Note From Brenda: I've merged Rachel's post into this thread so we can all see her pictures! See below

It's All Saints Day, my friends, so gather round! Since I seem to be the last to post on the October thread, I'll start a new one. Alida, are you there?

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


My Fitday Journal

Hi chickies!!

Shelley!! Good to hear back from you ? and even though the next surgery is so soon ? (and on DD?s b?day :( ) I?m so glad it went smoothly and they can repair the trauma to the area so quickly. It was so good to see your post! And how sweet of DH to get you the roses ? they can be such dolls sometimes, can?t they?

Peg, I hope so much that the FM does not pain you too much on this long car trip. DMiL can?t ride in cars at all ? taking her to the local supermarket is an ordeal. I?m so sorry for you! And even though you hurt, I want you to know that you haven?t lost your touch ? yes, I officially choked water through my nose reading your comment about the location of the, uh, you know. Best chuckle of my day

Barb, it?s so funny to me that you are working on Valentine?s Day in November!! I mean, I understand it of course (I have a couple of friends in magazine publishing in NYC and they are always 4-5 months ahead of the rest of us), but it?s still amusing. I?m very glad DH is getting better ? this is good to hear. 32D? That seems so normal - I look bizarre in the chest since I wear a 36B (and when I weighed my heaviest a 38B ? almost as impossible to find as those 32Ds, I assure you)? bizarre because I have such a wide chest related to the cup size ? I?ve always been a very difficult to fit gal. As a teen I was a 34A or smaller and this was before they had good lines of bras for the ?tiny cupped? amongst us. I wore tank t?s under my shirts for years ? yeah. How about that for not so feminine (ugh).

Alida?we had rain all weekend and on Halloween here, too? There is no Halloween here, of course, but among the international community there is always a lot going on ? especially surrounding the American-International School and the US Embassy. DH fixed my photos and I?ll post them with this post (she says with confidence).

Terry!! So good to see you back ? I love your little scary icons ? cool! It sounds like you had a dazzling weekend ? how wonderful ? please do tell us all about it!

Donna, I am so sorry about your DiL ? this is scary. I have no idea what the quality of health care is in Canada ? but you think that her case would draw some serious attention. What a drag! Don?t fret the pounds ? you are dealing with a lot of stress lately and you know that even if you are eating right and getting in some exercise ? the stress can help the body cling to every ounce ? I hear your frustrations though. <<hugs>>

Bren, the pretzel thing is a great idea (buying what won?t tempt you). Before leaving the US this last go-round, I went to Costco and bought a 10 pound bag (or something like that) of mixed goodies ? sweet-tarts, bottle caps, the sugary candies. I gave them to my friend to put out at the party and everyone (the Americans) was buzzing about how cool it was to find their childhood favorites in the big bowl by the door (so far from anywhere you could buy them). I am a complete and total chocolate fan and since way young, if it wasn?t covered in chocolate it went into the ?second? pile. I can totally pass on the sugary (uh, NO fat) candies but if it was a mini chocolate bar ? look out!

Ok, I?m off to the Opera House this afternoon for a tour by Nino Ananishvili ? once a primo ballerina for the Bolshoi (and Georgian). Should be very interesting? tomorrow we host the local Christmas chorale after dinner (DH is our ad hoc director), and Thursday evening I have 9 in for dinner ? which wouldn?t be a problem since I love to cook and host dinners and parties ? EXCEPT that our table is small (seats 6) and we only have place/table settings for 8 ? Guess which one of us will be eating off the plastic outdoor/pool plates!

I hope the pictures come in?

Attached Thumbnails

   

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Hugs, Rachel



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

Oh no! Barb, I just dropped a long post into the Oct thread - can you retrieve itand move it to this one? It had the pictures attached (sorry to be such a ditz - I KNOW it's November... d'oh!)

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Hugs, Rachel



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

EVERYONE...THE OCT THREAD IS LOCKED, BUT BE SURE TO VIEW RACHEL'S PICS!!!!

Bren...can you move Rachel's post over here to November? I think I forgot how...duh!

Hi guys,
Rachel, ghoul-ish pics...LOL. You had a great costume. My costume consisted of a big fat white dressing on my nose...which I later traded in for a beige band-aid

The pain pill worked very well and I slept until about 0300. I woke up for some reason, not in pain however, but never really got back to sleep, so I gave up and got up at 0600.

Peg, hope you are feeling much improved this AM. I too, will worry about you making a long road trip if you are in a fl*r*. Sending good vibes and prayers your way for a very rapid recovery.

