CCRRMM Sizzling and Slimming in the Spring & Summer Palace
 

Because the size of the last thread begins to resemble my former girth, I'm immodestly assuming the authority to start a new thread.

Because spring has crept into almost every area of the realm, it's time to begin our move to the Palace of Spring and Summer where bright sunlight banishes those tired gray days and gives added spirit to our journey into health. In the spring and summer palace there are so many more fresh and nutritious food choices available, so many opportunities for exercise and enthusiasm, so many more hours of daylight in which to pursue our goals of "putting us out there".

Well, we just can't fail now, can we, Royals? Failure is not an option. And though we may have occasionally faltered in past days, May is the time to set those feet straight once again on the path to swimsuits and svelte.

Hello fellow :queen:s!

Amarantha, you will make that 100lb mark, I have complete faith in you. Glad the spam thing seems to have resolved itself. I hope the same can be said for whatever is the cause of your recent depression. If you want to share, you know we are all here for you. :grouphug:

I have come to the conclusion that while I cannot control what other people in my life choose to do, I can control what I choose to do. Really, wallowing in chocolate does not solve anything and for sure does not help the health quest. I have been playing on the South Beach half-heartedly and have discovered that I do feel much better with less refined carbs in my diet. Can't quite do all the required vegetables with my wonky gut, but I am working out a happy medium and plan to incorporate it with daily exercise. I am done with diets and restricted eating plans. Common sense is my new modus operandi.

So, having said all that, I am setting my sights on a 5lb goal. Not 10, 20, or 30. Just 5. Anyone want to join me?

Now I hear there is a journal thread somewhere....I'm off to look for it.

Thanks, Wildfire! I do fell better today ... am ignoring all bad things (including work) in favor of getting eating and exercise back on track and finishing a mystery novel I'm reading. Thanks for posting on the journal thread ... I just said hi to thee there.

Quote of the Century: "Wallowing in chocolate does not solve anything ... " ~ Wildfire

That about says it! :yes:

Hail Queen Anagram the Bold for putting herself out there and starting a new thread! Thank you, Anagram!!! :D

I'm feeling good about May---so far so good and all that. Purchased my first bathing suit in 3 years just a few days ago. It's a very modest 2 piece---but a 2 piece nonetheless!!! One of those that flatters the figure with a 'mini- skirt' bottom and a tank top. It's nice; I won't feel so exposed on the boardwalk. Feels good to just do it!

Hello all!!

Fresh thread feels good!

OK.... here we go...

I will join you Wildfire... 5 lbs sounds doable!

What a weekend! Friday and Saturday lots of steps with the yard sale... yesterday... slept in till 6 am and then suprised DH by showing up at a big yard clean up ... to be his helper! He was going to do as much as he could before the rain came in and I knew with help, there was a good chance of getting the job done.... and....knew I'd burn more activity points outside than in!!

Yes, seems like the weekends have us all running different directions....
but Monday is upon us and its time to check in and FRESH START MONDAY!!

*****
Thought of the day :

"Learning is finding out what you already know...."
--Richard Bach

Question of the day :

"If money was no object, what kind of car(motor vechicle) would you pick?"

*********



hee hee.... scale says that after the 3 days of running, stretching, etc, etc,... I'm up 2 lbs.... do you think my cycle due to hit??? hmmmmmmmm....MAYBE!!
and its full moon too! YIKES!!

Here we go Monday, here we go!

KETTLE IS ON!

Monday Grin --PG RATED
 

MONDAY GRIN ( PG RATED)

A crusty old biker walks into a bank and says to the woman at the teller
window "I want to open a da** checking account."

The astonished woman replies, "I beg your pardon, sir. I must have
misunderstood you. What did you say?"

"Listen up, da** it. I said I want to open a da** checking account
now!"

"I'm very sorry sir, but that kind of language is not tolerated in this
bank."

The teller leaves the window and goes over to the bank manager to inform
him of her situation. The manager agrees that the teller does not have
to listen to that foul language.

They both return to the window and the manager asks the old biker, "Sir,
what seems to be the problem here?"

"There is no da** problem," the man says. "I just won 50 million
dollars in the da** lottery and I want to open a da** checking account
in this da** bank!"

"I see, " says the manager, "and is this b**** giving you a hard time?"

Monday Morning
 

Yo! Brevity mode as I'm supposed to be working on a deadline story from heck. When I get it done, I'm going to hide out from the universe for the rest of the day but will come back and make my report on the journal challenge thread!!!! So glad it's back and I can safely post each day.

Cerise, thanks for the kind words and for thinking about me. I seem to really need the support right now ... but I'm absolutely determined to get four pounds off this month and that'll perk me right up.

:queen: s, it is not a matter of me being obsessed with weight loss or thinking it's the only thing in life that'll make me happy. That's not the case. It's just that this weight loss is tied in with a lot of other things in me working to make the best life I can for myself (and for Old Dog, Silly Cat and Bright Budgies). And it's unfinished business, a goal (to be at 135 pounds and maintain that) that I've set but haven't reached yet, a job that needs to be done.

I do not believe whatever forces in the universe that evolved over the eons to become the entity that is me (assuming it took that long) meant for my spirit to be encased in extra weight. Amen.

:queen: K, thanks for the Monday grin ... that made me laugh!!!! Do not worry about the effects of the full moon (unless thou be sprouting fangs and long talons and baying at midnight) ... they are temporary! Tell :devil: Scale to be quiet!!!!

QOD: My car was a gift from someone very important to me, so whatever amount of money I possessed, I would have the same vehicle.

Ok, I have to go back to work now. Really. I'm going. Right now.

Sigh.

My darling Amarantha, thanks for sharing a bit of what you're feeling right now. I feel you - goals undone squeak and patter and nibble at your brain matter (uh, that rhymes. Didn't mean to do that :rolleyes: ) inside your head and give you no rest.

I'm praying for serenity and a deep certainty that that happy day you speak of will indeed come.

I've never doubted it, my dear.

Loved your story, Kaylets! :lol: And about the question, if I had a choice of vehicle, I'd choose something ultra reliable and station-wagon-y. Not into the glitz--- as far as my cars anyway!

Cerise, no no no. Absolutely no ruffles on my bathing suit---especially since I saw on "What Not To Wear" that ruffles make one look wider. It's a straight black mini skirt kind of thing. Maybe I'll slap on some self-tanner and send you a pic, you lucky creature!

Amarantha, yes, you'll get to 135 and you'll stay there. I know it I know it! No escaping your destiny----and then we'll have a party!

I was reading a book of essays this morning by Debrena Jackson Gandy. It's called "All the Joy You can Stand". [Don't you love that title?!] Here's a quote: "I kept getting amnesia, forgetting that God gave me one body for this trip. This was it. This was the body I'd been GIFTED with. This was not a practice model. No trade-ins, no exchanges or returns. We were together for the long haul. Yet, I kept treating my body as if my REAL body was going to arrive any minute. Like this one was for a test run."
Made me think of all the times I've disrespected my body [and still do sometime]. And other times I'm so overcome with appreciation for this 'vehicle' that I could weep! I'd love to be able to love my body 100% of the time. Now there's a worthy goal!

Hi,
Just stoping to say I like the new digs. Now if I only had a summer palace in real life...

Eydie, that's what I thought. Naughty.

Yo! You're on for the party, :queen: E!!!! Even though I crashed and burned calorically today (see menu thread for gory details), I hear the siren song o' 135 off in the distance, but moving closer!!! Yowza!!!

Hi, Zadie k!!! :wave: Er, real life? What's that? :)

Cerise, your phraseology about the squeak and patter inside my brain is quite apt ... that's pretty much where I am ...

But yep, I will get there and so will we all!!!!

And then the journey really begins.

Eydie, I love your identification of the goal of giving your body 100 percent of the respect it's due!!! Thanks for sharing the Gandy quote. It's true, we do have this one vehicle to get us through life. Not to do right by it and work on it to make it the best it can be seems very illogical.

I need to go read a book or something.

:cheers:

Hello all!

Storm has passed so we have sun but are still wet everywhere...

My meeting weighin last night showed an increase too... ah well.... its going to happen every once in awhile... DH and I started drinking some flavored de caf coffee....wonder if there's lots of salt in it??
I'm not worried... I know it came off once, it will come off again!

