Support Groups - CCRRMM Sizzling and Slimming in the Spring & Summer Palace

Jeez Kaylets...maybe you could come clean for me after you finish your desk? :s:

QOD yup.....I'm sure I have. I have a suspicious mind when it comes to some people and situations.

Things are going well for me....fairly smoothly. The kitchen is a mess but that is because I've started a new campaign...if it isn't my mess I don't clean it up. You'd think a 19 and 16 year old would figure this out, but not yet. My brother and SIL are coming tonight for BQ, and I'm hesitant to leave it that way, but I think I'll stick to my unstated as yet guns. I'm hoping that actions will speak louder than words. And add to that the growing pile of laundry in DS's room...I think that at 16 he should know that the laundry room is in the basement and the elves don't magically appear and spirit the clothes down there...I'll wash them when they appear. He should run outta clothes soon right? It's been 2 weeks!

So I'm off to walk and then tidy. Then I have to approve an agenda and go shop...groceries you know.

I have a board meeting tonight, but will try to check in later!

Ceara

"WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT BECAUSE THE CONSEQUENCES OF GIVING UP ARE TOO SERIOUS."

Amarantha... you're a genius. :thanks: I needed to hear this...

Well, back on the wagon - day 2. My Dr. appt. went fine, she was not surprised at ALL by my gain. She said it was very apparent that I was really tightly wound last visit (Oct. right after friend's son died) and she figured eventually I'd figure it out that I needed to quit trying to do everything and just give myself some "time off" to heal. And that's actually exactly what I did, now that I look back on it...

20 pounds was a small price to pay for my sanity.

Sunday mom and I walked the Heaven Can Wait 5K for a local breast cancer foundation and had a great time. Of course it was emotional, but we knew it would be. There were over 250 survivors walking amongst the 1,900 participants and this year mom was one of 'em! :cb: They gave the survivors little denim caps and had them stand in the center of the crowd - it was so cool to see. We saw mom's cancer case/support manager and was able to give her a big ol' hug too. We decided to keep doing this walk EVERY year, no matter what.
Then, as if 3.1 miles wasn't enough - I went to Sears and tried out treadmills! Found the one I want, just have to wait for this weekend's garage sale... :tread:

Zadie, welcome back! Have you seen the movie Spellbound? It's a documentary that followed some of the kids through the spelling bee competition a few years ago. It's worth finding to watch! Netflix has it...

Eydie, didn'tcha just loooove the new Harry Potter??? I saw it Friday night with a friend - stood in line for almost 1 1/2 hour but ended up with excellent seats! Ok, now, about falling off the wagon - come'ere and I'll give ya a leg up!!!

WSW, I'm so sorry to hear about your friend with thyroid cancer... I've heard that it's actually really treatable nowadays though, so fingers crossed!!!!! Having little ones is probably more troubling for her though. It just makes my head spin how many people I've heard of having cancer diagnosises. Now, is it because I'm more aware of it, or are there really more cases? :shrug:

Amarantha, continued job vibes coming your way! :wizard:

Cerise.... were are you????? :mag:

Arabella, the beach sounds woooooonderful!!!! Yes, just last Thursday we had our full moon ritual. Out here she was beautiful - but I didn't think we'd get to see her because of the rain! But, just in time, the clouds left and we were able to be outside around a huge fire... listening to all the randy frogs!

Ceara, how's the pups do?

Kaylets, yes job change IS very stressful! I don't see it as wishing time away wanting things you look forward to to get here sooner - it's those bright lights in our week that make the rest of it bearable sometimes!! Now, go forth and speak!!!!! :goodluck:

Well, I should away. Get some work done and get more yard sale signs done. Hoping for a turnout even HALF what my mom's best friend got last week - she made $1300!!!!! Considering that I want a treadmill, need a washing machine and will eventually need to pull my well pump up to install a filter (to the tune of $400) I NEED this!!!!! Come on shoppers!!!!!

Happy week all!

Terri

Yo! Just a flyby whilst I contemplate lunch, which is going to be healthy chicken salad on whole wheat bread ... details on the food journal later ... HELLO, PUNKIN!!!! :wave: Yup, it soundeth as though thou be on the right track and I do so agreeth with thy doc that thou needed time off from the weight loss thing ... your body and mind are likely refreshed for the journey and you haven't gained back much, really, in the scheme of things. Congrats on walking the 5K ... wouldn't it be great to have a :tread: of your own. I'd kill for one ... the ones at the gym are always full or broken and they need more anyhow.

Anagramatic, glad there's someone in the universe besides me who never learned to ride a bike ... mayhap it's not too late for us, though?

Kaylets, have fun packing thy desk ... and re qod, I'm often glad to be wrong as mine foreboding are frequently dire! :lol3:

Arabella, much like thy fasting program, the lust for pb cups seemeth to diminish when not regularly consumed! :) Sounds as though you're enjoying the program!!! :wave:

Zadie: What play didst thou seeth?

Ceara, I like thy "if it's not my mess, I don't clean it up!" motto! Makes sense! I have a question re dogs ... my vet saith that the tiny daily dose of canola oil I've been giving Old Dog (because her skin and coat were SO dry) is horrificly bad for her and that I should buy a special supplement for her ... I've looked at those fish oil supplements and I don't like all the extra stuff in 'em and the cardiologist I go to says the canola oil is good for ME, so what dost thou think? Sorry to bother thee with this and shamelessly beg for free advice. In the old, old, old days we always gave our dogs a little oil every day ... is this going to destroy my dog?

Got to go and eat before I faint!

Hi, Wsw, wherever thou beith! :wave:

BAH! After 6 days of eating almost nothing but fruit and veg, my scale had me up a pound from last WI. After 3 days, I was down 2, but have somehow got one back on. I know this will eventually work, but JEEZ!!! What does a girl have to do to get a little encouragement from :devil: scale? :shrug:

I've been drinking the water, getting more exercise than ever. I know that all I can do is to keep on keepin' on. I'm also an emotional wreck, so maybe it's some weird hormonal thing, like PMS, only with no period to put an end to the foolishness. Who knows. Sigh.

Today the detox program has me adding whole grains, and I decided to have some melted cheese on my seriously whole grain toast for lunch. Maybe a little protein and calcium will help? We'll see.

Yet another post dashed off while my boss is busy. Yes, I am a bad girl.

QOD: yes, I am happy to be wrong frequently. it is not that i think the worst of things and people, but I am very pragmatic, so i am pleased by bursts of idealism.

The play that I saw was called "Blue/Orange" and it was about race relations/mental health in London. Very political in the broader sense as opposed to the partisan sense.

Punkinseed - i saw spellbound when it was in the cheap theater. Wasn't it just riveting? Real life suspense if ever there was.

I concur with everyone who loved the new Harry Potter film. I thought it was much better film-making than the first two, which I enjoyed but did not love.

I am really ready for this week to be, and on that note, back to work.

a quick greeting to all courtly challengers! my friend who has thryroid cancer does at least have the most treatable form, fortunately. she is frightened of course, but is seeing more specialists this week and gathering info. before any next step. i have been op and exercising, but staying the course has not felt too easy the past few days. well, have a good evening, one and all. take care.

Mornin' all :coffee:

:soap: On my morning expeditions I make a conscious effort NOT to think on things in my life so I've been ruminating on food. You know I'd bet that North Americans are the "snackingest" people in the world...we have food available everywhere.....and not the best choices available either. Kinda like having a shot of whiskey or a beer in every corner store ready for purchase by a recovering alcoholic. I'm coming to think of myself as a food-a-holic...which is insidious in itself...you need food to survive, but not most of the items that are marketed. Think of what foods were available 10, 15 and 20 years ago compared to today's choices.....Climbing down now :^:

That is encouraging news for thy friend wsw....am keeping you both in my thoughts.

Keep on truckin' Arabella. It is that :devil: scale playin' with your mind! Or your body just being persnickety. I have weigh-in tonight also....

Empress A will pm you on canola. No I don't think thee be murderin' the oldst dog with kindness.

OK...had a late start this am...either was sleeping the sleep of the dead :lol: or the justified :rofl:

Ceara :wave:

Hello all!!

I cannot believe I am behind on reading posts!

WSW- I am sending strong vibrations for you and your friend.... Sometimes we are more upset for the friend then ourselves when faced with the same issues. At least, I know I tend to discount when it happens to me...

Arabella- YES, me too!! Am tempted to try over the counter "aids" in hopes of some relief but last time I tried them, it brought the cycle back IMMEADIATELY and in full force.... and I am not sure I am interested in dealing w/ that and hormone flooding too......
Any thoughts?? I think (for me at least) excercise needs to go back up to top of the list....

Wish I had more time but don't so am speaking in general:

Speech went ok but I got a little emotional at the end... Felt like I began like a lion and ended on a whimper... but ... I did have them laughing at one point...

Thursday!!

We are doing it!

Seems like so many of us are sharing the same thing the past few weeks... extra stress...
Buying homes, surviving teenagers, battling illness, packing/moving, job changes....

Somehow, I got the idea that extra coffee "was a necessity" because I didnt feel rested ....
Big mistake.. you know what happened then...

I also started relying on SF Hot Chocolate ... I am finding that it also makes me just want more of the same taste...

So... I feel like I was driving up on the shoulder of the road for a couple weeks now instead of on the pavement...
But... I see what I've been doing... and am trying to steer myself back...

I really believe if I didnt come here to share and listen I wouldnt have realized what I was doing... to myself!!

So....

Let's all take a deep breath...

In
hold it for 4 seconds
1 and 2 and 3 and 4
now out
1 and 2 and 3 and 4...

repeat
and
repeat again....

We are doing the best we can !!

And this too will pass!!!!

