Sharing some pics

Feeling better at last. Boy oh boy did that cold kick my ass. I still have a bit of a rattle and a cough but I'm better & didn't have to make a doctor bill! Derrel tried catching it from me but it never put him down like it did me. Busy weekend for us. We did the garden expo show with our business and I worked the farmers market. Had a great weekend and made a few connections @ the expo. One company/vendor bought all the trellis' that Derrel made and are selling them at there garden center in Portland. We talked and they will be ordering more trellis' and they want plant caddies from Derrel wholesale. So that was a great connection for this year and next. I added a photo below of the show before it started. Sunday we made 2 delivery's of redwood planter benches to customers and then we went fishing for a much needed break. I've been stuck in this house for most of last week and just wanted some sunshine and out of this house. We have all been working hard and needed a little break. The sun was warm and it was nice and they caught 2 very small trout. We went to the Siletz river near our house. Several years ago we fished there and I remember crying because we could not find a spot where I could get down the hill to the river. It was all way to steep for me then. I felt bad as it was my fault we could not find a fishing spot I could get too. This year we found a spot, stopped, climbed down the hill with no troubles and no finding a "special" spot for me. It so strange still after even 2+ years. I forget I can now. I hesitate and think I have to pull myself up the hill with the weeds and such and then I step and I have the strength now to pull myself up the hill with my own legs and strength. But I still think like a fat girl at first. Until I can and then I remember. Sunday was nice day! Made some money and had fun! Monday I took Jon to get his driving permit. He studied the book all weekend and passed with 85%. For those of you that don't know Jon is very, very farsighted. So we will see how this driving thing goes. He barley passed the eye test at DMV. I'm not yet sure how he'll like it or how well he'll do but were about to find out. No one in our family is as blind as Jon so I'm not sure why this happened to him but as time passes and he becomes a man there maybe surgery's that can help him. He still has some growing to do before they will even consider it. His vision is +13.00 and +14.00 and Jonathan has been wearing contacts since first grade for better vision. When the Dr told me that he wanted Jon in contacts in first grade I laughed. How is a first grader going to do this. The Dr. explained to me that the thick bottle cap glasses he is in since age one make things so distorted for him. When you put lenses right on the eye he will see much better and clearly. He was correct and Jon did fine all those years ago. But I would of never believed it then. So I know he has a hard time so this maybe a challenge but we have to try to teach him. But ya, my boy is growing up.

The 2 other pics here are from my living room. We were watching a stupid movie on Monday night and I looked out the window and my deer was back. They come so close to the house at least 3 times a day. This is there property and we just live here. LOL I snapped one from my couch were I sit and the next morning she came back and brought her new baby so I snapped another picture. Aw!

Today we went to go see the new Transformers movie. Great effects and we all liked it. You have to see this one on the big screen. We even went for a walk before the movie as a family. I told Derrel "lets go", get up, lets go for a walk before the movie", so we did. I took apples this time to the movie and did not have a "dumping" episode from candy this time. I've learned...take apples and skip the candy! Saw a preview to a John Cusack movie called 2012 coming out this year. That one looks good! I'm excited for that one.

That was my week! So far so good! Going to Costco tomorrow and Jonathan has to work the aquarium. Then it's back to work. Here is a little commercial from the Oregon Coast aquarium that Jonathan and I both love. We keep mimicking this commercial, we think it's cute. He is loving working there this summer and that's wonderful to see. This is going to be a great thing for him in so many ways. Great learning experience for him. Otherwise here is some pics to share.

♥ Heart Broken for Jonathan...

Yesterday a death of a Angel and the death of the king of pop. Now they have peace resting with the real angel's. ☮♥

But I really came on here to blog about my son Jon. He had a really bad day yesterday. I hate this part!!!!!!!! His girl friend broke up with him late last night. :( My heart is breaking for him. We didn't talk to much about it last night. He just came to my room to give me a good night hug and I just held him for awhile and he cried. It was so hard, I just let him cry but Wow...this part of parenting sucks! Watching them hurt and cry is so hard. When he left my room I just cried for him. It will be fine but I hate watching him hurt.

