Getting cold here too (Kaylets and I are all but neighbors). But must be more dry as I'm not as achy. Have strung together a couple of better days.

Princesses are home now and I'm heading there today. A musical program at school which had been cancelled before the holidays is being performed tonight and I will be making a command appearance. Only concern is how badly food choices go awry there. Must find a way. DD is a 6, I think, maybe an 8.

Anyone see Bob Green on Oprah yesterday? I saw intro. So many things our s already practice. My biggest problem is still evenings (though improving). But also reminded me of how many lifestyle changes I HAVE made. And that I HAVE maintained 40 lb loss for four years now. I'm up and down the last few pounds that would make it 50 and I keep reminding me that if I could lose 40 once I could do it again and that's all I'd need More would be better but I'd be satisfied at that. right now, I'd be satisfied with 5 or 10 - at least for a while.

Back Thursday or so.

Saying hi to all the royalty! Being mom and dad and packer and maid is very tiring. lol I miss my hubby. But I am trying to remember it won't be forever. Also using this time to stay on track. Lost 6 lbs since the 1st. My internet surfing time is very limited these days, but I haven't forgotton you and hope you will be all here when I can check in regularly.

No definate date yet. House hasn't sold yet. I have it
listed for a bargain, just need someone who wants a large house. Hubby has a ticket for home 3-5 if nothing happens by then.

Hello all!

Looks like everyone's kingdom is topsy turvy....

Is this the new challenge?? Learning to deal w/ constant change???

I am finding this a hard lesson me!

But, Still trying.

I need to hit the shower... its one place at least I havent figured out how to eat !


To all......

Breathe in......

Breathe out....

Breathe in....


Breathe out.....

Repeat

Repeat

Repeat!


Kaye

Insanity everywhere and not even full moon!!!

Yes, Wood Nymph, I couldn't believe how much I had to do to go away for just two days and that didn't involve a job and responsibility. Have fun!Flower, they plate is FULL! Hope all works out for you. And congrats on that loss! Huzzah!

I enjoyed my outing to Princessville and this time the food issue seemed to work out better. Was at tai chi this a.m. but feeling lazy, lazy, lazy this afternoon. Not quite the weekend yet but my head doesn't seem to know that. Need to find something I WANT to do. That FUN thing is most elusive, isn't it?

BIL started radiation Wed, chemo yesterday. A long, tough road ahead for him and DSis.

So, counting my blessings......and sending good vibes to all Royals. How's thy patient, Kaylets? Back to work yet?

arabella-hope your trip goes well!

anagram-that is so impressive to have kept 40 lbs off for 4 years! sending good thoughts for your bil and dsis during his rough road ahead.

kaylets-i sure needed to be reminded to breathe. dealing with constant change definitely is a challenge for me.

flower-congrats on the weight loss, and especially impressive while dealing with all you are juggling on the homefront.

hi ceara! how goes it?

had ice storm here on fri and freezing rain again today and tonight. i hate that stuff! where i live, it is very shady plus drainage issues, so once it ices up, it stays icy here far too long to suit me. ah well. have maintained weight loss, but scale hasn't moved down recently enough to suit me. i got a little lax the past few days, so need to lower cals. i fell last weekend, and banged my side and ankle, but lucky not to have hurt myself worse. sore though, and wasn't able to do all my regular exercises. back on schedule today with that. well, hope everyone has a good evening. thinking of you all. take care.

ceara-pretty cool having a new little champion in 3 registries!

my friend who has moved to nairobi for 2 years was in town (for a brother's wedding) and it has been wonderful to see him! i saw him today to say goodbye, and it felt almost as hard saying goodbye this time as it did a few months ago, when he moved there. i was just feeling sad about this, in fact, when he called me a few minutes ago on skype, so i could see his picture and it made me smile! i guess we were on the same wavelength. it's kind of nice to be reminded that good friends who really know us well do understand us, and are often on the ''same wavelength."

i didn't do as well as i would have liked with my food plan today-portions too large, but tomorrow will be better! good night, all.

Hello alll.....

Winter ice/snow weekend had me lazy too..... went out early Sat to warm up hte car...it was snowing, cold and windy.... took me only 5 seconds or so to say "NOT THIS SATURDAY".....

DH seemed glad that I was staying home so we stayed in, watched the first
movie of Lord of the Rings and took it slow.
Dh had the stitches removed Friday and all looks good. He did seem to have a reactin to a new statin drug so he has stopped taking it to see what happens.
( His nose swelled up, got very red and even blistered some.....


Ceara-- congrats and congrats and congrats!!!

WSW--you are so lucky to have such good friends! Don't forget, gold is where you find it!

Wood Nymph-- Try to pace yourself..... sometimes the Emergency is right here where we sit!

Anagram--- I don't blame you with the dark cold weather we've been having....sometimes its very hard to find anything that seems like fun......
Spring is on its way..... we all will be rewarded soon!


Heres' an oldie but a goodie!:



The Daffodil Principle

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say,
"Mother, you must come to see the daffodils before they are over."
I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead
"I will come next Tuesday", I promised a little reluctantly on her third call.

Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and reluctantly
I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn's house I was welcomed by
the joyful sounds of happy children. I delightedly hugged and greeted my
grandchildren.

"Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in these clouds and fog,
and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want
to see badly enough to drive another inch!"

My daughter smiled calmly and said, "We drive in this all the time, Mother."
"Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears, and then I'm heading
for home!" I assured her.

"But first we're going to see the daffodils. It's just a few blocks," Carolyn said.
"I'll drive. I'm used to this."

"Carolyn," I said sternly, "Please turn around."
"It's all right, Mother, I promise. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this
experience."

After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a
small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand lettered sign with an
arrow that read, "Daffodil Garden." We got out of the car, each took a child's
hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, as we turned a corner, I
looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight.



It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it over
the mountain peak and its surrounding slopes. The flowers were planted in
majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, creamy
white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, and saffron and butter yellow. Each different
colored variety was planted in large groups so that it swirled and flowed like its
own river with its own unique hue. There were five acres of flowers.


"Who did this?" I asked Carolyn. "Just one woman," Carolyn answered. "She lives on the property. That's her home." Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house, small and modestly sitting in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house.

On the patio, we saw a poster. "Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking", was the headline. The first answer was a simple one. "50,000 bulbs," it read. The second answer was, "One at a time, by one woman. Two hands, two feet, and one brain." The third answer was, "Began in 1958."

For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than forty years before, had begun, one bulb at a time, to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountaintop. Planting one bulb at a time, year after year, this unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived. One day at a time, she had created something of extraordinary magnificence, beauty, and inspiration. The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration.



That is, learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time--often just one baby-step at time--and learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world .

"It makes me sad in a way," I admitted to Carolyn. "What might I have accomplished if I had thought of a wonderful goal thirty-five or forty years ago and had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time' through all those years? Just think what I might have been able to achieve!"

My daughter summed up the message of the day in her usual direct way. "Start tomorrow," she said.

She was right. It's so pointless to think of the lost hours of yesterdays. The way to make learning a lesson of celebration instead of a cause for regret is to only ask, "How can I put this to use today?"

Use the Daffodil Principle. Stop waiting.....
Until your car or home is paid off
Until you get a new car or home
Until your kids leave the house
Until you go back to school
Until you finish school
Until you clean the house
Until you organize the garage
Until you clean off your desk
Until you lose 10 lbs.
Until you gain 10 lbs.
Until you get married
Until you get a divorce
Until you have kids
Until the kids go to school
Until you retire
Until summer
Until spring
Until winter
Until fall
Until you die...

There is no better time than right now to be happy.
Happiness is a journey, not a destination.
So work like you don't need money.
Love like you've never been hurt, and, Dance like no one's watching.

If you want to brighten someone's day, pass this on to someone special.
I just did!

Wishing you a beautiful, daffodil day!

Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin.




*****************

Hi everyone! Just a quick drive by post as Jack is whining for his mama. I have tossed all 24 and 22 size clothes! (okay, the clothes I donated) Woo Hoo I even tossed all stretched out panties and ill fitting bras. I might, just might be in my 18's by the time I see hubby again. Oh, btw, he found a job in Florida! Yippy! Now I just got to sell this house. I am back on WW. Now that the house is caught up on cleaning, I feel like I can accomplish that.

Well, whew! Been having trouble getting in. Food been ok, going out for a brrrry walk shortly.

Whole lot of whining going on Congrats, ceara, on the triple play there. You must be floating!

And, flower, hubby found a job and you're down two sizes. Hog heaven! A whole new life ahead - good for you.

And, wsw, so glad you got to see your friend again. That (and the visual communications) should see you through. Hopefully. Glad too that dh's surgery is going well, Kaylets. Your Saturday sounds delightful.

Hey, I like that jacket karma, ceara! And missing our Wood Nymph.