Being Healthy, what a treat

        I woke up today feeling great.    I have had the crud for a a few days so waking up feeling really good is a treat.    Being healthy is a joy.   I am happy that I still am healthy enough to bounce back quickly after things like the crud or surgeries.   Lord knows I have had several of those over the last few years.    Enough to really really appreciate it when I feel good.   Nothing hurts,  nothing feels like it is going out.... well maybe the ole knees and I don't multitask as well I as used to,  but all in all I feel great.

      I started this blog many years ago to keep track of my weight loss efforts.    It has been and will probably always be an on going project.     I lose and then something happens to side track me,   like several surgeries and family illnesses but once I recover I always go back to my plan.    Lose weight and get healthy.

       I am 52 pounds lighter then I was way back then when I started this journal.   I thought by now I would have lost all the weight I needed to lose.    I haven't.    But as you get older,  which I certainly have done and have as many surgeries as I have had to have you start changing your goals a little.   Yes,  I still plan on losing weight,  but my main focus these days seems to be aimed at getting and staying fit.   Because working at a hospital I see what happens to a person that isn't fit,  the problems they have and the limits they are under.   And I want that less then being a thin person.   I want to be a healthy person first and foremost.

      So with that in mind we have joined a gym again and I am counting calories again which seems to be the one thing that has always assured me that I would lose weight.    I joined myfitnesspal.com,  which I have to say has been a big help.   I log all my food and keep tract of my exercise.   I get new recipes and find new ways to work out.   And now I am lifting weights.   Can you believe it.   With my bones, LOL.

     According to Strong Women stay Young light weight lifting is a way to stay active and fit.  So I started doing that by doing free weights,   using heavier and heavier weights.   Course with my wrists I will never be way up there but I am doing pretty darn good.    I have muscles in my arms.   And it makes my bike riding much easier having stronger legs,  not that I will be able to ride my bike much more this year.

    I am eating very healthy.   For breakfast this morning I had a green Monster.  

 1 cup of Sugar free Vanilla Almond milk

1 and a half cup of fresh spinach

 3 large frozen strawberries

9 blueberries

1 banana

1 tbsp of cinnamon

2 tbsp of pomegranite seeds

     Blend all together and enjoy.   All my fruits for the day,  cinnamon to increase my metabolism and blueberries and pomegranite to increase my immune systems.   I have energy for going to gym in a hour and get in a good workout.  I can even jog on the treadmill!  Not bad for a 56 year old woman.

    A couple of years ago after having to have 3 surgeries in one year I really crashed and got depressed,  unusual for me,  for a long time.   So the way I feel today is a big improvement.   I am back to being my old self,  happy,  active,  excited about each day.   So I guess I just have to say keep at it.  Fight your way back when life keeps knocking you down.   If you get depressed get out of your head and work on something stimulating and not about you,   like politics, LOL.  Or whatever it takes to pull yourself up again.   Because life is so short.  I don't want to waste it.  Not one minute.

The Old Man

THE OLD MAN 

As I came out of the supermarket that sunny day, pushing my cart of groceries towards my car, I saw an old man with the hood of his car up and a lady sitting inside the car, with the door open.

The old man was looking at the engine. I put my groceries away in my car, and continued to watch the old gentleman from about twenty five feet away.

I saw a young man in his early twenties with a grocery bag in his arm walking towards the old man. The old gentleman saw him coming too, and took a few steps towards him. 

I saw the old gentleman point to his open hood and say something. The young man put his grocery bag into what looked like a brand new Cadillac Escalade. He then turned back to the old man. I heard him yell at the old gentleman saying:

'You shouldn't even be allowed to drive a car at your age.' And then with a wave of his hand, he got in his car and peeled rubber out of the parking lot.

I saw the old gentleman pull out his handkerchief, and mop his brow as he went back to his car and again looked at the engine.

He then went to his wife and spoke with her; he appeared to tell her it would be okay. I had seen enough, and I approached the old man. He saw me coming and stood straight, and as I got near him I said, 'Looks like you're having a problem.'

He smiled sheepishly, and quietly nodded his head. I looked under the hood myself, and knew that whatever the problem was, it was beyond me. Looking around, I saw a gas station up the road, and I told the old man that I would be right back. I drove to the station and went I inside. I saw three attendants working on cars. I approached one of them, and related the problem the old man had with his car. I offered to pay them if they could follow me back down and help him.

The old man had pushed the heavy car under the shade of a tree and appeared to be comforting his wife When he saw us he straightened up and thanked me for my help. As the mechanics diagnosed the problem (overheated engine), I spoke with the old gentleman.

When I shook hands with him earlier, he had noticed my Marine Corps ring and had commented about it, telling me that he had been a Marine too. I nodded and asked the usual question, 'What outfit did you serve with?'

