SCREEEEECCCHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

We interrupt regularly scheduled blog posting for breaking news!

Yes, I am doing two posts today but only because it is important.

So...

There is this house right by my house (huh?) that has the most astonishing garage sales...I have bought almost all of my cool antique stuff from them. They have unusual things and they are really reasonable.

So...

This morning I was supposed to meet my daughter-in-law to pick up Morgan.

And I turned at the corner heading to get her and let out out a gasp!

They were having a garage sale.

A huge one.

I didn't want to be late.

But...

When I drove by I immediately saw this little table and it reminded me of something my daughter has been looking for... ... so I parked at the curb with my car running and I ran it up to the girl at the table and said, "I live right down the street, could you hold this for me because I don't have any money and I have to pick up my Granddaughter!"

And she said, "I know who you are! Sure!"

And as I was running back to the car I saw this iron grist mill...
... and I've been looking for something like that for a specific spot on my wall so I lugged it up to the table, too.

As I was running back to the car the second time, I saw about 12 more things I wanted including double glass doorknobs for $6 bucks a pair, some flow-blue plates, gorgeous teacups and some cool metal skeleton keys.

Yikes! No time to stop.

I called Mr. Jenny and tried to con him into going up there and grabbing those things but he inconsiderately had a conference call or some other such silliness. How could he possibly have to work when I needed him to go buy this stuff. He wasn't amenable to dropping everything and running to get Morgan either.

But I figured I would hurry her along and get back there while there was still cool stuff left.

So I picked her up.

Yea.

Ummm....

When we got to preschool she walked like a turtle with a cast on.

Then she had to go the bathroom.

Number two.

Then she had to wash her hands...twice...singing the alphabet song the whole time.

Then her teacher wanted to talk to me.

Then she needed to show me just one more microscopic injury that needed kissed.

Geez.

And when I got back to the garage sale everything that I wanted was gone.

But I brought my other stuff home and just when I was turning the corner someone put up a new garage sale sign.

So...

I ran in the house and told Mr. Jenny I was going to run up there but he said, "Wait, we'll just walk up there!"

And when we got there it was all really cool antique stuff.

And I immediately went to an old wall mounted desk and a little primitive trunk and a cool wooden trug but some other lady, who I saw pull in right before we walked up there had already grabbed them.

Argggghhhh!

Sigh.

And why is it that when you want children and husbands to hurry they go so ridiculously slow?

Sigh.

But at least I got two treasures and I thought I'd share something with you other then the boring, old losing weight whining!

So...just the other morning...

...Mr. Jenny and I were laying in bed around 5:30 am.

And he put his arm over me.

And I said, "We've been going to Weight Watchers for three weeks now, can you tell a difference?"

And he didn't say anything.

I waited.

I waited.

I thought maybe he missed the question so I repeated myself.

And waited.

And then I said, "Well, just lie and tell me you can."

And he said, "Gee, I can really tell the difference."

And I said, "Really?"

And I waited.

And waited.

And then I said again, "Really?"

And he said, "No, but you told me to lie."

So, I said, "You're just all full of yourself because you've lost like 15.6 pounds already and I've lost like 6."

And he said, "Huh?"

Gee. That was such an unsatisfying conversation.

If you'll excuse me now I need to go sneakily pour some melted butter over Mr. Jenny's breakfast.

That'll teach him to not be supportive.

Sigh.

PS. I know 6 pounds is great. I'm just being a dork today! Aren't you surprised?

O is for Oskar

Kentucky Derby Pie Link 22? E-mail me. Your link doesn't work and I want to fix it for you!


Oskar the weiner dog's
stubby legs wobble.
As he runs through the house
looking for things to gobble.

He is not discerning.
He just doesn't care,
if it's kleenex or kids books
or mens underwear.

Green tomatoes from the garden,
Printer cartridges from the desk,
But getting to the garbage can
Is the thing that he likes best.

He's not too particular.
He's really not picky.
To Oskar the weiner dog
nothing is icky.

Oskar the fat, little weiner dog
is always ready to eat!
So if you come to visit me
you better watch your FEET! This post is brought to you by the Letter "O" and is linked to
PS. No weiner dogs were starved in the artistic creation of these photos.

Alphabe-Thursday "O"

Kentucky Derby Pie, Link 22? Please e-mail me. Your link doesn't work and I want to fix it for you!

Good morning class!

