First of all, thank you all for your well wishes. It is lovely to know that you are thinking of me.
Valerie – You asked how I discovered the skin cancer. Well, I have had this ‘dry’ patch on my back for YEARS. Hubby and I have always kept an eye on it to check for any changes, as that is what you are told to do. It didn’t change in all that time, but recently I had noticed that my exercise bra rubbed on it and made it ‘weep’ and it even bled one day. I did wonder whether it could be anything ‘bad’, but mainly wanted to get it checked out because it had become a pain to have to cover it some way when I exercised. The doctor said that ‘friction’ was one thing that could set off the change to make it cancerous. She said that the genetics had always been there, but needed something to trigger it off. So the friction of my bra actually caused the transformation. I’m not sure whether it was just the increase in the exercise that caused it to change, or whether it had already started to change and the increase in exercise just made it more noticeable. I’m just really glad that I thought to get it looked at and didn’t just keep thinking that it was just being rubbed too much.
Thanks for the comment about the Triple B Day. I am SO looking forward to it. I just always figure that kids can never do too much reading, or be read to too much, so this is a great opportunity to ‘drown’ them in reading, while having lots of fun at the same time. Problem is that every time I go out now I seem to be buying new books. I just LOVE some of the new kids’ books I have found lately.
Oh… I am SOOOO sorry that, with everything I had going on this week, I missed wishing you a happy birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!! I hope it was a wonderful one! I’m not sure if you posted that your ‘sister’ had the baby on your birthday or not. It would be lovely if she did, but I just hope that all went well and she and the baby are healthy.
Ammi – Great to see that you are still feeling SO awake! I hope to join you with that feeling soon. These B12 shots should kick in after 3 times I think. I hope…
I LOVE your new avatar! You two look simply adorable. I would love to see a bigger one. I still haven’t got my “Identity wall” of pics of you 300+ celebrities yet, but it is still in the planning. I want to print off everyone’s pics and put them on the wall in front of me so I can see who I am talking to. I kinda know all the faces, but I need visuals as a reminder.
You never did mention if shutting the window ‘loudly’ gave your own personal hillbilly the hint to stop. I actually don’t mind the sound of a banjo, but I like to decide when and where I listen to it, and it wouldn’t be for very long at a time.
Oh – I LOVE shepherds pie! Could you please post the recipe, or give a link to it?
Lori – I don’t envy you the school break at all. I have to admit that I LOVE when the holidays start, but I do feel for the parents who have a few kids at home to keep occupied all the time. I know many parents love the extra time with their kids, and like not having such a strict routine to keep, but I know that a houseful of kids would be VERY difficult, so I take my hat off to you. I hope that things work out with the two kids at a time thing you have set up. Is this a regular thing you do, or is it something new you are trying out? It sounds like a great idea.
You guys certainly have a LONG break! We get a total of 11 weeks off throughout the year normally, but things have changed just this past year and another week has been added to our summer break. The teachers were supposed to work that week that the kids got off, but we were allowed to work it off during the year. None of us could see what we could do for a whole week at the END of the year when we were exhausted and didn’t really want to plan for the following year. Obviously some govt official thought it sounded good at the time. This year we will be getting two weeks off between terms (so three sets of 2 weeks off) and then 6 weeks off at the end of the year. I think that is right anyway. The end of the year seems so far away that I haven’t worked it out yet.
I hope you had a lovely day in the country with your friend. It sounds as though it would be a perfect ‘getaway’ for you. Just what you need before the holidays.
Annie – I have my fingers crossed that the B12 shots work just like they did with your sister. The doctor said that this should be all I need to ‘top me up’, so I have my fingers crossed that she is right. She thinks that it is just because of losing so much weight that my body is having trouble absorbing B12. I’m not sure how that works, but I’ll just have to take her word for it.
Well done on the latest loss!!! All your hard work is paying off!
Lilion – I certainly wouldn’t feel at all bad about not being able to get on the elliptical, after all of that yard work. I have a feeling that you probably burnt off more doing that than you would in a regular workout anyway. Yard work can be back breaking!
