I'm a senior female Sparkpeople refugee from Southern Illinois. I'm a retired R.N. - I worked mostly in critical care and dialysis but in other areas as well. I was thin or of normal weight until after menopause. I have some chronic medical problems, some of which are inherited. My husband was a supervisor/welder/fabricator/machinist/electrician/plumber/carpenter/mechanic/sheet metal worker/landscaper/lumberjack/maintenance man in a small manufacturing plant but he recently retired due to health problems and to avoid communicable diseases as he has reduced immunity. Most of our families are deceased and we have no family here but I have some really supportive friends that I love. We live in a very rural area in a cabin in the woods surrounded by wildlife, lakes, scenic sites. We stay busy with hobbies in our spare time. They include reading, gardening, landscaping, decorating, remodeling, pontoon boating, astronomy, mycology, entomology, bird watching, music, arduinos, photography, stained glass, woodcarving, kaleidoscope making, primitive furniture making, fiberoptics, using our spa, wildlife, nature, repurposing, rocks and minerals, finding Indian artifacts, growing our own food, self-sufficiency. I like to collect things, especially cookbooks and kitchen related items. We have both had all kinds of pets but our favorites were our chinchillas. My goal is for us to constantly be moving toward a healthier lifestyle.