Friday Randomness
I told you that I’m going to spend Canadian Thanksgiving with my friend Marilee in St. Catharine’s. Well, I decided that I wanted something new to wear, as it would also come in handy for Ted’s work holiday party. People get dressed up, and I end up wearing the same thing over and over again. So I went shopping last week. Something kind of dressy, I thought…I’ll go to Nordstrom. I don’t wear dresses anymore, because I can never find shoes that look good with dresses that work with my feet these days. I refuse to be in pain. So a nice blouse was in order.
I wandered around and left with nothing except a huge dose of crappy self esteem. Do you understand when I say I felt Unpretty? That’s exactly how I felt. So many negative thoughts, self incrimination, self disgust. Why do I eat too much, drink too much, snack on potato chips, etc? It doesn’t help that my stupid gluteal tendinopothy is playing havoc with my exercise lately. For example, I did what I considered to be a pretty low level workout, and somehow aggravated it, and was awoken with sharp pain in my legs and hips for three nights in a row. So frustrating. I talked to my doctor again on Monday, and she has given me a prescription for HRT. I don’t know if it helps as much if you start taking it at 60 as it would at 45 or 50, but it’s worth a try. I ordered the patches, but they haven’t come yet. I’ll let you know how they work out.
Before prescribing me HRT, my doctor wanted me to attend some online menopause classes. They were pretty informative, though one of the instructors had a tip on maintaining her weight, which was ‘I only eat one meal a day’, which sounded miserable to me. Anyway, the same day as the shitty shopping trip, the class was specifically looking at how our physical changes can affect our self esteem negatively. Perfect timing.
These were some of the suggestions that the instructor (a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist – not the same one who said she only eats one meal a day) had for us. It was a good class, and it made me feel less alone to have other women there saying that they sometimes don’t feel like themselves anymore. That they eat right, exercise, do weight training, all of it, and still lose muscle mass and gain weight.
I decided that I still want something new to wear, but I didn’t want to go back to the store, so I bought 8 items from Nordstrom online, 4 blouses in 2 sizes that they didn’t have in the store. I bought 2 of each because one never knows how things are going to fit. Luckily we have a local Nordstrom, so I can just return the 7 items that don’t work for me. The good news is that two of these items have come already, and I like one of them, so I now have something to wear. I mean, it didn’t make me look 30 lbs thinner, take away my double chin, or rid me of my wrinkles and saggy jawline, but honestly, a new blouse can only do so much. Listening to TLC’s FanMail album was a bonus gift.
OK, that’s enough of that. More randomness!
Good news on the kitty front! Teen mom cat from last week (I decided her name was Lorelei, for teen mom Lorelei Gilmore) was adopted! Her four adorable kittens are still there. One thing I didn’t notice the first time I met them was that one of them only has one eye! His name is Jack. I was toying with different names for him, and came up with Polyphemus, who is the cyclops in The Odyssey. Maya thought that was dumb, and wanted to name him Patchy. I think his particular name would be Polyphemus, and his familiar name would be Patchy. All cats have 3 names, of course, but we don’t get to know his secretive name.
Speaking of Lorelei, you know how I went to the MOMA a bit ago and saw an exhibit on Fauvism? You know how I’m rewatching Gilmore Girls? I just saw the season 3 episode where Lorelei and Rory go visit the creepy Harvard Alumni family that has a quiz at every meal, and one of the questions was on Matisse and Fauvism! I felt so cultured that I knew that one.
Speaking of TV, I’m loving the new season of Great British Bake-off (new episode tonight!) as well as Ted Lasso and the the rebooted Different World.
Speaking of GBBO, so far I’m enjoying Nigella Lawson as the new judge. She’s a few years older than me, and wow, her skin looks amazing. I want to know her regimen.
I recently complained about how my frittatas stick to my pans, and Engie said she uses a nonstick pan. I haven’t bought a new nonstick pan in quite a few years, and the last time I looked, I wasn’t convinced that the ones we had were oven safe. I went out last week and bought a couple of oven safe nonstick pans, and WOW, what a difference. I’m in love. I think the rest of our nonstick pans are not long for the world, though. They have lost most of their non-stickiness, and some of them are a little scratched, so they’re probably leaching carcinogens into our food.
