:grouphug:

Yesterday actually wasn't too bad, weather-wise, but today is just awful -- perfect weather for Friday the 13th, I guess, since it will keep a lot of people home and thus out of trouble. :s:

Hop the DH's fall doesn't catch up with him later.

Good Morning! Oh my gosh! So many accidents-did the effects of Friday the 13th just come early this time?:lol: I really, really hope Purpleorc and Rosebud's DH don't have any lasting effects from the falls (been there, done that, no fun at all!) and very glad that Rosebud wasn't burned badly. I never thought about those of you with larger busts being endangered while cooking;) I have a hard enough time just eating without dropping stuff on my chest and I'm not very well-endowed!

I was planning to go to town with DS2 today to pick up a couple groceries, but just feel totally wiped out after going to MN yesterday, plus, I think I've relapsed with this stupid cold and my head feels like it could explode:headache: MIL's surgery went well, but had to stay overnight due to an irregular heartbeat during the shoulder surgery. DH's oldest sis is going to take her home today if everything goes well (this has happened before, so they don't think it's going to be a problem-just something that happens when she's under anesthesia).

I was reading all of your posts and some of your foods sound wonderful! If we got together for a potluck, it'd be quite a feast (but no head cheese, please:lol:). We had some of the homemade chicken noodle soup I had taken to MIL last night, but think I need to make some more and maybe just take it intravenously! I'd like to try to make Purple's lentil/veggie soup. That sounds really good.

Rosebud-again, I'm so glad you weren't burned badly. Is there a way you can place a platform at your stove so you aren't so low and close to the burners? I'm short too, so I know the problems it can cause. Looking at houses, we see a lot of homes with the microwave above the stove. People have no idea how dangerous that is for someone our height. We once looked at a home that had been remodeled completely and was gorgeous, but the couple that owned it were both over 6' tall. When they did the kitchen, they raised the counters and placed the stove and fridge on platforms. The countertops were almost to my armpits! We just laughed and told the realtor that they had to find another really tall couple to buy that one!

Meowee-we've got your grey and drizzly too. I know it's only Feb, but couldn't spring come early just this once? Or, maybe twice? Or, maybe when DH retires, we'll move south for :sunny: and :beach:! Glad your back is feeling better. Did you decide to change your hair? I also have trouble deciding what to do with mine at times.

Beverlyjoy-so glad your performances have gone well! Hope the pain is getting better, though.

Purple-hope you are still recovering ok from your falls. Ow, ow, ow, I know how that hurts! And, hope you have safe travels today. Yep, on the whist grand-slam. My in-laws call it that when you not only take all the tricks, but take them all in the first round, so you win both the hand and the game. We've only managed to do it once in the 10 years they've been teaching me the game-oh, well!

Val-hope you are continuing to feel better. Your new furniture sounds nice. We think about new stuff, but then remember we have teenage boys and decide to wait:lol: I hadn't thought how illness affects the MS symptoms, but after reading what you said about your hand going numb, I realized that my lips and cheek started feeling numb and pins/needles sensations when this cold started. Wonder if it'll go away when the cold goes:dunno:

Hi also to numpster-I hear you're getting ready for a wedding? Hope all is well. We miss you.

Hope everyone has a nice, safe, uneventful Friday the 13th;) I really don't believe in superstition, but my family was from the Pennsylvania Dutch and some things are very ingrained:lol: My sis and I decided many years ago, though, that the really dangerous day is Saturday the 14th, because you let your guard down:dizzy: Take care, you all!

HI LADIES ~ well, it's Friday night and I just remembered that I hadn't posted yet today. We had lovely sunshine all day today which brought the temps up a bit. DH says the winds were a bit cold as he tried to go for a walk and had to come back because his face was freezing. For some reason, he just doesn't want to wear a scarf, but he has some nice, soft plaid scarves: I don't get it; it's like teens who just don't want to wear hats, but their ears are getting frostbite! Not cool, I guess ... :dunno:

Not me, I'll bundle up like an Eskimo if I have to; as a matter of fact, I don't want to go out unless I am! :lol: Dh often says to me, "Oh, you don't need a hat and scarf" and I tell him that it's my choice. I don't want to freeze, so I'm wearing them, and that's that!:p

HI RONNI ~ You know, if we didn't have buxom chests, all our food would just fall in our laps or on the table, like it does on my DH. He makes such a mess at the table when he eats; I finally know why! My side is clean because it always falls on me; and his falls all over the table and other places, making lots of work for me! ;)

Glad your MIL's surgery went well; have sent up prayers for the heart issue and that she will recover soon. I made a pot of tomato-bean soup today and there's enough leftover for lunch tomorrow as well (one of my favorites besides chicken noodle and mushroom). Yes, PURPLE and I like to exchange recipes and meal ideas. I like lots of variety and she has so many good low-cal dessert ideas too.

I know what you mean about putting a stool or something in front of my stove, but then I'd just trip over that since I can't seem to see past the two mountains just below my neck! :o;) I often trip over our NIKO because I just can't see him from the side or back, of course. :dizzy:

You often see models in ads; and Dh and I noticed today how tall the ladies are in them. Their hips are even with the burners and theirs heads are even with the stove fans! I can barely reach my stove fan with my hand; and as you know, the stovetop almost reaches my chest. DH and I noticed that all the cupboards here are too high; obviously, whoever built this place was very tall and forgot about all the shorties in this world. :lol:

MEOWEE ~ THANKS for your concern about DH; he still insists that he's A-OK! Says he didn't hurt himself at all, but he did just happen to mention that he fell when he came in. ;)

HI TO PURPLE, and VAL, and BEVERYJOY, and NUMPSTER ~ hope you all have a great weekend!