Everyone else, I'll try and get back later today. DH is trying to fix me breakfast and I'm totally NOT used to anyone in my kitchen but me...LOL. So, I should probably go and give him a *hand* if you know what I mean.

Also may go to the gym for a light workout pending how I feel after breakfast.

(((hugs to all)))

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!

Yes, I am here, Barb! I did a little surfing first thing though . . . about 1 and a half hours worth. Where does that time go?

Happy All Saints Day! And here's to all the people in Heaven who should be saints, too!

Rachel: You look fantastic! Your costume and makeup are amazing. Did you make your costume? It looks so "professional." The party sounded like so much fun. I'll bet everyone was happy you made a US run for Costco candy!

You have a busy week for entertaining ahead. Hope all goes well! And the Opera House Tour sounds like a lot of fun. Is it one of the old ones? They are so fascinating and ornate. I've been in quite a few!

Re: Bras. I tried on a few yesterday. No luck. This has to be an all-day project. Rachel: I wore a 36B for years. Then I slowly started to gain weight and found I was slipping out of the cups! That's when I moved to a 38C. Just like Peg, now that I've lost some weight I was measured for a 34 or 36C. Cup size the same. It is odd because years ago when I was really slim (size 2-4) I wore a 32A and had a hard time filling the A cup. when I started LC, I thought for sure my cup size would dramatically decrease because it did before. I wonder if this is an AGE thing? And yes, Peg, mine are definitely SOUTH. Need hard core underwire.

Shelley: Oh I hope you were able to rest after your ordeal and your pain meds worked. What a great husband you have! White Roses are such a nice touch. Prayers back on track for Wednesday. I do have a question though . . . if the doc took a biopsy from another part and the path comes back as pre-cancerous, will you have to go in to have more taken out?? If that's the case, should you wait for the plastic surgery? I'll admit I know nothing about this. My fingers and toes are crossed for good luck!

Brenda: Oh, that's good news about your friend getting an appointment at Mayo Clinic. The have such a good reputation for getting to the bottom of a sickness/injury/disease. She'll have our prayers when the time comes!

Shaved raw beef? Dunno about that! I am wondering if it's meant to be eaten raw, like Steak Tartar? But my first guess would be cooked in a sauce, and slowly. Simmered in a broth or a barbecue sauce???

Sorry you had to spend investigative time on the internet. What type of SS info are you looking for? Additional assistance from SS?

Glad I made you laugh. That was just one of those odd thoughts I get from time to time. I am sure we all do! Somehow I just never thought about taller women/shorter men, LOL!

Terry: We are so looking forward to your pictures. I didn't realize it was a dance workshop. Probably a case of CRS. In fact, I am sure it is. I am so glad it was fun and exciting!

Barb: LOL about the Jag Party being cheesy! You would think with as much $$ as they get for one of those little numbers, it would be a lavish party!

KC lucked out on Halloween weather. I am so glad for the kids. We had 3 doorbell rings for a total of 5 kids. Glad I only bought one bag of candy. But one little girl was so cute. I guessed Ice Princess. I was wrong. She was a Snow Princess!

It does sound like your DH is on the right track with his "cure." I know he is getting a lot of support from you. I am hoping the journey will be a smooth one for him.

Donna: Your poor DIL. You're right about this dragging on too long. The poor thing just can't get her strength back. It is strange that the graft sites are healing but the burns scars are not. Of course, the burn scars are more tender and probably harder to heal in and of itself. But infections? Shelley, help us out here. I would think the infections have to be caused by an outside "source." But perhaps that's not the case. Has she thought of changing doctors???

Please do not worry about your weight right now. You have a lot of stress. Just do your normal "thing" and it will come off.

As for your watch, well, you could have it repaired. Not as much fun as buying a new one, though!

I bought a waterproof Seiko to wear during film installs (a lot of water spraying!) at Overstock.com. Got it for a great price. But it's one of those watches that has to MOVE to keep on ticking. PITA when I don't wear it for several days. I've had it for several years and just by accident learned how to change the day and date without scrolling through all the hours! Talk about duh.

Gosh. It's 7:30 CST already! Lots of little stuff to do and some business phone calls to make.

Everyone, please stop by the Cooking Forum for the recipes from our LC Pot Luck. Rob's Slaw, Henry's Tomato Cream Sauce, PB Truffles and LC Cracker recipes are there. They are all KEEPERS! And Barb, perhaps you should post the Stuffed Mushroom recipe? I apologize for not trying them, at least the stuffing. They looked wonderful. But I just have a "thing" against mushrooms! Maybe in a past life I choked on one and died? Who knows where it came from. But they looked so good . . . and a perfect hors d'oeuvres for company!

I'll be back later . . . since I am more or less a lady of leisure this week!

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

Whoops. I forgot to look at one page of notes . . .

Peg, I am so glad the Budget Meeting went without a hitch (or any arguments!)

I do have a question about Morphine. I have heard morphine is addictive, but what MAKES it addictive? The fact that you don't have the pain or does it do something else to your body or mind that makes taking it "necessary?"

LOL about your boobs. See above post!

Your thoughts on your trip sound positive and helpful. Thank goodness you will have lots of stops with friends so you can get out of the car. I would imagine even a Lexus could get old after a few days driving! But this trip will be so much fun . . . seeing places and friends . . . to relax . . . gee. Wish I were coming along!

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

Good morning!

How are you today? Life is ok. My cold is getting better. I have been making smoothies with Vitamin C powder added as well as ACV, an orange, and a couple of lemons. I did swim this morning. I wish they had opened the pool on time. Today, traffic was heavy and the the drivers seemed frantic to speed. I have continued to enjoy the autumn colors, but it's not as gorgeous as it was. However, there are still color differences to enjoy, just more subtle ones. More apricots and purples than oranges and reds.

We went to see "The Legend of Zorro" last night instead of staying home for the trick or treaters. It rained, so I don't know how many were out there. I will ask a neighbor when I get a chance.

Not much else new. I hope you have a great day!

__________________
Ilse

380 (Highest)/318(9-11-08)/230.2(current)/154
5'6"
"It's kind of fun to do the impossible"
Walt Disney

Hi Gang!

Where does the time go??? I've been on for a half hour reading and re-reading your posts from yesterday. I just love you all!

Shelley: So glad that you got some good relief. But sorry you woke up so early. I hope you don't have too much pain today. Okay. Now....remember that there is no such thing as TMI here. Explain what the plastic surgeon is going to do. I have a bit of a clue about "naso-labial" but only how to parse those words! What does it all mean? Will they put you to sleep? What will it look like? Will there be much of a recovery time from it? What exactly are they doing to you?

Alida: I'm sure that the more medically knowledgable here can tell you the correct terms for what happens with morphine. As I understand it, any of these pain meds are designed to block the natural ways that the body processes pain. They begin with the least impairing (body and brain) Aspirin, or Tylenol, and move up to much more effective, but much more impairing drugs like Morphine and Demerol and more, I'm sure that I don't know about. For those of us who have the gene that predisposes us toward addiction (this theory is still being debated), the sedative effect of any drug that impairs our functioning ALSO impairs our ability to feel pain both physically AND emotionally. It is that complete block of ALL pain that is addictive. This is the psychological explanation and not the physical one. I'll leave that to Brenda or Shelley. An addict might say to herself, "I've had a really stressful day, I NEED to block out the feelings that are caused by it." or what also happens is that our bodies get immune to the sedative effect and need more and more of the drug in order to get the pain block that is so soothing. It is a slippery slope for those of us with Fibromyalgia. I have had this disease for probably 30 years, but for only the last 10 with a diagnosis. There are some preventative things one can do. But, when a flare gets bad, there is nothing but rest and pain meds. It is VERY tempting to use these pain meds when emotional pain gets bad. But, you can see, that if the constant use of them means more and more meds, it becomes addictive. My Doctor is wonderful. She helps me stay in touch with how much I am taking. She also helps me understand the difference between being addicted and being dependent. End of lecture for today!

Rachel: Wow! I didn't even recognize you in your costume! I can't say that I would take that much time to dress up any more. There was a time, though, when I did. At two memorable Halloween parties I dressed as a bride and as a Nun. At each of them I was pregnant. I've always been irreverent. Still am.

Judy: Hope this week is going well for you. If I didn't, I echo what Rachel said about a messy environment not necessarily meaning working efficiently. I have every faith in you that you will be able to make of the job what you want it to be. Though, I hear your hesitation. I would hesitate too about jumping into a job that MADE me work harder. But, I have found that ministry often requires me to work many hours (certainly more hours than I am being paid for!) but because I love the work it is palatable. Follow your bliss and all that b*llsh*t.

Brenda: So, what's up for you today? I'm going to be working through a list that I have of things to do. Did you have any luck with the SS site? I applied for my SS all through the internet. It was the slickest thing you have ever seen! Even can have the payments direct deposited into my account. See yesterday's post, though, to see how difficult it was to actually "see" someone.

