Circle of Seven

[MI CHICK]

That post was for your morning coffee D LOL
I'm sure I'll be sleeping till 8

[Teresa3]

Evening, Gals--

I'm up a little later tonight because dh and I watched the bike race then Masterpiece theater, Foyle's War mystery. I rode the bike 3 times 10 minutes each while watching. So at least I am not totally vegging out. Went to the gym today too. Still trying to go 5 days a week, but probably won't be able to keep that up this week when dd1 arrives with the kids. I guess we'll have to do quite a bit of eating out, cause dh and I can't cook for that many people. but I think I have a pretty good handle on it now. I just hate to sit around in a restaurant and wait on other people to finish eating, since I don't eat that much any more. Hope I can keep this up!

C, it sounds like you have quite a challenging weekend coming up, and then some! But congrats on being able to fit into your dress! Who's getting married?

Thanks for the lowdown on the body shapers--now I know to look for one in an actual lingerie section of a real store instead of the drug store! Too bad you couldn't get in some exercise at your client's this time, but good she's feeling better. Are you still going to swimming? I really do think the extra bits of exercise have helped me. Maybe you could jump on your airwalker a couple of times a day just for a few minutes? It sure doesn't look like you're overeating! I think SB is a good plan for the long run. I've been working on cutting down portion sizes, too, C, and it takes time. It seems easier for me to do it at dinner because I know I can have a snack later if I get hungry. I imagine getting into the habit of drinking more water will help too. Hot weather does seem to make us swell sometimes!

D, I feel for you about your ds's health! Poor darling! I wonder if all the dust, etc. on the ranch could be irritating his respiratory system? It sounds like he is an incredibly strong young man, to have kept working through all this! No wonder you only thought he had an allergy or something! But it is hard to fathom why his boss would want him to keep working! I'm sure you must want him home so you can tend to him.

Well, D, shopping isn't the greatest exercise, but it does burn some calories, and definitely better than sitting around. Hard on the poor tootsies, though! Swimming or Curves would have been better, but maybe not as much fun! Gosh, your friend is awfully generous to offer to buy you a $400 puppy! What king of a shopping budget must she have!

E, I am curious to know, too, what kind of wild and crazy thing you want to get yourself into, Gal with too much time on her hands! Do tell! You are just doing so great on your exercise; that's the kind of habit that will cause the weight not only to fall off, but will improve your health immensely! I can see why a long bike ride would be tiring, but hopefully worth it! It sounds like you have a lot of fun when you go, and congrats on sticking to your plan while eating out! One whole month without any starches--that's awesome! BTW, thanks for your kind words. I never feel left out if I don't get specifically mentioned, cause I can feel the luuuv! You are all such special women!

SC, hope you like SB better than PP. The first two weeks seem pretty much like Atkins, except you don't have to count carbs. Don't blame you for getting annoyed with that, it gets pretty tedious after a while. Gee, that's tough about your adrenals! It's hard to cope with steroids--you have my complete sympathy, but it looks like you are doing really well with it.

YH, if you're checking in at all, we miss you and hope you are having a blast!

Miss A, we miss you too, and hope you are hangin' in there!

Here's today's menu--
B - egg, sausage, spinach
L - salad, 2 shrimp enchiladas, no tortillas, strawberries and cream cheese
D - halibut, summer squash w/tomatoes, bell peppers, onions
S - almonds, cashews

Have a great Tuesday, everyone! Much T.

[miss.amaryllis]

Hello girls!

I was bad yesterday. I didn't post, for fear of boring you with dull stuff! Things here seem a little bit dreary somehow. We haven't seen the sun in ages - some summer! - and last night I actually woke up in the night with cold feet and had to find some woolly socks!

Then I read Denise's post and was so dismayed to hear her so worried about her son. Somehow it's really agonising when a big strong boy is ill - you look at them - they used to be your baby and now they're so huge, but feeling so horrible... I do hope he's getting better!

I met an adorable dachshund puppy very recently. He had been doing well learning to walk nicely on a lead, but was then tucked up in his mother's jacket. I was allowed to stroke his silky head. So so sweet, with melting brown eyes! Imagine your friend offering to buy you a puppy like that! It's incredibly generous, but still...

Well, Elaine, what wild and crazy thing have you been up to? (Isn't she wonderful?) I was thinking that you must have been a child bride! Did he lure the innocent teenage you away from home on the back of his bike at dead of night? Did you tuck your blonde locks beneath a helmet and roar away into the darkness? again!

Well, Teresa it's such a good idea to do exercise on a bike whilst watching the box. You must have a big sitting room - terrific! I'm always interested when you talk about Mexican food. I don't know what an enchilada is but it sounds absolutely delicious. We're going to Bath tomorrow, and I'm so looking forward to it. I could do with a trip out somewhere... TRoATU said that it's a Very Long Drive - an hour and a half. I thought of you all - probably the kind of distance you'd drive to go to pop out to the gym... I'll take some photos and post them - if I ever master the art of posting them. What I really need is some competent infant school child to roll it's eyes at me and advise.

