[Marlana]

Thru Thick & Thin is a group that was formed to give and receive support on our journey to take off the excess pounds and to keep them off. No matter who you are or where you are from, you're welcome here with us. We'll stand with you while you're losing and stand by you if you're not. We all have ups and downs and we need support in both.

[Marlana]

Good Morning my Friends~~I thought I better get in here and write before everyone forgets who I am. I had a very good thanksgiving, it was really nice to spend some time with my daughter. I had spent some time about a year ago at Christmas time. I did however eat too much, in fact I have eat too much for the last 3 days. Yesterday was my Birthday as you all know and I had to have real food on my birthday...ain't that a crock!!! Anyway it's back on plan for me today, time to get on with it. By the way those of you that has been here a while knows the story about hubby not getting me a card or a gift for my birthday. I guess he must have heard me a few months ago when I turned lose on him. I got some perfume and a really nice card. I've never heard of the perfume..Ellen Tracy...Have any of you heard of it. It smells good...and he has bought me perfume before a few times and he always pays way more for it than I would. Made me happy.I now have a Betta fish....Neon....He's pretty bright. The lady told me to feed him 3 lil balls of food a day..But Skeeter feeds hers more..so yesterday morning he got 4 and last night he got 4 more. This morning he got 4 and he will get 5 tonight is he wants it. Not a lot to tell about him, he don't do much, but then what the heck is there to do in a bowl of water???

Tobey~~I don't know if I would be looking forward to being off the 19th or not, considering what your going to do that day. The tooth I had filled a couple of weeks ago still hurts when I try to chew on it or something cold hits it. I have to have another one done on the 3rd on the other side, if it does the same thing I'll have to go on warm food and soft too. Tobey a few months ago I was in such a bad mood all the time that my hubby couldn't do anything right. It wasn't him, he hasn't changed but my attitude has. I just read another post of yours and everything is find with you and dh, but I've got a couple of post to go. Your spice rack really sounds nice, I'm afraid I wouldn't know what to do with 60 different spices. You should have bought a couple of extra spice bottles in case one gets broke, I'm sure you'll never find them again. I've learned over the years to be prepared. You have been adding some cute attachments lately.

Skeeter~~I am so glad to see your doing some walking again, you done so well when you was walking. I've been over to Picture Trail and seen the pictures. I love the trails you have around your home. Too bad you can't get a picture of your fish. I can see why you can't get one. Neon is in a round bowl and you have to be in the right place to even see him. If he's on the back side of the bowl from you he looks big. I don't know if he likes his home or not..he still hasn't made a bubble nest. You are so right about the route to a mans heart after a few years have passed. I made mine a Orange Cheese Cake yesterday.Ha Ha I will post a lower cal. version at the end of this post. I got a letter from my Sister that turned me around in a New York min. I don't know if I sent it to you or not. She just back tracked on everything. And frankly it made me mad that she had lead me on a wild goose chase trying to find out how he was finding her. Right now I don't care what she does, I'm off the roller coaster now and there ain't one thing she can say to get me back on. I feel sorry for her, she has screwed up bad, but it's her life. I raised one teenie bopper, I'm not going through another one. I hope the new critter is doing better.

Jo Jo~~I hope you enjoy your last day off before returning back to work. You'll mess up your day if you thank about it all day. Sorry to hear you have a cold, bummer for the holidays. I've been around some recovering alcoholic's and most of them are very pleasant people, in fact down right nice people. A lot of times when they stop drinking they pick up another complain, eating. The ones I know was in AA and come to OA for the eating problem. I can't stand the smell of booze either, and on someone's breath it almost makes me sick. I have some wonderful tapes that alcoholics have made telling their stories, it can bring you to tears, the things they have done to their selves. Sometimes we just have to stay away from people if they bring us down and we can't seem to stop the feelings. I'm so glad she wrote me the last letter. I know she didn't mean for it to affect me the way it did, but it was just what the doctor ordered for me. He problems are going to slide right off my back like water off a ducks back. I still love her and I will talk to her, but no more roller coaster for me. That baby sounds like a doll.
Sally~~I forgive you for playing hookie for a few days if you will forgive me. Good luck with getting the new job tomorrow. Be sure and look really sharp. A spat with your hubby too, it's going around for sure. Mine and I are doing just find. It will be so much help now that your hubby has to watch what he eats too. Girlfriend your going to get the excess off this year! I made the mistake of going shopping the day after too. I did get a scanner for 10.00 and it works. However I got the other new one back to working, so I have two scanners now. Here at Staples if I had of known a little earlier I could have got a couple of things free, a camera for one thing, also a printer for 10.00 too. Thanks for the birthday greeting, it was a very good day.

