JACKIE, we must have been writing at the same time because we both appeared, you beating me by a "hair" breadth. The cottage looks GORGEOUS, I'm SO envious. My idea of heaven, pets and all. It would be wonderful if the friend comes up with an idea for a basic free website for us seniors. Thanks for trying, and hanging in there! ANNE.

Good Saturday afternoon, everyone.

It has been ages since I've posted here, but I do visit periodically, read as much as I have time to read and then, mark my spot as Sandy calls it. I enjoy reading your posts and getting to know the folks who've joined the group since I took my "leave of absence." I didn't think I needed My Fitness Pal to keep on top of my weight and nutrition. I'd made that mistake once before but I guess I'm a hard learner.

At my heaviest, I weighed 222 pounds. When my husband had his first heart attack, we both went on a diet and I lost 50 pounds, getting down to 172. By the time I first started tracking my weight loss on MFP, I had gained back about 20 of the pounds lost and weighed 193.4 pounds. I have no idea when that was since MFP no longer shows - "a member since XXXX" in my profile. I know the number since my profile says I've lost 20 pounds since then, and I can only generate a report for the past year.

It has been an up and down course. From that initial 193 pounds, I lost almost 30 pounds by last May (2014), logging 166. Sadly it didn't stay that way and by fall, I was up to 179 - a 13 pound gain. I went on a crash (Reader's Digest) diet and dropped back down to 173 but then the holidays came and despite my resolution, by March of this year I found myself at 182 pounds. That's only 11 pounds below the weight I started at - maybe in 2010. So many years and so much effort almost erased.

I've been back at this since March, and as of today am down to 176.4 pounds - 9 pounds gone in a little less than eight weeks. The jeans I put away earlier this year once again fit; snugly, but I can zip the fly. I'm not ready to wear them in public, but it won't be long - maybe by the end of May.

A woman my age and height needs to be under 158 pounds to be in the "healthy weight" category. That's my goal for now. I know I will feel better, move better and accomplish more at that weight. So, I'm gonna keep on truckin' and keep my pedal to the metal. Wish me luck.

Connie, in Pomona, MO

Good morning. I'm sure we'll figure out what to do with our group as time goes on.

Meanwhile, I had a lovely time last night but slept in late and am now BEHIND! Ha.

My laptop is also acting up today.........I think I may have too much going on for the poor thing. There are so many great videos to watch but my iPad won't play them so I'm asking the old laptop to step up!

LOVE your pictures Jackie. Delightful home! And yes I knew it was celeriac but Marie wanted to know about it for some recipes she found. It's not easy to find here so I'll pass on it for now.

Anne - I think I commented on the news feed that I love your new haircut. So I'll say it here as well.

Bob - happy weekend to you. Sometimes life is just overwhelmingly busy (happy but buy). See you.

Phoebe - glad to hear from you, I haven't even seen you much on Facebook! Glad Honey is doing well. Hope you hectic schedule calms down soon.

Buzz - you are just on the run my friend. God bless and keep you.

Marie - what's up for you this weekend? Did all the stormy weather pass you by?

Shirley - I'm glad you will get plenty of boating in this summer. You guys work so hard on your boat and now that DH is retired I'm pleased you'll be out when you want to go (and the weather cooperates).

Sandy - how are you this weekend? I saw some pictures you posted on Facebook. My gosh, you look younger all the time. What area you doing?

Patsy - what are you folks doing this weekend?

Jeri - are you home now?

Phyllis - are you at home or travelling again?

Barbie - glad Jake found a recipe he likes!

Diane - I sure hope you folks get some moisture soon. A friend posted about snow in Tahoe. I'm sure it's a literal drop in the bucket when it melts............ Any more trips coming up soon?

Well, back to catching up on emails!

Oh and I watched the movie "Enough Said" and did enjoy it. Thanks for mentioning it Patsy and Bob.

Lin

Connie so glad to see you pop in. hope you can post some of your lovely flower gardens with us.
we all have our ups and down. I met another Connie on a thread I started before Easter. and talk her into a July thread. well the July thread exploded and driving us carzy definitely unmanageable like 50 new members per day
every day. Someone offer to set up a Group for us. Still hugh but Management So many of my Easter poster did not like the hugh amount of posters so by demand We kept the Easter challenge name and called us the Misfit.
I lost 11 pounds on the Easter thread with such an out dated Thread we don't get any new Members which suited us just fine.
Glad to see you...... post some spring flowers your flower beds are always so pretty.
Marie

Back to work, i get the first sleep time, yay! Except about 1am when I'll be wishing i could be asleep again.
My 2 cents, if it aint broke, etc. Id only make changes if it is necessary. Too much confusion. There are other weight loss forums all with pros and cons. Spark people, calorie count, and so on.
ill be reading along. Where is Sandy?
great photos. Jackie, come do my house, okay?

Phoebe

Thought everyone would enjoy this that came from my daughter. Not good at sending photos, but thought that you could get the picture anyway. Now Aubrey is my 4 yr old granddaughter.

Aubrey wanted Jell-o today at the grocery store. So we bought it. At some point today she poured it into this blue bowl and put it in the refrigerator. She just brought me the bowl and said "the refrigerator isn't working! We need to put it in the freezer!" Our entire family burst into laughter. #shemakesmydaybetter #jelloexperiment #ifitwereonlythateasy Just so you know....there was only jello powder in the bowl. LOL

Diane

JACKIE, your home looks just as I would have imagined; familiar, comfortable and warm! Enjoy the new floor once the fuzz has gone! Yes indeed, there has been much harm done by people hacking Facebook accounts, and I for one could not care less about every moment of someone's day from morning to night. I've enough trouble controlling my own! ANNE, whatever you can contribute to us all keeping together will be appreciated! JACKIE's friend, also.
Last night was a scary disaster, but I learned I must involve myself more in the use of Mike's equipment. I probably broke his blood testing machine trying to use it to read his blood sugar count. He was totally unable to comprehend a blessed thing not even recognizing what I was holding or attempting to do! I don't know if he knew who we were! I called our friends to cancel our dinner arrangement and simply started shoveling whatever I could find to raise his sugar level to somewhere near normal, as he becomes a zombie when hypoglycemic! It may be more dangerous than high sugar! After 1/2 an hour, he was at the point of being able to eat the lunch sandwich he thought was so clever to save instead of eating it at noon! How do I control a stubborn man? I surely do need a caregivers support group, which will start meeting Tuesday! I cajole, threaten, plead, shout, and end up hating myself for acting as I do when I lose "it" !!! But I can't seem to act rationally when he ignores my suggestion regarding his diabetes, ending in frightening state I cannot cope with! Today, he was fine, but the testing apparatus is broken! I will have to learn how to use it and how to inject insulin or sugar pills and orange juice must be in my refrigerator at all times! Enough rambling. Just took off my compression pump and my legs look wonderfully normal with NO swelling! Watched the press corps dinner, fell asleep during the fun part, so I'll go catch up on the re-broadcast! Where is everyone today?
Buzz

Hi From Hot Cairo. The temp went up 20 degrees from yesterday. My early morning swim was beautiful though. Tonight we are invited to my nieces birthday party. It will be all family there. She is in college but that is how we Egyptians do it. Families celebrate together not so much with friends! She has all kinds of game planned so shuld be kind of fun.
just wanted to check in and say HI.
I was glad Buzz mentioned that painting was upside down. I thought I was the only one that it happened to. But from standing on my head and looking at it I thought it was Wonderful. KEEP Painting. Phyllis

Already evening here so I'm about to make myself chicken salad with a jacket potato and then relax. Last night I lit the fire because the air was damp after a dismal day but we've had sunshine today and apart from lots of emailing with my secretary of allotment association hat on, I've also enjoyed a long walk with George and started seeds in trays for planting up later on our plot. Thanks for the comments about my little cottage. Now I've got the lounge sorted everywhere else looks in need of similar TLC but I'm all decorated out for now!!!

Anne ~ Although plenty of people complain about the NHS there is on the whole an excellent care system set up for elderly folk in need of assistance. Things have changed a bit in that everyone is assessed according to their means but they're still allowed a good amount of savings before having to pay anything. Of course some do slip through the net but probably due more to independence and not wanting to be a burden!

Sandy ~Glad to see you're alright and enjoying your family. Completely understand how busy you are with Robby that you must prioritize but I bet you can't wait for your trip away and a rest!!

Buzz ~Mike's getting himself into an awful Catch 22 position by not eating at the right time, having blood sugar crashes and then becoming too confused to help himself. Many years ago I worked with a lovely man who had Type 1 diabetes and I quickly learned that if he became agitated and illogical he was probably heading for a hypo but we had to force him to either drink sweet orange juice or eat a square of Mars bar because he'd become increasingly angry and fight us off. The trick was to spot the problem before he got too bad.... never easy! I'd have thought in the environment you're living the most important service would be a support system for just such incidents. We all worry about you and the drain on your energy but Mike can't help it once he's got himself to that stage so please God, you get some practical support from the caregivers group. What about an emergency buzzer you can use to call for help?

Phoebe ~ Wonderful to read Honey is doing well, all thanks to you. A friend has been searching for a rescue dog and found a charity that brings street dogs in from Romania where it seems most suffer with heart and lung worms. It's quite distressing to read the stories and I think she might go back to looking at UK based charities.... some of their stories can be bad enough! Don't work too hard and stay safe on your journeying.

I agree with everyone that when and if the time comes that MFP goes unless payments are made, we can keep in touch one way or another because I expect between us we have collected enough email addresses from each other to build up a new contact point. Facebook won't be it for me I'm afraid as I've made myself a promise to get to my grave without signing up!!!

I've missed lots of you but must get myself a meal and settle down. Are you getting the latest series of "Poldark" on PBS? It's based in my corner of the UK, Cornwall but apart from enjoying the scenery I have to say the rest of it is obviously lacking a decent budget and hilariously melodramatic! Look out for it! Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.
Jackie