Good Morning Ruth and everyone else, I had to read read read to catch up! I loved the pic of Hershey and your gals together...that is just so good to see! We have some new faces here to get to know and this little gang keeps roling along. I do miss some of our old friends from over the Atlantic way and if they still check our space a big wave!!!!!
I have been dog sitting off and on for the last year a german short hair and he is just such a love.... the hair I don't care for..... do you think dogs can change who they want to be with at the end of their lives....his master is good but just no other dogs around and he doesn't get the same exercise or fun as he does at my house..... my connection with Darby is so special I really feel like this is where he wants to be in his last days.....
I gave my report last weekend in Idaho falls and got to experience the first big blizzard of the year down there. WOW I live in the mountains but their weather is soooo bad down there sometimes. Still have to travel to eastern idaho one more time for the report.
You ladies are so honest to express your views on smoking, the new drup Chantix has had some remarkable long time die hard smokers quitting.... long term I don't know how it lasts but I have seen people who I thought would never ever quit....DO IT!
There is a new interest in my life.... a man.... and he smokes and I just hate to say to him I can't get to know you because you smoke...seems so shallow. So we shall see how that goes..... I am just soo independent and enjoy my life w/o a man..... anyhooo
I have a new sewing machine I have not gotten to try yet and a new craft to see if I can make it.....I will let you know how that all goes.... maybe I can produce one this weekend.... went to the most gorgeous quilt shop two weekends ago it was so inspiring......
Nice to see everyone here...Mel, hope you are improving each day not the same without you here to keep us in line. Hello to all the worldly chicks and hope all is well with family and friends... will hold special thoughts for our friends going through those terrible rough patches on their journey..so difficult to watch people suffer with illness.
Have a great day everyone..... the holidays are fast approaching can you believe it!!!!!!!!
Peace,
Nae
Well, I had no intention of starting a hot debate when I mentioned the SM's gift of second-hand smoke! I smoked for many years, and quit about 15 (18?) years ago. Quitting was the hardest and the best thing I've ever done, and the addiction was so strong I know absolutely that I can never, ever have another smoke. A few things I learned after quitting: heavy smokers almost always stink, especially if they smoke in enclosed spaces like cars as I did; non-smokers can move pictures on their walls without repainting; non-smokers don't wake up in the middle of the night for a nicotine hit like I used to; smokers get many more facial wrinkles... When I visit the SM, I can smell the stale smoke from the driveway, before I ever get to the door. Both my father and my former father-in-law died of smoking-related illnesses, at 55 in my father's case. So Rennie, I hope you know this isn't an attack of any kind, we just hope you'll somehow find the strength to fight for your own health and life expectancy as well as that of your family. I'm sure all us former addicts have hints and tricks that helped us succeed, and that we'd be glad to share with you if you want. In Ottawa smoking is banned in bars and restaurants and all workplaces. There were dire predictions of businesses going under, but in fact very few did. And employees in the service industry stand a much better chance of a long life. Of course it's now hazardous to enter most public buildings, especially in winter, since the smokers huddle in shivering, puffing groups around every entrance...
As for public perfume, I'm with you on that one 100%. And I feel the same way about public BO, for that matter... And huge vehicles and drivers with cell phones glued to their ears. And drunk drivers. And people who leave trash or dog poop along hiking trails or walking paths. And photo radar. (Just had to sneak that one in. I know it's for my own good, but...) Time to get off my too, or the mods will shut me down!
Ceejay, I wasn't with Ruth and Holly, the third gorgeous chick was Hershey. I was just very envious of their fun as I drove past Ruth's area en route to my family doom. I confess I don't remember seeing an exit to Delta, but there was one to Westport, which I think would have worked.
Ruth, I agree that we need to do an all-Ontario get-together! I'm going to be in TO for 10 days in November, and have plans to meet up with Madcat while there. That will leave only Holly still unmet. Just knowing she's 'tall' at 5'4" makes me warm to her...
Meadow, where are you? Haven't heard from you in ages!
Rose, is the smoking BF a new one, or the one you were having second thoughts about? Whichever, you go girl!
Mel, sweetie, here's wishing for a speedy recovery, followed by a solid six months (at least) with no outbreaks of any of those annoying problems. We need you here every day - you always make us laugh and stop us from taking ourselves too seriously. Hello to Jen too, and thanks for dropping in to give us an update!
