[Jayjay55]

Hi everyone -- I hope the weekend is treating you all well. It ws a glorious day here yesterday and today isn't bad at all. Once the hockey game (Calgary and Detroit) is finished we are going to walk over to Starbucks - yummmmm love their ice tea!!! Although once the weather gets really warm I will be making my own ice tea - until then I will enjoy the walk with the reward at the end of the walk.

Donna -- our strength classes vary each week. We use combinations of weights, bars and bands. She warms us up with some light cardio and then on to the strength portion -- this week was with the bars and using them quite slowly then to tempo -- it was a fabulously intense workout - I LOVE IT.
And if you do get a chance try the spagetti squash -- so easy to prepare -- I just microwave half of the squash (taking out the centre seeds) for about 5 minutes. Then use a fork to scoop out the flesh -- it comes out looking just like spagetti strands -- add whatever sauce you like -- a lot of goodness and flavour in a couple of cups.

Linda -- Glad you are finally getting warmer weather back east -- 10 is great!!! I am sorry you had so many health issues but glad you have a reason and solution. I don't blame you for wondering about the weight of the tumour. My mom had to have her spleen removed last year (we joke that is was an old hockey injury LOL). The doctor told us it was almost 2 kilograms - YIKES!!! Just don't weigh yourself for a few weeks after the surgery -- they mess us up so much with liquids etc our weight doesn't reflect the changes correctly.

Have a great rest of the weekend

[meowee]

Hi gang . . .

No deer in the yard this morning, but it is shaping up to be another beautiful and sunny day . . . . . . could stand to be a little warmer, but it won't be long before I'm griping about the heat, so for the time being, I'm just content to have the sun.

Joanne . . . . . . sounds like a great workout. Thanks for the mention of spaghetti squash . . . I haven't had some for a long time . . . gonna get me one of those today.

Other than a little shopping that needs to be done, I've got nothing too exciting on my agenda today . . . SSDD . . . but that can have its advantages, too.

Anyway, everybody else . . . here's a big and a Keep things moving and shaking wherever you are and whatever you are doing. See you all again really soon . . .

[Cheryl120]

Hi Ladies...Gosh! I can't believe the weekend is almost over. I lost a day somewhere. I thought yesterday was Friday and never realized till about 4 PM that it was Saturday. I've been fighting a nasty cold/fever for the last couple of days and taking Nyquil PM, which knocks me out during the day also.
Probably where I lost a day.

Donna...You are so right, I need to take care of ME! I am totally burned out and
I want a loooooooooooooong rest, like FOREVER from foster care, but my Hubby mentioned last night about getting another child when I get back from my trip to Oregon. Don't know if I will win this one or not, he is pretty presistent. I did do something good for myself, I booked a round trip ticket on Amtrak out to Oregon instead of driving it. Only cost $301.80, and I would of spent that in gas just driving out there. Never been on Amtrak before, and the trip is about 30 hours, so it will be a time for me to relax.

Linda...So nice to have you back. Looks like you have a pretty busy Spring/Summer a head of you. Hope all goes well for you.

Joanne...WOW! Great job on the workouts!! I've been out walking and it's so nice to have decent spring weather and no snow.

Great news! The scales were down 3 pounds this morning, so moving my ticker. Well gals, have great day.

Cheryl

[hyacinth merry]

Meowee welcome back!!! Wow, you have had some major stuff going on! I'm sorry to hear about the health challenges (to put it mildly!!) but I'm glad they are being addressed. Sometimes that's the biggest challenge of all: getting your doctors to listen and acknowledge that there IS something that needs to be attended to.

I LOVE your photos - you have beautiful kitties.


Hugs,
Hy

[hyacinth merry]

Thank you everyone for the well-wishes! Wow, this has just been such a strange period of time and big whiney me who is usually very healthy, has been moaning and groaning about all the strange maladies that hit me this month!!


Well there is always May and I'm already thinking about some goals to set for that upcoming month. This month really was kind of a bust with all the health things and while I did lose weight, I felt awful for most of the time (the two not related, imo)


I finally broke my South Beach diet the other night when I felt like doo-doo and was tired and said to my DH to just order a pizza and quit asking me what I wanted for dinner!! Honest, I've been on the diet strictly since Mar. 01 and have been doing low-carb anyway previous, so I hadn't had anything like this for a long time.


Guess what? It was REALLY not very good - I guess I've lost my taste period for breads and doughs (and this wasn't some crummy chain's cardboard crust either). This is a good thing as my unique (to me) metabolism just doesn't do well on simple carbs of any form. I don't have Celiac disease (was tested) but the flour and even grains just blow me up, weight-wise.


So that's what's been going on with me and I'm still playing "catch-up" with emails and posts since I was out of commission most of the month. Again, thanks to everyone for all your good thoughts for me - I appreciate the support very much!


