Think i'll change my name to 'firewood queen' :lol: i've just took a pic of the firewood outside the house..i've already put about 2 cords under the sundeck :rolleyes: as you can see hubby keeps me busy..that wheelbarrow and my little legs will be busy this afternoon :wave:

Cat, you bring new meaning to the word "stacked" :s: - now please don't tell me you cut all that yourself too????!

Good morning ladies,

I have to ask you all a guestion.. and see if I am alone in how I feel. In our family, we always remember birthdays, have parties, etc. and I always make sure I remember my children, including their wives... in fact this past year I even sent a package all the way to Okinawa for my dil'b b/d as she is in the marines and stationed there right now... and my other married son, well I am always babysitting for them, and doing little things to help out, giving them things I know they need etc. you know the usual mother stuff we do.. Well dh had a b/d the first of feb. and son #3 called me to go shopping and in on a gift with him for his dad..so I did.. well as you know my b/d was last sunday.. and I invited them over for cake and ice cream, I love to watch my 1 yr. old grandson eat that.. he loves it so much..:)anyway. they come over and as I am picking up behind the little ones, I find a b/d card sitting on the table by the door... I received nothing from them and they didn't even hand me the card... I feel so insulted and hurt that they seem to care so little for my feelings... and my son #2, with the wife in OKI.. all I got from him was a phone call on sunday after his father reminded him on sat. How would you ladies feel..?
NOw on their birthdays, they will be expecting the usual card and gift... is it me or is this not right? My other 3 sons cannot believe their brothers slighted me so badly.. we can't figure it out.

well, off to work, you ladies all have an op day.. it is 9 degrees here and cold... but the sun is coming out so it will be warm in the greenhouse..

Dahlia
we are doing double petunias today,, we got our pansies all planted, so their cute little faces can appear anytime now..:)

Morning!
 

I am freezing too this morning, Dahlia -- can I come and plant with you in your nice warm greenhouse?! :) Time to crank up the thermostat I think!

I have two children entirely different -- one I call the "Queen of Cards" because she always remembers to send cards for every occasion and always writes thank you notes. Now, the other is my son, and granted he's only 17, and still in training, but I have to remind him all the time to write that thank you note or remember a birthday.

IMHO, I wouldn't stress too much about it as long as you are secure in their love and affection. You can always say something to them -- are they the type that would take it, or are they the type that would hold it against you? And, is it worth rocking the boat so to speak?

I must admit I stopped sending presents to my best friend's married daughter and her child because she never acknowledges anything -- I never see them either so I can afford to "rock the boat" in this situation!

I know where you are coming from though, and I have felt the same way when Chris "forgets." That old adage to "pick your battles" wisely comes to mind -- good luck on your decision.

It seems to me as an "outsider" that you have a great family -- too bad we can't mold our kids to our liking. Boy, would we moms have a field day if we could. :) And, if we had the power to do that -- look out, husbands. :smug:

I hope what I said comes across in a positive light because I meant it as such ....

I wonder how Pam's FIL is??

Tired today and no energy to do much of anything -- unfortunately, I need to push myself because I need to get caught up on store work because I go back to work Monday and want this all finisehd by then.

Yikes! I "snacked" on cold pasta last night -- not much but I didn't have any points left. I did get in a two mile WATP tape. Oh well, another day today!

OK, everyone, have a wonderful "hump day" -- the weekend's almost here!

Terry :)

Good morning ladies,

Dahlia, I understand your feelings but agree with Terry about whether or not it's even worth saying anything. I don't blame you a bit for feeling taken advantage of as I'd feel the same way. Perhaps just send a card this year and not a present? Just my opinion. I know you'll do what you feel is best.

Terry, good job on the WATP tape. You are doing so well. I am so proud of you.

My FIL is doing better although they did admit him yesterday (after he'd been in ER for 17 hours) but at least he's where he'll be monitored. They haven't ruled out a heart attack yet but they are stumped as to what is the problem. His lungs sound clear yet his breathing sounds so terrible. He's also agitated and confused which isn't helping matters either. Hopefully today he'll be more settled.

Life in general otherwise is going alright. I've been good with food since Monday so I'm happy...am on schedule with my workout ..got my homework done last night so am on track this week for a change. Year end is looming here soon for work and those of you who have been posting here awhile know how crazy that makes me :)

I'll check back in later...Hi to Cathy...holy smokes girls that is a lot of wood! Definite workout there!

