WEDNESDAY: Today is Wednesday's Woes. Today is the day to get whatever is bothering you off your chest!

Susan: One of the biggest things about cleaning a real mess is NOT to look at the whole thing as a project because it becomes really overwhelming. Divide the room into foour invisible squares and work one square at a time if the room is truly unbearable as a whole. STOP IMMEDIATELY, when it seems to overwhelm, make you want to cry, etc and go and do something relaxing and fun then reconquer it later. As the queen of clean around here believe me when I say it works.

Everyone else, love you and have a great day!

Faye

Good Morning Ladies,
Feeling much better today! Not sure if yesterday was from TOM, the weather, going to bed late, or the giving up dairy/wheat detox thing......probably a combination, huh? I've had to give up coffee temporarily, since I can't drink it without milk. and those non-dairy creamers are just trans-fats and sugar! I know I can get lactose-free milk, but haven't done it yet. Just surviving the morning on herbal tea. Better for me anyway.

I managed 3 points yesterday. No exercise, of course. But I already got in some yoga this morning and I have dance tonight. So, today should be a great day.

Susan, I hate cleaning out junk rooms! Thankfully, I've pretty much gotten rid of them all.....and the habits that make them in the first place. Another tip for if it all gets overwhelming, just work for 15 minutes at a time. Set a timer, and work until it goes off......then get out and do something else for a while. Babysteps will get it done. Or, you could just open a window and get a shovel!

Ok, I know that women who live together, cycle together........but what is it with us all TOM at the same time???? weird

Sandy, hope things look up for you soon. You can always make new friends, don't let them take advantage of you. That's not friendship.

Well, I've got lots to do to make up for yesterday's lazy-fest........so everyone have a great day!

Julie

Morning everyone...hope everyone is good...I was trying to think of a Weds woe and the main thing that is my woe is my job...I am really unhappy and bored with it right now, have been for a long time. I want to stay with the company that I work for but wish to find another internal position, each time I interview I get no where...so I am a little woe-ish about that....plus our darn lawn mower broke so we have to buy a new one, ughhhhh this will not be cheap...with all of the rain we have been having lately our grass is like a foot tall

Amanda - I would say no to going down in points, with what you weigh you need that amount of food to keep you going...I thought about doing that once but was advised over and over not to do it...so I would just "really" stick to plan for 2 weeks and I bet you will see a loss...and I always stay like 2 points under my top range, and I think that really helps, so if you can have like 29 tops, then always have no more than 27....hope this helps, let me know if you have anymore questions...I feel like I have been doing this plan forever, it is my life, ha ha ha ha

Julie - Glad you are feeling better. I do think that it is weird that we are all getting our TOMS around the same time, hmmmm...thankfully I just got off mine yesterday...you probably did get a headache from the lack of dairy and coffee, caffiene withdrawal headache, I hate those.....

Hey have any of you tried that new Coke product C2? I bought a bottle last night but have not tried it yet...it had like 45 calories per serving, not bad but I just wonder how it tastes, cause I hate the tastes of diet drinks, although I can drink diet A&W, I think that is pretty good....I really dont drink them that often, like once a month or so...

Faye, Cathy, Susan, Jaymi, MSCat816, and everyone have a good day. It is raining here ( yet again ) ...so this is my kind of dreary day....

Hi Ladies,
It has been a crazy week. I am now taking two classes as well as teaching full time and it is begining to be stressful. (my woe)
I have been very bad abotu exercising because I have had so much homework to do everynight. I have also been missing lunch almost everyday because of when my classes are (and how long they are.)
Things should get better next week when work is out for the summer.
On the bright side I lost 1 pound last week. Hopefully I will loose again this week, even if it is just because I stopped eating. (I will get better)
Take care ladies.

Hi all!

Sorry, haven't got time to chat - but just wanted the big boss ( ) to know I got 4 points yesterday - I even moved up a level on my exercise bike so this weight has got to shift soon!

Got my haircut - maybe that will show at my next weigh in!

Love Amanda x

POINTS FROM THE BIG BOSS (WHO IS THRILLED AT EVERYONE'S PROGRESS BTW)

Julie
Amanda
Faye

Amanda: Terific girl, keep up the very good work!

Julie: Because of menopausal issues, I jump all over the place so next month I probably won 't be at the same tom as the rest of you!

Have a good night girls!

Faye

Hi Ladies,

Amanda, do you like the new "do", does Nigel?

Jaymi, I'm glad you get a giggle out of me I don't think you'll ever get to return the favour cos i could never think of that much to say well, not as much as you anyway by that i don't mean stop, cuz i like it tho'

Fantastic Day here a ton of laundry on the line and myself covered in sunscreen ready to lie out in it with a cold beer later cuz i'm off tomorrow Amanda i just could'nt give up my beer but i can leave the Pizza alone

THURSDAY: Time for Us THursday. Take time for you today and give yourself a break! IT IS IMPORTANT!

Good morning ladies. Hope everyone is feeling somewhat better.

I decided to leave off doing errands today and do them tomorrow. I can't shop alone until the arm is healed because I can't bear weight on that arm (ie cat litter laundry detergent etc that I need both hands to carry) so I am going to clean house today I think. Yeah, I know, didn't you just do that and the answer is yes, but it is time to do the upstairs again and I want to try and get both levels back together again as far as a cleaning schedule goes. Don't try to analyze this as it doesn't make sense to anyone but me! You know there are things about cleaning I DON'T like to do, mainly dusting, which I hate (I guess because it seems so busy work instead of cleaning.) I am a real oddball as I get great satisfaction out of having a totally clean house. I have worked on it though because I used to throw a fit when anyone put trash in the little trashcans around the house. I would go around behind them and take it out and put it in the one big kitchen trash can downstairs! Jack said to me once with total exasperation, "Why do you have bathroom and bedroom trashcans, then?" Good Point, so I have tried not to freak out week to week about that. I still cannot abide clutter and I see clutter everywhere even where none exists. I completely redid my kitchen countertops because they were driving me nuts with clutter. I can't keep this under total control because Jack is a "lay it down last place I used it" kind of MAN.

I went over to the pool yesterday and decided that I would either do one of two things if this kid showed up again, tell the boy that what he did, though trying to help, was inappropriate and I need to do the work myself, or get out of the pool whenever he would show up. It is not only not fair to Jack to have to sit and bake in the afternoon sun while I am in the pool (Jack only goes in bath water warm pool water and it isn't that warm yet) nor should I be chased away by some horny kid. I never felt threatened in the situation, just uncomfortable once he got too close to me etc. I guess the day it happened I was so shocked by it all I let my mind run away with possibilities, that did not occur. Believe me, I will not take chances with my safety so don't think I am doing that (oh, btw he didn't show up to the pool while I was there)

Well off to do daily chores, to the pool and then back to get this house cleaned.

Faye

Morning ladies.......

4 points yesterday....Woo hoo! Woke up stiff, though, in the upper back/neck area. Wonder if it's from the yoga, the dance, or just sleeping funky? Oh well,that's why God made IcyHot.

Faye, glad you're back to the pool. Hopefully the jerk has moved on.

Knobhdy, your schedule sounds crazy! If you take some time to PLAN your week out (what you'll eat, at least) things will go much smoother, and you won't be tempted to just grab a snickers here and a burger there. If you have a day off, try cutting up veggies and fruit and bagging them for the week. Precooking goes a long way when you're that busy. Good Luck!

Cat--Hope you enjoyed that beer!

Carrie--Hope your job woes work out. Maybe you should think about changing your job completely?

Amanda--how 'bout a picture of your new do? Congrats on moving up on the bike! You're doing great!!


Oh My Gawd! FAYE.....LOOK......BEHIND YOU.........there's a piece of PAPER ON THE FLOOR!!!!

sorry, just couldn't resist

Later babes,
Julie

Hello
4 points for yesterday! I'm getting excited about weighing in tomorrow...
Arg...I'm rather frustrated. I had a little...skirmish with my mother this morning and its always the same old stuff. I have been working a lot to get the room upstairs livable for when my brother moves in and she marched up there this morning to look for something of her's. She started making comments about not knowing how I'm going to live with other people, strange considering the stuff in that room isn't even mine, not did I leave it there. She apparently has no idea why I'm even working on it because when I told what had improved she said she didn't care what I had been working on, only what she told me to work on. I don't know...this may seem trivial to y'all but this is springing from years of resentment especially with how clean things are. I'm trying to help and putting in a lot of effort if I may say so and she completely brushes it off. I love my mother very much but she has a distinct way of making her daughter's feel worthless. I honestly don't think she knows me at all. I feel like a completely different person when I'm not living in this house. I feel strong and independant and here I feel like a 13 year old. Fine, I'm not the perfect child, I admit that. But can she be happy about one...ONE THING I do? EVER!?!?! Sorry to be the steriotypical jilted adolescent angry at her mother...its just maddening sometimes.

POINTS:

Julie
Susan
Faye

WE HAVE A SMARTASS AMONG US!.....J. U. L. I. E.

Susan: From a mother of 2 grown children, I know mother's can be royal pains in the butts especially when the way they look at things is not the way you look at things. Sometimes, the hardest thing to do is to just accept a difficult parent for what they are. If you feel that speaking your mind or talking to her will be of no use, for your own good the only thing you can do is accept her rotten attitude as part of her personality and not take it personally. My mother was a very cold woman who rarely showed any warmth and I decided the best thing for me to do was to do something my sister always told me to do and that was love her to death. I became her favorite child and felt that when she died we had nothing unspoken between us that I would have to live with forever. Just love her Susan and know that WE ALL KNOW YOU ARE A WONDERFUL DAUGHTER TO HER!

I got the upstairs cleaned today, made homemade bread with a recipe that doesn't use milk believe it or not and put a roast in the oven for dinner. All in all except for recurring cramping, today went well. I figure I outfoxed the little snot from the pool as I was in and out before 9:30!

Everyone have a great night!

Tomorrow is weigh in so good luck!

Faye

FRIDAY: Today is Fabulous lbs Down Friday. What did we lose this week girls?

later! 2 lbs down this week

Faye

Morning Ladies!

3 points yesterday. Ended up taking the kids to a lake nearby, but I didn't swim like I'd planned because of TOM and just not feeling like it. So, no exercise. Will take care of that today, though.

I really feel like this no dairy/wheat thing is helping. I feel somehow "cleaner" inside, don't know how else to describe it. I'm more awake, don't have my 1:00 pm nap now. And the intestinal problems are getting much better. So I may have stumbled on to something. Also, I know I'm losing fat, cuz my chest is BONY! Still have "the girls" intact, but up near my collar bones, I can see RIBS. Woo HOoo... Can't wait till the end of the month.

I found out we have an honest to god butchershop just up the road. Sheesh! Meat is like, HALF the price it is at the grocery store! And they'll cut it up for you any way you want......and it's mostly from local farms where they don't use all those yucky growth hormones and antibiotics. So, looks like I'm gonna be a multi-store girl from now one. Butcher for meat (oh and they have fresh herbs and eggs from a farm next door), farm stands for veggies and fruit, and the grocery store for the rest of it. I feel so 19th century!

Susan--so sorry you're having troubles at home. There is a reason that kids leave home at a certain age! All I can add to Faye's great advice is REMEMBER how you feel right now......remember, and work very very hard NOT to do it to your kids! My grandmother was very demanding and hard, and my mother was NOT....she was the best! despite very difficult circumstances. I have my moments of insensitivity, but I try really hard not to yell at my kids, and appreciate every little thing they DO do, instead of focusing on the stuff they don't do. It's tough, though, and lots of times relationships just get better when you move out for good. Whatever you do, DON"T USE FOOD TO COMFORT YOURSELF! If it gets too much, take a walk or something.

Kinda slow yesterday, huh? Well, guess it's time for this "smartass" to clean house........now where did I put that shovel??

Later babes,
Julie

Morning Girls - Well I cannot tell you if I had any pounds down this week as my peice of scale that I bought is already not working. I thought Tanita scales were supposed to be a good brand, I have only had it about a week and have been on it about 3 times and already it is not working...Do any of you have those scales? I turn it on and it has the all "8's" across it and I wait for it to go to zero so I can step on, but the 8's stay on there and finally it goes to a screen that says error. Am I doing something wrong? That is how I have been doing it....

Julie - We used to have a butcher shop like that around us and then they closed...I was soooooooo upset, the meat was cheaper and so much better.
They had everything, including chicken and fresh thick bacon - not that I need that now I am glad that the no dairy is working out for you.

Faye - Have you even seen that guy since that happened? I just wonder if he frequents the place...Great job on the two pounds down!!!

Susan - I know EXACTLY how you feel, my Dad and I have the same relationship, only until I moved out and got married did I get any peace. I have just realized that I am not ever going to get along with him 100% and just be as nice as I can and go on...just knowing that I can go home and leave the situation is wonderful

Hope everyone has a good day....

Hello Everyone from SC,

Things are going well here. I've been having a nice time with my parents. Not that we have done anything lol. I've been doing pretty good food wise and have maintained my weight loss so far. I helped my father mow the lawn yesterday, with a walking mower, that sure was good exercise. It is a huge yard. I have also been walking with my dad. This weekend I'm dog sitting for my sister so I have access to the internet for the next few days.

Not much else going on here.

Faye - I'm sorry to hear about your experience at the pool. What I find interesting, and this isn't directed towards you, but to women in general, is that we, as a group, are so afraid of hurting someones feelings. I guess it is bred into us. The man had no right to bug you or get close to you or touch you without your permission and yet you were worried about HIS feelings. Pardon my french in advance, but next time tell him to get the f**k away from you and if he doesn't you will beat the holly **** out of him and then call the police. Men, sick ones that victimize women, count on woman's typical nature of wanting to please and not be rude, of not wanting to make a scene. When you don't react as they think you will they will look elsewhere for a victim. If he is a truly good guy he would understand the reaction and say he was sorry and move away. If I saw him again I wouldn't even wait for him to say anything to me or get near me. I would immediately tell him to stay away and what would happen if he didn't. I really hope you don't have anymore trouble with this man. I just get upset about it because it really pisses me off how these sick people's own desires are more important to them then other peoples lives. Don't think for a minute that he was trying to be nice. Men you don't know are simply not that nice to strangers. Last October some guy, pretending to be nice, offered me a ride when I was walking home from school. He was in my way, didn't want to let me by, and had to go out of his way to get to where he was where he could talk to me. He said he hated to see me walking in the rain. First of all it wasn't even rainning, secondly I had an unbrella in my hand. I finally got nasty with him and told him to get the **** away from me. He did. Not 4 months later someone was arrested for picking up women, raping them and then cutting them into little pieces. He was found doing that in the same neighborhood where this man tried to get me to go with him. He was also in the same type of truck. Was it the same man? I don't know. Does it really matter? No. I don't care how nice someone is they don't go out of their way to help a stranger that doesn't need help in the first place. Well that's the end of my rant. I just would hate to hear that anything happened to you or anyone else.

I hope everyone is well,

Beth