August NJ Thread......

[mousecrazy 2]

Hi everybody!

Sorry I've been AWOL a couple of days...DD goes back to school next Monday, and I've been gearing up the parents for the back to school picnic this Friday. I just keep laughing at myself for retiring to take on a full-time/no pay job! What a dork. LOL! So, you can picture me running around town, portable office in a box on the seat beside me, cell phone in hand, and a list of things to do a page long...that gets longer with each phone call! Sheesh.

However, I'm not completely nutty, and yesterday DD and I met a friend of mine and her kids, and we went swimming. It is over a 100 degrees after all, and it's the end of summer, and we only have a few days left to enjoy the kids! We had fun at a little waterpark in my friend's town.

Today, errands...BUT, a made time for lunch with a good friend.

So, I'm making time for fun stuff, too....so glad to see Eileen and Patty checking in.

Kat, you are sooooooo skinny, girl! WAY TO GO! I don't know if I'll make to -100, but you are such an inspiration! You look fantastic, dahlink!

Mandy, slow down chickie. Shopping could be an Olympic sport, if you do it right, and you must have! You are giving me the Disney bug, just reading about your preparations for your trip...but, alas, it will be a few years before I can go back, I think...do tell me everything...you,too, Sherry and Chrispy! I love hearing all about it!

Yes, Betty... I stayed cool, as long as I was in the water...but if you're just driving around, or God forbid, walking outside, it's not a good thing. I don't "do" heat!

Okay, gals, back to the grind for me...I have ribbons to cut and lists to type....oy vay...

Hugs,

Cindy

[piercedqt78 658]

Cindy, I would hardly call the Dollar an Olympic Sport, but I did buy some really fun stuff. My local store has tons of Disney branded things, so I went crazy. The most fun thing I bought was the make your own jam kit, it has fun Mickey Mouse jam jars, it also has no cook pectin so it's just mix and pop in the fridge, yum yum.. I will send you a complete report of the trip as soon as I get home. I'm taking my laptop so I can write something each day. Makes the big trip report at the end much easier.

How is everyone else today? ~Mandy

[ReneBean 3]

Howdy All.

Sorry to have dropped off the face of the Earth for so long. After I got laid off, I took a job with a company that was a true sweat shop - they had two of us doing the work of 4 people...and they weren't even NICE to us while we were working 12-16 hours a day. I was even working on weekends to try and keep up - but it just could not be done. So, I gave notice and took some time off. My internet signal here at the house is so sporadic that I wasn't able to get on line for more than a second or two at a time. The only real internet access I have had is at the library - but I only get two hours a day - and I have spent that looking for a job.

Fortunately, for the last day or two, I have had some luck with my signal at home. Yesterday, I read all your posts for August. It took most of the day - cause I had to wait to get a signal to turn the page. Today I am posting so you know I am still alive and I have missed you guys to death.

No job, yet - although I have had a couple of interviews. I guess I am going to have to start pounding the pavement here, soon. I have two strikes against me - first I am trying to get out of the mortgage business and second that I plan to become a teacher and I can only promise two years to any employer. I suppose I am going to have to be dishonest and stop telling people the truth in order to get any kind of a job.

I applied for jobs at the school district yesterday - the pay is so low that I would have to keep eating into our savings to live - but the experience would be useful for my future. There are two jobs as teacher's aides, as well as a couple of office jobs. Hopefully, my goal of becoming a teacher will not be considered a detriment at the school district.

If the blankety-blank-blank utilities weren't so bloody expensive, we could live on almost nothing. Thankfully, the weather has been cool up until now - so our bills have not been too outrageous - but we cannot go on without work for too much longer. I guess starting next month, I will just not tell people why I need to work the day shift with no weekends - or maybe I will try Target & Home Depot - they say the schedules are flexible.

I am glad that the cupboards and the freezers are full. At least we won't starve. I could use a little starvation, though. I had lost about 10 lbs while working at BSM - mostly cause I didn't have time to eat except at dinner and on weekends - but I have gained most of those pounds back. *sigh*

It's amazing that sitting around for 2 months eating nachos and strawberry shortcake hasn't done any worse than that. Thank God for my band, or I would surely weigh 350 pounds again, soon.

I guess I will have to just get myself under a little better control and get my butt back to the gym.

Well, I have to go. I am trying to do some things around the house that have been neglected - like tidying up my office. It's a mess in there, since my desk is one big pile of paperwork and the sewing machine is open in the middle - I really need to get in there and get it organized. I had it clean, once, and it was really nice. I need to work on my self-discipline, that is for sure.

