Gheeeez, where's everyone at?? I got to the gym....yeah! I hope to get 2-3 days in before we leave. I got to the store to get the final needed items, and now we are ready to go, after I pack...of course.

I have done pretty well with my eating. I plan to be 100% OP the rest of the week, so I can have a few off-plan things over the weekend.

chrisd: I am still awaiting the 'official' report via mail on all the tests they've done on Britt. They did determine that she has allergies to many things, and a yeast problem, and stomach issues. We are starting to treat her now, and they will try to build up her immunity to those things she is allergic too, instead of just treating the symptoms, or trying to keep her away from so many things. They did a hair test on her, and there were high concentrations of metals, so I need to find a filter for the tub to filter out all the crap from the water; we are on a well, and have a softener system, but we need to still filter the water before bathtime. I guess we absorb a lot of that stuff through our skin. Glad you enjoyed yourself at the party; I'm sure you looked great in your new outfit. It is so nice when others notice your hard efforts, and when you start to see the results yourself!! Every once in a while you have to let your hair down, and let yourself have some treats. Today is a new day, and time to continue on with those efforts. We are leaving Friday morning.

Jenn28: Glad you enjoy your new Explorer. We have a 1998 Explorer and it has been very good to us; it has over 180,000 miles on it. My DH drives it and I drive the Tahoe. He plans to drive it until he just can't anymore. Welcome back...good to see you again.

Tranquil: Hope you are feeling better soon.

Serene: Welcome back.

I better go get dinner going. I am going to make some chicken pesto, semolina bowties with broccoli. I am getting hungry.

Take care,
Nat

I figured I better get on here for even the few minutes I have.

It's been a crappy day. I didn't sleep but about 45 minutes last night, wanted so bad to get on here to post but couldn't as MICHAEL pulled another all nighter and didn't sleep a wink. Getting more sick on top of it, I sound like a frog!:rolleyes: Thought I'd be able to get some rest but had too many things to do. Had to take MICHAEL to yet another interview, thought they were over with:nono: He had UPENN, then of course, he forgot something at home he needed so had to race home and take him back in the other directions again. At least he had some good news today, he's now moved up to National Merit Finalist:D

Oh, then I had to take LAUREN to the gym and pick her up - need to get my car to the mechanic tomorrow - I'm 1300 miles overdue on an oil change:eek: and want to get other aspects of the car looked at before the trip. Just another 50 or so miles and that car will hae 100K on it!

I'm so tired, I'm seeing double. I didn't even want to drive home but had no alternative. Here I thought at least I'd start on Monday morning and get in my usual post as I am able to do on Mondays. Now even today, I wasn't able to do-- which just plain SUCKS! Sorry, it's not intentional as you guys know - I need the board more than ever... Calgon, take me away - send me to FRUITS!!!!!!!!!!

Geez, look what the cat dragged back in - good to see you oldies;) Missed you guys!

Nite!

Deb

Hi everyone- Happy Monday?
 

I think thats called an oxymoron. Anyway, today starts wk 2 of SB WOE.
I lost 5lbs in wk one(I did better last summer when I followed SB, but I was exercising more- it makes a difference. I just keep reminding myself of how much I hate taking all these pills everyday and how icky they make me feel and try to get thru another day. I've stayed OP for the week but portions & fat & salt intake too high. One step at a time though!

Monday Night....
 

WOW, Serene!!!! Good to see ya! I hope you can get the computer system up and running soon... as well as I agree, it is nice to have that buddy system! Thanks for your compliment on DS - it just shocks me seeing these photos - is that my little one???? He and I measured our feet up next to each other tonight - his foot is WAY Bigger than mine and just less than 6 months ago we were wearing the same size shoe! Maybe you and I can get back into the swing again of posting...support is so important, and to be accountable to something, someone, a group, an individual sure does help!


Pancho: Thank you for the well wishes, I sound like I have my nose pinned shut with a clothes pin, but getting better every minute... I drank Pomegranate/Tangerine juice yesterday for the first time - I am sure it was high in sugar, though not added, but it said it was supposed to be a great source of vitamins ... it was okay - a bit too tart - sort of cranberry like.... You are still going to Northern Arizona on vacation? I had an invite to visit family that are in the process of building a house in Snowflake....maybe in the summer I can get a chance to get out there...

DEB - hmmm, what did the cat drag in? Two large rats, hehehehe.... well, I should speak for myself, one large rat - and a nice, little field mouse, I am not the latter.

