I'm going up to northern California in a week and a half to stay with my daughter for 2 weeks. I really want the trip to be about her and her family; her fiance, her soon to be daughter who is 6 years old and a complete crack up, and their dog Cookie. 2 weeks go by soooo fast. And it's already filling up. The day after I arrive I have all 3 doctor appointments I need to make. Mammogram which I'm not worried about. I'm healthier than I have probably ever been and I am NEVER getting breast cancer or any other kind of cancer again. Pap smear which I'm also pretty much not worried about. 2 years ago I had some polups removed (yeah gross I know) I didn't even know I had them and they're gone, but better to have a check up. I am not going to tell them I went to a dr here for an exam about 6-8 months ago and they said I was all clear- I did it because I was surprised last year that the dr didn't want to check me a year later- I don't know- maybe they just come once?? Then the third appt is just my regular doctor who probly wants to see me since he hasn't in about 5 years or more. I go to the doctor once a year when I go up there to visit. Yeah so the whole health care system sorta sucks for me since I don't use it, but I'm afraid if I drop coverage and then in a few years move back to the states I won't get coverage or it will be super expensive because I had cancer....so I pay. Ha ha I have Covered Calif and they are so.......................inept....inefficient.....maybe overworked or understaffed....but they have had my social security number wrong for almost 2 years now. They said it was my mistake- but they input my intial signup apllication over the phone...maybe they typed it in wrong??? I mean I've had that number since I was a kid...so who made the mistake? I didn't even care but trying to get it corrected has been HELL and I'm actually not sure if it's fixed.
My tax return was rejected because the number submitted by Cov Cal was wrong and that's how I knew they never fixed it. In fact they said they didn't have the fax I sent them back in Dec- following their instructions for fixing it. Even though it went thru, to the number they specified. They couldn't fix it over the phone. Ok I sent the fax. 5 months later they hadn't fixed it. I had a fit. Then I had to fill out a different form asking them to resend my IRS form....I asked why should I expect that form to be processed, and was told- oh we're going to give you a different fax number and because it's for the government we HAVE to process it. Ha ha I laughed- oh so you're telling me you didn't HAVE to process my first request? Silence. I also faxed the IRS with a copy of my original fax to Cov Ca asking them to correct my SS#....this almost didn't happen either- poor H&R Block who did my seemingly EASY taxes mere refaxed the same forms that were rejected and I had to yell at them over the phone to convince them to send the fax I had hand delivered to them by my trusty renter. My taxes were processed but I still don't know if Cov Ca corrected their system.
Ok anyway I need to be prepared when I go to keep up my exercise program. I did it when I went to Florida and NY in May, and although I didn't do that great with food, I exercised at least every other day and my weight had stayed the same when I got home and weighed myself. And that was for a month- so I know I can do it for 2 weeks. Actually I was trying tonite to make a playlist of my songs to put them on a CD so we can play it on my daughter's stereo with speakers so she can do it with me. But I just found out that my new (used) laptop does not have working headphone jacks- so I was playing the music right next to hubby who is reading a book and I know it was pretty distracting. So tomorrow when we get back from an airport run to Ensenada I'll try it then.
So 3 times this week I didn't count my calories, but I know I stayed within my range. In fact today I was surprised because I was here alone for a few hours without much to do and felt myself obsessing over snacking. Potato chips- which I never eat except when we have torta for dinner which is less than once a month and we split a bag of chip. The torta is carne asada lomo (really thin beef, not marinated and flash fried in the pan). Avacado and cheese, all on a bollio which is like a soft french roll) And a handful of potato chips on the side. But the bag last time was bigger than the small bag you put in your lunch bag, but smaller than the kind you keep in your cupboard...maybe they "super-sized" it- anyway I suddenly remembered that half empty bag was in the microwave (which we also hardly use). I thought they would be stale and I'd throw them away...but nope- nice and crispy. So- I ate them. Luckily we don't have alot of "bad foods" around the house so my other snacks were mostly those little ginger cookies from Trader Joes- 10 calories a cookie and I can only eat 3 at a time or the ginger hurts my tummy, and an extra spoonful of peanut butter....a handful of almonds...Anyway- after dinner (2 pcs of chicken no skin, steamed asparagus and 24 almonds) I knew I needed to make a count or that would be 3 days of winging it. 2 days is my self imposed limit. So I went thru everything I ate today...wrote it all down, looked at calories...and wow- I was still under my limit! Well right at the limit. 1200 calories. So I really am changing. And luckily our house is filled with green apples and bananas and cantalope...string cheese...natural peanut butter. So when I get crazy...I can still not completely blow it. Because I'll tell you what- if we had a thing of ice cream in the freezer- I woulda ate it! But we didn't and the craving passes. When I can remember that I'm ok.
