[glynne]

Good morning GG's,

It is a rainy dreary day here right now. Thankfully, I was able to get in my bike ride before it started to rain. I am thankful though for the rain too ~ we desperatly need it.

It has been interesting to read about your upbringings and all. My parents didn't seem to have a lot of don'ts. Somehow we (my sister and I) just seemed to do what we should or shouldn't do. My brother was a different story. Anyway, the worst thing I did, was play a trick on my girlfriend that got us in trouble with her mom. My friend played the glockenspiel in the marching band, and had tassels hanging from the ends of it. She called herself "Madam Norma" and we had all sorts of tales we made up just for fun. We joked that we were a band of criminals and talked about heists and such ~ we each had a speciality ~ safe cracker, get away driver etc. Norma talked with a Bronx accent. Well, one evening, my sister, brother and his friend and I ~ we got to joking around. We figured Madam Norma needed a customer, so my brother's friend disguised his voice and we called Norma and made arrangements for this "customer" to come to her house. We drove there and stopped up the road and the kid walked to her house and knocked on her door. The joke to us was just in fun and we meant no harm (stupid kids I guess ~ just not thinking) but Norma's poor mom freaked out and was quite mad at us for a while.

I wanted to ride my bike before work on Thursday and Friday, but remembered that probably my tires needed pumping up and was too tired after work or in the morning to mess with that. So, I did that this morning and now am all set for tomorrow. Where I ride will depend on how light it is when I set out. I usually go on the bike and hike paths, but don't want to do that if it is dark, so may just have to ride around our streets where the street lamps can light my way. I think I will feel safer that way.

Mary ~ I feel much the same as you and seem to have done some of the same kind of things with food as you have described. I get into the most trouble when no one is around to see what I do. I also wonder if I will ever come to a time when ~ like you said how your daughter never seems to think of food that much ~ if I will ever be like that. It seems like I always think of food and am looking forward to the next meal, opportunity to eat.

Well, the dryer is buzzing, so I need to go fold those clothes. I'll check in later.

Hope you all are having a nice weekend.

[Karen3]

Morning.....after reading Marie's post I just had to pop in. Am so glad you tried the eyeball thing. Did you use pressure to top of it? I have no idea why it works except it must exert pressure on the opitical nerve hence the brain. Always wondered if would help humans. It gave me such satisfaction that i could do something for him instead of being helpless. Good Job!

Welcome Tethatsme....tell us about you!

Zoe....Your personality is so big and sure that it glows in your writing. I never thought about you and bright colors unless I was describing your language or illusions you were creating.

Lynn....I count things to put me to sleep. I went to a tiny grammar school in a tiny town. 3 room school for 9 grades. so 30X3=90. On a bad night I try to count all the kids that would have been there. I never get past about 78.

Funny how many of us had our children so young. I was 18. DD was born at Camp Juene and listed as one of the Lebanese babies. They were the result of the Marines returning from Lebanon. I have always said I got married at 18 because in 1958 good girls didn't and my sex drive was bigger than my brain.

Oh they averaged about 20 births a day during that time...9 months after returning from Bierut.

BBL....hugs k3

[ladyinweighting]

Originally Posted by the slim me

Lynn, we were posting at the same time. I do the same diet you do. Just makes sense. I had my son when I was 17 too. Right out of highschool. I only had one child too, so it was a blessing. Some things just happen for the best and we dont' understand them at the time.

Hi Freda,

Good and bad things about being so young. Easy birth, VERY close to my DD because we kind of grew up together, LOTS of regrets about my “parenting skills.” I know I would have been a MUCH better mother if I had waited until I was older/wiser. My DD always tells me that she turned out pretty good so I shouldn’t worry. But I cannot help thinking about (and feeling guilty about) times that I REALLY screwed up as a parent.

Originally Posted by Karen31

Zoe, I got to thinking and was wondering if you were thinking about Bette Davis? A lot of people have said that my eyes are like hers... don't know. My cousin and I look very much alike, in fact when I was growing up they called me"Little Lois" and everyone said she has "bedroom eyes like Bette Davis"! So I could live with that one too.

Hi Karen,

I have been thinking about actresses for you. The characteristics I am looking for are “strong, resourceful, responsible, and friendly.” Here are some of my selections – Meryl Streep, Jodi Foster, Sandra Bullock, Blythe Danner.