Well, I must too doo loo and get some rest - my show is on, BBC's Wire in the Blood - have had a crush on Robson Green for years now... and my favorite thing I ever saw him in was a British chocolate commercial I saw while on vacation during the holidays in London where the girl turns down Robson Green with just a bow on jumping out of a box over a box of some chocolate... sorry, chocolate is just not that Yummmmmmmyyyyyy.. hehehehe....

Sabrina

My MM contribution:

Diamonds are only chunks of coal that stuck to their jobs, you see.
-- Malcolm Forbes

How has your determination paid off for you in your life? So often it is difficult to know when to continue pushing forward and when to let go of a project or an idea.

Leslie wanted to change the culture of her small company. She realized that achieving her goals would require determination. Yet determination was not enough; she knew that she also needed a well-developed plan for the changes to stick in her industry of computer systems, an industry that was rapidly changing. She carefully laid out a detailed plan to achieve her goals, including all incremental steps, with quarterly reviews. She knew real change would take at least five years. At times along the way, Leslie became self-doubting; her determination waned. At times, it seemed that the company was moving backward. Each year, however, Leslie met with her management team and together they assessed the progress of the program. Indeed, the program progressed as planned.

Just for today, I will ask myself what results my determination has produced in my life and accept that some things take time.

Igniting the Spirit at Work by Marlyn Mason, Ph.D


SEF: Thanks for the words of wisdom. We were pen pals for a short while, if you like we could renew - [email protected]

Cessprin: Welcome.

Deb: Congrats again to your son, what a wonderful achievement! Your MM's - I thought Ralph Marston was talking directly to me! Thanks for the insights. Sorry you're not feeling well, hope you get better soon.

CherylCo: Thanks for the link and thank you for sharing, it helps to know what another person does during the day. I've had a few people say the understood, but no one would share how the cope at home.

I started Flylady a couple days ago and I'm taking baby steps. This is the 2nd day I haven't wasted in front of the tube or computer. My son said he had fun today too, and didn't ask for TV until late in the afternoon. Still avoiding desk work though, going to try to finish it all tomorrow. I hope to start pool therapy again at the end of the month. It helped reduce my pain and gave me time to do some relaxation techniques that seem to help me control pain better.

It's time to get the little ones off to bed. Tomorrow my goals are to conquer the desk and work on my bedtime routine some more.

Howdy
 

It ate my monster post and I'm too tired to try again. I sent lots of love and hugs. Eating was great today. Meeting my news goal of at least 4 days a week so far..woo hoo.

Love and hugs,
Crystle

Hi, guys. I've got the puny's today. Sore throat, just generally yucky all over. Really wanted to crawl back in bed this morning, but I couldn't. Oh, well. I'm sitting here sitting on some hot tea so maybe that will help. At least dinner's in the crockpot, italian style marinated chicken breasts with spaghetti sauce. I'll pull them out and throw some grated mozzarella and parmesan cheese on them and stick in the oven for a minute and voila! chicken parmesan. It's really good, usually I just bake them and don't mess with the crock pot but I've got a nail appt tonight and I know Joe wouldn't mess with them. I think I've got some salad in a bag to go with it.

Tranquil and Serene, it's good to see you guys again. Wish ya'll were coming to the little soiree at Missy's.

ID-I liked your MM.

Talk to you guys later.

Have we heard anymore from Jackie?

Trish

Good morning:

The board has been pretty slow....I guess life is happening. Missing JackK, BOB, Monet, Teensy. Has anyone heard from Talitha? I know she was pretty sick. Any new news on JackK????

Today I am supposed to volunteer in Britt's class for a little while; I don't know if I will get to the gym after that or not....may be too much for Lane.

I am slowly, but surely getting things together. I watched my BFOF last night and didn't even study afterward. I hope I don't blow this test BIG TIME. I hope to study this afternoon before I leave. I am going to get some chili in the slow cooker soon, so I don't have to cook tonight.

Deb: You need your sleep lady....especially when you are sick!! Take care of yourself. Congrats to Michael on Nat'l Finalist.

Donna: Baby steps will get you there; hang in there. 5#'s is 5#'s....Congrats on that.

Tranquil: No, we are going to Telluride, Colorado and spending waaaaaay too much on our room ($550 for three nights), especially since Northern AZ does have some snow now, and we could have gone there and spent way less. We probably won't even ski (with the kids and all). It will be an expensive trip to play in the snow. There goes the Ab Scissor I wanted. OH well, we can't cancel the reservation now, so we may as well go and enjoy ourselves. Getting away from the every day stuff will be nice.

ldblond: What's Flylady?

Country: Way to go.....4 days is a great start. Pretty soon, it will be second nature again.

