rhales199's journal...

[rhales199]

Mrs. packman moved to 284 this morning!!! yay!!!
here's a 'poem' that a friend of mine (not on sb, & doesn't know i'm on it) sent me, with some sb editorials i added in ().
friend of mine sent me this, so i thought i'd share (w/ some SB editorial i added):
Happy Thanksgiving

~'TWAS THE NIGHT OF THANKSGIVING, BUT I JUST COULDN'T SLEEP I TRIED COUNTING
BACKWARDS, I TRIED COUNTING SHEEP.
~THE LEFTOVERS BECKONED - THE DARK MEAT AND WHITE BUT I FOUGHT THE
TEMPTATION WITH ALL OF MY MIGHT
~TOSSING AND TURNING WITH ANTICIPATION THE THOUGHT OF A SNACK BECAME
INFATUATION.
~SO, I RACED TO THE KITCHEN, FLUNG OPEN THE DOOR AND GAZED AT THE FRIDGE,
FULL OF GOODIES GALORE.
~I GOBBLED UP TURKEY AND BUTTERED POTATOES,(mock mashed potatoes, that is!!!) PICKLES AND CARROTS( just a few, cause we can't have too many carrots!), BEANS (and of course, they're not baked beans, becuase that's way too much sugar!) AND
TOMATOES.
~I FELT MYSELF SWELLING SO PLUMP AND SO ROUND (which is why we're on sb, b/c we dont' want to feel that way permanently (but one day once a year is 'okay'),
'TIL ALL OF A SUDDEN, I
ROSE OFF THE GROUND.~I CRASHED THROUGH THE CEILING, FLOATING INTO THE
SKY WITH A MOUTHFUL OF (sf) PUDDING AND A HANDFUL OF (sf) PIE.~BUT, I MANAGED TO
YELL AS I SOARED PAST THE TREES....HAPPY EATING TO ALL - PASS THE
CRANBERRIES, PLEASE.(as long as they don't have too much sugar!!) ~MAY YOUR (ww bread) STUFFING BE TASTY, MAY YOUR TURKEY BE
PLUMP. MAY YOUR (mock) POTATOES 'N GRAVY (minus the white flour & greasy junk, of course!) HAVE NARY A LUMP,
MAY YOUR YAMS (w/o marshmallows, of course) BE DELICIOUS. MAY YOUR (sf) PIES TAKE THE PRIZE, MAY YOUR
THANKSGIVING DINNER STAY OFF OF YOUR THIGHS.(which is what sb is all about!!!)
~HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL! (and to all a good night!)~

[Leigha]

Yeah Becky- bye-bye to 5 pounds- you go girl!!!

[Nashvillesugapie]

Hey! Sorry it has been a while since I checked in. I'm so excited that you lost 5 lbs!! That's so cool.
How was your Thanksgiving? Mine wasn't bad, I ate entirely too much, but I lost another pound the day after, so I'm not complaining! haha. It was nice to get back to normal though. There's still a pumpkin pie calling my name (even though I normally hate pumpkin pie) but I just ignore it. I figure my dh will finish it off tonight. haha. So much for HIS SB diet! haha.
Well, hope you're doing well, and hopefully I'll hear from you soon. Be sure to post weekly stats on Sunday night so that I can get our points in for the week. The water challenge was the easiest yet, and I actually think it IS helping me lose weight...that and watching my calories closer. Oh well, whatever works! Talk to ya soon!

[Leigha]

Thanks or the cheers Becky- it feels good to have 'started' losing weight AT LAST!!
Have a GREAT week!!
xxx
Leigh

[rhales199]

I'm here!! sorry i've been kinda awol lately. I've been really tired lately, my foot is still bothering me, and DH has a touch of the flu. pray tell he doesn't give it to me, b/c i haven't been able to get a flu shot yet (he did, b/c medicaid paid for it,thank goodness. b/c i'm sure he'd be a lot worse if he hadn't!), & my foot is still bothering me.
Thanksgiving was good, except i had way way way too much of this lovely orange/ pinapple/ marshmallow salad that our hostess made.
i've also been doing the November challenge, and it has been a challenge!! I will sign up to do more, but until my foot stops bothering me, i'm sign up to be a cheerleader!!
As for my eating , other than that marshmallow salad, i've done well!! And i've gotten all my water in every day!! And i've managed to do all my exercising!! Yay!!

