Hi ladies,

What's everybody been up to today? Isn't is nice that the heat of summer seems to have past.

I spent the day putzing around. I decided not to go down to mom's today since she is doing the garage sale again and would rather not have to work at that. I laid around in my pajamas watching FoodTV. I did pretend to do some housework every now and then. Worked on catching up on the ironing. I hate that. I watched the first three episodes of Alias while doing that. Since the ironing board is in the bedroom, I'd lay down and watch TV for awhile, iron for awhile, relax for awhile, etc. Could have been completely done if I'd just have stuck with it. DH and I talked about a menu plan for next week. And just about have the laundry done. I have also been working at my new desk. I'm trying to get a bunch of mom's books out on half.com. My mother has a serious buying problem which if I'm not careful, I've inherited it too. I need to go vacuum the bedroom. DH is watching college football so I think I'll go retire to the other room.

Barb.G - for such a difficult week. Sometimes getting back to regular life can be very theraputic and healing.

to everyone!

Well, I didn't get to go to my TOPS meeting yesterday because I was feeling like crap. I am still pretty sick but am hoping to be better by the middle of the week. I have a quilt to finish and get off to the purchaser, a grandson to take care of while his parents take a little break and every other normal thing going on. Being sick makes everything feel twice as hard.
My TOPS group gals all wear pedometers. I got one but can't do much with it other that clip it to me and know that at least I can still walk, just not for exercise yet. (My left knee is messed up and I have a chronic bad back) I have a small goal of 30 pounds, I will be able to weigh in at the meetings on the normal balance scale. Until then I use the digital scale at the local building supply. I guess they sell nails by the pound. I am excited by actually losing weight these past two weeks. I avoided weighing in for two years, total denial. I had to stop wearing my favorite style of zip up jeans and buy pull on pants. At least they were still cotton. I didn't want to wear lemon yellow polyester seam-up-the-front gaberdines. I have a list in my journal I add to, it is a list of things I am looking forward to once my size is smaller. The one I added today is, "I am looking forward to having normal arms as opposed to having Ham Arms."

Sorry Hens, I've been otherwise occupied. I had to work a double shift on Saturday (0730 AM to 11:30 PM). And that was after getting home just before midnight on Friday night. But now it's the week end. Pooh Bear is on his way up, we've got a fifty foot white pine tree to cut up, the yard to clean up, some flea bombs to set off in the house, cats to bathe, sigh, I'm tired already. PLUS I close on TUESDAY! I'm so excited. And a home game on Thursday which will be MORE Over time and I select from NEW colors and order the house on Friday. Wow! That's a busy week for Da Turtle. I hope you'll forgive my absence. Here's wishing you all the best. I shall return. Best of luck to you all. Peace and turtle hugs.

Good Morning I'm going to stay home and be lazy today (that means cleaning and doing laundry)--have a good sunday everyone

Good Afternoon Ladies!

Or it will be when I post this! Mowed the lawn yesterday and still need to get our there and rake. Stayed OP, which I'm rather proud of. I did go to dinner with my old friend last night. She’s 8 lbs from her goal on WW and we did Applebees and had the WW menu. It was so nice to catch up. We’ve known each other since we were five! That’s 38 years! Amazing that we are still friends, although perhaps not quite as close as we once were. People change. I then went shopping for some food I can actually eat without guilt and then rented A History of Violence. It was quite good, although I didn’t get started on it until 11 p.m. so I didn’t get to sleep until 1 a.m. I almost stayed up until DH got home – Almost! So I slept until 10 a.m. Now I need to get some stuff done! I NEED to go to the office and I may…but only long enough to grab some work to work at home with. DS is at a friends and I need to be home when he gets here.

I hope you all are having a good weekend. Sending : good vibes to all who need them

Welcome, Mother. 30 pounds sounds like a good first goal.

Barbara, So sorry for your loss. You and Alvin are in my thoughts.

Everyone else, hope you had a good weekend.

I'm making no progress. I have to change this. Not much more to say, I guess.

