~~Thru Thick and Thin~~ #131
 

Thru Thick & Thin is a group that was formed to give and receive support on our journey to take off the excess pounds and to keep them off. No matter who you are or where you are from, you're welcome here with us. We'll stand with you while you're losing and stand by you if you're not. We all have ups and downs and we need support in both.

Hey everyone. :wave:

It is so good to be on my own schedule again and not have to cater to someone else. I had a lot of things planned for today but only did about half of them. I was going to clean my fish tanks but might have to put that off for a while. I worked all day yesterday cleaning instead of being lazy like I had planned so I don't feel bad about getting a little lazy today.

Marybeth~A WW meeting with Fergie sounds so exciting. I am so glad that you enjoyed it and got to meet her. It is good to hear that she is as nice as she appeared to be. You and I weigh the same also but I am just too short. :lol: I can't even imagine snow right now as all my windows are open and I am barefooted. I just love this time of year here.

JoJo~You sure get knocked off line a lot. I tried to use AOL a few years ago and always got knocked off line as soon as I got on. I tried another service that was free for a trial period also and never lost the first connection. That's when I decided that I would never waste my time with AOL. I have very good service even out here in the woods. My parents left yesterday and I spent the whole day cleaning. Yuck :) Today is more like normal. If I don't get to a chore, it will be there tomorrow or the next day.

Marlana~Today was my day to put my feet up and watch that new TV. We spent the morning watching some of our home videos. I didn't get busy until after noon. Then we got a call from our friends needing help unloading some new furniture. Tomorrow we will help them move their things from the old place to the new. It shouldn't be too bad because they are moving from an RV into a 2 bedroom house. They have always spent the winters in the RV but it has gotten very crowded with 3 poodles and 2 German Shorthairs which are large dogs. Today is my second day back to a healthier way of eating. I haven't started my journal yet but have cut down on all the heavy foods.

Carol~It is good to hear from you. I'm glad that you are doing good and hope that it shows when you go to your meeting. Good Luck and thanks for the pep talk. I need all the help that I can get. :D

Jen~Now that is quiet when you can hear the snow hitting the trees. :lol: I enjoy the sounds of nature also in these woods. I love for it to be quiet enough for me to hear the squirrel's toenails in the trees. My husband walks around with his headset on listening to music but I'd rather here the birds.

Hope y'all have a good evening. I am going to go make some dreamcicle and fat free muffins, feed all my critters and fix some Lean Cuisine dinner with some brussel sprouts. Yummmm.

Good Morning~~I have some bad news this morning,I'm hungry! And I have some good news too, I'm hungry! So I'm going to write to you guys and go back to bed before I eat something I shouldn't.

Jen~~Bad news for you too, if the buds are coming out on the lilac bushes, they are going to get bit. The weather is pretty nice here too, and it's not that long until we should get some warmer days. In Feb. we have warm and cold days. Won't be long until I can start thanking of fish in the lake and not fish in a tank. You should get on of those meters, I bet you would be shocked at how for you walk everyday at work.

Marybeth~~Oh, why couldn't you have been lucky enough to have your picture taken with Fergie. Thank you for sharing the meeting with us. I know that must have been very exciting for all of you. To me she never really fit into the Royal Family, and for that she should feel grateful.

Skeeter~~You've been so busy the last week or so, that you've got me tired from reading about it. I know you must be glad to get home back. I was suppose to clean my Betta bowls on Monday and I still haven't got it done. The water is still clear, but I must get that done today. I never completely clean everything out on them now. I change out just half the water, now that I understand why the water was getting cloudy.

Tobey and Sally "WHERE ARE YOU???" It's bed time again. Have a nice day.

Hello All

Have you missed me? Feels like I have been gone forever! I did check the boards on Saturday but not much had gone up since I posted on Friday so I thought that I would wait until Sunday to post. Then, wouldn’t you know it, I couldn’t get in on Sunday!
The weekend was pretty busy. I don’t know if I ever mentioned that I was planning a ski trip for work. Well I spent most of Saturday and Sunday doing errands for that. And no – I didn’t make it my race. :( My ankle just wasn’t up to it and I didn’t want to do any further damage. So our office ski trip was on Monday. I had to get up at 5:00AM so I could be out the door by 5:45AM. I didn’t get back home until close to 9:30PM. I was beat! I let myself go in a little later to work yesterday. So I didn’t have a chance to post during the day. I had planned on posting in the evening but by the time dinner, dishes, etc. was done I was pooped! But I’m back now!
I survived skiing. It was my very first time. I am very good at falling – not so good at getting back up! It was really nice though. We rented a really nice tour bus and the company paid for everything including ski rentals and lessons for us newbies. I think I would even try it again some time.

Jen: I imagine that it would be very tough living with mom. I think that would be the case for anyone. Glad to hear that you are officially PT! Yippee! My mom also works “PT” in a nursing home. Often she ends up working 6 or 7 days a week because of the extra shifts. But the nice thing is that she is the one who decides to work those. Guess it is back to school for you today. I have decided to take a break from school. I am trying to step back assess what it is that I want right now. It sounds like your weather has been very close to ours. I can’t believe how warm it is! I finally started back running yesterday. I did 2 miles easy running on the treadmill. It had been over week! My ankle was a bit sore not bad at all. I am only going to do easy running this week so I don’t do anything worse to it.

Jojo: So sorry to hear about hubby’s job. It is getting really scary out there. So many companies are doing major lay-offs. One BIL is losing his job at the end of next month (at least they gave him warning so that he could have time to look) and the other BIL had to take a 10% cut in pay. At least he will be eligible for unemployment. However, if it is like Canada, I’m sure it won’t be anywhere close to what he was actually making.

Mb: Sounds like you had a busy weekend with your shows. Did you get a chance to try a batch of those muffins? That’s some crazy weather you are having there! You definitely have had more snow than us. There still isn’t even a flake on the ground. Today, since it is so warm, it is supposed to rain and be foggy. I don’t remember many Januarys with foggy days! I just read your posting on the super WW meeting. Wow that is soooo exciting. It sounds so wonderful. It sounds like Fergie is very down to earth. I’m not sure I would have expected that of her. That is so fantastic.!

Skeeter: So happy to hear that your tests came back so good! Are you starting to feel back to normal after your parents have left? I know that when I go to visit my mom, it is the same thing – you go to bed after midnight, get up before seven, and go, go, go all day! I need a vacation once I come back from that vacation! :lol: You should try baking those muffins. They are really quite easy. There truly isn’t that much difference between making them from a batter than from scratch. Just more measuring, that’s it.

Marlana: Glad to hear that you found a great pet store. If you hit the right one, they can be a real wealth of knowledge. Glad you enjoyed the muffins. The next I make them I am going to add in either raisins or blueberries. Actually this weekend I want to try a new muffin recipe. I have a copy of the recipe for the Starbucks Low Fat Blueberry Muffins that I want to try. Dh loves blueberry muffins – so I how they will be good. Have you redone the tanks yet? I hope that helps with your fish problem. Your hubby is on quite an exercise kick! Good for him. Hey that’s great that you are getting on the treadmill. I think the trick is to find something to distract yourself while doing it. Heck I’ll be the first to admit that the treadmill is boring!! You should see if you can watch TV or read while you are doing it (magazines are the easiest). You are right, the catch is to find a way to enjoy it and not too start dreading it! I hope hubby’s surgery went okay.

Sally: I just read your post about your ex’s answer. Some people just don’t get it do they?! He can’t afford a stamp, child support, he’s sick, can’t work, but he should have the kids? He really is insane, isn’t he! I’m sure he has no case and is just wasting everyone’s time and money. Can I say it? What a jerk!

Boss: Glad to hear that you are surviving. :) That’s a good plan to bring part of your own lunch when you are have a hot lunch at school. I never trust myself to eat at work so I spend a chunk of my evenings making a lunch plus snacks. I always seem to have a bag of food with me where I ever I go. I hope your weigh in is good.

Well I think I am all caught up. I sure miss you guys when I’m gone!! Especially when I don’t even get a chance to peek at the postings. But I think things should calm down now and I can get back to regular posts.

Tobey
:D

What this? Two posts in one day?

I came across this article on Runner's World and just wanted to share it. Sorry if it is a little long.

Tobey

The Perfect Weight-Loss Day
by Mark Remy
Each day you face a hundred tiny weight-loss decisions. Here's how to make the right ones
An editorial in a recent issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition asks,"If humans represent the most intelligent form of life on this planet, why is it that they find it so difficult to make the apparently small adjustments in daily behavior that we calculate would halt the continuing rise in obesity?" Or, to be blunt: If we’re so smart, how come we’re so fat?

Good question.

If you ask me, it's because we're looking for weight loss in all the wrong places. Like so much else in life, the biggest threats aren’t always as plain as they seem. It’s the little things that’ll do you in: Take the escalator here, grab a jumbo soda there, skip a run, and before you know it you're being forklifted out of bed while a Fox camera crew captures the whole thing on tape.

Okay, I'm exaggerating. The point is that every day, from the time your clock radio rouses you to the moment you snap off your bedside light, you face a hundred tiny weight-loss choices. Some are more significant than others, but all of them add up. Over time, your choices shape you.

