From the category archives:

Stress

I have become a crabby old woman and I love it. It’s like that wonderful piece of poetry:

Warning – When I Am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple

By Jenny Joseph
When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple

with a red hat that doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me.

And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves

and satin candles, and say we’ve no money for butter.

 

I shall sit down on the pavement when I am tired

and gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells

and run my stick along the public railings

and make up for the sobriety of my youth.

I shall go out in my slippers in the rain

and pick the flowers in other people’s gardens

and learn to spit.

 

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat

and eat three pounds of sausages at a go

or only bread and pickles for a week

and hoard pens and pencils and beer nuts and things in boxes.

 

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry

and pay our rent and not swear in the street

and set a good example for the children.

We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?

So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised

When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

Warning: When I Am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple

And here is another cheery expression of attitude that appeals:

Now I have to go and do a happy dance.

I took out a pair of shorts that still had the tags on them because they did not fit — too tight. Miracle of miracles, they not only fit, they are just a little loose!

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Lily Pond

Lily Pond in Selkirk PEI

I logged into fitday.com and updated my profile. The good news is that I lost a little weight in the past two years (the last time I logged in) but gained about 40 pounds since 2002 when I first joined fitday. This is just proof positive that waiting for some magic to happen is not the way to go. When I joined in 2002 I was all set to get in shape and lose those last few pounds (50 of them) but I kept taking daily breaks from being healthy and cautious.

This blog is not just about my weight — it is about the whole process of taking control of my life. I see people every day who are in situations that hurt them and without fail, the theme of their talk is — some day. Some day I will improve my life, my health, my finances, my love life…you know how it goes.

On Friday, before the big rain, Chris and I went to the lily pond out in Selkirk. It’s gotten a lot bigger than I remember. It is so peaceful and serene and lovely. We simply wandered around and enjoyed the sensations of Prince Edward Island in the summer.

Chris and the lily pond

Stopping to smell the roses -- I mean lilies.

 What works for me in trying to regain control over my life is taking time outs. This time out gave me time to think. Reminded me of the priorities in life.

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