Happy Sunday...evening...yeah, it's evening. I tried posting Friday...or maybe it was yesterday...I forget...and something happened to my post...whether it was me or the computer or whatever...anyway, no post from me for a few days. Here I am!

I am happy to report that I lost 4.2 pounds my first week back on program. I stayed right on target with my points, plus using the extra 35 points. I only got in a couple of days walking though. I want to do better this week in the exercising department. I am happy.

What have I been up to? Well...Friday was my errand day. Went to the grocery store, Walmart, and I had to stop in at WW for some products. Yesterday, Wayne and I went to Canal Day in Chesapeake City, MD. I BOUGHT YARN. Home-grown yarn! That came from a Maryland sheep!! Hand-dyed. I love buying yarn that I can't find in a store. I just love buying yarn! There I was fondling (yeah...I was stroking the stuff like it was a mink coat or something) the yarn, and Wayne whispers in my ear, "If you like it that much why don't you buy it?" So...I bought yarn.

Jean, bless your heart. Eczema on your thumbs! I used to have eczema badly in the bend of my arms and legs. My breakouts usually were brought on by anxiety. I happily to say I haven't had a breakout of eczema in years. I know it must drive you crazy.

Maggie, you're such a sweetie! I plan on putting that new and improved smoothie booklet into very good use. I was so pleasantly surprised to see it in my mailbox! I still haven't joined WW yet but I did stop in to a center to buy product. The smoothies and mini bars are on sale here in Delaware also. $5.00 a box. I, too, bought, cheddar twists (not on sale), vanilla smoothie (I was looking for the orange creme but they were out of it), and some mini bars (chocolate caramel...on sale...yummo). I have to be really careful eating the mini bars. If I eat more than two at a time I'll have intestinal problems (too much information!). Wayne would not allow me to do too much work on the deck (he's out there now staining the floorboards of the steps) because he is afraid I'll hurt my back.

Faye, guess what I can do now?! I can knit mittens! YES! I knit my first mitten this weekend. I am so jazzed (as Maggie likes to say! AND...you know the best part?! THEY FIT!

Susan, that is soooo sweet of your boss! You're going to enjoy your spa day. I love a professional pedicure! I'm so thrilled for you! Wayne and I keep talking how we're going to Williamsburg soon. But I told him I wanted to wait until the fall because I know how humid it can be in the summer time. We have a friend that moved there years ago and we haven't seen him in years and we want to look him up. Yorktown is just a hop away from Williamsburg.

Well, I know this has been a short "visit" in here but I need to get going. Tomorrow, I have a doctor's appt (ears, nose, and throat). It's a consultation I guess...to discuss that allergy testing I had done. So far, no sinus headaches/infections. Then I'm going to babysit Tyler for the afternoon. I'll try to go on-line from my sil's computer...if Tyler will let me! He's into everything these days. He's teething like crazy...workin' on his 7th tooth. Wayne says he will have dinner ready for me tomorrow evening. Tuesday, we're going to Chestertown, MD for the day.

Everyone have a great OP Day! OH! Maggie, congratulations on losing this week! Wonderful! You've lost a lot of weight! Good job!

Hi, Gail, just had to answer your post.

What a great week for you! Keep up the good work. It would be good if you can walk more. When you are losing weight, if you don't get enough exercise you lose muscle as well as fat. And that is bad. I get weighed and measured tomorrow so we'll see how I did. I don't expect much weight wise but I do expect my body fat to be down which means more muscle and less fat.

Williamsburg is lovely in the fall and usually there are some September and October specials since school is back in. There used to be a deal for seniors but I don't know if that is still in effect. I work in Williamsburg by the way, just 2 miles from historic Jamestown. So y'all come and see us sometime!

Good morning to all you lovely ladies! Only three days then we get to head off to Indiana. I am sure looking forward to getting away for just a couple days at least. We just puttered around the house yesterday and we both took naps. I am going to install the doorbells today that Jack didn't do over the weekend and start getting my clothes together to pack to go to Indiana.

Jean: They are saying gas for cars will be up to $7 a gallon by 2010. Unfortunately, Jack can't carpool nor ride public transportation so we just have to put out the $$$. Luckily, we don't do a lot of driving during the week for the most part, just him back and forth to work. Sounds like you and the kids had fun. Speaking of fancy houses, I had gone to Walmart about a week ago and drove past a gated community that just finished this gargantuan house. The balcony off one of the upper rooms was the size of a room itself. I didn't get to see the whole house because it was behind a brick wall, but brother, who wants to live in a house with an echo! I tip the girl or guy (they have a couple men) 20%, which was $8 for my acryllics and pedicure. QVC doesn't have anything else comparible to what the floormate is so I will just have to look here in town I guess if I want anything. I sure did like it though as it not only cleans the floor, it dries it and vacuums hard floors too.

Gail: Congrats on the losses! That's great! Keep up the good work. We knitters do tend to be fondlers when it comes to yarn. I am kind of a stickler on the softness since most of what I make goes to other people. Hand dyed yarn is so beautiful, but it is so expensive that I don't buy it for anything. What colors did you get and what are you going to make with it. Oh and congrats on mittens too!

Susan: I doubt Kelly's company invested in speech recognition. She originally worked for International Paper, but they sold off a big chunk of their company so she now works for a Canadian company called Western Frazier. They are struggling too so they probably didn't invest in anything like that. I always loved historic Williamsburg. I remember when I got pregnant with Jay we went to visit and I bought this adorable lace baby cap in one of the shops. It was one of those cotton caps that used to be worn during the day and to sleep in with lace all around the bottom. My boy never did get to wear it and it came up missing by the time Kelly was born. I would have liked the Va Beach, Yorktown, etc area so much more if we had been making the income we are now. Back then you barely survived being in the Navy and living there as it was so expensive.

