[flaggies]

G'day all,

All this snow some of you are having already, I am amazed. It is another nice and warm sunny day here in Melbourne.
DH is taking a day off tomorrow and we are going for a drive to the hills and having some lunch there. It will break up the week nicely.
I am also having a cousin and her husband arriving from the Netherlands in 3 weeks time. They will be coming to stay for a few days whilst they explore Melbourne. It will be interesting, my Dutch is not terrific and of course dh is 3rd generation Australian and speaks NO Dutch at all.

Slavika About your question who I hook up with.
I bought a second hand DEL laptop and changed the service provider I had at home to a very large one, Telstra. Telstra is the equivalent in Australia of A T & T in the USA. The reason I changed was because having Telstra as my service provider, I can dial into their network from anywhere in Australia for the cost of a local call. I have had few problems however some of the apartments we stay at have a PABX telephone system that cause me to get booted. It is happening quite a bit here, the apartment management blames it on Telstra and Telstra blames it on the telephone system here. We have now come to an agreement and only charge me for 2 calls per day.
The other reason is that wherever I am in the world, Telstra has some sort of reciprocal agreement and again I can use Telstra as my service provider for a minimal fee.
Yet another reason is my web page (which I must update soon ). I am sure there are other ways around it but I am not that computer/webpage 'savvy' and at all times I choose the easy option that I can understand
I hope that makes sense, I think you will enjoy having your computer and net access wherever you are. When we started this travel business, I used to go to Internet Cafes for my Internet 'fix' , I find this much more convenient.

Hi to everone else

Cheers
Maria

[Lizziepie]

Back again after a lovely dinner at a Greek restaurant. Spinach pie and Greek salad. It was nice to have my dh feel sorry for me, as I had chorus rehearsal this afternoon.

Did I understand that some of you use MSN instant message? We havae MSN as our server, so I use the MSN instant message service .

I haven't played Canasta on line, but a friend has downloaded a lot of games for us, and I am hooked on Mah Jong. It is very challenging. I never thought I would spend time playing computer games either, but it is better than watching the 'boob tube' all the time.

Hope all are doing well. 'See you tomorrow, now that I am once again getting my email notices to remind me of new posts. Ann

[Trudy]

Today we went to DH Sis's place for another Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner.. it was yummy. Funny you should mention "Sweet Potato Pie", because she made it. I can eat turkey a couple of days in a row, but the Pumpkin Pie was kind of hard to take today. I am not a pumpkin fan. My BIL picked us up and drove us home, he said that he never has a drink and this way my Hubby could indulge and not worry about being over the limit. The police are doing random checks looking for drunk drivers, and people who arn't using their seat belts, expired licences, etc. It was nice having a chauffeur.
Slavika I will see you tomorrow at Tea Time, but will not be going anywhere near WW. Did you read the post Maria had about a rubber band around the wrist and snapping it??? I need one the width of an inner tube .... going to snap myself silly this week.
As you can see by the time, I am unable to sleep yet. Too much excitement (and food) I guess. .. just like a kid.

Goodnight all...

[painter5]

All this talk of turkey is making me very hungary. I just love it and the dressing and the mashed potatoes and the cranberry sauce and everything else that goes with it. I love pumpkin pie and sweet potato pie. I love the leftovers too and turkey soup. Now I can't wait till November for our Thanksgiving. I think I need to share Trudy's inner tube snap band. It is nice to have a designated driver. Most of the time it is me. Ann is Mah Jong hard to play? Have to go - time to leave for the hospital for my dexascan. See you all later, Peggy

[Lizziepie]

Just a quick note. I will join you with the big rubber band to snap. Also I just experienced one of thos darn labels that scratch your neck. Why do they sew them on with plastic thread?

Mah Jong is not hard, just sometimes frustrating. The game I have if Morraffs Mah Jong. It is a matching of tiles, trying to get a blank screen. One of the games, when you get to the place you have run out of matches, and have lost, a little voice says "Oh Dear"

Hope your Dexascan bone density test is a good one. I am off to have a theraputic massage. Good for the back and hip. Wee you later. Ann

[flaggies]

G'day all,

I had a lovely day yesterday. DH took the day off work and he first drove me to get a hair cut and we then had a lovely drive to the country side. It was a beautiful spring day and it was just a great day. We ended up having an early dinner before going home. Perfect end to a perfect day.

Sounds like we all need a HUGE rubber band to snap

Peggy I hope the results of your scan were what you wanted it to be.

Not much news here, dd brought over some books last night from the library. One was Michael Palin's biography. For those not familiar with his work, he was one of the members of the Monty Python gang and many other british comedies. In the last few years he has done a lot of travel documenteries. I think he is just a 'nice man' and I love his humour.
So I am back to my book!

