Hi,
It's 54, windy and we have a beautiful clear sky. The high is only suppose to be 65. After today, they say it's suppose to start to warm up slowly. I was watering the flowers this morning and just about had to get a jacket. Being Iowa, they had a report on the news last night about how people (younger mostly) were staying inside, because it's so cold out. I thought you guys would get a kick out of that. I guess it's all relative. Like they said, when it's January and below zero, we will be wishing we had a high of 65.
Aleka, I've tried all the Carb Focus and I think they are the best tasting canned soups I've ever eaten. I like the Philly Steak, is that the one you thought was kind of greasy? I think it might be a little heavy on the fat, but it sure is good. I've tried the Chicken Pot Pie and didn't care for that as much. The Southwestern soup that you were talking about is one of my favorites. It's more expensive than Cambells, but it sure tastes about a million times better to me. Besides, it's a real cheap lunch, supper or first course, if you figure how much it would cost to make it yourself.
DH worked on his dad's bathroom floor all day yesterday and got home around 7pm. I'd made a chicken in the rotesserie and he was so happy. It was much more appreciated than a cake. I also made a salad and tried Kens Fat Free Rasberry and Walnut dressing on the salad. I was kind of wondering about that, but it was actually very good. Would be wonderful if you combined some strawberries, spinach and onions with it.
Aleka, knowing my DH, he would have been up most of the night too. Probably Lacey can tell something is up and it's affecting her too.
That's great about the weight loss With all the hard work your doing, your getting an extra bonus out of it. Good for you!
Anne, hope your week flys by and is over before you know it. Morning Lynn
Better go pick tomatoes. I must have a hundred of them out there this morning to pick. I'm going to make some sauce with some and just freeze some of them whole.
Later, Nikki

Hi,

We're having some really humid weather which makes it rather stuffy. We're also pop up showers and thunderstorms along with some sun. We may see part of TS Bonnie by Friday and possibly parts of hurricane Charlie by Sunday. Just what we need....more rain.

Nikki, glad that your DH's birthday dinner was a success. The chicken sounds really good. The salad dressing sounds very tasty. I'll have to try it. DH & I occasionally go to this restaurant where in the summer they offer this salad made with romaine lettuce, mandarian orange slices, sliced strawberries, blueberries (I think), and chopped walnuts. They pour fat-free poppyseed dressing over it. I haven't had the salad since last summer because both times we've been there this summer it was rather chilly and their homemade soup was in order. The soup I thought was greasy is Beef Fajita flavor. We went grocery shopping yesterday and I bought a couple of different flavors, Tuscan Tomato and Vegetable, along with 2 cans of Creamy Southwestern Chicken. They are the best soups I've ever had. I also found Carb Focus potato chip-like snacks. They're really good, but expensive. They cost about the same as regular potato chips, but there are only 3 servings in the bag. I am so glad that the low carb woe has taken flight with the food industry. Everything that I've seen that is lower in carbs seems to have better ingredients. In our area we have low carb hamburgh and hot dog rolls which are also lower in calories and are made with whole wheat flour. I've noticed Pepperidge Farm has come out with whole-wheat English Muffins and I'm sure the rest of them won't be far behind.

Hi ANNE..lynn Hope you both are doing ok.

Have a good day everyone!
Aleka

Good morning,
Aleka, I'm glad that the low carb products are out there too. They are everywhere now, aren't they? They do seem to be made with better ingredients. I can't afford them as often as I'd like, but I figure the prices will come down eventually. I've tried the vegetable soup from Carb Focus and liked it. I saw those chips, but decided to pass. I could never eat just a serving, it would be the entire bag. I like Lays Baked chips too (I know lots of people don't. I do like them for some reason). I really like their baked tortilla chips, better than the regular. I think it's because they are so light, they don't hurt my teeth when I eat them.
Sure hope those storms miss you. Our weather yesterday was the coldest ever recorded here. The official high was 64. Today, it's cool again, just 55 right now. It's so windy out there and there is no sun, so it feels colder than that.
I have a long list of things to do today and still have to exercise, so I better get moving. Otherwise, I'll sit just sit here and before I know it, it'll be afternoon.
Take care, Nikki

