Welcome to any who wish to join us during our trip down the road to thin.
Time it is to start a new thread for 14 had been posted on #140. But go there and read the last posts please.
It is a beautiful day a comin' here - the sun arrives late over these mountains so our day begins later than the clock says. Off to do some necessary shopping and a nice meal out. This is a big point day for me and so I have plans.
CINDY treat that maintain as a gift and go on from here and concentrate on some changes or adjustments you can make in your program to jog that needle out of its place on your scale. I am not watching the olympics - I know it sounds un-American to not be watching our finest perform - but we don't have TV reception just yet. Nice to know that we are making a swoop. We love that gold.
Everyone have a good day for this is the edge of a nice weekend coming up.
Good Afternoon, Flowers!
It's a gloomy day here in Iowa but no wet stuff yet. I am waiting for DH to get home so we can take off for Sioux City. I have several errands to run since our wonderful Wal Mart does not carry the items and I hate shopping there anyway! Our Hallmark store is for sale and I stopped by yesterday to get a gift; the shelves are pretty bare and the owners have already started their new jobs as traveling reps for Hallmark. I personally look for the store to close.
Maggie -- I really like your "Valentine" on the previous thread. Thank you for sharing it with us! I hope you enjoyed your day today ..... sounds like fun!
Cindy -- I love roses too! Lucky you!
I have to feed Leonard as he seems to think he is starving to death and then change clothes. Have a nice weekend Flowers!
It is going to be a nice weekend. I love watching the birds being so busy and the biggest fattest squirrel paid a visit. Life is good.
JEAN did you find what you were looking for in Sioux City? I just have to tell you this: Three years ago we went on a quest looking for an air popper. We went to WalMart and were told that it was a Christmas item. Funny - people only want popcorn around Christmas Anyway we were in one of those little Drug stores owned by a China man and asked if he had one for he stocked some things we didn't even know what were. He said he didn't think so but would look and then call us. He called and had unearthed 3 or 4 of them. So if you can't find one in a main stream store try one of those little old type hardware or drug stores. That is too bad about that Hallmark store closing down. Seems that small town America is steadily shrinking.
Good Afternoon, Flowers!
It's a sunny day and the temperature is 50 degrees outside! The snow is melting and the wind is blowing so it doesn't feel very warm. I have been lazy today; I did do some laundry and have sorted through a pile of catalogs and magazines. I think they multiply when I'm not looking.
Maggie -- Last night we went to Sam's Club for the necessities of life: kitty litter, toilet paper, and Kleenx! Next we stopped at the mall in search of a baby gift, which I found without any problem. Target does not carry air poppers but they didn't mention it being a Christmas item. I know that it hasn't been that long since I've seen them at WalMart. Anyhow, we traveled across town to Shopko and they had several! I also have been looking for new juice glasses and every place that I looked had them in a 7 oz. size . . . that's a lot of juice! I wanted to match my old ones but, of course, didn't find any so went with a new pattern. Guess my table won't be a Martha Stewart look alike after all. Oh well!
I need to keep moving and get some laundry done. Bob is singing in church tomorrow and we also have to serve coffee between services. Since our fellowship hall is not finished, we sort of just stand around in and amongst the construction zone.
It has been a very busy day and I am going to bed and read for awhile. Thought I would check in here and tell everyone nighty night.
JEAN I am glad you were able to find an air popper. They are becoming a rare item it seems since microwave popcorn is so tasty and easy to make and low point wise.
Have a great day tomorrow ya'all. Nighty night now.
We got rain last night and off and on between the sunshine today. What a pleasant spring type happening. Everything looks so freah.
I made a new dish today - Artichoke Lasagna from the WW Magazine. It was great tasting however, next time, and there will be one for it is a do again, I will pre cook the noodles. The recipe calls for those you don't have to pre cook but they didn't get quite done during the prescribed cooking time. It made 4 servings so when we have it as a re-run I will bake it a bit longer and see if the noodles soften. Cowboy actually had a meatless meal and didn't squawk. I served it with a huge green salad with Olive Garden dressing and it was yummy. And a 7 point meal.
Have a great afternoon Magnolias ~ Wow it is hard to believe but Weigh Day is here again - Tomorrow.
Good Evening, Flowers!
It has been a loonnngggg day! We were at church by 7:30 this morning so that Bob could practice and I could get the table set up for coffee between services. Socializing in a construction zone leaves a lot to be desired! Everything is grubby looking and gritty to the touch! Then we left town for #1 daughter's to help her do her tax return only to find out she was missing one of her "important" papers. Next we stopped in to say "hello" at Jason and Amanda's, supposedly on our way to an open house for a 60th anniversary. The longer we sat and visited, the less we wanted to move on. We ended up staying for supper and just got back home a few minutes ago.
Maggie -- I've never had artichoke. What does it taste like? We get in a rut and seem to eat the same things over and over. Anything that anyone else fixes always sounds good.
Guess I will go and check in on the Olympics to see what's going on. Have a happy Monday, Flowers!
I did something this night that really gave me courage that I can continue my program a bit stronger. We left for the city earlier than usual to go to church tonight because we had to stop at the market then grab a bite to eat. We had already planned on going to Wendy's so I knew what salad I wanted and to my surprise and delight they have added a new one called the Mandarin Chicken Salad. I obtained a Nutrition Guide and found it was fewer points than the one I usually had. I had a huge salad and ate the Crispy Rice Noodles and used the Fat Free French and didn't put on the Roasted Almonds so my salad was only 4 points. Here is what I did later that really gave me a boost. After services tonight was a "finger food" get together. I didn't eat a thing. Not one morsel. Only drank black coffee and had a great time talking. Cowboy had what he wanted and I was just fine. He was thrilled to find a chocolate cake there. I simply told folks who asked why I wasn't eating that I had eaten all I had allowed myself already today. I did it! Got through one of those "food" things without having anything. My mother tried to get me to "at least" eat one of the eggs she had taken so I ended up bringing some home. She makes the best, very best pickeled eggs of any I have ever had. She didn't pressure me though which was neat.
OK now about artichokes JEAN I don't have a clue what they taste like. They are a mild tasting vegetable that you boil then peel off the leaves and dip them in a sauce - butter or mayo - or what ever you want or eat them without anything. You scrape off the meaty part with your teeth and discard the leaf. The inside is the heart which is the most meat but to get to it you have to pull off the thistle things that are a mess but worth the messing with to get to the heart. They can artichoke hearts. That is what I used in the Lasagna recipe. Here is some information on them and a picture: You can have a crop in in 180 days and they get to be 6 feet tall.
Description: With sharp spines greatly reduced and larger, heavier bearing, consistent quality globe-shaped heads.
Sowing Intructions: Sow outdoors in free draining soil in mid spring when the soil has warmed up. Sow 2-3 seeds in stations 30cm (12in) apart. Seed sown outdoors usually flowers the year after sowing.
Growing Instructions: Thin out so that there is one good plant every 6cm (4in). The thinnings can be transplanted.
Aftercare Instructions: After harvesting the main head, secondary heads will appear and these too can be used. In cold areas, cover the plant with a mulch of straw, compost or bracken to protect it through the winter.
GOOD MORNING MAGNOLIAS
Another Monday! The weekend was quiet but it was a good one. I am still OP and on Wednesday I will know the #'s. Think I have done well.
MAGGIE You really are steadfast in your diet. More power to you. I am sure you will go all the way! So far in my 1st week I haven't had to submit to the pressures of outside food source but in a couple of weeks we do have 2 occasions which will be challanging. One is going out to dinner with another couple. I think where we are going has some good fish dishes so that is what I will be looking at. Mid March we are going away for a weekend, gift certificate, and it includes a dinner and a breakfast. I have been at this inn before and I know they also have great fish dishes. I hope I can stick to my plans. This inn is beautiful and I understand we will be having a room with a Jaccouzi (sp) and a fireplace. I won't care what the weather is with this kind of surroundings. I love artichokes and haven't had them for a long while. I usually stuff them before cooking which means going into the center and removing the choke first. It is a lot of work which is probably why I haven't had them in a while. Loved the photo you attached.
JEAN I have an air popper somewhere! I haven't used it for so long and actually forgot about it until you mentioned them. I use the microwave for popcorn as it takes less time. Doing anything in a construction zone is an undertaking let alone in a church. Hope everything is finished soon. It has been a long time, hasn't it?
Gloria in MA....off to start another good OP week.
Happy Monday, Flowers!
I am enjoying a lazy start to my day "off". I plan to do some more sorting and pitching . . . I never seem to get that job completely finished. It is a gloomy day here; we are supposed to get some much needed rain this afternoon changing to snow tonight. I hope the snow waits until I get home from card club or preferably doesn't show up at all.
Maggie -- I have seen artichokes in the store but I just never knew what to do with them and I don't think I have ever eaten them. Now I wonder if they even grow in Iowa. Thanks for the information on them! The chicken salad sounds yummy! Congratulations on your "food success" last night! You are definitely on a determination roll! Too bad you can't bottle the motivation and sell it! I would buy a case! I have finally figured out that if I don't start the nibbling, I can usually not eat at all. But once I start, watch out! That's the bad part about card club; everyone says they need to lose weight but we keep fixing the snacks! Bob's secretary lost 60 some pounds a few years ago and she absolutely refuses to eat anything with chocolate in it.
I need to move on and get busy. Have a happy Monday, Flowers!
Hi Gloria! Great minds have the same idea of posting at the same time! I love your scale; too bad we couldn't actually get one that would talk back to us. Your weekend away sounds like a fun one and I know you will enjoy it.
I just realized a cute coincindence. This time next week I will in MAGNOLIA Texas. Hubby and I are going on a church campaign for a week. Part of the time I will be visiting with Natasha. I am not sure if you remember her or not. Keep working hard this week.
Is it okay if I sneak back in here? I have known Jean and Maggie for lot's of years. I am in need of some friendly support. I had been doing well and then went off the deep end with some emotional eating. I am trying to get it together again.
Jean, you still have a bunch of cats? I forgot to tell you that I have a stray that joined our family. He weighs 17#s. I picked him up yesterday and about hurt myself. I was also thinking how much better I would be doing if I got that many pounds off me.
Maggie, are you enjoying your new home? I hope so.
I will try to get to know all of you. I think I need a slower thread than the one I was on. I just can't keep up with everyone.
Sharon, you started the year out great...then a little relapse...but all is not lost and all you have to do is just set your mind to the program again and you'll be losing again. BTW, you know Cindy...remember her...from Canada but now married and living in the good ol' US of A!
Cindy, I remember Natasha. Not so sure if she remembers me though! That is sweet--Magnolia, Texas! I need to go back and read past posts to catch up with you.
Jean, I didn't get the day off. I'm sitting here at work...uummm...not doing work that's for sure! Enjoy your day off!
Maggie, thanks for the support you've given me via email. I haven't tried that Mandarin Chicken salad at Wendy's yet. Sounds good. At first I was really annoyed at Wendy's for discontinuing my favorite salads.
Gloria, hi. How ya doin'? Great going being OP. I take it you're newly back to WW?
Not a whole lot going on with me right NOW. I did have to go to a funeral last week down to VA. My uncle passed away--he had been terribly sick for a long time. He had a heart attack and my Dad (his brother) found him. It shook Dad up quite a bit let me tell you--they were very close. My uncle lived next door to my parents.
Steel Magnolias #141
Off to do some necessary shopping and a nice meal out. This is a big point day for me and so I have plans.
Our Hallmark store is for sale and I stopped by yesterday to get a gift; the shelves are pretty bare and the owners have already started their new jobs as traveling reps for Hallmark. I personally look for the store to close. 
from Iowa!
Anyway we were in one of those little Drug stores owned by a China man and asked if he had one for he stocked some things we didn't even know what were. He said he didn't think so but would look and then call us. He called and had unearthed 3 or 4 of them. So if you can't find one in a main stream store try one of those little old type hardware or drug stores. That is too bad about that Hallmark store closing down. Seems that small town America is steadily shrinking.
Oh well! 
Day #41
I served it with a huge green salad with Olive Garden dressing and it was yummy. And a 7 point meal.
I would buy a case! I have finally figured out that if I don't start the nibbling, I can usually not eat at all. But once I start, watch out! That's the bad part about card club; everyone says they need to lose weight but we keep fixing the snacks! Bob's secretary lost 60 some pounds a few years ago and she absolutely refuses to eat anything with chocolate in it.
