There was a live cam that one of the ladies posted on this thread (or the old one last year). It was on a deck maybe at a restaurant on the beach, where you all were supposed to meet each other. It was facing toward a small beach bar on a deck with the beach and a long pier in the background. You could zoom the camera and see the people walking off and on the long pier.
Find those posts right before you all left last year and you will see the link to that livecam. I'm not joking, really!

Nicco that is a great cost for a year for that 50+ center, yea I remember you chatting about it. I didn't know all that was offered there and a pool with it all? Nice options there for sure. Glad you are enjoying it.

Yea her school has so many different things now in requirements....hell I can't keep up and they are so changed from my ancient school days. Crazy but she just tells me what is happening and I go along with it all HAHA

We had to go to school Monday night at 6 to 'sign up and into' her online French course. She has to bring her Chromebook, class schedule list and login on info....get there, there is 1 link written on the whiteboard and we got there late and I said to instructor, hey late, what do we need to do? And she says see that link on the board, kid takes pic of it on her phone, I say yea, she says to kiddo, go into that, it tells all for ya. That is it.

I am like....huh, we came all this way for a link and nothing else? I mean couldn't ya give it to the kid on a piece of paper and we wouldn't have to be here? We were there literally 4 mins. for this info and home we went. I tell ya Nicco….my kid says she is ready for college and wants out of this insane asylum HA

I loved your Lighten UP and declutter post! I think you are doing it just right for you. Don't use it, let it out in the universe. Thinking years ahead something might be used, nah, like Blue said, by the time grands are older to do anything truly fun it won't be anything we did in the ancient past. Heck trying to get my kid to play a board game is like pulling teeth. We did some like Candyland and more when super little, but older, nope. No interest at all. The younger ones now grow up with phones attached to their hands. I can barely get it budged out. She hikes with it, wants to kayak with it but I won't let her LOL and other than water related stuff, that phone is in her hand. It is crazy but it is what it is and I let the future and her just do their thing.

Blue....omg too funny about your son educating YOU on how to eat. HAHA That would drive me batty also. I just couldn't even listen to hardly any of that type of chat.....you had me laughing on it......and then trying to get you into a group for exercising....LOL I wish I was a fly on the wall watching all this go down But yea they mean well. But at this point we all know what works for us and with us and what we truly want to do....like some kid of ours is gonna tell us different I enjoyed reading that tho, it was funny

Hey I beat Jaz and Lori today

doing well.
off to moms today...usual shop and hit bank for her.

hubby had to take mother in law to ER early last night when he got off work. she got some bug, got dehydrated, was throwing up some and got woozey. ER gave her some meds etc. and sent her home. today he isn't working driving cars cause he is taking her to 2 dr appts, regular MD and diabetic MD.

Nothing much more doing here. Holding well, in a good head space, hmm, maybe cause the storms are gone, it got a 'tad' warmer and it is sunny. Ahh, now wish for early spring to come and all is good LOL

great day all

Morning all-

Meme- You know maybe you your thinking of the trip I took to Folly before I met the girls in Charleston. There on Folly bear there was a bar with a live cam. I think I wrote to the girls that I told my mom to watch on the live cm on folly beach at a certain time. Well I was at that bar and turned around and waved and help up a napkin that said HI MOM! I am pulling that from the recesses of my brain!
That was really cool. I really loved that trip. I took full advantage of a few days beach side before the rest of the gang showed up!

Stick around Meme- Are you still doing LC? You should share your story for us "newbies" HAHAHAHAH

BLUE- OMG- I can SEE it. Ok I am shaking my head here, millennials. They think they have it all figured out. I swear it is their generation. I get it too from my kids. What I SHOULD DO!!! Then the energy omg the energy these kids have can be exhausting!
Love them to death and cry when they leave for about a min!
I see big dreams in these kids! They are out of the box thinkers!

