Spring into a new day, a new week, a new season, a new start!

[LadyMaverick]

Tomorrow is my 10th WeightWatchers meeting. When I joined WW they had a special deal that if you lose 10 lbs in the first 10 weeks then the cost of those 2 months WW program would be refunded. I am in the process of filling out the paperwork to claim my refund. Actually, I'm going to have them give me the $90 as a credit to pay for 2 more months. I hate paying someone to lose weight, but I hate NOT losing weight more. It is working so I consider it a necessary expense to keep me on track.

[Harmony]

Yeah, the wallet thing. I've been looking for a couple years. Every store I go into. I have a very nice pricey leather wallet someone gave me with a leather purse. Both are unusable, p in the a to use. No outside pocket for phone, and wallet is stiff, tight, too small. Both Beautiful. Oh, well. I bought one of those little single oblong things just for C Cards and a zipper... but if one loads each slot everything is tight and the cards don't go in and out. Also didn't fit $ bills.

It doesn't help that I carry most of DH's cards around too. His voting registration, his pharmacy card, his library card. His medical card. I did pare things down so I only have 1 wallet (the old one) and 1 zipper case which I use to carry cough drops, antacids, ear plugs (for church) and all those gift cards and store reward cards. I'll just keep looking for the one I need to replace.

Maybe I should look online?

Ran couple errands and helped our helper with things around here. DH had to run out and I was in charge for a while. I'm glad today is about over for all that.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

LadyM: I hated paying someone to lose weight as well. But WW worked for me a couple of times. Lately, I had success with MyFitnessPal but it was a conversion to think of food as calories rather than points. BTW: I'm tired of learning new WW systems which is why I didn't bother to go back again. I've already learned 3.

I did my walk. That tuckered me out so I'm taking an hour off while dinner is cooking. I set the table when I dusted it, so that's done.

Had 20 oz of water when I got in and then a big cup of tea to wake me up and a protein bar to stay away from snacking.

Harmony: yes, definitely look online. I spent about 3 hours looking at every computer backpack at a HUGE mall, then spent the same amount time doing so online. Finally pulled the trigger and ordered one, just because A-river has such a great return policy. Guess what? The backpack is absolutely perfect! I love it and have now traveled twice with it and love flying with it as well as using it around town. It makes me happy.

It will take you ages to go over all the wallets but it will be worth it in the end. I did the same for my last purse but in that case bought in a bricks and mortar store after picking it out online. That's the purse that I thought I had to give up since my bullet journal wouldn't work in it (and didn't want to move to a smaller layout journal). After an unsuccessful time with another purse I already owned, I discovered if I took out the other junk, the journal fit, so I've done that instead because I love the purse so very much.

[Harriet]

Hi.

Various bits of housework here and there. Don't know why I can't "light and set" today.

kitchen counters
cut up a lot of veggies
swept and mopped kitchen
changed out trash in kitchen and front bath
cleaned front bath trash can well
front bathroom sink
said sink running clear now - plumber's helper
scrubbed both lavatory's plugs while at it
cleaned front toilet

I guess written down, they look more efficient than I felt.

helia, just same old wound. We still don't have our SS class back - disbanded because long-time teacher is a woman. I know the scriptures better than this. Embarrassed I haven't been able to make a difference.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Harmony: for carrying the extra cards around I use something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Leather-Business ... ard+holder

Except mine have vinyl on both sides.

I use several of them.

My main one holds my license, registration, health card, Costco card and my most frequently use loyalty card (Bagel shop) on one side with 3 credit cards and a debit card on the other side. I can grab that and put it in my pocket and drive a car or take a bus (if I grab my bus pass from the wallet.)

When using my purse, this case goes into in the outside coin pocket of my wallet and the wallet has more credit/debit cards, cash, business cards, nail file, bandaid and my Swiss Army Credit Card (with knife, scissors, etc.) The wallet can be thrown into my computer backpack so I don't have to carry both purse and computer bag.

For additional loyalty, library, and gift cards, I have a second one that is in a pocket of my purse.

Plus I have one for my business cards!

[Harriet]

Today begins the SECOND round of the Focus cleaning calendar. The new thread for this round of 11 weeks is up, in the Organizational Tools and Skills forum, and will go through the end of May giving a week of attention to each of 11 areas.

[helia]

Home from work. Dinner is heating up. I'll make a salad in a minute. I think I'll cut up an avocado too.

Oh, ((Harriet)), I was vaguely aware of the SS class, but I'm not sure I knew the reason. Yes, you know the Scriptures better than that. I feel sure you're an excellent teacher, and your church would benefit from your and other women's teaching gifts.

blessed, if you really want, I can ask my Dad about his paper. I don't know if you'd find it interesting unless you have a strong background in civil structural engineering. I think Twins' ds might, actually. It's an academic paper published in an academic venue. I don't know if it was at a conference or in a journal. Actually, I have no desire to read it myself, so you're a better woman than I am.

