Alternachicks - July chat

Good Morning everyone :coffee:

I can't believe it is July already!

I had a great birthday yesterday and I have to say that I am happy and grateful to have such awesome friends as I do :goodvibes I had dinner out with a big gang last night and had a blast - laughed so hard I was crying and my ribs hurt.

Funny, most of my friends are like strays that DH and I have picked up along the way - they are the kind of people that got picked on in school (like me) for not fitting in and are a bit oddballl but they are amazing people - funny, kind, generous, intelligent, talented and just fun to be with.

Gee...I think I just describe a lot of you here :lol: Seriously, you are an amazing bunch of women and I am glad to have met all of you!

I am blessed to have all of you and my other friends in my life :grouphug:

Mauvais, I'm so glad you had fun on your birthday. :)
I know what you mean about friends. We're the same. We were all geeky and/or loners in high school. Now we're the coolest. :smoking:

YUP!!!

Glad to hear your birthday was so much fun!!!

The day after I landed, I made a true sit down meal. Roasted chicken with banana squash. The Cute Boyfriend and I were very jet lagged, so there wasn't much conversation. The next day, we ate the leftover (we never do that!) and some mushroom risotto and zucchini. I even used some of the chicken in the salad I took to work!

More stuff that will make you chuckle: I picked out a scone recipe to try to make this weekend and the Cute Boyfriend went to the "British Store" to pick up some clotted cream. I've already looked at the nutritional information (yikes!), so it will have to be a treat.



Very good work on the eating together, Goddess J, and on eating the leftovers. That’s very economical and I’m certainly in favour of that!

Now. Jessica. Please. I may not know what a Krispy Kreme is but I certainly do know what a scone is. I can make some lovely ones, white or wholemeal. They slip down very easily, don’t they? Especially with butter, jam and cream. Home-made ones are delicious. But please be careful. They can take you down a dark alley and mug you. They look so sweet and lovely but they are dangerous. Before you know where you are, you’ve eaten half a dozen – or more - or even more than that!

Have fun making them! You can experiment with the flour and raisins/sultanas/currants. I use half wholemeal and half white to make them seem a bit healthier! Or I make cheese wholemeal ones. But they’re just a treat or emergency breakfast/picnic food if we’ve run out of everything.

Warning over!

Silverbirch.

Mmmmmm....scones....:T

I know what you mean - my parents are Scots and my mum makes the most amazing scones.

She also used to make home made candle apples with brown sugar...also tablet and puffed candy (sponge toffee to us Canadians).

I would mention all of her other lovely baking but then I would make myself and everyone else here hungry :lol:

Tablet, Mauvais?? All my fillings fell out at once when I read that!

Silverbirch, I make the most amazing oat scones with orange peel. They're wicked. :)

Okay, it is hard to stay OP when you guys talk dirty! :D

flower -heh, heh, heh...:devil:

Silverbirch - yeah- I know what you mean :lol: doesn't mean I won't happily eat it if my mum makes it though :D

Ellis -gimmee the recipe for those scones! :cb:

Silverbirch - LOL, you advice is well taken. It's been too warm this weekend to actually do any baking so no scones yet. I think I'll make them when I'm having company so I won't be tempted to eat them all myself.

Flower, you crack me up!

Last night, I had a dream that no one organized my 10-year high school reunion (which is suppose to be this year but I haven't hear a thing about it, so it may well be true). But I was very upset in the dream because I had gained so much weight since high school. My weight loss efforts have stalled in their tracks. It's been more than a YEAR since I've had any real weight loss. I am very depressed over this. It seems like I get up feeling motivated but I end the day in a very opposite way. What depresses me even more is that I end up beating myself up over it and to what effect? For the last year I've been mad at myself for being obese and torturing myself and still haven't lost any weight! How is this helping? Argh! I'm not looking for sympathy. I'm looking for someone to say, "Heck yes, I know where you've been and I can show you the way out!" Help?

Jess- HUGS!!!!!
You know, I wear a size 24 at 225. So you look better than me! I know that isn't much consulation, but you probably have been changing your body without changing your weight. Maybe it is time to go outside your comfort zone and try something different. Pick up a different activity. Maybe go to a rollerrink and try rollerblading. Or maybe an aqua class. Volleyball? anything different just to remind the body that you will win! HUGS! Where is Ca are you at, closer to LA or SF. I am an hour outside Reno.

Flower - Aren't sizes weird? A friend of mine weighs as much as I do but wears a size 20. Argh! Her butt looks much bigger than mine though. :) Thanks for the hugs. I live in San Diego - closer to Mexico. Only about 8 hours from Reno... I always thought I could run a great brothel. :)

San Diego, how fun! If I could afford there, I would be there in a heartbeat. I vacationed there this past Xmas. I grew up in Vegas so I am a sw girl all the way.

