Hey Annie - The Humana Suite??? SWEET! VERY NICE!! Have a fabulous time! :woohoo:

SENDING ALL MY CHICK FRIENDS A BIG HUG FOR ALL THE KIND WORDS AND GOOD THOUGHTS:hug: :love:
I AM BUSHED AND NEED A SHOWER. LONG DAY.
MAYBE A FOOD SHOP IN THE MORNING OR THE OFFICE SO IF I DISAPPEAR HAPPY THURSDAY TOO! :rofl:

ANNIE....HERE'S SOME LEFTOVERS FOR TOMORROWS MICRO-HEAT & EAT :hun:



http://img4.realsimple.com/images/fo...-Plate_300.jpg

Sausage With Escarole and White Beans

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound Italian sausage
2 small onions, cut into wedges
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 19-ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 small head escarole, tough stems removed and roughly chopped
kosher salt and pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
crusty bread (optional)

Directions

1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the sausage, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing.
2 Add the onions to the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine and broth and bring to a boil. Add the beans, escarole, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the escarole wilts, about 3 minutes.
3 Spoon into individual bowls and top with the Parmesan. Serve with the sausage and crusty bread, if desired.

MICHELLE~ I AM NOT A BIG FAN OF DRUGS FOR WEIGHTLOSS BUT HAVING SAID THAT...THE DECISION IS YOURS. FRIENDS HAVE TRIED IT AND NEEDED PANTY LINERS, PADS AND AT TIMES BROUGHT UNDIES AND A CHANGE OF CLOTHING WITH THEM TO WORK. :faint: NONE OF THEM STAYED ON IT FOR LONG :rofl:

ANNIE~ WOW NICE!!! THE SUITE??? AND FREE!! GOTTA LOVE ALL THOSE PERKS!! :cheer:

START MAKING HEALTHY CHOICES WEBSITE:

http://www.startmakingchoices.com/index.jsp


Southwest Spicy Meatloaf with Fiesta Rice

Hands On: 15 minutes | Total: 1 hour 15 minutes | Makes: 4 servings (1 slice meatloaf and about 3/4 cup rice each)
Ingredients
Meatloaf

1 pound ground sirloin beef
2 slices whole wheat bread, torn into small pieces or 1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 can (10 oz each) Ro*Tel Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, drained
1/4 cup Egg Beaters Original
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup chili sauce

Rice

1 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 cup drained, rinsed Rosarita Black Beans
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
Finely chopped fresh cilantro, optional

directions
Make Meatloaf: Preheat oven to 400F. Combine ground beef, bread, onion, drained tomatoes, Egg Beaters and chili powder in medium bowl.
Shape meat mixture into a 4x6-inch loaf. Place into an ungreased 8x8-inch baking dish. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until done (160F in center); drain excess drippings. Spoon chili sauce over meatloaf; bake an additional 10 minutes.
Make Rice: Combine rice, corn, beans and cumin in microwave-safe container. Microwave on HIGH 3 minutes or until hot, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir in cilantro, if desired. Serve rice mixture with meatloaf.

Nutrition (per serving)
Calories 367 Sugars 6 g
Total fat 10 g Protein 30 g
Saturated fat 4 g Vitamin A 13%
Cholesterol 69 MG Vitamin C 8%
Sodium 712 MG Calcium 6%
Carbohydrate 38 g Iron 24%
Dietary fiber 6 g

Morning all,

I'm so tired, just couldn't sleep last night for some reason. Maybe the endorphins released in my training session came to the fore in the middle of the night - whatever, it did not make for a good nights sleep.

Can I go home yet?? And pass the Vodka. What? It is only 10.47 in the morning??? Arrrgggh.

I'll be back tomorrow.

Happy Happy Happy Thursday -

I went to the gym last night and did 20 minutes of cardio, followed by 20 minutes of abs and then 20 minutes of PT stretches and planks. I was exhausted by the time I got home, so I ate dinner, took a nice hot shower and relaxed. I think I was asleep by 9:15! :lol: Today, I'm leaving work early to go to the Sports Med doc. Hopefully, I'll still be able to make it to the gym for my strength training class. I'm finding that my back seems to do better if I combine cardio, stretches and resistance training. On Monday, when I skipped the gym, I was stiff and sore all evening and found it difficult to sleep because my muscles and joints were so stiff. So I guess this is a good reason to keep me active most days of the week.

Annie - I hope you had a great time at the game watching the Pacers WIN! :woohoo: I think it would be sooo cool to watch a game from a luxury suite. What a wonderful perk! Thanks for sharing your friends' experiences with Alli.

Mel - Thanks also to you for sharing your friends' experiences with Alli, and for sharing those yummy recipes.

Shad - Going home at 10:47 am is not allowed....although there have been days when I've wanted to go home by 9 am. :lol: I hope you're getting a very restful night's sleep right now.

Happy - I saw you posted on Facebook (on Shad's wall). I hope you had a good day.

