No Pink Steaks for me either Yuck!!!!!! Gotta be well done
Welcome Gloria and BJ!
Trudy I love my slow cooker! I do things on Low as Im gone all day but its great to come home and have dinner done. Just do a Veggie. ww has a new slow cooker cookbook has some great recipes in it.
BJ: there is a way to make slpenda into brown sugar. Found this at Splenda
"Brown Sugar" This recipe is designed to help you replace brown sugar in your dessert recipes. Makes: enough to replace 1 cup standard brown sugar 1 cup SPLENDAŽ No Calorie Sweetener, Granular 1/4 cup Sugar-Free Maple Syrup (made with SPLENDAŽ Brand Sweeter.
I have never tried it tho
Maria I would be staying out of that pool to
We have been working so hard in the yard on weekends. This weekend was an off one as its raining and I need to keep the Green Waste empty. They are coming to pull out 2 Oleanders and a tree that fell down. Will haul most away but wanted to put some in the green trash to. Then it will be lawn lawn lawn!!!!!!!!! Didnt win the cement. But at least the lawn will keep out all those weeds. Cant take all this digging. But I put my foot down and DH finally agreed! Yeah me!!!!!!!!!!
Hopefully when this is done I will be able to spend more time here.
Back again and keeping my fingers crossed the lot is not going to crash again
Firstly I must be the only one but I only like my meat rare or maybe medium rare
Nice to 'see' you Lily sounds like you have been busy in your garden. That would have been quite a job pullling out Oleanders. I have had them in other gardens and once they are established they are fairly well there for keeps.
I don't want to disillusion but lawns have been know to get a few weeds
Well what a weekend we have had, we have crossed rivers, negotiated some incredible tracks and lived through it all It took us some 4 hours to 'drive' 20 km. We literally crawled along in low range, we would have probably been faster walking!
Some of you may remember that dh and I did a basic and advanced 4x4 wheel drive course 2 years ago when we were in Sydney...I have to say had we not done that course there is no way I would have driven any of the track myself nor would I have been the passenger either!
We came to a river crossing and as we were taught, you MUST walk through the river to see how deep it is and what the floor of the river bed is like, as I was driving it was up to dh to go and check it out. The water was freezing but other then that OK to have a go. With my heart in my mouth, we set off and made it to the other side. I felt very happy that I managed to do it.
I will email you a couple of the photos.
We had not anticipated the track would be that bad and that slow to negotiate, we thought we might still be trying to get to civilisation in the dark
We 'thought' we had gotten to cilvilisation but were then confronted with a one lane gravel road to take us to our destination, 65 km away. We could not go much faster than 40km ph. The road was very windy and the many signs saying to take care at the blind corners, did not make us feel comfortable. Sure enough we almost 'wore' a BMW at one of the blind corners. Only room for one vehicle so one of us had to reverse to an area that was slightly wider to allow the other to pass. Boy, it was all pretty hairy.
Driving at dusk and at night, lots of kangeroos and this time we also came across 2 wombats sitting in the middle of the road and not that keen to move. I have never seen them in the wild, they are very cute, fat things!
We finally got to our destination around 8 at night. Several motels were booked out and it was only another 115 km to Sydney so we decided to have a rest and a coffee and drive back. We finally got back around 10.30 absolutely exhausted.
This was only one of the days we were away The other days were not quite as eventful but never the less challenging.
Today I have started to pack, it is still 3 weeks before we go home for a fortnight but I just felt I HAD to do something!
I hope I didn't bore you guys too much. I will email some of the photos, perhaps you will get a better picture!
Maria,
Saddam, you and your DH are so brave. I do remember when you took the course a few years ago, so I know you were prepared, but WOW! So your DH was walking in freezing water, almost to his knees! The pictures were so spectacular though. I would imagine you were more than tired when you got to Sydney. It would have taken me 3 days of rest to be able to negotiate a coffee pot. Maybe it is the energy you have that made you test as Saddam Hussein! I am sorry, but this was so funny to me because you are not like him that I can see.
We made it through the babysitting on Saturday and on Sunday I remembered I had to teach Sunday School. Do you all ever commit to something that is so far off, kind of thinking it will never happen, and then lo! and Behold! it comes. Anyway, I only had one little boy in my class. I just ran out of things to do 15 minutes before it was over. Reminded me of how much you have to have when you teach for an hour.
Saw The Interpreter last night. Very thrilling.
Lily, good for you, getting your way. Mowing is easier than weeding flower beds, right?
Just a short post. We went to see a friend in the nursing home and it was so sad. She did not look unwell but she has cancer and altheimers and she just was not there. I do think she recognized DH at one point but we have been friends for over 30 years and DH & her husband, friends since high school. We don't have any say in how we go but to go in a puff of smoke would be my prayer.
On a lighter note we are going to Cape Cod for the next two days. My dear friend from work has a place right on the water and has asked us down. We chat on the phone each week but to be able to sit and talk for hours ( and we do) will be great. DH & her hubby get along just great and they set up in one room to talk over politics, the weather and who knows what else and we usually sit in the sun room overlooking Falmouth Bay and talk. Met her 17 years ago when I went to work as a receptionist in Disabled Persons Workshop. We job shared for 7 years ( she worked 2 days & I worked 3).
Maria: That was some trip. I noticed the sign that said no guardrails on the road......I would have turned around right then.
Hi Lily: The weather here has not cooperated, yet, for outdoor work. I suppose it will be 80 next week then I can say it is to hot for outdoor work.
Just checking in. I hit the ground running today. First a fasting blood test for me. Then my DH handed me a cup of coffe as I walked in the door and we turned around and were off to the cardiologist for DH. We were referred to another that we see on Friday. But this one we saw today was very nice and seemed to know what he was talking about. Friday we see the one who does Radiofrequency ablation. This person will tell us if DH should have the procedure as treatment for the SVT. I'll tell you all how it goes.
Tomorrow we are going to the pan handle of Florida. My friend Donna who i worked with for years is there checking on the house they have there. So we are taking Sprout for his first road trip. This should be an adventure. We will spend the night and return home on Wednesday. So I check back then and let you know how Sprout made the trip.
Maria Saddam??? No way! Your picture were great. Thanks for shareing part of your trip.
Hi: Maria: Loved your pictures. I wouldn't envy the walk through the cold water, but guess that is certainly necessary, since there might be a big hole there that you don't see. What would you have done if Alan dropped out of sight?
Good to hear from you Lily: You sound busy with all sorts of ourdoor work. Now I am just trying to keep up with the weeds. for some reason the snapdragons I planted are dying one by one. I am going to have to replace them with something.
Karen: You certainly manage to keep very busy with Dr. appointments. Just exactly what is the procedure that they are considereing for your DH? HOpe Sprout is a good traveler. Our Cuddles was very good. We do miss her, but every time we think about getting another dog, common sense takes over.
Gloria: My DH went to school out on the Cape at Hyannis, at the Mass Maritime school. He was a professional sailor. Ended up as Captain, and then as Pilot on the St. Lawrence River. The Cape has some lovely places.
Glenda: I know what you mean about taking on a job. When I agreed to direct the choir at church, I wasn't quite sure all it would entail. I even forgot to go one night, and had everyone worried. Now I have 6:30 p.m. Thursday written in little notes all over the house so I won't forget again.
I am arranging some music for the group. Had to take a little time off, as I was getting writers cramp. A friend brought me a song that she wanted transcribed onto paper. All she had was a CD. It took me a couple of days to figure it out. It was so fast. I guess it is good to keep my brain in order, and thinking.
This new computer is (has already ) going to drive me insane
Back to using my old one again which is not as speedy but at least it doesn't crash.
Glenda yes I can relate to promising things and then thinking it may never happen but it DOES! DH always likes parties for his birthdays particularly the ones with an '0' on the end. I always sort of agree but before you know it those birthdays are here, the next one is the big SIX OO (60) for him
Gloria how sad for your friend, maybe she is not even aware of the deterioration of her mental state but it must be heartbreaking for her family and friends.
My sister's husband dropped dead (literally) of a heart attack. It was devastating for her and he was only 62 but we now often say when we hear about some very sad health problems, how lucky he was to have gone that way, if only he had waited a further 20 years, 62 was far too young.
Karen hope all your tests came back good. Hope Sprout behaved himself on your trip!
Ann I just received an email to say you have just posted....ah great minds......
Sounds pretty tricky transcribing a song onto paper
I have never asked but are you musically trained?
Alan can swim so I would not have been too worried if he had disappeared into a hole besides that he is EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS, quite opposite to me
I guess that is one of the reasons I go along with all this stuff, he is very cautious and would never take ridiculous chances.
He was a little concerned with that river crossing, not so much the depth of the water but the terrain on the other side to get up on. He never said until after I made it up the bank
I hope everyone is having good days, especially Slavika hope your dh has been having some good days.
Gloria, I think we can all sympathize with you over the plight of your friends. My dad had Alzheimer's. It was such a devastating disease and I am so thankful that he did not realize how he was. He would have been so embarrassed. It is the worst disease for those who love the person to see that person slowly disappear, the "long good-bye." Maria, I also know what you mean about somebody dying quickly and afterwards realizing how lucky he was. But I think we must all play the hand we are dealt and squeeeeeeze each day for as much joy as possible.
Karen, so did our little Sprout handle the trip okay? We have a 9-year-old little Schnauzer, Raleigh. We just lost his good friend Kassie, remember? He has had such a horrible breath since then. Don't know why--almost smelled like he was eating the unthinkable, but my son ordered something over the internet we put in his water and he is back to smelling like dog, not a sewer. Kind of amazing.
Today is National Administrative Assistant Day. Came in to a hanging basket on my desk and my boss is taking us out to eat. Nice to be appreciated, anywhere by anybody. Right?
Yesterday was hubby's 65th. He had a great day at work with cards and banners and those people telling him he didn't look the age. He was smiles all day.
Glenda
You will all as happy as I am that Sprout was a good little traveler. He was even good at the motel we stayed in. He barked a bit at noises but once we all settled down so did he and was out like a light. Was glad I won't have to give him any pills to calm him. We had a good time My friend was glad to see us and Sprout she was missing her dogs (3).
We are having the most unbelievable weather, only a month to the start of winter and we are still having 30+ degree days
Throughout the country there is a serious shortage of rain and water restrictions are in full force.
In Sydney you are not allowed to wash your car, you MUST use one of the car cleaning facilities who recycle all water used. Very good idea but it is $27.00 a pop
In our news the most predominant story is about the 9 Australians caught in Indonesia trying to smuggle heroin back to Australia. All will face the death penalty if found guilty. The video tape with all the heroin strapped to their bodies is fairly damning.
It is unbelievable how stupid these young people were, to risk their lives for a relatively small sum of $10 000. I think many people felt some sympathy when we heard that the 'mules' were threatened with death if they did not comply however this morning we learnt that all of them have made several trips to Bali on false passports!!!!!
Public support is waning fast.
I feel for their families, some had no idea and did not even know that their children were out of the country. How devastating to then get a knock on the door to find out your child is in a foreign jail.
Glenda Happy Birthday to your dh, any thoughts of retiring? I hope you had a great 'National Administrative Assistant Day'. It sure is nice to be appreciated.
KAren what a little star Sprout is pleased he behaved himself.
Maria, yes my husband is set to retire January 1 if he doesn't back out. We are having a problem in our family right now, might be related to retirement. My sister has been a very, very controlling person in her life, but she has changed quite a bit in the last 15 years or so. I always thought she and hubby had a really good marriage, raised 4 college-educated kids, nice home, the works. He has been retired 8 years, she never worked but at home. Anyway, on her birthday, he took off and said he was visiting his brother and sister and would return when he was ready. Hmm....She has been heartbroken. When she said that to him, he said, "Tough!" He will return today. He hasn't called or talked to her. All her kids know and have talked endlessly to her, asking the questions that come to mind. This is so out of the blue. I have been talking to my DH and asking him to please tell me if I bug him before it becomes this big. Sometimes a good idea to see how for granted we take each other. Anyway, we are wondering if retirement has any part of this, their just being tired of each other? Her hubby is one who will not talk and tell her what is on his mind. It is strange and I feel so sorry for her.
Karen, on a lighter note, so glad our Sprout was a gentleman.
All, tomorrow I get my permanent makeup. I have bought all my prescriptions, A&D ointment, frozen peas (used as an icepack), etc. I am so excited, even though it will take a full 6 weeks to see where I am. I am most excited by the eyeliner. Everyday I put it on differently. And she is doing eyelash enhancement. After chemo so few eyelashes came back in and I have worn false eyelashes. I am giving them up after tomorrow, no matter what. Just tired of doing it.
How exciting Glenda and of course, all the very best.
I knew you had talked of having this done but I didn't realise you are actually going ahead with it. Good for you, you will HAVE to send a photograph of before and after in a little while and give us all the details on the whole procedure.
How sad for your sister, regardless of how controlling she was or whatever, what a kick in the guts to have your husband do something like this totally out of the blue. The older we are getting the more we talk about just about EVERYTHING, I guess we are lucky.
I also just KNOW when dh has something on his mind and invariably I am right.
I feel sure that retirement will have its adjustments but it WILL be good.
Two more weekends in Sydney before going home for 2 weeks, then back and finally make the move home for good (I think ) on June 22.
It is very hot here today, I am so sick of this continually hot weather, cannot wait to snuggle under a quilt instead of sleeping under a sheet and still feeling hot. Airconditioning is good but there is nothing like a cool, crisp night for sleeping.
Have a great weekend all, cannot wait to hear how it all went Glenda
Our daughter-in-law is in labour as I 'speak'. Our son sounds a bit stressed by it all.
The doctors don't think little Matilda will be born until late tonight.
I now have to plan to get home...perhaps on Monday if I can get a flight.
Hi Everybody
Gosh I haven't been here for awhile and so much is going on. I wonder if little Matty has arrived yet....... Karen let us know how DH made out today and what exactly a "Radiofrequency Ablation" is. I'm happy that young Sprout proved to be a good traveller. I think most dogs are if you start them young enough and if you take them out in the car with you whenever you can. I can remember one time when we took a trip to the States and it was very hot when we stopped for lunch. We left the air contioner running in the car and sat in a booth in the restaurant where we could keep an eye on Nikita our little dog, and she was also was keeping an eye on the door that we went into the restaurant. We bought those "little window gates" so that you can leave the windows down in the car if you have a pet with you but we felt that it was still too hot in there. We ate quickly and everything turned out ok. A friend of mine told me she read that you should freeze two LARGE pop bottles of water, put a towel on the car seat and let your dog sit/lay between them. The dog will remain cool and he can lick the condensation off the bottles. I thought that was a good idea, if the dog would stay in that spot. Maybe if they got too warm they would go back to that spot, or at least lay close to a cool bottles. Glenda I know you are going to be so pleased when you get finished with your "makeup" procedure. You have wanted to do it for a long time......so now is the time. Gloria so sorry to hear about your friend. I guess Alzheimer's is truly one disease that effects the loved ones much more then the one that is sick. My sil does home care, and she has a lady patient who is in her last stage of Alzheimer's and it is just so very sad. She is still at home and her DH looks after her with the help of day care. I don't know how much longer he can do that.
Talking about our husband's retiring......I knew from my friends that things do change when suddenly you have your husband at home all the time. DH's official retirement date is in July. He will be 63 at the end of August. With him getting sick we sure didn't have a chance to "ease" into being together so much, but I have say we are making out ok. He feels bad that I have to do most of things around the house, but I know that if the situation was reversed he would do all he could. I have hired a cleaning lady to come in every two weeks, a gardener to come once a week, and I even hired a fellow to come and do the windows. It's important to DH that I go with him to all his treatments and doctor's appointments and anyway I want to. He was the one that suggested that I hire help. We saw the oncologist yesterday and DH will start his 3rd session of chemo on Monday through to Thursday. Ann you must have a musical background to do what you do........LOL nobody would ever ask me.
I am so hoping that DH will be well enough to travel and that we can take our family to Maui next winter. He likes to talk about it, and I think that's good and gives him and I both something to look forward to. I changed my signature at the bottom of my posts.....I think that is such a nice Hawaiian saying. The Hawaiian language only has 12 letters in it's alphabet: vowels a, e, i, o, u and consonants h, k, l, m, n, p, w. The vowel a - pronunciation - ah
e - ay
i- ee
o- oh
u- oo
Aloha........
Feisty & Sexy 50-60 year olds #49
The other days were not quite as eventful but never the less challenging.
today. First a fasting blood test for me. Then my DH handed me a cup of coffe as I walked in the door and we turned around and were off to the cardiologist for DH. We were referred to another that we see on Friday. But this one we saw today was very nice and seemed to know what he was talking about. Friday we see the one who does Radiofrequency ablation. This person will tell us if DH should have the procedure as treatment for the SVT. I'll tell you all how it goes.
This should be an adventure. We will spend the night and return home on Wednesday. So I check back then and let you know how Sprout made the trip.
) going to drive me insane 
