PW--I've added my name to the map.I'm hiding behind Happy. Where did you find this it's a great idea!! I'll email the snail mail in a few.

Happy--Yep the electric blanket felt good a couple of nights but now I just leave it on the bed for an extra blanket. My comforter is getting a little thin.

Shad-- I also have the hand weights (3 and 5 pounds) that I use at home. I've gotten out of the habit of going to the gym. It was so smelly in there and then a caution about staff infection being linked to gyms I quit going--besides I really have to watch the feet. Yes, I still exercise.

Holly-sound like you are very relaxed this morning. Glad the family gathering went well.

Nae--glad to see you. We understand about being busy.

I was going to clean the living room last night when I go home but my stomach had other plans for me. I have to go back to the doctor for another thyroid blood test when I get back from Missouri and I'm asking about having xrays of this stomach. I hate being sick. There has to be something causing this.

I got up this morning and did the Shrink Your Female Fat Cells video by Denise Austin. The tape is 40 minutes of strength and tone exercises. I do enough walking at work to get in my aerobic activity. Food was not bad yesterday but I just didn't want to eat anything. That's not me so that may have been a clue of me getting sick.

Been sorta down today cause tomorrow my mom will have been gone 7 years.

I've used up my alloted time for the computer--Got to get back to work.

Hi to Meadow, Teal and Mel.

Aw Ceejay on missing your Mom. Mine's getting up there in years and I can't even imagine life without her. I guess it's especially hard during the holidays, isn't it? If you haven't already done so, start keeping a journal of what you eat and how you feel. It will help to identify triggers that are causing you the stomach distress.

Shrink the Female Fat Cells, eh? Only way mine will shrink is by taking a vacumn and sucking them out But good for you to keep on a movin' even if you aren't feeling at your best.

Off to the grocery store now. Ugh. Not my favorite place.

Morning everyone,

A cloudy morning here, maybe there will be some rain out of it. Who knows. The weather forecasters certainly don't seem to be able to predict it anymore. Darned if I know why we send them to college for all those degrees, it is just as accurate to stick the finger out of the window and see if it comes back wet!

Ceejay - Hugs for you missing your Mum. There are times when I miss mine but not that often now. When your loved one has a dreadful disease and wastes away then it is a relief to see them go. Guilty relief but hey. It's coming up to the time when I feel grief and pain for lives now long gone - Christmas is not my time of the year, but we get through it.

Happy and Ceejay - thanks for those thoughts on the weights at home but I think my weights are a bit different from those you do. For example I don't lift anything less than 5kgs in hand weights. I push 90kg on the leg press and 40-45 on the upper body. And then there is all the hip/ chin/ dip thingys that I use. I just don't have anything suitable at home - so it's gym for me for weights and resistance.

Happy - all this cleaning for a 3 day visit?! You should never have to clean again before Christmas. I certainly would count it as exercise. Anything that you do, that gets the heartrate up and lasts for a specific period of time and which gets a sweat up for the specified time is exercise. Don't care whether it is housework or horse riding.
Oh yum the famed Chicago pizza. Next time I get to that part of the world I am going to have some too!!! Grilled turkey sounds nice. Maybe I'll just drop in for a good meal.

Rose - your weather sounds interesting. Frost everywhere, low clouds. Must be an interesting time. Sounds like the hoar frosts we used to get in Twizel in NZ. They could go on for 3 weeks. Hoar frost? = frozen fog.
Glad to hear the dogs are keeping warm and being loving. Nothing like the dog for unconditional love. Helps a lot when the human side of the family is not being ummmm shall we say co-operative. It's nice to have you back posting with us.

Holly - glad to hear the dinner went so well. Nice to have a crowd and even nicer to know that they cleaned up behind them. Well done.

Mel - I hope you are getting the required rest and keeping okay. Look forward to having you back. Are you going to be home over the weekend? Tell me what is playing at the movies on Friday night. If I ring, I don't want to interupt the latest squeeze or whatever.

Painter I added my name to the map. Then somehow I managed to double up the message. Goodonya Shad. Anyway I am there all on my own shouting out from Aus. Nice diversion that.

