300+ Chat Thread: September, 2014
 

WELCOME!!

We are a group of individuals who weigh or have weighed 300+, or near there. This group was formed to provide a place for others like us to find support, inspiration, and hope. We are aware of the distinct problems that come with weighing over 300 lbs.

We want to invite everyone (roosters as well as chicks!) to join us in our journey. We share laughter and tears, heartaches and fears ... joys and celebrations. We also share what works for us and what doesn't.

We have found this thread to be more than just a support group... we have found it to become a home. We invite you to join us!

Ubee ~ Nope I havent folded and put away my clothes yet but I will today for sure

Shinesgirl ~ Thanks for comment about me being so organized about getting my housework done

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I woke up at 5 a.m.this morning and I ate breakfast and let Clyde outside and gave Clyde fresh food and water and then at 7 am I went for my morning walk and I found out that I was walking for 25 mins just 5 short of my goal of 30 for each morning so I think thats pretty good. Today my plans are to fold my clothes and put them away and go to Walmart with my mom, She's gonna be the one shopping Im just going with her so I can get out of the house, My walmart shopping day is Wed. and I cant wait because Im getting low on breakfast's,Lunch's and Fend For Your Self dinners.

I'll say this—these kittens may still have colds and ringworm, which entails the fuss of medications, but one thing that makes them easier to take care of than our last pair: they do not barf. Neither of them has barfed once since we got 'em, not even when they run around like maniacs right after eating. I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed they will continue this way into adulthood.

And it's so great that Oscar, the runt, has fully caught up to his sister Nénu in size! When they first arrived, Oscar's fur was very fuzzy and thin, like that of a baby kitten, but now it's growing in smooth and thick like an adult oriental's. His eyes are likely to be a prettier color than Nénu's, too, because they still have hints of blue in them. Oriental shorthairs have blue eyes to begin with, but eventually they turn green. Nénu's are already the olive green hue they'll be all her life.

I really needed this down time to recover from months of stress getting the house ready for new cats. Whenever I feel a bit of depression pain, I just curl up around my sweeties and nod out. It's no big deal. I want to try to make a collage today, but I'm not pushing myself.

Tigerlilly— Welcome to the 300+ Chat thread! This may be a public forum, but your anonymity is protected, and besides, there are just a few of us here in this mini-community. I was nervous too at first, but the reason why I decided to start posting, last fall, is that studies have shown that whenever someone undertakes a big project, they need social support. Try to post every day if you possibly can, and gradually tell us more about yourself, as you feel comfortable with doing so.

shinesgirl— Whazzup? Please tell us how you're doing, even when—or especially when—the news isn't good. We have all been there, or are still there, with the emotional eating, so don't be ashamed.

Ubee— Good for you on no black squares! And staying away from those sweets was a BIG accomplishment.

I forget who asked me about the paint colors of my studio at the farm. It's a simple scheme: white-white for the walls to maximize the amount of light, medium-grey for the trim (including three casement windows!), and pale grey for the floor. (The floor was already painted, so there was no choice of natural wood.) The little bit of furniture is going to be very modernistic in style: I have a bright red smooth leather loveseat from Ikea, and a bright blue suede ottoman for it. I've already discovered I can take a nap there by bending my body into an "L" over the loveseat and ottoman. Unless I decide to put up a Kandinsky print or something like that, the loveseat and ottoman will be the main spots of color.

And now I need to go up to my studio here and make a collage. =smile=

Well today was a complete gym day fail....

I have today off so I let myself sleep in and then woke up with DH watched some tv and I guess we both were tired and fell asleep while watching tv.

