http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/559895253LsGnFQ

THIS IS THE ADDIE FOR SHAD'S BUTTERFLY HOUSE PICTURES. ENJOY :bubbles:

Morning chicks,

Thanks for posting Shad's pics Mel. It's been a VERY busy weekend - over in a flash. I was barely on the computer at all. Seems everywhere I turned there was something to be done. Easy to get overwhelmed. DH and I took a ride into the countryside out here, north of us looking for some houses. We are just trying to get an idea of where our next move might be when we are ready to retire. Never did find the houses but we stopped at a roadside stand where I got some delicious blueberries, some tasty peaches, some blech (the girl lied) cantelope and of course a big bag of home grown tomatoes. :T I have a small patio plant of tomatoes by the pool but the bloody squirels keep snatching the fruits as soon as they start to turn red. :mad: I did find some new recipes from Kraft Foods (a very large manufacturer of salad dressings, cheese and all sorts of food products). So it's going to be a tasty week of healthy eating.

Your pictures are very nice Shad - that's something about the Atlas moth - 5 years in the cocoon to only live 3 days? :yikes: Of course some might say it's better in the cocoon :lol:

Wish I could chat more but I'm already running late. I wanted to work on some of my month end reports this weekend but hah - didn't even get the personal stuff done so I'd better hustle if I want to get into work a little early.

Will try and catch up tonight with y'all :D

Ho Ho Ho
 

:hohoho:I JUST FOUND OUT THAT CHRISTMAS IN JULY IS ON THE QVC SHOPPING CHANNEL ON THE 25TH OF JULY!!!



http://www.holidays.net/christmas/images/tree5.gif

GOOD MORNING TO YOU TOO MISS HAPPY!! MISSED YOU!
HOPE YOU GET YOUR WORK DONE WITHOUT INTERRUPTION!! :dance: HAVE A SUPER DAY THINKING ABOUT ALL THE NEW KRAFT RECIPES YOU'LL BE MAKING!!
OVER THE WEEKEND I FOUND A MEDITERRANEAN-ASIAN SITE THAT TICKLED MY FANCY:

http://www.mediterrasian.com/index.htm

I WAS HUNTING FOR PASTA PUTTANESCA AND FOUND THIS SITE. HAPPY MONDAY! :moped:

Mel--see your egglight aglow- morning.

I'm just starting the day. I'm bossless today. I've heard through the grapevine that the company where his wife works is having their company picnic today. He is going with her.

We got a call last night that Bud, a co-worker had emergency last night. He came through the surgery. I will work Thursday in his place. Will find out whether or not we'll go to 8 hour shifts. I can't not pull those long days sny more.

He'll have to get someone to work for me Thursday long enough for me to go have some test run. The NEA clinic is sponsering Heart Health. Since my uncle had 6 by passes done recently I want to know what's goinig on inside my body.

I weighed in this morning at 183.6. and am so glad to see those scales moving downward again. I realize this is the fluid pills. I've also been watching what I eat. I've already drank 32 oz of water. This is just from taking my rx and recomendations from Bob. Walked 6708 or 1.6 miles yesterday.

Good morning! The weatherperson must have made a mistake as it hasn't rained for over 24 hours! We were indoors as it was rather chilly at the BBQ yesterday and I was glad I did not take the Doggage. One person brought their Bouvier who fell in love with me and spent most of the time with his head on my lap. My Girls would have been out of their minds with jealousy!

Great butterfly shots, Shad.

Meadow, like Painter Woman, I could never pull out oriental poppies! I adore them.

Happy, I love picking my own veggies and fruit. (Note to self - go and pick the currants today for sure!)

Ceejay, great idea to get your heart checked given your family history. Congrats on the drop on the scales. It's so encouraging!

Mel, "puttanesca"! That's what I was thinking of last time I got a pasta craving! Thanks for the link.

Now I need to accomplish something! This going to the gym at 7:30 really screws up my mornings - especially if I sit and drink coffee and gab afterwards until nearly 11!

Madly waving HI!!!!!

Here's the results of the day
steps- 10760
calories-1587
fat grams-59
sat fat-21
carbs 206 grams--this is a little higher than what I want it to be
fiber-24 grams--I should be getting 30 -35 grams
protein-94 grams

water=48 oz

Does any one know how much saturated fat we are suppose to have. I know it's not much.

Once again evil Carla took over my body and mind, lurking and not posting, and now that good Carla's back in charge, she's too overwhelmed to reread the accumulated posts and respond... :(

Today was my second Pilates class. At times it's almost funny, although it would be a lot funnier if it was someone other than me with the bad posture, no abs, a ton of flab. A big challenge I haven't yet met: wearing a top that fits closely enough that I can see if I'm getting into the right position. (I belong to the oversized clothing school of thought, and it's a real stretch to put on anything that'll outline the lumps.) I'm thinking of signing up for a ball/balance class (maybe) and am considering joining a gym down the road to do some weights and machines. :lifter: :wl: :strong: Gotta check first that the place is very, very air-conditioned in case the hot weather returns.

Also today called to make an appointment to go back to my local diet doctor. I've been following his program, more or less, and think it's time to go back and have weekly accountability and get any updates to the diet. I was amazed to find out that there's just a tiny re-start charge, even tho I've been gone since Feb 06! I've been getting his weekly motivational email letters all that time, and some of them are pretty good.

On Wed I'm probably going to a friend's cottage for a few days, which may be a big setback to the weight loss as we're old drinking buddies :hat: from way back and are unlikely to behave. :woohoo: I'm hoping for hot weather so I can get in some good lake swims :swim: but so far this has been a very cool summer with a ton of rain.

With any luck, good Carla will be back tomorrow and will have the oomph (and the courtesy) to say more than "hi!" to Mel, Happy, Ruth, Shad, Ceejay, Meadow, Holly, Painter, Suzi, Roseblush... :wave:

Madcat, thinking of you and hoping your sister and friend are doing well. :hug: :grouphug:

And since everyone can use a smile to start their Tuesday off right:

A woman was walking down the street when she was accosted by a particularly dirty and shabby-looking homeless woman who asked her for a couple of dollars for dinner.

She took out her wallet, got out ten dollars and asked, "If I give you this
money, will you just use it to buy wine instead of dinner?"
"No, I had to stop drinking years ago", the homeless woman said.

"Will you use it to go shopping instead of buying food?" The woman asked.
"No, I don't waste time shopping," the homeless woman said. "I need to
spend all my time trying to stay alive."

"Will you spend this on a beauty salon instead of food?" She then asked.
"Are you NUTS!" replied the homeless woman. "I haven't had my hair done in 20 years!"

"Well," The woman said, "I'm not going to give you the money. Instead,
I'm going to take you out for dinner with my husband and me tonight."
The homeless woman was shocked. "Won't your husband be furious with you
for doing that? I'm filthy dirty, and I probably smell pretty disgusting."

The woman said, "That's okay. It's important for him to see what a woman
looks like after she has given up shopping, hair appointments, and wine."

Hi - tis me.
Thanks for posting the link Mel. I just ran out of time (and brain too - when i look at some of the things I packed and some which I left out!!) But I am here and will be back later (probably tomorrow to read and post. Delayed flight last night and I didn't get in until after 2.am so life is pretty ordinary today.
Catch you.

CEEJAY~ HOPE THA MAN WILL BE OK AND YOU GET LOTS OF GOOD $$$$!! CONGRATULATIONS ON THE WEIGHTLOSS!!! :cheer: GOOD FOR YOU!!

SHAD~ NO PROBLEM. HOPE PERTH WILL BE A GOOD JOB AND NOT A HASSLE! :hug: GET SOME WELL DESERVED SLEEP.

CARLA~ EVIL TWIN!! I HAVE ONE OF THOSE TOO!! HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT TIME WITH THE FRIEND. GOOD FRIENDS ARE HARD TO FIND. ENJOY :cheers:

RUTH~GLAD YOU HAD A GOOD TIME!! WAS THE DOG YOUR DATE???:rofl: GOOD FOR YOU WITH THE GYM TOO! COFFEE AND TALK IS GOOD FOR THE SOULD...JUST SO LONG AS YOU DON'T ADD DONUTS!! :lol3:

:wave: BACK TO HOLLY!

MY EYE HAS A CYST IN THE EXACT SAME PLACE. IF I GO ASTRAY YOU WILL KNOW THE REASON WHY. YOU CAN SEE A RED LINE ON THE WHITE PART WHERE THE CYST WAS SCRATCHING IT ALL DAY YESTERDAY. SNEAKY LITTLE THING WAS INSIDE AND I DIDN'T FEEL IT HAPPENING FOR SOME REASON. SO TTFN AND SEE YOU SOON.
HAPPY TUESDAY :moped:

Now Mel! Do I look like the kind of woman who'd have a donut? :yikes: Actually, I've not had one for years. If I've not had breakfast, I do indulge in a bagel once in a while with coffee and chat.

Carla, the cottage near me? The long range forecast looks good and I hope they are right. Delta Fair starts next week and it may be close to 40C one of the days!

I survived the new menu tasting at the Long Horn last night. I managed to avoid tasting the new desserts and stuck to the salads and shrimp and scallops. There's a veggie wrap with chevre that was promising. Chocolate martinis are on the new drink menu and I just didn't go there! I am absolutely determined to ditch 20 pounds before my knee operation!

Gotta dash and do some gardening before a tub soak. I am taking H. to town for a re-check on a tumour removal he had in the spring. this will take up the afternoon and then Hershey and I will do pet therapy 5 to 7 at the nursing home. Tonight will be relaxing. I may even manage to fall asleep watching Canadian Idol. I close my eyes to avoid looking at Ben Mulroney and drift off every time!

Morning chicks :wave:

Well if there's one person who has a worse work schedule than me right now - it's Shad so I guess that means no pity party from me. Have been getting home late - so late yesterday that I wasn't able to make the Martha Stewart yummy mustard crusted chicken recipe I had planned for dinner and instead had to substitute a rather mushy tuna sandwich :(. I went to bed early and got in 8 hours of sleep. Been feeling really tired lately. Don't feel like I got 8 hours this morning. So that's why I haven't been posting much - not much available time and a bunch of other things to do.

Mel :hug: sorry to hear that the eyes are jazzing up on you again. Cripes it's always something, isn't it? I didn't forget that we need to set a phone date. I'm thinking maybe Sunday - don't know what we have planned for the weekend yet. Will email you...

Carla - good to hear you're back on track - it's :censored: hard to get back on that stupid wagon again so kudos to you. That diet doctor sounds like a dream. How refreshing to hear of someone who actually wants to help instead of just fattening their pockets as fast as possible. (I am still disappointed to hear that Bob Greene jumped on the money machine). Thanks for the Tuesday smile :D

Ceejay - I think I remember from my old WW days -something about 35 grams of fat for the day - most people typically get 75 or higher. Try to limit your sat fats and instead go for the healthier fat - omega 3 I think in sardines, salmon, almonds, avocados, olive oil.

Madly waving hi back to Holly!
Hope you are continuing to make little inroads to your success Painter.
Are you enjoying the pool Meadow? I haven't been in mine much - must make a better effort. You make it sound like fun!

Ruth - did you get those currants? Nothing like fresh berries :T

Mel - I see something about a green picture you posted but my eyes are tearing up and I just can't seem to focus on it - I'm sure it's pretty WHATEVER IT IS :lol:

:hugs: Madcat. I miss your humourous observations on life :D

Ok - gotta run. Have a good Tuesday.

Happy! Thanks for the reminder! I'm off to pick RIGHT NOW!

Hey chicklets! Just another one of these quick little check-ins. I've been reading along as much as I can. I miss coming here and checking in with you ladies and I'm hoping to get back to normal (what exactly IS that?) soon. My sis is doing great as she just completed week 4 of her 6 weeks of treatments. The only ill-effects she has had so far is some tiredness and hair loss. So it is as good as it can be.

I need to come back here and start posting again. It's time to turn the focus back on my life again and start making less of myself :) I miss you all!! :hugs: