Good morning I am starting to wake-up though I'd rather be asleep. It's the SOs work weekend so I'll be laundrying, cooking, cleaning, shopping, and maybe find time for a little reading and some exercise. It's my busy time so it helps to plan the food for the week - meals first then extras like stuff for quick lunches and breakfast beans. First another cup of coffee!

Cottage - thinking of you Hope you can find a few minutes to breath this weekend.

Good morning, Cyndi, and those to come. And Ruthie's back from her week of fun in the sun, so I'm sure she'll be joining us sometime today, too.

It sounds like your weekend is going to be busy with domestic chores, Cyndi, and I hope you have time for some wine and relaxing come evening.

My SIL stayed overnight with Mom last night, so I have a window of extra time this morning before I have to head over, and I'll most likely spend tonight with her. Today is my Thirty-One party, too, which I scheduled back in November before all this started, and I'm hoping I can get through it without a call from Dad. I cleaned the house and did some food prep last night, so I'm basically all set except for a few last minute things.

So what's happening today?

Good morning Cyndi. It sounds like you will have a productive weekend, and hopefully you'll get that time for yourself. In addition to seeing Linda not in here as much, I think I am getting Ruth withdrawal. When is she back?!? Hopefully she doesn't meet some cute cabana boy and stay down there .

I woke up with the kid's cold, but luckily as an adult, I don't get the fever. Or maybe that's not lucky, since you get waaaay more sympathy with a fever . It is also DH's birthday, so he is king for the day, and I don't get to rest. Gratefully, he chose going out to Texas steakhouse for supper, so I don't have to cook!

First is coffee, then work, which is *packed*, darned it.

Whoops, you can tell Linda and I posted at the same time. Good morning friend, hope you are well and getting some breathing room!

Good morning, Dear Beachies! I missed you and was planning to check in mid-week but forgot my frassing password. Anyhow the only PC down there was dial-up and cost $8 for 30 minutes so I just had another rum and went back to my chaise beside the pool under the palm trees. What a contrast to come home to way below zero weather up here! It was -44ºC or -472F mid-week!!!!!

Looks like everyone is coping. Linda and Tammy, you know my thoughts were winging their way down to you as we flew over PA. Did you see me wave? Never mind - you were probably asleep. Cyndi, I was on the wrong side of the plane to see VT. Tammy, sure hope you can ditch that cold and help DH celebrate his day appropriately.

The week in Cuba was just fabulous except for the night travel. (Donna's DD is even more of a control freak than I am and made the arrangements.) The resort was just gorgeous and the staff were super friendly without being sucky. The food was sort of "meh" though - nothing tropical or typico and all served buffet style. I managed though but sure did eat a lot of bad carbs - no details to follow. Papaya, pineapple, guava and coconut sauce were great. Did not get home until 3:45 Friday morning, flopped in the hotel for a few hours and then drove back to Kingston where we discovered Donna's car wouldn't start after being in the cold all week. Did not get back here until late mid-afternoon yesterday afternoon.

My bag is not unpacked, the dogs are still at the kennel and I have to make a grocery list before life resumes properly.

See you all later. Hasta la vista, Beachies!

Good morning welcome home Ruth!! Sounds like you had a great time. So happy you enjoyed yourself.

Linda glad your SIL was able to stay last night. Thirty-one party? Is that the one for bags? I am so out of the loop. Tupperware still exists right??? lol Keeping you in my thoughts hoping today goes smoothly.

Tammy mom's never get sympathy lol. Or maybe that is just my house. Hope you enjoy DH's birthday dinner. Did he like his surprise???

Was productive after my nap yesterday. I'm like you Cyndi, I try to take a day to cook/plan for the week. The week there is chicken sausage and cabbage soup, spaghetti squash pie (baked ziti style with LF ricotta and ground chicken breast, spaghetti squash pizza and Mexican stuffed peppers. Today I will roast some green beans. Steele oats are ready for work breakfast (little tired of eggs in the morning). Now if I could just stay away from the darn cashews I should be Ok.

Back to work tomorrow so taking it easy at home today. Enjoy your day

I love to read everything on here and sometimes get jealous... Cuba, water aerobics. I loved water aerobics but now with the kids that have aged out of nursery I am not able to go anymore....

I didn't get my 10k in steps yesterday. I hit about 6k BUT it was icy here and I never left the house. Plus I have been sore - could be from the weather or from moving this big body more. I did lots of gentle stretching though.

I need to go to the grocery store BUT don't get paid until next week. Here goes a challenge of staying on plan. If I plan, I am sure I can do it.

I love menu sharing. On my list: lentil crunchies, granola (not for me!), Palak Tofu, Indian Spiced Cauliflower, a variation on the spaghetti squash noodles with thai peanut sauce, chipotle split pea soup for lunches & breakfasts, lentil loaf, chicken stew with white bean dumplings, breakfast beans, and grain free pumpkin bars. We are equal opportunity eaters - 2 vegetarian meals, 2 chicken meals and 1 fish dinner

Good morning.

Welcome back, Ruth.

I just cancelled dinner plans for this evening since my cold is worse today. DH and I are heading to TJs later. Other than that - hydrating and resting and nose blowing and coughing and ....

We're just ready to head out...recycle loaded and a visit to the pool, too.

Welcome home to Ruth and to Linda for a party w/o a phone call.

BBL!

hi all!

glad you had a good time Ruth. and Cyndi, sounds yummy!

I am being a hermit today. If I shower and get out of PJs, it will be a good day! Made buffalo chicken grilled cheese for lunch and it was yummy!

Ok, off to shower. For real. Maybe even a trip to the gym!

Jenne how was the inauguration???

Hi chicks, my weekend got off to a sloooow start. This time of year I just turn into a slug and lose the will to accomplish anything. I also showered and got dressed and felt that was a big accomplishment, Jenn. We got a little snow, so once I got the car cleaned off and dug out a bit, I met my DD1 to do grocery shopping so I could pay for hers, since she's unemployed now. I also got my dad to buy me a bunch of meat as he was going to his CSA today, and he dropped those off. Their chickens are soooo good, so one is definitely headed for the crockpot this week. Since then I've just been on the computer doing vitally important tasks like organizing pictures and recipes, and ignoring the real to-do list. I've got a pot of turkey corn chowder on for the kiddos and I'll finish off the bean soup for dinner.

No big plans tomorrow either, other than cooking a little, cleaning a little, and visiting old folks. I hit a big sale on cauliflower, so I got 4 heads. I think I'll keep one in the fridge for raw snacking, roast one up, and the other two I'll puree for the freezer.

I think I'll just read tonight. I've been reading a stupid Steven King book and I really just want to finish it.

Welcome back, Ruth, sounds like a fun trip!

P.S. Karen, hope you can kick the cold, and cottage, I've been thinking of you.

Hello ladies!! it was so nice to see the enthusiastic greeting in the other thread. I'm pretty embarrassed that I didn't stick to the plan and dropped out of SB sight for so long. Looking forward to telling of my success and hearing of everyone else's!

Good evening,

Sounds like lots going on here;

Welcome back Ruth glad you had a good time

Cottage I am with Jennifer I don't know what a 31 party is....please enlighten us

Tywnn so what was DH surprise gift and did he like

Cyndi I hope you got everything accomplished that you set out to do today

Jennifer did you have good doctors appointments yesterday with your DS

Payday I think you are doing a fantastic job

Karen hope you get to feeling better

Debbie hope you had a good day

Schmoodle sounds likes you had a productive day as well

Hi Jenne did you have a good time at the inaugaration

Welcome back Holly!!!!

I had a pretty busy day, we went and got my oil changed in my car, then went and got some groceries and started laundry and then took DD2 and her friend to the Rec center and while they were swimming I worked out for over an hour and now I am getting to read so it was pretty good day. I also broke down and got on the scale and it is down 2 lbs this week despite the fact that I am about to start TOM so I was happy camper

Have a good rest of the evening and Sunday if I don't check in tomorrow

Good evening, ladies. Just popping in to say hello. Today is day 3 of 8 straight either working, in meetings, or in class. I just spent 2 days that I feel were completely wasted in a class called "Coaching for Success." When you google the speaker's name, our work firewall blocks his site as "Cult/Occult." LOL

Also, yours truly is single again, LOL Exes are exes for a reason...I shall remind myself of this if I ever get the urge to "revisit" again.

Cyndi - I want your recipes for the noodles w/ thai peanut sauce, chicken stew w/ white bean dumplings, and your grain free pumpkin bars!!! Okay, if I can only beg you for one, I want the pumpkin bars, LOL

Running off now as it just hit my lunch time. I reset myself to Phase I again (yes, AGAIN) after I consumed a doughnut in class Friday. Stupid doughnut...wasn't even that good, either.