See ya all
Maria

[slavika]

Hi Everybody
My friend that I usually see on Wednesday's had to go to the funeral of an old relative of her husbands so I didn't see her. It was kind of odd, because we have been doing the Wednesday shopping/lunch thing for so many years now that nobody expects me to be at home.........therefore, I don't even get any phone calls on Wednesdays. LOL

Instead....I went to a few stores on my own, and one of my stops was to buy bird seed and more peanuts for the squirrels. I have a little squirrel that has been coming around quite regularly that I am trying not to get attached to (like I did to Sammy). Anyway, I bought this little guy some shelled walnuts, well he sure enjoyed that little treat. He is getting braver with me every day. He isn't taking the food out of my hand yet, but comes right up to me and I drop it down on the ground for him. I talk to him while I am in the yard, telling him he really is a beautiful squirrel with a lovely bushy tail, and to stock up on the peanuts for the winter that is coming. LOL LOL You guys, I think I am losing it.

Peggy when do you get the results on your scan back. I have not had it done, and don't know if you get the results right away or if you have to wait. I called my doctor today, and I go in on Oct 19th for a flu shot. I have been getting one for the last 3 or 4 years and I think it really helps me. Do any of you gals get a flu shot???

Ann I like playing Mah Jong too. There's a couple of different games I play from time to time on the computer. Lily what have you been up too? Are you busy at work these days? Maria I bet it felt good, getting out AND having your hair cut. Do you do a lot of reading? I used to really read a lot, especially at the lake. It seems that with the computer and my lovely grandchildren I don't get the chance to read as much as I used to.
Trudy what did you do today? Thank you for bringing those WW Chocolate Cheesecakes to Tea Time yesterday, they were excellent.......hard
to believe they only count as 1 point.

Hi Karen and Glenda anything new happening with you gals? Karen, it looks like we could all use some inspiring words of Weight Watcher Wisdom and a HUGE RUBBER BAND. LOL

Night all.

[survivor]

Hi, girls. Tomorrow I have my little curly toe surgery. I hope it is as nothing a thing as I have told everyone it will be. They are going to fuse a toe so that it will be straight and not curl under another toe which is so painful. Wouldn't you know that tomorrow is also my middle son's birthday so we will be going there the next day and then to a niece's birthday party on Sunday. She is my nephew's little girl and one of a very few girls in our family. She has a "Dorothy" dress with ruby red shoes and her party is a "Wizard of Oz" party. She is just a favorite of everyone's and is 3 years old. I could not miss her party for anything. But what a weekend!

Slavika - you and your squirrels! I don't think you have lost it. I think you just enjoy life and everything that is in it, including squirrels. Oh yes, and I am glad you had a great Thanksgiving. I think our Thanksgiving will be a major holiday this year as we all remember how much we have to be thankful for.

Yes, I need that big old thumping rubberband too. But right now I am doing awesome. Now if I can just string a few days together to make a whole week!
Glenda

[painter5]

Glenda good luck with the toe surgery. I will be thinking of you. Hope it goes well. You have a busy weekend. Have fun and let them all take care of you. Slavika I love all your squirrel stories. We have a lot of them in our yard but Max likes to out and terrorize them back up into the trees. Because of that I don't think I could ever get one to come near to me. I am always feeding them but in the front yard so Max doesn't eat their stuff. I love to watch them chase each other around the trees. They are little clowns. We also have a chipmunk population. They have so many holes around the foundation. I try to catch them in my have a heart trap but they are too smart. When I do I take them to the forest and let them go. To all of you readers I just got Sue Grafton's P is for Perfect yesterday. Since it is a 7 day book I have to get busy and start reading it. I also got the Left Behind movie and it is due tomorrow. There is just not enough time this week. I don't know when I get the results from the scan back. I don't think I have osteo since I am still 5'9". She did say to walk a lot and use weights to help the bones. I think my dh is shrinking. I think he is getting shorter than me. Time to go put some more snowmen together. See you all later,

[slavika]

Hi Everybody
I got the following recipe from Taste of Home and made it for Tea Time last Tuesday and again today. It is simple and quick to make and I think not too deadly point wise. Karen maybe you could help us on the points. Here is the recipe:

CHEERY CHERRY PASTRIES
1 Tube (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls
3/4 cup Light Cherry Pie Filling
1/8 Tsp Almond Ext.
1 tbsp. Milk
1 Tbsp. sugar

Separate dough into the triangles; place on a greased cookie sheet. Combine pie filling and almond ext; place a rounded tbsp (actually three cherries) in center of the bottom half of the triangle (the wide part). Fold the right point of the wide end of the triangle over pie filling to the left point, and seal bottom seam.
Bring the top point (the skinny part) over the pie filling down to the left point and seal all ALONG the left seam (THE FILLING WILL SHOW). Brush with milk, sprinkle with sugar. BAKE 400 for 8 to 14 min. (depending on your oven) until golden brown.
YIELD: 8 pastries.