Here's my stats for last week:
M: walk-DONE!!
T: Walk, arm weights/ crunches/ lunges- DONE!
W: hooked on aerobics (my foot felt good at the time): DONE
T: day off!!
F: walk-DONE!
s:walk, weights- done!
s: walk- done!!

Talk to y'all later!!
Becky

[Leigha]

Becky-
You're really good about exercising- but doesn't the walking hurt your foot?
xxx

[rhales199]

good morning everyone!!

[rhales199]

I weighed myself this morning, and i'm down to 281!!
also did my measurements this morning. here's what my old measurements were (from nov. 2):
upper right arm: 18" below elbow: 13" wrist:8" chest:40" bust:49" hips:54" waist:45.5" Thigh:31"

my new ones are:
upper right arm: 17 3/4", below elbow: 12 3/4 " wrist: 7 3/4" chest: 39.5" bust: 48" hips:52" waist:45" Thigh: 30".

Now, i've just got to keep this up, so my pants will fit better (or i can get smaller ones, eventually), and so people will start noticing (on a person my size, people don't notice a ten lb. loss) That, plus the people i'm around (well the ones that can see, at least), don't seem to be very observant. They never even noticed when i got new glasses a few months ago. usually, it takes a 10' inch haircut for anyone to notice anything different about me.

[Nashvillesugapie]

Well I'M impressed! I think you're doing a great job! You just keep doing what you're doing, and people are going to notice! I can't wait to have you as a cheer leader on the next challenge! Two more days to go!!!! Woo hoo!

[Nashvillesugapie]

Hey girl!

Last night of the challenge!!! We did it!! Be sure to post stats and final weigh ins so I can get everything posted. Great job!!

[rhales199]

