???? The title

I named the blog because my intentions were to write about my "ups and downs" of dieting.
I haven't written a word about it.
I go to W.W. on Sat. and it has truly changed my life. As of today I have lost 74.2 pounds since the beginning of this year. I started in earnest going to meetings etc. around April.
I don't consider it a "diet" but a way of life. Which is why I think is why it is finally clicking this time.
People who do not have obese weight problems do not understands the milestones that come with losing 70+ pounds. Moving the car seat to a "normal" upright position and closer to the wheel, dropping 2 clothes sizes, your shoes fit better, you can sit in a booth at a restaurant instead of waiting for a table to become available, you just can't imagine the things everyone else takes for granted that I fret over on a daily basis are getting easier.
I have great support from the girls that go with me on B. and P. and I also always have neverending support from Schmoopie-Thanks, I love you.

Some say I have abandoned.

Not abandoned, just not feeling creative. 40+ hours of work in a 4 day work week = 10+ hours a day at work plus the 40 minute drive to and from. By the time I get home at night I am brain dead. Also, that is the only 30-45 min. a day I get to see my man while he is showering, shaving, ironing, eating, and leaving for that "all-forsaken" night job. BUT, I thank God everyday that he did get that job and likes it. Is doing well, getting kudos from the management for some tough situations ie: fights and ceilings falling in--ice and snow here in good ole MO. So, I should stop whining like a pooper and pull up my big girl panties and deal!!!!
Plus, I don't have anything fun and exciting going on right now to write about. No kids, no projects, NOTHIN'.
Sometimes boring is good.

Jasmine Lady

The story goes that a lady once frequented the Mineral Springs Hotel to 'get it on' with her lover. One day her husband followed her and caught her with said lover and confronted her. He fought with her and pushed her down the stairs of the hotel killing her, where her spirit still remains. She is called the Jasmine Lady because the scent of jasmine is in the air of the hotel a lot, esp. after sightings, sounds and unexplained happenings.
This picture is in the room where her and her lover last stayed and she was confronted by her husband.
Note the orb on the hood of my co-workers jacket. She smelled jasmine all evening.

BAAAD MOJO

SO, We went further down the tunnels into this room that is now I guess just used as a storage room for the people that live in the apartments. As I stood inside the door way I felt my lips and left side of my face tingle. I just thought it was from the hike we had taken up the hill four blocks and then around the building, down the steps and maybe the lack of O2??? Well, the girl standing next to me was from the "Paranormal Society" of Chicago and she says "Wow, "THEY" are really strong down here, my whole left side is tingling." GULP. I didn't say a word. I just stepped a couple of steps away from her and a little closer to the door.
I had my Dad's digital camera to take all of these camera. I took a picture of this room (which was very dark-only could really see with flashlights) as I was trying to review this picture my camera went off. I thought I hit a wrong button because I don't know this camera very well. But, paranormal girl says "Did "THEY" just zap your camera?" HUH?!@#! At that exact moment her very, very large flashlight went out. SOOOO, our tour guide then suggests that we move along a little quicker because apparently the spirits here don't like the fact that we have disrupted them and if we have cell phones or anything battery operated we should turn them off because "IT/THEY" were taking all the power. He did NOT have to tell me twice because as he was saying this and I was trying to get my camera back on to view the picture. My hand that was holding the camera was shaking. So, I took it as a good sign that I needed to get my big ole ass out of "IT'S" domain.
Back outside everyone's phones, flashlights, and my camera came back to life. The battery was drained and I had to put new batteries in it.
The real kicker.........no picture. It is not on the memory card. The first group that went in got pictures!

Haunted Tour Part 2

So, next we went up the hill towards this beautiful mansion that was turned into a TB asylum at some point. As, we stand outside he tells us that a little girl was also brought here to live because she was being abused by her family and she died here at a young age but she was very happy here because she led such a happy life being here rather than with her abusive family, how sad!
He explained to us at this time about the whole idea that spirits/ghosts are mostly believed to come from the point when a person dies and your soul leaves your body and your guardian angel/spirit guide/what ever you believe/ comes to take you to the other side "misses" and the two of you don't meet. Therefore, the spirit ( I will call it) is left to roam around. It is left the age at which it dies and it wants us to know it is still around. That is why some people are able to see them, smell them, feel them, or hear them. (sometime all 4) The majority of spirits are harmless and just pull "pranks" to let you know they are with you.
O.K. Got a little off track there but I got a whole new perspective on spirits that night and am totally enthralled, except when he brought up the fact that when we were about to go into the basement of the old mansion/TB asylum that there was also a cat spirit in there and that people were know to have heard it and that don't be surprised if you felt something rub up against your leg. This brought a loud "OH, HELL NO! " out of big ass mouth. But of course I went on in.
Under the mansion/TB asylum are also tunnels once thought to be used for the underground railroad. LOTS of orbs down there
AND SOME BAD MOJO............
(note that all the pictures taken in the tunnels are taken in the dark and the orb ont the space heater is there on the way into the tunnel but not on the way out---if you can click on the pictures and make them bigger the orbs appear better--same with last post--you can really see the mist above the fence on the last picture if you enlarge it)

