Hi Everybody I can't believe that we have "talked" our way through 200 threads. LOL Maria what's the word on the job situation. Have you heard anything further? Peggy Are you planning on making up a jacket for yourself? What kind of jacket? You sure keep yourself busy between crafting and sewing projects. Lily one year while on "motoring" holiday DH and I thought we would drive to San Francisco but that was a year when it was soooo hot and not much rain and there was a real rationing of water in San Francisco. We decided we would just sort holiday in Victoria, BC and a few places in and around Kelowna BC. I always thought we would one day make the car trip again, but we haven't. Karen enjoyed reading your nice long post. You are always so busy. Getting the kids the "bed in a bag" was a great idea.
We had our son's birthday "din dins" on Saturday and the Calgary Ribs were just wonderful. I could not believe how many the grandkids ate. They both had BBQ sauce across their little faces all the way to their ears. LOL I made the calorie laden Shmoo Cake for my son (his absolute favorite) and served it with whipping cream and home made caramel sauce. I cut myself a very very small piece and packed up the remainder of the cake/whipping cream/caramel sauce for them to take home with them.
I had a fellow make a microwave stand/cupboard to match my kitchen cupboads and he delivered it on Saturday and I am really pleased with the job he did. He couldn't quite get the same oak stain that is on my cupboards but not bad.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY (do you all celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday?)
QUOTE: Never let your mind remain so open that your brain
falls out.
Has anyone else seen SIGNS with Mel Gibson? Hubby and I went to the cheap movie last night. It was a Si Fi, my DH doesn't like that kind of a movie, and they usually scare the be-jebbers out of me, but we went anyway. It was quite funny and really scarey.
Peggy now you are sewing a jacket, you are always doing somehing. Right now I am in the process of sewing 4 infant nighties.... decided to lay the project aside for a few days, I don't like making button holes and just don't know what kind of a closing to make in the front. I am thinking of little snaps. I am also thinking that this will be the last thing I sew for the rest of my life. I sure don't enjoy sewing anymore.
Karen sure sounds like you had a good time with your fellow WW leaders. I went to WI today, and as expected up 1.8 lbs. That makes me over goal by .6 ... not much, but I am very angry with myself. I have been avoiding the WI all month because I just couldn't get my weight to go down. Now I have really got to get serious or I will continue going up, I know this from past experience. Picture me !!
Well, time for me to head to Slavika's, for Tea and wisdom and definitely a lot of
Been a few days since posting.
Lots to do now that I am home. Finally made some curtains for both my bathrooms and they look great.
Whilst I was at the sewing machine, I got some mending out of the way. It is amazing how long mending just hangs around and when you actually get around to doing it, it really doesn't take very long at all
No news on the job front yet . A few things on the go, I am not being terribly pro-active because I really would prefer to start work in the New Year, after Christmas, the wedding etc.etc.
DH works from home in a 'virtual' team, his co workers are scattered around America, all working from home. He has a phone hook-up with them once a week, it is intersting hearing all the different accents from the different parts in America. The first thing that seems to be discussed is the weather! They have changed the times so dh does not have to sit up till all hours of the night to participate.
I have also got rid of Windows XP on my laptop and have installed Windows 2000 Professional. I did back everything up but left the back-up CD's in Melbourne DD send them and I now have them ready to put all back again.
I don't know if any of you have Windows XP but I found it very frustrating. I have spend the last 6 weeks getting a very expensive scanner connected, I won't bore you with all the details but the reason was basically Windows XP.
Lily I enjoyed the websites, thank you. Lake Tahoe looks a great place for a holiday. I also thought your weather seems to be very pleasant, not too hot or cold. Do you go to San Francisco often? Interesting to read of your wine industry, South Australia also has quite a large wine industry
Karen I am surprised to hear of your dd electricity supply, sounds a bit dicey, hope plumbing and electricity is now connected the way it should be. I agree with you that when you go to any type of seminar, there are so many talented people out there, glad you enjoyed it.
Trudy Wow you are so close at goal, don't be too hard on yourself, but I know from bitter experience that it certainly is very easy to allow the weight to creep back on again.
I haven't heard of the movie you spoke of.
Slavika that is quite an achievement 200 threads! Your cake sounded magnificent, home made caramel sauce
We don't celebrate Thanks giving. I am surprised that so may of my dh's virtual team have the whole week off to celebrate this occassion, is that the norm???
I loved your quote
Slavika: San Francisco is great to visit. Wouldnt live there tho as there are way to many people. But I do like to go there and look around.
Yep its Thanksgiving here Thursday. Your cake sounded good!
Trudy: No havent even heard about that movie. But if Mels in it I will be there for sure! Sounds like it was a good one! Sorry about the gain, but you will get it off.
Maria: We dont go as often any more. We used to go every Christmas but have gotten out of the habit. We use to live down that way and spent alot of week ends in San Francisco. The real Wine Country here is Napa: http://www.napavalley.com/
We do go there alot. Its a beautiful area. But the winey that are here up in the hills are just as good. They call them the Hidden Winerys. And you dont have to pay to taste either. In Napa you do.
We are going to a friends for thanksgiving. Im making a Pumpkin Cheesecake to take with me. Have to do the potatoes and gravy to.
So if I dont get back until after, Have a great Thanksgiving to all those that do celebrate!
Schmoo cake and pumpkin cheesecake? No fair, now I want some and I want it now. Just got back from the fabric store. I got a red fleece for my jacket. Of course I want it finished for my girls weekend the 7th. I got some fat quarters to make a snowman quilt too. The directions say it can be made in a day. Right! How about a year if you sew like I do. I need Ann's help. Trudy I don't like buttonholes either. Peggy
Trudy - that bit about the sewing made me laugh out loud. I don't enjoy sewing much anymore either and I think it is because I just don't see that well. But for that new grandbaby, you can buy lots of cute things ON SALE. You are doing so well on your weight, but diligence is the key, so you are on the right track.
Maria - I don't think in my neck of the woods it is normal to be off the whole week of Thanksgiving. We are only off Thursday and Friday. Some people only get off on Thursday. Friday is a big shopping day here in the States.
I have been so sick. Had a cold with no voice and then was STRUCK with a stomach virus. Thought I would die, but didn't. I think my appetite is coming back just in time. Too bad I can't bottle this "not hungry" thing without the sickness--could make a fortune.
Have a great Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for.
Glenda
I hope all of you US gals have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.
I started some Christmas shopping today. The mall was quite busy for a Wed afternoon, I guess everyone had the same idea.
Sorry you were sick Glenda.. the stomach flu is the worst thing. Peggy it looks like you have your work cut out for you with all that sewing to do. Hope it turns out nice for you. Lily I love San Francisco. Years ago we flew to Los Angeles, did the Disneyland thing, went to the movie studios etc, drove in a car rental south to San Diego, went to Sea World, and into Mexico (hated Mexico), and then drove the Pacific Highway to San Francisco and flew back home. It was a 2 wk trip. We stopped off at Hurst Castle and did 2 tours there. We stayed at Monteray 1 night. We had beautiful weather, and had such a nice time. Maria I usually leave the mending till I have a big pile and then tackle it. Always feel good after it is done. Slavika I love that new quote you have.
Hope you all have a nice day tomorrow... I have to go and write out my Christmas Cards.. bye..
Lovely sunny day here today Hope you are all enjoying your Thanksgiving holiday and that the weather is kind to you.
Yesterday afternoon I finally received a follow up call from the employment agency that rang last week to see if I was interested in the job of 'corporate receptionist' for the RDNS (Royal District Nursing Service). This morning I have an interview at 11. Keep your fingers crossed:crossed
I am not too fussed either way, it will be a boon to the old self-esteem to score a job this quickly with very little trying but it is full time and perhaps all a bit too soon. I am being really picky now but of course will accept the position if it is offered.
I also feel a bit dishonest because I may not be there for long.
Yesterday DH's boss rang to give him feedback on his job and he received a glowing report and was also told that there will be a bonus before Christmas due to his excellent work! He also spoke of what maybe in the wind for next year.
So for the time being it would seem the job is secure again It is all very confusing and causing a lot of stress on both of us.
We have decided that we will go away again if the offer is just too good to pass up but it will have to be DEFINITE before I would throw in a job.
All these challenges, all too much to cope with at times
Trudy Your trip to San Francisco sounded wonderful, why did you not like Mexico?
Glenda pleased you are better again. I think the best thing about being sick is that it is so wonderful to feel good again, if that makes any sense
Lily Napa Valley looked to be a magnificent spot, great for a weekend get-away! Thanks for posting these sites, makes me get itchy feet though
Peggy ah if only we all lived a bit closer, we could all pool our talents! When my children were small I was asked to make overalls for a hairdressing chain. I agreed to make them (102 ). My biggest concern was the five buttonholes in each overall but what turned out to be the biggest pain were the 2 patch pockets on each overall It was an experience I now look back at with some awe, don't know how I did it!
I also remember receiving payment and dh and I sitting in our lounge opening the envelope with all the cash and just throwing it in the air We paid some outstanding bills and I bought my very first dishwasher, never been without one since!
Must be off and 'tart' myself up for the interview!
Mix cream cheese, milk and sugar in a bowl until blended. Gently stir in
whipped topping. Spread on bottom of piecrust. Pour 1 cup milk into a bowl
add pudding. Beat until blended. Stir in pumpkin and spices until blended.
Spread over the cream cheese mixture.
SERVINGS 8; CALORIES 146; FAT 1 g; PROTEIN 2 g; CARBS 11 g; FIBER 0 g; CHOL 1 mg; IRON 0 mg; SODIUM 45 mg
SERVING SIZE= 1/8 of Pie
WW POINTS: 3
Glenda: So sorry you have been sick. Hope you are feeling better and could at least enjoy the holiday.
Trudy: See you have been some pLace I havent and I live here I have always wanted to go to the Hearst Castle. DH's Parents live down that way but we have never gone Just proves you should do things in your own area more often. And we dont. The Pacfic coast Highway is beautiful tho, we have done that! Just dont do it past San Francisco, Its pretty dont get me wrong but I drove it and its very windy and steep and I dont do that well when Im driving Was a nervous wreck the whole way.
Maria: Good luck with your interview today! I have my fingers crossed.
Sounds good for your DH's Job to. Unfortuanely mine will be offically Laid off Monday
I cant speak for Trudy, but unless you go far into Mexico it isnt a pretty place. If you drive in just right off the border it really is pretty bad. You dont drink the water and you dont eat the food unless you like Dog or horse meat Tijuana is the worse. But you drive further on down and it gets really pretty. I dont have fond memories of Tijuana at all
Had a great Thanksgiving but as always I eat to much
Lily it sounds yummy. Thanks for the recipe. Maria good luck on the job interview. You will wow them. Glenda hope that you are feeling better. Now don't spread it to us over the puter. Trudy will you be my personal shopper? It is black Friday here and I can't stand to go near the stores today. Toooo crowded. You trip to the west coast sounds like a dream trip. I would like to do it sometime. Got started on my jacket today and got the appliques on. Got to get ready for a family party tonight. Peggy
Peggy I have never heard of Black Friday. What does that mean? I finished my Christmas shopping today, and I am not going into any more malls.... except maybe if there is some teriffic sale on something . Maria, Lily explained Tijuana perfectly. Most of the people going over the border parked their cars on the US side and walked over. We decided to drive and maybe go further into Mexico to see what it was like. .. big mistake. We were absolutely swamped with men, women and children running up to the car and wanting us to re-upholster the interior of the car, or to buy pottery and leather goods. It was really difficult driving because DH had to be careful not hitting anyone. The smell was horrible, there was no way we were going to eat or drink anything. Intead of going further, we just drove threw the little town and tried to make our way back to the US border. We got stuck in a very long line of cars and again were constantly pestered to buy things. We couldn't wait to clear the US customs. We have never been to one of the resorts, but I do think it is the only way to go. I know Slavika went to a resort and had a wonderful time.
We have friends who liked to go to Lake Chapella, the enterior of Mexico. One time when they were in Guadalhara (sp?) a truck stopped, heavily armed police got out of the truck, put a hood over a man and dragged him into the truck and sped away. Many a time they were stopped by police on the hwy. and would have to pay them so they could continue. I don't think it is a country where you want to be driving. But then again, I am not the bravest person.. things like that make me so nervous.
Interview went allright but it is a semi government department and one has to go through all the correct procedures I was interviewed by a panel of 3 and the whole thing took over an hour. At the end they wanted me to do a role play. Once upon a time I would have freaked but I have done so many role plays when I was a manager in a large telecommunications company that they do not faze me and I know I do them well.
They rang me back last night and I have been shortlisted, another person and myself now have to have a medical and another interview for the final decision to be made.
I could do the job standing on my head, I am not particularly fussed if I get it or not. It seems a very nice organisation and the people that I met were friendly so should I be succesful I will definetly accept the position.
Lily sorry to hear about your dh and his impending 'lay off'. Whilst we were pleased to hear dh's boss talk of next year etc. etc. but who knows, his boss could get the flick tomorrow and we could be back to square one, everything is still very uncertain. One good thing is that Lucent shares are on the way up hope they continue to do so.
Thank you for your explanation about Mexico, it was not at all what I would have imagened. I also find the constant hassling of people wanting to sell you stuff very annoying, that was one of the reasons I did not want to go to India. I had heard from some of dh's colleagues who had worked in Mexico, that it was a rather dangerous place, also something I can live without I had this picture in my head of seeing Herb Alpert and his Tijuana brass on every other street corner Oh well we will just have to scrub Mexico of the list of places we may want to visit.
Black friday here is Friday the 13th, black friday for Peggy has to be different.
It is a warm day here today and I have spend the morning watching son play cricket. I will go back to watch the end of day's play shortly. There are 2 Canadians in ds's team, they are out in Australia playing in the World Cup.
Has been a very busy holiday for us. We went to my Aunts for dinner yesterday. It's an hour and a half drive so was tired last night. Then didn't sleep all that well last night . Not sure what the problem is maybe just my age catching up with me. Today went and did my weekly food shopping. Also bought a new coffeemaker. The one we had was junk We had to warm up each cup we drank in the micowave. What a pain! hope the new works better
We are having another Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday with DD and Family , DS and family and my parents will be here too. DS's wife had to work yesterday so they weren't with us and DDwas just staying home enjoying her new house now that she has heat, lights and plumbing. I'm going to make Lily's pie
Maria sounds as if the job might just be yours good going. I love your confidence. You don't let anything scare you and I loved how you said you needed to "tart" your self up to go to the interview. I was at that one.
I made a quick trip into Target today. And to Walmart. Wall to wall people.
Trudy how nice to be done with Christmas shopping.
I haven't even started. Got to get in gear as it's not far away now.
Glenda glad you are on the mend.
Peggy how's your jacket turning out? And the family Party?
Slavika Shmoo Cake? If there is lots of calories I'm sure I will like it.
Did I tell you all" that you know your getting old" when your granddaughter gets her first period That was a very traumatic day for all in volved. She was aware of what it was. But it was hard on her and her mother and her father was in shock. And remember there was no plumbing
Well I think I'll go to bed and see if I can sleep tonight.
Have a great weekend all of you.
Karen
Peggy: Your jacket sounds wonderful! Have fun at the party!
Trudy: I never heard of Black friday before this year either. Its to boycott the busiest shopping day of the year. I have been doing it for years, and didnt even know it. Cept my boycott lasts until after Christmas. I wont go into a mall until after. I hate all the people.
Yep you got Tijuana perfectly its a horrible place!
Maria: Sounds like the interview went well. Never heard of having to do a role play in an interview tho. Probabaly would of freaked me out!
KAren: Your poor Grand daughter and with no plumbing. Poor thing.
Your brave to go shopping. I finished my shopping last week. Still got a few things to do, but they will be bought on the internet.
Hi Everybody Maria more information on Mexico.... Trudy is right, DH and I did go to Mexico on holidays about 10 years ago. We went to a resort area called IXTAPA, which is on Mexico's Pacific coast. The Sierra Madre Mountains are not too far from there, and also a small fishing village called Zihuatanejo. One of my most favorite movies is the Shawshank Redemption. In the movie a banker who is in prison, accused of murdering his wife says, if he ever gets out he is going to go to Zihuatanejo, where the water is always blue, and buy himself an old charter boat, and spend his days working on it. Zihuatanejo is pronounced zee-wat-ta-nay-oh. (sort of)
The Mexican people who live in the area mostly work in the hotels and other tourist type places so you don't see the same kind of proverty that you would in Mexican cities that are more inland. The people we met were just wonderful.
A couple of times after that we went to Texas to a place near Brownsville. That whole area in and around Brownsville, McAllen, and Weslaco have a whole bunch of Senior's Parks where many people from the USA and Canada (they are called snowbirds) go for a few months to get away from the winter). The Rio Grande River runs along side of these towns. When you are in Weslaco you cross a bridge over the Rio Grande River and you are in Mexico. The town right there, as you come off the bridge is called Progreso. Almost everybody leaves their cars on the Texas side and just "walks" into Mexico. In the little border town of Progreso, I believe each owner of a shop is responsible for the "sidewalk" outside of his establishment. Now this sidewalk, could be made of stones, bricks, patio blocks, wood or just mud. You MUST wear sensible shoes because nothing is level. As you walk along, the owners of the different shops try to entice you to come in and look/buy something in their place. LOL LOL even the dentist stands outside of his shop trying to coax you to go in and get some work done. Many of the people who live in the area go to Progreso to buy their alcohol, silver jewelry and leather goods. When we were in Weslaco, Tx. we took a bus tour with guide to a Mexican City that was bigger then Progreso, that was called Matamoros and DH bought two really nice, all leather duffel bags (one for himself and one for our son). DH still uses his as his carry-on for the plane. I just asked him if he remembered what he paid for the bags and although it's been ten years he says it was such a good deal that he knows they were only $15.00US each.
Maria I would certainly go to Mexico again and if I wanted a more sun and ocean holiday I would chose one of the resort areas. Mexico is certainly a lot cheaper then Hawaii. Lily boy you are one smart gal....doing your shopping while sitting at your computer. Peggy I assume that "Black Friday" simply means the huge shopping day that follows right after Thanksgiving??? Karen I guess the Shmoo Cake would not be too deadly as long as you just had a small piece.
Well gals, as Maria says, time for me to TART myself up. DH and I are going out to a restaurant with his co-workers for a Christmas
get together.
Feisty & Sexy 50 & 50 year olds #200
I made the calorie laden Shmoo Cake for my son (his absolute favorite) and served it with whipping cream and home made caramel sauce. I cut myself a very very small piece and packed up the remainder of the cake/whipping cream/caramel sauce for them to take home with them. 
we saw a good movie last night.
!!
. A few things on the go, I am not being terribly pro-active because I really would prefer to start work in the New Year, after Christmas, the wedding etc.etc.
DD send them and I now have them ready to put all back again.
Happy Thanksgiving
Hope you are all enjoying your Thanksgiving holiday and that the weather is kind to you.
). My biggest concern was the five buttonholes in each overall but what turned out to be the biggest pain were the 2 patch pockets on each overall
Black Friday??
We had to warm up each cup we drank in the micowave. What a pain! hope the new works better
That was a very traumatic day for all in volved. She was aware of what it was. But it was hard on her and her mother and her father was in shock. And remember there was no plumbing
