Bargoo - kitty is right about Costco, I have a coffee pot I may have to return after 15 months and they told me to just bring it on. HP makes a good printer, as does Epson. I've had trouble with Canon in the past. Also, check out New Egg for reviews, too - lots of geeks their with time on their hands as well.
Krampus - that picture is fabulous! I saw it and also thought about you being on top of the world! I find myself obsessing about diet and exercise during fun activities as well. I am hoping mine fades to a low hum eventually, but I fear that if it does I will lose focus. Though I've lost focus right now with it in the forefront, so it might not matter. It sounds like you are finding a good balance overall, so the low hum should come.
Allison - we get closure notifications like that in Atlanta all the time. Usually one lane is open, but as it changes over the course of the work it is announced as all closed. Good luck.
Dagmar - it is so easy to impulsively buy and eat junk, and make some excuse. I find often that when I'm determined to get the junk I create the situation to make it happen. If I can avoid whatever that acquisition situation is (don't go into the drugstore, for example) I can survive it. Can't always do that though.
Saef - I know that I have to make sure I take care of myself, otherwise I can't take care of anyone else around me. DH and I both getting hit pretty hard by this, and he is suffering as much as I am - or more really, as he feels physically responsible at times as well, so I try to put on a good face and not let it show to him so as not to add to the overall burden and stress. Which then ends up with me eating half a can of pringles last Saturday night at 2am while DH & DSS are sleeping. I have to learn how to change my steps in the dance, because I'm stepping on a lot of feet here. Mostly my own.
Kitty - I bet that you can relate with your boys. I'm thinking about ordering a book I saw on amazon - called "Swagger", it is supposed to be about talking to boys. I don't know that it specifically applies to this situation, but seems to be more about dealing with boys in our "shoot 'em up" society.
DSS is so smart. And the school has cut him some leeway in some things, both because they are trying to help us and him and because when he is being sweet he is very sweet and pulls them in. People like him. Unfortunately what it has taught him is that he can behave really quite badly within certain limitations and not suffer serious consequences. It becomes the new norm, so to speak. He has a therapist appt today, and we are upping his appointments to once a week starting with his next one, so he'll go all but one week in May, then every week going forward. He'll also see a psychiatrist in June as well. I'm just hoping it will help. Some counseling with the family would probably be good, but I don't think we'll ever get the entire family involved.
One foot in front of the other. I kept my food in line and had a great workout yesterday, am good on food so far today and will run either outside in the rain or on my treadmill tonight, depending on the thunder status. My garden looks fabulous and I'm feeling good about that. I'm taking all the good feeling I can get right now.
I wonder if doing some yoga or meditation might give you a few minutes of peaceful thought to center yourself. I took up yoga last summer to help deal with stress and I've enjoyed it so much, I make it a point to make once a week classes a priority in my workout schedule.
