Happy!!!!! How wonderful to hear from you. I've been missing you alot. Glad you have arrived and are ready to settle in and that even the weather is welcoming. Here it is just a bit too hot. I am just up from siesta.

Can't stop, getting ready to go to DB1's place for dinner. Catch up soon.

to the new year.

I do trust everyone is well and ready for the new year!!!!! Well it is here whether we are ready or not! Nice to hear from Happy and her safe arrival down south. Good news!
I am up early as I heard my little mouse trap go off this morning so I decided to get up and read about all of you and . I have been so busy at the house these last few days. Cleaning and putting things away and trying to get a new perspective on the coming new year. The pet store gave me $3 for the return of my goldfish that survived Sparky and had gotten too big for my small tank. Now I have made it into a tetra tank and am trying to grow some edbile plants for my turtles.
Glad everyone was safe for the New Year. My oldest son didn't escape the flu. Poor baby! So far I am untouched.
BLessings to everyone and I hope we can make it successful losing year for all of us!
Peace,
Nae

Happy~ nice to see you here. I am glad your trip down went well. Good luck with all the changes and settling in!!!
Nae~ Isn't wonderful to start ayear all cleaned and sorted out!!! I have been working at the same. I still have the christmas decorations up but everything else is in top shape!! Best wishes to you for the new year!
Shad~hope the dinner was yummy and company was good!

Apparently when you twirl through the kitchen with a full glass of wine and wipe it up with a towel the floor gets sticky. LOL!!!!
The floor is now mopped. Got some wash in. Kids go back to school tomorrow. They both cried when I told them.I suppose I should be flattered that they like being home with me so much. In about 10 years I will be way uncool, I am sure.
I have never set goals for myself but feel like I want to now. I think that because I have had some success that I feel goals are attainable.
My weightloss goals are-

short term~ to weigh 220, by losing 1 lb a week, that takes me to Mar 16
long term~ to weigh 200, by losing 1 lb a week, will take me to July 21, my 40th birthday, this is my pre pregnancy weight,I was 190 when I met DH.

I will WATP 2 mile 3x aweek
I will do yoga at least 3x a week, maybe daily

Emotionally, spiritually and mentallly, I am in a great place right now. I will continue on this path!

It is warm today and raining a lot. The snow is all melted and the driveway is a muddy pond.So I have no fire to snuggle to. Because I slept all aft yesterday I stayed up reading til 2am. I was up at 8.I may nap in a bit.
I want to get the kids organized for school.Their laundry is done and have I food for lunches.I just need to sort out their back packs and find library books etc.
DS got his goalie gear today. The whole practise was spent with the other kids taking shots on net. DS did well!!
They have been playing with piantbox on the computer and are now watching a movie. DH is sleeping. He is fighting a cold. And at our ripe age staying up til 5am takes 2 days to recover from.LOL!!
Hope everyone is having a happy, peaceful day!!

MISS HAPPY!! so good to see you and the trip was safe and sound! I sit here with tears of joy for you!! I know things are a bit discomboobulated but all wil straighten out. Happy New Year to you and the DH!! may all your dreams come true! good house hunting Keepy us posted!! Your post does remind me of our Shad in Melbourne!! good luck also for the new week new job!!

Shad~ Sorry about the bollocks!! I must have been a nutter when I typed that! L Boggles the mind why I thought you had ESP!?!?!? So glad we got that settled then! Hope you weren't late for the DB's dinner!! Talked to Jen and we sorted out our differences. I will also try to remember she is an adult! (sigh) Does every Mother have that problem?! After all, they are almost 40!!! Maybe I need another hobby!

Nae~ Happy New Year Friend!! Good to see you mouse and all!!! Good luck with new goals and thoughts for the new year. Sorry the Ds is sick. I hear this flu is VERY nasty. Not that any are nice! Traded the goldfish?!?!? Is the turtle a fish eater! Hope the tetra tank turns out. What is that by the way? I thought tetra WERE fish?!?!?! I am mystified!

Linus you old dog!!! Loved the telling of the New Year's events and wish I had been there!! If I was they wouldn't have had to lift their own kilts!! I would gladly have obliged them drunk or sober!! a hairy arse is a good thing. This way in the dark, you know who is who!!! Loved the post and glad a good time was had by all...Aunt Fanny.

Holly~ Thanks for the thought and the sharing. Glad the night was a good one for so many. Love your clean house!! Tell me your secret! There is only one adult and two tiny finches here and the place looks like the wreck of the Hespers!!!

Tig~ Poor poochies!!! I don't much like the bangs either and went to bed with the tv set on a timer for 2am! the birds don't like them either but covered and a nightligh helps. Jens hates anything LOUD except HIMSELF!!! next year I will try YOUR traditions as mine didn't work yet. another chair is down! Next year I am going to bed dirty and in dirty sheets!
Nice run!