I just got home from trying to go to the gym...it was a complete fail. I had to stop for gas on my way there and when I got out of the car I heard a snap but didn't think anything of it...I thought maybe the new work out pants I was wearing were just stretching out a bit or something. I get to the gym...sign in and go use the bathroom before I start. I go to pull up my pants and there is a HUGE rip in the side of them near my left butt cheek!! OMG I was so embarrassed!! Luckily my shirt was long enough to hide it, but I knew there'd be no way I'd be able to keep it covered during a whole entire work out...So I left...Came home and showed DH and he laughed at me of course lol...But he thinks maybe the pants got caught on the seat belt piece that sticks out in our car since it didn't rip at a seam...Man those pants were brand new, first time I got to wear them too....Maybe my grandma can do a sew job on them and fix them for me....So needless to say I'm not going to make the trek back to the gym today and waste gas...I am very short on funds until Wednesday when I get paid so I'm just going to have skip today. I'm either going to my cardio party video at home, or I'm going to go on a walk with DH this afternoon after it cools down some....But I'll be doing something!!!

I lost 1.4 lbs this week so that puts me at 72 lbs lost....Took my measurements and weight today because I completely forgot to do it yesterday...I lost 1.5 inches in my bust, 1 inch in my waist and 1 inch in my hips...My legs and arms have gone up but I'm guessing that's from the muscle build up...I'm definitely not complaining...

Well I'm gonna go try and eat something...Hope everyone enjoys their Labor Day!

Happy September!
Sam that was so nice of your hubby to point out that if your pants would have ripped from your size it would have been in the seam. Good job working out even thought the gym was a bust.
Fi I had to look up Kandinsky. Nice. What does your piece look like?
Terra why can't you wait to be low on your breakfast's, lunches and fend for yourself dinners?
Shinesgirl thanks for the reminder to spruce my plate/surroundings up when I start to eat less. How are you doing today?
Well tomorrow starts my portion control commitment. Not sure of my plan of action. What else is there besides calorie counting???

Ubee ~ I meant to say I cant wait until I go shopping on Wed cause Im getting low on breakfast's,Lunches, and Fend For Your Self dinners.

Morning all!

Doughnut Shop blend this morning...

Had family in all weekend and took them to one of my favorite places-Hot Rod's 50s Diner... They have about 50 types of hamburgers. Eeeek. I opted for one of their chicken burgers, a really good ground chicken burger with decent spice, grilled with just a little bit of crunch on the outside, and I had the slaw burger. REALLY good, and slightly better some of the other options.

Have a great week!

Dean

Ubee— What meal(s) are you having trouble with in terms of portion control? If it's dinner, in addition to using a small (like salad-size, or buy yourself a luncheon-size) plate, I'd recommend having a healthy snack 20 minutes before dinner: that way you won't be so hungry you can't make rational decisions. And that's what the slow breathing technique is all about—priming your brain to make rational decisions—so you might want to do that before dinner as well.

As for my Kandinsky, I don't have one picked out. I was just thinking of him because he painted abstracts in bright colors. We have one of the more soothing Kandinskys in our bedroom (along with about ten other prints): this one.

Or maybe you were asking about my collage piece. Sorry, haven't made it yet. When I do, I'll show it to y'all.

Good Morning!
Fi I was asking about the Kandinsky. Thanks for linking the one you already have. My favorites are the circles and the ones with houses. As for portion control, I always struggle. If I have a snack it turns into a meal. I think I am going to cut out all snacks and only eat from 8am-5pm.
Dean good job choosing the best option. Are you getting your strength back?
Terra thanks for explaining. Have you worked out a healthy list and planned your meals?
School started today and I have my routine back! I already have my exercise in and meals planned. I've logged my food on MFP and decided I am just going to do it for a month and see how it goes.
Have a peaceful day.

Morning Everyone!

I have some free time since the boss is out this morning for a meeting lol...So I figured I'd check in..

Ubee I hope the start of your portion control trials are going well today...Portion control is the hardest thing I think to get down pat, but once you do, it really helps with your body telling you if you are full or stuffed. I haven't been able to tell whether I was really full or not for the longest time, but now that I have control of my portions it really helped me.

Dean The burger sounds amazing!! I haven't had a good burger in a few months. DH and I got some grass fed beef from the butcher shop at the beginning of summer that was really good and I didn't feel bad about eating it...I almost had no fat, it was so lean. I usually only eat chicken or turkey so it was a nice treat. Hope you enjoyed your time with the fam this weekend :)

Terra I'm doing well, hope you are!! :)

Fi Hope you and the kitties are having a good day...I can't wait to see the next collage but be sure to give yourself plenty of rest time...after all the work with the BERP you deserve it!! You have really inspired me to do my own BERP at my house. It really needs to be done but I'm having a hard time getting motivated. With all the work and exercise time I put in during the week and even the weekend I get too tired to do any house work...DH is kind of lazy and I know that's due to his depression and anxiety so I don't try to be so harsh on him about keeping the house clean, but I know if I don't motivate myself to do it, then he won't chip in either...Do you have any pointers on getting started?

I have to admit yesterday I ended up not working out at all. I've been having some pain in my nether region so when I got home from trying to work out at the gym I was embarrassed and upset with everything that happened and with my pain I just went and lied on my bed and relaxed for the evening. DH and I played some old games from an emulator on our wii that we have that has any old game for any old system on it. It's really cool. I had rotisserie chicken with steamed green beans and corn on the cob for dinner. I've got left overs for lunch today.

I'm supposed to go to the gym tonight with my friend. I'm still in pain but I'm going to push through it. If it doesn't get better I may have to go see a doctor. :( I'm going to try and up my water intake this week and see if I don't get a better loss this week. I think I haven't been having as big of losses in the past weeks due to my lack of cardio...I'm just not doing near as much cardio as I was when I was solely working out at home so maybe I'll figure out ways to up the cardio this week too.

Tomorrow I get paid and will be going dress shopping for an upcoming wedding. I really shouldn't spend the money but I want to treat myself dang it!! Most of my dresses are way too big for me now but I may look through my closet to see if I can find something before I opt to buy something new. I just have my eyes on this dress at Target lol...I can't stop thinking about it! We'll see what happens. I'll definitely share a photo in the dress if I end up buying it *smile*

I hope everyone has a great day!!! I'm going to get back to work now :D

I had a sudden flash of inspiration and remembered how much I like the rectangle compositions of Kasimir Malevich. I looked around and found one I will never grow tired of looking at, and which I hope will inspire me in my work: here it is. It may not look like much in that little image, but I got the largest size I could find, in a kind of giclée print where you can actually see (& feel) the texture of the paint. I'm going to get the white around it chopped off, so it's just the painting, and have it mounted on a foam board. I'm so excited!

As for the kitties, they are proving endlessly photogenic, especially in the morning light. One thing that's hard to capture is how much they are in perpetual motion—washing, tussling, etc. I lucked out today and got a freeze frame. And here's a more static shot. Oscar is the one who's more cream-colored, and Nénu is more orange.

I'm afraid I'm turning into one of those doting moms who can't stop taking pictures of her babies. It's so easy to do with the iPad, which is my computer, so it's often in my hands. I always have trouble holding a camera still, but I just rest the iPad on my ample belly, and it's a piece of cake. =laugh= If y'all ever get tired of my cat photos, please let me know. And please do post some of your own cats!

Ubee ~ No Problem :) Yes my shopping list is healthy but no I havent planned out my meals yet, I dont do that until after I go shopping, I do it while Im putting my food away.

Sam ~ Im glad you doing good. Im doing good too.

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I woke up at 6:30 this morning. I usually dont go for my morning walk on Tuesday mornings cause we are usually always busy but I'll be sure to get up early tomorrow so I can walk outside. Im currently at school, I have a meeting to go to at 12:30 until 2:30 pm. So I didnt get my noon 2 mile in today but I will Friday for sure and I'll still get my 2 mile in the evening in today and for the rest of the week too. So Im still gonna get my walks in, It just wont be as many as it is on Monday's,Friday's,Saturday's and Sunday's. I cant wait to get home today though cause we're having White Chicken Chili for dinner tonight. Thats always a good meal. I dont have any plans today but to get my walks in and I STILL have to fold and put away my clothes, I know I should of done it already but anyway those are all of my plans for today. Oh Im also gonna fold and put away the towels when I get home too.

Energy is coming back, but its sloooow going. I'll be doing something that I think should be no sweat, and all of a sudden I'll be out of breath. I've read different things, some people are back to normal in a few months and for some it takes a year! Yikes...

Oh well. Thankful to be on the mend, no matter how long it takes.

Dean

FionaW - thanks for mentioning the fact that a big project requires social support. It definitely *does* help, but the really hard part for me is joining in - "real life" rejections have hurt me badly.

Your studio sounds lovely in the colors you chose - so serene! My studio is basically white, but having supplies stored everywhere pretty much hides the walls, lol.

Good morning!

Carrot Cake coffee this morning.

Got a loooong walk in yesterday afternoon and picked up a new bike, as well. Nothing elaborate, just one of those beach cruiser types, but with gears since we have a few hills here. Should be nice for fall since we've got a nice system of greenways here.

Have a great day,

Dean

I woke up at 5 am this morning. I let Clyde outside and I gave him fresh food and water so I did my morning duties for today. Guess What??? Yes I lied, I STILL need to fold and put away my clothes and the towels, I'm not gonna say Im gonna get it all done today cause chances are I wont but I will get them done sometime this week. Im gonna do my 25 to 30 min walk outside this morning and then I do my 2 mile walk tonight at 6 or 6:30 pm. When I get home today (I have to go to school to help made the DA4A Lunch today) but anyway when I get home today Mom,Scott and I are gonna go run errands and then we're gonna go to walmart to do some food and non food shopping. Tonight its Fend For Yourself so chances are I'll have a 6 inch sub sandwich and some chips for dinner tonight. I've been craving a sub for a while now. I dont have to be at school until 10:30 this morning but Im getting picked up between 7:40 am and 8:10 am cause I want to be at school by 8:30 cause I have to get the DA4A Agenda ready for next Wed. Anyway Im running out of things to post about so Im gonna just end right here. I hope everyone has an awesome day today.

Terra— Your walking is such an inspiration to me! I keep on doing my nightly leg lifts, but I plan to add walking now that the BERP is over and the temperatures are starting to come down.

Dean— Good for you on taking that long walk! That's cool about your bike and your system of greenways. I have a nice lake with woods nearby that's a mile and a half walk all around it, and I hope to be hitting that trail soon. I feel so blessed to have it, I kinda feel guilty when I don't take advantage of it.

shinesgirl— Social support on this thread has made all the difference for me in the last nearly a year now that I've been on 3FC. I gave up aspartame and sugar last fall, and I never would've been able to keep that up without the folks here cheering me on. I really don't think you need to worry about rejection on this thread. We are as real as "real life," that's for sure, and this little community is nothing but supportive. You're right about my going for serene in the color scheme for my studio at the farm. What kind of art do you make in your studio? Can you share any links to images of your art? Remember that even though your supplies hide most of the walls, supplies are also inspirational!

Ubee— On the subject of portion control, do you remember last fall when I posted from Brooke Castillo's book about judging your hunger level from -10 (ravenous) to 0 (neutral) to +10 (overly stuffed)? I find that if I make myself stop now and then while I'm eating, and ask myself, "How hungry vs. full are you now?" it helps me to scale back on my portions. It takes practice, but it's good practice for lifelong change in your eating patterns.

Sam— Thanks for all the support about how exhausting the BERP (a four-months-long decluttering endeavor) was, and about how now after that, plus Mary's visit, I really do need a lot of rest. I can't really tell you how to motivate yourself to do your own BERP, except to suggest that even if you can carve out one hour from your busy schedule—an hour you devote every day to picking up & decluttering—those hours will add up from one day to the next, and you'll be surprised at what you can get done.