As for me I'm feeling a bit better. Finally yesterday I took one Alka-Seltzer Effervescent Tablet to try to get some relief from this shit in my chest and head. Since I never take meds it worked very well for about 5 hours. Yesterday I kind of felt like living again. I really have been quite sick this week. This morning after sleeping some of the congestion from my head and chest moved to my right ear, i seriously can not hear out my right ear. (OH no-please not another dr. bill)! As soon as I eat I am going to try a hot shower and if I have too take another effervescent. I'm trying to suffer through this cold and not take meds. But to be honest it's tough not being able to take meds when your in pain or need relief of some kind. Were working all weekend so I have to get my act together. Doing the garden and landscape show today and all day Saturday. I'm working on Saturday and on Sunday. To be honest I'm a bit worried cause I'm so weak and congested but I'm sure I'll manage. Takes me till 4pm to kind of feel alive and then it's bed time and I start all over again congested as hell.

OK I'm done nagging!

$Wish us luck with the show$

Got snot?

Boy do I! Weighed in at 148.5 this morning and thinking I have about 2 pounds of crud in me so it should be less. LOL No really I'm maintaining and doing what has to be done to maintain. I've maintained my current weight now for 14-15 months now. Go me! I work hard and watch what I eat and have been staying focused so far. I'm serious...this is for a life time and I get it. I can not eat what I want everyday if I want to maintain this current weight. I did that for 40 years and look where it got me. I have to sacrifice some days and that's ok with me. So what...I have a salad instead of fries 9 out of 10 times for the rest of my life. No biggy. I can still have fries, just not everyday. I got what I set out to do and paid for! And I'm going to try really hard to maintain my current weight and stay below 158 pounds. 158 pounds with my height puts me back in the over weight range. When the scale goes up (and it does) I go back to salads and the foods that work for me and I drop back down again into the 140's. It's me making my success now...not the surgery 100% of the time anymore. The honeymoon is over and I understand it's up to me now.

Guess I just came on here to whine a bit. :( Susy's got a summer cold. Saturday I felt like I was getting a cold and by Sunday I was in a fog and sick. On Sunday (Fathers Day) we watched stupid game shows and TV all morning. I didn't even leave the couch that day till 2pm. Took a shower and did some dishes and then it was movie and veg time again. I slept on and off all day. Today is Tuesday and lordy...I still feel rough and foggy and weak. This cold went straight for my head and chest. I can't breath in or out and it hurts. I have so far been a good WLS patient and not taking anything to relieve my symptoms, but I'm not sure how many more hours I can stand it. I do have some color when I cough up shit and in two more days or so if I'm not better I'll head to the Dr. But who could afford to go to the stupid Dr. anymore. I can't afford the Dr. as we pay our health insurance each month. And that alone is putting my family in the poor house every month. We pay $1450.00 a month for family health insurance. Do the math times 12. That's fucking crazy to pay out almost $18,000 dollars a year for health coverage. But if anything goes wrong with any of us we can't afford to be without. But soon there will be a time where we can't come up with anymore funds each month if something doesn't give soon. Every Jan. our insurance goes up at least $150.00. So that's why I can't afford to make another bill if I don't need too. I just got the bill for my yearly woman's exam that I should do each year. Just the Dr. bill for the office call and blood work and that bill was alomst $450. I haven't seen the bill for the mammo yet. Grr I'm sitting here right now watching president Obama talking about Iran and health care and other issues on TV. We all should have the right to go to the Dr. This is wrong. People and company's getting rich @ our cost with inflatted health care cost and getting rich off services- I just want to scream. So for that reason I'm not going to the Dr and making more bills unless I have too. So I'm getting nothing done this week as I feel like shit. Swept yesterday and did 2 loads of laundry but that's all the spunk I had in me.

