Big News!! We Got It!!

 

Hey Ya'll,

Well, I have been chomping at the bit so to speak, wanting to post about this.  But I wanted to wait to make sure that we had our vacation set, and I wanted to contact our friend regarding it first.  This is because we had originally planned on going with her.  But she is only able to go during a specific week in September, and she only wants to go to Maui.

At first we attempted to get rooms on Maui during the week she is able to go, but it was starting to worry us, that we weren't getting rooms.  So we made the decision to open up our request to any of the Hawaiian Islands, at any time from September through the end of December.  When we opened up the time frame, we got rooms on Kauai, but in December.  Since it was still early, we decided to reject that Resort, still hoping to get rooms on Maui.

Then, after more time passed and nothing else was coming up, we decided to open up our request even further, to 2 sequential weeks rather than trying to get 2 rooms in the same week.  This week, we got them!!  We have a One Bedroom Suite during the week of Dec 9th-16th, and a Hotel Room the week after, from the 16th-23rd.  The One Bedroom Suite includes a Living Room, full Kitchen and a Dining Room, PLUS a Washer and Dryer!  So we can take fewer clothes and wash them while there.  Since the Airlines charge for every bag you check in, this will save us some money by only taking one check in bag each!!  We are currently trying to upgrade the Hotel room for the second week to a One Bedroom Suite as well.  If we are able to upgrade, it will cost us another $100, well worth the money!!  As the Hotel room is only 360 sq ft, and the One Bedroom Suite is 920 sq ft!

The Resort we will be staying at is the Ko Olina on the West side of Oahu.  It is about 25-30 miles from Waikiki.  So it is close enough to visit if we want to, but far enough away, that we don't have to deal with the traffic and congestion if we don't want to.  If any of you have been to Oahu and attended the Paradise Cove Luau, it is held on the Ko Olina Resort property.

So yes, we will be staying for 2 weeks!!  The last time we were in Hawaii, we stayed at the Hilton Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore of Hawaii, for 2 weeks as well, and we loved it.  That time, we went the week before Thanksgiving, and the week of Thanksgiving.  The first week, the Resort wasn't crowded at all, and the second week it was!  This time will probably be the same.  We will be going the week before Christmas vacation, and then will be there the week before Christmas!!  We will be leaving for home the day before Christmas Eve.

So now we have to make our Airline reservations and lock them in as well.  Hopefully we will hear back from our friend Laurie, who is a Travel Agent in the next few days.  We want to see if she can get us a better deal on the Airline tickets than we can get ourselves.  If not, then we will be booking the tickets hopefully in the next few days, or by next week at the latest!!  Well, I guess I should go for now.  I am trying not to sit too long in one position, as I have been having Sciatica type pains the last couple of days.  I will leave you with some more photos of the Resort.  The first one is another view of the Resort from the Beach.  The second and third photos is of two of the pools.  The third, fourth and fifth photos are of the One Bedroom Suite.  And the last photo is of the Hotel room.  Till next time.....

Aloha My Friends  :)

 

 

 

What A Weekend!! And Updated Photos

This is one of the photos that Walt took of me on the Can Am the other week, from his Cell Phone.  I couldn't get them uploaded properly before, and they were just too blurry to see!!  So I removed them from that post, and here they are again!!  Part Deux....if you enlarge the photo and look over my right shoulder, you will see our Gold Wing Bike.  It is White with Blue Trike Wheels.  This Can Am just fits me sooo well!

Hey Ya'll,

Sorry that I have been gone for a few days.  I have been meaning to post every day, but it would get late, and I would say....I'll post tomorrow.  Then tomorrow would come and go, and again...no post!!  But we were very busy this past weekend.

We finally got ourselves moved up to Reno!!  Walt drove the Truck and towed the RV, and I rode the Bike and towed the Bike Trailer.  And our concerns about high winds on our move day came true.  By the time we got on the road, the winds had picked up enough to have a high winds advisory through the Washoe Valley, so we had to take a detour, which took us about an extra 30 minutes.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the worst of the ride to Reno!  Once we got into Reno, Walt made the decision to take the Freeway, rather than ride though town.  We should have checked to see if there was any construction going on, which would cause slow downs....There was, and it did!!  We hit bumper to bumper traffic on the freeway, and the off ramp we needed....was of course closed down due to construction, so we had to take another detour!!  So by the time we actually made it, I really needed to go to the bathroom!!

So anyway, we made it to the RV Park, and of course, there was a mix up.  They had us down as arriving the next day instead.  There wasn't a problem per say, as the park isn't full....yet.  But they didn't have our paper work ready.  So they went ahead and took us to our space, then proceeded getting the paper work ready, while we went off to go eat, as we hadn't eaten since breakfast, and that was only a bowl of Oatmeal.

Then I spent the next day getting everything put back in it's place.  As we had to batten everything down for the trip to Reno.  This also included moving items from one room to another.  Ah the life of an RV'r!!  But surprisingly, we did a fairly good job of it, considering it was the only 2nd time that we moved the RV since we bought it!  It will get easier as we get experience at it.  Also it will get easier as we toss out unnecessary "things".  It will give us less to pack up or move around.

Early Monday morning, Walt left to drive down to Sacramento for work.  So I took the opportunity to take the Bike out for a spin, and check out the local area.  I also needed to purchase some gift bags for Russ's Graduation/Birthday gifts.  His Birthday isn't until June, but he will be going to Ohio (on his own) to go to an Amusement Park before his Birthday, that he wants to go to!  So we are giving him money for his trip (his request).  I had a nice ride, but it would have been easier if it had been on the Can Am, as it is power assisted front wheel turning, so it turns like a dream, and turning the Gold Wing is so much harder!!

Today, I moved the Bike from where it was currently parked, in our parking space next to the RV, to in front of the RV, where it will fit better than the Truck.  This way when returns tomorrow, Walt will be able to park the Truck in our space next to the RV.  As I was getting dressed, I bent down to put on my shoes.  Up until this time, I was feeling fine.  Then all of a sudden, when I bent down to put on my left shoe (I always put on my left shoe first), I felt PAIN!  The way it felt, makes me think Sciatica.  I have a Pinched Nerve in my lower Spine, and have had lower Back pain most of my life.  Ever since I fell from the top of a swing set flat onto my Back at age 9....

So as I said, I have lived with Back and Leg pain most of my life, among other problems....but to suddenly have this new pain!  I have heard of Sciatica, and based on the description of the symptoms, I never felt that my past problems would be classified as Sciatica.  But today, it definitely felt like it!!  and everytime I have bent forward, I feel the same symptoms.  So I spent part of today in bed, resting.  I don't know if I did something to hurt myself further during the move, or what.  But if so, you would think that it wouldn't wait until Tuesday to show up!!

Luckily my Walt comes home tomorrow, so he will know what to do.  Or at least be here for me if I need it.  Anyway, I guess that I will get off here for now.  I have great news to post about, but I want to make a special post on it.  So I will post about it tomorrow or the next day....till next time.

Aloha My Friends  :)
                                                                                  

My Poor Sweetheart, Walt!!

Here's Walt with our oldest daughter Christa, on the left, and Kat's best friend, Courtney on the right.  The photo was taken at Kat's Wedding Rehearsal.





Hey Ya'll,

Well, as my post title suggests, Walt isn't doing too well.  On top of dealing with all the problems with the Truck, and worrying about getting our RV moved to the new RV Park, etc, etc, etc.  He has been in constant pain from the Infection in one of his Teeth.  As I said in the prior post, our options for his Treatment would cost us from $2600-$3600.  Of course that involved either saving the Tooth, or pulling it and replacing it with a false Tooth with a Bridge, and Crowns on the Teeth adjacent to it.

Well, to save money, Walt has decided to just have the Tooth pulled and treat the Infection, which will cost us around $150.  Just to stop the pain!  Not only has he had pain in the Teeth, it has been causing him extreme Headaches, that lately pain medications hasn't been able to take away....Last night, I walked out of my Office (which I had the door closed so that our 2 TVs didn't bother each other) and found Walt sitting on the Sofa bent over with his Head in his Hands.  I really feel bad for him, and I wish that I could help him with the pain....I just feel so helpless.

He finally called the Dental Office this morning, and he has an appointment for this Friday at 3 pm.  I will of course go with him, as I may need to drive him home.  There is a possible problem that I can see happening on Friday.  We are anticipating that the Fuel Pump for the Truck, will be at the Repair Shop tomorrow, so we are hopeful that the Truck will be finished on Friday....assuming that the Fuel Pump is the only problem, and the additional parts don't need to be replaced (we won't know until the Fuel Pump is in and working).

So.....if the Truck is finished on Friday so that we can pick it up, I really hope that it is finished earlier in the day, so that we can pick it up at least an hour before Walt's Dental appointment, so that we have time to take it home, so we can ride back to the Dental appointment in one vehicle.  Otherwise, we would both need to drive home.  One of us on the Bike and the other in the Truck!!!  And who knows if Walt is going to be up to driving home after the appointment.  We don't know if he is going to put to sleep or not.  Only time will tell....

So, other than this, nothing big is happening here.  We are just sitting on pins and needles waiting for our Truck to be finished so that we can move up to Reno, and waiting to hear that we have our Hawaii vacation set, so that we can buy our Airplane tickets....more money I know, but we really need to get this set.  And I honestly believe that we BOTH could use the vacation in Paradise.  Till next time....

Aloha My Friends :)

A Big Shout Out To Ms Chunky Chick !!

Hey Ya'll,

Well, I just checked my blog and found that I have another new Follower!!  She goes by Ms Chunky Chick, and here is the link to her blog: This Chunky Chick.  MsCC had RNY Surgery on 02/28/11 and as of May 11th, she has lost at least 42.3 lbs!!  Go MsCC!!  So, if you haven't already found her blog, please jump on over, using the above link and say hello!!  So Ms Chunky Chick...."Welcome to my Nightmare"!!

Aloha My New Friend  :)

A Warm Welcome To...Jenny :)

Hey Ya'll,

Well, I just realized that I have a new Follower!  Her name is Jenny, and she is currently waiting for approval to have Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery (VSG).  Here is the link to her blog: My New Life VSG.  Jenny can really use all the love and support of our WLS community, so please check out Jenny's blog and give her the love and support we all need....So Jenny, "Welcome to my Nightmare"!!

Aloha My New Friend  :)

We Froze Our ***** Off Today!! LOL

Here is the Owl that I Crocheted for our Son Russ.  He's Graduating from Junior College in a couple of weeks, and will be entering the University, as soon as he decides which one he wants to go to!!  Probably next Spring.

Hey Ya'll,

First off, last night was one of those super horrible nights where you really, really want to go to sleep....but you just can't!!  I knew that I would have to get up at 6:45, in order to have time to get my Riding Gear on, to go to Walt's Dental appointment this morning.  So even though I was still wide awake, I went to bed by 1 am.....but sleep didn't come until sometime between 4-4:30.  And did I mention that I had to get up at 6:45???  UGH!  It is one thing to stay up because I'm not tired and I like to, but another thing to stay awake because I CAN'T GET TO SLEEP!!  I knew that I should have taken a sleeping pill last night! LOL  But of course, by the time I realized that I wasn't going to get to sleep by a decent hour, it was Way Too Late to take one!!

Well, as I said above, this morning was Walt's Dental appointment.  He has been in pain for some time, and had finally decided that the pain just wasn't going to go away on it's own!  And he didn't want to wait until after the 1st of the YEAR, for our Dental Insurance to kick in!!!  I told him if he was in pain, then he definitely needed to go in.

Well, the determination was not good....he has 3 options for treatment, and the least expensive one is about $2600, with the most expensive one being about $3600!!  But from what the Dentist told Walt, there is no guarantee that the least expensive route will work, as it would require him to keep his own tooth, and the Dentist will not know until he goes in, as to how bad Walt's tooth is....so we will probably go for choice 2 or 3, rather than spend the money to start treatment for the least expensive plan, then determine that he needed to go another route.  :(

AND....our Truck needs a new Fuel Pump, or something like that.  Which luckily is still under warranty, or else it would have cost us at least $350-$500!!  AND....the mechanic will not know until he replaces the new Pump, whether or not the Fuel Injector, or something like that, is shot too!!  If it is shot, then that is another $2500!!  And the Fuel Pump won't be in until at least Thursday or Friday (probably Friday), as it will to be shipped from Washington, and they couldn't get it out in today's shipment in time. 

So cross your Fingers and Toes that the Fuel Pump is all we need!!!  We REALLY need to get moved up to Reno!!  They won't hold our spot FOREVER!!!  They have already held it 3 weeks for us!  We told them about our Truck woes, which will help, but hey....they are in business to make money, and if they don't have an RV in a space, then that space isn't making them money!  Eventually they will tell us to take a flying leap!!  Hopefully not this week.... :(

BUT!!!  Since the Truck is still in the shop, the only transportation we have right now is the Bike.  It was 30 Degrees this morning when we left for the Dentist!!!  I had on a lightweight jacket under my Riding Jacket, and I had my Riding Pants on over my jeans.  Unfortunately my Riding Gear is made for SUMMER!!  Not Winter conditions.....like today.  They are made to allow the air to flow through them to help keep us cooler in the Summer, while being safer!!  So, after being home for a few hours warming up, not to mention that I needed a short nap!  We took off on the Bike, to make the short ride into Carson City to go grocery shopping.  We were completely out of milk, and Walt can't stand to be without milk!

So since we were only going a couple of miles or so, and it had warmed up into the upper 40's, we only wore our Jackets.  No Riding Pants, or extra coverage....bad mistake....we found this out as soon as we hit the outskirts of town.  We saw one of the worst accidents that we have seen in a long time.  Luckily it was on the opposite side of the Highway.  Unluckily, it was traffic that we would have to contend with on our way home.

It involved at least 5 vehicles, and two of them large Trucks, one of them a Semi Truck!!  It appears that the Semi Truck hit a SUV from behind, forcing it into, and under the back side of the other large Truck!!  Apparently they had to use the Jaws of Life, to get them out of the vehicle and Life Flight them to the Hospital!!  We are praying that everyone survives....so if you are reading this, please keep good thoughts and prayers their way!

So, since they had apparently just taken the injured to the Hospital, and were still taking photos of the accident scene, getting Witness Statements, and not to mention, moving the vehicles out of the way!!  This is a 6 lane Hwy, with 3 lanes on each side.  They had traffic open in one lane only....barely.  And it appeared that the traffic jam was tied up all the way back almost into the main part of the City!  So we stopped at the grocery store, and before we did our shopping, we checked out the City Street maps, to see if we could find an alternate route home to bypass the main Hwy.

Because of the fact that we are kind of out in the boonies....there wasn't another street that we could take, that would take us out far enough to be past the accident scene.  We spoke to some Firemen at the store, that had been the Firemen on the scene to pull out the accident victims, and transport them to safety.  They said that it looked like it would be at least 1-2 hours before the accident scene would be cleared up!

So we rode on into Carson City until we found a Restaurant that Walt had been wanting to try.  We were a bit under dressed to say the least, but they graciously took us to a table.  The food was excellent I might add.  I had the Baby Back Ribs with Jack Daniels Sauce....um mm good!!  Walt had a fancy Salad with Alaskan King Crab and loved it.  Of course, I only ate about 3-4 bites of my Salad and gave the rest to Walt, then about 1/2 of a slice of fresh Bread, 2 of the tasty Ribs and about 1/2-2/3's of my Mashed Potatoes.  Walt will eat all the rest for Breakfast tomorrow!!  LOL  The Dinner came to $80 with tip, so it was way more than we should have spent, but what the hey!  Walt felt it was worth it, and by this time, the accident was cleared, and we rode home with the rain just starting....

So, now that I explained our whole day today!!  I will leave you with a photo of the latest Christmas Reindeer that I Crocheted for Walt's ex-wife Carolyn (and my friend).  Her Reindeer is the one on the right in the photo, the Reindeer on the left is for my Mother.  So Christa, if you are reading this, don't tell Gramma.  I plan on giving it to her the next time I come down to visit with you, the kids and Gramma/Papa.  But if you like Russ's Owl, let me know!!  Till next time....

Aloha My Friends  :)

   

A Big Shout Out To MamaMonner !!

Hey Ya'll,

Well I'll Be!  I just checked back into my blog, and found that I have another new Follower!!  She goes by MamaMonner, and the link to her blog is: Follow Me Through My Journey To A Healthier, Happier Life For Myself.  She also had the Gastric Sleeve Surgery, and her Surgery date was on December 20th, 2010.  And get this, she has already lost 106 lbs!!!  Go MamaMonner!!  So if you haven't already checked out her blog, please do!!  She could use all the Follower's and Support that we all need, regardless of what kind of WLS we have had!!  So MamaMonner...."Welcome to my Nightmare"!!

Aloha My New Friend  :)

A Warm Welcome To...Jenn !! :)

Hey Ya'll,

I finally managed to get on my computer, and saw that I had a new Follower!!  Her name is Jenn, and her blog link is: Weighted Down: A Blog About Becoming A Former Fat Girl.  She didn't have the Lap Band/Realize Band like most of you that are Followers of my Blog.  She is one of the ones that chose to do the Gastric Sleeve, and she was just Sleeved on Wednesday the 11th!!  So please if you haven't found her blog yet, check it out and give her the support she (that we all) needs!!  So Jenn, "Welcome to my Nightmare"!!

Aloha My New Friend  :)

Photos Of Me On My Dream Bike...The Can Am!!!

*****Sorry, but I removed all the photos, as they were just too horrible!!  I am placing them in a new post this week so that you can actually see them without the BLUR!!!*****

I didn't realize until I saw the photo, how my Jacket makes me look huge!  Like I am pregnant or something!!  LOL  I really am not this big anymore....I'm really sorry, but these photos are not Clear At All!!  But if I didn't enlarge them, you wouldn't be able to see me at all!!  As these photos are not able to enlarge by clicking on them!!!  :(

Hey Ya'll,

Well, Walt and I decided to go for a ride today on the Bike (or should I say, I wanted to go for a ride).  We didn't want to go too far, but just out for a nice ride, and have lunch while we were out.  So we rode up to Reno, and walked through the local RC Willy's Store.  For those of you who have never been in one, it is fantastic!  Of course they didn't have what we were looking for (nor did we expect them to), but we still love to walk through the store.

On our way to RC Willy's, we stopped into the Motorcycle Store there in Reno, that sells the Can Am Bikes that I fell in love with, so that I could sit on one again.  I had planned on taking my camera with us, so that Walt could take my picture on it, but of course I forgot it!  So Walt had to use the camera on his cell phone.  I managed to get them uploaded to my computer, but I wasn't able to see them large enough to be able to tweak them, as far as picture clarity, etc.  So I just hope that you can actually see me in them!!  Other wise, I will have to have Walt upload them for me later....and post them again!

Now this is a funny true story.  For years, Walt wanted to buy another Bike.  I always said no way!!  I grew up riding Dirt Bikes, but never felt comfortable riding on the streets in traffic.  I trusted Walt, it was the crazy drivers out there that dart out in front of you, etc that I was concerned with.  Well, a couple of years ago when we were having such high Fuel prices (like now), it was costing us a fortune to fill up our Truck in Diesel Fuel (about $110-$130 a tank, per week!!).  So I told Walt that he could buy a "Commuter Bike", meaning something of "Normal Size".  So of course....he went and bought a Gold Wing.  Just one of the largest Bikes you can buy!!  However...it definitely lowered our Fuel purchases!!

But for a long time, I really didn't want to ride with him.  He finally convinced me to purchase a Helmet and Riding Gear so that I could ride with him up to Portland, Oregon last year.  I had a really good time, so of course he proceeded to convince me, to get my own Motorcycle License (remember those hilarious photos I posted in my blog???).  But he was always wanting to buy me a "Big" Bike!  I kept fighting him on it, as I just don't feel comfortable trying to ride a Bike that I can barely keep upright sitting still.  Meaning that my feet will not sit flat on the ground.  I am usually lucky if more than just my tip toes are on the ground!  So there is no way in the world that I want to have to worry about trying to keep a Large-Heavy-Bike, upright while sitting at a signal, etc.....Until that is....I sat on the Can Am!!  NOW I WANT THIS BIKE!!  I even want to go for long trips on it, like Cross Country!!!  I think that Walt feels he has invented a Monster!!  LOL

So now we have to decide whether or not to save up for my Bike first, or save up to buy a Brand New RV that is almost Custom Made for us!!  It would provide a larger Living Area by about 15'x4', and most importantly, it would increase the usable space in my Office, to almost double what it is now!!  We are hoping to only have to pay about 2/3's of the total cost, maximum out of pocket for it, with our RV as a trade in (since it is almost new).  So hopefully in a couple of years, we will be able to buy our new RV and my Bike!!  Fingers and Toes are permanently crossed!!  LOL

After Walt let me day dream of owning the Can Am again (by sitting on it), and then walking through the RC Willy Store, we rode over to a 50's style Diner for lunch.  Now let me tell you, today was breezy bordering on Windy when we left home.  By this time (at the end of lunch), it was super Windy!  And we weren't wearing our full riding gear.  Meaning that all we had on was our street clothes, plus our Riding Jacket, Gloves, and Helmets.  So we were starting to get really cold!!  And we had about 40 miles to ride home....