I'm thinking of Slendercate in her smaller trousers! Agreed, it's so wonderful to need a smaller size. You are doing so well. Do you like having changed to South Beaching?

I looked in the mirror yesterday and thought that my fat face looked a bit more jawline-y. I have to create "cheekbones" with blusher. Ever since I was very little, people, sometimes strangers, have pinched my chubby cheeks, and I really don't like it!

The bike has been fetched from my f i l's and coaxed into the Panda, with one wheel removed. Once the wheel's been replaced (out with all-purpose spanner again) I'm in action and must find a cycle circuit to do. There's a main road I'll have to negotiate first, along which things rattle at a terrifying speed, before there must be a quiet route. It's very up-and-down terrain though - bound to burn off lots of fat!

Here was yesterdays food -

Morning tea

Mid morning coffee, a small avocado

Lunch: some sardines and a salad, a small mango

Teatime: Tea and a bowl of strawberries

Dinner: A ham and cheese omelette, salad.

Exercise - walked briskly everywhere, and, er, scrubbed out the fridge, if that counts?

Lots of love from me XXX ! Angela

[harley g-ma]

Good Morning,I'm up earlier this morning and thats a good thing I love to just sit around and drink my hot tea before I have to take my walk. I wish I could be at home in Ga. sitting on my back deck and watching the sun rise.Morning is just the BEST time of the day to me I don't think I like my new scale! It weighs 2 lbs heavierI even weighed 2 lbs heavier on the old scales than I did on Sat.Whats going on? The more I exercise the more I weigh I guess I'm building some muscle because I do feel thinner.I guess maybe I'll take my measurements
D,I'm with the rest of the girls,does your son have to work to keep his job or is he one of these guys that knows they will have a hard time without him? Does he work at the same ranch as ds2? I hope he gets to feeling better soon
T, I got my dvd yesterday,so I'll try it today and see what I can do.Great job on the exercise.You just have to fit it in when you can,and you're doing that I hope everything goes well with dd1.I have 3 girls and I know how they can be.At least both girls have daughters and they are getting paid back
A, I was a child bride! I got married at 16 but not to this hubby.Had 3 kids at 24 and did not have much fun I had a wonderful mother that helped so much,or I don't know where I'd be today. I did hang in there for 27 yrs and we're still friends so I guess thats something
Ok,now for the wild and crazy thing.I know some of you don't like Tattoo's but I just had to get another one.It is so pretty! It's a bald eagle with a tattered American Flag hanging from his spread wings.I got the date 9-11-01 on there also.I am so patriotic.God Bless our Troops! It's on the back of my calf,so you won't see it in pants.I tell my dd1(which hates them) that if something happens to me,they can identify me by my tattoo's It's getting late,will write more later

[Denise78]

Good morning ladies! How nice to wake up to all these newsy posts!!

Ds1 is doing okay. I think it will take a few days for all the meds to kick in. He just left for the work week and plans to go camping with friends on the wkd so I probably won't see him again till Sat or Sun. He is not the one working on the ranch. That is ds2. Ds1 works for the local telephone/cable/internet company on the construction crew digging cable lines and laying fiber optic cables, running heavy machinery, etc. Outdoor work and yep, he gets into the sand and dust a lot so I know that is aggrevating the situation. He has very strict work ethics and refused to take time off. It was all I could do to talk him into going to the dr and then he was back to work again right afterwards. Of course, he is 21 so I don't have much to say in it anyway, but I am proud that he is such a hard worker. He made sure that the meds prescribed are non-drowsy ones so he can still run the machinery. The dr told him to take the cough med with codeine at bedtime so he is good to go back to work.

Well Elaine, I must say I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard your wild and crazy thing was a tattoo!! You have no idea the kinds of things that crossed my mind!! I don't have any tattoos but I actually like them as long as they are tasteful and not too many. I can't say I like the full sleeves but a tattoo here and there looks pretty nice to me. Ds1 has a couple. Ds2 has to wait till 17 before I will allow him one. He is begging for one now but I told him the only way I will sign for him at age 16 is if he gets a big red with MOM written in it. Suffice to say, he's waiting a year. Dh hates them but I'm toying with the idea of getting a small one on my ankle or shoulder when I lose all the weight. Your's sounds really cool. I wish I knew how to post pics here but if you ever figure it out, take a pic to show us -- I'd love to see it!

T, I imagine your dh could roast up a couple of chickens and toss together a salad for your company if need be. He seems pretty capable in the kitchen. But it will be fun to go out to eat too. I suppose you can get a cup of tea to linger over while you're waiting for the little ones to finish their meal, but I know what you mean. Once I am done eating, I like to leave the table otherwise I am tempted to keep nibbling! Maybe that's when you need to pop a sugar-free hard candy or pc of gum in to keep you busy while they're finishing up.

C, your menu looked right on target yesterday. It sounds like you're going to have to really sneak that exercise in sometime before work if your client is up and about that much. Glad it's so close to home so you don't have a long drive late at night. I have such problems with late night snacking and I do so much better if I stay away from the kitchen after supper. The water is helping to fill me up a little too.

Well Angela, glad to hear from you! Sorry you are dealing with dreary rain. I know how depressing that can get after awhile. Now don't think I am weird, but I read that if you look at a pretty picture long enough, it will cheer you up. So search the internet for that sunny beach with the palm trees swaying in the breeze and stare at it and dream a little...might put a on your face on that rainy day! Good luck with your bike riding -- that will be great exercise!

SC, hope you had a good day at work yesterday. Anymore news on your nephew or cousin?? I hope they are both doing better.

Everyone's menus look so good -- keep up the great work ladies! My friend and I stopped at the Chinese restaurant yesterday. Ugh. I tried to stay on plan, as much as I can at a Chinese restaurant anyway, but I'm sure I'll retain water for a couple of days from it.

Yesterday's menu:

B-coffee
L-chicken, beef & broccoli, lettuce
D-leftover pork cordon bleu, lettuce
S-beef jerkey

Water-100+ oz
Exercise-big fat zero

I need to boil up some eggs today. I find those are such a good snack in a pinch. My friend and I plan to go to Curves, which I desparately need and hopefully I will have time to get to the pool too. Looks like it's going to be another scorcher today so I'll look forward to swimming.

Have a great day ladies!! D

[MI CHICK]

Sitting here watching the depressing big GM conference....it really effects us MI folks, but they are such a huge corp that it effects things around the whole company. Did you see on the news yesterday that whole line of people trying to get their monies out of the bank that had closed??? Looked just like the pics from the 20's depression....starting to get freaky! Maybe we won't have all the food to over eat on in the future LOL

Have my "to do" list set for the day. Have to clean the corners w/overnite company this weekend. It's the daughter of one of the gal's from my Euchre club that's getting married-actually she's the same gal that I went to her mom's funeral 2 weeks ago. So grandma won't be at the wedding which is a sad twist. Am very curious to see her MOB dress Ms A. She didn't even try to lose weight to get in any certain dress. And with all the sickness w/her mom the past few months on top of wedding planning it's probably a good thing she hadn't bought a dress 2 sizes smaller. The friends over for the nite are separate from all this. Will look today for a recipe for one of those overnite in the fridg bake in the a.m. breakfast dishes. Put out a fruit salad & not sure about a bagel or muffin basket....am so afraid of the temptation of that, but you hate to short change everyone else cause you are weak as water LOL Can't think of a bread type that wouldn't temp me....

Is it painful to get a tat Harley? I don't care for the ones that seem to take over the whole body. If you could actually see the whole thing & take in the whole pic they probably would look quite nice. But when you just you bits of it sometimes it just looks like a blurry streak. Couple of my friends have things like a small heart on their shoulder or ankle. Since they aren't on areas that sag over the years they still look pretty good LOL

Hope the rains stop enough for you to get your bike route mapped out Ms A. If you're going to the baths you must be all healed. Same problem by me w/trying to not get run over in the crazy traffic on your way to the quiet ride That's interesting that you just eat an avocado all by itself.

Ok my list is calling to me.....
today:
B=bacon & eggs coffee & cream
L=fiber/protein shake
D=salad 4oz steak apple
S=not sure will see I feel tonight

[harley g-ma]

I pushed it a little this morning.I took my 3lb weights(total 6) and walked with them.It was definately harder.I was doing arm curls and back arm extensions and coming up" "The Hill" was a killer!I was pouring sweat and I thought my heart was going to come out of my chest.They say "what doesn't kill you will make you stronger" so we'll seeI'll make sure dh has the LC web address so he can let you know if I drop on the road I think I have STUBBORN fat as apposed to what?Lackadaisical fat?
D,dachshunds are cute but they have alot of back problems and they just topped the list as the #1 dog for dog bites. Living in a rural area I can see you with a bigger dog,like a Lab(sweetest dog I ever had)or something like that. I am so glad to hear of your ds1's work ethic! It is a tribute to you and dh So many kids today don't.
In Ga.you have to be 18 even WITH parental consent to have a tattoo.My grand-D got one on her lower back,but it was a favorite quote of hers,not a picture.My dd1(her mom) works for CDC so you know she frowns upon them.She made sure she got it where it won't be seen when she hits the job market
I hope you get to Curves today and maybe the pool.That will be great

[harley g-ma]

C,it is painful to get a tattoo but that makes it worth it.It only hurts for a little while and you can enjoy it forever.It also depends on where it's at.Some places are more sensitive than others and some people have a higher threshold for pain.Dh just got one that he designed himself.It was HIS bike with a skeleton with an eyepatch riding it.He wears an eyepatch because of an old thyroid problem and he sees double without it.The guy that did it,is really an artist.

