TO HAPPY WHO HAS HER LITTLE FINGERS BUSY ON THE KEYBOARD ABOVE ME I AM SURE

IT'S SO DARK OUT THAT IT LOOKS LIKE JUDY GARLAND'S KANSAS FARM!! EERIE LOOKING SKIES AND A WHOPPER OF A THUNDERSTORM LAST NIGHT. IN THE MICCLE OF THE STORM I WENT TO BED. AS I LIE THERE SHIVERING UNDER THE BLANKETS, ONE OF THOSE SUCTION HOOKS THAT WAS HOLDING A LIGHT SHAWL FELL OFF THE DOOR AND SCARED THE CRAP OUT OF ME. THERE I WAS TO TERRIFIED TO GET ME ARSE UP AND LOOK. THE STORM WAS A COMBO OF REGULAR THUNDER AND SOMETHING THAT SOUNDED LIKE ALIEN TRAINS WERE LANDING ON THE PLANET. VERY WEIRD NOISES. IF A DANCE OF COLORED LIGHTS HAD BEGUN I WOULD HAVE GONE UNDER THE BED!!! THINKING OF LITTLE GREEN MEN.
SHADES OF ENCOUNTERS OF THE CLOSEST KIND!
STILL RESTING TODAY. THIS EYE/EAR/NECK/HOULDER THING IS ALMOST A SINUS INFECTION BUT HASN'T QUITE MADE IT THERE...
SO I AM KEEPING TO THE REST AND MEDS PLAN IN HOPES OF WARDING IT OFF. PRAYING A LOT NOW. WONDER IF GOD SEES A PATTERN HERE....

CARLA~ YOU WERE THE ONE SENT ME LOOKING FOR AN AVATAR WITH YOU POST. THE FROG IS CRACKING ME UP. WE MUST NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF HAPPY ENTERTAINING THE LITTLE GREEN CRITTERS IN HER POOL. HOPEFULLY SHE HAS FISHED THEM OUT SO WE CAN TAKE A DIP.
FOOD AND MORE DRINKS WILL BE SERVED POOLSIDE TODAY AS WELL. DON'T BOTHER GETTING DRESSED UP!

SHAD~ GETTING READY FOR THE OLD HOMESTEAD MUST BE COMFORTING AFTER ALL THIS TIME. SEEMS LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN I TV FOR A LONG TIME!! I WAS WATCHING A TRAVEL PROGRAM ABOUT KATOOMBA'S BLUE MOUNTAINS(SP) WHAT A PLACE!! WATERFALLS AND ALL AND A TREE THEY FOUND WHOSE SPECIES IS MILLIONS OF HEARS OLD...OR WAS IT THOUSANDS. WELL IT WAS DAMNED OLD. HOPE THE TRIP HOME IS UNEVENTFUL AND YOU FIND A JOB IN BRISBANE. I WILL DO MY BRISBANE DANCE FOR YOU THIS MORNING OR MAYBE NOT AS IS MIGHTHAVE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

MADCAT~ HELLO MISS KITTY!! AND HOW ARE YOU AND MR TOMCAT??? SENDING HUGS YOUR WAY!! YOPU AND I SEEM TO BE IN THE SAME SINUS BOAT. GOOD WEATHER IS COMING SO WE MUST HOLD ON! THEN WE CAN GO OUT, ARMED WITH OUR ANTIHISTAMINES, AND DO A SPRIN/SUMMER DANCE AND CELEBRATE

I REALL MUST GET OUT OF HERE. THE TOP HALF OF ME WEIGHS LIKE A 1/2 TON THIS MORNING. SOME HEAVY GOING I CAN TELL YOU!!
HAPPY WEDNESDAY AND DON'T FORGET TO DO THE OLD LINDAT HUMP!!

WHAT??? NO POST FROM HAPPY???
I MUST KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR HER.
I KNOW....I'LL MAKE HER A CUP O'JOE TO GET HER DAY STARTED

Morning folks,

I'm going to have to search for a Memphis themed avatar later. Love the frog Carla - guitar AND pompadour - Enjoy your snooze - it's the perfect time for it.

Sure as Gma2one predicted, here comes the rain. Just in time for the BBQ championship cook off and the music festival this weekend.

