Looking Back to go Forward

My high school sweetheart, Richard, and I shared a number of years together in high school and for a short period of time after graduation. I was one year ahead of him at Dexter Regional High School in Dexter, Maine. We shared many good times in school, Garland Pond, Scotty's house, Sherri's house, Heidi's house, Dexter, Bangor, concerts, Bar Harbor, restaurants, Prom Night ... and more. All those things kids did back in the 70s. We were young. We were in love. Unfortunately, things got in the way and we went our separate ways. We never spoke a bad word between us. It just was not the right time. We each had too many things to work out from our childhoods. He moved to Florida and I moved to Massachusetts. Years passed and I thought of him often. I kept track of him ... sort of a stalker from afar. When I felt it was time that I could talk to him about the reasons why I left him three (yes, 3) times I was told he was married. Ah crap! I felt I had missed out on a life of happiness. I moved on and eventually related to Florida. He had already moved back to Maine. Another 13 years pass. I began looking back at my life (like a lot of us do when you hit 50!). I missed him. My love life lacked luster. I had not been success in the "being married" department. Then this year I was on FaceBook looking at my classmates friends' lists and there he was! I looked at his profile and discovered he was single and interested in dating. Wow! My world was about to change. I sent him a friend request. We started sending emails, then he wanted to talk to me on the phone. I was prepared to tell him everything that I had wanted to tell him over 13 years ago. The phone call was over three hours long! We continued our talks and in a few months he came to visit. He brought with him a ring! Yes, girls, an engagement ring! I said "Yes" this time. He had asked me to marry him on the night of his Senior Prom, almost 33 years to the day! I had said "No" at that time. We married on June 25, 2009. Both he and I could not be happier! We both realized how much we cared for one another back in our youth and that that love was still there just waiting to blossom! He had never married (I was told a lie) and he had never asked another. I had to look back to go forward. <3 <3

A trip down memory lane ...

Early this morning I rode off into the sunrise headed for Orlando to spend a few hours with a dear friend, Darlene. She and her immediate family came to Disney for a week. Today was going to be filled with some adult time as Darlene and I planned to spend a few hours together.

I arrived early at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Truly amazing work Disney put into recreating the atmosphere of West Africa. As I stood in this large structure I knew that Darlene would not have any difficulty finding me although I hadn't told her where in the lobby I would be waiting for her. With many stairs and doorways to enter she chose the one closest to me. I turned toward the stairs almost the exact moment she was coming up the stairs. We recognized each other immediately ... the seventeen years of not seeing each other faded away as we hugged and exchanged loving greetings. Seventeen years?! It was that long ago when on her honeymoon she and Grant stopped to spend a few days with me and my then husband in Grand Forks, ND.

Darlene and I spent the next six hours chatting away, telling tales of long ago and getting caught up on new ones. She has incredible stories of her time living in Africa, a place where she had gone to school and where she met Grant. I feel a book is in the making!

Grant joined us for brunch at the buffet, bringing with him their two children, Natalie and Ian. Both are so charming and beautiful. Nat definitely looks like you, Darlene! Ian is most definitely taking after his father!!! Too cute.

I had the most delightful time and was saddened that it had to come to an end ... for now.

Until our next visit ... but lets not wait seventeen years!!!

Many face the same challenge.

There are not many of use who at one time or another have had to face the challenge of weight, whether weight loss or weight gain. I have had to face both in my life. Back in my late teens and early twenties I became ill with a disorder that placed me in the hospital not once but three times in less than five years. I found during those years that I was unable to keep weight on. I went from a healthy 19 year old, 5'4" around 125 pounds with about 18% body fat to 108/113 pounds with around 7% body fat. I was not anorexic but people assumed I was - my body looked it with a 18" waist line on a 23 year old. My body had wasted away as a result of my illness. It took me two years to put 10 pounds on and that was with me eating foods such as onion rings and milkshakes. These days I am faced with losing weight. Over the past 11 years I have slowly gained weight that now has become a burden for my body, mind and spirit.

I have tried many different programs to lose weight in which I have failed on every one of them. Here is the list of all the diets I have tried: Nutrasystem, Weight Watchers, Vegatarian, Atkins, Eat Right for your Blood Type, Master Cleanse (aka Lemonade Diet), Raw Food, Body-for-Life, Dr. Lara (Bshots/500 cal diet/amphetamines), Somalife weightloss, Slimfast, Juicing diet, The Maker's Diet, Tony Little's Diet/Exercise, Dr. Gatza's Total Shake Diet, and Fasting.

