We're back or at least hope we are

I am very sorry we both have been MIA for the past few months. A lot has been going on with us and most nights by the time we finish what life says we have to do each day, we fall into bed exhausted.

I have always been very active politically as it is one of my passions. As such I have been starting to structure my professional career in order to finally fulfill my life long goal of working in politics. In addition I have been doing a lot of volunteering within the political arena. I strongly believe in the items I support and oppose and I am pretty vocal about it. Currently it is mental health reform for personal reasons. My mother has suffered from mental illness my entire life so I know firsthand some of the problems with the health system in regard to mental health, as well as how society views those who have been diagnosed with a mental health disease.

My other passion is education. Our children need and deserve better education and a chance to compete in a global workforce when they are out of school. Sadly we are not preparing our children for this. Therefore we are falling behind and our children are the ones who will and do suffer. I believe pre-school like kindergarten should be mandatory for all children and that it has to be accessible and affordable for ALL families. But enough about my politics.

On top of all of that, over the last several months I have determined I miss having children in the home. Of course this contradicts our decision to not have children. And I do not want to have a baby. However, there are millions of children in foster care looking for a permanent home. So, that is something M and I are exploring with no definite decisions being made. Especially considering my career goals will eventually lead me across the county to Washington.  We are discussing our options and how we will deal with the changes in my career etc.

All of our four legged babies are doing well, and last week we added another puppy to our family. M found him running down a busy street and saved him. He has not been chipped and no one has reported him missing. As such it appears he has joined our family. Considering he was filthy and underweight, we imagine he was probably dumped. He is a Maltese poodle mix and the vet estimates he is about 8 months old. He has made himself right at home and loves to cuddle up with me and the other babies each night. He also gets very excited when M is here.

With everything else going on I am still going to the gym daily and at least three days a week I am going twice a day. I have muscles that hurt that I did not even know I had (laughs). However, I am down 62 pounds since June. I find the gym helps me work off stress so I do not yell at everyone. And I am sure it is a major reason why I am sleeping better at night. I am too tired to do anything else

Again I apologize for not posting sooner and will do my best to check in with updated more often. I have also let M know he needs to check in. How is everyone else doing?

 

Quick personal goal update

Since June 26th I have lost a grand total of 32 pounds and now run an averae of 5 to 7 miles per day. I am down two jean's sizes and the down size to losin weight is I lose boob size so I am down a size there to.

Prior to me deciding to change how and what I eat, and to push myself to work harder to do the rim to rim, M would out do me at the gym most of the time. Now I can say this with all the love in my heart, M is a SLACKER!!! Example today I did six and a half miles and he did alittle over two. Granted his legs hurt and knees are bothering him so I will give him a break for today, but ummm how about the last two weeks when I've consistantly out ran him. HAHAHA SLACKER.

Ok sorry couldn't resist, I've called him a slacker everywhere else so might as well here. And yes I understand this means war, we are competitive like that. So he will soon out do me again which will push me to do more so I can continue to call him a slacker. *LOL*

Another rant

Forgive the rant. I promise to post something worthwhile soon. However, my right hand is casted due to a torn tendon in my thumb so typing is a bit difficult. I see the surgeon on Monday to see if the swelling is down enough for him to schedule the surgery so I can have two working hands again.

But back to the rant, M and I decided to help someone we knew and rent a room to her until January. The agreement was clear, it is set amount per month, buy your own food and understand I am OCD about clean (IE DO NOT leave dishes in my sink, put them in the dishwasher, clean up after yourself, etc. And understand I am on a strict diet, I follow in order to eat healthier. I am also an insomniac who wakes up very easily, so when I am asleep be frigging quiet because once I am awake, I usually cannot go back to sleep.

Needless to say, she has not followed a single house rule, is eating us out of house and home, and insists on keeping a light blaring at night after I go to bed that shines into our room which means sleep is practically not happening for me. She leaves dishes in the sink routinely despite M and I both telling her it is my pet peeve and part of my OCD, I have also sat them  in her room, thrown a few away, and still she leaves them in the sink.