Grandma G, Karie, Meigg, and all others a big Hi to you and hopes that things are going well.

Pam

Good Morning Ladies :flow1: :)
I went out yesterday so i did'nt get the rest of the wood stacked so that will be my 'chore' for today..Terry..you think i'm 'STACKED'
do you?...thanks for the compliment :joker:
Pam..good news about FIL :)
Dahlia..i don't think that your sons mean to be 'mean' i just think that they think 'oh..it's just mum..she does'nt need anything, she's knows that we love her' are they embarrassed about showing you affection? were they always like this or is it since they left home? my kids are just the same..i send them birthday and christmas gifts half way across the world and never receive a card..i would love to get one but i never do but i know that they both love me lots :D they just can't be bothered or don't get around to it :lol: don't let it spoil what was otherwise a great day!
Time to get grilling here..hubby is waiting patiently for his 'fry-up
:rolleyes: have a great day :wave:

Hi guys!

Dahlia - my family suffers from kind of the same problem. My husband insists on picking out and sending gifts to his family for xmas. Last year I found what he had picked out in the storage locker 8 months after xmas. This year he didn't ship anything until February when I pressed the issue.

My mom's bday is January 11th. For the past 10 years my parents have always been away on her birthday. My dad has always had to call us and leave a message reminding us to call her.

My sister's in-laws are perhaps the MOST HORRIBLE gift givers of all times. They gave my niece a top from the gap that didn't fit. When she went to exchange it for a bigger size she saw it had been in a mark-down bin for like $6. My sister had gone out of her way to select really nice gifts for everyone that year, spent more than she should have, and really felt sort of shafted.

My point is (and I have one somewhere :dizzy:) is that not everyone gives the same way. My sister and I have decided that we like giving. We love holidays and making a big deal of them - whether it is e-cards for April Fools Day or handmade gifts for xmas. And we have decided that we will expect nothing in return and be fine with it. If we get something in return, it is a total bonus. Maybe this is something you would wanna give a thought to.

The other thing you might do is have your husband call and tell your sons that "mom was a little down on her birthday, she doesn't feel like anyone really remembered..." I have gotten calls like that on MANY occassions from my dad, and my mom doesn't know about them. He even paid for a 70th surprise party for my mom (thrown by me and my siblings) because she was jealous that we had thrown him one!

Anyway, I hope your day was not ruined, and SORRY FOR THE LONG POST!

Meg

Thank you all for your thoughts.. but you aren't getting the gist of it...my son is a fanatic about holidays and events.. he loves to give gifts and surprises, he always make a big deal out of everything... and it isnt' that they forgot, I told my dil last wednesday when she picked up the babies that I had watched for two days and a night while they went to a concert in Detroit, that they were invited over sunday for cake for my b/d. And my son called that afternoon from work and said he was taking off work an hour early so he could go home and clean up so they could come over earlier in the evening. When they got here my dil was telling me all about the neat things she bought that afternoon when her and the children had been out shopping.. that was when they got my card... oh well, I will just forget it.. but it the first time they've done that... they have always given things before.. and just did to his dad 3 wks ago... it is so puzzling to me.. it's not the gift or lack of,, its the consideration of my feelings.. that hurts...

enough said..I'll get over it.and not say anything for now.. to them.. but the ache is still there. I've decided I know what to say to them if it comes up..". you can always find excuses but if you care enough ,you find time to show it". I guess maybe I just care to much, and I'll have to start getting to be as cold as they are to me.

thanks for letting me use you as my sounding board ...
as for my eating plan am doing good so far, getting more walking in at work. Just need to keep at it.

Pam, I am sorry to hear your fil is not doing well. Hope he is better soon.

Cathy, you are a busy beaver with all that wood stacking.. I can feel for you, we used to heat with wood and had to throw it in and stack it down in our basement... thank goodness I had boys to help... but I also grew up doing wood, and vowed I'd never do it again... well now we have natural gas and I'd never go back..
but enjoy it.. it is good exercise and a great feeling of accomplishment when you are done and see the nice stacks... also nice to see when its cold out and you want warmth..:)

Dahlia - I think it is good that you have figured out something to say. And you know if it still hurts, why not just call and say it? Let them know. I bet you would feel better, and it probably wouldn't happen again because they would know how you feel.

