Feeling somewhat out-of-the-loop, having been away from the office most of last week. I'll try to go back to catch up, but this week is shaping up to be just as busy as the last one.

It's been a week since the fish tank fiasco. The hardwood floors may have settled a little, but they will definitely have to be re-sanded, and perhaps some pieces replaced. The fish are still alive, but barely. Only one has eaten anything since last Monday, so it probably won't be long now for the others. I'm amazed that they've survived this long, given their size. All in all, a sad week.

Had a 50-minute run on the treadmill yesterday and still trying to get my eating in hand. Re-read the Getting Started booklet from WW (week one) in the hopes that it will provide some motivation. My weight is still up about 3 lbs. from where it's been for the past six months or so. It feels like 10!

Anyone attend any SuperBowl parties yesterday? Our house was the scene of one, but not being a football fan, I spent the afternoon and evening with my sister. I arrived home at about 9 p.m, half-time in this time zone, said Hi, then headed off to bed. From the sound of some of the groans coming from the lower level, I'd say someone was disappointed with the outcome.

How was your weekend?

Good morning Seasaw! Thanks for getting us up and running.

Weekend, what weekend??? Mine was crazy--Saturday was spent taking the boys bowling, running to the grocery store, going to a Bridal Tea, and finishing up with a banquet! Geesh! Yesterday wasn't much better as I helped out with a raffle--left the house at 10 a.m. and didn't get home until 7. Anyway, can I say I'm glad it's Monday? I don't think I did all that bad eating wise over the weekend...Saturday was a higher point day but I didn't over-indulge so hopefully I'll be okay. Yesterday at the raffle I did a lot of walking back and forth (I was cooking pizza, hotdogs, sauerkraut) checking the food lines.

As far as the Super Bowl goes...I had made up some dip on Saturday for the game and was so glad I had done it ahead! I made a pizza dip up and substituted the regular cream cheese and sour cream for lighter counterparts and used tukey pepperoni in it. My family couldn't tell the difference. I actually like the turkey pepperoni better than the higher fat stuff.

Woke up this morning to about 4" of snow--I was not expecting that! Anyway, I'm glad the weekend is behind me and I'm forging ahead. Hope everyone had a good weekend!

Hi everyone.

Sunny and cold this am. Dog must learn that he may get stuck to grass if continues to snuffle so intently.

Pretty busy weekend here too. Really nice and sunny. Attended meeting (up .4 again ), ran, went to a groundbreaking for a community garden I'm working on, cooked lots (w/turkey pepperoni too), worked out again and ran dog , planted the last of the bulbs, read lots of mysteries and attended a superbowl party. I ate too much and just couldn't get away from the food.

I was at the gym for the last few minutes. Nice for those patriots fans, but hard for my favorite hub city.

Nothing new here, started my 5:30 intensive yoga this am. I think I'm going to like it, especially once I figure out how to dress. It was so warm to begin with and freezing at the end. I couldn't concentrate on my breathing because I was wondering if my breath was turning to frost.

Busy week here. DP is doing her yearly son et lumiere thingie at the cathedral in seattle. She has passed off some stuff to a friend who needs the work, but still is working nights all week. Guess that makes me the dog's best friend.

seesaw- Yikes on the floor and for the poor fishes. Is your floor true hardwood or pergo? The sanding and refinishing is almost as bad as putting the floor in. I'm so sorry. Good long run though. I am jealous.

melissa- Sounds like you had a busy weekend too. I indulged in sauerkraut this weekend. I think I would be happy with a bun, sauerkraut and mustard. Forget the dog. I would love your dip recipe. I love turkey pepperoni. You can have something like 20 pieces for 2 pts.

How is everyone else? Kt? Laurel? Patch? Kena? Myra? etc. etc.

stay warm.
lala

Cold and sunny here as well. It's supposed to warm up this week and get near zero degrees (celsius). So, much nicer than it has been for the last couple of weeks. Maybe I'll actually get outside and get some fresh air.

We had a busy weekend. It was my nephews 5th birthday party and I helped with the arrangements etc. Sunday was a running around day. I watched the Superbowl half-time show last night and also the last minute of the game. So, really, I caught all the important stuff. I guess I'm a good Canuk cause I just can't get into the NFL - give me CFL football anytime!

Last week went well - I did ok on the points - kept it under 25 for 6 out of 7 days. I used the old treadmill 4 out of 7 days. Not too bad. I'm at a conference the next two days so the food thing will be challenging.

Have a fab week everyone!

Melissa - I too would like your dip recipe (although I have no idea where I would find turkey pepperoni!)

Lala - Planting bulbs! I'm sooooo jealous! I'm staring out my office window right now watching the city crews clear truckloads of snow out of downtown! Spring seems like a long ways away!

Seasaw - You're in Nova Scotia right? Did you watch the East Coast Music Awards last night?

Kena

Kena: Actually, I was watching the ECMAs while most of the rest of the continent was watching the Super Bowl Nice to see recognition for Bruce Guthro. I think Jimmy Rankin won too, didn't he? I was sorta watching the awards show and sorta reading at the same time. There was considerable griping on at least one of the rock radio stations in town this morning about the lack of recognition/awards for the rock performers - too heavy on the "traditional" stuff apparently. I'm sure we'll hear more about that over the next few days. The awards are here in Halifax next year - 15th anniversary. I may have to go!

lala: The floors are the real thing - ash actually - and sanding is the worst part of the whole operation so we're going to wait and find a time that's right for us - as right as anything like that can be. I echo Kena's envy re the bulbs; I have some coming up too, but they're in a pot in my dining room. Afraid they wouldn't be too happy outside right now - lots of ice around.

Sigh, it's snowing again - lightly, but snowing nontheless and that will likely mean a bout with the snow shovel after work again today. I took pity on DH on Thursday - did the driveway before he got home cause he's been shovelling steadily since about mid-January. Funny - we don't have that much in accumulation, but it just keeps falling, falling, falling.

I'm heading to the nation's capital on Wednesday. The canal is finally open!! Pray for cold weather io Ottawa.

Hi guys just wanted to connect. Way too busy!

Back down to 126.6 --- does not seem real. Especially after what I ate this weekend.

Patch

Hi everyone! The week has been a little crazy and it's finally starting to quiet down a little. I'm hoping to get a little quiet time this evening.

I'm finding that working at WW in the evening is really curtailing my night time snacking so this is a bonus for me as this is a time when I really struggle. I'm enjoying being a receptionist/weigher.

Eating wise I've been doing good. The weekend was a little high but there wasn't much I could do with having 2 big events on the same day. Oh well.

Today is WI day and I'm anxious to see where I'm at. I don't weigh myself when I'm working at night because it's always way higher since I've eaten and have had a ton of water.

Anyway, hope everyone is doing well! I'll report back after the meeting.

Hi ya.

seesaw- oooh ash floors - nice. We have boring old red oak. The great thing is they are very hard, the bad thing is, they can be dark and well, in Seattle, any bit of brightness helps.

So, here we are on hump day. I am dutifully avoiding going to the university early and having my blood drawn for a measles titer. I can't officially register for my class (though they are happy to take my money) until I prove my immunity. They didn't like my 1972 record that my mom found. I hate blood draws .

I took last night off from the gym and concentrated on attending to the cat and dog's needs and cleaning my oven. Very exciting. I think I'll go early today and get my cardio in. I'm really liking this yoga thing I'm doing. We are learning hand and shoulder stands and the hour and 1/4 just whizzes by.

I'm debating a trip to San Diego this weekend. Its cheap and I would love to see my darling parents. I just don't want to miss my monday yoga - so we'll see.

Okay, good luck melissa on your wi! I like the idea of evening receptioning. Good way to avoid nitpicking eating.

Patch- Don't blow away!

Laurel- I forgot to give your DH a big congrats for his showing! Good for him and you must be very proud.

kt- are you doing okay?

kena- gosh, at least you have a proper summer. I'll post a few bulb pictures in early march!

okay, gotta move big files.

lala

edited for bad grammar

Oh hi everyone. I do still exist despite lack of T4L postings...