I can't make any promises for when I will be back - but please know that I think about you all often and I love you. I have seen several pictures and everybody looks GREAT. I miss you guys and I will try to get back here more often. If you don't have it - PM me for my home e-mail address. I check that at the library - so I am more reachable there

Love and Hugs to All

Irene

[Kat817 19]

Hi girlies---

I too have been MIA---I would have rathered been here chatting with you guys. Rick is on vacation, and we have been working our butts off!!!

Monday we took all the remaining wood out of our woodshed, prepped the area, leveled it, built forms, and then mixed and poured cement in a 3 foot by 30, foot. 6 " deep slab. Exhausting, no break work! To make that much cement, we used 8--94 pound bags of cement mix, and 1 ton of sand and gravel. I mix that using large coffee cans, our mixer will hold 3 cans of cement mix, and 12-15 of sand & gravel, along with the water---it is just eyeballed, to the right consistency. But knowing at some point this may be enclosed, we had to mix it to the proper strength to support walls and roofing. The 4'X 30' section was half the woodshed.

Tuesday, we went to Colorado, and hauled wood! We filled our truck--3/4 ton, and a 16 foot trailer with 3 foot sides....with Aspen wood. It is a bargain---the wood is mostly cut into 18-22" lengths, some of them full logs, still, others quartered. It is the remnants---at an excelsior factory. Excelsior is the curly wood stuff that the pads for swamp coolers are made of, and it is used in a lot of gift baskets...things of that nature. They shred the logs, and where it fits it the machine, the remainder gets chopped, and piled out in their yard---dwarfed by HUGE piles of long 15 foot logs! But we can go and fill our truck for 5 bucks, and we can fill the trailer for another 5 bucks! Aspen burns pretty quick, and very hot, it is a really clean burning wood, and it is good at eliminating creosote in the chimney. We brought this truck/trailer load in for my parents. My Dad is headed for some serious surgery this next month, so we want to have them prepared as possible.

This morning, found us breaking down our forms from the cement the other day, and moving them over, to finish the other half. Rick went and got the sand/gravel and bags of cement mix, while I cooked Breakfast, and fed the girls. When he got back we started...and mixed up another ton of sand and another 800 pounds of cement mix! We have another days work, we are pouring a pad in front of it, so I can go from the house to the wood, without getting wet, or muddy, or snowy or whatever!!! We will likely do that Sunday. After we cleaned up, I took the girls and went grocery shopping, and Rick went to help my folks unload the trailer.

Early in the morning, we will leave to get another load of wood! This one will be taken to my inlaws, and left for them to work at unloading this weekend. Which translated, means we will go and unload it Sunday at some point---so we can use the trailer again on Monday to get some wood for ourselves!!! We figure by then, the cement will be cured enough to hold it.

Friday and Saturday I convinced Rick to take me out of town for my birthday!!! I just want him away from the constant work! I keep hopping on the scale, knowing it will show a big loss, I have not had time to snack, and I have worked and sweated buckets---and that scale refuses to budge!!!!

Thanks so much for all the kind words over my pictures. It is so nerve wracking for me to post them. I have no issue with my friends seeing them, I just keep waiting, for one of them to end up the butt of some email joke!!!!

Mandy--Cindy---don't know if either of you shop QVC ever---but I get a notice of their daily special value thing. I keep thinking I will stop it, but then they put something on I think about!!!! Anyway, todays special value is a Mickey Ring, done with their diamonique---in the diamond and black diamond stones, it is pretty cute. You should be able to see it on the website if you are interested.

Beannie, it is so good to see you here!!! We miss you...and will send up a prayer for your job situation. Rick and I try to be the same way, our house is paid for, and if the oilfield goes bust again---and it will, it is really a when not an if---we can survive on unemployment, or if he gets a Home Depot job or something. We avoid credit cards, etc. We know people who are so credited out, they will lose everything if the bottom drops out again. We have lived through one bust, ended up moved to Denver, but survived it!!! We are hoping this boom takes us to retirement!

We are meeting my son and his family for ice cream here in a few minutes. Not what I would choose to do---but it is for my DIL's birthday. I am anxious to see my grandson, they buzzed his head today! So I better get ready to go.

Will check in again, if I don't cement my shoes in!!!

