Good morning, Beachers! Spread out your blankets on the sand, adjust the umbrellas and let's chat.

I'm still working on the dratted T4 slips but the end is in sight. Right now the oven is heating as I have to bake some for this afternoon's memorial service for Maureen. The morning will be full with baking, Donna coming to clean and finishing off the tax crud.

What I really need today is some FUN stuff so I want to let you know that the cabana boys are booked for late this afternoon. Eat your heart out!

(Is it too early to feel ?)

Good Morning

I don't believe it's ever to early, Ruth! It sounds like you have a full day packed in, including the memorial for Maureen. Take care, and I hope you ge some "me" time later.

Me, catching up on some work...the coffee has been ready for an hour BUT I've not tasted. DH likes to have the first cup with me and gets grumpy if I drink alone. Aha, I just heard him....so glad I got my work done. Today we go to breakfast with Mom and her friends. We may go to Denver to look at a rehab hospital for our friend. A nurse in Baltimore told them it's one of the best in the country. That's all the further I can look ahead, so far.

Food is OP. I'm being vigilant, knowing that I'm really set up right now for emotional eating.

Take care everyone! Have a great OP day!

Ruth: Cabana boys sound like just the thing.
Debbie: I hope your day goes smoothly.



I bought myself a bracelet and am adding beads for each BMI point I lose. It makes me smile and is another tangible remainder of how far I've come (50 pounds as of yesterday!).

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Hi all! Sounds like we've all got a busy day. AnnieOh, I love your bracelet, and I love that idea. I might have to try something like that.

This morning we are driving down to NJ to check out some possible summer rentals for a week, then taking my MIL out to dinner. Our Costco American Express Rebate check is in so we'll have fun spending that, probably tomorrow. DH and I each get a third of it, the last third goes toward stuff for the house.

Hope everyone has a great day...I probably won't check in again until tomorrow afternoon.

Good morning gals!

Oh, Annie, what a pretty bracelet and what a great idea!

Debbie, I drink hot tea in the morning not coffee - but I would have a tough time waiting for my first cup. Half the time I stumble into the kitchen with my eyes still half closed to turn on the kettle! I hope you enjoy breakfast with your mom. And for being able to stay focused and vigilant during such tough days.

Good morning Ruth, I'm glad you've got some fun planned for late afternoon... LOL Seriously, you'll be in my thoughts today and I'm hoping tomorrow will be an easier, more pleasant day.

Matilda, have a great time today - I hope you find the perfect rental.

We got about 12 inches of snow yesterday but the sun is shining this morning. I'm hoping to get my snowshoes out later.

Enjoy your day ladies!

I know some of you are spreading your beach towels on snow this morning - all I can say is so glad it's you not me, brrr! We had rain, which melted last week's snow. Had to work late last night and didn't get home until 8:30, so tired I was in bed by 9:30, but I am ready to clean this house top to bottom today! After I watch this week's Survivor episode online - priorities...
Yikes, I discovered at my Doctor's appt Thursday, that I've gained 8 lbs in the last month. Half of it in my face, I think. Granted, I haven't been completely on plan, but thought I was doing pretty well, and I've been walking. 8 lbs is 28,000 excess calories! I'm going to blame it on the high dosage of prednisone for now. He is tapering me off, over the next month, thank goodness, and I think I'll go back to calorie counting on Fit Day for a while. Hoping they will go as quickly as they came.
I picked up my new cookware yesterday, so can't wait to break it in!
And DH will be home next Friday - maybe I already posted that. I've got to unpack his clothes (I take advantage of extra closet space when he's away).
That's all the excitement around here today!

Ruth, I think Maureen would be happy to see the sendoff you Delta folks will give her. Have fun with the cabana boys.
annieoh, congrats on 50 lbs! Your bracelet reward is a great idea.
Happy shopping Matilda!
Hope you get your coffee soon, Debbie... I wouldn't be able to wait.

Good morning friends DW is sleeping in and I couldn't wait another minute so I found the already ground coffee stash. Freshly ground is nice but it's noisy.

Ruth - Sounds like you've got a busy afternoon planned

Debbie - I couldn't wait, I'd just keep topping the pot You're such a good role model for dealing with emotional eating. I need to pay attention more. I'm better with stress but worse with overwhelmed.

Annie - How pretty and what a great idea!

Mathilda - I love planning summer vacation this time of year. It helps me get through that last stretch of winter.

Heidi - 13 inches here and really heavy. I need to find time to snow shoe. Problem is I have to finish shoveling out first.

Schmoodle - I'd definitely blame the prednisone for most, if not all, of that. I've seen it happen to friends. What kind of pans did you get? I love new kitchen stuff.

DW is sleeping in today but once she gets up we are off and running. I need to shovel us out again. Shoveled last night but plow guy came later so there's more fun ahead. Then it's off to NH the land of no tax to buy some work clothes for DW. She starts Monday! I'm sure I'll pick up a thing or two for me too. Noon is basketball then cleaning and shopping and cooking this afternoon. No work is scheduled for the weekend

Now that she has a job it's back to planning the May vacation. We've been toying with Cape May this year. We've never been there and it is the birdy place to go during migration. I just need to get over the annoyance of an 8 hour drive through heavy traffic. It's a good day to start planning vacations though, our yard is just buried in snow.

Have a good day Chicks!

Quick pop-in for me. Had lunch out at the pizza place and I got a salad. Yay me! Off to take the girls to a tea party now. Be back later.

I slept in until 7:30 this morning and am just now enjoying my first cup of coffee. It was nice to wake up to daylight for a change, and even nicer to look outside and be able to see the bare ground again with no snow.

You all sound like you have great plans for an enjoyable weekend. We don't have any major plans but will be happy to take it as it comes. We took my parents out to help them shop for a new cellphone yesterday, as they don't have a clue as to what they're looking for, but Jake and I insist that they have one and have them on our plan. Afterwards, they treated us to a late lunch/early dinner, and we had such a good time. It was great to spend the afternoon with them, as they don't get out much anymore.

BTW, Annie, I love your bracelet! Jake and the kids surprised me with a Pandora bracelet for Christmas, and I'm slowly adding new beads to it. Yours is lovely, though!

Hey Cyndi, congrats to Julie on the new job!
I ended up with a mixed bag - I ordered a set of Tramontina Tri-Ply, like All Clad, but less expensive, and has really good reviews everywhere. I got one All Clad saute pan, I figured if the Tramontina doesn't last, I'll know how well I like All Clad and if I want to invest more. I also got a Chasseur enameled cast iron dutch oven, and a giant Cuisinart Chefs Classic lasagna pan, a new coffee maker, new set of spatulas, new splatter bowls (I didn't need them but have been looking for this kind forever - glass, high sides)... I guess I kind of went on a spree! DD1 is getting more interested in cooking and is moving to a new place this week, so I'm going to sort through my equipment and let her take what she can use.

Hi Kara!

Ruth - You so often crack me up! Thank you for starting my day with a smile

Debbie - Kudos on your vigilance and eating. I enjoy having time to myself before my husband gets up most mornings. And when he IS up, I'm on here and he's not

Annie - Pretty beads! And what a great reminder of your progress.

Matilda - We got our check too! Or I guess I should say my husband did because he is the big Costco shopper in our house.

Heidi - Enjoy the snow! And your last days of vacation.

Schmoodle - I have always heard that steroids do that. I've been tracking online lately too and it is eyeopening.

Cyndi - Oh I forgot that about NH! We are taxed on everything here.

Kara - Yay you! Pizza is so tempting, and oooh, the scent of it!

Linda - Remember life before cell phones?! How did we manage?

I just cooked some spaghetti squash. Love having it in the fridge ready to eat. Tonight the teen has soccer and tomorrow night he has basketball and the timing is great to help keep me from my nemesis of evening snacking. We have a free movie download to use so maybe we'll finally watch the Social Network and get in a long cardio session.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Good morning!!!

A good day is ahead, or atleast I am hoping. I am going to get a haircut this morning. I have an acquaintence who got her license to do hair recently and I am going to see if she is any good. Then it's off to Tanner's first practice for "Alice in Wonderland".

Annie-I love the bead idea. I might have to borrow that idea.

Have a great day!!

Jasmine

K. I'm back. Baby's nursing so I have a minute to catch up with you all.

Ruth, my thoughts are with you today. I hope the memorial service is nice.

Debbie, I might be tempted to sneak a mini-pot for myself and then share a big pot with my husband. I don't actually drink coffee, though. hehe

Annie, your bracelet is so pretty! I love your idea. Have a great time picking out beads!

Matilda, where in New Jersey are you thinking of staying? I grew up in south Jersey and we always vacationed in Cape May. My dad's mom was born and raised there and it's always been a special place for us. Tom and I even honeymooned there!

Heidi, enjoy your snowshoeing!

Schmoodle, my grandmother (of Cape May fame LOL) was on steroids for a very long time and they made her gain weight, too. Hopefully as you are weaned off you will get some great whooshes! Your new kitchen gear sounds amazing!

Cyndi, I love love love Cape May. My grandparents were birders and they would take us down to the shore to see different types of birds sometimes. Special memories!

Linda, it sounds like you had a lovely day with your parents yesterday! Would you take me shopping for a cell phone? I have no idea what I'm looking for either! We've had pay-as-you-go phones for the last seven years. LOL

Karen, how was your gym time yesterday?

Jasmine, enjoy your hair cut!

My belly is rumbling so I'm going to have a snack and start figuring out what's for dinner. Tom's been at the office all day. Hopefully he'll be home soon. Actually, Connor is hoping more than I am since he's stuck in his bed until Daddy comes home because he was being disrespectful. I'm so mean.

Good morning, everyone!

Hi Chickies

Nice to see everyone here. I've been really busy getting ready for my daughter and grandson. I am flying out on Thursday and returning on Friday with my grandson, DD and DH are driving two cars across the country and dropping one off in the town where my daughter will be living for the next six months (1700km away from us) and then see is coming to stay with us for a while.
If anyone ever has the urge to have oatmeal at McDonalds I thought you might be interested in this article: http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com...meal-wrong/?hp
take care
Sophie