Ruth - I know how addicting Facebook can be. I enjoy reading your posts on Facebook and on 3FC, so I hope you're not too quiet on either site.

Ceejay - I hope you have a great day. Are you and Happy getting hit with all the storms that are going through the southern states?

Time to get some work done.

Love and hugs to all,
Michelle

Hi all,

Sorry I didn't get here yesterday. Turned out to be a very disruptive day. I have tomorrow off - going to tackle cleaning out the garage. If I decide to do the cardiac caterization next Friday, I will have to be a bit careful afterwards for a while and my Mom is coming to visit on the 22nd so I want to start getting the house all spiffy. The procedure will cut into some of my house cleaning time so I have to plan around it. My azaleas are blooming out back - they look to be as pretty as the first year we moved here. Last couple of years have been a dud.

Shad - I think there was something in the air yesterday with major sleepiness. It was going around here too. Maybe it was Zombie Day and we just forgot to check the calendar! Hope you got some extra rest and are perky again for the weekend :D

Mel - I'm sorry, I know I am immature but there's something about that sausage picture that borders on obscene. :rofl: :lol3: I hope you are feeling better today. :hug:

Annie - enjoy the suite at the game. We have a suite too at the FedEx Forum that I hear is very nice. They routinely raffle tickets to the employees for suite and courtside seats but I'm not a big sport nut so I don't throw my name in the hat (figures the one thing I'd win is what I don't really want :lol: ) BUT people said even if you're not into the game, go if you have the opportunity to the suite. So I hope you and the crew have a wonderful time!

Michelle - I think alot of our physical issues have indeed to do with tight "innards". Or weak ones in the case of abs and spine. We tend to forget about stretching and such until we are hurting. It's a good habit to do a few in the shower each morning when your muscles are warmed up. As for the Alli - my own 2 cents. I don't take the stuff but I have similar issues with the glucophage and I tell you that it's no fun at all. People who take it say they are TERRIFIED not worried, not concerned but scared crazy :yikes: to eat the wrong stuff and suffer the consequences. And it takes some time and experience (ie. accidents) to figure out what may trigger a problem. Studies show that the Alli boosts your weight loss by something like 20 percent. So is it worth always having a change of clothes and wearing dark things all the time to lose an extra half pound a week? I think if you eat reasonably now, that won't help you much. However I guess if maybe I was addicted to fatty things like baked goods, fried foods, butter and such and was looking for a way to kick the habit - that might be something that could make me scared straight. As I said, just my opinion. I wish we didn't fight our head so much with eating the wrong stuff in the wrong portions. I still want to eat things like the clam chowder at work that taste so good going in but give me such grief afterwards. Good luck with whatever you choose :hug:


Good morning Ceejay and Patty!

And with that, I need to get out of here.

Oh one more thing. I used to have the paid subscription to 3FC which was not only ad free forums but allowed me to have more PMs in my mailbox. The sisters are making some changes right now and I can't renew so I am over my PM limit and can't receive any more messages until I spend some time cleaning my mailbox.

See yah...

You're right Michelle, I looked at Facebook yesterday and today my computer is acting funky. So I am done with that site. There's alot of worms and spam and such targeted there.

Good Morning Everyone from Indy........

Had a great time at the Pacer game last night. Drank 2 glasses of wine, ate veggies and salsa. Wings, hotdogs and subs were offered, however I did not partake. I no likie wings and hotdogs and too much bread on subs. Yes, the Pacers actually won!

Michelle...looks like you are getting back into the swing of exercising. Don't over do it and get your back in a bind.

Happy...cleaning out the garage, always a major chore, but it is kind of neat finding stuff we forget we even own. I might drop by to help you, I like cleaning out garage. I will add you to my prayer list of good results for your cath next Friday.

Shad...I am with you on going home early. I came in late this morning. Didn't get here till 8:15 when my normal start time is 7:30. Just couldn't get with it this morning. Shad, you have the vodka and I will have the tequila-in my margarita, of course. CHEERS!!

MEL...The meatloaf and rice recipe sounds so good. I may have to whip that up this weekend. Tony likes mexican and italian food a lot, so this will fit in nicely for Sunday.

My nephew's (35 yrs) wife called me at 11:00 pm last night, as he had emergency apendectomy surger. Last month he had his gallbladder removed. Not sure if he still has his tonsils or not. He did ok and is on his way to recovery. Eight months ago he had bariatric surgery. He is just worn thin (literally) He has lost like 130 lbs, is building a new house and doing most of the work himself then his wife is due May 1st with their first baby GIRL...Yes I will be a GREAT AUNT, again for the second time. She can just call me GREAT tho.

Hello to everyone, gotta go, my Avon is in the lobby for delivery.

Love and Hugs,

SORRY THIS IS ANOTHER FLY BY. HAD TO LEAVE THE OFFICE EARLY. MY RIGHT EYE WENT NUTS. THE DR SAID TO USE THE STEROIDS THIS TIME AND GET THIS IVER WITH!! HOPE THEY WORK. LOVE TO ALL. I JUST CANNOT READ. I'LL BE BACK IN A FEW DAYS :moped:

Poor MEL. God love ya... Silly ole eye.

