Was MIA last week because of my dad's visit from Arizona. He ended up staying a day longer than planned - which was fine - we had a great visit. I took a day off in the middle of the week to play tour guide, but had to work the rest of the week as mums was in Utah at a horse clinic.
Amarantha, I'm so sorry to hear of your nephew's passing. Your family's in my thoughts.
Frogger, and your cousin.... I'm sorry for your loss too. Hope your visit with your sister - if it happens - is a good one, even with the reason for it.
I'm almost afraid to ask how Anagram is doing.... But I do agree with her that this is a place not just of support but solace too. Sure, we get together here to gripe/share our weight issues/successes, but that's just a small part of our lives, it's inevitable that we share other life issues/successes too.
On a lighter note - Frogger, I'm afraid I'd want to spike a lunch for that food thief. When I worked in SF I actually used to have just parts of my lunch stolen (like the chicken eaten out of a cassarole - yuck!) and someone said "but maybe they can't afford their own lunch" - my response? "Well what makes ANYONE think that *I* can afford to feed them???". Start to hide your food girl!
Wildfire, meetin' the Irishman huh? Hmmm..... have "fun" just doesn't seem the appropriate thing to say!
Haven't told you all - "my guy" in LA said he wants to move to Oregon or Washington when he's done with school (specialty field). WHAT am I supposed to say to that? Didn't respond much - just said "cool, get your butt up here". Don't know what he meant by his comment! And they say women are hard to read???
Eydie, how's your dad? Is he ok after the fall? Doesn't it bite when you have to start being the parent? My mom was thrown from her horse a week ago Friday and cracked her sacrum. I shook my finger, gave her the business, chewed her out and then shut up. I'm so tired of pointing out the obvious to my own parent! ACK!
Otherwise, all is well with bestest friend in CA. Still pregnant and counting the weeks until we can exhale and celebrate! Weight is hovering - but that's my fault for refusing to journal (really need to get back to that!).
Yea, E!!! Amarantha be stayin' here in the safety o' the palace, far from the uberhags! ... Aria thanks for joinin' in the daily challenge again today ... the prize committee left your trophy over there ...
Punkin, thanks for thy condolences ... I did not know how much I would grieve for my nephew until he was gone ... it is ever thus, I guess ...
Arabella, I've thought o' sellin' crafts or such, but the truth be I have never successfully sold anything in my life (unless thou countest Campfire Girl candy ... of course, I sold all my boxes to my mom and then ate all the candy, so I don't think that counts) ... I'm even fearful of sellin' somethin' on eBay ... I have a goal to try to do that this year but haven't as yet even made an attempt ... so I am hopeless.
Gotta rest before work tonight ... bye all ...
Last edited by Amarantha2; 08-03-2005 at 03:05 PM.
finally feeling like i'm making some consistently good food choices, and have lowered calories a bit more(last few days have averaged 1260.) stupid scale still not moving downward but will forge ahead until body catches up with noble efforts. had a visit today from my golden retriever buddy, which i thoroughly enjoyed.
punkin-good to see you.
wildfire-i smile when i think of you meeting your irishman in not too distant future.
hello eydie, amarantha, kaylets, aria, arabella, anagram, and to all our beloved royal kingdom, mentioned or -un. wishing you all a good evening.
Hello all....
Yes, absolutely right, all of you are right... it is an adventure .... I am feeling much more like myself although I still am smarting not that I know so much more about the task the goof up was found .... but again, it was my 1st time out of the box ...
I am enjoying the ride this week and today's speech actually ROCKED....
here's the condensed version... this one was really hard to put on paper....
I think you'll see why....
********
My speech was about Small Change....
It started out about how we all have small change in our cups, cans,
drawers, etc. etc...and that sometimes there's talk about eliminating small
change but then folks start to defend small change and we begin to see the
value....
and then I did a group exercise... that proved a point about how trying to
do too many things in too short a time makes people get tense, defensive,
etc.( being overwhelmed).. ( Task was to change 20 things about their
appearance in 30 sec)
and then the exercise was to do w/ only 3 tasks but in 1/2 the time..... and
how when they knew they could accomplish the goal in the reduced time, the
group began to loosen up, smile, laugh and get creative....
( Task was to change 3 things in 15 sec)
then I used the first line of today's thought... ( just happened to find
that this am and it was perfect)...
A coin saved for a thousand days becomes a thousand coins....
which then led into how when I began my weight loss journey I knew what I
wanted to do but had an unrealistic time frame and then when I was initially
weighed, was overwhelmed because I weighed more than I imagined... in fact,
shared how it was
a talking scale and when I got on the scale I was so heavy the talking
scale said " ONE AT A TIME PLEASE!"
and how I knew I had to become more active but that I knew even when lycra
was in style, I still wouldn't look good in it. And that my idea of activity
at that time was walking to the fridge during a commercial... so I had make
a small change and now I walk to the dishwasher to unload or to do
laundry....
