Hi again! Wodka - I'm no angel by a long shot. I am using my Weight Watchers to guide me. My winter tune-up has a lot to do with mentally taking better care of myself. It's too easy to beat ourselves up - which I can do when I'm not taking care. And for me it is a daily effort to pay attention to what I am eating that creates a balanced diet. I totally get the not being hungry at times - especially when stressed. You have a lot on your plate to deal with. Giving as much as you do to support your husband takes a lot of energy which is why paying attention to trying to eat on some sort of regular pattern is very important right now. You need to pay attention Wodka to yourself too. Keep your strength up. I trip and fall all over the place on my journey. My help with WW is facing the truth and keeping a journal of my foods. Some days are great, some not too good. It's the overall picture every week I strive for. We all need a piece of cake, cookie (sorry Simon) and some comfort. I'm just trying to pay more attention to portion sizes. And I use lunch plates for dinner because it's more what my Mom used to serve and she kept her weight all her life. Granted she loved and ate many vegetables in her meals. So Hang In There Wodka. Even if one meal a day you can incorporate something for Wodka from your daily goals, I think right now that would be great. You have come such a long, long way from your first post here. I was so happy to see you still here after my coming and going over the last couple of years. Don't ever beat yourself up and just keep putting one foot in front of the other. You have been amazing on your journey. I'm so pleased to hear Bob's care can come closer to home. It will be of more comfort for Bob not to travel so much as well as for you. I continue to send positive energy, prayers to you and Bob. Hang in there Wodka. I'm so glad you are here. Hi Raeanne. I have not done SS but many folk have had lots of success with her diet. Suzanne is a wonderful lady. She is inspirational in so many ways. I remember years ago she published a book of poems. Her tenderness and intimate thoughts came out. Her beauty comes from within more than what we see on covers. I believe you too will have success with her positive energy coaching you along the way. Dee you are wise to stay home. Too many folk go to work when a few days of rest would get them on the road to recovery so much better. Years ago while serving in the military we had to report on 'sick parade' - medical clinic - where the doctors would decide if you went to work or went home. I hated that. There were so many times I should have been home in bed. Forget the fact I had to bus halfway across town to get to the clinic with a fever, or flu, infecting everything I touched and people I sat next too. Not funny at all. You take good care of yourself Dee. I am glad you can stay home to recover. My goodness I yap alot, eh? Hugs to all, Peggy

Hahaha............My computer was acting up (or my high-speed internet was in SLO-MO, I'm not sure), and I didn't realize that any of my post had appeared. I gave up trying to post and figured I would just check back later and try again. Tikanas - I can't wait to hear about your DS's reaction to his party. Have fun. Raeanne - You were close about the umbrella!! Here is the rest of my original post: and I didn't have the towel, umbrella or roll of paper towels that I usually keep in the trunk. I dried myself off with some napkins. I had to laugh though, cause I was really, really wet and I looked really, really funny!! LOL We had a fairly uneventful trip to take DD to school. I have talked to her every day and she seems to be settling in nicely. She is complaining about having to walk everywhere, but she'll get used to it. Her roommates are both really nice and they have already met some cute guys who live in their building. I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing!! LOL (((Besh))) - I hope you are finding the strength to get through this weekend. NHSuzanne - Be careful with those bales of hay. Isn't this the time of year that you got sick after handling all that hay?? I will be thinking about you. Gotta run and get out of these wet clothes, but I wanted to check in while DS was busy elsewhere. Hello to everyone! Marci PS - I never did get out my wet clothes. I got busy and just air dried. DH looked at me strangely when he got home (from helping a friend move) until I looked in a mirror and realized how bedraggled I still looked. Oh well, after 27 years of marriage, he has definitely seen me at my best and my worst. LOL

PULLED PORK 1 Pork Butt Roast (I cut into large cubes and defat as much as I can before cooking.) Rub down with your favorite spices. I use: ½ T salt, 1 T paprika, 1 t. dry mustard, ¼ t. ginger, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder and pepper to taste. (I put the cubes in a zip-loc bag, add the spices and shake.) Cook overnight in crock-pot. In the morning when it is still warm, you can shred with a knife and fork. The meat is so tender, the fat and bones just fall away. Mix with BBQ sauce of your choice. Here is an alternate rub, that can be made in quantity and used several times. Barbecue Rub: 1 cup chili powder 3 tablespoons paprika 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried) 2 tablespoons sea salt 2 tablespoons garlic powder 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper Place all ingredients in a large bowl, whisk to combine. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Makes 2 cups. NHSuzanne - I make my own BBQ sauce, but when in a pinch, I will use store bought. Can't remember what kind I buy, since I usually just make it. I do usually use the Pork Butt, but last time I went to Costco and bought a rolled roast and used that. I didn't have time to fool with defatting the pork butt and I was making large quantities for company. Some fat is good for flavor, but the health conscious part of me, just can't leave all that fat on the meat. I am making zucchini brownies to take camping (they put me in charge of dessert) and a banana cake. The brownies are in the oven and I am off to mix up the cake. I figured I got a vegetable and a fruit covered in the desserts! LOL Hope everyone has a great weekend. Marci

Hi, I'm back. I have been MIA due to the wedding planning and bringing DH to Dr. appointments. I think I told you about his thyroid. After the CT scan we were told that everything looked ok, probably a goiter, but they wanted to do an ultrasound. We got a phone call from his Dr. saying come in so we could review his options. The ultrasound showed a huge mass in his thyroid, a nodule, but very large and it could start obstructing things. They also can not rule out cancer because of some other findings. He is having a biopsy in two weeks and then an appt. with a surgeon. Either way it has to come out. They just need to determine if part of his thryroid, or all of it will come out. Thyroid cancer is 100% curable so we feel good about the outcome. It has just been so upsetting and nervewracking. We did go to the Jimmy Buffett concert last night. It helped to take our mind off of things. It downpoured in the middle of the concert and ofcourse we had lawn seats so just go wet. What are you going to do? We still had a blast and he never disappoints. He performed for over 3 hours. It was a great time. QOD: My oldest DS started working when he was 15 for a Marina/Engine repair place. It lead to him going to school to because a certified marine technician and he is still currently employed by them. Prior to that he was always busy with scouts and band. He spent one summer coordinating and carrying out his Eagle project. He always seemed to keep busy. My youngest worked last summer when he was 14 for my brother's appliance business, but not this year (medical conditions forced DB not to work this summer). This summer he has been hanging out with his friends. He lifts weights and does power training for football conditioning. He has been starting to plan his Eagle project, but is basically dragging his feet and making me crazy. Next summer this boy will be working! My oldest DS informed us that he has been offered a job in Virginia at a marina and probably will be moving there the beginning of October, just after the wedding. :-( I understand it is a good opportunity for him and he has a better chance of buying a home there than he does up here, but it brakes my heart. Nobody in my entire family has ever moved away. We all live within an hour of one another, so this is very hard for me. Other than the Buffett concert last night, this week has basically s*cked! Love, Besh