Hi everyone!

Well we woke up today to that dreaded 4 letter word .... SNOW!! Thank goodness it isn't going to stay aound it is supposed to be a very nice weekend but it is a sign of things to come. It seems the older we get the harder the cold weather is to take. If it wasn't for the Grandchildren I would seriously consider moving someplace warmer.

Thanks Willow for the words of encouragement. I think that is exactly what I need to do for now and to quit beating myself for not being as dedicated as I should be. I know I will succeed but I have to be ready.

We have been watching the storm along the east coast on TV all day and were thankfull that is wasn't as bad as they had predicted. Hopefully the rain will not be too heavy.

Bye All

Jacquie

http://www.gifanimations.com/Image/A...ow/wow_004.gif Snow!!! That's so neat! We don't even get a lot in the dead of winter. Allways so happy to see it. We get very cold, & sometimes icy weather. With the threat of snow.....everyone invades the grocery stores...reckon they think they're gonna be indoors forever!!

Willow...Hope you're doing well. That was sooo funny about your skirt!! I know it was embarrassing at the time. I had a slip to fall down, once, as a teenager. Of course, didn't think I EVER wanted to live, after that!
We have several relatives in my husband's family. They just don't help us. We even announce "work Satudays" with grilling, etc. Only ones that show up are our kids. Bless their hearts...they've been faithful. They, also, have things going on, though. They're here all they can be. Friends...got a few that have helped, a little. Church...mostly elderly...
We did get a call from our lawyer, yesterday. Seems Maytag wants to "settle". Wants to know how much it would take to finish the house. (new Maytag stove started the fire) Not getting our hopes up, but would be nice to get enough to hire a carpenter to help.

Fatpuss....You're right, can't improve on perfection!http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/mica/face.gif

Sheila....your poor dad! It's difficult giving up your comfy undies. Sometimes, we have to face they're wore out! :dizzy: Glad your son is doing well on his job.

Have a great day! http://www.agifs.hpg.ig.com.br/criancas/criancas3.gif

Whoa--I had to save us from staying on page 2!

Hi to all,

Puss, isn't that the way it's supposed to be? Kids always get the best from their mother and the worst from their father. And what difficult traits are you speaking of? I'm positive you have no difficult traits!

Willow, I loved your skirt story. Isn't it nice that you can laugh at it now? I'm sure back then it was horrible. I, too, was raised to clean my plate and not waste food. It was especially hard to break that habit at restaurants. I always figured if you paid for it, you should eat it! Restaurants (at least in the U.S.) serve such large portions, though, and we really pay dearly in other ways when we eat it all. Today I asked for one egg, one piece of sausage and one piece of toast. The waitress said the meal came with two links so I just gave the other one to my DH. But I know that one egg was at least two or they were scrambling ostrich eggs! I ate what I thought was one egg (it was probably a bit more) and left the rest. It was hard to push it away, but I had a 2 lb. loss this week and I want to keep it up! I'm participating in the September challenge in the 100 lb. Club forum and I've vowed to get 4 pts. every day for following my food/water/exercise plan. So that crummy extra egg was NOT going to trip me up!

I'm glad you were able to get some good sleep last night, and I hope the pills help you sleep well tonight, too.

Jacquie, I don't think I said welcome--so welcome! Ah, that dreaded four letter word. I am NOT a snow lover. I lived in Colorado for four years where the first snow was always the second week of September and the last snow was always the second week in May. Then there was a week of spring before summer set in. When I lived in Idaho, we had a house on a corner lot and so we had to shovel twice as much snow on the sidewalks as everyone else. I'm so glad to be living in a milder climate now, although I miss my granddaughter terribly.

Charlotte, that's a bummer that your other relatives don't help much, but your kids sound great. I'm crossing my fingers and praying hard, too, that Maytag comes through with a good settlement!!

Spent the day at the fair, mostly waiting around for my cousin's kid to show her dog. We got there at 10:00 am and she didn't show until about 1:30 pm, then there was another group, and the judge handed the prizes out about 3:00 pm. We did go see some horses, and got hungry and had something to eat, but mostly we sat on hard metal benches and watched dogs. Luckily, I like dogs, but my neck and back don't do well on bleachers.

Didn't get to stay for my usual Friday Weight Watchers meeting, but I did weigh-in. I lost 2 more pounds so the new Flexpoints program has been good to me. Still hate the TV commercials, but like the program. Hopefully next week I will have lost that other pound to make five more pounds since I started my 5 lb. reward box. I will then pull out a slip of paper that has a reward I wrote on it. I am giving myself a reward for every 5 lbs. I lose because I figure I need the motivation now that I'm on the downside of losing 100 lbs.--not that I can say losing the first 50 was easy, but I know the next 50 (well, 46 now) will be harder.

Hope everyone is planning on a good weekend. We're supposed to have sun, which means that we'll be out there doing more dangblasted touchups on the paint job.

Oh, almost forgot my cat story. After dinner tonight I was lying on the loveseat talking with my dad who was at the table, and my DH who was standing up. My cat was just settling in on my chest when my son went to sit on the loveseat across from mine. He knocked into the lamp, which fell over, scaring the cat who used my head as a launching pad, digging in with his back claws. OWWWW! I've got deep bleeding scratches in my head now, and had to have my daughter, who is practicing her nursing skills (yay! she didn't faint at the sight of blood) clean my wounds. I hope Neosporin is a good hair conditioner as well as an antiseptic.

I'm getting ready to get the nail clippers and go round up that pesky cat!

Sleep, ....... And good weather, ....
 

I have slept the last 3 nights with only waking up for a couple of minutes a couple times a night. How come I didn't know about Benedryl before, as a sleep aid???? He promised me there would be no bad side effects, so I'm going to continue to take it as long as I need it.
Although, I'm like a kid in a candy store being told 'take what you want for free!' I went to bed at 8:45 2 nights in a row, and last night, even KNOWING that I didn't have to get up early, I went to bed at 10 o'clock. Slept till after 6 AM and then still dozed off and on till 7:15! God! It feels soooo good to sleep! I hope the effect doesn't wear off or that my body doesn't become immune to the effects.

It was COLD in my house when I got up this morning! I had summer, shorty pajamas on, and was actually shivering so I put on a pair of sweatpants and a baggy t-shirt. I feel so warm and comfortable now. It was 42 degrees here, and really foggy.

At noon it is 70 degrees outside, and I guess it's perfect weather to get out there and dig up some hostas and lilies and transplant them. I had them beside my back steps and a bridal wreath shrub has gotten so bushed out that it hides the hosta and even the lilies, so, time to give them a new home.
My yard is soooo full of dried leaves already, I need to rake too. It's not from fall, it's because we had such a drought that the leaves dried up and fell off the trees. So, I'll have to rake again later on as more fall off naturally from fall arriving.

I got my chairs back, so I guess I'll store them on my porch for now, till I get my shed cleaned out. AGAIN!

I haven't been on here much, so I guess I haven't told you all about the terrifying experience I had with the baby on the railroad tracks.
There are some railroad tracks near my house, and when my grandbabies are here, they are always so excited when a train goes on the tracks and always have to watch it.
Well, on Saturday, my Grandson Logan, the one who recently lost the 2 teeth, was watching a train from my livingroom window, and after it passed, I went into the kitchen and then heard logan say, "there's a baby on the train tracks." I looked out the window, and sure enough, there was a little boy playing in the rocks in the middle of the tracks. My DIL, Logans mother, and I ran like **** to get to him, and she picked him up and we couldn't find anybody around who might be missing a baby. He looked to be 18 months to 2 years old. We kept saying, "Where's Mommy?" He never uttered a sound all the while we had him. He was a beautiful baby with blond hair and beautiful blue eyes. We went to houses and people along my block and over on another street around the corner, and nobody knew him. I finally called the police, and they came after a while, and took down some info from us, and of course I jokingly(or maybe not so jokingly) said, "can I keep him?" By that time he was putting his arms around my daughter-in-laws shoulders and hugging her. He never acted frightened of us, just didn't speak or make a sound.

Then, finally, across the street came a young woman in her late teens or early twenties, kind of jogging out of the long driveway and you could tell she was the mother. The policeman looked over and saw her, and said her last name in a rather disgusted tone of voice. She lives in an upstairs apartment and has a younger sister living with her, and there is a lot of partying going on there.
I suspect that there was a party friday night and that everyone had a hangover and was sleeping and the baby got out of an open door and climbed down those outside steps all by himself. I've had nightmares about that because those steps are very steep and aren't even closed in on the back side of them. When the police went over there, all of a sudden a whole group of people came down from her apartment.
I don't know where he was when that train was going through because we didn't see him until AFTER it was gone, so I'm thinking that he could very well have been on the OPPOSITE side of those tracks, and by the grace of God he didn't come back across until after the train was through.

When the police got done talking with her, they came back to my house and said that they were turning the incident in to the Department of Social Services and that I would probably be getting a call. You could tell that the police were very angry about that baby not being watched.
We had had him for about 45 minutes before she came looking for him, and who knows how long he was wandering around before we found him?
Then, about an hour later, one of my little grandsons found the little guys baby bottle with about 1 1/2 ounces of milk in it out by the swing set in my yard, so he must have been trying to play on the slide and swings and we didn't even notice him out there.

The mother never once thanked us for finding her baby and keeping him safe. In fact, I think she's angry that we called the police for help. It takes all kinds, I guess.

Sheila, you come up with some of the best ideas! I think I'm going to play copy cat and steal your idea of writing rewards on pieces of paper and drawing one each time I lose 5 pounds. What an awesome idea! I just have no imagination, so hope you don't mind if I steal some of your ideas. That's excellent incentive.
CONGRATULATIONS on another 2-pound loss! Geez, you are doing so good! I'm delighted for you that your hard work is paying off.
Sorry to hear about the cat using your head for a launching pad. Keep close watch on those punctures and scratches, so you don't get infection in them. Ooooo, that HAS to hurt!

