... And still no Tiffany.... What's up with that!?

Tig, love my food dehydrator! Have to be careful though because it makes it real easy to eat something like a whole pineapple in one sitting. That's my personal favorite. Canned sliced pineapple in its own juice. Just put them on the dehydrator and let it go all day till they're crisp and crunchy. Apples are pretty good too and grapes make ... raisins!! Go figure. BTW, congrats Aunt Tiger! Ellie Jean is a great name too!

Don't have much time but I wanted to tell you guys about something. Here I was, sitting at my desk and I had to get up. So as I stood up, I put my hand on my thigh ... and felt the muscles working in there!!!!! Wow! I've got muscles in my thunder thighs!!! Hidden in there somewhere, just waiting to come out from behind all that fat. Who'd have thunk it!?! Guess I'll get a "feel good" point today!

Later!

Good Morning To All.

Cafe, you gotta find you another way to make a living girl. Hope the deal works out with your friend, but you gotta be careful there too. Working with friends can be VERY different and a stress on friendships. I hated my job when I first started here. The last place I worked closed up in December and I started here the following January. You just have to have a different mind set when working with all guys. (actually I perfer working with men over women- no knit pickie stuff going on) Several here I feel like a mother to, you know I like to boss them around but they don't listen, like your kids do. No really we have a very good working relationship and all get along quite well. But one thing I have learned is "If it don't feel right, get out" and it sounds as if that's where you are. Life is too short to be unhappy eight hours a day.
Well didn't mean to start out with a sermon.

Didn't go to yoga last night, my low tire light came on so I was afraid to go. We just had siding put on the carport and overhangs and those guys dropped nails everywhere. H, S and I picked up little pieces of metal and nails for over an hour and thought we had them all. Why can't these people clean up after themselves. Must be a MALE thing.

Raining and cooler today, hopefully I will get caught up with it being slow today, plus boss and one of the salesmen are gone to a meeting and won't be back until late afternoon. Yea......

I had a food dehydrator, in fact I think I still have it somewhere. Anyway I tried to do beef jerky once, (key word is once) after I finished it I wouldn't let anyone eat any. I was afraid that I might make them sick. Did I mention that I'm NO COOK.

Well didn't mean to write a book, DNW said to say hello and that she is really busy. Gotta run, have a great day.

I just tripped in front of the cat. Do you suppose he's laughing inside? Seeing the look on his face cracked me up. Run, she's gonna fall on me... Tripped on a shoe.

School fog delay today. Messed up my whole morning. Kids love delays, go figure.

I think I might need to look into getting a dehydrator. Then I could make the stuff w/o sugar. My DH used to hunt. He made deer jerky. Hung it from toothpicks from the oven racks. I didn't eat it, but everyone that did loved it. I'm glad he doesn't hunt anymore. I could never get past the whole bambi thing.

Today is weights for me. I took it easy on Monday, lifted small amounts, concentrated on form. I didn't get very sore, so imagine I need to up the weight today. Maybe I can get thigh muscles like Jello!

Mornin Ladies!

It's not even 8:30 am and I've already gotten in my Water and my Exercise. Whohoo for me .

I swear I'm gonna fall out of my chair ~ literally. If I lean back sometimes it jerks and I have to grab something to keep from falling! I'm afraid that if I did fall....my co-workers would hear me under the desk saying "Help, I've fallen and I can't get up"....that would be too embarassing!

Aunt Flo should be making an appearance within the next coupla days. I've been snacking like a crazy woman. Still staying in my calorie range, just seem to always have something hanging out on my mouth. Usually goldfish crackers! I can tell I'm retaining water, because I can barely get my wedding ring off, and just last week, it was so lose that that it wouldn't stay still and the diamond kept circling my finger. Not a very pleasant feeling (the darn thing getting stuck between two fingers while I'm trying to type.)

Thought it was funny that I got this in an email this morning. Kind of long but thought we would be going to a new thread soon anyway.

If you want a quick fix for flagging energy levels there's no better snack than a banana. Containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proved that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions making it a must to add to your daily diet.

