Okay, So I'm nuts!

I did it! Yep, I did. I needed 187 minutes this morning to hit my exercise goal and I did it. With an extra 8 minutes to spare. It broke down into an hour on the treadmill, 93 minutes of walk away the pounds, 24 minutes core strength and 18 minutes on the stationary bike. Woo Hoo! I probably won't be able to move by tomorrow, but it sure is a good feeling to know that I did it. Back to work tomorrow morning.

Happy New Year everyone!

62 down, 125 left to go

Thats how many minutes I need today to achieve my goal. I hate missing it, but sure don't see that happening today. Maybe if John was working and I was home alone I would do it, but we are going to go visiting a bit today so I don't see it happening,however I am not giving up on it either..thats only 2 more hours that I need ...

187 Freaking Minutes

187 Freaking Minutes! Thats all I need to do yet to achieve my exercise goal for the month of Dec and chances are real good I'll miss it. I missed those few days due to the accident at the beginning of the month. Those few days cost me quite a bit. I do still have tomorrow, but think were doing some "treeing" and probably won't be home to get it in. Thats 3 hours I still need and tomorrow is the last day of the month. Darn, darn, darn. I am nit giving up though, even if it sounds like I may be. Think I'll get up early and try for an hour and then go from there, another bit in the afternoon would help. I think I'll go jump on the rebounder now for a bit..

Wah Wahh Wahh

I'm really pouting here today folks, its a gorgeous day for the end of Dec. The sun is shining, the birds are singing and my family is gambling. Mom, Cher, Paul and Nikki all took off this morning for the casino and I have to work today from noon to 8. Wahh! I sure hope they have fun and win lots and wish I was there!

On a brighter note, I'm finishing off the year with a good month at the store. I'm in second place for sales this month and thats with missing the first few days due to the car accident. Hope I can hold it there today and tomorrow yet.

Mike's treatments are going well and today is his last one for a few days so I'm anxious to hear how he's doing. The doctors do believe that they can put this into remission but with no guarantees. Keep praying please!

I'm still trying hard to live up to my goals physically and just did a half hour on the treadmill. Thanks again for that Hazel! We miss you!

Make it a great day everyone!

New doctor

I had a doctors appointment for my neck this morning, he thinks its time that I see a different doctor, so they made me an appt with one who specializes in neck and back pain and also wants me to start physcial therapy. I have an appt next week for the therapy and on the 18th with the specialist. Hopefully some of this will help soon. The doctor also wants me to start taking the anti inflammatory pills twice day for a week. He thinks this will help somewhat too, makes sense. He says the muscles are week and its easier for me to re injure them.

Cold here today, but guess we shouldn't complain for being the end of December.

Merry Christmas

Hope your holidays were happy everyone. Hope my mom isn't mad at me for posting this picture either, guess I'll send an email and ask her, better late than never.

WE had a nice quiet Christmas Day here yesterday. Spent most of the time at home alone, and later in the day Rick and Kathy stopped in.

John bought us a new squirrel feeder and went out and hung that on a tree so expect to see a picture of that soon, its neat and we are hoping the squirrels actually use it. So far we haven't seen them there but they are sure eating the bird seed.

It's back to work for us this morning, darn it. These holidays just go by entirely to quickly. Howie, Michelle and Bo all spent the holidays down in Arizona with Mike, and I am so glad that they all had the time to go. They will be driving home to Vegas sometime today, so I pray that the traffic isn't bad and they have a safe trip home.

Hope your holidays were happy everyone.

Christmas Eve

It's strange with no snow for Christmas Eve. I remember Christmases in the past when we weren't sure we could even get to my parents house with all the snow. There were times it seemed to take forever on the really bad roads, and times when it felt like we were pushing the snow with the bumper of the car. Today there is none and the temp this morning is 40 degrees.

My kids are not here, they are in Vegas and going down to see Mike today. Somedays, I wish I could "turn back time". I miss them so much.

John and I are going down to spend the day with my family, and tonight his kids will be here, tomorrow will be with his brothers and their wives.

Tuesday will be back to work already. On a brighter note, very surprisingly I had a really good sale day at the store yesterday. We did not expect to be busy but I ended up with close to $7000 in sales. So that was a nice surprise to haveing to be there. A man I had waited on early in the week came back in to buy the massage chair for his wife. I was glad we were still open, she has 4th stage cancer and goes thru 5 hours of chemo at a time. He wanted the chair for her for a present. I still had one left and we can deliver Tuesday so I made him a copy of it for him to put in a card for Monday.

We've got eggs cooking, were doing deviled eggs to take to mom's and I want to go get some real exercise in first too. This is my strength training day and I want to ride the bike and walk yet too. I need to average 62 minutes a day every day to hit my goal for the month.

Merry Christmas everyone! Make it a good day!

Congratualations Bo!

Bo, we are just so very proud of you. Congratulations on setting your goal and going for it! You did it!

Oldies

I am still in the process of copying old pictures for our picture wall. This one shows my sister, brothers and myself from years and years ago. We still lived in Ohio in this picture. I'd say maybe i was 13, or 14..a long time ago.

