[Kaylets]

Hello all!

Today's thought follows yesterday's theme -- I am still excited by the idea of counting all the small steps to goal in order to understand how many successes I am achieving each day.
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Today's thought is:
"It is very important to define success for yourself."
--Cathleen Black
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Today's question is:
"When was the last time you bragged about something? What was it?"
--Table Topics

Take care all--


PS- The bike sounds beautiful!!

Anagram- Hope things work out for Mom's Dr's visit. We are with you!

Really running late-- wish I could sit and visit....

[frogger]

Good Morning LOOOOSER's!! (And a good morning it is!!)

Not only did I lose that pound that I mini goaled to lose this weekend, I lost 2 more on top of that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I made a conscious effort to lose that one pound. Nope, not going to eat that dessert, nope don't want the second helping. No bun needed for my burger. No diet soda needed, pass the ice tea w/ equal. I am now back down to 219 where I was for the wedding.

So I mini goal myself for this week to lose 2 lbs. I can do that in a week.

Cerise!! Mornin'! Are you walking today? I busted butt packing this weekend, so I did not walk, but obviosly I am using some hidden muscles, because I feel like I've been run over by a mack truck!

to everyone and have a good day!

[Arabella]

Well, I am back, although not as soon as I expected to be. I found that stripping the wax off the floor was even a bigger job than anticipated. But I did move the fridge and stove and freezer and cleaned under them. And got all the filthy old wax from along the counters and so on. Ran out of steam 3 and a half hours into it, plus it was time for dinner and movie (watched "Frida" which I thought was very good, but I wished I'd seen it on the big screen), so I'll have to finish another day. Oh welll....

'Tis Day 8 here. Yay for me! Just got back from the gym, and am meeting a couple of women in the park to do tai chi at 9. Tonight I'm going to an end-of-year potluck dinner for my writing group. No bread no dessert. No bread no dessert. No bread no dessert (don't want to get there and "forget.") Well, maybe strawberries... But no wheat flour. I have to remember that's got to be a very occasional aberration for me.

Wildfire, YAY! for your new bike! I love picturing you riding it with a big grin on your face, too That's one of the three alternate gifts I've suggested to DH and I think it's the one I'm getting I think you'd also like one of my other choices, tho, a gift cert for Northern Reflections. My MIL always gives me money, so that's where that will go New pants that fit me properly

Anagram, I hope that the report on your mom is good. Our moms are our moms at whatever age, aren't they. My mom has just recently started to take her health in hand, which makes me very happy. Her health problems are all avoidable ones. She's 79, but her mom lived to be 100, so I really want her to get healthy. PS - thx for calling me a babe! I've recently realized that I've gotten to that point in life where doctors, newscasters, and so on look like they're about 12 to me. And I think, hmm... gotta be a contrast thing, right? My own mature visage vs. those fresh baby-like ones...

Amarantha, congrats on that fluffy one gone! We shall banish all those surplus fluffies eventually. They cannot win, because ... they are fluffy and we are not! Hope you had a lovely non-working weekend (what is so rare!) Re: tire changing - Well, you ARE the Empress, after all!

Kaylets, I loved the "miracle" post too, very touching! You share so many wonderful stories and thoughts with us. I expect even as I post this there might be another from you on, but ... QoD - I think I changed a tire at some point in my past. It was necessary, and I thought ... well, people can do this apparently, so I can too and I did it. Felt pretty empowered. Oh, that was a long time ago tho.

Cerise, love your attitude on the goals. It's through our behavior that we shall overcome, and setting and meeting goals for behavior is how we ensure success!

Eydie, I remember your scare and reprieve so well, and what a powerful experience that was for you. That was a miracle for all of us, I think, seeing that diagnosis lifted from our much-loved Eydie! And one of the biggest lessons from it was for us to see the miracles in every day. They're everywhere!

Punkin, I'm so thrilled that you're getting a break. And then a real get-away - you surely deserve it and I KNOW you're going to have a blast. Why, you ask? Because I know you have a talent for it

Frogger, FOUR pounds? Yay for you!!!!

To all Mentioned or Unmentioned: Let's make this a wonderful day! Here's to miracles!

Wildfire, reading your post this AM made me smile. It's fun picturing you on your new bike and it really does sound beautiful--does it have that cool retro look? [and the basket is very practical!]

I work at a historical site and I have to do tours today for 200 school kids---tours in installments of 30 at a time.[Shudder....] I didn't sleep last night either---I'll be thrilled when this workday is over. I hope they're 'good' kids, and I hope I do a good job, sleep-deprived as I am.

Anybody have any particular 'challenges' this week they have to gear up for?

