If you have 50 or more pounds to lose, this is the group for you! So jump on in and join, you'll be sure to get a warm welcome!

I did it!
I bought a bathing suit for water aerobics. Not a pretty site!
I tried on a few and got the best of the awful.
I am committing to go with my friend next Tuesday for the first time. I'm going to start with 2 times a week, but will progress to 3 times pretty soon, I think.

All right, JOYce! Way to go! So your first water aerobics session will be Tuesday? I know you'll enjoy it; let us know all about it. So glad you have a friend to go with, too. I've never been to a class like that, but would definitely sign up if we had such things available here in the sticks.

Dad, dh and I got back home last night; that drive on IH10 made me really appreciate all that Texaslady goes through every day! Getting through Houston is definitely the most stressful part of the 1100 mile trip.

Had dinner in Lafayette, Louisiana on the way through. Did you know, they are starting to include lighter menu choices in the Cajun restaurants now? Progress! Turns out I didn't gain or lose on the trip, thanks to my sister's consideration and our finally refraining from constant snacking in the car. (We had apples, water, a few pretzels, but boy, what we USED to munch on long trips makes me shudder!)

So it's back to work Monday, and then dh and I take a few days off and go to MacWorld in San Francisco. (Our favorite city.) We're hoping to take some really long walks, maybe the one on the coastal trail, after the conference.

Hope we hear back from a few of our travellers soon! Carol, I'm sure the job offers were so numerous, you'll have to pick and choose. Saara, any chance of a Texas trip on your spring break? Would love to see you, and get as many of the bunch together as we can.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
Regards,
Jan

Welcome home Jan..
glad you had a good trip!
Thanks for the encouragement. I feel very blessed to have a friend to go to class with. She is so enthusiastic about it, I can't help but be also. she is on her last week of maintenance, I think, she is very disciplined! Also a lady who works at the Tea Parlour that we have been frequenting, may join us as well. she goes to the same WW meeting and hs lost 50 pounds and tells us that many of the items that they serve for tea are made with Lite products.
I figure if I can make it from the dressing room to the water, I'll have it made!

I've been preparing dh and girls that I will be going to Texas sometime in the Spring. dh's brother and wife will be here sometime in April, hope it all coordinates.

i've been wondering about Carol and her job hunt, too! we'll be hearing soon, I'm sure.

Happy Anniversary Linda and dh!

Hey, thanks, JOYce, for the happy anniversary wishes. I can't believe it has been 28 years--seems like we have known each other all of our lives. It is a blessing to be married to your best friend.

Welcome home, JAN! Good for you and dh, changing your travel-snacking habits. Things like that really do count, don't they. What is MacWorld in SF? A big computer place, maybe?

Happy weekend to all.

Well, here we go, ladies, about the start the first "full" work week since before Christmas. I can tell you I am NOT excited about the awful traffic that will surely be in place in the morning! I always get so spoiled during the holidays with all schools & colleges out and lots of Mom & Dads taking off to care for at-home kids.

Jan - I would expect you did dread the awful trip through Houston on your way home from Florida. Knowing a little bit about your part of the world, our highway headaches must be supersized for you & your dh! OK OK, I am a southern girl but I have just never been crazy about collard greens & black eyed peas! It's that veggie thing, I guess. I did manage to raise a daughter who loves those peas & makes sure she gets some from somewhere each New Year's Day. Guess that her paternal genes, not her maternal!

Linda - I did think about you and Joyce as I was watching the Rose Parade. I figured you were close by. Have you ever gone to see the parade? That's one of the things I would love to do before I get too old to do it! The floats are so pretty on TV but I imagine that they must be breathtaking in person! And the scent must be heavenly. And - Happy Anniversary!!

Carol - Are you back yet? I forgot when you were due back home. Another one of those senior moments - which I surely have too many of these days! Tell us all about your trip. Did you talk w/Jan while they were in Florida too? I still think that it is such a wonderful concidence that your little house & Jan's sister are neighbors! Saw some bad weather headed your way - looks like most of the white stuff was further inland than you so hope you are able to get out and about.

Joyce - I am glad you found your suit. I know its not funny but it makes me giggle to hear you talk about finding the "best of the awful" and "making it from the changing area to the pool" as being the worse part of the adventure. I do know that it is absolutely true and I truly admire you for taking that "leap" of faith into the pool. If I were there, I would go with you - and I haven't had on a suimsuit since the dark ages!

