Hubbies surgery is canceled until most likely tues. we are to get a call today. Another emergency bumped us out of his spot can't say he was to sorry. I am different I want it done and over with when its me. Just do it. But he is pleased with a little extra time and being his is more major that makes a difference too. So its like he has been granted a little extra time to finish up what he wants to and spend Bears first birthday going for a little stroll down by the water banks today. Yes Bear has made it one year wow how time has gone by so quickly he is a cutie but has been tons of work and still is at times. Yesterday we celebrated the GS's birthdays I cooked pulled pork thank goodness for crockpots. Then did a baked chicken pan breast drums etc. I also put together an ice cream cake with the boys choices added in sour gummie worms even my 40 yr. old BIL wanted a worm hah hah. Then made a jewish apple cake too. I did pretty good for my intake. Didn't write it down but didn't over do. I pushed myself to keep my schedule with workingout in the a.m. at the gym before the gathering now that had to count for something huh. I am trying to get into a schedule and then it all seems to come together. I am going to make the most of my work day and try to pump out some upcoming reports. My work has been wonderful with my family leave etc. and I also am trying to work with it and get all my own work done so it benefits them and me. This way I won't use up all my sick time just in case in the future I need it. One other girl is going to join the others oh well what can yah do I really like working with her and will miss that. But understand more money for her and she has only been with us for 6 months or so. I did worn her to not get mixed up in the actions of them and just becareful cause their not as friendly as they may appear. I felt the need to tell her and if it gets back to them oh well guess what they deserve it thats the name they made for theirselves. But I don't miss them had to talk to one on the phone the other day about business a client switching over to her . She said oh you and your hubby will be in my prayers I thought oh with that I am a bit scared just what kind of good vibes are you going to send us?????? Well Marie I am going to ck out that site this a.m. about menopause wt. etc. I have added flaxseed into my breakfast this a.m. its suppose to really help us and you can add it to anything. This a.m. it got throw in to my oatmeal. Congrats on your grant. Juls your so funny I love having you back!!! Marie a little dark bunny could be good for you they say just an ear maybe? As long as he is dark!!!
Judy yah think we would all learn but its tough making changes to our way of life isn't easy as there are more choices out there than ever before for so many things. Years ago people just had normal choices we are given thousands of many brands, types and kinds to choose from no wonder we are a little yo yo style once in awhile I guess its just life. Hopefully most of the time we stay on the right road and only take a little turn for a bit. Good luck.
Intake plans: oatmeal with walnuts, 1 tsp. br. sugar, cinnamon and flaxseed
Snack an tangerine
Lunch: baked chicken br. one half in romanie lett. , few garlic croutons and a little cheese. Olive oil and vinegar dressing. One apple with a little peanut butter on the side 1 tb.
Dinner: Pulled pork on a little roll and some broc. steamed, baked beans 1/2 cup.
Have a great day going to try to fit the gym in today instead of tues.....
Monday, Monday...hope everyone is doing well today. I enjoyed the extra sleep yesterday and today. I went ahead and changed my ticker to focus on my short-term, minimal goal for the end of the year. I worked out everyday, although just for 25 minutes so far today. My food choices have been okay. Today I had an egg, a little sliced ham and sugar snap peas for b'fast, and trail mix for a snack. I'll have a cup of cabbage soup and a Lean Cuisine for lunch, hummus and sliced veggies for afternoon snack, and a beef patty with veggies for dinner. If I can get out of work at a reasonable time, I'll ride the exercise bike for a while tonight.
Carol, I'm like you, I'd rather go and get it over with than to toss and turn in bed nights, waiting. I'm getting the hang of incorporating ground flaxseed and flaxseed oil into my days, but it's hard when I'm on the road.
Juls, I hope you get your treadmill! It's great having one in front of your own TV, you can hop on whenever the mood strikes you.
Marie, I would definitely speak up about the crazy driver, even if you don't have enough details to lodge a formal complaint. If this was deliberate, the same person is probably scaring other pedestrians as well. It would be important that the police are able to identify a pattern, but they won't be able to if no one says anything. I'm glad that the sunrise helped you put this ugly business into perspective.
Penny, the leaves are really beginning to fall here, you can hear them almost jumping off the trees, and I thought of your Guy Fawkes party with envy. Is today the second day of the rest of your life, or did you start over again this morning?
