G'day all,

Slavika what a pain for Trudy to have computer problems again I have Windows XP Professional and it did take a while to get used to. So much so that I changed back to Windows 2000 but have now gone back to XP again. persevered and now like it.

Ann Thank goodness Ivan decided to do a detour and not visit Florida. Certainly sounds like the busy season is starting for you. My eldest sister, since the death of her husband, sings in a choir. They mainly go to retirement villages and all they ask for is a donation. This donation is then given to their local hospital. Last year they raised $5000. She loves doing it and the bonus is the money they raise for their hospital.

It has finally dawned on me why people always think that my dh doesn't have to worry about his weight and how 'lucky' he is not to have to worry about his weight.
I think his secret is when he is out, he doesn't really restrict himself (or that is how it seems) so therefore people THINK he can eat what he likes.
I am always saying 'I cannot have that, I am trying to loose weight' and that seems to then prompt people to encourage you to have it anyway.
It used to depress me to think, like Ann said, that I could never indulge again in my favourite things. Now that I have worked out by observation how dh does it, I KNOW I can indulge from time to time but not 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Someone commented at the weekend that I have lost weight and asked what diet I was following, I very matter of factly said that I have changed my eating habits and that I am NOT on a diet!

On that note of wisdom I will say have a great day!

Cheers
Maria

Maria: Good thinking and a great answer. I'll have to remember that!!!

We quietly came back to town this evening. Hoping Ivan doesn't find out that we are here. People have hinted that we are the ones who brought this years awful hurricane season with us. So if Ivan doesn't know we are here he should contunue on his way.

Atlanta was a busy place. The weather up there was great. Not too hot and muggy. Very nice to be out and about in. We did a bit of shopping and I did find a place to get the rest of my hair cut off. I was going in stages. But should have gone for a crew cut the first time around. My hair was much to long for this humid weather. Now all have to do is run my fingers through it and it is almost fixed!

Ann how are things going in your neck of the woods??

Maria I love your answer. What a way to head people off and too not have them push food.

I checked my e-mail while I ws gone and found a message for the territory manager for this part of the world. Seems she has lost my information and would like me to re-send it to here so the paper work can be started. We I got to tell you I was none too happy that this wasn't already tended to. So have told her I may not be interested in working any longer. I will be making that decision in a few days and let her know. I'm not sure if I want to start that running again. Kind of like doing as I please every day of the week. Besides I don't want to work for some one who doesn't have her act together.

Well it was a long trip home and I need to get a good nights sleep. Talk to you all tomorrow.

Karen

Hi Everybody
Today was Weight Watcher's and I was happy to stand on the scale and hear that I was 1.4# DOWN. I'm getting there.
During today's meeting our Leader asked if there was any questions so I asked about the cereral that Lily mentioned that had just 1 gr. of sugar but she didn't think it could be counted as a core food as the literature says NO SUGAR.
Today instead of having Tea Time at my place Trudy and I and another friend went to visit our friend who had back surgery and took Tea Time to her place. She's still in pain but hopefully she'll soon be feeling better.
It actually turned out to be a rather nice sunny day here for a change.......I loved it.

G'day all,

Well done Slavika on you week's loss. Slowly but surely we will get where we want to be!

Karen It seems to have worked you keeping quite about moving back to your place, pleased Ivan has diverted his attention elsewhere.
Sounds pretty slack to me the territory manager loosing your info, how annoying.
It doesn't take long to get used to doing your own thing , unless you miss the interaction with the members attending your meetings, perhaps it would be nice to try something new you would like to do.

This weekend dh is flying into Melbourne from Sydney and I am flying in from Adelaide to visit our dd who has recently moved house.
DH will leave from Melbourne to Sydney again on Monday morning and I will fly home Tuesday afternoon. So there won't be an official Weigh In this Monday for me.
It is going to be a bit of a test to spend 4 days with my dd, I am going to really try to stay on track. She will notice a big difference, she has not seen me since I started the weight loss in earnest. I am sure she will encourage me to do the 'right' thing.

Another thing I have started to do this week is the following......
I love my fruit but at times it is a bit of a pain to do the peeling, dicing etc. So now I choose my daily fruit allowance in the morning, e.g. apple, orange, strawberries, watermelon and dice it all and put it aside in a dish.
So now when I feel a bit peckish, I help myself to my bowl of diced fruit with perhaps a spoon of no-fat yoghurt.
It has worked well for me so far this week.

All in all, my new healthy way of eating is proving to be of great benefit, I sleep better, I look better and I feel much happier in myself.
The slowness doesn't concern me too much anymore, I feel very confident that this IS going to be the new me!

At the moment our local TV station has a competition and the price is a trip to the country of the Maple Leaf. The scenery of Canada is just spectacular, breath taking. A definite must to visit when we retire.
I have entered the competition but won't be holding my breath on winning

Have a great day all,
Cheers
Maria

Karen: I don't think you are to blame. Our Pastor says he is to blame since he has already lived through and experienced 6 other hurricanes up in N. Carolina. He has become the Hurricane Magnet. Sounds like you had a nice time in Atlanta. Maybe you could try for the regional managers job.: Of course, maybe, Charlie and Frances had something to do with her losing the info. That, of course, would be giving her the benefit of the doubt.

