Good Morning Everyone. I wasn't expecting to be one of the first posting here this morning but I guess everything has been thrown off this week. I hope you are all faring pretty well considering what has happened. I haven't checked the news yet this morning so I don't know what the latest is. I have a friend who was supposed to fly back to England today from Newark airport (after spending 3 months here in the US) and I wonder if she'll be able to... I'd guess not. Just wanted to get us started off this morning... need to go check the news and then I will probably be back.

hi shalyne and all those about to post.

In case you hadn't heard, tomorrow will be a day of mourning across Europe. At 11am (UK time) there will be a 3-minute silence. Everyone here is thinking of those affected by the tragedy. all i can think about is the terrible events of tuesday, but i'm going to try and focus on more positive things, before i spiral into a depression.

so, i have a suggestion. rather than focus on losing pounds why don't we measure our weight loss in inches (or cm if you're a metric gal) for a few weeks? i can start a thread if you like. this week, measure your bust, waist, hips and thighs (and any other parts - ankles, upper arms?) and post your measurements on the thread. one week later do the same. so even if the numbers on the scales aren't going down, you'll be seeing the results of your hard work. (and i'm hoping to tone up a bit since i have less than a month till i'm on my cruise!).

i'll come back later. hope you're all ok.
love kirsty

Kirsty... had not yet heard about the day of mourning across Europe...

Measuring in inches (or metric) sounds like a good idea... I will have to get a tape measure. I've been meaning to do that for ages. Is that the cruise that you won? How cool is that... I'm sure you'll have a great time and hopefully everything will have settled down by then.

The weather is here, the weather is here!

I just wrote an e-mail to a friend in San Francisco saying how the sky was blue and the sun was out and how good that felt ... and suddenly the heavens opened and the poor silver birch tree outside my window is whipping around in the wind. I can see the tiniest patch of blue sky, but it's hardly enough to make a cat a pair of trousers (unless it was a very small cat or it wore hotpants). Ah well.

Hi there Kirsty, Shalyne and everyone else about to post. I've been on light duties all day today - translating and baking (ie no thesis!). [Ok, the rain has gone as quickly as it came ...] I made Nigella's veggie curry (yum! and only about 1pt in the entire recipe, if you count turnip/parsnip) and then WW crunch fingers, except mine couldn't be fingers because I don't have the right shaped baking tin. They're sort of blobs instead. [Ooh! A rainbow
]. The onyl ingredients are margarine, oats, malt extract and dried fruit and they are YUMMY (couldn't wait for them to cool!). There are 27pts in the whole recipe, so mine have come out about 2pts each.

Like everyone, probably, I've been trying to distract myself from the news (can you tell?!). We went to see Moulin Rouge last night and it was FAB, totally escapist and I recommend it unreservedly to ALL of you - Nicole Kidman is SO beautiful and she can really sing!

hugs everyone,
Lxxx

where has everyone gone? come and post. we miss you. and need you!

lolly. pass me a crunch finger. they sound fab. that nicole kidman. anything she can't do? (just don't mention tom and penelope!).

so, anyone know how i can look amazing in a bikini in less than 4 week's time?

Kirsty: lots of fake tan! That always helps. Your cruse will be so much fun.

Lolly: Can I come over for lunch? Your curry and crunch fingers both sound great!

Oh, and I am not going ot measure right now, if that is ok. My heart could not take it. I am so big around!

Well, we are 24 weeks and boy did I feel the little guy move around yesterday. The Dr said it would still be a a little come and go right now since he is about 1# with lots of fluid around him.

Sarah: I was thinking about you and your Dr. appt. last week. Hope that went well.

Oh, Brenda is doing well for all who asked. She has internet police at work. She is moving into a new house very soon and I think very excited about that.


Well, I must get back to work. Talk with you all soon.

trish

I just have total pg brain. I bet your friend does not get out today. It is going to take a while to get the system back up and running. Hope you are doing well.

hey trish - that is so fab you can feel your baby move!! do you know that "he" is a boy then? it's so exciting.
and of course you don't need to measure yourself!! but the minute you drop that sprog you're coming back on the ww wagon with the rest of us! (ok, you can have a couple of days off to enjoy wine and choccies but after that...)
fake tan. i like it. but i'm awful at putting it on. still...might invest in a salon treatment before i go. i'll come back whiter than when i left!!

HI all.... Oh how I hate measuring. After having Emma and rejoining WW, I decided not to measure, tho wish I had. Now I don't know how many inches were lost. But that is OK, since it was PG weight I was losing. Soon I will be back to just losing my excess!!

