Dec 28, Sunday Afternoon:  Another Sunday and another almost quarter pound gone :o)  I love it!!!  It's nice and warm here today... 54 degrees to be exact.  And I need to get some stuff done around then house and also outside, like chop ice and clear the driveway while it's melting.  I also have this on today's plan... sew, laundry, package orders, paint one wall, put the trash out, watch a movie with my mother, manage some of my son's accounts (I'm his manager), and what else... oh, eat soup and make pudding!  I know there is more but if I can manage to get that done that will be a small miracle.  Another thing... in case you were following the "weight loss club" that I had started, well, I decided to discontinue that due to lack of interest.  I only had a handful of members and one by one they stopped emailing me their weight so I guess it has run its course.  I will continue to post my weight every Sunday so keep watching me!

Dec 22, Monday Night:  I sit here almost bored to tears.  I should be doing so many things but instead I sit here playing computer games while waiting for my TV shows to start.  I'd rather be sewing!  I really do hate vacations.  I love having my son home but I feel like there is nothing for him to do here.  He's so used to the night life and all I can offer him is basic cable and a home cooked meal.  But he swears all he wants to do is relax so I guess he's having a good time.  I still feel like I should be entertaining him more.  I am looking forward to Christmas this year because it will be the first year that I do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!  I bring my son to the airport to go back to Nashville Christmas day and then it's TV all day and night with my mother.  No gifts.  Not a single one.  Didn't even send out cards.  Just don't feel very festive because money it tight so instead of spending money we'll just spend time together.  Don't know if my husband will be working or not yet.  Even if he's home it will still be a TV night.  And no food.  We have not even mentioned food.  Oh, wait, shoot... my mother did mention she would like a pork pie so I guess I'll get her one.  As for me, you guessed it... it's soup all the way!!!  Soup and TV and hopefully a nice warm home with my mother by my side and maybe my husband too.  You can't ask for more than that!  Just remember to treat yourself well during the holidays... and that does not mean you have to stuff yourself!  The real treat is going to bed satisfied that you had the best day possible.  Don't sell yourself short.  Try just one holiday without a feast and you'll see that the world will not come to an end :o)  Merry Christmas to all!

Dec 21, Sunday Afternoon:  Another Sunday... they come so quickly!  And I'm glad because every Sunday that comes along means a little less of me on the scale :o)  I am so looking forward to losing another 10 pounds!  I'm still eating my survival soup and still loving every minute of it.  And I'm also enjoying having my son home for awhile.  He leaves Christmas Day to go back to Nashville.  And on the 27th he's playing with Shawn Mayer, a contestant on the past season of Nashville Star and they are opening for Billy Ray Cyrus in Nashville at the Wildhorse Saloon.  Then the very next day he's off to the Virgin Islands for a month to play at the Diva Carina resort!  I'm so proud of him and extremely happy for him too.  Little did I ever think when I bought him that guitar when he was 13 that it would turn into a wonderful career for him.  Okay, enough bragging... I'm just a very proud mom!  Now I'm off to eat soup and sew.  Oh, we are having another storm, a snow storm this time, so if you don't hear from me it might be because I don't have electricity... but that can't possibly happen again, can it?  I hope not!

Dec 18, Thursday Night:  Did you see the finale of Biggest Loser?  Oh, I loved it so much!  Everyone did such a wonderful job.  I will be just like the winner but it will take me maybe two years or more.  But I can wait.  I just look forward to losing my next 10 pounds and posting my new photos.  I think posting the pics will keep me very encouraged, especially after seeing that ten pounds was a noticeable loss.  Anything I can do to keep motivated is great.  I keep that roller coaster in mind... the one I want to ride so much.  Thinking of fitting on that ride keeps me going.  Thinking about fitting on a plane to visit my son keeps me going.  Thinking of getting off blood pressure meds keeps me going.  Thinking of wearing jeans again keeps me going.  It all keeps me going.  And YOU keep me going too!  I get so much wonderful support from my readers.  I thank you all!

