Good morning everyone,

Hope you all had a good weekend. Saturday and part of Sunday was awfully dreary. It has gotten cooler too. The heat is running this morning.

Anne, how did things go with Best Buy over the weekend? Hope you got everything straightened out with customer service. What did they say about your computer?

Lynn, how did the puppy sitting go this weekend? Hope that you had good traveling weather.

Nikki, I tried the Lipton's Mixed Berry green tea and it's very good. I really like the Orange, Jasmine, & Passionfruit. If you're looking for the Red Vanilla tea, it's in a red box with a lion on the front.

DH is working some normal hrs. this week. He'll be going into work in the mornings this week.

Have a good Monday.
Aleka

Good Morning Everyone:
My computer is fixed and back at home It had six viruses and Trojan
Horses It ended up costing me $260.00 because I had the
memory upgraded by another 256 mbm I had Norton 2005 installed and
Spysweeper intalled. It is running like a dream.....I downloaded Yahoo
Messenger so I will be able to chat with you guys

Nikki!!! weigh to go You are doing wonderful. I have dropped
15 pounds in the last two weeks. Of course I am sure it is mostly water
but I am back on track. You weigh considerably less than me now. I am
a dumpy 240 My goal is to get below this 200 pounds once in for all.

Aleka it is freezing here. I am so glad to hear your DH will be working
some regular hours this week. I was waking up all night long. I guess its
the anticipation of another week of

Hi Lynn, cold enought for you How is it going at curves?

Have a great day.
Anne.

Hi,
It's cold here. It was -2 at 5am, then dropped to -8 by 8am. They say tomorrow, it will warm up above zero, and I'm looking forward to that. Glad the wind is light right now.
Aleka, I looked and can't find the red tea. I might have to go to the health food store. They have a larger variety of teas. I'm still drinking a cup of coffee a day too. I like to get a cup from McDonalds, it's very hearty and about the only treat I allow myself.

Anne, good for you, losing 15 pounds Some of it is water, but that's way too much to be all water. Your doing great, keep it up
I know that this year, will be THE YEAR that we make it into onederland. I really believe, we can make it to our goal weights too. My goal is to be 150 lbs by the time I turn 50 and I want to be healthy and strong. Actually, I want to do that this year and if not completely this year, to be finished next year. I know it's possible to reach our goals, we can do it together
Bet your really glad to get your computer back. That was fast!

Lynn, hi and hope your trip was a good and safe one. Will talk to you all later, I have to go get a quick nap in and then take a shower. I like to nap for about 1/2 in the morning, it seems to help me get thourgh the rest of the day. I'm always up until midnight and then back up at 4 or 5am, so napping makes me happy.
Nikki

Good morning,

Anne, WAHOO!!!! That's fantastic!!! 15 lbs in 2 weeks!!! I was watching SS on HSN last night because there was nothing else on TV. They were doing the SS segment. A woman came on, I remember her from SS BB, and she had lost 90 lbs.! SSizing is really working for you.

Nikki, is it still cold? I had an early morning hair appt. this morning and it was 38 deg. when I left. It has warmed up into the 40's already. The health food store is where I found the first pkg. of red vanilla tea. But, then I discovered it in the grocery store we go to, way up on the top shelf. We had our coffee over the weekend. Sometimes we drink it at night, but it's always decaf, otherwise I'm awake most of the night. You are well on your way to making your goal.

Lynn, how are things going with you? Glad you made it back ok.

Well, gotta get my 2 mile walk in.

Aleka

Good morning,
Yesterday, I did the 3 mi in the morning and the 2 mi in the evening. I was bored, nothing on tv. What I found out was, after doing the 3 mi for a few weeks, doing the 2 mi is like eating candy, it's a lot more enjoyable. I decided I'll start doing either the 1 or 2 mi in the evening just to kick it up a notch as Emeril says. I'll still do the 3 mi in the morning, not as much fun, but makes me feel better. Those new government guidelines say to get what, like 60-90 min of exercise a day? I didn't read it very closely. Outrageous amount for anyone that works or has kids.

Aleka, we are getting wind from the south now, so it's suppose to warm up. Even so, with the wind, it still feels plenty cold. Lynn said that it was suppose to get down to -38 last night up there. What did it get to Lynn and Anne? That's some cold weather.

I have to go feed the squirrels. Yesterday, I didn't feed them until noon. I saw these little furry tails running by the windows on the front porch and soon, they were looking in the windows at me. I think they are getting kind of spoiled. There are 4 of them now that are hanging around. My DD feeds them too at her house and she says she has 12 of them sitting on her front porch. Her neighborhood has a lot of big trees so they are full of squirrels.

