Morning ladies!

Very busy day here. We have a doofus for a substitute teacher and I have been busy doing lots of paper work and little cutting and glueing projects. Yipppee! LOL. I told Dh last night about being a little bored and frustrated with my diet lately, but then it really clicked. I somehow tend to think that if I eat healthy foods I don't need to worry about portions...aha...the light came on! I measured my dinner last night drank tons of water to fill my stomach up. I realized that my idea of a 1/4 cup of cheese (at 110 cals) is not the true measurement. I would grab a large handful. That's more like 1/2 or 3/4 cup. My pants feel a little snugger and my stomach feels a little bigger.

2fru- Have fun at the races this weekend. I really would like to go to the drag races tonight or tomorrow. It's kinda fun. Plus, I love being outside!

Harley- Great ideas for helping with cravings. I need to buy some sugar free hot choc. Have a wonderful weekend with your sis!

Star- OOOOhhh...those adorable grandbabies!!! How fun!

I'll be back on a little later... got kiddos coming in now...

TGIF from here, too...

2Frust - I hear you on the grumpies about getting up too early on Sunday to work...I have to get up at 4AM Sunday morning to test an upgrade going in. Freaking job with people in multiple time zones...everyone else is on the east coast...for some unknown reason they find it neccessary to start at 7AM their time. I told them be prepared for a grumpy girl until my coffee kicks in...

I've dropped my bike once - while I was trying to push start it...what a dork. I crunched it once but didn't fall off...rear ended an El Camino at a stop light cause I was talking to my passenger and not paying attention. Double DOH...the front fender looked like someone had sat on it. That was long ago...all is fixed now.

Harley - that's great JC is working so well for you...what happens when you ge tot maintenance? Do they have some kind of program to wean you off of JC food? I kinda see the point about not having to pay for takeout food - JC seems a lot more reasonable when you look at it that way. If you don't mind my asking around how musch a week does the food cost? Just being nosey - fell free to ignore that question

Star - have fun with the wee ones!!!

Rebel- I have a hard time with measuring sometimes, too...it really is an eye opener.

Hi Holly!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Have a wonderful weekend ladies!!!

Oh, Star, on Monday give us the details of your new haircut!

If I get a chance I might get online this weekend, if not see ya'll Monday!

Hi ladies!

Rebel, glad to hear DH can go back to work, if he's got doc's OK. You are NOT selfish, just worried about your finances. Star's right - if you start to feel buried by bills, all you have to do is show intent and good faith in paying it off, but you do need to make first contact with them and tell them your concerns, and agree on a do-able payment plan. Even if it's $50 a month, if it's done consistently by you, that's good enough!

Harley, you're right about making changes that then seem routine...we never cook a starch with dinner anymore; if our sons want more, they can help themselves to bread or a roll or make a quick pasta dish. I don't miss it that much anymore, honestly. and then when I have the bad bowl of cold cereal later, it isn't that bad, cause I have a few calories to work with

Haven't been on my bike since last Thursday, 9 days ago!! when is it going to stop raining....

Husband and I had it out again on a few days ago, but are trying yet again to make things work.

have a good night, all!

Rebel - thanks for asking about my hair......Well she put more color in it and then high lighted it....I LOVE the color - it has more brown in it.....and doesn't make me look so washed out.....The cut is great, had some cut off and it has alot of long layers, I actually can get away without washing or blowing it dry. It just falls really cool........I think this is the best cut I have had in awhile......It frames my face really nice.......

Had a blast with GBKaycee and GBDavid this weekend. DH wasn't thrilled that I have offered to keep them both.....being as Kaycee is 9 months and David is 22 months (and first cousins). BUT they were so good and played really nice (meaning David shared..lol). DH did jump in and was totally the "PAPA Bear" they know and love......I really did forget how much work those little angels are. As a mom I know I did other stuff, like housework, cooking, etc. BUT as a NaNa T, all I can manage is to hold, play, feed, read and watch cartoons with them...... I wonder why that happens.....hum, I guess God planned it that way huh

Good morning all! Well I had a great weekend. Really had a nice visit with my sis. We sat by my mom’s bed and visited for hours on Sunday afternoon. It was so nice. That way mom didn’t have to get up when I got there she was tried and has chemo today.

