What's New Friday

Jan/Mimi.....I am so happy to hear that.....we live halfway up a big hill....that is not so nice in the winter, but we sure never worry about rains.....thanks for your kind thoughts....you are always so kind....Love, Marti

Good morning, Annette and fellow OFFers. I hope that today is a great day for everyone.  It is cold and snowy here. I think that the snow isn't going to amount to much or maybe I should say I hope it doesn't. I don't want anymore of it. I saw my first robin this morning on my patio. I love seeing the first one of the season. My mom was always so excited when she saw her first robin and then she got my cousin and her daughter looking. They would all call each other and report when they saw the first robin. Now it is hard to beleive that all 3 of them are gone now. I know that they are up there looking down and know that I now saw the first robin of my spring. I miss them so much but mostly my mom. Things change so much and I HATE change. Especially when the change is so permanent.  Oh brother it is one of those times. The tears are coming now. Drat!!!! I hate these moments in my life.   I better get off this subject.  I am going to go to KMart today to get some much needed underwear. I know that I was going to do it a couple of weeks ago but got side tracked (the story of my life) and didn't get it. I am going now because I am so tired of my underwear hanging halfway between the top of leg and my knee. It makes it hard to tuck it all in when putting on my slacks.  I have to get a bit of groceries too.  Bill and I are going out to eat for Easter dinner. I talked to my sister about if we were getting together and she just kind of didn't want to talk about it so I thought we will just be together alone and that is not a bad thing at all. I think that she didn't want to talk about it because she thought that she might have to do something and God forbid that wouldn't be a good thing for her.   She is very much a couch potato and not the sister that I use to know.  I went to church last night and it was a wonderful service. Maundy Thursday is always a very touching day at my church. We strip the alter and pound to make the sound of them nailing Jesus to the cross while we are taking the things from the alter. I never leave there with a dry eye.  I am going to boil some eggs today and make chicken salad and egg salad. I have been wanting them so bad and now seems the right time to make them. It is so hard to beleive the price of eggs. I am getting some today that are on sale 2 for $3. I can't beleive the prices of the things in the grocery store. Everything seems to go up but the paychecks. I hope that the kids out there can color Easter eggs this year. I remember doing that when I was a kid and just loved it. I looked forward to doing it for a week.     I better get going since my mouth (or maybe I should say fingers) have been going on and on forever. I just love talking and another thing that I love is doing these little smiley things. They are so neat!!! See-another monster created. I can't seem to do anything just a bit. It is all or nothing for me. Could it be compulsion!?!?   That is me. I will check in later on to see what everyone is up to. Have a great day today and stay safe and warm.Love and hugs to all.

Good morning Annette and everyone...... I am so glad it is FRIDAY...finally a four day weekend! Nothing new here. Need to go mail a package to Judy G. and pick up a few things I need for my road trip tomorrow.Sending off a card to Mary as well...hope she is doing okay...such a deep loss for her. Nic and all ended up staying in Moline Illinois after their flight in from New York yesterday afternoon. Nic's hips we hurting from the bone marrow aspirate and he couldn't ride that 3 1/2 hours home in the Suburban. He was pretty worn out too as were the others. He sounded good otherwise....anxious to get home of course. I told him he just didn't want to miss the Easter Bunny!!! He laughed about that! Guess I need to get on with my day. Hope everyone has a great weekend.    Happy Easter  connie d

T.G.I.F. Annette and Everyone! Scarey story, Annette.  You handled it well though.  Between your story and Marti's story about safety, it reminds us to all be safe and be aware of our surrounds.  Yikes! Nothing much going on today except for work for a good portion of the day.  We all are leaving early in my office. I need to replace the coffee pot as it broke spewing coffee all over the kitchen yesterday morning!  That was too much adventure for so early in the morning.  Didn't have coffee this morning and I missed it -- so much so I forgot to take my b/p medicine.  Oh joy.  Hopefully, everyone at work will be kind and not require me to do very much. Talked to my daughter this morning and that's always a pleasure.  She wanted to check on her dad and make sure he continues to improve with the change in meds this week.  He is.  She's busy planning a baby shower for a friend who is expecting.  It's been 12 years since this friend had a baby so it's like a first child all over again.  I'm going to try to get busy this weekend and crochet some things for them.   Take care everyone.  Lots of stuff going on and you all are in my prayers and thoughts everyday.  Hopefully, the weather in the mid-west will stabilize and spring will "spring" for everyone who is waiting for it! Hugs, Kathi

Good Afternoon my OFF family, Just taking a short break to say Hello.  This new job is so exhausting. We've finally posted my old job so I can get a replacement and believe it or not, with 4000 people in this building, no one qualified for it and only 5 people from outside the agency.  I'm not that hard to replace, am I.  So, Cajun Debbie, the job is still available.   I'm so ready for some better weather.  They keep mentioning that same four letter nasty word Margo has been speaking (SNOW).  I want warm sunshine. It's been several weeks now without Spencer and CJ is getting used to being alone.  He'll at least go outside by himself now.  He's still very lonely and gets so excited to see us come home.  We're all adjusting tho.  Glad to see that Judy's mom got a new friend. I promise that you'll see the new directory next week.  Working on both directories is a big job.  It's good to see that we have some new additions this month.  I say, the bigger the better.  Wasn't the case prior to WLS tho, LOL. Getting excited about my 2 year check up with the surgeon.  The surgeon that did my surgery is no longer in the military so we've been seeing a different one for our follow ups and he's now deployed too, so we're seeing a different one.  The one we have the appointment with knew us from the very start, so it should be exciting.  Not sure if I told everyone, but Brenda is now at her goal too after losing 195 pounds.  She's looking pretty good.  Now we spend too much time buying new clothes. I'm seriously thinking about that Alaskan cruise next year.  I just found out that it leaves on Brenda's birthday.  I think that would be fun to see some OHers for her birthday.  We made some great friends on the Bahamas cruise and can't wait to see them again.  We were hoping to attend the Alabama boards reunion next month, but with gas prices and this job the way it is, we just can't manage it. Well, I better get back to work before I get fired.  Miss you all so much. Hugs, Floyd

