Gail: Don't you fret about when you can come in here and such. We just enjoy your company when we can get it. I am the same way about Jack, except I do get irritated at him at times because he does stay up in his office a lot. I am alone all the time and sometimes I just tell him off so to speak about staying upstairs. Most times though, like you, I am just glad he is somewhere in the house. I know you are so glad Wayne has a job as we all are for you. Don't sweat the small gain it happens. I am a mac and cheese lover, but it sure isn't good for the ole diet that's for sure. Ruby Tuesdays makes a great mac and cheese and they have a yummy lobster one too, but I try and avoid them both.
Maggie: I can't buy anything with mushrooms in it as Jack won't eat it. I think he would eat the merlot stew stuff even with the mushrooms and pick them out, maybe, but he really doesn't like them at all. He is convinced someday someone is going to poison themselves from eating regular type mushrooms. I did see several items I thought I would like though. Have you tried their sweet and sour chicken? It got good reviews and seems to be a good choice.
Jean: There was someone at our church who used to make this macaroni salad that had tuna in it with olives and such and it was spectacular. I never did get the recipe and I am not sure I ever knew who made it. One of the things that is popular here, a southern favorite you might say is egg salad with olives. A place called Holliday Ham makes it for sale and it is wonderful. It has a bit of hot sauce in it to give it a kick and it something I am told southerners like about their egg salad. When it comes to potlucks you can have both sides to that coin, folks who are great cooks and folks who are ghastly cooks and think they are great. I feel for those folks because you go to a potluck and everyone avoids their stuff like the plague.
You guys going in February to Hawaii again? I am doing a wait and see about this budget thing before I make any plans for next year about anything.Well girls, I guess I should get out of here. I have lots of stuff needing doing and it is going to have to be done early because of the heat. Jack did get the upstairs shampooed yesterday, which was nice and I am doing all the bedding so everything will be springtime fresh. Have a nice Saturday and in case you don't get in here tomorrow, have a beautiful Easter Sunday.
Faye
I just don't like to make something to take somewhere that I've either never made nor had somewhere else. A cook I am NOT! Glad you are in the "spring" mode at your house. 
When will you see Thomas this weekend?
from Iowa!
Yep and we will be smelling it all afternoon. AH, but what an aroma. Since his gall bladder operation he can't eat hot chilis but I can so I just add what I want to mine later and don't cook it too hot. We have two types of salsa ~ hot to the extreme and medium. I like it "mo hotta da betta." 
Did you know that the "experts" say that if you eat chili peppers & hot "stuff" you have a slim to none chance of getting ulsers. Just thought I'd throw that in there. AH Beanie is in and asleep at my feet. He is such a cute little thing. Everybody loves Beanie. I can see Mopp out in the hallway asleep. They played good and hard while outside. At bedtime Beanie has a routine. He waits until I get in bed then he gets up on it and gets in front of me and cuddles close. I pet him and talk softly to him, scratch his ears & rub his tummy for about 5 minutes then he jumps up and gets down to sleep on his bed in under a chair in the corner. It is a ritual that I will miss when he gets his noonies cut on the 28th at the vet's hospital. They will keep him overnight and I hope he doesn't come home with one of those lamp shades fastened on his neck. Ragg Mopp didn't when he had his operation. We shall see.
you go girlfriend. What a wonderful loss! You have come a long way baby. Let me know how you like that Crispy Chicken recipe and I will surely try it when I get that book! Thank you. OH I am so happy for your weight loss I can't quit smiling. You are amazing. 
Make tomorrow a day to remember. 
Type at y'all later.
We are all doing the happy dance that you are below your goal! You have been so dedicated throughout this weightloss journey! I know Stan is watching from above and so proud of you too! I have very few recipes that I am comfortable making for others; I guess I am what is called "plain and simple." 
I order a salad at RL then enjoy the biscuits. I think I've eaten there twice in my lifetime.
We went out to eat at noon to one of our favorite places ~ Whisky Creek. There were just the two of us and we didn't want a booth for a large crowd. I had a noodle dish with grilled chicken and brought 2 cups of it home. My appetite is sure shrinking. I can remember the day when I would have eaten the whole thing and then some. I will probably end up sharring what I brought home with Will for dinner with a salad and some fruit. Life is good. I see I just got an email from the dog trainer folks to click on a site that has good doggie treat recipes. I will go there when I finish here and see what they offer. 
Growing up on the coast probably does have a lot to do with liking or not liking fish. When a kid I remember if my father was busy and didn't have the time to go fishing his friends always brought us some. We once had a tuna flopped down on our diningroom table that filled it up end to end. My mom and the neighbor lady (my aunt) canned lots of tuna that evening. Red Snapper is my all time most favorite though. I love snapper.
I have the lightened version recipe for those RL biscuits that is good. If you want it and I haven't shared it with you before let me know. They are real easy to make. I got a chuckle out of your description of cooked mushrooms. Mine don't turn out that way at all.
I do hope this day is going well with you. 
! The local grocery stores do the same thing. I just saw a preview of Water for Elephants on tv. It looks like a good movie.
It has been raining since early morning and has not let up yet. I love the rain & thunder. I should have been a "storm chaser." I certainly am enjoying my hot cup of 
this day. The dogs are at the groomer and will come home smealling great. I showed a "maintain" at weigh in this day and am pleased with it.
: The new third starts next Monday. So it isn't a great loss but I am happy with my 11 pound loss for the first 4 months of the year because I went in the right direction all be it very slowly. I will try to make a better loss this next quarter. Well ~ Yoda says there is "no try" but "do." I will do my best. Onward and downward. OH ~ I love to hear the pitter patter of the rain on the roof. We do so need the moisture here in the Heartland. Some of the wheat farmers had to plow under their winter crops because of the lack of moisture. We get the "scoop" from a friend who works in the crop insurance field. I am not a big candy eater, I'm big from eating 
other things like cheetoes. 
Anyway when Will went to the store after he dropped the dogs off he bought me a couple bags of WW Whitman's candies. Now when I want candy I can have one of these little low point yummy morsels. 
Once I wanted some chocolate and measured out an ounce of chocolate chips and had them in a tiny bowl and would eat one ocasionally. I ended up dumping them because the wanting chocolate left before I had eaten them all and they were getting dusty. 
No Easter candy for this gal. A beautiful boquet of fresh flowers does the trick for me.
I have lots of cookbooks and I don't even like to cook! 