Starting post.....

Hey y'all.

I still lack my cat, but I think I have pretty much done all I could do... Now here comes the hard part, telling the original owner... Considering she cost like $1200 when he bought her. I'll give it until Monday and if I don't find her, I will tell him. I feel awful about it.

Laura: Good Morning!

My eating has been going very well... I plan my days worth of food and eat a sensible dinner. I am starting to exercise more consistently...

Take Care!

Ali

Good Morning Ladies!

Humber - Hope you enjoyed your birthday.

Kim - LOL about upgrading the 19" TV. We'll have 4 between us and he's still trying to convince me that we need a another one. Apparently, it is important to have a TV in the garage......

Angie - I know you are disappointed in your friend's behavior but we can't do anything to control how other people behave, only our own reactions to it. I say, make your plans, let her know what they are and that you hope she'll join you. If she does - great, if she doesn't, that will be her loss and you can still enjoy the evening out.

KT - Isn't funny how we are intelligent adults and yet certain purchases, decisions, events, etc. make us feel like legitimate adults - as though we are playing "dress-up" the rest of the time?

Ali - CANDY JAR.......the bane of my existence.

Amber - CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!

Kierie - Did you find a dress? Spill all girl! I'll try to remember to log-off IM when I'm not around........

Hi Jess, Cuba, Kirsty and all the lurkers out there!

This is a book! But, I am determined as usual, to talk about me too! First, got my schedule @ 2nd job through the end of this month. I'm scheduled in the neighborhood of 25 hrs each week for the next 2 weeks. The Asst. Mgr. said to me....."I know it's a few more hours than usual." Doh! It's more than double my normal hours and it's not as though I don't already work a full-time job! I decided to suck it up but made it clear that I won't work those kind of hours in Sept. This is my silver linings....I'm going to use the extra $$ for something fun - like work-out videos not something practical like savings.....

I need your help on something ladies....CB's bday is coming up. Our private (as opposed to the party downtown) celebration is an outdoor symphony concert. I'm going to pack the whole romantic picnic but need help on wine. I don't drink it and he rarely does because he doesn't want the bottle to go to waste. I'd like to get a bottle for our picnic but don't know what to get. I know he like Pinot Noir. Any suggestions for a reasonably price bottle of something like that?

Finally....I remember reading an article about what every woman should possess.....I thought it would be fun to build our own list rather than have a question today. Here's my start....

1) Enough education and savings to be able to walk away from a relationship if need be.
2) One good recipe to serve company.
3) A piece of furniture that isn't a hand-me-down.
4) Enough "crazy youth" stories to look back on your life fondly but not so many that you are caught in the past instead of looking forward to the next part of your life.
5) A tool kit.
6) A really, really, really, good black bra.

What do you think a woman should possess?

Alright, chatty kathy needs to work now.

Laura

Morining Laura and Ali! I called in "sick" yesterday so I wasn't around. I had a BAD day yesterday. I sat around and ate. I was feeling sorry for myself regarding job, lack of house etc. but I did kick myself in the butt and got up cleaned cooked which made me feel better. I also got the book East of Eden. I haven't had a chance to start it yet but probably tonight. Dh and I had a good house talk last night and I was able to help him write checks for bills, balance the money etc. I love when he includes me in his stresses b/c he tends to internalize. I just feel like when He shares with me it ALWAYS brings us closer together So I am in a mushy gushy mood today which is wonderful compared to the first 1/2 of yesterday

Laura~ I am excited for you about the furniture. CB had a great plan!

KT and HUMBER! Happy belated birthday!!

Kim~ 189!!! I think it is from all of the baby making practice

Angie~ I think everyone has one of those friends. I know I do. I would just not plan around her. Always have back up plans and accept her as she is. That is what I do with my friend like that b/c she is great just a bit flighty.

Ali~ Sorry about your lack of cat. Hopefully he will make a miraculous return! I am still crossing my fingers.

Amber! BABY!! YAY!!! Congratulations!

Kieri~ I may have missed it but did you set a date???