Jacquie, I don't mind snow in the least. I know it's a hazard when blizzards hit, but, I've lived in Minnesota most of my life, and I think a fresh snowfall is beautiful. I also like colder climate, but that's probably because I grew up in this climate, and I sweat my butt off in hot weather.
The only thing I'm leary of driving on is ice. I just think people are nuts who go traveling when there's a winter storm warning or advisory out. Common sense says, stay put till it's safe to travel.
When we get enough snowfall to use my snowblower, I do my walks and the neighbors too and they also have a corner lot. It's fun, ...... until the wind blows the snow back into your face! :lol:

Charlotte, I too hope Maytag comes through with a fair settlement. Maybe they will pay for a new house. Good kids you have there. Shame on those neighbors. When my neighbors house caught on fire, I kept food and my house available to the family, the firemen and the repair people. It was on election day, November, and it was pretty nippy out. For me, it was just like having a lot of company for a while.


Sue, I'm getting a bit concerned. Hope all is well.

Hello Bluet! How goes it? Hope you're doing well.

Hi Puss. Didn't you have to take Alfie in yesterday to see the vet? Hope you got good reports.
I also hope you're enjoying your vacation!

Well this isn't getting my yard work done. I'll be back later. Have a good day all.

Hi all!

Well it is a balmy 70 degrees outside today, one would never know we had snow on the ground 2 days ago. That is one of the wonders of this part of the country....temperature extremes. We live in a chinook belt and during the winter we can have a temperature fluctuation of 30 - 40 degrees during the day. The only problem with that is it can go from melting to freezing pretty quickly and we drive on ice most of the winter. It really isn't too bad once you get used to it.

Willow I was really dismayed when I read about your episode with the baby. It makes you thankful that your own grandchildren aren't in a situation like that and you really feel for the unfortunate children that are.

Well it looks like a weekend of yard work...better take advantage of the nice weather.

I gathered all my WW material together an am going to get going on the program starting today!!

Wish me luck!

Jacquie

Hey, good luck to you, Jacquie. And I'm glad that the snow melted!

Willow, what an incredible, horrible story. All those awful "what if's" that must have been running through your mind when you discovered that baby on the railroad tracks. I hope social services can deal with the situation.

Have to admit the reward box was not my idea. I saw it on another forum and liked the idea a lot.

Well, here's a hazard of losing weight. My wedding ring fell off and I have no idea where it is or when it fell off. :( I'm pretty bummed about it. The wedding ring I received at our wedding 22 years ago fell off about 2 months after I got it, and I never did find it again. I didn't wear one for a while, then got a cheapie and wore that until this spring when I got a spiffy new one that I picked out and had engraved just like the first one. Now I've up and lost that one! I told my DH that I wasn't getting another ring until I lost all the weight I want to lose. He said that all the old guys at my aerobics class would now start hitting on me! He's such a sweetie! Maybe I'll get lucky and find it. I checked every place I was today, although I didn't check the bag of dog poop I picked up in the yard. You'd think I would have noticed if my ring fell into dog poop, but even if I didn't, I just don't have the stomach to go searching around in that bag and neither did my DH.

The football game I'm watching is just about ready to start after halftime.

Good Evening all! The weekend is just about over and company flew back to Florida this afternoon. Have the house back to ourselves and it sure seems quiet. We did have a great time visiting. Went to Grandson's wedding yesterday and out to dinner the night before. Out to breakfast this morning on the way to the airport. My scale is groaning. :( The last thing DD and I did was to challenge each other with a 10 pound loss by Christmas. I know it is very doable, hopefully my will power will kick in. I like the reward box idea. She left me a card with a gift certificate to our local craft store - maybe I should save that as my reward.

Jacquie - good luck on the WW program. I have a feeling you will succeed. You said you were starting TODAY, not tomorrow or next week, but TODAY. Great attitude. And seeing as how today is almost over, let us know how it went.

Willow, the train story made me shudder. You think of the thousands of women who would give anything to have a child and one like this doesn't have a clue. Sounds like the police had her "number" though.

Sheila, sure hope you find your ring. I have heard of people following their dog around for days waiting for an earring or ring or whatever to pass". I'm with you - ewwwwwwww Have you checked between the mattress and box springs? Found one there once! Slipped off while tucking in sheets. I have a built in safeguard on my ring finger. Its a big knarly knuckle from arthritis. The ring would have to be cut off.

:eek:

Ladies, I am heading to bed early tonight. Feel like I am coming down with something. The Nyquil is making me drowsy. Just wanted to check in for a few minutes now that I can sit here without feeling like I am ignoring someone. Hope everyone is doing well. Sue

Hi, all--

I thought I'd better post to get us back on page 1!

Sue, it sounds like you had an incredibly busy weekend. I must have missed your post about your grandson getting married. That must have been a lot of fun. Thanks for the tip about checking between the mattress and box springs--didn't find anything, but I was hoping! Hope you didn't come down with that cold. Have you ever tried Zicam? I love the stuff.

Finally got back to aerobics class after a couple of weeks off because I didn't have a car. I was enjoying daily walks, but aerobics is more intense (unless I choose the really hilly walk, which kills my knees) and more fun. Plus then I add a walk after aerobics so that my dogs can get some exercise.

There was a great article in the newspaper today about seniors exercising to stay mobile. There's even a name for the condition that they get when their muscles atrophy from lack of exercise. The writer also talked about the "senior shuffle," which sounds just like my dad, and the fact that seniors who don't exercise have a hard time with uneven surfaces (which is how my dad took his last tumble). It's a vicious circle because then they limit their mobility more, which makes the problem worse, etc., etc. I've been bugging him to go to an exercise class, and I'll even go with him, but he's been resistant. I cut the article out of the newspaper and told him to read it, and then let me know when he wanted to go to exercise class. After that, I'm letting it alone. Same with the diabetes stuff. He knows now what he should and shouldn't eat, and I'm not going to stand over him and monitor his food. He's still able to make his own choices. I feel like Dr. Phil telling my dad to "get real!"

My DH and DS and I went wandering around Seattle yesterday, first to a big book sale for the library, then we tried to find Bill Gates' house. We knew we wouldn't find it, but it was fun wandering around in that area. I told the guys that they needed to take sailing lessons so they could sail by Gates' house.

Puss, how's Alfie? We're all waiting to hear how he's doing.

Have a good day everyone!

GRGRRRRRRRRRR!!
 

Well, the sons of bi----s denied my FMLA!
Because I won't sign giving their health care representative permission to get information about me from my Drs.
They already have all the info about my cancer, and that's what the FMLA is for, nothing else.

I contacted the wage and hour department but the number they gave me to call closes at 3:30 PM and I don't get off work until 3 PM. :rolleyes:
I think they are violating the new HIPPA law, and I'm going to try to find a lawyer that specializes in that stuff. What a bunch of pukes!
I weighed myself this morning and I've gained a little over 4 pounds in the last 2 weeks. :cry:
Soooo, more battle ahead with THAT.

Now, I ate supper, 3 oz. fish, a LOT of steamed veggies, some toast and an hour later, MORE toast with jam on it. And I feel like I could eat ANOTHER meal just like the first one!! It has to be because I'm pissed!

I couldn't sleep last night either.
My chest hurt in the back and my abdomen hurt. I think it's from taking double dose of the protonix for reflux. The Benedryl certainly didn't do any good!
I feel like quitting ALL their damned pills! That's probably what my problem is.
Now, that makes sense, doesn't it?! Kind of like saying, " I'll fix THEM! ..... I'll kick ME!!

Gotta go get some hair spray! And maybe even a DQ cone. They're giving the small ones free today. :D :o

Jacquie, did you start WW yet? If so, how's it going? If I don't get on the ball pretty soon, I'll be at starting weight forever. I just can't seem to get going and STAY going. Something always is going on that I let myself get uptight about. My own fault, though.

Sheila, sorry you lost your ring. I sure hope you find it soon. I hope you had it insured. My son lost his and thankfully it was insured. At least your hubby is good natured about it.

I haven't been going to Curves either. Need to start all over again I suppose.

Sounds like your Dad is one of those cantankerous older folks. I kind of get a kick out of some of the things you tell about him, but I don't imagine it's any picnic for you sometimes.

Sounds like you had a nice Sunday.

Hi Sue! I guess I didn't know you were going to have company. I just was getting a bit nervous because you hadn't posted in a while.
Your scale isn't the only one groaning! Geesh! I get so mad at myself too after I've screwed up.

I haven't seen hide nor hair of the family across the street since we found the baby on the tracks. They have kept their shades drawn, but I see lights on up there at night.
I do get chills every time I think of it. How close that was. That train was only gone about 30 seconds when we saw him. Dear God, I don't think I could survive seeing something like that.

Geez, I just heard a sound that sounded like a shotgun blast. I better get off here and get to bed. My imagination is running away with me.

Charlotte, how you doin'? Working at the TV station this week? I hope you're still feeling good.
Did you hear any more about your house from Maytag? I hope it's good! :crossed:

Bluet, Haven't heard from you for a while either.

And you too Connie! How's it going?

Puss, I think you're on vacation with the mister, right? ENJOY!!

Well, I better get going. I started this 2 hours ago and have had 2 phone calls since then.
Everybody have a great night!

Well, friends....I don't know what I've done to deserve all of this...but....our storage unit was broken into. All of our furniture, clothes, etc., we had stored waiting for the house to be finished....is gone. We had some VERY nice furniture that survived the fire. One of the two bedroom suits (both oak) was one we bought the week we got married 35 years ago. My dad died when I was 21....what didn't burn in the fire....all his things that I had....I could go on & on. I've collected angels for 10 yrs...I had washed LOTS of angels & carefully packed them away....all gone. I can't believe this. The storage unit was so full, my husband had to push on the contents to get the door closed!

Anyway...I'm telling that so say this...our lawyer is adding this to the settlement. He has given me a lot of paper work to do....as well as a lot of running around. I'm going to be too busy to post for awhile. I'll try to come check in once in awhile, briefly. Don't give up on me.

I can tell you one thing....I'm really down, these days.

