MVM's for Wed. May 18

[LoveMontana]

OK it's Wed. I think and will check to be sure.

Got home from taking MIL out to Wally World and found a new John Deere ( finally spelled the darn thing right people.) up by the apple tree but G. wasn't any place to be found. Seems he rented a truck from there to bring it home and had to return it. Home Depot charges $75 to deliver now so he rented their truck for just under $20.

We oldsters need accountability. hehe.

A 70 year old nurse walks into a bank and prepares to endorse a check. She reaches in her pocket and pulls out a rectal thermometer and tries to write with it. She looks up at the teller, pauses for a moment, then realizing her mistake she says, "Well that's great . just great ... some aszhole's got my pen."

Reporters interviewing a 104 year old woman: "And what do you think is the best thing about being 104?" the reporter asked. She simply replied, "No peer pressure."

The nice thing about being senile is you can hide your own Easter eggs.

Just before the funeral service, the undertaker came up to the very elderly widow and asked, "How old was your husband?" "98," she replied. "Two years older than me." "So you're 96," the undertaker commented. She responded, "Hardly worth going home is it?"

I've sure gotten old. I've had two by-pass surgeries, a hip replacement, new knees, fought prostate cancer and diabetes. I'm half blind, can't hear anything quieter than a jet engine, take 40 different medications that make me dizzy, winded, and subject to blackouts. Have bouts with dementia. Have poor circulation, hardly feel my hands and feet anymore. Can't remember if I'm 85 or 92. Have lost all my friends. But ... thank God, I still have my driver's license!

A 97 year old man goes into his doctor's office and says, "Doc, I want my sex drive lowered." Sir," replies the doctor, "You're 97. Don't you think your sex drive is all in your head?" "You're damned right it is!" replied the old man. "That's why I want it lowered!"

An elderly woman from Brooklyn decided to prepare her will. She told her rabbi she had two final requests. First, she wanted to be cremated, and second, she wanted her ashes scattered over Wal-Mart. "Wal-Mart!" the rabbi exclaimed. "Why Wal-Mart?" "Then I'll be sure my daughters visit me twice a week . "

Anyhoo,

Julie, contrats on your two year anniversary.
You are doing just fine on this low carb plan. Keep up the good work kiddo. You can do it.

Shawnee, if you are ever dx terminal, I'll send you my grand mother's chocolate cake recipe. It's the best I have ever had and will eat it in a heart beat if I'm terminal too.

Check in everyone. Hope you all have a great day.

I'm going to take my mom out for a bit and check the used book store for some stuff.

[BarbCO]

A very good early morning to all.......

My, you were guys were on a roll last night -- way tooooo late for me, the working gal. Oh ya, I forgot, with the metabolism of a 20 year old - I don't think they get up this early!

Julie, I'll email or pm after I talk to my psycho today. I know he'll recommend relaxation tapes, etc. That's what he told me for years until I finally said "forget it" I got me some meds!

Cakes look great Shawnee! It's too bad that one's fingers have to go and get all screwed up and can't do the job they "used to". Toby did a song last night for the troops in Iraq "I'm not as good as I used to be, but I used to be REALLY good"!!

Pictures of family are cute Linda. I just don't know if Nick gets enough attention. Duct tape has soooo many uses!

Busy day today and will be happy to check in tonight!

Later,

Barb

[zip2play]

Good morning Linda, Barb, and the gang.

My god, it took me 10 minutes of reading to play catch-up with yesterday's posts.

Linda, my fave is the 96 year old at the undertaker's parlor....I want a John Deere, too,but I'm probably not going to get one, alas!

Shawnee,
the cake is lovely and better than professional. I think it's the perfect cake for your retirement from the bakery!

Today......NOTHING (theater tomorrow and Sunday, that's enough!) Bob is working and then ushering for something so the day is ALL MINE.
I made a nice but calorific Beef Stroganoff (Linda, that's what I call my goulash if it has sour cream, musrooms, onions and is Crock potted in a little white wine...over wide Pennsy Dutch noodles, natch. (850 kcal/serving.) Dinner tonight will be saner, catfish and a salad (1 lb. Dole's at the A&P for $1 this week.)

