Good Evening, Flowers!
It has rained all day long and has been so windy! It feels like it is November instead of April, "almost" May. I didn't accomplish much today as Jason and Amanda came over. Jason went to help a friend move his parents while Amanda stayed here with me. Since we have no place to "fun" shop, she just enjoyed watching cable TV since they don't have cable at their house. I sat and watched with her!

Maggie -- Today was definitely not a sandal day in NW Iowa! Even the squirrel had a hard time hanging on to his perch while he ate his corn. I am ready for a nice, sunny spring day without any wind. I just have a feeling we are going to jump right into summer and skip spring. I hope I'm wrong!

Sharon -- Congratulations on the loss . . . any loss is a GREAT loss! Has the cat fully recovered by now?

Gail -- Did you post a loss somewhere and I missed it? I scrolled back through and didn't see any from you. Anyhow, congratulations to you too!

Gloria -- I was all set to put my winter clothes away but have worn sweatshirts and sweaters the last few days. Guess I will leave them close at hand for another week or two.

We had a T-T-T Auction (stands for Time, Talent, and Treasure) at church tonight. We went to church first, then had supper, then the auction. Bob bought a mystery bus trip so that should prove interesting. There are 50 going and 48 of us have no clue as to where. It has been a long day and I am heading to bed!

Have a super Sunday, Flowers!

Jean -- from Iowa!

GOOD MORNING MAGNOLIAS

This is the day that the Lord hath made and I will rejoice and be glad in it. It is definitely spring around these parts. I successfully fininshed up my 18 point day yesterday. And by the way, if I mislead you GLORIA sorry I was unclear. This isn't easy for me by any stretch of the imagination. However, since I have so much to lose I HAVE to make it an enjoyable trip while I am changing my lifestyle of eating. Some of the hardest things I do are fun for me but that is how I operate. But you know it ain't easy ~ just the way it should be. I had a hard day's night last night and went to bed with my stomach growling. It ain't easy. But you don't want to hear me whine. Your trip sounds like it will be well planned for and you will have a great time. All those last minute things.....

JEAN thank you for starting out a new page for us. BURRR your weather isn't cooperating a bit. You may just jump over spring and then it will be hot. I love the spring breezes that gently ruffle your curtains when the windows are wide open. Anything interesting on TV last night. We watched a movie GI Jane with Bruce Willis' wife - what's her name. Good - about the first woman to become a Navy Seal.

CONGRATULATIONS SHARON on your weight loss. Isn't it a wonderful feeling to be going in the right direction. We will get there my friend, we sure will.

Have a great day everyone.

Good Afternoon, Flowers!
It is another cloudy and cold day in Iowa! Where, oh where is spring?

I have been putzing; read the paper and enjoyed a lazy morning. Now I must get busy and finish up the laundry. We have our organ dedication tonight and have to go early since DH is the "grand poopah" of the organ committee.

Maggie -- Thanks for the fast reply on the virus site! If our weather turns hot, I hope it waits for another 4 weeks until we are out of school. My gut feeling is that you have fun wherever you are and whatever you are doing!

Have a super day, Flowers!

Jean -- from Iowa!

Hi! It has been one hectic weekend. Matches the weekdays!

Thanks for the congratulations. It does feel good to be in control again. I didn't deserve that loss, but it was a good thing. I needed the positive feeling I got from that.

Felix is doing fine. I gave up on the antibiotics. That cat is not 17#'s of blubber. It is all muscle. The animal is stronger than me. He is walking normally again.

Our weather has been strange. Clouds and showers all weekend. At the moment it is sunny and you can sit outside.

I hope you all have a wonderful week. Thanks for you support.

Good Morning, Flowers!
The sun is out and I am just peeking in to say "hello and hope you all have a great day!" I have crossed off two things on my "to do" list for the day so I am on a roll!

FOCUS is the word for the day!

Sharon -- I know just how hectic weeks seem to roll right into hectic weekends. I always thought that once the kids were grown and gone, life would slow down. I think we are busier than ever. *sigh* I'm glad Felix is better -- I wondered how poking meds down him would go over. Good luck on another OP week; we can do this together!

Have a great day -- life is good in the Flower Patch!

Jean -- from Iowa!

GOOD EVENING MAGNOLIAS

Weigh in report: I showed a loss of 1.8 this evening. Plus some good news is that my leader added in that 12.3 that I had lost in TN.

SHARON that is so good that Felix is doing better - big cat he is!

JEAN are you still maintaining that FOCUS. That is how you will get to goal my friend.

Have a great evening and the morrow.

GOOD MORNING MAGNOLIAS

First and formost is a big YIPEE to you MAGGIE!!!! You are doing every thing just right. I do know that this road to thin is not easy by any means but what I meant to say in the last post is that you have got yourself into a rhythm and that does help! There will always be pot holes in this road to thin but the rhythm you build up does help to smooth it out! Keep on this road and you will find that thin within person at its end.

Last night was the GALA for the company that I used to work for. It is a service agency for the disabled and each year they have a GALA at the JFK Museum just outside of Boston. It is a very beautiful building with soaring glass walls and a panoramic view of Boston and Boston Harbor. Last night we were on the flight path to Logan Airport and the biggest of planes were to be seen on their way to land. A beautiful sight. They had a pianist playing during the meal time and he was good. They had three or four food stations set up around the parameter of the room and had a buffet of pasta, Caesar salad, Turkey, etc. also a wine and soft drink station and a Sweet table. We were able to select a not too bad selection of food. Only half of DH's sweet. Oh, I was good. After dinner we adjourned to the theater section for the awards ceremony. Two of the clients received awards --one for Outstanding Progress in Employment, this young lady has breast cancer and did not lose one day of work while undergoing treatment. Not a bad achievement for anyone let alone for someone with disabilities. The other young lady received hers for Residential Support. She is a blind woman who has her own appartment, job, and social life. The agency does give her support for some tasks but she is doing most of it on her own. She has multiple disabilities. It was very uplifting to hear them speak. Of course, there were the usual number of 'pols' as this agency does rely on some government support. All in all a lovely night.

JEAN Your ability to keep in FOCUS is great. I know you will be able to follow Maggie on that road to thin. As for when the kids are grown. We all know that is a myth that life gets easier, I too, find retired life is much busier that I ever imagined it. Some days there is no time to take a breath.
But, I wouldn't change a thing.

SHARON That is some cat you have there. 17#'s is a handful especially when trying to medicate him.

Today I am waiting for my monitor to return from repair. I have been tracking it via UPS and it is in the local distribution center awaiting delivery sometime today. It has been two weeks with this 13" monitor and my eyes are about to give out

Gloria in MA.....hoping this repair will be a long lasting one.

GOOD MORNING MAGNOLIAS

Going to be a great OP day. It is one of my 18 point ones but I have learned how to deal "rock and roll."

GLORIA that is what I thought you might have ment but wasn't sure and didn't want to have left you with the wrong impression. We are at a disadvantage here when we can't see a persons facial expressions and give instant feedback but we can work things out regardless. Thank you for saying that for that is how it is. Reading about your experience in that building gave me goose bumps of pleasure. That is so neat that they give those awards to amazing people that start with a disability and have the fortitude to do things that some with out wouldn't do. I applaud them. Sounds like CONGRATULATIONS are in order for your making good food choices. Cowboy was a Behavior Specialist at one time for a period and worked with the Easter Seals kids. That was a wonderful experience for me to get to know some of his clients. They loved him so.

Have a great OP day folks.

Hi everyone!

Jean, has your weather been as screwy as our's in Delaware? Sunday it rained and rained and rained and then it rained some more and then that night around 8pm, Mother Nature thought it would be a fun idea to throw in some high wind, thunder, lightening and...hail! Well...my youngest daughter and I re-joined WW on 4/20 and this past Saturday I had a loss of 2.4 (she had a loss of 5.6). Needless to say both of us were very happy! How is your toe? Is it completely healed now? My foot and ankle are healing--it has taken quite a long time. The doctors did say it would take 4-6 weeks and I'm beginning to believe both of them! No more bruising but does get swollen a little by the end of the day regardless if I have it propped up underneath my desk (which I do as much as possible). My ankle feels weak and my the top of my foot is still achy at times and still sensitive to touch.

Maggie, you are wasting away! Are you taking pictures of yourself as a visual of your progress? I know how much you love having visuals. Wouldn't that be a great one to have? As you know I have been trying on and off to do the Wendie Plan. I'm trying this again starting today. Today is a 25-points day and I know I can do today. Its those 18-points days that gets me! I know its not easy...regardless of how one works the program! How is our friend Cindy doing? Last report was she's expecting a little one. How is she feeling?

Gloria, my mother is finally shopping around for a computer--this will be her first and I told her on the phone on Sunday to buy a large monitor--please do not buy a 13-inch! I hope she listens to me! I wish I lived closer to her--I would go to the Gateway store with her but I told her not to be shy because those people there are very patient and helpful. Anyway...I know you'll be glad to get your monitor! Your evening GALA sounded magical--I was trying to picture the building, the night, the planes going over, and of course the food tables! The two people awarded sound so deserving! That was wonderful what you typed--I could just see it all in my mind's eye.

Sharon, whether or not we deserve losses is not the issue--it was a loss, take it and run with it! But I tend to think we deserve every loss we get! You can do this, Sharon. Just stayed focused.

I cannot believe tomorrow is May 1....

