Happy Birthday to MichelleK!
Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday, dear MichelleK!

Happy Birthday to you!
And Many More......

Sorry, no time to stick around again tonight. Just had to come in and wish MichelleK a happy Birthday.

I've got lots to say, but no time tonight to say it. Know that I'm thinking of all of you.

Lilion: Glad the surgery went well.

Terri: Congrats on the property.

Ruth:

Everyone else: I'll be catching up with you later. Sorry.

This is going to be a drive by like everyone else is doing. That is not good, but necessary this morning. I will say that when no one posts I get to the place where I don't want to either, so come on gang let us do better! I will try if you all will.

Happy Birthday Michelle, and many more!


See Ya later...Ruth

Michelle This is for you!!!
Hope today is a happy one.

Ruth, I always check in but don't post much cause I'm a very boring person. In real life I don' talk much, so it's really hard for me to take part in the daily chatter. I LOVE reading about everyone else, but if I had to post about my daily life it would be "got up, got dressed, went to work, did or did not go to water aerobics, came home, cooked supper, got into my recliner with my laptop on my lap, got up went to bed" then a repeat the next day. I don't journal my food, I do try to eat healthy and watch portion sizes, I do drink lots of water, and exercise as much as possible. I go to church 3x's a week. That is my live in a nutshell, and it sometimes gets boring to me, much less anyone who has to read through it. If anything exciting happens, like someone else getting fired at work, I write about it. Other than that, that's about all I write. Luckily others are much more chatty and much more interesting than I am, but we all have our own personalities. But know I am here, and I am intereted in everyone and everything you have to say.

Good Morning Ladies!

Well, today is my first day home alone. DH stayed home yesterday with his back out. So I'm all alone and enjoying it greatly. Actually, I've slept on the couch most of the day. I really need to get some work done later today. Well, now, but who's counting?

Happy Birthday Michelle!

Seems funny, but my darn arm is actually causing me more problems than my surgery. I only hurt when the cat walks on my stomach! He nearly became a flying cat last night~ but my darn arm still is giving me problems. Not terribly painful but I can't move it like I would like and it lets me know if I move it wrong. Still very annoying.

I'm afraid I don't have much to report, but I'm keeping up on the posts and thought I'd pop in and say hi!

HI!

Thought I’d write a decent-sized post, for once.

Thin – congratulations on the weight loss. I needed someone to not only meet the challenge, but exceed it. I just crawled over the line.

Michelle – Birthday Girl – happy, happy – I love my chiropractor. Between that and working out, I’m much younger in the bod than I was a year ago.

Ruth – You get your mother’s cleaning lady – man, what I wouldn’t do. In fact, that it the anniversary present I’m getting – my husband said, “You know, that means we have to clean up so that someone can come in and clean?” I smiled sweetly and said, I know.

Liliom – but the cat just likes to snuggle!

Our wedding anniversary was fun. We went out to a fancy restaurant, after getting dressed up after working out, and I didn’t ask them to take away the bread. Bad, bad. The good thing was that they served marinara sauce instead of butter, the bad thing was that a piece of foccacia bread with marinara sauce, followed by a fruit and cheese appetizer made it impossible to eat my chicken kabobs, which are still decorating the refrigerator. Tonight, I swear, they will be eaten since daughter’s fiction-writing workshop is tonight, and I’m eating solo. We have been cooking at home this week, which tends to mean that leftovers get ignored. We did make a really good stir fry, though.

Tuesday, I missed my water aerobics class because I forgot my bathing suit. I called the rec center and asked if my husband could leave it for me at the desk – nope – guys, IT”S NOT A BOMB – and there is no way I could get home, get the suit, and dress in time.
In Michigan, we have two seasons – winter, and rebuilding highways, so I am currently creeping along on back roads to go to and from work. Interesting fact, though, I’m using a lot less gas, so this may turn out to be the way I commute forever.

