re: I am so late with this....

Hi again. I have been so busy walking and walking and working and cleaning the house. Also visiting with my weight loss program director. Very informative. Very motivating!!

I am still knitting though not as much. Got the lawn mowed once already, but the new lawn mower bagger thing leaves crumbs so I will have to figure that out. I hope to get some orange lilies in, but again I have to find the time. To get away from the dh and the kids to do so.

I walk four miles in the morning now. New lap added. I want to get this weight off by summer. I want to hit goal by December 13th which is my director's birthday. I am shooting for that goal.

I get up at 5:00 am to walk to be left alone. If I get up any later, then the bunch is always wanting something, and it is a good time to go when it is not so hot.

I have been doing some travelling to visit my director. It is beautiful country out there, and it is almost like my personal weight loss retreat. It is close to Rosthern and that is all that I can say about the surroundings. Just heavenly, though. So far, I have lost 16 or so lbs. It is a start, and have a lot of energy because of same. Just to be informative, down to 197 lbs and have to get to 142 lbs by December 13th.

I have a quilting wind-up tomorrow so I have to get my quilt finished. I am so bad about leaving things to the last minute, so I have to get it done, while I do the laundry. Have a new washing machine, front end loader to do the laundry. My 11 year old Kenmore machine died, never to go again.

Dishes next. So have a good week everyone, and I hope that I post again sooner next time. I know that I have never been happier, and busier in all my life!

beautiful Spring!

Hi! Have been on two beautiful nature walks! One was to Little Red, and the other to an undisclosed location. It was a long hike, but picturesque. Something I will remember for the rest of my days.

On to the passive part of my life. I have been knitting lots of baby sweaters for my charity. I have a pattern that I use all the time, and they knit up really quick. Probably a few days for sweater. I feel pleased with this.

We went to Edmonton and had a great time there. My dh never has a good time, but eventually he will. We went to the waterpark there at WEM which was worth the trip there. We went to the Olde Spaghetti Factory for supper, and had the chocolate mousse royale ice cream. Flea markets. Went shopping and had a great time, but was glad to be home.

I lost 8 lbs before I went to Edmonton, and kept it off, so I am definitely doing something right, I think. Feels great, nonetheless. I have a long ways to go, but I have a new friend who is very supportive of me in my journey towards being a KOPS (Graduate of my program). I don't know what I will do for my friend who has been like a personal coach, and a mentor. Money? A quilt? both? A big supply of groceries when times are tough? Any suggestions from the crowd, would be a big help.

I am getting more ambitious with the housecleaning. I have been flittering about in the past month. Helps with that awful weight problem. Flitter means the same as flutter, but is used less often as a word, but I like it better. Laundry is always caught up now, and the beds are made, and the dishes always done. So, I am on a roll.

Well, I guess today I am getting on a letter to my friend on the West Coast. She is really cool, and likes the typewritten letter. So I will be doing that today.

Hugs to all, and drink your water. Gail

re: my goodness!

Hi. My goodness. I noticed that it has been more than a month since I have posted.

We are busily working on our commercial building in Melfort which is located on Burroughs Avenue. I am going to a sewing class tomorrow, and I am very excited about it!

I have been working hard at work, and at home. I am getting things done, a bit, but my dad and my stepmom are coming in May so I really have to get the house done up. my my...I need help...or something!

I am still crocheting on my baby blankets for the charity. I was buying some wool at one of my favourite thrift stores in Saskatoon and I met this nice pastor from Wainwright who was buying books for the church. I told him that I was doing some charitable knitting. He was impressed! I want to get back to knitting sweaters for babies...soon! I am always on the lookout for an easy pattern.

We have a new washer and dryer which Des bought at the tv auction which came from Mattress, Mattress. It is a front loader. so it will be better, I think. No agitator for towels to stuck in. Des had to untangle a towel from the agitator a few weeks ago. What an ordeal!

Well, I guess that I will close for today. I really have to get back here sooner than I have been. Sorry...Drink your water or at least, eat a lot of food with water in it, like fruit...hugs..Gail

re: Miracles happen!

Hi. Well, I think they do.

Anyway, my dh actually started to clean the house. I didn't know what to think. Then we went on a two mile walk today in town. My goodness! Is it the New Year kicking in?

I got one quilt machine quilted and another one ready to binded. I am getting my three milk crates ready for Saskatoon to take to the public library for their sale.

I am still finding time to do a lot of reading. I have to get one letter written to my friend in Felton, California. I owe her a letter, so I should write one soon. I am getting so caught up on my works in process. It is almost exciting! Then I have the wash almost folded, and I have the dishes done.

I think that I will go and write my letter now to Sue (my friend) while I am thinking of it. Take care all. bye for now...drink your water...Gail

re: New Quilts or what I have to do next....

Hi to all. I went to my quilting meeting tonight and we learned mile a minute quilting. That is going to be very exciting! So now I have to save the scraps as I always do and I have a place for them to go. I think that I will make 6 inch squares, but not sure yet. We will see.

I am in the process of a block of the month from Melfort, which I have completed part one of. There is five parts so I have to get busy at it. I try to do it on Friday and Saturday nights if we are not at the swimming pool.

Then I am still knitting on my baby blanket for the charity that I like to make for. Plus the reading. I am reading tons of books. I have a full box going to Saskatoon on the 20th to the Friends of the Library Book Store at the Main Library there. Maybe I can find Hannah Montana books there for our school.

I am probably moving drywall tomorrow in Melfort so I won't go to the gym tomorrow. Just dishes and getting caught up on the laundry as ABSOLUTELY nothing gets done for dishes and laundry while I am at work. I don't feel like going and getting the yardman from Crutwell to do the drywall moving, as he is lazy and I have to drive him to town and back home and that is two hours on the road for me, for a smoking individual that HAS to smoke on the way to and from Melfort. Don't forget that it is -25C when he has to open the window to smoke. Really inconsiderate and not a good worker.

Well, I guess that I will drink my ice water and read some of the book that I got from quilting tonight about women and their quilts from Washington State. Should be interesting reading. Like I NEED more reading material....like I NEED more fabric....Like I NEED more wool....Hugs to all. Gail

re: new program

Hi! I noticed that if I drink super ice water before going to bed, my blood sugar is great in the morning! So we will try that.

So far, this year, I have finished my baby blanket, and started another one. It is fun to do, and very meticulous which I like. I am off for the week again as there is no work for me.

I worked on Sunday by myself as the cook didn't show up, and I had a $1000 night where I sent out that much food. Mary, my dishwasher, was fantastic! She was helping wherever she could. I think that she is a miniature wonder woman in disguise! So I am recovering from that.

Also, I am straightening out boxes. I have gone through three boxes so far, and the more books that I read, more shelves for the stuff in the boxes. I read one and a half books so far, and it is hard to do as I am knitting all the time.

So, here's to another great week!!!! Hugs to all and drink your water. Gail

re: my 49th birthday

Hi to all! I had my 49th birthday today! It was very good, and probably my best birthday so far!

We went to Melfort wave pool and we had a swim. Nicholas and Max, and Braden came (Max's friend) I took Daina with me as I had promised her mom that if she was good, I would take her on this outing. She was behaved so well on this trip! Then I slipped over to my favourite quilting store; I bought a quilt kit for block of the month for the year with thimble berry fabric which is a very classy fabric but they forgot the patterns so now I have to check with the store on that one.Went to Dairy Queen there afterwards. I found the library right across the street from the pool. And the Catholic church next to the library. This is a very nice small town. I would love to retire there, with a knit and stitch cafe! my life's dream to have a boutique.

I am getting a lot of knitting done on my blanket that I am making for Bundles of Love. I do about ten or twenty rows a day. I started it last Saturday. It is certainly going quickly.

Take care all and drink your water! Gail

re: a nerve-racking road trip...

HI to all. I just got back from a nerve-racking road to Kamloops BC. My dh had to have this 1976 Mercedes-Benz. He got it for a song so off we went on Thursday morning early. We headed towards Saskatoon and then to Rosetown where I drove for a bit. I drove for about two hours. Then the roads got bad and he took over. We arrived safely after numerous snow storms out of Calgary. It was too late to contact his people so we got a hold of him in the morning. Then on the road again.

More storms, and slippery roads. Then we arrived safely in Hinton, Alberta that first night on the way back. He promised me the roads would be better. There were good for 100 miles and then the storms and blowing snow started again. We arrived in Edmonton and went to the West Edmonton Mall for lunch. My nerves were shot by then. I had my spaghetti and meatballs and then chocolate mousse royale ice cream for dessert. Then I went to the casino and put $20.00 in the machine, and won $130.00! Then on the road again and we got lost getting out of the parking lot. I lost him and then he lost me and then we drove off in the wrong direction of the freeway. Then we got back on the road in the right direction and we arrived at a horrible head on collision. I wonder if we would have been on schedule in getting out of the parking lot, would we have been in the accident or worse? My dh got the message as he never even mentioned my part in getting us lost in the parking lot, and he is the very first to complain.

Then more storms on the way back. Lloydminster was the worst! There is no sand anywhere on the streets there, and it is pure ice all the way through their town. Everytime that the roads got clear, we drove fast, as there was a lot of time that we could only go 30 mph. Then we arrived in Blaine Lake about 1/2 hour from home. The new owner, was just thrilled with Des' new car, and he had his porsche and some other wonder car! Well....no snow storm predicted but guess what? yup....drifting snow and another snow storm! We got home at 11:30 pm....My knuckles were sheer white from driving and holding onto the steering wheel so tightly.

I am so happy to be home! I got a few loads of wash done, and I got started on a quilt and then I went to work today. My favourite boss was not in...what a disappointment!

This week, I am taking it easy, I think. I am going to bingo on Tuesday night, because I told Des that he owes me BIG TIME! I drove on the way back for his birthday present, but next year, he is getting socks and underwear!

During all this nonsense of this trip, I was having shortness of breath due to my medication, and numbness because of the other meds that I was taking. So I am taking the lesser dosage of the first medication and the other meds (causing the numbness) I have stopped taking them. My doctor is going to be wild! I see her on the 12th. Nothing like starting the year off right, in a motel room in Kamloops...oh joy....drink your water and have a great new year and decade! Gail