Good Evening

Well, something to be thankful for. The storm came early and quickly so we only got 5 inch of rain instead of the 10-15 they said we might get. I didn't have any damage and got to work with out to much difficulty. Looking forward to seeing the sun tomorrow.

I am glad the this week is behind us and we can start a new day and a new week. I need that as far as my eating goes, or maybe I should get on the wagon with BOB.

Deb ....good going on the walks and jogs. Must feel so wonderful to be able to to that.

Bee125 I really thought that was a great site you sent us to.

BOB- did you have any water damage??? I think that you might have gotten more rain than me. I am just glad that it is gone.

Well, I hope everyone has a restful, peaceful weekend and enjoy your families and friends....we have learned just how quickly things can be wiped out. And thank you all for being here, supporting my weight loss journey.
Laurie A Proud American

AMSERAPHIM, How are you? Hope you get some sunshine your way soon. Enjoyed the chat yesterday & look forward to our next one. Glad that your weight is maintaining.

SEF, It sounds like you are really in-tune to your residents. It good that you are there & can help them, even by letting them know that you care. How do you like this cooler weather we're been having? Have the mosquitoes let up any your way?? They sure haven't here. There are worse than ever.

Meliris Thanks for the with your chicken recipe. We all need some of that right now. At first I thought well popcprn is not legal! duh!

Bob Hope you're staying afloat with all that rain you're getting. Loved your "United We Stand" ribbon!!

VIV, Thanks for the chat yesterday. I hope your mom was able to get a flight out today! Still praying for you & yours.

Solshine, I know it's late in the day, but hope you & Vince had a great Anniversary! We also have many Middle Eastern students in our area, especially at our university in Lafayette. As far as I know, there has not been any problems. At least none that the media has mentioned. I sure hope that it stays that way. Hope your job search is fruitful!

FROG, Good to hear from you. Volunteering your time at the Red Cross center sounds like a great idea.

Debbie You were walking in the rain with your umbrella??? That is wanting to walk really bad! No kidding, I really do admire you for your strong will. It's amazing that you did such a good time with those conditions. Debbie, you are so important to us too!!! I am so ashamed of the attitude of some people in this country toward people of other cultures. Obviously if they were happy with their country they would still be there instead of here in the US where they can be free & have a better life. Sounds like Eli had it pretty rough back in his country before coming here too.

BUTTERFLY, Hope things are ok with you. I talked to my sis today for some news of my niece who is in the National Guard Reserves & my nephew in the Marines. They are both in Virginia, not far from DC she said & on alert.

QUILTER/Kim, Hope you are doing ok.

Bee, Thanks for posting that neat site. Loved your quote from Mahatma Gandhi too & the picture you posted. Hope things are going better with you & your daughter.

ROSALIE, I didn't get to see any of the memorial services except what they showed later in the evening, but what I did see brought tears to my eyes. We burned our candles here too. That is so sad that people would verbally abuse ANYONE of other cultures, Muslim, Arabs, or NOT! The article Debbie posted from the Miami Herald said it best The enemy is not Arab people or the Muslim religion. The enemy is fanaticism, extremism, intolerance, hate. If we show hate & intolerance to these innocent men, women & children just because of their race or nationality, then we are no better than the terrorists that did this to us.

LAMAP, So glad to hear that the rain went through quickly & that you faired well. Maybe now you will get some rest instead of having to put in OT this week end. Hope so anyway.

Well Ladies, thanks to all of you who are so supportive here on this board. I am so happy to be a part of this board & a part of the friendship that transpires here. I treasure each & everyone of you. It's been a really strange week, but together, we have managed to keep our heads above water & our wits about us. Lets continue to pray for our leaders, that they will have the wisdom to make the right decisions & not jump into anything that will cause more of what we have witnessed this week.

Well I need to get a uniform ironed & hit the hay cause it's back to work for me in am. Will try to check in tomorrow evening. Nite all!

Good Saturday Morning

Went to a few garage sales, very few of them and really wasn't in the mood to go out, but thought it was better than sitting home, did buy a pretty Murano glass bowl, doesn't go with my decor, but I'll find a place to put it.

A bit worried how BOB is doing. I heard on the radio that downtown Sarasota was flooded and 400,000 people are without electricity. If we don't here from her on the board today, I'll call her this evening. So BOB, if you're lurking, give us a holler and let us know that you and Skeeter are doing okay!!!

