Robin's iNest

Master Cleanse completion

2009-04-04T18:10:00.000-07:00

Guess I should have posted an update - finished the master Cleanse after 10 days of only drinking the lemonade stuff. My knees do not hurt any more at night (so I guess that means it worked - right?). Some notes:

1) You're supposed to take 3 days to come off it - I did great the first day (day 11) drinking orange juice only - until night - then I had key lime pie and frozen pizza - let me tell you - my intestines were making scary noises and moving around like I was carrying an alien baby! BUT - no "real" damage as far as I could tell from "breaking the fast the wrong way"... I was fine after that.

2) I did lose 9.5 pounds (and 3 weeks later have only gained back 2) BUT this is NOT a diet - and if anyone wants to lose weight, this is NOT the way to do it - the Master Cleanse is to me akin to TORTURE!

3) After the first 3-4 days of feeling crummy (but not so bad I couldn't get out of bed - more like my brain was foggy and I had a headache - the headache was probably from caffeine withdrawal) THEN you feel GREAT. On Day 11 (my first day off) in the morning I worked the visitor booth at church and felt GREAT - well - after I went back to eating "regular" the following sunday working the visitor booth I could TOTALLY see a change in my energy level/mood. Summary - the Master Cleanse helps your mental health as well.

4) This "white coating" on the tongue everyone talks about - happens - but it's not so freaky you can't leave the house (which is what I was worried about) - no one would notice unless you purposefully stuck your tongue out at them.

5) Be prepared to be in the bathroom after drinking the sea salt water!!! I wasn't expecting how truthful that situation was - but yes - you WILL end up in the bathroom! DON'T get stuck in your car on I-95 in a traffic jam after drinking the sea salt water! (This didn't happen to me, I'm just giving a free tip.)

Day 5 Master Cleanse

2009-03-09T14:41:00.001-07:00

So, I'm on day 5 of The Master Cleanse. So far it hasn't been too bad, as long as I avoid thinking about food. I am realizing just how much time I spend: thinking about food, planning about food, making food, eating food. I have a lot more time in my day now - and my days were boring enough as they were to add MORE free hours to them!

I will admit, when my chiropractor said I should do a "cleanse" to get rid of the toxins built up in my knees - I wasn't thinking it was going to be this intense - 10 days? No problem! Until that second day when you realize you aren't having any FOOD! AND then when you realize there's an additional 3 days of coming off the cleanse...

But I'm hanging in there and hopefully the pain in my knees will be gone. (It's at night, and I haven't had the pain since I started this, but I'd like a couple months before making a final determination!) BUT, my allergies are gone (for now!) and THAT is amazing!!!

the villages

2009-01-18T18:29:00.000-08:00

Today we went to visit my mother-in-laws cousin in The Villages. We had heard about The Villages, but had never been there.

It is this huge "over 55 community" in central Florida. It was amazing - they had two "downtowns" with movie theaters and restaurants, even a Publix and a Wal-Mart.

Everything is perfectly manicured and new looking. Apparently it takes up 24-25 square miles. Everyone has golf carts to get around, so in addition to streets for cars, there are streets for the golf carts. Of course we saw all kinds of fancy golf carts. It was kind of strange to see golf cart parking at Walgreens!

There are many community centers and every kind of activity one would want in retirement - games, line dancing, ceramics, live entertainment, etc. Plus every where you looked was a golf course!

There was house next to house next to house - a sea of houses - all within gated communities - all within The Villages.

A very interesting retirement idea. At the same time slightly spooky - like that movie "The Stepford Wives" - everything was too clean, to manicured, too perfect.

red-headed woodpecker

2009-01-18T18:27:00.000-08:00

Okay, so it has been decided (with the help of a friend) - that last week I saw a young red-headed woodpecker in my backyard.

He was just pecking away on a tree with his bright red head!

Not much else to this post except that I am logging all back-yard wildlife :)

friends are coming!

2009-01-02T12:35:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting here waiting for my friends to arrive, bored and excited. I've been so alone here it is kinda like I'm a kid waiting for Christmas!

My friends are coming up from South Florida for the weekend (they're actually both my friends and my husband's friends) and are stuck in traffic. There are a lot of things I could be doing while I wait, but instead I've just been sitting around excited doing nothing.

Funny - it's been so long since I've seen any friends that I have thought up millions of things for us to do - but they're only going to be here a weekend :(

I told them they have to stay a week - I'm greedy that way :)

ahhhhh they just called - they're at the gate!!!

yippeee!!!!!

another story from the jungle

2008-12-09T16:49:00.000-08:00

My subdivision is surrounded by jungle, and when you leave the subdivision, it exits onto a busy main road with a jungle on either side at that point... Well, today I was leaving my subdivision and waiting for traffic to clear - both directions - when I saw a turtle step off the curb and onto the street - the busy street.

Traffic cleared and I pulled my car into the median between the two lanes (the turtle was in the far lane of west-bound traffic). I was so nervous I made a disaster of parking the car in the median - but it was there. I opened my car door and stood up then - ahhhhhhh...

A minivan drove over the turtle and I heard the most horrible noise - the turtle went up under the car and bounced around like a pinball... it was horrible!

The minivan slowed down and then proceeded on... I was expecting to see mashed turtle... but instead I saw the shell spinning in the middle of the road like a top. When suddenly...

The little turtle head popped out!!!!

So leaving my car door open I ran up the median to where the turtle had dropped and saw a load of cars coming... so I leaned into the road and started waving and pointing... The cars stopped!!!

I went into the road and picked up the shell - it was totally undamaged - and felt like a tanker, the shell was so strong. The turtle had stuck it's head back in. I put the turtle (it was about a foot long turtle shell) in the grass on the side of the road, looked up - there were about 20 cars stopped waiting for me - but the first car put down their window and motioned to me - so I went over to the car.

The people in it said I had to put the turtle on the other side of the road because it would just try again to get where it was going - not good - over four lanes of a divided busy street - so I told them thanks, I'd wait for the traffic to go then move the turtle to the other side.

The traffic started back up and I watched as I realized - ahhhh I left my car parked all crazy in the median with the door open! I hoped nobody would hit my door! (no one did)

I walked the turtle across the street and put it down on the other side on the outskirts of the jungle. As I finally pulled away in my car (heart beating like crazy) I looked out the window and there was the large dark turtle shell in the grass.

When I came back from the post office (45 minutes later - holiday crowd) I looked where I left it - and it was gone.

I like to believe the turtle finally realized it was safe and went into the jungle and is now happy munching on leaves (or whatever turtles eat) and maybe taking a nap after it's eventful (and scary) day.

time flies

2008-12-02T18:28:00.000-08:00

You'd think I'd have all the time in the world to take care of things - especially with no kids at home - but somehow it seems I am always out of time!

Now that Thanksgiving is past, I'm thinking of all I have to do to get ready for Christmas... and I'm not sure there's enough time! It seems like Christmas is coming early this year, but maybe it's just that Thanksgiving was late.

It always amazes me how Christmas is supposed to be about the birth of Jesus, but somehow the whole month of December turns into something else - something hectic - instead of the calm serene of the baby in the manger.

As I sit contemplating my lack of money and lack of time year-end, I need to remind myself what this season is all about...

the bobcat in the yard

2008-11-04T19:26:00.000-08:00

Um, yeah... today I was watching television while eating my lunch and through the sliding glass doors I saw movement. Yep, it was a bobcat. It might as well have been a kangaroo I was so shocked.

I knew we had a jungle in the backyard. Since we moved in I've slowly adjusted to the dense foliage. Months with the most dangerous creature being only deer I had lost my fear of the wild.

And then this. "Bob" slowly walked across my backyard as if he was the king of the jungle. Now I know where the modeling industry gets the term "catwalk". Wow did he strut his stuff! (Since I named it "Bob", I will refer to it as a male.)

When Bob got to the line between my house and the neighbors I stepped out of the sliding doors. He heard the noise, and I couldn't believe it - he slowly turned and looked at me over his shoulder then smirked like, "Yeah, I'm not afraid of you, you weakling human". Turned his head forward and SLOWLY went onward.