With the challenge of me losing weight I have found something that I struggle with. Many things in my life have been easy for me to attain. Weight loss has not been one of them. Over the past 12 weeks I have changed this. I have lost weight ... 15 pounds. It has been a process that has taken me over three years to reach a point where I can now lose weight.

First, I had to start eating more. What a concept! I had for years limited my intake of food not out of fear of eating but due to a lack of time to eat. Eventually this led to my body shutting down the mechanism to tell me when I was hungry. Eventually I came to the point of only knowing when to eat when my body was ready to fall, or when the blood sugars crashed. This was not good from me. This process actually attributed to my weight gain. It took me two years to get the habit in of eating three to six meals a day. News Flash: NOT eating three to six meals a day CAN lead to weight gain!

Secondly, I had to change up the exercise. I had reached a plateau in exercise, basically I was in a rut. I only knew body building movements with weights. When I had done softer exercises I did lose weight and inches but it always came back. Working with personal trainers led to disappointment for I usually gained weight! I have discovered that I need to do two forms of movement: 1) a gentle stroll or swimming, and 2) full body movement such as Cross Fit Training. News Flash: Different exercises for different changes in the body.

Well, there it is in a nut shell. Seems fairly simple when it is put into words. Here is to 2009 and my challenge to lose weight. I am not alone in this task. Right, Donni? :-)

New Year's Resolutions

Every new year for the past several years I have made simple resolutions for the coming year. They have never been complicated. That way I am sure not to fail! One year it was "To have more fun." Another was "To laugh more." One year I simply stated "Enjoy." I recognize that I have been skating through this annual ritual. I cannot continue to exercise such simplicities. I must up the gradient on the complexity and challenge of the resolution. I'm not going to vie for a Senate seat. I won't be climbing Mt. Everest. Those items are extreme. I will, though, do something that may seem to many, including myself, just as difficult. I will set out to lose weight. Here's to 2009!

Photos of New Year's Eve 2009 from Around the World http://www.theage.com.au/photogallery/2009/01/01/1230681617177.html

Hip, Hip, Hooray!

Jessica, the daughter of my good friend, Julie, participated last week in the 2008 Pop Warner National Cheering Championship held in Orlando, FL. Her team, Reading Rockets, scored 87.9 which put them in second place! Hip, Hip, Hooray!

Julie and I have been best friends from the moment we met back in 1984. It is amazing how true friendship transcends time and events. Throughout the years, marriages, divorces, deaths, jobs, moves, children ... we let the other just "BE" and we love each other for it and because of it we are BFF. "I love you Julie!"

Click on the photo to enlarge for better viewing.

Photo Credit: Source - PopWarner.com

Some are Silver and the others Gold

Last Sunday was a beautiful sunny day. It was a perfect day for a walk in the park. Kristel, Trenton, and I ventured over to John Taylor Park where we hunted for pine cones below the boughs of some of the tallest pine trees in the county. We found all sizes and shapes of cones. We collected a bountiful bunch. It wasn't long before Trent's bag was dragging on the ground ... most 3 year olds give up pretty quickly but he hung in there, heaving and pulling his bag of cones. Once we got home with all our treasures we sprayed one third gold, another third silver, and the remainder we sprayed on fake snow.

I spent the next few days unpacking boxes of Christmas decorations. For an hour or so each night I hung up decorations throughout the house. I had forgotten the effort one must put into having a home that reflects the holiday season. Oh, by the way, we're getting the tree this Sunday.

The folks in Myrtle Beach, SC are very nice. Time spent there was very restful and pleasant. I picked up my mother, Rebecca, at the Wilmington (NC) Airport on Wednesday afternoon, then drove to Hampstead, NC, where her sister, Maureen, and family, were very surprised to see her. Gotcha!! My cousin, Patricia, made quite a spread of delicious home-cooked foods. Maureen made some delicious "from scratch" contributions - Oyster Dressing and Lemon Mergine Pies. Yummy! I went back for seconds! Thank you for such a wonderful and welcoming visit. I love you!

The trip back to Florida was exhausting and long. It normally takes about 11 hours from door to door, but after 12 hours of driving in the rain I had only completed 3/4s of the trip. One section of I-95 took me 45 minutes to travel 7/10s of a mile. Finally, I pulled over and slept in my truck in the parking lot of a gas station. This morning's drive was slow but it DID move! I hope all of you had a wonderful and pleasant Thanksgiving Day.