Good morning everyone!

Can it really be only a week until Christmas??? Time is really cruising by! I made a dent in my Christmas shopping over the weekend so I'm feeling a little better in that regard.

I'm also happy to report that the dinner on Friday evening went well--didn't overdo on anything. Stayed away from all the cheese (just had a couple of pieces) and opted for the shrimp cocktail. Dinner went equally well as I loaded up on the veggies and had fish instead of the meat. All in all I felt pretty good.

I wrenched my back somehow yesterday, not sure exactly what I did...I'm wondering if it's a combination of stress and overdoing things. It wasn't on the list to be done that's for sure!

We managed to get our Christmas tree on Saturday and later this week we'll bring it in the house and get it decorated. We got a 9' Fraser Fir...

Hope everyone had a good weekend and are maintaining some sort of sanity in getting ready for the holiday season!

Hey there all...

Melissa - Oh boy...do be careful with your back. No heavy lifting, no bending from the waist and do be careful twisting. I can so much relate. I did that over the summer and it can be agony. If ya need any suggestions with gentle stretches I got quite a few from the physical therapist I went to.

Have a great everyone.

Patch

Hiya everyone, finally stopped raining here. We had 3-4" this weekend and it was rather dreary.

melissa- hope your back feels better soon. rest up, it looks like its going to be a busy week ahead. I too got a fraiser fir. Its only 7' tall, but looks pretty good. Usually we get a noble, so its a nice change. DP put lights on the garland outside and it looks quite spectacular.l

patch- I will report that the latkes of saturday night were crisp and small, so i had a few. Next year, baked or bust!

Well, I have someone's cold. Its been 6 months since my last one, so I decided to stay at home and sleep. I really want to do holiday stuff, but I think sleep is more important. I weighed in a whole 2 lbs more than last week, so its definitely a thai food extravaganza gain. Only giving me more resolve for this week I tell you.

Stressful week for us, DP must make descision today on which of two jobs she was offered, she will take. They are both good jobs and no one she has spoken too has said anything bad about the groups. One has way more sea time, so I'm not too happy about that. It is ultimately her descison to make.

So, what is everyone making for Christmas dinner?

lala

Hi guys.

It's Tuesday and the countdown has begun! Just a few more days then we can kick back and contemplate the real reason for the season..

Melissa: Hope your back is better, and be very careful lugging that Christmas tree around. Good for you on exercising control at the party.

Patch: Snow is falling gently outside of my window this morning (but it's supposed to change to rain ). What do you do to instill Christmas spirit in your corner of the world?

lala: Sounds like my cold that you have. My advice is get as much rest as you can. I've had it for a week now, and I'm pretty much exhausted which is likely why it's not getting much better.

I reported on the Challenge thread that I've lost the three pounds gained last month. No reason - eating badly, no exercise, etc. Perhaps it's muscle lost, given that I haven't run in ages. Will try to get out tonite if the weather cooperates.

Have a good day.

Hey Seasaw -- good question about what we "angelenos" do to get into the Xmas spirit. The weather here has actually been quite crisp and for us somewhat chilly so that helps. I had a wonderful evening last week, when I got together with a group of folks and wrapped various gifts we all provided, to give to needy children in the city. It was the first time I began to feel in the holiday spirit. I'm looking forward to getting out of town to the mountains and frolicking in the (probably man made) snow. But it will be cold up there and I will be with family I love.

catch you all later...

Hi all - I'm not sure I'm glad to be back at work today. It was the cookie exchange and we have lots of treats here.

I am feeling a bit better, not as congested as usual, but definitely low grade. We were up way too late last night debating DP's job choice anguish. It was a hard descision to make and its over. Now she has to go through the transitioning period and cleaning up 16 years worth of accumulated gack from one position. Good thing she just moved offices and did a big clean.
Can you tell change is hard for her?

I'm starting to panic about christmas. I have about 4 batches of biscotti to bake tonight and mail off tomorrow. DP waited 10 mins at post office today (a record), so maybe I'll luck out too. Think the rest of the presents will be purchased on line and with little anguish, except when credit card bill arrives.

So, going to post on the challenge thread, but I can't really say that I'm being a model challengette with my lack of exercise (okay, i was sick) and total disregard for program rules. Cookies are not protein.

Anyways, I hope that we have a dry christmas here. It does not look promising.

lala

Good morning all,

First, the bad news: I found out on Friday that I'm being laid off effective January 15, 2002. There had been some rumblings for a few months now - one of the divisions had been losing money. So, the board of directors decided to really tighten their belts & they are getting rid of most of us. My boss is history as well. I am bummed to be losing the salary, yet glad the decision was finally made. Now I need to figure out what to do next. I am thinking that I no longer want to be in the telecommunications business. I am sick of it. I am worried about the loss of my income & how that is going to work out especially if I do something else that pays less. It sucks to get canned around the holidays.

