A Little Confusion

This morning Cole (shown here with the Black Prince and the Mafiosa) went in to the vet to have his operation. Since we weren't quite sure he was big enough, I asked them to weigh him before taking care of things. The front desk lady came back laughing and said "We had a little surprise. We are going to have to rename the kitty Cathy."

Actually I am going with Colette.

I had been thinking that I wasn't seeing the items to be removed and wondering if "he" was younger than we thought. Nope. Just more feminine.

For those who have known me for a long time -- shades of Katherine.

Measurable Progress to one Goal

When I did my weekly weigh-in at the gym this morning the darling, sweet, accurate scale showed a loss of just over two pounds net loss from my initial weight. Yee haw!

Mind you, I am living on about 1,000 calories a day. Even the day I ate the brownies (they were soooooo gooood) I only hit about 1,500. Hunger? Yep. If my clothes fit better it will be worth it. It was very hard to watch what I ate the first week I started the new exercise program because I actually gained. I know -- muscle. The initial weight-gain is a good thing. They keep telling you that. I still want to see results on that scale!

In a month or two my habits will be so ingrained that I can splurge once in a while. Do you have any idea how good ice cream or mashed potatoes taste when you haven't had them for months? Amazing! For now snap peas and chicken breast are my treats of choice and this summer's fruit will be ambrosia.

My tall, skinny husband, while I'm starving over here, eats all sorts of junk and still weighs about ten pounds more than when we were married. His blood pressure is now under 110/80. For dinner he had Chicken Noodle Soup (I was at a meeting and he loves it) and about half a box of Wheat Thins, then a sandwich after I got home, then chocolate chip cookies. He lives on sodium and carbohydrates. While I work out and walk and such he sits in his chair with a cat. You can't tell this woman it isn't genetics!

Mostly Sticking to the Program

As hoped, declaring goals online and writing about my progress has helped. I have walked or worked out every day this week. Today I even multi-tasked and walked to the library to deposit my books in the book drop -- a long walk. (I have been given so many lately that I didn't need to check out any more.) I'm working out hard enough each time that I come home sweaty and in need of a shower. Gotta be burning those calories!

Lesley also steered me to a wonderful website -- The Daily Plate at LiveStrong -- that helps me log my calories, carbs, sodium, etc, as well as exercise. It's free and it is helping me stick to my diet -- mostly. Last night Ryan and Nancy were here for dinner and I made brownies for dessert. I almost always make brownies when I need dessert. With typical post-menopausal-female logic I skipped the rice with my teriyaki chicken and veggies and salad, but ate three brownies after. Some people need gin, I need brownies. Guess I will have to find a new standard dessert.

The patient is no longer a patient. He is feeling as good as his doctor says he is doing! One little glitch: it only took him two days to realize he LIKES hanging around all day in his jammies and robe. It's 5:30 and he still isn't dressed. I'm going to have to get him out of the house early each day so he will get dressed. I, of course, am making my own bold fashion statement in jeans, cozy fleece top, and straw flip flops decorated with margarita glasses.

Tea and Rainy Days -- and improved health

"Tea! The panacea for everything from weariness to a cold to a murder. Love and scandal are the best sweeteners of tea." Originally by Henry Fielding, printed on a box of Trader Joe's Chamomile Tea.

I would add the the best way to take tea is curled up with a good British mystery, dark and rainy day outside, and a purring cat in one's lap. I got all three this afternoon -- tales of misty moors, early automobiles, and dashing bad guys. The weather we have needed for months was a perfect backdrop to the story and our current foster kitten is always good for a snuggle and a purr.

Earlier in the day Alex and I had gone to order a gift at a local trophy store, buy a book for him at a bookstore, and have lunch with the cool folk at Jack's Urban Eats. I had a salad (in keeping with my goals) and he enjoyed a turkey club sandwich. I enjoyed my salad, too. They taste better when somebody else makes them.

He had visited with his GP this morning and the news was very good. Blood pressure actually a little bit too low, so he is coming off some of his medications. Now there will only be 87 or so pills. Everything else was very good! That stent did help. He will be having tests to check some other arteries in a couple of weeks and then will visit with the general vascular surgeon. This is a whoo hoo moment!

