Penny things have been tough here in my area as well. I have been helping my oldest daughter out a bit with groceries and extra cash. Not for foolish things but essentials. She hates having me help but I try to joke about it and said don't worry someday you'll repay me when I get old and need you... Yeah have to make them as comfortable as possible as its not there fault. My SIL's company that took over the business he's worked for years has decreased his pay by almost 1/3 and she lost a good cleaning job as someone else was having issues and the luxury things like having a cleaning person goes. A friend of mine works in landscaping people are canceling their accts. that have had him forever. I agree purchasing a small freezer isn't a bad thing. My son in HI I worry about as he doesn't ever ask for help. I have tried to call him a few times and he is always out and their not good about calling back. So it makes me worry! i have been stocking up on groceries here and buying extra snacks to drop off for the kids. Just trying to make things easier. Years ago my grandparents helped my mom and us when Dad left us. I know how hard it can be and they picked up the loose ends and I will try to do the same as much as I can. So yeah times are tough stock up make meals that can strech and planting a good garden is smart. I am going to the local markert on thurs. going to stock up on peppers, onions and chop them up into 1/2 cups for cooking and freeze them. I have to make more pear bread going to freeze little loafs for future needs. I priced the little freezers about 178-210. In a few weeks that will most likely be a thing to do for me.
I have to say I feel more on plan lately thinking a bit before munching even with my baking its pretty healthy stuff. When I have my pear baked goods I fit them into my meal plan. I just got out some fall clothes and glad to beable to say I forgot that there were newly bought jeans yeah... pullover shirts and a few new tops that I purchased at the end of the last season. So I was very pleased they fit. I haven't gotten on the scale but every morning take a stripped look in my bathroom mirror figure what better way to keep myself on track. Crazy but what ever scares me into being good.
Penny don't be to hard on yourself remember you had some surgery and that alone slows our progress down. I seem to be having an easier time now with less parties etc. going on easier to stay focused. This weekend we have a full kitchen, gas grill , fireplace pit etc. so I should beable to take some healthy stuff and I am sure there will be some snacking that will be no no's but for the most part I will try to think first... Taking some shrimp for pre dinner appt. with my own made sauce, grilling steak, sweet potatoe baked and a lovely salad for saturdays dinner. We will most likely have one dinner out out the rest we are cooking thats my friends hubby and I we like to cook tog. our spouse forget it have no interest only in eating what we create
Have a great day lets keep it moving we seem to be headed in the right direction, eat healthy make good choices! I am not setting a goal this time just trying to look better in that dang mirror.
Loved the doggie pictures!!!








11

Well where is everyone? I am off to work in a bit. Got up at 5 this morning whats with that wide awake. I am sure it will catch up with me throughout my day. I read by the fire for awhile then got ready to start my day which is quite full today. I might work a bit later tonight just to catch up a bit. Too many reports they all come due so quick.
I plan to be on plan today. Hoping to get into a good walk today during my middle of the day to clear my head and continue on. That seems to work out well.
Talk to you all soon hope everyone is doing well.

Oooh, comfort food...I just ate some oatmeal with extra cinnamon and nutmeg, so that will do the trick, at least for a little while. I'm perpetually cold! I've been using space heaters at home and at work. It's too early for building managers to switch from AC to heat, and especially when the sun goes down, it's pretty chilly here.

Work has been frantic, and since I won't have Internet at home for another week at least, and I'm on the road most of the next two weeks, I may be an infrequent visitor for a while. I've packed my workout gear, so maybe I can do a little intentional exercise for the first time in nearly two weeks I have my travel snacks for the long cross-country flight--grapes, almonds, a Balance Bar--so I'm ready to go.

The awful economy is affecting my world, too. The whole nonprofit sector is in a panic. My organization was already struggling, and I'm very worried about raising enough money to keep us afloat. I may have to lay one or two people off my staff in the next month or so, a prospect that keeps me awake nights...

On that cheerful note, I have to run! Hopefully I can check in tomorrow or Friday.

judy

Hi everyone, it was a hectic couple days at work. It's amazing how many people make mountains out of molehills, just so they can b*tch about it. I think most people don't really know that missing a phone call from so and so won't end the world. I think that's always bugged me in professional life - that people don't have real, global perspective. Anyway, that's my whine for the day. BTW, all 3 days this week I've arrived in a GEAT mood, only to have all the negativity start to eat at me. Then where do I want to go - to comfort food land. Judy, your oatmeal sounds delightful at the moment...