Well, we didn't have any snow on New Years Day or any other day either! The weather guys missed again! We didn't even get any sleet but it was pretty darn cold. Got down to 25 for 2 nights & had to go out and try to save my gardenia in the front yard by covering it. Jan, I bet you lost any plants you hadn't moved inside before you left for Florida!

I spent the day taking down Christmas. It's always a little sad to see another one go by but the Christmas tree starts getting to me by this time in January! All the stores are putting out their "spring" merchandise & Christmas seems ages ago now instead of less than 2 weeks. Guess I will scoot and get the vacuum going before going to bed. My Phantom Fury isn't so furious anymore so I will have to drag out my old one & get the Fury worked on, I guess. Everyone have a wonderful week!!

Texaslady, you got it, "awful traffic" is right! Of course, there is a tradeoff; Houston has the best shopping, arts, job opportunities, you name it; it's a world class city. So for those with nerves of steel, it's well worth it! And I know you navigate that traffic beautifully.

Linda, happy anniversary! It's so wonderful that you've known your dh all your life, and that you're such close friends. How did you celebrate? Re: MacWorld, it's a conference centered on the Macintosh computer, my all-time favorite. I've been to 3 of them in SF and one in Boston, and each time I learn so much about what's coming around the bend. Saves me from making costly mistakes in purchasing software and hardware for the school.

JOYce, I'm so glad that the Texas get-together is a possibility for you! Do you know what part of April your guests are coming? We can work around that. It's so great that your friend is so enthusiastic; I love being around people with a passion for something, it just makes life more exciting. And it's true what they say about enthusiasm being contagious. Have a great time Tuesday!

We start back to work tomorrow, so guess I'd better get my ducks in a row. Everyone have a great Monday!

Regards,
Jan

TEXASLADY, we've not only seen the parade in person (more than once), but dh and dd and I worked on floats for several years, preparing them for the parade. We always had such a wonderful time doing it together. The unwritten "rule" was that no one under the age of 16 was supposed to be around the floats as they were being decorated, but dd is pretty unusual in that she is very mature and grown up, so at the age of 7 the float owners had her up on scaffolding, petaling the bottoms of places no one else could reach. (Of course, either dh or I were very close by at the same time.) It is more fun than anyone could ever imagine, working on the floats. They start a couple of months before the parade putting on things like straw flowers, rice, corn husks, statice, beans, etc. -- things that can sit for a long time and not go bad or fade or anything like that. The very last thing you do is put the roses and orchids on (each in its own glass vial with water in it); that's usually done very, very early in the morning the day of the parade. One year we worked on the Carnation float, it was a very tall giraffe (at that time it was the tallest float they had ever had in a parade). There was so much to do and so little time left that we just kept on working, and before we knew it it was 24 hours later--we had worked an entire day and night! Meggie was always the trooper. The most challenging part of float decorating is getting the pesky glue off of your hands (and arms, and face, and clothes, and shoes and sox)--some of the glue they use is super duper heavy duty!

Now, aren't you sorry you asked...?

JAN, your MacWorld show sounds like a lot of fun, and so educational. Good for you for going so you can learn better what to order for your school.

Water aerobics was great!
I love it!
The instructor is a 82 year old drill sergeant! She is great! but assured me that it is o.k. to go at my own speed, if I can't keep up. but much to my surprise, I did great! I overheard my friend exclaiming to another friend of hers:"She caught right on!"
I'm so glad I went.