Hi Everyone: Our Wallmart's are starting to carry a lot of low carb products. I am watching my calories and carb's now. I am trying to decide what to program I am going to do when I get back to Wasaga. I still can't get into Dr. Phil"s book, I over eat because I like food period. There is no reason so I am finding the book hard to read. I have been walking 3 miles a day. Our walk is a very hilly one, at one point we are walking up hill for 1/2 mile. It is a real work out. I havn't put any weight on so that is a plus. I have started taking recipes off the net again and made a mock lasagna using yellow squash in place of noodles. Ultra low fat cottage cheese blended smooth in place in place of the cheese and just a little parmasen cheese. It was so good!! it feels good to be back in my old routine before pups. We are going down to DD's and DS's next week to stay and catch up with family and friends. 8 weeks we have been unable to do much. We are looking forward to the break. Nikki, talking about temperatures our's are cool here and have been all summer. I have not had my air on yet this summer. Usually it has been on none stop since the middle of June. Aleka, Mya was ok with the pups leaving. The 2 families that the girls went to are here in the park so they used to come and visit them, even taking them to their trailers for 4 to 5 hours at a time after they were 6 weeks old. A lot of pups leave at 6 weeks but I wouldn't let them go then, I think Mya was getting fed up with them at the end. The pups have even been back for visits and it doesn't bother her. Cooper and Mya are playing together a lot now so they will miss each other when they are separated next week. They will see each other every few weeks so they will remember each other. Hi Anne, hope your summer is going well were you able to get away on your week off? Well must go and sit outside the sun is out and that doesn't happen much this summer. Talk to you tomorrow.

TGIF!!!

We're to get remnants of Bonnie during the day. It poured overnight. We're watching Hurricane Charley very..very closely because depending on where land fall is, the house we're in the process of buying may be right in the path. We've been in touch with the people who are selling the house. We really feel for them because they also have to worry about the house they're building. I don't know what we'll do if anything happens to either of the houses. Also, my girlfriend is in FL visiting her son, and I'm sure they've been evacuated, as her son lives not far from the Gulf. It figures...Friday the 13th

lynn, it was really good the way you gave the pups away, having the pups and the people get to know each other beforehand. I know when we first saw Lacee, the people were all set to give her to us that very day. But, we didn't feel that she was ready to be parted from her mother just then. I too couldn't finish Dr. Phil's book. I do have a fat paperback of his with his eating plan in it. Off hand, I can't remember the name of it, and it's packed in a box somewhere. Have you tried any of the Life Choice frozen dinners? They are very filling compared to other "diet" frozen dinners.

nikki, I love Lays Baked Potato Chips and have them quite often when I have a sandwich at lunch. Usually what I do with chips is weigh out my portion then put the bag away, that way I'm not tempted to eat the whole bag. Those low carb chips were very good, and I did the same with them. Are you still having cool temps? It's awfully humid here, right now it's in the 60's with 100% humidity. So, it's stuffy.

ANNE, well it's Friday and you can look forward to the weekend. Hope your first week back to work went well.

Enjoy your day!
Aleka

Happy Friday All:
Well a few more hours and I made it through the week Today is a
lovely cool day the kind I really enjoy.

This seems to be the summer of the racoons. I can hardly go to work in
the morning without running into a couple. A friend I work with has caught
16 this year and taken them to High Park which is relatively near her home
in hopes of salvaging her grapes.

still seems to be "off". She was away on Wednesday and when she
returned she was in one heck of a horrible mood. We hardly see her anymore
as she often locks herself in her office. We are all wondering what is wrong.

Hope you all have a great day.
Anne.

Good morning
Got to go to that reception tonight. I have a lot of things to do to get ready and it seems, no time to do it all. Speaking of Friday the 13th, I wonder why anyone would get married on this day.
Aleka, you've got to be a bundle of nerves worrying about your house and the one they are building. I sure hope that storm peters out and everything is ok. At least your not in the process of moving down your belongs down there, if that's any consolation.
I bought some more Life Choice dinners last night. I think my favorites are the beef tips and the sliced beef roast. I can't eat the chips, because even if I weigh them out, I haven't the will power not to eat the rest of the bag later. Or, maybe I just never grew up in that department. The word no has no meaning to my subconscious
Lynn, I couldn't finish Dr. Phils book even when I tried to read it the second time. I think your right. I have no deep emotional scars that are keeping me from losing weight. I think I just like food, I like to feel full and I'm a good cook. Like I said above, it could be I never really matured either. I can't seem to like him either, and that's a problem for me.
Anne, you should be off soon, enjoy your weekend We are still having unusually cool weather here. It feels more like late fall and you really need a jacket. This has been wonderful really, since there are no lady beetles all over us. I hope they don't come back this year like last year.
The sprint car nationals are going on and it's a mad house in town. They don't follow any rules of traffic, will pull out in front of you, I can't even remember how many times I almost hit one of them. Walk in front of your car with open cans of beer, seem to want to be treated like royality. I think that's what I don't like the most, they think they are better than everyone else and that the regular town people owe them something. I just wish they would go away. My yard gets full of garbage. Our towns population is 33,000 and it's not set up to handle 100,000 drunk race fans. They are camped all over, in yards, the street, parking lots are full. They have semi trailers set up with showers in them and lines of people standing outside, paying $5 each for a shower. They go in one end and come out the other... It looks like a big carnival, and it is one big party. It's over on Sunday, as long as it doesn't rain. I went to Walmart last night after the races started, to get some supplies. All the workers looked stunned and when I talked to them, they all said the same thing. They couldn't believe how rude those people are. I am sure glad we live outside of town. It always feel like a sanctuary when we leave town and get out here. My DD is spending the night tonight, so she can get away from her apartment, since she lives fairly close to the race track. Ok, I'll stop whining, I just had to vent
Well, better get going. I'm making salsa today. We have been blessed with an abundance of tomatoes
Take care, Nikki

Yes Anne a lovely day, the kind I enjoy the most. DH is golfing today so the dogs and I are vegging. I havn't even walked today. Both dogs are on the bed behind me sleeping. They are having a lazy day also. Aleka I have the book you mentioned "The Ultimate Weight Solution Food Guide". I use it dailey for carbs and cal counting. We to are watching the storms in Florida, hope it isn't going to be as bad as they say. Nikki, I make a salad that uses mandarin oranges, baby spinach, red onions and the dressing is honey dejon. Very yummy!!!!! and simple. I have also used a mix of lettuces in place of the spinach. Hasn't this weather been nuts? Read a book yesterday, John Grisham's The Last Juror I really enjpyed it. Well on with my day. Time to take pup out. It has been 2 days and nights since he went in the trailer. Yes, I know it is me that is getting trained LOL. Hi Anne enjoy your weekend. Talk to you all tomorrow.

Hi Nikki!!!! we were posting at the same time again. Until I read your post about Dr. Phil it didn't click in with me I DON'T LIKE HIM!!!!!!!!!!!! I bet that is my problem. I HATE know it all's and he is the poster child of know it all's. That is my problem and I have just given up trying to read his book ever because it just isn't EVER going to happen. Thanks

Lynn,
I have to agree with you on that. He's arrogant and he just rubs me the wrong way.
I've read most of John Grishams books and he's a great writer. I like that kind of writer, the kind that can make you really lose yourself in a book. I'll have to read the Last Juror for sure. I just haven't been into reading much lately.
I'll be gone till Sunday, so have a great weekend everyone, Nikki

A not so good Sat. morning,

DH & I are on pins and needles this morning. The eye of the hurricane went right through Port Charlotte, which is right over the line from where we are (were) planning on moving to. We're so worried about our RE agent and his wife, they live in Port Charlotte, which was just about leveled, we're worried about the people we were buying the house from, and my girlfriend who was visiting her son in the area, and was supposed to be in Orlando this weekend. We have no idea if the house we are (were) planning to buy is still standing. The worst hit is Punta Gorda, that is 2 towns away from where we were planning on living. We looked at a house there, met the family who lived in the house, and hope they're ok. I don't think we'll know anything for quite a few days. The only positive thing is, we didn't own the house yet. At one point we were supposed to pass papers Aug. 16th.

lynn, I've never cared for Dr. Phil either. I bought his book to help me with emotional eating, but I'm not a big fan of self-help books so didn't finish it and don't think I ever will. I love John Grisham, and I will go buy his book on your recommendation. I tried to read his last one, The King of Tortes, and thought it was so boring, I stopped reading it. Have you read the one one he wrote about skipping Christmas? That was hilarious.

nikki, have a safe trip and a good time.

ANNE, we have racoons here too, but most of them are rabid. We usually feed the squirrells and have a feeder attatched to a tree in our back yard. Every night about dusk we would have a racoon sitting on the feeding getting its full.

Have a good day.
Aleka

Hi,
Aleka, this must be driving you nuts. At least you haven't passed the papers yet, I thought you had. I saw on the Weather channel this morning how hard hit Fort Meyers was. I am sure hoping everything is ok. I'm really glad you haven't moved there yet.
I'm sending you guys a PM about our trip.
I better get busy with the laundry. It never ends. Nikki

Hi!!! I have been watching CNN off and on since 4:30. Hope everyone you mentioned were spared to much greif Aleka, and it goes without saying your house. There are several people in the park with condo's and trailers in the Fort Myer area and are anxious to hear news. Nikki still laughing!!!!!!! how some poeple servive in this world are a mystery to me

Hi,

Nikki, I'm still laughing as I'm posting.

I've been watching CNN and FOX News all day, but no word of North Port. Punta Gorda, which took the brunt of Charley, is about 15 miles to the south of North Port, and Port Charlotte, which got hit very had too is the next town from North Port. I did get a call from my girlfriend who is visiting her son. I was sooooo relieved to hear from her. While she is there she is going to try to drive by the house that we're buying and let me know what the damage, if any, is. We have decided that if this deal does fall through, we're heading back down there to look for another house. Lynn, hope you hear from your friends in Ft Myers.

Aleka

I just knew getting married on Friday the 13th was a bad idea. The bride wore black and white and the wedding colors were black and blue (honest), how did they know?