Steve J.
Whoose!! And now it is Nov 15th!
Nov 14, 2006
So far this month we have had our old patio torn down/up... patio cover, cement, all of it GONE... new living room and dining room furniture delivered... the exterior of the house painted (worth every penny)... we are painting the living room, with a ceiling stencil (time consuming, but beautiful!)... put up new exterior light fixtures.... had the new spa delivered and hooked up (the REASON for the backyard remodel!!!)... new stamped and colored concrete patio and walk all the way from the patio, through the side yard across the front yard to the driveway (I call it our yellow brick road! LOL)... beautiful new white patio cover.... and that brings us to today!! WHEW!
Still to do: Interior light fixtures, finish painting/stenciling the living room and dining room, assemble new dining table (just delivered yesterday), coffee table, patio lantern/planter, patio fire bowl/table..... then there is the garden!!! OMG, our plants are trashed from all the work and lack of water! If I can find the time to get the garden perked up before Thanksgiving it will be a miracle!
So, see, gentle reader this project wasn't even on the calendar until mid-October after we put a hold on the spa we fell in love with and when my brother (the landscape construction business manager) found time in their schedule to fit our project in.... then, BAM! we were off, knowing full well it was our turn to host Thanksgiving..... followed by the new surgery date of Dec 1st.... more pressure to get things finished, like now!
And that brings me to my post this morning. I had a dream... about WLS coming up.... and EVERYONE I have met from OH was there and it was the morning of surgery and the Dr was reassuring and then concerned about something maybe my heart but something about being heavy for my weight (?????) and people were like, oh, it's OK, you'll be fine but I was getting leary and thinking I don't want to do this 'cause "what if". yah-dee-yah-dee-yah-dee.....
So I am feeling weird all of a sudden... Like I just woke up and realized "Hey mister! You're going to have S U R G E R Y !"
It HAS been in my mind, and I have be doing PRETTY good with quitting smoking, two days later than my last date to quit goal of 11/3 (four weeks B/4 surgery per Dr. instructions) and I have had a few here and there last weekend, but I am clean mostly, slowed down the vodka a lot, will be clean starting Friday (2 weeks B/4), am eating OK & losing some more weight (a protein drink for breakfast and lunch and then having dinner) but need to get back to my morning walks. That needs to start in the AM tomorrow as that's two weeks before....
Two weeks before.....
Wow.
Hard to believe, and it IS hard to believe! So many false starts just to be postponed. This last one with the teeth just really tore me up mentally. I was all ready... was being a model pre-op, truly perfect, then had my pre-op appointments with the surgeon and the hospital and the next morning.... a toothache which led to the discovery of infections in three old root canals and no surgery for Steve!
Now I am re-scheduled but feel like I am holding back something. Haven't been able to figure it out, guess it is a fear of getting high and ready and then having the rug pulled out again. Not to mention all the things going on right now requiring my attentions. So where am I? Lost somewhere and maybe avoiding the thoughts of the surgery with everything else on my plate.
My pre-ops are scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, 11/21 (only a week away???!?!?!? WTF!) so maybe I will be ready and willing and able then. Sure hope so as I am SO VERY ready to not hurt all the time when I do things.
It's November 1st!
Oct 31, 2006
Fun "Day in LA"!
Oct 22, 2006
We had a great turnout and I think everyone had a good time.
Darrell and I sure enjoyed this event. Many, many thanks to Judy Ann for telling me about Cafe` Tu Tu Tango. Awesome place with great food. If you aren't familiar with it the basic concept is starving artists sharing dishes. Maybe think of a chinese resturant dinner with everyone sharing. Small appetizer sized dishes perfect to pass around the table. On top of that the ambiance is a crowded artists loft with original artwork stuffed EVERYWHERE... walls, floors, ceiling, tile murals.... I though of Janine several times. I think she'd appreciate being there.
After lunch everyone rolled out for an afternoon at CityWalk. I had never been there and enjoyed myself, until the aches and pains started up. D and I brought home some stuff we purchased.
Some folks headed to Universal Studios, some to the cinema for a movie, others browsed and shopped.
Really a great day. Special thanks to my Jillie and her wonderful son Gary, Kim and Monica for sharing a table with D and I. It was a special treat to meet Kim, Gary, Debbi and her son Eric, as well as Jenn's DH Brad for the first time. Sure hope to see them all again at another event!
Then there were all the Cali Peeps and their significant others I have grown to look forward to spending time with.... Monica, Rhonda and Rich, Jenn, Gus and my love, Anna (watch out Gus I think Eric fallen in love.... well, who hasn't! Anna we all love you!
), the shrinking man Kevin, Sherisse and Patty, Liz, her DH Chuck, daughter Lindsey and her DB Nick. What a 
crowd.I feel so blessed to have these people in my life. There is just something about being with a group of people who totally "get it" about living life as an MO person. Never in my life had I felt this connection with a group of people.
I'm luchy to have stumbled upon OH and all it has to offer.
(((((BBH)))))
Monday, Bloody Monday!
Oct 15, 2006
Ugh... Monday morning again!
You'd think after all these years I'd be used to this routine but man it would be so nice to work 4 and have 3 off every week instead. But this is not to be at this time. Maybe one of these days.
Next Satuday is the IEL Day in LA and I am looking forward to that. But first to get through the work week...
Well, time to get ready for work!
Sunday Morning Musings
Oct 15, 2006
Man this morning has flown by!
Spent the whole morning messing around here.... again!
