OK OK, I'll start it. My tiny little brain usually can't remember what year it is, much less what month. So I need this thread to read "October"!

But be sure to go back and read any posts you may have missed at the end of the September thread. Especially the one from DNW. Hi Carol! I'm glad to see you here. Keep us posted and know that we're always thinking of you.

In other news...

Well, let me get this thread started first....

Good morning ladies. How are you today and thank you to Jello for her superior technical knowledge. The cat wants attention and won't hardly let me type. He keeps sticking his head under my right hand. He has to be boarded next Wed night because the electrical contractor is coming on Thur to redo the wiring so he won't be happy.

I am trying to get back to normal. I did 2.4 miles yesterday but have to get back on the food train. I haven't gone shopping for my menus and probably won't until later next week as I need to go to the commissary and that takes up a day.

My dd and gs took me out for my birthday yesterday and they bought me this great Sony Walkman CD player for my exercise and IT DOESN'T SKIP. We shook it and banged it around while it had a cd playing and it didn't skip once. I usually do glider today, but I may have to walk just to see how it does.

Now that we are home, it is kind of quiet with no exciting news. Oh, my future dil's ring is gorgeous. Son has good taste like his mom!

Faye

Good Morning and Happy Thursday, one more day until the weekend. WooHoo.

DNW, good to hear from you dear, Each day will get a little easier, keep your friends and family close. Are you doing your one nice thing for youself each day? You should do that for yourself, and don't feel guilty about doing it either. Orders from Sister Semo!

Nothing much to report, just a lot of the same old, same old going on here. Everyone must be busy, 'cause it's been slow and VERY QUIET here for the last few days.

Chow for now.

Hi. Thursday already. Where does the time go...
I started to post earlier, but the rock guy got here. The guy bringing rock for our septic system....yeah, something else at my house is BROKEN. What's new.

I called the nearest gym for membership info. When I told DH the price, he seemed shocked. I'm not sure if it was price shock or "I can't believe she took me serious" shock.

Jello, how's your exercise going in your little pink room? Is Curves pink too?

I'm trying to organize a garage sale for the weekend and I've decided to get rid of all my diet books. They aren't doing me any good. I know what I need to do and holding onto the books isn't going to help me do it. The only one I'm keeping is Kathy Smith for the free weight instructions. It'll be strange having people rummage through them...thinking this chick actually bought all of them.

I better get busy. I'm making apple pie for DH to take to work tomorrow so he can make the other guys jealous.

I just wanted to stop by and say hello to everyone since I haven't participated lately. I hope you're all doing well.

Things haven't changed much for except that my oldest daughter moved back home and I quit smoking a couple months ago. I didn't really want to but I got sick and my doctor convinced me it was time. I'm glad now that I did but boy have I put on some weight. Up to over 200#'s now and I'm not happy about it but I guess it's better than getting cancer.

Gotta go for now. DNW take care, I think of you often.

LJ

Huntress! for quit'n the cancer sticks! I've never been a smoker, so I don't know how hard it is to quit. But, dealing with a loved one with lung cancer is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. You did the right thing.

Huntress, it was 4 years ago I quit last August. I'm glad I did because I can hardly breathe with asthma. Fortunately, I quit before emphysema or cancer. I gained 40 pounds when I quit, partly due to that and partly due to prednisone. It's been a struggle getting them off.

Here's a thought that just popped into my head - people give the excuse they have to have a little of (whatever food you shouldn't be eating) or it will cause cravings. Does that mean smokers and alcoholics should continue to indulge - just a little - so they don't get cravings and binge? Me thinks it all goes back to being responsible for our own actions.

Tigerlily, I'd be a rich woman if I could get back all the money I've spent on diet books, foods, pills, etc. that didn't work. I put all mine into the Friends of the Library book sale several years ago.

For those of you doing South Beach, or who may be insulin resistant, like me - my doctor told me to get a copy of the "Insulin Resistence Diet" and follow it - Only $14.95 minus 10% at my local Books a Million - it's just like South Beach except for the first 2 weeks. The basic principle is 7 grams of protein for every 15 grams of carbs and no more than 30 grams of carbs at any meal. I am enjoying reading the scientific explanation for this. Wasn't a whole lot of menu planning tips, however.

Ladies, I put on a winter skirt today (unfortunately with an elastic waist) and it slipped down around my hips. I took that off and put on a dress - also a couple of inches too big in the waist. Took me an hour to realize my clothes weren't stretching - I've actually - and I measured - lost 3.25 inches off my waist since starting South Beach! More clothes for the Goodwill.

Boss left at noon to go to Detroit and won't be back until Monday...hooray!

