Hi all - hope you are having a good Saturday. Just a fly-by today. Spring cleaning is still on my weekend agenda. And, switching out my woolens for my spring attire

Hey everybody,

I spent the morning trimming all the bushes... Then of course raking everything up. I may or may not get to pressure washing a side of the house tomorrow, but I think my hard work is all done for today.

Anyone catch Susan Boyle on Larry King Live? If not, you can find plenty of videos of it on youtube. She sang a different song--and did it well, even without accompaniment!

I have a massage scheduled for this afternoon. heh heh heh... Lovely... I highly recommend massage for stress reduction (jude, take note!). I often just fall asleep on the table I get so relaxed.

Enjoy the weekend!

Jay

Sunday Morning
It is a lovely morning in Kansas today. Feels like spring. When I took the dogs out I noticed the apple trees in our orchard are about to bloom. The pear trees have a nice showing of flowers already. Such a nice time of year.

Jay, I will have to check out YouTube because I did not see Susan Boyle on Larry King. She is incredible.

Yesterday I had a great day with exercise and eating. Today I plan to do the same.
For now I am off to write a paper for a class. Only a few more weeks and this semester will be over. I am taking summer classes but at least will be something different.
Have a great day
Candy

Jay - LOL, your post was perfectly timed. I've never had a massage, though my friends RAVE about their benefits. There is a special through one of the B&Bs on our trip, to add on a massage at the spa next door. I may just have to take advantage of it while DH is at his training session
So - thanks for posting when you did - you pushed me over the fence

Candy You stick to that plan! Consistency makes so much difference! In some ways, the first few lbs are the hardest, and you have those behind you. I found that I kind of got into a rhythm of eating and exercise as the journey progressed. Now, it is just routine - and my old style of eating seems foreign. It is great that you are in the next decade (270s)

Well, gotta get packed for the trip. I'm looking forward to it, even if they have SNOW in the forecast - even down-state.
I'm altering my packing somewhat. DS2 wants the Rendezvous so he can help one of his friends move home from college. Thus, we are taking my Tracker - a SIGNIFICANTLY smaller vehicle. We will be taking advantage of our city destinations by stocking up on staples at Trader Joe's and Sam's Club - so there won't be a lot of room for much else.

I'm hoping for sporadic Internet access this week, and I will check in when I can. I will be thinking of all of you this week - and I hope that each of you has a fun, POP week, that is balanced with work, play, and renewal!

Hi to all, I did a lot of cleaning and yard work this weekend. It was great getting out in the warm weather. I love spring in MI. I'm watching my flowers peek through the soil, everyday getting a little bigger. I can't wait to see the flowers bloom and the trees to show off their blossoms. I really ache from all the yard work. I think it's a good thing to get different muscles moving.

Meowee, Sorry about your cousin, it's so tough to lose family and friends.

have a great Monday.

Hi Everyone,
Another lovely day here today.

CountingDown, thanks for the kind words and advice. Seeing how you are PAST your goal weight I am definitely listening. (By the way, I am so proud of you!) Have fun on your trip. Maybe it won't snow. When do you get spring up North?

It is so nice today, and I have NO school works due. (Yes!) So I think I will get my exercise out of the way and spend the majority of the day in the garden. So far all we have in is 50 each of onions, cabbage and broccoli and about 20 lbs of seed potato. I am behind to say the least.

Have a great day.
Candy

Hi folks!

We may be getting some rain today--I sure hope so!

I've gotten step class out of the way and am heading toward lunchtime.

What kind of potatoes do you grow, Candy? Years ago I had a small garden and I grew Purple Peruvians.

Sorry to say the concert last night was mostly boring. Sigh... Sometimes they are like that. Out of three pieces, only one was memorable, and they played it first. But, the next one should be fun--a pops concert of Broadway hits.

I hope that the media let the Susan Boyle thing simmer down a bit--she's going to need to practice for the competition!

CD, do have a massage! You may find that they are addictive, but at least they are low cal.

Hey flowingair! I know what you mean about yardwork. I trimmed all the bushes over the weekend and am sore in many places, even though I go to the gym. Tain't fair!

I'm sticking to my plan... I hope the scale has some good news soon.

Jay

Hi all Just a quick fly by. I had a great OP day. One down and many more to go. Have a great Tuesday, everyone.

(Looking around) Hmmm... Sure is empty here without CountingDown and meowee...

Hi, flo!

I thought we had more regular posters than this. What's happened? Did you all give up and go to the fast food place?

Jay

Oh Jay you are soooo funny!! I have been sick as a dog since last Thursday. Some sort of cold. Left work early yesterday and just went home and crawled in bed with socks on and watched Dancing with the stars. Takes no energy at all to watch that. Then woke up cause the heat came on!! Jeez. Thought I was melting then.

Hey CD hope you are having a great time. And I second the massage. I have a guy that I go to Jay on occasion. But he does such a deep massage. Not to say I don't love it at the time.

Linda sorry to hear about your cousin as well. That is tough.

Flowing keep up the good work. Yard work is tough. I was out fighting with a fence that is falling down this morning. And I live in a strata!! Some things are just easier to do yourself. Every one in this strata is about 90 and getting anything done or the money for anything is painful. One old guy on the council decided to touch up the fence but with a different color.
I tried to talk to him but he just hung up on me. I do not seem to have a rapore with that generation. Or is just might be them not sure.
I am taking a time out to cool off.

