[Amarantha2]

Yo! The stiffness and soreness seems to have migrated to Arizona, I've been that way for a week, although it's nothing new. I'm concentrating on stretching a lot, guess that'll help at some point.

Still very blah but determined to have a good weekend.

Wildfire: How awful about the wife of your coworker ... sending vibes ...

Glad you have some time off coming up and feel inspired by your "combat mode" ... me, too! My next 21 days are going to be a war zone between me and the Sludge Factor, winner take all and the winner will be ME!!!

Anagram: Glad the news re your mom is somewhat better ... bet that helps thy mood. Sorry you spent the day in medical facilities ... that's always a bummer ... hope you found something good to eat there ... HOW could you pass on the cheesecake ... you astound and inspire me! That's great!

Kaylets: I am really out of ideas but hoping some'll come to me!!! I'm not seeing the QOD, so dost thou mind if I usurp your position for one day and post one, thusly ...

WHAT COLOR IS YOUR AURA?

[anagram]

Now that's one I never thought of. Offhand, my first thought is that it's yellow. If I can define it more, I shall do that later. Maybe yellow with a touch of pink here and there. And a green highlight or two. Or maybe Cerise is right and it's lavender.

Sorry the aches and soreness migrated. I always thought AZ was a good place to avoid those things. All right, I was only there once and maybe it was on some good days. So what do I know?

[Amarantha2]

Hmmm. I forgot to answer my own question ... my aura is sky blue, I think, shot through with all the colors of the rainbow.

I can't find Cerise's post about a lavender aura, though?

You were likely in AZ on a good day, Anagram? We have lots of aches and pains here, mostly in the wintertime!

Avanti!

[Kaylets]

Hi all!!

DH and I went out "just for awhile" and I found the more I moved the better I felt. Weather stayed MUGGY but the rain seemed to hold off. We wound up yardsaling till after 2 pm but did get a fabulous deal on a sliding screen door for our french door ( $10.00!!!) and DH found a Craftsman yard vacuum/ mulcher for cheap too that we already brought to the fixit man. We went south into Delaware and Maryland so we saw had a beautiful ride. Stopped for lunch and did the Salad bar only so, we both got some activity in, stayed on program and had some fun too. BUT ITS SO MUGGY!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the good wishes --they must have worked!

I am going to chug some water to catch up and throw some laundry in.

[anagram]

Cerise's reference actually wasn't to an aura but to a whiff of lavender she got on her walks which somehow made her think of me. So I was wondering if my aura might be lavender. But I'm still thinking yellow.

Love sky blue - blue and yellow are my favorite colors and I'd be hard pressed to pick one over the other but yellow came to mind for aura. Forsythia yellow.

Glad you managed a good day so far, Kaylets. I have too but it's a lazy one. Even had a nap. Felt I needed a lazy day and am much more relaxed than I've been. Tea's brewing now to wake me up. Have done some yard work, wrapped gifts for the younger princess' birthday, some paperwork. Just loving being lazy. Not even able to think of all I could be doing.

I was in AZ in the winter and aches and pains were gone in Tucson area. Not quite as much so in Scottsdale but sure better than in PA. I really find my worst times here are in the muggy summertime weather. Glad I hit AZ on good days - it was a great trip.

[Amarantha2]

Hmmm. Definetely Tucson is drier than Scottsdale, Anagramatic! But Tucson is catching up. Each year the humidity rises here, even in the non-monsoon season. It's the lawn planting and watering mostly, IMO, it amazes me that people don't notice this is supposed to be a desert ... sorry, no offense to anyone who lives here and has a lawn ... actually, I have a lawn, by default only. I keep trying to make it die, but it's Bermuda grass and only the total incineration of the entire planet would kill it off, and it might survive that as well!

I've had all my calories for the day and am just resting ... gave up on the no eating while reading The Secret Life of Bees book challenge (deleted all references), read the book but ate lunch while doing it. Kind of an uplifting, yet depressing, book about female commonality and bonding, I guess. Am now finishing up Janet Evanovich's latest Stephanie Plum romp. Next I have a book about alien visitors ... the kind from outer space, not the kind from south of the border.

Any intellectual ol' port in a storm.

[Bo-Beena]

Hello Loves!!!

