40-Somethings - 40-Somethings August Week 1 Thread

PatchworkPenguin - I thought that Julie & Julia had lots of laugh-out-loud moments, but I was definitely laughing *at* Julie and not with her. Have you finished? Because I have a comment to make, but not if you aren't done. Too funny about the cherry pit!

Jacquee - Glad to hear about the size 6 shorts -- you rock!

Marie - re: the contract. With the economy being so bad right now, and with raises likely frozen, I probably wouldn't bring it up right now. $2200 isn't *that* much money over, say, 24 pay periods a year. I'd probably mention it casually as in, "Hey, what every happened to..." and then wait until I felt the economy had picked up to revisit it...

As for me -- Oh my, is the Shenandoah area in VA gorgeous!! We had a wonderful vacation. Hiked twice with the kids (not Old Rag, though -- we did two "easy to moderate" hikes in the park because my youngest son (age 8) complains about hiking a lot so we wanted it to be as enjoyable as possible). The exercise highlight was that DH and I went on a 12-mile bike ride through the valley near our house and it was incredible. Absolutely gorgeous and VERY strenuous. So that felt great. We also went to Monticello (Thomas Jefferson's home) and all (including the boys) found it very interesting.

I'm nervous to step on the scale tomorrow since I ate with a vacation mindset. I was aware of the choices that I was making, but strongly believed that it was vacation, that I was going to enjoy those glasses of wine, the incredible local corn, etc. Now that we're home, tomorrow marks a new day and a rededication. I love having this long-term outlook. It makes all the difference.

Finally, my FIL's wife sent me some photos from their visit here last month. But she also included some photos from when we visited her last December. They made for some great comparisons -- before weightloss, and down 20 lbs. I hadn't realized how heavy my face had gotten. I'll post them, probably tomorrow.

It's great to be back. Sorry I couldn't reply to everyone personally, but going forward...

Here are the photos I referred to above.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b328/triceratops789/before.jpghttp://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b328/triceratops789/minus20.jpg

In the BEFORE picture, it was the end of December, 2008. I weighed about 185. I came right home from that trip and meant to start losing weight immediately but I hurt my back and got sidetracked. I finally started losing weight about a month later. In the MINUS 20 LBS picture it was late June and I weighed 166. The picture was taken when my ILs were visiting. Remember the day I was grumpy about the Indian buffet?? This was taken the next day and I remember feeling very good about myself and my willpower. I haven't really lost any weight to speak of since then, but with vacation behind me, I'm motivated to get the loss kickstarted again.

I also remember buying that yellow shirt in Spring 2008 because I needed something new to wear. It was obscenely tight and I could only wear it under a sweater or jacket. Now I love the way it looks...

Hubby and I bought more Kilz and finished priming the chairs and table. We got the cream-ish colored paint for the set. They look so screaming white right now, its scary! I forgot about the leaf for the table {Hubby remembered?!?!?!?} so we have to prime that tomorrow, but hopefully we can get everything painted this weekend and be done with something.

Hubby says his back feels a little better, about time!

Newleaf, I like how the yellow shirt goes with your hair. Great pics, thanks for sharing! I finished J&J! Comment away. Thanks for starting a new thread.

PatchworkPenguin - thanks for the compliment! As for Julie & Julia, yeah, I didn't like Julie either. And I thought it was interesting that apparently Julia didn't either... as demonstrated through her lack of interest in what Julie was doing, and her lack of reply when Julie tried to reach her. Did you take a look at her website when it was done? Completely uninteresting...

Heidi ---- WELCOME BACK

Hearing you talk about my birth state made me a tad home sick. Virginia is a beautiful state and so rich in history. I was blessed to live outside of DC for 20+ years and then spend 13 years in Williamsburg. My previous employer while living in Williamsburg was an architect and his father was the mastermind behind the Blue Ridge Parkway. Yep.... I'm home sick.

Patch - we painted our dining room table & chairs several years ago and love how it turned out.

Mack and I did not hike with the group last night because of the heat; it was still 90+ at 5pm so we decided we would head up to the mountains this morning. We are going to hike up to Bertha Peak about 6.6. miles round trip. I'll post a few pictures when I get back; the views of the lake are spectacular. Mack has one of his communication sites up there and we have been many times, just never hiked.

Well I need to go eat so we can get on the road. I'll be back later.

Enjoy your Sunday.

Newleaf, welcome back! Glad to hear you had a great trip! The differences in your photos are quite obvious, especially the confidence that shines through! Photo one you are hiding behind your son (a trick most of us have used at one time!) Photo two, no more hiding! Way to go!

Walked this am, it's cool here again. Is this August? I have a friend visiting and we are just relaxing and enjoying talking together. Hope everyone has a great day!

CruiseCat - It was truly gorgeous. I would love for my kids to go to the University of Virginia so I could visit all the time! We were in Stanardsville, which is between Madison & Ruckersville. Very rural... Your hike sounds wonderful; I can't wait to see the pictures! Funny that it is hot where you are... dark and cool here in Pittsburgh.

OnMyWay - thanks for the compliment! Yes, the hide-behind we all know so well... It is cool here, too. We can't believe that it is August and our grass is lush green still. Usually it is a dust bowl around here come August. From our standpoint, it's a welcome change! Plus, all the rain kept my flowers alive while we were away, added bonus!

Back from our hike and wanted to post the link to an album I made.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41061493@N05/sets/72157621926561670

According to the rangers the hike is 7 miles round trip and the last .7 was a killer. I've got two blisters but nothing major. The boots are breaking in nicely just not real comfortable coming down a VERY steep incline.

I'll be back in the morning to catch up with everyone.

CruiseCAT - what great photos!! It looks like an incredible hike, and you and Mack look great! The trail was nice and wide, but it sure looked rocky and difficult. You rock! As for the discomfort coming down, I don't think there is anything you can really do about that other than buying bigger boots so you have more toe room at the end. Depending on how much space you have, maybe you could stuff a small rolled up sock, or wear double socks, for additional padding? It looks like you had a great day!

Painting project isnt' going very well. I wish I had this idea several years ago, but we are having a hard time picking the right color. I painted a cabinet several years ago and liked the color but apparently since we didn't prime before we painted over the dark wood it changed the color, so when we painted it onver the primer white we couldn't tell the difference in colors. We went back and got a 'wheat' color which when painted over the white primer looks beige. {I DON'T LIKE BEIGE}. We are going for a second coat but I'm REALLY disappointed its so light. We've already wasted so much time and money here, I'm really getting frustrated, not to mention sick of painting! This project isn't exactly building my confindence to choose colors for the rest of the things I want to repaint around here.

Newleaf, Although the book doesn't say a lot about Julia's feelings about Julie, I got the impression Julia felt Julie was trying to ride Julia's coattails to get her 15 min of fame. Less of an homage and more of a copycat. But who knows what Julia's real thoughts were, the reporter could have been just trying to get a reaction out of Julie. I have to confess I thought of looking up the blog, but lost interest.

:wave:

I'm a little afraid of my scale in the morning too. Food wasn't bad but it had too much salt!