Had Arni's for lunch. Baked stuffed mushrooms with mozzerella cheese and marinara sauce. YUM YUNM

Ladies...I am thinking about joining Curves again. They have the new Smartcard start or something. Where you put your tag in the machine and a green light comes on when you are pushing yourself hard enough to do some good.

What are ya'lls thoughts on Curves......be honest.

Hi Annie - I was thinking about joining Curves...but I really prefer "classes" - like Step, kickboxing, dance - you know, all the things I can't do right now. Plus, I like having access to a pool and hot tub.

If you like circuit training (aerobics stations and resistance training machines), then it would be okay. I thought I'd get bored with only being able to do that. Of course, I got my info off the website and never actually checked out a location.

Good luck with your research!

Hey, thanks for your input Michelle...I used to belong to Curves a couple of years ago, but that was before the tag thing to check your status. I think I will go by there on Saturday morning and check it out. I have heard you can now join and go on a month to month basis, instead of joining for a whole year. I just don't want to commit to a year, knowing my desire to exercise, and no, paying for it does not encourage me to go.

Once again, no time for posting. Gotta get this finished. Will be back tomorrow with any news I can find after I get back from the markets.

Well we knew it was coming eventually. DH has become a casualty of this sucky economy. He was one of the 5,000 job cuts today at his company. At least he made his 25 years. We will be ok - just have to refigure things a bit. His last day is my birthday. Ain't that ironic?

Annie - used to be that many Curves would give you a free week's pass to try out the facility. I'm sure like anything, they are also hurting for business. Might want to check that out before you shell out money. Also ask about the hours - many of them - the one by me included are small franchises and more accomodating to women who don't work for a living and have their day free. Make sure it works into your schedule. In any event, 30 minutes of something is way better than 30 minutes of nothing. :D

I'm really tired now. Heading to bed. Will catch up in the morning. Goodnight all...

TGIF Worldlies.......

Happy....So sorry to hear of your DHs job loss. I am a firm believer in everything happens for a reason and there is something better down the road for him. I know it is all cliche', but very true. Goodluck with all before you and hubby.....I did check the hours of the specific CURVES I am thinking about. The hours are till 8 pm every evening. It should work for me. Also they have hours till 1 pm on Saturday. Most days I am very excited about doing this, then a few days I am not. Just depends on the state of tiredness of the day. ;^)

Nothing exciting happening this weekend, Kind of a let down after last weeks vacation in Texas. May useit to catch up on things around the house. Trying to find someone to rototill my little garden, free, of course. Still have time on that.

Have a great Friday all.

Love and Hugs

Happy Friday ladies -

I'm glad the work week is nearing the end. And I'm leaving at 12:45 today because I'm going to get a shot in my back. The Sports Med doc said that with my back injury/issue (SI joint pain), the two best courses of treatment are physical therapy which I've been doing, and steroid injections. I've had them before and they typically last around 6 months. I'm happy to be getting it done. I was hoping that PT would be enough...but it just wasn't. So now the doc wants me to put PT on hold for a few weeks, but I can still go to the gym and work out starting Sunday (nothing jarring though). He and I are hoping that the shot will alleviate the pain so that I will be able to be more active, get my weight down and get my core fitter/stronger. So that's my goal between today and 6 months....to hopefully lose 20+ pounds...get a strong back and core and hopefully not have to have any more shots. :)

Happy - I'm soooo sorry to hear about your DH being laid off. That's awful. After 25 years?? Go figure. :dunno: At least he made his 25 years. I'm glad to hear you're feeling that you'll be okay. That's a big relief. Big :hug: for you and your DH as you "refigure" things. As for his last day being your b'day...life is so dang ironic - sometimes it does kinda suck though. When we bought this house a few years ago, my DH got laid off on the day escrow closed. :yikes: But he found a job quickly (thank heavens for contract jobs). That's smart of you to do the heavy cleaning now since you may not be up to it next weekend! Good for you! How nice that your azaleas are blooming. We don't have any flowers blooming yet...which I guess is good because they're predicting snow tomorrow. :( I definitely agree that tight/weak "innards" can be the root of many aches and pains....so I'm going to commit to adding stretching to my daily routine, even on days I don't get to the gym. You have a very good point about the Alli...I don't eat too many fatty foods...just occasionally....so it might not help a lot, and is it worth the messy and embarassing risks? :dunno:

Annie - Scary about your nephew's emergency apendectomy surgery, but glad to hear he's doing okay. And, yes, you are GREAT! I completely agree with Happy that you should check out Curves, including their hours, before you shell out money. The Curves by me is only open from 8 am until 6 or 7 pm and very limited hours on the weekends...not really accommodating to the working woman's schedule.

Mel - Looks like we'll both be on steroids...you for your eye and me for my back. But they do usually provide relief. Hang in there.

Ruth - I hope you're having a good day today!

Ceejay - Are you going to Paragould this weekend?

Shad - I hope you get to relax and have fun this weekend.

Love and big hugs to all,

Annie - you posted above me, you little devil! :lol: Glad to hear that the hours of your Curves will work for you. I hope you have a nice relaxing weekend puttering around the house. Can Tony rototil your garden in exchange for a marvelous dinner or something else? ;) :lol:

Happy
I don't blame you in choosing the cardiac cath. I'd want to know if there is any blockage or not also. Sorry to hear the news about dh's job.

I'm not sure who mentioned Ali weight loss. My doctor recommended this to me at one time. You do have to watch the fat grams very closely.

Michelle
Good for you on getting in the exercise. I haven't had any problems with FB yet but I try not to do all those extra things. I have a paid subscription and don't have near the problems I used to due to the advertising on 3fc

Annie
I for one like to know how I'm doing when exercising. I'd love to have a BodyBugg like they use on the Biggest Loser. That's why I wear the pedometer and the exercise bike I have at home counts burned calories, miles etc.

Mel
Rest, We will hear from you later.

Shad
Hope things get better for you.

Early Thursday Morning we had rain but this morning around 3.30 a.m. I woke up to the loudest thunder that actually shook the house. Still raining when I took out the garbage.
I cleaned up the kitchen yesterday and did most of the laundry. The grass was still a little wet but decided to mow the yard. My mower is needing a new blade. I'm sore this morning. It took me a little over 2 hours, the grass was taller than I realized, but I had 18,318 steps and 3.7 miles. I'm sore this morning. I love to be outside.

Have a good day.

Michelle
Probably will not go to Paragould. I'm filling in for L Sunday. It's getting to be a gbig hassle if I go for one night.

Hello ladies,

I updated my PC to IE8 last night and it's very sluggish. That and the network was down today also. Not going to be a great day I think. I am off today - kind of glad about that because my head is swimming with everything that is going on. I was supposed to clean out the garage today and it is raining like crazy - was kind of hoping to drag boxes from the garage to the patio so I can dig through them in better light. I don't want to find any surprise spiders in the boxes :yikes: I guess I could focus on the inside of the house today and do the garage tomorrow.

Thanks for the support about DH. It's kind of hitting home today - lots to think about. I guess that's a good frame of mind to be in when you are cleaning!

Ceejay - I think you can get the lawnmower blade sharpened rather than replacing it. I'm not sure - think DH runs a stone over ours. The blade does get dull over time. I think we are in for lots of April rain around these parts.

Ack Michelle - sounds like you are really in a world of hurt right now. I'm sorry to hear about that :hug: Hope the shot will help you. That was frightful about DH losing his job as you closed on a house! I think I'd panic but as you say - you just have to push forward. I must say I cringed when you mentioned predictions of snow this weekend. I'm sure you are so ready for spring.

Annie - sounds like you found yourself a more accomodating Curves outlet. If for nothing else, at least it gets you back in the habit of exercising. I can relate to that. I'm good on food, terrible when it comes to the routine of formal exercise. I suppose you have to set up a routine for yourself - know when you are going to go - some people are early exercisers, some are ok going after work. Then they say you must commit to it without fail. One of the good things about Curves is the comraderie you build up with the other ladies as opposed to the somewhat impersonal experience of just you at the gym. Since you have already lost the weight, Curves would probably be a good option for toning and fitness. Good luck!

Shad - sorry to hear you are so rushed. By now the work week should be over. Hope you get something tasty at the markets.

Mel - rest up and take care of yourself. Sorry to hear about your eye. :hug:

I guess I'm going to try and get something done this morning so let me get off here and get busy. I'll be back later. :wave:

Ceejay - Good for you for getting in all that yard work/cleaning/exercise! Thanks for your thoughts about Alli. Happy is correct, it is possible to have lawn mower blades sharpened and if I recall it doesn't cost that much.

Happy - Having been where you are in terms of dealing with layoffs, I totally understand what you mean about your head swimming. That plus, your catheter procedure. That's a lot to deal with. But you just have to push forward and hope for better days ahead. As for my pain...it comes and goes, and luckily does not keep me from working...but it does keep me from enjoying life outside of work as it really limits what I can do. And frankly, I'm tired of the Catch 22...that my back will hurt less, and many of my medical problems will be alleviated when I lose weight...but I can't work out without pain so it's difficult to take off the weight. Catch 22. So with the shot...I'll be able to do a lot more without pain (as long as I remember to not be stupid and do too much lifting or bending, etc.). You're right about the importance of committing to exercise. I'm much better on exercise than on food. That being said, it's REALLY easy for me to talk myself out of going to the gym. But this week, even though I was a bit sore, I forced myself to go every day except Monday (because I was just in too much pain on Monday), and I the combination of cardio, abs, and stretching was just the ticket for my stiff and aching back. And I just have to remind myself when I try and think of excuses not to go to the gym that not only will I feel better afterwards due to endorphins, my back will loosen up and probably hurt less if I work out sensibly. :)

Eewww Michelle, a shot in the back, I wouldn't even get an epidural to have a baby, I went natural, cause I was scared of the shot in the back...Yikes.

