Sarah's New World

[sarah1972]

July 12th - Hope, Maybe?

It ended up being a surprisingly productive and good day. Given what I have been through the past four weeks, I do take any little glimpse of hope.

Maybe just staying busy helped.

Woke up early and with only one snooze -- did the trash -- got an early start on work emails -- showered -- played with kiddo for a few minutes -- took the car to shop (they finally got the replacement part) -- conference calls and more emails -- worked with a "Master Trapper" to get rid of our Raccoon problem (seems they are gone) -- more calls and emails -- updated several documents for work -- even more calls, at times two in parallel -- did some work for Susan's -- picked up kiddo from daycare and took her to the gym for the first time (they have a supervised child play area) -- Dinner -- bedtime story for kiddo -- catching up on emails -- writing this post. Still, have to review one more thing for work.

I have not had such a productive day for a long time and it really feels good. Let's try again tomorrow.

Oh - yeah, I had bailed on the gym for a bit. First I was traveling, then I just could not do it. At least now, I am back at it. And my 26 personal trainer sessions are scheduled. Next Wednesday I'll start. Knowing that I can take kiddo and she can have fun while I sweat will make everything a lot easier. It also allows her to burn some energy without having to fear a heat shock. Too bad I cannot just put her on a treadmill and let her run

Baby steps.

Stay strong everyone!!

On some other news: EVen though there was some progress regarding Facebook in the past few weeks, it all came to a grinding hold. I could have stuck my head into the sand or find a different way. Now I have a brand new Instagram account for Sarah 🤗 and I can just control who will see my posts much easier.

Hugs,

Sarah

[Jayne01]

July 12th - Hope, Maybe?

It ended up being a surprisingly productive and good day. Given what I have been through the past four weeks, I do take any little glimpse of hope.

Maybe just staying busy helped.

Woke up early and with only one snooze -- did the trash -- got an early start on work emails -- showered -- played with kiddo for a few minutes -- took the car to shop (they finally got the replacement part) -- conference calls and more emails -- worked with a "Master Trapper" to get rid of our Raccoon problem (seems they are gone) -- more calls and emails -- updated several documents for work -- even more calls, at times two in parallel -- did some work for Susan's -- picked up kiddo from daycare and took her to the gym for the first time (they have a supervised child play area) -- Dinner -- bedtime story for kiddo -- catching up on emails -- writing this post. Still, have to review one more thing for work.

I have not had such a productive day for a long time and it really feels good. Let's try again tomorrow.

Oh - yeah, I had bailed on the gym for a bit. First I was traveling, then I just could not do it. At least now, I am back at it. And my 26 personal trainer sessions are scheduled. Next Wednesday I'll start. Knowing that I can take kiddo and she can have fun while I sweat will make everything a lot easier. It also allows her to burn some energy without having to fear a heat shock. Too bad I cannot just put her on a treadmill and let her run

Baby steps.

Stay strong everyone!!

On some other news: EVen though there was some progress regarding Facebook in the past few weeks, it all came to a grinding hold. I could have stuck my head into the sand or find a different way. Now I have a brand new Instagram account for Sarah [emoji847] and I can just control who will see my posts much easier.

Hugs,

Sarah

Hey girl!

Firstly, I accidentally deleted the whole reply I just typed, so I am retyping it again from memory. Doh!!!

Glad you had a productive and good day. You certainly accomplished a lot and seem to have a bit of a spring in your step. Or since I can't see your step from here, maybe I should say you have a spring in your text! [emoji16]

I am happy to see you return to the gym. Their supervised play area is convenient and good for Kiddo to burn some calories while Hot Mommy #2 is also burning calories. She is your little gym buddy. Speaking of gym buddies, I have neglected my poking duties to keep you from bailing on your gym visits. Sorry about that, I will try to do better. POKE!!! Better late than never, right? [emoji23]

Being busy has been good for you. As @Alaskan Danielle will tell you, busy people are happy people.

Hope tomorrow is as good or better for you.

Hugs,
Jayne

[sarah1972]

Hey girl!

Firstly, I accidentally deleted the whole reply I just typed, so I am retyping it again from memory. Doh!!!

Oh no! Sorry to hear.

I am happy to see you return to the gym. Their supervised play area is convenient and good for Kiddo to burn some calories while Hot Mommy #2 is also burning calories. She is your little gym buddy. Speaking of gym buddies, I have neglected my poking duties to keep you from bailing on your gym visits. Sorry about that, I will try to do better. POKE!!! Better late than never, right? [emoji23]

Oh... the POKE felt like a kick this morning and I flew right into (Twerking Class) (Zumba) PHYSICAL THERAPY!!!
I then rewarded myself with a shopping trip to Lululemon.

But speaking of @Jayne01 : POKE back... how is your training progressing?

Being busy has been good for you. As @Alaskan Danielle will tell you, busy people are happy people.

Yes, @Alaskan Danielle 's quote came to my mind writing my post...

[Jayne01]

Oh... the POKE felt like a kick this morning and I flew right into (Twerking Class) (Zumba) PHYSICAL THERAPY!!!
I then rewarded myself with a shopping trip to Lululemon.

Tweaking class! That's funny...I can see it now, new members showing up at the reception desk asking "excuse me, could you direct me to the twerking class please?" [emoji23] [emoji23]

I had joined our nearest gym a little while back. It didn't have any classes. It's just a small gym, open 24 hours with minimal staff. It's basically  a place with gym equipment to use on your own.

But speaking of @Jayne01 : POKE back... how is your training progressing?

Oh right......I am supposed to be training........so how's the weather in your part of the world? [emoji57]

Yes, @Alaskan Danielle 's quote came to my mind writing my post...

If you are ever in search of a good quote, you know who to turn to.

Time for me to got to work now. Have a great day.

Hugs,
Jayne

[sarah1972]

Glad you had a productive and good day. You certainly accomplished a lot and seem to have a bit of a spring in your step. Or since I can't see your step from here, maybe I should say you have a spring in your text! [emoji16]

Hope tomorrow is as good or better for you.

It was a lot less productive, primarily because I was remotely attending a large sales review with a customer we try to land. Pretty much got on the phone at 9:00 AM and off at 6:30 PM. Gladly I could take a break for twerking class and a very short lunch break. Even while shopping or picking up the car from service I continuously stayed on the call and participated. It is seen as a big deal, so it was important. I did get a bunch of other things for work while on the call. I should count this as productive. Pending a final review, the customer was ready to sign in the end.
Before I even went to the gym, I did a 2 mile stroller walk to drop kiddo off at daycare, I did extend the walk a bit for added exercise.

Overall... another good day.

I am happy to see you return to the gym. Their supervised play area is convenient and good for Kiddo to burn some calories while Hot Mommy #2 is also burning calories. She is your little gym buddy. Speaking of gym buddies, I have neglected my poking duties to keep you from bailing on your gym visits. Sorry about that, I will try to do better. POKE!!! Better late than never, right? [emoji23]

It was about time for me to get back. I could not believe how much of an impact it makes.

I did check my body scale and I could tell muscle mass declining the second I stopped. It also seems to have an impact on mental health.

Having childcare there is a great benefit and was part of why we chose the specific studio.

[sarah1972]

July 15th - Weekend Update

With the steamy weather in our area, we decided to take it easy this weekend, so not a lot of productive outcome but still a nice weekend.

Saturday we started with a visit to our local Farmers Market to get a bit of fresh produce as well as get some breakfast (Garlic-Parmesan Bratwurst). On the way back, we stopped at a playground so kiddo can blow some steam off. Had one of the dad's throw me some flirtatious looks and smiles even though it was all three of us. Our kids are the same age, so they played for a bit.

Coming home, my latest fashion order had arrived (new skirted bikini and a few other things) and then we decided to go buy shoes for kiddo. Like any other kid, her feet are still growing so quick, we can barely keep up. Of course, she fell asleep and we decided to drive a bit further, allowing her to sleep a bit more. Might have been a very good decision, the DSW store we went to is further out but they had a lot more size 11 shoes than any other I had seen. We wanted to only buy kids shoes but all ended with new shoes. Ended the trip with some grocery shopping, dinner and then I did a few small house repairs.