Sorry it's been a while since my last post. Some very painful things happened last week, and the thought of writing about it drains me, but i know i need to do it, so here goes. (warning: this is a long post!!)
I had called my in-laws a week ago to tell them how things were going FS, medical clinic wise, & healthwise, & during the course of the conversation MIL asked how things were money wise. i told her it was tight, but we'd make it thru the end of the month. i also said we have an outstanding phone bill & medical bill. She said she'd try to help us w/ that. The next day, she called & talked to dh, & said they might not be able to help too much b/c they had to pay our car insurance, & that would take most of her paycheck. She also told dh that they had called my father & told him what was going on, & he had said, "Well, if they can't pay for food, why do they have cable & cell phones [my dad HATES cell phones]?" Thankfully, my MIL (who took care of dh for 20 years, & understands how important something like cable tv is to someone who can't get out very easily) replied "well, they've gotta have somewhat of a life!!". As far as the cell phone thing, dh has been going down the road in his wheelchair and gotten stuck or lost or something too many times for me to not make sure he has a phone w/ him @ all times!! And apparently, my dad couldn't seem to realize that we're trying to get food stamps so instead of spending money on food, we can put it towards other things (like that phone bill & medical bill). So, later that evening, i called my dad (he had left a message on my phone, which i didn't get until dh's mom called us). Of course, he didn't say anything TO ME about the phone conversation w/ my MIL. HE did at least say he would sent us some money to help w/ bills. But, of course, this was AFTER he HAD to go on a tirade about how 'two years ago he had helped my brother get ou to of debt and move from Texas to Utah w/ some money he'd saved up, & he'd never seen a red cent of it repaid, & probably never will.'
The next day, MIL called & talked to dh again. She told him they had called my dad again, & here's what HE told them: HE told them, "Becky's just like her mother, she knows how to live very frugally. My wife works so she can have her own spending money, that way she doesn't have to ask me for money" [my dad is retired]
I would think that being able to live frugally would be something to be proud of, NOT something to make fun of your own daughter about. [I don't know how anyone else would feel if they found out their dad had said this about them, but I was VERY HURT by it]. But i also think that he was saying that i'm lazy & don't work for what i want (especaily since he know i'm only working 2 hrs a week right now). [Plus, i think he's really disappointed that i, the first girl in his direct family line in about 70 years, didn't finish college.]
Also, apperently both of our parents think that i need to work more hours, EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEMS I'M HAVING W/ MY FOOT!! apparently, either they don't realize how bad the problem is some days, or they just expect me to be able to do everything no matter wether or not i'm able to walk that day!![i do in- home care, which requires a bit of walking]. I'd like to know how they think it is that i'm being lazy by only working two hours, when that's about all i can handle b/c of my foot!! Well, that, along w/ still having to do all the driving (dh is legally blind)(including taking dh to any appointment HE has), shopping, housework, & cooking, as well as getting myself & dh dressed every morning!!
What he doesn't seem to get is that when i was working full time, that really only meant things: 1) our rent went up (we get housing assistance), 2) DH's social security (ss) check went down (SS & housing are both based on family income). So, we weren't really any farther ahead when i work full time then when i don't. AND, when i work full time, that means that dy is home by himself most of the day, and he starts going stir crazy, so by the time i get home (& am usually dead tired, just want to stay home & cook, & need to do lots of housework)- guess what-- I had to put aside whatever i wanted/ needed to do, as well as how tired i was, & take dh out somewhere, just so he could get out of the house for a few hours!! After awhile, i began to feel like it wasn't worth it to work myself to the bone like this b/c even w/ all I was doing, we'd never get any further ahead (thanks to housing & ss being based on income). It was only a few short years later that i found out i have hypothyriod (& one of the symptoms of that is.... always being tired, & not having a lot of energy....hhhmm...).
So, yeah, i was upset by what my dad had said. it made me feel like no matter what i did, or how hard i tried or worked at something, i was just a big screw up & a failure to him, and he'd always be disappointed.
As for me, i don't think that about myself. But it sure hurts that someone else seems to think that. As for me, i think i do A LOT of work, and i'm proud of the work i do!!
Well, both parents sent us money, which turned out to be a good thing, b/c SS shorted dh almost 250$ in his monthly payment. Here's what happened ss wise (warning: long explanation)- when dh was working, he had to send his paycheck stubs in to ss (b/c, like i said before, his ss check goes up or down based on family income). Well, Dh has been sick & not able to go to work since Sept. When we sent his last checkstub in, i wrote a note on it that said he was sick & couldn't work, but we'd be sure to notify them when he was able to go back to work. So, his ss check amount was raised, and we had no problems w/ it in oct & nov. Well, early in nov, we got a notice from ss that said that dh had made 800$ in oct [he would have, had he been working, b/c he would have had 3 paydays that month instead of 2], & therefore his check would be lowered. Well, we called & got it all straightened out [we thought!!]. we also asked them to send us a paper showing what dh's now corrected amount for Dec would be. Well, we never got the paper (but sometimes things take a while in the mail). Well, when dh got his check, it was for the original (before correction) amt. We called ss, & they could see the 'glitch', & sent a message on to someone (presumably in our local office) to have them fix the problem. WEhave yet to hear back to anyone, so we'll be calling them tomorrow. So, the money that our parents sent us to help w/ bills isn't going to be put towards bills until we get what we're owed from ss!!
ONe good thing i'm happy to report is that i've remained pretty good about my eating!! YAY!!!

[Kelcoop]

Hi, Becky - Just came by your journal to say hi and thanks for being our cheerleader, and then I've been here a while reading about you. Now, I want to thank you even more for being our cheerleader with the stuff you have going on. It is so nice that you can still keep a positive attitude in the face of adversity! That really is a rare talent!

And, while i'm sticking my 2 cents in, I had a thought about your father and in-laws. You know that ultimately, they love you and want to help. I think sometimes, people just get frustrated with life in general. What they need to do, though, is talk to you or your hubby about your situation, not amongst themselves. So many well-intentioned sentences get totally twisted and blown out of proportion when you don't hear them firsthand. You had to hear that sentence as interpreted by your MIL and your husband! And, by the way, to me, frugal is a good thing!

You are making the very most of what you have. You are not getting help because you or your husband are lazy - you are getting help because you have to have it to live in a world that is expensive. And, if the two of you could go out and earn that money on your own, I have no doubt that you would be doing it already! So, don't feel guilty or like less of a person for it. Hopefully, you will be able to find more resources out there to relieve more of the financial burden. Our welfare system is supposed to take care of people with problems just like you guys have - stuff that's out of your control! I just hope it operates correctly.

Okay, so anyway, that was the longest tangent to say hello! Please keep up your positive attitude!!!

Keep in touch - Kelly

[pucksgirl]

you are an amazing lady. you are so positive even when things aren't going so well for you. Amazing Rhales....you are awesome.

[rhales199]

We qualified for 172$ of heating assistance, which should cover us for the whole winter!! YAY

[rhales199]

WARNING: ANOTHER LONG POST!!
i wish i could say that my news regarding Food stamps AND social security was as good as what i just shared about heating assistance, but... no.
We went to our local social security office today, and after having to wait about 30 mins. (OF COURSE!!!), it was finally our turn, and dh told the guy what had been going on (i think i've mentioned it all in here. i'll go back and check, and if i haven't, i'll tell what has been happening in my next post). After all that, all the guy did was ask, would you like to appeal this (SS's decision to lower Tygh's SS amount), and when we said yes, handed us a form to fill out and mail in. it's sad that because of their mistakes and screw ups, we're the ones that are having to go out of our way and take time away from other things and do lots of extra things (FOR THEM!!)just so this can get straightened up, and we can get what we need!! They're the ones who have shorted us the money this month, and yet THEY can't seem to do anything about it. i'm just hoping that this appeal thing will do the trick. if not, we WILL be DEMANDING a conversation w/ dh's caseworker, so we can finally get this resolved. (oh yes, and SS WILL be getting a nice letter from me telling them about how lacking their 'help' has been lately). i'm kinda feeling like we're swimming UPsteam with all this, though.
That was before lunch. after we stopped for lunch, we went to health & welfare, to see what the status of our food stamps application was. The secretary, told us, 'it had been denied, because they didn't get all the information they needed.' i said, 'really? because we faxed all of it when it was due.' she, at least, didn't brush us off, and instead found our caseworker, who did a little investigating in our file, then came and talked to us. WE figured out that all the stuff i had faxed from our apartment complex was what was missing (stuff that had been faxed from, say, dh's work, they had gotten- but noone had claimed it (the gal who had been helping us when i faxed all this stuff in was given a new assignment in a new office for a while). So, I HAVE TO GET ALL THAT STUFF OUIT AGAIN and turn it in to them (again!!). the good news, is that once we get in turned in to them, it should only take a few days for our benefits determination to be made. I'm just very upset because we faxed all the stuff they needed TWO WEEKS AGO, and no one EVER told us anything about them not getting it (and yes, we did call our caseworker when we faxed the stuff over, but that's a big office, and it's the secretaries, not the case workers' who get the faxes initailly). Nor did we ever recieve a letter of any sort (and you'd think that they could have sent us a letter in those two weeks), let alone saying that we had been denied. nothing. it took us going in to the office to find all this out. So, basically, another two weeks that we could have had (and definately NEEDED) those benefits has been wasted b/c noone told us about this. SO, we've had to go without needlessly these last two weeks, because of not having known about this. it has been just over 6 1/2 weeks since i initally put the application in. I THINK IT'S REDICULOUS THAT A FAMILY IN NEED SHOULD HAVE TO WAIT THAT LONG TO GET THE ASSISTANCE THEY NEED!! nobody turns in an application for this stuff on halloween because they're going to need it at christmas! They do it at when they do it, because they know they'll need the help in like two weeks, not two months!! OH, i have a feeling i'm going to be writing these guys a letter of complaint also!!
Actually, i KNOW it doesn't always take this &$%* long to get food stamps. When we first moved to idaho the end of 1999, we applied for food stamps the beginning of the next year, and were on them within a monthof us turning in the application. (we only stayed on them for a few months that time, b/c i started a fulltime job (Aand thought we were then making too much money, so i stopped using them, and if you don't use them for three months, you don't get any more (unless you reapply)) in march of that year).
This time, AFter all th@#*^ we've been through to get food stamps, i plan on using them for a while!!