An "Up & Down & Up" Day

I had an interesting day, to say the least. It started with getting up early and heading off to TOPS, got there on time so this was good. The weekly weigh in showed I dropped another 1/2 pound, bringing my total to 18 pounds gone since my first weigh in on January 15/09. Nearly a year and I hope to get another 2 pounds off by Christmas... or my birthday just 2 weeks later, in plenty of time to claim a 20# weight drop in my first year. I say 'drop' or 'shed' or whatever I can think of rather than 'lost' or 'loss' because when we loose things we often find them again eventually, and I do not want to find any of this again... ever.

After our meeting I stopped at one of the thrift stores to donate a big bag of clothes. Last week I donated an even bigger bag. I'm hoping to do a donation every week for awhile as I really do need to declutter this place. I then went to the restaurant that the other ladies from TOPS had gone to, joining them for lunch. Next, Pat, Paulene & I went to the Bargain Bin, our weekly thrift store shopping trip. While there I discovered a very unsettling health problem, just a wee bit too personal to state here though I am tempted, haha. I called my Dr.'s office & found they had no openings today, not that I thought there was much chance anyway, but had to try. Before making the 20-25 minute drive to the nearest walk-in clinic, I went for tea & an ice cream cone with Pat. I had planned to go to my Aqua Therapy class today, then when I found this problem I decided that it was best to skip that for today and see a Dr. instead.

The clinic I went to is upstairs at the Canadian Superstore, a huge grocery & loads of other stuff store with a gym & this clinic upstairs. The Dr. I saw has no clue at all why what is happening is happening, though agrees with me that it should not be happening!! So, he took a scraping to send to the lab and see if they come up with anything. I just pray it's nothing serious.

When I was getting ready to go in I must have taken the keys out of the ignition & had them on my lap as I dug out some reading material to take in with me (I have so many things I want to read that I prefer to read them rather than thumbing through magazines while waiting), then got out of the truck, locking the door without thinking about the keys. They were laying on the driver's seat, my spare keys were in the bag I carry with 'extras' that I don't want to carry in my purse but want in the truck... sitting on the floor on passenger's side. My coat was on the passenger seat. After a few phone calls & some text messaging, trying to find some help, my cell phone battery died. I got a wire coat hanger & tried to open it to no avail, just got dirty hands & broken nails as well as cold & frustrated. I went back into the store & used their phone, called a tow truck company... it would cost me $70 to get them to open the door. NOT!!! I eventually found a friend who could drive me out here to get a spare key I was more than 90% sure I had (good thing I had a spare house key hidden outside). When I looked & found the key hanging where I thought it was I was totally elated!! YES!!! The joy did not last long.... I realized that it was for the ignition and I needed a door key. Back to the old drawing board. I came back into the house and got some tools, then we headed back into town.

A few minutes inside the canopy on my truck with the wrench and I was able to slide the canopy back a few feet, then Bill helped me up into the box in front of the canopy. You see, I have a sliding back window in the truck... and a solid front window in the canopy, so to get to the slider .... Using a small screw driver Bill had, I was able to open the sliding window and I didn't even break the catch!!! YES!!! I then took the wire coat hanger that was now just a long wire, and tried to hook the keys several times (I couldn't see them from where I was, but I could hear when the connection was made), then I tried hooking the inside handle on the passenger door & that worked after a few tries. FINALLY the door was open!!!! Put the canopy back in place in no time, once I had the keys in my filthy dirty hands.

I gave Bill $10 for gas, & big Hug & a Thank You, then drove home.

When I got into the house I saw the fire had gone out, so brought in a bag of pellets & restarted the fire. The house is now warm and I am happy!!!

I am grateful to be a member of my TOPS group
I am grateful to have such wonderful 'fellow members' that have become friends
I am grateful that I've shed 18# and am on my way to even higher numbers (which is actually lower numbers on the scale) :o)
I am grateful to Bill for coming & helping me get into my truck
I am grateful to have gotten into my truck!! (Yes, I plan to hide at least a door key somewhere on the outside of my truck)
I am grateful to be warm again (too warm now, actually)
I am grateful I didn't end up having to pay $70 to get in
I am grateful I don't have to pay any rv insurance
I am grateful DW (female parrot) is cuddled up to the back of my head (though she should be in her cage sound asleep at this hour)
I am grateful to have such wonderful critters sharing my life & my home
I am grateful I have a comfortable bed waiting for me, and I choose to go to it now.