Hi, everyone! My gosh, y'all have been talkative in my absence! I missed out on an entire thread! Thanks for thinking about me while I was gone!!
I had a great time- very relaxing. I actually read 5 books while I was gone! I passed out some resumes- no live chances, but since I'm not moving till May, that's okay. I must admit that I was hoping the allergy practice near my place was hiring- how I would have loved to be able to keep in the field I love!
The weather was a bit chilly for part of our time there (as Jan already told you), but it was still warmer than home! I ended up driving both there and back with exdh- he has some jobs up in this area in Jan and Feb, unfortunately for him. He moved down there to get away from cold winters. I cancelled my airline ticket home and can use the credit for the next time I fly. My renters aren't arriving till this weekend, so I got to stay in my place the whole time, which was great. It was nice to have space to myself.
Ocala had a horse version of the cows that Saara and Texaslady(??) had in their areas. There were 52 lifesize horses, all painted and "decked out" by local artists and placed at various parts of Ocala and the surrounding area. They will be auctioned off for charity in February. Finding all 52 of them became a directed mission for exdh and me- and we succeeded. Fun.
Jan, I wish I had called you!! I was thinking you were going back on New Year's Day (Tuesday). Don't know if I can afford a 2nd reunion, either time-wise or financially, but if I can I'd love to. DD's baby is due March 4th now, so she'll need me around afterwards, especially since she'll probably need another C-section.
By the way, everyone, speaking of my new grandchild to be, it's a girl for sure!!!! I'm so excited!!!
Janet, it was good talking to you both before Xmas and after the New Year. Thanks for the birthday card- that was so sweet of you to remember!
Linda, Happy Anniversary! Where I grew up (PA) we don't do the black eyed pea thing for New Years- we do the pork and sauerkraut that Joyce mentioned. Haven't had it for several years, though.
Joyce, sauerkraut is great on mashed potatoes!! Yum!! Never had a collard green in my life- I love veggies, but that doesn't even sound good to me!I'm so glad you are enjoying water aerobics! I'd love to try that- although I'm still not comfortable in a bathing suit even after losing 95 pounds- it seems like whatever isn't fat sags now!! But I'd love to do water aerobics- it's great exercise without doing damage to joints. So glad your trip to Idaho was so much fun- you deserved it!
Texaslady, did you really ever get snow??? We went down in the upper 20's a couple nights in Florida, but none of the nasty white stuff, thankfully. My presence seems to inflict cold in Florida- last week they broke the low temperature which was set the year before during the week I was there! Hmmmm!!! How nice that you got to spend time with dsil's family at Xmas too.
Saara, what's going on with you, girl? How was your holiday?
Ladies, I'd better run- I've probably bored you all to tears rambling on as it is. Hi to all, and have a great evening.
Carol

Hi everyone!

Carol, I know you are back from your Florida trip now. I enjoyed talking to you on the phone, and I'm so sorry that my phone was messing up. That is a brand new phone, and after I hung up with you, the phone rang again and the same thing happened with all the static. I looked at the phone base, and it said that there were 37 messages (which there weren't). After unplugging the phone and clearing that off, everything was fine. I don't know why I bored you all with that...sorry!! I can't wait to hear about your trip. I hope you had a wonderful birthday too! I'm glad you are back...we have missed you!!

JOYce, I am thrilled that you enjoyed water aerobics! Your instructor sounds like one we had at our gym. She was in her 70's and her classes were always full. I avoided her like the plague!! She was the only teacher that I couldn't keep up with. She did a lot of upper body and arm exercises and liked for everyone to use the water bottle weights completely filled. I've always had a lot of strength in my legs, but not much in my arms. I would empty out my water when she wasn't looking. She was a wonderful teacher, but it was humiliating that I couldn't keep up with a woman in her 70's. The neat thing about her was that she started out as a member. Her doctor had recommended water aerobics for her arthritis. She said that she could hardly move when she started and she ended up being the toughest teacher in the gym. She was truly an inspiration. Whew...I'm being very long-winded today! Anyway, I'm so glad you enjoyed it!!

Linda, that was so fascinating about working on the floats in the parade. I never missed that parade on TV growing up, and I still love watching it. It has always fascinated me...wondering how the floats were done and how early they have to be started. That sounds like something my daughter and I would love to do...but alas, we have nothing like that here. I got a kick out of reading your post about eating black-eyed peas for luck. My mother is not superstitious, but we HAD to eat peas on New Year's Day. I do not care for black-eyed peas...yuk...but I have always eaten at least 13...one for each month and one extra...just in case! One year, I told my mother that the way my luck had been, I thought I would try NOT eating the peas to see what happened. She was not amused!! HAPPY ANNIVERSAY! If I was still married, we would be celebrating our 26th anniversary this year...but since I'm not still married I guess that doesn't really count.

Jan, it sounds like you all had a wonderful holiday season. Like you, I was excited to hear that JOYce might be joining us for the reunion. I just hope that everything works out so that I can come again, but I really don't want to fly this time. Maybe I can whip by and pick up Texaslady on my way there. Thanks for thinking about me during that artic freeze we had. I thought we were finally going to get some good snow, but it missed us.

