I have an appointment at 8:15am for my yearly mammogram. My mom developed breast cancer when she was 75 and it was the beginning of the end for her. She never really came back from the stress of the surgery and two years later I found her dead in her bed. It was a terrible time for me. Mom was my best friend and my rock. She is gone 12 years now but I still think about her and miss her every day of my life.
I make sure that I go for my yearly mammogram because I don't want Kerry to go through what I did with my mom. When it comes to this test I don't procrastinate as I do with many other things. When I get the letter from the Coral Springs Women's Wellness Center that says that I'm due I make my appointment right away. I also don't sweat the results. I just go, get my boobs squished and then put it right out of my mind until the results come in. I decided a long time ago that I wouldn't start to worry until I had something to worry about.
So, I'm going to get into the shower (no deodorant or powder) and get dressed. I don't want to keep the medical staff waiting. Maybe I'll call Michele when it is over and meet her for a cup of coffee. Then it's off to Publix to get a few things that I forgot when Pat and I went food shopping on Saturday. When I get home I will get in some exercise and then it's off to work in the afternoon.
So that's my day today. Don't forget to get your yearly mammogram. It can make the difference between life and death.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
The Cyber Cruise
As I am writing this blog entry Richard Simmons is on his Cruise To Lose. Once a year he takes hundreds of people who need help with losing weight on a fun filled one week cruise. He has been doing it for years now. He teaches people about portion control, he holds exercise classes and has motivational classes all on a gorgeous cruise ship in exotic ports of call. I wish I could go but money is always an issue and I go on my LA trips instead. It's more fun.
When it is time for the Cruise To Lose and Richard takes to the seas his website has what they call the "Cyber Cruise". The clubhouse members get all the information and motivational tools that the real cruisers get and we are supposed to pretend that we are on the cruise.
Links are posted so that you can see the ship and ports of call. You go to your make believe cabin, you dine in the make believe dining room, you play craps in the make believe casino and you go on make believe day trips to the islands that the real cruise is at that day. It's all good fun and if you particiapte you can lose weight. OK! Now you've got my attention.
I've tried in years past to take part in the Cyber Cruises but it never kept my attention. I guess my imagination isn't that vivid or maybe I just don't have the time to be posting on the make believe cruise board about the make believe cruise. It just hasn't worked for me in the past but as always I had to check it all out at Richard's website.
This year's Cyber Cruise has some interesting things going on. Things that I need like tips to help you take your weight loss seriously and the revisiting of reasons why you want to lose weight in the first place. Richard is providing daily worksheets that make you think about the actual things that you are going to do in order to stay on program. These are helpful things for me. I guess it's just the slap of reality that I need to get me going again.
An important aspect of the Cyber Cruise this year is a worksheet called Facing The Scale. As I was filling it out I got a feeling of deja vu. I felt as if I had done that before. I searched through all of my Richard Simmons stuff which is an extensive collection and I found a sheet just like this in my old Deal A Meal life plan only it was called a contract with myself. I had filled it out all those years ago and I had actually made it to my goal weight so maybe that's one of the missing components for me. I haven't made a contract with myself.
I sat down and filled out all the paperwork that has been provided on the Cyber Cruise. It's made me think about things in a new but old way, if you get my drift. I've decided to continue with the paperwork for the rest of the week. It may be a very good thing for me after all. Thanks Richard. I'll keep ya posted.
When it is time for the Cruise To Lose and Richard takes to the seas his website has what they call the "Cyber Cruise". The clubhouse members get all the information and motivational tools that the real cruisers get and we are supposed to pretend that we are on the cruise.
Links are posted so that you can see the ship and ports of call. You go to your make believe cabin, you dine in the make believe dining room, you play craps in the make believe casino and you go on make believe day trips to the islands that the real cruise is at that day. It's all good fun and if you particiapte you can lose weight. OK! Now you've got my attention.
I've tried in years past to take part in the Cyber Cruises but it never kept my attention. I guess my imagination isn't that vivid or maybe I just don't have the time to be posting on the make believe cruise board about the make believe cruise. It just hasn't worked for me in the past but as always I had to check it all out at Richard's website.
This year's Cyber Cruise has some interesting things going on. Things that I need like tips to help you take your weight loss seriously and the revisiting of reasons why you want to lose weight in the first place. Richard is providing daily worksheets that make you think about the actual things that you are going to do in order to stay on program. These are helpful things for me. I guess it's just the slap of reality that I need to get me going again.