Meadow~ Send the mechanic!!! I promise not to overtire him!!! These pulleys are too small for panty hose and they would slip anyway. needs a giant rubber band. Wonder if I tied a lot of "Trojans" together if it would work! another great use for prophalactic!(sp)
Nice goals and good luck. Have a great start!!

I am a bigger sl;oth today than any other! Nothing is done except measurements, weigh in and typing!!!
Weight is up one pound from 2004. Inches are down 4.75 from 2004. So I haven't really gone anywhere except up and down a lot for 12 months! As the ups and downs were not in between sheets I am not a happy camper! Looking for 2005 to be better with the scale thing!
Better get off here and try and salvage at least part of the day!!!
Happy Sunday and good morning Miss Sunshine.
OH....the Mall and Clara are tomorrow so see you late night or Tuesday.

Hey Mel,,,,yes the tetra's are fish...... the gold fish were the 3 survivors from Labor day that I brought home for Sparky...... I got a pic of Squirt up on Sparky's back today I hope it turns out....they are so darn cute looking out of the tank at me.........
Have a good day.....

Nae

ROFL at the Trojans Mel!! Some days are just meant to be wasted I say. RELAX!!!!!

Have a good day tomorrow.

Holly~ At least if I get laid in that chair for 2005 it will be safe sex!!!
(I shoild be so lucky)

Nae~ glad to know!!! thought they were for food and not the plants!!! so much for my reading before my eyes afe fully open!!!

I have washed my hair and cut my bangs. looking so much less like a sheepdog now. Hair is growing down my back though. gotta get to the hairdresser with my gift certificate. Rosemary in the office gave it to me and the men in maintenance are not pleased! they like it long. If one of them were mine, I would leave it long!!! ROFL I best get my head out of the gutter and get back to cleaning. The birds have a clean cage, got out my crock pot and dusted it off, Hoovered the whole apt and am going to clean the bathroom. Still have to squeeze in some pedaling though. Feeling a bit chatty today too! Must be all the panty hose and Trojan talk!

mel you sly old dog you having sex in the chair how did you know you could ?????????????does it tell you in the manual?? having to work out my weight in kilo;s before i work out where i want to be and i guess ill have to take my measurements again but im not brave enough to compare them to before i stopped smoking so ill just give myself a new start {though after having mcdonalds for tea i dont deserve one well seing im not going back on my diet till tomorrow as i want to start my weigh ins on a monday so i know where im at} right im goping to try and work out my weights and also my no smoking ive worked out that the cigs i smoked means i stopped smoking two days after i did {????} so im going to get the figures sorted out too speak later
kirsty

happy ~ hurray for a safe trip! You know you'll have to change your location now from Illinois to Living OuttaSuitcase, TN. Memphis has the best BBQ in the entire universe (if I'm going to start a controversy, no sense in starting small ) We just got the TN tourist booklet in the mail on Friday that dearest Hubster sent off for because we keep talking about going to Beale Street.

nae ~ It must be wintertime there for real when the field mice have to come in from the outside for shelter. The snap of a mousetrap always sends me scurrying the other way. Dearest Hubster has learned that if he doesn't want the entire trap and contents dumped into the trash he'd better get to the trap pretty fast.

holly ~ thank you for the helpful twirling tip. Although I'm sorely concerned about your lack of regard for wine! My running dream began as I progressed with perky Leslie and WATP tapes. When I first started, I could barely get through the one mile tape. She definitely puts a body through the paces!

shad ~ I think the only way to talk to Miss Mel is to call her on her 'Other' Phone and leave her a message to get off her phones!! How great it was that you had both DSs home for the holiday. They sound like wonderful boys.

mel ~ We would all take up a huge collection to buy the video of you in the local corner store purchasing enough Trojans to repair your wheel chair. And then the sultry part where the mechanical guy... whew... SOME things should be left to the imagination!

teel ~ good job getting your ticker in place. What all are you up to?

linus ~ if you're going to be drinking with the ladies, just be aware that the bourbon is IN that mint tea! After I read your post to dearest Hubster (because I was laughing so loud), I told him that when we get our pennies together and go to Scotland, it has to be over New Years Eve.

meadow ~ I've learned I have to keep journaling or the pounds and inches creep back. I use a spreadsheet that I developed a couple of years ago. We just ordered dearest Hubster a new PDA. He was journaling on his PDA but it finally fizzled and doesn't synch with the computer anymore. If we both don't journal, the pounds and inches creep back. Creepy pounds and inches - always looking for an excuse.

Back to work tomorrow. Ah well - the paycheck is nice for keeping dearest Hubster in the style he's become accustomed. I told the ladies at church he is my Boy Toy. I think he was embarrassed.