Arabella, Tell us when your birthday is--don't be shy!

[anagram]

Great loss, Frogger and great attitude. Will be thinking of you and that great move this weekend.

Oh, Arabella, these things always seem to take more time than allotted. But it's going to be "done" for a long time. I did this job once when bro and SIL were moving into a new place. Took it down to bare and put 2 or 3 coats of new wax on. Looked gorgeous to me but not sure they appreciated the whole day it took to do. Probably just thought I was slow. But I KNEW what I had accomplished and that's the reward.

QOD Catchup - Dad made changing a tire a condition of my learning to drive. Outcome - dh taught me to drive after we were married. No conditions.

Can't think of last time I bragged. For example, when people comment on my weight loss I say "things came together, like being able to get around better after knee replacements, DHs strict diet, medicine for thyroid condition, etc". All these things are true but I also have added lots of effort. Last time I really wanted to brag - when I got results from testing a few months ago (IQ, personality etc). I was very pleased with myself. So there's my brag. And of course, I just might be prone to bragging about my little granddaughters but I don't think I really do. Not as much as I'm tempted to anyway.

Challenges this week - well, dh has visit with nephrologist tomorrow and we usually eat out afterwards. Challenge is to control emotional eating after visit (good or bad news - either way it's an emotional eating time). Saturday we're travelling to a surprise BD party for an old friend. Fortunately it's being held in a restaurant. Food will be good I'm sure. But I seem to have a mite more control in restaurants than when all the food is home prepared. This guy's wife is a great cook and her cookies, etc have put many a pound on my hips.

But today's plan is in place, starting with my Monday morning Slimfast. Dinner's in the crockpot and I think I'll do well with my day. Wishing you all the same.

[Metta]

Frogger and Amarantha, congratulations on having great weekends!

I didn't exactly. Saturday my eating was fine. I was ravenously hungry for some reason, but I managed to keep myself in check. Yesterday was pretty bad. In keeping with my resolution to cook more, I did a bunch of baking, including making my favorite cornbread recipe. I looove cornbread. And I planned to eat a couple of pieces and then store the rest in the freezer, but that didn't exactly happen. My boyfriend observed the amount I ate at lunch and later remarked, "I can't believe that a woman your size can eat that much in one sitting." So, um, it was pretty bad. Heh.

Fortunately I am feeling much more in control this morning, and the scale didn't move.

Question of the day: when was the last time I bragged? Uh, about two days ago. I made one of my weight-loss mini-goals on Saturday, and I promptly bragged to the next person who called my house. It was my mom, and I don't think she minded.

Anyway, here's to a good week for everyone! I'm back on track today... going to make myself go running when I get home from work.

[jenn_mullett]

Hey ladies! I have been away from the computer for the past few days, but i`m back again, with all good news! I am down to 150lbs, so I am happy happy happy

Kaylets: small steps is really the key!

frogger: Congrats on the 4lbs! before you know it you`ll be where you want to be

Arabella: Congrats on the new pants!

Eydie: i know what your talking about when you say kids make u shudder, i work for a recreational program this summer, and trust me kids....

anagram: good luck on the challenges!
Metta: baking things is the worst, b/c u always feel u gotta be eating it!

Ok girls here`s to another week of hard work and determination!

Jenn

[Punkinseed]

Mornin' all!

Pretty uneventful weekend. Got some planting done on Saturday and sponge-painted a wall in my front room. It turned out really nice and looks very, um, mature? It reminds me of something you see in a "nice place" (not that my house isn't nice, but you know??). I just can't stop looking at it!
Sunday bit. I woke up with a headache, popped a couple Excedrin and carried on. Waited to long to have lunch then got the shakies and the headache came back - I ate, and the feeling never left. I'm still not feeling quite right.... weird.

Eydie, Bo-Beena's fine, she's just been having more problems with her wrists (baaaad carple tunnel) and has been a busy bee.

Anagram, I'm glad your week from Hades has resolved itself and you're back on the wagon again (cue Gene Autry music). I think it's awesome that you bought bathing suits trouble free!!!! That's a NSV if I've ever heard of one!

Kaylets, your miracle post made me a bit weepy... very sweet. I love your idea of counting every small step. Reminds me of that saying, "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" - all those little steps DO add up!

Amarantha, I'm thrilled that you survived the EW. EW's should always be approached with caution, they're known for their sneaky evilness and if it weren't for the sleeping in aspect of their arrival, I'd banish them altogether! (Congrats on the loss too!!!!)

Cerise, I think you've hit on a huge point - accepting that time can not be an issue with regards to weight loss. I've always heard that the most successful people told themselves they'd keep going "as long as it takes" to get healthy. Good for you!!!!

