***Welcome To The New Cruise Countdown Club***

[timeormoney]

Yes glad to be home, feels like we have been gone much longer than 4days. We had to return the oxygen concentrator this morning, then Bill went to work. I did some laundry and went up town for some canning kids. Before we left I picked 2big bowls of cherries so now I have to make jelly. Last year I made both cherry and grape and we have not had to buy jelly all year.

 

Did you have any damage from the storm last night. I think we were on almost one of the last planes allowed to land yesterday. But then had to drive home in monsson like rain and wind. Got home around 9 pm. I lost my phone at the airpor so stopped at Walmart on the way home bought another one, called trac phone people got my minutes and days transferred to my new phone before anyone ciuld use it. Only thing is I am trying to recreate all my contacts, could not get them moved over.

[mstrc1]

Sharon, I had been concerned about you being delayed of having problems returning home on Monday. It is not good being diverted on a plane or just sitting there waiting to take off. We had heard that the 2 areas that most were, towards the WI boarder and in our area.

 

There were 2 storms. The first hit around 7 and the second hit around 10:30 with 75 mph winds. I was already in been sleeping. Our power went off at 10:30 and did not go back on until 7 the next morning. We did have power, as our generator kicked on and ran the entire time.

 

There is a telephone poll that holds the high power wires. The poll broke and wires fell to the ground. Bill was yelling and I did not hear him. Once I finally did hear him, there was a fire in front of our house from the high power wires burning on our grass. Also they were across the street.

 

Once the police arrived they blocked the street with their car and lights on and flares on the ground to keep cars from diving through the live wires. They connected the wires and turned the power back on the next morning. But they have not fixed the poll that is leaning on a huge cottonwood tree. Also a day care place across the street has been without power the entire time. Since their wire connected to the poll. They will not get power until they put a new poll in.

 

I had heard yesterday, that some places may not get power back until after the 4th. Business in town are still without power and limbs and trees down all over the place. They have a policy that residence gets hooked up first before a business. We ended with 2.4" of total rainfall. I also saw on the news that people were leaving their car on Tuesday and walking with their bags to the airport, due to flooding and closed roads.

 

So I am glad that you are back home safe and that all is going well. How is Tinker doing? I lost .2 at weigh-in on Monday. I did not stay for the meeting, as I knew the storm was coming.

 

Kathy

[timeormoney]

Oh, sounds like your area got hit pretty hard! I saw one young guy got electrocuted because he thought the wire down in there back yard was no longer hot and it was. You have to be very careful, lots of power in those wires!

 

Tinker is doing good, the same as when we had left. She has trouble walking but is still able to get up and get around to eat and go outside. Guess when I changed her sleeping from Bill's closet, which she has slept in since we moved here, to the kitchen she became very disoriented and was walking around in circles. Didn't eat for 2 days, the pet sitter was just going to try and hand feed her when she finally started eating on her own. I should have just left her bed in the closet and everything would have been alright. Next time I will know to leave well enough alone.

 

We were very upset at the airport, we had asked for, and it was also printed on our tickets that we would need assistance with the wheel chair. Going, I ended up trying to get the wheelchair down the ramp, which wasn't easy to keep it from getting away from me. Found out later it is against company policy to let the customer to try and get the chair down the ramp. Coming back, there was no one there to help us and we stood at the bottom of the gangway for over 15 minutes after everyone else had exited the plane waiting for some help. 2 different crew members called for assistance for us. Finally a heavy set gal came and she could barely push him up the ramp. When we got to inside by the counter she said, Well I got other things to do, someone else will be around sooner or later. And she left us. Trying to find the elevator was not easy and then when we got to baggage claim Bill had to pull the suitcase while I pushed the wheel chair. So not happy with United at all. We kept seeing Ohare staff pushing empty wheel chairs all over, but no one would help us, guess because we brought our own chair.

 

Going to try and get the juice ready from the cherries and make the jelly tomorrow. Wanted to cut some grass but its still too wet. Looks like it could rain again any minute too. It's rather cool outside but I like it.

 

Good thing you have a generator!

