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  :)

Drum Roll Please!! A New Low!!

Oh....If Only I Looked THIS COOL On Our Bike!!!  LOL

Hey Ya'll,

First off, I want to say that I have a new all time low in my weight, since I began my Weight Loss Journey!!  Imagine me jumping up and down here!!  LOL  I now weigh, drum roll please.....169.6!!  Yes, I finally dropped into the land of 160's!  Let's hope that I don't sabotage myself now, and that I continue to lose!

Tomorrow, we will be going out for a Bike ride.  This is so that I can get at least one more day of riding under my belt, before we move up to Reno.  If you have been reading my blog, then you know that we are moving up into Reno, and that Walt will be driving the Truck and towing the RV, while I will be riding the Gold Wing, and towing the Bike Trailer!!  This is going to be scary for me, as I have virtually little to no experience riding in traffic!

I grew up riding dirt bikes, but riding in dirt with no traffic is a totally different kind of riding.  So my Motorcycle Training Course last year, which was done in the parking lot of our local Jr College, and my riding a couple of weeks ago outside of town....well, that is all!!  And that means that 2 weeks ago, was the only time that I have actually ridden the Bike out on the street, and it was in very light traffic!!  IE, no signals involved, etc.  And because it was out in the a small town East of Carson City, I could actually pull over if traffic was coming so that I could let them pass.  Which is what I did at first, until I started to get a bit more confidence. 

Walt seems to think that I can just hop on the Bike tomorrow (with him on the back I might add)....and pop out into major traffic!!  Oh, and did I tell you that we are currently living on a major Highway???  So this would not be my first choice.  I would prefer that Walt drove us to where ever he wanted me to ride from....and hopefully, that wouldn't be in a congested area.  At least not to start!!  LOL  Then hope and pray that we are still talking to one another when we get home!!  His past behavior has proven that he isn't the best, at trying to teach!  Unfortunately his patience isn't the best.  I will advise how the lesson went tomorrow!!  LOL  And hopefully I WILL actually be Laughing Out Loud!!

The main thing is that we just need to get me used to being out in traffic.  I will be following him towing the RV, so he will not be driving fast, nor doing anything stupid.  So it will be a lot less stressful following him next week, than what it will be out riding tomorrow....knowing that I will have him to use as an excuse for not riding too fast, etc.  I am not used to downshifting going into a turn, etc.  Especially in traffic. 

And trust me, riding the Trike is much harder than riding a normal Motorcycle!!  Except that you don't have to worry about balance (this part I love).  The Trike turns more like a car (which you would think would be easy).  But because of this, you can't lean into the turn like on a traditional Bike.  Also because of this, and the fact that the Bike weighs almost 1000 lbs, it turns like a tank!!  So if I were to continue to ride it, I would probably become very well built across the Shoulder's and Upper Arms!!  LOL 

Plus, I have relatively small feet.  I wear a size 6.5-7 shoe.  So riding the Bike, after I have been riding at a higher gear, where I haven't had to slow down, etc, where I have my feet in a more comfortable position on the foot pegs, I have to look down to make sure that I move my left foot where it will be under the shifter when I am getting ready to eight come to a stop, or I will need to start slowing down!!  A man never has to worry about things like this!!  Let's face it, this Bike was not designed for a Woman to ride it.  But it is fun to have people look at you funny when they realize that you are in fact, a Woman riding it and not a small Man!!

Well, I have blabbed about just about nothing tonight, so if you are still hanging in here....thanks!!  I will post tomorrow about my FUN!!  Till next time....

Aloha My Friends  :)

A Warm Welcome To Sam....My 200th Follower!!!

Hey Ya'll,

Well I'll be....I have 200 Follower's!  When I began my blog, I never thought that I would have 200 Followers!  My first post was on 9/13/09, and I got my first Follower on 9/17/09!!  So wow!

My newest Follower is Sam, and her blog is: Banded 4 Me.  Sam is one of our amazing Aussie friends!!  Sam was Banded (Realize Band) on 03/22/10 and has already lost 73.7 lbs!!  Go Sam!!  If you haven't checked out her blog yet, hop on over and give her a shout of hello!!  So Sam...."Welcome to my Nightmare".

Aloha My New Friend  :)

A Long Day Of Shopping!!

