. although I know they will do a final clean up..
Thanks for stopping by.. Thinking of you all... Man is not here yet so a quick wash up at least and teeth brush etc.. and I will survive for one day or until I get over to motel..
Am going to try and let Ross stay at Residence for a day or so extra just to give me a down time..

I think that is smart to give yourself some down time. You will want it to just breathe a sigh of relief!

I'm glad you got some sleep. You are stressed out to the max, it seems, and exhausted. It will probably take a few nights of sound sleep to get back to normal! haha I find it takes more and more for me to make up for just one night's bad sleep.

haha Chum and with all my gray hairs it takes more than one night to make up for lost sleep too or else I am a grump and Ross does not need that..

Have a good and productive weekend. Try to get a little enjoyment in there somewhere, kiddo!

Just thought I'd drop by and say "hi" and bring your journal back up to the top...it's almost time for you to be back in your newly remodeled home! I am so happy for you, I hope it is looking good. Don't forget to take some Lulu time before bringing Ross back! It will do you good! ;)

Hi Louise! I read some of your journal to get a bit caught up and it sounds like you've got some great things going on! I loved the picture of you with the flowers! Beautiful!

The nursing home situation sounds crummy, but you handled it well, as usual. You sure aren't afraid of challenges or hard work!

Enjoy your remoldel!! Sounds exciting!! Can't wait to see the pictures! (hint hint) lol Take care and have a great week!

Lulu,

So glad you are able to be back in your own bed again. That place sounded awful!!!

Hope the rest goes well and you are happy with it all.

how goes it amiga?? hopefully home soon


i just got %$##@^ by mt contractor..... hope you have faired better

luv ya


:love: peng

Hi, Lulu! :wave:

hi Chum, Pengii Dj, Nancy and Am :hug: I am so glad to be home.. just so glad..Just got home to day after taking an additional two days at the the Manoir near where Ross was at the Residence... If I had only known I could have stayed there instead of that awful motel and saved $10 per night and all meals included.. excellent quality meals

here is a link to it

http://www.sgm.qc.ca/manoir/english/index.htm
many updates have been done since these photos there were taken.. The cafeteria is all new and it has just very delicious food..
and most interesting how this place came to be..this is a great and interesting read
http://www.sgm.qc.ca/sgm/anglais/a_frameset.htm

now all that said and done..having Ross in a room is impossible... the first night at the Manoir he snored all night and I got 2 hrs... last night I got 5 hours off and on... really a motel is not for him or a Manoir but there was no Residence that would take him nor would the one he was at extend his stay so one has to adjust to life's situations as they arise.
House is nearly done... It is looking very good..
Pengii: I certainly am thinking of you and your construction.. My contractor is an ace I got to admit ....he broke a mirror and had it cut and re-framed it..
Chum.. Thought of you as a friend of mine (and my mechanic's sister) is visiting Brooklyn this week..They were staying in Brooklyn with friends and their friend has something to do with the tour buses so they will be getting free tours around.. so it should be fun..
Pictures will come.. still some knobs to put on doors etc.. and a few touch ups etc.. It is not a fancy house just a 1963 house with a few updates..
Well got to keep it short I am very tired and no I did not get Louise time.. as I was kept busy on weekends etc doing blood tests at the residence for him and then the 4 nights having him with me in a room etc but it is behind us now.. I just hope he is well enough to enjoy it for awhile..
Thanks for your visits.. It has been a long day.. I have been on the go since I arrived here at 10 am..so must make supper and relax a bit..
Thanks for all your messages..

Wow. You are working HARD there, Lulu!

I hope things settle down and you get some time to enjoy your new digs!

Hang in there Lulu. Now that you are back in your own home things will get easier. You are an amazing woman