Slavika: Congrats on once again going down.

Maria: Keep up the good work. Heard on our TV that Lucent is one of the top stocks. That should be reassuring? You certainly should have frequent flyer miles with all the flying you both are doing. Hope you and dd have a great time together.

Glenda: I can just imagine you having a very restful time. Sure hope so. That is what vacations are for.

Hi everyone. 'See' you tomorrow. Ann

Thank you Ann about the Lucent stock. It certainly is encouraging. I passed it on the dh and he said that the stock had gone down 6 cents yesterday morning
The fact that it was mentioned as top stock on your TV service might mean that there is something we don't know about.
Being an American company, Lucent very seldom rates a mention on our TV services.

Cheers
Maria

Hi Everybody

I was talking to Trudy earlier and she told me that yet another hurricane "Jeanne"
is making itself known.
I don't understand why all of a sudden there are so many of them.
She is picking her computer up this evening so she will soon be back online.
Peggy what are you up to? Any nibbles on either of your houses? I know that Maria is going to spend a few days with her DD. I hope you have a really nice visit with her Maria.
I was thinking about Marnie today. I hope she is doing well. She is likely keeping busy with her quilting.
Karen and Ann how are you gals doing? How's your weather?
Our weatherman is promising us some nice weather for the weekend. We'll see....he had been wrong many many times before.
Talk to you all soon.

Ann: Thanks for the experience at the Shelther. You had quite a time!

Slavika: Thanks for asking about the Sugar. I did find out also it was a no. The ceral I got looked like Kashi had 8 grams of fiber. was 90 cal for a cup. I took it one day. And I could not believe for 1 gram of sugar how sweet it was. I couldnt eat. It was awful to say the least. I trashed it It had to be mislabled

Trudy: Sorry you had Puter problems again. at Least you have someone to fix it. WTG on the LOSS!!!!

Maria: Yes you can induldge! Its the over doing that kills us. Great answer! You are doing so good! Have a great weekend with DD!

Karen: Wow unbelieveable about your territory Manager. Maybe it is time to quit. You were always running. Maybe its time to relax for a change.

Slavika: Woo Hoo! On your loss to! That was sweet to take tea time to your Friend

Off to do my Sat Chores!

Going to watch The Passion of Christ tonight. Looking Forward to it

Hi all,

It has been just the best weekend. The weather was beautiful both yesterday and today. The sun is shining and the sky is blue and no hurricanes heading towards us.

My Friend from Minnesota was here for a very breif visit. She came yesterday about 3:00 and had to leave today at 1:00. her husband just dropped her off while he went farther south to check out his friends orange grove. The orange grove got quite a bit of damage. a lot of trees were blown over. But the people who take care of the place were fine. And that is the main thing. Any way it was fun to have another girl to do things with.(SIL never wants to do anything) And I finally got to use one of the pools. (Either we were on the run or they were closed because of all the rain.) it was great. The water as not cold just very refreshing. We had a great tiime catching up on what is going on in Minnesota. My friend is the gal I worked with for so long with WW. She also said maybe it was a good thing for me to give it. She said she had never seen me look so rested. And she is right. I don't have bags under my eyes any more and I do feel more relaxed.

Trudy I hope your back is better.

Lily I hope you enjoyed the movie. I bought it a few weeks ago and we watched it and I have to tell you there were times when I wished I had not. It was too bloody and violent for me. I know that is what really happened . But it was too-too much. Just one womens opinion.

Maria I hope you are enjoying your visit.

Slavika what going on with you?

Ann hope you were able to enjoy this beautiful weekend.

Karen

Hi Everybody

Hi Karen sure was nice hearing from you today. I'm so happy that the hurricanes you guys had are behind you, and now you get to enjoy Florida the way it was meant to be enjoyed. It was nice that you had a friend to visit with too. Maybe you have worked enough, and now it is time for you and DH to do whatever you want. The other thing I was thinking about, was now that you are in such a nice spot you might be getting more "company" visiting you.
DH and I are having a truly relaxing day. DH does need it, as his back is still hurting him, and tomorrow he is back to the office.
Lily what did you think of Passion of Christ? I didn't see it when it was in the theatres but I thought maybe on the TV screen it wouldn't be so "MUCH" and maybe I could handle it. I might feel like Karen.....I guess I could fast forward the parts that I would find to difficult to watch.
My little graddaughter phones me almost every day to discuss "Maui". Pretty soon I will have to resort to making up stuff because I think I have told her everything I know.
We are going to have simple dinner tonight, BBQ steak, baked potatoes and vegs. I have nice buns to go with our meal and some pudding for dessert.
Nothing else going on with me....we are enjoying a lovely day here today, I even got about 8 or 9 tomatoes out of my garden.

Slavika,
I got to tell you that you would have to fast forward the whole movie almost.

Karen: Sure glad the Hurricanes are behind you now. What a way to start living in Florida huh? Yep she would have to fast forward thu the whole thing.

Slavika: It was like Karen Said very Bloody. I did alot of closing my eyes and I cried alot to. I just cant believe it happen. But it did. I did think it was worth watching tho. I think Mel did a wonderful job on getting the facts out. I bet Princess is so excited to go