Yes Mel, I held back today. Thanks for the coffee Nice and fresh
Glad the spooky storms didn't do you in last night. Had to laugh about the flashing lights and you popping under the bed Hope you are feeling better my friend. Ix-snay on the inus-say rap-kay.

Holy Holly that's horrid for gas. I haven't been paying attention to ours. Just fill it up and leave them my arm - haven't had to leave the leg yet. I enjoyed Bon Jovi yesterday on Idol too. First show I've liked in weeks - was ready to write it off for good but I am curious as to who will win.

Madcat - you sound like you will fit right in down here. Take your pick from the tray of sinus meds on the tea cart over there. Seems like we are all walking around with pounding heads. You're right about the pressure changes. The incoming rain has my head complaining too. Hope you find that Elvis cat avatar - if anyone can, you will. Even if you have to dress up your babies

Shad, I'm glad to hear that you have some job offers coming your way. As you say, why can't they be closer to home. Will be nice to go off on holiday knowing that you have something lined up for your return. Hope you find a good one

Ok, off to another day at the salt mine for me. Got my WW lunch packed. Have been getting away from the fruits and veggies and the scale is warning me - finicky thing that it is. Lord help me and tell me that my future is not one of extremes with low carb ketchup and pickle relish made with Splenda. Saw that on another thread for hot dog fixings. Some times I see (what I consider) the extreme measures that people have to take to maintain their weight loss and it doesn't make me excited. I can surely understand having to limit the high calorie items to an occasional treat but to have to live a live where everything is sugar free, fat free and chemically enhanced to replace all the flavor they sucked out. Well - then I guess I'll never get to goal. Just something that roams around nagging me in the head. Of to work now, happy Wednesday. Less than 30 days to Shad's trip...

HOLLY~ IT WASN'T UNTIL HAPPY'S POST THAT I REALIZED I MISSED YOURS. NOT SURE WHAT GAS IS HERE BUT IF YOU HAVE A LONG EXTENSION CORD, I CAN LEND YOU ONE OF MY HOTWHEELS!!

HAPPY~ LET US PLEASE REMEMBER THAT WE DO NOT WANT TO DO JERSEY IN ANY MONTH BE IT A "J" OR AN "N"!!! I AM LOOKING TO GET OUT OF JERSEY AND NOT VACATION HERE THE PEOPLE WHO GO TO EXTREMES ARE SOMETIMES THE ONES WHO EAT CHEESECAKE AND THEN WASH IT DOWN WITH A DECAF COFFEE FILLED WITH SPLENDA!!! I LIVED WITH A GUY NAMED JOHN. WE WOULD GO OUT TOFANCY RESTAURANTS AND HE'D ORDER VERY RICH FOOD. THEN HAVE AN IRISH COFFEE-TYPE DRINK AND ASK THE WAITER TO MAKE SURE THEY USED EQUAL!!!!
I LAUGHED AT HIM EVERY TIME!! HE'D GET MAD AND SAY IT WAS EASY FOR ME CAUSE I ONLY WEIGHED IN AT 104 WITH ALL MY CLOTES AND SHOES ON. NOW I'M NOT LAUGHING ANYMORE ENJOY YOUR DAY!!

Happy, don't let dieting get you down. Not that I've had great success th last few years, but I'll never believe it's necessary to replace real food with fake stuff to maintain a good weight. I think it's more a matter of choosing what's important to us and cutting hi-cal stuff we don't care that much about. For instance, I won't eat lo-cal cheese. It's awful. So i just eat less of it, or none at all when I'm in weight-loss mode. Yes, we do do have to restrict our choices while we're trying to lose. But I know that a lot of my gain was from comfort eating, from mindless eating, and from "opportunity" eating when there's a plate of squares out at work (and no one to see me) or when I'm bored or cold and drink several cups of very bad coffee with cream and sugar. And from what I remember of WW, they don't really encourage too many "fake" foods, more wise choices.
Thus endeth today's lecture from the chick who ate a slab of old cheddar (and other stuff) last night. Today, back on track! Smoothie for brekkie, yumm.
More later, take care of yourself Mel, and others too. Gotta go.

Carla--Smoothie's for breakfast. I've been eating them for a light dinner since I get home so late. My sister in Texas made them while I was there and they are so easy to make.

