[Kaylets]

Hello all!

Wildfire! Still doing the dance of joy or are the cats out cold now that you're regular day schedule has begun???
Good Luck today! As though you'll really need it... yes, things to do seem to be turning for you....the new job is just around the bend...if not at today's place, not very far behind....Keep smiling today... Remember you are also interviewing them...I know you'll knock them dead!

Empress-- Could it be what took me so long to realize worked best is a Zone type program... food at least... I 've not traveled far down that road ... a goal yet on the list...

Temp dropped overnight and I woke up stiff and sore. And mentally exhausted after such an emotional weekend. Am trying to use all of this as motivation to enjoy, celebrate, explore and build on today's experience than to see only the negative aspects.
I know these aren't original thoughts and very often after a death, these same ideas are repeated.

live and learn.

****
Scale stayed the same although at first, teased me by showing 2lbs higher but I stared at the numbers fiercely and tried again. This time, the number read the same as last week. A 60 second lesson in perspective.
(I just tried again hoping for a better number... nope.. we are staying the same this week. )

***Today's thought of the day :

"Be here now."
-- Ram Dass

Question of the day :

" Do you think TV newscasters exagerrate the sensational news stories to get listeners?"
-- Table Topics by the Pampered Chef

****

Take care all... am really beginning to see that my appreciation for all of you is much deeper than I had realized... all of you are mentors and role models for me...I learn as you face each challenge, problem, hill, valley, chasm, and how you overcome each is a lesson and example for me.
You are lessons in individuality, creativity, devotion, self reliance, generousity, ( sp!), kindness, strength, gentleness, courage, wit, warmth, perseverance and persistence. We are all here because of incredible women before us.... we are all here for each other...to learn, to lead, to listen....

I am grateful you have allowed me into your lives and am grateful you are a part of mine.


Kettle is on.

Thanks, Kaylets. I think it's miraculous that we've all found each other here!

Good luck, Wildfire! After the interview you can go home and sleep?

I missed it somehow, Empress, but I hear you're missing almost 2 pounds? Woo Hoo! I tried the Body-For-Life thing last summer, and liked it it okay except for that free day deal. I just couldn't quite wrap my brain around it. But it did change the look of my arms--more definition!

It snowed here last night, and it's absolutely gorgeous this morning. It doesn't look like we're going to make it to work today, so we're going to take a walk outside. It's one of those snows that stuck to every individual branch of every tree, so it all looks like lace. And when we get back hot coffee will be especially good!

[Amarantha2]

Sympathies to those in the snow belt, except it does look pretty ... if only it were not so cold.

It's cold here, too, but I have to get going to gym and store before finishing up my deadline stuff..

Eydie, wish it were two pounds, but it was only 1.5, still I know I'll have another good loss this week, so it's all good.

Kaylets, I think I'll try just staring at the numbers to get a better reading ... yes, I realize you just tried again but it's funny to think of how maybe we can just mentally force Demon Scale into submission ... actually it proves it's all relevant ... or something.

Sorry thou feeleth not so perky ... winter will endeth soon, methinks. It was in the 70s yesterday here and likely will be again as soon as the sun gets going.

QOD: I better opt out o' this one, since media bashing be a sore subject w/moi, since I am one!

Later ...

[Wildfire]

Thanks for all the good luck wishes, gals...but could you hang on to them until tomorrow? My interview is tomorrow at 11am.

[Kaylets]

Hello all!

Feeling more cheerful this evening....
Thanks for all your kind words....

Wildfire... YES! All the good energy and luck vibes stay strong till the decision's been made!

This will happen!

Oopps.... timer rang...need to put some things away for 15 minutes!

[wsw]

hi all!

wildfire-i'm sending good thoughts your way for interview tomorrow morning. i know you are right though-everything in the universe is lined up right for you to get this job!

amarantha-sure hope that sinus infection has finished its course by now! congrats again on the weight loss!

eydie-hi. it always makes me smile when i read your posts.

kaylets-it sure helps to be reminded of the trick you use setting a timer for a particular task. as i am trying to pack things up and doing other necessary things which can feel overwhelming at times, using your little trick helps me to focus on one task and then get on to the next so that i can see some progress on each one. also, just trying to remember to breathe at times may be the best i can do at that moment!

it snowed and sleeted last night. it looked like a winter wonderland this morning, but because this wintery stuff means i am stuck inside for a while, it doesn't thrill me too much. i can't complain though because i have plenty that i can do here. i was pretty productive today and op, so all and all, it was a good day! i am thinking of you all. take care.

wsw

[Amarantha2]

Yo! I'm feeling a bit better tonight as well and still on my challenge!!!!

