hi everyone,rainy here today and cold. omg Lynn lucky you those menu's look so yummy,you will have to report what u all had and if it was good,my mouth is watering and i'd want to sample everything.:drool::hungry: karen31 so glad u got home safely. i spent yesterday altering clothes after i did dishes and laundry. you'r all right and i havent a clue what size i am now. i got some new t-shirts. tunic like kinda smocky on top from roamans. i washed them to shrink. then had to take in seams and shoulders. they look nice now! its my mil 90th bday today..i made a card and choc brownies and we will go and spend some time with her this aft. we wanted to have aparty but realized she couldnt handel that as she gets adgitated and confused easily.does any one watch american idol,they have some very talented singers this season and they're so young. nothing else planned. hoping your day is awsome. :hug: rosey :wave

Yes, I agree dieting is mostly mental and I think after all these years I'm doing better. Of course I've had my ups and downs before (as some of you know), but I do sense a difference in my mental attitude now. The weight is dropping about every other day and everyother day I stay the same, so far no ups. It is still not back to my sig weight but if I can keep this up I should be there before too long. I hope I never let myself gain again as it just takes me way too long to get back on track!

Been really busy recently. I'm almost caught up with my housework this week...have to vacuum still, but otherwise done. But have had so many phone calls and other business to tend to plus want to repot some inside plants and do other things outside too. Bobbi, I would love to see your yard, sounds lovely! Our yard has so much potential but we just have never been able to do that much with it...but we are now a little bit more. We finally made the decision to give up our landline phone. We love our iPhones and seem to have good enough reception. Yesterday I made a lot of changes and even found some errors in our Qwest bill so saved us a lot of money!

Some sad news: Yesterday, our son and his wife lost their newly conceived little one. Not sure how far along she was but maybe 4-5 weeks I'd guess. She hadn't gone to the doctor yet even. They called me about her bleeding and I told her to get in right away but it was too late. And of course you may remember I was disappointed with them for purposely trying to have another one when they need help with their mortgage payment...well now my son (and I think her too) thinks I am happy about their loss! I have assured him I am not, I feel very sad about it, all life is precious to me. I lost a baby at 6 weeks (after birth) and know how loss of a child feels and even though she wasn't far along I know she still morns what could have been. I had already told him I would love the baby and didn't blame the child...I was just wishing they would wait until they had there finances a bit more under control. After all we did not want that house and shouldn't have to pay for it when they make so much more than we do. But even knowing he's wrong about me, I still can't help but feel badly that he feels so badly toward me. I of course know it is just his pain talking and right now he just can't separate the two things. This loan has sure hurt our relationship! The last baby is only 7 months old though so I do think for the best health for her and both babies (the one she has and any potential one) she should wait a bit. She had a kind of rough pregnancy last time too.

Well, I need to get busy. Thanks for listening.

Love spending my lunch break with you all and catching up :)

Hi everyone visiting my mil this aft noon was pleasant she was alert and joyful. heres a few pics and one of me doing the steps :carrot: rosey :wave

WOW Rosey!! Look at you go!! We are all so proud of you! You look so happy and you should be!!

Hey GGs,
Well, out & about today. First went to a couple of thrift stores (found some good stuff!), then lunch with my mom & sister. We try to get together for lunch at least once a month. That creates a slight dilemma for me - what to order! I only allow myself one pig-out meal a week, & I save that for the weekend. And, Gayle, I have been doing that the whole time (since June ‘09, when I weighed 250 lbs). I think that’s what keeps me OP the rest of the week. Back to today’s meal - I ordered country-style steak with Waldorf salad & mac & cheese, but I only ate the Waldorf salad, half the mac & cheese, & a couple of bites of the steak. The rest of the steak I brought home, & it will be breakfast, & lunch for SO, tomorrow. That was lunch & dinner for me (plus 12 frosted mini wheats I ate, a few hours after I got home). Probably not the healthiest of choices, but it works for me.

I had to try on what I had bought, as soon as I got home. I wanted to see how my purchases looked with the things I already had. I ended up with some looks I really liked, & I was planning on taking some pics to show you all, but…… I was exhausted! Trying on clothes is WORK! So, Donna, don’t hold your breath, waiting to see them! Oh, & I love that term “creative fashioning” - sounds sorta glamorous.

KarenMO, 3.3 lbs. is not much of a gain, & I’m sure it was worth it! Both times we took a vacation in the last couple of years, I gained about 6 lbs. but, I got right back OP, & it was gone by the next week. I’m sure you & that Wii, won’t have any problem at all getting back to your pre-trip weight!

Lynn, I hope you’re enjoying/enjoyed your dinner out with your DD & SIL. What’d you have?

Rosey, you’re so talented, being able to alter your clothes to fit. I might have to drag out my sewing machine & try that myself. I bought a pink blouse today, that I really like, & it’s too big! Maybe I’ll be able to fix it??!! Glad you had a nice visit with you MIL.

Mary, sorry about your son & his wife, that’s sad. And it’s a shame there are hard feelings between you, so you can’t really comfort them. It does sound like you've got the right mental attitude now towards eating. The great thing about that is, the longer you stick with it, the easier it gets!

Gotta go now - my nightly snack is calling me (& I don't even know what it will be yet!).
NCNancy

Rosey, love the pics. You're looking GOOD!

NCNancy

Mary, I am so sorry to hear about the difficulties that you are having with your son and family. I hope things get better for you in the near future. I know how much it hurts though.

