Joke
Elderly couple sitting at a lunch counter with a mirror at the end.
Old guy: do you see that?
Old woman: yeah, What about them?
Old guy: I was just thinking....that's probably what you and I will look like in about 20 years or so.
Old woman: You do realize that's a mirror at the end of the counter don't you.
Lynn, sorry to hear about DD, we are all thinking of you. I appreciate how you kept the Golden Girls together after I dropped out. I lost all the weight, then lost sight of everyone on this board. Lynn, you've alwalys been here for everyone and we want to be there for you. God Bless you, daughter and family.
Bobbi

Morning everyone.. cloudy here today but melting out.. the snow is going down but everything is really icy..ran errands yesterday and it was like walking on a skating rink with water on top managed to stay upright tho..i was spending some of my bingo winnings.. my dd and i played tuesday night and i won $ 400 ..everyone(About 27) is coming to our house for Easter so im allready doing pre-holiday stuff..how do u all celebrate Easter?..Lynn so sry about your dd diagnosis ..all the talk about germs was very informative..i had a day care business in my home for 20 yrs and washed hands alot..also i always hang my purse on the coat hook on the door of public btrms..congrats to all who are loosing and getting smaller clothes ..im still struggling and weighed yesterday and im up 5# so today im back trying to stay on my ww program..Zoe i do have those critters in my yard once in awhile and an occasional bear and lots of eagles and other birds.. we live about 18 miles from town but do have neighbors around us but it is rural..i also love sweet potatoes and i use the butter spray and lo sugar apricot or pinappleorange jam with some cinnamon sprinkled on top..try it its really yummy..heres hoping you all have agreat weekend ((hugs))) rosey

Hi Everyone,

I plan to be at home this weekend, so I will spend some time tomorrow reading everything and doing personals.

Thank you everyone for all your wishes and prayers for my DD. I just talked to her & she's sick again. The doctor (an immunologist) is putting her on antibiotics - she generally gets really sick from these. She has to go for a CAT scan on Monday - I'm not sure what that has to do with anything.

It is TERRIBLE when your child is ill. I keep having this throat-tightening sadness - didn't feel like this when I was going through my own cancer surgeries. Much better for us to be ill than for us to deal with our children's illnesses.

Lynn

Lynn, I really do know how you feel. I was devastated when my eldest daughter was diagnosed with MS. She also had multiple cysts on her uterus which required her to have a hysterectomy at the end of last year. She just recently had several more cysts removed, and worse, seemed to be getting angry and depressed, non-communicative with me and her sisters - we've always been a very tightly-knit family of women, and it started feeling very out of sync for us. It's hard to know how to handle it, to tell the truth, but we're hanging in there, letting her know that we're all there for her, and it will all work out. It always does. I know how close you and your DD are, and I know this is something that you'll get through together. You will. You'll see.
Z

Hi

Lynn - sorry to hear about your DD, I know it's hard when there is something wrong with your kids, you wish you could do something to fix it and you can't you can just be there for them. You will be on my prayer list.

Rosey- Love the suggestions for the sweet potatoe, I have a couple in my pantry will have to try that this weekend.

Went in for the yearly mammogram today. The woman doing it said she wished men would have to go through them, then we would certainly find an easier less uncomfortable way to get this done.

Off for a quick walk with the dogs before dark. Have a great weekend.

Em

Hahaha! My husband said something along those lines once when someone made a remark to us about our holding hands!

I have not been keeping up here, sorry, but I found a site that will publish my stories if they like them, and I get paid for every view, so I banged out three stories this week. Since I've been submitting them for years to the print media, and keep getting rejected, I turned them into speeches when I belonged to Toastmasters. They accepted all three stories. I won't get rich, but every little bit helps.

