Happy New Year everyone.

I am feeling much better today but my dh is still very sick. Poor baby. I finished the dog grooming today and can concentrate on taking down the Christmas decorations as soon as we feel up to it. I am calling the doctor tomorrow to see if hubby can either be seen or at least get some drugs. That seems to be the only way to get over this yucky illness.

Tobey~Thanks for starting a new thread. You are amazing to just "accidentally" run a 10k race and in record time. WTG. If you keep that up, you will never have to worry about gaining any weight back. Last night I watched the Dick Clark show and tried to stay up to see the ball drop but fell asleep about 15 minutes before midnight. Oh well, I usually fall asleep every year. Again, I'm sorry about those shipping costs. Whatever is easiest for you will be fine and there is no hurry. How did your dinner party go? That sounded like such a nice thing to do for your friends. I'll be they just loved it.

JoJo~That cake sure sounds good. I have been eating like a pig and gained about 8# already. I am ready to get back OP and start walking again. I hate this bloated feeling. I am going to be having a lot of company through March but at least I can try to do better than I have since Thanksgiving. Well, it sounds like you and your husband had a rough start to the new year. It's a good thing that you didn't have to work today. I bet you were cold before you got that furnace going. It was 30 degrees again this morning and I have felt chilled just about all day. It didn't even reach 60 today and that is cold for us. My boys are going to be so cold since I cut all their hair off. I have four legged sweaters for them though. Snuggles wore his all morning while he was hunting and chasing squirrels. I waited until this afternoon to groom him and he hasn't been out much since then.

Marlana~I'm sorry that your little guppy died. That is something that we need to be prepared for with raising fish. They sometimes get sick out of the blue and die. I don't think that I told everyone in here about Griffy getting sick and dying while I was sick. His replacement, Griffy 2 is doing fine so far. He was so jumpy when I first brought him home Saturday but has started to calm down some. He is eating very good though. I didn't put him in the vase that Griffy was in. The vase has no fish in it now, only the plant and I think that I will keep it that way. I put Griffy 2 in the 2 gallon turtle bowl. It is really nice for him because it is so wide instead of being so deep and he has a lot more room to swim around. He is such a beautiful lavender and violet color. My husband has accepted the fact that I will replace all my bettas if any of them die. He suggested keeping the same names and adding numbers as needed so he won't have to try to remember new names. Works for me.

Jen~Your right, I normally can't lay in bed much at all except when I am sick. Then I can sleep off an on all day and still sleep at night. Poor hubby didn't sleep at all last night. He then took two of those Tylenol with codeine to try to sleep today and hasn't been asleep yet. I can't even imagine being that sick and not sleeping. How was the dinner that you boyfriend cooked? I'm sure it was marvelous. Dinner cooked by someone else is usually very tasty.

Well girls, I hope that you all had a good holiday. I didn't celebrate last night but just felt lucky to be feeling better and not so sickly. I didn't actually make any resolutions but I do want to make some permanent changes in my lifestyle in 2002. I want to eat more healthy and exercise more and get rid of a lot of this excess weight. It's time that I got serious and quit with the yo yo style.

HOWDY Y'ALL

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU! I sure hope you all have a wonderful start to a wonderful year. I plan to begin program again tomorrow. I didn't worry about too much the past week. Anything that is still left around will be put in the wastebasket later this evening. I know I have gained weight, but I am not going to beat myself up about it, just get going again. I have another day to begin and another year to acheive success in.

It sounds like quite a few of you have been sick. I have a cold that was complicated today by too much partying last night. For some reason I did not sleep well even though it was 1:00 A. M. before I went to bed. I just hope I do not get the good old stuff other people have had here in the hood. My husband has had his back act up for the past week now and that puts a damper on what he wants to do. Until he decides he wants to go to a dr., he will continue to have problems. He did go to the chiro yesterday and I bet I will have to take him again on Saturday. He is now working with a carpenter. That job fell into his lap in October when the other was finished. And he still thinks God is out to get him. Thank God for my faith or I would be crazy. Anyway, we are surviving pretty well and in 3 months he will have his lisence back.

