Happy July 4th everyone!
My dh admitted that he was under a lot of pressure and stress with this home improvement loan and how it is dragging on through out the summer. That is why he lashed out at me bout what I eat on Saturday. I told him that if he does it again, I am going to pack a bag and walk out the door for a little seperation period. That got his attention, but it was immediately followed with a comment about if you want to seprate from me, that is fine but we will go straight for a divorce. God I hate being the second wife at times. Because that is all he ever says when we have a nasty fight. I went for my 2 mile bike ride last night. Than he begged me to go for a walk with him, so we went for a 2 mile walk around town. I am talking to him again, but just really got my guard up. I will probably have it up for a few days. Thanks for letting me vent yesterday.
Mouse, glad to see that you didn't beat yourself up too much about the potatoes. I bet with in the next couple of weeks the weight will start to come off after your body is done forming some muscle. I will keep my fingers crossed that it happens for you. :)
Summer congrats on making the smores and not eating any of them. I think that would have been a very hard task for me, not to eat atleast one. Congrats on being down a pound. I hope that on Tuesday evening, the scales show a loss for me. If not, I will really cry after watching my diet a lot closer since last week's gain. There were fireworks in my area on Saturday and last night. My dh asked me if I wanted to go see them and I told him no. I just didn't feel like watching fireworks after the day I had with him yesterday. I think I got more kisses from him yesterday than I have since we got married. Enjoy your day!
Hi to Robyn, Ginny, Pam and Sue. Hope you are all having a wonderful day!
Take care,
Kerry

Gee I disappear for a day or so and this goes nuts here!!!
Not enough time to give anyone any justice with a response, but I did want to send my most sincere sympathy and love Robyn's way. What a sad thing to happen to a family- and I am sure that getting over this will not be easy. Hugs and prayers your way....
hope to get here later with some more time.
Ginny

Happy 4th, everybody. I spent the morning at the gym... did my workout upstairs, one of the machines was constantly in use, so I missed that one. Then I went downstairs and swam. There was a new member there trying to teach his wife to swim, and she got a charleyhorse, so I helped. I introduced myself and told htem I worked there... and got asked to help teach her to swim! I told her first thing: get rid of the noodle. If you use a noodle before you have balance, you'll go vertical. That's the point of float belts or any floatation device... if you stay vertical, your head is usually out of the water. About 10 minutes later she could do breast stroke about 2 feet... :) AND they're going to sign their son up for the parent-child class! :) Then I hung around because I promised the guard I'd keep her company for a little while... its tough to be the only guard for 6.5 hours... you can't leave to go to the bathroom or anything if there are people in the pool! You'd think that with the gorgerous weather (sunny, nice breeze, about 85) people wouldn't want to swim INDOORS. I do, because of all the medication that says to stay out of direct sunlight or tanning beds, but we all know I'm weird. :smug:
I guess I shouldn't get upset over the scale, but it IS hard, especially when people make nasty comments, which happens fairly often. Usually not quite as bad as the kid at the horticulture center, because adults are quieter, and less obvious. And of course, my friends at the gym or regular members at the gym always ask because they see me there ALL THE TIME... and I ALWAYS look the same.
I am also worried that if this doesn't work that my reproductive endo may decide the only thing that will work is gastric bypass surgery, and if SHE gives up, I'm not sure what I'll do. I see her next Tuesday. I know she wanted me to try this for 6 months and lose like 20 pounds. I've done almost 2 months and lost zero.
:mouse:

Evening Everyone,
I went to my MIL for lunch with two of my SIL's, one BIL, my MIL, two nephews and my crew. We had homemade green beans, potatoes and corn cooked together in a pot, cucumber salad, KFC chicken and raspberry cobbler. I was a good girl and ate two small pieces of chicken, a helping of the green beans with as little corn and potatoes as possible, some cucumber salad and a very small piece of cobbler. My MIL told me to cut myself a small piece, so I couldn't hurt her feelings. Then I came home and took a nap. My dh woke me up to ask me if I want to go up to his brother's to pick up the twins. I said no, I didn't feel like getting up yet. So I waited about 15 minutes after he left with my sdd and than got up. I just don't like going up to his house when it is so hot out. I can't hack the hot weather and their house is ten times hot than it is outside. All they do when we come to visit is watch tv, so I try to stay away because that bugs me.
Mouse sounds like you had a wonderful time working out and swimming this morning. That was so sweet of you to help that couple and teach the wife to swim. You are such a wonderful person. You go out of your way to help others. I done 15 minutes on my gazelle this morning and other 15 minutes using my dh's weight machine. I was going to squeeze 30 minutes on the excerise bike, but didn't get to it yet today. I might here in a little bit or go for a walk with my neighbor.
Ginny glad to see you popped in to visit us. So how did your weekend go for you?
Pam, where are you? We miss chatting with you. Hope all is well with you and your family.
Hello to Sue, Summer and Robyn.
Think I will wonder out to the kitchen and fix me something to eat for dinner. Talk to you all later.
Take care,
Kerry

Hi, all... I know, I know, two in one day again. I need to go back to work so I'm disappearing a bit more often. :)
Kerry: The green beans and corn dish sounds like something from my hometown in Lancaster. The Amish always make this green bean, potato and ham dish. Its pretty good, and if you used fresh corn, I bet it'd be even better. And I just LOVE fruit cobbler. I think I could eat it... I could make the filling with berries and splenda, afterall. I just have to come up with a substitute for the topping. Hmmm.
Maybe that peanut-butter "dough"? Any ideas?
I think I'll make the turkey sausage thing tomorrow... if I put it up to cook in the crock pot before I leave for the gym, it should be done by the time I come back from there and the appointment for the orthotics. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to use the larger links or the small ones. The small ones are supposed to be "breakfast sausage", but they don't have as much seasoning as the larger links which are supposed to be "Italian"... but both taste good with just about anything, and since I really only like them boiled... I should have bought some smoked turkey or smoked turkey sausage to add for some flavor. Hmph. Oh well... this is good enough.
I'm going to put water, garlic, onion, and pepper for the stuff to cook in, and the juice from the sauerkraut. All the recipes said to drain the juice from the kraut and use chicken broth, but... :)
:mouse:

Robyn, I hope your family is coping with everything.

Mouse, You have 4 more months to make some progress...don't give up yet. And, to **** with anyone cruel enough to criticize your appearance. How dare they. Just ignore them knowing that they are ignorant jerks and don't deserve to have any control over your emotions.

Kerry, my DH was married for 6 months and then went through a painful divorce years before I met him. His exwife cheated on him with a friend in his wedding party. Nice, huh?! He had many emotional scars as a result. The first year of our marriage, he kept waiting for me to leave him. He didn't believe that I wouldn't abandon him. He would purposely act like a jerk so that he could hurt me before I could hurt him. I actually took the birth of our DD four years later before he began to get comfortable with me. He still has his moments of what DD calls "temper tantrums" or being rude. Depending on my mood, sometimes I (verbally) fight back, but what gets his attention more is if I walk away and ignore him. A few days ago, as a matter of fact, I brought up our anniversary. He assumed that I wanted to go away and spend lots of money and started acting like a jerk. I just wanted to go out for dinner and a movie, but he didn't give me a chance to say that. I didn't like his attitude, so I went in the house and cursed him under my breath. He ended up not only apologizing, but came up with ideas for our anniversary. He is beginning to learn how to behave after almost 12 years of marriage. Maybe your DH just needs more time with you to feel more confident that you won't leave him. Good luck.

Ginny & Sue, how's it hangin'?

Yesterday, DD went swimming over her friend's house, and they all came over last night for s'mores and fireworks. It was fun.

I lost another 2 pounds on a holiday!!! We had to make more s'mores and didn't put any in our mouths. I love this diet!!!

Just a short hello-

Mouse- Summer stole my thunder - and exactly what my WW meeting was all about...plateaus and the sticking it out thru them. Hang in there it is only 2 months into it...... What a sweetie you are teaching that woman to swim....... a great lady you are!!

Summer-Awesome for you that you lost 2 more #!!!! I am so happy for you!
Thanks too for sharing about your marriage.....Dh hit me with what could have been a marital bombshell this weekend....I am not sure how to take it at all.....and of course he dances away from the subject. I found your story comforting....and reassuring.

