Clothing

One of the downsides to weight loss is needing clothing that fits. For me this mostly meant new jeans.  College age daughter had a pair of skinny jeans that were too big for her but which fit me fine.  I also used a sale and purchased two pairs of boot cut jeans (still over $30 each) and after digging around in some attic boxes found three pairs of dressy khaki style pants. These will work fine with the pair of brown corduroy jeans hanging in my closet. Shirts can continue to be roomier for awhile.
Having a continuing weight loss goal means that hopefully these purchases will be temporary fixes.

What's been cooking

 Having been on vacation from the school and also been off several days from the hospital I have been doing more cooking at home.  I've kept it simple doing pasta with marinara sauce, grilled pork chops, soup from the freezer, etc. On Christmas eve I made our traditional dinner of pork tenderloin balsamico, white and wild rice, salad, rolls and ice cream for dessert. Christmas day I did a roast beef for son's house taking some of that along with leftover rice and salad for my own dinner .  Oldest son packed up leftover turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, corn, roast beef, and mashed potatoes which I made into dinners for my two weekend shifts. Monday I was off for my pre-surgery appointment and had appetizers at my friend V's birthday celebration. Tuesday was my off day and V and I went out to a local bistro for dinner. Yesterday I put together a riff on a Pampered chef recipe penne with Sun dried tomatoes, spinach and grilled chicken.  Today I made a new recipe I found on Pinterest for a honey-garlic shrimp and broccoli. Here is the link: 

http://homemadehooplah.com/recipes/honey-garlic-shrimp-and-broccoli/

New Year's resolutions

  I've never been big on resolutions for a new year. But I recently came across an article that mentioned 7 that everyone should do to lay down the foundation of a better life and decided that sounded pretty good.
The first was get out of debt. I feel I am making good progress towards this although my mortgage will not be paid off until a long time in the future. Four more car payments and that will be done leaving me with just the standard insurance and utility bills.
The second was rid your life of toxic people. Clearly I am on my way there since the greatest source of toxicity and negativity in my life is gone. I will surround myself only with those that will help me succeed in life.
The third was to continue to better yourself or get more education. I have already researched getting my medical terminology certification online and plan to take the course once I am back on my feet financially following surgery leave. Then once my year in housekeeping is over I can start applying for those 'office-y" type jobs at the hospital or one of the family health/surgery centers (where you don't work weekends or holidays) within the health care system I am already employed by.
The fourth was exercise more. I have begun this but plan to add some yoga to what I do now.
The fifth was to find happiness within you. I lost that ability somewhere along the road in the last 8 years. I am determined to get that back and never give it up again.
The sixth was to let go of grudges. A hard one when people insist on sharing all the bad details with you but one which I vow to work on diligently. Mostly because I think it will lead me to that happiness within.
And the final one was connect with those you care about. I have been doing that more but will make a concerted effort to do so even more in the future instead of letting life get in the way.
Here's to laying the foundation for a truly awesome new life.

