I'm here to help...

[Mrs. Bubba 0]

Melisssa, I'm so sorry about what's happened... But we understand........ you have to do what's best for your family.... I can only imagine your disappointment.. try to buck up and have a nice Valentines Day date with your DH.... It will make him feel better even if you don't... As Janet always says, "WE WILL" do this again and next time we'll need 5 condos............... Take care now and don't cry anymore.. It'll give you a headache.....LOL.......

Yes, Laura K, I'm getting excited... Wishing we all could be there.... but like with Melissa, things happen.... We'll all have to start saving for next time... Maybe summer or fall in MN or ND!!!!!! Apples lake resort sounds fun, but not in the winter......

Julie

[IndioGirl55 32]

Melissa - Oh I am so sorry that you aren't going to make it !!! Sorry that your other vehicle has a blown engine...

Ya sometime crap happens - but this too shall pass. We have next year - Lets do Vegas !!! So start putting $10 bucks a week away for our next get together.. Hugs - I know how dissappointed you must be.. We are too..

Hey gang - back from the gym - had a good work out - food has been good - I have been tight - I think the whole stress issue w/all the company I have had. Still tight tonite - but this damn dog isn't helping .. it's a cute thing but my dogs still don't like it - it's just another hassle I don't want and Andrew and I keep having words about it..

Not much to report really - need to get out of these workout clothes and veg for a bit - I have a tad of a head ache..

cbl

[ocotillo 0]

Melissa, I'm so sorry you can't come. Stuff happens (translate that to sh.....happens) and it can't be helped. So next year you'll be there where ever it may be.

Welcome back Phil....sorry about the rain...it's going to rain again I hear. We really need the Water but it has been putting a damper on other activities.

I'm really tired....long day at work again and I don't see an end in sight. Wish the rest of you a really good evening and I'll try and catch up tomorrow.

Eva

[ocotillo 0]

okay everyone, take you Vitamins, drink plenty of fluids and get some rest....no sickies in Florida.

Eva

[LittleOleMeinFL 1]

fly by post this a.m.

hello to all my bandster friends!

melissa~ hugs- that sucks that you can't come. I was REALLY looking forward to meeting you! But life happens, ya know? We will meet one day, if I have to drive up and find you!

Running late this morning... more later. CBL...peas

[Apples2 19]

OK...going to try this again. Keep losing my connection. Must have something to do with the weather.

Melissa...sorry you cannot make the trip. Was looking forward to getting to know you.

Will check in later...already had big post and lost it somewhere.

[IndioGirl55 32]

Good Morning Gang

Eva we are suppose to get more rain too - I think it's Wed..

Ya work - since it's a short week - more to do..

Melissa - Hugs again - Hope you are feeling better - we are sad that you aren't coming but totally understand - crap happens

Apples - My computer keeps freezing I think it's my skypes that is doing it.

Laura - How your Dad. What's up w/your sister how's she doing..

Well not much to report since last night went to bed early 9 and now drinking coffee and getting ready to hit the showers.

CBL

[ocotillo 0]

Apples, if you have trouble with losing your posts, type your respond in a word doc and then cut and paste the entire response to the thread and post it. I used to have to do that with my old computer.

Morning....another day another little yoga session. Good stretching for a morning.

Julie, you'll just have to wait to see what's in that ice chest. I'm bringing a little of the southwest to you.

Okay, I'm not looking forward to going to work....may have to bring work with me...but it will be stuff I can do while sitting and talking.

Later ladies, need to get lunch packed and Breakfast situated.

Later,

Eva

[JeweI 2]

Just a quickie,

I am headed out the door to have my first fill. I am nervous but excited all at once. He asked me to lose 6 pounds and my scale says I lost 8. Hopefully his scale won't read much differnt. I don't want him to tell me I screwed up again. I am still trying to get the hang of this. Finding the right things to eat at the right time around my school schedule. Then, not eatting myself to death on the weekends.

