Ann I'm a great one to talk, but are you getting 5 fruit& veggie or more than 5. When we get close to goal every calorie counts. Also do you get in the 3 milks every day. The other thing to do is ride one more mile( I know that is asking a lot) or take an extra walk at least 3 times a week. These are the things that seemed to help my members be successful. Also shake up your eating. Try a new recipe or reverse you meals more for breakfast and lunch and very light but filling supper. When you asked that question my training kicked in and the leader in me came out. Hope some of this helps.
Are we still on for Tuesday lunch??
Karen

Karen: thanks for the advice. i will try to put it into practice. glad your training kicked in. And yes we are still on for lunch.

Wow it is good to hear from Slavika that all is going well. I hope that continues.

My friends son should be coming home this weekend. I heard that he was resting at the hotel. He is a smoker and from a big family history of heart disease. His dad has had 9 heart attacks, something like 5 angiograms, a stendt and with one of the attacks he got guillian barre disease. So with that kind of history you would think that the kids wouldn't smoke-all 4 boys do. I know that is not the total cause but it would sure help. This kid needs to slow down-he has the big house, cars etc. Some things are more important like your family. His job keeps him out at night[mortgage broker].

Glenda that is so sad about the young man with Parkinsons. Wish they would discover a cure for all diseases.

Karen, bugs-yuck! We have a killer spider or two in the house every once in a while. Harmless but huge.

Got to go move my car.

It has been so hot here it like hits you in the face when you walk out the door. Unfortunately the lbs do not melt off like I want. Cafeteria work starts tomorrow-getting ready for the first day Weds. Seems like it way too early for school to start.

I forgot to tell you what kind of bugs the bug man sprays for. NASTY, NASTY COCKROACH'S AND ANTS you name they live in Florida. Also some others I don't even know the names of and don't care too just want them dead!!!! The spray takes care of them.

Karen

G'day all,

A busy weekend is over...we had a lovely time with the visit of our daughter. We looked after Matilda, thank goodness dd was here, I have been so busy with my work, ds and his wife have put in an offer on a house not far from where we live and dh has gone back to Sydney this morning and we may well 'retire' by the end of this year rather then next year.
I have been offered a permanent admin job for one of the local cricket clubs, $7000 per year, and it will entail about 3 to 4 hours work per week.
With all the work I am getting it is getting a little beyond me so I will welcome the help dh can provide.
We will see what our finance bloke will say about retiring by the end of this year.

Sorry to hear Ann you were 'up' this week....it is all very frustrating.

Great to hear all is going well with Slavika and her dh.

Unbelievable Peggy that those children of your friend all smoke, makes you wonder what is needed to jolt them into reality.

Karen I am not too keen on creepy crawlies, though can cope with most other then mosquitos. :mad:

I have to fly, hi to everyone I have not mentioned......

See you tomorrow,

Cheers
Maria

Good Morning!

The party's over! We had a great time yesterday with almost the whole family. Everyone did their part and a SIL cooked the steak tips so I didn't even have to do that. The Ceasar Salad that DD#1 brought was just soooo good I had 2 helpings. She had Anchovies on a separate plate for those that wanted them.....me! Cam-almost 12-made chocolate dipped strawberries and they were good too! DD#3 had made a great potato salad and DD #2 brought the tomato/mozzarella/basil dish that she makes.....all was eaten or packed up to take home. Which means that I don't have too many tempting foods around. It was very warm and we were supposed to get heavy thunder storms but I put the AC on and the storms never came so the kids could play outside dispite the heat. My baby DD#3's kids have sprouted so since the last time I saw them. Her oldest (11) has been predicted to be over 6'2" which is what his father is. The next (8.5) has the longest legs on any kid I've met....looks like he will be as tall as his father if not taller. Then there is the 5 yr. old girl.....she is so petite both in height and weight that I predict she will only be 5' tall at most. My oldest (her aunt) is only 5' so it runs in the family.

Slavika: Hope all is going well with DH's Stem Cell Transplant. It must feel great to know that you are at the stage you both have worked so hard to get to.

Maggie: That is a nice offer for a job...maybe if you took it and DH were to retire you could salt away the salary for your US TOUR, Maddie must be getting into the smiles and gurgle stage and that is so much fun.

Karen: BUGS are definitly not nice. We have ants some times in the spring but are able to handle them without professional spraying. Mosquitoes are the only thing that really 'bug' me in the summer.

Peggy: That is too bad about that young man. Young people need to learn that there is more to live than possessions.....family is more important.

Ann: I am not at your stage in my weight loss but I do understand that those last few #'s are the hardest. Slow and steady does win the race.

Trudy: Another Clark's fan. They are the greatest and this year I will look for a Clark's shoe that I can wear in the winter. So far, I have only had Sandals.

Glenda: Hope all is well with you.

Gloria

All, this is the first week of school for our university. This morning was a total nightmare. I got to work 40 minutes late because I was driving around looking for a parking place. At $2.50/gallon that mean probably that I am working today for free. And there was a driving rain. Got to park one mile away so just all in all, had a wonderful morning, walking in the rain. Tomorrow I will be here at 6:45 when Leon goes to work. Never again will I drive and drive and drive. Wish I could have just taken off.

Gloria, it sounds like your visit with your kids over the weekend just went wonderfully. It is so nice when all the cousins can come together and bond. This is what life is all about.

Peggy, I hope the young man who had the heart attack learns about family. I just have such a hard time with people who have such obvious family histories of heart problems who even start to smoke. I used to smoke, but no one in my family had problems until they died of old age. It is such a nasty habit for everyone. My office-mate's husband is going through so much right now because of lung cancer. I am so sorry I ever did that disgusting habit.