Texaslady, how is your first full week back at work going? I enjoyed not having to fight the traffic too while everyone was out of school and off work. I have started getting to work by 7 am so that I can park in our parking garage...and miss the terrible traffic. It's hard getting up so early, but I am so much more relaxed when I get to work.

Oh...I forgot my exciting news. Guess what I found at the grocery store last night...Skinney Cow ice cream sandwiches. I have read about them for months now, but could never find them. I could hardly contain myself until I got home so that I could try one. Of course, it was melted by the time I got home, but I just scooped one right out and ate it. It was wonderful!!

I better get ready to leave work. Have a wonderful week everyone!

Janet (Kudzu)

Hey Carol...you slipped in and posted while I was typing mine. Welcome back!! Like I said...we missed you while you were gone!

--Both CAROL and JANET are back. Welcome to both of you!

JANET, that is so funny about your eating only 13 blackeyed peas on New Year's Day. I really don't believe in "luck," but figured it couldn't hurt to have them. That's too bad about your phone acting up, I am glad that clearing all of those (nonexistant) messages got rid of the static problem. I laughed when I read that you used to empty your water bottles out when your "drill sergent" 70-something aerobics teacher wasn't looking. Hee! I would have done the same thing. I am so glad that you found the Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches. They are not bad, are they? We have vanilla and chocolate types here; I have heard that there is peanut butter flavored ice cream or something like that, too. Hooray for your store for finally getting with the program.

CAROL, I was so glad to read that you have five books under your belt from your trip to Florida; how lovely. I'm sure that you did enjoy having some space to yourself; privacy is very precious, isn't it. And congrats on that new grandDAUGHTER-to-be; that is just wonderful! Wow, one of each. It'll happen to us, someday....

JOYce, as I told you earlier tonight, I am so very proud of you, and so happy that you liked your first water aerobics class so much. Hooray!!

Linda, thank you for your post. You are such a sweet person. I know I've never met you, but your bubbly personality and caring ways shine through in your posts. JOYce is lucky to have you there as her friend...and vice-versa! Is there any chance that you could get away for a Texas reunion? It would be wonderful to get to spend time with the "California girls." I just hope I get to go. My DD reminded me that I have several things already planned for April. The one I'm most excited about is going to see Aretha Franklin. I've never really been a fan of hers, but she is going to be performing at a casino in north Mississippi. One of my two best friends is a HUGE fan, so a big group of us have made plans to go. The tickets may end up being too expensive, but I hope not. We would spend the weekend there and get to visit Beale Street in Memphis. We used to all go on "road trips" several times a year together, but we don't do that much anymore...so this will be a real treat if everything works out.

Carol, I meant to congratulate you on your new granddaughter! How exciting!! That is something I really look forward to...being a grammy...that's what I want to be called. I know I'm jumping ahead! The other night, DD was talking about twins and I asked who she was talking about and she said "my twins...the ones I'm going to have." She loves that I am a twin, and she has everything all planned out. I started to remind her that life does not always work out as we plan, but she is definitely a "glass half full" kind of girl...full of hope and passion and optimism...but she can definitely roll with the punches and make lemonade when life throws her lemons. I used to be that way, but life has changed me. I love that she views life that way though, and she is trying to help me get back to that way of thinking. I have said this before, but I want to be just like her when I grow up!! (Boy...did I use enough cliches in that paragraph??)

Oh, and about that reunion Miss Carol, you HAVE to be there. It would not be the same without you...and besides it's a federal law...once you attend a reunion, you have to be at every one thereafter...or...or...or else!! Didn't you get a copy of that new law??

One more question...is Ocala big horse country? I think I have told y'all before that my co-worker raises and breeds thoroughbreds. She told me the other day that she had been trying to convince her husband to go to the Ocala sale in April (I think). I told her that I had a friend who was going to be moving there. I just never associated Ocala with horses, but that was interesting about the decorated horses...and amazing that you and ex-dh found them all! I would have been on a mission too...I love doing things like that.

Well, I have rambled on long enough this morning, and I had better get to work. Saara, where are you??? We miss hearing from you!!

Later gators!

Janet (Kudzu)

Janet, Ocala is known as horse country- lots of prize race horses horses raised there. I like the "reunion rule"- but did you read the fine print? It says anyone who flew to the first reunion also has to fly to the next one!!
Carol