Other news around here: Jonathan is back working/volunteering at our local aquarium again for the summer. He is working one full day there each week. He is looking forward to it as the aquarium should be busier and even more fun during the summer months. http://www.aquarium.org/ This is such a great thing for Jon and I hope maybe someday he will want to get into marine science. Right now he thinks he wants to be a pharmacist. But I think knowing Jonathan it will be too routine for him but whatever he wants to do and he's happy- I'm happy! There is time to figure it out later as he is just entering 10th grade.

This weekend D and S Greenhouses is doing our 2nd expo show in town. It's the Oregon Coast Gardening and Landscape expo. Were excited!http://oregoncoastgardeningexpo.com/

Also we finally made the local web page for our farmers market. After 3 years they final updated it. Yeah! Check it out. This is one page but you'll find us on other pages within the site with pictures. http://www.newportfarmersmarket.org/vendor-detail.php?vendor=12

And this is where I work while Derrel and Jon are selling planters and plants @ the market. I figure I've got to be there why not make more money and that we need for sure $$$. It's fun, no stress and I love it. I spend my Saturdays making doggies happy♥ with dog treats. I set up the vendor booth in the morning and evening and we sell homemade all natural dog treats. Bacon, PB, chicken, and cheese. http://www.newportfarmersmarket.org/vendor-detail.php?vendor=4


Ug! That's all!

Spiders, cob webs and dirt- Oh my...

Well I just spent the last two days outside with a brush, soap, a bucket and my muscles. What's left of my muscles. I did lose a lot of muscles and strength with my weight loss. I see a difference. But that's ok, I can get it back and I'm skinny-so it's all good! The spiders are way out of control. I've never seen anything like it. They are so sticky that I'd scrub them off the house and then @ one point I was trying to hose down the steps and they were stuck to the steps. No matter how much water pressure or how close I got they would not come off without a brush and broom. There webs are like glue and do not come off with a squirt of a hose. The siding on our house was dirty, yucky with dirt and webs . I'd hose it, wash it, hose it and wash it again. I'm getting ready to paint some trim and help build our deck and this was the first chore on my list. Phew... I feel it today, but it feels great. I've worked very hard on the inside and the outside of the house the last 2 days. I do hate working outside and getting pooped and then having to figure out dinner for everyone when I'm fried myself. I was ease dropping last night while my hubby was talking to his mommy on the phone. He was telling her that I scrubbed & washed the side of the house all by myself and things have sure changed in my life. He is proud of me for just getting up and tackling it all by myself and asking for no help. My life has sure changed. Old Susy-could not or would not of done that by herself. He notices how things have changed and how I have changed. :) Today I'm going to get my teeth cleaned and then Wal mart. Later today after cleaning my house I'd like to start another on pulling some weeds and grass again and bring out some red wood posts we have in the back 40 that need lined up in our driveway to make it more attractive.

Well Monday my boy went to go see his new girl friend. Boy oh boy... New times in his life and in mine. Mommy misses the baby Jonathan as these new worries are kind of stressful on me. LOL Silly but I worry about sex, his heart getting broken, he's in a different town...all of it. I was a worry wart till he got home that day. It's just wonderful watching him grow up but stressful too. I'm sure some of you understand. His GF lives in a town about a hour + away. He got a ride with his friend and the 4 of them went to see the movie UP and then went to the beach. He is realizing how fast $25 bucks goes when you have a GF. he he Anyway I know I was being a mom and worrying but I had a zillion things running through my mind. I have to let the boy grow and get out of the house and let him make life lessons and choices. But I worry still. :)

Well I'm off to get the teeth cleaned. Fun, fun...hate it but I do it every 4 months. Scrape, scratch, poke, pick...ouch!

Movie Time...

Derrel and I did decide to go to see Terminator Salvation yesterday. We got busy and both did a bit of work we needed to do around the house and then went to see the 4 o'clock show. We both really liked it! Thanks Michelle (http://michelle-journey.blogspot.com) for writing me back on FB and letting me know it was worth seeing- (you were correct it was a good flick).

So the reason I'm blogging today is: I thought I should be honest and say I miss eating and snacking at the movies. The mindless eating and snacking in the dark. I'm very careful when I do go to the movies to portion and limit what I eat and how much. But I never seem to get it right. But yesterday sitting there at the movies I'm listening to everyone and the rattle of candy wrappers for 2+ hours straight drove me crazy. I found myself talking to myself in my mind. I'm thinking- "Susy-don't think about food/candy for 10 min and you can have another bite or maybe you'll forget about it all together". Trying to limit myself with 2 hand fulls of Hot Tamales bothered me yesterday. I know if I eat much more I'll feel sick. Not that I was hungry. In my past we got popcorn and our own WHOLE box of candy. I can't do that anymore or I PAY with dumping of some sort. But I have to be honest and say yesterday I found myself feeling bad for myself for a second. Silly huh?? Does anyone else ever crave pigging out sometimes? Most days I don't. Yesterday I did. But today I feel full and kind of yucky, cause I'm not used to eating crap. So I did only have 2 small hand fulls of Hot Tamales, one bite size Butterfinger and a bit of popcorn popped from home. Still too much food in a short period of time for my body. When we got home I was shaky and then sweaty and had to lay down. I layed down at 7pm and fell asleep. Next thing I know it's 10pm and my hunny said "nap time is over, now it's bed time". Damn candies! Don't get me wrong- yesterday I found myself thinking about food and I didn't like it. Most days are not like that for me anymore. But it's still in bedded in my mind from habit, or bad habits that I thought I should be honest. But fact is I would trade every piece of candy to stay thin. But again the fact is it still bothers me from time to time. I should of took my apples to the movies and D should of not bought those Hot Tamales for me. I said "i didn't want anything". Being nice he bought me one of my favorites. Blah! And I ate them and they bit me in the ass for doing so.

NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS THIN FEELS!

i understand that now after losing the weight.

Does anyone else ever miss eating things you loved or am I the only crazy one? I think not- spill it-share it-be honest.

Oh yeah- the extra candies- they went into trash this morning!

☂ Rained out!

Our slight chance of ☂rain turned into a down pour. At 3am this morning I said "oh no". It was pouring outside and it still is. Boo! When it pours like that I don't work. I called my boss @ 6am and they were skipping a couple of markets today and cancelled my job as it ruins there product if it gets wet. And chances are it would of not only got wet, it would of got drenched. ☂ So not only did I not work, Derrel didn't set up our business D and S greenhouses @ the market either due to the down pour. $Double bummer$

So...Derrel and I are home alone this weekend as Jonathan had a round robin with his summer basketball team. What to do...were pretty much broke as we sent most of our money with Jon for his long weekend with his team. And a big Ol bag of snacks. I went to the dollar store yesterday and stocked the boy up on goodies so he can save his money he does have for meals and fun. I have a $20 in my purse and that has got to last us the weekend. Ug Thought about a movie but I'm not sure there is anything we have to see playing at the theatre that is worth being very broke. LOL I've got a coupon code for a free Redbox movie from McDonald's. (Anybody rent @ Redbox?? Here is the code I have for a free rental! MC6AF39 This code is valid an McDonald’s only, and is said to expire on June 30, 2009.) Still raining out and I can think of a million things I/we need to be doing and a million things I want to do that takes $. Seems the boy is gone and we should do something fun. Well make our own fun! Off for a ride and who knows where we will end up beside Redbox for our free movie.

Frickin Rain!

Inside Redbox-

http://www.insideredbox.com/

WTF was i thinking???

Stupid... Bad idea... I knew better... Couldn't help it & and i did...blah, blah, blah...

Today while shopping and making "mostly" good food choices @ the grocery store I see...