Nancy-- I know I will get the weight back off again just seem to be having trouble getting my head back in the game again! Between vacation to PA. then this one to Branson and the "stuff" that is happening in family life it just seems hard to get back on track. BUT I will!! I just have to make myself start again and then it will be easier from there.

Mornin'
All my flowers are in, just in time for the coming days of rain, rain, rain.
Friday mornings dh and I clean the two kitchens in our church then we're off to Austin (neighbor town) to JoAnn's Fabric. A little turd mouse chewed 3 holes in my umbrella last winter and I need to match the material to patch it. I usually store the umbrella in the basement over the winter but since we just finished off our basement last winter, I didn't want to have that eye sore down there. DH put many mouse traps in the shed but they got to the cloth anyway. I looked on line for some iron on patches but one hole will need a 7" patch and they just don't make them that large. We're also going to buy a large quantity of material to put over DH's 1932 Chevy......so much dust from the fields around our house.
Rosey...love the pictures and 100 pounds is a wonderful landmark, congrats!:hug: I agree with Donna, put that cute pic of you and Daisy as your avatar. And get that oak barrel besides you in the picture planted with some flowers.:dizzy::dizzy::dizzy:
Off I go......so nice to read how everyone's day is going even tho I'm too busy to post.

Good Morning girls,

I worked yesterday and when I got home DH had gotten a pizza for dinner. NOOOO! I'm too hungry and stressed when I first get home to "just say no". I did stop at just one piece and that was dinner. But just one piece of pizza is still a lot of calories. I'm sure I still stayed within my calorie allotment, but I could have eaten something much better. Maybe with a little neutrition? But, that was yesterday, and today's here. Better choices.

You look great Rosie. Good to see you getting stronger all the time.

Bobbi, Your story with the mice reminds me of my problems with the squirrels who ate my patio furniture. Will those little critter eat anything? Actually, the squirrels ripped my chair cushions and dug out the stuffing to use for nests.

Nancy, Sounds like you did well at the Thrift Store! They are great places to find affordable clothes. Did you take pictures of yourself in your new outfits? I think it's really helpful to see an actual picture. You get a better picture of how you really look. I know I've seen pictures of myself in outfits I thought were great and saw that they were really not great after all. And the other way around. Outfits that I didn't think worked, really did.

Z, I hope you are your family are feeling our prayers.

HI Gayle. Have you had a chance to get back out on that bike yet?

Mary, So sorry to hear about the misunderstanding with DS. We all knew what you ment. I'm sure when he has a chance to think about it, he will too.

Freda

Good morning all.....Thought I posted yesterday....sighhhh another senior moment! Found a unopened puzzle yesterday and spent the afternoon sitting out on the lania getting the border done. One piece still missing. Dash stands and rests his head on the card table as if he knews where the pieces go....or is eyeballing them for a snack.

Dash vs Down. Dash is a quacking mess with thunderstorms! Since Tampa is the lightning capital it is a big problem when a 70lb dog climbs into your lap. Anyway this vet on Oprah said that it wasn't the thunder that bothers dogs but the static electricity and rubbing them with a dry Downy pad would help. Well it is just about a miracle.....he hears the storm long before we do and herds us to the cabinet where they are and smiles while he gets rubbed down. Then sleeps thru the rest of the storm. Problem happens when it's 3am....he herds me from bed! Have friends that love this treatment and others that say it doesn't work.....must be indivual to each dog. Any dryer pad works....just like saying Downying Dash.

Donna....Dh's buddy put out a cam for pictures of what ever was eating his bird seed and the last picture taken by the cam was a hugh black bear eating the cam. He is going get into a mess. He leaves his BBQ grill on his deck and has had bear up there trying to clean his grill. I half expected that they would have broken in the house this past winter while he was down here. He's one of those men who know it all.

Rosie....You glow in these lastest pictures. I can see where those steps/rails work like a wide walker for support. Still look steep. Good job. Just look what lossing the first poundage has done and how much more you can do....by the summer you will be dancing with the grandkids!

NancyNC...PICTURES! You can't tease us about new outfits and nothing.....

Lynn.....I gained a lb reading the menu. Was it as good as it sounded and what did you have.....

Please send some of that rain down here.....we are so dry. County is on fire watch. Sometimes it feels like Florida is in another world.

Mary....So sorry to hear about the loss. Often wonder how many "heavy" periods we all have had in the past that might have been......It's really natures way when things aren't right.

Bobbie....Thanks I wandered around yesterday looking for somewhere to plant sweet peas. since morning glories grow like trumpet vine down here afraid sweet peas would too. But I want them!

For the first time ever...I am totally out of cinnamon. Been using it a lot they say it is good for diabetics and have been putting in everything for Dh. He's am BS have been 110 to 115 so something is working.

Well back to the lania.....dash needs a snack....k3

Good Morning! Just a quick check in to say Hi :) My DS is coming back to town tomorrow- he will still have to travel back to Alberta every 4-6 weeks to see his surgeon, but they are releasing him to finish his rehab from the accident at home. He and his lady have a small house close by in town here. I am off to the Red Cross Loan Cupboard for the "stuff" that his surgeon and physiotherapist want installed in their house to help him out- a shower chair/bench and such. He can move about on crutches using his right leg for support, but not allowed to even try with the left( that was the side of his body that smashed all to h3ll). My heart is so full of joy and gratitude - I saw the video, I don't think he will ever truly recognize just how lucky he is to be alive! Later GG's!! :) :) :)

Good morning GGs! Thanks for the kind comments. My dil did send me a pic of the 7 mo old, so maybe she at least isn't too mad at me.

