Oh poor Mel. You really are in the wars at the moment. A tomato with blue eyes hey. Now theres a novel colour scheme. One hopes you are not wearing a green and yellow striped sweatshirt and purple jeans!!
Actually I was quite surprised that my blood pressure was a good as it was. I expected the happenings to the doc and he took pressure and said it was up by too far. So that bit is hanging in there. The rest will follow. I will be very strict on it. The sugar I am not worrying about at all, but with a history of atherioschlerios (sp) in the family I will concentrate on the cholestrol and simply suffer through the glucophage.
Teel, that lady must be some woman to let you go off with the husband to Buck House. We all know of the strange things that happen to our Royal Family and they live there!!!!! Anyway I hope you have a great time. Just remember the kids are not your responsibility - nothing that they do can come back to you. Just ignore them if they become um er fractious!!
Hope Linus is okay - when did we last hear from her.
Mel, I don't have to do much of a digging job here. There is a wee urn about 5inches high and the size of a medium plant pot. What I will do is to scrape back the mulch. Spread the ashes and then replace the mulch. The urn will be partially buried among the roots of the tree and a wee prayer of farewell along with Auntie Mels goodbye. I'll place a rose on the mulch and that will be that. Next spring when the daffodils bloom under there, I won't have to tell him to get off the plants will I?

Good on ya Happy. And you got to please Mum as well. It's nearly 40 days without a smoke. So proud of you. Ngaire, my friend down south has already mentioned the lack of water and how they have to look after each drop. Actually, she has changed her e-mail addy and I haven't been able to get in touch for a while. The new one doesn't seem to want to work for me. I will need to get in touch another way and soon.
Okay, today is a busy day. I have a stack of things I want to fix or finish so I best away to try and list them all out. Need to do the 3rd trip to the gym today as well. This NCC is really doing me some good - apart from keeping me reasonably sane. It is measure and weigh soon. that I have some good news to report this time. Certainly hope so with all the effort put in this month - if not I may shut myself away in a convent or monastery!!!!!

Bloody H*ll, I just got that duplicate post thingy and lost the lot. And I stupidly did not copy it - grrrrrr.
Let's see if I can reconstruct it again.
Happy, I'm so proud of you with the non smoking. It's nearly 40 days and you are so positively determined. Is it a good idea to tease Mum like that? I've seen some of the bad weather you guys have been having on our news. It looks terrible and so sad that a few lives have been lost. Hope it all becomes summer for you soon. My friend in Arizona was talking about the lack of water last time we spoke. She has changed her e-mail address and the new one she gave me does not appear to work. So I will have to get back in touch with her and soon!!
Teel, what a woman Alans wife must be to give her husband and kids to another woman for a weekend. I'm sure you will have fun at the palace - remember the kids aren't yours so you really can't drown them in the garden pool or HM's bathtub! Countdown to 40. Oh yeah - do you mean you have 20 days in which to relive the youth or are you anticipating that life begins at 40? And whats this about no painkillers - are you no longer our resident junkie?
Surprised that Linus hasn't been in for our usual dose of mayhem today. Hope she is okay - or maybe she is planning out the route for the Nutters walk next time I go to Edinburgh!!
Hello to Roseblush - are you up to your elbows in plants or weather??
Mel, what can I say? I'm so sorry to hear that the allergies have broken out again. Wish there was some way of finding out what causes them and fix it for good. I just hope that with bright blue eyes and red, red face you are not wearing a yellow and green striped T shirt and purple pants.
I'm more worried about the cholesterol levels than the sugar levels although neither of them are very high and certainly not at danger levels. So I will now begin to learn about cholestrol and what to do about it.
I don't have to dig very far Mel. The urn is about 5 inches high and what I will do is to scrape back the mulch and spread the ashes and then dig a small hole about the size of the medium plant pot and pop the urn in for about half its length. Then I will stutter and mutter a small prayer and add Auntie Mels farewell and lay a rose on the spot. Nothing hard and at least I will not have to chastise him any more for lying on the emerging spring bulbs come September!
Okay, its time to try this out again. and get out of here to hang out the washing, trim the hedge, go to the gym among the other things necessary for today. It is nearly the end of the month and I need to publish my weight and measurements shortly. I think the NCC has been good to me. I certainly hope so. I may very well shut myself away in a convent or monastery and take vows of silence if not!!!! I wonder whether they would have me!