Karen, in Oklahoma we have every bug that ever crawled. My DH spent part of the weekend putting flea and tick killer on our yard. We also have snakes. I personally have never been too close to a snake, but my kids have told me stories of finding copperhead nests.

I feel that my weight is so out of control. I have two more weekends before I can get serious and then I will. My blood pressure now is so normal. Have had some problems getting a medicine that doesn't make me sick. And last week (I don't think I told you all) had that twice yearly cancer test. It came back good. With all the sadness in our office, I know how blessed I am.

Maria, I opt for retiring as soon as possible. Sounds like you could bring in a little money for little time spent and that is a great deal.

Hope you are all doing fine. I am almost over my horrendous morning drive and walk. This is almost a classic--rainy, dreary Monday, first day of classes, no parking.
Glenda

Peggy: Oh My that is alot of Heart Attacks.

Karen: Bugs EEEK! Hate them. We have our house sprayed all the time to. Keeps them away.

Ann: Sorry you were up this week. It does get harder the closer you get. Karen had great advise!

Gloria: Sounds like a great Party. Fun must of be had by all!

Glenda: The gas Prices scare me. Its getting crazy. Saw a sign for Diesl at 3$ a gallon. Thought it was suppose to be the cheapest to buy. But not anymore.

Spent all weekend looking for shoes. Tried on lots of Clarks. But they dont like my feet. None of them felt comfortable. Ended up with some Teva Sandals and Ecco shoes. Love them both. Very Comfortable!

Hope all is going well with Slavika and DH.
Hi to everyone else!

G'day all,

I am here quickly reading the posts and a busy day ahead but I HAD to just say in regards to petrol prices that America is sooooooo cheap compared to our petrol prices and European petrol prices.

We buy our petrol by the litre and are paying for diesel $1.30 per litre which equates to $4.92 a gallon (3.79 litres = 1 gallon) For the Mercedes we have to use the premium petrol which has been as high as $1.44 per litre ($5.45 per gallon)
I hope that will make you all feel a bit better about the prices you are paying!!

Glenda yes we are now moving towards retiring earlier and at this stage it is December 31, THIS year.
That is what I love about living where I live, I can walk to just about all the places I need to go to, I have the bus go past my door and a train service about 7 minutes walk away. I got used to catching public transport in Sydney and have started using it here on the few occassions when I cannot walk, so much less stressful and cheaper.

Lily some good shoe choices, both those brands of shoes are very expensive here but I figure I have comfortable shoes for a long time and isn't that just worth so much.

Gloria sounds you have had a very enjoyable time with your extended family. My dh never sees anyone of his extended family, he would not even know where they live :?: I have many aunts, uncles and cousins in Holland and I am still in touch with a number of them, I must say the sort of day you described would just be lovely.

Little Matilda is gorgeous and I have been looking after her quite a lot but ds and d-i-l now do have the message that I do NOT want do this on a permanent basis.
I am glad I have made this stand, ds and his wife have put in an offer on a house about 10 minutes walk from where we live. I love the thought they will be so close but do not want to be used as a permanent, convenient baby sitter.

I must fly...been here longer than I intended...hope everyone is well and happy, particularly Slavika hope it is all continuing the way it should and you will soon be making your plans for Maui.

Cheers
Maria

Maria: :o :fr: And here I am Complaining about 3$ :yikes:

Yes shoes were expensive. But I feel Im worth it in the long run. Getting old seems to cost more :lol:

Oh, Lily, that is priceless! Yes, getting old definitely cost more. I remember when cheap shoes were fine, when doctors and medical "stuff" was almost non-existent in our budget, when glasses had no bifocals, I cleaned my face with anything, moisturized with anything handy. Now....whoa! All that has changed!

Maria, thanks for the attitude adjustment on gas prices!
Glenda

Happy Anniversary Slavika
 

Trudy thanks so much for the up date on Slavika and her DH. So glad everything is going well. Prayers are still going to them. I don't blame him for wanting to go home . Hospitals stays stink!
Trudy it always takes me for ever to get to be. By the time I get there I'm awake again.

I agree as we get older everything seems to cost more. As Glenda said. Getting older ain't for wimps!

My DH colonoscopy was good news. He can wait another 5 years for another. They are a pain. But necessary. The prep is worse than the test.

We just had a real rain storm. It crashed and boomed and rain to beat the band. But it did cool off some.

Had lunch today with Ann and her hubby. They are really nice people. We had a good time. Went to one of the buffet places in town. I think I was pretty good only had one small slice of apple pie and just a little ice cream. Both DH and I only had toast for breakfast because we know that buffet place has really good food. Down home cooking. Hope we get to do it again soon.

Gotta go got clothes in the dryer and they need to come out.

Karen

hello
 

hi there how do i attach my signature to a message please?

Karen how cool to have lunch with Ann and her dh. I bet you all had a fun time.

Maria I guess I won't complain about the cost of gas here. My gripe is that they raise the price on the stuff they already have paid a lower price for. It will be nice to have Matty close by so you can see her when you want.

Glenda what a mess of traffic you were in plus being in the rain. They should give you reserved parking place. I hate to go near UC when classes start.

Trudy thanks for giving us the news about Slavika and her dh. I am happy that things are going as they are supposed to. I can only imagine how tired she must be. Give her a hug from me. I have a little pillow I can't sleep without.

Lily that is funny about getting older. I have to agree.

Gloria your food sounds so good. Caesar salad is one of my favorites.

It has cooled off a little here temperature wise but the big news here is the firing of UC's basketball coach. That has a lot of people hot and bothered. Today was the first day of school and I cooked. Glad that is over. Now I know how to cook hot dogs. I almost have them convinced that I don't know how to cook. Since my dh retired he does most of it but for those other 35 yrs I did. I am just not a great quantity cook and there are about 1100 kids in school.

Going to go out and enjoy the nice weather.