Good morning ladies -

I woke up at 1:30 this morning, and didn't fall back asleep until 4. Then I had to get up at 5:30 for work. I am dragging and waiting for the first cuppa coffee to kick in.

My back still hasn't forgiven me for Irish Fest, and if I hadn't had so much fun...I might be regretting my decision to go twice. But I had a blast so no regrets.

Laura and Annie, when we're figuring out what to do in Chicago on the 8th...can we find something that doesn't involve a ton of walking, please?

To clarify about DMIL's moving back in. We didn't know she was moving here when we bought her ticket for her current visit; so we made it round trip. She flies back to CA on Sept. 5, she will be packing her stuff and seeing her docs there for the final time. DH flies out a couple days later. He's hoping to spend a couple days visiting friends or maybe going to Yosemite before he rents the moving truck and loads it up. He and DMIL will be driving back in the moving truck and they'll be towing her car. It will probably take them 3 days to drive back. He doesn't mind driving...even long drives...as he finds driving relaxing. Not sure how he'll deal with his mom in such close quarters 24 hours a day. While they're gone, I'll be working, decluttering and getting together with friends a couple times.

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Laura - The festival at the Dells looks like fun. Did bf make chili for dinner last night?

Happy - Beautiful goldfinch. I just love seeing them in the yard...so bright and cheery. Bummer that the shopkeepers in town are having such trouble with shoplifters. My ads this morning are for a weekend getaway with an American Express, a Milwaukee County Transit bus pass offer, and a Spanish ad for Kool Aid.

Shad - Careful digging that you don't hurt yourself or knick an electric or water line.

Annie - How was the day off with C? Did you catch any fish?

Mel - Too funny that people are asking you to document your knowledge and you're way ahead of them. Hello? What did they think that red binder was for? I know the flat belly / muscles ad that you're talking about. Turns my stomach too.

Ellen - Are the kids in school this week? How's it going?


Okay...gotta sign off for now. Lots to get done and too little time.

Much love everyone,

Morning all.

Michelle - Yes, I was thinking about activities with less walking. The zoo and other museums are nice, but you do end up doing a lot of walking and standing. That's why I thought a bus tour or the like would be better. I'll continue thinking about it. I'm glad DH isn't driving both ways! Hope the coffee has kicked in and helps you get through get through the day productively.

Mel - Nice to be able to just point to that red binder now. In fact now you can just answer the phone and say "red binder" and then hang up, giggle. We've enjoyed the cooler weather but I was worried that autumn was moving in...but today we'll be hitting 90 degrees, and the next two days as well.

Shad - Hope you got a good night's rest after such an early wake up yesterday. How large is the area in which you'll be digging? Sounds like a big job and you'll have to be very cautious with the cables down there.

Happy - I've heard of The Hunger Games (with that media blitz, how could one not?!), I just never got to the theater to see it. I like the finch photo, and that's a nice feeder. I actually saw a finch last weekend. Mmm, popcorn. Actually, since I hadn't had anything to eat before the movie the other night, I bought a small popcorn ($6, NEVER AGAIN) and they actually had parmesan/garlic seasoning available to sprinkle on it. Still not worth 6 freakin' dollars!!! I bet the game shop is sells video games - I'm sure those are very much shoplifter targets. Terrible though. But wouldn't the store have special security in place for those??

Hello Ceejay, Annie, Patty, Ellen and Java!
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I smelled the chili as I pedaled up the driveway last night. Yum. But before eating some, I did go to a spin class. Class was fine. Pushed myself some more. Hope I'm not too sore tonight/tomorrow. The instructor marked off a group fitness class instead of a spin class by mistake on my combo pass and she told me about it and made a note on the back of my pass so I wouldn't lose a class, but then she also decided not to punch the pass for the spin class we'd just finished, and told me now I have an extra spin class. That was nice of her...of course, I'll be lucky to finish the ones I have left. I shouldn't think that way, especially since I don't have much going on the next couple weekends.

