ABOUT ME
I wrote an about me page last October but it sucked and no one could get to it anyway because I didn’t have a link on my blog. DUH!!! So this is my new ABOUT ME page.
- I recently lost 70 pounds. OK, almost 70. It depends on what scale I use.
- I still have to lose another 125 pounds, give or take.
- After having double pneumonia last year, I decided to make some drastic changes in my life.
- I am 58 years old and will be 59 on June 9th.
- I live with my daughter, my son-in-law and my ex husband whom I refer to as Wasband.
- The wasband and I are best friends. He has a new girlfriend.
- I have always been good friends with his girlfriends. He’s only had two long term ones (when he gets dumped he always comes and lives with me). The new girlfriend is really nice.
- I do all the cooking. I love to cook. You eat weight watchers food here or you eat nothing. My son-in-law is thin and loves my cooking. He just eats twice as much. My wasband has a pot belly and he eats twice as much. My daughter lost 40 pounds when I started weight watcher’s. I pack breakfast and lunch for her everyday. She now weighs 123 pounds and looks fabulous.
- I also do her laundry and her errands. She works hard and long hours and I will do anything for her. I gave her my house but the deal is that I come with the house, forever. She loves having her dad and I living here.
- My goal is to lose the weight, get two new knees which I need desperately and be in good physical shape so she can have a baby and keep working while I stay home and take care of it. She loves her work and doesn’t want to be a stay at home mom. She also doesn’t want her baby in day care so I am the perfect solution. Plus I loved being a stay at home mom and I get to do it all over again.
- I just hope that my back pain eases up when I get the new knees and lose the weight. At this point I can only stand for a few minutes. Thankfully, I can walk to my car and walk inside any store with a cripple cart which I have to use. If I go shopping with my daughter we bring my wheelchair which she has to push. She gets her exercise on those days.
- I cook from my wheelchair. I keep burning myself on the stove. I’ve got to stop that.
- I am legally disabled so I can park in handicapped spots. I also volunteer for the police department and can give out tickets to illegal cars parked in handicapped spaces. I love giving out tickets.
- I love feeding the birds.
- I love blogging.
- My son is a recovering heroin/coke addict. He’s doing OK now and lives in Buffalo but I think he is getting homesick. He loves fishing and quite often works as a First Mate on charter boats.
- I see a therapist.
- I take Zoloft, along with high blood pressure meds which I have cut the dosage in half since I have lost the weight. I take prednisone which I hate taking and have cut back to 10mgs but it has increased the pain in my knees. I won’t take any opiate pain meds which I have been offered-way too addicting. I’d rather be in pain then be an addict. I’ve seen what my son went through.
- I see a chiropractor which is helping my back a little.
- My memory sucks but I don’t think I have alzheimers. I just think I have a sucky memory.
- My sister lives one street over and is my best friend. I would be lost without her. We talk everyday, sometimes three or four times a day on the phone. I can tell her anything.
- I love my family more than anything else in the world.
- I have cut down on my TV watching. I used to be a couch potato. Now I only watch it for 1-2 hours a day.
- I love to read and buy way to many books.
- I love Science fiction books, movies, TV shows.
- I mind my own business. What other people do is their business unless they hurt one of my family and then they will have a problem.
- I love thunderstorms and blizzards.
- I hate olives, pickles, and cucumbers.
- I love pizza, potatoes, good dark chocolate, cashews and bleu cheese
- I am a homebody. I would rather be home than anywhere else. I have lived in this house for 34 years.
- I am an open book. I wear my feelings on my sleeve.
- I have three black cats. One of them, Yoda, thinks he’s a dog.
- I love astronomy. I can name all the constellations in the sky and many of the stars.
- I owned a health food store for 25 years. I can tell you anything about herbs and supplements.
- I’ve never worn make up-ever
- I’ve never used face creams or cleansers or anything else on my face.
- I have nice skin.
- I’m not a fanatic about eating chemicals or putting them on your skin but I do try to limit them.
- The average person either eats, breathes or puts on their skin about 200 chemicals a day, many of them toxic. I try to cut that at least in half. I’m aiming to cut it back by 3/4.
- My middle name is Anne
- I listed my favorite foods but the only one I eat is potatoes.
- I love all my new blogging friends.
- I despise liars and thieves and people who are rude.
- When I was young my nickname was the Wiz because I could solve any algebra problem. I used to do algebra problems for fun, the way people do crossword puzzles. When I was in high school they gave a logarithm problem to all the students and teachers. I was only one of two who solved it. The other was a teacher. Now, I don’t even remember what a logarithm is. A lot of good it did me learning that.
- I only went to college for part of one semester, then my parents talked me into quitting and getting a job. They didn’t much believe in education. Now I can’t learn enough. I want to know everything.
Laura said,
April 12, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Hi Joan — I am here from Hay’s blog.
I just love you already — you are so kind and funny. That post where your wasband plays the April Fool’s joke on you has me laughing every time I think about it. Good luck with Weight Watchers — sounds like you’re doing great! I’m trying to eat better, let our dog drag me around the trail every morning. I just feel better all ready. 
joanharvest said,
April 13, 2008 at 1:57 am
Hi Laura!!!
