I wrote a really nice post to everyone & I lost half of it when I clicked on 'submit'. Below is the part that didn't go blank, I'll do my other personals tomorrow, because its bedtime now.
I just had a bedtime snack, a slice of jelly roll cake w a raspberry/whip cream filling because we had lots of raspberries last summer. The majority of berries is used for desserts & smoothies. I put a net across them & the strawberries before the birds & critters could steal them, but was too late to save our yummy grape vines. I gave a slice to my UPS guy when he delivered today. I saved a slice & froze it for my FedEx delivery guy on Saturday/Monday, I don't know how they stay healthy popping in & out of their trucks all day in -0* temps & +90*. They're good guys & carry my cartons inside for me. Ron saw truck tracks & was happy I didn't share 1/2 of the jelly roll
Re:camping. R & I have a comfy, RV trailer that's like a mini version of our home (w a furniture store bed & a 1/2 bath/shower) we take our bikes & kayaks & R's fishing boat. Some campers have RVs costing over $60,000, but most r like us & pay under $25,000 for their RV mini home. Resorts r scary over the last 15 yrs w 'unreported' health problems + bedbug outbreaks, so it's actually safer to stay @ a B & B with the owners caring about their reputation & get inspected by the Health Dept. because of serving food w/o a professional kitchen. Our sons enjoy staying @ B & B's unless they're on a business trip. But camping is the most enjoyable w nature & doggy walking & exploring their towns & the campers r very kind. Last summer the camp behind us had a elaborate motorhome from out-of state & they rented it for $1,500 for the week & said it cost $81,000 Okay that's over $200 daily plus they had to pay the $18 campsite fee we paid & fill the motorhomes gas tank/probably not gas efficient, plus they were towing a Honda Civic.
Hey Laura ~ TY for the bike link, I did a quick search incase anyone else bikes too & is curious, so many links for it. Maybe some summer we'll come explore Chicago & do 'Bike the Drive'. We mostly ride Michigan Rails-to-Trails which r paved but critters still jump-out, crossing in front of bikes & its hard to stop a cruising 10mph-15mph bike our state provides out-houses about every 15 miles of trails w resting benches, my bike's a Hybrid & the tires r ok on gravel, but it doesn't do dirt; R's bike is heavier w more tire nobs, we both have 2 sets of rims w different tires. We did the Mackinaw Bridge bike ride & we've done the Labor Day Walk across the Mackinaw Bridge that r both yrly events. Our longest trip was a 58 mile round-trip ride starting in the morning & we ate a leisurely lunch before starting back. We'd like a tandem for some of the bike trips we've done but they're just too pricey for the time we'd use it. My dentist has 2 tandems, sigh... A few yrs ago we rented a tandem bike & rode around Mackinaw Is. instead of horseback riding that year, the horses know the Island so well that they instinctively take their riders to the scenic sites; so no galloping runs or exploring & I got bored; the horses r the same when u rent a carriage. http://www.chicagonow.com/eri-thon/2...ike-the-drive/
Michelle ~ Probably all the states have the Rails-to-Trails for biking where old railroad tracks were. TY for the Canada docu info link, U r a sweetie to do that search for me. I had a emotional eating problem also when R got his cancer & lost lots of weight & while trying to put his weight back on, I gained a extra 20 lbs that year & that's when I joined TOPS & came here. For me the tools to getting in control were "ppl who had weight problems that didn't judge me" for wearing size 16 clothes; from my normal size 10 the other ppl that knew me 'bluntly telling me I got fat'. So I bought 2 oz., 4 oz. & 8 oz. canning jelly jars to eat my foods w portion control having my 1 serving sizes ready, so I wouldn't b tempted to overeat from being lazy w measuring cups/food scales. There r too many diets & I knew I would Fail. So I cooked normal foods but looked @ the serving size on labels & recipes & put the 1 serving size into my jars in the fridge & freezer & I had healthy veggies/fruits on my island waiting for me to graze-on. When R wanted my food, he ate the same food but more servings than me. If U ever want to chat about Bob or cancer or life just PM me & I'll give U my phone# or email address. I had 2 older brothers die w cancer (lung & Hodgkin's) my older sister died w breast cancer. My parents died w heart disease & I'm the only one left now, except my boys & some distant relatives. We can get through this together, each of us r here for you I'm happy that U have Santa to share your life & your bf taking U to dinner & a movie was loving & thoughtful & U deserve that life w peace & happiness & Love.
