[Clever Tessa]

Good morning Turtles!

Well, just a couple more days and I'm California-bound... Looking forward to it, but have oodles to do between now n' then. Today's exercise? Vacuum and wash car (after chiropractor appt.). Such fun!

Of course, hopefully I'm not suffocated by smoke this afternoon . It's not summer in Central Oregon until something is on fire. On Friday night we had a pretty good thunderstorm in the mountains west of us and yesterday something flared and it's now an 1,800 acre fire. Thankfully smoke and maybe ash will be all we have to deal with. is no bueno!

Princess, I'm sorry your bathroom remodel got put off for a bit. It's like the car and computer both said "wait! wait! me first!!!". Thankfully they're both taken care of (yeah, some of those viruses are naaaaasty!).

Judy, ooooh, thank you for the soup recipe. I love Applebee's french onion soup and your recipe sounds a lot like it! Can't wait to give it a try!

Kim, I'm so excited for you and Jake. I also can't believe how some people are ok with the "take him or we'll have to kill him" mentality. Just can't imagine... But there are people who see them as "just pets" and not members of the family. Which again, I don't understand. He's a lucky boy....
And on the loss!!!! Exciting to see a number you haven't seen in awhile!

Bandit! Sounds like you did have a lovely weekend! Love hitting those little shops...

Ok, so I was down about 1.6 this morning. Not bad, but I my body is having "issues". I won't get graphic, let's just say pretty soon my green eyes are gonna be brown. Ug. Will up my water cuz I can't up my fiber any more without eating what the horses outside are eating!

Anyway.... moving on!

Headed to CA on Thursday. Can't wait, I NEEEEEEED a break. I think the entire animal community is out to get me and for the life of me I can't think of what I ever did to it! Had barking dogs all weekend at my Mom's house (she was gone camping) and at 2am juuuust as I was getting dressed to go to her house and deal with them - they stopped. I was honestly wondering if a neighbor hadn't duct taped their little barkers shut. Then, my cat had "issues" after her Prednisone dosage was lowered - so I spent the weekend cleaning her hiney and wiping EVERY surface of my house with anti-bacterial wipes (ew). THEN, wait for it.... something forced its way OUT from under my house. Wow, what a refreshing change....

I noticed a block that usually covers one of the vents under my house was off, when I went to put it back I noticed that *something* had forced its way out of the tiny hole where my heat pump's piping goes under my house - it chewed through steel wool, the foam covering on the pipe, the foam vent block, and then pushed out the wire grate covering the vent itself. Whatever it was, was desparate. And small. There were also 3 other attempted dig sites that stopped short (perhaps the rescue crew?) and also another hole where there was one before and I'm 99% sure it dead-ends into chicken wire...

It's NEVER ENDING!!!!!!

So, when I get back from CA, I'm going to have to put poison down. Whatever it was that escaped from under my house, it CHEWS - so it's not a rabbit. And if it chews, it can cause serious, expensive damage, which I can not allow... It breaks my heart, but if it's between damage to my house or protecting an unknown critter? Protecting my house will be my choice.

Before I need to find a publishing company I will wrap this up. Odds are this turtle will be figuratively shelled up until next week. Shall pop my head back out once I'm back home!


Toodles Turtles!

Tess

[Itryharder]

Tessa, :
What a great weight loss! Hey, I may be wrong, but I am quite sure that rabbits can chew. We had a darling pet rabbit that we kept indoors until we discovered the little darling had chewed through almost all our lamp cords. Ugh. Well, we put him in an outdoor cage at that point, but the damage was done. Sure was cute though. All black and furry and cute to watch. Well, I just read your post again and now I'm not sure because maybe rabbits can't chew through such thick wire. I hope you have a great time in CA and solve your problem when you get back.
Judy
234.6/182.8/lower

[Clever Tessa]

Thanks for the kudos Judy!

The other clue that it's non- is the hole it got through is about 3 inches wide, at best. Also, the outside holes I'm finding now are pretty small (maybe 4" diameter, vs. the others that were twice the size) and whatever it is would've had to climb up to the piping then chew out. Are rabbits good climbers? I honestly have no idea how resourceful they can be!