Okay, lunch break is over, gotta buckle down, lots to accomplish today and tomorrow...
G,day ladies hope your all well and feeling gorgeuos .
Hey Carol I love being back to I missed the support and friendship I get here from you ladies my thought and prayers are with you and your DH as always I know you want to get it over with and he probably does to but a little reprieve is OK he can do the little things he need,s to do and enjoy your puppy for a bit longer as he will have to take it very slowly when he comes home from the op. I,m sure the other girl going over to the dark side with those charming ladies that left is a bit sad if you worked well with her but everything happens for a reason, and I think you telling her to be careful is a good thing and if she does run with tales to the others then maybe it is good she is going to. You seem to be staying on track and it is good when things just seem to fall into place and all come together.
Hi Judy I hope I get my treadmill to it would be wonderful well I,ve put out hints and but my hinting has never worked before I don,t know why they ask me what I would like in the first place they don,t seem to listen but it would be OOOOOH so good I can just see me now running to meet Mel Gibson in Braveheart, aaaaahh fantasy. You look like your doing good your choices are nice and healthy and slow and steady is good.
I had a good day, a fruit muffin with WW fruit of the forest jam and coffee, a toasted cheese sandwich and an apple for lunch, a small chicken breast with a honey and soy glaze on a bed of broccoli, cauli, and green beans and a yogurt for dinner. Started this moring off with fruit toast and coffee.
Take care, Hi Penny & Marie hope your well it looks like Faith has gone MIA.
Well today is the hubbies rescheduled surgery. He seemed more prepared the other day mind wise. I am a bit sorry that it isn't behind us today but in front of us. It will be fine just a little nerve racking. I never had so many hot flashes and restless sleep tonight I hope is better. I am taking lots of stuff to keep me busy for the down and wait time at the hospital. My oldest daughter will meet me there and then I will have her to chat with. After work my other daughter will be up too. The first two days will be the worst of it then on to a good recovery and hope he sees and feels some difference.
Judi good for you with the cabbage soup I have to make some. I love that and its so good for us. Next week I will do that. Good for you taking control.I will have to ck on the flaxseed oil. How do you use it? In salads or cooking ?
If anyone would like extra leaves I have plenty. One end of my yard is really pretty the ground is all gold from the leaves then the 6 apple trees still have their green leaves quite pretty.
Marie so scary with that driver. You surely wonder what gets into some folks. If you ever see that car again in your trails you should get the info. and report him in.
Juls I think the company is trying to counter offer the coworker hopefully it helps if not we tried. She asked me yesterday about getting together in the spring to kayak. I think that says alot she is my daughters ages but guess she doesn't think of age that way. Nice girl. If she goes I will miss her but will be greatful for our time with her. Things do happen for a reason most of the time. Not so on track last night the hubby had chips out and I got into them nervous eating isn't good. Today I will try to be better. So far had my toast and packed a fiber one bar for the hospital. I will take a bottle of water too. Trying to get that into my day. Yesterday water wasn't up as good as it should of been. I saw you had a toasted ch. sandwich. I was watching a cooking channel my favorite thing on the tv and they used olive oil brushed on the bread instead of butter? I haven't tried it yet but want to soon. Not sure how it will work out maybe i should do a half at a time.
Have a good day girls and I would trade places with any of you today. But I will be strong and supportive and on wed. beable to look back and say well we made it through day one.
Hey Carol I,m sending you an to watch over you and your DH and you are both in my prayers and when it is all done you will look back and say well another bump in the road we sailed over. I hope she takes the counter offer and stays from what you say she doesn,t seem to be in the same league as the others that left she sounds nice so for your sake I hope she accepts the offer. The toasted cheese was WW,s cheese and if I have cheese I don,t have butter or marg, I have tried the olive oil Yum I brush it on vienna bread and bake it until it is just crispy, if I,m in the mood for potato chips I make 2 slices of this or sweet potato chips instead, 2 slices with cabbage soup for lunch is good to. You can keep your leaves the Eucalyptus from the neighbours are enough for me to clean up at least they smell good .
Hi Judy I haven,t tried flaxseed oil either same question as Carol how do you use it. I love my cabbage soup and always make a pot of it to keep in the fridge, it is so filling and I can eat as much as I want with a no point value.