Shad, how much longer will you be in Perth? Any chance of a contract in Brisbane next time? If we organize an Ontario get-together, should we expect you to zip over and join us?
I did go for a good hike on Wolf Trail last week. It turned out to be a very warm day (around 22C). So when I got down to the parking lot, I took a look at the lake, thought 'What the h***', went over and went for a quick swim !!! The water was probably cold, but I was far too numb to know for sure. But I got home all refreshed and sweat-free, and feeling pretty darned proud of myself. Yesterday was another hiking day with an old friend, culminating in birthday dinner at a shelter in the park. Lovely salads, smoked salmon, sundry goodies, and lovely bubbly drunk out of lexan champagne flutes. Then a slightly giggly walk back in the dark with our little headlamps lit, and an hour or two of coffee and 'rest' so I could drive home. The fall colours are looking wonderful, and we managed to pick the only rain-free day this week!
Happy, I was sorry to hear your trip away had been spoiled by noisy neighbours. (Another pet peeve I didn't mention above. ) But I'd love to visit the Smoky Mountains some day, and do a little hiking there if my feet ever cooperate. I've heard it's beautiful. I am a little worried though: if Tennessee goes smoke-free, will they have to bulldoze the whole park?
Painter, I keep thinking of you when I'm out in the woods, but so far never have my camera with me when I see the perfect tree. Or else it's raining or grey or misty. I did take a bunch of photos last week, but the colours were a little washed out. So no perfect landscape for you to use your talents to reproduce.
As always, I'm sure I've missed some one. But I'm afraid if I go back beyond the posts I can see below I'll lose the whole post, so this will have to do. On Monday I'll adjust my ticker - in the wrong direction, I'M afraid - and then get back on track. No more excuses! And tonight I'm tentatively booked into my first spin class in two years. If it works out I'll have a pretty sore tushy tomorrow. I used to enjoy spinning a lot, and it's a very efficient way to burn calories, so I'm really hoping to get back into the habit.
I did it! After almost two years, I made it to a spin class tonight. I had totally forgotten how much I enjoy it, and how good it feels to stop. My only complaint is that they tend to play the music too loud for my tender old ears. But like Scarlett, I'll worry about that tomorrow. For tonight, it's all 'I am woman, watch me sweat'...
Having ranted and raved all yesterday and being the senior member of this thread, I am about to reinvent the no go topics!
First I'm going to apologise to the worldly chicks for a whole page full of ranting about the dubious joys of smoking. Quite frankly I don't care whether anyone smokes or not, it is a personal decision and they have to answer to a higher authority at some stage in their life. I don't care for people to smoke around me when I am eating. I won't have them smoke in my house or flat or car but that is my decision on how I live. My friends understand this.
However neither I nor anyone else has the right to demand that someone stop doing what ever it is that offends even if we know the answers and think we are well educated on the subject. For that I apologise to this thread and to the 3 sisters who give us the opportunity to air our problems and frustrations with some many people.
Also as the 'senior' member of this thread, I am going to go back several years and reiterate some of the rules and maybe we should think about updating these rules.
On this thread we decided long ago that unless it was a humourous dig at life the following subjects were not to be mentioned:
Religion
Politics
Food Porn
Dire family relationships
Personal digs at each other
So far we seemed to have managed to keep most of those under control. I am aware that some of us have undergone some life changes in this time and that they have been mentioned from time to time. We've had a wedding where we were all able to rejoice, we've have the birth of a baby, another joyous occasion although the poor mum didn't fare so well in the ensuing year or so. We've had problems with teenager and step mothers and parents. We've had death and destruction, but somehow we have managed to get along with out too much disharmony and a lot of honesty and a fair amount of fun.
So I am about to add another couple of things to the list. It seems that with several diametrically opposed ideas we will have to skip the following as well.
Smoking
Drugs
Booze.
as well as
Religion
Politics
Food Porn
Dire family relationships
Personal digs at each other
Oh Mel is the exception with politics since she deals in local elections etc. and we hear some really funny stories from her.
Food porn consists of anything that we absolutely adore and which is probably illegal, immoral or fattening.
If anyone has any problem with this, or has something to add to the list please let me know or put it in a post so we can discuss the issue.
Gotta go, but I'll be back. There is a butt (human variety) just waiting to be splatted.
