Happy sleeping late to everybody this morning.

I'm recovering from a late birthday dinner with my two adult kids. Adult, but feet firmly planted in the continue-to-tease-your-elderly-parents phase because they don't live on facebook and they don't text their friends even while eating dinner with family. I ate moderately and even failed to get a chunk of steak off the grill because I was so enjoying the Alaskan, wild caught salmon. Superb summer grilled food eaten in moderation - Life is good.

Bill I guess you and I were posting the new weekly thread at the same time. Meg knows how to delete the duplicate - hope she sees it.

Dagmar

Good morning everyone!

Bill, LOL, I don't text, but I do spend time on facebook. I don't really tease my parents about it at all though, although I have been trying to get MIL to take an introductory computer skills class. She can't even manage to turn on the computer by herself and it really makes it very difficult to coordinate anything with her. The rest of the family will be facebooking and emailing plans, and then we're like, oh yeah, we have to call MIL because she never reads her email. That and she's always calling us to ask questions that could be answered in two seconds by using google (which is what we do when she calls). It frustrates me that whenever I suggest she take a class, she is so reluctant to do it and basically refuses.

Then again, she also has a cell phone she never answers (which makes it pretty useless), doesn't know how to check her voicemail, and can never seem to remember to call us on our cell phones instead of our home phone which results in us getting messages hours too late. How do you convince someone like that that they really need to take the time to learn these technologies?

Dagmar, I was reading about your asian grocery experience on last week's thread. Were the frozen things you bought mochi ice cream? I am a big fan of mochi ice cream, but you have to let them defrost for a while before you try to eat them.

DH managed to hurt his knee again. It is getting really frustrating. He keeps getting injured and I can't tell when he actually hurt himself or when it's all in his head. He gets so upset about it that it makes him pretty miserable to be around. His latest thing is that since his knee has hurt for one whole day (it must be the end of the world and will never get better, right? ), he will not be able to do his half marathon training and be ready for the half marathon in 8 weeks. I told him, you can already run 10 miles at a go. You will have no problem running the half marathon. He's like, yeah, but I will be SLOW. I was like, this is your first half marathon. You don't need to be fast, you just need to finish it. Get a baseline, then go faster NEXT time. I wish I could convince him of this but he just doesn't want to hear it.

Jessica, I don't suppose DH would actually see a doctor about his knee...

I don't think running on a knee that hurts is a good idea in any case. But hey...

Jay

Good morning all! Pretty good weekend for me. Did two off days in a row from exercise (Fri & Sat), then had a nice run on Sunday. 7.1 miles, and it felt positively cool at only 88 degrees at the start and 94 at the end. I've gotten so used to starting the run in 96+ and only getting hotter from there that 88 was like fall. Good food this weekend, lots of lying around and not having to do anything. Nice. Relaxing.

Jessica - DH might want to see a doctor if he continues to hurt his knee, absolutely. Did he get fitted for running shoes? If not, that might help, too. And if he can already run 10 miles then 13 will be no trouble at all, I promise.

Bill - my dad was actually the one who finally got me on to Facebook. He has always been an technology guy, so I have been the one having to keep up with him.

Good day everyone!

Jessica~your MIL sounds like my parents! My SIL gave them a cell phone, but they only turn it on to make calls, so you have to call them on the land line. They forget their password for getting voice mail on the cell (and I figured it out in seconds--my SIL smartly set it as the last 4 digits of their home phone # which they've had for over 50 years!). They can turn on the computer and get email and all that, but very little else without causing problems with the computer. sigh

And you know I basically live on Facebook. Well, during the week anyway. At home on the weekends there is so much more to do than to be on the computer. I'll check things a couple of times a day but that's it. But here at work I'm glued to my desk to be ready to answer the phone, so I'm on the computer all day and there are a few fun games on FB that help eat up time so the day isn't quite so long.

Michele~from the last thread you said dry food is better for cat's teeth. That is the opposite of what I've been told. They actually need chunks of chewy things (actually raw meat is best) so they chew and get the gunk off their teeth. Dry food just breaks up when they chew and doesn't do as good a job of keeping teeth clean. While I agree that wet food is much messier and smellier, I think it's a better choice. I noticed yesterday that it likes to eat quite a bit around 5 PM so I left it with enough dry food to make it through the day and tonight I'll try the canned again. I didn't try it at all yesterday. We have to keep an eye on Chico as he enjoys stealing the kitten's food and that just makes him gassy. Ewww.

We went to see The Other Guys yesterday. Pretty funny. And a lot of big names in there that were more than happy to poke fun at themselves or stereotypes like themselves or the roles they've played. The only one we missed was Rosie Perez--she was in it, but we didn't remember seeing her...

