Weighty issues...

I went to my doctor today to have annual labs done. I had gastric bypass surgery 8 1/2 years ago and need annual labs for everything under the sun -- all my vitamins (A,B1,C,D,E), magnesium, iron, etc, etc. I should take daily vitamins and I have NEVER done so. I did at the beginning, but it's been years since I took anything. The few times that I've had labs done everything was always normal.

Well, lots of the labs that I need are not your normal labs. I was there for 2 hours, the tech had to call different places for guidance, the office manager had to go buy aluminum foil because 3 of the tests mandate that the vials of blood be shielded immediately from light, some vials had to be frozen immediately. I was very patient, but I was getting ready to leave when he finally said he was ready. I politely told him, "please keep notes of everything in my file for next year." and I said it with a smile :-)

Then the weigh in...ugh....I weigh 224.25. I guess that is good (in a way) because when I left work on 6/25 my weight was almost 228. Then I went on vacation and refused to weigh in when I returned. I've been very good, mostly since I returned from vacation last Friday. I am having slim fast for b/f, a big salad with protein (chicken breast, turkey meatballs, etc.) for lunch, protein shakes in between, and MORE salad with protein for supper. Today I cheated and had a 99cent bag of crunchy cheetos. That's because my daughter wasn't with me, or else she would have talked me out of it. We are both trying to lose weight, she wants to drop 35 lbs, I want to drop 55, the lbs I have regained since my all-time low of 170 after my bypass surgery.

I read so many journals and see where people break up weight loss goals into 5# increments, maybe that's what I need to do, rather than see the BIG picture of 55 lbs! In actuality, I should be aiming for 70-80 lbs, my surgeon's goal for me was 140. I was a size 12 at 170, so I cannot imagine what size I would be at 140...maybe a 6 or 8?? no wayyyyyyyyyyyy, I would be skin and bones at that size.

I have been walking an hour for the last 3 days for exercise. I live in a rural area and there is a drainage canal next to my house with wide embankments on the sides. My sister and I meet there at 8 pm and just walk until 9. It's a great workout! My ankle has been bothering me a little since I started walking at a faster pace, hopefully it will hold out because I do not want to quit exercising. I have to see the # on the scale continue to drop down.

On another note, my parents (80 and 81 yrs old), a 67 y.o. aunt and I will be driving to Rockford, IL on Monday, July 20th, God Willing will arrive there the next day. An aunt of mine is quite ill and is not expected to live long. While there plans are to travel to Port Clinton, OH. That is the tiny (6,000 population) town where I was born and have never visited. We moved here when I was 2 yrs old. I am not excited about all the driving, but I am very anxious to see new places. The majority of our trip is just to get OUT of Texas!!!!!! We live waaaaaaaaaaaay down in the south of TX so anywhere we go, we have to get out of TX FIRST.

Work Situation

I have been an elementary school secretary since 1989. I have been through 2 principals. The first was 1989-1996, the second from 96-now. When this principal started, she was 51 and a breath of fresh air, compared to my former principal. Well, time took it's toll, she is now 64 and retired, not because she wanted to, but because she was "asked to" by our administration.

Our school has declined - the morale is low, our texas tests are low, everyone does what they please - their attitude was if the principal doesn't care, why should we? There was no discipline at our school - either for kids OR staff.

All this time, we were so sure our assistant principal, who has been there 11 years, would move up. Well, the school board branded her "Guilty by association" and didn't promote her. I guess they figured that she would carry on the same type of administration, but they were oh so wrong! This young lady, all of 43 years old, is a genius! She has it all, knowledge, wonderful rapport with staff and parents, great discipline (when the principal would allow her to follow through), great with budgets, timelines, etc, etc.

She resigned on July 9th :-( She called me, said she had to personally call me to let me know before I heard it from someone else. We got along GREAT and we had already talked about the changes that needed to be made. She has applied at surrounding school districts, has her masters in counseling so says she would like to try that for a couple of yrs and then put in for administrative work. I am sure going to miss her.

I met our new principal briefly. I have heard from like 10 people and they have all raved about her - that she is EXCELLENT in all she does. Maybe the top administration sent her over to "fix" our school. We seem to have developed a good beginning. I mean, what can I do?...I have to work with her. I consider myself a "people person". I get along with everyone I meet. I like to please - is that the "fat girl wanting acceptance" in me? Maybe not, I've known some mean fat people in my life!! LOL!

Anyway, I am meeting with my new principal tomorrow for a small pow-wow, I already have my list of "suggestions" for her. She commented to me that she was going to rely on my word because she knows that school secretaries are the "heart" of the school. We'll see how tomorrow goes.

On Vacation and Refreshed

I finally finished my contract for the school year on June 25th. Have been doing nothing and enjoying it! Met up with my boyfriend in Rockport, TX for our annual week long vacation. We stay in some cottages along the waterfront and just lounge around, drink beer, talk, eat and sleep. No touristy thing for us, no visits to unknown places, just sit and do nothing!


Picture 1: View of the bay from our cottage.
Picture 2: View of our cottage from the private pier. The little cottage shown here used to be a bait stand. Our cottage is across the street from the pier.
Picture 3: Sitting on the pier at sundown. Aaaahhh, so relaxing.

The other couple that we went with would go out to eat every day. She said she was on vacation and was NOT cooking. I told them that this is the only time I get to cook for my boyfriend so I would get up every morning and make us a delicious Mexican-style breakfast. He barbecued pork butt and fried some shrimp for me.

I met him in 2003, so this is our 7th annual vacation we take together. Even though I love him, and I love being with him, it's always good to come back home. Could it be that we both have spent so much time alone, that we are used to being on our own? We sometimes talk about "someday when we're old and retired", about getting married, but is it wrong NOT to want to get married now, after all these years together?

Friends have said we don't love each other enough to get married. But I think it's BECAUSE we love each other so much that we are so happy with our arrangement. I just look at it as if we are married but our jobs keep us living in separate places.

Don't even want to weigh myself, thinking at least 5 lbs up during vacation. But daughter and I are helping each other out with good eating habits and I'm hoping that will finally get me moving in the right direction.


My grandson who lives with me is starting school in a few weeks. WOW, seems like just yesterday my daughter shocked me with, "I'm pregnant." We promised to love and support each other and we have. She and Ryan live with me, she works at the school I work at and I take care of him while she attends the university at night. She's half-way done so we're looking forward to the day she has her degree. Something she should have done when she didn't have a child to look after, but better now while she is unmarried and has no other commitments and still lives with me.

My new grandson turned 1 month 2 days ago! Can you believe it?? WOW, time is going to fly! I haven't gone to see him since I returned on Friday, but will spend the day with them tomorrow.

I've got another post in my mind, but it's related to my job.


I'll be back later tonight to put that up.