Morning LWL,
I'm off to the gym early this morning, so this is just a quicky to get the thread started

Hang tough- two weeks until Christmas!

Mel

Hello! Already succumed to the blasted office Christmas buffet! Gah! I didn't know it was going to happen! Came in today and we were all invited to the pig-out! I brought a jacket potato, but ended up eating pork pies and mice pies and sausage rolls! The next healthy meal's only another 3 hours away

Apart from that, had a good weekend. Managed to stay away from the biscuit tin most of the time - a vast improvement on the usual cradle-in-your-arms-while-you-cram-your-face method! Cleared my old bedroom out, had loads and loads of energy for carrying stuff about, throwing things around and running up and down stairs.

Had a nice shopping day yesterday, I got 2 bras (32E!!! ) some dri-fit running tops and erm, some chocolates (for Christmas!).

Forfeited my run this lunch because of a late night yesterday and goddam buffet! Will get back to weights this evening then a nice early night for me

Stay strong over the next two weeks - step away from the mince pies! :

Hi,
I had a tough weekend painting my teen daughter's bedroom. Actually, she painted it and I did prep work. Also I did trim, which need more coats today . However she is excited - finally she has the color of her bedroom and even a closet in her bedroom!

I had emotional thing going on at my work - I finally found out that I did not get a position I wanted and I was so bitter and angry! I was substituting on this position for 2 month now also doing what I could on my own position, however somebody else who left our company on grounds of beeing not satisfied in his position got in. Ironic - is not it - you have to leave to get what you want! Anyways, apart from beeing very emotional I also actually lost some weight - i guess it is due to stress, but whatever it was - I am happy at least about the result

I am totally NOT in Christmas spirit - we do not have any presents yet so I will have to do some shopping next weekend (during the week I am still doing double work as the new person starts in January).

Otherwise i exercised redularly last week - thanks God! I gues sit was the o nly thing keeping me sane

Cheers,
Sandy.

I'm so sorry you didn't get the position Sandy, that sucks.

I am no longer an interloper in this thread, I am a lady who lifts once again!!! I took my ankle to the gym and did my full programme with just a few ammendments, I did my warm up on the bike instead of the treadmill, and I left out the lunges (no cute instructors to pick me up off the floor if I fell!!!) but I managed everything else, and the leg and ankle feel fabulous!

I really missed the gym, it felt great to be back, what a scary feeling!

Hi LWL,

Sandy - how awfull about the position, and that you are expected to do double work untill january! Can you bring up the subject of compensation at work ? Good thing though about keeping up the excercise! AND about doing your daughters bewdroom with her. I admire you showing the stamina that you do these important things for your kids even while things are not going 100% your way. Keep on hanging on !

Kykaree - Hurrah about the ankle!!! Good for you to hit the gym again!

2F - How about kickboxing with the biscuit tin and the mince pies??? Both biscuits AND mince pies are small flyable objects, you must be able to back kick them from one side of the room to the other!!! Today there also was the christmas buffet thing at the place where I work. I was totally surprised, but joined in for a cup of coffee and a piece of christmas bread. I passed on the cookies and chocolates, but I still have a stomach ache from the christmas bread. Looks like it is going to be a frugal christmas in this house again: The kids are not into cookies and cakes much, and I find I get a stomach ache very easily these days, so why bother?? We'll probabely end up having a festive pineapple or mango and some snacks. Also of course the kids will spend christmas with XH. But I will put up a tree and put chocolates in that.

Hi Mel - how are you doing on the eating thing???

Not much happening at this side. Yesterday had a session with XH at the therapist again. The therapist advises to wait a bit more with the divorce proceedings, as emotions still run high. I had a reasonable good session from my point of view: I did not cry and I did not scold. Still it was tiring. I did the sitting meditation CD and that revived me a bit.

Today I am also tired, just got back from 4 hours of work and I am floored. My son is a bit ill, he stayed home from school today, and reported that at least the cat performed his best: cat actually caught the mouse that was in the living room!. Over the weekend we had moved the other pets out and put the cat in, in order to scare the mouse away as the cat is not that a ferocious monster. But apparently I was successfull in not feeding the cat too much, as he caught the mouse and ate it, (and my son then put cat outside again).

I'll try to have a rest now, maybe do another meditation CD today. I noticed that they do help in catching the subconscious thoughts, and mine were not supportive at all. So I am trying to stamp these out, and I keep repeating a new motto that I got from one of the mum's at school, who has the same situation 5 years ago: "You're worth it". I and the kids are worth a nice house, nice things, fun etc. It was an eyeopener for me, because I always looked from the other side "do we really need this " And the answer usually was no. The "you are worth it" approach is much more fun !!

Have a great day all,

rabbit

Hello! Doing ok today with eats wise, still feeling tired though. kickboxing later, so that will wear me out good and proper!