Mel-Elvis is doing his thing. I miss him.

Happy--Doesn't it always rain on an important weekend.

grandma2one-welcome

madcat--know what you mean by the sinuses.

Hollyhock--yikes that's a bunch of money to shell out for gas. Ours jumped ten cents lastweek end. It's $2.89 now but I'm expecting it to be $3.25 by mothers day week end. For a small town in Arkansas that is too much, but I have to drive to work

I did finish the yard last night before the rain started early this morning.
I need to get up and do inventory.

Hi Carla see your egg light glowing.

Morning all,
Not sure what our gas was this week. Around $1.20pl up here in the tropics. I'm like happy, I take little notice, just do what has to be done and am exceedingly thankful to have a car that does a big kilometreage (is there such a word) to the tankful.

Mel - you poor thing, frightened by bad thunderstorms. How I laughed at you leaping out of bed and rolling underneath it. What wouldn't I give for those thunderstorms to be around my place for at least a week. Might give the garden and trees some hope. Some of them are starting to fall over in the city. All those glorious old trees dying of thirst.

Got another job offer this morning - still Perth but only for 3 months and with expenses and accommodation. Now that sounds better. Won't get too many flights home in that time but at least it is not for long.

Happy, I can so relate to the movements on the scale. It just seems so unfair. I know that overall I have lost around 4kg since the beginning of the year, but it is such a slow process and seems to have more backward steps than forward ones. However I refuse to eat the cardboard stuff or the chemicals and make my diet as organic as I can. It means a lot to me to not eat the chemicals.

Well dang me days. I have just been selected for a drug and alcohol test. So I'll be back later.

Shad- I am thankful for my new fuel efficient car too.

Idol was good. Sorry to see the guys go.They are both adorable and good but I do believe others are better. Bon Jovi was dreamy.

A perfect gardening day. 18C and clear.

I am off til noon. The house is a disaster. I putter a bit each night but it hasn't been vacuumed in 2 weeks and other such stuff. Sigh.

Debating gardening for an hour or doing housework this morning.
Huge Avon order comes tomorrow. Working Fri and Sat at the shop, teaching sunday school.
Off on Monday, a networking event on Tues.

DS cried every moment he was with me yesterday. So far no tears today. Track and field today. He is probably worrying about winning/doing his best.
Coffee is yummy.
Food, water , exercise all good yesterday. Better than in a while.

HUGS!!

HAPPY~ I TOO EAT "REAL" FOODS. I TRIED THE FAKE STUFF AND JUST COULDN'T EAT IT. THEN SPOKE TO A HEART DR AND HE SAID US ALL WHOLE FOODS AND JUST CUT BACK. THEY DON'T LIKE THE ARTIFICIAL STUFF EITHER. HE EVEN TOLD ME TO STOP USING MARGARINE OF ANY KIND. I THINK WE KNOW EXACTLY HOW YOU FEEL AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE ALLHERE!

CARLA~ HOPE THE SLAB OF OLD CHEDDAR WAS GOOD. I AM DROOLING OVER HERE. ENJOY THE SMOOTHIE!! I LOVE THEM TOO. SO EASY TO TOSS, BLEND AND SWALLOW! AND IF YOU DRINK IT OUT OF THE BLENDER....NO DISHES!!

CEEJAY~ I KNEW A WOMAN MANY YEARS AGO HAD ELVIS STUFF ALL OVER HER HOUSE. SHE ADORED HIM AND HUNG THOSE PAINTINGS DONE ON BLACK VELVET IN EVERY ROOM! IT WAS TRULY A SIGHT TO BEHOLD.

HOLLY~ HOPE THE DS HAS A MUCH BETTER DAY! WISHING HIM GOOD LUCK ON A WIN.

SHAD~ WISH WE COULD SEND THE RAIN YOUR WAY. SAD TO HEAR ABOUT ALL THE TREES. FUNNY HOW ALL OF A SUDDEN GLOBAL WARMING IS CATCHIN EVERYONE'S ATTENTION AND IT SEEMS THAT COUNTRIES ARE PAYING MUCH MORE ATTENTION. WE'LL SEE HOW LONG THEIR INTERESTS LAST. SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE GETTING READY TO MAKE THE DECISION ON THE 3 MONTH JOB?!?!
DOES IT START THE DAY AFTER YOU GET BACK FROM THE STATES??????

