Lucky # Sevens- July 07 Bandsters

[lindaa 1]

Mall of America is close to the airport in Minneapolis. It might be 30 minutes from downtown, but it is definitely in the cities! Plus, I for one will have a car. I agree about the availability of exercise equipment in whatever hotel we decide to go to. As I recall, the hotels in the area are relatively new and well maintained. Anyone of them would be fine with me. To tell you the truth, it can get warm in Minneapolis in the summer although most things have A/C.

[Frustrated 1]

Help girls. Some friends want to go to Lonehorn steak house. this will be the first time i have eaten out with them and they don't know about the surgery.

Lie! :biggrin:

Tell them you had a big Breakfast and/or lunch and you're not feeling very hungry, or you had a bad dose of some kind of stomach bug and are going to take things VERY slowly and easy.

I was an expert at making up lies to hide my bad eating habits, so it's second nature to me now to go the other way and make excuses not to eat too much.

This weekend I dropped my son off at a pizza place for a kids birthday party. The parents invited me to stay and help myself to pizza, soda, cake, the works. I lied and said "I'd love to, but I just shared a big lunch with my husband before coming. :sad:"

I then left him there and told him I'd pick him up in an hour and a half when the party was due to end. :cursing:

[IndioGirl55 32]

Beth - No problem - i google EVERYTHING - I don't know how we lived before the internet - it has just so much info !!!!

Linda - I can't beleive our exercise hater wants a hotel with a gym :lol:

So between you and Jackie we will have 2 cars.. OK that's good to know.

My hotel room MUST Have A/C.. So I will ck that out when I start calling.

I really don't know if we will be up to exercise after walking that mall - I heard you can't see it all in one day - maybe the pool & jazzui to rest our weary muclse from all that walking and shopping - :tongue2:

Ruby - too funny lie... so far 99% of the people i know- know I had surgery - the girl who work in the same building as me made a coment on my weight loss - I said thank you - hard work - eating right and exercise which is the truth :cursing:

Jackie your date sounds fun - ya make me miss that stuff (for about 1 minute :biggrin:) - my dh and I would have that kind of day too.

[phyllser 3]

thank you that website looks great and i can figure out what i can have. I told my husband he has to be very supportive of it. (it is his freinds) He normally teases me about how slow i eat but promises to be good. He could run acouple of laps before i am done with the new eating process but he is very supportive except for that .

thanks again

beth

Isn't it interesting how we notice things like that now. I never noticed how my DH scarfs his food down... eats way too fast and big huge bites!! I keep telling him to slow down. Then the people sitting next to me at the Easter potluck yesterday blew me away with their two huge plates of food... and then they sat there and ate ALL of it!

[chimboree26 24]

Good morning!

Just popping in to say hey. I will certainly see if I can go on the Lucky 7s trip. That would be FUN! :cursing: I just need to check the funds, ya know?

I will be getting a MUCH NEEDED fill tomorrow. YAY! :biggrin: I'm excited. This will be another boost in me getting back on track.

Guess I'll check back later.

Everyone have a great day!

[peaches9 3]

Another snow storm on the way... ha,ha,ha... I just can't beleive it will ever be spring!!! :biggrin:

But, I am looking forward to JULY and meeting all you gals in person... A Pool and jacquzzi sound just like they would be up my alley... I agree with janet walking that Mall will probably be excersise enough.. not to mention the Jaw Flapping that will be going on.

Money will not be a problem, I am stashing away a portion of my pay each week. I am just going to "time" my statement to DH as to my trip plans.. Hee,hee... He ususally goes to a Blues Festival in July each year with a Buddy, so if I am lucky it will fall on the same weekend.. Otherwise I'll rely on the old stand by "what's good for the Goose is good for the Gander" line....LOL

WEll gotta be a work to laser somebody in 26 milns. so I'd better go...

I'll check back later with y'all. :cursing:

p.s. Chim, it would be great if you could join us... what part of the States are you coming from?