Kerry- good job getting all that excercise in!!! Don't blame you about not wanting to go out in the heat. I can't stand it either. Sounds as thought you did a fine job with dammage control over food. That ought to show up at the scale!!!

Gotta go.....my house is a bomb out zone, and I have to get dinner on so that Dh can eat while I am at Ds's game/practice (long evening....gotta go find a Walmart to keep myself amused!) See ya later!
Ginny

Hi Ladies,
Just a quick stop to say hi. I have been busy today trying to figure out how to find some extra money to buy my one sds a new pair of shoes. He ruined his other ones yesterday and his mom was being a pain in the butt about buying him new shoes. She expected him to wear his brother's shoes and they were 3 sizes too big. Called my dh an @#$hole, because he told her that she needed to buy the shoes with his child support money. Her reply was that only is to be used to cover housing and food. I know for a fact that also is to be used to cover their clothing too. So my dh and I scraped $30 toward and he got a new pair of shoes. She didn't even say thank you. Considering that was money we were going to use to pay on a bill. So we are going to have a late fee for sure now. Now my other sds said that he needed new shoes and she said that he was just saying that because his brother got shoes. Well my dh measure his foot and shoe. They are exactly the same size, so the kid isn't lying. It just pisses me off how she doesn't care about her kids and plays the blame game with us all the time. Oh well, atleast one of them has a new pair of shoes. We told her she had to buy the other pair. Come on for someone who has the money to go on vacation with the kids next week, I think she could take $30 out of it and buy her son a pair of shoes. She claims that we don't spend any money on the kids. But we are the ones who babysit them for free, that's right for free during the school year and the summer, we take them to their doctor's appointments and to their sports practices and games. I think we do spend money on them for food, drinks and take them places. But I guess she just wants to live in her own little dream world that we are bad people. Let her think that because the kids already know who cares about them the most. They have already told us that they want to live with us once we get the upstairs remodeled. Sorry I had to vent on here. I can really vent to my dh with the kids still here. :) Thanks a bunch.
Well I am off to TOPS tonight. I hope the scales are my friend tonight. Talk to you all later.
Take care,
Kerry

I did it. I lost 3 3/4 pounds last week. I was so happy. So I really had been watching what I eat a lot better last week than I had first thought.
Thanks Summer for your words of advice. It really helped put a lot into perceptive. Thanks abunch.
Hello to everyone else.
Talk to you all later.
Kerry

OMG....what a horribly long and sad day this was... I'll try to come tomorrow and post.... This kid was 3 months post his 22nd birthday. There were young, tatooed, pierced crying kids everywhere......but the worst was listening to his mother's choking sobs for the entire service. I'm headed to bed. Thanks for the prayers and support! You guys are THE best!
take care,
Robyn

Good morning, everyone. :)

Robyn: Hope sleep offers some needed solace. I can't even imagine: most of my students are near that age, and given the kids I teach, this is something that isn't far from my mind.
Kerry: AWESOME NEWS!!! Congratulations!!! :) :cheer:
Summer: Logically, I know you're right. I shouldn't care, but its not easy.
Ginny: I dunno if you'd call this a plateau... its lasted about a year. I lost some weight when they first put me on the spironolactone; the 65 pounds that were on my tracker. The 55 pounds there now reflect 10 pounds I gained this past year... That was when the testosterone started going up again, but they increased the spironolactone dosage and that made the testosterone drop radically. Its still not normal, but its lower than it has ever been before. I've said that I would be truly pleased with 75 pounds... that would at least take me closer to a somewhat normal weight. My overall goal isn't anywhere near my "BMI" weight that is recommended: that is 145. I'm 5'7" tall, and definitely have a "large frame". I'd look sick if I weighed 145 pounds. I can see some differences, but the SCALE doesn't change, and its so hard to buy clothing... That is what sets me off most of the time.
I badly need to buy some new clothing for my new job. I also need some new shorts and t-shirts for the camp job... the last time I bought shorts or t-shirts was 4 years ago when I interned at the last summer camp. And I hate having to buy the stuff because I really thought by this time I'd be many sizes smaller.
In a way, it was almost easier to deal with the weight BEFORE I became so interested in swimming laps and lifting weights. I could find a reason to blame myself.
But, right now, you cannot convince me that 1600 calories (today's total... the prunes and popcorn I ate for that specific purpose... both work better than the fiber caplets I tried) and 99 carbs are causing me to remain at this weight. Especially since none of the carbs are from refined sugars. I'd have 30 less if not for the fruit and the popcorn. With the removal of most of the carbs from my diet and almost all grains, I think I removed most of the soluable fiber. I'll ask my doctor about that when I see her next week. I could understand if the calories and carbs were from refined sugars, high fat items, or if I wasn't exercising! But I mean, really, I've been at the gym 3 days this week and done 3.5 hours of vigorous exercise. I don't know what else I'm supposed to do!
The good news is that the waterproof case for my iPod is listed as "on-time and scheduled for delivery" to me for tomorrow. I think I might wait till the UPS delivery happens before I go to the gym. UPS is usually here by noon. I won't have the arm-band till next week, but I can tuck the case into the waist of my swimsuit or the strap. I can hardly wait: Its a lot easier for me to get into the workout with music, because I'm not distracted. ;)
:mouse:

Robyn - My heart goes out to you. How emotionally draining that is. I hope you take some time for yourself to recoop. It is so hard to lose someone so young but the suicide makes it that much worse. Hang in there!

Mouse - I think it is time for you to give the scales a break. I use to weigh myself daily and was obsessed with it if I wasn't losing. Finally I just had to give it up. I only get on the scale once a week (at Weight Watchers). I think it will improve your mood if nothing else. If your seeing muscles and your clothes are fitting better, you have to be doing something right! I use to call my prenatal vitamins "horse pills" are they still huge? I can't imagine taking them all the time. They also use to make me really sick unless I took them with a substantial meal. Do they have that effect on you? Spending money to save your sanity is definately money well spent!

Kerry - Congratulations on your weight loss! It is too bad that you husband isn't being supportive of your weight loss. He sounds like maybe he is a bit insecure with your marriage (threatening to divorce you if you tried a seperation). Maybe he is afraid that you will leave him once you lose the weight? You have been doing great on your weight loss so far. Just remember that you are the person who will benefit from it the most, so you need to do it for you and to heck with anyone who tries to get in your way! I wasn't overly impressed with the campground we checked out. It had a lot of seasonal residences, which were very run down. We decided to stick to a place we know. It will be hot this weekend, so I think we will live in the pool! Don't you know anyone who has some camping gear you could borrow? I wish you were closer as right now I still have my tent and my popup camper you could borrow. Really other than the reservation fee, camping is cheap. My children are active all day, swimming and riding their bikes. It is great family bonding time too. I feel for you with your ex-spouse nightmares. I could probably compete with you on who is the worse but we would bore the others to death! Fortunately the selfish b****** just stopped showing up last fall and our lives are much less stressful without them! I just cannot comprehend how people can do that to their children.

Summer - I am bowing down to honor you! How you resisted SMores not once but twice is a mystery to me. I can't even manage to stop at one (or two!). I guess that explains why you are losing so much and I am afraid to go to Weight Watchers tonight!There is a two point SMore which is two fudge stripe cookies and one marshmellow. That wouldn't be terrible IF you stopped at one. You will need to send me some of your will power as we are going camping again this Friday!

Ginny - I hope you are surviving your "marital bombshell". I tell you marriage is a whole **** of a lot of work! Men can be so clueless at times. Sometimes I think my three great aunts, who are nuns, had the right idea! My husband and I got in a big fight earlier this year and he drained all of our bank accounts. He gave most of it back but kept $8500, which was a good share of our savings. He says he isn't spending it but keeping it as a "safety net" in case our marriage doesn't make it. We are in counselling now and it is helping some but we have a lot of issues to work on!

On Monday I made homemade cinnamon rolls (huge, real butter, real sugar, loads of frosting). I love to bake and usually I am good at resisting things after they are made (the raw dough is a different matter all together!) but I couldn't stay out of the cinnamon rolls! I think I ate 4 the first day alone! I sent the last two to work with my DH today, so the temptation is gone. My DD is already begging me to make more! I think I will pass. Maybe I could make a coffee cake that would please them. I can definately resist cake without frosting.

