BulgingButtons

Not bad for a fat girl

Reconnecting

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Four women on a video call screen smiling and waving, with two women smiling nearby
Not really us, but look at those dazzling smiles!

I feel like things are moving in the right direction for me. My health is improving, my energy level is increasing, and my connections with others are strengthening.

Recovery from recent surgery (nothing life threatening, but not fun either) is going well. At first it was awful. The “one week off before returning to work” just did not work for me. That one week turned into two, and my recent paycheck took a hit because of it. My situation with time off is a little complex, and the long and short of it is I took more hours off than I had available, so my pay was docked. Oh well. One body, one life, one extra week to heal. It was worth it. Now I’m up and around, energy is back, and although I’m not 100%, I’m well on my way. I’m also living in a smaller, easier to manage body, and that’s a huge plus.

During that recovery period, I was scheduled to host our monthly Bunco game. With the help of my sweetheart and my amazing friends (not to mention my favorite pizza place), I was able to pull it off with very little effort. They did just about everything, and my kitchen was pristine before the last girls left. I love those ladies; spending time with them is good for the soul.

The following day we had a low key lunch planned at another friend’s house, and I was pampered and fussed over and generally cared for in a way that only your girlfriends can do.

Speaking of girlfriends, not too long ago I received a text that one of our longtime online scrapbooking club friends had passed away. This online group changed my life in so many positive ways. I got active in the group when my son was about three years old. He’s well on his way to 30.

I made lifelong friends in the group, including my dear friend who lived on the same street as me. Yes, we met on the internet, but lived less than a mile apart in the same neighborhood. In addition to being neighbors, we realized there were some odd coincidences between our lives. For example, my son’s first and middle names are her two sons’ names (in the same order). There are other weird things too, but you get the idea. It was fate, plain and simple.

Anyway… this group became a huge part of my life for several years. We had multiple get togethers, and I was lucky enough to participate in events across four different states. Friday nights we had online chats that kept us connected. We had challenges and swaps and all sorts of fun things, but mainly we were there for each other. Births, deaths, marriages, divorces… we saw it all, and we shared genuine affection for one another. It was a remarkable experience.

We lost our first member way too young. Cancer. Not much more to say. Then, this month we lost another. Also cancer. Horrible. But her passing, and the woman who we affectionately refer to as the “team captain” brought us back together. Our team captain shared the sad news in a group text, and it allowed us to reconnect. Many of us have been online friends over the decades, but we lost touch with others. All of a sudden, there they were. We were talking again. Sharing news. Sharing updated pictures. What a gift. Our friend would have been so happy to know that she had a part in bringing us back together.

Now my formerly down the street friend and I live miles apart, but we have plans to get together. It’s been too long. We try to see one another now and then, but life often interferes. Not this time. She invited me to come along with her to a workshop to try something new. I’m in. I don’t know if I’ll enjoy the activity, but I know for certain that I’ll enjoy the company. These recent events have reminded me that life can be unpredictable. Take the trip, call the friend, try the new activity, get outside. Take time to notice it all, especially your people. And pets. Don’t forget your pets.

OH!! And I almost forgot to mention. I’M GOING TO SEE BTS!!!!!!! But that’s a whole other story.


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Brave New World

Well, here I am once again. I was challenged by a friend, who is a far more prolific writer than I am, to at least write a blog post. Well, E. here it is, in all its awkward glory. Why awkward? Because I feel like a stranger here, in my very own blog. Things look different. Things work in different ways. Even the login process was different. Not bad. Easy, in fact. But still, different.

From the very beginning, in June of 2013, this blog has been all about me, me, me. Me as a parent, as an educator, as a friend, as a partner, and as a daughter and sister. More than all of those versions of me, though, this blog has been a record of the ups and downs of my never-ending quest for the healthiest version of me. My weight has fluctuated, as has my motivation. Currently my weight is on a downward trajectory, with the help of medication, an app, and a food delivery service. Oh, and orders from my doctor. Can’t forget those. Is it pricey? You bet, but like the L’Oreal commercials say, “I’m worth it.”

I’m at a weight that I reached about 2 years ago, wearing the smallest clothes in my closet, but for some reason it doesn’t feel like it did 2 years ago. That time around I felt like I was powerful, strong, in charge. I was a warrior going to battle. Then I ran out of steam. Time passed, things changed, and some of the fifty plus pounds I shed made their way back onto my frame. Those pounds are gone again, but so is my warrior persona. Now I’m mostly just resigned. I suppose I look better, and there are definitely some things that are easier to do (like flying, my favorite), and really my labs have never been better (at least not in the last couple of decades). Still, I’m just not feeling it this time around.

I might have a little bit of imposter syndrome. I’m using medication, which makes the weight loss so much easier. Is that cheating? Do I get to feel the same kind of triumph? If we were talking about anyone else, I would say, “Of course!” but I don’t generally give myself the same kind of grace that I give to others. Maybe it’s a little bit of the perfectionist in me. I know I have a long way to go to get this body to its peak of health, and frankly it seems unrealistic to think that I will ever reach an “ideal” weight, but I’m still out here trying. So there you have it, and now you’re thinking, no wonder she hasn’t written anything in over a year. Of course blogging is like so many other things, the more you do it, the easier it becomes. Hopefully I can remember that when it comes to the healthy habits I’m trying to cultivate.


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A Few Things I’ve Learned in Life

Being right usually isn’t worth harming relationships

A dog can heal your heart

I am worthy of love and respect

Children are capable of greatness

Love doesn’t have one flavor

Being afraid is temporary

Fake happiness can sew a seed of real happiness

Anger is like poison

Words can’t be unspoken

Most people are good and willing to help you if you just ask them nicely

My struggles are insignificant in the grand scheme of things

Buy cotton clothing

Drink plenty of water

If you don’t like a book, it’s okay to put it down and never pick it up again