 

Here is my latest Bear!  It is the "Baby Bear" that I will be giving to my Grand Daughter...Her favorite colors are Pink and Purple.


Hey Ya'll,

Well, today was a very long day!!!  We went to two very large Sports Stores in Reno.  One is Cabella's.  We love Cabella's, and would almost always eat there at their small Cafe, when going to Reno for my Surgeon appointments while we were still living in California.  They have the best Chili!!  And some of the best hand made Sandwiches made with exotic Meats.

Today we went inside of Sheel's for the first time.  It is reputed to be (at least according to them) the largest all indoor all Sports Store in the "World".  Well, I barely stepped inside, as what I was shopping for was close to the entrance.  But it is huge and 2 story, with a Carousel.  My objective was to check out the expensive Sunglasses!!  Walt was there to price ammunition.  After trying on quite a few pairs of Sunglasses, I had narrowed it down to two pairs.  One is the Oakley Flak Jacket Polarized in Root Beer color.  They cost $210.....The second pair is from my favorite manufacture....Maui Jim.  I found that I really like the style Makaha in Tortoise Shell color with Bronze lens, and they only cost $159!!  After researching both, I have come to the conclusion that I will stay with the Maui Jim's, and here is a photo of them.

 

And this is what they look like on a real live person!!  Just picture them on an old broad, with extra short blonde/gray hair!!  LOL

Then we drove to the local Victory store in Reno, so that I could try sitting on their big Touring Bike that they sell.  Walt is hoping to replace our Gold Wing (which is close to 1000 lbs) with the Victory in the future.  But he is wanting to purchase a Bike that I can ride too, but without the training wheels!  Well....let me tell you, it ain't gonna happen!

I could barely sit on it with my tip toes on the ground.  Which is a definite plus from the Gold Wing, since I can't even put my tip toes on the ground at all with the Gold Wing!!  But it is still way too heavy, and I couldn't even turn the wheel straight while sitting on it.  So it is still way too heavy for me to be able to be in control of it.  And I feel that if I can't sit on it comfortably, with my feet at least mostly on the ground, and be able to move the Bike forwards and backwards on my own, (as I would occasionally need to be able to maneuver the Bike from a parking space, etc).  And if I can't do this without TIPPING THE BIKE OVER, then I am not going to ride it!!  And I am too short at 5'3", and not strong enough to be able to maneuver the Bike which is over 800 lbs, especially if I were to be stopped on a slight angle....just saying, it ain't gonna happen.  Sorry Walt.

I told him that I will just stay on the back of whatever Bike we have.  If he wants me to ride a Bike, it either has to be a Trike (if it is a BIG Bike), or one that I can sit on with my feet firmly on the ground, that I can push back and forth under my own power.  I would be happy put putting around on a Scooter, but Walt refuses to buy me one!  It would be something that I could zip around on by myself.  He is just thinking that we can't ride side by side easily, if he is on his huge Gold Wing, and I am on a little Scooter.  But I probably wouldn't be riding the Scooter if he was with me, I would be riding behind him!!  Here is a photo of the Victory Vision.

 

Once we left the Victory store in Reno, we drove back to Minden which is South of Carson City, to our Optometrist Office.  They were having their Spring Trunk Show tonight, and we wanted to order our new Glasses at this show, as we got 40% off the Frames tonight.  We were glad that we did, since Walt found a pair of Frames that he liked even better than the ones we had picked out last week.  So we feel that we got a great deal tonight.  We got both pairs (his and mine) for $725.  We paid this much for Walt's last pair alone, 2 or 3 yrs ago!!  So now all I need is my my Maui Jim Sunglasses and we will be set!!

So....now that we have spent a lot of money today....tomorrow we will be having lunch with our Son Russ.  He is driving to the Lake Tahoe area for a Seminar or something....for Mathematics.  So he is meeting us for lunch on his way home (or is it on his way there, I'm not sure which it is).  We are taking him to one of the local Bar-B-Que Restaurants.   Um mm.  Well, I better go for now.  I should be going to bed, although I want to stay up to watch the Royal Wedding, and it is hard to turn off the TV, since the Royal Procession is just about ready to begin.  But Walt would be pissed if I stayed up all night.  So I will just have to settle on watching a rerun of it tomorrow night, at a slightly earlier hour.  I won't get to see the whole thing, but at least I will get to see the highlights....Arg, MEN!!  LOL

Till Next Time.....