SusanB - I just saw your last post in the abs result thread. I'm glad you made it over here!! :)

CruiseCAT - what great photos!! It looks like an incredible hike, and you and Mack look great! The trail was nice and wide, but it sure looked rocky and difficult. You rock! As for the discomfort coming down, I don't think there is anything you can really do about that other than buying bigger boots so you have more toe room at the end. Depending on how much space you have, maybe you could stuff a small rolled up sock, or wear double socks, for additional padding? It looks like you had a great day!

Thank you Heidi.

Most of the pictures of the trail itself were taken of the last mile up; it's actually the service road to the towers. Total elevation gain is around 1700 and I would guess that much if not most is in the last mile.

The trail was VERY rocky and you had to watch EVERY step. I feel GREAT this morning other than a stiff neck from looking down and a little soreness in my thighs.

My new boots I bought a little big because 1) my right foot is about 1/2 size bigger than my left and 2) when I travel my feet swell. I did wear two pair of socks and I think I would have done better to wear two on the left foot only. That will be my plan for our next outing. Now sure where we will go next weekend but I am really looking forward to cooler temperatures so we can start hiking here in the desert.

OK - 2nd try at an entry. :) Just discovered that the "Esc" key will wipe out everything you wrote. Sigh. Must be Monday ...

Penguin - agree, beige is a celebration of mediocrity. HATE it!

CAT - GREAT pics! Spouse is convinced the only way to break in boots is to put 'em on, stand in a tub of warm water til they're thoroughly soaked, and then walk them dry. I'm not convinced ... it might be helpful for leather, but he's stubborn. Maybe with your climate it's a realistic option? Otherwise ... the magic substance ... molefoam!

Heidi - welcome back! Wow, you look terrific in yellow! Sounds like you've had a great trip! Love what you said about the long-term outlook - it does modulate the day-to-day choices and leave room for special times. I think my greatest discovery this year has been that great food doesn't taste better just because you eat more of it. :)

SusanB - At least with salt, we know it's there, we know how to flush it out, and we know it's temporary. By Wednesday you'll be golden!

OMW - right - what summer??? I actually had to put my heavy comforter back on the bed last night - it went down to 52!!!! But it does make getting outside in the yard easier - I've probably spent more time outside this summer than any previous.

We had a great weekend - drove out to Grand Haven (MI's west coast). DS10 spent five solid hours in the lake playing in 6-foot waves - he was in heaven. Saw old college friends - some we haven't laid eyes on in 15 years ... and remembered why we like them so much. :) Funny though, I'm glad to be back to my weekday eating routine.

Newleaf - love seeing the before and after pics. Your face has so much more definition in the second picture - you're so pretty!

CAT - way to go on your hike - you are a complete stud! We hiked yesterday but didn't cover nearly as much ground. All hail to the CAT!

I'm a little stalled on weightloss as I've been at 178 for over a week but I'm ready to hit it hard this week so will probably be boring you guys with lots of posts as I try to stick to it. Happy Monday all!

Hubby is at the DMV trying to get new licence platss since he forgot to renew the old ones. {He's probably just trying to get out of painting...} He says the place is a madhouse and he'll be there a while, too!

We are resigned to the paint color, I guess. Its not quite matching up to the chip but we are on onlly one coat, so while Hubby is gone I'll put a second on the table and see what happens. Hopefully something that looks less like oatmeal and more like the oak floor. SIGH.

penguin - so sorry you're frustrated with your project - that's such a bummer. So beige table, oak floors - what other colors do you have going in that room? Can you liven it up (and make yourself like it more) with some bright accents?

CruiseCAT, I envy you all your hiking! You are doing great, and it looks like the scale is showing results for you! You are going to be in great shape for your Alaska trip...

ICUWishing, ugh re: the ESC key. Bummer! I hope Monday is going better for you now... Thanks for your compliments. I like your outlook, too -- that food doesn't taste better just because you eat more it. I will have to keep that in mind. I'm glad you had a great weekend!

DancerInDenver, thanks for the compliments. I hope you have a great week! I saw in another thread that you have the same goal for 2 weeks in a row. Are you going away on a trip?

PatchworkPenguin, bummer about all your painting. I hate to paint so I totally empathize with the frustrating results! Clever husband, stuck at the DMV all day... ;)

Good afternoon friends!

My friend left today and I'm ready to get back on track. Too much company and not enough self control! I have learned the I can't eat some of the things I used to eat. I feel lousy afterwards. My DH is gone til Saturday so I can eat as I please. I'm determined to finish what I started!

Patch, sorry your paint is not working out. It's so hard to choose from all of the small chips! If the color is too light can you add a wash or glaze over the top? I brought home some color samples today, I'm going to paint our master bedroom as my last project of the summer. Now I just have to choose a color!

Cat, Your hike sounds great. I'll check out your photos when I'm done here.

ICU, I'm the queen of lost posts! I know how frustrating it is!

dancer, post away! we're here for you!

SusanB, Glad to have you with us!

Newleaf, hope you're doing OK. When do your boys go back to school?

Newleaf - sharp eyes! Nope - done traveling for a few weeks thankfully. I was just building in some wiggle room as I don't seem to be able to count on 2lbs/week consistently - more like 1.5 on average and I didn't want to use half-pound increments in my goals. Did you find that your loss was even all the way along or did you bump into mini-plateaus occasionally?

Curious to hear what others have to say on this one as well. I think I've heard the comment that losses aren't always perfectly linear, even when you stick to plan.

OMW - just curious - what will you do differently while your hubby's away? Are there less food temptations around?

Dancer, While he is gone, I don't have to worry about cooking meals. I can make something easy for my DD and stick to salads or omelets for me.

As for losing a set amount each week. I found in the beginning I lost pretty steadily about 2 pounds a week. After I dropped below 200, things slowed to about 1 per week and then went to about .5 per week. Everyone is so different, and the body is not always cooperative!

newleaf - welcome back! I think there's a noticeable difference between your two pictures.

onmyway - my weight loss has definitely slowed down, although I seem to find my clothes getting looser, even as the scale shows little movement. Did you find that the case, too?

dancerindenver - good luck with upping your weightloss rate! I'll be trying to do the same thing.

ICUwishing - I find it easier to stay OP at home, as well.

CruiseCAT - great job on the hike! I hope to be doing that by next summer, too!

patchworkpenguin - sorry about your disappointment with your paint color. I've had the same problem before. Now, sometimes I'll go a shade darker just to compensate and I have to say that it seems to have helped. I'm usually pretty conservative with color, though, especially after having to paint over an eggplant purple colored living room and ceiling in our previous house (I only inherited the colors, but they made the living room feel lilke a cave). That took two coats of primer and 3 coats of paint to cover up.

I went to the gym for my first session with a personal trainer this morning. It felt great to get back to the weights, something I haven't done seriously in years, but I used to love it.

I also got the results from my midterm last week and I did really well. Maturity really helps with the whole learning process even if my brain isn't as young and sprightly as it was the last time I went to college.

presmaggie - congrats on the midterm results! And how cool to be working with a personal trainer. I bet it's very motivational.

OMW - thanks for the comments on loss patterns - it's so helpful to hear what other people have experienced even though we're all a little different. And on the SO being away, one of the main differences for me is that I don't mind a fair amount of repetition on my own but I'll never repeat the same dinner several nights in a row when my bf is eating with me. Sounds like you keep it simple on your own too!

Hubby got out of the DMV sooner than he thought {yay} :carrot: so we went shopping!

Dancer, Dining room~ the walls are a pale sage green I have one window with sheers and a fuffy valance that I made. The living room and d room open to each other in an L shape so I think they should match somewhat. I have the table and chairs which are getting the final coats of a color that ended up looking like a manila file folder. A hutch that is light oak in color and a huge 70's dark wood shelf/desk that we call the Monolith. The Monolith is getting moved to Hubby's office soon, but a treadle sewing machine {oak cabinet} is getting put in its place. However, the room would probably look better without the folded treadmill, Cathe High Step, and dumbbell rack! Sigh but I don't have anywhere else to put them. When we bought the house I didn't exercise, and so I wanted a sewing room, now my sewing room is too small for an exercise room so everything is spread around.

I made a wallhanging quilt recently that has the 'new color scheme' I'm trying for and today Hubby found a framed picture at TJMaxx that has those same colors. {pretty Italian cafe, at night, He did GOOD!} I bought new curtains tanish wheat color {hard to discribe} to get rid of the dustcatcher valance! so there is hope for us, afterall. I'm trying for a Tuxcan look without going too rustic or too theamish and no roosters. They wouldn't get along with the penguins!

Maggie, Ick on the eggplant! Glad you did well on the midterm! We have a small starter home with tiny rooms and I'm afraid to paint too dark. Even though I painted the kitcen and bath dark red.

OMW, The glaze is a good idea, we may try that later when we recover from this painting job, and live with the chairs for a while. At least they all match now.

OnMyWay - I like your determination; I'm sure you will reach your goal. You have come so far! My boys go back to school on 8/27. And your kids?

DancerInDenver - my loss has definitely not been linear. When I was focusing, it was usually 5 lbs a month, but even that was with a lot of ups and downs each week. When I haven't had the sharp focus, it's been a pound or 2 a month, but again with a lot of ups and downs.

PresMaggie - thanks for the compliment! Congratulations on your exam! That's great that you are picking up weights again... I bet you'll see some results soon!

Penguin - it sounds like it's all coming together for the room... yay!

I ment to post this but kept forgetting, Memphis was hit by a tornado on Thursday. It did some damage to a shopping center {houseing my favorite Ross store!} but no one was killed. Some of the stores were damaged {and still closed when we drove by today}, and some trees that were previously upright are now at a 45* angle to the ground. My parents electricity was off for a few hours but ours just blinked.

I took the gold curtains back and bought some choc brown, the color is okay but the material looks cheap. So I'll keep looking. Except for a few spots here and there the chairs are finished!

dancerindenver - now that I have the 2 boys, even if dh is away, I still have to have some variety with the food. It's too bad because there's never really a break from cooking, except when dh cooks which isn't too often.

patchworkpenguin - ooh, red rooms! I love red, but I've been way too cautious to try it on our walls. Are you happy you tried it? ;) Yikes on the tornado.

newleaf123 - I think I'm going to stop weighing myself for a week or so. The scale has fluctuated around the same weight for a month and I'm driving myself a bit nuts when I check it every morning. I'll see if I can manage to keep away while I wait for the weight training to do its magic.

Speaking of weight training, I hired a personal trainer for 6 sessions mainly to to learn good exercises to strengthen my knees (bad genetics on that area). I'm also getting a refresher on proper form for safety's sake. It's been about 6 years since I did weights, so I know I need some coaching. Luckily, I don't seem to have lost a lot of muscle. My lean body mass (total weight - fat), as per the testing they did, came out at 122.6 pounds. I guess there are times when it helps to have that extra testosterone due to my hormonal imbalance. ;) It also tells me that my original goal weight of 138 pounds would have been waaaaay to low.

OK - 2nd try at an entry. :) Just discovered that the "Esc" key will wipe out everything you wrote. Sigh. Must be Monday ...

I've done that a time or two. Also, if I hit the backspace sometimes that will wipe my post out.

CAT - GREAT pics! Spouse is convinced the only way to break in boots is to put 'em on, stand in a tub of warm water til they're thoroughly soaked, and then walk them dry. I'm not convinced ... it might be helpful for leather, but he's stubborn. Maybe with your climate it's a realistic option? Otherwise ... the magic substance ... molform
I'll have to try that with my next pair. After wearing them on the treadmill for a couple weeks I put water repellent on them.

DS10 spent five solid hours in the lake playing in 6-foot waves - he was in heaven. I would love to have that kind of energy.

CAT - way to go on your hike - you are a complete stud! We hiked yesterday but didn't cover nearly as much ground. All hail to the CAT!

Thank you Dancer, it really does feel good to be active again.

I'm a little stalled on weightloss as I've been at 178 for over a week but I'm ready to hit it hard this week so will probably be boring you guys with lots of posts as I try to stick to it. Happy Monday all!

Post away.... I know for me the more I check in the better I do.

Good afternoon friends!

My friend left today and I'm ready to get back on track. Too much company and not enough self control! I have learned the I can't eat some of the things I used to eat. I feel lousy afterwards. My DH is gone til Saturday so I can eat as I please. I'm determined to finish what I started!

I do GREAT when Mack is away; he is my #1 enabler.

Curious to hear what others have to say on this one as well. I think I've heard the comment that losses aren't always perfectly linear, even when you stick to plan.In the first three months I averaged 2 lbs. a week but since I have been very inconsistent.... the key word here is I.

onmyway - my weight loss has definitely slowed down, although I seem to find my clothes getting looser, even as the scale shows little movement. Did you find that the case, too?

This just happened to me yesterday. I tried on a couple pair of shorts that were way too tight last month (I was 145) and yesterday they fit very comfortably.

CruiseCAT - great job on the hike! I hope to be doing that by next summer, too!I started when I was about 170+ the key for me was not to take on the more challenging trails.

I'm usually pretty conservative with color, though, especially after having to paint over an eggplant purple colored living room and ceiling in our previous house (I only inherited the colors, but they made the living room feel lilke a cave). That took two coats of primer and 3 coats of paint to cover up.

We have an accent wall that is eggplant, closets that are red and the office is a burnt orange and black.... we will definitely have to paint before we put our home up for sale.

I also got the results from my midterm last week and I did really well. Congratulations!!!

I've been on the treadmill the last two morning and I feel great getting back to an early routine. It's nice to have it out of the way before I even feed the dogs at 5am.

Greetings all!

dancer - re the weight loss, mine bounces around so much that the only way I can keep sane is to look at where I was on the first day of the month. I used to graph it daily, but after I stopped and thought about why I was doing it, I had to quit it. But I do move my ticker for each new low. ;)

penguin - paint color is like haircuts. There's nothing you can do that's permanent, so there's not much point in sticking to something you don't like - change 'er up! I've been a "neutrals" person for a long, long time, and decided to do a bathroom in deep sage and burgundy. I was almost hyperventilating while painting because I was so far out of my comfort zone ... but dang, it turned out really, really nice! If you hate it, change it!

pres - congrats on the midterm score! I agree with you - it makes a huge difference to be more mature. I like to think we can focus better, and we also have so much more context to stick new information into.

