Good morning! Coffee's ready, and I'll put on some water for tea for those who prefer.

It's been a good week, I've worked out every morning and my eating has been on track. Maybe I'll finally see the scale start moving downwards again. It's my turn to take the girls to school today, and then run some errands for Cindy. She's promised to let me go early today, too, since I've put in some long hours for her all week. It'll be nice to get home at a decent time for a change!

This weekend we are finally getting around to closing the pool, but I'm not sure what else is planned. We'll take it as it comes.

Let's sit and chat a bit before we start our day.

Cottage: hope you are able to have a dip in the pool before closing and you get some relaxation time in this weekend!

Me: nothing special planned for the weekend.As for yesterday's BD, thanks so much to everyone for the wishes! I was so exited about going to eat crabs, but when we got there, they had just stopped serving till 5:00. I was so disapointed. So we decided to go get some raw oysters instead. I cheated and had crackers and sauce with ketchup in it, but didn't feel guilty at all and they were fantastic! Each one was perfect and salty. Around 6 my husband ran over to the crab place and got us 2 orders of crabs and they were great. I put lemon and 'spray butter" on them...so I didn't in the least bit miss cake! Then we watched big brother..all and all a pretty good day despite the stormy weather.

Also...if Karen reads this...in yesterday's post you asked about dressings. I found a line that I adore. I can't get it locally so have to order online. I order 6 bottles at a time to save a couple of bucks. It is really good and tastes like "cheating"

Hi Mary Poppins and all the Beachers to follow! Today is going to be another sunny and warmish day but it sure isn't going to be pool weather here for the weekend. There's a chance of frost!

I'm usually off to the gym early Friday mornings but have a service man coming for the furnace "first thing". Somehow I suspect his "first thing" is not quite the same as mine. Now would be good! I'll spend the morning finishing up the picture display boards for tomorrow. I had expected to bake but just found out that Doug, not Claire, is baking some old fashioned oatmeal cookies for our visitors. One thing off the list! I still have the big coffee urns to clean out after last weekend's biker party. They got dropped off on my front porch and I just spotted them this morning. Grrrrr as they are not cleaned, just rinsed.

Westjet had a one-day seat sale yesterday and I booked a trip to Vancouver to see friends and my DD at the end of November. I just love to travel and it's another incentive to get some of this weight off. Did I ever mention I'm a travel ho? Let me know if you have a guest room!

Lucy, who is acting normally, is barking for more breakfast. Prednisone makes her very hungry. I'll see if she'll settle for some skim milk.

Have a super TGIF and plan something fun this weekend.

Cat, a belated Happy Birthday to you! I was sort of out of it the past week or so and know I've missed stuff. Belated best wished to Kiko too.

I absolutely adore raw oysters! My pal Dr. Bob gets a crate of them for his New Year's Eve dinner party and I usually manage an annual big feast. They aren't readily available around here. I feasted on Malpeques the last time I was in Nova Scotia. As to crabs, I've never quite figured out what parts to eat!

Now I want a seafood breakfast! I wonder how canned clams would work on Fiber One. JUST KIDDING but....maybe with some hot sauce.....

Wow, I can't believe I"m on this early! Just ready ready to head for the ER and know it will be a busy 12 hours so I thought I'd sit a relax a minute before heading out.
Homecoming this week, my dd is so excited. We've got the dress for the dance, the game is tonight, last night was the bonfire......I'm so tired and ready for a "mormal" week.
Eating as been very good! Once I get over the hump of 5 days I seem to be able to do so much better. I'm on day 8 and everyday is a challenge but I feel so much better.
Ruth, hope your repair man gets there in decent time...he should probably take lessons from the cabana boys about how to make you happy
Femme, the dinners you have sound sooooo delicious!
Cottage, by to be on track! Sorry you have to close the pool. I would feel sad to have to do that, but then I always struggle to say goodbye to summer.

Well, I'd better be off! Hugs everyone!

Morning, Cat, I'm glad you had a nice birthday. I was thinking of you yesterday while watching the weather channel. Glad to hear you're all ok and it wasn't too bad for you.

Ruth, Mary Poppins???? I'd sure love to have her magical powers! That will be something to look forward to, your trip in November. I adore traveling, too. Unfortunately, family things have prevented me from indulging too much this past year, but the travel bug is calling to me! I keep telling you, I have two spare bedrooms that you're welcome to anytime you want. What are you waiting for!

Morning chicks, just a fly by this morning. I am on my way out the door to Quantico, and I just saw on the news that the president is also, so I hope he doesn't get in my way! I worked all day yesterday, and I do mean ALL DAY - 6AM until 11 PM with breaks for meals. I did get most of my things accomplished. I hope I can skip down the road and be back early so I can finish off the rest today. On the way I've got to hit the bank, Trader Joe's, get my glasses fixed, and pick up a birthday gift for DS's best friend.
At least it's Friday, and that makes me happy!

Mornin', Beachies!

Cottage, you've done great this week! I think you're going to see some serious results any minute now! Have a great weekend and enjoy getting off early today--you've certainly earned it!