[chimboree26 24]

Another snow storm on the way... ha,ha,ha... I just can't beleive it will ever be spring!!! :biggrin:

But, I am looking forward to JULY and meeting all you gals in person... A Pool and jacquzzi sound just like they would be up my alley... I agree with janet walking that Mall will probably be excersise enough.. not to mention the Jaw Flapping that will be going on.

Money will not be a problem, I am stashing away a portion of my pay each week. I am just going to "time" my statement to DH as to my trip plans.. Hee,hee... He ususally goes to a Blues Festival in July each year with a Buddy, so if I am lucky it will fall on the same weekend.. Otherwise I'll rely on the old stand by "what's good for the Goose is good for the Gander" line....LOL

WEll gotta be a work to laser somebody in 26 milns. so I'd better go...

I'll check back later with y'all. :cursing:

p.s. Chim, it would be great if you could join us... what part of the States are you coming from?

I'm coming from MD. I already reserved a room at the Homewood Suites. I think I'm really gonna try and come! It should be fun!!!

[jackie506 1]

Good morning ALL!! I am up and already got my cleaning done and done my banking and all so thought I would check in. I have a busy day ahead of me. Have to take my mom to the dentist. She is getting all of her teeth pulled. :cursing: I am not sure how long that will take but afterwards when I get home late this afternoon I plan to hit the gym. Not real happy about breaking my routine. I have been going in the AM but I still plan to go. Even if I don't want to because 'I should have been done at this time' I will MAKE myself go.

Chim I really hope you can join us. I think this is going to be so fun. I am really getting excited about it. I keep talking to DH about it getting him 'used to the idea' of me being gone. LOL I don't know yet that I can definately go either. My son has drivers ed and they haven't given us the dates yet that he will be finished but we know it will be sometime in July and we will have to wait until he is finished with that to go see my dad in Missouri. The last time we were down there was last July so we really need to go again. Have to be able to budget for both vacations. :biggrin:

[lindaa 1]

Hi. Gotta love that snow! It keeps comming. But I guess it's better than the flooding down south.

Janet--glad you got a laugh. It is pretty funny when I think about it. Yeah, i agree that walking the mall will be exercise enough! What WAS I thinking?

Chim--I hope you can make it. I think we will have a wonderful time.

Peaches--what kind of lasering do you do?

DD is on Spring Break this week (She doesn't get to go to a warm and sunny place yet--we're all going to mexico when she graduates in 53 days!) Anyway, we're going shopping today. I have to go to a wedding this weekend and literally have nothing to wear. She needs to transition from college-kid to business wardrobe. So off we go. The best part is that we can shop in the same stores now!

[phyllser 3]

Now that the internet has been running great for the last couple of days they are taking it down at 8 a.m. for 24 hours for "maintenance"! It probably won't work again after that!

I looked up the Homewood Suites at Mall of America last night and it looks pretty nice. Has a pool, exercise room, includes breakfast, sounds like they have a "Happy Hour" type thing... no alcohol but food every afternoon, too, that is complimentary.

We're going to combine this with a trip to Buffalo to see my Mom & sisters, etc., so DH will be with me and will have to figure out how to amuse himself while I am "busy" shopping and hanging out with you guys! We're taking the train from Seattle to St Paul/Minneapolis, stay there for the weekend, then continue on to Chicago & then Buffalo. Haven't traveled by train in almost 25 years! No airport hassle and enjoy the scenery!

[IndioGirl55 32]

Good Morning Gang

I see we have been busy this morning !!!!!

Chim - It would be so cool if you can come - How much did you have to pay to make the reservation??? I think Linda & Peaches are rooming - Jackie will be with me since she doesn't hate smokers - Phyl will be with DH - Step (you don't really know her yet - but she and Salas are Lucky #7 too just like Dini was even though she wasn't banded in july) and you so that makes 7 of us. with 5 rooms.. Glad you are getting filled restriction is a big helper in our battle of the buldge.. I go to Doc on Wed for my 2 month ck in - I will tell you right now - no way do I need a fill - I am totally at me sweet spot.

Peaches - I thought you were some internet security person ??? Forgive me age which I know that you totally get since we are the same age:tongue:. I love how you guys are working your dh's :biggrin: - I can tell you one thing if I was still married i wouldn't be going - heck he would have been having fits about how much I am on the internet talking to your all - he would think I was having cyber sex. No way on God's green earth would he have let me go alone.. This is one reason I am single..

