I'm off to the $$vet with my darling Lucy this morning. I sure as heck hope they get a definitive diagnosis - it's dure be great if they found one of my earrings up her nose and just removed it.

Damned 3 pounds I lost Monday night are back. They are like stray dogs who come back to the last place that fed them! Of course Chinese food for lunch and an end-of-summer BBQ at Claire's place didn't help! Today will definitely be clean eats - my cooler is packed with a healthy lunch which I may nosh on at the park in Merrickville.

Talk to y'all alter.

May your Hump Day be humpless! Ignore me - I'm envious!

OH MISS HAPPY!! HOW COULD I HAVE FORGOTTEN MY SOUTHERN SISTER! I AM ON BENDED TIRE BEGGING YOUR FORGIVENESS OH QUEEN OF ELVISLAND!!! SORRY THE DENTIST VISIT WASN'T A NICE ONE AND HOPE NOW THE TOOTH QUIETS DOWN AND GIVES YOU SOME PAINLESS PEACE! I ALUGHED ABOUT YOUR TREK OUTSIDE AT NIGHT. EVEN HERE IN THE CITY, THINGS AND BAD PEOPLE GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT!! HOPE THE JAW IS MUCH IMPROVED THIS MORNING!!

SHAD~ ISN'T THERE A SUPERINTENDANT OF SORTS WITH PASS KEYS?? WTF!!! WHY SHOULD YOU LOSE HOURS AT WORK. GET THOSE ROOSTERS ROUNDED UP AND CRACK THE WHIP!!! YOU JUST REMINDED ME...I FORGET IF I WENT TO LOOK AT YOUR PICTURES YET!

RUTH~ GOOD LUCK AT THE VET. SAVE SOME WINE AND WE'LL ALL GET SOUSED TOGETHER LATER!!

I WOKE TO A CYST IN THE LEFT EYE AGAIN. I COULD JUST SCREAM. WTF!!! IS GOD PAYING ATTENTION DOWN HERE OR DOES HE THINK I CAN REALLY HANDLE ALL THIS CRAP AT ONE TIME!! HE HAD BEST FIND ANOTHER SET OF SHOULDERS TO BURDEN!!! LIKE SOME OF MY ARCH ENEMIES!!!
I ATE AND PEDALED AND I AM GOING OUT FOR A BIT. GOING TO BE HUMID. 61% ALREADY AND CLIMBING. NOT MELLIE WEATHER AT ALL!!
I STILL FEEL FULL SINCE YESTERDAY'S FEAST! LOL MAYBE SOME LIQUID MEALS TODAY...PROTEIN SHAKES.....AND LOTS OF WATER!! I CAN KEEP SHAD COMPANY...THE FAMILY THAT PEES TOGETHER STAYS TOGETHER
HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Morning chicks,

You're forgiven Mel - I was just tugging at your wheels anyway C'mon - let's go play Geez, I'm so sorry to hear about the eye. You're right, some days it IS about how much more can one take? I woke up with morning with an achy wrist (stupid tendonitis I can't seem to shake), an achy tooth and jaw and other niggling things. BUT... it's really nothing compared to what you have to deal with so thank you for an inadvertant shove to just put on my big girl pants and deal with it. Just keep peddling away and dig out the clean food.

Shad, not sure why you're making so many overnight trips. Maybe the body is absorbing some of that rain water too and you're like a sponge that needs wringing out It really IS disruptive to the sleep tho. I find that I wake up much more refreshed if I managed to make it through the entire night without leaving the bed. How nice of your co-worker to bring some tea samples in. Sounds yummy. Can I have a cup too?

Hope all goes well at the vet Ruth.

Time to head off to the salt mine for the day. Have a good one...

Morning all,
Carla must be having a break from everything. She ain't here. Hope she hasn't had to go back to the S/Mama for another dose of dial up!!

Happy, I don't think I have yet worked out how much water is enough. I know the 'experts' say 2 litres but even in the heat of summer I just can't drink that much. I had settled on 1500ml and that included coffee, tea etc.etc. At that point the weight started coming off again. It really does work you know. However at that point also I started having to get up in the night - all goes to show it aint the water that gets it off, its the running back and forth to the loo. I must do 3000 steps a day just getting too and fro.

Going home tonight for the DN's 18th birthday party. In joke is that I will probably be leaving the party just as the young ones arrive. DS2 is expecting me to be chaffeur, but I think I will probably just leave him there and pick him up at a later time. Jet lag and all that eh? Or am I just getting old?

