Apple Berry Fruit Leather (from iVillage Fitness email)

Ingredients:

3 cups apples, cored and chopped
1 cup raspberries
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 140°F.

2. Using a blender, blend 1 cup of the apples, the raspberries and the orange juice concentrate until smooth. Add remaining apples and blend until smooth. Pour apple mixture in a medium-sized bowl, then stir in the honey, cinnamon and lemon juice.

3. Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap and tape to edges. Do not use wax paper or aluminum foil, since it's difficult to remove the fruit from these items.

4. Pour apple mixture on the plastic-lined baking sheet and spread with a rubber spatula until it's 1/8 inch thick. Leave about 1/2 inch of space open from edge of pan to allow fruit to expand while drying.

5. Bake in oven for 4 to 6 hours. Fruit leather is done when it is no longer sticky to the touch. When done, roll the fruit with the plastic wrap the long way. Cut into 2-inch pieces. Store pieces in an airtight container.

Makes 8 servings. Per serving: 59 calories, 0 grams of fat, 15 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, and 0 mg sodium.

Happy Friday ladies --

I am SO ready for the weekend! No plans as yet, but since I didn't get to the grocery store last night....I'll have to go today as we are out of EVERYTHING. I had planned to go to the store after the gym last night, but 2 funnel clouds in a town just to the west of us changed my mind. Turns out the storm eased up before it got to my house. Phew! I had a great workout at the gym though. I managed to catch the last 1/2 of the Jazz Dance class, which is always fun! And then I did a really killer strength training workout...Squats, calf raises, push ups, hamstrings, abs, planks and inner thigh exercises. My lower body is cursing me when I walk up the stairs here at work! LOL But it's a good sore. I hope I can go to the gym tonight and tomorrow. If you'd have told me 6 months ago that I'd be saying "I hope I can go to the gym", I would've thought you were crazy, drunk or smokin' the wacky tobacky. :rofl:

At work, they're having a free blood pressure screening, and I'm happy to say that mine is just fine! Yay! Of course, I'm on medication for it. But it's good to know that the medication, weight loss and exercise are working when it comes to improving my health.

Shad - I hope your day goes well and that you get all your work done so you can enjoy the weekend. When do you leave for JK? Is it this weekend?

Happy - I hope you don't have to take Celebrex for too long. I've heard about the side effects. Are there any other Anti-Inflammatory meds you could take? I wonder if Glucosamine and Chondroitin (two over the counter supplements) would help. They're supposed to be excellent for arthritis and they helped my DH with his knee (back when he had a real knee joint as opposed to the artificial knee he has now). Isn't it odd that sometimes you are more tired with extra sleep? I try and go to bed and wake up at the same time (roughly) regardless of the day. However, on the weekends, I'll sleep in until 6:30 or 7. I started doing this because it was supposed to help prevent migraines (and it did/does), and now I just keep doing it even though the migraines are thankfully few and far between. I don't wear heels and haven't for years. My sister still does. I've just accepted the fact that I'd rather be short and comfortable then faux taller and in pain. Plus, heels hurt my back - and I don't need that. Comfort is key in my wardrobe and life.

Ceejay - I hope you're feeling better today. Potassium just might help your back. I know bananas have helped mine when I've had minor muscle spasms. You are so right about the flexibility of the WW points system. Good for you for finding something that works and sticking to it! You'll surely be successful!

Annie - I hope you're enjoying your vacation day and have a fun weekend in St. Louis!

Well, ladies, projects are calling...but I should be able to get all the critical stuff done before I leave today. Yay!

