Didn't win this weeks challenge with DH in pounds but felt I won in other ways. Inches down, stayed on plan and feeling good. I have to help DH log his food since he won but knowing he is eating good it'll help me stay on track. Day 1 of new challenge week and I'm a bit ahead. Yeah! I'm so proud of DH that he is working hard on this. It really has been fun.
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Judy - My skinny friend, she is 120 pounds and 5'6", says that she follows this eating. Meals the size of your fist as well as she exercises. To be skinny you must do skinny things right?
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Donna - I heard the "S" word is coming your way soon. If it's like ours it didn't last but 3 days. / Happy Thanksgiving!!
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Peg - Glad to hear that the fire isn't near you dear friend. I hope this doesn't effect your breathing to bad this year. / Take care my friend. I will say a prayer for you that your spirits will lift. (((hugs)))

__________________

Hi, kids. Whew! What a day. I spent the morning at the soup kitchen with the church ladies--opened about a bazillion cans. I ducked out after the cooking was done to go to the hospital and sit with my dad. His procedure was delayed (of course!) but finally took place. The doc said it was "textbook perfect." Now all my dad has to do is cooperate with the physical therapists and his primary care doc to get in shape to go back home. Hope that will be tomorrow or (at latest) Wednesday. I had to cancel out on a Presbyterian committee meeting scheduled for the afternoon--but somehow that didn't break my heart. One more short meeting tonight, and I'm done.

Tomorrow morning, we'll put the ashes of baby James Henry in the ground at Village Presbyterian Church, with a memorial service afterwards.

Peg, I recommend you finish up on your current commitments, and then write "ME, ME, ME" on every calendar page for the next three to six months. It's not a sin to take care of yourself. I've been very happy being an ad hoc volunteer since March. Someday, I might take on a deeper level of commitment, but for now, I'm making myself useful without making myself crazy.

I was "auctioned off" at a fund-raiser for the Writers' Place Saturday night, and now owe two hours of tutorial in Formalist Poetry to the lucky winner. Should actually be fun.

Greetings and good wishes to everyone. I need to make something to eat before I get on with the evening. When I'm busy, I tend to blow right through lunch, and that's not a good thing.

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


My Fitday Journal

fly by...
DD called me as she was in route to the Dodger game just now. She said the smoke and ash are awful in her area. There is a HUGE-A-MONGUS fire (2, actually, I think) just NE of her.
One of the employees that works with DD may have lost her house; due to evacuations and road blocks etc for safety's sake, the girl cannot get into her area to see if her house is still standing.

I do not feel well. Not sure if it's allergies or if I've managed to pick up a stupid URI bug this early in the season...aacckk! Everywhere I went last week, there were[rude] folks sneezing, snotting, and coughing. 'Tis nearly the season, I guess.

Be well wishes to everyone,
and
(((cyberhugs all 'round)))...no germ swapping if it's a cyberhug...LOL!

__________________
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!

..........not sure exactly what that means, but I did give my students an acrostic poem to do as an extra credit for the test they are taking later this week. I gave the topic/title words and each line has to have at least three words. Alliteration is not required but is potential for more extra points. How about that--- poetry in economics?

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

Poetry in economics? Well, that's a definite improvement over POVERTY in economics. Let's hear it for the Bull Market.

"Formalist" is a label applied to an emerging (late 20th century) movement back to traditional aspects of poetry: meter (eg. iambic pentameter), rhyme, and set forms like sonnets, villanelles, and ballades. I've always been an admirer and disciple of poets such as Richard Wilbur, Robert Frost, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Gerard Manley Hopkins, and others whose exquisite command of meter and rhyme provide the "music" for the text. Funny this should ever fall out of fashion, since nursery rhymes and Dr. Seuss are fundamental to our early appreciation of language. But...it's back! I'm in the "in" group at last.

Gotta run. Luckily, the rain has stopped and we won't be drenched during the outdoor part of the memorial services today.

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


My Fitday Journal

Sad day
Rainy day
Kind of poetic
In it's on way.

and now you know why I don't make my living as a writer

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

It's still raining, and I don't mind. I need to slow down today.

The services yesterday were solemn, sweet, spiritual. Many tears, and much love.

It was a tough afternoon with my dad, too. He needs to be stronger before he can resume his "assisted living" arrangement, but he was dead set against spending any amount of time in the Care Center (nursing home). I don't blame him. It was hard to figure out just who had the decision power on this one: him, me, the Valley View supervisor, primary care physician, physical therapist(s)??? After much back-and-forth conversation, it came up that he can hire the services of a personal assistant for a couple of days in his own home. HOORAY!! Everybody happy. Of course, it comes with a price tag, but fortunately, he's in a good position to afford it.

He was deeply and resolutely fearful that once they got him in the nursing home they'd never let him out.

Hope everybody is okay. I'll be back later.

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


My Fitday Journal

Barb, so much sadness in a baby's funeral. Difficult. And yes, at the assisted living facility where I work several of the residents have periodic or even daily "home care" providers as well as therapists who pop in and out. It's a good solution in circumstances where a nursing home can be avoided, but not medically appropriate for everyone. Our own staff go far beyond what most facilities call assisted living, too, so that our residents can age in place if possible. Not all can/will do that, though.

Judy, our rain starts today.....

Rain
Dark
Inside I'll park

And that's why I'm not a poet.

