Mafia Wars on Facebook

I haven't written anything for a while. I wonder why that is... gee, do you think it might be because I am just a tiny bit obsessed with playing Mafia Wars on Facebook? As far as obsessions and addictions, it's not so bad. It's free to play so it beats gambling. As far as I know, it isn't hazardous to my health so it beats smoking. I have to admit to a cranberry juice with Malibu rum last night while I was playing so I will just ignore the alcohol comparisons.
I love this game. It's a blast! I've been playing for a week and I am a Level 46 Fearless right now. I have $63 million in the bank and I own over 50 properties in the U.S. I am just now expanding into Cuba so it will take a few days to build up over there. I have 140 people in my mafia which helps with fighting and defense (ya got da have a mafia ta move up in da world). I am not sure how I got to be such a good fighter. After the first few fights that were about 20 wins and 20 losses, I improved. Right now I have 1772 wins, 171 losses, and 78 wins in Cuba. So a 90% win rate is pretty good although it's mostly strategy. I tend to attack the people with smaller mafia. I don't imagine that real mafia groups of 10 are going to go up against a group of 100 very often so why should I? I've also put quite a bit of money (what else am I going to do with $63 million and climbing?) into good weapons, armor, and vehicles.
I hear that Mafia Wars is also on My Space but I'm afraid to check it out. I can just see me going from FB to MS every day to play the game and level up. It's already hard enough to play MW and work every day, not to mention laundry, cooking, cleaning, yard work... You would think that with $63 mill, I would have maid, housekeeper, and a lawn service.
You know, I think I will go back to Mafia Wars before the REAL world intrudes.

More Beale Street Photos

Beale Street

Bill and I went to Beale Street in Memphis for the 4th of July. I think it's the first time we have spent the night anywhere except Kimmie's in the last 9 years, so I guess it was time. We had a great time but man, people sure are strange. Obviously, teeth are not a requirement for admittance to Beale St because a whole lot of people seemed to be missing theirs. And I saw some of the shortest dresses EVER on some of the young ladies. I could never figure out how they kept their you-know-what from showing because there was only about a half inch between the hem and their you-know-what. These same young women were wearing stilettos and they looked like they were going to fall off their shoes. But by the end of the night you could tell which ladies had been wearing the stilettos because they were the ones hobbling down the street. haha
We ate at BB King's Blues Club and the food was great. I had a bar-b-que the southern way, with slaw. Bill, who doesn't really like pork, went crazy over the ribs. I'll make a southern boy out of him yet!
We stayed at the Hampton Inn right off of Beale and we had a balcony room that overlooked Third St and Peabody Place so we went back to the room at 10 p.m. (what can I say, we are boring) and were entertained by all of the Memphis police trying to control the traffic and get the minors off the street at the 11 p.m. curfew. The traffic was awful and there were thousands of people milling about so I am so glad we didn't have to worry about driving.

I Reached My Goal

I lost the 35 lbs that was my goal. I am not finished yet, but I'm a lot closer. I plan to extend my goal for 10 more lbs so that will be a total of 45 lbs.
Bill and I went shopping and he bought me a swimsuit since I haven't picked out anything for my birthday yesterday (the BIG 5-oh). I picked it out and said, "You can buy this for me" and Bill took it from me. A lady was standing there, we had been discussing the different styles. She said, "Oh, that is so sweet" and I told her he was buying it for me for my birthday present. She was very nice and when I told her that I turned 50 yesterday she said, "You certainly don't look like you are 50. I thought maybe 39 or 40." I REALLY like that nice woman. LOL
When you are a teenager you want to look older. You hit 30 and then you wish you could look younger. Never happy, are we?

Still Losing Weight

I lost another couple of pounds while I was in Colorado so I'm down to the same weight I was three years ago, I've lost a total of 33 lbs and it looks like I'm going to beat that weight loss goal of 2006. I didn't even get breathless the first week in Colorado like I did every other time when I was heavier. I never did get altitude sickness this last trip. I definitely feel much more healthy and it's a good thing since I'll be so OLD soon. Kimmie is really rubbing it in but I'm not ready for a senior citizen's discount just yet!

At the Zoo - May 20th

Aiden and Nana. He didn't feed the giraffes but he liked looking at them.


Reece and I feeding the giraffes. That tongue is looooong.