I am so happy you dropped by. My wasband has a wonderful sense of humor. I lost 1.4 pounds this week. Wa hoo!!! Thank you for the compliments. That’s what keeps me going in this journey to lose weight and become a better person. Please come by again. I love meeting new people. I would like to put you on my blogroll if that’s OK.
lumpylumps said,
April 18, 2008 at 3:01 am
What an insightful list. First off, can I come and live with you? I want you to be my mama; I can feel the love you have for your kids, sister, and wasband. Would you consider adopting me? It’s just amazing how much we have in common. You are a fun person and I’m so impressed with how you lost weight, all of your hard work is paying off. You inspire me. I gotta get off my fat ass and get going Joan so thanks for the inspiration! I feel lucky to know you.
joanharvest said,
April 18, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Thanks Lumpy,
All of my daughter’s friends have always wanted to live with me when they were younger. Some of them actually did. I took in one of them for about six months and her best friend since kindergarten spent most of her life at my house. They are still best friends. All of my daughters friends call me Mom.
Well, my ass is still fat but at least it’s smaller than what it was.
Just a Mom said,
April 18, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Hi Joan,
I found this site thanks to being tagged by BetMe. Congrats on the weight loss! I know exactly what you are talking about. I have lost 65 pounds in 10 months. I made the mistake of going to the doctor who scared the crap out of me! I have been smoke free for 14 months, started eating right and exercising and finally quit drinking. My liver is now better and I am almost off my high-blood pressure med as well! Now all I have to do is convince my husband and kids that me living longer is really a good thing!
P.S.Ray Bradbury is the best writer ever!
joanharvest said,
April 18, 2008 at 5:32 pm
65 pounds in ten months is awesome. It’s taken me a little longer to lose my 70pounds, about a year. I was on two blood pressure meds and have cut them both in half. I have been smoke free for about 5 years. I only drink at parties which isn’t very often.
I still have to lose 120 more pounds but I know I will do it.
I love Ray Bradbury too. I’m sure your kids and husband want you around for a long, long, time.
I’ll be stopping by your place. Thanks for coming by.
museditions said,
May 5, 2008 at 2:13 am
This list made me both laugh and cry, Joan. We share many interests. Isn’t blogging the coolest thing? I greatly admire your unusual family and your goals with them. Cheers, new friend!
joanharvest said,
May 5, 2008 at 9:57 am
I am really happy that you came by. I absolutely love meeting new blogging friends. I’m sure as we get to know each other we will find out what other interests we share. Cheers to you too!!!
Artist Liam said,
May 9, 2008 at 11:21 pm
Hi joan
My name is Liam and I am one of Design Toscano’s sculptors. The dragon table that you show in your picture is one of my creations.
http://www.designtoscano.com/product/dragon+and+gargoyle/dragon+%26+gargoyle+furniture/dragon+of+itchen+stoke+manor+glass-topped+sculptural+table+-+ng30622.do
I rarely get to speak with a customer personally. I would like to say thank-you so much and I hope you enjoy it for years to come. The Dragon of Itchen Stoke Manor concept comes from a story my grandfather told me when I was a little lad about a dastardly scary dragon who in the end befriends a town and becomes quite a friendly chap. Design Toscano gives me a free reign to let my imagination flow and bring to life many mystical beings that inhabit my mind. Here is my favorite piece in my Design Toscano collection.
http://www.designtoscano.com/product/dragon+and+gargoyle/gargoyle+garden+statues/gaston%2C+the+gothic+climber+sculpture+-+medium+-+ng832115.do
I am working on a new sculpt for Toscano as we speak. Its a giant black raven on a ball plinth, my take on paying homage to Edgar Allen Poe. Watch Toscano for it. I hope you like it. Best wishes to you dear.
Cheers!
Liam
joanharvest said,
May 17, 2008 at 2:13 pm
@ Artist Liam
Thanks for stopping by. I love my dragon table. It’s nice to know the story behind it. I am actually looking for an outdoor statuary for my new little Oasis my daughter is building for me so I will have a place to sit outside and read. I have a wish list at Toscano and I know a couple of your pieces are on it. I also own the dragon candle holders and the knight with the fireplace tools.
Keep up your wonderful work!!
sulz said,
June 6, 2008 at 8:31 pm
loved reading this page!
joanharvest said,
June 6, 2008 at 10:14 pm
@ sulz
I’m happy you stopped by. That was a great meme you came up with. I’m glad you enjoyed this page. I stopped by you place and I’ll be back when I have more time. I liked what I was reading.
Wendy said,
June 11, 2008 at 11:54 am
You have the best Meezes on the Internet.
spasmicallyperfect said,
June 17, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Hello Anne,
just over from your guest post on WC’s blog. Now I had to read through every line on your great ‘about me’ page, don’t think I’ve ever read one that was as descriptive as yours.
As a sister of an ex drug addict I understand your ‘Enabler’ post. I heard the comment “loving them to death” somewhere. That’s what family members often end up doing, I guess because it feels as if we’re at least doing something.
Thank you so much for sharing.
Sincerely,
S.
I somehow missed this comment. Actually I’m Joan and WC is Annie. I’m glad you read that post. It was a little difficult to write but I was glad to get it off my chest. One thing I don’t do is hold back. I was happy to share with you.