Wow . . . slept in again . . . guess I'd better set the alarm for a few mornings to get my internal alarm over the fact that daylight is just not arriving early enough to wake me right now. I have to get little Sandy to the vet by 8 am on Thursday (the normal neutering surgery that growing kittens have to face) and at this rate, I'll never make it.

Another reason for sleeping in . . . our gorgeous weather has decided to take at least today off . . . it's raining and the high today is not predicted to go above 5 or 6 (low 40s F). I am definitely not ready for this . . .

Sheri, I don't have a new bike. It's the old one I always had but I'm going to get a new one.

Busy day today but I've got to try and get in my ride and jog. Gotta run......

Well just look at this, I'm actually saying Good Morning while it is morning. I did set the alarm last night and then, of course, got up about half an hour before it went off anyway.

Now that it's daylight, I'm even beginning to believe the weather forecast that is calling for mostly sunny and quite a bit warmer -- mid 50s. We'll see.

Have a good day, gang . . .

We got snow today!! I can't believe we got it so early and it was so warm just a few days ago. It was nice and sunny by this afternoon but really chilly. Brrrr...I was even looking for my winter coat but it's in the downstairs closet so I just grabbed my summer/spring jacket. Glad I didn't have to walk far.

I had a really good circuit workout this evening. I went downstairs away from everyone because the news was on and I didn't want to disturb the news watchers. I turned the tv on and watched the news while I exercised and really worked up quite a sweat. My skin is really salty. Must shower. Have a good evening.

Good morning ladies, I finally made it back here. I told you a while back that my company had ask us to stay off of the computers for personal use.
Well my supervisor said if I didn't use it a lot he didn't mind, But last week they locked us out of the internet.Sooo I have to make time to stop at the library and use one there. If I get around early on Tuesdays and Thursdays I can make it work. I forgot my password on Tuesday so here I am on Thursday. I have had an awful cold for a week now so haven't been exercising and my eating has gone to . Going to spend the weekend with our kids and grandkids so that won't be for good eating either. Guess I will try but then on Monday we start over. You know sometimes you just have to give in.

Meowee: Hope you are feeling better and it's ok to sleep in sometimes.Glad you felt up to your mall crawl, are the stores there trying to get you to think Christmas yet, sounds like some here are.

Isabella: Keep up the great work on the bike. And those size 10 jeans will look good on you in a short time.Thanks for the pat on the back for the cholesterol. I just have to keep it up.I'm kind of looking forward to using some of that wood, it makes you so cozy.But will hold off as long as possible. They are calling for some light snow to our west. Hope we don't see any this weekend while we are gone.

Sher: Welcome back we missed you. Congrats on the 3 lb loss.Thanks for the support on my cholesterol. It just seems too good to be true. I doubt if I will get to go off of the meds, I can't make myself eat that well. I like my carbs and meat too much .

Well the other people in here are all starting to sneeze and that's my clue to get out of here. I'm just starting to feel human again so don't want to get another round of this stuff. Have a great weekend and I will try to get back here on Tuesday
DONNA

Hi Donna. I wondered where you'd gone. Now you have to get yourself a computer for home so you can spend endless hours reading 3FC threads and posts. Ya gotta stay in touch and keep on top of the weight thing or else it sneaks right back up on ya.

It's warmed up a bit today-around 15 degrees C (58 or 59 F) which is much better than snow any day in my books. This is great hiking weather but alas I can't hike with mom.

We're going to DS's next weekend for his and DIL's graduation so maybe I'll get in a good hike with the family. I may need a good long hike as DS informed me that we're eating at Boston Pizza. I've never been there before but I'm familiar with the menu. I think I'll go online and check out some of the menu items that I can eat without excessive guilt and weight gain. Mom is staying with my sister for the weekend and she can't wait for the days to pass to get there.

This weekend is Thanksgiving in Canada and I have a feast planned for the whole weekend. Lot's of vegetables besides the pies, cakes, ice cream and gravy and dressing, etc...I'll be OK if I concentrate on the vegetables and portion control on the other goodies. I've made an apple pie but I have to also make pumpkin, blueberry/rhubarb, and lemon meringue (special order from DIL). I'm making a great huge dinner so there will be left-overs for supper that everyone can help themselves to on their own. I'll just have to take care of mom and the rest can forage for themselves. And to top everything off we're having a church potluck. Ah, the holidays and food....

Oh, and tonight I have a baby shower to attend. Everywhere I turn there's food, wonderful food. I'll watch out tonight. I hope I don't get ambushed by the potato chips. I'll report in tomorrow about the victories or damages.

Have a great day everyone.

Wow -- my eating was probably the only good thing about yesterday -- amazing as that may seem. Hopefully today will be better.

Have a good one, gang . . .

Hi . . . wherever you are . . .

Hello from northeastern Colorado. Came down on Friday night after watching our oldest grandson play football. It was only 42 degrees with a stiff north wind and I thought I would freeze to death. All day yesterday it was sooo windy and cold we just stayed inside and got caught up each others news.Our oldest daughter, her hubby and son came here and stayed over night too. No one really felt like eating much so didn't have to worry about doing too badly. Then last night we met my SIL's family at a restaurant to help celebrate our DD and SIL's 1st anniversary. Really didn't eat too badly even after not eating much during the day. It was pouring rain all night and now this morning it is still windy, cold and rainy. They are all outside chasing the horses that got out and I'm trying to get caught up on my e-mails and here. Think we are doing a lite lunch and then we will head for home. I always hate that part. It will be at least another month before we see these here in Colorado and don't know when we will get to see the other ones in western Nebraska. They are so busy with school activities and work. Hope we can all get together for the holidays.

You gals in Canada enjoy your Thanksgiving Holiday. I love all the comfort foods we have during the holidays, but it is a challenge to eat well.
Am going to go for now as GS wants to play games on the computer, I will be back on Tuesday, will hate to face that scale tomorrow DONNA

Hi Ladies,
It has been a busy weekend. I made cranberry applesauce, harvested peppers (we had two frosty nights in a row!) and now I am making a big batch of stuffed peppers; they are great to take out of the freezer for a quick meal. I put some dried tomatoes in the stuffing...yum!

I've been doing lots of hiking and walking and I seem to have settled into a one pound, maybe a little more, weight loss. At this rate, I will have lost the weight I want to lose in a year. I am okay with that and I realize that it just can't be rushed. That seems to be your experience, too, Isabella. Do you ever get tired of it? You seem so steady. So far, I have not encountered a serious personal crisis that would make me blow it, but maybe I am a little stronger this time.

So, what is a Canadian Thanksgiving like? Is it like the traditional American one, with turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie?

Donna, you sound like you get lonely for your family. Do you live out on the plains in Nebraska? I lived in Denver for several years and I had three very good friends from Nebraska and I went to Omaha on the train once. Corn for miles and miles and miles. One of my roomates lived so rurally that his phone number had only three numbers in it and there was actually a switchboard with an operator who asked you whose house you wanted Now that's rural. So, do you really live out there a ways, or closer to a town? I always think of My Antonia by Willa Cather, when I think of Nebraska. It is such a lovely book in the way it makes you admire the landscape and it has such a strong heroine. All three of my friends were very warm and personable. A couple from Nebraska, a bit older than my young 19, took me under their wing and kept me safe in the big city! I will never forget their kindness.

Well, I've got planning to do and papers to grade, as always. Take care ladies and have a great week!

Sheri

SHERI . . . about the only difference is that our Thanksgiving is earlier -- and no "black Friday" shopping spree on the following day.

Amazingly I did better in the eating department yesterday than I had expected -- not exactly what you would call OP, but not as bad as it might have been. Have to get through a late lunch with some other friends today and then this holiday gorge will be behind us for another year.

Hope everybody has great Monday -- even if you do have to go to work --

Hi Donna, I hear you about leaving family and going back home. Our DS and DIL just left this morning and the house seems empty although it's just back to normal.

Sheri, like Meowee said about Thanksgiving. And we don't do the pilgrims. Ours is mostly about the harvest and of course the big dinner. We had ours yesterday at 1 pm and had leftovers for supper and lunch today. We had DS#1 and DIL, DS#2 and GF, Mom, DH and me for dinner and later on in the day we had DH's brother and wife visit and then friends of the boys came over later with their little girl. So we had a full day. I never got my 5k jog finished until 11:58 pm! The only thing to remind me of the feast is the pumpkin and apple pie that is not all gone but I'm ok with them. I had mine yesterday so I'm satisfied (I hope).

I sometimes get tired of watching everything I eat but it's getting easier the longer I do it and I guess this is how it will be forever if I want to lose and keep off the weight. I don't eat anything special than the family does (except for a few things like Laughing Cow Cheese that I keep for myself) so it doesn't always feel like a diet. I have to watch my portions very carefully and along with that the amount of calories eaten. But just like yesterday if there is dessert or a special meal I eat it but I eat "small" instead of like it's my last meal. As far as the weight loss of 1 pound a week, I'm really OK with that because it's a work in progress and just as long as the weight is coming off 1 pound at a time is just great. The exercise I could give up but I don't because it's good for me and I'd slow down to a crawl with the weight loss. You all can do this. Keep up your good work.

Yesterday I realized how much better I was getting along with my students. When I thought about it, I thought that I feel so much more vital and healthy and vibrant. And, it shows in my moods, my willingness to talk, laugh and have a sense of fun and play; all of these things are so important to teens and anyone, I guess! So, there is another benefit of shedding 25-30 pounds so far and eating a much more healthy and nutritious diet. Just a thought...
Sheri

Sheri, have the kids at school commented on your weight loss? They can be more than candid at times.

Got in a good workout today but nothing yesterday because I was totally exhausted from all the weekend activity and giving mom a perm on top of it all.

Take care everyone.