Hi guys............quick fly by for me just to let you know I'm still around. This is the semester that I have fewer and better students........ but substantially more prep work. I guess it balances out.

Things at school have been HECTIC! We have had some real issues. Among them, our principal turned in his resignation at Monday night's board meeting. He is staying until the end of school, but will for the most part be a lame duck from here on in. He is really great. I hate that the situations that have been on his plate have made him decide that he will be happier elsewhere. It's always hard to make an administrative change. In general, as long as the new guy leaves me alone and let's me do my thing with out micromanaging my work, I'll be fine. If there's someone always up in my business, I'll retire. It really is a nice thing to be able to have that mind set.

This must be the weekend for travel. I'm leaving at noon tomorrow for a conference in Dallas. I should be home on Saturday evening. The weather is supposed to be bad with lots of rain the whole weekend. YUK. Friday is the day that DDad is having his root canals. DH will also be in Dallas to help my brother get him to and from his appointments. The rain will certainly make that a bigger problem.

Sorry this is an all about me hit and run. *Peg, I have also had sign in problems in one of my browsers. IE seems to work fine.

Have a good Friday and a Happy Valentine's Day everyone!!

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Judy
highest = 180, goal = 140
Every single time I put food in my mouth, it matters. No more fooling myself!

Happy Valentines Day everyone! I gave my DH his home made Valentines Day card I made him in Sunday School class lol and then a few cheese cake chocolate kisses since he can eat in moderation. He had a happy tummy. He gave me a blender since my motor was going out! What a great gift to take care of my heart with some healthy smoothies. Going to join the gym tomorrow for a month to get these last few pesky pounds off for my final weigh in day March 15th. I'm thinking that a good change to my routine for awhile will do my body some good. Then when the warm weather comes I can get back to playing outside with the kids again.
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Barb - Thank you! I think Charlie is pretty cute too. / That is so cool that you can do 30 push ups!! You are the woMAN! lol
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Alida - Happy Anniversary!
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Donna - I can't believe how selfish people are to hurt poor animals that can't defend themselves. Good for Bob for helping this little one out. / Congrats on the scale lowering!
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Peg - Yes! I too love what Dixie has done around here. To think I never knew it could get better.
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Judy - Cute comic! Happy Valentines day to you too!

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

Alida - I love your gift too! Oh, a spa day...one day I plan on saving for one.

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Morning gang! Busy day with kids staying home from school. M was here at 5:30 and is busy playing play dough and watching Disney channel with Charlie. Today we have a parent/teacher conference for Charlie. Around all this I'll have to find some time for exercise. Final work out before weigh in tomorrow morning. Must make it a good one! How do you guys like my little gal on y signature? I just thought she was so cute! Have a great Friday everyone!

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Morning ladies. The sun is just poring in my window here at work...I refuse to put the blinds down cause I'm enjoying it. I'll just squint at the screen. lol

Yesterday was sure a let down for me. It started out in the morning when I made dh some heart shaped french toast for breakfast and had a nice card waiting by his plate.(we don't give presents for valentines day). He refused to open it cause he didn't get me one yet. That kind of hurt! Then just 10 minutes before it was time to go home from work a driver called that he was broken down. I couldn't just leave the boss here with no way to get home so I had to wait. Took almost an hour to arrange for a tow truck and another vehicle to get to the driver..then I had the 20 minute drive to boss' house and back home. I had been fighting a headache all afternoon and it hit me full force on the way home....muscles in my neck and back were as tight as they could possibly get. When I walked in the door I expected dinner to be ready...that's the rule in our house. First one home makes dinner! There was dh sitting in front of the tv and the first thing out of his mouth was...where were you! Not said nicely either. I just calmly explained what had happened. When I walked into the dining room there was a dozen red roses waiting for me. I said...oh, for me? And he snottily said...no, for my girlfriend. I just said fine and walked into the kitchen. No dinner even started...great. My head was hurting so bad I thought I would be sick but I just started dinner. He knew I was pissed!! It was a very quiet dinner for sure. After dinner he left for darts. Romantic? Definitely not. Know I know why I don't like special occassions! Oh, and the headache...still there this morning.

But, I drowned my sorrows last night in a bag of pork rinds. lol Somehow the scale decided to drop the 1.5 lbs that I had put on yesterday so I'm back to signature weight. I was sure it would be up from the pork rinds. No figuring this out is there? I'm sure thirsty this morning though.