Hi gang,

I have been a slug all day. I woke up at 2 am and was awake until at last 5 before drifting off. The alarm went off at 7:00 for early church. Not sure what was up with that other than my allergies were nuts and my eyes hurt and felt all scratchy. And I didn't take a sleeping pill which I hope isn't the cause of me not sleeping because that's not what I want - to become dependent on that.

We tried a local Baptist church this morning. Well, small town it was. I expected there to be more people but last Sunday, between the two services there was 79. I didn't know it was possible to sing that slow either. The pastor was okay and had a good message. We're used to a bigger, more contemporary, lively church. I realize its small town, but a church that is stodgy won't attract young families. DH says we'll go back and I'm sure we will on occassion but I'm not ready to give up on the other church yet. Although, it was nice to be done by 9:15 instead of 1:00.

Since I didn't sleep last night, I slept for 3 hours after we got back home. I haven't done anything productive. I did feed the beasts and all the animal chores are done.

I did attempt to exercise. Get this, I actually put on my walking shoes and walked the driveway. Then a storm came in and we got busy putting the new truck in the garage and I took the dog for a small ride around the yard in the little truck. After that diversion, I headed back out to the drive and actually jogged half-way down and had to turn around because of rain. Jogged most of the way back. I flopped down in the chair on the porch and watched it rain after that.

Think I'll go flop down in the chair and read the newest Weight Watcher's magazine.

Oh yeah, we have to give up our nightly ice cream treats. DH's doc told him to because of his blood sugar readings. He even wrote out a prescription form for him to quit one of his HBP meds and quit the drumsticks. We're back to popcicles.

to everyone!

MOTHER – I hear you on the ‘ham arms’. I guess I’ll have to live with ‘bat wings’ when the weight is gone, but I’m dreaming of surgery to remove some extra skin, and my arms are where I’d start. Everything else I can at least cover with clothes. I hope you feel better!!

JAVA TURTLE – Holy smokes, you’re busy! I’m glad you’ve dropped by and not left us wondering where you went. Hurry back when you can.

NESSA! Hi Lurkers!

LILION – I’m glad you had a nice dinner with your friend. Although it kind of made me sad when you said “not as close as we once were, people change.” It made me realize that since I’ve been home I’ve had only one brief chat with my dearest friend of over 40 years. We were toddlers together and stood up for each other at our weddings. We’ve grown apart and changed, too. So much distance, so much time apart. It’s compounded by the fact that she never comes down to see me, I have to go to her.

C’mon, ANGELA! You can make that New Year’s mini-goal, but you need a calorie deficit today! You can do it!! What will it take? A walk around the block? Saying ‘no’ to a donut at work or dessert at dinner? You CAN do this! Let us know how we can help.

TERRI, Too bad you got rained out yesterday, but if you’re going to flop & read, I’m pretty sure that it’s been proven that reading WW magazine or other health conscious material burns more calories than reading fiction. Good choice!

It threatened to rain here, but the sun came back out and Sunday was lovely. I helped the new girl at the barn with her first horse. She wanted to give him a bath, but he’s very young and a bit of a goof. She’s inexperienced, but bright and very intuitive. She paid me one of the highest compliments I think I’ve ever received. After watching me work with her young horse she said “I want him to look at me the way he looks at you.” I don’t know if I can convey what that means to me, but please accept that it was like being handed a gold medal, or getting a huge bonus check at work for doing nothing special one day.

My calorie count is starting to go up again, probably the potato salad I had Saturday at someone’s house for dinner. Something has kicked in more cravings, and that’s the only thing I can find to blame. Note to self: No more potatoes – Ever. I don’t normally eat them and don’t miss them, but she served hamburgers (hold the bun), corn on the cob (thankfully served in ½ cobs so I could just have one) and the very tasty ‘tata salad. I could hardly eat just the burger meat and reject the rest of the meal she offered, but I didn’t realize the ‘tata salad would effect me the way it did. Live (and eat) and learn. I should have known better when suddenly I wanted seconds of the stuff. At least I’ll know better in the future.