Went to the gym this morning and did my 45 minutes on the rower, bike, elliptical and on abs and crunches. I have a standing challenge with Red Balloon from another thread to do 20 reps of ab or crunch exercises 10 times per day. So far I have done six. This gym is a bit different. You get a warm up just getting up the stairs to the equipment from the locker room. The locker room even has an iron and ironing table for the times your stuff get creased in the bag. Lots of full length mirrors - I don't look - it's not a pretty sight. To get in, you have to walk downstairs from the street to the basement, then up two flights from the basement to the first floor which is mostly cardio stuff and then another flight to the weights/ resistance stuff. These stairs are steep too.

Last night I rushed home and put out the washing, made some nachos for dinner, feed the pusscat, swept the floors, did the ironing and sorted the bills for payment tonight. So tonight with a bit of luck I will only have the spare room to deal with, pay the bills, make dinner and do the dishes and I am free to finish the abs/ crunches and watch some tv or do a sudoku puzzle - which I became addicted to when helping Chris with her puzzles. I've bought myself a book of puzzles. I do manage to get them out eventually but I might have a little cheat once in a while.
I met a wee Japanese girl on the plane coming home from Japan. I am taking her out on Sunday I think - don't yet know where we will go. She is here taking a linguistics degree course for three years. I am hoping she will improve my Japanese while I improve (or regress) her Australian. She's a nice young lady.

Anyway, with that, I will off and do some work I think.

Evening ladies,

Family arrived safe and sound tonight tho Mum did whisper that "it's a darn long ride". Happy to see them anyway. Sis and I went out shopping, hubby rang us on the cell at 10pm - where are you? More worried than mad. We were just ambling down the aisles and chatting. I got a lovely tablecloth and some fresh peach roses and new candlesticks for the table. It looks wonderful if I say so myself. I've never had the chance to have a pretty table setting and now I'm basking in it. Tomorrow we figure out Thursday's meal menu and shop for it.

And yes, I did do alot of intensive cleaning but as you said, this will last me through Christmas. Everything is all ready for decorating now. It wouldn't take me as long if I would get into the Flylady habits again. I probably should turn my email reminders back on from her. She probably has some good holiday tips.

I understand now what you mean Shad with the weights. Forgot that you were using the machines too and not just free weights. So yes, off to the gym you go. Wow, 20 reps of crunches 10 times a day - that's pretty impressive especially since you have to get on the floor to do them. So HOW do you work that in? If you can keep it up for 21 days, you'd have a darn fine ab line when all was said and done. That's cool that you met a new buddy who can help you with your Japanese. Then you will have to ring Chris and chat for practice. What are sudoku puzzles?

My feet are sore as sore can be. I'm the last to bed and if it was earlier I think I'd do a foot soak - a bit of eucalyptus salts in the water and it revitalizes the feet. Guess I'll just have to dream about it - I don't want to wake everyone digging for the salts, running water and I'd probably fall asleep in the chair and wake up at 3 am freezing.

I'll try to check in each day but the next couple of days will be pretty busy. Take care and have a good week.

Glad everyone is sounding well.
DH was frustrated yesterday that the pantry was full but there was nothing to eat. Re-shopped this morning, and spent a fortune even though we're NOT going to do the big home-cooked Thanksgiving meal. Actually bought as many veggies as anything else... could eat balanced meals!!

I found the Frapper map on somebody else's blog... strange how the meme thingy's just float around... must be like a "friendly" virus. Thanks to all who posted. I like having a (world-)wide circle of friends.

tomorrow is laundry and pick up day. A bit of leeway to do the same Wednesday... and then T-Day and arrival of DD.

I've done better with avoiding cr*p food... Thelma is peeling now... (DH pointed out that the part of my anatomy that's peeling probably hadn't 'seen' sunlight for 40 years!! No wonder it's irritated. And getting better.

CeeJay on anniversary of your loss... I think people have inner timers like our computers or Daytimer programs! Keep remembering. Cry if you need to. YOU are surviving, and carrying on the traditions that are important to you.

TTFN

Hello to all. This maybe a quickie post as I am waiting for the computer man to put his head through the door and come and tell me why my printer has given up on me...also why the internet connection (broadband) switches itself off everytime the pooter is switched off...also why my panda anti-virus softwear is switched off!!! Not much, then!!!!

PW., that was a great map thingy you put up there. I have added my lonely UK self to the world map!!

It is funny being home. Very quiet!Holly has refound all the cats and the kitten next door who likes sitting on their conservatory roof looking down into our garden....of course I am NOT hoping one day she will use one of her nine lives falling off it....tut tut tut !!!!!!!he he he!!!!