Sandy that's a total bugger not getting your job - it always happens that way. My DF's Mum was acting head of maths for about 6 months, applied for the job for real and some dim-wit got the job over her!

Rabbit - you are definitely worth it!

Mel - how are you doing on the clean eats?

Kykaree - I'm glad your ankle's better, how about some pics of the pretty frock?

Where's Ilene and ellen and co? I think they're hibernating with the biscuit tin!

Can't wait till the weekend - lots of sleep and a night out partying and the tree is getting bought - I suppose I might have to buy some more decs, since we only have fairy lights and about 20 baubles! Then next Tues it's the Christmas dinner at work with 10 pin bowling! Ooooh yummy! Just hope I can keep on track till then, then I can eat nice food without feeling too stuffed!

NOOOO biscut tins in the last 2 days anyways .... I'm just so dang busy working, working out and life in general, but life is good so that's great...Gotta get back to work... TTFN

Hi - My friend just sent me the "Robot Bodybuilder" via e-mail. It is really something, if anyone would like to watch it just PM me with your e-mail address.
Just thought you might like it....

I just googled it, it's pretty cool!

Gosh, here it is Tuesday afternoon, and I'm just getting around to reporting my exercise. Did a good upper body workout last night - nicely sore arms today! Cardio was, well, the bare minimum with no enthusiasm! But I did it.

My MIL is in the hospital in ICU in Massachusetts. DH and I are sitting down in an hour or so to decide if he needs to go there. She's 94, and the best case scenario is that she stabilizes enough to move to a nursing home. Not fun things to deal with, esp at Christmas.

Hi LWL,

Pat - awful news about MIL. Lots of courage for you and DH in this.

Ilene - good to hear from you! Glad you are doing well.

Hi 2F !!

Really easy day today; no work and did some shoppping. I had amazing luck the other day, won 50 euro by answering a soup quiz. I also bought fire and CO detectors for the house. XH always thought this was nonsense but with him out of the house I guess I feel a lot safer sleeping in the knowledge that if we get a fire at least we have some extra minutes to get out of here. And guess what ?? We are definitely worth this !!!

I plan to do some lifting and a meditation CD today, and put up pthe tree. Still have to buy the chocolates for it though!

Have a great day all,
rabbit

Hi LWL - I am still here, just catching up - cardio, yoga and 7 loads of laundry on Mon made yesterday a very bad day fatigue wise. rabbit, keep your head up, girlfriend. You are my hero. Gosh, you are stressing over smoke and CO2 detectors? You and your children are SO worth it! And, because of you, I have started reading Full Catastrophe Living. It makes a lot of sense and once I got past the first 3 exercises I am hooked. It really does work. Thank you ... Sandy, it really does suck about the job. Good for you for focusing on other fronts and realizing what is really important. I am sure your daughter looks at her room every night and thinks of how special you are. Maybe time to put out some new job feelers after the New Year? Hi to all, more later

Rabbit - you are SO worth it! Can't believe you xh didn't believe in this protection! In Alaska, smoke detectors are mandatory. We have just added CO dectectors in our home too, since we heat with natural gas.

DH is leaving tomorrow night to spend a week with his parents. He would have left tonight, but there was not a seat to be had. In order to leave Alaska you pretty much have to fly through Seattle, and that's usually the bottleneck. Once in Seattle there are flights, but unless you grow wings or charter a flight, you're dependent on the airlines. I had to redeem premium mileage for his ticket, but hey, that's what it's for right? We'll get busy tonight and tomorrow and get the tree and decorate it since he won't be back until the 23rd. We usually have a real tree, so we don't get it too early. Had planned on doing it Sat.

for me to post much. Just wanted to tell you all that I am losing weight, hand over fist. I am almost at my February target. What??? It's a mixture of heavy weights, interval cardio, and pure, pure eating. No white stuff. And not too much. Oh, and sleep. The glamour fund is looking good.

I'm thinking of you all. Just 'walk on by'* the less-than-clean food in those buffets. We are ALL WORTH IT!

*Can you remember who sang this, far away in the mists of time?

Love, Silverbirch

I'm just heading off to bed. I did body pump at lunch, which was so much fun. I love core exercises. And I went swimming tonight too.

Well done on nearly reaching February target you over achiever silverbirch.

I had to leave the ball before many pics were taken, I am planning to get Col to take some that I can post. I have seen a couple but they are all "real" photos and I haven't got a scanner!!!

We're having a work buffet next week, and each of us is bringing something. Two girls are on weight watchers and another is exercising ergularly and watching what she is eating, so everything is really healthy, which is great!!! It was quite an unhealthy team when I joined in September, but my healthy living regime is rubbing off on them!!!!

Well night night folks off to beddy byes for me.