[Denise78]

I have rules for my kids as far as tattoos. When ds1 wanted his, he was 17 1/2 and needed parental consent or he could wait till age 18 and get it on his own. I told him I'd sign for him as long as I got to go with him AND approved of the tattoo, which was better IMO than waiting the 6 months and having him get one on his own. I told him no skulls/crossbones, no satan or death, no evil things and it must be hidden by short sleeves in case he wants to go on a job interview. He agreed to all that, so I signed. When he was 19, he went and got another one on his own. But he still stuck to my rules of getting it under his shirtsleeve and one that wasn't evil looking (American flag). When they get to be your dh's age, E, they can get as many skeletons as they want! But I figure what they choose as teenagers might not be what they want their grandchildren looking at later on in life, so I get some say in it!

Yep, I'm really putting a lot of thought into the breed of dog, IF we get another one. I labs but I don't know that I want all that work again. Hannah was such a hyper lab, dug lots of holes, always jumping and running all over the place, for the first few yrs that we owned her. She didn't settle down till she was about 6 or 7 and I don't know if I want to go thru all that again. I know I couldn't get another black lab. It would have to be a yellow or choc one because I can't look at a black lab now without a lump forming in my throat. Dh has changed his tune and is pushing for a smaller dog this time around. The daschund puppies were cute but not what I really want for a dog, especially now after hearing about back problems. I was thinking of some kind of terrier, like a black Scottie or a white Westie?? My ex-husb's family used to own a black Scottish terrier and they had such good luck with it and it was small enough that it could travel or sit in your lap, but not as small and delicate as a Yorkie (which I also love but l don't want too small of a dog that I am going to trip over!). I've browsed the animal shelters but a lot of them have dogs with issues, abused animals or ones that are sick or injured, and I'm not wanting that at all. I am on the go too much, I want a pet that can come along with me, without worries that he will bite someone or is too sick to travel. I am a big believer in fate...if I'm meant to have another dog, one will come along that I will know in my is perfect for our family.

Sounds like you have another challenging wkd coming up, C. Remember to stash something in your purse for your sneaky bathroom break!!

E, wow you are really going strong with the weights and HILL!! Pls be careful and don't have a attack. Good idea about giving dh our website but let's hope he never needs to use it!!

Friend called and we are meeting in 45 min to go to Curves.

[MI CHICK]

Thanks for that sweaty post Harley!! Congrats on the take over of the hill
You gave me the burst to hit the air walker for 30mins--
really pushed it but I had the fan on me so I didn't get
so sweaty LOL But now it's out of the way for the day
Glad to hear you're getting to Curves D! Maybe a slow paced swim tonight to wrap it up. You & I are heavy enough that most times just the action will do the trick.
Propelling that many lbs in front of us almost does the work for us

[Teresa3]

Wow, it is so cheering to wake up to all your bright and wonderful posts! I should get up early every morning like this and read them--you all are getting me off to a happy start! Positively inspirational you all are! I am not a morning person but maybe I will become one now--E you are such a good cheerleader for mornings! C, congratulations for getting on your airwalker, too! It must be sunny and warm there.

I'm afraid I am in a similar situation as A this morning with our typical coastal fog. It does not inspire one to get out of bed! So I just grabbed the laptop which I keep near bedside and turned it on to see what you all had to say! The blinds are still pulled and it's quite dark in here. But I have the light of all your lovely spirits!

D, glad your ds seems well enough to go back to work--yeah, you really can't control them once they get past a certain age! He is very strong, so with the addition of the meds I imagine he'll get better quick! What's in store for you today? Did you say you were going to Curves? You've got the right attitude for another dog, when the time comes, it's a big decision.

Well, I just wanted to say hi, and tell you how much you all have energized my morning! Cheers, everyone! T.

[Denise78]

Woo-hoo! We got T up early!! Maybe next time we can get her out of bed too! Glad we brightened your day. I was so surprised to hear from you this early -- but very happy!!

Back from Curves. What a workout. Really pushed myself hard since I haven't been there in several days. Then out to lunch for salads. Another sorority sister joined us today so that was fun. Then to the grocery store where I spent a couple of hours buying only a few things. That's the trouble with small-town life, you can never just run in somewhere. There's always someone wanting to stop & chat with you! Then I had to call dh at work and ask him to stop for the things I forgot -- namely catfood!! Shadow is not happy with me, I have forgotten 2 days in a row! But he's such a fat cat, he could probably go 3 weeks without food before it affected him. Anyway, we'll be sure to get him fed tonight.

It's 98 here today. I'm thinking a swim sounds nice and refreshing!!

Hope everyone is enjoying their day!!