We are expecting bad weather at the end of the week...threats of sleet and snow are hanging over us on Friday and Saturday. I really hope its not too bad over the weekend. Mary and Richard (the folks I have been staying with) are going to take me to the Blackthorpe Barn Christmas craft market. Gosh I cannot believe how quickly that has come round again. Christmas really seems to have started when the weekly craft markets get going.

I spoke to Linus over the weekend....Christopher now weighs just over 11lb!! And so has grown out of lots of his clothes already! He seems to be rather a lively baby! Linus doesn't seem to be getting much good quality sleep time at the moment and the poor body is suffering for it....

Sorry I haven't replied to your posts personally....you all chat too much!! But I send my love and best wishes to you all...bye for now and take care!!!

HUGS Ceejay. Have fun Happy. Hello to everyone.
Woke up with an achey body. Probably all the pie trying to get out of my system, LOL! In spite of my best intentions I ate pie for breakfast with coffee. YUM! The rest of the day was about puttering, storytime, putting away the good dishes. I napped, yes napped in the aft for 1 1/2 hours. My daughter is such an angel and always happy to play on her own. I was at hockey from 4-6, which was much smoother than last week. Came home for left over turkey dinner, YUM. And then off to school council meeting. We had a role playing session for the conflict resolution skill training and then a reg meeting. I was super pooped but it was fantastic. Came home and went right to bed. I picked a light book for reading when at the library but it is toooo light. Needs to have some substance.
Great morning.Kids slept in a bit but it was not rushed.
I must, must, must get at the Avon orders today. 3 preschoolers here. I will do my yoga tape to stretch these kinks out. The pie is thankfully gone.
HUGS dear friends.

I'm in for a quick post.

Happy--Doesn't it feel good to get to go shopping with a sister. You honestly forget about the time. Glad your family is there. Enjoy the fellowship.

Teel--Good to see you. I hope that the pooter doesn't have a virus.

PW---i understand your husband's point on a full pantry of groceries. I'm that way--buy food that is good for you and then will not eat it. hummmm--I still have not found a recipe for the soup that we had when we met.

A friendly wave to Shad and Holly.

Not much going on today. I' ve been busy.

Take care.

My computer konked out on me, wouldn't allow me to connect to the internet. Took me two days to fix it and I'm not sure what worked exactly. I unplugged, replugged everything, reloaded my driver, defragmented, spywared and rebooted and finally it worked again. I even checked with the cable company to see if they were working on the line because I was so duped by the why of it all?? Probably happen again, whatever it was, rotten technology, it thwarts me

I did my WATP dvd last night and watched a bit of the WATP for ABs one this morning, I may do it tonight, I really like the feel of the blood pumping through my viens and the flush of the sweat

Happy-hope your visit is wonderful! Cherish the memories Fresh roses, aw, how lovely, made me inhale deep that
Shad-how cool that you met someone on the plane and actually going to stay in touch with. I suspect you of being a very amiable person
PW-I will check myself onto your map and get my snail mail to you ASAP
Holly-Did you survive Christmas in November? No one made faces, no fighting? My kids are banned from Furby, they see the advertising and just get glazed over
Teel-nice to have you back! Thank you for the update on Linus and wee CJ
Rose-be sure to bundle up, your post was like a travel brochure, thank you for all the lovely details, I could really picture it all
Ceejay-busy is good, way to go on the exercising. Take care now, I hope you figure out what is happening with your tummy, I've never had an illnes that affected my eating shucks
Mel-be well I've heard there are thunder and lightening storms around your area of the country, hope the wind blows it the out to sea before it affects you

Morning all - good to see so many back and posting and communicating with the community and commenting and just plain helping out with suggestions etc. Sometimes I post a question or something on the other thread I belong on and never get a positive result. It is darned disheartening at times.

Anyway,

Meadow - wondered where you went. Saw a piece from you on the journals and then nothing. Glad to know you have fixed (albeit temporary maybe) the computer again. My DB1 had problems with his the other day and called in a panic to see what he had to do to fix it. He had apparently called the ISP Help Desk and they didn't seem to be able to fix it, so he called me. Such faith. Anyway to cut a long story short after many questions most of which the No Help desk had asked, I went up there and fixed it. If all else fails, turn the modem off and on.
Good going on that exercise - you may get to be a gym junkie like me before too long.

Ceejay, what sort of soup recipe are you looking for. I'm positive someone around here will be able to help out. I have so many recipe books, I can't possible make everything in them even once.

