coffee is on

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Good morning everyone.

Today is my middle son's 19th birthday. Really don't feel like celebrating, but I believe we must carry on our lives as much by normal standards as we can. If we don't, the PIGS that did this will win, and we as American's, let me take that back, we as North American's cannot let that happen.

My husband is still not home from Boston. As you know he was scheduled to fly out of Boston at noon, the day the World stood still. He rented a car (was lucky to get one) he drove to his Mom and Dad's yesterday and will continue on home today. I can't wait to feel his arms around me (okay, well as far as they go around me)

dottie so very glad we heard from you. Like peachie expressed, who takes care of the caregivers? Stay strong, and know the entire low-carb chick population is with you.

Hugs to all, and we must stay strong.

Debbie

Daily, Thursday Spetember 13
Just cranking us up.

Still no word from Casey, I see. I imagine she is out there working in hospitals and shelters.

My sister and I sat up and talked and cried too late last night. Both of us have those puffy eyes this a.m. I am off to the Blood Donor Clinic for 8 this a.m. Today will probably be the last day they need the extra help as staff are returning from vacation and the number of donors is reducing to a manageable workload.

DH and Hershey are managing without me. DH is watching TV all day - gotta stop that when I get home. There is only so much one can handle.

Hope everyone gets a bit of normalcy back into their lives today.
I hope to be back in beautiful Delta for dinner tonight.

Hello Friends,

Another day of work and I still feel kinda numb not knowing how to act. Drove through McDonalds to get sausage patties for breakfast. Local media stations have partnered with our McDonalds to set up donation sites in their parking lots. I felt overwelmed with tears as I dropped in my donation, full of sadness and pride.

My boys wore their old navey shirts to school yesterday, they have our flag on them. Don, my oldest drew a large sad face on the back of his shirt. The children in his class will be making sympathy cards for the people of New York.

Still managing to stay op,

jenny

Hi all.

I am so scarred that nothing is going to be the same ever again, nobody will feel safe again whereever you might be…

I wish I could do something for you all…..

If I could I would have given you all a BIG HUG, I think it is very important to know that there is people that really care.

Debbie here is a HUG from SA with all my love, while hubby is not home (hhhhuuuuuuggggg).

Ruthxxx…. I think you must be a very special caring person to know your love-ones are very fortunate to have somebody like you. You are always there with an inspiring word or two.

You all make me believe that there is still something like humanity in the crazy world we live in….


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216/202/132

Hi Everyone!!! Haven't been around at all lately because I just can't seem to keep up with everything!!!! Of course lately I have been spending any extra free time sitting in front of the TV set alternating between bawling and just sitting there in disbelief. I am sure everyone is in the same boat! Tuesday night when I was driving home I saw Airforce 1 and its accompanying fighter jets fly overhead. My son said they flew right over where he was having football practice and all of the team took off their helmets and just stood there and watched it for the longest time.
On the personal front--eating is going well. Big bottle of water and a protein bar for lunch and then small portions of whatever everyone else is having for supper during the week and then really good, nutritious stuff on the weekend. Still haven't weighed myself, but the clothes feel good. My DS is continuing to burn up the football field. Last Friday he started at Defensive Safety and did a super great job. The coach mentioned him on the "Coaches Corner" on the radio station the next morning. I am really happy for him. They even WON their game--it was SO exciting!!!Of course he followed that up on Monday night's fresh/soph game by getting blindsided as he went back to pass and laid there on the ground for what seemed like an eternity!!!! He basically got the wind knocked out of him, but I couldn't breathe either. My 30 kids in my class are dears, but it sure is A LOT of kids to keep on track and help. We had Grandparent's Day the other day and 26 showed up---plus 30 kids--plus me!!! We had fun doing an M&M Math Activity. (I didn't eat any ) Okay that is it for me I guess.

Jenny, thank you for the idea of making the cards for the city of NewYork!!! I will make it a class project and maybe even talk my principal into making it a school project--at last something that I can do to maybe help just a little!

Ruth, your work at the blood bank is wonderful!!

debkay, sorry I haven't been here lately--you must be frantic to get your husband home and safe in your home!!! This is me sending a big hug to you. I hope your son has a Happy Birthday.

Take care all of the rest of you!!! It is so good to have each other here!!!

Hello everyone and hope you are all safe and well.

I have tried to make today a non-news day becasue if I watch anymore my heart will break in two. Today I brought out my daughter's fall clothes and sorted them out. Thank goodness some still fit and I have quite a pile to sort through. Tomorrow I am going to my friend's house for a play date and in the afternoon to work on more finishing touches in my daughter's bedroom.

On the WOE front, I have lost 2 more pounds and that makes me very happy! I needed some good news in the midst of all this and I stepped on just to see. The official weigh in for me and dh isn't until Moday but at least I know I can report a loss. I think it is truly conceivable that I will be under 200 by the end of September.

One last word on the atrocity we've all just witnessed. I was watching CNN and I saw the names of the people that dies in the plane crashes and two of the victims were 2 and 4 year old girls. Hug your kids today and thank the Lord that you have them. I cried for 1/2 hour and couldn't stop. I couldn't let my daughter go almost all day yesterday... God Bless my friends and take good care of yourselves and each other.

Leaving for Delta very shortly as regular staff are returning to the clinic replacing volunteers.

Our Prime Minister has declared tomorrow a National Day of Mourning and I really will feel more comfortable out of this city. As Capital of Canada, Ottawa has lots of ethnic groups here and tensions are running high. Right now there are armed guards around a mosque just a few blocks from this clinic. Everyone is edgy, jumping when a police siren goes off. We have had people of every colour and creed in here registering to give blood, most of them crying or at least very solemn.

So I am off for the country, my DH and my dear doggie. See you tonight.

Ruth, I hope you will take some time for yourself when you get home tonight. You are an amazing, wonderful woman, giving to other people all the time, and you deserve to shed that coat for a little while and just take care of yourself.

Debbie I guess I'm kind of dim, I hadn't realized your husband wasn't home yet. I know my sweet husband and I are hugging a little longer each night when he gets home from work and more aware of how much we love and appreciate each other. I'm glad yours will be home today.

Have you all read the "Sober Thought" thread. It's a very good article.

Today I found myself singing along with a cd and then I felt kind of guilty. That's kind of silly isn't it? Like Debbie said, we need to live normally if we can.
I got an email from a friend today that encourages everyone to stop whatever they are doing tomorrow night at 7:00 and light a candle in a show of unity against terrorism. I know it's not much, but it's a way to send a message that we will not tolerate terrorism.
I'm totally OP, and not losing a thing. I guess the scale will decide to move when it's darn good and ready.
Your friend,
Chickadee

Work as usual today. I still have been stressed out but it does not seem so bad as the last few days.

I to am spending time with tears in my eyes frequently (not usual for me!) as i hear accounting of what happened from victums. The ones that really got to me was the wife callin her husband saying she was stuck and she loved him. and the accounitng of the heros on the flight that crashed near pitsburg, that over took the terrorists even though he had his 2 month old daughter with him. he knew that they were going to die. and he did not want more tragity than alreaddy was there. that really has me in tears thinking of the sacrafice and the terror of those people.

It makes all the problems that we face seem so small. We all must continue on and face what we do have. love those that we can and thank god we are alive. enjoy life and make the most of it.

Today My daugheter came home and told me they had a bomb threat at their school. the school was evacuated for several hours. I never knew. I know that it was a prank but with what isgoing on in the world who knows.

I look forward to talking toyou all so much that you are all family to me. and i am so glad that you are all OK, (I hope casey is too)

Love

Home and exhausted and stressed and an e-mailbox full of stuff! No SPAM at all for the past few days, though. A small blessing!

Am gonna play piano, pet my dog (have already hugged DH) and make that Greek Stuffed chicken tonight. Then early bed because tomorrow is another day - another sad one as it will be a day of mourning here too. Yes, I will be lighting a candle in the window.

When we we be back to normal? Ever? I don't think the world will ever be the same after the terrible events of Tuesday.

Hallo you all.

It is Spring here is South Africa but something strange happened since Tuesday the 11th out weather changed dramatically over the whole country. Snow is falling at our coat line and the whole country is freezing cold the wind is blowing like you cannot believe it, our temperatures dropped from a maximum of 32° on Tuesday to between 3° and 15° is some places. It is raining and snowing over the whole country for the past 3 days. The sky turned from a beautiful blue to a grey colour. It is as if God and the whole nature is crying / mourning about this tragic event that took place.

Ruth I don’t think anything is going to be normal ever again but we should not loose our faith…

Its wonderful that we can really feel like family…… although I have never had the privilege to see of hug one of you but you all are a big part of my life, the first thing that came to my mind when I heard of the tragic event was to think of all my new friends that I made and there families….

I want to stress how much I need all your support because I am doing this on my own. In the past when I started with a diet I usually asked a friend or a colleague to join me on a diet or to join a diet club. I decided to use a whole new approach this time I did not want to advertise that I am on a diet and then everyone is watching you, what you eat ect. (In the past I used to tell everyone and then felt very ashamed when I did not succeed, this happened often.) Then I met YOU GUYS and I thought this is very special you all know ecacly what is felt like. I did not advertise to everyone that I am yet again on another diet, but still I have this big group of friend that support what I try to achieve.

And today I realized that this is bigger than the weight loss, is has become a very, very special place to visit, where you can share your grief and joy with friend that do not always has the answers but they understand and listen. In the last few days my whole perspective of things changed, my boundary has changed from the one that only surrounds my little country with all his own unique problems.

Oooh you might think I want to write a book sorry....

I only want to say thank you all, you are a very special bunch of people to me.

PS. I miss Kirey allot.

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216/202/132
(lost 14lbs so far)