Well done on having to get a new dress form! That must feel great! I wish I could sew. I would love to have a skill like that. When I was bigger I couldn’t buy any pants to fit me and I had to make my own, but could only sew stretch fabric, so that was all I made. I had one basic pattern and would have a few pairs of pants in different colours. Not very exciting, but I didn’t have a lot of choice. It has been so wonderful this year to be able to actually go out and BUY my pants. It has only just occurred to me that I actually didn’t have to make any pants last year either, but I didn’t even think about it. EVERY year, twice a year (summer and winter) I would be making those new pants, as I had work out the other ones between the legs where they rubbed. Wow… fancy not realizing until now that I haven’t had to make any for almost two years now.
You heard right about Australia being bad for skin cancers. The main reason for that is sun exposure I think. Australians spend a LOT of time in the sun. I am constantly surprised to still see people everywhere trying to get the bronzed look, when it can be SO damaging to your skin. I spent a lot of time in the sun as a kid, but know better now. I have a feeling that damage can occur when you are younger though, so I should get regular checks, even though I have been covering up for years.
Sharon – I hope you really enjoy the exercise bike. I love mine. It has been great to have the variety lately, as I haven’t been able to go on the treadmill (all the jiggling isn’t good for my stitches) so I’ve been able to go on the bike. I was worried for a while, because I was going on the bike in the afternoons and I didn’t seem to be able to go very fast, but now I’ve been doing it in the mornings I’ve been totally fine. I can even do brief intervals at close to 30mph. So it was obviously that I was simply too tired after a day of work or whatever, it wasn’t that I was just too unfit to go any faster.
SueMarie – It must be a relief to have finished your observations. Now we just sit and see whether you post more often, or are missing because you are taking every opportunity to get some work done. I know which one I’d be doing. I was a HOPELESS student! I would find every excuse under the sun not to study until the last minute. Sad for a teacher to admit to that huh?
How is the treadmill going? You mentioned that you were picking it up Thursday. Have you had a chance to try it out yet? I LOVE my treadmill.
MsCrockett – I hope Kado’s date is successful and you have lots of little Kados running around the place in the future. Can’t wait to see pics.
I am envious that you LOST weight with Aunt Margaret’s visit! I always dread that time because I gain WAY too much weight for my liking.
How did the doctor’s visit go about the knee/leg? I hope he was able to either let you know that it could be fixed easily, or at least give you something to make you more comfortable.
Julee – I can understand how excited you must be about getting your wedding dress! I don’t know how you can stand not trying it on. I am seriously thinking of repeating our vows, just so I can wear a lovely wedding dress. I just wore a plain dress and a lacy cover-up when I got married and now I’ve lost weight I would love to be a ‘beautiful bride’. I am SO looking forward to seeing your pics.
You certainly have more patience with people than I would have. I am sure I would have told this bridesmaid from ‘you know where’ to just take a hike by now. She is causing you more stress than it is worth. You mentioned a bad headache earlier in the week and I would imagine that SHE is contributing greatly to that. I hope you sort her out, one way or another, very soon.
Heather – First off… HI! I don’t think I’ve welcomed you yet. I know you will love it here. You would have to search a long time to find a group of more caring and considerate people.
Aidan is simply adorable!!! I love the pics of him.
I can understand your feeling of not needing to lose weight because you already have your man, and he is happy. I got into that trap as well, and was comfortable there for a LONG time. I finally realised that it had nothing to do with my relationship, and it had EVERYTHING to do with my health. That was the trigger for me I think.
Good luck on your journey.
Kayley – I must apoligise that I did have a little chuckle at your expense when I read about you being stiff and sore from doing the exercise DVDs. I just remember doing that myself and thinking later that I would not do that again… yeah right! It is so easy to forget these things and repeat them at a later date. I hope you aren’t as ‘forgetful’ as I am.
It sounds as though you have been having a good time with your mom lately. It is wonderful that you get along so well. I wish I had that sort of relationship with my mother, but I’m not sure either of us can change that now. Your veggie patch sounds fantastic! Lots of fresh produce for you guys in the future. We have such a tiny backyard that I’m not sure what we could grow, but we do have lots of big pots that we should be able to put something into. I’m just too lazy to do anything like that I think. May have to think seriously about it with the way prices are going up lately.
I still have my fingers crossed that you will have some success on the job front soon. If not, it won’t be for lack of trying anyway.
Xena – I hope that you are not still recovering from those ‘meatballs’. It did sound as though you were not too sure about them. It would be good if you at least got a little choice of meals when they provided something at work. So many people are more health-conscious now that you would think that healthier food would be on offer at most events/functions.
Maria Lucia – Thank you SO much for the compliment about our ‘aerobics’ session. I totally relate to you about being the odd one out at most sporting events throughout school. That has made me SO much more conscious about what I expect the kids to do now. I still definitely encourage them to keep moving, but I try not to push them past their limits, and give a little ‘leeway’ when needed. We simply had such a good time on Monday that I don’t think there was even any time for nerves or self-consciousness. We all raced around like wild things and we were all making mistakes here and there, but nobody noticed. Everyone got a good sweat up and it would have been a terrific workout, but I don’t think the kids even felt as though they were exercising. They were just having fun! I will definitely be doing that more often.
Congrats on your NSV! It must be nice to know that the ex is still noticing the improvements in you, but that she can “look but not touch”. Well, that is what I would be thinking anyway, but I am NOT a nice person.
Vicki – Sorry to hear about your plateau. I know how frustrating it can be, because I have been sitting around the same place for a while now. I know it is easier for me really, because at least I am close to my goal, but it is still frustrating to be doing everything right, but not seeing any results. Although I am still seeing small changes in the fit of clothes, so perhaps there is still something going on there. I can also relate to the ‘jealousy’ thing. I get on here and read all about these wonderful people losing weight and I just WISH that it were me! I suppose that it isn’t really jealousy, just… well, I’m not sure. I am REALLY happy that they are losing weight, and I just want to join them. I’m not sure what to call that.
How have you gone with restarting your low carb diet and getting to the gym? Don’t forget that you don’t have to do it all at once. Maybe you should just focus either on the eating OR the exercise, and once you have one sorted out you can start working on the other one. Perhaps you are just looking at the ‘big’ picture and it is simply TOO big.
Good luck with getting back on the wagon.
Nancy – I am glad that your holiday is going well so far. It sounds as though you have been getting in some beautiful walks. I love it when there are lots of new places to wander. The area you are in sounds delightful – relaxing and scenic. My kind of place.
I am looking forward to pics. I LOVE photos!
Bryttani – Well done on the NSV! It is great when people start noticing. I hope you get many more comments like that as you progress. They really do help to keep you focused and wanting to do even better.
Flady – I hope your week has gone OK, even though things have been on the ‘tight’ side financially. I’ve been thinking of you today as it is Friday here. You must be hanging out to go shopping. There have been so many times when we have been simply going from pay to pay and I know how that feels. You know that things will be fine until the next pay, but it still doesn’t feel that great.
I can relate to you about the bathroom visits with drinking more. I know that I don’t drink anywhere NEAR enough, but it is because I get so tired of seeing toilet walls all the time. Restroom breaks really get in the way of shopping sprees too.
Tracey – It was great to see you check in. I have missed your posts… and your smiling face.
I am truly sorry that you are feeling so bad. I can totally relate to that and I wish there was something I could say to make you feel better, but I know that when I have been in my ‘funks’ there wasn’t anything that people could say to make me come out of it. I just needed time to think and to evaluate where I was at. I hope you come out of this with a clearer perspective of things and the strength to continue on your journey to a healthier and happier you. You know you can do it, but don’t forget that you can take ‘baby steps’ to get you there. Just little things at a time, or the whole thing just becomes too daunting. Good luck!
Heather – Well done on your first “I didn’t recognize you”!!! You will get many more of them and you will love every one of them! I never tire of hearing it! I actually go out of my way to see people I haven’t seen in a while, just to surprise them. The look on their face is always such a blast!
I haven’t mentioned before, but I do like your 5 Cs of healthy living. What a good idea.
Mel – Your tips for the newbies were great. In fact, I found some of them useful myself. I really should write down notes as I read, as it is a huge job catching up otherwise. In fact, I’m just going to grab a notebook and pen now, just for the 300+ thread. Back in a second…
OK… I’m back. With notebook (purple) and pen (purple – can we see a pattern here?) by my side, ready to go. I have often said that I will just have a Word document open at all times, to write notes in, as I write my long posts up in Word anyway, so I don’t lose them halfway through and so that I have a copy of them. I just always forget to have Word open, so I think I’ll try the trusted notebook and pen for a while.
You mentioned the stitches giving me fits. Well, this lot are VERY itchy at times. I know it will hurt to scratch them, but it gets a little frustrating. They also pull a little and now and then they ‘sting’, but all in all they are doing fine I think. The doc looked at them on Wednesday and said they looked good. I have had a couple of people at work give me hugs and accidentally knock them, which doesn’t ‘tickle’, but I know that they don’t mean to, so I try not to wince too much.
Misti – Isn’t it great to see a drop on the scale after it has been sitting in one place for a while? I hope you see many more of them.
Well done on getting into the smaller pants!! I had a surprise today when I just felt like trying on some jeans that had been handed down to me that were too tight a few weeks ago. Today they were still ‘firm’, but definitely wearable, so I wore them out and felt really good. They are 12s!! That is about an 8/10 in the US I think. They are also ‘normal’ jeans, not larger fitting ones, or stretchy ones. I could even breath when I sat down! That is always a bonus.
You must be getting just so excited about the cruise! I am getting excited FOR you! I can’t remember if you’ve said how long you will be gone for. Will you be able to post and tell us how things are going while you are away, or will we have to wait till you get back?
Jill – You’ve certainly been earning your money at your work lately! I’m glad you found the time to come in here and touch base with us though. At least we know you are still alive and kickin’.
Sorry the scales are up a little, but with things being so hectic, it can be hard to stick to routine. Hopefully you will be able to get at least one foot back on the wagon when things settle down for you. I hope you have a lovely weekend at your parents’.
Brandnewme – Thank you for the lovely offer. At the moment there is nothing I need, except a lot of prayers and crossed fingers that Wednesday’s results show that all of the cancer was removed.
Work can definitely get in the way of a healthy lifestyle can’t it? I find I get really frustrated when I have to work instead of working out. I am glad you will be back to a normal working week soon, so you can get some more time for yourself.
I bet you can’t wait to go swimming now that you know you have something that fits so well. Well done!! What a great feeling you get when that happens. I find that I even carry myself differently (sometimes almost ‘swagger’) when something fits just right.
Someone asked about our weather here, but I can’t remember who it was, sorry. (Oh… just found it. It was Ammi) We are in Autumn (Fall) now. Our Autumn goes from March 1st to May 31st, so really we are at the tail end of the season and almost into Winter, which goes from June 1st to August 31st. We have had some cooler weather, but we are also having some VERY nice weather. Our days are very similar to some of the warmer days you guys are mentioning. We have a very cool start to the day, but then end up with temps in the mid 80s. This is still a little cool for me, but quite nice in general really. We actually need the rain, so I hope that winter brings some rainfall with it. Last winter was fairly mild, and we got most of our rain in summer, which is VERY unusual for us.
Hubby and I went for a very leisurely stroll today, as I just had to get out of the house. I went to a book store and bought some more Sea books. I just love books!!!! I’m sure I’ve mentioned that before… once, or 100 times. Now I’m just about ready for a nap. I am looking forward to the days when I don’t need naps anymore. Roll on another couple of B12 shots! This would be the first time I have actually been looking forward to having a needle.
Well, I think I should finish off here. I have certainly had a lot to catch up on. Sorry this is such a LONG post.
Sorry if I missed anyone, but I had a LOT to catch up on. I hope you are all having a wonderful week.
Take care,
Zelma