Hugs

Hy

[hijude]

I'm sorry I have been MIA. There has been a big family crisis around the DD. She is at my house now but not for long. Can not really get into it as it is her life. But has knocked the wind out of me. I am living minute to minute right now. I have been off work for 2 weeks but am going back tomorrow. I was down to 218 but think I am back into the 220's. I just want my life back. Hope getting back to work helps. This stress may just kill me. Why can not kids just grow up and look after themselves. That is what we all did.
Hi to the newbie from Vancouver!! You are doing great. Hugs to you all and could use some back. Jude

[Donna72664]

My goodness our little group has been busy this weekend. Good to see so much chatter when I logged on this morning.
LINDA: Well no wonder we haven't heard from you in a while, you have really had some medical problems. Hope all will be well soon and good luck with your surgerys. Knock on wood I have never had to have any type of surgery, hope that lasts a long time. Thanks for sharing your photos with us. I love wild life photos and your kitties are beautiful, although I'm a dog person myself.
JOANNE: Your strength class sounds like fun. Keep up the good work you will be surprised how quickly you notice results from it. Thanks for the info on how to prepare the spaghetti squash, have to see if they have any at our store when I shop tomorrow, I like trying new foods, especially if they are good for you.
CHERYL: I am so PROUD of you for deciding to take Amtrack to Oregon instead of driving. If you drove that would not be relaxing at all, this way you can just chill out and enjoy the trip and hopefully be rested up when you arrive there. Hope when you get home you can convince DH that a break from foster care is very important to your health as well as his
CONGRATULATIONS!!! on losing another 3 lbs. YOU CAN DO IT
HY: If your telling us your problems is whining then go ahead and whine, that's what friends are for. I know what you mean about eating something that you haven't had for a long time, it doesn't taste near as good as you use to think it did. We had bacon and eggs for breakfast yesterday morning and it was almost nasty. I love it when that happens.
JUDE: Wish we could help with the DD problem. Maybe it will help you to get back to work and out of the house. Sounds like she needs to do some growing up, but I can't judge someone I don't know. My heart goes out to you, it is so hard to see your kids having problems, but that is just it, they are their problems. Good Luck with her. Here is my and there are more where that came from.

Well we had a very interesting Friday night. The tornado whistles started blowing about 9:30 and we headed for the basement. Our neighbor kids came over too, they live in a modular with no basement and they had their
7 month old GD with them. It was awfully scarry for a while. We had hail any where from golf ball size to softball size. It broke one of our storm windows out and beat up our air conditioner pretty good. Broke big holes in our gutters and tore downspouts off. Luckily the tornado itself went about
1 1/2 miles west of us. Tore a big path of destruction a 1/2 mile wide and 12 miles long. Lots of homes and out buildings destroyed and livestock died.
An older couple in the country were running across their yard to their storm cellar and were picked up and thrown around. She is in the hospital with some pretty severe injuries. Had 2 semi trucks blown off the interstate and one looks like a pancake. Some other vehicles also, think the radio said that 9 people were taken to the hospital.We have some friends that lost their home. Such destructive storms and tonight sounds like it could be a repeat.
Not looking forward to that.
Ok back to business, told you I had a bad week, well I got lucky and only gained back .6 lbs. I will get rid of that this week for sure, just from worry!!
Have a great week gals, keep up the great work.

DONNA

[meowee]

Hi gang . . .

We had another beautiful day . . . temperature actually topped 25C (77F) . . . of course, we re going to drop back to about 15 (60) tomorrow. Guess old MaNature doesn't want to spoil us too early in the season . . .

DONNA . . . OMG that must have been extemely terrifying. We've had some pretty nasty hurricanes but never a tornado (and I hope we never do). Glad you are okay and only a little bit of property damage. Too bad everybody else didn't fare as well.

JUDE . . . Hope the crisis passes soon. Hang in there, Chickie.

HY . . . Sounds like South Beach is doing exactly what it's trying to do . . . kill those silly carb cravings. I'm like that about french fries -- they always smell better than they taste anyway.

CHERYL . . . Really hope you can get through to DH . . . you just can't handle more stress right now . . . is he still working? In other words, who has to spend most of their time trying to cope with the fosters?

Well guess it's time to get going again . . . the cats seem to think it's dinner time . . . and I guess they are right. Have to get my BIG salad together and decide what protein to have with it. Hope everybody keeps things moving and shaking this evening . . . see you soon . . .

[hyacinth merry]

I can finally move my tracker...I'm down another 2 pounds when I weighed myself today, but that was for 2 weeks, not just the usual one week weigh-in.


And I'm entering the "60's" after languishing in the 70's for what seemed like forever That always feels good to go past one of those markers. Granted it's only ONE-HALF Pound into the 60's but you have to start somewhere, right? lol!


I made some egg/spinach/cheese muffins to have on hand again for B'fast - one of my biggest challenge meals as I find myself busy most mornings and tend to "forget" to eat. I know, I know Also bought a box of the SB b'fast bars although I'm torn on that issue - reading the ingredient list is rather, how do I say it? Scary?????? (I try to stay away from processed foods) But at least for me, they are not for every day, just when I get sick of eggs or "forget" to eat. Good news: I love eggs! Lol!


