Well, I'm off to catch the plane. I'm going home, leaving 3 very darling grandkids. I've had lots of hugs and kisses. I've made lots of tookies, and meals and homemade bread. (Isn't that what grandma does?) Did I mention I'm far too young to be a grandma?

I'm going home to my white beautiful scales. I've missed them so much. I've been gone so long I'm a little scared to see them. Oh, ya, I'm going home to my husband and son too.

Hope you all have a nice day. I'll wave at you all if I'm flying over you. Nashville to Atlanta to Salt Lake. Bye Bye.

Have a great OP day!

It's LC's favorite day!! Hope you are feeling 100% today.

Just getting us started off....got my big mug of coffee and am waiting to wake up dd as I have the morning shift at preschool today. It has really been fun, I am just pooped! OP though, with the exception of exercise yesterday.

Have a super day everyone and let's kick some SBD butt!!

Hello! Back from the land of the lost~~

I haven't posted since before Memorial Day...all kinds of excuses, blah, blah... But, I'm back. Haven't lost an ounce...the back is still hurting so exercise is severely limited.

Had a wonderful time in TN/AL over the holiday. Spent Saturday afternoon sweltering in the heat but by late afternoon, it had cooled down enough to enjoy. DD, the extended family and I went to a going away garden party for a cousin who's off to college. Ruth, you'll be interested in this...The hostess has 25 acres, part of which used to be an airstrip. She's created a series of gardens, each with some interesting feature such as a rustic arbor, or a gazebo, or even a fence created out of old brass bedframes. Her hollyhocks were, I swear, probably 9 feet tall..minimum. Gorgeous.

Sunday night/Monday morning I was awakened by the tornado siren. Never heard one before so it scared the poo out of me! Turns out there were two tornados, one of them just a few miles away, but luckily, heading in the opposite direction from us.

Since my cousin is a commercial grower, I was allowed to raid the greenhouses. (End of the growing season for him). Came home with four flats of perennials and herbs plus several one gallon pots of hostas. So far, I've gotten all of the shade plants in the ground and most of the herbs, but still need to get the full sun plants in. They'll have to tough it out in their little pots til the weekend. Then, let's just hope the mosquitoes will leave us alone for a little while. Poor DD ended up with at least a dozen bites when she helped me.

Ok, so that's it for me....trying to get back on program...boiled a dozen eggs yesterday for work lunches. Everyone take care~~

Mamacita

Good morning! Nice to see such earlyChiucks out and about. Two chicks started the daily so I did a combo and let the earliest poster start us up.

Safe trip home, RNMOM. Maybe you should videotape the reunion of you and your scales? Scale Ho Porn?

Kiko, I well remember teaching nursery school. Isn't it too bad we lose some of that energy and enthusiasm! Kids wear me out now but I love them.

Mamacita, I was thinking you were tangled in a pile of fleece - maybe because of the fluff floating around this room. That garden sounds fabulous. Congatulations on scrounging plant leftovers. I still hgave some of mine to plant - we clsoed the Greenhouse on Saturday.

Gotta get cracking chickies. It's going to be a hot and busy day starting in a minute with gathering and putting our the dump stuff and ending this evening when I evaluate a new therapy dog and owner on a trial visit to the nursing home.

Happy Hump Day!

Good Morning everyone:
Just a quick hello. I couldn't sleep and have been up since 5:00a.m.

Ruth: I dislike deadly meetings too. I have learned to be a great doodler to keep myself from yawning or doing something worse. How is the gardening? I hope that you have success in finding someone to spend time with Harry so you can have a bit of time for yourself.