Jessica, I agree with JayEl. Have DH see a doctor, especially if it is the end of the world.

I made my mom get on Facebook so she could see pictures. I told her that’s the only place my siblings and I are posting them, that she doesn’t have to do anything else with it. So she has an account and it is bookmarked. Will she use it? Probably not but I tried. She also doesn’t turn on her cell phone… My MIL wouldn’t hear of joining FB – says her daughter can show her the pics occasionally.

Shannon, your weekend sounds so much better than mine. I swear airport traveling is harder than driving across the country by car.

Allison, I’ve been told by my vet that dry food is better for dogs’ teeth. I’m guessing I could equate that to cats if I had one.

I’m back from vacation and am exhausted. When there is a spare moment, I will go back and read last week’s thread. I thought starting today would be just easier. We biked and exercised tons. Hopefully it helps alleviate the food disasters. Although according to my MIL, I eat like an angel. I knew I wasn’t.

Marie

Hi all,

Back at work today after a whirlwind weekend in the Big Easy with my book club! We had a great time. I'm glad I went out on Bourbon St. one night just so I can say I've done it, but thought to myself "umm... I'm not that classy, but I think I'm too classy for Bourbon St!" There were puddles and it hadn't rained, and it was just so so dirty and smelled awful. But the rest of the city was really nice. We visited a voodoo shop just for fun, shopped the marketplace, saw all the beautiful houses, went through the garden district, had Beignets and coffee at Cafe du Monde, ate some really good food, and hear some great local musicians. I love my book club!

I'm rarely on Facebook, even now that I'm online at home. I still don't spend a ton of time on the computer except when I'm at my desk at work (no, not all websurfing, actual work too!). I've always got something else to do... My mom got an account but is never on it, she doesn't see the point. She will email and download podcasts to her ipod, but it took us a while to teach her how to download her pictures from her camera, etc. She just needs extra repetition to reinforce. It can be hard to get someone to learn a new skill they're not inclined to learn, no matter how frustrating.

Marie, I also find it funny how people perceive my eating habits sometimes. One healthy item will make me a "healthy eater" no matter what else I've just eaten. I could eat a large greasy pizza and put veggies on top and I'm told I'm being "healthy" by some people I know...

Shannon, sounds like a lovely weekend.

Bill, mmm, I also love Alaska wild salmon. I've been able to find some good salmon from the store this summer. It tastes so different than farm-raised.

Have a great week everyone!

Bill, was it your birthday? If so, happy belated birthday! Salmon on the grill--my favorite. We had to leave our grill behind when we moved because it wouldn't fit on the truck. Because I started salivating while reading your post, I'm rethinking my position on not replacing the grill.

Jessica, how old is MIL? I have friends who are mid-70s who are on Facebook, although I notice they don't respond to wall posts. We do e-mail, though. If MIL is my age, shame on her! You gotta keep up with technology, or your brain goes mushy. However, you definitely don't need to text or take calls when with other people--that stuff really offends me. And there's nothing like a cell phone going off when you're in a silent time at church.

Shannon, isn't it amusing when 88 seems cooler? We had a "cool" spell of 91, and actually it's only supposed to be 89 today.

Allison, even vets have differing opinions on dry vs. wet. I think wet is better, although it is messy, and you have a lot of cans to recycle. Cats don't drink much water, and wet provides moisture for them. I get my adult cat a grain-free canned food, which is the only food I've found that helps with her vomiting issues. I'm looking forward to reading about Ringo starting to behave like my kittens. Yesterday one climbed up on a lampshade, and I thought the lamp was going to fall over. They're cute even when doing naughty things, though.

Marie, bet you're glad to be home. Vacations are supposed to be relaxing, not exhausting, but it seldom turns out that way, does it? Kudos to you for keeping up with the exercise.

Megan, did you hit one of the hole-in-the-wall alcohol places? I was amused by those, but have to agree about Bourbon St. The voodoo place sounds fun. And the food--oh, my, you can easily gain 10 lbs. in a weekend, I think. Did you go to the Mardi Gras museum? That was one of my favorite places in N.O., and I swear nobody knows it's there. Great exhibits and information (like how many tons of garbage they get from Bourbon St. each morning during Mardi Gras--now that's a fun fact). So where are you and your book group going next?

Last week's exercise challenge went really well. I went to the gym not four times as I had planned, but five times. I lifted weights three of those five times so my muscles are sore, but it's a good sore. Today I did the elliptical for an hour--not because I had planned that, but because I was watching the Today show and wanted to see a certain segment. And while I was waiting for that segment, I might as well keep on doing the elliptical. Thought about skipping the weights, but I'm pleased that I didn't.

On Mondays I go put flowers on my DGD's grave, and today was kind of cool because I was standing at the grave, and a hummingbird flew next to me and hovered by the flowers at my feet. It was a beautiful iridescent green, almost the color of my DGD's last Halloween's costume when she was Tinkerbell. Yes, I admit I took it as a special sign.

That's exactly what I have been told, although Ringo does drink water, so that much is good. I also agree on the grain-free diet. I do the same for my dogs. I feed the dogs Taste of the Wild Prairie and I'm doing Wellness kitten (dry and wet) for the kitten, although my friend had started the kittens on Chicken Soup for the Kitten Soul (dry), so I'm mixing the two dry foods right now and trying to introduce the wet food.

I'm wondering if it doesn't like the bowls I bought. I like stainless because they're so easy to clean and these have a rubber bottom so they don't slide around on the tile, BUT it shows the kitten's reflection and I wonder if it doesn't like that. I had dropped a small amount of wet on the rug and it ate that, but wouldn't eat it out of the bowl (however it does eat the dry from the same kind of bowl). Who knows.

I'm sorry, I just need to rant.

My son has really bad acne for which he goes to a dermatologist. Several weeks ago, I called the pharmacy to refill several of his prescriptions. One was refilled immediately, one within a couple of days (needed an auth from the doctor's office) and one STILL has not been refilled.

Recently my insurance (Anthem Blue Cross) sold their prescription drug benefits to NetRx (I think that's the name). I've called the doctors office twice and they inform me that they sent the auth to the insurance. I've called the insurance twice and they claim they have not rec'd the auth, so no refill. I ask them to re-request the auth from the doctor's office and they want me to give them the fax number...um, not listed in the phone book, how did they request the auth the first time? Oh, we faxed them, so you have the fax number? No we don't keep that on file. What? Can you call the doctors office to get their fax number so you can refax the auth request? No, we're not allowed to call for fax number.

Is that asinine or what? Talk about NO CUSTOMER SERVICE!

I'm beyond irate.../rant

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

ETA: this is for a topical cream, by the way. It's not like it's some highly addictive pain killer.

Just curious Allison - why are you calling the kitten it? It's hard to tell what gender they are when they are small I guess.

As for the food cats are carnivores and dogs are omnivores. Cat food should be mostly meat. My guys both eat dry - Mud was prescribed special dry food to clean her teeth - and Mud also eats whatever we give her from our food - olives, goat cheese, nachos, donuts, eggs, all meats etc. etc. Neither one of my guys will touch anything with fish in it. Mud will eat my dad's gravad lax but that's it for fish.

They are all different. As long as Ringo is eating something whose ingredient list starts with meat or chicken or fish s/he should be fine.

Speaking of eating I'm letting DH's stress about his exam get to me. I'm up 3 lbs. from this weekend's asian excursion, popcorn at the theatre, and some loneliness easement last night. Time to get it into gear.

I know what I have to do. No more feeling sorry for myself or sulking. Or keeping DH company as he eats himself into calmness. Doesn't work and I know that. 8 more days til the exam are 8 days that I will stay OP.

Good day today re food and tonite I will eat my cup of strawberries and then exit the kitchen for the night.

Dagmar

Megan, your trip sounds like you had a blast. The smell on Bourbon Street did me in. I’m not good with the smell of vomit. But some of the other places were amazing.

Sheila, I loved the story about the hummingbird giving you comfort. That is so neat. WTG on the hour elliptical time. That’s a heck of a workout.

Allison, I think we can conclude that your Blue Cross went to the NetRx for monetary reasons. The NetRX doesn’t fill prescriptions, it saves BC money. How clever of them. Next time you call, insist on speaking with a manager.

Dagmar, I bet the strawberries were excellent and you can make it through the next 8 days of stress.

Marie

Hi everyone.
I'm also back from my trip (Maine/Rhode Island) and exhausted.
I'll see what my weight is tomorrow but I know it's up.
I am proud that I went to the gym tonight after getting home. Dd said she wants to go to the gym every day until school as she put some weight on (my younger dd) so that was motivating enough for me to go too.

Tomorrow I will tackle the mail and unpacking....

So I know the number on the scale doesn't mean that much any more .

But I had total proof this morning. I gained 3 lbs. over the weekend and lost 'em all yesterday! Miracle?

Nah, just drinking enough water to flush out all the excess sodium/MSG/ etc. in my system and let go of all the bloat.

I will now start putting my skinny skinny jeans on every second day to check my "real" weight. I will still use the scale as a reminder but my heart won't pause and my stomach won't lurch if I've been off plan and see a big gain.

Great Tuesday all!

Dagmar