Jessica, you could post your program here for us to look at and we could post back suggestions for things you could try.

One thing I've noticed, it seems to be hard for some people to get motivated and stay motivated. Sometimes it seems as if the happier people are overall, the harder it is for them to get going. The ones with a medical crisis or some obvious unhappiness, such as not having a BF, have a sort of "ready made" motivation. At least that's the way it was for me, I had a drastic medical wake-up call.

I've got a neighbor who is very busy, has a happy, full life, a great husband and kids, all her medical numbers are in the normal range-- and she's about to top 300. She tells me she just doesn't have the push to do something about her weight. She's not happy about her weight, but she's not unhappy enough to really crack down.

I really wish I knew what to tell her. I suppose I've got the motivation to get this done, but I don't know how to give that to someone else, KWIM? That's why I always say I don't know what motivation is, really. It's a drive that comes from inside, but if you asked me to put it into words, I just can't seem to. It's "pre-verbal,"-- visceral. I'd like to give some of that to you, but I don't know how. It's frustrating. :?:

Hello chicks! :wave:

Glad you had a good birthday Mauvais. :grouphug:

We are a pretty cool bunch! :cool:

I have a apple cinnamon scones mix, maybe I should make those.... :chin: :D

Jessica, sorry you are having a rough time. :grouphug: I have gained more then I have lost, so I am not sure what to tell you.

Well, I saw The Rocky Horror Show on Friday night, done by a company where everyone is under 21. It was a blast. The kid playing Frank was just wonderful!
Saturday was a wedding, where the only person I knew was the groom. It's a friend from HS who I still talk to but we don't actually see each other much. It was an ok day. Really good to see him, but it would have been more fun if we would have gone out to dinner or something. :shrug:
Yesterday was cleaning, and going over my aunt's house. It rained too much to watch fireworks.
So far I am watching the all day Twilght Zone marathon on the SciFi channel. :)

Have a wonderful day!

Hey guys, Thought I would pop in and say HEY! I am restarting Atkins this morning. I am having a hard time with Atkins at work so I am just going to keep my trap shut about dieting while there... they think I have lost enough weight but you know they don't see me naked!

I hope everyone is well and had a good holiday weekend. I tried to be careful about my food choices trying not to go overboard knowing I was restarting this AM... Well got to get in gear and get ready for work.....

I love Rocky Horror! Back in the day the audience was allowed to participate - we all used to get dressed up and bring rice, newspapers and water pistols.

"What's for dinner?"

"MEATLOAF!!!!"

:rofl:

I have NEVER seen the Rocky Horror picture show. I guess I am deprived. :lol:

Tiki.

You are soooo deprived Tiki. It is such a riot. When I had all my hair, I was the understudy for magenta.

Jessica- I always went to the shows dressed as Magenta! :lol:

It is a must see Tiki! It is a riot. Sis#2 was Magenta for Halloween this year.

Hmmmmm...all this talk of Rocky Horror makes me want to have a Rocky Horror themed Halloween party!

That would be fun! Go for it Mauvais!

I would so go Mauv! That sounds like so much fun! You could serve MEATLOAF!!

Jessica - serving meatloaf would be hysterical!!!!!! :lol3:

OOOooo and a birthday cake for Rocky! (If I remember correctly, he has a birthday party in the movie).

And you can print the callbacks for everyone who has never been.

Great idea! :D

!!! I just got the DVD for my birthday!! I'm a big fan too!!! My kids like it too!!!

Never seen it either.

Hey Mauv what happened to the Spring Fling thread? How bout a Summer one now so I got some motivation to get rid of some junk. :lol: God knows I got enough of it around here!!! :yikes:

You got it! :wizard:

Oh no... :o now I'm really going to have to start weeding through stuff!! :lol:

Hey - be careful what you ask for ;)

Hello chickies. I am finally back online after a dead modem week.
I love Rocky!! we used to go back in the day. lol date myself there.
Need to start getting motivated have started slipping into old habits. so i will popping around a bit more, to keep myself positive and start finding lifestyle change tips that help.

YAY!! Heathers Back!! Sound the Trumpets!! http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/character/4/character58.gif

Today I had jury duty (BLECH!) and I was not selected. However, I was sitting there doing the "please don't pick me" chant when I thought of another food item for your RHPS party, Mauv. An herb pizza.... called the Thyme Warp! :lol3:

Jessica- :lol: That's a good one!