Hope all have a great day-I'll try to reply to individuals later this week. I have a sick pet that is taking up a lot of extra time right now.


Hugs
Hy

[hijude]

Fantastic Hy. I know I bought some Protein shake at Costco that is made by Webber and is of few chemicals and good quality. I have that when I have no time for breakfast and it works fantastic. It is chocolate. Maybe different at the Costco near you. I am doing better. Fighting off a cold. The DD has moved on so that is better for my life. She is sorting out her issues and it is looking positive. So that helps. It is a drag that whenever I have a negative emotion I want to fix it with food. I was still 219 this morning so happy about that. I went from not eating to eating all the wrong things. Getting back on track. Everyone seems to be doing well. The weather has picked up for everyone but us here it is raining.
Thanks for the encouragement Donna and Cheryl I hope all is well at your house too.
I am at work so just wanted to stop by and say I am on track again.
Cheers Jude

[meowee]

Good Morning . . .

HY . . . so haaaappy for you . . . Just love that 'changing decades' feeling . . . although it has been a long time since I had one of them.

JUDE . . . glad to hear your DD is moving forward again. Isn't it terrible when we are so compelled to fix everything with food. I seem to fall into tht trap when times are good and when times are bad.

Sorry I was MIA . . . Yesterday, turned into a really busy one; just chock full of appointments of various kinds. Got off to a rotten start with a really low blood glucose level, picked up with a great scale reading (more on that later), picked up even further with an earlier booking to get the cataract surgery on the second (right) eye - Monday, April 30; instead of May 9 - so that gives me more healing time before the 'biggie' (the hysterectomy) on June 7, ended with a craving for Habitant French Canadian Pea Soup for dinner ( I really should know better) which culminated this morning at my official WWI with the scale 5 pounds higher than it had been the morning before. Salty canned soup wins again. . . . The thing that really annoys me, of course is that I did it to myself and the surgery on Monday will, no doubt, bloat me up with even more WWW for a further couple of weeks. My poor ticker has been so stuck on the same place for so long already, that the poor old tortoise is beginning to wonder. Oh well . . . I know I will eventually get out of the 30's and into the 20's for real. Only the 'when' is in question.

Anyway, that is definitely enough of my whining. Hope everybody has a great moving and shaking kind of day planned. See you soon . . .

[hijude]

Hi Linda nice to meet you. You sound like you have a lot of challenges ahead. Just take it one day at a time. This food thing is tough. I was stuck in the 220's forever but have just bumped out and hope to stay there. Good luck with your surgeries.
Joanne: I was wondering where you go for your strength trainingl. Sounds like an awesome gym. I belong to one as well but not very motivated these days. You sound like you are doing great. I need to get rid of this cold and get too work!
Donna I have only seen weather like that on TV. What an experience! Hope everything is ok. Take care,,,,,Jude

[Cheryl120]

Hi ladies...Had my eye surgery yesterday and it ended up being more than the doctor thought it would be. Instead of being a 10 minute procedure, it was 30 minutes and I have about 5 stitches instead of 2. Very tender and itches like the dickens,but of course I'm being very good and not touching it.

Hy...So proud and happy for you to be able to move the ticker. For Hy!!!!!!

Linda...My husband works in a prison, so he does adult daycare, as we call it. He came home Tuesday morning and wanted to know if I wanted to babysit a 9 month old baby. I SAID NO!!!!!!! Men! I don't know what he doesn't understand when I tell him I am BURNOUT, I NEED A LONG REST FROM KID'S!

Jude...Glad to hear your DD has moved on. Hope your stress level is almost back to normal.

Donna...Hope you have not had anymore nasty weather. I love Spring/Summer, but hate it for the sever weather we get, especially tornados. We have to rely on a weather alert we have in our home, and the last big tornado that came down 1/4 mile from our home, the alarm never went off. I happen to be outside and saw it form over our house and then come down. First one I have ever seen and I hope the last.

Well girls, since I never got out of the doctors yesterday till 5PM, my hubby and I went out to eat and it was Chinese. Not a good choice since it is so full of salt, but tasty at the time. I'm up a pound for my weigh in at WW, plus I never got my water in like I usually do. New week and I will do better for next week.

Cheryl

[meowee]

Cheryl . . . did they give you some kind of eye guard for nighttime? With the cataract surgery they send you home with this little plastic guard to put on at night so you don't rub the eye in your sleep. When yours is so itchy some kind of sleepy-time protection would probably be a good idea. You could do a lot of dmage at night without even knowing it.

[hyacinth merry]

Wow Linda and Cheryl BOTH having eye surgery!!!


Sending good wishes to Cheryl tonight for a speedy recovery - I've heard very good things about this surgery. Please keep us posted. I hope you have a comfortable night and can get some much deserved rest.


Linda, sorry you had a rough start yesterday - my goodness, you also are juggling so much!! I did want you to know that you will be in my thoughts for both of your upcoming surgeries. BTW, I have 3 kitties too! And a few dogs and some fish...lol.


Sending big hugs to all


Hy