Sailing....Take me Away.....

Well, I need a change of scenery. I'm tired of this house. I thought, we need a vacation. So I looked online at Carnival Cruises out of Mobile, because we can drive there. They had some great specials. I thought, hmmm...maybe before I book I should call and ask hubby if he can get off work. I tried, ya'll. I really tried but he didn't answer work phone or cell phone. Must have been in a meeting or something.

So...I looked on Carnival again. Only so much you can find out from a website. Decided to call and get a real live person. Well, he was a very nice person, named George. He said my husband gets a discount because he used to be an Army officer. He said if we were willing to go RIGHT AWAY, we could get a reallllllly good deal. I love sales, don't you? So I booked one, leaving October 9 for 5 days to the Carribbean for a total of...get this....$430 bucks taxs included. That's total, for both of us.

I was just so excited! Then I remembered, I hadn't told my husband about this. What if he can't get off work? What if he doesn't want to go? What if he kills me?
So I called him, and said, "Can you get off work...let me rephrase that....You have to get off work the week of Oct 9." He said he'll put in a leave slip and beg. Gotta love him. He didn't ask me why or what brought this on. Guess he needs a vacation as much as I do.

I joined Weight Watchers yesterday. I compared my weight from them to my weight at the doctor's three weeks ago. TEN POUNDS. I'm so proud.
I know what you're thinking. Well, she'll gain that back on the cruise. No I won't. I'm going to be good. I'm going to walk a lot and watch what I eat and have a good time and come back NO FATTER. Ya'll encourage me on this.

Has anyone seen the Oprah shows where she and Gayle go cross country? If you have, do you think Oprah could be any more of a SNOB QUEEN? She whines: "I don't like the radio. I don't sleep in rooms without windows. I don't like Gayle's singing so I'll humiliate her on national television and tell everyone she's tone deaf. I don't know how to pump gas and haven't done it since 1980."

I learned a lot from their trip. One, if I ever go cross country, it won't be any roads she might be on. Two, the only reason Gayle is her best friend is for the perks, because otherwise she's a bitch and 3) I guess it's not possible to be rich and not an ass.

Now She's Really Done It !!!!

Well, I got that "gotta do something drastic because my hormones are going crazy and shaving my hair into a mohawk is not advised" kind of mood. I was feeling old. So what do I do to handle that kind of mood? Well....
It's RED. Fire engine RED. And I should hate it. But I don't. I think it's kind of funky and I like it. Of course, this is before my husband gets home and screams and runs out the door. If that happens, I'll probably not like it nearly as much. I asked for your opinions on this blog yesterday. So don't say I didn't warn you guys. So what do you think? It's got to be better than a mohawk!

Rabbit Trails and Abductions

It's very difficult to lose weight when your husband isn't. I made grilled fish with steamed veggies for dinner last night, though, so there! I wonder when I lose this if I'll be like those people who quit smoking and gripe at everyone else for smoking. I don't know but yesterday my pants kept sliding down and I kept having to pull them up while I was out doing my secret shopping. I've noticed I feel better this week, seem to have a little more energy.

I have the idea for a book about the haunted house we lived in back in the early '70's. I had considered it, but thought I would need a lot of background information about the house. A man disappeared from the house, and it was found he was kidnapped and murdered. However, the night he was abducted, he was staying with his children while his wife worked, and they were sleeping in their bedrooms when he was taken. His wife's comments were, "He would NEVER go off and leave those children." Well, I'm here to validate that. He never did. Anyway, I had no idea of the date it happened, and since this was over 35 years ago, I figured it was hopeless anyway to track anything. I decided to try to write our local research librarian and see if she could help.

We've been exchanging emails for awhile, and she'd chased a few rabbit trails with no luck. Yesterday, she wrote and said for me to come by. She had over forty pages of newspaper articles about the kidnapping, murder, and the case that followed. I guess I have no excuse now, not to write that book. So that's my next major project.

I gave up on crocheting. I skipped my class yesterday. I'm officially a crochet class drop-out. What an example I am setting for my children. ha.

I have decided I am going to color my hair again, when things slow down around here, and I have time. I'm thinking something in the red family. What do you think?

I still miss my friend, Cathy. I hope she'll feel like blogging again soon.