Literally.

Nobody expects you to make perfect choices all the time. But if you did, just for one day, it might look something like this:

6:45 a.m. Wake up slowly.
Frazzled is no way to start your day. “Many people overeat in response to stress,” says Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., professor of nutrition at Penn State University and author of Volumetrics: Feel Full on Fewer Calories. Give yourself a 30-minute buffer in the morning to relax and ease into your day. Spend 15 minutes doing yoga or meditation, or kicking back with the newspaper and a cup of tea. A stress-free morning will help set the tone for the rest of your day.

7:00 a.m. Get milk.
In a study of 54 people, those who consumed at least 1,000 milligrams a day of calcium (about 3 cups of nonfat milk) gained 6 to 7 fewer pounds over 2 years than did those on low-calcium diets.

7:20 a.m. Walk the dog.
Anybody who can’t get motivated to walk obviously doesn’t have a dog. Poochie will motivate you plenty when he parks himself beside your bed every morning, yipping and staring at you with those-well-puppy-dog eyes.

7:45 a.m. Get flaky.
No breakfast? Don’t even think about it. “Overweight people skip breakfast more than any other meal,” says Rolls. Have raisin bran or oatmeal; both are high in fiber. “Studies show that when you eat a high-fiber breakfast, you'll eat 100 to 150 fewer calories over breakfast and lunch,” she says

8:10 a.m. Perform a bypass.
If the shortest route to work passes a doughnut shop and two Burger Huts, then don’t take the shortest route to work. Why tempt yourself?

8:20 a.m. Walk to work.
Even if you drive to work, park several blocks away, then hoof it. Walk 10 minutes to the office every morning (and 10 minutes back to your car every evening), and you’ll burn an extra 20,000 calories per year. That’s more than 5 pounds of flab!

8:30 a.m. Step right up.
Elevators are for freight and fat people. Walking up two flights per day will burn 1,100 calories per year - another 1/3 pound of fat. Besides, when you take the stairs, it’s impossible to get stuck between floors with your boss.

8:35 a.m. Arrange a still life.
Place apples, oranges, bananas, or whatever fruit you like on your desk and vow to eat them all before you leave work. “The single easiest thing people can do every day to lose weight is to eat more fruits and vegetables,” says Kelly Brownell, Ph.D., director of the Yale Center for Eating and Weight Disorders at Yale University.

9:00 a.m. Leave the grounds.
Instead of coffee, go for green tea - it has compounds called polyphenols that may increase calorie burn, according to the International Journal of Obesity.

9:15 a.m. Can the spam.
Is your e-mail in-box crammed with offers for miracle weight-loss products? Delete them. Quickly. Among the “miracles” we recently saw for sale on the Web:

A weight-loss patch. Wear it on your butt, and the pounds melt away. Did we mention it’s made of seaweed?

Weight-loss essential oils. Blended under a full moon…(for) added energy from the tidal pull.”

Weight-reducing herbal tea. It tonifies the spleen qi” to chase away fat.

9:20 a.m. Log off.
Close your e-mail program, at least for a couple of hours. Have to talk to coworkers? Then go talk to them.We're growing fatter, as a society, partly because our everyday activity has declined due to modern technology,” says James Hill, Ph.D., director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

10:15 a.m. Break potty ranks.
When nature calls, instinct tells you to make a beeline for the nearest rest room. Ignore instinct for once, and use a more distant rest room - even if it's on another floor. You’ll burn a few more calories.

10:20 a.m. Stay stoked.
Snack time is key for runners, says Dan Benardot, Ph.D., R.D., author of Nutrition for Serious Athletes. "Never let yourself grow hungry,"says Benardot. "Athletes who put themselves in an energy deficit - even a subtle one - will have lower metabolisms and won't perform as well." Have a whole wheat English muffin with a pat of butter. In an Ohio State study, men who ate a little fat in the morning had fewer fat cravings later in the day.

10:30 a.m. Have an ice day.
Follow that snack with some ice water, and don’t be stingy with the cubes. Your body will burn 31 calories warming a quart of icy water to 98.6 degrees.

11:50 a.m. Break a sweat.
Researchers have found that people who lose weight and manage to keep it off burn an average of 400 calories per day exercising - equal to about 4 miles of running. However, how you reach that number isn't as important as simply reaching it," says John Jakicic, Ph.D., assistant professor at Brown University School of Medicine in Providence, R.I. The key is to develop the habit of being active every day, whether that means running, walking, biking, or simply chasing your kids around the yard.

1:00 p.m. Pack it in.
It pays to bring your lunch from home. A recent study found that people who eat in restaurants six times a week consume 300 more calories a day, on average, than those who prepare their own grub. Start off with chunky soup (you’ll eat 20 percent less at lunch when you eat chunky soup first, researchers say), then have a small sandwich made with lean meat. (Use mustard instead of mayo, and you’ll save 80 calories a day. Over a year, that’s about 5 1/2 pounds of fat.)

1:05 p.m. Just look at yourself.
If you can, have lunch in front of a mirror - you’ll eat less fat when you watch yourself, two studies have found. Likewise, you may benefit from eating alone. A study in the journal Appetite found that people who dined in a group ate nearly twice as much, on average, as those who ate alone - even if the “group” consisted of only one other person.

1:35 p.m. Chew on a stick.
Not only will it mask the onions on your breath, chewing gum also will burn about 11 calories an hour, according to an item in the New England Journal of Medicine.

2:30 p.m. Nose around.
Take a sniff of that banana on your desk. Because taste and smell are closely linked, it actually will dampen your appetite, says Alan Hirsch, M.D., of the Smell & Taste Research and Treatment Foundation in Chicago. Green apple and peppermint are also particularly effective scents. “We found that the more frequently you sniff, the more weight you’ll lose,” says Dr. Hirsch.

3:00 p.m. Skip the soda.
Heading to a long staff meeting? Grab a bottle of water. A 20-ounce bottle of soda can pack 250 calories. And if you think that bottle of fruit juice is a lower-cal option, think again: A 17.5-ounce bottle of Nantucket Nectars Orange-Mango weighs in at 260 calories. Suck down one of these every workday, and you’ll rack up 1,300 calories a week. You’d have to run a half-marathon to burn that off!

4:30 p.m. Zap your snack.
It’s been about 3 hours since lunch; time for a bite. Try a veggie-laden slice of leftover pizza - and take the extra 60 seconds to microwave it. “About 90 percent of what we call taste is really smell,” says Hirsch. “And heating food intensifies its smell.” This is a good thing, because as we noted earlier, smelling your food before you eat it will dampen your appetite. By the way: Blot your hot pizza with a napkin, and you’ll soak up 20 calories’ worth of grease.

5:30 p.m. Scan your desk.
Did you eat all your fruit today? Good! Now you earn a reward. Which brings us to…

6:00 p.m. Go for the grape.
Janet from Payroll is retiring, and you want to toast her at the local tavern after work. That’s fine. But watch out for sneaky calories: A 4-ounce glass of wine has just 85 of them, whereas birdbath-size drinks like daiquiris may have 400 calories or more.

6:15 p.m. Cut yourself off.
We can think of three reasons why you should limit yourself to one drink:
You're driving home.

Drinking encourages mindless munching (at a bar, that means deep-fried mozzarella sticks and - shudder - chicken fingers).

The more you drink, the harder it is to stay on your feet. Standing up burns 1.7 times more calories than sitting down.

6:20 p.m. Skip the smorgasbord.
If you must munch at the bar, have some hard pretzels or popcorn - both crunchy, low-calorie foods that satisfy. Anything to keep you away from the happy-hour buffet table. When you have more food choices, you eat more, says Megan McCrory, Ph.D., a nutrition researcher at Tufts University.

6:35 p.m. Walk down the aisle.
On your way home, swing by the Food Mart and whip out your list (you do have a list, don’t you?). Tip: Buy as much as you can in small packages. You’ll eat more from a huge package than a smaller package of the same food - up to 44 percent more, according to one study.

Here's what to toss in your cart:

Fruits and vegetables (duh). They're high in water and fiber, so they fill you up without a lot of calories,” says Rolls.


Broth-based soups. Another filling choice.


Lean meats. Calorie for calorie,


protein is more filling than carbohydrates or fat.


Nonfat yogurt. "I spoon some on my breakfast cereal," says Rolls.That way the cereal seems more substantial.” Yogurt is also great for making smoothies, another way to fill your belly with relatively few calories.


Vegetable juice. Unlike soda or fruit juice, vegetable juice (such as V-8) makes you feel full. In one study, men who drank 14 ounces (88 calories) of vegetable juice before lunch, ate 136 fewer calories during the meal.



6:45 p.m. Stare at the Enquirer…not the Snickers.
Some supermarkets, in a nod to parents, have candy-free checkout aisles. Find one and use it. Even if it means waiting in line behind a cranky 2-year-old.

6:55 p.m. Get tanked.
When you pull into the gas station for a fill-up, pay at the pump with your credit card. Otherwise, you’ll have to deal with the cashier, who most likely is surrounded by snack cakes and chips, placed there to catch you in a moment of weakness.

7:05 p.m. Use counter intelligence.
When you put away your groceries, leave your fruit out on a table or countertop - not tucked away in the fridge or pantry. You’re more likely to eat food when it catches your eye every time you walk into the room. This is why glass cookie jars are bad news.

7:15 p.m. Have the surf, hold the turf.
A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that overweight people who ate fish every day lost about 20 percent more weight than a fish-free group. Go for varieties rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and tuna. Don’t dig into a restaurant-sized portion, though. A serving of fish should be about the size of a computer mouse. (Same goes for meat and poultry.)

7:30 p.m. Go for sax and violins.
Pop in a jazz or classical CD. Studies show that people listening to relaxing music at mealtime chew more slowly and eat less than people who crank up more frantic tunes. (Save those for your treadmill workouts.)

7:35 p.m. Savor the flavor.
You’ll enjoy each bite more and eat less, because there’s a lag time between being full and feeling full. “Eating slowly gives your body the opportunity to signal the brain that you’ve eaten enough,” says Brownell.

8:00 p.m Fill the sink with suds.
Wash your dishes by hand, and you’ll burn about 25 calories.

8:10 p.m. Bag it.
Pack your lunch for the following day. Don’t feel guilty about including a few cookies or a small chocolate bar - indulgences are not only allowable, they’re advisable. Without the occasional treat, your cravings will only intensify until you snap in a moment of weakness and devour an entire pint of ice cream. (Double whammy: Truckloads of calories and an ice-cream headache!)

8:15 p.m. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
In the mood for a movie, but can’t choose between Scream and Sense and Sensibility? Go for the scary one (for me, that’s Sense and Sensibility). You’re less likely to eat when you’re frightened.

9:00 p.m. Intermission.
If you’re hungry, it’s perfectly okay to snack after dinner. The “no eating after 8 p.m.” rule is a myth, says Rolls: “What you eat is more important than when you eat.”

9:40 p.m. Brush up.
Brush your teeth immediately after your snack, even if you’re not ready to turn in. You’ll be less likely to eat again before bed.

10:15 p.m. Hit the sack.
A chronic lack of sleep may contribute to weight gain, says Pat Kendall, Ph.D., R.D., a food science and human nutrition specialist at Colorado State University Cooperative Extension in Fort Collins. “When people stay up later, they tend to eat more,” says Kendall. “Also, when you’re rested, you’re less likely to rely on food to give you energy.” And besides, you have to wake up early tomorrow morning…to do your yoga.

HOWDY Y'ALL;:wave:

Oh no! I made it back sooner than I expected. I've left the computer on so I actually get up here at it more often. No time last night, but I have gotten a lot done on it tonight.
I just read the article that Tobey included. A lot of that made sense. It was interesting as I had a rotten afternoon and the market was so tempting. We now have Krispy Kreme donuts at our store. I wanted to buy one so bad just to stuff it in my mouth, but I walked by the display and didn't even look at them. I bought the two types of milk, orange juice, diet Coke, and matches. All that was on my list and I didn't buy any "junk" food for me. Instead I came home and made some Texas Caviar, diced up some extra green peppers and cucumbers and made supper. I did the dishes, had my sf pudding, gave myself a facial, and came up here to see what I could do. It felt pretty good not eating because I was upset. Right now, I have a handle on all of this. I should go back to journaling, that will be next week. If any of you can, go to readersdigest.com There is an article there that gives 20 tips to losing weight. Most of them are things I've read before, but it never hurts to hear them again.
I must get going and try to get to bed earlier. No game tonight, so I can do that. Oh! I did well at my weigh in--another 2# down. I felt pretty good and decided to treat myself at the ball game with peanut M&M's. That was my 10%. Today I put a little Lite Hershey's Syrup on my sf pudding with my Free Cool Whip. That was very satisfying. I am also beginning to measure better. These are just little things that could make a difference for me.
I hope all of you have a great weekend. I may not get in before the Sunday. Stay healthy in mind, so you all can get healthy in body and spirit.

Boss

Good Morning~~I got a pretty good nights sleep last night only to get up to yet another fish problem. I'm fixing to lose the last two guppies that I have other than babies. I knew there was a problem day before yesterday evening. In the morning things was find 4 or 5 hours later it wasn't. I'm going to tell you something I feel a lot like when I got this puter, this is stressing me out. I don't know if I'm going to able to figure this thing out or not. What you don't understand if I just went through taking all the fish out of the big tank and putting a pound of salt out of it to kill anything I had in there that was hurting my fish. And now this, it's almost too much.

Tobey~~ I surly did miss you my friend. Right now I wish I had you right here with me to talk to me. I need a friend. But I will just had to endure this frustration a lone. I bet you had a ball on the ski trip. Boy who do you work for??? Not much of that sort of thing going on here in the state for employees. In fact I thank the only ones here that matters is the guy on top. Here you are going on a ski trip and you didn't tell us!!!! I've decided you have a life, and I have fish. yaks I never tried snow to ski on, but I was quite good at water skiing in my younger days. If I tried it now it would take a ship to get me up and then it would pull my arms off with the extra weight. I am not doing anything near 2 miles on the treadmill, but at least I'm getting on. Thanks for the article, it was very good.

Carol~~ You done a good job in that grocery store, sometimes we can do it and sometimes not. Right now I couldn't do it. I have to leave my puter on all the time and just reboot once in a while, it seems to do better. It was really having a hard time getting going after being turned off all night. I want a new one. Good to see you here this AM.

Bye Bye for today.

Morning Ladies,
Just time for a quick post---I need to get the girls up for school. I'm still here; just been getting up really late and not had time to post or even read much. My doctor put me on "nerve" medicine and it really does a number on me. I told him if I can just get thru the summer and all the mess with the doofus, I should be okay. I'll try to come in this weekend if Jeff will shove over and let me use the computer. Love you all, and hope you're doing well. Didn't want you to forget me!
Love, Sally
224/162 (finally lost a bit more!)/120ish

Good morning all.

Trying to get back into my regular routine. I am so tired this morning! I am sure that I have bags under my eyes. I haven’t slept well for the past two nights. It is like my mind is going at warp speed and I keep having these silly dreams and waking up. Dh said that he had the same problem last night as well. Except in his dreams, everyone was trying to kill him! :eek: Another warm day here. But it looks like it is still the middle of the night. It is a rainy morning and everything is soooo dark.

Boss: Congratulations on walking right past those donuts and sticking your list! It is amazing how good you feel (later on of course) when you don’t give into your cravings. That facial sounds good. I will check out those tips. I like reading those types of things, even if I have heard them all before. They act like constant reminders for me. CONGRATULATIONS again – I just got to the part of your post where you lost another 2#!!! You are really on the right track.

Marlana: Sorry to hear that you are still having fish problems. :( I’m sure you that you will eventually get it all sorted out. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be! Hey I wish I could be there too. Sometimes I wish we could just teleport ourselves to where we wanted. I could wish myself to your place and then on to Skeeter’s to sit in her new comfy chair and watch her new TV! :lol: The ski trip was a blast. Everyone I worked with couldn’t say enough about it. In fact on the bus, the director of our office got up to thank me for organizing it and everyone gave me a round of applause. It was enough to make me blush :o I do have to admit that I work for the best company!! It is so nice to work for an employer who actually cares about their employees. They realize that it is their employees that make everything run. I have worked for so many companies that just don’t give a dang. They figure that you should just shut up and be happy that you have a job. This was my first time down hill skiing. I have never been water skiing either. I had the chance once or twice, but was too chicken. I have heard that it is a lot fun. I think the next time I have a chance to try it, I’ll jump on it. I wouldn’t worry about the distance you are putting in yet. You are right, the point is just to get on and do it. Distance and speed comes with time. Just look at Mb, Jen, and myself. We are all at different levels and it just took time to get there. Even just 18 months ago, I would have gagged at the thought of running!

Sally: Hope you are doing okay. I see in your signature that you are down some more. Congratulations!!! Do you realize that you are now close to your goal weight than you are to your starting weight? That is so fantastic. I have just been thinking about all the weight that you have lost and I have to say I am so excited and proud. You have managed to lose weight during vacations and crazy times. That is really great – shows that you have made some serious commitments and changes. So for going mushy but I really wanted to get that out! WAY TO GO!

Well time to get some work done. Hope everyone is doing great!

Tobey
:D

I only have a few minutes to post right now. My first day of classes was yesterday. If I wasn't on a PT schedule, I would be having some pretty serious panic attacks. In each of the 3 classes I have a major paper to write, 10-12 pages each, plus about half a dozen or so smaller papers. Plus all the reading, goofy assignments, and clinical hours with a "leader or manager" for 50-80 hrs this semester. I'm going to schedule myself for a vacation when all of this is over in May. I have to go to a "mandatory" staff meeting this afternoon. This should be fun. (You can't hear the sarcasm in my voice). After I'm hoping that I can talk to my boss about some of the problems over the weekend. Then dear bf wants me to stop over at his house for awhile. And I have to get a few groceries tonight on my way home. Hopefully I'll get a few minutes to pop back in here and post to everyone. (((HUGS))) to those who need it, and CONGRATS to those with a success this week!