It was so Windy, that they had a Wind advisory up telling all high profile vehicles like Diesels, RV's etc, to take an alternate route around the Washoe Valley (which is between Reno and Carson City).  Since the Wind blows like crazy down the center of the Washoe Valley!  Luckily Walt heeded my request as we were leaving Reno, and decided to take the alternate route home.  Even then, it was almost too Windy for us!!  In fact, after we got back onto the Highway, driving through Carson City, a gust of Wind came from the side, and almost knocked us over!!  We actually went from riding on 4 wheels to only 3!!!  Again, luckily we were almost home....And not too soon.  By the time we got home, it was getting pretty cold!!  And like I said before, here in this Valley, the Wind blows practically every day, and a lot of the time, we have very high Winds with major gusts, like today and tonight!!

Lately, Walt has been having a lot of pain in his teeth.  He was hoping to hold off until we had Dental Insurance again (this is another long story for another time....), but the pain has been increasing, and he doesn't want to wait any longer.  I told him not to wait, so he called a local Dentist here (our friend who was our Dentist in California, retired last year :(  ) that our Optometrist recommended, and he was able to get in this Monday morning.  I will go with him, in case they do something that makes it so he shouldn't drive himself home.  Per my last Post, the Truck is in the shop again :(.....so we will be taking the Bike!  Thank god I am getting used to riding it....

While we are in Minden (which is South of Carson City) at the Dentist, we will probably make a pit stop at the Optometrist Office as well, to have our glasses readjusted.  You just can't tell when you first start to wear them if they are fitted properly, until they have been on for a while, then you can feel where they are wearing too tight, etc.  And of course, both of us needs our Glasses adjusted.

Oh My God!!!  Walt just walked in and took out his toiletries from my Bathroom!!  It didn't register with me at first, but our main Bathroom, that is in the Master Bedroom, is finally FIXED!!!  So now he doesn't have to use my toilet ALL THE TIME!!!  LOL  YES!!  There Is A God!!  Well, I need to go for now, I finished making another Reindeer for Walt's Ex-Wife Carolyn (who is my friend), and an Owl with a Graduation Cap on it for our Son who is Graduating from the Junior College this month.  He will be transferring to a 4 year College soon.  I will take photos of it, and post it tomorrow or the next day.

Now I am getting ready to make my Mother In Law a Shawl.  She went to the local yarn shop and bought up the yarn that she likes, and gave it to me and said that she would like a Shawl!!  LOL  Luckily, I consider this a compliment, and I am more than happy to make it for her!  So I had to go online and find a pattern that I liked, as my Crochet Pattern books that would have patterns for shawls are in Storage!!!  I will post the photo of it when I am finished with it.  Hopefully I will be able to start it tonight.  If not, then tomorrow!!  Till Next Time....Here are the rest of the photos of me on the Can Am Bike today.... :)

Aloha My Friends  :)

I Rode The Monster....ALL BY MYSELF!!! And Lots Of Photos!

Here I am just taking off to go to pick up our Mail, and some Fuses for the Bike and Truck.

Hey Ya'll,

Well for some reason, I had problems with Blogger yesterday.  I couldn't do anything other than read my blog (Blogger claimed to be having some technical difficulties and was in read only mode).  So I was unable to post anything!!  Did anyone else have problems too??  Yesterday was a huge trial for us, especially for Walt!!  And today isn't much better!!

I was going stir crazy, I wanted to go shopping, or something, I needed to go to Joann's for some materials to finish items that I am crocheting.  I did have the Bike here, which of course, is still attached to the Trailer.  After talking with Walt on the phone, he told me to go ahead and ride the Bike.  And since the Joann's here in Carson City has an area in their parking lot without curbs to park up against, I decided to go ahead and ride the Bike there, as I could pull through from one space to the other, making it easy to park.  Also making it easy to just drive forward when leaving.  Normally we would be able to back up, but with the blown Fuse, currently it causes us to not be able to back up.  This is ore biggest problem with the Bike right now.  It is very hard to park the Bike so that we can pull through, and NOT have to back up!!  So I am leery about taking the Bike out unless I know that I will be able to park it where I won't have to worry about needing to back out of the space.....

But I got out there to the Bike (Walt was still in Sacramento), I took off the Bike Cover....and let me tell you, I was terrified.  I almost didn't finish the job, and actually drive off.  But I told myself that I would be able to figure out how to start the Bike, etc.  Normally, Walt does this for me, but yesterday I had to do it myself.  And I must say that I did ok!  I got a lot of looks from people, and some waves from other Bike riders, but all in all, I did pretty well.

And this morning, Walt had me ride the Bike into town again, in order to purchase some Fuses for the Bike and Truck.  I also stopped at the mail stop where we receive our mail.  We try to pick it up at least once a week.  I was glad that I did have the Trailer attached, as my Walking Cane that I had ordered arrived, in a box...the Walking Cane is one of those that you can both walk with, and then can sit on it when needed.  This one is a bit different though.  I am putting a photo of it at the bottom of the post.  It opens up and has a sling for a seat, instead of a hard small round seat.  I like it better than those types.  So now, I can take it with me, and when I feel the need to sit down, due to pain, etc, I can!!  And it is really light weight weighting only about 2.5 lbs.  Again, I had no problems riding the Bike by myself again today!!  I think God or some higher power was looking down at me today, and made sure the traffic was particularly light.  It is getting a bit easier to ride this huge monster of a Bike, but still a lot harder to deal with than the Can Am....that I LOVE!!!

Right now, we are waiting for a tow truck to arrive to take our Truck to the local Dodge Mechanic.  We will also be picking up our Prescription Glasses that we ordered 2 weeks ago.  We know for sure that Walt's is ready, and we are assuming that mine are ready too, since my glasses are a very simple RX.  Single Vision, etc.  Walt's are the Progressive Lens with a Prism in it.  So if his much more complicated RX Glasses are in, my simple pair should be ready too, right????  (They Were)  

The post from this point on, has turned mostly into a bitch session, about my hubby Walt, and our current situation.  So if you want to stop reading from this point, I wouldn't blame you!!

