[flaggies]

G'day all,

I am glad so far all of you agree with my action. I also 'know' what you are saying Glenda and I am sure your statement 'I would be dead now' is now exaggeration.
When I had breast cancer and after hospitalisation etc. etc. I was home again pottering about and I came across my scans. I just thought I will read them again and reconfirm how 'lucky' I was that it had not spread further. You can imagene my horror when I read the report that stated 'there is on scan evidence of bone metastasis'. I was just about beside myself, angry that I had not been told the truth etc.etc. DH calmed me down and we went immediately to my GP. She took one look and said it was a typo, it should have been 'there is no.........'
She is a bit similar to me and rang the imaging place and told them that she had a very upset patient due to them being so careless .........
It doesn't matter who I deal with, I ask for the name, reconfirm any arrangements and note down the details. I am also a 'great' letter writer, it is for me very satisfying to put everything down in writing and address it to the CEO of whatever the company is. My dh is staggered at times with the results I achieve.

On the way to work this morning an Indian film company was filming. I watched for a little while, unbelievable how many people are involved. There obviously was no talent scout about and I wasn't approached to do a cameo performance
It also occurred to me that I must ask work for a colourful ribbon to hang my work pass on. Especially since the Olympics, everyone runs around with ID passes around there neck with quite thick ribbons. Some ID's are almost like a placard! Is that just in Australia or over on your side of the world as well?

Tomorrow is Anzac Day when we have a day off and commemerate the fallen in all the wars that Australia took part in. We will probably go and see the march (we happen to be in Sydney last year as well) I always find it quite moving.

Saturday dh and I are doing our cooking course which should be a lot of fun.

I must be off, have a great day all
Cheers
Maria

[flaggies]

I am really hogging the board this morning but just had to post the following that was e-mailed to me this morning.
Below is a supposed actual letter sent to a Bank in the United States.
You may wish to do something similar.
The Bank Manager thought it amusing enough to have it published in the New York Times.
Dear Sir:
I am writing to thank you for bouncing my check with which I endeavoured to pay my plumber last month. By my calculations some three nanoseconds must have elapsed between his presenting the check and the arrival in my account of the funds needed to honor it. I refer, of course, to the automatic monthly deposit of my entire salary, an arrangement which, I admit, has only been in place for eight years. You are to be commended for seizing that brief window of opportunity, and also for debiting my account by $50 by way of penalty for the inconvenience I caused to your bank. My thankfulness springs from the manner in which this incident has caused me to rethink my errant financial ways. You have set me on the path of fiscal righteousness. No more will our relationship be blighted by these unpleasant incidents, for I am restructuring my affairs in 2002, taking as my model the procedures, attitudes and conduct of your very bank. I can think of no greater compliment and I know you will be excited and proud to hear it. To this end, please be advised of the following changes. I have noticed that whereas I personally attend to your telephone calls and letters, when I try to contact you, I am confronted by the impersonal,
ever-changing, pre-recorded, faceless entity which your bank has become. From now on I, like you, choose only to deal with a flesh-and-blood person. My mortgage and loan repayments will, therefore and hereafter, no longer be automatic, but will arrive at your bank, by check, addressed personally and confidentially to an employee at your branch whom you must nominate. You will be aware that it is an offence under the Postal Act for any other person to open such an envelope. Please find attached an Application Contact Status which I require your chosen employee to complete. I am sorry it runs to eight pages, but in order that I know as much about him or her as your bank knows about me, there is no alternative. Please note that all copies of his or her medical history must be countersigned by a Notary Public, and the mandatory details of his/her financial situation (income, debts, assets and liabilities)must be accompanied by documented proof. In due course I will issue your employee with a PIN number which he/she must quote in dealings with me. I regret that it cannot be shorter than 28 digits but, again, I have modelled it on the number of button presses required to access my account balance on your phone bank service. As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Let me level the playing field even further by introducing you to my new telephone system, which you will notice, is very much like yours. My Authorized Contact at your bank, the only person with whom I will have any dealings, may call me at any time and will be answered by an automated voice service:
Press buttons as follows:
1. To make an appointment to see me.
2. To query a missing payment.
3. To transfer the call to my living room in case I am there.
4. To transfer the call to my bedroom in case I am sleeping.
5. To transfer the call to my toilet in case I am attending to nature.
6. To transfer the call to my mobile phone if I am not at home.
7. To leave a message on my computer, a password to access my computer is required. Password will be communicated at a later date to the Authorized Contact.
8. To return to the main menu and to listen to options 1 through 7.
9. To make a general complaint or inquiry. The contact will then be put on hold, pending the attention of my automated answering service.

While this may on occasion involve a lengthy wait, uplifting music will play for the duration of the call. This month I've chosen a refrain from The Best of Woodie Guthrie: "Oh, the banks are made of marble, With a guard at every door, And the vaults are filled with silver, that the miners sweated for."
On a more serious note, we come to the matter of cost. As your bank has often pointed out, the ongoing drive for greater efficiency comes at a cost which you have always been quick to pass on to me. Let me repay your kindness by passing some costs back. First, there is a matter of advertising material you send me. This I will read for a fee of $20 per page. Inquiries from the Authorized Contact will be billed at $5 per minute of my time spent in response. Any debits to my account, as, for example, in the matter of the penalty for the dishonoured check, will be passed back to you. My new phone service runs at 75 cents a minute. You will be well advised to keep your inquiries brief and to the point. Regrettably, but again following your example, I must also levy an establishment fee to cover the setting up of this new arrangement.
May I wish you a happy, if ever-so-slightly less prosperous, New Year?
Your Humble Client,
(Name Withheld)


I hope you all got a giggle from this one, what a clever person to write such an excellent, well thought out letter.