Another note to start in my iphone: teas tried and rejected. I actually have a list taped on the inside of a kitchen cabinet and a comment as to yes, would buy again and no, would NOT, but it would be handier if I had that in my iphone. Right now I've got a box of Red Rose Irish breakfast tea at work and it's just not flavorful enough. Yesterday I even doubled up on the tea bags in my mug, but it just didn't taste right. And it's a box of 40. Boo. I think I'm just searching for that elusive flavor that I remember when we'd go to my grandmother's house as a kid and I'd get tea while the grownups had coffee.

I can't wait until next Wednesday is over at work - we've got an audit by a third party that will happen next week Mon-Wed and our department and another one are running around getting our records in order. Naturally the boss is freaking - yesterday she said she wondered if it's possible to have a heart attack and a stroke at the same time.

TTFN!

Not much time this morning. I have a lot of things to do today. Have a long week end planned starting tomorrow. Need to do house work and laundry.
I'm beginning to see a few minor changes in my body from the exercise routine. Eating is getting better also.

More later

Laura - Yes, the bus tour sounds great. I've done the architectural boat tour, and that's nice too. If we do end up choosing something where walking is involved, I can always bring my walker. One cool thing that a friend of ours showed us is all the stuff "stuck" onto the WGN building (at least I'm pretty sure it's WGN). Cemented in various places on the exterior walls there is a piece of the Berlin Wall, a piece of the Acropolis, a piece of the Blarney Stone, a piece of the World Trade Center, and all kinds of other famous places, buildings, sites. It's pretty darn cool...and what's funny is I'll bet many Chicago-ans walk by the building and never even notice it. 90 degrees for you today?! Gosh, I hope it's not quite that hot up here. $6 for popcorn?! That's insane! The prices of popcorn and soda at the movies irritates me because I know the profit margin on those is so high!! Good on ya' for doing spin class prior to chili. Bummer about the Red Rose Irish Breakfast tea. I've never heard of Irish breakfast...just English Breakfast. I like Good Earth teas (very spicy/cinnamon-ey) and Earl Grey's. Too bad your boss and everyone are stressed about the audit. I haven't worked in the healthcare field long enough (only a month so far) to know if its possible to have a stroke and a heart attack at the same time; according to the search I did on Google...yes it is possible. So tell your boss to stay calm and breathe deeply.

Ceejay - for seeing changes in your body from the exercise! I'm so happy for you!!! And on the healthy eating! You go, girlfriend!!

Good Morning...

CHELLE and SHAD...sounds like you have gotten my no sleep disease. Poor things.

Yesterday was a pretty good day. We caught about 12 fish and brought home 5 to clean and ate them last night. YUM. Collected a whole bucket of coal from the RR tracks. That will keep our pit fires going pretty nicely.

My Goddaughter in St. Louis had her baby yesterday. Bryson Joseph came into the world weighing 7lbs 12oz. 19" long. Dark hair and eyes.

I have a ton of work on my desk. I will try to get back later.

Morning girls,

My ads this morning are for the Discover (credit) card a personal trainer and a personalized diet plan. I guess I need the Discover card to pay for the traininer and online plan

Laura - yes, it is possible to have a stroke and heart attack at the same time. My Dad was visiting my brother's family in Michigan and woke up in the middle of the night having difficulty breathing. He had a heart attack, stroke and congestive heart failure all at the same time. SIX DOLLARS for a small bag of popcorn. Holy Guacamole! No wonder people sneak stuff into the movies. We had a medium soda and medium popcorn and I think it was 5 dollars for both. It's interesting what you say about teas - I have a huge storage container full of boxed teas I'm embarassed to admit. It seemed once I started drinking the jasmine tea pearls I ordered online, the other stuff in the bags now is so weak. It mostly just tastes like hot sugar water. I stopped in Teavana in the mall in Memphis before we left - the leaf tea is good but no longer in my budget. So I understand your disappointment at having a box of 40 of something you don't really care for. We used Luzianne brand for iced tea - that has a good black tea flavor - I guess you could add a slice of citrus (my friend was fond of adding a fresh orange slice) or some lemon balm or mint leaves for flavor. Good for you for keeping up with the exercise.

