[H-ko]

Hi everyone!

I woke up at 1am or so and couldn't sleep, so I'm up doing homework. As it's now past 3am, I thought I'd hop on, say "hi!", see what everyone is up to, and then get back to it. I'm working on a "persuasive essay" for my writing class for next week, and I've finished some science homework that isn't due for a few days, so I'm sitting pretty--for the moment! I've only just sort of decided on my topic for my paper: population growth. I think I'll title it something like "Be Fruitful, and Multiply: Population Growth in an Overcrowded Society," or something along those lines. I can utilize some of the stuff I've learned in my environmental science class, as well as my personal views on population and stewardship. It should be interesting (if I go with that topic--I may change my mind yet). There's only three more weeks in the quarter; we're just starting week 9 of 11. Then I have a couple of weeks to recover, sleep, and clean house before Christmas!

Also, I just got back my paper on the SBD (for those of you who recall, I wrote an expository essay about the SBD for my writing class a few weeks ago): another A! She really seemed to like it, which is nice.

What's happening on your towel today?

[Ruthxxx]

Congratulations, Heather! I'd love to read your essay on SBD. PM me if you want my email addy.

The weekend was just wonderful! Since Beachgal posted last night, I know she and Beachguy got home safely after lunch here - and dog adoration! My Girls just loved Laurie and Lucy did her very best silly puppy schticks! Saturday with Ellis, Mauvais and the Beach folk was fun. I won't mention what we ate! but it was sooooo good.

Today I need to start getting organized for my surgery Thursday and also have a new friend coming for dinner. Mary is my dental hygienist whose husband died about a year ago. She is finding evenings long, as am I, so we are having dinner here tonight. We'll see how it goes and may start having dinner together more often.

I think the pile of wet and frozen leaves on the front walk may be moveable today so I'll get that done this morning. Unless a miracle happens, the rest of the leaves will just lie there until spring!

I'd better get with it and plan dinner. I seem to have lost my package of prosciutto so may need to change the menu a bit. I'd planned Saltimbocca Romano but may switch to schnitzel. Poop!

So what's happening with you today?

[Mamacita]

Good morning, Chickadees~~

Had a very accomplished weekend. Saturday, dh and I got in a good, long walk around the mall (2 miles) and yesterday, we got the living room painted. Still need to do the touch-ups and the trim, but at least the walls are a different color than they were 48 hours ago.

Last weekend, I'd mail-ordered this gorgeous dress for our upcoming cruise and was holding my breath, sure that it wasn't going to fit and I'd have to send it back and get the next largest size. Guess what? It arrived Saturday and even after trying it on after a full day's worth of eating and walking around, it was a PERFECT fit! And dh says I look gorgeous in it!

I'm still not 100% back on the Beach. Can't do salads or lots of whole grains, so I'm easing back into things by eating the "Rice in a Minute" type brown rice, very well-cooked veggies like green beans, broccoli and carrots and some raw stuff like tomatoes. Red meat still sits in my tummy like a load of cement, so I eat a grilled hamburger patty about once a week. The rest of the time, it's chicken this and chicken that.

Heather, I remember back in HS we did an experiment with rats regarding population overgrowth. We put a male and female rat in the same (very large) cage and just let them keep reproducing over the course of the semester. We provided them with plenty of food and water, kept the cage sparkly clean and gave them lots of places to hide, but by the end of the course, all the rats were fighting, ganging up on the weaker ones and even cannibalizing each other. It made me look at urban life in a whole new light.

Glad you got an "A" on your SBD paper!

Well, I need to run a brush through my hair and get moving.

HAGD on the Beach everyone!

[H-ko]

Ruth - I'll just add it as an attachment here - then if anyone else is interested in it, they can read it, too. I'm glad you all had a great time this weekend! I missed that you are having surgery - nothing too serious, I hope?

Mama - Congrats on the dress! What a lovely NSV! Are you going to post a pic of you wearing it? When is your cruise? I hope your tum is all better by then! I remember learning about the same studies in my psych class some years back. Whenever I hear about someone "going postal" or some other terrible thing, I always think back to those studies.

