OK, I'll kick off the new week!
OMW - Michigan actually went and made a law that no schools can start before Labor Day. We're a big tourist state, and right now that income is huge for us. God bless you, Carol, for doing the HARDEST job in the world - guaranteeing our future. I tried it, and couldn't hack it - I just couldn't give that much.
Heidi - Great job with the workouts! Sounds like your scale is absolutely top of the line (that was me that asked about it). Not sure I'd want to have one that awesome, because I can still have just a little fantasy left about rounding errors with mine.
dancer - DH and I approach our weight issues separately. He's begun to ask questions about calorie counting, though. He's the kind of guy who will do all his research first, and then jump in and never look back. He's thinking about it ... he's about 6'1" and is probably up around 215 right now. It's too much for him, and he knows it - he's got the beginnings of arthritis in his ankles, and he's already had one knee arthroscopically cleaned up.
patchworkpenguin - BEST WISHES on your surgery! Will be thinking about you and sending good thoughts ...
marie - I'm looking forward to hearing about your swim - open water, or your pool? I have a little blender that's like a Bullet, and agree totally - they are WONDERFUL for small batches of salad dressing, pesto, protein shakes, chopping onions, salsa, chutney ... ad infinitum! And my DH can blame a lot of his waistline on beer, too. He's going to have to make some some decisions there.
hotsplashes - I'm with you on the tomatoes - bring 'em on. I prefer my tomatoes with higher acid, but truly, I've never met one I didn't love. We can talk tomatoes in EVERY thread (shucks, let's devote a thread just to tomato chat!). There was a recipe just this weekend in the local paper for Savory Tomato Pie ... it looked pretty darn good but working it into a calorie count long enough to get it all eaten might be a little tricky. One of our favorite salads at home is 50% tomato/50% cucumbers chopped up, and dressed lightly with a vinegar/Miracle Whip/black pepper dressing. Celery leaf is good in it, and so is a tiny-diced jalapeno. mmmmm! WAY TO GO with responding to the *****. Some people just weren't raised right, and need to be knocked off their high horses.
gardenerjoy- WELCOME aboard! I'm a whole-foodie calorie counter and journaler. I've tried it ALL before, and this time, with the support of the 3FC'ers, I am in the process of making lifetime changes.
nell - welcome back, and great job practicing for maintenance!
pres - congrats on your new decade! And we knew you were too full of love to not have some new furbabies soon ... and of course, we will want pictures!
I had a busy weekend, but I am very pleased to report that I discussed my career plans with DH, and he thinks I've got a very solid plan. It's conservative (as am I), and I can make the turnaround with keeping my secure day job (well, as secure as any job is in these times). So now I'm proceeding to the writing of the business plan, and scheduling a meeting with DH's accountant to figure out the timing of incorporation. He went down the entrepreneur road 2 years ago - I learned what sort of questions to ask. First order of business is to clear the decks - I have two more writing assignments to finish for a course I'm taking, and I am going to remove as much clutter from my house as I possibly can so that I can focus my energies on this venture. Thanks to everyone for the support! It's very exciting to actually want to get out of bed in the morning. I realized I've been in a cubicle for TWENTY years... and enough is enough!