Hi Cerise!
I think you've set very reasonable goals for yourself and I'm with you all the way! Thanks for sharing with us.

I'd forgotten that we share the same birthday--we're practically twins!
:lol: Except for that 12-year difference and all....!

:queen: Punkin, I feel sure that painting the carport is just not going to be as satisfying as ice cream, but I wish you luck! :)

Guys, I'm amazed and uplifted by the resiliency of New Yorkers ... not to disparage the greatness of citizens of all the other cities in the blackout today, but New Yorkers, you must admit, have some cause to feel some anxiety when their world gets a sudden jolt. It just amazes me to see them walking by the millions in an orderly fashion across the Brooklyn Bridge (not sure where they think they're going, but any port in a storm, I guess) and larking about eating snacks in Times Square. It's just uplifting! :balloons:

Arabella: If I could see the smilie screen I'd put the crossed fingers one in for you. Good luck on your interview.

I'm going on reduced workload and taking some time off, while still covering meetings, etc., for a week or so. On Saturday I'm attending a seminar on, ahem, romance novel writing!!! Sorry our Round Robin didn't seem to get off the ground, BTW! That was a fun idea, Kaylets.

Sorry for being too scattered to reply to everyone ... bad headache ... too much heat ... gonna take a nap!

Favorite food as a child was ... EVERYTHING! Actually, I hated food until I was five ... I was badly underweight and they put up little charts and tried to get me to eat and I didn't want to ... then I had tonsils out and that was the start of it all ... :sigh:

So many good news items since I've been AWOL. Wood Nymph, how marvelous, fingers crossed even if it doesn't seem necessary. Congrats on Ramon's job - hope he loves it as much as Cerise loves hers. And good luck on the program, Cerise. And Amarantha, how great is that seminar going to be! Reduced workload for a while sounds good and healthy too.

Sorry, Kaylets, that you seem to be blackclouded at work. So frustrating. I too have been watching some of the pictures of New Yorkers streaming in the streets. How vulnerable we all are.

Frogger, what is aderall?

And Punkin how determined Mom is, glad you're helping her at the drink table. And your ice cream is well needed. Understand about all the stress. This is one time I can't say "been thee, done that". I have to say "am there, doing that". Weight has gone up somewhere between 3 and 5 pounds. MUST STOP! I really thought I'd been eating in a healthy way except for the disastrous birthday weekend. Not as much exercise maybe though I've been making it to the pool, etc. Can just stress make your body hold on to calories just in case it needs them?

At church tonight, asst pastor was talking about our responsibility to take care of our bodies. A good little talk aimed right at me. He wasn't advocating any one thing to do, of course, as he mentioned we're all different. But it seemed a good reminder to me of that old saying that we have to take care of ouselves if we're to be able totake care of anyone else.

Fave childhood food: probably mashed potatoes but I also loved cream cheese esp. with barrel molasses. No calories there, eh? But I didn't really start gaining until I was 36 or so.

Rich or poor? Well, I'd probably break even. Mostly I try to be/say nice, nice but then I have these impatient, cranky days.

You're right, Ceara, this getting older is a pain. But there are compensations (well, really the best one is grandchildren but there are a few others). So hang in a few more years. Wood Nymph, from my vantage point, 48 is great! I was AWOL during the posts on aging, did see them and despite my experience on the subject, decided I won't depress anyone. Y'all will do better with it than I have because you're all GOING TO BE SO HEALTHY.

Speaking of age, Mom (mine, not Punkin's this time) is deteriorating rapidly. Then suddenly she'll have a little improvement again before more deterioration. Not looking real good. However, if she makes it to the end of the month, she'll be 87. Sometimes the wicked sense of humor is still there (and she knows it!), then other times a blank stare. Have to say, I have great siblings though I think we're all exhausted already (well, at least I am).

My fun these days is doing little things to get ready for shower DSis and I are planning to have for her future DIL at the end of the month. Always good to have a positive thing to look forward to. I so enjoy reading about the positive things in your lives. And Wildfire, what's the word on DD? Is she adjusting to her new environment?

anagram-adderall is used to treat ADD (attention deficite disorder)

That BLASTED Atkins Ad!!!!:mad: Enough already!

Anyway....

We were lucky to have our power restored at 8:30 last night. Just a few blocks east, however, they were in the dark until the middle of the night sometime. I had to go in to work yesterday for a meeting, (of course! What great timing!) so I was there when the power went down. I left almost right away, before businesses closed, and it still took me over 2 hours to get back to Burlington. It's usually a 30-40 minute drive in rush hour. Then I didn't know where DH was because the phones were dead at work - they have a battery back up, but the switchboard only runs for a couple of hours before it dies. I had to walk down the hall to my apartment in the PITCH black (no windows in the halls!) and unlock two locks to get into my apartment. It was all very eerie. I was so glad to see DH arrive at 7:30pm. Someone had mentioned that yesterday was the anniversary of the end of WWII, and I wondered if it was terrorism again. Was very glad to hear it was not.

DH got up and went to work this morning, but the power is still out there, so he is back home. We aren't supposed to use any major appliances, including the A/C, and there could be rolling blackouts lasting up to two hours. It's going to be a scorcher here, today, too!

And just to make it all even more wonderful, our maintenance guys shut off the water in the building to do repairs to a unit. :rollpin:

I am down 6lbs. :cb: Most of it was water gain I couldn't shake after eating very salty pizza last week, and it took most of the week to lose the excess water with the humidity here. But I was SO happy to see the scale finally move.

Anagram, very sorry to hear your mother is declining. :grouphug: DD is doing well, actually. She is settling in and says she likes being there. My sister is on vacation this week and next, so that helps. She says DD is doing as told so far, helping with meals and housework, etc. Early days, yet, though. :crossed:

Amarantha, romance writing! How fun!

Arabella, er...what time are you serving dinner for this parade??? That sounds yummy! :T

Cerise, your plan sounds totally doable! You might even find that with all the walking you get quicker results than you expect. BIG CONGRATULATIONS to Ramon! Sounds like you two are all set now. I'm very happy for you that the move has worked out so well. :cp:

Punkin, give your Mom hugs from us! :grouphug:

zadie, way to go with eating OP! It is possible, with just a little planning.

Ceara, I empathize with having to switch to a new system. We did it in March and are still working out bugs and trying to get things running smoothly.

:wave: to anyone I missed!

Hello,
Another day at work. Actually today will be very low key. Once again I am one of two people in the office. That is summer I guess.

I am doing well. Survived the temptation of fettuccini alfredo last night, which in my life is a major victory. It was even homemade.

I get paid next Wednesday. I am so glad. I was out for long enough that I fell far behind. This will only be for one week of work, but it is a full 40 hours. I told everyone with a July or August birthday that I was changing their birthdays to September 21st, by which point I will be caught up enough to actually get people gifts. I have been in school induced poverty for so long I won't know what to do with myself once I have regular and sufficient income.

After reading Cerise's long term planning I am itching to solidify my long term goals. Hmmm.

It's Friday!
 

Hello there all you wonderful laides :wave:

Yes, I know I have been gone too long! It has taken me the last few days to read all the post I have missed, WOW.
There is a lot going on. Can't reply to all of it now, must pack for another weekend away.

I will say that I am starting a 6wk challage on tuesday at the Curves I work out at. I hope it will jump start my losses again. I am actually down 1 pound this week, but I have been around this same number for 2 months(I know better than going up and up)

Anyway, I must tell you that Punkin and I had a blast :D And take it from me, she looks fabulous in her new clothes!!! :bravo:

Just wanted to check in with you all, it is such a pleasure to hear about you. Sending :goodvibes: :grouphug: and :crossed: for those who need it!
I will catch up with you all in a few days, going to Clearlake this weekend to see my dad and pick up DD from a week-long stay.