Hey y'all. Well, I've been back from the Zen center for a while, but I haven't felt like spending any time on the computer. The adjustment back into real life has been a bit on the rough side for me. I got pretty used to hot springs, stars, gentle bell wake ups, morning meditation, and someone else doing all the cooking. Who wouldn't get used to all that though. Albuquerque is a shock to my system, so I've been easing back into life here. I'll tell y'all more about the program and my experiences later, but sufficive to say it was great!

I love The Rocky Horror Picture Show! I only went to see it live once, but it was in the Village (NYC), so I got the full experience. My High School drama team did the Time Warp for a state Thespian conference variety show. I was Columbia. Some poeple who hadn't seen it were really concerned when I fell at the end of the tap bit, which gave me a big 'ol ego boost.

Welcome back Hannah!

How was the retreat?

I won't tell you what I ate at McDonalds last night, but it wasn't pretty. 1 slip up in 2 weeks, not awful, but nothing to brag about either.

Good Morning Chickies. :coffee: up early to enjoy the peace and quiet with the kids still sleeping. so i can finally have some "quality pc time" spent most of yesterday working on 2 school projects that were due. real life has really had me running in circles lately. not that i am complaining. will be getting overtime for the rest of July. yeah extra bill money. boo no weekends off.
weight wise i am hovering at 180, so am only 5 pounds off from my august goal, may actually meet the goal. :)

Good Morning Girlies!!! :sunny:

Man...my feet are so sore!!! I had one of those days yesterday where you go and go and go until you can't go anymore.

I got up at 7 am, got on the PC, and the frigging cable modem died!! Well of course this is a tragic thing in my household so I went and woke hubby up to fix it all. Well he grumbled at me for not letting him sleep in so I promised him I'd go to breakfast with him.
Well we decided to do some running around. The running around turned into an all day thing...in 105° HUMID heat!! :o We went to eat, then a bath store place to get a shower caddy, to a beer place to get some sodas, to Big Lots to get some cheap mouse pads, to an office store to get me a new chair (mine was falling apart), to McDs for an ice cream cone, to Lowes to return my dead plants, then to Home Depot to return another dead plant,to Petsmart to get some rat and dog treats, then back home to drop it all off, then back out again to a home cooked italian dinner, then to Wally World. Phew!! I shoulda just rode my bike around the block instead. ;)

Petsmart...ugh. I shouldn't go in there!! Especially on adoption days. I had to go visit the doggies and kitties up for adoption and of course I wanted to take home a kitten. This one kept licking me...purring...etc. We promised the daughter she could pick one out when she gets home from vacation, so I didn't take him home. :( Anyhow, I get to thinking about all of these adoptable animals that have no home, how I wish I had a giant farm, etc.. and I lose it. Right there...started bawling my eyes out... :cry:. I had to go hide down a deserted isle. Hubby comes after me going "What's wrong??" DUH!! It just rips me up inside...I need to practice better self-control I suppose. But it's hard to NOT walk by the animals. :shrug:

Maybe today I'll get the house clean. Since hubby dragged me everywhere I didn't have a chance. :lol:

Hope everyone's O.K.! :grouphug: Have a good day all!!

Well, we dropped DS17 off at the airport this morning. He is going to Costa Rica with a group from his school. He is so mature it is disgusting!!! I can't even phase him by threatening to embarass him any more. He just grins at me and shrugs!! I hope he has a good time, but it sure felt strange coming home without him. He went to England with my Mom when he was 14, but he was with my MOM, so it felt more comfortable. Can you all imagine what I'll be like in a year when he goes off to college?

DS14 and my Mom and I are leaving for England on Tuesday, so now I have to start the packing process ALL OVER AGAIN!!! I lucked out on this one. My younger son is a bit more "lively" than my older son, so my Mom asked me to come and help out!! Um.....
let me think.....
OKAY!!!

This will be the first time that DS14 will meet his Great Grandmother. I'll be really glad to see everyone too!!

Have fun Den!!!! :)

Thanks Squeak!! I'm mostly packed. Have to get an order out this morning and run a few errands, but I am feeling more prepared today than I did yesterday!!

Have a great trip Den! :D

We'll miss you Den!!!!

Well Hi ladies,

I am back for another try at this. I have gained 2 dress sized and do not want them at all! SO I'm going to try my darndest to get the extra weight off plus all the rest of the weight that I need to loose!

I'm still working on updating with all the posts, so I am just going to start fresh from here.

Talk to you all soon!

Den, have a wonderful time, sweetie!! :wave:

Bella, welcome back!