Jen~~Maybe you just gave me the guts to weigh in tomorrow, I know I've gained, but not weighing won't take it away. I hope I get away with just 4 pounds. Skeeter mentioned it in one of her post. Have I given you the pass words to the picture albums? We have some pictures of ourselves on the web. We would like to have a couple of you too. If you don't have a scanner or a camera to get them on your computer some of the girls have sent them to me and when I scan them I send the picture back to you. Any way let me know if you want the pass words. It really helps to know what everyone looks like. Not just anyone can see the pictures, they have to have the pass word. Girl, don't go back to work early, fake it and tell them your not doing that good. Congrats on the scholarship, you must be one smart girl.

Teresa~~Be sure to read Jen's post I wrote, the same goes for you if you want the passwords for the albums. I'm too lazy to type all that out again. Speaking of upgrading puter's....I got a wild hair yesterday to download Internet Explorer 6.0 yesterday. That's one of the reason's I didn't post yesterday. This darn computer just moved so slow I wanted to pull my hair out. It seems to be doing better today. I wish I had never of downloaded it. I'm sorry to hear that your thanksgiving day got messed up but your sister. I cried my heart out over mine, but I've turned it lose now. I have to go to a dinner at my older Sister's on the Sat. after Christmas and boy do I dread it. Hubby isn't going, so I'll lie for him and say he had to work. He can't stand to be around my sister's husband, me either. I've decided I will handle it by getting on the computer and writing on this board and playing games. You know you can still love people but not like them at all.

I'm all typed out ladies. I got to run and watch some fishing on TV. I want to say thank you for all the birthday wishes and attachment's and cards. You girls are my friends, and I might add mighty good ones. Have a wonderful day.

[Skeeter2]

Hey everyone.

The little squirrel didn't make it through the night. I think that she was just too skinny to get her back on track. Poor baby doesn't hurt anymore.

Sally~I hope that you are enjoying that long weekend before going back to the grind. Good luck on your interview. Do you know how many other people signed up for the job? Maybe you will get and early Christmas present by getting the job. I don't think that there was anything else that could be done for that little squirrel, it was her time.

Marybeth~I sure hope that you are feeling better after that bad time with your sister. It seems very common nowadays for there to be so much distance and disagreements in families. It's a shame that we can't feel as close as we did as children. I don't have any problems with any of my brothers but they do between each other. Of course, I live 1000 miles away and only see them about once a year. You can vent here anytime that you need. We have all done that at one time or another. At least you have a good relationship with your mom and that means a lot.

Marlana~I am so glad that you had a good birthday with your husband. Perfume is my favorite gift. I haven't been in the perfume section of a store for a long time but if he likes it, who cares about anything else? My last selection was Ambre Rose and that was almost a year ago and I still have some left. I also love the sweet French perfumes. The only thing that you have to be careful about is leaving uneaten food in the fish bowl. If Neon doesn't eat it, scoop it out and throw it away. The man that has the betta shop in the mall says that you can't overfeed them because they will not overeat. The one I call Moby is my biggest eater. I give him the ones that the others spit out and won't eat. Moby also made a bubble nest the first night that I had him and kept one in the vase but doesn't make one in his 2 gallon tank. The other three make them but he quit doing it and I still think he is happy but maybe a little lazy. Your fish sounds like he is the same color as the second one that I bought. I think you told me in an email that he was turquoise and red. I am so glad that you are finally able to view your sisters life as an observer only and not feeling it so personally. I have tried a couple more pictures of my fish on my Thanksgiving roll of film. Maybe one of those will turn out. I took two of them outside to try to get a picture without the flash going off. I'll keep my fingers crossed that one of them comes out.

I think that I will work on some Christmas decorations today. I want to get my Santa's Marching Band set up first. I love that thing. It has the 5 figurines that play the music with bells. I drive my husband crazy with it every year. Y'all have a good day.

[Mommy2Girls]

Hi Ladies,
Jeff took the girls bowling, so I thought I would sneak on here for a minute. Gotta go color my hair so I look good for the big interview. I'm starting to look like a collie, so I thought I'd get it all the same color at least. I'm going to be light chestnut (I hope). Right now I'm red with brown roots.
Mama, I'm glad you had a good birthday, and hubby remembered!! I've vowed not to say anything about mine this year and see if my little man remembers. He's pretty good about it, and our anniversary is his mom's birthday, so he remembers it. Hope Neon's having a wonderful time in his new home! I didn't know they built bubble nests...I kept wondering what mine was doing. Does that mean he's happy? Hope so!
MaryBeth, I told you before that we are soul sisters!.....honey, I could tell you tales about my family! Mother is the only one who speaks to me, and no one knows why. Me, the non-speakers, mother...no one remembers what started it. My sister has never seen my youngest child and she's 8; I get left out of every "family" gathering....the whole bit. As near as I and my mother can recall, I didn't do anything, so I've finally quit worrying about it....I figure that is their problem, not mine. But I know how aggravating it can be! We love you, and you can be my sister anytime...if you'll let me be an honorary Zilla.
Skeeter, I'm so sorry that the baby squirrel didn't make it. I know she had good care, though; you know there will be more baby squirrels in your future!
Love you all, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sally

[Tam36]

Good evening ladies: I haven't been here on the board because somehow my email address was changed(don't know how that happend because it didn't) so.....it wouldn't let me get on the board!!I emailed Suzanne and she fixed it and I'm back!


