Day After Mother's Day

Day began extra early this morning after a sleepless night. Slept with Baby J because I have no other place to put him when he stays with me. Anyway, he scoots now so I ended up with about 8 inches of space on the queen size bed. Must put travel crib on top of shopping list if he's going to stay with us this often.

Last night we went out for a huge dinner at Hungry Hunter in honor of Mother's Day. Of course we went for the five course deal, appetizers, soup, salad, entree, and dessert. The carrot cake alone was probably an entire days points. I stopped counting at 46 points... I am allowed 23 if I want to loose. So, I have a bank deficit and it's only Monday. (those in WW will understand all that). In ordinary language, I ate way too many calories and now must accomodate that by reducing what I eat the rest of the week. Or, I could just start my week over today. Hmmmm.

Aside from that, it was a warm spring day, we had a picnic, strolled around town, shopped a bit, visited our orphaned cats, did laundry and watched about 1/2 of Dr. Phil. Going to bed early to prepare for busy work week and catch of on lost sleep. Too bad we can't bank sleep points.

Mom

What I Learned from Mom

"I really learned it all from mothers."
- Dr. Benjamin Spock, Parenting Expert

Question to Ponder (Powerquotes.com)
What are the most valuable things I have learned from my Mother?

Always sit in the back row at church
Always match your purse and shoes
Wear white gloves to the city
Wear a hat to church
Never bake cakes from a boxed mix
How to bake cut out cookies
Do washing on Monday
Sprinkle clothes Monday night to iron on Tuesday
Iron on Tuesday so your clothes don't get moldy
How to make my own clothes
Never wear pink with red
Never wear plaid with flowers
Two vegetables are better than one
Cats are better than dogs
Don't tie your hair in a pony tail too tight or you will go bald
Always wear clean underwear
Keep track of every penny spent
Gone With the Wind is the best movie ever
Gone With the Wind is the best book
Dr. Kildare is a better catch than Ben Casey
Soap operas are a waste of time
Always have dinner on the table at 6pm sharp
Clean your plate, people are starving in...
To sit ladylike with legs crossed
Never drink water in strange places
Always put paper down on public toilets

All kidding aside, how to die with dignity.

Actions to Consider
Be grateful for the role your mother has had in your life.
If she is still alive, tell her your answers to today’s question.
Then thank her.

Where Did These Pounds Come From?

I confess. I didn't just gamble last weekend. I ate - way too much. First it was the tea on Saturday with 3 tiers of treats. Then it was the buffet dinner bargain at the Horizon with 3 trips around. Top that off with dessert in the evening because we ate dinner to early and needed more energy to gamble. Of course we earned enough credits for a big pancake breakfast at the Horizon. Should have gone home about that time but instead went to Harveys where I won the jackpot. No sense leaving without seeing if we had food credits at Harveys - sure enough, another big dinner. Driving home we were both getting to sleepy so resolved the problem with a stop off at the Crepery where we indulged in French apple pie and ice cream.

Now perhaps this would have gone unnoticed if I had stayed in my stretch jeans for a couple more days. But no, I had to go to work and I don't wear stretch jeans to work. I wear khakis. I couldn't get them zipped up yesterday morning so reached in to the back of the closet for the one and only pair of size 10s I kept just in case. They were tight too! Since we ended up going out for pizza last night (it was a vegetarian pizza and I did have my salad served with the dressing on the side), but I managed to spill my drink on my only size 10 pants, I had to squeeze into size 8s this morning. I am suffering. Really suffering. I even wore a long, baggy shirt so I could undo the waistband button.

Time to check the scale. Where on earth did that 5 pounds come from? I didn't really eat that much did I? Could it be the new medication I started taking Friday for the back problem? I checked the internet. Sure enough one of the side effects of this particular medication is rapid weight gain. It must be the drug.

Monday Memories: Comics

I remember the comic book collection. My favorite - Little Lulu. I think I got a new comic every week or so. At the corner dimestore we could trade them in and then we could buy used ones for half the price, I think. One thing I remember is the sea monkey ads. I always wanted to send in for them but my mom never let me. One year I convinced her I could sell flower seeds that I saw advertised. I got a big box of them in the mail and the only person who bought them was the old lady across the street. I think she just liked me coming around to visit. I don't remember them ever blooming.