Look at the sweet deal we got on razors the other day! Maya needed razor refills, and she prefers the 5 blade razors as they do not give her a rash, which of course are expensive. I looked online at CVS and saw they had them buy one, get one half price, PLUS a coupon for $5 off, PLUS a bunch of ExtraBucks rewards. She ended up getting one free.
How’s the weather where you are? It’s gross here. I am so ready for autumn, but we are clearly not quite there yet. I will say that 100 degrees this time of year isn’t quite as bad as 100 degrees in the official summer months, because the sun is lower in the sky and goes down sooner. Sometimes we have to find our silver linings where we can.
I liked this sign spotted in a local takeout place.
I liked this decal on the back of a car.
Does anyone remember Theo, the keeshond rescue we dogsat 3 years ago? He was a worried, thoughtful guy, and his shedding game was STRONG. His mom posted this picture of him and his brother on Facebook recently. Look at that smile! I’m so glad to see he is living a good life, and has a brother to keep him occupied. His shedding game is still strong.
I saw this cartoon yesterday and of course it made me think of Nance. If she had married Old McDonald instead of Rick, could she have a house cow or two? I THINK SO.
Lastly, for my cat loving friends, I saw these signs at Petco the other day. They had dog signs too but they weren’t as cute/funny.
OK, really lastly now. It’s October, which means it’s time for Elisabeth’s Cool Bloggers Walking Club, where we commit to 10 minutes of intentional movement a day. It can be walking, per the name, but other types of movement also count – jogging/running/yoga, whatever. I pretty much go for a walk every day anyway, but I will admit that there have been a few times in the past when I have intended to take the day off and CBWC has gotten me out the door, so Thank You Elisabeth for the continued motivation!
Tell me, is it autumnal weather where you are? Are you looking forward to the CBWC? Ever been demoralized by trying on clothes?
10 Comments
coco
first of all, i love all the cat content of this post!!! I would buy all those posters and hang there to make me smile.
Oh the shopping and self steem, while I’m considered slim, I also don’t feel good when try 90% of cloth, either they are too big on me or make me look weird. So i would say self steem is not always related to weight but rather shape of body how it is related to the cloth (which fits no one in real life).
Nicole MacPherson
Oh, my friend. I just want to hug you so much. These menopausal body changes really wreak havoc on us, don’t they. I personally just went through my jeans drawer and donated four pair. So. I understand completely. I will say I think you look beautiful, but I know that when you’re feeling this way, you’re feeling this way. I get it! I exercise a lot and I eat lots of veggies, etc., I do all the things, and my waist has disappeared. Well. What can you do? I’ll tell you what I do, and that is just to go with it. I mean, this is my body now. I’m never going to have the waist I had 15 years ago, or even 6 years ago. So I am making peace with it, and wearing pants that are forgiving. What else can you do? I’m not willing to eat one meal a day and I cannot possibly fit in more exercise, so here we are. Life needs to have joy, and food can be a source of joy!
As an aside, I remember when I was teaching senior’s yoga, I remember thinking that all my ladies had widened waists, and realizing that is just a thing that happens, AND THAT IS OKAY. Just like our hips widen when we are in puberty, so our bodies change when we are in the menopause transition and beyond. You’re not alone. I hope you can find something that makes you feel beautiful, because you are beautiful, and we all deserve to feel good in our clothes.
Also! Omg, the fitting thing. I think I mentioned in my blog that I bought a skirt and ended up going up three sizes from my regular clothes, and the old clothes still fit, so wtf with sizing. Who KNOWS how anything will fit anymore???
Jenny
YES. Do you remember all the angst I had about finding a dress for my son’s wedding? I was dreading it so, so much. It’s not so much the weight I’ve gained- it’s not that much- but the fact that it’s ALL IN MY STOMACH. I’m really not enjoying this new shape! Anyway- the dress shopping turned out fine, because it turns out they make dresses for women of my age (who knew?) It sounds like you did find something you like- but the shopping trip sounds traumatic. Next time we should go shopping together! Oh wait…
On the subject of being on opposite coasts, the weather here has been, um, horrible. BUT! Kind of like what you said, it’s not as bad as it was in the actual summer months. Partly because it’s been very rainy, which doesn’t exactly cool things down but at least makes things feel sort of fall-ish and cozy, if you use your imagination.
