The first 8 months of 2010

It has been a while since I posted. I have kept up with most of my family and friends through facebook but realized that a lot of you do not use face book, (you probably don't read this blog either, but I'll write it anyway just in case you happen to check it. ) I also use this a journal of our lives, so here goes.  There might be something new. I started this post in June, then forgot to come back and finish it until now.
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January

Charlie and I started a new hobby something called Geocaching. It's kinda of like a High Tech treasure hunt. People hide caches, and post the latitude and longitude coordinates on a website. We put the coordinates into a GPS and go hunting, sign the log in the cache, then post the find on the website. As of today August 5, we have found 109

March

Charlie, decided to get dentures. He had his teeth pulled many many years ago, and had dentures at the time, but they never fit right so he didn't wear them. Some people are surprised.  Others have paid compliments, some have said nothing. I will post pictures when I can get some.

April

I attended the Computers in Libraries conference in Washington DC. I love that conference, I went a few years ago and both times I come back with lots of new ideas for the library. They don't all get implemented, but at least I have planted a seed. 

We got a few chickens this spring, Several hens and one rooster.  If you come in the yard watch out for him.  He has come after me a couple of times, and one of the neighbors a couple of times.  He even drew blood yesterday. He runs across the yard to attack from the back,  but he's not very quite so if you have a big stick you can defend your self.   The neighbors also brought us some ducks and the Rooster has attacked the ducks. 

May

Charlie Coached the Middle school equestrian team this spring, 5 kids. In Middle school they only have one meet. Springport took first place in their class.

June 
Charlie took our neighbor girl, who rides one of our horses, went to an open horse show in Charlotte. She took high point in her age class.

We celebrated or 24th wedding anniversay. Well, we really didn't do anything, but our anniversary was on the 21st.

We went camping at Custer State park with the family early this month, and Charlie and went to Farmlane Camp ground the middle of the month so he could go horse back riding, the campground is right next to Waterloo Recreation area, where they have several miles of riding trails. We were the only ones there for the first 2 or 3 days. He would have liked to go up north and ride the shore to shore trails (from Oscoda to Empire) but we didn't make it this year. If anybody is interested in riding with him let us know.

August

After

Before

Charlie finally got sand put in the horse arena, so the horses have better footing and more realistic practices. He is also helping with the High School equestrian team this year. They have a one day meet and a two day meet (Districts) in September. Depending on how they do at that meet they could go to Regionals the first weekend in October, States in the third weekend in October.

Not enough time?

I went to a memorial service for one of my uncles (my dad's youngest brother) today. He has lived in Florida for more than 25 years. The last time I saw him was 10 years ago at his sister's funeral. The memorial service was held at the Clarklake Beach Bar, which, after some thought I realized it is probably what he would have chosen.  There was probably 35 or 40 people there, and one of my dad's cousins and I were the only relatives.

He was only 10 years older than I, that makes him 16 years younger than my Dad that may be why we were never very close (but we never were close to most of my Dad's family). I remember him as the uncle who was a little wild and always wanted to have fun. It seems like we laughed a lot when he was around, but I really don't remember much more than that.

One of the memories that someone shared was that he raced snowmobiles, he was good at it, and well respected by other racers all over the United States, the only problem was he wanted to win the race in the first lap. He apparently only had one speed. FAST. I vaguely remember that he raced, but I never saw him race, and I didn't know he was good.

It is a shame, that we didn't see much of each other, I could have called him, or written, I never did. On the other hand, he could have tried too. He apparently came up every year, and always went to see one of the neighbors that lived down the road from where he grew up. He never called me.

I am old enough to know that you always think you will have more time, and put things off until it is too late. Then you wish you had done more. So maybe I will try to find some of the cousins and friends I have lost track of before it is too late.

My weight loss story

I have recently had a couple of people ask me how I lost weight, I have posted here on this blog, at different times, but I guess I have not written the whole so here it is.

I am going to start in December of 2007, that is when I was the heaviest.
In December of 2007, I told my Dr. on a regular visit that I was soooo tired, and Charlie complained about my snoring. He sent me to the sleep clinic where they determined that I had sleep apnea. this is a quote from the December 23, 2007 blog
".....I had a Doctor’s appointment, just a semi-annual Blood Pressure check, , He told me I looked awful. I told him I was really tired, and Charlie couldn’t sleep because I snore so loudly. He sent me to the sleep clinic for a consultation. They think I may have sleep apnea, and I have to go in the end of January so they can watch me sleep. Apparently, this is fairly easy to correct and can really make a difference in the way someone feels, when they get a good nights sleep.













This picture was taken at Christmas 2007

In August of 2008, I found out that I have a sluggish thyroid

In April of 2009, I found out my blood glucose level was 260, normal is somewhere around 100. It was beginning to affect my eyes, I know what diabetes can do. I was scared. I have seen people who have gone blind, or had to have dialysis, or amputations because of diabetes complications. The Dr. said you HAVE to lose weight you Weight Watchers or South Beach are both good.
That was Wednesday. I did some research and decided on South Beach, I started it on Thursday morning. South Beach diet starts with 2 weeks for 0 carbs, only vegetables, and protein. I ate meat and salad for two meals for 4 days. By Sunday I thought if I had to look at one more leaf of lettuce I would scream. Instead of quitting, I switched to cauliflower and Broccoli. I started the exercise bike for 15 minutes and added 5 minutes each week.
In April I could not walk a block and a half without my back hurting. by May 11th I had lost 10 pounds. (33.5 since December 07) by June I could walk 3 miles, and one day I walked 5. In August, I bought a bike, a single speed, coaster brake, fat butt seat. and rode it every evening, for at least 30 minutes. I had dropped 2-3 pant sizes.













By October this is what I looked like. 50 pounds thinner.

Last winter I sat on the couch eating potato chips, watching the Biggest Loser. This spring, I rode my exercise bike and watched the Biggest Loser.

I love potatoes of any kind, mashed, fried, scalloped chips, I have eaten maybe 5 spoons full of potatoes total in the last 8 1/2 months. People ask me how I have the will power? It is kind of like make a decision do I want those potatoes, or cake or cookies or my kidneys. Easy choice.

I went to the Doctor in early December and had lost a total of 63 pounds. I have maintained that through the holidays and we started up our support group at work today. (if you want to see what we discussed this morning you can find it here. I don't think it will go off as fast but if I can lose a little each week until March or April, I will be able to get outside and do more physical stuff.

Ok, If anybody cares, here are the results of the Christmas movie poll.

With 1 vote:
Love Actually,
Sound of Music.
While you were Sleeping,
Amahl and the Night Visitors,
The Grinch Stole Christmas,
Holiday Inn w/Fred Astaire),
The Preacher's wife (Denzel Washington),
Single Santa Seeks Mrs. Claus/Meet the Santas

2 votes
A Christmas Story (there were 2 people who had never seen or even heard of this one)
Elf,
Christmas in Connecticut

3 Votes
The Santa Clause (Tim Allen)

4 votes
It's a Wonderful Life
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Miracle on 34th Street - 5 votes

and the big winner----
White Christmas with 7 votes.

Christmas movies

Listening to the radio on the way in this morning, made me think of something and I decided to take an informal survey.
What is your favorite Christmas movie. The one you want to see every year.
I started by asking some of the people in my office (those who don't blog or Facebook- What's with that?

There picks were: National Lampoons Christmas Vacation (2)
Single Santa Seeks Mrs. Claus /Meet the Santas
A Christmas Story (Darrin McGaven, Peter Billingsly)

OK so now- leave a comment, what is Your Favorite Christmas Movie.