Well, I was in such a good mood, and now I'm just about in tears Lost internet service early this morning, and didn't know what you all were up to, and just now, lost a huge, 98% completed post. Call me frustrated!! Needless to say, hugs to you all, and maybe I will try again later if I don't bash this stupid computer first....

__________________
BC
LC Since 1998
Highest Weight 172
Current 104-108

Awwwwww, Bren! Come back.....come on back!
love ya,
Peg

__________________
"Live the questions and some day you will live along into the answers."
Rainer Marie Rilke

Atkins since 2003
5'8" 206.4/197/175
65 years young

Argh! Tomorrow, kids!

__________________
BC
LC Since 1998
Highest Weight 172
Current 104-108

Good morning!

It's a wonderful Saturday and I have a busy day planned. Have to find those pecans and make that cake for tonight. Also have to run to the library. Brenda, that book "Cross Bones" is waiting for me. Also have to pick up my ring at the jeweler and run by Cingular to switch my phone over to my son's Family Plan. AND, get ready for Henry's party tonight! This should be fun, Barb. Can't wait to finally meet you!

Rachel: WELCOME HOME!! Both in GA and here, too! We sure did miss you. It sounds like you had a wonderful trip. I do know what you mean about "switching gears." When I am in Chicago there is so much to do and so many people to see, that any semblance to my "normal" life goes out the window. There just isn't any time to spend a hour or so in front of a computer.

I ditto everyone's request for an explanation of what you and your husband "do." It must be fascinating/rewarding/challenging!

You and Peg have become a mutual admiration society. I have a hunch if we all ever got together, we would all feel that way about everyone here!

Brenda, ACK! So sorry you were attacked my the technology monster yesterday. It is so frustrating. Have a nice cup of latte and try to relax a little, my friend.

Where's Shelley? Hope everything's OK in Ooooklahoma.

Peg, it's getting to be crunch time. Take several deep breaths. You are making good progress. Does it matter if you leave a day or two later????

Thank you for your explanation about MA/CA/MA/CA. It makes sense now. Actually, when I mentioned your plans to my Bob, he said it sounded like you were investigating whether or not you would want to retire in CA. Checking the scene out. But now I do remember your DH getting that interim job, and the trip to Peru. Oh Peg, selling while he's gone may be a hassle and then again, maybe not. The whole thing just may be easier if he's not there. But if you have a question, will he be in phone range? Questions like "We have a bid for a gazillion dollars for the condo. Should I accept it?"

Ooohh. Belly rubs for Deuts! Now that sounds like he is accepting his new home and owner. I remember when I was getting two cats together. Goober was my old Siamese, who grew up with my dog Roscoe. Roscoe died and we adopted a stray Scottish Fold. I did the separate room thingy, then put them both on leashes for the intro. Know what? They both could care less. While not close buddies, they got along fine. And they were both males.

Barb, Kudos to your husband! I imagine it will be very difficult for him. But with your loving support, I pray he will be able to have the strength to succeed. Although it is always better to live without meds if possible, I wonder if something like Wellbutrin would help in an alcoholic situation, like it does for smoking. Just a thought.

Standing in front of a mirror naked and liking yourself? GOOD FOR YOU!! I am not there yet, but I think it's an idea that I should explore. Instead of avoiding the mirror, if I force myself to LOOK, it may be the impetus I need to really get back to basics and start exercising. I did well there for a while then things went kaput.

And yes, that was a shower ROOM. I dunno. The vanity space for him & her was sorta small. I would have opted for less shower and more vanity space!

Donna, oh, your poor DIL. I am so sorry she will have to have another operation. I would imagine being heavier would affect her scars. I pray someday she will "see the light" and realize that losing weight will help her health and her quality of life. But starting a new way of eating does require some energy and forethought. Perhaps in her state, she just doesn't have the energy to do it. It seems like your son has taken over a lot of her responsibilties and he needs to be the one to get the ball rolling. Perhaps the low GI diet would make more sense to him? Has he read any books on a lower carb type of diet? Perhaps if he reads about it instead of hearing about it from his Mom, he may see the light, too!

What did you buy??!! Or is the shopping spree today?

Ilse, Shelley, Terry: Hope you are having a wonderful Saturday. And Ilse, if I were in Chicago, I'd request pizza, too!