Marlana: I'm glad you had a nice birthday!
Sally: Good luck on your interview
Skeeter2: I'm sorry your squirrel didn't make it. I'm sure you gave it your best. The squirrel is lucky you care not too many people would you are a very caring person and that's great!

Got to run! Bye

[PeekabooICU]

Hello

I'm here to try to post again. I was almost finished with a long post and I lost my connection. I'm seriously thinking about bringing up this site on Internet Explorer cause I would at least be able to copy the post to an email draft and then when I am able to get back on line, copy and paste it to the reply box. If I lose my connection and have AOL open, it all just disappears. On IE, I will just get a box telling me I've lost my internet connection but IE stays up even tho it won't do anything, I could copy it. I wish I could get a DSL connection. Its around $55 a month here. But everyone tells me its so worth the money because it loads super fast on web sites and downloads are also very fast and you dont get knocked off line like you do with phone connections. Its something to think about.

Marlana, I'm so glad you had a nice Thanksgiving and that things are going well with your daughter. I know that is a blessing for you. Also, I'm so glad you are off the roller coaster with your sister. Its so easy to get wrapped up in a loved ones problems to where it really affects you in negative ways. This cold has really knocked me for a loop. I felt bad that last time but I think this time I'm going to need to see the Dr. I've always been skeptical about antibiotics when I get sick but I think this has gone into a sinus infection plus my lungs are all congested. I don't mean to moan and groan but I just feel crappy and want to tell someone about it. Isn't there a song that goes, "poor, poor, pitiful me". Can't remember who sang it but its how I feel today. Blah!!! Oh, when exactly is your birthday. The sites calendar says its the 22nd. Oh, was the password changed on the picture site. Seems like it was but I can't remember for sure. Could you email it to me again, just in case its not what I think it is.

Skeeter, awww, the poor squirrel baby. Well, at least its not in any pain or danger anymore and at least it had a few hours of love and warmth. That has to count for something. At least you tried to help her. I'm glad you had a nice Thanksgiving. Oh, I hate when people drop by that you arent all that anxious to see.

Sally, I've been thinking about putting a little darker color on my hair, I'm a dark blonde but I'm so worried I'd look horrid and would be to embarrassed to be seen by the public so I'll stick with my drab color. I did get it cut yesterday. It needed it so bad cause its been 2 1/2 mos since my last haircut. I hope you do well on your interview tomorrow.

Marybeth, I'm sorry your sister's comment messed up your holiday and that you are feeling better today. I think holidays tend to bring out the worst in people for some reason. You'd think that everyone could just be happy and celebrate just being around each other but it doesn't work that way.

I'm getting confused now about who wrote what on the last thread and I'm to big of a chicken to try and bring up the last thread to see so I'm just going to stop here and finish up. Hello to everyone else who I missed.

Take care everyone.

[Marlana]

It's Monday~~Bless your hearts, some of you have to go back to the old grind on the job. I have to go back to mine here at home. I've got to get this post wrote so I can go out at the crack of dawn and burn leaves before the wind comes up. I worked all afternoon yesterday on about 1/4 of the yard. Today I'm going to get the driveway. Our driveway has a fence on both sides so they are caught there. Can't keep the garage clean, every time you open the door in they come. I don't have the guts to weigh today, so I'm putting it off for a week. Or at least the report. How's that for being honest!

Skeeter~~So sorry about the new baby, you just got her too late to help her. I tell you Neon is just like me, he loves to eat. I started feeding him twice a day. Yesterday morning he ate 4 balls because that's all I offered, but last night he ate 7 of them and that's all I offered. I should have named him Mr. Piggy. He's made a small bubble nest on the top of the water. I thank he eat too much to make a big one. I know how big some of them make them I saw them in the pet store. By the way none of the Walmarts have fish here. Perfume's hubby has bought me before are...Tendre Poison by Christian Dior....Wings by Giorgia of Calif....And Eternity by Calvin Kien....I like them all but the one I really like is Wings. It smells so good, every time I wear it people say something. He paid a pretty penny for it, I would have never springed for it. I also love Musk, and it's not costly at all.

Sally~~I noticed my hair is getting a lot of gray in it. I just might have to color it a little. I noticed it when I got a new perm last week. Who knows I might turn into a blond. I used to be. I also had more fun then! I have no idea if Neon is happy or not, but when I come close to the bowl he comes over to greet me. I thank he's mostly a pig.

