Good for both of you, Jill. I've lost a bit - will happen more when I can get outside and garden! I'm so sick of winter! We're now in wind season, and it's brutal - looks nice and sunny out and when you step outside you change your mind and go back. It's still cold (26* in the morning) and the north wind makes it feel awful. Dries everything out terribly also - I have to watch my winter sown jugs for being too dry. Supposed to get a rain/snow mix tomorrow and another storm on Friday, which will help our drought situation a bit. I'm finishing a series of books, by Sharon Kay Penman. Historical novels, very accurate and she tells where or when she's changed a fact to make the story flow better. They are huge and there are 5 in this series. I love them! The same characters appear in several - set over the 1100's to 1400's in England/Wales/ what is now France. If you like immense novels, hers are great.

Hey Judith! My sympathies on your cold wind, as we just came from errands and the wind was whipping across the parking lot! Not as cold as you but sure cold for us in end of March.

I know a library patron who would love, or probably has read, the Sharon Kay Penman.

As far as food choices, what can you say but they are made culturally, emotionally, financially, and .. whatever you call how we make choices by textures and flavors.. which are probably in large part cultural exposure and emotion. I'm not a big fan of steak either because I find it too chewy.

Good job on the weight loss and portion control. It's tough.

We had lunch at Bonefish Grill (part of a corporation with Carabbas, we think they do a pretty good job.) then a movie, and visit to a nice grocery where we bought frozen meatloaf and mac and cheese (which someone recently pointed out, MAC IS an acronym for macaroni and cheese) and salad greens and a carrot cake for husband's birthday.

Anyway, sitting at table waiting for food, I was pinching up the skin on the back of my hand and commenting when it sticks together up in a wrinkle like it did, a nurse once told me that means the person is dehydrated. Yuck. So when we got home and put dinner in the oven, I got a full glass of water and started drinking. I'm on my second glass now. Drinking all the water 'they' say to doesn't come naturally to me!

I gained this weight gradually over the past 20 years, so maintaining isn't too hard, but actually getting the numbers to go down is another story!

Drinking "enough" water... I think the current craze for drinking a gallon a day is overkill (unless you're on chemo), but yes, if you can pinch up your skin and see it "tented" like that, you're dehydrated. As we get older, I think our bodies are less good at signaling, "thirsty!" I try to keep a mental checklist of how much I've had to drink, and at times I've resorted to a post-it on the fridge, where I make a tally-mark any time I fill my glass, 1 mark for 8 oz, half a mark if it's caffeinated. (Caffeine intake is a whole 'nuther subject.)

Jill and Judith, I think your both doing great with the weight loss, keep up the good work.

I had a bit of a discussion about weight-loss aids with my endocrinologist when I saw her last week. She mentioned Ozempic (sp?) which is a current, new weight-loss drug. I've had a few friends who tried and couldn't tolerate it. But she also said, that once you're on it, if you stop, you'll gain the weight back. I'm not going to take it. But I do watch what I eat and don't lose any weight. Could easily do with shedding 30 pounds. And don't get me started on the weight-loss ads that show up on my phone when I'm playing games. REALLY - one daily pill and watch the weight come off??? Even if it works, the amount of weight-loss being mentioned isn't healthy. I seriously think those ads should be banned as they are just money grabs.

Exercise today will be an orchestra rehearsal this evening. But I'll be back at the pool tomorrow. My regular pool close-by as they started offering aquafit on Wed. and Fri. last week. But this week Friday, I'm going to the other pool as the instructor is great.

I have a hard time with Geoff watching these weight loss ads on You Tube and him wanting to order them. I ask him that if it was that easy to lose weight, wouldn't there be a lot of folks who weren't overweight anymore? I've cut back his portions, but he is unhealthily overweight. Partly due to medicine he takes, and partly due to inactivity.
I've lost 4 pounds just by cutting bread carbs and doing without dessert. I would like to get back to 122, which is my fighting weight. 6 more pounds to go. I do feel better when I don't hog out on the bread.
I like rabbit, too, and you can find it here in the frozen section at Krogers, but it's very expensive.
The problem with avian flu is that songbirds and other wild birds spread it from farm to farm; that's why it's so hard to control.
I'm worrying about the folks here whose income comes from chicken houses. Losing all the birds would be a total financial meltdown down for them. The profit margin for growing chickens is really tight.

