Monday, November 26

[Anniesnan]

Morning everyone!

It's the last Monday of November! Make the last Monday as great as you made the first one:D.

I plan to.

[gitfiddle]

'Mornin, Agnes and everyone else. Welcome back from the weekend! It's going to be a great day. I started with a protein shake and scrounged enough out of the fridge for a decent lunch. The meat for dinner is thawing.

I have what appears at this point to be a light day in the office. No screaming deadlines and some fairly routine paperwork and reports. :) I can hope, anyway! Things can change here like the weather on Lake Superior. ;) I could have used one more day of weekend, since I let myself slack off on Saturday. My cards aren't done yet.

How was your weekend?

[Gaelen]

I'm voting for 'one more day of weekend,' too!
The car is still not unpacked from the weekend dog show, and there will be tons of things to catch up on at work today. So lunch is packed, I've had my shake, I have PT tonight...fingers crossed they don't cripple me with new exercises!

I have to finish the December challenge so I can post it...I can't do that if I'm in pain! ;)

[Billie]

Gaelen we watched some of the Dog show on Thanksgiving, what beautiful dogs!

Carol, routine, now you know better than that, you have just doomed yourself! ;)

Anniesnan, you are so right, we start off that first Monday pretty jazzed and sometimes it falls by the wayside, quickly!

As far as one more day, gosh I could have used one too. But in some ways it might have been one day too long because I do not want to go back to work today at all. I have a light day as far as meetings but alot to prepare for in the coming two weeks.

Have a good one, snow and ice is predicted here, the snow I wouldn't mind, Carol I can send some across Lake Michigan to you if you want!

[Mitra]

Billie, my BIL said they'd had snow when I spoke to him yesterday. Hope it's not too bad where you are.

[Billie]

Not at all, not yet. It will be our first winter in Chicago area and they get alot of different kind of snows here, lake effect stuff, that we didn't get in Central Illinois. We had snow in Galena on Thanksgiving, just a dusting and last night we had sleet but nothing on the ground right now. It does feel damp cold though, I think after my noon meeting some work with the lap top in front of the fireplace will be my spot!

What about you Mitra? Tell us about the preparations for the holidays in the UK and the weather.

[Karole]

Hi all, I still have some family here, but they will be leaving at noon today, so my life will get back to more normal times. It has been hectic, with various amounts of family in, since a week ago Sat. We had a great visit and loved to have everyone here, but I too am familied out for the moment. We have so many little ones any more!!

It is icky out today, dull and overcast and a little rainy, as it was yesterday. I will have to get out in it either today or tomorrow as I am down to the nub on food supplies.

Just wanted to report in and say hi to everyone . I will check in later too.

[Mitra]

Our weather's milder in general, because of being an island, and being in the Gulf Stream, so we're warmer than you might expect considering we're further north than you. At this time of year we suffer more from darkness than anything. Any day that's at all cloudy (like today) can seem pretty dark, and it's dark by four in the middle of winter. If you get a run of cloudy days (which is very common) it can feel as if it never gets light at all, and is pretty tough on those who suffer from SAD. I don't really mind, but my husband hates the long gloomy spells. Of course it can get cold, but it doesn't usually go much below freezing, and many years we don't get snow. The weather this year has been odd. Spring and Autumn were lovely, mild and sunny. Summer was cool and wet. So who knows how winter will go.

The shops are all in full Christmas swing now, but the celebrating usually starts later, because we don't have Thanksgiving to get us going this early. I ordered a Christmas tree this morning, to be delivered a week before Christmas (to my parents, where we'll be for Christmas). We generally have turkey for Christmas dinner, with roast potatoes, carrots and brussels sprouts, and Christmas pudding after it. Other than that, I think it's much the same as in the US. If you're in Scotland, then New Years Eve is the biggie.

I'm just going out to post Advent calendars for my two five year old god daughters. It's nice to have a seasonal thing that's not expensive or calorific :lol:.

[Billie]

What a nice picture you painted for us, Mitra, thanks. I love learning about other geographical areas and customs. That would be a great topic for December too, maybe we could talk about customs that are not food related!:)

My oldest son lives in Colorado Springs and although it is about 6000+ feet up, it is a desert dry climate, they get tons of snow but it melts so fast that it can be 20 one day and 60 the next.

I love advent calendars, always used to do that with the kids, what a nice God Mother you are!

Karole, how about you in Missouri? The seasons did not change so much here this year, the trees just did not show the colors that they usually do except in the western part of the state.

[Ammy]

It sunny here in MN...spent the holiday up north along Lake Superior. On Thanksgiving we hiked just south of Duluth in 2 inches of snow,
the day after Thanksgiving we hiked just north of Duluth and there was NO snow...strange weather up there.
We were hiking the Split Rock River Loop (http://www.shta.org/Trail/TrailMaps/s064.php) of the Superior Hiking Trail...2.5miles up a half-frozen river (ABLSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL) and 2.5miles through the woods bringing us to a high point overlooking Lake Superior...
Wouldn't have changed my Thanksgiving day and day after for anything!!

[hawk]

Mitra, your Christmas dinner sounds lovely.Roasted veggies with the turkey. mmmmm
I have not planned Christmas yet. My kids all come home and they figure out which day they will show up depending on the oldest son, who shares child custody with his first wife.When he gets the kids we celebrate. Some years it is on the weekend between Christmas and New years or the weekend before. Whatever works. We're easy.

I am almost finished with shopping. I do most of it in November, before Thanksgiving. Then I bake and sew. I am making bags and purses for DIL's and sisters and nieces. I have all kinds of ideas and fabrics. I also plan on a few drawings. It is a good thing I only work one day a week.I schedule what I do and try to keep it so everything gets done. Some nights I am working till the wee hours.

29 days till Christmas!!

[hawk]

I like the idea of the non food related customs Billie!

[gitfiddle]

Carol, routine, now you know better than that, you have just doomed yourself! ;)
That *was* a rash statement, but so far, so good! :D
I can send some across Lake Michigan to you if you want!
Chicago's been doing that to us for years, Billie! We keep an eye on your weather pattern all the time! We get it when you're done with it, but take your time. :rolleyes:

Amy, any time we've come down the coast through Duluth in November it's been mostly dry until we turn the corner to head East. All I remember from Superior to the Michigan state line is ice and snow and ick. Love that lake effect! Happens again once you cross the Mackinac Bridge.

Non-food customs are sometimes not apparent until you decide to skip one. When DS was small, I got so tired of making the rounds to the grandparents on Christmas morning after spending the afternoon before with them that I announced we were going to spend Christmas morning at home for a change and visit later (like I did as a child). He looked up at me with big eyes and said, "But Mom! That's Christmas!" :eek: :rolleyes: :)

[Anniesnan]

afternoon all,

so far today I'm getting things done, but it's been a backwards, weird day. One thing on top of another.

Good on eating, though, just in time for vacation:rolleyes:

I am determined to come back feeling better than I do now.
(which shouldn't be too hard, 'cos I'm suffering from eating too many carbs:o)

[Karole]

Billie, our fall sounds very much like yours this year--not a lot of color--but at least a bit. Last year the orange and yellows were gorgeous and I really missed it this year. We had a very dry summer and fall so that made all the difference.

Several years back our Oct. and Nov. temps were much colder than what we experience now -- we were in the high 60 and low 70's last week at this time. Sure makes the winters shorter !! (Sorry, Ammy, but I like that aspect of it, as I just am not a winter person.):razz:

We usually have the family members that can come for Thanksgiving, then go to Ky. in mid Dec. --weather permitting-- and have a family Christmas with the kids and grandkids there. Then have a another celebration with the kids and families here on Christmas day. (I think it is wearing me out to think of it this close to just having Thanksgiving here):eek::eek:

[Rhyme'n Reason]

Happy Monday--

Well, I'm enjoying a few days off school this week, being fairly lazy today.

I've had no problem staying on plan through the holiday, and I'm so grateful for that. I remember frustrating timeswhen it seemed I couldn't put together even one good day.

Looks like everyone else is having a productive day. The most activity of my day was bidding on a new DVD recorder on eBay. Ours died last week and we rely on having one since we're away so much.

Carol, a friend picked up a box of Good Earth tea for me (remember the discussion last month?). It's delicious--thanks for the recommendation.

Well, I guess I should get moving and get something accomplished.

Later...

[Anette]

Greetings to all,
I just got back home. long day and then we grabbed a spontanious dinner at a teriyaki place. hmm was sorta challenging but i think i did ok. i had the teriyaki chicken no sauce, kim chee and some veggies but they tasted very sweet (I guess they added some kinda sauce) so I only had a bite or 2. I just wanted to do a short post to let you all know that I am still hanging in there. I found out that when I have a protein shake, I get very hungry at around 10 am so I have to make time in the morning to eat some "real" food like eggs and maybe some sausage and hopefully that will stay with me better. My stomach was literaaly growling at lunch today..:eek:. Well i am off to do some homework with my little guy. A good night to all of you.

[hawk]

YAY did my upper body weight lifting and still breathing.I upped my weights for my back...probably DOMS tomorrow.

My husband took me out for chinese that has no MSG tonight .( my birthday is Wednesday but we are really busy for the next 5 evenings..I still reacted to some sauce or something on the beef and broccoli I ate and could not stop clearing my throat and coughing. I took benadryl.

Gman bought me a dakota clip watch. My skin is so acid that I eat through every watch,even the good ones and corrode the insides within three months. If I buy a cheap watch, I get hives from it. This one is red..cool looking and clips onto my belt loop or purse strap.

I did a drawing project all day. I completely lost track of all time. I was in the Twilight zone. It's shaping up though. I have to do it during the day because the photo is on the computer and Gman comes home and looks up strat pick ups and speakers and stuff like that.

[Rhyme'n Reason]

Anette, I find, like you, that a protein shake alone won't do it, especially if you don't eat lunch early. I usually eat two sausage patties, and that takes care of it. Windy and rainy here tonight, but much warmer, so for the first time in two weeks, I'm not shivering. Yea! Good night all.

[LisaS]

I find that adding some nuts at breakfast (like 1/2 oz) or a HB egg about 30 mins later (when I get to work) makes the breakfast shake last longer.

[gitfiddle]

I agree. I eat lunch no longer than four hours after my shake and I find that some almonds in my desk after three hours were a great help. I just mentioned on today's thread that I switched to Isopure with zero carbs and higher protein and I've noticed at least an extra hour's worth of time before I get hungry. I would only buy it on sale, though. It's pricey! :eek:

Ruth, glad you like the tea! :)