I stumbled on this topic and was so glad to see that I am not the only one who has struggled with this. I have been having issues for the past 3 years. My periods stopped almost exactly 2 years ago. I had gotten so bad in the past 6 months that I could not walk when I got out of bed in the morning and could barely walk after sitting for longer than 10 minutes. I finally found a combination of things that have been working for me. I hope it may help somebody else! I admit that my diet has been terrible. I've had a bad case of the "busys" and I have relied heavily on the "bag and box" convenience approach. I read that people who eat a lot of fast/convenience food have magnesium and potassium deficiencies--which affect muscles. I began eating a banana--sometimes with peanut butter for breakfast. I eat baked potatoes (with all the good stuff; even then it 's better for me than fast food!). I concentrated on getting food with real nutrients; particularly potassium. You can google and find lots of options. I began taking a magnesium supplement. I only take about 1/2 the therapeutic dose. Do some research and find out which formulations are best absorbed to avoid diarrhea. I found out that artificial sweeteners can have an affect on nerves over time. (I recalled working with a client in my past job who turned to drinking Listerine as a source of alcohol. It permanently damaged the muscles in his legs.) I have been a HEAVY diet coke drinker for decades. I limit the diet soda to one or two small bottles per week and I began drinking water. Lots of it. I bought a compact fold-up exercise bike so that I could get in non-weight bearing exercise. The treadmill just seemed to aggravate things, especially my foot that had begun swelling. The bike allows me to work my legs--releasing lactic acid build-up that can lead to tightness--without causing new problems. A rowing machine might work too. I do at least 30 minutes a day, sometimes breaking it up into two or three sessions. I like the bike because it is totally silent and I can stop for brief breaks. I watch TV while riding. (I've read that deep tissue massage is also excellent in releasing lactic acid build-up, but I haven't tried it.) I began taking vitamin D3 for muscles and bones. I began taking Krill oil to help with inflammation--and it's just plain good for the human body. On mornings when I am still feeling pretty tight by 9:00am or so, I take 600mg ibuprofen. Previously, this did nothing to help. Now, it makes all the difference. I can feel it within an hour and one dose is all I need for all day. It took about 6 weeks, but the difference has been amazing. My stiffness is not totally gone, but it is remarkably lower!!! I can stand up and loosen up in a few seconds.

I've been packing for our big move (which happens tomorrow!)into our new house and labeling EVERYTHING. Seriously, the sides of my boxes have labels detailing almost everything in it. I'm hoping to place an order for my cabinets in a few days and once those arrive in a few weeks, our kitchen will be gone. I have no idea when I will be able to see my cooking and bakingware again, thus the obsessive labeling. These posts are getting me excited about what's to come... our new kitchen will have so many more drawers and cabinets as well as a dedicated coffee/wine space and walk-in pantry. I have no idea how I'm going to reorganize myself, but I suppose that is part of the fun! (2 "homes" for scissors... what a brilliant idea!) BTW, I'm originally from NY (therefore, I'm a total bagel-snob) and have yet to find any bagels elsewhere that compare. On my list, however, is homemade bagels to satisfy those cravings... now if I could just find some lox around here... Oh, and I, too, am totally confounded about men... my husband's excuse for never unloading the dishwasher is that he can't figure out where things go. After all these years... the hilarity of this is that by the time my daughter was 15mos old, SHE was telling HIM where to put the colander, measuring spoons, etc.

Thank you so much for replying, I had to google pounds to kilos and they are half his size. Villains mother and little brother live next door to me, and he still sees them and plays with them every couple of weeks. He is the biggest out of the 3. His little brother is the smallest as he was the runt of the litter. Next time they come over, I will take a photo of them and post for you. It is a shame that you are not going to get any more dogs, as I can see these two are very loved and looked after, but I can understand your thinking. I am hoping your two beautiful babies live for a long time, so you can enjoy them for as long as possible. I probably won't get another dog after Villain either, as I simply can't replace him. I trained him very well when he was a puppy and he is a clever little boy. I am a bit younger than you though, will be 53 this year. I just love this forum and as a fairly new member, I am just in awe that I am messaging you, and you are a half a world away from me! Thank you so much for your posts. I have really enjoyed them, and will post some more photos of Villains doggy family in a couple of weeks for you. Kind Regards P.S. Sorry Cathy to take over your thread, but I really hope Hilda is doing well now.

I've always said I'd be a strict vegetarian if I had a live-in cook. Maybe even a vegan. As I have said the 1/2 pound of salmon and the chicken thigh I eat every week make me not a true vegetarian, but making meals is pain enough without eliminating them. But a chef could whip up delicacies, and I wouldn't miss the chicken and fish. I did it with red meat easily and haven't eaten any in 45 years. But today on my creek hike, I passed the little flock of free-range chickens I stop and talk to every time I see them, and of course, there are the 15 very large 25-35 year old koi in my big pond that I hand-feed in the summer and worry about them especially in this winter.