Anemia:
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production
of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure:
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect food for helping to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruits ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power:
200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation:
High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Depression:
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain trypotophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

Hangovers:
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrate your system.

Heart-burn:
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body so if you suffer from heart-burn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness:
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites:
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves:
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system. Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods such as bananas every two hours to keep levels steady.

PMS:
Forget the pills eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Ulcers:
The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chroniculcer cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control:
Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):
Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer, trypotophan.

Smoking:
Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking, as the high levels of Vitamin C, A1, B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress:
Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water-balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, there by reducing our potassium levels. These can be re-balanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes:
According to research in 'The New England Journal of Medicine' eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts:
Those keen on natural alternatives swear that, if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So you see a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around.

So maybe its time to change that
well-know phrase so that we say,
"A Banana a day keeps
the doctor away!"

Snicker snicker snicker mmmmmrrrrrrrr snicker snicker.....

What's that strange sound? Sounds like ... a cat? Snickering? Hm.....

Yes, Tig, they do laugh at us when we do stuff like that. "I'm a cat. I'd never do anything klutzy! *snicker* "

Semo, I think the note you wrote to Cafe was supposed to be for me?? And yes, I agree, working with a friend can change things. But well she's not that good a friend. Besides, I hate getting out of bed in the morning to come here any more.

Dyan, your post reminded me of something I did. Couple of years ago, my WW leader told us about an exercise to build up upper arm muscles. Get in front of a chair, facing away from the chair and brace yourself behind you with your hands on the chair and do these kinda behind your back sit-ups. So I decided to try it. Unfortunately, I decided to try it using my wheeled work chair. Yes, it rolled out from under me. Yes, I ended up on the floor with a thud. Yes, people came running from all directions. However, I was laughing too hard to explain to them what I'd done. ... Probably a good thing.

Ah, another trip down the memory lane of a born klutz. I have to go now. I shall now attempt walking while I chew my Trident sugar free bubble gum.....

Stay tuned.

Semo, you forgot to mention...

They're good dancers!!!

I ~always~ laugh at my cat if/when he loses his cool so I know that he laughs back.

Wow - bananas - Tiger must feel like a million bucks today! Thanks for that info, SEMO.

Yeah, Jello's the one with the job that REALLY sucks. There are reasons I don't love mine but for the most part it's a pretty good deal. But I did have a wild and wooly day yesterday.

Hey Tiger, what does your cat look like when your butt starts cleaning?

Dyan - WTG on the early morning schedule! DH and I are easing ourself into the same routine. We did get our beauty rest today, but tomorrow we'll be up while it's dark too, if all goes as planned. It sure makes you feel great all day long!

oops, meeting's over - all my "kids" are back home and want attention. Lunch is soon and I'm ready for it.

Jello ~ that must have been a sight! , glad you weren't hurt!

Cafe ~ your so lucky to have your DH doing it w/ you. Although I have to admit, I like working out on my own. That's my "me" time.

Just love those dancing bananas, don't really care for the real ones though. I think it's the texture more than anything.

Hey anybody seen brighter? We know Tiff is busy working and all.

Semo, what wonderful banana info. I probably eat banana's more than any other fruit. My DH doesn't eat them...he has high blood pressure, stress...the list goes on. I'll have to find a way to sneak him some...maybe in smoothies.

I got a pic of my new niece through email today. Too precious. I'm going to see her tomorrow. Baby smell. Almost as good as chocolate smell.

So I think someone smacked me with a silly stick! I've been singing and dancing all day!

Could it be that getting my exercise in the morning is REALLY giving me extra energy? nnnaaahhhh .

Gall Bladder class tonight. If they ask when I want to schedule it I think I'm gonna say around mid-November. That way I won't have to use my vacation time, when I actually go on vacation! I can get my disability. , I'm trying to be sneaky . We're closed for Christmas and I need all the time I can get to cover the shut down. I hardly have anytime accured. I just started accuring vacation in April when I got off maternity leave, and the company shut down for a week in July. So I had to use what had then. So I had to start over again in July. With my vacation in November (4 days) and the Christmas shut down (6 days) I need to do what I need to do.......I know, I know.....