Originally Posted by Riemontana

Lynn, I am going to start using my dad's treadmill for speed and training on an incline when I can. I am going to go out tomorrow and mark out some landmarks around me so i can time myself and improve my times. I would like to keep up with my aunt who is much faster than me. Of course, she is an experienced walker and she has about 4" height advantage. Even for my short body, I have short stubby legs. Rie

Hi Rie,

Good to walk with someone who walks just slightly faster than you. Do NOT try to keep up with someone who walks a LOT faster – you will hurt yourself. Unless your event has hills, do not use the incline on the treadmill to increase your speed. Keep it level. If your event has hills, use alternating incline on the treadmill. NOTE: my DD would tell you to insert some running into your practices sessions. She started out with running for 1 minute and walking for 5. She now runs the whole way and is doing 12 minute miles. I had problems with the running – cannot breathe through my nose & my heart rate gets erratic. Also – knee and hip problems. I am limited to walking.

Originally Posted by glynne

Mary ~ I feel much the same as you and seem to have done some of the same kind of things with food as you have described. I get into the most trouble when no one is around to see what I do. I also wonder if I will ever come to a time when ~ like you said how your daughter never seems to think of food that much ~ if I will ever be like that. It seems like I always think of food and am looking forward to the next meal, opportunity to eat.

Hi Gayle,

I get into trouble whenever I bring “tempting/bad foods” into the house. If they are here, I will eat them. As I live alone, I can control this when I want to. These days, my focus is on getting more vegetables into my meals. Still thinking about food, but in a different way. When I go out or when I eat a prepared meal, I just eat half. Also, I need to get back to spending 1-2 hours/day at the gym.

Originally Posted by Karen3

Funny how many of us had our children so young. I was 18. DD was born at Camp Juene and listed as one of the Lebanese babies. They were the result of the Marines returning from Lebanon. I have always said I got married at 18 because in 1958 good girls didn't and my sex drive was bigger than my brain.

Hi Karen,

I have often thought about why I was so “boy-crazy.” I think that there were various reasons. A pretty much absent father (he worked nights and was an alcoholic and I saw him only on Sundays), a too strict Catholic upbringing, a mother who was over-protective of me (before I was born, she lost a 4-year-old daughter during a tonsil operation). Maybe just the times – the 60’s & 70’s.

I had a friend from Cambodia who believed in reincarnation. His theory was that each lifetime we must learn one lesson. I have always said that my lesson is to learn to NOT let all my life decisions to be based on my sex-drive.

[Karen31]

"KarenC, did I really type 3 pages?? Oh my. Well, I hope it helps and I will be glad to get on my machine here and "walk you through it". I actually learned something last night, too, I had my difficulty set at "hard". Wow, gonna change that ...."

Val-- you had typed one page to me earlier before I ever opened the game that I saved. And now I printed them all off and after we have a bit of lunch I am going downstairs and show it who is boss!!! LOL!!!!

[Karen31]

Geez--- I got a lot done today but none of what I wanted to! I decided to go ahead and get the bed and hide a bed stripped from the 5th wheel and get the bedding laundered. Then it just seemed like one more thing and then I'll tackle Walk It Out---now it is time to fix supper and I haven't got down there yet! Seems like so much to do after you get back from a trip. And we need to get the 5th wheel ready to put on the storage lot, they frown about it sitting on the street! HA! Still got to winterize it though.
Guess it will wait until tomorrow now... unless I just find a bunch of energy after supper!! LOL!! Still a nice day here. it is 78 degrees and tomorrow we are supposed to be getting showers which are supposed to last the next three days.

[maryea]

Hi everyone! We went to church, came home for our L&G meal and then went out again. We had to get gas and I picked up some eggs that were FREE at Target. Can't pass up free food!

Just ordered a couple tops from Coldwater Creek ...sure hope they fit...I'm always scared when I'm dieting...don't want to buy so small I can't wear them but also don't want to buy too large if I go down. Fortunately I go down in sizes very slowly usually so hopefully they will be ok.

Karen31 - I know how that is after an RV trip...so much to do. That was the part I didn't care for. But I did like the freedom and feeling of living closer to the outdoors everywhere we went.