LAMAP, glad to hear you didn't have it as bad as you thought up there. We so need the rain here in Fl, but not all at once.

MELF, yep, walked in the rain, it wasn't raining when I started, but you could see the ugly skies out there. I have one of those micro umbrellas that are really small and easy to carry, I just stick that in place of where my water bottle goes. I didn't have to use it though, the rains were light towards the end. I really hate not walking and feel like I am letting myself down if I don't. Only Saturdays do I not feel that need to go, I feel the need to find bargains instead. What you said in regards to people coming to the US: "Obviously if they were happy with their country they would still be there instead of here in the US where they can be free & have a better life." is oh so true!!!!!

That's about it for me, for now at least. I'll try to check in later this evening to see what's going on on the board.

Have a good weekend!

Debbie
194/125.5/129
SB since 3/22/00
Reached goal 6/10/01

BOB--Are you and Skeeter drying out yet? Thought about you yesterday and Gabrielle moved across Florida. Let us know you are ok when you can.


I hope all the other Floridians are not treading water by now either!


Put a candle on my front porch last night. I've been lighting a candle every night since this happened. There are worries here about the Auburn Islamic community. Like Starkville, the university draws a lot of foreigh students and faculty. I know there are folks in the community working hard to make sure nothing happens.

It is gorgeous here today--a cold front is supposed to come through and drop the humidity--so we may get our first taste of fall.

I got my workout in yesterday---62 mintues cardio plus I upped the weights on my upper body strength machines. I get to add the lower body strength machines back next week. Laying in bed this morning I felt a strange lump on my hip--ohmygosh--is that actually a hip bone making its way through all that fat?

I'm going to clean my house today--do laundry--and if I get all that done I'm going to catch a movie late this afternoon.

Susan

My mood is still quite somber. Left a candle lamp burning in the window all night, afraid the old house will burn down if I left a true flame going. We have the flag out and a red, white and blue bow tied around the big old oak in the front yard.

DH confirmed what I thought he was feeling last night. If there's a call for him to return, he'll be there ASAP. It came as no surprise to me, he's a true warrior and a patriot. I told him that I realize that I must be brave, that we need people with his will and skill to defend our nation. Please pray for him and others like him.

Am planning to go for a run in about an hour or so. Marathon seems unimportant to me now, certainly doesn't seem as that plan will ever come to fruition. But I need the stress releif and to move away from the t.v. for a while. We are invited to a small party tonight and I think that we will go. Not really in the partying mood, but life must go on. We need to be with friends and love ones, and to count our blessings.

I don't want to sound like a hypocrite; I haven't been to Church in many months, but I went yesterday and plan to go tomorrow. I hope that you will attend your house of worship and continue to PRAY. That is the most important and immediate thing we can do for our nation.

I hope you all have a pleasant weekend. The weather here in north central NC is beautiful. Feels like a fall day. Too bad there isn't college football to go along with it. But there are matters that are more important than sports, so I cerntainly understand. I hope those of you who are feeling the effects to the storm that is dumping wind and rain on FL are doing OK.

And one more thing I would like to add to my friends outside of the U.S.A., THANK YOU for your KINDNESS and CARING. I pray that your countries are not subjected to this horror.

PEACE,
Frog

GOD BLESS THE U.S.A.

Hi all,

testing.

Good afternoon, ladies. Congratulations to all who have lost this week. It must be a little harder for us all who are glued to the TV set instead of getting our regular quota of exercise.
Debbie--keep on "truckin' " with that jogging and walking. Pretty soon you'll be doing 100% jogging, and then you can enter a 5K race. Just to finish is a victory.

The rains here have slacked off. We had some torrential water coming down, but, luckily, our house in on one of the highest spots in the two counties here, and so we did not have any flooding in our neighborhood. I only had to worry if I went anywhere.

The grocery story is about 1/2 mile away, and not too many low spots on the way there. I went to the store yesterday, and it was a zoo because everyone was "stocking up" for the storm. Actually, we didn't experience anything more than some bad rain. We've had worse winds and rain on some summer afternoon thundershowers.