Take good care :hug:ROSEBUD :hug:

its the weekend YAY!

i will be attending a friend's wedding tomorrow. we had more than 15 inches of snow the last couple days.. and I was feeling stressed so i put my elliptical machine on a higher than normal setting and kinda ruined my knee for the day. So no workout today.

Long weekend in manitoba this weekend! Monday is the 2nd ever 'Louis Riel Day' Holiday. Louis Riel is the Metis Father of my province, and also the key leader of my Aboriginal nation - the Metis. woo long weekend :) i will have time to stop by! ttys!

Happy Valentines Day to you and yours . . . :val1:

:val1:HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!:val1:

HI LADIES ~ we had another lovely Sunny day, but it was cold and windy. I went out for a walk but couldn't go past our laneway as everything around here was solid ice; so I just walked up & down the laneway for about 15 minutes. I also took a few pics while I was out there; tried to get a chickadee who came to our tree and was singing gratefully, but I had to come in as the northern winds were just awful and my face was freezing (I didn't dress up warm enough as that sun is so misleading).

HI VAL ~ glad you are having a long weekend; yes, we know about RIEL and I studied him in our Canadian History in school and since then as well. I think DH & I saw a movie or documentary about him once too.

HI PURPLE ~ that lamb casserole hotpot sounds yummy; they had lamb on sale last week (about $8.00/lb or so), but this week they have nice Round Beef and lean center Pork on for about $2.00/lb so I think I'll pick some of that up; I think that dish would taste good with them too.

I had a nice, long talk with NUMPSTER today; she hasn't on been the net for awhile, as she was having some health issues and works very long hours. Their daughter is staying with them until the wedding in April and there is always lots of things that come up with four kids and both working full-time jobs.

THANKS, MEOWEE ~ Hope you had a nice VALENTINE'S DAY too!

HI TO RONNI and BEVERLYJOY ~ have a great weekend.

Well, we ended up doing a lot more today than we thought as our poor NIKO had the fox trots today and had a wee accident, so I had to wash all the floors and DH cleaned our bedroom rug this evening. Have the throw rugs all washed and hanging on our indoor rack to dry, and it's all fixed up now.

It's time to go put my legs up as we have been going all evening and my feet are starting to throb; take good care and have great weekend ... :hug:ROSEBUD:hug:

:wave: HI LADIES ~ we had beautiful sunshine here today but the temps were a bit colder @ -20C and with the northern winds, really about -30C. I just stayed in and tried to keep warm but Dh moseyed down the Winter Carnival this week and did get to see a few events before the cold got to him.

HI PURPLE ~ I just remembered that you asked me what TURKEY PEPPERETTES are? They are thin little semi-dried sausages that can be eaten as they are or sliced up for pizzas or omelettes; most people eat them for a snack. There a few different kinds: some are hotter than others; I prefer the regular, and turkey ones (which are only 50 calories each, so a for a 100 calorie snack, you can have two). When I was younger, we used to grab these for a quick snack or meal when we were running late; I decided to go back to that instead of other junk, and that's when I discovered that they now make the lower fat turkey version.

Yes, I remember watching that Torvil & Dean dance; I was much younger but indeed, I do remember them for sure. Good idea to watch this while doing your ironing: that will surely make it go by much faster. I know what you mean about the cold on the face; I just don't like it either.

I'm sorry to hear about how much your sister is suffering and still no solution from the insurance company; shame that takes so long. We have different rules here now; there is some type of scale they go by, I think. Plus our government has tightened up the laws for drunk drivers; if you are caught drinking and driving three times, you lose your driving privileges for life.

HI to MEOWEE, VAL, NUMPSTER, RONNI, and BEVERLYJOY ~ hope you ladies all had a great weekend!

We had a fireside pie for dinner tonight; tomorrow we are having roasted whole chicken with a variety of veggies. Today, I am just resting my legs and feet; time to put them up again and maybe do a few puzzles. Take good care :hug:ROSEBUD:hug:

Hello and a late Happy Valentine's Day to you all! We had a resting kind of weekend, but don't feel much better yet. DS3 has developed a fever and cough, so we'll be off to the doc later today. Just can't seem to shake off this virus and I think he's got another ear infection:( Trying to think of something easy for dinner since it'll have to be quick or something that can sit on the stove while we're at the doc. Maybe chili....

Val-hope that knee feels better and that you had a nice time at the wedding. I've had knee issues off and on since trying to ice skate in high school. Never did have good balance-should have known better than to try to get on ice with tiny narrow blades on my feet:dizzy:! You'll have to share about your roots sometime (or maybe you have somewhere else already)-it sounds fascinating. One of my great, great grandmothers was Native American, but no one kept family histories in that part of the family, so I don't know anything about her life.

Rosebud-sure hope NIKO is feeling better. Poor thing-dogs always feel guilty about causing messes, but they can't tell us ahead of time when they're feeling sick.

