Morning gals,

Well, we're more than halfway through February now. We just might make it to spring yet.

This will be a quickie post. The doggies are being awfully quiet so that scares me. I saw them go through the living room with one of my socks being stretched beyond recognition between the three of them. Wonder where they got that? Must have been in the laundry room. So much for that sock.

I found out last night that Zeke is going to have company out in the barn. Roy Orbison needs to come live with us for awhile because he is not doing well in his new "forever" home. More like his new parents don't know what to do with him as far as training.

This morning, I decided to start doing the WATP tapes in the morning instead of the bicycle. Those will force me to have to work a little harder than perhaps I have been. Maybe this will shake up the body. It felt good so that's always a good thing. I've started with the one miler with the 2 pound weights. Thought my arms would fall off.

Better go see what's being destroyed.

Have a great day!

(P.S. You can post now Ruth. I'm finally here with the new thread. )

Yeah Terri, LOL! I don't have a lot to talk about this morning though. I was sitting here trying to figure out a menu for today and beyond if possible.

We had a little bit of rough weather last night, but it wasn't as bad as we had feared.

Terri, you got another dog for foster care? feeding them must be very costly! Yikes! Feeding ourselves is costly.

Hope all of you are having a wonderful day. Ta for now, Ruth

Hi all. I'm very proud of myself for a tiny little thing. I made a plan for breakfast and lunch today--not the best plan or anything, just A plan that would ensure that I actually ate both breakfast and lunch--and now I've actually implemented it! I'm sitting here eating broccoli and cauliflower that I bought at the student union (along with a chicken sandwich) after the open house. Amazing that such a simple thing requires planning, but so it is, at least for me.

Did you get your menu figure out, Ruth?

Sorry about the sock, Terri.

Good afternoon all, just checking in before I finally go colour that hair. The scale was kind this week and I've made myself a promise that I won't freak out next time it stalls. Well, at least I've promised myself that I'll wait 5 weeks before I freak out.

Terri - some people just don't get it (about pets). They are individuals, each needing different levels of attention. I'm sorry that the dog you fostered is coming back, it's a shame. We're a cat family at the moment (yard is unsuitable for a dog) and there aren't always as independent as people think. Well, one of them is. His brother isn't. In fact right now the little (independent) one is trying to get through the glass to get at the squirrels. The big (sucky) is laying on the desk with his head on my arm. I'll be interested in how you find the WATP. I've been interested in it, but never gone any further (like actually purchasing it). I was afraid it would be another thing bought, but not used. It is always a good thing to shake things up.

Ruth/Vortex - I've become a huge fan of planning. I'd say it's one of the reasons I've been so good this time (ie. not cheating). My food intake for the day is decided ahead of time. Usually the night before as I have to lift something out of the freezer for dinner. It's just now that I know I'll have a protein shake in the late afternoon (that will head off any pangs before dinner), and I know I have something left to eat before sleep. I know that if I simply go grab something now then I'll have to cut something out later. I don't know why, but it keeps me on track. A very few times I might change it around, but it's rare.

Lilion - I used to have a Dr. Seuss cartoon about loving my job. It's probably on a back-up disc somewhere. I need to go look it out. I somehow think you would enjoy it. Do you have a day off today? In Ontario we have a new holiday now (today) called Family Day. I'm not sure that a day off during one of our worst months is necessarily a good thing. I'd have rather seen it in June or something.

Lilion - I couldn't find the nicely formatted version that I thought I had emailed to myself, but I did find a version online that has the picture and everything.

The Lost Dr Seuss Poem

I remember when it was first sent around I was working at a company with a very nice colour laser printer. It ended up on many a cubicle.

Good morning ladies, How is it going this morning?

I had a very good op day yesterday, but no I didn't get my menu for the week figured out. I guess I will have to plan by the day as I change my mind a lot....a lot!

My biggest job for today will be staying out of the way for the cleaning woman. I hate the days when she is here. It disrupts everything. I usually hide in my office and try to do something constructive besides play games on the computer.

Lilion, how is your back, better I hope.

Angela, good job on planning and executing the plan! Whoop!

Terri, How are the doggies getting along. I laughed when you wrote that you worried if they were quiet, Kind of like children.

RealCdn, Planning is important for staying op. I just wish I was better at it!

Well, ladies, it is time to say so long for now. Ta, Ruth
PS: Val where are you hiding?

Good Morning Ladies!

I haven't been much of a poster lately, huh? I just seem to be too busy to do more than lurk.

Terri, did you get tons of snow? I heard it was getting bad up your way. We aren't expecting it until Wed. night. More doggies! How many does that make now? I think it's wonderful that you foster them. More work than I'd probably do, which makes you a better person than I. I agree, they are just like kids, you have to worry when it gets too quiet! That's usually when mine have a mouth full of furniture!

Ruth, the back is much better, thanks! I don't know if it was the pills, but if it was they were magic! I literally only took the darvocet twice and the valium four times (2 one day and 1 a day after). I don't know what on earth I need 90 of them for! That's how many the prescription was for. But then again, I'll be camping for a week in March, so maybe I better hang on to them! Gosh! I'd just HATE to have a cleaning woman! How awful for you to have to hide out while someone does your housework. Is the sarcasm coming thru? You can send her to me and I'll take her off your hands!

Cdn, I liked the Dr. Suess. I sent a copy to one of my co-workers here who puts in as much overtime as me for the same $ - $0.00 that is, since we're salaried. We did have a holdiday yesterday, President's day. But I spent 3 hours here just the same.

Angela, Planning meals is the worst for me. I do okay at breakfast and usually bring my lunch...but dinner! I never think to thaw anything and then it takes forever to find something healthy. Every victory is worth celebrating!

Valerie, Heather, Battle, and everyone else - Howdy!


I have to get to work! Later dear ladies!

Lilion, oh yeah the sarcasm made it through. LOL! It does sound stupid doesn't it. Well, anyway you gave me a good laugh while I am sitting here in exile. I DO like having someone do the work, I just don't like it while they are doing it. Glad your back is better.

Hi. Still alive. RUTH - I've been very good lately... if we're talking about staying in touch with the folks, that is. Spent last weekend in NY with my dad. If we're talking about the diet, well, let's not talk about that too much. I've been doing splendidly all day, but the evenings I lapse in to bad old habits. I have to get back to work, but miss chatting with you gals and wanted to at least say 'hi'. Thanks for remembering me!

Anne, I'm so glad you've joined us! I hope I get more time to get to know you better soon!!

TERRI, kiss the critters for me, LILION, kick the IM for me.

Good afternoon all,

I almost said morning, but it is afternoon already. The trip down to the Niagara region wasn't as bad for time as I thought this morning. We left at 10am, picked up the fruit, stopping for gas and a few groceries on the way back. We were back before noon, so it was pretty good. We bought an 11 pound pail of sour cherries and a 5.5 lb pail of sweet cherries. I even took them without sugar. For canning we often take them with sugar (it's a small amount, but it keeps them better). I figured with frozen it's not such a big deal.

Ruth - I don't think I could plan a week ahead, although we have two meals that we always have (hamburgers on Friday, steak on Sunday). I usually just plan the night before, although sometimes if I can't decide I wait until the next day. Only a few of the meals really need to be decided on earlier than the morning of. What usually drives me is what kind of vegetables we have fresh. If we have too many it has to be something we eat with them, if we're running out it has to be something I serve with frozen mix.

My mother used to have someone come in when she worked, but since she's retired she won't hear of it. I've offered more than once to pay someone (especially in the summer when she's busy). She always declines for the same reason - she said she couldn't be doing nothing when someone else was here.

Lilion - glad you like it. I've been in the same situation many times. Nobody seems to do the work, but it has to be done. That was the only plus at the last job I was in. If I stayed I usually got paid. Of course I think it's because people feel badly about asking you to stay after midnight. I remember being asked once to stay until 3am (when a truck was coming in) and being more concerned that I would fall asleep and they'd be looking for me (meanwhile I'd have my head down on my desk).

Val - thanks, although I admit I still have a tendency to be a loner. I am trying to work on that.

Oh well, I should go see what needs doing before I get back on the treadmill. I did manage to fit in 45 mins before lunch, just so I didn't have to do it all in the afternoon.

Hi everybody, I can't stay to chat this morning but I wanted to say howdy. I will try to come back later. Ta! Ruth

Good afternoon all,

Let me start this post with the fact that I hate head hunters. I got an email this morning from someone who had seen my resume online. We've bounced half a dozen emails back and forth, and now nothing in four hours. I know, patience, patience, patience. He's been very good at giving me as little information as possible. It is short-term, which would suit me well. Since I told him I wouldn't consider anything further away than an house, I'll assume that it is (although I won't believe it until I know). Other than that I really don't know much more about it. His company's website doesn't have it listed, and I haven't seen anything even remotely interesting posted for a short-term placement.