Ruth - I do hope you get some answers to Lucy's problem today. Sure has hung around long enough. Big hug for the darling girl. Did you get the salsa made yet??

Mel - these places are bought on the understanding that they are like your own home and castle. The body corporate handles the everyday maintenance but do not have keys - much of the electrics and power etc are in a big box down in the basement so they don't have to come upstairs to fix most things. However if you have a plumbing problem or you want cable tv installed, it is your problem. Anything past your front door is your problem. The rental agency has keys, they will let themselves in next Thursday. I have organised for the valuator to come at 4.45pm on Tuesday. Latest I could get them to work. Normally the office is shut up tight by 5.00pm. One minute past that is overtime for which they don't get paid, so they don't do it. You have to live in Western Australia to understand the mentality. Think Southern politeness mixed heavily with hoon and hill billy and a sense of isolation - we're different over here. And they certainly are.
I'm sorry you are dealing with more crap in the eyes. You are certainly having a hard time of it lately. I do hope it gets better for you and soon.
Let that mayor interfere on your behalf. I'll bet that he will get a better reaction than either you or Jen going into battle with the bank. A*s*holes.

Happy - hope that jaw is much better today or rather tonight in your case. I'm to see the dentist on Saturday for a few minor repairs!! . I was to see one at 8.30am but now I find he is on holiday and I can either wait for him to come back or I can take a 12.15 appointment with another. It seems that I always get a different dentist each time I go. They don't keep staff there for too long. Each one checks out my mouth and each one tells me about the amount of work to be done - it's getting longer by the visit. Even the things that have been done recently seem to need doing again. I keep a list of everything they reckon needs to be done, and then after each new dentist gives me another list, I check through it to see which ones feature more than once. Then I get it done. The list is currently running at around $1000 for the lot, not including the removal and replacement of 1 tooth (which has had a temporary filling for nearly 5 years while I decide what to do with it)

Anyway. Since it is a short day, I had better go check out the current state of affairs and get down to some serious work.

JUST GOT A CALL FROM JOHN(MAINT) HE HAS DECIDED TO STAY ON VACATION AND NOT COME BACK FOR SOME SET UP APPTS FOR TREE REMOVALS ETC IF I WOULD DO HIM THE FAVOR. HE'S GENEROUS AT XMAS SO I TOLD HIM OK. SO I MIGHT BE MISSING FOR 2 DAYS. I'LL SEE HOW THE EYES ARE. NOT GOOD RIGHT NOW I CAN TELL YOU! I JUST GOT RID OF THE AUDITORS. THEY DECIDEDD TO STAY LATE AND GET IT DONE IN ONE DAY INSTEAD OF COMING BACK.
TAKE CARE EVERYONE AND MOST LIKELY I'LL SEE YOU SATURDAY MORNING

HAPPY~ I KNEW YOU WERE PULLING MY TIRES!! HOPE ALL YOUR BOO BOOS FEEL BETTER TOO! I ALWAYS TELL "NORMAL" PEOPLE THAT EVERYONE HAS THEIR GOOD AND BAD DAYS. YOURS PROBABLY FEEL WORSE THAN MINE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ANY BETTER!!

SHAD~ WOW THEY ARE CUTTING IT CLOSE TIME WISE!! BUT I AM GLAD THEY COULD ACCOMODFATE YOU AND DO IT THEN. BTW: GET HOME SAFE...IS THIS THE HOME WEEKEND RIGHT? OR HAS PORANGI MIXED UP THE DATES???? I AM SOOOO CONFUSED!!

No, you are okay - on a plane this afternoon. Do you want to set up a time for a conversation this weekend. Any of the normal times suit me.

Poor Mel! I think a is definitely in order. At least your ally the mayor is going to do what he can to get the bank sorted. But your dratted eyes!! Is the problem aggravated by ragweed? Because I checked the pollen count here, and it went from nil to high for the weed in the space of a week; I imagine it's the same by you. It does seem more than unfair, especially as you've started your clean eating challenge early. Of course you've been under a ton of stress lately, which I'm sure has done no good. Rest the eyes, and come back to us when you're feeling better.

Painter, such good news that your friend is okay! Especially since it sounded like everyone had assumed the worst. Nice to get a ray of sunshine once in a while, right?

Madcat, your friend is so fortunate to have you in her life. People close to you have been having a tough time of it the last few months, and I'm sure you feel the strain of being their support. It's good to know you have such a sweet DH to give the support you need. And us, of course. to you too.

Happy, good news that your dental horrors seem to be over for now. But how annoying that you got up for the eclipse and it hid behind a cloud! At least you were able to rest later, sitting by the pool and watching the little hummingbird samurai defend their territories. I had no idea they were such warriors!