Tifffannnny!!!!! Oh Tiffffannnnyyyyyy!! Tiger's talkin' 'bout puttin' your precious 'nanas in a blender to make smoooothieeees!!!!

(Whispering) There, that'll get her in here.

Dyan, I'm feelin' particularly silly today myself. Don't know why. It's been gray and cold and rainy all day and I, for the most part, just want to go home and curl up. But gotta hit the gym.

Got paid today (always a good thing ) and saw that I still have almost 2 weeks of vacation time left for the year. Hmmmm. Now we have off Dec. 24 and 25 and I'd taken the 23rd and 26th to go to Vegas. Heck, might as well take Friday, the 27th too, eh? Ooh and we've decided (OK "I" decided and Rich sighed and agreed to let me have my way) to go visit his parents at their new home in North Carolina for Thanksgiving. I sent his mom and email and invited myself and she said sure! So now I'm taking a couple days around Thanksgiving as vacation days too.

And then there'll be Christmas shopping days and mental health days and just because I wanna days and..... Oh the possibilities are endless!

Have a great evening guys!

Come on Tiff, throw the dog a bone. Hey, what's up with crashing trains over your way? Head on, on the same track! Probably had some 'temp' at the controls.

Home alone! Boys are all at football practice. It's so strange being home alone. Peacefully erie.

Mental Health Days I could use some of those.

Hi ladies..........what up?

Gosh, it seems like forever since I've had time to "talk" to you all. Life is normally crazy, but nothing exciting.

Tigerlily - congrats on your new niece, I'll bet she's adorable.

Dyan - I REALLY wanted to come out and play today but I have a stye on my left eye and spent most of the day with a warm washcloth. Darn it and the computer was free too!

Hey Jello - good luck with the new job, but as Semo said, be cautious, I work with all family and it can be stressful at times. Of course at this point I guess you'd just be glad to get away from where you are.

Semo - I appreciated the info on bananas, interesting.

I LOVE BREAD! I LOVE BREAD! Did I mention that I LOVE BREAD? Big crusty loaves with lots of butter. When I was in Jr. High in Home Ec class during the sewing part they put in the cafeteria to cut our our patterns on those long tables and they would let us have fresh rolls they had baked for lunch (my class was early in the morning) Guess who took 2 weeks to cut our her project? LOL, my mom had to finish it at the last minute. I am totally inept when it comes to sewing and I hate it anyway.

Well, now that I've been down memory lane this evening guess I'd better go feed the chitlins, they're already screaming for their dinner.

LJ

Hey all,

Tryin' to keep up.....

Dyan---They have a Gallbladder class? Wow, I'm impressed! Nothing like being well informed, no surprises then. Are you doing your exercise routine in the am? I WISH I could get up earlier..used to when kids were smaller. Now I'm waiting for one to get off work in the evening and another to find just the right moment to jump in the shower before bed....You lose a little control as they grow older and I seem to have to stay up later....hence my later arising in am.

SEMO---interesting about the bananas! I love bananas and buy them every week . Didn't realize they were that nutritious, though.

Jello---wish I had a few Mental Health Days, also. I work in an office with alot of women and it gets a little stressed sometimes. I am taking a week's vacation soon.. I love fall and I'm gonna try to enjoy it a little more this year.

Cafe===are you an early riser, also? I'm gonna try to do that more...I know it gets my energy level up but I'm afraid of being sleep deprived with my late pms.

Huntress--I love bread, too! It's what gets me in trouble with my eating. My mom makes homemade bread and we all love it! Nothing like St. Louis Bread Company.... bakery fresh bread....I must stop!

Where is Tiffany and Kayla? I'm sending the banana boys out searching...

Take care everyone....I got two weightlifting days in this week. Going to try to work on the early am cardio.

"Bright"