We scheduled a vacation last night – we’re going to the Shakespeare festival in Ontario – Henry IV, part I is my favorite history play, and we’re also going to see South Pacific. Then we’ll go over to Niagara on the Lake – probably will visit the falls – they are incredible, maybe pick up a Shaw play, and shop!!!

It’s amazing, but the planning is making me get excited about working out and losing weight again. I really hadn’t noticed, but I have been getting sloppy around the edges – witness the foccacio bread and the missing bathing suit – and this reminds me that being thinner will make summer in Ontario more bearable, and I’ll have less trouble walking around, taking stairs, climbing to attractions and such if there is less of me to haul around.

When I started this round of taking care of myself, one of my motives was that my daughter has put on more weight than she should be carrying, so we made this eating healthier a family project. She only gets one dessert a week, and has to eat a salad at least once a day, etc. We were going over what she needs for camp this summer, and she stood up, and ran her finger around the inside of her size 18 jeans’ wasitband, and said, you know, the way I’m loosing, there will be too big by the time I go to camp – I said, well we’ll wait to buy your new jeans, and when you’re in the new ones, we’ll put these aside for me to wear – I’m so glad for her!

Well, back to the salt mines – I’m installing a new software build, so I must be going.
Talk to you all later.

Sue

…I started to move again. (I wrote this post back on Monday, May 1, but just now got back On-line.)

Sure, I remember the wonderful feeling of my muscles working, blood pumping, the stress relief, the desire to push myself a little faster or longer this time, the immense pride in feeling my body get stronger and healthier – but as I’ve whined about lately, I’ve been unable to take that first step towards getting back into exercising. But tonight I have to sit up and babysit some freight. My computer won’t hook up to the Net, so I started playing spider solitaire. Then my leg muscles just started to feel jumpy. I started to feel kinda itchy all over. There was only one thing to do: GET OUT and WALK!

I started walking up & down a short stretch of road and thought how sad that I’ve lost so much condition already that I didn’t want to do the jog/sprints that I was enjoying before. Then at about lap five it happened – I started breaking into a jog. I’ve definitely lost some “go” during my self-pity spell, but not all of it by far! I also only put in 20 minutes, but that’s 20 minutes more than I’ve done in the last month. I just feel like I’ve broken thru – that I’ll be OK again. I can’t even post this right away, but I wanted to write it down to share with you anyway.

You know how we all set goals? We/I set deadlines for losing “X” amount of weight, or have something to do as soon as we’re “skinny enough”? I keep looking towards riding my horse “Some Day”, but keep putting it off because I’m still too heavy. I keep dreaming of taking dressage lessons “Some Day” and competing, but part of me keeps saying “Yeah, right, fatso!” I keep planning for the next holiday to impress family with large chunks of tonnage gone, then not making goal or not being noticed (Whah-whha!).
**** SO – I’m trying a new approach. I’m going to do what I love and fulfill a lifelong dream, whether I lose the weight or not. If all I can do is get on a horse and walk, then I’ll do that. For Christmas all I’m going to ask for is Dressage lessons, and I’m going to start then, period. I’ll give them to myself if I must, regardless of my weight. When I look at food I know I shouldn’t have and know I’ll regret as soon as I swallow, I ask myself if I want to carry it on the horse when I start lessons – not “Some Day”, but in December. I imagine the rush of reaching the dream, and the frustration if I know I could have done better for both myself and the poor creature on the bottom. So far this is giving me a great boost. I can’t fail if I don’t set number goals… although you know I still keep playing with the numbers in my head – can’t help it.

Sorry to blabber on about myself – but as I said, I can’t get on-line. I’ll cut and paste later…. And maybe even walk again before that.

AND NOW TODAY, MAY 4...

HELLO from sunny central California. It was a long trip with no stops or exercise, and I'm at the end of my rope again. I know I have to start selling horses and have already started making contacts. Those of you who've been reading my posts for a while would know (I hope) that I'm naturally a fairly up individual - at least I like to think so. In any case, this crushing depression that keeps hitting me worse every time I'm on the truck just ISN'T me. Dying isn't an option, but feeling like it is. It's like I'm two drastically different people. At least I'm finally starting to care more about how I feel than how he does. I suppose that sounds selfish, but I think it's a step towards saving myself.