I do believe Darrell is getting annoyed by that but, hey, it is still chilly and cloudy in San Berdoo and I haven't spent a whole lot of time just messing around on the computer for a long time. On the other hand we do have a dining room table to put together and a couple of errands to run so I must pull myself away... soon!
Melissa R had posted a very profound message on the
Forgiveness is such a hard thing to grasp and impliment in our lives. It has become easier for me as I have matured but sometimes I still need to remind myself to get over it... whatever "it" might be. I love people and have much less fear of them these days. For me it took really understanding we are all alike under the facade and have basic needs but many times have had those needs unmet and twisted over the years. This in many cases caused us to feel hurt and afraid of other people, whether we show and share it or not. Learning to understand that those feelings are WITHIN us and we can CHOOSE how we react to others words and behavior is the key for me. Not simple and it takes time and insight but it makes for an easier path in life. So much drama, so much hurt, so much heartache and so much misunderstanding can be avoided if we learn to accept people for who they are and realize we are all doing the best we can with the life we have experienced so far and the gifts the Creator gave us to begin with. Letting anger and hurt rule your life is such a waste of time. It doesn't change a thing. Retaliating against another and any pain, or percieved pain, they have "caused" us doesn't help us grow. It stunts us instead.
Forgiveness and moving on is the path to true satisfaction, contentment and, dare I say, happiness. At least in my life.
And that's my sermon for Sunday!
Hope you are having a great day!
(((((BBH)))))
Chicken soup for my soul!
Oct 14, 2006
OMG, I am sitting here enjoying the aroma wafting from the kitchen. Darrell has made us homemade chicken noodle soup for dinner tonight. Can you say yum?!?!?
What a lovely, relaxing and fun day today. Working on this profile mostly and I think it's a keeper... for now. It was overcast and chilly and so fall like today. But better then the winter ravages that
Darrell and I brought home new fish friends last weekend and they are so cool. There are five young fancy goldfish and I am so delighted to have the aquarium up and populated again. Of course we have named them. (shaking head) Naming fish. Personification to the max!
Anyway, with big thanks to Gene and Gloria for two names, we have Loser, a calico Ruykin, Webby, a telescope eyed calico that is mostly black and white, Cher, a beautiful red Ryukin, Sonny, a red and white Ryukin (Hey, it's totally gay but we couldn't help ourselves
I really need to get off this computer now!
It was a dark and stormy night!
Oct 13, 2006
Yep it sure was! Man I don't know about where you live but it really was awesome here in
Poor things are just terrified of thunder.
None the less I really enjoyed the show.
We are getting a new dining room table delivered this afternoon and my brother and his business partner are scheduled to come this afternoon to finalize the plans for our backyard makeover.
Can't wait to get this project started. We bought the spa last Saturday and they will only hold it for up to two months so need to get the patio and spa slab down ASAP. D is so excited to have a spa to relax in after hard days at work he can hardly wait.
Been messing around with this new OH format and the more I am playing with it the more I like it. Once I got the hang of it I started enjoying sprucing up my profile using the new tools. I just copied and pasted my profile from my word doc and tweaked it a bit. I think it came out good.
Now I just need to update it!
September 28, 2005
Sep 27, 2005
This month the OH family lost a warm, caring, determined, talented person...
Poet and Teacher John Ott of
John worked so hard for so long to have that chance for a healthy life which all MO people hope for. After a two year struggle jumping through hoops and pushing for insurance approval he finally got his date for WLS. John made it to the Loser's Bench, if only for a short time. He lost his battle with MO a couple of days after surgery. Please visit his Profile Page and take a few moments to get to know him, honor his memory and understand the inspiration he is to all of us walking this path.
John's Profile Page: http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/members/profile.php?N=O1067734105
WHEN SUMMER TURNED TO AUTUMN
by Steven Jacobsen
09/28/2005
It was September and another Thursday,
It was a beautiful
It was the 22nd, and another equinox,
When summer turned to autumn in 2005.
The shift began mere days before,
When what was became what could be;
One man transitioned to a new beginning,
Look! A new life with promise to spare!
Our John had fought so long and hard,
And always stayed true to his course;
Nothing and no one could stand in his way,
Not bean counters or worry warts, not protocol.
This was it, this was the day,
The dream unfolded, became real,
The art and science would change my life,
Finally, finally, finally, this battle won!
To move from a life of too big to belong,
Of stares and looks of disgust;
Into a life of fitting in chairs and booths and rides,
And arms not too short to go ‘round!
It began so well, I walked and I talked,
And I KNEW I had reached my goal,
Though tired and weary I forged ahead,
This time the past would remain in the past.
What’s this? Who is that?
Why do you call my name?
Oh no, please no, don’t take me now;
I’ve tried so to find my place!
It isn’t right! It isn’t fair!
I had hoped it wouldn’t be this way!
Why let me glimpse the Promised Land,
Then snatch me away from my family and friends?!?
OK. Alright. I guess I see,
Just what it is that you plan for me,
I won’t regret, I won’t despair,
I won’t complain, or grieve.
I have no choice, what is will be,
Never again will I walk separate from thee;
Please do what can be done so they understand,
I never chose to leave!
It’s all good, as the kids would say,
In the end all is well;
Never again will I suffer, or hurt or be sad,
Now I can run and tumble and fly!
It was on the 22nd of September,
That I found out who I really am,
What all these 44 years did portend,
For me, for you, please believe!
Remember I am always with you,
Never forget you must stay the course,
My strength is your strength now,
And together we will succeed!
August 14, 2005
Aug 13, 2005
August 4, 2005
Aug 03, 2005
