Saturday, May 26, 2007

dieting, this & that

Hi All,
I have so been looking forward to this 3 day weekend.
I started by going to my local farmer's market early this morning (I don't get to go because I normally work Sats)..I arrived before 9:30, but the strawberries were gone, wah!
So I did eat a tamale, not on the diet, but only ate half.
I bought my tomatoes, hopefully will get planted tomorrow.
The yard is so behind, but it's not going anywhere!
I'm still enjoying the foxgloves, iris, & my fav columbines even if they are surrounded by
weedies,
It's 73, sunny, a nice breeze, it's a ten!
I may go out & read or applique in a while & laugh at the weeds.

Going to Quilt Til You Wilt last nite really got me thinking about how much I miss not quilting lately. Our group is just the best, we have the greatest time together.

I've been lucky & haven't had any raccoons the last few years. For some reason they really scare me, so I don't miss the burly guys.

I'm really worried about how to stay on the straight & narrow with the diet this weekend.
Any ideas?
I'm thinking maybe some shrimp & veggies on the BBQ for Monday...but that's just one meal!
I think I'll need some major distractions!

Anyone heard from Dot Lately? I miss her high desert updates!
Jill

Friday, May 25, 2007

Hello from Vermont

Hi everyone! It's been months since I've tried for an invite and am finally back on board. (pun intended!) My first thought was I'd accidentally logged into the Weight Watcher's site instead of the quilters site. LOL Nice to see so many stepping away from the sewing machine and onto the treadmill. Old timers might recall I lost 40 pounds three years ago after 9 months on WW. Now I'm finding myself back up over 15 lbs again so I've got to up the action for the summer. It feels so good to lose it, but it's a constant struggle to keep it off!
My poor Janome is sick. I've been working on a baby quilt for a girl where I work and last night it started making weird noises. I opened it up and cleaned out a ton of fuzz, but then it still keeps "stalling" and making knots of thread. I hate having to trek it to the service center and leave it but don't know what else to do. Tomorrow we're going to Connecticut for my niece's wedding which should be a nice family time. Well, it's good to be back with y'all. Will stop back again when I have time. Nice to hear everyone's news, especially when it's good.
Lynn in VT

Raccoon Transport

A new business here in the country. The little bu**ers have been getting into our metal can with bird seed everynight and have broken my birdfeeding station, an antique rubber tired wagon wheel and they've eaten every bit of seed cakes that I've put out for the last few weeks so I hope they have severe diahrea from all that suet. We are now live trapping them and driving them to a new location, south of the highway and into another township. I'm hoping that there are no babies left behind, both for the sake of the animals and ourselves. What pests they are and being so cute looking is no excuse for the terrible damage they can do to chickens, etc. We had five beheaded at one time a few years ago and I know that Jean out in Mill Bay has suffered a greater loss due to these creatures.

Spring is surely one of the prettiest times of year here. The grass is brilliantly green, yellow green and emerald green. Lots of cutting but oh so pretty.

Heading out to finish off a day's planting.

Rosey

Jean

The reason I do measurements on the same day as I weigh is that we do tend to carry extra water weight sometimes after eating something we don't normally eat, but measurements really let me know that the fat is disappearing. And it's just an extra incentive to continue. Clothes getting looser isn't exact enough for my scientifically oriented brain, I guess.

Pat in Rockport, TX, who has to get ready to go in to work for a few hours.

Friday morning in Florida

Good Morning to everyone.
My walking buddy just called and she is wallpapering her kitchen so didn't want to walk. I'm sooooo tired of staining the back deck, my fingers hurt. Think I'll start the day off with a good soak in the tub.
Today is charity quilt day. There will only be 2 of us today, as so many people are out of town on vacation/H.S. graduations going on.
We have had so much wind here lately. It is faning the fires again. All the rain in Texas and other places could come here and we would love it.
By the way, Marty in VT. I'm glad to see a picture of you and the other quilters and husbands together. I'd love to go back to VT. in a June.
Are we going to try for a quilt get together in 2008? Maybe the Von Trapp or some other Inns could offer us a good deal. It is such a beautiful area. That is where we got interested in bicycling.
OK, going to take a bubble bath to start the day off gently, then go to the local quilt shop for the morning. Sounds like a good plan to me!
Sara in Fla.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Back on Track

Thursday and I managed to remember to weigh in this week. For all the good it did me! LOL

The weight is stuck again, although I feel thinner and I look thinner and my pants are baggier! Maybe it was the salty soy sauce on the stir fried veggies? Whatever! I have 4 1/2 pounds to go to hit the 20 pound target. At this rate it will be at least another three weeks! But the latest morale booster was to go from the regular cut to the slim fit jeans, although they are the same size.

On the kitten front -- No little kittens here yet, but there are still rather a lot of left over kitties from last year, plus the two from the year before that were returned last month. The happy news is that I seem to have found homes for three of them, the two older ones and one of the younger ones from last September. DH is still away working in Alberta, but he will be thrilled to come home to a few less cats! And I am secretly pleased because I was going to be honourable and offer my very favourite foster kitty to the people who were here looking for cats, but as soon as he saw the strangers he flew out the door and hid. Came back within 5 minutes of everyone leaving. Perfect! I may get to keep this bad cat yet! LOL

Jean, enjoying a sunny morning...

