Good Morning Everyone,

Hi Joanne, looking forward to hearing about your beautiful walk.

Hi Linda (Meowee), our weather turned nice yesterday, also.

Hi Trish, must be tough to go to work everyday with your dh at home. I don't think I'd like that.

Where is everyone else?

Lynn

Good morning Ladies,

Phyllis
Love the name of the cat, Friday… how original. We are so boring with our names for our dog. Bear. We did not give it to her. The people who owned her first did. We were given her at about 7 weeks old.
I know what you mean with the dog shedding. It’s a constant battle here. If we don’t vacuum daily, we get hair balls blowing like tumble weeds. Yuk! I don’t want anymore pets. I can’t stand the hair.

Lynn,
you asked if all that water keeps me in the bathroom…
well I have always been that way anyhow. In fact since my body is used to it and in better shape, its not nearly as bad.
Although if I am going to be where I can’t get to the bathroom, I drink a little less.
And If I get up in the night, Well my back feels better if I get up and move around. So I just don’t worry about it. In fact I keep a bottle near the bed. With the Apnea I get very thirsty all night. From sleeping with my mouth open.
I have a older sister that is tiny too. She weighs about 95 pounds. A good swift wind would blow her away.
She is one of those people that has gone to the dr. to gain weight! My oldest brother too.

Karen,
I love you pic. It makes you look so young and pretty.

Lyn
What a busy lady, 5 miles in one day… you should be so proud, keep it up! you will loose at that rate!
Happy Anniversary! Hope you have many more.

Zoe,
good for you, riding your bike.
Baby steps are good. you will get back to your regular rides soon.

well for now I have lots of house work, have a nice morning ladies. Back later
hugs to all of you.

Morning, GG’s! Jeeze, Lynn….I’ve been humming “All That Jazz” to myself for two days, now!
And speaking of Jazz, YOUR Jazz, Meowee-Linda, looks JUST LIKE our Yoko! They could be twins! Yoko is super-energetic, always racing around, hiding behind table legs and leaping out at us, “dribbling” little paper balls that DH makes for her around the house (for some reason, she has no interest in actual “cat toys” that we’ve bought, including every sort of ball – she really likes these little crumpled up paper balls that DH makes and throws for her by the dozens. Sometimes she brings them back to be thrown again, and sometimes she hides them. About once a week, DH conducts a paper ball treasure hunt and finds 40 or so of them hidden in a cache somewhere – behind a chair, under the armoire, under the bed in the guest bedroom…)
Well, yesterday was DH’s birthday. He’s 61. He walked around all morning before leaving for work shaking his head and repeating over and over, “I’m sixty-one. I can’t believe it. I’m sixty-one. I can’t believe it.” Men take these things so much more seriously than we women, don’t they? I mean, I don’t think we’re exactly rejoicing when our birthdays roll around, but I don’t think we find the idea of being another year older quite as incredulous as men seem to. Age happens. (Personally, I don't like to be reminded that it's my birtday. In fact, I've been known to growl rather ferociously when inadvertently wished a Happy Birthday by some innocent bystander who doesn't realize how much I value my damned privacy and age anonymity! ) Anyway, I sent him a happy birthday e-mail at work complete with animated balloons and noisemakers, and he seemed quite cheerful at that…and then I made what has turned out to be one of his favorite suppers – Taco pizzas made on Lavash bread. Also got him a little personalized carrot cake with one candle (I figured that was the most candles he could handle).My kids all called to sing happy birthday to him, which really made him happy…I’ve probably mentioned that he has no children of his own, and has been really thrilled at the way mine have accepted and inserted him right into the midst of this big and raucous bunch of us. Oh! I got him a funny card. TWO funny cards, actually. One – because he is rabidly anti-Bush – has a picture of Bush on the front, and inside says, “Every party needs a clown!” The other one has a picture of a girl on the front saying “You Da Man!” Inside it says, “You da OLD man, but You Da Man!” We’ll be celebrating his birthday – and my daughter Kim’s (her birthday is on the 31st) – this weekend with a family party. The last big lobster bash of the summer.
Karen, that dog looks so content hanging there in that Snuggli – what little babies, they are, huh? Maybe I should find one for myself and then I could stop bugging my daughter about having another grandbaby for me!
Hiya Sue – I really envy you that access to fresh veggies all the time. Now that I’ve managed to really develop a taste for them, the season up here is on its way out, and all we’ll be getting all through the winter will be really poor quality stuff from the grocery store produce departments. As for gaining and losing weight at unpredictable times, I’ll have to say I’m a charter member of THAT club, too. I swear that when I think I’ve been losing is when I don’t lose an ounce, and sometimes even gain a few, while when I’m feeling my most klutzoid and marshmallowy is when the scale shows a drop!
Trish, I take calcium pills when I remember to, but as far as drinking milk, well that just ain’t gonna happen! I have never been a milk drinker. Well, maybe back when I was eating oreo cookies, okay – I mean, you can’t eat oreos without milk, but other than that (Oh, okay, maybe with homemade chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven….) Omigawd! NOW look what you made me do! In my mind, milk = cookies; the two just go together. NOW I’m dying for some homemade chocolate chip cookies…good thing I’m at work and have no access…
Five miles, Lyn! Omigoodness! You’re really DOING it, aren’t you? Turns out you’re quite the athlete – up there swinging through trees and all, too…I’m so impressed! I really wish I were as active…and that DH was, as well.
Omigawd, Tee!!!!!!!!!!!! You’re at 154 pounds! WAY to GO, girlfriend! You’ll be having to post your “after” pictures pretty soon! I can’t wait to see them! I’m going to try that salad of yours, too.
Hey, Phyl…Oh, I get where you’re coming from totally with the up a half, down one, really a half business. I’ve decided to give the Wendie plan a shot. Yesterday was a low point day, and today is higher, but Thursday is really high – I’m really going to have to finagle that to get my points up high enough. But I read the philosophy behind it, read a number of user discussions about it, and it does seem to help bump people off plateaus, so I’m going to give it my best shot. If I gain instead of losing, I’ll shoot myself…
Lynn, how are you doing? Are your blood sugar levels behaving? Are you finding it easier since you’ve been home a little bit more over the past weekend? I hope so.
Jo-annie..don't work too hard, Lady! Come back and play with us!
Well, back to work here for moi,