Tried to cheer my dad up yesterday. He's really down because they just found two more little nodes on his lungs. He had surgery last summer and they told him he was fine and didn't need chemo or radiation, but a CAT-scan a couple weeks ago showed these new ones. Since I've had chemo, he asked how it was. It told him, "Let's face it dad, how much hair do you really have to lose?" He did smile for the first time in two weeks. He said, "Yeah, bald IS in, isn't it?" I am just hoping and praying.

Sorry about your daughter, Lynn. We found out my sister had advanced Lyme's last year but at first they though it was MS. She's so sick, tho, I don't know what's worse.

Haven't lost any weight the past two weeks, really getting frustrated. I don't even want to look at the scale anymore, and that's bad because that's part of how I got in these straits. But, I am still maintaing, so I guess I should be happy. I did go off my routine a couple days this week and skipped a formal dinner and, God forbid, breakfast, one day, but made sure I got my fruit/veggie and dairy and water requirements in -- of course, one day, I made up 2 dairies by eating TWO pieces of yogurt cheesecake at once, 10 pts!, but since I didn't eat much of anything else that day, I actually didn't go over! I felt soooo decadent. Got tired of the Garden Veggie Soup, so am doing V8 instead for couple weeks.

People are starting to call me up and ask if I'm making easter eggs again this year! Last year I made everyone one-pound coconut cream eggs and people went wild about them. I am debating whether to do it this year because I do a lot of finger licking when I dip chocolate. But I've already had three requests from family, one of whom even offered to pay me! Now, I'd never charge my BIL, but how can I say no. It WAS fun making them. And if I am very careful with my weighing, I can even make one for myself. Am I rationalizing here, girls?

Raining like heck here, Lambertville at flood level again. Geez, looks like New Hope and Yardley are in for it again! 'Course, my daughter in Erie has two feet of snow. I'd much rather be there.

Well, just wanted to check in and let every one know I'm still alive.

Patti

Lynn - and Zoe - I am so sorry to read about both of your daughters. You're right Lynn, it is much easier, as a mother, to suffer some sort of adversity than knowing that one of our children is suffering. I read once that "a mother can never be happier than her unhappiest child." Pretty true, isn't it? My very best wishes to both of your daughters, Lynn and Zoe - and to you and your entire families.

Rosey, I've got Alaska-envy. Where you live sounds like heaven - do you mind if I move in with you? I mean, I love VT and it is incredibly beautiful here - but not as close to being unspoiled as what you're describing. I'm jealous.

Beth, a very hearty WELCOME to you. Glad you'll hang out with us, and I am looking forward to getting to know you.

YoYo - I certainly understand you not wanting to make the switch to the smaller size (although CONGRATS that it's an option!!!!). There IS something very comforting in wearing baggy clothes, and you're right - having our clothes sort of flutter around does feel like a constant reminder that we're not as big as we used to be (same as clothes fitting tightly is a reminder that we're heavier). Seems like making the decision to swtich your ticker from dress size to pounds was a good thing to do. Guess there is a reason most of us measure our success by pounds, huh? It IS convenient...

To both Karens - Yeah! 3, it's so much fun when we have the opportunity to shock someone in a good way who hasn't seen us in a long time. And 31, say good-bye to those 3#s. Congratulations to both of you.

Laurie - 300 5 yr olds in a week????? Woman - there is a special place in Heaven for you! Seems to me that their germs are the least of your problems My granddtr is 5 and I absolutely adore her... but my gosh, she will try my patience. You are doing very important work, teaching those children - I thank you!

I'm doing well today. It's been a lovely day and I got lots of walking in. Used every opportunity to get out and do errands for the office. Someone needs something at the post office? Sure, I'll go. The bank? No problem. Hey, who needs coffee? I'll run and get it... Anything to get out and get a few extra steps in on such a lovely day. Tomorrow we've got yet another snow storm on its way. Ugh! But today, at least, I enjoyed being outdoors. My food's been good, too, for the past few days. No complaints here.

Best wishes to everyone--

Patti, I'm sorry to hear about your Dad. I'm sure he's scared - but it sounds like he's got a sense of humor. That will come in handy as he goes thru his treatment.

