We just got back to the hotel. I ate a lot of different things, but you know how these things are, only a spoonful of each. We had venison with wild Manitoba mushrooms for dinner. There were 5 courses, and in between each was a different entertainment (and a different wine). We had an aboriginal hoop dancer, a string quartet, a jazz trio, and best of all, a southern gospel quartet. The ice wine was glorious. Everything was Canadian from the Quebec goat cheese to the Alberta duck prosciutto. The Governor General's daughter (8-10ish) snuck in for the dessert and some ice wine. This was in the ball room that looks like it came out of Versailles. Then we retired to a private salon for coffee, conversation, and more of the jazz trio. At the dinner they put me next to a woman who survived Hiroshima and later helped establish the Peace Garden and once was director for the Canadian Council of Churches, and a woman from India who is director of Multiculturalism BC, and president of the UN Association of Canada. The conversations blew me away. The ceremony is going to be on C-Pac at 11am tomorrow, 27th. I told himself that if I showed up on any of the cameras, that he was in serious, sleep on the couch, trouble.

The plane doesn't leave until late tomorrow, so we are going to sleep in, and then go do some serious window shopping and sight seeing around parliament. I had way too much wine, (I'm a light weight at least at drinking) and will probably not remember any of this post tomorrow, so you may get another one. I'm just so proud to be his wife.

Peggy and Sandy -- I was up late with the game too (except I'm in the midwest, so it's an hour earlier). Worth it though!!!!!

Valerie --
For me, one event helped put my health issues in perspective and was one of the catalysts to help me lose the weight this time around.

In July of 05 I was at my high weight. We had a small puppy, it was 5am and I was taking both dogs downstairs to go outside and eat -- carrying the puppy. I was thinking to myself "It will be nice when puppy can do this himself, because a person could fall and really..." and *whomp* I fell HARD on my tailbone. I managed to not drop the puppy or hurt the older dog! I took them out and fed them and in that few minutes realized I was in a world of hurt.

I hurt my coccyx badly. I have never been in such pain. It hurt to be sitting. It hurt to be lying down. It hurt less when standing, but with plantar fasciitis I wasn't standing a lot. Going from sitting to standing was excruciating. I spent a long time lying around on my stomach (the least painful of the alternatives). Thinking.

Thinking about what my life was going to be like if I didn't do something about my weight. At the time I thought the fall was not directly connected to weight, but I can now see how the person I am today has a stronger “core,” better balance and might never have fallen in the first place! Even so, I realized that at my weight, I was likely to become debilitated at some point. I was at greater risk for health issues and further pain… maybe not from a fall on my coccyx, but from some other ailment or disease. I did not want that for myself.

I wish it was enough to say that that catalyst was enough on its own. It wasn’t – I needed other mental hurdles to clear before I could start (like my worries about failing, which is another post). But like many of you, health worries FINALLY crystallized for me following that fall. In some ways, falling on my tailbone may have saved my life!! If so, it was well worth the pain.

Catherine -- WOW!!!

Val: I rarely "go advanced" here but I had to give you a I am so sorry about your news. I will be praying for your friend and for you. It is awful when our "wake up call" comes at someone we love or care abouts expense. I know when my brother John died last year it changed my whole way of thinking. Thank you so much for sharing with us. My heart goes out to you and your dear friend. Please don't ever worry about offending anyone. We are all in this together, trying to make our health better. The smaller sizes and looking better is truly a bonus when our health is so much the real issue. Again, my friend.

Battle: I hope you enjoyed your friend being over tonight.

Catherine: You looked sooooo beautiful. You and "himself" make such a lovely handsome couple. I am proud of him and thankful for all he does and I am so proud of you my dear for actually going and standing beside your husband. You looked amazing and I hope you had an amazing time.

