Wavew wave! Welcome Izza, love the pics, Annie...we won't have anything blooming for MONTHS still.

I've been crazy busy with crafts, go figure. Our co-op produce was cool. We had to call one of the admin gals to find out what it was...jerusalem artichokes. They look like ginger, but don't smeel like it. Kind of like fingerling potatoes, but not exactly. Flesh like a radish but milder. Comsistency like a dense water chestnut. I put them in a hamburger/cabbage stew instead of potatoes and it was very good. One nmore dy of that left, then I will be making either a pear and white wine reduction or a fig and red wine sauce to go over ground chicken breast patties. I am not sure whether we have mini pears or figs. It's kind of fun getting mystery produce.

Hope everyone has a great week!

Barb

Good morning All!! Gray and cloudy and snow flurries, so we dodged the snowstorm that others are getting. Planning to go out for a dressy dinner later tonight, so I'm looking forward to that. Now thinking, "I HOPE I have something dressy that fits, or else it's dark jeans, high heels and a lacy top." Keeping my fingers crossed.

Annie - How's Tootsie this morning - any more movement on her leg? How about you - how's your shoulder? Take it easy with that!

Ange - had to crack up at your chipperness I didn't even notice the !!! marks, and had to go back and look for them.

Hope everyone's hanging in there as this week gets underway. I had a frustrating night last night (worrying about work and misc.) - made turkey burgers and baked fries so an indulgent mentally meal, but not off track completely, Had made a salad but went to "chill" it I popped it in the freezer (as it'd sat on my desk all day) and forgot it there for about 20 minutes instead of 2 minutes... it was HARD and completely frozen. But then kept going back for this and that. ... ended up with a slice of american cheese (which i justified by saying it "could" have been on my burger, but I saved it for later ... huh?) ... a few slices of turkey pepperoni - 17 of them are 70 calories and I tend to take 6-7 at a time and count as a point ... then a few crackers I brought back from Italy - like short breadsticks... then a few more. All in all i grazed and grazed and ended up with an additional 300 calories of crapola. Why didn't I just unpeel a banana and have a glass of milk for some nutrition? grr.

Brought a light lunch and

Good Morning All,

I feel Fabulous today, dispite Anniedrew showing off her un snow covered flowers... LOL. Glad to here your pup is ok. I have 3 dogs so am well aware how you worry when they are down. I would post a pic of my yard if I could figure out how to do it.

Yesterday was an off day (No Work out) but I stayed on target for Calories. and my muscles aren't as sore today.

I'm also Happy one a 1 pound loss, 3 day in a row I've been 196lbs...Yayyy for me!!!

ange82much No need to apologise for exclaimation points, I use them in excess!! Have a Great trip, "I am so Jelous" I'm sure you will be kind to your body and stay on track.

nationalparker: I appreciate the well wishes and have already order Turbo Fire that should arrive in time for me to stop shovelling. I've also been doing Jillians Yoga Meltdown, And Wii fit plus.

Thanks Again all

We took April to the park yesterday and because of the impending rain had the place practically to ourselves. Afterwards we did some shopping and running around.

Today, I'm doing the regular things. bread, laundry, etc. I got up early because the fridge was making noise but as soon as I got up it stopped.

I have some catching up to do today.

Annie, sorry to hear both you and Tootsie {she's adorable!} are injured.

Fruitlady, hope your stomach is better today.

Ange, have a good time in China!

Good morning, all.

Busy this weekend, didn't get around to posting. Down another pound. Actually was down more, but then ate off plan, so I hope to recover from than soon and be down more by the end of the week. Also been off exercise plan, but will be getting back to that. Too much playing and not enough working.

PPenguin--good luck on DH's job.

Ange--Good for you on the 1/2 marathon training and down several pounds.

Izzadawn--welcome.

Annie--Sorry to hear about teh goggie. Hope she's feeling better--and hope you're feeling better, also. Glad to hear the plate is working out better. My crocus are also coming up.

Gotta go.

Hi all! If you saw Tootsie walking/running around last night, you would never think she was practically crippled 12 hours prior... I'm very glad she is feeling better, but I am supposed to be keeping her confined. OI'm just trying to be sure she doesn't get too excited and resprain her leg or whatever she did.

I, on the other hand, am not doing any better with my shoulder/upper back issue. I spent most of the night in the recliner with a heating pad on my upper back. When I lay down it feels like someone is stabbing me with a knife. I honestly felt like I might need to go the ER, but didn't. Would have called in today if not for all the time we have had off lately. I am a little worried. I had a cervical fusion back in the late 1990s and I never want to see neck problems again. The fact that the Flexeril the doctor prescribed did nothing to make this better kind of worries me. I also feel terrible from the Flexeril, too. Just drowsy and confused. I don't know what I am going to do tonight if I can't sleep. I may have to actually go in to see the doctor, but I don't want to. I have taken enough time off lately. If it isn't better I will call and at least see if he would let me try a Medrol dose-pack and see if it helps.

Needless to say, I did not exercise this morning.

NP-I wonder if you have ever tried this with the turkey pepperoni...

Crispy Pepperoni

17 Turkey Pepperoni Slices
1 Paper Towel

Lay the slices in a single layer across the paper towel. Place in the microwave for 45 seconds. Turn over, try for another 30 seconds.