Jackie - I really hope that drivers ed will be over - you just gotta come..

Linda - I really don't know what you were thinking - but glad you are now thinking exercise - but I can imagine how pooped we are going to be remember we gotta find you a dress for your son's wedding - what are the colors??

Phyl - how long will it take on the train??? I gotta see how much air will be and I was thinking - I am going to have to bring a big suitcase - it will be empty on the way - but coming back I gotta have room for all my purchases:eek:.

Ok it's the Homewood Suite - I will wait to hear from Chim to see how much you gotta pay to reserve the rooms..

Ok - I gotta get busy - it's almost 8 - I will ck back later..

[phyllser 3]

Phyl - how long will it take on the train??? I gotta see how much air will be and I was thinking - I am going to have to bring a big suitcase - it will be empty on the way - but coming back I gotta have room for all my purchases:eek:.

Ok it's the Homewood Suite - I will wait to hear from Chim to see how much you gotta pay to reserve the rooms..

Ok - I gotta get busy - it's almost 8 - I will ck back later..

I think we have to leave Seattle the 23rd to get there on the 25th. Then leave the morning of the 28th, 8 hours to Chicago... about a 6 hour layover there and then I think about 12 hours to Buffalo. Coming back, about 3 days. We've done it before.... when we were much younger, but enjoyable way to travel and I am going to book a roomette for the overnight segments.

I was hoping to get another July bandster from Oklahoma City to come on our trip, too, because her DH is a good buddy of my DH, but she says they can't make it.

Well, the internet was supposed to go down a couple of minutes ago so I'm living on borrowed time!!!

[Frustrated 1]

Warning! :rant:

Well, we have 3 treadmills in our apartment gym and two of them were occupied this morning, the other has been broken for about a month. So I had to get on the elliptical again this morning. :eek: Still pushed my way through and got in 3 miles in 30 mins, so I'm pleased about that.

I checked the mailbox on the way home from there (glad I waited until after my workout) and hit the roof. We had new management take over our apartment complex in December and things have slowly but surely been going downhill since then. Little annoying things that we've let slide by for the most part. But today I received an account from them informing me that we are more than $1200 in arrears in rent and utilities. Looking at the breakdown of the account, they've overcharged us for rent for a start, and added things like our garage and washer/dryer rentals that are included in our monthly rent, then water/sewerage charges on top of that. I came home, showered and was waiting for 9am when I could storm into the office to have a "little word" with the accounts manager. Well apparently she won't be in until later in the day. The afternoon sometime. She thinks. Would I like to leave a message? No. I want to see the idiot in person thanks!

The accounts manager is the only one who has computer access to our accounts (I discovered this information the last time there was a minor hiccup), so no, nobody else could help me. Would I like the manager to call me when she came in? NO! I don't want a call, I want a face-to-face meeting. Can I tell her what it's about? It's about my account!

I'm just really angry at the moment. We've been here for almost 3 years now and until this recent management change in December, things were great. We allowed the minor problems to begin with to slide as we expected and forgave teething problems with the adjustment.

I've looked at the new website they have and at the monthly rent offered to prospective tenants. It's about $100 less than what we currently pay. There are then special offers for people who sign a 12-14 month lease and it turns out to be around $200 less than we are currently paying. This does NOT include the extra money we pay for our garage and washer/dryer. Our lease is due to expire at the end of June. Given this information I *should* expect a decrease in the offer of rent renewal. Given the way they've handled their loyal tenants thus far, I'm not hopeful of that. It will be another point of discussion when I finally do meet with the manager.

We have tentative plans to move back to Australia towards the end of the year, and we were going to consider signing a 6 month lease when it came up in June. But given the goings on recently I feel my breaking point coming closer and closer. I've been willing to put up with the negative changes until now, this has just swung me the other way.

Moving is expensive and time consuming and I don't enjoy it. But I may have to suck it up for a little longer than I care to.