Goals comment: I also cleaned out the cubbies in the coffee table in the family room and got rid of a bunch of excess paper. And I went to the gym and worked out. This was a walking day, but that wasn't such a good option. I didn't use the rain as an excuse to avoid exercise and eat bon bons. Tea doesn't count as a sin -- it has no calories.

A New Day

We have just finished watching the swearing in of the new President. What a momentous day. This young man is a source of inspiration to all of us -- not because of the color his skin, but because of his idealism.

His family is like our families. His oldest daughter brought her camera and took pictures during the ceremony. His brother-in-law wore his Oregon State scarf to show his pride.

My generation has seen such change (and, yes, saying that makes me old). When Alex and I were first married man had yet to go into space, electric typewriters were new and wonderful, you needed to be connected by a wire to speak on the telephone, we were in another millennium, and nobody would have thought an African American could be elected President. If you have watched Mad Men on television you have seen a very accurate depiction of life in the sixties. Things are certainly easier now, and better in many ways. In other ways they might not be. In President Obama's address he mentioned that we need to go back to the old values. Things like integrity, courage, patriotism are old, but we need to renew our commitment to those values.

He spoke of the ordinary people who built this country and of the fact that we need to have a society where they are valued -- where "not only the prosperous" count with politicians. We need repairmen, salesclerks, and waitresses every bit as much as we need CEOs. They are the rock upon which this country is built. I think he means it. I hope he means what he says.

President Obama and his family hold such promise for our country. May the powers that be in Washington, and Sacramento, and throughout the USA help him keep those promises. If they fail to do so, may the rest of us rise up when election time comes around and vote them out of office. May the people prove that that we have enough common sense to recognize the public good, not just the campaigns that money can buy. May he go down in history not just as the first black President, but as one who was able to lead the United States out of the dark days and renew our spirit of sharing, caring, and service.

The Patient morphs to the photographer

The Open House was yesterday. It was a very big party, lots of fun. Ryan's mom was really pretty much in charge. She brought flowers, figured out the furniture setup (including the lovely gazebo setting shown), and sort of arranged things. Ryan had been working furiously to see that everything was just right -- pruning the climbing roses on the gazebo, making sure all of the molding was secure, and doing last minute touch up to the house. Nancy and I made a wild run to Costco for food on Saturday, and we had even more than we needed -- that's how it is supposed to work.

Alex is getting used to his new camera and took 23 pictures (about 8 of which we deleted). He did very well and now there should be more pictures in my blog. Those above are of the gazebo, one of the young host couple with all parents, and one in the kitchen showing Natasha (an old friend of Nancy's) and I looking at pictures of tiny baby Dexter with Mary Carol, proud new grandma.

I have started CurvesSmart (I call it Super Curves) and that is a step toward my goal. A step backward, however, must also be confessed. I failed to walk at all this weekend and didn't eat properly most of the time. I've also realized that I don't like myself very much, and working on that will have to be one my goals. I need to find something that is mine -- completely separate from my husband and family, and I need to accomplish something I can be proud of. The weight loss will help, but I think I need to find something deeper than that. If I can mange to meet all of my goals I will consider than an accomplishment. I may need to remind family and friends from time to time that those things are important to me.

Tomorrow our new President will take office. We are all expecting so much from him. I just hope we are willing to do whatever it takes to help him make this a better country than it is today.

I have become an official curmudgeon

About once a year I seem to be moved to write a letter to the editor of the Sacramento Bee and they usually seem to be moved to print them. My latest missive was in this morning's paper (I didn't think this one would get printed) and you can read it at http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/story/1546739.html

The title of the letter is Fault Lines. It is getting some comment on the forum, some positive and some negative.

Our California State Budget is in a mess and there is no easy fix. Furloughs for some State Employees are looming and some of the offices, including the DMV, will be closed two days a month. Cuts to several fairly important services will have to be made and we do need to raise taxes. People are saying that it isn't the fault of the rank and file employees. Of course it isn't. It is really everybody's fault and nobody's fault. President Obama and the Governator can't solve the problem. Only we can.

The Patient, by the way, is feeling quite himself these days. I've been having to tell him that "you can't do that yet".

