Good morning, Chickies~~

At least I think it's good. Woke up with a sinus headache, then found out TOM was here. UGH!

Yesterday was so dead in the lab that I knitted an entire scarf. Granted it was chunky yarn, but still...only one patient..and he was waiting for me when I drove up. I'm sure today will be more of the same. Dh has generously offered to lend me his new toy (portable DVD player). I might just take him up on it and watch a couple chick flicks.

Not much else going on, but I need to go get my lunch packed and head to the gym. Hope all you chicks have a great day on the Beach!

Mamacita

Happy Hump Day to all and Five Golden Rings.

I'm off for my mammogram - oh joy! - and then will pick up some fresh veggies while I'm in town.

Catch y'all later!

Mornin' chickies,

Nothing much going on across the pond right now. I imagine we're going to have a burst of activity and several new beach chairs in the coming weeks.

Is anyone doing anything special/fun/unusual for New Year's Eve? We're staying home with a bottle of bubbly, but that's about it.

I'm trying to get psyched to spend several hours at a time outside in the winter weather. Next week I'm going to Paris for a couple of days. Now where did I put those new wool socks?

Have a good day, all.

Morning chicks the wee ones are back today, but only 4 so that is not too bad. Finally got word last night that we will be done working next Thursday yeah.....I will miss it but not the night time.. my younges dd is real happy.

Mama- I think you may have inspired me to knit again. Do you have a pattern for the scarfs?? ( could you pm me if you do ) I too have TOM and a Sinus things going on....hope you have a great day.

Ruth- hope you get lots of veggies and have fun with the boob squish.

a broad abroad- The New Years things always starts a discussion at my house we never want to do the same thing. We have a couple of options we may go skiing but not sure of a friend is having a party with a live band playing if we go there I don't drink cause I will have to drive atleast I won't feel bad the next day

Well chicks I must go the wee ones want to have a game of life and I am taking up to much computer time I will check in again later if I am allowed

Morning chickies,

Weighed in the same today! No loss for last week but no gain either. TOM is lurking and I'm hoping it gets underway so maybe I can weigh in a little better for Jan 1.

I'm so close to onederland. I can see it! But I have a problem. I've been invited to a gourmet 5 or 7 course dinner on Friday night. This is the same lady I turned down a couple of months ago. I'm afraid if I don't go I won't be invited again and she throws very fun parties. I really like her but I would like to stick to my diet. That's why I didn't go before. I know the entree is beef wellington so I can pick the puff pastry off the beef. But I'm not sure what else to do. I don't have a date but my parents are peer pressuring me into going because they don't want me to be alone on New Years Eve. I've been wavering on what to do. Any advice?

Hope you have an OP kind of day!

Morning chikcs!

Mama I wish I knew how to knit or crochet- I stick to crossstitching, which I haven't done in some time. Enjoy your downtime at work!

Ruth Oh, fun! Sounds like an exciting day for you.

Anchor If you are feeling "SB strong" go to the party- just eat the things you can eat. You could always let the hostess know ahead of time- not so she will prepare anything special, but so that she won't be offended if there is a course or two you don't eat.

LC We typically don't even have to discuss what we are doing for New Year's because DH usually works. One pitfall of the restaurant industry. DD and I are going to a friend's house, but it won't be much past 9:00 or so. I imagine I will be sleeping at midnight!

Not much to report here- I am not being nearly as productive as I could/should be on this break of mine. Where is my motivation?????

Ruth, didn't you just HAVE a mammogram?!?! Are you just having them for pleasure's sake, now?

Crap... everyone is getting to TOM, which means mine must be just around the corner.

Mamacita and Little Chick, I got my daughter some knitting stuff for Christmas, and we're both going to do it! (we also each got three scarves for xmas... typical!)

A broad abroad, I'll most likely be cozied up in bed on New Year's.
Speaking of cozy, my children bought me Sponge Bob things for Christmas (I LOVE SB!), and one of the gifts was a big stuffed Sponge Bob. DH wasn't impressed to find me cozied up in bed with it when he came up last night .

Kiko, how's the baby coming, love?

Amy, I'm with Kiko. Let your friend know ahead of time that there are some things you just can't eat. That you really want to come, but don't want to offend her in "picking and choosing". I'm sure she'll understand, and will just be glad of your company.

You wouldn't believe the mice in here! (my pantry) I hated to do it (they're so cute!), but I've had to put down poison. There's an entire new brood of them in here. Please don't anyone suggest the "trap and release" method.

Going to do a bit of renovating in the kitchen. The new deadline for the completion is now NEXT Christmas!

Kiko - Your motivation is being taken up by that baby you are growing! Relax and enjoy your break from teaching. School starts next Tuesday in Richardson. If you seriously want to learn to crochet, I could teach you. If I can teach my son, it should be easy to teach you.

Anchor - I would talk to the lady who invited you. She must know that you are serious about losing weight. Ask her what she is serving but explain that you don't expect her to change anything. This way you can find out if you can eat a reasonable amount of it. I have one friend who gets terrible migraines with most foods. She brings a dish with food she can eat that I heat up in the microwave and I make sure I serve some plain steamed broccoli she can eat. You can also eat a small meal ahead of time and go and enjoy the company and whatever food is on plan.

ABroad - We are still trying to determine who to invite but I'm going to fix a meat/veggie whole wheat lasagne and try to get some of the wine used up that people keep bringing us. We aren't even sure which day we will do it yet.

Ruth - Enjoy your mammogram. May your results be as normal as mine were recently.

Me - I'm down a half pound for my weekly weigh in today. Not much on the month but at least I am down. I'm working from home today and expect they will let us off early. Then I need to dash over to the driver's license office and get my license renewed.

Ellis - We posted at the same time. I think you may be remembering my mammogram. I was the one who shocked the technician with my change is chest size. Good luck on the mice. We have them at work sometimes and they use sticky traps. I'd loan you a cat but you are a little too far!

Hey Chicks another quick drive by for me. Tryin to get ready to go shopping with my MIL. I'm runnin behind. No I'm not even runnin behind I think my coat is caught in the door and I am being drug behind! (Or atleast that is the way I feel today!) Gotta jet chicks. I hope you all have a great day.

Thanks everyone! I thing your advice is good. She knows that I'm trying to diet so I'll just explain ahead of time. I've also offered to bring the wine - big surprise so that should help any sore feelings about not eating everything.

Ellis - Every year I had problems with mice at my house on the lake. I finally started using those things that you plug into the wall that emit a frequency through the houses' wiring that mice, spiders, ants etc don't like so eventually they leave. It worked on the mice great but I still had water spiders and ants - it did cut down on the spiders (anyone who lives on water can attest to the nasty water spider problem) but didn't eliminate them. My brother had a flying squirrel problem at his cabin in the woods and those electric things worked up there too. You can get them at the hardware store. Good Luck!

Back from the mammo. Yes, Ellis, I did have an appointment for one a while ago but I had the wrong appointment written down and they couldn't work me in when I was really late!

It's snowing again, dammit! Harry has decided he really doesn't need to go to the Library so we'll snuggle in for the day. Bob is coming over for a soup and crusty bread lunch and to finally pick up his four cases of wine glasses and huge chafing dishes. My dining room will look empty if it weren't for the honking big box with the treadmill!

Nobody has given me Five Golden Rings but the day is young yet!

Ruth, I can't sing worth a darn can I? Sounds like you've had an eventful day so far.......gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "fresh squeezed"

Mama, be grateful for the famine in the lab...............enjoy the videos. My daughter got a portable DVD player for Christmas and was glad. She left to go back home yesterday and was stuck in the airport in Chicago for HOURS. I'm not sure how you get stuck on your way to Dallas from Idaho in Chicago but whatever.

Hi Abroad, no we aren't doing anything for New Years. We are so boring. Spending time in Paris???? I'm feeling sorry for you.

Little chick, enjoy the wee ones. Did you win at LIFE? Let me in on the secret OK?

Anchor Weight, good luck on the party. No advice here. I've stayed away from lots of stuff to keep from being tempted. If the hostess knows what you are doing maybe she'll be accomodating for you. Think onderland....that is so cool that you've done so well during the holidays!

Kiko, motivation is on vacation! Enjoy the break!

Ellis, I'm sure no one is going to turn you into PETA......you shouldn't have to put up with unwanted houseguests. Next Christmas on the kitchen huh?

Barb, way to go on the half pound. I think it is incredible that anyone can even maintain during the holidays! You are my hero!

Bamigurl, I'm having an image of Lampoon's grandma in my head

Not much here, I'm getting ready for work but decided I needed to color my hair first. Ruth I wish we were getting some of your snow. It is soooooo blah here. Didn't have a white Christmas and the skiing in the area is bad or nonexistant. We certainly need the snow for the summer farms as well.

Hope you are all having a great day!

Hi All,

Sounds like everyone is having an eventful day! It's windy and cold here in Bee-oo-tiful Western Massachusetts.

I'm on my second day of Phase 1. It seems to be tolerable, although I am suddenly noticing all the bread, cookies, and pasta lying around my house! I had a salad for lunch with leftover baked salmon and steam-fried broccoli, lettuce, a little lowfat cheddar and a bare Tbsp of dressing. Not bad, actually. Dinner tonight is more salad and garlic-sauteed Swiss chard with some sort of black bean chili or soup - I haven't decided yet if it will be spicy or not! The kicker was having something for breakfast - I didn't prepare anything last night, so I had to scrounge some sliced turkey and an egg. I'll need to put together something better than that for the upcoming days. I've been lurking in the recipe sections... What did you all like best? I'm thinking I'll try those "quiche cups" to start with.

Take care,
Solarmama

Everyone is up and busy already.

Aren't those annual tests they came up with for women fun fun fun!

Anchor: I am with everyone else on the party, just let your host know and pick at what you can eat or you could use the three bite rule on the foods that are not SBD friendly. That seemed to work for a few people at Thanksgiving. We have such a huge problem with spiders and I don't like poisons so think I will try the electronic devices on them.

Mama: I don't think there is anything worse than when work is so quiet. I would much rather be really really busy. Enjoy your movies today though.

Barb: You are awesome. Losing weight over the holidays.

Abroad: Enjoy the couple of days in Paris and don't freeze your feet while there.

Ellis: We had a mouse problem at the restaurant and finally had to resort to poison (which is huge for me cuz I hate poisons) in the attic. Of course, the Health Department does not allow poison but we were being overrun and the little buggars were just hanging out with the wait staff after closing. I hated to do it but the sticky traps were not enough and I don't know where they think those things are humane. We tried the catch and release method too and that doesn't work either. So no more mouse problem for us.

Kiko: I am wanting to learn to knit too. I bought the Knifty Knitters for two of my granddaughters for Christmas and they can make scarves, hats, and gloves with those. But I need to do something with my hands besides food.

I wish we could have some of Ruth's snow too RNMom. I bet Ruth would gladly give it to us too!

Little Chick, how many little ones at your house? Hope you enjoyed the game.

As for me I am so ready to have the kids move out. The 8 yo granddaughter has problems similar to ADHD and she is being a handful lately. Too much off her schedule for her to keep it together, visits with the other grandma and too many new things. She left her new Christmas dress laying on top of the dog's crate and he ate it, thankfully he threw it back up too. Didn't need that surgery right now. I have been working a lot and now today I woke up with that darned cold everyone has been packing around. At least I got through Christmas day without getting sick. Some guy at the casino (two machines over from me) won $24,000 on a penny machine last night. I told him that was my machine but he wasn't buying it. Happy for him though. Well off to work for me pretty soon. I am going to spend some time going through the recipes and picking some that I want to try for January Phase I. If anyone has not tried Ellis' meatball recipe everyone here really enjoyed it and if you are on Phase II it made a really good meatball sandwich.

Solarmama: There are a lot of really good recipes on the boards. The quiche cups are nice cuz you can just keep them in the fridge ready to grab. The other thing I do to keep my veggie intake at breakfast is have some V-8 juice with whatever.

Congratulations on completing day one successfully.