Good morning everyone,
Are you all up early to get this weekend started? It's -23C (-9.4F) right now and it's supposed to get up to around -9C today so it's not exactly going to be melting out. I'm going to put the stuff on my lists onto one large list and get into the city before lunch (I hope well before lunch but I guess I'll see how fast I get things done.) I know that I'm not going to be able to shop non-stop all day. I find the crowds and shopping very tiring but I'll be good for 4-5 hours before I need a break. It's early enough that I don't have to get everything done in one trip. I picked up Christmas cards yesterday when I was shopping and I want to get my letter done and have them in the mail on December 1st. Then I can forget about that job. I'm "old school," I still like to send and receive cards through the mail rather than electronically. I am feeling a lot happier these days, the melancholy I was feeling seems to have lifted. If I can finish the weekend with the rest of my housework finished and things organized and clean and some cooking done for next week then I will feel that I've had a very productive and successful weekend. There is really no excuse for me not exercising because I do have a treadmill, exercise ball, bands, weights, ab master, and YOGA DVDs plus an assortment of books and magazines with exercise programs and the program that the personal trainer made for me years ago. Good grief after writing out that list I realize just how much I could be doing. There's clearly no point in waiting until I'm "motivated" I just need to get doing it. I still want to walk outside as often as possible but right now the walking path is snowed in. I hope the sidewalk machine will clear it on Monday (when it's supposed to start snowing again!)
We do have some "Black Friday" sales since cross-border shopping is a problem for retailers here. Some stores are matching the sales prices of their stores in the states and others are just having big sales to encourage business. The sales are running Friday-Sunday and some stores were open at 7am yesterday. I actually went to a store to buy an expensive knifeblock and knives that was on a very good sale (about 1/3 of the regular price.) I have an expensive boning knife and a good chef's knife but other than that I did not have any really good knives and I've been thinking about buying a set for the last few years. I had also thought of buying an enamel cast-iron covered casserole but it turned out that 3 qt. is just not big enough for what I had in mind so I guess that I'll keep looking and I'll just keep using my roasters until I find one the size and price that I want.
Hi Annie, I think cyber shopping is a great idea but I need groceries also and I like to look around for Christmas gift inspiration. I think cyber shopping would sure cut down on the impulse buys though. I would love to hibernate through the winter but I have to get out to work and I really want to get stronger and more flexible and improve my balance (which isn't bad but still...) so I need to exercise and get my metabolism out of snooze mode.
Hi Boston, I'm very sorry to hear about your sister, I hope everything turns out okay. Enjoy your turkey dinner and don't do more than you can handle. We have piles of snow like that all over town. It has been very difficult driving on the streets before the plows get through. I usually have to take a run at it at the end of my street to get onto the main road which is tricky with all the traffic but if you slow down you get stuck in the snow. They bring in dump trucks and front end loaders and haul the snow out of town or we literally would not be able to get around during the winter since the snowbanks get so high there's nowhere left to put the snow. That's what it's like in the cities and towns in my province during the winter. I'm not kidding when I tell you that I've been stuck right on the street many times over the years. I hope you have a chance to put your tree up on Sunday. I don't think I'll be able to get around to mine until next weekend but maybe I'll put out some Christmas decorations if I get enough cleaning done tomorrow.
Hi Karrie, I'm glad that you and your dh got out for coffee even if your friends couldn't make it. I hope your back and stomach feel better over the weekend. I remember how much snow you had last winter. I think you had us beat but we've got a big start on winter this year. The ladies at work were talking about the predictions that all the storms were expected to come right through our town this winter and since there's a huge lake only 20 miles north of us I wouldn't be surprised. When the highways are closed they usually shut them down right here which makes it tricky getting to and from the city in the winter storms. I think Pampered Chef is grossly over-priced also but I'm going out in an effort to keep those connections with my friends strong and it should be fun.
Hi Lisa, I'm very happy to see a post from you. I'm sorry you've been sick but I'm happy to hear that you've come to a decision about your diet. Honestly Lisa, you've given that diet every chance and no one could say that you haven't. I like eating normally and having the occasional treat and I very rarely feel deprived. It's slower but relatively steady loss if you don't decide to have too much extra. WW is revealing their new program on Monday. As someone who regained pretty much everything she'd lost not once but twice (and countless times with 50 lbs or less) I know how discouraging it can feel but Lisa it's totally worth it to start fresh and stop beating yourself up mentally over this whole journey. We live and we learn and then we travel on to better days and happier times. I don't think I could take your hot weather but for sure the cold and snow can be more than a bit much some days. I like the four seasons but here the winter one just lasts too darned long.
Hi Anni and Julie, I hope things are good with both of you.
Have a super Saturday everyone. One last cup of tea and then I'm off to the city.
