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Judy - Great to hear from you and that your trip went smoothly.
I have escaped cancer twice now. Though lost my mother to cancer in 1963. I was 14 turning 15. As Laurie say they have so improved the fight against cancer, due mostly I believe from early detection.
Take comfort that we understand and support you in your days with your mom. family is so important in fighting any illnes, I am sure you realize or you wouldn't be with your mom.
Haven't been doing much evening walks as friend is busy, with family and she is planning to move away.
She is an artist and needs a place to paint, which is not working for her here. So soon I will be walking days only and using my treadmill in the evenings.
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Hi Judy!
Great to hear from you and know your trip went OK.
I can't tell you how my heart aches for what you are going through with your Mom. I lost my mother to breast cancer in 1983. I uprooted myself from my life at Lake Tahoe to be with her. We tried everything but she died two years later.
I have never regretted dropping everything and spending her last two years with her. In many ways we became even closer during those two years than our already close relationship had been in years past.
We were wonderful friends as well as mother-daughter and not a day goes by that I don't think of her and miss her. I was with her the moment she died and I know it eased her mind.
I hope your mom will recover soon and have many years left to enjoy you and your children. The advances in Cancer treatment have been phenomenal in the last few years. I ought to know, I have survived 5 different kinds of cancer in my own life.
Keep hope in your heart and faith in your spirit. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your mom.
Love,
Laurie
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Good morning ladies,
Mom was getting her bath when I got to her this morning so I took the opportunity to run to the library. (Not literally - it is close enough if I had more time but 30 minutes goes pretty fast when I get on the computer.  )
The train trip was good although the night was long. I did manage to get a bit of sleep. My brother and nephew met me in Amherst. I saw Mom for about an hour and then got a few groceries. This morning we are planning to go through her closet and discard her 'too big' clothes. (I am looking forward to doing that in my own closet but I don't want to get cancer in order to do it. I am thinking more along the lines of losing weight.)
Not much walking yet other than running up and down stairs.
Stay well and I'll see you when I can.
hugs,
Judy
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Hi Okanog,
No web feet the last time I checked but if this rain keeps up anything is possible! (LOL)
I decided that no typhoon is going to stop me from my daily walks...I have this really neat breathable rain jacket from Land's End that enables me to stay mostly dry without an umbrella...the winds lately have destroyed four of them in a row!
So I've been getting in my daily to and from work and long evening walks about 5 days a week. so I think I'm logging about 20 miles a week. Nothing to compare to you but at my weight it's a pretty good workout!
Sure do miss Judy and hope she gets a chance to post soon.
I take it by "we" you mean you and your hubby? What a wonderful way to spend time together. What kind of dog do you have? I really miss having a pet but its just not possible here in Japan. Apartment is too small and I am gone too much.
That quote (I've since changed it) is Dorothy Parker. I'm a big fan. I try to post a few a week on the funny quotes thread in the Cafe. there are some really good ones there.
Have a beautiful day and Keep On Walkin'!
Laurie
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Yep, Laurie! I added our Support Group in my Personal Profile. Perhaps you could do the same, never know when someone might have a peek!
We have decided to walk evenings together. It's a more social time, stopping for coffee on our walks. During the day I walk with my dog.
Those Typhoons must be miserable. Do you feel like you are growing web feet? 
Luv your quote you have on your messages!
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Wow... sure gonna miss Judy!
Got my usual 2 miles plus another 2 miles after work. But I'm off for the next three days so I am hoping to get in several long walks if Typhoon Nabi doesn't land here in the middle of it all. Raining and very windy right now.
JP - whassup? we haven't heard from you for awhile. Gee Okanog, it might be just the two of us for a while. Hope you are continuing your lovely evening walks.
Laurie
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Great you will have access to Curves!
Ahh, Jude but that's a man for ya eh!
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Today we walked to the post office - 30 minutes. Hubby is having 'separation anxiety'. It's too bad I have to go away to be appreciated.
hugs,
Judy
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Thank you both for your thoughts and prayers. I DO have a Curves guest pass to use when I am away and I know a couple ladies who go down there. They have already agreed to let me 'hitch' a ride.
By the way, Laurie, I read that Curves is supposed to be coming to Japan. Maybe you will get the Curves experience some day.
hugs,
Judy
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Hi Judy,
Hope this gets to you before you leave. Have a good trip and I hope your presence will speed you mother's recovery. You will both be in my heart and prayers during your absence.
Stay at it and keep up your walks and Curves if you can. I bet you will have some great results to share with us when you get back!
Laurie
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Judy - Sorry your mother is ill. Will look forward for when you can drop in. No other immediate family in the area, you could borrow the use of a connected computer? Gee wiz going to miss you too........
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My mother is ill, in Nova Scotia. I am leaving at 6 Wed. morning to take the train to spend some time with her. The train gets in to Amherst, NS, (my stop) about 1 Thursday afternoon (and then continues on to Halifax.) I don't know how long I will be away. I plan to use the computer at the library if I can, to check in occasionally. Here at home I 'visit' SparkPeople several times a day. I know I will miss being able to do that.
hugs,
Judy
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Judy - I challange myself each day and am thankful for our small support group which encourages me to get out there and just do it!