[harley g-ma]

C,I'm so glad I inspired you 30 mins is wonderful I just tried to do the callenetics and it kicked my butt I would like to take a beginners class full of overweight women to start,then I wouldn't feel so inadequate I'm more of a gung -ho type exerciser.I loved my step class,(I wish I had room in the camper) I would have this camper rockin' I love free weights but don't have much room for those either.I'm going to get some of this weight off and try again:up
T, I hope your weather clears up so you can get outside and enjoy the day I don't do well on crummy weather days. My last boss nick named me Sunshine
A,it sounds like your weather pretty much sucks most of the timeI think D, had a wonderful suggestion to find some beautiful pictures on the web.Some tropic beaches or mountain scenes. Have you started job hunting yet? I'm without my truck now,dh had to start driving today.I WISH I could get a job It sure would fill my day

[harley g-ma]

D,glad you made it to Curves Hope you can go to the pool too I didn't know you had a cat My kitty was BAD,this morning.She pooped on the NEW dog bed!I guess she's claimed that one for herself She's NEVER pooped out of the litter box before

[Denise78]

Sounds like your kitty was pretty ticked off at your doggie, E! And now your doggie is going to be pretty ticked at your kitty!!! Cat urine smell is hard to get rid of. Shadow is really ds2's cat. He's about 10 yrs old. We got him as a kitten when we lived in New Hampshire. We also had his brother Dusty, who died about 8 1/2 yrs ago, not long after we moved to Nebraska.

I have the Beginners Callanetics tape and it seems a little easier. There's a couple of things I can't do because I have a bad knee but most of it I can follow along with. Of course, I am not as flexible as those gals but YH gave me some pointers on what I can do if I can't do what they're doing!

[harley g-ma]

Thankfully kitty did NOT pee on the dog bed,just pooped!It was the weirdest thing.I've never had a cat that was totally an inside cat though so I don't know what she's capable of.My Menu for today was B-1 egg 1 smoked sausage
S-low carb yogurt
L-roasted chicken
S-2 tbs.peanut butter
D-small steak,salad,italian dressing
I have tried to drink more water

[MI CHICK]

Well I'm pooped! Cleaned all day after I did that 30min exercise. Really need to get some of this weight off--I know I wouldn't be as pooped if I wasn't dragging all this weight with me--it's like having an small child tied to your back all day

Too bad you couldn't work something part time Harley. I think that's perfect as I get some home time but not 24/7
With my job my hours are all over & I try if things aren't really tight to keep it under 30hr a week. Too bad you couldn't get a camp job this time! I was so lucky w/my cat. She was always indoors & she never didn't use the litter box. Course I still had to deal w/the hair balls
You had pretty much the same dinner tonight as me

Thanks on the heads up about the hot dogs! Don't want a biter that's for sure. You're right D, you'll know when the right dog comes around--if ever. The labs are great pets but are crazy when they are young! Db has had 2 and our neighbor has a choc, who is a sweetie but is a serious fence jumper. I miss having a dog but really like the freedom we have to go & you can't do that with a doggy.
Harley all your weekend bike rides would be a big problem.
Good thing you have a cat--they're pretty independent. Wait a minute--your cat just pooped in the dog's bed....
well duh I guess you do have a dog. How did I miss that?
What do you do on weekends when you're on the road?

I had a cheese stick/2 sl tky & 1 sl cheese along with what I posted. I am actually hungry & think I need to have a straight protein so I can go to sleep & not get into trouble snacking. Just don't know what. I also had 40oz of water. Might have one more 12oz glass. Let me add my calories--been watching that so I know my portions are
right--1334--ok so that's too many to let me have a snack
Guess it's a diet pop.

Have a great nite! Am gonna sit on the sofa w/dh & watch Mash the movie

[Denise78]

Went to the pool tonight. The weather climbed to 103 by this afternoon so it was a nice night for a swim. The pool water was 89 degrees! It was actually refreshing, a little cooler than bath water but still warm to swim in.

Oh get this...you know those 2 gals that wanted to do the weight loss challenge with me?? Well they are both lifeguards and were there tonight eating take-out from the diner. They asked me when we were going to weigh-in and I just laughed and said, "Are you serious? Look what you're eating." They each had a styrofoam container full of chimichangas with all the fixings and a big bag of chips and they were washing it down with pop!! The younger gal said, "Oh I'll burn this all off, no problem at all. I can eat like this anytime and burn it off." (I wanted to say, if that's true, then why do you weigh 265 lbs? but I could never be that mean). They both started going on and on, telling me how they hadn't eaten all day so that was why they were pigging out and that they swim a lot so they can eat whatever they want and just swim later to burn off the calories. I just laughed and told them they were rationalizing their bad eating habits and what they were doing wasn't healthy and that would kill the progress I've made so far if I joined them in that line of thinking. I told them to get back to me when they were serious about losing weight because there was NO WAY I want to be involved with a group that eats like that and fools themselves into thinking they are going to burn off all the calories just by swimming a few more laps. WE all know that's impossible -- otherwise, every single one of us would be scoffing down pizza and ice cream at the pool, while we preened our 120 lb slim and trim physiques!!