What a lovely Spring Day. I know some of you are distracted with Spring Fever but try and concentrate because we have an Outstanding letter this week for Alphabe-Thursday! The Letter "O"!

We're going to try something a little different this week so don't just skip down to the link...points will be deducted from your final grade if you do.

A lot of you visit all the blogs and I think that is wonderful. But sometimes I realize there just isn't enough time. So this week I wanted to suggest that if your first name starts with the letter A - L you start reading posts at number 1. If your first name starts with the letter M - Z please start reading posts at number 35.

You can always go back and read them all but I'm hoping this helps distribute the comments a bit more evenly.

If your name doesn't start with any of these letters you are probably that person who is leaving Chinese character comments all over Blogland and I don't really want you reading Alphabe-Thursday anyway so go away.


Now, class. If you have any difficulties with your link please make sure to include the number of the link when you e-mail me. It is really difficult for me to find them otherwise.

If you have any questions about Alphabe-Thursday or problems doing your link just post it in a comment or send me an e-mail. I'll do my best to help you.

The McLinkey will be live from 8:00 pm MST time Wednesday night through 8:00 am MST time Friday morning!

And remember.... link back to this post, you need to be registered as a follower of my blog (since there are prizes involved and it makes my life easier that way), PG posts only, and try to visit all the other students according to the letter of your first name! The links will stay live after the final post deadline has passed so you can even wait and visit over the weekend or whenever you have more time.

Class is dismissed.

Please file your letter "O" papers in the Linkey now, Class.

When you live on an urban farm...

When you live on an urban farm your work is never done.

You wake up at the first sign of pink in the Eastern sky because your weiner dog is howling and obviously dying of starvation. Who needs roosters anyway?!?

When you live on an urban farm it is important to wear the correct "gear" for working the back 40. Wearing chicken socks are of utmost importance.

When you live on an urban farm your chores are never done... ... and things always break requiring repetitive use of a screwdriver and the phrase "righty, tighty...lefty, loosey".
When you live on an urban farm irrigation water is vital for the success of your crops.
... and you spend the entire day dragging the hose around to flood your raised beds.

While they flood you do crop work. Like deadheading roses and iris. ... and harvesting rose petals for your nieces wedding.
When you live on an urban farm the views are amazing and everywhere is potential and promise of beauty and deliciousness to come.






When you live on an urban farm you feel a sense of accomplishment and wonder...

The beauty, the lavish spectacle of nature, the sheer immensity of the sky...

When you live on an urban farm...

You take lots of advil at the end of the irrigation day and thank your lucky stars you only have a half acre...because, honestly, any more urban farm property would probably kill you.

OK. Urban farmer signing off now and heading for a hot bath. Yikes, how did I get so ridiculously out of shape?

Don't answer that. It was a rhetorical question.

Sigh...

Story-Time Tuesday - Chapter Two

If you missed STORIES FROM HOME - Chapter One just click here.

STORIES FROM HOME - Chapter Two

One dreamy, breezy May day, just when the bright green buds had started growing into cool, lovely summer leaves, the skinny, little calico cat came to lay on the sad little house’s weathered and worn front porch.

Whenever the skinny, little calico cat came to visit, the sad little house could more easily remember the happy days when its grey painted porch floor had been swept tidy and clean. And hearing the purr of the cat made it easier to recall the “creak, creak, creak” of the rocking chairs and the happy, clinking sounds of the ice in glasses of lemonade.

But on this particular day, after only a few moments of laying in the warm sunshine, the skinny, little calico cat jumped up and ran toward the pond, at the edge of a woods, at the edge of a mountain.

The sad little house watched it go.

And although the sad little house felt lonelier for the cat leaving, the sunshine was warm and the memories were sweet and the sad little house felt drowsy and wonderful on that dreamy, breezy May day.

A few moments later, the sad little house heard a sound coming from the pond, at the edge of a woods, at the edge of a mountain.

Because of the cool, lovely leaves and the tall weeds, the sad little house could not see what was making the noise. When the sounds came again, the sad little house almost, but not quite, thought that it heard the music of children talking and laughing.

Suddenly the sad little house wasn’t drowsy anymore.

It stood up very straight and listened carefully, but there were no more sounds .

Sometimes when memories are strong, imagination can make recollection seem real.

And just as the sad little house was convinced that is what had happened, there came a loud shout from the pond.