Jen

Hi Everyone

Sorry I haven't been here much lately. I've just been a bit down in the dumps and not feeling much like writing. I do ok at work cause I'm busy but then when I get home, I start feeling the anxiety and worry again.

Dh went and applied for unemployment last week and was told that everything looked ok and it should go ok and then Tuesday morning there was a letter that he had to talk to someone first before it went thru and it said something about possible misconduct. He is so upset, wondering what it means, if they are trying to screw him out of his unemployment. He never had any misconduct at any of his jobs, always did everything he was told to do, got along with everyone. So he is really upset over that and it has me worried to. I know of places that will screw someone out of getting unemployment benefits and I hope thats not what is happening. If the unemployment falls thru, we will be in financial trouble for sure. So, if you pray, say some prayers for us. I feel so bad for dh cause he is so upset over this. The thing is, the paper told him to have any evidence ready for when the ajudicator calls, ****, it doesn't even say what he may of done so how can he have any evidence. I told him he should call his former boss who told him not to worry about unemployemnt, just to see if he can find anything out from him. His boss may not even be aware of it. I also feel bad cause I feel like I don't know what to say to make him feel better. This is really bugging him alot and I hate seeing him so upset and I feel like I have to hide my feelings and worries so that I don't upset him even more. Oh well. Thats whats going on here on the home front.

I am going to wait another day or two before I post to everyone, I just wanted to come in and vent a little and say hello to you and tell you not to forget me. I'll be back later.

Hey everyone. :wave:

My husband and I helped our friends move yesterday and we didn't get home until 7 last night. I was just beat and never made it in here. It was so warm yesterday that we had to turn the a/c back on and it is still on today. Everything is starting to get buds so I sure hope that there is no more cold weather this year.

Marlana~I wish that I knew what was wrong with your fish tank and could help you out. I am so glad that I got lucky with my fish and they are all healthy. I did lose the 4th one that I bought and replaced him the same day. I have never used the vase that the fish died in though. I am afraid that there may be traces of the disease that killed Griffy in it. I got all my tanks cleaned today so my guys should be happy. They love fresh water and usually all have bubble nests the next day.

Tobey~Girl, you do work for an exceptional company to have provided a ski trip with all expenses paid. You better try to retire with that company because there aren't a lot like that. It sounds like you had a wonderful weekend. I have never snow skied but I have water skied and love it. I've been told that water skiing is easier than snow skiing. The article was great, I enjoyed it and am going to copy it. I also copied the muffin recipes for a day that I have a lot of motivation in the kitchen. Things are finally back to normal with mom gone and I finally got a day of rest today. It felt good too.

JoJo~I sure hope that you can keep your spirits up and not dwell on the problems. My daughter just went through the same thing with unemployment. The good news is that she won and she got all the back pay from the day she signed up. The unemployment people had called to verify from her job that she was laid off and a person that didn't like her told them that she quit. She finally got it settled and her first check ended up being very large. Just be aware that you can fight and win and will get all the money. Come on back and vent as much and as often as you need.

Carol~WTG on losing 2#. You did good at the market too. :D That's half the battle for me. If I can walk on by the junk food at the store and not bring it home, there aren't many chances for me to cheat later. Living out here in the woods doesn't provide any fast food places and very few convenience stores. It helps keep my OP.

Jen~Your writing requirements for your next school session makes my head spin. It's probably not as bad as it sounds but it sure sounds busy. Good luck with all that. It's good that you have gone to part time now but you will have to put your food down sometimes and actually only work part time. :lol:

Sally~WTG on losing more weight. You are doing good. Hang in there and just take one day at a time and the problems with the ex will be over before you know it.

It's time for dinner now so I better go get cooking. I hope to make it back tomorrow because we have another busy day planned. We are starting with donating platelets first then off on some errands. We had to cancel the donations for a while because of both of us being sick and then having company. Now we can get back to it. Y'all have a good evening.

Happy Friday to you all!

It’s Friday – YIPPEE!! :D Can you tell that I am in a good mood this morning? I have no big plans for the weekend but I am still excited! Saturday, I know that we are going to spend the morning at one of the big bookstores. Dh has a gift certificate (which I gave him last May) that he finally wants to use. Then we are going out for lunch – we have a gift certificate for that too. Then we are going to hit a market that friends of ours were telling us about. Saturday night will probably be filled with hockey on the TV and a Scrabble tournament. Although, dh might be giving up on Scrabble – he hasn’t been able to beat me in a L O N G time! We may end up playing Trivial Pursuit. He wins at that most of the time. Sunday will be a long run (6-miles, I think) and then clean up! It looks like a tornado has ripped through our place!

Jen: Wow that is a pretty aggressive class schedule. I bet you’ll be happy come spring! You will definitely deserve a great vacation. Do you have any plans yet? Sounds like you had a very busy day yesterday! How did the meeting go? Did you have a chance to bring up your concerns with your boss?

Jojo: Don’t apologize!! I can’t blame you for feeling the way you do. Sometimes it is even harder to watch a loved one go through something than it is to experience it yourself. I think it has to do with the feeling of helplessness – at least for me anyway. Take as much time as you need. Our thoughts are with you!

So are you sore today after the move? I’m loving our weather but I can’t even imagine it being so warm that we would have to turn the a/c on. I love that idea! I’m not a winter person. After today I hope you can take some time out. You have been running around like crazy :spin: you must be so pooped! You should make some good use of your new chair, TV, & DVD. Hey that’s an order!

Well that looks like that is all who have checked in since I last posted. Marlana – Missing you this morning. Hope all is well.

Have a GREAT weekend. I’ll try to get in and post. :devil:

Tobey
:D

Good morning gals. I'm actually up at a fairly decent time and trying to stay one step ahead of the game today. My meeting with my boss went fairly well yesterday. Afterwards I had a heart to heart with her. Granted, I don't think she's that great of a "leader" as my leadership class would put it, but that's different than a "manager". Anyway, she said she's going to start reteaching everyone teamwork skills. I'm just relieved that she realizes there are huge problems out on the unit. Sunday night I had all the nurses refusing to take an admit. Granted, a couple were in no position to be able to. 2 of the other ones are just slugs, and one threatened to walk out if she had to. I talked to her about that too. Cover my butt before someone else talks to her. Anyway, there are some things she wants to try on the unit, so I may chose those as topics for my papers. Might as well research something useful. And I may be doing my clinical hours with the open heart case manager. Not only will it make school easier because I have a clue about it, but it will make work easier when I learn more about pre-op and discharge teaching and arrangements. That's the plan anyway.

Tobey- Sounds like you are going to have a nice weekend. It's going to be 60 degrees here. That is incredible. Ususally it would be like 10, windy and cold. I'm working for a nurse tomorrow during the day, and night shift on Sunday, so I plan on getting outside Sunday afternoon. Maybe get a head start on picking up the yard a little. I'm soooo ready for spring. I'm not sure where or what to do on my vacation. Maybe nothing!

Skeeter- Moving is very hard work, and good exercise!!! Yesterday at the meeting I was asked if I wanted to work. My reply was "I'm already working an extra 20 hrs this week. I think that's plenty." Enough said. Good for you for donating platelets. How often do you do that?

Jojo- I'm sorry that things just seem like they're getting worse. Hopefully it's like Skeeter said, and just someone shooting off their mouth trying to get out of paying. The truth always comes out. My thoughts will be with the both of you. Please come back and vent anytime. It's why were are here.

Sally- Yep, those drugs can get ya! Be careful with them, especially if you feel the "hangover" effect. Congrats on losing a bit more!!!



Marlana- You're poor fishies. Who would have thought that they'd be so much work?

Carol- Congrats on making it through the market. It's almost impossible to make it with only the list for me. Congrats on your 2# loss. I'm working on switching back to less processed foods. Fresh fruits and veggies over canned, cooking my own chicken and fish, whole grain breads, pasta, heck, I even bought couscous and barley to try! If anything, I may just feel better.

Well, I should go. I have to work again. I was scheduled 7-11pm, but made myself available for the 3-7pm if needed. Of course they'll need me. But it's on the bonus plan!

Jen

Good Morning~~Shame on me, I played hooky yesterday.:nono: I decided not to write in the morning and get busy around the house and maybe I could get something done by noon, instead of starting at noon. I did get some things done, but this time I didn't get around to writing on the board. I'm on a roll here, I haven't lost any fish in 2 days. It's not ever a good start to a day to have a burial at sea.

Sally~~What kind of nerve meds did you get? I've had to resort to that myself a time or two. I usually take myself off of them before the doctor says no more. I hope you doing better now. Sometimes we do what we have to do to keep ourselves pulled together. Congrats on more weight gone.

Tobey~~I hate those nights when the mind is running full speed ahead and you just lay there all night not ever going into a deep sleep. Been there done that. Well He** I'm getting old enough that I've been there and done that on almost everything. I've noticed while writing in here that I've done, had, put up with, throwed out, failed at, and eat everything already.:lol: Boy I'm having a really hard time picturing myself walking more than a mile or two in one day, if that for. I'm still working at it. Your just something else, you know that? Nothing fantastic going on for this week end and your excited. Got to get to where you are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's been an hour since I wrote the above. I have the TV on and the bass fishing show that come on was the one on the lake I live close to. I spent about 10 min trying to get the smarter than me VCR to rec. for hubby to watch. It was interesting to see where these guys was fishing on the lake. Lake Ft. Gibson...

Jen~~Unlike Tobey's life, exciting...Your life in school would be a night mare for me. I have many times dreamed of going back to school and that is a nightmare for me. Often times in my dreams I show up in class with no cloths on. Is that a nightmare or not??? You've got a busy time here for a few months. Come in when you can and let us know how your doing. I already have one daughter that won't get in contact with me, now that I have adopted you, don't leave me!!! Do good in school and it will pay off in the long run.

Jo Jo~~I understand 100% why you would be in the dumps. If I was in your shoes, I would be in the bed with my head covered up. Oh my gosh, what else is going to happen to you guys. If he wasn't layed off because of misconduct, how can they not let him have his unemployment. Many years ago I was cheated out of mine. I ended up going to a court hearing over it. Men can really get down over losing a job. Mine lost his after 18 years and he didn't do anything. He really got depressed over it. I didn't know what to do either. I didn't want to get down to where he was, yet I couldn't try to be too positive about it either. It is just hard to know how to handle. Do the best you can. And please try to take care of yourself. You are my friend and you are in my prayers.

Skeeter~~Girlfriend, your busier than a one armed paper hanger in the wind. Aren't you getting tired of all this company and running around. I KNOW WHAT YOUR NEXT POST IS GOING TO SAY.:D These girls are wondering about me and you both. I got a feeling they don't thank our corks are floating. You know Skeeter I've done a lot of reading about keeping fish. And at this point I'm sure that I'm causing at least 70% of the problem with the fish. I'm learning. I tested water this morning for Ph and ammonia and they are ok. 2 Platies, one Neon and 3 Catfish are doing find. It will be at least 2 weeks before I put anything else in there. I don't see any signs of Ick, but I'm not sure when to stop putting meds in the water. I've done it 3 times now. I got to do some more reading.

I'm setting here hacking my head off. Thank God today is the last day on that medicine. I hope the next one works better. It's suppose to be very warm today, (65) so I'm going to get outside and do some things. Have a great week end everyone.

Hi Everyone. I'm still here and doing better than I was. I just dont handle anxiety very well and I've had alot of anxiety the past couple of weeks.

Dh spoke with his former boss and what ever umployment has, it didn't come from him and in fact he told dh to give them his number and he'd tell them just how it was. So that helped alot.

Plus I figured out the checkbook last night and we are a little better off than i figured we were. We'll be ok till the unemployemnt kicks in. I'm trying to be positive about it. When I get worried about money, I tend to not write in checks (thank goodness for carbons), I don't know why, fear of the unknown. I dont know for sure. Its dumb but its something I do. I keep telling dh he can have that job but so far he doesn't want it and we've been married almost 25 years. I guess he'll never want it.

I just wanted to tell everyone thanks for your nice words. It helped to.

Marlana, I try so hard to not let dh see my mood cause I don't want to make him feel any worse. I know he is feeling out of sorts with himself just like I am. It may of happened to him but it really affects me to. I had a really hard time once when he got sick and was in the hospital and I got so depressed but felt guilty because I felt bad. I thought it was him being sick and I should just be there for him and ignore how I felt. Well, it worked for awhile but it caught up with me and bit me on the butt. Big time depression. So I'm allowing myself to wallow once in awhile. How many fish do you have now? I've not been in much to read lately. I need to go back and check in on everyone and see whats going on.

Jen, it really makes it hard on everyone when co-workers dont want to work together. Its been better at my job lately because we are working a little better together than we were. This one woman is scared to death to let any of us know what she does. Its strange. Its not like we want her work or anything but if she's not there, there are things we need to know to cover for her. Sheesh. She acts like her job is top secret or something. I dont know how you manage work and school. I dont think I could do it.

Tobey, I LOVE book stores. I could spend hours in one, in fact I do that once in awhile. A six mile run??? Makes me tired just thinking about it.

Skeeter, we are having warm weather ourselves. Not warm enuff for the ac but warmer than we expect for this time of year. Sounds like you burned some calories yesterday helping your friends move. I really think dh's unemployment will go thru. I just dont like not knowing for sure.

Well, I've got to get my butt in gear and get dressed. My slippers are falling apart and I am going to buy a new pair plus I have an appointment to get my hair cut this afternoon. If I don't, I'll start taking the scissors to my hair myself and then I'd have to have someone fix my damage.

Take care everyone.

Hello my friends!

Wowee what a beautiful day! I walked up to the library and it was so warm and sunny that I decided I had to go for a run (Saturdays are normally my day off). It was so nice that I ran in just a pair of light tights and a light long sleeve shirt. No jacket. No gloves!! I can’t believe it is the end of January! So I thought I was just whip off a quick 2 miles but it was just sooo nice out that I ended up doing a full 6k (about 3.7 miles). I could have kept going to but I am saving some energy for my 6-miler tomorrow. I normally run first thing in the morning but I have decided to wait until around 2pm again so that I can run without a jacket. It feels like spring!

Jen: After working in HR for 5 years I can tell you that you are definitely right. Being a leader and being a manager are 2 very different things. Sounds like you work with some nasty nurses. That’s too bad :( But from what you have also said before I think you also have some great gals. Guess it’s like that where ever you go. That’ll be great if you are able to tie work and school together. Hope you do get a chance to get out and enjoy the day tomorrow.

Marlana: I am so happy to hear that your fish problems seem to be coming to an end (knock on wood). Your been there and done that speech made me laugh out loud! You’re toooo funny! You will progress on the treadmill. There was a time that I hated exercise and would never picture myself running. I think my family is still in shock. Glad to hear that you will be trashing those meds. I hope your hack goes with it. Enjoy some of that warm temps and sunshine. I know I did!

Jojo: Glad to hear that you are in a bit better of spirits. I’m also glad that everything seems like it will okay. You know that things always seem to work themselves out even when you can’t figure out how they will. Dh is a freelancer so we know all about feast and famine times. We had a great time at the bookstore this morning. Dh used his gift certificate to get 2 books and I bought a magazine – Vegetarian Times. It has a great menu for a romantic Valentine’s dinner. So I have decided to make that for dh. Leave the cutting to the professionals – trust me, I have tried the home haircut before. :nono:

Well I had better go. Dh is waiting for me. He bought “To Kill a Mocking Bird” on DVD and are going relax and watch it.

GET OUT ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND!

Tobey
:D

Hey everyone. :wave:

My husband and I went to town yesterday and stayed for almost 12 hours. I was so tired when I got home. I bought my friend a solid red betta as a housewarming gift. I gave it to her in a large vase that I decorated to enhance the color of the fish but without the peace lily. She loved it. But I also went nuts in the fish shop over a beautiful betta that was peach and light blue. It is the prettiest fish ever and my husband named him "NoMore". :lol: I call him Gator after the football team whose colors are orange and blue and he looks great with the rest of my collection.

Marlana~I sure hope that new medicine doesn't cause the coughing. I guess that I am lucky not to have any bad symptoms from mine other than having to run to the bathroom a lot in the morning after drinking my coffee. :D Yes I am tired of running around all over town and all the company. I crave a day of lazy and not even getting dressed but I don't see it in the near future. I think that we are probably going 4 wheeling Monday after getting all that nice rain to settle the dust down. That's okay though, my dogs will love it. I only have one thing to say to anyone that don't think our corks are floating; "you're probably right". I have had that same thought myself and I know my husband has too. :lol: I even told my friend that I gave the fish that I would clean her vase about once a week since I always have treated water ready.

Tobey~We did all that running around yesterday and then I had company all day today. I am going to sit on my tush all day tomorrow after church. I might not lift a finger. I made a big salad today and might just let him eat that tomorrow with a turkey sandwich. It rained all day yesterday while we were shopping and then got cool today. The a/c is turned off again but it isn't cool enough for the heat yet. I haven't had a chance to watch much on that TV yet but I will make up for that as soon as the Olympics start. Your running just amazes me. I wish that I had just half of your energy.

Jen~It sounds like your boss listens and that is the most important quality of a manager. Hopefully she will act on those concerns that you discussed. You sure seem to have your goal in mind and a well thought out plan to get there. Good luck with your studies. The blood bank used to spend a day at our offices for donations while I was working and I always tried to give regularly. Since we moved here, we have to go into town to give and I asked one day what those other people in the back were doing that seemed to take so long. That is when I found out about donating platelets and was tested. It seems that I have and unusually high platelet count but I've only donated those once. My iron was too low yesterday and they wouldn't let me donate. My husband then decided to just donate blood but he was one day short of 8 weeks since the last donation and they wouldn't let him do that either. We have made and appointment for next Thursday and I hope to build my iron up before then. This is a totally new problem for me and I am not too sure how to accomplish that except with plenty of greens and maybe lots of raisins. Any suggestions? We could donate platelets every two weeks if we have the time.