SeeSue - so sorry about the fishies. I know it's old news, but still. Hope they are gobbling soon. Maybe if we send them to WW, they'll suddenly discover a compulsive need to eat all the time! hey it works for me.

Yes my DH had a little triumph last night - he submitted two pastels to my work's art show; both accepted and yesterday he got third prize. We were busting with pride. Quite a large show too.

Nuttin else new here. Still struggling with another 2 holiday pounds compounded by the appetite from outer space.

lalal, i am also a big sissy when it comes to getting blood drawn. I find it helps to a) march into the room, announce that you're a big sissy and you need to lie down from the beginning; b)sing the national anthem, eyes tightly shut throughout and/or c)gabble incoherently about any subject that comes to mind throughout the whole ordeal (which lasts, like, 30 seconds). Then of course, the ice cream cone afterwards. Very helpful. Good luck!!!

patch - ya skinny little minx. I'm not so sure you're welcome in these parts anymore!!!!

melissa - yeah, what about that dip?

Laurel: Thanks for the reminder on the dip! I'll post it this evening from home. I know the basic ingredients but I'm sure you'd much rather have the measurements.

Went for my wi and stayed exactly the same as last week; that's a good thing since this is the week before TOM and generally I'm up a little. Maybe I'm finally getting back on track.

The sun is shining today and my car looks like the ultimate dirtball with all the sludge from the slushy roads kicking up. Gosh I hate that! I'll be making a trip to the car wash soon to get it cleaned up.

Hope everyone is having a good day!

Okay gang...here's the long awaited recipe. I put it in the WW Recipe Builder to get the points.

Pepperoni Pizza Dip

1/2 cup light sour cream
8 oz Kraft Philadelphia Brand Light Cream Cheese
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup Contadina Pizza Sauce
1 cup Hormel Pillow Pack Turkey Pepperoni, chopped into quarters or smaller
1/2 cup bell peppers, chopped fine
1/2 cup onions, chopped fine

In small bowl mix cream cheese, sour cream, oregano and garlic. Spread evenly in 10" pie pan. Spread pizza sauce, then sprinkle on pepperoni, onion, green pepper and mozzarella cheese.

Bake 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Serve with tortilla chips.

10 servings = 4 pts.

-------------------------------

I would imagine you could get more than 10 servings out of this and so the points would be lower. I spread the cream cheese mixture up the sides of the pie plate. I also sprayed the pie plate with some nonstick spray. It's really, really good

Enjoy!

melissa, I'm salivating - it sounds really gooooood. do you chop up the pepperoni? and what's the WW recipe builder?

Laurel: The dip is very tasty. I chopped the pepperoni up into small pieces (I cut the pieces into 3 strips and then 3 again the opposite way) so it was easy to dip out. My family never knew that I had "lightened" the recipe and I think it tasted better! Enjoy!

The recipe builder is part of the E-tools that I got a "complimentary" use of when I became a receptionist for WW. I've put in a couple of my recipes to get point counts and it works out pretty nice. It's a nice feature.

Thanks melissa-

That sounds great. I just bought a pillow pack of the turkey pepperoni (pupperoni to the dog, he loves it too ).

I just joined etools. Why? Because, I like the banking, activity point adjustments it does for me and I am really recommitting
right now. I don't like to throw away money, so I am trying hard to utilize all the features- I'm going to do alot of recipe input in the next few months .

Was going to the flower and garden show today, but has been postponed. I'm not sure I was up to all the bustle and leaving early today.

I guess I'm going to San Diego for saturday. I am excited to see my parents and maybe a bit of sunshine. I also like it because it gives me 6 hours of uninterrupted reading time. Should be fun.

I went to a meeting last night- again totally packed. I liked the right mix discussion. I'm going to wi tomorrow am. So keep your toes crossed.

Right now, I'm late for my way overdue massage. My back is killing me.

lala