Good morning to all of you. It looks like it will be a nice day here today as it is supposed to be in the upper 50's and sunny today. I have laundry to get done today and just started a load of breakfast dishes and a couple pyrex things left from Thanksgiving that had fudge in them. Jack has been taking fudge to work all week to get rid of it. I had to laugh as the receptionist loves my fudge and thinks it is the best she has ever eaten. Jack is so sweet and always makes sure she gets whatever treats I send to work because she works in the front building and all the goodies go with him into the back building. Jack told her it was the fantasy fudge recipe except I use milk chocolate instead of semi sweet or dark. She can't believe it turns out so well, but I have never found a fudge that does better. Unless you try and rush it, it always comes out perfect. Patience is the key because it takes about 45 minutes to bring it up to a boil and you have to stir it the whole time to prevent it from scorching. I get my computer chair and sit and stir!

Susan: Hope you can get the computer mess solved. Sounds like the new program is taking off. My Crocs are not lined. I think my feet would get too hot if they were. I bought the kind made for kitchen use exactly like Mario Battali wears only in black. They keep me from slipping in cold icy or wet weather and that is the main reason I bought them. They aren't exactly a beautiful shoe.

Jean: I just hope my new shoes fit. The reviews go between great fit, narrow fit and wide so who knows? I find it amusing that eveyone's opinion is different. Boy, you have been having some chilly weather lately, but then I guess that is to be expected since it is December.

Maggie: Hope you are having a great day today.

Sorry gals, I can't remember the posts from the previous thread and have my contacts out so have to have my nose to the screen practically. Forgive spelling errors! lol

Have a great weekend this weekend! Faye

Jean:

Good Morning, Flowers! It's doing "something" outside; the street is white but it looks more like rain coming down. I wanted to run errands this morning but may wait until afternoon. I need to decide what I'm wearing for the weekend and lay things out to pack. We are going to the play Nunsense tomorrow night, and then meet the bus at 6 AM Sunday morning. According to the schedule we are to be back in Sioux City around 10:00 Monday night.

Maggie -- Everyone deserves a 'do nothing fun day' once in awhile. I'm glad you enjoyed your day yesterday. We only got the first book and the little book with some food items which holds the tracker and weigh in sheet; the book is the one that goes along with the flip chart the leader used to explain the program changes. I did buy the kit so got the companions and a cook book. I opened the calculator but may take that along to figure out while riding on the bus. I figured it would be pointless to start the new program when we were going to have 2 1/2 days of eating out.

"Gma" -- Thank you for starting the new thread this morning! I hesitate to do that since we've doubled up so many times. I've bought the same brand of shoes, over the years, and some fit fine while others just plain don't. Fudge sounds , Bob suggested making some for Christmas. I may do that and wrap it up for him so I won't be tempted.

Susan -- I have that your day at work goes well with the computer glitch!

I need to get a move on! Have a fantastic Friday!

Jean -- from Iowa!

Good evening, ladies! Its 41 degrees, but I have more buds on the rose bush. Glory has a tomatoe plant that has blossoms and little green tomatoes on it. Thinks are going crazy!

I decided to make Sweet and Sour Meatballs to take tomorrow. Easy and I can put them on when I get up and they'll be done in time.

I'm really done in. I worked 11 hours and the drive round trip is an hour and a half. It's still not fixed and I'm not going to work tomorrow. I go in Sunday but I need my time with my friends. I told him I had plans for tomorrow that I couldn't change.

Jean, it's the boss' computer that is screwed up. He's going to MI Monday and will be gone all week so I will get it fixed while he is gone. If I hear one more time, why isn't it working I'll scream. I hope to see no snow, flurries or accumulation this winter! I paid $34.95 for the deluxe kit, too. I think I just said I spent a total of $91 because I got that, the scale, an extra calculator, and the cookbook.

Maggie, I'm eating better than ever. I really like the new plan. I've still been able to eat a muffin with a cup of tea yesterday and today. I've earned 19 APs and used 12 plus I still have all my WPPVs untouched and it's day 5. I'll need some of those tomorrow. I really hate not knowing what I'll be eating. Dinner will probably be Vegetable Soup and a Salad. LOL!

Faye, those sandals I bought at the quilt show last February were made by the company in NC that makes chef's and medical personnel's shoes. They are the most comfortable things I ever had. I'm going to get a pair of the clogs this year. They aren't pretty but I'll take comfort over pretty any day. I hope your new shoes fit.

I think I'm heading upstairs and going to bed.

I got a call this morning that the church secretary's dad died last night. I went in to man the phone this morning and tried to find someone to fill in on Monday when we will be gone. No luck there. The funeral is Monday so I'm thinking she probably won't be at work for at least a few days, and it's newsletter week. I could be busier than I want to be when we get back from Kansas City.

Maggie -- We never did get any snow nor rain to amount to anything. The wind did pick up and it was not a nice day to stand around outside. We have a little shop here in town that makes candy and fudge is her specialty. I'm thinking that might be easier to buy rather than making it myself. I'll see how my free (?) time works out. You will have your favorite recipes switched to the new program in no time. I'm anxious to figure out the calculator.

Susan -- It seems so strange to hear about roses blooming and tomato plants producing this time of year. Sweet and sour meatballs would hit the spot here. I pitched the end of the Thanksgiving leftovers and haven't created anything new to have leftovers. I was all prepared to write a big check at WW after reading what you spent. I need to pay more attention! Have fun at your luncheon tomorrow.

I'm heading for bed!

Good morning to you all! I am going to try and get some housecleaning done today, but who knows. It always seems harder with Jack at home. He doesn't get in the way, just having him home I would rather spend time with him than clean.

Nothing exciting here. Should start receiving T's stuff next week as well as mine. I had to order meds for myself and will go and order Jack's when I get finished here. I am so thankful we won't have to change prescription plans when he goes into Medicare. Hopefully going from Tricare Prime to Tricare for Life will be effortless since we aren't changing companies. I dread doing all that and we have to start looking into it next year as he will be 62 in Oct.

Jean: Have a great time and we will keep the home fires burning here while you are out having fun. Jack said James Taylor is coming to Memphis in February and asked if I would like to go. I haven't decided yet. One of the things I like about the fantasy fudge is it is very creamy. I hate fudge that is grainy and sometimes that is what you get with store bought fundge. Ours is all gone now, thank heavens.

Susan: How do you make your meatballs? I usually buy a bag of the frozen meatballs and use one jar of chili sauce and one jar of grape jelly, put it all in the crockpot and that is that! It makes fabulous sweat and sour meatballs and you can use the same recipe on those little cocktail weiners or sausages too.

Maggie: I actually prefer the cold weather when I walk unless it is snowy and slippery of course. I have more problems when it is hot weather walking than I do in the cold unless the cold is bitter cold of course and we rarely get that here.

Well gals, I need to get back to those socks or they are not going to get done. I am on the foot section of the first one so it won't be long and I can have it done. Have a great day all! Faye

Good evening, ladies!

We had a delicious luncheon and I ate too much. Good thing I had all those extra points. I did only have 1 plate and I took 1 spoonful of each but it added up because they all cook with butter and sugar and such.

My bossed called while I was out and just as I was coming in the door to tell me not to come in tomorrow but be there early Monday and he had another project I needed to do that day and get in UPS for Tuesday delivery. Then I can work on his computer the rest of the week. Oh fun. I have to miss my water aerobics and Silversneakers and I'm not happy but the extra money will be nice. I'm salaried and I don't get overtime, however.

Faye, you stole my meatball recipe! I've used it for years and everyone always likes it. I just changed my Medicare Supplement and Prescription drug program into a Medicare Advantage plan and I'll be $31 a month and $0 for prescriptions as long as I get them from RightSourceRX. They remind me for refills and mail them free to my door. I was paying $132 for my supplement and $47 for prescriptions + copays. And they will be paying for my Y membership. Can you say a happy camper!

Jean, I have a great fudge recipe that you make in the microwave in no time. It takes a bag of milk chocolate chips, a bag of heath bar chips, a can of sweetened condensed milk. Microwave and stir every minute until the chips have melted, then stir in 1 cup of chopped walnuts and 1 cup of dried cranberries. That's it. Takes no time to do at all.

Maggie, I'm glad you have the WW stuff. There must be different things in the online kits. We had no tracker covers and no spoons in any of our kits. If you want a tracker cover, I'll be glad to get you one. They are $5.95. I just bought one and they are very nice. I could get it next Saturday. I haven't got all the changes into my books yet. If it was something I don't eat, I just skip it. I hope Ragg Mopp feels better soon! I hate it when animals are sick.

I'm sipping a cup of ginger and lemon tea. Supposed to be good for your tummy. Mine no longer processes sugar and butter well at all. Have a great night.

Jean, I forgot to mention the other day that there is only 1 booklet given out at meetings now. You'll continue to get your weekly newsletter but that is all.

Good morning everyone. It is cool this morning, at least it was when I let Fotune out at 4 am, but the sun is shining and it is supposed to warm up again today with no precip so that is good. I want to get out and about for awhile today. I have been in the house since Friday and need to get out.

Susan: Wow, I love the idea of using heath bar chips. I will have to try that in a fudge recipe. My daughter has been begging me to teach her to make kieflies well actually wanted me to make them and I said I wasn't going to this year so she asked if I would help her make them. I don't know if she will find the time, but if she does we will be doing them at her house. Jack is thrilled he doesn't have to make them. I don't know how my grandmother made them by herself. They take forever to make even with a partner IMO. Anyway, I said I would if she has time but only at her house because she has much more room. Hope you can get the computer mess figured out pronto and may not lose all your workout time. It kind of irritates me that WW now is cutting back on what they give you but not on what it costs you. I think they have become this huge mega business now and not so concerned about the person. It is just my opinion, but that's the way it seems since prices go up and it costs so much to do things. I am not saying the people that weigh you and such are nice and leaders and such, but WW is now much more of a business than it used to be.

Maggie: Hope you can get RM feeling better. Like I have said before, if he is vomiting or diarrhea, you can give him about 1/2 tsp of pepto bismal and it will help if it is just upset tummy from something he ate and nothing more serious. I imagine he weighs about what Fortune does, somewhere in the 8-12 lb range and I give Fortune half a tsp. The pharmacist at Target gave me a tiny syringe they use to give babies meds for free last time I was in there and asked where I could buy one. I explained the circumstances and she asked me how much meds and gave me the proper plastic syringe which will make it hugely easier than giving it to him by a spoon, which can make a mess. Fortune has never gotten an ear infection from being groomed. I don't Mary ever has either and Marty's ears stand straight up. Kelly actually grooms Marty herself and bathes him in the sink. Fortune makes a mess if I try to do that though. I have to do a bathtub bath and that kills my back and knees so he goes to the groomer instead.

Jean: Hope you are having fun!

Have any of you seen the article about the brouhaha with the billboards in NYC about Christmas? I guess the atheists need to put their two cents in and put up this billboard outside the Holland tunnel in NYC. The Catholic church got mad and put one up on the other side. You want to deny God that is your right I suppose, but these same morons celebrate a holiday with Christ's name in it!!!! They may hang a different name on Christmas to sooth their conscious, but you can bet they still celebrate the day. The article basically said the atheists are stirring up trouble in all parts of the country with these stupid things. I guess when they die and stand before their maker they will then figure out they were wrong, but then it will be too late.

You gals have a nice day and hope it is warm and sunny where you are today! Faye

Good morning, ladies! Only 36 degrees so I suppose the roses and tomatoes are done for now. It's also very windy.

I have a lot of laundry to get done today. I get sweaty when I do Silversneakers and weights so have a whole load of gym clothes and I'm going rugs today and my regular laundry. Vaccum and mop and do the bathrooms and that will have to do it until next weekend. I hope to get this done in time to do a little quilting.

I'm making a Hungry Girl receipe for dinner - "Turkey Veggie Mini Meatloafs". It is quite simple and has 3 cups of broccoli slaw finely chopped in it. You bake it in muffin times so that makes it perfect for me to freeze and just take out a portion. I think I'll roast some carrots and parsnips and make some mashed potatoes. Ore-Ida now how single serve packets of instant potatoes so that works well for me. The box has 10 packets in different flavors and they are point friendly.

Faye, the info you get now is much bigger and nicer than before. The Plan book is over 100 pages and the pocket guide is nicely indexed and has hard covers. Their idea was to give you all the tools at once instead of spreading them out. So now you really only need to go to one meeting and buy a calculator and not go to anymore. WW is not a nonprofit and has been in business for nearly 50 years. I don't think they are any worse than the other diet companys or the websites. I bought 100 shares when the company went public and still have it. It's now worth a whole lot more so I really like the dividends. We still get our Weeklys and they have more pages now. I know what you mean about making the keeflies. It's the same with perioges. It takes all day to make them. I don't do it anymore.

Enjoy your day, ladies!

Maggie, there was a coupon in the deluxe kit for a free calculator, and then we were allowed to buy one. We can't get the shop tab with etools, we just get marketplace so I can't see what the online kits are. If you want the plan and pocket guide, you will have to go to one meeting is my understanding if it's not in your kit.

The meatloaf was one of the best I've ever had, very moist and flavorful and easy to make.

TURKEY AND VEGETABLES MEATLOAF

20 ounces ground turkey breast
3 cups broccoli slaw, finely chopped (I did it in the food processor)
1 minced onion
1/4 cup Oatmeal
1/4 cup Eggbeaters (or 2 Egg Whites)
1/4 cup + 3 T. Ketchup, divided
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Reserve 3 T. Ketchup. Mix all remaining ingredients thoroughly.

Spray a 12 cup muffin tin. Divide the meatloaf mixture into 12 cups. Top with remaining ketchup.

Bake at 350 degrees 30-35 minutes.

5 points per serving of 2 "muffins"

20 g. protein, 6 g. carbs, 7 g. fat, 1 g. fiber

I liked it because I could put the leftovers on a cookie sheet and freeze them and then bag.

Good morning ladies. It is cool here, but not like it is in South Bend. My son, dil, grandson and sister are getting blasted with lake effect snow. It is supposed to snow there all week pretty much and they are expecting a foot by today alone. I know now why I moved south!

Susan: I bet the meatloaf is yummy. It sure sounds lke it would be a healthy one. We have express scripts now and can carry that into medicare, which is nice. We have a $3 generic and $6 brand name and no premium. When Jack goes on Tricare for life, he will no longer have a premium, they pay a straight 80%-20% I believe, which is how the original Champus was run. From what Gloria said, Tricare for Life seems to pick up whatever Medicare doesn't cover so that is good. I will continue to pay a single premium until I get to Medicare age.

Maggie: Glad RM is feeling better. Fortune has his annual in a couple months and I think I am going to have him checked for diabetes and a couple other things senior dogs can have. I also think he has this bacterial thing that Marty has and they passed it between the two of them. I will just talk to doc Montgomery and see what he says.

I don't know if it having to turn on the furnace or what, but I am having a time of it with allergies again. I have had a sinus headache for several days on and off depending whether or not I took any meds and stuffiness in the nose and such. Ahh well, not a whole lot I can do about it but move outside I guess! lol

Everyone have a great start to their week. I am off to eat some breakfast then clean up the mess Jack made making his breakfast. Have a good one! Faye