Ceejay - that's encouraging that you are seeing some results from your efforts too. Keep up the good work!

Michelle - that's awful about burning so much awake time when you should have been sleeping. I wonder if your back discomfort is waking you without knowing it - that happens to DH alot. Geez, wracking my brain about something to do in the city that doesn't involve walking - of course after 8 years I am no longer an expert - good thing Laura is still active around there. Sorry your back is bothering you so much - I guess you will just have to make accomodations as you go along, like we all do. Don't limit but it seems our marathon days are over I'm glad to hear that DH doesn't have to drive both ways - that would be really hard. And loading up the moving truck is tough work too. DH rented a bigger truck because it had a lift gate but then he was nervous about driving such a big truck (the ones with a lift are 20 footers or something). I feel for the poor guy. I hope at least he can have a few days to enjoy the parks and get some good shots. As to your question about hot flashes my answer still is HRT - hormones!!!!! I tend to agree with my gyne - unless you have a very high risk for cancer, use the HRT temporarilly to improve your quality of life. Some people (and I was one of them) breeze through menopause with few symptoms. Oh wait, I was on HRT so maybe that was the reason. I was lucky not to have the mood swings, the night sweats and while my hot flashes were uncomfortable, I did not get soaking wet - just had the desire to stand in front of the open refrigerator/freezer or go stand outside in January in a t-shirt - which I often did for 5 minutes until they passed. And the doses the offer now are much lower than what I took so they are safer. You can try some of the herbal stuff like Black Cohosh but with that stuff too you are never sure of the purity or how much you are getting unless you use a reputable supplier. I hope you find something that helps. I would go from flames one minute to freezing the next.

Mel - the game shop has a section with sports logo stuff - hats and such from the local teams - Packers, Vikings and Bears. That's the stuff they try to steal - soft goods they can tuck into their shirts / under their clothes. Fortunately the guy comes down hard and prosecutes every shoplifter - $200 fine but that's what has to happen. I'm glad the sun has finally made an appearance out your way. One of the things I first notice about the seasons changing is the path the sunshine takes. I really like the idea of - ask you a question, point to the red manual - tell 'em to read it and hang up surely they will get the message. And yes, Hope Springs looks like a comedy from the trailers but it's actually a serious movie with comedic moments. If you've lived with a guy long enough, you realize that they fall into a routine and they are quite happy with it. Very happy. That's normal for them. My DH said he could easily eat the same menu week after week - sandwiches one night, bacon and eggs the next, spaghetti the next, etc. Every morning he eats a bowl of Cheerios - pretty much only the Honey Nut flavor. Me, I hate routine. Gotta change up the furniture, I read things and try this, try that. I said the only things I have stuck with on a consistent basis is him and my family Oh and Kraft Italian Spaghetti in a box The movie is about Tommie being so deep in his routine he's in a rut that rivals the Grand Canyon - and he sees nothing wrong with it. Meryl on the other hand wants more and he thinks it's a bunch of hooey. Like I said, I'm sure alot of people can see bits of themselves in this movie.

Shad - be careful with that digging! I have to agree with Mel - don't want to see you with a fluff ball electric hair do How did the vet visit go with Miss Furface? I will send the parcel out shortly - let you know when I've dropped it at the Post Office. I can see why M is so anxious - I was looking at this and that - is this a choking hazard, is that toxic - geez they scare you. I tried not to buy anything from China but that's darn near impossible unless I make it myself. I'm not sure what the fascination of the NZ baby shoes were other than some soft leather which for infants who are not walking yet, what's the deal???? Anyway happy hoeing in the garden for you.