See you soon

[NYSparklegirl 1]

Just a quickie,

I am headed out the door to have my first fill. I am nervous but excited all at once. He asked me to lose 6 pounds and my scale says I lost 8. Hopefully his scale won't read much differnt. I don't want him to tell me I screwed up again. I am still trying to get the hang of this. Finding the right things to eat at the right time around my school schedule. Then, not eatting myself to death on the weekends.

Jewel. I dont know how you do all that you do....Kudos (spelling) to you! You have so much on your plate and yet you seem to make everything look so easy?

See you soon

Melissa - Oh I am so sorry that you aren't going to make it !!! Sorry that your other vehicle has a blown engine...

Ya sometime crap happens - but this too shall pass. We have next year - Lets do Vegas !!! So start putting $10 bucks a week away for our next get together.. Hugs - I know how dissappointed you must be.. We are too..

Las Vegas?? uh oh....better start saving now is right!

I would love to come and join however...Las Vegas....has some interesting meaning for me...and well. Not sure I can do Las Vegas today, maybe by next year Ill think different lol

Long Story..,,too long for now. I dont have great luck in Vegas. Men! lol

Hey gang - back from the gym - had a good work out - food has been good - I have been tight - I think the whole stress issue w/all the company I have had. Still tight tonite - but this damn dog isn't helping .. it's a cute thing but my dogs still don't like it - it's just another hassle I don't want and Andrew and I keep having words about it..

I know what you mean....dogs are great but when one throws everything off...the stress alone can drive you nuts. Good Luck....

Not much to report really - need to get out of these workout clothes and veg for a bit - I have a tad of a head ache..

cbl

:cursing::bolt::cursing::crying::crying::crying::crying:

Ok Fl group now it is time to say I can't come.

I am so sad and angry that now I can't go to Fl. I cryed so hard yesterday and today I tried to post this 3 times but canceled it hoping things would change.

I really wanted to go so badly I have been planning on it and then everything has been going wrong for the past month. But then somehow I always manage to find a way around the problem. Fiest I was driving to Fl and my mom was going but she bailed on me. So then my best friend was going and she missed a whole week of work due to the flu last week so she bailed (not her fault I know). So then I was going with my sister's boyfirend but that did not work out. Next attempt I was going to fly and my sister in law was giving me her miles but an emergency happened and she needed them to fly somewere fast at least that is what she told me yesterday. But I was still okay because I figured that I could just drive myself even though my hubby did not like the idea.Then late last night the nail in the coffin so to speak my husbands van blew a head and the money I had for the trip flew away. We have to buy another car or another engine.

This freakin sucks I want to go so very badly but can't. I am trying not to be a little kid about it but aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh

As I am typing I am crying I wanted to meet you all so badly you have all helped me so much through my journey I wanted to give hugs and say thanks and just hang and chat with you guys.:cursing::girl_hug:

I hope I can go on the next trip I guess I will start saving money now.

Again I am so very sorry everyone. My husband is upset to because their is nothing he can do to make me feel better. He said he wanted to do something with me for Valentines day but I don't want to do anything but pout.

Melissa, Im sorry you cant join everyone this year however you and I can go next year as well! I see that this trip was important to everyone Im sorry that "stuff" seems to screw us up sometimes from doing things we really want. Valentines day is olmost here...please give yourself lots of hugs and kisses you deserve it!!

Julie, glad your are back safe and sound. Just a few more days and we will get to meet. I'm checking a bag too...I'm bringing too much stuff, but that's okay. I'm bringing my little collapsible ice chest and that's going in my luggage too.

Spent SB at my sister's. We were watching it for the commercials, but they weren't all that great. So we lost interest and started watching a movie. DH was at a friend of his.

July and Jodi, very interesting information. Having the traditions of your faith and family is pretty special. I copied and pasted your explanation of shabbos onto a word doc so I could keep it. I like that view.

thanks..that explanation solitified (spelling) it for me. I liked it, kind of hard to remember to actually think about that each week with all the hoopla but it is a nice way to explain it.

We went to the Ansel Adams show at the Museum of Art today. He truly had some amazing work. I think we are going back on Wednesday because there were so many people there we didn't get to see all the work. Afterwards we walked to some of the Gem & Mineral show dealers. Didn't buy anything this time. So I didn't spend any money and I got a good walk in. It was a good day.

Off to bed...tomorrow is another work day.

Eva

Good morning! Right now 67 degrees in FL sounds wonderful, I am looking out at a very cold and snowy view, can't even see the mountains today, and I am all wrapped up in my blanket trying to stay warm. Can't wait! Does anyone know how much each persons share of the room and expenses will be? I want to bring some cash to reimburse whomever I need to.

Got up at 530 this morning to have Breakfast (went to MCD's) with DH as he is leaving for Atlanta today and then he comes home on Thurs. we will actually cross paths possibly in the airport on Thurs. as he is coming home and I am connecting to FL. I won't see him til Sunday afternoon.

Went to future SIL's for a SuperBowl party yesterday. I had no interest in either team so just picked the Colts to pick a team and they lost. I think in the future teams should pay me not to root for them then they are guaranteed a victory, no matter who I pick they always lose! I didn't think the commercials were all that good. I always like the Clydesdales ones and this one was cute but some of the past ones were better. Guess my favorite would have to be the Dorito one with the dog and the no bark collar that he takes off and puts on the guy. Enjoyed the Who at halftime but they were a little past their prime. I feel sorry this morning for Carrie Underwood, I heard her getting bashed pretty good on the radio for messing up the nat'l anthem, guess she didn't do that great. I thought she sounded fine and there was one note at the end that was a litte off, but gotta give her credit. I guess she's the first one to sing it in years live. She insisted on performing live, usually the prerecord it.

Jodi, quesstion on the shabbat. Do you light a candle on Fri evening at dinner that you can't blow out? I had a Jewish friend that I stayed with in Brooklyn years ago and we had some special dinner Friday night. AFter I helped clear the table and blew out the candle, she got really uptight and said it was to never be blown out and I felt so horrible I never asked why but have always been curious. Then I dried dishes and put the silverware in the wrong drawer with the wrong silverware certain ones weren't supposed to touch or something??? Thanks for the education!

Julie, glad you made it safe on your trip. I haven't decided whether I will check or carryon. I never pack til the last minute so it depends on how much I have. I am thinking I will check though so I have lots of room for shopping just in case. That means I'll probably find nothing. LOL I hate dealing with a carryon and finding overhead room for it and hoisting it up in the overhead which is something you might want to consider with your bad shoulder. But also I am lucky with my flying benefits I don't have to pay to check my bag either.

Janet, looking forward to you getting back to normal on here, miss you and Apples when you are gone.

Apples, miss you! glad you are enjoying your time in FL so far though.

Melissa, sounds great if we can hook up on the same flight or time!

Phyl, are you back from the cruise yet? How was it? Did it improve once you set sail??? I am trying to save up for a cruise in May. DH says since we are going to Isreal in a few weeks that is our major vacation this year, but we've done a cruise a year for the past several and I really want to do one again so I had been savign all my paychecks and any other unplanned money that comes in (like I got a refund for overpayment of a hospital bill, etc.) so hope I can swing it.

Im laughing out loud as Ive had the same experiences youve had before I knew any better either about what shabbat was about.

You light the candles at sunset friday night and they burn about 5 hours or so. It is the time when shabbat starts.

You dont blow them out....(but you didnt know). I would have laughed not get angry....silly really. Or whom ever should have explained this before dinner.

Lighting the candles is a spiritual act. Fire is auspicious so we use that to begin the shabbat and let the light......"light" up the table, room, our lives. We say a prayer after we light the candles to say we are lighting these candles and bringing in the "light" (knowing) of the sabbath time. Sometimes a candle is lit for each member of the family...and Ive been in houses where there are about 13 members and there have been thirteen candles lit. It is really beutiful.

As for the silverware....you use seperate for meat and dairy so when not in use its easier to keep seperate so you dont get mixed up and use them together or for the wrong foods by mistake. If you put them together when puttting away its no big deal...you just take them and put them where they belong. Im sorry who ever it was that you were staying with made you feel bad or sorry...this is the problem sometimes with people who are so inflexible and take things to the letter of the laws...Phooey to them. These could have been such a beutiful customs for you experience.....if they were explained within the beuty they were supposed to show.

Have a great day all...late again for work grr.

Jodi

[

[Great2BThin 5]

Good morning. Feels like Monday today maybe because I didn't do my usual Monday errands with Grandma due to the snowstorm and am doing them today. It is beautiful out today, bright blue sky, bright white snow and sunny but cold. Florida will still feel nice to me. All of our suitcases are in bad shape, think I might shop for a new one today. So far I've had 3 out to try and all 3 have messed up zippers. The only one left is huge, if I have to I will take it but will see what I find shopping with Grandma today. That's what I get for buy such cheap luggage! LOL

Vegas next year? Count me in? It will be so much easier for me to get there. I know my way around there pretty well, at least I think I do still, as I used to live there too. (I get around LOL)

Jodi, thanks for the explanation, I have always wondered about that candle I blew out, I sortta had the silverware figured out. Funny, my friend I stayed with didn't practice all the rules all the time especially when she was away from home and hubby and the kids, but she kept a pretty strict home I guess. I have a good friend here that is a Messiahanic Jew he calls himself and he explains a lot of the traditions to us but he doesn't know them all real well as he wasn't raised in them much.

Melissa, bummer about the string of bad luck you've been having, will sure miss ya!

Janet, I know what you mean about another dog throwing things off in the house. DH always says when DD has her puppy here that it affects the feng shui. LOL Our dogs just really act up as well when she is here and they all go wild all over the house. It just affects the balance in the house.

Eva, there is an end in sight for your busyness at least temporarily! FLORIDA!!!

Jewel, good luck on that first fill. I remember being scared for my first one too but it was really nothing. I hope it starts to give you better restriction, but it may or may not. Some folks do get it after one and others take a few fills. Heck, I had like 7 or 8 fills my first year. I was on one extreme of the fill spectrum and Janet here on the other as I believe she got good restriction after just one. Each person is very different so don't compare yourself to anyone and don't concern yourself with how many cc's you have in your band compared to anyone else either, it's very individual. I liked knowing how many cc's I had but if I had 10ccs and someone else only 2cc's it didn't make either one of our bands or us any better than the other, it's what works for you. I don't mean to sound preachy but it's something I see on other threads here a lot people comparing their fills or someone telling another that they don't have enough fill or too much. That's between you and your dr as to what is right for you.

Apples, miss ya posting! have you dethawed yet??

[IndioGirl55 32]

I love it - the balance of the house - fengu shway (sp) - Jodie & Lori - you both hit the nail on the head...

Luggage - I have Kathy Vanzeland (sp) from QVC the zipper got messed up on the cruise last yr - but it's a double zipper so I am ok - but only can zip one of the two luckly the zipper got stuck at the end and not middle I can still open the case. I found a larger case same red crocodille at Ross's so I sorta have a set :0)

I would like one of those spinners - and yes it's worth it to buy decent luggage..

Jessica - I am still apprehensive when I go in for a fill - even though I know what to expect - I think it's the whole going to the doc thing for me I hate doctors :0)

Well back to work - CBL

[ljv52 2]

Morning all. Good luck with your fill, Jessica and listen to Great, she is right about the fill business -- very individual - interesting how different the doctors all do the fills too -- even my surgeon does them differently now than he did when I had surgery last year -- a girl I work with had surgery in Sept. and she's had a completely different experience than I had with fills and we have the same surgeon. So it's interesting how different it all is, but it not up for comparison.

Had a great morning - got up on time (5:15) and got my exercise in - had to skip yesterday cause I couldn't sleep Sunday night (again) and so had to sleep in yesterday and skip exercise. But that's okay as I had exercised for 5 days straight and my body needed a break anyway. So scales were the same again today and that's all I'm going to say on that subject. I have new theory -- my body is trying to stay warm - I am CONSTANTLY cold - never warm enough -- I dress very warmly, but still get cold.

Melissa, so sorry you can't go to Florida -- I was the first one who had to cancel due to my hip surgery and my neice deciding the get married in July (the nerve of that girl -lol!) so I understand how bummed you are - I was too and I'm really bummed now that they are getting ready to leave - I still want to go and feeling so left out. But they promise to take lots of pics and post and keep us in the loop -- right ladies? LOL.