And I my idea of cooking was to push the buttons of the microwave ( an
exaggeration for dramatic effect) but with small changes I now can tell you
about daikon or tempeh....
( and then I reached into a duffel bag and pulled out my very largest jeans)
and showed them to the group.
and then as I was still talking about the jeans being the biggest size at
the store I shopped and how I was having trouble getting into them when I
began my weight loss ....
I put the jeans on over the clothes I had on and pulled them up as high as
they would go which is just about at chest level....
and my closing was " So the jeans that I was too big to get into are now too
big on me!
Small changes can make a big difference... " ( or something like
that....)....
It seemed to get everyone very motivated and I won the "sparkplug award"
but I really should've rehearsed more.. I was grabbing at my thoughts..
kept hearing myself say "So..."...
but nobody caught me on it ( we have a grammarian report) so maybe the
visual just knocked the whole speech out of the park...
**********
Empress....I was hoping I was right about your return..... and remember that royal credo I've been saying lately....
F*****'em if they can't take a joke......
ok, so its not really royal but when you are really in the mood to say that, it really does feel good....
AND if confession is good for the soul, I'll feel better after I ask... Ok Frogger, its been a year... I still don't know what you do in you cubicle w/ your carb addicted coworker.....
thats why he cant stop... I 'd recognize that at 20 paces....
and I betcha he's hooked on the salt in that stuff too....
Anagram steals quietly into the Palace of Solace and Consolation....Dear Empress and Dear Frogger - my deepest sympathies. And strength to Eydie in her parental concern. It's not just the driving - it's the caring that drains one. Once again we s appreciate the value of treasuring every moment even in the midst of difficulty. And to Arabella enjoying Boston and Aria and wsw fighting the good caloric battle and Kaylets and Amarantha fighting on the jobfront, hang tough in queenly fashion.To Punkin, fingers crossed for friend, I send best wishes for new life. One of the little joys of the hospital is that they play the "Cradle Song/Lullaby" whatever each time a new baby is born. I always stop and listen and reflect on the joy and am happy for the families affected.
And then there's our Wildfire - I shall be living vicariously for sure as we count down the days until October and her time with her dear Irishman. Gives me tingles.
I'm also trying to appreciate that I must still consider my own health - have not been very stellar in that regard but still am making some better choices than I might have done in the past. Braving scale only rarely but am seeing doctor today (more or less regular visit postponed from way back) and his scale is always higher than my own. But no matter - it could be lots worse.
DH once again has done a turnaround for the better. He is on his second day of breathing without respirator again. Future still most dicey. He is down to 150 lbs, on feeding tube w/"regular" food introduced just two days ago. Nothing left to fight with except his forceful will to live.
Aaaah - it's been so restful in the Palace with all the chat of violets - I'm seeing them right and left in my mind's eye. So peaceful. My own garden is in violent disarray. But I have gathered together my pots of impatiens and put them just off the patio of Peace and Tranquillity where they can catch some occasional rain (even managed to water sometimes). They are blooming brightly there and are a source of contentment each morning, however briefly. Another reminder of joy in small things and small moments.
My short visit with the Royals has been quiet refreshing - shall adjourn to family room sofa in search of a few more winks. Leave breadcrumbs, please, so I can follow to whatever new challenges the Royal Route takes on. I'll be back when able.
Hi, Anagramatic!!! Sending best strength vibes to thy location 'n DH's ... he sounds better, that's wonderful!
I like impatiens ... or used to ... I don't think they grow here, at least if they do, it'd be in the winter, which it definitely ain't right now ... vincas are nice here ... they look like violets ... of course, they mainly grow in the winter, too!
Well, just about everything grows in the winter here, so what am I babblin' about? Dunno!
Need to go to the meetin' from h*ll soon, where I will once again probably walk out as I will not take the public humiliation they heap on the paper when I cover that council ... so wish me luck, all.
Thy note about breadcrumbs reminds one that this thread was only supposed to be for the seventh month and it's now the eighth ... should we change it or just pretend it's still July ... I hated July, it was not good for me, but ...
Anagram! SOOOOO Glad you had a chance to stop by! And sooooo glad to hear that DH is improving! ((((((((((((((((VIOLET HUGS)))))))))))))))))))) to both you!! And if your doctor today has anything negative to say regarding the scale just raise one Royal Eyebrow and intone : "Considering the circumstances, we ae doing the very best we can!".....
Sorry to be brief w/ everyone else but one of the dogs is acting like she's hurt both front and back paw on the same side ( yet will run and bark outside and grabbed a piece of bread from me as though she was an acrobat) so I am short on time b/4 work....
The only tiny thing I want to add is... Since I have begun taking the Black Cohosh again and in fact, doubled my intake, the dark, dark mood has lifted....
I have no idea why for sure but it makes things easier....
and did I mention the keys were finally found????