Well I got a nice surprise. I ate too much last night and figured I'd have a gain this morning but actually the scale went down .2 ! Maybe it will show up tomorrow but I am going to try very hard today to be good and so far, so good. My bs is still not cooperating though although it is better at times. I really want to get control of it so I don't have to go on Byetta (injectable med).

I'm lov'n my chocolate milk mix again..I had one full one for breakfast then followed that with oatmeal with 1/8 of a large apple, a little cinnamon and 1 T nf milk. Didn't think I'd be able to eat all that but I did. Went to the gym, just came home and drank another 1/2 cup of it. It's very filling and has 28 gms protein in a full glass of the mix and nf milk. It has quite a few calories with the milk but somehow I don't gain as much when I drink it even when I go over ...don't quite understand it but think it's the protein. And there is very little carb in it. I got a good workout this morning. I usually only do 15 min on the treadmill...but today I did 20, plus the regular 15 on the bike and I did a 24 reps on each of 3 weight machines. I was tired but felt good too. We stretched a few minutes here at home before going too.

Today I have a few monthly type things to do in the kitchen and our bedroom, but nothing big deal. Also want to fertilize the herb plants I have in my kitchen window. This is the first time I have grown herbs but they were given to me and I am really enjoying them. One doesn't look so good right now (sage) but the other two are doing well (mint and oregano).

I organized the pantry the other day...I don't know how it gets so cluttered but it sure does! Now that I have my new small vac and steamer, I threw out my old Swiffer Vac. It had lost it umph anyway and was time to buy another. I was trying to make it go until I used all the dry cloths but am finding they are good dusting cloths too so will use them up that way.
I have my new bedroom curtains up now and they look really nice. Thinking about putting the old ones in the spare bedroom but not sure yet. The ones that are in there are ok, just not lined but then neither are the new ones I have now in the master bedroom. The old ones were actually higher quality.

My dh is off to the service place to see if they can match the paint on the messed up door on our RV before we try to sell it. He has managed to pound out the dent pretty well but still has to repair where the surface is broken and paint it. Might work and will be cheaper if he can...there really isn't much he can't do. :D But we will see.

Karen3 - Love hearing about Dash! We don't have pets anymore so I enjoy hearing stories from those who do. And yes, I agree that miscarriage is probably nature's way of dealing with things that aren't right. But of course, right now they grieve.

Freda - as you know I have a slice of pizza at Costco now and then...my dh and I usually share any more as they do have a lot of calories, but I think it's ok now and then. I get the kind with veggies (but also pepperoni!) but read recently that the veggies are sauteed in oil before topping so the calories can be even more. I had never thought of that. But I love the pizza at Costco and am not about to stop having a 1/2 slice now and then. Just have to make sure the rest of the day is light. I have given up those lovely mocha freeze's they make though! I now make my own or have the chocolate milk I buy online.

Bobbi - the slugs got 3 or 4 of our flowers. My dh noticed and put some slug bait and salt around them but think we will have to buy a few more to make the ring again around our lilac bush. when the lilac bush gets large we won't need them so we just planted annuals.

Rosi - enjoyed the pics! You do look good! You have such a happy, glowing face in all your pics!

nancy - sounds like you are having fun shopping and picking out clothes! Can't wait til I get there too! You've come a long way and look so nice. One pig-out meal a week, huh? Sounds good to me. I think I do that kind of naturally actually without trying, anyway. But it does make the rest of the week easier when you know you can have that one meal.

Well, I've rested enough...now time to get to work! Have a great day, GGers!

Hey GGs,
Been busy on the computer today. A couple of months ago we opened accounts at a different credit union, because we weren’t happy with our old one. Finally got SO’s paychecks being deposited into the new one, so now I’ve got to get all the auto-pays for the bills, switched. Got half of them done! The rest will have to wait til Monday, because I’m tired of dealing with it! I love having most of our payments on auto-pay, but it sure is a hassle when you have to change everything!

The sun is shining & the birds are singing, so I’m going to head outside, & sit in my swing & “chill out”. Just wanted to stop in & see what everyone’s doing before I shut down the computer. SO will just have to settle for a TV dinner & salad tonight, because I really don’t feel like cooking. (He said he didn’t mind.)

KarenFL, I will get some pics of my new outfits - it’s just such a pain to get the camera set up. I have to use a tripod or the pics are all shaky & blurry, & it’s hard to find a good place to put it. And I have a hard time getting it far enough away to get full-length. But I will, soon, I promise.

Freda, I have the same problem about knowing how I look in an outfit, without seeing a pic. Through the years, many of my outfits ended up getting tossed , after someone took a pic of me wearing them (& until I saw the pic, I thought they looked fine!). That’s why I’m so grateful for digital cameras, & that I figured out how to use the timer on mine! Now if it just wasn’t so hard to set up!

Bobbi, aren’t you talented! I didn’t know you could patch umbrellas! KarenMO, I KNOW you & your Wii will soon be right back on track!

Maureen, I’m happy for you that your DS will soon be close by. Glad that he’s doing so well!

Mary, you sure sound busy, busy, busy, as usual! And all that exercise! Congrats on the weight loss! And, thanks for the compliment.

