WSW!!!!

SO glad you could stop by!!
You are like sunshine on a rainy day!

SO.... you're birthday is coming up is it??

Hope you can come by again really soon!

Our temps outside are right at the freezing mark and its raining on top of thin layer of snow....as we speak...

Always interesting!!


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Today's thought for the day :

"I've never been disabled in my dreams."
--Christopher Reeves ( of "Superman" fame)

Question of the day :

"You've just won a fabulous vacation. The catch is this: You have to spend it with all your worst dates... now what?"

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Ok, off to deal with the storm....

KETTLE IS ON!

Just wanted to pop in and say hello. I've got tons to do today, but hope to be on around lunchie. See you then!

Kaylets, what a horrible question! I think at first I'd opt to just stay home--but then I thought I'd give it a try. People mature and mellow with age, right? Just how fabulous is this vacation?!

Hopelessly behind on keeping up w/posts. Scanning not good enough and don't even get that done. A few sleepless nights when I get home should help me catch up a bit.

I am homesick (I really like my place, my friends, neighbors, family, et al) but Kaylets is right. Just too darn cold and miserable for me to come home. Or rather, to take dh home. He's cold down here. I know people think I'm odd to be willing to give up a "vacation" and go home. But two months is a bit long for me. Actually was warm enough yesterday and today that I exercised in the outdoor pool - first water exercising in two months and my body said thanks. But to cool down again.

ANYWAY - all you ailing royals, please feel better. And may little rays of sunshine poke out and brighten those with all sorts of problems (special hugs, Wood Nymph) - sure seem to be a lot.

Empress, I'll be on the NOLA thread as soon as I can remember to bring my cheat sheet to the library with me. I think I'm on my 5th lap.

Bye-bye! More messages when I can read more.

drive by post. it has been a vey busy day at work. just got a call from sis and she is now on temporary bed rest becuase her blood presure went uo too high. yikes.

now i must get back to working and eating yogurt (organic plain fat free, aka not everybodies cup of tea).

Yo! Here I am w/2-in-a-row again! Just a note to say K sent me her speech and I loved it ... as thou seest, I've snagged a quote for my sig line!

Kaylets, I sent thee a pm but wanted to say I think you've scored a real hit there!!!! Great job!

TO ALL S : I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE A NEW MAIN THREAD BE STARTED. IF NO ONE OBJECTS, I THINK WE SHOULD DO THIS ON SUNDAY (first day of week). THIS ONE IS QUITE LONG AND IT'S HARD TO FIND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, IMO! ANYONE MIND? SORRY TO SHOUT!

I'm off to the food thread ... I've decided to take a hiatus from weigh-in this week again and consider myself still at 151! Also bowing out of NOLA with a grand total of approximately 3 laps ... Anagram, thy 5 laps is a fantastic job ... thou be Trekker Woman!!!!!! If I had a superwoman smilie, I'd use it, but anyhow !!!!!

Working early and late today, determined to do gym today as I was all whiny and wimpy with the trainer and hope to shape up this week!!!! Yowza!

Hello all!

Really slept in today -- appears to be a trend ....

Empress....thanks for the kind words... and I am very touched that you are using a phrase in you signature line... wow!

*****

Today's thought :

"Sometimes things which at the moment may be perceived as obstacles ---and actually may be obstacles, difficulties or drawbacks--can in the long run result in such good end which would not have occured it it had not been for the obstacle."
--Steve Allen

Question of the day :

"When was the last time you spent money frivolously?"
--Table Topics by the Pampered Chef

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Am seeing lots of posts here and elsewhere about "Passing As Thin" by Frances Kuffel....a true account of a woman as she loses about 170 lbs...
Our library lets us use their database and I hope to be there at opening to grab the copy that's on the shelf ( as of closing last night)....
Always loved the library but then felt as though the ultimate was to have the library here in my house.... now I'm realizing...unless its a book you use as reference or to study... I've begun to realize unless a book is shared and read and shared again.....I feel as though its wasteful to hold onto books just for the sake of "having"... Don't get me wrong... I don't mean leatherbound, signed editions...
Wonder how much I'm motivated by not wanting to dust them!


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Read a post which shared this website.... International recipes... I looked at the Vietnamese recipes and saw a few w/ Tofu ... am always looking to add to our favorites as I find tofu ususally stays with me so much longer and is so point friendly and so inexpensive.... Think I'm in love!
http://www.asiarecipe.com

Need to get dressed so I can be at the library when they open!

KETTLE IS ON!

Thou be welcome, K!!!!

Today I be back to remembering who I am and what I'm about and am going to take some steps to be kind to me ... starting with an announcement that I'm dumping the WW points system and going back to counting calories and eating in a modified Body For Life pattern.

Setting up my challenges on the demon food thread ... will keep track of exercise there as well unless the NOLA be revived. We are almost at Valentine's Day ... I am not at 145 pounds but that's ok. The quest continues.

That's all about me, sorry. Hope everyone is well. Dost thou s want to start a new thread? Advise at thy pleasure!

The last time I spent money frivously was the $200 I spent last week for new tools when I took the woodcarving class. They're nice, but I had tools.

Hello all!

Empress- New thread is a fine idea.... !

Here is the morning thought of the day .... little bit longer but I really enjoyed rereading it this am and thought you might too:

This was written by an 83 year old...The last line says it all.

Dear Bertha,

I'm reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting in the yard and admiring the view without fussing about the weeds in the garden. I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time working. Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experiences to savor, not to endure. I'm trying to recognize these moments now and cherish them.

I'm not "saving" anything; we use our good china and crystal for every special event such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, or the first Amaryllis blossom.

I wear my good blazer to the market. My theory is if I look prosperous, I can shell out $28.49 for one small bag of groceries..

I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties, but wearing it for clerks in the hardware store and tellers at the bank.

"Someday" and "one of these days" are losing their grip on my vocabulary; if it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now.

I'm not sure what others would've done had they known they wouldn't be here for the tomorrow that we all take for granted.

I think they would have called family members and a few close friends. They might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend fences for past squabbles.

I like to think they would have gone out for a Chinese dinner or for whatever their favorite food was.

I'm guessing; I'll never know.

It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew my hours were limited. Angry because I hadn't written certain letters that I intended to write one of these days. Angry and sorry that I didn't tell my husband and parents often enough how much I truly love them. I'm trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter and luster to our lives.

And every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself that it is special. Every day, every minute, every breath truly is a gift from God.

If you received this, it is because someone cares for you.

If you're too busy to take the few minutes that it takes right now to forward this, would it be the first time you didn't do the little thing that would make a difference in your relationships? I can tell you it certainly won't be the last.

Take a few minutes to send this to a few people you care about, just to let them know that you're thinking of them.

"People say true friends must always hold hands, but true friends don't need to hold hands because they know the other hand will always be there."

I don't believe in miracles. I rely on them.

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance.
. . . . . . . . . .



Then, this morning, Finally caught up w/ a best friend...we live 2 doors away but btwn work, home, etc., we just got toghether to exchange holiday gifts... as we went shopping... don't know if anyone has seen the promos for the Dr Phil show for this Monday... The show is about this lady who has asked Dr Phil to help her lose weight... I don't know how much she weighs or how tall she is so I can't guess but the extra weight is up and down her legs, even hanging below her ankles... I don't know her story but know there are many reasons such a weight gain could happen....
I am hoping Dr Phil will have a place on his website so people can send supportive emails to this lady because I think I know how she must feel....

Anyway... we saw a lady who was very tall but also carrying so much extra weight that it hung below her knees... It was pretty early to be in the grocery store and I wanted so much to approach her and just give her a sign of a friendly face but then again... how do you approach someone you dont' know??? As luck would have it, her cart was blocking my cashier and I turned her cart just a tiny bit to get by, saying"
You don't mind if I move this a little bit do you?" and she was immeadiately, for apologetic... but I just said, " No problem, just need to move it a little"... and she said something else.. and her voice was so lovely that it made you think she would have a beautiful singing voice....

I don't know if I made any kind of difference in her life today... I hope so...
I know how many times I would've loved to interact with folks but shyness held me back..
I can only imagine how self concious this lady was....

I know how much my support means to me, its great when things go well and a godsend when things are not...

This is why we need to share our stories..
so that others know it can be done....

DH just handed me lunch so I'll be back later...

Loved both thy stories, Kaylets ... one of my fav songs is the one that goes " ... and if you get the chance to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance, I hope you dance!"

Pretty sad today, but dancing anyway!

As posteth on the demon food thread, I got real and got on the scale and have only gained two pounds. Feeling good about my decision to go back on a calorie counting program rather than the points, which make me feel sometimes that 100 cal is not 100 cal, when it really is! I posted a 21-day challenge on the food thread.

Here's my prayer for today: Artemis, please help w/my 21-day challenge of no more than 1500 calories six days a week and no more than 1500-2000 one day a week, plus 360 total exercise minutes per week! Thanks!

Hope this offendeth no one. It's a real prayer ... not being flippant. I will log my 21-dayer on the food thread.

Thanks for the input on starting a new thread ... I always hesitate to take the initiative to do it ... maybe someone else will do it on Monday? Hmmmm?

I've set a new weight goal for pre-Easter ... we need to do some thinking about holiday challenges, dinna ye all thinketh?

Worrying about Seattle Jo who has been away some time ... SJ, please reporteth to palace to let the s know thou art well and that thou still loveth us!

Kaylets, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I know what you mean, There's so many people I'd like to approach, but shyness holds me back sometime, or I don't want to seem weird. Garry had a great idea recently--to have cards made up to hand out to people who make the effort to make the world a bit nicer, whether it's a cashier, a bank teller, a stranger. It sounds really corny, I know, but wouldn't it be fun?! We're going to do it!!! I'll let you know how the Great Experiment goes.

Amarantha, Thanks for sharing your prayer. I'm reading a book now called "The Prayer Diet", by Matthew Anderson. I think You're familiar with him, Kaylets? I have a few little rituals that help me along. One is starting my day with a 'purifying' cup of water---with the prayer that it'll set the tone for the day, and that water becomes a healing elixer. And my coffee mug at work has an inspiring goddess image on it too! We can find our inspiration anywhere!

Hello all!

No, Eydie... Matthew Anderson was a new name to me although I do get an email from Ediets...just a Daily Tip... Let me know what you think of the book.. perhaps I can borrow from the Library...

But yes, I just posted to a brand new WW this am about how we can't rely on the scale for motivation ( too fickle) and that I need a fresh shot of motivation nearly every day which is why I am so often here..

Yes, I am worried about Seattle Jo as well.... and did I miss a post?? Is the Q of Friday on vacation.?? I miss her too.

Making Mushroom Barley Soup.... and Dh made Whole Wheat Bread... we don't even bother with the pans anymore as they too are fickle and no matter what we've tried... won't let the bread go... DH even made little loaves similiar to roll.... I saw at the Panera restaraunt how they hollow out a small loaf to use it for the soup bowl and have been enamored ever since.

hmmm... another love reference... The Big V day approaches...