But then... if *I* were trapped under a house and it was 90+ degrees outside I would be pretty dang motivated!

Back to my black bean soup! Yum - but why was this a lunch choice when it's so warm out???? Where was my brain.

Toodles for now,

Tes

[bandit2]

Squirrels can do lots of damage as well.

Hi ladies - just browsing and heading home.

Nice weight loss, Tessa

Keep cool!

[Clever Tessa]

We have mutant grey squirrels here - I'm leaning towards that being the culprit too.

So, not all of the animal kingdom is agains me - just the rodents. Great. Wait, rabbits aren't rodents are they.... It's guilt by buck teeth association. I'm animal profiling. Bad squirrels, bad squirrels, whatchu gonna do, whatchu gonna do when I come for you....

Ok, that's enough. LOL!

Tes

[KimL1214]

Clever Tessa~ So we have a psycho cricket in the house that has been driving me nuts for the last hour... and it made me think of you. Sounds like your place is CRAZY with animal issues!!! Jake is AMAZING, and I am so excited to have him! Congrats on your loss!!!

Princess1122~ Good to hear your car is better, and I'm sorry to hear about your computer! Jake is awesome, and I think the people I took him from have something wrong with them.

bandit2~

I'm keepin it short tonight as Jake keeps getting sick, so I want to sit with him for a while and make sure he's not running a fever or anything. I should have more time to myself tomorrow so I'm excited! I'm going to spend some of that time with my sister and then either at the gym or walking around the track. Have a great night!

*Edit* It wasn't a cricket, it was a praying mantis... freaky looking, but I didn't kill it, just threw it outside...

*Edit #2* THERE'S ANOTHER PRAYING MANTIS!!! It won't let me catch it, so I'm not so sure if this one is going to make it...

[bandit2]

Morning, turtles:

Hot summer day again today - boy this has been one crazy summer for us.

Last night I had meeting with my ladies group for our upcoming camping trip - weekend of the 13th/14th - 2 sleepovers with 6 women in tents. This should be a different weekend for sure. 2 of them are "real campers" so hopefully we will be alright. This should be lots of fun. We planned the menu and hopefully won't be too bad & made list of what we were all to bring.
It is in a park so we won't be out in the boondocks & we are plannign on getting is some walks & swims (to burn off the cocktail/snack calories)

I am still feeling all puffy and bloated - maybe the heat is getting to me.
So, really not looking forward to my weigh in tomorrow. Hate when the scale doesn't co-operate, but in all fairness I have not been completely on track this past week.

Anyway, heres hoping you are all coping with everything you have going on & losing weight along the way.

[CherryAutumn]

Sorry typing one handed while holding fussy 1 year old. Sometimes there just is no break. I am up 1.2 pounds this week. I guess that stress is getting to me. We have been thinking of moving so we can have more room for the kids. Well i have a fresh start. So it is time to get down to business.

[Princess1122]

Crazy busy here at work today but wanted to pop on and say hello to everyone!

Will try and get back on again later!

[Itryharder]

Hi Guys,
Bandit and Cherry, with the heat lots of us are retaining fluids and getting bloaty. Good luck and let's all make this week work for us!

Princess, hi! It's great you post so often . It keeps us all going.

KimL, hope your Jake is doing better real soon. He's lucky to have you!

I went to my WI this morning and I was up 4#. I know that sounds awful, but I expected it. The loss I had last week probably wasn't completely "real" and this gain this morning probably wasn't completely "real" either. My hi....... are still in full glory. To be fair, I probably really gained about a pound this week because I had a binge on Sunday. I've gotten my food under control, but my isn't anywhere as good as it had been. When I finish typing this, I've got to get upstairs and do a 1 1/2 miles on the I am proud of myself for taking this craziness in my stride and I must say I am still far away from 190# which took forever to break through.
Let's make this a great week!!!!!

Judy
234.6/186.8/lower!!!!!