Arabella, we'll just call it the 2nd anniversary of the 24th birthday... It's just a number dahling, celebrate the experienced, well lived and loved woman you are!

Metta, I don't blame you at'all.... Cooooornbreeeead....

Wildfire, thanks for the visual of you on your new bike! Sounds like loads of fun, I should get the tires fixed on mine! (you'll have to get one of those thumb ringing bells to reeeally made DD cringe!)

Frogger, Congrats on the loss!!!! Movin' and loosin', that's you!

Jenn, Congrats to you too on your loss! You should be happy happy happy!

Me? Down 1.2 this week, so I've finally reached the 40 pounds GONE mark (40.6 to be exact). Feelin' good, feelin' fine, feel like another 60 or so to go! Much easier to wrap my brain around than having over 100 to loose!

Toodles for now, going to go nap under my desk....

Terri

[zadie k]

Hello,
Well, after five long days away I am back. The folk fest was amazing. I loved the music. I also discovered that I am too old for the festival campground and should now graduate to the grownups table (aka the quiet campground). Aside from the constant drumming of the younguns it was not too bad in the feswtival campground except for the uniqely untallented singer/guitar player at the campsite next to us. Sigh.

I weighed in today. I did not gain or lose, for which I am thankful becuase I did a horrible job of keeping track of anything this weekend. I know chocolate covered frozen banana rolled in peanuts is not on the list of things I should be eating. O well. I did walk constantly though, which maybe burned off an eigth of that banana thing.

One of my cats is getting put on anti-anexity drugs. I am not kidding. Kitty prozac or something like that. He is just too worried and going grey early and is develop[ing litter box issues. Sigh.

I did a quick dash through all of the posts I missed. My goodness, everyone was so darn proliffic in their writing this past few days.

At any rate, now is the time at which all good people go to study.

[Cerise]

Good Monday, Seņoras!!

Whew. Weekend over. Had a blast with my brother and SIL at their friend's wedding. My brother's part of this group of boys that have their little boisterous fishing/camping club that will never die, and to them I'm Nate's cool older sister who's kind of goofy but laughs really loudly (my only volume for laughter) at their jokes and always has a bed made for them if they need to crash. Anyway, we had a **** of a time together at the reception, esp. sniggering quietly in the back while ALL of the bridesmaids (6 of them!!!) got up and cried through 10-minute speeches. I ask you.

Frogger, yesterday was my day for walking but I didn't. Make sure I walk today AND tomorrow to make up for it, 'kay? Man, if you're working so hard that you feel like you've been hit by a truck, I-I-I-I think you're getting enough exercise. Don't you think so, ladies? Hmmm?

I think we're both moving this weekend, my dear. We're packing the U-Haul Friday and driving to Seattle on Saturday. Yipppeeee! Congrats on the weight loss! Wait, where's Frogger? She's gotten so svelte I can hardly see her! Frogger? Frogger! She's MEEEEELLLLLLTING!!!!!

Eydie, wow! I was amazed and glad to hear of your miracle. You are truly special to me and it chills me that you got that sort of news. Even though I didn't know you then. I feel fierce love for my body, too, though for a different reason. I posed nude fur 6 weeks (once a week for 3 hours at a time) for a sculpting class not long ago, and seeing little foot-high effigies of my body coming into existence was a powerful experience. Not to mention finding out that I can indeed take off my clothes in front of 15 artists. They LOVED sculpting me and it really changed me when I realized that artists found me beautiful. I highly recommend it to anyone. Just contact your local college art dept. Heavier models are hard to come by but highly, HIGHLY prized in the art community.

Amarantha, EEEWWWW! The wicked bad naughty weekend couldn't prevail over the Empress. You impress me, lady, you really do. Avanti!

Kaylets, you are healthier than you have been in years. You have one shiny soul, girl, I can see it from here. Thank you again and again for the energy you put into us!

Happy birthday, Arabella!! You're a wood nymph, ergo you're ageless. I think you are, my dear. I mean, you have given back to yourself such energy. That doesn't happen for any old human woman. That's magic, baby. Keep on flitting through your forests.

Wildfire, no time at all before you have those ultra-sexy biker's legs. Doesn't your DD realize that retro bikes are very cool right now? I'm still young enough to know what's cool. The hippest young 20-year-olds in Eugene, OR are riding bikes just like yours. Try wearing a neck scarf with the bike. Complete the image. One other thing: we women do NOT look goofy with our hair blowing back in the wind. We look like goddesses, models with our own permanent breeze slave. Wish I could have seen you...