Judy, I hope you can find some intentional exercise. I'm pretty sure that if I didn't worship the exercise gods, I'd fall into a deep depression. I haven't had any bipolar swings since I began the exercise bandwagon and I'm very happy about that. Judy, have you thought about one of those foam memory pillow tops for the mattress?? I bet there's got to be a solution out there. I love my waterbed since it's adjustable in it's firmness. A couple minute lie on a mattress in a store just doesn't give the answer to what it would feel like for a whole night.

Carol, I hope you enjoy your upcoming weekend. It's sounds much better than camping. I am a bed and bath type of gal. I live in the boondocks, I don't need to go camping to get back to nature. You mentioned N. sparks new novel - right before coming to 3FC, I'd bought it at audible and it's my next book to listen. You can let me know what you think as I have a couple days before I'm done listening to the current book.

Penny and Carol, we just bought a small 7 ft. freezer from H. Depot. It was 210 I think. It's very nice size as the 21 ft was gargantuan. I couldn't handle just my fridge/freezer. I do like buying some in bulk for the big savings.

Penny, I hope that you're hubby's business starts to pick up. I'm going to get the ingredient for your goulash and put it in the crock pot (if I can find it) on Saturday. With DH on swingshift, that's just too much work.

Auntie, you're baby is BEAUTIFUL!!!!! I just love doggies. My heart belongs to the four legged wonderful creatures. I'd literally walk through fire, put my body in front of a gunman to protect them. My dogs taught me the beauty of unselfishness because I was truly self-centered BD (before dogs) and truly BK (before kids). So thanks for sharing your doggie's beautiful face.

I've exercised like crazy and stayed on track. Mr Scale was nicer today (back to the same weight as on Saturday - preTOM) so I was quite surprised. New dr. didn't accept me as a patient and I think that's just as well. I was seeing a couple pink flags (their fax never worked, they didn't follow up, etc). So I called my clinic and made an appointment with my new dr. there. It's in two weeks so I'll let you know. And tomorrow I'm having surgery on my right toe (yes again - different side) so if nothing else, that will slow the hiking and walking that's not allowing my heel to heal. I will be riding my bike though. Just call me exercise fanatic...
Marie

Auntie G - Thanks for posting the cute photos of your baby girl. She sounds like a lovable pup. She is lucky to have such a caring Mom. I always feel so bad for pets that are abused and neglected. We just went to Petco to get catfood and it breaks my heart to see the kitties up for adoption in their little cages. A cute black kitty was rubbing against the glass and blinking at us almost begging for us to take her home. It was so hard to walk away. At least these ones have a chance to get adopted.

Carol - It's times like these when we value our families and all need to pull together. It's good that you can help your daughter out. Our DS has been told they may lay off a lot of people soon. He's only been there a year, so he may be one of the first ones to go. He really loves living in Boise and has made a nice life for himself there, but it doesn't look like there are many job openings there right now. If it comes to it he can come home and live with us. Hopefully there will be more jobs in the Portland area. He doesn't have any savings to speak of and wouldn't be able to afford the rent on his house if he gets laid off. He's a hard worker and wouldn't be choosy about what kind of work he does.

Marie - I hope your foot is feeling better. It must have been awful needing to go potty during the procedure! It sounds like winter has arrived early in K-Falls. It's very nippy here today too. We were just talking about how we're glad we got our wood stove checked out just in case we need to burn wood with the cost of heating going up this winter. Luckily we have a lot of wood. My DH suggested we buy some extra blankets! We're filling up our gas cans so we have enough to run our generators in case of power outages this winter. We also need the generators to keep our well going if the power goes out.

Judy - I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that you won't need to lay anyone off. It must be a very difficult thing to do. I hope that your trip goes well. It sounds like you have some healthy travel snacks to take with you.

I'm a bit shocked how my weight has been going up. Mr. Nasty Scale showed 200 today. I think it must be from stress hormones or the change of seasons - I really don't think I've been eating more than usual. I'll have to start logging more regularly again before it gets totally out of hand. My DH has a terrible cold so I'm taking lots of Vitamin C, etc. as I don't need a cold with my surgery coming up next Wednesday.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Just passin' thru to say hi, chickies! My day is done, and I'll be flying home Saturday morning...and leaving again o
Sunday morning . Two more crazy weeks of travel. I'm mostly eating on program except for a fatty b'fast on Thursday--my first hot meal in over 24 hours--and too much chocolate overall. But I've been sleeping well, finally, and I took a little downtime yesterday morning to wander around San Francisco, window-shopping.

