[ICUwishing]

CHS - I own a breadmaker (DH)! Love those dense wheat breads. I've come very close to buying the man a grain grinder a couple of times! We want pics of the puppies - they must be palmfuls of white fluff! Patience on the weight loss - I was eating 1700 cals and losing about two pounds a month. But I wasn't suffering - not a bit!

RHM - we've been exploring the idea of chickens for a while. We have a 25x40 plot that's fenced against deer and rabbits. And coyotes ... I can relate to the container gardening - but our deer are so bold they climb stairs onto the deck to eat our stuff. I am very, very close to picking up a bow and arrow. Venison 6 feet from the living room is too tempting to pass up!

petra - our thought with the chicken experiment is that if it doesn't work out, the worst case scenario is a really nice meal.

OMW - hope you got your sleep last night, and another good one tonight. Sleep is CRITICAL!!

slroth - you are welcome. I'm jealous you have someone to walk with - that must make it go so fast!

Deb - sounds like you've made the circle and figured it out. It will be much better - no doubt! This is a very selfish process, and I have to "reboot" on it every couple of months. It's part of the journey, and the introspective aspects need to be embraced. The inside is growing as the outside is shrinking, methinks!

Kitteh - so sorry your health isn't cooperating! Heal and be well!

VRBO - oh, I'm dreaming again!

angelskeep - we are NAILED with cold winds today. I could not imagine biking in this weather - my earlobes would freeze off! (it's 41!) We're starting tomatoes, pickles, and peppers under some grow-lights now. I am SO ready for fresh lettuce! Will want to know more about your pedometer experience - enjoy it!

Annie - Wowza on the 20# gone!!! Go you!!

kathi - I've heard wonderful things about Charleston, from the incredible history all the way to the rather undisguised debauchery/decadence. It's on my visitation list, definitely! Can't imagine why you'd want to visit Fenton, MI - except that we're 2 hours away from lots of neat things in every direction .

Kitty - Welcome aboard! You sound just like me - 25 pounds came out of nowhere in just a couple years! And the "tipping point" for me was when I weighed one morning, and it was 2 pounds more than I was 2 days before I gave birth to DS10.

RedRose - welcome! Oh, c'mon - over 40 is the coolest time there is. Seriously - still young enough to get solid (Dara Torres?) and old enough to know where to draw the line.

Kim, kitty - NC is where I want to spend the next half of my life. It really has it all.

I had a great day today - lunch at PF Changs, and I found out that tofu can be made to be edible if you spice it enough. I have shopped - hard - and came home with a shirt, 2 blouses, 2 tees, a blazer (made of heather gray sweatshirt material - it is SO cool!), and 2 sweaters. The shirts are all smalls, the blouses a 6 and an 8. I tried on some jeans and I seem to be a solid 8 at this point (curvy fit). First time in YEARS that being in a bright dressing room with 3 way mirrors didn't totally depress me!

[weightlosswanted]

Petra: charleston is only 2 hours from savannah, not a big difference : )

Someone mentioned the great restaurants in Charleston and how the food here isn't healthy -that all depends on your choices! There are some great places that focus on on organic/locally sourced foods. And a praline or 2 isn't the end of the world : ) I just pull up the menu in advance and peruse all the choices. Most restaurants will allow you to sub salad or fruit in place of a less healthy side dish. I guarantee you if you go for the country type meals with a meat and 2 sides you'll rack up some calories! Careful choices and portion control is all it takes : )

The new apartment is 100% a go : ) Anybody want to come help me pack? I hate moving! Did lots of walking as I explored my new neighborhood and ended up with my first mild sunburn of the season. The hat lady has returned! The local "stop n go" is the krishna stop n go and is an actual indian market. Does anyone have good recipes for lowfat indian food?

[slroth]

AnnieDrews—congratulations on the 2 lb loss! A solid 20 lbs gone...great job!

Wizzie—I can definitely see the difference in you face between the two pictures. And with the shirt on, those pants look like they fit just fine.

Kittygrrll and redrose—welcome!

Becky—exciting about the small sizes! And yay for being happy in a fitting room. It's been awhile since I had that feeling...enjoy the new clothes. And I'm glad you survived and even liked the tofu. We eat a lot of tofu in my house.

My 19 year old is home from college with mono and he has a ton of work to do before finals. We will be spending the day getting him caught up a bit. I will fit in a walk and a trip to the library (I might as well read while he's working!).

Update on yesterday's goals:
exercise—yes; eat well—only okay water—yes; vitamins--yes
I took my son out for a sandwich after a doctor's visit and ordered a sandwich with eggplant. It was fried, which I didn't know. I'm sure it pushed my calories way up. I did take off the top bread though. And it was delicious.

[lambchop]

Kathi - Congrats on the apartment!!!

Where is Marie?? Marie, Marie, Marie...where are you sunshine?

[lambchop]

Becky - awesome on the shopping experience ...and about your response/advice on the other post ((Becky)) an extra special hug

[ICUwishing]

Deb, thank you! 'Tis a strange situation, and it definitely needs to be dealt with.

[weightlosswanted]

becky: woo-hoo on the new clothes!
slroth: I had mono in high school, it is sooo draining!
annie: congrats on the loss!
marie: I'm with deb, we miss you : (
kitteh: get well soon!
wizzie: would love to get together next time you're in town : )

welcome to our newbies, this is an awesome group!