I think I am going to head for the links today. After golfing for 20 years, I have decided to take lessons. So far I do pretty well while I am at the lesson but last night at league I was back to my usual crappiness. I wish I had one of those nets to hit into at home. Our property is pie shaped with the house in the back, so I could easily drive balls in the front yard but I spend more time fetching the balls than actually practicing my swing. I guess I could practice my chipping but I would rather golf at the course.

Sue

Robyn, I know this is horrible for you and your family. The saying, "Time heals all wounds," sounds corny, but it is true. I know from experience. Take care of yourself.

Sue, thanks for the "props!" I've been searching for that elusive thing you called willpower for oh, 15 years or so. Why it has finally kicked in, I cannot tell you. Maybe it is the looooong list of reasons that I not only want to lose weight but need to lose weight.

1. Last summer I was told I would develop diabetes if I didn't change my eating habits. (My grandmother developed it and went blind from it.)
2. My knees and feet can't handle the weight. I wonder if I would have reinjured my left foot (broken 2 years ago) if I was at a normal weight.
3. My gastrointestinal problems would lessen.
4. It would be better for my heart, blood pressure, cholesterol (My dad had heart disease.)
5. It would lessen my risk for certain cancers. (My parents died of cancer before their time. My brother, sister, and aunt are cancer survivors.)
6. It would increase my lifespan.
7. My daughter would get off my back. She has never told me that my weight embarrasses her, but she is very aware and concerned about me losing weight.
8. I would be more attractive and feel more confident.
9. My beautiful size 12's would fit me...I could wear real jeans, not the spandex elastic waist kind.
10. I would have more energy and feel better physically.
11. I would be able to buy a gorgeous dress and look beautiful for my nephew's wedding.
12. I would be able to dance at my nephew's wedding. Right now, my knees and feet can't handle it.
13. I wouldn't have to curse when getting dressed up that no matter what I put on, I still don't look as good as I could.
14. My internist, gastroenterologist, gynecologist, and chiropractor would get off my friggin' back.
15. My husband would get off my friggin' back.
16. No more worrying about sitting on a chair and having it break below my weight.
17. No more struggling to get out of a beach chair looking like an a*s as I get on my hands and knees to stand up.
18. No more holding my breath to squeeze into a student desk in grad school.
19. No more buying sweatshirts and t-shirts a larger size than my husband.
20. No more breathless walks up the stairs to the teacher's lounge.

So, I have many reasons for doing this, and probably more that I haven't even thought of. I guess the South Beach Diet is the right fit for me, and my desire and attitude happen to be very strong right now. It helps that it is summer and except for money stress, I don't have the same stressors that the school year provides. It helps that DH is finally on board with me if not totally emotionally supportive. It helps to cook only one way and make exceptions only for DD.

Mouse, the answer for you is out there somewhere.

Kerry, you continue to be an inspiration to me.

Ginny, I hope things calm down with your DH. When my DH and I suffered a major marriage crisis, we went to our minister. It helped us tremendously. Sometimes another person's perspective can help a lot.

Yesterday, we had a play date with my friend who lives 40 minutes away. It was fine. Today, I begin preparing for our tag sale on Saturday. I hate doing them, but sometimes we make pretty good money. I also like to rid myself of clutter. It feels really great.

Thanks you all for your kind words. I am thinking that he is afaird that once I get to my goal weight that I might leave him. Which is not true. Yeah it is nice to have other guys make comments about how I look now, but it is my dh who I love the most. We have been working on communicating better with each other the last few days. I think the problem with his stupid ex-wife is helping us get closer again too. She dropped the kids off this morning and started to fight with my dh. Saying that the one boy didn't need shoes and he was only doing it for the attention. I stayed in the house, because I was so upset and angry with the way she uses the kids as pawns to get us to buy things for them that I probably would have walked up to the lazy fat b@*#! and slapped her in the face. So I just gave my dh the money from my yard sale that I was going to put in the savings account for clothes this fall to go buy his son a new pair of shoes. I think I am going to have to stay away from the house for a few days when she comes to drop them off or pick them up, because I have never gotten in a fight in my life but I really want to now. She is scarring her kids for life if she keeps this up. I think her kids are starting to hate her for the way she treats them and they are only 7,7 and 9. I wish I could just adopt them and give them the mother they really need. It is funny people around town think that I am the kids mom because they seem them with me more than they do their real mom.
Mouse, I have to agree with Sue on the scale issue. I use to be addicted to them too. But I only get on them make every few days at home and definitely on Tuesday nights. I really think your body is building up muslce still and when it is tired of doing that will turn to losing some weight. Glad your IPOD is on the way!
Sue, thanks for your encouraging words. Maybe we will need to IM and you can share more of your wonderful advice with me. I think that would help me a lot! :)
Robyn, I hope you were able to catch up on your sleep and get some rest. I am sorry you had such an emotional draining day yesterday. I hope you can get back to some normal routine. Time heals all wounds. Hugs goes out to you and your family.
Summer, you are doing great on the SB diet. Keep up the good work! :) I am glad that I can be an inspiration to you. Somedays it is hard to keep plugging along, but God helps me through it. I am really wanting to get down to my goal weight by this time next year.
Hi Pam. Did you go on vacation? Hope you are having a relaxing time. Miss chatting with you.
Well I guess I better go get in the shower. I did 20 minutes on the gazelle this morning and 10 minutes on my dh's weight machine. So I think I better go and get a shower before they get home from the shoe store. Maybe I should pitch a fit and have the b***** buy me a new pair of sandals. I am having problems with my feet and can only wear Clark sandals, Clark shoes and New Balance Tennis shoes. They are so expensive. So I guess I am going to have to have another yard sale just to get some money for shoes.
Talk to you all later.
Have a wonderful day!
Kerry

Kerry- congrats on the wonderful WI!!!!!!!!!! Bet you must be smiling from ear to ear!! I agree with the wisdom mentioned before about Dh might just be afraid of what would happen if you reach goal and look awesome. Some men are like that and just afraid. (not sure where mine fits in that strategy....he would make an interesting case study, to say the least). Think you did the right thing with sds and the shoes. I have 3 kids and there are times that you have to get something for each....just to keep everyone happy. It is a major shame that their mom could not spring for the shoes......you will be blessed for what you do for those kids. Take a deeeeeeep breath.......and stay away from the crabby ex. Good job getting your work out in!

Mouse- no I did not go brain dead with regards to your weight, i know that this has been a long struggle for you. Guess I referred to the plateau since you started this new eating plan 2 months ago. And I agree with everyone else....hang in there and try to ignore the scale. Bet those new clothes felt great!!!!!!!! I am so happy for you- off to a new start- new job and away from that abusive mess. (in a year from now youshould read your old posts from this past spring to remind yourself how awful it was- you probably will not believe it unless you saw it in print)

Sue- hope you enjoyed your day of golf. I stink at it, but find it a bit fun. Dh has been bugging me to learn the game to give us something to do together (in what spare time???). Hope you enjoy the lessons (nice to do something for yourself!). Oh, and the cinnamon rolls? Well, you got them out of your system.......now time to move on and start fresh. Sometimes you just have to do that and allow a trigger food. Noone is perfect. BTW- how did the WW meeting go????? Just curious, but was the topic of yours also about getting to meetings? Our leader started the meeting with the phrase "I came, I weighed, I cried, I stayed" referring to plateaus and not so hot WI's after a holiday weekend. It was a good meeting-glad I went.

Robyn- my wish for you is that you can find some comfort today in friends and family.....or just a day of rest. How terribly upsetting that must have been for you. I will keep praying for you.

Summer-you did a wonderful job of spelling out why you are on this program....you know it might be a good thing for you to print out that post for yourself and tape it to the refrigerator just in case you feel like going off plan. Glad that Dh is doing it with you too.......that has to help.