WONDERFUL WEATHER IS HERE TO STAY FOR AWHILE. NO RAIN IN SIGHT. I TRIED TO GET THOSE STORMS HEADED TOWARDS SHAD BUT NO LUCK!
I FEEL A BIT BETTER TODAY BUT NOT READY TO FACE ALL THE "SCENTED LADIES" OF THE OFFICE AND WANDERING TENANTS. SPEAKING OF WHICH...THERE WAS A FIRE IN TOWN RECENTLY. SOME PEOPLE ARE DISPLACED AS A RESULT. ONE IS A SENIOR WHO NEVER BATHES OR WASHES HIS CLOTHES. HE NOW RESIDES ON MY FLOOR. ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS CAME TO ME TO TELL ME THE BLDG IS IN AN UPROAR AND HE SHOULD BE GIVEN THE BOOT.....I ASKED "TO WHERE". WELL IF HE CANNOT TAKE CARE OF HIMSELF THEN HE SHOULD GO TO A NURSING HOME.. WAS THE ANSWER. I RAN INTO SEVERAL OTHERS AND ALL HAD THE SAME THOUGHTS. MY ANSWER TO THEM...HEY HEY HEY.,..THIS IS NOT EXACTLY A CHRISTIAN WAY OF THINKING. GEE I CAN;T WAIT TO SEE HOW FAST YOU "GUYS" SEND ME TO ONE WHEN IT'S MY TIME. YOU SEE, MOST OF THE COMPLAINERS ARE AVID CHURCH GOERS AND ALSO ATTEND A SHOR MASS THE CHURCH GIVES ONCE A MONTH IN THE COMMUNITY ROOM. I AM WONDERING WHAT THEY SAY TO GOD & PRIEST WHEN THEY DO CONFESSION. SORRY FATHER FOR I HAVE SINNED, I TRIED TO GET A SICK OLD MAN EVICTED SO MY OLFACTORY SENSES WOULDN'T BE OFFENDED. EVERY DAY THEY SEEM TO SURPRISE ME WITH SOMETHING NEW. I AM SITTING HERE WONDERING IF I WILL BECOME THE SAME WAY. THERE ARE DAYS I CAN SEE SOMETHING OF MYSELF IN SOME OF THEM!
MOVING RIGHT ALONG......I DECIDED LAST NIGHT THAT I AM NOT DOING ANYTHING TIRING UNTIL NEXT WEEK. MY HEAD ETC NEEDS MY ATTENTION AND NOW THAT IT HAS IT, IT;S IMPROVING. SO THAT'S THE DEAL.
OMG!!! I ALMOST FORGOT!! FRAN IN THE OFFICE HAS GIVEN HER 2 WEEKS NOTICE AND IS LEAVING US!!
SHE'S THE YOUNG GIRL WHIO HELPS WITH ARTS & CRAFTS. I WAS SHOCKED BUT NOT AT THE SAME TIME.
SHE IS FROM "OUT OF TOWN" AND YOU CAN IMAGINME THE BS THAT WENT ON. THEY NEVER LET HER "FIT IN".
EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO TRY AND GET HER FIRED. LONG STORY BUT I HAD TO WRITE AND SPEAK TO A POLITICO TO KEEP HER HERETHESE 5 YEARS. I AM SO GLAD SHE HAS FOUND A REAL JOB IN A REAL WORLD WITH REAL PEOPLE. I JUST WILL MISS HER TERRIBLY. THE SENIORS LOVED HER TOO.
HAPPY THURSDAY/FRIDAY!

Morning chicks,

DH got a letter the other day - The Athenian Secret Society has found him. Hmmm - didn't know anyone was looking for him besides me Not sure if they are the guys with the pointy triangular pointed foil hats but I'm keeping a close eye on him for any sudden disappearances or strange behavior.

I bought some fancy schmancy geraniums that have pretty leaves of green and yellow with a touch of red and have a red orange flower. Was going to plant them under the maple tree but found that the soil is all full of roots. Not good for planting. Need a shallow rooted flower there if anything. Guess I'll be getting some planter pots. don't tell DH I'm spending more money.