I'm so glad you had a good birthday, Cat! Sorry to hear about the crab, but glad you got some at last. My parents moved up to the Olympic Peninsula and their gardener regularly brings them fresh Dugeoness crab that her boyfriend catches. My parents are in heaven!

So good to hear you sounding so chipper, dear Ruth! I'm thinking that most people's version of 'first thing' is different from yours... You're an early bird! Urgh about the coffee urns...that's horrible! You do SO much...you'd think others would be able to do a clean up now and then... Love that you're jetting off to Vancouver...it's such a wonderful place and it'll be even better with DD and friends to help you enjoy it! Hope you have a great morning...but stay away from that seafood/fiber one combo...that's bound to keep you in the bathroom for days!

RNMom, it's so good to see you! Hope you have a quiet and peaceful 12 hours in the ER (wishful thinking?). Sounds like you and DD have a lot of excitement this weekend! I love seeing everyone all dressed up.

Me:
Almost forgot to pack my gym stuff this morning...ran upstairs and threw stuff into my bag and eventually slid into work a couple minutes late. Go figure, it's the day when my boss' boss works next door. Oh well, at least I know I'll get my workout in.

I have a bachelorette party tomorrow night for a good friend. Most of her family and friends live far away so I feel compelled to be there to help her celebrate--but I was supposed to go to a party with a bunch of other fun couples and DH and had been really looking forward to it. The bachelorette is supposed to be a sleepover, but I spent all of last weekend away from my bed and DH (not sure which one I missed more... J/K) and I really just want to go home as soon as I can. I know there'll be a lot of drinking and I'm just not into that...oh well. I think I'm kinda grumpy about it!

Not much else planned for the weekend, thankfully...we'll see if we can fit a bike ride in. I may have to do some work on my mom's 70th b-day party while DH pays bills and works on repairing a stone wall out front that recently was renovated into a chipmunk condo.

Hope everyone has a GREAT weekend!

MORNING CHICKIES!

TGIF!!


Cottage: Thanks for the cawfee! Once again I slept good, but late and I need to wake up! It's sad that you're putting the pool away, but it means that autumn is coming!! Cool breezes and harvest festivities sound fun to me. Hope Cindy lets you off early, and I bet those girls think you're at least a little Mary Poppins!

Cat: That meal sounds delicious and well worth the "cheat"! You've got me craving seafood as well. Maybe you, Ruth and I can meet down there for lunch tomorrow!

Ruth: How great that you could book that flight and save some $$! I did the same thing last week when one of our airlines was running a sale! Glad you don't have to bake and sorry you're waiting on the furnace man! Have a great day!

RNMOM: Wow! Our homecoming is this weekend as well. It seems like they come so much earlier in the year! Did you go to the bonfire? My boss is a volunteer fireman and they had to participate in the parade, watch the bonfire just in case, and then, during the bonfire, there was a house fire. He had a horrible night! Hope you have a good day, although I'm sure Friday in the ER will always be crazy!

Schmoodle: I hope Mr. Prez stays outta your way! It sounds like you need some time for R&R this weekend and I hope you get it!

beachgal: Good thing you packed your workout gear! WTG! I know how you feel about the bachelorette party. I get that way sometimes. If I were you, I'd just stop by for an hour or so, spending your time with the bride-to-be, and then high-tail it back home for some cuddle time with DH! Hope you have a good time regardless!

ME: I'm down a size!! I went to shop for some jeans to wear while working cattle next weekend and tried on my size and they were baggy everywhere! I picked up the next size down and they fit! If I do say so my self, they look rather stunning!

Yesterday on my way to pick up lunch, I stopped at this little specialty yarn shop and found some great stuff to make my mom a scarf with. I'm going to try and finish it tonight and tomorrow so that I can send it to her with her products tomorrow afternoon. The only problem was that the proprietor of the shop would NOT STOP talking!! I had to rush to get lunch and then eat it at my desk. What a bummer. (But, the scarf WILL be beautiful!)

No big plans tonight. Not sure what I'm doing for dinner tonight, but I'll figure it out! We may go hang out with DH's boss and his wife, which is turning into a weekly thing, but I realize that I do need the female socializing time while the guys are off tending the livestock and working on rawhide/leather goods.

OH! I almost forgot! I submitted an article to the local paper and they printed it. My pastor saw it and thought it was so well written that he asked me to pray about and research starting a Christian Writer's Group! So, I'll be hitting the net and my writer's manuals this weekend to see what I need to do! I was beyond flattered and am really excited about this! I love to write!

Well, sorry about the long post! I just love chatting with you girls over a cuppa joe! Have a happy Friday!

~Kim

Good morning. Is the tea water still hot?

Another busy all day at work for me. Sounds like everyone is busy and off to their day. Hope it's a good one.

Cat: I forgot on the other thread about agave nectar, I haven't found anyone that carries it locally but I do want to try it. That dressing sounds yummers too.

I got through day 3 but it was the toughest. I would have eaten the table top if someone dropped a crumb of bread on there. Instead ate a few cashews and made the fudge peanut butter thingie with cool whip. That did the trick. This morning feeling good.

Hope everyone has a good on plan day.