An important aspect of the Cyber Cruise this year is a worksheet called Facing The Scale. As I was filling it out I got a feeling of deja vu. I felt as if I had done that before. I searched through all of my Richard Simmons stuff which is an extensive collection and I found a sheet just like this in my old Deal A Meal life plan only it was called a contract with myself. I had filled it out all those years ago and I had actually made it to my goal weight so maybe that's one of the missing components for me. I haven't made a contract with myself.
I sat down and filled out all the paperwork that has been provided on the Cyber Cruise. It's made me think about things in a new but old way, if you get my drift. I've decided to continue with the paperwork for the rest of the week. It may be a very good thing for me after all. Thanks Richard. I'll keep ya posted.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Soccer Saturday Night
I was looking through the entertainment section of the newspaper on Saturday looking for something to do that night. Pat and I don't really go out that much other than to go out to eat and I was really ready to find a movie or new club to go to. I was flipping though the Sun-Sentinel when all of a sudden there it was. A story about the Miami Football Club playing their season opening game at Lockhart Stadium and I knew what I wanted to do.
Yep, I love soccer. I have been a soccer freak ever since Kerry started playing on her under 11 rec team. Yeah, that's a long time ago. I went to every game she ever played and even became team mom for her under 15 through under 18 years. I lived for those soccer games and I know that she played the last few years for me. She knew how much I loved going to the games and practices and being the thoughtful kid she was she played even though she would have quit if she had her own way.
When the MLS teams were assigned and the Miami Fusion started playing at Lockhart I was thrilled. Pat and I started to go and quickly got addicted to those games. I was about to buy season tickets when the news came that the team was folding. I was totally bummed about it. It never made any sense to me that places like Columbus, Ohio and Salt Lake City had soccer teams and Miami with our large hispanic population couldn't keep the Fusion going. I continued to follow MLS on TV but quietly missed the Fusion.
I was so happy to see that the Miami Football Club is now up and running and playing half of their games in Broward County at Lockhart Stadium. It was one of the very first stadiums built just for soccer. It's always been a great venue to see a game. As soon as I saw that ad I turned to Pat and said "We are going to a soccer game tonight". There was nothing to talk about. We were going.
We got to the stadium and there was a total party atmosphere going. There were only about 2000 people there but they were partying for sure. Once you paid and walked in you were handed these noise making things to show your team spirit with. It was mostly the hispanic community as they are huge soccer fans. They were drinking beer, making noise, waving flags and just having a great time. I had so much team spirit that I broke my noisemakers.
We found great seats in the stands and out came the players. It was such a great game. We won 3-1 and our biggest star, Diego Serna, had a great night with one goal and two assists. I yelled and screamed so much my throat was sore when I woke up Sunday morning. It was a wonderful time and I will definitely be going again. Yeah, I love soccer.
Yep, I love soccer. I have been a soccer freak ever since Kerry started playing on her under 11 rec team. Yeah, that's a long time ago. I went to every game she ever played and even became team mom for her under 15 through under 18 years. I lived for those soccer games and I know that she played the last few years for me. She knew how much I loved going to the games and practices and being the thoughtful kid she was she played even though she would have quit if she had her own way.
When the MLS teams were assigned and the Miami Fusion started playing at Lockhart I was thrilled. Pat and I started to go and quickly got addicted to those games. I was about to buy season tickets when the news came that the team was folding. I was totally bummed about it. It never made any sense to me that places like Columbus, Ohio and Salt Lake City had soccer teams and Miami with our large hispanic population couldn't keep the Fusion going. I continued to follow MLS on TV but quietly missed the Fusion.
I was so happy to see that the Miami Football Club is now up and running and playing half of their games in Broward County at Lockhart Stadium. It was one of the very first stadiums built just for soccer. It's always been a great venue to see a game. As soon as I saw that ad I turned to Pat and said "We are going to a soccer game tonight". There was nothing to talk about. We were going.
We got to the stadium and there was a total party atmosphere going. There were only about 2000 people there but they were partying for sure. Once you paid and walked in you were handed these noise making things to show your team spirit with. It was mostly the hispanic community as they are huge soccer fans. They were drinking beer, making noise, waving flags and just having a great time. I had so much team spirit that I broke my noisemakers.
Diego Serna playing for the Miami Fusion
We found great seats in the stands and out came the players. It was such a great game. We won 3-1 and our biggest star, Diego Serna, had a great night with one goal and two assists. I yelled and screamed so much my throat was sore when I woke up Sunday morning. It was a wonderful time and I will definitely be going again. Yeah, I love soccer.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Kerry's Recital
Kerry's Senior Recital! How is it possible that so much time has gone by? I remember the first time we went to Gainesville to meet the UF clarinet professor, Mitchell Estrin. Kerry was a junior in high school and had been playing clarinet since 7th grade. She had become a complete band geek from the first moment that she entered the musical world. She knew who Professor Estrin was and she also knew she wanted to study under him.
