charliebear - i just read your response to Lauren on a different thread, WOW I am impressed with your advice and your thoughts and your life and your relationship with your husband!!

I am married to a great guy. I think everyone deserves one, and you don't have to be at goal weight to find him! I hate guys that undermine a woman's confidence, especially a guy so obviously vain. I've met guys like this, the one's who think that if they tell you they cheat then you shouldn't get mad because they are so urban, chic, and civilized. There is more to their arguments, but I'll never know because I couldn't hear it through the door to my apartment.

Just a quick check in! to thelotusgoddess and charliebear99!!! So happy you both found us and posted!

I have been busy with family matters. My niece was in a horrible car accident last Thursday evening and we are just thankful she survived! Then, her sister (my other niece) got married this past Saturday. My son is still struggling, but seems to be doing a slight bit better and is preparing to start back to college on August 22nd. We all have some reservations about him starting back to school right now, but he really wants to go and he does need some direction to his life, so he is proceeding ahead with it. He will live on campus. I am just hoping and praying with all my heart that he will be able to be successful at college and get back on his path to "normalcy" again. He needs a break!

It is really good to hear from you, Holly, and also from Monica. I appreciated your private message as well, Monica. Lisa, congratulations on your new kitten!!! I hope you decide on a name soon and that she brings lots of love into your life! Animals sure have a way of doing that! You still have your dog, right? Is it Elvira? Does she get along with the new kitten? I hope so! Coop, how is the new job going and how are things with the OH? I hope you are both hanging in there as best as possible under the circumstances. Sending love and hugs your way!

Kathleen, I am so sorry to hear about your niece. You really have a lot to deal with. I pm'd you again the other day. You are very strong.

Holly, I was very happy to hear from you. How was your son's wedding? How is the boss treating you? It sounds like you are having a great summer. I am dreading the winter - last year's was mild for the Cape, but I still have a bit of ptsd from the winter before. If we have another one like that, I am going to start looking for a place to rent or buy in Florida, Arizona or Georgia, so I can get away for January, February and March. I would never sell my home here, but would like an inexpensive little condo in a warmer climate.

Lisa, have you named the kitten? I like the name Irma for a female cat - my aunt had a wonderful cat named Irma- almost human-like.

Greetings and welcome to everyone else.

Well, 4 days since my last post and after paying our son's tuition to college, he told me today he just can't go through with school right now. He is still too emotionally fragile. Although his timing is bad (since we just paid and since he was supposed to move in this coming Tuesday), it is actually somewhat of a relief to me, because I couldn't imagine how he was going to do all that would be required of him in college when he was having a hard time just showing up for a doctor appointment. But now I need to go through the hassle of all of the emails and phone calls to try to get a refund, to notify housing so his roommate can hopefully get another roommate, and I am also hoping to get his enrollment deferred to a later semester so that he won't have to go through the entire application process again next time (once he's ready to begin classes). The lady I've been dealing with at Otterbein has been so helpful and very understanding of my son's situation because she said she has gone through this situation (of anxiety & depression) with her brother. That has been a relief and a huge help to us. I hope she will be able to help us now, too. I just want my son to get the help he needs. He is feeling VERY depressed again and even said today that he thinks he might need to go back inpatient again. I feel like this will never end. I don't tell him that, of course. But I know he feels that way, too, which makes me so sad. He is a good guy with a huge heart and he has just lost his way. He so deserves to be happy and that is my greatest wish for him right now. It is SO heartbreaking to watch him suffer. I have been doing a lot more emotional eating lately due to this whole situation. The only good part of this (emotional eating) is that I am very aware of the fact that I am doing it. Now I just need to reign it in. Easier said than done, but I can do it! Thank you for being here my friends and for letting me vent. It truly helps and I am grateful for all of you and for this group! ❤

Sorry for being absent so much recently, I hope you're all alright! I'm going to do a catch up over a few posts so I don't lose anything...

Kathleen: thanks for the new thread! I hope your son's outpatient therapy is helping, and he's doing better with his meds. When will your daughter's tryouts be? Can't be long now! Would she be taking part this year?

Lisa, you sound like you're really going through a tough patch with losing your mum and the upcoming move and your health too! Sometimes the universe likes to throw everything at us a bit thick, we get more than our fair share. I hope you recognise how strong you can be, you have pushed on through quite a lot of @$=#!

Monica- I really need to get your exercise bug, it's very impressive! Have you been sailing anywhere nice lately?

Kathleen, I completely understand your relief. You were dreading your son's move to school as you were remembering what happened last time. Think how much easier this is - he did not start and have to leave, you will no doubt get reimbursed. And, if it is a hassle, think of it as something to occupy your head. I think it is good that he realizes there is no way he is ready for school at this time. And, there is no saying he will be ready for next semester either. It might be time for him to put thoughts of school on the back burner and concentrate on getting well. I hope he is about to be admitted into a hospital for a lengthy stay, then go to a day program at the same facility. That is what saved my brother. He now - that he is happy and those days are long behind, thank God - says he thinks everyone should go "in for a tune-up now and then," and if he could afford it he would go for a week every year.

Kathleen, please remember to take care of yourself first - you are no help to others if you don't.

Hello to everyone else.

Holly - I love your description of your sons wedding, that sounds so lobely! How are the happy couple getting on? Have you been baking anything good recently?

I started the new job 2 weeks ago, it has been really good so far. I think I made the right decision, it's just good to be doing something different, although I had a bad day on Monday and had a go at one of my new colleagues to stop talking about their favourite cigarette brands in front of me (it's exactly 1 month since OH's dad died, and it was smoking related).

Good luch with your toy drive!

Lisa - i love the name Lily, ot's so pretty! Please post a picture if you can

Kathleen- sorry about your niece's accident! How is she doing? I am so sorry your son has changed his mind for college, but it sounds like a good thing for him just now. You are having quite a lot thrown at you just now, I hope you're able to get some time for yourself, but if there is anything we can do (even if it is from afar) just give us a shout! Times like these, we realise just what we're capable of, you seem to have broader shoulders than most of us!

I know I have posted multiple posts to you all but I was catching up in order of individual posts!

I forgot to say hello to our newbies Thelotusgoddess, charliebear99!

I know I've been absent recently, between my new job and also just making sure I keep my OH occupied, I haven't had much time to stop by. I have been indulging my OH in a lot of food-shaped treats (popcorn, takeaway, chocolate, dessert), and I've gained back nearly 10 of the 14lbs I lost over the first bit of the year. I am going to start exercising to lose it if I can!

Coop, I really don't have the exercise bug- I am forcing myself to go to the Y, to the beach and to yoga. I am doing a minimum of an hour of exercise a day. I keep telling myself, "I am 63 years old, still overweight, and not on any meds at all -because I exercise." In the past few years I have gone from 30 minutes 3 or 4 times a week to my new schedule. I look better, feel better physically and emotionally, I am sleeping better, and I have tightened up.

I am convinced exercise is the reason I am on no meds and my blood pressure, cholesterol, actually all my blood counts are perfect. Exercise also helps tremendously with depression and anxiety. I highly recommend it.

Monica