Carol: I actually got called for an interview for a job with the county on Thursday with the sheriff dept. I saw what they have to wear and have to say, um, I won't feel bad if they don't choose me for that job. lol. It is a pair of stiff trousers tan in color and a rather stiff looking shirt crisp and tan tucked into the tan trousers. lol. I don't think It would be a good look for my 337 pound body. I think the only thing that would stop people from laughing at me would be my badge and gun as it is for the sheriff dept. I really don't want to carry a gun or wear a badge for that matter so I am going to opt out of that position. I did get an interview for Monday morning with the county in the welfare department. That is absolutely more my speed. I am sooo hoping one of those jobs. There are two of them that are open in that department. One of them is a supervisor position that I know I can do but don't actually have the experience to do it. The other one I know I am totally qualified for. I'd adore one of these jobs because I really love to help people.

I hope you had fun at your party and didn't eat too much off plan. Hugs.

Peggy: Great job staying op and getting in so much exercise.

Sandy: The soup you made sounds like it was a hit. I hope you enjoy your next batch too. How are you doing emotionally? I hope better.

Carrie: So sorry that you are struggling in your English class. Is there anyway you could arrange to study with someone else? I hope it gets worked out.

Storey: Same here. I can't do the bread either unless it's toasted. Actually bread with my tiny bits of stuff I eat is way too much usually anyway. Congrats on another -1 pound! You are doing so well. I hope your dear son stays well with all the smoke.

Well, Off to bed now. It is 10:20 and I am tuckered out. My male dog, "Bear" just came to get me. They don't like to go to bed if I'm not in the room with them. DH went to bed about 10 minutes ago but I wanted to say hey to my friends.

Blessings all and have a great weekend,
Annie

Catherine, oh my goodness, what an experience. Not even a once-in-a-lifetime experience, as most of us will never have it. I would have been in my glory, with outstanding local food and wine, fascinating people and conversations, and all the hoopla that comes with the event, to say nothing of sharing an important occasion honoring the husband. I would have savored every minute...and every morsel.

I must say that you look stunning. Seriously. Read it again because I am not exaggerating or saying it to make you feel good. You look great together with your hubby. Are you sure you're not losing weight?

Story: congrats on the pound loss. Keep it up!

Annie: Good luck on your interviews. I hope the position in the welfare department is a fit for you and that you get the job.

Heather: I want to thank you for pointing out that my attitude towards my new lifestyle is on target. I am so very serious about doing everything in my power to lay the groundwork for long-term success. Your encouragement means a lot to me.

-------
My friend just left a little while ago. The lasagna was brilliant. I drank a bit too much. I would say today is another maintenance day. There was a lot of lasagna and garlic bread left, and I sent it back with my friend, honestly admitting that if any of it was left in my possession it would be eaten just as soon as she left. I'm glad to have enjoyed the food and drink, but I'm more glad to be rid of the rest of it.

She is the first to comment on my weight loss, but I don't think she came to it entirely on her own, so I'm not officially counting her as the first to comment. She is a member at another board I frequent, and i have mentioned over there that I have lost some weight. In addition, I was talking about all the healthy living I've been doing, so it was a natural opening to say that it showed.

Catherine - I truly think that you look beautiful in that photo with your husband. I have to agree with Battleax on this one and it definitely looks as though you have lost weight recently. I think that dress was simply perfect for the occasion and I'm glad that you didn't get anything else made. It is elegant, simple and flattering. You and Himself make a lovely couple and I don't think you have anything at all to be ashamed about if/when you see pictures of yourself or even footage on TV. Please believe us when we tell you this, as we don't make comments like this lightly.
I would imagine that you held your own during the dinner conversations. You come across here as being an extremely intelligent, considerate and caring person and I can't see you being lost in ANY conversation with ANYONE.
I hope you have a lovely day wandering around before the flight back.

Sandy - The soup you made sounds delicious. Something even *I* could make. I am not a good cook at all and I like things to be simple. The fewer the ingredients the better! I am going to save your soup recipe for next winter. Well, maybe we will need it sooner than I think. Today's weather sounds almost identical to yours. We have wind, rain and all sorts of yucky weather at the moment. During the week it was warm and sunny and this week we are getting up to 88F/32C, so we are certainly getting the mix of seasons. I suppose that can be expected from Spring.

Battle - I'm glad you had a lovely evening with your friend. Good move on having her take the leftovers with her. It is great to enjoy the meal, but you certainly don't need to enjoy it over and over again.
I am glad you agree with me that Catherine looks stunning. Perhaps if she hears it enough she will begin to believe it. Mind you... I've heard compliments from a number of people and I'm still getting my head around it.

