Per Jana's request, a new thread for general chatter.

Morning ladies-

Well I have to say that there sure has been a lot of chatting going on!! Already on Chat #3.. although I like Kat's title..... Sounds like everyone has got something going on with themselves.

Kat- I can't even imagine gutting and skinning a dear without having done it before! I used to work for Foster Farms and I gutted chickens all day for three years, but a chicken is small! A deer is like a small dog! I was having visions of messiness up to the elbows for you! (sorry) I do hope it taste good.

Jana and Ricci- Congrats on the weight loss. Please send your magic weight loss dust my way so I can join in on the happy dances!! I did my weigh in yesterday or was it tuesday,, and the scale didn't budge. Hasn't for a while. I don't want to say I hit a plateau because I really haven't started trying hard to lose the weight. Been too busy. (sorry for the excuses!) But I suppose as long as the scale is staying where it's at rather than going up, I should be happy.

Mel- Sorry to hear about your step-son. I hope that the situation with the girl is just what you're hoping and she just got upset with him. I've seen girls take advantage like that and it's not pretty. And don't worry about not wanting to take responsiblility for him...it's a tough decision, but it sounds like you made the right one. Hope all goes well.

Angie- I found your post interesting. A little confusing at first but I got it down. You said that you are currently helping a woman find her birthfather. Is that something you do for a career or are you just helping? I found it all interesting because I had a son in high school (he's 14 now) and I gave him up for adoption. I has chosen Open Adoption and his mother has been wonderful all these years with sending me cards and pictures of him. And the last couple of years, he's called me himself and wished me a "Happy Birthday" or "Valentines" or Mothers Day" It was a tough decision to make back then but it was the right decision. He's a very happy healthy teen.
Another thing about me, (didn't know I was going to spill it all today did ya?) Almost three years ago my sister and I found our mother after almost 25yrs. It wasn't an adoption situation, our parents seperated and she left to go back to her country. (I was a Navy brat) anyway, didn't know if she ever came back to the USA and one day my sister decided to look her up and found her. She has been living in Ventura Cal. for the last 15yrs. We had our little reunion and got to meet our little sister that we knew about but had never met. She's 9yrs. younger than me. It was nice to finally see our mom again. She comes up to visit once or twice a year. And our little sister decided to move up to Oregon and go to school and be closer to us to get to know us more. It was a happy ending!!

Whew!! Sorry if that was a bit much. I'm away for a few days and then I get back and just unload. I did rest up and catch up with myself. Thank you ladies for the support. I needed it. My sweetie agreed with you all and said I was just overwhelmed. and need to rest. So I did.

Better get before you have to start #4 because I took up too much room.
Hi to all the new ladies. Hope you decided to stay in our little neck of the woods. As you can see, we talk about anything and everything without feeling like we'll be judged or scorned at. We're here to help and to be helped! and believe me I can use a lot of help sometimes!
Bye
Marti

Hello everyone, sorry to confuse everyone, I didn't even see the new thread until after I started # 3.


To answer everyone's questions, my stepson is 19. We still have no idea what is going on with him. I guess if I want to know if she got him bailed out I'll have to call down to the jail and ask.



Marti, glad to hear everything worked out well with your family. I have often thought about trying to locate some of my fathers relatives, none of them have talked for years, I know he had 2 brothers (one is now deceased) and a sister. When my mother finally found out how to get in touch with his surviving brother to let him know dad had passed away he really acted like he could care less. We have never been able to find out anything about his sister, all we have is her maiden name.

Jana, Yes I am taking LOTS of drugs, dr has me on antibiotics, allergy medicine and nasal spray.



Did anyone else get hit by that stupid internet worm? I had a heck of a time getting the download I needed because it kept shutting down my computer before I was halfway through downloading the fix on the microsoft website. GRRRR!


I'm off to clean the house from top to bottom, I'm hoping to get everything done. We are going to the NASCAR race Sunday and I don't want to come home to a dirty house.

Ta ta, Mel

BTW, Jana, my birthday is July 1


Mel

Marti
I am a private investigator, but I do other things,,,this finding birth families has become a hobby.
Mel,
Do you know where your aunt is from? Cause what you can do is head for the court house and with her maiden name find out when and who she married,,,getting her married name. Its public accessible.
Well I gotta run,,,really need to do some work around here,,,paint the deck and such.
Angie

Hope no one from our group is in the east,,,without power.

