Congratulations to all that lost weight and won races and are now wearing the crowns!!! Very nice news. Glad the songs got the work done in Shad's garden!! Music soothes the savage beast!!! LOL Meadow's heart wwas gorgeous! But then I'm a sucker for holidy decorations! Just remember your one point was one more than mine! It seems like everyone is busy and getting better with colds and flu! Glad you're coming around Holly! Teel has lost weight and now Kirsty's the goldfish are in the microwave or the broiler?!?!?!? I must go back and re-read where they have gone to
I bought a book on crockpot cooking so I can use it in the summer. I can set it and go for rides and come back to dinner and a cool house. I also bought 4 mysteries for those rides too. Every store I went to had BABY stuff in it or am I just now noticing all the items cause of Linus!? I hope the sales help didn't think it was for ME!!! Jen and I are making a box and when it's filled, we'll send it. I of course am loving all the tiny things to look at! (sigh) Linus....good luck with the teeth and just concentrate on you and rest!!! Do NOTHING foolish!!! let me know when you find out if it's a boy or a girl?! Or don't you want to know?!?!

March is the month for rent re-evaluation and many seniors cannot get their paperwork together. Took me 2 hours for just CLARA!!! Now a man Karl has a brand new checking account and does not know what to do with it!!! Never had one before!!! God better save me from myself or send me some f+cking help. One or the other cause he cannot have it both ways!!!
Did MY OWN food shopping today and will try to get back on the old plan where I lost the 31 lbs with. Bought fresh tuna, salad etc. I have ZERO points already!! Last week and this are becoming a blur! Jen and Richie are almost 100% but a bit off still. His mother seems to be improving somewhat and might even make it home this month. Seems they found she had some kind of lung infection and that was the root of the problems.....after 2 transfusions and MANY tests!!!
So maybe we can get back to normal. The bird is still with me and I think he's homesick. Not sure so I will take the day off and spend time with him!! The plumbing work in Jen's line isn't finished yet so he cannot go home!
Happy! I was glad to see you here and will chat soon. Good luck with the boxes!!
I must go and get a shower and rest. Thank God the kids can do their own wash now. They offered to do mine this week but both ate a wee bit green still. I cannot go through a rerun of all this if they get a relapse!
Nae~ Where have you gone to!?!?!? I am sending the firemen out to find you!!!! Are you busy sending smoke signals?? If so I cannot read them! I failed Indian Communications in High School!!!
Take care Friends and have a great night!

Just a quicky to say I have done my weights twice this week so I have surpassed myself Hugs to Linus and the dentist stuff ((((KIRSTY)))) Hope Cleo behaved during the night. Mel, rent evaluations, your poor eyes. Remember you are worth the effort to nurture yourself and don't get overly intertwined with people pushing papers, will lead to a bad end Shad can't wait till Happy posts her garden pics and we have an identifying session, always fun to talk flowers. Glad the fellows are so keen to be you, aren't you thrilled to be immitated, they are little Shad clones. Holly are you feeling better? Your valentine marriage musings were very touching, I hope your guy knows how highly you think of him. Give him a hug, just because

to everyone and their busy lives and heads. Did you watch Oprah? about her weight loss? Just do it! Exercise, Exercise and exercise some more and don't eat after 7:30pm. Do some pilates to stretch yourself. Weights to tone yourself and cardio to drop those pounds

Or you could just look at AB, my exercise of choice :P
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../ab-merman.jpg

Yeah well I am doing all of those things and somedays it simply doesn't seem that anything is happening. I think it may be time to up the exercise, but quite frankly I don't feel like it and don't want to. Surely 5 days is enough???

Sorry feeling a bit anti today. It's gotten hot again, I've got so much to do and no energy to do it. My tooth hurts and I can't get to the dentist any earlier. The headache remains. I think it has to do with my contact lens. Probably need some new ones. Drat.

Training still goes on. They are doing well. I'm running around after them ensuring they have the appropriate data sheets, cue cards, questions and answers, morning tea and lunches. Just don't call me Mother OK??? C & M had the afternoon off training today, they were due to enter data for the next classes Friday and all next week. They were having a friendly competition to see who can do it the fastest. C is taking Shad advice and using the create with reference feature. M is doing the spreadsheet upload. Lots of laughter, lots of conversation and plenty of chucking off at each other. C won the race, but only because he cheated somewhat. He must have been a really rotten kid!!