Tammie~~I did have a nice Birthday for a change, and I didn't even thank about the number. Hope all is going well with you.

Jo Jo~~I don't know about you but I don't like AOL. When I had it for a while I used Internet explorer and wrote in outlook. I was wondering why you hadn't copied it and saved what you had already wrote. I would love to have a faster puter. Mine is a 333 and now I could get one for $449.00 that has 128 memory and 20 gigs and a speed of 900. I'm getting a new one before hubby retires. I only pay 9.95 for my ISP right now and it is a good one. It's only in two cites, St. Lewis and Tulsa. You sound like you've got a doozy of a cold. I hope it hasn't caused you Asthma to flare up. I'll email the password to your house. If I have it filed somewhere. I don't have to have one.

I've got enough time to fix myself a bite to eat and then it will be light enough to go outside. Ya'll have a good day.

Here's a hug for all of you.

[TobeyToe]

Hello Ladies

Hope everyone had a nice weekend. The weather here was BEAUTIFUL. Yesterday it was sunny and 60F. That is unheard of for late November. I was so nice to run without a jacket or gloves. In fact I could have run in shorts. It felt amazing. The Christmas party we went to Saturday night was fun – we met lots of new people. However, I can’t say that my food was good. I did indulge in a little too much merriment. But it was only one day. Everything was back to healthy yesterday.

Jen: Wow you have been getting sooo much schoolwork done. You are starting to make me feel guilty. I am behind schedule of where I wanted to be. Starting tonight, I am going to get back on track. That’s too bad that you may have to go back to work so soon. CONGRATULATIONS on the scholarship. That is absolutely fantastic news. You definitely deserve it. Way to go!

Skeeter: That’s too bad about your old friend. Doesn’t sound like much fun at all. Can’t believe you had to turn on the a/c! I really do love my new spice rack. I almost have it all filled up. Once it is all finished, I am going to take a picture of it to post. I am so sorry to hear that the little squirrel didn’t make. But at least you made the hours of her time the most comfortable. You are one great lady!

Mb: Sorry to hear that your Thanksgiving wasn’t all that it should have been. (If that isn’t an understatement) Sometimes I wish I wasn’t an only child and other times I am thankful! At least the visit with your mom sounded great. Are your reading “Fit for Life” or “Thin for Life”? They are 2 very different books. “Fit for Life” is about a food combing diet (I think) and the book I suggested was “Think for Life”. A lot of people do get the titles confused. Sounds like your exercise has been very good. Doing weights will go a long way. I was always hit and miss with doing them but now I try to do a 30-minute session 3 times a week. Even dh has noticed the change that it makes.

Marlana: HAPPY belated BIRTHDAY!!
Sounds like you had a great long weekend. And how sweet of hubby! Guess you can teach an old dog new tricks after all. I’m happy to say that everything is wonderful with dh and I. I will go back and get a few more of those bottles for my spice rack. I just couldn’t carry any more at the time. And the poor cashier – she wrapped up each one in tissue paper. I caused quite a line up! Sounds like you have a busy day planned for today! How is Neon adjusting to his new home? Sounds like mama is spoiling him already!

Sally: Good luck today on your interview. I will have my fingers crossed all day today for you. Please be sure to let us know how it goes.

Tammie: Glad to see that you are back. Funny how sometimes things change with you doing anything. The wonder of modern times.

Jojo: High-speed connections are fantastic. Once you start using them you can never go back. It also nice to be able to use the phone and the net at the same time.

Well must get back to work. Hope everyone has a great OP day.

Tobey


Marlana, this attachment is for you:

[Dolphin]

Good Morning Gals. It seems like forever since I've posted, but I don't think that it has really been that long, couple days maybe. Saturday dear bf took me out to dinner and then we rented Jim Carey's Grinch. Pretty cute. I love that dog. Yesterday, of course, was football day. And then I put out my x-mas stuff. I don't have a real tree. It's just a big toy for the cats. Back in 1974 my mom made a ceramic tree about 2 feet tall that lights up. I still use it. I'm only 1 year older than it!!! I was thinking about going shopping today, it' so chilly and rainy. What else is there to do? Of course it rained alot Saturday, and today, and it's supposed to basically all week. So much for the leaves. I may just have dear bf bag them up and put them in the garage til spring and burn them then. Doesn't look like we'll get too far this fall.

Marlana- Congrats on your birthday gifts, and NEON. How cute. I'm planning on stopping at the pet store to get gifts for the "kids". I'm gonna check out the bowls to see if one is cat proof. Yes, I need the password to the website. But I have no scanner. I have some pics that bf took with his digital camera, if I can figure out how to post them I will. I've also got alot of pics of the "kids". I don't blame you for not wanting to weigh in. Today I experimented with my scale. Depending on where in the bathroom I put it, the reading is different, like 2 lbs. I guess I'll have to keep it in the same spot.

Tobey- We've had some of the same fantastic weather, but it looks like it's going to change. I've gotten far enough ahead in my schoolwork that now I can slack off for awhile. That's the plan anyway.

Jojo- I hate when the server screws up my posts. I've heard great things about DSL and cable internet. But our cable provider has terrible service. My bf has it. If he needs someone to come out to the house to check it, it usually takes a month to get someone. Not worth the $50 a month. I hope your cold gets better soon. If your lungs are full and a sinus infection, you may need antibiotics. Unless it's a virus, they will do nothing for that.

Sally- I just retouched up my hair too. I had horrible brown roots. BF said my hair was a funky color this time. Strawberry blond. It used to look really cool when I had my green contacts. I have some of the same problems with my brother, but I'm the nonspeaker, but I have a reason. My mom used to live with him, and he treated her like crap. Even before she was collecting her whopping $450 a month disability, he was charging her rent. Basically taking my dad's life insurance money and life savings away from her. I tolerate being in the same house with him for holidays, etc for mom's benefit, but I stay in another room.

Skeeter- So sorry about your little squirrel. At least we know her last hours were comfortable ones. Your Santa Band sounds really cute. I could use something like that!!

Well, I think that's about it for now. I need to get my butt in the shower, and shopping. YIPPEE!!! Catch ya all later.

Jen

[Skeeter2]

Hey everyone.

We walked a little over 2 miles this morning and it was just so beautiful out there with not a cloud in the sky. We could use the rain though because we haven't had any here in 21 days and that was only a shower. I was sure hoping to have a wetter winter this year. It was starting to get warm by the time we got back to the house this morning and the dogs had their tongues hanging out.

Sally~I haven't colored my hair in almost 2 years. The last kit that I bought is still in the bathroom cabinet. I am getting a lot of gray but it is looking more like frosted hair than just graying hair. Anyhow, for the first time in my life, I like the color of my hair so I have left it alone. My husband also says that he likes it the way it is. His hair and beard are getting white and I thinks he likes for me to match. The bowling sounds like fun. I can't bowl but I always enjoyed watching. My husband loves to watch it on TV. He used to bowl and he knows what all the shots are called and can tell if it is a good shot before it hits the pins. I was told that a happy male betta builds bubble nests. I have one that quit building them so I guess he is mad about something.

Tammie~We are sure glad to have you back with us. I wonder what caused the glitch in your email address. I was wondering why we hadn't heard from you in a while. Did you decide to go the Low Carb way instead of TOPS? We have to follow the plan that works for each of us no matter which one it is. That's one of the reasons that I like this board so well, everyone is does their own thing.

Marlana~All of the bettas ate a lot when I first got them. I think some of them hadn't been fed in a long time. That website said that it takes 3-4 weeks for them to starve to death. Isn't that sad? Anyhow, they all ate a lot in the beginning and most of them settled into a regular schedule except Moby and he wants a lot to eat all the time. Leon usually only eats a lot about one or two days a week then he goes back to just eating a few pellets a day. This morning he ate 6 because I picked out the tiniest ones for him. He is the smallest fish and he won't eat the big pellets. Now I'm spoiling fish!!!! Why do I spoil everything that way? Sounds like Neon got his belly full and built his nest to show you how happy he is. My guys also build different sizes of bubble nests but I don't have a clue of the significance of that. I'll have to check out some of those perfumes the next time we are at the mall. My daily wear has been Red Door for several years now. I always wore it to work because it stayed with me most of the day without being overpowering. I've always liked the better perfumes and will do without before I try to wear some of the cheaper stuff. It goes against my body chemistry and actually stinks on me. Good soap and water smells good enough most of the time. I think that you are worth that pretty penny that your husband paid for the perfume. Wear it a lot for him. Don't save it, dab a little behind the ears every evening so he can smell it. He will be glad that you like it as well as he does.

JoJo~I always go to the board through Internet Explorer. I didn't know there was another way to get there. I minimize it and go into Outlook and get the draft of my post with all the heading and colors already set up. Then I can just go back and forth and read and type. That way I can also use the spell check in Outlook before I copy it to paste on the board. Once in a while I lose a post but it is always from me hitting the wrong buttons. When I get ready to copy it, I hit Ctrl and A and it highlights the whole page so that I can just click copy. Well, I found out he hard way not to hit the space bar while that page is highlighted because it deletes the whole thing. Talk about feeling helpless and stupid. I just sat and stared at that blank draft for several minutes. I think my brain was trying to figure out how to respond; scream, cry, throw something or all of those at once. Anyhow, once I saved that draft the first time, it always saves automatically what I have written if anything happens or even if I close it down. I doubt if I will ever switch to a cable connection here. Our phone service is so much better than the cable service here. The electricity goes out a lot and our cable service depends on the electricity throughout these woods. I am much better off depending on the phone service. I don't ever remember having that go out.