Betsy— We haven't seen you yet in the September thread, but I know you're busy with taking care of your brother-in-law. The two of you must be really close now. That's an enviable relationship you have with him.

Someone on my depression thread posted about the importance of "learn the lesson and move on." The lesson I've been learning in a big way recently is that when I go through periods of stress, even positive stress like getting new kittens, I have an aftermath of days of depression. But I track my moods on a 0 through -5 system, where 0 is a good day, and I'm happy to report that I've advanced from going through a few harrowing -3 days to yesterday being just -1. Mornings are my best times, so I try to plan things that take some "oomph" for that time of day.

Those kittens that look so sweet and calm in my photos do take a lot of work during their rambunctious periods. They've learned the rule about not biting electrical cords, but they still like to knock things down, shred tissue, and anything else they can come up with to raise a fuss. Plus they need twice-a-day medications for their ongoing sniffles and the ringworm. =sigh=

And I've found that trying to clip images out of magazines while they're around is hopeless: they watch my scissors with so much excitement, and grab at every loose piece of paper and turn it into a toy. So I'm getting behind on that part of the maintenance I have to do to keep our house from needing another BERP. Maybe when Bob gets back from the farm, I'll be able to close myself up in my studio just to do some clipping.

Good Morning!
Fi I was so happy to see you discuss maintenance so you don't end up with another BERP. It is just like weight loss we can never stop watching ourselves. I always thought lose the weight and then I could go back to what got me there in the first place.
Terra sounds like a busy day. Do you buy already made foods for you fend for yourself meals?
Dean good job on the walk. What color is your new toy?
Shinesgirl I get your fear of rejection and being judged. That is why I only comment in the 300 club. This group gets it that we are all doing the best we can. Life is not easy and losing weight is not easy let alone keeping it off. Take your time and only do what you are comfortable with.
Sam I hope your pain is gone. I must admit I love your spunk of sneaking on the internet while your boss is away.
I had a good day yesterday. I did eat after 5 pm. My neighbor brought me fresh green beans and I did not want to wait until today. My meals are planned for today. Instead of looking at logging my food as something I have to do I am looking at it as an education. Who knew raspberries had so many carbs? A friend is bringing over tomatoes so I am going to look up recipes. Also someone else dropped off zucchini. Lots to do.
Have a peaceful day!.

The bike is a gorgeous candy apple red with black fenders. Its a cheapie from WalMart, but aluminum frame and comfortable to ride. A Kent Del Rio... It seems that if you ask on the bike forums, you can't get by with anything less than a 5-6 hundred dollar special from the bike shop, but I just couldn't bring myself to spend that...

Dean

Fi- The kitties are gorgeous!!!

I am doing alright, school has started and it makes me feel useful again lol was feeling kind of down and pointless for the last little while, I had a hard time settling into my apartment and such.

But I did some grocery shopping and I have big plans for actually cooking (which my neighbours/colleagues are excited to share)

this weekend I plan on finishing unpacking completely and starting to personalize my place.

Hope to remember to check in more :)

Rats. Back down to -3. Depression really sucks. But I made a collage, kind of an angry one.

Hi Everyone,

Still in pain over here...I did manage to go to the gym on Tuesday but skipped yesterday to run a few errands after getting paid like sending off rent and stuff like that. I was planning to go to the gym today after work by myself, but DH made a very good point. My infection is not healed yet and I need to stay as clean and dry as possible and getting all sweaty at the gym might cause it to flare more. I have never been in pain like this before and it's been really hard for me to just want to lay around and not do anything. I've been taking antibiotics and applying some cream to help with pain so I hope everything starts looking better by the weekend...I'm going to be really busy with a party and a baby shower on Saturday & Sunday and want to be able to enjoy myself. Last night I layed in an epsom salt bath...I've never done it before and it felt really nice. I think that has helped with my healing because I don't feel so much pressure and pain today. It's killing me not going to the gym though because I feel like I'm just spinning my wheels and this is going to throw off my weight loss for yet another week. I'm going to make sure I keep the fluids flowing and hopefully if anything I'll at least stay the same with no gain.

