**** Everybody ,I am back to getting to 3FC the long way around.. I went to the Methodist church last evening for their Christmas program . It was great..
I have been going to WW for a few weeks. Right now ,I am not sure that is what I want to do at this time. I am going to take the time till the first of the year to think about it. I really am not a meeting type of person. And ,I don't think I am learning anything there I don't already know.. I just need to apply it..
I will be looking forward to the end of this year..
Not the best mood for a holiday season.. Joanne

Mima, I love shopping at Ross. We don't have them here, so I always go to them when we are traveling. I've heard from many people that Blind Side is good. May have to go see it.

Joanne, I know what you mean about attending the meetings. I got to be the same way when I was going. I enjoyed the Bible based classes that I was going to on Wed. nights, but the drive was getting to be a pain, and I just wasn't happy there anymore. We know what we need to do, like you said, we just need to apply it.

I am cutting back on my activities. Just too much. I'll only be doing the aerobics class in the mornings at the Y on M-W-F after the first of the year. Maybe I'll have time to get things done around the house then. Seems like I'm always on the go. My friend teaches Zumba at a Zumba Studio about 30 minutes from here, and she said whenever I want to go, I can ride along. I can pay as I go there instead of signing up for a session like i have to do at the Y. She teaches on some Sat. mornings and some Sun. afternoons.

Meeting the retired crew for lunch today. One of our retired friends passed away on Saturday. She has been quite ill, and she needed a lung transplant. She didn't want one. Her sister had a transplant and it didn't work, and she died 10 years ago.

I'm finished rambling for now. Have a great day!

Sorry about your friend Tammy. Right now my sil is at her dad's funeral-he has been sick for so long that it was a blessing. And it's her bd-I sent her 2 nice christmas cd's. I don't normally give her a gift but I couldn't send her flowers cuz my bro did.
I am bummed out about my daughter. I am trying to detach because she makes her own choices. I can think of so many things she could do-that's why I have to detach. She wanted to go stay at our house but it is all closed down so she was upset about that. I am asking God to heal it and me.
Bye for now Mima

Good morning ladies. Well, today I am back on phase 1 and hopefully I will be able to stick to it for at least a week. I need to jump start this diet again and get the rest of this weight off. No more fooling around!
Mima, I am sorry to hear there are problems with your family. Instead of a joyful atmosphere, the holidays can bring out the worst in situations some times. I hope things work out for the best with Suzanne and her hubby. And there is a baby on the way, isn't there? I'll hope for the best.
Like Joanne and Tammy, I am not one for these "group meetings" type of things. My gf (neighbor) took me to WW for about a month and I just didn't get enough out of it to pay for those weekly meetings. With all the knowledge I have about nutrition, I should be able to figure it out, right? So like you both, I need to APPLY IT!
Haven't received my recumbant trike yet. It has been shipped but has not arrived. Hubby has two weeks off over Christmas so we should be able to get it assembled. Wait till Queenie gets an idea of what's in store for her! She'll either love it and bug me to do it or she'll run and hide when I say let's go!
Going to clean out my fridge drawers and go to the local veggie stand. I need some fresh vegetables to get my system into a fat burning mode! Not sure what I will be cooking up this week but I am trying very hard to plan everything without carbohydrates. Wish me luck! Enjoy the day!

Hello Everybody.. I agree with Kate.. I am just not getting enough out of this weight watchers group to justify my spending 10.00 a week. I could lead a class better than the leader they have. In other words I was bored to death for the hour. I will just have to be careful and apply myself. After the holidays there will not be so many things around to tempt me.. That I will make sure of. The hubby needs to lose about 20+ lbs himself.
Mima- I know well the pain of worrying about our grown kids. My son has been out of work for nearly a year. There is no work for architects here. he has been doing odd jobs and we have been helping. Thank God his wife still has a good job. He said if worse came to worse they would sell their home and move in with us. Lets pray that doesn't happen.. I don't think I would be up to that..I hope things work out for your daughter and you.
Today I gave Christie a bath .I used the blow dryer on her to dry her a little.I think she liked it.. She sat there and let me do it!Now cutting her nails is a different story. She will try to bite me if I bother her paws.. washed her bedding.. I don't want my son-in- law to say she smells. We are going to there place in North Florida from the 20th to the 24th.. Then we all will be back here for Christmas with our son. All I am making will be a salad. Yippee! someone else can do the cooking. My sister Mary is doing a Turkey and dressing.. She isn't the best cook ,all very fattening. But, I will survive..
Joanne

Congratulations to anyone who can lose weight at this time of year. I've been eating way too much. STRESS! Tammy, as soon as Christmas is over I have to slow things down, too!

