Hi there. Just wanted to see if I could build a new home with some new (and hopefully old) friends. I do not wanna be 'homeless' anymore so here I am! This is gonna be a place for friends to meet (hopefully) and talk about anything & everything.

My name is Tracy and I live in Deer Park, Texas. I have been married for 6 years. I was banded in April '07. Got 4 pounds away from goal, quit smoking and gained 46-50 pounds back so I am on my journey again. This time as a non-smoker :w00t:

This is a life change and with it comes lifelong friends...wanna come along for the ride? :blushing:

Since we don't talk about banding on fb, please email me your addresses and I will request. I don't really want to put my email on the post. . . . Still don't know if we can pm on here any more. I feel so lost and confused.

Sorry Kat, our posts overlapped. Thanks, so now I know how to send...where in the world do we see our pms?

So far I'm doing pretty good at figuring this new site out. But it is still ahrd to find other threads. But that's ok, I never really stray from here anyway.

It was real cold here today. Tomorrow it's supposed to be in the 60's then temps drop for Thanksgiving day. Just glad I don't have anywhere to go.

Cindy-I am brave, so I will just put it out there.... here is my e-mail addy

TracyK219@yahoo.com

see you on FB!

Here is the e-mail my sister sent me (and cc'd my mom and other siblings). Mind you, I have not done anything to her.

Here we go....this is why i have been sad. PS, she is my oldest sister.

Tracy,

(As you can tell by all I included in on this e-mail, this is an e-mail that all of the family should be involved in. So they will all know the problems that you and I have in being sisters and how I am going to resolve the problem)

I originally was going to e-mail you and get you to come by my house one day when you where coming into Mothers house, and to let Macy stay at Mothers…but then I thought…Why waste my time and yours dealing with this.

So, now that the holidays are coming up and I want to get a couple of things out in the open between you and me before then.

I have thought a lot about this and have come up with the realization that over the years you and I have always had problems. I am really tired of pretending to get along with you and you are probably tired of trying to get along with me also…So I feel that it is time to be real about the whole situation and stop pretending that we like one another. I have thought about how you are my blood, my people and my sister. But that love should come naturally and not forced like I have had to do over the years. I cannot continue to fake it, or pretend to like the person you are and have become. So with all of this said and especially after what happened last year on the Holidays I am done. I am not going to pretend or to try to force myself to love you or try to fake it anymore.

The only way that I can see that you and I can be around the same family during the holidays is that you stay on one side of the house and I will stay on the other, I will leave you alone and you also leave me alone and we both can have a family holiday without any confrontations. Other than that there is no other reason for you to mention my name and I will do the same about you.

I replied 24 hours later and told her I forgive her. She wanted to get a rise out of me, and I am not going to give her what she wants. I told her that i was forgiving her for ME. Then I gave her the Mayo clinics definition of forgiveness. Here it is...

What is forgiveness?

Generally, forgiveness is a decision to let go of resentment and thoughts of revenge. The act that hurt or offended you may always remain a part of your life, but forgiveness can lessen its grip on you and help you focus on other, positive parts of your life. Forgiveness can even lead to feelings of understanding, empathy and compassion for the one who hurt you.

Forgiveness doesn't mean that you deny the other person's responsibility for hurting you, and it doesn't minimize or justify the wrong. You can forgive the person without excusing the act. Forgiveness brings a kind of peace that helps you go on with life.

What are the benefits of forgiving someone?

Letting go of grudges and bitterness makes way for compassion, kindness and peace. Forgiveness can lead to:

■Healthier relationships

■Greater spiritual and psychological well-being

■Less stress and hostility

■Lower blood pressure

■Fewer symptoms of depression, anxiety and chronic pain

■Lower risk of alcohol and substance abuse

I replied 24 hours later and told her I forgive her. She wanted to get a rise out of me, and I am not going to give her what she wants. I told her that i was forgiving her for ME. Then I gave her the Mayo clinics definition of forgiveness. Here it is...

What is forgiveness?

Generally, forgiveness is a decision to let go of resentment and thoughts of revenge. The act that hurt or offended you may always remain a part of your life, but forgiveness can lessen its grip on you and help you focus on other, positive parts of your life. Forgiveness can even lead to feelings of understanding, empathy and compassion for the one who hurt you.

Forgiveness doesn't mean that you deny the other person's responsibility for hurting you, and it doesn't minimize or justify the wrong. You can forgive the person without excusing the act. Forgiveness brings a kind of peace that helps you go on with life.

What are the benefits of forgiving someone?

Letting go of grudges and bitterness makes way for compassion, kindness and peace. Forgiveness can lead to:

■Healthier relationships

■Greater spiritual and psychological well-being

■Less stress and hostility

■Lower blood pressure

■Fewer symptoms of depression, anxiety and chronic pain

■Lower risk of alcohol and substance abuse

Damn, Tracy. You handled this slap correctly and in a way that will lead you to have peaceful sleep at night, while she will toss and turn. Be proud of how you handled this and remember you can't be responsible for what she is doing or feeling. She is obviously not a happy person and I am glad you aren't going to feed into this.

Tracy, what a horrible letter to receive. Sounds like she has some issues and instead of dealing with them the right way, she chose to push it all onto you. Well, I have to tell you that you handled it in the utmost professional way. Don't let her drag you down into her little pity corrupt selfish world. Keep your head held high and show Macy how a true Child of Gods should turn the other cheek. I'm proud of you. But be aware that it doesn't look like this is overwith. Hang in there.

Off to bed. Hope everyone had a great day.

I was trying to say pretty much what Cindy did, but this damn mess of a new layout....I was trying to increase the font size and froze it up----grrrrrr. Not a happy camper with all this nonsense!

I agree, that you handled it in a wonderful way. I would not let her deter me from attending ANY function I wanted to, and I would not ignore her as requested, I would speak, and move on, not act like I was begging for a relationship with her, but also letting her know she could not write me off to make herself feel better!!! LOL

I just have the one brother, and he is challenged, both physically and mentally. He is self supporting, but has an attitude of a young teenager, so he tends to be quite obnoxious much of the time. If any of you that have or deal with kids, can imagine a 14 year old boy who has worked hard, and has no real friends, and is saddened by that, and you know how they act when they have to be around the family all the time!! That is my brother. Problem is he is 48 years old, forever stuck being a kid. He argues about everything, so adults get fed up with him quickly, he gets along great with other kids---but it is not appropriate to be hanging out with kids when you are an old man. And they all grow up on him.....it is sad, and frustrating. But when he hurts me, hurts my feelings---he is not violent in any manner----I can give him the benefit of the doubt, and know he has a problem. I am sorry, you have to deal with a sister being this way. You deserve better!

StrangeDZ---you come in while I was gone, and I am sorry, I don't know another name to call you! I am Kat. I was banded in April of 06. I am down a hundred pounds, and sitting tight. I have no fill, but am comfortable where I am, and not working it like I should! I am married to a wonderful man, Rick. 99.9 % of the time when I refer to DH it is Dear, or Darling Husband the other .01, it is Damn husband! Together we have 3 kids, and 6 grandkids. We live in New Mexico, in the nrothwest corner, just a few miles out of Colorado, we also have property in Texas, which is where I have been.

I ask in the mod forum about the sharing, also about email notifications, and taking you to new posts, and why the font and size freeze, and why ALL the changes at once! Good grief, it just frustrates me! I have so many PMs as a moderator asking me questions, and we have or at least I have not been told a single damn thing!

So you wanna change the logo---change it! You need to add advertising space to pay for bandwidth, do it. But to change EVERYTHING all at once is asking for problems. what is wrong with a gradual upgrade?

Eh female brain vs. male brain Rick says.

So all night and all morning my jaw hurt. I have a cracked filling, so I called to set up a dentist appointment. She told me she just had a cancellation and if I come right then they would see me---I whipped around, to head back, called my Dad to get Kinsey, and went to the dentist. Well the filling is still cracked, but the Xrays are clear, and he thinks it is from the swelling in the glands under my ear, causing the pain---the teeth look good. So that eased my mind. I call my Mom to tell her I am on my way---I woke her up! She and Dad fell asleep and forgot to get Kinsey from the bus! I was in a state! Well I had my phone off in the dentist office as the sign said! When the bus come and I was not there, they honked, and my neighbor heard it, she went out, and when Kinsey saw her she told the driver it was her auntie Connie---so they let her go there! She was in their house eating milk and Cookies. Scared the crap out of me----and out of my folks (who kinda deserved it!!!). Dad come FLYING up here, before I could let them know where she was and that she was safe---so he took her home, and Manda picked her up there. Her Dad actually DID come in for Thanksgiving and her birthday. He told her he was coming for her birthday and she was counting on it! I am so glad he did not disappoint her. so she is spending the night and day with him tomorrow, so I have a free day to prep for Thanksgiving.

I am putting my turkey in a brine this year for the first time ever---anyone do it???

Well I better see if this posts or gets lost in cyber space, or shared, or whatever!!!!

I DON'T LIKE THIS NEW FORMAT!!!!!!!

I don't see a way to find the thread you're subscribed too. What a pain in the patoot!!

I have an option if y'all want to use it. Just an idea so no worries if you don't want too. Won't hurt my feelings.

We can do a group PM on FB. One of us would start it, adding all of us to the PM and it would go to everyone on the list. The ONLY reason I even come here anymore is for this thread. That's it! I don't even look around at all anymore. I have gotten tired of the drama and cattiness. I do NOT want this thread shared on FB and now do not want to say too much here. Let me know what you think.

Tracy, your sister is a bitch. I'm sorry you are related to her.

Kat, how scary w/Kinsey!!! Glad your neighbor was home!

Cindy, I'll PM you my info so you can friend me.

Anyone else on FB, PM me and we'll hook up over there.

We've had snow the last couple of days. I love it!

Since we've been locked outta here, I've seen my foot doc. I have to have surgery. The spurs are huge. I will be 8 weeks in a cast, non-weight bearing! Yikes!!! Don't know when surgery will be yet. I was hoping for December but it looks more probable for January. The surgery department needs to call me to schedule.

Talk to ya soon!

I DON'T LIKE THIS NEW FORMAT!!!!!!!

I don't see a way to find the thread you're subscribed too. What a pain in the patoot!!

Tracy, your sister is a bitch. I'm sorry you are related to her.

:iagree: On all of the above!

Good Morning

Ok - first, I have to say this new format could be good if it freaking worked! why can't i change font and color and stuff?

Tracy - OMG that is just horrible, but I agree with Cindy, Suzanne and Kat It sounds like she has many issues and is just blowing off on you, second thought was - and don't take this being mean or sarcastic - but she needs medication. She sent that out to other family members too? That is just not right no matter what the situation. That is going to make family pick sides! I'm so proud of you... you had a great response

Love ya sister!

Kat -I use a Brine. i went to dinner at a friends a couple years ago and she used a citris one and at first bite it was odd to taste turkey with a hint of orange but you know what - it was the juiciest turkey I ever had in my life. I do it every year, Infact dd will be mixing everything today while she is home.

I can't eat dinner tomorrow because of my fill YIPEE so dd likes roasted chicken over turkey and it is just her and ds, so I got a little 7lb chicken and will make Soup on friday, or a great stock. I am making Lobster Bisque for me, I'm so excited.

I'm trying to find veggies for ds, he just wont eat them. So i found a butternut squash soup that is made with cream cheese so... I called i cream cheese soup and topped with some parm chees and he actually loved it and ate 1/2 cup and will eat more today - It took more time to get my flow going to make it that it the time it took to just do it.

Well, I got my new computer and got most of it set up. I will be turning over old reliable to ds to use in the back room to play his games and do his stuff. I just want to get anything i need first in case something happens. My new one is 17" monitor which I thought I would hate, but it is so nice and I guess I should take it. Kev bought it for me as a gift asking for nothing in return and giving it to me in writing. Just because I needed one and for all the gifts I got him over the years and blah blah blaha....

Ok - have a wonderful.....

Morning. Not much going on today. I do have to work 3 hours later this afternoon. So it will be into the shower here soon.

Going to make a batch of Fudge later today. I should do ok with it being here. I like fudge, just not a big eater of it. It's the Chex mix that I made that will be my downfall.

So Tracy, have you decided what you will do? Are you going to your family's for Thanksgiving? Show your sister how mature you are.

To any one that is traveling, please be careful and have a safe trip.

Michelle. I had a huge bone spur removed from the bottom of my foot. They broke 3 blades trying to get it cut. But I was able to walk on it after a few days. No cast but it was wrapped up tighter then a mummy. Best thing I did for my foot. No problems since. Good luck and keep us posted.

This brine I am using is not a flavored brine, it is from the food network, it is supposed to tenderize and moisten the turkey, you just rub it down inside and out with Kosher salt, cover it in ice Water and leave it for 24 hours. Then rinse, dry off, rub butter into the skin, stuff the turkey---with either stuffing or moisture releasing veggies, such as onions, and cook as usual. Well I normally buy what I consider to be a decent turkey, and use a roaster, so it is moist. But this year, the company give Rick a turkey, and I have no room to freeze it, so plan to use it, and it is a store brand---so not sure of its age....moisture etc. so, researching it, the answer seemed to be a brine soak. Gonna try it. I just put it in. I didn't have a way to cover a 20 lb. turkey, so I put it in a cooking bag, filled it with water, closed it, and put it in an ice chest with ice in case it leaks! Will le tya know!!

I am hoping over a few days the site will become more navigatable. I am still concerned with strangers being able to come in here and link our posts to FB. That worries me. I have no problem moving to FB, but at the same time, I do go around the site, so will be here, regardless, and we have some new people here, that we would never have found without being here, where the band gives us a common bond. I hope he continues to tweak it over the long holiday, and soon we will be comfortable with it. I still plan to ask about the share thing----well I HAVE ask, just received no answer.

Well, I have veggies begging to be chopped! Gonna go cry some more. I have onions to chop! I was watching a Hallmark Christmas movie earlier, and you know they are made to be tear jerkers anyway, and I am a movie crybaby anyhow, so I am crying, and freaked my dog the heck out! She kept laying her head in my lap, then adding a foot, then another foot---and she is not small! Then she brought me her duck toy---her favorite! She is concerned with me being upset. See what she does with the onions----my crying will probably take a back seat to her hope that I will drop something!!! LOL

See ya'll in a little bit!

The only hint I can give right now, is to go to your deleted files, find an old link to an email notification of our thread and bring it back to your inbox. It will always take you to Tracy's first post, but just click last page, and maneuver from there. I have faith those things will all be fixed rather soon.

Tracy....Wow, you handled that situation so well! I'm sorry you are having such issues with your sister. Hopefully one day, she can look past whatever it is that has made her upset. And for her to send it to the rest of your family, that was uncalled for. Just make the best of the holidays, and hold your head high and know what a great person you are!!

Morning!

I found a sort of easy way to get back here. Click on your profile, then click on your posts, then click on the thread title in the last post you made here and it brings you right to where you left off. Then you can just scroll down to read any who have posted after you. A few more steps but seems to work.

I changed a bunch of settings and now the PM envelope is gone from under my avatar. Need to go find it again.

Kat, I am super, super NOT happy about the FB, twitter linking. Add me to your list of complaints if needed. I do agree w/you about missing out on some new friends. I just really don't want our conversation linked to God knows where, by God knows who. I know this is a public forum. I get that it's all over anyway but to have direct links that can go even more public just makes my skin crawl.

We are going to brine a turkey for the first time. Alton Brown on food network has one that we are going to use. We have a 12lb turkey. We are only feeding 4 of us tomorrow. DH is out on the hunt for a bucket or foam cooler to use. We forgot the jellied cranberry sauce so he has to go to the store anyway for that. I make sauce but he likes the jellied stuff for his sandwiches.

Cleaning the house and doing laundry today. My mom is coming in tomorrow night.

Jenn, nice about the new computer. Kevin is sure trying to work his way back, isn't he? It'd be nice if he'd just give up and leave you alone. Any word on the new job?

Suzie, I have a huge spur on the back of my ankle as well as another huge one on the bottom of my heel. They have to detach the tendon and peel it away from the spur to cut it off, then re-attach the tendon. That's why the 8 weeks casted and off of it. I wish it was just a matter of removing some spurs w/out having to involve the tendon. Recovery is going to be REALLY difficult! NOT looking forward to it but it will be nice not having the near constant pain! I am so glad yours went so well. Makes me feel better about mine!!

Anyone talk to Debbie? I'm wondering if she's having a hard time finding us like I did. I need to hook up with her on FB.

Well, the dang house isn't cleaning itself. Better get to it. Well, after a visit to FB! LOL!!!

Oh and this site takes a HUGE amount of time to load now and it just sucks the life outta my battery!!!!!! HATE, HATE, HATE!!!!!!!!!!!