Purple-I'm sorry about your sister's issues. It makes me so mad when people and insurance companies won't make right on an injury. We're going through a similar thing and have had to file a lawsuit against the driver who ran a stop and hit us 3 years ago. DS3 has back and leg pain and is in physical therapy and I have had whiplash headaches for most of the 3 years since the incident (I refuse to call it an accident, because the other driver was negligent and was cited at the time.). What is the most upsetting is that our DS3 is only 12 and wants to play football and run, but has been restricted from almost all sports due to the injury and pain. He feels so left out and it just brings tears to my eyes thinking about how this could have been avoided if the other driver had just stopped and looked. And, it makes me very angry that the insurance company doesn't think he deserves some kind of compensation for affecting his life this way. Over here, each state has different ways of dealing with drunk drivers and any type of traffic deaths. When a tractor-trailer hit and killed my grandparents in Indiana 16 years ago (he failed to slow down for a 4-way stop and their car was in front of him), the law said he could not be held liable for a "work-related death" and was given no punishment at all. His company paid for the funeral after we had to take them to court, but didn't even have to reimburse the estate for the car. We were shocked that the driver didn't even get a fine and continued his job as a professional driver. So, I get really irritated by bad drivers, insurance companies, and laws that don't help protect the victims. We could share a:soap:on this issue! Hope you got all that ironing done-my pile is growing as I write!

Hi to Meowee, Beverlyjoy, and Numpster, too! Hope you've all had a great weekend and are looking forward to a good week!

Hi gang . . . :wave:

HI LADIES ~ we had another sunny day today; boy, have we been blessed lately and the temps were a bit milder too. I spent some time doing my books (bills and such) and our income tax (so glad to get that out of the way) today.

DH went up town to mail them and pick up a couple of things but the only thing open was the post office and one restaurant; everything else was closed. They told him that it was a civic holiday, but nobody seemed to know what for, and it's not marked on our Canadian Calendar either ... tres weird!!!

Anyways, just did stuff around the house today; we had a lovely big roasted chicken with lots of roasted veggies and it was so yummy ... you could smell it all over the house. I also did some letter writing myself today and a couple of puzzles this afternoon while resting my legs a bit.

:wave: HI MEOWEE ~ how's the weather down that way? We're pretty mild today, for February.

VAL ~ we sure hope that your knee is feeling better; don't overdo it on the elliptical there, slow and steady is better. Did you have fun at the friend's wedding?

HI RONNI ~ sorry to hear that sad story about your grandparents; your family sure has had more than it's share of troubles from car accidents. We have some kind of NO-FAULT insurance here where certain things must be paid for by scale, but I'm not really sure how it all works in those kinds of situations.

Will send up some prayers for that nasty flu in your house. These ladies here once told me to open up the windows to let in the fresh air!It may work ... Hope your DS3 is feeling better soon; there are many flus going around these days, and they are what is called 'hangoners', meaning they stay around much longer than we want them to.

NIKO was acting a bit odd, in that he kept running back and forth from the door to DH who was in the bedroom; but DH was so engrossed in a movie, he didn't notice it. I had asked DH what was wrong with him, but he didn't repond and well, you know the rest of the story ... :lol:

OH well, I had wanted to clean that carpet anyways, and the floors have to be done so, it worked out in the end, but we don't usually do it all in one evening; we usually spread it out over a few days. ;)

HI to PURPLE, and NUMPSTER, and BEVERLYJOY!!!

Well, not much else to report here; hope you all have a TERRIFIC TUESDAY! Take good care ... :hug:ROSEBUD:hug:

Hi to you all! Not much to say today. DS3 has developed bronchitis and ear infection, so he's on meds for 10 days. We're expecting more snow:p tomorrow, but I guess it'll cover up the dirty stuff we still have! DH came home from work irritable yesterday, so that pretty much set the tone for the evening and I made a couple poor choices in my eating and ended up over 2000 cals for the day (bad, bad, bad:eek:), but back OP today. Really, really want to be under 190 by Easter! I'm needing new clothes, but hate to buy now when I could be smaller in a few weeks;)

Hope you wonderful ladies have a great day!

Hi gang . . . :grouphug:

Gee, Winter is really getting me down this year. Actually it's sunny today but instead of feeling good about that all I seem to do is think about the next blizzard that's forecast for Thursday. :mad:

Oh phooey . . . plus a good rousing Bah Humbug as well. :s:

:hug: I feel your pain, Meowee! I've spent my free time the last few days looking through old magazines finding ideas for gardens and fixing up the house just in case spring actually gets here! Surely it will-maybe around June? :lol:

Here's a little spring for you!
:sunny::flow1::flow1::flow1::snail::flow1::beach:

:wave: HI LADIES ~ well, no sunshine today: we had nice big fat snowflakes instead, but the temps were really mild hovering around the 0c mark most of the day. We kept busy indoors today sorting out more boxes of kitchen stuff we found hiding out of sight. We managed to go thru 3 boxes, and one large one is on its way to the Goodwill tomorrow. I'm just keeping the stuff given to me by family and friends that have passed (like my Mom and my Grammies, etc) mostly.

We also set up the backup PC for DH on a desk in the spare room so he can play some games, as this winter is drawing out for him (and some other folks here too, I see :lol:). We got quite a bit accomplished today, but my feet always feel that so I had to put them up while dinner was on and after dinner as well.