Hi! Donna & EVERYONE! I’m headed outside now! Have a great weekend!
NCNancy

Today, my DF and I went into Princeton to see an exhibit on the Delaware and Raritan Canal - the one we always walk on. Then went to lunch. Nice company - LOUSY weather - it was pouring. Came home, got into my jammies and warmed up.


Hi Rosey,
I had the eggplant with crabmeat and shrimp. They made it into a cake and put a DELICIOUS sauce (buttery and spicy) on it. I ate half and had the other half wrapped up & took it home.
I stopped watching AI when Simon left. However, I have some friends who also said the singers are GREAT this season. I am looking forward to Simon’s new show – X Factor – this Fall.

Hi Mary,
I am so sorry for the loss of your grandchild. My best wishes and condolences to you and your family.

Hi Nancy,
I do the same things – eat half of whatever I order and often have frosted mini wheats (they help me keep my constitution in good shape). I had the eggplant with crabmeat and shrimp.

Hi Karen,
Vacations are always tough on weight loss. As soon as you get back to your WII, you will be fine.

Hi Bobbi,
We have had rain for most of the week. I’m sure it’s good for the flowers, but not so great for my mood. I NEED sunshine!

Hi Freda,
I remember when I would eat 4 pieces of pizza! Now I eat 1. I try to eat a small salad whenever I have pizza. Typically, 1 piece doesn’t do me any harm.

Hi Karen,
I LOVE jigsaw puzzles, but cannot do them at home anymore. My cats LOVE to jump on the table and knock the pieces onto the floor. Once in a while my DF and I go downstairs to the Common Room in the Condo building and do a puzzle down there.
I had the eggplant with crabmeat and shrimp.

Hi Tea,
I am happy for you and for your DS. GREAT that he is recovering and that he will be near you.

Hi Mary,
What are you taking now? I take Janumet – 2 tabs/day. So far, so good. My AC1 is 5.5.

Hi Nancy,
I ABSOLUTELY know what you mean. My bank was sold recently – went from Wachovia to Wells Fargo. Took me HOURS to transition all my online banking over. I tried using their 50-page directions, but ended up calling their Technical Assistance folks and having them walk me through the process.

Morning everyone..the sun is out and the birds are chirpy.me and daisy are hanging out.dh went to the cabin till monday. ive been doing some me pampering. i did the wax thing on my face and neck.i hate how fast those chin wiskers grow. you heat this green goop in the micro and then smear on face and neck,let set and then rip :fr: ouchy. also did nails and hair..now im all beautified.doing some laundry and plan on cleaning kitchen appliances today too. hope your weekends awsome.:hug: rosey :wave:

Finally got here, it's been a busy day even though I've been home alone. Dh went to a club meeting. I usually go too but knew it'd be a big meal temptations I don't need plus I had so many things I wanted to do today. Got a lot done but not everything. Fortunately I had the main house work done but did some extra things, did a load of laundry, fed the plants in the front yard...got almost all of them before I ran out. Dh is bringing me some more ...in fact I think he just got home with it.

For lunch I made some hungrygirl pizza rolls and was going to eat two plus 1/2 cup cantaloupe. I ate the cantaloupe but didn't like the pizza rolls so only ate about 1 1/3. Then I ate 1/2 protein bar. This was all after my chocolate milk drink so quite a lot but not too bad and this is the first time EVER I have willingly only eaten 1/2 of a protein bar. It wasn't a really good one but still....:D I give myself credit. My weight was up today as I overate last couple days but doing better today so hopefully it will drop down again. I need to stick to my eating plan every day because it is very hard to get anywhere when I go up and down. But my bs was only 98 before lunch! That is GREAT for me!

My brother is going to be 87 in July, my sil is 82, and my ds is 77, never know what's going to happen so we have decided to take a trip in the fall to visit them. They all live in the same area..Springfield, MO. So I am trying to get started planning the trip. We will probably go to one of our timeshares to spend a few days too.

Val - GFY on the flrting! LOL I remember when I got down to 145 I started noticing that...that was about six years or so ago so I was only 62 then. I couldn't figure out why these men were looking at me so strangely and it was my dh who told me they were flirting with me. It had been so long since I'd experienced that. Kinda fun though! :D

Rosey - You are a braver woman than me. I can no longer subject myself to waxing and can't stand to do it myself even. I now just use a little pair really sharp scissors. Not the best job but at least it doesn't hurt. And I agree those hairs grow way too fast, seems like i have to cut them every few days and probably should more often. I use tweezers for my eye brows and that's enough pain for me. The older I get the less pain I can take, I've had enough.

Jess - I take Metformin...recently went from 500mg to 750 twice a day, and at first the increase seemed to help but not so much lately. Today though it is good so I never know...I think a large part of the problem has been my evening snacking but sometimes even when I eat well (like except for the last two evenings I have been), it still is high. He is talking about adding Byetta, but I think I will still take Metformin with it from what I understand. I just hate the thought of injecting myself. I know how but it's the pain thing again...I don't tolerate it like I used to.

Well now that dh is home with the plant food, I think I'll go out and feed the plants again It is not a sunny day (only a little this morning) but at least there is no rain...think it is supposed to rain soon though.

HEY Mary-- Springfield is less than an hour away from me!! When you get your plans set maybe we can meet up somewhere.. that would be fun!