I weighed in this morning and I,m down another 2lbs Mr scales was kind and the tape measure says I,ve lost 2ins off my waist and 2ins off my butt which is good I,m a classic pear shape so my butt is always rounded . Don,t worry about the chips Carol your intitled to indulge a little bit you,ll get back on track when DH is back in the ward after his OP and starts towards a full recovery.
Hi Penny and Marie hope you are well. Take care everyone
Carol - I've been thinking of you and your hubby today and hope all is going well. I can only imagine the kind of stress you both must be going through, but as you say, it will get easier with each passing day. I hope your company can hold on to your coworker, she sounds very nice. We have plenty of leaves, thank you very much! In fact I brought some home that blew into my trunk from my friend's house! She lives in a place called Oak Hills. Now I know why - they were oak leaves which we don't have around here (tons of maple leaves though).
Juls - Congratulations on losing another 2 lbs.! You are a real inspiration and always upbeat! I love cabbage too and we had some savoy cabbage yesterday with a chicken breast schnitzel. I use the thin ready-sliced breast meat which is very tender. Instead of a carb I made some zucchini, mushrooms and onions with a little Italian seasoning and a lot of garlic - yum! It was so much food, I didn't even miss the potato or pasta. I'm a "pear" too. Even looking at old photos when I was a slim teenager, I still was a "pear". I thought I was fat at the time, but was really just curvy. I'd be glad to have that figure back! I hope my scale will be as cooperative as yours on Friday (my weigh-in day).
Judy - I start my life over every day! Trouble is, I keep making the same mistakes with each new day . All the stress from the party and the upcoming bazaar is giving me the munchies all the time.
Marie - I hope everything is well with you.
I had a 4 hour organizational meeting today for the bazaar that's in two weeks time. So many little details to iron out. We're aiming at serving 550 teas this year and have a record amount of crafts to sell. We had a potluck lunch with too many tasty items and I went overboard and had a big piece of rum cake with whipped cream . It's like I'm hypnotized when I see all that food and all my good intentions fly out the window. I always "intend" to eat the healthy foods, but can't seem to resist the fattening stuff these days. I'm going to have to develop a plan to deal with being around food so I can stay in control. Any good ideas (other than getting my lips sewn together)???
wow girls I never want to repeat that day again. We arrived at the hospital at 7:30 am and ck'd hubby in. He really wasn't in to good of spirits but I knew that it was really rough on him. Never had any surgery or hospital stays before. Then we had to sit and wait til 3 before they took him down after prep etc. he never got started til 4:30 we heard at 7:30 it was almost over and he had done well. Then the doc came up he looked as exhausted as I felt. In fact said to me see him and go home you have had a long day. He said all was well and the skin color etc. was really good and he felt things were just as expected. We waited another 45 min. Then we were able to see him not a pretty sight by any means oh so sad. But his color was good and he was pretty knocked out. My girls were both with me form late afternoon on. They went and picked up food etc. and were good company. My son and I were in contact throughout the time by cell thank good ness for that cell stuff. I got home and went straight to bed after some calls took a little something to knock me out. Got up this a.m. called the hospital the girl said he was a bit freaked out when he woke with all the stuff on him but then she explained and he seems to be better. They say he is doing great surgery wise which is good. I decided to go to work for the a.m. til 11:30. Yesterdy I did about 4.5 hrs. of paperwork there and wrote a couple of reports. So I am saving my time for next week mostly off to care for him. I don't think he will be home til saturday or sunday due to the fact that he had such a late surgery. The parking is an arm and leg about 14 a day. Wow. But we will do what we have too and thats be there. Todays visiting hrs. are 12-3 and 6-8.
Unless they move him downstairs 2-8. Well the food thing yesterday wasn't great by any means. Breakfast 2 toast, lunch sloppy joe on a 1/2 roll, instant potatoes, froz. veggies, Dinner an indian roll with rice and hot peppers, chicken slivers in it good but high in cals. Hand full of bad potatoe chips when I got home. Put those out of my sight now they were right out and first thing I grabbed with a stressful moment. Well I will be making some lovely soup for next week when the hubby comes home. His brother is coming into town and we will have extra people floating in and out I am sure. So soup goes far tastes great and with a salad and some crispy bread it will make a meal.
Gotta fly.
Carol - I'm glad the anxious waiting is now behind you and that your DH's surgery went well. I'll keep your hubby in my prayers for a quick recovery. It's downright cruel that they made him wait so long in the hospital before he had the operation. It's nice that you have family nearby to give you moral support. Don't be too hard on yourself for your food choices at this stressful time. You'll be able to jump right back on the wagon once things settle down.