There is a new health food store that has opened up right next to the Publix grocery store. It is owned by a man who looks to be middle eastern descent. I feel so sorry for him. I walked by his store yesterday, and there he was, all alone in his store, sadly looking out. This may end up being such a tough time for him that his store won't make it. And he must have had loads of capital sunk into all those vitamins and supplies on his shelves. The problem is that the terrorists lived in our country as normal people, renting apartments, going to movies and shopping in our stores, enjoying the benefits we enjoy here, all the while planning to do things to destroy our country and freedoms. So, the suspicions that people feel and the rage they (we) have over this attack on our country may end up being directed at people who are, in fact, loyal americans of middle eastern descent. However, there very well may still be arab islamic fundamentalists still in our country just planning another way to strike fear into us and to wreak havoc. This same problem was behind why all the Japanese-Americans were detained in camps during WWII. Who's to know who is who? It's a hard problem. Eli could give us all a ton of insight into some of this.

We had friends over for dinner last night, and I had a totally legal SB meal. Fairly low cal, also. We had planned to attend the UF-UT football game with them in Gainesville this weekend, but since all the games were called off we just had them over for dinner instead. We want to get back to some normalcy. Here's the menu:

Grilled salmon with lemon-papricka sauce
White bean salad with spinach chiffonade,
garlic and olive oil
Grilled vegetables-summer squash, peppers,
onions and eggplant
Fresh sliced tomatoes from Penn. Yum!
Zucchini pancakes

Dessert: Fresh sliced peaches from
Penn. topped with a dollop of
whipped cream.

The recipe for the zucchini pancakes called for a cup of flour, but instead, I used a half of a piece of WW pita bread and pulverized it in the food processor, kind of like they do with matzoh during Passover. Instead of matzoh meal, I used pita meal!!

BOB--You OK?

SolShine--Hope your anniversary was special.

Take care all.

I don't mean to be redundant, but the information in the first few paragraphs of this DC. newspaper article illustrate the problem I was raising in regards to the problems citizens of mid-eastern descent will be facing--and the problems our country faces as we try to protect our infastructure.

http://www.washtimes.com/national/de...0191545836.htm

It's a gorgeous day here in SE Pa. Very cold this morning- I did my run with long spandex on for the first time since last March. Didn't exercise at all yesterday- watching the services on TV and more pictures, I just couldn't get my mind in gear or my butt off the sofa. But today I felt incredibly strong, added some heavier weights, did the whole 4 miles running, all the uphills and kept thinking how hard all the rescue workers were pushing themselves. So what's one more uphill?

Then it was off to soccer games. The kids all observed a minute of silence before each game and sang "America the Beautiful" as the adults sniffled. At one point during the game 3 fighter jets went over and every kid on the field except one stopped in his tracks and stared up. That one little bugger went in and scored. And it counted.

I've been amazed at the thoughtfulness of people around the rest of the world towards our nation and individuals. Yesterday, I got a call from a woman I worked with in Toronto 18 years ago who was an Auschwitz survivor- she was very young and lost most of her family at the age of 8! We talked for a long time about fear and fanaticism and revenge versus justice.

On a lighter note: Glad you Florida gals didn't drown! We sure could use some of your rain here.

Deb- Not even I am crazy enough to go walking/running in a lightening storm! Especially with an umbrella. Wouldn't you be just a mobile lightening rod? I've run in snow, ice, and rain, but surely not lightening. Re Latkes: I tried putting some sweet potato and shredded carrots in last year just for a change. Boy, that's one thing you don't change in this family. What a revolt I had! I guess I'll just have to make different ones for me. My dh was the worst, complaining about messing with tradition, and he's not even Jewish!

Gator- Your dinner menu sounded so good I raced to the freezer to take out some salmon steaks. I won't be as ambitious with the rest, but hope you have a good time. My mouth was watering while reading.

Fillise- How funny about your hip! I look in the mirror this am after my weights and thought "oh my god, I have a tumor near my neck. Turned out to be the collar bone I haven't seen in 5 years Not that there are exactly hollows- but it's nice to know I do have bones above my knees.

About the rice thing-- DOES THAT MEAN I CAN EAT SUSHI?? I really miss it, but I've read that sushi rice is the worst.

Gotta go work on my dead lawn for a while. Dh went and played ice hockey last night and hurt his back so he says he can't rake out the dead weeds with me. I keep telling him he's too old for ice hockey, but he just keeps getting heavier padding.
(Not the kind I have- his comes from Sports Authority).

Here's to a better week, peace and justice to all.
I'm so glad I found this place.
Mel

Howdy

Sorry I've been missing...just so taken up with everything that has been going on. I feel like I have been watching tv every free minute, and needed to give my mind a mental break and went for a drive today and just got home. Good to get out in nature and also see all the flags of the Americans everywhere. We couldn't find one to buy Went to seven stores and they are all out
Dan the Man is on two hour notice for the Army....he's at a meeting today and hopefully will come home with some information about the possibility of him having to get into active
duty again. This situation has saddend me so much, things that I would normally enjoy, just seem pointless right now. I hope everyone is doing well. Love, Nancy

You and Dan are in my thoughts and prayers. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you need to talk/chat.

Now is the time to be brave.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Your friend,

Peace,

Frog

Evening Everyone

Eli's in the kitchen making dinner, where all good men should be He's making fish, which should be interesting, he's never made fish for me before

Eli's friend Hanni called us from Paris this evening. Of course he asked us how things were here in the States and told us what they saw on the news over there is more than what we've seen here, but probably that they wouldn't show that footage because it would just be worse for the American public. He said a journalist had 5 hours of video at ground zero with a lot of gorey images and that the FBI seized the tape. He also told us that the flags in France are flying at half mast, and that this is only done when a President dies. They are all feeling a great loss over there for us over here. Also, anyone who has a cellular phone was given 20 free minutes to call the US, which is another reason why he was calling us.

I was listening to the radio in the car which has one of the TV stations on it and it was a program with kids and their questions and view of this tragedy. One kid mentioned that in all his history classes he's been taught "united we stand, divided we fall" and that we are all standing united! Small statement with a lot of meaning.

Tried calling BOB at 7:15pm, no answer Will try again later.

FILLISE, we got some rain here, but nothing like BOB and LAMAP must of gotten. I too lit a candle last night at 7pm, placing it outside, butit was so windy it kept going out, finally had to bring it in.

FROG, I hope your hubby doesn't get called up, same with NANCE and Dan-but know if the call comes, we'll be here for you no matter what! I'm sure it's not something you are welcoming to happen. But I guess that's what they mean by "when duty calls." You go, and you go proudly. I hope you got your run in and had a good time at the party, it's good to try and get back into some type of normal routines.

GATOR, thanks for the pep talk, though I doubt I will ever do a complete run, just the fact that I can do any kind of run is truly amazing to me! Each time you post a menu you make me hungry! Liked your idea of "pita meal!" LOL!

MEL, sounds like you had a good workout today-kudos to you! Hey, I'll trade you some rain if you'll send down some cooler air-deal? Okay, I'm not totally nuts (though some would argue with me on that one), but it wasn't lightening at the time I went out to walk, it started half way through, I sure wouldn't of gone if it was doing so at the beginning, trust me, suicidial, I am not! With the latkes, make the regular ones for the family and make a few for yourself. FYI, I have a good book you'd probably by Kinderlehrer, it's a natural Jewish cookbook. If you are interested, I can send you a link where you can order it CHEAP! They also have 2 latke recipes that are sb legal, one for cheese latkes, the other WW cheese latkes. Whenever we have dinner at family for occasions I make SB LEGAL dishes to take, and usually, no one complains. Last year for Thanksgiving I made a delicious cranberry sauce-totally SB LEGAL too!!!

NANCE, been meaning to e-mail you. Been thinking about you and Dan, knowing Dan's in the reserves and praying he won't be called. I know you must be on pins and needles thinking about all this, don't let it get to you, please! Look, just tell them if they call that Dan can't go because there are no Starbucks close by!{{{HUGS}}}

Since starting this post, I already ate dinner. When Eli was making the fish I was a bit skeptical, from the looks of it, but boy-oh-boy, was it DELICIOUS! Don't know all what he did, but I'm really looking forward to eating the leftovers tomorrow!!!!!

He's off tomorrow, not sure what we will do, but I told him to go ahead and go to church tomorrow and we'd do something when he got home. I'll get in my walk tomorrow morning, weather permitting of course

Hope you have a good evening!

