Hi everyone!!! Welcome Faith. You've definitely come a long weigh in your weight loss. Congrats big time. Perhaps at this stage you're just letting your body adjust to its new weight and then when you're ready, bam, you'll be loosing like crazy again.

Penny the soaps sound beautiful. I just finished me seond bar of orange blossom. As I showered I was wondering how I could get more beauty stuff with the oils you used. I love that soap. Congrats for DS on both the job and volunteer police acceptance. That's awesome. He's doing so well just a 1 1/2 after graduating.

Judy, I hope your trip is going good and the foods aren't too tempting.

Juls, I'm thinking I wouldn't like the waiting list way of medical treatment. In USA we all bash the medical system with its high costs, high deductibles and premiums on insurance, but that waiting it out for up to 2 years is silly. What if you had a life to lead???? You've made me appreciate what I have a lot more. I'd trade that for the dr. calling to tell you his golf game was rained out and could do the surgery.

Carol, so when is the mean worker's last day. We shall all toast in unison at the destressing you'll feel. Forget the destress conference, that woman leaving will do it best for you office.

The work week is over. Need I say more??? I'm very happy about that and am going to try not to do any work over the weekend. I'm on strike until Monday.

But I just read in our local paper (online) that one of our teachers was arrested for allegedly giving students prescription pain killers. A special ed teacher - she's not liked in our department by all past and present so I'm thinking sympathy for her will be null (although I've had no dealings with her). It just blew me away.

Tomorrow is beauty day. The hair weaving and trim/style. I'm very excited. It's one of the priciest salons/spas in my backwater town so I hope I budgeted enough.

I finished the grant I needed to write and I submitted it electronically this afternoon. Goodbye to that headache. I HATE doing grants. It takes so much time and the odds seem small to receive it. By the time I submit them, I could care less about whtether we receive them or not. My experience is that a grant means a special project which translates into more work for me. That, I rarely need.

Well, I'll chat with you all tomorrow.
Marie

Hello Ladies,
How is everyone doing today? Im okay! didnt do so good on eating healthy again yesterday. I dont know whats wrong with me, I guess stress has alot to do with it, and not being able to go to my weight watchers meetings. I really need to get on back track. I have just been craving the food that I know I am not suppose to be eating. any advice?
Faith

Hey, Everybody--

I'm back! It's been a great trip so far, but very tiring. I'm leaving SF tomorrow. The work things have gone well, and I was able to hang out with an old friend and his wife the other night. But maybe all the hobbling around on my bad (left) foot has wacked out a nerve or a muscle in my (right) thigh. I finally had to find a doctor today. I hope the muscle relaxer will do the trick. Needless to say, I haven't been exercising....Maybe by the time I get to Houston, I'll be a lot looser. I need to focus on getting more veggies and water.

Welcome, Faith! Nice to meet you. I love spaghetti squash. I nuke it in the microwave and it comes out perfectly. As long as I remember to poke fork holes into it first .

Marie, you would really not want to switch places with me! I spend an awful lot of time fundraising, mostly for our day-to-day work, or for special projects that I'm excited about.

Penny, you need to start cheering louder! I'm glad to be medicated while I watch the Indians be humiliated by the Red Sox tonight . I don't mind losing to a great team, but I do mind being beaten like government mule.

Carol, I am thinking of you and your hubby, and hope he's doing well.

Juls, I hope that you're in good spirits today! I'm so glad that you came back to this thread. Supporting each other through the ups and downs is what it's all about--it's what's keeping me on the path, even if I am in the slow lane.

Oh, this baseball game is mortifying, but it seems disloyal to change the channel. With any luck the meds will put me to sleep soon.