Hat Chick- OK JC is costing me about 100.00 weekly. I get Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and one snack. I then get my own fresh vegetables and fruits, an additional 20.00 or so weekly. I opt for the calcium bar instead of a milk product that is included in the 100.00 wkly price. I get peanut butter chocolate. Love them. The snacks are great love the lemon cake and brownie. It’s nice because I still get something that is a treat everyday. They are about 100 calories a piece. I stay totally on JC until I get to my half way point. Then I’ll do 4 on 3 off or something like that. I will stay on it for a while then I will wean off the food totally when I get closer to goal weight. I stay on maintenance for as long as I need to. I can renew my member ship for 39.00 yearly to stay seeing a consultant as long as I need to. I can even go on the food again for a while if I start to gain weight. The goal is to start eating right on your own food. They give a great deal after you’ve been on it for a while I think at 6 months I get a discount of 30 percent or something like that. I get a 10 percent discount now and it increases after so many weeks to 20 percent I think it is coming up to 10 weeks point is when it increases. So basically the longer I am on the food the more money I save on it. It probably wouldn’t be a good deal if you had 20 lbs to lose but I have a lot so it works for me.

2 frust On the whole dumping the bike thing. Good grief it takes three grown men to pick mine back up. I dropped it in a gravel parking lot one day. Oh my gosh I thought my DH was going to lose the top of his head on that one. So needless to say I don’t go into gravel unless I just have too. I can not even imagine it flipping over on me. Ouch!!!!! It weighs too much for that to happen I think. I am not going to test it out if you know what I mean.

Star glad you had fun with DGB this weekend. I got to spend some time with new nephew, he already weights 11 lbs at 3 weeks. He is the biggest baby I’ve ever seen. Very cute and fun to hold but glad to give him back to his mom. He was a little fussy this weekend. Congrats on a great hair cut and color.

Reb sounds like a trying day with sub. Hopefully you made through OK. Hope your weekend was good.

Vermont don’t get down about DH I will pray for your relationship. Hopefully things will get better. Thanks for the encouragement on diet. Keep yourself busy and stay active with things that make you happy it will help!

Well chicks it is a Monday. Talk at you soon.

I finally got the scale to give up a pound...and I swear I didn't just adjust it - but I thought about it...

What a day....it took me until now (1:45) to get a chance to stop and breathe. What is up with these people who assume just because your are in the office on company time that you have time for actual work?
Star – YAY for the nifty hair cut!!! Isn’t that a nice boost? I’m sure you are ravishing!
Holly – hope it finally stopped raining…inside the house and out!
Harlymom- $100 a week isn’t half bad. I like how they have given an incentive to stay on by giving discounts for the longer you stay on. That’s pretty smart. (almost like they planned it?)
Hope everyone had a great weekend!
Hi Andrea and 2Frust!

Hey there ladies.

I know its pretty late in the day for me to post. Very busy Monday! I went with Dh to the cardiologist today and they really want him to workout 40 minutes 7 days a week at his target heart weight. They also said that they expect the stents to last 10 years or so. They say that with his age, what he had done that his heart disease is incredibly significant...

Oh, we also got our bill from the hospital today along with a nice little note turning us down for any assistance with paying it. So, we owe almost $67,000. I have no freaking idea what we'll do. I guess Dh was right...it is cheaper to die. I really dont know what these hospitals think. We don't own a house, so we can't refinance or add another mortage or anything. Heck, $67, 000 could have bought us a decent house. It is a real kick in the gut that this had to happen 3 weeks before he was hired back. Why couldn't it have happened after, since it was obviously going to happen. I have heard how awful hospitals and their collection agencies are. I just feel faithless, hopeless, dreamless, and just plain disgusted. Something always seems to kick us when we're already down. I am so tired.

Sorry for such a sucky post ladies...

Hello ladies!!

Oh Andrea what a staggering amount!! "no assistance" - does that mean they won't accept a payment plan? I am so very sorry dear - you must be feeling so down. thank you for sharing with us, long-distance hugs to you!!

hey Hat Chick congrats on being down a pound!! yay!

Star - I'm happily jealous of your awesome cut/color! The real test will be to see how it behaves under a helmet, right, ha!

Hi Harleymom - thank you for your support I have to be dumb and have you refresh me, what model Harley do you have? I had to pick mine up once by myself - 'cause no one would stop to help and even at a "light" 498 pounds, it was hard!! but ALOT of cursing out loud helped

Hi 2frust! I love reading your posts, with all the Great Britain-y sayings and phrases

ladies, it's been 11 days since I've ridden!!! today the rain stopped, and the roads dried, but it was only 48* with no sun...I've ridden in that when I've had to, but I just couldnt' summon the ambition to multi-layer up for that We might get some sun on Thursday or Friday...even though it won't get much above 52*. I am not ready to give up riding yet!! usually our last ride is sometimes in early November.

don't remember if I've updated you on the accident reimbursement process. I did get a check for $1700 for repairs to the bike. I think it's going into a new "bike fund" account - husband is agreeable for me to get a new Honda VTX 1300 next spring!

And I got a check for almost $400.00 to go towards repairs on my watch (yes, it's an expensive watch - a Tudor, which is a 'sport' version of a Rolex - it was a gift from my departed Dad)

I got the first medical bills in the mail - so far, over $1500.00 for the Emergency Dept. care. Haven't seen anything yet from the local Rescue Squad - I know they will send a bill, though. Thank goodness I don't have to pay for any of this! (sorry, rebel - didn't mean to rub it in )

I got ready to go to the doctor's this morning, for my appointment to have him look at the bump/cyst thing that has formed under my healed chin laceration - then discovered my appt. is NEXT Monday - duh!! maybe I DID have a head injury, after all

Oh!! I stopped at my fave thrift store, and got a Gap t-shirt, an Old Navy long-sleeved pink shirt, and a cute white longsleeved crop-type top (I'm OK with showing my bare waist ) and a Lily of France sports bra AND a pair of khaki cargo pants AND two Gilad tapes for $9.50!!!!!!!! god, I love thrift shops

I checked my journal, and I have been sticking to exercising at least 5X a week, except for road trips, for a long time!! I'm so glad it's a habit now.

have a nice night, hopefully talk again tomorrow.

Reb come on they surely don't expect you to pay for all that. I think it is time to consider medical bankruptcy. I don't know much about it but I have had friends who have had to do it. I know we had some young friends who had an emergency while out visiting in FL husband had to have emergency surgery to have appendix removed. They just forgave the whole debt. So it is done I just don't know what people do or say to get help through. Don't give up something will come up and things will get better. I know it can be so discouraging and make you down. Just think at least your dh survied and you didn't get stuck with the bill and and no hubby. My FIL tells my kids all the time I cried becasue I had no shoes then I meet a man with no feet. Something to think about. Your a strong women Reb keep you chin up and don't give up the fight on this one!

Vertmont I ride a road king ( I say its the cadilac) proably weighs 1,200 lbs. Ain't no way I am lifting that puppy. I like the smooth ride and my last bike I felt every bump and imperfection in the road. When on long distants it is the only way to go. DH has a heritage, mine is bigger than his he ignors me when I say that. Anyhow I just love it and proably won't ever ride anything else now. I don't know maybe when I'm 80 I'll go smaller. Dang weather anyhow. I won't be riding much now until spring. Too cold the wind chill is what does it. Cuts right through you. Maybe a few days here and there this winter but few and far between.

Hat Chick Good going on the weight loss. Keep up the good work!

2frust I agree with vermont your I love your posts.

Star Hope your having a good day and enjoying your sexy new cut.

Take care all!

Morning everyone!

Sorry for my depressing post yesterday. I just had some complaining to do. I know that I can't let it get the best of me and that I need to keep a positive attitude.

Holly- It's great that you don't have to pay for any of the accident. You shouldn't have to and don't worry, I didn't think that you were rubbing it in. Your new clothes sound really great. I love to thrift store shop, too. Dh thinks its "yucky" but his family always had $ when he was a kid and his mom(to this day) refuses buying generic things, even though she can't afford much. It's just differences growing up.

Thrift store shopping does remind me that I need to do some looking for my Halloween costume. My brother's girfriends' family is having a big costume party on Halloween. Dh and I decided to go as gothic vampires. I have the makeup already. I have a bloody-blackish tint lispstick, light foundation, and super dark eye makeup. Now I just need a balck or red dress of some type.

Star- Your hair sounds terrific! I really want to get in to the salon sometime and have my hair thinned out. I have SO much hair that I can't do much with it these days. Then, I'm going to do a at-home straightener. I really also want to color it a darker red. Ideas, ideas...

Harley- You are so right about that. I agree. I was on a pity party yesterday. I have heard that they dismiss some medical costs, but not sure who to talk to about that. I really need to call the hospital, I guess. I guess I'm still in shock about the amount. LOL! Yeah, if it does come down to it I have no problems filing medical bancruptcy. I am just really really happy that Dh can go back to work and that his medications will now be covered. Plus I'm happy about what that will do for his outlook on life. He's been pretty bummed about not working and then the heart attack. I think that getting back to work will lift his spirits and give him a sense of accomplishment again.

Gina-Congrats on the pound lost! Yippee!

2fru- Hey there girl!

I'm glad that the Dr did prescribe a fairly intense-no playing around-this means business exercise routine. Now, I have no excuses either. I do it with him to help keep him alive.

Check in later!

Hello chickies! Been AWOL for a little while. We all went down to a conference in South London yesterday. I decided to bike it down there, it took 2 hours to get there - 58 miles, and an hour and a half to get to kickboxing class from there. I was pooped! It was really cold yesterday, so I pulled out my gillet/body-warmer today, I was riding in 7 layers!

Had a good kickboxing class last night - I was helping teach with the littlies! Bless 'em! Then it's extreme kickboxing tomorrow - I need more sleep!

Rebel - I'm sorry about your hospital bills, that really sucks! I like the sound of medical bancruptcy though, surely there must be some way to sort it out!

Holly - get those layers on gal and get out and ride!

Star - WTG with the hair - I used to think about shaving mine off... I might go for a short crop one of these days, if I'm feeling racy!

Gina, wahey with the 1lb! Every pound helps!

Okay, must get my rear into gear! Perhaps I'll do some real work today!

Morning ladies!

2frus-I bet those little kids at kickboxing are pretty cute. My nephew does tae kwon do and there little demonstrations are really neat. You sure are a busy girl!!

Hello Holly, Star, Harley, and Gina!!

Speaking of Star...where ya been girl?!?! LOL
Well, Dh and I took a very brisk 40 min walk on the bike path yesterday and it went really well. I was pretty winded and so was he. He said that he was really tired after doing it and I kind of worried, but I guess he just needs to build up his stamina and endurance a little. I felt really good after the walk.

I do have a question for you girls though.

What are some great walking or actually cross training shoes?? I heard Ryka, but what others do you recommend? After working out my feet get so sore and I did buy some cheapies, but they are really useless when I workout. I need some good quality shoes.

Later, girls!

Andrea - I really like my Merrel's for walking and working out. I used to wear Birkenstocks when i was only walking - they were good for walking. Not so hot for working out. The main thing i have discovered is that the shoes need to be flexible - you should be able to bend them in half easily. There is a walking shoe review here

I'll post later...work is calling again...

Hi gals!

I had a serious case of road rage yesterday after some CAGER cut me up! He was really close and really fast! So I cought up with him about 3 cars ahead and started braying and banging on his windows! I was so mad! Stark raving bonkers!

Then I got into the car park and had hysterics before I could even park my bike!

I was a bit screwed over this morning, so I started singing "My favourite things" from the Sound of Music, just to get me out onto the road without jumping at every car that was going past! My musical medely ended with Alanis Morrisette songs!

We went to see Wallace and Gromit last night! It was GREAT! It's on my list of DVDs to buy!

Then I got up in the middle of the night, hit my hand and almost fainted.

Then I've been to the dentist this morning and had a HUGE filling. So I just want to curl up into a ball today!

Then I have double trouble kickboxing "fight factory" tonight, so I can vent some more road rage there!

Hope everyone's ok :

STAY AWAY FROM THE CAGERS!