I have to make a comment about the mammograms...I haven't had one yet, but will probably be scheduled one this year since I am 35 now. However, I can't imagine that it would be as bad as:

1. Having your gyno measure your ovaries by HAND. (been there)

2. Vaginal ultrasound, affectionately referred to by me as the
X-Ray Dildo. The only thing that makes it worse is having a shy tech that apologizes for having to 'look' to insert it! I wasn't embarrassed until then! I guess I'll know in a few months...and you guys will be the first I share it with!

I am back!!! It's been months and I've been eating like crazy.

I'm Back on Track, joined a women's circuit place and hopefully I can work on my 10 + pounds that I've gained. Actually more like 15.

I really want my autumn clothes to fit comfortably!

Today I make Vegetable soup.

Life is so free again now that my 4 kids are back to school. Maybe my house will regain some order, I hope anyway. It's been chaos since July, with me working more this summer and the kids home alone undoing any order in their wake.

I now have 2 in high school, and 2 in junior school. And me still in college!

:dizzy:

Oh well, life's like that!

Yuck to the hand-measuring of the ovaries!!!! Sounds so very painful. The worst thing that has happened to me to date was when my bladder kept getting cut off in the 12th week of my 4th pregnancy (tipped uterus) and I had to keep going to emerg for a cathater to drain my urine. 1.5 litres at a time. Nothing like being pregnant and not being able to urinate.

:o

Lois

Lois, we've missed you, sweetie! How dare you leave us! :D What a HORRIBLE story! Hey, are you enjoy the circuit training?

Jennifer, I'm 38 and have never had one. Does that mean I need a mammogram? :yikes:

Squeak, you're always leaving!! I forget... is this pleasure or business? (NOT both!)
Hey, we got our son Zoo Tycoon. I play it, too. It's a riot! We got the add-ons, too. Marine and Dinosaur. Those damned monkeys keep escaping. :mad: I do NOT approve of zoos in real life, but this is fun. :D Have you put a polar bear in with the seals yet? Lots of action.

Twodog, I'm going to make a dentist appointment this fall. Our dentist's office called about 8 months ago and left a message (that we were about 3 years overdue), and I've saved it to remind me to call. :rolleyes: Shall we make this one of our goals? ;)

Den, you worked yesterday! Good for you! Do you feel a little better now? :grouphug:

love and hugs to all... must get the kids up for school... :grouphug:

I kind of went awol all over the place this summer... the cooler weather brings me back to my computer and hot cup of tea.

I'm 41 on the 15th and haven't had a mammogram. Because my eldest sister died of colon cancer I'm supposed to get the test where they send a camera up my but to make sure all is well. Haven't done that yet.

(bletch)

My old jeans fit me this morning, haven't had them on since spring when they were a tad to tight.

The circuit is good, in and out in around 30 minutes, only $40 / month. Affordable, and flexible.

It's good at trimming inches.

See ya later!

Lois

hehehe zoo tycoon, I usually don't like zoos either, they make me sad. Think I will check it out as my nephew's birthday is coming up.

Hi Mauvais, Squeak, Ruth, Ellis, Lidian, Den,2dog and everyone else...wow the list is long...have a GREAT weekend! :dance:

Welcome back Lois! :wave:


Ellis - I know, I have been out a lot this summer. This weekend I will be in Barrie, Ont. for Edgefest - an all day concert with The Hip, Our Lady Peace, Sloan, and a few other bands. Sis#2 and I are going. Drive up tonight, concert tomorrow, home Sunday. Next weekend I will be missing for part of it too. I have a wedding to go to. Then it may actually be quiet again. I picked up the whole Zoo collection. I have only played a few of the scenario games. I like real zoos, if they are very well done - big, natural habitats etc. I am more worried about the hunting/poaching that goes on in the wild.
How are you now the kids are in school again?

Den - How are you? Remeber we need to get moving :drill: ;)

Jennifer - They wanted to give me a vaginal ultrasound, but I had freaked out so much over the regular gyn exam, they decided against it. I was only 17.

Hey, Lamorgan, the up your butt isn't that bad. They give you nice relaxing drugs and you can watch it on the screen. My doctor thought I was nuts but when do you get a chance to see inside your body. I wanted a copy for Christmas presents but he refused! Frass him if he can't take a joke. Damn, I'm due for one again soon.