Unconscious Mutterings 13

1. Nanny:: diaries
   
2. Weight:: watchers
   
3. Deep:: sh*t
   
4. Sock:: monkey
   
5. 24 hours:: one day at a time
   
6. Tongue:: in cheek
   
7. Fees:: dues
   
8. Champagne:: nightmares
   
9. Bruise:: cuts
   
10. Pancakes:: syrup
    

The Weekend

A few days ago I wrote that May is my spur of the moment month. So, I did it again. I went away for a night on the spur of the moment. Saturday after I returned from my Red Hat Tea and Fashion Show I decided I was ready for an adventure.

The mountains were calling me, "go east, enjoy the snow, find your pot of gold at the end of the rainbow..." I took that to mean that I must gather a few necessities, get in my little red car, throw the chains in the trunk, and drive east over the Sierra's to find buckets of money at Tahoe.

It took very little convincing to get my husband to do the driving (did I ever mention he is a compulsive gambler?)... enabling me to knit half a sock on the way to Tahoe.

Snow? Yes there was snow. Luckily for us it did not stick to the pavement and we made it over the pass without chains. Good thing since I remembered half way to the mountains that the chains were really in the back of my husbands car.

Rainbows? Couldn't find one through the clouds.

Pots of Gold? Uncle Sam provided us with our tax refund check. We thought we could turn it into gold. Saturday night we were turning our pockets inside out having maxed out the daily atm withdrawal. So we retired to our luxurious room at Ceasar's (it was a bargain - it is off season, even on a Saturday night). Well, I retired, my husband mysteriously found another source of funds and went out for a couple more hours. He was severely chastized for that manuever. To get even, I withdrew a few more bucks from my own secret resources in the morning and made him follow me around while I fed a few machines (kind of like taking an alcoholic to a bar and not letting him drink!). I almost gave up but saw a new 3-way poker game. I put the last $20 bill in that machine and pressed the buttons to play 90 nickels at a time. I was down to the last pull when the Royal Flush, in hearts, made its appearance. Bells and whistles sounded and a crowd gathered... I walked away with 30,000 nickels and a W-2G (so Uncle Sam can get back some of that money).

Today's Wants

Today's quote from Powerquotes

"The indispensable first step to getting the things
you want out of life is this; decide what you want."

- Ben Stein, Actor and Author

Questions to Ponder

What do I want? How clear and specific is it in my mind?
========================================================

Gee, this depends what day it is. Or perhaps what time it is. Or what month. Sometimes I don't know what I want. Sometimes it seems I have everything. Other times I have nothing. But when I do want something, I want what I want when I want it and I want it now.

Today I want:
The sun to come out from behind those clouds
Good health for me and those I love, no make that everybody
Peace
Quiet
Energy


Today's wants are mostly internal wants. Sure I could say I want a new car, a big house, designer clothes, a better computer, a better career. But I don't need those things. I've had most of those things and they don't make life any better believe me. Those are all the "look goods," the guise of our existence. I've worked at trimming the excess, simplifying. It gives me the freedom to look at my true needs, not the wants.

That's it for today. Tomorrow I may be back into material want lists and retail therapy!

Doctor Again II

Yep, it was exactly as I predicted. I got to the doctors office at 3:59pm. I saw the doctor at 5:15pm. We are now playing the HMO game again. I have agreed to go through physical therapy again and take a new drug. Then I might qualify for the MRI that might or might not reveal what the problem is. I get to go back to the doctor in 5 weeks and sit in his office again too.

Doctor Again

Spinal Institute - first they call last Wednesday to remind me to come to my 3:30 appointment on Thursday. I remind them that my appointments is for 11:30. They tell me that is impossible because the doctor doesn't have morning appointments. I distinctly remember talking to a certain young lady there and specifically asking for the last morning appointment in case I must wait for over 2 hours like last time (which was a morning appointment). They insist I must come in at 3:30 or wait until May. I elected to wait until May and set up an appointment for 4pm today. When I go home at lunch there is a message that my appointment is moved up to 3:15. What if I didn't go home to lunch? Well, I did so of course I called them back at 2:15 to inquire about the "real" time I would see the doctor. Seems he has been delayed in surgery, there are already 3 patients ahead of me and now it would be okay to arrive at 4pm. I suggested that it seems as though I might have to wait even if I come in at 4pm since they are so backed up and asked if the doctor would see me if I came a little after 4. No guarantees. Yeah I bet! Okay, I'm going there at 4. Now if I once again wait for over 2 hours, there is going to be one heck of an ornary patient... don't get in my way if I'm late for dinner.

P.S. This is all because my insurance once again denied an MRI.