I posted the TOP TEN things that were the biggest parts of my journey on today's blog; plus two passport photos taken a year apart...even if you don't read the blog, these photos say it all! I wanted to thank Alex and all the people on the VST forum who have followed my year long journey on www.queenofcrop.com; you have been an inspiration to me every step of the way!

Mahalo, thank you, Dankuwel, etc....

Great list -- I agree with all of it!

I love your blog... you are an inspiration to me. Congrats on your success.

I am 59 and scheduled for my sleeve on 10/17.... 3 more days! I am so excited to start my new life too!

Thanks for doing your blog and helping others make the right decisions.

Hi

I followed your blog and loved it.Was a bit envious of your travels too as we love travelling just dont have enough time to get away to often.

Also,I seem to lose most weight when eating out very often.For some reason I just cannot eat more than a bite or two in a restaurant so holidays are my favorite time now.

Enjoy settling in! You look so great!

Thanks, you are an inspiration.

I love your pics! What a wonderful transformation. How awesome is it to be experiencing all of your worldly travels with the one you love. CONGRATS!

Wow. Love it. Thanks for sharing!

So glad you posted this! I've been spending the morning reading your blog, and WOW!!!!! Thank you!!

Thanks everyone for the good wishes! And for those pre-surgery....good for you for coming on to this and learning as much as you can! Jillb...today is YOUR surgery!!!! So excited for you; just remember the next few weeks is going to be a very weird time...but it gets better and better every day! Let us know how you are doing.....

We're just getting settled into cold, windy, rainy Amsterdam....(people think we were crazy to come here from Hawaii!! and maybe they were right!). But I hit 139 lbs today; haven't seen the 130's since high school! So I have nothing to complain about!

Awesome journey....I loved reading the blog!

I hadn't seen your blog before, thank you so much for sharing! I particularly agree with #7, that's my experience exactly. I never worry about any of that grams of Protein stuff either.

I wish I was better about #8. Ha!

Enjoy that happier and healthier life!

Wow to Soup-a-woman!!!! Thank you for reading my blog, but mostly thank you for YOUR Soup blog!!!! I love soup!!! And here I am in Amsterdam (via Hawaii) where it's cold and now I can have soup all winter.....I can't wait to try out your recipes, starting with Buffalo chicken Chowder....just hope I can find some of the ingredients here...

Great site.....I will go back often. YUM!!! And congratulations on reaching your goal weight yesterday; 158 lbs, that is just incredible.

Q of C

You might have a hard time (if not impossible time) finding Frank's Hot Sauce in Amsterdam. If you use another hot sauce be careful of the amount. Frank's is hot, but is also very vinegary and you can use more than you can with other hot sauces. If you have anyone who ships you food from the US, ask them to throw in a bottle of Frank's next time.

Enjoy souping... my daughter was just asking for this chowder the other day, and I haven't made it because I've been doing new Soups for the blog. Hard line to balance!

Finding ANY hot sauce here will be a miracle! I'll put it on my wish list and hope I will find something that might work as an alternative until I get some sent over!

Finding ANY hot sauce here will be a miracle! I'll put it on my wish list and hope I will find something that might work as an alternative until I get some sent over!

I can get Tabasco (all different sorts) in CH, Germany and France. And I can get Frank's (my fave!) from the American Market here, and I believe they have a similar market in Netherlands -- it's at least worth a google before you pay the hideous shipping/VAT/customs on it. :-)

Thanks!! We do have an American store here....just down the street from us; I bought Sunmaid raisins and Grape Nuts just yesterday, so will go get the hot sauce there...I've never heard of Franks so it will be new to me! Thanks Di! BTW, check out that soup blog....good stuff there. http://www.soup-a-woman.blogspot.com