*takes a deep cleansing breath* I just wanted to get it all off my chest. Back to your regularly scheduled program.... :thumbup:

Edited March 25, 2008 by Frustrated

[Lynette617 0]

Hey ladies,

Well I didn't get my walking in last night, I had to go the grocery and was there about 1 1/2 hours, and after geting home it was late, and my son had started this horendous cough. We ended up at the Dr. today and he has an upper respiratory infection, sinus infection, and an ear infection. My goodness, this is the second antibiotic he's been on in 3 weeks. I can see now how many germs float around the preschool classrooms now as he has never been this sick!!!!

Jackie, I haven't chatted with Dini in a few months, probably since x-mas. I e-mail her sometimes, just funny e-mails you get, you know, the junk mail of e-mail, but that's it.

I think of her often, and wonder how she and Adam are doing.

So Sunny's not been on lately either. What about Marcy in Alaska, is she around still?

It's crazy once you really start to live your life with the band how you get away from the site, but motivation and encouragement always bring us back, like it did me.

It just gives me that little push that I needed to get back on track with things, and get my mind back in the game.

[Frustrated 1]

:sad: I'm drained. I just had a "little word" with the accounts manager. It seems that the former management, or at least the water/sewerage company they dealt with, made it a business practise to send out bills from 90 days previous. So the bill we pay in March was actually for the utilities we used in December. It seemed stupid and it is. But what annoyed me is that we were given no notification that we would be playing catch-up this month. Nobody was. Turns out there were 4 people ahead of me with the same gripes and more lined up after me when I left her office.

She said she was dealing with the problems of the previous owners which really got me irritated. I don't like people who shift the blame to others, especially others who don't have the opportunity to defend their stance (the previous owners). Blame-shifters are a pet peeve of mine and I can recognise them a mile away.

We have been here for 3 years and have had no problems. At least none to get upset about. They had been here 3 months and we've had a different problem almost every week. Minor mostly, but inconvenient nonetheless. I told her I understood that there'd be teething problems and that we expected it.

But her apology was like a back-handed one and she took no responsibility for her own failings. She could, and should, have let us know prior to this recent account charge that there would be changes, what they were and what we could expect. She hadn't. Instead she apologised for someone else's bad business and I let her know she was out of line to do so and that it pissed me off.

I think a light dawned on her at that point and she knew she couldn't sweet-talk her way out of the situation and she came to the party and apologised correctly for what she didn't do, what she should have done, and for the upset it had caused me in particular. I know she's probably been doing apologies all day and that some of them went through more smoothly than others. The "blame the previous owners" was no doubt one of the more successful ones, but what works for one doesn't work for all.

So anyway, I told her that the prospect of a renewed lease when it was due in June now seemed unlikely because of what I'd seen them offer new residents and the way they treated their current and loyal ones. That sent her into panic mode and she made the wise decision of bringing in the guy who dealt with lease renewals specifically. Now HE had a sensible head on his shoulders. He explained the prices on the website, and showed the comparisons to what we had and how those costs appeared to be hundreds of dollars difference, when actually when they were figured according to unseen costs, what we are paying now is about $15 cheaper than the new people get. So that went down okay with me. More than okay. Finally a man who was honest and showed us how/why/where he used marketing manipulation to bring people in. That I can relate to.

I asked him how much of an increase we could expect. He guaranteed me that if we renewed again, and because of our previous spotless history, and the problems we were dealing with (his eyes shifted to the accounts manager), there would be no increase. This bought an almost inaudible gasp from the manager, but one I heard nonetheless. So I said I'd like it in writing now to take with me and he agreed instantly and drew up the paperwork.

I don't know which one of them has more seniority with the company but I do know which one is the smarter businessman. In future I'll be dealing with him as much as possible should any problems arise. As I said earlier today, there really haven't been any, but there've been increasing nuisances.

Damage control successful. Getting this all off my chest has made me feel less drained. *happy sigh* :thumbup: I'm almost tempted to go to the gym and get in another 30 mins treadmill time. I want to get as close to my exercise goal for the month as I can.

*deep breath in*

*and hold-2-3-4-5*

*and exhale out 2-3-4-5* :tongue: