Moderate progress: The house closing is moving along pretty well. Or ‘swimmingly’ according to our lawyer. We should be ready to close in about 2.5 weeks. Yay! I need to clean up the old garden bed to get it ready for the new owners (and probably cry a little bit), and possibly nab some chunks off more plants to bring to my new gardens.
I thought I would share this amusing sign at the grocery store. Job incomplete:
And all of this time spent thinking I didn’t like peas!!
Slow progress: After kicking my own butt at the beginning of March, I have seen snail pace progress. The scale is down 2.5 pounds in all that time. It was a little lower than that, but the scale popped back up again. I have to admit that this is frustrating for me – particularly when I see a others losing 4 times more than this in less time doing basically what I am doing. I try not to let this bother me, but it does sometimes. Comparison does no good, but it’s hard not to. Yes, I probably could do more drastic measures, but I just don’t want to live like that. I just need to whine about it. I don’t want to change things too much since I know what makes me happy and what would make me miserable. I just wish my body would cooperate a little more and reward me for the work I do and not pay so dearly for indulgences (hi cannoli).
On the trunk front, I actually scored a trunk that I really, really wanted, but didn’t think I would either be able to find or afford. It’s called a Jenny Lind, named after a Swedish opera singer who toured in America in 1850 with PT Barnum.
This trunk was made for her and the style became popular for the next 10-20 years. This trunk is seriously old – like Civil War era!
Sort of looks like a loaf of bread, doesn’t it? It was partially restored already, meaning they took off the old covering inside and out, so a lot of work is already done. I got this for a really good price, so I jumped on it. Now this one I don’t want to sell, but I want it for me. 😀 It is on the end of the restoration pile for that reason.
Speaking of more slow progress, this is the one I am working on currently:
We have had rainy weather since Monday, so I have been getting more work on this one to get it ready for selling. It is cleaned and getting the rustoleum treatment. From rusty trunk to this so far:
I might try to age that aluminum some so it doesn’t look quite so new, but I will have to see how the whole thing looks with the finished black and newly stained wood slats.
I guess on all fronts slow progress is still progress, though, right?
I should email you a picture of the trunk that I just finally brought home. It was my grandmother’s and the one thing I really wanted to have!
I would love to see it!
How cool that you have an actual Jenny Lind trunk!! I’ve never seen one before. I’m thinking that some antiques are mostly found on the East coast?
I hear you on the slow weight loss.
I have seen a few of the Jenny Linds, but they are usually super expensive to get, even in poor condition. The man I got this from used to restore trunks. He doesn’t do it anymore and has about 20. I asked if he had a JL and he did! It was only $90 for this – so I jumped and it is going to look sharp whenever I get around to finishing it.
The antiques market is pretty hot around this area, actually. Lots and lots of old houses and of course, it’s just an older part of the country and so furniture makers were based along the coast and into Ohio. Trunk makers as well. Most are on this side of the Miss.
Those trunks are just too cool! i do think the aluminum might be a bit bright.Did you think about using copper??…or is aluminum an historical reference?…hugs deb
No copper on this (although that would look cool). It is covered in aluminum and that is the style for this period. I need to see how it looks when the wood looks newer as it is hard to judge half done. It’s sort of like a really dirty window with a few clean spots on it 😀
The trunk is looking good!
I can understand your frustration about the slow progress. And yes comparison is not good, everyone is different, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be frustrating to see others lose more.
It is frustrating. I am happy for them, yet frustrated for myself.
Well, you KNOW I am right there with you on every single thing you wrote about weight. It’s not fair!! But I’ve decided this is just part of my journey in making complete and total peace with myself and my body. I’m going to be happy dammit! 😉
You are amazing with the trunk restorations and I so don’t blame you for keeping that gorgeous trunk for yourself!
Definitely not fair, but we have to deal with our luck 😀
Right with ya on the frustration. I was staring dejectedly at the scale this morning … again … when I thought, “Well, I seem to have figured out maintenance.” LOL. Too bad I’m still trying to lose a significant (but unknown) amount.
That is the coolest loaf shaped trunk! And I was so surprised to see the aluminum on the other one, I didn’t realize it was there.
There isn’t anything wrong with knowing how to maintain!
The trunk is covered in metal – it just doesn’t show through all the rust that was there 😀
Ooh, I love the shape of that Jenny Lind trunk! How fun – glad you got it and glad to hear you’re keeping it. 🙂
Yeah, it stinks to not get quicker progress on the WL front. Both you and I suffer from that height issue, and then you add in age…it’s just a crummy combination to see things change fast. Sometimes I have to not read certain blogs who don’t have the same struggles because it just gets too frustrating.
Yes, sometimes the internet isn’t very helpful on the frustrating front!
I totally get what you said “I don’t want to live like that. I just want to whine about it” – that’s me too! Thank you for whining, I feel like that gives me a bit of license to whine as well.
And I agree that it can add to the frustration to read “one month and I’m only down 5 pounds” on somebody’s blog – OMG, what I would do to drop 5 pounds in 6 months, even. But, again, there are things that I am not willing to give up (Friday nite beer), and then I need to be willing to accept the consequences of that.
I look forward to seeing the Jenny Lind trunk’s transformation – have fun with that!
OMG! I was JUST saying to someone the other day “WHY are the lbs so slow to come off right now??” slow and steady WILL win the race, but still, I GRRR along with you. BTW…LOVE the shape of that trunk!!!!
I hear ya! It’s very frustrating to not see any progress or super slow progress when other people seem to have it much easier. And I have to tell you, I am sick of doctors and everyone dismissing how difficult weight loss is simply because of age. It’s insulting!
I think comparisons are inevitable, but as long as we don’t drown in them, I think we’ll be okay.
Fingers crossed on the house closing. You deserve a break on this one. 🙂
I’d eat those peas! And yep, you can’t compare yourself to anyone else sadly. I am hoping to continue my higher protein diet which I am actually enjoying – who knew I’d like a pork chop for breakfast! I am not counting calories, so that’s a relief not to micro-manage everything I put in my mouth.
Fingers crossed to a smooth closing!
Hope the house goes smoothly!
Well, if those are peas, gonna eat more! 🙂
On the weight, Lori, at the age you are at, it does get tougher – I know. 🙂 Plus you have a body type that makes it harder than others. I was like this too & still am – it sucks to have to work harder than some have to but I guess we are stuck with it but we can bitch about it! 🙂
LOVE the trunks!!!! If I was closer, I would reserve one!!!!
Nice Jenny Lind there, $90 is a pretty good price for one with brass bands and slats. It should look really nice when you’re done. I was wondering what your process was to get the metal cleaned up so well on the other trunk? That is an amazing job and also good job losing the weight, way to go.
I used wet sandpaper to scrub the rust off. Then I used rustoleum nickle finish on the alligator and flat black on the straps. On the nickle finish, I used an antique glaze to age it back to what it would have looked like. Then I put Waterlox over the whole thing (satin finish).