Good Morning GG's

Sun is shining, a little warmer, I'm feeling ok, it's all good!!! Another incident at the Detroit air line this morning. Don't know exactally what's going on yet, but must all the trouble makers try to fly from Detroit? Hold up with the flight schedule but what ever it takes to keep us safe, right?

Lynn, Love the new picture. How is the weather there?

Bobbi, glad to hear from you. Sounds like the construction is winding down at your house. I know you will be relieved. Totally worth it, but usually, in the middle, you are wonding what you were ever thinking.

Isabella, Cool snow man. My husband and yours could be twins. Mine thinks a trip to the grocery store is an "outing". Maybe we could trade them for the snowman?

Linda, Congratulations on the weight loss!! I love Chinese buffet too but I know I can't be trusted. All common sense leaves me and I try to taste everything.

Georgia, The scale is fickle. You just have to do the best you can and try to ignore it. Difficult, I know. But eventually the scale will cooperate. All we can controle is ourselves.

Z, I, like you, am getting very pickey about what is "worth it". I will take one taste and if it's not really great, I don't waste the calories. And most things are not THAT great. Exercise is always beneficial, in so many ways. Whitteling the waist line and getting rid of that little tummy is important. But as little as 10 min. a day can help ward of alheizmers. Enough to keep us going when we really don't want to.

Donna, How much snow did you end up getting?

Rosey, do you get used to getting so much snow?

Eveyone have a happy, healthy day

Freda

Donna, you were posting the same time as I was. Yes, shoveling snow will count for arobic and weight! Great exercise. That's my story and i'm sticking to it!

Hi GG's! I hope you all had a wonderful day. I am back on plan today after yesterday's "planned cheat" for the SuperBowl party. I wasn't as strict with myself as I wanted to be, but it could have been a lot worse. All in all, I'm happy with the way I handled myself, had a good time without feeling deprived, and feel good about practicing moderation.

Jess1: I agree, the SuperBowl ads weren't as good as some in years past. Thanks for the welcome and no Releve is not my real name. My name is Cindy and I hope to post it in my signature once my 20 days are up and I can have a signature, LOL. I chose that screen name because one of my fave workouts is a couple of videos by the NYC Ballet. No cardio, but great for strength and toning. Because I'm from the South, I always think snow is so romantic and beautiful. But then, I've never had to shovel it I definitely think that would count as a workout.

Freda: Happy to "meet" you. Sorry to hear about your delay at the airport. Are you flying for business or pleasure?

Ella: How do like the Leslie videos? I was thinking about ordering one for a change from walking on my treadmill, which can sometimes be boring. Congrats for getting back on the wagon. Each day brings a new opportunity

Hi Everyone,

Went to the movies with my DF – saw “Up in the Air.” Movie wasn’t very good, but it was worth the $7 to get to see George Clooney for 90 minutes (he is in every scene).

Have a toothache today – called the dentist & he will squeeze me in tomorrow. It’s not real painful, but I want to get it taken care of before it gets bad.

We are scheduled for another 12-13 inches of snow this week – supposed to start tomorrow night.

Have a good evening, everyone!

Hi Isabella,
Actually, I’m not crazy about travel with my DD & SIL. However, they are the only folks I know willing to travel overseas. Maybe we could get together a GG trip – wouldn’t that be fun?

Hi Donna,
Eye has cleared and DD’s face is healing (although she thinks the chemo cream brought out new cancer on her forehead). Some new pics are attached.

Hi Rosey,
We got about 12 inches over the weekend & now we’re supposed to get another 12. However, my days of making snow men are over. Now I just sit in my living room & look at the snow out the window (with my 2 cats).

Hi Linda,
CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Three more pounds! – I’m DoInG tHe HaPpY dAnCe for you.

Hi Bobbi,
I actually thought about changing my locale on our exercise thread from PA to Tuscany. Of course, first thing I’d have to do to figure it out is learn how to convert miles to kilometers.

Hi Geo,
My guess is that the weight gain is more likely to be from stress than from 1 martini. I weigh myself every day & weight goes up and down like a yo-yo. It’s just the trend that matters. Don’t let the scale de-rail you.

Hi Zoe,
Actually, I HATE that new avatar. Why is it that we look so much better in our bathroom mirrors? As soon as I can, I’m going to get one of those Glamour Photos done so I can look as good as the rest of the Golden Girls.

Hi Freda,
I just looked up that article. I hadn’t heard about it. Seems like the guy just walked through security & wouldn’t stop. I am sometimes tempted to do that. Because of the metal in my hip and back, I get “wanded” every time I travel. As much as I hate stereotyping, I really wish they’d let up on old, grey-haired ladies.
Hi Cindy,
CONGRATULATIONS on the win (and on controlling your cheat). It was a GREAT game.

I made a stupid mistake today. I tried to self-diagnose and I scared myself silly! Looked up abrupt weight gain in conjunction with my hypertension med and came up with congestive heart failure. I freaked myself out for about an hour, proceeded to drink a bunch of water while trying to calm myself and then spent the rest of the day in and out of the bathroom.

I am so whacky! I think that I have been equating the divorce and the X leaving me with the end of my life. I know that's not the reality of the situation (quite the opposite), but I'm having trouble getting past that. And that's where all my stress has been originating.

I need to use some guided imagery to get to sleep tonight. Tomorrow I'm going to my stress-management class. I need to keep up the pace on moving on with my life.

Hi everybody,

I had a lovely day. I made 100% whole wheat tortillas and they turned out great... only 120 calories each. Since I haven't been eating yeasted breads in about two months I'm excited to also make the break from white bleached flour tortillas.

I also spent time in the laundromat... not a favorite place but a young man with a guitar entertained me, and I did a sketch... I've got a goal to develop my artistic skills during my old age, starting now. I guess I always thought I had to wait for my kids to grow up first! (The youngest is 19 now.) So anyhow, this year my goal is to do a sketch each day, striving for more skill with realism.

Here's my laundromat sketch, with which I learned something about perspective:



I'm pretty much still a beginner... thinking that if I keep this up every day I may get good at it.

Also I finished work on a Squidoo lens about weight loss for people over fifty - really, just my story, ideas and tips that I'll keep in an organized place on this page.

Georgia, I don't know how one drink could cause a 7 pound weight gain... unless maybe you are allergic to sugar, and I hear alcohol contains sugar. Maybe any exposure to that will have an extreme adverse effect. I have given up all sugar except fruit and fruit juice - and lactose, and such natural sugars - and sometimes I wonder about that. I've also stopped using yeasted breads in an attempt to stop feeding candida. And Georgia, the divorce is the end of that part of your life but also is the start of a new and wonderful better life. So enjoy the beginnings and look forward to many outstandingly good times. You are like a butterfly starting out on your new journey. (I've been divorced and know it gets much better after you're used to the change.)

Zoe, congratulations on getting to the point where sugar no longer tastes all that good! About fresh and organic ingredients, I do buy organic-labeled products... but agree, you have to wonder. I like the idea of buying NO processed foods but it is impractical in this society. I avoid them as much as possible. Oh, and yes, that's my grandson!

Donna, your snow shoveling sounds like excellent upper-body exercise. Perhaps even a good substitute for weight lifting!

Freda, the only reason I think I can survive a trip to a Chinese buffet is because I'm vegetarian and won't be tempted to taste the breaded, deep-fried meats. LOL ... of course sometimes it seems like they're frying the veggies in oil too.

Cindy (Releve) - I'm glad you enjoyed your super bowl party. I think it is okay to have an off-diet day once in a while. I've promised myself one every time I lose five pounds... but, even off diet, I probably won't be tempted to eat much. We'll see.

Lynn... another foot of snow??!! Aren't you lucky! LOL I hope all the children and old people are staying warm, and the homeless too. Thanks for that 3lb happy dance in my honor. Your photos today are lovely. Any one of them would make a great painting.

Linda

Good Morning,

The second storm is on its way! I know that when I am stuck at home, can’t get to the gym, and it’s snowing, I want to eat. So, I am going to work with that. Picked out some tasty-sounding vegetarian recipes and am going to do some cooking/baking tomorrow. At least when I eat, I’ll be eating stuff that’s good for me.

So, after my dentist visit, I’m off to the store to pick up some fresh veggies for my concoctions. Isabella, if they turn out good, I’ll post them in our recipes thread.

Hi Georgia,
Try to be gentle with yourself. You are bound to have good days and bad days for a little while. When you’re having one of the bad days, accept that this is a reasonable way to feel – change is ALWAYS difficult. One of the ways that I coped after my DH died was to do “fun-type” things even when I wasn’t able to experience the “fun.” After a while, the good feelings will follow the activities. Good luck & know that we are here for you.

Hi Linda,
You wrote, “Your photos today are lovely. Any one of them would make a great painting.” I find that with many places in Europe. We have beautiful pictures of nature – they have beautiful pictures of man-made structures. It is like taking a picture of history. Several Europeans have told me that they like American tourists the best because we are so in awe of their history. For us, 200 years is old. For them, 200 years is a drop in the bucket.

Have a good day, Everyone,

Lynn

Did my Leslie walk again this morning. Bah, Humbug. If I don't lose instead of gain this week, I'm going to send her an unpleasant email, you betcha! Cindy? Sure - I like Leslie alright, but I'm only doing a mile a day with her. You can buy other DVDs that go a lot higher, though. For me (the original lazy girl) one mile is a good start. The fact that I'm actually doing it every day is HUGE for me, believe me. Oh, Donna, of COURSE snow shoveling will replace a session with our old buddy Leslie! MORE than replace it, I'm guessing. Just you be careful not to overdo with all that shoveling, you hear? Your psychic twinnie doesn't want to be feeling all your aches and pains, you know?
Oh, Linda! Your sketch didn't come through!!! Darn!!! Maybe you have to resize it, and send as an attachment? (No computer whiz here, for sure).
Georgia, now that I actually think about it, I was a little raw for a while after my divorce, too. Okay, a LOT raw.Take it from me, though - this will most definitely pass, and things will most definitely get WAY better! I was pretty angry at my ex, and used that anger constructively, I think...I used to go running around the perimeter of a park near my house (which really and truly helped me get out a lot of anger) and did this whole cardio workout routine (yep, me - the lazy one) with a dear guy friend who was super into health & fitness (he taught health and something or other at the local high school) and got into pretty fine shape for an old hag. BUT, the focus on fitness and self-improvement really DID make me feel better about myself, and the better I felt, the better I guess I looked, and the easier it was for me to make new friends and do new things. So, you're just at the baby step stage right now, but try to think of it as a process, and you've made the first (right) moves. It's all up from here...
Lynn, you've noticed, too, how deceiving cameras can be? (I KNOW I don't look like THAT!) I'll never understand why cameras can love some people the way they do, and turn around and make the rest of us look so NOT like ourselves! There oughta be a law...don't you think? Some sort of non-discrimination legislation preventing cameras from making us look like we don't...
Freda, yep. Mostly, I am getting a lot more discriminating about my food, but every once in awhile, I've gotta say that I just reach the stage where I don't give a hoot, and eat something just because I really shouldn't, like it or not.
Bobbi, Bobbi, wherefore art thou? Tell those contractors to finish up and get the heck out of your house! The GG's miss you!!!!!
I'm hungry today. I brought myself a bag of seedless grapes (@ 30 grapes), an orange, a pear, TWO containers of Chobani Greek yogurt, and TWO snack baggies with a half cup of Fiber One cereal in each. I had one of the yogurts mixed with one of the baggies of Fiber One for breakfast here at work - ate the grapes on the drive in, and am going to allow myself the orange at 10:00 sharp. More yogurt & Fiber One for lunch, and then the pear for an afternoon snack. Roasted veggies & shrimp for supper over a half cup of brown rice. Now does that sound fattening to YOU? Me? I'll probably gain two pounds.
Okay, back to the salt mines for me...

Z

Good Morning!
If I were my grandsons, I'd be jumping for joy. Schools let out at 11:00am yesterday due to the snow storm and today the storm continues and no school at all. DH just went out for the 3rd morning in a row to snow blow out the driveway so all the vehicles could park. Yesterday the cabinet maker locked himself out of his pick-up. Then one of the carpenters slide off our icy road and put one side of his pick-up in the ditch. I said a quick prayer, his pick-up was leaning so bad and I thought it would tumble over. His buddies with 4 wheel drive couldn't pull him out so we called the guy that grades our road and he came with his huge road grader. Then later the U.P.S. truck backed into our driveway and got hung up in the high snow bank on the side. We were just about to call for the road grader again but he put some kind of a snap on chain and got out himself. The whole country has been hit hard with snow this year, especially the East coast.
Lynn...Hope you've been to the dentist and back home by the time you read this. Toothaches at our age usually requires root canals, maybe you'll luck out.Isabella...I laughed when I saw the snow angel and the kid in you, what fun! I need to remember to do my counter push-ups, I keep forgetting to do that. I think I'll add that on my exercise thru the country page. I must be a kindred spirt of your DH, a trip to town is a momentous occasion for me too. I hate traveling, no kidding! I'm a big home body and my home is my palace.Cindy...Are you still celebrating? I'm not a football fan but was happy to hear the Saints won after all the flooding and disasters your town has had in the past couple of years.
Freda...Yes, it's winding down. We have one carpenter coming over to sand down the seams on the dry wall. The bathroom has the new sink and cabinet ready to go in, plumber has to finish up first. The biggest jobs are done with the paid professionals. Bruce and I will have a huge job painting and staining everything. We did the whole basement, the bedroom and the bathroom downstairs. I'll post picture when we're done next month.
Zoe...You are really doing great, not only the one bite but doin' the walking tapes. Getting into the habit takes some mind setting.Jess...I believe you'll burn more calories shoveling snow plus you get the benefit of all that beautiful fresh air. It's a great way to jazz up your routine.Georgia...Happy belated B'day! I've been too busy to gab latey. The martini was only a tiny blip, won't hurt a thing. I would have had more!
Linda...Congrats on the 3 # loss. You are very ambitious making your own tortillas. I made them once and decided it wasn't worth the trouble, I'm lazy. I do eat the light 'Flat Outs' in place of tortilla, 90 calories and 9 gram fiber. They make great pizza too!
Hi Karen, did you get your potato soup added to Fitday?
Hi Rosey and Donna, enjoy your day!

I've not been counting calories, only getting my exercise in. I've not been eating healthy either, too many sweets around for the crew and my will power is non existing for the last week. When everyone is gone, I'll get back to it. I just can't be bothered right now. I just hope the scale isn't too naughty.

I can't believe all the chatter on this thread since I posted last. Wow!

Linda, good job with the 3 pound loss. We didn't get to see your sketch. What was it about? The young guitarist? I read your Squidoo page and found it interesting. It's great to learn about everyone. How'd you make the ww tortillas?

Bobbi, I don't know how big my stomach would be if I didn't exercise. It's still so big. Kids are the ones who really appreciate snow storms. They get to play outside when it subsides and don't have much worry other than keeping dry. I got drowned in slush today when out walking and I was glad all vehicles stayed on the road and didn't slide into me. Your renovations sound very nice. Looking forward to pics.

Georgia, those 7 pounds are not fat. You'd have to have eaten 24,500 extra calories. You must have had something really salty. You know restaurant food is overly seasoned with salt so it'll be gone soon, if not already. And girl, you don't get congestive heart disease overnight. Stay away from online diagnosing.

Zoe, keep on walking, girl and you'll soon see those pounds move off. Maybe that pizza had more salt than you'd normally eat so you retained a little water on weigh in day.

Donna, got that driveway cleaned out yet? And are you ready to start all over again because it's snowed in again?

Freda, how's your foot coming along? Are you able to sustain your exercising?

Cindy, glad you enjoyed Superbowl with the family. I always try to eat what everyone else is having when we have family celebrations and times together. I just try to eat less.

Lynn, hope the dentist fixed that tooth of yours. And your avatar is just fine looking. I think we all feel the same way when we see ourselves. We're always so critical of our image when no one else knows what the heck we're talking about. And a GG vacation together would be so much fun, we'll have to do a virtual trip abroad sometime. I'll be looking for those new vegetarian recipes when you post them.

Hi Rosey, are you keeping warm and dry way up there in Alaska?

Karen, how's the weather your way. I'm still thinking about that lovely swimming pool.

Another super slushy day. When I got splashed today I turned around and said a few words to the driver as she sped off. A few minutes later she came back in the opposite direction and stopped her van and rolled the window down and asked me if she'd splashed me and apologized profusely for doing so. I was so glad I didn't do any more than call her a demon under my breath. I'd have been so embarrassed if I'd shaken my fist at her as I felt like doing. She was actually a parent of one of my former students who often stops and speaks to me if she sees me at the mall or grocery store. She tried to avoid splashing me by swerving away from me but what she did was drive through a big build up of slush in the middle of the road which hit me directly. If she'd slowed down it wouldn't have been half so bad. Just about every driver slowed down when they came close to me. There's not much traffic on the road so it wouldn't hold up anyone or cause an accident. Anyhoo, my faith in human nature was restored when she sounded so remorseful. Oh, the joys of winter walking. My winter coat has been washed more than my underwear.

Have a nice day and keep your snow pants dry.

It's hard to believe that a storm is coming. Blue sky, sunny, and seasonably warm.

Hi Zoe,
If the bad weather actually arrives, I’ll be digging out my Leslie WATP DVD tomorrow.
Actually, a photographer once told me that the reason I take such horrible pictures is bc I have a crooked face. Guess I’ll have to give up on becoming a model.

Hi Isabella,
Wonderful to the virtual trip! As soon as I get the real one all planned, I’ll get on our GG Virtual one.
Thank goodness you restrained yourself. Sorry you got splashed. Glad she had the courtesy to apologize.
Hi Bobbi,
No to a root canal – yes to a crown. WOW! Basement, bedroom, and bathroom – you guys are REALLY courageous. I’ve gone through renovations with my DD & I know how stressful they are. Here’s wishing a speedy finish & GREAT results!

Morning everyone..stopped snowing after about 8 inches..friends came and plowed and shoveled for us..nice to have friends like that huh ..my dh had his days and nites turned around again so im dragging today..Bobbie when we built our log home i would always ask my dh "are you sure you know how to do this" drove him nuts..and every time he sent me to the lumber store the clerks always sold me the wrong thing..they must have seen me coming lol but we survived,hope the turmoil settles down for you ..georgia sry you are stressed,sometimes im that way at nite so i imagine ive won the lottery and how i would use all that money,what i would buy,and who i would help like a fairy godmother befor i know it im asleep maybe it would work for you congrats to all for staying on your programs and the exercise..im doing ok in that dept..nothing else new going on here..have a great day ((()))) rosey