Happy ~ I loved your post today. U r spot-on w your comments as usual. TY also for the helpful info concerning going to Canada. I don't care about your hair-do I'd just enjoy seeing the lovely face that I've gotten to know & share my life w during the last 6 months. If I was on FB I'd friend everyone here & see all your awesome faces... I showed you'all mine, now it's your turns, if U don't want to b public on here for just 1 day w your photo, then PM me your selfie I haven't seen Laura or Ceejay or Shaddie either, I'm camera shy & I had my photo/avatar up for almost a month... Do U have fav ppl on Survivor or the Amazing Race yet & who annoys U I liked the older couple who left on the Amazing Race, they should've chosen the Japanese bar to do & still been safe. I like the 3 team names on Survivor
Shaddie ~ I don't remember everything I said before my post went blank. But if U aren't back before U go on your Houseboat vacation w your friends, pLease b safe & don't take a wrong turn on the deck & fall into the lake @ night or go sleep-walking. TY for your info about me & R going to Niagara Falls. I stayed on the Canadian side w my x-h & 2 DS in 1992 & I didn't get to see all the tourist things I wanted to do there, my guys out-ruled me... So if possible w/o having a passport I'd like to go b on that side again, especially if we can take our 2 oldest grandbabes w us. I'll read the link that Michelle gave me & copy/paste all the info that everyone told me & show it to Ron also. I'll go to their Tourism website also. PLease get some Good rest before your vacation, so U feel wonderful to enjoy every minute of it. Remember to have your hat, swimsuit, sandals, sunscreen & sunglasses w the 'hot' reflection of the sunshine off of the water onto U
Hubby told me again to go to sleep, have a great Friday & weekend everyone Sunday is our 19 yr wedding anniversary, I'd enjoy being in Key West, FL but that won't happen. Probably dinner @ a Chinese restaurant or go eat yummy seafood & whatever makes R happy I'm ok with.
Babysat last night for the babes. Poor lil things, coughing and snotting away. The kids has one last IUPUI home season game tickets to use. Fortunately both kids were good in spite of their feeling bad. Royce just wanted to be held and Jacob wanted to sit by me while watching Chuggington Train. So it will be a miracle if I don't get something. Had to give Jacob his breathing treatment and he usually fights it but we had no problems and he did it like a champ. Both got their antibiotics with pleasure, one tasted like bubble gun the other banana. Was home in bed by 10:30 and couldn't sleep. So I talked to Sassy and scratched her back till I fell asleep. lol
Dad's house finally sold. Yeah!! Actually my bro (Michael/cancer) and his wife that are living in it now are going to buy it. It would be cheaper mortgage payment than renting a house or apt. It would also give my SIL stability and a place to be once my bro passes. It will still be in the family which makes me kind of happy, being that it is my childhood home.
SHADDIE...have a marvelous houseboat trip, relax, and have a drink for us...CHEERS sister!
LAURA...yeah, I didn't think the King's cakes were the same as the LA type, just a reason to use the name at the restaurant. These cakes were so small there was no room for a plastic baby inside. haha. The "real" King's cake looks like a bunt cake with sprinkles on it.
HAPPY..."trying something here". This silly computer at work when I click on the next page it will not go, just stays on the same page. It is hard to move to the next page at work. So I thought if I posted on page 5 and it posted, it would take me to page 6...nope. Once I do get it to move to the next page, I save it as a favorite to make my life easier.
DEE....mmmmmmmmm rasberries, love love love them. I am glad you all like camping, regardless of how "home like" it is, I am just not a fan. I will say I love sitting out by a camp fire or pit fire at night. That I love. We have a small pit we built in our backyard that I hope we get to use more this year. My xh and son used to go overnight camping to the nearest park and I would go in a separate car, sit by the camp fire with then go home to my bed when it got time to sleep. haha. I kind of participated??? lol
CEEG...right along with blackberry issues, cell phones and now your computer issues. I told my boss that I might have to slap the snot out of him this morning for some things he "forgot" to do also. I can slap the snot out of your boss too if you would like. haha. Great on getting the vacation pay in time for your trip. Yeah!
CHELLE...you are progressing nicely on your WL. I didn't hit my 100 lb mark till right at a year post op. No matter how quickly the weight comes off, it never feels like it is going fast enough. Maybe take up crocheting or knitting to get you mind off of food and mindless snacking. Hugs and support coming your way, sweet sister.
Happy Friday! Santa is at the groomers, and I've got about an hour to do some cleaning before I head to a counseling appointment. This counselor is through my work's EAP program, and this is our first session. After the appointment, Santa should be done at the groomer's so I'll pick him up and take him to day care. Some of the women in my bariatric support group are getting together for a walk/hike in a scenic area...but they're leaving at noon...so I'm not sure if I'll make it. If not, I'll just go to the gym. Then I have my 3 month post op follow up appointment, followed by support group. Busy day for sure. But the weekend is less booked, and less busy (I hope it stays that way).
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Shad - Sorry to hear that the stuff is hitting the fan at work. 1-2 people to do the work of 5?! Well, at least you don't have to worry about that this week! Enjoy your lovely houseboat vacation, and the opportunity to see little Miss S.
Ceejay - Sorry to hear about the computer woes at work. Glad to hear you're all set financially for your trip to Houston!
Dee - The jelly roll cake sounds delicious! Sounds like you have a lovely RV! Emotional eating sucks. Thanks for sharing how you got through it. Thanks for the offer to talk. In 2003/2004, I lost my dad, then my mom 3 months later, then my best female friend 7 months after that. I'm so sorry to hear you've had so much loss. I'm grateful to still have my step-mom, a sister and two step-brothers, a wonderful Aunt and Uncle, several terrific cousins, and amazing friends. Happy Anniversary to you and R!
Annie - I'm sure you had a wonderful time babysitting the boys even though they weren't feeling well. So good that they took their medicine like champs. Congrats on finally selling your Dad's house. Smart of your brother and his wife to buy it since it's less expensive and they don't have to move. Good idea to knit or crochet to keep my mind off of food...problem is most of my mindless eating happens at work. Too funny about your "camping" trips! Thanks for your love and support.
Location: A beautiful and peaceful place in the woods
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Hi all,
We were supposed to go for a drive today but last night I must have had a too warm blanket on. I had terrible, disturbing and stupid dreams and kept waking up. I don't think I had an hour's deep sleep so I was not up for a long trip today. DH was disappointed, he is getting cabin fever and wants to get out of the house but we will try for another day soon.
Annie - I'm glad your parents house is staying in the family. Bittersweet of your brother thinking ahead but it's good that he is doing so and his wife will be able to manage. Hopefully he will be around for a good, long time. Thank you for the reminder on Good Witch.
I will remind everyone else that clocks go forward on Sunday. We lose an hour of the precious weekend.
Dee - good point about the RV vs staying at hotels. I give a lot of thought to the bedbug thing too although I am not a germophobe - I just understand what a huge hassle it can be if you bring them into your house. As frustrating to resolve as identity theft! I almost quit watching Amazing Race a few seasons back when they "had" to include annoying teams just for the drama effect. Last season I liked the surfer - I was so impressed with her except in the end when she started talking smack. And I did not at all like the wrestlers - I suppose that is part of their stage personality - still, not a fan of them at all. I was totally surprised that the scientists won - yay for them! How very cool. Survivor takes a while for me to get to the point that the only people left are the ones I don't want to win the money but I guess that's how they rose to the end anyway
Ceejay - yikes on no antivirus on the computer Good of you to buy a copy and install it yourself before things go all mucked up.