if you all write so much how am i meant to keep up with you ????? right im here reporting for duty but where to start SHAD the reason your blood pressure isnt up is because youve been waiting for this to happen for a while if i remember right it was talking about shad that brought me here and look who i found the best bunch of nutters on the planet the whole bunch of spotty sore red bent double and sweaty lot of us the wee man gave as much as he could and now hes just siting taking notes for when he sees you again{not for a very lond time} but taking notes all the same and noe he wont be lying on the plants **** just flood them from above if he didnt want them to grow then he wont now either you should come over here for your test they use sunny d over here cause its got that much sugar in it im so proud of you HAPPY you must be so strong willed and are you feeling the benefit of it yet?hope so does that mean im the only smoker now ??? hope you wont kick me off for polluting the atmosphere i think you might be right i think its fire jumpers i read a book about them once well it was a mills and boon about one of them i give up trying to sound intallectual it doesnt work except with my dad he reckons im too good to be married actually i think its the hubby he doesnt like biut as i pointed out to him im not asking him to have sex with him that didnt go down to well either one of these days ill learn to shut my mouth i must be the only woman in history to be in the rolls royce going to my wedding whos dad spent the whole time trying to get me not to gte married "you can go to university " yes dad but as i was already 5 month pregnant i think i should wait MEL hi multi coloured woman ill have to get the kids to give you a new name oh wait a min HAPPY GET THAT BLOODY BACK SEEN TO LADY YOULL END UP LIKE ME AND THATS AN ORDER sorry mel forgot about that for a minute i was at the hospital with mum today and i think i saw a chair like the one your getting this thing raised up for the lad to use the phone and to hit the top door release as the one at wheel chauir hight was not working he said to me are you not going to do it ireplied that he looked like he was managing just fine and i was rewarded with the biggest smile ive seen in a long time it was wonderfull hope your feeling better soon either that or for gods sake dont jump up and down or youll rattle ROSE what are you up to floating along just fine i suppose you seem to lead a very tranquil life you wouldnt last 5 minutes in my **** hole wed drive you mad well i went and gave away some of my red stuff while i was at the hospital and they let the new ones practice on me as you just need to throw the needle at me and stand by with the bucket to catch it and the man in the next bed to me asked the nurse if i wasnt wanting my local anaesthetic could he have it he wasnt very chuffed when i came in after him and left before him the nurse said if he wasnt so stingy with his blood hed be done by now too took the dogs for a 3 hour walk tonight as they desperatly needed it and now im sore and knackered and SHAD you dont plan anything with the nuter you just put the lead on and run along at the back and go where she takes you the only problem is geting her turned round and heading for home right ladies im off to bed im knacked
speak to you all tomorrow after ive been to get weighed hey maybe giving blood will have helped me lose weight you never know
kirsty

[QUOTE=Shad] And whats this about no painkillers - are you no longer our resident junkie?

] Good morning!! The sun is shining and the skies are blue!...Who sang that? It seems to ring a bell somewhere among the greys!!
I think I must be extremely lucky I haven't found the duplicate button yet! Now I probably will...Shad, can you remind me how to copy my post? It seems to be the safer way of posting these days...
No I still hold the thread title for being a hereoin addict!! I still take Morphine Sulphate Tablets (MST) for the chondritis...only 3 weeks to go till the pain man's clinic...it was a bit of a near thing...24 hours earlier and the appointment would have been on my birthday!! As it is I was thinking (yes I do very occassionally!) that I have a blood test every 3 weeks still and the next one, after the one due at 11:40 this morning...will be due at the same time as Munglani's appointment...so perhaps I should have it done the day before...and then I remembered it would be my birthday and I don't particularly relish the thought of having a needle stuck in me on that day...so the end of this, is I don't quite know what to do!!!
Oh I forgot to say so it is only the pain killers for my back which I am not taking anymore...I just take a strong anti-inflammatory. I do hope the old Professor has some answers.
I thought I'd go multi coloured today in honour of MEL!! Oh Mel m'dear...my thoughts are with you as you feel so horrible with your allergies...summer must be a mixed blessing for you. Try and enjoy your new chair...go terroroze the neighbourhood!!
Happy...GO GET THAT BACK SEEN TO!!!
Shad...how are you, treasure? Well done for holding in there over the last few days...my heart goes out to you ...
Linus..how are you? I read your posts and feel totally
!! I don't know how you get to be so energetic!! What are you on?? Ooh I have just realised the time and I have 50 minutes to get dressed and go out...better scoot...bye for now...have a good day...GOOD MORNING TO AMERICA!!