Cheers
Maria

[painter5]

Loved it Maria. I will have to share that one. I hate all that press this button for this and that. It is so frustrating. I am glad you came through your procedure. I agree with everyone else that is was rude of the doctor to make you wait so long. I would have left too. If he was held up for something or other he could have left his staff know and they could have relayed this to you. Good for you for standing up for yourself. This is a crazy week. I will be back later and explain.

[LilyG]

Maria: I totally agree with you. That is terrible that the Dr made you wait so Long. I would of left to.

Ann: Soon as you said Lil Abner I knew what it was! SOunds like you are gonna have a fun party!

Glenda: You can come help me at work if you are bored!

Later!

[survivor]

Hey, where is everybody? Karen, Trudy, Peggy, Ash, Slavika? Where are you?
Glenda

[slavika]

Hi Everybody
Last week I started back to WW and I lost 2# of that holiday weight I put on, and this Tuesday I lost 2.4#. I was very pleased both times with the the losses I had. Now I KNOW this will not happen every week but it sure was nice. Why or why, does the weight come on so easily and it's so hard to get rid of it.
The last two meetings have been about "self-esteem" and to realize we are NOT what we weigh, but so much more. Lily, Karen is that what your meetings have been about?
Tea time on Tuesday was fun and the afternoon goes so quickly. We sure do talk a lot. LOL On Wednesday I was out with my friend for our weekly lunch/shopping day and that whole day went by so quickly. Today I went grocery shopping, and in a bit I will make my DH favorite muffins and a little "snack" that Dee brought a sample of on Tuesday for our tea. What she did was took one sheet of phyllo pastry and sprayed it with butter spray and sprinkled it with cinnamon/sugar. Then she rolled it up jelly roll fashion from the long side and cut it into 3 or 4 sections. (I forget what she said, but whatever you like would be fine). Bake it in a 400 or so degree oven until lightly browned. Cool a bit and then drizzle a tiny bit of almond icing over each section. It was great. Each SHEET of Phyllo is 73 calories so depending and how much cinnamon/sugar you use this would be a very low calorie treat and nice to have with tea or coffee.
Well I better get to it. Talk to you all later.

[flaggies]

G'day all,

Friday morning, on an overcast day here in Sydney. Yesterday I attended the Anzac March and got quite sunburnt. DH stayed home catching up on some work and at 1 we went out to lunch with some visitors (more business colleagues )
It was a very relaxing day.
The Anzac March went for over 4 hours which really was just a bit too long. I have attended now 2 years in a row, that'll probably be enough for me for a while. An American Navy ship was in port and their sailors also took part in the march. As always, the Anzac March is quite a moving experience.

Glenda Indeed, where is everyone??????

Slavika well done on the losses, you must be very pleased with yourself as you should be. Before you know it you'll be back at your pre-holiday weight.

I have actually got a bit of work to do, I might check in later. Tomorrow our cooking class on how to successfully barbeque fish, should be good.

Cheers
Maria

[LilyG]

Slavika: Good for you on the losses! You will be back in no time to your goal weight.
The meetings have been on self estemm here also. I dont get to hear them tho as Im working. I havent been to a regular meeting for 3 weeks now. ALAS.... I have to work this sat to so I will miss it again. Hopefully next week. Dee's Phyllo dessert sounds good!

Maria: 4 hours is a long time for a parade to last. Sounds like it was a good parade tho!

I think spring may be here to stay now. Its been so pretty and warm this week. Yeah! Time to head home. Have a great night all!

[Karen L]

I'm Here too.
Just so busy this past few weeks I've just taken time to read whats going on here.
Our meetings have been on Self-esteem also. I've spent a while working up each of the meetings and that has taken up a lot of my time.
Question for all of you: how do you like the idea of the same topic running for a few weeks (mini series) rather than a new one each week? This is a new idea for Weight Watchers and I just wonder how you all feel about it. I've been getting some good feed-back from my meetings. Let me know OK?
Got to go
Karen

[Lizziepie]

Just a quickie. The party is over, and I am 'pooped' My dh and I went in costume as mr. and mrs. Joe Bpfstik, the jinx from dogpatch with the black cloud over his head and rain drops falling down. We sure had a lot of funny costumes, and gave a prize to the best decorated table. The prize was 12 cans of food, relabeled with things like dried Possom, snake bits , etc, from the Swills Village Road Kill cannery. Lots of laughs. We had a lot of fun, and some great entertainment. A professional banjo player entertained for an hour and he was really good!!

I think the mini series is a good idea. But maybe not for more than 2 or 3 weeks. I suppose it would also depend upon the topic and how the group responds to it.

Karen : What is your answer to weighing or not weighing the skin on bananas and oranges? Some say you have to weigh it and others say just weigh the fruit.

Time to go to bed. Ann

[painter5]

I'm here but have just been busy. Somehow I became a platoon leader in Fat War I have been in over at ediet. That was a lot of computer work. One of my recruits is somewhere in Australia, Maria. I have a question for Trudy and Slavika. I think you are in the Whistler area aren't you? My son is thinking of going skiing and he wants to know if there is good skiing there now. He heard that Whistler is still skiing. I know nothing but said that I would ask. I am off to a nursery. Check in later, Peggy

[flaggies]

Onto #177

See ya there
Maria