JoJo~It is good to hear that you are doing better. Your husband's problem sounds so similar to my daughters. Her boss had to call the unemployment office to straighten them out. She ended up getting all that was owed to her from the day that she was laid off. I am sure your husband will get his too. Hang in there and try not to worry about it.

Y'all have a great Sunday. I am going to bed and read for a while.

Good morning gals. Looks like today is going to be a beautiful day. I'm glad (???) that I don't have to go in until 11pm, so I can enjoy it. My pooch is out in the backyard and won't come in. Can't say that I blame her. So much for my "heart to heart" with my manager. We had problems again last night with staffing. The house supervisor even tried to call her and she won't answer the phone. She was going to get her butt chewed out for leaving on Friday knowing that she left a 28 bed unit staffed with only 3 rn's for the night shift. We managed to get it covered, but this is the 2nd weekend in a row she was unavailable. Hmmmm, could get interesting. Anyway, enough about work, it's a beautiful day afterall.

Skeeter- Hmmm, let me see, foods high in iron, red meat, egg yolks, organ meats (eewwww), spinach, brown beans. Do you take a multivitamin? That may be the best way for you. It's great that you donate as often as you do. My blood type isn't that common, and I'm such a hard stick, the anesthesiologist has to start my IV in the hospital. I don't usually jump at the chance to get stuck anymore than I have to. As it turns out, I think my manager just listens, and doesn't really follow through. We'll see.

Tobey- Wow, you are benefiting from the same warm spell I am. What a great run you had. I haven't been out much lately. No excuse, just a slug I guess. I've at least managed to walk the dog though. I was thinking about getting a pedometer to see how much I walk at work, just out of curiosity.

Jojo- Glad to see that you are starting to feel abit better. What is up with that woman you work with? It seems she is a little paranoid. Strange bird.

Marlana- I'm here Mama Marlana! Still doing ok with the fish? How are things going on your treadmill? Still keeping up with it? You'd better be, it's good for you.

Ok, time to get myself busy this afternoon. Catch ya all later,

Jen

Good Morning~~I come in 30 min. ago to write and couldn't stop sneezing long enough to type. We must have pollen in the air. I never made it in yesterday. Had a really lazy day. It was so nice outside just set out a lot and enjoyed it. Today is going to be even better. It's going to get up to 72 degrees today, can you believe it for Jan. Boy when the weather gets like this, I get fishing fever. And speaking of fish, yesterday was the most restful day I've had with fish since I got fish. The little buggers was bouncing off the walls Sat. evening. I really mean that, I seen the female run into the glass full speed ahead at least 3 times. I don't a water change and they settled down. I'm learning, I'm learning.

Jo Jo~~I don't handle anxiety well either. I'm sure glad your feeling some better. I know sometimes it just seems like the roof is caving in on us, but the truth is most of the time it all comes out OK in the end. Who knows your hubby just might get a better job than he had in the first place. I'm sure praying it will be so. You can not be married and not let everything that happens to you mate not effect you, it's part of the deal. Remember, for better or worse. Right now your in the worse, you'll get back into the better, I promise. Oh about the fish, I guess I took them for better or worse, and the first ones I bought got the worse part. I was learning on them. I still have the three catfish and one Neon I first put in the tank. And besides that I only have 2 Platy's. I won't be getting anymore fish until I get my tank stabilized.

Tobey~~This would be a bad year to visit you country to go fishing. Not cold enough or not enough snow. If the lakes are low the fishing sucks. So guess we won't be coming up this year. Your weather can not be any better than mine, 72 in Jan.???? Knock on wood for my fish, the wood was my head. Poor fish what a bad Mommy they had. I wasn't born knowing how to be a fish Mommy. I'm sorry to say I didn't get on the treadmill yesterday, I'll climb aboard again today. If I told you how long I was walking you would get a big laugh. But at least it's a start. I started my new meds yesterday and the hack is already better. Love your attachments.

Skeeter~~If I spent 12 hours in town I would be so tired I wouldn't even be able to eat, and baby that is tired. STAY HOME!!!! Boy your new Betta sounds really pretty. I wish there was a way to take a picture of him and the others. Girlfriend after I get this tank thing figured out, then you can get yours and maybe I can help you. There is a lot to learn. Hubby is still hanging in there with me on these fish, even after all I've lost. I've lost close to $50 in fish, he has to work for that money. I'll say one thing for my hubby, he's not tight with our money. He never says a word about what I spend. That is an asset in a man. I thank I'll keep him.

Jen~~More problems at work...Hum...Can't live with them and can't live without them. It could be worse, you could not have a job, or work at MacDonald's. I'm not being a smart ***, it's true. I thank the problem is that there is people in this work that take advantage of any given situation at any given time not even considering the people they work with. There isn't enough RN's to go around and some people tank advantage of that. What goes around comes around, she will get hers. But my child, you be a good girl and do your part and all will come out good. Moma's really proud of you, working and going to school too, that's quite an undertaking.I took a day off from the treadmill yesterday, but I will hop back on today. My hubby walks in the big State park around the lake on week ends. I'll be glad when I can do that. I'll never walk with him, his legs are long and it's too much to keep up with him. He's losing weight though.

I started my new blood pressure meds last night. I took one yesterday morning and was suppose to take another one last night as well as the one I was taking at night. I took my pressure at 9:00 PM and it was 123/64. I was afraid to take both the pills, so I choose to take the new one. I set the alarm for midnight so I could take my pressure, it was 164/92. Can you believe it???? So tonight I guess I will try both pills. If I don't show up anymore you'll know what happened. My blood pressure was 177/99 when I got up at 3:00 AM, but within 5 min. dropped to 140/88 and in 30 min. it was down to 129/65. Boy I just don't know what can be done with it. Got a busy day today, hoping to get a lot done. Take care girls and have a great Monday.

Morning Ladies,
I don't have much time--as usual these days, but I didn't want you all to wipe me off the group!:lol: I've been so bad lately--not food wise, but I haven't even made it in to read posts, much less add anything to the group. I hope you forgive me!:o
I'm doing okay; not eating much, which is probably a good thing; work is going well--my boss went thru the exact same thing with her ex, when her daughter was 3. I even took my papers in so she could see if "my ex could top her ex." She said it was about even, except hers had sent a copy of his papers directly to the judge--at home. :nono: That didn't exactly score him any points, to say the least. Anyway, I'm not going to worry as much about it anymore.....I just decided that I'm a good mother according to the girls, and I'm THEIR mother, not the ex's.
We're still planning our Disney World trip the week of June 3. My mother in law and our niece and nephew from Texas are going also, so it should be fun. I just want to be a skinny Minnie Mouse by then!:lol: We'll seeeeeee.
Love you all, and I have zero time to be on here, so I better post individuals tomorrow......Mama, I am so still here; JoJo, hang in there about Hubby's job;Tobey keep running; Skeeter, another fish??; Jen, I'll schedule your BF to cook for us anytime you let him come south a bit.:lol:
Love you! Talk at you tomorrow.
Sally

Hi guys! I'm new here. This looks like a really interesting site - am hoping that on-line support will help keep me on track. Do you guys find that e-talking really helps on your weight-loss goals? Hope I'm not interrupting a private conversation!

Hello Y’all :wave:

I can’t believe it’s been almost a week since I made it in for a visit. But things have been crazy around here. My weight-in Tuesday night was a not good, I was up again by 1.2 lbs. and I just got so frustrated. I’ve been loosing and gaining the same 3 or 4 lbs. for the last 7 weeks.:mad: My girlfriend Ann set me down Wednesday and said I couldn’t throw in the towel. So, I went back to the basics, really looked at what I was eating and I re-vamped my exercise program. So, we’ll see how things look tomorrow, but I do ‘feel’ like I’ve lost and broken the cycle.

I read an article in a magazine about re-vamping your exercise program to help break a plateau. I took that information and started an interval program of fast walking & jogging. I can’t believe I’m jogging but I really feel good about it and my knees don’t bother me either. Look out Tobey I’ll be doing marathon’s with you soon :lol:!

Well the stockholder votes have been counted and the merger between Mead and Westvaco has been approved. Effective Wednesday January 30th the new stock – MeadWestvaco - will be traded on the NSE. We had a meeting last Wednesday that outlined some things for us, on Tuesday February 5th there will be a meeting in which they will advise who the Department Head for Credit will be and where credit will be based. Then between now and the end of March I will be told what will happen to my job. They gave us 3 possibilities [1] no offer, just a severance package; [2] no permanent offer, but we need you for the transition and if you stay to x date you get this severance package with a bonus; [3] a job offer that you can accept or reject. Option 3 would be great, but I’ll settle for 2, I don’t really think 1 is possible…at least I hope.

You are not going to believe this, but it’s 73 here now, was in the 70’s yesterday also and could be warm like this through the week. Is this the end of January or March???

You know with all that’s going on with my full-time job, I’m really glad the basket business is going strong for me right now. I was #1 in sales for my Branch again for the month of January and I’m on track for a year-end [June 30th] award or two. The extra $$ are coming in handy.