Carol I,m sending you and your family all my thoughts and prayers it sounds like everything went well I know it must of been hard having such a long wait but I think that it is the same everywhere, down here you go in in the morning and get done in the afternoon it sounds stupid but it is easier for hospital staff I guess. Don,t even sweat it with your eating habits that is the last thing you need to concern yourself with at the moment you have plenty of time to get back on track when DH gets home and your idea of making a big pot of soup with some salad and crusty bread is great, it was good you had your girls there with you and that you could keep in touch with your son, mobile phones can be annoying but they are a God send in an emergency or to keep people upto date. Take care
Hi Penny hope your well and fighting fit.
G,day Marie and Judy how you both doin.
Well it is 2.00 o.clock in the morning here I suppose I better go to bed and try to get some sleep insomnia sucks.
Juls - I'm in the insomnia club too. It's amazing how many people I know who are up at 2am or 3am! I sometimes get up and have a cup of chamomile tea, but of course that usually results in a bathroom trip later on! I've read that not getting enough sleep causes weight gain. At least I have another excuse!
Carol - I hope your hubby is starting to feel a bit better. How are you doing?
Marie and Judy - how are you guys? I hope everything is well with you.
I'm still struggling with the recent weight gain. I'm up another .5 lb. today so I will have to change my ticker to keep me honest. I was hoping it's just water weight but I can only kid myself for so long. I really don't think I've been eating all that much more (except for the big piece of cake the other day). I'm getting nervous about the "slippery slope" I'm on. To think I was down to 185 just before my trip to the UK.
G,day Penny hey don,t sweat it you,ll get there again, just look at how far you,ve come already 32lbs girl that great hey when I get there I,m going to chuck a party I would go dance naked in the street but I think they would arrest me for cruel and unusual punishment to the public, what lies under these clothes oooooh scary LOL, anyway when life throughs you lemons make lemonade OH they are also good for keeping weight down a squeeze of lemon juice in a glass of cold water in the morning is great. I have heard that not enough sleep can cause weight gain to, sounds good another excuse but just something else to grab onto when we don,t want to admit that maybe it is our eating habits and nothing more, I know what you mean about the camomile tea and a trip to the bathroom later on, but the tea doesn,t do much for me in ways of sleeping just relaxing and tastes good LOL.
Hi Carol thinking of you and your family hope all is well.
Hi Judy and Marie hope you are both fine.
Well I,m off to Sydney for my birthday on Sunday and to catch up with friends and family, I don,t have access to a computer there but I,ll try to check in when I can, I,ll get a little culture and some knowledge and go to the Library and use the computer there.
Hey, I'm still around. I haven't been able to connect to the hotel wireless, so I'm giving up and using my Blackberry. It's a good trip so far. I'm heading to Seattle Saturday night. I bought a MadDog external drive, which allows me to do my cardio videos on my laptop. My food choices need to be better....
Carol, I'm glad things are going well on your end. I hope everyone has a good weekend! I'll do personals when I can sit ata computer and really enjoy the reading and the writing.
Happy Birthday Juls! I hope you have fun in Sydney. Boy, I bet it's changed since we lived there in the 70's! Thanks for the pep talk - I needed it badly! I was feeling very down about it yesterday but I've given myself another kick in butt and maybe one of these and I'm determined to turn things around. I'm going to cut drastically back on carbs and drink green tea instead of coffee.
Judy - Good to hear from you. You must rely on your Blackberry a lot. I guess it's hard to get good internet service in some places. I hope your trip is going well.
Carol, Marie & Emma - I hope you are all doing ok.
I'm off to Curves to make up for not going yesterday. I'm going to put some extra effort in to try and burn off some of this regained fat!
This afternoon we're going to a memorial for a friend's husband who recently passed away after a long battle with Parkinson's.