Whew E, I thought you wrote the cat peed in the doggie bed. Glad it was only poop. At least that is just a scoop away! I wonder if she was truly jealous of your dog? Jake is your dog's name? What is the kitty's name? We also have an iguana named Iggy. She is ds1's pet and we got her 9 yrs ago when she was a little baby. She's pretty big now and of course, with both boys gone during the week, I'M the one taking care of her. Thank goodness I can toss food and water in thru the cage because you know I'm not opening that door!! We used to have 6 ducks but something got in their pen a couple of yrs ago and killed them all. We've had our share of guinea pigs and hamsters and gerbils when the boys were younger but I've put a stop to the menagerie since the boys are so busy and it's ME caring for all these darn critters!

Today's menu:

B-1 scrambled egg, 3 sl bacon, coffee
L-grilled chicken salad
S-ham, cream cheese & pickle roll-up
D-leftover pork steak, lettuce, 4 strawberries, whipped cream
S-few pork rinds

Water-96+ oz

Exercise-45 min Curves, 1 hour swimming

Good night ladies! D

[Denise78]

Ds1 just called. He is feeling tons better and he doesn't sound "nasally" like he did before. He said he hasn't coughed all day and he only had to blow his nose once today. He's still not 100% better but the dr said it would take a few days for all the meds to kick in, so I'm thinking by the end of the week, he should be back to normal.

[Teresa3]

Evenin' Gals--

Sounds like y'all had purty dern good days, 'ceptin maybe fer por ole C havin' to tidy up all the daggum day! Wall, at least ya burned y'self up a hole barrel o' calories, C Gal! Plum wore y'self out, tho! Best git yerself on up t'bed now, and without any vittels t' warm yer belly, por gal!

Oops, now what got into me? Must have been a dead cowpoke ambling across the skies I was channeling! Guess living in California all these years has its effects! I know, this must be the result of having got up before 9:00 this morning! It's now 10:00 p.m. and I've been awake too many hours! So I better not ever get up early again, right?

D, what a wild story about those gals who were spouting off about going on a diet! Sounds so typical; good for you to give them a reality check! And very good for you to swim for an hour! And go to Curves as well--you have had a big exercise day. Congratulations! It sounds like such a fun day going with your friend to Curves, then meeting other friends and going out to lunch, and meeting more friends at the store, then going to the pool and meeting more friends, albeit misguided ones. Isn't this a great summer!

So, E, the callanetics dvd kicked your butt, too! I was so sore I had a hard time sleeping. I'm going to have to modify the exercises to do them. Those gals are so thin--I think you have to be thin to begin with to do the exercises! I have too much fat in the way. Your new tat sounds cool--how long did you have to suffer for it to get put on?

Miss A, an enchilada is a corn tortilla rolled around a filling such as shredded chicken or beef, then smothered with a sauce usually made from chile peppers and tomatoes, with melted cheese and various condiments like green onions and sour cream on top. I recall when we were in England that we did not see Mexican restaurants. They are ubiquitous in California, thank goodness, because it's probably my favorite food! Glad you got the bike; now have fun riding it!

I rode my indoor bike 3 times today for a total of 40 minutes and went to the gym with dh. Had buffet lunch at the hotel, and just had leftovers for dinner. Gosh, it's past my bedtime and I still have to take Poodie out, so better get going! Here's today's menu:
B - scrambled eggs with cream cheese, spinach
L - salad w/roast beef, salami, marinated mushrooms, strawberries, wh cr
D - leftover rabbit, summer squash, cauliflower
S - almonds, gouda cheese

Sweet dreams, all! T.

[miss.amaryllis]

So I've just woken TRoATU with morning tea to try and get him going. Last night he started saying "Are you sure you want to go to Bath? If you just want to swim you can go down the road to the Leisure Centre!" and things like that. So I typed "City of Bath" into Google and pointed out that we could go into No 1 The Royal Crescent, which is a magnificent example of Georgian architecture - early 1800's - when Bath was the fashionable spa resort. Then he was more inspired, as it's an architectural style he really loves. Those houses are the epitome of elegance, and there has never been a done-up one open to the public before. There's also a Museum of Fashion for me - hey, such a lot, I could spend a week there. But I am taking my swimming cossie today!

Quite right about looking at pictures of lovely warm places as a cheerer-upper. There is actually a patch of blue sky visible today!

I was banged up in a very strict all girls public school (you'd say private school, I think) from the age of 11 to 18. All our clothes were provided by the school - even underwear and shoes - and it was rare that one got a new garment in those lines... so - I used to love a smuggled-in and subsequently concealed glossy magazine with all the heavenly fashions of the late 60's that reminded me that there was a world out there as opposed to the world of school.

Anyway, I can hear TRoATU stirring, so hopefully into action! Proper reply soon -

Love, Angela

[harley g-ma]

Good Morning Ladies,Everyone sounds like they are doing really good on their diet and exerciseThis is such a good group!D,Glad you were able to get to the poolI'm glad you gave the girls there a reality check.I think they are going to have a hard time with the weight loss.Hey,maybe you SHOULD get them in a money potJust kidding.It sounds like ds1 is doing reall well.I'm so glad he got to the Dr.when he did
My cat's name is Daisy.My g-daughter named her.She is a very sweet cat and she loves Jake but I guess she got bored and decided to stir up some mischief She's just a year old so she still likes to play alot.We used to have an iguana named Cousin It and I was really kind of scared of it.Dh got it from his ds and we gave it to some neighborhood kid.
C,Jake has REALLY good bladder control.Thank goodnessHe only goes out twice a day.One time when we were in Wy.we went to W/M which was 200 miles away and they shut the interstate down because of snow and ice and we had to spend the night in a motel and Jake was stuck home in the camper.He never even peed in there.He's such a good dogYou are doing so good on your food plan now.I should probably keep track of my calories.That may be one reason I'm not losing so much.I thought about switching plans but then I thought no,you've only been on this a month.Give it some time.Of course we all want it to magically fall off as soon as we quit eating like we want to
A,I had to laugh(as usual) at your post."Banged up" over here means you were having SEX I went to a private school also and we wore uniforms too.It sure saved on clothes and no envy with the other girls.Of course I was home every night and I had alot of fun dressing up on week-endsI can't wait to hear how Bath was,we want a full report
T,I loved your post,but I didn't think of a cowpoke,I thought of the Clampetts on the Beverly HillbilliesIsn't today when you dd1 and g-kids arrive? How far do they live from you? Yes,the dvd was hard.I felt like I need to have taken years of balletto even start it.I think maybe I need to start on the beginner one.It made me wonder which exercise's YH does at work.
SC,Hope you had a good day yesterday

[harley g-ma]

T,it took an hour to get the tattoo.The guy was really good and it looks beautiful to me!I love eagles and anything with our flag

[harley g-ma]

I just thought about how you ladies can see my tat.Go on ebay and put in harley davidson sweatshirts under clothes and scroll down and there it is.That where I got the picture (Eagle with flag hanging from wings)

[MI CHICK]

Good morning all!!

Wow that Jake is some dog Harley!! I'm glad you have kitty & doggie company during the day
Yeah underneath we all are like the girls at the pool...one month & we want it off--all of it no less KUTGW all that exercise will pay off.

Glad to hear all the meds are kicking in & ds is feeling better D. Haven't ever missed all the little critters now that ds is grown LOL Never an Iggy thank heavens! I have a couple friends who have SNAKES to take care of now that ds's are off to college They throw the food & water at the cage too LOL

Architecture is the way I could get my dh to Bath too MsA
Some place he can take his camera & take pics is a good card for me to play too...hey whatever works Enjoy your day! Hope it doesn't rain all day!
I liked ds having a uniform it really helped w/some of the peer pressure crap. But I sure would like to have my own underwear....

Glad you were able to enjoy the pool in all the heat D. Was probably good for you to have that conversation w/ those girls as it reminded you of how far you have come & how much you have learned(like not to be fooling yourself)& what you don't want to go back to.

I felt the same way about the Pilate's dvd I got from the library last year--needed to be much thinner to do most of the moves. Was glad I had checked it out not bought it. Between all the pushing & dragging of the cleaning & the big push on the air-walker yesterday I am feeling "tight" today, not sore, just tight. My poor hands aren't happy w/me this morning....have to put some stuff back in place today & pick out my recipe for breakfast Sun morning. I took a extra half shift today w/Charlotte as she's so close to me. Will be 4-9pm so not a late one, which is good as
Thurs is my long 2 client day. Had to cancel my afternoon w/my girlfriend & her baby but I'm trying to save money towards my Sept trip to Washington DC with 2 of my gf's.

T I must admit the first thought I had was too many Beverly Hillbillies re-runs LOL Enjoy those grandkids! Some things are worth being sore over That's great on the 40/bike & your menu looked great! Those 12's will quit being tight soon!!!

Ok I'm off to the walker for 30mns. Before the temps start to climb---gonna be in the 90's---

[harley g-ma]

Great C, You are already starting to see changes That's the way I feel after all the exercise,is tight and strong.I tried to take my measurements yersterday but according to the picture I was going by,my body parts weren't where their's wereMy waist seemed to be lower than they had it and I have a HIGH waist! Very confusing.Of couse the arm,thigh,and bust I had no problem with.The figures were NOT pretty I am going to do an indoor video for a couple of days.They sprayed something wet and sticky on the road,I guess for the dust,and it made a black mud that sticks to your shoes and JakeWhat a mess,I already have it on the carpet

[Denise78]

I have got to read your posts slower, Elaine. I keep missing words. I went to Ebay and typed in Harley Davidson and 9605 items came up. After viewing over 10 unsuccessfully, I thought, that gal has got to be kidding, how am I ever going to find an eagle and a flag in over 9000 items??!! Then I re-read your post, saw the word sweatshirt and tried again. Wow, that is really beautiful. Lots of detail too. I can see why it took an hour, actually from the looks of it, I'm surprised he got it done in an hour!