Dunno what happened last night at dinner - it's like I was having a flashback to the eating habits that got me to my highest weight. It's a mood thing (I'm grouchy) that I knew I was compounding when I got into the Chardonnay. Looks like the damage was somewhere on the order of 4-500 calories - nothing that substantial, but boy, I don't want to string a few of those together! I know what's got me grouchy, too ... I'm procrastinating on things at work AND I owe a short story for my writing class. Guess I better kick myself in the butt and get to it!

Morning all. I have a list of things to do today that is very long; mostly laundry and cleaning. Yip-eee.

ICU, I've had a few days like that recently, mostly involing chocolate! I don't feel like I've had a good eating day since before my sis came to visit. And have put a few lbs back on, too. :o :(

Painting itself isn't the problem is the moving the stuff away from the walls to get to the walls to paint them that I find very daunting!

Maggie, I liked both red rooms, but I liked the bathroom color better. The bath and kitchen both have white trim while the other rooms still have the original oak, so I feel I can't go too dark or use some colors in the other rooms, or the oak would disappear.

patchwork - I have golden oak trim in the bathroom that I did the dark sage in - and it makes that oak POP! I'll have to see if I can get a decent picture of it.

Every time a new month rolls around and a new thread is started, I forget to look for it and subscribe to it so I get email notification. But here I am...found ya!!!

Looks like everybody is doing good...don't have time for personals but will check back later.

Things have been busy, hectic, blah, blah, blay...but I am OP and feeling pretty good.

Just wanted to pop in and say hi. Not sure why but I'm am not in a good place. To use Becky's word I am super "grouchy". Sure hope you are doing better Becky.

Yesterday I made the mistake of wearing my boots on the treadmill and one of my small blisters that I had drained got rubbed again and before I could drain it one of the dogs stepped on my foot and his claw dug into it. I never knew a blister could hurt so much, I seriously thought that maybe the toe was broken last night because it kept me awake most of the night..... probably why I am so grouchy today. Anyway I drained it again and used some neosporin with pain relief this AM and it's feeling better. Unfortunately my running shoes hurt my toe too so I will not be doing the treadmill today.

Well I'm off to clean the office and do 2 months worth of filing.

OH.... before I forget I wanted to share with you all some information. I am big into meteor showers and we are currently building to one of the best annual events and THIS year is suppose to be excellent. August 12th, my first night of the cruise, will be peak.

Here are a few links:

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/31jul_perseids2009.htm

http://meteorshowersonline.com/perseids.html

and http://meteorshowersonline.com has a great deal of educational information and a monthly calendar.

Cruise, I've been trying to catch a good look at that shower for years but I either forget or its cloudly, etc. Thanks for the links. Hope your foot feels better and you are less grouchy

Jacque, Glad you found us.

ICU, You can see my wall color in my profile pic, they floors are the same color as the shelf in the background. And they show a little in the avatar pic which was taken in my sewing room and has a slightly different color green wall.

Exercise, baking, laundry, and some sewing planned for today.

Aw, Cindy!!! :( I sure hope it was the lack of sleep and not my mood being "catchable". ;) May the blister heal quickly! My gf who led us on the Isle Royale trip has a theory that even the best boots in the world require a bit of a "blood sacrifice" before they will become your friends forever. If so, you should be golden! Re the mood - just warn everybody you've got it, and then roll all over it. I like to pull weeds when pissed ... spouse prefers to clean. I'm still in a funk myself. I plan to terrorize a flowerbed tonight. Thanks for the info on the meteors!

penguin - Oak should be dandy! But I love all colors of natural wood, so I'm going to be really biased. :D I never got into the look of painted trim, and I still don't understand the current trend of really dark furniture. :dunno:

Hope everyone's having a dandy day!

ICU, When we bought our house I was proudly showing pictures of the inside to my parent's next door neighbors. The wife said "Oh, the first thing you need to do is paint all that trim white!" WHAT??? I 'nodded and smiled' but I really hated that idea. We were impressed that after 50 years {ouch, closer to 60 now} it was still umpainted! LOL, on terorizing a flowerbed

Not doing too well, here. Our cat is going for his last vet appt on Friday. :cry: We got news that there's no hope of him getting better. This will be our third cat loss in 10 months and we don't have any other cats. I think I need a break from having pets for awhile.

Not doing too well, here. Our cat is going for his last vet appt on Friday. :cry: We got news that there's no hope of him getting better. This will be our third cat loss in 10 months and we don't have any other cats. I think I need a break from having pets for awhile.

and I thought I was having a bad day. :hug:

I am a firm believer that being their with them in their final moments is the last loving & compassionate act we can show our fur babies. As difficult as it is know that you are doing the right thing.

presmaggie - hugs! So sorry to hear about your cat - that's really tough. Hang in there!

Maggie, I am so sorry about your cats, especailly this one!

Presmaggie....So sorry to hear about your cat. I agree with CruiseCat though...we should be with them in their final moments.

PresMaggie, I'm so sorry about your cat... I've had to make that decision before and know how hard it is... :hug:

Thanks for the kind comments. Yesterday I was trying to deal with this the old way: by eating. I realized that was just pointless because my emotional upset was then compounded by feeling kind of physically sick. Today I'm doing somewhat better and I realize that I just need to be with my emotions instead of trying to make them disappear. It's easier in theory than in practice, though.

presmaggie - sounds to me like you are even stronger than you know. Not to mention wise : )

I agree with danerindenver

Presmaggie, I agree too, you are very strong and wise. Sorry about your cat. I was the one who had to take our dog several years ago. As hard as it was I felt I was giving him a gift by being there and making that choice for him.

Spent my day at the pool with a friend and her kids. We spent most of the time floating on innertubes on the lazy river. Very relaxing! Walked this morning and again this evening while DD was at soccer practice. Another great summer day!

Have a good evening everyone!

dancerindenver - I think we all have become stronger than we know. :)

Onmyway - my cat's in pain and then he vomits. It's not much of a life right now. He's a really sweet cat and he will be missed.

Question: has anyone really had trouble getting past a number on the scale? This feels like it's a mental block. I keep dancing around 181-183 pounds and it's almost like I self-sabotage to keep myself from going below 181. I'm not sure what to do. Any suggestions?

Good Morning Ladies!

It's been awhile, but I'm back. And determined.

3 funerals and a trip to Cuba have not been conducive to healthy eating.

So it's back to square one!

Question: has anyone really had trouble getting past a number on the scale? This feels like it's a mental block. I keep dancing around 181-183 pounds and it's almost like I self-sabotage to keep myself from going below 181. I'm not sure what to do. Any suggestions?

I call them "comfort" weights and I think we all have them. Mack and I have different theories but agree they happen. For me I get comfortable because once again I have clothes that fit and Mack seems to think it's our body that is comfortable at a certain weight. Either way I know that I have three (175, 150, and 132).

EDITED TO ADD - I can be going up the scale also and stay at these weights for long periods of time.

Good Morning Ladies!

It's been awhile, but I'm back. And determined.

3 funerals and a trip to Cuba have not been conducive to healthy eating.

So it's back to square one!