I refuse not to discuss perfume, since one of this worlds bestest things to the fragrance from a rose on a beautiful autumn or spring morning in Brisbane or the smell of Jasmine in spring.
Gosh, Shad, I feel we've all been soundly spanked! Or is adult spanking too?
I had no idea there was a list of verboten subjects, and apologize for whining about the egregious SM. But no more! Maybe when a new chick joins our thread someone should PM them the list of do's and don't's...
Nah, we don't mind the funny side of it. And let's face it we have to rant from time to time. Yesterday got completely out of whack.
I don't mind the funnies. You want whacking - okay, I send some one right on over. It's when two opposing sides oppose that I get up and carry on.
Yes we do have some rules, but they are only to stop anyone being intentionally or unintentionally offended. There's been too many chickies disappear off the site in a huff through percieved or intentional insult and usually caused by the above factors.
I can laugh at the step mum and your rants. I can feel for you as well. So carry right on. Just don't murder her and try to justify it.
Well, sh**. If I can't murder the old witch, what's the point? I was counting on you lot to be my alibi...
Rennie, I'm not feeling too tired from my class, but I have a feeling I'll be hobbling around like a very, very old lady tomorrow. And of course sitting down may not be an option. I've signed up for another class Monday night, and have plans to trick a friend into entering my evil spinning web...
Have we scared oneday@atime away forever? Seemed like a nice person, but maybe our little outbreak of opinionitis scared her away? Come back, nice little person, we're really harmless, I promise.
Oneday only posts a couple of times a week normally. I shouldn't think we have frightened her off. She'll be back probably after the weekend. Maybe she is waiting for the dust to settle - maybe she doesn't like dusting.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY HELLO. ALMOST 100% BUT NOT QUITE. THE NAUSEA SEEMS TO BE PERSISTENT!! JEN HASN'T HAD TIME TO READ AND IS WITH THE INLAWS. MORE DRAMA. WILL CATCH UP AND TRY TO READ OVER THE WEEKEND. HOPE YOU ARE ALL WELL AND HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.
*cough* *cough* Dust bothers me which is why I have Donna to clean.
My weekend company has canceled out due to weather - the guys don't hunt in wet weather. How wussy is that?! I'm not too disappointed and am going to cozy in for the weekend - I may even light the woodstove for the first time this year. Hershey lies beside it on her back toasting her tummy while I doze off on the couch. You know, DH#1 used to fall asleep after dinner which really pi$$ed me off! Things have come full circle now and I'm the dozer! Who knew?
Today I plan to quilt and also tackle more of my disaster of a sewingroom. I quilt downstairs because the sewingroom is such a mess. I may take before and after pictures and just do the darn thing. I get up there, start, find something interesting and lose my focus.
Another coffee and some dog cuddling and I'll crank up my Friday.
Location: A beautiful and peaceful place in the woods
Posts: 8,905
S/C/G: Stuck/Working on it/Good 2 Go
Height: Fun Size
Good morning chicks,
Yesterday was a long, very busy, very frustrating day. When I got home and DH asked how was my day - I said the best thing I can say is that it's over. I used to work very hard and laugh alot. Now I still work very hard but gripe alot. What changed?
Shad, thanks for the reminder on verboten subjects. I promise to read it but ... can't say I will always adhere to it because... you know me
Carla - I so greatly admire anyone who does a spin class. Everyone poo poos it and says oh, it's not that bad. Sure. I can't do 5 minutes on the Lifecycle much less a spin class. So here's to you lady
Mel - hope you are back with us soon. We miss you
Ruth - I broke down yesterday and finally turned a bit of heat on in the car and stood in front of the warm oven this morning. It was soooo nice. So enjoy that stove because Hershey has the right idea.
Rennie - are you over your cold/bronchitis/sniffles or will it just turn itself up and down for the next few months?
Time for me to run. I'm hoping for a quiet day at work as most of my team will be out. Maybe I'll have a chance to catch up. See yah...
Carla ~ Ok, not that I am advocating this, but I remember reading somewhere that if someone does commit a murder, the smart thing to do is hide the body and tell no one. Apparently most murderers are caught because they just have to blab about it! Good for you and the spinning! You should maybe try light ear plugs for the music? That has always been the one thing that makes me reconsider doing one of those classes.
