Snow and more Snow!

Today it has snowed, All day! I am really tired of winter. I have been trapped inside virtually until just a little while ago. The snow plow did a job blocking me in. One of my house-mates has a son-in-law who stopped by and plowed us out. This storm is supposed to last through the night and I hope that we really don't get much more. There is about a foot of snow that fell. The old snow had pretty much disappeared. It was bright and sunny yesterday, but they were predicting this. I guess there is no sense complaining about the weather. I doesn't do much good.

Yesterday was a rather taxing day. I had a Church day-long conference to go to. It was required, a sort of certification in maintaining a "safe church." The conference is a very good idea. It helps to prevent and deal with the the sex abuse possibilities in Church situations. I think we have all heard of various sexual problems that have plagued some denominations. A number of years ago the Episcopal Church decided to be proactive and not bury their head in the sand on the issue. This is a good thing. The conference was scheduled in a church that is a long way away and started at 8:30 am. It made for a very early morning with a long drive. There was a lot of sitting in uncomfortable chairs and a long ride home. Fortunately the conference itself was good.

I had planned to go to a cocktail party in Hartford that evening, but it would have meant much more driving and a late evening. I passed on this month's event. I went home, but it wasn't really restful. We had a houseful for dinner. One of my house-mates children came over with their kids for spaghetti. Lots of people. Lots of kids. Lots of dishes. It was fun though and the spaghetti was good.

Today has been a drag. It is my granddaughter's birthday, though. There is a party on Sunday and she is all excited about it. My son says that she recites the names of everyone who is coming all the time. I hope you all are well and you are dry and in out of the cold.

Love,
Shel

Happy Valentine's Day!

Love,
Shel

Stormy Day

The weather is really pretty crummy. Last night it started snowing and that turned to rain, ice, sleet, get the idea? Right now it is raining. We have about two to three inches of slush on the ground. There is no end in sight. What did we do to deserve this? This is an ideal day to stay inside and do various chores and other things. One thing I have been doing is playing with my new cell phone. I say playing with, but it is more like learning how it works. There is so much to it. I am now about to, though, go out and do some dishes. Yes, I have procrastinated to this point!

Later!
Love,
Shel

Briefly

I finished my one-week diet successfully and it looks like I am good to go for the surgery. Now I need to wait for a date. I lost 10 pounds last week on that strange diet and I have to say it is a bit strange going back to regular food. After the LAP-Band surgery I will be eating two oz portions so this was a good test.

I've been busy. Thursday night I went to the "Vagina Monologues", performed in Hartford. Some friends were in the cast. It was well done. Last night I went to see Kate Bornstein at Smith College in North Hampton, MA. It was a benefit for a Trans activist who needed some financial support after an accident kept him out of work for a while. Today I have a support group and Bingo later. It is snowing like crazy and I have to drive to Hartford in the snow. I need to go though since I am the moderator for the support group. At least I have the key to open up.

Bye for now.
Love,
Shel

Another Year

Tomorrow another year passes for me. I look at the numbers and say to myself that can't be me, but of course I know it is. Frankly I am thankful to be here after a brush with cancer three years ago. Life is pretty special and each and every day is important. Because of my strange diet (see previous post) there will be no birthday cake (at least not tomorrow.) I will be having nine oz of chicken or fish, three cups of broth and 64 oz of water just as I have done each day this week. Friday the diet ends so I get to eat lunch and dinner that day, but three oz of chicken for breakfast.

One year is often like the others. February is filled with significant birthdays, my oldest son's is the 15th and my granddaughter's is the 22nd. Last year was about as good as I have had in a while. There was relatively little turmoil in my life or in my family. I am not sure this year will be so calm. My middle son announced yesterday that he and his spouse have put their condo on the market and plan to move to Arizona. Of course my granddaughter will go with them. This brings a good deal of sadness to me . I know they were thinking of this, but the reality is quite disturbing. I'll have to start saving my pennies for occasional visits to Arizona. There is nothing wrong with Arizona, but it is a long way away. Such is life.

If you are having a birthday this month, have a Happy One!

Love,
Shel

The Diet

I promised that I would say a bit about the diet I am currently on. As part of the preparation for the LAP-Band surgery I saw both the dietitian and the counselor last week. The dietitian gave me a five day diet which I started Sunday. I am a little fuzzy as to the real purpose of the diet,but they say it is to test my ability to comply with instructions. In any case, the diet consists of 9 oz of protein per day.
It is to be either meat fish or poultry. I have three meals of 3 oz of one of these kinds of protein. I can drink clear fluids that have no sugar and I must drink three cups of chicken or beef broth daily.

I have been floating in fluid. Last night was tough because we had some people over for the Superbowl. I had to pass on everything people were snacking on. So far I am surviving and surprisingly don't feel a lot of hunger. The diet ends Friday and I will be glad that it's over. I know that tougher things are coming after the Lap-Band surgery. Hopefully it will all be worth it.

Love,
Shel

Friday Five- options, options edition

Sally of RevGalBlogPals suggests these questions:

There is so much going on this weekend that I thought I'd provide an options Friday 5!!!!

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First Superbowl ( someone explain to this Brit the significance)- love it or hate it?
5 reasons please!!!!!

1.From my perspective the Superbowl is an excuse to have a party. What is often involved is lots of Beer or other alcohol, Chips, Dip (Guacomole is my favorite), chicken wings. This year though the party will take place I will be on a strict diet and really won't be able to drink or eat. (More will follow on the diet in another post.)

2. Football is secondary but is a game in which people intentionally hurt each other.

3. I actually know the rules and had to suffer through many games because I was in the Band through High School and College. We had to sit through the game so we could perform at half-time. My Father also seemed to want to watch on television. I generally found that a good excuse to take a Saturday or Sunday nap.

4. The fun part of Superbowl (aside from the party itself) is the funny commercials that get put on.

5. Are you getting the idea that I am not much of a Football fan?



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Second Candlemas/ Imbloc/ Groundhog day/ St Brigid's day- all of these fall on either the 1st or 2nd February.
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1. Do you celebrate one or more of these?
2. How?
3. Is this a bit of fun or deeply significant?
4. Are festivals/ Saints days important to you?
5.Name your favourite Saints day/ celebration.

Candlemas, Imbolc and St Brigid's day are pagan Celtic celebrations and are actually pretty much the same thing. I am not really sure that they have anything much to do with real Saints or Christian celebrations. Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple is also known as Candlemas or sometimes the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin Mary. I am guessing that this is one of the instances where the Church took a pagan festival date and made it correspond to a Christian event. I had to look it up so saying much more about this is kind of cheating. In the U.S. the Celtics are a basketball team. :)

Groundhog day is American silliness. People get bored with the winter weather and look forward to the end of winter. whether the groundhog sees his shadow or winter tends to last six weeks or so from the beginning of February.

I like All Saints Day and the Feast of St Michael and All Angels. My given name is Michelle (Shelly is a nick name)so Michael is my patron Saint. My children were all named after Saints, Christopher, Patrick and Gregory. I think it is nice to remember the Christian founders of the faith and those who had great faith. I don't go overboard with it though.
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Bonus- 2nd Feburary is also my Birthday- I will donate £1.00 for every comment on my Friday Five Post to the Methodist Relief and Development Fund.