Things are going really well with my atkins plan. I put on a jeans skirt this morning that I bought with my xmas bonus, and it is WAY too big! I am so excited. I also think I might be ready to move back to my smaller belts!

Let's all have an OP day!

M

Dahlia..i'm not surprised that you are upset after they'd got your hopes up by telling you what nice things they had bought while they were out :mad: i can't believe that they would treat you like this after you were so good to babysit for them so that they could go to a concert :dizzy: talk about ungrateful.
You know i don't mind doing firewood one bit..like you said its great exercise..i took my radio out with me and had the music blasting and i sang my little heart out as i 'flung' the wood outta the truck :lol: we also have propane and electric baseboard heaters but we burn wood because its free :s:

Meg..does'nt that feel good when your clothes get big :cp: you go girl!

Well, i've no more wood to stack so its the house's turn today..i'm gonna do some carpet shampoo-ing and some venetian blind cleaning :p i hate doing them but its down to me so i'd better get on with it..when hubby saw that i'd done all the firewood he said to me "Hmmm...i'd better get some more cut for you" :dz:

Morning!

I did my WATP 3 mile tape two days in a row and my thighs are killing me -- down two pounds this week so it's a "good kill." Since my recommitment on 1-26-03, I am down 10.5 pounds. Tough work, ladies. If I had known how hard this was going to be as I got older, I never would have allowed myself to gain all the weight back after making WW Lifetime many years ago. Honest! Something to remember in the coming years.

Dahlia, after explaining it more fully, I think the kids need a loving reality check from their mom -- it's not the gift, it's just the thought. When you are ready and in your own way -- sometimes it doesn't even have to be with words either.

Meig, awesome on the inches lost and may you continue on track!!

The visual of you stacking wood, Cathy, and singing away is a fun one -- got to find some pleasure in everything we do. Life's too short not too!

Tired this morning -- may be a three cups of coffee day (usually it's just two)!

Hope all is well, Pam and Grandma :)

Yep, definitely going to get more caffeine ... be back later!

Always, Terry

Terry - I to am dragging a bit this morning. I DEFINATELY need more caffiene. By the way - what tape are you doing? Can you spell it out for me? Do you like it - clearly you are getting results from it. I was thinking of getting something new. Let me know.

Things are still going well with me. I haven't heard about the job. I was hoping I would hear even if it was a no, but I guess not. I totally wasted a vacation day also. Bummer. But I wouldn't have even had a chance if I didn't.

Talk to you later!
M

Meigg,

I am doing "Walk Away the Pounds" (WATP) with Leslie Sansone and I love it -- better workout than with my treadmill because I feel it so much more. Here's her web site: www.lesliesansone.com.

I got my tapes at Best Buys (two DVDs -- 1, 2 and 3 miles) for $20. You can also try eBay.

Have to run -- Chris wants the computer -- be back soon!

OK, I'm back ...

What I like most about WATP is that they are not "dancey" and you don't need a lot of space. She basically has 4 main moves -- walking in place, side step, knee lifts and kicks -- and her routine is simple and based on just those four movements.

She combines an upper body workout into the routine by using
weighted 2-lb balls -- I use wrist weights rolled up into a ball. I do get tired of her chatter, so I mute the volume and put on a fast moving CD -- I love Brian Setzer's Dirty Boogie. Crank the volume and you're off!

It's low impact but I do sweat -- I up it a bit by jogging in place quite a bit. Pam is doing the same thing too.

It's fun and that's what it should be if you are going to stick with an exercise routine.

OK, back to work I go!!

That sounds great. I think I will look into it.

Here's to an OP day!

