Happy Independence Day to Finland! -- As many of you know I was born and raised over in Finland. -- We are celebrating the day at our local Finnish Center with some dinner, guest speaker and I believe we'll have some dancing too -- I plan on enjoying the dinner without any guilt as well. I don't get to have Finnish foods that often, so it will be a treat. It will be mostly fish, some meat and vegetable casseroles. Healthy stuff.

I am wearing my sparkly gold and silver sequin dress, it is a party after all And gold shoes!!!! I will shine like a Christmas tree...lol

I am still feeling a tad bit crummy, but I'll try to squeeze my walk in and if I have stamina, my weight lifting routine.

That sounds like a great day! I hope you enjoy wearing your sparkly outfits.

I am Finnish, but haven't ever been. It's on my short list of places to visit, so I'm hoping to get out there w/in the next 5 years.

In final prep stages for our holiday party this weekend. DH's side is Jewish, my side is not, so we call it Christmanukkah Kwanzadan to cover all the bases. I will be breaking from my week of South Beach tomorrow and probably Sunday, then I will be back into it on Monday. I think I need to go find a sparkly top to wear today.

I hope everyone is feeling better and has a great day!

Love it!!

I'd like to spend more time in Scandinavia... so pretty! I've been to Sweden twice and Denmark once, all on business. Would love to get back there. Although... I just looked Scandinavia up, and see that Finland isn't part of it. Shows what I know about world geography... Happy Independence Day!!

Ack... just did a little reading on it. I had no idea that Finland was once part of Russia. I must have been absent that day in school... It is great that you are educating your children so much on their heritage; clearly the American education system isn't covering it.

I am having a horrific morning. I took some pain meds (tramadol) last night (for my back and hip) and ended up sick as as a dog through the wee hours of the morning which triggered a migraine that only made things worse. I am now improving, but this morning as been hellish to say the least.

Plus, I was hoping for a better weigh-in this week (I weigh on Fridays), but was back up to 146, which I will admit is a tiny bit dispiriting. Sigh.


Welcome mezmerelda (love your screen name, so fun to say out loud, my dogs are all looking at me quizzically as I say "mezmerelda" over and over, lol)!

Sum -- Happy Independent Finland Day! I bet you look downright gorgeous in your dress!

Kate -- I'm so glad the mole was benign. I had melanoma, so I know how scared you were. I have quite the big ugly scars x 3 from the resulting surgery (including removal of lymph nodes from under both arms) and can count myself verrrrrrryyy lucky that I am currently "no evidence of disease". I grew up on the beaches of Florida and was a super tan little kid. Nobody knew back then.

leeh -- Hang in there. I wish I had magical advice but all I can say is that I know what that feels like and it will be over soon. Like going to the dentist. Plan a meal for when you get home so you don't binge. Make it something satisfying but on plan, that way you'll have something to look forward to.

mezmerelda -- I just saw in your bio that you have Greater Swiss Mountain dogs! How awesome! I used to have Great Pyrenees dogs (they passed a few years ago from old age, and I've since downsized my rescue dogs). I miss those big lugs! You'll have to post a photo of your furry kids, I'd love to see them!

Mrs Snark - those pain killers suck. I hope you're better soon. I LOVE Pyrs! One of my good friends out in West Va has 2, and works with the rescue. I run a crazy dog person forum, which I guess makes me a crazy dog lady??

On another note, I would love to see 146 on the scale if I weighed myself...

Almost time to go home!

Hey everyone, getting late, I'll check in again tomorrow. Not a lot of sleep here, DH napped off and on during the day, poor guy, he seemed really good for a few hours tonight so getting better, the Drs. office called to check on him, she talked to him and said what he's experiencing is normal, so that was good to hear.

Ice and then snow coming in, glad I got to the grocery today, I hate ice...

ChubbyMum I was wondering where you were, glad it came back normal, my mom had some skin cancer removed near the top of her nose, it's scary stuff, she grew up out west, Colorado and California. I worry about myself, too, I remember blisters on my shoulders from the sun, seemed like that happened to kids all the time when I was growing up, just seemed normal.

Mrs Snark, so sorry to hear about your pain and reaction to the meds, that totally sucks, I know I don't have to tell you that, but felt the need to express it.

Mezmerelda, that is a great moniker, welcome

Sum, have fun, happy indepence day! I have a big world map downstairs that my friend gave me for Xmas last year, I'll have to take a look at it after reading NewLeaf's post, so I know for sure where Finland is. I think I do.

Leeh, best of luck with the dinner, I know what you mean about some people making you feel bigger than you really are, some people send me right back to being a 13 year old clumsy, ugly duckling, some kind of magical powers...

Well, I guess I had more to say than I thought...best to all

We have a slightly nutty little cocker spaniel mix rescue dog, sometimes I wish he was a nice calm big guy but I love him awful.

mrsSnark how are you feeling today? I hope you are on the mend...

On the topic of pets, we have a rescue cat. He spent his first few years at a friendly and loving cat hoarder's house, but when she died, her daughter took over the house and neglected the cats. They were "raided" out. We've had him for 6 years now. He is on a diet too.

Thanks guys, I am on the mend, no more tramadol for me, ever. I'm going to have to make a doc appt and see what other options are available I guess.

I had lovely dog walks this morning, then Mr. Snark and I biked around to neighborhood garage sales. He bought a tape measure for 50 cents because we only have, like, 20 of those at the house and apparently 20 just isn't enough. I guess when the zombie apocalypse finally occurs he thinks measuring things will be really important. I'm not convinced.

Sadly, I found nothing for myself.

It sounds like we are a real pet-friendly group here, I want to encourage everyone to share a pic of their kitty/doggy/pony/chicken whatever you've got!

Changed my avatar for you, MrsSnark. The photo of me is over a year old, so I was at least 10 pounds heavier than I am now, and sadly, I have since lost those glasses... But I like the picture and had fun finding just the right one for you...

Awwwwwww Heidi, that is a GREAT pic, what a beautiful kitty!

Okay, I looked it up. I was 15 pounds heavier than today in that picture. I think I look pretty much the same though.

Cuties!!

Hey everyone! I hope those who are under the weather are feeling better soon.
Last night's dinner was actually fairly easy not to over eat at. She had it catered and the food was fairly blah. I stuck to sparkling water (we never drink at work functions and when you see how others behave it reinforces why)

The thing that stuck out the most to me was the boss (who is a tiny french Canadian woman about 48 or so, attractive with OTT mannerisms) anyway she was talking about forcing kids to eat their plates and how if she is away visiting somewhere and doesn't like the food she has no problem not eating for a few days. I nearly choked on my water when she then said she lives on poutine (fries covered in cheese curds and gravy) I have another reason to hate her now.

Leeh -- I worked with a teeny, tiny gal who mostly ate Dr. Pepper (regular, not diet) and M-n-Ms. That's it. She must have occasionally had something else or she would have died of scurvy I imagine, but that's all I ever saw her eat. I will say she seemed to eat it all in tiny amounts, though. A big bag of M-n-Ms would last her forever, weeks maybe. It would have lasted me 5 minutes at most. Maybe the boss lady eats tiny plates of poutine.