Floyd, when is the Alaskan cruise and where is the info on it? I couldn't find it anywhere. I have been on an Alaska cruise and it was wonderful. It was my first cruise and the one thing I couldn't do then was take a helicopter ride up to the glaciers. I could have, but I would have been charged 1 1/2 persons because of my weight, and it was expensive enough as it was. I really wanted to do that excursion then, and still want to do it. I was trying to talk my brother into going but he thinks he and his friend Bruce are going to go to Europe next year if Bruce is well enough (and alive) then. I hope Bruce is alive and well enough.  Eileen

Floyd, I don't think I could fill your shoes!  Besides you said the dreaded word - SNOW.  This swamp dweller couldn't deal with the cold and snow!  I agree with Margo, we need pictures of Brenda and you of course. Debbie

Aloha Annette and OFF family......

Annette...you used your good head and heart and did the right thing by getting away from that man!! Life can get so scary when I hear of things like your experience and Marti's dear friend.

I seem to be getting later and later in here...and by the time I log on in the morning there are already 30 posts!! I can't keep up!!

It's 6:30 a.m. and as usual the sun is still not up, but I can see that there are hardly any clouds in the sky, and the sunrise is going to be glorious. ......blinding! The past few mornings I've put on a swimsuit and sat out on the lanai for an hour or so and I'm getting a nice shade of brown at last! I was so pasty white for so long......and I hate looking like that. It's almost criminal to live in Hawaii and not have a tan!!

Yesterday I went to another photography class with my dear friend who is 83! We had such a great time. After a bit of instruction we took our tripods outside and took pictures of each other, of the beautiful plumeria blossoms, of textures like the lovely bark on the trees and on the HUGE tropical leaves that I love........they are the size of a car door! After the class, we went to Costco so my friend could pick up some medications, and it was jammed. I forgot it is Easter this weekend....yikes.

Today I have a FREE day....that means I don't have to be anywhere. I'm loving those more and more as I now have three very part-time jobs. The hours aren't that much, but the coming and going is what takes up the time.

I think my weight has finally leveled out at 164......a bit too low, but at least not continuing to slide down into skin and bones land.

Because I have so much more to read in here, and I want to get back on the lanai for another hour of sun, I'm going to quit right here.

Have a wonderful day.....and take care of yourselves.

Aloha nui loa,

Maui Karen

Hi Annette and my OFF Family: One more day of work and I'm really OFF! As in on vacation! It's snowing here ... yuck! We are only supposed to get 1 to 2 inches ... Chicago is getting pounded with 9-14 inches (my brother in Milwaukee says they've been getting snow all morning).  Hopefully it will be done by tomorrow when I have to leave. First I go to Chicago to spend time with my family; then next Thursday, Gary and I go to Galveston. Still haven't heard from Terry Tamborello; I've ventured over to the Texas board and seen her there and know she's been sick, but she won't respond to my messages. I'm getting a little concerned. We're supposed to get together; also with Linda Barnett. Also getting together Saturday with Brenda R. in Portage, Ind., as I drive to Chicago; I love meeting new OFFers! I have made so many new friends from the board. To think, reaching out was my psychologist's idea! Because my emotional eating was linked to feelings of loneliness and boredom, she suggested I make new friends; I decided to do it on the OH boards (first the Michigan board, then OFF). It has opened a whole new world for me. I thank you for helping me control my emotional eating.  I have so much to do today. When I get off the board, I have to disconnect my computer and put it in the car; my computer geek is going to work on it while I'm gone and upgrade it; he's going to add Windows XP (I have ME and it is horrible), a CD/DVD burner, fix whatever is blocking me from looking at photos and cards and everything else; try to get my printer working, etc. I wanted to get a new computer this year but I don't think that's in the cards even with the tax rebate. I think I need to use that to pay bills and get through the increase in gas and food prices. I'm trying to be sensible for once. The upgrades on my computer will cost me $250; the new Apple I wanted is $600. You do the math.  I have to do laundry, start packing for two weeks; I have to pack winter clothes and then clothes for the cruise. So much to do, so little time! I'm so excited, though. I know I won't sleep well. I'm looking forward to seeing my family again and seeing my OFF friends along the way. Oh, and I lost 8 pounds this week ... but I knew I was retaining water and that's why I asked my doctor for the diuretic again. And boy, do I know my body! That's why my knee was hurting me so much last week. When I weighed myself last Friday, I was at 178; today it's at 170. It was all water weight. I can tell the difference in the pain level. Now, my knee still hurts, but not as much. Stop snowing out there! It's supposed to be spring! I hate snow! Get me on that boat!

Well, they said we were going to get snow and they weren't wrong.....came out of work and my van was completely covered with the ugly stuff! It's still coming down and the wind is blowing.....so much for spring here!

Think I will definately do the 5dpt next week.....I am stuck again and can't seem to get the scale moving....even with being faithful on the exercise bike (now six days in a row) and lifting weights. Going to try to do some crunches to try and get rid of that "roll" around the middle.

Well they have preempted The Young & The Restless again today with basketball games - ugh...how dare they?

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

Pat R.