By DH of course....
Did someone mention a baby??
Is it Punkin's friend?
To a good Friday.
I will be content just to get thru it.
Yes Empress, I will look for your ideas tomorrow if you havent done so already ( OR ANYONE ELSE hint hint... !!)
Auspicious August??
Lovely Labor Day??
Yikes, that was awful!
....
Let's put some distance behind this 7th month w/ lessons learned.....
Funeral service was very nice. I saw many people that I have not seen since I was a little girl. Most of them hardly remember me. (it's a LONG story, maybe I'll share at another point in time).They did a very moving video pictorial which I thought was just fantastic.
Hi, Aria!!! Just "saw" ye in the land far far away!!!
Froggie: Glad you were able to attend the service and that it brought some closure for thee, seemingly.
K ... MY WEIGHT GOAL IS CENTERED ON OCTOBER 16, SO SELFISHLY, I WOULD BE GLAD TO GET INTO A HALLOWEENY MODE HERE ... WHAT ABOUT A THREAD FOCUSED ON SAMHAIN/ALL HALLOW'S EVE/HALLOWEEN ... whatever name floateth the boateth ... it's on a Monday (I think) ... for me, personally, that witchy ol' Hag be really rattlin' at the bars o' my personality and needs to be let loose ...
I notice that since I've lived in Arizona, that "autumn" feelin' comes early to my heart ... as soon as the abatement o' the monsoon seems in sight, I start feelin' halloweeny ... it's generally hot here until Christmas or thereabouts, so that doesn't enter into it ... but as far as I'm concerned, it's autumn (except the temps are still risin' to triples, but we take what we can get) ... in August I start to notice the few decidious (sp?) trees getting ready to change (ok, so it'll be three to four months before they do that and they never drop all their leaves, but I can dream, can't I?) ... so I'd like to do a Samhain challenge ... I like that name best ... it's the Celtic New Year ... I personally need a New Year ... my nephew's death has again reinforced for me (sadly) that life is good and I will honor him by gettin' as strong and livin' as happily as I can for as long as I can ... so weight/fitness are my continuin' focus ... that ol' Hag in me ain't EVER gonna give up this great bod ...
Just sitting here making a checklist for vacation. I have absolutly nothing else to do. I'm hungry, but don't want to spend money. Should have brought my lunch, but as usual, I was running late.
Not much goin' out here. It's hot, but it's hotter elsewhere in the country/world so I hesitate to complain.
If any of you have had the chance to watch Brat Camp - you're seeing my back yard essentially. Smith Rock, where the kids repelled down a cliff is 15 minutes from my house. The "God forsaken wilderness" the kids are complaining about is 45 minutes away. It's been SO funny listening to them complain about the "inhumane conditions". I LIVE in this inhumane place!
Been busy takin' care of mums. She got thrown from one of her horses 2 weeks ago and hurt herself pretty bad - a cracked sacrum and hairline crack in a vertabrae. She's hobbling with a cane right now.
Bestest friend in CA got the news that they could see a heartbeat in the little blob that will soon be my new neice or nephew. Awesome, amazing, thrilling news. I cried. Well, we both cried.
Amarantha, I know what you mean about not knowing how you'll react until a loved one's passing. I thought I'd pretty much grieved for my stepfather during all the years of watching him pretty much kill himself, but it's been a hard road. Just now, after 5 months, I'm getting to where I can watch hospital shows again without bursting into tears. You have my sympathy....
WSW, Good to see you!!!
Anagram, So good to hear DH is once again made a turnaround. That must be one amazing man - full of spunk and fight. But then he does have an equally amazing family to stick around for doesn't he?
I love the idea of the hospital playing lullabyes when a baby's born! What a sweet idea - and a nice reminder that while others may be struggling, there's new life coming into the world all the time. It's really a miracle on both sides isn't it?
Kaylets, Funny how dogs are suddenly juuuuust fine when it comes to food huh? Hope the pup's paws are ok!
Frogger, glad to hear your cousin's service was nice. Have a great vacation!!!!
As for the next challenge - I'm up for a Slimmin' for Samhain since I'm of the witchy persuasion. Or Hoofin' it to Halloween? Either way, sign me up! The end of October isn't really all that far away...
Hello everyone!
Hmmm..... have "fun" just doesn't seem the appropriate thing to say!
... Aria thanks for joinin' in the daily challenge again today ... the prize committee left your trophy over there ... 
s appreciate the value of treasuring every moment even in the midst of difficulty. And to Arabella enjoying Boston and Aria and wsw fighting the good caloric battle and Kaylets and Amarantha fighting on the jobfront, hang tough in queenly fashion.To Punkin, fingers crossed for friend, I send best wishes for new life. One of the little joys of the hospital is that they play the "Cradle Song/Lullaby" whatever each time a new baby is born. I always stop and listen and reflect on the joy and am happy for the families affected.
Good to see you!!!