G,day ladies, hope your all well, Hi Judy yes I,m in great spirits thank you for asking, glad your trip went well sounds a bit hectic though, good you caught up with friends for a bit of RR time. I,ve done pretty good in the eating game today stayed under my 1500 cals and even managed a bit of walking only about 2 miles I,ll be glad when they fix this leg my wonderful son said to be thankful I,m not a horse or they might have to shoot me LOL he is soooo caring. I was very proud of myself today went to the movies and I resisted the popcorn for me that is an achievement the smell really gets to me it was tempting and I was so proud of my DH for the first time he actually said no when I nearly weakened so Yay to him. Take care bye for now..JULS

Juls, that's excellent that DH helped keep you on track. You sure made me laugh with your son's comment. I guess it's very good none of us are horses or we'd all been shot by now.

Judy, it's horrible to watch your fave team be demoralized. I get that a bit with my Packers even thought they're 5-1. The 1 was horrible as they were creaming the Bears until halftime. The Pack went home 60 minutes early that day. And last weeks "win" was ugly. I've Tivo'd a bit of the games so I don't have to watch commercials and I admit to occasionally fast forwarding through the game when it's really ugly. Here's hoping the meds put you to sleep so end your torture.

I walked the dear doggies this morning and it was 26 degrees out. Brrrrrr. I then came home and did yoga by the fireplace. Then a nice toasy mocha for breakfast. With my mocha I usually have a tiny bowl of cereal and I really wanted a biscotti so I did something unusual. I knew I'd crave the biscotti all day until I had one. So I skipped the cereal and had what I really wanted. I did add an apple to the mocha and biscotti for some semblence of nutrition. The cals were good at 340 so not too bad. I yoga and walked yesterday. I'm getting so much more balance with the yoga. I now floss and brush my teeth standing on one leg to practice my balance even more. I can really see so much improvement in just 3-4 weeks. That should make skiing way better. Not to mention more flexibility. So I guess I'm hooked. Who'd have guessed.

Well, time to do more chores. I am enjoying my weekend alone even though it's full of chores. I like being by myself. Beauty day was wonderful. The root line is gone in my hair. She wove my natural in through the length and then wove the lighter blonde to the roots on other parts. It looks excellent. And she also trimmed the ends putting just a touch of layers on the bottom inch or two. She styled it differently and showed me how to do it. I'd never thought of it and it's easy. And my eyebrows are very shapely. It was fun.
Marie

Penny your a sweetie giving me some wonderful soap tips. I feel so ready to get the stuff out and get started. So funny you mentioned cupcake molds I was pondering using the tin ones? Do they work? Ever tried them? Or maybe I should just go with the silcone ones. Anyways the idea was super. I picked a beautiful rose pink at my moms I want to add it to a soap now in the drying rack. I also heard of adding marigolds to an orange soap for a marmalade scent idea. Anymore send them my way I loved it and maybe it will jump start me cause I surely need that.

Hubby is to have a valve replaced and that will be our next step. Talking to the drs. seeing a surgoen and scheduling it. At least there was no surprises no blockage or anything else only what they pretty much already knew. He isn't fighting it not even heard him say boo about not doing it. In the OR he say and heard what they had to say and watched part of it on the monitor. GUess that was scary enough for him. They are hoping to do a smaller insert which then they use microscopic stuff if possible. That would be the best for him. He had some big trouble afterwards with his balance for a day so sad to see. On sunday his brothers came over and he was on a mends well by then. They watched a race together and hung out I went to release some built up stress on the river kayaking with some friends. We went where there is a dam and the gorge was so breath taking. Lovely pictures as I was naughty and squeezed under the jail gate to get a better view. Of course all 4 of us did and yes they took pictures. I think my friend is putting together a photo album for my christmas gift. Great idea last yr. I enlarged a couple of HI pictures and framed them for her.
Marie the 30th is the w------ last day. Looking forward to some postive office interaction. Congrats on the son isn't it wonderful to get such good news that the boys we raised are doing so nicely. I love it. Heard from mine too.
Faith hang in there you have come along way bodies adjust in time then we jump start them again its only a matter of time.
Judy hope your doing well on your trip again. I am jealous time for an adventure out of town. Oh but not about you not feeling so good never a dull momment huh? Hope your better real soon and fund raising can be tuff stuff.
Hope I didn't forget anyone have a great day. I am off to do areobic water exercise on tues and thurs cardio with a group to learn the machines.