BoBeena

Happy Friday! :cb:

I have to share yesterday's NSV! I carried in a 25 lb. bag of kitty litter into the house and got the twisted need to know what I weighed carrying it :s: so I stepped on the scale - kitty litter in tow, and found that I'd almost have to carry another 25 lb. bag to get to my highest weight! :cb: What an eye opener! I couldn't believe how heavy I felt walking up the stairs, how squashed my feet and whole body felt carrying just one bag - how must I have felt when I had the weight of 2 bags on my body?? :faint: No wonder I was tired all the time!

:wave: Hi Bo-Beena!!! Miss you oodles!

Arabella, enjoy your family visit! And not that you need it, but good luck with the phone call tomorrow. It sounds like it's just a "let's make it official" kind of call. :cheers:

Amarantha, you're not supposed to make me want to eat ice cream instead of paint my carport! :nono: :lol: S'okay though, because I have neither ice cream, OR house paint - so I shall do something else... :chin:

Anagram, I've heard that stress can make your body hold on to weight - something to do with adrenelin levels, but I forget now. My thoughts are with you and your mom - wicked sense of humor, eh? I think I'd like her! :devil: :lol:

Wildfire, I'm glad you survived your evening! I can't imagine... for some reason power outtages kinda scare me. Maybe too many horror flicks as a kid - the power always seems to go out in the slasher films! :lol: Good to hear DD is doing well with your DSis - too early to hope for a changed child?? :crossed:

Zadie, a low key Friday is what I've got planned too - enjoy 'em while you've got 'em is my thought.

Have an excellent weekend everyone! :wave:

Terri

Hello,
I am having a vaguely icky day. I talked to my boss about when I would be set up for health insurance and, although she is setting it up, I found out that the final decision about whether I will have a job after I pass the bar will not be till next week. I just want to know. My boss wants to keep me but she will be gone for the next two years. We have the funding. That means it is all about workload and organizational mission. I just need to know so I can start actually looking for work. Which blows becuasee the market sucks.

Ok. Done whining.

:yikes: Punkin, I keep TRYING to make you eat ice cream and you just keep REFUSING!!! :) (Good job!! I was just testing you!! :jig: ) :bravo: on the NSV as well!!! You're doing fantastic!!!

Bo-Beena!!! :wave:

Anagram: Sorry you are going through this with your mom ... thinking of you ... I've been through this and it's very hard ... but I know you're staying strong and will make it.

To all, mentioned and unmention, sorry for not replying all round, but I'm needing to go to sleep, which is actually a good thing, as I don't sleep often these days! :) :wave:

Good Morning, everyone!

Just passing thru to say hello. Anagram, I'll be thinking about you and your mom.
I'll try to catch up tomorrow.:)

Hello,
I ahve the new scale blues. My boyfriend through he broke my cheesy digital scale and went and got a new scale. He got a very nice accurate, sensitive scale that does not change your weight just by shifting your balance. However, on the new nice accurate expensive scale I weight 6 pounds more than on my old cheesy scale. So...instead of having 20 pounds to goal suddenly I have 26 pounds to goal. EEEk.

Oh, zadie k---I feel your pain. Same thing happened with me at the doc's. CRUD!:( I just want to get down to where I thought I was!:lol: Such is life......

Help!!!
It has been a terrible few weeks. I finally broke the 90 lb mark I actually got to 91 and now Im sure I have put back on4 or 5 lbs in the last 3 weeks. My biggest problem is Im having trouble finding something that is satisfying my taste buds. It doesn't seem to matter what I try I just can't seem to find it I have tried the foods that are good for me and the ones that are not. I start off having a good day and then fall off the wagon. I'm really starting to feel a little panicky about this because this is the first time in in 18 months that this has happened and Im so afraid I can't get it under control. I was on vacation last week so I didn't go to my meeting and I didn't go to the one the week before because I had a bad week but I convinced myself I was to busy getting ready to go on vacation to go. Up until now I have only missed one meeting in 18 mths and that was when I was on vacation last year.
I know I haven't been around much lately but I really do need your help, I don't want to go back to where I was and I only had 17lbs to gt to goal left.