He had mentioned that he served with the first Marine Division at Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal ....

He had hit all the big ones and retired from the Corps after the war was over. As we talked we heard the car engine come on and saw the mechanics lower the hood. They came over to us as the old man reached for his wallet, but was stopped by me. I told him I would just put the bill on my AAA card.

He still reached for the wallet and handed me a card that I assumed had his name and address on it and I stuck it in my pocket. We all shook hands all around again, and I said my goodbye's to his wife.

I then told the two mechanics that I would follow them back up to the station. Once at the station, I told them that they had interrupted their own jobs to come along with me and help the old man. I said I wanted to pay for the help, but they refused to charge me

One of them pulled out a card from his pocket, looking exactly like the card the old man had given to me. Both of the men told me then that they were Marine Corps Reserves. Once again we shook hands all around and as I was leaving, one of them told me I should look at the card the old man had given to me. I said I would and drove off.

For some reason I had gone about two blocks, when I pulled over and took the card out of my pocket and looked at it for a long, long time. The name of the old gentleman was on the card in golden leaf and under his name was written: 'Congressional Medal of Honor Society.'

I sat there motionless, looking at the card and reading it over and over. I looked up from the card and smiled to no one but myself and marveled that on this day, four Marines had all come together because one of us needed help. He was an old man all right, but it felt good to have stood next to greatness and courage, and an honor to have been in his presence. Remember, OLD men like him gave you FREEDOM for America . Thanks to those who served and still serve, and to all of those who supported them, and who continue to support them.

     I was late with for veterans day since I was sick but wanted to share this story.

Bits and Peices

      Well,  haven't made a real entry for awhile.    Yesterday was our 37 year anniversary.   Seems so hard to believe.  Seems like just yesterday we were holding hands in front of the Justice of Peace.   Rick started squeezing my hand so hard out of nerves right before the judge asked me to say I do I ripped my hand out of his and said ouch!   He still will unconsciously squeeze my hand when he is nervous, LOL.    Rick has been sick for about a week and a half.   So we didn't go out to celebrate.   He is feeling better today so we are going to the gym and see how he survives that.   Maybe we will go out tonight or tomorrow.   His birthday was last week and I tease him about how old age had finally caught up with him.   If he doesn't get well soon I will have to drag his butt to the doc.

     We were standing out in the backyard last night.   It was a clear nice night with lots of stars.   A large racoon came up and started raiding our feeders,  not a all afraid of us,  to the left a well racked buck walked across the lawn and drank from the bird bath.  Some bunnies bounces by.   It was surreal and beautiful.  Life is surreal and beautiful.   What a moment.

     I found a super great site.   I love socks.  Wild socks.   But I have my momma's calfs.   The site called sockdreams.com has the greatest socks.  From the practical to the wild side.   Christmas shopping here I go though I must admit more were for me then to give as gifts.

     I have been doing my shopping.  Have you?  Seems like it was just yesterday we opened last years gifts.   It bothers me the year goes so fast but winter still creeps by.   I try to enjoy each and every day.

     My soon to be step grandson has Asperger's.   He is a sweet loving child.  Some bully at school couldn't appreciate the sweet qualities and has been bullying him.   It progressed until he threw my step grandson down a flight of stairs.   It is amazing he wasn't killed.  He did fracture a vertebrae in his back. The school has it all on tape.   Now he is having a lot of stress about going to school.   He just doesn't understand it.   The school has come through but we worry now when we send him off to school.  So parents and grandparents.   Talk to your children.  Teach tolerance and acceptance of each and everyone's individuality.   This kids parents were horrified to find out their son did this.   He could have killed our step grandchild.  This has been very upsetting.

   The elections went pretty good.   Can't believe Harry Reid made it but thinking about my last post I have a pretty good idea why he did.   I think they should recount all his votes and throw out most of them.   And once again the military wasn't allowed to vote but some state hand delivered ballots to a prison where they weren't suppose to be able to vote in the first place.   But all in all it looks like people are waking up to what could happen.

    Now I would like to see the people put a stop to Obama's India trip which is going to cost the taxpayers a bundle. The president will be accompanied by 40 aircraft, 3,000 people, a fleet of cars and 34 warships, according to a string of blow-by-blow news updates. The Press Trust of India quoted an official in the state of Maharashtra pegging the cost at $200 million a day.  That will be 200 million of taxpayers money.   He still doesn't get it.  He still thinks of us as his big piggy bank.   Every single American should call the White House and say Stay Home Mr. President.   With the economy in the toilet,  so many people out of work.   What an insult this is.

     Then you have a couple of democrats.  Sen Tom Harkin is one of them,   who wants to pass this in the next lame duck session . Democrats in the Senate  held a recess hearing covering a taxpayer bailout of  union pensions and a plan to seize private 401(k) plans to more "fairly" distribute taxpayer-funded pensions to everyone.  They would call it a Guaranteed Retirement Account.    You would get a monthy allowance of your money and when you die your children would only get half of the money you spent your entire adult life saving.   It's mad but expect that in the lame duck session coming soon.  Harkin's is from Iowa I am ashamed to say.

    So it still will be business as usual in Washington and their business is relieving us,  the taxpayer, of our money.  sigh.

    Otherwise what else is new?   I hit my 30 year mark at work!   30 years in the same job.  I never thought I would stay at the same place this long.  Many different departments but same building.   11 more years to go and I can retire.   Doing the countdown here.

     Well,  I am going to finish this up and do some surfing of blogs I have severely neglected during the election month.     I was busy supporting my candidates.  Ta all.

Latest Voting Fraud Update

    Makes you wonder if any of these are ever not dirty.   OK,  they had 7 months to send the ballets to our military men and women......  7 months!   Well they didn't send them in time.   Once again the people fighting for our country can't vote.   What is Washington afraid of?

   Then the weird but not surprising.   When voting in Las Vegas the only person it will let you vote for is Harry Reid.   You vote Republican,  Harry Reid gets punched in.  People were complaining.  Loudly.    So they call in the people who are the union people repairing the machines and guess who surface?   SEIU, formally known as ACORN.  Yup,  they are the ones who set the machines up and who do the repairs.   Now why doesn't that surprise me at all.   So people.  check your ballets after you've voted to make sure it took your real vote.

Latest Voting fraud

 Remember when I told you about the lady going to the nursing home and canvasing votes with patients that weren't completely competent,  she was getting votes for Obama?  Thank goodness the nurse thought something was fishy and kicked her out of one home but how many others did that happen in and how many is that happening now.   Funny how they only bring Democrat ballots.   We need to make absentee voting harder and have a way to double check the vote.   Anyway,  check out this article today.   How many other schools is this happening at?

 

Lawsuit alleges Ohio high school students taken out of school to vote Democrat

By: Steve October 20, 2010

 Print This Post

Three busloads of students from an Ohio high school were taken during school hours to participate in early voting and only given Democratic sample ballots. According to a lawsuit filed on Monday, students from Hughes high school in Cincinnati left school at 1 p.m. with school personnel. When they got out of the vans, it is alleged that the students were accompanied by adults who appeared to be campaign workers for Rep. Steve Driehaus (D-OH). They were given only sample ballots for the Democratic party and later taken out for ice cream after voting.
A lawsuit now seeks to prevent school officials from helping students participate in partisan activities during school hours. The concern is that the teacher’s unions, who usually support Democratic candidates, are coercing these students to vote on behalf of those candidates. There is apparently a plan to bring four more schools to vote this week. The school does not deny that the students were taken out of school, only saying that the activity was totally nonpartisan.

Check out how your elected officials did

How do your elected officials vote?   Click on the link

Heaven or Hell

     HEAVEN AND HELL
   
     While walking down the street one day a Corrupt Senator
     was tragically hit by a car and died.
   
     His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the
     entrance.
   
     "Welcome to heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle
     in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around
     these parts, you see, so we're not
     sure what to do with you."
   
     "No problem, just let me in," says the Senator..
   
     "Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from the higher
    ups. What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven.
     Then you can choose where to spend
     eternity."
   
     "Really?, I've made up my mind. I want to be in heaven,"
     says the Senator.
   
     "I'm sorry, but we have our rules."
   
     And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and
     he goes down, down, down to hell.
   
     The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a
     green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front
     of it are all his friends and
     other politicians who had worked with him.
   
     Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to
     greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had
     while getting rich at the expense
     of the people. They played a friendly game of golf and
     then dine on lobster, caviar and the finest champagne.
   
     Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly
     guy who is having a good time dancing and telling jokes.
   
     They are all having such a good time that before the
     Senator realizes it, it is time to go.
   
     Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the
     elevator rises...
   
     The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens in
     heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him, "Now it's time to visit
     heaven.."
   
     So, 24 hours passed with the Senator joining a group of
     contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and
    singing. They have a good time and, before
     he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter
     returns.
   
     "Well, then, you've spent a day in hell and another in
     heaven. Now choose your eternity."
   
     The Senator reflects for a minute, then he answers:
     "Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been
     delightful, but I think I would be better
     off in hell."
   
     So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes
     down, down, down to hell..
   
     Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle
     of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his
     friends, dressed in rags, picking up the
     trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls
     from above.
   
     The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his
     shoulders.
   
     "I don't understand," stammers the Senator. "Yesterday I
     was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster
     and caviar, drank champagne, and
     danced and had a great time. Now there's just a wasteland
     full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?"
  
     The devil smiles at him and says, "Yesterday we were
     campaigning, Today, you voted.."

 Vote wisely on November 2, 2010