TGIF...long rant, long week....

[EverLosing]

Wow! It's Friday! It's been an exhausting week for me and I welcome the weekend with open arms! I get to clean the house, exercise and maybe find something worthwhile and delicious to eat!

Was iced and snowed in on Wednesday and used that as an opportunity to sleep several extra hours and then exercise.

Work on Thursday was horrible though. The county north of us got an even worse ice storm than we did. ALL the businesses there are practically shutdown. So, I offered to ignore my office for the day and help out up front at work. The county north of us hasn't had electricity, water or heat since Tuesday. I took dozen of calls within a few minutes from that area asking if we had any generators. These people are in their homes freezing and can't even flush their toilets....for DAYS now. Within a short time, I found myself trying to help an elderly man and a young mother. He said he didn't think he and his wife could make it another night without heat. It was 41 degrees inside their home. The young mother said she and her husband have a 4 year old baby and she didn't think they'd make it another night with all of them scrunched together under blankets, yet still freezing. I called and called and called every resource I could think of. I called places 150 miles away. No one has propane heaters or kerosene heaters. No one. I called sister stores. I called the competition. SOOOO frustrating. I wanted to make a difference for people today and it felt more like I was a speed bump.

I heard horror stories all day about people buying grills and lighting and using them in their homes to stay warm. Can you imagine the desperation? What happens if it catches on fire? There's no water. None of the phone lines are working. What an unimaginable nightmare!!!

Some of the people from there told me today there is only one grocery store open and it's under police guard. Only 25 customers are allowed in at a time and they're only allowed to buy non perishable items totally $25 cash per day. Their supply of food is dwindling. How do you come up with cash...there's no electricity. Banks are closed. No ATM's work. The gas stations are full of gas but they're closed. No electricity to pump the gas. The people who are lucky enough to have propane gas for heat have run out of it and are coming here to refill small tanks.

When I went home for lunch today, traffic coming from that direction was backed up for miles. It was like my city was seeing the mass exodus of desperate people. They were flooding in. There were lines out into the road at every gas station I passed. WalMart parking lot was fuller than I have ever seen. It was crazy and somehow I can't help but wonder...what is going to happen to all of our resources. I hope the gas supply doesn't dry up. I hope I don't have to drive to another county further south to get fuel for my car. Thank God I filled up the night the storm was on the way! My only real needs right now are fresh veggies and some staple grocery items but it will be a madhouse no matter what time I go. Perhaps in the middle of the night is the time to go.

All of this put other things into perspective for me. I've been tough on myself about being stuck at 212 for a week. I was stuck at 217 for awhile and I feel like I'm stuck again...just at a different number. It's frustrating! I'm dreaming of ONEderland. Tunnel vision. I'm busting my butt and I want it to shrink!

I had a business associate come in today who I haven't seen since I've dropped 20 lbs. She's negative ALL the time. I've tried to recruit her to low carb with me. She weighs 270 and could stand to join in. She's got 270 reasons why she won't do it...so, ok. But I saw her Thursday and she didn't say one word. Not a word. I've lost a chin and so many inches and people who know me can see a difference. It was sad because I expected something from her. An atta-girl. Way to go. Wow, you should be proud. She said a few other things that let me know quickly, she's not my friend. Cruel reality on an already tough day.

My son is going to see his dad this weekend. I'm going to relax (somehow) with the help of my dogs. Maybe they can give me kisses...they do love us with their lives no matter what our size, don't they??

[NOWandTHIN]

I'm sorry your having such a bad week. I couldn't imagine being in a situation like that...your a great person for trying to help others so believe you WILL be rewarded for your efforts (as well as your weightloss efforts) So please, dont get frustrated just yet because the reward may just be a whooshie! I went from losing 11 lbs my 1st week to nothing @ all my 2nd and I usually get frustrated and give up but not this time! Im hanging in there and so should you, the scale WILL move!

[Elizellen]

It sounds as if you have had the week from h##l,

I hope you have a better weekend.

BTW frozen and canned veggies are a good option if fresh are hard to get hold of.

[Sunny_0ne]

Everlosing, I am sitting in my house with the heat cranked up and my feet on a hot rice sock... and was feeling crummy because I was cold.

After reading your post, I realize how many wonderful blessings I have.

I hope you had a relaxing and peaceful weekend -- and found some really good legal things to eat.