Lynn - I think we all screw up in some ways as parents! If anyone thinks they didn't they probably just don't realize it. I screwed up PLENTY, esp with the two oldest and even more esp with my oldest dd. I have had lots of guilt about it and am so thankful for God's forgiveness. Don't know if she will ever forgive me though as she still reminds me about some of it. Yet now and then she does seem to remember the good things I did too, but not often. The other kids don't seem to feel that way but I know I was harder on her. She says I was too strict and that's why she got so wild but I don't think I was much different with her and I honestly don't think I could have been any different. I wanted to be a good parent and really thought most of the time I was. I did get a little wierd as she got older because she was driving me kinda crazy...but i should have handled it better too. But I have come to the conclusion that we do the best we can in the situation and that's all we could do, so we have to forgive ourselves just as we also have to forgive our own parents for their mistakes. One can only blame their parents so long and then you have to be responsible for your own actions. She's 46 and I think it's beyond time for that! But I still love her and always will, and I tell her that...maybe one day it will sink in. In the meantime I don't see her very much as that's the way she wants it. It is more comfortable under the circumstances but makes me sad too as dh and I are getting old and we have missed so much time with her.

I don't have junk or way too tempting foods in the house and I am trying to practice your strategies with eating out, Lynn. Right now with MF I am restricted to Lean and Green but I do love vegetables. My mid-day meal today was 2 veggie burgers, one cup of steamed zucchini and 1/2 cup steamed broccoli. Other wise I eat the MF meals. BUT, when I stop eating their meals, I worry about going back to my over-snacking ways! I want food to not be so important to me so I can stick with just one moderate size snack in the evenings.

Now that I'm past the first three weeks with MF, I can up my exercise again. This week we had the kids here so didn't go and we will be gone for a few days but am really looking forward to getting back to the gym after that. I need it. Will do some walking in the meantime.

Tetthatsme - what's the IP diet...seems to be working for you..17# wow!!


Marie - Yeah, I'd take an iPad! Not sure my dh would be satisfied though.
LOL He's such a nice guy though I know he'd be happy for me.

Time to eat again...so gotta go

[glynne]

Hello GG's,

About to head to bed ~ days off are over. Back to work ~ a 4 day stretch.

I did ok food wise this weekend ~ not as good as some days, but not as bad as others.

It has been rainy here all day ~ but we desperatly needed it. Some of the trees here in Houston died this summer because it was so dry.

I spent some of the day then working on the pictures on my computer. There are all these groups of pictures and there certain ones I like, but never can remember which group they are in, so I went through some of them and put my favorites into a folder so that I can more easliy find them. Still have more to go, but it is a start.

Here are a couple of my favorites. #1 Corbin and his kitty Chico (Chico jumped away and suprised him), #2 Maddie and her butterfly wings ~ she wore them all day long ~ to the park, down the slide and everything. #3 Grandpa and Maddie ~ big shadow and little shadow

Hope you all have had a nice weekend.

[Karen31]

Great Pictures Gayle! Aren't pictures fun to go through?? That will probably be a winter project for me. Hope you have a great week at work.

[glynne]

Good morning GG's,

I got up 1/2 hour early and had breakfast and did a few little things, then when it was just starting to get light out ~ set out on my bike ride. I think this will be a do-able thing. It was light enough that I could go on the bike and hike paths instead of just around the circle several times, so that made it more enjoyable. It was a nice temperature out There are slight little inclines and declines ~ when it goes down hill a little, I brake to slow down and then pedal some more. I can feel myself having to work though on the inclines ~ so I think I am getting somewhat of a workout. I will never be up to the workouts of Marie, Val, Lynn (I will be one of the ones sitting in the lawn chairs at the end of the marathon with Zoe and Donna) but it is better than nothing.

Ok, I'd better finish getting ready for work.

Have a nice day you all.

[Wannabehealthy]

Originally Posted by glynne

Good morning GG's,

I got up 1/2 hour early and had breakfast and did a few little things, then when it was just starting to get light out ~ set out on my bike ride. I think this will be a do-able thing. It was light enough that I could go on the bike and hike paths instead of just around the circle several times, so that made it more enjoyable. It was a nice temperature out There are slight little inclines and declines ~ when it goes down hill a little, I brake to slow down and then pedal some more. I can feel myself having to work though on the inclines ~ so I think I am getting somewhat of a workout. I will never be up to the workouts of Marie, Val, Lynn (I will be one of the ones sitting in the lawn chairs at the end of the marathon with Zoe and Donna) but it is better than nothing.

Ok, I'd better finish getting ready for work.

Have a nice day you all.

Gayle, I will be there in a lawn chair with the rest of you. I cannot do the intensity of the others either. One time I was on my Gazelle-like exerciser and my step-son said "Mom, that's not doing a thing for you." So I got off and went and sat in my chair. Then I said to him "Ok. When was I using more energy, now in the chair, or doing the exercise?" He got my point. If you enjoy riding your bike, then it's good exercise for you. You are using muscles you wouldn't be using if you were sitting in a chair, and that's what it's all about. Keep it up and gradually it will get easier for you and you will look for more inclines to give you a better challenge.

[ellabella]

Okay, may I share here that I did NOT enjoy my day at the zoo yesterday with dd2, dd2's son & new lil' daughter IzzieBee, dd3, dd3's dh, her dd and the twinnies...oh, and my dh, of course. The place is ginormous, with lots of hills to climb (make that scramble up hurriedly), and taking dgd and dgs there last year on one of our "field trips" was vastly different from trailing behind a large group that included two adventurous and constantly running and moving 2 1/2 year-olds! Add to that the fact that their mother had brought juice boxes for them to sip on along the way, and they seemed to attract hives full of bees, which followed us from stop to stop. We were there from 11:00 AM until 3:00 PM, and it felt like an eternity, I swear. I can do the park with the boys...I can do the beach with the boys...I can do the backyard with the boys...I CANNOT do the ZOO with the boys!

Well, since we're sharing childhood stories....most of you who know me (and some of you have known me for quite a while, now) know that I "enjoyed" a rather distant relationship with my mother. I was born when my brother and sister were in their teens, and my mother, who was a registered nurse, had been back at work for a few years and very happy to be there. She'd stayed home until my brother and sister were in high school, as per my father's (very old school) wishes. Soooo, I was not exactly a pleasant surprise for her, and she made no attempt, as I was growing up, to pretend otherwise. Luckily, my father was wonderful, and I was very close to him - and to my sister, who to this day, talks about how she carried me around on her hip until my feet started dragging on the ground. What's even more amusing, as she tells this story, is the fact that I'm at least 6 inches taller than her, and the image this evokes of her dragging this great, gangling child around on her tiny little hip is pretty amusing.

At any rate, my high school years were unremarkable...I don't recall doing anything out of the ordinary at all. OH! LOL! Quiet, studious little me started dating an OLDER MAN while I was a senior; he was in law school at the time...pretty heavy stuff...but I luckily remained un-preggo, and when I went away to college the following year, the smorgasbord of available "men" proved too tempting, and after just dating one or two "secretly" for six months or so, I finally did the right thing and broke the engagement. So, enter the wild and wooly late sixties/early seventies. Civil rights, the war in Viet Nam, corporate greed...there were no shortage of causes for an impressionable young thing like me to latch onto, and the campus was, without question, a hotbed of activism - and so I jumped in with both feet, much to the dismay of my parents and those high school friends whose lives were moving towards weddings and babies.

Okay, this is getting ridiculously long. Another chapter another time. We can story-tell at the retirement gathering.

Now, PT, let me be perfectly clear...I dearly love that you see me as flamboyant and colorful, and I should have understood that you were describing personality and not clothing choices...so please don't be hurt that I reacted as I did. I guess that I just don't feel as flamboyant and as strong a character internally as I may come across in my writing. Writing is what I do...it's how I express myself in my work, so it tends to be strong, I imagine. I'm probably way less "energetic" in person, so I really do fear that I will be quite colorless in comparison. But, I'm willing to take that chance because we have connected here on a level, I think, that goes beyond the physical.

Gayle, I especially love the picture of Maddie with her butterfly wings. What a beautiful child she is!

Mary, I'm afraid that by the time we figure out what good parenting is, we can only use that knowledge to worry about how our kids are raising theirs. Luckily, it would seem that children (including us, since we were once children ourselves) are inherently resilient and manage to survive our mistakes as their parents.

CaddyK, those showers that you're expecting are supposed to make their way eastward tomorrow. Ordinarily, sun-worshiper that I am, I would be annoyed, but I've got to tell you that traipsing around that zoo yesterday with the sun blazing down and temperatures in the 80's (and bees following us - I kept throwing away the open juice cartons, much to everyone's dismay) seemed downright unnatural for October! Let the showers (and cooler weather) come! Oh, and yes, actually...with a little stage make-up and a dark wig, I daresay you could pass for Bette Davis. Of course, we really do need live actors to play ourselves in THE movie, so it'll have to be one of the other options, I'm afraid.