Mamacita: It sounds like you have a great garden in the process. When I read about all the gardens, then I wish we had space for one here, but then think better of it, since then I'd have to work.:

Hope you all have an OP day and keep up the good work. I am encouraged since I had a change in my medicine, and have been able to lose 5 lbs. I had been kicking myself for gaining, and it was nice to find out it wasn't all me. Lizzie

Hey, I am also a younger grandma too! Isn't it wonderful though? I just enjoy those little ones and have them every Tues. evening for at least 2 hours. while the parents work, shop what ever. I look forward to it and its a great calorie burner . Gotta remember all the up and down, chasing etc. Sounds like you had a great visit. The white scale is not always friendly but we all have to do it once in awhile. Just remember what ever it says its not glued there as you know with all you have lost! I have only lost 12lbs. and my goal keeps changing I guess thats normal now I'd like to lose at least 12 more and that would be so great. I take it off kind of slow but I figure if it stays off its better that way for me. I am at the lowest in at least 6 years. Have a super day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Skyfirefly

hello everyone!!!
it's gonna be a hot one here today, 90 and humid yuck!!

ellis- in re: road rage.... i think the thoughts are ok as long as you don't act on them. i am sure the medical profession won't agree with me, but i would love to ram my car into some of these jerks sometimes!!! as far as the laundry thing goes my record is near 2 weeks (a load of whites that ended up with nasty speckles) once i went out and bought all new socks and underwear for everyone to avoid using the washer....girl you are not alone!!!

ruth- sorry about the boring meetings, be careful out in the heat!!

rnmom safe trip home!!! hope the scale reunion is a happy one!!

jenn sorry bout the $$$ situation hang in there friday is just a short hop away.

lizzie great job on the loss!!!

hi mama welcome back!!!

cottage- sr agnes is in her 30's and a lot of fun but i know what you mean about the image of the habit!!! lol

ADD you totally fit in here keep up the great work!!!

skyfirefly hello!!
to all the rest of you beautiful beach babies have a great day!!!!

RNMom, you're far too young to be a grandma.
Safe trip home...

Karen, you're doing great!! Stay OP!!

Mamacita, so sorry your back is still giving you grief. I can imagine how frightening it must have been hearing that siren! Years ago when DH and I first lived together, there was a fire on our floor (10th floor of apartment building). The idiot who accidentally started it left the building and left his door open! The smoke was horrific... we had to crawl down the hall to the stairwell with wet towels over our faces. Now, everytime I hear a fire engine on our street in the night, I just about have a heart attack.

Ruth, I see you're into the Frankenfoods like the rest of us. Enjoy!!

Lizzie... 5 pounds!! That's wonderful, girl!!

Skyfirefly, what a sweet grandmother you are to give your kids a break like that. I hope they appreciate you.

I've still got a big flat of annuals in my trunk from yesterday... better get them out before they're baked...

Jodi, you're so right about the road rage.
And I'm glad I'm not the only one re: the laundry.
Hot here today, too. Stay cool, hon!

Hello, Beach Buddies! Hope everyone is having a good Wednesday! I get to leave work early today due to President Reagan's funeral -- the gridlock is supposed to be a nightmare My sister and I are getting up at 1 am to drive in to pay our respects at the Capitol. Should be an adventure -- we figured maybe not as many people would think this was a great thing to do at 3 in the morning. I'll let you know how it went.

Hey all,

Haven't posted here in a while. I am right now concentrating on eating 6 times a day and keeping to it. I have problems with binge eating, so right now I am just trying to establish a healthy schedule (which I think turns into 5 times a day on weekends). Basically it works out to the SB 3 meals and 3 snacks.

Speaking of younger grandmothers, my mom is getting a BAD case of the grandmas... She has four kids between the ages of 24-29 and no grandkids and most of her friends have grandkids. She'll talk about my friends' kids and buys stuff for her friends' kids. She's not pressuring me, but I think she would love an "accident" kind of deal (I am the only kid in a long term relationship, my eldest bro I doubt will have kids, the middle bro is a professional student and my little bro will have to go through hoops to try and adopt due to his sexual orientation).

Re: Road rage - I don't drive that much (parking where I work is too $$$), I seem to get more shopping cart rage (no bad stories or anything, just get annoyed when people leave their carts in the middle of the ailse and look far off and take forever). I just have to breathe and relax when I go let's say.

Ruth and Ellis: hope you're coping with the humidity.

Cheers!

Ali

Hi, everyone! Happy Wednesday It is STILL raining in Texas. I swear I'll be floating home from work one of these days. Seriously some people have been flooded out of their homes and we had over $100 million in damages in the DFW area last week due to 90 mph winds.

I am facing great temptation this morning! The guy in the next cube brought in donuts and bananas! Today is the day my company is celebrating Take your Kids to Work day but my son is only 6 so he is staying at day care and going rollerskating today. Anyway, bananas are my favorite fruit. Before SBD, I used to eat one every morning for breakfast. And donuts.... well, they just call my name. I told him if there were any bananas left at the end of the day I would take them home for my son but that I was not going to eat them! I did 30 min on the treadmill last night and am back down a half pound this morning and I refuse to undo that all by gorging on donuts.

On a better note, he also brought in summer squash from his garden and I already grabbed a few of them. We eat a lot of squash and my garden has not been cooperating this summer.

Holy Crinoly, Batman! (don't ask what a crinoly is...I don't know! )

You ladies have being yakkin' it up while I've been gone!

Ellis, thanks for helping me feel less lazy...I frequently have to run the wash again because I've left it and is smells. And I only have to put it in the dryer right next to the washer and push a button, not hang it up on a line! So I totally feel your pain and still think I get the lazy award. And personally, I happen to love your witty comments! I totally understand your road rage. I sometimes have fantasies about buying a big huge clunker and driving around rear ending all the people with road rage. Very bad...but satisfying when someone is driving up your behind!

Pebbles, so sorry about your eye! How did I miss that yesterday? Yup, I *love* the wineries! These are all along the Finger Lakes, long, skinny lakes bordered by tall hills all the way. Along these hills there are dozens of wineries, and you can go from one to the next, tasting (they give you half a glass of each wine they make to taste...after three wineries, I am asleep!). Very cool! I have not been to Dinosaur Barbecue, but I have eaten their food (they are at the state fair and have frozen meat and beans at our grocery store)...sooo good! Wonder if they make a SF barbecue sauce? If you head up this way, let me know. We can go to the wineries and forget about your MIL!

RNMom, enjoy the reunion with your scale! You don't have to weigh and tell, but you know we'll be cheering you on from afar. Have a very safe trip home!

Ruth, you are cracking me up! Sleeping with Mr. Freezees. Does Harry know? I get your pain, though. It's been really hot! Both bunnies were panting this morning, and it wasn't even 80 yet. *sigh* I need to move them downstairs, but the dog is there, and so we have a problem. DH is working overtime trying to get the basement finished off so we can move the bunnies down there, but so far, it looks like that's months away. If you guys get a chance to send up a prayer for the little bunzels to stay cool, I would really appreciate it. I worry about them so! And Ruth, "Scale Ho Porn???" !!! Too funny! Those meetings sound dreadful! Hopefully you don't have to go again for a long time. How did you get on the cemetary committee?

Where is LC on her favorite day?

Mamacita, I hope you feel much better soon! Your visit to that garden sounds heavenly! The siren must have been so scary! My mom still has memories of the air raid sirens during WWII. She lived in Seattle, and says she remembers everyone rushing to get in the basement and leaving her in her crib until the last minute. She was afraid they would leave her there! To this day, she is terrified of sirens, and she's 66!

Kiko, enjoy your day with the wee ones! I know what you mean about the energy, though. I think you and RNMom have done more exercise than any of us the last few days, even though you don't realize it!

on the five pound loss, Lizzie! That is fabulous!

Skyfirefly, how wonderful that your grandkids have you in their lives! And congrats on your loss and awesome attitude!

ADD, you definitely fit in with this group! So sorry that you have had so much going on! Hope things get much better! I noticed the Keto items at both grocery stores this week. Was wondering how they measure up and if they are pretty much Frankenfood. I find that eating those kind of bars starts me up with cravings, but hopefully you can tolerate them! The Fudgesicles, on the other hand, are perfect! They are just what I want after dinner, but they do not start any cravings. Yummmmmmm! Good for you for doing all that caregiving. I am sure your grandmother appreciated it. Sorry to hear about your grades, though. You know no one is going to care about your grades when you find a job, though, right? : I missed a lot of fun working so hard to get perfect grades. Imagine my surprise when I found out that no one really cared about my GPA! I am sure that you will be a fantastic nurse, ADD! And I bet you will do fantastic on SBD! Those first couple days are very hard, but it gets easier and easier!!!

Got on the scale today and was rewarded with 289 or less. I'm still on my TOM, so who knows what will happen next! We had the Pork Tenderloin with Chickpeas and Clams (no clams, I hate seafood!) last night and it was to die for!!! I didn't even know I was missing the carbs! Definitely try this recipe...it's in the SBD Cookbook. It uses Orange Juice for the marinade, but I do not know how much sugar that adds to the final product. It asks for a 1/2 cup, so I just bought the darn premade stuff rather than actually juicing oranges.

Went to the Wegmans in the next town over, where they have a much bigger selection. Found WW lasagna (bought 3 boxes!) and a bunch of other things. Found Whey powder, but none of the brands that were mentioned before. Found a bunch of other interesting things, like almond meal. Wonder what we could make with that? Bought a Low Carb recipe magazine and was a bit dissapointed, but it gave me some good ideas. One thing I wonder is what we can substitute for butter? In some things, olive oil would taste odd (like in baking). Can we cook with smart beat or another canola oil margerine? Not sure. Anyways, also found some Thai red curry sauce, premade, in a pouch. Looks SBD OP and I'm going to cook up some chicken in it for lunch. Definitely looking forward to that! Tonight we are having the veggie chili with avocado salsa for dinner from the SBD cookbook. I hope my avocado behaves and is ripe but not yucky.

DH woke me to go to the gym today, but I managed to keep sleeping and have no memory of it. He woke me again at 6:30, but it was too late to get to the gym on time by then. I'm going to do some gardening tonight, go for a long walk, and do some sit ups to make up for it. Bought some bellydancing videos yesterday and am eagerly awaiting their arrival!

Have an awesome beach day, chickies!

Hey! I'm joining the chat here, hope nobody minds.

I'm into my fourth day, feeling good about this whole thing, though I'm very sad that I can't have a beer this weekend. It's not a craving, I just enjoy a beer so much... mind you, I obviously have enjoyed it too much over the past year, as I credit beer and pizza to my 35lb weight gain. (Sigh... I remember being 115lbs. last summer, wearing all of those cute little jeans and capris and a BIKINI for goodness sake.) However, they have that fantastic new low-carb beer, which I hope to be able to enjoy on PH3. Is it allowed on Ph2, anyone?

I'm very sad about this whole Cool Whip situation. I desperately want to make the PB Cup, but we dont' have the CW Free in Canada... and looking at the label, that stuff is SO full of Hydrogenated Palm Oil and other such HORRORS, I can't believe we're allowed to eat it OP anyway. Advice? Someone? I can't have the Peanut butter cup. What will I do?

But back to "Day 4"... is it possible to already be feeling slightly thinner? I mean, I don't know if my mind is just playing tricks on me... but I dunno, I just feel better. Obviously, eating this healthily is going to produce an overall feeling of well-being, but as far as my body size... could I just finally be getting used to my body-shape? Or... might the girl-who-can-NEVER-lose-weight, actually be losing a pound or two? I will definitely update on Monday once I've done my Sunday weight-in... pending, of course, answers on my post in the forum about TOM and how that affects weight. That said, if I weigh heavy on my first weigh-in on the plan, then after week two I might seem like I'm down more! And we all know that would be a hoot! :

Looking forward to NOT feeling like a anymore! hehe

Hi Everyone... I went to bed feeling like I was getting sick and woke up with a sore thorat and clogged sinuses. I'm sipping my second cup of throat coat tea. DH made me breakfast which I ate, but it left a horrible taste in my mouth. I know how important it is to eat, but I feel yucky!

Pebbles Hi... I hope your eye is feeling better.

RNMOM I hope your trip home is safe and your reunion with your scale is a happy one.

Mamacita HI! Nice to meet you I know what you mean about sirens. When I was in High School we moved to a nighborhood that still had an air-raid siren. They test them once a month, I was home sleeping in and it woke me. Scared me half to death! I knew what I was hearing and didn't know what the h*ll to do! I called my mother at work in a panic... she told me that they test them.

Barb Congrats on resisting. It's always a good thing. It dosn't always feel good at the time but it pays off in the end. *hug*

I know about the grandma overdrive thing. My (step)Mom is anxious to be a grandma. Her middle sons wife got pregnant right after they moved to Arizona. My Mom is so excited about it. I was a little dissapointed at first because I had hoped to have the first grandchild... but I refuse to even *think* about getting pregnant at this weight and college and pregnancy isn't the best mix. I've been informed that as long as I stay in California (close to my parents) that I'll get all the benefits of Grandma. *heh*

I don't know about records for restarting laundry but I used to be really good at that... DH does the laundry mostly... but it does happen. I know there was a time where I would was the same load of clothes so many times (becasue of leaving it in the washer to mildew) that I would be disgusted with myself!

I looked at the Keto labels before I bought them... the ones that I've had are called "Vanilla Moons" ... Although I can identify all but one of the ingredients... OF COURSE they're frankenfood. Almost everything that you buy pre-packaged is frankenfood. Funny tho, the sugar free jello sets up cravings like crazy, these don't tho. And the chocolate coating, amazingly, dosen't seem to have a huge laxative effect on me (which I was afarid of becuase that's what happened when I tried a chocolate bar). I just pray that the nutritional information on it is accurate becuase I think I'm going to be relying on these to keep me on plan. Knowing that I have something that tastes good and satisfies helps.

It took me a second to figure out what TOM stood for. I have had issues with PMS (which DH says stands for Punish My Spouse) for ages... sometimes I feel like I have it for 3 weeks out of the month!

I weighed myself on the "broken" scale that we have... I don't trust it but maybe it can be considered accurate to itself... so I won't know my true weight but maybe know if I loose.

I got over the grade thing last winter. my motto is "C=RN" But it was a real slap in the face to have spent a semester learning about caring and "therepeutic communication" and all that crap to have them take away all the points that they did because of my grandmother's death, espeically when I never missed an entire day of school... I scheduled her freaking funeral so I could be at school to participate in a group presentation for petesake... She was really more like a mother to me than my biological mother. I guess the rule is "never practice what you preach".

Beachgal My container of "Earth Balance" fakey butter stuff says it can be used in cooking... and I think that you can use ICBINB in cooking... just read the package... Almond meal can be used in place of flour for a lot of things, but not by me since I'm allergic to almonds every time I read all the recipes with nuts (for things that I'd probably like to eat in a less-frankenfood incarnation the blue air starts to rise out of my ears! ) I have the SBD cookbook, I think there are recipes in there that use it.

I'm so frustrated with some of my food allergies... I'm tempted to joing the SBD website just to make repeated posts about nut allergies!

Thank you to everyone that said nice things to me... and telling me that I fit in... it's been well documented that I don't play well with others, but it's not for lack of trying (heck... maybe it's from trying to hard!) I didn't earn the nickname "runswithscissors" for nuthin' dontchaknow

I swear everytime I look at those smilies I see one that I hadn't seen before!

Lovingly,