I better go and get started on chores. As soon as it is reasonable I am going to get out and screw in those doorbells.

Have a great start to your week!
Faye

Happy Monday! Thought I would get in here before my day started. I have to jump in the shower in a few minutes to go to my appointment and then to Tyler's house. I haven't seen him in over a week. I'm talking about Tyler; not the doctor!

Susan, I love Williamsburg. Growing up in Virginia Beach, the first field trip I took in elementary school was to Jamestown and then the following year I went with my class to Williamsburg...in the third grade I think. Anyway, ever since then I fell in love with Williamsburg. I went there often as a child and a lot with friends once we were driving. I could live in Williamsburg. Easily. It's been awhile since I've been there so I'm well over due for a trip there. Wayne and I would probably come during the week so when we do perhaps you and I could have lunch together. I'll let you know. Today, I'll be getting some upper body exercising done from picking up Tyler all the time...plus, I get down on the floor and play with him. He likes to push his little cars around and he just laughs and laughs when I get down on the floor with him and help him push all his cars too.

Jean, gasoline is outrageous for cars but for boats there are no words. Wayne would love to buy a boat (26ft. Sea Ray) but right now is not a good time. He would love just being a "dock duck" I think. I bought Christmas Red. It's in fingering weight so it will have to be something light. Maybe a lacey scarf for Christmas. The yarn called to me. Now, I have to listen for the project to match the yarn!!

Everyone have a great morning. I'll try to go on-line this afternoon.

Faye, I heard on tv this past weekend, that gas prices are due to be $6.00 by the end of this year. I hope that is not true. Because if it is, it will be a treat just to see my grandson that is only 45 minutes away. I was posting while you were posting but I don't mind repeating myself...when it comes to yarn-buying! I bought Christmas Red. 450 yards of fingering weight. Perhaps a lacey scarf?! Not sure yet. I didn't think it was too bad...I paid $19.95 for the hank. I've seen home-grown and hand-dyed yarn for a lot more money than that. I think the most I've paid for a skein of yarn is $28.00 but it had over 500 yards in the hank. And that was for superwash merino yarn. I have to really really really love the yarn to pay the high prices...but silk yarn...oh my.

Good afternoon! I'm over at Tyler's house--he's watching a brainy baby video which will only keep his attention for about 10 minutes...if I'm lucky. I'm on Jim's laptop. I'm not used to not using a mouse. I use a mouse with my laptop at home. So this is quite the experience for me!

Maggie, gold has gone up! Right along with everything else. Wayne is waiting for gold to hit $1,000 an ounce and then we're selling our gold and putting it somewhere else. Some people have told Wayne to hold off selling because they think it will go up to $1,600! Of course, the down-side to all of this is our US Dollar falls. You say you're taking Ragg Mopp to the groomer's. Well, I need to go too! My hair is in bad shape! I need my hair to be shaped up again...and probably some blonde streaks put in too.

I went to the ears, nose, and throat doctor this morning. He wants me to consider going on allergy shots. Honestly, I don't know. I have hayfever in the fall and I take medicine for that and it works wonderfully. But he says the underlying problem (his words) are my allergies and he says the shots will eventually help my sinuses HOWEVER he says it will take at least 6 months to a year before I see a difference. I asked him if I don't go with the allergy shots what will happen when I have another sinun infection? He told me to call him and he will prescribe something for me but he says my sinus infections will get worse. He also told me not to think about getting a dog. The top things I'm allergic to is ragweed, cats and dogs, and dust....and just about every tree out there. I'm going to talk with Wayne this evening--I wished he went with me. He would have but I told him not to worry...well, he should've gone and I know he'll say that this evening. Right now I feel fine. I can breathe. I have no headaches. My sinuses are just fine...but the doctor says he bets my sinuses even now are still inflamed. My body has turned on me. After all I've done for it!!!! I feed it. I even exercise it some. Traitor!!!

Well, Tyler is getting annoyed with the tv. He's talking to it. Actually, he's getting mad at it. No...wait...now he's singing. Gotta go...time to play with Tyler.

Later!

Good evening ladies - hot and humid today!

Gail, I did the allergy shots. It took 5 years for me to be completely desentisized and it is the best thing I ever did. Allergies worsen many conditions and medication isn't always the best answer. Whenever my allergies do flair anymore medication quickly makes them subside. They were causing me many asthma attacks, including having to be hospitalized and intubated. Never want to do that again! They do have good shots for cats but dogs is still away a way. You yarn sound sumptuous. I dye fabrics for quilting and have done some yarn for embellishments as well. It's fun!

Faye, how do you like the doorbells? I'd like one for the back door if I knew they worked good.

Jean, the spa I am going to for my treatments automatically adds 18% to the bill for gratuity. Americans have been spoiled for years driving gas guzling cars with the gas not priced to compete with the rest of the world. Part of the problem that is causing the price to rise is the emergence of third world countries like China where people are now able to have a car for the first time. More people to need gas. I have a feeling the price will not be coming back down as the demand continues to increase but we'll be seeing smaller, more efficient cars. Just my 2 cents!

Maggie, what a wonderful way to remember your weight loss journey - and a good investment besides!

Got weighed and measured at Curves. I was anxious because its the end of my first month with Curves Smart machines - I lost 2 pounds (can't say I tried that hard) but I lost a total of 6.25 inches and 3% body fat!. I knew I was working a lot harder. I'll be keeping that up.

Here's the link to your new thread!
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=145227