I don't know where to begin other than the accident. On Monday morning I was in an accident. Visibility was about 15 ft. because of fog and the stupid farmers burned their field the night before so it was thick smoke. The two mixed and caused a mess. About 19 cars involved in 4 separate accidents. I was the first accident as the idiot I hit seemed stopped on the highway. I had no warning. By the time I got my airbag off my face, she was gone. Yes she left the scene of the accident. My Darth Jeep saved my life. The damage on it is extreme but since it was new, it held its value and they are going to fix it. I sort of begged the insurance woman who is managing the case as well as the adjuster. I'm bruised and achy but it's minor. It was absolutely horrible. I called 911 within a minute of my accident and I's screaming on the phone that I can hear more accidents behind me. Sort of like explosions. I called them back 12 minutes later begging for them to get someone from the truck stop to block the highway as the accidents were still going on. A man died and that's been **** to deal with. I was the first accident and it took till Tuesday afternoon for me to understand why everyone said I didn't cause it all (police and others that were able to stop). I couldn't see the accidents behind me. I could only hear them. So if I couldn't see them, they couldn't see me. They had their own accident. And two vehicles did stop behind me. Anyway, it's been the worst week of my life but I still have a life so that counteracts it pretty good. Then on Tuesday a gravel truck launched a big rock into the windshield of our Durango. I just paid for the new windshield as I wasn't going to file 2 insurance claims 2 days in a row. Since the beginning of the week, I've just been recovering.
So when I was reading the past posts, I remembered the sunrise on Sunday. It was that fog that was so pretty that was horribly ugly on Monday. The fog and the smoke. I don't think fog will ever be pretty again.
And I'm going to sell my sports car. It's cute but I'm not attached to it and I won't drive it. If I'd been in it, I wouldn't be writing. So we're going to sell it once Darth returns in a month (estimated time line). Poor DH is driving it and I took his Durango. I want big around me.
Ok, enough on that for now. I'm a little screwed up mentally from it so it'll come back again. I'm betting Penny saw the reports. I was told I was on National news but since our paper has insinuated I started it all (and in a different time I could have), I refused to read the news. My co-workers told they saw me on the national news but knew I was darting away from the media.
So I'm typing this on my absolutely wonderful little laptop. My macbook arrived on Monday (I picked it up from work on Tuesday). I gave DH his Christmas present (an iPod Nano) since he's been so wonderful this week. I am very blessed. So the macbook. I really, really love it. The screen is so crystal clear. DH commented this morning how clear it is. I've been working a little on getting iTunes all set up. I have a short playlist done so far that is currently playing over and over, probably driving DH nuts. I put an audio book on it. I couldn't listen to the one I was listening to on Monday. I wanted a lightweight happy one. So in a bit, I'll make a longer playlist and sync it.
Carol, through everything this week, I did keep you and your DH in my mind and prayed for you. I was relieved when I read the surgery went good. I hope your liked co-worker stays. Too bad she doesn't see the bad part of those other people. If she does move on, she'll regret it eventually.
Penny, I start my diet everyday lately. Except this week when I have had no interest in eating. I guess the accident was good for something. I can tell my pants are looser. But you are not alone. We're all in the same boat. Some times we go months being angels but then, bam, off the track we go. I truly believe the weight loss and maintenance is life long war. Not a battle.
Juls, way to go on the 2 pounds. You're cruising!!!! And happy birthday. Tell your Dear Family what you want for Christmas. No hints. Just tell them outright. I really like my treadmill and am thankful it is here when I can't walk outside. I did restart walking yesterday and today. Yoga on Thursday and DS2 will yoga with my this afternoon.
Speaking of yoga, remember I started it for flexibility and balance for the ski season so that falls wouldn't hurt so much. As much as I'm not a big yoga fan, I won't give it up for anything. I was sore for 24 hrs and just my neck was a little stiff by Wednesday. My hands are screwed up but yoga couldn't have fixed that. I do credit Darth Jeep and yoga for keeping me flexible and not achy.
Judy, I'm sorry you had to change your ticker. One thing you should be proud of is that your facing it. How often when we go off track do we pretend the scale doesn't exist and we blow everything we had accomplished? I'm the Queen of that (I haven't stepped on the scale in about 6 weeks - but I'm gauging everything be my clothes which are roomy still - I was getting obsessed with the white box). So be proud that you're still fighting the war - you just lost a minor skirmish.
Last bit of the bad week. Blizzard's paw is sick again. I had to bring her back to the vet yesterday afternoon. Two months off the antibiotics and bam, it's back.