I was thinking about the calories too. Some say you have to eat 1200 or more calories or you won't lose. For me, the less I eat, the better the loss. But everyone is different and maybe you are one that needs more calories?? I don't know how many calories you're taking in a day, E, so hard to say if you are eating too little or too many. You may want to start keeping track. I don't think you need to change your plan just yet. You're only on that WOE a month. There's a difference between losing slowly and reaching a point where you're not really losing at all anymore, just playing with the same few lbs, on again/off again, and that's when you need to think about changing your WOE. I don't think you've been at it long enough to reach that point quite yet. Sometimes it's just a little adjustment in your carb, fat or calorie intake or adding more exercise to get that jumpstart again. You've got the exercise down pat so possibly it is the calories.

I know when YH recommended trying the Callanetics tape, she was pretty firm in telling me to start with the Beginners Callanetics. SC does them too and she echoed that. So maybe you guys jumped into the core a little too fast and need that Beginners dvd to ease into the heavy duty Callanetics later on??

I had to read T's first paragraph quickly and move on. Reminded me of one too many Sundays watching a marathon of....yep...The Beverly Hillbillies!! Sorry T, but your cowpoke accent didn't hit us as hard as your hillbilly one did!!

C, How many of you are going to D.C.? Is it just a vacation spot or do you know someone in that area that you are visiting? Ds2 is going to Washington, D.C. on Sunday for 6 days. Poor kid asked me again if he would be able to see my brother so I finally broke down and told him that my brother is being a jerk and doesn't want to see him. Ugh. Felt like I was stabbing my son in the with that one. I know it hurt him deeply to hear that, especially since he had nothing to do with the argument my brother & I had, so why should he be one to suffer from it??

SC, where ya at gal? I hope you're not having computer problems again! I hate when that happens -- feels like I've lost an appendage when my computer is down!

Oh I heard from YH the other day. I don't think she had time to read posts because she was at the computer room and said it was full with teenagers and it sounded like a fight to get at a computer for even a little bit of time. (Typical -- you're in Florida on a gorgeous beach and your teenager is indoors on the computer??!!) But anyway, she said she is having a wonderful time. She has her own personal hot whirlpool tub in her room, which she is loving. She doesn't want to come home and from the sounds of it, I don't blame her!

Okay, time for another cup of coffee. Thanks for providing me with lots of reading material this morning!!

Love ya gals!! D

[Denise78]

P.S.

Angela, hope you and dh have a fun time at the Baths today! Can't wait to hear all about it.

You know ladies, the more I read that link that YH sent, the one about the hot mineral springs at Rio Caliente in Mexico, the more I am wanting to go! I sent away for the brochure and got it yesterday and showed it to dh and he was like...you should go! Now before you all boo-hoo the idea....let me tell you this...

There is horseback riding, excursions into town for shopping trips, yoga and pilates classes and hiking trails for those that want a little more than just rest and relaxation. There's a huge hot springs mineral pool that you can swim in at your leisure or you can partake in pool aquatics with an instructor. There's also a giant hot whirlpool tub you could soak in. Or you can just bask in the sun on a comfy lounge chair. There's a myriad of massages offered. From facials to pedicures to deep Swedish massages, scalp massages, mud wraps, detoxifying rubs, wrinkle remover and cellulite treatments, etc., etc., etc. There's also nightly lectures (voluntary not mandatory) that you can attend, depending on the time of year you go, that cover topics from Astrology to weight loss to holistic healing to tarot card reading.

I was looking at the 5-day stay, which was $735 each for 2 ppl sharing a room. Would be less if we got more gals to stay together. Anyway, that includes all your meals which are served buffet style and focus on mostly veggies, whole grains and fruits (but it did say they would be happy to serve chicken or fish upon request), lots of homemade breads, rices, egg dishes, juices, Mexican dishes, etc. The pictures looked bountiful and yummy! The price also includes 2 massages or facials (and there's a list of all different things you could choose from, it doesn't have to be pedicures at all ) and any lectures or exercise classes you want to attend. The horseback riding and shopping excursions would be an extra charge, as would any additional massages or treatments you would like to have above the 2 they include in the pkg price.

So, maybe it isn't your thing. But I just wanted to let you know that it's not all about the pool and massages. It can be more than that if you are interested.

Just something to think about!!

[Denise78]

Oh and the housing in the pictures looked almost like little bungalows, so maybe a group of us could get together and rent one so we could all stay together and then no matter what we did, we could hang out and laugh and have fun!

[Denise78]

Angela, I wanted to let you know that my hairdresser just called to chat so I made an appt to get my hair colored with her next Tuesday. I will let you know on Wednesday whether it came out purple or not!!