Friday, Friday, Friday....

I'm happy Friday has arrived, but we have a busy weekend too.

I enjoyed a longer lunch with Shirley and Cindee today.  We went to Panera Bread.  I tried their tortellini dish.  It was just okay.  Don't think I'll get it again, but I couldn't have meat today, so it was a good alternative.  We caught up on news, and surprisingly, our conversation included guns and shooting ranges.  I subscribed to the magazine Gardens & Guns!!  What a hoot!  I love the title of that magazine and couldn't resist!  It's a very southern thing.  It was a lively conversation!

Shirley brought her latest counted cross-stitch project with her, to show us.  She has been working on it, off and on, since last August.  I don't have the patience for cross stitch, but Shirley keeps working at it and the result is just beautiful.  You really can't see the detail in this photo, but it really looked like a painting, with the reflections in the water and the individual leaves and blades of grass.  She was taking it to see about getting it framed, when we left lunch.  I have to add that the back looks almost as good as the front.  She cuts the threads and weaves them in.  Makes me crazy just thinking about it, but she does beautiful work.

Cindee has a rare form of Parkinson's Disease.  It was a tough diagnosis a couple of years ago.  Took forever for them to finally figure out what was wrong, and then get the proper medication prescribed for her.  She is doing great, but signs of movement are starting to show now.  She has trouble sitting still, and is losing weight because of it.  Her size twos are getting big on her.  She has no business losing weight.  I'm glad that her pain is controlled, though, and she is functioning well.  She is only mid-50s, so it's a long road ahead to keep fighting it.

Tomorrow morning will find me at Weight Watchers.  I will go between meetings and get signed up.  I don't do the meetings.  I don't need that kind of encouragement....all the clapping and back patting can go to others.  I did better NOT going to meetings, than I did the time I did try to make all the meetings.  It's easier to slip in at 9:00 a.m., after the 8:30 meeting starts, and before the 10:00 meeting begins.  That way, there won't be much of a line, waiting to get weighed.  The one I go to is a store-front at Lakeside Village.  They run meetings six days a week, including a couple of evenings.  There are four weighing stations, so it is convenient to get in and get out.  I will wear the same outfit each Saturday, so when I lose, I will know it's not just a lighter-weight shirt or slacks.  That's what I did last time, and it was also fun as the outfit got baggier and baggier.  Progress that I expect to realize again!

I quit going last time, because Joe lost his job and we couldn't really afford it anymore.  Things are better now, and I told him that we need to think about it as just not going out to eat twice a month ($43 a month).  We'll be eating at home more anyway.  I really need that weekly sticker in my progress book.  It's too easy to make excuses if I don't have that looming ahead of me each week.  Working on determination.  Exercise is difficult when your knees hurt, but I lost 54 pounds last time, not exercising, so I should be able to do that again.  I also don't have a thyroid gland anymore (thyroid cancer), which doesn't help.  Metabolism is non-existent, and I can't increase the Synthroid because of atrial fibrillation.  Lots of excuses - but I managed last time, and will again!

We have had a gray day, today.  It was supposed to reach 80 degrees, but it was only 42 when I started my day, and it is 75 right now.  It looks like it wants to rain - wish it would!  We need rain. Ha - no sooner written, and the sky opened up!  Hooray!!

Wishing you all a good weekend ahead!  Thanks for stopping by.  Peace, love & hugs.