Kat

[piercedqt78 658]

Wow Kat sounds like you are going in circles with work. Did you measure yourself? I'm sure you are losing inches, even if not pounds. You are looking really fab, the hard works shows. I didn't get your message until today, so I am too late for the Mickey ring, but thanks for thinking of me, I guess it's money saved. More to spend in the parks. LOL I waaaay over did yesterday, so I am taking it easy today. Before surgery we installed a closet organizer in Abi's closet, she has soooo much more room now, as her closet is pretty small. Well it wasn't done until the day before surgery, so all of her closet stuff (including all of her clothes) were in bins in her floor. I spent yesterday putting stuff away and then putting all of her school clothes on hangers. Took several hours and I was pooped. But the closet looks great, and I am totally happy with the organizer. I got it for $25 at the local hardware store, it was a rubbermaid. When the room is finished I will take some pics and share them. Probably next week. What is everyone else up to? ~Mandy

[Dutchgrl59 2]

Hey Guys,

It has been non-stop since I got home from Santa Barbara. This week I had to get all the kids an additional chicken pox vaccine, the health agency NOW reccommends 2 shots for protection -- everybody check the stats in your state. Then on tuesday we had a consultation for Channing for the othodontist. I was on pins and needles about the impending cost of this adventure. Channing has a huge overbite, its a family trait but the dr couldn't give me a definate plan of action until we have molds and xrays and whether we remove 4 or 6 teeth for the proper outcome. Sigh.

And then on yesterday I registered the twins for school, the sophomore year :straight It all went smoothly, no complaints. Now its time for true confessions..... I have gained 2lbs :speechles and I have a drs appt this afternoon. OK, let me explain..... it really doesn't bother me, but the drs office will want to talk down to me and want better results. Did I mention that I skipped a period in July? That my hair is falling out in clumps and I don't want a fill and I'm still learning? How do I tell them this without sounding too defensive? I figure somedays I eat 1000 calories and other days I eat 800 calories and without the fill I still feel restriction. They can't make me get a fill.... right? Whats a slow loser to do? Do I have a bad attitude? OK, I'll let it go.

Kat: Your photos are astounding. A jaw dropping moment for me. You are simply adorable. Can you teach me more about lapband?

Hey kids, I gotta go. My appt is 1:30 California time.

[ReneBean 3]

Hi All

Well, I can now spend my library time talking to youse guys - I am officially employed starting Monday. I am going to work for a Bankruptcy Services company working with Real Estate. I am not sure what the exact specification are - but my mortgage background was beneficial and I tested in their acceptable range. Certainly, with all the craziness going on in the mortgage industry, bankruptcy and foreclosure rates are on the rise - so I should have more than enough work to do.

My days as a lady of leisure have ended. I just wish I could figure out a way to get paid for doing nothing. I have enjoyed lazing around all morning reading and drinking coffee. Alas - work is a requirement for life and I will have to get back to the old grind.

The good news is that unless these folks are as crazed as the last ones, I will have a little bit of time to check in here more than once every two months.

Wahoo!

Love you guys! Talk to you soon

Irene

[piercedqt78 658]

WooHoo Beanies back!!! ~Mandy

[Dutchgrl59 2]

Congrats Beanie,

Yeah, I wish I could be paid for doing nothing too! I really hope this job and your studies go well for you this semester.

I just got home from the drs and I lost 3lbs :)whats up with that?? Anyhoo, my surgeon was really supportive and uplifting and cool with leaving my band empty for the time being -- yeah! To date I have lost 26lbs in 3months and I couldn't be happier. My blood pressure is down and nothing hurts like it did. Last night I found the bunk bed that I was searching for on that Craigslist and will be taking a look at it this afternoon. It's one step at a time, but it's finally coming together. Hugs,

[NewBeginnings2018 81]

Patty I'm glad your doc was open and listened to you. That's very important. I'm a firm believer that being banded is not about being in a race to lose the weight, but rather about using it to help you change your bad habits and your lifestyle. Mandy is the perfect example of this after having been unfilled. It's not an easy journey but we'll all get there!

Beanie girlfriend, good to see you! Congrats on the new job!!

Kat I still can't get over your new pics and over 100lbs lost. You're such an inspiration to me.

Not much new here other than work is hectic and horrible lately. lol. A guy at work has "semi-retired" which means he's working part time and I'm picking up all his slack. Ugh. I spoke to my boss about it and we're going to rearrange my book of business a little bit so I have more time to devote to my monster account. Other than that I'm just getting ready for Disney w/Sherry and hanging out with Mike when he's not working, which is not often. lol. But overall things are pretty good.

