Hi everyone. It's good to read up about you all. I'm happy for @Karla and new beginnings on the horizon. @Jane, hope all goes well with your surgery. Always good to hear from @Kathie, @Ellen and everyone else old and new !

I hadn't planned on going through more clothes today, but I'm glad I did ! I thought I had a ways to go before I could find more clothes that fit. I'm so happy to find a couple dressier outfits and tops. The top right above has a sheer black over-blouse with a bit of pattern to it. I remember buying this outfit for our work Christmas party in 2004. I think it still looks OK to wear, not too out of date. The pants are a nice wide leg cut that I like, that you can't always find these days. I have two pairs of those dress pants all of a sudden ( size 12 OMG ), and found a couple of casual pants for work and a pair of size 13 jeans that fit, a whole bunch of blouses and shirts too. They are all in the washing machine right now. I now won't have to shop for clothes until these are too big. Bonus ! I thought that I needed new pants to tide me over, but I don't !

I attended a political rally today and that was fun. @canajineh, I met Justin Trudeau today, not sure if anyone else here will know him. We have a federal election on Monday for a MP's and Prime Minister.

Today's weather was cold, but I was glad that I was feeling good enough despite fighting this cold, to go for a walk. I'm at hour 28 of my weekend 48 hour fast, a piece of cake compared to 72 hours. I sure love the fasting ! I've got a bear roast marinating now, going to braise and roast it tomorrow for supper to break my fast. Then I'lI really be strong to last the next work week. Thank you to all who have listened to my saga at work and offered support, as well as cheering me on with my fasting. I am proud of myself that I have been able to continue on with my weight loss mission in spite of all this stress. I'll see what the scale says tomorrow, but I'm expecting another loss. I have a ways to go before I am able to control my emotions and gain some self confidence with the work stuff, but the weight loss and smaller clothes help boost me up, that's for sure ! And all of you too. Best wishes to all !

jumanajane wrote: »

Hi all....just a quick check in from nice and cool Bournemouth.....only 14C instead of 36C!!! Lovely!
Karla and Janice you two are still awesome, not only in your results but in that you are wonderful examples of all the positive things you can achieve with this woe. Rock on!

Kathy so sorry you are still having that pain, what a total bummer! Good that your breast lumps are just fibrous this time! Great.
Keep on trying your IF Christine, it gets to be fun seeing how long you can go before husbands start 'tutting' at you and making 'thats ridiculous' comments! I'm happy to say mine has now given up! Hehehe.

Sorry deksgrl, cant help you there except to say that breast pain and swelling is usually to higher estrogen so maybe your progeetogen has had a sudden drop. Hopefully that will go quickly.

Gotmy pre-op check tomorrow....please send positive thoughts to the Nurse to agree to my requests regarding Dextrose IV etc etc. Hubby has asked me not to get 'stroppy' with them about it as they just may not understand and @you dont want to antagonise them'......actually I do!!! Lolol. I want them to know about it and why! We shall see.

Got to see my mother tomorrow, she may turn up at the hospital but hopefully the drive will be too much for her! Saturday she is off on a cruise for a week-her first- thank God for small blessings! I dont think her coming to help look after me would be conducive to healing! Lol. More stress-creating.

Have a good week all

Lots of love.

Good wishes on your surgery. I had surgery last summer and asked about the glucose/dextrose and the nurses said they do not use it in regular IV. They use saline solution. I did check the bag to be sure. LOL They were very nice and understanding and one of them had also lost 20 pounds doing LC so she totally got it.

Happy Monday, ladies!

@Janice - great clothes - so happy for you to avoid shopping - I hate shopping!

@Jane - Yes, hubby loves to tut and worry. I guess that means he loves me! Sending you healing thoughts and good wishes for your surgery! Check in when you can.

@Karla - Keto is so good for your skin! Glad you could stop your antibiotics. My husband keeps commenting on how soft my skin is these days and I keep telling him it is because of my eating. ...also, my Epsom salt and coconut oil baths for relaxation and detox, but mostly because of the food!

Had a great weekend with lots of company. Brother-in-law and his wife stayed 2 nights, plus our girls had a friend over one night. Niece and her boyfriend visited for dinner Saturday as well. Only bad thing was the wine I had Saturday night - feeling back on track today!

Hubby is planning a hunting trip this weekend leaving Thursday, so maybe I will try the fasting again Thursday/Friday. We are getting a new puppy this weekend too - so excited!!! It will be busy having a new baby in the house (puppies seem to be more work than kids ).

Have a good week, everyone!

He is in the lead! Yeah Justin!

Good Tuesday to all. I sure am glad for cooler weather. The beautifully colored leaves are now falling from the trees like snow and covering the ground.

@Jane---you have been so much on my mind. I hope your surgery goes smoothly and the surgeon does his best work for you! Wish we could all pop into your hospital room with flowers and balloons and a big steak! Feel better soon, dear friend! And let us know how you're doing as soon as you're up to it!

@Janice---my goodness, you are so full of joy and energy and beauty! Really lovely to see. So exciting that you're able to fit into those smaller sizes; yay for you!

@Karla---you gun-toting mama, you! What a hair-raising incident with the dogs attacking your pets! So glad you were able to protect them and yourself. Are your dog and cat doing ok now? So great that you're able to get off the fibro med and the antibiotic. I still need one for my skin, but hope to eventually get off it. My skin has been so bad since being on LCHF.

@christineellis---good luck with the new puppy! Ours is 5 1/2 mos old now and sure keeps us on our toes. Be sure to post a picture for us!

@canadjineh--you're right about our US politics; they go on faaarrrrr too long. So sick of hearing all the blather!

Have a great day, everyone!

Oh I am so excited ! I watched all of the election coverage last night. I am so happy Justin got in ! Yes, it was great to be that close to him. I almost reached out to him to touch him...but I am a polite and reserved Canadian. I just clapped and cheered and laughed. It was so joyous. He was so happy to see us. It did not look like an act. He seemed so genuine and sincere, like a real person, not a god, or someone made up to look like he was made out of plastic. I believe he will bring a bright future to Canada. Such a nice boy, a beautiful family, and I loved his Mom and Dad. His dad was an icon. This is the first father and then son to become Prime Minister. I think I cried for 8 days straight when Pierre Trudeau died. He had such vision for Canada, and I think Justin will bring the heart back to Canada, where the last robotic leader ( shudder) ripped it out. Sigh. A happy day.

And I had a long talk with the Member of Parliament in my political riding. It was such a pleasure to meet him...he's a real person too ! Now I wish I'd joined their team, but I already feel like part of their team ! It was my meeting with my new MP that brought me the invitation via Justin's recorded voice on my telephone to come meet him. I love them both and I love my country and the fact that I can play an active part in contributing to my society and the way I want my country to be run ! I am full of joy !

I'm sorry, I'm just too excited to even comment on everyone's news ! I love you, have a great day !

Sk8Kate wrote: »

Too bad my mind and my capabilities don't match up, lol. /quote]

Ha! I'm definitely with you on that one! Pinterest is full of so many good ideas, but my trying to duplicate them is often an abysmal failure. I bet your painted furniture turns out far better than you think--good luck! And I hope your pain subsides even more. Good for you, getting back to LCHF more consistently. I'm struggling to do that, too.

Enjoy your painting, and give us a peek at the beautiful finished product.

Hi everyone, just a quick check in with you all . The op went very well and the Consultant was very happy that he achieved exactly what he wanted. I have been pretty pain free....just dull aches really and controlled by paracetamol and a hot water bottle. Still feeling nauseated at times but apparently that is common with gynae ops. Came back to the cottage yesterday so can relax and sleep well...never happens in hospital does it!

jumanajane wrote: »

I didn't have stitches after giving birth but now feel for those of you who did!

Stiches are no fun! I had a couple of stitches after delivery 12.5 lbs worth of twin girls. Then no stitches with my 10 lb boy...things were fairly stretched out from the year before!

So glad you are not feeling too much discomfort. Healing thoughts, so you can go home on time!

Hello ladies! It's been crazy weekend here with teenagers, and young adults, everywhere! This new social life of my son's is definitely an adjustment for me and hubby. I want them to feel welcome, but I don't know them (or their parents) and it makes me nervous wondering who I have in my home. Is that irrational? Landon always resisted anything social, especially at home, so this is a whole new thing here at 18 years old. I like that they like being here and knowing that Landon is in a safe place makes me happy too!

I'm still upset over the dog attack last week! The fact that the owners haven't ever made any attempt to contact me hasn't made me very happy either! Is beginning to not be dominating my thoughts now, so that's a good thing.

@Christine, waiting for a picture of the new puppy!

@Janice, i almost have enough bones to make my first batch of bone broth!! I'm seeing a bit of a healthy glow, but I want to glow like you do!

@Jane, I hope your recovery is proceeding without problems!!

@Rebecca!!! More flooding from hurricane Patricia in your area!!! I'm praying you weren't affected!!! My thoughts have been with you!!! Let me know how you are when you can!!

@Ellen, Kathie, canadjineh.......hello! I hope all is well!!

Had a paperwork glitch in my license renewal, mailing it off tomorrow after getting it notarized. Should be able to officially apply for the job I want (and will very likely get!! ) before the end of this coming week!! I'm so excited to be returning to work! I've loved being a nurse, and being able to affect the lives of my patients, even with just a smile. Yes, there are many frustrations that go along with it, but the rewards are greater. Plus, to feel productive again, I'm so ready!!!

Keep on truckin everyone! Have an amazing Sunday!!!

Hello and Happy Sunday to my beautiful Ladies ! @Kathie, I hope you post a picture of the dresser, sound lovely. @Ellen, so good to hear from you, and thanks for the compliments, you too @Karla...yikes your story of the dogs scared me so much ! We just don't use guns here that much, please be careful. @Christine, it's nice to have a fasting buddy. Glad to hear you're feeling better @Jane !

@Karla, I'm happy to hear of your bone broth making plans ! This something I've always done, but I didn't start calling it "bone broth" until I went paleo and learned that this is a "thing". I do boil it for a lot longer now. I'm making a pot of chicken broth right now. It's been a long time since I've made any. I need to get some of my bags of bones out of the freezer, and do something with them. It was just too hot in the summer, so I kept collecting them. @Karla, if you're in a pinch for bones, I'm sure you could pick up some cheap, boney cuts like chicken backs and necks to make chicken broth. I find soup bones are pretty expensive here, but the bonier cuts are often a good value. And now that I am in the habit of saving most bones, I accumulate them so quickly that I don't often need the free soup bones from my farmers.

I will roast a huge farm chicken today, and with some of the fresh broth, I will make myself a small pot, maybe two bowlfuls of fresh cream of mushroom soup ( one of my favorites) with butter, mushrooms and HWC, so simple and so yummy ! And I'll eat chicken of course, lots of it !

I'm fasting this weekend naturally. It always amazes me how I can fast and still go grocery shopping, talk about food excessively with friends, even watch cooking shows and not be tempted to eat. I bought some delectable foods yesterday and did not eat....half a ham, a whole sockeye salmon, pepperoni, 3 kinds of cheeses including double cream brie, a few token veggies, HWC and butter...and can safely plan my meal for today and meals throughout the week, and just rest inside myself, comfortable in knowing that I don't need to eat these foods now, they are waiting for me, and I will enjoy them so thoroughly and completely when I do eat them, that I feel such comfort and joy in my ability to wait and have control. It's amazing ! I feel like I have the best of all worlds and it's all related to food...something that was used in the past to harm me....and now it is such a positive experience, healthy, nourishing, yet completely pleasurable and tasty. And I am steadily losing weight while eating foods I love ! I just wish that others here in this group could enjoy the weightloss factor again. I really think that it was the fasting that has brought me over the hump of my previous stalls.

I feel a surge of confidence growing within me again, so I'm glad for that. I attended a meeting/educational event with the management team at work last week, and was initially nervous, but was able to drum up some courage through my new/old smaller dress clothes that gave me strength. I was able to be professional in close proximity with people who have given me grief and I was emotionally strong...something new for me ! I am holding my head up high, especially gratifying for me to be able to do this directly in front of the one who hurt me the most. It feel like I have turned a corner. I don't need their false support when I can support myself.

Well, I'd better get my chores done. Have a lovely day everyone !

Here she is, the new baby in the house! Say hello to Tessa, the 8 week old black Labrador. We are smitten and have had not enough sleep the last two nights! My weight is down this morning, but could be from not eating enough - was way under calories Sat/Sun, also not enough water. I will probably have a bump tomorrow when I get back on track.

Happy Monday everyone!

To us Candians, it looks like the American politicians are always campaigning! I can't imagine the vast amounts of money that are spent! Yikes!

Good morning/evening ladies. Can't sleep again, but at least have time to catch up on my MFP reading, lol. It's great to see how you all are. My furniture painting is coming along slowly (the whole brain-to-ability ratio) but by my 3rd dresser I should have it figured out. Finding vintage/antique dresser knobs has been a challenge also. Finding uninterrupted time has been hard too. Took grandbaby trick or treating. Last year I made him a lobster costume & this year they bought him a lion one (he was so cute roaring at people). Another round with specialists next week. I've decided if they can just remove from my navel to my thighs I'll be good. Pharmacy made a big oops on my thyroid meds (wrong dose) so had to get that corrected. This is 3rd time in 5 yrs, so maybe time to change. It's not a big chain one, so I felt good with the more personal service. Hope everyone had a good Hallowe'en. I miss seeing all the kids now that we live in the boonies.

As you can see, we like to dress up in my house. My kids are great with the makeup. Sometimes my youngest one directly above, will create special effects makeup, last year she made horns, for instance, that she applied to her head. They looked real. The girls have many, many wigs....and I like to borrow them for Hallowe'en.

Things at work have been a little better, yet I am still "camping" in that makeshift office, sharing with the managers. Nowhere yet to unpack my things and get organized. The weeklong special events made last week a bit more fun. There was a dress-up aspect and a food item daily. I skipped a lot of it, but did have a small bowl of taco meat with cheese, sour cream and salsa instead of the nacho bowls they offered. I dressed up 3 out of 5 days. Thursday was pajama day. Now this kind of thing would have normally made me feel quite self conscious, however, I actually enjoyed wearing pajamas. They were my daughter's size medium flannel pajamas ! That felt good !

The weather here has been kind of crummy, warmer but rainy.....and I'm missing my walks. Also, I'm waiting for the rain to stop so that I can finish raking up my leaves. I'd better get it finished today, no matter what. I have a couple of trees that are late to lose their leaves, but sometimes by the time they fall, we have snow already. I think the weather will be getting colder this week, so I'd better hurry.

I want to tell you Ladies, that I have had the good fortune of meeting a very good friend here on MFP, a gentleman with whom I share many commonalities with respect to many aspects of my life....upbringing with an abusive parent, and a child diagnosed with Asperger's disorder being major similarities, but also evident, are many commonalities regarding background, interests and especially intellectual and emotional compatibility, as well as possibly more mundane things that are a little surprising when we find out that we share these similarities as well ! It's very extraordinary, in my opinion, to find a kindred spirit. We share a love of achieving better health through nutrition....as do all of us here. But meeting this person online has made an already fulfilling supportive community feel even more special to me.

He is here among us in the LCD group, but does not show his face, so I am not sure how we found each other. I am in a state of awe and wonder. I have all of you wonderful Ladies who have enriched my experience here by welcoming me, and this means so much to me, as well as all of my MFP Friends. And now I have found someone with whom to share specific details of experience. I have no doubt that our unique friendship will result in each of us being able to achieve greater growth. You know, I joined MFP as a way to commit to improving my health.....and I am doing that, but this whole experience has been so much more. Thank you everyone ! I can feel myself blossoming in so many ways and I have all of you to thank.

Have a wonderful Sunday and rest of the week !