Tobey~With all the running that you do, have you increased your calorie intake? It seems like you could practically eat about anything that you wanted and not gain since you have started running. I did just horrible with my food since Thanksgiving. It's really hard to get back OP after a day like that. Our friends from New York will be down by the middle of December and will be staying until April or May. It is so hard to stay OP with them around because they want to eat out all the time. Well, actually they do eat out all the time and beg us to go with them a lot. I'll have to set some rules and try to stick to them. I am looking forward to seeing that spice rack. I just find it amazing that you could have that many spices and actually use them. You are our little Martha Stewart.

Jen~Sounds like you had a fun weekend. I also had a very lazy one. I wanted to start on the Christmas decorations Saturday and hubby got snippy about it and we ended up postponing until today. I have one of those big artificial trees that has the branches that hook onto the center pole. It looks like a real one when it is finished. but it is sure a pain to get up. I got the tree up and the lights on so far. I am not going to get in a hurry to finish it. I might start on the bulbs tonight or I may wait until tomorrow. My mood will decide. I found that little Santa Band the day after Christmas one year for half off. I had always wanted one but never felt like I could afford it until then. I pack it up carefully every year and take really good care of it. I also drive my husband crazy playing it all the time but it sounds so good. It plays 35 songs and came with extra clappers in case anything happens. I just looked at the date on the box and it was made in 1994. I hope to keep it in good shape for many more years.

I hope all you ladies have a good evening. I'm going to go decorate my tree or not.

[Tam36]

Good evening ladies: I really over did it on Thanksgiving so now I'm low carbing which really does seem to curb my appetite! I am drinking canfelds diet chocolate soda, it's so good, 0 fat, 0 sodium, 0 carb and 0 calories! You can't beat that!

Skeeter: I'm still going to TOPS but I low-carb as often as I have the will power.(whick isn't much)
Marlana: I must of missed afew posts because NEON I take it is a fish?
Hello to those I missed, I got to help the kids with their homework.

[Marlana]

Good Morning or Afternoon, which ever it is for you.!! I am dragging my you know what this morning. I went out at 7:00 am took 30 min. for lunch and didn't get through until 4:05. My yard is clean and free of leaves. I raked, blowed and mowed all day long. I love it when it is all clean. Next...I've got to tackle all those Christmas lights. I put them all around the top of the chain link fence. This year I'm going to make a 8 foot tree out of some stock paneling (wire). I've got a bunch of lights and I need to do something with them, I thank a tree will be pretty. I also have some 18 inch balls (6) that is so pretty. I made them a few years ago. They are made with clear plastic cups, it takes 50 cups for each ball. They are all melted together with a wood burning tool. You just put two cups together and stick the tool on them and it melts a little hole and sticks them together. When Your through you end up with a round ball with 3 lights in each cup. I se chase lights and you can not believe how the flash. I use the ones with 8 different setting for flashing. They started out as camp lights here, but I made 6 of them to hang under the overhang on my house. I'll try to take a picture of them and show how they are made. My food was a lot better yesterday, I was busy. Maybe I worked off some of what I gained over the holiday.

Tobey~~The weather was pretty here yesterday too, except for the wind. I was in a fight with it all day with the leaves. When I got through I had little pieces of leave in my ears even, not to mention in my underwear. Snow on the way for tonight unless we get lucky. Neon is a pig, I give him all he wants, hard to break old habits. Well.....He could be a compulsive overeater, and that would be bad not to be able to go to the fridge any time you wanted to. He hasn't been in his water for a week yet and already I'm wanting to give him clean water. Girl you've got some of the cutest attachments.

Jen~~It takes a while to answer all the post when you miss a couple of days in here. I missed 3 days and I had to write a book. I've seen those ceramic Christmas trees, I thank they are pretty. I used to make ceramic's once a week and would have like to of made one of them, but at the time didn't have the money to do so. Does yours have the snow on the limbs? MY LEAVES ARE ALL GONE, I'M SO GLAD! I burned the ones in the drive way, and mulch the rest. I'll leave you a PM with the password to the albums. If I can find it, I don't have to have it to get in. If I can't find it I'll ask Skeeter to leave it for you. Well I just tried it and the password I have won't work. grrrrrrrrrrrrrr I need to keep better records. I'll see that you get it...I hope.

Skeeter~~Good for you girl walking 2 miles, keep it up. I want you to know that Neon ate 11 balls of food yesterday morning and 5 last night. I was wondering if he was ever going to get full. Those little balls are hard, and I figured he would get a tummy ache. Maybe he will slow down now. He has a bubble nest of sorts. It isn't very impressive. The ones that had a nest at the pet shop was a mess of bubbles. The one he made just runs around the whole bowl, not more than two bubbles deep. I thank he's lazy, or maybe smart, after all there isn't a girl around for miles. Wings is the perfume that smell so good and it last until you wash it off. I thank he paid $40.00 for it a few years ago. I've still have some of it, because I won't use it unless I'm going somewhere special.