Valerie - I am SO sorry to hear about your friend. It must be heartbreaking to feel so helpless. Mind you, it feels as though you will be helping immensely by simply being there to listen and offer support as it is needed. I am sure that your friend will treasure having you around.
I am glad that throughout this stressful time you have your moments with Gabe to offer you some uplifting moments as well.

Annie - You know what? For some reason I just can't picture you in that Sheriff's department uniform. You seem to be too 'colourful' a person for that drab outfit. I certainly mean that in the most positive way imaginable as well. You seem to have such a wonderful personality and stiff 'tan' just wouldn't do you justice. I know that the uniform isn't everything, but I think that if you had to wear something like that every day it would have some effect on how you acted. I also think that a uniform like that says something about the job itself, and I get the feeling that the job is too boring for you.
I hope you have some luck with those welfare jobs you are looking at. THAT would be perfect for you!

Story - I hope your son is OK with his asthma in all that smoke. It must be scary for the many people who suffer asthma in the area. I would imagine it places all sorts of restrictions on things you can do.
I hope you thoroughly enjoyed your evening on your own. Did you end up doing anything special, like pampering yourself, or did you simply relax and enjoy the peace and quiet?

Carrie - Sorry to hear that you are struggling a little with school. I agree with Annie - is there anyone you could get some assistance from? Perhaps you could help someone with another subject if they help you with Math and English. At least that way you wouldn't have to pay for tutoring.
Planning meals has definitely been one of the things that has helped me on my weight loss journey. Knowing ahead of time what I am going to eat takes the guess work out of everything and I have no excuse to go off-plan.

Peggy - Your zucchini quiche and eggplant parmesan sound delicious! I really should look at different ways to cook my vegetables. I am pretty boring as far as that goes.
I am so envious of the colours some people see in nature during Fall/Autumn. The area I am in really doesn't see anywhere NEAR the colours I see on TV or in photos. Only rarely do we see a splash of colour like that. A couple of years ago we travelled along the west coast of the US about this time and I LOVED some of the colours we got to see.

John - It sounds as though you have certainly been very busy with work lately, but you REALLY should listen to all of us 'mother hens' here and you should try to eat more. You need to get the right nutrition into your body so you can function well. (Stepping off soap box now...)

Carol - "Come hungry" really isn't something that we need to be invited to do when we are aiming for a healthier lifestyle. I think your plan of NOT being hungry is a good one. Even if I am going out for a main meal, if I don't know what they are going to serve, I have a salad before I leave. That way I know that I don't have to eat much if it isn't suitable, but I CAN eat something if it is OK, as the salad is filling, but doesn't sit with me for too long and doesn't have too many calories.

We had a beautiful day out with our God daughter. I ate too much at lunch, but it was mostly fresh vegetables, which was great. They had the best range of 'simple' veggie dishes, with basic dressings, we have seen there yet. I still had too much dessert, but I don't eat dessert normally, so I figured that I could just indulge a little here and work a little harder over the next few days.

I'm off to practice a little on the piano now. I haven't been doing as much of that as I'd hoped, as I've had a lot of chorus practice to get done. Oh... I don't think I mentioned that my induction into the chorus on Wednesday night was absolutely beautiful. The chorus sang "I'll be Your Candle on the Water" while every one of them came down and gave me a hug. I almost felt like crying, but I was just too darned happy to do so! I gave them a little speech later to thank them all for being so welcoming and making me feel so comfortable, as I was SO nervous before I first started going. I also took them some chocolates. They are a lovely group of women and I really look forward to Wednesday evenings now, although I miss being with my 'baby' of course. I now have my name badge, and my Perth Harmony Chorus badge and a HUGE folder of music. Oh dear! I have a lot of learnin' to do!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Take care,

Zelma

Catherine~You look amazing. Your gown is so beautiful. I totally agree with B Ax. You look like you've lost weight and not just a little.


Heather~I'm in Indiana, where are you??