Alida: A massage for a gift? How wonderful. I could sure use one right about now to get rid of the knots in my back and neck. Bob sure is thoughtful...better keep him. Thank you for the e-card...gotta love Jacquie.

What did you think of Survivor last night? Kind of backfired on Mary.

Heather: It brought back memories of me making play dough for my kids after reading your post. I can still remember having to make special colours for each kid so there were no fights. It probably ended up in one big ball anyway. lol Good luck on the weigh in.

Judy: Travel safe today...hope the surgery goes smoothly.

Shelley: How are you? I'm getting worried since we haven't heard from you for a couple of days. Also, thank you so much for the card...how sweet of you.

Everyone else I'm going to cut this short and try to stay off the computer as much as possible today so maybe the muscles in my back, shoulder and neck will relax and my headache will go away. I think we're going to town tomorrow so I might not be back until Sunday. Have a good weekend.

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Donna
238.5/166.4/150
I will see my goal weight again!

Hi Gang!

I'm here. Valentines day was a big deal here at ofh yesterday. Dh and I exchanged valentines that a group her called "Fabrications" had made. They are beautiful. Dh also brought me a dozen red roses. They are just lovely. They had a special Valentines day dinner last night with the dining room all decorated with balloons. Several people had special tables in which they invited people to be a part of their table. We were invited by a couple who had been here a while and there was an older couple too. We had a lovely discussion.

I've started another group. This one is a couples group. There are three other couples that I want to get to know and I think this is the only way that I am going to get dh involved in things here. He manages to keep busy with his volunteer work at the church in LA and with the Baptists doing other things. Anywhoo, we will meet once a week for potluck appetizers and wine, and hopefully good conversation. I think we will start next Tuesday at our house.

Today is free except for our lunch. I'm going to do what I can to clean house. Probably only strip the bed, remake it and vacuum. That's about the extent of my activity.

Dh and I had words last night about his hearing. He is going to the Dr for his annual checkup this morning. I asked him to ask the Dr to order a hearing test. He said he doesn't need it. Funny thing. He can't hear half of what I say to him, and misses things at the dinner all the time........but then, "he doesn't need it." Aaaack.

Shel: Worried about you, girlfriend. How about a word?
Mk; Same for you..........

Alida: Sounds like you have a good man there. I would keep him, if I were you.

Bren: Are you knitting your fingers off? What up for you this morning? Well, it's afternoon for you. I bet you have your house sparkling and you are just settling down for a long winter's knit. Or, are you having that interview that you mentioned? (CRS)

Judy: I echo Heather, traveling mercies for you, and blessings on your Dad.

Well, I'm off to begin my day.

Peace, Peg

hi guys,
sorry to still be MIA; still feeling pretty crummy...blech! This cough is about to drive me bonkers; ears and throat are still bothersome.
I do think maybe though, I am some better; it's just really slow going. I get pretty exhausted going from the bed to the sofa...now how pathetic is that?

Everyone be well and hunker down and stay warm and safe. We are predicted for another round of ice and possibly some MAJOR ****flakes.
Great.

Off for a hot shower and fresh flannels; then hold the sofa down. That's as good as it's going to get today, I'm afraid.

(((hugs)))
s

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Shelley
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Visit Kassie's Korner



Life deserves a treat now and again, but life also deserves being healthy[with required disipline] to make it worth living!

Hi gals.
dropping in. Just nothing new to report. same old days just keep coming.
but 13 days until vacation. counting down.

toe still hurts off and on. right now it is doing the 'rubber band' thing. time for lyrica I guess. I try not to take it except before bed.

didn't do anything for VD - but I took my rings in last weekend for cleaning and bought a little dragonfly necklace for me 'from hubby'. Typical.

we are probably going shopping for some new cookware, as I finally realize what I have isn't good on ceramic - and when I tried to make a grilled cheese sandwich, I grabbed a thick glass pie plate (none of my pans laid flat) and it exploded - sending shards into the living room, family room, and all over the kitchen. Hubby cleaned up for me - I was so shocked that the asthma kicked in.
so I'll take that as my VD present. (the cleaning). I was lucky I didn't get hit. There wasn't a piece bigger than an inch.

so, hope shelley feels better. I'm beat. we are prepping for some intense testing on my latest project.