[mstrc1]

Sharon, most airports have contract help that provides wheelchairs. Too late now, but the next time. They will be there meeting the plane and then taking you to the plane as well. All they are looking for is a tip, but most use these services now when traveling. But you are right, I would have been upset. Certainly customer service is not good anyplace where you go now.

 

It has looked like rain here as well. So too early to see if any games will get called due to the weather. But it will be cool once again. At least the bugs will stay away in cooler temps.

 

You will be busy with jelly for the next few days. You would be upset and also confused if someone moved your bed into the kitchen. She was probably thinking, what is going on here. First she moves my bed and now they leave me.

 

Places will be without power until after the 4th. They do not replace poles very quickly. Best to be self sufficient.

 

 

Kathy

[timeormoney]

We wanted to take our own wheelchair because we didn't rent a car and there were several restaurants within a block of the hotel we were staying at in Tx. Don't think we will ever be flying again, to much trouble.

 

Yes poor Tinker I really messed her up. She is back to normal now though, thank goodness.

 

I got the cherry juice ready for jelly making, but I had forgotten I had to go and have a diagnostic mamogram and an ultra sound this afternoon. Everthing was still the same so I got the green light to wait the normal year for retesting. That was a relief!

 

Did you get your game in last night? We had rain most of the afternoon and night. I did get some of the grass cut before dinner, don't know when I' ll get the rest done. Have to make that jelly soon.

 

We are going to a pancake breakfast in the morning, probably go watch the parade later. My church wanted people to wear their 100 year t shirt and march in the parade, but I'm not going to do that. Our church is celebrating 100 years and you ciuld order tshirts and sweatshirts with that on it. That is what we wear when we walk on Monday nights.

 

I hope you are getting the day off tomorrow and enjoy your day!

[mstrc1]

Sharon, Happy July 4th. I hope you have a nice and safe day. Yes, I have a nice long weekend for a change. At least that is one thing we do get is all of the major holidays off. The jerk hates to pay anyone when they are not actually working.

 

Yes, I can see why you took the wheelchair. If you do that again, check the chair and use the airport transportation people to wheel you around.

 

We did get the game in on Wednesday. Although it was cool it did not rain until very late after we were all finished. We lost again. So it seems like we win 1 and then loose 1.

 

We have been watching fireworks just from our front porch. It has been very crowded with traffic with so many places around here hosting fireworks. I have no idea what we are doing today or over the weekend for that matter.

 

I had my mamo test done on Wednesday. So just waiting for the results now.

 

Enjoy and have a great weekend.

 

 

Kathy

[Oppalopa]

Hello may I join ? I need to loose a lot of weight and love to cruise. I am on the Simple Diet it is similar to weight watchers :)

[timeormoney]

Hi oppalopa, sure you can post here, love the name of your diet, is it

Simple to follow?

 

I was surprised to get on the scale and see that I was down 7 pounds. I think it has something to do with the antibiotic I was taking. I didn't change anything else so must be that. I am dine taking it finally, it was too big a pill so I had to open it and mix it with yogurt to get it down.

 

We didn't get to the pancake breakfast, but did get to the parade. We are going to the fireworks tomorrow night. Several towns around here had them tonight but we are waiting.

[mstrc1]

Welcome, and as Sharon said, we would love for you to join us. There have only been a few stop by over the past few years and have never stuck around for a very long time.

 

I would like to hear about your diet as I go to WW once a week on Monday to weigh-in and attend a meeting telling us what we did good or not so good and to try to keep us on the right path.

 

One week I gain and the next I loose. But mostly I am very unhappy with my weight. We are both in Illinois, and I am next to the IN border, and Sharon is close to the WI border. Where in Florida are you located and what is your name?

 

Sharon, congrats on loosing 7 pounds. It has been a long time since any of us has seen results like that. I agree it was probably due to you were sick and taking the med's.

 

I remember you go to the pancake breakfast before. Too bad you could not make it yesterday. It is good that you area will have fireworks tonight. It was like a war zone around here last night with people shooting them off. I thought I might have to run and take cover it was that bad.

 

It should be a nice weekend to enjoy being outdoors.

