About Margaret

My stats:

• Female
• Age 52
• Weight: 170 lbs (ideal is 135 lbs)
• Height: 5'5" (and holding!!)

Conditions:

• Joint Hypermobility Syndrome (possible Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome...EDS)
• Some arthritis...fingers, neck
• Hip/lower back area difficulties with muscles
• Infertility (previous to having my ovaries removed last year)
• Sleep issues (wake up a lot)
• Fatigue
• High Functioning couch potato ADD (self-diagnosed)
• TMJ
• Overweight

About Margaret:

Right now
I am just now phasing out my professional organizing business after 8 years. I am a wife of 30+ years, mom to a 7th grade girl, daughter to my 89-year-old mom who lives with us, mom to 2 dogs and 2 cats. I struggle to keep up with my large house and yard, although I do love to garden and my painting projects when I finally get to them...and finish them! I write several blogs, love food and cooking, photography (landscape, people, food) reading, native plants and just learning new stuff. I like to swim and take Aquaerobics at my local public pool. I live in a small town in Sonoma County in Northern California.

My future
I'm planning on a writing career at this point...not sure what form that will take, but I will keep up with my blogs and photography. A "DIY Summer Camp" is in the works this summer, and I would like to write and create a business out of that idea. Several book ideas are floating in my head and need to get down on paper (or onto my computer!).

My past
I think my work history reflects my self-diagnosed ADD...I've been a waitress, jewelry counter salesperson, wine-grape sugar tester, photo-lab manager, newspaper photographer, naturalist/interpreter with local and National Parks and a professional organizer specializing in clients with serious issues. My DH and I were DINKS (Double Income No Kids) for 20 years before we decided to start our family and our daughter came into our lives. I've been an avid hiker and backpacker, a cross-country skier, camper, runner (at times), tennis player (long ago) and used to refinish furniture for fun. I grew up in Stockton, CA, the hot "Central Valley."

My veganism
I had given up eating red meat in the 80's and in the 90's finally gave up all meat when I bit into a fast-food chicken sandwich and hit a vein. Total gross-out moment and it shot me into near-veganism. I've never liked fish/seafood my entire life, and would only eat it if heavily breaded and deep-fried. I had already given up dairy in the 80's when I realized the extent of my dairy allergy (true allergy, not lactose intolerance). After my daughter was born and I became friends with a "strict" vegan, I also became a "better vegan" and gave up honey and eggs (I only ate them when in baked products). So I finally learned to bake without them!