Ok, everybody, the holidays are behind us and by the time the next one is here, we'll all be bikini ready! Right? I know for me, it's time to do some serious Beaching!

So. I'm off for a cut and color with my hairdresser first thing today. Afterwards I guess I'll head on over to my girls. They are off school today, but start back tomorrow. It's going to be sunny and mild, and I'm thinking maybe we'll put on our hiking boots and go for a nice walk and have a picnic in the park. Audrey has a piano lesson later this evening, so I have to remember that, too.

My cup is empty already, time for a refill. Who wants to join me in a nice hot cup?

Morning Cottage we had a wonderful easter dinner last night. I think the soup course helped prevent some overeating. I did cheat and had a small piece of cheesecake which was good. The couscous came out great.

Watch yourself for ticks Cottage if you go hiking they're thick this time of year that way.

Morning, Spirit. I'm glad you enjoyed your Easter. My sister-in-law brought a yummy salad with mandarin oranges and toasted walnuts in it, and I mostly filled up on that. But I did have a piece of Easter bread and had a cannoli and a small piece of Hawaiian Wedding Cake for dessert, so I know I'd better pay the piper today!
We know all about the ticks. Both the girls have Lyme Disease since deer ticks are prevalent around here. It's nothing short of a miracle that I don't have the disease. Almost everyone out in "horse country" has it.

Ahhh, thanks Cottage

bikini season indeed! This body will never be seen in a bikini. I don't even wear shorts in public anymore sadly. I will, however, look really good in a pair of capris

Cottage - Have a wonderful walk in the park. I hope to do a lot of hiking this year.

Spirit - I think good cheesecake is something I would make an exception for too. Luckily I'm not confronted it by it, well, ever. Great idea with the soup - I'll have to remember that one!

Did someone mention ticks? Ugh! We usually go to Maine for a week during spring migration and have to make regular tick checks whenever we come in. It's so bad we stay in a condo because it has a dryer we can throw our clothes in to kill the little nasties.

Just another Monday here. I missed three days of work last week, so lots of catching up to do this week.

I'm still showing weight loss from being sick. I'm hesitant to move my ticker because, in some ways, I think that weight should come back. So far though it's staying off. I'm ambivalent because part of me would really love to be below 160 and part of me thinks I shouldn't get to keep weight loss that was unhealthy whether or not it was my fault. hmmm

Okay, off to the day! Have a good Monday everyone!

Good morning from cold and wintery Delta. It's the last full week of March so Spring HAS to get here soon. I measured the snow depth in the dog yard yesterday - 18" where Hershey hasn't tramped out her paths. It will be an interesting thaw this year as all the melt from the woods, cliff and back meadow flows through my side yard. One year the kids sailed boats!

Cottage, I'm glad someone has spring weather. The hike sounds good. So far we've not had many ticks around here although it's deer county. Hershey is vaccinated against them as I sure could never find them in her dense and curly coat. Of course they might not get in there through it either!

Spirit, Middle Eastern food is so appropriate for Easter and I love it. I actually bought some whole wheat cous-cous on Saturday and always have bulgar around for tabbouleh.

Yesterday I did not get to visit Harry yesterday as I felt sort of flu-like after Church. No, not from chocolate! I ended op flopping on the bed and sleeping for two full hours. What's with that? I still felt crumby when I woke up and loafed and read the rest of the day. All seems OK this morning.

Today that will definitely be on the to do list. I also plan to continue sorting in my sewingroom so Donna can deep-clean in there on Wednesday. I think I must have several dozen dress lengths of fabric that I know I'll never use. My current lifestyle is pants and t-shirts, not dresses and suits. Claire's daughter may be able to use them because I sure won't!

Now to get at it and keep my nose out of my book! Have a productive Monday.

Good morning, Cindi. I know what you mean about weightloss from being sick. I lost 16 pounds right after my knee operation and felt a bit guilty about it. It blipped back up a bit but now is back down to 190 and seems to be staying off. Now for some more. I'll never wear shorts again but capris are great. On me they usually look like regular length!

Good Monday morning all! We had a really nice, completely off-plan Easter with family, but today is a new day and I am commited to being on track. No more of this backsliding for a week because of one off-plan day! It will be a victory for me at the end of today when I stay on plan. I'm looking forward to that.

Linda, have fun with the girls and enjoy your hike!

Jen, I hope your cheesecake was yummy! I had banana cake and it was so worth it! No more, though...

Cyndi, glad to hear you're back to 100%. Hope there's not too much work piled up for you!

Ruth, I'm glad you woke up feeling better this morning. Enjoy your time with Harry today. Do you take Hershey when you go visit him?

I've got to get in my exercise before the kids are up and moving or else I'll never make it. We're going to walk down to my parents' today and play with the dogs (my parents will be back from their New England Adventure this afternoon/evening), then continue on downtown to get Connor's bush of hair buzzed, then deliver homemade fudge to my sisters in a great big loop through town, and then walk back home. Should be around about four miles at least, so that should work off *some* of yesterday's eating. Hopefully!

Have a lovely beginning of your week!

Kara

Morning all. I slept in a bit (till 5:30) since I don't have school this week.
Woke up to a boat load of work from clients (one site I'm working on is a bakery of all things...I get to look at tons of cake pictures!)

Had a wonderful day yesterday with my boys. The only thing missing was my daughter. (I talked to her for a while though...she and bf spent the day at the beach) We ended up doing steaks on the grill instead of a roast and had broccoli and a big "everything but the kitchen sink" salad. I made a chocolate cake for them.

My oldest son decided to fiddle around with my camera and discovered some things I never knew about, so he and I played around taking a bunch of pictures and he was sweet and cut back some big dead limbs for me from a few plants. It was a pretty laid back day. (I've attached a picture of Rupert the little blue duck and his friends that I sent to my daughter)

My youngest son (20) got his 3rd degree black belt in aiki jutsu on Saturday. I was a nervous wreck. He last attempted this test 2 years ago and ended up going through 2 knee surgurys when he came down the wrong way. He has been taking it since he was in 7th grade and started teaching it his senior year in high school and is now a senior in collage. It was a big deal and he passed with flying colors (although he had to stop and throw up at one point) He had fasted on Good Friday and didn't eat before the test...poor baby.

I need to get hopping so no time for personals. Hope you all have a great Monday!

Cottage - sounds like a nice walk you have planned. I'm going to be running around today once lunchtime hits, and there's a Dyngus Day celebration we're going to tonight. I'm on plan this morning, but will likely not have plan choices there tonight, so I'll just do the best that I can.

I didn't gain anymore weight since my last weigh-in a week ago, do you believe it? Not only did I not eat on plan, I had EASTER in there, AND I have TOM coming to visit. That makes me happy, because it tells me that once I lose this weight, I should be able to maintain pretty well.

Cyndi - I'm with you... never will I be wearing a bikini again! Four kids and stretch marks later, it doesn't matter HOW much weight I lose, the skin will always be UGLY. Although I could do that henna belly art to cover it up! I say to take that weight loss any way you can, Cyndi. If you are still at that weight a week later, I would say it's yours!

Ticks? Y'know, it's funny, because we live in the middle of the woods and have NEVER had a tick. My BIL brought his dog to visit once and the dog had two of them. My dog has never had one and lives here. I think there must be a certain skin type they like, because they certainly don't bother my dog.

Ruth - maybe it's just all the food you're not used to? I always have a hard time eating foods that I'm not used to.

Kara - you and I will BOTH have to work on that one day sliding into a week of off-plan. I woke up with the attitude that today I was back ON, then remembered tonight. I hope to hop back on again tomorrow. Tonight is just a blip.

I'm here - didn't give up just been sick in bed since Wednesday evening.

Good morning! I am feeling much better and now that I am back to work have tons of catching up to do.

Hope everyone had a nice easter and was able to spend time with family.

