Good morning ladies. Well, my bp is back up where it is supposed to be, but I am keeping a close eye on it and the dizziness and it is a trip to my reg dr if it keeps being screwy. I kind of felt off all day yesterday, but feel much better today. I guess you just have the on and off stuff for awhile and I just have to be patient. I was all emotional and while Jack put clean sheets on the bed I sat in his office and bawled. He got all upset because I was upset that he is having to take on so much responsibility right now, so we were all boohoo together until he made me stop crying and told me it is what a husband is supposed to do to take care of his wife and to stop crying. Sheesh hope that all passes! lol

Down another 2# woohoo! I got into a pair of pants on Saturday I haven't been able to wear for quite awhile. I am down 24# now since April 21.

Susan: Jack loves key lime pie. I make it for him from time to time, but I use creme cheese and the ff stuff just doesn't do well so I rarely make it anymore. Jack is not a fish person so we don't eat seafood much. Funny thing, he likes scallops and salmon, two things a lot of people don't like and he is a shrimp eater. I could eat cold shrimp forever but it isn't exactly diet friendly.

Gail: I am anxious to go to Indiana in July to see my grandson. He turns a year old June 10 and they are taking him to see a Chicago Cubs game. We are big Cubbies fans and his dad loves the Cubs. Hopefully, mom won't get stuck with trying to keep him happy! lol They are going with a couple friends so maybe they can take turns keeping him happy.

Jean: Hope Ernie wanders back home soon and doesn't get in the cat haters yard. I let our Sam's Club expire years ago because back then you couldn't use your credit or bank card and I don't like the hassle of writing checks or carrying lots of cash. I am a plastic girl through and through nowadays. Besides, I always buy their junk food stuff and I don't need that. I despise Walmart though I have to use it. I have not ever seen one clean store in all of them I have been in and I was even in one the very first day it opened and it looked like a dump.

Maggie: Sounds like it is steamy in your part of the country. We are supposed to be really heating up here this week too.

Jack talked to one of the board members on Saturday about the condos and hopefully they are going to start getting things done around here. The problem is money of course, and it is a catch 22, if they evict the owners who are way arrear in maintenance fees then they end up with a condo they can't sell so they get no money and if they don't they don't pay. There are people here thousands of $$ in arrears. They sent a letter saying anyone 90 days out is getting sued but we shall see. They do have security overnight now, which is nice, and you now have to have a hang tag to park if you don't put your car in the garage. I am trying to encourage Jack to go to the monthly board meetings, but we shall see.

Well gals, I need to eat some breakfast.

You all have a good one today!
Faye

Good morning, ladies! Nice sunny day today.

Jean, I hope Ernie has found his way home. My cat won't go outside in the daytime if you leave the door standing open he just looks out, but you have to be careful after dark. That's when he wants to go out.

I've never cared to shop at Sam's, Costco, etc. Just way too much stuff to use up before it goes bad. I do just as well shopping the sales using coupons.

My boss brought me a bouquet of roses this morning. He grows the most beautiful flowers. These are a lovely shade of pink.

Faye, if your blood pressure falls like that again, lay down immediately with your legs higher than your head. That's what they'd do with Stan when his fell at dialysis. Readings in the 40s are dangerous.

Have to get back to work!

Good morning ladies! Hope your day has started out well. We heard police/fire commotion close by this morning and when Jack left for work he called me and said they were just up the street at the condo on the corner but he didn't see any smoke and there wasn't an ambulance so who knows?

Jean: I am so glad Ernie is finally back home. Poor little guy had to be terrified. Maybe it scared him enough not to go out again.

Susan: BP is back up and a little high so I took my meds this morning. Thanks for the info, I will surely keep it in mind. Hope it was just a flook though.

How would you like to be on the Interstate when a semi full of double stuffed oreos crashes? I guess the driver fell asleep and crashed spilling 40 tons of double stuffed oreos, anyone have milk?

Have a great day today ladies and hope your weather is going to be as nice as ours.
Faye

Good mornin' ladies! I'm now on my third cup of coffee. DH is back to work this week so it's back to my usual normalcy around here. When the plant is closed for down weeks and he's home we go into "vacation" mode. I love that as we really do have fun together and also get a lot of projects done around the house but my house cleaning suffers. So this week I'll be cleaning house before the long holiday weekend begins.

Yesterday I babysat the little guy. I came home tired as usual...and a little sore in my lower back this morning. I get down on the floor and play with him. I even crawl with him and this throws him into a fit of giggles! Thankfully, DH was baking fries in the oven and grilling hot dogs outside when I walked in. He's such a good man--he even washed up the dinner dishes afterwards. But that's not unusual, he likes washing dishes by hand (I think the warm water desolves the workday stress for him) and he does this (wash, dry, and put away the dishes) just about every night. He even vacuums the kitchen floor, dining area, laundry room area every night for him. He's very neat. He's not a fussy kind of man but he does like things put in their own place. Now...to get him to clean the bathrooms!

I will not be going to Weight Watchers this morning. I have to go to the dentist. I didn't realize this when I made the appointment that this would happen but I have to go. My regular dentist (I get my teeth cleaned every three months--twice with the regular dentist and the other two times with the specialist) has been watching an old filling and last time my teeth were cleaned he said it's time to replace it. So that is this morning.

Faye, I'm glad to hear that you are feeling better and your blood pressure is back to normal. That is scarey my friend! You're married to a good man--my DH has said those same words to me when I've been ill. We are lucky women. Your body will need time to heal. I remember a doctor telling me that it takes a year for the body to heal after having major surgery. Be patient with yourself. You've lost a lot of weigh since April. Good for you! Whenever there is a baby around in a group, everyone wants to hold him/her. I know you must be excited about seeing the little one.

Jean, I'm glad you found Ernie! That's a relief because I know you've been worried about him. Don't you think the weather patterns are just down-right strange all over right now? BTW, it's raining here again in Delaware. Not that THAT is strange though.

Susan, I let my membership to BJ's and Costco lapse as I don't go there enough. Personally, I don't care for those large warehouse stores either because there is too much temptation there. Besides running the gauntlet of free food samples being handed out, I tend to buy things that are not good for me (or my husband) in bulk. I really don't find the good deals on items such as outdoor furniture, appliances, etc. in those places because if I wait or keep my eyes open I'll find just as good deals on sale in regular stores without the temptation of buying a box of 60 snack bars! Awwww...roses...wonderful!

Maggie, so much has happened in both of our lives since we first met waaaaaay back on the old Weight Watchers message board! You have traveled a lot and I have moved into my present home. My youngest daughter married (wedding in the backyard) and now has two daughters--the oldest 8 years old and the youngest 4 years old. My oldest daughter is now married (wedding in St. Thomas) for almost 4 years and has a little boy one year old. DH and I filled my car up with gas last Friday evening and it was $3.74 a gallon of regular. Premium gas is now $4.00 to $4.10 a gallon now. Diesel gas is now around $4.40 a gallon. It's crazy! I heard on tv the other morning that gas is expected to get up to $5.00 a gallon or more. There was even talk about the possibility of it going up to more than $7.00 a gallon. Well...I remember when gas was 25 cents a gallon...and an attendant pumped it for you, washed your windshields, checked the oil and also the air in your tires. But then again I remember when candy bars were 5 cents a piece also.......along with being skinny too!

Later this afternoon, I promise I will come back in and post that macaroni salad recipe.

OHMYGOSH...OREOS!?! Faye! All I could think was of Homer Simpson when he thinks about donuts! But...being involved in a crash with any kind of truck like that size would be scarey...but something like that could probably ruin any love for Oreo cookies! Yikes!! Hope all is well in your neighborhood.

8 oz. uncooked macaroni, elbow
1/2 cup reduced-calorie mayonnaise
1 T. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 cup celery, chopped
1/3 cup red onion, finely chopped
2 T. parsley, fresh, chopped
1/4 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1/8 tsp. black pepper (or to taste)

Cook macaroni according to package directions without added salt or fat; drain and transfer to a large bowl.

In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard and garlic powder; stir mixture into cooked macaroni. Fold in celery, onion and parsley; season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or chilled. Yields about 2/3 cup per serving.

Points value: 3
Servings: 8 (2/3 cup)

MACARONI SALAD a la Maggie

2 1/2 cup cooked macaroni, kept warm
3/8 cup fat free Miracle Whip
1/8 cup fat free sour cream
4 tsp dill pickle relish
1 medium sweet red pepper, diced
1 can chopped green chilies
2 small carrots diced
1/4 cup red onion, minced
Dash salt & pepper to taste

While macaroni is still warm place in a large bowl.
Add the Miracle Whip, sour cream & relish; toss to coat.
Add the pepper, chilies, carrot & onion; toss to combine.
Season to taste with salt & pepper
SERVES: 6 ~ about a 1/2 cup serving ~ Serve warm or chilled.
2 POINTS per serving

Good morning to you. I slept in some this morning and Jack left his breakfast dishes so if I feel up to it, I will unload and reload the dishwasher. I have to sit in my computer chair to unload, wheel around the room with the stuff in my lap and put it on the appropriate counter then I stand up and put stuff in the cupboards. I can't carry heavy stuff and I have heavy dishes and pots and pans. It is a way I can help him out a bit anyway. I also sit and fold clothes from the dryer and it looks like he put a load in this morning. I am ansty about getting my house cleaned because it is a disaster, but there is no way just yet.

I am hoping I feel well this weekend as Jack is going to take me to see the new Indiana Jones movie if I do. At least our theater has comfortable seats, but the stair climbing is hard for me still. I also really need to get groceries as Jack is doing every other day shopping for our food. I think maybe we will go out to the commisssary next weekend sometime to get groceries and just hang on until then.

Gail: I always got down and played with Thomas and Jackson too. His birthday is 2 1/2 weeks away and I am buying him the cutest walking toy. It is in the shape of an airplane. I think my dd may go to Indiana at the same time with my older grandson and have a little birthday party for the both of them, which would be fun. I imagine my son and dil will have a big 4th bash in their back yard as they usually do.

Jean: I think Ernie is going to be your pal from now on. You saved him! It may keep him from going outside. I don't have any graduates until next year, then I have two in a row. Next year my great niece graduates and the following year my sister from CA's dd will graduate. I will have to come up with something like I did for my great niece's sister.

Gail: Sounds like you had some lovely down time with hubby. I just feel so sorry for Jack working all day then doing everything here in the evening. He says he is fine, but is has become so hot here and he works outside a lot in dark blue uniforms so he is tired when he gets home. I try and help out where I can, but I find I get really shaky when I am up for any length of time. We had sloppy joes last night and a rice dish so I made the rice dish and was too shaky to make the sloppy joes.

Maggie: Krusteaz does make some wonderful products. I have tried a couple. I look forward to being able to get back to cooking and such. I am not even knitting at the moment. I feel like a slug most of the time!

Well gals, I need to go. Have a great Wednesday!
Faye

Good morning everyone! Sun is shining today--yesterday it rained all day long. It was only in the 50's yesterday but by Tuesday (according to the weatherman) it will be 90. Now THAT is change in temperature!

Jean, sounds to me that Ernie has come to appreciate home!

Maggie, I have that exact Krusteaz muffin mix in my pantry. Good product...and thanks for the idea for the breakfast idea. It is waaay too hot where you are! Thanks for the macaroni salad recipe--I will definitely try that one! Yum.

Faye, I'd love to go see that new Indiana Jones movie. I would also like to see Ironman. We get to the movies about once a year. Usually, we just wait for the movies to come out on dvd. You take care of yourself--be careful with those stairs. Do not rush and do not push yourself. Your husband wants you well; he understands. Please try not to feel guilty about pushing household work onto him. I'm sure you have taken care of him when he has needed. Let him take care of you.

I have a few errands to run today. And my youngest granddaughter comes over this afternoon. She is love with our little tv in the kitchen. Maybe she's more in love with the kitchen as that's where the food is! Not sure which. But if it remains nice outside I'll try to get her outside. Although that might not be such a good idea as she is a dirt magnet and I have to keep her clean for church tonight. Wish me well with that one!

Everyone have a great day!