Me? Got a 35 minute walk in this am (during swimming lessons for Dd) and last night decided to switch to WW core. I have been doing flex......and in a way dislike giving up flex, but need to break out of this slump. I was shocked to see that I had gained a # yesterday, but felt like I was retaining a ton of water, and I really think my system has not totally recovered from the colonoscopy and the IV yet (I think IV's artificially inflate a bodies water balance). So I will give Core a try.....and it had better show up on the scale next week...... As far as Dh and his bombshell, I know him, if I attempt to bring up the subject again he will shut down and not communicate- just gonna have to wait for another moment to discuss it, which could be in 5 years. Got a lot of praying to do......and as far as him and any kind of counselling???? Never. Any problem with our marriage is always my fault. (his opinion) How convienient is that??
Better go help Dd dig out her room.......see ya!
Ginny

Hey I'm back!
Sorry to be away for so long, but it has been crazy. Where do I start?
Well, first I had to take two online classes and take the tests before June 30th in order to be recertified. The person in charge of all that from central office said that I had met the minimum number of credits I needed and was going to send the paperwork in. I went over her head just to make sure since she would not print a list of my classes, and sure enough I was short two. I took both classes and passed the tests with 100%! Big relief, glad that's over with.
My brother went into the hospital to have an outpatient hernia repair done. He has been in the hospital now for a week and two days. He ended up having a bowel obstruction, had to have a ng tube inserted, his veins were collapsing, running a fever, hasn't eaten since last Sunday. Finally he was able to go to the bathroom, however then his fever shot up, and now they are worried about his lungs and he is coughing all this stuff up. They are considering putting him on a feeding tube. Terrible! Haven't talked to anyone today, so I hope things are going better.
We went to MYRTLE BEACH! What a blast! We actually stayed three miles south of Myrtle Beach but were able to stay right on the ocean front.
Went to an amusement park, a water park, hung out on the beach and read trashy romance novels. This hotel was awesome, it had a restaurant, bar, game room, fitness room( I did visit it once) a giftshop, pool. Fourth of July night, we hung out on the beach and everyone in the town must have been there because it was legal to shoot fireworks on the beach. I have never seen anything like it in my life. My husband went a little crazy in that department. It was a huge party for hours. I only drank one Strawberry Daquiri. (I had to hang out with my little guy since my husband was all doing the blowing up thing.) I didn't want to come home. Yesterday we went to a waterpark before coming home. I finally got the courage to go on the speed slide where you cross your arms and legs and go.(It's like two stories tall) However, by the time I got to the bottom, I might have well as been wearing a thong, because that's exactly where my bathing suit was. UGHHHHH. Also went to this really neat restaurant called the Seafarer. It was like a giant ship inside and there were Mermaids swimming in the little lagoon in there. They don't post their prices, and it was terribly expensive, but very good. It was a huge seafood buffet.
With that being said, the only downside of this vacation was that I managed to gain four pounds. Yes, we ate well, no I didn't drink water. No, I didn't resist chocolate unlike others with the willpower of superwoman. I indulged too much. Ok, so now we're back to reality, and it's back to eating right and excercising, which I can't tell you the last time I've done that with exception the 8 million sets of stairs we climbed at the water park yesterday.
I had just gotten over the yeast thing. Now it's back in full force. I'm sure its from sitting in a wet bathing suit for three days. The other itching problem? I've decided it's all growing back. This stubble is making me crazy, but it's just too much trouble. However, the bump stopper stuff really did eliminate the little red bumps.
I'm sorry not to get personal. I still have to cook dinner. I'm baking chicken. In the midst of laundry and cleaning and I'm still tired from the trip. Atleast I didn't have to get up and go to work today. I'm really not to badly sunburned with the exception of one little strip on my back near my underarm. I must have missed that. Needless to say I'm going braless today. My hubby and youngest son were sunburned.

Sorry I can't remember who said this, but I too think my husband is becoming extremely jealous since I've lost weight. He made a comment that I was gonna get all skinny and leave him. He will make comments like where you going to your boyfriends? I reply to that..........Nope, he's out of town, but I'll let you know when he gets back. It's getting on my nerves.

I've missed you guys.
Pam

Pam- we missed you too! Welcome back- sounds as though you had a good time in Myrtle Beach. Aw, well so what if you ate some chocolate!!! Get back on the saddle......back on program.....you have to live a little too, right??? So sad to hear about what was supposed to be a sort of routine operation going awry for your Db. I will keep him and you in my prayers...hope he turns around soon.

Speaking of prayers.....this situation in London is horrible....I feel so bad for the people there. Guess living close to NYC keeps me a bit sensitive to this stuff after 9/11 (which I personally saw from a distance- saw the towers burning that is which was visible for miles.)

Doing ok on core for day 2. Now the wrench in the works is because of Cindy (hurricane) all Ds's games are smashed into today......get to sit thru 2 games. Maybe I can sneak a walk in. Gotta go. Sorry not to get personal.
Ginny

Afternoon Ladies,
Boy what a day I have had so far! I went to Curves this morning to put in my workout with my friend. Than came home to my dh crying on the couch in pain. So I took him off to the ER. Got a police escourt out of town so I could get to the hospital quick with him. Than we sat for almost 2 hours before they would see him. Here he has kidney stones. So after we left the hospital we went to get lunch at a Chinese buffet place and off to the drugstore for his Percocet. $52 later we were able to walk out the door with his medicine. I just wanted to sit down on the sidewalk and cry at this point. I still needed to buy gas because I was almost on Empty and only had $ 10 in my wallet. I had just gotten some money out of the ATM to buy my gas and end up spending on the medicine. I think it is highway robbery what they charge for medicine anymore. So now I am home once again. Still need to take my shower for the day. Just don't have the energy to do that right now. I will check back with you guys later. Talk to you later. Hopefully I will be able to get some rest here in a little bit.
See ya,
Kerry

G'afternoon.

Kerry: Woah... I definitely sympathize, although I had a decent prescription plan, I still spend a lot of medications. Honestly, one reason I absolutely didn't want my doctor to change the contraceptives I take is because the other low estrogen one she liedk doesn't have a generic, and it was $48 for 1 month! The other is a generic, and so I pay $36 for 4 months by going through the mail-order pharmacy. And the ER fee is insane too: my insurance dumps a mandatory $50 fee, and if the ER reports that it wasn't an "emergency", the insurance company will only pay 50%. That's to keep people from using the ER as a doctor's office. Fortunately, I hate the thought of sitting in an emergency room, and have only had to do it twice: once for a bee sting while I was at a camp, and then last year when I hurt my ankle. Hope your husband feels better later... and the money gets worked out.
Ginny: Cindy is causing flash flooding and a tornado warning here locally. I'm supposed to go to Virginia tomorrow so I can see my new school and my new apartment, but I'm kinda iffy about the weather. I have to go down on Tuesday also, so I suppose I could go then.
Pam: Welcome back! I love water parks. Seriously. ;) I won't go down the slides, but I like the lazy rivers, wave pools, etc.
Other things: Well, I really only weigh myself once a week. I aim for Tuesdays after I'm done at the gym. I don't always get it done that day though, because I don't like to do it if there are lots of people around. And, I still don't get the whole scale thing. I can see some differences, but its depressing that the scale doesn't change. And while I know intellectually that my endocrinologist probably won't be upset with me, I'm still worried that she might be. I am relatively positive she believes the exercise I do, she's never even hinted that I might not really be doing it the way other doctors do. She did think that maybe swimming wasn't the way to do it for me, but that's about the only cardio exercise I can do: anything else hurts my leg/ankle, and I'm definitely not going to do something that hurts for any length of time. That's why I stopped walking after I hurt myself in the first place. I know my gastroenterolgoist believes me; she's a member of the gym and she SEES me there. But I just don't understand how I can exercise for as long as I do (40 minutes of weights today, and 1 hour 25 minutes of swimming laps) and not lose weight!
I'm going to go... Keep an eye on the weather, everybody. Cindy just came through here early with flash flooding and some tornado warnings.
:mouse:

Well I did make it to get my shower. That is about all the energy I have at the moment. I am drained from our little ER trip. I have to run into town here in a little bit to Wal-mart to get some things. Maybe I will just treat myself to something little.
Mouse: I was told at Curves never to weigh your self after working out because of your muscles getting a good workout. It always makes your heavier than you really are. So that might be something to keep in mind. Hope all is well with the weather from Cindy in your area now. We haven't gotten any rain here yet.
Ginny sorry you have to sit through two ballgames today. Hope you were able to get your walk in. I am hoping that my one friend is home later so that we can take a little walk this evening.
Robyn, hope things are better with you today. I have been keeping your family in my thoughts and prayers. Hope you were able to get some much needed sleep. Hugs to you sweetie.
Pam, I am so sorry to hear about your db. I hope he is feeling somewhat better. I am keeping your family in my prayers as well. Hope all is going well with you. Every once in a while you need to splurge a little bit. It is okay that you had a few different foods on vacation that you normally don't eat now. You will get back on your diet today and do fine.
Summer and Sue hope you had a wonderful day.
Talk to you all later.
I need to go and get my dh something to drink.
Take care,
Kerry