Shad, good news that you're home for a little R&R. If nothing else, you'll be out of the rain for a bit. (Or, if not, it'll be rain you and your garden will be glad to see...) Speaking of rain, have you tried drinking the last of your daily water at 6 or 7 pm? It might help with the nighttime trips. I've never been convinced the water thing really helps, but I do drink a lot of fluids anyway. I'm working on 6 - 8oz glasses per day, even tho a lot of people suggest 8.

Ruth, I hope you had good news about Lucy. And that you got home before the big thunderstorm hit. It can't have been fun driving up here today in the heat and humidity.

Ceejay, it sounds like you had a lovely birthday week and have gotten right back into exercising. I'm impressed!

Holly, your to-do lists always exhaust me. I'm such a sloth compared to the rest of you! Feel free to send some of those extra veggies up here, they won't go to waste.

Meadow, it seems to me you're having nice hot sunny weather - were you able to climb back into the pool? I loved the mouse-birthday-cake graphic in your post!

So anyway, sorry to have disappeared again. I've been having intermittent technical problems, now fixed I hope. And besides, it's very hard to type up posts while frantically stuffing into the old pie-hole with both fists, not to mention the time I then spend on the couch recovering from the sugar rush and the scale-induced swoons. You may well have heard me shriek a time or too... No excuses, this just seems to be a week where I can't resist anything, except maybe steamed veg. I'm hoping to get past it soon, before the numbers creep too far up.

I did have a great time yesterday - went out to the same little lake beach where Shad and I had a quick dip, and swam right across the lake and back. I'm not sure of the distance, but it took at least 40 minutes. It was lovely! (And yes, of course I had a swimsuit on.) Had good intentions of going back today for more of the same, but there was a big storm threatening and I wasn't sure it was a good idea. Of course the storm didn't hit until hours later, but... As the day wore on, I started to feel the aches from the unaccustomed exercise. I'll try to get out there tomorrow if the weather allows. The water isn't exactly warm, but no worse than when Shad was here.

The SM is improving quite well, and so is her behaviour, at least over the phone. We get along much better when we're not actually in the same room... Her birthday is coming up, so I'll have to head down for another visit, probably on the weekend. But this time I can stay in the smoke-free motel (with free wireless), and I think it'll go all right.

When I get back on the wagon next week I'll adjust my ticker - right now it varies wildly from day to day. But it's definitely up a pound or two at least. I'll be working a fair bit in September and that should make it easier to get back into a healthy routine. I think it's time to bite the bullet and get back into some physical workouts too. No point being smaller if I'm still covering up because of all the dimply, flapping fluff! I've been using the bad feet as an excuse for too long. They don't prevent me from swimming or biking, and yet I've just lazed another summer away. Bad Carla! On the positive side, I'm fitting into clothes I haven't worn for two years or more, and tossing the big ugly stuff as I go. Right now I'm between sizes again, so I'm into the hip-hop look. (All that means is my pants and shorts are all drooping. I haven't yet started grabbing my crotch every five seconds like the hi-hop singers do.)

Yikes! This is getting too long, all that water needs to be eliminated, and it's getting late. to whoever I've missed.

By the way, does anyone know what happened to Suzie?

Chickies, if I'm not around for a while, it'll be ebcause I'm down in the dumps. Yesterday's vet trip was not good - Lucy has a tumour in her nose and the prognosis is poor. I'll get more info when all the tests are back but things are not looking good. I go to town again today to pick her up. There will be some hard decisions to make over the next few weeks but I will not let her suffer.
Sorry but that's about all I can think of right now.

Ruth so sorry to hear about Lucy. I know how very dear the girls are to you. Will be sending loving thoughts to you. Keep us posted even if it's not on a regular basis.

Whoa, I hope we are not in for a round of bad news within the group - we chicks deserve so much better than that...

Nice to see you back Carla. I must admit I am most confused by the brain's propensity to swiftly react to a downward trend in the weightloss dept by sending us into a food bender. It's like you're hard wired to keep those pounds on. I have been looking at some of the chicks on this site who have lost 100+ pounds. It's not just the food they have changed but also REALLY stepped up the exercise. Is that a big enough clue for you HAPPY? I too have used the sore feet excuse but then I realize that if I didn't weight this much the feet wouldn't ache so much either, now would they? I am in awe that you are swimming in what I would consider a partially frozen lake Here's to you getting your willpower back again

Shad, enjoy your time at home and the niece's party. Hope you have some time to relax a bit and re-accquiant yourself with Sunday the cat. Eek on the dental group there - we have some large practices here where several dentists have jointed together to share costs but I think that for the most part, when you see one - that's the person you stick with unless there is an emergency that needs attending too. I would almost be leery that they were trying to do double work - not intentionally, just hard for each one to keep things straight in your mouth as they go round and round on you. Looking forward to seeing more pictures from you - hope you have time to post them.