Lynn, whatever regrets you may have about your early parenting skills, you obviously raised an incredibly bright and talented daughter, so it's probably time to let those regrets go. She has obviously learned some very important and life-affirming things from her mother, wouldn't you say?

Karen3, well, you may have gotten married for (what you considered) a less than noble reason, but you're still married to the same man, and your son is certainly doing you proud, so I guess you may have been wiser than you gave yourself credit for, eh?

So glad you're enjoying your visit with the grandbaby, Marie...boy, your dh IS a good guy, isn't he? The minute my stomach gurgles, I'm pretty much down for the count...

Rie/Val....I'm glad you've figured out how to fit popcorn (and buttered, at that) into your food rationing...someday I hope to be able to have something I like (like buttered popcorn) without it setting me off on a week (or more) long binge. I'm having SUCH a hard time regaining control this time...

Rosey, Rosey....you are a winner, girl! Six months from now, you'll be running circles around me! I can't wait!!!!)

Freda, please say that you're doing better...back pain is so darned debilitating! I hear you on the eating issues, too, what with being laid up. Maybe when you're feeling better, you and I should get together on a plan...? Oh, and on that other question...I'll get back to you soon.

Bobbi, you busy as usual?

Nancy, if you happen to peek in, we miss you, girl!

Okay, off to a day of the less effort the better for this tired ole' chicklet..

Z

[Bobbolink]

Yes Zoe...busy as usual, DH and I took up the dining room/living room carpet and foam pad over the week-end. Guess what we found under the foam pad? Enough dirt, gravel and sand to build a beach castle. And my DH vacuums every day! Carpets really are bad for anyone with allergies. I had a bad headache all week-end from the dust and probably zillions of dust mites. We don't have an appointment set up yet for the hardwood floors, they won't set that up until after the wood is delivered and it has a change to warm up to room temperature.
allrecipes.com had a turkey meatloaf recipe on the daily email this morning and has a 4.5 star rating. My eyes perked up when I saw the ingredient, "Quinoa". I purchased a huge bag of the stuff and hate it, yuk! I think it was my mentor Dr. Oz that boasted about it. I'm much too tight to throw it all out so always looking for recipes to use it up. I'm going to make it for supper and will post the recipe after I welcome tethatsme

Bobbi, you busy as usual?

Turkey and Quinoa Meatloaf 4.5 Star

Ingredients
¼ cup quinoa
1/3 cup chicken bouillon water
3/4 teaspoon olive oil
3/4 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
16 ounce package ground turkey
1 tablespoon tomato paste or ketsup
2-1/2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
5 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
1 teaspoons salt?
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Bring the quinoa and bouillon onto a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute; remove from heat to cool.
Stir the turkey, cooked quinoa, onions, tomato paste, hot sauce, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire, egg, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until well combined. The mixture will be very moist. Shape into a loaf on a foil lined baking sheet. Combine the brown sugar, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire, and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl. Rub the paste over the top of the meatloaf.
Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 50 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Let the meatloaf cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

[Riemontana]

Hello Goldens!

I am mid-day already of my day off. I did walkitout for a little over 90 minutes this morning, after everyone left. It was really nice to be un-interrupted! I actually was able to make some changes in my game after I went through it as a new player so I could help CaddyKaren.

It is weird to me that I am considered in the "excercise group". Such a change in me that I would never have predicted. Life is strange, huh? I have always been active - fishing, hunting, hours of pool, etc, but I NEVER would have thought that I could have fun or take pleasure in working out. I hope that the goddess who sent me this energy doesn't take it back.

Bobbi, I have a couple friends who are flooring installers. They both are adamant about not having carpet in their houses. Filthy stuff!

Zoe, I loved the Zoo story. It was exactly how I felt traipsing around South Dakota with everyone last summer. They wanted to see another attraction, I always wanted to return to the pool and loll around. I have learned that I prefer activities like watching them on the playground.... from my lawn chair

Carol, I agree with you that any activity is healthy. I think my dr did me a real favor when he told me to "move for 30 minutes a day - fast or slow doesn't matter" In fact, I read an article recently that said that slow walkers and bike riders burn more fat and do better than intense excercisers.

Gayle, Yay on the bike ride! I am mostly glad that you enjoyed it and I hope that it helps you deal with stress.... Lets hope for easy days this stretch of work. What sweet pictures! I am currently working on a project that involves scanning old pictures. I keep getting distracted and browsing instead of working.

Mary/Lynn, I think that we don't mess up as parents. I just think that we make different mistakes than our parents did. I often have thought, regretfully, about how much I didn't know when I became a mother at 18. Then, one day I realized that nothing could have replaced my devotion at that time. I was attending college, working the farm, and spent most of my time with my kids at my side - in the fields, in the tractors..... I was energetic, passionate about being a mom, and devoted to them. Maybe I would have been smarter later, but I don't really think that I would have been a better mom. Just saying....

Karenfl, how are the girls doing? Tee Hee. Your story tickled me because I have spent most of my life trying to get away with NOT being held firmly in a supportive bra. Maybe I just don't understand it.... Or maybe it is because I was a child of the 70's.

Oh, and Lynn, have you considered or tried Melatonin or Valerian Root to ease your sleep? I really like Valerian a lot because it also helps with muscle aches....

Donna, hows it going? I'm thinking that you are at work today...

Freda, are they going to provide you with any PT? Maybe a tems unit could help you?

Marie, I hope your day is going well.

Sorry for those that I missed I will check back later.

Rie

[jess1]

Good Morning, Goldens!

Lynn – first off, I have to tell you how much I admire you! Not only did you have a full plate when you were a teenage mom (and, gasp!, living with parents!), you managed to raise a lovely daughter, get an education, stay married, and become that urbane and sophisticated person we all love. You deserve to be proud of yourself. All of you teenage moms should be proud!

I hope that I’m at the end of my incarnations, PLEASE… I’m tired, and I think I’ve been here before!

Do give a review of “Ides of March”… it sounds really good, in the teasers. I’m with you, in that I did two lifetimes of abuse in my younger days, which is why I now have no vices!

Mary – I’m proud of you, doing so well on your diet. I’m doing okay with mine, too… although I had some moments this weekend. I had an epiphany, though… I’m 63 years old, not 6 and not 3, so what is this nonsense of not being able to control myself?? So, it’s over. Like drinking and smoking (and, sigh, sex), it’s over, and I’m the one in charge, not my mind and not my tum!

I agree… black ice is way scarier than regular ice!

PT/Zoe – maybe we should be calling ourselves “GoldenFormerFloozies”! I think we ALL qualify!

Sorry your outing to the zoo didn’t go well. Sounds like the little boogers flat wore you out! And I am not hurt! I just didn’t want you to think there was something going on here that wasn’t…

CK – the mountains got snow, and if the city did, it was gone before I got up. It was nice and cool all weekend, which made me happy! Did you get “Walk it Out” figured out? I think it’d be fun for you to call Rie and just yak! I loved it when you called me to tell me that your computer was down and to not worry! It’s fun to hear real voices.

Marie – did you have fun with your gs this weekend? And how is Kai? SamCat was distraught and had sympathetic indisposition yesterday. He sighed often, was listless, and ate little. I guess he figured that was sufficient and ate heartily this morning.

CarolSue – can you drink now? I haven’t heard anyone say they’re “no longer an alcoholic”…

Freda – how are you feeling? Did you read the “Twilight” series? I thoroughly enjoyed them (we all have our guilty pleasures!), and I even got Granny to read them. She was pretty worried that they would give teenagers “ideas”.

KarenFL – always good to hear from you!

Tetthatsme – yes, what is the IP diet? And you’re going to get a nickname SOON, if you keep with us. It took me too many tries to type your name!

Gayle – I loved your pictures of your babies! Maddie with her butterfly wings was just too precious! I think it’s so nice when kids get to be kids!

Bobbi – yuck on the carpet debris! I dread that, if and when I ever get the energy to rip up mine. I have oak floors underneath, which was standard when my house was built. I always thought it was odd that they always put carpet on top… and, of course, I’ve never bothered to replace it. How was the turkey meatloaf? We’ll be expecting a review.

I'm working today. I had hoped to come in and find out that we're off and no one thought to tell me... but alas! It's okay. I was feeling a bit, well,off?, this morning. Not depressed, not really tired, but just "defeated". Do you know what I mean? All is well-er....

Hope you all have a nice day off, those of you who have one! Newbies, hello! Everyone, later....

[Karen31]

OK--- I made it!!! I just did 3332 steps in 30 minutes with Walk it out! Probably not very good but at least I got started on it! I'm sweatin' so that must be good!!