Shad~ Thanks for being that wee voice of reason, yet again. You know, I can completely see you putting your foot down just like that at work. I can see how you herd roosters! Good work. BTW, you aren’t senior member of this thread, are you? I guess that makes me junior member… no wait, I think I’m still older than Holly. And Suzi (if she ever returns). Or were you thinking senior as in “longest term of service”? No food porn? The mind boogles. That reminds me that I just volunteered to join our local neighbourhood association, as the rep for our co-op. I might have a few good political stories from that. And Mel’s stories are always good.
Mel!!!! Keep your head down and avoid the drama. How come people never have family comedy? That would be much more fun.
Ruth~ Sitting by the fire on a rainy October weekend sounds ideal to me. And a wood stove. Nice. We have a new couch which seems to be particularly sleep-inducing. I haven’t hade it through watching a CFL game yet (and I’m sure it has nothing to do with the football ). Personally I think pets have some sort of hypnotic ability so that they can will us to stay put and not disturb them.
Happy~ Sorry you job is being such a pain. Maybe you need to put a bit of silliness back into your work week. Are these new co-workers not as amusing as the old ones? The only reason I put up with some of the garbage here is that I really find my coworkers funny as all heck. It’s a lot of hours to spend if you aren’t getting some joy out of it. So, how do you fix that?
Shy~ I don’t mind some perfume, but why do some people feel they need to bathe in it? I hope you are all healed up and that you have a lovely weekend.
Roseblush~ So nice to “see” you. Yes, inconvenient things those men. It always seems just when you are going along fine and have no time or inclination, they show up. Quilt shops are a dangerous place.
Ok, I better get to work. Oh, it was a long day yesterday. I worked from 7:30 to 5… then left, went to dinner with a friend, and then came home and edited a document for another two hours. Man, am I ever happy to see Friday this week. Busy weekend planned. Tomorrow I’m going to do a trip to the gym and some shopping and then we’ll drop in on the in-laws who have freshly returned from Portugal. Sunday is the annual Ontario wine tour where a bunch of us rent a van and spend the day wandering around the Niagara region, sampling, and enjoying the fall colours. I’ll take my camera! I’ll try to make it back sometime this weekend, but if I don’t everyone enjoy your time off!!
Just a brief hello. It seems that when the days start getting shorter I run out of time faster.
Shad--Thanks for the reminders.
Happy--Hope things improve at your new job. Give it a couple of more weeks and see if things are getting easier.((hugs))
Mel--Feel better soon.
Ruth--Your sewing room sounds like my mom's sewing room. I could never find anything but if I asked her where something was she could put her hand right on it. Just shut the door behind you when you leave. That's what mom did. Cozing up to a fire this week end sounds divine. Don't forget the hot chocolate.
Madcat--my new couch seems to induce sleep also. Enjoy your week end trip to the falls.
Carla--I'm proud of you for doing that spin class.
Rennie:
I'm leaving today for Paragould for the week end. And still have some things I want to do.
Morning all,
Well I meant to be at work hours ago, but fun and shopping got in the road. Such is life.
It's another beautiful day and the air con is off in the office. I dare say I could prowl around and turn it on but like most things in life - its still comfortable enough for me to say I am warm without wanting to doze off to sleep.
I'm here at work because of my failure to instill a sense of urgency in any of my team. They are all lovely people, but....... Geez I wish they could get a move on. The one that knows everything has to dot every i and cross every t and tell me about errors in documentation which are not so much errors as not having the information she requires in the picture. I keep saying it's been passed by the business get on with it. She talks about someone (her other boss) insisting that it will have to be changed. I keep saying, we'll change it if and when A: it becomes absolutely necessary or B We run out of other things to do! She is an Engineer. I have a poster at home that states There comes a time in every project when you simply have to shoot the engineer and get on with it. I think I might bring it back with me next time I go home.
Glad no one took any offence at my little homily yesterday. Time comes around when we have to remind ourselves about how we keep our little group going and growing and it certainly doesn't help when elements go hammer and tongs at each other to the detriment of other things and people.
Carla - hows the hobbling going? I was thinking of you this morning as I went about my weekly shop and stopped off at the bottle store - there was some wine there with a picture on the label that looked like the hills and lakes we went to and swum at. Pretty picture. I didn't buy the wine. Picked up some Yellow in small bottles and some Margaret River and some NZ . Just looking by at that I should have put on most of that. Better go back and do it. I also got some NZ for bribes for the coming week to speed up the natives.