Annie - I hope you had fun fishing.

Hello Ellen, Patty and Java.

I need to get off my duff - there's cooking and laundry to be done. But first a bit of lunch for me. It's dark and cool and rainy - I think a good day to make the Chicken Wild Rice Soup.

Michelle - that's the building I know of as the Tribune Tower - alot has changed since I've been downtown. But that's really interesting - I did not know that about the building ---

Prior to the building of the Tribune Tower, correspondents for the Chicago Tribune brought back rocks and bricks from a variety of historically important sites throughout the world at the request of Colonel McCormick. Many of these reliefs have been incorporated into the lowest levels of the building and are labeled with their location of origin. Stones included in the wall are from such sites as the Trondheim Cathedral, Taj Mahal, Clementine Hall, the Parthenon, Hagia Sophia, Corregidor Island, Palace of Westminster, petrified wood from the Redwood National and State Parks, the Great Pyramid, The Alamo, Notre-Dame, Abraham Lincoln’s Tomb, the Great Wall of China, Independence Hall, Fort Santiago, the Berlin Wall, Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm, and Banteay Srei among others.

Some of these had a political or social context such as the column fragment of Wawel Castle located in its own niche over the upper-left corner of the main entrance, as a visual tribute to Chicago's large Polish populace, the largest such presence outside of the Republic of Poland. There are 136 fragments in the building. More recently a rock returned from the moon was displayed in a window in the Tribune giftstore (it could not be added to the wall as NASA owns all moon rocks, and it is merely on loan to the Tribune), and a piece of steel recovered from the World Trade Center has been added to the wall.

It's so dark in here right now that I have to turn the lights on in the house. At least I don't have to water the garden today

Annie - Congrats on the great catch! Always fun to go fishing and actually catch something.

Happy - Due to the fact that my sister had breast cancer at 41, I am considered to be at a higher risk, and I've been getting annual mammograms starting when I was 33 (when my sister was diagnosed). I am going to make an appointment with a doc once my insurance kicks in. In the meantime, I'm open to anyone's suggestion regarding non-prescription options. My mood swings aren't bad...but the night sweats and hot flashes/day sweats are really bad. I think I'll ask go to the pharmacy and ask the pharmacist if they have any recommendations. As for the building, yep, you're right...it's the Tribune building, and all the stuff listed in your quote (and more) are incorporated into the lowest levels of the building. It's way cool!

I just don't get it, ladies. Most of the time, I feel like I'm in my late 20s/early 30s...because I refuse to "grow up". I just can't believe I'm turning 50 soon because I remember so well that when my dad turned 50, I thought he was so "old" back then! And I KNOW I'm not THAT old! I sure as heck don't feel as old as my dad was.

Happy - The other morning was like that - kept getting darker and darker. This morning looked fine, but I went out in the yard with the dog and it had just started sprinkling lightly. Still, I watered the struggling hosta - they look horrible, but I know I need to keep them alive so they can make it back next year. Then it was still sprinking when I left for the train, but I decided it wasn't raining very hard and I rode my bike anyway. Riding under the trees helped. We also like Luzianne for iced tea, and the regular Red Rose tea is good for that too - that's why I took a chance on their Irish Breakfast tea. Let us know how the soup turns out!

Michelle - I didn't know about the rocks & bits in the Trib Tower until I was waiting around for a bus or something over there years and years ago and "discovered" them. BTW, I thought you'd said you'd been on the architecture river cruise or I would have suggested that, even though I've been on it twice myself... I'll continue the research, otherwise we'll end up riding the el and the bus and maybe the water taxi, lol.

Ceejay - Yay for seeing changes! I'd like to get more exercise sessions done - right now I feel like I don't do enough. This week it's looking like my next class will be a spin class on Saturday.
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Wow, so it's possible to have a stroke and heart attack both at once. Double whammy. The boss better keep her cool!