We just had leftover chicken and veggies (just baked them in a casserole dish); and I baked a rice/risotto type of dish in a casserole at the same time to let the oven do all the cooking. I'm getting quite a good list of baked dishes as at my age, I am tired of slaving over a hot stove.

PURPLE (and anyone else who likes lamb) ~ Here's a Curried Lamb dish you might like to try that was in our local paper this week ...

* CURRIED LAMB *

500 ml or 2 cups lamb, cut in chunks
25 ml or 2 tbl oil for browning (I use olive)
15 ml or 1 tbl curry powder
5 ml or 1 tsp minced ginger
1 onion, chopped
1 tart green apple, peeled and minced
250 ml or 1 cup chicken broth or what you have on hand
25 ml or 2 tbl Tomato PASTE
25 ml or 2 tbl light cream
salt, pepper, and minced parsley for seasoning

Heat oil and saute onion with the curry powder; then add the lamb and brown for a few minutes; stir in broth with everything except cream and parsley. Cover and simmer for 1 hour; add cream and heat through just before serving. Garnish with parsley and serve with rice. You may also add some diced or thinly sliced carrots to this dish as well and cook with the lamb; and I bet green beans would be nice too.

RONNI ~ forget about those slip-ups; we all have those days. The key is to start over each day and things will work out in the long-haul. I am the same as you: if my DH gets in a snit (which thankfully isn't that often), I tend to take it too personally. I am learning through practice to turn my attention somewhere else than food: like coming on here, for instance.

HIYA MEOWEE ~ you're not the only one that is sick of all this snow! The Snow Fairies were out today with their giant snowblower and trucks hauling the white stuff from the roadsides away to the snowdumps. If they don't do this, and it's start melting again, we get road floods! I took some pics of the snow in our front yard; pretty soon we won't be able to see the place across the road! :lol:

HI to VAL, and NUMPSTER, and BEVERLYJOY ... hope you ladies have a WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY!!!

Take good care :hug:ROSEBUD:hug:

Hi chicks! I've been MIA - I pulled a muscle in my back and it hurts to sit at the computer. I stopped my to say hi and let you know that I've been thinking of you.

Man my pieces and parts are aching. Ice and heat helps. I have a hard time not overeating when I feel pain. I will use ice and heat to help.

I need to work tomorrow and Friday. I'll let you know how it goes.

Have a great day.

HI LADIES ~ we woke up to snow this morning, but the weather forcast said it was mild, so we decided to go shopping. Yikes, was it yucky out there; wet snow with cold northern winds, but once we were out there we decided to get it done. I managed to get some walking in from the day anyways, and picked up some good deals. I found some frozen dinners for only .99c and they are about 200-300 calories each: good for a quick lunch so I don't have to have sandwiches so often. Sometimes, if I have leftovers, I'll put a bowl of that away for the next day as well.

HI PURPLE ~ we've had a couple of busy days too. Did you get to your treatment on Tuesday? Hope the shopping went well today. Hope the LAMB CURRY turns out OK; maybe you could put a bit less of the curry powder, say only 1 tsp instead of 1 tbl; or 5ml instead of 15 ml, so it won't be too spicey.

HI BEVERLEYJOY ~ nice to see you drop by; hope your back and whole body is feeling better soon. I know what you mean about that; esp all this cold weather. I find the dampness hard on my muscles too; and the winds seem to go right thru ya ... ;)

MEOWEE ~ talking about storms; it's been snowing all day and they are predicting much of the same for the entire week. I can hear the winds howling through our furnace chimney as I'm typing right now ... so eerie!

HI TO VAL, and RONNI, and NUMPSTER ... hope you all have a TRANQUIL THURSDAY!!!

Did some laundry this afternoon and put away some more stuff; now I'm sore and tired. Time to rest up with my evening tea. Take good care, your friend :hug:ROSEBUD:hug:

my first day back at work on Tuesday i locked myself out of my office. had to climb in a window to get back in AND dropped by $700 blackberry phone in the toilet!!!!

the wedding was great Rosebud! - best valentines day ever.. being at a wedding was suprisingly refreshing on commercial love day and didnt make me feel bad about being single whatsoever. truely. it turned into a fun girls night.

anywhoo. my phone works again! i took it apart and dried it on a heater vent over night AND IT WORKS!!!!!

gotta run! take care all,

Happy Monday - yesterday I had a sane day with food. I am so grateful. I have two programs today. The school will bring in my things. I don't have help with the wheelchair - but, it isn't a huge walk. I am pretty nervous about it. I hope my foot holds up.

I need to get out of the door. I will try and catch up with everyone asap!

Have a great healthy, pain free, happy and smiling MONDAY

Hi, everyone!

Val-so sorry about your issues Tuesday! But, have to say it made me laugh, as it sounds just like something that would happen to me. Can't say I've ever dropped a phone in a toilet, but I have frequently had to blow dry remotes and calculators because I can't be trusted with a glass of water anywhere:dizzy: And, I have had to send our oldest son through a window when I locked us out of the house many years ago:lol: Oh, my gosh, I'll have to ask him if he remembers that! Hope today goes better:)

Beverlyjoy-are you trying to confuse me? I really don't need another Monday this week-I'm looking forward to the end of the week happening real soon-earlier for us as there's no school tomorrow:carrot: Hope your day and programs go well!

Rosebud-snow, ice, and wind here too. Ick! Maybe you can take it a little easier today and rest up a bit. I also feel more pain when I have a busy day, especially if we have to go to town for groceries.

Hi to Purple, Meowee, and Numpster:wave: Hope you all have a great day! We're taking it easy today. DS3 still sick with bronchitis, so I'm even going to cancel his PT session for today. Just don't think he needs to go out in this cold and wind. So maybe I'll be able to catch up on folding clothes and vacuuming:p Talk to you later!

HI LADIES ~ well, it's still snowing out there; we gotta good dump last night and it continues. Our landlord says he's going broke with all the snow removal costs, but I'm sure he can claim it against his rental income very soon. Still, we have had way more than normal for sure!

HIYA VAL ~ TGIF ... that's too funny; but we're so glad that your phone still works for ya -- that would have been terrible to lose such an expensive phone. That must have been a sight: you crawling thru that window (hope it was a low one). ;)

HI RONNI ~ I am definitely taking the day off; after all that walking, I did some laundry yesterday and I think walking in all that slippery snow, I strained my left knee a bit.

HI BEVERLYJOY ~ dear, I sure hope that you went to the right school today, as you thought it was Monday and it is really THURSDAY! :lol: Regardless, our prayers are with you too, for a good day anyways ...

HI TO PURPLE, and NUMPSTER, and MEOWEE ~ hope you all had a good day!

We are having a fun oven baked fish dinner tonight, as my leg needs resting; and it will be ready very soon. Not much else going on here. Will take it easy tonight, we aren't going anywhere in this weather anyhow. Thank goodness for puzzles, books, games, videos, dvds, and our PC's to help us while away the nights for the next two months.

HAVE A FABULOUS FRIDAY EVERYONE! It's time for dinner ...:hug:ROSEBUD:hug:

:grouphug:

Wow I have missed a lot again . . . sorry I was missing but I've had a very busy couple of days. A very big funeral; a couple of lunches out; a dinner and overnight stay with friends; another snowstorm (of course); and a blinding headache to add to the fun.

Hopefully my life is now back to it's usual level of non-excitement. :lol:

Hello!

Meowee-so sorry about the funeral and other issues. I also prefer having a low-key life rather than always wondering what's going to happen next. Hope you now get some time to relax and recharge a bit:hug:

Rosebud-your fish sounds wonderful. We haven't had fish in a long time, except for a tuna salad. DH can't eat fish in the evening for some reason. If he does, he has reflux all night, even though he already takes nexium for that. Don't know what it is about fish that makes it worse. Sad, cause we really like baked or grilled fish. (of course, he also really, really loves deep-fried fish, too, but I won't make it for him:nono::lol:)

Not much going on here. DS2 ended up with the bug yesterday also. Fortunately, I realized he had a high fever before he left for his class. He spent the day on the couch, but both DSs feel much better today:) And, it's a no school day, so I'm sure they'll be back to aggravating each other shortly! We might even make a run to town, as we've run out of a few things, like kleenex:lol: Sometimes, we go to Walmart or Target just to grab a cart and walk laps around inside the store for a half hour or so to try to get some exercise in. I really, really can't wait until it's walkable weather here!

Hi :wave: Purple, Numpster, Beverlyjoy, Val, too! Hope you all have a really nice weekend!

Oh, Purple, you were posting while I was! Sure hope you get the computer issues fixed. We miss you!

HI FOLKS ~ We've been having a mix of snow and sun; can't make up it's mind, but not nice weather to go out in really. We went shopping on Wednesday and it was cold and yucky.

HI RONNI ~ glad to hear the kiddies are starting to feel better. We like to do the same: go out mall-walking (or store-walking) just to get fresh air and some exercise. I know dozens of people who do that now. Yes, we bake our fish to make it less calories too. I have trouble if I eat certain foods; last night, I ate some granola for a snack. Big mistake: I felt like upchucking all night. I have to stick to protein and fruit in the future, as that's the only thing that doesn't bother me.

HI PURPLE ~ sorry that you are having PC problems again. As you know, that happened to me several times, and there was always a reason for it: one time it was becuz our MODEM was fizzled by an electrical storm, so we had to put a new one in; and more often, our wires connecting to the wall jack were knocked loose by playing with the girls or moving the phone around. Only a couple of times, the ISP (internet service provider) was down and so no-one could get on for about a day. It seems that if it's not one thing, then it's another, eh?

Sometimes, I have to reboot (or turn the PC off and on again) to let it power up again, as the internet can takes lots of room storing memory files; so, every now and then, I have to run a 'Disk Clean-up' program and a 'Disk Defragmenter' program, as well as clear all 'cookies'. This gives me more room to use again for awhile as I have an older machine with limited RAM and disk memory. We hope to get a newer one with mega memory so I can watch TV and videos on the net, although I may have to upgrade to HIGH-SPEED internet for that.

HI MEOWEE ~ you've had a busy few days all right; sorry for your friend that passed. Yah, we have been having snow storms here too; not nice at all, but we're just staying in and hybernating instead! :(:)

HI to VAL, and BEVERLYJOY, and NUMPSTER ...

Well, it's time to go start dinner; and take a break. Have a great weekend ladies. :hug:ROSEBUD:hug:

Hi gang . . . :grouphug:

Pretty nice day today. Sunny and relatively mild (just below the freezing mark). Unfortunately it was windy; guess you can't have everything. Next snowstorm (number 11 of any consequence for this year so far) is not due until Monday.

Nothing very exciting going on for me this weekend anyway -- need to get some knitting done. Promised new slippers to a friend and I'll knit them both at the same time to avoid my usual problem of never getting the second one done. :lol:

Actually, I ordered a new book from Amazon that is about knitting two socks 'in the round' at the same time. Cannot imagine how that works, but it could be a godsend to people like me who always seem to get only one sock, or one mitten done -- don't know why everybody thinks their socks should match anyway. :crazy:

Have a good evening, gang . . . :wave:

:wave: HI LADIES ~ we had lovely sunshine all day; what a blessing for February. It's supposed to snow again tomorrow, but be sunny again on Monday.

MEOWEE ~ I so admire you that you can knit socks; that takes talent and skill. My mother was a fantastic knitter but she learned when she was young. I tried to teach myself but just could never get the hang of it; so I switched to crochet and found that much easier to master. Unfortunately, socks are better when they are knit. I still have some of my mom's handmade socks and cherish them: she knit them in soft wool with wide cuffs so they are so easy to put on and so comfy. The funny thing is that her Dad was a sock inventor: a brilliant man who started a sock business which was his career for life. He designed a sock called 'The Happy Foot Sock' ~ don't know if you heard of it, but it is a Canadian Invention. Once upon a time, you could buy them through Stedman's but I'm not sure who sells them now; we still have at least one pair in DH's drawer yet.

I just stayed home and lazed around today; doing daily chores and such. Spent the afternoon on the net doing research. DH went to the arena and watched the little tikes (a friend's kiddies) play hockey today; he said it was hilarious to watch them. He said the girls whomped the boys today as well.

HI to PURPLE, and RONNI, and VAL, and BEVERLYJOY, and NUMPSTER ~ hope you all had a lovely Saturday ...

Take good care :hug:ROSEBUD:hug:

Oh wow . . . I can just see the Happy Foot logo in my mind, Rosebud. They were/are great socks although I must admit I haven't seen them around lately but, in all honesty, I haven't been looking for them either -- now I will.

Picked up some nice inexpensive yarn in my travels today and I'm trying to put it aside until my new book arrives; but it is calling my name right now. :lol: I like doing socks in the round (on 4 or 5 needles) and I actually do a heel variation that is like commercial socks rather than the kind that are usually seen on hand made ones. I have knit flat socks too which are okay for wearing around the house and stuff, but not great under your shoes or boots because of the seams. Funny, but the older I get the heavier my socks have become.

We've had a lovely day around here but now the TV is covered in those awful red storm warnings -- rain, followed by freezing rain, followed by snow -- moving in tonight and continuing through tomorrow and maybe even into Tuesday.

Oh my, I will be so glad to see the backside of this winter. :yes:

:wave: HI LADIES ~ seems lots of you are very busy this weekend; we actually had some sun late this afternoon and didn't get the flurries they predicted, and we are grateful for that. The temps got all the way up to -5c which is much, much warmer than was predicted. Hope we get the sunshine for tomorrow as we want to pick up a pantry that is on special this week.

HI MEOWEE ~ well, I know the company still exists (my grandfather is long deceased) but his brother's sons or grandsons were running it the last I heard. The 'HAPPY FOOT SOCK' has a Scottish tartan insignia on the label so that's how you would recognize it. They were from Europe, but he always said the family was from Scotland.

PURPLE ~ hope you get your PC repaired; and up and running very soon. Miss hearing your cheery posts here each day. How's your DH feeling: did they get his teeth problems all fixed up for him?

HI RONNI ~ hope you and your DH and those kiddies are starting to feel better. Did you talk your DH into that headboard for your bed?

HI BEVERLYJOY ~ how did your week go? Did you get in all your classes alright? Hope you are feeling well.

HI to VAL, and NUMPSTER ~ hope both you ladies are having a nice and restful weekend.

We had baked, boneless & skinless chicken breasts with mixed roasted veggies and new potatoes; and a bit of VANILLA BEAN icecream with strawberries on top for dessert. We splurge and have this about once a month; it's a nice treat, but we only have a fruit-nappy size dish to keep the amount down.

DH says that the winds are getting quite fierce outside right now and the temps are dropping. Gonna go put my feet up soon and do a puzzle and read a bit too, I think. Hope you all have a lovely Sunday evening; and take good care :hug:ROSEBUD:hug:

Hi, everyone! Not much going on here today. DS2 off to school and everyone's feeling much better. This will be a nice quiet day, because DS2 takes his homeschool work to the library to do in between his chemistry class and lab (he has both every other day). Makes for a nice break, since I only have to work with one kid;). I even went down to the dungeon, er, basement, and walked on the treadmill for 15 minutes until my legs were numb and tingling-hate that!-but realized how very out of shape I am:(

Rosebud-Yes, we did get a headboard, but not the one I looked at before. We got concerned because it had curls of tubing with slightly sharp edges and we both end up with our arms against the wall at night-afraid we'll get caught or cut-but, the one we got has a really pretty lattice design. Now, it's finally time to paint the room and our old dressers to pretty it up:D We've always had quite a mish-mash of furniture (I guess I could call it eclectic and say I did it on purpose:lol:) Sounds like your DH enjoyed the kids' hockey-I bet it really was funny at times! That's cool about your family's sock inventor-the older I get the more I enjoy learning about family histories.

