Zadie, thy tale of the mansion is intriguing! I personally would NEVER, EVER again buy a house with the intention of fixing it up (been there, done that), but if the house is speaking to thee mayhap there's a reason?
Glad you shared that image of the mysterious mansion with us.
Good morning, All! Just dropping in for a quickie. 'Tis, of course, the dreaded EOM today. However, I've been working hard on a collaborative project to try to get traffic up on one of our sites and the editor told me that if I just finish up with the horoscopes today that will be enough. SO. I do not have to kill self.
YAY!
Zadie, thanks for the description of the mansion. I dream of living in a place like that, literally. Although I think the place I dream of might be in Tuscany or the south of France
Amarantha, why am I not surprised to hear that you found an ingenious way to deal with the situation with your friend? V. glad to hear it!
Anagram, don't you HATE it when you end up abusing substances that you don't even particularly care for? I swear, I'm going to get 3 Godiva truffles to put in the cupboard so that they'll be there next time I crave chocolate. Onward!
K -- 'Tis off to consult the planets for me. Let's make this a good one! Love to all, mentioned or unmentioned.
Well Arabella, I owe you a big thanks for giving me a huge laugh this morning...
I could see me w/ Godiva Truffles in the cupboard... (for about 15 seconds)
and then, later, I'd be breaking into the Godiva store for MORE! MORE! MORE!
I had this visual of me w/ a dark hood and paint on my face, a flashlight strapped to my forehead ( need both hands free !)
Thanks I really enjoyed that chuckle!!
Need to get to work as early as possible as the boss is letting me leave at 4 so I can get "beautiful" for the contest tonight.
Finally got to a place mentally where I knew I either was going to be frozen with nerves and sick right there on stage or just do the best I can and let the chips fall where they may.....
Last night, did a run thru w/ DH and I did very well considering I made to changes "off the cuff" .... I know I'm going to look the best I can, I'm very close to my minigoal, and the weather has decided that my outfit makes perfect sense ....
Thanks for all the good energy from everyone... It has made a difference..
Wish I could stay and catch up...
********
Thought of the day :
" The older I get, the more beautiful life becomes."
--Ellen Glasgow
Question of the day :
"Do things usually turn out better or worse than you expect?"
**********
And btw, Arabella, wonder what Cancer's horoscope is for this evening....
Hello all,
For some reason things started affecting me very strongly. First of all, there is a building that is across a parking lot near our house that someone tore down. I found out that they are going to use it as more parking lot. For some reason this got me very upset. The parking lot is the combination of the lot for the elderly building across the street from us, the church of the next side street and a restaurant. It should not bug me but it does. Something about tearing down cool old buildings for parking lots and making giant heat wells in a city that already has enough blacktop.
Next there was a story on the news that even made the newscasters cry about a boy who is dying of cancer who used his make a wish foundation wish to buy toys for homeless kids. The story was very tastefully done and you could tell the boy was very happy with what he had done. I was all waterworks.
At any rate, here I am back at work. I have a ton to do, but I am really not here yet mentally. I guess I will get there soon enough.
Arabella - I am glad that the work load is being reasonable now. Anything that causes the use of cheerleader smiley must be good.
Kaylets - good luck tonight. i am certain that it will be brilliant.
QOD: hmmmm. generally better i guess. I try not to project out into the future too much because I get a little obsessive about things sometimes.
Amarantha - yes, the house speaks to me but the pocket book does not answer. maybe it is for someone else? Our house that we have been in for the past almost three years was a total fixer upper. We have done a ton of work but there is still some substantial amount left to go. It turned out pretty well because it allowed us to afford a house and Leif worked on it a lot when he was unemployed. It was funny though - when you start out everyone is excited and volunteers to help fix the place, but in reality...well at least it was nice of people to offer. Actually a good friend is probably going to come help me finish the living room walls this weekend.
I almost forgot, I am down .5 for the week. I am super happy about it, even though it is a bit behind my challenge schedule.
And congrats, Zadie, on the loss. You'll love spoiling little Maggie and believe me, she'll make a difference in every holiday. I too, years ago, saw an older home (almost a mansion) on a corner lot that spoke to me. I'd go stand on the brick sidewalk and look at it with its upstairs porch and classic lines. I spoke to dh about buying, restoring it and he had nightmares (he's not at all handy). We were living in our practically brand new home at the time. I backed off as the thought upset him so much. Later a lot of nice architectural features were knocked off, it was made into apartments and the old brick painted a pale gray. It still sends out sadness vibes to me sometimes when I drive by instead of the feeling of many full lives lived happily thee. (I know, I'm certifiable sometimes.) But at least it's still standing.
Have had a pm from wsw. She has indeed been having technical difficulties but is improving and will return when her vision improves enough to read and post. She's read a few recent posts but not yet able to do more than a bit.
Ok, Queen of Friday - your turn.
So glad your EOM is less painful, WN. Can you manage a good horoscope for a Virgo? All the ones I've read lately have been blah.
I've been rather terribly ill since Friday - sorry for neglecting you, but even now my typing fingers are rather...weak. I missed you. I've had a bad, bad lung infection - haven't slept for coughing, all that fun stuff.