Another One of Those Weekends

Well, trying to change my eating habits has made me realize one thing. I do much better during the week than I do on the weekends. I didn't do terrible this weekend, but I did not do as well as I had been. I've also noticed on the weekends I feel very antsy.
My daughter came up Saturday and we went to a local town festival. They had booths set up and a guy was there playing a Native American flute. He was selling CD's of his music, and I got one. It's very relaxing. She and I had a nice day, and I got to do a lot of walking. We also went to Cato's and I treated myself to a new blouse and earrings because I've been doing so well with my eating. We also went to see Black Dahlia. Not a good movie. Save your money and buy a book about it.
Yesterday, my husband and son wanted to catch up on the movies we have from Netflix, so we watched a lot of television. I absolutely hate that. After awhile, all I wanted to do was turn it off and do something, anything else. But of course, I didn't say anything. I did, however, bow out on them at times.
It's nearing the end of the month, so all the secret shops are being posted at higher rates. I have four to do today, so plan to get going soon to do those.
The crochet class I'm taking is extremely frustrating to me. I do what the directions say (I think) and what I end up with looks like a big mess. I'm seriously considering not going back to the class this week. I am not sure I have the patience for it anymore.
I miss my friend, Cathy, and her blog. I hope she is feeling better soon.
A book I have a story published in came out this week on Amazon. It's called Classic Christmas: True Stories of Holiday Cheer and Goodwill, edited by Helen Szymanski. My story is about a Christmas my grandmother had during the depression, when they had a lot of goodwill but no money. I like the cover of the book, and I hope it does well.
Well, mostly boring things to report today, but like always, I feel better after writing. Thanks to all of you who have sent me good thoughts on my new "living plan." I've figured out I overeat if I watch cooking shows, or read cookbooks. I also overeat when I'm stuck watching tv all freaking day. ha.

I Like It, I Hate It, I Love It, Etc.

I woke up early this morning and wondered why. It's raining here and so it would have been a perfect morning to get a little extra sleep. But once I wake up, I'm awake. So I checked my email and had just gotten one from a lady I met online awhile back. She read I was married to a guy who's first wife died, and she was dating a widower and wanted to chat. Well, she had a bad experience in their relationship and was desperate for someone to talk to this morning, and I woke up and signed on to immediately get her email when it was sent. We were able to exchange emails before she had to go to work. I don't know this lady very well, but was glad I was up to help her in some way this morning.
I've doing very well on my new living plan. I don't want to say diet because I go on those and go off them, and living is not something you can go off of, without dying, so that sounded more in tune with what I'm trying to accomplish.
I took my dogs out for a long walk yesterday. I've been moving more, walking up stairs, getting in exercise however it fits into my day. And I've been doing very good on my eating. I feel like I've lost already, although I'm not weighing. The fact that I feel better is enough reason for me to keep going. I'm actually proud of myself for doing this well. I still read my letter to myself every day. And some days I add to it.

I love my Native American flute I bought. My daughter is soon going to be playing one, too.
It's so peaceful and relaxing. It will be even more fun to play in my size twelve jeans when my butt fits in them.

See Mama? I Knew She'd Grow Up That Way!

The one thing my mom said with disgust is that someone she knew was "big, fat, and lazy". That was the epitome of gross to her. All her life, she tried hard not to be big, fat, and lazy. She put those tapes in me, and I hear over and over in my head how one should not be those things. My granny also said they were bad, bad, bad. For instance, she never took a nap in the bed during the day because only lazy people do that. And so all my life I've struggled with being overweight and loving naps and lack of inertia.
Recently, a friend told me I was complacent. When I told someone recently I would never get a roommate if I had a choice in doing that or living alone, I was told I "hate everybody anyway."
My number one complaint to the therapist was that I don't seem to be accomplishing anything. What I didn't tell her is that secretly I like it like this. Of course, that has to be a sin to think, much less to say.
So today I realized exactly what I am. I AM big, fat, and lazy. The epitome of disgusting according to my mother.
I tell myself that I'm not. I deny it at all costs. No one likes to think of themselves as the definition of disgusting, especially when they like it that way. Of course, it eases my conscious somewhat that my husband is also big, fat, and lazy, and likes me fine this way. But let's face the facts together, shall we? Keep in mind there are three degrees of laziness according to my mother. You can be 1) lazy 2) pure lazy 3) pure DE lazy.

