Peg, yes, I would hang on to all the tools until job was finished or money refunded. PITA, though. I mean, where are you going to put all that stuff? I was sort of confused. Is the stuff the contractor's (sick Dad) or the carpenter's (skipped town). Was any of the work completed?

The retirement community does sound wonderful. Wonder if that included dinner at the dining hall would be LC, LOL! Your husband is older, as is mine (72). Perhaps planning ahead is not such a bad idea. Do you have friends/family in the Redlands area?

Brenda, I am really tough on keyboards! Cat hair, crumbs, even spilled diet coke on it. That one went to keyboard heaven. Every now and then I do pull off the keys and really get in there for a good cleaning. Thank goodness they are not that expensive to replace!

Shelley, "HER era at the hospial?" Sounds rather pompous. Hope she realizes she will need a good TEAM. Without one she will have no ERA.

Barb, glad the Arts Fest went well. It does sound like it was a large undertaking! BTW, do your folks live here in KC?

The big job got done by Noon Sunday. Today I go with my assistant to re-hang blinds and clean the film. Should be home by noon. I am so tired and have to schedule some other big jobs but I really feel like taking the week off! That's impossible, of course. It's Monday and I feel like I have been cheated out of a weekend. That's a terrible way to look at it, because I did make some good money.

__________________
Alida
5'1" ~ 59 years old
Highest weight: 165
Atkins 7/10/2004
160/126/125
RE-DO, January 2008:
167/162/135

Alida, sounds like a terrible weekend for you. Hope you can take a couple of days off to rest up. By then, maybe the money you made on this job will be looking better. And LOL, yes, I'm hard on keyboards, too. I do tend to grab lunch or my snack here rather than the kitchen--it's a bad habit I could do without. And anyone as clumsy as I am shouldn't be allowed near electronics with liquids :(

Barb, I forgot to say congrats on the Arts Festival. It's huge to get something like that organized and run.

Shell, good luck with the new manager. It's Monday, and somehow that never brings out the best in anyone....

__________________
BC
LC Since 1998
Highest Weight 172
Current 104-108

Alida, that's what I thought to! But.....I didn't say a word...no sir-ee, not a word Could be she had an advanced warning there are some , um, how should I say this...*difficult* people in our department that have been there since the place opened. Maybe she just wants to get her bluff in on them? She seems to be the type that will tolerate no nonsense, and that may be a good thing in the long run. Today went very smoothly; tomorrow looks to be a *bear* of a day with many surgery cases and then endoscopies tomorrow afternoon. The day will fly by, I'm sure

Did my WI this morning; down another pound for a total of 13.6 lbs. since Apr 3rd.
I am very happy with that. After over 2 years of stalling and sputtering, I finally feel like I'm beginning to gain some ground with losing some pounds...LOL.

Peg, the retirement community sounds nice. I agree with whoever mentioned the fact, you could travel and leave home worry free, it seems; someone to watch over the place on a full time basis. But it is a BIG decision; I'm sure you will pray for direction, and the answer will come to you. I wish you much peace and happiness with your final decision

Well, nothing else going on in my world at the present time. Just waiting for my turn with the wallpaper lady starting June 15th...then the big project begins! I'm excited, but dreading it at the same time. Will definitely be glad when it's all a done deal!

T-T-T-That's all folks!
Shelley

__________________
~~~~
Shelley
~~~~

Visit Kassie's Korner



Life deserves a treat now and again, but life also deserves being healthy[with required disipline] to make it worth living!

So, Shelley, are you doing much differently these days? Always curious to know what works for people.