Please let us know the site where your stories will be posted - I'd love to read them. And every hit matters, right?

I say go ahead and make those coconut eggs. In fact, will you please make one for me? Why not consider wearing latex gloves while you're making them? Doubt you'd want to lick those fingers then...

Karen31 - Congrats on the loss! You are doing GREAT!! I use my Gazelle off and on - mostly off right now. But it is a great low impact workout!

Yoyo - my vote is to get those 14s out. I found that no one noticed my weight loss UNTIL I started wearing smaller clothes that fit me. AND, I felt better when I started to see ever so small changes in myself - looking in the mirror and seeing that smaller sizes really do fit me and that I AM doing this really helps keep me on track.

Zoe - I will bake potatoes too. I do roasted veggies and include both sweet potatoes and red potatoes. They are so good. They don't seem to trigger sugar cravings for me. That is one great thing about calorie counting. As long as I eat a balanced diet, I don't feel guilty about having things I like - even if they aren't "wonder" or "super" foods. I figure I have to learn to eat things that I enjoy in moderation or I will never succeed in maintenance. Zoe, I am a newbie here and was not aware of your daughter's illness. I will keep you and your family in my prayers. Do the best you can to keep the lines of communication open with her. And it WILL work out. Patience is so hard when our children are suffering. It is very hard to put it into perspective and see light at the end of the tunnel.

Lily - that is a great idea for mapping miles logged on your bike!

Rosey - don't worry about those 5 lbs. Just stay OP and they will disappear in no time Now that the kids are gone, I don't really decorate for Easter. We do additional devotions and studies during Lent, and try to observe the season, but no eggs or bunnies or baskets and definitely no Peeps or Cadbury eggs.

Lynn - keep us posted how things are going. You and your daughter are definitely in our prayers! It IS awful when our kids are sick. Take care of yourself so you can stay strong.

Em - thanks for the reminder that I need to schedule a checkup soon. I am terrible about getting that done. It is time to get some discipline in my life in that arena.

Patti - sorry to hear about your family illnesses as well. You are all in our prayers. Don't sweat that scale reading. Maintaining is a victory! Those eggs sound yummy. I don't think I would be able to make them and not over-indulge. Good luck if you do decide to make them. Maybe make them with another family member? I find I do better with my BLTs when there are others in the kitchen.

Glad this week is coming to a close. It has been way too busy. My step-father is out of the hospital, but still not doing very well. Mom is exhausted caring for him. It is so frustrating being so far away and not being able to help. I am SO glad we have tickets for spring break to go down there.

My NSV yesterday - I did find a suitable outfit for the dinner cruise on the 70% off sale rack at Peebles yesterday Black knit skirt, black knit top with a cute empire waist, black and silver jacket and black veaded satin shoes with kitten heals. All 4 pieces came to $38. I can wear all the parts and pieces for work and church. And, since they are all size "small", I figure that I can continue to wear them at goal.

Hope everyone has a POP weekend!

Don't know if I am allowed to post links like that here. I'll PM them to anyone who wants them, thanks.

I thought of that, but Latex gloves covered in chocolate would taste just as good to a chocoholic! Hey, I'll mail you one if you want, send me your address, if it stays cool enough. But I'd feel like I'm sending a bottle to an alcoholic!

Sorry SANDYPICKLE, but PHILLYGIRL is correct. Links to any site from which a profit could be obtained are not allowed to be posted on 3FC.

Good Morning Everyone,

I'm going back to the beginning of this thread - I feel like I've been "out of the loop" this month & I'm missing everyone.