[EverLosing]

I'm not planning on being bad!! It's been 34 days and I haven't been led astray yet!! I've noticed it's not easy the second time around and I don't even want to know what it would be like to try the "cheat recovery!"

It was another exhausting day...sold more heaters than what the truck brought us for customers. The other truck was caught up in an ice storm and delayed until Monday. I had SO MANY angry people who have suffered since Monday cussing and swearing at me and telling me how much we suck because we didn't meet demand. I quietly think in my head, maybe your preparedness for a winter storm (um, in the WINTER) sucks. I have a backup plan and I'm a single mother and 33 yrs old. We've been on the phone begging the emergency command center to release all supplies of heaters and generators! I told one guy today that I apologized from the bottom of my heart and if it would even things up a bit, I'd offer to give him my 13 year old son!! Holy crap, he'd send that lazy hungry boy home so fast! He told me he was sorry but he was harsh and angry and a former drill sergeant. I told him it's ok, I'm an angry, bitter woman who has never been called a drill sergeant but is often referred to as a b*tch! Suddenly, when I sassed him back, he loved me! I managed to warm that couple up and now I'll see to it that I snag their merchandise and hide for them if I have to!! It's all in how you look at things! I'd love to be freezing with a honey to hold onto and shiver with right now...just can't explain that to these people! They're probably sick of that five days into freezing!

Don't know what I'll eat tonight but no more carbs than cucumbers and some other greens have to offer. I'm ready for a whoosh and I'm NOT going to screw that up. I'm just so glad to be home. The house is a mess...can't stand it but I'M SO GRATEFUL to be here with my doggies. Warm and content!

[Sunny_0ne]

Everlosing, I don't know why people don't make some kind of emergency preparations either.

Many years ago I was in a winter storm without power in an all electric house for 5 days. The FIRST thing I did after that was get a propane cook stove so I could cook and fix hot drinks and soups.... and keep a stockpot of water simmering or the oven on for emergency heat. And I make sure I never let that propane tank get close to empty. And I keep enough canned food on hand that I wouldn't starve if I couldn't shop for a few days.

Of course, I am in north Georgia and don't know anything about real cold. But it sure can get miserable down here in the winter. Our lowest temperature is around 10 or 11, but it rarely gets below the 20's.

I can imagine the anger... so sorry you have to catch the brunt of it. Glad sassing back worked!

Scratch your doggies behind the ears for me!

[boonie stomper]

WOW... what wonderful rant! It really put things into perspective about how others can be so much worse off than me, so I should not take for granted what I have and get all p-o'd at the heating oil company just because of a late delivery once in 9 years.
And yes, I love the drama - thogh part of me feels sorry for the unprepared, in a way it served them right to have a bigger ordeal to face in the storm's wake for being so, at least a lot of them, anyway. A clothes dryer vented into the home may work when the oil is gone, but if the power goes out too, fewer people could anticipate and prepare for both. Thanks for the heads-up on BE PREPARED.... That post was an eye-opener, for sure!

[hopejoy]

Yes, Thanks to your rant, I have a few more things to be thankful for! It sure is important to be prepared for an emergency which can happen anywhere and anytime UNEXPECTEDLY! Always good to have water and food on hand. Thanks for the reminder!
liz

[SunnySmile501]

Hopefully, the Red Cross and Salvation Army can get in there and help those people out. The very young and the elderly are in danger, but healthy adults should be fine for a few days. You have a big heart and are doing all you can to help out your less fortunate neighbors to the north. Give yourself credit where credit is due.

People that live in the north where winters are severe should make plans for just these kinds of things happening every fall. I live in Virginia, where winters are fairly mild, but I put warm blankets in my back seat (might not be able to get to the trunk) and put jugs of water back there, too. I make sure my flashlight batteries are strong and make sure my car is tuned up.

My house is well equipped, as well. I have sleeping bags, plenty of safe candles, flashlights, a lantern that recharges with the sun, a Coleman cook stove with plenty of propane bottles, a gas grill with a side burner and plenty of bottled water. Hot food and beverages go a long way towards keeping you warm and healthy.

Though the 270 pound friend didn't say anything about your weight loss, you can't let it get you down. She knows what she needs to do, so not saying you are right makes her feel better about not doing what she needs to do. You have to do this for yourself, and not depend on others for validation.

Take care of yourself this weekend and give those furbabies a kiss or two from me.

Sunny!