Well I think I said hey to everyone so I should work now. I am calling about another job today so wish me luck!

Laura~ We were posting at the same time ..... I like the list!

Every Woman Should Possess......

~A good pair of shoes that cost too much but transform you into a modern day Cinderella.

~Vacations..... big or small, whether that means hopping on a plane, a great book, chocolate, a bath WHATEVER gives her a calming effect.

~ A good man who loves her for her unconditionally not for what she does or what she looks like.

~Sisters, blood or not, every girl needs 'em.

~A favorite song. One that when it comes on you can't help but sing along WAY TOO Loudly Mine is brown-eyed girl!!

~Mushy girl movies, for when you need a good cry! (Steel Magnolias)

BTW Laura I love your list. You are so right. I love this! BBL

Good morning! I had a crappy night as the smoke and ash from teh Crowsnest Pass Fire (one of the big ones in Canada right now) has blown into Calgary and it's amazing! It is as if something huge is burning here in Calgary! Anyway, it makes my asthma horrible and my nose stuffy so I have been coughing and wheezing adn I had a real hard time sleeping. I also hurt my foot nad sharp pain is shooting up my foot every few seconds - it was a rough night!!

Ali - terrible about that girl in Ottawa! It is so scary - we can't even go for a bike alone! Did you know her or of her? I had an old co-worker die on Monday - he had a moterbike crash in the mountians - swerved to miss a deer adn died instantly. He was a well known Metis leader out here adn very well regarded - his story was on the news. Very sad! I am glad the french thing worked out at work! Almost 7 months of dating, eh! Time goes by fast. I am sorry about kitty! But you know, she may show up yet. I have a friend whose cat came back after 4 months. She had been bitten by another cat and had an absess soshe was hiding - she was afraid to come home b/c the cat that bit her lived next door. They actually found her under thier step hiding. Poor thing.

Amber - woo hoo!! You go girl! My sister is also pg and is due in early April. She is very excited and so are we - hopeing for a boy ths time, as my other sister has 2 girls!

Laura - every woman needs to possess confidence. That is the number one thing I think you can have. It improves every aspect of your life! Work, men, family, and personal (ie - personal goals, inlcuding weight loss)! That for me sums it up - sometimes my confidence waivers....and that is the one thing I dont' think we can live without. You may as well give up. Especially in a man's world (and let's not kid ourselves - to this day, female engineers make less than male!)

Anyway, off my soapbox!

Beck - I am glad your personal day paid off and that you are feeling really good about your relationship - there is somethign to be said for time off - even if we wallow a bit, it does heal! The Dutch have it right - only working 4/7 days per week and 6 weeks vacation! Hot damn!! I'd be way more productive!

Well, as you may notice, my sig has changed. I am using the WI that I did at home on my monster new expensive scale. It was an EKS (Or something - EKG, I don't know). I am officially WI at WW tomorrow though so I'll compare.

OK I must go to work - have lunch with my old boss today and giving a student an information interview at 3 (I am a sucker and can't say no!!)

Have a good day all - I hope it's POP for everyone!!

Thank goodness Friday is in sight!!! I have been very busy this week with many family issues happening. We found out my Dad isn't well and he MUST lose weight and get some exercise in. The diagnosis is actually scary. So he is motivated to do WW, but he is L-A-Z-Y. If someone makes him all his food, he will stick to program. So it all falls on my Mom...who isn't doing well herself. So that leaves me to do a menu for both of them one week at a time. This way they can get used to it and after about 4 weeks, I hope that they can make their own menus. My Sister is living at home with them too (which makes it even harder) and my 2-year old Niece...what a bundle of energy! She is tiring out my Parents big-time. Laslty, my Grandmother lives with my parents and has been bed-ridden since December. My poor Mother cleans her and changes her dieapers, laundry, etc. My Dad has to hand-feed her. It is just so much, and we are all just so sad. Sorry for the long, sad story, but it has been a rough couple of years for our family.

I have been walking this week (despite the heat and humidity here in NY) and have been on program for the most part. After gaining the 0.5 lbs last Saturday, I figured I needed to be more diligent in my journal and the next day I got my period...so that explains that! That is the only reason I am still motivated.

Tomorrow afternoon, my Hubby and I are heading down to D.C. for a long weekend with friends. I am going to weigh in tomorrow morning so that I don't mess up too much this weekend. I am so looking forward to it. I have to get away.

I will say hello to everyone when I catch up on all the posts. But I have to get back to work right now.

~Cuba.

What I feel I need -

1). Being able to land on my own two feet
2). My pride
3). Sense of independence
4). Some clothes that make you feel good
5). A good attitude
6). A bunch of chick flicks
7). A good bunch of friends, and family

Take Care!

Ali

I almost forgot - Humber and KT - Happy Belated Birthday!!! I hope you both had a wonderful time and that you had your cake and ate it too

Humber - ah, welcome to the auntie club!! I love being an auntie! Let us know what you get! I hope little eggbert is healthy and happy and mom is well too!

Belle - we were posting at the same time. Thanks for the birthday wishes. It was a very quiet birthday, but nice all the same.

There has been so much going on lately that my birthday just seemed like another day. But I guess that's to be expected the older I get.

I can't wait to be an aunt and we are starting to get very excited. We keep fighting (my mom and I) over whether it's a girl or a boy. I have thought all along that it was a girl, but mom thinks it's a boy. Needless to say, as long as it's healthy it doesn't matter too much.

I can't wait for my own kids...but one step at a time. Let me get the house and the wedding over with first and hopefully reach my Weight loss goals too, before I begin to think about kids.

Becky - 3 cheers for mental health days!!! Glad you took one.

Cuba - I know how hard it is to take care of sick/aging relatives. You'll be in my thoughts. I know your sister has a child to care for but any chance she'll help you with menus, etc.?

Belle - I'm moving to Holland..........................

Laura

Amber: I'M SO EXCITED FOR YOU!!! I guess doctors probably do tell you to eat. But I read about this woman recently who managed to stay the same because she exercised and toned while pregnant, and even though her tummy grew with the baby, she lost inches everywhere else. That sounds reasonable to me!

Cuba: Sending good thoughts for your family! How old is your sister? Perhaps you could tell her that if she doesn't help, she needs to get out? She should be cooking for your parents!!

Belle: Ugh, smoke. Last year, when I lived on the other side of the state, there was a huge tire fire a few miles from our house. (I might have talked about it then.) Smoke was coming into our house, along with the lovely smell of burning rubber. I have minor asthma, but it really got bad then. We had to turn our A/C on in March (it helped) and we bought an air purifier. During the first two days of the fire, we thought we might have to evacuate, which was a weird situation for me. I should have been out covering the fire, instead I found myself worrying about myself! I picked up coverage a few days later, and my doctor was NOT happy that I was spending every day near the fire site. I wore a face mask.

Things I'll do for my job ... but I won't jeopardize my health again. That was stupid.

Becky: Yay for you taking a mental health day. I want to do that every day. I don't like this job I have, but I've only been here 5 months. I've been thinking lately about what else I could do. I've been in journalism 10 years ... I'm not sure what else is out there right now. What I really want is to have a baby and be a stay-at-home mom, but I don't know if we can afford it. That's really been grating on me lately.

Well, I think I better get back to work. Hi to Ali, KT, Umber, Laura, Jess ... did I miss anyone?

Oh, something all girls need ... I like the suggestions already. I'd add a really good comfort food you can treat yourself with when you have a bad day. Mine is Pasta-Roni White Shells and Cheddar, mixed with hamburger meat. I know, sounds gross, but I love it. Oh, and PEDICURES!

Is it just me, or does the 3fatchicks.com logo at the top of page look bigger? It's kind of hard to hide when you first sign onto the site!

Kim - that's funny, I thought that just this morning when I logged on. My boss is away right now though.
Humber - It's funny about your initials
Belle - Stay inside!! And I hope your asthma feels better.
Cuba - Sounds like your family has a lot on their plates. Your great to do their menus for them!!
OK - I have to train for a bit, I'll try to post more later.
KT