My poor Walt, was supposed to be home by about 7pm last night, but he had major problems with the Truck!!  We just got it out of the shop....YESTERDAY!!  And I have to admit, the Truck looks fantastic!  They even took out the dings, and dents from other mishaps.  So it looks like a new Truck!  Unfortunately, they didn't check out the Engine compartment well enough before releasing it  (nor gave it the test ride they were supposed to have done), and about half way up the Sierra's, Walt had to pull off the road....Something to do with the Truck not getting Fuel (or something like that).....so he had to wait for a tow truck to arrive, to bring both Walt and the Truck home.  He finally made it home at 11:15!!!!  He wasn't the happiest person on the block, and understandably so.

****WARNING, WARNING****

So today, we have been trying to figure out what is wrong with the Truck.  We were hoping to be able to fix it ourselves, but this is one of those, No Way Jose' kind of situations.  So we are now waiting for another Tow Truck to arrive, so that we can have it towed to another shop locally, that works on Dodges.  And of course, the owner of the shop can take it in today, but he won't be able to look at it until at least MONDAY!!!  We here we were supposed to tow the RV to the new park tomorrow morning....

I tried to broach the subject with Walt today, but he didn't even want to talk about it.  I tried to tell him, that if we didn't give the other RV Park at least 24 hour notice that we wouldn't be there tomorrow, then we will be charged for the day, AND they can cancel our Reservation!!!!!  But he didn't want to talk about it.  What can I say, he is so stubborn.  We should just bite the bullet, and pay the other guy the $150 to tow the RV to Reno for us, saving us the heartache of the possibility of losing our Reservation at the Park we want to be in.  Even though it would put us about 50 miles from the shop that the Truck will be in.

I can't tell you how much stress this has been causing me.  And it is so exhausting trying not to say anything that would make Walt blow up today....Later on, he would say, that we Should Have Done This...etc.  But for now, he just has to be stubborn, and do it his way.....which is sooo frustrating for me!!  I get depressed just thinking about it.  We have been talking about moving, and have had to postpone it for legitimate reasons.  But now....Walt promised that we would move this Saturday, one way or the other!!  And now he is hemming and hawing about it, and dragging his feet (not to mention a bit on the CHEAP SIDE)!!

****UPDATE****

Walt just walked in, and said that I needed to call the new RV Park, and see if we can extend our arrival to next week.  I told him that I think HE should be the one to call this time.  He wasn't happy about it, but he did.  And thank God they were gracious about us extending our arrival, yet again!!!  So they said next week will be fine.  Walt is hoping for the Truck to be fixed by Thursday, but I don't know....I am hoping it will be finished by Friday!!  Please cross your fingers and toes that it is finished before Friday of this next week (the 20th).....

And I just asked him a question regarding the Truck.  He can be sooo exasperating, if you don't ask the question just right, he goes into one of his tirades, and becomes a broken record, and won't stop until he has said it all!!!  I just asked a simple question, and of course he never answered it!  He said that since I knew EVERYTHING, that I should already know the answer.....so I just turned around and walked away into my Office.  It is times like this, that I wish Walt was back in Sacramento.

At least the Truck would be at the shop that he knows and trusts, and we wouldn't be together rubbing each other the wrong way....well, at least I don't have to worry about getting up at the crack of dawn in the morning, just to get the RV ready to be towed in the morning....And now, we just got a call from AAA, and they expect our tow truck to be here in about 15 minutes, so I need to cut this short for now.  LOL  Short, get it???  It is almost a book already!!  LOL  Till Next Time.....I am leaving you with some photos that Walt took of me today getting ready to leave on the Bike, and taking off on the Highway.

****AND YET ANOTHER UPDATE****

We managed to get the Truck to the shop, and we stopped and picked up our Glasses.  Since it was getting late in the afternoon, and neither of us had eaten in hours, we stopped on our way home to eat an early Dinner.  We had a good talk and just enjoyed being together.  We really needed this.  So all is good in our little World again!!

Aloha My Friends  :)

Here I am getting ready to put on my Helmet.  We were these Gray Head Stockings under our Helmets.  Partly to keep the sweat from messing up our Helmet, but mostly (in my case at least) to make it easier to take the Helmet on and off!  This helps me to keep the Hair that I do have!!  It keeps the Helmet from pulling out my Hair....get the picture???

Here I am getting ready to put the Helmet on.  This is the part that I hate the most.  It is the most uncoordinated part of getting ready.  Trying to pull on the Helmet without unhooking the Intercom is a B---h!!

And now I have the Helmet on and getting ready to hop on the bike.

I am now on the Bike (duh!!), and getting ready to take off.  It is like....ok, the lights are on, I have it in 1st gear, did I forget anything????  Especially with Walt watching me, AND he has the Camera!!  LOL

Now, just to adjust the Helmet....














And now taking off making sure that I don't run over anything!!

If you click on the photo, you can see me pulling out into traffic on the Highway.

And again, you can see me taking off, and going through the gears to get up to the Highway speed of 65 MPH!!

Here is my new Walking Cane in the folded up, walking position.

And here it is opened up as the Seat, and yes, it is supposed to be able to support up to 250 lbs.  :)

                                                                                                             

A Warm Welcome To...Donut Butt !! :)

Hey Ya'll,

Well, I finally finished vacuuming the ole RV, and decided to check into my Blog, and lo and behold, I have a new Follower!!!  She goes by Donut Butt, and here is the link to her Blog: Does This Donut Make My Butt Look Big?.  She was Banded on May 5th, 2010 and has already lost 64 lbs!!!  Go DB!!  If you haven't already checked out her blog, please pop over using the above Link and say Hi!!  Oh, and DB....I love your Icon!!  So DB, "Welcome to my Nightmare"!!  Till next time....

Aloha My New Friend  :)

We're Getting The Truck Back!!! :)

Hey Ya'll,

Well I got a text from Walt this morning, and it looks like our Truck is going in to have the Wheels Aligned today, then it should be done sometime today or tomorrow!!  Walt is so excited, he loves his Truck.  When he gets back with it I will take some photos, showing it before the repairs (again), and with the new look, after repairs and the new paint job!!  They say that it looks like a new Truck!!

I've been vacuuming the RV today with the new mini vacuum....one room at a time, and so far it works really well!!  However, the RV was so dirty that I really need to wash the Filter already!!!  And I haven't even made it to my Office yet....and I am not looking forward to it, as I have to move out a ton of crap to be able to fully clean in here...!!  So this is going to be a really short post.  Band wise, everything is the same.  No problems to report.  But could someone please give me Brain Surgery, to take away my cravings???  Till next time....

Aloha My Friends  :) 

Poor Walt....I Fell In Love With....

Hey Ya'll,

I hope that all you Mothers out there had a fantastic Mother's Day yesterday!!  And if you aren't a Mother yourself, I hope that you had a great Mother's Day with your Mother....Walt and I drove to my Mother In Laws home to pick her up for a lunch date.  She wanted to go to a local Casino, so that we could eat at their Cafe.  Whats funny is that all three of us qualified as Seniors there, so we all got the Senior discount!!  At some of the Casinos here in Carson City, the age to get a senior discount is.....50!!