Love and hugs,

HI GIRLS...I AM TAKING A 3 DAY WEEKEND FOR MYSELF OFF THE COMPUTER. NO WORK. NO PHONE. NO RADIO. MY ARMS ARE MUCH WORSE THAN I THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE. THE DR SAID I HAVE TO COME IN NEXT WEEK IF THERE IS NO IMPROVEMENT AND AND I CANNOT TAME THIS INFLAMMATION ON MY OWN. HE GAVE ME A SUGGESTED SCHEDULE OF DRUGS TO TRY AND PAIN PATCHES. A GIRL IN THE OFFICE HAS OFFERED TO TAKE ME TO THE MALL MONDAY AND HELP ME SHOP IF I AM UP TO IT AND OUT TO LUNCH. I'LL SEE. RICHIE AND JEN LEFT FOR THE TRAILER BUT RICHIE IS COMMUTING ALL NEXT WEEK AND IS FOOD SHOPPING FOR ME.... BUT TODAY I PICKED UP EVERYTHING MICROWAVEABALE AND HAD ONE OF THE GUYS OPEN UP ALL MY BOTTLES ETC THAT I WOULD NEED. I AM VERY PREPARED!!
I WILL HOPEFULLY SEE YOU ALL TUESDAY OR WEDS.
STAY WELL AND HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND. I WILL THINK OF YOU ALL WHILE I AM SUNNING IN THE BACK YARD AND ALSO WATCHING MY HARRY POTTER MARATHON I HAVE PLANNED. SEE YOU SOON! :moped:

Morning all,
I am so tired of feeling completely stressed out that I am not looking at work at all today. It will be a clean house and pack bag day for me. Tomorrow I can go back to it. I'll be spending plenty of time in airports, so that will mean work. After all I get paid for the travel so I may as well work. I have never been so under prepared for anything in my whole life. Can't get a word out of the accountant consultant so I just hope that the General ledger stuff is okay. It gets trained on Thursday/ Friday. I have found the Key User up in JK to be very helpful and she (isn't it usually a she?) has volunteered to do most of the course. 3 cheers for M-L. None of the other financial stuff has gone to the finals folder. There is only documentation for some part of payroll in my finals folder, the HR consultants are under the usual cone of silence but tell me they have sufficient documentation. Naturally enough the practical subjects - purchasing and receiving goods are done and finalised and we are working on putting in data there. Another female consultant!!!

But enough of whinging. What will be will be and for the first time ever I wonder if I really care too much! I probably will by Monday. The first three days training will be me doing the General Basic Navigation course. I have done this course more or less for the last 15 years and improved on it over the years. I can do it jet lagged and in my sleep. No problems with the course only what the system will or will not do.

So today is clean and clear. And of course admiring the floor. I have to put a notice on the door telling people to remove their shoes. Trainers and soft shoes are fine, but I'm sorry Annie, you will have to sit outside or take 'em off! I'll make sure there is comfortable chairs out there - or you could always go round the back and turf Mel out of the hammock!

Speaking of which - at nearly halfway through the month, how are me going on this challenge to lose 2kg. I think I saw Ceejay was doing okay. Me, I've managed to lose 200g have ridden to the dizzy heights of plus 500g at one time. I'm still in there trying. The long plane ride will not help, but I'll hit the gym once up there and see what I can do. Will have to severly limit food intake since I will have little choice in what I am eating. Sorry not what, I always have choice in that, but how it is prepared.

Happy, sorry to hear you have been in pain and are continuing on with it. Are you and the DH still continuing with your walking? I do think that exercise might be the key. A little weight off, a little less pain. Think about it. Hope you enjoy the farmers markets and get some good tomatoes. Talking of which I had better go and drench mine before I go away. They will certainly not get done while I am away and we can't rely on rainfall. They are growing quite well and the wee red lettuces have leaves almost ready to pick. Only for sandwiches or rolls though, there isn't enough of them yet to have a really good salad.

Just went to GO Advanced and IT WORKS today. Goody

Mel - do as Aunty Happy says and ditch that coffee. You know it isn't doing you any good at all. Way to go on that weight loss you were talking about. Make sure it lasts to the end of the month. You might win the prize. Thanks for the e-mail. I just haven't had time to do anything about it yet. I will get around to a reply.