Ceejay....wish it would get warm enough to cut the grass here. It is supposed to rain all weekend and maybe flurry early SUnday morning. I wish mother nature would quit teasing us and just let it be warm.

Happy....being unemployed not too long ago, I can relate to your DH and your head swimming also. Bless your heart. Peace sister.

Not too much going on...I found my gift card for the movies, I would like to go see Duplicity, Tony is want to see 12 Rounds or something like that. We may have 13 Rounds, deciding. hahahha. He is being extra nice today, nice he has been in a foul mood over work all week. He apoligized for being a "Dick" on the phone earlier in the week. He wasn't really a dick to me at all, but I accepted his apology anyway...keep him in practice for apolgies... hahaha

I think Hella Bella is coming out of her depression. She was full of crap this morning wanting to play ball. It only took about a week for her to get over missing Tony and the boys.

Tony's boy's half brother, (Tony's ex-wife's kid by new husband) was a bit of a hero yesterday. He went into his buddy's burning house and saved the baby. The baby ended up with burns on 30 percent of it's body and the half brother just had burns on his arms. The baby is in the burn unit in Indy. THe half brother was treated and released. The dad of the baby was burnt on 70 percent of his body and is also in the burn unit in Indy. Tragic but a great story. Did that make any sense? Confusing....

Anyway, have a great night-morning.

Love and Hugs

Wow Annie - what a hero you have in the family.

Happy - what can I say. DH saw it coming a while back, however it's never over till it's over and now you have got to that stage. Please pass on my sympathies. No doubt I will get to chat to him on facebook, but no matter how hard you try, the final cut still hurts. After 25 years, it's a severe surgical removal.

Michelle hope that back improves very soon with the steroid shots. You are right - it's always a catch 22 situation. Things hurt because we put too much weight on weak joints, and we need to move those weak joints to move the weight.

DS2 rang me today to say that he thought DB2 was back gambling again. I rang DB2 and had a chat with him, but he was buying bits to fix his dishwasher which locked everything inside during it's cycle. It seems the DW has been repaired with some dodgy parts at some point in the past. I guess they are in for a new dishwasher now. That means they have replaced the washing machine, fridge, and oven since they moved into the place. Such is life.

Iwent to the market this morning. Walked up there, caught the tram back. I got some lovely veges and some fantastic bread. I also bought ham, some dried fruit and looked lovingly at the wonderful cheeses, but was very good and left them behind.

The Australian Grand Prix is on here in Melbourne this weekend. It adds to the noise around the place as well as the helicopters and F18 or whatever it is buzzing over head - this is already one really noisy place!!!!

I've been to the gym and the pool today. Like Michelle I need to get some of this weight off my ankle and knee joints. I think I need to get a trainer to get me really started again. The gym here is okay but not great and the pool is becoming somewhat cool. I hope they start heating it soon.

Anyway, I'd better go and put some dinner on. Steak with salad tonight and some of that fantastic sourdough multigrain bread I bought.

Good morning chicks,

DH is not into reading stuff so I am doing as much research as possible in regards to what this job cut really means. The more I read, the more it's not good news. He's been there long enough to retire. He can get insurance as a retiree. It appears that they charge 3 times the premium under the retiree medical program for a very crappy insurance plan as opposed to what you get for an employee. So 80% yes I said 80% of his monthly pension would go to insurance premiums. Doesn't leave enough left over for food. Guess we will switch over to my plan at work - not as good of insurance and more than we are paying now but still not as bad as what he'd get. I am still digging up bad news. My stomach hurts.

Today marks Earth Hour. It has already started in Sydney so you'll probably miss it Shad. Between 8:30 and 9:30pm your local time you are asked to turn off all unneccessary lights in support of environmental greeness and being aware of energy conservation. The thing that blew my mind is that they are turning off the lights on the Las Vegas strip tonight. The hotel /casino interiors will stay on but the lights on the strip as well as the Welcome to Las Vegas sign will go dark for an hour.

Today I have a neighborhood ladies luncheon to attend which I'm looking forward to. I have tiny cookie cutters and cut shapes like stars, hearts and flowers out of various melons. Made fruit kabobs with grapes, the melons and blueberries. They look cute if I must say so myself. I was going to arrange them into a flower pot as a flower arrangement but I made a vow to start learning how to live more cheaply. I said I'm going to make something for the luncheon with ingredients on hand. I have the flowerpot but not the foam insert I would need so I just made skewers and they look just as nice - easier to lift off the dish too. I am also making a chicken casserole. It's a bit dangerous to make something for the first time that I've never tried before but I got the recipe from Southern Living and it was given 5 stars by most of the 89 reviews. The lowest score was 3 and even those said they loved it so I hope it works. It was VERY hard not to run off to the store and pick up extra stuff yesterday :lol: I'm not going to take to thrifty living easily :rofl:

I'm sorry that I don't have time for personals right now. Got to get the casserole assembled and in the oven and then hop in the shower. I'll be back tonight. Enjoy your Saturday.