Unable to do personals now but hope to clear off my desk and head back this way for personals.

good morning everyone. Well, I've had a terrible weekend. I have been sick with the flu and I think I have strep throat. No health insurance so I can't go see a doctor. I am in terrible pain right now. I can't swallow anything without wanting to cry. I can't breathe because I'm so congested in my nose and I can't hear because both my ears are so plugged up. At least the fever and chills went away but I now have coughs and sneezes. I haven't seen any weight loss change. My weight is still stuck and won't move. My appetite has gone down, not hungry and whenever I put something in my mouth I get nauseated. I haven't been this sick in a long time. It's driving me crazy. I had a wedding cake to do in 3 days and my husband had to work nights. He is now working days this week but still, I feel like crap. I'm tired and my nose won't stop draining and my throat ------ I just want to shoot it. I am so frustrated. My hubby's mom gave me some type of penicillin. I started taking it last night and nothing is happening yet. I don't have bodyaches anymore which is good but I think I would rather have the bodyaches then a sore throat. Well, hope everyone has a great day and hope everyone had a wonderful easter.

TKGLenn:

Sounds like what we have had. My DH went to the doctor and was told it was influenza B, which is an upper respitory type flu. He had similar symptoms, but not as much congestion. Have you tried antihistimines? The liquid tylenol night time usually contains antihistimines and stuff for sore throat. It seemed to help here. Good Luck!

Rebecca

hi everyone.

off again today to take care of DH who needed a root canal on the one remaining stub of a tooth... this guy cannot catch a break...

yesterdays food binge was horrid.

back on track this morning....

Everyone is checking in today! I am late because we are having IT problems here. The video card went out on the desktop, and my laptop Internet Explorer got corrupted. Finally, DH fixed me up with the browser we have on a stick and a hard connection to the laptop, so I am stuck at the desk, but at least I can work and check e-mail (and visit 3fc) until he gets everything straightened out. That's one of the bad things about working at home, no IT support (except DH, and he is getting pretty good at it). He wants to run out at lunch and get a new video card, and for some reason he really wants me to go along, so I guess I'll go, although I don't really have time for it.

Yesterday was not so great, although I had a wonderful time with the family, and the meal was good, with plenty of veggies, but the desserts were too tempting. But yesterday is yesterday, and today I am back on Ph1, and I am determined to have a completely clean Ph1 for at least 10 days. The only problem I foresee is DD's 21st birthday, and she wants to go out for dinner, but if my head is in the right place, I can handle it.

cottage, ummm, bikini? No, I don't think so. I have only once in my life worn a bikini, and I was 21. It was in the south of France, and everyone else was topless, so I felt awkward in my one piece and bought a bikini to try. I did go topless, but I ended up sunbathing face down the whole time, with DH giggling at me. You can put the girl on a topless beach, but you can't take the Puritan out of her. No more bikinis for me! I am excited about buying a new bathing suit though (can't believe I'm saying that!). The one from last year I pulled out to wear at the YMCA pool is big and baggy, so I'm sure they all will be.
spirit, sounds like you did pretty well yesterday! Everyone around here has Lyme's these days too, it seems. I've made an appointment to get DD checked out, since she has not been herself lately and I was wondering about Lyme's . My neighbor's 3 kids have all had it.
Cyndi, you silly, you get to keep the weight loss! I don't think you need to pay penance for being sick!
Have a great out-and-about day Kara!
Glad to hear your son got through his test without injury Cat. I don't know anything about the martial arts, but it sounds like a big deal.
Hope you start to thaw soon Ruth! In the meantime, fabric-sorting sounds like a fun way to pass the time.
Fluffy, what's tonight? I was counting on your company for Ph1. Tomorrow?
Hi gonna! Glad you are feeling better.
tk, feel better soon, hon! I wouldn't worry about the weight loss right now, your body has enough to deal with as it is. Take care of yourself!
Stephanie, your post from the weekend chat gave me chills. I hate the beginner-driving age. That late-night knock at the door is everyone's worst fear, I think. Sounds like you guys were so, so lucky. Hug her extra-tight for me, okay?

Scmoodle why don't you guys run Mozilla FireFox???