Enough about all of that . I have decided to leave my tree up until the end of January. It may even be up for the Super Bowl Party on Feb. 3. I just don't feel like taking it down. The angels look very nice under it and the snowmen are around the other little one. I will get up in the attic tomorrow and get the boxes put away. I also have the spare room to staighten. All that with only one day of vacation left. This year I really wish I had a couple of more days. I just feel lazy.

I better go and see where else I can go tonight. Home for a week and I only really surfed one day. I limit myself to two hours or else I could be here all night. I will try to get in tomorrow before I go back to school. Keep up your good work and begin today living your new life.

Carol

Just a quick minute to post in here this evening. Skeeter & Marlana- glad you guys are feeling better, and Jojo- what a night with the dog. Who'd have thought?! Carol- Looks like we are all ready to start fresh tomorrow. It was strange sleeping at dear bf's house today. He was so worried about waking me up. What a sweety. Dinner was pretty good. Butterfly pork chops. Of course, one of his favorites. But it was a pretty good lesson for him on using his new George grill. Next time it's all up to him! Looks like my mom has monopolized the tv for the Illini game. Did I mention I go to Iowa?!?! Anyway, guess I'll have to grab a good book instead. And get the kitchen ready to get back on the plan tomorrow! See ya in the morning!

Jen

Good Morning~~Ahhhhhhhh...I'm all alone for the first time in almost 2 weeks. I love it!!! I feel like I have the time to thank this morning and do the right thing for myself. I do have to go and buy some groceries. I will most likely start my Christmas shopping for next year, depends on the sales. I don't want to wait until the last min. It is so cold here this morning, in the low teens.burrrrrr I got my food plan laid out and ready to get started TODAY.

Jo Jo~~I don't hope that 2002 is going to be better, IT IS GOING TO BE BETTER. Sorry about the dog getting all freaked out, try fish, they just kill each other. All was still a live this morning though. My ick is all better, but the fish are having a heck of a time with it. You don't know it but you just gave me my menu for tonight supper. Beans and cornbread...sounds good for a cold night. Not for me though. Jo Jo if you can lose 50, SO CAN I! Us go for it.

Skeeter~~Your post brought me right on down. I hate taking Christmas decorations down. I still haven't taken a picture of mine, so guess I'll set the camera out in the garage so it will be cold. It will sweat if I take it right out into the cold. I can't take mine down until it gets a little warmer. I'm going to stop naming all my fish. I'm going to get some Neon's and another male guppy as soon as I can get rid of the ick. Bubba is still covered with the spots. Now why would the other two look fine and he is still covered. They are in the same water. Neon and Cleo are going back in the bowls this afternoon. Poor babies, but you know what they may be happier out there.

Carol~~I guess sometimes it can feel like God or somebody is out to get you. I never did put up a tree this year. My little grand daughter didn't want to, so I said why put it up then. Now I'm glad, don't have to take it down.


Jen~~ Well Jen...it's tomorrow already, so back on plan. I never get to control the TV at night except on Thursday nights. He don't like it but I insist on watching my show. I go to the computer a lot and mess with it.

Tobey~~Somewhere a long the line I lost your post. I know you started a new thread. Thanks. I guess I'm crazy or you didn't post one. Catch ya later.
I know some of you will have more dinners to face this week, but my big dinners are over for a while. Thank goodness. Us all have a good start on the new year.

Hey everyone.

My hubby still wasn't doing too good today so I got him an appointment with his doctor who is a pulmonary specialist and an internal medicine doctor. Hubby has asthmatic bronchitis on the verge of becoming pneumonia. It is a good thing that I insisted on taking him in today and getting him on some medicine.

Carol~It sounds like you have enjoyed your time off the way you should instead of working the whole time. I haven't even gotten close to taking any of the Christmas stuff down yet. Hubby is going to have to get well first. I am not going to get in a hurry about it yet, even though I am going to be having a lot of company for the next 2 months. As Scarlett would say, "I'll go crazy if I think about it now.........I'll think about it tomorrow". I am going to try to get some of these parties behind me and get back on my plan. I would like to be a lot more successful this year in losing weight. I have almost put all of the weight back on that I lost 2 years ago. I feel like I just wasted my time all of last year. I need some motivation to get started in the right direction.

Jen~Dinner sounds yummy and healthy. That is really sweet of your boyfriend to let you sleep and fix your dinner. He sounds like a keeper.

Marlana~All my fish must be very happy because they all have very large bubble nests. Three of them have a large cluster of bubbles, but Griffy has his all the way around his bowl. It is a big bowl too. It is 12" across and 40" around that thing. That sure is a lot of bubbles for such a little guy. I wish that I lived closer to you so that I could adopt your bettas. Then you could concentrate on different kinds of fish. I think that you will enjoy raising guppies once you get a new male. You do know don't you that the female is already pregnant if she is an adult. She will go ahead and have her babies without the male as his job is already done. It is so much fun to raise the babies and see what kind of colors and fancy tails they have. Make sure that you ask the pet shops about the aggressive traits of any new fish that you buy. It is a real shame that your betta ate the other guppies tail off. I didn't know that they would do that. I always thought that other fish would eat the bettas tails and fins.

I am starting to wind down after a very busy day. My head has been hurting all day even after taking Tylenol. I think it is time to lay down for the evening and hope that I don't have another relapse. Y'all have a good evening. I am posting a picture of a betta that has a little of the coloring of the last one that I bought. Mine starts out lavender like this one but gets darker towards the back of the body and out into the fins into a deep violet.

Good Morning~~Ha Ha Ha Tobey I beat you in this morning. Really it's not Ha Ha Ha...it's dang, I'm up in the wee hours of the morning again. Hubby is back on over time, so I will be getting up at 3:00 am. Needless to say I don't feel good with those hours. If I stay up I feel bad and if I go back to bed I feel bad. I've been setting an alarm clock and taking a blood pressure pill at midnight. When I got up at 3 this morning my blood pressure was 180/94, Do you thank it's working???? I DON'T!!! The doctor is going to have to come up with something else. My food yesterday was better, at least I stayed out of sugar. But it has to get better, that's for sure. Didn't lose any fish yesterday and I'm going to buy more today. Both my ick and the fish world of ick is cleared up.

Skeeter~~ Your it this morning, no one else been here. Do you thank they are paying us back for being absence so much last week. Ok..we can hold it together for a day or two. Hey that is a pretty fish in the attachment. My fish are so much happier since I took out one of the dividers. It's a great big ol 5 degrees here this morning, but it's suppose to warm up today some. I bet you will be glad when all the big meals are over with this week end.

I don't dare go back to bed, I don't feel too bad right now, so I better stay up. I'm going to go and read around on the board and see what is going on in here. Catch you all tomorrow. Be good to yourselves. Us all make this year count. We got to get more like Tobey, that girl has it all together, I want to be like that. No I'm not going to run 10 miles at a time, well heck, I ain't going to run at all. I want to have control over what I eat. That's my new years wish. I thank I've made very little since in this whole post. Overlook it!!!!!

Good morning gals. I've been sitting here staring at the screen, trying to decide what to write. I feel pretty cruddy today. Mostly a headache and at times it hurts enough to make me nauseated. I won't be running this morning like I had planned. And I'm still so tired I feel like I've been drugged. And I still have to go to work tonight. I would have called in, but I hate to lose my overtime this week. If I'm that greedy, I'll just have to suffer through it! I'm hoping the combination of coffee and advil will cut through it. I did do really good with the food plan yesterday. Of course, when I don't get a break at work, it's pretty easy to do!

Marlana- Oh man, getting up at 3 am??? I'm barely asleep by then, usually about 1 am! I don't know what to tell you about your blood pressure? Is it always that high when you check it? Maybe you should call your doc. I'm glad your house is finally "ick-free".

Skeeter- It's a very good thing you took hubby in to the doc. I wonder if we have the same headache? That picture of the beta sure is pretty. I like that lavender color. I still haven't gotten myself one yet. Hmmm, I'm off tomorrow, I could go looking....

Well, I guess that's about all. I'm gonna go see if a hot steamy shower will help rev me up for the day.

Happy and healthy,
Jen

Hey everyone.

My dh is better today and up and moving around. He even went out and filled the bird feeders, although I was telling him to stay inside today. It is very unusual for him to stay in bed the way he was and is nice see him up again.