Bo-Beena and I are having a GREAT time ... a little bummed that I have to drive home tomorrow though. I'm sure the kittles both miss me and hope I just moved and left them the house!

Bo says "HI!!!!" and I think she and her husband have plans to try to hide my car keys in the morning (s'okay, I'd do the same if they were up at my house!).

Miss you all oodles, will fill ya in on the details of the $435 shopping trip later!

Punkin' (a Californian till tomorrow!)

[Amarantha2]

Glad you are having a great time, Punkin and Bo-Beena ... and by the sound of the $435 shopping trip, it must have been great!

Avanti, all! I'm going to bed early, having completed my Block One of the 21-day challenge (as I'm not hungry or remotely interested in food right now and have 300 calories left, I'm unlikely to break the streak before morning). I actually never thought I could do this. Starting a new one tomorrow!

[Kaylets]

Hello all!

Inside windows are dripping w/ condensation because its so humid yet outside. Dogs got me up so here I am ....pretending I'm awake. What's that experession? Faking it till you make it???

Today's thought is one of my favorites-- glad I went looking for one, I am glad to see it this morning.

****
Today's thought :

"To keep a lamp burning we have to keep putting oil in it,"
--- Mother Teresa

===========

Today's question is :

"Would you rather wash or dry?"

*******

Thanks Empress!! The aura question was great! I hope mine is all shades of blue yet I have no idea what that signifies. I only know I am drawn to blue before any other color.

So, here we are in August.... Is the Weight Watchers Program changing or not?? I had read a post about 10 days ago that someone had witnessed
"New Program" Books being delivered at their meeting site. I havent seen any advertising on TV...the same post said there was new info for "menopausal" women-- Wonder what that could be-- more calcium ??--

I'm ready!

Think I'll start some wash early today and get the day rolling.

[Amarantha2]

Back to brevity mode!!!

Ahh, thanks Kaylets for a thought from MT! Needed to think of her right now!

Starting my new 21-dayer, details on that thread, won't take up more bytes with it as it's lengthy!! Very excited about it!!!

Interested in hearing what the new WW will be like! I personally think they should go back to food exchanges!

Hmmm, a blue aura, Kaylets... somehow I guessed that!

Hmmm, also, re washing or drying ... guess that depends on what is being washed or dried ... dishes? In that case, it's moot for me as I always do both! Or is it a metaphor for life? Or for the messes we get into in life that have to be cleaned up? Would we rather be the one to mop up the mess with a tattered old mop, dripping mess all over the place just to get some of it off the floor and out the door before the old mop falls apart with the sticky goo? Or would we rather be the one to follow after with a clean dry cloth and a spritz of orange cleaning solution to spritz and dry so there's no trace of a messy life left?

Actually, that's also somewhat moot for me, because I do both jobs in that regard as well.

This bears thinking ont!!!

Later!

[Cerise]

Hola, Chiquitas!

The Ramon kindly suggested that we not get gym memberships until we actually have jobs, so no, we're not kicking butt at Gold's yet. We ARE walking everywhere to do everything, though, and it adds up to about 45 min. of brisk walking a day, so I think we'll at least maintain for the present.

I'm trying desperately to eat deliberately and only when I'm hungry. It is helping, believe it or not. At least, the incessant nibbling is mostly over. It also helped that I got off my duff and stopped reading one novel per day. Geez. Back into full-time-nesting-until-I-find-a-job-mode. As in, if I'm not working at a job on the weekdays, I'm working on getting this lil' apartment looking like a home.

Ah, Wildfire, many prayers flitted up while I was reading about your shipper's wife. I feel such sorrow for her and her family. Sometimes the depth and breadth of the suffering I hear about chokes me. There's no answer, no comfort, no easy platitudes to fall back on. All we can do is hurt for each other and help out a bit if we can.

God, Frogger, what a DRAG. When are the in-laws supposed to fix their wagon and mooooove on out? Jiminy Christmas. You must be hopping from one foot to the other, wanting so bad to make your house YOURS. Poor thing. You've got a bad situation. I really hope it clears up soon. That and the commute thingy. Owie.