I had Good-n-Plenty last night. They were stale and terrible. I ate the whole box. and so atarts the decline...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHELLE !!!!!



Lillion... I am so happy you surgery went well and you are onto the road of recovery.

This is also going to be short and quick.
I have been AWOL because my husband had surgery again.
He is doing well and hopefully medications can take care of the rest of his problems.
I have also had a lot a drama going on in my life recently so not much into chatting.
Plus... woke up this morning with the river practically in my front yard.
The river has not been this high since 1986.

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE BIRTHDAY WISHES!!!

I just got home from my second and last class for my Notary. I passed the test with 100%!! Now I have to get my application notarized and send in my $50! Then, once I get my Commission I have to go to the Register of Deeds, pay my $10 in cash and get sworn in! Then I'm official!!

For some reason lately I have been biting my tongue alot! Am I nuts or what! While eating my dinner tonight I really really chomped down on it and make it bleed this time! It sooo hurts! Weird...I know!!

Lillion I'm glad you are up and about and everything went well for you!

2Cute..I'm glad your husband is doing good too! Remember to stop and take care of yourself too!!

Teri I have to go back and catch up on you...I hope things are going good with your house hunting!

Barb drive by postings are ok on a daily basis...I do alot of those myself! Just let us know you are alive and kicking!

Valerie you exhaust me! you are always on the run!

Sue...I love my Chiropractor! I use to be afraid of them! Not no more. I finally got my mom and dad going and my mom who use to do the little baby shuffle is doing laps around the grocery store now! My father says he has a hard time keeping up with her. He also says his back hasn't been bothering him like it use to! Better golfing for him now!! It just loosens you up so much and makes you more limber!!

OK now that I lectured on Chiropractors!!! Give one a try...you'll love it!

Ruth....me too! I get so discouraged when I come in here off and on during the day and only 1 person has posted!! I need the posts to keep me busy and motivated!

OK I gotta get in bed now...A big fat Hi to everyone else I didn't get to tonight and to the ones who are MIA~~

Talk at you all later!!

Happy Birthday Michelle and good job on passing your test!! BJF

Well, I made it through today on plan - breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and I did my water aerobics. The anniversary chicken kabob leftovers made a great dinner with salad.

Michelle - good for you - my mom was a notary - she was the secretary to the administrator of our local hospital. It can be a very responsible position.

Well, I'm for sleeping now - or at least reading in bed.

Take care, all, you are getting to be important to me.

Sue

Good morning chickies, Not much going on around here. Same old, same old!

Barb, you are not boring! Hey, I never have anything to contribute, but so far that hasn't stopped my rambling. What I say may be boring, but all of you get to read it anyway. I stay at home, so what could there be exciting to write about unless the toilet runs over or a squirrel gets in the attic or some such thing, know what I mean. Had the squirrel in the attic already, and was he hard to get out!

Thin, you are much too busy, slow down.

Terri, I am so glad your place sold, but I sure wouldn't want to be in your shoes right now. I hope you and DH find a place soon. Having to move twice would be terrible, once is enough! The last time we moved I swore I never would again. I know that eventually we will because this place is MUCH too big for two people.

Sue, I only have my Moms maid for the time she is gone, and she only comes one day every two weeks. So far I have saved all of the cleaning for her, bad me! It sure is nice, but I don't care too much for having someone else in the house, you know! I have known her for years, but still don't feel comfortable having someone in my things!

Lilion, Glad to hear that you are ok after the surgery. I hope the arm will get all right on its own. Give it as much rest as you can. Hope you can tip tap us a message now and then though.

Valerie, You poor thing! I fell so bad for you. Life is hard enough without all of the stress and unhappiness over a job you hate. There must be a solution for you somewhere and I hope you find it soon.

2cute, How is your DH after his latest surgery? I was sorry to hear that you are having new problems to deal with. I know what that is like believe me. It is always something, and just once I would like it to be something good that comes up unexpected. Here is a for you too.

