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!!!
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.

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.

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. 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.

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!