Tammie~~It's too bad I don't like the diet soda you drink, 0 everything sounds good to me. I also crave carbs, and I stay away from carbs the first meal of the day, most of the time. Neon is a Betta fish, and he's my very first fish, and it's Skeeter's fault I have him. He's very pretty, Turquoise and deep red. I'm catching myself wanting another color now. That Skeeter is good at getting things started. Hang in there on that diet.

I'm through now!! I've got to type and print up all the blood pressures I've had in the last 6 weeks. So all of you have a great day, and be good to yourself.

Skeeter, will you leave Jen a private message and give her the password for the albums and the link. I can't get in with the one I have for people just to look at them. Also send it to me again. Thanks!

[TobeyToe]

Howdy all

Not too much to report from my end. It is only Tuesday and I have already been making plans for the weekend. Dh is not a big planner and I think I am driving him crazy. But what’s new? On Saturday we are going to a small town outside of the city to do some Christmas shopping and just to look around. It is a really pretty town with some really nice specialty shops. They have a kitchen store that I adore – so I am going to have to be good and remember that I am shopping for other people and not me! Then that evening we have reservations at a really nice restaurant that we have been wanting to try. I am finally using the free dinner that my work gave me for completing my Tier 1 exam. The restaurant sounds so good and they have no problems catering to special requests/diets. In fact everything is so fresh that they make up the menu daily depending on what fresh items they can get in that day. Oh enough talk of food - I am making myself hungry!

Jen: Sounds like your Saturday was fun. I haven’t watched the Jim Carey version yet. I am just such a fan of the classic and not such a fan of Carey’s. I am sure that we will probably end up renting it this year though. My favourite all time Christmas movie is “A Christmas Story”. Have you ever seen it? It is so funny. We have a list of Christmas movies that we watch every year as tradition: A Christmas Story, It’s a Wonderful Life, Home Alone (the first one of course!), National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. We have an artificial tree as well. However, we bought a new one last year and it looks so real! We have even had guests over who thought it was. Our kitty is actually pretty good about the tree. She will occasionally swat an ornament on her way by but that’s about it. However, she does love to rub her face on the corner of presents. Some times she rubs so hard the paper starts to come off and we have to tape it back up! My favourite ornaments are my glass Winnie the Pooh baubles. They are from about 1975 or ’76. So I am also just a year or two older than them. They are really showing their age but I just could never part with them. They still go up and right in the front of the tree of every year.

Skeeter: I bet your walks must just be beautiful and inspiring. Have the leaves changed colour there? Has hubby been joining you on your walks? My dh doesn’t like to go for walks. He finds them boring. However, he did surprise me on the weekend. On Saturday I decided to walk to the store where we buy our fruits and veggies. It is about a 45-minute walk (one way). So I grab a backpack and a cloth bag so it would be easy to carry back. So when I was about 15 minutes into the walk back I spotted some crazy guy roller blading toward me. Here that crazy guy was mine! He came to meet me and then we took to the long way home through the park trails. It was really sweet – although my shoulders were killing me by the time we got home! I do eat a bit more with all of the running that I do. But I eat very balanced and very healthy. It has really just become habit (other than when I go to a party and lose all control ) The one thing that has changed since I have started running is that I have increased my fat intake. I used to be terrified to eat any fat. Which isn’t good for your body either. I now include things like avocados, nuts (especially being vegetarian this is good), and olives in my diet. Eating out a lot will definitely through you off. Even if you try to eat healthy when you go (which is hard when there are so many tempting bad things!) there are so many hidden additives and fats.

Tammie: I don’t know how anyone can’t over do it at a holiday meal! How do you find the low carb diet? Do you follow it very strictly? I have just heard so many bad things about that way eating. But I guess that is true about any extreme diet. But everyone has to find what works for them – no two people are the same. That chocolate soda does sound good. Unfortunately I can’t have anything that has artificial sweetener in it. Which is too bad because are work freezer is filled right now with FF, SF fudgesicles (sp?) and they are only about 50 calories each. Everyone says that they are soooo good. But I don’t it won’t be worth the pain if I eat one. Oh well.

Marlana: Wow you worked hard yesterday – good for you! You tree sounds like it is going to be absolutely amazing. Please take pictures when you are done. Those hands of yours are so gifted! The wind has held off here for the past few days but they now say it is supposed to be blustery for the rest of the week. The temps are still nice though. I am so glad that I don’t live at home any more – where my mom lives is under a storm advisory. They are expecting up to 10 inches of snow! Sounds like Neon has found himself a good home. How has your bp been lately?

Well it all for today. Hope Jojo, Boss, Mb, and everyone else who hasn’t had a chance to check in is doing well and having lots o’fun. And Sally – please let us know how the interview went. I have been thinking of you.

All the best!
Tobey


Sally I am sure you knew this tip before you went:

[Dolphin]

'Morning Gals. You know how I said I was going shopping yesterday. Boy did I shop. My arms are sore from carrying bags around the mall, and my legs are still tired. I must have lost some of my umph since surgery. Anyway, I think that I am done shopping. I figure get it all overbwith. Now I have this huge pile to wrap. I think that I need to go out and get more paper! I even got some toys and treats for my "kids". They are so spoiled. Today I'm gonna stay home, wrap presents, read some school work, and watch Oprah - Dr. Phil is on today. I checked in with the visiting nurses yesterday. The positions they had posted at the hospital were old positions, not available anymore. Such is life. I'll just have to keep my eyes and ears peeled for something. Everything works out for a reason.

Tobey- Your shopping trip Saturday sounds like fun. That restaurant sounds great. I wish we had something like that here. I also did a little shopping for myself yesterday, a new pair of shoes that I had been looking for and finally found, jeans, and a sweater that was marked down so much I couldn't afford to not buy it!!!

Marlana- I am so jealous that you got your leaves up. My yard is still full. It rained again yesterday. Since I live in town I am only allowed to burn on Mon, Wed, and Sat. It keeps raining on the burn days. Your decorations sound beautiful. I don't do much outside of the house. My tree does have the little bits of snow on the tips.

Tammy- Only one store around here sells that chocolate soda. Now I've got a craving for some. One of the gals I worked with made a "mocha drink" with it. Over ice, one can, a cup of coffee, and a sweetner packet. It really is pretty good.

Skeeter- Wow, what a great walk. You can have some of my clouds and rain. I am just glad it hasn't gotten too cold yet, or we would have a ton of snow. I checked out the beta fish at the petstore. They did have a couple of cute little bowls with lids, but probably not cat proof. I'll have to look around. We had one of those artifical trees like that when I was a kid. We used to always make a big day of decorating the day after Thanksgiving. It was almost as big as X-mas itself. I am already looking forward to the after X-mas sales!

I think that is about it. "Hi" to everyone who hasn't made it in yet. Sally, the interview???

Health and happiness,

Jen

[Skeeter2]

Hey everyone.

I got my 2 miles in again today but I have to admit that my legs are tired and my feet feel sore now. I hope that I can get down that road again tomorrow morning.

Tobey~Hubby does go walking with me although he tried to talk me out of it this morning. I was going to go with or without him so he decided to go along. It is beautiful out there and a doe jumped out into the road in front of us yesterday. My youngest dog saw her and took off after her but she was too far ahead for him to catch up. He ran his little legs off though and enjoyed every second of it. We have a few kinds of trees that are changing colors this month and dropping their leaves. It gives us our own sense of fall but not anything like what goes on up there. The oak trees never look bare although we end up raking a lot of leaves. Then in the spring we can see new leaves on them along with the old ones. I really like how most of the trees stay green through the winter though.

Tammie~That soda sounds so good but I have never heard of it. Does it have caffeine in it and where do you buy yours? Maybe I could look around some other stores and see if I can find some. I like to use stuff like that as a treat sometimes for a different taste. I don't want to get back on caffeine though because it was too hard to give it up.

Marlana~I am looking forward to seeing a picture of your Christmas decorations. I can't picture the balls that you are talking about making. I got my tree all finished today and all the rest of the stuff unpacked. Griff got all the hooks put in around the house so we can hang the lights up out there tomorrow. I also put lights up in my bed of palmettos. It's not easy stringing lights through the palm fronds though. I can't believe that you are going to get snow. It was in the low 80's here today and my a/c is running now. It is so dry here that we are again praying for rain. One of the morning shows this morning insinuated that there was cloudy, rainy weather here but she was wrong. We haven't seen any rain in over 3 weeks and we need some desperately. Moby finally made a bubble nest last night also but it isn't a very good one. He is the one that is real pale turquoise all over and I just love him even if he is a little pig. I have quit saving my perfume since I moved here. I try to remember to put some on every day. Some days I don't remember but I like the smell myself so I wear it often.

Jen~I sent you a private message with all the info for the picture albums. If you have any problems just let one of us know. I also sent the password to Marlana. I only knew it because I saved the email when she sent it to me and have had to look it up several times. Sounds like you had a great day shopping. We are so used to going to our little mall during the week and hardly anyone is there. I'll bet that it changes this month though. We finish most of ours at the check out counter at Toys R Us with the little cash cards. It is so much easier on us and the kids love picking out their own toys. I just need to stay away from the betta shop for a while. Hubby and I were talking today about hitting the stores for the after Christmas sales this year.

Hope everyone has a great evening. I am so hungry now because I only had some veggie soup for lunch with no snacks. I found an attachment of Moby looking for lunch.