Oop - gotta take a phone call now. Have a good weekend everyone.
Afternoon all. TGIF!! Another very chilly day. Most of the time I’m dressed warmly enough and I can push through my outdoor time. Today, however, I waited a bit for the train and I never did warm up once I got on the train – my feet and lower legs were cold the whole train ride and remainder of my commute. But, that’s over, I’m comfortable now. Temps are going to be higher the next several days, and even with the possibility of snow on Sunday, I will appreciate those higher temps.
Michelle – What a busy Friday you have! I hope you get to relax during the rest of your weekend!
Annie – Glad your time with the grands went well, but I sure hope you don’t catch their cold! Hahaha re the “camping” trips. Re the fire pit – bf wants to build one in our backyard. We have a portable one whose opening is a bit too small to hold standard size firewood (duh), so we rarely use it, even for burning all the twigs and tree branches we collect. With my asthma, I doubt I would use it much now. Good your dad’s house is sold, and it’s nice that it’s staying in the family. Thanks for the reminder about the Good Witch series. Yup, DST is March 8th, next Sunday.
Shad – I hope you have a wonderful vacation and can put all the work craziness aside and just enjoy yourself!
Dee – How nice of you to share the jelly roll with your delivery guys. Your RV experience makes it sound like the way to go, especially if you want to haul a lot of stuff with you. I’d almost certainly prefer that type of camping to the tent variety! That said, someday bf and I will go because he’s done some tent camping in the past and enjoyed it. I didn’t post any bike links….Since a couple of you mentioned bike trails that were formerly train tracks, there’s an organization called the Rails to Trails Conservancy that lobbies for the conversion of train tracks to bike trails, and for funding to build bike trails. I’m on their list because I registered at their site (railstotrails.org) to get access to online bike path maps. I wish I made time for more cycling – it sounds like you and your hubbie are really into it! My bf used to do a LOT of cycling in his teens and he’d like to get back into it, but hesitates to even ride because his legs aren’t strong like they used to be. Uh, if you ride they’ll get stronger…I might have to just do this as a solitary activity, or join a cycling club! We’ve had a couple tandems – one was a vintage Schwinn and it was just too heavy. The 2nd was nice, but not very practical for transporting. And storing, for that matter.
Oh yeah, just for you, for a limited time only:
(I removed it!)
Ceejay – Sorry the computer was giving you problems yesterday. Aaargh, yeh, I’d want to smack your boss for not putting the virus protection on the darn thing, and not giving you a flash drive either. So unnecessary! On the positive side – nice you’ve got that paycheck for the unused vacation time and can spend it on your upcoming trip!!!
Hellos to Susie and Happy!
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I went to the circuit class last night. Since I’ve begun the yogalaties and recplex punchcard classes, I’ve managed to forget something – water, shoes, mat. Last night it was my shoes again. Thankfully, I was wearing a shoe that has a sole that’s similar to athletic shoes, so I wore those. Had I worn my winter boots, I would have been in trouble. But I sure looked goofy – white athletic socks with brown Mary Jane style shoes and black capri workout pants. What a sight! But I got a good sweaty workout and that’s what counts, right? I guess I need to keep a written checklist handy – each class calls for something different and it would probably be a good thing to just run through a list so I’m more focused when I’m gathering my gear.
My last Jazzercise class will be tomorrow morning. Going forward I will either be going to a recplex class, or trying to get more done around the house.
Tomorrow night we’ll be going to a gathering at a friend’s house. They recently completed a remodel of their basement and now they have a pool table, so it should be fun to see how it looks down there. Of course, this makes bf want to finish our basement, but that is way, WAY, down on my priority list. Our basement isn’t completely “raw” – it has (crappy old) tile on the floor, paint on the (concrete foundation) walls, ceiling tiles, and even a pool table. Okay, it’s not really “finished”, but it’s fine for the way we currently use it (laundry, workshop, and dumping ground, lol).
This weekend I also want to do my taxes, do some touchup on the half bath, shop for some eyeglasses frames and order some new earbuds.
Dee
I'll be happy to add you as my fb friend. I'll pm you a bit later.
Happy
Love the color. Thanks for sharing. Sorry you didn't get a good night's sleep.
Annie
If you met my boss you couldn't slap him. He's a teddy bear. Slow yes but he's taken on a new job with different responsibilities. I think he bit off more than he could chew at first but he's getting there. And after all he was good to me last week during the ice. And I was in panic mode too. Glad the gs were good even though they were sick.
Laura
Nice picture.
Terra
What have you been doing the past couple of days?
Michelle
Think I'd keep a simple week end. You have been through a lot.
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My day was quiet. Did go to Walmart again as I forgot some items yesterday. I need to make a list but I never stick with them.
Starting a 5 day work week tomorrow. "L' is taking a day off from work. And we may have more white stuff in the morning. UGH. I hope not. I'm still cold from getting outside earlier.
I wrote a really nice post to everyone & I lost half of it when I clicked on 'submit'. Below is the part that didn't go blank, I'll do my other personals tomorrow, because its bedtime now. 
Okay that's over $200 daily plus they had to pay the $18 campsite fee we paid & fill the motorhomes gas tank/probably not gas efficient, plus they were towing a Honda Civic. 
our state provides out-houses about every 15 miles of trails w resting benches, my bike's a Hybrid & the tires r ok on gravel, but it doesn't do dirt; R's bike is heavier w more tire nobs, we both have 2 sets of rims w different tires. We did the Mackinaw Bridge bike ride & we've done the Labor Day Walk across the Mackinaw Bridge that r both yrly events. Our longest trip was a 58 mile round-trip ride starting in the morning & we ate a leisurely lunch before starting back. We'd like a tandem for some of the bike trips we've done but they're just too pricey for the time we'd use it. My dentist has 2 tandems, sigh... A few yrs ago we rented a tandem bike & rode around Mackinaw Is. instead of horseback riding that year, the horses know the Island so well that they instinctively take their riders to the scenic sites; so no galloping runs or exploring & I got bored; the horses r the same when u rent a carriage. 
I'm happy that U have Santa to share your life & your bf taking U to dinner & a movie was loving & thoughtful & U deserve that life w peace & happiness & Love. 
I haven't seen Laura or Ceejay or Shaddie either, I'm camera shy & I had my photo/avatar up for almost a month... Do U have fav ppl on Survivor or the Amazing Race yet & who annoys U 
I liked the older couple who left on the Amazing Race, they should've chosen the Japanese bar to do & still been safe. I like the 3 team names on Survivor 
or go sleep-walking. TY for your info about me & R going to Niagara Falls. I stayed on the Canadian side w my x-h & 2 DS in 1992 & I didn't get to see all the tourist things I wanted to do there, my guys out-ruled me... So if possible w/o having a passport I'd like to go b on that side again, especially if we can take our 2 oldest grandbabes w us. I'll read the link that Michelle gave me & copy/paste all the info that everyone told me & show it to Ron also. I'll go to their Tourism website also. PLease get some Good rest before your vacation, so U feel wonderful to enjoy every minute of it. Remember to have your hat, swimsuit, sandals, sunscreen & sunglasses w the 'hot' reflection of the sunshine off of the water onto U 
Sunday is our 19 yr wedding anniversary, I'd enjoy being in Key West, FL but that won't happen. Probably dinner @ a Chinese restaurant or go eat yummy seafood & whatever makes R happy I'm ok with.
Thanks for your love and support. 
Good of you to buy a copy and install it yourself before things go all mucked up. 
Thanks for the reminder about the Good Witch series. Yup, DST is March 8th, next Sunday. 
On the positive side – nice you’ve got that paycheck for the unused vacation time and can spend it on your upcoming trip!!! 