__________________
~~~Teelbee
Back to GOAL!!!
start weight: 176/goal range: 137-134/now: 138
Reached goal in Aug. 2003 - 4rd year of maintenance.

Thanks, Shel.....but, I'm worried about "seeming" old. I usually only pray when everything else fails :silly: ! I especially like to worry something to death first!


Alida: It is the contractor's tools. It's also his father who had the heart attack. I called him today and urged him to rethink quitting all together. He said that he will do everything else I needed doing, just can't do the finish carpentry. He will come tomorrow for his tools. His references (6 of them) were just sterling. Two from other contractors. He is young, and this is his first big disappointment in his business. It won't hurt me to be generous. He is going to give me back a large portion of my deposit.

Bren: The retirement community has many single family homes on the perimeter. This is what we would buy. They look "out" from the complex. We both know the place really well. People there who are young enough are very engaged in the town. It doesn't have a young community, but the baby boomers are retiring and I'm sure that the median age will be going down when those youngsters figure out that they can't afford to retire! We have lots of friends in the town. My best friend lives there and has a business there (she is the one who came out here to redecorate for me in January).

I gotta go to bed, I'm tired and achy. More tomorrow.
Peace, Peg

__________________
"Live the questions and some day you will live along into the answers."
Rainer Marie Rilke

Atkins since 2003
5'8" 206.4/197/175
64-3/4 years young

Peg, I'm so glad that you are back. We missed you!

My dad lives in an apartment complex in Plano similar to what you described. You are right that in some ways it is insulating; however, at his stage, that's a good thing. They have wonderful activities and trips that he is no longer able to participate in. He does enjoy the fellowship of the coffee drinkers each morning and the poker and bingo games each evening. Someone comes to the door of his apartment to pick up the trash and like someone said, they will even change the light bulbs. It's been a blessing for us that he is in such a place. His friends check on him 3-4 times per day, he has meals 2X per day if he wants and doesn't have to have them if that's what he chooses. The meals can be delivered to him, or he can eat in the dining room. Living in that type environment has allowed him to stay on his own and independent much longer than we would have allowed if he had still been in his big old house. He had often said that he is "one fall away from the nursing home." As much as we all hate to admit it, we will all be that way some day. I suggest that you seriously consider the "community". A single family residence gives you freedom now, and then as you might need more care you have it available in a familiar location. DH was afraid that Daddy would wither and die within a year of moving from his little town to Plano. Instead, DF says that it was definitely the right thing to do and the right time to do it. Hey, but watch out for your good looking DH......... women out number the men pretty heavily in those places. Daddy says he's had his behind pinched more than once.

__________________
Judy
highest = 180, goal = 140
Every single time I put food in my mouth, it matters. No more fooling myself!

Hey Shelly, I almost forgot........... I want to know the secret, too.

__________________
Judy
highest = 180, goal = 140
Every single time I put food in my mouth, it matters. No more fooling myself!

LOL, Judy, I thought exactly the same thing. Looking at the positive side, though Peg, YOU'LL be the "hot young Thang" in the community for quite a while! Thats gotta be worth a something Really, it sounds like a lovely place, and a sense of security for the future is worth a lot. Truly, it's something I ponder myself.

I also need your decorator friend, Peg. I'm trying to pick out flooring for the kitchen and having a horrible time! I thought I had a product selected, but bringing home samples just confused the issue. Shell, I sure understand the decorating dread/excitement conundrum.

Peg, very gracious of you with the contractor. I'm sure it will work out.

__________________
BC
LC Since 1998
Highest Weight 172
Current 104-108

Peg, that community is sounding better and better! Your contractor does sound good. Just unfortunate about his Dad. Family first, even for contractors!

Shelley, Good Job! I ditto the sentiment of wanting to know your secret . . . .

Another hard job coming up today. Nextel store where I have 22 3/4" clearance to do 10 windows. This will be a real trick!

__________________
Alida
5'1" ~ 59 years old
Highest weight: 165
Atkins 7/10/2004
160/126/125
RE-DO, January 2008:
167/162/135

I did a terrible thing this weekend. It was my mom's 85th birthday on Sunday. It completely slipped my mind to call her until Monday morning. Saturday, we drove out to see the progress on our new home. They poured the concret floor of the basement and garage. The lumber drop is next week.

We had open houses on Saturday and Sunday. They were pretty quiet. I bake mini Toll House cookies to make the house smell good. Noone but family ate them. We also dog-sat my DD's puppy. The puppy doesn't get that grass is for going in. She kept wanting to go on the deck or in the cage. She was sweet though. I kept having to watch where I was stepping, as she kept winding her leash around my feet. We get to dog-sit again next Mon-Wed. Each day we can watch the puppy, we save my DD's family almost $25/day.

I have been craving fatty foods. Trying to figure out what to do about them. No proper control this week. At least the two days we went to see Star Wars III, we didn't get popcorn.

Sunday, we ate a place called the Village Squire. It was newly built with an exterior British look. The menu was mostly American, Italian, and Greek. It was strange. The only British thing on the menu was fish and chips.

I hope you are well.

__________________
Ilse

380/286(current)/154
5'6"
"It's kind of fun to do the impossible"
Walt Disney

Well, Alida, I could use a little more physical activity in my day--but not like that! Hope the new job goes smoothly.

My parents live at John Knox Village in Lee's Summit MO. Oddly named, since it has never been affiliated with the Presbyterian Church in any way. It's one of the oldest retirement communities around, well established, with a solid reputation and many planned activities for those who want them.

