[Jean]

Good "late" evening or "early" morning as the case may be!

We just got home a few minutes ago. We were planning on an evening with our son's inlaws and ended up in the emergency room with our daughter instead. She called this morning and said she didn't feel good -- severe stomach cramps. I was gone for a short time this afternoon and when I got home there was a message on the answering machine that she had called a friend to take her to the emergency room. It turned out to be a viral gastrointestinal "something or other" but scared her when as she aptly put it "she didn't know which end to put on the toilet!" When we couldn't reach her by her cell phone we decided to make the trip over to find out what was going on. They had her on IVs all afternoon, did the blood workup, etc., and said she could go home if she promised not to eat or drink anything fast or in large amounts. We spent the rest of the evening with her just to make sure that her teaspoon of jello stayed down. She was really tired and was going to bed when we left; I slept all the way home so now I am wide awake! This kind of excitement I can do without!

Gail -- I'm glad you are FOCUSED once more. I need to find mine again! Congratulations for going back to WW -- I had to laugh at your thoughts about the TV reporters. I also enjoyed the Start Over article and have printed it off.

Sharon -- CONGRATULATIONS on another LOSS! You are doing great! :sheep: If there is no traffic to speak of, and I don't have to stop at the 3 stoplights, I can make it to school in 7 minutes! Of course I live in a town of 9,000 people. How long does it take you to get to work?

Maggie -- I had to laugh about using the newspapers for a bird cage! Leonard would be beside himself! Spring must be here as the robins have returned in full force. Bob was sure he heard them a couple of weeks ago but we never did see one. Yesterday there were several in the backyard.

Well, I am going to head for bed. Have a relaxing Sunday!

Jean -- in Iowa!

[canadian]

Hi Everyone,

Well it's Sunday again, where does the time go? I loved the "Start Over" poem and the "Chicken Pot Pie" receipt. Reading everyones post is sure helping me to get to know you all but I think it is going to take a few weeks especially when I don't post every day. Well I've struggled through the weekend AGAIN! I think I will also print the poem and tape it all over my house than maybe I will get back my FOCUS.

I'll just keep hanging in there and I'm sure I will repeat last years success.

Hope everyone has a terrific Sunday. Take care all!

Brenda

[Sharon]

Hi Jean! Happy St. Patricks Day. I hope your daughter is feeling better. That had to be scary. We are seeing beautiful Blue Jays around here. We don't get as many Robins out here in the Central Valley. They seem to be more in the Bay Area. It takes a total of 1.5 hours to 2 from home to my work. Bill drives the first leg of the trip to his work, which is about half way, and then I drive the rest. We have been doing it for over 11 years now.

Brenda, the weekend isn't over yet. Try to do well today. One day at a time. It takes me a long time to get to know any new folks or returning folks. My memory is terrible.

Gail, are you behaving?? I am making Corned Beef and cabbage today. I got the lean stuff. It is all countable.

Have a great day!!

[Maggie]

GOOD MORNING MAGNOLIAS

We are supposed to get some rain this afternoon and I sure hope it does come for we need it ~ February is the rainy season here and we hardly got any then. I am hanging in there on my program and THIN WITHIN is loving it. I have no idea how I will do at weigh in on Monday for I feel like I have put weight on. AAAAARG

CONGRATULATIONS SHARON for another loss to chalk up. Way to go girl. WOW what a long way to have to travel to work but you have been doing it for so long now you have probably gotten used to it. Some of the airline pilots that fly out of LA X and John Wayne live here and commute and others that work down there. I don't blame them for not wanting to live there.

BRENDA nice to see you. Grab hold of that FOCUS and don't let it out of your sight. You can do this thing now. You are on your second lap and this will go well. Take a deep breath and breathe..... YES you can do this. Feed little THIN WITHIN and you know what she likes. Veggies and all those OP foods that work for us.

JEAN that must have been quite scary for you with your daugter. That happened to my Mom last month and it turned out she had e-coli and they didn't know how she got it. Weird. She is fine now though, thank goodness. Keep us posted on how your daugter is doing. I love the robins. There were over 25 ~ in the yard outside the window I can look out while sitting here ~ when I stopped counting yesterday. The blue jays argue with them. And the blue jays argue with the squarrel and the blue jays argue with the red headed wood pecker and the blue jays argue with the blue jays. They never stop, never stop.

GAIL how goes it with you this day? Got that FOCUS working for you...

Have a good day FLOWERS

[Jean]

Good Afternoon, Flowers!
It is a cloudy, gloomy day here in Iowa; it's not that cold but feels damp and chilly outside and inside both. I talked to Beth a little while ago and she is feeling better although still really sore and tired. She must be feeling better because she is tired of eating Jello!

