Hi everyone -

It's 5 am now...I've been here at work since 3, but at least I made it here ok. Yay! I did NOT sleep well last night. I tried going to sleep at 7, but didn't fall asleep until after 11 - my left leg is really, really bothering me, and the Aleve I took didn't help and didn't dare take anything stronger as I didn't want my driving to be impaired on the drive in to work. I was not at all pleased when the alarm went off at 1:45 am. At least these insane hours are extremely rare. I chugged a 5 hour energy drink before I left the house - nasty tasting stuff! Had the radio blasting and the window rolled down a little so that the 35 degree air could keep me awake. And now I'm chugging coffee....just 7.5 hours to go.

I may need to stop by the vet today to get more eye drops for Doppler. Then it'll be home for a well-deserved nap.

My back pain has decreased...but that could be because I've been laying around due to the bronchitis. I'm still going ahead and getting the last round of spinal injections on Thursday though, because I'm still having occasional bouts of sciatica pain and numbness down my left leg.

Shad - Have a great day with Chris!

Laura - Sounds like you had a very nice, albeit chilly, weekend. Bummer that you had so little sleep on Friday night...but sounds like you had a nice reunion.

Annie - Belly pains and back pain! I hope you're doing better today. The photos of Ms. O and Mr. D are adorable!!

Cin - Here's my short bio. I'm 48 and live just north of Milwaukee, WI with my hubby (of 15 years - together for 20) and our 3 Miniature Schnauzers Doppler (10 years old), Santa (3 years old) and Mischief (2 years old). Doppler had an accident at day care when he was 1 that left him blind in one eye. Then he recently developed a cataract in his other eye and was losing what little vision he had. So we took him in for cataract surgery and now he can see great! He's so happy and perky again. He's still on restrictions (no jumping, running or playing for another week), but he's healing wonderfully. He has another checkup tomorrow after I get off work. I work for Kohls Department Store in the Information Services department at the corporate office. I also design/develop websites in my free time. DH and I like fishing, hiking and rock/fossil hunting, and as the Wisconsin weather turns colder, we enjoy watching football on TV. My mother in law lives in CA (where DH and I used to live and nearly all of our relatives live). She visits us for approx. 6 months out of the year, and we love to have her. We wish she would just move here....as she is happier when she is with us than when she is in CA. She grew up in WI, but now is not sure if she could handle the cold, snowy winters. As for diet/exercise, I used to be the official Worldly Zumba Queen (Zumba is a cardio dance class that is a combination of Latin and Hip Hop music and steps), and I love, love, love it and used to Zumba for an hour a day 5-6 days per week. But then my chronic back pain flared up something fierce, which has sidelined me from exercise (other than physical therapy exercises) for the last couple months - causing my weight to go up. My doc says if I could lose 30 pounds, and strengthen/tone my core, that would help my back tremendously. The catch 22 is that I can't exercise as much due to the pain. But once I am over this bout of bronchitis, and after my 3rd and final spinal steroid injection this Thursday, I'll get back to the gym by Sunday or Monday to ease back into cardio exercise and strength training.

And I need to get back ON PLAN, which for me means the following (very similar to Shad's):

Over eating is out. Moderation and portion control is in
No eating ANYTHING without counting, tracking and staying within Weight Watchers Points

Plenty of exercise
Lots of fresh food - fruit and vegetables - try the 2 and 5 plan
Adequate rest
No slacking off / no excuses - Do the VERY best I can regardless of pain level or health

Well, I think the database processes are just about done so I can run the reports now. I'll try and check in later.

Love and hugs,

GOOD MORNING CHICKS.
I AM WASHED, DRESSED AND READY FOR THE DAY. WAITING ON A PHONE CALL TO GO DOWNSTAIRS. I AM POSTING THIS AND THEN GOING BACK TO READ. NOT SURE WHEN THE CALL IS COMING. A TENANTS SON IS BEING EVICTED ON MY FOOR THIS MORNING. THEY CONSIDER THE SON SCUM BUT THE MOTHER HAS ALZHEIMERS AND I AM NOT SURE HOW SHE WILL COPE WITH THIS. NOT A GREAT START TO THE WEEK.
I AM FEELING DISCOMBUBULATIED (sp) THIS MORNING.
IT'S SO DARK OUTSIDE IT FEELS LIKE THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. WE'RE GETTINGPELTED WITH RAIN TILL LATE WEDS AND THAT'S NOT HELPING!!
OK...ENOUGH WHINING FOR A MONDAY MORNING./..I'LL GO BACK AND READ
TO BE CONTINUED..................