Wow. 6:30 already. I spent some time on the net looking for drapes to use as a shower curtain. Bob and I bought the stuff for my "tub closet" yesterday and he promised to get it up today. I am not holding my breath on this. Meanwhile, to cover up the "closet" I want to hang a "curtain" and I want it 96" long or thereabouts. Floor to ceiling. It's got to be cotton or poly and I want a floral print with some sage green in it. And I want it a little dressier than the usual shower curtain. Maybe tomorrow I'll run over to Penney's and check out their drapes. Pinch pleated so I can hook the pleats onto the rings. Not asking for much, LOL!

Have a great Saturday! And Barb, see you tonight!

__________________
Alida
5'1" ~ 59 years old
Highest weight: 165
Atkins 7/10/2004
160/126/125
RE-DO, January 2008:
167/162/135

Oh Brenda! I just hate when that happens - it can just ruin your day... I'm so sorry! I hope you get up in sunshine and will drop us a post!

Barb - I love so much that you admire yourself! This is so important and so very few people - ESPECIALLY women - can and do, accept that it is so ok to like what you are. It has taken me years and I still have more moments than not when I doubt everything I am. I take compliments poorly and find I distrust loved ones (to a tiny extent, of course) when they say something flattering about something I do or have done or even look. Like, well since she's my mom (sister, husband, etc.) she's supposed to say that, etc... I suppose we are taught to be modest because, let's face it, those few people in our lives (an old boss comes to mind) who are not modest or are very conceited/arrogant/bores and have no reason to be - are horrible to be around! And no one wants to dare be like them! Isn't that scr*wed up!?!? In any case I admire you and (sometimes) me, too!

Awesome news on DH!! my guess is that he?ll feel sort of crappy for some days until the body is weaned ? but them he?ll start waking up feeling better and better. Even for someone who isn?t a ?fall down drunk?, eliminating that ?fuel? will take a little bit of time, I suppose. When (my) DH realized that even one glass of wine at night was interacting negatively with the Cox-2 inhibitors (he has degenerative disc disease) ? he stopped even the one glass and said the change was VERY noticeable.

Donna, Oh I feel so terrible for your DIL! I hope that things get better for them all... <<hugs>> Ugh and the sheetrock dust is really terrible. And if I recall, the better part of the area your are dealing with is very open to other parts of the house, right? I found when I was doing my basement a few years ago, that what worked best was a rented shop-vac which I just abused - walls and all! After all the dust was finished - I did the last vac and then did a very thorough cleaning - a little spic-n-span in some warm water and forbade ANYONE to trespass for hours afterward. It is just a mess, as you know. My thoughts are with you!

And I know that even though Barb says it?s not good to weigh every day ? I admit to being addicted ? and finding that it?s one of the ways I keep myself ?on track?.

Peg... soooooo glad to hear about Deuts, it sounds like this is just a very good person for this transition - TTL she was available and willing! I will drop another post with "what I/we do". I'm hesitant to largely because I can't bear people for whom, "It's all about me". People on internet bulletin boards who talk only about themselves and their lives and don't acknowledge or have room to genuinely care about their colleagues - well, I would be ashamed to be one of those.

Alida, the ?Tuscan? job was a walk-in bathroom? It?s just stunning. I?m not kidding when I say that when DH and I get our dream house in Western, MA, I?m hiring you to do all the glasswork ? I?ll cover the airfare, lodging, and some great meals and adventure? ?course this is all still a big dream ? but every time I see one of your pieces I think, oh, would that be lovely in bathroom X, or entry Y in the dream house?. <<sigh>>

I hope you and Barb have a great time at Henry?s ? can?t wait to hear the tales?

Shelley, hope you are having a good weekend! I didn?t get on the treadmill today and probably won?t tomorrow ? but I am thinking that Monday would be a good day to ?start? again ? by then my jetlag will be waning and I will getting irritated enough about the weight to put the sneaks on and get moving. The good news is that I have two new books on tape ? good mysteries (ok, they are called, ?legal thrillers? ? they are total ?beach novels? i.e., no real brain work required to get through them ? just pure entertainment!) by Lisa Scottoline ? a Philly girl with a great sense of humor. I?ve been told to read them in order so I?m up to the 3rd of 12 books? She has a great website ? and one of her pages is ?All About Italians? on which she also honors her mom ? kind of neat! http://scottoline.com/Site/italians/

Ok, that was all sort of off message, wasn?t it?