Of course it is very much possible that this is the job I already interviewed for a while back. They were honest about really wanting something permanent. So, I was honest about not wanting anything permanent. I was not honest in the fact that I probably couldn't have done the job for more than 6 months because it would drive me batty.

So I held off on the morning exercise a bit, but finally got the 30-min DVD going (yes, the evil one with the push-ups). And I tried starting 60 mins on the treadmill, but the phone rang. I was just at 30 mins so I stopped (not so easy on a 10% incline) and dashed for the phone.

No, I do not want freakin' new windows or doors!

So now I know that I do need to do at least another 30 minutes. Would like to do 60, but I know so far that the morning DVD usually doesn't leave me with enough energy. And I'd really like this guy to either email me more information, tell me I'm not suitable, or set up an interview (phone or otherwise). Since me roots are all nice and coloured the timing couldn't be better.

Other than that - just a general wave to all. Hope your day is going better than mine is so far....

Hi girls,

I seem to become AWOL by the end of the week. Sorry about that. I think that is a sympton of burning the candle at both ends. And I do not like living this way. And I only have about one more week of this craziness left in me.

Zeke has joined in the hound group. He loves it. I had to move him from the barn to the laundry room because of the cold. He's a former kennel dog so he's lacking a bunch of manners. But he's learning crate training pretty quick and is sleeping through the night without baying. Once it warms up, we'll start working on some outdoor facilities for them and allow house privileges.

Food has been going good. One day I had a stupid food day. Just because I guess. I don't know if its a good sign, sad, cool, or what - but the food I had was disgusting. I got a mushroom burger and a brownie for lunch. And it was not even a satisfying meal where it maybe used to be. Maybe that's a sign that my body is changing in relation to the food it craves but my mind isn't there yet. Perhaps that means that I'm close to letting go of old bad food habits.

We're having another round of annoying snow this morning. Since December, we have had either snow on the ground or its been melting to create mud which then freezes when the temps drop and thaw out when it gets up to 60 before it drops down to the 20's and snows again. We have not had a consistent drying out period since December. I am supposed to take bank people out to dinner tonight. I hope their flight gets cancelled from New York and they can't come. I seriously do not have time for them and I'd like to cuff my boss in the back of the head for scheduling this during the final throes of all our regulatory filings which have to be mailed by next week (to 48 states).

On that note, I better get moving.

to all!

Hi, all
I've been bad about checking in this week because I've been overwhelmed. It has been a bad week for some things. Couldn't go to the fitness center Monday because of the holiday - Tues. the doctor said my weight is going in the wrong direction - up! What a depressing thing! I have been working out so regularly and trying so hard. He said all that exercise probably worked off about a peanut's worth of calories! So after the appointment I went to Border's and bought books and treated myself to lunch at Red Lobster - well it was fish anyway. So somehow I've got to find a way to get back on track - which I thought I was, but apparently NOT.
Then a dear friend of mine called with bad news. Her wonderful shepherd dog companion was out for her regular afternoon bathroom call, and suddenly just collapsed and died. I am heartbroken for her. and for me too, because I loved that dog. It was so sudden and no warning at all. Those of you with dogs may know more about what could have caused something like this. We think the dog was about 10-11 ( it was an adoption dog so we don't know for sure) and absolutely was the most wonderful, responsive dog - a great companion for my friend who is in her 80's and lives alone. Fortunately she was not alone when her dog was struck, so she didn't have to deal with this alone. We think it must have been either a heart attack or stroke or aneurism. The dog was acting completely normally right up to the second of the attack. What a shock! So sad. I've been upset about it since then. Terri, you work with a lot of dogs and I know big dogs often don't live as long as smaller breeds. Do you think it was probably a heart attack? I guess we're both just trying to think of something we could have done or noticed that might have prevented this.
So it's been one of those weeks I could do without. Tomorrow we're supposed to get the evil three - snow then sleet, then rain. Just perfect!
I hope everyone else is having a better week than I've had.
Lilion, glad you are feeling better. Back pain really sucks.
Ruth, I'm going to take your advice and plan my meals for the next week and see if that helps. Something has to help.
I'll try to check in more often. I get a lift out of keeping in touch with all of you. Take care!
Bearcub