Hipaagrammy's Journal, 22 August 2014

Yesterday I walked and walked and stood and walked and stood and walked some more. Nothing to raise my heart rate, but enough to make my legs ache. I took one DIL and 4 grands to the city to go shopping for school clothes and supplies. We left about 9am and didn't get home until 7pm. The valves in the deep and superficial veins in my legs leak. This causes my legs to swell and to ache. My legs and feet used to swell when I was younger and thinner, but this is different. My legs feel like I'm walking around with leg weights. The doctors don't say weight loss will improve my condition, but I have to believe it should at least improve some of the symptoms. That's stress one...

Stress two...Granddaughter #1 did not graduate from high school last year when she should have - because she missed so many classes by oversleeping or not getting on the bus because her make-up wasn't done in time. For the past few years we've taken her school clothes shopping before the school year started. Last fall I told her that would be our last trip. She called yesterday (when she knew I'd be taking other grands shopping) to see if I would buy her clothes again this year. I told her I wasn't going to pay for her clothes, but when her Uncle and Aunt move out of my house I'll have a lot of work to do to put my house back in order and I'll pay her to help. I told her when she earned at least one hundred dollars I would drive her to the city to shop...she's not happy with me, and others wonder if we're not being supportive of her going back to school to get her diploma, but I feel she needs a reality check...if she doesn't get her act together she'll be working for low wages and new clothes won't just fall from the sky.

Stress three...DS#6 and DIL and 4 grands and large dog have been living with us since January 1st. They moved from Utah and in July finally sold their house there. They've put an offer on a house about an 50 minutes away from us, but they're still waiting for a closing date to be set. I'm not sure why these past few weeks have been so hard, but the boxes and the mess is really starting to get to me. I feel like I can't even move around my house, The laundry area is in one of the guestrooms. I thought it was a great idea to move it out of the basement and into a guestroom since I wasn't expecting long-term guests - not such a great idea after all. Combined with all the chaos is the realization that it is not easy for them either. So I stick a smile on my face and take a deep breath and try to make all of us as comfortable as I can. I know I'll miss them when they move, but it will be better for all of us.

Stress four...A month or so ago DIL#5 asked me to help her make a wedding cake for her brother's wedding on Saturday. She has NO CLUE how much work is involved. I tried to tell her, I told her it takes one day to bake the cake and another one to decorated it, but I guess she thought I was exaggerating. We set the date for Wednesday to bake the cakes and put crumb coats on the cakes then decorate them on Friday. She finally made it over at 4:30 on Wednesday to start making cakes, then told me she had to be to work at 7:30. Since I had told her I planned to be gone all day Thursday I just showed her how to make one 12-inch layer and how to use my big mixer for frosting and told her she could use my kitchen on Thursday to bake the rest of the cakes. When I got home last night she was still working on the cakes and is annoyed with me for not being around to help. The back story on this is that she has a heart of gold, she wants to give more than she can afford - monetarily and in her time (she seriously thought the ingredients would cost about $20!!). I've tried to be an example to her of setting boundaries and we've talked about this issue a number of times. She says she wants to stop dong things like this but... I let her know when she started this that it was a mistake...now if I step in and take over, I'm doing exactly what I tell her not to do...but if I don't someone's wedding cake doesn't get done. UGH!!

Stress five...DS#4 and 3 grands will be arriving this evening and plan to spend the weekend. His wife is going away and he wants something to do. I LOVE that my boys feel comfortable coming to visit whenever they want. We purchased this cabin in the woods as a "grandkid magnet" in hopes they would do just that. We have property with trails for go-carts, a trampoline, swimming pool, bikes, all sorts of things to do...I LOVE seeing my grandchildren...but right now I'm sooo tired. I think I'll buy hot dogs and let them cook them over a campfire outside...gets bodies out of the kitchen AND I won't have to cook dinner!

Stress six...Our house in town did not sell. The people who were renting decided to buy a newer house. I guess not everyone loves the charms of a 130 year-old home...even a grand one like ours. But that means we have to put it back up for sale. I need to find time - who knows where - to go over there and do some minor fix-ups. The gazebo needs to be restained and gardens need to be weeded. GoodMan says the basement floor should be repainted. We are really counting on the sale of that house to pay for the renovations we're making on our "lodge" here in the woods.

Stress seven...my niece Jillian's brain tumor...'nuff said

It has been good for me to write all this out. This is much cheaper than seeing a therapist! I've felt stressed, but my life is so good compared to so many! I'll keep working my program, keeping my head down and plodding along until some stresses are resolved and life brings along new ones.

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1083 kcal

Fat: 30.72g | Prot: 111.73g | Carb: 97.84g.   Breakfast: High Protein Shake - Strawberries & Cream. Lunch: Red Seedless Grapes, Rotisserie Chicken, Protein Chewy Bars - Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate. Dinner: Corn on the Cob, Pineapple, Grilled Zucchini, Portabella Mushrooms, Ham Steaks. Snacks/Other: High Protein Shake - Strawberries & Cream. more...