Hi, Turtles, and welcome to all lurkers or newbies. This is a group of folks dedicated to staying the course, no matter how slow. All are welcome to join in!

Choosewell, I'm so glad to see you posting again. How are you doing after your operation?

Swania, we miss you! Are you still reading? Did you send a note to Suzanne yet?

Bandit, way to go on that great loss! What an inspiration!

Judy, you're an inspiration, too. I know you don't feel much like one, but you are. You're a faithful poster and cheerleader, and you don't give up even when you backslide. Thanks for that.

I've backslidden quite a bit during the past couple of weeks, which also explains my silence. I know that's precisely when I shouldn't be silent, but there you go. Old patterns are so hard to break. It's been quite tense around here with job issues, and that's had an impact.

However. Yesterday, DH's former boss (whom I'll call "Grizelda") finally signed the waiver papers. He is free of her at last! She made him pay her legal fees to the tune of a whopping $600 in order to get the papers (turns out she's been waiting for her lawyer's bill before she'd turn the papers over to him), but it's worth it just to get her out of our lives. So that's done!

DH is now beginning to start a new practice, really from the ground up. Grizelda is telling all his old patients that he has gone to work full time at the VA. It's not true, of course, but it keeps them from trying to find him. So he's going to have to advertise in a big way; we're starting to work on that.

My job has been pared back to 20 hours per week, so we're dealing with a greatly reduced income for a while. We estimate things will be tight for the next 6 months or so, but that's OK. If we're careful, we'll make it.

And it's a bright, sunny spring day out there. I'm going to write down what I eat, and I'm going to walk. I will find other ways to deal with stress that are healthier. And I'll try to check in here more often!

Onward and downward,

Lauren
274/213.5 (sigh)/ down

Hi everyone:

Lauren - thanks for the encouraging words & glad your dh situation is improving.

I have been sick all weekend with a cold & sore throat but still managed to OP for the most part. Have my w/i tomorrow night so hoping for another loss of some kind.

Things are going OK at home, just been packing up some stuff. Only 2 weeks to go & I am looking forward to it.

Hope everyone is well & will talk to you all soon.

Stayed the same at w/i last night. Must have been all the vodka & oj I drank Sun night - because other than that I was within my target all week. Have a nasty cold, other than that things are good. How & where is everyone??

Bandit, alcohol always makes me hold water for a day or so afterward. Hope you're feeling better.

Just got a note from Lin; good news!

---
Hi, Lauren,

Feel free to pass this along to the Turtles. Paul finally got a real job. It's temp to perm and the guy basically said,"If you perform, you're in. If not, you're out." They hired him because of his experience, which is a nice change of pace from, "Well, gee. You've done a lot, but you don't have a degree." And he's got a nice pay raise. It's enough to afford to live here, but it's going to be a while before we can actually start looking for a place.

I'm still working on the book. David's gone back to school as a business major with an emphasis in marketing. Chris is still trying to figure out what he wants to do. We can afford community college, so I'm hoping he'll decide to go back to school.

I hope things are going well for you and Phil. I hope your weight loss is still moving forward, too. Or at the least, that you're maintaining what you've worked so hard to achieve.

-- Lin
--------

I told her I'd pass it along, so there you go.

DH saw four whole patients yesterday, which is one more than last week ... one day at a time. My eating has been erratic, but my exercise has been steady, so that's a victory.

It was 85 degrees here a few days ago, and tomorrow it's supposed to snow! So I'm pulling back out the winter clothes. Gotta love Michigan.

How is everyone? Please check in when you can.

Onward and downward,

Lauren
274/213.5/down

Hi, everyone.

Lauren, thanks for posting that from Lin. Also...when you feel impatient about your current loss, look at that fabulous tag line you have! You are doing great.

Also, your remark about alcohol made a lightbulb go off for me. While I was in the first 3 weeks of recuperation I had no alcohol...I wanted to be able to take a vicodan if I needed one. Although I rarely did need medication, that meant I didn't have my usual glass of wine on Fri/Sat nights. That might explain why my wt loss was so steady then, although I wasn't able to do any exer. Hmmmm....

I had business travel this week, and survived ok. I get my big check up Tuesday and I'm very excited about it. Maybe I get a patch!

Just reread all the ups and downs for the last week. Bandit, does your cold at least make you feel like eating less and drinking more water?

I have a GREAT book to recommend. It's about a heavy heroine, and I can't believe a man wrote it. "Every Inch of Her" is about an Irish woman who leaves her husband and kids (her husband is verbally abusive about her weight), and seeks asylum at the convent in her neighborhood in Dublin. That she doesn't go very far shows that she's not really leaving, just checking out to check in, if you know what I mean. It's very funny, touching and Irish, this book, and I really enjoyed it.

Off I go. I ate terribly while I was away (open buffet and donuts, my new arch enemy), and regained some weight. I wrote specific goals for today, and I'm excited about meeting them. xo

choosie. 224.5/219.5

Dear Guys,
I just had a D&C and it's been an emotional up and down for me. I will respond to you all--in a bit I'm just tired right now.
You all take care. I am so glad to have this group.

love,
Judy

A hug for you, Judy. BA. xo

Hi Turtles,
I'm doing fine. My weight is way up with the worry about the cause of needing a D&C.
My results are all back and I'm fine. Hooray!!! Now back to the business of protecting my health by proper eating and exercise. Today was a great day with correct eating and I will go to bed if I have to to keep it that way!

Lauren,
You and your husband are facing huge challenges right now, but look at what you've accomplished. He is practicing in his own business. Word of mouth will discount what the doczilla has been misrepresenting and his patients will find out where he is. You're the perfect person to write advertising copy for him and that will help tremendously.
If you're tight for money for a bit, you'll rebound from this and be in such a better place. So, good luck and good vibes and

Thanks for passing on the great information about Lin. I think of her so fondly and am glad that Paul has gotten the job he deserves. This has been a tough journey for their family and it does my heart good to hear that they are all thriving. Man, I hope she lets us know when her book is published because I want to buy a copy and have it autographed!!

Choosie,
Thanks for the kind message. And thanks big time for your insights about your weight loss during your recuperation. It's always interesting to hear what you and the turtles are doing.
Gotta run--thunder storm moving in.
Love you all,
Judy
Bandit, I'm with you in spirit. Keep on keepin' on. Your life will be less stressful back in your own place.

Hi Turtles,
Yep, we lost electricity, but only for half an hour. Bandit, I hear you and am so happy that you are taking care of yourself. As far as the weight gain, I also think that having a cold can play havoc with your system. You could be retaining fluids, etc. but the important thing is that you have been on target and that you'll be losing weight again soon. Keep up the good work.

Choosie,
thanks for the book recommendation. I'm always on the lookout for things to read that make me laugh or at least smile. Glad you're back to chiming in.

Swania,
Are you still here? Miss you. Take care of yourself.


Judy

{{HUGS}} to Choosie and Judy for your recent health challenges. I'm so glad you're still posting and are doing well. Judy, aren't those scares terrible? I'm just a wreck over things like that.

Thanks also for the kind words, both of you. This is certainly a challenging time; I find myself wanting to eat everything in sight often. But so far I'm maintaining; I think it's due to the exercise. (I'm walking pretty much every day.)

Choosie, I'm definitely going to pick up "Every Inch of Her." Sounds like my kind of read. Thanks for the recommend.

We've had crazy weather here. It was in the 80s a couple weeks ago; last weekend we got 5 inches of snow! Ah, Michigan; you just never know. Today it's sunny at last, though just in the 50s. Everything is blooming, which really lifts my spirits. I do love spring.

I'd better get to work, Turtle Ones. Oh, this weekend is our Easter, so I may not write much; we'll see how it goes. But I'll check in soon.

Onward and downward,

Lauren
274/213.5/down

Hi everyone:

At my w/i Tues night I was down 1.6# so I was happy with that. DD is back from university & we will be busy next few days packing & organizing back at home. I am hoping to be back at home by beginning of next week. Also trailer season is coming really quick - park opens May 6th but I ususally don't go up til May 24th weekend.
So between the 2 places & having dd home & all of her friends back from school, it will be a busy next few months but I am really looking forward to it.

Sounds like everyone is doing great, so keep up the good work & I will check in soon.

Bye for now.

Bandit, Weigh to go!!!! You are inspiring losing weight during this challenging time. Glad you've got your dd back and her friends. They'll keep you hopping.
Love,
Judy

Lauren,
Happy Easter!!!!!!
Love,
Judy

Thanks, Judy. We had a wonderful Easter celebration, as always. We stayed up until 5:30 a.m. Saturday night (well, Sunday morning), and then had another big party on Sunday afternoon. I certainly ate enough. But it was grand.

Since then, I've been OP for two whole days. It feels good. I'm writing down what I eat and staying within points. Back in the saddle, slowly but surely ... got out all my summer clothes yesterday, which was also a BIG incentive to stick to the program and lose weight.

My weight is up, largely thanks to Easter, but I have confidence that I'll see lower numbers soon.

How is everyone doing? I sent a note to Swania; she's still trying to get back to the boards without success. But she did read our notes here.

Onward and DOWNWARD for summer,

Lauren
274/215/down

Hi ladies - didn't have a good w/i last night - was up 2# but I know why. Had chinese the night before & could tell I would be up since my feet felt puffy. Does anyone else have that problem - must be all the extra sodium & makes me retain water. Anyway after a few days it will be gone but boy did it ever taste good. But I am back on track & was glad I went to my meeting & weighed in. At first I thought I would skip the w/i - but decided to "be accountable". Tennant out of my house & left quite a mess behind. Have cleaners going in tomorrow & window washers Friday. Then I will start bringing stuff back in. Next Tues having the hardwood floors re-done & have booked a mover for next Fri. I can clean myself - but she had 2 dogs, 3 cats & hamster & I think didn't clean up after dogs. So cleaning company is in order first then I will fine tune it from there. Also the yard is full of dog-do so that is my project this weekend - to get that cleaned up so I can at least cut the grass. I really don't know how people can live like that. Also everything that was left in yard is smashed (bird baths, flower pots, moon rays, chairs) - so I got that cleaned up the other night.
Also she left 29 bags of garbage on the curb! Anyway I am glad this little adventure is coming to an end.

Bye for now.