Good Morning . . .

Just catching up on a few little things then off to get gas for the trip to the airport in the morning -- price did come down about 9 cents a litre this morning -- although somethings just never seem right since it went up by 14 cents last Friday (because of Ike).

Guess I may not be around much, if at all this weekend since I don't know how we will be equiped with computers in North Carolina. So if I don't see you until Monday, I will be thinking of you

BTW . . . I can't seem to give you a link to the Volumetrics thread in General Diet plans at the moment (that will teach me to install on-line updates ), but the principle is well explained in the intro over there if you get a chance to take a look.

Okay SHERI here is the link to the Volumetrics thread . . . http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=150589 . . .

Explorer 7 seems to have turned this into a very convoluted process. Hope I remember how to do it when I want to again.

Hi Meowee, have a great vacation. We won't worry if we don't hear from you for a few days 'cause we'll know you're having a great time.

Sheri, I started all this exercise stuff the last few years I was teaching. The last year I taught a few of us teachers decided to do some walking in the school gym after school during the rainy, muddy Spring and that evolved into jogging. There were about 5 or 6 of us that started and I was the only one who kept it up until June. By then I was doing 5k several times a week. I also walked to and from school which gave me an extra 2k. When I retired I was going to keep up the jogging/walking outside and I did until mom moved in and everything went awry and I drowned my sorrows in chips. I had plans for travel and such that I couldn't do. Anyway, I started again this spring just about a little over a year since I had quit. I have come to terms with my situation and decided what I could not control I would let go and what I could control I'd do. So I've taken control of my weight loss and the exercise and food choices that go with it.

Oh, my that was quite the speech!

I got in 65 minutes of in house jogging today just before dinner. Then I got a shower, dressed and ate a delicious dinner that I had really been looking forward to since I cooked it earlier in the morning.

TGIF; Not a lot happening here today. Going to a retirement party tonight so have to watch my calories most of the day. I'll really try to be good tonight. Could you peek over my shoulder to be sure I behave? THANKS!
Don't have plans to cut firewood this weekend as it is our towns
Harvest Festival. We don't get too involved in it but will probably take in the parade since the weather is going to be almost perfect for it and get to the "arts in the park". Lots of crafts and Christmas ideas.

Isabella and Sheri I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Hang in there we are going to make it. My scale is going down slowly but that's ok. I'[m sure
Meowee is having a great time on her trip. It will be fun to hear all about it when she returns.

Till next week, DONNA

Hi Ladies,
I am always so happy to come back here and see that the four of us; Donna, Meowee, Isabella and I keep checking in! It always lifts my spirits to see how all of you are doing and what you are doing to keep on keeping on!

Thanks for your insight about exercise, Isabella. I realized that I was getting bored with the regular route that I walk and so I have started to drive to places, clock the mileage, and then get out and walk away from my car and back. I really did it by accident because I was dropping my son off at a friend's house and his friend lives in the mountains above town here. I got to the gate where his friend lives and parked to wait for his friend's parents to meet us at the gate and I looked around and thought, how beautiful...I should walk. It was the loveliest walk (all uphill on the beginning stretch) the woods smelled like fresh baked blackberry pie and California Bay Laurel. The trees are all turning and I even found seed pods for a native plant that I have wanted to have in my garden for a long time! We are going out to a friend's house who lives toward the coast tomorrow and I will go for a long walk out that way, too. I am also considering starting a women's hiking club. I love to hike, but my husband was always my hiking partner. Unfortunately, he has developed ostioarthritis so badly in his ankles that if he hikes, he pays for it for days afterwards. I have missed it a lot. It was one of my favorite sports when I was younger and I have many wonderful memories of hiking and backpacking. I have been talking it up with a few women in the community who are "sporty" and I have gotten some enthusiastic responses from them. I will keep you posted on how that goes!

Also, Isabella I had not know that your mother has Parkinson's. I have a dear friend whose mother took care of his father as he moved through the stages of Parkinson's; it is a terrible thing to watch someone you love deteriorate and I am sorry to hear that your mother has this devestating disease. I hope you get some support and occasional relief from the task of caregiver; it does take over your life. When I was 23 I cared for my mother through non-hodgkin's lymphoma;and finally, her death. Although I was so grateful to be able to be there for her, I suffered, too. And so, you have my respect and concern. I am sorry, too, that you had to give up some of the things you had hoped to do when you retired. Perhaps other family members could care for her occasionally so you can get away?