Annie~Let's see, how do I answer your question about how I'm feeling. I think I'm totally masking my emotions cuz I've been so OFF program. I put on 9 pounds in the past several weeks. I haven't changed my ticker, cuz I'm embarrassed about it. So, I don't "feel bad" cuz I've been using food in a bad way. But I am feeling despair like it's something I just can't do. I'm scared cuz the holidays are coming up. We all know what that means. Sweets, carbs lots of alcohol available. Today, I would totally cave in. I want to use Val and Heather's stories on health issues to get going again. I want to use my previous blood clot as a motivator. I want to use old pics of me when I was in my early 30's when I'd lost 85 pounds and was so close to my current goal weight. But those things feel so unreachable. (....I guess I'm still plenty depressed) I need to just pull up my boot straps and fake it til I make it. But I don't feel like I have the energy for that either.
I'm sorry to be such a bummer, but that's the truth. Sorry.


B Ax~Way to go on sending those left overs home. I would have eaten it right after she left too. I'm glad you had a good time.


Zelma~It sounds so funny to hear you say something about spring when we're finally in fall. I have a few other simple recipes that my family loves. I even have a beef stew
recipe that was so simple to make, I was afraid it just wouldn't be good. But it was the best stew I've ever made. BTW, CONGRATS on you getting the into the choir you tried out for. I would have been to chicken to try out. It's an amazing opportunity for you.


Story~I'm hoping the air quality is better today. It sounds so scary. I'm glad your mom was able to pick up your son. I'm sure she enjoyed having him for the evening. I love having my grand kids around.


Today is good so far. Just coffee and I know I should eat breakfast, but I'm out of fruit and yogurt and I really don't feel like cooking something.
Well, my friends, I need to get ready to go to Abby's basketball game and shopping since we need to breakfast stuff etc..
Monday is Andy's birthday and even though he got the elliptical last weekend, I still need to get him something that's emotional not just practical.


Hope y'all have a good day.

Lots of posts to catch up on later, but just had to stop in briefly and say:

Catherine, you looked absolutely wonderful in your picture. Beautiful smile, beautiful dress, beautiful everything. You really need to stop feeling like you should hide from the world because it's entirely unecessary. BELIEVE the comments you have gotten, and will get on the picture. Believe them.

Catherine, I hope you can stand one more comment on your picture with Himself. You are absolutely elegant and you both make such a handsome couple. The dress was perfect. I know you are an intellegent woman who held her own with those other amazing women! Wow, I'd have loved to been able to converse (listen) to their experiences too!

I am with the others, my comments are from the heart and are said in total earnestness.

I hope you have the best time window shopping today!!

Luv,
Rat

Catherine - WOW - you are so stunningly elegant - I think I mentioned earlier how proud you must be of Himself - now it's reversed - how proud he must be of you. You are absolutely lovely - both alone and together. What a handsome couple you make. I think we are all living a bit vicariously through your adventure right now. Thanks for including us all. Maybe it shouldn't be just a window shopping trip but a little window buying trip for this special trip.

Enjoy the day!

Hugs,
Carol

Good Morning!

Not much time this a.m., but I just have to say a few things:


Valerie: I am so sorry about your friend!! I too have been in a situation like that~my best friend died of Breast Cancer 7 years ago~and I agree with everyone else...just be there for her. Be there when she needs to cry, laugh, and just be her friend. It will be heartbreaking, but so appreciated. I remember being at our boys' (Toni had 2 boys the same age as mine) baseball game and she was going through chemo, and it was affecting her fingernails...the were full of fluid and lifting up. We just joked about it and fooled around, and her mom later told me how much fun she had that day. I miss her terribly, and was so angry because she had to leave behind her 2 little boys(they were 11 and 9) and a terrific husband behind whom she adored. I remember being so sad after the funeral, but life had to go on, and I was hanging up the laundry outside, and felt the sun shining and started to cry knowing she would never feel it again. Then there was a little breeze (it was a breezeless day) that hit my face, and I know it was a kiss from her. (Just one of my many reasons for being excited to see John Edward!!) I still don't understand why some people are taken so early, but everyone says there is a reason...I just don't get it. Just cherish every moment, and if this is what you need to motivate your health, then so be it.