On Saturday, we drove into Reno to do some shopping, and while we were there, we stopped into the local Can Am Dealer so that I could sit on the Spyder Touring Bike.  It is a Trike (sort of), except that the two wheels are in the front instead of the back!  Poor Walt, as soon as I sat on it, I FELL IN LOVE!!!  It seemed to fit me like a glove.  It sits lower to the ground than our Gold Wing, and the seat is a bit narrower so that I can sit on it better.  I didn't feel like I was stretching my legs and hips to sit on it!  And the handle bars were situated perfectly!  I could sit in a normal position without having to stretch my arms forward.  It Just Fit Like A Glove!!!

So the next test was for me to actually ride it....let me tell you, another reason that I loved it was that it  is a Semi-Automatic!!  Meaning that you can order it, in either the standard Manual Transmission, or the Semi-Automatic ($1500 extra-but worth it)!!  It has a kind of Paddle that your Thumb pushes when you want to shift into the next gear (and a Gauge that lets you know what gear it is in).  No Clutch, no Foot Peg for shifting!!  And it has Power Assisted Steering, and even better, it has a Reverse Gear!!!  Our Gold Wing turns like a TANK!!  This Bike, turns like a dream, and has ABS Brakes.

And the best part is....you can either choose to down shift manually, while slowing down using the Thumb Paddle, or just brake, and the Bike automatically down shifts itself, when it senses that it is at a slower RPM and Speed!!  So it is sooo simple!  You up shift using the Paddle, and just brake and let the Bike automatically down shift to help slow you down.  Also, by doing this, it automatically puts the Bike in the proper gear for the speed you are at.  So lets say that you are slowing for a Red Light, then it turns green before you get there....the Bike is already in the proper gear, based on your current speed, so all you have to do is throttle up!!  How simple is that???  And of course, it has Cruise Control, as well as Heated Seats and Heated Hand Grips (trust me, on cold days, this is a fantastic feature)!!  And I would definitely pay for the upgrade, to have Satellite (XM) Radio!! 

Like I said, I felt comfortable on it immediately.  It seemed to be made for a woman.  The Seat was very comfortable, and the reach for the Handle Bars is perfect.  I don't have to stretch out my Arms, thus causing pain and discomfort across my Shoulder Blades like the Gold Wing does.  I couldn't get the smile off my face all day after the test ride!!  I even had dreams that night that Walt and I were riding cross country on our Bikes.  When I told Walt this yesterday morning, he said "well, I guess that you really did like it!!  I guess we will have to save up for it"!!  So, now I know my dream bike is the Can Am Spyder Touring Bike.  Of course, we won't be able to buy it immediately, as it will cost around $30,000.  Walt looked online, and found someone selling their 2010 model as they wanted the newer 2011 version, but they wanted so much, that you could practically just buy a brand new one!!

Now on to the next thing.  Our Truck is still in the shop, but we are crossing all of our fingers and toes, that it will be completed this week, in time to be able to tow our RV to the new RV Park this coming Saturday!!  But, we have decided that come Hell Or High Water, we will be moving this Saturday!!  Even if we have to hire someone to tow the RV for us!!  We did get a quote, from someone to tow for us, and get this....he wants $150.  Walt thinks that it is a bit high, since they only have to tow it 43 miles.  But when you are desperate, you are desperate.  We may check Craig's List as well, to see if anyone could use the money, that has a Truck that is capable of towing our 40' RV.  They would need a 1 Ton Truck with a Fifth Wheel Hitch.

We finally bought a small Vacuum for the RV on Saturday as well.  We wanted to find one small enough to fit easily into our small coat closet, so we were considering a Stik Vac.  But we wanted a vacuum that had at least a Crevice Tool, as the RV has many spaces that you can't get the vacuum head into, and none of the Stik Vacs we looked at, had the extra crevice tool.  So we went a small step up, and bought a small upright from Eureka, that does have a couple attachments.  Walt put it together yesterday, so that I could use it to clean the RV, while he is gone working in Sacramento this week.  So now you know what I will be doing today, and maybe tomorrow as well!! LOL  This is crucial, since I will have to move a lot of STUFF, in order to be able to vacuum thoroughly.  And the RV hasn't been vacuumed since we first brought it home from the Dealer!!  So it has 4 1/2 months of dust and dirt!!  UGH!

Anyhoo, I guess that I better go for now, as you can see, I have lots to do, and sooo little time!!  LOL  Till next time....I will leave you with a few photos of my DREAM BIKE!!!  And don't forget, the front end has the two wheels, not the back like a traditional Trike!!

Aloha My Friends  :)

A Big Shout Out To Clumsy!!

Hey Ya'll,

I just checked in and saw that I had a new Follower!!  She goes by Clumsy Car Lover and here is a link to her blog: Clumsy, Falling Down And Getting Back Up.  I don't believe that she is a Bandster, but she is a VERY close friend to a couple of us Bandster's.  And she, like many of us (especially me), just needs an outlet to say what we feel....so if you haven't found Clumsy's blog yet, please jump on over and give her the support she needs!!  Oh, and did I say that I LOVE your Icon???  So Clumsy...."Welcome to my Nightmare"!!

Aloha My New Friend  :)

A Big Shout Out To Beth Ann !! :)

Hey Ya'll,

Well, it is super windy here, and getting ready to storm again!!  Possibly with a minute amount of snow in the forecast....So our Internet is acting CRAZY!!  It is taking it at least 3 times as long to do anything!!  I have to go out of, and back into things several times just to get a page to load!!  Did I say, it is driving me CRAZY???

Anyhoo, I wanted to make a quick post to welcome my newest Follower!  Her name is Beth Ann, and here is the link to her blog: Beth Ann's Never-Ending Quest For {Something}.  Beth Ann was Banded on January 27th, 2010 and has already lost 92.2 lbs!!  Go Beth Ann!!  You are my hero!!  Here I am, 17 1/2 months out and I have only managed to lose 59 lbs!!  Of course, I am VERY aware that it is my fault.... :(

And...Beth Ann is one of the lucky one's that is going to Chicago, for the 2011 Boob's Gathering.  AND, she is going to London for the 2012 Olympics!!  I am soooo jealous!  I would love to go back to London....LOL  Beth Ann, you are doing so fantastic!!  So guys, if you haven't found her blog as yet, please check it out by clicking on the link above.  So Beth Ann....."Welcome to my Nightmare"!!

Aloha My New Friend  :)

A Warm Welcome To...Midwest Meg !! :)

Hey Ya'll,

Well, I finally managed to get into my e-mail account today, as well as Blogger.  Our Internet service here is hit and miss....some days we have no problems, and others.....well, lets just say that it has taken me almost an hour and a half to get this far!!!

But...what I am wanting to say, is that I have a new Follower!!  And her name is Midwest Meg.  She has been blogging for some time.  However, she accidentally deleted out her blogging account, and now has to start over!!  So, if you were Following her before, please check out her new Blog account at this link: Megan's Melting, and say hello!!  Megan was Banded on January 12, 2011 and has already lost 82 lbs!!  62 lbs of it since Surgery!!  Wow!  So Megan...."Welcome to my Nightmare"!!

