OH Juli

Yeah I have the equipment I need not including a stove etc. But we will rely on the kindness of others for things like hot water for oatmeal and tea. I don't see us eating at the campsite much. Saturday night I thought we were going to a restaurant. Friday we'll be getting there too late to eat...other than smores, etc. Saturday's lunch is provided. The girls will eat PB&Js... Sunday I'll be getting on the road early to get to my dad's b-day. This is really going to happen! I feel like I know everyone already, but it's going to be really fantastic to connect. J

Awesome! I hope to meet many banded folk there! Cool, cool, cool!

Yes, my daughter is coming with me. Not taking her isn't an option. It's my weekend. Alison will probably make it, but maybe not. Really the weekend is about meeting you all... :car:

Hi gang. I'm back to work from being at a conference. It's good to get back in the routine. Now I need to force my butt back into the gym. Here goes. Hope all are well. XO

Wow Mrs, that's something. I'm glad to hear you are recovering though. I can't wait for things to slow down from summer, but isn't it this the beginning of the busy season for most? :car:

I hear you. I have one pair of jeans. I did get some dress pants for the conference, but I need more jeans. I wear them to work...one pair isn't enough. I'm going to be paying for the ride the day of, btw. I just figure, if Alison can't make it, or whatever, it's better to pay the three dollars extra than to be out a full 15. How are you feeling today? Was it yesterday that you took off work?

I found the "banded bike babe" reply. That took some digging....you know we write a lot on this thread!

Wow, cute pink bike! a I'm looking to get Zoe a new bike this week for her b-day. She wants purple though. Frank, Good looking bike! D, you rock! Kill those hills! BG- You and me babe, over planners to the end! I'm looking forward to the 25th of September because that's the end of busy bits for me. I've got so much to do between here and there though! OI! I've found that if I take my time I can eat a full burger patty. I'm living on freaking ground beef! I hate that it has so many calories, but chicken and turkey just don't go down well, and pork has been an issue even before the fill! It's the amount of sauces I'm eating too! And so few veggies because of the restriction...so my weight is at a stand still...I say that but still I'm down 10#s from last month...but it's been 2 weeks since I've dropped any. I'm back home and ready to start losing again. So what are we doing for t-shirts anyway? You know, I have ink-jet iron on transfers....if you send me your address, I can send you an iron on to put on your own white T? Could be cheaper and less running around. I'll design something send it for approval... Just an idea. Or we can go with plan A. HP and JC and BG I can't wait to meet you all! We are going to have so much FUN! When are we getting on line? Saturday night?

Frank, That is awesome! I love my Giant! And I love the feel of the wind in my hair. Through my helmet of course. Fantastic!

Diane I know what you mean about body issues, etc. FYI about choosing TI, as a group we rated our top 6 picks and did a weighted measure with everyone's opinion. TI won. So there wasn't ONE particular reason it got picked over any other, just overall it was preferred. HTH. and hope to meet you in Jan. Juli

BG & D You are doing what I want to do. I want to run. I'm still 28 pounds too heavy...in my own estimation. I tried running in the spring and my knee got to hurting, so I told myself I'd wait until I was under 200. It's a promise I want to keep for myself sO I don't just give up on it. I so want to run. I feel like when I walk there's a hand on my back pushing me to run. I tell everyone I'm going to run to my goal... I'm jealous and proud of you two. You rock chicas!

laura That would be awesome!

D The down side of restriction is feeling like a freaking buelemic. Don't tell me to get an unfill. Tell me to eat more often and not get so freaking hungry...then I eat too quickly. It takes about 6 bites to get to the can I continue or not space....And not big bites but little bites. I'm out of my element and eating on other people's schedules. Today I ate 3 sausage links over the course of 20 minutes just so I could have some calories in my system...which was fine but then there was cake, and the thought to get some calories, any, had me eating a piece of that. I haven't eaten cake since April and not much then. I'm frustrated and annoyed. I know it will get better, I'm just tight. Not too tight because if I make the right choices things are fine. But yesterday I tried rice and failed. Today was lunchmeat. rambling........... For the first time since surgery, today while standing over a toilet in the handicapped stall with 5 good friends sitting at the table in the restaurant, PBing my lunch, which was delicious on they way down, and hungry as a trucker, I thought I hate this bitch ass band. But then I wiped the spittal from my chin, dried my eyes, said a prayer of gratitude that no one heard me and went back to the table. This is what I signed up and I shouldn't be surprised that the band is doing exactly what it was designed to do.

Cool, we look forward to seeing you are both or you...

My feet are smaller now too! That's something else, isn't it?!

Pamela, IT'S YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You look great! Your face is sliming out. FANSTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!

D, first of all I hope you're doing fine with your ankle. Second, my heart hurts for your DD. It will work it's way out eventually... but it agonizing for us parents to see. Xo all.

Hey gang, I'm in Madison Wi for a confernce of certified public manangers. I know it's as exciting as it sounds. Don't be jealous. Teal is okay with me. Banded biker babe is good for me. I'd want a 2xl. Alison would need a large. Zoe is a youth large. I don't see me makin a chat for a stupid long time. I can do it on Saturday the 15th....and really not any evening before that. Isn't that some stuff?! Okay, so my people here ask me to go out tonight to a bar and to meet them in lobby. I got there ON TIME and they had already left. So I just came back to the room....bitch ass bitches... I could have followed them there but I got pissy and my feelings were hurt. I'll be happier tomorrow anyway. Drinking just isn't as much fun as it used to be since I've been banded. Ya know?

Skiing sounds COLD to me. I just snorkled for the first time last November. I'd love to scuba....I'm finding my inner adventurer!

JC About the turning leaves, I really hope it's beautiful for you. The PEAK weeks are a week the first two weeks in October so you'll be here at the beginning. But the weather impacts it too... We'll get you up here to cross country ski this winter. I've never done it, but my WOW chicas do and they've promised/threatened to take me out. I might actually be able to buy gear that fits this body! Woo Hoo. As for shirts, any color but black...I love to wear black, but I also like to be seen on my bike. XO y'all.

Settle down there girl. First of all the vitamin is pretty easy to deal with. I did flinstones chewable pre and post surgery. I moved to centrum chewable one those were gone. (Too much vit A, in the kid's vits.) Call your surgeon's office if you really can't sort out what to do. Write your questions down, one after the other with space for the answers on the paper. Make them answer you. They will, it's thier job. Pre op liquid diets, ( I didn't have to do one) are hard but not rocket science. The goal is to shrink the liver by eating very few calories...but you need something to keep you moving. Slim fast may be expensive, but really you'll be spending less than $5 a day to eat for those 10 days, I'm sure you spend more than that now. It's a bitch and hard and did I say it's a bitch? Post op is hard too... Expect to extract yourself from social food settings during the pre and post surgery weeks. You need to be strong enough to get through the 10 days to get through the next 10 weeks, 10 months, 10 years. I know that sounds preachy, but sweetie, you are just beginning the challenge...I don't mean to discount the rough time you've gone through to get to this point, but it's not the top of struggle and all down hill from here. You are part way up the hill. It's like a maze and once you get though one challenge there's another one just beyond. (I'm trying to give you little perspective.) so build those reserves and find that piece of you that can handle anything and handle this. You can do it. Much love to you. Take a breath and get your answers. You'll kick that diet's ass and you'll be banded soon. XO

Tricia P-Town was a great time. Pamela will agree with me. It's so gay/regular. You know where being out, holding your partner's hand is okay. There are no sideway glances when you shop together...No one asks if the check is together or seperate. But it's not "WHEW! WE'RE so GAY" like a pride march either. (I love a good pride march, don't misunderstand..but that's gays on parade...not gays on vacation.) Anyway, God love your Von. My sweetie did the same when I got surgery, she got serious about dropping the extra weight she was carrying around. She went from 175-about 150. And she's annoying as hell about her lumpy ass and sagging breasts. She's gorgeous and flawless by most standards but only sees the imperfections. Who'd had thought a butch girl could be so vain! XO!

HP My regular sitter is 13, to be 14 in November. I trust her. I was going to suggest your younger girl. Mind you her mom is always across the street. But it's early in the day and if she's mature and bossy, I'd be okay with her sitting. I'd rather have someone youger who's into it, than someone who is older and doesn't want to be bothered. Let's talk about it more. As for the t-shirts, what color do you want to get? HP's man and my SO need to be included in the team shirt party too! You can talk me into words, but it don't want the "bitch" word on it...Not a prude but the kid is reading starting to read and I don't want to explain that one. Would we get "my mom busts her butt riding a bike" shirts for the girls? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I'm at the airport waiting for my flight and avoiding reading my text book. Can I say that I love technology, laptops and wireless connections?

Dude, you kill me. It's a cute idea but I'm not big on the t-shirt with words on it thing. Sorry.

Thanks Mark! Pamela. I'm about 10 pounds down from P-Town. Thanks for you kind words. My fill after vacation really change things up and the weight is coming off again. Whew. Hope your fill has a big impact. You said you had it done at the hospital, was it under fluoro? How are you and S? How's schools? I'll call you shortly. J