Ann, I agree that those ads should be banned, it is not a healthy way to lose weight. I think young people believe all that crap, take a pill and you will get slim, it doesn't work like that, you still have to eat less and exercise more.

Lynda, way to go! You're halfway back to your "fighting weight," and better yet you didn't wait until you had 40 pounds to lose rather than 10.

I've just had too many years when I've gained 10 pounds (not all at once) and lost 8 (again, not all at once)... 1-2 pounds a year doesn't sound bad at all, until you multiply by 25! Glad I'm making better progress this time.

It's all about making progress, Jill! And you seem to be acing it!
I'm so poor that I can't let myself go over 10 pounds over because I can afford to buy all new pants and shorts!
Rain yesterday followed by stiff winds so no working out. Today is floor mopping day. Tomorrow is paying bills day plus bathroom cleaning. I get to work in the yard this weekend.
Y'all see how I've done my weekly schedule? This way my son can help in the yard work because he's off on weekends.

Clever, Linda! I hope Geoff is more willing a helper than I have here.

He's gotten good over the years. He's sure a lot stronger than I am!
He lugs around those 40 pound bags of soil like they were a small sack of sugar. He digs holes, too.
I've lost a lot of my former strength, and really need to get back in shape.
I had my bone density scan and lost 20% density in my right hip in 2 years. Well, I take Boniva, calcium and vitamin D. The only thing I haven't been doing is weight bearing exercise. Past time to go back to the gym.

Going to HD in a bit to return a couple of things not needed for the deck addition. I'm going to hit the garden center for what I need to mix up my own potting medium. The soil here is so poor I will just toss what I dig out to plant my alocasia and replace with my mix.

I bought the same soil I've been buying for years; this year it's just junk. Very heavy with actual chunks of clay and bark. Looks like I will have to use it for filling in holes in the years and in sunken places in the back. You get what you pay for.

sallyg said:
We had lunch at Bonefish Grill (part of a corporation with Carabbas, we think they do a pretty good job.) then a movie, and visit to a nice grocery where we bought frozen meatloaf and mac and cheese (which someone recently pointed out, MAC IS an acronym for macaroni and cheese) and salad greens and a carrot cake for husband's birthday.

I find all macaroni and cheese to be disappointing, just macaroni and cheese gravy. My grandma's was stringy with cheese.

Kelli, you can't be stingy on the cheese, the last mac and cheese I made was super delicious, it had 3 different cheeses in it.😋

You cannot skimp on cheese quality if you want a good mac & cheese.

Jeez, my foot is killin' me today. I bought some of those Dr. Scholl inserts to see if they are better than brand X. It's been really good the last 2 days but sure regressed today.

We get extra-sharp aged cheddar (Cabots) to use in baked mac & cheese. If I'm indulging in a big serving of fat & carbs, I want it to be delicious!

Sorry about your foot, Anna.

Road trip tomorrow with an NGA buddy, up to our favorite nursery in Lancaster County PA. We're telling ourselves we will be "restrained" on this trip and return again later in the season. We'll see how that intention works out!

Jill, I have one tip for you if 2 of you are going.........TAKE A PICKUP TRUCK!!!!! Bwahahahaha........... Case in point............a few years ago my BFF and I went plant shopping/greenhouse hopping. First mistake...........we took my Mini Cooper. Put the back seats down........we should be ok, have lots of room back there. The first thing my BFF bought was a cement birdbath. Things went downhill from there. By the time we left the last greenhouse, she had to hold the plants on her lap; no more room anywhere in the car. It was hilarious. I have not let her forget about the cement birdbath.

We can fit a remarkable number of plants into the Odyssey (minivan), especially if we take a few bins to create a bottom layer. When it comes to Black Creek Nursery, we qualify as "extreme shoppers." We're "only going for the hellebores" this time. Hah! Since we might also stop at The Concrete Jungle, there could be a concrete birdbath involved as well.

Sorry your foot is bothering you, Anna.

Mac & Cheese - really good OLD cheddar cheese, gotta add some Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard too.

Did aquafit this morning and got a really good workout, but my knee is bothering. Need to spend some time on the phone and find the least expensive place to get Monovisc to try for the next knee injection. I try it with no real expectations, but I can't do cortisone forever.

Had a really good bell practice last night and it was a workout too.