Quilter, I'm so PROUD OF YOU!!! I have to admit that I'm a little teed at myself tho, I've set here on the fence playing like I was being good and you are sailing right passed me. Gotta get busy and stop fooling myself! Now don't you sew, take some of those things in, but only after tearing out the size label of course. Just until you get to where you are going in size then go on a major shopping trip. ((Huz))

Fisrt I have to announce that my sister had her baby yesterday. She had a healthy 7lb, 2oz baby boy, named Adian!! Woohoo!! I was happy she let me be there for the delivery.

Tig: I'm having a girl and we've decided on Zoey Skye. All my girls have a kinda "theme" for their middle names. There's, Cheyenne "Winter", Kaleigha "Rayne" and now Zoey "Skye". To help people remember I tell them to remember that in the Winter is Raynes from the Skye!! I know, I'm a dork. My son, however has a "Regular" name. Lucas Anthony (middle name after is dad), if it were up to me his middle name would have been "Storm" for something just as coo-coo. This is DH's 5th child. I told him now he's gone from A-Z. Adriana is his oldest and Zoey will be his youngest.

Lizabeth: Nice to meet you!! I still have to take the 3 hour, and find out what exactly is going on with this little one. I have 2 kids at home, ages 2 1/2 and 1 1/2, so I have to fit my test into someone else's schedule. It drives me crazy, but what am I gonna do? My oldest is 4, and I keep asking myself....what am I thinking??? This is definately it for me!! I have an appt for the tubal ligation class in a few weeks, and I'm hoping that when I deliver in December, they'll go ahead and tie the 'ole tubes.

We're still here ,in California, plans fell through for Utah, for now. I'm trying to be positive about it all. We did however move out of our 3 bedroom apartment and into a 4 bedroom, 2 bedroom house. The rent is less, because we're on housing and we have boo-coo space. The living room here measures 21'x 38'......we could have dances in here!! But the honeymoon is over, I have learned that all that space means is more space for the kids to make a mess! I tell ya....i can't wait til they all start school, which should be in about 5 lllooonnnggg years!! Since Zoey hasn't even been born yet!

Crap kids are fighting gotta go see who's doing what to whom!

Whew Dyan, I'm exhausted just reading your post! Seriously, I love the names! I like something a little different but not totally "weird". (What? No "Moon Unit"?) Even your son's name, Lucas, is a little different than the usual Bobby or Tommy. I like it. A girl here at work has a son, Zachary, and a daughter, Olivia. I like those names too.

Quilter, very interesting point. The little bit of food thing. When I quit smoking, I went cold turkey. If an alcoholic stops drinking, it has to be for good and completely. Hm, can't really do that with food, can we? I mean, in my case anyway, food is an addiction just like cigarettes or alcohol. But there's certainly no way I can give it up or avoid it completely. Makes it all that much more difficult.

Huntress, congratulations on quitting that nasty habit. Your body will thank you!

Tiger, can I send you all my exercise and diet books to sell too? Of course, I'd probably need to rent a U-Haul truck to get them to you.

Well, it's Day 3 of Jello being back on track and it's already getting tough. Tonight a group of us are going out for a girls night out and all I can think is "what am I going to be able to eat"? How sad is that?

But the good news is that I'm now heading over to the exercise challenge thread to post.

Hangin' in there....

Good Friday Morning!

Huntress, Glad that you gave those nasty things up. I've been smoke free for years probably 10 or so, now I'm the worst about being around smoke. And were do I work......with a room full of smokers.. BTW, glad you posted, we miss ya.

Jello, I'm impressed, you just sprang right back after your surgery. WTG Girl.

Dyanm, I love the names, I have a cousin named Skyler and a friend named Skyla. Believe me when them youngsters head off to school you will miss them.

Tig, we've got out backyard dug up too. Was starting to get a little worried, DH and DS were out back digging up little holes everywhere, they were looking for the leader lines. Thought maybe they had buried some gold out there. We're still waiting on the septic guy to show up, he said he was about two months behind.

Bright, how are you and the puppy doing? DS and DIL were here over the weekend, first trip that their puppy didn't leave me a gift.

Faye, How'd the CD player work out for you? Walking or exercising with music just plain makes it go faster.

DNW, Thinking about you. Have you made plans to go back to work? It's hard but you have to keep yourself busy.

Lizabeth, Do you still have your shiny sandles? What's a band debacle pie?

Quilter, I was very good eating yesterday, I can't let you get too far out in front of me. Heehee

Our Warehouse Mgr gave his two week notice today, Guess I'll be taking a crash course on this work. They don't pay me enough to do this, but you know how it is.