Anagram, your Mom and Punkin's are in my prayers. I'm just now going through the first pangs of realization that my parents are aging. I finally realize what it's like to worry for their health, and I feel deeply for your concerns. Isn't it nice to have a medical person in your family? My brother is concluding med. school and is keeping a sharp eye on us. Makes me feel a lot better.

Metta, cornbread is GOOD for you! Imagine how you'd feel if you ate the same amount of Twinkies! It's Fresh Start Monday, your scale turned its head for you, so do a little "I didn't do any damage" dance! ****, I'll do it for you! Cooooorrrrrnbread. Somebody pass the maple syrup.

Punkin, have you ruled out the possibility that your paint job made you feel funny? Paint fumes cause headaches and nausea. Just a thought...

Punkin's lost 40 pounds!!!!!! What a number! You RULE, Mama! I'm gonna celebrate vicariously. You inspire me so much.

Goal for today: 1. Walk for 35 minutes. Stave off the shin/calve pain by stretching. I can do that!!

To my other friends whom I did not mention, you inspire me, too. See you tomorrow.

Kissy-kissy,
C

[Cerise]

Oh, yeah, one more thing to add to that record-setting, long post.

You remember how I was boo-hooing that I wouldn't be able to afford a gym in Seattle? My SIL is a high mucky-muck (and a personal trainer) at a local gym up there and can get Ramon and I free membership!! Is the Universe looking out for me or WHAT!?!

[Bo-Beena]

Hello you lovely ladies

Just a quick one to say hello to all old and new members to the group!
I am almost recovered from a little injury I got over the 4th. The river, an innertube, lots of rock and me. . . it wasnt a good mix.

Today, I worked out for the first time in a 1 1/2 wks. I was on a role, for 9 weeks straight I worked out 3 to 4x a week!!! Can you believe it? So I lost that record due to the injury(hip,knee,arms,back). But today is a new day! It wasn't the best workout, still a little sore, but I went and did it and moved my rump!!

I have been lurking the last few days trying to catch up on everyone. You all are doing so well!

Glad we are all on this pathway toward health together, that way when someone falls there is always someone else there to pick you up!
Have a great day and I'll catch up with you more soon!
BoBeena

[Punkinseed]

Wow.... Punkin's posting twice in one day??? Yea, I'm workin' hard...

Bo-Beena's back!!!!!

Zadie, it sounds like the folk fest was fun though! I know what you mean about graduating to the grownup's table. What used to be my crowd can be highly annoying now...
I'm sorry your kitty's having issues. Hopefully what they have planned will help him feel better. I ended up with 3 cats (all sisters) because the oldest, when she was a single cat, was SO freaked out being alone she was loosing hair and wouldn't come out from under the bed. Aren't they just like little kids sometimes?

Cerise, you posed nude?? You're my new hero. Even as outgoing and extroverted as I am I don't think I could pull that off. Good for you! Extra bravo's on finding out about getting the "family deal" at the gym - and be careful moving!

Now, I'd thought about the paint. But I'd slept in my bedroom the night I'd painted it a couple weeks ago, and didn't feel like this! Plus, even being here at work I'm still woozy when I stand. My Mom said "what about you blood pressure?" Mmmm.... I haven't had *that* problem in yeeeeears! I took it, and it was 103/75 - and my pulse was 65. AH HA!!!! No wonder I feel dizzy when I stand! Every time I loose a chunk o' weight, and this is the 3rd time in my life I've done it, THIS has happened. It's almost like my body needs to readjust???

I mean think about it - as we get smaller, we need less blood, less 'umph' to pump it around, less fluid in our systems.... I know that the more mass you have, the more veins and the like you have to move blood around. With all Mom's stuff I also learned that overweight people have more lymph nodes. So we have all this extra equipment to be able to "run" our larger bodies - WHAT happens when you don't really need it all anymore?? It makes sense for our bodies to have to adjust things doesn't it?? I don't know, but I'll keep my eye on it and make sure I've got a hold of something when I get up from my chair!

Or, it could all be stress. My Mom said this afternoon that she thinks her hair is starting to come out. Here we go, let's get this part over with!

Toodles - part deux,
Terri

[Amarantha2]

Yo! Back from a marathon day in the hinterlands with another one coming tomorrow (and all month, actually), so shall let brevity be my guide!!!!

Wildfire, I love the picture of you on a 1950s shiny red bike!!!! You go!!!

You are right, Wood Nymph, all these 's gotta go!!!

qod: The last time I bragged was RIGHT NOW ... just finished a successful day two on my 21-day challenge!

Brain-dead at the moment. Too much happened today. Good night to all!