***

Thought of the day :

It's never the end of the world. It's already tomorrow in Australia.

- Charles M. Schultz


Question of the day :

"Would you rather it be very cold or very hot?"

***


Kettle is on!


PS-- Punkin! I am aleady wondering what great buys and finds I am missing !
Its amazing how I much I love yard sales!

PSS_ Cerise-- YES !YES! YES! I agree with you totally and just saw a study that PROVES we're right... and if the AMA recognizes the study, then you KNOW the food companies have known from their own studies much longer...
This is why for so many of us, moderation is NOT the key... its really the poision...

Big hug to everyone... I really do miss you all!

Amarantha, did your vet say why you shouldn't give Old Dog canola oil? I never would've thought it either---maybe your vet's wrong? BTW, I recently learned that one shouldn't give a dog grapes or raisins!
My Jubal [dog!] had to have some minor surgery Monday. He had a sudden growth on his ear and our vet said it was most unusual in an older dog so we had it removed and now it's being analyzed. Hope all's okay. I love that crazy dog.

Amarantha, I thought about you all day yesterday and have new respect for you. We [and 30 others] went on a trip to the Fine Arts Museum in Richmond. VA. This was for work. It was a 3 1/2 hour trip [one way] and we stopped at a few convenience stores and they make even junk look so inviting. Tell me, is it true that they test-market new things in convenience stores--'cause we saw things there we've never seen anywhere else. And between that and the snacks I provided for the travelers and lunch at the museum it wasn't a good food day. What is it about traveling? I was hungry all day long! And I don't mean emotionally hungry, I mean, truly physically gut-hungry!!! How do you do it when you travel so much?
On the up-side I feel nourished by visiting the museum and want to go back soon because we didn't have enough time to see it all. The main exhibit had some paintings by van Gogh and Gauguin and the van goghs were powerful indeed, but I loved the antiquities best. Actually got all teary with the Tibetan and Indian sculptures---those symbols that I love so much! How expressive they are. Garry got to go along too and I have a feeling this has opened up new day-trip possibilities for us. We had'nt gone to a "real" museum in such a long time. So if any of you live close to a big museum--GO! :D

Ahhhh. Quick breeze through. Work=really busy. But hello!

QOD: cold. You can always put on more clothing but you can only take off so much. I guess that it why I live in Minnesota.

Hello loves and happy Friday eve!

I've decided to make an extra sign for all the yard sale stuff - "dust and bug corpses are free!". Goodness what a mess!!!! Then, to make it all really pretty, it started pouring down rain yesterday while I was trying to get some things set up - so now it's wet dust and soggy corpses... ew.

:devil: scale is being nice to me. I'm back on the wagon so of course now I'm checking weight almost daily (bad, but a good sign that I'm watching again) and I'm down almost 3 pounds from Monday. Feel MUCH less bloated... looking forward to getting into my summer clothes - only 10 pounds before they're really comfy again.
(note to self: must remember to profusely thank any/all deities for ability to lose weight easily!) :thanks:

Eydie, I hope everything's ok with Jubal's ear diagnosis. Ya know, I was told that even dogs need to worry about the sun - maybe it was just a "sun spot" - like a mole or something?? Keep us posted.

WSW, that is encouraging news about your friend. I'm sure she's scared and the waiting for treatment to start is the *worst* part by far. Once they figure out how to treat her I'm sure she'll feel better - like she's finally doing *something* about it! My thoughts are with her...

Ceara, I'm with ya on the "food-aholic" thing. I used to talk about it when I worked for WW - how alcoholics, drug addicts and gamblers can QUIT their addiction - we have to eat to live, and must try to live with an addiction "under control". But, of course, we keep doing what we must.... :shrug:

Kaylets, ooooh, the stuff we've got out there!!!!! I can't believe we've accumulated SO much c-rap!!!! Well, actually, I can believe my mom has - she's got a lot of years on me to accomplish the task, but ME??? Geeez!!! :dz: Fingers crossed that it all finds a good home and I make some money for much needed stuffs... Come on out and have a look!!
I agree too that a lot of times I don't even realize what's going on with me until I sit here and type it up to tell you guys. You all are the best, cheapest therapy a girl could ask for!

:wave: Amarantha, Zadie and Arabella!!!!!

Well, should get some work done... blech!

Terri

Yo, flybye postie as I worked all morning and can't be expected not to have a nap now that I'm done ...

Eydie, my vet is always pontificating about how old and overweight Old Dog is and it's depressing me. I don't know why he thinks canola oil is not ok for dogs and thank thee :queen Ceara for the pm and the info that some dog food actually has canola in it. I'm giving her the canola AND some flax oil capsules I found as well ...

Eydie, sorry thy Jubal had to have surgery ... I wouldn't worry too much (although I know it's hard not to as it's impossible not to be so attached to these guys ... or in my case gals ... that you'd kill for them ... at least I would for Old Dog!) ... er, as I was saying, I've often heard of growths on dogs' ears, but hoping it all comes out ok!!!

PUNKIN!!! Happy Friday Eve and congrats on the weight loss!!!! :cp: Have fun with the yard sale!!!

Wsw, that's great news about the form of thy friend's disease ... here's to the situation coming out in the best possible way!!! I don't know the smilie for crossed fingers (I can't see the list from here) but consider it here!

Kaylets, I've been eating sugar free stuff and doing ok on it but I have read that sucralose (Splenda) in particular kind of acts like sugar in the body (except for the calories), so that might account for the craving the sf hot chocolate is giving you. Occasionally the sf white choc ice cream bars (made with Splenda) that I often eat (too often) have that effect on me ... usually they don't.

I'm still on my pb cup NOT 21-dayer, but had TWO Midnight Milky Ways today and hope I'm not developing a fixation on those.

QOD: I'd rather be too hot ... in fact too hot is status quo where I live and it's not too bad because in the summer, everyone leaves town and one can get parking spaces and treadmills at the gym! :)

Zadie: Minnesota sounds nice! :wave:

I have pmd Cerise as she disappeared from the 21-day challenge and from this thread as well. Haven't received a reply and am just wondering if she went away on a vacation and is basking somewhere.

Likewise am wondering where Wildfire is! These absences from the palace cannot be tolerated, :queen: s, the towel boys get concerned.

There's a few other folkettes gone missing as well.

Sigh.

Bye!

Hoorah! Just talked to the vet and Jubal's okay!
Speaking of doctors and vets and such, today I found out that when I tried to switch my insurance to something cheaper I was rejected---because of that damn false cancer diagnosis from 2 years ago. I'm appealing it and my insurance guy seems to think that it'll work out, that I just have to jump thru a hoop or two. So today I was scrambling around gathering up documents that attest to the fact that I'm healthy as a government mule. We shall see....I've got to admit, I was pretty livid about being rejected. Not to mention how it brought back the truama of it all;I thought it was all behind me. I'm making every effort to not let it get to me---chances are good that I'll 'win' this one.

Where are you, Cerise and Wildfire? :(

have been catching up on posts. eydie-glad to hear jubal is ok. the insurance situation must be frustrating indeed. good luck with it. it's so hot here, and the heat reeks havoc on my ms, so for qod, i would definitely say cold is the best/favorite for me. appreciate all the good thoughts for my friend's health problems. hi amarantha, kaylets, ceara, punkin! trying to hang in there with my food plan and not use the heat or anything else as reasons or excuses to de-rail. as always, kaylets, your reminder to everyone to breathe deeply helps me greatly! hi to all the royal court, mentioned or unmentioned. wishing you all a good evening. you are the best! take care.

Hello all!

Have to admit that again, the scale shows another pound increase yet I really know its not been food.... but did catch a few minutes of a cortisol informecial and can't help but think that STRESS is part of the reason....
I usually pay no attention to the "facts" presented in informercials but I have seen other cortisol info and some of it makes sense to me....Cortisol is triggered by stress and a sympton is middle body/torso weight gain...
Scale is up a few and my size 8's a little snug ...

So... it is a relief to know THIS IS THE LAST DAY!!!
Many people are being very very kind in their goodbyes which is also hard...
Clearing the desk in between feels good but up until about 4 :30 last night, felt as though there was no end...
Also had my exit interview which is an interesting procedure.... not sure why its really done... I understand the premise but am not sure if any one really believes folks are either really honest and /or clearheaded in them....
Especially when not annoymous.....
No matter...

Empress-- one thing I learned the hardway was giving our one beagle the fish oil capsules .... the package said it was for "larger dogs" but the vet thought because the beagle was overweight would be ok.... We came home to intense diareaha...fishy smelling too...
I have wondered how much Vitamin E would help but its so expensive compared to canola oil, I like your way better...

Punkin!-- of course it will rain and make you second guess your sale! Bet Saturday morning comes dry and sunny! And your invite sounds great... I must be obsessed to consider going cross country for a yard sale... but then again!!!

WSW- I'll try if you'll try!! After all, the old ways havent worked so I guess this is the real test... Doing the changes when things have sped up, when we are under the gun...

Eydie--yes, noticed in the local store last weekend how so many "offerings" of even cut fruit, assorted salads were available. Even with calories,etc listed... even saw a clear platic cup full of pepporni and cheese w/ saltines... calories listed as well... but for two people to share ( if so inclined ... I never could digest those types of meats so...) it would have been an interesting snack.... yes... somethng about different environment, impulse purchases, and pretty packaging that makes me lose my common sense....

I miss the missing too!


Anagram! Thought this storm was supposed to pass by now! dogs came in wet ! could you do something about this please!

****
Here's a thought of the day :

"I get by with a little help from my friends..."
--The Beatles

Question of the day :

"How many movies on tape/disc do you own?"

******

ok all....

Time to put

KETTLE ON!

