hmmm seems like the counter on the number of posts a person has made (under their avatar looks like it's off. By quite a bit... oh well, not that important anyway

Shad~ I found out from one of the female drs that if a combo spice says "and other spices" on the ingredients label, then it contains salt. She recommended I mix my own spices to make Italian, etc. I have some recipes for spices and will send them if you like. I don't retain water as much now and usually only when I eat the wrong food. Good luck. Hope your weekend is stupendous!

Holly~ am sooo sorry to hear about the ER trip!!! You are just like Jen in this. She usually gets a steroid in a IV drip bag and the benadryl and a few hours later they send her home. The opinion for her has been this....if she is too stressed out for too long a time and then also eats the wrong food, then the attack is much worse than just the usual bumps. Now when she sees them coming he told her to tak the benadryl right away and not stop till the rash is gone. I wish you well((((((HUGS))))))

YP~ Welcome back and what a great race! Good for you and you must be walking on air!!! :cloud: Such a wonderful thing for you to do for charity. Congratulations!!!

Ceejay~You may be still laughing and me too but see how right I was!!! Congratulations on all of it and will send good healing vibes to Tim. I am sorry to hear of his hosp. stay and wish him well. Just reading it madse my bus thing twinge! !!!! Good luck with the testing decision!!!

Happy~ Glad the visit went so well and you and the others had such a great time! Congratulations on the loss and hope it's contagious over here!!! Hope the work week goes fast too!!

I am in shock of the news from London. It must have been terrorizing to those trapped. jen and I were so happy for them just yesterday with the news of the Olympic 2012. Scary how it all changes in the course of 24 hours. Sending good thoughts over to them today. The sad thing is that part of my happiness was because I live so close to NYC and did NOT want the Olympics here.......I was afraid of just the same thing. So are many others in both NY & NJ. Once was enough and I live with the fear of a repetition. Enough said.
I am back on plan today and I think the TV helped me make it.
If not now........when? so today it is. Done with the feeling sorry for myself syndrome and off to another re-start!
Hope everyone's day is a great one. Rainy over here so another closet will get sorted! Happy Thursday!

My counter thingy went pearshaped some time back Happy. I think I was over the 2 thousand mark and it went back to about 500. Maybe a new version update or something. As you say not that important.

More bad news in the world overnight I see. Don't want to get into any pros or cons of it. It's bad enough without me telling it how I see it. Thoughts and good vibes to those missing loved ones at this time. Don't the Jihad understand that the Brits have already been there and done that - several times. WW1, WW11 and the IRA have all tried to take the British people down. None have yet succeded. The British will not be cowed by this, instead they will dig in their heels, set their scientists alight to come up with answers and just get on with it. It may take time, but they will fix it. If they don't believe it, just listen to the words of Rule Britannia. The Brits have lived by it for years.

Okay, on to better things. Like Salt.
I went home after a tough workout last night and checked out the contents of the spice drawer. Of all the flavoured seasonings - 7 - 5 of them have salt as the first ingredient! One has salt as the 3rd ingredient and one does not contain any additional salt. So I will take Mel's suggestion and make some combinations of my own. The ingredients are written on the bottles, I will just eliminate the salt. I've decided I won't throw the existing out - just make the seasonings and mix small amounts in at a time until I have used them all up. Many of the little bottles are more than half empty and some are brand new. At 2.45 each I don't feel like completely throwing them out.

This almost feels like Deja vu. I seem to remember talking salt some time back. Anyway whatever, the weight is now down to below where it was when I started on this regime of Jason the Torturers and I no longer feel like I am jiggling when I am running.

Read the damn labels Shad

On an up note, I had an e-mail yesterday through webshots asking me if I would allow the use of one of my photos in a textbook. I have asked a couple of questions about the publication - who, what, where, when etc. If it is a non profit organisation I will probably say yes, provided of course credit is given for the photo. Some days are full of surprises.

And of course it is Friday. So can things get much better for this little black duck? Have a training class today. We should be through around 3pm so an early mark is on the cards.

YP1 - wonderful results. Jeez, we could see you at the London Olympics in 2012 maybe????
Mel - here we have to state the ingredients in the order of most to least and give a Kcal, fat, sodium content analysis. However this usually only relates to Australian made or manufactured food. In reality since so much of our food now is imported from Asia we really have little idea of content at all. Our CSIRO (Govt Scientific div) tries it's best to let us know what is in the stuff, but they are fighting a losing battle with the supermarkets and the almighty dollar. I'd love your recipes. I do enjoy herbs and spices.
Holly - hope things are getting better for you. Weekend coming up, you don't want to be unwell.
Happy - glad you enjoyed the trip to Brisbane. Thank DH for his lovely comments as well. It is a nice city. Not too crowded, but busy. I just wish I didn't have to work in it. Cities are only good if you can choose to be out of them. I really prefer to work in the sticks.
Linus, Teel - where are youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
And Tig - for goodness sake, get a cab out of the mountains and say hello.

Anyway, I had better go get this posted, and then go upstairs to where the training room awaits. At least it is Friday.

Still itchy!!! No more swelling. 6 kids all day, 6 tomorrow. Going camping tomorrow after supper til sunday. A family reunion with Dh's family. Lots of biking and swimming.
HUGS chicks. Sad day in the news and Britian.

Just a brief post. I've been in bed with a headache all day. Never had one this bad before. It feels like a sinus headache. Haven't got to take the meds for over a week now, but taking one tonight. Called and rescheduled the testing cause I just didn't feel like driving over there.

Shad I have trouble with the salt/sodium thing too.

The computer is hurting my eyes with the headache so I'm outta here.

Tomorrow will be a better day. I've had to much stress this week.

Today is basically a To Do list.
My Avon order just arrived. We are going camping tonight for the weekend.
I have 6 kids all day.My helper is coming. I have lots of laundry to do.Packing will be painless.
DS has been hyper. Needs more structure.
I had a Gala Days meeting last night and then I went for a Reiki treatment to help move this itch along. It seems to be about 90% better.
I need to bake a cake for the potluck tomorrow. I made cookies ans muffins yesterday aft. It is hubby’s family reunion weekend.We all camp but have a dinner on Sat and the non campers come too. It is wonderful. I am looking forward to swimming and biking.
I would like to get the house as tidy as possible.I am hoping some kids will help.
So much to do. Breathe. I will make a list.
Food was good.Water has be spectacular.Exercise has been scratching.

Peaceful thoughts to the chicks!!!!

Just been watching a cooking program on the Lifestyle Channel. Now I never cook anything from these - just watch. The amount of salt that they put into everything appears to be enough to clog the arteries and stop the heart. Just a pinch of salt I hear him say taking half a handful from a bowl and throwing it in. I know that a certain amount of salt is necessary to maintain the blood but from what I have read and understand, the majority of it can be obtained naturally from the foods we eat. Anyway enough of the soap box stuff.

Got out of work yesterday around 3.00 which was nice. Got in the workout and came home, proceeded to bust the cold water tap in the kitchen so have some work to do on that today. Should be fun. Weather this weekend is supposed to be rotten so work will proceed inside. The two new roses I put in a couple of weeks back appear to be dead. I'll give them another week to put out leaves and then replace them.

Have a good weekend camping Holly. Hope the family thing goes fine although I understand this is his family and not yours right??? Families - gotta love 'em.

Ceejay, get over that headache. Sinus problems are so awful, they just go on and on and on and on. Lots of panadol and inhale the Vicks - don't know what you call them over there - its a smelly jelly you can dissolve in hot water and breathe the vapours or a little stick thing you shove up your nose and breathe in the vapours. I live with both. I'm addicted to the inhaler.

Mel the link worked (wonderwoman) and I am going to try some of those mixtures. I took all the spices and combinations out of the cupboard and checked the lot. I have 12 different types here of which 6 have salt as the main ingredient, 2 have it as the third ingredient and 4 do not contain any at all. So I will continue to use those. I'll also take the ingredients off the others and use that and your lists to try to make some more (better) stuff.

Weight is at 71.5 today. Thats down from 74 earlier this week and yesterday was at 70.5. Usual fluctuations again. However it would seem most of the retained water has gone. I can see and feel the bones in my wrists again. Hallelujah.

Off to gym again soon for the body balance class. Then home for housework etc. Back out again to get the tyres done on the car for 1.30 and then the pick up the niece and nephew for the third and final Rugby test against the British Lions. Will end a bad week for the Brits no doubt.

With that, I am off to have a shower, get dressed and start my day. Mel is out gallivanting. Don't ring me back I'll be back in touch later today.

Shad~ glad the link and the recipes were ok. I had a dr tell me that there is enough salt in eggwhites and celery alone to keep a person going! I actually had to cut back on the eggwhites cause of the feet! Hope the roses do something other than continue with their browness!!! Have a great weekend!

Holly and your usual busy self. In case the hives were emotional....don't go into overload just yet!!!! Take care my friend...you don't want a relapse.

Ceejay~ So sorry to hear about the head....sinus weather is bad here too. don't know what is flying around out there but everyone is complaining across the States! Feel better soon.

I had a tough day. rushed back from shopping and a neighbor is being taken off life support tomorrow, a friend's father had heart surgery and the London thing is still affecting so many here. wish I could control and calm myself as well as I can do for others! I am going back on a strict plan for next week starting on Sunday. Going to give it the old college try once more and see if I can budge the metabolism withj food instead of exercise. We'll see. Monday is the eye guy again and I would like to show him some normal looking skin and eyes! Wish me luck! LOL Well, I am very tired and the kids want to use the PC. going to bed with a mystery man....I mean book!!!
did I ever tell you all that I love you??? Well I do and life can sometimes be too short not to say it again
Have a wonderful weekend everyone and wish the others would check in too.

As usual, I've been lurking. Hello, Everybody!

Dearest Darling Daughter and her Very Two Cutie Pie Daughter have been visiting for a little over a week. The Thugs and The Parents are in the process of relocating to Okinawa and are visiting until they leave next week so this is the House of Frolic, Noise, and Bedlam. We are having a most glorious time! We've played in The Fort, gone to the beach, caught minnows in the ditch, chased lizards, went to a parade, been terrorized by the BOOMS of fireworks, and today we visited the local zoo. I've been on vacation but go back to work on Monday. The washer, dryer and dishwasher are getting MAJOR workouts!!

Slim and I have been running almost every morning. We have to get out early because of the heat and humidity. If we aren't hitting the pavement by 7:00 AM, I'm really sorry after a mile. I was having problems with palpitations but the cardiologist said I could run and recommended Gatorade to keep my electrolytes up and to avoid dehydration. If you read the ingredients, there is definitely a lot of salt in Gatorade. I can tell I am retaining fluid by the scale, but I've made the decision to stay hydrated for the summer. Normally, I avoid salt at all costs. In fact, Slim makes his own seasonings sans salt.

DD's goal was to lose weight while she visits this year. We have eaten all of our meals at home, so she's had her Dad's lowfat, lowcalorie cooking. We can't quite get her to run with us early in the morning, though. We run Before Coffee and she thinks we're Nutz. While she may lose only a few pounds, she's getting her portion sizes back to normal and more importantly, she's getting the much-deserved vacation from a grueling year of school. Only one more year left and she'll move here.

I was having motorcycle withdrawal so we went for a ride yesterday to church to check on things. I've heard about the 100-mile hug - now I get it!

I'd say Stay out of Trouble, but there are some that might take it personally. Or worse, not!!

Hi chicks
Today was a much better day. Got up got dressed and the pay check arrived by 8:30 a.m. Decided to put a load of laundry into wash and jump on the bicycle to ride for 30 minutes. After that it was out the door to do some grocery shopping. Wow, I'm shocked at the prices now adays for nutritional food.

Mel-It feels good to have all that cleaning behind me. I am not going to store things like a pack rat anymore. I really have a lot more storage space.
Good luck on finishing your cleaning and discarding.

Shad--you sound busy as always.

Holly--have fun on your camping trip. That's one thing I like to do, but sis hasn't mentioned going this year. Glad to hear your allergy is clearing up also.

Hello Linus, Teel, and YPI, Happy, Tig and the rest

Wondering how Teel and Linus are doing with all the sorrow. wish someone would drop a line here!!!
Tig~ back to you! Nice visit you had.glad you all had the time together though. PLEASE....no dehydrating allowed on 3FC!!!
I used gatorade in the past and Jen does. We lose water fast. You are sooo right....better to retain than lose it all. Jen ended up with kidney stones as a result of dehydration. Happy running and motor rides!!! good luck with the palpitations too.

Shad~ I was going to call last night at 9:50 my time(Fri. night)
I forgot the computer was still on and heard from the bedroom that it was turning off. When I got in here there was a screen that said "someone else was logging on. I haven't talked to Jen to see if it was her or you! We must experiment!!! Happy Weekend!

Ceejay~ Glad to see you up and running again! Hope the weekend is headache free. Of all the problems I can get, headaches rank right up there with unhappiness!
Glad you got some exercising in too.

I feel rejeuvenated(sp) after a good but short sleep. I need to cook and get ready for next weel's personal challenge!
I hope the weekend is a quiet one. I must share an absurd story cause you're my sisters......I have been trying to confirm a ridiculous story about the "board's" looking into whether they can BAN people like me from using their commercial bus because I lack an insurance that doesn't cover vehicular incidents! The person that let this slip to me got an earful that included hiring lawyers and discrimination! Although it shocked me that they would even THINK of something as drastic as this, I am not letting it drive me crazy. My eyes are #1 right now and they and my rosacea are NOT doing as well as I expected. therfore I cannot afford "excitement" right now.....I guess sex is out of the question too then
The end of the hurricane has gone(Cindy) and the sun has finally gone and the winds have left. 90 degree temps expected this weekend after we had such a lovely but humid cool spell. Very strange weather these last 2 years in our area.
OK, I better get started. No time like the present to start cooking!
Happy Saturday/Sunday and have a great weekend.

Howdy chickies,
Sorry I haven't been posting. Been very very tired after the company left. A bit of an upset stomach too so I haven't been myself most of the week. Hurricane Dennis is headed our way - going to be a very, very rainy week ahead come Monday so there's lots of cleanup in the yard to be done - picking up little sticks and leaves and such so that the drains are relatively clean once the torrent of rain hits. When it rains here it REALLY rains so I can imagine what hurricane like rains will be. Maybe I should take the raft to work? I also volunteered to take over the newsletter for our homeowners association - got to write that up this weekend as we need to distribute it by next weekend. Always something to do, eh?

Mel that's crazy about the bus. I thought THEY were the ones who had to carry the insurance. What if one of the seniors tripped and fell? Hope this works out for you as I know you depend on it for transportation.

Hello Ceejay my western neighbor. Are you down south by the Gulf coast? If so you might be getting washed up my way next week. Stop in and I'll give you a dry towel and a hot cup of tea

Tig, it doesn't surprise me that Gatorade has salt in it. You're supposed to drink it when heavily exerting yourself and sweating so it makes sense. What I'm shocked about is EGG WHITES having salt Geez Louise... it's everywhere, isn't it?

Shad enjoy the footy games and mixing your own seasonings. I generally buy seasonings one on one and mix them together myself simply to control what I'm putting on the food. Of course that makes for 2 shelves in the cabinet and 200 bottles of seasoning. My fresh basil is doing nicely, anyone want some of that? The tomatoes are starting to come in too but the birds seem to be pecking at the big ones.

Holly, enjoy your camping trip. Wish I could come too. I'm not sure I'd camp down this way - tho maybe I might drive to the Smokey Mountains on the east side and try it try. The mosquitos are horrible out this way. They dive bomb you - you feel one bite and it's really 4 in a row. I have them all over my legs from last week - at least 24 on one leg alone. It was torture this week when I put long pants and socks on for work. Everything touched against my legs and started itching again. And it's big red blotches the size of quarter dollar coins.

I have coconut grass liners in my planters (supposed to hold the moisture in but they don't). The birds are having a field day ripping them apart. It must be bird humping season as they are all carrying the grass off to make nests - mockingbirds, robins, bluejays and probably others too. I don't mind them stealing a string or two but they have pretty much devasted one planter.

Well I do want to get in the pool today and I haven't done much in the way of housework or laundry so I'd better get off the computer and get in gear here. Our pansies petered out with the warmer weather and we have to take a trip to the nursery to see what to replace them with also today.

Have a good weekend. Hugs to Linus and Teel - hope you are enjoying your visit, prayers going out to the poor souls in London - how devistating. to YP and Nae and Meadow too.

Happy--Arkansas is supposed to get some much needed rain from hurricane Dennis. It looks like Florida and Lousisana will be getting hit the hardest.

It's just a lazy Saturday afternoon. I'm trying to do some cooking for next week so I can stay on plan as much as possible. The roast is smelling so good. and it has no salt.

Made some no bake cookies last night and am paying for it this morning. Who would have thought that oatmeal, along with cocoa, and splenda could have so many calories. I have a zit the size of an american dime on my chin. I tossed the rest of them this morning. It also made me go out of my calorie range yesterday.

Hi to all the rest and have a good day.

Sunny Sunday morning here. We have been promised rain and cold and wind but so far there isn't the slightest indication that this will happen.
Yesterday I didn't get to the gym, so will try to go this morning, however there is so much to do here I may just skip it altogether and say 4 times is enough this week.

I have an old tap in the kitchen that has been dripping and which I thought I had stripped the thread trying to turn it off so hard. Yesterday I took the thing apart - mainly to see how it worked and to see what I had to do to replace it. Found that DS2 has put a universal seat on the tap and this had come loose. A quick tighten with the allem keys and she works again, but is still dripping. So while I was at the hardware store bought some new washer thingys. Today I need to turn the water off again and fit this. I guess that while I'm there I might as well do the rest as well. If one goes, the others can't be too far behind. At least the new taps in the bathroom don't need doing.