Despite all that it is not my biggest complaint. I am all for social networking, heck I have this blog, but seriously on Facebook for example, she manages to post some picture or comment approximately every 60 seconds. It was so bad, we un-followed her because I never saw anything else. This upset her. Really, I log on to Facebook once in a while to catch up and say hi to friends who despite us living in the same city do not see each other often. Our adult children also tend to post really cute pictures of my grandchildren from time to time. And yes I even occasionally farm though I have not done so in months.

In addition, some of you I do consider friends and look forward to meeting you face to face one day. In saying that I must say that I have a reality issue, other than a small handful of people, I need face to face contact for a friendship to blossom etc.  Again there are exceptions to every rule (IE BC MUM). Yet this woman will interject herself into conversations and it appears she starts every conversation with “The person I chat with from whatever site). From the time she wakes up until she goes to bed she is online. And frankly I do not get it.

Oh wait it gets better. Today M and I were enjoying a lazy day in bed while she was supposed to be at work. We were curled up in bed surrounded by our kitties and puppies, when suddenly she was here. She got laid off. This means and I would bet a paycheck she is not going to pay her rent because she is no longer working. This normally would not upset me, just get her evicted, however due to the thumb injury workman’s comp does not pay what I usually make.

To supplement my income and because it is a duty for all of us to vote and to make an educated choice as to whom was vote for. So, I am working for one of the campaigns, and offered said person a position. Granted the pay is awful and the hours or 2pm to 10pm but it is a job for someone who doesn’t have one. And she said no and will not go. Her reasoning is because she doesn’t know anything about the candidates. NOW I’m pissed.

She can spend up to twelve hours a day making back to back useless posts on Facebook but cannot take the time to read candidates platforms to make a decision on who to vote for. I even asked her how she was going to decide and her answer was she is not planning to vote. Well if you don’t vote then I don’t believe you can bitch about what our officials do or don’t do. But then again it is not something “someone she chats with” finds important.

This is not a young person, she is in her fifties and finds posting useless photos and talking to people she will never meet more important than taking an interest in the election or even getting out and talking to real people and experiencing life.

It reminds me of that car commercial where that young girl signs her parents up for a social networking site and is upset they have only a handful of friends, and the camera goes to the parents out having fun while she is at home scanning photos on the site.

Really, how can you have such a lack of interest in reality, and lack of desire to at least have some form of income coming in.  I guess she things M and I will just sit back on the first of the month and let her not paying her share slide. If she was making an effort to find work, we might, but to sit online and make no effort and even flat out refuse a job even a temporary one because you don’t like the hours. Seriously, I am not that understanding. Our pregnant daughter is even working for the campaign to earn extra money for her household, and because she is my daughter and is passionate about what she believes in.

Ok, I am done ranting and now my hand hurts again.

I will try to post a more intelligent informative post in the coming days. Again I am passionate about some areas of this years election, but do not want to ruffle feathers if we disagree on what party is better suited, so I will think of something that is not me blowing a gasket.

Thanks for listening and BC Mum, we miss ya. Hope all is well with you, your husband and your furbabies. I was going to call you a few days ago, but realized my phone ate your number, so when you get a chance give us a call.

Violence in the name of religion is nothing more than hate

Yet again the acts of a few radicals are viewed by some as the entirety of our country, and yet again religion is at the heart of it. I for one believe each and every person is entitled to his or her own beliefs and those that bash others beliefs are no better than those who maim and murder to defend their beliefs. Yet, it is not all American’s just as it is not all Muslim’s who flew into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in 2011.  Yet, again the United States is facing a war over religious beliefs and a few people who decided to bash other’s religious views. The people who put out the video and so called movie do not represent all the people of our country, and in fact the majority do not agree with the filmmakers, but innocent people are being injured and killed because it is presumed we all feel that way.

I whole-heartedly agree with Secretary of Hillary Clinton who described the events as “an awful internet video that we had nothing to do with.”  I also support our president who has stated to the countries where the violence is occurring “Stop the violence and seek justice against those attacking diplomatic missions or else the United States will.

While I do not relish the idea of another way, I also do not believe people should be permitted to respond by murdering innocent people in the name of religion. I should also state I do not believe all Muslims are involved in the violence but only a small majority.

I sincerely hope the countries in which this is occurring responds accordingly so that innocent people on both sides are not drug into a war over the views of a view.

