OMG Bunny,

I needed that. Reminds me of the several times I'd wake up to the lowing of some of my neighbor's holsteins on the front stoop. They were always inviting themselves to breakfast (in our gardens!!). And how the beefers loved to take down, not only their own fences, but event the 5 ft. fences around the kennel runs! :)

Lilac: Don't go to Bunny's to cook. Come to my house. We have an extra room (bribery!). Maybe it's time to gather together the volunteers and have a little, "I can't do this by myself" talk. Sometimes it works.

The last couple of days have been tough food days for me. I let myself munch on a bit of the skin from a delicious roasted chicken yesterday. Now I'm craving FAT! and going NUTS! My body wants me to eat more fat and I am trying to tell it "no, that's not good for us. here, enjoy this nice dinner. there's lots of GOOD food here." I'm going to get myself thru this but i think I'm going to have to aqua jog a little faster tomorrow!

You all have a safe, OP day tomorrow. Talk to you soon.

Your story about the cow in the yard reminded me of years ago when DH and I raised our own beef cattle but really didn't have enough room for all the calves we got for free from a local dairyman. So, once they were weaned DH herded them up the mountainside with an old cow with a bell around her neck for the summer. The trouble was, all the creeks dried up so she headed for home with her herd of about 8 steers (now greatly grown) and trampled all through my veggie garden in the middle of the night. Boy, was I mad at DH about that! A few nights later, we heard her bell ringing again and DH jumped out of bed just wearing his undies and out the back door to intercept them but it was our neighbors ringing a cow bell and shining a spotlight on DH. They're still laughing about that joke.
j-ann, I get fat cravings too. I guess it's a throw-back to my years on low carb when it was ok to eat chicken skin and butter, etc. When it happens, I rearrange my points to allow for some butter on my veggies and my popcorn. I think our bodies really do need a certain amount of fat and let us know when we're not getting enough. I certainly can't eat the coating of KFC anymore though. All that grease really turns me off now. Hip-hi-hooray!
Yesterday I had to tighten the elastic on some pants I just bought in June so I'm pretty thrilled about that.
Went for my swim this morning and managed a couple of more lengths...very slowly. Also do a lot of water jogging in the deep end. Every little bit helps.
I'm off to Scotland on Thursday ( hopefully all the planes will be on schedule by then) but I'll keep in touch via my daughter's computer.

Hi ladies! :wave: Sounds like we are all trying to work ourselves out of the funks of last week. Not sure it will be very soon before we are back to normal, my sense is that we are all in for some more surprises before this is all over. Not a good thought, or a good feeling! :cry:

Took my girlfriend up north today to see her mom in the hospital. Food was not wonderful, but tomorrow it will be. I have jobs in the morning. The theatre went well this weekend. I avoided the popcorn devil :devil: all weekend long. :D

Terri: I hope you decided to go to WI. It's important or I think we give ourselves the opportunity to 'cheat'. * Riding your horse sounds wonderful. I used to love to ride.

Lilacglitter: Your dinner out sounds wonderful. * Let me see, what do I have to offer that will get you to come cook for me???? Ummmm. My first born??? He's really quite a nice kid, 22, single!!! He does yard work, is handy and empties the garbage without being asked!!! :lol:

Bunny: The cow story was oh so cute. Gosh I wish I was a country girl like all of you. I really miss it!

J-ann: I agree with Linda, I think our bodies do need a certain amount of fat. At WW they tell you 3 points or so a day should be in fats. It's good for your hair and skin etc. As long as it is in moderation.

Linda: Good news about the pants. I was able to finally fit into some denim leggings from Just My Size that I can get at Walmart. I was ecstatic!!! I'm sure you're were excited to take in that elastic!!

Well girls, gotta run. Time for bed! :yawn: Gotta work tomorrow. Hello to all our other friends who haven't been here in awhile. Hope you are all well.

"They are able because they think they are able." - Virgil

Good (Early) Mornin,

About the fat craving. Just wanted you all to know that I do eat my 3 pts of fat a day, often more. That's why I think this is a "mind" thing. With everything that's gone on in the last week I think my brain wanted to slip back into the comfort of eatng lots of fatty stuff. I've got my food for the day all planned and it includes a little peanut butter on my AM toast and mayo on my chicken for lunch too. I should have an OP day with no cravings. (I hope!) Thanks for the sugggestions and encouragement. I really needed it!!

LINDA: Have a fantastic trip. eep us posted if you can. (I wanna go too!!!)

MELISSA: Congrat's on fitting into those 22's. I know how you feel. I was digging in the closet on the weekend and pulled out a pair of 28 jeans to hang where I could see them as an incentive. I tried ro get them on, to see how far I had to go to get into them, and they FIT!!! Now I have to really dig for 26's to hang out. Of course it's great since most of my heavier jeans are 26 and 28 so I won't have to buy new ones for qute a while. Isn't it great when our clothes tell us we are successful?

I've got to jump in the shower now and then off to work to face todays challenges.

Up .5 but undeterred
 

Well, that is the story really - I had weigh in today and have gained .5, but I think I wont worry too much about it. I had a lot of lovely food this week, and I have journalled it all and am now playing catch up on points. It will be ok. I think that it is better for me if I save points up prior to a big meal rather than pull back afterwards, so that is a good learning point. Also I am sure it must be my TOM around now (I really ought to keep track in my diary or something, but after 25 years I am unlikely to start now...:lol: ).

Have I really been mensturating for 25 years :o

Now I am depressed. :(

;)

I seem to have gone down with some sort of bug which has given me a sore throat, and makes me feel like lying on the sofa in front of the fire, with a blanket over me, so that is exactly what I shall do. I am reading a fabulous book by Philip Pullman called The Specteral Knife - it is in the His Dark Materials trilogy, and is supposed to be for children - but then so is Harry Potter and I consumed that avidly too. This stuff I am reading now is really very engaging, and magical/theological/quantum machanics all bound up too. Very much the sort of stuff for reading on the sofa with blanket over sipping cold remedies.

I am, by the way, very flattered by all the tempting offers of culinary employment.......I have to say that Thinthinker is quite definitely winning with offer of First Born :lol: Yard work and rubbish disposal in to the bargain - what am I waiting for? But then there is j-ann's room, and that cow at Bunny's (steak and ale pie anyone...?? :lol: )

Well, I am off to feel sorry for myself under my blanket - thanks to all for posting and keeping me from being alone on this (sometimes rocky) road.
love
Lilac

Hello ladies!

Looks like everyone is hanging in there and getting back to normal routines. I wanted to report that I've had two very good days OP. I fought the munchie war after lunch today and won this time! I've got a big pot of cabbage soup with beef that will be the bulk of our evening meal.

Hmmm, Lilac, how about I throw my dog into the ring as a bid for your cooking talents? He's just what someone needs if they have trouble keeping up with their walking. Soon, he'll be big enough to carry me back if I get too tired. :lol: He's whining at the door as I type. I hope you get to feeling better.

Geri - Good for you for winning at the theater. That popcorn is soooo tempting and such a point buster. I haven't made it to WI yet but its on the schedule for Thursday.

Melissa - Awesome about the jeans. It is very rewarding to get into something that didn't used to fit. Talk about motivation!

J-Ann - I do that too with the fatty foods. Once I quit eating it, I don't miss it that much until just one taste and I'm ready for fried chicked and mashed potatoes every other day. Mind games trying to sabotage our efforts.

Linda - Have a good trip! Can't wait to hear about it when you come back.

Bunny - The cow picture is great. Just what we needed to bring a smile to our faces. Hope business picks up soon.

Got to go. Hope I didn't miss anybody. The dog is driving me nuts with the whining. Keep up all the great work and good attitudes.

i'm in a mood
 

I just need to admit that I have had a horrible week weight wise. I have my WI tongith so I don't know what the scales will say, but I did NOT do a good job this week. I have been in a mood and haven't been able to get out of it. I don't feel like doing anything and when I am depressed I eat. I have been over points so much this week. I am a bit scared about what the scales will say and I am trying to get myself back into the swing of things. I don't want to bring anyone down so I am just going to sign off and hopefully be back later or tomorrow, and hopefully in a better mood.

:( Melissa

Today was a good day. I've been contemplating a site that was recommended to me ( Flylady ) for a couple weeks now, considering whether I'm really ready to take control of my home and my family back. You may recall that I mentioned some "growing pain" problems a volunteer organization I worked with was having -- well, for me one of the solutions was extricating myself from the mess... and that's left me with time to spare. Lots of time to spare. Coming up with a "new" project has been tough -- but I finally decided that taking control of my home, better integrating my work life with my family life, and such would make a lovely project. So I'm off on a new journey. :D My husband keep walking around the house saying, "But its soooooo clean...." in wonder. That alone is worth the effort. If clutter is one of your downfalls, I recommend the link up there with no hesitation.

Melissa :( I'm sorry you're down tonight. Its hard when stress and other things combine to help us "fall off the wagon" as it were; but ya know, no matter what the scale says to you tomorrow, you just know you'll overcome it and keep movin' on down. I know that I definitely believe in you. :)

Determined :) Keep on winning the munchie war. :D Good for you! I've found some 15 calorie (so 0 pt) popcicles that help me through sweet attacks in the afternoon.

Lilacglitter ;) If you'd promise to make my real estate tycoon brother move up to Asheville, I'd offer him to you. He'll be a great catch when he finally takes the time to slow down and be caught. LOL! I'll have to start saving change from the sofa so I can visit you when you're cooking otherwise. :lol:

J-ann, ya know? I've never gotten the hang of planning my meals in the morning for the whole day. I figure its something that would help -- but then I feel constricted and end up doing the munchie thing. :?: I bet its just me. ;)

LindaBC -- ENJOY Scotland! (How could you not???)

Geri -- We went to see The Musketeer -- let me warn all of you off it. It was worse than bad. It was so bad that, if my teen didn't have a crush on the hunky bad actor who starred in it, we'dve walked out. :( But, no popcorn for us either -- so that's good.

May tomorrow be a great, on program, blessed day for all of us!

I just got back from WI. I gained 1 lb. Darn, I know I did'n journal as well as usual, but for the first time in many, many years I AM exercising regularly. I didn't really expect a loss because of the BIG loss last week but I never expectd to gain a whole pound. I know, I know, it might be water, or muscle (If it's muscle my body will be in shock <BG>), or the scale (wouldn't that be nice!). But what ever it was you can be I'm right back to journaling every piece of food that even comes near my mouth. I admit, as I think back, there were those left over butterscotch brownies. Humm ... I had 1/2 to 1 each day and without journaling, BET that was it. When I get back downstairs THEY'RE HISTORY! Oh yeah, and there was the chicken skin too.

Well ladies, I guess it helps to vent. I think I found my culprit foods as I typed so it's onward and downward once again.

BUNNY: I would love to be organized AND have a clean house at the same time. Want to come here next? Invite your brother and maybe we CAN get Lilacglitter to cook in a nice uncluttered kitchen. (No buttrscotch brownies tho!).

Hello ladies! :wave: Make sure you read the note about the server change at the top of the page. Guess we're going to be down for a couple of days again. I will miss you guys. :(

Food has not been good this week for me. I don't know if the events of last week have finally gotten to me, or what. I also am not jammed with jobs this week, so maybe that's it. I was too busy to eat last week. Although I have to say that I did well last week. Guess I'll have to really concentrate the rest of this week in order to make it through with at least a maintain on Monday!

Gosh you guys have been busy posting lately. I'll try to get back to all of you. If I miss someone, please forgive me.

Hahahaha everybody, I'm first in line for Lilacglitter to be my cook! Eat your hearts out girls!
Linda: Have a wonderful trip. I hope it is still on and you have a really enjoyable time.

Lilacglitter: I'm having a really hard time reverse banking too. It's so much easier to plan ahead rather than try to make up for indescresions after words.

Terri: And the offer of the dog in exchange for cooking favors.....pleeeeeese!!! Nice try!!! :rolleyes:

Melissa: It was an awful week to try to do good. So many of us got caught up on the emotional eating merry-go-round. We just have to focus again.

Bunny: Sorry you didn't like The Musketeer. I thought it was kinda cute. But, I like all the Musketeer movies that come out. * Sounds like you have a really BIG project on your hands. I guess I missed the website link though. Could you post it again? Thanks.

J-ann: It was probably the brownies. Just get back on the wagon. You can do it.

Cindy: I hope you're out there reading and will stop in soon and let us know you're ok. Hope things are going ok with your aunt. I'm sure that's all keeping you busy.

Gotta run. You all take care.

"Love yourself first and most."

Good morning everyone,
Well, I am still battling the noseblowing monster here in my little corner of the world. I actually called in sick to work this morning - how guilty do I feel? I always think that calling in sick when I can still walk and communicate is not really OK. But as Thin says 'love yourself first and most', and it is time that I balanced up my approach to my work. I like your idea J-ann of getting the volunteers together, and handing over some of the responsibility. I think that I need to try to transform my role in to one of supporting other people doing the work I currently do, rather than doing the work myself. That makes the organisation much more self sustaining.
But there is a job ad I have seen for director of my local bereavement service and I am thinking of going for that. Although, I bet I end up with the same issues......its probably more about me being a control freak than it is about others not stepping up....Got to learn to delegate - including that bit about it being ok when they do it differently from how I would have done it :?: Will I ever learn that skill? :) Hope so.

Ho hum.....so I am sitting here with a sore throat and a runny nose and feeling a bit blue. But you are all making me laugh with wanting me to cook for you! I would love to! I love an appreciative audience! Next best thing, here is my simplist recipe (which I am having for lunch today). Get a pound of frozen peas and cook them for five minutes in a pint of stock (use a veg stock cube). Cool a bit, and blitz in blender til smooth. Serve in bowls and garner huge praise from all for slaving for hours over a stove
:) . 1 pound of frozen peas makes enough soup for two for a main course (v. filling - esp with bread, or cubes of bacon on - add points). Oh, its about 7-8 points for the whole saucepan full, so about 3.5 per bowl - you can work it out exactly. Yum! really, that is so easy, and people are so impressed! :lol: I adapted it from a fab book by Nigella Lawson called 'How to Eat' - my fave cookery book at present.

Determined - How do you make your cabbage soup with beef? It sounds wonderful. I like the idea of riding home on your dog :lol:
Linda - are you in bonnie scotland now? I hope you have a wonderful time. My friend is up there at the moment, staying would you believe on the Queen's estate at Balmoral!!! She has a friend who works at Buckingham Palace and the staff are allowed to rent cottages in the grounds of balmoral, so that is what they have done - sounds like a security nightmare, esp at the moment, and my friend had to be vetted by the 'authorities' (who??) before she went. But seems to be having a lovely time. Personally I would prefer Edinburgh though - lucky you Linda!
Thin - you often talk about your jobs - what is it you do? I am really curious!
J-ann - sorry about your gain - I had one this week too. It could be the little extras creeping in - also did you weigh at a different time last week? that (so the rumour goes) affects it. Chicken skin - how I love it! How many points does, say, a two inch square of it have? Maybe it varies according to whether you cook the chicken with some fat on the skin?
Bunny - space clearing! Fantastic! I am interested in this url too. I am a bit of a clutter bug, but I live with someone who is not, so i am tempered a bit in my excesses!! When I moved from my last house I hired a skip - big yellow thing with a capacity of , I dunno, a small bedroom perhaps. I filled it in about 2 and a half hours, and that was just from my loft! And there is nothing more liberating than throwing away the stuff you have never really wanted, and then cleaning the space where it was!
melissa - sorry you are feeling a bit down - it is so easy to turn to food in those circumstances. I ate twice as much pasta last night than I had planned, just because I was feeling low. I wanted the comforing bulk and the slow release of all those carbos as sugar in to my system. I am not going to beat myself up about it, but it means that I am now craving to do the same thing today, and I dont have the points to! You are not alone with it. Hope life is looking brighter for you today.

And everyone else? Cindy? Brenda? Diane? Mand? Maggie? Hope you are all ok out there!
love
Lilac

Just popping in quick with the URL (which I swear is up there somewhere :?: even if I can't find it now myself)...

http://www.flylady.net

Baby steps to a clean home. :) When you're a clutterbug (like me) and a slob (like everyone else in my home), there's nothing like routine and reminders to help keep you on track. :D

Well, tonight I was reminded of why eating out works better for me than cookin' at home. ;) I've been cooking at home this week - and after three days - I've gone through all the recipes I know. :o Yikes! My husband is a meat-n-potatoes-n-cheese kinda guy, I'm a soup-n-bread gal. It doesn't work well together. About the only thing we agree on it TexMex or Mexican foods -- and none of those seem to be low fat and easy for a kitchenphobe like me to make. Any suggestions?

I'm planning stirfry and fajitas this weekend but after that, its back to restaurants unless I get some better menu ideas. LOL!

NO MORE POSTS!
 

Posting today from Edinburgh. My flight was delayed four times and we finally took off 9 hours after our original departure time. Thank goodness for the Internet. I was able to keep posted on the changes from home. Even so had a 4 hour wait and being awake all night at a basically shut down airport is not my idea of a good time. However, so far #1 daughter and I are enjoying our visit with #2 daughter and her hubby. Yesterday we walked around Prince st and looked into some of the shops. Lots of crowds on the sidewalks though, possibly because it was Saturday. We drove the Royal Mile between Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace and decided we will explore this at our leisure when daughter & her hubby are at work. We walked through the Royal Botanical Gardens and it was lovely. Today I believe we're going to see a castle that is open for viewing by the public.
So far my feet and knees are holding out ok but my hips hurt after a while. Hoping the walking is wearing off whatever extra points I'm eating, although I'm journalling everything I eat and so far have stayed within my range.
I weighed in the day before leaving but in the afternoon instead of my usual morning WI. As you may have guessed, I'd gained back the 1.4 lb I had lost the previous week. Darn!
Talk to you soon.