Anagram and Kaylets, you are bastions of strength to me, and not necessarily because you're "strong" in the sense that you, Anagram, seem to think your relations need. You guys just keep plowing ahead, finding bits of life to be delighted with, finding life to be livable even when all sorts of things in life crash around your ears. You do what you need to do for your families and you treasure yourselves as well. I treasure you. You both actually kind of remind me of my beloved Mom in this respect (getting the hard parts of life done and still loving your life), though I'd be very much surprised to find out that either of you are old enough to have borne me. Whattaya think? I'm 28.

Arabella, man have I felt that "cow in a meadow full of gazelles" thing before. Know what I do? I pick one out and just try to imagine what her life/personality is like based on what she's put together (ensemble, jewelry, scent, husband, table manners, what she laughs at, how she laughs, IF she laughs). And I never, EVER have found a gorgeous woman that I'd trade even one minute of my life with. I'm married to the most wonderful (and best looking - don't think for a minute that I exaggerate, ladies) man on the planet, I have brothers and sisters and parents who adore me, I have a great roar of a laugh that I never quiet down for anyone. Wood Nymph, if that situation comes again, remember why you love being you. And put yourself in the role of "watcher" instead of "watchee". You're watching them, Mama, not they you. I swear it helps me. A-a-a-a-n-d I'm spent. Sermon over.

Empress, all I can say is that you remind me of a really great friend of mine. I believe in you and I ENJOY you. You must be having a great time being you.

OK, ladies, once more you have proven that an hour with you is better than cheesecake. Even The Cheesecake Factory cheesecake. Not that I've been back THERE. Ohhhh, no.

Lovies,
Cerise

[frogger]

Cerise-WAY TO GO LADY!! Moving and shaking! Good job on keeping up the walking!

And now for the me me me post!....

Guess what!!! I am only 1 lb away from my Labor Day Goal! Weighed on Friday (and was so busy at work I couldn't post!) 211 lbs. I had said that I wanted to be at least 210 by Labor Day. (Looks like I'll be 'smaller' by then!)

Got alot done with the house this weekend. Moved stuff around, put stuff away. The movers come on Thursday and haul my inlaws crapola away forver. Thank goodness
They do plan on taking some of the furniture that they said we could have though. So I'm not real happy with that. BUT, I can get more furniture eventually. The important thing is that I FINALLY get the space in our house to ourselves and stop being the U-Store It place.

Hugs and Love to you all. I know someone out there really needs to hear this...a brighter day will come soon, don't give up.

Type at ya later!

Kaylets, still sweltering? I'm sending you a cool breeze! This is going back a few days--did you know that strawberries grow best in straw? Hence the name! About the wash or dry? I'd rather put them in the dishwasher given the choice!

Bo-Beena, I was distressed to hear about you blood pressure. Maybe you were just overstimulated thinking about your visit w/ Punkin?! Take care!

Anagram, It's good that you got to get away, even if it was a short one. Here's to more time away!

Amarantha, I agree w/ Anagram---think of it as dream rearranging. Who knows what'll happen? I have a feeling you'll conjure up all sorts of miracles for yourself. Let the blessing flow! As to my aura, I 'see' swirling blues and greens!

zadiek, It must be such a relief to have it behind you. As to having 40$ left---I guess that's why we have ramen noodles! Make sure you throw some veggies in with that!

Wildfire, enjoy your time off. How's DD feeling about going away? Tell us about your plans for for your home spa vacation!

Punkin, thanks for checking in with us during your time w/ Bo-Beena. You love us!

Cerise, I'm enjoying visualizing you walking everywhere--it sounds wonderful.

Frogger, only 1 pound away. I'm so proud of you! And I'm happy that you're finally getting to claim your castle!

Hello, Arabella, wsw [where are you?], Metta, Dollar, Scooby and everyone else!

[Wildfire]

G'morning gals!

Well, DD is gone. She was her normal sour self yesterday morning at the airport....heavy sighs, eye rolls, and attitude. She'd been up most of the night chatting to her friends online. We didn't tell her to go to bed because it was her last night here and all. We were up at 6:30am and at the airport by 8am. So she was tired! I talked to my sister at 6pm yesterday, and they'd been out shopping and walking all over Halifax all day. When I talked to DD she was soooo cranky! She'd better get used to it, as my sister has plans for keeping her in line, part of which is to make her part of their family unit and they do EVERYTHING as a family. There are two small kids, a boy age 3 and a girl age 7, that belong to her BF and he has the kids quite a bit. That's going to be a big change because DD is an only kid. I think having the younger ones around will be good for her. For the next three days, all five of them are staying in ONE hotel room. I feel for her on that, because I know I'd go absolutely insane in a room with two other adults and two small kids. My sister said to consider it her initiation to boot camp.

I had a few moments last night where I wondered if this was the right thing and wanted to rescue DD and bring her home, but they passed quickly after remembering it was her actions that put her in this situation to begin with. It's just strange not having to know where she is, what she's doing, when she's coming in, etc.

Cerise and frogger, even though I haven't just moved, I'm doing some sorting, rearranging, and nesting myself. I gave up trying to keep everything the way I want it when DD would just throw anything anywhere and I'd forever be fixing things. Now that she's gone for an extended period, I can clean and put things the way I want and know they'll stay that way!

Eydie, how are the workouts going? I've been away from mine since I wasn't feeling well, but I'm getting back at them now. My plans for the next two weeks include visiting the farmers' market that sets up twice a week here in town to buy some fresh produce, lots of bike riding, workouts, healthy eating, a hair appointment, at-home facials, manicures, pedicures, OH! and a bath with salts from the Dead Sea that my sister sent me....it's going to be a "if it feels good, do it" kind of vacation. Along with turning DD's bedroom into a spare room/sewing room, finishing staining and reupholstering my dining set, making drapes for my living room and some funky zebra bedding/curtains/accessories for DD's bedroom at my sister's house. That should all keep me busy!

I'd rather wash. We don't have a dishwasher, so we really do wash and dry. I like the scent of dishsoap, especially the great new scents available...I bought one called fruit orchard yesterday that smells like peaches and apples....and the hot water is soothing to my hands, even if it is sucking the moisture out! (I don't wear gloves...I tend to drop things when I do.)

I see my aura being bright orange. Orange like flames, the setting sun, autumn leaves, and tiger lilies.

Thanks for the prayers and good vibes for our shipper's wife. It's a long weekend here, so I should hear some news tomorrow on her condition. I'm going to find out if I can stop by the hospital (she's in the next city over) to see him and find out how they are doing.

Frogger, congrats on the loss!

to all!

[Amarantha2]

Yo! So many beautiful auras floating through the computer circuits this a.m.! I am on deadline so need to be in brevity mode. Doing well on my 21-day challenge, although our thread has dwindled to but a few participants :sigh: ... I feel totally committed to it, though, and will make my second block with ease. Because of that challenge, I've finally begun to control calories enough to lose weight from all the exercise I'm getting at the hands of the personal trainer!!!

Wildfire: It seems you are doing the best thing for DD ... likely your sister has just the right idea with the bootcamp thing ... hope you don't feel too sad ... I was sure thou had a bright orange aura ... tiger lilies are very special to me ... I once had an old house by a river and the yard was full of volunteer tiger lilies ... I named the stray cat that lived there "Tiger Lily," though he turned out to be a neutered male rather than the exotic female I thought him ... but perception is all anyway, so we called him Tiger Lily forever.

Blue and Green Eydie: We in Arizona could use some of those cool breezes as well, if thou hast any left! I'm trying to conjure up a miracle, but right now can't find my notes for this story I'm doing! I like your dishwasher answer ... obviously that's the best solution!

Hola, Cerise: Hmmm. Have you ever thought of getting a job AT the gym? Maybe you should go talk to a few of them and see if they need anyone to do anything ... it may not be your career, but if you could get a part-time job in a gym, you could work out and have something to do to bring income in whilst you are searching for the real thing. I've known people who work a few hours in health clubs for the sole purpose of getting to work out there? Dunno. Just a thought that came to me!

Frogger: How great that you are only one pound away from your Labor Day goal!!! And congrats on getting your house to yourself at last. It's no fun having other folks stuff around, however much one likes said folks.

Come to think of it, I'M one pound from my Labor Day goal as well. Thanks for reminding me. I hadn't even thought about it!

Ok, I gotta go find those notes. to all, mentioned or unmentioned. Punkin, welcome back (when you get here)!!