Terry..Congrats on the weightloss :cp: you are doing great 10.5lbs in a month is a great achievement :bravo: those tapes sound pretty good ;) i was looking at them yesterday in Walmart and Zellers but i've decided NOT to buy anymore unless i start using the other bunch that i've got :lol: after i'd been shopping i did absolutely nothing :lol: took the day off from everything, exercise..cleaning..life :lol: the sun has gone for today so i think i'll be able to get some chores done today..if i get off of here that is :s:
Meg..you never know the job may still be available..you could still be in the running :D
I had my first reasonable day (foodwise) for quite some time, 969 cals and 26g fat...mainly due to the fact that i was out shopping and the fridge was not at hand...Saturday to Wednesday's totals were terrible..i had a whopping 3309 cals and 127g fat last saturday so no wonder i'm not making any progress..i think i've averaged at about 2500cals and 60g fat..way too much! so i'm going to track everything faithfully this week...i can't believe how everything adds up so fast and yet in my mind although i knew i had'nt been 'dieting' i had no idea that i was eating that amount of food..it is so easy to let things slide..a chocolate bar and a few beers are'nt going to hurt..right? WRONG! it's those sneaky beers i've got to watch..i think i'll contact the other Cathy from "Taking it Off" and see how she is doing..LOL

Cathy and Meig, thanks for the motivation!

Did you know that a Awesome Blossum with dipping sauce from Chillis (those deep fried whole breaded onions) is 2,882 calories and 222 grams of fat (77 WW points)??!! And, the chicken sandwich that I love at Burger King is 710 calories and 43 grams of fat -- without the extra cheese that I usually get!

These are things that I would order EVERY time -- it's just amazing how many calories and fat grams you consume without being conscious of it.

You're so right Cathy -- you don't even realize how it all adds up which is why I NEED to journal everything I eat.

It's just not fair that all the good things are so high in fat!!

Ooops -- gotta run -- be back later!

Hey guys. Speaking of tracking everything, I use fitday.com to track everything I eat. It is great. And, it tends to go on the high side, so you know where you stand. It even tracks your weight over time, journal, etc. and it is free. Check it out!

Meg

I'm a member of Fitday Meg but i don't use it i have another program..i used to use dietwatch a couple of years ago and that was great too..but now like everything else you have to subscribe so thats a :nono: for me.
Terry..tell me about it..thank god i don't frequent those joints :lol: and its true most things have to be loaded to the nuts :o with fat to taste good :mad: rice cakes just don't do it for me :lol: speaking of food its time for lunch (ham,egg and lettuce) followed by warm popcorn if i'm still hungry :wave:

Good morning ladies,

Just a quickie to pop in and say hi. Everything here is alright. They diagnosed Erwin's Dad with pneumonia so at least we know what the problem is now. he's still in the hospital but hopefully will be released in the next few days barring no further complications.

spent all night helping my sister clean out her old apartment. She's kind of funny...told me it'd be an hour two at the most..however she didn't remember that the oven had to cleaned and I don't think they've ever cleaned up a spill in that thing. OMG it was a tremendous effort to scrub all the burners and stuff. Holy cow! Took me an hour just to do that. I was teasing her about the face that she must never use it if she doesn't remember it needs to be cleaned once in awhile. Oh well...we must have done a good job because she got her full damage deposit back.

I'm going to try the 3 mile tape today Terry so I'll let you know later what I think about it. Then it's time for some homework. Yay.

Have a great day ladies and I'll check back later tonight.

Love to ya all,

Pam

Pam..i'm glad that FIL is getting some proper medical attention :D at last :rolleyes: i see that your sister gave you the dirty job :lol: she must really be a novice :lol:
Today is my 'official' weigh-in since the V-day challenge and i'm down another 4lbs :) its a miracle because i've been really bad apart from the last two days and even on those i did'nt exercise. I'm hoping this loss will give me the incentive i need to do better :D

Good Morning All,

Relatively quiet day planned here today. Grocery shopping and then meeting my friend for lunch. Talk about inspiration! That girl weighed in on Thursday at WW and has lost.....(drumroll sounding) 100 lbs.!!! She looks fantastic and isn't done yet. I met her through another WW board and found out we lived in the same city. Kind of cool.

I'm trying to get my school work done this week. I'm down to two chapter, one assignment and then the final. I need to get more focused with it and get it done. I want to leave myself 3 weeks for studying but I'm starting to slack off because I know I'm getting to the end so I've had the stern talk with myself.

I took my measurements yesterday and since November I've lost another 3/4" off my hips and a half inch off my thighs. Life is good. I've only lost two pounds since then but as long as my measurements keep improving then I'm a happy camper. I've never done this well at improving my lifestyle and body shape ever.

Okay enough of my novel here....have a great OP day ladies and I'll talk to you soon.

Oh yeah, Terry, that 3 mile tape was a killer! Holy smokes were my legs rubbery after that. Pretty challenging.