Wsw, thanks for posting on the food thread yesterday ... I answered you on there ... you are doing great!!!! Sorry it's cold there ... got down into the 40s last night but think we were in the 70s during the day. The 40s is veeery cold here ... and I don't have central heating, so I was moving a (very safe) space heater all over the place last night. Think we have turned the corner, though.

Wildfire, also crossing fingers for thy interview to produce the best possible outcome ...

Punkin, Cerise, Wood Nymph, Frogger, how be thee? And all mentioned and unmentioned s who oft frequent the palace? The towel boys are asking about thee ...

Kaylets, I agree with Wsw that thy timer trick be a good one. I think I need to do that with writing (the paying kind).

I'm going back to bed now!

[Kaylets]

Hello all!

First of all, I need to let everyone know that the timer idea is not my own...
although the beauty and logic of it make me wonder why it wasnt obvious to me .... but its the The Flylady's.... www.Flylady.com
There's lots of things she suggests to do regarding organization that I have not built into my shedule but I can tell you that she is 100% right... once you establish a habit ( ie, swishing your toliet bowl every am)... it becomes automatic.
I did already know some of her tips did work very well for me ( ie, her evening routine of laying out tomorrow's clothes, packing as much of your lunch as possible, looking at tomorrow's schedule ...)... I don't jump out of bed a bundle of energy so it's so much more cheerful for me to know things are ready and waiting for me.
The biggest thing I've learned from her is not so much that she wants you to follow her routine but to follow your own... and adjust as needed...

sound familiar??
very much like my food plan...

WSW-- sending you extra boxes mentally!! never have enough when moving!
Are you finding anything you thought was lost forever?? One time I found a $20 in a blazer pocket...another time, when the mattress was being moved, I h think a couple $20's popped out from inbetween..... the other women thought I was going to be upset ... that my secret had been "uncovered'... instead, I was delighted... Used that to buy them lunch!

Empress-- did I m iss it? Did you decide against massage school? I saw a really neat lady on tv, a trainer who was sharp, down to earth and had a great smile... and I pictured you! What do you think?? Personally, I'd rather work w/ someone who UNDERSTANDS what its like than someone who's never carried more than an extra 8 oz.....

Eydie-- You snowy day sounds delish. Do the animals come by? I grew up "playing" in a woods and always would imagine myself years before, following the same paths.... always saw more skunk cabbage than skunks but
always yearn to be with nature whenever possible.

Wildfire-- I am so exicited for you! When you reach out to shake hands today with that beaming smile of yours, and say, "I've been looking forward to meeting you"... don't be suprised if its my voice you hear !! Just kidding!
Don't forget what they always say... they may love the resume but its the first 8 seconds of meeting you that seals it.... I always imagine they can see me stepping out of the car... and I start smiling then... let them think right away " She looks like she would be fun to be around ---let's get her in here b/4 someone else grabs her!"

Everyone else!
take care.. be gentle w/ yourself... I miss you!

*****
Today's thought of the day:
"Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are."
--Mary Jean Irion

Question of the day:
"If you were blindfolded, could you tell the difference between soft drinks?"
--Table Topics from the Pampered Chef
******

Kettle is on!

[zadie k]

Hello,
On friday at 5:11 p.m. we were a bit suprised by a early arrival. Maggie is healthy, although she is about 5 1/2 weeks early. She is 5 pounds, 11 ouncesand has a full head of dark hair with blonde tips. She is in the NICU till probably next week, but she is doing great.

Needless to say it has been a little crazy arround here. My parents were in town this weekend. She is their first grandchild so it is pretty exciting. Only two people are allowed in to see her at a time and one must be a parent, so there was a lot of sitting arround but it was good. The other set of new grandparents are on vacation in England. They has planned it specifically so they would be in the country when the baby was borne. Well, the best laid plans.

I am liking the new thread. It feels like a new start. Actually I am doing really rather well. I like the idea of a equinox exercise challenge, as I am already doing my own equinox personal weight loss challenge. Plus I have been hitting the stair stepper every day (except Friday), so it will not be too much of a shock to the system.

Kaylets - I am a fairly new flybaby, and I agree, it is pretty great. Plus the tremendous ammount of reminder emails makes one feel rather loved

It was cold waiting for the bus this morning, but it felt different. It was not the cold of "it will never get warmer again" but instead the cold of "this is the coldest it will be for at least a week." We may get above freezing.

At any rate, I must get working. Had yesterday off, which means twice as much work today.

[anagram]

Scanned posts first again and am now out of time. So many things unsaid......I'll need to really purge my soul when I hit my own computer in two weeks.

Waves to all.....

[Amarantha2]

Yo! Fly-by (note: this is not the Flylady, though, it's Amarantha)!!! I put my sad sugar laden story and a desperation sugar recipe on the food thread, so won't repeat it. Have to work in mountains tonight (and every night this week, I think).

Kaylets, thanks for the info on Flylady. I think I need her ... yes, I did decide not to go to massage school ... I think I would infect all the clients with my repeated sinus infections!!!

I now have no career ideas in mind and my spirit be broken, but that's ok, it's been broken before!!!

Zadie, congratulations on thy new niece ... Maggie is such a pretty name!!!!

I like the idea of the vernal equinox challenge also ... I'm in steady state now with my 360 minutes per week (the calorie part of my 21-dayer bit the dust, details on food thread). The vernal equinox be a bit different here in the southern climes than when I lived further north ... by the time it rolls around, the day/night thing won't be exactly even ... but close enough ... it'll be nice and warm then ... well, it's nice and warm now ... and the yellow poppies are starting to bloom. Always a good sign that I'll soon want to go hiking!

Later, I'm late!

[Cerise]

Hello, darlings. Sorry to have been absent. I've been very sick and moving a company down 4 floors (harder than it sounds), and have literally had no time to come and chat. I think that I won't do too much scanning of the past posts, much as I have missed you all terribly.

Isn't it amazing how much energy we really have? I never fathom how energetic I really am until I'm sick for a good long time and lose it. I love being alive and well.

Zadie, warm congrats on being an auntie! "Maggie" is such a great name. I'm glad your sweetie and sister are all OK.

Much love to the rest of you - moving's over, but I still have to unpack the supply room, so I'm still too busy during the day to talk much - pray that our internet issues at home get resolved soon. I miss you all so much!

[wsw]

hi!

anagram-good to see you post! please send some of that warm weather down this way before you leave fl. in a couple weeks.

zadie k.-congratulations on the birth of your niece, maggie! how wonderful!

i have had a good op and exercise day. i stuck to my pre-planned meals too, which felt good. i thought it would be especially important for me to try and stick with these menus for the next few days too, since i'm stressed and it's so easy for me to use that as an excuse to go off track. more snow today-ugh! my friend reminded me though that there really is an end in sight with this bad weather. actually, it is very pretty to look at anyway.

kaylets-that is neat that you found the loose cash when moving. i haven't found anything yet which i thought i had lost, but then i still have a lot more packing to do, so i may still find some hidden/forgotten treasure.

amarantha-it is nice to be making a new start in the new condo. i had gotten myself all wound up earlier worrying about some things, and reading your words reminded me to relax and let myself enjoy all the positives of this change, new beginning in new digs. my friends are working so hard to make it nice for me and i smile when i think about all this, just as i smile when i read your posts. hope those mountain drives for work this week aren't too wearing, anyway.

take good care, all. to those mentioned and unmentioned, have a good evening. thinking of you.

[Kaylets]

Hello all!!

Domestic stress ( DSS) last night nearly had me Off Program but I carried an orange to the bedroom and somehow this was enough for my brain to say," Ok, at least there's something ....."

Our snow storm didnt happen which is a relief....
Looks like my cold symptons were a false alarm too...

The Sugar Free Hot Chocolate was delivered at work yesterday. I had some and evidently, have lost my taste for that too.... Even had a second cup just to make sure! Now that's what I call ironic.... " If I keep drinking this , it might taste better..." hmmmmmmmm.....
That was the other reason I thought a cold was coming on... that things didnt taste right...

This is interesting... never really been aware of my taste changing except after I quit smoking ...
So.... I know Arabella has quit wheat for periods of time... I wonder if this is common... the longer you are away from a food, the less it tastes as it did when you are eating it everyday....

Empress... ?? Eydie?? Anyone??


*******
Thought of the day:
"If you want to, you can seize the day. But you have to really want to."
--Enya


Question of the day :

Do you ever try to change to please your friends?"
--Table Topics from the Pampered Chef


Extra thought of the day :

"Do not mess in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and good with ketchup."

****************

zadie, welcome to aunthood! Wow, a new fresh baby!

Amarantha, please rephrase. I can't imagine your spirit being broken---ever! Bent maybe, but never broken. Rise up, Goddess!

wsw, you're inspiring me with staying OP. especially during a move. I've felt a little 'off' lately.

Cerise, take care of yourself. We look forward to hearing more from you when things are less intense for you. Hey, what happened to Seattlejo?

Where are our beloveds Punkinseed and Arabella?

Kaylets, sorry to hear of more distress with DS. Hope it smooths out soon.

Onward, going to get to work early so i can come home early! hee hee