Brenda -- It's nice to see you again! I find that the weekends are my hardest days for staying OP. Sometimes I just have to take it hour by hour to get through -- not that I am always successful but I figure I can't do any more than try my hardest.

Sharon -- That is a long ride for you every day! It's nice that you have Bill for company part of the way. Many years ago DH and I both worked at Sears in Mpls. We rode together but our time was staggered by an hour. I got off an hour earlier and would "shop" for that hour. It didn't take long to run up the Sears charge account! I wasn't "smart" enough to take a book to read. . . young and dumb!

Maggie -- We have blue jays and squirrels too. They fight over the ears of corn that we put out for the squirrels. The blue jays are so pretty -- it's too bad they aren't a "nicer" bird! Good luck at WI tomorrow! I will have my fingers crossed for you.

I need to finish up the laundry and I think a nap is in order. My late night and early morning are catching up with me. Have a super Monday, Flowers!

Jean -- in Iowa!

[Sharon]

I thought you might get a kick out of this. My cat was trying to chase the blue jays and the next thing he new, he was being attacked by them. He is used to the Mockingbirds chasing him, but usually the Jays don't. Pretty funny. The bad thing is he is too good of a hunter and has caught pigeons and brought them home.

[nanacas]

GOOD EVENING MAGNOLIAS
We're back! What a wonderful weekend. Felt like a queen. That's the royal wave. I must tell you about the room....queen size bed with the most elaborate carved four posts I have ever seen. In one corner of the room was the jacuzzi--step up and was it ever soothing. In another corner, a gas fireplace. Just push a button and voila, flames!!! Now the bathroom was almost as big as my whole bedroom at home. I am really going to miss the heated tile floor. Ok, now I am back to the usual....making my own supper, doing laundry and all that good stuff. Really, the weekend went by so fast but it is good to be back and after reading the poem Start Over I think that is going to be my Mantra. I will be strong.

JEAN Sorry to hear your daughter was so sick but delighted to know she is feeling better. No matter how old they get it is scarry when our 'kids' get sick.

SHARON That really is a long drive to go to work. The fact that you can share the time and driving must help. DH used to have an hour drive to work before he retired and I know how tired he was when he got home.

MAGGIE Don't panic, your body is just resting up for it's next losing session. When I lost my 40# that is what happened to me. I would lose for a few weeks and then plateau out for a couple then I would lose again. I don't know what damage I did this weekend but I am putting that behind me and Starting Over.

Gail, Brenda and any one else I have missed. A big "HELLO". I need to get some sleep before I collapse over the keyboard.

Gloria in MA.....off to an early bedtime.

[Maggie]

GOOD MORNING MAGNOLIAS

It is a beautiful day. Snow on the mountain tops around here but none down this low. We had a busy weekend even though it was windy and rainey. Folks just want to get out and camp anyway. AH ~ but wait until the weather really warms up. The place will be full. I am not going to complex up tonight ~ no matter what the Iron Monster has in store for me. It is all part of the rough and rocky road to thin I have discovered. I got the stamp of apprival from my doctor this week so ~ on I go.

JEAN these squirrels have plenty of acorns to eat and other stuff as do the birds. I have thought of getting some wild bird seed but maybe not.... they are provided by nature here abundantly. When we lived in the cold and snow then I put out feeders.

GLORIA what a wonderful sounding room you stayed in. I could go for that in a heart beat. We are going to do some "bed and breakfast" places this coming year some. Up the coast maybe to Monterey and Carmel and down the coast to San Diego and Baja.

SHARON that is funny that those birds chase your cat but they are so territorial. Cats are wiley creatures though. The vet said that cats need 10 ounces of food a day and if they live out anf have to fend for themselves that would be 10 mice... or a few birds.

Have a wonderful MONDAY ya'all. Be back later with my weigh in report.

[Sharon]

Hi folks! I am not staying here too long. For whatever reason, I have not felt to great this weekend or today. Still at work though.

Maggie, good luck with weigh in. It is pretty funny to watch the birds. Last year the mockingbirds were picking on the stray that adopted us. He is so stupid or something. I have pictures of the birds hitting him in the back and his fur actually stayed ruffled back there. He just looked at them. Or would stand and stare at us while the birds were beating him up.

Gloria, sounds like you had a great time. We all know that term start over. As long as we keep doing it and don't give up, I think it is a good term. About my drive, I don't think it really dawns on my husband that I am in the car for almost 4 hours a day. He only does 2 hours. Then he doesn't always understand why I am so tired.

Back to work! Bye!

[Jean]

Good Afternoon, Flowers!
It is soooo nice outside -- the sun is shining and it was 56 degrees as I came home from school. I do hope spring is here!

Sharon -- We have a bird feeder fairly close to our back door. Evidently we are feeding "Momma Cat" pretty well because she doesn't pay any attention to the birds, just sits on the back step and watches them. I know she is a hunter because she caught several "things" last summer and fed her kittens. I had to laugh at your description of the birds beating up the cat while he looked at you. I hope you are feeling better and I REALLY hope you don't get what Beth had this weekend. I am going to call her when I get done here.

Gloria -- Your weekend room sounds like luxury plus! I'm glad you had fun and I'm always glad to come home too!

Maggie -- I had never heard about cats eating 10 oz. a day. I will have to let Leonard know . . . he is always begging for food and preferably people food! He can be a real pain at times. Good luck at WI today!

I have card club tonight so better get a move on. Have a terrific Tuesday, Flowers!

Jean -- from Iowa!

[GailR]

Hi everyone...lemme tell ya...I really meant to get in here way before this...but on...

Friday, I got off work an hour early thinking it would give me some extra time and it didn't...I just found more things to do...grocery shopping, trip to Costco, trip to the mall, gas station, get something to eat...and I didn't get home until late.

Saturday, Wayne and I spent ALL DAY LONG over at my daughter and sil's house. Wayne was wiring their shed for electricity. They're selling their house and this is one little thing that they wanted done. Didn't get home until almost 6pm and by then I was just pooped from doing nothing.

Sunday, I woke up not feeling well. Just laid around the house all day long not getting anything done.

And I stayed home from work today because of this terrible headache and no sleep.

Whew!

So there you have it!

Maggie, I know by now you're probably on your way to WW. Good luck to you! Yes, I've found my FOCUS finally. We'll see how things went this week when I go back to WW on Saturday morning. Which was not in my plan at all because I wanted to start going on Thursday evenings but I have an appointment at the dentist after work that I had forgotten about. You and your little "thin within" gal are doing such great work. Don't let that iron monster scare you now...you hear?

Brenda, I'm glad you like that Starting Over poem. It just reached out to me...because I've started over soooo many times. Take it ONE DAY AT A TIME. Just like putting one foot in front of the other. Just like breathing in; breathing out. YOU CAN DO THIS. I keep saying that to myself. YOU CAN DO THIS.

Sharon, I'm incredibly proud of you. Congratulations on that 1.6 gone FOREVER. I'm sorry you're weren't feeling too well yourself.

But Jean, it really was true; that news van was out there! I think I told that story...stretched abit to be sure...to quite a few people and they all got a chuckle out of it. Now, IF I see that news van AGAIN when I go back then I'm really going to think its there for me! How is your daughter doing now?

Gloria, my gosh I love the sound of that place you stayed at! Sounds like you had a lovely time! Remember...we can do this program!

Okay...dinner time...gotta eat...hungry...

Gail

[Maggie]

GOOD AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS

I just finished getting out of the shower and dressed and ready to go to WW. What did I want to do but come see my firends here.

SHARON I can well understand why you would be so tired after getting home from work with that long of a drive. During my working days I was fortunate to not have more than a half hour drive one way and that seemed long to me. Isn't that too funny how birds like to pick on cats. {{{{{{{{{{HUG}}}}}}}}}} sorry you aren't feeling well.

JEAN spring makes its official entry on Thursday and then we get to chage to day light saving time on the 31 so that is a double bonus.

GAIL that was funny about the news crew. I gotta tell you this now then ~ My very first night back to WW on January 7 of this year there were reporters from the local paper in the meeting. Actually one was the writer and the other the camera man. Yes, you got it ~ they wanted to interview the one that made a lot of comments and had the group laughing but I declined. I told them they could interview me after I had finished my trip down the road to thin. That is, if they are still working there. The article that came out in the paper was well done and featured the leader mostly and a few of the members. How's your head? Hope you get some good restful sleep tonight. I'll be fine with what ever the Iron Monster says. I'm tough.

I'll be baaaaaaack......

[Maggie]

GOOD EVENING MAGNOLIAS

Yappee dappee dooo I showed a loss of 2.2 POUNDS tonight. The Iron Monster was kind to Thin Within. :sheep: I am a happy camper. Eating those extra 25 points for the week [not each day] did shock my system.

Have a good nights sleep and wake up rested my friends.

[Maggie]

GOOD DAY MAGNOLIAS

A beautiful day in the neighborhood. It is almost noon and I am going to fix a chicken salad sandwich for lunch on this 18 point day. I hope each of you are having a good Tuesday and getting ready for Spring to hit us day after tomorrow.

Catch ya all later......

[Sharon]

Maggie, Congratulations on that wonderful loss. You should be very proud of yourself. Isn't the weather here beautiful? I heard you would be in the 70's. We won't make it that high, but the sun really makes me feel good.