The Patient Improves

He took a shower before dinner last night, and ventured out to the store today (out of bananas, coffee filters, and milk). He tells me he is still sore, so I guess I really am going to have to break down and put the Christmas boxes up in the top of the garage myself unless I want them in the living room until July.

He enjoys the attention he receives after any sort of medical procedure. There were lots of calls Wednesday evening and Thursday. His own friends called and Marlene Leonard, our Soroptimist President, called him. She also talked to me, but the talk with him was the point of the call.

All of this sleeping has rendered him awake at night. For some reason last night I was also unable to sleep -- even though I hadn't had a nap -- and we found ourselves lying in the dark discussing the economy at 3:00 a.m. We decided that, although we knew how to solve the problem, we didn't have the power to do so. I had rather special insight because I had just watched Bill Moyers Journal on that subject at 11:00.

The new President should hire us to be his economic advisers and pay us a great deal of money. That would certainly improve our personal economy.

The Scottish Patient

The Patient is remaining prone -- as instructed by his Medical Professionals -- and actually seems to be enjoying it. He is shown here being tended to by a couple of the nurse cats who think he has decided to live on the couch in the family room. OK with them!

This evening he is watching the BCS Band Show -- and the pre- and post-show football game. We don't care who wins, so I didn't feel like watching with him. I have trouble really getting into football unless I care who wins. I do watch the Rutgers games and would watch the Aztecs, except that they stink and nobody wants to televise their games. The Patient prefers college ball because he likes the half-time shows.

In the meantime I bought a blood pressure cuff today, at the suggestion of the Main Medical Professional, and I think I have figured out how to use it. It's a rather fancy one that claims to be "recommended by more doctors" and it had to be set up and programmed. Once it is ready, it is accurate even for medical dummies. My blood pressure is 121 over 81, not bad considering I just finished dealing with the stupid blood-pressure monitor. He is supposed to be taking his blood pressure once or twice a day (in case of internal bleeding, I think) but isn't electing to do that. We are working on it.

He is feeling much better. He is enjoying the extra attention. Now we just have to get him up off the couch.

Alex's White Coat Day

The day went very well -- at least as well as can be expected if you have to leave for the hospital before it is light out, spend the day absolutely prone and in one of those fetching flour sacking garments they give you, and have a camera poked up into your body. Such fun!

We did get there very early and were the first angiogram of the day. They actually started the procedure early. We aren't accustomed to NOT having to wait when we are having medical procedures of any kind. The doctor who performed the procedure was very young, very nice, very forthcoming with information. Alex was awake during the procedure and he kept him appraised of what they were seeing and doing. He also took the time to come sit down with me after the procedure, explain just what they found, and let me ask questions. The nurses were all pleasant. Everything went ALMOST as expected. After hearing for weeks that there was a 95% chance of major blockage in the right renal artery and probably little in the left (they check just in case), the right artery was fairly clear and they needed to place a stent in the left. Medical Science may not be so scientific after all!

He was back in the first recovery area by about 9:30 and in the main recovery room by 10:00 or so. Then there were hours of staying absolutely prone. This is the really hard part. No raising the head. No moving if it could possibly be avoided. The loyal wife mostly sat and read, wrote a couple of thank you notes and a "get well" note, and let the nurses know if he really needed anything. Now he has to take it very easy for two days and drink at least a quart of water before he goes to sleep tonight. Then he can shower on Friday and go about normal activities with some care for a few more days. The cats and I are planning to stay upwind of him tomorrow afternoon. After that I expect he will want to clean the gutters or something. Maybe not.

Product Plugs: (1) My Vera Bradley Morgan purse was great. Usually it is a fairly smart looking, moderate-sized handbag -- at least I think so. Today it looked like a blob, but it did hold everything I needed to keep me going: my own usual purse stuff, a book, my cards and notes, Alex's wallet and big glasses case, a small thermos, and a ton of paperwork. It was sort of like the clown car of purses. (2) My Pylones thermos. This baby keeps things hot! I filled it with herbal tea at 6:00 this morning. Snuck out to the waiting room for a cup three times during the day (visitors aren't allowed to eat or drink in the recovery area, although patients are fed) and I still had about half a cup left when we got home about 4:30 -- and it was still hot.

I have become almost a professional sit-by-the-bed lady and I pack for the day as if for a trip to some third world country. Next time I will also take crackers and cheese for Alex. He still has a bit of hospitalfoodophobia. He had been fasting since midnight last night, so he did have the forementioned crackers and cheese when he got home and he cleaned his plate at dinner.

Getting Ready for Wednesday

In less than two days Alex goes into the hospital for the procedure to clear his renal artery. It is a routine procedure, insofar as anything where they anesthetize you and send instruments into your body can be routine, but I feel as though it will be life-changing. I feel as though we need to have the decks cleared and that just isn't happening.

He needs to check in by 7:30 that morning -- we will leave the house before 7:00 -- and expects that it will be about eight hours before he is discharged. No overnights these days. When they did the angiogram on his main arteries five years ago the procedure took little time, but he had to rest for several hours after. I'm guessing that he won't be very hungry, so a light dinner is planned. I'm ready for that.

While he is in surgery or sleeping I have Thank You notes to write and envelopes to address for our Annual Report. I have everything ready for that.

It's the "just in case". The Christmas tree is still up, and the boxes of decorations, while packed, are piled in the living room. I am so goofy. I want a clean slate in my house to go with his clean arteries. Then, just in case something goes wrong I need everything to be perfect at home. I have no idea why, but I do. Not gonna happen!

On a more positive note: I cleaned out my bathroom drawer (what was I doing with all of those cosmetics? I certainly don't use them) and filled a trash bag. I also filled a bag for the Disabled Vets that includes a couple of dresses I like very much, but no longer wear. My eating habits have been better and I walked yesterday and worked out hard at Curves today. Progress toward my goals. If I have to keep reporting I will be too embarrassed to slack off.

Now I need to stop blogging and get back to cleaning. Not that anyone will see the house or care.

Cuisinart and New Year's Progress

My food processor of almost 30 years bit the dust in the pre-Christmas baking frenzy. I managed everything I had to do with the mini prep, but it took at least twice as long. Yesterday I went to Macy's post-holiday sale, armed with my Christmas money, and purchased a new one. It's bigger than my old one (a basic early model) and has an extra lid and an extra slicing disk. It didn't cost much more than the original -- much less when you adjust for inflation. The old one was made in France, the new one in China. The old one had a lifetime guarantee (after 30 years I didn't hold them to that) and the new one is expected to last at least 10 years. I suppose the French simply have more pride in their culinary equipment. I expect I will be slicing and shredding regularly for a few weeks.


The first real day of the new year found me not doing much toward my slimming down goal. We opened some chocolate mint cookies and I ate one -- my undoing. I did get all of the Christmas boxes down from the upper garage, so at least that project is started. Today will be better.

January 1

It's a new year. It's 2009! By this time weren't we supposed to be able to go to the Moon or Mars for a resort vacation? So much for our Jestsons future.

We send a family annual report in January instead of a Christmas letter (a tradition started a couple of years ago when I was working at Christmas and simply didn't have time to get cards done). While Alex watched football today I started putting away Christmas decorations and dishes, and worked on the Report. It's really hard to do. This is a time for taking stock. Some years we do so little that there isn't actually much to report. Do you say "we slept a lot and I didn't lose any of the weight I meant to." Of course not, even if that happens to be the truth. I like to include pictures and, since I'm the digital photog in our family, there aren't many pictures to select from when it comes to me. I also find it difficult to find a good one of our oldest daughter. She is a tall, attractive redhead, but you certainly wouldn't guess that from her pictures. I end out working with what little I have of both of us.

I have some resolutions for 2009 and I'm going to record them here and update progress as I make it. I'm hoping that will keep me working toward my goals.

1. I plan to lose at least 22 pounds. I could lose more, but the 22 will put me back in the ballpark on the correct weight charts and my favorite clothes will fit.
2. I am going to get rid of the clothes in my closet that I will rarely wear again even if I do slim down. Ex., I don't go to an office and I haven't worn that classic wool flannel blazer for over five years. I also have too many dresses.
3. Ditto the cupboards in our house. They are so cluttered that we can't find the things we really do need.

OK, now I have made my public statement and I am accountable. I still can't go to the moon. I don't really want to. I haven't even been to Italy, Greece, or Washington D.C. I can, however, get my life in order so that I can enjoy being in my own home!