I so agree about groups. I don't do well with those programs and going to meetings. I'm ok for a few weeks but then I get tired of hearing the same stuff over and over. The last one I went to the woman was reading the material to us and having to ask how to pronounce some of the words for goodness sake.

Kid's program is over. Now I only have the Adult Cantata Sunday and the Caroling at Kroger on Saturday morning, a Christmas party at hubby's niece's with all his family Saturday night and our Christmas here Christmas Day, of course. I got my cards all done but still don't have all my presents and haven't started baking. I usually have several cakes in the freezer by now. I've been in bed the last coupe of days. Had to work on music for Sat. and Sun. tonight. We're also having a candle-light communion service Sun. night and pastor said to have 5 'soft' Christmas songs ready for that. I'm tired.

Joanne ... I can't cut Gingers nails. They bleed. I took her to the vets last month and he cut them for me & 2 of them bled on him. I bought one of those Pedipaw things but I don't like to use it. When I use it it splits the nails ...

Mima, don't know about therapy, been trying to rest my arm and shoulder, that's what the rheumatologist said to do - keep my elbow close to my side and not use it any more than I had to and take Aleve. It's a little better but my legs have been cramping really bad and can't hardly walk. Oh well, if it isn't one thing ...

Hi everybody.

Meme - good to see you here. You are busy as usual. Glad you got away to visit your relatives. I hope you are feeling more rested after being in bedf for a couple of days. Sometimes it doesnt' work that way. I have been so busy working ( a waaaaay more than I want to) that I hardly have time for anything. Hopefully, the New Year will be kinder to you, and you will have more Meme time. There is a chiro called ART, and all he does is work on the tiny muscles. He is supposed to do amazing things for shoulders etc. Just thought I would mention it to you. Have never been to one. You can google him.

Mime - so sorry that the kids are in trouble. It happens I guess, with one being gone a lot, before they really had time to solidify their marriage. Too bad. I hope she is not too stressed for the sake of the baby. Hope you are feeling well.

Kate - Those bikes are supposed to be good. Hope you get it soon. It seems you have been a busy baker. Good luck on getting started again. It's a BAD time of year for that. Too much visiting.

Tammy - I think it's a good idea for you to slow down some. You have been running for too long. Sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. I guess we are getting to that age now.

Joanne - have a safe trip and enjoy your time away. You son didn't get the job he had applied for with the police?? Or he hasn't heard yet! Something will pop up.

Like I said, I have been so busy at work, that on my days off, all I can do is sit like a zombie. Then, on the weekends, we have had to go to Edmonton, for various functions. Thankfully, a blizzard arrived in time for the first weekend, and I wouldn't go out on the highway, so it was like a gift of time. However, last weekend we did go, and this weekend we go, and then on the 24 we go. Inbetween, I am working and trying to get some baking done, but that's hard when you only have so much energy, as you all well no,

Yesterday was a baking day,. and I got lots done. I will finish up tomorrow and then it will be time to wrap gifts and pick up a few things I need. Soon we will be into a New Year. Lot's of people find a HUGE let down in January, after all the hubbub of Christmas, but for me, it is a time of solitude. The days are long, and sometimes cold, but other times, the January thaw arrives and it can be nice. I don't imiagine I will have much work during that month, as it sooms nobody takes holidays.

It has been so cold here. We have broken records. On Saturday night/Sunday morning, we were in Edmonton, and at the Edmonton Internation Airport it was -46.5 and the weatherman said it was the second coldest place on earth - only someplace in Siberia was colder. On Monday morning, here in Red Deer, it was -41.5. I don't know if any of you have ever lived in a "deep-freeze" before, but it sure does take your breath away. A lot of the homeless refuse to go indoors and have made makeshift tents out of blankets. One man had a battery run hairblower to keep his surroundings tolerable. He won't go to a shelter, as he likes to dring beer, and you cannot drink or do drugs in these places, so many stay on the streets. SAD!!! Today, is is 16F out there, and heading for 24F today, so we are having tropical weather! It will feel like Spring after over a week of the frigid weather.

Well, I really need to come here more often, because now I have written a novel lol Have a great day.