It had been so long since anyone had spoken or shouted around the sad little house! Could it have been the yell of a child?

Through the soft sound of the breeze, the sad little house began hearing little snippets of words.

Through the whisper of the cool, lovely leaves dancing in the sun, the sad little house started hearing little bits of happy laughter.

And it waited.

Hidden behind all the tall weeds and the cool, lovely leaves, at the edge of the pond, at the edge of a woods, at the edge of a mountain...

The sad little house waited.

To be continued on Tuesday, May 4.

(c) 2010 Jennifer R. Matlock
This publication is the exclusive property of Jennifer R. Matlock and is protected
under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Jennifer R. Matlock. All rights reserved.

Random Ramblings from a Muddled Mind!

Good morning!

It's Monday!

Ummm...

Where to start, where to start?

OK, first, how about a little giveaway because you are all so deer to me.

Remember how you saw all those bags in the trunk of my car from that craft show? Well, one of the neat artists I met there has a business called Imaginmeri's Creations. She has a cool blog, too ... You can click here to visit it..

This is one of the sweet, treasures I got from Meri to share with you.
This is a little shadow box about 8 inches by 7 inches with a funky little ceramic deer and cute flower and paper adornments.

To win you must already be a follower.
You can get up to five chances to win.
Comments to this post count as 1 entry
Comments to Saturday and Sundays posts count as 1 entry EACH.
If you already commented on Saturday and Sunday you can comment again...which is 2 more entries.

Mr. Random Org will help me choose a winner tomorrow morning and get the dear little deer right out to you!

Speaking of giveaways...I won one!

I have probably be-moaned the fact that I have about six eyelashes on each eye to you in the past. It is one of the things that really bothers me.

So...

I won a tube of mascara from a company called Tarte that states it can increase your lash volume by 424%.

It came on Saturday.

I used it yesterday. I didn't say anything to Mr. Jenny but I asked him if he could see anything different about my face.

"You have eyelashes!" he said.

And I do! I do! It works. It's expensive mascara - like $19 dollars or something but I will totally buy this from here on out! It actually works! And I have probably spent $500 bucks on mascara over the years that didn't!

Thank you to JAM's Own Reality for this amazing win! You can visit her blog by clicking here! She has a great blog and has some really cool giveaways, too!

Almost done. Do you need to get a cup of coffee to continue?

I can wait.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Oh, hey...welcome back!

Last thing is I'm making a few changes to my blog. Don't worry. It won't make your head hurt. Sharon at Redbud Designs is making an easier toolbar for Alphabe-Thursday, Story-Time Tuesday and getting things set up for the 100 word thing some of you said you'd enjoy trying. I'll tell you about it tomorrow and Thursday during regularly scheduled programming!

OK, honestly, I lied. The thing above this isn't really the last thing because this is the last thing. But then I'm done rambling and muddling...I promise. Sharon, genius that she is also made it easier to sign up for my blog through an e-mail subscription box thing-y (yes that is the technical term!) It's on the top right of my blog and even though she is going to re-organizing everything it'll still be in that general vicinity when she's done!

Wow.

I'm exhausted.

Hope you are not too tired to enter for the giveaway if you like funky, retro type decor!

And now I can exhale.

Sigh.

I know we've talked about the profound difference...

... between men and woman before.

But if you still think the main difference between sexes is the absence or addition of certain … Ummm … “body parts”… I challenge you to go shoe shopping together.

Go on… I double dog dare you.

Yesterday we had a little time to kill between Granddaughter #2's soccer game and Granddaughter #1's basketball game.

So I suggested we stop by Sports Chalet to get my husband some walking shoes.

When we got to the store, Mr. Jenny I start walking toward the shoe section and on the way I casually mention that I might need some new shoes, too.

"Didn't we just get you walking shoes," says Mr. Jenny.

"Yes, but I need sandals," I reply.

"Didn't we just get you those sandals with the big white flower and the sandals with kind of high heels and the sandals..." he continues.

"Yeeesss.... we did. But those are not sandals I can wear all day."

"Well what are they for then?" he asks.

"For sometimes when I want my feet to look a little more dressed up then everyday but they are not really comfortable enough to wear the whole day." I explain. Geez. Is he dense? Seriously.

"Then can't you wear your tennis shoes when you want your feet to be comfortable all day," he said to which I immediately replied in a whiny voice, "but then you can't see my pedicure and my feet get hot and and it's summer in Arizona and you are supposed to wear sandals here, d'oh."

