jfenner141 Member

Hi all - been gone a while and happy to be back. Thanks, Michele for the note - it helped inspire me to kick myself in the butt and get going again. Glad to see so many familiar names!! :smile:

Happy Monday to you all! Our blueberries are starting to come in so it will be picking every couple of days for several weeks! For those of you who like to make jam (and with all the great fruit this time of year it's hard not to), you might want to try using Pomona as the pectin. It is a very low sugar form of pectin so…

Been awol for a few weeks and glad to be back. Bumping in on the new thread. Happy birthday, Rennie and Happy Canada Day to all our Canadian friends. Jill from western MA

Heather, I'll be there with Alison - would love a cuppa long with your scones!! Alison - Moultonborough is a nice area! We used to go fairly near there on the lake every summer for a week when I was growing up. We stayed at a place with cabins near Melvin Village. Meg - hope all goes well with the expected hail and you and…

Alison - where in NH will you be? Hope you have a great time!!! Bumping for later also Jill in western MA (and just a wee bit off the interstate)

Suzy - have you had your thyroid checked? Hypothyroidism (low functioning thyroid) is greatly under-diagnosed. It could be one piece of the puzzle of why you are gaining. Other signs include pretty dry skin - that's why my doctor tested me some years back. Pamala - we would go back to Amsterdam in a minute!! For all the…

Happy birthday, Anamika!! Hope you have a perfect day. :flowerforyou: Meg - I think you are absolutely right to allow your DD#1 to have to deal with the consequences of her behavior. She's certainly old enough to understand responsibility and I think she is doing stuff in spite of your upbringing, NOT YOU FAULT!! My former…

Bump for now - finally have my head back into the right time zone! Off to the Y to lift some weights, do a little cardio. Just getting back into the swing. While on the cruise, went over 10,000steps most days (Woohoo:drinker: ), and went over 20,000 the day we came back to Amsterdam!! Will share more on the trip soon, and…

Hi All! Been awol for a few weeks, but should be back regularly soon. We've been on a cruise in northern Europe, and just arrived in Amsterdam. Will be home in a few days. Haven't been posting food-just don't have a clue on how to figure out most of the food. I have been reasonably careful and the ship restaurant we ate in…

Hi all - thoughts on aging... I'm 67 now and sometimes see my mother peeking out of the mirror! That's all to the good because I do love my Mom and miss her every day. Inside, I'm still in my twenties or early 30's (depends on the day), so I don't feel old - never really have. Do have all the aches and pains thanks to…

Just a quick note Heather, that cake is simply adorable!! Love the little boy and bunny on the top. I am sure it will be the hit if the day. :flowerforyou: Jill in western MA

Hello all! Welcome to the new folks. This is a great group!! Heidi from the South Shore - yep know that green pollen well! I'm in western MA, so dealing with the same stuff - maple tree pollen. Really glad I don't have any allergies to it - our driveway is covered in green. Hope all out in the San Diego area are doing all…

Happy Mother's Day to all!! Robyn7762 - Every state in the US has senior services that could help you and your MIL. We were caretakers for my MIL until she passed and it was incredibly all-consuming. We found the Office on Aging in our area and one of the benefits was giving us coverage so we could have a "date night". We…

Hi all! Meg - belated Happy birthday!! Only 55 - such a youngster :flowerforyou: Glad to hear DD #2 learned from her mistake. Great job just having string cheese, too! Michele - Happy you heard from Brian even if it was an email. The communications door is still open :heart: Rita - Like Katla, I have also done better…

Meg - Much love and many((( hugs))), my friend! I wasn't the perfect daughter either, but it was never my parents' fault. It was my own stupid decisions and mistakes. I think sometimes we do things in spite of our upbringing, and I'd bet the farm that is the case with both of your daughters. Slow, deep breaths :heart:…

Hi all - Still in and out with family and such the last week or so, but always coming back to my Vitamin F friends!! About meeting husbands - I first met DH because he lived next door to someone I was dating and I knew one of his roommates (we were at college, though not living in dorms). We were pretty good friends, but…

Hi all - been AWOL for a few days. My DB had major surgery (he lives about 1 1/2 hours away), so I have been off seeing him in the hospital, staying with DSIL for a few days. She is a teacher and couldn't easily take the days off while BD was hospitalized. She was really appreciative that I spent a few days at the hospital…

Hello all - bumping in! Big hugs to Rita and Alison - hoping things get much less stressful for both of you. I empathize with the back issues, Rita - have some arthritis and stenosis in some vertebrae and know just how unpleasant that gets. Jill in western MA

Just checking in - Happy Easter to all who celebrate Easter and Happy Passover to you who are celebrating Passover. Jill in wedstern MA

Hi all! Back home - nothing like sleeping in our own bed. Made it back to the Y today, though I cut my cardio short to come home and do some work in the perennial beds. Sunny but a bit chilly. Jill in western MA

Hugs, Meg. Stay strong and take care of yourself too. :heart: I posted a picture from the awards dinner on my page - don't have a clue how to post it here. I'm the one in the silver jacket. :blushing: On my way home, Jill in western MA

Yep, Meg and I had a wonderful time. It was definitely like getting together with an old friend. It would have been nice to have a picture, but we did have a good laugh about both of us having dumb phones. Meg's picture on MFP does not do her justice. :happy: I'll add a picture from the awards dinner:blushing: Jill in…

Bumping to save my place, and waiting to meet Meg!! We're having brunch together in about 20 minutes. Jill in western MA

Hi all! Just a quick note. Arrived in Omaha and every friend I've seen so far has told me how good I look. What a killer NSV for me. Plus I had to buy an outfit to wear to the awards dinner and it's a size smaller. I still have a long way to go, but this visit has been an incredible motivator. Welcome to all the new folks.…

Alison - so sorry about your SIL's father. I'm keeping you and your family in my thoughts. So glad to hear Sean stood firm. An NSV for him, for sure! We don't have peepers, but the finches are singing and the male goldfinches are turning bright yellow, so I know spring must be here. Rita in Ct - glad you're still with us,…

Hi my Vitamin F friends!! Welcome to all the new folks. This is a great place to get support and lots of kindness. :heart: Here are some notes from a handout I picked up at the Y related to emotional eating (certainly an issue of mine!) - Food journaling will help identify your emotional triggers (log every bite!!!)…

Hello all! Bumping in to save my place for later :flowerforyou: Jill in western MA :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:

hi all- Baby showers do seem over the top these days! I never buy newborn sizes for any shower - generally go for the medium (12 month) size, since it seems to be the one babies wear the longest. Yanniejannie - Not sure what you decided re: Gwen's sister. A few years ago, before we moved back to MA, my MIL's neighbor…

Vicky - I am so sorry to hear about your Dad's passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Lots of slow deep breaths, my friend. :heart: Jill in western MA

Michele in NC - How long I soak beans depends on what I am making and what else I have going on. The easiest is soaking overnight. I made red beans and rice recently and in that case, I brought the beans up to a boil, let them simmer for a bit (maybe an hour, maybe not that long) and then turned the heat off and let them…