Meowee-my mil knits and crochets. She makes lots of afghans and bedspreads with very intricate designs. Sells quite a few, but what she sells the most of is pot holders! People really like her double thick potholders and they are really pretty. I don't have talent with knitting or crocheting, but used to cross-stitch until the boys came along and then had to keep the needles out of reach:fr:, so kind of let it go. Might try it again one of these days.

Hi to Purple, Beverlyjoy, Val, and Numpster! Hope you are all having a great day!

I spent most of my day knitting while I watched the lastest ugly storm. My little section of Nova Scotia was straddling the imaginary rain/snow line and the precipitation kept switching back and forth between the two all day. The only thing consistent was the howling wind. Actually I think there is slightly less snow on the ground now than there was yesterday so I guess the rain side is winning out so far; but who knows what tomorrow's daybreak will bring. :dizzy:

Yep . . . I do cross-stitch, too as well as my knitting and crocheting, and, of course, sewing . . . I've also done some tole painting in my time . . . my all-time favourite craft though is quilting. Guess I was just raised in that era when 'ladies' were expected to learn all theswe things. :shrug:

:wave: HI LADIES ~ we had lovely sunshine all day; boy, we've been so blessed to have all that sun and I love it! However, it was pretty cold and the winds were really strong and made it feel even colder. Couldn't believe all the brave little red-capped finches out in the fur tree bouncing back & forth to our feeders; those little fellas will brave storms even.

HI MEOWEE ~ when I was a child, I took about four 4-H clubs where I learned cross-stitch, sewing, tye-dye, and liquid embroidery; and made pretty things to go in my room. I wished I had learned quilting; some people have a knack how to keep the stitches so straight, mine end up all over the place. :lol:

HI RONNI ~ glad the kiddies are feeling better and back at school. That's sounds like fun to paint up your room and furniture; you have me thinking now -- what can I do to spiff up my bedroom too? Our dressers are nice, but they don't really match either. DH has a really nice wood grain though, but mine is darker; they are older dressers but are still in great shape. I'm thinking of making some new curtains and pillow cases though. Hmmmm .... :chin:

Well, they didn't have any of those pantries that were on sale in stock at the store today, so we had to order one, but we will still get the sale price anyways; but I'm not sure how long it will take to get here. It could be anywhere from 1-2 weeks. Once we get that, we should be able to put the rest of our stuff away and have the sorting done by the end of March like we hoped we would.

HI to PURPLE, and NUMPSTER, and VAL, and BEVERLYJOY ~ hope all you ladies are having a Marvellous Monday!!!

TAke good care :hug:ROSEBUD:hug:

Hi chicks. Last Friday DH and 7 others were let go from his place of employment. He's been doing this for 32 years. I am feeling numb. But, DH is a positive person and we do have some severance pay at least. This is very scary.

I am moving along. Yesterday I started to have an anxiety attack - shortness of breath, hands tingling... so, I did some breathing in a paper bag. Actually, I felt better after that. DH filed online for unemployment insurance. We never ever thought that something like this would be in our life. But, we are grateful. He has some severance pay - but, they say to file right away. At least DH knows he wasn't let go for lack of talent or efforts - just downsizing because of the economy. So, I've bundled the cable, phone and internet to save, stop getting the paper and stopped pick up recycling and we'll take the rest as it comes. I believe the new stimulus package will help pay for us to cobra our health insurance - otherwise there would be no way we could pay $950 a month for coverage. We have committed that we will use the recumbent bike every day to help counteract stress. DH has never had a resume in his life. But, we'll get help to put one together - he's done the same thing for 32 years. So, we move forward. He will help me in and out of my jobs this week. One day at a time.

The good news is that our DS, DIL and Grandson are coming to celebrate our Grandson's birthday (2 years). on Thursday for a few days. We had already invited all the family over for a pizza party and will go ahead with that. This visit will really help me.

Justwanna - I love watching our birdies too. Gosh - I don't know if we'll keep feeding them until DH gets a new job. Oh dear.

meowee - glad you were inside during the storm. Spring will be here soon.

ronni62 - good job on the treadmill!! Glad the children are feeling better.

purple - I hope your PC is fixed soon. Isn't it amazing how much we depend on it from day to day!

rosebud - your fish sounds good - we have some in the freezer. Good reminder.



Have a great day, Chicks!

Beverlyjoy-I'm so sorry about your DH's job:hug:You will be in my thoughts and prayers. It'll be nice to have your grandson and his b-day. Having the little ones around just makes everyone feel better and more energized (until nap time, of course;)). Are there any options for your DH to go back to school? I know each state is different, but a couple years ago in MN, the state was paying for people who'd been laid off and receiving unemployment to go to college. We had a couple friends who were able to get new degrees and new jobs.

Good morning to everyone else too! We've got some sun this morning for a change and the weather guy said it could get to 38F today! Don't know whether to believe him, but it sure sounds nice. Probably need to go to town for a few items and might try to get some walking in at Walmart-pretty empty during the day, so there's lots of room to move! Hope you all have a great day!

:wave:

Still snowing and blowing around here but not nearly as badly as yesterday. the sun has even peeked through a couple of times.