Later, Nikki

Good Morning All: First of all Anne Congrat's At first I thought it was 1.5 lbs. and I was impressed, than when the girls told me it was 15 was I was VERY impressed. I guess you froze your butt this morning. If it was -38 God knows what it is here. Well the big weight in and measuring at Curves was yesterday and that was a reality check. I have put 4 lbs on since NOV 1. I am doing the low-carb Curves and so far so good. I am in the right frame of mood this time. It is over a year since I started posting here and we are all on the same page at once. God I hope for sucess for us all. I even did the goals and exercises in the book. I can no longer kid myself I have the measurements written down and have to go though it again next week. We have the wood stove on and cracklin of the wood is so comforting. I am going to go to Curves around noon than on to the LIbrary and some shopping. Now if the car doesn't start it will be the WATP tapes for me later. I might do them anyway around 4-5 because that is my rough time. Well on with my day I will be back later.

Good Morning All:
Lynn, it is bloody freezing. I can't remember it ever being this cold in Toronto.

Thank you all for your congrats. Like I said I'm sure alot of it is water because of the bad eating I had been doing. I feel alot better. I will feel
better still when I am down another 25 pounds and I am my typical fatness

Lets all make this the year

A co worker of mine that works in another department has just told me
yesterday she has breast cancer. I asked her how old she was and she told
me she is 51. I have felt depressed ever since I heard that. It seems like
so many young woman develop this illness. I am going to try natural progesterone for real. It is suppose to balance out the hormones in a person
who has an excess of estrogen. I have all signs of that one the more I read
about it.

Have a great day all.
Anne.

Evening,
Anne, that is shocking when you hear someone that is around our age with breast cancer. We have a friend (we're not close anymore, we use to hang out when DH and I first started to see each other) that we just found out has liver cancer and spots on his lungs. Just kind of hits you between the eyes when you find something like that out. Plus, it makes me want to try even harder to take care of myself, life is short.
Talk to you tomorrow, Nikki

Good Morning All:
Nikki you are so right. It does make you want to do your best to stay
as healthy as possible. I think the transition from peri menopause to
menopause is especially dangerous. So many women are right in that
age group when they get nailed The "experts" put alot of this down to
estrogen dominence (excuse my spelling)

Aleka, wow! I bet that lady looked great if I lost 90 pounds I would be at an ideal weight!

I don't know if I mentioned it to you guys or not. Do you know both my mom
and sister are losing tons of hair I'm serious. My sisters hair
dresser asked her if its from not eating enoughing. Personally I think they
both look like **** , they are so skinny. I'd rather look like me!!! Someone who works with my sister who is just recovering from an eating disorder approached my sister about her size (or lack there of). I am thinking this
all started when my dad was really sinking. It was the one thing (eating)
they both could control.

Lynn, the weather is suppose to be some better today. That was much too
much

Anne.

Good morning,

It still is chilly here. I had the heat running all day yesterday. Can you imagine they were talking about wind chill in FL? It is supposed to be a little bit warmer today.

Anne, that is awful about your co worker. Yes, it does make you want to take better care of your health. I wish her all the best. Not eating right or not eating at all could cause hair loss. Maybe with the hair loss, they'll start eating better. The woman who was on with Suzanne did look great. She really was an inspiration.

Lynn, good for you on being committed to your eating plan and exercising. We all seem to be committed this year. I read my horoscope for the winter months and it said that some planet will be aligned with some other planet and that would make me more committed to something whether it be to lose weight or whatever. You know, they were right.
Nikki, you really are exercising. Good for you! I really admire you for exercising at night. When I do my 2 mile walk....I'm done! I read that gov't report too. I think with the amount of exercise they've recommended, they're going to discourage a lot of people from exercising.

DH has to be to work at 9:30 am this morning, so gotta go make breakfast.

Have a good day.
Aleka

Morning,
Anne, sounds like the hair loss would be diet related to me too. I bet your right about their eating being what they can control. I'm sure it worries you. Encourage them to take vitamins and supplements if they aren't already. Hair loss can also be related to trauma, whether it's emotional or physical.

Just exercised once yesterday. Was going to again last night but I layed on the couch too long and fell asleep. Darn couch, always dragging me into it's clutches

Aleka, when is your birthday? I can't remember. What's your sign? I'm a gemini. I really do fit that description, the twins. My birth stone is the pearl, but also, it's alexandrite, the color change stone. I have some created alex in technibond from HSN. It really does change color and I wear it alot, even if it is unbelieveable big. The small alex isn't as good and I've read it doesn't really change color.

Hi Lynn, what's going on? What do you do with your dog when it's that cold out side? Do you still go for walks or just let her run in the yard? I use to hook mine to a chain and then let her go. I'm such a wimp about getting cold.