We are doing great things here all!
When I look back to where I was 7 yrs ago
( still smoking and gaining)
5 yrs ago
( eating breakfast out of a vending machine )
4 yrs ago
( joined WW's but 'didnt understand' that moving was as big a part of losing as food choices'
3 yrs ago
( regained nearly 30 lbs due to long job downsizing and the related stress -- in other words....still dealing with stress with food)
2 yrs ago
( got serious about the plan again but still didnt understand how my body reacts to sugar)

oh, meant to mention that about 6 yrs ago, did quit smoking but made a "deal" that gaining another 30 lbs was ok as long as I remained smoke free..

Point is, as Oprah says, when we know better, we do better.....
And if we really take a look at where we've been, most of us will see that we've made lots of progress....

WE ARE DOING GREAT!!

****

*****
Thought of the day :

"Never be too busy to meet someone new"
---Life's Little Instruction Book


Question of the day :

" Do you have a lucky number, coin, sox....?"

*******

KETTLE IS ON!



PS- TV says its 101 in Death Valley today...YIKES!

Good morning!
 

Yo! Wood Nymph, it's good to see thee and hear thy news!!!! I think you're thinking with clarity when you consider just focusing on your main job. That's always the most important thing.

Thanks for the link. I think you make a valid point, but for a couple of strong reasons, I'm pretty sure I'm Trojan and keylogger free, though not 100 percent certain (of anything)! :) Also for a couple of reasons, I'm pretty sure that my main problem in recent months happened when 3FC changed its server the first time. Then when they changed it again, it happened again, and again for a couple of reasons, I just think it's just spambots ... but I've put a lid on it now.

However, I'm continuing to look for more security measures. I did look at Spyware but I've already got something similar on my system. I was really interested in the website you linked. Thanks again.

Guys, I'm going to go try ONE MORE TIME to do a continuous warp on my loom ... later ...

My lucky number is 11!

It is nice to see people doing so well (generally speaking). I haven't been weighing in recently. Too much stress right now, and I just can't bring myself to step on the scale. I am exercising regularly however, and eating fairly responsibly, so hopefully it will work out OK. I have a doctor appointment today, so I will not be able to avoid the scale. Kind of scared about the appointment, but I finally had to make one because I was getting stressed out by some of the things that my body has been doing. Sometimes I think I am a hypochondriac, but my past health problems give me reason for concern. So we shall see.

Lucky number: 8

Back from the doctor. Not too bad. I have an inflammation of the tissue between my ribs. Much less scary than other chest pain causes.

Cerise - I did not mind 29 too much, although I have a fondness for ages divisible by 4, so I missed 28 terribly. But this fall I turn 32, so it will all be good again. Plus looking at everyones progress over the years, it seems that we truly do get better with age.

Speaking of getting better every year, my goodness Kaylets, that is quite a change in 5 years.

Amarantha - Cortisol, huh. I did not know that. I will from now on only stress out when running away dinosaurs. Thank you for permission to worry about my health. My grandmother truly was a hypochondriac so I get concerns sometimes. She self medicated in a bizarre ways. I also inherited her wide Latvian figure.

Yes, the Doctor did weigh me, and yes it did really truly suck.

Kaylets, your perspective on what was going on a mere 5-4-3-2 years ago was enlightening. Nobody's said it in a while so I will: WE'RE HEALTHIER THAN WE'VE BEEN IN YEARS!
And my lucky numbers are 9 or 13. I love 13!!! :D

Amarantha, 101 degrees! Must be that famous 'dry heat', not that moist heavy heat like here in Virginia. Fiddle dee dee, I simply wilt. [Please read that last sentence with a Scarlett O'Hara accent!]

Arabella, yeah, that much work can't be good! Wow, 20 minutes from the beach---what a gift!

zadie, what causes inflammation of tissues or is it one of those fluke-y things? Did the doc give you any advice for it, or is it one of those things you just wait out?

Cerise, it made me giggle hearing about early relationship with Ramon. When Garry and I first got to gether I did everything to push him away, testing his love and all that kind of foolishness. And I recall that I was a big sulker too. Emabarrassing! What was I thinking? I can't believe that i've known him for 20 years now! With age comes wisdom---I hope!

Kaylets, what a regal gift that was - to go help out dh with that big job.

Zadie, I'm glad the medical problem is of a preferred sort. Though as I recall from a long ago time, that can be pretty painful. And believe it or not, my problem came from a bear hug. And the dr. questioned me not too subtly about possibly being abused.

Hey, I see that green warning again. I usually just hit quick reply.

Ah yes, Wood Nymph, sounds like the second job is eating up a lot of your life. I'm sure the money is tempting but what is the price of going to the beach? A worthy goal that is.

Cerise, I've read of the "Magdalene Sisters" but not seen it. Sounds very sad. That latte sounded yucky (sort of like my cottage cheese/cantelope smoothie) until you mentioned the Gator powder. Wishing you well with the sugar avoidance.

And Eydie, I loved the reminder that we only get one body. It's one of these things we all know but don't alwayrs REALLY KNOW until it hits like a ton of bricks.

How did the warp go, Empress?

Well, after five months I made it to the rehab pool today. Aaaaaaaah. That warm water helped a lot. That movement helped a lot. Hopefully it will help me lose an ounce or two.

My favorite number is four. We were married on the fourth and when the kids were here our family was four. No other reason it just seems to work out nicely. When I can't decide which horse to be, I go for #4.

Car? Well it would be the one I drive now. Maybe an up to date one of the same but I had a chance to replace it last summer and fought tooth and nail to replace dh's instead. It has about 108,000 miles on it but it's still a lovely car and I love driving it. When we go anywhere, esp a distance, we go in dhs new Camry so mine should last as long as I do.

Ah yes. What I love about my yard this week is the white lilacs just outside the back door of the garage. They are blooming profusely and the rain this week just pushed the scent to be stronger. Don't have the patio ready for breakfast yet, Eydie. Just been too cold. But soon. Another small joy to look forward to.

Yo!!!! Cerise, thou couldst have been my twin-in-sugar growing up (in a family where everyone has diabetes). I used to sneak sugar out to the front porch in a napkin and just sit and eat it. It was before powdered Gatorade or I'd have done that, too!!!

I'd love to sit on the front porch with thee, Arabella and all the :queen: s and seek clarity. My front porch at the moment is frying in the late afternoon sun, but I'm picturing a dark and shady one somewhere in the mountains with the sun going down.

I have some good stories about friendship and front porches that I'll share when I'm not braindead!!!

Avanti, :queen: s!!! My all-fruit smoothie awaits. That's actually kind of high glycemic but I DO need some fruit. Had no vege at all today. Terrible nutrition.

Speaking of front porches, I have a wonderful large picture hanging over my desk at work of a shady patio that overlooks a sandy beach and blue water with an empty muskoka chair just waiting for someone to sit in it and watch the waves. There is a whole series of these pictures scattered throughout the office. I escape to mine several times a day!

Favorite number? 2

I bought myself a couple of CDs on the weekend: Josh Groban's "Closer" and Norah Jones' "Feels Like Home". WOW. Double WOW. Hearing Josh's "You Raise Me Up" in surround sound had me in tears. My best friend, the gorgeous Irishman, is the person in my life who raises me up...I will forever think of him when I hear this song. And Norah is incredible as always.

Eydie, congrats on the new suit!

Zadie, my sister had an infection in the layer of tissue around her ribs and it was quite painful, I remember. Take it easy!

Cerise, that latte sounds truly horrible. But I don't like honeydew. Good luck with the sugar...I about took someone's head off, turned it inside out, and gave it back to them after three days of no carbs/sugar. DH held me down and force fed me chocolate. He insisted it was out of fear for his life and he wouldn't be held responsible. One bite of choclate and I was like a junkie who just got a fix. Scary stuff.

anagram, glad to hear you're back at the pool! I've been thinking of taking up pool visits one or two nights a week.

Kaylets, your progess is terrific!

Hello to all...hey, tomorrow is Hump Day already!! Whooo Hooo!

Hello all!!

Hello all!

Here we go Wednesday, here we go!!!

Can you believe its Wednesday already??

Hope everyone is feeling well!

Was thinking just last n ight as I leafed thru a grocery flyer as I stood in the bank line about how some of the pictures were "calling my name" ... but then I thought about my Monday weighin which just Monday was "a week away" but now, Tuesday was "less than a week away".... and decided that I will try my best to just say " 6 days away... 4 days away" because for me a week sounds longer than "7 days"....

Probably sounds silly to most of you but I know it makes a difference to me and I figure it this way....
" GRAB THE MOTIVATION WHEREEVER YOU FIND IT"

*****
Thought of the day :

"You are asked to love your neighbor as yourself.
You are not called upon to share his opinions."
-- Aubrey Menen

Question of the day :

" Do you have any allergies?"

*****

Had time to read your posts and wish I could stay and hangout but not now...
Here's a big ((((((((((((((((((((((HUG))))))))))))))))))))))))) ) for everyone....

and yes, lets open up the cabin!! Sounds just what I need!

Empress! No matter the temperature, you're still the KEWLEST!~
Eydie! And you're too SEXY for the Palace!
Arabella! I agree! Either more cash or to the curb!
Cerise! Keep smiling! And tell us more about the Voice Lessons!
Wildfire! Honest, how is life treating you?
Ceara! Beastie puppies?? Need a status please!
Anagram! Hmmmmm.... Brillant thought just occured to me... As our Q of Words, would you be interested in hosting a Word of the day for us???
WSW! Still got your seat here, nice and warm! We're bringing to the cabin...
Follow the royal cruise director!!
Zadie! Hey! Not to fret about the scale! You know what to do! THIS IS ONLY TEMPORARY!!! ( sorry, I'll use my inside voice!)
Punkin???? need a status please?

Bye!


KETTLE IS ON!

Wildfire, what a CIVILIZED place your new job is! Was reading in paper this a.m. about a new vending machine company devoted to healthy food choices. May they succeed!

Rainy Wednesday here. Going to a summer theatre matinee this afternoon (Smoky Joe's Cafe) for our weekly getaway.

Demon Scale is reeling me in and I hope there's no letdown later in the week. Having just seen a new low last week, I was surprised to see the next number down popup yesterday so of course I had to weigh again today to see the further number down show up at least briefly. I think the three day eating binge might have shaken up the old metabolism a bit. Or maybe the water exercising. Or maybe last week's cortisone shot (though I thought they usually make me gain). Whatever, I hope it's not just DS toying with me again but this morning I was a full 2 pounds down from my Mayday goal weight. With the one reading being even slightly lower than that. I know, I know, DS wll probably give me a shock again soon but for now I'm enjoying.

Yowza!!! I'm in brevity mode as I have to get to dentist and I just keep typing!!!! So apologies but this is a runon response ...

Anagram, :cheer: for the :devil: Scale droppage!!! Huzzah!!! I'm hoping thou be right about the binge thing helping the metabolism 'cause I've had a number of binges recently.

Kaylets, I love thy motivational trick ... my weigh-in is just "fill in blank" days away!!! That's my mantra today! And, thank thee, I AM rather kewl! :)

Wildfire: What is a muskokoa chair? Is it like an Anirondracks (sp? ... I don't know how to spell that and have no time to look it up) chair? That's what I'm picturing ... thanks for the peaceful image this a.m. ...

Eydie: It's quite a dry heat this time of year, but the dry heat thing that is oft spoken of re Arizona isn't really that accurate ... it's quite humid during much of year and getting more so because folks keep coming out here and planting stuff so's it'll look like the midwest to them and not the desert that it's supposed to be ... no offense to anyone reading this, but hast thou all considered native vegetation for thy yards? We'd all appreciate it. Thankee. :)

Zadie, that inflammation soundeth like not a happy thing at all but glad it's not something worse. Please get some rest ... no running from dinosaurs for awhile ... think front porch with a mystery novel, Godiva chocolates, a white wooden chair, the ocean ...

Er, I have to stop thinking like that right now or I'll be on the couch instead of the dentist chair ..

Later, gators, er, no, NO GATOR, Cerise, no, no, no! :nono: :whip: :nono:

Hello Friends!
Just wanted to quickly pop by to say that I'm feeling ridiculously positive about everything now.

Thanks Cerise, for your kind assessment of my psychological state. Yes, tell Ramone that it does get better and better and better!!!!! Maintaining a good marriage is one of the things I'm most proud of---maybe the #1 thing!

Anagram, congrats on being 2 pounds down! :D

Kaylets, I can't believe it's Wednesday already--I can't believe it's May already. And a mere 20 days till that most sacred of days, right, Cerise? ;)

Where's our Punkin? Friday's almost upon us! Probably frolicking under the full moon last night....

AAAAAGH, don't remind me, Eydie!!!! EEEEEEEK!!!

I'm gonna be twenty-niiiiiiiii-hi-hi-hi-hi-hi-iiiiiine!!!!! *sobbing*

Twenty-nine is a mere babe in the woods, Cerise!

I have socks older than that! :)

Sorry, old joke, but actually true!

Hello all!

Did I hear a scream echoing throughout the palace?? I don't need to repost my speech on "Life just keeps better and better " do I ?? Just kidding!

Dragging myself some yesterday and today... know I am still feeling the effects of 2 non stop weekends in a row... in fact, both of them were veritably napless....

Ah well....
The good news is that it is Thursday, scale is back downt that 1 lb, got a great deal on Portabella Mushrooms bigger than my hand -- about 3 of them for .99.... found them in the " reduced bin" . In fact, I've been wondering if I should pay more attention to the sales in the same grocery as I pass by it twice a day... got to do something to counteract these gas increases!!


ah well....
Who would have thought that a bargain on mushrooms would cheer me so...
Must be because they are a Fun Gui ( pronounce Fun guy!)
YIKES!
I told you I thought caffeine was making me silly!
Can't take credit for that silly one, someone at work just used it yesterday...

Ah well...

****
Thought of the day :

"The only courage that matters is the kind that gets you from one moment to the next."
-- Mignon McLaughlin

Question of the day :

" How many televisions do you have?"

****

Kettle is on!

Good morning :queen:ies! Flying by to say hi :wave: Was feeling slightly under the weather yesterday and decided not to exercise. I feel okay today but have a busy day lined up (last of the big editing days of the financial reporting qtr.) I'm waffling on quitting that -- busiest times over, they need me :rolleyes:, we can use the extra $$. I'll see what it seems like after this week. We've got a conference call tomorrow to discuss editing issues. We'll see...

K. I better go so I have time to get to the gym this a.m. Love to all!

Was that Cerise's scream or mine? Went to bed at 10:00, woke at 1:00, came downstairs at 3:00, fell asleep about 4:30, etc. Going to be a struggle, esp. foodwise as I started out at 4:30 with today's eating. Am about ready for my second breakfast. Good news is I did some serious work between 3 and 4:30.

Little Cerise, trust Auntie Kaylets. It does get better and better. 29 was one of those really good ages for me but I wouldn't go back. And like Eydie, having worked out a good (dare I say great?) marriages is a source of great joy to me. And we had lots of "remolding discussions" is our time too.

Hope some of the gloom is sorting out, Empress, and that your work load is less for a day or two so you can do Empress empowering thingies. You, too, Wood Nymph. Always best to make decisions when you're not directly under the gun but do factor YOU and BEACH VISITS into the mix. Thanks for the kind words, Kaylets, but finding unfamiliar words for this erudite bunch would be almost impossible.

Thinking of you, Diva wsw, and hope you're able to be lurking. Also Punkin. We're needing a full moon report. And a report on the new job, Wildfire. Also a six monther on Kaylet's new job and how the transfer is working out overall. I know where your pound went (or came). It liveth in my scale as I'm up a pound after eating out yesterday.

While watching the delightful show yesterday I was reminded so much of Ceara and Cerise while enjoying the talented young people 'putting themselves out there'.

Sun is shining, supposed to be nice, today's scheduled to be a pool day. Also scheduled to be a "shot" day for dh - not my favorite thing to do and I'm sure not his either. But "the good w/the bad", you know.

So off to it ..........

Yo! Flybye as I've identified two hours I can rest before I have to go work again in the mountains ... will be back late tonight with my menu/exercise report.

Hope thy shot day goeth well, Anagramatic. Yea, the clouds are lifting a bit and yea we do need some more folkettes to come back here to the palace and give us an update. The towel boys are restless again.

Later ...

Happy Friday eve!

Well, semi-happy.... like semi-sweet. A little happy, a little uh, NOT happy!?!?

First, full moon ritual on the beach was a blast. Cold, but a blast. Considering the howling wind we thought it ironic that the only candle that stayed lit was on the east altar representing air. Our condos (we had 2 side-by-side) were literally 100 feet from a cliff overlooking the ocean so we heard the crashing surf all night. Ok, I heard the seagulls all night too, but the sound of the ocean was the BEST!

Then, I get back to work on Tuesday and at the end of the day - my problem employee quit with no notice. He had the day off, called and said he wasn't coming back. $#%&@ arse. I'm 1/4 really angry, 1/4 not surprised at all and 1/2 relieved. We were trying to figure out how to fire him legally a few months ago - problem solved.

However, this week's been utter chaos getting things settled. We've got to hire someone for a job that doesn't really exist - mechanic that goes to the work. Ug. I'll probably be MIA quite a bit until things are back to status quo.

Quick posties!

Zadie, of course you've got a summer place! Pick one of us and go! :wave: Good to hear the doc's diagnosis wasn't too serious. Relief!

Eydie, loved what you posted from Debrena Jackson Gandy. How true it is... if we were given one car for our whole life we'd treat it better than we do our bodies. :dz:

Kaylets, saw your post awhile back about my email. Yes, it's changed, but not much - still punkinseed then a little "at" symbol and then earthlink then dot net. Let's see the spam bots figure THAT out as an email address!
Thrilled to hear that little girl is doing so wonderfully! Never underestimate the power of positive thoughts and prayer huh?

Cerise, I'm so sorry to hear about Callie. I lost my last childhood pet about 6 years ago - a 15 year old yellow lab named Neff (short for Nefertiti, as our other lab was Sheba). Still cried, didn't matter how old I was, or she was. Consider yourself virtually hugged. AND I'm SO STOKED about your women's group!!!!! :cb: Don't feel bad, I cry almost every time during ritual and very easily around this group. It's like a "guilt-free" zone and we're all free to be, do, feel, say and express however we want or need to. It's a gift to find people like that. As women we give, give, give - occassionally we need someone else to do the giving so we can take. Your group was reassuring and that tells me they're a-ok!
I have Magdalene Sisters in my Netflix list o' things to see! Thanks for the recommendation, Ebert... or do ya wanna be Roeper? Who would really want to be either?? :shrug:

Wildfire - I'm with ya! 5 pounds is what I need to focus on - not the 15 I've gained... :eek: NO, loose 5 pounds three times! :yes:

Anagram, thank you for finding and furnishing our new palace! The other was getting a bit spacious wasn't it??

Arabella, ok, tell me over and over and over about what a great stress reducer exercise is!!!!!! I know it is, but my GOD someone needs to pound it in to my head now! Goodness knows I need the stress reduction... and no, there's not enough money on earth to make up for too long hours, too stressful a' job and time away from a life away from work. I'll send you some "perfect job" mojo... :wizard:

I can't resist Kaylets 5,4,3,2,1 idea... I started to think about it and almost cried.
(quit smoking 10+ years ago - smart girl!)

5 years ago I was contemplating divorce (filed in August)
4 years ago I was in the thick of an ugly divorce (was final in October)
3 years ago I bought my first house
2 years ago I started getting my physical & emotional health back permanently
1 year ago I became an adult by caring for my mother during the beginning stages of breast cancer treatment.

I say "became an adult" because until my mom got sick I really didn't feel or act all that different than I did in high school. But seeing that it was entirely possible to loose a parent took that feeling of "eternal youth" and invincibility away. In my pre-cancer mind my parents would both die very old, very gray, in their beds asleep some night many, many moons from now. Now, I know they can also die very young, very vibrant and far too soon. I'll always mourn the loss of that old ideal.

Yes, can you guys believe it's been a year? In April '03 they had an idea that it was cancer, but in May '03 they were positive and the battle began. I can't freakin' believe it's been a year! Mums has a nice head of curly hair now and it's easy to forget it all happened... but we never will.

Cyber hugs all around,

Terri

Another crazy busy day. We have a new automated phone system at work and we are still getting to know it. Meaning that people have no clue how it works.

The rib tissue swelling thing can come from anything from an infection to exercise. It is actually not too painful and I am on some medication that should make it go away.

Punkin - the ritual sounds really lovely. I love wild and windy nights.

Arabella - i think that whatever you decide about the second job will work out in the end. that whole time v. money thing is always hard. at least the busy time is over now.

QOD: i have one little television. it hides in the back bedroom.

Kaylets - congrats on the scale movement in the downward direction

cerise - 29 is a very good vintage

eydie - there is absolutely nothing wrong with being positive :)

amarantha - is the spam blocker working out? i have started to have some minor problems. hmmm.

at any rate i must get back to working. yikes.

I'm such an idiot. No, really. Cretin.