THE LIGHTER SIDE CAFE THURSDAY JULY 16

Good Morning, WW Friends ~

Happy Thursday!! Where do the days go??  I got my grocery shopping and some laundry done yesterday, so today will be a pretty quiet day.  We had a rainstorm during the early morning hours and when I got up it was still raining and quite dark outside (especially for 7 a.m.).  Unfortunately, the temps did not drop much along with this.  It is in the low-70's now but high humidity and a predicted high in the mid-80's.  From there the temps just continue to climb every day. I really don't like the oppressive heat!

Ann ~ What a wonderful story about the youngster who thanked Carl in the store. Obviously, he has been taught right and I am certain it will serve him well as he grows up. Glad you got your Hannaford shopping trip done. I tried the Ranier cherries, but still prefer my red (Michian) cherries. Something for everyone, I guess?? Enjoy those …..

Pam ~ Bummer about typing a post and then ‘wiping it out’. I have done that and it is truly frustrating!! You are very faithful to continue on your walking program without your partner. That is where I sometimes fail, and have had to learn not to. Thanks for the encouragement regarding DBIL. DH talked to him yesterday and he was having some sort of procedure done, but he never knows exactly what, so his second-hand information is very lacking. We just continue to pray for him and DH will call him. I didn’t realize you were still paying for WW. I’m not sure I would do that either. I am a LT member and so long as I WI once a month, I am free. I am now so used to tracking online that it really helps me.

Judy ~ What great news that you checked on your status with real estate. It was great timing that you need to complete the courses and that they are available online!! That does sound like something you may enjoy ‘dabbling in’ after you retire. Also great news that you have a plan in place to be able to continue your ukulele lessons AND benefit your instructor at the same time!! Your caterpillar story reminded me that my Head Start class always had caterpillars that we watched make their cocoons and then turn into butterflies – and then we let them go! Such a fun time that we took so for granted! Hopefully we will get to do that again in the future.

We have had my Egg Muffins for breakfast with a bowl of fresh fruit alongside. Tonight we are meeting DH's VBF's kids for supper at Red Lobster, so I will eat a light lunch and some fruit in the afternoon.  I plan to finish my book today, so I can choose another one. This one has entertained me well, but I prefer to do my medieval romances one at a time, so I'll put it away and save it for later.

Wishing all a wonderful day!!

BBL.  Make a great day!!

Hello friends!

I was really lazy this morning and didn't get up and out for my walk until 10:00, which meant it was really hot. I opted to walk the tree line in the cane field where it was shady and was rewarded with a nice breeze. I made it a little over 2 miles before calling it quits. I will have to dream up some type of cleaning project to accomplish today to keep my mood from collapsing. I will also water indoor plants and maybe pot some ivy that I've been sprouting.

The scale was up .7 today, not surprising, since we had Chinese stir fry last night for dinner. I have pretty much decided to go back to MFP, because I can track carbs, fats, calcium, etc. and also sync with my Garmin. I haven't eaten yet today as I just wasn't hungry. Now, I'm starving, lol. DH is making a pasta dish tonight that is sure to be point-y, so I am planning lunch around protein, veggies and fruit.

I was able to view the photo-collage the funeral home put together for my cousin and it touched my heart. I even spotted a couple of my hand-me-down dresses in her childhood pics. My mom would send our special occasion dresses on to my cousins once my sister and I outgrew them. They included a pic of her siblings and me and mine which was taken when they came for my mom's funeral, so my family will be there virtually, even if we can't come in person. A cousin is going to live-stream the candlelight vigil on Friday night for those who can't be there.

Judy- So nice that you may be able to help ensure continuation of the ukulele lessons! The book you asked about is Love & Murder in Savannah, a freebie from somewhere that I downloaded on Kindle at some point.

Ann - Enjoy your day of rest. I was pretty much a vegetable yesterday and didn't meet my step goal. Some days we just have to listen to our bodies and rest.

Sue - Enjoy your dinner out with "the kids". Listening to a good audio-book is sometimes the only thing that gets me walking as I want to know "what happens next". My first half hour of The Silent Patient was good and it seems to be well-written.

Off to eat and then do chores. BBL

Hi friends,

I think I am the only full tuition paying "lifetime donor" to WW - as my DS jokingly tells me.  Pam, I think MFP is a great website and loads of tools and it's free.  I shall continue to stay the course until I get to my goal.  At least it is keeping me from spiking up too much.  I've got this maintenance thing in check. LOL but I am nowhere near maintenance.

Thanks for the book title, Pam.  Did you read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil set in Savannah?  Such a great book. I read it a long time ago, but it stuck with me.  I do like those southern mysteries.  I'm glad your cousin's service will be livestreamed for you.  That's some comfort.  I am sure your conversations with loved ones in NE help, too.  The pictures must have warmed your heart--cousins are so dear.  I love mine a lot. I lost my closest cousin when he was just 54. We were born two days apart and our moms (sisters) shared a hospital room.  He and I always had a very special bond.  He died of a sudden heart attack while doing something he loved - gardening. He had a massive vegetable garden.  Very sad to lose him, but what you are experiencing is just a nightmare and horrible. I did always think I  would have Doug with me through life and that's a loss and emptiness that cannot be filled.  Losing a peer is so hard.

Today was another very busy day. I completed three hours early this am of some online real estate classes. Then, in between doing actual work, I've been doing laundry, paying a few bills and I was on a 1.5 hour Zoom call with our college president. I feel so badly for him to arrive now.  He came from university of Chicago and he seems like a great guy. anyhow, you just cannot imagine the cost, regulations, testing, new health directors, protocols in dorms, PPE, classes and how they will teach complications in opening up in August.  But, we are in a state with a very low infection rate - about 1% and we have a small student body - 556 incoming first year students and a total of about 2,000 undergrads.  They believe they can do it and I hope so.  He did say that all the medical experts in Boston and at Harvard, etc. are telling him that a new test will be coming out soon - in a few months - that will be very inexpensive and results will be in minutes not days.  Right now everyone will be tested twice a week.  Yikes.  I'll keep you posted.  My mind explodes - lol - thinking of all the work they are doing. Another good thing is that staff will not be going back for a long time and no one will be forced to go back.  We can continue to work at home indefinitely.  

It's nicer out today.  Ann, like you, I did not get enough sleep last night.  I took a brief catnap at noon or I have collapsed by now.  I had two frozen waffles with strawberries for breakfast with a "side" of FF yogurt and strawberries.  Lunch was chicken and a tossed salad.  I'm really trying to be mindful. I do get hungry, but I have fruit nearby and a couple snacks and those Premiere Protein shakes if I get too hungry.

Sue, have fun with your group tonight. I am so glad you are in touch with them.  It must make your DH feel so good.  His friend is looking down at  you smiling knowing that you will watch out for his brood! I am with you and Ann--I can't read too many books in a series at once. I don't want to wear out one author.  My Nancy Drew days are over, I guess! 

TTFN 

I'll check in soon.  Back to work.  

Judy - My friend had a very good experience with VIPkids and found she loved teaching--so much so that she is now in a full-time teaching position instead of her usual nurse practitioner jobs. I waffle back and forth over MFP & WW. With MFP, you have to track EVERYTHING, even fruits and vegetables, so I am re-thinking. If I am struggling to track on WW with so many zero point foods, how much worse will I be at tracking everything? I hope your boss is right about the new CV test. That might make it easier for schools to safely reopen. Yes, years ago I listened to the audio-book of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil while commuting to and from work and I really enjoyed it.

Ann - Thanks for always being encouraging. It's one of the reasons I love our little group.

All of you have been so kind and helped me through some difficult times, this one being the worst of all. I am struggling to stay afloat and not drown in misery. Y'all are a big help.

I took another short walk this evening, since it was nice and cool after a thunderstorm passed through. That brought me well over my step goal for the day. I also had a nice long talk with the last and youngest sibling of my deceased cousin. I feel good that over the past few days I was able to speak with all 4 sibs, one daughter and left a message for the other daughter. That and a pledge to visit at a later date will have to be enough.

Tomorrow, we are taking DGKs on a field trip to Whitney Plantation. www.whitneyplantation.org/ We are doing our part as grandparents to help educate them. We had planned to go to the camp afterwards and take them to the beach, but had to cancel because of the candlelight vigil and funeral. We hope to be able to take them back to the beach soon, as they enjoyed it so much.

Time to get jammified and read before bed. Sweet dreams all!