Haunted Tour Part 1

This last Sat. I got to got on a haunted tour of Alton IL. It is one of the most haunted cities in the U.S. One of the ladies I work with lives in Alton and runs a tour on the weekends. Her web site is www.mineralspringshauntedtours.com Anyway we had a beautiful clear night. It started at 7:30 with dinner and a lecture of some of the history of Alton. First let me back up because one of the girls went downstairs to use the bathroom (alone) and came back and said there was a really bad smell and to be careful because the exhaust fan could suck you up alive! So, when the tour guide was done talking he brought out some crushed jasmine for us to smell. The girl who had gone down to the bathroom said "That is the smell I smelled on my way out of the bathroom, but there was something awful before it, I thought you had pot pouri in there" He said "No, she's already here." And so he told us the beginning of the story of the Jasmine lady. Her spirits lives at the Mineral springs mall now. It was once a thriving hotel where she and her lover would come. Her husband followed her one weekend and found out about them and pushed her down the staircase where she died. She followed us around the hotel ALL night. I smelled her myself. (more later)
My first pictures were in the dining room, random shots, a few orbs here and their. I really didn't see them that night when I reviewed them.
Then we went outside to start the tour. We went down Main street and our tour guide told us about some of the (now antique shops) places along the way that are said to have spirits inside. Things happen like merchandise is moved around at night, computer are on in the morning, etc. We went across the street towards a beautiful mansion that had been turned into a TB asylum. This is where I took a picture and saw my first orbs and mist.

To buy or not to buy....

I need a new car but don't have the friggin' money for the taxes right now for the car I want. I had a major melt down with R. the other night pretty much letting him know that he is the reason that I can't get the car I want. I WILL NOT SETTLE AGAIN FOR SOMETHING I DON'T WANT. I am tired of driving that piece of crap that I drive now. I don't feel safe in it and am sure it will break down any day. So, do I go the home equity route? The wipe out savings and use the credit card route? I have been so uptight about this I am blowing other crap in my life totally out of the water and I can't do that. P. gave me some great advice and said sometimes we just need to bite the bullet among other things. This a pretty big bullet and I like my mouth, I use it a lot but, if it blows up in my face it could solve another of my big issues in life!!!!!!

YADI YADI YADI WOOOO!!!!!

I do love me some Yadier Molina. Go Cards!

"Gramcracker"

That's what I called her. I have been thinking a lot about her the last couple of days. A lot. My Grandma has been gone for about 10 yrs or so but it feels like yesterday. I really still believe she was the only person in this world who totally got me and loved me UNconditionally. She never judged me a day in her life and still never would. She lived a hard life she didn't deserve with a man she should have left. I wear her ring every day. It never mattered that I was adopted, I was her Angel. She is a part of me, I am a part of her.

A little about me. Hmmm. Where to begin. Let's start current and work backwards for now. (it will probably change) I live in my own home with my boyfriend of 5 years (more on him later) and my puppy Jillian a Yorkie. I live in the same town where I grew up and would not have it an different. I live about 2 miles from my parents. Just far enough but still close enough. My parents--the best, always there for you and your friends. Never said no (unless it was an insanely stupid request) and always gave to the best of their ability. I am an only child and adopted at that (much more about that later). So, many have said and still do that I was/am spoiled. I have my thoughts.
Currently I am saving to buy a new car. I just got the title on the old one and need to save enough $ for the taxes on the new one. I am also trying to do little bit by little bit to my house. It all takes $$.
The big thing in my life right now is that I have turned a new leaf over in the health department and am losing weight: 68 pounds to date since Jan. I have been overweight ALL my life and have been on every diet in the book. The Soup Diet, Atkins (my way), counting calories (my way), eat what you want and then take ex-lax (not highly recommended unless you are staying home for the evening), Slim-fast, Phen-Fen, and now Weight Watchers for the probably 8th time. Heck I am a Lifetime member from the 4th grade!! But, this time it is clicking. I am just taking it a day at a time. I also have a lot of support around me and afar (thanks Schmoopie!). I feel great and am starting to even feel good about how I look. Well, enough for tonight.
Thanks for reading and may all your dreams come true.
KelKel

O.K. Schmoopie you have made me one of you. Now what?!?!?! This now will probably become my new habit. But, it is 0 points :)