You can continue heating, or shorten the heating time according to your tastes.

...I think I got it off a thread here a while back.

Have a good day everyone!

Annie - Good to hear that Tootsie is cruising around comfortably but that you're in such pain. Good luck with that! Thanks for the idea on the pponi slices - I've never thought/tried that but you can bet I will! I used to LOVE the regular pepperoni on a pizza that got crispy...

Good job, Kitteh - on the pound (or more!) lost. Yay! You're so close!

Cut myself off in the last msg but today I'm going to try to go light at lunch and then enjoy my dinner without worrying about it too much. Brought some clementines - this box is completely hit/miss between decent and terrible. Hard to complain when I'm fortunate enough to be able to buy and afford fresh fruit, though.

Hi all!
Annie, thanks for the picture of your crocus, can't wait for my flowers to come up.

Nice & sunny today, but cold. It was 18 degrees at 10am. Rode the bike for 30min. & I'm still on track with eating clean for the last 8 days, that's a miracle for me, with the help of chocolate yogurt, I am able to stay away from junk food. So I'll be having it in the fridge all the time. Lost 4oz. cause my calories were lower, due to my stomach problem. It feels better, but still not perfect. I just realized this morning I managed to maintain between 108.9 & 109.6 for 5 days straight. I might have this maintaining thing figured out finally. Now I just have to resist this craving for peanut butter & ice cream I have today.

Have a great day!

Just popping in for a drive by as usual. Wieghed myself this mornign and I am in a new decade. FINALLY! It's been such slow going these last few months...if I could get the eating and the exercise right all at the same time, I'd have lost enough to have completely disappeared by now ;-)

Annie-glad doggie is doing better.

NationalP-now you know what to do next time...a banana instead of graxin-I'll have to remember that for myself.

fruitlady-you're doing so well now...you don't need peanut butter and ice cream...and there's always skinny cow sammiches as an alternative that is "less awful" if you just can't resist.

Gotta go. Innkeeper meeting and I am still not dressed...was working, so I could stay in my jammies. Will tyr to do the wATP dvd when I get back. And try to remember to try it with the 2lb weights.

Barb

Had yesterday day off and struggling with some terrible family issues with son and wife and thier 1 1/2 year old with the separation. I lost it and ate junk all weekend. This was so emotianally tramatic that I even sedated myself for a day and a half with some anti anxiety meds which helped some.
I am feeling better today and hoping to go on my walk in the next few minutes but it is still so icy not sure if the trail will be okay but i will go outside anyways and check it out.

Annie - sorry to hear about your shoulder and hope you are feeling better, love the photos of puppy and flowers. It was so cold on the weekend I was glad I had an excuse to stay in. -21.

will try to catch up more this week. Thanks NP for the input about LA it would be good to go visit him at the halfway point, I was very surprised the flight was only 149 one way but maybe that is some sort of sale.

FL - the ecoli thing is scary, but good the pain subsided and hope you have a great day!

A few years ago my Mom was diagnosed with uterine cancer. {she's fine now} A kind online friend sent her a hand knitted Prayer shawl. At the time, I asked for the pattern to the shawl. It took me a while but I finally tried it. It was very easy to memorize and went quickly. I made one for myself, and plan on making a few others to take to my church so they can pass them out as needed.

This is the first one I made for myself.



same pattern with a different yarn.


Different pattern in progress


crochet shawl I started today. Ignore the weird tilt to my head

Penguin, awesome prayer shawl, they are very pretty.

mirj, - hope your doing well

Was able to walk yesterday, yay, we got a bit more snow so that helps with traction, planning on going out again today as well. Stayed on plan yesterday, had tomato, spinach and chicken sandwich for dinner, allbran for breakfast this moring, and in serious need of caffiene. Was up at 4 again today for no particular reason. Having grilled chicken breast for dinner and small potatoe and some broccoli. Lunch the regular chicken spinach sandwhich. I feel on the edge of a binge but keeping that under control I want to keep seeing my pants get looser and summer is coming!

Just have to interject here that those shawls are pretty. I took a crochet class a few years ago but was just so bad at it and impatient. I may try taking up knitting to see if Im better at that.

Thanks so much for the compliment! Most people I've met seem to prefer one over the other, they either knit or crochet, but a few of us do both.

Hi guys! Well, my upper back/shoulder/neck area seems to be some better today. I was able to sleep better last night....I was very careful about how I moved around. Still uncomfortable in some positions. I really feel like a nerve is irritated. I am going to give it a few more days and see if it gets better on its own. I really don't want to take a steroid (what my doc usually gives me for this type of thing) and will avoid it as long as I can. If it doesn't get completely better soon, I will call the doc ASAP. I HATE the muscle relaxer he called in for me. It makes me feel NOT GOOD. Weird.

I did not exercise again this morning. I'm so scared to irritate whatever is going on. If it continues to feel better I will resume tomorrow morning. Maybe keep the arm movements to a minimum.

I sure enjoyed my birthday dinner and cake with fiance and the boys last night. I ate that lovely homemade cake I made without any guilt whatsoever. I will probably have another piece tonight, too. After it is gone, though, no more full fat/full sugar cooking for a while in my house. I will never have any willpower over that type of thing.

PP-The shawls are beautiful! Love the multicolored ones.

Hope you all have a great day!