Hi Bobbi, I am so HAPPY to have you back with us. This place just isn't the same without you.
The FBD sounded good to me - would LOVE to lose my belly, but they wouldn't have me - I tried to sign up, but they don't take folks with diabetes.
About the olives - when I was in Italy, I learned that black olives are just green olives that are ripe.
I copied out your chocolate cherry pudding - Linda and I have sworn off Cool Whip, but sounds like it would be good without.
Here is site for wild game nutritional info - http://www.gunnersden.com/index.htm....ion-value.html

Hi Linda, Funny - I love olive oil, but can't stand olives - however, I'm going to try the Tapenade - who knows, taste buds change. I have a theory about stuff we don't like - I think our bodies are telling us to avoid certain things - kind of like an allergy. I also hate cumin and cilantro. Have to modify LOTS of recipes bc nowadays so many have one or the other or both.
About antibiotic-induced tummy situations. All things I know to combat that are not so good for us diabetics. Pedialite (sp?) and BRATT - bannanas, rice, applesauce, toast/tea.

Hi Karen31, CONGRATULATIONS on the losses. I'm sending my best wishes for the success of your DF's surgery.

Hi Karen3, I am SO SORRY about your friend and her loss. You wrote, "Thank you all for just being here...nice to have a place to share a pain..." This is SOOO true. I have become just as close to all of you on this thread as I am to my face-to-face friends. This is one of the first places I want to come with bad (and with good) news. It's REALLY nice to know that there's a place where people are ALWAYS supportive.
Frida Kahlo is at the Philly Museum until May. I plan to take my Little Sister to that one. Like you with Dali - not stuff I'd want to live with, but fascinating. When I went to NYC with my sister, we saw a play that focused on a painting of Kahlo's. I love it when genres mix.

Hi Laurie, I found out my 14-yr-old cat has arthritis & went online and ordered some Duralactin Feline for her - you can get from any online pet site. It comes in a capsule - you pull apart and put into her wet food. It's done wonders.

Hi Cat, I LOVE your vegetable garden photos. I have a request. If we sent you photos - can we do that with PM's? - would you make one of those albums for the Golden Girls? We could have Linda post a message with a link up in the Sticky area.
You wrote about your DD, "...she was the main mess maker when she lived here!" When my DD was a teen, her bedroom was HORRIBLE! Now she owns a B&B and has to clean rooms everyday! Amazing how they change!

Hi Laurie, you've lost 65 lbs in a year!!!! Not slow in my book. Took me a year to lose 35. Took me 5 months to lose the last 10!
You wrote, "My wardrobe is miniscule right now since I am waiting until goal to shop." IMHO you NEED to wear your current size as you lose. If you don't want to spend a lot of money, go to a second-hand store. It's VERY important for our minds to wrap themselves around the fact that we are NOT the weight we were before. Get yourself some weight-appropriate clothes!

Hi Freda, you wrote, "Isn't it fun to buy smaller clothes, and bras too." One of my rewards to myself is to go to a bra store where they will fit me for the right size. I have bras that I'm wearing from 48 D to 42 B. I don't think Victoria's Secret carries my size. One of these days, I'm going to find a lingerie store that will measure me.

Hi Zoe, you wrote, "with this being the first Monday in March and all, I'm seriously re-committing to my diet. Counting and measuring everything that passes my lips. Eating lots of fiber. Drinking lots of water. Exercising some." I think it REALLY helps to either "re-commit" to a diet or to "change" diets. No matter what we're doing, entropy exerts its force after a while and we find ourselves drifting towards places we don't want to be. I started using my blood sugar testing machine again after visiting an endocrinologist & realized that I had been doing a lot of grazing after dinner on foods with carbs. I've added a NEAD (No Eating After Dinner) element to my March Challenge.

Hi Joanne, glad you're back with us - Sorry you've gained. VERY glad your DM's doing well.
You wrote, "I guess as Dr Jeff said last night on Biggest Loser there is no cure for obesity." I saw that too & was struck by his analogy of obesity being like alcoholism - something that you can always deal with, but NEVER escape. Having yoyo'd for MANY years, I'd have to say that I think he's right. My hero is my DF who lost 100 lbs and has kept it off for over 10 years (like the guy in the Subway commercials). I know that my DF is constantly vigilant about what she's eating & about exercise.