Happy Friday! :cb:

Must be quick, it's only 8:30am, and our signs say the sale starts at 12 noon, but we've already had 3 people show up this morning - and 2 YESTERDAY!!!! Since I was out there setting up yesterday I let them browse - browsing turned into $45 in sales... Wahoooo!

Eydie, I'm SO happy that Jubal is going to be ok! So what was it???
Oh, the joys of health insurance.... I'm uncovered right now because, get this, the insurance company says "my height and weight ratio are at a level that is deemed unhealthy and uninsurable" - basically saying "you're too fat for us to insure". I'm heavy, yes. I have about 75 pounds to lose, sure. But I bet I could race 80% of the population of those they cover up a flight of stairs and be *equally* out of breath! They'll insure you if you smoke, but not if you're overweight. Oh, the genius of it all.... :mad:

Amarantha, I have a bunch of "your" people up here right now because of your wonderful heat! The group that came yesterday afternoon was from Mesa and were complaining about how cold it was - it was 60! :rolleyes: I bit my tongue and didn't say "too cold?, then go home!" - that would've been ruuuuude! :lol:

Kaylets, yea, I've heard of the cortisol thing too, but the commercial still makes me leery... something about that woman just bugs me. :shrug:
Congrats on the last day! :cb:
Oh, and the weather is beeeeautiful today! The sun's out, no breeze.... perfect yard sale weather!! :cool:

WSW, I've heard of the heat in the south east. My surrogate granny is from Florida and besides the horrid humidity, she said the bugs are really something to be reckoned with too! :eek: Stay cool down there!

Well, must get some work done. Not expecting it to be busy at work because of President Reagan's funeral, etc. and a lot of work we do is in Simi Valley...

Have a great weekend everyone! Will report on yard sale success on Monday! :crossed:

Terri

Betcha don't remember me!!

I am doing quite well. Let me give you the cliff note version. As you all might remember I got pregnant. Was quiting my job. (Did that.) Now to bring you up to speed. Just starting working for a new company that is totally family oriented and although I am on a client site in DC I can take a commuter train and be to and from work and hour each way. (YEAH THAT!!!) I'm also being paid $12,000 more a year and have better benefits all around. My DH is now working security and we are fighting his meat dept. job for back paychecks (they stopped paying him while he was working there and owe him 3 paychecks). The only downside is he is working the graveyard shift :( We have three months to go until the baby is born. Found out it's supposed to be a little girl (I have ultrasounds which I will need to post once I get them on this computer). We're due September 20th.

Love to all my chickies, maybe I'll post more regular now. How the heck is everbody???

Gotta be brief again here as stuff to do, but:

Yo! Welcome back, Frogger, we missed thee!!! So glad thou be doing well and have a better job AND a little girl on the way! That's exciting!!!! :cp:

Punkin, sorry about our Mesa folks complaining about the cold! :lol3: Hmmm. I could say lots more about that topic but ...

Kaylets, on another section of the board there was a discussion of a cortisol suppressing (so-called) supplement ... I posted there because I'd used it ... I do think excessive cortisol play a role in the weight we gain around the middle ... my trainer (who's a med student) says that cortisol also does good things in the body, that it's a necessary hormone and not a villain ... dunno ... wish I had more time to talk about this ... gotta go!

Hello all!!

So ...

Went to bed by 6:30 pm and slept nearly all the way thru, woke a couple times to use the bathroom but went right back to sleep....
Sometimes we really only do see what is happening to us AFTERWARDS.....

but.. enough of that...

FROGGER!!!!! TA DA!!! I am thrilled that things are so much better for you in the job department!! That is a wonderful increase, never mind how much the benefits are worth .... and public transportation is really such a benefit... even if you CHOOSE to drive, to have the alternative always there is so great.... that is the biggest thing I miss about living in a bigger city setting... so.... how do you feel? are you really showing? you must show a little by now! We've been sending good vibes your way.. glad to know you recvd them!

**
coritsol... I am waiting for the results from the jury... remember the " fat/vs no fat" .. and of course, the "carb/no carb" debates....
I only brought it up to point out that perhaps there is some truth to the claims but in my opinion, if its the body's natural instinct to produce this chemical to PROTECT the body, perhaps we need to think of other ways or reducing the cause .... Hmmmmmm...

Amazing how so much can stay the same but seem like a new idea when it finally sinks in .... oh boy...sometimes I really feel like I must have cement instead of brain cells....

Anyway...
DH is ready...

I'll be back later for thought of the day and to say hello.


oh and by the way...

YOU"RE ALL THE BEST!

Flyby this a.m.

Kaylets, what a relief, eh? Good going though and hope you enjoy your two 'tween days and good feelings for Monday as well.

Welcome, Frogger, and how great to hear all your good news. Glad you and wee one are doing well and that job circumstances for both of you have so improved. You've no doubt been through a dark time but the sun has come out again.

Hi to all others - am off this morning to visit with the Crown Prince and his bride so must get organized. Too early in my morning for that but here goes.

Yo! Good morning, :queen: s!!!! This be a flyby and I be in extreme brevity mode for me!

Kaylets, that's a really good point re the cortisol being something nature created to protect us and that we need to find other ways to discharge the stress (and hence the excess cortisol that produces the excess fat) rather than trying to pop a pill. I'm thinking that I've read that moderate exercise is helpful in controlling cortisol, whilst intense exercise produces it. But since intense exercise is supposed to be helpful, I dunno! :shrug:

I am making no sense ... Anagramatic, have fun with thy organizing and with prince and princess bride! :) :wave:

Good morning :queen:s! Sorry for my extended absence - I have been making a conscious effort NOT to spend the evenings online. The hours pass too quickly and nothing gets done.

Kaylets, congrats on the job! I hope it will be all you want it to be. :cp:

Frogger, welcome back! Glad to hear you are doing well and the job situation has improved.

Amarantha, any luck with your job hunt?

Eydie, insurance companies are criminal. They will do anything to stick it to the little guy. I hope you get this resolved and give them a piece of your mind while you are at it! Glad to hear Jubal is okay.

wsw, sorry to hear your friend has been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Sending my very best :goodvibes: that the treatment is successful. It's nice to see you posting again!

:goodluck: with the yard sale, Punkin! Glad you are back, too!

zadie, you are working too hard. Take a break! :bubbles:

anagram, enjoy your visit with the royal family!

Where is Cerise hiding? :mag:

Hello Arabella and Ceara! :wave:

Well, I am about to become a gym rat. I'm going over to sign up at the YMCA that is just around the corner from my apartment. It was just recently expanded, so it is like a brand new building...huge two-level gym, new pool, locker rooms, etc. Hoping to find a personal trainer, too.

Sis and baby are doing well. http://friendpages.com/pages/writers/wildfire9600/photo16.jpg

Later!

hello all!
Well, we found a few things but the big excitement was DH's find of a gas chain saw....hmmmmmm. Found a few cheap things for me... I guess the Sansone walking tapes was a find although it appears they are the earlier tapes rather than the most current... no matter...

DH is laying down, I just reviewed some of the sign up pw I need to bring with me...much of it is exactly what I expected... some is about Internet security, building security, and smoking policy. Luckily, the smoking one will be easy since I don't. And as for Internet... there is a real chance there will be no other access other than email... which eliminates temptation!!
And since security is an issue more than ever everywhere today, I resisted reading that one... Hopefully its just that I need to carry my ID card at all times...

A friend mentioned to me that since the beginning of the 2nd quarter, her job stress had increased as she was suddenly in mandatory meetings at 5 pm ... rather than go to the gym after the meetings, she felt so bulldozed about these meetings, her first impulse was to leave the building ASAP... and this trend continued up until this week... She realized it had been nearly 2.5 ,mos since she had been to the gym and was shocked at how much she had gained even though she was eating ok... I think she only gained about 3 lbs but when you are eating ok, that would be annoying to me too... much less, I think the big shock was how much of a difference the workouts made... or is she too seeing the weight gain as a stress sympton???

so... if we used other stress relievers ( no, no, no, please tell the Royal Vinter to roll those casks back into the cellar.... ) :devil:
would we still see a weight increase... ie deep breathing, mediation, music,
singing, .....
or is physical activity the best stress reliever ???

hmmmmmmmm


so.....

I think we could use some humor...
I am off to find us a grin!

Yo! IMO, the earlier Leslie (Sansone) tapes are the best. I collected them for years, regret that I gave a bunch of them away to my ex-best friend (the one who told me what a selfish person I was ... I've posted about this before) ... she has not returned them (nor the $80 she still owes me, but that's another story). But anyway, I digress. The older tapes are really very good and lots of fun, even though they hark back to a more innocent era and lack some of the "slick" of the newer ones. IMO (though thou didst not ask) you made a wonderful purchase.

When dost thou start thy new job?

Wildfire, it be so good to see thou ... and the baby is adorable! :) Congratulations on thy impending gym ratness!!! Sounds as thou it'll be fun! Hope you don't spend TOO many evenings offline as you are missed.

I have lots more to say but will spare thee all as I need to eat.

What a gift to come in and see Frogger's back! I'm so happy to see you posting again.

Speaking of babies---thanks for posting the link to the new munchkin in your life, Wildfire!

How was the big sale, Punkinseed?

We had to go back to the vet this morning with our ancient cat, Weed. [No, she's NOT named after THAT!] The poor thing has cystitis. She was showing us by not peeing in her litter box--by peeing blood on the light-colored kitchen floor and then looking at us and screaming as if to say, "Hey, this isn't right!" Pretty smart, huh? So that's almost 400$ in vet bills in one week, with rabies and Frontline, heartworm pills, Jubal's surgery. Oh well, it's only money.....Money worries get to me like nothing else, and I'm really rying to stay positive thru it all. :^:

All this talk about cortisol has me wondering something that may or may not be related. A friend of mine lost some weight on the South Beach diet and it was mostly weight around her middle. Why is that? Do you have any idea, Wildfire?

Hello !

Here's the grin I found...
its multitasking as a good thought too..
"
MISTAKES

Joke:

Two guys walk into a bar. You'd think the second one would have seen it.

Ouch! But it's true. We watch other people make mistakes, then we go ahead and make the same mistakes ourselves.

Mistakes are lessons. They should be heralded as such. But wouldn't it be great if we could learn many of those lessons without actually having to make the mistakes ourselves? Pay attention to the mistakes people around you make - not to belittle them, but to avoid making the same mistakes.



May you live all the days of your life,
David Leonhardt,
The Happy Guy"

so...

Eydie- I can relate... Money worries me like nothing else too...
And especially when things just load up one after the other...
Last fall we had a vet bill after vet bill... need to do the heartworm quickly too...

as for your friend losing it around her middle, is she younger?? That used to be me... last place would be hips and butt.... but this time.... its been the torso that has been the holdout...

need to run to get some whole wheat flour... might have fresh baked bread tonight!

hi wildfire-thanks for sharing the picture of the precious, beautiful little prince! so glad to hear sis and nephew are doing well. good having you catch us up on how you've been. have missed you.

frogger-so glad you are feeling well and that new job is good. exciting to think sept. will be here before you know it!

was op and did my exercising today. i woke up very early this morning (4 am) and wasn't able to go back to sleep, so was kind of concerned i'd use that as an excuse to eat more than had planned since such a long day for me, but tossed that idea out of my head, fortunately, and hung in there. i am on my way to bed now, in fact, but wanted to check in and say hello to everyone in the royal court. take care, all.

Yo! Save me a place in line for the money worrying! :yikes:

I do it all the time!

Hmmm. Interesting discussion about the weight gain around the middle. My brother worries me because he, in common with all my family, seems to have too much fat around the middle, even though he is active and eats carefully. Oddly enough, I eat very poorly and am stressed to the max and have my family's genes, but I put on weight around hips and thighs, I don't seem to have that dangerous middle-age spread. I'm convinced it's the planks! I do a lot of 'em.

I'm convinced planks are the single best exercise in the universe.

Eydie, oh no...Weed is sick now? Did they put her on medication? Poor thing...but smart to let you know! Yes, money worries are right up there near the top for most of us, but somehow it always works out.

I don't know the scientific explanation for the weight loss around the middle with SouthBeach, but it does seem to happen for those who carry their weight there. That was one of the reasons I tried it. I have also heard from diabetics that if you cut out the sugar you lose weight around the middle.

I do know that the SouthBeach diet was developed to help those with cardiac problems, and the apple body type is predisposed to heart problems. Dr. Agatston, who developed the diet and essentially bucked the AHA's long-standing recommendation of low-fat, high fiber, had quite the battle in getting his well-deserved recognition for a diet that is helping thousands, possibly millions get healthy. It is VERY different from Atkins. Much healthier and flexible.

Given all of this and recent articles I've seen about exercising for your body type, I am going back to weightlifting...maybe even bodybuilding. With my body type and where I gain when I gain, weightlifting is the recommended way to go. I refuse to be one of those women who say they don't want to bulk up so they do high reps, low weights. I build muscle fairly easily and I'm taking advantage of that six-month window you have when you start training in which the most muscle growth takes place. I intend to lift heavy....lift like a man, if you will. That combined with a South Beach approach (as I'm not ever following a strict diet again!) will hopefully be the key for me. I'm committing to six months to see if it will work. Anytime I face a new challenge (like changing jobs) I tell myself I have to give it six months before I'll really know if I like it. If I didn't, I would have quit this new job inside of three weeks. :lol:

Must be off...enjoy your Sunday! :wave:

Well, I lost a half a pound, so the :devil: Scale is safe from being turned into a lamp for the nonce!

Wildfire, hooray for you in deciding to go with the heavy weights ... I'm working on that, too, except I had to go lighter for a bit because of a health matter ... but now I want to get back up to the strength I had. It really works! :cp:

Have to go eat something.

hello all!

Yes, it really is Sunday... Just came back online... seemed like the server had been down for days!!

Here's our thought of the day :
****

Thought of the day :

" 'There' is no better than 'here' " ---from Life Lessons


Question of the day :

"What is earliest memory?"


Its been overcast nearly all day... had a to take sinus medicine twice but a nap really seemed to help the most.. Am trying to play catch up, 15 minutes at a time..
Finally cleared a space in my living room that was just getting higher and higher..

Yes, you guessed it...more than 1/2 of it could be thrown away... even found coupons dated 2003 in the pile!!

so... let me go hang some clothes !

Thanks for the South beach info, Wildfire! Very helpful. I've considered looking into it myself; I haven't heard anything bad about it ever. It'd be nice to have a flatter belly---hmmmm. My big trouble spot is my thighs--I can't seem to get that nice defined look. Hey, maybe I need to go for heavy weights too?
BTW, old lady cat Weed is on antibiotics for her cystitis--she already seems to be feeling better! Now the vet wants us to bring her in for bloodwork because she's dropped a lot of weight, but gradually over a few years. Her highest weight was a robust 15 pounds, now she's down to a svelte 8. That'll have to wait until July.

Sunday afternoon greetings! I'm going to go take a nap in a sec.

Eydie, glad thy little Weed be better! Don't cats often lose weight as they age? Dunno. Mine weighs approximately 8 ... eats like a small horse! :)

QOD: I think my earliest memory is being carried in my mom's arms at night with the light on. I think she was frightened about something. But I have a lot of baby memories ... scooting on the floor (I did that before I crawled) in a living room with a Christmas tree and a big man with a mustache handing my dad a red mustache cup ... I didn't know it was a mustache cup, of course, I think someone must have told me later ... my mom hiding my brother's birthday cake in the washing machine (?) ... listening to a little gold record and watching my mom put on a hat with a veil ... sorry, you only asked for ONE memory ... but I don't know which was the oldest ... there are lots more, but I'll spare ya!

Congratulations to me on my half pound loss!!! :cp:

Congratulations on your loss, Empress. Most impressive.

Sweet, sweet baby, Wildfire. Just wanta cover him with lite kisses.

Good vibes for tomorrow, Kaylets. 'Twill be stressful to be sure but i'm looking forward to reports of kind words from ex co-workers who haven't seen you for a while and don't yet know the new and revised version.

And, Wildfire, that comment about first three weeks on new job sounds ominous. Things better?

Eydie, what a smart little kittie you have! Such a good visual you painted.

Had a super marvelous weekend with ds & dsil. Plus stopped in for an hour or so with the princesses on the way home. I'm just full of good vibes tonight, feeling great. :cloud9: However, eating was not great and I can't even discuss it except to say yesterday wasn't too bad with lots of walking and water. Today was an embarrassing story......

Hello all!

Per usual, I slept very little last night... seems to always be this way each time I begin a new job... Luckily most of the stress was softened once I reminded myself, that I know these people already, I know how to get there, I know the dress code, etc, etc.... why I seem to get to such a fever pitch with this stuff is the question I guess....

So...
let's get back to basics...

Breathe in...

one and two and three and four

Breathe out

one and two and three and four

Repeat....

***
Thought of the day :

"Keep smiling, it is the beginning of peace." --- Mother Teresa

Question of the day :

"Can you whistle?"

****

Congrats Empress on the .5 down... I havent seen the number yet today, took a shower first and hair is still wet ( :lol: )

I think I should polish up my FRESH START Card and keep moving...
No point in wasting any more time trying to guess why a couple of pounds have reappeared... they did... I know how I can lose them again...
Just going to change the tire and get back on the journey!!

I keep meaning to look at the pics... will get there tonight!

Good vibes to all --- including pets!

Punkin! We need an update on the yardsale?!?

Arabella- saw you posting on the other thread ( that I just never seem to get to... maybe that would be a good start for me too!)....
How is life treating you??


To all!
Have a good one!

KETTLE IS ON!

Drive-by post of the day. Things are going well, but today we are filing a case and there is a lot of last minute work to do. Yikes.

I am glad all of your pets are doing ok/in recovery. We took Leicester (big cat) to the vet and he weighed more than I care to admit. The vet said it was his medication, but yikes. He is on a kitty diet now. Poor baby cat.

At any rate...off to work. I know, I know, I need a break. Soon. Very soon.

Thanks for the congrats, :queen: K! I know it doesn't seem like much to anyone else, but every half pound I lose is very hard won! :thanks:

Your mantra to yourself on the new job seems very appropriate ... you DO know the people, know how to get there, know the dress code, know the corporate culture and so forth ... you chose to go back there because you know it's right for you and they chose you to come back because THEY know you and that you're right for them. They want you, so it's all gonna be great! You're a champ and they know it! :jig:

Zadie, I replied to thee on the 21-day challenge thread re the bike challenge ... that's so fun! Can't wait to follow your adventures!

QOD: I've never been able to whistle, though it's not for lack of trying. Same thing with swimming and calculus. Can do most other things, though! :lol3:

Icky ol' Monday....

The yard sale went pretty good. I made about $200, my stepfather made about $250 and my mom almost $400. That doesn't include the $5,250 they got for their pontoon boat they've been trying to sell for 2 years. Yup, someone finally bought the boat!!! I didn't really have that much to sell, so I'm happy with what I made - but honestly it wasn't really worth all the time spent preparing for the sale and sitting on my butt for 3 days - and the amazing sunburn I have now on my scalp... :dz: But, it's done now! :cb: We've all decided it'll probably be the last one we have.

Weight wise, I've gracefully climbed back on the wagon and tightened my seat belt. I'm down about 4 1/2 pounds from last Monday. I was a little more than 5 pounds on Saturday, but too much sun, not enough water and too many mixed nuts undid some of the loss (temporarily, I'm sure). I'm amazed at how much better I feel already.

Thanks to my Stella kitty I've been getting little sleep. She's taken it upon herself to make sure I don't oversleep by waking me up when the sun starts to come up. Not a problem in the spring and winter - but at this time of year the sky's getting really light at 4am! So, she's been "making beds" with her claws on the side board of my bed and waking me up between 3:50-4:10am for WEEKS now. Yesterday I put tin foil on the side of my bed - so she went to the other side. Tonight the whole bottom of the bed gets foiled!!! :devil:

Dad and stepmom's coming in from Yuma in a few days. Their visit is the last of the company I'm expecting this summer. :cb: :faint:

FROGGER MOM!!!!!!! It's sooooo good to hear from you again! Sorry to hear about the pain with DH's job - but so happy to hear you're doing better in that department! Can't wait to see the sonogram pictures of the little tadpole!

Wildfire, your nephew is a doll! How is it that all newborns have that wise, old looking face? I don't get it - there was a comedian a long time ago that said it was funny how all newborns have a "oh great, here we go again" look on their faces :lol:. Continued luck to sister and son - is he out of the hospital yet?
I'm with you on the weights too. They always say how it's the muscle that burns the calories - doesn't it make sense to make more muscle then?? I'd seen some exercises for building the butt muscles (I have a flat butt even at my weight!) and then in the yard sale I found my old Jazzercise adjustable leg weights - I vowed to start putting them to use! :strong:

Eydie, wow Weed is one smart kitty! In the litterbox you may have not noticed her problem for a looooong time! Glad she's feeling better... my old Ochoco started loosing some weight a year or so ago too and they said it was just her age. Granted, she's still 13 pounds - but she's quite trim considering she used to tip the scales at over 16! :dance:

Amarantha, do tell! What's a plank??

Kaylets, so how'd the first day go? Geeeeeez I hate the first day of *anything* new! I'll get the kettle on asap for ya!

Anagram, I'm liking the sound of your "good vibes"! Spread 'em around now!!! :sunny: There must be something about spending time with little ones that just makes it all... right. Not having children (and apparently I was born without a biological clock too) I sometimes forget how much joy they bring. My best friend's daughter is almost 13 - not a child but a full fledged young woman! This weekend there were a LOT of little kids and we were giving them all little fist sized polished rocks (with parental permission, of course) and the look on their faces.... just made me miss having babies to dote on and spoil and blow raspberries on their tummies... Hug the princesses for me, ok? :yes:

:wave: WSW and Zadie!

Well, should away to my work... after working all weekend I'm sure this week will seem never ending. Here's to early bed times and kitties that don't wake me up at 4am!!!! :crossed:

Terri

Lol, Punkin, you hit it on the nose. Tummy Raspberries on the younger princess were part of my good vibe. Plus telling them lots of times how lucky I am to have such beautiful granddaughters. It's a message I want them to carry with them all their lives because I think it will really help their self esteem later in life. I've needed a good weekend like this one for quite a while. And any day when I get to see all the loves in my life is a good one - well, usually.

The take from your sale sounds good if you didn't have a lot to sell but they sure are work. But I like the "people" part of it too.

Safe night in the mountains, Empress. And I second the request for a report, Kaylets, if thou not be too exhausted.

Hello all!!

All in all, came home on the Express bus last night knowing I had made exactly the right choice...
Did panic when was handed a schedule of learning accomplishments ... wondered if I had jumped from fire to the pan but by day end I was able to reverse that thought... The trainer already had books ready, actual "excercises" to practice , etc... I learn faster "hands on" so I was thrilled with the practice sheets .....Its difficult when you have to learn by what comes in the mail/ or by phone so having samples for practice is great....


Which leads me to this morning's thought:

***
Thought of the day :

"The big question is whether you are going to say a hearty yes to your adventure."
--Joseph Campbell

Question of the day :

"What if the hokey pokey is all that it's about?"

****


Punkin-- sounds like between all of you the sale went very well.....
But yes, can be incredibly draining.... but look how much you got out of the house/garage ??
and Punkin, was wondering if you'd share some thoughts about your WW leader experiences.... am wondering if I would make a good leader...


To everyone!
BIG HUGS-- Lots of positive energy to get us thru!!

KETTLE IS ON!

Flybye as didn't get home until midnight, went to gym at 5:30 a.m. and have to work as I intend to attend a yoga class tonight! :)

Punkin, a plank is a yoga exercise that works your entire core in the most subtle way (and IMO it improves mood and metabolism as well, all in one fell swoop). It's my fav exercise. There are lots of variations but basically you just lift lie face down on the floor and lift yourself onto toes and forearms (so you're resting on them like a plank) and stay there as long as you can. You've probably done it. It is harder than it looks.

Congrats on 4.5 pounds down! :cp: Huzzah!

Kaylets: Congrats on getting that first day under your belt! Sounds like you did make the right choice!

I am braindead but need to get done.

Later ...

punkinseed-congrats on the weight loss! glad to hear you survived the garage sale. i know how much work they are.

kaylets-so glad to hear your first day at new job went well and that you are in the right place. first days sure are stressful no matter what, though.

anagram-glad you enjoyed your time with little princesses and loved ones.

amarantha-congrats on your weight loss!

hi also to cerise, zadie, ceara, arabella, wildfire, and all the royal court. hope everyone has a good afternoon. take care, all.

Hello all!

2nd day!

Must be really goofy as this is my third read of Anagram's description of Tummy Rasberries... and am JUST getting it... I thought...well, I'd rather not say except I was thinking of jam... !

Seems as though heat and humidity built as the day went on... took a short stroll at noon and it was pleasant... coming home at 5pm was a shock...
ah well...

Another goofy thing I caught myself doing....

Remember I said I am now working on the 2nd floor... and that I'd have to go up and down more times to make up the difference??? Well, there I am this am.. going up and down... and then on the 3rd turn around said to myself...
WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ?????
This building has 10 floors... why are you stopping at the 2nd floor and going back down to turn around to come right back up?? WHY are you not climbing 4 flights and THEN coming down???
PERSPECTIVE Royals!! Perspective!!

How many times have I done something similiar in other areas of my life??
There I was, clomping up 2 flights, clomping down.... pushing myself...

Well, enough about me....



WSW- how are you? Is it steamy where you are?

Empress-- I know I must sound like a real whiney baby about the heat...
what can I say.. Perspective...

Ok my Royals...
time for dinner..

Hello all!

Must be really humid out as the windows are foggy inside.... hee hee...

So...
Scale is finally showing a small decline.... hoping more activity is knocking that bloat away... Today I challenge myself to at least one extra flight..

Did I mention that I am reading "London" by Robert Sarum on my bus rides??
Its full of many Celtic, Scottish, Roman, traditions, rites, holidays... Certainly a terrific upside ... had forgotten how wonderful it is to find a good read and have the time to enjoy.. guilt free!

So.... new habits again for me!

How quickly we revert to "old" habits when we get sidetracked....
No matter, just a detour... as long as the detour doesnt become a destination...

And maybe I'll even get to the 21 day challenge more than to sign up for it!

Hope everyone is well ! I do realize the past few weeks the posts have been ALL ABOUT ME! and I appreciate how everyone has been so supportive....

So...
Frogger... did you hint a baby pic was a possible for us?
I know you are taking your vitamins!

Anagram... is the garden thinned to your satisfaction?

Cerise... I'm getting worried about you! Hope to see you here soon!

Wsw... How's the a/c in the new castle?

Arabella... Has heat wave touched your grace's kingdom?

Empress.. I heard on the radio there was a big candy makers trade show... and ..... sugar free PB cups were introduced... I know just what you're thinking... :o

Zadie... How are thee?? Saving your seat for you!

Eydie...Trips to the vet slowed down??

Punkin... Was looking for some thoughts from your grace's kingdom...

Wildfire... Status check on your kingdom please

Ceara... Yes, I'm saving your seat too! How goes it???


Sorry to all those I have forgotten..But please check in and tell us how things are going for you...

***
Today's thought is:

" You can't cross a chasm in two steps."
---Rashi Fein

Question of the day:

" How old were you when you began school?"

***

KETTLE IS ON!

Fly-by :wave:

I'm on Day 4 of the 21 Day Challenge, and Day 3 of South Beach Phase I. I'm completely happy with SB. Lots of veggies, protein, and (I think) enough carbs in the form of legumes. I feel well on it, which I did not on the fruit/veg detox. I'm not going to weigh in until Friday, but I feel like this is working. Hope so!

Stayed up until after 11 doing my taxes last night and then couldn't sleep after that, so I've got about 3 hours sleep under my belt. Feel relatively normal at this point. The night before I'd gotten the first full night's sleep in about a month and felt pretty much like a new woman for it. Ah well. Maybe I'll get another good night's sleep tonight.

Love to all! Let's make this a good one!

Yo! Brevity mode, off to gym.

Thanks for the pm congrats on my weight loss, Wsw! I really appreciate it.

I know it may seem odd the way I'm shamelessly begging for congratulations right now but I seem to need support and notice right now ... not sure why! :)

Arabella, SB looks pretty healthy to me as well and I've thought about doing ... glad you are enjoying it ... you're dooing great! :cp:

Nay, :queen: K, thoughts of pb cups (even sugar free) no longer trouble me ... I don't seem to want them anymore, although I'm bingeing on everything else ...

And though seemeth never like a whiner ... heat is relative and I'm sure it's humid where thou art as well ... although the "it's a dry heat" thing we joke about here isn't really much help ... especially in July when it's NOT a dry heat! (If people wouldn't plant so many lawns, though ...) ... also, it's actually a fact that the blood "gets thin" in hot climates ... e.g., the platelets (sp?) get further apart or something ... and one gets aclimatized (sp?) ...

Second the call to Cerise ...

I was four when I started kindgergarten ... my mom taught me to read the year before ... it annoyed the teachers ... :lol3:

Hello,
After some awfully busy days I finally have a bit of a break. Things are going pretty well around these parts.

QOD: I was 4, and like Amarantha I was already reading and it drove the teacher nuts. With my younger sister they tried a different approach and did not start her in school till she was 5, but this backfired and she ended up ahead in everything and graduating a year early.

I was just noticing a lack of Cerise as well. Hello? Helloooo?

I have a friend on SB who loves it. She lost a ton of weight so far and has been eating a lot of broccoli and other good foods, so I guess it is an OK thing.

Thanks to my worried boyfriend I now have a really good bike helmet. It has a distinctly elvish look to it, which is not a bad thing at all. It is also very comfortable. Leif figures that anything that makes me stick to my bike to work plan is worthwhile, plus he worries if I am riding without a helmet. The next step is to get a new seat so my a** does not hurt so darn much.

Well, despite the slow day I have to get some work done. Hello to everyone.

Hey, ladies.

First: apologies. I'm SO BLOODY SORRY that I've neglected some of my favorite people on the planet! I feel terrible and missed you all, but didn't have the mental or even physical energy to spare to log on. Well, that's a lame excuse, but kind of true, I guess. :^:

Second: what the **** was I doing that whole time? I was sick. Not the whole time, but I was either sick and miserable or weakly recovering. I've had some sort of horrible intestinal bug that has given me constant...um...runs..., and a lot of dehydration and general distress and weakness. I finally decided I couldn't shake it on my own, went to Urgent Care, got threatened with an IV if I didn't get more serious about Gatorade, and went on antibiotics. That seems to be helping, and as soon as I'm back to 100%, I'll start taking acidophilus to assist my depleted and much-injured intestinal fauna.

One good thing (I guess, though the circumstances that brought it about were **** on earth) about this whole thing is that my stomach capacity is down to nil right now - two eggo waffles this morning nearly did me in. Lots of drama. I'll try to keep it that way.

Anyway, I'll try to catch up with all of you today and get some posties done, but for now let me thank you for your patience and good wishes, and thanks for being here. I feel so much better. Thank god.

Love to all, :D

Mornin' ladies!

Sorry for the disappearance... we're starting to get applicants for our job opening now! :cb: So, I've been playing office manager and scoping out the best possible guy for the job... :mag:

Anagram, I think it's such a huge gift you're giving the Princesses, self esteem. It's not that I was ever belittled as a child, but I believe my parents were too busy with their own lives (divorce, re-marriage, etc.) during that time in my life when I needed to hear all that wonderful stuff. I did have a few very, very special teachers in my life at that time though and for them I'll be eternally grateful.
You're very right about the people part of the yard sale! We *finally* met all our neighbors! Mom's been here for 12 years, me 5, and we had SO many people come by and say "hi" it was great! I even had one lady stop me in the post office on Monday and say "hi, remember me? I was at your garage sale and I'm your neighbor" - thank God I remembered her name! Very cool though...

Amarantha, ok, I want to try the plank here, but I'm sure my mom would come in and ask what in the **** I was doing! :lol: Will try it at home - one can ALWAYS use more core strengthening! :strong:
I'm with ya on the climatizing too - when I first moved to Oregon 30 degrees was call for as much clothing as possible, now it's simply jacket weather. Now I don't *really* bundle until it goes below 20 and I learned you can go glove-less as long as it's not under 10 - then your fingers start to burn....
And your "shameless begging for congrats"???? Ok!
:cb: :bubbles: :cheers: :cheer: :cool: :bravo: :high:

Hi WSW!!!!

Arabella, make sure you get some sleep!!! :faint:

Zadie, better to look elvish than have all of us shaking fingers at you for not wearing your helmet! :nono: My mom's STILL getting scolded for not wearing hers when she was thrown from her horse and it's been almost a YEAR!!!!

Kaylets, climb those floors!!! I used to work on the 13th floor in San Francisco (yes, there was a 13th floor in our building!) and once got the urge to climb it. I did it, but the next time I got off on the 7th or 8th floor and walked up from there! :faint:
Ok, WW-leaderness.... I enjoyed it more than I can say. The only thing I didn't like was that they didn't live up to their end of the bargain. When I was hired they said I'd have to weigh in with my boss once a month and I figured that would keep me on track and honest. Well, one month came and went, then another and another and in the almost 3 years I was a leader NO ONE ever weighed me. What actually happened was that everyone wrote down their weights on the slip, everyone signed each others and no one ever verified it. Well, with no watch dog that little voice in my head said "so why bother, they won't be checking!" and up my weight went. :dz:
Really that's my only gripe. Other than that I had a blast. Of course that was also when there were actual centers and getting in and out of your meetings was fast. Right before I left they started closing centers and moving into "travelers", meaning you, the WW employee, are responsible for setting up everything before the meeting and cleaning up everything afterwards. It takes a LOT longer to do it this way - but since WW pays you by the meeting and not by the hour, they don't care... I have zero regrets about being a leader though and have even thought about doing it again. I love the interaction with people, have no problems speaking in front of people (my largest meeting was 110 people in Napa, CA the Saturday after New Year), and I honestly do believe in the program. I'd say "do it" if you're thinking about it! You could be the leader that clicks with someone who's about to give up... :yes:

Q o' the day - 6 years old. To start kindergarten at 5 in September, you had to turn 6 by the end of the year. Well, my birthday's in January, so I had to wait almost another full year... Grrrr!

Ok, time for me to get to work I suppose...

Terri

Hello all!

Yes Empress, you DO deserve the congrats!! And why should you not mention you need it?? I am seeing more and more, that some help ( support, congrats, etc,etc) is SOOOO much better than none... and that it actually makes it easier for folks if we ask because than they don't have to worry that they are intruding... So often I think my asking is a weakness on my part yet I am actually giving someone a chance to give me a gift ...

So, I will do the same for you... CONGRATS! on mollifying the PB cups!
It is a great feeling to realize we can get on the other side of that binge isnt it???

Cerise-- I was afraid you werent feeling well.... Saving you seat for you...
I imagine you must be exhausted too... I dislike IV's too... perhaps some soup a 1/2 cup at a time would taste good??? This is the one time you might notice a real difference once you've absorbed the sodium... a real "Must have needed that!"....

***

Thought of the day :

"Out of every crisis comes a chance to be reborn."
---Nena O'Neil

Question of the day :

"Can you sing the Gilligan's Island show song?"

***

Must be off!~
Kettle is on!

Flyby...I'll write later today but for now it's CRAZY at work - we have a schmoozing open house (uh, I mean "networking") tonight and I'm in a tidying frenzy.

Love you all and glad to be back,

Flybye here as well ... WELCOME BACK, CERISE!!!! :wave: :cp: :hat: :hb: :cheer: :cheers: :flow1:

My job thing is also crazy right now ... big transitions ... and I'm trying to get some notes typed up for a story and it's not going too well ... working tonight ... later

I've started a concurrent 21-day challenge (along with my pb cup and milky way NOT one) to get my calories down ... details on 21-day thread ... gotta get going on the weight loss ...

To all, mentioned or un ... huzzah! :)

Yo. Just stopping by o so briefly t say howdy.

Cerise - I am glad you are back and I hope you are feeling much better.

QOD: why yes, I can sing the Gilligan's Island theme song. Which is strange because I never really watched the show.

Flying by here too: Still doing well on SB Phase I.

Cerise, so sorry you were ill, but so glad you're better!

Kaylets, you ask the darndest things! I can not only sing the Gilligan's Island theme song, I can also get it stuck in my head until nothing can make it go away but AC/DC or Rod Stewart replacing it. Why is it that the ones that get stuck are NEVER the ones you like? It's like you've got someone else's soundtrack going.

WI tomorrow -- hope to be down :crossed:

cerise- welcome back. i am so glad you are feeling better now after your long siege of being sick!

kaylets-it is definitely hot and humid down here. it is like walking in to a sauna. fortunately, my a/c is working. just the trips outside to and from my car wear me out completely in this heat.

i have been op and exercising, but my weight sure isn't moving. getting frustrating, but i know i need to hang in and do what i need to and then the that demon scale will eventually move downward the way it is supposed to. well, hello to all the royal court. hope everyone has a good evening. take care.

Just flying by---- :angel:
Welcome back, Cerise--you were missed!
Let's see, I haven't been on in a few days....I can't whistle but I can sing the Gilligan's Island theme song.
Amarantha, you're doing beautifully, never doubt it! :D
I'm hanging by a thread with my program but still hanging on! :) I really need to get to the market and stock up on fresh fruit and veg. Oh, and the garden has started to produce some things: yellow squash, zucchini, and brocolli!

Geez Eydie...how about coming and planting mine!:s: I have tomotoes in, which are flowering, and peppers...and that's all folks!

The mosquitoes are like that insect repellent commercial around here...stick your hand into the plants to pull a weed, and Z..I..N..G.. instant blood donating. I tell you!

Am having some probs getting my head around some of my challenges...I should post 7 singles instead of 1 biggie with 7 parts eh? The no wine and walking are no brainers....having trouble with no food after 7...seem to be hungry....a lot....Anyway. Am off for the road.

QOD...no don't know all the words to G I...but it is an annoying tune...I agree Arabella. School...grade 1...I was a deprived child...still can't cut and paste. Actually there was no JK or Sk in those there days...at least in my area. But I am a horrible paster....and typist today....

Gotta motor!

Ceara

Good morning :queen:s of the realm!

I weighed in down 3 pounds, making it an even 10 pound loss for my sig. A little frustrated that my scales are 3-4 pounds heavy, but since those are the scales I'm using I guess I'll use the numbers they report. BUT, I want you all to know that I'm probably down 13 or 14 pounds. It's a start!

I keep meaning to tell you about my new earrings. I got them from a friend's antiques/junk store. They're silver (I prefer silver to gold, luckily it's much more affordable!) with large ovals of yellow (rather than amber) amber and two sterling feathers dangling from the bottom. I LOVE them, and just figured out the other day why: it's because I associate them with my avatar. So I'm going to consider them power earrings!

My recollection is that we've got some sci-fi, fantasy fans here... We've just started a forum on our site and we're looking for recommendations: http://whatis.discussions.techtarget.com/WebX?14@38.z9bLaVCBXUV.3@.1dcf9e63!viewtype=&skip=&expand= If anyone was inclined to join the conversation, that would be great. However, let me say here and now that registration can be a bit of a pain, and I totally understand if nobody wants to! :yes:

BUT, the forum's also a good place to post any niggling issues about computers or anything even loosely related to technology. (K -- I'll stop pitching now!)

Frogger, how great to see you back! I'm thrilled that things are working out so nicely for you. And -- what an adventure you have ahead of you!

wsw, I can empathize with the slow and/or stalling weight loss. You're right, though, perseverance will do it :yes: And, Man! Just look at your sig! You've done amazingly! I'm in awe, truly.

Ceara, mosquitoes can be hellish, can't they! When I lived in the country, at the height of bug season we would have to RUN from the car to the house. My door was down some rugged steps built into a hill -- I remember running down carrying groceries and yelling to my husband to come to the door so he could open it for me and I wouldn't have to pause.

Eydie, yes, veggies can save us! And they look so beautiful, too, you can really get some awesome color combos going. I'm really happy with the veggies on South Beach and -- just as they said -- I'm not missing the extra carbs much at all.

Amarantha, hope work got a bit easier for you. You KNOW I can empathize! I've got a big project that just overwhelms me when I think about getting to it, so I end up not getting much done at all. Need to set up a schedule, I think, say I'll work on it exclusively (without checking email or 3FC, for example) for specified time periods.

Wildfire, thank you for posting the picture of the newbie! So beautiful, and had that "ancient wisdom in the new body" look.

Cerise, how are you feeling now? It sounded just awful! But I have to admit, I was thinking, "Hey! Bet she lost weight!" An old boyfriend used to kid me that if I was dying of some wasting disease my last words would be "But...at.. least... I'm...skinny!"

Kaylets, I'm so happy for your new job! It sounds like it's just going to be great for you! YAY!!!

:queen: Punkin O' Friday -- Happy day! I had to laugh at your description of how you dress for the weather. Sounds so much like me! I was always one of those kids that was going without hat, jacket, etc. Still am. However, I sometimes get cold and DH just rolls his eyes.

Anagram, I love hearing about your relationship to the princesses. Yes, they are so blessed to have you for their grandmother!

zadie k, how goes the work? Do you do 9-5ish, or do you end up doing extra hours?

Ok, my dovies, I must be off and productive! Love to all, mentioned or unmentioned!

Flybye postie as so much to do!!!

Eydie, thanks for the encouragement ... I do feel I'm doing better and a lot of that is due to the journal thread and the 21-dayer, as well as this one!

Kaylets, I missed the qod about the GI song, but amazingly I probably could sing all the words to the right tune if I ever wanted to do that ... it's strange because I don't recall having ever watched the show ... and, yes, it's an annoying song (with apologies to anyone who happens to like it, whatever floats your boat, or in the case of the "seven stranded castaways" whatever doesn't float your boat ...)

I've really gotta work! :wave:

Happy Friday everyone!!

Fly by postie! I'm only at work for a few hours then I'm going home to entertain my dad and stepmother who are in from Arizona (they came in last night). We're gonna do some antique-ing, a little sightseeing... and I get off work early!!!! :cb:

Congrats Arabella on your loss and the power earrings sound beeeautiful!

Mucho smoochos to everyone, have a great weekend! :cool:

Terri
(aka :queen: Punkin o' Friday) :dance:

arabella-congrats on the 3 lbs. down!

hi punkin-have a good weekend with your family in town.

hello to amarantha, cerise, anagram, zadie, ceara, wildfire, kaylets, eydie, frogger, and all the remaining royal court dwellers.

i finally was able to pick up my electric wheelchair on monday, which had so generously been donated to me by the organization which sends out my volunteer. it is amazing! my friend put up my ramp so that i can use it inside and out, and i now have been certified to use the handi-capped accessible public transportation with van service so that i can use it to go to doc appts. i have been practicing using it in my condo. and have crashed in to a few pieces of furniture (lol!) but am getting pretty good at it now. this will make things so much easier for getting around outside more, and amazingly, even though my condo is tiny (about 650 sq. ft.), it fits in here just fine. i can also move easily in it (after a lot of practice, of course!) from the living room to bedroom, so i can really use it in here when my arms and legs aren't working too well. what a generous donation and gift i have received. it really means a lot to me. this week was also a first for me (well, first time in a long, long time, anyway) when i actually cooked an entire meal for a friend the other night. i don't really cook much and usually when i invite friends over for dinner or a gathering, i have pot lucks( and i make some dishes) or get take out (healthy stuff, but not cooked by me, though.) i want you all to know, i actually cooked the entire dinner for a friend on wed. night, and she didn't die of food poisoning! i know it must sound funny to most of you who cook a lot, but truthfully, i never liked it too much and since it's just me, i don't ever make anything too elaborate for myself, and so over the years, have gotten a little self-conscious about the idea of cooking for anyone else. anyhoo---now that i have taken my maiden voyage back in to the land of cooking, i have vowed to invite more friends over for actual home-cooked (yes, by me!!) meals. well, now that i have confessed my deep dark secret, i will end this long me-me post. i hope everyone has a good afternoon/evening. thinking of you, all. take good care.

all the best,
wsw

Hello, everyone. :wave:

Ugh. Soooo tired today. :tired: Our company open-house was last night - lots of salmon and white wine and small talk, and then I stayed until the caterers were done cleaning up. I feel cheated, somehow. I think if I have to feel this sh*tty I should have done something fun to deserve it, like staying up and tying one on. The good thing about the open house (besides meeting this wonderful 77-year-old lady who bungee-jumped 300 feet on her 65th birthday) is that my co-workers are really great once they've had a beer or two, so the company was good.

Mucho smoochos to you, Punkin! I'm sorry - you still have to get on your Mom's case about wearing a helmet, even after her fall? Hmmm. Have fun with your Dad and Stepmother, dear! :D

Amarantha, you're doing beautifully, my dear! Wow, what a lot of effort you're throwing into weight-loss right now. You're doing good work. I'm so proud of you. ;)

Wood Nymph, wow! You've gotten way down! :cb: Good for you, my dear. Your earrings sound great - I love silver so much; I have trouble making myself wear gold ever. I love amber, too. I'll check out that link this weekend, honey. I am a real SF/Fantasy fan, I think. Well, I don't do the comics and stuff, and I've stopped reading the gagillion Star Wars/Star Trek novels, but...I still lovedlovedloved "The Chronicles of Riddick" - what could be better than a melodramatic Sci-Fi with the gorgeous Vin Diesel? *sigh* Darling, I haven't had the courage to get on a scale in quite a while. Who knows if I lost anything. Maybe I should get mono. OK, just kidding. Not funny. :D

Ceara, no Kindergarten? Geez, you didn't miss much. "Mrs. Minor, Lora's coloring in her bunny with pencil!!!" "Cerissa, please don't make me ask you again to stop using crayons on your fingernails!" "Wipe your nose!" "Color in the lines!" God, I hated school. I still have authority issues. Darling, thank you for the kind email. And I think you're a fine typist. :spin:

Eydie, thank you for the welcome back. How exciting that your garden's actually growing something! I'm miserable at that sort of thing. Latest growing fiasco: I was given the obligatory african violet by the rest of the office support staff on my birthday and was told sternly to water it from the bottom and not to over-water it. She got limper and limper, even though I carefully filled a plate and sat the pot in it - today I discovered that there's no hole in the bottom of the pot. :dz: Poor thing. Hope she survives.

wsw, thanks for YOUR welcome back! Yes, I'm feeling better every day. I'm still battling dehydration, even though I'm no longer symptomatic in any way. I'm actually rather...constipated now, as if my body's getting me back or something. I can feel the dehydration especially in my eye area when I get out of bed in the morning. All swollen and puffy and sticky. Guh. :p I hope you stay cool and comfortable this summer, poor thing. The humidity used to just kill me when I used to live back East. :faint:

Zadie, I heard your call and came back! Thanks for thinking of me. Don't work too hard, OK? Tell your helmet-obsessed boyfriend (the Lovely Leif) Thank You from me. :devil:

Anagram, I do love picturing you with your princesses. I wish I had a grandma like you. Well, I do have you for a friend, don't I? :hyper: Lucky me! You know, I heard from that lady at the party (I'm not implying that you're anywhere near her age, by the way) that bungee jumping isn't hard at all on your joints. Gonna give it a try? ;) Aaah, you've probably already done it...

Well, darlings, have a lovely weekend. I'll be around. Kiss, kiss.

Ooh, ooh, ooh, wsw, what did'ja cook? What? What?!

Yo! I give up! Details on journal thread and 21-dayer ... I think I resigned from journal thread :lol: ... not sure about that ... here's the story of my day yesterday:

:workout: :mcd: :hungry: :eating2: :kickcan: :stress: :cookie: :jeno: :tired: :stress:


:sumo: :sumo: :sumo: :sumo: :sumo: :sumo: :sumo: :sumo: :sumo: :sumo: :sumo:

Mayhaps, Empress, you need a new thread totally and so many of us seem to need a new start (begging your pardon :queen:s who are still on the straight and narrow). With the Summer season officially arriving, perhaps it's time for a convening of the Royal Court for an official pronouncement of rededication to our Majestic Goals of Health, Happiness and Harvesting the rewards of steadfastness. I'm sure the loyal Towel Boys could manage to have the castle in readiness in record time.

What say ye all?

Oh, God, you guys, today is so sad for me.

Luke, a former classmate of mine (when I went to boarding school in Kenya, actually) died Thursday on Mt. Rainier. An avalanche. He was the first of our class to die - I know it happens, but Jesus. He has a wife and a four-year-old son. I'm desperately emailing the news people in this area to see if they can get a message through to Callyn, his wife, to offer my services if she's in the area. Mt. Rainier is very near Seattle. I have no other way of contacting her.

Anyway, please keep her and their son Maikol in your good thoughts today, Royals.

And yes, I could use a new start.

cerise-i am so sorry to hear of the death of your former classmate. how sad! you, his wife, and child are in my thoughts and prayers.

hi anagram-i love the idea of a re-dedication to our majestic goals. i could use a little extra push and re-dedication to my food/health program myself. sounds good. hope your saturday is a good one.

hello amarantha! greetings and good wishes to our empress.

one of my friends came over to visit briefly this afternoon. she is so funny. she wanted to try out my "new" electric wheelchair for fun and i gave a demo. apparantly, i have gotten pretty good at it in the few days since getting it. i even got up and down the ramp without feeling too nervous about crashing in to the wall across from my outside door and i didn't bang in to too many pieces of furniture today either (LOL!) i guess i really am getting the hang of it. it is so humid and hot and buggy here. i swear this is a bumper gnat and mosquito crop down in my neck of the woods. can you tell---i am so not an outdoors type person (even if the heat didn't bother me so much physically.) i am keeping my fingers crossed that this old a/c will hold out for the duration of this long hot summer.

thinking of all the courtly challengers. take care.

Sorry to hear of thy friend's death, Cerise. Hopefully you can reach the wife ... have you tried just calling information and trying to track down the name or googling it. I know you don't want to wait, but you could also wait for a news story or obit that could give you more info. It's possible his wife just needs some space now anyway and your support may be more needed later ... sorry, none of my biz, just a thought.

Anagramatic, you are definitely right. I think we need a new start! Mayhap a good starting point would be a new palace thread, er, CCRRMM's Rededication to Our Majestic Goals of Health, Happiness and Harvesting the Rewards of Steadfastness! Well, we might have to shorten that ... would you want to do the honors again if it be the will o' the queens.

I'm wondering if we need some formal challenges at the palace as we used to have ... maybe we even need to MOVE the palace to another section of the forum ... that's kind of fun :dunno:

I did actually make a new plan whilst out and about today. I know that my job situation is about to change, probably in July. I don't know what direction that will take, don't even know if I'll have a job, but I do know that I'm going back to journaling calories in a little book with a pen rather than a computer that I have to get to each time I eat. I bought such a journal and have started writing in it. I will still do my weekly spreadsheets. I may still post my days on the journal thread and may stay with the 21-day challenge, although I'm bound to admit I had a pb cup, so that's the end of that challenge for me as well! :bomb:

Have lots more to share, but must go read book! :)

Wsw, forgot to congratulate you on your new wheels!!! :yes: There'll be no stopping you now!!! Hmmm, maybe you should be an outdoors person ... it'd be great to take your new vehicle out for a spin in the sun, even if it's hot! There's nothing like being outside ... anyway have fun indoors or out!

thanks, amarantha! actually i used to love the outdoors when i lived in southern ca a long time ago. i liked the fact that the desert, ocean, and mountains were all in close proximity there. hmm-thinking about my time in ca made me smile. at times, i really do miss it. ah well!

Cerise, truly sad about the death of your friend. I'll be thinking of you and his family. Reminds me once again that life is fragile and dear.

wsw, it's fun picturing you and your new wheels!

Amarantha, courage, my dear. Sounds like you and I are going thru the same thing--the dreaded food/fitness funk.I desperately need a plan, a REAL plan, not some vague jumble of ideas. So I'll be working on that.
Thanks to Wise Anagram for recognizing this dangerous trend in the queendom, and counseling us all to get this wily beast under control. I love the notion of a rededication!

I think I'll have to quit the 21-day thread for a while, as I can't get a 'toehold' on it--at all! It's just too discouraging for me to go back to Day One constantly. Maybe when I compose this plan....

Good news for me today. I found out that my insurance company accepted me into the less expensive catagory after I supplied them with the proper documents! Chalk up one for the little guy! :)

Eydie, it's 3:30 a.m. and I am pmg thee! Huzzah!

Cerise, I'm so sorry to hear of your friend's untimely death. :grouphug: I can imagine how helpless you feel...an unexpected loss is always so hard to grasp. I hope the news agencies can somehow help you get in touch with Callyn. I'm sure she will be grateful for your support, whether she accepts or not, and yes, it may be needed even more when all is said and done and everyone goes back to their normal lives. It is the weeks and months that follow that are more difficult, when quiet settles in and one is suddenly alone with their fears and feelings. Sometimes it helps to have support outside the family where one can show her true emotions rather than having to be strong and keep up appearances. Keep trying to let her know you are out there and bless you for it.

wsw, it makes me smile to picture you zooming around in your new wheels! I'm so glad you are getting the hang of it and enjoying it. Wonderful to hear you're feeling up to having dinner company, too, and cooking to boot!

Eydie, great news that the insurance company came around! :cp:

Amarantha, congratulations on banishing another half pound!!! :cb: :dance: :cb: Every bit counts!

I vote for a fresh start, too. I have had a horrible week food-wise, rushed for time every day...working all day, last minute prom shopping every evening before DD went to work, playing chauffeur to and from work for her and she doesn't finish until 11 or 12pm, so I'm losing sleep having to stay awake to pick her up, I have a brand spanking new gym membership so I've been dragging my hiney out of bed at 5am to torture myself....*sigh* I want to get back on track this week because I simply won't survive another week like last.

How about a short get-on-track challenge? Say, 4th of July? It's just two weeks, but I think a lot of us could use a fresh start and IMHO Labour Day is too far off. A two-week recommitment anyone? No poundage pledges, just two weeks of concentrated effort to be healthy. Food, water, exercise, rest. I think we can do that on our normal thread rather than starting another? Or not...majority can rule...:shrug:

I'll check in later, after the gym. :wave: Hi to all!

[color=blue]Thanks for the congrats, Wildfire, but I just gained 2 pounds back! :lol3:

I kind of like the idea of a Fourth of July sprint, but I would actually want to make a poundage pledge, others could make other goals ... could someone PLEASE post it today so we can have a clear two weeks! I need a turnaround NOW! I have a plan and if a Fourth Sprint goes up, I could come up with a goal. What sayest thou? If you post it, we will come ... at least I will~!

I'll be back!

eydie-so glad to hear your insurance situation worked out after your effort to bring it about.

wildfire-i too like your idea of a short 2 week kind of revved-up health (re-)committment challenge.

i am working on getting some paperwork sorted out that had been sitting here too long, and have been plodding through it this weekend. it's a pretty big pile, but i am proud of myself for sticking with it. i go through phases where i remain quite organized and then have lapses, as i did recently. oh well. i am a work in progress.

have a good rest of your weekend, royals. take care.

wsw

Okay, why don't we wait until this evening and if no one objects, I'll start a new general Palace thread featuring a two-week challenge?

Sounds like a plan, Wildfire!!! Huzzah!!!! I'm ready to sprint!

Thanks, Wildfire! I'm beyond ready!!!! :D

Ready to recommit.

Just sharing my shake recipe for today. I made this for lunch in my Smoothie Jr. ... water, ice, Splenda, mixed melon pieces, grapes, peaches, cherries, half scoop whey protein powder, scoop soy powder, two Omega 3, 6 & 9 capsules, wheat germ, 200 calories and extremely filling.

Also beyond ready! Let's sprint, Queens!

Adding another recipe. Actually I got this idea from an infocommercial for a quite expensive mini processor that is exactly like the one I got for $9.99 at Wally World: Mixed frozen unsweetened berries, ice cube, Splenda packet, water (about a teaspoon). Process into a granita or sorbet, depending on how good your processor is. Eat. I'm going to try adding protein to this to get sherbert ... tastes like Italian ice only fresher. 60 calories, depending on the fruit.

New thread is up and running...come on over to the CCRRMM: Recommitment Sprint!

Hi,
Just quickly dropping by. I am now signed up on the re-commitment thread. I figure by the time our two weeks are up labor day will not be too far off for a longer challenge.

I was horribly sick this weekend. I think it was a bad sandwich (turkey) that did me wrong. I still managed to get out an buy new bike gloves though.

Cerise - I am so sorry to hear about your friend. It sounds like he had an extraordinary life, short though it may have been.

wsw - congrats on the new wheels. it sounds like you are adjusting to the new ride quickly, for which i am certain the furniture is grateful.

I agree with everyone who said that winter/spring was hard on the whole healthy living plan. But now...well it is really summer (though here is does not quite feel like it as we are sitting at 20 degrees below normal). I am tired of seeing my weight go down and then go right back up. I want to reach my goal by my birthday in November, but I have been doing not so well with any long term challenges that I make, so even saying that seems like a jinx. Well, rant over.

At any rate, I should get back to work. So much for a short post.