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Mary Kay 1/1/04 - 232
5/19/08 (5/23/08) - sw226/(cw222)/mg210/fg160

I had just the best time at the gym today. I really did miss getting out of the house to do something for myself. Just tickled me that I was able to get in a whole hour on an elliptical/stepper machine and not be interrupted that someone needed something. This happens when DH is home too. Know what he is doing? Watching TV or playing on his computer. They just know that mommy jumps up to help right away I guess. I refuse while exercising. This is for my health people!! So, had a great time and got in lower body machines and two abs. Feel great!
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Donna - Hope that headache goes away. It must be every man who thinks that just because they do something nice gives them time off and let us do everything. DH gets quite upset if he does anything like pick up the dishes for me to wash and I don't say thank you. I do of course.
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Peg - My dad was embarrassed to wear his hearing aids when he first got them. Now they make them so they blend in with your ear. It's to bad he doesn't want to just check out his hearing. I would think it frustrating not to hear.
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Shelley - Take care.
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MaryKay - Buying something for yourself is just the ticket for getting what you really want right? / That is just crazy about your explosion!! Good thing you weren't near to get hurt. Can you imagine explaining this to the emergency room? Then they would have certainly heard it all.

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Good morning!

Ah. It's Saturday. I love Saturdays!

Peg, my DH is the same way about his hearing. His loss is not critical, but when I mention having a test, it's always "I'm not deaf!" Being hard of hearing was never an embarrassment for me. Just a fact of life that I live with. But for some reason, when hearing loss is part of the aging process, denial seems to be the order of the day. Is there any way you can get him to at least have the test? Just tell him if there is a loss, with an aid his life will be so much richer! Do you know anyone there who wears a hearing aid who (with a little prompting) will talk to him about how great hearing aids are?

Red roses! How romantic! I think you should keep him, too! And another group? A couples group is a great idea to get DH more involved with the OFH .....

Shelley, thanks for dragging yourself to the computer to give us a report. You must be so miserable. But you say you are feeling a tad better. Hooray! I'll bet Kassie is thrilled to have a lap 24/7!

Mary Kay, OMG! That accident with the glass could have been really serious! Thank God you are all right. You may be finding glass for months to come, though. I take it you have a new stove? One of those ceramic top things? I am planning on getting one in a few months and I forgot all about the cookware. What's the deal on that?

Darn! on your foot still giving you problems. That Lyrica ... does it just stop the pain or is it a medicine that can also heal? If the latter, shouldn't you be taking it during the day? Maybe it puts you to sleep .....

Brenda, where, oh where art thou? I know life as-you-know-it has shifted a little. I hope it is not overpowering you. I lived through so many "life shifts" that I feel like I'm an old hand at it!

Judy, hugs and prayers that all goes well.

Heather, how did the weigh-in go?

Donna, oh I hate it when there is a giant misunderstanding like the one you and your DH had on Valentine's. But he did get you roses! And I hope your headache is better. Would your DH rub your neck for you? That always helps me .....

As for Survivor, I missed part of it because we went out to dinner with son Paul. Mary sure looked blindsided ... as did her "boyfriend."

Susie, you mentioned going back to work, so I take it you are feeling better. I hope so! New software is always tough. I hope it at least uses all the normal shortcuts and conventions that we get used to with MS products. I currently work with proprietary software at work that has its own glitches. You know, the sort where you scratch your head?

Berta, warm and sunny? Sitting around reading? Enjoy!

I think today I may start to do some prep work in the kitchen prior to painting. Then again, maybe not. XXOO

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

Hi Gang!

Caution: This is a long post. If you choose to read it, you might get a cuppa first.

Well, I've been ruminating about why I beat myself up so much about my weight. I want to talk to you about it and get your thoughts. I DO want to know if you feel the same way, but I also want to know what you are doing about it now, and/or what you have done about it in the past.