Tobey, JoJo, Marybeth and Sally~Come out, Come out, wherever your are.............

Jen~That sure sounds like the same headache. I am so grateful that I didn't have it again today. I'm sorry that you have to work again tonight. This cold weather is really getting to me. It was only in the 50's yesterday and the high was 44 today. We are going to have a hard freeze tonight. Then it is supposed to be back up into the 70's by Sunday. We finally have some fall colors though. The Florida maples have all turned shades of yellow and orange and are so pretty. They will all start budding out again next month though. We get spring in February here. Marlana and I have gone bonkers over the fish so maybe you better think twice before looking for one.

Marlana~I can't wait to hear about your new fish. I hope that you found another beautiful male guppy and another female for him. I saw the cutest little 5 gallon tank at Petsmart for only $29.99. It was acrylic with the pump and would be perfect for raising baby guppies. The good thing about the acrylic tanks is that there are no seams to leak and they are much lighter than the glass tanks. The bad thing is that they will scratch over a period of time. They will also soak up bleach when you disinfect them.

I hope everyone is staying warm and happy. Take care and have a good evening.

Hi Ya'll

Hope your all having a good day. I'm so mixed up. I could swear it is Tuesday.....but I'm thrilled its not. This morning just dragged by.

I didn't get in here yesterday to post because...well, I just was lazy. I just didn't have the words yesterday. I did come to read tho.

Skeeter, glad your dh is doing better. I guess if he is in bed all the time, he isn't bugging you much, unless he is wanting you to get him something. I'm glad you are doing better to. Your new fish sounds really pretty, especially if he looks alot like the picture you attached. That Amaretto Poppyseed cake was not that good. I will stick with making the original one that dh loves. Its been really cold here but we are supposed to have a little warm up the next couple days. I'm so glad. Hopefully I won't need to scrape the windows in the morning.

Marlana, I did pretty good yesterday but today, well, they had baked or fried chicken for lunch in the cafeteria and I got the baked but I also had mashed potatoes and gravey and a roll, oh green beans to. I don't like to eat a lunch like that and then have to come home and fix supper. I think tonight I will fix dh pancakes and sausage. Not the best choice but I've blown the day and I will start fresh in the morning. I'm really hoping for a good year as far as my weight goes. 50 lbs off sounds good and if I lose more, well that would be wonderful. I'm feeling like Skeeter tho, lacking motivation right this moment. Also feeling like I wont be able to do it. Guess I'm having a pity party right now. Bah!!!! Gotta get out of this state of mind. Its one sure way of not doing what I have to do.

Carol, I'm glad to hear things are going well for you and your dh even tho he's being negative right now. I'm feeling a little negative myself right now but it usually doesn't last with me.

Jen, I think our dog is back to normal now. She didn't bug me at all and she got dh up a couple times to go out. She can make it all day without having to go out but during the night she likes to be let out 2 or 3 times and luckily for me she always wakes dh up. She only comes to me if dh doesn't want to get up.

Tobey, thanks for starting the new thread.

Well, I'm going to get going now. I'm gonna play a game for a little while then I'm going to watch tv tonight. Take care everyone.

Morning Ladies,
How's everyone today? Is the New Year treating you all well? I'm doing okay; more problems with the ex, and I've been in the sleeping pills again so I can at least get some sleep and get to work. So, I haven't been getting up in time to post or read in the mornings. Actually, same old problems with ex, not necessarily new ones....wants me to drop all this foolishness, I'm just wasting my money like I always have, I'll never get anything out of him, and he'll just take the kids away from me, I don't have enough money, time or nerves to fight him, etc. etc. Well, so much for that.
I don't know if I've lost any weight or not, since we've had our weigh ins on Mondays, we haven't had one in two weeks, and I'm off Monday and Tuesday of next week. I guess I'll have to weigh in myself at home. My scales are pretty much on cue with the WW ones anyway. I'll let you know next week how that's going!
Mama, glad you and your fish are doing better! Get that blood pressure under control, though--maybe you need to switch medicine again. That sounds awfully high for first thing in the morning, although I bet mine is about like that lately.....I need some nerve medicine, I think; I'm starting to have panic attacks again.
Skeeter, is hubby still feeling better? Hope so. And hope you're still improving. Everyone has been sick lately, it seems. How're the animals doing? Mine are all fine---the dogs are surviving the cold weather (supposed to snow Sunday here) and the kitties are enjoying being house cats for a while. Fish are doing swimmingly also. We have such a zoo!

