Windy Wednesday 6th October

Good morning everyone,

Just flying in before I take the car to the garage. Fingers crossed it just needs re-fixing.

I got bad news yesterday too about my work/benefits situation. I was due to start a course today but had to cancel. It's all such a confusing mess now that the job centre, course manager and housing benefits people have told me to get advice very quickly. So, while the cars being fixed, I hope my money will be too. Work have told me so many differing things that it's confused and messed up the systems - they don't say the same thing twice and delay the info to benefits people and it makes it precarious. I'm so mad, but at least by going, it'll hopefully show I want it all done properly and get it sorted. These people, I'm told will work on my behalf to get it done. Sorry, but I just need a bit of a vent on this - it's driving me crazy.

Anyway, breakfast is a banana, lunch will be something as OP as poss that I can find in town and dinner is yet to be decided.

Nel - I will keep you and DH in my thoughts and ask ers for you both.

Melissa - Excellent dr visit! 72lb, WOWWW!! thats amazing, Wll done!!

Shirley - thanks for the freezing tip for smoothies. I never thought of that!

I gotta dash, and hi to everyone else. Have a good day everyone.

A very chilly day here.

My DS's were both home last night and they said they would stay home with DH, that I should get out of the house for a while. I intended to go skating, but when I went to pick up the friend who was going skating with me I discovered she was hacking, coughing and sneezing. So I just took her home instead of to the rink, and we wound up yaking about my DH not feeling well and time slipped by so no skating for me. It was a good conversation to have (the friend is a doc) and she was busy pointing out the positive signs about DH's problem so even if I didn't get any exercise my stress level was a little better than it was. Nice that she shared her expert opinion, just as long as she doesn't share her cold germs as well.

I'm trying to be very OP food wise, and drinking plenty of water.

Have a great day everyone.

Lisa, I'm sorry about all you are going through! Keeping you & your dh in my prayers today, hoping for a good result! It's great that your friend was there for you, and your dear sons were so thoughtful to realize you needed a break. Sounds like you have lovely people in your life.

(((Musk))), sorry about the stress from your employer! Just what you don't need. Hopefully this will be ironed out very soon. Good luck with the car today, too.

The trip to the gym was fine yesterday. The gym has never been my favorite exercise but with winter coming the bike rides will be ending. Soooooooo, it is the cheapest gym in town, by far, and my friend goes there so I guess I'll sign up today. I did the elliptical for 10 minutes. Sure felt it in my thighs! Then I just did the bike for 20. Membership gives you 1 session with a trainer so that will be good.
Supper was baked chicken, broccoli, rice, and a pan of quickly sauteed onion, garlic, bell pepper, and tomato. Tonight is pork roast with, hmmm, maybe a gratin with potatoes & apples. We'll see.

Hope everyone has a great day! BEST is awesome. Thanks for everything, ladies.


xena

Good morning everyone!
s for Lisa and her DH!
Today is a Curves day. Last night DH and I really enjoyed our walk in the cool, crisp autumn evening. I have been OP and drinking water and green tea to keep me warm. I really mind the cold now that I have lost some weight. I think I am going to buy the Protein shakes from Curves today and use them as one of my in-between meals. In answer to your question, Shirley, the SBD does now allow bananas on Phase 2 but only sparingly as they are high on the glycemic levels chart. I may try your secret when I move back to Phase 2 in 2 weeks. I have lost a pound already this week so I think going back to Phase One was what I needed but I am not getting my hopes up just yet!
Toodles..........

Emily

Good morning everyone, a nice cool fall day here. A nice day to put quilts on the line and let the wind blow them. They smell so nice when you bring them in. Had a small party for oldest DD last night, was way off op. Pizza and ice cream cake, alot of ice cream cake. Felt horrible afterwards. Went to quilt class and was I ever gassy. It was so embarrassing. Good thing I was sitting next to my sister, although we got to laughing so I thought we both were going to wet our pants. Even with all of that, I did learn alot and my quilt is coming along. I think I am starting to get the hang of it but I told family not to expect to much. No quilts for Christmas presents this year. I dont know why I over eat like that, my stomach does not like it at all and I feel horrible all over but at the time it was the thing to do. Cold is at the crappy stage where you look and feel like crap.

MLee-hope you feel better, these colds have to run their course. DDIL has this thing were it is the world according to her. Just have to accept it and go on. She has never really accepted the fact that her father and mother divorced and I am now a part of her family. Only been 15 years. And she divorced after 10 months. Go figure.

Musk-good luck with the car and other issue. Always something to stress over. Hopeyou get good news.

Nervous Nel-Family support means everything, praying for you all. Friends are wonderful, arent they? Hang in there and let us know as soon as you do.

Xena-you have it all so together, you are a real inspiration, thank you for sharing.

Emily-Every time I read about your experiences with Curves it sounds like the right thing for me. I just havent made the first move yet. I am so glad to hear Sapphire made the first move, she sounds so excited and I am proud of her for taking that step.

Have a wonderful day everyone and be healthy, Cheryl

Musk-

This is the effect my cold is having on me. However, my most pressing task of the day--shipping a care package and a birthday cake to DD--is done. Since I'm a total loss as a cook, the bday cakes were from the grocer's freezer. Teenagers will eat anything, but I hope the cakes are still in reasonably good shape when they arrrive.

It's weird how much anything to do with food stresses me. Except eating it mindlessly, of course. I've gotten much better at dealing with food prep, but if I'm not feeling well, I still have a very, very hard time bringing myself to shop for it, prepare it or serve it. Or even ship it UPS!

Musk-- Dealing with bureaucracy is so special Vent anytime; it beats raiding the refrigerator.


Lisa--Thinking of you and your DH.


Cheryl--My hysterectomy cured me of eating many fried and fatty food. The negative social consequences outweighed the eating pleasure. But if ice cream gave me those special effects, I'd just have to become a hermit--or make friends with your tolerant sister.


Have an OP Day Everybody!
MLee

Hi Girls

Just thought I'd post quickly, as it's nearly 11:30, I'm tierd and need my bed .... I've just been on the Open University website to read revision hints and tips, from my fellow students (and it made me worse!)

Anyway food has not been great today - and don't really want to talk about it .. just to say the pre exam stress is reaching it's optimum ... and chocolate is there to be eaten .... 4 more days of revision to e day .... and then it will all be over .... I can't tell you how much I can't wait for it all to be over ...

DH made me tea tonight, a curry and I ate it with one hand, whilst holding my revision notes in the other !!! He's trying to boost my morale and be supportive, but I know he'll be glad when it's all over too. The stress is starting to show in other ways too - I woke up with a bad stomach today, I know its a combo of stress and not eating properly ... but that doesn't help....

Think I might stay up a bit longer, and try to revise the working model of everyday memory aaaahhhhhh ...

Catch you all tomorrow - bare with me, I'll be my old happy cheerpy self on Tuesday !!

Love Toni xxxxxxxxxx

It's Wednesday, right?

Where is everybody? Nobody at all is chatting today???

BTW - for those of you having trouble getting into chat - I just upgraded my AIM and I'm not having any more problems.

Hope you're all having a great evening!

Hi girls,

I was in chat for a few minutes and then while I was distracted talking to DS, Katie came on . . . by the time, I got back she was gone and then I had to leave. Sorry girls. I hate missing chat. This has been one of those very hectic evenings. Had a chiropractor appt (may have finally fixed the tailbone issue that has been plaguing me for months--should know in a couple of days if this adjustment did the trick), ran a bunch of errands, and then came home to find a suspicious racoon on the patio threatening the cats. So animal control came, but of course at that time, it was nowhere to be found. Erred a little with eating while that was going on, but had a pretty good day. Dinner was pork quesadillas (made from boneless pork chops that I cooked in the crockpot the other day that were kind of blah--shred them and add salsa and cheese on a corn tortilla and they taste quite good!) By the way, we just caught the racoon in our have-a-heart trap so it is no longer a threat. DH and DS will take care of it, thank goodness.

So many things going on here with everyone. You are truly the BEST Sending special s and as needed--especially thinking of Lisa, musk, and Toni.

Frightfest is almost here!!!!!!!!!!!! What fun it will be to spend time with Melissa, Sue, and Bliss on my home turf! Any BEST sisters who want to join in at the last minute are quite welcome!! PM me or email me and I'll tell you how to get here so you can be in on the fun !

Shirley

Hi Best Sisters, Musk, I hope things turn around for you and get bettter. Friends are for listening, it always helps to get things off our chest. IT is cold here to Nervous Nel, sorry you didn't get to skate but glad your friend was able to ease your worries. Dinner sounds really good Xena. Cheryl, I love ice cream cake too! thankfully I don't get the same problem you had , I also love to hang things out on the line, I love the freshness of them. Mlee, I hope your cold clears soon, too bad you don't live close to me, I love to bake and decorate cakes, I would have been happy to make it for you. Good luck Toni! won't be long now and you can relax. Hi Sandida, DH and I were out tonight and didn't get back home in time to join chat. Hi Shirley, hope the chiroprator visit did the trick for you. Frightfest sounds fun.
I have been trying so hard to be OP. My name was on the board at Curves today. I was second for the month of September with pounds lost. I weighed myself on Monday and again today and lost 2 lbs. since then. It is so hard not eating carbs but very worth it seeing the lbs. go. See you all tomorrow.
Love and Prayers.