TTFN,

Z

Zoe,
fast question,
That lavash bread... is that like a pita pocket bread? I looked it up. The pics look like a pita bread. I have never heard it called that.

Oh no pics yet. I am loosing very even all around. so I just look the same to me. Although hubby says it really shows to him.
still have this big tummy. Although Curves measured my tummy almost 2 inches smaller!
pics will come soon

Hi Ladies & Gentleman!

Good grief, this board is active! I had a message all worked up by checking the board, then realized that I had lost my place & was commenting on stuff from two weeks ago. Sigh.

So many new people onboard…this is wonderful!

Welcome Coastal Sue!

Karen! That picture of you is beautiful! It’s possible to spoil a pet? At least they don’t get entitlement attitudes when they turn 15 year old. (I say all of this while one of my puppies is lounging on my lap)

The bathroom saga was so accurate! I can’t tell you how many times in public bathrooms (especially at train stations) my dh would grill me and as what’s going on in there. Up until that post I always told him that we have televisions in the restrooms with sofas, do our nails, admire each other’s shoes…. Just to irritate the men. Now he has the truth!

Went dancing this past Friday night! We’re trying to remain a couple even though the kids &grandchildren all live here like the Waltons. We love to country & western dance (& swing dance & salsa) & are trying to find a decent dance place without much luck. This time the poor guy accidently took me to a biker bar. What fun it was to listen to a band younger than my own children trying to pound out Led Zepplin. We were able to do some West Coast Swing but boy are we rusty! Glad everyone else was too drunk to notice.

Zoe – Now I’m humming ‘All That Jazz’. Beats running through the day singing the Sara Lee jingles. You mentioned your DH’s birthday and it’s so true that these guys take it very seriously! I’m a couple years older than my hubby & he just hit fifty this summer. He’s not taking it well at all. Suddenly, out of the blue his gym workouts have lightened up considerably because ‘ I’m fifty now’. He keeps telling everyone who cares to listen that he’s too old to do whatever & now he’s making appointments with Beltone because ‘he’s fifty’. I remind him that I’m older than he is but the way he’s acting I’d better go find him a bathrobe, some ben gay & a rocking chair. I’ll let you know how well he handles his 61st! It should be pathetic.

Gayle – The right job is somewhere out there. I’m still believing it!

Lyn – Five miles is serious fitness! My daughter, who to date has dropped 46 pounds keeps reminding me that ordinary efforts will yield ordinary results. You’re being extraordinary!

If you’re new to the board and I missed you I am so very sorry! Welcome! You’ve found the nicest group of friends online right here.

And I have a home business that I’d better get busy doing, a house to do a quick clean on and a workout to squeeze in. Take care all! We’re almost through with August!

Take care all!

Marylynn

Argh!!I stayed the same weight at my TOPs weigh-in and then at the WW weigh in this am I was up 1.5 pounds. How could that be??? I even walked 6 miles yesterday (3 at noon and 3 more in the evening) I counted my WW pojnts until Saturday and Sunday...but I know I didn't blow it that much. maybe it's the vacation pounds showing up a week or so later?...Anyway I'm soooo tired of being stuck between 201 and 202!!!

Thanks for letting me vent...I'm going out for a walk anyway. It's gorgeous out.

Lyn

Tee, m'dear, Lavash bread is this big, rectangular-shaped flatbread made with whole wheat flour and high fiber and only 100 calories and 2 WW pts for the whole big piece! Around here we get "Joseph's Lavash Bread". I don't know whether they have it out your way or not? It's great to do pizza toppings on, tho - gets sort of crispy without breaking. I take it for my lunch at work some days, too - make a roll-up ham sammidge on it with salad greens and pretend veggie cheese.

Hiya Marylynn! Sounds like you & DH have FUN, girl! My DH & I have never been dancing together! Maybe it's about time we did, but I don't know where we'd go around here. Just night club type places, I guess, and neither one of us like those. Oh - we DID dance together at my younger daughter's wedding, come to think of it.

Have a great day, y'all! (And all you too-busy-to-post folks BETTER be sticking to your diet & exercise plans, you hear? )



Z

Well, I found out that a breakfast of rice crispies, 1/2 bananna & coffee does not carry me til lunch....I had a big sugar drop, guess I needed to add some protein.

Marylynn, how fun...my hubby and I love to dance. He is really very good and I usually can follow him. Sometimes he gets a little to tricky with the turns and I have a hard time. When I lose all this weight maybe I can follow him better.

Zoe, my black cat Friday use to love to play with wadded up paper balls also and the rings off milk cartons...she would carry those around. I would tie some scrunched up paper on a long cord or heavy string and swing it around for her, she loved that too. I miss my cats!!

Lyn, that is exactly why I hate my scales!!!!!!!! Join our group of scale haters here....Zoe, Joanne, Trish and me. With all that walking you will lose it quickly, did you eat a lot of salty foods, could just be water.

Theresa, I have the same problems as you, carry my weight in my stomach. If you look at me straight on I look pretty good but the side view is where it shows. My Father carried it there also but my Mom was in the hips and thighs and that is where my sister and my daughter carry it.....don't know which is worse, at least they have a waistline!!!!

Lynn, everyone must be busy this time of year.....we don't have kids going to school but school starting makes a lot of business much busier. You can join us more now that your class is over. Seeing you in your bathing suit reminds me I need a new one before mid Oct. but I am going to wait until right before we go to Orlando to buy it as they are in stores year round down here.

Cleaned out the last closet today!!!! Thank goodness.....now I want to clean up some grout but my dh will help with that chore, then on to washing all the windows inside and out, mirrors (we have one wall that is all mirrors and lots of sliding doors) and this place will be ready to put on the market....I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Hey Karen, good luck with the house, sending good vibes your way.

Phyllis

Morning GG's:

I had to catch up on the posts. It's so easy to get behind. This is such a busy place. It's nice to see everyone participating. I ended up getting a migrane on Saturday morning and it lasted till this morning. I had to stay home from work yesterday because I can't see very well to drive when I get migranes and on top of that, I get very nauseated. So, now I just have a 'regular' headache and I'm at work. All my weekend plans were put on the back burner. Now I'm almost back to normal. I have 9 brothers and sisters. All the girls and my mother always suffered with migranes from the time we were youngsters. Since I went through the change I don't get them as often. Usually about 8 times a year and they last anywhere from 1 -3 days at a time. Not a fun time.

Cat: I’ll pick up the Sugar Busters book at the library and take a look at it. My cravings are sugar, crunchy, and salty. Thanks

Meowee: The cat liter I buy for my cat is called ‘World’s Best Cat Litter’. It’s 100% natural and safe and is made from whole kernel corn. Contains no added perfumes or fragrances. I get it at Pet Smart. Here’s the link: http://www.petsmart.com/global/searc...ch_results.jsp
Hope this will help. It did for my cat.

Heidi: Yippeee!!! Great job!

Theresa: That’s a good idea using the Rubbermaid tubs. I have some I’ll ask him to use. Like you said, if I don’t see it I won’t crave it.