Goodby Annus Horribilis

  As this year draws to a close I realize that it has once again been two months since I sat down and shared life. The last two months have been difficult for me. Just as I felt in a good place following my break-up word spread that the ex-Gf was not the gentleman I thought he was and despite the fact that we will have to occasionally see each other at family functions (he is my daughterinlaw's uncle) thought it would be a grand idea to trash talk me behind my back. I'm a big girl and I can ignore that kind of stuff, consider the source (someone who at all costs must be in the right & build himself up by tearing someone else down), realize that what he's saying is pure fiction, know that anyone who knows me doesn't beleive a word of it, and move on. But when it hurts my children that makes me angry. And I also discovered the reason behind the break-up. While making the deal for college age son's first car the Ex also made a deal to hook up with the seller of said car. That hurt. It still hurts. Ouch. Pain and Anger, two very bad companions I intend to leave behind in the new year. The fact that he continues to text me randomly as well as on holidays as if we are still BFFs shows me he also thinks I'm stupid. Not. Hopefully the fact that college age son and daughter both returned the gift cards he sent them for Christmas will get through to him that no one wants his charity (part of what he's saying is that he basically supported us for 8 years..clearly why I had to work 3 jobs). And this will be the very last time I ever mention him again.
Work-wise I am in a much better place. I've settled into my permanent area, Pediatric emergency and have begun to forge good work relationships with the staff there. I actually got a very high compliment from my hospital supervisor last night, she said "they love you in PEDS and it looks great" Considering the joint commission on hospitals is due to inspect us next month this is a big deal. My school job is also pretty much stress free this year. So much better than last school year!!
I have had some health things going on. On the upside as of two days ago I have dropped 30 much needed pounds due to all the walking around I get at the hospital! My blood pressure is back to normal, my heart rate is excellent, and I feel good. My cholesterol is still high but a prescription for Lipitor is getting that back on track. My hospital likes you to have all the routine tests for your insurance so I recently had my first colonoscopy and I am extremely grateful that I did. A polyp was removed and while it was benign it was also unusual so a follow up scope next year is on the schedule. I have a routine mammogram this coming week and the big one is I am scheduled for carpal tunnel surgery a week from tomorrow. The right arm first then if it is healing well two weeks later the left. The downside to this news is that I will be on recovery from the hospital job for a month and once my few days of PTO run out I will be without a paycheck. Ouch. However the aftercare director at school is going to hire me to work temporarily three  hours a day (so the business manager doesn't go crazy that I exceed the 8 hour limit) while I am on leave of absence from the hospital. I don't have to use my arm at all for that job and all the lifting etc. that is required for the cafeteria job will be done by my assistant. Paperwork I can take care of with one hand. So a little income coming in in addition to the cafeteria paycheck will cover gas & insurance costs. My oldest son has already offered to help out if I need it and of course adult son who lives at home will contribute the regular towards utilities. My last paycheck of this year will take care of the mortgage, the tv bill, and the homeowners insurance and put a little cushion in the checking account.
Knowing this was coming up I was frugal with Christmas expenses although happily it was the same 'sized' Christmas as it has always been.
I had to work at the hospital Christmas Day and I was very sad about that. But all of my children except middle daughter and her family came for Christmas Eve and I spent Christmas morning before work with Middle Daughter and her family. So all in all it was something to be thankful for.
I will be working tonight until 11:30 and then stopping at my neighbor and dear friend V's house to raise a glass to the New Year. I can't say enough good things about V. She has been my rock the last four months. Getting me out and about, listening patiently to my boo-hoo-ing, serving worms for my pity parties, and giving sage advice. When God gave her son to my oldest son as a 'brother from another mother' and best friend he also gifted me with her. A truly special gift.
So goodbye horrible 2015 and welcome what I am determined will be an awesome 2016.

The Times they are a changing.....

It has been almost two months since I have sat down and shared life. In that time I have gone through some big changes. My 8 year relationship with the GF has come to an end. Seeing as how it was totally out of the blue and he felt no explanation necessary I was quite upset at first. However it has been a month now and I find, surprisingly, that I am fine. I like my own company, I don't feel I need a man to "complete" me and I have plenty of friends to fill social occasions. I am also quite happy to focus on my own home in the limited amount of free time I have these days.
And speaking of free time it has been packed with all kinds of things, birthday celebrations, a fun Halloween night at the zoo, shopping for the house with a good friend, and just some nice quite time with said friend. A little wine, a little tv, a lot of good conversation.  I am happy and contented in this life.
And work fills in a LOT of my time. Working two jobs consumes most of the waking hours. And I am still doing the occasional Bake and Take with kids from school on nights I don't work the hospital.
I finally received the check from my two years of overtime from the school. I paid down the remaining balance of my car loan by half. The entire loan will be paid up by April if I make the usual payment, sooner if I add some extra each month.
I have also bought a few nice things for my house, some new dishes (the stoneware ones just became too heavy for me with my carpal tunnel issues), some small fall decorations, and a new vacuum after the old one totally died. And I have begun Christmas shopping with the purchase of a couple of books from the school book fair.
Not a lot of need for grocery shopping however. Most of my meals for my night job are leftovers or salads made at school. With the crazy schedule my kids have between work and school most of the time if I eat at home I am eating alone. Besides fresh produce, dairy, and some snacky items for the lunch box as well as things like laundry soap and toilet paper. This in itself is a change.
And leads to the next change. I have dropped 22 pounds since my prework checkup in August. I feel fantastic!!!! Change is good.