I stole these photos from Kimmie's blog. She owes me for that last shopping trip we took anyway. LOL

Nana's Been Babysitting

Nana has been in Colorado for almost a week. Kimmie and Michael went to Vegas for 3 days and came back Sunday. But she worked yesterday and today so I'm still enjoying my quality time with the boys... Who would think that 2 little boys could be so busy and run Nana ragged... Aiden doesn't want to just be held, he wants to be entertained at all times. It's a good thing he's so cute! Reece has been in a couple of "time outs" for not listening, but he is really very easy to keep entertained.
I'm getting lots more kisses than any of my other visits. I'm not sure if he is beginning to remember me or if the 3 days he was thrown together with me kinda forced the issue.

Shopping

Bill and I went shopping after church and he was nice enough to buy 3 blouses and a nightie. I bought them all in a size Large because I don't want them to be too tight. Well, I got home and tried them on and the nightgown and one of the blouses was too big! I had to exchange them for a size Medium. Might not seem like a big deal to some people, but I've gone from an XL to a Large, and now a Medium.
Pants are now down to a size 10 and I've lost 27 lbs and still counting. I'm hoping for about 35 lbs weight loss and size 8 pants.

Health Numbers

Normally, April 15 is not a good day when you work at the post office, and this morning was proof, but the afternoon was so much better. I called the doctor to get my test results from my appt last Thursday. They did my yearly blood work. Here are my numbers versus last year's numbers.


Blood Pressure
2009 - 110/70
2008 - 120/74

Cholesterol
2009 - 159
2008 - 197
Normal is 100-200

Triglycerides
2009 - 74
2008 - 147
Normal is under 200

Glucose
2009 - 96
Normal is 60-120
I don't have a number for last year's glucose level because the lab made a mistake and didn't run that test.
Amazing what losing 25 lbs will do for your health. DUH.

Look What I've Been Doing

I'm not there yet, but I'm working on it.
It will be 4 wks on Monday so I'm happy with the progress. Some people only seem to loose 1/2 lb to 1 lb a week so averaging 3 1/2 lbs a week is better than I expected.
I can wear my black jeans that I couldn't squeeze my fat butt into a month ago. Next goal is my white jeans, that are a size smaller.

Winter Ice Storm 2009

This is my front yard and house.


This is the view from my front porch.


This is a view of my side yard. I'm the lucky owner of all those limbs, right up to within about 10 ft of my neighbor's yard.


Things around here have been a little too exciting for us lately. On January 27 we had a major ice storm come through. In fact, the worst ice storm in the U.S. in 70 years is what I heard. I certainly believe it. Our electricity, cable TV, telephone, and internet went down on the 27th. We were lucky and they got our elec back up in one week (some other people in the country had to wait almost 3 wks to get their electricity back). We got the cable, internet, and telephone service back today so we've been without for 3 wks. But to tell you the truth, I was so happy to get electricity back on that being without the rest didn't seem so bad. We ended up buying a generator after 3 days because it was freezing cold. I had to work in the cold all day at the post office (the mail must go through and all that) and then come home to the cold and let me tell you, it sucked! Bill, the 3 dogs, 2 cats, and I were all in a 10 x 12 ft bedroom, trying to keep warm. It got down to 9° one night. Luckily, we still had water and since we have a gas hot water heater, I could take a hot bath. Some people didn't even have that. The Jaycee's club was set up as an emergency warming center so we could go there and eat hot meals. I was wearing a sleeveless tank shirt, a long sleeve t-shirt, a shirt, sweater, and a coat. I wore sweat pants over my jeans and I had these furry boots that kept my feet warm. Oh, and I cut two fingers out of my gloves so I could keep my gloves on and work. I was a wide as I was tall! LOL
We are still cleaning up the mess. Not one of my trees was undamaged. It brought down so many branches and some trees. We've worked for over 2 wks on the clean up in our yard and we now have the front fairly clean but we still have a long way to go in the back yard. The city has picked up several big piles of branches and we have another 6 piles by the curb right now but we are finally over half done. I heard on the news that there were 7000 utility poles that snapped and had to be replaced.
Let me tell you, it's no fun to sit in the dark and the cold, listening to big limbs fall on your house. The trees were snapping and cracking all night long, taking our electric and cable lines with them.