Emma start baby swim class tonight. She is a Shrimp! Hubby packed both the camera and video camera!

OK, how can you make other tenants in the building NOT smoke in there offices. The smell has gotten so bad this week I am sick! Today when I left our suite to use the restroom I thought I was going to gag. The new building manager is a HUGE jerk that will do nothing for the tenants anymore.

Kirsty.. have fun on the cruise. I have been wondering the same thing about the bikini. My suit strap broke and I forgot to get it fixed, so tonight I have to wear a bikini. It is one that is shorts and a top. Not my special vacation one yet!! I hope I don't get laughed at, and I hope it fits since I haven't worn it in ages! I am desperate!

Lolly... YUM, post the recipes!

Trish... Yah on the movement!!!

Shalyne... are the airports even open yet?? As of last night they weren't!

Oh back to work.. got a huge headache from the smoke. I don't react well to cig smoke.

Kirsty: go get it put on at the salon. That will be a fun cruse investment. I am ok with my leggs but I would never be able to do my arms. Do they have those fake tan spray things there at your salon. I have heard they work well. oh, and I am going back to WW the first Sat after I give birth! I really need to get back with it!

Jen: I am sure you look great in your suit! Anyway, everyone will be looking at the little babies!

Oh, and to all, yes, I found out Monday that I am having a boy. Today I had to stop at baby Gap for a babyshower gift for someone and was so close ot buying out the store. But I resisted!

We have not picked out a name yet...and I don't see that happening any time soon. But my college roomate likes the name Paden so much she is callng my baby that already. However my hubby does not like that name...oh well, what can you do with a hubby with no name imagination.

Well, almost lunch time and I am ready to eat!

Trish

Oh, and Jen, on the smoking issue. I bet it is not legal to smoke in the building in your state. Maybe call the police! The smoking police? or the fire person...what do they call that? Or city hall!

Trish

I emailed the Pres and VP here and the VP made a call to the building manager. He is a putz and has no respect for Women (Pres is a woman too!) The building is NS except for the restaurant in the basement. But no one enforces it. It sucks. And everyone gets into everyone else business (other tenants) and it gets very political. So hopefully something will happen now. They also smoke in the mens bathroom.... bluchhh!

Did I say that the building manager ran for Mayor and lost.... it was a huge mud slinging battle. So now he manages properties for a larger company and is horrible at it!! I have had my words with him.

Jen: very rude of them! What is this, High School. Please!

Good thing that person is not now mayor of your town.

Fake tan! Kirsty, I totally recommend piz buin spray, it's fab! Gets in all those hard to reach places. And it looks so natural.

Trish - a boy! So exciting!

Jen - smoking, yuk. I guess it's hard to enforce without doing the policing thing. Use air conditioner!

Ok, here's the crunch fingers recipe:

50g rolled oats
100g malt extract
50g polyunsaturated margarine
200g dried fruit (I used 100g dried apricots, 100g dates), chopped finely

pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4
melt the marg and malt extract in a pan
stir in the oats and fruit
press the mixture into a shallow NON STICK baking tray
bake for 20mins or until golden

take it out and mark it into fingers but leave it to cool before you cut it. The WW book says 20 fingers at 1pt each (but 27pts total in the recipe ... go figure ...).

And ... ENJOY

hugs,
Lxxx

Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday!! ARGH! Tom is horrific this month, have horrid cramps and am very tired and full of work....

I went to see American Pie II last night....very cheesey as I expected but I did laugh! I know, lame...but true

Trish- congrats on your little boy!! That's so cool....

Kirsty - good idea of the measurements thing. I htink that your cruise will be awesome. Fake tan is a must - but be careful...I had a bad experience!

lolly - flash flood?? that's crazy!!!

Shalyne - I don't think that planes are flying much in the US - up here, only 10 left from Toronto today...its pretty slow go.

I heard the US and UK bombed Iraq today - probably not related though....that was an aside

Jen - hope the pool is warm. I took my niece when she was about one and it was so cold she turned blue, so I didn't take her back. She loves water though adn is in lessons again, as well as dance for 2 year olds....VERY cute.

Kim I LOVE Twix, its my fave.

Okay, better mosy, hi to all...

Belle

PS tomorrow is WI adn I am nervous - I have been OP all week, but only exercise is walkign to and from work. Also, I have bad TOM. He started late (yesterday afternoon) which means, I might not have lost the water yet...very very nervous.