NIC- I hear ya on decluttering! I love not having a lot of "stuff" that holds me down. I have rarely thought twice about donating things. I get so excited when I find a "treasure" at the thrift store. So when I donate I know that somebody could use it! So I feel better about that. I feel guilty to toss stuff. I have tried to give stuff to my kids and they don't want it either! HAHAHAH

Just wait until you are an empty nester and then you only have to clean up after yourself as you go and the "big" cleans are less and less and less! I LOVE that!

TRIG- You always appear so on point with your food. I just can't see you going off the rails. I know we ALL are subject to that! None of us are immune. It is a struggle. But you seem to have gotten to the sweet spot and thrive there. You know exactly what you need. So I am not that worried about you in the WOE way.
I am like you, I am so over all the garbage of the holidays. I am glad we are into a new year and they are over.

Your trip sounds fun! Not beach like you normally do but a fun one all the same. Have you ever been to Canada? I could EASY live in a nice RV. Notice I said a NICE one.
There is a travel nurse that does some You tubes. She has an RV as her home and takes it to all her assessments. Talk about raking in the $$$$$ seriously! I'm not quite there yet! HAHAHAHA

Lori- - yup sounds like you got the brunt of the snow! Glad its gone! Did you ever make it to the gym?
Are you getting excited about your FL trip????- Jealous!!!!!
-------------------------------------------------------
I am still FIGHTING off the bug/virus. Yes TRIG- most of the hospital staff are running around sick. It is pretty gross! I am stuffy, and have a sinus thing. I also only feel like eating soup. My gut is a bit wonky over this as well.
I made the MISTAKE of eating something at work yesterday......... All I will say about that is thank god I have 5 floors to find a solo girls room. URGHHHHH...... I know TMI-
I won't make that mistake today. I am not eating at work. I might stop and pick up some chicken broth.
Took another hot bubble bath this morning. So I think I will get through today and tomorrow and lay low over the weekend.

I am LOVING my diffuser. Do any of you have one? I am diffusing lemon and eucalyptus right now. Good for the sinus stuff.

Eating is good- because no appetite - riding that one out!!!!

Stay healthy and happy all!!!!

TRIG- I clicked POST and THERE you were!!!!! You sly thing you!

Just edited and will chat back later on it all.

Jaz, ya say ya can't see me going off the rails. oh heck yea I could! why do you think I am relosing this same damn 25 lbs HA

Girl I tell ya I have to fight like a dog somedays but hey, it is what it is for me.

Ewww on the bathroom run. Yea with you being sicky and taking drugs to help you with that and then eating some junk, your guts could betray you for sure! Watch it. No one wants to hit the bathroom too much at work LOL ugh

feel for ya!!

Just chillax and get better. You got the weekend coming.

hey you are off Sat and Sun right and working the week only?

hope you improve and when ya eat, eat lighter til you know you feel better and can handle more foods.

luckily none of that has gone around here just yet but hubby's MIL got it and hope he doesn't bring it home
so far kid says no one is dropping at school.....so got fingers crossed.


so I wrote to Blue how I go into panic mode and calm mode with foods. I tell ya Jaz there ain't an easy thing about how I roll thru it all but in the end, when calm mode hits and I got it all aligned, yea it is fine

so far so good right now HAHA

Good Morning!

LOL Trig......I was waiting for you to post first! I was up at 4AM(not my idea). Now here it is 7AM...time flies!

How frustrating to drive all the way to the school and just take a pic of the link on the board and that's it?! What a waste! I'm sure DD is ready for college and the next phase. She's too intelligent for this high school BS!

Blue....oh boy....so the son doesn't agree with our WOE, huh? Just what you wanted....a lecture from your kid. Best thing to do is just smile and nod. You're probably not going to change his mind and he won't change yours. Agree to disagree on this one. I steer clear of discussing my eating with my DIL too. She works in the heart cath lab and still clings to the low fat dogma.This works for her as she has remained trim. My son used to adhere to LC and was trim and muscular. Since they've been married, he has packed on weight and gotten soft. He was talking to me at Christmas time about how he needs to lose weight. I don't say too much, as he knows how I eat and I let my results speak for themselves. Our daughter has gained some weight too. She has never done LC, but she knows a bit about my plan. When we went to her house for Christmas eve, she asked what I would eat(with a sigh)....in kind of a put upon manner, IYKWIM. I know she is unhappy in her current body, but she needs to get in the right mental place to do something about it. She's not that big, but definitely too heavy. I bought her a blouse for xmas and when she pulled it out of the box, she said "I hope it's a big girl size."
I'll help her if/when she's ready and reaches out to me.