Michelle, hello Ms. Notary! good going. Now how was the Birthday celebration? I have bitten my tongue before and boy, does that hurt. Now that you have bitten it, it is probably swollen, hence you bite it again, that must hurt like the devil! Ouchie. Careful!

Bridgetjfan, How are you doing?

Funny note here: Now that the challenge is over, I lost the two lbs I needed to lose for the challenge! I think it is water though. Now if I just don't gain that sme two lbs back over the weekend I might actually show a loss for next week. How about that? I am going to try really hard to behave myself this weekend!

Well my lovelies, that is all for now. Ruth

Nothing new today. Only one person fired this week, but then today is Friday. Oh I may be next on the list!!! I forgot. They have come out with a ULTIMATIUM!!! No one is to get any overtime. overtime is strickly NOT allowed. Well I went to the dentist last week and lost about 3 hours. My superevisor made arranagemenets for me to be paid for the dinner we went to last Thursday night to make up for the time I lost. She (and I agreed) told them to pay me the amount of time I was out so my check would be the normal 40 hours, and not short. WELL I got my check yesterday and I was paid regular time and 2.75 overtime!!! When we questitoned it, they said that they couldn't pay me for part of the time for the dinner, if they paid for any they had to pay for all of it. So I got a wonderful steak dinner in one of the most "in" places in town (it's the Uppy hang out, where Britney Spears stays when she is in town) lots of fun as it was only our office and almost 3 hours overtime. Not a bad deal (the calories should not count as they were business related, the same as food eaten at church shouldn't count) The only problem is that if the @%%#*!& doctor happens to see they paid me for this night he will have a total fit. He has said that he was going to "Make an example" of the next one that clocked overtime and fire them, so hang on and watch anad see if he finds out. At this point, it might be a good thing. Not really, oh well...

Okay how was that for rambling? Am I doing better? Now I might be LATE for work, (will that counter-act the overtime?)

Have a great Friday everyone!!!

HaHa !!!! - So true! I love that idea.

Well, I am SO full of anti-oxidents today, with the help of some local california berries, and some imported, SUGAR-FREE dark chocolate. Good medicine, that chocolate! I picked up some yams & sweet potatoes from a road side stand as well, cuz I think I can microwave those, plus some almonds. Too bad SF candy gives me such dreadful gas... but I guess the joke's on DH for keeping me locked up in this little box! (Look at that - i DO still have a sense of humor!)

I may have a lease situation for one of my horses already, with someone who has taken good care of my ponies in the past. At the same time I may be able to provide some good little horse-less kid with a horse for the summer or longer.

The horrible news today is that I accident'y slammed the truck door on my poor baby puppy's paw. I don't think it's broken, just bruised, but I still feel so bad!!!

Tonight I drive across an incredibly boring stretch of highway (sorry Nevada-ites) which I won't see anyway cuz it'll be dark out. Tomorrow a.m. we will check the truck in at the customer's place until we can deliver on Monday, rent a car and take the weekend off in Salt Lake City. I plan on doing lots of walking, maybe even up to some caves, over the weekend. We'll see - that area has so much to do to get exercise. I'll also work on my schoolwork with a vengence, so it should be a good weekend.

Lilion, I hope you're feeling better after both your surgery and your shoulder troubles. OUCH! I hope it isn't your gavel arm that's effected!

RUTH - Good job on those two pounds gone! Water-weight, shmater-weight - good job!

Michelle - Happy Belated. I apoligize for my self-centeredness yesterday, in missing your special day. May you have a lean, mean, skinny year!

2Cute - I hopeyour DH is feeling better by the day. How terribly stressful. I hope you haven't needed to get the row boat and the paddles out, and the river settles back into its banks!!! ...ALthough I would think rowing WOULD be great exercise.

Hey look! A "smiley" for my DH on those bad days:

SUE, BJF, TERRI, THIN, DETERMINED, and ALL you great ladies, Have a wonderful, successful day!