Like the place Peg is looking at, there are residential options ranging from free-standing homes to duplexes to apartments to assisted living. Plus the nursing home. I suppose they'd scatter your ashes on the golf course, if you wanted that!

On that cheerful note, back to writing Baby Congrats messages!

__________________
Barb L.
Atkins since Jan 2003
Maintenance as of 4/05


My Fitday Journal

Hey everyone...
Just a quickie *fly by* for me today
LOL....As for me FINALLY getting the scales to move in the downward direction...I'm doing what I should have been doing from the very beginning...paying attention to detail. I'm doing what every dieter HATES to do; I'm measuring and weighing my food, I'm restricting portions, I'm counting FAT gms, CALORIES, AND CARBS, I'm going HUNGRY at times if I have already used up my alloted food for the day and I'm WRITING everything down I put in my mouth. I've also gotten more strict with myself on exercise and the water drinking. For me, fat gms and calories, matter just as much or more than carbs. When I did Atkins, I had no problem staying in my carb range, it was the calories and fat grams that defeated me I truly believe. Lots of folks don't want to hear that, let alone admit it; I know I didn't. But going low carb and NOT paying attention to detail didn't work for me; sadly it took me a little over 2 years to figure this out :o Sooooo that's where I'm at for now...a moderately low carb, lower fat and restricted calorie woe. Can I live on this *plan* forever? I think I can because I enjoy what I'm eating, and for the most part I believe I've come full circle from *I live to eat* to *I eat to live*. Well....that's about it in a nutshell...definitely more than you wanted to know, eh?

Later, chicks!

Shelley

__________________
~~~~
Shelley
~~~~

Visit Kassie's Korner



Life deserves a treat now and again, but life also deserves being healthy[with required disipline] to make it worth living!

Omigawd, Shelley!! You are truly a wonder!! I just don't know if I have the inner gumption to tackle that. Two years for me too. But, I'm going in the other direction! Seriously, I thought I must have gained 12 pounds after what I ate and drank on vacation. If it had an umbrella in it, I drank it! If it had sugar in it, I ate it. Sheesh! But, I finally got the courage to weigh this am, and I really didn't gain anything from when I left. Of course, I had gained about six pounds in the weeks before I left. :o

Today was a busy day. Staff meeting which is always interesting to see where people will go with things. Our Music Director is a real pill. He and the CE Director got into it at the meeting. I sat back and watched for a while. It was kinda great because she said all the things that I've been wanting to say to him. I'm evil. I know.

Spent the afternoon talking to my office mate who is having real trouble with her shoulder and back. I have been trying to convince her it is ergonomics. She finally got on the Net and found that I was telling her the truth. She is having an MRI tomorrow. I sincerely hope that it isn't anything serious. We have our annual conference (all the UCC churches in the Commonwealth) in two weeks. One of our members (I nominated her anonymously) won a coveted award for social justice efforts. I am so pleased. It will be presented to her at the conference. So, the day was spent planning for that too.

Alida: I have decided that you work too hard!! You must be in really good shape, girlfriend! I just can't imagine doing what you do.

Judy: That appreciation day for "average" kids sounds like genius to me! Congratulations for thinking of something so creative to honor kids who seldom are honored. How are your DS and DstbDIL? What was the problem?

Brenda: What are you doing on this dreary day? Evidently it has been raining and dreary here for 10 days, and the forecast is for more of the same. I had to get a "mission" blanket out of the closet to wear around my shoulders today! Someone turned off the heat. You would think that the 24th of May one would be safe in doing that, wouldn't you? People here in the ocmplex have their fireplaces going! It's 43 degrees!!

Ilse: Did you find your PDA?

Donna: Where are you, friend?

Kim: Come back!

Take care.

Peace, Peg

__________________
"Live the questions and some day you will live along into the answers."
Rainer Marie Rilke

Atkins since 2003
5'8" 206.4/197/175
64-3/4 years young

Shell, that was exactly what I did when I was doing well, and exactly what I'll have to do again to break out of my rut. I think I'm just not quite miserable enough yet. You go girl! It's a tough road, but you've got what it takes.

Peg, fortunately we've had some nice weather interspersed with the cold and rain, but Spring here is still way below average for May. But at 71 today, I'm quite content, even though more rain and chill is expected by Thursday. Hope you have our nice day by then.

Alida, all I can say is, good thing you are so tiny, if you only have 23 inches to work with. That does NOT sound like a fun job. OUCH!

TB, oh gads, you have patience with your DH. I'm sure I'd have injured him bodily. I can only imagine how glad you'll be to have this move accomplished.

Not much new here. Another afternoon at the vet with Khaki, and we are waiting for an opening with the vet internist again. Poor little fur kid! I also brought home another batch of floor samples for the kitchen, each more hopeless than the last.......

__________________
BC
LC Since 1998
Highest Weight 172
Current 104-108

Hi all......... I just have a minute (during commercials-- got to seen the finale of HOUSE tonight).

Shelly -- yep, that's the ticket. Too bad we can't all punch it correctly. It takes a while to get it figured out, and some never seem to get it. But, we all keep trying and with the help of this board and our understanding friends we do the best that we can do.

Peg-- the problem wasn't with the kids, it was with her parents. I think they are having some serious issues. Their issues reverberated through both families and caused major changes. What's done is done--- time to move on and to plan my vacation (which technically begins in 2.5 weeks )

__________________
Judy
highest = 180, goal = 140
Every single time I put food in my mouth, it matters. No more fooling myself!