I'm going to pick a different topic, I think. I started writing my essay on population, and I just am not getting into it - plus it keeps changing under my fingertips as I type! Not sure what I'll write on instead - I'll have to think it over and decide soon as I want to post my rough draft by Tuesday.

[beach bum]

Hi Chicks

Have to make this fast as DH is taking me out to buy me a black leather coat for our 39th Wedding anniversary.I always wanted one,and now may wish is coming true. I 'm go to get him a Sirius Satilite Radio, where you can get all kinds of stations all over the country.Thats what he wished for.

Will post later Hugs BB

[pearshape]

Mornin', chicks! Well, camping was fun and relaxing as usual. Except for Sat. night when a major storm came through. The wind was howling and my tent caved in twice. I stayed dry but noticed the floor of my tent was wet in some parts. I'm calling Coleman, the tent company. The "Guaranteed to Keep You Dry" sticker on the front didnt live up to its claim. THey have really good customer service so I'm sure they'll make it right.

The coolest thing was the coyotes howling. THe first night they woke me up they were so loud. I was laying in my tent under the stars (and under loads of sleeping bags and blankets...it got down to below freezing) listening to the coyotes howl and cackle. IT was so loud, I've never heard them like that before. IT was amazing. Our campsite had a panoramic view of the lake we camped by. Sitting there drinking coffee early in the morning is my favorite part of camping. Then we went on a 4 mile hike Saturday which wasnt the best hike we've been on. The leaves were so dry and piled up on the trail that it sounded like a herd of elephants walking through the woods. It was sort of obnoxious. But at the end of the trail was another beautiful lake. I took some B&W shots and will post as soon as I get another USB cord for my camera. We also found the coolest bright yellow fungus growing out of this log. Everything in the woods was brown and dead except for this beautiful fungus. I wonder how many people just passed it by without even noticing it. It was huge but out of the way and unless you have eagle eyes for fungus you could easily overlook it. I'll post it as my next avatar. It was the coolest part of the hike.

Eating was bad and badder so it's a week of P1 for me....a strict one this time. I've got to drop some weight b4 I go to CA next month. Have a great day chickies! I'm off to get my butt in gear for a busy day!

[Schatzi]

Good Morning my Pudgie Pals!!! Tis a loverly day here in Nerth Caroliner... time for another Hike with the furkids...Food shopping.. and "recreate" my resume so that I can get it out to Monster etc...

Pearseydew, my moldy friend! Yes, need new mold specimen for your avatar.. That or a pic of Percy and Alfie... How I would have loved to go camping with you... at least I could save you from your yumola granola heh heh heh
Coyotes in Kentucky? Amazing! I know what you mean about the haunting powerful howling.. heard them out in Colorado and down in the Grand Canyon..

BB: WOW you are on a Good Time Roll girl!! I only got one leather coat about 5 years ago..promptly grew outta it..but with SB I'm now back wearing it! I love it! and DH is gonna love Sirius or XM..DH got it in his new car and we get to listen to Opie and Anthony and Ron and Fez now!

HKO: Sounds like you're on track to make Valedictorian !!!!

Mama: Slowly but surely sounds like you are gettin bettah!!

Ruth: Have a lovely dinner.. hmm saltimbocco...maybe that'swhat I'll make for dinner...

[angelshine90]

good morning everyone! its 60 out! holy crap!!! NOT november weather! last night I came home from work sick ( i had sugar free candy) even though I know what it does to me! ..and josh had set up our christmas tree with just the lights on it...i know its early but it made me so happy!!.....I had a very Non productive weekend...I did go running every day though...eating wise I could have done better but ah well....every day is a new day.

hope you all had a great weekend!