 

 

Kathy

[Oppalopa]

My name is Karen. I am 64. :) I sailed on the Brilliance last December and loved it. I lost 10 pounds from all the walking. The simple diet is 3 low carb, low sugar protein drinks. 5 fruits and vegetables and 2 low calorie entrees like Healthy choice Smart Ones etc, as long as they have 10 grams of protein and 300 calories.

[timeormoney]

I did a 5k walk this morning with a friend. We completed it in 56 min 19 seconds. We might have won our age category but neither one of us wanted to have them shout out our age. The awards were given out by age groups. They were also having a pancake breakfast in the same town by the lake front. I came home picked up Bill and we went back up there. But we didn't stay because by then the people waiting in line was about 2blocks long. So we went to a restaurant instead. When we got home I made 13 jars of cherry jelly. A very hot job since you have to have boilong water to rinse the jars in and boiling water to put the put the filled jars in to seal them. I have another bowl of juice but will probably wait till monday to do the rest.

 

Karen that does sound like a simple diet, even better if it works for you. That seems to be the trick, finding something that you can stick with for a period of time. They always say its not a diet its a life style.

 

How are the mosquitoes by you Kathy, they are really bad here, in fact we decided to not go to the fireworks tonight, partly because of them. Also Bill was tired and I was too. Looks like we are going to miss the rain tonight, heard some thunder about a hald hr ago and now its blown over.

[mstrc1]

Karen, like you had said, it is a very simple diet and also much like what I have been doing with WW. Wow, loosing 10 lbs just from walking. I wish I could do that.Our cruise is not until April, from Hawaii to Vancouver, on the Solstice.

 

Sharon, that is the beauty of doing a 5K walk for the reward and recognition. Once again, I need to get walking with my friend. We were doing it regularly last year. This year, all we have been doing is talking.

 

Well you had a good intension for the breakfast. But with lines, I can tell you we would not stick around and wait in long lines such as what they had there.

Thus far the mosquitos have not been bad around here, as it has been cool at night. I have heard some areas have had them bad. With what they are saying, perhaps this week will bring them out around here, with the temps warming up.

 

 

Kathy

[timeormoney]

Kathy you will probably get the mosquitoes soon enough, consider yourself lucky so far. I cut a little grass for about an hour this afternoon and then we went up to the resort. It was good we didn't get there until around 4:30 because by then most everyone had gone home. Bill's daughter and son in law were there, they had gotten there little later than usual too. They left before us and when she went in to the dressing room she discovered someone had taken her tennis shoes. She had put the rest of her clothes in a locker but left her shoes out under a bench. Crazy someone would take shoes, they would have to fit them otherwise whats the use?

 

Looked like rain all day but so far no rain only very humid.

 

I got 13 jars of jelly made yesterday and will rry to finish it up tomorrow. So tomorrow its back to work for you, hope you have a good week.

 

Karen how was your weekend? Did you see fireworks?

[Oppalopa]

Nice weekend. I had my little great nephew for the weekend. I forgot to say I live in Clearwater Florida.

[tbbtravels]

Hi, everyone. I am trying to re-lose some weight,,,,again. So I would like to join in on the fun in here. Normally I keep 75lbs off - but the scale went the wrong way,,,,,, again.

 

I would like to get the pounds off I have gained since my January cruise. Just have a hard time staying on my way of life. Dr put me on meat and veggies back in 1999 for insulin resistance and reactive hypoglycemia. It's hard living without processed foods and starches. I especially love pasta and bread and then I gain weight. Took years to get to a dr that figured out why I gained on weight watchers and the fad diets like physcians weight loss and calorie diets.

 

I am back to eating smart carbs today.

 

Oh and I am not crazy about fish either. Read a few pages back about some of you guys not liking fish either. I keep telling a friend of mine I am gonna go and be hypnotized into liking fish and hating fast food. Seems simple to me - want a burger - make a switch in my brain want some salmon and a big o green salad. LOL

Edited July 7, 2014 by tbbtravels

[mstrc1]

Sharon, that is crazy that someone would steal her shoes. Especially at a nice resort. It just goes to show you cannot trust anyone anywhere.