Aloha My New Friend  :)

My Sweetie Is Coming Home!!

My Sweetie doing what he loves, barbecuing our Christmas Meats!!  This was of course before we moved out of the house and into the RV!!!


Hey Ya'll,

Well, it is 3:30 and my Walt should be on his way home from Sacramento.  He usually calls or texts me to let me know he is on his way, but so far NOTHING!!  But I know that he had intended to start home around 2:30 or so.

As for the Band, I have had no problems since I got the Unfill at the Doctor's office.  My next appointment is set for June 3rd.  I am not sure if I will ask for a Fill or not.  Probably not.  Especially since my Doctor reminded us of how to determine if I needed a Fill or not.  He said that if I am following the 1000 (or 1200) calorie a day diet, and I am losing weight, but I am STILL hungry, then I need a Fill.  Otherwise, NO WAY JOSE'!!!

In past posts, I informed you that we were supposed to move up to Reno on May 1st.  Then we had to reschedule it for May 7th.  And the other day, we called the other RV Park and we rescheduled it yet again, to the 14th!!  This is to be sure that we would have the Truck back.  BUT, because of complications with the Truck (they have had some problems with it, and may have to order some new parts), we may not get the Truck back in time for the 14th!  Remember that Walt had an accident in the Truck a while back.  Well, they are STILL working on it.....

The problem is that we have continued to change our check in date at the new RV Park (for reasons out of our control).  The RV Park is already booked up through the Summer now, since Reno has so many big events they put on through the Summer that draws people from all over!  Making it almost impossible to get a reservation anywhere, if you didn't make it way in advance.  So if we continue to postpone our arrival, they may just say....screw it!  And give our slot to someone else that desperately wants it too!!  So I suggested to Walt that we Rent a Truck to tow the RV.  Or we could pay someone to move it for us.  There are companies that do just that!!  So we will look into it just in case, and hopefully they won't want to charge an arm and a leg just to tow the RV 43 miles.....we'll see.

The past couple of days I have been cleaning up the RV, getting it ready to be moved.  This way, we will have less to do on the day of the move.  I still have some work to do in my Office, but it will be done in plenty of time.  Since we moved my Electric Piano into storage temporarily, all we have to really move, is the small Refrigerator that is in my Office, and the big all in one Printer/Copier/Scanner.

So now you have it!  This is my life right now.....getting ready for the move, and trying to control my cravings :( :( :(  Any suggestions???  Well I better go for now, still got lots to do.  Till next time.....

Aloha My Friends  :)

A Warm Welcome To...Sandy !! :)

Hey Ya'll,

Hello everyone!!  I just checked in and found that I have a new Follower!!  Her name is Sandy, and here is a link to her blog: Losing Pounds And Gaining...Me.  She originally planed on having Lap Band Surgery (like most of us), and you may have Followed her previous blog (Lap Of Luxury - Mama To 3 Girls).  However, through all of her research of the various WLS choices, she decided to change her Surgery from the Lap Band to VSG Surgery (Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy) instead.  And.....she was just approved by her Insurance....and her Surgery date is May 16th!!  She has already been on a long journey, since she has been jumping through her Insurance's hurdles for at least a year, so please check out her blog and give her the love and support she will need, and tell her hi from me too!!  So Sandy...."Welcome to my Nightmare"!!

Aloha My New Friend :)

My Confession.....

This was me at age 17 and about 100 lbs, oh to look that good again!!  LOL

Hey Ya'll,

First off, I want to say that our fellow Blogging friend, Kathy at My New Beginnings, got bad news today after her Upper GI.  After over 9 months of being totally Unfilled, the Doctor came to the conclusion that there was no change in her condition. :(  Since her Doctor's Office is in a different town than where she lives, and he is opening a new Office in her town this month.  They made another appointment for her at his new Office in 3 weeks, giving her time to decide if she wants to keep the Band UNFILLED forever, or to have it Removed.  And if so, whether or not she wants to consider changing to the Gastric Sleeve or have the RNY Surgery.....I believe that she is still in shock.  Please click on the link I provided above, and give her the support she really needs right now!!!

Now as to my post title, well....I have been reading up on some blogs, and I feel like I need to fess up.  Most of you have battled obesity most, if not all of your lives.  Although I have battled obesity for many years, over half of my life now, I was not really considered an over weight child, teenager, or young adult.  I didn't become truly overweight until my later 20's.  But once I started to put on the pounds, they just kept coming on.  That's when I began my roller coaster ride of weight loss attempts.

I was probably considered mildly overweight in Jr High School (9th Grade), when I weighed about 135 lbs.  I was (and still am!!) 5'3" tall.  And of course I would be thrilled to weigh 135 again!!  But I never considered myself overweight back then, and I never had other kids making fun of me for my weight.  But as Summer began before I was to enter High School (grade 10), I decided that I wanted to lose a few pounds before I started High School, just to look a little better.

So I went on a self imposed diet....I allowed myself one meal a day (typically Dinner), I called it my water diet.  I drank water all day long (duh).  And I willed myself not to eat any sweets, or junk food of any kind all Summer!!  I lost from 135 lbs, down to 89 lbs in less than 3 months!  I would have continued losing too, as I truly didn't see myself as others saw me.  I know now that I was borderline Anorexic.  I felt that I needed to lose at least another 5 lbs.  But one of my Uncles saw me looking at myself in the full length mirror in my bikini that day, saying just that to myself.  And my Uncle told me, "girl, you don't need to lose weight, you don't even HAVE a figure anymore!!"  And he was known for liking to look at pretty women.

This made me take a real-long-look at myself in the mirror.  That is when I began to see what others saw, when they looked at me.  My Collar Bones protruded, as did my Rib Cage.  He was right, I was too skinny.  So I allowed myself to gain back up to a weight between 98-100 lbs.  I was in the Drill Team in High School, and we practiced all the time.  So I became very toned.  We practiced during our Gym period, then we had after school practice at least several times a week, plus, I was in the small competition group, so we also practiced in the evening at the Drill Team Captains home.

Because of this, I was burning calories faster than I could take them in!!!  I literally ate at least 4 meals a day.  I ate at least 2-3 bowls of cereal for breakfast, then my Stomach would start growling before lunch!  It was so loud that I was sure that students sitting near me in class could hear it!  Then at lunch I would eat a full meal at McDonald's.  Then I would eat an afternoon (full meal), again at McDonald's after school and practice.  Then I would eat dinner with the family around 9 pm!!  If I gained up to 105 lbs, I dropped one meal-one day, and I immediately dropped back down to 100 lbs!!

So of course, I felt like I could eat anything and hold my weight!!  But after I had my daughter, my whole body changed....all I had to do was look at food, and I could gain weight.  But still, until I started to work full time, and became much more sedentary, I was able to control my weight.  Then my later 20's hit, and so did the weight.

My biggest problem now, is that I CRAVE things!!  If only I could control myself like I could as a teenager....my biggest problem is when Walt is away.  If only he wasn't so strict with me, and allowed me to have an occasional treat, more often than Walt thinks is justified, then I wouldn't feel so deprived and want to go overboard when he was away from home....If only they could come up with a pill that could control our cravings!!  Everything would be perfect!  Believe me, the Head Hunger is the worst part of losing weight....any suggestions???  Please???

Well, I should go.  Till next time.....

Aloha My Friends  :)

A Big Shout Out To Pamela!!

Hey Ya'll,

Well I'll be....I just returned, and opened up my Blog to find that I have a new Follower!!  Her name is Pamela, and she was Banded on August 10, 2010 and has lost 55 lbs so far!  Pamela is also a recent Breast Cancer Survivor!!  So double yahoo's to you, Pamela!!  So everyone, if you haven't already checked out her Blog, please click on this link: The Life Of The Band, and say hello!!  We can all use the support of others that are going through the same thing, no matter what stage of our journey that we are in!!  So Pamela....."Welcome to my Nightmare"!!

Aloha My New Friend  :) 

Welcome to Jen "JFBD"! My Newest Follower!!

<center><BR><br><center><a href="http://justfoolinblogdesigns.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g407/JustFoolinDesigns/JFBDButton-2.png" /></a></center>

Hey Ya'll,

I just got a new Follower!!  It is Jen from JFBD, formerly known as: Just Foolin Blog Designs.  Jen is one of our fellow Bandster's and has just began this blog, where you can arrainge for her to produce a Custom Design Package for your VERY OWN BLOG!!  So check it out, if you are interested in getting your very own CUSTOM BLOG DESIGN!!  So Jen (JFBD), "Welcome to my Nightmare"!!

Aloha My New Friend :)

A Big Shout Out To Dianne!!

Hey Ya'll,

Well I just woke up, and decided to check my e-mails and Blog before I head over to do the 9 loads of laundry that I have to do today.  And lo and behold, I have a new Follower!!  Her name is Dianne, and her Blog is called, This Time I Mean It.  She was just Banded on 4/08/11, and has already lost 17 lbs!!  So please, follow the link I provided, and give Dianne the love and support that she will be needing, especially in the early stages that she is in now!!  So Dianne, "Welcome to my Nightmare"!!

Aloha My New Friend  :)

I Didn't Scare Walt TOOOO Much!! LOL

Hey Ya'll,

First off, one of our Band Buddies, Kathy from My New Beginnings.  Is going in for another Upper GI on Tuesday.  This the bad kind of Upper GI like I had to have last month!  This is to determine if she will need to have her Band Removed or not!!  She has been with a totally unfilled Band for the last 6 months, while the Doctor was hoping that she wouldn't need to lose the Band.  So please go to her blog and send her your best wishes.  Or at least think about her on Tuesday, and send her good thoughts that the results are good....

Well this morning, after Walt woke me up, we got ready to go out.  Walt rode the Bike (with me on it too!) over to one of the Casino's here in town, so that we could eat Breakfast/Lunch.  I had about a 1/2 cup of Tuna and about 1/4 cup of Cottage Cheese.  I feel that I did really well eating wise. 

After we left the Casino, Walt rode off towards Reno (per my request, he originally wanted me to ride from there).  We decided to take a slightly different route towards Reno than we usually take, just in case we have high winds next weekend.  Because if we have high winds, then Diesels and high profile vehicles like RV's, can't drive up the center of the Washoe Valley.  They are detoured along the Western Slope of the Valley.  But if we had to drive that route, we would eventually have to cross traffic to continue to Reno via the Hwy!  Try to cross a major Hwy towing an extra long RV (40'), and also for me to try to cross it, towing the Bike Trailer with very little experience!!  And trust me, we have high winds here on a regular basis.

So in case we are detoured off the main Hwy due to the winds, we have decided to take the less traveled, 2 lane road around the Eastern Slope of the Valley.  This way, once we meet back up with the main Hwy, we only have to turn right with traffic, not cross traffic!  This would be stressful enough, but much more doable!!  So, since we had never driven this road, I wasn't comfortable riding it for my first real ride.  So I had Walt drive it until it met up with the main Hwy, then....we switched places, and I drove back!  Luckily the road is mostly traveled by people who actually live in this area, so it wasn't too bad.

Then, I had to enter the Freeway!!  I had never ridden the Bike onto a Fwy, and I had to try to merge with traffic that didn't want to let me in too easily.  But once I was on, it wasn't too bad.  But even so, I didn't drive the speed limit of 65.  I only went about 60 (yes, here in Nevada, all vehicles and drive whatever the posted speed limit is....even Diesel's pulling doubles and triples!!).  Then....the Hwy ended, and I had to start driving in city traffic, with signals and all!!  I was terrified.  But I surprised myself, and did much better than I expected I would. 

Oh, and did I say that we were towing the Bike Trailer today???  I guess that Walt wanted me to experience towing it at least once, before I have to tow it BY MYSELF!!  Towing wise, I couldn't even tell it was there.  Which is both good and bad.  Good because it is a breeze to tow.  Bad because you can forget it is there, and not allow enough space when changing lanes, etc!!  We had decided to continue on through town, rather than drive straight back home, and to drive to Minden for a treat on the way home. 

We stopped at Dairy Queen, and I had a cup of Ice Cream, no toppings, no cone.  Walt had one of their new tiny Blizzards!  It was barely big enough for him!  But he didn't complain.  Then we started back toward Carson City and home.  This is when I had my only problem with Walt.  He was so good at only giving me encouragement up until then.  But since I couldn't turn left out of the shopping center we were in, I had to find a place to turn around so that we could head back home.

Unfortunately, the parking lot I picked to turn around in, was slightly sloped back from the street.  So that if I didn't keep the brakes on, we rolled backwards slightly.  I wasn't too concerned about it, as the parking lot was empty since it was Sunday.  But Walt started to show the side of him that we don't like to see, when he tries to help us.  He became upset that I had a little trouble keeping the Bike from rolling back.  The traffic was pretty heavy, and I was just trying to find a break in traffic so that I could pull out comfortably, and he was making it so much more uncomfortable.  I told him that this was my first time in this scenario, and trust me, if there HAD been cars behind me, I would have kept that Brake on for dear life!!

I knew that I should have followed my first instincts in getting turned around, and just drove to the closest traffic signal, turn right, find a place to safely turn around, then go back to the signal and be much safer pulling out with a signal.  He wanted me to do it the way we did.....I should know better, every time I don't follow my instincts, I have problems....But!  At least I did drive out in traffic, and on the Freeway.  I can do this.  Especially since I will be following Walt towing the RV!!

And what do you think of Osama Bin Laden being killed by the US???  It's about time they found him.

Well, it is getting late, I have other things to do, and I have to get up fairly early in the morning as we are having some work done on the RV before we move up to Reno.  So I will be spending all morning washing the 9 loads of clothes that we need done!!!  Till next time....

Aloha My Friends  :)