I've copied quite a few old ones here tonight so you can expect to see some of them in the next couple of weeks. This one is appropriate being as it was Christmas time then too.

What a cutie that Chet was.

Reading

I used to love to read. I remember days when I wouldn't get outside, or do much of anything but sit curled up in a chair and read. Even when my kids were little every chance I had would find me doing nothing but reading. Now, it seems like the last 8 or 9 years i was lucky to even look at a book, or magazine. That seems to be changing again now and I'm back to reading but its taken another turn here and I seem to be gravitating towards self help and motivational books, in the past it would have been love stories and romance. Right now I am reading three different books, 2 of them by Joel Osteen and one by Dale Carnegie. I am really enjoying these and I read now while I ride the recumbent bike. thats another thing that has changed. Exercise..I hated it when I was young. Now, I've learned that I love cardio and I hate days when I can't fit it in. I make exercise a priority and have ever since July 05 when I was in the hospital. It seems that I am bent on changing things in my life, maybe not things but myself. I am more inclined to work on improving myself spiritually, physically, and emotionally. These are the things I want to work on and my goals for 2007.

MRI

Well, I had a few days where I thought the neck was getting better, but it has been really stiff, sore and achy now since about Friday. I remember it hurting when I was looking for clothes in the closet and yesterday I added to it while filling the loaner car up with gas. I turned my head to see the gas pump and felt it. I called the doctor again today, we played phone tag on Friday, and the MRI is scheduled for Wed morning, plus they refilled my scripts.

Today its been pretty bad and I've taken the pain meds, the anti inflammatories, and the muscle relaxers and plan on taking them again before bed. I am beginning to think it could be a pinched nerve, the left arm is numb down to the elbow.

We are still waiting word on Mikes tests and should know something on Thursday. that day is also Bo's graduation from the police academy.

Make it a great day everyone!

Neck

I am having a rough day today with my neck. I did call the doctors office Friday and am going to schedule the MRI. The doctors office wasn't open and they did return my call but I was at work. I am going to call them Monday and have it scheduled for after the holiday. It is still sore on alot of days. Some things bother it worse, one of them driving any distance, the other trying to find clothes in the closet, hanging clothes out or anything that requires my head to be tipped a bit. Which as short as I am is quite a few things..LOL the wind and cold do not seem to help and today something as simple as putting gas in the car and turning to see the pump set it off.

Taken from Sparkpeople Web Site

Far away in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.- Louisa May Alcott, authorWhat would you do if you knew you wouldn't fail?What would you do if you knew you could not fail? What kind of person would you be? What would at typical day look like? There's a reason that star-gazing provokes the most powerful dreams. They're right there for the taking, yet you can't touch them. Their distance only feeds an ability to inspire. Dreams may seem out of reach, but that's not the point of dreams. They're there to be felt, not touched or dissected. What a star is made of is meaningless to a moonlit dreamer. The epic possibilities are what are important. The payoff is not so much in the destination as it is in the journey. By following your dreams, you make their beauty a part of who you are. Your life begins to shine. You become a better person. By chasing that star, you've already captured its magic.

Free Mammograms

I've added a new link to the left side of this page. It is called Fund Free Mammograms and if you click on it, it will take you directly to a web site that pays for free mammograms for women that cannot afford it. One simple click of your mouse can help save some lives. They ask that we click on this site daily and the sponsors have their sites listed also. Take a minute and check it out.

I'm asking still for your prayers for Mike. He is still in the hospital awaiting test results. Hopefully we should hear something within a day or so.

Make it a great day everyone!

Weird weather

Cannot believe the weather we are having. In the 40's and 50's and the ponds are all thawed. Supposed to be like this for the next 7 days according to the weather on the computer. I will not be upset if that is the case. Am trying to figure out how to do some stuff on the blog that I haven't done before so gotta go.

Believe in Santa Claus

I received this via email this morning from a good friend down in South Carolina, I have no idea where it originated but I loved it and wanted to share it. Any of you who know me, know that yes, I do believe in Santa Claus. I hope you enjoy the story as much as I did.

BELIEVE IN SANTA CLAUS I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no SantaClaus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!" My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma alwaystold the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easierwhen swallowed with one of her "world-famous" cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true. Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus?" shesnorted...."Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been goingaround for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad!! Now, put on your coat, and let's go." "Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my second world-famous cinnamon bun. "Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything.
As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars .That was a bundle in those days. "Take this money," she said, "and buysomething for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car" Thenshe turned and walked out of Kerby's. I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother,but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big andcrowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping. For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for.I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church.I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me inMrs. Pollock's grade-two class. Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out to recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling theteacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough; he didn't have a good coat. I fingered the ten-dollar billwith growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat! I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that. "Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind thecounter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down. "Yes, ma'am," I repliedshyly. "It's for Bobby." The nice lady smiled at me, as I told her about how Bobby reallyneeded a good winter coat. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in abag, smiled again, and wished me a Merry Christmas. That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat (a little tag fell out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) in Christmas paper andribbons and wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it.Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove meover to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially, one of Santa's helpers. Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and Icrept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going." I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the presentdown on his step, pounded his door and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma. Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobby. Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes. That night, I realized thatthose awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said theywere -- ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team. I still have the Bible, with the coat tag tucked inside: $19.95. May you always have LOVE to share, HEALTH to spare and FRIENDS that care... And may you always believe in the magic of Santa Claus!