Happy- My son did not get into the academy because they said they would take only so many. They told him he passed all their requirements and would get in in April. We will see. People tell you one thing and do another sometimes. I hope everyone will pray for him. He is in a rough spot right now.
Meme- Christie's nails do not bleed ,she just doesn't want anyone to touch her paws. Now at the vets they have no problem. I just don't want to pay 10.00 for them to cut 2 nails. The rest get ground down on the sidewalk.
Mima- I hope things are getting better for your daughter.
Kate - I don't dare bake too much. I told the hubby I wasn't making any pies at Christmas time. Maybe one for the New Year..
I doubt I will ever go to a WW meeting again.. I really hate it to spend and get nothing out of it that I already know.It appears sometimes that I know more than the leader who is giving the talks.
Tammy- I have never heard of a bible based weight loss group down here.I am just going to stick as much as possible to what I can do through the holidays and then buckle down.
Everybody have a GREAT DAY...Joanne

Good morning everyone. I'm waiting for our purified water company to show up and retest the system we had installed 5 months ago. They are supposed to come back after installation to make sure everything is working properly and that the water is what it is suppose to be. The FedEx guy just delivered the trike!! Doesn't look like much broken down into that box but I imagine once it is assembled it will be larger. I just hope my fat a** will fit on the seat! This is definitely going to be an interesting adventure!
Had my teeth cleaned this morning and all looks good. I do have to have 10 of those composite fillings done on my front teeth where the gum line has gone down. They call them "ab factures" from grinding my teeth. The old ones are worn so I will replace 5 at a time. Shouldn't be too bad....I've already done 5 and it went quickly. They just sand blast the area and put this resin stuff in that matches the color of your teeth. The worst part is spitting out the sand for a few hours after!
I can't wait for "boxing day" in January! Clean everything up and pack it all away...get back to normal around here! (not sure what's normal in my household!) My neighbor who walks with me is going up to Pensacola for Christmas to stay at some condo/timeshare on the beach there with her son and his new wife. They are driving about 6 hours to get there for 4 days.....and their son is driving down from Nashville to meet them there. Sounds like a great time....I've never been to the north gulf area of Florida.
Need to get the vacuuming done . Making a beef burgundy for dinner tonight with mashed cauliflower and veggies. I'm trying to be so good about this no-carb thing but it is harder than I remember!! Hope everyone enjoys the rest of the day!!

Mima, hope things go ok for your daughter. I know it is hard to detach yourself.

Kate, you will definitely have to let us know what Queenie's reaction is to the trike! Glad to hear that it came!! My goal for the holidays is to not have a gain. I'm not going to think about trying to lose right now. If I do, it will be a bonus. We arrive on the 27th, and I'll be leaving on the 31st. I take Tim to the airport in Orlando the afternoon of the 30th. Do you think we could meet up sometime? If you are busy, we'll just have to do it some other time!

By the way, when I did devotions at one of our Emmaus Team meetings, I talked about attitude. Your quote on your post is one thing that I said during the devotions!!

Joanne, that's funny about you saying that you could lead a class better! I thought the same thing at the class I was attending on Wed. nights. It is called First Place 4 Health. The Bible part, they were good at, but the nutrition stuff, I know that I knew more. Several times they said things, and I would write it down and double check when I got home. I would then email them and tell them what I had found. I don't know if they appreciated it or not, but what they were telling the group should have been correct.

When I have tried to use the hairdryer on Maurice, he freaks out! Good for Christie! Hope your son doesn't give up on the academy. Tim is hoping to go in July. Let's keep both of them in prayers.

Meme, you and I will have to remind each other that we aren't going to do as much!!!

Anne, I had to chuckle when you said that about sitting like a zombie! I remember feeling like that so many days my last few years of teaching. Heck, sometimes I do it now! Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr to your cold weather! It was 18 F when I walked in the Jingle Bell Run, and today it has been about 20. I have some baking to do, can't decide if I want to get started tonight or wait till tomorrow.

This is exam week for Tim. He called after his first one yesterday, and I knew he was upset. He said he was a complete blank, couldn't remember anything. Well, the more we talked, I don't think it was as bad as he thought (I hope!). He had to choose 5 people from a list of 16 to write about. He wrote about 4, and then just drew a blank on any of the rest of them. There was also another section, and he thought he did ok on it. He has the same person for the 2nd exam he had yesterday, and he felt really good about that one. He told her how he was drawing a blank on the first one. She told him that happens sometimes, and she knows that he knows the stuff. Hope she grades with that in mind! 2 exams they did during their last week of classes, so he only has one left. Friday morning at 7:45.

This weekend my 2 friends and I are going on our annual trip to a bed and breakfast in Indiana. I think this might be our 10th year. I need to start getting things thrown in a suitcase for that, and then when I get home on Sunday night, I'll need to really start getting ready for the trip south. Hey you Florida people, what's the temperature down there??

If you have time, take a couple of minutes to listen to this. It is fantastic.

Andrea Bocelli sings The Lord's Prayer - it is powerful and beautiful and did I say FANTASTIC!!!

View My Video

Wow, and I thought it was cold here. It is 29 and supposed to get down to about 24, I think. We went to Huddle House with friends for late night breakfast tonight and it was so warm and cozy in there over our coffee and conversation ... the when we left the cold air hit - Burrrrr

The Choir had their last practice tonight. I was worried until they got on the stage and went through the whole thing ... they surprised me ... they're really good! The 'tech' guys set up the mics and sound stuff and they filled the whole church with beautiful music. There are only 17 in the choir but they sounded more like 27. We have 14 kids joining them for one song and you should hear that one! I couldn't believe the sound.

There is a wonderful Southern Gospel Quartet who all the men (& musicians)but one are members of our church, so I (being the wise person that I am ) asked them to take the whole service the Sunday after Christmas. What this means is, I won't be responsible for any of the church music the week of Christmas! I'm getting one of our youth who is going to college to become a teacher to teach my SS class that Sunday, too. So, now if I can find someone to teach my Wed. night class, I will have the whole week of Christmas off from church duties! Yea! A whole week to sit and think about how I got myself into doing all this stuff! ha

Tammy, have fun this weekend
I don't know what my 'goals' are. I really haven't set any. I've gained a few pounds and need to get them off - AND not gain any more! This is a bad time of year to think about a weight loss program. But, too, I don't like to get the thought in my head 'I'll start a diet Jan. 1st' because then I'm afraid I'll start eating anything I want from now until then because a DIET is coming up. It's a conundrum!

Well, I do like groups-one thing is that you are accountable but we have a small group. I do not learn anything though.
Suzanne and Jim are better for now. It would be a miracle if he went to counseling.
Going to have a field of vision test this morning, Maybe need eyelid surgery.
Gotta go. Everyone is busy . Be dood. Mima

Good morning all. Anne, I love Andrea Bocelli....I've been trying to find his new Christmas disc but haven't come across it yet anywhere.
Tammy, I believe I gave you my home phone number already? Just give me a call when you get here and maybe we can coordinate a visit? You can always come to my house....it's about 10 min. away from the resort...off U.S.1. Just give me a call, okay? We can at least say hi and have coffee?
I love the new trike!~ Queenie walked with it yesterday afternoon but her first reaction to it was "What the..? Now what, mom?" I spent 3 hours assembling it....yes, I assembled it all by myself! Even used hubby's air compressor to fill the tires with air! If it wasn't raining right now, I'd have her furry white butt out there again too! The neighbors kid (he's 9) had a blast with it when I let him try it out. He's bugging his mom and dad (the A/C guy who hates to work, remember him?) to let him have one. I'll bet his folks just love me right about now!
Tammy, the weather here had been record highs right up until yesterday. Temps now in the mid 70's It started raining last night and has been raining off and on since then. Very wet and humid right now with 80% chance of more rain tomorrow. We are suppose to get a cold front moving in by this weekend. That's as far as I've gotten with the weather reports. Don't know when or if it will warm up to 70's + again after the cold front. Hopefully it will be beautiful the week you are here!
Mima, I think if Suzanne approached Tim while he was calm and pensive, she might get him to try counseling. Maybe if she picked a male counselor it might help? Just a thought.....with the baby coming I sure hope they can work things out.
Need to run some errands today. Going to try and work in between down-pours! At least it is not a cold rain.(or snow!!)Hope everyone enjoys the rest of the day.....

Kate, I can't find the number! I know I wrote it down and planned to put it in my phone, but I never did. I probably wrote it where I wouldn't lose it. Ha! Would you be so kind as to send it again either pm on here or at facebook? Getting together just to say hello is fine with me!! How about if I have a diet pepsi or water instead of coffee? lol Even 60's will feel great to me after the cold days we've had here.