Well, I?m off ? Halloween party tonight, big brunch tomorrow ? a busy weekend because I?ve been gone and friends want a piece of me ? so there?s the weekend! I hope you all have a lovely weekend! And? uh? BOO!

__________________
Hugs, Rachel



Quien canta, sus males espanta... ("She who sings frightens away her ills") Miguel de Cervantes

LoL! Alida, we posted concurrently! Sounds like you have a fine Saturday planned! SO nice to hear from you - and I'm sending hugs to you and Barb - can't wait to hear how it goes!

__________________
Hugs, Rachel



Quien canta, sus males espanta... ("She who sings frightens away her ills") Miguel de Cervantes

I slept in this morning--until 6:45. Guess I needed it! Today's a day I treat myself to a leisurely breakfast, and workout later. The food and caffeine really help in the morning energy department. After that, like Alida, I'll hit the grocery store for ingredients.

Bren, hope you've recovered from your onscreen loss. I HATE when that happens. I always tell myself I ought to write a long post in a document, and paste it in. But I never do.

Rachel, I give you permission to receive the compliments you deserve--especially from yourself. :

Shelley, it always seems to me like you manage your life extremely well, even with the burdens of worry and responsibility. I see your posts over on the exercise forum, and I can't help noting that, IMHO, a daily exercise habit is the best thing for body and soul. Among other things, it's "ME" time, a space few women manage to carve out for themselves for any reason.

Last night, I made a casserole of Fauxpotatoes. Had some of it for breakfast! Doesn't take long to put this together, and I think it's delicious. DH and I went to the university awards dinner. They served a pureed yam soup--very tasty--and a main course of chicken breast AND salmon fillet. DH wasn't feeling too hot, so we skipped out before the dessert and the speeches. I loved leaving--I felt so free. Just because somebody bought you a ticket, doesn't mean you have to stay for the show. What a concept!
And I didn't have to make a decision about that dessert.

Rachel, you're right about DH feeling crappy. But he'll pull through. He has been on a mild anti-depressant for years. I think he's nervously wired--his mother certainly was--and simple everyday stress affects him physically more than other people. Without the alcohol buffer, he may need some additional help. I'll suggest that he talk it over with his doctor pretty soon.

Time to get on with things. Back later. Happy weekend everyone.

__________________
Barb L.
Atkins since Jan 2003
Maintenance as of 4/05


My Fitday Journal

Hey everyone!
Sorry for being MIA for a few days...very intense at work and by the time I got home, I was pretty frazzled in both body and brain! Taking a quick break here from doing some house cleaning. So far, I've gotten the bathrooms cleaned, a load of laundry done, dusted, and sorted some out of date catalogues. After my GT break, I'll vacuum, get the cauli flower cut and cooked for mashed fauxtatoes, and hop in the shower 'cause I worked out this morning and sweated *the big one* TMI!

Lots of converstation to catch up on...I'll give it a try...

Alida...absolutely gorgeous etching! How long did it take...all day, didn't you say? I can imagine. I finally remembered to ask DH about the drive to KC, and it takes him about 6 hours in his truck, so traveling via private car at a better speed would even cut it down more...so.....c'mon *down* to OKC

Donna, sending get well wishes and good vibes for your DIL. Perhaps you could use the approach with your son that a high protein and vitamin rich diet(such as low carb) is very conducive to HEALING. Surgical patients should always eat sufficient protein and especially vitamin C when trying to recover from surgery. And also avoid *empty* calories such as high carb junk food! Now that's food for thought, IMO!

Barb, Great news regarding your DH. I wish him (and you) much success and hope his new road will be smooth and without traps and pitfalls. It is a difficult habit to give up, I'm told; DH's dad(poppa) struggled many years with alcohol as well. He just gave it up one day, probably about 15 years ago; now he will drink an occasional ale/beer, but seems to be able to pass it up for the most part.

Rachel, WELCOME HOME!!! You were missed! The pic of you and Peg was fantastic!!!
I know you guys had a blast. I can't wait for the opportunity to meet up with any of you guys...how fun would that be? Thanks for the kind words regarding the exercise. I can't imagine I'm anyone's hero...but *tanks awot* I did work out today, but was kind of getting irritated with some guys behind me on the TM. They were COUGHING all over the place...aarrgghh!!! I would love to post an infection contol poster at the gym...you know...*If you are sick...STAY HOME* type message. <sigh> Now that was off message, eh?

Peg, so good to hear Deuts seems to be thriving with the new *mom*. That has to ease you mind about him for sure. WOW...you will be *California bound* in no time!
Do keep a road journal; then if you can't post everyday, when you can find a hotspot to post, just paste it in and that way we can *travel* with ya! Did that make sense?
Anyhoo....we want to hear from you everytime you can manage it, OK?

Teel, how are you doing? I think you've been MIA for a few days? Hope you are good. OH...I think I remember you are gone for the weekend???...yeah, I got CRS big time too!!!! Yes, I like to think about the FU in furkid heaven napping on a big, plush red velvet pillow with tiny little mice servants to bring her a morsel of FU food when she rings the little bell...LOL. Well, if it makes ya feel better, why not? <wink>

Bren, girl, what up??? Dad and Majorie at your house yet, or are they on the road again? At least he's getting in his traveling before the snow and ice hits, eh?
We are having glorious weather, and finally the trees are beginning to change color here. Very pretty burgandies, golds and oranges...they are all aglow! May go take some digi pics tomorrow. I also need to get a gift card in the mail to my DD...she will be 29 on Nov 2nd....Yikes!!! Me thinks that makes me feel old!!!

Judy, any news on the JP front? Did you meet with the JP in the other county yet?
Tell us everything....we want details! How long do you get out for Thanksgiving break?
Bet you are more than ready for a little time off! Hang in there!

OH!!! Almost forgot....my coworker RN in pre-op finally got out of Mexico! She got home last night around midnite. The other gal still couldn't get a flight, but was more hopeful she could today. Sheeeesh.....it took them 7 days after Wilma hit to get the fahell out of there. I will be off from work perhaps most of next week, pending my surgery, so I won't get the scoop on her ordeal until later. I'm sure it was a most scarey and incredible journey. PTL she and her family are safe and home with us at last!

OK......the dryer bell is dinging and the vacuum is still right where I left it...so....off I go!

OH....pics of you, Alida and Barb from the get together, please???
Have fun!!!

later, ladies!

me

__________________
Shelley


Visit Kassie's Korner


"A goal without a plan is just a wish."
--Antoine de Saint Exupery

I’m SOONER born,
And SOONER bred,
And when I die,
I’ll be SOONER dead!
GO SOONERS!
I be ready for some football!

One little walker-runner Dude for every 10 miles!

Forgot to say...
just a reminder...set the clocks back an hour tonight!
An extra hour of sleep...woohoo! I love it!

S.

__________________
Shelley


Visit Kassie's Korner


"A goal without a plan is just a wish."
--Antoine de Saint Exupery

I’m SOONER born,
And SOONER bred,
And when I die,
I’ll be SOONER dead!
GO SOONERS!
I be ready for some football!

One little walker-runner Dude for every 10 miles!

Shelley: I know I won't be in here tomorrow posting so I just wanted to say good luck for your surgery on Monday. I know it's going to be okay....just thinkin' about you. Thank you for the advice on a proper woe after surgery. I'm going to pass that one along to my dil. So glad that your friend made it home okay from her holidays.

Alida: I think I managed to be the queen of shoppers today. My feet hurt as do my legs, back, and even my fingers. lol We started out buying the primer and two different colours of green paint for the living/dining room. I plan on doing a darker green feature wall with the other three walls lighter green. Don't ask my why I chose green, it's never been one of my favorite colours. Then we got all new light fixtures, two pole lamps for behind the recliners and a matching table lamp, and a new clock. Then we chose the ceramic tile for around the gas fireplace. Also ordered the new china cabinet in finished pine. We've going to get a smaller pine table and some type of server or buffet also in pine to go behind it. Priced out the rug for under the coffee table and looked for new pillows for the couch but decided to wait until the painting was done in case I'm going overboard with green. I plan on putting a few black accents in to break it up, so I got a few black picture frames to put up pictures of my furkids. Anyway, we did all of this in about 4 hours, which explains why I'm so sore.

Last night my inlaws took us out of chinese food for our belated anniversary gift. I had one drink before we left. I can't believe the amount of food that I put away...breaded shrimp and breaded chicken etc....all the wrong foods. Then, like a fool, I had two deserts...ice cream and a small piece of chocolate pie. You'd think I'm deliberately trying to sabbotage my woe. When we got home today I weighed myself and I was at an all time high of 156. Damn! This has got to stop. I ate so much of the wrong foods last night that I was actually feeling sick and had to go to bed when we got back to my inlaws. I felt so rotten!! I've got to back on my woe, or I'm just going to be miserable. I really think I need you guys to give me a good kick in the butt!

Rachel: I don't think that any one of us in here would think that you were being "one sided " if you told us more about what you do. We're interested in everything that every one of us do. How else are we going to understand the ups and downs that we go through everyday? Your life sounds so exciting...come on tell us so we can fantasize that maybe some day we can travel to all the places you get to go to!!

Barb: I hope you and Alida had a wonderful dinner. Sounds like so much fun. You two are so lucky to be able to meet in person. Tell us stories about what happened, please? Pictures?

Brenda: Where are you? Are you that mad at your computer that you won't even try to come and visit us? Sorry you're having a rough time with it. Please try again?

Terry: I think tomorrow is the day that you were coming back. It'll be good to hear from you again.

Judy, Peg, Ilse: What's happening with you guys this weekend.

Hi to anyone else I missed.

I'm making so many typing mistakes here cause I'm so tired so I think I'll just bid you all a goodnight and go to bed and get that extra hour sleep that Shelley promised me. Talk to you all soon.

__________________
Donna
238.5/173.4/150
I will see my goal weight again

Good morning!

And a very early morning it is, too. I forgot to set my clock back so I really got up at 3:30 instead of my usual 4:40. Ack. Didn't know it until I glanced at my computer clock. It said 4 am after I dickered around a little. By that time I already had one cup of coffee. I'll take a nap this afternoon. That's the ticket!

What a lovely time was had by all at Henry's Pot Luck! It was so good to finally meet Barb! I must say she is much prettier in person! And THIN! Barb, you really, really, really look fantastic. Rhonda (TexanFlowr) was also there and she was a knockout in a black dress. She's lost 61 pounds! And Henry was slim, tall and handsome. He has lost over 100 pounds! And then there was me, still struggling with my last 10 for the second or third time.

I can definitely recommend the dish he just bumped up in the cooking forum (LC Tomato Cream Sauce . . . with shrimp). It was delicious. I opted to try the Dreamfields linguini instead of the faux rice as a base for the shrimp and I was amazed at how good it was. And the 2 oz. portion size of linguini seemed like a lot of pasta to me. So I'll try buying at at Target with the $1.00 off coupons Henry printed out for us.

Barb also brought some of her cards for us to take home. Barb, I read them last night. Beautiful and inspirational. Hallmark has a "gem!"

I want to share one with you all . . .

Choose What You Want

Life is too short
not to take time to do
the things that will hold
the most meaning for you ...

So let yourself float
like a leaf on a stream,
relax with your memories,
and let yourself dream...

Throw out your list
that's impossibly long,
and dance a few steps to a favorite song!

Life is too short
and flies by if you let it ...
So choose what you want
every day,
and go get it.

I should carve the above words on my chest. Barb, thank you!

Donna, Whew! You get the Shopper's Award! All that in four hours???? It probably would have taken me and Shelley weeks to make that many decisions. I can just imagine how excited you are! Your new living room will be gorgeous!

Donna, you were not a fool! You just sorta kinda slipped a little. You just made a choice! You'll loose those few extra pounds in a flash with a little BTB. We all had wine, last night, too . . . and TWO desserts! I did not get on the scale this AM. I think Monday will be Induction for a week. I was doing fairly well just cutting back, but I think Barb has the right idea about Induction being the right way to get BTB, and in correct frame of mind.

Shelley, tomorrow is your surgery. Please know that you will be in my thoughts and prayers. I just know everything will be all right!

That etching took about 6 hours. It takes close to one hour to prep the glass and hang the template. Never met a truly square pane of glass yet, so templates always need a little adjustment.

Only five to six hours to OKC? That's the proverbial walk in the park compared to nine hours to Chicago! Hmm. I have never been to Ooooklahoma!