Welcome Back!!

Unfortunately this is day two of my blisters causing me pain; to the point that it hurts to even wear my crocs. This is so not good, I was going to go it a pedi tomorrow and there is no way that is going to happen. I just hope that they are better by the time I do my first hike next week.

I didn't get much done yesterday in the office so that is on my agenda for this morning and then I'm going to pack for my trip. Mack is off tomorrow so as usual on his 3-day weekends I won't be around much.

Anyone have plans for the weekend?

Morning All!

Cruise, If you call rearranging Hubby's office 'plans' then we have big plans for the weekend! Hopefully, that won't take up the whole weekend like painting those chairs! Hope your feet are feeling better soon!

pres - condolences on the kitty. We did the deed for our dog back in February. You're absolutely right - just go with the emotion (instead of going to the refrigerator). It sucks, but I totally agree with CAT - this is a great thing that we can give them dignity at the end. I hope that when it's my time, it will be standard practice for our loved ones to help us through that transition if we choose. :hug:

CAT - ugh, sorry about the pain! Had a chance to try any of the special blister bandaids that are out now? They might be more for SEVERE blisters (spouse used them with great success), but if it helps relieve the pain??? Best of luck!

Hotsplashes - welcome back! It's not square one - cuz you KNOW you can do this!

Plans for weekend include canoeing on the Rifle River. We're going to give DS10 and a friend command of their own canoe. I'm not sure exactly how relaxing this trip is going to be ... but we'll see. Saturday is supposed to be true August weather. We have had the COLDEST summer in recorded history so far this year!

Guys - I'm totally blah today - majorly unmotivated and not excited about anything. And am feeling very bored with super healthy food. Any suggestions for interesting tasting calorie-friendly dinners? Am pretty sick of chicken and veggies.

I did 45min of upper body weights today.

Dancer, I hear you on the chicken and veggies. For dinners that I don't know what to do I like to make my own pizza, I use a frozen thin crust and add sauce/pesto, cheese, whatever veggies I have {onion, peppers, tomato} and pepperoni on Hubby's side. Sometimes I make Mexican pizza, using salsa for the sauce, Mex mix cheese, and more veggies, sprinkle the top with taco sauce or chili powder. I usually make the Mex with chicken. HTH.

ICu, I'm sure the trip will be fun; I bet DS and friend are excited!

Okay, Now I'm a victim to the lost post! Don't even know what I hit, but clearly the wrong key...

It was a long post that I don't have the energy to recreate... But know that I'm thinking of everyone!

Anyone have plans for the weekend?

My b'day is Sunday so I am having a cookout with about 30 people in attendance on Saturday. Tomorrow is bootcamp, then work then running around to prepare for the cookout.


Plans for weekend include canoeing on the Rifle River.

That sounds like fun!!!

Okay, Now I'm a victim to the lost post! Don't even know what I hit, but clearly the wrong key...

I hate when that happens. The trick is, DON'T go to a different page within the thread. If you have to don't hit the back button but open the page by clicking on the number and opening it in a new tab or window.

Hi Everyone,

I just found this site today as I am beginning the first days of my NEW healthy life style. I hope I can fit in well here.

CruiseCat...I think we have chatted on the CA board for Carnival?

Hope to chat with everyone soon...

Dancer - Hang in there it will get better. When I get bored I try to spice things up. How about some White Chili. There is a recipe I got here on 3FC that is very good.

Becky - My blisters are doing much better today. Think I will be able to do the treadmill tomorrow.... in my running shoes not the boots. I just bought a bunch of moleskin and special bandaids for the trip. Also got some glide that is suppose to be good for preventing blisters and chaffing.

Patch - WTG on the workout!!!

GRRRR.... I hate when I lose a post. Sorry that it happened to you Heidi. When I know that I am going to have a long one I have started doing it in Word so IF I lose it I still have it.

Jacque - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Hawaiikat - Welcome to the group. I'm sure you will fit right in with this great group of ladies. Over the years I have been a frequent visitor/poster on several cruise boards but do most of my posting on CruiseCritic these days.

Jacque - Happy Birthday!!!

CruiseCAT - Which cruise line are you taking to Alaska? We're going on the Princess cruise next July.

HawaiiCat - Welcome to the group!

DancerInDenver - Something I like to make for dinner is linguini in clam sauce. The sauce is low in calories and delicious (I just use a can of Progresso white clam sauce and then add in a can of drained clams) and I just have a little bit of the pasta. Match that up with a garden salad and it's a good dinner for me, that also makes everyone else happy, too.

ICUWishing - have a DS10 myself, the idea of giving him and a friend a canoe to maneuver does not sound like a relaxing time! Good luck and let us know how it goes.

OnMyWay - sounds like you had a great day at the pool!

PresMaggie - as for the mental block and self-sabotage, yeah, I do that too. I can't for the life of me figure out why, though. I'm forcing my way out of the 160s, though, come what may.

Hotsplashes - welcome back; I'm sorry to hear about all the losses in your life :hug:

A couple of nights ago I had a major hot flash walking around in WalMart. Now, I never know if its a hot flash or a hypoglycemic issue, it only happens once or twice a year. But when it happens it makes me crazed to find some food. Being in WalMart, not a problem, right?? I was so proud of myself, I just finished shopping, and when I left the store I bought a chilled diet Coke and devoured an 80 cal cheese stick and told myself I was done. That control felt good!

Thanks for the birthday wishes...but don't rush me to another year older, it's not till Sunday!!!
:D:D:D:D:D

Heidi - I am cruising on the Carnival Spirit. I have cruised all the major cruise lines and am loyal to none. It's all about the deals and ports I am interested in. I will say that Carnival is good for solo cruisers as they only charge 1.5 for single supplement as opposed to double when you book a 1A (steerage). Although on many of the Carnival ships you can get a 1A that is an ocean view cabin with full windows.

CruiseCAT - I'm sure you know a *ton* more about cruises than I do... I've been on 2, Alaska makes 3, but each one has been as a guest of my inlaws, so all I do is show up... You'll have to tell me what you do in each of the ports... I've just started researching how to spend our time. Plus, we (just my immed. family of 4) are planning to stay on in Alaska after the cruise, and I'm trying to figure out what to do...

Thanks for the birthday wishes...but don't rush me to another year older, it's not till Sunday!!!
:D:D:D:D:D


Yeah, but by Sunday we'll have started a new thread and then it'll be a week before you find us again... ;-)

pres - Interesting discussion about "comfort weights". Going to have to noodle that one a little, but it explains a lot of things!

I did it!!! I got on the scale today and it said

125.5!!!!

I am ready to celebrate!!!

ICUwishing - I didn't do as well as I had hoped with staying away from excess food while dealing with my emotions around my cat's demise. However, I didn't go off the rails for weeks on end. I'll have to see that as my positive in this situation.

newleaf123 - how do you get past the places where you seem stuck, weight-wise? Do you have any tips?

Jacque - Hope you have a :bday2you:

CruiseCAT - how long is it until you leave on your trip?