Hi Birgit, I'm getting ready to leave for FL on Tuesday - will be in Brandon, FL - is that near anyone here? - and I'm worried about how I will be able to get in my exercise. I'll be staying at my cousin's home, so no gym around.
Maybe she'll have some kind of exercise equipment at her house. You wrote, "I did reasonably well for most of the days while I was away. No exercise, though, and that's difficult for me. Then yesterday, after 5 days of eating fairly well, I suddenly lost it and started cramming unmentionables down my throat. Weird - I'd just gotten home and I guess the "reentry" was difficult. Ugh!" - WEIRD! I had EXACTLY the same experience when I got home from NC.
I had done well while I was away - got home & ate 6 squares of chocolate - before that had only 1 square/day. I haven't had chocolate in my house since that.
You got an IPod & I got an MP3. I'm going to try setting it up this weekend. Have you got yours working yet?

Hi Rosey, what's up with our bathroom injuries? My DD says I need to stay out of the bathroom - hurt my hip falling off my scale & hurt my shoulder getting into the tub!

Hi Em, see my note to Birgit. Eating binges happen to all of us. I think it's our bodies way of getting our weight up. Once we lose a certain amount of weight, our bodies start to rebel. Our goal is to learn to make it through the urges - tame the chew.
You wrote, "I'm worried that I have stalled my metabolism bc I'm not eating that much..." I had a BIG problem bc I lowered my calories to around 900/day. I REALLY believe that's why it took me 5 months to lose the last 10 pounds. (3 months to lose each of the previous 10 pounds)
Only way to re-set metabolism is to gain muscle. When you lower your calories too much, your body starts eating muscle & your fat-to-muscle ratio gets out of whack. To gain muscle, you've got to do some exercises with weights/resistance. As you up your exercise, you need to up your calories. I upped my exercise to 60 min/day (6 days/week) and upped my calories to around 1400/day. Now, I'm keeping the exercise schedule but lowering my calories to around 1200/day. I've started losing again.

Hi Gayle, Good to see you.

Hi Patti, You wrote, "Do you think my sudden hunger was because of the health problem, or because of the sugar I ate on Saturday?" I ABSOLUTELY think it was bc of the sugar. Eat carbs - Crave carbs.
3 things -
1) you wrote, "Haven't lost any weight the past two weeks, really getting frustrated." Please consider joining the March Challenge - doesn't matter when you join. I've been in the 150's for 20 days now - helps me to focus on my behaviors - not my weight.
2) please PM info on how to get to the sites to read your stories.
3) DON"T make the Easter Eggs. I stopped making cookies - I was the family cookie-maker - used to give each person a tin at Christmas. Decided this year that it was dangerous to my health - I can't make without tasting/gorging.

Hi Lily, It's so good to see you back with us. Glad you're back, sorry you gained. My personal guru regarding carbs is Dr. Kathleen DesMaisons - she wrote "Potatoes not Prozac." Other than eating the potato every night (this is what she recommends), I follow her advice totally.
About the imaginary bike trip - did you ever read Stephen King's "Thinner?" I think that's the one with the imaginary bike trip. Maybe you'd better not.

WELCOME Beth!!! So nice that you joined us. You're going to LOVE it here.

Hi YoYo, see what I wrote to Laurie about weight-appropriate clothes.

About my DD - thank you so much for all of your supportive posts. A couple of things - this doctor was the 2nd opinion. I belong to a site that finds the best doctors in an area (based on surveys of doctors in the same specialty area) & found this immunologist after our GP couldn't seem to help. Also, IgG deficiency is genetic and is passed on from men - one more reason to hate my ex! My DD had a hysterectomy around 5 years ago. Everything went wrong. She was in ICU for several days & in the hospital for 5 weeks! During that time, her veins "gave out" and she was given some type of VERY expensive plasma (around $10,000/bag). I'm wondering if this IgG deficiency could have caused the problems, or if the transfusion could have caused the IgG deficiency. Guess it doesn't really matter at this point.

