THE LIGHTER SIDE CAFE MONDAY JUNE 22!

Hi Ann,

Happy Anniversary!  You and I are nearly twins.  40 years is a wonderful milestone!  Your special dinner sounds perfect and one I'd love, too! 

I've already dropped D&D off at the doggie "spa" for their bathing and grooming.  Boy are they overdue.  Their long Cavalier coats needs a lot of brushing which DH does diligently, but they need a good bath and some tiny trimming. We love all their feathery feet and coats so we don't want them cut too short.  It's part of their beauty. LOL   The little rascals woke me up too early today.  DH had left for Boston, and they decided it was breakfast time at 6:15.  My own fault since I stayed up a bit too late watching a cheesy Lifetime movie. :-) They can hook me though I know how they always end.  Good escape time.

My weight is up significantly today - over 2 lbs from yesterday and I am puzzled but wondering if the HHH weather is contributing. I had the bacon and eggs for breakfast with 1/2 WW English muffin, gazpacho for lunch and then the dinner of chicken potatoes and broccoli.  I had some tortilla chips - 15 counted mid-afternoon.  I dunno.  It is discouraging.  I also had a gin and diet tonic water with dinner  One 1-1/2 oz shot for 4 pts.  I was under my points overall. I'm trying to track every bite and I have started using a written journal and the online WW tracker.  Sorry to grouse.  I skipped any desserts.  Maybe the prior few days caught up when I had fried clams and cheesecake - Friday. Oh well...as my wise friend Ann says, move on and push the water today! :-) 

Tonight is the dinner outside with my friend.  I am anxious.  But, I truly believe I'll be fine.  When I get there and it looks "iffy", I am not doing it.  She is always watching her weight so it's easy to dine with her.  Broiled fish and veggies. 

I'll bbl.  Have a great day friends! 

Hey again all,

I wrote to my friend and told her how anxious I am about going out to dinner.  I told her the truth - I feel like I am one sneeze and one breeze away from getting COVID.  I know my fears may not be completely rational, and I had not realized just how afraid I am until today - the day when I am supposed to go.  If I ever got sick and gave it to my DH, I would never forgive myself. I am not even sure I could enjoy a good meal out at this point.  I wonder if I am over reacting. Possibly, but it is how I feel now. It looks like it could t-storm here later, and if that is the case, I would never go for inside dining. LIke you said, Sue, it is our own lives at stake---not catching a cold or even a flu. Ugh. 

Good Morning, WW Friends ~

Happy Monday!!  We have another hot and humid one here.  We did get a bit of a cool-down late yesterday, enough that DH and I went outside and sat on the porch for a spell. There were a number of birds singing, and just a slight breeze every now and then.  It gave us a nice respite from air-conditioned air. We both miss the fresh air, but keep the A/C on when it is so hot and humid. 

We both slept very well, in fact we went to bed early and he slept in this morning as well.  He had his blood draw appointment this morning so he had to be fasting, so I guess there wasn't much to get up for <LOL> Right after he left, I got a call and he was in a panic because he thought he couldn't find his mask (and was turning around to come back for another). I checked by the door and outside and it was nowhere to be found.  Then he called back and said he found it where it had slipped in between the seat and console.  Whew!!

Our dinner yesterday was truly a comedy of errors! We arrived early and the DQ wasn't even open! Signs everywhere said they were only open from 3-9 and drive-thru only.  The tables with seats were still stacked and covered with a tarp, so unavailable.  It was hot and sunny and nowhere to sit.  We decided to go with our niece's Plan B which was to go to Big Boy. DH called her and told her where we were going. He also called his brother and we caught him in time that he didn't have to retrace his route, and he was in the parking lot when we got there.  There were 14 of us in all.  They had one long table in the 'back room' with booths across from it.  It was set up for 10 as that is their limit.  About half the crowd had no masks or any idea what social distancing meant which was quite disturbing to us. We're not prudes or anything, but really!! When going out in a crowd, at least be considerate of others!  Since the 'table of 10' was rapidly filling up and we were at the end with people we didn't care to converse with, we ended up moving over to an unoccupied booth which put us in visiting distance but safer.  Also about half of the crowd had "already eaten"- don't know what that was all about?? But it made it uncomfortable for everyone - except us because we sat in our own booth and had our own conversation and enjoyed Big Boy sandwiches with each other.  

I am pretty well at the point that I will only go out with my DH and with my VBF. We all have shared values and sense of taking care of ourselves as well as each other.  I just  could not believe how many people I watched walk into the restaurant and speak to the hostess, be seated, and order WITHOUT MASKS!  Just about everyone who came in after us was bare-faced. That truly distresses me!!  I took my mask off to eat, but I kept it on when walking around the restaurant, and when ordering. Thankfully, our server was masked. I wore mine when we were leaving too as we had to walk the entire length of the restaurant. I still see reports on TV about the importance of wearing masks.  One scientist even commented that a double thickness of T-shirt material is good ..... and he said "everyone has a T-shirt so there's no excuse".

I am glad that event is behind us.  I just hope this group doesn't plan to get together any time soon.  I really would not want to be anywhere with them again. So sad.....  At least we enjoyed the sandwich (though it would not have been a first choice) and we went through the DQ Drive-Thru on the way home and bought Blizzards for later, so those were our "supper" and we enjoyed them very much!

Ann ~ Happy Anniversary!!  What a lovely day to celebrate!  Wishing you many, many more.