Do you ladies make your own soap? that is so cool.
Did everyone have a good weekend? Did we all keep on track? I did for the first time since injury! *giving myself a pat on the back*
Hope you all have a good week!
Faith

Faith, excellent job on staying on track for the weekend. I'll admit I wasn't but I wasn't bad either. If I don't track my foods I consider myself off track. The PDA is on my desk ready to get my entries. In other words, no slacking off again. I'm going to enter every bite and get myself serious again.

Carol, it is untimely that the witch won't be there for Halloween. Just kidding, you'll have a great holiday. Even more reason to celebrate. I'm sorry about DH but at least he's taking it good and not making your life harder.

I walked the doggies this morning before work. It was hard to ge up at 5:00 - I enjoyed the weekend. I really need to win the lotto and retire.

Not much else going on today. I had a GREAT time with DGS. He's so sweet and cute. We played for hours. And I didn't work all weekend!
Marie

G,day ladies hope you are all in good spirits, Carol and Penny you both have me intrigued with your soap they sound beautiful. Carol that photo of you on the other side of the fence sounds like fun but I think that would be as close as I would want to get to being on the other side LOL. Marie lotto sounds good dreaming costs nothing, I envy you when you walk your doggies I have little dogs a foxy and a silky and they are sooks they don,t like to walk they prefer to be carried but they are spoilt and I don,t think they know they are dogs they think their people LOL. Hi Judy hope your feeling better, G,day Faith, all of you lovely ladies take care.
Julie

Faith staying on track isn't so easy sometimes.
I thought I did pretty good this weekend didn't overdo but the scale disagrees today with my ideas. So I am a bit under the weather with the scale. I know my menopause issues are knocking my system way out of wack. But I lifted my kayak in and out of the the river, rowed for how much time etc. You would think the end result would be positive but not this a.m.. OH! That darn scale can be our friend or not so nice todays the not so nice. My wt is up and that makes me angry but my tension lately hasn't been great with hubbies stuff and office stuff.
Oh well I am going to try and just move forward. On a good note my clothes still fit well and today is my gym evening with water areobics. On hr. should burn some type of calories off. I am going to write my intake as well I have slipped in that area the last week. Just have to do these things I guess. I am with you Marie somethings we just can't give up. What is your PDA?
The date is set for thurs for the DH to meet with the surgoen they aren't messing around quick to call me right back yesterday and get everything on a schedule less than a week from the test he had. So the surgoens office said he is booking about 3 weeks out right now. Well sounds like we will be doing this before Thanksgiving. I guess it got the best of me yesterday but today I am okay and ready to move forward and do what we have to do. The hubby isn't fighting it I think hearing what was being said about his heart in the hospital made him know its got to happen. My work is being great with all this I have quite a bit of sick time around 75hrs. but shaving it off a little here and there for dr. appts. So I requested to adjust my time and so far they are agreeing to it. Today I am starting at 7:30 and going to work til 5 that way when I take the hubby it won't be sick time etc. Nice of them to do this for me. But right now we will be short handed as well and no one wants my work either. Its a win win on my part for the time issue anyways they are trying to work it out and that means alot to me.
I won't be home til 7 tonight cause my water class is 5:30-6:30. But it will be so good for me. Hurray I am really going to get there. A shedule I am going to try my best to fit into. Again on thurs for circuit cardio training they will take a small group of us and show us machines etc. 1 hr.
Juls sounds like your doing well hurray feeling better I hope. Sometimes with me experiences and living on the edge is a good feeling just not any tickets from the law etc.... But a good picture of the gorge and a few laughs.
Gotta go pack a salad with some grilled chicken for lunch and oatmeal to heat up when I get to the office. I am packing a bit of fruit to munch on as dinner will be late tonight. That is a not so good thing.

Hello Ladies,
I am so glad that I inspired you all to keep track of what your eating! It does help! I write everything down, even if I have a bite of something I am not suppose to, I write it down in my journal. You ladies are great, and thank you for making me feel welcomed in here! have a great day everyone!
Faith

Marie - Your new hairstyle sounds lovely. Maybe you can post a picture? It's nice you got to spend some time with your DGS, he's at such a fun age - still cuddly!

Carol - I hope your hubby is doing better. I'm glad you got to do some kayaking to de-stres. That was funny about you "breaking in" to the prison with your kayak! You are quite the adventurer! I hope you enjoyed your water class. That's much easier on the joints than regular aerobics.

Faith - How did you get injured if I may ask? I hope you are well on the road to recovery. I'm going to have to start journaling again too as the weight has been creeping (maybe galloping!) back since I stopped journaling every day.

Julie - You asked about soap. Carol and I make them as a hobby. I usually only make them once or twice a year for fund raiser bazaars and for gifts. I really enjoy it as you can experiment with all different kinds of textures, scents and packaging.

Judy - I hope your trip is going well and that your feet are feeling better.

Oh girls that class was something else great instructor and the gals were nice and friendly.Have to refigure dinners on those nights having dinner at 7 ish is way to late on our bodies defeating my purpose. Today was really nice and peaceful just positive forces in the office a taste of the future I hope so. Well not a bad eating day gotta go add it up etc. have a nice evening.

G,day lovely ladies, I know how you and your DH feel about what is going on with him Carol it is scary, my Mum had heart surgery about 8yrs ago she had 6 by passes and her major iorta done and she was fine in fact all this time later I still can,t keep up with her, my thoughts and prayers are with you both. And YES thank you I am doing much better feeling good every wobbly bit of me LOL. It sounds like you had fun and I,m glad the ladies were nice it,s good when the social aspects of exercise lift our spirits as well as being good for our beautiful bodies. Maybe you could keep a couple of WW or healthy choice meals in the freezer for after your late classes just a thought. Penny yes I asked about the soap because I would like to give it ago where do I start. Marie your hair sounds like it looks lovely, and I was reading back you do yoga that,s cooool and you balance on one leg while you brush your teeth well I must say the mind boggles, I have enough trouble balancing on 2 legs these day,s let alone one LOL. Judy I hope your well and enjoying life. Hey ladies I think we all need to get back to keeping track of what we put in our mouths it might help us to stay on track. G,day Faith hope your well.. All of you take care stay focused and keep chuggin along... JULS

Hi, ladies--

I was feeling a bit cranky about checking into my fourth hotel since last Wednesday, but watching the people being evacuated in southern California, knowing that many of them lost everything they own, is helping me put my petty issues into perspective. My uncle just moved into a new home in Santa Clarita, near one of the bigger fires. Now I'm in San Antonio, the last leg of my trip, hooray. I never got a proper meal, so I treated myself to squash soup, mini-crabcakes, a caesar salad and a margarita for dinner. All of my aches have toned down, maybe it's the Celebrex. So things will be looking up very soon!

Carol, your water class sounds like fun. It's good that your schedule can me massaged to accommodate your personal needs. I hope your hubby's meeting with the surgeon goes well.

Faith, I have been lousy about tracking my eating on this trip. It's because I don't really want to account for all the random things I've eaten. Something mental is going on, maybe it's stress. I will try to meditate more often, that might help.

Marie, when you win the lotto, I would be glad to be your philanthropic advisor!

Penny, it looks like all of us want to recommit to keeping a journal. I will start this instant!

I need to do a little work on tomorrow's presentation and then toddle off to bed. Hope everyone has a great Wednesday!

judy