It’s not TOO old looking February 25, 2008

Although I never thought Evelyn’s bathroom was dated, the tile was a lovely shade of harvest gold.   Baths are like cars, they should always remain their original color.  No, she didn’t buy that one either.

We decided (she decided, I agreed) to re-do it a few weeks ago.  First, I rebuilt the cabinet and moved the lavatory from the far right side of the countertop to the center.  Never could figure out why it was but on the right.  There was no elbow room, you couldn’t even brush your teeth without bumping your elbow.

I also eliminated one cabinet door and added 4 drawers, then installed 4-1/2 X 4-1/2 inch tiles in a bone color.  It now looks fabulous.   We plan to paint the cabinet a light brown antiqued.

Now the floor, I started chipping the old, gold tile from the floor.  The first tile was a bugger.  After that, the rest was fairly easy.  There was a mortar bed about 1 inch thick under the tile and it was hard to get up.  Evelyn went today to pick out tile and we will go buy it tomorrow.

More pictures on flickr

Wish me luck.

43 YEARS February 13, 2008

In 1965, a 21-year-old boy went to the rodeo with his sister and a friend of hers.  Forty-three years later they had been married for forty-two years and had two sons, two daughters in law, and seven grand children.  WOW, who would have thunk it?

In June or July of 1967 we went to Warm Springs, Georgia.  Evelyn was pregnant with Robert, but we managed to see Callaway Gardens and enjoy the trip, even if we couldn’t afford a motel room and could only stay for the day.  Tomorrow we will return to Warm Springs, this time for a 3-night stay in our travel trailer.

Over our married life we have enjoyed a few years of being broke, a few years of having enough money, and a few years of just getting by.  But, we always had love.  Sure we had our troubles, but we made it through it all.  I don’t know how or why Evelyn has put up with me all these years, but I am sure glad she did.

If I could give Evelyn what she deserves for Valentine’s Day and our anniversary, I would give her the world.  Instead I will just give her my heart, and maybe a token of my love.

Life isn’t fair! February 6, 2008

It has now been over a week since the old man and I started our diet.  I have been the one worrying about what we will eat, when we will eat, how much we will eat, etc.  I am the one who has signed onto the Gov site to determine how much we should and shouldn’t eat, (you should visit the My pyramid site it is awsome)  and entered information to total calories consumed.  Now you are asking what is not fair about that.  He has lost about 7 lbs, I have lost maybe 2.  Is this fair?  No it isn’t.

Note:  Did you know that the more you weigh the more you have to eat just to maintain that weight.  So when you start losing weight you will be penalized because you will not be allowed to eat as much as you would have before you went on a diet once you have reached your goal.  Depressing isn’t it?

Progress Report February 3, 2008

Well, 4 days into the diet and I have lost 37 pounds, well………….almost 37 pounds.  Actually I have lost about a pound, but that is close, isn’t it?

Your mom and I have been counting calories, looking at every can, bottle, or package.  We have discovered that what is listed as the “serving size” for many products is a joke.  The serving size listed on one potato chip bag is “approximately 5 chips”.  Bet’ya can’t eat 5!  On the flip side, a Whopper, fries, and a coke contain over 1000 calories.  Wow, guess subbing a diet coke won’t help much.

We both seem to be hanging in there, but it is difficult.  Did you know a beer has almost 200 calories?

255 and not counting February 1, 2008

Over the past few years the fact that I was gaining a pound or 2 wasn’t a secret, but in my mind I was still the 190 pound guy I was when I was 30 years old. Well stepping on the scale and seeing 255 pop up on the dial pretty well blew that image out of my head.

I decided that although 165 to 180 pounds is the “ideal” weight for my height, 195 sounded better to me, so that is my goal. Over the next year I plan to loose 60 pounds. Using the internet, I figured that I need to take in around 2500 calories per day to loose a pound a week. Close as I can figure, I take in around 3000 or so a day now, so I only need to reduce my intake 500 calories per day. Shoot, that is only a double six pack a week, no hill for a climber. Well it seemed like no hill for a climber until Thursday.

My egg sandwich on wheat for breakfast was about 300 calories, soup and crackers for lunch was about 350, and a small portion of ribeye steak, baked potato with sour cream, and green beans without much seasoning for supper was about 1200 to 1500. Oh ya, I did had one beer while grilling the steak, do those 200 calories count? My daily total was around 2600, and I was hungry all day. This thing may be harder than I thought it would be.

I may be forced to do the unthinkable…EXERSISE!