Dec 16, Tuesday Night (see other Dec 16 entry below first):  I am back from picking up my son at the airport.  I was supposed to sew tonight but I think that plan is out the window.  We took my son out for Mexican food after we picked him up and since I'm not one to eat out I decided to have a liquid supper... two most delicious frozen margaritas!!!  OMG... they were soooooo good.  I used to drink a lot... way too much, in fact.  But now I only drink now and then and if I ever go out to a restaurant I always opt for two margaritas instead of food.  Now I'm hungry and I'm about to make my nice pot of soup.  Do you know that I actually ate cold soup during the ice storm?  Yep, I did!  Then when I ran out of soup I ate some dry cereal, some cold turkey and can't really remember what else.  I just know the least of my worries was food.  I only wanted TV.  Oh, when I weighed myself on Sunday I was not only fully dressed but was dressed with layers and layers of clothing.  I was not about to take off anything to weigh myself, but I do think I took off my gloves.  The digital scale was about the only thing that worked in my freezing cold house so I still got on it Sunday.  And had I been in just my nightie as usual I would have probably lost at least 2 pounds because I was hardly eating during those miserable long days and nights.  And I'm sure I lost some water weight because I was not drinking anything (didn't want to have to pee in the freezing cold!).  But it was nice to see a loss even with all that clothing I had on.  Now I'm getting ready to watch Biggest Loser and eat soup and popcorn.  And my son is home!!!  I'm so happy to have him here.  He leaves on Christmas day to go back to Nashville and from there he is off to the Virgin Islands for a month to play at a resort there (he's a musician).  What a way to start off the new year!!!  You can see Derrick and his schedule here http://www.myspace.com/derrickmichaud and if he is playing at a location near you be sure you go see him!!!  The band is awesome!  Well, it's almost TV time!  A nice warm TV night :o)

Dec 16, Tuesday Afternoon:  I'm sorry I did not post on Sunday.  I know many of you came to my site and were wondering why I had not posted my weight.  We had a ice storm that hit more than 1,000,000 people in the northeast.  I had no power from Thursday night until Monday afternoon.  I will post about it in more detail later but right now I have to run to the airport to pick up my son who is coming in from Nashville.  I'm just so happy to have power again!

Dec 10, Wednesday Afternoon:  Just wanted to add to my blog but I can't think of a thing to say right now so I'll answer some emails...
email:  I know that you are sticking to eating your soup that you make.  But do you really think you can eat just that and not get sick of it?  How long do you plan on eating soup?
reply:  I love my soup for many reasons.  It's healthy.  It satisfies me.  It's easy to make.  It's delicious.  It stops my cravings.  I feel great (no indigestion, no nausea, etc.).  Gee... can I get sick of all those good things?  You know what I think is funny... people are so quick to say "you can't live that way" but when I think back to my father I see a man who was never over weight and who ate the same breakfast his entire life: 2 fried eggs, 2 strips of bacon, 2 toasts, a cup of coffee.  No one ever told him he could not survive on that breakfast.  He never got sick of it.  It's what he loved and he stuck to it.  On Oprah recently they showed people in other countries who live old and who are very healthy.  One thing they all had in common was that they pretty much ate the same thing every day.  Just the same old, same old, over and over again.  I think maybe the trick I've been missing all these years is that FOR ME variety is not good.  FOR ME there is safety and comfort in knowing there is a big old pot of soup in the fridge.  FOR ME sticking to one food frees me from my addiction to other foods.  It's the best plan FOR ME!
email:  Do you ever get frustrated losing so slowly?
reply:  I get frustrated with many things... like my failed Lasik eye surgery, freezing cold weather, and the new TV Guide.  But losing weight, even at a snail's pace, is only exciting to me... never frustrating.  I'm not in a race.  I'm not in a competition.  If it takes me 5 years to lose 100 pounds I'll have the pleasure of saying I was successful at losing weight for 5 years.
email:  How is the treadmill working out for you?
reply:  I have not even looked at it for maybe 2 weeks (I think maybe I got on it once for a few minutes).  I knew from day one I'd lose interest which is why I did not buy a treadmill (it was given to me).  But it's there and when the mood strikes I'll hop on it.  I do not force myself to exercise... ever!
email:  What will you be eating for the holidays?  Do you take a break and have some treats?
reply:  I eat treats every day.  My soup is a treat.  My pudding is a treat.  My nightly popcorn is most definitely a treat.  As for the holidays, I'll be eating my soup and my pudding and my popcorn.  Nothing changes just because it's a holiday.  In fact, holidays are a time when I really want to do my best.  It's a day to celebrate and my celebration is in the realization that I don't need food (or booze) to get through the day.
email:  How do you make your soup?
reply:  The recipe is here... survival soup
email:  Do you ever cheat?
reply:  On my husband?  Nope!  Oh, you mean food-wise?  If I eat something I'd rather not be eating I don't call it cheating, I call it straying.  Cheating sounds like I'm doing something wrong and I don't like negativity.  Straying sounds like I left the path for a minute and I can get right back on it.  Sure, I stray.  But I don't dwell on it.  I don't beat myself up.  But I also don't say it was okay.  I don't brush it off and say "it was only one bite" or "that was no biggie."  Instead, I recognize the fact that I strayed and I try to figure out why.  And I usually find that I popped whatever it is that I popped in my mouth completely out of habit.  So I just immediately put it in the past and I get back on my path right away... not tomorrow, but right away!

Dec 7, Sunday Afternoon:  Blow those trumpets... I did it!!!  My first 10 pounds are gone and I am very surprised to see that it actually shows a tiny bit!!!  I hated taking the pictures because I was so sure the 10 pounds would not show but I guess taking the pics was a good idea because I see a little bit less belly!  I'm so happy!  Make sure you see all the pics here.  I can't wait to take pics when I lose 20!  This is soooo fun!!!  Now I only have to lose 10 pounds nine more times and 100 pounds will be gone!  Only 90 pounds to go!  That sounds so much better than 100 to go :o)  And I think the next 10 will come off quicker.  But if I still creep along that's fine by me... as long as I keep losing I'll be happy!  Happy happy happy day here for Darlene!!!  Thank you for all the support and I promise to reach my goal... I WILL DO IT!  And you can do it too!  I encourage everyone to start a blog.  This is the best idea I've ever had!

Dec 5, Friday Night:  I'm just sitting here answering emails and I want to comment on something.  I get a lot of email... and I do mean a lot!  And now, more than ever, I have women emailing me about their weight and their struggles.  And if I had a dime for every time the email ends with "tomorrow is a new day" or "I'll start over tomorrow" I'd be a very rich woman.  Yes, tomorrow IS a new day but why on earth wait to do anything tomorrow when you can start RIGHT NOW!!!  Really, what does waiting until tomorrow get you?  Another big meal?  One last binge?  Come on ladies!  If you really want to change your life START THIS VERY MOMENT!!!  When I slip I get on the right track again immediately!  If I catch myself with food in my mouth simply out of habit guess what I do... I SPIT IT OUT!!!  Yes, I spit it right into the trash can.  The new me is too good for old habits so I put a stop to it immediately and spit it out!  So if you REALLY want to change your life DO IT and don't just dream about it.  Dreams are nice but success is better!  There is my rant for the evening :o)  Of course, I'm not telling you that you should lose weight.  You can wait for all the tomorrows and just be happy with the way you are now.  Just don't beat yourself up when you wake up the next day in the same body.  You have two choices... accept it or change it.  What's your choice?

Dec 3, Wednesday Night:  Today I realized I had not been on my treadmill for about a week.  Gee... I actually missed it!  So I got on it today but just for 5 minutes.  Tomorrow I'll aim for 10 minutes.  I'm still eating my survival soup and I really think I found the perfect food for my body.  I have no cravings, no more acid reflux, no more nausea (I was suffering from nausea all the time), and I'm getting lots of veggies and beans... I'm just really happy with that soup!  Tomorrow I get to make a new pot which means I'll be taking a trip to the grocery store.  I really hate going out but I must.  If not for groceries and trips to Wal-Mart I'd probably never leave the house.  I especially hate going out when it's cold and icy.  I hope we don't have much ice this winter.  Last winter my driveway had ice on it through spring.  Oh well... at least I'm sure I will get some exercise shoveling :o)  Now it's time to hit the hay with my popcorn.  I don't know what I'd do without that popcorn!!!