Sunday started really lazy and we did not really know what to do. I did stumble over a German Festival in Maryland, just a bit north of Baltimore and we decided to go. For a minute I had considered wearing my traditional German outfit, but looking at the temperature I wanted less fabric around me (a lot less). It was OK but after about one hour we had enough, kiddo wanted to run and also demanded ice cream. Closest place Google spit out was the "Firehouse Creamery" about 30 minutes away. Awesome enough, there is a playground very close by and we could stop by friends of ours who just moved about a minute away from the Creamery. Three birds with one stone. Can't get better than that.

So, nothing special, just a nice family-focused weekend. I do hope the temperatures give us a break soon, I would really love to do some work in the yard.

This is one of the outfits I had ordered (minus the shoes, they are old). Also what I did wear today.



Have a great week everyone!

Hugs!

Sarah

[Jayne01]

Hi Sarah,

Glad you had a nice weekend. The garlic-parmesan bratwurst sounds good! I have some fond memories from farmers markets during a trip to France a few years ago. We found some really tasty produce and cheese and bread. I have not been able to find any good farmers markets close to home.

You're looking good in today's outfit, it's no wonder you were having flirtatious looks coming your way!

Kiddo is a girl after my own heart with her desire to shop for shoes. If I am ever struggling to choose between 2 pairs of shoes, well option 1 is of course to buy both pairs, but if I am forced to only choose 1 pair, I will send you a message to get Kiddo's opinion. [emoji16][emoji16]

The German Festival turned out to be a good find which led to ice cream and seeing some friends. And Kiddo got to play at the playground and eat ice cream. Did I mention the ice cream? Mmmmmmm I like ice cream.

So it seems like your weekend was productive after all. You don't need to complete chores to be productive. Quality family time is very productive in its own way.

Hugs,
Jayne

[sarah1972]

You're looking good in today's outfit, it's no wonder you were having flirtatious looks coming your way!

Must be the skirt... I was wearing it this morning when I walked to daycare, and a bunch of drivers turned their heads. Playgrounds are also rumored to be a good place for flirting, so I am not surprised this happened on a playground.

So it seems like your weekend was productive after all. You don't need to complete chores to be productive. Quality family time is very productive in its own way.

Hugs,
Jayne

Given how I felt the last months, I do count any day without dark thoughts of this world being better without me as a good and productive day. 4 in a row is almost a streak.

[Northern Star Girl]

Must be the skirt... I was wearing it this morning when I walked to daycare, and a bunch of drivers turned their heads. Playgrounds are also rumored to be a good place for flirting, so I am not surprised this happened on a playground.

Given how I felt the last months, I do count any day without dark thoughts of this world being better without me as a good and productive day. 4 in a row is almost a streak.

@sarah1972
Dear Sarah:  Not only playgrounds, but also small town coffee shops are a good place for flirting...
...take it from me, I know this beyond a shadow of a doubt..

Thank you for posting your new Avatar photo... and your photo of your new outfit that you had ordered.
... you are beautiful for sure, it is no wonder you are the recipient of random flirts.

4 days in a row of having a good and productive day, I am happy for you...
and I am trusting that your days of dark thoughts will be far and few between.

Thank you for keeping us updated.

Hugs and well wishes as always,
Danielle

[Northern Star Girl]

   
       O Sister, Where Art Thou?   

[sarah1972]

   
       O Sister, Where Art Thou?    [emoji47] [emoji47] [emoji47]

@Alaskan Danielle :
Thank you so much for checking in Danielle! Friends checking in on each other is so valuable and can sometimes be a lifesaver, especially if they go silent. I have checked in on friends and I also have to admit I needed some checking in until a few days ago.

Also thanks for all the nice compliments!