Been a busy day here-- I decided to attack the linen closet! I had some older towels in there and I wanted to get them out, washed up and put downstairs for anyone who decides they want to go swimming but forgot to bring a towel. Got a stack of sheets to take to Goodwill with some other things.. Gosh it looks so nice in there now... so glad that is done.

I just popped in here real quick to say Hi and I think I want to go and take a nice shower and then relax! Have a good night everyone.

Funny things about losing weight
 

I have been working on this list in my head and I thought I would share the funny things about losing weight. If you have any that you would like to add, please do so....

1. I need to buy new underwear (who thinks about that?) It never occured to me that would be a problem, but today I was wearing sweats and my undies simply slid down off my bottom. I am glad that I was home!:dizzy:

2. My fanny now fits comfortably in the airplane seat and the seat belt is easy to fasten! I could even set down the tray table without it hitting my fat tummy.

3. I am usually not the biggest/fattest person in the room anymore.

4. My feet look better! As I lose the cankles, I might have to consider sandals.:D

5. I can bend straight over and tie my shoes - without holding my breath or feeling like I am going to pass out.

6. I rode an amusement park ride without worrying that the safety bar wouldn't close.

7. TMI Warning: Apparently some aspects of my personal grooming have been lacking - because I couldn't see! Gotta take care of that! my word!

8. What is up with all this chin hair??? Is there some hormonal consequence to losing weight or am I just paying attention?

Anyway, I hope you find these humorous. Have a good night!

Reimontanna those are funny. i have few to add..butt wrinkels.when i sit the loose skin gets pinched, boobs esp get saggy and who knew i had shoulder bones.just about everythings easier.anyone else have more to add :D rosey :wave:

I didn't notice my shoulder bones when I lost weight before...guess because I tend to be bigger above it would take a lot of weight loss to see them. But I did notice my bottom rib bones esp when I laid down. At first i thought something was wrong they seem so prominent.

I felt so much lighter...and I really hadn't noticed the heaviness when I was, well, heavier..lol But once I lost it I was amazed how much lighter and freer I felt.

And I agree, Rosey, breasts do get saggier. Not sure if it's just weightloss or getting older but think a little of both.

Good Morning, Everyone,

Kind of dark, damp, and dreary here in Eastern PA. No special plans. Not a great day to be outside.

Hi Rosey,
Where do your get the green goop? I also HATE these chin/upper lip whiskers.

Hi Val,
Glad you enjoyed Las Vegas. My sister and I went there last summer – we had a great time & saw LOTS of shows. Big questions – Did you flirt back? Anyone look interesting? Anyone you wanted to bring home with you?
Sorry about your knee – I am sitting here right now with an icepack on mine.
About my new class – taking a LOT more time than I thought it would. Luckily, I have until September to finish it.
Something to add to your list – My pantyhose don’t roll down anymore & I don’t have to buy Queen size.
Hi Mary,
Do you see a nutritionist? It is my nutritionist (she has type 1 diabetes) whom I credit with keeping my BS numbers low. I worked with her for about 6 months – kept records of my BS (waking, before each meal, 2 hours after each meal, and bedtime) and my carb intake at each meal. I can email you the form I used. Over time, I figured out exactly what made my BS go up and exactly how exercise made it go down.

Hi Karen,
Funny how often we are doing the same things at the same time. I just noticed how raggedy my sheets were getting (I have 3 sets that I rotate – got them when I got my sleep number mattress in 2007).
I loaded them into trash bags & got 3 new sets on sale at Macy’s. I didn’t know Goodwill took sheets. I was going to toss them. I’ll get them over there on Monday.

Morning everyone..cold and rainy here today.not much going on. dh will be home this evening. Lynn i got the green goop at amazon.com..its called GiGi Brazillian wax kit for use in microwaves. the one i got has 4 diff preps for befor and after procedure,and of course the wax..works great but dont get it on your clothes.hope your day is awsome :hug: rosey :wave: PS Ive been extra hungry today and didnt want to over eat so i now have clean kitchen appliances,dishes are done,supper's in the oven,floors swept,and 2 loads of laundry.sheesh i was hungry lol PSS i was in e-bay lynn and they have the GiGI wax kit with free shipping.didnt have your e-mail but its item #110668460827.its the exact kit i have.

