Glenn:

Thanks so much. Yeah, we got off track but it's fun for gals to chat about stuff that matters to us also. And believe me, weight matters to us. Too bad it didn't matter 20 or so years ago.

They say wisdom is wasted on the young. Boy, that couldn't be more true. I bet if we all went back in time, we would all wind up doing what Jack Lanne did. And he's 90 or more.

But we move forward.

Alan has no problem going to the bathroom. His stream is just fine. I asked him all the pertinent questions. So as of now, this is just me being a silly willy and all wifey and acting like Lucy Ricardo of I Love Lucy. When all you have is each other, well every little thing matters. And thankfully, it's still below 4.0. I read all the links you gave and I know if there's a problem that might pop up, well our dear Dr. Fred has a good urologist friend.

So as for now, next week, the mysterious Alan, (the one with the original case of PN who never comes on these boards), well he goes back to the gym. We really never thought that might happen with a foot ulcer for 18 months. But it looks good. So we are optimistic.

Last night I went to my friend's 75 birthday party. They served Carvel Ice Cream Cake. I only allow myself to "cheat" for want of a better word, at birthday parties or weddings.

So last night I had my first piece of Carvel Ice Cream Cake in over 20 years.

I cannot tell you what putting that first piece in my mouth did to my brain patterns. Everybody laughed their heads off. I just sat back, looked dreamily and said "oh my god". And believe me, I meant it. You don't know how you miss stuff if you never eat the stuff.

What a treat. Next birthday party is mine on November 4 (hopefully someone will throw me one), never had one before. But I'll be 60.

Oh, last night a man at the party started flirting with me. I said to him, "I'm probably old enough to be your mother". He said "are you kidding, how old are you?" I said: "Give it your best shot". He said "in your forties?? or at the most 50". I burst out laughing and said "soon 60". After his eyes popped, he looked me up and down and said "you look great". I then said "and you". and he said 42.

That was enough for me to feel good and not even think about any more ice cream cake. Wow, maybe when I'm 90, I'll pass for 70????

lol
Melody
P.S. I do thank you for all the helpful stuff you have given me.

Hi Melody:

How great to get that compliment about how young you look from that man at the party. Amazing how that could keep you from desiring another piece of cake! You look much less than your real age to me too, from your picture! We can all learn from your example of eating right. We should look so good.

Shirley H.

Shirley,

When a man, (ANY MAN), thinks you are younger than your actual age, well, you wouldn't eat another piece of cake, another piece of pizza, or another anything!!!

It's all about staying motivated. I mean, yeah, it's all about health, and being fit, and keeping the weight off, yeah, that plays an important part, don't get me wrong. But nothing works better for a woman's self esteem, than to have a perfect stranger give you a compliment. I never had any of those. Even my family (well, I was always the biggest, tallest one), so I stook out like sore thumb. Then, last year, when I went to family reunion and no one recognized me (or Alan, for that matter), well, they all had gained 50 lbs, and I had lost 50 lbs.

Do you thing anybody in my whole family gave me one word of praise, encouragement, or said 'wow, look at you"?? No, but growing up, I was called Mel-a-Roll, or Melody-Bells, or something not appropriate. It gets to you and you grow up with a lot of low-self esteem issues. It doesn't take a psychiatrist to know that self esteem issues lead to depression which can lead to either over or under eating. It's hard to get the mental thing to click.

But it is fun when a 42 year old man says nice stuff to you. And oh yes, when I met up with Alan at Dunkin Donuts this morning, I told him the whole conversation. He laughed and said "oh, I know you, you ate this up, right". And I said 'absolutely". We can laugh about this because we each know that we trust each other.

And you should see Alan when we are walking in the street and all these people (who I absolutely don't know and can't remember), well I love it when one of them is 6'5 and handsome and he goes "oh hi there". Now I don't know these people from a hole in the wall but I always smile and go "well hi right back at you".

Alan goes "Who is this guy?" and I always go "How am I supposed to know?, you know I can't remember anybody".

We laugh our heads off. (Thank god I can laugh about this). God help me when I"m 70 and I don't even know Alan. lol

Melody