Annie that is so awesome about Tony's son's hb. What a hero!!!!!!!

Not much going on here. rained again last night.

Annie
That was being a hero tog go into a burning house.

Michells
feel better soon.

Morning all,
It's Sunday morning and all is well. Yes we did have Earth hour last night but I didn't notice too much extra darkness around my way. I don't think there were too many people home in this complex since it was dark and quiet for much of the day. The local big building seemed to be as brightly lit as ever and certainly the bay area was not taking part.

I guess that soon the noise will begin again for the grand prix. It was very noisy yesterday, I may just have to take a tram to somewhere and walk back to get away from the noise.

Next week there is a garden and flower exhibition here in Melbourne. It's a big show, similar to the Chelsea Flower show in London. R and I will be going to that - at least it will be quieter than the GP

Happy - I don't know enough about redundancies in US so can offer any suggestions. I presume your DH will be looking for work and these chicks have a record of wishing people into employment. If I hear of anything, I will let him know.

And that is about it for the time being. Fruit and yoghurt are eaten. Coffee is drunk. The latest news is done and is still not better than yesterday. So it is time to move along and go see what is around town this morning.

SORRY FOR THE ABSENCE MY FRIENDS BUT JEN IS NOT HERE AND THE EYE REMAINS STUBBORN. AS THE DROPS WORKED THEIR MAGIC ON THE "RED" AND IT FADED, IT REVEALED SOME CYSTS. WHEN I CAN SEE WITH LIGHT I WILL BE BACK. IN THE MEANTIME I AM OF GOOD SPIRITS AND DOING OK. HOPE ALL OF YOU ARE TOO SENDING OUT GOOD THOUGHTS AND MANY :hug: BE BACK SOON I HOPE. :moped:

Mel
(hugs)

I'm workiing for L. today.

I'm getting bored with the "diet thing". I'm going to take a leave of absence
for awhile.

howdy chicks,

Yesterday's neighborhood luncheon was nice. A little of this, a little of that. Took care of some homeowner's assn business too. It's been quite a disruptive weekend. I had so many plans to do other things. It's also cool and very dreary out. We got a ton of rain and everything is flooded and soggy.

Ceejay - I can relate with the boredom of "dieting". Sometimes you have to take a break from it. I think we can focus too hard. Step away and re-find your motivation.

Mel, sorry to hear about the eyes. You take care of those pretty blue peepers. We'll leave the light on for yah :hug:

Shad - the flower show sounds nice. The grand prix does not. I find the older I get, the more loud noises tend to bother me. And like most people, we lose the ability to filter out background noises as we age. Getting very hard for me to hear someone talking in a restaurant with lots of other people talking around me. Same with the car noises. My ears shut out the cars and everything else.

Annie - hope you found a good movie to see. I heard that they were panning Duplicity. I looked up a review on that other horrid movie you saw a while back and yuck, I think I would have walked out on that one. Does it seem like the quality of the movies has gone downhill? We hardly ever watch them anymore. Don't rent from Blockbuster. Might only watch 4 per year on pay per view. And some of the actors that we liked have been in duds of movies like Will Smith and Legend. Glad I don't date anymore, would be lost for things to do on date night :rofl:

Michelle - did you get your shot? Feel better? I know what you mean about the frustration of the pain keeping you from pushing your self on the exercise and the Catch-22 about the weight and the exercise. Surely there has to be an answer! I think the most frustrating part is that for every "treatment" be it medication or otherwise, there is a compromise and a side effect. I am still stunned that steroids can advance cataracts. And so many issues with anti-inflammatories affecting the liver too. Geez :lol: I do hope you are feeling better. Hang in there, only 2 more months of cooler weather. I'm sure once it gets to the upper 60's temp wise, you will also be feeling better.

I am still on the fence about this heart cath on Friday. Don't have much more time to back out. On one hand, the insurance is as good as it's going to be for the next 3 weeks. Regardless of whether we cut to my insurance or stick with DH's - the coverage will be much worse and the premiums will cost us more. So part of me says to take care of as much as possible in the next 4 weeks. Another part of me says that if something goes wrong (always a possibility), it's going to be a hassle to say the least. And then there's always the do nothing although I constantly have twinges and can't really tell if they are digestive in nature or what. :dunno:

I really much prefer it when I can slide through life and not have to travel the beaten path :rofl:

Oh well - not getting anything done sitting here. Might go make breakfast and get on with the day. You do the same.

anyone else having trouble with this site lately? It seems to hang and not respond, sometimes it says I have duplicate posts too.