Back. Good grief, it feels like I've been gone for more than a week, maybe more - not just four days altogether. But it was a pretty jam-packed four days. Last minute flying is sure a lot more expensive than when you reserve a couple of months ahead of time. We could've gotten a direct flight into Asheville for about $1200 apiece, and then still had no ground transportation, which would've been a little inconvenient, all things considered. A car rental would've been another couple hundred dollars, and then flowers from our family...well, just way more than makes any kind of sense. We really don't have that kind of money to throw around. So, ended up flying into Charlotte from Providence, Rhode Island (same miles between home & Providence as between home & Boston). We took my car and parked it in long-term parking at the airport for $20 a day. For $600 apiece, we flew from Providence with a 3-hour layover in Cleveland, of all places, and then from Cleveland into Charlotte, where we picked up a rental car and drove two hours to my sister's place in Hendersonville. With the exception of quite a long delay waiting on the runway in Cleveland for a thunder and lightening storm to blow over (about an hour), the trip down was unremarkable, and the long layover (minus the time spent waiting out the storm) gave us time for a leisurely supper together on the concourse. It made for a long day, though - our flight out of Providence was at 2:10 PM, so we left home at 12:00 - printed out our boarding passes at home, so all we had to do was go through security and we were good to go. We got into my sister's at @ 11:00 that (Wednesday) night. The funeral was on Thursday, with calling hours from 11:00 to 1:00, and the funeral service at 2:00. Now, we New Englanders do not take pictures of our dead, but it appears that it is an old southern custom? My brother-in-law is from the back woods of Georgia, and he had relatives there taking pictures of the flowers, taking pictures of each other, and taking pictures of the..um...deceased. Very odd-seeming to someone (me) from an austere New England background where closed caskets are more usual than not. One of them explained to me that it even used to be popular, during Victorian times, to prop the (dead) body up in a sitting position and take "final" formal portraits. Well, yours truly managed to muddle through without offending anyone too horribly, and behave well enough afterwards, when there was a reception at my sister's house. Some of you know me well enough to know that I have a tendency to be a little outspoken from time to time, and don't do too well with people whose noses ride a little too high on their faces. At any rate, people had all left by @ 8:00, and we visited some with my sister and her son - and his wife - from Florida, where he is some high muckety-muck on the police force. A pretty nice, all-around sort of person, though, and I liked his wife, whom I've only met a few times (they were only recently married; he's been divorced for years.) My niece - sister's daughter - was there, too, but I really have to tell you that she is not a nice person at all. She's close to my own daughter's ages, but while they have all gotten themselves an education and work, along with their husbands, to get what they want in life, this lazy little heifer quit school at 16, married another one of those who think the world owes them something, and they've pretty much lived off my sister for the 20 years that they've been married. Her daughter has never held a job, and her husband is an EMT who earns decent money, but they spend it like water, and she's always calling her mother (my sister) for help with their mortgage payment or because her electricity is being shut off, or because their washing machine broke and they need a new one. She's bought them countless cars, paid countless bills, and more recently, paid for her daughter to go to nursing school which she graduated from three years ago, took her exams, and is a registered nurse who chooses not to work because "they expected her to work overtime, plus the shifts were really stupid - four days on, three off, and working weekends, for gawd's sake! Not what she expected at all, apparently. So she STILL has no job, and they STILL depend on my sister for everything. I found out that my sister gave them a check for $500 to cover their gas & expenses getting to the funeral. The daughter, incidentally, is 42 years old! AND she found time, evidently, the day before the funeral, to berate my sister for spending "all" her money helping her dying brother, and *never* doing anything for her! My sister has been through **** over the past three months, not to mention the past nine years since her son was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. I feel like my relatives are living out some kind of Tennessee Williams drama. :fr:
Okay, so now the funeral is over, I spent Friday with my sister, we all went out to dinner Friday night, and my dh and dd and I were on a 7:30AM flight out of Charlotte Saturday morning, which meant getting up and getting on the road by 4:30. We made it to the airport right at 6:30, dropped off the rental car, and that's when the trouble started. The shuttle was late getting there to bring us to the departure area - we rolled in there at 6:50. Still optimistic, we ran over to a kiosk to print out boarding passes, and all we got was the ones for our flight from Charlotte to Philadelphia, where all we had was a 30 minute layover before catching a connecting flight to Providence. We went to the "resolutions" desk where nothing got resolved, and they finally told us, at 7:10, that we should go ahead and catch our flight to Philadelphia, and try to get it resolved there. Well, there were about 200 people standing in the security line, and there was no way we were going to make that 7:30 flight. Finally, someone said there were no lines at security gate D (we were at B), and we ran like lunatics, bags flying behind us at right angles, and got to D, where there were only four or five people ahead of us. We got half undressed moving through the line, threw everything into the bins to go through the x-ray thingie, and grabbed everything out the other side, except that my daughter had forgotten she had a bottle of water in her purse, so they had to confiscate that and put her purse through again. CRAZY! Then we ran like lunatics yet again (great exercise - got my heart rate up within seconds!) halfway across the airport and got to our gate just as the doors were closing on the plane. They shooed us through, and we burst onto that plane like three hurricanes, sat down, looked around, and gave each other the thumbs up. Same deal in Philly - only this time, because the plane had actually been delayed by 25 minutes in Charlotte (which is why we didn't miss it) we only had FIVE minutes to get to our gate, AND to explain that the kiosk in Charlotte *ate* our boarding passes. Made it again, by the skin of our teeth, and were in my car on our way back to Worcester before we even had a chance to catch our breaths.
Yikes!
Confession: I ate a piece of chocolate cake at the funeral reception. I also had breakfast with dh at Cracker Barrel this morning before we went grocery shopping and had <gulp> blueberry pancakes and turkey sausage. I aim to climb back on the wagon tomorrow, and will chat at all of you personally tomorrow, too - I've read all the posts. I love keeping up with what you-all are up to!
Have a good evening, ladies...
:grouphug:
Z

Hey GGs,
Can’t stay long - got dinner all ready because SO said he was hungry, but…… then he went outside. Now he’s all involved trying to fix the little boy from next door’s motorized bike. So, dinner’s on hold for the moment. I took some pics yesterday, of some of my new outfits, that I want to show you. I ran out of time before I got to the red skirt. Oh, & yesterday, weigh in day, I was up ½ a pound! Not too unexpected - Fri. night, instead of eating what I had planned, we went out to run some errands, & stopped & got food at McDonalds. I only ate a hamburger & a sm. fry, not too bad calorie-wise, but lots of salt! We also got milkshakes, but mine’s in the freezer. I’ll have it for my night-time snack, some day when my calories are fairly low (& not the night before weigh in day!). I’d rather have it frozen anyway, so I can eat it & make it last longer!