The good news: I am done Xmas shopping & have wrapped all the gifts. Only have a few more batches of cookies to make, & need to get the house cleaned up this weekend.

lala - glad that DP finally made the decision about her job.

Seasaw - good for you for losing those 3 pounds. I have decided to try and kick up the intensity of my exercise since I don't seem to be laying off the cookie dough.

Melissa - I love Fraser firs - they smell wonderful & keep their needles so much better. We got a Balsam fir this year (a little less expensive), but it really has dropped a lot of needles.

Later,

Katie: That really does suck! I guess there's never really a good time to hear that kind of news, but Christmas time has to be the worst! But you're right - the waiting or wondering is at least over and you can think about getting on with things. Try not to let it affect things too much over the next week or so. There'll be time for that later.

lala: Glad to hear that you're feeling better and that the decision about the job has been made. Did she choose the one with more sea time? I know what it's like to be on the home-alone side of that coin. DH may have a trial coming up in the spring; right now, I'm just happy he's a civilian and not overseas. There are many families in town who will have an empty spot at the Christmas dinner table this year.

patch: I guess you don't need snow to have Christmas spirit. Good for you for doing your part to make someone else's season a little brighter.

The rain and snow continue. It was pouring last nite when we went to bed but turned to snow sometime overnight and it's a winter wonderland again this morning. Sidewalks are treacherous though, and a brisk wind is letting us know that the colder weather is likely here to stay.

I am a little proud of myself at the moment. Dropped in to the place where I used to work this morning for their annual open house and had one small plate of fresh fruit - nothing more! Now I am famished, so gotta go get a sandwich or something. Bye for now.

Katie - I'm so sorry to hear about the layoff. It is rampant out here in California... I guess all over. But know that you have good skills, and they are transferable. Seasaw's right - do not let them spoil your Xmas holiday. And congrats that you have all your shopping done. And I'm with you and kicking up the exercise.

Lala you scare me FOUR batches of biscotti - you amazon you! And congrats to your DP for making the decision. It's tough for most of us to change.

Seasaw great news about getting through that party with only eating a fruit plate. That's tough stuff.

Hey there Melissa and LM hope your having a wonderful holiday so far.

Best to all. Patch

Hello friends.

I am still alive and kicking (but the journalling has been slipping for the last week), but very much stressed out at work, so little time to post or even read everyone's postings. That will take some time to catch up.

Just wanted to jump in and say Hi to everyone.

I shall return...

Hi everyone! Things are crazy and I'm trying to keep a handle on not letting the stress drive me to eat. Each year I say I'm going to get things done early and each year I end up racing around at the last minute.

Katie: Bummer on your job! The flip side is at least you have a job until mid-January. Hopefully you'll be able to find something that is comparable in salary. Our area has experienced similar things--our big paper mill announced that they will be shutting down and that most of the workers will be laid off the first of the year.

Lala: I haven't even gotten a nutroll made yet! My plan is to get them done over the next couple of days. I'm also making homemade pierogi for Christmas Eve dinner on Sunday.

Weather here is sunny and brisk...the forecast is calling for a lake effect snowstorm to hit Thursday...depending on which way the winds blow will depend on how much we'll get. I'm actually pretty lucky because I live right on the lakeshore and traditionally we don't get nearly as much as what the snowbelt does (South of I-90).

Went to my meeting at noon today and posted a .2 loss...I'll take it! It brings me right to my 2# over my goal so I have to focus on making good choices for the next 2 weeks.

hi you all. sunny and unproductive in seattle. I really am feeling wiped, so I stayed home this morning attending to dog's needs (loong walk) and other household chores.

kt- bummer in a big way about your job. I'm sorry it happened at the holidays. Are you planning on trying to regroup at the first of the year?

patchie and melissa- biscotti is a snap. I have it down to an art. It takes less than 7 mins per recipe to mix and shape. I make three kinds with no butter (the best, imho) and this year I made one kind that is savory that had nf sour cream and butter. V. good.

now, the next on the list is panforte. I am not a happy camper when i make them and i really don't like having them around the house. Basically, its one big dried fruit/hazelnut/honey and cocoa thing with about 8 oz. of bittersweet choco. on the outside.

its supposed to get cold here soon. I guess its time to move some of the tender plants back inside and get ready for some grumpy old animals to remind me that the heat works.

melissa- yeah! good for getting back into the comfort zone.

seesaw- DP new job is the one with less sea time and more database programming. I am excited because maybe we'll get to go out to sea together.

laurelcita- where art thou?

parentals on coming into town tomorrow and they are so excited.

Well, I'm going to fill up my water bottle and start thinking about work.

lala