I don't have a job. I don't stay home to take care of kids. I stay home to stay home. And I have a maid that cleans the house. I do cook dinner, but that's about it. I don't even do the dishes.
I eat ice cream at night when I know I'll just get fatter. I down it with Diet Coke. I figure that helps a little.
I get up every day whenever I please, usually around 7:30. I sit in the recliner until I get hungry. I get up to let out the dogs, let in the dogs, get something to eat, answer the phone (I don't always do this one) and get the remote. I spend most of the day with the laptop in my lap surfing the web. I'm learning a lot of things that will never profit anyone but me.
I have a lot of interests but no real hobbies, unless you count blogging. I have some friends but they know I am too lazy to write them lately. Most of my friends are online, because the ones I know locally might get too close and want me to get out of the house and go somewhere with them, and I've have to get out of my nightgown to do that.
I do accomplish something every now and then to keep myself from being a total loss. I take a class. I do the laundry. I rearrange the books in the bookshelves. I take the dogs to the groomer. But mostly, my recliner has become my best friend.
I think I'm cruising somewhere between lazy and pure lazy. I don't think I'm to the "pure DE lazy" yet.
Yes, friends, I'm big, fat, and lazy. I like being this way, so I'm probably not apt to change any time soon. I'm also complacent. I don't hate everybody though. That one was unfair. I admit I wouldn't want to live with just anybody. I prefer quiet people with low energy, like me.

Fun to Think About

I love to take classes. I hated school when I was in high school and couldn't wait to be out. Then when my youngest child started kindergarten, I decided to go to college. I loved it. I loved buying new school supplies and going to learn something new. I loved being asked a question and knowing the answer. I loved buying textbooks. I even liked homework. I remember toward the end of my senior year being so burned out and school not being much fun at that point.

Now I've been out a long time. And still I love to take classes. Now I've switched to classes at the community education section of our city schools. I signed up this time for digital photography (finally going to learn to use that camera I bought), pottery (making a thanksgiving platter), and Crocheting an Afghan. I am really looking forward to it. My son says I go from one thing to another and all my interests are short-lived. I like to think of it as exploring all kinds of things to find out what I like. I'm learning new things and learning about myself in the process.

I miss math. (Yes, I know Freebird just passed out at that one.) I loved math in school and especially loved having a bunch of problems to work out. I looked through an algebra book the other day and had to really reach on how to do some of it. I think I'm forgetting things. I need to take some classes as a refresher, but they don't offer anything like that from Community Ed. I guess I'll have to just buy me some textbooks and do it on my own.

I also don't know what I did before there was an internet. To think of something and then immediately be able to go look it up is still fascinating to me. I remember begging for years for a set of encyclopedias before my parents finally broke down and bought some, and then they got outdated quickly.

Does all this make me a geek? Probably. It also makes me live more in my head than in the world. But that's how I like it most of the time. I'm weird that way.

My daughter came to visit for the weekend, and it was nice to see her. We went to see Little Miss Sunshine at the movie. It is a very dark comedy and very funny, if you like that sort of thing.

My middle son graduates from college in December. He decided awhile back he really wanted a college class ring, and we surprised him with it yesterday. He likes it and it looks good on his hand. He plans to move out when he graduates. Then my nest will be empty for sure. I had some time when my youngest moved out and my middle son hadn't moved back yet, but it wasn't long. I'm so used to always having one of them around.

I am happy for him though. He's doing well in school, has a good job now, and I know he's going to be fine out there on his own. Not that I will like it.

I keep thinking the time is drawing nearer for us to figure out what to do with our retirement. I'm still pushing for the full-time RV-ing and my family says I'd hate it after awhile. I don't know. There's just something about getting rid of all this junk and hitting the road that sounds wonderful to me. There are workshops all over the country I'd love to go to, on all kinds of things.

Like Native American flutes. I just got interested in them when we visited the Grand Canyon some years ago. I have always wanted one, and just ordered one yesterday. If we had an RV, we could take off for some of the workshops on that. And workshops on RV'ing. Workshops on Mountain Dulcimers. Workshops on psychic stuff. Whatever. Maybe by the time we retire I can change his mind, or he can change mine. But it's fun to think about it.