Mel - glad to see you back but don't overdo it. I'm quite sure you can wait to see what went before. Most of the rest of us wish we did. Take care of the ears, eyes and everyother thing. Talking of other things I saw on a website the other day that there is an organic honey company in NZ which seems to think they have made a break through in natural ingredients - of which activeX honey is one which is having grand results with acne and rosacea. I will keep a check on the reports coming in and let you know what gives. Take it easy
Ruth - presume the dust is why you weren't in yesterday. I only dust once a year or so I promise. You mentioned you had COPD - I have a friend now diagnosed with that. At the moment I can't seem to get hold of her - she lives in Japan, I must tell her that after living for years in total ignorance of the condition, I now have two friends with the same thing!
Hershey has the right idea. We used to have a German Shepherd who loved to lie on his back with his feet sticking up and resting against the wall. I used to look at him and sadly shake my head - this was my guard dog? Enjoy these long and lazy days. You will be busy enough when the social life of Delta cranks up again and you are doing Delta in Bloom, Fairs, School shows, financial books for all and sundry and keeping track of the church, vicar, doctor, neighbours, H not to mention baking, cooking, clearing, gardening and all the other myriad of things that you do.
Happy, it seems that years ago, we went to work, had a chat with the desk next door, enquired about the health of the accountants wife, checked on the grandchildren of the receptionist, had time to drink coffee and have lunch and still got through the required amount of work. These days, you are lucky if you are not at a meeting when someones birthday cake comes around and morning and afternoon teas are non existent - you can't even finish a coffee before it goes stone cold and you are expected to put in extra hours just because you like the place and haven't caught up with the extra work that you got because the receptionist got made redundant, the job at the desk next door is now only part time and the accountant is now replaced by a 3rd year uni student on his days off from lectures. We still have a fair amount of laughter here, but there is no such thing as an 8 hour day any more. As a contractor I'm expected to put in 10 hours a day for my exaggerated pay. It comes at a cost. I can understand that statement of yours.
Madcat - No, I'm not chronologically the oldest member of the thread - but I can remember Happy and I arrived at about the same time and those who were around then like Shaker and KiwiAnnie and Teel now sadly have drifted away. I still keep in touch with Teel privately, but don't have any addresses, emails or phone numbers for the others. I think that Mel and Ruth are a little older than me and then there is a whole group of Carla, Happy, Painter, Ceejay - chronologically speaking. Your and Holly and Suzi are our youth and hopes for the future - did that just put some pressure on you????
Okay - I think I just ran out of time. I'd better go and see if I can come up with the answers to lifes questions regarding capacity planning and scheduling. Then I have to get to and try and figure out what my rooster has done with powerpoint to get a presentation in such a muddle as he has.
Hello to those I didn't mention. Hope everything is going okay with those of use who put a challenge forward this month. I'll shall return later. That's a threat not a promise.
Good Morning All
too, or the mods will shut me down! 
!!! The water was probably cold, but I was far too numb to know for sure. But I got home all refreshed and sweat-free, and feeling pretty darned proud of myself. Yesterday was another hiking day with an old friend, culminating in birthday dinner at a shelter in the park. Lovely salads, smoked salmon, sundry goodies, and lovely bubbly drunk out of lexan champagne flutes. Then a slightly giggly walk back in the dark with our little headlamps lit, and an hour or two of coffee and 'rest' so I could drive home. The fall colours are looking wonderful, and we managed to pick the only rain-free day this week! 
) But I'd love to visit the Smoky Mountains some day, and do a little hiking there if my feet ever cooperate. I've heard it's beautiful. I am a little worried though: if Tennessee goes smoke-free, will they have to bulldoze the whole park? 
I used to enjoy spinning a lot, and it's a very efficient way to burn calories, so I'm really hoping to get back into the habit. 
Chickies and Chicklets!
Enjoy these long and lazy days. You will be busy enough when the social life of Delta cranks up again and you are doing Delta in Bloom, Fairs, School shows, financial books for all and sundry and keeping track of the church, vicar, doctor, neighbours, H not to mention baking, cooking, clearing, gardening and all the other myriad of things that you do. 