I have to admit he was beautiful. Very clean looking. His stomach and bottom was spotted and his head and back a "solid" grey/gold mixture. He had longer fur around the sides of his nose and mouth - like a lion or a schnauzer. His tail surprised me the most - it wasn't like a cat tail, it was short and curled around.

So... now I've met Bob.

in awe of my friends

2008-10-14T13:06:00.000-07:00

I started this morning when I was admiring something a friend made for me, a small booklet that spells my name. I keep it as decoration in my office, but today I picked it up to admire it. Besides dissecting it to figure out exactly how she did it, I started thinking about how talented she is, which led me to think about all my friends... how each one has special talents, interests, abilities. They amaze me daily :)

For example:

One friend is a very active animal activist. She does a lot of work with abandoned dogs. Right now she is fostering a dog that needs surgery on two feet. She has single-handedly raised almost $2000 in the last week toward the surgery (which will cost close to $3500 total). She made bracelets and sold them, emailed everyone she knew, went to a pumpkin festival - anything she can think of to raise money.

One friend teaches young children. Recently I saw a picture of her with her class and my heart swelled with pride. She also has a singing voice of an angel, and for those of us who can't sing, this is an awesome gift.

One friend has two elementary school children. Although she works outside the home all week, she still has plenty of one on one time with the kids - doing endless crafts, watching endless home plays, making cookies, playing outdoors. She cooks dinner every night for the family. (I guess you can tell, I don't cook... I find it amazing those who do!)

One friend has older kids, 16-21, which everyone knows the challenge of those years. She too works outside the home, but somehow manages to handle the demands of her children, and the 4 dogs (two of which came home with her oldest kids). She gets up and swims at the Y before work each morning, and she too cooks dinner every night. (Sometimes I am convinced this one doesn't sleep - I don't know when she could fit it in.)

One friend is the smartest person I know, I wonder what it would be like to be so smart? Wondering about something - call her! Oh, and she can cook anything :)

One friend is the best secret-keeper ever - I tell her she is like a safe, or the black hole, once in, the secret never comes back out - to anyone. She's also working on her MBA, while working outside the home full time AND taking care of her 6 month old son.

One friend (the original one who started all this) has every creative talent possible - paper, computers, kitchen, yard, sewing, singing. She also knows about everything, everywhere. I'm convinced she is another one who never sleeps. (no time left!)

All these friends have even more talents/gifts/facets than the few I mentioned above for each, and I could go on, but I think I have proved my point. That every friend is amazing to me just for who they are!

And I hope they all know (even if you read this and see you were not one of the examples used to prove my point!) how much I care about them and how important they are to me :)

wildlife

2008-10-05T13:25:00.000-07:00

This morning I saw the most beautiful Cardinals in our backyard. There was one red one (male) and two females (not sure what that was all about - maybe I just didn't see the other male, or maybe they were siblings???). We moved from South Florida to - well, I'm not sure what you call this area - well, we moved North. The thing I first noticed was there are so many trees - big trees. The second thing I noticed was - allergies. And the third thing I noticed was - ahhhhhh wildlife!!!

I was told to look out for rattlesnakes, coral snakes, wild turkeys (what???), black widows and brown recluse spiders... I was quite scared. On top of it our backyard has a jungle in it! (That's what it looks like to me - a tropical jungle!) When we moved in here, at night I could hear lions and tigers and bears. Some noises were so loud I was sure there were wild elephants crushing through the jungle.

We've been here about 3 months now, and I have truly come to love our jungle. No longer is it full of the scary animals I was warned about - it's actually quite serene. I have realized the wildlife we have in our jungle are squirrels, deer, beautiful butterflies and birds. Sometimes I will sit outside reading and set my book down just to watch the squirrels gather nuts or see where the butterfly is going. In the mornings I often see a Mama (assumption here) and baby deer having breakfast in our yard.

This morning I had the special treat of the Cardinals. They brought back memories of being a child in Ohio and watching the beautiful Cardinals and Blue Jays that would eat from the feeder outside my 2nd grade classroom window. The male Cardinal this morning was so vibrant it was almost shocking. After the females left, he sat there in the yard another five minutes just looking regal, letting me enjoy his beauty.

what a difference a week makes

2008-09-20T14:48:00.000-07:00

A week ago I thought my daughter would not be able to walk for at least a couple more months... well, as of last Thursday (Sept. 18th)... she can walk!

We went to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne for x-rays. The doctor reviewed the x-rays then came in to see us. Next thing we know he was like, "Let me see you walk." We were stunned, happy, excited, couldn't stop smiling! He showed us the x-rays and her bone has healed completely.

She can walk, but she isn't real good at it - she has 6 weeks more of physical therapy 3x a week. Walking also is causing her tremendous pain - but - she smiles through it all :) Praise God!

We'll still have to go back to the hospital every 6-8 weeks for x-rays to make sure the femur head doesn't die (due to the blood supply being cut off from it after the accident).

Right now she is busy "getting her life back" as she called it - and I am busy doing nothing - once I found out she could walk it was like I couldn't do anything - the exhaustion from the past 6 weeks set in - and I could let my guard down - how nice :)

I think I'll see what's on television!

I had no idea

2008-09-14T18:52:00.000-07:00

It is hard not to get depressed/discouraged by this situation - and I'm the Mom feeling this way. My daughter struggles so I try to keep a positive attitude around her and not let her see me get down. I had no idea how long and hard this would be. It seems to be the story of my life about so much - I "know" but I didn't "comprehend". My list of life mistakes - where I should have known!

Well, this comes to mind, because I KNEW my daughter had dislocated her hip, had a piece of bone missing etc... but I didn't COMPREHEND what that MEANS... the effort it takes just to get her in and out of a car, or in and out of the shower. Following the surgery, the doctor told me, "She'll be able to walk in about two weeks." I didn't comprehend that means with crutches, hopping on one foot, unable to carry her laptop, books, food, drinks, unable to even go down the stairs herself, how much of an effort it is for her to merely open a door by herself, how hard her hands would be bruised and hurting from the walker and crutches, how long it would take for her to get herself ready (on one foot), and that "walking" around Publix or Target would be impossible without the motorized wheelchairs they offer.

The doctor said, "She can't put any weight on her foot for 4-6 weeks." I didn't comprehend that meant she really won't be up and running for up to a year. My gosh, Friday the physical therapist told me, "No, she really can't go in the pool - unless she could get one of those poles to wear between her legs so she doesn't kick." What???

The doctor said, "She should heal fine, we just have to watch it for the next 6 months for avascular necrosis, if that occurs she'll need a hip replacement." I was encouraged, until I found out what I didn't COMPREHEND. That once the blood supply is cut off from the femur head, avascular necrosis could happen in up to FIVE YEARS... That she will need a hip replacement eventually now anyway - whether it is when she is 30, 40, 0r 50.

Oh, and THANK GOD I do not work!!! I can not imagine how someone would handle this if both parents had to work to pay the mortgage - one would have to take a leave of absence - or hire a caregiver - or something. I am overwhelmed with all this - and I don't even have outside commitments to worry about too!

Okay, had a minor melt down. I'm okay now - really :)

I have to have faith that God will take care of her with the best possible outcomes of all possibilities.

In that knowledge is where I find comfort.

The trick is for me to remember to take a moment for God to take over!

just when you think life is boring

2008-09-08T16:16:00.000-07:00

It's been a long couple of weeks. My daughter was in the front passenger seat when the accident happened. The driver lost control on I-95 and the car when off the highway and flipped a couple of times. She was airlifted to the hospital in Melbourne where she stayed for 8 days. Her left leg ripped from the hip socket - tearing all muscles and tendons - and there is a piece of bone about the size of a silver dollar missing from the middle of her hip socket. She can not put any weight on her left foot for another couple weeks at least. She is using crutches, a walker and a wheelchair. As well, since the blood supply was cut off from the femur head, the doctors are watching to make sure avascular necrosis (the femur head dying) doesn't occur. If it does, she will need a hip replacement. The driver of the car is fine now, and the other passenger injured his lower leg and is still recovering.

My daughter has been struggling physically and emotionally. We brought her back to college last week. I have been staying with my friend near where my daughter lives to take care of her (without actually staying in her apartment!). I thank God for my friend and her husband taking me in :) I drive back home every couple of days. It has been very rough for me, but I can not complain with all my daughter is going through!

She is going to physical therapy 3xs a week. It is depressing to see her on the table doing therapy - not even being able to do things on the floor/standing up. BUT Praise God she is alive and will heal in time!

Her next appointment at the hospital in Melbourne (almost 2 ours from my house, but I want to stay with the surgeon who worked on her) is September 18. They will do some sort of bone scan - and I am hoping for good news :)

pray for her friends too...

2008-08-08T17:18:00.001-07:00

The driver was not injured but he is feeling terrible about the accident - and her other friend was airlifted with her - I do not know his condition... Please pray for all three of them... gotta go!

please pray for my daughter...

2008-08-08T17:14:00.001-07:00

She was driving back from South Florida to college (she was a passenger) a couple hours ago. Was in a terrible accident somewhere in the middle of the state and was airlifted to the hospital. I'm leaving now to go to Melbourne - Holmes Regional Medical Center. She's going into surgery 8:30 pm. Dislocated left hip.

even the dog is used to solitary living

2008-08-07T18:49:00.000-07:00

So, you already know that I moved to a very quiet town from the city, and that my neighborhood is a ghost town during the day (well, and at night too). There's just never anyone around (all homebodies???). I always think when I walk the dog I'll see SOMEONE and have a conversation. That's how it was in South Florida - every time I'd walk the dog I'd run into SOMEBODY even if we only exchanged a few words like, "Hello, nice day!"

Seems to be my dog, Spike, is used to solitary living too. When we go on walks I use the long leash now because he has the run of the whole street and I let him explore. Today at noon, we walked out the front door for our walk. He was ahead of me as I pulled the door shut. Usually he runs around the corner of the house and I have to catch up.

Today there were two garbage men and the garbage truck at the end of our driveway. Usually (in South Florida) he would bark like crazy at the garbage truck, the UPS truck, the FedEx truck and "strangers" (anyone who doesn't stop to pet him) - so I thought he was going to start barking.

But no, seeing PEOPLE, he turned around, ran back for the door and pawed to get back inside. He has NEVER done that. His walks are his favorite part of everyday - everyday - all the time! All I can figure is the surprise of seeing actual people scared the heck out of him!

I thought this is ridiculous! So at the 5:00 walk, I decided to wait until 5:25 thinking maybe people would be home from work or driving down the street coming home - kinda advertise that Spike and I are here - maybe attract a "Hello" from someone. I walked around the corner to the main street even. All that I succeeded in doing was to get myself hot, sweaty and thirsty by the time I got back.

Well, and I'm sure Spike was grateful for the extra long walk :)

key lime pie

2008-08-06T18:52:00.000-07:00

When we moved here (June 20th), a neighbor brought over a homemade key lime pie. I have always loved key lime pie but this one was the best! I ate all but one piece myself (maybe my husband had two but I think he only got one).

Well that started it - I have had to have key lime pie every day since! I didn't feel comfortable going over and asking if she'd make me another - so I started buying them at Publix. Publix key lime pie is not as good as neighbor key lime pie, but they're doing the trick for me nonetheless.

I have a piece after lunch and a piece after dinner. Obviously I could not continue this without gaining a lot of weight, so I have modified my lunches and dinner to make the pie possible.

For example, today I had an apple, two pieces of ham and a large piece of pie for lunch. Dinner a Healthy Choice Chicken Basil bowl-thing - 280 calories - and a large piece of pie.

Amazingly, I have managed to keep my weight down while sustaining on basically key lime pie for over a month now.

I think the guys in my new Publix bakery think I have a problem. They have been putting nuts on their pies in the case, so I have to ask them to get one out of the back without nuts. At which point they say to me, "Let me just put the lime on that." (The garnish in the center of the pie.) I respond, "No, that's okay, it's just for me." Four days later I am back for another pie!

The time before the last time they didn't have any whipped topping made (I guess they make their own) so I said, "That's okay I can buy my own can of topping." (I was concerned they weren't going to give it to me at all since they didn't have the whipped cream.) Then the guy said, "Oh, do you want me to put some on from the can here?" I said okay, but heard the girl at the counter say something about it won't stay on or something??? Wasn't sure.

Once I got home I realized what she meant - the whipped topping from the can sank and looked like a milky pool on the edges of my pie! I obsessed about what to do for a couple hours. Should I take it off with a paper towel or just leave it on there? In the end I left it on there - and ODDLY ENOUGH - it was DELICIOUS!!! This milky mess on top of the pie was so tasty!

My last/current pie had the "homemade whipped cream" - it just isn't as good. Now I'm trying to figure out - do I go in next time and ask for, "A key lime pie out of the freezer, no lime garnish and whipped topping from the can please..." Maybe it'd be less embarrassing to just go ask my neighbor to make me another one :)

me and the dog again

2008-08-05T18:23:00.000-07:00

My daughter spent (almost) three days with me - we had a wonderful time! (Okay, so I did and she was probably bored out of her mind.)

She came Sunday afternoon and left this (Tuesday) morning. Yesterday I took the day off (can I call it that???) and we floated in the pool until dinner time. After dinner we watched TV together which is a rare occurrence. The highlight for me was that she was THERE with ME - not running out the door on her way somewhere, not IMing or texting, but there with me :)

The highlight for her was this Mediterranean pizza I made (compliments of my friend at tropicofmom). She ate it for dinner, lunch and dinner (and maybe a breakfast too). She kept saying how great it was and how impressed she was that my friend "discovered" the best pizza! I rarely cook so I can not begin to tell you how excited and pleased I was with how much she liked the pizza. So... I know what I am making next time she comes, and the next time :)

She left today around 11:30, it leaves such an empty space in my heart. I wonder - is this how it is - every time she leaves it hurts all over again? Does it ever get any easier?

Now I'm back to reality - spending the afternoon watching my dog try to catch lizards in the screened enclosure.

I did have one highlight this evening when my oldest step-daughter called with updates on her life up North. Everything is going great with her job and preparing to start Grad school. I was riding high for awhile... then she had to go...

So it's just me and my dog again... and looks like it's time for his walk!

kids, if they only knew how much we love them...

2008-08-03T19:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my husband and I spent all day moving my daughter from her dorm to her new apartment at college. In the 11 years I have been with my husband I have never seen him work so hard (physically) in one day. Due to OUR recent move, we had a lot of furniture and stuff we didn't need that we gave to her. So my husband got up early, loaded the UHaul from the storage unit drove it the hour to the college, then proceeded to unload it at her apartment.

There were 2 young college guys there to help - but my husband is 14 years older than me - and the apartment is on the 3rd floor.

Needless to say, after the moving, unloading, trips to Publix, Best Buy, TJMaxx and Target, setting up TVs, stereos, shower curtains etc. - it was one long tiring day for all of us - but without a doubt most of all for my husband!

I was exhausted, and during the moving up the 3 flights of stairs, my job was just to sit in the shade and guard the open truck!!! I can't imagine how he felt!

Today my daughter came to visit - she'll be here until Tuesday - a BIG treat for me :) Unfortunately, she got into a fight with her friend right before she came over. So she has been very upset at the prospect of losing one of her best friends. Which in turn has made me very upset. My heart aches for her. No matter what age our kids are, when they hurt we hurt, and there's no way around it.

here I am

2008-08-01T16:20:00.000-07:00

It's been about 6 weeks in this new place and I have yet to meet anyone. When I walk the dog at noon and five no one is around. I feel like I moved to a ghost town. A car doesn't even go by. I miss my daughter and step-daughter. I miss my friends. I miss my favorite places and I miss living in a city.

When we made the move here it coincided with my daughter leaving for college and my step-daughter moving North for grad school. Thank God for my dog so I have someone to talk to during the days! I almost called the blog Robin's EMPTY iNest!

Since my usually overactive life is now inactive, my friends encouraged me that this is a great time to (finally) start a blog. Here I am!