Judy ~ Don't let yourself be discouraged by your weight.  Sometimes things do just "catch up" with us, and sometimes it is merely a fluke. The worst mistake I can make in that situation is to give in to discouragement, and then get lax and it really will!  There are an equal number of times that I have been indiscriminate and the scale did NOT reflect it!  Just keep doing 'the next right thing' and you'll see!

I don't have anything on my agenda today, except for planning something for supper. I ate a Big Boy burger yesterday and a DQ Turrle Blizzard and my scale did not jump up - so it was truly a gift!  Nonetheless, I know I have to rein it back in and today is a good time to start!!

BBL.  Make a great day!

Judy ~ I am glad you were able to make a decision that you are comfortable with.  Even better that your DF is in agreement.  I had to LOL about the 'knuckleheads'.  Sadly, yesterday there were some we are related to!

You'll know when it is time for you to go out and hopefully you will have an enjoyable experience. I have eaten once outdoors with VBF at a very familiar restaurant and once with DH at Red Lobster before the dinner rush.  Though they told us they haven't gotten back to a 'rush' situation yet. Still and all, it was pretty empty and quiet and felt very comfortable. Both of those were good experiences but they don't make up for the ones that are not. I reserve the right to be particular where I go and who I go with.  

I've gotten in touch with our former insurance company about writing a new policy.  Our laws are changing (are everyone's?) and when I went on our current company's website they are only upgrading when the policy renews and mine isn't until January! If  there is savings to be had, why should I pay extra for six more months!  I also started some laundry and washed up a handful of our masks that are on top of the dryer now.

I am thinking about getting back into my book that I've been working on forever(or so it seems). 

So while I was browsing on Facebook today, I noticed many companies advertising masks. I read a lot of the reviews, etc., then thought ..... what am I doing??  Instead I texted my good friend who used to work with me and made us some masks when we were first wearing them.  She dropped them off in our garage and I left her some $$ donation as she was making them and donating them back then.  Hers wash up beautifully, are fun prints (I have Minnie Mouse & Pooh) and are the most comfortable ones we have.  So I wrote to her today and she has some new fabrics and said she'd be glad to make us some more.  We're not in a hurry, so she can bring them over whenever she gets them done.  I prefer to help her rather than a company.

Ann ~ I totally agree with you.  I try not to say anything to or about people who refuse to wear a mask. DH asked one of his nephews yesterday where his mask was and he announced that "he doesn't wear a mask, because he doesn't like them".  DH responded "then you're probably not going to like the ventilator either".  I honestly don't think the nephew got it!  But I don't think you can shame someone into being responsible. This nephew is in his 50's and was there with his son, daughter and baby granddaughter (all unmasked of course).

Reminds me of the verse "But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" AND we will take all possible precautions.  Enough of my preaching for today.  I'm going to go sit and be happy that I have some new masks coming my way.  It looks like we're going to be wearing them for a good long time.

Hi all,

Doug and Daisy have returned from their beauty appointment.  Daisy came adorned with a little pink bow which looks adorable.  They smell heavenly and look great.  They will be exhausted now! I wait in the car and they do the delivery and we are all masked up - except D&D!  :-)

Sue, I LOVE that comeback from your DH.  How witty is he! It probably didn't sink into the "knucklehead" - lol.  That was my dad's expression.  "Don't be a knucklehead!" :-)  I so agree that it is up to us to decide what we will do.  I have a good collection of masks, too. I have several that tie behind the head and sent those to my grandkids, too.  They are very comfortable and easy to adjust.  DH has a continual supply from his company.  He has some that tie as well.  I also have the ones with the breathing device for glasses.  I also like the wires in the nose that pinch it closed for  glasses.  The new fashion accessory are masks!! ha! One of my friends loves to accessorize and match them with her outfits. Ha ha...I am not in that boat as I don't see anyone.  I think i told you guys that my friend's ladies church group has made 2000 masks!  She alone has made close to 400.  Amazing. Some kids are doing it, too.  

I got rid of one stressor with the decision not to eat out and another one popped up.  DD called from CA in tears. Every time she has to bring her kids back to their dad's house, the older one, her 6 year old daughter, cries and slumps into the house. She hates going because she is bored solid.  We haven't heard much from the attorney lately and that has us nervous, too.  It's been a few weeks. I get it that the courts are closed and just reopened so we expect to hear from them this week to see what's what.  At no time in my life have I felt more in the dark than negotiating courts of law in another state from a distance.  It's all like the wild west to me and so unknown and uncertain. This causes stress for us both.  But, it will end - we just hope that things get better, not worse.  Thanks for listening.  With all this stuff going on, it's a wonder I'm not gaining 10 lbs instead of 2 so I will keep that in perspective.  

Ann, your friend is very persistent!  I don't blame you and I would not go near them.  Like you said, it the contact "tracing" and others who they have seen that make it scarier.  My 3 porch friends who have been dining together all the time are not thinking of that. One of them has her three grown kids, her brothers, sisters and others at her house all the time. They are coming from near and far and working, etc.  No way will I join in.  I just hope at some time I will feel comfortable to rejoin humanity but for now, I don't. 

We had a note from work today saying that people can return to work July 6th if they are comfortable.  They said they prefer we stay home if possible.  That's my choice. Some folks need to be there more than others, but I am not one.

Have a good night. I have prattled on long enough again.  Good to vent!  BBL