Hey! It feels like New Year's Day!

September always feels like the beginning of a new year - it's the old teacher syndrome. I plan to go down with the Doggage to wave the kidlets off on the bus this morning and then walk down for the paper. It's pretty gray and gloomy out there but is supposed to improve. (I find gray weather rather depressing and must dig out my SAD light fo a coffeetime treatment.)

Housework is on the agenda today. I do have a line on a new person to clean but need to do stuff myself before she starts. I wouldn't want her to get the wrong impression! I'd have her start this week but am not sure what the situation will be with Harry's hernia operation which is still "tentatively" scheduled for Wednesday. That's tomorrow so it had better get untentatived fast! I will be calling later this morning!

Hershey and I do a TheraPAws visit tonight - Lucy is still not official pending approval from the National Office. Hersh needs some spiffing up - she got into some tiny burs yesterday and has them in her topknot and tail plume. We will sit and pick them out with a coffee later today. She is such an angel and will just sit with her head on my lap and let me remove them.

Door bashing is happening so I'd best get going. They (and I) are really sleeping in these days!

What's happening on your "New Year's Day"?. Any resolutions?

Good morning Ruth

I was pleasantly surprised by the scale this morning. I just love it when the numbers finally show my hard work!!

After a weekend of not being super strict, I came home yesterday and really buckled down again and it's paying off- I'm down four pounds! I even felt the need to update my ticker So at day eight on phase I, that's not too great, but I'm happy and encouraged that I might reach the 8-13 lb. guideline listed in the book for phase I.

Morning, Ruth, it's a drizzly day here, and supposed to rain all day and part of tomorrow. I just put a crockpot of chili on for supper, I always get in the mood for that when it's dreary out. Good luck on your prospective new cleaning girl. It's so hard to find someone who does a thorough job any more.
It's hard to get started today, after the long weekend. My DD's family stayed overnight Sunday, so we had a houseful yesterday. After lunch, Monica and I took Caitlyn out for some last minute school shopping, and that was enjoyable. I was good, I only bought myself a new handbag, which I've been needing. Today Audrey starts kindergarten, but Maggie doesn't go back to nursery school until next week. I don't have to be at their house until 10, so that will give me time to run a few errands first.
So that's all that's happening on my exciting part of the beach today, what's happening on yours?

Good morning everyone. I have to say, seeing September as a new year is a new one to me, but sounds good. Does that mean I can forget about aging another year in a few weeks (my bd is the 28th) It is going to be a stinker one this year. Either Jack will be IN the hospital or recuperating at home. He bought me a beautiful sapphire and diamond ring for my birthday in July and couldn't wait to give it to me back then so I can look at it and be happy with the birthday this year just knowing he is going to be well.

Ruth: Fortune will let me groom him some, but the cat will sit and let me mess with him big time. No one else can do it though. I can mess with his ears, his behind, brush him etc and he will sit still for me, but no one else is allowed to mess with his face at all. He was an abandoned kitten out in a wilderness area where Jack works and wandered up to the back door of Jack's shop. NO ONE would take him and the rescue agencies wanted over $200 to take him so I told Jack to bring him home even though I didn't like cats. He is now MY cat totally and 100%. He talks to me, he taught himself to sit to get treats like the dog does. He does this thing that is funny, but irritating as the devil to me. He won't let me go to the bathroom by myself. If I get up in the middle of the night to go, he jumps down and leads the way like a seeing eye cat all the way into the toilet area. Then sits there while I go then leads me back to bed! It gets kind of sticky though when I have to go really badly and he is just meandering down the hall like time is not an issue. I have come close to wetting myself a couple times. He will NOT let me walk around him. He is quite a character. Fortune is just spoiled rotten. We bought him from a breeder and when we brought him home he only weighed a lb. I could carry him around in my coat pocket. I couldn't stand to hear him cry in his kennel so I started bringing him into bed with us and now he insists on sleeping in bed with us as does the fatso. Fortune isn't too bad because he is easily moved, but Butterscotch plunks down next to my legs or hip and it is like moving a concrete block. Every once in awhile they will block me in, one on one side and one on the other and I feel like I am in a coffin. Invariably I will have to go to the bathroom and have to figure out how to get out of my mummified state!

I think that I will resolve to improve my health through diet and exercise starting this month. I will resolve to try and not take things so very seriously and will try to control some of my obsessive compulsiveness.

Have a super day everyone!

Faye

Quick post here- hope everyone enjoyed their weekend. Abigail wound up sick at out sleepover on Sunday night- lots of throwing up. So yesterday wound up being a lot of resting and TV watching. It was a good day for it as it was raining all day.

Cottage Chili sounds delish!! What time do you want us there??

It will be a late night for us as I am starting a women's Bible study at church tonight. I am really looking forward to it and am finally feeling brave enough to start one! My church is great as they provide childcare if you request it.

Have a super day!!