Mel - I understand you're needing to work a few days but I fret that it's not going to do those peepers of yours any good. Do take care of yourself. I still want to catch up with you on the phone - guess Shad gets first dibs. When's a good time for you or will you be busy this weekend?

My mouth is doing a bit better, thanks for asking. It's still sore from the trauma of what he did but the abscess pain itself is near gone. I met a friend for lunch yesterday - we ate Thai and I had rice noodles and asked them to throw in some carrots and broccoli. Tho the veggies were tender crisp, they were too hard to chew. So It looks like another day or two of soft foods.

3 day weekend coming up. The temps are dipping down as fast as they bumped up. Will be better because we have lots of yard work to do - still a bit warm for that stuff but I think I've seen the last of the pool. I think about Carla and if I was as hearty as she is, I could easily swim until November but I'm not a hearty Canadian There's so much I'd like to do around the house here but I also have alot of "work" work to do and I'm pretty sure I will spend at least one day on the PC. Bummer.

Time to get ready for work, love to the chicks.

Miss Ruth: Hugs for the diagnosis of Lucy. I know she is like one of your children.

Mel--Your poor eyes. Hope they heal soon and give them some rest. ((hugs))

Shad-Enjoy your week end at home.

Happy--Sorry about the lunar eclipse. I noticed the clouds when I came home from the gym that night. That's ususally the breaks here in the South.

Carla--Good job on swiming for 40 minutes. Now put away those sensored foods.

Madcat and Holly--Hope everything is going well.

Yesterday was a good day. Food was good at 1570 calories. Water intake was 68 oz. Fat grams still to high at 63 grams but I'm still eating good fats.
Exercise was only 35 minutes last night. I was tired. Completed 30 minutes on the treadmill and 5 minutes on the ab machine.

See ya tomorrow.

Oh no Ruth, I'm so sorry to hear about Lucy. It is the hardest decision in the world to make and even more so when you are the only one who can make the decision and carry out the task. I've had to make it twice now and I just wish I could be there to give you a big and Lucy too. I'm sure that when all the facts are in, you will find the courage to face this and make the decisions necessary as they arise. All that doesn't make things any easier, I know. My thoughts are with you.

Eventful flight home last night. Maybe I should have upgraded to business class! 3 passengers fainted and had to have oxygen administered. Someone broke a glass right outside the loo in the economy cabin and all passengers were advised to wear shoes if we wanted to go up the back. A kid screamed for around 2/3 of the 4 hour flight and just couldn't be calmed down. It got a bit bumpy at one point - not bad - just a bit of turbulence, nothing earthshattering and we were confined to our seats and seatbelts, one guy wouldn't sit when told and had to be spoken to rather sharply by the biggest cabin attendant there and finally a bunch of passengers decided when the turbulence was over that they wanted to be sick and the steward was running around picking up all the local sick bags. Crikey!!!! I said to one of the stewards at the end of the flight - I bet you are pleased to be at this end of that flight. You ain't wrong luv he said.
Got in around 1.00am and here I am. The recent rain (yes they did have some last week have prompted the orchids - well two of them anyway - to flower and the weeds to take over everything else. Poor house and garden are looking somewhat worse for wear. I'll spend some time out there tomorrow and see what I can do to tidy it up.

Hairdresser this morning and the cat to the vet if I can get her in for her yearly shots and check up. I did ask DS2 to do it, but......... besides which I guess he is not around much when the vet is open.Just checked and have an appointment for her at 3.00pm. She is gonna hate me tonight.

With that I had better get off here and get on with the day. Lots of things to do. I'll be back later in the day to see if there is anything new.

Ruth~ So sorry to hear about the sweet Lucy to you both.

Mel~ Oh honey! Is this a favour for John or are you caught in one of those I can’t really say no situations? On a good note, I’m sending some cooler weather your way. And it seems to have chased the nasty auditor infestation away, so that is good. Dratted eyes!

Happy~ And yeah, I hope this is not some sort of start to a trend. It is good news that your face seems to be repairing itself. It’s amazing how quickly problems in the mouth can heal themselves – but it’s probably still all irritated. Hope it heals soon. How icky that you may have to work on a long weekend. And you know, the water is really only cold for the first couple of minutes until your body adapts. No really, I wouldn’t steer you wrong! We Canadians aren’t hardy – we’re just bloody-minded.

Shad~ The latest research on water content is saying that since veggies and fruits contain a high percentage of water the old rules about water consumption may be overstating how much water you need to drink. And you aren’t getting old - you’ve just honed your appreciation of peace and quiet! Yikes on your flight home. Makes you wish you could walk. At least you kept your sense of humour about it.

Painter~ That is good news about your friend! What a positive thing.

Carla~ You know how it is – you do what you have to do when people need you. I have to admit that I am no saint – sometimes I really don’t WANT to have to be helpful, I’d rather just go on with a quiet stupid life, but I do it anyway. Like you do with your SM, even when she is difficult… We do what we have to do because we don’t have another option if we are going to sleep at night. Don’t hand out any medals to me, I'm not the saintly type. Your lake swim sounds so nice. And what you are doing must be working on some level if you are fitting into old clothing. Maybe if you tied one hand behind your back??? Ok, you know I am just pulling your leg, right?

Ceejay~ Good work finishing a workout even if you are tired.

Ok, so what’s happening with me? Well, I’m freaking out a bit. I went for my annual checkup last week and got a call back from my Dr.s office yesterday that he wants me to redo my blood work in two weeks. Yikes!! Not sure what that means and I’m trying not to borrow trouble. Of course ever since the call every ache and sniffle seems like a major symptom of impending doom.

I’m sure it will be fine though I did have a bit of a head-on collision with some chocolate this afternoon. I’ve already packed tomorrow’s lunch so it will be a better day. Going to work prepared really does seem to help.

Have a lovely rest of the days, all you chickies.

Good morning chicks,

Hi Madcat I see your little egg lit up. Don't fret over the bloodwork. Sometimes the sugars are up or the cholesterol is up due to what you were eating. Wish they would tell us ahead of time - we're going to do bloodwork when you come in - eat clean and drink your water for at least 2 days before.

As for the pool - I have no functioning thyroid left - completely dependent on medicine. One of the side effects is that I am hyper sensitive to cold and heat. So what might seem cool to some people actually sends me into the shivers. I actually had to get an electric blanket for the winter because getting in bed touching the cool sheets (which felt good on my face) sent me into a fetal position with the shivers for 20 minutes at night. So... my swimming is pretty much over once the water dips below 80 degrees at it's at 83 now. Dropped 5 degrees in one week what with shorter days and cooler nights moving in.

Anyhow... I heard that too about some of your water coming from foods. That explains alot as even in the heat of summer I can't get near to what some of the experts claim I should be drinking.

September is right around the corner. I have been thinking of my challenge. For the food I am simply going to ask myself each and every time I bring something to my face - SHOULD I BE EATING THIS? I think if I conciously stop and think, I will avoid many sins. I will do 30 minutes of exercise 5, preferably 6 days a week. Will use weekend housecleaning as my 7th day as that is plenty of work in itself. And I will start packing my lunch again instead of eating in the cafeteria. 3 bottles of water a day too and switch from soda to tea - hot or cold. Oh and religious documenting of what I'm chewing in my online WW tracking tool. Sounds like a lot but it's really just getting back into the good habit groove.

Oops - looks like Mr. Feral cat is sitting on the front porch waiting for his breakfast. Better go feed the kitties...

Will be back later. to the chicks

Happy--Cleaning is diffinately exercise in my opinion. As far as being dependant on thyroid meds, my last check was extremely low. The doctor changed my dosage and am feeling lots better. Writing down what you eat is a good tool. I've been doing that. I've also found that 64 ounces of water is to much for my body. It does a lot better on 48 and still have to take a fluid pill.

Madcat- When I go for my cholesterol test I try not to eat meat, eggs or dairy for 3 days before hand. I've really been watching what I eat lately too because my ldl, bad cholesterol, is still higher than my good cholesterol, hdl. It's supposed to be the other way around.

Carla--You still deserve a pat on the back for helping out with the sm. September is tomorrow. We'll all be back on the wagon then.

I've been a cleaning demon this morning. I'm trying to stay on track with my schedule even on the week end. The last of the laundry is in the dryer. And all that's left is to dust and vaccum the living room. Then I'll wash the car before I go to Paragould for the week end. Unfortunately, I have to work labor day, but it's over time. Believe it or not, the pedometer is reading .50 miles.

Good news is that I've lost those fluid pounds once again. I'm down once again to 182 pounds. I'll weigh in and measure officially on Sunday.