Had the niece around last night. Nephew decided that the series was won and therefore no longer needed his support and so did not come. Their Dad (my DB2) appeared on the scene around half time, stayed long enough for a glass of wine and for niece to wrap the present for the party he was going to later. Watched us cheer and dance and jig about and then yell at the ref about the state of his spectacles. Shook his head sadly and wandered off into the wild blue yonder.

Yesterday while the car was having its tyres checked and the wheel balance done, I wandered into the hardware/ nursery store and bought a few more plants (some herbs, some veges and some pansies and petunias (bright red)). The pansies and petunia will be planted in a pot with the New Zealand Christmas Bush I bought yesterday (has bright red bottle brush flowers and attracts birds). I also got a new orchid for the brother (DB1) since he is a tad down at the moment. His DW has been diagnosed with a pancreatic tumour - this is the one who had to retire through ill health and deep vein thrombosis last Christmas and has not really been well since. I've got her a couple of plants as well since she loves her garden and has a beautiful house and garden. We are not sure whether the tumour is cancerous. There appears to be some doubt. The powers that be have decided to wait a month and then check again to see if the size has increased. If so, out it comes. Blood test are negative in that respect.

So today is:
Sand the ceiling where I replastered.
1st coat on the ceiling
1st coat of top coat on the wall
Chip another tile off the floor.
Gym if I can make it
Plant these seedlings
Change the bed and wash the linen
Clean the kitchen
Fix the taps.
Fold yesterdays washing and do the ironing.

Looking at that. It's time to get started. Back later to catch up on the doings of the friendly chicks. I wonder what the Brits are up to????

HAPPY~ HOPE YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUILD THE ARK AGAIN....WHAT WAS A CUBIT???? I AM JUST GLAD TO SEE YOU WHEN YOU DO GET HEREANCE: IN THE MICHAEL THURMOND TAPES IT TELLS OF THE EGG WHITES AND SALT. I JUST KEEP FORGETTING GOOD LUCK WITH DENNIS'S ARRIVAL.

SHAD~ I DIDN NOT KNOW THAT PETUNIAS CAME IN BRIGHT RED.....AND DID SOMEONE MENTION CHRISTMAS????? AND MORE THAN ONCE!!!! IAM SO SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THE DW AND SEND SOME HUGS AND GOOD THOUGHTS HER WAY.
NICE OF YOU TO GIVE HER SOMETHING LIVING AND LOVELY TO LOOK AT. GROWING THINGS ALWAYS CHEER ME UP TOO.:flow:

CEEJAY~ I THINK I CAN SMELL THE ROAST!!! YUM! WE'LL ALL GO TO YOUR HOUSE FOR DINNER!! GOOD LUCK TO YOU AS WELL WITH DENNIS. HOPE HE DOESN'T GO TOO WILD DUMPING THE RAIN. SOUNDS LIKE WE WILL BOTH BE BACK ON PLAN FOR AWHILE! GOOD LUCK THIS WEEK ALSO

CAN YOU TELL BY THE CAPS THAT THE EYES ARE NOT DOING VERY WELL. DRY AND SCRATCHY AGAIN NO MATTER WHAT I DO. I AM SURE WE WILL HAVE THE USUAL ARGUMENT OVER THE ANTIBIOTICS AND I AM EQUALLY SURE HE WILL WIN THIS TIME.
I ALMOST WENT BACK ON THEM MYSELF THIS WEEKEND. BUT WANTED TO BE ABSOLUTELY SURE SO I WILL WAIT FOR TOMORROW'S APPT. OTHER THAN THAT.......
I AM HAVING A GREAT WEEKEND. ATE WITH THE KIDS. THEY WOULDN'T KNOW HEALTHY FOOD IF IT HIT THEM IN THE FACE! BUT WE HAD A GREAT TIME. I AM UP 3 LBS! SO MY NEW DIET CHALLENGE THIS WEEK IS THE STRICT PLAN.
HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT DAY. I WILL PROBABLY SEE YOU ON TUESDAY SOMETIME.

TO NAE, YP, LINUS & , TEEL AND MEADOW AND HOLLY.

TIG~ HOPE DENNIS IS NOT ON HIS WAY TO YOU. SENDING ALL MY BEST THOUGHTS YOUR WAY. TELL SLIM TO TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOU!!!