Where are you going? How long will you be away?
When I reach my goal, it will have taken 3 years. Not a big sacrafice since it has taken 30 years to get so out of shape but I am wiser now, to have the health tools to keep me on track!
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Good morning Laurie and Okanog,
Wow, you ladies are doing great. It is so nice to be associated with winners.  Your enthusiasm HAS to rub off on me. I already know I will miss you when I am away.
We have had CNN on a lot too. It boggles my mind to think about what has been going on down there.
Anyway, keep up the good work. Laurie, you are pulling ahead of me but that's OK. This whole process is very slow for me but I am hoping that the very slowness will mean that I NEVER regain.
hugs,
Judy
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Hi Okanog,
Great to hear from you.You are doing so fantastically well! You should be very proud of reaching your goals and getting so near your goal weight. Bet you are feeling fantastic as well!
I like your reward system. If I adopt that plan now, I'll have money stashed for the day I need a new wardrobe! (LOL)
I too have been glued to CNN for the last week when at home. After the second day it occurred to me that I could still watch while using my Twist and Shape Stepper and also while doing strength training, so I have been every day, in addition to lots of walking. In three weeks I've lost 9 lbs and passed my first 1000 minutes of cardio. But the best part is how WELL I feel.
Keep up the great work! You will make it happen!
Laurie
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Hello Everyone!
Hope you all had a great weekend!
I can't believe I have missed a couple days in here, though I have been  each day but ........ I became glued to CNN the horrific events of Katrina aftermath.....along the gulf coast.
So I hate to brag but well, I am 30 lbs to reach my goal weight. But the biggest change since I started to increase my walking time....... is my cloths are beginning to hang on me. Great I guess if the baggy look was in 
I am even venturing into "Small Sizes" in clothing stores, haven't bought anything in the last month or so. Nope! Going to step up my walking challange.
Starting a WALk Piggy Bank -
Each week walking Goal is completed = $5.00
If surpass weekly goals I can earn = a bonus
At the end of 2 months - Pay is double for eachearned.
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Hi Judy, JP, Okanog -
Had a good day today. Long walk this AM, about an hour. Did my strength training on an off day just cause it felt good (Boy, what a change!)
Hope all of you are having a good day too.
And Judy, next time I crank out another chronicle I'll send it along. I've already added you to the mailing list.
Laurie
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Hi Laurie,
I trust you are enjoying a good sleep. I would love to read your journal about Japan. I enjoy writing too, when I am in the right frame of mind.
hugs,
Judy
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Hi Judy,
I*'m just about off to bed. So good to hear all the news of your family. It sounds like you had a really fun day (and got lots of exercise just keeping up with them!)
I wish I had been able to have kids, and grandkids, but with all the cancer in my family and in my own life I thought it wouldn't be a good idea. But I have a wonderful niece and nephew and I stay in touch with them. Taylor, my nephew is in his senior year at University of Nebraska, and Kailey, my niece is a senior in high school.
I will write to your personal address. If you would like, I can send you my Gaijin (foreigner) Chronicles, which is a sort of journal of my life in Japan. I try to do one a month, about one humorous incident or another, but sometimes months go by when I just don't have the time. I guess its obvious by now that I love to write!
I have been in Japan for one year, and just renewed my contract (with a new employer) for another year. I may end up staying here for four years total. The money is very good, and being a US ex-patriot under the US/Japanese Status of Forces Agreement, I don't have to pay any taxes; either here in Japan or at home in the US. Pretty good deal!
Keep it up at Curves, you are doing so well! As I said in an earlier post I wish we had one here. But all the women in Japan are very petit so there seems to be no need. I am only 5'4" tall, and after thinking myself very short all these years in the US, I now consider myself to be quite tall. And at 200lbs, I am sure I must seem to be a giant to all my Japanese neighbors!
Well, gotta hit the sack. Long day and I'm beat!
Have a great day!
Laurie
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Hi Laurie,
Thank you for your kind thoughts. I will do the best I can while I am away (and I will try to stay in touch.)
Thursday was good. I did Curves in the morning. In the afternoon my daughter and I took 4 of my grandchildren (her nieces and nephew) to the fair. Every year the Harrow Fair is on Labor Day weekend. This year is the 151st fair. Thursday afternoon the rides are cheaper to encourage families with children to come out. The kids we took are Brianne (10), Noah (almost 8), Kaitlyn (6) and Meghan (2). I pushed Meghan in the stroller while we watched the others go on rides. They had fun but of course they could keep going and going much longer than the money holds up.
I went to Curves again this morning. I expect I will go to the fair again this afternoon. I like to see all the crafts. This fair is one of the best in our area. The population of Harrow is 3,000. On fair weekend, they say it is more like 10,000.
Is Labor Day a holiday in Japan? How long have you been there? I'd love to hear more about your life over there. If you want a more private correspondence, my e-mail is harrowjet@yahoo.com.
hugs,
Judy
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Hi Judy,
I'm so sorry your mother isn't well. I hope it isn't serious. I'll be thinking of you and your Mom while you are away. I hope you can check in on the boards from time to time and let us know how things are going.
I hope you can keep up your walking and work toward your goal while you are away too. I know it may be difficult without the food tracker and the other tools on this site, but you've been here awhile and know how to do it without the site, I'm sure.
Have a good trip. I will look forward to hearing from you again.
Laurie
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Hi Laurie,
Wow, that's quite a start to your day. As for the moral - I don't know. You kept your cool.?? You got extra miles in - that's a plus.
My time in Nova Scotia won't be a fun vacation. My mother is sick and I am going 'home' to spend some time with her. I'm not even sure how long I will be gone. I know I will miss my friends here. When I went in July, I had a bit of computer access. This time it will be even more limited (unless the library is open or my brother's computer is fixed).
hugs,
Judy
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Hi Judy,
I hope you have a wonderful time in Nova Scotia, I hear it is really beautiful; unspoiled and rugged country. I would love to visit someday. I will miss your posts while you are gone.
I got in my nice long walk today but not by choice. I was scheduled for a phone conference with the owner of the new company that is taking over our contract with the Navy, early this morning. This interview will determine the amount of money and benefits I will earn over the next year.
I was in the shower getting ready, mentally going over my strategies for the negotiations, when the combination gas leak-smoke alarm went off! A recorded voice on the alarm was shouting god only knows what at me in Japanese.
Thinking the building was on fire, I jumped out of the shower, covered with shampoo, and put on my robe so I could go outside and assess the situation. Once I got out on the seventh floor breezeway, I discovered that the alarm light and signal next to my door was the only one going off! None of my neighbor's alarms were ringing. But they were all looking out their doors wondering what was going on.
None of my neighbors speak English, and my few words of Japanese were not sufficient to obtain help. They were of course, amused at the sight of me in my robe with all that shampoo lather dripping all over!
Not knowing if the Japanese fire department would show up at any moment, I was at a loss as to what to do. My apartment was not on fire, there was no smoke, and I couldn't smell any gas. The sound of the alarm and the repeated warning message were really getting on my nerves, so I climbed up and disconnected the ceiling alarm. Of course, that did not stop the outside alarm, and did cause my building intercom phone to start sounding an even louder alarm!
I turned off the gas line and still the alarm did not stop. So I shut off all the breakers in case there was an electrical problem causing all the hubbub. Nothing worked. And my critical negotiation meeting was now in less than an hour!
I finished my shower, got ready for my appointment, and decided the only thing I could do was leave my door unlocked and head out. Better to leave the door open for the fire department or gas company rather than have them break it down to gain entry!
So my first mile to the appointment. "Sorry, all interview conferences for today have been cancelled, We've rescheduled you for tomorrow" (my day off!).
I Walked the next mile to my job, where I explained the situation at home to my boss. I then called my real estate agent (the only person who speaks enough English to help me deal with the building manager, gas company and fire department). She agreed to meet me in 30 minutes at my apartment. So I walked another mile back home.
We waited for the gas company guy to show up, who explained the alarm went off because that model had reached it's expiration date!!!!
I just love the Japanese. They are so THOROUGH in everything they do.
Anyway, new model installed, apartment declared safe, and alarm FINALLY off (my neighbors must hate me after two hours of that blaring noise) I walked another mile BACK to work, ANOTHER mile to the commissary and back, and then my final mile of the day back home.
So, a six mile day! My best yet! And all because of a smoke alarm.
I'm not sure what the moral of this story is, but I'll bet there is one lurking in there somewhere!
Hope all of you are having a great day.
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HARROWJET
8/31/05 10:16 A
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Hi Laurie,
Curves is going great. (I have to remember to get a 'visitors pass' for when I go to Nova Scotia next week.) You are doing good with your walking. You are consistent and that is important. Keep it up!
I hope you will be able to go for a nice long walk on the weekend.
hugs,
Judy
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JP - Glad you missed the brunt of the storm. Keep on Truckin'!
Hi Judy, How's it going this week? I got in two miles today. My usual. But my weekend is coming up so maybe I can get in some longer walks if the weather holds. How is curves going? Wish we had one here!
Good walkin' everyone!
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| Walking weather is great in the 70 degree range. Rain is coming in from Katrina but not too bad. Not as bad as what you went through.
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JP - Woo Hoo!!! That's terrific! You are doing great. Keep it up!
As for me, normal day today with one mile each way, to and from work. The weather here has been suprisingly nice since the Typhoon.
Usually VERY Hot and muggy in Aug-Sept, but walking has been very comfortable in the lower temps and drier air.
What a difference the weather makes!
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| That's great. Keep up the good work. I lost five last week.
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Judy and Okanog - Great walking, you gals!
To and from work - 2 miles
Round trip to the Post Office - 1 mile
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