Patchy!!! I have to say I love that name. Foxy actually got his name because when he first came to us, he kept closing one eye (not sure what was up with that- he had a little bit of gunk in it, we wiped it out and everything has been fine) and my daughter named him Foxy after a pirate character (I think) from Five Nights at Freddy’s.
Ha ha… that Old MacDonald cartoon!
Anvilcloud
It is most definitely autumn here, and of course I have the pictures to prove it. And they will keep coming for awhile, I’m sure.
Birchie
WTF on the one meal a day lady??? Seriously?????? I’ve found that 100% of my in person clothing shopping experiences over the past few years have made me feel like crap AND I can never find anything at the stores, so me feeling like crap is all that gets accomplished. Online shopping with in person returns FTW!
Welcome to world of new non stick pans! They are fabulous.
Let the walking begin!
Margaret
One meal a day isn’t healthy at all! It’s certainly not doable for me. In my 50s my husband had cancer and that kept me artficially skinny. My 60s have been a different story. It’s hard to lose our preferred image of ourselves; looking in the mirror can be quite a shock these days. When did I get jowls? A loose flap under my chin? Ugh. It’s been 70s here and nice. I’ve been trying to get out and walk although I wonder sometimes how much good it does. I hope you can find something to alleviate the pain so you can get back into exercise without negative consequences. I want to see the blouse!
nance
Sigh. I hear you on the whole image/self esteem thing. It sucks. You know, I’ve been every single size between a 0 and a 20, and I was never happy with myself at any of those sizes. Granted, I have leftover trauma from childhood in the area of weight and it still informs me, but I think many women can sympathize. I once wrote a post about how Rick was complaining about his jeans not fitting anymore. His response was to simply buy bigger jeans, period. NOTHING was mentioned about more exercise, better diet, anything. I DARE TO DREAM.
THAT KITTEN! You know, One Eyed Jacks was a big deal movie– “a 1961 American epic Western film directed by Marlon Brando in his sole directorial credit, and starring Brando, Karl Malden, Katy Jurado, Ben Johnson and Pina Pellicer. Brando portrays a bandit seeking revenge on his former mentor who betrayed him.” Maybe that’s where someone got the name? I think he looks like a Jack. And that he’s ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE.
What is the brand of nonstick oven-safe pan that you got? I have a Calphalon, but I’ve had to return it for a replacement once.
I am all about a minicow as a pet…still! If they ever breed a pocket cow, you’d better believe that I would be begging for one.
Suzanne
I had to close my eyes and take a few deep breaths, because “I only eat one meal a day” is not a reasonable strategy!!!!!!
Okay, I am back from more deep breaths. Yes, I feel your pain in terms of shopping. I recently had to shop for some dressy things and it was completely demoralizing. Do you remember hearing or reading about department stores having soft lighting and skinny mirrors? Either that was a myth or things have DRASTICALLY CHANGED because I feel far worse than normal when I try on things in a store dressing room. I have faith that you will find a good option in the comfort of your own home.
Cool here! High of 51F, supposedly! Feels like fall and is starting to look that way too.
That calm down cartoon delights me. I have screen grabbed it for future chuckling.
San
Oh girl, I think you don’t need any more propping up because all the other ladies have done a great job, but I am also here to say: I think you look fabulous, even if I do understand that women tend to be self-critical and that I respect your feelings about yourself (we’ve all been there).
On a side note though: ONE MEAL A DAY? That is absolutely NOT the solution. What kind of fresh hell does that woman think we’re living in? Food should be a source of joy, not punishment.
Well, as you probably know, it’s just as hot here as it is where you are… so I guess we’ll be feeling like it’s summer for a little longer.
Also, I want to adopt Jack or Patchy… he’s so cute!
Mark T. Petruska
It’s very fall-like here. Only 62° in the early afternoon, and we might drop into the 30s tonight. I welcome it!