[cottagebythesea]

Help yourself to a big mug of coffee to start off this frigid morning. But there's hope - we're supposed to warm up to a balmy 20* today.

I have a pot of Hobbitshire Soup simmering on the stove and plan to take a container of it with me for lunch today, and there's one piece of Taco Bake left for my supper tonight. The week has been going well, foodwise, with the exception of a chocolate edamame bar last night. I had planned to just have a small piece of it, but it was so good that I ate the entire bar. Today will be better, though, since now it's out of the house.

[TwynnB]

Eh, life goes on with the chocolate, right Linda? I think if that's the biggest slip you do this week, that's pretty good. I think we're hitting a high of 20 degrees as well today. DH just took off for Lititz to work outside for a couple of days, hope he is sheltered from the wind. Crazy man.

I'm acting crazy silly...I finally got a smartphone, and I feel like a kid in a candy store! Silly me, I'm so frugal I just couldn't get myself to pay 60-80/mo, so just found somewhere it's 40/mo (minimal internet, but I don't need that with wifi). Welcome to the 21st century, tammy!

On the diet front, things are going really well. My appetite hasn't been crazy, probably because of phase I. I realize my hormones have been whacked, so maybe they're on a low now (thank goodness). Having good options around really help.

I only have one short surgery for today, so hopefully I'll get out early unless da boss has a project for me. I need to get a run in (probably not outside with low windchills) and maybe start shopping for DH's birthday.

Onward HO!

[jekel383]

Lol good morning Linda. I ate chocolate covered potato chips the other day so I can relate. We too may hit almost 20 today. Hopefully it will warm up some tomorrow.

Today I am getting the oil changed and tires rotated (so exciting!!!!) Quick trip to Shop Rite and Bed Bath and Beyond. Otherwise staying home to make a huge pot of chili. Eating OP and hoping to see a loss soon. I think my pounds are frozen to me with this weather!!!


Tammy have fun with your new toy

Have a great day

[Ruthxxx]

Mmmm - Hobbitshire Soup! I'm still working on the soup I made on the weekend. What I really need is a trip to the grocery store so I'll work at getting my car out today. We got some snow yesterday which I hope stuck to the ice in the lane and today's high will be a balmy 20ºF.

The birds are really pigging out at the feeder these days - must be the cold. Yesterday they all scurried away when a Pileated Woodpecker crashed the party. He didn't like the menu and left after checking it out.

Hmmm - Hump Day. Donna is coming today and I still have a few Christmas things downstairs. We'll lug them up to the storage before she cleans. It'll be sort of nice to have things back to normal. Maybe I'll be able to find my sewingmachine and do some work. I love that room on sunny winter days with the sun streaming in the glass doors. Jazz loves to sleep in the sun puddle.

Let's hope the darned polar vortex moves on now that he's had his fun.

[CyndiM]

Good morning It's still very cold here, not quite above 0 yet, but it's supposed to be a better day. Yesterday was crazy, started with a fire at the large farm down the road that rerouted me first thing out the door. It's been such an awful winter for fires around here with the cold. I'm just glad no one was injured this time. Then a very hectic and successful day for our campaign at the statehouse. We have a citizen legislature hre so just 4 months/year for any kind of legislative action. That makes those four very busy months for those of us who work with the legislature! Today I'm off running the roads and doing my thing.

I managed to stick to my eating plan yesterday in spite of the hectic pace and ending the day with Tipsy Tuesday (wine, dinner, and friends). Now it's time to get moving again.

[sophie]

Good morning

Yes to the coffee today. I will have to look up your soup recipe

Tammy I love my smart phone. Sad part is I seem to get too many texts from my kids. I rather talk to them. Good for you on being on plan

Jen I'm sure you will have a lose soon. We just got a Bed and .....inour neighbourhood, nice store

Ruth. Getting the Christmas stuff out of the way is nice. I am taking my down today. Time just flew by hardly seems like more than a month since I put the up

Cyndi. You are on the roll with SB. Fires are scary

Me. Working on a few projects and making a food plan for the week
Take care
Sophie

[Pearlrose]

Good morning,

Quick flyby for me, made it to work with just an extra 20 minutes of drive time so roads are starting to clear up. it is supposed to get to 28 degrees today and the warm up starts, not looking forward to all of that snow melting.

Sounds like everyone is doing well and January motivated so to speak. Now that I am back from vacation it is back op for me as well.

Have a great day everyone!

[pearlygirly]

Morning everyone

Sounds like everyone is doing a good job staying OP.

Hobbitshire Soup...Well just the name sounds intriguing. Is it under one of the recipe tabs here, for those who would like to take a peek?

We are having our discussion group tonight so I'm going to try out the West African Chicken Stew from Kalyn's Kitchen so that kitchen duty right beforehand will be minimal.

I have several loads of laundry to do and maybe a run to Smart & Final today for sample cups. My company has me scheduled to do a wine tasting in Vons/Safeway on Sunday and there are certain compliance laws we must obey.

Tammy-I totally hear you about the smartphone. I didn't get mine til about 2 months ago then I found a plan that was cheaper than my old flip phone w plan. Now I'm so connected to everything I just can't hide

Ok everyone stay well & warm out there.

Sue

[Lexxiss]

Good morning!

Sue(pearlygirly), Hobbit Shire soup is in our recipe thread-phase 2 soups and stews. I should make it soon!

I was up early today, believe it or not, out on my front porch with a heat gun taking old paint off cabinet doors. It's not that I love that kind of job it's just that I know it's the only way that this project will ever finish. I did come in for coffee breaks and sanding but fortunately I didn't look at the thermometer until I was finished.... It was a muggy 17° lol.
Now after an hour drive I'm sitting in the car waiting for my mom to finish her eye appointment. A stop at Home Depot then back home for an afternoon of work. We are going to have a massive declutter at the project before we start the kitchen countertop tomorrow morning.

The restaurant was crazy busy the past two days$$. Nice but I was beat when I got home yesterday.
Anyway that's all my boring news. I'm trying to stay really close to plan and am getting lots of spontaneous exercise. The scale is being kind so I'll just keep plugging away.

[KO]

Hi Ladies
I remember hobbitshire soup soo darn good!
So I'm actually starting off with Ph 2 because DH mysteriously forgot the bag of our groceries that included the meat *foreheadslap*
So I made a veggie version of the Chicken and spinach casserole and added brown rice
better than kicking myself and falling into a vat of bad choices! Trapped in the office at work tooo cold to scoot outside!

[Ruthxxx]

Well, I got the car out of the barn and down the lane so once again we have proper food in the house. The dogs were considering killing me and eating me but all is well now that I have dogfood. I left the car in the lane near the side door rather than have the barn hassle tomorrow. 'Twas just a tad tricky backing out on ice.
Hope everyone is safe and warm and fed soon.

[Beth19]

Afternoon all. We are at 14* with a wind chill of 2, but at least we are supposed to stay above 0 tonight.

I need to check out this soup recipe. I've been trying to try new ideas lately since I find it easy to get stuck in a rut.

I was excited to step on the scale this morning; I have dropped 4 pounds since last Friday when I started Phase I. I know is has to be mostly water, but as Cyndi said, it shows how far off plan I was over the holidays. (Speaking of holidays, I must get DS1 to help me get the boxes of decorations up into the attic before he goes back to school next week.) Anyway, I will proudly say I also am getting back into the exercise groove as well.

Ruth, I hear you on that backing out! There is a slight incline out of our garage and I crawled out this morning since I was terrified about sliding into the woodshed or DS's car. Glad you made it to the store safely. I'm thinking I should start carrying skates!

Cyndi, we have had several fires in our area recently between people unthawing pipes or woodstoves out of control. Scary.

Tammy, I still haven't entered the world of smartphones. Maybe when my contract renews this summer.

Ok, have to go make supper. Everyone in this house likes to eat at least 3 times a day. Stay safe and warm chicks!

[jekel383]

Beth so happy for you and Cyndi too!!!! I get in eating ruts too. Hobbitshire soups looks easy enough for me. I will need to wait as my small fridge and freezer are filled to capacity. One of these days I will cook the ham and turkey breast which are taking up very valuable space lol

Wish me luck tomorrow I am going to get up at 3:45 and get a ride in before work......hopefully