I admit it stopped my heart for a moment when I first say what was going on TV.
We are right now suffering with smoke from a horrible fire, that is the next province.
Angie

Hi ladies,

Ok, I'm going to share with you HOW I'm losing the weight week after week. At first I didn't want to say anything to get other WW members all griping at me, but since we have our own thread, I'll chance it.

Remember that I am very heavy - I had 100 pounds to lose, so this may not work for someone who has a lot less to lose. Anyway, when I first began, I was absolutely starving after even 2 weeks, so I adjusted it by adding 5 points to my range. Yes, I am losing slowly now, but I have had a consistant loss every week. I have been able to work into my diet every recipe and every fast food that I want. No, I can't eat a lot of any of it, but for the first time EVER, I eat all the same stuff as my family, and I do have some killer recipes! But I ran everyone of them through a recipe calculator and was able to find the WW points on them.

Anyway, I guess you could say I am doing my own thing, but based on WW. Here's my weight loss record so far :

Wk 1 - 7
wk 2 - 2
wk 3 -3 1/4
wk 4 - 2 1/4
wk 5 -1 1/2
wk 6 -3/4
wk 7 - 1 3/4
wk 8 -1 1/2
wk 9 -3 1/4
wk 10 - 1 1/4

Plus, I had lost 4 earlier in the year, and I count that, too for a total of 28 1/2 pounds lost. I would nenver still be doing this, if I followed the plan as it is written.

One more thing - you have to be ready mentally, though, or no plan in the world will work. But everyday I say to myself - next year I'll be SO GLAD I stuck with it now.

If this helps just one person, even a lurker, I will be glad I shared it. And if you are a WW reading this, please DO NOT comment on how I'm NOT DOING THE PROGRAM, because I am doing what works for ME.

Jana

Everybody is different and our bodies have different needs. I beleive Oprah talks about this all the time,,,,there are tons of weight loss programs out there,,,you have to find the one that works or close enough for you to modify if need be..
Jana you did just that...you modified to make it work for you. Good for you for knowing that!
Angie

Jana,

I dont think that you have anything to apologize for. You found something that is quite obviously right for you. You are achieving the results you want, so who cares if youre not following "the rules". Besides, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to losing weight....you do what feels right and gets you where you want to be. I dont care what anyone says, you are always an inspiration for me!

Michelle

Hello everone!

Just wanted to leave you all a quick note to say that I'm in the process of moving EVERYTHING today and our computer is coming along with us! (heaven forbid if I left that behind!)
I won't have Internet access for awhile, but hopefully I'll be able to get back on sometime next week. So don't worry thinking that I flew the coop!!

But before I go,,, another confession here. I went to the fair yesterday and oh my goodness........ If I were following some points system I would have blown it for the rest of the year!! And let me tell you,,, I paid for it last night! I felt so ill.

Anyway, I will talk with you all sometime next week hopefully.

Marti

P.S. I shared an Elephant ear (funnel cake) with my sweetie! After 10 or more years, I couldn't resist. I'm so bad!!!

Hi ladies,

Angie - I just now noticed that you posted at the # 2 thread after I left it.... Regarding "The Family", I am glad, too, that Aunt Donna is eliminated! She is a hard worker, but devious. I can't believe she didn't save her son with the life raft! She drives me nuts, saying she's "pist awff" all the time! We have a person just like Cousin Dawn Marie in DH's family, too! Like you, I hope Cousin Mike wins. Gotta love the show!

Michelle and Angie - thanks for what you said about the way I do WW. I guess you are right - I just made it work for me.... what's wrong with that? It's not like I am Fergie and have to answer to anyone, lol.

DH is watching a ballgame, and I am going to go see if I can divert his attention. Hubba hubba. If not, there may be make-up sex later. The way I see it, it's a win-win situation.

Jana

First of all, I was so touched reading your birthday greetings for August 6th. I did not get to read them until days later, but I was very much surprised and thrilled with your remembering.

I do live in the Northeast and was affected by the power failure but only in work! I had no idea what was happening until I was driving home and heard about it on the radio. We were very blessed. There I was sitting in my air conditioned living room at 7:30, having had my din-din and watching those spirited folks walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, not having eaten or with anything to drink in all that heat and humidity....waving and blowing kisses to the camera. I just admire and love native New Yorkers! They turn every catastrophe into a party and never neglect to watch out for their neighbors.

As for the computer virus....we had it! My son went out and bought the anti-virus thing and took care of it. It was a trojan horse virus and very dangerous!

I have never mentioned this before, but for the past two years I have had The Boss from ****. When I "inherited" him, my DH had already been out of work for a year, I had two kids in college, and I was 54 years old! (Yes, that makes me 56!) I was in no position to feel like I was in the driver's seat and took an incredible amount of verbal abuse and totally unprofessional behavior from him. In the last few weeks, I bid on a job and was selected! Yes, I won out over all of the other bidders. Finally....NOT A MISS REINGOLD CONTEST! (Anybody remember that?) The great guy who chose me.....I used to work for several years ago, and we got along great. So....you never know! Anyway, my present boss was a total p***k about the whole thing! His behaviour was so bad, I stormed out of his office, slammed the door and reported him to H.R. He has tried a couple of times to talk to me, but I refuse. "Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, I'm free at last." I'm so old....I listened to that speech LIVE!

Needless to say, I am way behind in all of your wonderful posts and must apologize once again.

Jana, way to go on what works for you!

Love you all,
carree

Hello? Anybody home???? All the chickens have flown the coop!!

Carree - hi!!! Glad your computer is now virus-free. I feel for all the people the virus affected! Way to go on the new job!! When do you start, and is it with the same company? Good for you, reporting your nasty boss! There is no reason to have to put up with a creep like that nowdays. Btw, you and I aren't all that far apart, agewise. I'll be 50 soon....

It has been so stinking hot here in Indiana - I've just tried to stay indoors as much as possible. We have been eating light because of it, which helps me stay OP. Even the dogs have been indoors most of the time.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!
BBL,
Jana

Edit - Marti - your last post was 1 minute apart from mine, and I didn't see it!! Glad you had fun at the fair, and be sure to get back in here as soon as you can! We will miss you!!

Jana, I LOVE the quote from Dr. Phil about loving yourself with love, not with food! I don't view afternoon TV (too busy with work) and so miss some excellent Dr. Phil-isms. I do have his life strategies book and workbook.

One thing that I am doing for myself is setting up a monthly "retreat day" just for me and for my personal work. No phone, no visitors, no work......it's a day for me to shut off from the outside world and do inner work: reflection, visioning, planning, etc.about my personal, not business, life. The first "retreat day" scheduled is August 20th.

Another thing that I am doing is scheduling regular time to "get out of town" and enjoy nature in the provincial parks and countryside. Of course, I take spontaneous walks, etc. in town as well.

It's very hot where I live (western Canada), with no rain for about 10 days and little hope of rain until next Saturday. I'm thankful for my microwave oven and for no restrictions (so far) on showers and other water use. I want to rent space under a waterfall!!

Hello ladies,

I'm hoping now that the weekend is about over, you all will come out to play!

Prairie Chick - WELCOME to the Jaded Ladies!!! I read your bio and noticed that we are both 5' 9" tall, and are Virgos. Regarding Dr. Phil - I don't get to watch his show since it is on a network not offered by my satelite company. Boo Hoo!! I used to put everything on hold on Tuesdays when he was on Oprah. Your retreat day sounds wonderful!! I sort of do it in reverse, since I live in the country. Sometimes I go to Evansville or Terre Haute, stay at a hotel by myself, and shop in the hustle and bustle for a couple of days. Anyway, please post often and tell us what's going on in your life......

The scale was down 2 1/4 more today! I've lost more than 30% of the 100 pounds so far.

Marti - hope you are getting moved in okay. If I livedclose to you, I'd bring over a casserole.

Kat - how did the kitty ever get that had to have stitches?

Michelle - any more plans in the works for the doggie daycare?

Carree, Mel, Cristi, Ruth, Angie and Ricci - Hiya!

We've had a very lazy Sunday. After the kids left, I took a nap then DH and I watched a couple of old movies. It's just too hot to do much other than stay home.

BBL,
Jana