And the good news of the week - DS1 is flying to Reno next week for an interview. He'd had a phone interview with them last week and he liked the job but it wasn't entry level and they didn't sound too interested so he wrote it off. Even though he doesn't have the work experience, he did have experience in the programming language and he'd sent them work samples of what he'd created. During the phone interview they said they'd look at them. And apparently they did and like what they saw. So keep him in your thoughts on the 20th. Reno is pretty close and the job would be wonderful.
Time for lunch. So I'll try to be back tomorrow.
Marie
Marie, what a horrendous experience! I'm so glad you're not seriously hurt. You must still be very shaken up by the whole experience. I remember hearing about the accident. I'm sure the burning fields didn't help with the visibility. So strange that the person in the car you hit drove off. It can get very foggy here too - sometimes quite suddenly. At least you have your little laptop to take your mind off it a bit. I hope Blizzie's foot gets better soon, you don't need any extra stress right now. Thanks for reminding me that we're on a life-long weight loss journey so we're bound to have ups and downs. I'm hoping for more "downs"! I'll keep my fingers crossed that your DS1 gets the job (that's if he likes it). Reno isn't too far from you guys.
I hope everyone else is doing ok.
The memorial was much easier than I expected - I was kind of dreading it. Not having had any really close relatives or friends pass away before (except some aunts and uncles in the UK which is too far away to go) I've never been to a funeral or a 'wake'. The family had some refreshments out and a poster board with photos of my friend's hubby before he got sick. We sang a bluegrass song "Will the Circle be Unbroken" and Amazing Grace. Everyone was in good spirits as they told stories about Ken. It's good that he was able to be cared for at home for the last years of his life (pretty much a full time job for his son-in-law). Ken's widow was very brave and made everyone feel welcome as she shared happy memories of their life together.
My food choices have been better today and I'm joining a challenge at Curves next week. The challenge is to maintain or lose during the holiday season. I'll be weighing in on Monday. Wish me luck!
G,day ladies hope your all well and feeling gorgeuos 
.
but my hinting has never worked before I don,t know why they ask me what I would like in the first place they don,t seem to listen 
but it would be OOOOOH so good I can just see me now running to meet Mel Gibson in Braveheart, aaaaahh fantasy. You look like your doing good your choices are nice and healthy and slow and steady is good.
...
to watch over you and your DH and you are both in my prayers and when it is all done you will look back and say well another bump in the road we sailed over. I hope she takes the counter offer and stays from what you say she doesn,t seem to be in the same league as the others that left she sounds nice so for your sake I hope she accepts the offer. The toasted cheese was WW,s cheese and if I have cheese I don,t have butter or marg, I have tried the olive oil Yum I brush it on vienna bread and bake it until it is just crispy, if I,m in the mood for potato chips I make 2 slices of this or sweet potato chips instead, 2 slices with cabbage soup for lunch is good to. You can keep your leaves the Eucalyptus from the neighbours are enough for me to clean up at least they smell good 
.
scales was kind and the tape measure says I,ve lost 2ins off my waist and 2ins off my butt which is good I,m a classic pear shape so my butt is always rounded 
. Don,t worry about the chips Carol your intitled to indulge a little bit you,ll get back on track when DH is back in the ward after his OP and starts towards a full recovery.
You are a real inspiration and always upbeat! I love cabbage too and we had some savoy cabbage yesterday with a chicken breast schnitzel. I use the thin ready-sliced breast meat which is very tender. Instead of a carb I made some zucchini, mushrooms and onions with a little Italian seasoning and a lot of garlic - yum! It was so much food, I didn't even miss the potato or pasta. I'm a "pear" too. Even looking at old photos when I was a slim teenager, I still was a "pear". I thought I was fat at the time, but was really just curvy. I'd be glad to have that figure back! I hope my scale will be as cooperative as yours on Friday (my weigh-in day).
. All the stress from the party and the upcoming bazaar is giving me the munchies all the time.
. It's like I'm hypnotized when I see all that food and all my good intentions fly out the window. I always "intend" to eat the healthy foods, but can't seem to resist the fattening stuff these days. I'm going to have to develop a plan to deal with being around food so I can stay in control. Any good ideas (other than getting my lips sewn together)???
I hope you have fun in Sydney. Boy, I bet it's changed since we lived there in the 70's! Thanks for the pep talk - I needed it badly! I was feeling very down about it yesterday but I've given myself another kick in butt 
and maybe one of these 
and I'm determined to turn things around. I'm going to cut drastically back on carbs and drink green tea instead of coffee.