At the time of your post, I was actually at the gym. As you may recall, my gym had a special on personal trainer sessions and I finally was able to schedule my first session with Bryan (the trainer). I did buy a bulk of 26 sessions and also get one free session, so 27 total. A good opportunity to show off my brand new workout skirt - the one I bought last Friday. Maybe not my favorite for 1:1 sessions, but certainly for Zumba class. I realized I need matching tops now.
The session was about what I had expected. It is good to finally have some guidance on working out and he created a training plan for me with a mix of core, back and chest exercises. I do cardio on my own in addition to the trainer sessions. OMG - I will so feel my sore muscles tomorrow, I have to find the time for some swimming later today to relax my muscles. And of course, I will also feel all kinds of muscles I did not even know I have. I will need a few sessions to get into enough shape to get through the entire program. Hope I am fit enough Friday for Zumba [emoji2]

I was actually surprised I made it through the entire workout after I badly bumped my left knee yesterday while scrambling with some unsafe utility power conditions after a power outage. Kiddo saw my bruised up knee and grabbed her cold pack from the fridge, walked up to me and put it on my knee. This was followed after a few seconds with the assessment "Better" (of course it was not, but it was sooo cute. She did it again a few times over the evening.

Besides that? I am on the 7th day of doing reasonably OK. Of course, this now means I also have some energy to finally catch up and I am fairly busy, so I spend less time online. Mostly catching up on neglected maintenance around the house. Also trying to sleep a lot more.

And then there is a lot of texting with my BFF girlfriend [emoji171]. It is invaluable, to be able to talk about all kind of transition-related issues as well as many other topics. We are just like 14-year-old teen girls 🤷‍♀️. Shifting some of my online activities from Facebook and Susan's to Instagram may also have resulted in less posting here.

Plans for this afternoon have changed a bit and I will be heading to the playground later with kiddo. Oh - I ordered the same skirt on two more colors  [emoji1] [emoji1] Wonder if I should wear the skirt today...

The being flirted with is really nice and affirming and I decided for myself to enjoy it for a bit with some reason and clear boundaries. Now my next goal is to make someone buy me a drink [emoji1] [emoji1] 
Gym has not really panned out as a social hub to meet people. This may be related to the area itself. Everyone is constantly overbooked and never has time for even a quick chat. I also do not really have regular times in the gym due to my work schedule. Maybe I need to start to frequent the local coffee shop.

So, my life seems to be going a whole lot better than even 10 days ago. I am also starting to take care of myself again. I do hope this trend continues.

Thanks again for checking in Danielle. I am still working on the Alaska Trilogy remarks...

Hugs,

Sarah

[sarah1972]

New Problems

Well sort off. The usual conundrum of selecting an outfit...

It took me 20 (twenty) minutes to decide what to wear to the playground [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

This was the result...



No worries, I would not want it any other way [emoji4][emoji4][emoji847]

[Northern Star Girl]

New Problems

Well sort off. The usual conundrum of selecting an outfit...

It took me 20 (twenty) minutes to decide what to wear to the playground [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

This was the result...



No worries, I would not want it any other way [emoji4][emoji4][emoji847]

@sarah1972   .... Looking good Sarah.... make certain that your wedding ring is displayed prominently... that will help fend off the flirters that start getting too frisky.   I don't have a wedding ring so I carry Bear Pepper Spray with me and if necessary I also have a baseball bat closeby.

Back in our old pre-transition days it only took a few minutes to select what to wear... and the tops and bottoms didn't have to match nor did the shoes have to match anything...  but it is a whole new world for us.

Hugs,
Danielle

[Northern Star Girl]

@Alaskan Danielle :
Thank you so much for checking in Danielle! Friends checking in on each other is so valuable and can sometimes be a lifesaver, especially if they go silent. I have checked in on friends and I also have to admit I needed some checking in until a few days ago.

Also thanks for all the nice compliments!

At the time of your post, I was actually at the gym. As you may recall, my gym had a special on personal trainer sessions and I finally was able to schedule my first session with Bryan (the trainer). I did buy a bulk of 26 sessions and also get one free session, so 27 total. A good opportunity to show off my brand new workout skirt - the one I bought last Friday. Maybe not my favorite for 1:1 sessions, but certainly for Zumba class. I realized I need matching tops now.
The session was about what I had expected. It is good to finally have some guidance on working out and he created a training plan for me with a mix of core, back and chest exercises. I do cardio on my own in addition to the trainer sessions. OMG - I will so feel my sore muscles tomorrow, I have to find the time for some swimming later today to relax my muscles. And of course, I will also feel all kinds of muscles I did not even know I have. I will need a few sessions to get into enough shape to get through the entire program. Hope I am fit enough Friday for Zumba [emoji2]

I was actually surprised I made it through the entire workout after I badly bumped my left knee yesterday while scrambling with some unsafe utility power conditions after a power outage. Kiddo saw my bruised up knee and grabbed her cold pack from the fridge, walked up to me and put it on my knee. This was followed after a few seconds with the assessment "Better" (of course it was not, but it was sooo cute. She did it again a few times over the evening.

Besides that? I am on the 7th day of doing reasonably OK. Of course, this now means I also have some energy to finally catch up and I am fairly busy, so I spend less time online. Mostly catching up on neglected maintenance around the house. Also trying to sleep a lot more.

And then there is a lot of texting with my BFF girlfriend [emoji171]. It is invaluable, to be able to talk about all kind of transition-related issues as well as many other topics. We are just like 14-year-old teen girls 🤷‍♀️. Shifting some of my online activities from Facebook and Susan's to Instagram may also have resulted in less posting here.

Plans for this afternoon have changed a bit and I will be heading to the playground later with kiddo. Oh - I ordered the same skirt on two more colors  [emoji1] [emoji1] Wonder if I should wear the skirt today...

The being flirted with is really nice and affirming and I decided for myself to enjoy it for a bit with some reason and clear boundaries. Now my next goal is to make someone buy me a drink [emoji1] [emoji1] 
Gym has not really panned out as a social hub to meet people. This may be related to the area itself. Everyone is constantly overbooked and never has time for even a quick chat. I also do not really have regular times in the gym due to my work schedule. Maybe I need to start to frequent the local coffee shop.

So, my life seems to be going a whole lot better than even 10 days ago. I am also starting to take care of myself again. I do hope this trend continues.

Thanks again for checking in Danielle. I am still working on the Alaska Trilogy remarks...

Hugs,

Sarah

@sarah1972
Dear Sarah:  Thank you for posting your update, I really didn't mean to bug you too much... just a little bugging is all I intended.  Yes, it is nice that people miss our presence particularly when things get a little crazy.
Oh, and my compliments on your photos are always justified.

It's good to hear that your Zumba class is going well for you.   If that is a regularly scheduled class with many of the same people attending... wouldn't that be a good place to start making friends and aquaintances that you can possibly work out with on a regular basis?

That is a cute story about your kiddo getting you an ice back and saying "better"  ... cute and sweet for sure.

Hmmm, your BFF girlfriend.... you need to tell us more, your followers are a curious bunch.

OK now, you need to post a followup regarding your time at "flirt central" at the playground today...  like you stated it is most affirming and confidence building to be the recipient of sincere flirting....  As you are aware from my threads and comments... I know this for a fact!!!

I am so happy to hear that your last 7 to 10 days have been good for you...  a nice change from the down times that you were recently going through.   Yes, more sleep, taking better care of yourself, and tending to priority tasks works wonders for you attitude about life... and for your well-being.

Again, thank you for updating all of us....  we are rooting for you always.
Hugs and well wishes,
Danielle

[sarah1972]

@sarah1972   .... Looking good Sarah.... make certain that your wedding ring is displayed prominently... that will help fend off the flirters that start getting too frisky.   I don't have a wedding ring so I carry Bear Pepper Spray with me and if necessary I also have a baseball bat closeby.

Back in our old pre-transition days it only took a few minutes to select what to wear... and the tops and bottoms didn't have to match nor did the shoes have to match anything...  but it is a whole new world for us.

Hugs,
Danielle

@Alaskan Danielle
Awww, you are way too kind. I noticed the light makes my breasts look a lot bigger than they are. I have to mark the spot where I stood.

Yes, a wedding ring may fend off the easy cases. Some of the guys on my "creepy" list may need the bear pepper spray. The other good news is that I am still only interested in women, so all male attempts off flirting hit a brick wall anyways.


It is a very exciting new world! Sure it was easier before but I always hated how I looked. I am starting to get better in my selections, trying to find things which can be easier combined. But then, of course, that is not what I want to wear that day and I am back to my old mantra: "A closet full of nothing to wear".
Kiddo is also very picky about what she wants to wear, and recently I heard a big sigh: "not sure who is the bigger drama queen when trying to pick an outfit" followed by my wife stating that she now knows where kiddo has it from.

Playground update: Nothing to report. We stayed for about an hour and had a lot of fun. No flirting that I noticed. 

[Jayne01]

Hey there girlfriend! Sorry for the delay in my reply. I was unplugged for a day while crossing the pacific. I did intend to catch up on the flight from LA to Chicago but the inflight wifi wasn't working. Hmph! [emoji23]

I am a little incoherent right now, due to lack of sleep, but I will do my best to make sense.

Glad you finally got to start working with a personal trainer. It should make a world of difference having someone trained in physical fitness guide you and help push your limits. Once you have done the 27 trainer sessions, you should have a solid foundation to continue on your own. It doesn't seem you need a poke but here is one anyway because it's my job....POKE! [emoji16]

Kiddo is so adorable with her nursing skills. I imagine the fact that she thought to get an ice pack on her own and then assess your knee as being better would have been enough to make you forget about your knee pain for a while. How sweet!

You look good in your playground outfit. 20 minutes to decide what to wear? How long does it take to pick an outfit for a special occasion? This is a good problem to be having. I have not encountered that problem yet. My wardrobe is very tiny, something I am hoping to fix real soon.

I better get to sleep. It is getting hard to focus on the screen as I type.

Hugs [emoji171]
Jayne

[sarah1972]

Hey there girlfriend! Sorry for the delay in my reply. I was unplugged for a day while crossing the pacific. I did intend to catch up on the flight from LA to Chicago but the inflight wifi wasn't working. Hmph! [emoji23]

Hey girl! [emoji171]

I am so glad to hear you made it to Chicago safely. I think Inmarsat makes data capable sat phone, that should help with the texting withdrawal. You need to contact United and see if they can compensate us for the emotional stress we had due to the broken wifi. Maybe you need to take an emotional support animal the next time. A chipmunk maybe.

Glad you finally got to start working with a personal trainer. It should make a world of difference having someone trained in physical fitness guide you and help push your limits. Once you have done the 27 trainer sessions, you should have a solid foundation to continue on your own. It doesn't seem you need a poke but here is one anyway because it's my job....POKE! [emoji16]

Kiddo is so adorable with her nursing skills. I imagine the fact that she thought to get an ice pack on her own and then assess your knee as being better would have been enough to make you forget about your knee pain for a while. How sweet!

Right now I can barely walk stairs. Kiddo needs a much bigger ice pack for me. I know I just need to get used to it and I really hope I am fit for Zumba tomorrow. Oh, and here is a "POKE" back. Get your training shoes on and put some miles under your feet. (Well, kilometers for you). Yes, the idea is to get a good headstart with the personal trainer, then continue by myself. Even though it was a great deal, it is still too expensive in the long run.

You look good in your playground outfit. 20 minutes to decide what to wear? How long does it take to pick an outfit for a special occasion? This is a good problem to be having. I have not encountered that problem yet. My wardrobe is very tiny, something I am hoping to fix real soon.

Yeah, deciding on important outfits is torture. It took me a few days of thinking to decide what to wear to my parent's wedding anniversary. The dress was a quicker decision than the shoes. Then all the shapewear I had to decide on to make me look pretty. It is still a lot of fun and I do indulge it.

Enjoy Chicago!!!

Hugs,

Sarah.

[sarah1972]

I know you all have been missing sweaty hot gym pics...

Here you go...



Hugs - Sarah

[Jayne01]

You are looking pretty awesome there Sarah!

[Northern Star Girl]

I know you all have been missing sweaty hot gym pics...

Here you go...



Hugs - Sarah

@sarah1972
Dear Sarah:  Wow-whee... you look great in you gym picture... I like your new tank top... what happened to your orange top?   What is that you are wearing? Shorts? or a Mini-skirt?   Showing off your legs aren't you???   Well, if you got it, flaunt it, the old saying goes.
Thank you for sharing and keeping us all up to date... 
Oh, any more flirting to report at the playground when you take kiddo there???
Hugs,
Danielle