Aloha My Friends  :) 

 

A Big Shout Out To Stacy !!

Hey Ya'll,

I finally took the time to check in today, and found that I had a new Follower!!  Her name is Stacy, and her Blog is called, Band Of Dreams.  She was Banded on February 22, 2011 and has lost at least 38 lbs already!!  Go Stacy!  You are doing fantastic!!  Stacy is one of the lucky ones that lives near Walt Disney World, AND has a Season Pass!!  I have always wanted to go there, but due to my Disability, I fear that I could never walk it!!  But if we lived near it, I would definitely want to try!!  LOL  So if you haven't already checked out her Blog, please do so, as she is a true newbie and can use all of the love and support we can give her.....so Stacy, "Welcome to my Nightmare"!!

Aloha My New Friend  :)

Just A Thought......

Hey Ya'll,

Well, Walt left for Sacramento yesterday, so that he could be sure to make it with no problems.  There was supposed to be snow this morning over the Sierra's, and since our 4x4 Truck is still in the shop being repaired from his accident last month, he didn't want any problems driving down, since the rental vehicle we have is a car....with no chains.

Today we had high winds, here in the Carson City area.  Like I have said in prior posts, I believe that this valley where Carson City sits, gets winds all year round, not just seasonally.  Today's winds was exceptionally high, and knocked power out in the whole valley again!!  This was at least the 3rd time in 2 weeks for us to lose power.

The main problem that is caused by the power outages for me, is the loss of Internet.  Sometimes for only an hour or two, other times it lasts for several days.  Which means that I go into Internet withdrawals.....LOL  So of course I lost my Internet today, but luckily for only about 3 hours.  And once the power and Internet came up, I discovered that the high winds caused some damage to our Cable reception (like no signal at all)!!  So I was without Cable TV for several hours beyond, when the power was restored too!!  This was not a great day for me, but it could have been worse, had the power or Internet not been restored at all!!  LOL

I finished Crocheting my Mom's Reindeer.  It was made from one of the patterns I have for the Itty Bitty Animals.  It was meant to be 3 1/2 inches tall, and I made it 12 inches tall (not including the antlers).  I hope that she likes it!  It was supposed to have a Holiday Ribbon around its neck, but I decided to make one using a strand of Christmas Red and a strand of Christmas Green yarns together.  I had planned to give it to her for Christmas, but she is not doing very well, so I am going to give it to her the next time I am in California....

Now for a question to all the Bandster's out there that may read this.  If you knew what you know now about your Band and it's problems, etc.  Would you still have the Lap Band or Realize Band Surgery?  Or would you opt for the Gastric Bypass, or Gastric Sleeve?

I ask this because I have been reading where quite a few of us Bandster's, has begun to have problems with our Bands.  Some have even had to have the Band removed, and a Revision Surgery with either a GB (RNY) or GS Surgery performed.  I have also read that the life expectancy of the Band is about 10 years.  Although many say it could stay in, for the rest of our lives with no consequence or problems.  The ones that say 10 years, says that within 10 years, most of us will have to have a Revision Surgery anyway.  Either because of complications, or because it is no longer working for us.

Because of the problems that I have already begun to have, Walt and I have talked about it, and if (and that is a BIG IF), I have continued problems through the years, and it ends up that I do need to have the Band removed.  Unless they come up with some other Surgery that is better with even less expected complications, I would probably go for the Gastric Sleeve.  This way I would at least keep my Stomach (albeit only about 15-20% of it), which would cause less trouble in the way of malnutrition, since the food still flows through the Stomach and not Bypassed.

Anyone have any thoughts on this???  Pro or con?  And to answer the question myself....if I knew what I know now, I might have allowed my Surgeon to perform the Gastric Sleeve instead of the Band for me.  I am not sure though if it was one of the procedures that was available to me then.  But I do know that he does perform them now.  Mostly as Revision Surgery, to prior Lap Band and Realize Band patients.  Which makes me wonder.....is this an inevitable future Surgery??

Well, it is getting late, I should go to bed....till next time.

Aloha My Friends  :)

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

Hey Ya'll,

I was checking back into my blog, and found that I have another new Follower!!  Her name is Sheila, and her blog is called, This One Body.  She had the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy done on October 22, 2010, and has already lost 60 lbs!!  Go Sheila!!  I am highly interested in seeing how she is doing with the Gastric Sleeve, as I have been thinking that if, and this is a BIG IF....I were to have complications in the future, where I had to have my Band removed, I would probably choose to have the Gastric Sleeve done, rather than the Bypass.  This way you still keep all your organs functioning.....etc, etc, etc!!  So Sheila, "Welcome to my Nightmare"!!

Aloha My New Friend  :)

A Warm Welcome To...Karen :)

Hey Ya'll,

Well, I meant to welcome Karen much earlier today, but as I was typing it out, we had another power outage!!  This makes it 3 times in 2 weeks!!!  The worst part is that when we lose power, our Internet goes too!!  :(  So now that we have our power and Internet back.....I want to give a warm, belated welcome to Karen.  Her blog link is: Sunshine's Heart. 

Karen had Gastric Bypass on 2/05/09 and has lost 182 lbs!!  In fact, she is now below her goal weight.  If you haven't already checked out her blog, please do!!  Go Karen!!  So Karen....."Welcome to my Nightmare"!!

Aloha My New Friend  :)

A Big Shout Out To Amber !!

Hey Ya'll,

I just checked in and found that I had 2 new Followers!!  Amber here is still researching which WLS she will undergo, and she is asking a lot of good questions!!  The link to her Blog is: (Thin At Heart) Fat In Reality, so if you haven't already found her Blog yet, please check it out and give her the support she can use!!  Like I said, she has a lot of good questions she needs answers to!!  So Amber...."Welcome to my Nightmare)!!

Aloha My New Friend  :)

A Big Shout Out To Laura Belle !!

Hey Ya'll,

Well I was reading my Blog a bit, and realized that I had another new Follower!!  Her name is Laura Belle, and her blog is: Beer, Dogs, And Getting Healthier.....  She wasn't Banded like most of us, but has been on a self imposed diet, to lose her excess 20 lbs!  AND she is almost half way there!!  I've just started to read her blog, and I love it!!  So if you haven't found her blog yet, please use the link I provided, and give her a shout out, and encouragement!!  So Laura Belle....."Welcome to my Nightmare"!!

Aloha My New Friend  :)

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

Hey Ya'll,

I  just wanted to give a shout out to my newest Follower!!  Her name is Ronda and her Blog link is: Fit By 40.  And what I love is....she was Banded on my Birthday last year!!  Which was August 17, 2010!!  And she has lost 48.8 lbs so far!!  So if you haven't found her blog yet, please jump on over and give her the support she can use, just like the rest of us!!  LOL  So Ronda, "Welcome to my Nightmare"!  

Aloha To My New Follower  :)

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

Hey Ya'll,

I am shouting out a welcome, to my newest Follower!!  Her name is Tara, but I have been unable to locate her blog.  :(  Tara, if you would please leave me a comment, I could then follow it back to your blog.  I would love to Follow you too!!  However, if you prefer to remain anonymous, then of course, please disregard this request.  So Tara...."Welcome to my Nightmare"!!

Aloha My New Friend  :)

A Big Shout Out To Fluffy !!

Hey Ya'll,

I just wanted to give a shout out to my newest Follower!  She goes by Fluffy, but looking at her photo I posted above, you can see that she is definitely, "Fluffy" no more!!  LOL  She was Banded on November 16th, 2005 and attained her original goal weight by July 11, 2007!  But, having attained her original goal weight of 149 lbs, she decided to go ahead and change her goal weight to 138-142 lbs, and I believe that she is still losing to that weight.  Not too sure though!  But hey!  At 5'8" tall even if she stayed at her original goal weight, she looks fantastic!!!  So hop on over to her Blog, and give her a big hello from MOI!!  LOL  Fluffy's blog link is: Losing The Fluff.  So Fluffy, "Welcome to my Nightmare"!! 

Aloha My New Friend  :)

A Warm Welcome To...Just A Wallflower !! :)

She is the one on the right....

Hey Ya'll,

I have a new Follower!!  And she goes by....Just A Wallflower.  She was Banded on October 26, 2010 and has already lost 65.4 lbs!!  That's fantastic!!  She also has her Motorcycle license, and she and her hubby own and ride a Victory Vision, which is another Big Bike!!  But it sits lower to the ground than our Gold Wing.  As you can see in the photo below, she can actually put her foot on the ground!!!  Walt is talking about selling our Bike and getting a Victory like there's too!!  So Just A Wallflower, per your comment to me in my last post, I think that the reason we get people pulling over, or at least slowing down, is because our Bike looks a lot like a Motorcycle Cops Bike....plus with our Modulating Headlight, it just adds to the Motorcycle Cop look!  So guys, if you haven't already checked out her blog, please do so....here is the link to it, Joining The "Band Wagon.....  So Just A Wallflower, "Welcome to my Nightmare"!!

Aloha My New Friend  :)

What A Busy 2 Day's Weve Had!!

Hey Ya'll,

Well first off, I forgot to report that Walt passed his final Skill and Driving Tests, for his Commercial Driving License (CDL)!!  So he wanted me to be sure to thank all that sent him good thoughts, he is sure that they helped!  So now he doesn't have to worry about spending most of his free time at the Truck Driving School, when he is here in Nevada....Now it will be MY TURN!!  I have yet to take the written test for the CDL, but I will be taking it in the next couple of weeks.  Once I pass it, I will start the Truck Driving School too.  And hopefully I will be able to pass the DMV'S non written exam without any trouble!!  LOL  But I realize that it is a BIG IF!!  Hopefully I will be able to pass it within 3 attempts at most!  LOL

Oh and did I mention that Walt also took the written tests (and passed I might add), to get endorsements for Driving a Tanker, and pulling Doubles and Triples???  That is something that I have NO INTEREST in going for!!  He is just one of those super over achievers, and he feels that since he has the CDL, why not take the written tests for the others and get them as well!  Like I said, I have no interest in going for them too.

I forgot to mention that last weekend when I was out practicing riding our Bike (Gold Wing Motorcycle), that I got my first vehicle pulled over for me???  This is because our Bike is huge and White and we have an Oscillating Head Light (which is totally legal in all 50 States (on low beam)), which makes some vehicles think that we are a Cop.  So some people pull over to the side of the road to let us pass, or they believe that we want to pull them over!!!  So when I got up to the older gentleman's car (who had pulled over) and continued on by, he wasn't too happy!!  But hey, like I said, the Lights are legal.  And most important, they make it easier for other vehicles to see us!!  So I had my first pull over!  And then on the same day, I had my first wave acknowledgment from another Biker!!  And it was a young man on a Harley!!

Yesterday we finally made it to our Eye Exams!  We have been trying to get in for several months, but something always would come up, like Walt couldn't get back from California in time, so I would have to cancel and reschedule.....I'm sure that they thought that we were never going to make it!!  We really needed the exam too, since our last exam was 2 years ago.  After the exam, we started looking at frames yesterday, and we both found a frame that we liked a lot, but they will be expensive!!  Walt's glasses will be somewhere between $470-$500.  My pair will be around $405.  And that is if we wait until Thursday of next week, so that we can take advantage of their Spring Trunk show!

They will have some "new styles" available to choose from as well as more Sunglasses to choose from too.  And any frame that we pick next Thursday will be 40% off!  This is why we are waiting until next Thursday.  Also, if we decide to purchase my Sunglasses that same day, they too will be 40% off!  Since we have decided that my Distance vision (in daytime at least) is good enough without a Prescription (yes I verified it with the Optometrist, and I can still pass the DMV Eye Exam) I will just purchase straight Sunglasses with no RX in them (saving a LOT of moola!).  I will use my RX Distance glasses to drive at night still, as I have trouble seeing well at night (I'm practical, not stupid...).

I found a pair there that I liked for Sunglasses, and they cost $161, which would make them $96.60 after the 40% off!  This is assuming they are Polarized.  If not, it would cost another $125 to make them Polarized.  And in that case, I will choose another pair that IS Polarized.  But before we go back to the Optometrist, I want to go check out what they have available at Costco and Walmart, in the way of higher end Sunglasses like Ray Bans, Oakleys, Maui Jim's, etc.  I am sure that I will not find Maui Jim's and possibly not Oakleys at either Costco or Walmart, but I still want to see what they have.  Then when we go back to the Optometrist, I will know if I want to purchase my Sunglasses through her as well as my reading glasses.  I have had Maui Jim's in the past, and LOVED THEM!!!  But I know that I am looking at $200 minimum for them....