Annie - see Aunty Happy is getting at you too. I must admit, I don't wear stilleto any more either. My sister used to wear the 4" ones and totter around. But then she had to do that so people could actually see her. She's only 4'10" But I do wear small heels. No higher than a couple of inches and not stilleto, because they are uncomfortable for me. Mind you the price I paid for the 3 pairs I have, they should be darned more than comfortable. They should have had diamond encrusted buckles or something. Good shoes are an awful price here. One pair is a Sandler, one is a Homy Ped, one pair is a Kumf. I have to say, I never ever thought I would pay those prices for a shoe, but having done so, there is no way you will see me back in the cheap ones.

Michelle - Good onya for that blood pressure. Keep checking it because my doc told me I would be on it for the rest of my days if I didn't do something about weight and exercise and that I was at risk of diabetes, so I went to gym. My blood pressure is now a constant source of conversation now at the Doc's lectures at the drop in centre. Every one seems to know about the blood pressure lady although they don't know who she is. I just laugh and say, glad to hear that someone is doing okay with it!
Doc tells me that I am one of only 3 patients who at close to 60 take none of the 'aging' drugs at all. I point out I take the diuretics but they are lollies to him.

Ceejay - Aunty Happy pointed out bananas as a source of potassium and rightly so. So get yourself a good big bunch of them and keep eating them as snacks. They are a really good super food.

And with that, the day is warming up and I have a list of things to do.
Arrivederci amiga. I have to resize some more pics, and will put it on the list of things to do tonight while watching the footy. I'll be back with some more brag shots.
Ceejay

Hi there ladies,

Well "Aunty Happy" fall down go boom yesterday. DH and I went out to dinner. I had just gotten out of the car. DH parked next to one of those berm like things they have in parking lots - the slightly raised divider that generally has grass in it. It was directly to my right as I got out of the car and I stepped on it and walked across it to the lot. Just as I was about to step off on the pavement, my foot caught something and down I went on to the pavement. I guess I put my hand out to break my fall and I landed right on the fatty pad of your thumb on my right hand. I bounced off the car next to me and richocheted into the curb, hitting my leg pretty hard on the left side. At first I couldn't get up - my hand was in terrible pain and I couldn't put any pressure on it to lift myself. I was laying between a car and a curb so DH couldn't get in to help me up much either. I guess I was lucky I didn't smack my head. I have no idea what I tripped on but it was like my foot became glued to the berm for a minute. I did get up, DH dusted me off and we went into the restaurant. I was hanging on to a glass with soda and lots of ice and leaning my hand into it but the more I held it there, the worse the pain got. My leg hurt pretty bad too tho it didn't bruise up much. I was concerned that I might have fractured my hand tho DH assured me that I had not broken it so after dinner we went to the hospital emergency room. That was a 3 hour visit. They took xrays and said my hand was sprained and gave me a splint. The hip looked ok but said I might have a bone bruise which makes sense as it's not discolored much but it does feel like someone rammed a stick deep into my leg. They gave me some pretty powerful pain medication too but after reading about it, not sure I want to take it. The nurse told me that one pain med is a narcotic and not to drive while taking it because if I was stopped by the police I would be considered DUI - driving under the influence. That was a surprise as I never considered that - usually associate that to alchohol. Anyway, I'm ok, a bit banged up and the sprain is going to be a pain - I can't grip anything in my right hand - luckily I am left handed.

Mel - I know you are not reading this because you are taking a rest but I am so sorry to hear that you are having big time issues again. :( I will send some healing thoughts your way as well as good wishes for you. :hug: :hug: :hug:

Shad - I can feel your frustration all the way over here. Reporting and training are the things that are most important but get the least amount of attention. Just remember that you can do what you can do and cannot make miracles. It's unfortunate in the world of the new "normal" that standards are so poorly relaxed. Work with what you have... As for the challenge, I was doing good on the scale but this week's menu had more processed foods than normal and the scale is back up again. I was hoping to get outside this weekend and sweat some of it off but that's not going to happen. I have flowers to plant which will be an interesting task with an immobilizer on my hand.

Michelle - thanks for the suggestions. I was taking Glucosamine for a while and it didn't really do all that much for me. And that is also associated with thinning out the blood a little too much. It does seem that anything you find that works for you in the pain department eventually causes some other issues. That was particularly true of the pain meds they gave me yesterday. One is highly addictive tho I doubt that the 14 pills they gave me will turn me into a junkie and the other has all sorts of dire warnings too. I think I'd just rather suffer with the pain as long as I know that I'm not causing irrepairable damage :lol: I hope you have a nice weekend planned and that it stays dry enough for you to enjoy it.

Annie, Ceejay, Shy, Ellen, Patty, Nae, Ruth - :wave: have a good weekend - get out and get some vitamin D and sunshine.

Quiet lot we are this weekend!!!

Happy - So sorry to hear about the your fall. I hope you start to feel better real soon. As if the weekends are short enough without spending 3 hours of one in casualty. And I know the feeling about not knowing what made you trip. One feels so stupid and wonders whether the brain is off to another planet or something. I had a bout of falling over a couple of years back. Got very sore knees out of it as I always seemed to bang either the kneecap or just below it.

Mel - sorry to hear you are not too good either. This is not good having our chicks all bumped and banged and sore and hurting. Get better soon.

Okay - today is the day I go back to JK. I leave here around 8 this morning to get to the Brisbane airport and arrive at JK around 9.30pm their time which is 3 hours behind us. So food today will be fairly lousy. Exercise will be probably less that stellar although I will need to do a reasonable amount of walking to get from one place to the other at terminals etc. So I will just have to think carefully about what I am eating and when.
I still haven't packed, but will do so immediately I get off here. I know what to pack - well more or less just didn't do it yesterday due to the fact that I did most of the house work all day and DB2 came round full of doom and gloom to watch the rugby last night (we got beaten boo hoo and we was robbed!!! :rofl:). Think he may have fallen off the wagon again, but didn't ask. He was sullen and uncommunicative, so I left him suffer. It might be mean but at least I don't get an outpoured of regrets and recriminations, none of which are worth the breath used. Since he won't accept help from professional sources and seems to think I can make the woes go away but he won't do as requested to help himself. I am slowly distancing myself and will certainly not help out financially any further. I won't see him go under, but neither will I make the suggestions and do the things he should be doing for himself. Talk about stubborn.

Anyway having burdened you lot with that, I had better go sort out my stuff and pack a bag for a hot and steamy JK. I'll be back

Happy
Ouch for that nasty fall. Feel better soon.

Mel
Good for you in taking 3 days off. Hope you feel better soon also. I've really enjoyed mine.

Shad
I was thinking on the lines of super foods. I did buy bananas. The doctor prescribed a potassium pill to take twice a day. The cramps are still there but not as hard as they were. I've always had sodium/potassium problems.

I haven't done much today. I just wanted to lay down and rest. I took a long nap this afternoon. Probably will not sleep any tonight. I feel better.

Looks like we'll have some more rain according to the radar and it's about an hour away. I need to get super in the oven.

Good morning,

It's very quiet in here. Guess everyone has decided to abandon us again. So I'll talk softly as to not disturb anyone.

To those not feeling well - hope you feel better soon :hug: To those who are very busy - take a minute to stop and smell the roses and get some fresh air in.

And to those feeling a bitl lost, sometimes it's just a matter of stopping a minute, assessing what needs to be done and starting little by little, one task as a time to right things again.

And I'm off to do just that.

It is quiet in here. Mel is taking the week end off.

Happy
Are you sore today from your fall?

Shad
have a safe travel to JK.

I'm back to work. Sitting here minding my own business and the power blinked. I hate when that happens. Looks like the building is on fire. To top that off the plant was in operation. I did jump up and turn the wells off but the whole incident was less than 2 minutes. I'm so glad that I didn't have to go down stairs and manually operate the effluent valves. The only major thing was that the filters lost there run time.

I figured that their would be oodles of phone calls but not a single one. I even checked the phone.

cee
better a slow time than an extra busy time I guess.

Happy
I am just doing my day to day routine lol. 9 people in my house right now so that adds a bit more to the day to day to do list but I get everything done. I have been reading but not getting much chatting done. Sure glad you weren't hurt to bad. Today the kids noticed a bruise on the pack of my leg right below my knee. It looks real real nasty. I have no idea what I did to myself to get it lol. I do things like that all the time and will say to myself ohhh tomorrow that is going to hurt lol. Tomorrow I seldom remember what I did to get the darn bruise lol. I now have three adults in the house, my two children and 4 other children. Do you know how many feet that is on my new floors lol. I shoe check before anyone comes into my house lol. I never allowed shoes in the house and now I REALLY don't allow shoes in the house.

Melody
So sorry you aren't doing well. You need to take time to relax and let the body heal. I love harry potter lol.

Di
Isn't it funny. I didn't exercise for years. Now, I have to get my workouts done before I go to bed or I feel like a lay about lol.

Annie
LOL



Shad
Stress causes so many things. I don't think you are whining. Everyone needs to get things off their chest from time to time. Just remember for every person with a job that pays enough to pay the bills and have a bit of scratch in their pockets. There are three dozen people that don't have a job at all.

Morning all,
Got here fine and am preparing for my first class at 1.00pm today. I just looked at my world clock and realised that JK is 12 hours ahead of Memphis - so sleep well my little chicks.

Hot, sticky and smelly. I went to the gym this morning and it was crowded - people everywhere. But I managed a workout of some weights and some cardio and did 6 minutes on a stepper that left me in a complete puddle 73 floors up according to the stepper. Staggered out of there and got showered and changed for breakfast and work and here I am. It's a grand world we live in leave home one morning and arrive somewhere else that night.

Happy - you are sounding a bit better about things

Ceejay - happy working. Not always good news when the power goes out. But you got out of that one at least. Hope you didn't have to stay too long on the Sunday.

Rennie - Happy housework. At least the visitors can do some of it for you - can't they???

And with that I had better go and see what I can find to keep my people occupied for the class.
Have a fun day.
Oh yes I changed $250 AUD to Indonesian Rupiah this morning and am now carrying around 2,113.157.50 Rupiah. I'm a millionaire - well a rupiah millionaire anyway.
Gotta go. See ya

Good morning rupiah millionaires of the world! It's grand to be rich, isn't it? :queen:

Good evening Shad - by this time it is approaching the dinner hour and your class is already over. Do hope that it went well. It's odd for me to be sitting here with the sleepy sand still in my eyes and your day is over with already. My that is an impressive work out in the gym. 73 flights of stairs! You need to come back here and do one of those climb the skyscraper runs that are popular in the big cities.

Shy - hope you are enjoying your company. I could never come visit you as I cannot walk around without shoes on. Too painful. I am trying to get used to the idea of having inside shoes that I can wear around the house. Either that or you and Shad have to get a basket of those shoe covers they have for the workmen at those really fancy houses :lol:

Ceejay - I am trying to figure out how the power blinking off - momentary darkness I suppose - would make it look like the building is on fire - unless that's the only time the lights go out :yikes: Either way, doesn't sound like much of a good time - hope you got everything back under control.

Good morning Miss Mel - hope you are resting quietly.

My bumps and bruises are healing up nicely. Almost have the use of my thumb back so the sprain was not as bad as it could have been tho it sure felt like it. Not getting overconfident about using it and reinjuring it by any means. Yesterday I was cleaning house and I was quite dizzy all day long. Sometimes I even got nauseated from the vertigo. As a result I didn't get out for groceries and I really need to. Last week we ate more salt and processed food than I typically do and it is rearing it's ugly head on the bloat and ick factor. Must make this a clean eating and drinking lots of water week.

This morning I have a doctor's appointment with my favorite doctor. The one where you sit and cool your heels in the office for 2 to 3 hours past your appointment before you get to see him. I have considered switching doctors but in general I find that endochronologists are usually more behind than most when it comes to seeing patients. Must be the preponderance of elderly patients. Hope the blood sugar checks out ok today. I shouldn't be having a coffee but I got to bed quite late and I'm only going on 4 hours of sleep so that's not enough for just green tea to keep me going.

I'll be back later. Good morning to the rest of you fine worldly chicks. :wave:

Happy
I don't drink coffee. I get my caffiene from diet soft drinks. Glad the sprain is healing.
Isn't it nice to be rich! I wouldn't know. I've always thought it to be weird how the power goes out and it still looks like the place is on fire. I have not figured that one out yet. We do have a couple of emergency lights that come on so that may be the source.

Shad
Sunday's are work day's for me. Hope your day has gone well. I'd like to try those new steppers. I've seen them on tv.

My work day began an hour ago. So I need to get busy. I really don't want to.

Hey ladies --

My weekend was nice and quiet. DMIL wasn't feeling too great on Saturday, so after I got back from the gym on Saturday morning, we just stayed around the house and played with the dogs in the yard.

Yesterday, it was way too windy to go fishing - which is what we really wanted to do, so we went to a gem and mineral show, which was really nice.

I have a bit of a NSV to share....I've got sleep apnea and have had it for about 2 years, so I hook up to a machine every night while I sleep to ensure that my airways are kept open. Anyway, I nodded off for a nap over the weekend without my mask and afterward, I asked my DH if I snored or stopped breathing, he said no. So maybe these 40 lbs off has helped my sleep apnea too! :woohoo:

Now it's back to work and a busy day ahead.

Mel - I hope you're resting, relaxing and feeling better. I'm sending you healing thoughts and good wishes (and hugs of course). :hug: :hug:

Shad - I hope the training goes well. I'm sure you'll do great! As for my part of the challenge, I've lost 2 lbs of it so far, so still a ways to go yet. Yesterday was not a good eating day....but I'll do better today. Good for you for heeding the doc's warnings about losing weight and exercise! Sounds like your blood pressure is good and you avoided diabetes. Good onya for avoiding all the aging drugs! Hopefully, I'll be off my BP, cholesterol and other meds once I get this weight off! Sorry to hear about DB2. It's difficult to be around people who won't help themselves. 73 floors in 6 minutes on the stepper? No wonder there was a puddle.

Happy - Ouch! That sounds like an awful fall! I'm glad you didn't break anything. And I'm glad to hear you're bumps and bruises are doing better. For your thumb/hand sprain, remember RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation). I hope the vertigo improves! Be careful. Sending you healing hugs also. :hug: Hang in there, sweetie!

CeeJay - I'm glad the cramps are improving. Too bad about the power outage at work...but I guess it could've been worse, right?

Rennie - How long is your company staying? I hope you are able to enjoy your time with them and not be cleaning the whole time.

Well, I've got to run....lots of work is awaiting!

Love and hugs to all,

In addition to the 2kg weight loss goal for July that Shad suggested (I'm about 1/2 way there), I've set a mini-goal for myself....to lose 11 more pounds by September 9th (8 weeks from now). I'm really going to have to exercise a lot and resist food temptations as much as possible, but hopefully I'll be able to do it. I would SO like to be at the 50 lbs weight loss mark by my birthday (Sept. 9).

I also have a longer term goal to be at goal weight by Christmas (which means I'll have to lose 2 lbs a week) - which will be tough.

I've come a long way so far and I feel SO much better! And I know that with determination I will achieve my July and birthday goals. And if I get close to my Christmas goal, I'll be thrilled.