Peg, I agree with Barb. Find a happy medium where you are comfortable with your commitments. No one could possibly think you unreliable. Who cares anywho, ya know? It's a matter of your health and sanity. Besides you're a "mom" now!


I'm off today! Worked for a sickie yesterday so she's working for me today. And I'll be off Saturday, too. Haven't had two days off in a week for, well, weeks now. My house shows it, LOL, but my first inclination is not to clean.

Did I mention Dad has a new lady friend? Or should I say another lady friend


Hugs to all. Back later, hopefully.

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

No more trips to Arkansas?!?

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

this morning has been one of those wonderful mornings when everything just seems to click and time stands still. I've had the opportunity to at least look through my desk and find some stuff that I need to do.

Piano tuner is here. Haven't had it tuned in YEARS. I'm jazzed about having it to play again. Especially since I got rid of my nails. I can type and play the piano (not at the same time) without having to worry about them (nails) slipping between the keys.

Took SP to the groomer and she is getting a puppy cut. There was a Shih Tzu in there who had just had one and she just looked precious! Our humidity is SO low right now that everyone including the dogs are itching. Groomer told me how to help SP by spraying her with water mixed with a little bit of conditioner when I brush her. Her coat is so thick now that it is almost impossible to get a comb through it. But, when she comes home in a couple of hours she will be a whole new puppy. They will cut all around her body fairly short. They will cut her top knot, and around her legs, but leave the "shoes." And, leave the tail and ears long. I can't wait to see her! I'll take a picture.

I got out of a committee this morning. Yay!

We are deeply entrenched in politics here! Billboarding, calling people in other states, and watching policial TV for four hours every night. That's just the way we are. Always.

So, now I am beginning to have some time free and doing a lot of thinking about things like "what is the nature of friendship." I know that I have struggled with this before. I am not really struggling with it now, but just wondering what that is for me.

Bren: You Dad is a hoot!

Barb: Prayers still ascending for those parents!

Gotta jet!
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

Hi guys. Boy, has it been a busy week so far. I haven't had much time to do much of anything.

Brenda: I get such a laugh about your Dad. Good for him. No one should be alone.

Peg: Can't wait to see a pic of Sweet Pea. I bet she's gorgeous with her puppy cut. That reminds me Sora should get a cut soon too.

Barb: I'm so glad your dd gets to be home where he's happy. Too many seniors are just "put" somewhere. That's what happened to my dad and all he ever said was he wanted to go home.

Not much new around here. It's getting dark so early now that I just barely get the furkids walked after dinner. They wouldn't mind if they didn't get walked, the lazy things, but I insist. At least until the snow starts to fall.

My weight is sticking the same. Doesn't seem to want to budge anymore. I think I'm going to have to do some changing of foods or something.

I'm off to do some more work...this is not fun.

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

Good morning, my dears. A beautiful fall day here. I'm getting ready to put on my sneakers and go for a long walk.

I sprung my dad from the hospital yesterday, and took him home. The first thing he did was head for the dining room and order a hamburger with grilled onions. Then he power-chaired off to the afternoon performance of the "fun band" and a rendezvous with his sweetheart. He will hire a personal care assistant for as long as it takes to get him completely independent again, but judging by the way he dived back into "real life," it won't take long.

Bren, as long as we can find someone to be sweethearts with, I'm all for it.

I'm ready for all the politicking to end. No matter who wins, we won't be seeing anything like "change" for at least another two years, so there's no sense in pinning any hopes on government. For now, we just hang on by our fingernails,
and try to stay healthy.

Take care of you!

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


My Fitday Journal

Hello, my dears:

As usual, I'm running....only because I spent my computer time this morning downloading and starting Norton Security 2009 and it took FORever.

Here are the pics of SP in a puppy cut. She is so much smaller!! I had no idea that she was such a little girl!! Anyway, I took off the fabric the groomer had around her neck and put back the harness we are using for teaching. Also, now her personality is starting to come out and she "seems" like the same old puppy we had before. Just a whole lot smaller!

Attached Thumbnails

   

__________________
"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

She's adorable, Peg! I still marvel when my furballs get their haircuts and turn into girly girl little pooodles, even after all these years, LOL! what a cutie pie SP is, though--and the puppy cut is kind, considering your hot weather.

Barb, sounds like getting in his home territory did your Dad some good. IMO a good hamburger with grilled onions cures many illsnot to mention, a sweetheartcures the heart.

Judy, maybe no more trips to Arkansas, although Dad and Marjorie still talk some on the phone.

And Peg, Donna, Barb, this is a lady Dad met at church here. Nora is quite the character, takes the train downtown to work a couple of days a week, and is originally from Memphis--hence her voice and Marjorie's are strikingly similar Here's the kicker--Dad's going with Nora and her DD and SIL to St Thomas next month! I just smile and shake my head

Not much exciting going on here. Work, sleep, laundry, etc, etc! Waves to everyone!

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

She is just precious Peg. Looks like she is wearing a little 'cowgal' outfit for halloween.

Still working on packing, packing, ordering services to be installed the week we move, daily checking on the house (pretty much all done now, including lawn) - and finding things they need to work on while I am gone.

Just so nervous about all this. but so ready.

__________________
Mary Kay
2009 WW - 228 / 204

I want a Christmas Onederland!!