JoJo, did you ever get rid of that headache? I've had one for the last couple of days....probably combination of tension & sinus. I've had a bit of a pity party for myself lately, too (see above). We'll snap out of it, though.
Jen, how's our nurse doing? Hope your headache went away, too! Your boyfriend can come cook for me if he gets any extra time---my hubby cooks on Fridays, but the other six days are available!
Lori, check in and let us know how you're doing. We miss you! I didn't watch the Rose Bowl last night---our you-know-whos didn't do too well, and it hurt my feelings. Well, always next year!
Tobey, is this your birthday?? Happy, happy day if it is! Mine is Monday, and I think if I remember correctly, yours is today? Have a wonderful day!
Carol, glad you had good holidays, and hope hubby's back gets better. Check in when you can.
Okay, who did I miss? I haven't been here in so long, and I can't always check the threads when I'm posting.....MaryBeth, get your size 12 self in here and let us know how the holidays went.
Ladies, take care, and I'll check in Monday if not before. I'm off Monday, Tuesday and Friday next week....lots of medical appts and dental appts. and new school for the girls on Wednesday too!
Love you all,
Sally

Good Morning~~~~I'm dead this morning for sure. I didn't sleep worth a darn last night, and of course I had to get up at 3:00. I had a bad fish day yesterday. I bought 8 new fish, of which one is going to have babies. I had to revamp the tank to keep some of them from going through the holes in the devider. But before I could get that done the new male guppy I got went through a hole in with Bubba and when I found him Bubba was in hot pursuit. I caught the little dickens but Bubba had already taken a bite out of his tail. So thanking I had it all taken care of I went about my business. The next time I checked to see how they was doing, one of the little Neon's was missing, and the male Tetra's tummy was looking full. Yep...he had eaten one of them. Now stay with me here I ain't through. So I worked feverishly to get Bubba out of the tank and into a bowl. Then I put both the Tetras in where he was by thier selves. Now all is safe.:spinning: But was I ever wrong. I fixed super and went in to feed the little swimmers and Bubba wasn't in the bowl???? The little bugger had leaped to his untimely death. Brother what else could happen??? When I got up this morning it took me a while to count everything, but other than the PG guppy had somehow got out of the basket all was well. Male Bettas are not suppose to jump, but I had a jumper on my hands, or I did. You've heard of a dog eat dog world, in my world it fish eat fish world. Now on to more important things. My food was just us say really good yesterday. I'm grateful for that. Now it's on to face today and get through it without eating anything I shouldn't have. Did any of you see Ophra yesterday. It was good. She had one man on that had lost 300 pounds and a woman that had lost 175. The one key thing between them was...."I made up my mind I was taking my life back." You know I have lost my life to food and fat. I want it back too.

Jen~~I hope your headache is better this morning. I know how that can mess a day up. I had one while I was sick. Did the coffee help...when I read that I thought something like that might perk me up, so I'm having a diet Mt. Dew at 5 in the morning. I know, not good, but it's too early for breakfast and I don't like coffee so what is a girl to do? My blood pressure is only that high when I wake up. Even in the daytime if I take a nap, when I wake up it's high. I guess I'm going to have to stop sleeping. I almost quit last night. He's going to have to change my night time meds.

Skeeter~~Glad hubby is feeling better. I was so glad when mine walked out the door for work this morning. He was so cranky. He got a pair of pants and put them on and they was too small, and of course it was my fault. I had bought him a new pair yesterday, (one pair is all I could find) and he said I hope you didn't buy them that small.duh...He had been in a bigger size for 6 months. I just don't know how, but when something don't fit him, even if he's been wearing that size for years...IT'S MY FAULT!!! Are you telling me I have to buy a tank to raise those little guppys in?? This hobby is turning into a job.

Jo Jo~~Today I'm makeing myself a big pot of chicken soup, but not much chicken and a lot of green veggies. I got to do it, I got to do it, it's long overdue. I don't have to like eating right, I just have to do it. I had a few too many pancakes myself while I had kids here, and not they are plastered on my butt. Thank positive girlfriend...thank positive.

Sally~~You've been missing too. I get nervous when someone don't come in, my biggest fear is being left here and no one coming in to write to me. I hope all is well.

Tobey~~Where are you girl..are you sick. I sure hope not, and I sure miss you in here. Are you off running somewhere and don't know how to get back?

~~Marybeth, the same goes for you, your being missed in here. I hope you and your family is ok and not sick. Check in and say howdy.

That will do it for this morning..it's about time for me to take blood pressure meds and then it's back to sleep for me. Sorry to bore you guys with my fish problems. Everyone got the Christmas lights down, not me it's too cold to go outside. brrrrrrrrrrrrrr I'll be thanking of you today girls and hoping that you have a good food day. bye bye for now.

Good morning gals. My headache did finally go away yesterday. I think the coffee helped more than the advil! And last night, one of the agency nurses brought in some Starbucks coffee, so I thought that I'd have some to keep the headache away, but it was soooo strong. What a buzz from the caffeine. My brain was tingling! But no headache! And work was sooo busy. It was almost 1 am before I even got home. I guess it's the annual after holiday rush. Everyone realizes how much they spent and they have a heart attack!!

Marlana- What in the world is going on in your house??? And what have the fish done to you? Oh my. It's one thing to buy 8 more fish, but one kind hate the others so much that they are doing their own version of "kamakazi attacks". Girl, again, what is going on? I missed Oprah yesterday, but it sounds like a good one. I think though, you should take your life back from the fish first!!!

Sally- It's good to hear from you. I'm sorry you're having such a rough go of things so far this year. I still haven't weighed in either. I'm not sure I want to see how much damage the holidays did. Maybe after a week or two of being back OP! My bf and I will be down tonight for your hubby's dinner and you can come over tomorrow for my bf's!

Jojo- Glad to see you made it in today. I'm terribly confused this week to. I think it's a combination of the holiday and a crazy work schedule to go along with it.

Skeeter- Only in the 50's. Man, wish that was here. Today it might reach 40, and that is a huge heat wave. I may put on my bikini and frolic around the yard this afternoon! Now that would be a sight! I believe after Marlana's story, I will put the fish on hold for a little bit yet. What part of Florida do you live in? I may have to move!

Wow, I think that's a record number of posts to respond to, at least lately. I've got to get my butt busy. Mom is leaving to stay with my brother for 2 weeks (YIPPEE) and I have alot of cleaning to do if dear bf is going to come over here tonight.

The rest of you gals had better get your butts in here before we come out and find you!

Happy and healthy,

Jen

HOWDY YOU ALL:

Just have time to get a quick post in. I'm going to go to a ballgame in Bennett tonight and it is an hour drive. Oh, the things we do for our school. I'm glad to see that folks are beginning to feel better. Now if the fish situation would straighten out, we would almost have a perfect group. I had two gold fish for 11 years. I lost the last one a year ago and have not felt like getting any new ones. Perhaps someday.

My food has been good these past two days, anyway good for me. I had some cheese and crackers because who knows when I will eat again. I may take some carrots in the fan with me as I don't want to pig out at the game. I think some popcorn will be advisible. We have our Christmas party tomorrow night and there will be chicken and some sort of veggie. I will eat light during the day to be on the safe side. I really want to get back on track.

I'm going to give you all these little sayings again. I think that at the beginning of a new year we need this pick-me-up and reminders of how good we are.

I'll try to get in tomorrow or so. Have a great weekend.
Carol

Progress not perfection

Every day is an opportunity to eat better.

I deserve to eat nutritiously.

Every little step adds up.

I'm worth the effort.

Helloooooooooo!!!!!

Its Friday finally. I've been screwed up on my days all week, kept thinking it was only Wednesday today. So glad its not.

I keep getting knocked off line tonight so I'm going to have to make this really short. I am going to run some maintenance programs and hopefully that will fix the problem. Plus I cant type for crap tonight. Keep hitting the wrong keys and have to go back and correct them. Grrrrr. I just wanted to say hi and tell you i'll post tomorrow.

Take care