I look @ the nutrition label. "Not bad for one bar" I think to myself. 130 calories for something yummy. Yes I bought the turtle ones. 130 calories- Ya right...if you eat just one! Grr


I'm up to 2...I'm giving them to my boy when he gets home! I knew better!

They are good...don't buy them! LOL

Got Radishes

Got radishes??? My garden=lettuce, radishes=eat. Today I went to my small garden and was able to pick lettuce and radishes for our dinner tonight. Exciting! Well I was! LOL I'm bbq hamburgers with 7% lean ground beef tonight for dinner and a salad I grew from seeds. How cool is that. :)

I worked yesterday at the Farmers market I did not buy myself any kettle korn like I promised myself last week as I was acquiring a new Saturday night habit. My hunny said "i couldn't do it". Ha! And just to show him I won't buy it next week either. :) he he

blood work came back...

Everything came back normal. Yahoo. My liver function test is a little bit elevated slightly but has been since my first test following my WLS. I was told after surgery by Dr. Rutledge "for being a obese woman I did not have a fatty liver". My local Dr. said "this comes from the inside of the liver and my liver is working a bit harder than it needs too. Just slightly and just keep checking on it yearly. The levels are the same as they were year and a half ago but had changed after surgery. Glucose was also @ 100 this time and I was fasting. Something to keep a eye on and learn more about. Cholesterol, HDL, LDS and triglycerides are great! Everything else was perfect and normal.

Here my some of my levels before surgery vs. now:

294 pounds vs. 149 pounds & 2 + years later.

GLUCOSE then- 92 now 100

TRIG 67 -now 43
CHOL 196 -now 167

HDL 59 -now 47

LDL 124 -now 111

cardiac rick 3.3 now- 3.6 still needs to be 3.7 to 5.6

Blood pressure 140/90 now- 122/72

bunch of other shit here I don't understand but there are no exclamations marks next to it warning of a high or low level.

So I guess I'm going to live. Doctor told me "I should live to 200". That might be a bit much. LOL

Mammogram on Monday.

Doctors visit...

I went to the doctor today. It's been over a year since my last blood test and it was also time for the dreaded woman's yearly. I do my mammograms yearly like a good girl as my mom died from breast cancer when I was in my early 20's and she was only 57. I do hate going for the pap and the yearly exam. I had put that exam off for I think going on 3 years. Bad girl. Luckily I had to get naked for a total stranger that was a intern from another city here on a visit. Phew. Remember I live in a small town. Once I went for my yearly and the next day I saw my doctor at a small town local country fair. Boy, that was embarrassing. Knowing he had just saw parts of me no one should ever see, I wanted to die and go home. LOL That's over with for awhile-thank goodness. I have an appt. for my mammogram later this month. I'll post on the blood work when I hear. Sometimes they call the same day and sometimes it takes days and I have to call and question them. After that early morning fun I went straight to get a coffee. Then off to the grocery store and then I got my toes painted today. I still can't reach my left toe. Even after all the PT I did last year I still have lost a lot of range of motion in my left hip. It's a pain in my ass to cut my left toenails. I'm sad to say. I still have muscle spasms and it still causes me grief and pain at times but it's better now then it was weighing 300 pounds, so I won't complain much. So needless to say it's a joy to cover up my old ass toenails up with paint. I'm getting "old feet". How did that happen? There is no way I can paint my left toenails and I can't get my hubby to do it. I've tried. So it only costs me $3.50 at the beauty collage for a toe painting and I'm good. So as I Twittered/Tweeted/Twitted or whatever I did or said- I enjoyed have my feet up & my toes painted more than I did having my feet in stirrups @ the dr. office today. Oh yeah, how could I forget this- weigh in at the doctor's office is the same as my scale @ home pretty much. I weighed in this morning while dressed on my way out the door to the appointment. What was my weight at the doctors office you may ask? ♫Drum roll please: 149.3 Oh Yeah! I've maintained that weight now for 13 months and I'm proud of myself. What a gift I have been given.



Other than that- Life goes on....and it's good.