Marching along

 Did I say that last month was a bit of a slog?  Well, it was in many ways and some of which I have not mentioned yet.  So I will now.

I have been having more trouble than usual in losing weight, so I have been to a Weight Management physician and health coach through our health system.  While I am nowhere near the extreme that they usually work with, they have been helping me assess my issues and encouraging me to stick with some new habits like logging my food and watching the proportions of carbs, proteins, and fats to manage more weight loss.  They have also affirmed that being post-menopausal is an issue, but my regular GP does NOT want me to go back on hormone therapy due to my high cholesterol.  So I'm stuck and frustated.  The weight mgt. doctor suggested an over-the-counter supplement that might help me with my hormones, so I am trying that, but it will take time before I see results.  To date, I've lost only 6#.

I also need to exercise more but you know - weather.  I have been trying to walk outdoors more when the weather allows, and occasionally walk at the Mall or a big box store, but that doesn't really make me feel good. It's boring and tedious and the flooring makes me ache after I walk just a bit.

Another issue causing stress this winter is our finances.   When it came time to get things ready for taxes, I had this sneaky feeling that things were not going well.  So I got out the calculator and the bank statements and the Credit Card statements and got down to business.  Lets just say, to much out-go and not enough IN-come.  So I broached DH with the bad news and he has taken it hard (he always does).  He wails and lashes himself for not having a good enough job instead of buckling down and spending less.  He can be such a baby!

It's mostly because for the time we lived in Illinois those past 12 years, we had a very good income and got used to it.  Before then, we never had enough and yet managed to get by.  Now that DH is retired and we are living on his fixed Pension incomes (about half of that former pay) we need to go back into 'austerity mode' and it's tough!

I have made out a list of income and mandatory expenses and put us on a budget.  I've also dipped into my Investment Savings and took out enough to pay down one of the credit cards.  I think that will take off some stress and allow our new budget to catch us up within a few months.

Now, let's look at some of the happier bits of this month.  Like this cutie:

DGS the younger turned 5... and was trying NOT to smile.
But isn't he a doll?

Since it fell during the week, Grandma had the birthday dinner at her house.
The request was to make pizzas.  And so we did.
His gifts were handmade from materials on hand.

The next week I started some seeds indoors... but it was purely on faith.

More snow.  The kids are getting better at snow removal.

Second birthday of the month and another handmade gift.

Birthday Boy is in the middle.  He is 8 now.
And guess the date ...💚

Other than the birthday PJ's, I did some sewing for myself.  All from my stash. 

I'm being frugal, remember ;-)

Two quilting cottons, one is a decorative stripe.
I thought the colors went together nicely.
I would have made it a bit longer, but there wasn't enough of the floral.

Another cotton knit.  I can layer this one.

And then there was the 2nd Grade School play - excuse me - a Concert with speaking parts.  We used to call that a Musical.  Thank goodness they did two performances; one in the afternoon and another in the evening.  DS and DiL and purchased concert tickets months before knowing about this or it's date, and Grandpa had to work that night.  They all went to the afternoon performance, and Grandma collected all the kids after school, gave them dinner and took them to the evening performance, and then home to bed.

Grandma and siblings in the audience.

DGD was fascinated, but wondered why they were not going to play basketball?
(So far, her only experience in a school gymnasium is basketball practice).

DGS the Elder had the very first speaking part.  Blue and yellow PJ's.
The name of the program was "Pajama Party".

They did quite a good job!  There were over 100 kids - 6, 2nd grade classrooms. I couldn't get all of them in any photo.

And another illness.  She just kept running a fever every day - for almost a week.  I had her a few days.

And then the gardening began in earnest... at least the readiness for gardening began.  LOTS of gardeners at our event, but the snow was just beginning to soften.  Still, good to get planning!

The one photo that I took of our Gardening Spring Fling.
An all-day event put on by my Master Gardener group.

And finally, the MELTING began!
And the sump began to run.
And we could really see all the damage.
Rabbits have ruined two apple trees and several shrubs.

I am SO GLAD to see the end of this month!