Good evening all,
I'm starting this before dinner, but likely I'll finish it off after dinner. I was sitting here at the computer and saw a large hawk sitting on the back fence. It stayed just long enough for me to sneak outside (wet socks instead of shoes) with the camera. Just taking off as I was lifting the camera up to snap a picture. I don't think it saw me, but seemed to be after some type of prey in the neighbours yard. I grabbed the guide to NA birds, but couldn't quite decide what kind of hawk it was. At the last house we lived on a hill, with a field behind us, so it wasn't unusual to see hawks from time to time. Here, it's very unusual. There is a small creek that runs about 4 or 5 houses away, but I don't think it attracts much more than the occasional kestral (much smaller than what I saw today).
Of course this likely means that the neighbours behind us have mice or rats. When we first moved in the people next to us had mice under their shed. Our very pretty long-haired white cat (tortishell points) spent the first week clearing them out. She would catch one and hop up on to the kitchen window ledge to show us her prize. One day the neighbour was here and saw this and suddenly realised why his mice didn't seem to be a problem. I don't think either of our cats now would be of any real help in this respect. They're nice boys, but I think they lack the killer instinct. Well, the little one might, but he's afraid of pretty much every stray noise. This is a cat that runs downstairs when someone rings the doorbell. I was kind of surprised last summer (took him until Aug to venture out on the patio) when he chased a squirrel, and cornered it on the garage wall.
Julia - I notice that a lot of us weigh in on Monday. I'm never sure why. I started on a Friday, but until recently used Monday as a weigh in date as well. I'm now using Sunday as my official day. Anyway, that's a long way to say that I hope you have a good weigh-in. Meals out though can contain lots more sodium than we think, so don't be too disappointed if it wasn't a good week. Oops - just saw that you held steady. Hopefully next week will be better.
BattleAx - You are right, slow and steady is the way to go. I've seen the same kind of thing (holding on for a while, then sudden drops). Who knows why our bodies do this. Perhaps to drive us crazy. I saw your post in the last thread, about comparing your weight loss to others. It's so hard to not do, but it's probably the least helpful thing we do. I don't know why, but it is. Especially when you start off. I mean, you're not eating junk, you're hungry all the time, you feel like the weight should just fall off. I've yet to figure out why sometimes it seems easier than others. And it's funny, but I don't feel much like celebrating crossing the threshold. My first weight where I'll feel like I've accomplished anything will be under 282 - that's the weight where I ended up in the hospital a couple of years back. And no matter how well I do, there are times I mentally beat myself up for gaining some of the weight back. Every loss reminds me that I'm losing the same freakin weight over. Sigh, that's enough self pity for today. Hey, good luck on your date.
Heather_dw - are you still weighing yourself daily?
Anyway, congrats on the overall loss. Don't sweat the daily/weekly stuff. I know I couldn't weigh myself that little, but I've become more interested in the monthly losses. They seem to be less subject to up and down water weight fluctuations.
Debbie - glad that you're feeling a little better. I think we're all sick of this winter. We had agreed that we weren't going to call the pool guy until the end of the week, but my mother jumped the gun and called him today. We probably need a new pump so I think part of her rationale is that we should make sure we have it for the day he opens the pool. There's still ice on it though! Pretty sad looking ice, and I can see the cover through parts of it, but still - there's ice on it!
Catherine - you just stay in bed (or on the couch) and let him take care of you. I'm sure the last time he wasn't well you babied him. It's definitely your turn.
Debi - you're just a constant reminder that I should probably finish the cleaning out of my drawers I started a couple of weeks ago.
Mandy21 - 
Cyn - good luck on the calorie counting. In the end I've found that it works best for me. The lifting program I've been doing pushes 30% protein/30% fat/40% carbohydrates, which I think I ignore except for the 30% protein (which is hard). I've just found that counting calories allows me to eat what I want, and just adjust small things to keep within my limits.
Bernice - congrats on surpassing your exercise goal for March. You may not need to double April's goal, but you do likely need to increase it.
TheWalrus - wow, Friday and hopefully no more cast. Hope that it happens for you!
Well, the good part is that I'm finished catching up (well, a little). The bad news is that I forgot to put the oven on, so dinner will be a little later tonight. I'm starting to feel the after effects of my lifting today so I should probably at least go upstairs before I'm too tired to do so. Hope everyone is having a good day and that the week continues so. I will try to pop back in, but likely just reading, not replying. Unless I decide to completely forget about studying for the math test and accept that I'll be doing some kind of summer/evening course to make it up. I think I'd feel better about it if I knew what I was going to be tested on. Trying to cover my old high school math... well, some of it seems easy, and other bits I don't remember at all. I suppose that's the difference between the stuff you've used in the the last 20 years and the stuff that you never needed again!
How nice that you got to go see your DD. I'm sure it was a nice surprise for her too. I would of loved to see the look on her face.