[Hollyhock]

Hello everyone!! I am off to clean a toilet!!
Whirling Monday. Got my 2 and 2 others out the door to school with nary a mishap. It was actually a fantastic morning. Just 2 preschoolers this AM and then I am volunteering in DD’s class this aft!!!
I will clean the bathrooms and wash the kitchen floor this morning.
I will plan hubby’s family Christmas for here this Sunday.
I want to do some decorating!!
Just finished a yummy ham and swiss omlet.Havin’ a glorious coffee.
Hockey practise at 4:30. Avon order goes in tonight by 11pm. i have most entered. Total so far is $1200. I earn 40% of that!!!!!!
I declined 2 Christmas dinner parties in DEC!
Need to have a chat with the minister today re: church business. Also need to write a cover letter for the Parent Guide going out this week!!


Daily Journal (Sunday)
1.My renewal statement for the day. I WILL do this.
2. Weekly weight. 229
3. Exercise-type, how long, what level. oops rested a LOT
4. % fat, carbs, protein.
5. # meals and snacks. 3 meals, 1 snacks
6.# fruits, # of veg. 1 fruit,4 veg
7. How many glasses of water.10
8. Time of last food intake, time I went to bed.9pm&11pm
9. Why and when I ate due to stress or emotions. didn’t
10.General feelings about food, exercise, life. Food is glorious LOL, got to keep it t5rastely and low cal, low fat, make healthy choices, exercise~ like it wehen itn has a purpose like raking, shovelling snow, weeding etc, life is beyond wonderful
11. Any really good events or feelings today. Oh Yeah!!~ slept in til 8. Cozy morning with the kids. We all took nice long baths and went to church which was very pleasant. Hubby and kids puttered.I ran an errand. They went skating. I laid on ther futon in the sun wiht the kitties. Put away some laundry. Laid on my bed and watched Alias. Made a meal to make my Oma proud. I have been drooling over kapusta ever since FGA mentioned it. I made smoked chops, sourkraut with keilbasa, kale, boiled potatoes( I didn’t eat those) and glazed carrots, followed up with lite ricotta with mixed berries stirred in. MMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! Very quiet evening we all laid down and snuggled.
12. Overall, how did the day go. wonderful
13. How can I improve for tomorrow. Um… keep cals below 1500

Oh, sent an email to the aunt asking her not to give the kids gifts........

[soon2Bfab]

Morning ladies....well I'm feeling better but dbf is now sick. Poor thing! I gave him a back rub last night, which knocked him out & he slept like a baby until 5 this morning. At 5 he went to the couch...now he's in the shower & believes he's going to work. I'll be surprised if I don't get a call to come pick him up! Maybe he'll feel better after the shower!
My little furbabies were fighting this morning, so my big, handsome boy - Thunder (also my drama queen) is sitting on my lap for a time out!

Schatzi - good morning..have fun recreating a resume!

Pear - you're a crazy gal - rats/coyotes....whatever floats your boat!

BB - Have fun shopping & happy anniversary!!

H-ko - great job with the A...I'll read your essay in a few.

Mamacita - great NSV!!

Ruth - Don't worry about thos stinky leaves! Enjoy your day!

I'm off to see what is in the frig & go grocery shopping - see you later!

[JessieW]

I am in a wonderful mood this morning! I lost 1/2 a pound last week, not bad considering the constant slip-ups. I am quite determined to stay OP until the family arrives next Wednesday. I need to lose the other 1.5 lbs towards my Thanksgiving goal. I don't feel that much smaller, but I do think that my Mom and sister will be surprised. I have lost almost 15 pounds! I was dissapointed because I order some sz. 14 jeans off eBay and since my 16s are falling off I thought they would be perfect...well, I had to squeeze into them and they are way too tight. Guess it is the brand but oh well.

I feel like I need a ticker on my desk for the rest of the work week. Friday at 4:30 starts my VACATION! Nine whole days away from this place! And I get to see everyone--Adam's family and my family. OK, so I am a lot more excited about my family, but we don't have to discuss that!

If anyone knows how to roast a turkey, I would appreciate the advice! LOL.

Happy Holidays!!!!!

Jessie

[Tammy70]

Good morning ya'll

This weekend was great, spent some quality time with DH and my mom's birthday is Tuesday so we took her out for dinner Sat night at Olive Garden. I had the best parmesan tilapia w/ brown rice and broccoli. I think it's new to the menu because before there wasn't much I could eat, all pastas. But now you can even substitute whole wheat linguine for any pasta!!! They're getting on board w/ healthier eating!!!!

Yesterday I hit the 50 lb mark, and this morning I got on the scale (couldn't help myself), and it's up 2 lbs. But I am not depressed about it at all. Because I saw that number go down and I know its just a matter of time before it goes back to 205 and lower!!! My goal is to be under 200 by Christmas. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can

I hope everybody has a great day

[H-ko]

Jessie - I almost always use those roasting bags. The turkey cooks faster and doesn't dry out. I cut the bag open about 15-20 minutes before time's up so that I'm not serving up a pasty-white bird! Just get the right size bag for your turkey, and follow the instructions inside (except that you might want to cut open the bag near the end, like I do). Be sure it's done all the way - use a meat thermometer or check that the juices run clear (not as accurate). If you don't have an instant-read meat thermometer, I recommend you get one. They aren't expensive and are a big help. Mine has a list of internal temps for a variety of meats on the cover for handy reference. Also, I never stuff my turkey. I don't feel secure that it's going to have cooked enough to be safe. I always cook any stuffing or dressing seperately in a covered casserole. Hope all this helps!

[djett626]

Hi ladies,

I feel unworthy to be on here today. I was so bad this weekend. I finally started and I felt miserable. I don't know if it was my PCOS acting up, but I have never felt this bad with my period. I was feeling yucky, depressed and fatigued. I had slight episodes of dizzy spells from getting up and walking across the room. I totally carbed out. I am sure that made everything even worse. I am kind of sickly still today. I had egg beaters and turkey bacon for breakfast. I couldn't finish it. I'm not hungry and I am sipping on water. I hope I feel better by tomorrow b/c I want to go to step aerobics. I am going to take a real lunch today. I plan to have some Wendy's chili and go to JC Penney's to check out the luggage that is on sale. (We are going to Disney for a week in April )

Hi to everyone. I will come back on later if I get a chance!

[SoCalBirdLady]

Good morning chicks--

Well, I made it through the weekend OP. I think I will do better with my new weigh in day being on Thursday rather than Sunday.

Instead of mindless eating I perused the recipes available on this site. There are some that sound fabulous! I think that the trick is not to get in a rut although I DO have that tendency.

Ruth - I envy your get-together with some of our favorite Beach regulars! Wish you all could stop by here. Wouldn't you like a little (somewhat) warm weather? Good luck with the surgery.

Mamacita - Congrats on the dress. You must feel fabulous! Where are you going on your cruise?

H-ko - Glad you are doing well with school; it must be hard with a toddler. What is your major/goal?

Pearshape - Hang in there. You are so close to breaking 200!

Hollyhock - And they say SAHM's don't WORK! Your schedule makes my head spin.

Schatzi - Good luck with the resume. I have heard that Monster really works.

Angelshine - You are right. Every day is a new day. It is often hardest when we are close to goal (yes I DO remember that feeling from long ago )

Jessie W - Sizes can really be deceiving and we can't let them control how we feel about ourselves! Sometimes I am an 18 and sometimes I am a 22. I swear, my favorite store has the sizes tagged artificially smaller than the "real" sizes. Perhaps that is why it is my favorite . . . On the turkey, have you ever tried one of those large clear roasting bags? That is what my MIL does and it comes out perfect every time. Also, the bag catches a lot of the juice which you can use for. . . oh, never mind.

Tammy - Yes, the scale goes up and down (especially for women) and it is MADDENING. But don't do as I did...while I was away I gained 11 lbs! I can't blame that on water retention.

Well, I am off to get ready for the office...wait a sec, it is only 7:30. Dare I go clear the laundry off the exercise bike and actually use it?