I'll be at my daughter's house and none of them have any issues with their weight. Drewy is slim and beautiful, and works out regularly- I'm so impressed by that. The gym, hiking, running. I don't know Rex does, but he's a big guy- but with no extra weight, and my granddaughter of course is a busy little bee. Now I know they eat healthy, but they also have (well last year anyway) lots of goodies that they can eat just one of that I could go to town on and eat my way thru 2 weeks! Last year they had a bunch of boxes of girl scout cookies which I avoided for a few days and then attacked. I think I hid an empty box or 2 in the garbage can....But I'm thinking if I write about it here, I can keep myself disciplined. Because the fact is, now when I spend a day eating crap- I feel crappy. Physically I mean- that my body says yuck! (Yeah and my head gets all mad at myself, then guilt shame blah blah blah). But one thing about Mexico, there's not as much processed food- well for example not as many frozen foods- forzen dinners or breakfasts or desserts. Lots of frozen pizza, but not alot of other frozen food and I was the queen of frozen dinners- Stoffers mac & cheese- oh and pot pies! Here I pretty much eat what I call clear food. Fresh veges steamed. Boiled chicken, steamed shrimp, I mean those are my main dinner foods. Fresh fuit for snacks. I do get my natural peanut butter in the states. Last time I was there I bought about 4 huge jars of Adam's Natural Peanut Butter- love that stuff. I do snack on string cheese- is that processed? So- when I get up there I'm going grocery shopping first thing for my own snacks- so at least my stuff will be in front of me. If I exercise in the mornings I'll start with my protein shakes and when I exercise it always makes my moods positive, so I tend to make better choices better decisions.
So for this week I'm going to be very true to my program. Exercise every morning, count my calories and record my food. It only takes a minute because I'm so used to doing it. Maybe I'll even lose a pound or two before I go and then I'll be over 70 pounds of weight loss. I know I feel better and I'm excited for my daughter to see me and we're planning to hit the gym together; her membership lets her bring someone for free. I hope I see my other daughter alot while I'm there as well, but trying not to have any expectations around it.
Other things I want to do up there....get a new tattoo that says Forgiveness, and maybe some more flowers. Have coffee with a couple of friends. Visit a woman I used to meet at the dog park who's in her 80's, have lunch with my friends who are my renters....see it's filling up...more about that later.
Ok last thing for tonite, maybe I can write more about it tomorrow nite- we're going to Yosemite to spread my mom's ashes. Going over a weekend; it's about a 4 hour drive and we'll spend the nite. I don't know how it will feel. It's been 4 years since she died, and I have a small jar decorated with sand and shells with a tiny bit of her ashes. I know it's not her, but it reminds me of her every time I see it, which is every day. It keeps her close in my heart and my mind. She wanted this so as a ritual we'll do it. I wish Halla would come with us, but I'm guessing she won't. That's ok, too. She's 22 and full of her own self, finding her own way. My Drewy is turning 30 this week and was 22 once, selfish and self centered, but has come to be a family girl, and yearns for closeness of family. She kinda doesn't have it outside her little family- meaning Halla is never around and she doesn't see her dad and his wife very much and I know that hurts her. But I guess I'm hurting her too- look how far away I am. But she and I talk on the phone every couple of days and it's always for at least a half an hour if not an hour. We talk about everything. Anyway more about this later. Viva
Here's a couple of silly pics from Key West Florida with me and my sisters:
My tax return was rejected because the number submitted by Cov Cal was wrong and that's how I knew they never fixed it. In fact they said they didn't have the fax I sent them back in Dec- following their instructions for fixing it. Even though it went thru, to the number they specified. They couldn't fix it over the phone. Ok I sent the fax. 5 months later they hadn't fixed it. I had a fit. Then I had to fill out a different form asking them to resend my IRS form....I asked why should I expect that form to be processed, and was told- oh we're going to give you a different fax number and because it's for the government we HAVE to process it. Ha ha I laughed- oh so you're telling me you didn't HAVE to process my first request? Silence. I also faxed the IRS with a copy of my original fax to Cov Ca asking them to correct my SS#....this almost didn't happen either- poor H&R Block who did my seemingly EASY taxes mere refaxed the same forms that were rejected and I had to yell at them over the phone to convince them to send the fax I had hand delivered to them by my trusty renter. My taxes were processed but I still don't know if Cov Ca corrected their system.
Ok anyway I need to be prepared when I go to keep up my exercise program. I did it when I went to Florida and NY in May, and although I didn't do that great with food, I exercised at least every other day and my weight had stayed the same when I got home and weighed myself. And that was for a month- so I know I can do it for 2 weeks. Actually I was trying tonite to make a playlist of my songs to put them on a CD so we can play it on my daughter's stereo with speakers so she can do it with me. But I just found out that my new (used) laptop does not have working headphone jacks- so I was playing the music right next to hubby who is reading a book and I know it was pretty distracting. So tomorrow when we get back from an airport run to Ensenada I'll try it then.
So 3 times this week I didn't count my calories, but I know I stayed within my range. In fact today I was surprised because I was here alone for a few hours without much to do and felt myself obsessing over snacking. Potato chips- which I never eat except when we have torta for dinner which is less than once a month and we split a bag of chip. The torta is carne asada lomo (really thin beef, not marinated and flash fried in the pan). Avacado and cheese, all on a bollio which is like a soft french roll) And a handful of potato chips on the side. But the bag last time was bigger than the small bag you put in your lunch bag, but smaller than the kind you keep in your cupboard...maybe they "super-sized" it- anyway I suddenly remembered that half empty bag was in the microwave (which we also hardly use). I thought they would be stale and I'd throw them away...but nope- nice and crispy. So- I ate them. Luckily we don't have alot of "bad foods" around the house so my other snacks were mostly those little ginger cookies from Trader Joes- 10 calories a cookie and I can only eat 3 at a time or the ginger hurts my tummy, and an extra spoonful of peanut butter....a handful of almonds...Anyway- after dinner (2 pcs of chicken no skin, steamed asparagus and 24 almonds) I knew I needed to make a count or that would be 3 days of winging it. 2 days is my self imposed limit. So I went thru everything I ate today...wrote it all down, looked at calories...and wow- I was still under my limit! Well right at the limit. 1200 calories. So I really am changing. And luckily our house is filled with green apples and bananas and cantalope...string cheese...natural peanut butter. So when I get crazy...I can still not completely blow it. Because I'll tell you what- if we had a thing of ice cream in the freezer- I woulda ate it! But we didn't and the craving passes. When I can remember that I'm ok.
I'll be at my daughter's house and none of them have any issues with their weight. Drewy is slim and beautiful, and works out regularly- I'm so impressed by that. The gym, hiking, running. I don't know Rex does, but he's a big guy- but with no extra weight, and my granddaughter of course is a busy little bee. Now I know they eat healthy, but they also have (well last year anyway) lots of goodies that they can eat just one of that I could go to town on and eat my way thru 2 weeks! Last year they had a bunch of boxes of girl scout cookies which I avoided for a few days and then attacked. I think I hid an empty box or 2 in the garbage can....But I'm thinking if I write about it here, I can keep myself disciplined. Because the fact is, now when I spend a day eating crap- I feel crappy. Physically I mean- that my body says yuck! (Yeah and my head gets all mad at myself, then guilt shame blah blah blah). But one thing about Mexico, there's not as much processed food- well for example not as many frozen foods- forzen dinners or breakfasts or desserts. Lots of frozen pizza, but not alot of other frozen food and I was the queen of frozen dinners- Stoffers mac & cheese- oh and pot pies! Here I pretty much eat what I call clear food. Fresh veges steamed. Boiled chicken, steamed shrimp, I mean those are my main dinner foods. Fresh fuit for snacks. I do get my natural peanut butter in the states. Last time I was there I bought about 4 huge jars of Adam's Natural Peanut Butter- love that stuff. I do snack on string cheese- is that processed? So- when I get up there I'm going grocery shopping first thing for my own snacks- so at least my stuff will be in front of me. If I exercise in the mornings I'll start with my protein shakes and when I exercise it always makes my moods positive, so I tend to make better choices better decisions.
So for this week I'm going to be very true to my program. Exercise every morning, count my calories and record my food. It only takes a minute because I'm so used to doing it. Maybe I'll even lose a pound or two before I go and then I'll be over 70 pounds of weight loss. I know I feel better and I'm excited for my daughter to see me and we're planning to hit the gym together; her membership lets her bring someone for free. I hope I see my other daughter alot while I'm there as well, but trying not to have any expectations around it.
Other things I want to do up there....get a new tattoo that says Forgiveness, and maybe some more flowers. Have coffee with a couple of friends. Visit a woman I used to meet at the dog park who's in her 80's, have lunch with my friends who are my renters....see it's filling up...more about that later.
Ok last thing for tonite, maybe I can write more about it tomorrow nite- we're going to Yosemite to spread my mom's ashes. Going over a weekend; it's about a 4 hour drive and we'll spend the nite. I don't know how it will feel. It's been 4 years since she died, and I have a small jar decorated with sand and shells with a tiny bit of her ashes. I know it's not her, but it reminds me of her every time I see it, which is every day. It keeps her close in my heart and my mind. She wanted this so as a ritual we'll do it. I wish Halla would come with us, but I'm guessing she won't. That's ok, too. She's 22 and full of her own self, finding her own way. My Drewy is turning 30 this week and was 22 once, selfish and self centered, but has come to be a family girl, and yearns for closeness of family. She kinda doesn't have it outside her little family- meaning Halla is never around and she doesn't see her dad and his wife very much and I know that hurts her. But I guess I'm hurting her too- look how far away I am. But she and I talk on the phone every couple of days and it's always for at least a half an hour if not an hour. We talk about everything. Anyway more about this later. Viva
Here's a couple of silly pics from Key West Florida with me and my sisters:
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