Saturday, April 30, 2011

Just Checking In

My back is still bothering me, but I had to pull grass out of the garden. I did as much as I could but finally gave up. I ran the sprinkler for about an hour yesterday evening and this morning there was a whole new crop of grass.  *sigh*
   I decided yesterday was a good day to see if all of the rabbits would get along in the same cage - they got along much better than I anticipated and I discovered Bon Bon is indeed a male! Hopefully his little rendezvous was harmless because I would worry about a baby dwarf having a big rabbits kits.

  Today I pulled several onions and dug up some tiny potatoes.  I have a little sunflower growing out of the compost pile, along with a few squash plants and a random zuchinni plant. So far my tomato plants are doing ok (except the original 5 that died!) and my one big Early Girl plant has a lot of tomatoes. My peach tree has about 15 hard knot peaches.

  I have been spending a lot of time at http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/ and enjoying all of the recipes and ideas for WLS meals.  I have ordered a stick blender, a mini-chopper and a bento box. I think I'll end up getting some DaVinci flavored syrups since they are evidently good to change up greek yogurt, cottage cheese, etc.
  I also have been reading on obesityhelp.com , studying the blogs of those who have been through surgery and are now thriving. I read the good and the bad... got scared, excited and afraid of failing.  It is going to be a big change trying to work out meals since what  my mom makes won't work anymore.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

What's Happening (not much)

 I strained the small of my back carrying Buford out a couple of weeks ago when he was "stoned" on his valium.  Now, stooping over in the garden, squatting to pick blackberries and even standing while working shoulder level causes me a lot of pain. I suppose the answer is to rest my back but I have too much to do!  I still have tomato transplants to get in the ground, 4 bell peppers to put in the ground and I guess I will still try planting okra even though it is probably way too late.

   The boys helped me move the new big rabbit cage my dad built and we put it inside Pat the bullied hen's pen.  She is keeping company with 8 of the 7wk old chicks - Melvin came and got 3. 




I put Bon Bon the black rabbit in the new pen, and keep the dwarfs (Oops blk/wht and Cheeto) in their pen set on top.


  My meal planning is a flop. I have absolutely got to get a handle on counting, measuring and journaling. It may mean staying home and doing for myself, but if that is what it takes that is what I will do. I so want to succeed at this.


  No real news. I am trying to put money aside for the $250 admin fee for the surgery, as well as some funds for traveling to Texas at the end of May for B's graduation.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Working and working out

 Each morning I meet my friend at the gym. We have been doing the video from "The Biggest Loser" with Bob Harper. This week we stepped up from the first cardio level to "Strength and Sculpt".  Mercy! My shoulders and legs are so tired and sore!

  Today I brought the "My Meal Plan" brochure that the nutritionist gave me down for my  mom to look at. She is going to be my biggest help, advocate, etc in this, I am really depending on her to help me through. I asked another friend about staying with me the first night after my surgery... I may regret it but everybody says you need someone there, I don't have anyone else.

 One of Yankee's chicks got into the big water tub and drowned. :(

I picked black berries yesterday - just a couple of cups worth but they are still growing like crazy. I also picked a big salad bowl full of english peas ... YUM!

I am tired and sore. Still have to tend the horses then I may try to get a nap before work. I know this was a very informative post, but I just want to stay in the habit of coming here!

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Starting over.... again

I hope that now I will be more aware and reliable as far as posting here. I have decided to have the RNY gastric bypass surgery. My insurance requires 6 months of supervised weight loss, and I have done 3.  I am working out in the gym some, and out in the yard a lot. I changed to Dr. Jeffrey Friedman at Baptist Hospital's "Bariatic Center of Excellence" and they are great - much friendlier and more informative than the guy at SHH.
  A friend had the surgery on 4/12 and is doing well. She said she will take notes (literally) for me so I can know more of what to expect. Some days I still get pretty scared, but I think at this point the surgery is my only hope. The majority of the time I am really excited about being able to get active and involved.
 I want to buy normal sized jeans from a normal store, ride horses, bikes and amusement park rides. I want to go to a waterpark and do something besides watch. Watching was fine when that was the only option - I love "my" kids and if they are having fun I am happy.... but to even consider riding for myself gets me so excited!  I want to go canoeing, and hiking. I want to do a 5k - even a walking one. Maybe I will even book a flight somewhere, just to fit in the seat.
   I will take "before" photos soon, and I will post everything (weight, measurements, photos) when I know for sure I am having the surgery.So far I think I have lost 20lbs dieting /exercise.

  Last week I got the results from the required psych eval. Despite all differing opinions from my friends and family I am NOT crazy! Woot!  I did rank above average, but still in the normal range, for anxiety and "social isolation" (paranoia). I also ranked above average for creativity and way below average for rash actions / racing thoughts etc.   :)

  Sorry this is so long, but some "farm" notes:
March 6-7 hatched 11 chicks in an incubator borrowed from my neighbor. They are 6 wks old now and I think I have 2 roos and 9 pullets. No idea for sure though lol.  I put them with Pat in her "solitary" pen and they all get along ok so far.

Over the past week or 2 my Jersey Giant hen, Yankee, has hatched 3 chicks and still has a few eggs she is setting on from time to time.

I bought 3 rabbits (yes, I know, 3 rabbits).  1 is a smoky black "floppy" (aka mutt) and the other 2 are dwarfs - a cinnamon and a black/white one.  My dad is building a hutch and I will have furry compost makers.

Speaking of compost - my potato baskets may not make the first potato, but  there is some black gold working in the straw / poo / compost / leaves I have been putting in there.

Yesterday I pretty much finished up my garden:
2 kinds of cukes in one row
white tip radish
11 yellow squash (crook and straight neck)
3 butternut squash
4 zukes
1/2 row mustard
1/2 row white icicle radish
3 rows Mississippi Silverskin peas
4 rows pinkeye purple hull peas
2 rows "Blue Lake Bush peas"
2 rows Golden Queen corn
1 row of Peaches n Cream corn (scattered the rest - I was tired!!)

I still have a little okra I want to plant, as well as some marigolds and sunflowers. I will be buying landscape timbers to put flower beds in around the trailer. Also want to get my pixie gardenias this year!!

Ok that is long enough for now. I really hope to get my act together and record my weight loss journey here, as well as my gardening adventures!!