Hi Everyone! I'm glad to report I stuck to my plan last night - only had one light beer and one fake beer and 2 med slices of pizza. Drank a huge glass of water too. Ending this week I'm still ahead having 20 bonus point left for the week. I've almost recovered on the scales from last weekend - tomorrow is my weigh day. Planning ahead is worth it. No, I did not get all of the snow moved. I can now see out 1/2 the window. With the temps warming this week, I will be throwing more snow on the drive to melt and will continue to do so until I can get through my patio gate to the back door and clear the front window snow bank. I can only do so much and have to wait for the snow to melt before I can toss some more. It's good exercise and fresh air - so I don't mind. Waiting for my swimsuits to arrive in the post (ebay) - going to start playing in the pool at the nearby sports center. Planning on walking there one way and probably busing back now that the sidewalks have been clear. Any water activity really has helped me in the past tone up and get rid of flab. It's also a treat for me. Dodi, I've only been through your area once on our holiday driving down to Boston area - beautiful is an understatement! I can understand why you drive to town to do your walking! Raeanne what were you working on? I'm going to check out August Rush on the internet. We watch movies at home so I may have to wait. Where is Lake George? Besh do you have any other children? They grow up so fast. Marci what is on the agenda for next week - any time for yourself in there? Milkdud would you please send some of your heat my way? I wanna garden so bad it's driving me nuts. I can smell the snow melting. Yes, it has a particular smell. How is Aubrey today? Hey John it's great to have a man's perspective on all of this journey. What do you do to relax after work? NhSuzanne - what neck of the woods are you in to have as much snow? Let's go visit Milkdud! DeeMarie - what type of work do you do? Are you still feeling refreshed from your holiday? I loved working on projects in my career - I'm an administrative junkie at heart. Patti congrats on your weight loss too - trying to find your post on it but I keep getting lost! Can you update me please! After rereading the posts - I think my crock pot is getting hauled out today. I can't believe I see so many of them in charity shops all the time. There was a smaller one available last week and a bunch of tall mason jars which I'm thinking of returning on Monday to pick up. I have a craving for lima beans and crock pots do them justice. QOD: What was your first childhood toy that you claimed as your 'buddy? Mine was a stuffed, butt ugly monkey. I traded a toy tractor with my foster brother for it. We were moving from Ontario to Manitoba. My foster brother needed special care that was not available in the military camp we moved to. It broke our hearts to part with Brian. I was so creative I called him Monkey. Monkey had many surgeries in his life, many baths and finally disintegrated in my late 20's to the point of no return - may Monkey rest in peace. Let's make today count! It's sunny -3' and going to a balmy +2'C (34'F). Might have to do some snow tossing! Cheers, Peggy

Hi all! Jan--omg, I feel so terrible as I missed your post that Bobby passed. I am so very, very sorry. I feel like such a jerk, whining and kevetching about my "problems", when you are going through this. You're in my thoughts and prayers, and please accept my condolences. ((((((hugs))))))) (But I didn't realize that you're my long-lost SIL, b/c it sounds like we have the same MIL--ugh.) Amy--gad, I must have missed your post also--did you lose Heather? ((((((hugs!!!!)))))) I swear, I must start reading more closely. I will read something, and then it just falls out of my pea=brain. Sigh. Can I blame it on school? Marci--congrats on your retirement! What a sweet word that is--retirement. :) Have a great time in FL! BJ--how's your mom doing? IvA--I'm so glad that your treatments are going so good!!! Tikansis--yooohoooo! Come out and play!! Where are you? I hope you're feeling better form that nasty fall! Well, It's quiet on the homefront. MIL showed up one morning ,and and a performed a sob-fest, and then borderlined yelled at me. In.My.Own.House. I apparently have a spine, and told her in no uncertain terms that I will not be spoken to int hat way in my own house, and if she could continue in an adult manner, then I would listen. She blamed everything on me, and blah, blah, blah. Same ol' story, different day. I think I am going tomorrow, just to be sickening sweet... I feel a couple of "bless your heart"s coming on. :) Hope all is well! Hugs, Maddie Besh--I love Maine Coons--Renee that used to psot years many moons ago had one named Moose. :)

I made it! I swam a mile! March 22, 2004! I'm over 50 and over 200 lbs, so that is a triumph for me! I've been swimming since late January. I worked up to a half mile and now I'm up to a mile! It took me 40 minutes, but not bad for someone who quit smoking in June. Also to burn fat, you don't want to be in a fast heart-target range. I was at 195lbs. when I first quit smoking and I want to get down below 200 as a goal for the time being-then work on losing more. Being over 200 is no fun. I 5'4", but have always been solid and muscular, medium boned. Still, I need to be thinner for my highth. I swim 3 nights and one weekend day a week. I work 2 jobs, so every night I'm not working the 2nd job, I have made it part of my routine to spend an hour in the water! I keep reading more and more that exercise is a key to almost everything...less cancer, less heart problems, better everything...just MOVE and SWEAT at least 3 or more times a week. So my lungs are getting stronger, my stamina is increasing and my muscle mass is increasing to help my metabolism burn more fat! I sure do sleep good - I go to sleep earlier too! ha ha! You guys have helped to keep me motivated! I really appreciate hearing all your feedback and reading what keeps you motivated!! June

So.....I had this old exercise bike and a high chair taking up space in my garage and decided to donate them to the local thrift shop and as I was waiting on the lady who runs the shop to get free so's I could tell her I had these two items I wanted to give to her, an elderly gentleman came in and asked her for an exercise bike..........I gave him mine ;0) And I donated the highchair to her ;0) And the exercise part of this story is that I had to jump up into the back of DH's truck, slide the bike out and onto the ground and the high chair then help the nice man put the bike into his truck...I think my weight workout part is done lol....and I'll get on my bike in a bit I just couldn't believe the lucky streak I was having and wanted to share lol.