Work calleth, hey to anyone that I may have missed, have a great Friday.

Thank You, Thank You All! Quitting smoking was the best thing I've ever done for myself even though I was pretty much forced to do so. I feel 110% better after 3+ weeks of not smoking than I have the last 15 years that I did. My health was suffering tremendously. Guess I kinda got a wake up call. I'm glad I was able to do it before something bad happened to me. I'm sorry to be such a downer today. One of my best friends called this morning to say that her brother had died from a heart attack and they had just found him yesterday. We had dated for a while and were still good friends. He was a heavy smoker like all of us who have run around together for the last few years. He was only 45 and had a birthday at the end of this month. Smoking kills and thank the lord I quit now before I leave my children orphans. OH MY Gosh, I'm so sorry.

I hope to come back to all of you soon in a better frame of mind.

Love, LJ

LJ: Woohoo, you could not have done anything better for yourself than to quit smoking. We are all very proud of you. It is one of the hardest things to stop. I know my dh quit 10 years ago and still has a "twinge" from time to time. I think tobacco is a bigger threat than LSD was in the 60's because the psychological desire remains for ever so long. Stay strong!

Tig: Boy you are just having all kinds of problems. Everyone at the yard sale will probably think you look so good you don't need diet books any longer. If only all of us had learned weight loss is really not in any book, pill, shot or surgery, but in our HEAD first!

Dyan: 5 children you are amazing and sounds like the bunch is all little ones too! I get pooped out just running around after my 3 year old grandson! My sil's name is Tom and they named my grandson Thomas, but sil thought it would be funny to name him Thomas Rexford and call him T-rex so that is what he had put on his birth certificate. My daughter forbids anyone calling him that, but he does have tons of clothes with dinosaurs on them! Congrats to your sister.

Jello: I am so very proud of you for getting in your exercising! It is one of the hardest steps for most people. You are going to do this and get your weight under control!!!!!

Well, after I received my award letter from the Poetry society, I got an e-mail from them they have requested that I send them another poem. Seems they liked the other one so much they want me to contribute another one for the book I guess. Anyway, here is the one I wrote. Totally different from the "tongue in cheek" fat poem, but I printed it out on card stock and am framing it for my husband for his birthday a week from today. Funny thing, I did it as a total lark just to see what they would say about my poetry abilities. I figured this was some scam outfit to try and get your money, but they actually exist and promote poets. I am definitely not on my way to being the next Robert Frost, I just enjoy doing it and I guess just have a knack for it, I don't know.

Eternally Constant

You walked into my life, a life so sad
And took away the hurt and all the pain
You wedded me and made my life most glad
And gave me hope your love would never wane

You showed me every day your adoration
Gave of yourself the deepest love possessed
Created for my life a firm foundation
Surrounded me with utmost happiness

Though years have past more gray than not adorns
And what was youth has now become old age
Each day finds romance evermore reborn
And endless love is written on our page

When death comes knocking, taking us away
Forevermore connected will we be
For love like ours can never be held sway
It lives within our hearts eternally.


Faye

Wow! Faye's a poet and we didn't even know it.

There. That's about as close as I get to poetry.

Actually, Faye, I'm published in an edition of American Collegiate Poets. Same type of thing, I think. Of course, as the title suggests, that was "a few" years ago.

BTW, thanks to all you well-wishers regarding my return to the fun-filled, exciting world of exercise. It's tough to do it but I have to admit to how good it feels once I've done it. When I get home from Curves in the evening, I find myself throwing in a load of laundry or running the vacuum or something rather than parking my butt on the sofa. So that's a good thing.

Gotta run girlies. We're approaching the finish line of another work week. A gal here is leaving for 2 weeks in California and Las Vegas tomorrow morning. I'm so insanely jealous! I told her to call my voice mail from her cell phone in the casino and just hold up the phone so I can hear the bells and crowds and live vicariously. Anyway, she just skipped out the door. Others are starting to pack it in and go home too. Yeah, a Friday afternoon winding down.

Gotta love it.

Hope you all have a great weekend.

Hi Everyone!

Hope you're all having a nice weekend. The weather here is great, 55 in the morning and 79 afternoons. I'm in hog heaven.

Sorry I weirded out yesterday, I was just very shocked when I heard about my friends death.

I have just started reading Dr Phil's book and am excited about it. I hope to once and for all find out why I eat like I do. I wasn't going to try any kind of diet at all so soon after quitting smoking but I really didn't want to gain a lot of weight. Besides I have realized that for me food doesn't replace the smoking so why overeat.

Dyan - Love your baby names! It's good to see you again.

LJ