Since I'll be skipping the gym I'm going to go look for a dress this evening if DH isn't doing anything for the wedding. I also need new gym clothes so DH is going to help me pick some out at goodwill this weekend, but maybe I can get him to go tonight if we're both feeling up for it.

Just had my coffee and gonna work up to doing some actual work today lol...No personals today but maybe I'll check in again tonight when I have some time to address everyone :) Hope everyone has a great day!!

Good Morning!
Sam sorry for your misery. Will you be getting your dress from Target today?
Fi please take care of yourself. Your collage spoke volumes as to how I feel.
Dean candy apple red! Did you get a basket or pull behind cart for the doggies?
Hi Melissa!
This morning I felt sad. Since it was not 8 am I could not eat my feelings away. I actually sat and dealt with it. Afterwards I was thinking that I seldom feel sad then I thought how would I know, I always eat my feelings. Funny thing is once I let myself think/feel I felt better quickly. There is hope,
Have a peaceful day.

no basket or cart yet, but I'm thinking a largish basket might work well... They loooove the papoose, so we'll have to see how they do.

Dean

Good morning all. Today is a rare day without a doctor or PT appointment so I'm going to cut the grass in both yards and do some much needed yard maintenance. Bill is to the point where he can be by himself for a few hours, but still needs help with a lot of things.

Fi First, thank you for the wonderful compliment from the end of August thread -- meant a lot to me. I also loved your new collage and feel the same way only in my case I've spent this year taking care of everyone it seems but me.......yes, that was definitely whining on my part and I can hear my mom telling me to stop pouting or she'd give me something to pout about. ;)

Dean Hope the recovery is of the shorter term for you. New bike sounds wonderful as do your plans for taking the doggies.

Ubee Great insight on dealing with our feelings through eating! I realized this morning that in planning a little get away just for me after Bill is released to drive again that I was scheduling it around restaurants and bakeries instead of fun things to do or museums I wanted to visit. OK, so how do we fix this?

Sam Hope each day that you're beginning to feel better -- sounds like you've kind of been through the wringer lately. Hope the shopping goes/went well.

Time4Me You must get a lot of satisfaction from your teaching which is great. Hope you can enjoy putting the new apartment together and enjoy the cooking.

Terra and Shinesgirl Hi! Hope you're both doing well.

Tomorrow we're back to multiple appointments in one day. I'm assuming Bill's boys will be here this weekend and that will pep him up. It's got to be tiring to have to sit in a recliner all day although they have him doing a lot of exercises now 3X a day so that at least gives him a break. He's a trouper! Guess I'd better get it in gear so I can pace myself. Have a great day.

I'm waiting now for Bob to get back from the farm. It will be nice to have someone else around to keep track of the kittens, because they can get pretty rambunctious during their high-activity periods and it's well-nigh impossible for me to always keep an eye on them when I'm in my worse depression (rating -3) periods. 'Been having way too many of those of late.

FionaW - I really like your collage! I'm sorry to hear about the depression kicking in - I know that black cloud is hard to get out from under! Btw, I wld post a link to my work but I'm not quite sure how to do it yet.

Sam - I hope you get that red dress - it sounds so pretty.

Betsy - You really described how I plan my trips too - it's not that I want to just eat, but being out of shape limits how much I can do, & that leads to sitting down someplace & that generally means a cafe & food. Bah.

Ubee - That took real discipline not to eat since it wasn't yet 8, & then to figure out that you "eat yr feelings" is very impressive self-help! Wow!

Good Morning!
Shinesgirl so nice to see you. I was wondering how you were doing when I woke up this morning. Thank you for your kind words.
Fi does your muesli magic still help?
Dean can you wear your papoose when you ride?
Betsy travel plans around food, boy do I know that tune. What is your second favorite thing to do besides eat? I like to view the scenery. We go somewhere and walk a little. Even if you just walked to the closest bench that would be getting out. I still stop for food but I try to find a foodie place that will have a unique salad. We also stop at cheese stores and get one chunk of che$$e that we normally would not splurge on. How about buying some exotic coffee??? You can do this Betsy!
I went on the treadmill today and am now enjoying my coffee with my friends. It was so nice of you all to join me. Your support means the world to me.
Have a peaceful day!

Hi everyone. I hope you don't mind if I join in. I am currently at 309 as of this morning. I have been a member before but I managed to gain almost all of the weight back.

Ubee Got a dress from Target yesterday :) I stopped by a couple of other stores before I went to Target just to see if I could find anything else. I found a super cute dress for $5 at Ross but my bottom belly stuck out the sides a little too much and it made my shape look weird, otherwise I would have gotten a steal. I got the little skater style dress that I was looking at in burgundy, they were out of the black in my size but I'm still happy either way.

Betsy Still feel like caca over here but I'm pulling through...I think more than anything it's killing me not going to the gym LOL....Man, who woulda thought that I'd EVER say that!?!?

Fi Wish I could be there to help you with the kitties while you're having the depression pain...I hope the # gets lower for you soon <3.

Shine I did get the red dress :)....I'll put it on when I get home from work and share a photo with you guys :)

NatashaWelcome back!! Hope you stay awhile!! The more the merrier here!


Things are slowing down at work for the day so I had the time to post :)...Still not feeling well but I have a doctor's appointment scheduled for Tuesday if things don't get better. I was hoping that they could get me in earlier, but I'll just keep doing what I can to ease the pain until they see me. I really hope it's nothing serious.

I got the red dress for the wedding...It looks very nice on and is just screaming to have some heels worn with them...I can't invision flats on with this dress...So I guess I'm going to have to venture into my closet and see if I can find some heels that fit otherwise I'm going to go thrifting and find a pair hopefully. I have a couple different pairs in mind to try that I already own just not sure how they fit now that I've lost weight.

DH and I have been invited to a party on Saturday so we'll be going for a little bit. I guess I may as well try to enjoy my time away from the gym but all I really want to do is be in bed the whole weekend :( . We also have to go to his sister's baby shower on Sunday so I will have a full weekend of stuff to do...this just had to happen at the worst possible time lol...But I'm going to stay positive and hope that everything turns out ok. DH and I are also going to go thrifting to find him a nice shirt to wear to the wedding next weekend.

I hope everyone else is doing ok today...It's Friday so I'm ready for the weekend...It keeps looking like it's going to rain here, I wish it would just down pour already haha!! Anyway, if I don't post again until Sunday I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Natasha— Welcome back!

Ubee— My "magic" muesli protects me against the depression caused by insufficient carbs in my diet. I still eat it every night, without fail. But it cannot protect against any other cause of depression. In this case, as you know, the cause is months & months of relentless stress.

Sam— I'm glad you went for the burgundy dress. I was rooting for that one all along. I think that it will go good with your coloring.

Still at -3 today. I had a few hours free of it in the morning. Bob and I used them to get caught up on the health issues of the kitties, make plans for going to the farm in the fall, and generally get back in synch with each other. Then the depression hit, and I had to stop talking. I'm still in it now. I'm posting because it's boring to be lying on the couch, depressed and nonfunctional, full of dark thoughts and painful feelings. Anyway...

Fiona ~ Im glad to hear that I'm a inspiration to you. Thats great that you do leg lifts every night and your gonna start walking once it cools down.

Ubee ~ Yeah the 3rd was a busy day. Nope I didnt buy an pre-made foods, I have to cook all of my fend for yourself meals well all of them except for my ham and cheese subs that I cut into 6 inch subs.

Betsy ~ Hi, Yes Im doing well, I hope you doing well also.

Natasha ~ Welcome Back, We're glad you came back even though I know gaining weight again sucks.