Been stalling this morning on journalling and getting out for my walk. Today will be busy because tomorrow I get to go to Ottawa to do some shopping and meet Mauvais and Ellis for dim sum lunch. Do you want us to report on the goodies or not? We could take pistures and make you drool on the screen.

Have a super Friday, everyChick!

Hi everyone!

This'll be quick as it is grocery day (yuck, so boring! but maybe I will find they have restocked the Boca burgers!)...glad the weekend is almost here, though I have volunteered to make potato salad and brownies for a BBQ on Saturday. I don't care about the first, but I had better keep away from the brownies! I have been tracking my food and walking a LOT but seem not to have lost an ounce! Ugh.

Talk to you later! Lidian XXX

Oh that's right... Edgefest! Have fun, Squeak! Nice to have sisters, huh?
Thank you, I am regaining my sanity (literally... can't count on the drugs to do it all! :lol: ) now that the kids are back in school.

Oh yeah... pictures, Ruth. I think you and I are a little smaller this year. That Mauvais is ALWAYS slim. That GORGEOUS Mauvais! :lol:

Lidian, it'll come off... keep up the walking... you're doing great!

Sflake, your nephew would probably love Zoo Tycoon. On my walk this morning I accidentally bought myself a new game. Big Biz Tycoon. :D It was only 20 bucks, and I felt in need of a little pick-me-up. Better than buying food, anyhow.

Where is everyone?

Thats ok Ellis my dh just accidentally bought me a motorcycle. :)

:lol: I just responded to you in the other thread, Sflake. Your DH sounds like a sweetie.

Mine never buys me stuff accidentally! Sh:censored:

he's sweet but its alot of money to spend on a whim.

Ellis- ooh :o you are making me blush! You are just trying to butter me up so I'll let you eat more steamed dumplings on Saturday! You will have to take Ruthxxx and I to your little "shabby" but fabulous bakery and we are so going to that Times chinese shop -they have the coolest stuff there! :D

Have fun at Edgefest Sqeaker!

Hi to everyone else :wave:

Glad you are back Lois! :)

Hey, Lamorgan is back! Good to see you! Don't sweat the colonoscopy. The prep is the worst part!

Ruth, ellis, and mauvais, have a great time!

squeak, one of these times you have to let me know when you're coming to Ontario and we can swing a coffee in there somewhere. Enjoy the concert!

Hi to everyone! Just a fly-by posting!

Have to keep this quick, busy day!!!

Lamorgan-LONG TIME NO SEE!!! We missed you sweetie! Glad to see you back.

Jennifer-VAGINAL ULTRASOUND!! My boss calls that, "A date without flowers."
I actually didn't mind that as much as a mammogram! (But I had a female tech. I think if a guy had been doing it I would have felt differently!!) The WORST test I've ever had was a uterine biopsy. EEEKK!!! Came home and laid out on the couch with a blankie sucking my thumb after THAT one!!

Squeak-Ate like a :ink: today and DIDN'T move. Worked for a while though!!

Ellis, Mauvais and Ruth-HAVE FUN TOMORROW!!!!! Wish I could be there (whine)

Sflake-YEESH! I wish MY hubby would do that!!! (there are a few nice alexandrite rings on ebay that would accidently look VERY nice on my hand!!!)

Lidian, Wildfire and the rest of you nutty chicks-HELLO!!!!!

At last, Saturday! Of course I am up early grabbing a little computer time, did mean to sleep in but am wide awake. Getting used to getting up early for school I guess.

I can't think of ANYTHING interesting to say! I am going to have to get some coffee going. I really OUGHT to go for a nice lil run, but it is too dark out yet. And I am planning to get some supportive orthotic insole thingies for my running shoes this weekend, so I might wait till I have them. Don;t want any knee problems this fall!

Talk to you all later! Have a wonderful weekend if I don't manage to wrestle the computer back from the rest of the family. We just got Alchemy (computer game) and the girls are going to want to play later, I know (me too!)

Lidian:)

Morning Lidian I too am up way to early...so much for sleeping in...
Must get moving...so much to do today! Enjoy the weekend everyone :)

Den, what's a uterine biopsy? Is this story something that you'd be telling us around the dim sum table? And shall I slip a word to your sweet DH re: the alexandrite rings? :D

Quick note to Mauvais and Ruth. I was going to clean the house this morning in anticipation of your visit, but I bought myself a new computer game yesterday, and it's calling my name. Please expect filth on your arrival.