I am having a tag sale on Saturday...hopefully Cindy will be gone by then. Anyway, I finally emptied my sister's attic of boxes which contained the remainder of the contents of my mother's house. Back when she died in 1986, my father moved to Florida. I rented out rooms to friends and acquaintances to pay the mortgage. That lasted three years. When I decided to finish college full-time, I moved in with my sister. At that point, I wasn't ready to get rid of my mother's things, so I just packed it all up and stored it at my sister's. When I moved out, some boxes got unpacked. When I got married, a few more got unpacked and I incorporated the items into my household. With my relationship with my sister deteriorating, I wanted the rest of Mommy's things in my home to keep or tag sale. I thought it would be easy to do now since so much time has passed. It is now 19 years after her death, and I'm having a difficult time going through these boxes. Even the old newspapers that her belongings were wrapped in bring back memories. I thought that by now I had moved on enough to be able to just let it go. Instead, I'm really missing Mommy. We were so close and communicated so well with each other. She really got me. She would be such a support to me if she were here. She would have advice for me about DH. She would be a wonderful grandma. My MIL is a lousy one. My DD is really missing out. I'm really missing out. It hurts so much. You know, my initial weight gain happened when she died. It is weird that I'm finally losing weight now and not wanting to eat crap. But today, as I opened those boxes, and I felt the loss of her yet again, I wanted a donut and macaroni and cheese. I'm not gonna do it. I won't ruin the work I've done. I'm just looking for some comfort, and I really don't know how to get it...I don't know how to make this horrible pain go away. I cry, and I feel this horrible hole in my gut. She should be here right now. She shouldn't have left me. I can't help but think how much better my life would have been if she lived. It is so unfair. I can't wait till this tag sale is over, and I can stop dwelling on the past. I wish I could let her go while honoring her memory at the same time. I hate this feeling.

Summer: You really need a hug. :grouphug: I've been very lucky so far. My father's mother died 3 years ago, but I wasn't close to her. I didn't know her or any members of my father's family very well, and that was by their choice. I'm thinking about you; things like that are very hard, and I'm guessing your sister isn't being a lot of help right now.
Kerry: Thanks for the tip: I'd never heard that before. I always see people weighing themselves AFTER they exercise at the gym, and so I assumed (yea, yea, I know) that was the way (weigh?!) to do it! I absolutely REFUSE to do it with just a towel on or underwear... I just subtract 4 pounds for clothing... 7-8 if I'm wearing either of my adapted pairs of shoes because they weigh so damn much (my sandles and sneakers don't weigh as much, but my dress shoes weigh 5 pounds on their own, and my walking shoes weigh somewhere between 4 and 5 pounds). I don't care if it is a locker room, I don't get the people who walk around nearly naked with just a towel, or completely naked! And while we have some that "look good", many of the members are older or have weight issues. The gym serves as a rehab center for the hospital that is part of the health network they are with, which is one of the reasons I'm so comfortable there. There are people with cardiac monitors, crutches, wheelchairs, canes, walkers all over the building. Of course, for many years, they were also the gym of choice for the Baltimore Ravens football team (the team now has their own posh quarters and many don't need to come to my gym anymore).
It looks like Cindy blew herself out; its just raining now, and not very hard either. I see some pockets of heavier rain to the south and west, but its much better than it was earlier.
I guess I'd better get to bed... I have to get up in the morning to go to Virginia. I was doing my "homework" for my job with the National Board. The assignment didn't make a whole lot of sense, and I'm not sure if I did it right or not. I can say with total honesty (and this is NOT sour grapes!), that most of the staff at my last school couldn't have gone for national board certification, and I think other than myself, there is only one teacher in the vocational department that would even understand the standards! The standards document clearly calls for the integration of career and technical education with core academics. You can't have it any other way and expect it to work.
:mouse:

Happy Friday to you all!
Summer, I am sending lots of hugs and happy thoughts your way! I am soo sorry you are having a tough time getting ready for your tag sale. I wish I was closer so I could help you. You showed some strong willpower yesterday by not giving into you cravings. Way to go girl! Hope today is a better day for you! :)
Mouse, hope you have a safe trip to VA. today. It looked like it was going to rain last night on my way home from Wal-mart. The west got really dark like rain was on the way. But we didn't get anything. I am glad that you survived the rain from Cindy. Now that I shared that little tip with you, you could probably weigh yourself with just your swimsuit on before you went swimming. That way you would have a more accurate reading. Glad to have been able to share a helpful tip with you.
Hi to Ginny, Pam, Robyn and Sue. I have to run and get ready to run into the gym this morning to meet a friend to workout. I have my mil on stand by to help out with my dh if he needs anything the hour that I am gone. He seems to be doing a little bit better. He seems to have slept good last night. It was I that didn't sleep well since he came to bed and I was afraid to move much for fear that I would bump his kidney's.
Talk to you all later.
Kerry

Morning!!

Kerry- I am so glad that Dh is feeling better. Have they decided how they are going to treat the kidney stones? or just let them run their course.
I hear ya with the price of meds...and summers are so darned tough on the wallet. (mine at least) and with everyone home seems as though they all want to be entertained and there goes the$$$$$. Hang in there. Ihope you got that workout in.

Summer- Hugs to you! I know from having lost my Dad over 20 years ago what you might be feeling. How blessed for you to have been raised by such a wonderful woman, who cared so much for you and you got along with so well. And what a wonderful inspiration your Dm is to you with your relationship with your Dd. I know that somehow some of what you do with your own family must be a reflection of your mothers love and her loving personality. And what a treasure that is. There are many who cannot or will not ever know the warmth of the relationship you had with her. You have been truly blessed. I know that my own father would have loved my Ds- he would have loved all my kids- but being that he had no sons himself, I always like to think that he would have seen my Ds as the son he never had. The few things that a father leave to a daughter (my dad was an avid outdoorsman and my Dm gave most of that stuff to me as opposed to my sister who is still feuding with a man who died over 20 years ago) I hold special and have told all my kids, especially Ds, their significance to me. And without getting too mushy (or weepy as I am getting now) I try to tell them how much he would have loved them. Like you, my inlaws are poor excuses for parents or grandparents. Just last week, Dh and I ran into a former coworker (she retired last year) and her DIL (who still works with me) and
I introduced them to him. I got weepy just having to explain to Dh what a wonderful MIL/DIL relationship they have- they go places and do things together......travel to Lancaster...weekend getaways.....and on this particular day they were working the family vegetable stand together. I consider them so lucky and blessed. My Dh knows how awful his parents are.
So I hope that your garage sale goes well. Yes your life would have been better if she was still with you. But what a beautiful legacy she leaves for you.

Mouse-so Cindy was kind to you......know she is being a pain in the neck for me!! Hope all goes well with the National Board today......this is the temporary job to tide you over, right? And just another theory with WI's. I wonder if the body absorbs some water while swimming. Ok I know we are not sponges...but when your fingers become like prunes.......well, that is due to water retention by the skin, right? Try a WI before and after swimming one day.....see if you notice a difference in the two weights.

SO I was so good yesterday.....then blew it with some stress eating. (sometimes Dd's personality can be SO obnoxious, this is the 19 yr old). She really got to me yesterday.....and it was not just me, Ds hung up on her too when on the cell phone. So, I guess I'd better behave today.....
Off to get a tape in, think I will kick box today.
Ginny

I'm a little better today. It is just that I opened some old wounds that I had no idea would be so raw after so much time. The last time I was hit so hard was when my daughter was born, and I was overwhelmed with hormones and my father's death shortly after DD's birth. Since then, I have felt so much better by revelling in my mother/daughter relationship with my only child that I fought so hard to bring into this world. We do many of the things my mother and I did, and DD's favorite are the "Grandma Flossie kisses" which are wetter than mine. (She grins as she wipes her face with the back of her hand.)

Now that EVERYTHING is unpacked, I'm becoming more comfortable with her things as I decide what to keep and what to sell. In a way, touching her things are comforting now. I will be okay. I've done this before, and I will do it again.

Thank you to all of you for your love and support of me. This just hit me out of left field, and you were all ready to help me through this. You are all the best!

Had to cruise by to check email, as Ds just could not keep his head screwed on long enough to figure out when his game is tomorrow. He thinks it is at 9 am........the online schedule says 7 pm.......what is wrong with that blasted Y chromosome anyway????

Summer- glad you are doing better today. This kind of thing- especially if you had a good relationship with your mom hangs with you a long time. As I said, I got weepy just writing about my own dad and it has been over 20 years. And you are giving a living testimony to your own Dm- doing lots of things that your mom did with you. We love you here......hope the rest of your day goes well.

Guess I'd better go be productive. Did get the tape in... (decided on the express tape with the stretchie).
See ya later. Mouse, Kerry, Pam, Robyn, Sue hope you day is going well too!
Ginny

Evening,
Got my workout in today with my friend. Than came home to my stepkids thinking that their daddy was fine and he should be able to do all his regular things with them. I tried being nice for as long as I could, than I snapped. I told my dh that he better get them off my back because I was very tired from not getting much sleep last night. They were in the mood of repeating everything I was saying and it was becoming very nerve racking. They finally stopped when their daddy told them that I was tired from taking care of him yesterday. Than I was finally able to lay down for a nap this afternoon around a little after 2. By 2:30 I was woke up by the kids slamming their bedroom door shut and messing around in their closet which is right next to our bedroom. Finally went back to sleep about 30 minutes to be woke up at 3:17 with my dh telling me that he was going to drive the kids to our friend's house to play with their sons'. I jumped out of bed and told him that I would take them. He didn't need to be driving with Percocet in his system. But no he just had to go do it. So needless to say I haven't said much to him this evening.
I have been craving ice cream or frozen yogurt. So I might go to the grocery store and see what sugar free/fat free items they have on sale.
Hope everyone is having a great day!
Talk to you all later.
Kerry

Kerry- hope you found a good substitute for ice cream. At Walmart, there are some Bluebunny chocolate pops ZERO WW points and I think only 35 calories. I use them a lot instead of ice cream. So I repeat, what is it with the darned Y chromosome?????
Driving with percoset??? Sounds like something my own Dh would do. So glad you got some rest in, although interrupted many times. Hope that workout was a good one.....when are you going to Curves again??
Not much new here.......BTW, Ds's game is at 9 am....hopefully there will only be one game. With these darned tournaments you never know.
See ya
Ginny

Evening everyone...
What a mixed up day this was! I woke up later than I planned because I had trouble sleeping last night. Then, I'm trying to get myself dressed and ready to go... the person going with me (my friend who works at the front desk in my building now) knocks on the door at the same time the phone starts ringing! Of course its the person from the National Board, telling me that I have to be there on Tuesday, and I absolutely cannot be off that day. So, I had to tell my new school that I can't come Tuesday to finish their paperwork or I can't have the job with the National Board. I need that money...
We finally get out the door, and miraculously hit no traffic on the way down (we hit 3 times the normal amount on the way back, so I don't feel slighted in the least!)... went to the school first. And, after waiting for the principal, found out that I'm not assigned there anymore! I have no idea where I'm assigned now! I did get a call this afternoon from a principal at a nearby middle school, but I had to tell him I don't know if I'm assigned anywhere else or not... and I can't come back down till July 19.
Needeless to say, I also had to change my doctor's appointment: I have another week before I'll go see my endocrinologist again.
Then we went to see my apartment: And they had a studio that had just come available. The lady had just been notified that she had to move out of state, and was hoping to find somebody to rent her place in early August. PERFECT for me.
I'm happy... the studio is only 112 square feet smaller than the 1 bedroom, but its nearly $300 a month cheaper. The gas and electric will be cheaper too.
I'd like to know where I am teaching, but at least I have a good apartment now. Its really nice.
Kerry: Sleep makes all the difference, doesn't it?
Summer: Glad you're feeling better.
Ginny: I guess I could do the weight checks that way, but I feel self conscious standing there in my bathing suit. I could do it on my way in and then go change... its just easier wearing my clothes and shoes. The scale is near the front of the locker room, the entrance to the pool is in the back.
I did get a compliment today... it was very warm this afternoon so I took my jacket off and was wearing a sleeveless shirt. I wasn't sure if I'd look okay that way or not, but my friend said I looked just fine. And then, she is looking all over, and says that I have no stretch marks and without the long sleeves or baggy shirt hiding my arms, you can really see that I only have the weight in the torso.
:mouse:

Hello.... what you guys don't know is that this is my 3rd attempt at posting today....
What I said the first time was long...and rather RobynIE.... and lost in space...
what I said the 2nd time was shorter...but rather RobynIE...and evidently lost in space...
THIS time... short and to the point... JUST in case!

*Summer, I hope that you got my PM! (((hugs)))
*Gin, When you solve the male gene issue, please let me know ...I would love some pointers!
*Kerry, Hope you found a good frozen icecream alternative!

I had more to say...but well, I'm all typed out now!
My leg/foot is giving me problems again......arghhhh!

I almost forgot....
Thank you so much for the wonderful support! You guys are great!

If this doesn't go thru, my 4th will be all cursing!!!! ;)
take care,
meeee

Morning,
I did get some ice cream sugar free bars last night. Plus some fudge pops and 2 boxes of popicles that were all sugar free and on sale. So that was a nice treat for me. Watch the stepkids will have them all gone by the end of the weekend if I don't keep an eye on the freezer.
I did get some sleep last night. I would have liked to sleep longer but my sdd woke up at 8:30 wanting fed. I didn't go to bed until after 12:30 and it was a night of tossing and turning for me again. We went over to our friend's house last night around 8:30 and didn't leave until after 11. It was fun just visiting with another grown-ups. I did drive my dh's truck there and home.
Mouse so glad you found an apartment already. When are you planning on moving? Sorry to hear that your job placement is still up in the air. Hope they let you know something soon. Hugs.:)
Summer I hope your tag sale is a huge success today. Glad you are feeling better! :)
Ginny hope you enjoy your ds's ball game and only have one today. As for when I go to Curves again it will be Monday morning. But I think I am going to use my gazelle and weight machine at home this morning.
Robyn, glad to see that you were finally able to post a note to us. Sorry it was a big hussle for you. You should not have been kicking your computer with that leg and foot and it probably won't be hurting again. :) Take it easy!
Hi to Pam and Sue. Hope everything is going great with you two!
By the way, when I was at my friend's house last night, she made smores and I eat two of them. I just couldn't resist them. So I am going to work really hard today to be OP with my eating.
Have a great day!
Take care,
Kerry

Kerry, have you tried Edy's Carb Benefit Ice Cream? YUM!!! I've heard the slow churn is good too, but I can't have it because of the sugar. I'm glad you got some adult time. We all need that once in a while. I had some last weekend. I'm about due for more. Oh, and just so you know, your DH isn't the only stubborn one, so is mine.

Rob, thanks for the PM. You are a good and insightful friend. Don't ya hate it when you are on a roll with a great posting and then its gone?! AAAAHHHHH!!!

Mouse, you and Kerry need a nap. Sorry you have to do all that rescheduling. Stuff like that drives me nuts...really nuts. EXCELLENT NEWS on the studio apartment!!! That's $3600 extra for you a year, not to mention utilities. Congrats on the compliment.

Ginny, thanks for everything. You've helped me a lot.

Yesterday, we got hit really hard with remnants of Cindy. We had 2 inches of rain, with a threat of thunderstorms for today. So, we postponed the tag sale to tomorrow. It hasn't rained, but it is best that we put it off to Sunday because the ground is drenched. With one extra day, I was able to take some time off this tag sale nightmare. (Speaking of nightmares, "you know who" will most likely take the opportunity of me sitting out on my front lawn all day to come over and harass me. :p ) So, we went to the Whistle Stop Book Shop to trade in old books and get some new used books. I got a bunch that should get me through at least the month of July if not August. Then we had lunch at Burger King. I had a double cheeseburger without the bun and a diet coke. DH had a chicken whopper without the bun. For $3.99, it was this tiny piece of chicken, one tomato slice, and some limp iceburg lettuce. What a rip-off. He also got a shake, and when I said, "You're kidding, right?!" he said, "What?" It supposedly didn't occur to him that it would have fat, sugar, and carbs...all no-no's on South Beach. Whatever. Afterward, we went to see "The Fantastic Four." It got a horrible review in my newspaper...one star. But, DD LOVED it, and DH and I didn't mind it. I've seen worse kid movies. The weird thing was that it was rated PG-13, yet they are marketing it to kids under 13 with the Burger King toys. And, DD's friend's brother got a bunch of Fantastic 4 toys for his birthday, and he just turned five. Now how can they rate a movie PG-13 but make every single kid under 13 want to see it?! So, I told DD she could go and close her eyes if it got too scary.

When we got home, I went to the pharmacy to pick up my Nexium. It had no refills, but normally when the pharmacy calls the doctor, they renew it and make a note if I need another appointment first. Well, I'm not due for another appointment, so the renewal should have gone through. However, they couldn't reach my doctor or the oncall (comforting, isn't it?!) so they gave me 4 Nexium to carry me over till I can straighten this out. Whatever! I came home a little frustrated only to receive a letter from my insurance saying they will not cover my chiropractor treating my foot that causes me such pain that sometimes I can't walk!!! They call this pain chronic. What? I've never seen the chiropractor for this foot pain. This is new. They are such as*holes. So, I don't know what will happen. Now I have two medical issues up in the air, and I am truly frustrated and pissed off. It started out as a nice day. :p

I will be doing the tag sale tomorrow, so I don't know when I will be back. Pray that I make a lot of cash and get rid of tons of crap!!!

Evening...

Robyn: Welcome back, sorry about the foot.
Kerry: The sugar free stuff is great, congrats! I love the Turkey Hill products because they use Splenda and taste like real ice cream. I haven't liked any of the other low carb or sugar ice creams, though I haven't tried the one that Summer recommended (Edy's, I think?). I tried most of the others. Breyer's was absolutely rotten, and so was another one ...
Summer: Oh, yes. I absolutely cannot STAND having the reschedule stuff. I work so hard to coordinate everything (like doing the benefits/HR stuff at the school board offices the same day as the doctor's appointment and seeing the school so I don't have to go down there too often since gas is $2.35 and rising. And I understand the medical stuff too; my orthopedist's billing office keeps sending ME bills instead of to my former employer.
Okay... today has been the day from absolute ****. Let me tell you all... I'm so tired and angry I could scream. I might walk down to the 7-11 and find some sugar-free ice cream or sugar-free chocolate.
Alright, the day started off pretty good. The Loudoun Red Cross has a project that needs doing that I can do at home, which made me feel better because the supervisor for Baltimore at Central Maryland is obviously VERY eager to see my back. She's taken me off the dispatch schedule for July, and told me to turn in my gear. I'm pissed... i've put up with her for 3 years, and this is the thanks I get? Okay... whatever. Loudoun really wants me though, they invited me to their volunteer recognition picnic, even though I haven't really done anything yet.
Then, I decided to get my stuff together and go to the gym early.... I was going to do some lifting, and then swim. Now, mind, they are doing construction on our parking garage, and we can't park in our normal spots. I park on the roof because I can't do the stairs from the 7th floor, and there are stairs both to the roof, and to the elevator to get to the roof. 6th floor has stairs too. So, I park on 5.
I went out to my car today and some :censored: :tape: :censored: broke out the rear passenger window. He dropped my suit jacket on the ground, and stole my gym bag. Didn't take anything but the freaking gym bag: not the towels, my sweater, winter jacket, CB, CDs, some books... just the gym bag.
Of course, all my swim gear was in the gym bag, and my new waterproof iPod case. I have insurance and my renters policy covers the stuff in the car, while Geico is going to pay for the window glass. The company is going to come to where I'm working on Monday to replace it, but I still have to drive to work without the window and with the glass all over the back seat. I filed a police report: one of the Baltimore City officers lives in my building, so he came and did it for me. A regular Baltimore City officer wouldn't have cared a bit.
I plan to have a discussion with the property manager on Monday because I physically CANNOT park on a floor that has stairs, and I don't care if they aren't responsible for stuff stolen out of a vehicle, I pay $95 a month to Central Parking for a *SECURE PARKING SPACE* in the resident's area. I wouldn't have parked where I did if they hadn't told us about the construction and that we weren't allowed to park where I normally park. I've replaced almost everything except the toiletries kit... I need to go to REI's website and buy that, then go to Trader Joes and get my soap/shampoo again. Allstate will give me a check, I have replacement cost on everything so I've saved my receipts. But its SO ANNOYING! I can't go swimming until at least Tuesday or Wednesday. I can't go lift weights, because they stole my shorts, shampoo, the whole kit... so I can't go get all sweaty in my work clothes!
So, then... I hadn't eaten, I figured I'd treat myself a little and get some chinese. I ordered orange beef (not the fried kind) and some seafood... I wouldn't have eaten all the rice. I get the food, and I ate the seafood... then started on the beef... and it wasn't beef! They gave me orange chicken! I ate two pieces before I realized it was CHICKEN! So, of course, I got sick. Then I called the restaurant, and I was mad. I told him I wanted the money for the dish off my bill and not new food because this wasn't the first time they'd done this. The guy lied and said I ordered the chicken, so I pointed out to him that I made a huge deal out of asking for teriyaki beef (no sauce) instead of teriyaki chicken because I ordered enough to get a free order, and I'd told him then that I was allergic to chicken! So then he offered to let me get something free "next time" and I told him I'm moving in 2 weeks (closer to 3), and wouldn't need the free food.
That was just the last straw at the end of the day, you know what I mean? And the fact that I can't go to the gym until I get my stuff back, and may have to wait even longer: I need a new ID card, which can only be done when the manager is there since I'm an employee... my lifeguarding shirt, my name badge, my ID card (you need photo ID for the lockers) were all in my bag. All of my bathing suits. Oh, yea, and my prescription glasses... they strap on behind my head so I can jump in the pool and not lose them. I can't get new ones till I have an eye doctor appointment. My mom is going to call my old eye doctor and see if he'll take me on the 26th (the soonest I can get home), since I'll never get an appointment down here. I missed work tonight, too...
You know, I could actually get something that I am not supposed to eat at the 7-11... I threw out my entire dinner! I'm just not sure its worth the 2 block walk!
:(
:mouse:

And if that weren't enough: when I went over to REI's website, one of the toiletry kits talks about a "small inset to hold jewelry"... and I realized that I had left my class ring and my Star of David in my bag! I think I told you guys that I broke the chain one day during swimming lessons... our head lifeguard had offered to hold it in the office for me, but my bag was there (we do swimming lessons after the gym is closed, so we can't have lockers... I keep my bag in the office when I'm working anyway) so I told him no thanks...
My mom has the warranty information on the ring, because its from Josten's, and she bought the Star for me as a gift, so she knows where to get another one, I guess. I'm not sure how, because I thought she bought it at a convention we went to together (a science fiction con, but there are usually a lot of jewelers there), but maybe she didn't get it there. I reported both of those to Allstate as soon as I remembered... but the ring is going to cost at least $400 to replace, even assuming that Jostens can replace a ring that is 16 years old. They don't even OFFER sterling silver on their website anymore. The ring was the ONE AND ONLY TIME my whole family (mom, father, both grandmothers) ever did anything together.
I guess that'll teach me to not only take my jewelry off before I get in the water but to make sure I put it back on when I'm done showering!
:mouse:

Just a short hello.....feel as thought I have spent all day cleaning and cooking. Dh did the baseball running yesterday and today- last nites game had themcoming in at midnite. Glad it was not me!

Mouse- good luck replacing the jewelry.......sounds like it could be tough to do. Congrats on the new apartment!!!! Big savings.....and sounds great for you!

Summer- hope the tag sale went well.....and that you did not have to wear your galoshes for it! Dd just saw Fantastic 4 also and liked it. What do those reviewers know anyway?????

Kerry- dont' sweat the s'mores......gotta live a little right?? I love sugar free popsicles....what a great way to get the ice cream craving out of your system. So glad you got some rest too.....you really needed it.

Robyn- hope that leg/foot problem resolves soon....what a pain, literally. And I am no genetic specialist......just a lay theoretician....and I SWEAR that there is something with the Y chromosome......either that or it is a full moon coming. But if I find out any secrets I'll let you know.

Well, Dh has lyme disease...but feeling as crummy as he does he still went to Ds's game today, and stayed for an extra game (he knew the coach and some of the players). He will watch any baseball......have hardly seen him at all this weekend.
Dd and I went to church and then after I fed the gang Dd (9) and I hung out in the pool.......it was so relaxing.
Guess I'd better go be productive. Enjoy the rest of Sunday.
Ginny

Hey!
I've just gotten back from Virginia Beach. My brother ended up having to have another surgury Thursday. There were adhesions from a surgury he had two years ago (he had to have a bowel resection because of diverticulitis). He seemed to be doing better the last two times I saw him, but today, he was really out of it, and running a fever of 102 and they have been feeding him intravenously so they have been having to give him insulin shots, and his heart rate is high, now he is on beta blockers. Crazy. Poor thing. He hasn't eaten or drank anything since June 27th. I would be going crazy for some ice water. He has a little sponge to soak in the water to moisten his mouth, but that water would be gone gone gone, if I was in that situation. He has so much restraint. I was going to stay an extra day and come back Tuesday, because my breaks decided to start scraping the rotors while I was there. However,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,next saga with my son's car....Has been in the shop for two weeks. Was only supposed to be in there for three days. He got it out today, and then got almost home and it started acting up again. So, he and his friend need a ride to work tomorrow and I have to deal with this stupid car, so here I sit........I'm over it frankly.
ON the bright side, I was back down to 175 just a few minutes ago after dinner, so maybe I'll be closer to where I was tomorrow. I feel pretty good about it.
Best wishes to everyone out there. No time to address each of you individually. Except, Ginny: Just read Isle of Dogs, by Cornwell. Not bad, was a guest appearance by Scarpetta.
Talk to you all later!
Pam

Pam,
I am still whittleing my way thru Unnatural Exposure- have a few to go before I get to Isle of Dogs. But read it I will.....and I am totally ticked that she ends the relationship with Benton Wesley......or at least that is the way it looks from the point I am in the book.....but then without that tension in her life, Scarpetta might be hohum.
BTW- congrats on the 175! Bet that feels so good. Hope your brother improves- must be so tough to see him like this.
Back to the research on deer repellants.......Bambi ate our green beans, pepper plants and Dd's sunflowers. I used to have a recipe for homemade pepper spray and of course can't find it.
See ya!
Ginny

Sorry not to get personal.... I am nearly ready to walk out the door...yes...at 7:30! ..AM! THIS is my week of staff development. Today I face the only computer program that causes me to shake in my boots...and don't ask why OR tell me how much you love it...Today I have a class in Advanced Excel...my nemisis! :) This will be the 5th or 6th Excel class that I've taken.... Remember that at my old school I was LITERALLY "THE" computer girl.... I will pass the class with flying colors...and I will leave NOT having any more of a clue than I do as I sit right here RIGHT now. I simply don't like Excel...... and yes, I KNOW that it will do 600000000cabillion things! :)

I'm off to sit in front of a computer.......... and try not to shake in my boots! ;)

I'll check back in when it is over! Hope everyone is ok! Forgive my ExcelPhobic nervous rant!

take care,
meee

Robyn: EEYEUUW!!! A week of staff development in freakin' JULY?! :p What are they thinkin'? Whatever happened to doing that kind of crap during the school year or at the very least the week before school starts at the end of August? I don't know about you, but I'm just getting into the summer swing of things. Please accept my condolences. ;)

Mouse: How awful. I would feel so violated and really pissed off. Just replacing it all is gonna be a pain, but knowing that somebody touched your stuff and stole what was important must be so horrible for you. I would want to punch a wall. :mad:

Ginny: Sorry about DH's lyme's disease. My DB, DS, and DN all have it...probably because I live in CT, the center of where it began. They all live in highly deer populated areas, and because of all the massive construction of new homes, I now live in a highly deer populated area as well. There is no place for these poor deer to go. In CT, they just keep cutting down trees and building these million dollar homes (monstrosities). There will be no land left for these poor animals. I won't be surprised if one day as I'm leaving my school, I see a deer walking on the pavement down the middle of Main St., Bridgeport, CT. From experience with my family and friends who have it, the key is following the antibiotic regime. I hope it works well for him.

Pam: Sorry about your DB. My DH had the same surgery last summer. Do you know why he got the adhesions from the surgery? I hope he heals quickly.

Well, PHASE 2 SUCKS. :p I am up 3 pounds. When I went to the South Beach message boards, I found out that this is quite common, and my 3 pounds isn't as bad as some others' weight gains. I've got to cut WAY back on the carbs I've reintroduced, cut back on artificial sweeteners, and add gallons of water. Apparently artificial sweeteners not only cause water retention (who knew?!) but also increase appetite!!! Okay, this is news to me. I've been living on freakin' Splenda and Nutrisweet to COPE with all the good food I've given up. Now I can't even have those except in minimal amounts?! AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It would help if I could exercise more, but having a foot that feels like it has knives stabbing into it when I stand or, God forbid, walk, has made me want to be more sedentary. That won't help the weight loss. I saw my chiropractor for my one allotted visit. My insurance considers my condition which began at the end of June, chronic!!! What the f*ck?! I wrote them an angry appeals letter asking them to define "chronic." Oh, I defined it for them in my letter and made it clear that it would be in their best interest to let this doctor heal me versus another doctor mask the pain with prescription drugs or worse, perform surgery. Over time, I think the chiropractor would be cheaper for those a*ssholes. Do I sound a tad pissed?! Well, I am. :mad: :p

Tag Sale...I have purged my pain and made $153.00 all at the same time. At first, I had trouble selling my mother's stuff, but I forced myself to do it. We were exhausted by the end of the day. It is done until next year when I have dozens more "white elephant" gifts from my students to sell. And when I say, "white elephant" I'm not kidding. One of my Christmas gifts was a glass candleholder with a resin elephant on the base and ugly red flowers around where the candle would go. Never in my life have I seen anything so odd and ugly. Well, guess what? It was the first thing that sold!!! As I gave the people change, I hummed to myself, "People Are Strange," by the Doors. My DH gave me a dirty look. :p :D

I scheduled my gastroenterologist appointment in two weeks so I can listen to him berate me about my weight...goodie goodie goodie. :p My meds are renewed.

So, the meds are straightened out. The angry appeals letter has been written and mailed. The tag sale and week of mourning is over. My foot hurts, but you can't have everything. I'm ready to get back to my summer.

Afternoon Ladies,
I was at a baseball tournment yesterday in no man's land to watch a close family friend's son play. It was fine until we had to be out in the hot sun for 5 hours. Than I was feeling sick. I feel grumpy and crappy today since it is TOM for me. I started in the middle of the night. I have a headache from h#ll and my sdd keeps bugging me to leave the house and go to the library with her. I think I will just go and get it over with here in a few minutes. Than hopefully I can come home and relax for a little while.
Pam, sorry to hear about your dd. I will keep him in my prayers. Hope things get straightened out with your car problems too. Congrats on being down to 175 again. Your Monday is going better.
Mouse, that is so awful about your necklace and class ring. I bet you are beside yourself. I can't image what you are feeling right now about someone stealing your stuff. So did you get your teaching assignment straighted out yet?
Summer glad that you survived your tag sale yesterday. So what are your plans for your money? Are you going to buy yourself some new clothes? Sorry to hear that Phase Two sucks! I know that you will survive and overcome your weight! You will start school as a new skinny you!
Robyn, hope you are surviving your class today. What are the other topics for the rest of the week? Sounds like you are going to have a fun week! That will be me in a few weeks. Hope you can do something in the evenings to make up for being in school during the day.
Ginny, sorry to hear that your dh has lyme disease. I hope he didn't over do it this weekend. Hope you can find the recipe for pepper spray! I have to give the program at TOPS tomorrow night. I just hope that I find some engery here soon to look over the stuff before tomorrow night. How is your WW buddy thing going for you?
Sue, hope you had a wonderful weekend. You were probably either out camping or golfing huh.
Well I better go and get ready to go to the library. Than hopefully I can come home and read for a little bit. I am hoping to take a walk this evening with my dh. We haven't gotten to go walking in over a week and I miss our walks.
Talk to you all later.
Kerry