 

Yes, the humidity moved in and last night we had to turn the AC back on. We did not get the rain until 2 am this morning. I could hear the thunder. I guess we could get more this evening. With this heat and humidity, the mosquito's will be out for sure. It was nice having the long weekend, but back to the bump and grind once again.

 

Karen, you will have to tell me more about you diet. I go to weigh-in on Monday night, and then usually stay for the meeting as well.

 

 

Kathy

[mstrc1]

Hi, everyone. I am trying to re-lose some weight,,,,again. So I would like to join in on the fun in here. Normally I keep 75lbs off - but the scale went the wrong way,,,,,, again.

 

I would like to get the pounds off I have gained since my January cruise. Just have a hard time staying on my way of life. Dr put me on meat and veggies back in 1999 for insulin resistance and reactive hypoglycemia. It's hard living without processed foods and starches. I especially love pasta and bread and then I gain weight. Took years to get to a dr that figured out why I gained on weight watchers and the fad diets like physcians weight loss and calorie diets.

 

I am back to eating smart carbs today.

 

Oh and I am not crazy about fish either. Read a few pages back about some of you guys not liking fish either. I keep telling a friend of mine I am gonna go and be hypnotized into liking fish and hating fast food. Seems simple to me - want a burger - make a switch in my brain want some salmon and a big o green salad. LOL

 

Welcome aboard our group. So what is your name and what part of Alabama are you from? We like to go to the Gulf Shores of Alabama.

 

You would be talking about me as I am the one who hates fish. I have been getting better with my eating. But I would love to hear what your Dr had figured out about you gaining using WW. I go to WW every Monday. One week I gain and the next I loose a little.

 

 

Kathy

[tbbtravels]

Hi Kathy,

Been so long that I don't remember the terminology now. I just remember I don't process carbs well and an endocrine dr figured it out.

I love WW. It is a good diet based on balanced eating and I used to go to WW. LOL at 12 yrs old and lost easily back then. I still have in the back of my mind how to eat WW old school. Basically my body doesn't like the starches and breads. Been that way since I was steroid induced reactive hypoglycemic in the late 90's. Before then - it was SLOW to loose. I was one of those that would loose 1 lb a week. Always drinking my water and exercising.

 

I also can't go low on calories. Haven't tried calories since the 90's. Before that I would stall at 1500 calories, then 1200 and then was even put on 800 and 600 calories by one of those diet dr's. My bill went up because they supplementing me with "weight loss" shakes. I didn't loose and my bill went up. A general practitioner said that they were starving my body and I would not loose going that low on food. I tried nutrisystem and jennycraig too. Couldn't loose but a dr told me that it was from their preservatives (back in 90's haven't tried the new stuff).

 

Tried every diet that I have heard of. Now I do meat and non starch veggies with grapefruit at my meals. I can loose. Just can't maintain well. I want starches in bread form and pasta form. Yeah I do eat nut based breads and zuc spiral pasta but it ain't the same!

Edited July 7, 2014 by tbbtravels

[tbbtravels]

Sorry about above - typos, punctuation and left out words. Waited too long and I can't edit now.

 

I am Michele from Birmingham Alabama. Takes me about 5 hrs to get to gulf shores or Panama City Beach.

[mstrc1]

Hi Michele. We have flown into Mobile going to the Gulf Shores. So I can see that you are much further away from there. I see you also have a nice number of cruises planned. Our next cruise is not until April and it is on the Celebrity Solstice, from Hawaii to Vancouver.

 

Yes, eating in portions has helped me out some. But with bad habits, like drinking wine and eating out a lot, is what does me in. Also stress from my job as I work for a real jerk, as Sharon will tell you.

 

 

Kathy

[timeormoney]

Welcome Michele! How are you doing now that you have figured out the problem? A few pounds always try to sneak back on, hard to get off, easy to put on!

 

We had a storm come through last night too. Lightening, thunder and rain. Today pretty nice. I finally got the cherry jelly all done. Should have enough to last until next year. Then did some more mowing. I have been trying to get an hour of mowing in every day. I have one more hour section to do, then I'll have to start over sgain.