Julie,
So sorry you're having such a time with those antidepressants. I'm with Shawnee and the self-hypnosis but there are stretches when the only thing that "works" is "fake it til you make it." (First get out of bed...then force a shower if I you DON'T need it...that kind of thing.) The core of my hypnosis is ALWAYS: I have the choice and I CHOOSE that, for today, I will allow myself to feel alright! Sometimes DOING the hypnosis while depressed is tough though. (I almost typed: "a tough thought though"...but seeing those three words together makes me blind!)

I was pooped all day yesterday and my gymming was basically a steam and shower. Slept solidly almost 9 hours with only one pee-run and I'm having trouble waking up. Today, hard chest and arms work. Later, gang.
Gee, I should be getting my first SS check next Wednesday (or is it TODAY?????...gotta call bank!)

Oh, did any of you watch HERCULES on Monday night? If so, have you EVER seen any man so beautiful? Too bad his acting is a bit blank!

Oh Loretta,
Here's what I would do were I you. Save all the paperwork for the Norton 2005 Internet Security. When it runs out in January, limp alonlg til April with a free AV program like AIG, and add Zone Alarm if you wish. Then after tax day buy the free Norton 2006 and then you'll be on the perfect schedule (like May to May...free!)

[zip2play]

I forgot to recommend something.
I bought Mt. Olive Sweet Relish (No Sugar Added)...sweetened with sucralose.
I bought it on a lark and didn't expect much. It's really DELICIOUS and the calorie count for a Tbsp is ZERO...gotta love it!

If you like sweet pickle relish and you can spot this stuff, it's worth a buy. I mix it with tuna for lunch and then put in less mayo...I should learn to use NONE, but I'm working up to it!

[LoveMontana]

Morning again,

I'm off to the used book store but wanted to pop in again.

Barb, those 20 year olds can stay up for days with no sleep I remember those days.

Roger, Mt. Olive sugar free pickles and relish are WONDERFUL!! We have had them available for about a year in this hick town. Try them gang if you can find them.

Later gang.

[Loretta V]

Linda I LOL at almost every one of those jokes. This my favorite: A 70 year old nurse walks into a bank and prepares to endorse a check. She reaches in her pocket and pulls out a rectal thermometer and tries to write with it. She looks up at the teller, pauses for a moment, then realizing her mistake she says, "Well that's great . just great ... some aszhole's got my pen." TOOO CUTE!!!!!
Thanks for the laughs. Enjoy that new Deere. What will he do with that? My freinds DH just got one too, he is digging trenches in the yard to run electricity etc. Those men just think big and machinery.

Roger good idea about waiting until May. Wonder if my recepits will still work after being more than a year old. Glad you got a laugh from the Pope joke. It tickled my fancy too, being part German and all.

I say take drugs if you need them to get over a crisis in your life, other wise live in real time. Life is full of "s!it happens". That is just the way of life.

Hope to get out and go fishing today. But the fish are not reporting in like they should and the catches are slim. I think Dh is depressed about it.

Gotta get some cleaning down before we head out.

Later
I sure enjoyed reading yesterday's posts.

Congrats Julie on that 2nd anniversary of maintaining!!!! Just look at that Ginny, over 7 years. IT can be done.

[Jewels]

Talk about having a good nights sleep!!! I slept 9 hours last night and a good 8 hours the night before. How I love being drug free!!!!!!!!!!!! Yahooooooooo
I had been on antidepressants for about 5 months and was doing great. I don't feel depressed at all anymore gang. I do have anxiety but have had that all my life. I only had that big panic attack because I went off the antidepressant. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr So....I feel I am better off without drugs!!! I will do some relaxation, maybe find another yoga class, and work on this myself. Since I've been alcohol free for so long, I guess I did learn to cope with life. I do have my times but am 90% better than I was after last summer's episode.
Thanks Shawnee for the advice.
Loretta, are you still doing meditation?
Roger, I have to agree it's hard to do when you're depressed. Thank God I'm over that now.
Barb, psycho?? Hmmm Any info you can get kiddo.....are you in therapy?
You are all so kind and such good listeners, compassionate etc. Ok, enough of me!!


Linda, OMG I laughed at those jokes. Thanks..you know laughter is proving to be very good for our mental health. In the news the other day.
Oh how I love to get into a used book store. I could spend hours in there.

Barb, will be happy to see you check in tonight too!!! Have a good, "stessless" (is that a word?) day...

Roger,

the only thing that "works" is "fake it til you make it." (First get out of bed...then force a shower if I you DON'T need it...that kind of thing.) The core of my hypnosis is ALWAYS: I have the choice and I CHOOSE that, for today, I will allow myself to feel alright!

Very good advice and will remember those words of wisdom!
I won't get a SS check until October....So what are you going to spend your first check on?

Loretta, enjoy the fishing and hope they see you coming and come out to meet those hooks and lines..

Shawnee, we are getting a deluge right now. I guess Mother Nature is trying to make up for some of our lost rain this spring. You made me feel so good last night and your email this morning. It is so nice to have good friends here.

[shawneesioux]

Hi Y'all

Yeah, the BS was flying hot and heavy yesterday, but its good and free Therapy sessions

Montana, I forgot to add: The buttercream frosting was flavored with Lemon extract, to complementthe Lemon filling...Now, how's your glucose??? LOL, I won't be doing any sampling of any part of that cake. I had some small leftover layers and frosting, Bob tired his hand at "paving" them...LOL..the results were "interesting"

Thanks a ton for the jokes. I also liked best Loretta's fav, the Nurse with the rectal them. Good way to start my 'Puter day.
Yeah for Gerard, a new big boy toy. Bob is jealous, all he got new this week was a Stihl weedwhacker...and its too wet/soggy/rainy for him to play with it.

Thanks Zip...yes, a good time to get out of the "business" while I don't embarrass myself too much.
I'll sure be looking for that Sweet Relish!
Sure agree: Sometimes DOING the hypnosis while depressed is tough though.
To chase out the depressing thoughts, and get mentally prepared can be tough...I find that if I do it frequently, its much easier (like staying in practice) than if I go a long time, than try to get back into it. But once I get zoned in, its wonderful.
I've sure had those days when I've had to choose/force myself to get out of bed.

This AM, grabbed my coffee and drove to the Lake...sat for awhile and watched the walkers, joggers, PUPS go by...soothing ...and I did NOT feel guilty for not walking, this was for my mind, not my body.

Loretta, I also need to live in "real time"...I can't function if my brain is buzzed with drugs...and it seems that's while under the influence of them, its just postponing the enevitable...the drugs wear off, and Life is still there..so just face it head on.

LOL, Barb....I like to tell my Diabetic relatives and friends that they should eat like I do, and brag about my Glucose #...GAWD, even most teens have higher # than me!
Montana is worried about the altitude of the Grand canyon...I remember being in the Rockies, and experiencing that thin air...seems there was something about avoiding caffiene,lower salt intake, eating snacks frequently...You being a Mountain Goat, got any Tips for her?

Hey to the rest of the Gang...gotta go pretend to be busy with Suzy stuff...like rearranging the dust

Shawnee

[shawneesioux]

Hey Julie...ya beat me, pressing the SUBMIT button!
Good to see ya more CHIPPER...keep on with that

LOL, you're welcome...after all, we run a FULL SERVICE Board here.

Shawnee

[Jewels]

[BarbCO]

Yes, being a mountain goat, you do need to get used to higher altitude over a period of several days. Many friends coming to visit will be very tired for a few days and not be able to hike far without gasping for breath! Drinking water is very important to ward off altitude sickness, no caffeine also. I even got sick when traveling to Rocky Mountain Park at an altitude of 9 -10,000 feet to visit DD who HAD to work at that store on the top. You get dizzy if you don't drink enough water.

Now that I painted such a bleak picture -- it's not that bad!! Just because the views are enough to take your breath away! You do need your inhaler and I still use mind if hiking.

Julie, there is good news! My resident psych says that cognitive therapy is good if you want to take the time to re-train your brain to think differently. Since it is your brain that is telling you to panic because....... you can re-direct your thinking or re-program it. No, I'm not in therapy. Bob is our school psychologist on our multidispinary team which meets on Wednesday. He's been a friend for many years and "understands me". I'm on Lexapro and Wellburtin and it does just fine. That is mostly for anxiety and OCD. I was in actual therapy three years ago when one of the kids on my case load committed suicide. It took about six months to get back to normal. I have known numerous students and young adults who have committede suicide but this kid was special.

Just got off the phone with a friend from Brooklyn. She went out there to find her kids (husband ran off with them) get divorced, etc. She married an Egyptian and they are Muslim. He was ready to flew the country when she caught up with him. She had to establish residency, etc. she has been teaching and living in Brooklyn for over a year. She is now coming back to CO next year. She's an excellent English teacher and knows Arabic, German, French, and Spanish. She was describing how expensive it was living there compared to the west. When she left here she had rented a trailer for $96 to haul stuff. Now it would be close to $1500 to do the same thing so she will sell, pack and ship things back and fly here. Sell the car and get a new one here is her plan.

Shawnee, I want some of that cake - NOW!! The heck with dying off, it sounds too good to be true. WOW! a new weedeater! It's not even Father's Day! I can just see these guys with their new toys sitting in the living room looking out the window and it's raining.

I think the problem with being depressed is being able to get yourself to do something. I have found (in the past) that inertia takes over and I can't exercise, move or talk to someone. If one was capable of handling this by oneself, then some pharmacists, doctors, counselors would be out of jobs!

But.....we ARE a full-service board here!!

Ginny, SuSUN, Zip, Linda, Loretta, Jacki, Liz, take care...........

Barb

[Jewels]

But.....we ARE a full-service board here!!

OMG Barb, aren't we glad of that!!!

Signed up for a yoga class today and it begins tomorrow. How's that for timing? Upped treadmill to 8% incline...working on it. Better than therapy huh Barb?

[shawneesioux]

Hey Y'all full service board guys...does that mean you'll check my oil and do the windshield too?


Oh, Barb..would gladly let ya have the whole damn cake..BUT you're too valuable an asset to us, to poison ya with all that crap! Over EIGHT lbs of powdered sugar alone just in the frosting.

So true, bout giving in to Depression, and spiraling down into a vegetative state...Luckily I love to gab,(and then retreat to my Hermitage) ... and have plenty of friends and relatives who do too. Actually, I have a chosen few that I can really spill my guts to..and they, to me.
Death of a young person is a tough one to "get right" with..so many what if's and survivor's guilt, etc.
Anyhoo, glad you've got a good handle on what ya need to do, and are feeling like a young'un.

for you, Julie..good move re the Yoga. !!!!! Mind over matter.
Lordy, yes..we had the major rains too...the lawn is littered with leaves...but the roses and peonies are holding their own, as best they can.

Just had a long phone call from my Indian friend, we really get our Therapy-tongues flapping with each other...always laughing by the time we hang up.
Made plans to meet at a lil local PowWow...we both need to feel our roots.(drum beats)
I am feeling so much better today...bet I've looked into the freezers half-dozen times today, feeling satisfation upon eyeballing those damn DONE cakes...LOL..little things...*smirk*

Contentment is free, let's all grab our share.

Shawnee

[LoveMontana]

Loretta, Glad you liked the jokes. I have many, many more but hesitate to post them all. Maybe one or two here and there.

"I say take drugs if you need them to get over a crisis in your life, other wise live in real time. Life is full of "s!it happens". That is just the way of life."
Couldn't agree with ya more.

Julie, yes laughter is good medicine for sure. Glad you are feeling better. My DD suffers from both depression and severe anxiety so I sympathize. Never experienced it myself though. Guess I'm too much of a hard aZsed ******. but grateful I have never had either.

Barb, yeah I get awfully SOB and so very tired in Montana and Wyoming even though we hydrate . Some of those places are at 7 to 9 thousand feet. Knocks me on my azz.
My allergist said I may need supplemental O2 at over 5,000ft because of lung tissue scaring, but I haven't yet tried it. Maybe I need to investigate it.

Cognitive therapy??? Humm, gotta suggest that to my DD. Thanks.

Shawnee, Yup. My glucose went up just looking at that cake, and a bit more after you told us just how much powdered sugar was in that baby.

I can only imagine how you are suffering from survivors guilt and my heart goes out to you.

It's nice to have an Indian friend to relate to and talk with. My one and only Indian friend and I lost touch after I retired. She got very ill with severe emphysema and moved away.

Gotta get my butt to bed. More tomorrow.
Love ya all.