Settling in to my new work schedules

  I have finally gotten a handle on the new almost continual work hours. I am back at school M-F from 9-2. The hospital schedule is a bit more complicated. The work week begins on Sundays. I work at the hospital every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Beginning today I work every other weekend and when you work on Saturday (last day of the week) you also work on Sunday (first day of the week). On the week I work on Saturday I have Thursdays off (so I was off this last Thursday) and on the week I work on Sunday I have Tuesday off (so I will be off this coming Tuesday). Wash, Rinse, Repeat. Confused? You aren't alone. I actually had to put it  into my calendar to understand it. Labor Day is also my first holiday to work. You get every other holiday off, so I will be off Thanksgiving and work Christmas Day. I believe the new holiday calendar year starts on New Year's Day so I probably will work that as well. This way no one works every Christmas Day for example every year. And Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve are not holidays (neither is Easter).
So on Thursday it will be 30 days under my belt. How do I like it? Well it is taking some getting used to.  I've been assigned to the Pediatric ER and the work is not demanding. Actually I would prefer to be a bit busier because the night sometimes drags but on the upside with working two jobs not demanding is a good thing.
And I have to say that first paycheck really made my bank account smile! Speaking of financial matters the issue with overtime pay at the school for the last two years has finally been settled. A deposit will be made in my checking account this coming Friday. I will pay off half the remaining balance on my car loan, pay back GF for the brake work he did on my car last month, and pay back two small loans from a couple of my kids that got us through August. The remainder will be in the savings account.
We are also saving money like mad on food. With school starting I've just been taking lunch leftovers to work at the hospital  for dinner . Adult son, college age son, and college age daughter have been fending for themselves. Now that I have a regular hospital schedule I will be able to sit down and make a modified dinner schedule for night's off and weekends. And next weekend I will do a little food shopping. We still have a ton of stuff in the freezer but do need fresh produce, dairy, and some odds and ends in the pantry.

A quickie

I am in my second week of training at the hospital and it is a wild ride. First off I have to say that my area (ER) is always busy so there is no chance of getting bored, lol. There has been a lot to learn and a lot to remember but I think I'm getting it down. Once I have access to the EVS closet and can swipe into my area all will be well. I even spent 15 minutes last night totally alone on the floor doing rooms due to a shift change and staff shortage. My one dread now is how my body is going to handle two jobs once school begins next week. I also need to get myself super organized so that I can keep up on things like laundry and meals to take to work. I had to buy a knee brace because my left knee was killing me after two days. Wearing this under my uniform is helping. I am also having nonstop lower back pain. I am doing stretches at home and wearing a back brace around the house as well as taking a hot shower when I get home from work but I think this is just something that will work itself out as my back becomes used to the movements I am now making. A reminder that I am not as young as I used to be and am really carrying around more weight than I should. However, this job may help the weight problem since by the end of the day I've been averaging just over 20,000 steps.. And that is without school starting.  I have also had to purchase a really good pair of shoes. I settled on New Balance with memory foam in them. Very comfy and was surprised when a new co-worker gifted me two pairs of clog type nurses shoes!
Training was initially supposed to be on the day shift but after one day of orientation, one day of online training, and one day of on the floor training they've switched me to my regular 2nd shift hours. This is good because it gives me an idea of how it will be before school begins. As for meals I've been creating a dinner to go just before making my lunch at  home. I will need a new plan for when school starts next Wednesday. Right now I expect to be working both Monday and Tuesday at the hospital (unless a supervisor tells me one of those will be a night off and puts me on the weekend schedule for that upcoming weekend) so this weekend which I know I won't work I will be putting together about three dinners that I can pop into the freezer for the Wednesday, Thursday, Friday after the beginning of the school year.
So far I have packed:  a roast beef sandwich (made with planned overs from dinner) with carrots w/ hummus, and a nectarine (my first online day), bought lunch (my second day, can't do that on nights because the cafeteria is closed), leftover chicken paprikash, peas, applesauce;  penne with sauce, salad, vanilla pudding; and last night a salad with steak & blue cheese on it with homemade dressing, and apple slices.
And now I am off to finish making today's dinner and have some lunch before grabbing a quick shower and getting ready to go in to the hospital!