[bandit2]

Hi turtles:

Judy - you have done great and will deal with these challenges as you have shown us and get it done. Seems like we are all having to deal with these "little weight speed bumps" - so hang in there!

Princess - busy lady, hope you are doing well.

Kim - how is Jake doing? Hope things are going well for both of you.

Cherry - nice to see you posting and sounds like your babies are keeping you busy.

Tess - you OK?

Everyone - it is sooooooooo friggin hot tonight I can't even think and am exhausted, I wanted to get some yard work done but that just did not happen. By the time I got home and settled in it was all I could do to microwave leftovers for my dinner.

OK, enough complaining here - but seriously winter is sounding pretty good right about now.

You would think the heat would be melting off a few extra pounds instead of making my feet swell up.

Goodnight!

[Princess1122]

Morning all and happy Thursday!

I went to Aqua Fit last night and the water was soooo cold! I thought it would feel good because like Bandit said it is so friggin hot! But... it was still cold water... LOL. But I got through it and the work out felt good... have W/I tonight but it is that TOM so I will not hold my breath. I will stay for the meeting as I need to turn in my fund raiser sheet and money but have to get some house work and laundry done before and after the meeting since I will be away for most of the weekend.

DH had supper all ready for me last night when I got home from the gym and that was a very wonderful thing! I was starving like I usually am when I get out of there so it was great to just go home and eat... he did some burgers on the grill and some leftover baked beans that we had and it was fabulous!

Busy at work again today but I wanted to get a quick post in to everyone:

Bandit: I feel your pain although we have AC at home, it is working over time right now though and I hate to see the bill that will come... ugh! Good luck at W/I tonight! Any plans for the weekend?

Judy: I agree with Bandit! You are doing so great that it will all even out! Are you feeling better from the hives?

Tessa: Have a great time in CA! I am sure it will be a blast to hang out with good friends and relax!

Cherry: Glad to see your post... sorry that your baby is fussy! A small gain is not bad but I know how you feel... gains are just never fun!

Kim: How are you doing? How is Jake doing? I agree about his previous owners! My DS has a dog that does not like to be left alone, she has come a long way with it though once she realized that they were not going to just dump her like the last owners did. I hope he gets better.

Have to run!

[bandit2]

Good evening, ladies:

Princess - you are really kicking up your exercise, I am impressed!
Hope you did well at the scales tonight.

At my weigh in tonight I "turtled" (which means I stayed the same as week before) so not complaining. Princess - does your chapter call it that as well?
Always feel remotivated after leaving my meetings.

Tessa - CA sounds like a nice place to go, I have never been there but it always looks nice in the movies, have a great time.

Judy - hope your hives are clearing out.

Kim - Jake sounds adorable, and will be great company for you.

Cherry - hope you find some time for youself, hang in there!

Busy weekend planned. Tomorrow going to trailer with my cousins for the a.m. then they have to leave after lunch and then a couple of ladies from my group are coming up for dinner & a swim. Then going to singles dance with all of them Sat night & in between have to do more yard work in both places.
So busy but fun.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

[Princess1122]

Good morning all and a very happy Friday!

Went to W/I last night... was up 1.6 but I expected it, I really wish I could get the whole TOM thing figured out but that is one thing that is beyond my control IF I follow the plan and not use it as an excuse to indulge... LOL.

Heading up north later today with DS to help my mom with a few things then it will be home to get all of the usual stuff that I have to do on the weekend done. So it will be a busy weekend.

Bandit: yep, they call it a Turtle also... I have had a couple of those since I have been there. Have a great time this weekend! It is not so humid down here today... supposed to get really hot again early next week though.

Judy: How are you doing? Any plans for the weekend?

All: Have a great weekend everyone!

[bandit2]

Hi Princess - well the whole TOM thing really throws things off, out of your control and next week will be back to normal. Enjoy your visit with your mom and have a great weekend.

Heading out to lake and coming back for dance tomorrow. Even with socializing I really want to buckle down and drop some weight before fall.

All - have a great weekend!