G'day all,

The last day in Boston. We had a wonderful time with Gloria and her Jack who is an absolute delight.
We went to Cape Cod today, off to Newport tomorrow.

Welcome 'slowmovingwoman', I guess really it is the amount you put in your mouth which will either make you loose or put on weight!
Don't want to sound flippant but that has been my experience.

Once I return to my home in Australia after our American adventure, I will be trying to put a bit less in mouth!!!!

I am attaching a photo of Gloria and myself for those of you who may have missed the blog.

Cheers
Maria

Hi SlowMovinwoman- I found i have better luck when I cut way back on pasta, bread, potatos, and starchy stuff. I just can't seem to cut it out completely, but I go very easy on it, and as Maria said, it all comes down to what we put in out mouths. But I do think that since everyones metabolisms are different, some can get along with more starchy type foods than others. I think the trap is that with counting points, you could have 3 or 4 pieces of bread and make the points fit, but it isn't good. i know for me that I have to leave donuts and the other sweet stuff alone, since I don't have very good control when I start. Hope this helps a little. Ann

I probably shouldn't tell you what a dumb thing I did the other day. I must have had a real blonde moment. I started a new thread and I am not sure where I must have posted it. I haven't done it in a while and I got messed up. So some one must wonder what that thread is all about. I was trying to save Maria some work.
Maria and Gloria-great picture. Sounds like you had a good time together. How clever of Jack to put out the Australian flag. Neat idea.
Slowmovingwoman-I agree with both Ann and Maria. I think it is lot of both. I also think as you get older is harder to lose. You need to get out and move and do some kind of exercise also. That will help your metabolism. Cut back on the white carbs and eat healthy.
I have been using my exercise ball. I rolled right off of it yesterday. Not a pretty sight. I have a folder of exercises and I try to do a few of them everyday. Just have to get back to the walking.
Glenda is it still raining or have you dried out a little.
Maria are you getting excited about going home?
Trudy and Slavika what is new with you?
Karen how is your dh?
It is so gorgeous here right now. Sunny and no humidity. No ac running. I am going out to do some yardwork.
Peggy

Just have to post and say is was sort of sad this moring when Maria & Alan left. We had sooo much fun with them....you were all correct in saying they are a fun couple. We chatted each morning over breakfast and then again at the evening meal. I am getting used to calling it tea, Maria! They are heading off to Newport, RI and possible Yale in Conneticut then to their final destination in the US....NYC. I know Maria is getting anxious to get home and see the kids and grandkids and I don't blame her.
Slowmovingwoman...I, too, think it is a combination of what and how much you eat and the exercise that you do that makes the difference and I would add that drinking a good amount of water each day also helps.
Karen...hope your dh is feeling better.
Glenda...hope the rain situation is improving. We have had some rain each night for the last few days....which is good.
Peggy...you may have lost your post for a new thread but you at least attemped to post a new thread...more than what I have done.
Trudy and Slavika....is it Summer in the far North yet?
There goes the dryer so I guess it's back to work for me.
Gloria

So Gloria, glad to know you have had the good moments with Alan and Maria too. They are fun and, I think, just so inquisitive about everything. That makes them fun. Your Jack had a good idea about the flags.

Peggy, might have liked seeing you roll off that ball. I go to a gym and I have just eyed those big balls and wondered what you could do with them. I could ask, but hate to know because then I might feel that I need to do whatever....

Slowmovingwoman, I can only agree with what the others say. I have found that to lose weight, I have to be hungry. And I am not willing to do that. A little over a year ago I became a vegetarian, so I love the carbs, all kinds, shapes and sizes and I have found I have a lot of difficulty losing weight. I just CANNOT eat meat, but I think it is something that makes you less hungry. Woe is me!

And as far as drying out? We have had rain every single day for forever. Everything is just beautiful, but really, feast or famine, right? And the mosquitoes! Don't even ask! But looking at my patio from inside the house, it looks pretty. Just have a little trouble with the critters if I wander outside. For some reason they love me and never have bothered the skinny guy I live with. Go figure!

Have a good day.
Glenda

G'day all,

We are in Newport Rhode Island (5.10pm), finally at the motel after doing a bit of sightseeing.
It was a bit sad to bid Gloria and Jack farewell, we had a great time with them as we have had with everyone we have visited.
Jack is a real character, a very kind man and he loves his Gloria!
I will do some blog posting so please see the blog for more details.
I have bought the last postcards to be sent to Australia today, I wonder if we will beat the postcards home.
Something I cannot put on my blog.....a cousin of mine will be in New York at the same time as us. They thought it was a good idea to meet up before we had even left Australia. I sort of tried to discourage it and had not heard for a while and thought they may not come but I received an email and they will be there the same time. My cousin is a nice enough person but a little precious, likes to sit and do her nails and her hair whilst she orders her husband around! The other problem is she does not speak English (her husband does) and I will be the one in the middle trying to translate.
The only good thing will be that we are in Brooklyn and they are in Manhattan!!!

I must fly and do my blog....

Cheers,
Maria

Thanks to all of you for your input on eating starches. I am going to
try and limit them to one or two a day. I just don't think I could stop
eating them completely. Oh for the days back when I could decide to
lose some weight and drop ten pounds in a month. At age sixty it's
just not going to happen like that. Thanks again

Maria hope you can dodge your cousin. You will have more fun exploring NY by yourself. Don't answer your phone. I enjoyed reading about Newport. My cracker box would probably fit into one of their bathrooms. One of these days we are going to get to the Biltmore House. Sometimes I think D needs a firecracker under him to go somewhere.
Slowmovingwoman-you can do it. One step at a time.
Totally weird weather now. One minute the sun is out and the next it is thundering and sprinkling rain.
Glenda you must be too sweet that the critters like you. My son had a tick in his hair the other day. Ugh!-he was hard to remove.
Guess I will have to find another place to walk after the thing today. I left about 45 minutes before that guy was knifed. Sort of amazing because there are always people and dogs walking there. There is one spot that has trees and that must be where it happened. Hope they find the guys that did it.
Went to dinner last night with the WW. It was changed to the local pizza place up the street instead of over a lake in Indiana. As hot as it was it was nice to be inside.
Peggy

SlowMovingWoman, Now you are going to get my two cents on the subject of points. One of the things people tend to do is not get the balance . The fruits , veggies, milk, These are very important. Also the water. When weight doesn't move sometimes upping the water will help. I agree on staying away from the white flour , sugar, also white potatoes and white rice. Also having them once or twice a day should be fine. I stay with in my points and get in my balance and have been doing fine . Exercise is the key when we get to be in the late fifties and on. Must move more!

All My DH is doing great. Doctor gave him the OK and he is back out on the golf course. Thank heavens!!!!!

Karen

Karen: I'm so glad to hear that your DH is doing well now. That must be a load off your mind now. I keep getting emails back from you. Is there a problem with your carrier. Or have you got a full mailbox?

Slowmovinwoman: Just keep plugging along and don't get discouraged. It sure isn't as easy to lose now, that it was when we were younger. And it is just a never=ending struggle.

Maria: I agree with the others, just don't answer your phone. Until maybe the last minute. Your deserve to enjoy New York City yourselves, and not get put into the middle of conversations. Why hasn't your cousin ever learned English? I'm sure your will be glad to get home and sleep in your own bed, and hug those grandbabies. I've never been gone on such an extended trip as yours, but I know that for me, after we got home, I could begin to process all the things we had seen and done. And How much all the pictures we took meant to both of us.

Peggy: I've never had the courage to use one of those exercise balls. Curves is the extent of my exercise. Although today I walked in the swimming pool for an hour. And later tonight my friend and I rode our bikes 6 miles.
so I am getting my exercise.

Gloria: It sounds like you and Jack and Maria and Alan had a wonderful time. Just a getting together of 'old friends'.

Glenda; We have had some rain, but it is not enough. We are still under water restrictions.

Hi Trudy and Slavika: what ihappening in the North? How is Patches? How big do you think she will finally get when she gets her full growth?

Have to go now to watch So you Think you Can Dance. It was fun last night. A bit different than Dancing with the Stars, but fun anyway.

Ann

G'day all,

We had a lovely dinner last night and sleep even though I am up early this morning and Alan is still sleeping!
I feel great ready to drive into New York under Alan's and Navman's direction!
It is hard to believe that our trip is almost at an end...it seems light years away when we landed in LA. We have experienced and seen so much.

My cousin speaks no English because she has always lived in the Netherlands and has never had a need to learn English. Her husband because of his work does need to be able to understand and speak English but his Australian is not quite so good
We will meet with them once and then we will invent some friends we need to catch up with whilst in New York.

I am told it is cold at home, I am looking forward to a bit of winter having gone from our very hot summer straight into spring here.

It was lovely to read the posts this morning, Trudy and Slavika what is happening in your neck of the woods?

Think of me driving into New York this morning

and then when we are settled into our hotel

Cheers
Maria

Maria you can do it. Good luck. Watch out for grid lock and ignore all the horns.
Peggy

Maria: I want to know how you manage with the Subways. They always scared me a bit. The Metro in D.C. was much better. We got along well with that one. I didn't realize that your cousin was still living in the Netherlands. Hence my question about English.

I picked up some sort of 24hr bug that kept me close to the bathroom and very crampy. but today I am fine. I hate those kinds of bugs.

Have a great weekend, everyone, and hope you have nice Fathersday celebrations. Ann

I was on the subway in Toronto and I hated it. Most of it is underground and it made me very uncomfortable. Then when we were in Vancouver we went on the sky train. It was fast and not as intimidating. We don't have anything like that here, but sure could use something as the traffic can be so frustrating at times. I always check out the weather map to see what is going on with all of you. It seemed to me that Sydney was going to be 20C today. I would find that to be a pleasant day. It has been really hot and muggy here. We had 30C and I found it difficult to be outside. I don't know how any of you cope when the temps are around 40C/100F.
Maria, you must be glad to be on the last leg of your journey. I am sure you will find lots to do and see in New York. I hope you saved some room in the luggage for something special to take back home for the girls.
I am glad to hear your DH is doing good Karen. What a worry when our men are out of commission.
Gloria, I am not surprised to read that you had a great time with Maria & Alan. They are a fun couple. I felt bad when they left too.
Ann, glad to hear that bug didn't hang around any longer. We don't have any time to be sick.
Slavika, what a cute picture of Patches. She looks like she owns that sofa now.
Glenda, you should try out the Thera-Ball. We have a Friday class called "Bounce" that I go to every week. It is a great work out and if you do fall off, you don't have far to go. I must admit I have tumbled a couple of times, not so bad. I even have one at home that I use.
Peggy, I have to admit that I have goofed up on starting a new thread too. What would we do without Maria to get us straightened out?
Slowmovingwoman, we could have called ourselves that too. I don't think that any of us has lost a lot of weight fast. We just keep going and always hope it will stay off. That seems to be the hardest part.
My DD and family are going to camp out at a park outside of the city for the weekend. They invited us to come by tomorrow for a Father's Day BBQ. Of course we said that we would. They bought a camper trailer, it really is quite nice when it is set up. They have plans to try out a new campground every time they go out. We have a lot of lakes here and so they will have quite the variety of places to go.

Have a great weekend everyone..