It turned out that Mitchell Estrin was THE person in the clarinet world. He played in the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Berstein as a very young player. He was a child phenom, really. He was taught by another very famous clarinet player named Stanley Drucker. He got married and had a son that he didn't want brought up in New York City so he accepted a professorship at the University of Florida. Kerry got very lucky to study under such a talented clarinet player and all around wonderful and caring man. It made me feel better to know that Professor Estrin was there with Kerry just in case she ran into trouble and needed a parental figure. It made her feel better too.
Now, five years after that meeting it was time for Kerry's college senior clarinet recital. I was so proud of her I almost busted out of my seat. The recital hall was pretty full and Kerry came out in the BCBGMaxazria teal colored dress that we had bought a long time ago just for this occasion. She had straightened her hair and she just looked gorgeous.
She played beautifully for an hour with only a couple of breaks. Speaking of breaks, I had my camera out to take pictures of the occasion and it jammed(piece of crap). I only got a few pictures taken on my camera. I am waiting for Kerry to email me the pictures that I took on her camera. I will post them as soon as I get them.
When it was all over Pat and I took Kerry and Zac to a restaurant that had fabulous vegetarian food . I ate way too much rich and gooey food. Richard would be horrified. (See more about this on F*ing Agreement blog) I know I was. The four of us laughed during dinner and then went back to our room and took pictures with Kerry's camera. It was a very proud and happy moment but also a bittersweet moment too. Kerry's clarinet career is now over and it just seems like life is happening a little to fast for my liking. First soccer, now clarinet. Gone with the time.
Pat and I woke up early and took Kerry out for breakfast of eggs and hash browns, her favorite. When breakfast was over we said our goodbyes and then we hit the road. We got back home at about 6:00 whipped but happy to be home. Rigby was glad to see us too. He ran around like a maniac. I guess he missed us.
Now it really is back to my old life......or maybe something new. Hmmmmm....
It turned out that Mitchell Estrin was THE person in the clarinet world. He played in the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Berstein as a very young player. He was a child phenom, really. He was taught by another very famous clarinet player named Stanley Drucker. He got married and had a son that he didn't want brought up in New York City so he accepted a professorship at the University of Florida. Kerry got very lucky to study under such a talented clarinet player and all around wonderful and caring man. It made me feel better to know that Professor Estrin was there with Kerry just in case she ran into trouble and needed a parental figure. It made her feel better too.
Now, five years after that meeting it was time for Kerry's college senior clarinet recital. I was so proud of her I almost busted out of my seat. The recital hall was pretty full and Kerry came out in the BCBGMaxazria teal colored dress that we had bought a long time ago just for this occasion. She had straightened her hair and she just looked gorgeous.
She played beautifully for an hour with only a couple of breaks. Speaking of breaks, I had my camera out to take pictures of the occasion and it jammed(piece of crap). I only got a few pictures taken on my camera. I am waiting for Kerry to email me the pictures that I took on her camera. I will post them as soon as I get them.The only picture of the recital that I got on my camera
Pat and I woke up early and took Kerry out for breakfast of eggs and hash browns, her favorite. When breakfast was over we said our goodbyes and then we hit the road. We got back home at about 6:00 whipped but happy to be home. Rigby was glad to see us too. He ran around like a maniac. I guess he missed us.
Now it really is back to my old life......or maybe something new. Hmmmmm....
Monday, April 6, 2009
LA-Bits and pieces
Hi Everybody! I'm back:)
I have been back from LA for a few days now but I am still finding it difficult to get back to my old life. I can't stop thinking about all the fun we had and how much time we spent laughing. I don't think I have ever laughed so much in my life. There are so many highlights to this trip that the whole week was a highlight. There were no lowlights but a few things stand out in my mind. I will tell you about one of them today.
Laura, Beth, Vennie and I decided to take The Starline Tour of the "Stars Homes". Of course the first thing that I asked for was for our Driver, George, to take us to Paul McCartney's house. George told me that Paul lived in Malibu and we were not going in that direction. Bummer, Major disappointment. One of the other passengers pipped up and said that he was friend's with Paul's girlfriend's ex and was invited to the wedding. I responded with "what wedding?" It turns out that Paul is planning to marry Nancy Shevall next year. Am I jealous? You bet!! Am I happy? You bet!! I just want Paul to be happy and he looks like he is. I AM still waiting for my phone to ring. After all, we all know that Paul would be much happier with me. :)
Anyway, we took a 2 hour bus tour of the starts homes. The bus itself was an open air bus so the passengers were taking in the gorgeous LA weather and we really could see. We saw Ringo's home, Tom and Katie's old home, Jennifer Aniston's home, The Playboy Mansion, Lucille Ball's home, Merv Griffen's home. Just about everyone's home you could think of, both old hollywood and new hollywood, was included on this tour.