Tip: The Light Cherry Pie Filling I used is by E. D. Smith, called Light & Fruity. One 19 oz can will do 16 pastries with cherries left over. Also, when we talked about this recipe at Tea Time we thought it would taste good and look good if we drizzled icing over the pastries. One of the gals at tea thought that one crescent roll counted as 2 points, but in Canada they do not HAVE to show the breakdown, so we don't know for sure.


Glenda in case I don't get back here tonight, good luck with your surgery......I'll be thinking about you.

[flaggies]

G'day all,

Glenda Good luck with your toe! I wouldn't have thought it would be anywhere near as bad as the bunion operation you have had. I think the only inconvenience with fusing bone is that one has to be so careful not to stub the toe until the fusing has taken.
I am now quite confident that the bone in my big toes have fused successfully, another 2 weeks before I know for sure.

I don't know if it is the rubber band or all of us talking about the need to snap a rubber band on our wrist now and then , I can also report I have lost 1.4 kg (a little over 3 lbs) I am not quite sure how, 'that time of the month' has not applied to me for a very long time now like you Glenda I need to keep doing this and string a couple of months together

Peggy Can you tell me a bit more about the 'Sue Grafton P's for perfect' book, I have never heard of her and it sounds interesting.

DS has asked me to do some excel spread sheets for his class roll (he is a highschool teacher) of course he has left it till the last minute, has just emailed me what is needed and would like it returned by email tonight I quite enjoy doing it but would prefer more notice

Hi to you all
Cheers
Maria

[Lizziepie]

Did you drive with your lights on today, as a memorial statement?
I got several emails reminding us to do that.

Glenda: Hope your surgery will go well. I'm sure you will do fine, and you need to be pampered by all. Think of that Mom in the Rice krispies add, and remind everyone of how difficult it is to do anything, so you need HELP. I'd love to see the little Ddorothy with her Ruby slippers.

Maria: I sure would like to lose 3 lbs all in the same week, and then keep them off. Glad your feet are feeling better. Doing last minute stuff for a 'kid' , remeinds me shen mine were in school and they would say I have to have cookies this morning. The first I'd heard about it. Do you have the Left Behind series of books in Austrailia? They are so good! The latest one is coming out this month, and I can hardly wait. Do you like books by Dick Francis. He is one of my favorites.

SLavika: Your cherry treats sound very good. Will have to try them. I was going to try the cheesecake recipe of Trudies, and now I can't find it. Do you have it?

I think one has to wait a few days for your Dr. to get the results of a bone scan. At least that is the way it was for me. Peggy, hope you don't have any signs of osteo. But I thought I didn't either, except that I was getting shorter. Just thought that as I got older gravity was pulling me down I did all the right things, but I think in my case it has to be heredity. But I'm making progress with lots of calcium, Miacalcin, and Evista.

Hi Lily, Karen, Geri,Trudy.

Here is a thought I picked up this week. Think I'll adopt this along with the big rubber band.

Attitude is contageous. Is yours worth catching?

See you tomorrow. Ann

[Trudy]

Ann theWW Cheesecake Recipe is on Thread #138 dated Sept 27 . After they cooled I put a spoonfull of canned cherries (about 3) on top, then added the Cool Whip.
Glenda GOOD LUCK with the toe surgery. Have fun at the up-coming Birthday Parties. They will make you feel better instantly.
Maria I have watched the Michael Palin travel documentaries and of course was a fan of Monty Python years ago. Good fun . WAY TO GO on the 3 lb loss. My DD leaves everything to the last minute too... I think we can all say that about the younger generation.
Slavika I am going to make the Cheery Cherry Pastries tomorrow night for our dessert. They were so good... Thanks for the recipe.
Peggy I have never heard of the Sue Grafton book either...tell us more about it. I read an interesting article about exercising helping to retain your height. It was about research at the Wingate Institute in Israel that showed men who exercise regularly lose only half as much height as men who never exercise. The bones of your spine are separated by pads called discs. As you age, these discs dry out and become smaller. However, regular exercise compresses and relaxes these discs as you move up and down. Of course it also strengthen bones too. Exercise is a good thing...I bet Martha Stewart said that too.

Well, I'm off to bed... goodnight all.

[Lizziepie]

Trudy: Thank you. I found it again, and I will take better care this time.

Just got an interesting email, suggesting we all send cards of encouragement and thanks, or whatever, to the NYC Firemen, who have continued to work so long, and have endured such horrors we can't even imagine. The address given is:
NYC Fire Department, 1 Chase Manhattan Plaza, New York, New York. 10005 Sounds like a good idea to me.

A lovely day here, not too hot, beautiful sky. A great day to be alive, even if I do wish I'd have better success getting back to my goal.

Have a great day everyone. Ann

[Karen L]

Slavika The recipe builder on WW.com figures those nice little treats as 4 points a peice unless you use the reduced fat crescent rolls then they are 3 points. Don't have lot of time right now so will check in later. But had to find out the points cause they sound like something I would really like.

Karen