Lunch is over. Back to work.

Did you guys consider one of the boat cruises that goes through the locks from the Chicago River and over to the lakefront? The Wendella line that is on the lower level of the bridge at Wacker and Michigan Ave. Afterwards you can walk across the street and look for all the hidden artifacts at the Tribune Building maybe then some pizza at Pizzaria Uno? Ok, I'm making myself hungry here.

I'm sorry you're not a candidate for HRT Michelle - I was fortunate not to have to deal with the night sweats but from what I've heard from others, that has to be miserable. Good idea to ask the pharmacist.

Here's a link to an interesting article. Including her last recommendation - see what you think...

http://blog.greenearthbamboo.com/200...-surprise-you/

Laura - You're so much better about watering than I. I'll have time to water tomorrow morning, since I'm going into work later. I've got an implementation tomorrow night...so I'll be working until 8 or 9. The architecture boat tours are interesting...and going through the locks is cool. And the Trib buildng is right near there, right? I didn't know there was pizzeria uno near there. Not quite as good as Lou Malnati's (in my opinion) ..but still yummy deep dish pizza.

Happy - So according to the article, I'm supposed to get bamboo sheets and give up intense lovemaking AND chocolate in the same lifetime? That's awful!

CHELLE...hahaha on the menopause....I have been suffering for about 4 mos. mostly hot flashes and night sweats. I have read about natural remedies but have not gotten them yet. I should cause I am miserable as you sound. I am afraid of hormone therapy because of the side effects. I do not care what we do in Chicago. I just want to meet you and Laura in person. Wish all of us chickies could meet. Food goes with anything we do. We go to Uno's pizza here about once a month so that is not too exciting but willing to do it. I am easy to please. I don't sweat the small stuff, unless I am sleeping or flashing...lol

Shaddie...your rocks/blocks/stone planting and plotting sounds great. I would love to be there to help you. I love being outside. And by golly, I can dig a hole....haha

LAURA....everything you mention to do in Chicago sounds wonderful...you and Chelle figure it out, and I will do it. I think C and I are going to see Hope Springs on Sunday morning matinee. 5 bucks a person. I love your movie reviews and they are so accurate.

MELLIE....hope you all are feeling well and Jen's foot is healing nicely. Don't cha just love leaving a "how to do it" bible binder in the office then no one reads it when necessary. You should post a giant poster on the office wall...read the "Fix It Bible" before calling Mel.

CEEG...nice to see you are getting great results from excising and eating better. Try to find some time for "YOU" time this weekend even if it is just sitting down with a book or magazine.

HAPPY...love the picture of the chick a dee..or is that a black capped something...cannot remember. Anyway I printed it off as my dad loves birds and bird watching. I am taking it over to him this weekend. He feeds the birds in his backyard. He also has a hummingbird feeder that is suctioned to his kitchen window. He stands and watches them as long as his legs will hold him. We used to have a ton of hummingbirds on our feeders when I lived in the sticks. They would even fight/dodge each other for the food and I had 4 feeders out. We would have a dozen or more at a time. Too cool. Should of taken pictures. Young and dumb and didn't think of it at the time.

Hello to Ellen, Patty and Java.

Gotta get dinner finished. I have Monterey pork chops in the oven... I will post the recipe in a minute.

Loves and Hugs

Monterey Pork Chops

6 pork chops 1" or more thick
6 Onion slices
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper
1 1/2 T lemon juice
1/3 cup of favorite bbq sauce

Place chops in baking pan (I spray with pam). Tope each chop with onion slice. Combine remaining ingredients and pur over chops. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350 oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or til tender.

I am serving sauteed veggies from the garden with the chops....

ok, guess Annie and I are on the same cooking circle again. Tonight we had pan grilled pork chops marinated in pineapple & teryaki sauce, baked potato, fresh corn on the cob and cucumbers from the garden. It was totally delicious.