Back at work - oh the joys - but it is better than sitting listening to silly bumblebee cars going around the tracks and banging into tyre walls and each other. I can see that any day of the week just looking out the window and watching the motorway traffic go past.

The weather is definitely cooling off - I spent most of the afternoon with a jumper on. Mind you the flat gets no direct sunlight which is probably nice in summer, but isn't great going into winter.

Happy - get the procedure done. It may be frightening and worrying, but at the end of it, you will have some sort of answer - either a yes or a no. If it is a no, you have nothing to worry about. Yes, well you will be seeing more of the GP. It's life.

Mel sorry to hear about the eye. Hope those cysts clear up really soon. I've left a couple of lights on to guide you on your way.

Ceejay - we must all do, what we must do. Dieting, exercising, being good all becomes boring after a while. Just watch things while you are away and don't let too much slip. I did and I'm having terrible trouble trying to get it all off again.

Spreadsheet calls. I'll be glad when I have this finished.

Hi everyone - quick check in. The site is really slow for me and doesn't even open most of the time. :(

Anyway, after a day or so of soreness from the shot, my back is doing better today. We got a few inches of snow last night and this morning, so I spent most of the day cooking and relaxing and watching dvr'ed episodes of Grey's Anatomy.

Happy - I agree with Shad. You should do the procedure and get the answers. My philosophy is that I can handle anything, as long as I know about it. Sorry to hear about DH and the retirement pension stuff. At least you can carry the insurance.

Shad - I hope this week goes well for you.

Ceejay, Mel, Annie, and everyone...I hope you all are doing well. I'll write more tomorrow...hopefully the site will be behaving better.

Love and hugs to all,

Good morning girls,

I give up. Wave the white flag. I don't think it's possible anymore not to be aggrivated or stressed out. Just when you talk yourself out of stressing, something else comes along. That just occured to me last night as I was thinking of belly fat and stress. It was my last waking thought before drifting off to sleep. No wonder I woke up tense and unwilling to dig out from under the covers today ;)

Several people have been commenting on problems with the site here lately.

Thanks for the encouragement about the heart test. It's the 52% of how I feel also.

Michelle - hope you are feeling better and were NOT out shoveling snow yesterday. My nephew in Kenosha got 6 inches of the wet sloppy stuff. Isn't it supposed to be spring????

Shad - as warm as it can get sometimes, I prefer a sunny house/apartment/flat. Mine is on the shady side of the street too and I think at times it's too cool. Both of us were wearing jumpers yesterday so for once we were in sync :lol:

Ceejay - I hope your leave of absence was to the diet thing and not to us because we will miss you if that's true. :(

:hug: to Mel and some cool compresses for the peepers.

Not sure what else to say at the moment so I suppose I will get on with the day. Have a good one!

Happy Monday ladies -

I had such a fun relaxing weekend, I didn't want it to end. Did I mention that the hockey game/Styx concert was AWESOME! Those guys sound as good as they did in the 70s/80s! My low back is a bit sore today...don't know why as I didn't do much yesterday except cooking yesterday. Oh well, hopefully it goes away soon. I want to feel better so I can exercise more, get fitter and stronger and lose weight.

Annie - The shot in my back isn't as painful or scary as it seems. In my case, the shot doesn't go in the spine, but rather in the SI (sacroilliac) joint (which is where my pain stems from). No risk of paralysis or anything really bad. Did you get snow on Sunday? We got about 2-3" Saturday night/Sunday morning which was a lot better than the 7" they were forecasting. And by Sunday afternoon most of it had melted. So neither DH or I was out shoveling. Yay! Wow! The half brother truly was a hero! I hope his burns, and of course the baby's and baby's father's burns heal quickly. Sending healing thoughts their way.

Happy - A friend of mine's job was recently cut after 22 years with the same company. He got the job right out of college and has been there ever since. It's been a very difficult adjustment for him, as I'm sure it is/will be for your DH. I'm sending you both :hug: and :goodvibes: Has your DH thought about consulting jobs? With his extensive experience, that might be a good opportunity for him. And Shad is right...us chicks have a great track record of wishing people into great jobs! It's good that you can go on to your insurance. I've been carrying the insurance for both of us since we've been married. I've always had the better insurance. As for the heart cath - I think you should have it done, especially while you have good insurance. For me, it's always better to deal with the known than the fear/worry of the unknown. DH and I didn't completely observe Earth Hour, but we had almost all the lights off in the house while we were at the hockey game/concert. I understand what you're saying about medication/treatment and side effects - steroids can advance cataracts and decrease bone density, my asthma meds can increase the risk of glaucoma. But when it comes to my respiratory meds and steroids for my lungs...breathing in the short term is more of an urgent concern for me than possible long term effects. And with the shots...if they can improve my quality of life and allow me to exercise and live a full and active life...to me, they're worth the risk. I'm glad you had a nice time at the luncheon. BTW, I'd love the chicken casserole recipe.

Shad - You are so right. I've just got to get this weight off. And I know it won't come off overnight. I just wish it would come off faster. Of course, patience is not my strong suit. Sorry to hear about DB2's appliance problems, but much better to have those than gambling problems. Good on your DS2 for letting you know about your DB2. Good on you for getting to the gym and the pool. The garden/flower exhibition sounds like a wonderful time! I wish we had big garden shows here. Our home/garden shows are more home improvement and landscaping shows...not a display of gorgeous plants.

Ceejay - You got rain, we got snow. And we'll be getting more rain and snow later this week. Arrgh...enough snow already! I understand the need to take a break from dieting. Just do the best you can. :hug:

Mel - I hope your eye gets better very soon. I'm glad to hear you're doing okay otherwise and are in good spirits. :hug:

Well, this chick had better get some work done.

Big hugs and lots of love to all,

Hello and Happy Monday....NOT....

Aunt Flo has shown her face on Saturday. I had cramps and a migraine headache yesterday and today, just cramps and major flooding. I am now commando with a pad in pants and tampon. This has too end soon, I will be 49 before too long. SHeesh.

Shad....I cannot ever pass on cheese. I love cheese. My first job as a teenager was at Hickory Farms. Dinner of steak and salad sounds delish, I will be right over.

Happy....OMG lights out in Vegas, I am surprised there wasn't loitering. We went to see the movie 12 Rounds. It was ok, not bad really, but predictable. I would wait till it comes out on DVD and rent it.

Hi ya Ceejay...hope all is well with you babe.

MEL...good to hear from you and dang the ole eyes anyway. Feel better.

Michelle....glad to hear you are feeling better. I love Styx. I have the some of their first stuff that came out. We did get a tiny bit of snow flurries, nothing stuck, the sun decided to shine late into the afternoon. We just had rain to beat h*ll. Wind and noise.

I guess I am having Easter at my house. Both kids will be home. One brother and wife will be over and my parents will be over if they are feeling up to it. I told everyone I was not serving much to eat as it is always crazy with leftovers no one wants.

Didn't make it to Curves on Saturday, however called them and have an appt tomorrow night at 6:30 to check it out. I am kind of excited about it. Hope it lasts and hope it tightens some of this crap up just a bit. I figure any tightening would be better than nothing.

Hey to everyone I may have missed.

Here is a shout out to Miss Hollybelle.

Much love and many hugs,

Annie

Hi Annie - Aunt Flo showed up for me a week ago. Sheesh, I'll be 47 this year. I hear ya' - enough already. Enough Flo, enough snow! Good for you for checking out Curves tomororw night. I need to lose and tighten too. I would have so many more clothes options (already in my closet) if I had could just lose a couple inches around the middle.

Happy
I'm with Shad on having the procedure done. It would take a lot of stress off of you finding out that everything is okay. We want you to be healthy.
No, I'm not abandoning the chicks, just the diet.

Michelle and Annie
I surely don't envy you two right now. Even at 58 I still have the cramps and spot but I'm talking to the gyn onmy next visit.

Mel
Hope the eyes arer better soon.

Shad
Have "fun" doing those spread sheets. Are you making them easier to understand?

Not much going on in my little corner of the world. Could not sleep last night due to caffiene after 3 p.m. I'm had to keep busy today. I've caught myself dozing.

I don't think much will come out of the spreadsheet Ceejay although I have found a few strange things and we are working on fixing them now. Easier to understand??? Well they are colourful at the very least. I think I have just found $700K of their missing stock. Wonder if I can claim a percentage. The spreadsheet makes interesting reading, but it's real bedtime stuff. I slept in this morning. First time I have done that for a very long time.

Poor Ceejay, Michelle and Annie - still getting visits from Auntie Flo. Thank heavens for small mercies, after making my life **** for the best part of thirty years, she departed this body at age 44. I haven't stopped dancing about that yet. Talk about freedom.

Y'all should come on over. No problems with the site from here!! But I suspect that is because we don't have the population stream. There are never very many people lurking around when I am on here and you lot are in the land of nod. If I check through the posts now, there are no little eggs - sorry happy - aigs aglow that I can see. Time here 1409 and the time in Memphis 2209 and in Indianapolis 2309 - Annie should be in bed. I might see Happy from time to time, since she is the last of the sleepers.

Finished my spreadsheet yesterday. Looked up from my desk to see that the entire company had gone home. WTF. Oh no its nearly 1800 hours. I'm doing overtime now at the other end as well.

Starting to look forward to going home for Easter. Just less than a fortnight to go. I have lots to do and think about. I had a recruiter ringing me for a job in Brisbane coming up at the end of May. If I don't get renewed here I will be gunning for it. End of May, whats going on??? Is someone actually planning for the project as far as personnel go??? Wonders will never cease.

Okay - I'd better get out of here and go to the ladies prior to some meeting that will drag on and not give me any information that I can understand. I'm becoming increasingly frustrated with the Indian accent.