So as we arrive at the shoe section he says, "fine, go find a pair of everyday sandals."

There might have been some sarcasm in his remark, but I just went off quickly before he changed his mind.

After all if someone is trying to manipulate with tone of voice and words they deserve what they get, right?

Well, unless it's me doing it and then I just deserve to be treated sweetly.

I'm certain that clause was in our marriage vows.

...

...

You know what?

I had a lot more interesting things happen this weekend and why I am writing this stupid shoe story is beyond me. But I'm committed to it now but I'll try to move it along, OK?

...


So while I am trying on sandals I see this cute pair of Keen's. They are the kind you can hike, boat, walk and run in. You can wade through rapids in them and then jump from high rocks without a break in stride.

I wanted them.

I tried them on.

They were sooooo comfortable.

I walked over to show Mr. Jenny!

He looked puzzled. "I thought you wanted sandals?" he said.

"I did...but, look...with these shoes I can hike, boat, walk and run AND wade through rapids then jump from high rocks without a break in stride."

"Ummmm.... OK," he said, "And how often do you do these things?"

"Weeelll," I replied, "I don't technichally do those things now but this way I will be ready if I ever do."

And he said, "weeeellll, then why don't you buy what you need and when you start wading through rapids more often we'll come back and get these shoes?"

And I said, "weeeeellll...no. I want these."

And then he said, "weeelll, but you can't see your pedicure in those and I thought that was of utmost importance."

Geez, again with the sarcasm.

So I showed him that you can so see a teeny, weeny bit of my pedicure through the sides of the Keen's. OK, technically I am sticking my toe out through the side and it's not all that comfortable but I wasn't exaggerating to Mr. Jenny. At all. And after I showed him my toe, he gave this huge sigh and said, "fine, get what you want."

So I did.

I got the Keen's and on the way out I saw a sale on some of those cool SIG water bottles so I let him buy me one of those too.

AND when we got to the basketball game our Daughter-in-laws Father noticed my shoes right away and said he loves them to hike, boat, walk and run in. He says he can wade through rapids in them and then jump from high rocks without a break in stride.

I told him I am going to use mine to do those things, too.

And Mr. Jenny took a picture of our cool shoes. Together. And only rolled his eyes twice. I love it when I triumph.

I love it when shoe shopping works out so well.

I love it when...

Hey...I just realized I still need a pair of everyday sandals.

I wonder if Mr. Jenny wants to take me shopping today...

Sigh...

Have you heard this quote about friendship?

“A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.”

I love that quote. I really do.

And today's post is for a friend...

...and that friend might need reminded while she is going through a pretty rough patch in her life that she has a lot of people singing melodies to her.

And even though some of the tunes might be slightly off-key...

And even though some of the tunes might be be downright dreadful...

It's OK, really.

Just try and remember that we are willing to sing them. And that you deserve them. And that covering your ears won't work because you will still hear them anyway.

So...

Yesterday Morgan helped me sing to a friend.

She actually sings pretty good for a 3 1/2 year old.

She didn't really sing with words...she sang with three little dum-dum suckers picked carefully for color: pink, blue and purple ... that she put into a little gift bag of a few Arizona treats I was taking along on our errand. She sang with being polite and wonderful while her Grandma was doing something important with someone amazing.




The friend is PJ, for those of you that know her. And this is what the little sign I am holding says:
Because yesterday one of the artists that PJ most admires had a showing here in Mesa. And Morgan and I went.

The artist is Erika Simmons who creates really amazing mixed media art. Her innovative creations are being commissioned around the world. She is beautiful, smart, creative and has that fire that you see in people who are passionate about what they do.

Erika graciously made time for me to see her today as a surprise for PJ!

But actually the surprise was on me because I was totally blown away by what she does.

Her work takes mixed media to a whole new meaning...re-cycled cassette tapes, 8 mm film, books, sheet music...



You can also click here to read PJ's original post about Erika. There are lots more pictures there.

So PJ, my silvery-gold friend...even though I did this for you...it ended up being for me, too!

Thank you for that.

Oh...and PJ?

Do re mi fa so la ti do!

Matlock to you...and to everyone else...

Home - Deep thoughts and a regift!

I recently read a post at Jennifer's lovely blog entitled "The signs pointing home" and I asked her if it would be OK if I linked to it.