Well, I'm at work so can't stay on long - Janet -- I know what you mean about the dog -- that is a stressful situation. I'm tight too - in fact I can never really eat much dinner these days -- so at least I'm able to eat early in the day -- guess that's better than the reverse - I wish I'd lose a few pounds to "loosen up" that band a bit. I'm for sure not needing any more fills. Weather is ugly here today -- was minus 5 this a.m. and really windy and blowing and nasty today - last night my car was completely iced over when I went home from work - had a hard time getting the doors open -- it had been over 30 all day and snow flurries and then dropped to 12 before I left work so it was really frozen. Couldn't even scrape the ice off the windshield -- had to let the car/defroster run for almost half an hour to get it halfway clear. I'm more than ready for spring!! So Apples, you aren't missing anything but misery -- as if you didn't know that.

Gotta run. CBL. Linda

[Apples2 19]

Eva...thanks for the info on troublesome posting. Problem is a weak signal here at times...mostly in the morning. We did figure out how to get phone service. We ordered a Magic Jack that plugs into the laptop. I was driving 10-20 miles out of the resort in order to use my cell. It's the same for everyone here. PPL and DS's could email and that's about it. Nice to have the phone in case of emergency.

Just talked to DS (our son that works with us)...he was sitting with friends the other night discussing the snow out east. Impulsively, they left the next day, drove straight through and are doing snow removal out there. He loaded up DH's trailer with a bunch of equipment and toiling away. Took him and his friend 27 hours to get there. He met up with a contractor while out there and is working under him instead of knocking on doors. He plans on being out there another week or so due to the amount of snow that is on it's way again. You would think a young, single almost 29 yr old would want to head to the islands for a vacation...not from deep snow in MN to deep snow in Mass.

Great...yep, I've thawed. Gets a little chilly but have to remind myself it's sooooooooooooooo much better than at home. Had a campfire last night and I was pealing off layers. The other night I had six layers on, with 2 of them being Titanium jackets. Anything for a campfire!

Melissa...I was soooooo hoping that I would be picking you up at the airport with Great. Makes me sad you cannot make it and feel bad for your upsetting circumstances that keep you from coming. Heck, I wish all of you could make it. Maybe next time. We should discuss soon where, when, etc. to meet next time. I stayed at the Monte Carlo the last time I was there and loved the hotel. Everything at your fingertips and close to some fun things. I make the trip every March to do a girls week. I've missed one year in 15. It's a perfect spot even if someone is not into throwing their money to the big dogs. So much entertainment to choose from.

OK..let me know if I have this right...We have Janet, Julie, Judy, Jessica, Eva, Lori, Laura and crew, and myself. Three in one condo and four in another.

I have packed some supplies so you guys don't need to overpack. I have packed....

Soynuts, popcorn, all the makings for steel cut oats, FF cocoa mix, SF cider mix, a variety of Protein Bars, a variety of Crystal Lite packets and 4 different kinds of coffee. Will pick up bottled Water, a variety of deli meats, some shrimp and fruit and veggies. We should be able to hang and eat and not worry about eating every meal out.

Jessica...good luck with your first fill. Looking forward to meeting you at the end of the week.

Eva...hope you can see the end of your work overload soon. Anxious to visit with you about what you do.

OK...gonna post this while I'm ahead. You all let me know if there is something special you want me to pick up on my way. Gotta go. Have a great Tuesday. The countdown begins..........

[Apples2 19]

Janet...I bought every size of the Samsonite spinners a few years ago. What I love about them is that I don't have to pull. They "walk" right along beside me. Great in an airport and trying to dodge ppl. I will never buy another peice of luggage without them.

Howdy, Linda! Damned the winters. It's been a tough one, hasn't it? Even though we are not having temps in the 70's and 80's, I don't feel like I'm being held captive. I love sitting out on our screened porch here and reading. Haven't been to the pool yet and hope to see it sometime b/4 our month is up.

As I said in my above post, I so wish you all could come.