I thank you too, Amarantha, for keeping the palace fires alit. I have been in sort of a cyber purgatory, first because of the October snowstorm and then because of some changes my server made. It makes it hard to have a sunny disposition sometimes.

But it is a lovely day again today and I was at 195.8 today so only 8 to go to my next goal. However, I know my ups/downs and it will likely take me months. Still it's not 200. I'ver been up/downing between 196/199 instead of 200/204 or 202/209. Need to concentrate on it as well. Am enjoying new tai chi class twice a week (until Dec), still going once a week to the one they cut bac k and doing all the PT - which I'm getting good at Have cut out the water walking at the moment. Maybe not until the new year. Keep thinking I'll walk more this fall but all the rain and other stuff was disacouraging.

Darling little twin great nieces entered our world yesterday and that's always an upper. On the bad side, dear neighbor who puts my paper in door every morning (and does so many other good things) has had his cancer return and this time, they feel there's no more they can do for him. He's still seeking other opinions but it's yet another pillar who may be knocked away. He's relativelty young as well.

However, I am determined as ever to look on the good side, at all the positives of my life. I too am looking forward to the holiday season, though I do less and less festive every year. I'll be having the crew here for Thanksgiving and that's always a "love" time.

I'm loving your Halifax weeks, Wood Nymph, but can sympathize re accommodations for the weekend. DS messaged today suggestiong I either come to his place this weekend or he'd come up and take me for a daytrip to his Dad's home town. Sort of a bucket list thing for me. Am trying to decide which. I'm thinking (if things don't change) that it would be good to take him up on the latter as it's more likely I could make it to his place another time. I've given up thinking I
d drive myself to the hometown. Some memorials there to DH that DS has seen but I haven't and I would like to do so. Always figured I might get there for a funeral or two but missed one this summer because back was so bad. Thinking it would be better to go when I have a chance and enjoy "live" time ++

I do hope to travel to the palace a bit more often and that my time in cyber purgatory is about over. Its been improving but.........

How discouraging. Just checked back on this thread and find I've been hovering almost in place the whole year. So I've been losing and relosing the same few pounds.

Well, not to be discouraged. Just going to truck on. I was once 251 and I'm no loinger there. Lose .8 lbs and I'll be what I was when I met DSIL for the first time Not that I'll look the same........

Definitely not to be discouraged, Anagram! Woot! You have had a great weight loss and wow, love that .8 to when you met DSIL for the first time.

You are doing excellanto (that is a royal word).

Hope wherever ye go for the weekend will make for super trip.

I am off to take a nana nap lol. Gotta stop doing that ...

Gained, not really discouraged. Putting it all in the blog, has to do without a recent realization that I really AM a weight maintainer (a "reduced person") and that dealing with these regains is something I face for the rest of my life AND that I actually AM three pounds down from when I was buffeting around in a lotta angst all summer gaining and loosing and thinking a lotta things were all over with moi.

Huzzah, Royals! Tess is currently on Day 132, working this morning but first took time to walk and post on the internet lol.

Current thing is the imaginary ranch in the hinterlands that Empress Tess has (fantasy wise) inherited where she can be alone with all the weird people in her head and take the time to make that ticker move.

Lol, don't try to make sense of moi this mornin' as in a hurry but also always motivating self as usual with fantasy and ramblin' on a bit. There are those who understand this is the way I function and those who don't understand it and that is life lol.

Woot! It is a beautful day! I walked two hours!

Wsw!!! Woot! T'is so good to see thee!!! I have been absent from the palace for many a year off and on and ye are among those whom I have missed when wanderin' 'round a sometimes cold, cruel internet lol!!!

Feelin' verra energetic today and am halfway through a planned two hours of exercise of various kinds (broken up)! Then need to shop and cook.

I am still toyin' with the idea of moving my official weigh-in ceremony to Wednesdays for awhile.

The nice thing about bein' underemployed, which is what I am callin' it, and in career flux, is it has finally dawned on moi that I have a real chance to just focus on me and feeling better and getting a handle on this fitness thingie!

Then, too, there has been a lot of flux in my life as to friendships and relationships, on and off the internet. Sometimes light dawns in the head exactly who is a true friend (on and off the internet) and who is toxic and not what they seem (on and off the internet). It is the same with careers, jobs, avocations and pursuits of all kind. Some are "lifers" and some are not so good for us. I am only focusing on the good things now.

One of these "lifers," of course, is healthy weight management and fitness, because, well, that's what I do best (sort of, please ignore those 22 demonic regain pounds lol)!

Huzzah, feeling like such a positive day ahead!

Sallyin' forth, flags flying!

Huzzah, a quickie, 3FC blog explains it better (or with more fantasy and blather lol) but did change weigh-in date to Wednesday due to schedule changes and the wootness of Wednesday in general!

LOST TWO POUNDS! Thus made up for the pound gain on Sunday and lost a new one in three days! Next weigh-in is next Wednesday, day before Thanksgiving!

Hello Royals!


Posted a long post a few days ago and it never landed here.....comical how now I can't even remember what it was about.


Full moon and 11/11/11 will hold great memories for me---took DH's ashes to a special place he loved. Part of his wishes so it was a large sense of accomplishment.
That same evening visited w/ friends we both love. They too, are dealing w/ cancer and the treatments are no longer working. I never told them what I had been doing just that afternoon, they needed me to listen.
It was a very thoughtful weekend.

At one point, I realized suddenly the Jesse Cook was being played on the radio. I knew the song and was glad that it still could lift my spirits and feel some joy.

Yesterday marked 11 mos, next month is a year DH's been gone.

I have decided I need to be very protective of myself these next weeks/months---be careful to get enough rest, eat well, ( which means enforcing the breakfast by 8:30 am rule) and just in general, be gentle with myself.

I realized although I thought I was mentally ready for some things, and that's when the physical symptons began.....all nervous type of reactions which I will leave to your imagination..........and need for the most part.....less stress and more laughter.


Have finally gotten the first floor of the house in "come on in" shape. Not "come take pictures" but at least where I am not embarrassed to have someone come in and sit. Rearranged a few things, hung a couple of new prints ( landscapes), set up a windows with plants and some 'chachkis'.....

It's bittersweet to do this---almost schizophrenic--- good to see a pretty Monet to get lost in ---perhaps a kind of therapy.


Still walking the dogs every day although we have gotten to where I only take one at a time. Couple of instances where both together were too strong for me and we would have been on the losing end of a skunk.
As it turns out, each dog seems to enjoy being alone w/ me....

Been seeing some beautiful sunrises and watching the geese gathering to move on...............and getting close to an outline for something I've meant to write for a long time................
A mix of real women's stories based on what I know from family and genealogy research.
It might be a series.

So, I am late for my own deadline..........time for breakfast.


Take care all.

Wsw, so nice to see you! Anagram, its good to remember where we started, I needed to hear that. Empress, you are so profound.... its so true, we must accept the ups and downs to maintain...................Woods Nymph....... I think of your hot yoga w/ pen in hand and music playing


And to everyone I missed too, hello and glad you are here.

Hugs, Kaylets! Ye are doin' so beautifully! So glad to see thy postie with the peaceful blue and white sky avatar! Love the way ye are setting deadlines and sticking to them. I need to do that!

***
I am on Day 128 of my initiative of counting the days to March 25, 2012. I am sure I will reach all my goals (or at least the weight one) by then, possibly before.

****
Huzzah!

Royal Saturday Greetings!

While getting dressed for a meeting last night, full length mirror reminded me that walking is not enough to make the changes I want. Comical how when I am walking, I feel svelte and fit.....evidently haven't walked far enough to get there.

So, so tempted to plunk the money down at the Y so I could swim but this week between truck and vet bills, membership at the Y would have been covered for next 3 yrs. One of the dogs had to have another growth removed from his leg, last ones were a very slow moving cancer. If these growths continue to appear, I will have to reevaluate. Meanwhile, dog seems no worse for wear but on the other hand, he's still on pain meds so........


Thanks Empress for the pat on the back, I am getting ready to change the picture....a kind of reality check.
Glad the scale dipped for you, sometimes all we need to do is give things a few more days.

Time to get ready to run some errands; I need some things at the stores and suspect it will be busy later. I prefer early shopping vs crowded stores.

Take care all!

Woot, Kaylets! I know what ye mean, walking is great exercise and the basis for my streakity streak of no day missed of exercise, although I add a lot of stuff in. I am trying to up the pace to put in more jogging and running (same thing, actually, just the speed that is different).

I am on Day 126 of the Grand Royal March to March 25, 2012.

Upping my daily cals just a bit as had what amounted to a binge yesterday, wasn't exactly binge behavior or unhealthy but I deliberately went way howdy over my cals. I think upping the parameters of the budget will help me.

Am feelin' quite Yule-like and Solsticey and Christmasy, so am doing a mini challenge of four pounds down from where I am now by the Solstice, which is, depending on how you look at it, December 22 (some say the 21st, doesn't matter, I weigh-in on Wednesdays now and that is perfect). So I am making a big, serious push for that.

Have said good-bye to the donut. We are getting a divorce. Oddly, I can eat sugar and have little problems but on days I eat a donut, I have GREAT BIG PROBLEMS not eating more than my calorie budget.

Anyhow, am shooting for way UNDERBUDGET today so takin' a nana nap after that run/walk and movin' on to grocery shopping.

Working tomorrow, maybe Tuesday!

Huzzah to all royals who inhabiteth this thread! T'is a wonderful, glorious day here in sunny Arizona and I am not working again until December so NOW am going to get SERIOUS with weight issues!!

GAINED a pound, sigh!

Still lost a total of one inch and GAINED a half inch on biceps, which is a totally good thing as that is MUSCLE, folks!

Really would like to get to my goal but the body does what it wants, plus ate too much! Lol! Next week!