7 squirrels, 2 crows and 3 woodpeckers..

That is what is in my backyard at this very minute. I am sitting here playing on the computer for a few minutes before going down to exercise and get ready for work. I just looked out the door and those are all out here having fun. The snow is gone and the animals are really enjoying this day. I hope all of you enjoy this day also. Make it a good one!

Tickers

Well, as you can tell from the bottom of the page, I deleted one of the tickers. I deleted the one tracking my steps. I ended up doing this because the ticker site changed things around and needed a password, and now it updates automatically when I update that site. It's a nice convenience not to have to copy and paste it in the blog, however, I cannot figure out how to have the two different tickers. I'm sure that my sister will get a chuckle out of that, but I have tried everything and it doesn't seem to work.

Anyways, my steps for the month are posted in the little blocks by walker tracker anyways. I must have had awful lofty goals when I set those goals anyways. So far this month I have walked a total of 103,992 and my goal is 600,000. I missed that big time. I'm going to blame it on the accident.

had a great day at work today, everything just seemed to fall into place and everyone bought everything. I love days like that!

I talked to Michelle for a minute tonight and Mike's cat scan went okay and he should know something from the doctor come Thursday. Thanks for all of your prayers.

Christmas Time

Well, I got the gifts for my kids wrapped and boxed up today. Just need to get the address labels on them and get them in the mail. Am hoping to do that Tuesday morning. I don't work till noon that day and should have time to get to the post office on the way in. Have two boxes to be mailed. The house is as decorated as its going to be and I guess I'm as ready as I'm going to be. Not really much in the mood in this year. Guess there is just to much going on.

Sunshine and 43

It is really hard to imagine a more perfect day in Pa. in December. I just came in from a walk, its sunshiny, and 43 degrees out there. A perfect day for a walk. I strapped on the cd player, headphones and out I went. Up 255 to the Y, down 555, over Redwood St to the bridge, and back, home on Plum and 255. We could surely use a few more days like this one!

Guessing here..

Ok, I'll admit I'm only guessing here, but I am almost sure enough to bet good $$ on it. I think that the person who signed into the guestbook today with no name except "me" is probably my Uncle Rob. Would think my mom, sister or Aunt Jo, but they all know how to spell, and Uncle Rob really doesn't. And I am sure he remembers me being three!

Well, some updates here. First off, we had four big huge elk in the backyard last night. I tried to get pictures but it was just to dark and I think I zoomed in to close. they were to blurry. I am really hoping they come back around in daylight hours so that we can get some good pictures of them.

Second, I am finally feeling better after the accident and have had two days without muscle relaxers or pain pills so thats a good thing.

Third and most important is that I would like to ask for your prayers for Mike. He is having some health problems right now and needs our support.

thanks everyone! Make it a great day!

Snow

It's snowing here this morning, we are supposed to be getting around 1 to 3" but I hope they are wrong. winter hasn't been to awful bad yet, and just don't really want it. I'm feeling some better today, but I was yesterday too until I went outside inthe cold. John is still off and is out Christmas shopping this morning. He is off Friday and Sat this week too, he took them off for my Christmas party which is Sat night. Guess he didn't see much sense in going in Friday night, then taking Sat off when he's been off all week anyways. I'm working noon to 8 today, so guess I better get moving, going to have to leave soon.

Marcus and Mack?

LOL, yesterday in the mail I received a letter and pamphlet from Marcus and Mack. they are the tv lawyers. Whoo hoo, thought that was pretty funny. I didn't read it but it is sitting here on the table. This morning I have to take the car up to see the insurance appraiser and this afternoon a lady from the insurance company is coming here to see me. What fun and all of this on a day off. Just don't really feel like doing any of this. However, since the doctor gave me the muscle relaxers on Monday I am feeling much better. A good thing.

Two years

Happy anniversary to our home! Two years ago, December 3, we moved in here. I remember working at the jewelry store and working from open to close and trying to move. I wasn't much help. John ended up doing most of it. But here we are.

We went Christmas shopping a bit today. Not for long, I am more stiff and sore than I realised and after a few hours I was really hurting and we came home. I am back into my jammies, with neck brace on and took a pain pill upon walking back in the door. Hopefully tomorrow goes better when I am back at work. I see the doctor tomorrow at 4, so am only working until about 3.

New Month

The first day of December. I always love the first day of the new month. It's like a new beginning. It doesn't matter so much what happened before, its over and done and time to set new goals. You have another chance to do better, to reach higher, to do more.

I've reset the step and minute counters back to zero and hope to achieve the goals I've set by the end of the month. 1500 minutes of cardio exercise, and 600,ooo steps for the month.

I'm still stiff and sore after the fender bender yesterday. Doubt i'll do much today and want to take it easy on the pain pills, they made me really sick to my stomach last night. Am going to just relax and take it easy today.

Make it a great day everyone!