She graciously said I could and I will re-gift you the link in a moment.

The last line of her post says "And just as where everything ends, it will all begin here: home."

And I thought and thought about that line.

And I was amazed because I could read Jennifer's post without crying, without breaking down.

Robert Frost wrote, "Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in".
That simple collection of vowels and consonants used to rip my heart apart. I would hear those words or read the beautiful quotes on calendars and little wooden signs with all those sentimental sayings about love and families and homes, and I would literally and completely lose it.

My house WAS NOT a home for a long time to me. My home WAS NOT that place where they have to take you in.

Not only had all but one of our children moved on, but my husband and I had made one of the most horrific and difficult choices in our lives.

We had closed our home to the daughter that remained.

In the deepest times of her addiction we could not let her into our home. At all.

And she lived on the streets with addict friends.

We left food and blankets and toiletries outside on our porch and they were often gone by morning but she did not come inside our house or yard for a long, long time.

I cannot tell you the heartbreak of this as a parent. Or perhaps I do not need to if you have endured something like this.

For years whenever I would hear a quote about home or see one of those signs that say "Home is where they have to take you in" I would cry until I was a hollow shell...empty, aching and hopeless.

A year ago our daughter chose a different way and has been working herself out of that awful lifestyle slowly and steadily.

And I really thought for a long time that it was her changes that changed me.

Because, after all, I could read Jennifer's post without tears.

Jennifer's sentiments did give me a sad moment while I toyed with the regret and loss and remembered horrors.

But her poignant words also reminded me that it had taken a long time to recognize it was not our daughter finding sobriety that was the catalyst for the change in how I felt.

I think what finally changed me is when I recognized how unrealistic my idea of home had become.

I used to have to remind myself that it is still my home with or without our children living here. It is still my home with or without Sunday dinners and chaos.

Oh, I want all the kids here and I want everyone around the table and I want everyone ready to play a silly game or go for a walk or go to the store with me.

But I don't have that anymore.

And I never will again.

It is not necessarily always how I like or want my home to be.

But, for now, home for is where I live. And a place that everyone in my family can come and walk through the open door. Home is where I burn my candles, and leave the newspaper in a messy pile, and where flowers from my garden drop petals in piles of pink and lavender on the old weathered wood of my coffee table. Home is where I write and where I gaze out of the window at the pink streaked evening sky.

Home is now different. But it is still home.

And I really need to remind myself once in a while that just because things have changed doesn't make it bad. And Jennifer's post really helped me to do that.

“The key to change... is to let go of fear,” says Roseanne Cash.

And I really believe that it was fear that fueled a lot of my unrealistic ideas of home for so long.

How could I call this home when our daughter had nowhere to live? How could it be a home when our children were all gone?

My fears were very real to me.

Fear of the unknown. Fear of being lonely. Fear of not being needed. Fear of being forgotten by children who had gone on with their lives. Fear of loosing all control and much of my influence over the people who had counted on me their whole lives.

Letting go of the fear has let me be able to breathe again.

And to be home.

Completely.

And totally.

Like Jennifer says, ""And just as where everything ends, it will all begin here: home."

Let's find new beginnings.

Let's find new ways to make sure our homes are not just places of endings...but places where hope and possibility can still bloom and begin again.

Please click here to read Jennifer's post. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

And Jennifer? Thank you for reminding me.

N is for our Nice Daughter, Nancy...

So...

Recently our Nice Daughter, Nancy, had us over to her house for a celebration.

She went to an incredible amount of work to make it special.

And she did.

She and her husband made wonderful food. Nancy also decorated everything with these gorgeous paper flowers (isn't this lovely and festive), she dyed doilies to make them the same pastel shades and covered glass votives in tissue paper.
Everyone had a happy time. And at the very end Nancy gave me this card. Which made me cry...because this is what was written on the card. (If you're feeling a bit emotional today I should interject a Possible Kleenex Warning here):
Mom,
Growing up I never thought of you as being your own person,
You were simply my Mom.
Not a girl with parents of her own,
Not a kid with goals and dreams,
And not a woman with worries and fears.
You were (and in many ways still are) the center of my life.
You were the voice of reason.
You were the arms that held me when I was sick,
And cheered me up when I was down.
And even though you no longer make my meals,
Or tuck me into bed -
You're still taking care of me.
You'll always be my Mom...
Even though I've come to see you as so much more.

I bet you can see why I love our Nice daughter, Nancy so much.

William Shakespeare wrote, "What is in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

And I find that especially appropriate here...

And I'm hoping you find it especially distracting...

Because we don't have a daughter named Nancy.

Her name is Jessie. And she is amazing.

And the names were only changed here to protect the poor, innocent little letter "N".

(hey, leave me alone...Mr. Jenny wouldn't let me use the "N" post I wanted...which was the word Next? as the title and then a picture of the letter "O" for next week)

This post is linked to Alphabe-Thursday's Letter "N" post.

Alphabe-Thursday "N"

IMPORTANT! Comment #2 - Nickey the Cat...your link connects with my blog and I can't figure out what your blog is. Please e-mail so I can correct your link! Also, if you have problems with your link, please put your number in your e-mail or comment. It's hard to find without that reference.

Good morning class!

I am so happy to be here to celebrate a generally very Nice letter. We are doing "N" this week for Alphabe-Thursday. And, class, let me be clear. Although "N" is almost always NICE, I will not tolerate the passing of notes using the mean "N" words like the one regarding me being cursed with nasicornous. It is untrue AND I found it nefandous.

Kathy, I know that you told me Jeff passed that note, however, the day you observed this was nepheloid and perhaps you were wrong. So I will just give him a warning. This time.

Now, class. If you have any questions about Alphabe-Thursday or problems doing your link just post it in a comment or send me an e-mail. I'll do my best to help you.

The McLinkey will be live from 8:00 pm MST time Wednesday night through 8:00 am MST time Friday morning!

And remember.... link back to this post, you need to be registered as a follower of my blog (since there are prizes involved and it makes my life easier that way), PG posts only, and try to visit all the other students! The links will stay live after the final post deadline has passed so you can even wait and visit over the weekend or whenever you have more time.

Class is dismissed.

Please file your letter "N" papers in the MckLinkey now, Class.

PS. I am not sure if Mrs. Matlock used those big "N" words correctly in a sentence but I was afraid to correct her. She was pretty crabby when she was preparing this lessong plan.

PPS. Last weeks weird linking was MY FAULT! I used the code for Word Press instead of Blogger. So don't think badly of MckLinkey...it is still the best linking tool out there! Thank you Brett!

The Week two...

...weigh in at Weight Watchers on the West side of Walmart...

Sorry...

Just threw that "on the West side of Walmart..." in there cuz I was all into the alliteration...

oops...

lost my train of thought here...

What was I weirdly writing about on Wednesday?

Acccckkk!

Sorry...

I think I've got some annoying alliterative alliteration going on.

ACCCCCKKKK!!!

OK, just a second.

...

...

OK, I'm back.

I did a few moments of jogging in place and got another cup of coffee so I think I'm ready to write...ummm.... good to go.... ummm...

Ahem.

So...

I went to that place last night where they weigh you once a week and you count points...

(Thank Heavens that worked...I thought my brain was stuck)

AND I have some disturbing news.

Yea.

You can't lose all the weight you want to in two weeks.

I know.

Shocking, isn't it?

I mean I've been counting my points AND riding my exercise bicycle for approximately 8 minutes each day.

And I'm pretty sure that riding for 8 minutes means I get to eat something like 12 extra points or something. Sadly I know 8 minutes isn't even on the chart for earning extra points. I'll have to check again when I work my way up to 10 minutes!

So, yea, I'm following the rules.

And I only lost a pound last night. For a grand total so far of 5, which I know is pretty cool.

But maybe if I go to a meeting without men I will feel better about the five pounds.

And there are a lot of men in this meeting.

And the only thing that saved me last night from running around and slapping all the big losers was the two guys who gained weight. AND I'm still wondering why they said that out loud.

Mr. Jenny, after his second weigh in has lost a total of ...

Get ready to gasp here...

12.6 pounds.

Yes, I said 12.6!

(SLAP!)And this other guy who has confessed both weeks so far to eating every day like it is his "last meal on death row" has also lost 12 pounds in the last two weeks.

(SLAP, SLAP!!!)

I know. We've talked about the wrong-ness of this before but I just wanted to whine again.

But on a serious note I actually kind of like going to Weight Watchers.

It makes me accountable. And the meeting is awesome.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go check the little booklet about earning extra points to see how many you get for advantageous alliteration!

Sigh...