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Laura

I do the measuring and weighing in the bathroom, and keep the papers with the information in a drawer in the bathroom, so they don't go missing. Do you think this might work for you? Seeing those numbers get smaller is a wonderful incentive to stick with the regimen.

Pat in Rockport, TX

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Checking in

I haven't posted in awhile. I am trying to keep track of the inches I've lost, and not having much luck. I've measured myself three times, and lost the measurements twice. I have no idea how much I have actually lost, but people are beginning to notice and the clothes are fitting better, or sometimes even worse (too big!) I've lenghtened the walk with the dogs, now that the weather is nicer, and cut back on bread (only one serving, but still!)
I actually finished a baby quilt Sunday, for a shower we had yesterday, which was our last day of school. Then I was going to work on Drunkard's path blocks for a quilt for my DM. My sewing machine started making a loud clicking noise. When I opened the side thread compartment, a half of a plastic washer fell out. The machine is at the repair shop and not expected back until next week.
It doesn't really slow me down, though, because I'm leaving at about 12:30 tonight to meet up with the kids on the Academic team, drive to Nashville to the airport, and leave for Chicago for tourist activities and the National Quiz Bowl competition. We'll be arriving in Chicago around 8:30 AM, do a full day of activities, and crash after dinner. I'm getting too old for this...grin!
I won't be back until early Monday morning, so maybe the machine will be fixed before I get back.
I'm going to take a sleeping pill and to go to bed now (at about 3:00 pm). I'll catch you when I get back, unless the hotel has a computer I can use.
Laura in Alabama

Thanks, Marion and Jean, it helps me stay on the straight and narrow to have folks out there keeping an eye on my progress, LOL.

Pat in Rockport, TX

Monday, May 21, 2007

Well done Pat and Jean !

I am soooo impressed by your discipline , I may even take a look at the treadmill myself later today.....
Another good day here and DH has gone off to golf, I have the whole day to myself and have yet to decide what to do with it ! Such luxury !
Phoned DD for her (42nd) Bday on Sunday. DH reminded her that she was only 8yrs off 50 ! That went down well &^$# !!!
Enjoy your day.
Marion.

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Well done, Pat!

Good progress!

I forgot to weigh in this past week -- I have been helping my daughter renovate a house she bought and have been going flat out for the last couple of weeks. Between cleaning and painting at her house, covering the chores here with DH still away, and getting the road side stand up and running, I have not had a free minute! It will be nice if this contributes to more weight loss! The last time I looked it was just a shade over 15 pounds. I would love it to be faster, but I have noticed a really unpleasant thing about losing weight at this age -- the skin does not just automatically snap back into position! Yuck! LOL

Anyway, another 5 pounds will get me to the goal I set when I started this in March. I will continue to check in here until I reach that goal, since it is having a great effect on my motivation! And then I think after a break I will start to work on the next 10 pounds...

Jean, who will be painting baseboards and trim tomorrow, if the rain stops....

Weighing in

This week I increased the amount of weight I'm doing on our weight machine, and increased the number of reps, and decreased my carb intake a bit, and I'm down 3 pounds and 1" in measurements, hurrah! My total loss so far since last October 1st is 36 pounds. Size 16 is getting a little loose. Only about 50 more pounds to go. Hope everyone else is doing well. I really think it helps, knowing that I'll be reporting here and to my Canadian buddy each week.

Pat in Rockport, TX

Sunday morning, overcast in S.Ontario, Canada

When the title pops up, I panic...what will it be today?!

Jane, please pack me in your suitcase, I would love to go with you. What is the nearest airport to Cullowee?

Marion, 42 year old 'child' is a sobering thought. Mine has already had his in Feb. this year. This morning I'm thankful to my higher power that I have energy, interests, friends, family and am still this side of the grass but a 42 year old child is a reality that we find hard to believe ever happened.

I remember watching the white water rafting in the south/west part of North Carolina at Nantahalla. I envy you folks, it must be great fun. And I love the pictures too. Still, I'm not digitalized as yet. One day...maybe never...

This morning I've hit my sugar intake for the week. I 'et' two pieces of my apple cake baked for my B&B guests, who have departed and left me dealing with the leftovers. Fortunately I put most of the last half of the cake in the freezer, not so fortunately I managed to slice off another small piece for me. I will look four months pregnant by tomorrow.

And to add to this morning's entertainment, strictly for guests, who managed to trot by our windows overlooking the back field but Mr. Coyote, big as life, tail magnificently full and bushy and it was 9 a.m. That I do NOT like. Our dogs could easily have been outside. I don't understand why a basically nocturnal animal would be out bold as brass at that hour of the morning. The guest's were thrilled.

And so it's clean up time. Bedding to wash, dishes to do and dining room talbe to clear off ready for my fabric to assume its rightful position.

Rosey