[SherryW 4]

Hi folks...I'm alive...but work is nuts and I'm brain dead. I'll have to write again this weekend when I've had time off.

Ohhhh Disney is calling me...M I C K E Y in a small world after all, it's a small small BUSY world lol

Hang in there! Chat soon!

[ReneBean 3]

Hey Y'all

Another glorious day AWAY from Mortgage Lending. Today, the plan is to get my hair trimmed and get my toes done so I will be all ready to return to the workplace.

I also have to shop for some miscelaneous "stuff" and make a couple of dry runs to the office so I can figure out alternate routes. The place is a little farther from home than I could have hoped, but I don't expect the commute to be THAT long. I may time a trip today - just to check.

Not much going on here. Still hovering in the range just below 280. I am having a hard time motivating myself to get up off the couch and move. I have done a few things to keep from completely going over to marshmellow status - stairs for 2nd story classes and such - but that's about it. I have never been very good at food choices - exercise was all I had going for me. Once I flaked out on that - I pretty much stopped losing. I am hoping that I will like this new job and be less stressed about work. I need to get motivated and lose another 25 lbs or so before Christmas. (yes, girls, it is time to start thinking in terms of Holidays, again). The good news is that when I lose weight the right way (exercise & diet) it doesn't immediately come back on anymore. That is truly the saving grace of the band. In my old life, I would have gained 30-40 pounds in the last 2 months - not just the 10 I had lost by practically fasting while working at the Hell Job.

I figure if I exericise just a little bit - and eat just a little bit better, I should be able to lose a few more pounds. So, I am thinking 25 pounds before Christmas is realistic. That gives me four months. It's doable. I just have to focus.

One thing I have discovered recently is Crystal Light "on the go" packets. Maybe they are old new for you - but I have found that the fruit Punch in a litre of Water is perfect - ok, maybe a smidge watery - but I like it that way. It keeps me drinking Water without being bored. Now if I could just get bored with cheese.... *sigh*

Mandy - thanks for the warm welcome back. How are you doing? I know you had some kind of surgery - but I missed what it was. I hope you are healing up well. How's your little punkin?

Patty - 3 pounds is great any time, any place. I am so happy that the band is working for you. Nobody deserves it more than you! I hope you and the boys have had a great summer.

Chris - How you doin' Sugar? I am sorry work is not going well. I can commiserate. I hope it starts looking up soon. I look forward to living your love-life vicariously, again. :]

Sherry - HUGS! You will be getting a Disney Fix, soon, right? Try to stay tough. xo

Well - I have to get out and get going, or I won't get anything done today.

Hopefully, I will have a signal over the weekend, too.

Hugs and Kisses!

Irene

[piercedqt78 658]

Beanie, I had a total hysterectomy on July 30th. I'm recovering slowly but it's happening. ~Mandy

[NJChick 3]

Hello Ladies,

Took DD to see Hairspray....John Travolta just cracked me the heck up. IMHO he made the movie.

Kat WHOLLY SCHOMOLEY who is that woman on your avatar ???? It can't be the same person, it just can't. You look FANTASTIC girl, you really do...you were pretty at your highest weight and you are even more HOT now...WTG and congratulations, you've done a wonderful job. You really are an inspiration.

BEANIE BEANIE BO BEANIE...... *SMOOCHIES* I'm so glad your back and things are finally coming together for you. We really missed you here. WELCOME HOME

Crispy & Sherry, when do you leave for Disney? I bet your going to have so much fun. Take lots of pictures and do share. I'd like to do Christmas at Disney...maybe some day.

Cindy chickie.... "dork" LOLOL you had me rolling with that one. When is your picnic?

Patty your doing wonderful with your band....slow is great and its so healthy so keep up the good work and I'm glad your doc listened to you. My DD just had her 2nd pox shot back in June. Did the doctor warn you that they could get a fever in a few weeks and break out in what looks like a rash? if not, just beware that it can happen. My dd had a fever for 2 days but no rash about 3 - 4 weeks after her shot.

Betty....staying cool? tomorrow its going to be a high of 75 but its going to heat up again on Monday....sheesh we missed alot of the summer. How's work?

Well girls I gotta go. High School Musical 2 is on tonight and DD is really looking forward to that.

Have a great weekend...see you later taters.

[piercedqt78 658]

NJChick, we too are watching High School Musical 2, I have a blank DVD all set to record it. Abi loved the first one so much, she is also excited about the Jonas Brothers being on Hannah Montana after the movie. She made me promise to record both. ~Mandy