Marie, I hope your toe heals quickly. I wouldn't have consider going back to work that day, you are the original Iron Lady!


Penny, I hope your son can stay in Boise. I would be broken-hearted to relocate, really bond with a place, rhen have to leave again so soon.

Auntie, I'm the leading edge of the first generation in my family to grow up in cities, not on farms. My folks thought dogs and cats were okay, but animals were utilitarian, and even pets lived outside, under the house or in the barn. I'm sorry that I didn't learn to appreciate pets as a kid. Now I have too many allergies...

Judy

Happy Saturday! Today's weigh-in got rid of 2½ lbs and under the big 200 barrier! Yippee! I'm so happy that I may NOT splurge too much tonight!

Marie, glad your surgery went well and you got to bail on work afterward. It's always nicer to have nappy time with the pupperonis! And sleet?! Wow! I think I'm going to have to get my shorts back out today! Crazy weather...

Penny, oh I can't stand to go into a pet store that sells cats or dogs. I can't stand to see them in the cages. I just want to take them home, and I know I can't, so I'd rather just avoid seeing the poor things. It's so hard to resist the cuteness! I hope you avoid getting your husband's cold! Keep up the vitamin C and stay away from him! And yeah, you've got to log your food. Really, it's so easy to lose track of how much is going in if you don't write it down. I know that was a huge part of my downfall a couple years ago, and I hope to never let it happen again!

Judy, I'm exhausted just thinking about all that travelling you're doing! At least you got some good sleep- that makes a big difference! I can definitely understand how people who live the farm life would see animals differently, and I wouldn't hold that against them. But anyone who abuses an animal because they are just a jerk, well, that's another story! My friend who is allergic to everything found that there are certain dogs she can tolerate, but when someone has the travelling lifestyle you've got, it's not very conducive to having pets anyway. Maybe a nice Philodendron?

OK, have a great weekend everyone!!!

AUNTIE!!!!! You're in one-derland. Congrats big-time!!!! And not just by a little bit. 1.5 pounds give a nice breathing space for female weigh fluctuations. I totally agree with your views on pets and farms. Although abuse on a farm is just as bad regardless or how they're viewed. I'm the biggest softie when it comes to kids and animals. Anyway, tonight no splurge as there is no bigger motivator than the scale being nice.

My scale was nice yesterday and took it away this morning. C'est la vie. I saw a better number yesterday so I know it's there and as I was at 1300 cals yesterday, I know it's water/salt/evilness of a scale.

OK, I've concluded Murphy is in charge. Last week I signed up for a free trial of NFL Field Pass ($40 to listen to all the Packers or Vikings radio broadcasts) but realized that Sirius had all the NFL games on it and DH loved Sirius last year so I bought all the toys for that (I'm listening to it right now - I'm starting to really like it as well). Anyway, all of it's set up and then DirecTV calls last night and offers all their channels, including Sunday Ticket (which I was a subscriber for 10 years but it was now up to nearly $300 a season so I canceled it) for $14 a month. OK, $300 vs. $56 dollars with all the movie stations. I said yes so now I have radio and TV of the games. I was content with the radio and then Murphy took over... So tomorrow i'll be watching football on TV and listening to the Packer's radio station as I really enjoyed their bias broadcast.

Judy, wow - how do you do it? I could never be a traveler. Home only one day??? I guess in your case it's not so bad as your bed is not comfy. Good job staying on track.

Penny, stay away from DH. Get a cold and you'll have to postpone the surgery. Once a decision ismade to go forward, it's horrid to have to postpone. Your OIT grad son isn't the only one in the same boat (for those that don't remember - our sons both graduated from Oregon Institute of Technology only a year apart). Our son's company gave him a glowing annual review, but also announce to the company as a whole that there will be layoffs in November. I told him to get a written copy of the glowing review as hes' only been in the job for a year as well. Our economy has nasty arms hanging out everywhere. It's hitting everyone

Carol, I hope all is going good.

My toe is feeling less throbbing and that's nice. DH actually took the doggies for a walk yesterday. He said he was amazed by them. He never walks them by himself. Not once. But when he got up yesterday, he started the wood stove (which has made my house toasty this morning), and then the dogs started pushing around him, their "we're going for a walk" routine. He asked how they had a clue. I told him I told the doggies before I left for work that dear daddy was going to take them for a walk. They remembered. DH just thought it was really strange.

Well I'm going to throw either Penny's goulash or pot roast recipe in the crock pot. Depends on the goulash ingredients as I couldn't remember them all at the store yesterday. I know I have the pot roast ingredients.

Marie