One Little Duckling Has Left The Pond

Quack, you say!  I'm talking about my oldest duckling...he has gone off into the wide world on his own, 'tis the way it should be, I suppose!

Oldest Duckling

He's 19, after all, and it's only right he should strike out on his own and find his own journey, apart from mom and dad.  I cried, like a silly llama mama, as all llama mamas do, I suppose. This morning as I walked into his now empty room, I immediately cried again...and then I started to clean and rearrange it into the computer/x-box/storage room/laundry room that it was always destined to be. (In fact, I'm sitting there right now typing this blog post, quite cozy I might add, the tumbling of the dryer a sort of lullaby to soothe my sad heart)  

It has always been the laundry room since that is where the builders of the house designed it to be...but it is an extra long room, and because of that it served as a bedroom/laundry room/storage room. Now, have I made this information as clear as mud? Good!

Anyhoodles, I miss my oldest duckling already, even though he only lives about a mile (if that) away, in a beautiful neighborhood on a private drive...he also works at our family business so we will see him often. Yet in my heart I can feel that it's never going to be the same. 

The hubby has gone and fetched the other boys from their grandparents (because I begged him to, the house seemed empty without them) and our house is now back to our new normal, sans the oldest. As I sit and type this I can hear my daughter playing the new keyboard piano and the boys voices as they work to clean their bedroom to dads satisfaction. Lovely sounds, indeed! 

This week has been a bust, as far as running outside anyway...I have worked out at the YMCA a few times, mostly on the AMT, the Arc Trainer and one session in the weight room.  My running has been almost non-existent, due to the weather mostly...it was snowing, then icy, then pouring rain so I took to running indoors on the aforementioned machines.  

AMT Machine

ARC Trainer

My eating as been horrible, due to all the luscious and oh so flavorful food I have been surrounded with. Anyone feel my pain? Anyone? Good, it isn't just me..Whew!  That all stops right now, come on willpower! I have absolutely no willpower whatsoever.  If there's junk food around my house, I'm gonna eat it. I may hold out for a day or two but after that, all's fair in love and hunger.

Over the last several months I have learned that as I age I cannot eat like I could when I was a teenager, shocking, right! I am now going to have to watch, very carefully, what I bring home and what I eat when I'm out and about.  Waaaaa, somebody call me the waaaam-bulance!

 (As I type this my daughter is playing with our R2-D2 voice commanded robot, dance mode)  

Now back to the issue at hand...Do any of you women out there have this problem (with food) as you get older? Any advice you can give me? I am reading that we need to take in about 200 less calories that we did before menopause...aging...etc, while still exercising the same amount or gasp, more! 

I am feeling frustrated and disheartened. I love food but I know that it's time to focus on my health and family rather that what I can and cannot eat.  While I am still exercising just as much, I am throwing a temper tantrum like a four year old having problems changing my eating habits from that of my teenage self. Any advice is welcome, and thanks in advance. I shall stop whining now and end this rant. I bid you farewell blessings and hugs...May you all have a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck. 

"Limitations only exist if you let them" 

© 2012 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.