We were taken up into the mountains in order to get a really good look at the Hollywood sign and the LA skyline. The bus dropped us off almost all the way up but we had to climb up lots of steep stairs to get all the way up to the top. The view was really gorgeous and well worth the climb. I had been in a stair climbing mood all week(Richard's influence on me) so I was happy to take the stairs any chance that I got. Believe me, I had many opportunities.
At one point, we pulled up in front of Michael Jackson's home and a limo pulled up right behind us. The gates opened and the guards just stood there waiting. We assumed that the limo behind us was carrying the Gloved One. All of a sudden the Limo pulled around us and sped down the block and the gates closed. I guess Michael didn't want to make an appearance with the tour bus sitting there. He's lucky he made this decision because if I had my chance I would have called him names and been really mean to him. After all, he stole The Beatles catalog of music from Paul years ago and any Paul McCartney fan worth his or her salt hates Michael Jackson.
We were driving around and the bus stopped in front of Patrick Dempsey's house. We sat there for a while looking around trying to see him. We could see that he had children's toys in the front yard but no Dr McDreamy. George decided to pull the bus away and all of a sudden from the other direction came a red Porche. It was Patrick Dempsey!!!! Right on my side of the bus!!!He waved to us. I was in heaven. Dr McDreamy!! OMG!! He really is gorgeous especially in person. He had shaved off some of that McDreamy stubble and you could really see his face.
Next installment to follow....
I have been back from LA for a few days now but I am still finding it difficult to get back to my old life. I can't stop thinking about all the fun we had and how much time we spent laughing. I don't think I have ever laughed so much in my life. There are so many highlights to this trip that the whole week was a highlight. There were no lowlights but a few things stand out in my mind. I will tell you about one of them today.
Vennie, Claudia, Beth and Laura with the Starline Tour bus
Laura, Beth, Vennie and I decided to take The Starline Tour of the "Stars Homes". Of course the first thing that I asked for was for our Driver, George, to take us to Paul McCartney's house. George told me that Paul lived in Malibu and we were not going in that direction. Bummer, Major disappointment. One of the other passengers pipped up and said that he was friend's with Paul's girlfriend's ex and was invited to the wedding. I responded with "what wedding?" It turns out that Paul is planning to marry Nancy Shevall next year. Am I jealous? You bet!! Am I happy? You bet!! I just want Paul to be happy and he looks like he is. I AM still waiting for my phone to ring. After all, we all know that Paul would be much happier with me. :)
Paul and Nancy
Laura sunbathing after climbing stairs
Bethy at the top of the world
We (Vennie, Laura, Beth and me) made a special request to stop by Richard Simmons' home. George didn't know where it was but we did. He turned the bus on to a street up there in the hills and there it was. Richard's home!! We wanted to get out and ring the bell. One of the passangers on the bus even offered us $50 to do it. We would have done it for free anyway. Mean ole George wouldn't let us out of the bus. Tour rules you know. LOL
At one point, we pulled up in front of Michael Jackson's home and a limo pulled up right behind us. The gates opened and the guards just stood there waiting. We assumed that the limo behind us was carrying the Gloved One. All of a sudden the Limo pulled around us and sped down the block and the gates closed. I guess Michael didn't want to make an appearance with the tour bus sitting there. He's lucky he made this decision because if I had my chance I would have called him names and been really mean to him. After all, he stole The Beatles catalog of music from Paul years ago and any Paul McCartney fan worth his or her salt hates Michael Jackson.
Laura pointing at a celebrity home
We were driving around and the bus stopped in front of Patrick Dempsey's house. We sat there for a while looking around trying to see him. We could see that he had children's toys in the front yard but no Dr McDreamy. George decided to pull the bus away and all of a sudden from the other direction came a red Porche. It was Patrick Dempsey!!!! Right on my side of the bus!!!He waved to us. I was in heaven. Dr McDreamy!! OMG!! He really is gorgeous especially in person. He had shaved off some of that McDreamy stubble and you could really see his face.
Me, Vennie, Laura and Beth with LA behind us
OK, I've seen Paul in person 10 times, met Richard Simmons so many times that I can't count and now I've seen Patrick Dempsey in person. I'm a very happy girl.
Next installment to follow....
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