HawaiiKat - :welcome3:

patchwork - your pizza idea sounds great! I need to think of some more interesting dinners, too.

dancerindenver - I am so bored of chicken and veggies, too. So is my family, I think. Unfortunately, I seem to have a reaction to beef and pork, so I'm eating enough poultry to feel like I'm going to start "clucking" soon.:lol:

Yesterday I went for my second session with my personal trainer. I've signed up for 6 sessions, so I'm going to spread out the rest over a few months. I just need to be so careful about technique with my rather sensitive knees. The trainer gave me several variations for each body area, so I should have enough to do for a month or so. It's funny, I haven't done this in years, but my muscles seem to be adapting really well. I'm being fairly aggressive with my weights, but I'm not feeling much soreness at all.

Thanks, all, for the menu suggestions - I think I'm out of my rut after going out for sushi last night. I think the change helped : )

newleaf - way to combat the munchies! A cold diet coke can cure many of the world's evils, I find : )

hawaiikat - welcome!!

Jacque - wow! you are getting so tiny and are such an inspiration - what a nice treat just in time for your b-day!

presmaggie - hope you're doing better and I just know you're going to break through this plateau this week - you can do it!

cruisecat - glad the blisters are doing better. The last thing we need is something making it harder for us to exercise, right? Hope the moleskin and special bandaids keep them at bay going forward.

Happy Friday, all!

I get to clean house today! But its Friday so the weekend us upon us which will al least get me through the housecleaning!

Maggie, My quilting buddy Renee is a Physical Therapist is real life, she tells me that muscle soreness has more to do with not stretching after a workout than with how hard our muscles have worked. I hate having sore muscles so I always stretch after a workout and a hot soak doesn't hurt either. Your plan with the sessions sounds like a good one. I always workout with videos but a workout with a live human who could help with form pointers would be great.

Jacque, Happy Birthday and congrats on your weight!

I'm behind already, I need to get busy!

wOW!!! Busy ladies this weekend!!

Happy Sparklie Day, Jaque!!! Sparklie Days are even better than the dreaded Bdays!!lol

Welcome Hawaii Cat!

DancerinDenver, I have a great cookbook of low-cal Pasta dishes.. I will dig up some recipes!!

ICUWishing- Canoeing!! I miss canoeing. I wanted to try Kayaking in Cuba last month but the back pain and the waves said no anyways! Make sure you have yoru water wings!

PResmaggie- I self sabotage myself on a regular basis.. but the weird things is, I am very aware of it and don't stop myself. If you find a cure, please share it!!lol

NewLeaf- Thank you. Hopefully there will be no more death this year.. As for your hotflash.. I am hypoglycemic, and thought I was going through early menopause... it was just a bad sugar fluctuation!lol And your selfcontrol is to be admired!!! I am trying to teach myself more of it!

My plans for this weekend.. We are expecting more rain, so my tomatoes and peppers are not going to get ripe. I will be spending time inside with the geriatric dog and working on the marketing of my book and writing more articles. And filling out more paperwork for school. Back to school at age 45! This new found career as a writer and journalist will coincide nicely with a school schedule!!lol

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. I am off to finish my current article, dating for the "Semi" sports minded.

Hotsplashes - Oooh pasta - sounds yummy! Good for you for heading back to school - I'm impressed!

Jacque - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! (Sunday, of course!) What a delightful reward for all of your hard work - a PAIR of new numbers! One goes up, and one goes down, heehehehehehe!

pres - big hugs, you wonderful, loving cat owner! Do something lovely for yourself that helps you think about the happy times with the fur baby. We are lucky to share our spaces with them!

Hawaii - welcome aboard!

Hotsplashes - oooo, a budding writer??? I'm still a cube convict, but today especially, dreaming of The Great Escape. Pity I have risk aversion that overlaps into cowardice ... I just like to believe that spending time with brave people will help me get there eventually. :) Would love to see pics of Cuba if you have any!

Ditto on wanting to see pix of cuba!

Hi everyone, I've been MIA for nearly a week now. I've had a great vacation. My sister and I have been busy. We spent the early part of the week in Minnesota for my birthday party. My mom and dad wer so excited (not too much as they're 80 and shouldn't get too overjoyed :D) to have all their 4 children together at a dinner table. I just realized while we're wishing Jacque happy birthday (in 2 days) that I will only be on the 40's thread another 2 years. :o For my b-day, my sister and I went to a waterpark and alpine slide. We weren't the oldest there... ;)

Presmaggie, I am so sorry about your beloved kitty. Our furry children give our lives so much happiness and fill the empty spaces. Please know you're in my thoughts through this difficult first few days. Your kitty is an angel loving you.

Dancer, I hope you have a great time hiking!!! DIA or mountain hiking - no contest. :D

Cat, great job on the hike. 7 miles in the mountains is awesome. The blisters are your badge of honor. :D I'm glad they're getting better.

Hotsplashes, returning to school as a mature adult is wonderful. I got so much out of school the second time around.

Newleaf, you're scaring me about hotflashes. I wanted them so I'd stop being cold but you're making them scary! BTW, you're pics looked great.

Penguin, I'm sorry about the painting. It's so irritating when we put loads of work into a project and we don't like it. It's the reason I stopped sewing clothes. It was way too depressing.

ICU, I hope the the canoe trip was semi-relaxing. 10 year olds in their own canoe sounds scary. I bet they were great and liked the grown up responsibility.

Hawaii, welcome to the thread.

I'll be flying back home tomorrow and will be a regular poster again. I'm very much looking forward to my house and weather. All of you that live in the midwest aren't joking about the cold. I packed SO wrong. Brr!!!!

Marie

Jacquee - a birthday and a loss, awesome!

Newleaf, Way to go at walmart, A diet coke can work wonders! I have occasional hotflashes, no fun. Just another way men are much luckier than women!

Cruise, finally looked at your pics from the hike. Looks like a beautiful place. Hope your blisters are feeling better!

ICU- I think the best place for a 10 year old is their own canoe! Last year DD and I went canoeing with Girl scouts. I should have tipped her!

Dancer, one of my favorite easy meals is pizza. I buy Flatout flat bread for the crust, Load on fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, onion and green pepper. Sprinkle with a little shredded cheese and fresh basil and bake. Yummy!

Hotsplash, tell us about your book! That sounds exciting!

Hawaiikat, welcome to our group!

Patch, Housecleaning! UGH! DH has been gone all week, I have hardly done anything! He comes back tomorrow so I need to get to work!

Marie, Welcome back. Time spent with sisters is the best!

Presmaggie, I have been stuck most of the summer. I'm waiting til I'm back at school to get serious again. I have been getting alot of exercise and although the scale hasn't really moved, I'm feeling firmer and that counts too!

Today I had a great NSV. DD and I spent the day with neighbors at their lake house. I went tubing! I haven't been tubing in over 20 years. At my highest I weighed over 250 pounds. I wouldn't have gotten into the lake for fear of not being able to pull myself back up into the boat. Today I eagerly jumped in, had a great ride and was able to get back in the boat with no trouble at all. I actually cried over the realization that there are so many things I can do that I would not have done before. Nothing I could eat could taste as good as that moment felt for me!

I got the house vacumned but ended up spending most of the day in bed with a heating pad on my stomach. Its TTOM but I'm feeling worse than usual. I think I might have picked up a bug from my friend's son who wasn't feeling well Wed night. Hopefully, I'm not sick the rest of the weekend!

OMW, I have the same reaction, I won't bother to clean the house if its just me but someone else comes over and I HAVE GOT to clean!

Marie, Glad you had a good vacation. I sewed my own clothes when I was in the 260's but I was very frustrated when I would put time, energy, and money into something and then hate it, and throwing it away. I'll stick to quilts, much easier.

Splashes, What kind of book?

Yeah, but by Sunday we'll have started a new thread and then it'll be a week before you find us again... ;-)

That made me laugh out loud...literally!!! It's so true...maybe someone can post the link to the new thread in this thread once it is created so maybe I will find you all sooner. No seriously, maybe I will be on top of things by Sunday...a year old, a year wiser and will find you guys in a flash....and I don't mean a hot flash!!!

Jacque - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! (Sunday, of course!) What a delightful reward for all of your hard work - a PAIR of new numbers! One goes up, and one goes down, heehehehehehe!

Ya know, wouldn't it be nice if when the number on the scale goes down, so does our age? I guess in a way it does since when I started my journey I felt much, much older then I do now....I'm feeling more like I did in my 20's...okay, maybe my early 30's then I do late 40's.

Jacque - congrats on the 125.5 -- that is so awesome!! And I'm glad you liked my joke...

PresMaggie - I hope you are doing okay without your cat beside you... :hug: I'm glad to hear that things are going well with your trainer...

Patchwork - I hope you got your house all clean to where you wanted. I decided to do a thorough kitchen cleaning last night, and the nice thing was that my DS8 actually noticed this morning. My DS10, however, was oblivious. That fits both of their personalities...

HotSplashes - Our tomatoes are going nowhere, too... I envy you being back in school; I love being in school!

Marie - Great seeing you again; we've missed you!! I'm glad you had a great time with your sister...

OnMyWay - congrats on your NSV!! I loved the line that "Nothing I could eat could taste as good as that moment felt for me!" WTG!!!

As for me, I'm off to DS8's baseball game this morning. Then I plan to exercise when we get back. Nothing much else going on this weekend...

POURING rain! All day! We're hoping that it clears a bit south of here and maybe we can sneak something in locally. Guess it's going to be sift/sort/****can day instead.

ICU>>> DO NOT SEND THE RAIN THIS WAY!!!Lol

Maggie, I am so sorry to hear about your kitty! Will you get another one? Or will you wait? Losing a pet leaves a big emptiness in our lives that is hard to refill. My pups are 11 and 12, kitty is only 7. It will be hard when the go. Big hugs from my furries to you.:hug::hug:

Marie: Happy Belated Sparkly Day.. and I am glady you enjoyed your vacation! Thank you for the good words about school. I am scared!lol

Cruisecat: Are there Cruises just for adults? Dr. BF and I want to do one, preferably to Alaska or Mexico. ANd once the blisters heal over, you will get calluses which will make you Hiker Extrodinair!!

New Leaf: What else are you growing? I have peppers and Onions and Carrots and Zucchini... No Zucchini yet,Sweet Peppers died, Hots are slow, Carrots are just starting to come around now. I was worried about the Purple and Yellow carrots, but they are coming along slowly. Hope the Baseball Game went well!

ONmyway: What a BIG Victory!! I am very proud of you! What is tubing like? Do you wear a life vest? And you are going back to school also?? YAYYYY I won't be alone!lol:carrot: PS... what is NSV?

Patchwork: Hope you are feelign better!! It's horrible to be sick AND have TTOM! Your puppy in your pic looks like a very happy puppy with his rawhide chew bone!

DancerinDenver: SUSHIIIIIIII!!! I love Sushi..but after puking for 9 hours a few months ago from a bad piece... I just cannot think about having it. I want it... but then I get that...ICK factor going... the fear of puking again.. Gonna be awhile before i eat it again.

As about my book.. well 4 months of being bedridden drove me to distraction and write a book. About what? Foofie stuff... A how to book for women (Not girls) to date better, and to improve your life in general. All about making the right choices, learning how to break bad habits, bad cycles, and learn good ones. Learn how to be happy with yourself. ANd that by making the right choices in one spot in your life, you will be able to make the right choices in the other parts of your life.

AND THE BIG REQUEST::: Pics of CUBA!!! ALL 146 plus 2 videos of Cuban Dancing and Singing!

http://picasaweb.google.ca/horsenpups/TripToCuba#

Enjoy ladies and see you on Monday!!!

Hotsplashes - love, love, love seeing your pics! You lucky canadian, you! As far as I know, it's still tricky for us to go legally but some friends of mine who are academics have swung it and it sounds so interesting. I've lived and travelled all over latin america but cuba is the only place I feel like I'm missing.

We're headed off to the mountains with friends so I'll have to catch up on posts (and maybe even remember about the new thread in time!) tomorrow.

Hope all are well!

Great photos, Hotsplash I loved looking at them!! What a gorgeous setting...

hotsplash - great pics! I know several people who have been to Cuba who really liked it.

dancerindenver - have fun in the mountains. Will you be sharing any pictures of the lovely scenery? Hint, hint.;) Thanks for your support on breaking through my plateau. I hope next week is the week where I start to go down some more.

ICUwishing - send some rain our way, please. It's so dry here that our plants are looking bedraggled, despite our watering.

newleaf - I am missing our kitty. He was the last of 3 who passed away since last October (October, March, yesterday). Before I had another kitty to hug, but I don't anymore. I've had cats for 18 years, so it's very strange not to have them around. With our two young boys being so much work at the moment, I think we'll wait awhile until we get any more pets.

Jacque - I feel like the clock's turning back, too. My aches and pains are diminishing and, of course, being lighter makes everything I do much easier.

Patchworkpenguin - I'm feeling sick, too. My TOM just finished and I've had a sore throat and low grade fever for a few days. All I want to do today is rest.

Onmyway - your tubing NSV is the kind of story that makes me feel motivated to continue. Thanks.

Marie - glad you had a nice vacation!

After 2 days of stuffing myself, I had a really good OP day yesterday. Strange, since it was the most difficult day otherwise. Sometimes I think the anticipation of difficult times is almost harder to deal with than the reality. Yesterday, I just focused on supporting my cat through to the end. He kept looking at me with those sweet eyes and I kept telling him that he would be ok. I truly believe that he is in a better place.

You know that its going to be a bad day when it takes you three times to type your own username correctly!

More bad news, we've been getting notices from other sites like Google that we have an outdated browser and need to download a new one. So last night Hubby downloaded Windows 8! This morning I get online and try to change the print to the larger size so I can read it! Windows 8 doesn't have this option. They change the backgrowd but not the actual size of the print. so here I am back to wearing my glasses and leaning into the screen. GRRRR!

We bought some steak the other day but haven't gotten around to eating it yet, I told Hubby that we need to eat it today, my dad called and Hubby invited them to eat with us. He apologized for making them eat steak, LOL! ETA: Hubby just began to get the grill ready for tonight and stirred up a hornet's nest, literally!

We went out to get some wasp spray and now are back..trying to get ready for my parents to come in a few hours.

I bought some curtains at Walmart last week, decided I didn't like them and would take them back. Over the week I decided I needed some other things: two lampshades and a little rug. We went to Ross and for the same price as the two curtain panels at Walmart I bought different curtains, two lampshades, and the rug at Ross! I love Ross!

Maggie,I hope you feel better soon!:hug: I agree with "anticipation being worse than reality", I've found this to be true in most cases.

Splash, Thanks for posting the pics, I'm looking forward to seeing them when I'm not running around crazy. On behalf of Happy Puppy I thank you. Her name is April, she's a lab/shepherd mix and you'll probably her about her a lot!

Newleaf, My friend Renee has one son who doesn't care about clean one one son who is a neatfreak like her. Funny how that works out.

Jacque, I seem to have lost age when I lost weight in my mid 30's, I feel much younger and happier in my late 30's-early 40s

Hotsplash, enjoyed your pictures! NSV is non scale victory! I'm at a slow point in my loss so I need them as a reminder of how well I have done. As for school, I work in a special ed classroom, I'm not actually a student! Tubing is being pulled behind a boat on a big tube. The tube has handles that you hold onto, very bouncy but alot of fun!

Patch, we don't have Ross here, can;t imagine anyplace being a better deal than Walmart!

Presmaggie, glad you didn;t let a difficult situation derail all of your hardwork. Yes, your beloved cat is an a better place. Cherish your fond memories.

Newleaf, add us to the list of tomato challenged gardens. The milder summer and the deer have not helped us at all. Next year I am going to try growing cherry tomatoes, my neighbor grows them and has had a bunch and they are so good!

ICU, sorry the rain ruined your day. It is hot here and very humid!

dancer, enjoy your day in the mountains!

DH will be home in about 5 hours. I enjoyed my time without him but am anxious for him to return. Hung a new chandelier in the dining room and friend's ex hung a new ceiling fan in the great room the other night. Let's see how long it takes DH to notice!

Patch, we don't have Ross here, can;t imagine anyplace being a better deal than Walmart!



Ross is similar to TJMaxx or Marshalls.

CruiseCAT - I'm sure you know a *ton* more about cruises than I do... I've been on 2, Alaska makes 3, but each one has been as a guest of my inlaws, so all I do is show up... You'll have to tell me what you do in each of the ports... I've just started researching how to spend our time. Plus, we (just my immed. family of 4) are planning to stay on in Alaska after the cruise, and I'm trying to figure out what to do...

Much of my research is done on Cruise Critic. It's an excellent source of information from cruisers that have gone before me. I also used the TripAdvisor boards on Alaska for this trip.

I did it!!! I got on the scale today and it said

125.5!!!!

I am ready to celebrate!!!

Congratulations!!! 125 is my current goal but I am thinking that 130-135 is more realistic to maintain. I would love hit goal before my family reunion in Orlando in November and then just maintain at the 130 something.

ICUwishing - I didn't do as well as I had hoped with staying away from excess food while dealing with my emotions around my cat's demise. However, I didn't go off the rails for weeks on end. I'll have to see that as my positive in this situation.

CruiseCAT - how long is it until you leave on your trip?



Yes, not going off the rails for weeks on end is a VERY good thing. What's done is done way to turn things around.

I leave on Wednesday. I will have very limited internet when I am in port on my phone so don't expect to post anything more than maybe a couple pictures on my FaceBook page.

I think the best place for a 10 year old is their own canoe! Last year DD and I went canoeing with Girl scouts. I should have tipped her!
Thanks for the laugh.... now my computer is covered in water.

Today I had a great NSV. DD and I spent the day with neighbors at their lake house. I went tubing! I haven't been tubing in over 20 years. At my highest I weighed over 250 pounds. I wouldn't have gotten into the lake for fear of not being able to pull myself back up into the boat. Today I eagerly jumped in, had a great ride and was able to get back in the boat with no trouble at all. I actually cried over the realization that there are so many things I can do that I would not have done before. Nothing I could eat could taste as good as that moment felt for me!

Ahhhhh.... that is so special. I have not been tubing or skiing in years for this very reason. Next time I will not turn down an offer. You are an inspiration!!!

Cruisecat: Are there Cruises just for adults? Dr. BF and I want to do one, preferably to Alaska or Mexico.

You will find fewer children on an Alaskan cruise; however, all cruise lines have a kids program and you will hardly notice them. I would just avoid a Disney cruise. There are "specialty" cruises including adult only but you will pay more. The Mexican Riviera is nice but just remember that the Pacific is much colder than the Caribbean. If you are looking to do Mexico I would go out of Florida and do ports like Cozumel and Costa Maya, must my preference for great weather and beautiful water.
As about my book.. well 4 months of being bedridden drove me to distraction and write a book. About what? Foofie stuff... A how to book for women (Not girls) to date better, and to improve your life in general. All about making the right choices, learning how to break bad habits, bad cycles, and learn good ones. Learn how to be happy with yourself. ANd that by making the right choices in one spot in your life, you will be able to make the right choices in the other parts of your life.

sounds interesting

AND THE BIG REQUEST::: Pics of CUBA!!! ALL 146 plus 2 videos of Cuban Dancing and Singing!

http://picasaweb.google.ca/horsenpups/TripToCuba#

Thank you for sharing, Cuba is on my "Bucket List".

Ross is similar to TJMaxx or Marshalls.

I LOVE TJMaxx but unfortunately we don't have one within 50 miles. We are getting a Ross that will be less than 2 miles away. I guess I will have to wait and see as I have never "done" Ross.

I am healed and ready to go. Even wanted to get a small hike in tomorrow but Mack wouldn't hear it. He doesn't want me to have any issues for my trip. I'm sure he is right but I really wanted to go back up to the mountains. Yesterday we spend the day out at the pool and I drank a few too many beers. The scales were up 1.2 lbs.

I am so excited about my trip. I am packed and ready to go; however, I have way too much stuff. I can usually get by with a small carry-on pullcart and a shoulder bag for a week long cruise but not this trip. I have a decent sized suitcase that will have to be checked plus my regular bags.... ugh....

patchworkpenguin - it's hard to believe that Windows took a step backward in their accessibility options by not having the large print anymore. That is really strange. I hope you are going to send them a message about it. They need to hear what a bad decision they made to discontinue that feature.

Onmyway - your tomato idea sounds good for next year. Our are just ripening and we're looking forward to trying them.

CruiseCAT - things are a bit cooler up here now, so make sure you bring some warmer clothes, especially for early mornings. Although, I expect that the reason you have so much luggage is because of the wide variations in temperature that can happen this time of year.;)

I'm finally going downward in my weight again! I think it just took a recommitment to the work I need to do to make this happen.

Congratulations!!! 125 is my current goal but I am thinking that 130-135 is more realistic to maintain. I would love hit goal before my family reunion in Orlando in November and then just maintain at the 130 something.

I know what you mean....I did step on the scale yesterday only because I was worried that I would have gone up since I had a cookout on Sat but I reached my goal...the scale actually said 125 and that's what I wanted for my b'day.

Having said that, I TOTALLY was off plan yesterday and am feeling a little bloated and TOM is just around the corner. If I maintain in the 120's I will be very, very happy.