I am outraged, outraged that a video and movie in which the filmmaker lied to the actors and about his own name is being used as a reason to attack the United States and its diplomatic leaders. I am also outraged the people are driven to the violence of the last view days, and have not stopped to consider this is one person or at most a handful of people putting out the hate videos, and if we all worked together to shut the hate down it would show the world and the few hate groups that we can work together to stop the hate, instead of giving them fodder to fuel the hate which is what the groups engaged in the violent acts are doing.

I know a few Muslims and have been told it is a peaceful religion, and the protestors do not represent the entire Muslim community. I believe that to be true, and I sincerely hope that this situation does not continue to escalate because if it does, it won’t be good for either side, and more innocent people will die.

In saying that I should also say, that I understand in our country we have a freedom of speech and that the filmmaker is more than likely going to stand behind the right, however, there are times it is not permitted, such as when that freedom incites riots etc. In this case, I believe his video did just that and that he or the few involved should be held just as accountable for inciting the violence as those engaged in it.

Just my two cents worth, and I am sure I will have a more well thought out dialogue coming, but for now I am angry and upset at what is occurring around the world all in the name of religion.

 

 

 

My Personal Challenge

M and I go daily to the gym at 5:00 a.m. and run. I had grown lazy, and due to a injured knee used it as an excuse to do very little, while eating more than normal for me. In early June I decided my butt had got to big and vowed to start eating better and doing more at the gym. As such I began doing an hour each morning on the treadmill and increased the incline every so often.

I should also say M and I are competitive with each other and he almost always out does me. But the drive to out do him also pushed me on. Then last week I heard of a run, the rim to rim rum. Starting at the north rim of the Grand Canyon, your go down, then across the bottom of the canyon and back up the south rim. It is a grand total of 27.5 miles. For some reason I have decided this is something I want to do.

I have done the research, the best times to go are September-October and March-April. It is a given there is no way I will be ready to do it in a few weeks so I have decided on April, 2013, I am going to tackle the run.

With that said, I have ramped up the workouts even more. I was doing an hour to 90 minutes a day with a goal of 5 miles per day. Now, I am waking an hour earlier and doing 90 minutes to 2 hours and will increase the time every three to four weeks. Goal is 10 miles each morning, with the weekends being double that since I will have more time.

I have also gone on a high protein diet and eating every two hours. I must say this diet is not so much a diet because I am actually eating more than I have in years, but it is mostly fresh fruits and vegetables. So, far its not to bad.

Yesterday I got two hours in for a total of 6.51 miles with the first 90 minutes at an 8% incline and the last half hour at a 2% decline since I will have to go down the north rim and back up the south. This morning I only got 4 miles at an 8% incline because my body HURTS!!

However, tomorrow it is back to waking at 4 a.m. to ensure I have the time to put in 2 hours and still shower and make it to work on time. My goal is to get the incline up to 15% since that is around the incline I will have to travel up the south rim.

As a bonus since I have started this work out and the new diet two days ago I seem to be losing a pound a day. I do not expect that rapid weight loss to continue but it is an added bonus.

I was also thinking today, my brother and I were always competitive with each other and the rim to rim would be up his alley to beat his little sister. I am sure when the time comes and I am running across the Grand Canyon I will miss him even more than I still do, but I can’t help but think in some small way he will be running with me, urging me on, and taunting me to not give up when needed.

Either way it should be fun, if the training doesn’t kill me. The incline has my butt sore (laughs), working muscles that are not used to it My feet hurt (I need new running shoes) and my legs hurt. I think I am going to die trying *laughs*

I will keep you updated on my progress towards completing the rim to rim run..

L

A short rant

So, while, I have made no secret that there are times I want a relationship with C. There are days like today, where I am thankful I don’t because I would probably bitch slap her. Ok, rant all over.

As a side note at least once a day I usually want to bitch slap someone, Thank goodness I have self control, and don’t act on my impulses.

L

An update on us

Sorry, yet again I have missed a week or two of posting. Life has been a roller coaster ride of emotions lately, and frankly, I am not enjoying the ride.  Due to my mood I have stayed to myself except for the occasional blasting of M, who more often than not got the brunt of my wrath.

Before giving the run down on all of us, I should let everyone know, the taking life out on M has ended. He is stressed to the max now, and doesn’t need me adding to it. All the things that have upset me over the last couple weeks will still be there when our lives settle down, and my theory is they will work out however they are supposed to. All of that is not something I am ready to discuss except to say that I would not trade polygamy for anything, but any relationship has its up and downs, and unfortunately M hit a down stride with both of his wives. Poor man could not win even if he tried.  I just hope it all works out and life resumes to normal.

Let me start with our dog Shadow (the one we rescued from the pound nearly a year ago). A friend of ours asked if her boyfriend could stay with us for about a month until he moves to the state she moved to a few months ago. We said sure and enter a new person in our house and the pet pit bull. When at work said person puts his dog in a pen, and I would feel terrible for the dog being locked up in a case for twelve or more hours a day so I would let him out when I got home to go outside and get a bit of exercise.

Last Monday, like I have been doing for the last several weeks I let him out, and me and all the dogs were outside. Shadow went to leap into my lap and the pit bull grabbed him out of thin air, and it was a fight to get him to let go of mine. I should point out Shadow is a small terrier who weighs all of 18 pounds. Once I had my dog free he had a gaping who in his neck and was terrified beyond belief.

I got the pit bull back in its cage and off to the vet we went. It was touch and go for two days, until he was able to have surgery to repair the whole that missed his jugular by an 1/8 of an inch. $800 dollars later, and he is on the mend. And before you ask, me and M are paying the vet bill for his surgery and treatment. We did get an “I’m sorry” but financially we are on our own. I realize I should probably not be upset about this, after all I let the dog out of its pen, but I am. But that is another argument all together. Either way, my goal was to ensure my baby had the care he needed as opposed to simply giving in an putting him down.

I have never in my life been afraid of a dog, but I am this one. I realize it is not the dogs fault, but a part of his nature, and the fact he is in a cage for about twelve hours a day while her owner is at work doesn’t help. Needless to say I no longer let her out of the pen, and our dogs are to be locked in my room when he lets her out even if she is on a leash. I hate to sound like a bitch, but I am not willing to risk my babies being further hurt.

Next up is M and C’s dog of 14 years. M is a fixer. He fixes things; he is the one we both turn to because it is his nature to fix that which is broken. This one he can’t fix and it is killing him. I can see it in his eyes, his expressions, and his body language. This is a pet he has had for the past 14 years and money was not a factor in battling the cancer. Sadly, it is a battle that is slowly being lost. M is going out of his way to try and get him to eat, to make him comfortable and seek out treatment that will ease his suffering. The sad truth is the form of cancer he has is not curable; there is nothing that can be done. It can prolong the pet’s life, but in the end the disease will win.

My heart to breaking, and there is nothing I can do to make it easier for him. No miracle I can pull out of thin air to save their pet’s life. I understand some people do not understand our attachment to our pets, but for lack of a better way to explain it they are our children, and at some point we will lose our oldest to a terrible disease.

He is a dog, a sweet, loving, loyal dog; everyone who meets him falls in love with him. There is just something about him that is special.  And to watch cancer ravage him is so heartbreaking there are no words.  Add to that that M feels helpless because he can’t fix this, is making it even more gut wrenching and sad.  I’m sorry but it makes me angry. Our pets should live long happy lives and simply pass peacefully one day in his sleep, not ravaged by cancer. It is simply not right and I am angry.

That is why I decided that me issues just do not seem that important as we battle to save M and C’s beloved pet. I do not need to heap more stress on M, when he is not sleeping, but working twelve or more hour days, then up nearly every night with a sick dog and still make time for both of his wives. As much, as I miss him and need him to work through my issues, I must have patience. This is an ongoing process for me, but it is something I am working on. I love my husband and an not so selfish as to not realize that right now I must be the strong on, who can handle all life throws at me for now, and let M know, that I am here and will be here in any way he needs me to be.

Last but not least, we have not heard a word from Widget in over a month. I am betting we will hear from here in about two weeks when it is time for school to start. However,  that is a door we have decided to close and to no longer be used. I wish her the best and hope she somehow escapes her family’s legacy but I do not hold out much hope.

That is all for now, but in my mind it is enough.