Catherine: Oh my gosh, you look so beautiful!! The dinner sounded so amazing!! I am so proud of you and I hope you had a great time. Make sure you find something really great when you are shopping because you totally deserve it. I love your gown and you really do look gorgeous in it! Himself is beaming just to have you on his arm!!!


Annie: I definately think that the sherrif's dept. would not be a good place for you no matter what outfit you had to wear!! You have such a great heart, I think the welfare office would be a better "fit"!! and I hope they realize what a prize they would be getting!!


Well, Sammi came in 2nd place...she was annoyed because the other girl wore a store bought Edward Sizzerhands(sp?) costume (I thought it looked good, but not 1st place good). But at least she got something!! I told her it really wouldn't have been fair to win 1st place 2 years in a row anyway. And I also reminded her that a $20.00 mall gift card can buy some good stuff.


Have a Great Day!!!

So many posts, but I wanted to address Sandy specifically -- not just about the Red Sox (I live in Illinois, btw!).

It sounds like you aren't in a good place right now. It's hard to put everything together in the best of times and change a lifestyle to lose weight. That much harder when it's not the best of times! Have you seen someone about the depression? There may be something they can do! I know Ammi really struggled with getting serious about weight loss and then things clicked much easier when she got on the right medication.

I mentioned in my last post how falling down the stairs and realizing where I was headed wasn't enough. I was overwhelmed AND figured "Why bother trying? I'll just gain it all back anyway."

But you can disentangle these ideas. As for overwhelmed, I started by making just some small changes. I started bringing snacks and lunch to work and watching portions. That was it. I did try to "move more" but didn't do any active exercise. I stayed on that phase for about a month before doing anything else! I also tried not to think about the big picture. Who wouldn't be overwhelmed with the thought of over 100 pounds to lose. It seems impossible! I just focused on little goals. Moving the scale bits at a time.

As for the idea that I would gain it all back, as my husband said at the time "Well, with that attitude, you're sure to!" I was pissed at him for saying that at the time, but he was right. Attitude is a big part of this. When I started my journey, it was NOT with the belief that I could do it. I had no visions of success. But I just tried anyway. I figured I had nothing to lose. I tried to banish ideas of FAILURE. I still have a hard time thinking about success!

Anyway, just wanted to send a and also good thoughts for the Sox tonight!!!!

Hi everyone. Just checking in again. I think it's been 2 weeks since I was here last. School and work are still keeping me hopping. Plus with doing the bootcamp workouts at 5:30AM my days are pretty danged full lately. Last weekend I was in Boston for my friend's wedding. It is a really nice city (although the drivers do like to use their horns alot!). Plus there was Red Sox fever going on. There was practically nothing on the news but BoSox stuff! Anyway, it was so good to see my friends that I hadn't seen for 5-6 years. I was pretty successful at not thinking about my weight and what they must be thinking about it. Not perfect, but pretty good.

This weekend is busy for me with school. Today I am trying to finish the first draft of a 7 page paper I have to do for our group project. Can I just say that I hate group projects? As always, it's like half the group is really contributing and the other half is just riding on our coattails. It's just frustrating to know that the hanger-onners will be getting the same grade that those of us who really worked will get. In other classes, the profs have the students do peer reviews of their team members so the grades can be adjusted accordingly. My prof doesn't do that though. Oh well, that is how real life is, right,....not always completely equitable.

Just a couple individual replies because I am too far behind to mention everyone:

Nancy - Love your new avatar picture. You are looking so thin and beautiful! Also looks like you are right on the cusp of the 100 pound mark. That is so exciting!!! Any plans to celebrate the milestone?

Ammi - Sounds like you are having a hard time medically. I sure hope the doctors are able to make you feel better soon. Take care.

Catherine - You and your hubby look great in that picture. Your dress is so elegant and flattering.

To any chicks in California - be safe with the wildfires.

To everyone else, even though I am not here as often as I would like, I am thinking of everyone and wishing you well. Hopefully in December when I have a break between classes I will get to keep up with the boards better.

catherine you looked great i hope you had fun with the people at the table with you. They sound incredibly intresting.
zelma congrats on getting in the choir.