SO just walked in & is ready to eat (I knew that would happen!). I’ll try to get back later.
NCNancy

Nancy you look awsome in your pics..i like each outfit,very glam and stylish,good job((:hug:)) rosey

Good Evening All!

Rosey - Butt wrinkles! You crack me up:D

Lynn - you still do terrific personals. What classes are you teaching?

Zoe - I loved your adventures in the airport. I hope you weren't too exhausted when you got home. I am sorry about your sister's children. It is really hard to watch people we love who are treated badly by their own. I am proud of you for not getting into an argument with anyone. That was a loving thing to do for your sister - she would have been upset. I also think the picture thing at funerals is strange but I have seen it lots of times. Apparently it is a rural thing, too. I think taking pictures of the flowers, venue, etc is possibly understandable (I would never) but the pictures of the person and funeral is pretty far out there. But, we all have our cultural traditions.

Nancy - great clothes! i really like the layered look and I think you look wonderful in belts. I envy you your ability to wear hats. I always end up looking silly.

I spent the day relaxing and keeping my knee elevated with an ice pack. I am afraid that they will insist on me getting a cortisone shot. I dread that. It hurts for a couple of days afterward and my blood sugar goes scary out of control. I am going to see the doc on tues. I am a little antsy and worried that I need to get back to a workout routine but I am afraid to put any pressure on the knee until I see the doc. Crazy that I could miss working out.

I am looking forward to getting back to work although I know that it will be crazy for a couple of days.

Well, supper is ready and then I am going to watch a movie. Have a great night everyone!

Nancy - I like both your new outfits! Very classy!

Zoe - Your trip sounds very difficult, but I'm glad you were there for your sister. Air travel is not easy these days and I dread it now when I have to fly. I used to love to fly.

We went to church and then out to eat. This restaurant is a buffet but they have a great salad bar. I thought I did pretty well but when I added up my calories I was surprised they were so much! Here I thought I was doing pretty well! I may have estimated too high on some things but figured overall it might be about right. Here's what I had:

I had a good-size salad - Mostly iceberg lettuce to which I added 1/2 lg slice red onion, 1 small pc cauliflower and broccoli each, 1 T coleslaw and potato salad each, 1 pickle spear (about 5 inch long) 1 T low-cal Ranch dressing, and 1 T sunflower seeds.

Hot foods - 1/4 cup or less baked beans, maybe 1/3 c green beans (looked very oily), one potato round (slice) and 1 fried chicken wing. (picked up 2 wings but could only eat one as too fat tasting). I had no clue how to estimate the potato...might be about 1/8 cup but couldn't figure out how to enter it in Lose It! so I didn't add it in.

Dessert - Here's my downfall - 2 very small chocolate chip cookies, 1 tiny brownie (did have a dab of frosting on it but was only about 1 inch square) and 1/2 or 2/3 cup soft vanilla ice cream.

That's about the best I've ever done at this particular restaurant. But I estimated that was 718 calories!! and 77 net carbs (after subtracting 1/2 fiber)!! I hope I estimated high cause that's way more than I should have. Fortunately I grocery shopped the rest of the afternoon so didn't anything else, and amazingly my bs was not too bad ...just a little high (about like usual) when I got home.

Just found out my oldest gd (the one that graduated college recently) is engaged! I've kinda been expecting this. Her bf seems very young (they both do, although they are at least in their 20s)...but he also seems like a very nice young man. So I hope for the best. So who knows I may be a great-grandmother before long!!

My leg has been hurting me all day so think I'll lay down and rest for a while.
Hope you have all had a good day!

Mary

Quick update here---- we are fine but tornados all around us.. all kinds of coverage on the weather channel.. be back later...

Hey GGs,
I’m back! Soooo many people to say Hi! to! Lynn, sorry about your rainy, dreary weather. I’ll try sending you some of our sun. Not too much though, I’ve really been enjoying it. I think I’ve noticed a few others here that deal with eating out by only eating half their food. I really like doing that, because I get to eat things I really like without going too far over my “calorie budget”.

Donna, see, I finally got some pics of some of my new outfits. I sort of think I’m starting to get it right (with the help of a lot of advice from the GGs!).

Rosey, I like the sound of that word - beautified! And WTG! staying busy with housework to avoid that evil food!

Rie, glad you had a good time in Vegas. About this flirting thing: first of all, you go girl! Second, I’m a little saddened by the fact that NO ONE flirts with me. Don’t get me wrong, I have absolutely NO interest in actually having anything to do with anyone other than my SO, but it would be nice to see some sign that other men found me attractive. Y’all know what I mean. Right? I sorta think (hope?) that it’s the way I act, from so many years of trying to be invisible. I really like your list. That undies thing was something I hadn’t considered either. Mine never fell off, but I did eventually realize they were getting pretty baggy! Oh, & I don’t really have anyone to shop with & I hate it! My sister’s always too busy, & my mom just can’t handle being on her feet too long. My one friend that’s really good about being honest about how something looks on me (sometimes brutally so), is in such bad health that she can’t leave the house much any more. I have to email her pics, like I do with you all, to get her opinion (she lives about 30 miles away, so we don’t visit much). Sorry about your knee, hope it's better soon. Maybe you won't need that shot.

Mary, when my rib bones started “protruding” I wondered if something was wrong too. And, they still don’t feel “right” to me. Thanks for mentioning feeding your plants - that reminded me I’d forgotten to water my 2 tomato plants! See why my plants usually don’t last long?! And, since you had men flirting with you when you were 62, I guess I can’t blame my age for no one flirting with me. Counting your calories after an all-you-can-eat buffet?! I tried that once - big mistake! I really didn't want to know that! Just enjoy & move on. (Of course I know you do have to be careful of your BS.) Hope your leg feels better soon.

KarenMO, good that you got that linen closet cleaned out (you too Lynn). That’s one chore I don’t have to worry about - I don’t have a linen closet! Sure wish I did though. Hope those tornadoes continue to stay away! We're starting to get some bad weather here. I should shut this computer down soon!

Zoe, Zoe, Zoe! First of all, glad you’re home safely, & so sorry your trip was so awful! I KNOW your comments weren’t a dig at Southerner’s (they weren’t, were they?!). I don’t want to get all defensive here - you’re one of my FAVORITE people (along with all the GGs, of course!). And that niece of yours isn’t even from the south, is she? About taking pics of the deceased, I really hate that too. And, the only funeral that I ever saw it done at (not that I’ve been to too many, thank goodness!), was my great-grandmother’s. And it was my husband (ex # 2) that was taking them (he’s from TN?!). I told him not to, but he did it anyway - said we’d be glad we had them someday. NOT! And, are you really feeling bad because you ate a piece of cake, & had blueberry pancakes for breakfast??!!! I do way worse than that every week! Like I told Mary - just enjoy it & move on!

Thank you all for the compliments on my pics! Rie, I always thought I looked silly in hats too. I still have to talk myself into wearing them, but I'm starting to get more confident about it.

Ok, it's getting sort of late. And, yikes -all of a sudden it's getting VERY breezy! And, I think I hear thunder. Shutting this thing down now! Night y'all.
NCNancy

Good evening GG's,

I started to post this morning and was too pooped to continue. Had hoped to do personals, but still pooped. Sorry y'all ~ it will have to wait until another time.

We had DGD Maddie with us last evening while mom and dad went to a wedding. She was a good girl, but so busy. Mom and dad didn't get home until late, so Maddie stayed over night with us. Her first time to do that. She was tired, but hated to give in and go to sleep. I offered for her to lay down on the sofa. She wanted blankets and a pillow on the floor ~ but with her imagination ~ that became a picnic at the beach. I offered for her to go to bed in my bed, but she didn't want to do that. I offered to take her to her house so she could go to bed in her own bed ~ but she said she couldn't go there because Mommy wasn't there. I wondered if she thought I was gonna just leave her there ~ you never know what these little heads are thinking. It kept getting later and later. Finally at 1am she agreed to lay down in my bed. She passed out shortly there after. I had been tired long before and of course was now wide awake. I finally fell asleep after 2am. I was reluctant to sleep in the bed with her ~ I was afraid my tossing and turning would wake her up. I didn't want to sleep on the sofa because I was afraid if she woke up in an unfamiliar place and call out ~ I wouldn't hear her. So, I made me a place to sleep on the floor in the hall out side the bedroom door. Not very a very comfy sleep. Thus ~ the pooped me today.

I tried to take a nap then today, but I think I was over tired and could not. I got a few little projects done. Have stuff ready to go back to work tomorrow ~ will probably head to bed early then tonight.

I didn't do a very good job of eating right yesterday and today. Oh well ~ tomorrow is a new day to try and get it right.

Nancy ~ I like the outfits you put together.

Next day off ~ Friday. Hope you all have a good week.

Take care

:bday2you:,:bday2you: HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR BOBBI & ROSEY, :bday2you:

:balloons::balloons::woo::balloons::balloons:

:bday2you::bday2you::bday2you::bday2you: HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROSIE AND BOBBIE, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. HOPE IT'S THE BEST ONE EVER!

Happy Birthday Bobbi and Rosey ~ hope it's a wonderful day for you both.

Happy Birthday Bobbi and Rosey----

Donna, the damage that they are reporting in Carthage is about a1 1/2 miles from us. That's too close! We haven't been out yet and probably won't for awhile. Right now at 9:20 in the morning it looks like 9:00pm and it is pouring down rain. We have severe thunderstorms forecast for here and they are talking about a repeat of yesterdays weather. We were to go to my youngests sisters MIL's funeral this morning, I dont' think we are going to make it. By the way, the MIL who's funeral is today---her house was demolished in the tornado yesterday. All my family is safe though.. God Is Good!

Happy Birthday Bobbi and Rosey! I hope you have a lovely day!

Gayle, sounds like you had adventures in babysitting. I hope you got a good nights rest before you start your work week.

Karen, be safe! I will be thinking of you.

Donna, I am beginning to think that the only thing worse than impending old age is the alternative!;)

Mary, I think you did pretty well at the buffet. I always just try to be reasonably good, enjoy myself, and then move on. The blood sugar issue is tougher, but I usually find that I can tolerate a little desert if I go really easy on the other carbs. If I am going to splurge, then I go for the cheesecake and just eat protein and veggies for the rest:D

I am heading into work now for the first day back. I am looking forward to it, although, I am sure that it will be stressful. When the boss is gone, the work just piles up and waits until the vacation is over. Here's hoping that my assistant took care of most of it. BBL