No weight loss but no gain either. When I am sick I do not eat much but what I do sometimes is not that great.
I started to sew my quilt. It looks neat. This is a new experience for me and sewing is a huge distraction for me.
I am just starting to feel better now. I am at work and crashed on my dinner break for 30 minutes and that seems to have helped.

Candy your garden sounds great. I can not even get chives to grow.

So I hope everyone has a great week. CD we don't have a Trader Joes in Canada but I went to one in Bellingham. It was small. But had such interesting stock.
Have a good evening......Jude

Jay LOL- Fast Food is not interesting to me. Not enough flavor.

Now a chocolate fountain could really excite me. I'm staying on target and getting exercise in everyday this week. I hope to be posting some losses soon.

Hey Jude I hope you'll post some pictures of yor quilt when you finish, your quilt sounds wonderful.

Well, back to work-I have some more papers to check tonight.

Later...

Hey!

Jude, sorry you've been sick! Feel better, OK? When you get further along on the quilt, we want pictures!

flow, the last time I was near a chocolate fountain I ate one (1) strawberry. I was very strong that day. And you know what? I don't miss the dozens I could have eaten at all!

Hope CD and meowee are OK. Maybe they'll check in soon. CD, if you're reading this, you don't have to have a "deep" massage if you don't want one. Massage should not hurt to the point where you tense up--if that starts happening, tell the massage therapist to ease off. They do not know how you are feeling, and you do have to tell them what you want. (This from one who has been a "massage sponge" for many, many years...)

Spare me from "old guys" who want to help out. What's a strata, Jude?

See ya--it's lunch time.

Jay

Hi, Where is everyone? I've been very busy again, but I've kept up on my exercise and making good choices.

I'll have to remember the next time I see a chocolate fountain to follow your lead and eat one strawberry.

Have a great day!

Hi all. Whenever I see something like a chocolate fountain or communal dip etc it just puts me off everyone having their fingers in it. Do not do pot lucks either. Just turns me off.

A STRATA!!! I live in what we call here a townhouse. You may call them condos. I have my own home but it is attached to another home. There are 24 in all and they are all ranchers and duplexs. It is very nice but there is a council running the show as it is all on communal land.
Funny you should ask cause I have been online all night looking at houses to buy. Just a nice little 2 bedroom rancher. Then I would own the land and maintain my own grounds etc. My townhouse is equal in value to a house. There were just no decent houses available when I bought.

I was moving out of a house with a pool that I owned. I sold it myself without a realtor. Then I had 3 months to buy before I had to move and there was nothing in the area. I had to put my stuff in storage and move in with a friend as I had 2 dogs at the time. So after 6 weeks fo that this townhouse came up and so I thought oh may as well downsize a bit. Let someone else do all the work. Except this place is full of quite old people and they do not want to spend any money etc.
The guy I was dealing with is 90. Now his generation just does not seem to like my type A personality. Oh well.

But it always comes back to haunt you. I always seem to be head and shoulders above the crowd. I have never really liked the strata living part. It is gated which is nice and is a beautiful place but we pay strata fees of $240/month and that covers all the lawns etc. Hence I should not be fighting anyone over $20 worth of wood to fix a fence.

As it has turned out I am going out on the weekend to get the wood and some paint and do it myself. They will pay the bill. I am tired of people doing a half a**'d job. Not too sure if I want to stay in this situation. There are tons of houses selling right now and prices are great. But I would also have to sell. I am getting to an age that all this is such a drag. It is a big job to move.
I would hire someone to cut the grass and that would be all the maintenance I would really have to worry about. I have owned my own home for years. I just feel a little overwhelmed thinking about the packing and moving part.
It could be a move backward instead of forward. I will give it some thought.

So that in a nutshell is a strata. Your opinion???
Cheers....Jude

Hey! How's everyone? Nice to see you checking in, flow! meowee and CD are off at different things... I don't know where our other folks are. Maybe they really did jump the fence...

hijude, yeah, condo is what we call those things here in the states. I live in a condo association, and they have the same problems everywhere, I think. At least this one has a professional management company, so that the board of directors isn't making decisions about the details of how work gets done.

Prior to moving here, we lived in a co-op, which was somewhat similar. The board was doing the management, having decided we didn't need to pay a manager. The result was lots of cheap or volunteer labor to do jobs that should have been hired out to reputable people. I was on the board for awhile, but it was a constant fight with the "older generation" and I finally burned out and quit.

Here at the new condo, I stay out of things.

I'm just not up to having to arrange for lawncare and the other yard work that a house would entail--that's one part of condo associations I like. I still have some outdoor work to do, but nothing like on the house we had in Massachusetts. All in all, this place is OK. We haven't had to fight with anyone over anything. (knocking wood.) I figure that I'd still be paying as much per month for the services I'd need for my own house. And, we have access to a pool and hot tub that we don't have to maintain, and a clubhouse with a library, group events if we care to participate. (I don't so far.)

Moving is never fun. We moved here in 2007, and that almost did us in. The packing was never ending. I am determined not to collect things any more! Gosh, when I first moved to San Francisco years ago, everything I owned fit in my car... those days are gone, never to return!

See ya later!
Jay