Everyone take care...know that I'm thinking of you. :)

Hi everyone, sorry lax in posting but had the kids and partner of daughter visiting for the weekend and I took advantage of the labour force and organised a tree/shrub moving, planting party. Had a great time and got lots done in the garden to compliment the new painting job.First day back at work yesterday after two weeks off and I was on my knees by the time I got home. Angel, I am so very sorry you have had this theft happen to you on top of everything else. How bad can some people get? Be sure we will be thinking of you, you must feel it's one thing after another lately. I hope this does not affect your health just as your meds were cutting in again. Jacqui, well done for starting your programme. I don't envy you your snow, we are forecast frost tonight so I enlisted DH's help in getting all the potted stuff into the greenhouse overnight. Willow, I am glad you are sleeping better but sounds like those awkward bosses of yours are doing their best to rattle you with their rules and regs. They obviously don't realise what kind of woman it takes to raise six sons single-handedly!! Don't let the eating or a couple of pounds gain get you down, we have all gained a little along the way of losing, you will get focussed again. That baby story turned me cold. My father always said 'when the mother neglects a child, mother nature seems to cut in and care for it' - or in his case, you and your DIL. Poor little mite. Had to smile at you having Hostas, I have had about six in pots on top of a table in the garden for about 6 years and won't plant them in the garden because slugs and snails will be waiting for them. It's a family joke that mum won't let the babies go. Sheila you big time loser :cb: :dance:. You must be thrilled to bits but I think you are shipping it over to my scales!! I can imagine your bottom was numb sitting on those "bleachers"? which I presume are benches? I have seen the word in US novels but didn't have a clue what they were till now. I hope your cat scratches are healed now and hope you will forgive me for telling all my family at the weekend how your son triggered it all off with the lamp. The young ones thought it hilarious, probably because it is something they could imagine themselves doing accidentally. Have you found your wedding ring? When DH and I were married about 2 years we were at the theatre and he was bored - he had just bought a brand new car and I think he wanted to drive again. So, we left the theatre and as DH reversed the week old car he ploughed into a low wall which couldn't be seen in the rear view mirror. He was gutted at the damage so on the way home as we passed a small forest, to cheer him up I suggested we drove into the woods and get up to some hanky panky al fresco. It was only afterwards when we tried to drive home we realised the car was bogged down in mud. We had to phone the resuce service to tow us out - no prizes for guessing what they were thinking at that late hour of the night. When we got home I noticed my wedding ring was gone and realised it must have been sucked off in some soft mud I had sat in. I howled my eyes out but a good friend who had a metal detector accompanied us back to the woods the next day - there was a pary of Japanese tourists there - and eventually found it. As the detector was bleeping and our friend presented me with my ring, the tourists all started to clap. I think they thought we had just found a random ring. Talk about a night to remember! Thanks for asking about ALfie, Friday's blood tests showed his creatinine (?) levels are normal though the urea is up but still down on previous tests. In short, he is making a fool of us all and continues to gain weight with the copious amounts of fish guzzled every day. He has to take Fortekor 5 tablet every night (seems it was devised for dogs with heart failure originally) but unless he gets sick, only has to go back in 3 months. He still has renal failure as such and still drinks like a fish but I am so glad we have him longer than the vet thought and thank you for your prayers when he was diagnosed. It's DH's birthday tomorrow and he was bemoaning the fact that he will be 59. I said he was still gorgeous and am thinking of keeping him on as my whimsical plaything!!

Hi Everyone,

Sorry about being absent from the forum for awhile. Just had so many things going on, that I couldn't take time for myself to sit down and visit for a spell.

Our daughter, the one who lives next door to us had her baby Sunday night. She had a little girl, thay named her Danielle. That makes our third grandaughter now. First we had the three grandsons and then a grand daughter and then another grandson and now two grand daughters, seven grandchildren in all . That's enough for awhile, I am starting to get weary and I am not young anymore. I hope Puss won't be dreaming about grandchildren again. :) Puss will start giving her daughter nightmares.

Charolette, I am truly sorry about you additional bad luck. It is really hard to be strong when crappy stuff keeps happening. Good luck with all you paper work and police stuff. If you get to the point where you need to let it all out , just tell us we will listen. ;)

Jacquie, it is really starting to cool down in Wisconsin, leaves are starting to turn color, soon they will be on the ground covered in snow. We will be back to hibernating again. ;) I have never been to Canada, even though it isn't that too distant. probably about an eight or twelve hour drive. May be someday, when we retire, my husband and I will go there and take that train ride that they advertise on the television. Looks like a scenic thing to do.

Willow, my you have had a lot of things going on with your life over there in Minnesota. I did not know that you had to deal with cancer in your life. I admire your strength. The baby thing has to be really hard. Living across the street and knowing you are helpless to do anything to make that little boys life better is heartbreaking. I would be a nervous wreck all the time. I'll have to figure out what to do with my roses pretty soon, so I don't loose them this winter. I heard on the radio yesterday that you do not cut them back in the fall, only in the spring after you see which canes have died. Sounds like good sense to me. Also, to put swamp grass around the base to keep them frozen all winter. What did you do with that dang rose you were talking about? Did you every get that thing moved? Sounded as though it was a real thorn in your side :s: something like those people in human resources, where you work. I don't know what to tell you to do. God knows we need the insurance, but it has come to the point were the insurance companies are controling our lives. Money talks, doesn't it. I am glad, all the company is gone, it is nice to visit, but is is stress too, worrying if everyone is satisified.
Of course it is obvious, that you like to cook and bake more than I do. I think I got my fill when we were farming full time. Well, please take care of yourself. I hope your sleeping problems go away soon.

Shiela, Losing you wedding rings what a bummer. :( Losing the weight what a delight. Thanks for the advice, "write it down" you are absolutely correct. I have to give you a lot of credit having your Dad living with you, there are so many people that haven't the patience for that now adays. It use to be that when people got to a point where they couldn't live on their own anymore they would rotate amoung their children's homes for so many weeks out of the year. That is what they used to do around here a few generations back anyway, but it is not so prevelent any more.

Puss, How is everything in merry old England? Foolin around in the back seat of the car, huh you silly girl, I think you have probably read some of those bodice rippers or whatever you called them in your day too :o What kind of work do you do Puss? It sure was nice of everyone to help you with the yard and garden. I sure could use some help before it gets too cold to be outside. The days are getting shorter now and pretty soon day-light-savings time will be over and I will travel to work in the dark and go home in the dark. I hate that. It doesn't last too long though, once Christmas is over the days start getting longer again. I guess, I had better head for home I want to stop and see how the kids and the new baby are doing.

If I think of anything else to yak about I 'll catch you all later tonight
Take care all of you.

Bluet

Hi Everybody!!!
 

I sure hope you're having a good day today.
Mine has been pretty good so far.
First of all, Bluet, CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT NEW GRANDBABY! And it's a little girl too! How wonderful! But, it would have been just as wonderful had she been a boy! I just love babies!!

I still have that rose out there, and I'm going to cut it down as far as I can and hope it dies! :lol: I dread tackling it again, but I know I have to.
Have you ever 'tipped' your roses?You just cut them down a bit to take the bulk out, then dig a trench and lay them down on their side and cover them with soil until spring, then uncover them slowly as the ground thaws in the spring.

I have been making a list of rewards for myself if I ever get on the ball and start losing weight , and if I can have a loss every month without any gains, until next June, I'm going to Manitowoc. So, be prepared! I want to see the River Walk again.
You know, it seems like I ALWAYS have a lot going on in my life! ..... And always stressful stuff too. I just must not live right! ;)
As for work, ...... I think I'm getting that taken care of.
Yesterday I contacted the Federal office I needed to use, the US Wage and Hour Referral line, (1-866-487-9243, 8 AM to 5 PM) and they gave me the number to call for my state. I called today on my break and left a message stating what time I'd be done work, and they called just as I drove into my driveway.
The gentleman I talked with said there is NO SUCH THING AS DENYING A FMLA if your physician has completed a form and given certification that you need it.
They also cannot force you to sign anything giving them permission to have contact with your physician. Once you say "no", that's it. It goes no further.
The Employer CAN request that you get a second opinion, but, it can be with a physician of your choice, and at the employers expense, including wages for any time lost from work to keep the appointment. AND, the second opinion physician doesn't have to reveal anything to the employer either except whether he/she concurs with your personal care provider. :smug:
And, to top it off, this gentleman was going to call my place of employment and bring them up to date on the laws. He said if he didn't get ahold of them today, he would call them in the next day or two, then he will call me back to let me know that he has talked with them.
He also said it would be illegal for the employer to give me or anyone on an FMLA Dr appointment an unexcused absence, EVER. :p So, I feel a lot more relieved today. :D

Charlotte, how very sad for you! My thoughts and prayers are with you. I pray that the law finds the thieves and can get your valuables back for you. I'm right next to positive that the stove manufacturer will have to make whole any losses and pain and suffering caused to you.
Good luck my friend. Will be waiting to hear from you.

Puss, see? The prayers are still going out for Alfie, and it's working! He sounds like a little tuffy!

I never thought of a planting party! Maybe I should have had everyone get out there after that blasted rose bush when they were all home. I guess, if I put my mind to it, I'll get it done, I just dread starting it.

Wish your hubby a Happy Birthday from me, and maybe you can make him forget he's 59 by taking him to the woods again. :lol: Only, take off your rings before you go! :s:

Have you ever put egg shells around your Hosta's? They say slugs won't crawl over the sharp edges. I've only had problems with slugs once, a few years ago when we had an exceptionally wet summer. I put roofing shingles around my plants. They still got into my rhubarb though.

I am planning on going to WW tomorrow night, even though I know I've had a big gain. But, what the hey! That's what we all do, all our lives! Very few people are exactly the same weight every day, and I know I'll do this yet! I just need to get to the point where my losses outnumber my gains!

Jacquie, I hope the WW is going well for you, if you have started it. If you haven't, that's ok too. All in good time, and when you're ready.
It has been pretty cool here the last couple of days, and very windy tonight. I suppose you're having even colder temps up there.
I think it's so very beautiful here right now. Wish it could last longer than it does.

Sheila, have you found your ring yet? I hope so.

What has Pop been up to lately? I'm getting to look forward to reports on him too! :lol:

I'm having a hard time coming up with 20 things to reward myself with for every 5-lb loss. I've only come up with 10 so far, but, at the rate I'm going, I won't ever have to worry about using them! :dizzy:
Plus, I'd like a couple of bigger rewards at significant loss points.

Sue, are you all adjusted to having your home and life back to normal? It always takes me a couple of days to unwind.

Well, I better get a move on here. Everybody have a wonderful evening!

Congratulations on the new addition to your family, Bluet! Seven grandchildren--wow! Must be a lot of fun when they all get together. Tiring, too, though. I have one granddaughter and watching her for most of a day can be exhausting. I was hoping for another grandkid this year, but my son got laid off so they scrubbed those plans. My son started school so it will be another four or five years before they try for another child or perhaps adopt. I doubt my other son will have children (that's what he says), but never say never. And I certainly don't want my 20 year old daughter to even think of children for a long, long time!

Puss, I read my DH your last paragraph about your DH's birthday. He got quite the chuckle. I was of course laughing uproariously about your escapade with the car. My stomach hurt! Glad your cat is doing okay and has decided he would rather stick around and eat fish. My DH just went to pick up my little dog's ashes. I kept trying to do it, but couldn't bring myself to go to the vet's office. Once I see that box, then it will be real, if you know what I mean.

Charlotte--how awful for you guys! It's so sad that there are such creepy people living near you, people who feel the need to steal an angel collection, for goodness' sake. Does the storage unit have security cameras or anything that might help figure out who did this? I hope you can keep your spirits up after yet another setback. Your attorney better be a good one, or we'll all be coming there and fighting for you!

Shoot, Willow, can they really deny the FMLA based on the fact that you won't sign their form? I hope you were able to talk to someone about this. What a load of patooie!

We're gearing up for my DD's anchors aweigh party. I've got the cake ordered (has a flag, an anchor and a ship on it) and I figure we'll have pizza because I don't want to cook. I know my stepdaughter is coming, and my cousin, but people just don't seem to respond to R.S.V.P. anymore. It's frustrating. We're going out to dinner on Friday night to celebrate her birthday (which is tomorrow, but she's in Idaho visiting friends). I'm trying to plan what to have, and what not to have. I love fish and the restaurant is on the waterfront so I'm assuming there will be lots of fish choices. Hopefully I can get my dad to share a dessert--just got to have dessert when you go out. And a glass of wine. Luckily, I will have saved all my WW flexpoints for that occasion.

It's been so lovely out this week. Sunny days and cool nights. Don't have a lot of energy lately or I'd be out there doing something in the yard because it's perfect weather for that. I have two strong kids around--wish I had some shrubs to move! :)

Okay, Willow--we posted at the same time! I'm so glad you got the answers about the FMLA and that they were all supporting your position. That's pretty cool that the guy is going to talk to your employer. I hope everything goes well.

I haven't found my ring yet, but I'm still hoping it will appear. Maybe I just need Japanese tourists cheering me on.

Bluet - congratulations on your new Grandaughter, I am so envious! Your post about having 7 grandchildren took me back 22 years when my father came home from work and said he had announced with pride that he was now a grandfather and all the chaps he worked with were saying "Yes, it's great, isn't it, I've got 10" or "I've got 14". Ha ha, not in the same league. He only ever got three but his eldest brother had nine kids and my aunt had to keep a special book for all the birthdays of the grandkids. Dad couldn't have coped with that, he could never remember the ages of his own two kids! Farming full time sounds so good, Bluet, but that's what all the city folks think, I guess. Was it livestock or grain? I bet it was hard work and I wouldn't fancy working in the bad weather or the early mornings and late nights. Still, must have been lovely for your children. I work for the Government in Customs and Excise. I do audits visiting companies and going through their books and stock checking on their international imports/exports making sure they are declaring the right duties etc. I enjoy it, out of the office most of the time, can work from home writing reports etc and meet some lovely people. I also help them understand various ways of importing/exporting where they can save money so it's not all big watchdog stuff. The UK is freezing right now and summer is officially over - it's the equinox or something. Willow, I am so pleased the chap from the US Wage and Hour referral helped sort your company out. It's outrageous that they are not up to date with the legislation. Willow 1 Comany 0 :cb: I have tried eggshells for the hostas and beer left in a beer can for slugs and snails. The beer is the better option though only a few slugs actually drink themselves into oblivion. Don't worry about the gain - I am still gorging but know that when DH leaves on Saturday I will get focussed again. FitDay is a must in future. Sheila, what do you plan to do with PDs ashes. It will be a really sad time for you. I don't know what I will do with Alfie when the time comes. I did think of burying him in the back garden at his favourite sun spot but I don't know if that would be a good idea. You must be so proud of your lovely daughter and I am sure you will miss her when she goes. I have never heard of an anchors ahweigh party but what a great idea. I am SO impressed at your resolve over saving points to share a dessert with your DD. (I've just eaten a chocolate eclair cake left over from DHs birthday). You really are on a roll right now and I just hope I can pick up again once DH is not here. I hope your ring turns up but if it doesn't, you have the hand of the fella who placed it on your finger and that's much more precious than any ring. Regards to Jacqui and Sue - I miss your posts. Sue, my son is staying over for a couple of nights because the hospital he is working at is nearer our place than his. I know he would love to talk fish and boats with you, ha ha.

Angel - I saw this and thought of you:

"He knows not his own strength that hath not met adversity"

Ben Jonson's 'Explorata' 1640.

Hope you are feeling ok and not too down or overdoing work at the station.

Hi everybody...just a quick post while breakfast is cooking. Thanks for all the kind things said. It meant a lot to me. It's been a rough year....but we'll make it. As far as the angel collection. They couldn't tell what they were getting. I had cleaned & packed all of them in boxes...also, what was left of my dad's things that survived the fire. I have nothing of his, now. They can't steal my memories, though. There was a lot taken....when I added it up for the police, it came to at least $20,000. I know...bad idea about storage unit....but after the fire, there was no choice. DH just finished a shed, & was going to go get it all. A settlement may replace some things, but not the many things that were sentimental to us. Maybe, with time, my heart will heal....for now, it's broken. Lost some in fire...the rest, deliberately taken. Well, they will pay....maybe not here.

Bluet...congrats on the new grandbaby! They are grand!! I have 11!

Gotta go....all take care. I'll post when I can. :grouphug:

Fatpuss....I just saw your post......thank you.:)

Hi all my friends!
 

I am so very tired tonight as I didn't sleep well last night.
Not going to be a very long post, but I wanted to say Hi to all you gals at least. More tomorrow. In the mean time, here's to you all. Hope it perks you up. From my heart.

http://www.wtv-zone.com/rie/unique/Tilt.swf

Hi Everyone,

Willow, sorry you are so tired, wish there was something we could do for you. "Tiltld" was so precious, thank you for sending it to us, it made my day. Well, all I can say is you had better starting losing that weight because I am looking forward to you coming to town. We will have a good time at the River Walk. Too bad we couldn't all meet at the River Walk next year. Wouldn't that be terrific?

My grandson had his tonsils out today and I took a day of vacation and took care of his sister. My daughter took the new baby with her to the hospital because she is nursing. I stop to see him tonight, he is home again, same day surgery. He seemed to be ok but he is taking a stronger type of Tylenol. He was whinning because he was hungry and his throat hurt too much to eat anything. Some days are just a losing battle girls, but being women we just keep on fighting the battle.

Another cool day for us. The weather man said more cool days and some rain in the forecast. I know I won't get done everything I wanted to do outdoors, But I think I should at least turn off the pump to our little pond and drain the water out before it freezes. Every year I say this is the last year for that pond, but then I don't give it up. I did not put fish in it this year because, I always struggle with what to do with them when summer is over. One year I put them in the river and last year I gave them to a friend who had hers in an aquariam in her basement.

Yes, we farmed for 30 years and then my husband went back to school to learn electronic technology. when he graduated we sold the cows and just raise your stock for a neighbor now.

We had 45 registered holsteins and 50 young stock for replacements. We grew and harvested all our own crops. Farming is a 24/7 job with a lot of responsibility attached to ones shoulders. Some days I it, and others I am thankful we no longer have a working farm. My husband is the third generation to live in this house and farm the land. Our son was not interested in farming after he moved away from home, so we are still here after 38 years.

Charlotte, hope things are getting better. I was happy that you found time to post.

Puss, sounds like you have a mighty interesting job. Good for you, I'll bet your days just fly by.

Sue, Jacquie I am falling asleep as I type this post. Please foregive me I have to go get ready for bed. Catch you all later.

Bluet

"My heart is warm with the friends I have" Edna St. Vincent Millay

Well, I used to live in Idaho, which is heavily Morman and also farm country so large families are the norm. When you'd read the obituaries, people would have 24 grandchildren or some such amount. You'd have to have a computer program to keep track of birthdays! My dad keeps forgetting my son's name, and my son is living with us. Dad calls him "the other guy" to differentiate my son from my husband who is "that guy." I get a huge kick out of it, actually. Thankfully, he remembers my name.

Bluet, farming always sounds fun in theory, but I know in reality, it's very hard work. It's quite sad to see all the farms disappearing into housing developments. When I lived in Idaho, there was always flak when people in new housing areas would complain about the farm smells from their neighbors next door. I figure if you want to move to the country next door to a pig farm, you'd better be prepared for the smell!

Well, just got back from my weekly weigh-in and I dropped 3 lbs. this week. I'm quite pleased. I'm also on the 100 lb. board here and we have a monthly challenge. My goal this month was to have a perfect score of 4 pts. each day (1 for exercise, 1 for water, and 2 for following your food plan), and I've managed that so far. Only four more days to get through! I never knew how competitive I was, but setting these goals has been really helpful to losing weight. I just have to make it through the next two days (birthday party and going away party).

Was kind of bummed this morning because I've been noticing that I'm experiencing a lot more pain when I exercise. I DO NOT want to stop exercising so I just exercise through it, but it's gotten a lot harder. I pretty much exercise in the morning, then have to rest a lot for the rest of the day, doing a little housework now and again. It ticks me off big time--I get really mad at my body. I force myself to walk my dogs in the afternoon, but we aren't going very far anymore. Luckily, my 16 year old has slowed down a lot (unless she sees a squirrel, then she's a puppy again and pulling with all her might!) and doesn't want to go too far. My MinPin, on the other hand, doesn't like the shorter walks.