 

I am ordering Bill a portable oxygen concentrator, an Inogen seems to be the lightest weight and still provides the amount of oxygen he needs. Will get it ordered tomorrow hopefully.

 

Did the walk with the church group tonight. Supposed to be an hour but went an extra half hour. Going to zumba tomorrow since the water aerobicd instructor is still out of town.

 

More rain coming tonight.

[tbbtravels]

Thanks timeormoney.

For years I wondered why I couldn't loose. I mean those places even had me thinking I WAS cheating. LOL. Figured since I have the answer now this weight loss journey would be easy. It's just so hard to live with all the restrictions. Life happens and I love food. Before I know it - I have gained some back. I am hard at it now trying to do the best that I can.

Drinking water with lemon, salads and grilled meats with veggies. Detoxing from chemicals and carbs right now.

 

It could be worse. I know a lady that is allergic to meat. She eats beans and fish. That's all she can eat. That would be rough. Much worse than what I have.

[mstrc1]

Sharon, yes we have gotten the storms the past few mornings. Today we had them roll in just when I was waking up. It should be OK now as far as the weather goes for the rest of this week. But those mosquitoes will be active.

 

Very good advice on the pounds coming and going. Last night at weigh-in I lost .4. Then at the meeting afterwards, they were talking about the veggie's you should be eating and water drinking. I have been getting better, but neither do I do very much of regularly. So I went to the supermarket and really went overboard with buying all of this stuff. It sure looks colorful. Now all I have to do is to make it all happen regularly.

 

So Sharon you are back to Zumba, but no water aerobics. It seems like you have been off from everything except the walking. Is the walking group getting any better? Well you should have enough jelly now to last you until next year. It sounds like you really mixed up a good batch of it.

 

Michele, you are on the right path and have done very well. We all are on the same path, just taking different routes to get to the same place. You are right about it could be much worse. There is always someone else who has it much worse than us. My Bill has a cousin who lives in you town.

 

Karen, did you get any bad weather down your way?

 

 

Kathy

Edited July 8, 2014 by mstrc1

[Kao2293]

Hello Everyone!

 

I am new to Cruise Critic and stumbled upon this thread. I would love to join in! I am cruising in September on the Freedom....60 days!! I am actually a registered dietetic technician (nutritionist) so if you have any questions I can answer to the best of my ability. I have a new job where I sit at my desk pretty much all day (seeing clients) but it is VERY stationary compared to what I am used to. I have put on 15 lbs. Eating fortunately isn't my problem...it's exercising. So just yesterday I started the T25 workout videos. Hoping to see some results! Need to be feeling more comfortable to sport a bikini on this cruise lol! Would love to chat will you all!

[timeormoney]

Kathy, good for you, you do keep losing even if you put back on an ounce or two, they add up. I have put back on 2 pounds since I'm off the antibiotics, didn't really see how it made a difference since it was for the lymes disease. They did taste terrible though, too big to swallow so I had to open them and put them in yogurt, found that covered up the taste the best and thought it would also put back some good bacteria in my stomach. I usually eat a sandwich for lunch and sometimes sneak in an ice cream bar. Like you, I bought a whole bunch of different fruits, I know you did the veggies, and hopefully we will eat them before they go bad. It's such a good time of year for both fruit and veggies. Rain again last night, seems to be a nightly occurrence lately. Went to zumba this morning and had a good work out, the girls have found another zumba class for tomorrow morning but I'm not sure if I'll try that one or not yet. The instructor for the water aerobics should be back for the class on Thursday, looking forward to that.

 

Michele even when you know what you should be eating, its not the easiest thing to do. We just keep on keeping on or look where we would be if we didn't at least try!

 

Kao2293, welcome and what is your name? It is hard to get in exercise unless you just absolutely make time for it. I like to do the "organized" excercises. I do zumba, water aerobics and walking. I find that when I try to do an exercise tape at home I quit when I get tired, but if I am working out in a group I keep going because of the peer pressure. I belong to 2 walking groups and we walk about 3 miles or so once a week. A friend and I just did a 5K walk on July 5th.