Morning all, I am sitting here waiting for my breakfast to cook. Iis 08.30 in the morning and as yet not too hot. I've managed to get a few things off the list from yesterday - that makes a change from yesterday I can tell you. I feel all itchy and scratchy as I have just finished emptying the wardrobe from the boys old room. The dust flies. I was going to rip up the carpet but have decided against that at this time. It will get a good vaccuum before the new boarder/ guest comes next week. If she comes that is. She may well find a rental before then.

After breakfast I am going to go shopping to pick up some more potting mix, bug bombs and coffee (aaaargjhhhhh I am out of real coffee). I was going to the gym, but because of their reduced hours today, I've decided I will skip it and do 4 days this week excluding Monday and including Saturday. That will keep me up to my goals.

Speaking of which - goals that is - I have decided to not make any new resolutions this year. I still have my old ones which were good for last year and will probably see me through this year. Only common sense ones I'm afraid.

1. I will control portions.
2. I will continue to eat whatever takes my fancy as long as it falls within statement no 1.
3. I will continue to go to the gym. I will renew membership when this one runs out.
4. I will get assessments from Jason the torturer and Sam the sadist as/ when necessary.
5. I will continue to see my Doctor every 6 months for a blood pressure check etc. I need to get the new prescription anyway. I will do the blood/ sugar tests as required even though I hate them.
6. I will continue slowly with the renovations. I will achieve at least the bedrooms and the lounge room this year. The kitchen will have to wait, that is going to cost!!
7. I will continue to nuture the friendships so important to me. It's a commitment to life long friends and family.
8. I will continue to work to my budget and not spend on trivials. The library gets as many new books as the bookshop does!
9. I will endeavour to nourish me. To look after myself in all the important areas. I will continue to do 'health' checks on my physical, emotional, spiritual, financial and mental self.
10. I will plan for a new overseas trip in 2006 since the Italian job will not be fulfilled this year.

And I think that is about that.

A post or so back, Meadow wrote:
Shad I sure would like to have your measurements. Congratulations on how far you have come. I'm sure you will set to and accomplish your goals, you have a heck of a terrific developed sense of self. I wish I had your blood lines. I'm biologically wishy washy and have a built in avoidance mechanism to things that make me feel uncomfortable. You would think tight clothes would make me get this weight moving downward but so far my aversion is just feelings.

Thank you for those kind words Meadow, but I don't think you really want to be me!!! I'll give you a few words of advice that it took me years to work out and which place you will eventually come to anyway.
We all have talents. Some don't seem like talents at the time I admit. But everytime you see someone who quilts or tats or gardens, don't just wish you could do that, find something that you really can do and do well and develop the talent. All of our talents are different, we are definitely not all the same. Perhaps I was lucky that I got the family genes which internally whispered you can do this, just get up there and have a go. I really don't know how to give up. There are things I can't do - either physically or mentally, but generally they are the things I'm not that interested in anyway.
Eventually, you will come to the big idea that you really, really, really want to or have to lose this weight. There is nothing like a health scare to get the body moving! The will to live is strong in all of us. As for my bloodlines - well I guess the word mongrel comes to mind. There is - as far as we know Maori, Irish, English, German and wholly Kiwi blood all blasting away in this body. The Irish and the English clash from time to time as to whether it should be done today or tomorrow, the teutonic tunnel vision and adherence to precision has a go once in a while. But the Maori bits and the Irish bits get along famously. Never do today that which may be put off until tomorrow or thereafter, and always use 5 words when two would do. You have to laugh at yourself as well. Nothing is so serious that you can't see a funny side somewhere. My beloved aunts edict of 'this too shall pass' is fully entrenched in my psyche.
You do have talents, Meadow. You entertain us with the AB stuff even if you make the pics so big we all have to scroll to get around it!, you obviously have nice children (well all kids are nice most of the time) and you fit right in with this mob. What you need to do is to find them, not always the easiest job in town, and to develop the idea that you are a worthwhile citizen, wife, mother, contributor, dieter, exerciser, thinker, planner, nurse, budget king, cook, dishewasher and cleaner. Do not strike out those which you feel do not apply. Take it slowly, it will come. I recommend at lest 15 minutes per day spent solely on Meadow. As wives and mothers we tend to care more for others than we do for us. It can lead to empty nest syndrome later, so make sure you spend that time thinking of what you really want - not need - out of life.

Lecture over, breakfast finished, back to the boys room. Catch you later.

LOL Tig~ we should all have a boytoy!!!! I apologize for the blatant disregard of the wine. I treated the previous couple of glasses with much care and love!!

Shad~ great post!!!!!! Your words to Meadow could be for any of us! Well said. Some things to think about. Dust does that to me too. I take an antihistamine before a big cleaning job.Good luck woith the renos. DH didn't finish the bath for New Years but 3/4 of the tile is up!!!!

Best go, kids and DH are grouching.Bedtime.

OMG Shad! Thank you for taking the time to write that. I admire your strength of character very much. I am feeling a bit overwhelmed with the journey I am on. I will take better care of myself this year. There is so much spinning around in my head and I am trying to take control. I will find the confidence one day to move forward in a constant step after step motion instead of my usual two steps up, fall, slide, stumble back up and try and make another step forward again. I just keep failing to success I'm a bit foggy after the holiday binges, only gained three pounds which amazes me considering all the chocolate, cookies, etc, sugar products I ingested. I have printed off the chart from here and will be doing a weekly monitor while I clear a space and get to exercising for energy and peace of mind again

to everyone, Shad has left me feeling warm and bleary eyed.

Just have a minute just wanted to check in and let you know I haven't fallen off the side of the earth. My nephew 42 had emergency surgery yesterday due to a perforated colon. He had the same thing happen 5 yrs. ago and we nearly lost him then, they didn't sew him up right the first time is what caused this horrible thing to happen to him. Yesterday they didn't give us much hope because his insides were so full of infection and plus he had pneumonia. Today is a different story he has improved 100%, his blood pressure is up and things are looking a little brighter for us. His blood pressure yesterday was 60/50 all day. The Dr. says he isn't out of the woods yet because of complications could sat in, but hopefully he will make it through this. I am exhausted so am getting off and getting some rest. Hope everybody is doing good, talk later.

Hi chicks. How are you all today?
CL., I am very sorry to hear about the news of your nephew. I thought my blood pressure was bad enough at 74/44 but DN's is far worse than that. I do pray that he makes a full recovery very soon. Make sure you get some rest now so you are fit and raring to go in the next few days.
SHAD it was good to talk to you over the weekend. Well done on the recovery of last years resolutions! I don't bother making them anymore! I think you are doing very well and yes, it is true that we always personally think the worst of ourselves especially when we see a photo or a mirror image. I personally think you look GREAT!!
I, on the other hand, know I look horrible and I have managed to gain half a stone since being in hospital in November. So yesterday I started the D word again. Eating sensibly and properly and keeping a food diary. I am now too overweight for a heart transplant again so I need to do something about it and fast!!
LINUS I hope your household has calmed down again. Congratulations on your successfull cessation of smoking! You are doing brilliantly!! Keep it going! As Harvey Johnson would say!!(Celebrity Fit Club )Not too long now till the children go back to school and DS gets his grommets inserted. Hopefully they will help enormously!
HAPPY for when you read this, welcome to Tennessee!! It was good to hear from yo via the hotel internet connection!! I hope you find your dream house very soon! Good luck for the first morning sitting at your new desk tomorrow! Go get 'em, girl!!
MEL hopefully you are fully recovered now so don't you go overdoing things now just because you have some grains of leftover energy! Take things steady and you may still feel ok at the end of the week,
MEADOW greetings to you also. How is the weather in your neck of the woods? Oh and BTW, I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't take 2 steps and then fall 1 back, then have to take those steps again, only to fall back again, and restart again and again. We ALL do it. The trick is to recognise those steps and learn from the stumbles ad recognise the fact that the stumbles and falls are not life threatening but actually do enable us to move onwards and upwards to finally reach our goal wehich at the moment is far, far away up near the moon! I have yet to get to that point also!! Do not worry about the small gain of 3 lbs. It WILL come off.
TIG vanilla nut coffee. Sounds delicious!!! Poor dogs, though. My Holly hates fireworks as well. They really are a blessed nuisance especially when I can only hear them and not see them to ooh and aah at! Well done on all your runs! I hope your stiff sholder is better now...have you been beating DH up??!!

Ok thats enough from me for today. I have had quite a busy afternoonn with packing all the Christmas goodies away, like the tree in to the wardrobe and the boxes of decorations in to the top cupboard on top of the wardrobe. All the Christmas tree lights still work after being packed in to their boxes so they still all work when they come out again later this year!!
God Bless and keep everybody safe and well.
Love and big hugs from Teel xx

I am feeling a little melancholy today. It didn't start out that way. I did have some flashes of anxiety last night while watching a movie and breathed through them. This morning both kids cried and cried. No the annoying whining stuff but deep heart wrenching sobs. Neither wanted to go back to school.
I am home alone. I dont babysit til tomorrow then I will have 5 kids here.
I went out for groceries.I was thinking alot on the way. I wonder if my anxiety is about being afraid of losing the progress I have made. Our marriage has never been better after some major ups and downs, I am in a great place with myself, the kids are well, our families are great ......sometimes it does feel a little too good to be true.
There is lots I could do today and my heart is not in it.
So, I am dusting myself off. I have just made a bunch of turkey patties for lunches this week.I will have lunch and then WATP and hopefully shake this feeling.