OK - took about 2 hours to write this post. Now, off to the gym.

Check back later - don't want to get behind again.

Lynn

Well, I was a victim of someone's germs this week. I've had the flu for 3 days now. I haven't been this sick in a long time. Started as a cough and progressed to full-blown laryngitis, fever, and achy achy body. Today I'm finally out of bed. We also just had our biggest snow-fall of the winter and it took my DH's sister and DD's boyfriend 10 hours to make the drive from NYC to Rochester. They got in at 2 am. My DD's last performance is tonite and I'm a bit bummed that they are predicting more snow all night so many of my friends who were going to come to the perfomance are not going to make it. I may stay home as well so I don't spread this horrible virus.

I wish I had the energy to respond to everyone. Welcome Beth...
Lynn, sorry about the diagnosis of your DD. Sounds like you've been through very tough times with her.

Congrats on the NSVs that were posted in the last few days.

The only good thing about being sick is I'm not eating much.

Patti, Yes I agree with Birgit - share some of your stories with us when you get a chance.

Back to rest and fluids for now...

Lyn

Good morning, Everyone -

Can't decide who to give more lapspace to - my computer or my dog. The two seem to be vying for prime real estate as I'm sitting here trying to type. I'm literally having to manouever around the dog's ears cuz they're laying across the "return" key on my keyboard...

We're having yet another "wintry mix" day here in VT - read "ice storm." The world is covered in glaze, once again. I've decided to make it a stay-at-home Saturday and give up on the idea of getting errands done outside the house. Today is gonna be all about staying hunkered down in my nice warm cozy home with my dog, my cat and my Honey and good music on the victrola. Can't beat it.

Lyn, so sorry you've been so sick. There's been definitely something majorly nasty going around. Hope you're feeling better soon.

Lynn, funny how tastes vary from person to person. Personally, I just absolutely LOVE cumin and cilantro. When I buy a bunch of cilantro I can't keep my nose out of it. Sometimes I think nothing would make me happier than to have the opportunity to roll around in a field of the stuff. If they made it into perfume, I'd slather it on. Weird, huh? On the other hand - until very recently I detested onions. I would pick them out of anything on my dish that I saw them in, and I certainly would never consider cooking with them. And then all of a sudden - no less than 6 mos ago - they suddenly started looking, smelling and tasting good to me. I've been using onions with great abandon ever since. I have no explanation. Certainly it's not the onions that have changed, so it must be me. And of course, you all know how I feel about grapefruit. Doubt my opinions on those will ever change... but who knows?

Yes, I got my IPod going almost instantly. That's why I love the Apple world in which I now operate - everything just works. I plugged the IPod in and it just started doing its thing intuitively. I'm sure you won't have trouble with your MP3 either. I'll pass on my son's words to me when he gave me the IPod: "Mom, people waaayyyy more stupid than you have managed to make this thing work..." He was right, and the same is true for you

Patti, I read your stories - thank you for PMing me. You are one heck of a good writer, my friend. I really enjoyed them.

Laurie, that dinner cruise outfit sounds beautiful - I'm sure you'll look lovely. Have a wonderful time.

Hugs to all of you,

Hi Gang . . .

I've had an eventful day so far . . . had to rush out to the next town over for something at 8 am -- horrendous trip -- we are having torrential rain, very mild temperatures (almost 60) and a lot of fogggggggg.

Hey, BIRGIT, I like it better than what you've got -- . I adore onions and garlic, BTW. Cilantro and cumin are okay, too.

If you actually enjoy the tapenade, LYNN, let me know and I might give it a try too. I have done the 'eat 3 olives' thing at least 4 or 5 times over the years, but so far, no luck.

Well, better get about my business here . . . see you later.