It's been a busy week. Yesterday I worked from home so I could be there while DH cut down a tree with a chainsaw that was in the way of the pool. It was a fruit tree that had been eaten up by carpenter ants so it needed to go anyway. Today I got the estimate to have the buried electric line moved. Almost $3000! We're meeting with the pool company tomorrow to see if we can swap around the design so we can avoid having the move the electricity. We'll still have to move the cable line probably but the electricity is the really expensive one.

I know, I know. I haven't been around the last few days, but I've been relatively good, I just haven't been around. Went to have dinner at Olive Garden with DH last night.... didn't go well. I made sure not to eat much of anything all day (had some triscuits and a piece of cheese) so I wouldn't gain too much.... but he was in a foul mood anyway and was all talk of divorce and how he's not doing this anymore (he's been "trying" for all of a week and a half now) so I ended up having a small salad, a breadstick, and 2 little cheese raviolis and had the waiter take the rest away. DH was paying and I lost my appetite with him being a jerk, so that was that.

Haven't weighed myself at all this week since I'm staying with the dogs, but I look alright still, so I guess I can just go off of that until Monday when I'm back in my own apartment.

It's amazing how the blinders have fallen off since I left him. I honestly have been looking for the fat that has fallen off my body in the last 2 weeks. I haven't lost any weight really (2 lbs doesn't really count) but I love how my body looks now. I'm like "Where did that fat roll and this flab and that squish go?" My arms look thin, my stomach looks alright, my legs are starting to look good.... it's all been my perception of myself. Just being around him made me see something in the mirror that wasn't true. No WONDER everyone has thought that I was nuts for thinking I was hideous! I'm actually a pretty girl!

I basically told DH last night that if he wants a divorce, to just tell me. At this point, I'm ready to call it quits myself. I'm so much happier with myself now. I like how I look, I have confidence, I get hit on by cute boys (not that I want another one but it's still kind of fun for me,) I laugh, smile, am apparently funny, and I have a good time doing things I like to do again. I'm miserable with him.

He's going to see his therapist Saturday and see what he says to do. I'm ready to get it over with. I've prayed and prayed and honestly, what I'm getting back is that I was not supposed to end up with him. I know God's not big on divorce but I also know that his one "ok" reason for it is "marital unfaithfulness." I remember asking my 6th grade teacher "So what if your husband beats you up? God doesn't want you to leave him?" And she said "That doesn't sound like he was being very faithful, does it?"

I just don't think I'm supposed to be with him anymore. I asked my mom, and I'll ask you girls because I just don't know..... if I were supposed to be with him, would I be this happy without him? The only time I've been unhappy since 2 days after I left is when I've had to talk to him or see him. The only time I've had no appetite is when I've had to talk to him or see him. I sleep like a baby now. I don't worry about things much anymore. I feel good about myself. I treat the people around me better.

It's definitely not easy. But I'm so glad I left. I wasn't me anymore. He doesn't see that. He tries to tell me that he's tired of how I treated him. I acted like any normal, psychologically and emotionally abused woman would. I'm not that woman anymore. OH! And I'm not abusing food anymore either! I don't do the "I'm sad" ***STUFFING FACE LIKE A CRAZY WOMAN*** thing anymore. I eat when I'm hungry and I stop when I'm satisfied. It's really strange.

So that's where I'm at lately girls. Sorry I haven't been around much. I'm still dog-sitting so I've tried to spend some time with the doggletts because they miss Mama and Daddy. They aren't quite sure what's going on because my parents were only home for a week in between their trip to Alaska and their trip to Key West. Hope all is well with all of you. Take care and please continue to keep me in my prayers. Hopefully once my life is back to normal I'll be posting daily again.

Lisa

My goodness, Weezle, you are in great shape - and I don't just mean your body! I hadn't been paying a whole lot of attention, I guess, but suddenly you changed from "ugh" all the time to positive stuff. Good for you! I guess that was about the time you decided to make your move. It sounds to me as if you are better off without the peckerhead! I wish you every happiness.

My! That's rather unseemly talk for a church going old lady but some things are just not meant to be - like me and my first DH.

What a frustrating day I've had! The darn serviceman did not show and did not call. I phoned his office around two to be told he "might" make it. I re-booked for next week! Grrrr! They all have phones and I'm sure he could have called. I started to print off some pictures for the Church display and discovered I'm out of ink. Duh! So I made a quick trip to the next village and they are printing now. I'll be burning the midnight oil tonight to get this job done. (Of course, I've only known about it since last April!)

No time to comment if I'm to get this done tonight so I'll wish you all a good weekend.

Lisa - Ann Landers used to say to ask yourself if you were better off with him or without him. It sure sounds like you are happier without him. I know I'm better off without my first two husbands but I know that it is worth working on the issues with my current one. You just need to do what is right for you. Good luck and post when you can.

Lisa -

First of all some hugs.

Second, it sounds like you already know wht you need to do. I was in the same boat once, and while divorce is never an easy choice to make (unless you're a celebrity) sometimes its necessary. God would want you to be happy and healthy, both physically and metally.

Last piece of advice, make sure you get a lawyer. That way you don't have to deal with him.