Congratulation GL you have made an amazing journey to lose so much weight so linearly.

So different for most of us ladies of a certain age.

Just a quick fly-by to say hello. Busy day today -- first fasting bloodwork; then hospital volunteering. The two are opposite directions by miles. Anyway hi to everyone.
See you tomorrow.

Just stopping by to say hi.

Janj, congrats on being so very close to your dream goal. You have put in so much to get there and this is terrific!

And, GL, looks as if you're just about there, as well. Good going.

Liz, I know what you mean about "toys" being separate from a computer. I'm the same way. And, most of the new popular OSes (Mac, Windows, even some versions of Linux like Ubuntu) are all getting very much like toys. I'm using the latest version of Linux Mint on my laptop, and it's just the kind of interface I enjoy. It's capable of anything I want, but the interface is more traditional rather than looking and acting like a smartphone.

Hello to everyone - Serea, Pam, Lois, Joywas, Peggy, Janet, Amelia, Kathy, Sherri and all else hanging around here! Hope everyone is well.

Lab, it is great to see you! I know you are busy and hope all is going well.

I thought of you today as I was filling out application material for a new health club. There is a stupid question asking for one's cholesterol range (mine was the 200-240 range) and then the question "Does your cholesterol need to be lowered?" and a check box of Yes or No. Guess which one I picked? It will likely horrify them, LOL.

I hope you stop by more. We've missed you!

Hi Lab.
JanJ: my husband was a resident at Johns Hopkins.

That is what I imagined although Baltimore has so many hospitals. I'm actually retired from Hopkins. Worked in the School of Medicine, then Arts & Sciences, then the School of Nursing. What years were you here? We might have crossed paths!

Today is my Mom's 98th birthday. Tomorrow we are celebrating as most of the younger family members had to work today.

I know I'll be involved in some food preparations in the morning and then gone most of the day. I know what others are bringing so I'm putting together the healthy stuff so that I can stay W30 through the day.

If I don't get online tomorrow, you'll know where I am!

Let's see. We were there from July 1977-July1979. Our first child was born at Johns Hopkins. I looked up Mt. Washington and you were quite north of us. Did you work at the hospital. My husband was a general surgery resident. We lived in row houses around a block with a large grassy area in the middle. It was good to have all the other wives to hang out with. Were you working at the hospital or at the university?

BTW I am having good luck in eating in restaurants by asking for a substitute for french fries, rice, potato. At Chili's I got beautiful steamed broccoli instead of french fries, at McCormick's I got yummy spinach instead of rice, and at another restaurant i got kale instead of rice. This possibility makes a lot more items fantastic choices for low carb meals that I used to rule out as possibilities.

Maybe I am lagging in figuring this out...but it has been great!

Hopkins and I have a long history. I was practically born in its shadow and worked in the admitting office at night when I was in college.

Traveled a bit due to husband's job. When I came back to Baltimore in 1991, I started out in Pediatrics working for a doctor who specialized in patients with genetic cholesterol disorders. I managed NIH funded studies and worked out of the 550 building on Broadway right across from the hospital. I imagine you might have lived on Broadway as it has a grassy park running down the center.

Then I moved to Homewood campus to be the administrator in the Anthropology department. (that was super interesting).

Then I moved back to East Baltimore to be assistant to the Dean in the School of Nursing and retired from there.

Great idea on the restaurants, Pam. It usually pays to ask and, as you say, it opens up new restaurant possibilities.

I think restaurants are getting really used to subbing green veggies for rice and potatoes and pasta. Even if people aren't fully low carb, there are plenty of folks eating No White Foods and other variations. I overhear others grilling waitstaff on the wildness of salmon, the wholeness of grains, etc. etc. Very few places have been unwilling to modify to meet my needs (which I think are pretty simple compared lots of folks).

GL, sorry, I must have missed your news too. 5 more pounds? Great!

Happy birthday to your mom, Jan!

Thanks Liz. I hope I got those genes!

I think I finished that large painting tonight. I have to rein myself in because I sometimes do not know when to stop.

I'll look at it tomorrow night or Sunday and reevaluate. One can tinker forever, I suppose. How did you dyeing go? Weren't you doing more today?

Yeah, I hope you did too, Jan.

Good on finishing....if you ARE finished I often leave things pinned to the wall for a while as I'm designing, and really in all stages, so I can try to figure out if it is finished. Judging by what I've seen on your website, you know exactly when to stop.

I did dye again today - just finishing up by soaking the fabric in a pot of soapy just below boiling water, and then I'll wash it in the machine. It's pretty tough work physically - I've done 7 dye pots in the past 10 days and I'm weary. I was going to dye again Sunday, but I think I'll take a break and go to the gym instead. Monday it is supposed to rain, so it will be Tuesday before I get back to it. Hopefully my energy will return by then.

Happy Birthday to your Mom Jan and I hope that the celebration tomorrow is a wonderful one.