All the talk about the "dog's and krout" makes me think of the show Matlock. That was his favorite food.

It's about time for me to get things ready to go home. This has been a long day.

My pedometer shows 10,100 steps. It would be nice to get paid for doing this.

More later

Good morning ladies -

I'm a bit tired, but otherwise feeling great today. Yesterday, I got a ton of exercise - so maybe this good mood is lingering endorphins! I walked 3 miles or so on my lunch and had my 10K steps in before I left work. Then did 1/2 hour on the treadmill, 1/2 hour of Zumba dance class, and 1/2 hour of weights. Today, I'm going to a workshop after work, so there'll be no gym for me, and I'll be lucky to get my 10,000 steps in.

Ceejay - I didn't watch Matlock too often....too funny that that was his fave food. I had no idea. Good for you for getting over 10,000 steps in!

I guess I'm the first one here for the day, so I'll come back later to check in with y'all.

Love and big hugs,

I CAN ALMOST SMELL THOSE DOGS AND KRAUT!! I HAVE BEEN HAVING A CRAVING FOR FRANKS AND BEANS. BUT I DIGRESS....I AM ON THE FLY THIS MORNING. JUST READ YOUR POSTS THOUGH. NO PERSONALS TODAY. NEED MY EYES FOR FLU FORMS. A FEW PEOPLE NEED HELP FILLING THEM OUT. SEEMS THE 3 PEOPLE WHO TOOK MY PLACE RUNNING THIS ARE INEPT AND CANNOT HANDLE THE LOAD. SO I AM HELPING OUT A FEW IN THE BLDG ONLY. NO CONTACT WITH "OUTSIDERS". SOME OF THESE SENIORS ARE EARLY RISERS SO I AM OFF TO BEGIN THE DAY.
HAPPY TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY.

MICHELLE...THANKS FOR TELLING US ABOUT MEOWEE. I HAVE READ HER STUFF BEFORE. I AM SURE A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL MISS HER.

Good soggy morning ladies,

Another wet and rainy one here. Getting tired of the wet.

Happy Autumn on this side of the pond! Does that make it happy Spring to Shad? The days really fly to the end of the year now. Soon Mel will be talking holidays.

Ate on plan yesterday, got a walk in.

An hour and a half of exercise on top of 10,000 steps Michelle - you go girl! I bought a nice pedometer a year ago - stashed it somewhere - must find it again.

Annie - I think it was a great idea to offer financial incentives to people for healthy activities. Sounds like you have a good plan there.

Our annual health care enrollment is next month. I really hope they are not going to up the premiums much - as you know they will. I am paying 4 times more for the same coverage we had under DH's plan. I hear they are making drastic changes to one of the other cheaper plans at work. President Obama was on Letterman last night. Said everything has gone down - cost of goods, wages, etc but health care costs have risen over 6 percent last year. He made some good points. AND never once talked about giving away free health care which everyone seems to be twisting his words. He said he's touting finding affordable health care for people - kinda like the seniors banding together en masse to get a better deal via AARP. I can relate to what he's saying - my aunt was widowed young and went without health insurance - and compromised her health for 17 years. My own Mom struggles - 1/3 of her pension goes to a crummy supplemental health care program. So it's not about giving deadbeats and illegals free medicine. Ok, off the soapbox now.

Mel - don't over tax the peepers. People are inept because it's easier to have Mel take over!

Offering a little prayer for Meowee. In the course of posting here at 3FC, I have occasionally seen her. She seemed very helpful and witty. It's obvious people loved her very much. Sleep gently...

Time to get out on the wet roads. Hellos to the rest of the folks

Good Morning and already Tuesday.......

I actually slept all night last night. Whew WHoooooo!! My eyes are not baggy and actually a white color underneath instead of dark. Small victories. I have to admit I only got about 5400 steps yesterday. Was stuck behind the register last night, not much walking. We were busier than a one armed paper hanger till about 8:30 pm when the Colts game started. We had them lined up clear down the aisle into the milk cooler. (That is a long way...) Booze, chips, dip, and pretzels. People are nuts.

I am feeling a pretty good today. I have only had 2 drinks in about a week and that was at the reception. Plus drinking the protein drinks every morning and eating healthier. Amazing how the body responds to being treated with care and love. No junk food.

MEL...see there, you do the work that takes 3 other to do and they can't even do it. You are an amazing woman.

CHELLE...I am glad you are doing so well on your walking and exercising, it motivates me to do more. (Not a lot, mind you, but some) lol I did Zumba for a 6 week stint. My gosh that can kick your arse. Good for you. I hope to get the last level of my pedometer done by the end of the year as that would be another 150 bucks in the pocket. I will have to start working a lot harder at it to get there tho.

Ceejay...Dog's and Kout sounds like a German war movie...haha

Hidee Ho to all. Best get busy and at it.

Love and Hugs

Happy...you are the sneaker inner this morning....lol. Great job on the OP eating and exercising. Rock On Sista. Happy, our premiums did not go up on our health plan here...HOWEVER...our deductible went from 2500 to 2700 a year, so in essence it did go up. We have to meet that BEFORE they pay ANYTHING on our insurance coverage. SUCKS. There are no co-pays on anything, but we have to pay everything up front first.

Later Gators...

Oh and all craziness of our insurance...our calendar year is July to July. Not the traditional Jan to Jan. That has taken some getting used to.

Annie – It's good you get physical activity at your CVS job, and get paid by Humana specifically for your steps! I sit on my rump most of the day. I do, however, get some physical activity during my work commute. I do a combination of cycling and walking for a distance of just over 2 miles each day. During the cold (non-cycling) weather, I walk the whole distance and it's even better exercise. I'm not sure what that amounts to in steps though. I still haven't pulled out my pedometer. That might be my only goal for this week.

Ceejay – Sorry your hip/back is bothering you. I hope the cortisone is helping. Good job on the 10,000+ steps!! As for the pay, since you're doing some of it as part of your job, you are being paid for your steps, sort of…And hey, isn't your good health enough of a payback, LOL. (Guess not – since Annie's Humana as well as employers are enticing people with money for steps.)

Happy – Eliminating soda is a great goal. We've pretty much stopped buying soda at home, and now we make our own seltzer water (using a SodaStream machine) and flavor it with wedges of lemon or fruit juice. The machine came with samples of syrup to mix with the seltzer, but I haven't tried any yet. Every once in a while we'll make KoolAid with half the sugar. When I eat out, however, I still order diet soda at least half the time. Other times I'll order iced tea or just stick with water. I'd like to reduce diet soda to something I drink rarely because I think all the chemicals in it can't be good for my body.

I'm also wondering what our open enrollment will bring this year.

Mel – I'll pass on the kraut, but I love beans and franks! Don't overwork your eyes today with the flu forms. You're a good person for helping out your inept replacements!

Michelle – Awesome job on the exercise yesterday. I admit that I'm struggling on both fronts lately.

Hellos to Shad and Patty!

Not much to report. Food was awful yesterday, and I didn't even get my dog walk last night. Today I brought my lunch and snacks from home. Tonight is movie night and we're seeing "Extract" with Jason Bateman. That's about it. Happy first day of Autumn ladies!

Laura...I haven't even heard of the movie Extract with Jason Bateman. I must really be working too much. Get back with the healthy eating chickie...

I had veggie soup and salad for lunch and believe it or not, I am stuffed. Oh and a glass of BREWED iced tea. I had a protein shake for breaky.

Hi everyone -

I wanted to go for a walk at lunch but it was raining. So then I went by a friend's desk and talked to her. Then went to another friend's desk and talked to her. Then my lunch hour was over. I'm really hitting an energy wall...and I've got a class tonight that goes until 9:30, so I won't be home 'till almost 10:30. I should really go walk around the inside of the building. Today is not going to be a good day for steps, I'm afraid. Since I'm only at around 3200, I'll be lucky to get even close to 10,000.

Mel - So nice of you to help the seniors out with their flu forms. So 3 people can't even do all the work you do? What would they do without you?

Happy - Good for you for sticking with plan and walking! I didn't stay up for Letterman last night, but we did DVR it, so we'll watch it later. You drive carefully on the wet roads. I hope the roads aren't too bad this afternoon/evening with all the driving I have to do.

Annie - my sista for treating your body so well! $150 for finishing the last level of your pedometer! That's a great incentive! The Zumba class is a little hard to keep up with...but I'm just glad I was able to do it for the first time in months!! $2700 is a HEFTY deductible. Sheesh! I hope our insurance premiums don't go up. I carry the insurance for us, and we have the HMO plan. Do you work at CVS tonight? Or are you getting together with T?

Laura - Wow, you walk and/or cycle over 2 miles on your commute! That's awesome! I don't know how you can walk that far in a Chicago winter. Yikes! I don't even like walking from where I park my car to the building in winter. The SodaStream machine sounds really interesting. I haven't heard of Extract. Of the movies out now, I wouldn't mind seeing Halloween 2 and Pandorum...but I can probably wait until they come out on DVD. Also, The Informant looks pretty darn funny.

oh boy - I've been waiting to be the "sneaker inner" and now it's my turn!

Annie - I'm so glad to hear that you finally got a good night's sleep. Was worried about you kid. I know you say it's normal but... I don't know what's worse - paying up front until the deductible or sometimes you don't pay (preventative things) and sometimes when you least expect it you do. I agree with you - July to June year would mess me up big time.

Speaking of messing up, we get paid ONCE A MONTH HERE - is that archaic or what?????? Good thing DH always has money for me.

Michelle - add me to the list of people inspired by you - or sucked along in the whoosh of you walking by I brought my MBTs to work today. Making a chart - cuz I like to see progress. First goal - 50 miles, 100 laps around the perimeter of the office building. 3 laps today so far, maybe I can sneak one more in after my afternoon meeting.

Laura - that's great that you can walk to work. I wish I could but I work in a rough part of town and it's just too darn hard walking along and carrying a laptop, purse AND bazooka with you

I had soup and a cup of apple salad - chopped apples, cinnamon, ff vanilla yogurt and a tablespoon of chopped nuts - yummo. Still drinking the water, I imagine that the Coca Cola cravings, like a ciggie will dull over time the longer you stay away from them.

It's been almost 5 and a half years since I quit smoking and I can finally say that I hate the smell

Gotta get ready for a meeting. I'm the note taker

Did anyone see the movie with Matthew McConnahey??? and Michael Douglas - Ghosts of Girlfriends Past? It's on pay per view Thursday - is it worth $5? Next week they have The Proposal with Sandra Bullock - the critics really panned it but I'd pay $5 over the $25 it costs to go to the movies.

Happy - You get paid ONCE A MONTH? I don't think I could deal with that. We get paid twice a month and that's hard enough...I prefer every other week. Good for you for getting your walking in and for making a chart!!! 50 miles is a wonderful goal!! Okay, you have inspired me to get up off my butt, back away from my desk and walk to the other building. Good for you for resisting the Coca Cola cravings.

We get paid every other Friday...and every week at CVS. Chelle...I do not work at CVS tonight. T is coming over but the poor baby is so tired. He had to start 3rds this week and is having a hard time adjusting. 10p to 7a. Sunday thru Thursday. We do get preventative stuff paid for up front, but heck most of the stuff is NOT preventative. Even our meds are not covered till the deductible is hit.

Hmmm - getting paid by the month is normal here. Usually on the 15th of the month. I got used to it years ago and I think I would be terrible at the weekly or fortnightly pay now. I'd be broke at the end of pay day. As it is, I set up the direct payments to go electronically out of the bank account for the due date and then just sit back and forget the lot. Just have to check that there is enough in the current account to get through the bills.

Financial years here run from July to June and in NZ from April to March. Of course if the company is overseas based, then it can change to October - September (UK) and Jan/ December (US). Fortunately I don't do much in the finance sector through work, so don't have to get excited about it. It just happens. And I don't have to work out how much I am spending in medicine either so that is a big blessing. $2700 pa before your insurance kicks in!!! I don't think so thanks. I don't spend that much a year paying for my visits and medications and that is similar to what it would cost me pa to join a fund. So I don't think I will bother with that for a long, long time - if ever.

We are experiencing horrendous dust storms in Aus. Sydney and south are getting high winds and dust storms and apparently the skies in Sydney are bright red with dust and all flights have been cancelled due to dust and high winds. Nice clear skies, light breezes and heat up here for us. We are being bombarded with messages about the worst fire season ever and have been banned from having fires (including bbqs). But maybe we have rain on the way since the ants are becoming extremely active and I have to keep picking up the cats biscuits before they get into them. I did spray a while back, but I guess it's time to do it again. *sigh* And weed - those b*ggers never stop.

Happy - Glad to hear that you don't like the smell of ciggies any more. It's over 20 years since I stopped and believe it or not I still like the smell of a packet of freshly opened cigarettes. I do not like the smell of a dirty ashtray or the smell on a persons breath or clothes though. Very off putting. I like the idea of a chart to process your movement and exercise. Good one.

Mel - It's a case of "it doesn't matter if we stuff up, because Mel will come down and fix it" The *******s don't even want to learn the job. That's what happens when you are on tap as always. They think they can get around you due to your well developed sense of community.

Laura - walking and cycling to the station is good exercise. Keep it up.

Annie - nothing like a good nights sleep to lift the spirits and get the body kick started again.

Michelle - get the walking shoes on and get over to the other building. You'll do fine at weighin this week I bet.

Ceejay - Hope you are having a good day.

I'd better go get on with it until it gets too hot. Can't do much then. Paint dries on the brush. Tile adhesive crusts over before you can get the stuff on the wall. Have to go through my photos and find something to hang on the wall to lift the room. I was thinking of one of those sunrise in Woollongong ones. Better go get on with it. The electrician is back to finish the new circuit on the switchboard so I will be without power shortly. Aaah and I haven't made coffee yet. Gotta run