Puss, sounds like a great job where you get to meet lots of new people and do different things. One of my favorite jobs was being the volunteer coordinator at an animal shelter. I met new people all the time plus got to work with animals, too. And the people were all animal lovers so we always had something in common.

Well, time to hit the shower and get on with the rest of my day. I've got to get crepe paper, balloons, and paper plates for tomorrow's party.

Hey, Puss, I was reading a Michelle Spring mystery (set in England) and she mentioned something called a "snicket." What is that? Would be funny if that was a misprint--I'd never know!

Hi All!

Sorry I haven't posted for a couple of days. Things have been really hectic here. We have been making arrangements to move my mother into an assisted living complex so the next few weeks will be busy. Needless to say there will be a lot of down-sizing to do with the move !!

The weather here has been beautiful......I guess the snow was just a little teaser. Hopefully it will stay like this for a little while so we can get all the yard work done and the RV put to bed for the winter.

The diet is going quite well!!
I am sticking to WW..... but the water and I aren't getting along too well. I do know the importance of water an any diet but it is hard....any suggestions?
A friend of mine gave me her book on the South Beach Diet so I
will read it to see what it is all about. I do however have trouble with diets that make you give up ALL your carbs. I think moderation works best for me.

Congratulations Bluet on the new grandaughter!! It is so exciting. I have one 6 months old and she is growing so quickly. I just wish she could stay a baby for a little longer.

Charlotte my thoughts are with you. I can just imagine the emotional turmoil you are going through.

Puss, Sheila, Willow and everyone have a good weekend !!

Jacquie.

I'iimmmm Loooonesoooome!
 

Is anyone else having withdrawal symptoms? .... Or am I the only wuss on here? :D

As I'm typing this I'm having an ice cream cone of Butter Pecan Tofutti. Milk free. No butterfat. No cholesterol. 210 calories per 1/2 cup. Made from soy protein but it also has sugar and corn syrup in it. Very tastie! and creamy. Good flavor. I bought a pint of it just to see if I'd like it. I do.

I didn't go to bed until 3:30 this morning, and I was awake again by 7 AM, so I took a little snoozer this afternoon for about an hour. Was THAT ever a weird feeling, sleeping in the middle of the afternoon.
I had whole wheat spaghetti and Ragu "Mama's Meat Sauce" spaghetti sauce for supper tonight. Tasted good. And right now I'm drinking a 20-oz. bottle of Klarbrunn Lemon flavored sparkling water. I like all the flavors they have, and no calories to it.

As for the company I work for, ... I have no doubt they know EXACTLY what the laws are. They do have a legal department, after all. I think they were counting on ME not knowing what the laws are. Anyway, the federal office was playing phone tag with the guy yesterday.

Sheila, I laughed so hard about your Dad not remembering your husband and sons names. I'm glad that your son understands and doesn't get hurt feelings over it.
Congratulations on the 3-pound loss! Geesh, you're doing sooo
good, and I'm not doing anything. But, at least I'm not gaining anymore either.
I hope the pain goes away for you. That's so awful to be trying so hard and have that darned pain to contend with too. Is it all over your body that the pain is, or in a more specific spot? I was just wondering if a TENS unit might help block the pain for you.

Charlotte, a big hug to you. Hope you're feeling in a little higher spirits by now.

Puss, your job sounds so very interesting. Something new every day. You must meet many interesting people.

Bluet, I think it would be a blast for all of us to meet at River Walk.
How is your little grandson doing after his tonsilectomy? Hope he's feeling some better.
I never farmed, as such, but I lived in farm country. We were at the neighbors farm more than at our own home sometimes. We loved it up there, but, we didn't HAVE to do all the work either. We loved helping them, but, when we got tired of it, we went home. :lol: My mom and Dad just raised chickens, geese, ducks, and Mom always had a huge garden. Did lots of canning.

Jacquie, I'm glad to hear it's going well on the WW plan. You'll gradually work your way up to the full amount of water. It's hard to do when you haven't been in the habit of drinking the right amount. I had kidney stones and the Urologist told me to gradually start increasing my water intake each day until I was up to a minimum of 2 liters a day. He said to put that amount into several bottles in the fridge, and begin sipping on it in the morning, and keep doing that all day. At first I thought I would pee my pants because it seemed like I had to go every couple of minutes, but, he said that would happen and that it would let up after a while because it takes a while for the bladder to get used to holding that amount. Especially when you're like I was and maybe drank a glass of water a week!
Anyway, he was right, and it did finally settle down, and now I can go a couple of hours in between trips to the bathroom. I usually quit sipping water a couple of hours before bed too.
Does your Mother mind being moved into an assisted living home? It helps a lot if they are willing to go. It's so hard to take care of them by yourself.

I was going to see if my grandson wanted to earn some money this weekend and help me get some raking done in my yard, but, it's been raining. I know it'll need to be raked again too.
I too have a hard time on a restricted diet like Atkins, etc. I like low carb, or mostly protein, but I also love my vegetables, and whole wheat bread.
I still believe the best thing for weight loss or good health is staying active. Of course, healthy eating too. I ordered the book, " FOOD FIGHT" and it should be in Wednesday. It's all about what we already know, ... how the food industry keeps offering us these killer foods, and we keep right on sitting on our a$$es in front of televisions and pc, and now plunk our kids there too as infants, and keep right on eating these fast and easy foods. Now, when I say "we" I don't mean you girls and I, per se. I mean society in general.

There was an article in todays local paper about a man who is a special needs person, and he decided to lose weight this summer, and he decided to keep records of how many times he climbed the ladder and slid down the water slide at the local Aquatic Center. He even kept count of how many steps it was to the top, and how many times each day he went up there. Entered it into a note book journal as soon as he got home every day. At any rate, he lost 30 pounds from June through August. Now, he's going to ride his bike around the bike path every day until it gets too snowy for that, then he's going to go to the YMCA and walk/run around the indoor track there during the winter. He's going to keep track of everything, and then he's going to try to beat his records next year. He said he intends to do this the rest of his life.

Hello to you too Sue!!

I hope I didn't miss anyone. Sorry if I'm not thinking right tonight. That age thing, you know. :D

Everyone have a good evening. See ya later!

Sheila, I just love your dad! "that guy, and the other guy" and his independence. My uncle in the US came to my mother's before DH and I were married and all the time referred to my now DH as "ol, whats-his-name". Ol-whats-his-name was only 27 and my uncle 51. My brother and I thought it hilarious that he couldn't be bothered remembering DHs name and we still wonder if he can remember it 32 years on, ha ha. I guessed a snicket was an alleyway but looked it up in my dictionary to make sure. It comes from the north of England (my guess is Yorkshire way) and it's the narrow path which runs behind back-to-back small two-up, two-down, terraced rows of houses. It's the lane where you put your garbage bins out for collection and usually have a gate leading off it into a small cobbled yard (not garden) to your back door. Where I come from we call them alleys or the back alley but there are lots of different names for them depending on where you live - see? Tiny country, mass diversity. Another three pound loss???? Hubby's not got all amorous and chashing you round that newly painted house, is he? You have done SO well, Sheila, well done. I hope your pain on exercising is not too bad now. WIllow, withdrawal symptoms?? I am eating like a hog lately and all the wrong stuff. I MUST get back on track when I go back to work tomorrow. DH left yesterday so had a little reshuffle on the car front. I got his (much newer than mine) and son got mine and the drive has got son's for 6 weeks. I can't understand how you can't hack a siesta, Willow. I love them on Saturdays and Sundays and start flagging if I don't get one. I could do with them on Mondays to Fridays though I can't quite see how I could persuade the boss.... Did you have a good time raking with the DGS? The leaves are all falling here now so DH picked a good time to go away. As if I didn't have enough with the badgers, the squirrels are burying their nuts all over the lawn too. I have a big hazelnut tree in the back and they love it. They also go to the toilet from a great height off a tree in my front garden over my car, lovely. Jacqui, my mother is on a waiting list for assisted living at the same place as her sister. She was offered one last week but it is the smallest on the site. She said she would never get her furniture in so we had to explain that the stuff from a three bedroomed house is never going to fit into a one bedroomed place. "oh, yes, I know, but...." I am learning a little now to remember that whatever I say won't matter a jot so am trying to save breath and sanity. I don't like drinking plain water either so I drop some lemon juice into it or a slice of lemon you can buy ready cut etc in a jar. Bluet, I hope your little GS is over his op now. How resourceful of your DH to re-train from farming. You must be proud of him as it's not easy to change careers mid-life. Occasionally in my job I meet people who used to do things totally different to the job they have and I am amazed at the skills people have. Angel, I am glad you seem out of the initial despair, you seem to have some very loving family members to see you through this. When my father died unexpectedly in hospital we had his clothes returned in time after the post-mortem etc but his brand new, expensive shoes were missing and we had to cremate him in his other ones. My mum was upset that someone could steal under such circumstances. My brother and I told her that anyone who could steal from a dead man was never going to prosper, lowest of the low, especially as my dad was such a considerate man, he'd have given them to anyone who didn't have a decent pair of shoes to walk in. What goes around comes around, I think you say. Well, I am having to go back to FitDay tomorrow and knuckle down to this again. I am now 148.5 and was 145.5 in mid-September. I must stop messing around with food. I was looking at an old log book of my weight and the heaviest I ever was was on 4th January 2000 and I weighed 179lb. The lowest I got to was 150LB in February 2001 then it was up and up to 164lb when I joined here. In between those times I kicked the healthy eating so I am determined that this three pound gain I've had for weeks is not the start of the rot again. Regards to absent friends, hope all is well with you.

Hey, Puss, thanks for looking up snicket. Given the context, I thought it was something like that, but wanted to make sure. Man, stealing your dad's shoes--that's low. I like what you guys told your mother, though. Ah, yes, you're learning the lesson that my DH has been finding difficult lately. He's been into arguing with my dad, which just doesn't work. I told my DH to just smile and say, "Probably so" or anything but argue. He'll never win, and why would you care about winning an argument with an 87 year old?

Willow, I, too, have a hard time taking afternoon naps. I occasionally do fall asleep, but it feels too decadent, and I'm afraid I'll wake up too early the next day. Sometimes I feel kind of disoriented if I fall asleep during the day.

Well, the going-away party for my daughter went well. I love Weight Watchers--I ate cake and ice cream and two pieces of pizza and it fit right in to my program. I even ate cake and ice cream again today and still have points left. It's so cool! Saw my cousin's new granddaughter, who was born on July 4. Her son is my daughter's age, and my cousin is only 40 so she's a pretty darn young grandma. The baby was kind of fussy--cried for everone, but mom. I thought the stranger thing didn't happen until much later. Her mom did say that she prefers blonde women, and I'm not. Oh, well. Such a difference from my own granddaughter who only cries when she's ill, and has always been like that. But then again, she's a truly special miracle baby so I'm biased. :)

Another gorgeous day. We're going to the beach and then to look at some furniture for my son. My DH and I took our dogs for a hike in the "urban wilderness" near our house. We forgot about stinging nettles, though. I haven't been in an urban forest in years so I'd forgotten that there are things like poison oak and stinging nettles right near the trails. Ouch! We had fun, though, and it was a good hour's walk with plenty of sweating. My male dog got very dehydrated, though--lots of stuff for him to lift his leg on! He hit the water bowl the minute he came through the door. Had to tank up in case we go for anymore walks today where his plumbing will be tested.

Hope everyone is having a relaxing, enjoyable Sunday.

Did y'all have a good weekend?
 

Mine was very quiet.
Today is laundry day, and I'm just about done. 2 loads to dry yet.

I've been taking summer clothes downstairs, and washing winter clothes (just because they've been stored for the summer. They're already clean! :D ) and bringing them upstairs. Oh my, .... change of seasons again.

I've been watching documentaries all afternoon about the human brain. The programs have been on the public television channel. It's very interesting, but, right now they're talking about alzheimers, and they have actual patients on there. It's scarey! I swear I have some of those symptoms! :dizzy: When they were asking one of the men all those questions, and I had to think about real easy ones. I think the more pressure you feel to get the right answer right away, the less you can think. But, I DID know what year and month it is. :lol: He told that man to count backwards by 3's from 17, and when he got to 8, he had to try like 3 times to get to 5. Poor guy!
Another man, 56 years old, had a stroke, and is normal in all ways, except he no longer feels any emotions. It's like he's walking dead.
They are saying that exercise is the best way to keep your brain young and working normally. They had white rats in cages, some in a plain cage and the others in cages with a tread wheel. The ones with the exercise wheel were healthier and their brains were much more active, to the point that they started doing little tricks on the wheels. Then they tested their blood for certain chemicals etc. Can you tell I find stuff like this interesting? :o

I made a big kettle of chicken vegetable soup today also. I love soup this time of year. Keeps the tummy warm!

I had all my windows open for about 3 hours this afternoon too, while I was cooking the soup. I turned the furnace off during that time. The house smelled so fresh with the smell of the soup and the fresh air. It was 55 degrees here today.

Puss, I never had my grandson come up to rake because it rained all day yesterday, and today I was still getting stuff done in the house.

My oldest son is going back to school right now. He's 41 and is an electronics technician, designing photo circuit boards. He's taking another couple years of college to get a degree in business. He continues in his job, taking night classes. I just hope he doesn't exhaust himself.
And my youngest son, 34, is a deisel mechanic, and quit his job to go to school to be an assessor. Big money in that. I just hope they like what they do. That's the most important thing.

Do any of you have presbyopia yet? I can't see for sour owl $h**.
I also have these little hairs that grow on my chin, and I don't want to shave them, so I pluck them. Well, I can't see them, even with my glasses on, and it gets so frustrating. So, here's a tip if you need it. I took my mascara brush and brushed on the chin hairs, and VOIL'A! All 4 of them stood out with that dark mascara on them and I plucked those little buggers right out! :lol:

You know, that may be just the ticket for your mother. To live near her sister. Do they get along well? That would be company for both of them.

Sheila, I'm glad the going away party went well. I bet you're getting a bit nervous too.
I guess I'm going to have to buckle down too here. I need maybe to set short, small goals of not pounds lost, but activity increases and things like that. My sister was talking about maybe going to WW with me. We'll see.

Well, I heard the buzzer on my drier so I need to take that load out and put the last one in.

Darnit! Work again tomorrow! :p

Hi Sue, Jacquie, Bluet and Charlotte.

Let's all have a good week, ....
 

I had a healthy breakfast.
veggie omelet with egg substitute, veggies, 97% FF ham, FF cheese and 1 sl. 100% whole wheat toast with ICBINB spray.

Now I'm off to work. ICK! Taking a sandwich of lite corned beef, 100% whole wheat bread, dijon mustard, 1 sl. FF cheese and baby romaine lettuce.

Gonna have chicken veg. soup for supper.

33 degrees here this morning. Nippy!

Have a good day!

Willow, if you watch any medical programme you'll convince yourself of all the symptoms. When I was a student nurse I was sure I had MS, diabetes, thyroid and even all the male symptoms!! As for the alzheimers.. last year DH thought he was coming up to his 59th birthday so last week DS sent him a card with '60? You must be joking!' on the front. Inside he had written 'sorry, Dad, not that you would know, anyway! One of the tests for dementia is knowing how old you are and you are in trouble, mate.' DD sent a card with 'Dad I've always promised to be there for you when you're old and grey and have lost all your marbles....(turn the page) and here I am!'. She asked if he had finally worked out how old he was now, said not to worry about it as it was time for his bath now, sir. She had written 'because you have funded my beer-swilling student lifestyle for the past 5 years I won't put you into a home. Mum was never going into a home but it was touch and go with you there for a while' - this was all because he forgot how old he was the last birthday! No respect in this house ha ha. Your two sons are very resourceful to re-train, Willow. I think people who employ respect that kind of determination in people, good luck to them. As for hairs on chins...I have one which keeps popping up every couple of weeks which I tweezer, yikes! Sheila, I am glad your DDs party went well, you will miss her. What's this about siestas being decadent? And what's wrong with being decadent at our age? Ha, once my kids are up and earning I plan to put the head in hedonism and bathe in asses milk - if I can find any asses milk sellers in this little town, that is. Your grandaughter sounds a little sweetie and I will probably dream again that DD still has that secret GD tucked away. I was browsing at WW cookbooks in my lunch hour but can't get my head around a points system. How are they gauged and how many can you have in a day? I only had a little lapse today - did really well compared to the feeding frenzy of rubbish the last few weeks - and hope to continue back on track. Hi to everyone else, hope you are all well and can join us when you have the time.

Whoa! We almost went off the first page again.

That's pretty cool that two of your sons have decided to go back to school, Willow. I know my DH, who was building walls at a mobile home factory in his late 20s, is extremely happy he made the decision to go back to college.

OMG, those hairs! I have one that seems to grow a foot overnight. I check it all the time, then, poof, one day I wake up and it's there. I get my eyebrows waxed every three weeks and have the waxing person pluck the darn thing because I can't ever see it. I have reading glasses, but they just aren't good for getting that close with a mirror. I'm not even going to get started on nose hairs! :-)

Puss, your kids sound like a lot of fun. I bet your family get-togethers are a riot. My DH always added a year to his age because he would forget how old he was. I did notice that now he's 52, he's been subtracting a year rather than adding. What does that tell you about his brain?

The brain is definitely an interesting, intricate organ. I'm not all that happy with mine these days. My neuro disorder is caused by some kind of misfiring in the basal ganglia or some such thing. There's too many things that can go wrong. I read that eating blueberries helps with Altzheimer's so I've been eating blueberries almost every day, along with playing Concentration on the computer, and working crossword puzzles (supposedly good for stimulating the brain). I have no idea where I read about the blueberries, but it really stuck with me. Oh, and I read yesterday that walnuts, which I've been eating to lower my cholesterol, is helpful with rheumatoid arthritis. So, Charlotte, you might consider upping your walnut intake to 1.5 oz. per day. I eat .5 ounces per day, but walnuts are a lot of points on WW. I should probably eat more, but it's 6 pts. for an ounce--too many!

So now I have a whole bunch of bulbs to plant, and I don't know where to plant them. We're not done with our planting beds, but I suppose I could put them other places. I want to put some so that my dad can see him from his window. He'll enjoy looking at them in the spring. We made sure one of his windows looked right onto the back garden that he worked so hard on over the years. Of course, then I took out almost all his roses because I couldn't take care of them, but, hey, he can see the other stuff.

I'm hoping I can survive 7 more days with my daughter before she goes into the Navy. I already told her that they have rooms at the YWCA. We get along so much better when she's not living with us! My son is hopefully moving into my daughter's apartment tomorrow--we'll see. My DH said we need to unhook the cable television and I need to quit cooking. We never had cable when they were growing up because it was too expensive. Once they were all out of the house, I decided to treat myself. Little did I know it would make all the kids want to come back and live with us! Yikes!

Hope everyone is enjoying their Tuesday. I had a massage today. I can take or leave the massage (they're rather painful), but I really enjoy talking with the massage therapist.

Where is everyone? I must confess I was good on foods today until a friend at work gave me a box of chocolates for a favour I did. I didn't want to take them, not only because I don't need repaying for something I was glad to help out on , but also I couldn't take the temptation. She wouldn't take them back! When I got home I saw they were too posh to open just for myself but the damage was done...I put them away until DD visits to share them ...but scoffed half a large bar of chocolate that was hiding in the fridge. I will pay for this in the morning on the scales. Where is everyone?

Sheila, you must have posted as I was typing. I haven't heard of blueberries helping to prevent Altzheimers but puzzles etc I have heard is good. Also, cigarette smokers seem to get it less though that could be because we tend to die younger than the average Altzheimer patient I supose. You are so thoughtful planting bulbs at a site where your dad can see them easily in the Spring. I keep seeing some of the ones I planted lying on top of the soil where the squirrels have buried their nuts for the winter. I know what you mean about cable TV. We would never have it when our kids were young but as they got to 16 we had satellite installed. Now, whenever DS comes to stay I get over-ruled and DH and him have fishing or sports on. I only had a massage once years ago in my 20s and promptly fell asleep. Even then I was used to siestas I suppose. Have you decided what to do with your little love's ashes yet? When I was young my friend's father was a stone mason and their garden was littered with little crosses with the names of all their cats. It was really pretty but it never occured to me at the time that they went through an awful lot of cats. Perhaps the dad was just practising his art!

Hi Everyone,

I don't know what is the matter with me. I am so tired all the time lately. All I want to do is sleep. I think may be I am depressed. About what? I am not sure.

Hey Willow, I thought you were working on a program to lose weight to reward yourself with the River Walk next June. Next thing I know you are eating ice cream. I think I am chopped liver, you have to work harder than that if you are going to make your goal of coming to see me next June. :^: Just kidding Willow I am excited to meet you whether you reach your goal or not. :) Of course I am jeolous, I haven't had any covert sugar since May 11, 2003. I haven't had my favorite glass of white wine since February 6, 2003. May be that is what I am so dang depressed about :s: My favorite thing to do in the evening was to sit down and watch TV with a large Hershey Almond Bar and a couple of glasses of white wine. I had to give it all up though, it got to the point where all I wanted to eat was sugar things, not any healthy things. Then I went to the library and found Kathleen DesMaisons book Potatos Not Prozac, started her program and have not looked back, I have lost twenty-two pounds and weigh 138 lbs. now. I have hit a plateau and am pretty grumpy about that :mad: I get on the treadmill every morning, since I have been posting to you gals, but I am not seeing much progress. I log my excersie on www.presidentschallenge.com. You get a bronze star or something like that when you achieve a certain goal.

I was digging up some sedum that was growing in between the bricks on a little patio that I have. Had most of the bricks thrown to the side, when My SIL called me that he was meeting my daughter at the hospital when she had her baby. Well the bricks and sedum are still setting there undone. It is so blasted cold this week in Wisconsin (Jacquie) I think it has something to do with some Canadian air "reaching down" from Canada. I would just love to get some bulbs planted before it freezes, but I'll be lucky if I get the bricks back in place and the sedum transplanted. I still have to get out there and get that poor little pond taken care of before the little waterfall freezes in motion.

The five older grandchildren were here for the weekend and we cleaned up the pumpkin patch. They all worked like busy little beavers collecting the pumpkin, gourds and squash. The kids were fun to watch when they started pulling back the husks on the indian corn. Every ear was different, it was facsinating for DH and me too. Alot of plowing left to do, but most of the crops are off and stored away for the winter. A calf was born when the kids were here. One of the heifers we raise for a neighbor had her calf early, so the grandkids got to see that up close and personal. Always something going on it seems, I guess that is why they love coming here.

Well, I guess I have to head off to bed. Take care everyone, I think about you guys everyday...take care Charlotte, Sheila, Sue, Puss, Willow and Jacquie :grouphug:

Bluet

My heart is warm with the firends I make Edna St. Vincent Millay

I'm still around, ....
 

Hi everybody,
I baby sat tonight again. I guess I will be every Tuesday until at least November because my son has classes and my DIL works every Tuesday evening.
I ate badly again today.
I had cheerios cereal with fresh strawberries and skim milk for breakfast, soup and a sandwich for lunch, some saltine crackers with natural peanut butter for a snack and pizza for supper.

My sister is going to start WW on Thursday. I know I've gained everything back that I lost, but, I'll just start again.

Puss, I love your family humor. Your kids sound like great people to be around.

Sheila, you're so good to your Dad. I hope my kids are that good to me if ever the day comes that I can't do everything for myself.

Tonight as I arrived at my sons house I heard someone calling, " HEY! GRANDMA!" It was my 12-year old grandson just coming home from band practice. I walked up to meet him and we walked together back to their house. He's such a cute kid.
He plays the trombone.
So, for a half hour tonight I listened to him playing the school song about 3 feet away from where I was sitting. :dizzy: It was a bit loud, ..... but he's getting pretty good on that thing.
His older sister plays the clarinet and his little brother (7) wants to learn how to play the piano but he doesn't want to take piano lessons!! :lol: They have a piano, and he wants his mother to teach him, but she wants a professional to teach him.

I better get going and get ready for bed.

I printed out calendars for the rest of the time I will be working, up to retirement. Then I crossed out all the weekends and holidays and vacation days. Then I counted up how many days I have to work until retirement. I have to work 575 days yet. Now, that's actual working days. 29 months. I told the people I was working with today, " Now just watch me kick the bucket a week before retirement!" :lol:

Have a good night girls!

Hello to those who haven't posted recently! Thinking of you and hoping all is well.

Bluet, you were posting at the same time I was.
I promise, I'm trying to get some weight off. Maybe going to WW with my sister, (or vice versa) will keep me honest to myself.

That is so cool that you can give your grandkids all those experiences. I'm sure they DO love it at your house.

It sounds like you've been busy lately. Things I should be doing.

How's that grandbaby doing?

P.S. You can become depressed from menopause too. I think that's what my problem has been for the last 8 or 9 years. Caused by menopause and thyroid.

I thought this was cute!
 

Lamentations of the Father



(by Ian Frazier)



To a child:



Laws of Forbidden Places-



Of the beasts of the field, and of the fishes of the sea, and of all foods that are acceptable in my sight you may eat, but not in the living room. Of the hoofed animals, broiled or ground into burgers, you may eat, but not in the living room. Of the cloven-hoofed animal, plain or with cheese, you may eat, but not in the living room. Of the cereal grains, of the corn and of the wheat and of the oats, and of all the cereals that are of bright color and unknown provenance you may eat, but not in the living room. Of quiescently frozen dessert and of all frozen after-meal treats you may eat, but absolutely not in the living room.



Of the juices and other beverages, yes, even of those in sippy-cups, you may drink, but not in the living room, neither may you carry such therein. Indeed, when you reach the place where the living room carpet begins, of any food or beverage there you may not eat, neither may you drink. But if you are sick, and are lying down and watching something, then may you eat in the living room.



Laws When at Table



And if you are seated in your high chair, or in a chair such as a greater person might use, keep your legs and feet below you as they were. Neither raise up your knees, nor place your feet upon the table, for that is an abomination to me. Yes, even when you have an interesting bandage to show, your feet upon the table are an abomination, and worthy of rebuke.



Drink your milk as it is given you, neither use on it any utensils, nor fork, nor knife, nor spoon, for that is not what they are for; if you will dip your blocks in the milk, and lick it off, you will be sent away.



When you have drunk, let the empty cup then remain upon the table, and do not bite it upon its edge and by your teeth hold it to your face in order to make noises in it sounding like a duck: for you will be sent away.



When you chew your food, keep your mouth closed until you have swallowed, and do not open it to show your brother or your sister what is within; I say to you, do not so, even if your brother or your sister has done the same to you.



Eat your food only; do not eat that which is not food; neither seize the table between your jaws, nor use the raiment of the table to wipe your lips. I say again to you, do not touch it, but leave it as it is.



And though your stick of carrot does indeed resemble a marker, draw not with it upon the table, even in pretend, for we do not do that, that is why. And though the pieces of broccoli are very like small trees, do not stand them upright to make a forest, because we do not do that, that is why.



Sit just as I have told you, and do not lean to one side or the other, nor slide down until you are nearly slid away. Heed me; for if you sit like that, your hair will go into the syrup. And now behold, even as I have said, it has come to pass.



Laws Pertaining to Dessert



For we judge between the plate that is unclean and the plate that is clean, saying first, if the plate is clean, then you shall have dessert.



But of the unclean plate, the laws are these: If you have eaten most of your meat, and two bites of your peas with each bite consisting of not less than three peas each, or in total six peas, eaten where I can see, and you have also eaten enough of your potatoes to fill two forks, both forkfuls eaten where I can see, then you shall have dessert.



But if you eat a lesser number of peas, and yet you eat the potatoes, still you shall not have dessert; and if you eat the peas, yet leave the potatoes uneaten, you shall not have dessert, no, not even a small portion thereof.



And if you try to deceive by moving the potatoes or peas around with a fork, that it may appear you have eaten what you have not, you will fall into iniquity. And I will know, and you shall have no dessert.



On Screaming



Do not scream; for it is as if you scream all the time. If you are given a plate on which two foods you do not wish to touch each other are touching each other, your voice rises up even to the ceiling, while you point to the offense with the finger of your right hand; but I say to you, scream not, only remonstrate gently with the server, that the server may correct the fault.



Likewise if you receive a portion of fish from which every piece of herbal seasoning has not been scraped off, and the herbal seasoning is loathsome to you and steeped in vileness, again I say, refrain from screaming. Though the vileness overwhelm you, and cause you a faint unto death, make not that sound from within your throat, neither cover your face, nor press your fingers to your nose. For even I have made the fish, as it should be; behold, I eat it myself, yet do not die.



Concerning Face and Hands



Cast your countenance upward to the light, and lift your eyes to the hills, that I may more easily wash you off. For the stains are upon you; even to the very back of your head, there is rice thereon.



And in the breast pocket of your garment, and upon the tie of your shoe, rice and other fragments are distributed in a manner wonderful to see.



Only hold yourself still; hold still, I say. Give each finger in its turn for my examination thereof, and also each thumb. Lo, how iniquitous they appear. What I do is as it must be; and you shall not go hence until I have done.



Various Other Laws, Statutes, and Ordinances



Bite not, lest you be cast into quiet time. Neither drink of your own bath water, nor of the bath water of any kind; nor rub your feet on bread, even if it be in the package; nor rub yourself against cars, not against any building; nor eat sand.



Leave the cat alone, for what has the cat done, that you should so afflict it with tape? And hum not the humming in your nose as I read, nor stand between the light and the book. Indeed, you will drive me to madness. Nor forget what I said about the tape.

Ah, Bluet, a glass of white wine. Sounds really good right now. I can skip the Hershey bar, but a glass of wine would be very relaxing. When we went out to dinner the other night, I had a $7.50 glass of Chardonnay--definitely worth every penny.

Sounds like you had a great time with the grandkids. Pretty cool that they got to see a new heifer.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with PD's ashes, Puss. Right now they are in the closet next to my mom's ashes. She would have liked that--she had a soft spot for little white dogs. She always wanted a Westie. I'm thinking I'll just wait until they all go, and take them with us when we move to Oregon after my dad passes away, and bury them at what will hopefully be our last home. Had to laugh at all the little crosses--definitely makes you wonder! I have a friend who lives in the country and has a pet cemetary. She had 16 cats and a bunch of dogs and they've all lived well into their teens.