Oh, house filth! I thought you had some dirty jokes. I am still giggling over Ethel in the nursing home.

A uterine biopsy is when they snip a bit to check it out. Not fun!

And Lidian, I read in the paper yesterday that you folks at that end of the province are happier than those of us in this end because the frassing sun does not get up as early. We are bright enough for walks before 6 around here but are miserable because of it!

Mauvais and Ellis, I'll see you around 11:30. I'm bringing a few tomatoes and some basil. Hope you can use it and them!

Happy weekend, alternachicks.

Ruthxxx, I never turn down tomatoes and basil :T

Ellis- Don't worry about it hon- we are coming over to see you not your house! :D

Okay, well I've just discovered a hole in my shirt under my right arm, so don't look TOO carefully.

Ruth-For this one they put in a bunch of liquid and suctioned it all out at once. They biopsied everything they suctioned out. DAMN it hurt. The doctor kept saying, "Just another minute, are you okay?" I wanted to scream, "F!@# NO!" and hit him, and I'm not usually a violent person!!!

Ellis-Might be overkill since i have been showing him every single ring i like!!!!
(But I appreciate the thought!!) Once I told an office mate of his (who had just bought his wife an emerald necklace) "Suggest to him that he buy me some emerald earrings." Sure enough, a week later he said to Clark, "You should buy Karen some emerald earrings." Didn't work!!!! Love that guy for doing it though!!!! (AND YES, I would have talked about it at lunch, I'm GROSS that way. have learned to tone it down though since hubby has a delicate stomach.)

HAVE FUN DIM SUMING!!!!!!!!!

:lol: Too funny about the earrings, Den.
Oh, listen. You'd fit right in with Ruth. Some of the gorey stuff she talks about while we're EATING... !? :yikes:

Oh geez, I thought I broke the board!! I typed a message, then when I tried to post it I got the "page cannot be displayed" message, and couldn't get back in for a couple of minutes! :?: Now I have to try to remember what I said....and my short term memory is really bad these days!

Where has my beautiful fall weather gone?? It was 91 degrees today, and is supposed to be 96 tomorrow! This isn't Florida for pete's sake, it's North Dakota! (You all can remind me of this in January when I'm complaining about 25 below! :lol: )

sflake, it's so cool that your DH accidently bought you a motorcycle!! What a great guy!

Ellis, Ruth, and Mauvais, I hope you had a great time together today! I'm so jealous, I would have loved to be there too (for the dim sum, of course!:lol: ) :gossip:

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Twodog, it's warm here, too!
Thank you... we had a great time, and I wish you'd been with us, too. :grouphug:

Lurking Phase Over
 

Hey, ladies.

Uh, thanks for the info. on mammograms. I'm 28, have e-NOR-mous gazungas, and am NEVER getting a mammogram. Ever.

Just kidding. Better to snuggle up to a cold freezer and get mushed than have them rot off, I guess. Ew.

And speaking about female exams, what in **** is with the speculums (specula, speculae?)? They can't open them gradually, ever! It's in, you hear some clicking then *SNAP* - you're wide open. Ow. And they're cold.

I hate all things medical.

B'Elanna Torres would never submit to such humiliation. But then, in Star Trek Land you just get scanned all the time and get injected with that hissy thing, no matter what your ailment. They probably use the transporter to deliver babies.

I think I need more sleep...

I am home, and tired, but still in one piece. :)

I'll be back to catch up later.

Ooooh, Oooh, did somebody say pictures? I love chick-meet pictures. Did you get any of the dim-sum fest? Or of the hole is Ellis' shirt? ;)

Ellis, some doctors think 35 is the magic number for a baseline mammogram. I'm not sure I agree! Might as well though. I've had everything else examined by strangers in bright lights (those would be strangers wearing scrubs and nametags!), why should my boobs be any different?

I was a nurse in a dr's office for awhile back in the 80's and the youngest person we had to get breats cancer was 30. It was found on her marriage physical....:( Don't wait too long, especially if there's family history.

Well, nothing like a newbie coming on here and depressing every one. Sorry. :^:

Musings while watching the Vikings beat up the Packers this afternoon......this is the last football season where I, a short woman, will weigh as much as some of the football players!!! :sumo: Granted, I'm comparing myself to smaller football players, but still.......they're football players!