I am starting fertility drugs this cycle. I decided I am not getting any younger and I have been off bc for a year now. So I am going to concentrate on excersice and eatting healthy. It isn't just about me anymore! Yes, this is secondary infertility for me, my boys are now 15, 11, and 4.

Hey girlies, help me remember. Who was doing that "write a book in a month/year/minute (i can't remember)" and what was it called??? I was trying to remember it so I could look it up on the net but that brain cell went off with some tequila and I haven't heard from it since.

Jess

It was ellis :D

flower- good luck with that :crossed:

Welcome back Bella :wave:

Welcome back Bella!

Flower-Best of luck.

Thanks for the good wishes everyone!! I'll see you all in two weeks!!

Jessica, it's called NaNoWriMo. Don't worry... you've got lots of time. It starts in November. There's a support forum there which I believe is year-round. I'm registered there as "Ellis". ;)
I hope you do it this year! It's a riot!!
http://www.nanowrimo.org/index.php

That project sounds really neat. Too bad there's nothing like that for writing/revising a thesis I could really use it in October ;) .

Well, I promised I would tell you guys all about my experience at the Zen Center, so here goes. I'll start by saying that it is still really hard to put a lot of it into words, which is probably one of the reasons I've been largely unwilling/unable to talk about it, but I want to give it a shot. The atmosphere of the place was actually sort of like a summer camp. Very utilitarian, with bunkbeds, very few showers, six people to a room. The land used to belong to a Catholic monestary, which still exists on the adjacent land. However, Hosen, the abbot and one of the most amazing women I've ever met, has done a lot to make the place more "Zen" than summer camp.

We started each morning at 4:45AM when Hosen walked around the grounds with a small bell and quietly turned on the light in each room. Some people found it a tough way to wake up, but I found it to be incredibly gentle and easy. At 5AM we had meditiation. First we were served tea, then we walked to the "Sutra Hall" (incedentally this is a new building designed by Hosen with the assistance of Anthony Predock and his son) where we chanted and bowed. At first I found it a bit odd to be chanting and bowing, but I began to feel that it was an incredible communal experience when people's voices blended and we all moved in unison. After chanting we walked back to the zendo (meditiation room) where we did sitting meditation (zazen) for 25 minutes. Then we did walking meditation, which is another exercise in communal movement, for 10 minutes. Finally, there was another session of zazen for 25 minutes. Having never sat completely still for 25 mnutes I found that most days I was unable to do the second session, so I would go shower or stretch.

After meditiation we had breakfast. The style of eating was really neat. Each meal consisted of three distinct dishes and each person had three bowls. The first (largest) bowl is used for a grain dish of some sort, the second (smaller) is for something else which was usually a soup, eggs, or casserole, depending on the meal and day.

Ack! my battery is running out! More later!

Finally the smallest bowl was always for something really special, like a sweet, or a really good vege, etc. Each person was responsible for maintaining his or her own bowl set for the whole retreat.

After breakfast we had class for four hours with a short break in between that usually involved cookies and coffee. The classes were on everything from different types of meditation to very academic examinations of texts. After class we had a short break, then lunch.

My favorite part of the day was actually the hour long work meditation period called samu. During this time we did menial chores that didn't take much skill or thought such as weeding a garden, sweeping the eating hall, collecting eggs from the chickens, or installing statues around the grounds. The point of the activity was to see how our actions affect the world around us.

In the hottest part of the day (late afternoon) we either had free time, or open discussion, then dinner. After dinner we had slide shows of China and India that related to the classes, texts and discussions. After the slides we had about 2 hours until lights out at 10 PM. Depending on our moods we could do all kinds of things. Some nights we went to the little bar down the road. Other nights we went for walks, or just sat around and told jokes. Most of us made it a habit to go to the hot springs every evening "when the stars come out" and soak and talk until the last two people went to bed, usually me and this other guy, around 10:30.

It was such a unique experience in all ways. I learned so much about myself and about Buddhism that I could never have learned in a classroom environment. If anyone is interested in more information about the seminar, which is open to anyone with an interest, please let me know. The price is pretty reasonable too, since it is geared toward a student budget.

Well, now I have to get back to the paper I'm writing for the seminar on Buddhist Ethics. I'm headed out of town again tomorrow to hang out with my family in the Poconos at a lake for a week. I'll talk to y'all when I get back.

Hannah, sounds really cool!

Wow Hannah, what an amazing experience. It sounds like a simplistic yet profound experience. The hot springs and the stars! Nice.

Wow, Hannah! What a wonderful experience!! :smoking: Thanks for sharing with us...

"It sounds like a simplistic yet profound experience."

That's exactly it. The whole experience could be summed up by saying that for ten days I lived, worked, talked, ate and meditated, but it goes so far beyond that. I really, still, have trouble putting words to it. I told one of the monks, as I was leaving, that "everything looks different now, but nothing has changed" and I think that is the closest I can come to summing it all up.

Well, I'm off to catch a plane. Vacation time! :cool:

Hannah, it sounds like you had a wonderful time. I am so glad you enjoyed yourself and the experience to the fullest. :)

Went to an Evenessence concert last night - awesome! :)

All four of the bands we saw were great and I must have lost some weight form dancing last night :crossed:

I got my store online today. Thought I would share with you.
http://www.auds-and-ends.com Hand crafted things. :)

Very cool Flower! :bravo:

mauvaisroux - you lucky girl! I have been working out to "Fallen" all summer and *love* their music. :dance:

flower - congratulations! Your store includes some really pretty things - I really liked the ornaments in different colors. :D

WHAT!? Evanesance was in Ottawa, Mauvais!?!? curses. I LOVE them!

Flower, your site looks great!

Flower, I love pretty handmade things. heading out the door to work, but will come home and take a look. :) and probably start a wish list. lol

Yep they were ellis and they were great!~ :D

Very nice Flower!


Sorry I have been rather MIA lately. Summer is always so busy. And work has been rather hectic.

Did manage 3 (after tonight 4) concerts in 2 weeks. :D Sting/Annie Lenox, Spirit of the West, Nickleback/3 Doors Down/Puddle of Mudd and The Hip tonight. :love: I can't wait to see Gord and crew even if I have lawn seats. Also have family stuff this weekend, also on call as a "just in case" for work. next weekend I have a pool party at a friend's, and start getting my act together for another week in California. I leave 2 weeks from today. I get to go to training for work. Data Management and Upgrade. I know very exciting sounding huh? ;) When I get back it will be munchkin's 2nd birthday. and soon after that mom's birthday.

I am up 2 pounds since the start of our last challenge. :p Actually I gained more but have lost a few.


How is everyone???? :wave:

Well Squeak is nice to see you poke your head in. :) i know what you mean about summer being hectic. i don't seem to have a minute to spare. but at least you are getting the fun of concerts. all i can say is work and school and occasionally some sleep. :p

HI EVERYONE!! Returned home 2 days ago, and I am finding the time change easier to deal with than I thought I would!!! We had a fantastic time in the UK. Saw a bunch of wonderful sights, reconnected with my cousins, amd met their kids for the first time!!!
My Granny is doing remarkably well for 100. She is getting a bit frail, but still managed to keep us (Mom, DS14, and myself) in line!! We walked so much that I lost a few pounds, and am finding it easier to walk now that I'm home. So far I've kept up the walking, although I should be walking a bit further.

Now I have to go check out Flower's site!!

FLOWER!! Your site is great!! You have some lovely items.

Welcome back Den! :)

Hey, girls! :wave:
Den, welcome back!! Congratulations on the walking! :hat:

THANKS!! HEY! Guess what I had for breakfast most mornings.......

toast with.......

:rofl: If we ever do a meet up I will bring you some along with some buttertarts!

I have started the thread for the Labour Day Challenge if anyone wants to join in :D

NOT IF YOU BRING ME BUTTERTARTS!!!

Actually, when we were in Tobermory in June I only had ONE buttertart!!! I DID have fish and chips twice though!!! (over 3 1/2 days!!!)

Welcome back Den!!!!!! :D

Heather - try and squeeze some fun in too! ;)

I still have a jar of Marmite on my kitchen shelf waiting for you, Den. Is there a shelf life on these things? No, I didn't think so. :lol3:

Actually, it starts getting gritty after a while, but it takes many years to hit that point!
How do I know?!? Once when I was a kid my uncle sent us an industrial size can of it! (Think can of paint!!) Still tasted good though!!

HEY! We may be going to Guelph this Friday for an overnight...checking out the university for DS17...

HI SQUEAK!!!

Damn, Guelph isn't that far away (about 2 hours), but I'll be on my way to CA again. Otherwise I would come up and say "Hi" :)

Squeak, i am enjoying my only 2 day weekend until the "next major holiday" as i type. and it has been a mix of productive and fun. got my car fixed. a new tattoo. today i am going grocery shopping for some yummy veggies. writing a speech for school and plain vegetating on my couch. :).

I came 3 pounds shy of my august 1st goal. but i got out of my 180-190 bounce back and forth yoyo. and got myself back on track. yay. :)

Good going Heather! :cp:

I am closing this thread to start August's chat :)