Well, better go see what the girls are yelling about.

Take care,
Nat

Trishaloo: I am sure sipping hot tea would be a quicker and easier way to get it into your system than sitting on it ;) . Hope you feel better soon.

I just balanced my checkbook so needless to say im bummed :(

I signed up for flylady to and i like it for the most part, i dont follow it like it says but the shiny sink is a MUST!! you really do feel great in the morning. The lace up shoe thing just dont work for me. I hate shoes!!! I forgot who asked but the website is www.flylady.com It really does give you some great tips. I make my beds in the morning now, I do 2 15 minute hot spot checks a day and i straighten up and shine my sink everynight. I dry the sink with my daily dish towel and then throw it in the laundry. If you have a stainless steel sink like i do a sos pad or cheaper version of one works WONDERS!!!! I hope one day to take a few more of those baby steps but i need the 21 days to make this a habbit first...lol

I to am wondering about Jack....i wish we would get another update. I know she is sore but i hope she is pleased.

Thats all for now, im o/p so far but i havent even gotten to lunch..lol, but i have my menu made out already so im good to go. Hubby is starting to feel fat now that im loosing..lol...and hes not

HAVE A GREAT DAY EVERYONE!!!

oh, im bidding on some WATP tapes on ebay...3 tapes and the weight balls for $20, so far im high bidder and it ends today..i thought that wasnt a bad price.

Nat, sitting, sipping, what the heck. Maybe that's why it hasn't helped any yet, LOL.

Trish

hi guys...just a quick flyby. I have so much to do today! Eating was good yesterday, except i had a bite of Dominics chocolate chip cookie yesterday. TOM is here so i felt I had no choice! :)

NAT - Wow I had no idea you can get stuff in your skin through a bath. I guess it makes sence. Poor Britt...what kind of treatments are you doing? Is it a pill thing?

DEB - Get some sleep...hope you are feeling better! Any word on JACKIE??

Chris

Trish - Hi, I am sorry I am going to miss the fun at Missy's!!! I hope you all take lots of pics and post them asap! and post while you are all there... I am looking forward to hearing about your fun antics in LA!!!!

Pancho - Oooooh, forget the expense and have lots of fun!!!!! Ever since I booked my trip to Europe, when the Euro was equal to the US Dollar - I have sat and watched the Euro steadily climb, climb, and climb - and the inexpensive trip planned has become not so sweetly cheap! hahaha, my luck! You will have such a wonderful time in such a gorgeous place!!!

I love Flylady - which I learned about on this Board - I always fill my sink up in the kitchen with bleach and soak it...then polish it up like she suggests - and I have eliminated so many cluttering things...though I have a lot further to go....

Sabrina

Belated MM, had computer pobs yesterday.LIFE RESPONDS TO YOUR OUTLOOK.
-----------------------------------------------
The dreams you choose to believe in come to be.
When you feel in your innermost being
that you will achieve what you set out to do,
you open the way for miracles.

Choose to believe something good can happen.
Expecting it to happen energizes your goal
and actually gives it momentum.
What you expect to happen, happens.

If you expect to succeed, you'll succeed.

To Your Success!!

Here's a Tueday Tip:Here's a Tuesday Tip:

Squeaky Clean? Not Even Close (From NY Times) By AMANDA HESSER

When mad cow disease was discovered in Washington State recently, it made headlines for days and brought action from the federal government. Coupled with a number of E. coli scares, it caused some Americans to swear off hamburger.

But most people don't seem to worry about what experts say is a petri dish for food-borne illness: the home kitchen.

"Everybody is so acutely aware of mad cow disease," said Janet Anderson, a clinical associate professor of nutrition and food sciences at Utah State University, "but people aren't aware of the fact that they don't even wash their hands when they enter their kitchens, which is a much greater risk."

Professor Anderson filmed more than 100 people preparing dinner and found that only two did not cross-contaminate raw meat with fresh vegetables.

It is not only people's hands, though. Dish towels, sinks, refrigerator door handles and warm, moist, crevice-filled sponges are also breeding grounds for bacteria.

"A sponge that's been in use for no more than two or three days in a kitchen will harbor millions of bacteria," said Elizabeth Scott, co-director of the Simmons Center for Hygiene and Health in the Home at Simmons College in Boston. That's a problem, she said, "if you pick up the pathogen or a pathogenic E. coli, salmonella or campylobacter on the sponge."

She added: "That means that any time you use the sponge to wipe up a surface you are potentially spreading those pathogens."

These pathogens are a potential problem mainly for infants, the sick elderly and people with compromised immune systems. But when allowed to multiply on food, they can make the average person sick.

"The basic reality is that the risks that scare people and the risks that kill people are very different," said Dr. Peter M. Sandman, a risk communication consultant in Princeton, N.J. "Risks that you control," Dr. Sandman said, "are much less a source of outrage than risks that are out of your control. In the case of mad cow, it feels like it's beyond my control. I can't tell if my meat has prions in it or not. I can't see it, I can't smell it. Whereas dirt in my own kitchen is very much in my own control. I can clean my sponges. I can clean the floor."

Dread is another factor, Dr. Sandman said. People can deal with sick stomachs, but they absolutely dread the idea of rotting brains.

Fair enough, except that many of the estimated 76 million cases of food-borne illnesses in the United States each year are contracted in the home, and many can be prevented.

Dean Cliver, a professor of food safety at the University of California, Davis, found that microwaving sponges — cellulose ones, not the natural kind — wipes out harmful bacteria. "We did soak sponges in some pretty bad things," he said, "and one minute in the nuke and that pretty much did it."

Dishcloths also become saturated with bacteria, although since they dry more quickly than sponges, bacteria are less likely to breed. They can be microwaved, too, or simply laundered regularly.

Professor Cliver's other notable discovery involved cutting boards. "Somewhere along the line, wood got a bad name," Professor Cliver said. Part of the blame, he said, must go to the rubber industry, which assailed wood cutting boards in order to promote hard rubber and plastic. In recent years, it has become conventional wisdom that plastic cutting boards are safer and easier to clean than wood cutting boards. Even the Food and Drug Administration says that plastic is less likely to harbor bacteria and easier to clean.

But in a study Professor Cliver conducted, he found that cellulose in wood absorbs bacteria but will not release it. "We've never been able to get the bacteria down in the wood back up on the knife to contaminate food later," he said.

Plastic absorbs bacteria in a different way. "When a knife cuts into the plastic surface, little cracks radiate out from the cut," Professor Cliver said. The bacteria, he said, "seem to get down in those knife cuts and they hang out. They go dormant. Drying will kill, say, 90 percent of them, but the rest could hang around for weeks."

In one test he did, raw chicken juices were spread on samples of used wood and plastic cutting boards. Both boards were washed in hot soapy water and dried, then knives were used to simulate cutting vegetables for a salad. No bacteria appeared on the knives cut on wood, but there were plenty on the knives used on a plastic board.

Professor Cliver found that running plastic boards through the dishwasher only spread the bacteria around. The bacteria in the cracks remained. He said that the water in dishwashers must get hotter than 140 degrees or all sorts of bacteria can survive.

Wood cutting boards may be microwaved for five minutes, but Professor Cliver warned that some wood cutting boards contain metal pieces within. He added, "Some people who tried their boards in the microwave had some spectacular fireworks."

Even with clean sponges and cutting boards, no one's kitchen will ever be germ-free because the food supply is not sterile. In 1998, Consumer Reports, for instance, found that 71 percent of store-bought chicken contained harmful bacteria. Most bacteria in food can be killed if the food is cooked properly. But much of the harm happens before the food gets near the oven.

In an experiment performed by Professor Anderson of Utah State University, she and her colleagues covered a chicken with a product called Glo Germ, which is invisible in daylight but visible when exposed to ultraviolet light. The chicken was given to a home cook, who was asked to prepare it. By the time the chicken was done, Professor Anderson said, the light revealed chicken juices everywhere — on the counter, in the sink, on cabinet handles, even on the sippy cup of the cook's 2-year-old child.

Chuck Gerba, a professor of environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona who has studied bacteria in home kitchens, said that he found that people who had the cleanest-looking kitchens were often the dirtiest. Because "clean" people wipe up so much, they often end up spreading bacteria all over the place. The cleanest kitchens, he said, were in the homes of bachelors, who never wiped up and just put their dirty dishes in the sink.

The biggest obstacle seems to be simply getting people to wash their hands. Professor Anderson found that only 34 percent of her subjects washed their hands before cooking, and most failed to use soap. Washing hands in hot soapy water for at least 20 seconds rinses off surface bacteria and makes it difficult for bacteria to cling to skin.

The less bacteria that you pick up, the less likely you will fall ill. Getting people to change their habits, however, is a big mountain to climb.

The truth is, as Dr. Sandman pointed out, bacteria in the home kitchen is simply not mysterious or weird enough. To respond to it, you have to do something very banal: wash your hands. And that's just not as compelling as taking a dramatic stand and halting beef consumption in the face of a brain-rotting disease.