Better go exercise, I've avoided it as long as I can, Nikki

Nikki, your alex ring sounds lovely. Does the stone change color as to what color you're wearing or what you put it near? My birthday is in July and my sign is Leo. But, I'm not a typical Leo. Leo's are generally more outgoing and like the spotlight. I'm not like that at all. I do have other Leo traits though. My birthstone is a ruby. DH bought me a ruby & diamond birthstone ring many..many years ago. I wore it one day when I was visiting my late grandmother, whose birthstone was a garnet. She told me what a pretty garnet ring I had. I told her it was my birthstone, a ruby. She was adament it was a garnet, and we went back and forth a few times. So, then I just gave up and said ya, it was a garnet. The discussion was going nowhere, and I just didn't want to get into it any further.
I'm off to do my 2 mile WATP tape. You know, I actually feel smaller in some places. I am not eating all that well, since DH has been working nights, just a sandwich or soup. I haven't had any veggies. So, I think I'm going to try to start eating a little better. I got out SS cookbook and plan on making lower fat versions of her recipes. That way DH can take some to work with him instead of him eating soup and crackers, which is easy for him to nuke, as he only has 1/2 hr. to eat.

Aleka

Ali,
Alexandrite changes with light, it's different in sunlight or indoor lighting. The created ones I have change from a deep purple with hints of red, to bright pink and then a beautiful blue. The ones on HSN that are real, change from green to a gray blue, but they say the big real ones from Russia, change more like my created ones. I like the fake ones better and they are way cheaper.
The best rubies are clear and look more like a garnet. Garnets are clear stones, rubies are usually kind of cloudy, clear rubies without a lot of inclusions (what yours sounds like) are very expensive and hard to get anymore. I like rubies, they were my mom's birthstone too. Garnets come in a rainbow of colors and my favorite is Tsavorite (it comes from Russia and is beautiful), which is a bright green. I have some purple garnets, called rhodolite that my DD gave me for Christmas. Very pretty stones. I am a gemstone nut, I guess. If only I had the money to collect them
Got my walk in this morning and it went really fast. I think, I'm going to start listening to music and just turn off the sound on the tv. I know everything she is going to say by heart and never really listen anymore anyway.
Talk to you later, Nikki

Good Morning All: First of all NIkki I only listen to music when doing Lesley. I think that is what renewed my interest in music. DD downloaded a lot of CD's for me of music that she knows I like. I now have enough that I can listen to a different one every day. My interests in music now run that gamit. One day new country, the next rock bands (Bon Jovi) the next show tunes from broadway. and so on. In fact that prompted my xmas present from DH, tickets to a broadway show, I picked the Queen revival coming this summer and tickets to a Blue Rodeo concert, my favorite Canadian band. We also drive to a nearby city at the lake in the summer almost evey Saturday to see shows that the city put on for free during the summer. Boy Anne it sure sounds like your mom and sister need to start eating. Your Dad's death with be with you all forever but they have to stay healthy. Did they ever get the dog? That would be a way for them to channel time and energy and then help them move on. Aleka, I have found some good low fat recipes on the South Beach board here. I have been looking at the phase 1 recipes go take a look. They are a lot like curves and core. They want protein and low fat, which can be a life style. I have a new addiction, tetley's honey lemon ginseng green tea with a slice of lemon. It has taken the place of coffe for me. I switched to decaff coffee and have had my usual headache, so thought I would get off it as much as I can. Well I guess it is time to do Lesley and today is house cleaning day. DH has been sitting and doing jig saw puzzles and crossword puzzles for 3 day now so he doesn't know it yet but he is going to help!!!!! he used to at least shovel the snow but now pays for someone to do it most of the time. He has to do somethng I am sick of looking at him. Later

Nikki, I think I would like your Alexandrite better than what they sell on HSN. The colors you've discribed sound so beautiful. I am not that knowledgeable about gems, I wish I were. My favorite gemstone is sapphire, only because I love the color blue. Sapphire is DH's birthstone and I bought a braided ring with small sapphire, rubies, and diamonds intertwinted. I wear that ring all the time stacked with an enternity band DH got me from the Q for our 30th anniv., which is their diamonique. I wear this as my wedding set because I can't get my wedding ring over my knuckle anymore. I had to take it off for some reason and had a very difficult time getting it over the knuckle and had the same problem trying to get it back on. So, I thought I'd leave things well enough alone.
I know what you mean about exercise tapes and hearing the same thing over and over again. I never thought of listening to music while I'm exercising to her tapes. HMMMM, that's a good idea. I know already I'm sick of her asking one of the girls how her new baby is.
Gotta go do some house cleaning. I'm sick of looking at the dirt.

Ali