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I slept in until 6 am again this morning but tomorrow I'll be sure to get up at 5 am so Im ready to go for my morning walk at 7. Im currently doing laundry and I FINALLY folded and put my clothes way, Y*E*A* ME!!!!!!!! LOL. Anyway Scott and I are going to the mall this morning until about 2 this afternoon. So thats where I'll be for the first half of the day and then we'll come here and I'll make me some Shrimp Alfredo with penne pasta for dinner. I'll be sure to do my 2 mile walk tonight. While I folded and put my clothes away I also cleaned my room as well. Well Im running out of things to say so I'll post this message now. Hope everyone has an terrific day

Natasha - hi there : )

FionaW - so sorry that you're battling depression, it's terribly hard to shake off!

Terra - You always have the nicest sounding food - I'm drooling over here!

Sam - yay, you got the red dress! I bet you're going to get heaps of compliments in it! Looking f'ward to seeing the picture!

Ubee - have you got that special plate yet? I want a description pls. : )

Today I did something I haven't done in years so I'm feeling dead chuffed w/ myself! I actually managed to hike down to the river bank & back up again, lol. This is such an achievement for me! (& the temperature today was stinking hot too, lol, I nearly melted!)

Shine ~ Thanks for commenting on my food choices

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My boyfriend woke me up at mid-night and I havent been able to fall back asleep yet but I was planning on getting up at 5 am anyway so I guess it doesnt matter if I dont go back to sleep or not before then. Today I'm gonna go for my morning walk at 7 am and then at noon I'll do my 2 mile walk and then at 6 or 6:30 pm I'll do my 2 mile walk again. I'm gonna dry my clothes again this morning before I take them out of the dryer and fold them before I have my boyfriend bring my clothes up from the laundry room downstairs and thats all I'll do today.

I'm doing a bit better. Last night when I listened to my favorite deejay's rock-n-roll show I felt free from depression and did my leg exercises with enthusiasm. Today I'm back in the doldrums, but it's only a level of -1, and I was able to make a collage just now. I'll post the link to the collage later on, when I have enough energy to upload it to Flickr. Right now I'm wiped. Need to lie down.

Good Day!
Fi glad you got a break from your pain and that it is less now. What have the kitties been up to? Do they act differently when you are in pain?
Terra I've got to know, did you get today's clothes folded and put away?
Shinesgirl good for you!!! I'm glad you are proud of yourself you should be! I have been using my small plain white luncheon plates. I have been treating myself more with $pecial on plan foods so I feel pampered.
Sam I really hope you feel better. Hope you still managed to enjoy yourself. Try to take your picture with your heels.
Having my first harder day for this week. I am determined to stay strong.
Have a peaceful day!

Ubee— The kitties are continuing to view the whole house as a jungle gym plus treasure hunt for "toys." Their athletic prowess increases by the day! They don't act much different when I am in pain—well, Oscar does come running to hop up on me and purr when I moan aloud—but mostly they are a huge comfort, just to take naps with. When I'm hurting, what I most need is a medication-induced nap, and as I'm sure you know, nothing beats taking a nap with kitties. Right now Oscar & Nénu are the perfect size to curl my body around. =happy sigh=

As promised, here is my new collage: please read what's written below it, because it's meant to be an illustration of those lines of poetry. I think about Rilke's "Eighth Elegy" a lot, when I'm looking at animals and trying to imagine what they're thinking.

I hope everyone is enjoying the week-end! My "exercise" was walking around shopping, lol...I went to a craft store & I really liked seeing all the Fall items for sale!

Good Day!
Fi love how the kitties are perfect for curling up around. Thanks for sharing your collage and the poem. Something to really think about.
Shinesgirl it sounds as though you are enjoying all the different things that count as exercise. Do you make crafts? If so what kind?
Yesterday was not filled with wise food choices towards the end of the day. I am now in the danger zone of "My diet will restart on Monday..."
Have a peaceful day!