Are you all up early to get this weekend started? It's -23C (-9.4F) right now and it's supposed to get up to around -9C today so it's not exactly going to be melting out. I'm going to put the stuff on my lists onto one large list and get into the city before lunch (I hope well before lunch but I guess I'll see how fast I get things done.) I know that I'm not going to be able to shop non-stop all day. I find the crowds and shopping very tiring but I'll be good for 4-5 hours before I need a break. It's early enough that I don't have to get everything done in one trip. I picked up Christmas cards yesterday when I was shopping and I want to get my letter done and have them in the mail on December 1st. Then I can forget about that job. I'm "old school," I still like to send and receive cards through the mail rather than electronically. I am feeling a lot happier these days, the melancholy I was feeling seems to have lifted. If I can finish the weekend with the rest of my housework finished and things organized and clean and some cooking done for next week then I will feel that I've had a very productive and successful weekend. There is really no excuse for me not exercising because I do have a treadmill, exercise ball, bands, weights, ab master, and YOGA DVDs plus an assortment of books and magazines with exercise programs and the program that the personal trainer made for me years ago. Good grief after writing out that list I realize just how much I could be doing. There's clearly no point in waiting until I'm "motivated" I just need to get doing it. I still want to walk outside as often as possible but right now the walking path is snowed in. I hope the sidewalk machine will clear it on Monday (when it's supposed to start snowing again!)
We do have some "Black Friday" sales since cross-border shopping is a problem for retailers here. Some stores are matching the sales prices of their stores in the states and others are just having big sales to encourage business. The sales are running Friday-Sunday and some stores were open at 7am yesterday. I actually went to a store to buy an expensive knifeblock and knives that was on a very good sale (about 1/3 of the regular price.) I have an expensive boning knife and a good chef's knife but other than that I did not have any really good knives and I've been thinking about buying a set for the last few years. I had also thought of buying an enamel cast-iron covered casserole but it turned out that 3 qt. is just not big enough for what I had in mind so I guess that I'll keep looking and I'll just keep using my roasters until I find one the size and price that I want.
Hi Annie, I think cyber shopping is a great idea but I need groceries also and I like to look around for Christmas gift inspiration. I think cyber shopping would sure cut down on the impulse buys though. I would love to hibernate through the winter but I have to get out to work and I really want to get stronger and more flexible and improve my balance (which isn't bad but still...) so I need to exercise and get my metabolism out of snooze mode.
Hi Boston, I'm very sorry to hear about your sister, I hope everything turns out okay. Enjoy your turkey dinner and don't do more than you can handle. We have piles of snow like that all over town. It has been very difficult driving on the streets before the plows get through. I usually have to take a run at it at the end of my street to get onto the main road which is tricky with all the traffic but if you slow down you get stuck in the snow. They bring in dump trucks and front end loaders and haul the snow out of town or we literally would not be able to get around during the winter since the snowbanks get so high there's nowhere left to put the snow. That's what it's like in the cities and towns in my province during the winter. I'm not kidding when I tell you that I've been stuck right on the street many times over the years. I hope you have a chance to put your tree up on Sunday. I don't think I'll be able to get around to mine until next weekend but maybe I'll put out some Christmas decorations if I get enough cleaning done tomorrow.
Hi Karrie, I'm glad that you and your dh got out for coffee even if your friends couldn't make it. I hope your back and stomach feel better over the weekend. I remember how much snow you had last winter. I think you had us beat but we've got a big start on winter this year. The ladies at work were talking about the predictions that all the storms were expected to come right through our town this winter and since there's a huge lake only 20 miles north of us I wouldn't be surprised. When the highways are closed they usually shut them down right here which makes it tricky getting to and from the city in the winter storms. I think Pampered Chef is grossly over-priced also but I'm going out in an effort to keep those connections with my friends strong and it should be fun.
Hi Lisa, I'm very happy to see a post from you. I'm sorry you've been sick but I'm happy to hear that you've come to a decision about your diet. Honestly Lisa, you've given that diet every chance and no one could say that you haven't. I like eating normally and having the occasional treat and I very rarely feel deprived. It's slower but relatively steady loss if you don't decide to have too much extra. WW is revealing their new program on Monday. As someone who regained pretty much everything she'd lost not once but twice (and countless times with 50 lbs or less) I know how discouraging it can feel but Lisa it's totally worth it to start fresh and stop beating yourself up mentally over this whole journey. We live and we learn and then we travel on to better days and happier times. I don't think I could take your hot weather but for sure the cold and snow can be more than a bit much some days. I like the four seasons but here the winter one just lasts too darned long.
Hi Anni and Julie, I hope things are good with both of you.
Have a super Saturday everyone. One last cup of tea and then I'm off to the city.