CEEJAY...I LIKE YOUR LOW STRESS & THE NEVER GIVE UP. GREAT CHOICES. HOPE THE CLASSES FLY BY AND THE RENEWAL IS COMPLETE! GOOD IDEA TOO WITH THE PILLOW TOP MATTRESS.

MICHELLE....ANOTHER PILLOW TOPPER!! LOL I HAD FORGOTTEN THE MIL WAS STILL THERE!! HOPE THE WEAKNESS GOES AWAY SOON AND THIS EARLY DAY ENDS ON A GOOD NOTE FOR YOU. GET LOTS OF SLEEP TONITE.


HAPPY.....38 YEARS OF WEDDED BLISS....REMIND ME TO GIVE DH A PAT ON THE BACK OR MAYBE A MEDAL!!
IT WILL BE NICE TO MAKE PLANS AND SUCH BUT I KNOW NHOW YOU FEEL ABOUT SEEING SOMETHING AND FALLING IN LOVE WITH IT. I AM THE SAME WAY HAD A LAUGH AT MOM'S FILTERS DISAPPEARING!! I AM BECOMING THE SAME WAY DOWNSTAIRS
NOW GET THAT BUTT TO THE STORE AND GET SOME "REAL" FOOD!!


SHAD...DID YOU END UP ON THE COAST??? IS THAT WHERE THE RICH PEOPLE LIVE??? LOL HOPE THE WEATHER STAYED GOOD FOR THE TRAVELING. I AM JEALOUS OF THE SIGHTS ALREADY!!!


INDY ANNIE...OMG THE PICS ARE SOOO ADORABLE. WHAT A LITTLE FAN HE'S GOING TO BE!!! AND MISS O IS EVEN CUTER MORE EVERY DAY. WHAT A LITTLE ANGEL SHE LOOKS! DAMMMMNNN WOMAN...HJOW IS YOUR BACK THIS MORNING?? HOPE THE STOMACH STABBING PAINS HAVE GONE TOO. WHAT'S GOING ON OVER THERE?? I HAVE COME TO THINK MAYBE BOTH OF US AREN'T SAFE TO BE LEFT ALONE AND NEED TO BE WRAPPED UP IN BUBBLE WRAP!! HOPE YOU FEEL OK

MICHELLE...I JUST TURNED THE PAGE AND FOUND YOUR POST HERE....I HOPE THE NEXT ROUND OF SHOTS WILL TAKE AWAY THE REST OF THE PAIN. SENDING SOME WIDE AWAKE THOUGHTS TO GET YOU THRU THE REST OF THE DAY!! AND A HUG TOO SAFE TRAVELS MY FRIEND!!

Good morning ladies,

I need to get to work early today (but NOT as early as poor Michelle) so most of my computer time was spent just catching up on posts. I like when we post bios as I always learn a thing or two new even tho we have been together as a group for quite a while. Not sure where the weekend flew away too but I hardly got anything planned done.

Anyway will try and catch up at lunch. Loved the pictures Annie and be careful with the back you and Michelle.

Mel - I was just grumbling this morning that it's too dark outside to be up and about

Later chicks...

Mel - The sun is finally starting to rise here, so it's beginning to feel like morning. I hope things go smoothly with the son's eviction and I hope the mom deals with it ok.

Happy - I hope your early start means you can go home early too. I didn't get much done over the weekend...just laundry. Did you get your healthy meal planning/grocery shopping done or will that be for tonight?

Good Morning Lovelies.....

I could just scrunch up Ms O and Master D. DS, DD and I are going to St. Louis the weekend of November 12, 13, 14. I cannot wait to munch up and scarf kisses from both of them, and my kiddies too. hehe.

Chelle...don't forget to breath at anytime you cannot keep your peepers open, even at your desk. Also one of my favorite secrets is going to my car at lunch and sneaking in a 30 minute cat<---(Happy, Shad) nap. I even have a post it on my cube wall here at work that says...breath, stay awake!! Is this schedule all week long or just today? It is sad that I look forward (like the minute the alarm goes off) to the next time I get to sleep when I am like that.

Shad dah-ling..how is the visit with Chris going....did you all find me some shoes while shopping?....size 9 1/2, yes i have mamoth feet for this mamoth body...lol

Happy....the back is almost back to normal...it is my right b*tt cheek that is bothering me now. Kind of like when you go bowling. The next day my heiny cheek muscles hurt, but in a good way. lol

MELLIE....Hmmm, never thought of bubble wrapping myself. As accident prone as I am, it may just be a great idea. Forgot that when I was doing all that cooking last week, I fried the top of my hand, have a blister/sore/scab spot the size of a 50 cent piece. Looks worse than it feels. I don't think I would like the eviction part of your NON<--haha, job.

Heys and HIs to Ceejay, Cincy, Laura, and 1-day Patty.

Loves and Hugs

Oh yeah, talked to DS Private Tater last night. He is finally assigned a position, but nothing on deployment. Thank God. Altho the positon assignment is making me none too happy and closer to deployment.

Let's see if I can get this right....
1st Platoon
3rd Squad
2nd something....as a gunner. That is the part I don't like. The gunner is the person that rides in the hummer at the top in the bubble shooting at people. I said, "JACOB, wtf, did you ask for that assighment?" Politely responds, "yes mom, I love you". Dang him anyway.

Ladies, just a fore warning, if he gets deployed, I will be the biggest wreck you have ever dealt with, you might want to get some good drugs for all of us...some for me to deal with it, and some for you to deal with me. lol.

I know you all have my back, front, side and bottom tho and love you for it.

Later gaters....

Annie - Owww, on that burn! Sheesh, girlfriend! You're supposed to fry the food not your body parts! I'm praying that your DS doesn't EVER get a dangerous deployment, but whether he does or not...you know we're here for ya. Love ya', my sista friend.

Thanks Chelle....

I just ate my way through Whole Foods for lunch. They had about 10 different types of cheeses for samples along with a few other items. I came out of there with fresh asparagus and a half gallon of fresh apple cider. My goodness is the apple cider yummy. Anyway I am keeping my grilled BBQ chicken from yesterday for tomorrow's lunch as I am way TOO Full...Yikes, belly is buldging. Yes, I tried all the cheeses and some more than once and had a glass of apple cider when I got back to the office. Belly hurts. I need a displinarian to follow me around in life to organize/control influencing things that haunt me. Um...I vote for SHAD at this point, but anyone one of you are welcome.

Annie
Yum on the apple cider. I love it in the fall.

Michelle
Glad you made it to work this morning. You should be getting off as I type this.

Shad
When I retire I'm moving near my sister Springfield, Missouri and her grown children. 62 sure looks good right now but as time goes on I may have to wait till I'm 65. Depends on how healthy I am and the economy.


The first couple of days I have not been 100% on plan but today my mood is different. I'm loving this fall weather. It was a brisk 44 degrees when I got to work but now the temps are mid 70's Even had to get the chill chaser out this morning.
Class this afternoon at 4 p.m. so my day will not be so long at the plant. Having to get class room hours for my license renewal coming up in June.

Lunch time, munch time.

I have wheat thin flatbread crackers, a schmear of lite cream cheese and a piece of thinly sliced chicken breast deli meat on top of that. Low WW points and the protein in the cheese and meat keep me full. I love the Wheat Thin flatbreads - nice crispy crunch. Eating the parsley garlic today so stay away. Rounding that out with a cup of 1 pt garden vegetable soup and some green grapes.

Tonight we're supposed to try a pepper steak soup from a Rachel Ray magazine that DH thought sounded good. I have made several of her recipes and almost always find that they look better than they taste But I'm so happy he's starting to cook that I will give him a turn or two to choose the meals.

Annie - I would be of no help to you in the cheese department at Whole Foods. In fact, I would be racing you to the next cheese station I think Shad is fond of cheese too. Surely one of you kind souls can be the cheese police for us? Ouch on the burn too. That's a pretty good size owwie there. I am not fond of cooking in grease or bacon either for that reason. I work in a complex of buildings around a lake/water retention pond. Some of the buildings are vacant and at lunch time several enterprising individuals drive their cars to that lot to "cat nap". At least I hope they are napping and not being serviced My fear is that I'd get warm and snuggly and if I was tired enough to nap, I wouldn't wake up in 30 minutes

I had to laugh at your cider story Annie. Laura I used to love to go to Long Grove to the Apple Haus and get fresh cider and some cider donuts and maybe a pie . You are making me drool now! Cider was ice cold and always tasted good in the store and I'd buy a gallon, get it home and then after 2 glasses decide it was too sweet for me So I'd warm it up, put in a cinnamon stick and a shot of Southern Comfort and forget all about the sweetness I'm sure I can find a recipe for apple cider donuts but then I'd have to fry them and burn myself worse than Annie. I wonder if Dunkin Donuts makes them? This way I buy 2, get my craving over and it's done with.

Michelle - I hope that you made it through the day and can stay awake long enough to get home and sneak a nap!

Gotta run - people came over and tromped over my lunch hour

Lordy, that was a lot of reading to catch up on!

Shad – I love the acronym idea! I’m thinking up something for myself – see below. You can send some dust masks my way. Between the dust and the dog hair, cleaning can be tough on the lungs. Hope you and Chris get some better (drier) weather for your adventures.

Mel – Still more rain?!?! Sad about the eviction - not for the son, but the mom. Flipping the mattress is one thing I definitely don’t miss! After our experience with a pillowtop mattress that still developed dips in spite of flipping it (the one we had still called for regular rotations), we bought one of those sleep number beds. We’ve had it quite a while now and are very happy with it.

Happy – Glad to hear you and dh are strategizing on getting out of a town you don’t like. Hopefully in the not-too-distant future you’ll be living a quieter, simpler life not too far from your family. The Apple Haus must have had the booth we saw that had the long lines (cash only) for donuts, pies, etc. I find apple cider very sweet, but I like having it spiced during the season. BF’s mom is having us over for a pork roast dinner next weekend, and I’m going to make spiced cider for that. I’m definitely NOT a good candidate for the cheese police.

Michelle –Unless you’ve been up all night doing something fun and are still up having fun at 2:30 am, that’s an absolutely ungodly hour to be awake!! But I’m glad to hear it’s not a regular thing. Good you kept those car windows cracked open to keep yourself awake!! What a long day for you! Yeh, the reunion was nice – a lot of chat and reminiscing and flipping through a couple yearbooks someone brought. One former schoolmate will soon be working across the street from me, so we might be getting together for lunch sometime. Hope that final spine injection does the trick and you can get Zumba-ing once again.

Hi Patty!

Annie – One of my friends calls herself a recovering Catholic, lol. I can relate to that. Yeh, I was like Virginia until I attended non-Catholic college, ha ha. Now why did you have to go and mention football? I’ve been trying to block out that painful Bears-Jets game… I’m so sorry you hurt your back! Glad to hear it’s mostly better. My own arse is a bit sore from bending in the garden yesterday. Hope a deployment date doesn’t come anytime soon…EVER. Mmmm, fresh cider. I could use someone to follow me around and slap my hand every time I pick up something junky to eat. My hand would probably look worse than your burnt one, LOL.

Ceejay – I’ve borrowed your “Never give up” for my own ON PLAN – that’s a real goody. Even if you wait until 65 for retirement, it’s still rather close for you.

Cinci – My bio: I’m 46 y.o. and I live in a suburb NW of Chicago with my bf of 23 years and our dog Coal, a Labrador retriever mix. Both my bf and I grew up in Chicago and have lived in the area all our lives. At one point, my parents and all my siblings relocated out of state, but my sister has since returned to the Chicago area. I work in downtown Chicago in the risk management group of a leasing/finance company. In my former lives, I worked in public accounting and internal auditing. My audit jobs provided me with the opportunity to travel a bit both domestically and internationally. I (thankfully) don’t travel anymore for work, but I sure would like to do some more leisure travel. I enjoy reading and sewing, and I’d like to do more bicycling. I’ve enjoyed watching tennis from the time Bjorn Borg was a top player. I took a few tennis classes as a kid/young adult, but never played regularly. My bf played a lot of tennis in his youth and I think it would be fun if both of us could get back into it.

I’ve gradually put on quite a bit of excess weight since leaving college and working sedentary desk jobs. I don’t mind exercise, but I sure could be more consistent with it. The eating side of the equation is really the difficult part for me. Up until the past year or so I’ve generally been disgustingly healthy in spite of being overweight... but… I’ve developed some foot problems, and lately my blood pressure readings are high. A healthier diet and weight loss would definitely benefit me. Which leads me to my ON PLAN statements:

Opt for lower sodium foods
No fast food lunches

Plan and eat more home cooked and home prepared meals – including brown bag lunches
Log my eating!
Aerobics 3 times per week, strength training 3 times per week.
Never give up!!

Okay, I’m finally gonna post this (funny how work gets in the way). Tonight I’m doing a BE workout come he!! or high water. Tomorrow I’m leaving work at about 3:00 for a podiatrist appt. My foot that had the shot still feels great, and tomorrow I get my new orthotics. That’s my excuse for not bringing my workout gear tomorrow. Maybe there’ll be time for a workout between the appointment and the movie.

Laura
Like your plan of action.

Happy
You are making me drool now. I've heard that protein is suppose to make you fill full longer.

I'm back to work after a 1.5 hour class that was suppose to last 3 hours. In a way I'm glad but it wasn't fair for L who had to come and work for me. She thought she would get 3 hours of over time. She only got 2. I caught her off guard coming back to work. Sorry to say J. was going through the motions of "being a teacher" don't know what he'll do later on when some one actually has to take a test. I'll laugh tomorrow if the out of towners don't show up. I suppose I shouldn't complain I'm getting "free hours" so to speak.

Hiya,

Had a wonderful visit with Chris. Yesterday we went up Mt Tamborine and went through the nurseries, botanical gardens, fudge shops - oh shoot, didn't mean to say that. And today I had to put her on a plane and send her home. It was sad. She looks so thin and stooped these days. She seems to have lost height as well and if anyone out there thinks that taking steroids is good for you - take another look. Chris tells me she now has osteoporosis because of the steroids and has to take calcium as well to try and save the bones.
But it was a good visit and I will see her again in March when I go over for the nieces wedding.

Laura - Glad to hear that you had a good time at the reunion. They are sometimes worth a late night. The apple fest sounds like fun however I get you with the crowds. It becomes just plain uncomfortable with all those people all trying to do the same things as you want to do at the same time. Chinese food is on plan???? I'm being the police here. Wait till I get to Annie.

Annie - Sorry to heare about the stomach pains. Hope you didn't eat anything real bad and that the whole thing just goes away. Good to hear that the brothers band is doing okay. Interesting name. Give up on the housework and give Bella a pat and then go to bed. You've done enough today.
The children look adorable and are growing up fast.
I thought Tater was an MP??? What's he doing being a gunner? Ummm maybe I shouldn't have asked that question - his duty of course. As you will who stays home and waits.
I will be your policeperson and as far as cheese goes I will stop you from eating it, but only because I have eaten it all myself! So put your on plan plan on the fridge and look at it every time you go to the fridge. Or when you are in the grocery shop. Do I really need this??? Ask yourself the question because if you don't buy it, you are saving yourself some much needed money!

Michelle - Isn't it strange how we never seem to sleep well if we are worried that we will miss an early special event.
Coffee sounds real good about now - although with the time being what it is, I may just turn to alcohol to numb the pain.
Have a nice nap and rest up that back. It's time we got out of this cycle of bad things happening to us. Feel better soon.

Mel - No we ended up on Mount Tambourine - and found the cheese factory, the fudge shop and a wine bar. I passed on the wine bar, because I am the driver and Chris rarely drinks. But we indulged on cheese tasting and fudge tasting which is not on plan, but we had a very small dinner - basically ploughmans lunch - cheese, biscuits, pickled onions, avocado slices, tomato slices, stuffed olives (after which we were stuffed) and some tuna in chilli-mango dressing. Very yum. And it got rid of most of the cheese I bought so I won't be tempted again for a while.
I hope the eviction is not too traumatic for everyone.

Happy - your lunch sounded nice. Dinner doesn't sound too back either. Hope you managed to get through most of your lunch break before the trampling began.
DH might end up as a professional nutritionist. We could all come to him for help then.

Ceejay - hope the classes are going okay today. Annoying when you get a teacher who either can't teach or doesn't really know the subject. Hope you get a good pass.

Better go rescue the laundry. It will rain shortly, but at least today has been nearly dry. Don't mind it raining at night when I can go to bed and listen to the rain on the roof. See you all tomorrow.

Wonder whether Cin got the job????? Inquiring minds need to know.