hi melanie:
I too lived in a small coastal town on the north shore of lake eirie. i just moved to a small city and i'm loving it. i have 4 children all grown (29,27,27,and 24) my son, and one of my daughters have gone on the atkins diet with me. it is quite fun. we all cook and share meals frequently. my son just got married on the weekend and already i miss the fun. my daughter, sam, calls me with new recipes and has been a real encouragement. i don't know what i'll do when she goes to japan in the fall. i'm needing a buddy myself.
i started this diet, or should i say lifestyle, in april 2002. i'm pretty new at this myself. being perimenopausal and having thyroid problems has made it a bit of an uphill battle but i'm pleased with my 9 lb loss so far, at least i've stopped gaining which had been going on steadily for over 2 years.
working out 3 X a week has helped to. i find that the weights have really helped me lose inches even if the scale is slow. i bought a denim suit last fall and never got to wear it. i had gained 5 lbs and that was it, it was too tight. now i can fit in it! that's important. i feel great. i'm feeling more beautiful and happy.
i hope that we can buddy up and have some laughs to.
take care
jane anne