Donna: Wonder how your renovation is going? Are you getting tired of living in that mess? I would be going bonkers if I were you. Prayers ascending for your DIL. I suspect that, at some level, she is getting awfully tired of this physical stuff. How tragic for her that it is because of an accident.

Terry: Can't wait for those pics of the party Saturday night. Sounds as if it was really wonderful.

Well, I'm off to dress and get ready for the day. I've got a little list to keep working through.

I'm missing Deuteronomy more and more. Think I'll call his new owner today and see how he's doing. It's just so surreal to get up without him nagging me, go to bed without his big body on the bed, walk through the house without him trying to trip me (a Ragdoll trait to get attention). I could have sworn I heard him meowing last night. Wierd.

I'll be back later to lurk,

__________________
"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

Morning, Gang!

Just a quickie, because if I stay, I'll never get into the LR to do some yoga. I've also promised myself a weight workout this afternoon. "Promised" being a relative term....

I can't move just Rachel's post; I think I have to merge the threads and then delete the posts I don't want, but will check on that in a while. It's one of those brain teasers. See you all in a while!

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

I'm not finished reading yet, but here's a quickie for AlidaWhen I read something like this, I always have to say I really love the classic Bali Flowers bra. I'm currently a 36C, with age-related "shape issues" - a bit floppsy, too, to be candid. (ha! there's a good TMI candidate!). Believe me, after I hit 45, I started spend a fortune on the classiest, high-end foundation garments available. I was paranoid about "bounce" during dance performances, so I'd to jump up and down in the dressing room to see if a bra passed the "stability" test.

Anyhoo, the humble Flowers bra gives me an incredible profile, if I do say so myself.

It's not expensive - Sears and Macy's carry it. Now that I know my size, I usually order mine from www.HerRoom.com - Bali Flowers

This is one of the original Bali models, and it looks a bit dated by itself; but what it does for a girl's shape isn't old fashioned at all. I like them because they do the best job of dampening "bounce" of any bra I've ever worn - something that's quite important when I'm dancing a jig or even just walking up the street.

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~~~Teelbee
Back to GOAL!!!
start weight: 176/goal range: 137-134/now: 138
Reached goal in Aug. 2003 - 4rd year of maintenance.

Hit and Run............

What was the name of the company that you guys talked about earlier that has boots suitable for big calves? I've never had the problem, but DD would love to have some tall boots.

__________________
Judy
Goal = <135, Current status = RIGHT ON TARGET!
Never give up. Never never never never give up -- Winston Churchill

Judy, that web site was:

http://www.silhouettes.com/dept.asp?...ept%5Fid=10200

Shoe sizes start at 7. So if she wears 6.5, she's out of luck on this site. Lots of options and not too $$$.

Peg, thanks for Morphine 101! So I'd imagine it's the dulling of emotional pain and perhaps stress, on top of lessening physical pain, that can get addictive. I can understand that!

Oh, I would be missing my cat, too, if I were in your situation. Do call. I would imagine just talking with Deut's new "owner" and hearing how he's doing will make you feel a little better. Hmm. Maybe you DID hear him.

Terry, I will check out that bra. I went to that site before but was looking at panties that time around! (you know, NVPL . . .)

OK, what did the word "profile" link to? When I hit it, AOL said it couldn't find the site. I was hoping it was a dynamite picture of you with your BALI Profile!!

And yeah, bouncing IS annoying!

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

Oops...I'm not sure what happened??? I locked the *October Tracking*, but not November(or least that's what I thought).
Anyway....opening this one again. Hope I did this right.

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!

Just a fly by this morning, I'll try to get back later in the day. I was hoping that maybe you ladies had just a few more prayers in you that you could sent to my dil. She's back in the hospital with a staff infection. It looks like the graft that was just put on is not going to take. So, the specialist is going to redo the whole thing. The infection is working it's way across her stomach towards another burn scar that is also tight, so he's going to redo the whole stomach. I have no idea where he's going to get the graft from. So, she's going to be in a lot of pain and will be in hospital for awhile. The hard part is that she's in hospital 4 hours away from us in Vancouver. So hard for her, my ds and their kids. If you have a few prayers left,after sending some to Shelley of course, I'd really appreciate a few sent to Lissa. Thanks guys.

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

One of the really mind-blowing things about prayers, Donna, is that there are always enough! Not only that, but God always has time to listen to ALL of them. Continuing prayers ascending for Lissa, and for your family as all of you deal with this set back. Courage, sista.

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