Good Afternoon I guess I should say. Somehow the morning got away from me and I have totally lost track of time. But I changed sheets and just fionished 2 wash loads. Carlos is coming tomorrow to help fit the chair. Wonder if he realizes how hard it's going to be getting in here. Memorial day weekend!!! Oh well........It's their problem.

You gals all sound fine except for the usual complaints. I still have my usual too. Eyes are improved since yesterday's fiasco. I am my normal shade of pink The DR said I would have to try berries again to see if that was really the problem and it should be today or tomorrow. WTF!!! Do I look stupid enough to try this?! I will have to limit my berries. I was eating them EVERY day and guess I can't do that anymore. I went through this many years ago as I said yesterday.

I'm off to clean the place so It looks nice on Friday. Carlos is bringing his "girl" down to meet me too. He wants to get married again ~ the fool!!!!
Jen will be gone for the long weekend and I will be pampering myself, riding my new chair and getting ready for my next NCC week!!!

Shad, I hate the thought of measuring again on Monday morning If I haven't lost any real pounds I hope at least an inch here or there is missing!!! But the clothes still feel about the same!!

Eyes are a little gritty so I will leave you all and hope you have a great day!!!
I am thinking of looking for a magnifying screen cover. No $$ right now but soon maybe I'll have a little extra. If not, the credit card. I stopped using it but this is important and I will not be getting new glasses for quite awhile I think. Medicaid will pay for 1 glasses every 2 years. If I get them now and then have surgery, they won't buy another pair. So it's too late to get them now. I don't wish to take the chance. Gotta love the government!!!
Adios mi amigos!!!

Glorious but cool morning down here in the Great South East. Woke up to 5 this morning and the natives are talking about how we are going to have a cold cold winter as they struggle into 15 layers of clothes. Fools - you then have to struggle out of them the minute the sun gets up and starts to cook everything. Next thing we will be getting frosts which is actually a gentle dew on the lawn. If your feet get wet on the grass here its either raining or they have a frost!!!
Okay, I'm starting out in a new routine this morning. I got up early instead of reading in bed and went directly to the gym and have come home to have breakfast, catch up on your lot check the job ads and then work for the next 4 hours or so in the house. I need this routine to get me back into a reasonable frame of mind for the day. I will then not have a bad time getting back into the work routine when it comes along.
I've also started looking at planning my food a bit better. I have to make some allowances for the body degeneration my doctor tells me is coming although it feels fine. So I will have to cut right back on the bacon and smallgoods (they will now become a special treat) and cheeses etc. Last night I made a wholewheat pasta with 97%fat free carbonara sauce and 25%fat free cheese. When I tasted it, it was pretty bland so I spiced it up a bit with some bacon pieces and a bit of full fat cheese. If I am going to want to eat this stuff, then it is going to be half and half as in the cheese and only once in a while as with the bacon. Bah who wants to get old. Please can I just sit down one day and go out like a light and not disintegrate into a whinging limping vegie type.
Anyway, thats the start of my new routine. I will edit and refine as necessary.

Mel I'm glad that things are getting better for you. Pity about the berries tho. They are so good for you.

I just went up the page a bit and both of my posts are there - the one I lost and the one I re did because of the duplicate bit. Yikes what is happening to me. Teel to copy your post, put the cursor at the end or the beginning of the post and then holding the left mouse button down drag to the other end of the post. It will all go a blue or grey colour. Take your finger off the mouse. Then hold down the Control {Ctrl) Key and press C. If you need to paste it again. Plonk the cursor where you want to put the text, hold down the Ctrl Key and press V

Okay time to check out the journals and get on with the day. Umm where is happy and Roseblush? We're dwindling again. Mind you - we may be little but we are loud!

WTF WHERE IS EVERYONE!!! AND THEN THERE WERE 2!!!
I feel pretty good eyes still "gritty' but better......and tomorrow will be a very busy day. Food shopping, cooking and Carlos. I think in that order too!!! So I am checking in tonite.

Shad~ Send some frost over here. It will be frassing hot here soon!
good for you and the routine. If a job came along you'd be dragging yourself off to work after being so lazy!(being sarcastic here) I don't think you know there is a work called LAZY!!! with all the gym, garden, lumberjack stuff, house hunting redo-ing the house!!! You gave me quite a laugh with your post but I hope the routine helps just the same. OK Kiddo I must hit the sack and get up early for the bus. Love and great day wishes to you!!! see ya tomorrow!

Hey peoples,
Here comes the late night poster again.

Shad, that's a good idea about setting a new routine for yourself. Tell me, do you still have a bit of protein of some sort before setting off for the gym in the morning? I used to split up my breakfast when I was going in early - a small portion before the workout and the rest afterwards.

Food that helped me lower my cholesterol numbers from 233 down to 202 were... oatmeal - I swear that works. Must be the regular oatmeal, not the instant fast cook stuff. For variety's sake I also would switch off with a cooked multigrain cereal. Had that 3 times a week with whatever berries or chopped fruit happened to be around the house. Also I was eating salmon once a week. Just a small filet, nothing too large. And I'd have canned tuna twice a week for lunches. When I use oil, it's exclusively olive oil. And I have also been taking Omega 3 fish oil supplement tablets. Monitoring the bad fatty stuff and exercising as you have been really do help, but I swear I saw the biggest improvements over 6 months time by adding the oatmeal and salmon into my diet. And now that it's "cool" (by your standards) in the morning - a nice bowl might be just what you need to get the engine warmed up. And it has to be oatmeal, not the oatmeal cereals they tout either. Good luck to you, you've really been trying very hard these last few months. I am in admiration of you ***happy bows to Shad's greatness and fine muscular structure and definition ***

Mel, you sound like quite the sight right now from the picture you describe for us. That is too bad about the berries, as they are good for you. Perhaps maybe once a week instead of every day? Or are you not willing to even try to reintroduce them back in? I know sometimes when things are in season they're so yummy I eat them several times a day and my body doesn't always like it. Fortunately, I have no food allergies which I am most grateful for - only allergic to mold, dust and cat hair. Achooo... sniff, sniff. Actually I'm at my worst in the fall as the leaves start to fall and rot and during the winter with all the house dust. But I do hope you are feeling better.

Teel, the plans for your birthday sound quite lovely. Let us know the exact time to coordinate lifting a glass to your health and honor and we will do so, round the world. May be a bit harder to coordinate with Shad but for the most part I think you and I are sleeping near to the same time. I hope you have enjoyed that rare sunny day across the pond today.

Well Linus, you can smoke for me I do miss it sometimes I must admit. And there is a tendency to romaticize it - much like we do an ex-lover who was in fact no good for us all along yet once away, we forget how bad they truly were. And it really does take a steely will to avoid it - no pill or patch or medication or nagging DH or friends can really stop you - you have to do it yourself. I am just hoping that at the 6 month mark it won't be quite the daily struggle any more and the habit of not smoking will predominate. Am I feeling better? About the only thing I can say is that I can run up the stairs (on my good days ) and I am not winded and out of breath like I used to be. I suppose I have a bit more endurance, hard to say with this back of mine tho - I am eager to test it out. I was getting stains on my teeth which disgusted me - a combination of years and years of coffee, cigarettes, and Coca Cola. My sister said green tea which I was drinking for a while is also more staining to the teeth than black teas. But the stains are gone and the teeth are shiny now. My chest does not hurt like it used to, probably because I am not coughing constantly like I was. I still get some chest pain now, but I know that is directly related to having something fatty to eat like a bit of mayonaisse or even some tomato based sauces. I know it was the right thing to do, giving up the cigs, tho there is still the evil allure - much like the sirens of the seas, calling out to the sailors, enchanting them and then taking them down to the depths to kill them off. You will quit too someday but you have to be ready and wanting to do it. I only tease mum that I have started again because of the tone in which she asks me. I think it's that none of my family think I will stick with this - not that they aren't supportive of me. In fact sister said last weekend that it was odd with me not smoking. Before she was used to me periodically running outside to have a cig like clockwork and it was odd for me to just sit in one spot for hours at a time.

I am trying to get back on program again. Food was better today, tho perhaps a bit more than I should have had. It's cool outside and I'm hungry. I did about 1-1/2 liters of water. Took a short walk after supper tonight, came back and did some more gardening until it got too dark to see well. We have a long weekend coming up, DH wants to do something. I suppose I should accomodate him, there's just so many things here around the house that need doing. Painting and fixing and fly-ladying and de-cluttering. But it is the official first weekend of "summer" for us so I suppose taking one day to go out in the sun (Saturday being our only option) is a good thing.

Guess I've babbled enough for now. Happy Friday to all - we made it through another week!

By the way, what is 5 am - oh yes, that's when I force myself out of bed for a run to the loo and know I still have a bit of sleep left in me. You mean people actually get up willfully and greet the day at that hour? I shouldn't poke fun, if I do find another job and it happens to be downtown in the city, I will be getting up at that time again myself. Uggggh.

sorry girls im not keeping very good i think ive got a kidney infectionas well as the usual stuff so didnt make it to slimming world and not done anything else either will pop in for a chat later
kirsty

OH LINUS! I'm sorry to hear that!!! We make a fine pair this week! Let me see if I can get something over the weekend to top the KI!!! Maybe we should give each other prizes for the best efforts! But I hope you feel better too. I know how painful and uncomfortable they can be. Sending good get well wishes your way!!!

Happy~ Well hello stranger! Glad to hear that all is well in the Happy household. Just what exactly did the DH want you to be accmodating about in the sun!!! He likes to do "it" outdoors? A real nature lover huh? Butterflies and sex in the grass! Maybe we should call him Nature Boy instead of Colonel Mustard!
Sounds good on the screen but don't know how good it is for your back?!?!?
Hope the back does feel better too. Might I add also that maybe someone should take a good look at it?! Just a suggestion!! Have you used ice? Not to freeze it just to cool it down some. On and off. Kinda fast. OK Dr Mel is leaving the house!!!

I am almost ready for Carlos and Patty. Hope they can get here at a decent hour and don't get stuck in a traffic jam. With all this cleaning I'll have nothing to do this holiday! YAY ME!!! Now watch the pipes burst!!!
I hope you all have a Wonderful and Safe Holiday!!!
HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!!

PS SHAD~ What is Whitsunday? I thought it was an island but I see it on my calendar for tomorrow and can't find it on the internet?!

OH JUST FOUND IT! Whit Sunday and it's on Sunday! a Pentecostal holiday of sorts. Didn't find very much!

Well I must go and see if there are gifs for that holiday too!

Hi guys....
Shad, it was funny to see you had Carbonara for dinner one day this week...yesterday I fancied it too! Only I made mine with spaghetti..(house is a taglitelli free zone!) and not the wholewheat stuff! I bought some low fat ready made cheese sauce and diced up 1/2 a slice baked ham and chopped up an onion and mixed the whole caboodle together. It was rather scrummy!! And I have 1/2 alice very nice ham to put in something tomorrow...
Mel..has that chair of yours arrived yet?? I do hope Mr. Carlos arrived safely with it...and girlfriend in tow.Don't put too many miles on the clock over the weekend!!
I am quite excited. Hee hee!! My neighbour and I are planning to go away for a week...probably to Europe...Austria or Switzerland or the like. I am going to make use of her time whilst she is at home and not working!! I am also going to London still at the end of August but I confess that I feel I am being pushed in directions I didn't plan on going and doing things I hadn't planned and not doing the things I really wanted to do...for example I wanted to go to a classical concert but now I have 2 children in tow I think I have been persuaded to go to a show instead. Also I wanted to go on the Original London Bus Sightseeing Tour...but here again I have been overuled. I know it will still be a great time.Buckingham Palace rang me the other day to talk about the tickets!! Anyway so Teresa and I are going to stay in an hotel for a week and it looks like it won't cost any more than a week in London. I LOVE the Alps and the lakes..have been to Austria a couple of times and Switzerland once, many many moons ago. I am longing for a bit of luxurious pampering!
Linus I hope you begin to get on the road to recovery very soon. Drink loads of water. Gallons and gallons. It's supposed to help flush out the system. Just be ready to spend all day in the lavatory.. or should that be on it!!
This week in the supermarket I bought a few cartons of Benecol yoghurt...apparently Benecol is reknowned for helping lower cholesterol. I wonder if it will work. Mums been using it and has just had the lowest cholesterol result in years and all she has done is started eating Benecol this that and everything else!!Haven't tried out the yoghurt yet. Perhaps tomorrow's breakfast. Mel...Whit Sunday is to do with the Christian festival of Pentecost....50 days after Easter. I didn't know it was also an Island off Australia till recently!!
Right. Time to give the dog her supper and tell her it's bedtime. Oh BTW., did any one hear about that 3 year old child that died from complications associated with her obesity this week??How worrying is that...

Whitsundays are a group of islands off the coast of Northern Queensland. Not just one island. They are very beautiful and very expensive and there is not much to do once you have seen the sights, done the diving, eaten in very expensive restaurants and climbed the hills. There is actually a millionaires retreat on Long Island (one of the group) where jaded millionaires can go to get away from the rest of us low lifes.

Teel, I am amazed that a 3 year old child could be allowed to get so obese. I haven't heard about it from here but no doubt we will some time. I love the thought of you going to Switzerland and/or Austria. Hope you have a wonderful time. Don't forget to take lots of photos, take the highways and the by ways and turn off the main road everytime you see an interesting sign. I'm sorry that you are not going to do all that you wished in London. Can you not agree to split up for the concert and show. What the kids will want to see, is probably not what you want to go to.

Mel, there is absolutely no point in asking me about the origins and aims of Whit Sunday. Teel will be much better at it. I have no idea past Shrove Tuesday, Palm Sunday and Ash Wednesday. There is also Maundy as well - don't ask.

Linus, get well soon. Do as Teel says, lots of water and rest. Now there's a silly thing to say to a mother.

Happy, yes there is such a thing as 5am. In the summer time I love it. Not so in the winter when it's still dark and cool. I'm going to try those oats. LindaT often talks about steel cut oats. I'll have a look for them at the shops today. If I am going straight to the gym I do not eat before. I found that if I ate too soon before the gym, I simply felt sick and could not carry on for the time I wanted. It's the same with water. I have a large glass before I leave here, and only small sips between routines, then I bury the nose in the water trough when I have finished. I have such a silly gastro system. However if like today I leave gym until later, then I can have my cereal and get along okay after an hour or so.

Okay, so I'm off to the gym, it's now time for it to be open. I've spent more time here than I intended. What else is new. Catch up later. Linus get better soon.

Well Carlos has been and gone and I am still in the same predicament. the tool did not fit so the lap tray is still in my way, seat belt is too tight still and too hard for me to do myself, seatback is still too low. I showed him what I want on the net and he yelled and screamed at the customer service for their mistakes. He has the proof the\at he ordered the right things. Seems I am being mixed up with another of his customers but NOT at his place....at the chair factory. It's all because of our orders were faxed together originally and someone on their end decided Carlos was ordering the wrong stuff and took it upon themselves to change his order. so alas the chair is STILL sitting in the corner and I will continue to dust ti off once and awhile! I am as calm as I can be. Decided going nuts is not the answer. I cannot afford stress and these eyes in this condition right now. I kept laughing, he was almost in tears and left very morose. I just called him and the GF and made sure their weekend will not be affected. He really is a good sort. He's thankful that I realized the error whilst listening to his conversation on the phone. It dawned on me there must be two patients! DUH!!!
so He will be back with a new seat to try on Wednesday. I am sure some time in JUNE I will eventually get to ride it!!! Thanks for all the support here....you gals are great to talk to. You really listen and I needed that this time. So off with the brassiere and into my comfy jammies for the rest of the LOOOOONG weekend!! a 3 day meliday has begun!!! YAY!!! Have a great weekend everyone!