Meowee-North Carolina in the fall...that is one of my dream vacations! I have always wanted to see the Eastern mountains in the fall! I hope you have a wonderful time and come home refreshed and happy. My mom went to the Smokey Mountains in the fall once; she brought me back a gift in a white box. I thought it was a sweater or something. The box was stuffed with the most beautiful leaves I have ever seen...golden, burgundy, scarlet, ochre, bronze, cream. I have had a recurring dream ever since; one in which I am driving through the Smokey Mountains with the fall trees ablaze, backlit by the setting sun...sigh. It is one of those close to heaven dreams!

Donna, don't you love all the wonderful events in the fall? Harvest time is so exciting. We are eating all kinds of stuff right now that has peaked and has got to be used up. I had a couple of pumpkins in my garden that would have won a prize at the county fair! I grow Cinderalla pumpkins and for some reason the pumpkins on one vine got huge! And, they are so beautiful...I almost hate to cut them up to freeze them!

To all...I quit worrying about the weight so much and I have started to celebrate by digging into old boxes of favorite clothes to try them on. I am finding so many new/old things to wear that I know I am doing fine...more than fine. I am turning back the clock, weight wise, anyway! Have a wonderful weekend! Talk to you soon!

Sheri

I weighed in this morning and finally lost a full pound. I hope I'm on a downward trend for this coming week also.

Donna, sounds like you are having a great weekend with the retirement party and the harvest festival with the parade and crafts. I'm sure you'll keep everything under control as best you can.

I guess Meowee is having a great vacation. She said she'd be back Monday.

Sheri, a hiking club sounds great. What a wonderful way to get in a bit of exercise and socialize at the same time.

I have only one sister who lives over 400 km from us. Mom moved from there to here so I could care for her. My sister is younger than I and still works. She always slept over with mom for the last few years she was there but mom couldn't stay by herself daytime anymore. She didn't want home care as she doesn't like strangers knowing her business and such. Fortunately, mom is fairly healthy with no diabetes, heart disease or high blood pressure. The Parkinson's is her main problem. My DH and DS are very good at relieving me so I can do some shopping on my own and DS and his GF often stay with her so DH and I can go out (Which we seldom do anyway. DH is a stay at home after work kind of guy.) My sister misses mom terribly and would have her at her house but can't unless she has vacation time.

It must have been difficult for you to care for your mother at the tender age of 23. You were so young when she died.

Have fun going through your "skinny" clothes. I've got all mine in my regular closet now because I'm expecting to wear them by Christmas.

Have a good evening everyone.

I'm back. It was a great weekend if every possible way -- except for the lack of sleep.

Feels like a nap is in order for this afternoon. Talk to you later.

Think I finally got enough sleep yesterday -- today -- grocery shopping -- such an exciting life.

Ha, ha, Meowee, your life seems good and full to me. Little side trips, mall crawls, flying here and there. Ah, grocery shopping must be quite anti-climactic. But sometimes a lovely fresh head of lettuce or a new fruit will make my day.

I didn't get in any exercise yesterday. My friend and her little girl came to visit and do some planning for a cooking school our church is hosting and after that I couldn't get the time to fit in the workout. So I have to make sure I get in Friday this week. I hate when that happens. Mom didn't take a nap the whole day. That's when I usually fit something in but not yesterday.

Oh dear, our sunny blue sky has clouded over and it looks like we might get showers. Hope it blows away.

Have a nice day, everyone.

Hi Ladies,
Welcome back Meowee! How was North Carolina? I have a friend from work who recently moved to Asheville; I checked it out online and it looks like a lovely place.

Isabella, congratulations on that pound! You will be supporting your red team this week with a pound off the total! I lost part of a pound, too. I think I have broken my plateau. I did not give up! And school has been stressful and I did not resort to stress eating! Yes, I have been enjoying going through boxes and the closet in search of new things. I tried on an adorable jacket this morning that I can actually button; I have never been able to wear it. I was so excited. It is sort of a Christmas jacket. Red jacquard with silver shot through. By Christmas it will be stylishly baggy, or I will have to wear a bulky sweater under it! I guess you will be at goal by Christmas, do you think so? You are doing so great!

Donna, it sounds like it is getting cold in Nebraska. I love it when it gets cold again for about one good reason...soups! They are so nutritious and diet friendly. I make lots of "everything but the kitchen sink" soups in the winter. My favorite though is taco soup...yum! When the evenings start to get cool again I will drag out the soup pot!

I had a stroke of genius today...actually a friend of mine, who is subbing at my school had the idea to walk at lunch. I have prep third period so I ate my lunch while I did my prep and walked at lunch. When there is a will there is a way!

Well, I have a ton of planning and prep to do tonight so I will say adios! Have a great week ladies!

Sheri

I made soup yesterday and made such a big pot we had it for lunch and supper yesterday and today. It was bean soup and so good with carrots, turnip, onions, celery and tomatoes (and beans of course). We've had light frost several nights and tonight we're supposed to get heavy frost so it's definitely soup season here. I'm making corn chowder later on this week.

I don't think I'll be quite at goal by Christmas. I usually lose about 1 pound a week so I'm figuring I'll be around 140. When I reach goal at 130 I'm thinking of resetting it to 125 or 120. I'm quite small framed so we'll see how everything hangs at 130 and readjust then. All my jiggly parts are gone south.

You must feel great about the scale moving again. I always get a bit anxious when I don't go down.

That red jacket sounds really nice. I buy clothing on sale every now and then if I think I might fit into something in the future. I tried on a new skirt that I bought this spring. It's a size 12 and I couldn't even get the zipper up when I bought it and today I could just get it pulled up. Not ready to wear yet but I thought it might fit by Christmas. It's a green/black tweed-like mini skirt. On me it comes to my knees so I don't look too ridiculous at my age. I'll wear it with black tights, long boots and a black turtle neck sweater. At any rate we have a long winter so even if it doesn't fit well until January or February I'll still get lots of wear out of it.

Walking at lunch is a great idea. It'll probably recharge you for the afternoon. I always got really sleepy around 2 o'clock but fortunately I was always busy getting the kids ready to go home and that always took away the sleepies. If I happened to have a prep period at the end of the day I was always yawning and fighting off the urge to have a nap.

I got in all my exercise today and I've got the yawnies now. Have a good night everyone.

Seems I've managed to get a cold -- sneezing and coughing and a very sore throat.

Hopefully this will pass quickly.

Just sneezing and snuffling from nap to nap is enough excitement for me today . . .

Hi ladies,
I am going away for a few days. Once a month I have to take a trip up to the Oregon house to check on it and break up the beaver dam that keeps reappearing in the culvert in the front of our property. Oh, fun, oh joy! Sometimes it is a little scarey. I am going to call and arrange to meet a handyman who said he would look at the job of keeping it cleared if I could give him other work, too. Houses always need work and I can't keep up with two.

Meowee, I am sorry to hear you came home sick. I found a really good over the counter cold medication during the last cold and flu season...it is Zicam nasal spray for colds. I really helps with the sniffles and stuffiness of a cold without the awful cold medication hangover. Hope you are feeling better soon!

Isabella, I know what you mean about being petite. It will be nice when I can wear petite clothing again. I like clothing that fits well and petites in a size 20 are impossible to find! I am not at a size 20 though, I am down to a 16 now! Not in everything, but generally. I dug out two pair of pants this morning... a pair of nice work slacks and a great fitting pair of jeans, and they both fit! The kids think I am getting a new wardrobe, but no one has observed that I am losing weight yet. It's such a touchy subject that people don't talk about it unless you mention it. Your bean soup sounds wholesome and delicious. I grilled vegetables from the garden tonight... peppers and pumpkins. The pumpkins were surprisingly good grilled.

Hey Donna, come on back!

Well, talk to all of you on Monday or Tuesday!

Sheri

Hi . . .

Throat is feeling a bit less raw but the sneezing and snuffling is still going on. I'm definitely making the same kind of noises as the coffee maker this morning. Have to go out for a few staples today, but beyond that, just plan to sit around in a heap feeling sorry for myself.

Hope you all have a good Friday . . .