Memphis in May - the event - is this weekend. Surprisingly it looks like it's going to be sunny and in the mid 80's. Means that 1/2 the population of Tennessee and the 3 nearby states will be here. I'll have to find a quieter place for us to visit.

And with that I'm off to go earn some smoothie money so I can feed y'all... Have a good one

That Mellie - she's always just around the corner sneakin' up on me

Youpi! That's French for yippee... : Today was a total of 10.5 down on my mini-goal, which is halfway to where I'm hoping to be by Shad's arrival! I think I'll leave the tracker where it is for now - that cheese fest may yet come back and bite me in the you-know-what. I'm not hung up on the number, by the way, which is far from where I really need to be, but I need a concrete goal or I start justifying silly behaviour, like celebrating the loss of half a pound by eating 8000 extra calories...

Mel, you're sounding much, much better. Sorry to hear you've lost the office person you liked, even though she's off to a better job. As for the smelly new tenant, that's a tough one. It's so hard to talk to people about their hygiene, and yet the lives of the smelly would be so much fuller if we didn't have to avoid them. It may not be nice of me, but I'd rather be shut in a tiny box with a smoker than be around someone with ferocious BO. Is there a family member who could be approached about it? Maybe the offer to have all his clothes washed to get out the smell of smoke from the fire?
We also have wonderfully sunny skies here, and for the next few days. I may get my bike out.. but that would require an effort: cleaning, pumping tires, actually pedaling. Just have to remember how good I always feel once I've been out doing something physical. It's like eating properly - food is soooo much tastier when it's prepared simply with lots of veg. My lunch salads are so easy and quick, and yet they're to die for. The smoothies are a little more complicated because of the consistency issue - I changed to a new whey powder which made them almost too thick and too sweet (too much sucralose - hard to find any with no fake sweeteners, grrr)). Now I've mixed the two brands and get a slightly different result every day. (Yes, my life really is exciting...) And while I don't drink them out of the big blender jar, I do have a smoothie cup attachment I can blend them in. Easy to clean too.

Happy, how much money did the secret society ask for? Was the request in Greek??
Even when I had a garden I hated the work of gardening. But I'm still jealous of yours, it must look wonderful. And think of all the bbq you're burning off while you work out there!
By the way, I like mango in my smoothies, since you're going to the shops anyway...

Holly, you sound pretty darned busy these days!! But a little less vacuuming won't hurt anyone. Is DS finding it tough to not have you home all the time?

Shad, so many work offers! And of course if you wait too long, hoping to get something in Brisbane, they'll all dry up and you'll wish you had accepted even the worst of them. But I have a feeling you're enough in demand to pick and choose a little, although maybe not when you're in a hurry to refill the bank accounts after the odyssey...

All this talk of "real" food - let's not forget that fiber is also our friend. And the silliest thing is that buying better food while cutting the junk is actually cheaper!!! And only slightly more time consuming (shopping and prep).
I saw a woman on Oprah yesterday who had lostsxc (<---- sorry, the cat decded to put in his two cents worth...)... as I was saying, she had lost about 400 lbs with surgery, and ended up writing a book about Winning after Losing which I think might be worth the read: it's about the fact that the really tough part is keeping the weight off once it's lost, which has certainly been a big problem for me. I think I'll buy it - there's room for one more diet book on the shelf since I decided to recycle the Sonoma Diet. :lol2: (Can do without bread and taters, can't do without fruit.)

Gotta go, all that fiber has done its work, and it's time to go sit somewhere else.

Ok, I want to at least post this one entry in case I get sidetracked (yet again). The DH and I are off for our first anniversary jaunt to New York City where hopefully the amount of walking we will do will at least partially offset the amount of eating we also have planned. After all, what is a trip to NYC without a stop at the Carnegie Deli for some cheesecake?

I'll try to skip back in a bit for some commentary (if packing allows). If not, everyone take care and have lovely weekends all around.

Oh, and during the daylight hours you should check out the following link: http://www.torontozoo.com/SpecialEvents/AGFTigerCam.asp

It's a live feed of the twin tiger cubs at the toronto Zoo. They are beautiful.

Yowza, Madcat! Did you morph two pictures into one avatar, or did you find that somewhere?? I'm so impressed!!!