WW is somewhat of a mystery to me, I must say. I used it way back when (actually, when dd18 was 6 months old) to lose the 32 pounds I'd held onto after birthing our 3 children. Over the years, I gained 13 pound back and returned about 5? years ago. When I went back to that first meeting, I remember thinking, "This is the cheesiest, shallowest gathering of people I've ever sat in." LOL! It rubbed against the grain of who I am in almost every imaginable way. I did not like it at all. The teacher was SO peppy I wanted to strangle her. Yes, Helia's latent aggression is rearing its ugly head. But I knew the program had worked for me in the past, and this teacher's class time worked best for my schedule, so I stuck it out. Sometimes I would skip -- but then. . . I found that I did much better the weeks I stayed for the meetings. Hmmm..... That was a mystery. So, I attended the meetings. And over time, I came to appreciate my teacher's peppiness and was able to take practical nuggets home from the meetings, and I could just laugh at the stuff I felt was cheesy or simplistic.

WW meetings are free for me since I'm now at goal. I actually raised my goal last fall at the suggestion of my current teacher who weighed me in one week. My previous goal was at the low end of the range for my height b/c that was what I had weighed pre-pregnancy. Actually, I'd weighed a little less. I am not large-boned, though I am fairly tall, and I still think that is a fair weight goal for me. However, she moved it up to around where I had plateaued for months, which was still well within the healthy range for my height. She also told me it may not be reasonable for a woman in her late 40s to expect to go back to the pre-pregnancy weight she had in her late 20s -- but, I could continue to lose weight toward my original goal as I wanted. And with my new goal, I wouldn't have to pay while I was working toward that lower goal. Somehow, that has really encouraged me. I've been below my goal for a while, I think -- I don't remember by how much right now.

I took myself for a 20 minute jog in our hilly neighborhood. It felt good and energized me, so I'm glad I did it, even though it was so short. I'll aim for a 3.5 mile jog tomorrow on flatter terrain.

I'm certainly chatting too much. . . Off to tend the leftovers heating up and make a salad.

[helia]

I just wanted to add that I think I was responding to the style of that specific WW teacher. I didn't have this reaction when I had attended earlier, and I even met teachers who subbed for that peppy teacher whom I liked well enough that I tried attending their classes. But the schedule just didn't work. . . I'm not wanting to step on the toes of those of you with fantastic non-cheesy WW teachers! My current one is OK. I think I liked my peppy one better. LO! But she retired.

[Ramblinrose]

Joining in with the wallet discussion....

I don't carry very many cards. Some reward cards will use your phone number. I don't always give my correct number, I switch the last two digits cause I don't trust what the vender wants with it.

In fact many times I carry a flat wallet that only holds folded bills, my drivers licence, my phone, a debt card and one credit card. That's it. Any retail card can be located by the register's computer. If I know I'm going somewhere like a dr's appointment I add my health cards. The Library can use my drivers license. I don't need my AAA card because their phone number is on my phone along with my membership number. I do have a larger wallet that I use sometimes....I just hate to carry all that stuff.

I have several different purses..the main things that I carry are my "little" wallet", contact case and wetting solution, a very small pill container, a brush that folds flat and some lipstick. I also have a small cross carrier purse that has slots for credit cards and such.

I do have regular size purses and several nice leather backpacks that I use on occasion. I keep emergency things in my car which Sweetie is always laughing about. I have a medium size soft cooler that stays in the car. It has 8 bottles of water, two emergency space blankets, a fire starter, a few energy protein bars, a knife, dental floss...works great to tie up things, is extremely strong and takes up very little room... plastic bags, paper and pencils...ink pens can go dry, there's a reason the first astronauts carried pencils..gravity and ink...an instant flat tire repair system and a fire extinguisher. In the front compartment between the two seats I have one of those metal hammers that can break through windows and has a slicer that will cut through a seat belt...it would also work will if I needed to defend myself lol. I use the slicer all the time to cut through those stupid tags stores put on things like clothes and such.

And just so you know..Norma keeps a Swiss knife in her purse too. She showed it to us last night at dinner.

[LadyMaverick]

I called a halt to homeschool lessons at 5:45 pm. DS8 didn't get as much done today as I had hoped, but he did give it a good effort. Some days are better than others.

I have added two more items to the school room to help DS8 focus by frequent moving. He now has a body ball that he sits on and a mini trampoline to bounce on. Constant motion is what works for him to focus. When he gets still, he loses focus and it's like his brain zones out and shuts down. This seems like such an easy solution. I understand it wouldn't work in a classroom with 20 kids moving all the time, but it is working for DS8 since he is the only student.

When shopping for vegetables this morning I also picked up 3 beef roasts that were on sale. I stuffed the 3 roast into the instant pot and filled the cracks with onions and baby carrots. I just opened the lid and found the most wonderful tender roast. I used the broth and vegetables to make beef & vegetable soup. I shredded and bagged the roast in 4 oz portions. It will be easy and quick to pull out of the freezer and have a good start to a meal.

I should go take a walk. It is currently 92 degrees outside with bright sunshine and a gentle breeze. DH is doing maintenance on the lawn mower and can monitor the kids playing outside. What's my excuse for not getting some steps in?