Rachel: LOL!

If you did that, I'd have to give you the jobs for free! It would be FUN, wouldn't it?

Actually, the friends we visited in the Keys last January do want me to install some film for them when we go there again next January. The way the hurricanes are now, it should be tinted security film!

And I agree with Shelley's sentiments. You are NOT bragging or talking overly much about yourself when you tell us about yourself and what you do. I look forward to it!

How did the Halloween party go? Do you have pictures?

Barb: Do you mind sharing your Fauxtato Casserole recipe?

I can't tell you how many times I have sat through ho hum dinner events, award presentations, etc. No dessert decisions are a definite plus!

Barb, I said it earlier and I will say it again . . . you do look great! It was wonderful meeting you.

Terry, Peg, Judy, Ilse, Brenda: What are you all doing today?

Bob and I did get my "tub closet" up yesterday with only minimal mishaps. Few small anchors to add on the standards, then I can move some clothes. Actually can't wait! The master closet will look so much better once I get my "work clothes" out of there. And Bob can stop complaining about my clothes creeping into his area. He says I'm encroaching on his territory. Sheesh.

Have a great Sunday, everyone!

__________________
Alida
5'1" ~ 59 years old
Highest weight: 165
Atkins 7/10/2004
160/126/125
RE-DO, January 2008:
167/162/135

Nobody tells my body clock about Daylight Savings time, so forget that extra hour of sleep for now! Oh well. I've got an "extra" hour to check out the conversation.

Dinner at Henry's was more than delightful! You'll have to wait for Alida to post the pix. We were five in all, including Rhonda (Texanflower). Dinner was: cheese and low-carb cracker canapes (Henry put little Halloween faces on them with olives and pimento); sausage stuffed mushrooms; spinach and bacon tossed salad; broccoli slaw (Rob's recipe); shrimp in a tomato bisque over (choice of) cauli rice or low-carb linguine; pecan cake (absolutely sublime--thanks, Alida!); and Henry's heavenly chocolate truffles. Plus coffee with whipped cream option.

I don't even want to think about the calorie count--but it WAS low-carb all the way.

We had a great time together--but as always, there's never enough time for enough conversation. We talked a lot about our respective adventures in the low-carb life. Henry is a great host, and an enthusiastic personality.

Alida--as beautiful as your pictures. I want to know who does your hair color. Worth the price. And thank you for the extreme treat of that cake. I came home stuffed (Dr. Atkins wouldn't approve) and very happy.

Anybody interested in getting re-motivated should pick up DANDR, for one thing, and also consider Laura Richard's The Secret to Low-Carb Success. That book has so many common-sense reminders. I'm going to continue induction through a second week. That should bring me to my preferred maintenance goal. I have a dr's appt on Thursday to review thyroid issues.

I washed three cars yesterday, so we're bound to have a gullywasher rainstorm today. Still, we're enjoying lovely autumn weather and color.

Back to chat later. When the rest of the world wakes up!

__________________
Barb L.
Atkins since Jan 2003
Maintenance as of 4/05


My Fitday Journal

I was going to post the pictures on my last post, but then my new computer had a glitch. Had to re-boot. At least I tried to re-boot, but it wouldn't let me! Had to physically turn it off. Hmm. Wonder what caused that?

Meanwhile, forgot to mention Barb drove her Miata with the NEW top to our Pot Luck. It's just like her . . . perky and cute!

BTW, what time IS IT? My computer says 6 am and Barb's post says 6:45, my microwave says 7 and my digital cable box says 6, LOL!

Here are the photos . . .

Attached Thumbnails

   

__________________
Alida
5'1" ~ 59 years old
Highest weight: 165
Atkins 7/10/2004
160/126/125
RE-DO, January 2008:
167/162/135

Barb could be the Poster Girl for Pink Sweaters! (GREAT boobs, Barb!) Hope you don't take offense at that comment . . . it is a compliment!

__________________
Alida
5'1" ~ 59 years old
Highest weight: 165
Atkins 7/10/2004
160/126/125
RE-DO, January 2008:
167/162/135

Alida, Barb, Henry & Jan, just wanted to stop by and thank you for the wonderful evening last night filled with great food, company and conversation. It was my pleasure to meet you all!

__________________
196/135-135