Today we drove to Reno, and met our son Russ and Walt's Ex-Wife Carolyn for lunch.  For all the newbies reading my blog.  YES, we do get along with Carolyn, and finally after 20 years can say that we are now truly on a friendship basis with her!  She has become "one of the family" through the years.  She has been invited to all of our family get together's (even when it is with my family), for at least 11 years!  Walt even jokes to me, after he had talked to her on the phone, saying that he talked with my Sister!!

We told her about Walt's Ex-Fiance (Carolyn is the one that took him away from her!) trying to get Walt to at the very least have an affair with her!!  And yes, she is STILL trying to get him back.  Last night she texted him, and asked him if he thinks about her!!  And she told him that her offer to pay for him to fly to San Diego (where she is currently living and working), for a visit with her still stands (I was not included in this invitation)....Of course, if she paid for him to fly there, she would be expecting more than dinner and talk....wow how the times have changed!   I just wonder if her Husband and Children is aware of this (they live in the Bay Area outside of San Francisco)????

Do you remember (for those of us slightly older (ahem) women), when you were young and dating a man in the early stages of a relationship, and you just knew that he would be expecting to get laid after he took you out to a fancy Restaurant??? LOL  Neither Carolyn nor Russ could believe the gall of the woman!  And Carolyn offered to go with me to beat her up!  LOL  The Ex-Wife and the current Wife against the Ex-Fiance!!  Would anyone be willing to pay for a seat at that confrontation???  I think that Walt feels puffed up like a Peacock, with so many women willing to fight for him! LOL

Oh and before I forget, on the freeway while driving home today, two birds flew into our rental car committing suicide!  One of them hit us directly in the Windshield!  And thank god it didn't even crack it....but the poor birds!!  We had no way to keep from hitting them, they were flying, then turned directly into us!  I think that the other bird hit us in the front grill.  Well, I better go for now, got lots to do....till next time.

Aloha My Friends  :)

A Warm Welcome To...Kristina B :)

Hey Ya'll,

Well, we just got home from visiting our youngest, Russ, and Walt's ex-wife Carolyn for lunch in Reno, and I discovered that I have a new Follower!!  Her name is Kristina B, and here is the link to her blog: Complete 180 Degrees With A Lap-Band.  She is in the Pre-Op Diet phase, waiting for approval from her Insurance Co.  So if you haven't already checked out her blog, please do and give her the support she will need in these early phases!!  So Kristina B, "Welcome to my Nightmare"!!

Aloha My New Friend  :)

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

   


 

Hey Ya'll,

I just discovered that I have a new Follower.  Her name is Lyla, and if I have the right blog, her blog link is: Big Fat Professor.  I reason that I think that I have the right blog, is because I just began Following her last night!!  If this is not your blog Lyla, please let me know so that I can remove this post!! LOL  And providing me the correct blog information would be great!  Lyla was Banded on September 17, 2010 and has already lost 106 lbs!!!  OMG!  So HOP on over and check out her Blog, I would say to give her support, but at least in the area of weight loss, she is doing great!  But we all need some support in one form or another....LOL  So Lyla...."Welcome to my Nightmare!"


Aloha My New Friend  :)

A Big Shout Out To Ashleigh !!

Hey Ya'll,

I just checked in, and found that I have a new Follower.  Her name is, Ashleigh.  However, I am unable to find her blog, so I am unable to Follow her myself, or give a shout out, so that others can find her blog as well!!  So, Ashleigh, if you would PLEASE leave me a comment, I would love to follow it to your blog, so that I can Follow you too!!  Unless you wish to remain anonymous, then of course, please disregard my last request!!  LOL  So....Ashleigh, "Welcome to my Nightmare"!

*****UPDATE*****

I believe that I have discovered who Ashleigh is.  And if I have the correct Ashleigh, then her blog link is: Wallflower....Step Aside!.  She is to be Banded on May 12th, so hop (yes, this is an Easter reference!) on over to her blog, and give her the love and support she needs, especially in this early phase of her journey!!

Aloha My New Friend/s  :)