Cerise-Try to find a doctor who'll warm it up.....some do! (under the light, if they are male and breath heavily on it run the other way.....) I HATE mammograms, but I still do them. Better safe than dead!!!

Squeak-WELCOME BACK!! Tell us how much fun you had. (Lie if you have to) I live vicariously!!!!

2Dog, Cheryl, Jennifer, mauvais, Ruth and all the rest of you alternachicks.....HI!!

Chervata, if we like you, you're never a newbie. We like you. ;)

Okay, Jennifer... I'll get right on it with the mammogram. shudder. Right after I make an appointment with my dentist. brrrrrrr.

Cerise, those "spoons" are horrible! :yes: No man would put up with that torture!

Welcome back, Squeak! Like Den, I don't get out much, so tell us all. :D

Hey, girls! :wave: My sweet DH is making me scallops. I've been instructed to cook frog's legs for dinner tomorrow night. DD has never had them, and is intrigued. I've never cooked them before. I hope I don't heave while I'm doing it.

Gawd, ellis.....frogs legs???:yikes:

I guess I'm weird. I'd rather visit the dentist than have my yearly physical. And I am terrified of the dentist! Or was. :shrug: Maybe I'm just used to the pain now? I have a GREAT dentist who caters to chickens like me. :chicken: I actually keep my six month check-up appointments now. How warped is THAT?

Haven't had the pleasure of a mammogram yet, as the magic number 35 is a year away. I do have a breast exam done by the doctor each year, though.

Why don't men have to be humiliated like we do? Bad enough we have to walk around bleeding for 7 days a month (on average). But geez...pap tests, mammograms, vaginal ultrasounds, biopsies....all they normally do (if they go to the doctor at all!) is stand up and cough.

Froglegs! :yikes: I have heard they taste just like chicken!

Ellis, Ruthxx and I had a fun day on Saturday:

We had a great lunch consisting of many steamed dumplings-shrimp, pork, beef followed by and sticky rice wrapped in palm leaves, curried squid, chicken buns, shrimp wrapped in seaweed, eggrolls, shrimprolls, shrimp on a slice of green pepper, shrimp ball (can you tell we all like shrimp) and tea. I probably missed something. It was all very delicious :T and the company was great! We chatted and laughed a lot and had a great time.

We also did some shopping. We hit a chinese giftshop, I bought some lemon/salt almonds from the Iranian store, Ellis bought coffee at the Lebanese bakery and Ruthxxx bought some groceries at the chinese market and the Indian food store.

Ellis got this nice little dress/jacket combo and I bought some sari fabric from and Indian fabric store to make a skirt and veil for my bellydance class.

I swear Ellis and Ruthxx, we have got to do this more often!:D

Hhhhmph! I just lurked on the SBD boards and read the posting-behind-my-back-posts Ms. Ruthxxx and Ms. Ellis :mad:

I can't believe you were threatening to kill me if I said I was full before the shrimp toast arrived! And take pictures! :lol:

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO - Ruthxxx & Ellis are in trouble!!!! :lol:

Your outing sounds wonderful Mauvais, Ellis & Ruthxxx! I am so glad you had a great time. If I even get my butt up there, can we go out for dim sum? But I will skip out on the frogs legs!!


Wildfire - Coffee sounds wonderful! I am not up in Ontario any where near as much as I would like. I work 5 minutes from one of the bridges, it isn't like it is hard to get to. :p

Chervata - Welcome to the nuthouse! :wave: Yes, that phrase gets used a lot, but it fits. :D

Den - I would have (and have) sweared at the poor doctor. I just want to make sure they fully understand how I feel. ;) Working is good!!! Now get moving too! *she yells from her nice comfy chair* Ok, we both need it, we can do it!!!!!! :drill:

Twodog - With you on the weather. I love fall weather! Warm enough during the day, cool enough to sleep & and all the wonderful colors.

Jennifer - :lol: Love the bit about the strangers!


Well, my weekend was fun, though not too much to report. Sis#2 met me at work, and we left Friday. Hit all the wonderful rush hour traffic in Toronto. But we did find our hotel without getting lost! Good thing we could see it from the highway. Went out to diner at the Rainforest Cafe. It was great fun. My sister hadn't been there before, and just spent most of the time looking around. If you haven't seen/heard of this place - it is a small chain of restaurants that are completely decorated as if you were in the middle of a rainforest. They have beautiful HUGE fish tanks, animatronic elephants, butterflies & gorillas. Moss, leaves & trees (all fake, but cool looking) everywhere. And every 20 minutes or so there is a "thunderstorm". Oh, and they have good food too!

Then Saturday, we made it to Barrie with out getting very lost. (I am prone to getting lost) The concert was great. We were there for 12 hours. Just a ton of people! There was a "vendor village". I got a temp tattoo, which just made the desire to get my real one stronger.

As for the music - We did get to hear a new chick who kicked *** - FeFe Dobson. Her album isn't even out yet, but wow! I enjoyed Stereophonics, who I had never heard before. Though they claimed to have lost their drummer after a drunken Friday night, so they played an acoustic set. Finger Eleven was good, but a little too crowded. I am getting too old to be that smooshed during a concert. We spent the rest of the night much farther from the stage. Though my highlight - ok well the music one - was The Hip. Even played a few new songs, and a few I had never heard live before.

My other highlight (and this will show you how, uh, lonely, excitable, take your pick, I am) was the absolutely adorable guy who cam up and talked to us afterwards in the parking lot. Silly me, tried to leave, but of course traffic wasn't moving. After sitting in the same spot - about 10 feet from where we had been parked - for about a half hour, this guy came up and started chatting with us. Mostly about the fact we didn't seem to be moving. I just kept thinking about how cute he was, and why did I have to find him AFTER the show. After 5 minutes, he wandered off. I told sis#1 today, and she asked where he was, and why I didn't kidnap him. :devil:

OK that is definitely enough rambling from me.

off to bed.
:mouse:

Goodmorning all ~ Not much to say, still sleepy.

Today I have a friend coming over for lunch, and I'm making soup. I have this urge to purge my house of stuff ~ some minimalist possession. Husband and children are getting very worried.

:s:

We haven't moved in over 5 years and 3 years was our record - think I'm going through some sort of withdrawl.

I'd love to call an auctioneer and have him sell half my stuff.

Coming autumn does this to me...

:)

Lois

Good morning sleepy Lois. :wave:
I hear ya re: possessions. I love so much of my stuff, but sometimes I think, "This is ridiculous... burn the house down and we'll start afresh with just the things we need to live!" We have so much...

Squeak, YES! We will dim sum with you! :D Hurry before we die of starvation.
What a great weekend you had! That cafe sounds SO cool! :smoking:
One of these days, the perfect man is going to fall into your lap, hon. But it'll ONLY happen when you're not looking for him. ;) (session over. crystal ball has fogged up.)

Mauvais, you forgot to mention the curried octopus. :) Have you got your sewing machine out yet? That outfit is going to look BEAUTIFUL on you!

Yes, Wildfire... frogs legs. :lol: Mauvais is right... they taste rather like chicken. I remember as a child my Dad bringing home a little paper bag of them as a treat for my Mom. He had a lot of fishing friends then, and they were always sending delicacies home. These ones are frozen. shudder.

love and hugs to all... :grouphug:

Ellis-My paternal grandmother (who lived to be 101 1/2!!) used to go to a nearby lake with her brother (when she was a kid.) They would catch frogs, light a fire and cook their own frog legs. SHUDDER. So remember, you COULD be cutting those little legs off with a pocket knife!!!

Wildfire-They DO have prostate exams though!!!

Mauvais-Heck, we just want the same success with the weight loss that you have had!!! WITHOUT all the work!!!! Sounds like you all had a wonderful time! Hope I can go with all of you one day!!!

Squeak-OOH!!! Sounds like you had a GREAT time!!! We have a Rainforest Cafe here too! But the mall that it is in also has a Alcatraz based restaurant that is fun (and a bit cheaper and QUIETER) so I tend to go for that (it is a brewery too!!!) YES, I DO need to move!! I have been like a slug lately!!! Trying to come back to life now that fall is here!!!(SOMEHOW that seems backwards, but that is usually the way it works for me!!!) Flirtations are GREAT, aren't they? Ellis is right, by the way. I met DH when I hit the point of not caring if I met a guy or not, because all the ones I was meeting were such jerks!!!

Lois-I need to purge my house too!!! Hope you have fun with your friend!!!!!

Sad news-They are reporting on e-news that Warren Zevon passed away yesterday. BUMMER.....