Well, that was a long diatribe!

This morning I'm going to go to the ATM and grocery store and then I plan to run outside this afternoon. DH keeps warning me that there will be slippery spots on the sidewalk and I'd better be careful. No kidding.....I sure don't want to fall again!

Back to a yoga class tomorrow morning....I missed not doing it yesterday! There is one today at 8AM, but that's not going to happen. It's not my favorite instructor, so easy to take a pass, plus it's too cold to go out that early! 16 degrees!

Jaz....hope you continue to feel better. Keep up the home remedies...and rest.

Just an FYI....I have heard and read that some essential oils can have adverse effects on pets. Maybe just do some research on this topic. Not trying to stick my nose in.....just something I read. I would feel awful if I didn't mention it and then Bella got sick. The one in particular that I read about was Tea Tree oil and someone's dog. Again....just wanted to throw it out there.

Nic.....the Body Flow yoga class I do incorporates Tai Chi into some of the movements. Enjoy!

Decluttering....how freeing! I wish I could get into DH's office...I could fill a dumpster!

Have good days everyone!

Howdy Ho, everyone. It's Thursday, in case you were wondering.

Trig- Girl, I think that was the longest post from you that I have ever seen! You are passionate and fired up about what you are doing and it shows. I can imagine that the holidays would be very wearing on you with all the food options, especially given your carnivore WOE. You are way stronger than I am, for sure. But even the strongest person would love her mind a bit during that time! I am with you that I am super glad things have settled back down again and all the food celebrations are past.. and I one who was partaking!

I would NOT have been happy to take my kid to the school for a simple link either. Maybe it was also a chance to meet the instructor or something? Dunno. Very strange!

Blue- Ah yes, the upside and downside of having older kids! That would have yanked on my nerve too. That being said, I was squirming a bit uncomfortably because we 'kids' are doing that to DH's Mom. I think we are justified in part, because she would drink too much and then have falls. When her drinking is more limited, the falls stop. But it is causing a lot of conflict in the meantime. Are we doing the right thing? I don't know the answer to that.

But yeah, I think this probably falls into the "smile and nod" category, topped off with a "I love you but you need to back off" if it gets too much or too far.

Lori- Be careful with that running and take your time so you can look out for ice. Otherwise, enjoy!

Jaz- I'm sorry you aren't feeling well still. Sounds like you definitely have a touch of the crud. Hopefully it will be short lived. And you can rest up this weekend too!

••••••••

Off to a CASA visit this morning, then back home for a bit, then my second Barre and Balance class at 2. I'll do a second sweep of the Family Room today and then turn my attention to the Living Room starting tomorrow. Someone from NextDoor is bringing me a bunch of boxes today so I will have more boxes to fill!

So far DH is doing very well with it. Getting rid of things has freed up some space for some of his magic tricks, which is pleasing him because I have been on him to get rid of some. Hopefully he still will but if not, at least it gives them a place to live that I don't have to see!

DS18 is in a bit of a mood over the musical. He is really butthurt that he didn't get the lead. I get that, I really do, but another kid in his grade is just an excellent singer and can hit the notes that DS18 can't. DS18 is taking it hard and personally. I am trying to give him space to work through it. As a parent I struggle with this.. either I want to 'make them happy' or I want to sort of smack them out of it by pointing out the good aspects. I'm trying to learn not to do that.

I think I'll put together the chicken enchiladas for tonight. I'll use LC tortillas for DH and I and regular for the boys. On plan and weight loss is happening.

Nic.....chicken enchiladas.....what time is dinner? That sounds so good! I'm making chicken piccata. It's a Home Chef recipe. I had frozen the chicken and thawed it overnight. Hoping the other ingredients are still good.....how long do capers keep? I've never used them before. We'll see!

Did my 30 minute run outside. It was 27 degrees at 1PM when I set out. I lived! Supposed to be near 60 this weekend. YAY! Can't wait to run in that...providing it doesn't pour rain the whole time.

Later!

OMG- got home and tried a new oil. Tea tree- I couldn't tell if I liked it or not. Made some scrambled eggs and sausage and sat down here to see what's what.
LORI- I jumped up am pulled the plug on the oils. I am SO SO SO THANKFUL you said something. Before I start that up I need to read. I really didn't care for that smell anyway.

Today was better, physically. I took in chicken broth ( no "issues") HAHAHAH-
Tonight is breakfast for dinner! Who doesn't LOVE that?!?!?!?!

Lori- I know I keep my mouth shut around family too. Although they pretty much know I just won't eat carbs. My daughter has just flipped to Keto- for health reasons, and has given up sugar and dairy!!!! HELLO- my kid!!!!!! But they (kids) eat all day...........

TRIG- Girl I know we ALL have that struggle or we wouldn't be on this thread! I could so go off the rails and put it away like nobody business! But like you, I HAVE to put on the blinders and try everyday!
I don't watch left or right what others are eating. I just do my own thing.
I just have seen you almost in a total ZONE of tranquilty when you hit your sweet spot! I know you so got it!!!!
I almost wonder if a binge day - to remind you how totally SICK, MISERABLE and BLOATED and ILL you feel after eating junk would be good now and again.
I truly feel that way when I go off plan. My body is so used to GOOD and HEALTHY food, that junk makes me bloated and sick, and hungry! I'm just saying FOR me it is a great reminder WHY I eat healthy.
But you already know this- we all do!!!!!

NIC- OMG your dinner sounds SO SO SO good. I'm like TRIG- WHAT TIME is dinner!!!!! Recipe please. What wraps do you use? I am really disappointed the LC wraps I found in GA are not here in DE!!!!! Maybe I can order them on line.

Blue- HIYA!!!!!!!
-----------------------------------------------------------
I am starting to think about my next assignment. I KNOW 4 weeks in now almost. It has been a month TODAY I rolled into DE. Already a month!!!!!!
I can't believe it. I have been SO busy it is flying by. I have been to the beach twice and to 2 places to eat. Other than the carry out crab cake market on the corner. It is a take and go. I work and rest, then this week has been a waste. Add the fact it is dark when I get off work. But hey the $$$$ is all good!

So where to next?!?!?!?!?....... I am looking but ready to commit to anything yet. Not yet time. I am going to get my Ohio license reinstated. There have been a few Columbus jobs. My Ohio guy would LOVE that................ Yeah............. I do know I can't wait for my break and my bed..........
My mom believe or not is missing me big time. She said she gets depressed going to my house to get my mail and check on it and it is so empty. I didn't expect that out of her. I have not had time to miss anything.

I am working with a very difficult case right now. This poor family. Same old story that happens every day. Elderly couple- she/ he can no longer care for spouse and they don't qualify for any placement. Then the care they get in the home is just not enough......super sad. The person is not "skillable and the meds are too expensive for the facilities to take on.
I offered to see this one play out. It doesn't look good.
But this is everyone like them, everywhere USA. We have an entire generation now entering the health care realm. Baby boomers and we just don't have the fixes in place to deal with it!
This is not a quick fix regarding of politics- it won't change overnight, like I NEED IT TOO!!!!!!!!

Enough of my soapbox! - time to prop up feet and put on some wool socks and watch trash TV. Although I am looking up the oils and dogs!!!!!! - THANKS again LORI!!!!!!!!

Just have to report....the Chicken Piccata was delicious! Yes, I ate some angel hair pasta and yes the chicken was dredged in a bit of flour.....I'll live. Anyway, DH said when I plated it that it was too pretty to eat! I used capers for the first time...not the fish, but the buds from some bush....kind of tart and salty. Yum!

One of my friends on FB said that she made her first Hello Fresh meal the other night. She said "This isn't a meal delivery service, this is a Culinary School correspondence course!" ROFL! She's right! She said the meal was very good, but it took her an hour and her kitchen was a mess. I have learned a lot and used several ingredients I had never used before.

Have a good night!

Good Friday morning- and payday Friday to boot! I just LOVE paydays! I get paid weekly and I LOVE that! I makes me want to work another week! The carrot ya know!!!!

I read so much about essential oils and dogs last night it made my head spin. Some use them as benefits, other are toxic. Sigh..... The majority say lavender and peppermint are ok. I dunno- I love the smell, but anything that would put my pup at risk I need to look into a bit more. I wonder what the difference is between vapor and candles. I have always burned candles see this as more "pure", for her and me. Sighhhhhhhh

Lori- Thanks for the heads up. I am glad you are still enjoying your Chef meals! I love capers and use them alot in gravies and with fish. They are delightful little kick. I like them on pizza too.
Do you have a big group you are part of on FB? Does FB have "groups"???- I am not on so I don't know. I am less is more regarding Social media. I am so old school that way.
Yet here I am on a public forum. FB is different though- it's You!

NIC-- That is a toughy you brought up regarding parents. I watch my mom and her husband make really bad decisions, but yet if they end up stroking out or whatever they would expect me to clean it up. My mom is not eating well, taking her blood pressure meds or following doctors............ "whatever happens happens".... But trust me, her butt would be on the phone asking me to come HELP if something happens. I feel ya!

LOVED your pottery!!!!!! So cool!

Blue-- Is your son still hanging with you? What are ya all doing fun? I know you put your life on hold when he comes home!
Have a great time!

TRIG- - I too just love to see those long juicy posts from you!
OMG regarding driving all the way to that school for a LINK that could have been send EMAIL. What is wrong with that school? I can see why your kiddo is OVER IT!!!! 2.5 more years to go! That is crazy.
Has your kiddo thought much about what she wants to do, study, go to collage? I would think it would be something like what BLUE does. She loves art, and is so creative. It is fun to watch them bloom.
---------------------------------------------------
I think I have kicked that "bug" to the curb. It was very mild, comparatively to some of my co-workers. Although, this gal ask me if I wanted to take a patient who had RSV. NOPE NOPE AND NOPE.
Then I said- I was under the impression if they are airborne- we didn't have to go into the room.
If I am up to par I don't care, I will wear a mask and go in. But having been sick myself I just couldn't do that, for them and me!!

Today though I feel much better. This weekend is supposed to be WARM- like 70 warm!!!! I just can't wait. I am ready to get out and walk the boardwalk, hit up the beach again. I am treating myself to a nice dinner either tonight or an early dinner tomorrow.
Then Sunday I will cook for a few days to have something ready made. It is a good compromise.

Weight not budging. However, I FEEL thinner. I am not dying on those 3 flights of stairs and am walking for half of my day at work. I am also taking the steps at work. So I am doing those little things to MOVE more. Like NIC- I would love something I can do here after work or in the morning that is more core. A video something, for stretching.

Pulling my crab legs and steak out of the freezer! OH YEA. I have shrimp I need to eat too. Thinking about a shrimp stir fry something. I have the coconut aminos.
Do you find if you keep that it goes sweet, the coconut aminos? I don't like that.

Well it is that time again. - off to put on my face and present it to work! 8 more hours!!!!!
Have a great on! I AM on PLAN!!!!

WHERES TRIG???????- HAHAHAHAH- slacker! ROFL ROFL -

Lori- always starts us off right! HEHEHEHEH

Good Morning!

Jaz.....I'm so glad the crud didn't take you down. Maybe keep up some of the preventative measures for a few days to make sure you've really kicked it?

70 degrees?? Oh yeah, hit that beach and boardwalk. We're going to be warm too, but rain. I'm hoping to be able to get out for a run between showers.

Trig.......what's up? Hope DH's Mom is doing ok. I think I remember you saying he had to take her to the Dr. this week.

Did you get all the stuff DD needs for her semester? Hopefully none of it was hard to find. It's been a long time since I even thought about school supplies.

Nic.....did you have a good exercise class yesterday? I'm heading to classical yoga this morning at 10:15.

I loved the pic you texted of your pottery projects with you and DH in the background...so cute!

Blue...what are you and your son up to? Do he and your DH set out to do anything together? I'm sure the days fly by when he's there. I know he has lots of friends to get together with too.

You mentioned that he is on a break from school. I forget what he is studying? How long does he have to go till he gets his degree? He sure sounds like a hard working young man.

-----

Nothing much happening here. As I said above, I'm going to Yoga class this morning and then probably some laundry. DH went with a buddy for the day to the PA Farm Show in Harrisburg. It is a huge event in the state. Tons of exhibits, animals & good food. I went with him once, but I encourage him to go with his buddy. It's only about an hour from here. They left at 7AM and he thinks they'll be gone till this evening. I don't think so. I mean, how many hours can you walk around exhibit halls looking at cows and rabbits? There is a lot more to it than that, but you get my drift.

Have a good Friday!

Lori, hey we did the farm show in Harrisburg!!! Hey I can easily spend all day looking at tents filled with tons of chickens and rabbits
OMGosh I was so close to you back then, long time ago when I lived in NJ and we had a vacation house in PA. I bet it changed a ton since we went! Cool.

You had me laughing on you could fill a dumpster from DHs office. My hubby threatens me to leave his junk alone. If he can't find something, first words out of his mouth are 'you threw that out I bet!~' and my answer is always no!

Cool you are loving your meal boxes.

I just saw 'butcherbox' on tv. butcherbox.com to order all your delish meats. gonna check it out. it says ya get 6 lbs. free meat with first order. might be for me.

Jaz feeling thinner is a key thing. You eat as you feel you need. You eat the foods ya love and on plan. AND DON'T worry about the scale ever right now. You are in super transitioning into maybe a new career etc.....take a breather, but just do the best for you without going crazy over it all. I bet you do fine and hold strong and can't wait to hear about a possible new gig.

healthcare....omg what ya wrote. don't make me go there, ok, I won't. it is sickening.....ok, gotta stop now I can rant on big time...no....

Nicco....you said I can imagine that the holidays would be very wearing on you with all the food options---------yea for me a day holiday is easy....it is that darn drawn out Thanksgiving into New Years all the time food fest around me that can drive me insane. It does LOL but we are past that now thank goodness LOL

Hey on your DS18.....got the best thing to say to him. It is ALL about the total play on stage. Those who fit what part is how the play becomes its' absolute best entertainment for those in the audience. The best it can be. People are cast as to put that play for all into the best darn performance that can come from it. So he is playing his part. He plays it his best then the overall best performance will then be experienced by all yea yea that is a good one.....just came up with it!!

Hey Blue!!



so all good on MIL. Dehydrated from the bug. ER set her straight. She is home on bland diet etc. She is falling apart slowly. Seeing it right before our eyes and it is what it is....so.....just leaving it at that and see how the future rolls.

Went to moms yesterday. went out shopping as usual. she can't wait to hit 92 in march and is thrilled she is so healthy. So all good there!

DOWN A LB.

hell friggin' yea. the scale gods gave me one after all my manic and crazy troubles thru the holidays. I held firm. ate big zero carb. but finally 1 lb. has left the building

might take forever getting to where I want to be but for me, I can't be hungry. ever. I need big food and if I can eat this great on zero carb and be happy, then I just stick to it and wait for the scale to comply. eventually it throws me a bone HAHA

All good so far. easy day. this and that. doing some cleaning and all cause the family seems to not know how to do any of it??? wonder why???