Debbie
194/125.5/129
SB since 3/22/00
Reached goal 6/10/01

Hi all,

Sorry I haven't posted the last couple of days have been glued to the TV. Such a sad week for our country. Have been praying for everyone. Have did so-so this week on exercise haven't been outside during the day except to pick up my 3 3/4 yr old from school. I worked out with my weights and inside exercised inside this week. I loved the chicken recipe it was a great laugh and those are far and inbetween these last few days. My hubby is also a diabetic so this WOE is great for him also. But he likes his chips so much I don't know how I'm going to get him weaned off of them...lol Glad to know everyone else is ok. I have relatives that live in Florida to. A step-aunt and a step-uncle...hes my age and is a college proff. She is a Food Nutri. Her husband is a surgion. I am a little worried about them because they live there because of the storms and everything else thats going on there. Well I've lost another lbs the last couple of days, going to have to buy new underwear soon... . Its trying to fall off . My wedding ring is also going to have to be resized thats a first. Going to have to be sized down 2 sizes . From a size 11 to a 9 yikes haven't worn a size 9 ring since High School . Also this week I bought a size 18 blouse and it fit . I'm so glad I have somewhere to talk to other people in the same boat as me. I cooked a pot of pintos with sausage and tasso today boy where they good . And had a salad with it. I could be called the lettuce queen I've eaten so much lettuce. I almost forgot in Alexandria yesterday a store owner that my sister knows was attacked and had guns waved in his face and they broke windows out of his store. He is a American-Muslem....was born in this country so to me he is American, so sad to see people reacting this way to them. I hope people in our country don't all react this was to citizens of Muslem faith. God help us and God bless our country and our president and our people. Also how does everyone attach the flags to their messages.

Gosh--I'm going to add the folks who may be getting called up into my prayers--and their families. Quite frankly I wish I could go. I want to DO something. I want to go dig rubble with my bare hands. I want to put my arms around those looking for loved ones and listen to their hopes and fears. I want to hold the hand of someone who is in the hospital recovering from their wounds. I can't stand sitting here not doing anything anymore.

I do want to tell you a story about talking to my nine year-old niece about the attacks. I called Tuesday night and she answered the phone. She immediatly wanted to know what was going on--her parents were glued to the TV and everyone was sad. I asked her what she knew--and she told me that something bad had happened and it seemed to involve a plane, a building, and some people named Jack. I admit I did smile a little at that--then, of course, I had to explain what a hijacker was. She is now mad because when we take our trip to NY in a few years she won't be able to see "those buildings."

Still no word from BOB--and other soggy western Floridians. Glad to hear that Gator weathered the storm without too much difficulty--I'm having a hard time deciding whose house I want to go to for dinner tomorrow night--Deb's or Gator's. Better be Gator's, I'm afraid that if I get too close to Miama I'll get tossed in the dungeon!

I cleaned like a mad woman today. On the days I've gone to the gym this week, I've had an outlet for my frustration. Today is not a gym day, so I took out my frustration on the dust bunnies (actually some of them were more like dust godzillas!)

Will go to Church tomorrow--thankfully no meetings tomorrow--just worship--which I'm sure will be tearful. I've shed a few tears, but this sadness is welling up inside me and at some point it is really going to hit me andthe floodgates are going to open. Either that or I'm going to burst.

Susan

Just a quick to note to say hi, and hope everyone is doing okay. Still a somber mood
over here. Plan on going to church today to pray for the people in New York and
the President who has alot to deal with now.

Thuderwoman - Try making pita chips for your hubbie. I make them to take the
place of chips. Can be dipped in sauces,cheese dip, etc.


Take whole pitas and cut to make 2 whole rounds
I spray mine with butter or garlic flavored cooking spray
add seasonings (I use garlic powder, or Tony Cachere's seasonings, or whatever seasoning you want)
cut into triangles
put in a 350 preheated oven
bake until crisp

Another treat is to season almonds and walnuts.

melt some butter in microwave
add almonds and or walnuts, add seasonings, mix all together, then spread on a cookie sheet
put in a 350 preheated oven and bake 5 or more minutes depending on how baked you want your nuts.
Seasonings Ive used cinnamon and splenda, garlic powder, Tony Chachere's, or whatever seasoning you want

Everyone else have a good and safe Sunday.