Good morning, fellow beachers!!! Once again, I've been scarce around these parts. This past weekend was SO beautiful, though, that I just HAD to spend it outside instead of in front of a computer. We've been having a lot of rain and cold, windy weather lately so the sunshine and temps in the high-60s/low-70s was a very welcome change. It was an absolutely WONDERFUL weekend and it was much needed, that's for sure.

Thank you to everybody for your kind words on my goal for this year. I signed up for my February 5K the other night and will be signing up for my March 5K soon. I'm so excited!!!

Plans for today are gym, sleep, gym again, staff meeting, and then work. Tomorrow is my nephews 18th birthday (OMG!!!) and I'll be taking him out to dinner. Hard to believe he's 18...seems like just yesterday he was falling asleep on my chest.

Hope everybody is doing well. What are your plans for this Tuesday???

mornin' all!

natasha-wow, if ur on the other side of the atlantic, u must be an early early bird indeed envy you that sunshine! have fun tomorrow-my baby brother turned 19 last year....i also remember rocking him to sleep. *sigh*

so: today is gray in gray & i've got lotsa niggles to do: applications to write, laundry to do, über-overdue library books....you get the picture
have an awesome tuesday!

jandaman - I don't think I've met you before. Nice to meet you!!! I'm a nightshift person, so it's coming up on bedtime pretty soon for me. Right now it's 0451 hrs. Hope you get all your errands taken care of today!!!

LADY WINDSONG - Have a good one!!!

Good morning and Happy February the Oneth! Thanks for starting us up, Natasha and please don't tell me about the Georgia weather. Nice to see Europe checking in too, Jandaman. I can see Marcie too.

Today will be a busy day with my regular stuff plus battening down the hatches for the Monster Snowstorm which will hit the USA and also affect us. (I'm just 20 minutes from the border.) I need to lug in wood in case the power goes out and make sure I have flashlight batteries and candles. I must also scout around for a boyfriend so I don't have to shovel the stuff. They are predicting 30 cm which is about 12", not as bad as predicted in the States!

Felt rather burnt out yesterday and didn't get much done so today I'm up early and getting it in gear. The washer and dishwasher are both going full blast. I may be wiped by lunch but it looks like a good day for a nap.

New month and new energy!

Hi all,
Ruth, I think we'll thankfully get a pass on that snowstorm you are talking about. They are saying perhaps 2" for us now and then turning to rain - which will maybe wash the old snow away, or at least some of it. Anyway, I'm just so sick of this weather!! My office has no windows and if I can't get out and walk during lunch, I get very little sunlight during the day. It sucks. I do have one of those bright light things, I guess I'm going to have to dig it out. I can feel the winter blues setting in a bit.

Not much here to report...except, when is groundhog day - tomorrow? If it snows I guess there's no way he'll see his shadow. Isn't the whole thing ridiculous anyway - he'll see his shadow if it's sunny, but it could be sunny and not mean that spring is on its way - or is there something I'm missing about the whole thing? Can the almanac back up his predictions?

Good morning ladies!

Looks like another day indoors at school. The kids were bouncing off the walls yesterday and today I'm sure it will be worse, since it will be snowing. I sure wish I knew how to bottle their energy. I could use a little of it myself today.

I've got another long, busy day planned today and I need to stop at the grocery store on my way home this evening I can only imagine what a zoo it will be by then! I'm cringing at the thought, but once I get there I'll probably enjoy myself. Hannaford before the storm is a great place to bump into people you haven't seen in ages!

Enjoy your day friends. Those of you who are dealing with the storm today be careful! And Ruth, good luck on that boyfriend search.

Good morning Matilda! Yes, tomorrow is Groundhog Day. We're going to "pretend" it's today though because the storm will keep us home tomorrow I'm sure.

I had to smile when I read your post, I have a student in my class this year who asked pretty much the same thing about the groundhog yesterday. "Wait a minute. I think this is a fake holiday. It doesn't make any sense! I think you should look on the internet and see if this is really true or not, Teacher."

Things got even more entertaining when I told the kids that groundhog is another name for woodchucks. The boys immediately started quoting the grumpy old man in the Geico commerical! All day long I kept hearing, "Hey you woodchucks, you quit chucking my wood!" followed by foolish giggling.

And guess what? I get to go back and do it all again today! lol

Quick fly by again this morning. I've got a 7:30 PT appt (who's stupid idea was that?!). I'll definitely be home tomorrow though and maybe even this afternoon and I'll catch-up with you all. Looks like we getting buried again. I am so sick of shoveling already.

Hi! Quick check-in for me. Had Luke to the doc this morning for his two month well baby check and he's 13 pounds, 1 ounce and 23.82 inches long. Apparently I make heavy cream!

Good morning chicks!

Natasha - YAY for 5K's! I really should try to get into more races. I did one, and didn't enjoy it...but I should give it another chance. Can't wait to hear your race reports!!

LWS - always enjoy your inspiring words!

Ruth - LOL...where are those danged cabana boys when you need them? Hope you find a boyfriend to move that wood!!

MMCK - relating to you on your other post RE:slipping. I think I find myself every Monday saying, "I slipped this weekend, now I need to be better". Sigh.

Heidi - when does the storm hit you? Ours started in the night...I went to the grocery store at 3 pm yesterday, and it was PACKED. No parking spaces. I have never seen that! They scared everyone!! (I didn't even try to go in!) FWIW - I don't get the groundhog thing either!!

Cyndi - Hm. I don't like that time slot either!!

Kara - LOL! I miss nursing....I could eat ANYTHING and drop weight. I keep joking to the DH to have another baby so I can drop 10 lbs...didn't work!

Me - it's a snow day for us, so I have a bit longer until I need to get the kids ready, and haven't wrote for a while. My post to MMCK sums it up....few good days, couple not-so-good days. Sigh. Did have an awesome pot of chili last night. Made hoppin' john for new years, and really enjoyed it...so that's what's for dinner tonight. YUM!!!

Have a great beachy day!

Natasha: Your monthly 5K's are SO INSPIRING! I'm still looking for my first one, though I think I may have found it.

Jandaman: May your Tuesday be productive and awesome!

Ruth: Hope the snow storm is kind to you!

Mmkellen: My office is windowless too; I always have to ask for snow updates when snow is expected so I know when to try and go home!

Heidi: The grocery store is always the pits when bad weather is predicted. You're a braver woman than I am!

Cyndi: At least your appt will be out of the way first thing in the day!

Kara: Heavy cream - snort! too funny!

Twynn: Chili is delicious, and one of our favorite meals here. I've never had hoppin' john. What is it?

--
So my daughter and her HUSBAND arrived last night. Yes, they got married in secret on Saturday.

Which means I just saved several thousand dollars on a wedding.

Good morning. We are in the huge band of states getting snow. Officially they are saying blizzard here, partly based on the winds they are predicting. We should miss the worst of the snow and current predictions are 8-12 inches. My teen's teachers all sent home double work in anticipation! I feel a bit guilty that I can't help shovel. Just a bit

Annie - Congrats!

Heidi and Cyndi - I saw this hooping link mentioned yesterday and thought of you. I have not checked it out yet.

Hi everyone else! Hard to do personals today - my laptop is formatting the window oddly. Hmm. BBL.

Annie - congratulations!! Hoppin' john is a traditional dish on new years, I never had it til this year, and really enjoyed it. I crossed a couple of recipes...basically saute onion, celery and garlic with a ham hock. Cook with bag of dried black eyed peas in chicken broth with bay leaves and thyme, and a can of chopped tomatoes. Serve over rice (and the rest get corn bread with it). I know the ham hock isn't SBD, but not too bad. If anyone is interested, I can always post the recipes I used.

Karen - aaaawwww, darned, no shoveling! Hope your area doesn't get it too bad!

Hi all! Hope everyone's day is going well.

It's very gray here, though we aren't getting snow. I'm up a little bit on the scale today, but I'm going to blame a salty dinner. We went out to chili's and, after checking their menu online, I got the carne asada steak with veg. The steak was really tasty, but so, so salty. I don't know if my tastes are changing since being on SB or what, cause I used to love really salty things, but this just knocked me down. It was nice not having to cook, and it was DH's b-day, so for a special occasion dinner I think we did fairly well. No desserts, no cake, just a really nice steak dinner =D