I'm in the middle of clearing out my wardrobe. Trying to be really ruthless. All those trousers which are now too big are going. Funnily enough, the tops still fit. The bottoms don't. Strange huh!!!

Hope we are all feeling better now. Holly, are you keeping it all together now. Good to know that the DH managed to step in and keep the place going. Good for him.

Teel get back on here and tell us all about it. Are you still losing weight. You are becoming a bit of a worry my friend.

Linus - hope the extractions go okay. We will miss you tomorrow if you feel that you can't get in but I understand that you may not be able to or fit to talk to us. Good luck with the dentist.

Mel is collecting baby stuff once more. I think she is getting clucky - oi watch it Melly.

Meadow, way to go on the weights. You have 200% on what you achieved last week. That is good news.

Its now Wednesday night here and I have done water twice and outside work once. Not an auspicious start to the week of wearing the crown.

Okay, time to go get on with a few things. The house looks like a tip.

The next race is this Saturday - Tiger Dash, a 5K and a 10K. I'll run the 5K and Slim is going to run the 10K.

Hope all is going well with Linus. The docs are certainly doing the stem to stern!

From me. Teel, in case you had all forgotten! I am sorry for my lack of posting. I have recently hidden myself away for various reasons. Get a mug of coffee ready and I will endeavor to explain.. .
As you probably might recall, over the last few weeks I have felt so, so exhausted I have found it very difficult, impossible sometimes, to stay awake long enough to even get out of bed. And I mean I was asleep, not just hiding under the duvet all day and all night too!.
Last Wednesday I went to my Diabetic outpatient's clinic and to my releif the Diabetes is doing remarkably well...for those in the know my HbA1c was 6.1.However my weight had gone up about 7lb since my last visit a year ago (jolly good job I had lost a bit before the visit!!) Anyway the clinic doctor, whom I had never seen before, said she had looked at my latest blood test results of a week previous)and was concerned that my liver was showing signs of stress and she didn't understand why, especially as my Diabetes seems to be well controlled at the moment. I should say that I have a bichemistry level blood test done every 3 weeks to check on the status of my heart seeing as I am on so many tablets to keep it from failing more. So she wrote out another blood test form to see how things were going and she is going to write to my cardiologist. So off I went home feeling rather delated after my wonderful HbA1c.(It's never been that good!)On getting through the front door I found a letter from my G.P. saying he had reviewed my latest blood results and had found "a mild abnormality" and please could I drop in and see him. So on Friday morning off I went and as I got through the door I confessed I had prewarning of his letter and explained about the Diabetes appointment.He said" well I am now confused because I was writing to you because I am concerned about your KIDNEYS!!" So. He added a few more tests to the blood form and told me to have the bloods taken a week early which means I have them done tomorrow.He said the creatinin levels have been gradually creeping up since October which makes me really mad because I have been in hospital since then so why couldn't they sort it out then, whilst I was in for 19 days???! So in the meantime I feel so so so tired that on Friday and over the weekend I have slept and slept and completely lost my appetite over the last couple of weeks. This is borne out by my losing 5lb the week before last and 3lb last week.Ok that's great for weight loss but not good for the general health side of things.And I have been very low in mood and burst in to tears when ever anyone has rung me on the telephone I just feel as though its one thing after the other. It's not a good time of year for me after Christmas and I feel as if I am being dumped on and dumped on again even before the first heap has been cleared away!!
I am very sorry for my absence. I have lurked in from time to time and gone away again or lost my post!! Thank you all for your enquiring posts and thoughts. And a big [[[[[HUG]]]]] to Linus for ringing me and keeping me up to date and for just caring! Oh drat. Gonna get all tearful again...

Anyway I will get out of the sandpit now and go have something for lunch. I had better 'cos I haven't eaten more than a couple of Diabetic biscuits and a cup of black coffee today. I will be back.

Teel~ You come and wallow in the sandpit any old time your heart desires. ((((((HUGS)))))) and all good thoughts I send your way. I am truly sorry for your news and hope the test come out OK. I have similar feelings and sometimes it's very hard to swallow them. Now we are both in tears....but I try the "this too shall pass" thing! LOL It's the future that scares the knickers off me! Keeping you in my thoughts.

Tig~ I bought a tiger in the stuffed animal section of the store...A very cutesy "tigger" type. Almost like chenile. I forgot to tell you. I saw it and thought the "new" baby of our group should have one of his/her own! LOL Good luck on the new run!!!

Shad~ We all love you so how could not all tose lads?????
I am a bit weary of the weight loss game but like you will not give up! When it cools off you'll get your stride!!!????
(((((((HUGS)))))))) for you too!

Meadow~ I went to the Oprah site and actually felt some motivation. Wonder if I can get myself THAT committed?? Maybe the time is right! LOL Good for you and the exercising!

Well kids....as Meadow so aptly pointed out I am NOT going to wreck my eyes on those papers. The dry eye syndrome is still with me. So I organized the papers....put them in envelopes and shoved them through the office door slot. This AM I was asked what's with this and I said....IT' THE BEST AND THE ONLY THING I AM DOING. Told them I just plain blank can't do it anymore and can only be in one place at a time. Can't divide myself in two like an atom. Got some laughs but underneath were groans AND I am feeling OK with it all!!! YAY ME!!! Shad, lots of stuff you have said to me for almost a year has finally clicked and I think the road to recovery will be a lot smoother now. I expect I will fall off the wagon of good sense from time to time but expect all the Worldly chicks will shove me back up or at the very least kick my butt! All is well in my corner of the world and I am sending good thoughts to Linus so she takes care of herself and doesn't overdo it!!!!! Wonder if she'll do it?!?!?
Have a wonderful day and Jen's bird says hello as he is watching me type this while shitting on my head OOPS!!! I MEANT SITTING!!!

evning everyone ,how are we all good i hope ?? im not faring so well but hey im getting better had a real bad day but feeling a LOT better now the back teeth didnt want to come out and needed a lot of persuation then shock upon shock after theyd pulled the last one they stuck my new plate straight in with the instructions not to take it out till tomorrow and then just to clean and rinse then straight back in again !!!!!! so im swollen bleeding{still} but at least now i can feel my eyes
dh got a fright hes been really brilliant all day and had just asked me {at 5pm}if i could manage some soup when the morning sickness{ }i grabbed the bin that id been using for the tissues and ran for the loo throwing up all the way{sorry way to graphic}he went a funny shad of green but bless he stayed and rubbed my back and gave me a drink of water MEL i showed andy your posts .the ones about buying baby things and he was really touched his exact words were " how comes oyu only ever hear about the bad things on the internet but nobody hears about the really good people ,the kind people " quite a speech for him ,but both of us appreciate all the love and good feelings i get from you ladies so everyone polish your halos and ill be back later its nearly time for teel to phone ......
have a good one
kirsty

LINUS! Get off the computer and rest! I am talking to mum whilst typing this on the pooter. And, no! She hasn't forgotten you are due to ring at 20:00hrs...there, she has gone now!!! Sorry you had such a at the dentist...A gentle (((((squeeze))))) coming right over...or should that be...coming right down the phone line to you.

Meadow, thank you so much for your beautiful p.m. What a lovely picture. So full of serenity and loveliness. Thanks for your kind words and caring thoughts. I am very grateful.

And the same goes for you, too, MEL. Thank you for your kind and caring words.

TIG good luck with the run over the weekend. I know you will do brilliantly as you always seem to do!!

Ok thats enough from me.Oh I should say that the numbers on my tickerslide are only interim and when I get anywhere near the last figure (or on it, by chance!) I will give myself a new target. So. do not get too excited. I am nowhere near my final countdown yet!!!!!

For the wonderful supportive comments after my last post. I always know that when I come here feeling down and out then there will be at least one person out there who will come to the aid of the party.
Generally I love life. It’s great, it’s good, it has its ups and downs but goes merrily along without too many problems. This weight thing is a real pain. I seem to have been at it for sooooo long and really for the length of time, the figures are not that great. Still I will not give up. I know that way leads to going back to where I was. That is not going to happen. I may not have lost a lot, but what I have lost is staying lost. I don’t want it back.
We all seem to have a problem or two at the moment, I wish there was a wand that we could wave and it would all go away....pouf.

I had a long chat with myself last night. I went over the things that I do, the things that I don’t do, but which would probably help, and the things that I should do. One thing I do know, it that as long as I am having fun, I am not going to change my life too much. I would rather have the bit of weight and keep trying to get rid of it, than batter, starve and curse myself into thinness, which probably wouldn’t last for too long anyway. Such philosophy.

Still have the toothache. Still eating panadol. Still not ready to go back to the old dentist again. I just need to hang out for another 7 days. Maybe I can, maybe I can’t. Maybe I wont like the new dentist any better than the old, and will curse for the delay and pain suffered.

Don’t actually feel like I have done much today. I suppose I have, we’ve been practising a new course due to start tomorrow. The guys are doing well. They are getting edgy and tired, but hanging together with bouts of stupidity as well. I like bouts of madness. They work well in my line of business.

So we are on the countdown to the weekend. Tomorrow is a half day at work. Or really a 3/4 day. We are going to have lunch out again - this time on the foreshore in the sun and then an early mark.

Had the haircut today and the streaks put in. It seemed to take forever. Actually it did take for ever. I was beginning to get very bored towards the end. I am not a patient sitter around and I hate the big wall hair dryers - anyway Kara apologised profusely and gave me a super treatment to make up for my patience.

While I was wandering around the plaza, I bought myself a couple of new pairs of earrings. I haven’t bought myself anything nice for ages. Nothing flash, just gold hoops. I need to get back to wearing earrings otherwise my ears might just close as I haven’t worn anything for yonks and yonks.

Anyway, time to go do something. What at this time of night I really am not sure. But I will think of something. I didn’t go to gym this morning, I gave myself permission to sleep in till I woke. I really am a child of the light. Daylight was just turning the sky pink when I woke up this morning. Anyway, it seems to have done the trick. I feel much better today.

Catch up with you all tomorrow. Hope there are a few more of us in to chat. Kirsty, hope that mouth is okay.

I am feeling so much love here this morinng for and from everyone. We are truly blessed to have found this site and each other in the midst of it all. I actually had a HUGE debate over top the Christmas turkey with my entire family.They ALL thought it was impossible to form true friendships on line and they ALL believed that everyone on here was out for something or misrepresenting themselves or were some depraved sex addict.........
Oh well their loss! Cant imagine being that jaded.

Linus~ OUCH!! hope it all heals quickly. MY DH is supportive about my friends here on line too. It IS wonderful. Wow,he emptied the pukey basket, that's true love!!

Teel~ HUGS to you.You will be in my thoughts and prayers. Come vent and cry as much as you need to.

Shadster~hope you can hang in with that tooth. Glad you are feeling better today.We all have down days.It is picking yourself up and dusting off that counts!!

Mel~ You ROCK!!! You are one tough Jersey Broad!!!!!!!! Look out!!!!

Tig~ we will have to catch you by the tail for an update on your life!!

Meadow~ 2 times is great, now go do 2 more!!! I cant wait to get in the garden!! I was pretty depressed last fall and didn't enjoy the fall stuff(or do much either). That made me more depressed. This year will be different!! I have a bunch of yellow bulbs waiting to burst through!!!!!!!!!!!!

I woke hungry. Had a headache but I was not wonky.
I ate some shredded wheat, milk and orange slices. YUM! I had a glorious coffee!!!
I have 3 babysitting kids right now, 1 more coming at noon. My 2 are off to school with minimal chaos. After school I will have 4 more back home here. This will be the new routine for 4 months.That’s 8 total from 3:40 to 4:30. It’s nutty but it goes FAST. I went to TOPS.....
weighed in. I was down 7 lbs. I had already gained back 5 of the lbs I lost from the flu so some of this may be a real loss.
I like how my body and face look with the loss. It is inspiring me to keep going from here. I am definitely in the 220’s which is a HUGE success. I have lost down to 228 many times but couldn’t stay below it. I am now!! It is a new low.
I have decided to only go to TOPS twice a month.

I have had 2 of the Mom’s I sit for tell me sincerely that they love me in the last while.It is hard to describe how wonderful that feels.

All is quiet right now. I enjoy this post morning rush time.

Here’s hoping I am over this flu for good!!

HUGS and LOVE to ALL!!!!!

Hello chicks of the world! How is everyone's body today? It is a horrible grey drizzly day here today in Suffolk apart from a quick burst of sunshine half way through this morning If you so much as blinked you missed the great event for the day!
LINUSHow is that sore mouth and head of yours today? Are you still relying heavily on the analgesic medication to give you any peace at all or has it gone away a tiny tiny bit? How are the boys coping with half term...or rather, how are you coping!!
SHADI truly hope that you are feeling more at ease with your good self today. I have sent you a p.m. in the hopes of letting you know again how much you are loved even from this far round the world I hope you manage to get some rest despite that poor tooth that is causing you so much agony and needing constant care and attention through analgesia. Do you think you will really wait for another week to see a new dentist to hopefully get it sorted? I really don't like the idea of you being in tormet for that long especially when you have suffered for a good while already...
MELHow are you this week? Are things settling down at home a bit this week? Take care of yourself as much as you can and don't forget to rest, afterall you will be of no help to anyone if you have worked yourself into a fatigued heap on the sofa with Jen's parrot squawking at you every few minutes!
HOLLYHOCKWell done to you for your great loss!
Goodness me you must have some great stores of energy to keep all those young people amused and attentive late on in the afternoon...
TIGPrayers and thoughts over the weekend, especaially as you do your next run. I hope the weather is kind to you and those trainers are of a comfortable fit!!
MEADOWHow are you this week?

Hello to HAPPY, buried deep in her piles of packing cases. I do hope you will begin to see the light of day beyond the high piles of cases soon. It must feel as though you are pot holing through middle earth!!!

And finally,hello to NAE. I do hope your nerves have recovered from their fright last week, and that goes for the aquarium fish too!
Bye all!

Teel~ You gave me a great laugh with the parrot talk!!! ROFLMAO!!!! I put a basket in the bedroom with some paper towels and seeds on top so he could have a new place to look into a different mirror.....all this just to shut him up! He is small but loud. Thanks for all YOUR kind words and hope your emotions aren't running away with you. Mine almost got the better of me this week! I send good vibes for peace of mind while all these tests are going on and strength to wait for results.((((HUGS))))) I wish MY ticker would move. Could you give mine a kick for me????

Linus~ You and Andy reduced me to a weeping puddle and you are very welcome. Jen is looking around for something and I will let you know when it's finally sealed and leaves the States! Hope the mouth is feeling better! God how awful it all sounded! Take care cause trauma takes time to fade away!!!! More (((((HUGS))))))

Miss Shad~ We are just such a loving "family" that it's hard for any of us to stay down in the dumps too long!!! We'd feel guilty! just think how lucky you are with all these young men about you!!! I am insanely jealous!!! I would love to teach them but only if they need to know how to turn the frassing thing ON and OFF!!! limited knowledge over here! (((((((HUGS))))) for you too

Holly~ Let me start with sending you some (((((HUGS)))))) too! So you can feel the love some more!!! Glad you are recoup'ing and hope you're not rushing the work thing. Take good care of YOU too!


I know this may sound strange but I have sent word to the office and Clara that I am not well. I am just tired though. Another lie from my lips!! Jen and I were talking and she offered to "do" Clara today and told the office I would see them on Tuesday. I feel very relieved and have been making plans for my 5 day weekend! They have Presidents day off here in the States. So I have 5 days to regroup and plan my future. Feeling good about that Snow is coming and that's fine with me. Everyone else can worry about the clean-up. I will be safely ensconced indoors with my dvds, journal, books, and good food choices!

Sending out love and (((((HUGS)))))) to the rest of the girls and hope everyone is safe, happy and has a great day!

hey kids just a wee quick post not feeling to good today back playing me up so ill pop back later or tomorrow for a proper chat
have a good one
kirsty

MORE HUGS FOR ((((((((((((kirsty)))))))))))!!!!

I won't be long just a few things to let you know what is going on with me.
I lost a good friend last week which was very sad but expected just not so soon.....but today I lost another friend from this same circle of woman and it is a horrible shock.... I am not able to take it all in yet.
I have been working on my thursday to help with the schedule the new girl is gone as of tuesday morning and the office is so much better.... so that is a good thing....
I am getting some company this weekend so that will be good. I will write more later. I think of you all and hope everyone is well.....
Peace,
Nae