Update: Sis's granddaughter's covid rapid test came back negative, but they did a 2nd one that takes a couple days for results because of her symptoms. She's had the vax, so hopefully if she does have it, she won't get terribly sick. She has a history of sinus infections, so that's probably what it is. I guess they weren't terribly impressed with the young Dr. at urgent care.

"See" you all tomorrow!

Good Morning!

Up around 6, cup of coffee in hand. I had a bit of a restless night.....not bad, but not as "out like a light" as I have been the past couple nights. Today we'll get a couple mile walk in and then pop in to Macy's & possibly Walmart for something Connie is looking for. Then it's off to yet another brew pub for a late lunch. OMG......I need to get back on my eating plan! ACK!!!!! Feeling like the Pillsbury dough boy here!

DH, DS & DGS17 are all going bow hunting today. DH was beside himself with excitement when I talked to him last night. Sigh......I will never understand it, but just smile and nod till hunting season is over each year. Now that he does crossbow hunting too, the season starts WAY early. He loves the time with DS & DGS more than the actual hunting, I think.

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Jaz......Hope you have a good trip home today. Is Ruger a good traveler?

Trig.....How is DD making out with the practice baby? Did you have to get up in the night and help with the 2AM feeding? I can just see DD showing up at your bedroom door and handing the baby to you and saying "Here..take this thing!" LOL!

Nic.....WOW! You do have a busy weekend! You'll be rolling from one thing to another. It also sounds like you'll have to fit a dog bath in there somewhere too. Yuck....nothing worse than when they get into something dead..GAG!

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Over and out for now. Sis will soon be coming into the living room and turning on CNN.......Lord help me. At least we'll be watching football tonight instead of constant news.

Bye!

Lori so glad that was negative on C

Sounds like a good time for you and Sis.....enjoy your days and have a great trip....it will be over before ya know it but it has to be a great break for you and her to do your own thing and get out and about

yea hunting. I bet your DH is in heaven. Not sure if hubby is gonna even bother to find a place to hunt.....when he lost his hunt club cabin and it just disappeared it is like it is a struggle to find hunting grounds around here but he might....not sure on it but like you, in one ear and out the other about the hunting HA

Nicco....yea will take a bit for DE to feel like home and it will sooner than later as you keep going but it has to feel great to walk into 'your own home' on vacay

Your dog REEKS that darn bad LOL wow....I gotta give little guy a bath, he is wet dog smell and when it gets too much, icky, so I think today or tomorrow he goes under the water and bubbles

yea it is cool your kids 'got it' about the college money and how far can they stretch it....I am hoping my kid does like yours did and figures it out, she is starting to get that real drift of your money only goes so far and one thing she said was thank goodness I will have NO college debt coming out of it all and she said thanks for making sure I don't and I was like....WTH? She thanked me for putting aside like $150K for her? Very cool HAHA I think she is jumping more forward now on what life is gonna be like, in debt or not in debt? I always tell her your debt level tells you how well you are gonna live your life longer term and I think now she is seeing it all....growing up finally LOL

Jaz, EWW on the blood pressure. Any idea why? Normally higher? Hmmm....I wouldn't worry just yet ya know. But yea that is something you kinda do gotta keep an eye on cause you don't want higher but we know stress and travel and 'white coat' syndrome can put it up some so maybe you aren't normally that bad but hope things come around for you in a good way.

18 down....WEE....that is great and you are gonna cross over into onederland soon too...you keep rocking it out girl!


-------------doggie bath maybe today
hubby working as usual and all next week too

kid has baby home. That electronic baby is heavy...omg it is really really heavy LOL It is annoying as hell and she is freaking out over it. How do I hold it mom. How do I burp it mom...how do I? too funny. ready for that thing to go back to school HA

today might be a gray day, rain coming? gotta check but not a fab sunny nice day out there.

do this and that today
eat a steak and some taylor ham and maybe some shrimp

over and out and be good all

packing up and travel day. Putting my dot down. Back on the other side when I am home.

Lots to respond too!

Hey all-

Quick check in here- Jaz, 18 pounds is absolutely tremendous. That is so good! Just had to say it again!

Bella no longer stinks and didn't get sick or anything thankfully. The dog has a stomach of steel with what she gets into.

Dinner last night was fun and I managed myself well food-wise. Today at the Renn Fest though, that will be a challenge of epic proportions. Not even going to try to do low carb, but rather just try not to eat ALL the things. Good enough!

Then Future DIL asked to come by this afternoon and bring some pumpkin bread which is super sweet, and of course we said yes so she is coming at 4:30. And THEN the 50th bday cookout for my friend this evening. OMG I am tired just thinking about it all! Come Monday I will be a wreck from all this!

Hugs to Lori and Trig- Lori have fun with your Sis and avoid CNN, Trig, wash my fur babies while you wash yours, will ya? lol

So much to respond to and I am just whipped. back tomorrow!

Good Morning!

Travel day for me and wouldn't you know.....heavy fog this morning. I'm in no great hurry, so will wait a couple hours and hope that some of the fog burns off.

DH is a happy boy as he got a deer yesterday morning with his crossbow. The biggest deer he has ever gotten....9 point. I don't understand how he feels, but I guess it's a man thing. Now I'm afraid that he'll want to get the head/antlers mounted. I will try to grin and bear it, but I really don't want it in my house. I know it's a triumph for him, so I won't put up a fuss.(too much )

So now it's back home and the daily grind of figuring out what on earth to make for dinner EVERY night. I think I'm going to surf Pinterest and try to get some ideas for casseroles and crock pot meals. I'm ready to get back on to simple meals for myself, but have to come up with things for DH.

Sis and I had a fun late lunch out on the new deck of a brew pub where we have been before....but not for several years. Their new deck is beautiful and the weather was perfect. We did have to do battle with a persistent yellow jacket that was determined to terrorize Connie, but between the server and me, we were able to shoo him away. Connie has a real phobia about bees. Amazingly enough, once our food came, we didn't see a thing of the varmint.

The weather for the next week doesn't look like "golf weather", so I'm thinking I'll be having a long week at home. Time to get back to exercise videos and I've been thinking about giving myself a walking challenge, like 5k a day or something. I have enjoyed walking with Connie every day, though we only did 1-2 miles each day. She has such nice trails around here that make it easy to have a nice traffic free walk.

That's it from here. I'll be packing up and heading North in a couple hours. I'll check in from my "nest" later today!

Lori, yea heavy fog is the worse and hope it lifts fast for you to drive home...safe travels

sounds like a fun SIS trip.

no it ain't man and big deer hunting, it is ALL hunters be they men or women, omg hunters are hunters to the very core for sure LOL very cool on 9 pt tho, my hubby will love hearing that and with his crossbow too....fab! I am not a hunter type either and have no thrill in it but darn those who love it, no telling why, I guess thrill of it all, man against beast type things, but I don't require that in my life

crockpot and casseroles etc. good move going into cooler weather and easy cooking

Nicco....nah, ain't doing your fur babies cause I didn't do mine HA Today I guess I gotta throw him in the big mud sink and make him smell better. Plus gotta vacuum up the darn hair and I know you get that one, darn dog hair ain't there and then boom, it seems to be every where all at once in clumps LOL

Jaz need your update? You home yet?

---------so electronic school baby is driving my kid nutso big time. I love it HAHA but I have to say, omg annoying as heck when it activates to cry and doesn't shut off for a bit...ugh. glad it goes back to school tomorrow but should deactivate tonight around 8 my kid thinks.

got NY Strip steak for later today and I think I am gonna make hubby go buy me a big ol' rack of ribs from our fav BBQ joint today so I should be eating great today

Nothing much doing, kinda gray day but will just goof around doing this and that.

over and out and be good everyone

Hi all!

Lori- Sounds like a fun time with your Sister. What a nice relationship you two have.

Yes, do a step challenge! Mine was 5K last month and this month I've challenged myself to 6K. Many days were well over 5K but some days, "homey days" I had plan to get up and move. That for me was the point of it, you know, to have more consistency across those "homey days."

Trig- I wish my kids had done the Electronic Baby. I think that is an excellent idea across the board for all kids. Although DS23 (his bday was yesterday!) got a cat and his cat gets him up early every morning. Not early like Lori's cat but early as in 6:30 or 7 AM. LOLOLOLOL Good practice for a child one day!

Jaz- Looking forward to your check in.

••••

DH and I had an excellent time at Renn Fest. We love it every year and for me it is a way to welcome in Fall. We of course did eat our way through (we no longer do a county fair, so this is a once a year treat!) but I didn't eat before or after and didn't absolutely LOSE MY MIND, plus put on 13K steps yesterday. Up .2 for yesterday so I will call that a win for sure. Overall though I am up 2 pounds from my low this year. Not awful but not the direction I want to be headed in! Today is Brunch at the Dinner Theater to see Godspell (with DH and DD) and then the Ravens play around 4. Great day!

I did bail on the 50th birthday thing though. By the time future-DIL came by and left it was around 5:30 PM and I just could not get excited about going somewhere else. I was tired! I'm going to take the birthday girl out to lunch instead.

That's about all the news from here. I'll be in MD until Wednesday or so and plan to make some chili- we can eat some, and then I'll freeze some for DH to pull out on days he is here and I'm in DE. I do need to go to Costco and the store this week before I go. Pool was closed yesterday (very late this year bc DH forgot to schedule it.)

Hey ladies!

NIC- What a whirlwind weekend you have for sure! I know you will be ready for quiet time come Monday!
Very cool on the RENN fest! I never looked at those as eating events! HAHAHAHAHAH

Glad the pup smells good now! HA

Lori- Urghhhhhhh We got fog this morning too! But I hear ya on DENSE fog. It can be very scary to drive through when you can't see in front of you! I have had to drive through it and it is white knuckles for sure! SAFE travels and take your time.

Glad you had a good time. You cracked me up with ONLY 1-2 miles!!!!!!! You say as this couch potato read it! Heck 2 miles would be GOLDEN to me!

Meals- I just love simple crock pot meals. Goodness so many! I love some good pot roast, chicken breasts, soups, chili, sloppy Joe.

I have been "into" on pan sheet dinners. So simple. Roast everything in the oven 30 minutes done. Foil packet meals are easy and fun too. Put your veggies on the bottom- meat on top. into the foil/oven 18 minutes done, no clean up.

Oh....... yeah there would be NO dear or animal head in my house! Not happening. I actually dated a dude in Ohio that was an avid hunter, safari type. That was a deal breaker for me. (maybe it was the taxidermy bear on the top of his steps).

Trig- OMG I know that the schools are doing that "Sim" baby. It would get on my nerves. Thankfully my DD didn't have to take baby home she was except do to her weekend sports, but her friend did and they all complained! HAHA

It is GROSS here today, I bet it is there too. Chill day for sure. Does your BBQ joint put a rub/ or sauce on the ribs? Yum for SURE!!!!! So you get a slab- what does your family eat?!?!?hahahah
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So- yesterday was travel day.
My son is having a bad reaction to the Moderna 2nd shot and is on his 11th day of headache and feeling dizzy. I don't know how much of that is "man cold" whine or real? KWIM? So I was dealing with endless calls yesterday as he explained for HOURS how he felt like crap.
I finally told him to have his dad come over. He ended up going to the ER to get a CT scan. I think it was more to reassure him he is fine. I get it. To be feeling like crap and single is scary. I know that, but I do think women tend to suck it up and keep going.

Anyway, woke up to some fog rolling in this morning too! The sun is trying to burn it off but it hasn't happened yet. I am still in pajama pants and sipping coffee. Perfect on a Sunday morning.

I was pretty excited about actually getting on those scales at my doctors office. I was finger crossing for 20 pounds but it was 18 down in 4 months. I would love another 20 in 4 months, and 20 after that!

IF is really helping with not mindless eating. That and pulling it back in on the spot if I splurge, which is rare. That being said it did take me almost a week to get back on track after going off the rails when my mom was here and wanted to eat out 2 days in a row. I got the "taste" for fried and carbs. However I FELT horrible. Bloat is not comfortable. Feels so good to be bloat free.

I am tracking my blood pressure. It is a bit on the higher side of normal. I am thinking I need to cut back on salt. I also think that my knee pain has also been a factor. I already take a very mild blood pressure medication. I am not ready to up the dose just yet. I will watch it. But again I think the salt is huge for me. I just CRAVE it! But hot sauce is a great switch. I love hot sauce too! So I think I can make the switch!

Laundry today. Will get my steps in today after the fog lifts. I am taking this as a true weekend! I have one week until I am back to the 9-5. I am ready, until something else comes along. I am going to modify my desk to become a standing desk so my knees don't get stiff.

Just this and that today- basically CHILL and maybe watch some football. I have some talipia and left over rotisserie chicken and slaw. ALL GOOD. Easy and light.

have a good one! Check in when you get home Lori!

I got home about 11:30 this morning. The fog was cleared pretty much by the time I hit the turnpike. Easy drive. It started to rain just as I got home. I have a goal for myself to do a dedicated walk for at least 30 minutes each day, so I unpacked my stuff and by that time the rain had stopped and I headed out for my walk. DSis has gotten me in the habit of a daily walk, so I must keep it up. For now I want to do it for 30 days, but hope to be able to keep it going into the Winter. Even when it's cold, as long as there is no ice or snow underfoot, I will bundle up and get outside. It will do me the world of good.

DH didn't eat the lasagna I left for him, so he's having that tonight. I got a Freshly meal out of the freezer for me and that will be that. I'm going to spend this evening and tomorrow morning planning meals for the week and looking up crock pot or easy oven meals. I'll hit the grocery store tomorrow. We're supposed to play golf on Tuesday, but the weather for most of the week doesn't look good. Chance of rain every day.

Jaz.....Hope your son is ok. Hard to believe that his symptoms are a result of a vax 11 days ago, but who knows?

Nic.....Sounds like you had a fun weekend with just enough activity. Good on you for doing the 5k a day. I may work up to that, but for now I'll stick to 30 minutes walking each day.

Trig....Hope the "baby" is behaving today.

Ok....time to get a hot shower and settle in. Bye!

Hey -

Lori- glad to see you made it home in good time. I LOVE the challenge/ idea of 30 minutes daily walking! I will join you on that!!!!!
Today is only the 3nd so we can pick it right up tomorrow!
You in?

Yeah the fog cleared up here and it just got hot and steamy and high fluffy clouds!
Supposed to get rain tomorrow.


All- So my son has a sinus infection I am sure of it. It hit me this afternoon his symptoms, so I called him and told him to start taking Mussinex and call tomorrow to get an antibiotic.
He called to tell me he felt his ears pop and he is already feeling better............ so glad.

I am one tired puppy myself! I took a nap this afternoon and I think I slept too long and am in this sleep fog. The dogger got me up 3 days in a row at 5 am and that is too early and it caught up with me.
Made a veggie/chicken soup to use up left over rotisserie. It was good and that was that- easy peasy.

Propping up feet and checking out movies on prime........... ready. Yawning already....... movie might not happen! HAHAHAHAH

Jaz....Yep....I'm doing the challenge. I have walked every day this month so far....all 3 of them! I may be walking in the rain tomorrow, but I have to make friends with all sorts of weather and just get out there for at least 30 minutes.

Dreading my weigh in tomorrow morning. Yikes! I'm hoping it's not as bad as I'm fearing. I didn't eat a lot of any one thing, just a bit of a lot of things that I never eat. I ate very light today to start reversing whatever damage I did. We sure had fun though!

Ok....I'm heading for bed. It's cold and damp and I'm ready to crawl into the warm sheets and fuzzy blanket. Have a good night!

Nicco your Ren Fest sounded like a nice easy fun day

yea hear ya on ditching the bday party and just doing a quiet bday brunch lunch for you guys later. Smaller the 'party' sometimes the better it is!

Lori, don't worry or dread the scale. I know you and you will be fine thru it all and back on track very fast and feeling more 'you' for sure. some carbs and booze will make us feel iffy for sure but good thing is we default right back as you will!

Jaz, nice to be home and in your own total control right
Glad you had a good time.
OW on your son LOL yes men whine big time on med issues faster than a gal....hell I was lifting 70 lb bales of hay in my 9th month preggo and I worked thru tons of sinus infections and more but 1 sniffle or whatever and hubby is ready for hospital or the knackers.....he is always 'dying' from something so small ya know...too funny but glad he is better!

--------------baby on bus. WEEE....by the end kid was SO over baby HAHA and us too!

have to hit store to buy a ball of yarn for some project kid has at school tomorrow and when did I learn she needed yarn for tomorrow....this morning...ugh

laundry going
gonna be rainy type icky week I guess mostly?

got a steak and chicken and burgers for today

I did not get ribs yesterday, it was Sun...closed...so I hit my little local hardware smoke house store and bought a delish smoked brisket and it had a big fat cap...omg SO good!

just chillin' easy thru this day and I MUST give the darn dog a fast, very fast bath and he will probably come out smelling more like wet dog than when he went in HAHA but I am so not in the mood to do dog crap like this today but at some point, that 'pee stained' hair has to be washed ya know...LOL

over and out and be good all

Good Morning!

Whew! Scale was actually down a pound from before I left for Connie's! Amazing! I just felt SO bloaty the whole time I was away that I was sure I would have gained. Happy to know that my body can handle a few days of funky eating and not freak out.

It is a rainy, cloudy morning, but not cold....in the mid 60's. I think this is pretty much going to be our weather for the whole week. I guess when I go walking I'll have to put my phone in a ziplock bag so I'm sure it doesn't get wet. We need to get DH a new phone, but would like mine to last a while. I'm not one who needs every new phone that comes out. I dread DH getting a new one as he'll be mega confused until he learns all the different things. Wish we could get him one just like he has so there is no learning curve. He'll drive me nuts!

Well, today starts my quest to lose the last 5-8 lbs. I don't want to lose much more than that since I want all my clothes to still fit and I don't want my face to be more saggy and wrinkly than it already is! ACK!! I'm in no hurry to lose it, as I have all winter for my "project" To be at my goal by Spring is what I'm aiming for.

I have my washer spinning and I'm going to check the weather radar to figure out when will be the best time for my 30 minute walk. A sprinkle is ok, but I'd rather not be out in a downpour.

Oops.....washer is chiming. Have good days!