Well, got to get back to work, glad to see everyone seems to be doing well with their food/exercise programs. Jo Jo, you hang in there things will work out for hubby and the unemployment benefits.


Moonstone, welcome to the Group, come back often!

Marybeth
241/188.2/160

Hi All

Hope everyone had a nice weekend. Sunday was even warmer than Saturday! At point during my run, I had push up the sleeves of my running shirt, as I was hot! Didn’t do a whole heck of a lot yesterday. Took a stab at making some homemade veggie sushi. Looked funny (wasn’t quite rolled tight enough) but tasted great! We also made some spaghetti sauce last night from fresh tomatoes. It turned out very nice. I did have plans of cleaning up but just didn’t get to it. I think I will swear off TV tonight (except for 9:00 when Everyone Loves Raymond comes on) and just do some chores.

Skeeter: Wow what a busy Saturday! I think “NoMore” is a cute name for a fish. :lol: The next one can be “JustOneMore”. Did you get a chance to relax yesterday? It just occurred to me that I still haven’t send you that cheque :nono: That really isn’t like me! I promise to have that out to you before the end of this week. So sorry about that! I’ll be sending the stick off to my mom in the next day or so. Her birthday is on Sunday. There is so little snow where she lives that she might be able to use it right away. It will give her something to do since she can’t use her snowshoes!

Jen: I’m not sure that I would be happy about going in at 11! That’s just terrible what is going on where you work. I don’t understand how people can be like that. It sounds a lot like where my mom works (a nursing home). I am really enjoying this weather – just like your pooch. Hey you really should get a pedometer for work. They say in a job like yours that you can walk up to 5 miles in a full shift. I also read that if you wear a pedometer and start tracking yourself, that you are more likely to mover around even more. Sounds like a good motivator.

Marlana: Between that hacking and sneezing – you better be careful that your head doesn’t pop right off! Dh has been having some bad allergy attacks lately. I wonder if it is due to this warm weather. Your right our weather is nice but nowhere near 72! How beautiful! I wouldn’t think that you would want to go out fishing now that yours are finally doing well. :lol: The waters here are very low! I would never laugh at how long you were going. I get excited just to think that you have started. But I know how you feel – I am such a slow runner (but getting better all time!). At first I was embarrassed to tell people my times. But I actually find that most people are very supportive. The other good thing about not being so great at something – is that there is only room to get better and it is really exciting to see progress. See – you shouldn’t get me started on talking about running/walking. :nono: Hope the new meds work out for you.

Sally: You have been so busy – don’t know how you make it in at all! Glad to hear food is okay – but just make sure you are eating to little. I’m sure you know that can be just as bad. Anyway I’ll stop there – I’m starting to sound like someone’s mother! :lol: Its nice that you have someone to relate your problems to and have it being your boss is even better – they should be able to cut you some slack if you get stressed out. An extended family trip to Disney World – ohhh sounds like so much fun!! Can you fit one more in?

Moonstone: Glad you found our group. Please feel free to jump right in – that’s what I did 8 months ago and I’m soooo glad that I did. I find that it really helps me stay on track because it is a place to turn where everyone understands what you are going through. When you are upset, it is a great place to vent and when you are successful it is a place to brag. :D It becomes very motivational. Just noticed that you are from T.O. as well. Anyway, I hope you stick around – this really is a great group of women.

Mb: I know EXACTLY how you feel. I often go through that phase during my maintenance. It is like I forget how to eat. So I normally start journaling everything that goes into my mouth and drawing out exact meal plans until I get everything back under control. I still have treats but just make sure that they fall into my daily allotment. Moderation is the key. I am currently using http://www.fitday.com to journal my food and plan my days. I have found very helpful. Run, walk combinations are fantastic. That is how most people start out. Here is a website that you may find useful: http://www.runnersworld.com/home/0,1300,2-60-63,FF.html It is intended for people who are just starting out running/joggin/etc. It even has some walk/run plans to get you started. It also talks about weight loss, etc. I hope everything does work out with your job. My fingers are crossed! Hey a big CONGRATULATIONS on being #1 AGAIN! In case you can’t hear me – I’m giving you a big round of applause.

Well that’s it for now. Time to pack up and head home to hubby.

Have a great one!

Tobey
:D

THIS ATTACHMENT IS FOR YOU MOONSTONE:

Hey everyone. :wave:

Everyone seems to be having the same kind of weather that we are. :D It got up to 76 here today and we went 4 wheeling all day. It was great. I wore a sleeveless shirt and got a sunburn on my upper arms today. I needed to tan them a little to match my very tan lower arms. We got home and the house was an oven so we got the a/c cranked up again.

Marlana~I don't know if I want to set up an aquarium after all the problems that you have had. Maybe I'll go ahead and get all the stuff from my daughter and hold on to it and see how your tank goes. When you get to be an expert and can talk me through all the problems, I might tackle it. :) NoMore has built a very large bubble nest while we were gone today and the house got so warm. Those fish sure like the water warm, don't they. I wonder if a digital camera will take a better picture of a fish in a bowl. I will have to try that since my friend gave me one today. It is a very small one and doesn't have that little screen where you can review the pictures. I'm not complaining though. :lol: We are going to try to donate platelets again on Thursday and I am going to look for some more decorations for NoMore's bowl. It just looks drab the way I have it now with the stuff that I bought. It sounded good in the planning but turned out a big disappointment. I'll just try some different colors until I get it right.

Jen~Well that's too bad that your manager only pretended to listen. Do you suppose that there is anything that you can do to help solve the problems with staffing or do you just have to grit your teeth and bare it? Out of all those foods, I choose spinach. I just love that stuff. I like the other stuff too but have been cutting down on meat lately. I can't resist a grilled T Bone though. The problem was probably my daily multivitamin. My husband has always put my vitamins and calcium out for me every day. I was getting kind of lax in taking them and when my parents showed up, he quit putting them out for me. I asked him to please start putting them out again and am now taking them every day. The nurse at the blood bank told me that same as you but I didn't know her and wanted your opinion. Thank you for the advice. :)

Sally~I am so glad that you have someone there to help support you through that custody nonsense. I can't imagine a "sane" judge even considering any type of custody to a jerk like your ex. My ex is a jerk too so it must be a common ailment for exes. :p I still can't believe that I bought another fish but I don't regret it. I knew that the fish that I bought my friend would be coming back to me when she goes back to New York in April or May. So my buying another fish will actually give me 6 fish when she leaves. Do you suppose that I could blame this insanity on menopause and get by with it? :lol:

Tobey~Isn't all this warm weather up there strange. Have you ever had a winter that warm? This is normal for us but it seems that all the northern states are having unseasonably warm weather this month. I sure hope you mom likes the stick. We aren't in a hurry about the check, but be sure to let us know if she liked it. We need to go cut some more now that deer hunting season is over. That is such a cute idea about another fish. I will remember that the next time that I go nuts over a fish. :s: I really thought that I was over that until I saw this new guy. I sure wish that I could get a picture to show you how pretty he is.

Marybeth~Your friend is right about not giving up. You have done so well and I have faith that you can get going again and succeed. I remember reading a solution to a plateau when on WW 123. It suggested varying your points to the extreme. I wish that I had kept the link. Anyhow, they suggested eating to the limit of high points using the old plan before they dropped two points then the next day eating on the lowest end. They said to go back and forth like that would break the plateau and start the losing process again. I wish you luck with that and with your job.

Moonstone~Welcome to our group. You are always welcome here as often as you would like. This is a wonderful bunch of ladies that are all in different stages of weight loss. I am currently in the stalled stage and can't seem to get my act together. But I will not give up. We have two ladies that are doing great on WW and showing us that it can be done. Of course Tobey is our inspiration right now. She has maintained her weight for over a year now, if my memory is correct. She is also a great cook with an abundance of wonderful recipes. I'm sure you will find the support that you need here.

I think that I hear that new chair calling me. Y'all have a great evening. The attachment is for you, Moonstone.

Good Morning~~What a good day I had yesterday. My food was pretty good, no fish died and I got to spend the most of my day outside. It was about 73 degrees. It felt like spring, and I love spring. The poor birds and bees doesn't know what to do. I didn't walk on the treadmill though, but I did get exercise. Well girls here's a flash, one of the girls that was in our challenge wants to start another one. I thank she wants me to thank up one and my brain is a little dry. Can any of you come up with one??????? Are you interested in one?????????

Marybeth~~Sorry about the gain, but it happens even when you've been a good girl. Move over Tobey Marybeth in right on your tail. Good to see your not going to give up. That is what it takes. Just remember don't try to add so much exercise that you will really dread doing it. Man time will barley move until you get your job situation settled. Good luck. I seen a show on TV about the baskets you sell. About all I remember about it is that headquarters is shaped like a basket. Cool!!!! I believe the weather, I got it too. BUT...it's going to blow in a cold front today.

Tobey~~Look out Tobey, Marybeth is right behind you.Question...Is real sushi fish?? How the heck can you make fake fish? You are always doing something different. I can't imagine what my husband would say if I fixed something like that. He's not much on things that are different. He like meat and tators. Speaking of TV...I've been watching one of the best programs on Discovery I thank I've ever seen. It's called "The Blue Planet". It's about the ocean and I've seen fish that doesn't even look real, never seen them before. Outstanding program.

Skeeter~~ Now come on girlfriend, tan yes, burn NO! Something wrong with this picture...yesterday you went out and had a full day of fun riding 4 wheelers in the very pretty weather. I went out and worked all day in the pretty weather. Glad you had fun at play, but believe it or not I had a good time too. I liked it when I could look back at my day and felt good about what I got done. I know what most of my problem was with losing all the fish now. Tank cycleing. You've got to start off slow, very slow. I want to get some more fish so bad right now, but that would not be wise, it would set me up to have some more dead fish. Plus, I thank guppys are so bred up that they are a little harder to take care of. You know they started from a little fish not over a half inch long, that now is used only to feed other fish. Did you get any papers to tell you how to use the camera? That would help. Try taking a picture of fish, can't hurt.

Hope everyone has a great day, I'm going to!!!

Wow, what a welcome! Thanks, guys.

After a long hiatus at trying to get the pounds off AGAIN - I haven't even attempted since last year as at that point I decided I just couldn't deal with it due to a number of factors, I am really motivated to try it again. I actually got on my treadmill last night (and managed to ignore mayhem in the living room from my kids!) and altough it was pretty pathetic, at least I was on. I know for me (and it isn't just an excuse!) finding the time then the requisite energy is a real reach. I plan on joining WW this Friday too - I have joned at least 10 times over the past 25 years - twice it worked really well, once when I was 20 -took off 75 lbs and kept it off for 15 years (baby #4 did me in) - then after my third child, took off that same 75 but got pregnant again - I know it works and the group support helps which is why I was looking for a forum like this ... that way we have support 24/7.

I love the Web - here we are from all over the place by the look of it all talking to each other! It's pretty awesome when you think about it!

Hope everyone had a good day Monday - as my fellow Torontonians can attest - we have been enjoying unbelievablely good weather here but it sounds like it's ending.

Howdy all

I was listening to the news last night and heard that on Sunday our temperature beat its 153-year-old record! But as Moonstone mentioned, it sounds like it is all coming to an end. Ever day this week we are supposed to be just above the freezing mark (which is still warm for this time of year) and we are finally supposed to get some snow – but it doesn’t sound like a lot.

Skeeter: Sleeveless in January? How wonderful! No, I have never experienced a winter like this before! I certainly picked a good winter to run in! I know that my mom is going to love her stick. It sounds so funny to say that I am giving my mom a stick for her birthday :lol: . Hopefully she will have when I talk to her on Sunday. I will definitely let you know how she likes it. Maybe when I am there this summer she’ll let me take her picture with it. Your hubby does such a great job with them.

Marlana: It sounds like you had an amazing day yesterday! Isn’t Marybeth amazing? Nope not all sushi is fish. Sushi actually refers to the type of rice that is used. You then have maki sushi which means that it is rolled and normally has a filling on the inside and nori (seaweed paper) on the outside and then there finger sushi (can’t remember the Japanese word) which is a lump of sushi rice topped with something. For the rolls, the typical non-fish choices are fillings like cucumber, carrot, avocado, pickled vegetables, or sometimes even egg. Then for the finger sushi, veggies ones are typically topped with sliced avocado, cucumber, or fried tofu. Dh has become very adventurous in his eating since I met him. Although there are still certain things he won’t try. I got my food adventure from my mom. I have had a lot of success and even more failures! But it is always fun to experiment. “Blue Planet” sounds really interesting. When is it on? Discovery Canada often has a schedule very close to its American counterpart. It sounds like something Dh would like. I loved your attachment – very sweet!

Moonstone: Good to hear that you hopped on that treadmill. And seriously when you are starting out don’t worry about distance and time – that will come. Trust me you don’t want to get me started down that road – I have already given Marlana a good lecture on that one. No effort is pathetic. Okay – I’ll stop now! :lol: That’s great that you will be joining WW again – especially since you know it works for you. The web is amazing. Here I have all these really great friends – who I haven’t ever met!

Well that’s all for now. I must get back to work!

Tobey
:D

Hi Everyone;

Sheesh, it was hectic at work today and I suspect tomorrow will be the same way. Right now I'm feeling like I'm never going to catch up with my work because I have so much 2002 work that I had to put on hold till I finished up the end of the year stuff for 2001. It just feels crazy in my office is the best way to describe it. To many interuptions for one thing. Oh well, it'll get done.

We got some badly needed rain today. My Weatherbug is alerting me to possible freezing rain tomorrow. Oh fun. Someone said their daffodils are coming up already. Its way to early for them.

Its going to be hard for me to go all the way back to my last post and write to everyone and I've got to be quick because we've got my sil's bd this evening. We will be leaving shortly. Hopefully I'll be back on track tomorrow.

Tobey, When I think of sushi, I just can't get the picture of eatting raw fish out of my head even tho you explain it being the rice and veggies. I just have to try it one of these days (without the raw fish).

Moonstone, welcome to our little group. We love getting newbies. I think coming here and reading and posting does help. I'm not following a food plan and I should be but I've got to many excuses right now but I will get back on track. I will, I will I will!!

Marlana, I like the Discovery Channel to. We just started getting Animal Planet about a month ago and they have some of the best shows on it. I spent most of the afternoon on Sunday watching that channel, I even sent dh to the grocery store cause I couldn't drag myself away. Well, he was wanting something to do so I gave him something to do. It probably wasn't what he had in mind tho. Oh well.

Skeeter, my mom used to have to get platelets because of the blood disease she had. I had no idea they seperated the platelets like that. I thought when you got blood, you just got whole blood. Actually, I think what she got was the white cells and I'm not sure if they are considered platelets or not. I like the name your dh named your new fish. Do you think thats a hint????? Hmmmmm.

Jen, I have no idea what is with that co-worker who's job she thinks is top secret. Part of it, she's afraid if she's not doing it, they will downgrade her title. Thats really not likely but its the only thing I can think of.

Sally, wheres our Sally girl?????

Marybeth, I bet you are on pins and needles about your job. Hopefully if anything, it'll be option 2 or 3 for you. There are threats of major state employee layoffs this year. Our governor is blaming the financial problems on 9-11 but the simple fact is he spent to much money on stuff that is not needed. Everytime I look at the paper, the situation looks worse and worse. Its scary but hopefully I've got enough senority that I won't lose my job.

Oh, dh talked to the umemployment adjudicator and everything should be ok. He said he just needed to clairfy something. We should know for sure in a couple days.

Well, I've got to get going. Take care everyone.

Good evening gals. I finallly got a chance to get back in here and post today. Looks like our "spring in the winter" season is coming to an abrupt end. I've heard everything from 4-12 inches tomorrow, with a layer of freezing rain underneath. What great fun that will be. I am supposed to go to class tomorrow. It's 70 miles, one way. I may not make it. We'll just have to see what the morning is like. I'm sure the rest of you are seeing similar white stuff now.

Jojo- Not only are the daffodils up, but so are the tulips. I hope all this early warm weather doesn't cause us any problems in the real spring.

Tobey- I agree with Jojo, sushi, ewww, raw fish. As far as pedometers go, I've heard that if you just make sure that you get so many steps in a day, I forget how many, it'll help lose weight. It just keeps you from turning into a couch potato. I'll have to do some research in them.

Moonstone- Welcome to the group. I found these gals late in the summer and they are wonderful. No they don't pay me to say that either!!! I'm with Tobey on the exercise bit. She's really inspired me to get back into running. I don't care how I look, I'll end up alot better than anyone sitting and watching me. Set a good example for your kids.

Marlana- What a good day for you. All the fish survived, and food too! Wow! I'm interested in a challenge, but what all is involved? What are you supposed to be thinking up?

Skeeter- Wow, getting a tan outside in January? I'd have to pay alot of money for that. Which I am considering anyway. I'm just so bummed out, I thought I could fool my brain into thinking it was June. I'm one of those on again, off again vitamin takers. I should get mine out too. I set them up in a weekly pill reminder.

Marybeth- Sounds like you could use a revamping of your routine. I read alot about that. Way to go with jogging. My best advice is get a good pair of running shoes before your knees start to hurt! I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for your job situation.

Sally- Must be some sort of ex-husband ritual to become insane and sue over stupid things. At least you found someone who survived a similar situation.

I guess that is about it for tonight. I have to hit the hay, and get up early to check on the weather.

Jen

Hello, folks!
 

I just wanted to say "hi." :wave: I'm brand new (today) and am not sure how this all works. I was on 3FC a long, long time ago and only for a short while but I remember how it was pretty helpful.

I'm going for this weight loss thing one more time and I need all the support I can get. :^: Each year around the holidays my bro and I get together and talk about losing weight, getting our finances under control, stopping procrastinating...it's a long list. We call it "gettin with the program" so...that's what I'm trying to do here. Wish me luck!

;)
Robin (aka getwitdaprogram)