Good Morning Gorgeous Gals!
It's a grey and sprinkling 1st day of school for us here in Virginia. It was hard to set the sails on the boys, there was a bit of hope and a bit of melancholy as the morning progressed. I just pray that the day is better than they might expect. I can't believe that I have a 10 grader, a 7th grader, and a Pre-K'er off to school today. Freedom!

I really haven't been true to program since leaving on my trip for Chicago. I am determined to get back on as of today, in Phase 1 again for 2 weeks. It's so odd because my stomach really felt quite "icky" for lack of a better word. I can tell that my energy level was not as good, and in general, I felt less healthy. I dread going to the scale, and wonder if I should. Trying to keep it real...I let myself fall from my goal, so I am disappointed.

On the bright side, my patio is finished - and you know what that means?!
YES, the hot tub has been up and running for 2 days now. It was supposed to be set up on the 1st, but our electrician would come out in the rain. So, he came on Sunday and I am in heaven with that big boy.

I am determined to take better care of myself this month, and prepare myself for the upcoming holidays with good habits.

Good Morning Ladies

Weather is great going for another long walk along the beach this A.M. After the grandkids left,I was so sad that I relyed on my comfort food [[[junk]]]] over the weekend and this morning I up again. Going to do Atkins for a couple of days to get my body into ketosis/lipolysis[losing weight].

I'm also having trouble getting back to sleep after waking for "pee" time. Leo thinks that I'm stressing over my weight too much.
I'm getting excited about our cruise,the only thing that scares me if I gained 10 lbs after the last cruise.Maybe I'll be OK this time around.
we just took our luggage out of moth balls[basement] and put them in the loft to air them out.


Ruth-Have fun cleaning I did the heavy cleaning last week when my kidfs were here. This week I'm relaxing. Soory to hear that your Hubby is have a operation,send ing good: and prayers that he'll be OK.

Emilie-Big congrats on your four pound weight loss.

Cottage-That the scene in my DD house she has 3 kids off to school,twins going into 1st grade,and the young one to kindergarden and the 2 years to library class. I can see it now my DD is crying for her little ones, whats she going to do with that empty house.

Faye-Sorry to hear about your DH,didn't know he was sick.Sending your prayers also.That a wonderful gift sapphire & diamond ring,I love birthday stones,I had my DD for my birthday buy me a grandchildren birthstone bracelet,[Opal]Oct[Topas]Nov.

Kiko-Hope you DD is getting better from last nights ordeal.Have fun at your bible class.

Have a good one

Hugs BB

Morning Chicks. Yesterday was a long day of moving stuff around in my store in preparation of the conversion starting today. I am SO ready for this week to be over!

My boss took me to lunch yesterday. I did not behave. DANG. Hopefully he wants semi-healthy food the rest of the week. I really don't have much time at all to lose weight.

I'm going to go have some cereal and watch TV for awhile before I have to get ready to go in. Hope you all have a fantastic day!

Lisa

Hey y'all. My goodness, what a weekend! My parents were here and it was fun but exhausting. Just always different to stray from your routine. I am already ready for another weekend and I've only been at work for an hour and a half!! Food was not good this weekend, my only accomplishment is that I am not gorging myself like I have done in the past. Also, when we eat at home we're eating lots of fresh veggies from my farm share! We had some delicious black-eyed peas yesterday, and on Sunday we had green beans and roasted yellow peppers with feta. Mmm! Adam and I will be living the simple life this week as we have no mula to buy food! So, what's in the cupboard?!?

Kiko, May I ask what Bible study you're going to do? I work in Bible studies (I copy edit them) so always interested in what other people think! I am starting Believing God by Beth Moore on Thursday night with a home study group, I am so ready and excited about that!

Even though I have no kiddies going off to school, my hubby started school in late August (working on his PhD) so I do get that new-school-year feeling around September! If he becomes a professor as planned I guess it will always be like that! It began to feel a little like fall this weekend! We had a very cool day on Saturday. We had planned on going to the zoo but ended up with Dad and DH watching football and mom and I getting a pedicure! LOL! It was too dreary to be outside, I think.

Hope everyone is doing well.

Love,
Jessie

Good Tuesday Morning.

Got my daughter off to school today - I cried, as usual (she is in 5th grade). She goes to a private christian school and we found out when we got there that there was a field trip today - and she was in a brand new skirt oh well.

Glad to hear that everyone enjoyed their long weekend. I did - didn't rest too much but enjoyed it. Went to a picnic yesterday (just us and our neighbors and their kids) had a blast - I did so good I was so proud of myself. I had plain grilled chicken - and 1 cucumber watercress sandwich w/ 100% ww bread (Phase 2 now) and some broccoli salad w/ ff chese - passed up the brownies which was hard because they are my favorite - but proud - got on the scale this am and lost .5 lb - which I was happy it was down and not up - a little scared b/c I started on Phase 2. So that makes it a total of 1/5 lbs so far for September - I think I have lost some inches - working out I think has kept the weight from "falling" off but I look better.

Well I hope you all have a great day today - it is raining here too - at least I am at work - don't mind being here when it is yucky out.

Have a great day chicks RMT (Rosalind) or (Ros)

I'm working from home today. It's actually cool outside. We had rain all day yesterday and everything is nice and wet. I'll have to go check the garden later. It seems like things grow overnight when it rains.

Tonight I am going to teach the new Wolf den (17 boys - YIKES!) while the Cubmaster and other leaders talk to the parents and try to get one to be a leader and one to be an assistant. If we could get four parents to step up it would be even better since we have enough boys we really should divide them into two dens. I'm comfortable with the 15 boys in our Tiger den since they have strong leadership but 17 boys without strong leadership is too much. I wish I had the time to do it but I'd be missing my Webelos meetings and I need to be there. I'm going to help the boys get their Bobcat badge tonight, do one piece of an achievement that involves jumping as high as they can and an elective that helps them learn the song that we end the Pack meetings with. That should be enough to cover in one hour. I hope quite a few show up but they were given short notice.

Kiko - sorry about Abigail being sick. Hopefully no one else in the family will get it.

I always looked at September as a new beginning - clean notebooks, freshly sharpened new pencils with unused erasers. a chance for a new start without anyone thinking of what you did or didn't do last year.

I've got the kids off to school, going to the post office then a doctor's appointment. Starting SBD Phase 1 today. Overall, sounds like a good day!

rebel - welcome and good luck - you will do GREAT!!!!!

I am going to tell ya, if one more thing happens unexpectedly, I am going to go and jump in the nasty ole Mississippi! You are NOT going to believe this. The preset I think the jerk is called. He is the dr that issues the referrals, has refused to issue a referral to the vascular surgeon for Jack because his family care dr was not the one that ask for it! NOW THIS DUMB DOCTOR WAS FAXED ALL Jack's cardiology medical records and obviously the dope doesn't think a blocked heart artery is serious enough or doesn't seem to think his cardiologist is telling the truth? I mean, COME ON! It takes 3 weeks to get a stupid regular dr appt with this jerk outfit anyway. Jack did call and say they are squeezing him in on Thursday afternoon so I hope the doctor doesn't give him some grief about it and asks for the referral and they give it. I mean, why would ANYONE be idiotic enough to WANT to have a heart bypass operation if it wasn't needed? UGH!!!!!

I did clean out the fridge and pantry of all SBD no nos so as soon as I can get to the store and restock, I will be on my way. I am going to take the fridge apart tomorrow and clean it well. I don't want my sil, dil etc coming to the house while Jack is in the hospital and thinking I am a pig because the fridge isn't clean. Oh, let's face it, I have more than a screw loose. I have my refrigerator set up so you could take inventory if you needed to. Nothing jumbled in my fridge. I have condiments on one shelf in the door, the butter in the butter keeper, packaged fruit for Jack in the fruit drawer, lunch meat and cheese in its drawer, the eggs and egg beaters all together, etc. I could guarantee you could go into my fridge right now and not have to ask if I had something it is so organized. My husband says I am nuts, which I am, but there you go! Even my freezer is divided. I have all the packaged meats in one area, frozen dinners together, frozen veggies in the door, etc. Ahh well, he still loves me nutty as a fruit cake and all!

Kiko: My favorite thing to teach a women's Bible study is the book of Ruth. It is not only a wonderful relationship story, it is truly a wonderful picture of our relationship to Christ. I always loved it.

Barb: Oooh, I remember Cub Scouts well. I did EVERY thing for our Pack. We were sponsored by a Naval air squadron and all the kids were navy brats because they all lived in Navy housing. I was not only a den mother, but was the secretary/treasurer and had to even be the Cubmaster for a short period of time because the men were ALL out to sea at the same time! The local council would probably have had a cow if they had known a woman was running the show! My son will be 34 next month so you know it was a LONG LONG time ago, but I really enjoyed it. I understand they have the little Tigers now, which they didn't back then. They were contemplating it I think. My grandson just signed up for Tigers so that should be fun. Boy, that makes me feel old knowing I am going on a second generation of Cub Scouts! I think I may still have Jay's hat and scarf somewhere. I know I have my husband's boy scout hat.

Well, I have been sitting here waiting for the cardiology office to call me back about this referral mess before mopping the floors, but looks like I might as well get going.

Everyone has a super day.

Faye

oh, Faye, you are having such a tough time with the doctors! I'll keep you both in my thoughts. I love Cub Scouts! I'm an assistant Webelos den leader, Pack committee secretary and webmaster for my pack. I'm also on the district Cub Scout Roundtable committee so I help run the roundtables this month. I'm also going to be on staff for the spring Wood Badge leadership training (6 days of training) and will be half of the leadership for our cub scout camp of over 500 boys last summer. Nowdays, over half of the leadership for cub scouts is female and there is quite a bit of involvement for Boy Scouts. Our pack recruited over 30 boys last week so we have a very large pack right now.