[Wizzie]

ICU - What kind of breadmaker do you have? I'd like to delve into breadmaking but I don't know if I should go the old fashioned way or get a bread machine. I've been looking for used ones on Craigslist and ebay so I didn't have to invest a lot. Our deer are very brazen too around us. They love to eat the hosta right off the back deck. Peyton, our dog, doesn't scare them one iota. And the rabbits... don't get me started. They love to decapitate all my flowers. and YEAH! for new clothes

Kathi - you bring up a good point about restaurants. It is about where you go, but I was thinking about places like 89 Queen and the like down there on is it King St.? You know that main tourist drag by the Battery. I love the Mustard Seed though in Mt. Pleasant. You can make good choices there.

Angels - Let us know how the new pedometer is working out for you. I understand there's a new app for the Droid out with a pedometer. I keep meaning to download it to see if it works.

Sue- My mouth is watering over the sound of that eggplant sandwich. YUM! LOL! I'd be just fine in those pants if I never sat down probably. Another 10 pounds and I should be good.

Lambchop - Hope you healthy mindset is still with you today.

Marie... Marie... Wherefore art thou Marie???

[KittehMomma]

Good morning, everyone. Still recuperating, so not pushing myself too hard on the diet, but I am moving toward getting back on the plan.

I hope to get back to exercising next week. Maybe go for a walk this weekend and see how the lungs feel.

Kittygrrl and RedRose--welcome. I'm fairly new here myself.

I don't recall who all was involved in the Charleston/Savannah discussion, but I'm interested in which would be more appropriate for someone in a scooter (able to walk, but very limited distances). The flatter the better with a scooter (even gentle inclines drain the battery, if they go on too long--and then guess who ends up pushing), and rough pavements (like quaint cobblestones) are real kidney-pounders on a scooter.

Congrats to everyone who lost and/or exercised and/or had a wardrobe victory.

[ICUwishing]

Kim - We had a bread machine for a while. The spouse is the current breadmaker, but it's been a looooonnng time. My dad, however, uses his every week and has a recipe for a really dense oatmeal loaf. I think it's a 2# type - I can get more info if you'd like!

[petra65]

Yes, something wrong when Marie is not here. I think we need to send out a search party!

I got a breadmaker too and love the thing. I don't think I'll ever buy commercially made bread again. Also great for making pizza dough.

Kathi-I love curries but here is my Tandoori Chicken recipe which is on my list of favorites

1/2 cup plain fat free or low fat yogurt (greek works best for this)
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp cumin

1. Sprinkle chicken with kosher salt and black pepper. Place chicken in a ziptop plastic bag in a shallow dish. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, cayenne, cinnamon, and cumin. Pour over the chicken. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 1-3 hours.
2. Remove chicken from marinade and discard remaining marinade. Grill 10-12 minutes over medium heat or until chicken is no longer pink, turning once halfway through.

Leftovers are great for wraps.

So Charleston is only 2 hours from Savannah. You may have just convinced me. I'll let you know what I decide.

Becky-I'm with you on the tofu. I've never found a way that I could eat it-except silken tofu in smoothies. Makes my vegetarian options limited.

[angelskeep]

I didn't sleep well an dwoke up too early. Have been doing work on the computer and just finishing my yogurt/fiber one thingsy, then I am gonna take a nap.

Just a quick note to Petra-We are having your tandoori chicken tomorrow. I just have to remember to get chicken out to thaw. maybe I'll make a chickpea/lime/cilantro something or other to go with it. Or...tabbouleh. I already have all the chicken stuff. Hmmm...and dried chickpeas. Hmmm...and bulgur...hmmm..I am sure we can find something to make as a side dish. We'll be working on the yard tomorrow, so it will be very welcome to have a good meal with middle eastern influence.

Barb

[AnnieDrews]

Hello everyone! I went in for a cleaning, etc. of my teeth this morning and got the good news that I get to pay for a root canal and two crowns! Yay. I think I see the vacation fund dwindling. It's about time for something to go wrong with the car and that will completely drain the fund. We'll see how it all works out.

I think I see a 3FC 40-something meet-up brewing at the B & B!! I think running one would be interesting, but LOTS of work.

Petra-I've already cut and pasted your recipe into my file. That sounds really, really good! I may try it this weekend.

I heard there is a tomato shortage and the local Mexican restaurants are using canned tomatoes for their salsa.....A real dire situation for us Mexican fans. I had planned on visiting my fav place this weekend with the boys, but need to prepare myself for the heartbreak. Sounds like it might be a good idea to drag out my big pots and plant my own. Prices are obviously going to be high for a while.

Not much time for a big response list today, but love reading up on everyone's posts.

[newleaf123]

Hi, everyone. Busy here, just a quick post.

Wizzie you look awesome!! You are doing so well!!

Becky congrats on all your new, small clothes, and

Marie where are you -- check in when you can; YOU ARE MISSED!!

Newsflash from me: eating candy doesn't make me feel good, and it makes me unable to enjoy all the scrumptious (healthy) dinner food that I prepare. I really hope that I am learning this lesson. As of yesterday, I'm feeling completely turned off by it. Nothing new here, weight is stable. Yay!

[kittygrrll]

Originally Posted by Wizzie

Kitty- I just PMd you some stuff on Sparkpeople.

I want to be a gourmet chef in my next life too. I just love the fru-fru food they have a Southern Season.

hey Wizzie,

I tried to respond but I am too new to be able to PM. LOL, just a few more posts!!! Thank you for the info!!