Willow, I'm glad you're still going to go to the WW meeting even though you know you're probably gained weight. That takes real courage. I usually take a pass on weighing or don't go, which really isn't good. A half hour of listening to the trombone--you're a wonderful grandma!

Speaking of grandkids, my granddaughter had her first day of preschool on Monday. My son wrote me that she did so great on her first day of school, that he was really proud of her. The teacher got emotional because she thought my little sweetheart was doing so well, too. My granddaughter is doing "home schooled" preschool with the teacher and a speech therapist (isn't that a great teacher to student ratio!). After cold and flu season abates, hopefully she'll get to go to the real classes with the other special ed preschoolers, unless one of them has the sniffles. She's so medically fragile that catching a cold can land her in the hospital. It's a bummer because she really loves other kids.

My daughter wanted to run on a track today so we went to one at the nearby high school and found it all locked up. Then we went to another high school, but couldn't find the track. We're going to try again tomorrow because I know where there is an open track, but it's quite a ways away. My DD has to run 1.5 miles in a certain time and needs to check how she's doing on her running. I will just walk it, though--these knees aren't made for jogging!

Hope everyone had a great Wednesday.

Hi all!

Sorry for not posting the past several days things....just been too stressed out with mothers move and trying to control what goes into my mouth. I think I had better just back off until things settle down and I can concentrate better. I can relate to what you are feeling Bluet......I once saw a book at the library " Menopause and The Mind" I think I had better read it....maybe I can figure out what is going on in my head, why I can't take things in stride and not get all stressed out!! Sheila I so think I read something about blueberries and Alzheimers.

Willow I know what you mean about chin hairs....I pluck mine in the car you can see them better in the natural light !!

Well the weather here is so beautiful we have decided to give the camper on last trip. I think my brain and body needs the break.We will be gone 4 or 5 days so I won't be posting until next week.

Hope everyone has a good weekend Charlotte, Sue and all I have missed!

Jacquie

Where is everybody? Are you hibernating?
 

Hey Guys,

Just because it snowed yesterday in good ole Wisconsin, don't run for the caves and stock up on food yet. There's gotta be some Indian Summer coming or at least some nice days ahead so we can enjoy fall.

Puss I just finished reading another bodice ripper. I'll have to head to the library or the book store to stock up on more of my addiction. Haven't had a lot of extra time to watch my two favorite shows, Ground Force and Changing Rooms lately. I have picked up a few shows of Trading Spaces on the American Channel. Trading Spaces has some new designers. The rooms they redone have been absoluetly darn ugly this season. I hope Changing Rooms hasn't changed at all. Except this is Carol's last year as hostess. I am disappointed, I really like Carol. Has your DH returned from his trip yet? Oh well, when he does we probably won't hear from you at least a week. Especially if you model just your new coat again. :o

Shiela, I have been meaning to tell you that I am enjoying your Dad stories too. I think they are really cute in a humerous way. Two of our kids ran Cross Country in high school. How grueling. They practiced all summer in the heat and then ran competion all fall in the cold and freezing rain. I shouldn't complain, at least they have character. Of course DH and I had to follow the team every where they went. Well, it got us out and about. They always competed on Golf Courses, so I got to see every Golf Course in a 100 mile radius. :lol:

Jaquie, hope everything goes well in your Mother's big move. There is a lot to deal with isn't there? I hope you have other family help, it will ease the burden somewhat for you. Let us know when you get back. :)

Willow, how are you doing? That sure was a cute article you sent about children. Man it all applies, doesn't it? Especially to those two Irish Twin grandson cousins of mine. Your grandchildren sound cool too. You are even cooler for listening to your grandson play in your ear for so long. Tonight I get to watch Survivor. I know, I know, it is a stupid show, but I get such a charge out of it and it is really the only show I watch in the evenings. I get such a charge out of some of the dumb things those people do to be one of the last survivors on the island. It is kind of like junior high school all the back stabbing and stuff. Of course the one who wins the million dollars is never the one I pick to win. It is suppose to rain tonight and tomorrow, so when I get home I suppose we will have to cut all that lawn that we cut. We have been cutting every other week the last while it hasn't been growing so fast. I would rather cut grass than shovel snow though. Well I am typing this at work, so I guess I better, get busy and look like I am doing some REAL work.

Take care everyone. How are you doing Charlotte and Sue. Hope you are both o.k. :grouphug:

Bluet

P.S. I am still at my stupid plateau.......Help!

My heart is warm with the friends I make. Edna St. Vincent Millay

Just a quickie to apologise - been very busy last two days - baking cakes for 'Jeans for Genes' day tomorrow at work and having to email DH in Middle East. Promise to do better tomorrow, best wishes to all. xx

I'm back at it, ...
 

I bit the bullet and went back to WW tonight. My sister joined also and Rita went too. So, it's kind of nice to look forward to having someone else to talk things over with and compare notes with. Although Rita hasn't been all that chatty about it up until now. Maybe things will change now.

I gained 5 of the 6.6 pounds back that I had lost several weeks ago. I haven't had this WW leader before and I really like her. She's very upbeat and gets you all enthused.

I was watching the Senate hearings on c-span on nutrition and weight control and how the food pyramid needs to be changed. It was quite interesting. They had very reputable Doctors and professors and scientists testifying, like Dr. Dean Ornish, Dr Willet, etc. I can't even remember them all, but, it was most interesting.
They all have one thing in common in their recommendations, ... To get more exercise, use less of the high glycemic foods like white bread, pasta, rice etc, and even be careful of how much whole grain carbohydrates we use because they take longer to digest, therefore releasing the sugar in a slower way, but, none the less, they DO turn to sugar eventually. We need the nutrients from them though.
They all say that exercise should be at the bottom, widest bar of the pyramid. And they recommend that recess or phy ed be a part of our kids regular curriculum through their senior year.
Anyway, I found it to be very enlightening.

Didn't go to work today. Just couldn't make myself go in. I was so very tired. Discomfort in my right chest and back again.

Sheila, I like wine too, but I haven't had any in years. It makes me horny. :o And when I did drink it regularly, I couldn't afford the expensive stuff, so I drank Boones Farm. And had just as much fun on it as the expensive stuff. :lol: One time I was with a girl I grew up with but hadn't seen in years, her husband and another guy. They stopped at a party of someone they knew and everyone was passing around a big old bottle of wine, (I have no idea what kind, it was kind of dark in that apartment) remember when we could do that and not have to worry about "catching something"?
Anyway, I started to notice this one guy sitting up on the back of the couch, and he was chewing gum, and it seemed that his jaws would open impossibly wide, and very slowly, kind of like an aligator yawning in slow motion, over and over, and I started to laugh. Steve, my friends husbands buddy, told me to not laugh at the guy, and I held it under control until he got down off the couch and walked across the room, and then his legs went up real high, like he was stepping over a log with each step, and I just found that so fascinating. Sooooo, .... I don't know who was higher, me or him, but somebody had put "something" into that wine, because later we went to a bar, and I had my favorite, a beer, and it tasted like chocolate, so, as I was sitting by the door which was open, I tossed the beer out of the glass out the door to the sidewalk, and just then someone walked up and they got the beer right in the face. :fr:
Then we went to another place and when we parked the car, we were all quiet for a while, then my friend said something to me and I said, "Shshshshsh! I think I can hear gas!" What an experience that was! I never used drugs, and it was something I wouldn't particularly want to experience again, yet, I have to laugh about it now, looking back.
I remember a yellow light at one bar fascinated me because it seemed that the light just filled everything.
Even the next day, I was sitting on the couch and suddenly the door frame jumped out, then back into place. I thought it was a trick of my eyes, and then it did it again.
I've never shared a bottle with anyone since, and I don't leave my drink out of my hand either.
But, it didn't stop me from drinking wine or beer. :lol:
I bet you guys are laughing your a$$es off at me about now. :D Those were the good old days.

So your little sweetheart granddaughter started preschool. They are so precious, aren't they? I have a 5-year old granddaughter who has special needs. She has speech therapy and a couple of other classes. She's in kindergarten now.

Jacquie, I hope things are getting back to normal for you now. Don't worry about keeping up with any of the diet stuff for a few days until you get settled back in. Just know that we hope you're doing well, and there's no pressure from us to lose right now. Just post when you can and we'll look forward to hearing from you when you get the time. I know how it is.
Thanks for the tip on chin hairs! I'll keep a tweezers in my car from now on. Ah, ... uhmmm, ... you don't pluck them while you're driving, do you? :lol:
Hope your trip is a wonderful one!

Bluet, I don't know what to tell you about your plateau, except maybe the Wendy concept would work for you. I have it in it's entirety if you want me to send it to you. It's concieved on the Weight Watchers plan, but, I would think you could put the principal to work on any weight loss plan you're on. You eat high calories one day, low the next and normal the next, etc, etc.

Puss, what's jeans for genes? Something to do with genetics? Or men named Gene wearing no jeans? :lol:
Anyway, I'm betting you're missing the mister about now. How long will he be gone again? 6 weeks? That's a long time in a way, but, just long enough to make the heart grow fonder.

Well, I suppose I should end this and get to bed. Don't know if I'll go in to work tomorrow or not. Suppose to rain tonight I think. If it is yet tomorrow, I suppose I might as well go in to work. Can't ride my bike in the rain anyway.

Have a good night all.

Hi everybody....hope you still remember me!:lol:

I had a treatment yesterday, so I'm too crazy :dizzy: to work on papers. I figured you already know how I am....so it doesn't matter.;) Gee, I didn't know it was going to take so much work! Maybe it'll pay off in the long run. We sure could use a break.

My pc's acted up again, too. Someone went in & corrupted my files! This is all getting too weird!

I went back & read a few of the posts. Very interesting....especially the wine story.....

Well, the more I type, the sicker I get. Guess I'll wait til another day. Take care, & I'll be back. http://www.agifs.hpg.ig.com.br/criancas/menina214.gif