Off to the doctor’s. Just regular check-up stuff before DH cancels the insurance next month (due to me getting off the truck and not affording it anymore.)

Good morning chickies! Just checking in.

Nothing happening here. School is going well, aced my first test in analysis! That's saying something for me as math has always been my worst...

Food is good, adding back a few more things over the next few weeks. My sprouted grain bread this week, then I want to try Quinoa next week and after that yogurt. I want to make some of that yogurt cheese!

WI today down 3 pounds

It's going to be kind of weird for me today as i'm originally from NY.

Mother!

To everyone else!

Good Afternoon Ladies!

Well, it's been a long morning so far. I tried replies earlier, starting with the 300+ thread and LOST it due to Internet Explorer shutting down. Big surprise - It's Monday after all.

The weekend was uneventful. I did pick up some office work, but got very little accomplished. My poor DH had to listen to a rant this morning about how useless I am and how nothing gets done around the house anymore. I get home and it's just me and DS and I have dinner and dishes and dogs and such and I don't get anything accomplished it seems. Very frustrating. We are supposed to do SCA events out of town the next two weekends in a row and I told him to pick one, because I just HAVE to work one of those two weekends if we are going on our mini-vacation event in October. My backlog is becoming serious. Following up that is the fact that we were supposed to: 1) paint the house this summer - not done; 2) fix the woodwork and ceiling in the family room that's been down for TWO YEARS! - not done; 3) lay the laminate floor we've had for over a year - not done; 4) install the new entryway light we've had for over a year - not done; 5) finish decorating the master bedroom - not done....you get the idea, I could go on and on! We started with a list of projects and he got this new job and it all just passed us by. And I don't see any of it getting done now. Heck, I just paid Chemlawn $350.00 to areate and seed the lawn - because I knew we'd NEVER do it and it needs done! Okay...now I'm ranting here-I'll stop!

Stayed OP yesterday. In fact, at 8:00 I'd only had 19 of my 28 pts. I did eat 6 pts of trailmix before bed...still only 25. Feel pretty good about that. The scale is showing a minor drop. Hope it drops a bit more by Wednesday. I got in the I.M. yesterday...but only managed 3 minutes when I had a doggy doo emergancy and had to stop. I got back on but only managed 5 minutes or so and was SO TIRED I just couldn't do any more. Don't know why...but I just had to stop. I'll have to try again tonight if I get time.

Thin: Sounds like you had a nice, if soggy, reunion. I really need to get up to KC and see my extended family. My aunts are all quite elderly and I haven't kept in very good touch.

Karen: 3 lbs is GREAT!

Valerie (and Thin) Sounds like your friendships are a lot like mine and my old friend. We were inseperable as kids but we got distance when I went away to college and she got married. When I got my first atty job the firm that hired me were doing her divorce...so we got back together, were roommates for several years. Then she moved in with her BF, I got married to the jerk, I got divorced, had a child, (not in that order) she is now divorced again but I'm married....life just gets in the way, you know? Thru it all, I know she'd be there if I needed her and visa versa - just kind of hard to find each other sometimes! Nice to have a friend for so many years though, isn't it?

Valerie: I LOVE potato salad - but I especially loved the way my mom made it. I saw her make it a million times, but I can't make it like that. Then when my friend's daughter had her b-day party a while back, the hall that was catering had potato salad and it was EXACTLY what I remember. I literally begged for the recipe and they wouldn't give it to me. I mean, it's not like it's some government secret or that I'm going to go back to the banquet hall and order potato salad daily! Would they really have suffered by giving me the recipe under the circumstances? I'd do about anything to taste mom's tater salad again!

Terri: DH and I were trying a while back to find a church to go to...Yeah, we've lived here what, 10 years now? We're terrible heathens - I'm surprised my in-laws, who are very devout, haven't disowned us! We actually ran into the problem of thinking the churches were too progressive! I don't mind so much, but DH is old school Baptist and just doesn't feel right with anything too modern in a church setting, which our local Baptist churches tend toward. I was raised Lutheran, but we always followed the old service and the one Lutheran church we tried followed a different one and I didn't like it! Then we tried a Christian church and they were more old-fashioned, which was fine, but SO FRIENDLY it was almost creepy! I suppose you should want to be welcomed with open arms...but we aren't that touchy-feely with strangers. I suggested we try a non-demoninational church, but I know they'll probably be too modern for DH. Frankly, I'd probably like the Catholic church - I like the pomp and circumstance...DH just want's a country preacher. We eventually gave up. I expect we'll get the bug and try again when DH hours change back.

Angela: We're rooting for you!

Turtle: Yes, do tell! Are you getting a new house? Very exciting but stressful stuff! Hope you are doing well!

Ruth, Celery, 2Cute, Barbara, Mother (Hope I didn't forget anyone) Hope all is well.

And now I probably get off here and try to get some actual office work done at the office. Give you one guess why I'm behind!

Hi gang,

We had such a fun day at work. YES, indeedy, I said a fun day at work. More like with the people from work.

I have to digress just a moment. I did finally find out about my job situation on Friday. I more or less got a promotion. More because they all agreed to the new reorg that my boss was wanting so I have new areas of people working for me plus some of the old. Less because they will not give me the same job title as the MAN whom I've taken 2/3's of his area. They are supposedly mapping job titles from our company to those of the mother ship up north and when they have that decided, we will have the same job title. Should be an Assistant Vice President. But could not be. It did bring a 10% raise. This all just all more to the stress level of work - transitioning people out of jobs, taking over new duties, having to work happily as a team with the yutz who had his depression sabatical and can't handle his job anymore (just a clarification that he's not a yutz about having depression but the way he's handled himself since being back). I think the doc gave me meds just in the nick of time.

Okay, so that peer is having a meltdown because he thinks he is being forced out because he is losing so much of his function to me. One of my other peers isn't happy because he's a pessimist and anything less than him getting more glory and responsibility is not satisfying nor worth being happy for anyone else. My other peer is truly happy for me. One of the new people who will be working for me is NOT going to be happy because when she hired in 14 years ago - I worked for her and hated it. As I said to the pessimist, well another opportunity for me that is surrounded by unhappy people and I don't get to have that feeling of accomplishment and celebration. Yes, it was a big dig at him and he just looked at me.

Okay, so on to the fun stuff. Our boss took 89 of us to the local Culinary Institute for a team building experience. It was a blast. We were divided into 10 teams. We were given a box of food and a general idea of what we were to make. Each team was making a portion of our lunch. We had to work together to get our part done - decide what to make, how to do it with no recipe, what techniques, how to plate it, etc. The "chefs" went around and observed us and served as administrators. We had one hour to complete. When everything was plated up, we all sat down and enjoyed a really good lunch. We talked, we laughed. Then the chef's had each team come to the front. We were first because we were the first team to finish our task. We had to tell our team name, our food items, and our strategy plus do a little radio commercial for our food. Okay, we weren't very good on that. Then the chef talked about how our team truly did talk about strategy and how we divided and conquered our two tasks and how well we communicated when we needed to make adjustments. Then they talked about EACH of us. She didn't know who was managers, officers, or just regular employees. She started off with me and said....she does really, really well at giving directions and is so fun about being no-nonsense about those directions. Everyone laughed because they pegged me 100%. Ooops. We got little prizes etc. I'm thinking about maybe DH and I taking a cooking class there sometime. Absolutely a blast and we so love to cook.

I did start my day with my Push.tv workout. I was late getting home tonight and forgot to go walk before eating dinner. I'm thinking about heading to bed soon since DH has football on.

About church - yes, I was really active in the women's group at our current church. Its about a 50 minute drive. Which wasn't so bad at first. But with work having gotten so busy lately and me going down to mom's on Saturday's, it became too much to want to spend from 8:15 to 2:00 driving to and from including a quick lunch. That left me so little time at home. Plus I got a little burned out trying to do the Bible study pillar because I had such a hard time getting help from the staff liasion and head of the women's group. It was just too hard for me to find teacher's when I don't know the ladies that the church staff would approve but yet I couldn't get the church staff to provide me with the teachers. I just couldn't deal with that - really took the joy out what I was trying to accomplish for the women's ministry. And on the last go round for new classes, we only had four ladies sign-up for a 12 week class. I was going to teach it but again everything got to be just too much. So I guess I'm kind of taking a break from that church and the pillar. We're having the Associate pastor and his wife down for dinner Friday night so we still want to stay connected. I just can't continue with all that admin hassle with everything else. Especially with mom's move.

Little Spice is getting more and more curious about wanting to come up to me. I've been feeding the big horses treats after I've fed them and she's really curious. I either put them in a trough or drop them on the ground because four big horses trying to get treats out of my hands is a good way to get bit. She came right up to the trough to see what was going on. She so thinks she is one of the big ones. I almost had her take some alfalfa treat scraps off my fingers. I should wear gloves because she's more likely to bite me. This morning when I went back out to let the big ones out of the round pen, she ran right at me like she was going to mow me down but then darted off bucking and rearing. She is such an incredible fart.

Well, I am extremely long-winded tonight. Sorry!

DH is feeling lonely so I guess I'll go sit on the couch and appease him for awhile.

Goodnight!

TERRI - Any Little Spice, or should I say Incredible Fart pictures coming soon to a PC near me? * Congrats on the promotion even if in some ways you got ripped off. The cooking thing was neat tho!

Too pooped for personals right now. Worked out later since I had the Docs appointment earlier, and evening workouts aren't my style apparently. I'm beat. Simon ended up not getting fixed today due to another emergency, so we both have to go back thru today's ordeal again tomorrow... only for Si it will be worse.

I thought of something wonderful and profound to share with you all during workout class, at least it sounded that way in my head at the time. But now all I can do is yawn and my brain has already gone to bed. I hope it doesn't mind if my body takes the dogs out for one more walk.

Nighty-night.

Well, it's back to work at the circus. Things are still totally crazy. The "wifey" is still there and in full contorl. She hired a "manager" for the call center and she has been there a week and a day, and she is already on her way out!!! HR Lady does not get along with Wifey and is threating to quit (again) Our "department" has 5 people Freind/boss Pam, 2 on the front dest/checkout and 2 of us int the back office. Both the other girl in the abck office with me and one of the girls at checkout wanted/applied for the call center manager job, but were not considered because of "issues" with both of them. After most were gone yesterday(I work 9-5:30 because I do the final close and bank deposit and most work 8-4:30 or 8:30-5) Wifey came in our office and was talking about gettig rid of new manager and starting the search agin for a NEW new manager. Then she told Pam that all that could be avoided if Pam would let her have one of her people. Pam told her she had said they could have her people, but they were both rejected because of issues. Wifey then said, No we don't want those people we want the good one, then she looked at me and said We want you!!! I just looked at her and said, NO WAY, I'll just stay right here in my little corner. I'm not at all interested in moving. As bad as I need more money, I would never take on manager of the call center and schedulig the doc's schedules!!! I'd be crazy for sure!!!

After work I went by my BIL's to check on him. he was doing pretty good, he had told me he wanted me to take some of the pot plants that was sent to the funeral. When I got there he has the whole couch full of "stuff" They had lived my my MIL when she got sick and stayed in her house with all her stuff just like she left it (Which I always thought sorta creepy,) BUT yester BIL told me that SIL had not thrown out any of MIL's things (it's been about 6 years) so he got in MIL's room and threw out her underwear and stuff and had cleaned out another drawer that had her jewelry, scarves, purses etc so he had all that stuff boxed up for me. As I really love vintage or estate jewlery I was very excited about that. Spent hours when I got home going through it!!

Well Thin, I'm out of excuse for ignoring my weight, so I guess I need to get busy again. Where's that ??? I need a double dose!!!