GAIL I have a picture of myself when I was at my heaviest and one when I lost the 40 and plan on taking them after each 20 pounds now so my next one will be when I am down 60 pounds. I really don't show that much of a loss as of yet I don't think. I wish you every success on this trip down the road to thin. A gal has to find her own way and you are doing that.

Did I mention I picked up a new WW cookbook last evening? It is WW Take-Out Tonight and has 150 plus restaurant favorites to make at home. Looks like some pretty good recipes in there. I have yet to try any but I'll let you know if it is good.

Back at ya later

Good Afternoon, Flowers!
Guess I am back in my school routine -- hard to get going this morning but nice to be back in the groove as if I'd never been gone. It was nice to be missed at school.....my gang wannabe asked me "where in the he** were you?" So I asked him if he missed me and his reply, after hesitating, was "well, kinda." He got this silly look on his face and I just had to laugh.

Maggie -- CONGRATULATIONS on another great loss! Let's see, that would make almost 172 sticks of butter that are not stuck to you any more! What did you get to eat for 18 points today?

Gloria -- I also think your GALA evening sounds so special. It's nice when people with disabilities are recognized and it means so much to them. I am trying hard to keep my FOCUS today -- some days are easier than others, that's for sure!

Gail -- I was afraid you had moved away without a forwarding address! I missed you! CONGRATULATIONS on your return to WW and your first loss. Keep up the good work -- I wish it didn't have to be so darned hard! My toe is still sore. I have one pair of dress shoes that I can wear comfortably, my old icky tennis shoes, and a pair of sandals. It is still slightly swollen and I just hope it goes back down and soon! I don't want to spend the rest of my life buying shoes in two different sizes!

We have class tonight and I need to do a load of laundry before I leave. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Jean -- from Iowa!

GOOD MORNING MAGNOLIAS

HAPPY MAY DAY! what a wonderful day for anyone to renew their resolve to be OP. The first day of May, the first day of a new trimester of the year and a Hump Day. RESOLVE.

JEAN I got a chuckle out of that amount of butter. What a lot of lard! What did I eat.. let me get my journel and I will tell you.

MORNING:
OJ - 1/2 cup ~ 1 point (have this every morning with my meds)
pancake ~ 2 points
sausage ~ 2 points

MIDDAY:
1/2 steak & mushroom sandwich ~ 6 Points
1 cup Coleslaw (my recipe) ~ 1 Point

EVENING:
grilled salmon ~ 2 Points
rice ~ 2 Points
1 cup coleslaw ~ 1 Point
tomatoes & jicama ~ Free

1 cup Blackberries ~ 1 Point

And believe me that was enough to keep me alive.

Have a great day every one.

Good Afternoon, Flowers!
It has been raining all day . . . really gloomy out there! They finally turned the heat on at school and it was comfortable by noon. We had our wellness screening this morning; I am sporting a Snoopy bandaid where they drew blood. My numbers were about the same as last year although my exercise area needs some attention. Then I explained about my broken toe and not being able to wear shoes for a month or so. Guess I am set until July when I have my physical.

Maggie -- One of the recommendations in our wellness book is to take all meds with water and not juice......something about the acidity in the juice affects the breakdown of the drug. My mom told me that many years ago so I've always used water. You got to eat quite a bit for your 18 point day yesterday; I was surprised! I keep forgetting to tell you that I found jicamas at the store! They were huge and at the time I was in a hurry so didn't buy one. I am going to try one soon though.

It is quiet in the flower patch again today. I hope all is well with everyone. Hard to believe it is May 1st . . . Leonard's 11th birthday!

Have a terrific Thursday!

Jean -- from Iowa!

JEAN thank you for that Wellness information about taking OJ with medicine however, my doctor is the one that told me to do that because it makes my meds work better. So there must be two schools of thought out there about that. I have been doing it since he gave me those meds and have had no trouble ~ it is when I run out of OJ and take them with water that it bothers me. Now I have to stay away from grapefruit for a couple of hours after taking them because that has an adverse effect. But for now I will continue to have my little half cup of OJ in the morning.

Good Afternoon, Flowers!
Not much is newsy from Iowa today. Tomorrow is Friday and the last work day of the week!

Maggie -- It's funny that you should mention grapefruit juice as Bob can't - won't drink that or oj since he started taking Lipitor. He says they upset his digestive process. It's gotten to the point where one doesn't know who or what to believe any more. I notice they are promoting eggs again. My grandpa ate fried eggs, potatoes, and bacon every morning for all the years I knew him and he lived to be 87. They also had "real" butter and whole milk at every meal. My grandma baked and cooked with lard - straight from the pig I'll bet.

I have a meeting tonight so better get moving. Have a great Friday! We have a busy weekend so I don't know if I will be around long enough to check in or not. I hope you all have a relaxing weekend!

Jean -- from Iowa!