Made arrangements for a friend (and fellow Mod) from Ontario to come down for a little visit in mid-April. Wow . . . hope it stops snowing by then. :lol:

:wave: HI LADIES ~ we woke up to much colder temps this morning and the winds made it seem like it was like -30c out there, but today the sun slowly came through and the temps came all the way up to -5c. We have been so blessed with sunshine this month and it has brought our heat bills way down; we matched our November bill in February which is quite good really.

BEVERLYJOY ~ :hug: so sorry to hear that about your DH and his co-workers; seems every company is jumping on the cutback bandwagon: it's like a ripple effect ... you're laying off -- well then, so will I -- kinda thing! It's a shame really! I'm so glad to hear that he has UI and a severance package though; good idea to scale back right away; good for you taking progressive steps so soon!

As for the birdies, just give them about a 1/2 - 1 cup a day, each morning until spring or until you run out, they'll be OK; a lady told me this trick, they'll just go to other feeders more often, that's all. We didn't even use half our bags this year; so we are gonna seal them up really well and store them in our metal cans for next year. We use this method all the time now and cut our costs down to way less than half; and DH bought me the seed for a Christmas gift too (as I asked him for this as one of my gifts).

Yes, I agree with RONNI ~ can your DH take a short college or training course where you live? I heard a career counsellor once say that if you find yourselves short on cash, take a short course from 3 months to 1 year, as most people can get the funding for that, but not longer; and when you are done, you have a degree or certificate to get a better job in a much shorter time frame.

We will definitely be keeping you in our prayers that your DH and all the others being laid off will find something soon; whether it be another job, training or schooling, and/or a new career. You have a great attitude; trust GOD, and you know that He will carry you through ...:hug:

HI RONNI ~ good idea to go walking around that W-Mart; we do that here in our local department stores and our one, very large grocery store. DH ran some small errands for me today and I just stayed home and baked some oatmeal & cinnamon muffins for his snacks; plus did a few small housechores. We will be doing our weekly shopping later in the week. Good tip that you shared with BEVERLYJOY.

HIYA MEOWEE ~ hope you have better weather soon; and you have a nice visit with your Ontario MOD friend.

I am thinking of getting PEDOMETER to track how many steps I take in the day as a challenge for myself. I see that someone is starting a step-walking challenge in the exercise thread. I want to see how many I do a day now and hopefully increase my steps as a way to increase my daily activities. So I'm looking of a Pedometer this week in town; but if I can't find one, I know where I can order one too.

Well, I forgot to take something out for dinner tonight; but it will be something light like chicken or fish as we had pork chops last night with rice and veggies. We have lots of quick things in the freezer too like bangers, chicken pieces, fish, and such and a couple of casseroles so we will find something for sure.

HI to PURPLE, and NUMPSTER, and VALDINE ~ hope you girls all had a TERRIFIC TUESDAY!!!

Well, that's all the news from here for now; take good care ladies, and we hope that you have a WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY tomorrow ... :hug:ROSEBUD:hug:

Hi, Ladies! Well, yesterday didn't work out like I planned. DS3 got sick from his antibiotic and was throwing up. Fortunately, we weren't out of the driveway yet and were able to get him in the house and DS2 went on his own. So, no walking, not even on the treadmill, as it now quit working-arrrrgggghhh:( Might just be an adjustment issue, but i have to find the instruction book, which is not always easy to do here:no: I'm learning to keep organized, but it's a slow process!

We've got ice on the roads this morning and more to come tomorrow, I guess, along with a couple inches of snow. Do you all think we could get a group rate on a trip to Arizona or Florida? It's Ash Wednesday-seems like it should be warming up a little, ya know! Surely, it'll stop by April for your friend to visit, Meowee:halffull:!

Sure hope you all have a nice day!:wave:

HI LADIES ~ we've got lots of ***** out there today; mild temps though, but the winds are still blowing. We had lots of birdies here today: over four dozen (at one count) red-capped finches at our feeders, and there were some hiding in the trees too. Love watching them and their funny antics ...

We have been doing stuff around home today. DH got his trailer out today to get ready for going to our lot as soon as the roads are clear. :lol: I think he's a bit early, but he says he doesn't want it to get stuck in a flood of water or mud in the backyard come spring: he's got a point there. ;)

RONNI ~ that trip to Florida sounds inviting, but with blood pressure problems and blood clot problems, planes are out for me, I'm afraid. I'd have to drive or take a very, very long train ride. Well, we can always dream, can't we? :D

Sorry to hear your DS3 is so sick yet; yah, antibiotics are hard on the stomach (been there). Hope he is feeling better real soon. Hope you figure out your treadmill problem ... mine is confined to the shed right now. I've decided to keep it though, and maybe some day I'll be able to walk well enough to use it. :dunno:

Right now, I walk at a snails pace and with a cane, to boot! They all make it look so easy when walking on those treadmills; it's harder than it looks. I have to master the ground first! I'm gonna try counting steps, for now. :lol:

HI to MEOWEE, and PURPLE, and BEVERLYJOY, and VAL, and NUMPSTER ~ hope all you ladies have a THUNDEROUS THURSDAY!!! HeHe ...;)


We had spagetti & meataballs for dinner tonight; yummy! Time to go have my tea now and put my tired, sore legs up for awhile; so, take good care ladies, and have a great evening ... :hug:ROSEBUD:hug: