Saef~my dad is a stamp collector and sometimes gets together with his stamp buddies. He also has a motley crew of friends who go out to lunch every Tuesday (and thankfully one guy always volunteers to pick up my Dad) and he's pretty involved with church although we don't like him driving there. Since they've lived in the same neighborhood for 53 years, they do have neighbors who are friends and they all look in on him.

Michele~be sure to watch the water show outside Bellagio at night. Spectacular. Other than that, I like to walk through the shops in the Venetian and Ceasars Palace.

I wanna go on vacation with Saef!

Saef-- your Vegas vacation does sound utterly unique and fun! I'll see if I can arrange any of those activities/excursions!

Me too! I have always intended to go to Vegas but an experience in Ontario casinos (Niagara Falls to be exact) totally depressed me. I was expecting glamour and glitz and I got what looked like a suburban rec room full of quite desperate people gambling away money they didn't have.

Now that I know about all of these cool things I will definitely look into the Vegas vacation.

I put my inheritance cheque into the bank today. It felt really, really weird to be depositing this piece of paper with this impossibly large (I've never had that much money all at once in my whole life) number on it.

I have decided that DH and I will get better bikes. Much of our cycling is restricted by how uncomfortable the two beaters we bought last year are. Cycling is about the only exercise we do together so making it more appealing makes sense.

And I'm going to buy us a new bed. The current one is 14+ and it's getting pretty uncomfortable (for me - DH swears it's finally "broken in").

Great evening all!

Dagmar :sunny:

My friends from L.A. deserve all the credit for showing me around Vegas & teaching me how to appreciate what it has to offer.

(I would have also recommended the Liberace Museum, but that closed.)

Oh, and here's another thing: If you get a spa treatment at one of the hotels, you usually get free access to the fitness facilities on that day, too.
These big Vegas casino hotels have some of the best fitness facilities I've seen.

Those showgirls & casino employees have to work out somewhere, don't they?

Gosh, is it only Wednesday? I'm feeling pretty weary already. Yesterday I went home early b/c I was just so tired. My cold is lingering a bit but I'm not sure if that's it, or what. I napped a bit. Went to let the dog out before I went to play rehearsal. She caught sight of something (cat? squirrel? who knows) halfway down the stairs and BAM! Next thing I knew I was making contact with the ground, and she was gone, leash clattering behind her. I have a bruise but am not really hurt, but this can't happen again, bc it could hurt someone seriously! Once I got ahold of her I firmly scolded her and took her straight home. My BF happened to call right then and I was still pretty shaken, so I ended up crying ("I don't know what to do! I know how to train a dog to sit and stay, I don't know how to convey 'let's go slow down the stairs'"), which made him really upset that I was so upset. By the time I got home from play rehearsal, he had taught her "short leash" (~2 feet) and walking beside him up and down the stairs. So that's how we'll do stairs, every time. She's a great dog and come a long way but this just has the potential to hurt someone too badly.

So meanwhile I went to play rehearsal, with a bruised butt and some chamomile tea to try and sooth my nerves, and my cast still doesn't know their lines. Our show is in three weeks! I've started to freak out a bit. Our rehearsals are going to have to be 3+ hours from now on. I don't have appropriate furniture for the set (where the heck am I going to find Victorian looking stuff? the local furniture store will loan us anything, but they don't have anything remotely Victorian), I don't have all my props and my prop gatherer is being flaky... I've got a huge field campaign coming up at work that someone else scheduled for the week of my play. I'm tired and stressed today.

However though I admit eating some Fritos yesterday afternoon and a pb&j sandwich, eating will not solve any of my problems, and will not actually make me feel better, so I won't do it. And that is the end of my rant, thank you for listening.

Dagmar, bikes and a new mattress sound like good purchases that you will use often and are healthy for you, too! I've seen a lot of mattress sales with the recession, I'll bet you can get a good deal.

Alison, it sounds like your dad has a good social network and I'm sure they will really help him get through this hard time.

Laughing about tiger skinned vests on piglets... that is such a sweet story.

Megan-- you do sound stressed and exhausted. Hopefully the cast members will really memorize their lines! That doesn't sound very professional for adults not to know their lines.

Dagmar-- I agree-- mattress and bikes sound like great purchases.

We are staying at The Hotel at Mandalay Bay so I'm assuming it has a nice fitness facility that we'll have access to. I will certainly check it out when we get there.

Oh boy, do they ever.

http://mandalaybay.com/things-to-do/the-gym/

And the spa looks positively decadent.

http://www.mandalaybay.com/things-to-do/spa-mandalay/

Please call now & book me for the Spa Mandalay Signature Facial and the whole body Chai Tea Mud Mask.

[Oh, right. I'm not actually coming along with you & your husband.]

First, I'll be practical: Do you have any really large antique shops nearby? Like, the type that's almost a warehouse? You may want to approach them.

I don't know if it's because of our proximity to NY, where a lot of stuff gets filmed & there is, of course, the whole Off-Broadway and Broadway theater scene, but there are dealers around here who are known for lending their stuff & whose shops serve as "prop houses."

In the smaller regional theaters, they usually get some kind of mention in the program & there's a number to call if anyone attending the performance is interested in purchasing something they've seen onstage (once the production is over).

Next, I'll be philosophical: I think this is part of any creative process, especially if it's collaborative. There is always a point when it feels like it's at risk of not coming together. All the ingredients are just swirling around & there's no coherence yet. Eventually, the crystallization starts & the shape begins to form. But before that occurs, there's a mess. You just need patience. And to project firmness about the goal & self-confidence & confidence that they can do what they've set out to do. They will pick up on that, feel supported & work harder. But the thing is, to sip your tea. Because they have to contribute, and you have to sit back & wait & watch for that to start happening. You can't mentally do all their parts for them & alongside them or you will make yourself crazy. Have faith that they have the strength & ability to fulfill their roles & meet you in the collaborative place.

:wave: I'm still around, but for some reason my life has been hectic for the past couple of weeks!

Allison - sorry to hear about your Mom.

Dagmar - congrats on your inheritance. Good idea to bank it and think about what you want....

I wish spring were coming here! It has been in the 40's and melting like crazy, which makes everything really messy outdoors. We are leaving for New England on Sunday, and a friend from NH emailed us this morning with the joyous news that they're expecting a snowstorm on Friday! Eeek! Need to factor that into my packing. We're going mainly to see DH's brother who is suffering from terminal brain cancer. Not exactly a pleasure trip. They are very close and it will be hard for DH I'm sure.

Thanks for all your thoughts and hugs!

https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&i...f_glslh9to0&zw

Florence "Elaine" Johnson Fehr

1923-2011



Elaine passed away on March 26, 2011 from complications caused by an arterial blood clot. She was born February 23, 1923 and raised in Chicago, IL to Roy P. and Edna J. Johnson. She was very active in her church and in the P.E.O. Sisterhood, Chapter E, UT. Her love of knitting will memorialize her with the many beautiful sweaters and other items she leaves behind. She is survived by her husband, Ray, and her three children: Adrienne Plew and husband Denman, Mansfield, TX; Raleigh Fehr, wife Kari Taylor, and their children Krista and Karli, Sandy, UT; and Allison Linnell, husband James, and their children Dana and Nicky, Palm Desert, CA. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Dolores Johnson, FL; she was preceded in death by her brother Howard Johnson of Naples, FL. Elaine's burial will be in Chicago. A Memorial Service will be held Sat., April 9th at 11AM at Zion Lutheran Church, 1070 Foothill Blvd. In lieu of flowers, Elaine suggested donations to the Zion Lutheran Church building fund, P.E.O. Cottey College, or a charity of your choice.

May she rest in peace.

My warmest sympathy to you & your family, Allison. And your father's on my mind. I'm glad to hear of his circle of buddies & some of his interests & routines.

Thinking about you and your family Allison.

Saef - I definitely want to go on vacation with you. Your trips always sound like so much fun. :)

Hey Pat!

Megan - glad you are okay after your tumble down the stairs!

Michele - enjoy your trip! Mandalay Bay is supposed to be fantastic!

Dagmar - bikes sound cool.

Busy busy week this week for me.... I'm worn out, and also somewhat surprised that it is only Wednesday...

Megan Remember this one thing and all other training for Emma can follow from it.

"People lead, dogs follow". You go through the door first, Emma follows. You go down the stairs first, Emma follows. Block her with your body and put her into a sit if she tries to surge ahead of you. Best to practice on flat ground while walking first.

Buy her a head halti and get it fitted at the pet store. I have several scars and the residual effects of years of being dragged over onto my face/knocked over onto my back from all the guys I tried to walk without haltis. Now I demand that each client get their dog a halti/provide funds for me to get one.

Cheers!
Dagmar

ramble/lament
 

I felt very depressed and demoralized last night. DH came home and, for the 2 hours that he was there, did nothing but what he calls "pee in your ear" (the ear in question being mine).

Then, after he left for "band camp" I opened up my Hotmail and found a big long email from him with further complaints about our potential move out west to start a new life.

I know eating is not the answer. But I did it anyway last night. And I did a lot of crying too.

I am at the point in my life where I need some kind of hope to go on. Toronto is "over" for me. I've tried for all of my life to develop a social network and make friends here and it isn't happening. I can no longer afford a house here. I work what seems like 24/7 and barely make enough to cover my expenses, let alone save anything for the future.

I need to have another choice. A different life. I think I have found a place to start that.

Maybe I have to go there alone.

Dagmar :(