Sue: I’m going to talk to my son tonight about the sweets. It doesn’t bother me when I see his individual pizzas, etc on his shelf in the freezer but the sweets are something different. TIP: When I read the posts, I keep the Word program open and type my response to each post as I read it. Then I just copy my Word document and paste it on the ‘post reply’. I figured this out a while ago since I couldn’t keep up with the posts. Hope this helps you some.

Lily: Happy Belated Birthday!!!!!

Zoe: Glad you’re liking WW. Congrats on the loss. It’s a very good program. I have some special recipes that were given to me when I participated last year. When I get home I’ll dig them out and share them with you. I heard on television this morning that the sign up fee for WW is being waived so if anyone wants to join it will just be the weekly fee. Very reasonable priced for the program.

Lynn: Chocolate chip cookies are contaminated? I haven’t heard that. Thanks for the Hacker’s Diet Info. I’ll take a look at it and see if I can learn something new. Love the blue bathing suit and you look very sexy in it. I haven’t worn a bathing suit for 10 years. Maybe one day. I have visited Dotti’s Weight Loss Zone for years. It’s a great site with restaurant points and good recipes. Thanks for the calcium information. I have osteopinia (sp?) and try to keep up on the calcium and vitamin D each day. I wish I could find all the vitamins I need in liquid form. I do not like taking pills. I do take minerals in licquid. You look so cute in the picture. Is that a hotel behind you?

Karen: Beautiful picture! What a cute stroller. I love it that you take such good care of your pets. I bet they love you a lot. I used to own three pet stores. I have a passion for pets and love to see them treated well. They are little people and have feelings. Some people don't get that.

Lindy: Welcome. I’m sure you will find we GG’s enjoy and encourage each other. I’m a Linda too. Popular name. Looking forward to getting to know you.

Phyllis: I didn’t know Pepperidge Farm WW lite bread is only 1 point. Thanks for sharing. I still try to follow the WW program and try to keep the carbs low. You must be building muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat. So, when you exercise it is possible to gain weight. If you measure yourself you may see that you have lost inches even when you’ve gained a little weight. Hang in there. Sugar free jello is 0 points.

Gary: Way to go on the 9 pound weight loss!!! I love golden retrievers. I would love to have one but my son’s cat doesn’t do well with dogs so I will just have to wait until he moves and then think about adding to my family.

Lyn: 5 miles!!! That’s a long way. Do you go different routes? Do you get bored walking such a long distance?

For anyone I've missed hello and hope you have a great day!

Hi gang . . .

Sorry I'm definitely not very chatty today . . . been having a dreadful day. Started at 3:30 am with one of the most severe hypoglycemic events I can remember in all the years I've been a diabetic (BGL of 2.4 - 43) and in my totally confused and sweaty state when I staggered out of bed, I treated (overtreated) it with the first thing I thought of -- frozen yogurt and lots of it -- and then went back to bed. So, ever since, I've been running to bathroom and then going back to bed off and on all day. Yuck.

Hopefully I'll be more normal -- or what passes for normal in my life -- tomorrow . . . see you all then.

Lyn, Lyn, Lyn....if it was anybody else, I'd say you must've overlooked something that you ate, but in your case, if those extra ounces aren't pure-D muscle, I don't know what they COULD be....seriously, m'dear, you are getting a LOT of exercise, and with all that walking, you've probably gained muscle in your legs! As for what you ate on vacation...how could you have gained from that? With all that swinging through trees and hiking and what not, you HAD to burn off whatever you ate! So, don't fret over the scale!! You're doing great! Just keep doing it!

Hey, LindaD! Good hearing from you! Sorry the migraine had you knocked out for a bit but I hope you're feeling much better today...

Oh, Meowee-Linda! That sounds just awful! Take care of yourself...should you check in with your doctor? Get a change in meds or something? Please let us know how you're doing!

TTFN
Z

Yeah!!! The headache is gone. My eyes are still a little blurry but I'm feeling almost normal again. I'm going to give myself another day to rest before I begin exercising again.

Tonight for dinner: turkey chili with a salad. It's easy to fix and I can freeze the leftovers in individual containers to use when I don't feel like cooking.

Meowee: Sorry you’re feeling bad. I hope you will be better soon. Take care of yourself and get to the doctor if you need to.

Zoe: Here are a couple WW receipes I got when I went last year. Our leader asked us to take receipes in for a meeting and I got these and tried them and they are very good.

2 variations of Taco Soup:

#1 Taco Soup (1 c = 2 points)
(Yield: 3.5 quarts) (Can be frozen for 90 days)
1 pound lean ground meat or chicken
1 large onion
3 - 16 oz cans mexican style chile beans (undrained)
2 - 11 oz. cans mexicorn (undrained)
1 - 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 - 4.5 oz green chiles (Ortega)
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
1 pkg ranch style dressing mix (dry mix)
1 and 1/2 cups water
1 can stewed tomatoes (15 oz or 28 oz can)
Brown meat and onions. Drain.
Add water, taco seasoning and ranch mix
Simmer 15 minutes
Stir in other ingredients
Simmer 15 minutes.
(crumble tortilla chips on top - extra points)

______________________________________________

#2 Taco Soup (1 cup = 2 points)
1 lb ground beef or turkey
3 cans hili beans (any kind)
3 cans diced tomatoes
1 large onion
1 can corn
1 can diced green chilies
1 can chicken broth
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
15 oz can tomato sauce
Saute meat & onion until brown and drain
Mix with other ingredients & boil.
Lower heat and simmer.
*You can also add 1 can green beans and 1 can wax beans
Garnish with low fat cheese and top with cilantro or tortilla chips (extra points)

_____________________________________________
(This is good for BBQ's or parties)

Pineapple Cake - 2 points per average slice
1 box of 'One Step' Angel Food Cake Mix
1 can crushed pineapple (in it's own juice)
1 fat free Kool Whip
1 can pineapple chunks
Pam Spray
Mix angel food cake mix with crushed pineapple and gently stir until ingrediants are mixed well.
Spray a 9X13 pan with Pam
Pour batter in pan and bake per package directions
Let cake cool

Topping:
Mix Kool Whip with pineapple chunks or bits (you can add marishino cherries but will have to add the extra points)
Refrigerate until ready to serve

Enjoy

I saved some notes from my WW meeting last year and wanted to share. Labor Day is coming so if any WW ladies are going to celebrate, here are some point reminders:

Hebrew National FF Ball Park Frank - 1 pt
Wonder Light Bun - 1 pt
Chicken, no skin, no bones - 3 pts
Hamburger patty 3 oz and light bun - 4 pts
1/2 c baked beans - 5 pts
Rosarita Refried Beans - 3 pts
1/2 c potatoe salad - 7 pts
1 oz (11) baked potatoe chips - 2
1/2 c mashed potatoes - 2 pts
2 tsp olive oil - 2 pts
2" square 'No Pudge Brownie' - 5 pts
1/16 10" Angel Food Cake - 2 pts
1 1/2 cups strawberries - 1 pt
Bryers SF vanilla ice cream - 1 cup - 2 points
DiGiorgno Whole Wheat Thin Crust Pizza - (cut in 9 pieces) 3 pieces = 5 points

Corn with husk:
Run water inside corn husk
Wrap in paper towel and microwave for 3-5 minutes

Some positive reminders:
My goal is to weigh what my driver's license says I weigh.
If you never fail, you never learn.
Failure is feedback.
The Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Just do something.
Failure is not an option.

Oh, I forgot to mention that I lost 1 pound!! I guess being sick pays off sometimes.

Some websites:
hungrygirl.com
nutritiondata.com
dietfacts.com

Hello everyone,
Well, we have some people that saw our house on craigslist and they seem to be pretty interested. They live in Tucson, Arizona and the last email that I got today from her was they would see when hubby could take time off to come and see it, if not she will come by herself. So that is pretty encouraging and I have my !! Also the people in San Diego have still not made up their minds. I guess they are waiting to hear about one thing (don't know what ) and then they will make up their minds. They are looking at our house and 2 others. They also saw the house on craigslist. So I think a lot of people look at that. At least it seems so around here.

LindaD-- Thanks for the recipes--- I have them printed out and think I may try those too. My furbabies are very spoiled!! But I love it!! Ginger gets up in the morning with Tim and has him give her a "cookie" Sissy stays on the waterbed and waits at the corner of it for him to bring her her cookie --- and he does!!! This is every morning! Shoot--- I don't even get breakfast in bed!!!

Linda --- sorry you are feeling kind of "yucky" today. Be sure and take care of yourself and if you need to go to the Dr.

Everybody--- Thanks for the compliments on my picture. That was taken on July 4th so it isn't to old. Y'all know how to make me feel so good!

Well, I need to go for now and get a few things done. I'll be back later and try to chat with everyone.

Keep sending all those this way. bye bye for now!