Talk to you later,

Pam

Pam..100lbs is some achievement :cp: i post on UK fat chicks and one woman on there has lost 190lbs :yikes: her pictures are inspirational..she looks great too and i'm sure it has made a huge difference to her life :D
I have'nt exercised since last tuesday and i only walked 2 miles then :( hopefully i'll fit some in today..i'm getting more on track foodwise apart from yesterday (which i knew would be an off day :s: because i planned to have some beers) anyway, my stepson and two of his friends came around and we ended up having a real good booze up and some laughs :lol: i'm not worried about it because that is my plan..i'm going to be lenient with myself at the weekends..i did this the last time i lost weight and it worked then so hopefully it will work now :D :wave:

Morning!
 

Morning Ladies :)

Pam, as Cathy said, it's good that your FIL is finally getting the proper attention, and I wish him a speedy recovery too. And, I think your sister conned you into cleaning her oven :D -- got some activity points in with all that scrubbing!

All is well. Not a great weekend food-wise but I did do WATP on Saturday -- five days in a row. I plan on giving myself Sundays off. Yes, siree, Pam, the 3 miles is a killer! I bought WATP for Abs at Walmart Saturday for $29.99 (1,2 & 3 miles with the Ab belt on DVD) which was a good buy because I also saw it advertised for $39.99 somewhere else. I am anxious to try it today.

Cathy, I tend to relax on weekends too (food wise) and because my weigh-in isn't until Friday, that gives me five days to really concentrate on making a positive difference at the scale. Just knowing that I can ease up on counting points, psychologically keeps me from binging out. Sounds strange I know .... but any modification with eating has to last a lifetime and I have to be comfortable with whatever way I choose to do that. I hope that makes sense! :^:

Wow, to loose over 100 lbs is a remarkable achievement -- I love reading and hearing about success stories as it keeps me motivated. Sometimes I just cruise other web sites and scan other people's successes to keep that spark going.

Katie and Stu popped in for a few hours yesterday before driving back to New Hampshire and she was all nice and tan from her trip to Florida. She took dozens of digitals -- it ws fun to see her and it just made me realize how much I really do miss her. Hopefully, she'll be home for a few days when they have April vacation.

Cathy, funny how you mentioned your stepson, for whatever reason, I was thinking about him during one of your posts last week. I remembered when he moved out -- you painted his room quick so he wouldn't change his mind! You sound like you have a great relationship with him -- good for you!

I bought some new vitamins for weight loss -- One A Day brand -- and whether they work or not on weight, I felt really energetic yesterday. And, that was after the night before and all the wine Russ and I had a dinner :smug: -- I am usually not that energized the day after!

I didn't get around to posting yesterday -- Chris was hoging the computer. I can't wait to get him his own laptop for college next year, then I won't have to share. Get him his own internet connection -- I'll have it made!

Well, filing and more filing is on the agenda for today. Freezing out with wind chills below zero -- I have not seen it this windy all winter. This is like the winter that will not go away.

Time to get coffee #2 here ... I'll check back in later.

Hope everyone has a great Monday!

Always, Terry :)

Cathy -- forgot to congratulate you on the 4 pound loss -- bad Terry! Awesome and keep stacking that wood -- it's working!!

Terry..what is the WATP's Ab Belt? what is the difference between that and the other ones? just being a :nose: :moo:
I thought it was extremely quiet yesterday..where is everyone else too :?: i spent another day talking to myself :lol: Have you looked at Posy's (Ali) pic's Terry? she is the one on UK fat chicks that has lost 193lbs..there is one of her sat on a chair with a huge plate of veggies..i've never seen a plate so big! she posted it to show us how much she eats and why she is never hungry..her husband even offers to help carry the plate :lol:
Well..my overindulgence over the weekend amounted to about 2000 cals on both days..i've already planned todays menu and that will account for 1100 cals and 19g fat but i'll probably up that a bit because the chicken i was going to have for dinner had been in the fridge for a few day's so i decided to throw it out :fr: better to be safe than sorry and i don't want to be :p ill. I'm also having delicious full fat ice cream for dessert after dinner too :T Safeway's Gold n Nut (icecream with caramel swirl..choc chips and nuts) deeeelicious!!!
The sun is shining here..lovely..it won't last tho'..i think it clouds over again on wednesday.
I got some really bad news today :cry: my ex-husband died this morning..i feel so sad..he was only 51..you just never know how long you have got..do you? it makes me realise what a trivial thing letting my weight get out of control is.

Cathy, I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your ex. What a sad day for you, and what an emotional one as I would assume you are reliving many memories, good and bad. We never know when our time is up here; however, it certainly does make us want to "stop and smell the roses" more often doesn't it. An old cliche, but so true at times as these. Was he Olivia's grandfather? It's never easy when someone we know passes away -- makes you appreciate those around you so much more though. Hugs, girlfriend ....

Walk Away The Pounds For Abs uses some type of Ab belt contraption with elastic hand band attachments (weird looking) for an upper body work out. I have not tried it yet, but she does the 1 mile program in 15 minutes compared to 18 minutes on the other tape that I have. If I am assuming correctly, it's more intense. I wanted some other programs to mix up my routine so I don't get bored. I'll let you know more about it once I give it a whirl this afternoon. The other programs I have of her's use 2-lb weighted balls which I substitute with 2 lb velcro wrist weights rolled in a ball so that I hold them rather than wear them. I have heard that vegetable cans can be used as well. The klutx that I am, I'd probably let them fly through the window!

And, no you are not being nosey -- I think you know me better than that! Ask any question that you like! :D

I'll have to check out your friend' s pictures -- awesome inspiration.

Darn dogs are barking like crazy -- let me go and bring them in before the neighbors complain -- not that they ever do but there is always the first time! Still freezing but the wind has died down -- I'll be back later this afternoon -- have to get some chores done too.

Again, I am sorry about your ex ....

Always, Terry

Morning All,

Cathy I was so sorry to read of the passing of your Ex husband. Ex or not it is a painful thing to deal with. As Terry said there were lots of happy memories mixed in with the sadness. Hugs to you friend.

Good Morning Miss Terry my little WATP Queen! 5 days in a row?? You rock! I agree that weekends are my general time for lightening up on my counting too as it just feels like it's too much sometimes. Lifestyle changes are the key to this. I often ask before starting something new if it's something I will do for the next 30 years. Helps to keep it in perspective for me.

On a sad note, we heard from the Dr.'s yesterday and although there is no time frame they seem to feel Dad might not come out of the hospital. His heart is getting weaker and he's still so confused. They seem to think this trend from before Christmas is the beginning of the end. We've thought that for awhile but to actually have someone from the medical profession say that definitely knocks the wind out of your sales. DH and I both had a bit of a cry yesterday as it's just so sad and scary to deal with. I know it's not going to happen tomorrow but still trying to comprehend the eventuality of it makes my heart and head feel very heavy today. I've been encouraging Erwin to talk with me about he's feeling so that he doesn't keep it all bottled up and so far he's been okay. Send him cyber hugs kay?

Ok enough of me being doom and gloom. Let's all focus on the present and the gifts we have in this life of ours and I'll check back in later.

Love to all,

Pam

Pam and Terry thank you so much for the kind words :) i was'nt going to mention it but i'm glad i did now instead of bottling it up.
Pam i know what you are going through :( a few weeks ago when Jim (my ex) was in hospital it was looking bad then and then they sent him home so we all thought he was going to be O.K. it was quite a shock getting that phone call first thing this morning..i just feel so helpless not being there for the kids..my ex BIL is doing everything possible tho' thank God..yes Terry Jim was Olivia's Grandfather..how sad that he never even got to see her :cry: nobody has been able to contact Jacqui yet so she does'nt even know that her father has died...i've been trying her number for the past week without success :( what a mess and the worsed thing about it is that he did'nt leave a will so i'm not sure what will happen with the house...and there is a evil ex-wife on the horizon..she has 2 children with Jim too and i'm sure she will want her pound of flesh even though our home is nothing to do with her it is what Jim and I accumulated together..i will be furious if the house has to be sold..i just feel like jumping on a plane (and you know how much i hate that) and going back home.

Terry..i know what that belt is now i've seen some other fitness guru using one..can't remember who :?: maybe Richard Simmons.

Well, time for me to exercise..i don't really feel like it but it may make me feel better :wave:

My goodness, Pam and Cathy -- what a sad day for you two.

It's good that you both don't keep it all bottled up because talking about it helps put everything in the right perspective, and once done, it's easier to deal with all the decisions that need to be made.

Pam, Erwin will talk more once he digests what is happening with his dad. He couldn't ask for a better soul mate than you at his side. I can empathise because I went through the same thing with my dad -- you hear the news, but then there's always that little voice in the back of your head hoping for miracles. Sometimes they do occur, but it's tough.

Cathy, poor Jacqui, I hope she hears the news from family. I feel sorry for Olivia too because grandpas are very special. I also hope everything will work out with the evil ex wife -- for Jacqui's sake anyway. I am sure you will keep all eyes open even from afar.

Keeping busy will make you feel better, Cathy, so get those endorphins in motion with exercise. It must be so hard because of the distance. And, Pam, take it one day at a time ... that's all you can do at this point.

Well ladies looks like a group hug is in store :grouphug: ...

Darn dogs are back barking AGAIN .... anyone want another pup????

Love, Terry

Hello ladies,

Pam and Cathy so sorry to hear your sad news.. Pam I know what you mean.. when my mom was diagnosed with cancer and we were told it was terminal within weeks, I was in denial the whole time.. :grouphug: this is definitely called for..

We had some sad news also, we had just heard this past week that my dh's cousin had cancer. Then on Friday we heard he had heart problems and had to have emergency surgery, they lost him on the table. The funeral is wed. and both my dh and ds#1 are going to be pall bearers. Then on Sunday a good friend of mine called, she lost her mother last friday of a heart attack. This is just not a good time of year, it seems..

This just shows us all that we have to live for today and treasure each moment and each of our loved ones while we have them.

I have started today on a new plan. So far so good. With lent starting on wed. I am going to take this time to get myself in motion.. and if I don't lose something by Easter then I'll have to revamp it again. I am getting more exercise with working everyday, and am going to really make an effort at it.. I told them at work about my new plan so they will not sabotage me by bringing goodies etc. they have decided to use this time as well.


So :love: goes out to all of you who have had such a sad time.
Stay strong, but :cry: and let your emotions out,, we can't bottle them up and turn to food..

Dahlia

Cathy and Pam, I am so sorry to hear your sad news. And Dahlia, you are right, we need to live for today. I find it so hard to remember that.

Just checking in to see what everyone was up to.

Have a good night!
Meg

Good Morning all,

Dahlia, a big hug to you too! All of this truly does reinforce to cherish and appreciate each day we have.

Cathy, I'm very sorry, I don't know how I missed the fact that you lost 4 pounds! I'm so proud of you...that is an awesome weigh in and must have felt pretty spectacular eh? Great job.

Hi Meg, how are things with you? Any news yet? How are things going with the present job? sounds like Atkins is working very well for you. I see your new stats and wanted to say how happy I am for you.

Good Morning Terry! Are you having a java yet? Yum...I love coffee. What kind of dog do you have? Ours are kind of attention hogs too. There is a German shepard pup next door that they love barking at through the fence...they drive me snaky some days but I love 'em.

Well off to hit the shower and get into work. Another busy day.

Take care all and hi to Grandma G and Karie wherever you both may be. Hope all is well...

Pam

Morning!
 

Dahlia, so much sadness in your life too this week -- my condolences to you on the loss of your cousin and dear friend. BTW, good luck on your Easter goal -- you have a plan and that's a major first step.

It's bitterly cold again this morning -- remind me of this when I start moaning this summer about the heat and humidity. Pam, had my usual two cups of coffee -- needed it because my eyes just wouldn't open wide enough. Some days morning truly comes too soon. :dizzy:

Regarding the dogs, Rochester is a Yorkshire Terrier/Pomeranian mix which is why he's such a yapper -- 10 lbs of mouth with 4 legs. Mac is a purebred American Eskimoo and is easily instigated by the Devil Dog. Both are extremely territorial and protective -- sometimes muzzles look very appealing ....

Morning Meig -- hope all is well. :)

Get up Cathy -- after 6am in your neck of the woods!

Another busy day here as I didn't get to any of the work that I brought home from the store yesterday. Just so dang tired -- coffee and the vitamins have not kicked in enough yet.

Well, I had better get a move on -- stayed OP yesterday and banked some points. Only did one mile of WATP for Abs yesterday -- I usually don't answer the phone when I am working out but I saw that it was Katie so I did. I must have been looking for an excuse. My plan is to do something everyday activity wise as that's the only way I am going to lose this weight -- food intake just isn't enough. Dang, getting old is the pits sometimes!

OK, off and crawling here ..... I'll check back in later. Have a great morning everyone!

:)

Good morning everyone!

We are supposed to get up to 10 inches of snow before tomorrow! WOW! That should be a big mess!

Hope everyone is doing well.

I finished a sweater I was knitting last night. I am very excited. I had been working on it for a while (although I DIDN'T work on it for a while also). It is sleeveless with a mock turtleneck. I really like how it turned out. My arms could look a little better in it, but they will eventually.

Now I am at work, yet again with nothing to do - but still gainfully employed. I haven't heard about that job. I sent an email yesterday asking if they have filled the position, and haven't heard back. Take it that is a yes???

Well, that was my last excuse not to join the gym, so I am going to make that a priority this week.

Talk to you later!
Meg

Hi Ladies,

Sorry I haven't taken time to post lately. I've been pretty busy. I have just been reading quickly through the post and see everyone is doing great!

Congradulations Cat on losing 4 lbs. Awesome!

Meg you seem to be really doing well with the plan you are working with. I am so glad you finally found what works for you. and I hope you get that job you want. I will keep my fingers crossed.

Dahlia, it seems you are motivated to make some progress. Sometimes that is all it takes to get things going again. Just setting a mini goal. Something to work towards.

I have been staying pretty much on program with eating, but not exercising as much as I was. I will have to set another challenge for myself. That seems to work best for me.

The scales have finally started moving again. For a while I thought they were stuck in place! I lost 2 more pounds, bringing me to a total loss of 43 lbs. 43 lbs gone for ever.

Well a friend just came in so I will say bye for now. Will post again later.

207/164/147

Good Morning Ladies :yawn: got about one hours sleep last night :( i was mulling everything over in my head..what if this, what if that etc :spin: anyway, i'll have to stop that because its outta my hands..if the house has to be sold and the government 'grab' 60% of it i'll be :mad: but i'll just have to accept it..all i can do is keep abreast of everything that is happening and do the best that i can for the kids from afar for the time being.
Terry..thanks for the laugh "10lbs of mouth on 4 legs" :lol: i needed that.
Grandma..congrats on the weightloss too..43lbs total :bravo:
Meg..the sweater sounds nice..i'll take it :s: but you can keep the snow..nice ain't i?
Dahlia..they say everything comes in 3's so it looks like its you, me and Pam..this time..i just hope we all have a better year from now on. :)

Good Morning!
 

Tons of snow:lol: ! about 8 inches....

Well, I got a call from the human resources lady about that job...NO, I didn't get it.:( They said if I had 18 mos. more experience, they would have hired me.:?:

Anyway...now I am finally going to join the gym!:strong: Nothing is stopping me now. And, it is just a few days into the month, so it is a good time....

Nothing to do at work today, so I am designing another sweater. Hope all is well with you guys!

Meg

Morning Ladies ....

Hey, Meigg, sorry to hear about the job, but experience has proven to me over and over again that there must be a better job out there just waiting for you to stumble across it. I truly believe there is a reason and a positive side for everything. So it's off to the gym, you go -- enjoy!

Enjoy your snow -- all we are getting is rainand freezing rain. Blah day :tired: so far -- must be all the ozone in the air.

Good attitude, Cathy, we all need to learn how to accept the things we have no control over. I would assume by now you have gotten in touch with Jacqui, and I hope she is doing OK.

Morning Dahlia, Grandma and Pam :) -- hope you all have more energy than I do this morning.

Stayed OP yesterday and did my WATP -- one day at a time they say.

I'll be back later -- hopefully more energized too!

Terry

I'm sorry too Meg :sorry: but you sound like you have a positive attitude so just put it behind you :)
Terry its blah :rain: here too..we have a bit of a storm blowing through..windy and rainy :p has been all night..the kind of day for curling up on the sofa eating popcorn and watching a movie :D (after exercising of course ;) ) think thats just what i'll do. I've got Lord of the Rings on tape..i think its about 3 hours long (one of the reasons i've never got around to watching it) so i'll watch that if there is nothing else on. :wave: