Good morning ladies!

Watching the skies brighten this morning as I sit here and really itching to get back out on the trails once more. The dogs decided it was time to be up early today, so I got up with them and let Myron sleep in. I enjoy the stillness of the mornings, with time to reflect and catch up on what is happening in your lives as I sip my coffee and water. I'm definitely a "coffee queen" who enjoys it's dark, rich taste throughout the day. Yup, that and dark chocolate are my vices! Realizing how dehydrating it is, I offset that with drinking plenty of cold water all day long.

Patti - Planning that surprise birthday party for your Mom sounds like such fun! It seems that she is indeed excitedly preparing for the portrait sitting. I'm sure she will be delighted with your thoughtfulness. When I recall how exciting it was for my Mom to have family portraits taken periodically, I can almost envision your Mom's anticipation. My Mom had a whole wall of photos in the house, as well as small photo books she could have in her purse. She missed us when we moved away and as our extended families grew, so the photos became a joyful link to her children and grandchildren. Formal photos are so rare now and perhaps that is what makes them even more special, particularly to the previous generation. We share images so quickly now online, enjoy them briefly, maybe file them somewhere and move on with life. Sadly, my folks are both gone now and we missed my Dad's last birthday party, which I regret.
It is truly wonderful that you can enjoy such fun together, creating many lasting memories! Thinking about you especially today and praying for your friend's surgery. Hang in there.

Diane - When you finally get home after a hectic day and begin meal preparation, it's totally understandable that you'd want to satisfy hunger without delay. Family meal times are truly a treasure and you've worked out a schedule that accommodates your daughter, which is nice. Unfortunately, denying myself earlier can make it tougher to stop eating later, when I am full. Incorporating a planned protein-rich snack in the afternoon can be helpful, so that a later dinner time isn't adding emotional or hunger stress onto physical fatigue. I'm rooting for you!

Janet - Great to start a new month off with coming in under calorie goals AND getting some "to do items" accomplished and off your list permanently! Enjoying our beautiful jewelry and finding ways to organize it is something I haven't paid enough attention to. Found some wonderful silver artistry in Mexico when we spent 5 years there and just don't think about wearing it as often here. On Sundays I always reach for my favorite pearl earrings, although there are other items in the same little box that I could choose. I have a ziploc bag of various necklaces and earrings and occasionally sort through those, but maybe a proper storage of them would encourage me to make use of more variety. Enjoy the salon and the new color!

Bert - Sounds like the doctor's appointment went very well, which is always such good news. Great that you can help out with the testing process at the school today. It must be so frustrating for all that effort to be subject to problems with getting accurate results back to the teachers and students! My husband (Myron) is a retired high-school teacher and can certainly attest to some challenges here in Canada. They stopped doing standardized testing 25 years ago, such as the departmental exams in his high school, but at least they did get the results back pretty reliably. Part of the problem was that they were culturally based (rural vs. city) and some groups just had no exposure, so they would "guess wrong". Makes one wonder how accurate results can be then and how helpful? Likely you'll be on your feet and getting lots of steps in while helping them out and you get to be back around some familiar faces!

Cindy - Those respiratory issues sound very serious and I hope you find relief really soon, in whatever way seems to provide an easing of your breathing. You'll need those healthier lungs back when you are able to get active once more, after plenty of rest to fully heal them. Please continue to be gentle and patient with yourself during recovery. It must be so frightening for you at times! I will continue to pray for your healing.

Karla - It's nice to hear of more inches disappearing for you...you're doing so well with dedicated steps you continue to take on the strength training program and other goals you've set in front of yourself. It must be such a busy time for you as you organize and prepare for Chris to move out, along with the other obligations to your clients and planning activities and travels to enjoy in the weeks and months ahead. Finding quiet time must be a challenge! Perhaps as you reach for that next cold glass of water you can take a deep breath and celebrate how far you've already come! I'm so thankful that your positive leadership allows us all to enjoy getting to know one another better and encourage each other on this journey.

Jeanette - Great that you can now have a better idea of how many calories are being spent and can plan around that for your meals. Those fitness devices are sure a good motivator, from what I've read so far. When I looked them up to compare there are just SO many with various features, so I guess I'd need to decide what is important. I agree that a HRM make good sense. Sometimes I wonder how far up we've hiked (in feet), so that would be nice to know. Not sure I'd wear it when I sleep though, as I think I'd just find it too uncomfortable. Maybe when we next go into the city I will look around at the options available at Costco... we'll see. Hope things are continuing to calm between your daughter and son-in-law, so that the kids can enjoy time with each of them as well as in your home with you and Brian. Your grace to them both is making a difference, along with your prayers and hopefully our prayers too.

Hugs to all and Happy Wednesday,
MaryLynn

Hi, all -- Much happy news here -- waiting for Patti to let us know how her friend did and thinking that will be good news as well.

Bert, excellent A1c. Too bad about your friend's card. Good thing she cancelled it -- at least once when I had my number skimmed it was at a restaurant. What a hassle.

Cindy, please don't soldier on when you're fading! As sick as you've been, take your time to get better.

Karla, hooray for the inches lost and the decluttering. Glad Chris is flying the coop. You and Glenn have done wonders with him but now it's time for him to see what life on his own is like, and you and Glenn deserve couple time.

Myra, smiling is good for all of us and it's something I try to do often. Reading your post made me smile bigtime.

Jeanette, well, it's not the Argentinian tango you're teaching. What fire -- but not appropriate for a Christian college. The drama of the tango is so compelling, even without the subtext of the "real" tango.

My hair turned out great -- because I'm getting much more grey, he took it a notch lighter -- and he had two stylists-in-training observing my cut, which he narrated -- an excellent teacher. He studied under Vidal Sassoon and others -- very lucky to have become his client when the guy I'd been going to moved out of state. Ran a couple of errands, now home for a bit before I go to a meeting this evening at the clubhouse in my subdivision. I don't belong to the club but they're looking for new members. Doubt I'll join but might meet some people and there will be some nibbles, which will be my dinner.

Janet: I lost the rest of my typing so I'm doing it again. I'm white in the front and gray in the back.

Hi ladies!!! Sorry it's been a little while since I last checked in. I'm in the process of reading about those of you with hurt backs, amazing trips, honorary ceremonies and the like....won't be able to stay awake long enough to personally comment to each of you but I'm thankful for your continued encouragement for me!

Good Morning, Ladies. Another day of testing is in store for today. The students are working so hard. I'm very proud of them. Have a great day everyone.

Bert

HI Ladies-
everyone is sounding in a great place. Patti so thankful to hear the news about your GF-
Still coughing and the drugs are slowly working I should have taken cough medicine before bed last night but forgot- some tough conversations last night so I wasn't thinking clearly before bed. Woke up at, still awake at 230 and finally drifted back to sleep. Not going to help with recovering if I don't rest.
Karla- all steps count and yesterday was a great day for you. Keep it up and love the inches dropping.
Janet- how did the meeting go- meet any new people?
Bert- your hair is super cute on you.....
Jeannette- I cracked up when you talked about big movements for the tango- keeping it clean.
Myra- your smile comes through loud and clear in your posts.
Going to attempt to eat more normal today just not into salads at the moment.
I'm having Meg's birthday dinner on Sunday- a week delayed and not sure what to have. She wanted to grill but the weatherman says snow and I told her Momma doesn't stand at the grill in a snow storm- she chuckled. There have been a couple of years when that has worked.
I need to let Em know about our plans- we're keeping it just small so it will be nice.
Need to get back to my day job- hugs to all and thanks for being here for me. It means a great deal.
Cindy

Good morning ladies!
I hope you are all doing well today! Any big plans for the weekend? (well, we know of one big surprise party, right?) Hubby and I have a busy weekend planned, he has two dinners to go to for work; one Friday and one Saturday. The one on Saturday is in Portland, which is near where my parents live so we'll spend Saturday night with them afterward. It isn't so far away we couldn't drive home, but it is a good chance to see them and visit. Sunday night I also have a meeting with a few people who are trying to get a Salsa Rueda group going here in the Salem area. I am really excited for this to happen!

Last night I drove a church bus (it is a short one that you don't have to have a CDL for) for the Wednesday night program. My whole adult life if I was going to church I was always VERY involved. Since this illness I have not been able to be involved at all; it has been hard to only go to church on Sunday and not get connected otherwise. Then a couple weeks ago they were asking if someone could drive a bus to take kids home from the program. It is a small gesture, but I am happy to be able to do this one small thing.

Well I'm off to get school done, play taxi and whatever else comes up today. I hope you all have a good day and that you are inspired, delighted, encouraged, enlightened and/or appreciated at least once today (well, you already are because I appreciate you all)

Grace and peace to you
Jeanette

Hello all. Today was the end of my work week, so I was busy all day. Not all the best food choices, but I need to track it and see where I am. I NEED to get back to pre-tracking so I plan better, as opposed to tracking after the fact!

Not a lot of time for personals, but just one note: Patti, you had BETTER get a real family photo at the party or your mom is going to be disappointed at missing her "photo shoot!"

My sis and I have already said we were going to have to set something up to get a real portrait done. My Sis needs to get her hair cut first, it is a bit ragged, lol.lots to do today, so glad my cousins will be here to help this afternoon. Really glad they moved our Zumba/Pilates class up an hour. Gives me time to get to the grocery before they get here. The only cleaning left to do is the bathroom and the kitchen and bathroom wood floors. Edd did the vacuuming for me....without being asked, totally shocked me there. The best thing is all the guests ar family and close friends. Nobody judges and I never worry that they are. My home may not be a show place but it is welcoming and everyone always feels at home here. That means more to me than anything. I am truly blessed to have such loving people in my life and that includes each of you. Thanks for listening to me as I get ready for this party and all the other events in my life.

Karla, you are in the groove, good things will keep on happening with your body.

Not sure if I will be back until after the party, but I will have tales to tell I am sure.
Patti