I've got a lot of catching up to do, I can see. I look forward to catching up on your lives.
Hi to Anagram and Zadie ... actually I don't feel well either right now. I think I'm having a reaction to all the antibiotics I've been taking, but I have to work.
My new determination to eat "right" is on the food thread!!!!
We've all gotta get feeling well and get back here to the palace and that means you, too, o' Friday! (It's almost Friday, BTW!! )
Oh, please feel better soon, Cerise! That lung infection thing will likely take awhile. I know mine did.
WN, forgot to add earlier that I usually do keep something GOOD handy for emergencies but had none this time. Often when I feel an evening like that coming on, I'll go for a Slimfast MEAL bar. They usually do the trick and while they are 220 calories, I went way over that unfortunately. Just may buy the next pb eggs I see and put them in freezer. If they can last that long, I'll have them (one will not do) on Easter.
Must have been posting when you were, Empress; otherwise, you know I'd have sent a "get well" at you as well. For the sturdy lot we are, we queens have had a lot of health problems this winter. Enough! Begone, evil ills!
I lived thru the contest... 3 contestants... I came in 3rd.. stumbled a tiny bit at the beginning but was getting laughs and folks from my club and DH said I was the best they had ever seen me....
It's a relief not to have to go on but I thought I was on par w/ at least one other speaker... (who came in first... go figure, I thought the one who placed 2nd had the whole thing wrapped up... he was a preacher and his entire speech could have been used for TV)....
We could have all been just one or two points away from each other, I'll never know....
The point is that I did it and now I can move on....
The worst of it was my own nerves....
So, just like the name of the speech, it was all "A Learning Experience".....
Thanks all for the support and encouragement!
Here's a real NSV..... although tempted a couple times, most of the "anti stress relief" was to go do a flight of stairs or trot briskly down the hall for decaf tea and back....
I guess Before3FC I would've gained weight throughout this entire experience...
and if the scale is right, looks like I managed to lose one or two pounds...
SO GLAD TO HEAR THAT WSW has contacted someone!
Now if Q of Friday and Frogger could let us know they are ok I'd feel better about them too....
***
Thought of the day :
"Remember you don't have to feel good to do good."
--Life's Little Instruction Book
Kaylets, I'm so glad that you did well, of course there was never a doubt! Will you share your speech with us?
And congrats on the NSV!
Regarding the ? of the the day: yes, I've tried goat cheese and it's excellent. Creamy and crumbly at the same time. I want some NOW!
Heading to the big city today--we have tickets to see an advance screening of 'Hellboy' tonight. Not my first choice, but it should be fun, and it's free!
Yo! Congratulations on doing so well with thy speech, Kaylets!!! I think thou must be a very dynamic speaker and would like to hear thee!!!!! I love to listen to good speakers. It's a real art, one I wish I shared!
QOD: Haven't tried goat cheese ... something about the thought of it just bothers me, although that's quite illogical.
I had a bad day yesterday but am BACK! Bye all!
Also, I missed where someone received a communication from Wsw!!!??? Anyhow, W, I'm thinking about thee!!!!
Seconding as always the call to absent s ... and Punkin, TOMORROW IS FRIDAY!!!!! Hint, hint!
Had a successful day, in any case. I had a time in the afternoon where I was exhausted and not feeling very well and IMMEDIATELY thought of the turtle ice cream in the freezer. But I resisted -- 3/3 good diet days down this week!
I hope all ailing are recovering: Amarantha, Cerise -- Lovies, do take good care of yourselves. Remember you're precious!
Eydie, what big city are you visiting? Have a blast! I sure enjoyed your trip to the beach vicariously. Reminds me -- I want to line up a cottage for a week in August. The shore is my favorite place in the world!
Zadie, I know just the kind of day you mean, when emotions are very close to the surface. I kind of enjoy that kind of day from time to time, makes me feel like I'm not blocking, y'know.
Kaylets, congrats on your success -- both getting through and not "eating that stress away." Goat cheese, yes, I've had it. Sometimes I love it and sometimes it tastes a little "goaty."
Anagram, thanks for the word of wsw. Glad that things are improving for her. I've been enjoying picturing your flowers (I adore grape hyacinth, too). My crocuses are blooming, but I have to wade in snow around the house to see them.
K -- off I go! Love to all, mentioned or not. Let's make this a good one!
Howdy,
Congrats Kaylets on your speachifying success. And getting through it without gaining as well. Excellent.
Arabella - loved the inner geek quiz. I ended up secret anarchist geek. Heh.
Well, yesterday I did a remarkable job of completely eating like a fool. I was taken out to dinner by some friends and we went to a fondue place. I was very poorly behaved eating-wise. On the other hand I had a really great time so I am not feeling too guilty. I think I need to develop a plan with a cheat day or something
Today I am going to prevent the illegal eviction of three little old ladies. Gosh I like my job.
V. glad to hear it!
I swear, I'm going to get 3 Godiva truffles to put in the cupboard so that they'll be there next time I crave chocolate. Onward!
o' Friday! (It's almost Friday, BTW!! 
)
The shore is my favorite place in the world!
