Cows On the Couch

A friend asked me about getting skinny in a jiffy since I lost some weight recently.  She thinks that I’m on some kind of a diet and wants to know if she should take some diet pills too and what are the side effects of fenphedrine  – that was what it was called.   I figured that like everyone said – that diet pills does help but you really gotta eat healthy and exercise – else how can it be healthy for the body right?  I said to her – to check with the doctor first before taking them but continue to eat healthy and also exercise everyday and then she will definitely lose some good weight in a jiffy.  So what was my secret?  diet, exercise and eat well and rest even better.  Taking care of one’s health is definitely important – being overweight even just by a little really makes me feel so lethargic and so sloppy and I want to feel healthy all the time and I’m sure you do too.

Shopping with my fellow co-worker for an engagement ring is very fun – because I’m not spending my own money but I get to pick the ring and give my opinion and get the co-worker to buy one of he best and most unique engagement rings  that I’ve seen.  Jewelry shopping must be the best thing I do in life  – I can pick the best  kind of jewelry for anyone – of course, depending on the budget and whether it is worth the price that the jewelry store is asking for.  That must be the reason why friends, family and co-worker bring me along for jewelry shopping.  In fact, my ex-boss needed me to accompany her to buy a replacement earring for her cousin one time – and I chose a Lazare diamond for the earrings.  I know it was expensive – but hey! she had the money – and I knew she wanted to get it for her lived in girlfriend – so I insisted that if she wanted to buy something for her – it had to be a good stone – not just a cheapie one.  But of course, if the co-worker doesn’t make as much as my ex-boss – I would recommended something, unique, modest and within his budget.   I’m that good with diamonds.

One of the best gift we’ve ever bought for my children’s grandparents was a medical step stool  and let me tell you why.  The medical step stool is sturdy and it has a handle for them to hold on to – in case they get giddy or woozzy all of a sudden.   So if you are thinking of getting one of those – I highly recommend it – don’t get the cheap ones – because if they are not sturdy and they fall – and break  a hip or bone than that could be really dangerous.  I see  alot of professional offices using it – I’ve seen one in our doctor’s office and the chiropractor’s office – so I’m sure I can’t be too wrong when it comes to buying a medical step stool versus the dollar store ones.  It may be a little more expensive – but like my mom used to say – you get what you pay for – and my in-laws uses the step stool so often – it is worth every penny we paid for it.

My in laws has just retired a few years ago and more and more we have been thinking of a retirement home for them ever since we saw some friends chatting about Assisted living Houston  .  Very similar concept we have here – but more for people who are retired and who needs continuing care.   As we all know – that once you get to that age, you would need help with a lot of things from health care to someone caring for your daily needs and knowing that my in laws will not want to live with us – we are looking for some assisted living here too for them. They say it’s never too early to look for a place suitable for them – for you need to make sure that this is the place they want to retire in and it’s no easy feat of course.  So this week, we’ve started our little adventure in looking for the right retirement home for my in-laws.  Wish us luck now.

It has come to my attention that many of our younger cousins who have just tied the knot are looking into buying a house or are or has already bought the house.  While I strongly encourage a home inspection before buying their home – I have some cousins who are very good with their pneumatic tools  and can do all their own minor renovation or fixing up of their new homes on their own.   But unless you get the house at a really low price – I wouldn’t want to fix up my house for we don’t have any spare time to do it.  So when the spouse or the brother in laws wants tools for Christmas – i gladly buy them for them because I know that when we need renovation work done in our home they would certainly come to help with the tools we’ve bought them.So what so important about a home inspection and what to watch out for a home inspection,  that would be for another post and another day.

For those who don’t enjoy the winter and the cold – the only consolation one gets when they get home from a hard day’s work is a heated jacuzzi.  I find that it helps with my back pain and arthritis and with a raypak  spa heater, our jacuzzi and pool is heated even in the summer.  We bought the jacuzzi to help with my back pain when I first arrived in Canada – and we never turned back – so those of you who have back pain – instead of spending money on going to the spa once a month – why not save the money and invest in a jacuzzi.  I love using the jacuzzi after using my infrared steam bath – I think it was one of the best investment we made – the steam bath gets rid of toxins in our body and then the dipping into the heated jacuzzi for 20 mins a day helps to reduce my back pain and aching body.

While we are paying dearly for our electricity – my friend from new jersey told me all about their power bill with new jersey energy – how I envy her.  Winter’s power bills can be real pain on the pocket of many people – and  we all would loved a little savings on power bill wherever we can.  Even though we are never home for most of the day, our power bill is still very high and for a normal family I would say – it can be quite taxing keeping all the bills paid during the winter months.  My girlfriend say that at new jersey energy, they even have a $50 sign up bonus – good marketing plan – but the overall savings is the one we are all looking for right?  Everyone could use some savings during the winter months and every month of the year – and if you are in New Jersey – you should look up at some savings too.

When you have kids you definitely need to visit a pediatrician at one time or another.  Some of us visits the Pediatrician more often than others and a new mom asked me the other day – which is the best pediatrician in town.  I chose my pediatrician not only because he came highly recommended but his office was all equipped with computer carts  that were also designed for children and less intimidating.   When your kids enter the pediatrician’s office and see all those children’s cartoon of submarine, fishes, smiley faces – it definitely helped. Visual are so important to kids – so if they can picture the pediatrician’s office being a happy and kiddy place – they don’t mind going back to visit the pediatrician.  So my advice to all new parents to choose your child’s pediatrician properly – make sure that the doctor’s office is a fun place for your kids’ to visit.  The all white or grey office just don’t cut it for our kids now – our kids are way too smart these days.

The local radio station had been playing sounds from Adele for the last few months – that even someone who don’t know who Adele is – would know by now.  My kids had been asking for Adele’s song to be downloaded on their  ipods  as well – so we have been buying  iTunes gift cards for them instead of their allowances.   Unlike other parents, we make sure that they learned that things cost money and they need to save up for their ipod accessories and iTunes gift cards – we don’t just give it to them.  My kids say that I’m mean and stingy but I don’t mind being the bad guy in the family because I was brought up that way – therefore I never spend what I don’t have.  Instilling the right value in your children when they are young is very important – so if they needed anything they know they have to save their allowances for them.  In the meantime, here’s a sound from Adele.

The spouse had just announced that he will be taking us for a skiing trip to Quebec in January when he is up there for a business meeting.  What a hoot ! it would be for me and the kids – they are so excited now – and already preparing for the trip.  One of them had asked for the Crescent Moon Gold 12 Snowshoes  last Christmas and it will be put to good use now.   I can’t wait to go back to take another lesson for myself – because I’m not very good at it if you must know – but I love skiing so much – and if there is one sport that will help one lose weight – it’s skiing.   Folks say that you burn fats when you are sweating – but skiing helps burn more fats I find.  I remember coming home with 5Ibs lighter a few years ago – just spending 3 days in a sk resort in BC.  But don’t forget to get the right type of skiing equipment and the right type of snowshoes and you will have so much fun – you won’t want to go home.  Check out the hot tubs in the middle of winter too.