I watched Oprah yesterday and she had Carson Cressly on. He was one of the five gay guys that used to have a show on where they would take a straight guy and completely redo his appearance and his living space. Now he has a show called something like, "How Do You Look Naked?" It is for women who have a body image that is off (Don't we all?). On Oprah's show, he took two women out of the audience and took them through the process. First he took them (individually) to a room full of mirrors and had them strip down to underwear and look at themselves, and asked them what about their bodies they didn't like. It was a supremely embarrassing moment for each of them - not to be in a room with Carson, but to be in a room with mirrors! Each pointed out their butts and their stomachs. Caron pointed out their good physical attributes. Then he took them to a room where there were 7 models of differing sizes and had them (individually) decide where they fit in the lineup. Each of them picked a size three times bigger than they really are! Then, a picture of each of them in underwear was projected on a building in the dark on Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Passersby were asked what they thought of the picture and the body. Without exception everyone said that they were beautiful and "real." Then, they had a makeover and very tasteful pictures taken naked (with a sheet or a piece of fabric covering their breasts and below). Then, THOSE pics were projected on same building and feedback given, but they were there to hear it. Again, without exception people thought they were beautiful.

Now, gang. These women WERE real. One weighed 50 lbs more than she wanted to weigh. The other was just a little chunky around her waist and had floppy arms and thighs. At the end I cried with them when they admitted that their attitude about their bodies had changed. One said that she FELT beautiful and would stop the internal messages (and external ones too) that she told herself every day about being ugly and fat.

Now, granted, we can't all have make-overs courtesy of Oprah. But, I am wondering, in my case, what damage I do to myself when I look in the mirror and call myself fat? How does my self-defeating attitude about my body keep me from losing weight? What is it with the voice in me that says: "You better eat now because there won't be any later."? I have NEVER been deprived or hungry. There has ALWAYS been enough to eat in my cupboards or in my frig. (And, the same as a child). Obviously, I am choosing emotional eating. But, why?

Well, these are all my questions that I am asking myself. What questions do you have about yourself? What messages do you tell yourself when you look in the mirror naked? DO you look in the mirror naked? If not, why not? What self-defeating messages do you need to let go of in your life?

This is a "rumination." That means that I don't necessarily need for you to solve my problems. But, I would benefit from a discussion so that I can ruminate some more and solve my own problems. And, who know, maybe through some discussion you might find that you can look in the mirror naked and like what you see!?

Peace and love,
Peg

The dreaded weigh in...up a pound but no fear since I joined the gym yesterday so am staying positive that I'll still reach my goal. Just need to switch up my workout a bit to get the metabolism working well since I've been doing the same thing for 6 months to a year now. Working hard at the gym so am looking forward to results. Hey, it was Valentines day week so a pound isn't to bad plus was sick for a few days. Staying positive!
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Alida - I love Saturdays too, it's family time.
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Peg - this is me but I'm working on trying to stay positive. I feel like I'm wasting my life away being sad about what I look like. What does it matter as long as I'm healthy and what exactly is perfect anyway? We are all different and we just have to work with what we've got.

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Oh my, Peg. This is much more than your little 3x5 cards at the convergence! I just popped in for a moment. I will have to think about this. One thing I can say right off the bat, I do not look at myself naked. I close my eyes or look at my face. and yes, though never truly hungry in my life, I do have bouts of "eating up" before it goes away. Hmmmmm

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

Sunday morning. I'm back from the mountains, and glowing with good feelings. Threatened snow never happened, so we had three days of glorious sunshine and blue skies. The skier had a couple of great mornings on the slopes, and went ice skating with me at the rink. Took some pictures of my Dorothy Hamill imitations--I'll try to get one to post.

Valentine's Day included a dozen Hallmark roses (with chocolate!) The roses nicely survived the plane ride back to KC, and remain beautiful today. Am I totally smitten, or what??

The snow is falling like crazy in KC this morning. Good thing I have no place to go except church--and I can walk there. This evening, the condo neighbors are having our first Progressive Dinner, and that should be fun.

Peg, I'm giving some thought to your comments about body image, and will try to say something meaningful in response. I've long since realized that we are not loved/unloved by others because of our appearance. So why do we love ourselves less because of appearance?? I like to focus more on what my body can do than on what it looks like. That's why being active is important to me.

In any shape or size, we all have good physical features, which we can play up with style, color, and creativity. Nobody sees us naked except those who love us--including ourselves. So what's not to love?? Even when I was at my fattest, I felt okay about that. So, it's mostly an attitude, not an appearance. Can you choose to love yourself regardless? I don't know. But it's the place to start if you can.

Wow. Now that the gray morning light has come, this snow is really beautiful. I'm staying cozy today!

Be well everybody.

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


My Fitday Journal