Ha Holly - isn't it amazing how things get right out of your system before you know it. Then when something good comes along the system says ohhhhh no you don't!!!! Wash it out with extra water today.

Teel, good to hear from you again - twice in a weeks. What is going on??? Just joking. We will have to see what we can do with that computer - between Happy, Meadow and I, I'm sure we are better than most of the (No) Help Desks.

Painter - Poor DH - not getting his daily dose of 'regular' food! Still there is nothing more boring to a person who is not watching their weight to have to prepare or eat stuff not to their liking. He will survive. I bet that peeling is itchy. Hope you have some nice damp, aloe flavoured, cool towellettes to tuck in the bra to ease the discomfort. Nothing worse than going around scratching oneself.

Happy - Sudoko puzzles are a bit like cryptic crosswords but using numbers. The puzzle has 9 lines across and 9 lines down. These are also divided in groups of 3 across and 3 down. You have to put the numbers 1 thru 9 in each row across and each row down but not the same number in any one row. Also the smaller grids of 3 x 3 must contain the numbers 1 thru 9. They give clues in the puzzle and you work the rest out from there. They keep the brain busy on the train to and from work and they can be awfully frustrating as well.
Glad to hear the family arrived safely. Do you mean to tell me you left Mum with the DH and went shopping! No wonder he rang up to find out where you were!
I hoping for some change in the abs and stomach muscles when I weigh in and measure at the end of the month. So far I am not seeing a lot of gain for the amount of pain. It helps to break it down into manageable lots. I do thre or four reps between cardio exercises at the gym which means I don't have too many to do when I get home and am tired and cranky and feel more like kicking the cat.

I'm hoping Mika (wee Japanese girl) can help me with the vocab although we will probably not meet often enough to do to much improvement. I saw her at Nagoya Airport where she was struggling with a HUGE overweight suitcase and then again at Cairns where she was getting lost trying to find the domestic airport. So I took her under my wing and we looked after each others belongings while we variously went to the loo, looked at the shops, got a drink or breakfast etc. Then I escorted her to the baggage carousel in Brisbane and ensured that she was met by the man from the University. She seems to be coping okay with Uni life and is making friends - one of them is French!! There is an interesting combination. Anyway, I am trying to think of places of interest for her and not too rowdy for me and not too expensive for either of us. Maybe Tamborine for views and craft shopping, then down to Byron Bay (most easterly point in Australia) to see the sea and the dolphins and do some star gazing (no not that star gazing - Croc Dundee lives there, so does Russel Crowe when he is not attacking people with a phone) There are several other celebs down there as well. Or maybe we will take a trip to one of the islands and see the sea as well. Don't know. I've made some suggestions and what happens happens.

Okay, better go, do something. See ya

Just watched the American music awards while packing Avon orders.

Who is Keith Urban and how did I miss him??? Very cute and great style.

Cindy Lauper and Sarah Mclachlan did a duet that gave me goose bumps. Off to bed.
HUGS worldly angels.

Keith Urban is apparently an Australian now resident in the States. He is very popular with some of the CM Fans on another thread. At one stage I did have a look at his website. But I have forgotten where it is/ was.

Sleep well

I watched some videos online last night. it was a bit too country for me but i LOVED the acoustic thing he did on TV.
Bone weary today.Power YAWNNNNN!!! I am just plain tired out.
The kids and cats are buggin me for no real reason. I could have stayed in bed much longer.
We got a few inches of snow over night and are expecting quite a bit more today and tomorrow. Have to put my winter driving thinking cap on. I stayed up and got all the Avon sorted and bagged!!!!!! Whew. That is a weight off.

The damn clutter keeps creeping back. i am trying to keep it tidy now that it is tidy. It is full time job. I already have 3 other fulltime jobs. Arg!

There was a beautiful pink sunrise through the trees this morning.

I had Pringles for snack in the afternoon and before bed yesterday. Not a good choice. My meals were bang on. Gotta do better.

DD had her first ever fullblown temper tantrum this morning for a couple of hours. She was mad as heck. It was hard not to laugh. She was too cute in all her fury.I have 4 more kids than anticipated today. Yikes. there will be much dressing and undressing for the snow play today. No need for me to go out driving anywhere tho!! I will shovel the driveway!@!! I love shovelling the diveway. 2 hours of exercise with a purpose!!! Nice.

Morning folks,

Shad, I couldn't agree with you more - I too much prefer it here when we have conversations going on with each other on the thread. This is a place of support and sometimes it feels like you're standing in the room talking to yourself.

Things are going well here. Very much enjoying the visit with the family. Weather has been nice and we went for a nice walk about the neighborhood last night delivering newsletters. Should be a perfect day to grill a turkey for Thanksgiving tomorrow. Sister keeps hinting she wants to make Christmas cookies...

Ceejay you are so right - it IS fun to go shopping with a sister. I even enjoyed our grocery shopping together yesterday - as we were unloading the groceries onto the checkout stand, I was thinking this is so much fun and I wish we could do this more often. Your comment reminded me that you too recently had fun with your own sister. What sort of soup recipe are you looking for? I love soups and have cookbooks galore - including soup cookbooks and I can find most anything on the Internet - would be glad to look up something for you.

Painter - sorry to hear that Thelma is peeling away. And once the peeling starts the itches come too. I think someone - Dove maybe - makes a cucumber cooling lotion that is both cooling, soothing and moisturizing. Poor booby's been through alot. Actually I just looked it up - sister was the one who told me about this - it's Vaseline brand Intesive Care Aloe and Cool Soothing Lotion. She got it when they visited this summer and said it felt good on sunburn so maybe Thelma will like it too.

Teel, thanks for the update on Linus. That poor woman will have to go to the hospital to get some rest! You be careful yourself with that horrid weather coming through. Step easy - no slips and falls, ok? We are a banged up enough lot already.

Meadow, those darn computers have a mind of their own. I have taken to just giving mine a whack on the side once in a while - always bunges up when I need it the most. So how's the weather by you? Are you far north enough to be getting a bit of cold and snow? If you love flowers have you ever visited the Butchart Gardens? We think it's one of the prettiest places on earth. I have to get Shad through there when we get her to this continent again.

Have fun in the snow Holly.

Shad, if we were ever to visit you, I would be hard pressed on how to cram all the wonderful sights into one visit. My favorite mental picture is the idea of drunken lorikeets and cockatiels hanging upside down from eating fermented fruit. My sister would be all over the road laughing at that one. She loves birds.

Mel, hope you are resting well and enjoying your movie collection.

Have a good Thanksgiving to the American chicks. Eat more turkey and protein than sweets.

Well I have done my weekly validation of the important numbers for work while I was chatting here (you're never REALLY on vacation when you're in the I.T. field ) and that's done so now I can hurry up and run off with my company who is itching to go and do a little touring downtown. Then we have to come back and do a bit of cookie baking with sister - thank goodness she only wants to do one recipe - sister goes nutso when it comes to Christmas cookies. I want to savor every minute I can - they will be gone all too soon

Happy Wednesday peoples, hellos to Rose and Tig too...

Last night was a pain on the trains. There was a signal failure somewhere down on our line and we got stuck for long periods of time at various stations. Took 2 hours to get home. No matter how grumpy you get about it, there is not much to do for it and you hope that there is someone on the train who can provide some entertainment. Well yesterdays was a policeman. He told some of the school kids where to go and how to get there and organised the crowds so that they didn't all stand around the doors getting in each others way. He had kids going in all directions. Sorted out where they were getting off and putting them further up the carriage so the rest of us could get on and off the train. Some drunk in the far corner kept us entertained ?!#$%??? with a monologue running down the various races, nationalities and their lurks and quirks. I was waiting for an argument to develop but it didn't happen. Such is life.

Had a note from Mel this morning - she is getting better but not quite right yet. No doubt she will be back later in the week or next week. She's bored with watching movies.

Happy, if you ever get down here, I will organise the birds!!!! It's usually about spring time when the nectar is starting to flow and the grass seeds begin to sprout that the birds come down. They love the flowers of the Grevilla bush and they squawk and carry on. Parrots never do anything quietly. At the moment I have a family of Rainbow lorikeets living in the Calistemon tree. They were pelting the neighbourhood with seed pods last night. PIA at times since I will have to clean up the mess this weekend.

Yes I will get to Canada and the States again. And I will go to the aforementioned gardens. We can meet up under the old oak tree or whatever.

Holly - clutter always creeps back. It's the bane of our existence. I keep telling the cat to clear up after herself. She doesn't listen to me at all.

Better go and tackle these reports again. I had them all done when they decided to change a few things around. Such is life.