Anne I forgot to add my sadness over Cecilia, She is in everybody's hearts and prayers. Those poor parents, it is impossible to imagine their pain. I pray the kidnappers are caught. Today would have been her 10th birthday. I am going to find there site and post my sympathies today. I heard about the weed virus I think a ffew weeks ago. I think Microsoft had a free download. Hope your week is going well

Good morning,
I hadn't heard about that little girl. I rarely watch the news and they usually don't report on things in Canada. Much less here, unless it has something to do with politics, the economy or the war.

If anyone has been reading the Left Behind series, the new and last book is out now. I bought it at Walmart last night, hardback for $14 and change. I've read it since the beginning. I can't say it's the most well written books I 've ever read, but for Christian fiction, it is very good.

I'm going to see my ortho surgeon this afternoon and hopefully, it will be my last visit. While I do have pain and stiffness in my ankle, it's much better than it has ever been. I feel like I can do more than I've been able to do in years. DH wants to go to a Chinese restaurant there, and probably we will go. It is the best Chinese food I've ever eaten. I don't want to go off my diet, but we will probably not go there now for many years and I sure don't want to pass it up if I have the opportunity.

I bought several of those Life Choice frozen dinners yesterday and decided that will be what I'm eating now for awhile. I tried another of them and they are really good. They taste like real food and the portions are big. Plus, the calories are usually between 250-300 for the meal. DH even says they taste good and he's picky (he says he's not, but he is). I'm still looking at the Zone, it still seems kind of complicated. Maybe it's because I'm just not ready to learn about another new diet.

Better go get ready for the day. I hope Sugar is ok. I bet she is just super busy trying to get the yard ready for the wedding.

Take care, Nikki

Hello everyone,

The rain has arrived and it's awfully raw outside. We're supposed to get rain through the weekend, then on Thurs. they say we may see some wet snow. A typical New England spring. We'll be heading for warmer and sunnier weather pretty soon.

lynn, I hadn't heard about that little girl in Canada. Does Canada have anything like an Amber alert? I hope and pray that little girl comes home safely. I had a good laugh about you and the map. Sometimes men can be so stubborn. Which Leslie Sansone tapes to you have? I have a whole library of her walking tapes. I have Walk Away the Pounds w/weighted balls, which I love...when I do it. I bought her latest tape, a 4 mile walk, which I haven't even looked at yet.

nikki, I saw that book on the news last night. I guess there are all sorts of controversy over it. I haven't read the series. I have been reading the series by Jan Caron, the Mitford series with Father Tim. They are really good. Good luck today at the Ortho Dr. and enjoy your Chinese Food. Just count this as your "free" day then start over again tomorrow. I went into the Zone site and asked DH if he'd like to do it. I got a "NO!" I got last week's issue of Woman's World. The weekly diet was Eating for Life by Bill Phillips. He also has Body for Life. In EFL, he claims that you don't have to do the body building if you don't want to, I don't want to. It does sound interesting and will buy the book while I'm on vacation. I don't want to try and start an eating program before we leave. You eat 6 meals a day. If you'd like to check it out, here is the website. www.eatingforlife.com Suzanne has started an EFL thread on the General Diets forum.

Hi ANNE, Sugar

Have a good day
Aleka

Goodmorning All: Another dull and rainy day. The news said the rain will let up this afternoon. Yhat would be nice we could get in a bike ride. Nikki that little girl was taken from her bedroom. This morning the news said she wasn't sleeping in her own room. She had given up her room for a visiting grandfather. Obviously someone very close to the family. Interpol and the FBI are now involved and are looking for two men in Hong Kong. The parents ran a English school for new immigrants but they also let out rooms to Chinese students. Apparently over 30 had been in the home in the last 3 years. I bet they wish they hadn't done that!!! It appears to be a ransome gone wrong. The case was profiled by John Welsh on his show and on Larry King. It breaks my heart, every child should be safe in their own home. My DB is bringing a friend here on Saturday. She has a cousin who has retired here so I am having them here for dinner. I hope the weather co-operates. The plan is to be so busy on Saturday I won't be reminded about Coco's death. Saturday's have become the worst day of the week, so I am hoping being busy will break the pattern. We will have steaks and I would like to cook them in the fire pit on a grate with the barbeque as a back up. Steaks cooked over wood are my favorite.Hope your appointment goes okay Nikki, I will be back later.

Hi Aleka, we were posting at the same time again. Cecilia was taken in Nov. and it was her remains that were found. I sure hope they get who ever is responsible and soon. I have WATP and WATP's for abs. I saw the 4 Miles tape also but since I'm not doing the 3 all that regularly can't see buying the 3 anytime soon. Also once we get to the trailer we have a walking club there, and also DH and I ride our bikes every night with friends. so I don't exercise in doors at all. Well off I go, will check back later. Hi Anne and Sugar

lynn, that is horrible about Cecilia. I hope they find the that did it. From what you said in your previous post, it looks like it was someone close to the family. I prefer to exercise outside in the fresh air and I can find 101 excuses not to exercise indoors. We're having that rain here now too. I bet it's the same storm. Are you supposed to get snow tomorrow night too?

Aleka

Haqven't heard about snow yet. Apparently it is going to be 50 and sunny most of Saturday, that makes me very happy. I am planning a menu that I can use the barbeque for a lot of the recipes. For example appetizers quesadillas with dips, steaks. baked potatoes. I am also thinking of a pineapple dessert you can do on the barbeque. You marinade a fresh pineapple than grill it and serve with whip cream, doesn't that sound yummy? May the kidnappers of Cecilia fry in ****. Talk to you soon

Good evening,
It took 8 hours to get to the Drs, see him and get home. They were really busy today. He says my bone has finally healed, but I have severe arthritis in my ankle (I'm aware of that ). He said I dont have to return to see him, unless I want to have my ankle fused or if I want an ankle replacement. I told him I won't want either of those things, for a long time anyway. I did ask if he'd help with my disability review when it comes up. I told him I can stand for an hour or two, but it kills me. At work, I would have to be on my feet for 8-16 hours a day and I can't do that anymore. The VA said that the only way they would allow me to return to work is if I am 100% recovered. He said I will never be 100%, so I'm thinking I won't have to worry about losing my disability now. This has been a big concern of mine, and I feel relieved. I have days when I do pretty good and days I can't do much at all. It's my retirement that I paid in to, so I figure I might as well get it now. When I started, we weren't under social security, it was civil service retirement.
We did stop at the Chinese restaurant and I ate enough for a family of 4. Everything is so delicious there, even the simplest thing is yummy. The crab rangoons are so stuffed with filling, they look like drawstring handbags. I told DH that this was our victory meal for all the years of having to deal with this stupid injury. Your right Aleka, it's back on plan tomorrow. In fact, it 's back on plan now.
I better get busy and ready for bed. Talk to you all tomorrow, Nikki

Hi,

We're still getting rain. I heard that it's supposed to last through Sunday.
They're worried about some flooding because all the frost is not out of the ground yet. We do have quite a few "ponds" in our front and back yard.

nikki, YAY!!! That's great news about the Dr. releasing you as a patient and that you can keep your disability. You must've been thrilled with the news. Sorry about the arthritus in your ankle and hope it won't be too bothersome for you. It isn't fun. I'm starting to get it in my shoulders and hands. My shoulders can get extremely painful. Glad you had your fill at the Chinese Rest. My girlfriend got me hooked on some sort of filled dumpling that sounds something like the crab ragoons. I know there isn't any fish in these dumplings because I can't stand the taste of fish, except for the good stuff, shrimp, lobster, fried clams, scallops, etc. DH didn't care for the dumpling, so I told him that was good because then there was more for me.

lynn, are you still getting rain? We get on and off heavy downpours. They said that tonight into tomorrow morning it's supposed to get colder and that we may see the rain turn to snow/freezing rain with some places getting some accumulation. Your BBQ sounds delicious, especially the pineapple recipe. I'll be at your house Sat. night in time for dinner with bells on! Would the pineapple work on a gas grill? If so, would you post it? It sounds YUMMY! I love fresh pineapple.

ANNE, are you getting all that rain that Lynn is getting? If you are I hope that your basement isn't flooding again. How is your work week going so far?

Sugar, hope to hear from you soon.

Have a good day everyone.
Aleka

Goodmorning All: Yes Aleka the rain is still coming. Water levels are very high and there is flooding in some areas. This is apparently the type of weather the west coast receives all winter long. I couldn't take it. I rather have snow. I will be barbequing on a gas barbeque if the rain doesn't let up. Actually I only do the meat on the wood for flavor. Congrats Nikki, when is the review? It will be good to put that behind you. Well we are going to go shopping for something to do. The talk about chinese food has me thinking cantonese chow mein. Was surfin the tube last night and they were showing an old Three's Company and further down the dial there was Suzanne hawking a new exercise machine. Anyway after going back and forth a bit I figured out why she looks so good. She has to be at least 15 pounds or more heavier than she was when she was younger. The added weight stops the chicken neck and the other things that age us. She is in incrediable shape and that is her secret. She is not thin. Well off I go will be back later

Good morning,
I have to take DD to the dr this morning, she has an aweful sore throat and cough. I hope she will be able to get some antibiotics for it, but they are really cracking down on that and aren't prescribing them like they use to.
Everybody, meet me at Lynn's, Saturday night. Drinks on the deck, followed by BBQ and wood smoked meat . We might have to leave now, Aleka, to make it in time, but what the heck, the meal sounds so good .

Lynn, from the way it sounds, your getting your share of water up there. You too, Aleka. Hope there is no further flooding for anyone.
It's going to be clear the next several days here. DH has gone up to get the roofing this morning. His son worked last night, so I may be the designated helper today. I hate the thought of that and really want to do other things. ANY of things.

Got on the scale this morning I don't know if that meal was worth a gain of 4 lbs. I know I didn't eat 4 lbs of food. How does the body do that? This makes me want to start the secoond tape in the Slim in 6 series. It lasts almost 50 min and is a much more intense workout.

Got to run, I'll check in later, Nikki

Hi Ladies< Thanks, Now if the weather co-operates I will be
Barbequed Pineapple
Barbequed Pineapple! Serve in bowl or banana boat with
pineapple on either side, and a scoop of ice cream or two with
juice glaze on top. You may substitute juice (1/2 cup) for
sugar and rum part of marinade. Prep Time: approx. 15
Minutes. Cook Time: approx. 15 Minutes. Ready in: approx. 2
Hours . Makes 8 slices (4 servings).
Printed from Allrecipes, Submitted by Michael Fischer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 fresh pineapple
1/4 cup rum
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves


Directions
1 Peel and core pineapple, and slice into 8 rings. Place
in a shallow non-reactive dish or resealable plastic bag
with rum, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.
Marinate in refrigerator 1 hour or overnight.
2 Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.
3 Lightly brush the grilling surface with oil. Grill
pineapple rings 15 minutes, turning once, until outside is dry
and char marked. Serve with reserved marinade.




a happy camper. Here is that recipe Aleka easy eh?

I screwed up the paste job. Sorry

lynn, thank you for posting the recipe. WOW!! Rum for a marinade. I does sound easy and soooo good!! I copied and pasted it. I have one question. How do you peel a pineapple? I have never bought a fresh pineapple.

nikki, to get to lynn's house I'll be heading northwest and you'll be heading northeast. Maybe we could meet somewhere in the middle, then arrange to meet ANNE, and all arrive at lynn's together.

Aleka

Wouldn't it be nice to see everyone!!! Take the top and bottom off sit it flat and peel down like you would a rutabaga.Cut into the rings than take out core which you will see very clearly.You can also get fresh pieapple in the grocery stores with the work done for you