Hi ladies,

I did enjoy my day off yesterday. Did a bit of laundry and house cleaning. Then we went to a bar to celebrate cousin and his wife's 40th wedding anniversary. I had 2 drinks and a burger, but I was really tired and sleepy and so was DH so we called it an early night. Came home, watched some tv and went to bed. So exciting are we!

Today I go get my hair done - at the good salon. I hope I don't leave my entire paycheck there. Come back, I have a few things to straighten up at the house and then I start thinking about my trip. DH is still thinking about when we should go but it's a safe bet I will not have internet access after tomorrow. I am taking my new cell phone which I hope works and has some internet (I think) so I might be able to do FB and email. Taking my Kindle too so if I can find a place with free wi-fi in the area (doubt it) I might get on. My cousin down the street from Mom has internet but he is mega freakazoid paranoid about hackers so he won't let me use his service. So unless I get over to my sister's place, I will be incommunicado for 2 weeks until we get back around 10/4 or so.

It's gloomy and cold today - I'm glad it's not raining right now but it's supposed to be rainy and cold all week long. Not sure what it will do for the trees but I think I will miss the autumn colors I was looking forward too. Looks like they will rapidly turn now and I'll just catch the start down by Mom but I did more want to see them up this way. Also with several nights hitting below freezing, this is the end of the garden. DH will not want to tarp and untarp, water first thing and tend to the garden the way it needs to be. I have alot of green tomatoes on the vine. Might fry up one but that's about it. I have several red ones to take to Mom's along with a few cucumbers. Not looking forward to winter closing in even if it does mean the end of bug season

Ellen - for DS running his best time yet. I guess you gently prod and one day they decide for themselves that maybe you have a point there Holy all this running you do and a 12 hour work day to boot. You are amazing.

Laura - I got your note. We'll catch up and firm up plans. Hope you had a good time in the Dells.

Shad - sorry you lost your post. I think a french drain is a gravel / rock lined trench of sorts. Probably like we have directing the water run off away from the house as well as the output of the sump pump. Not sure why they call them that but I suppose everything needs a name

Annie - thank you for the Michelle update. I'm sure her mind is not on the job but probably good to get out of the house and not have to look at DH which going forward in his case means dhick head. Thank you so much for the prompt fufillment of my spice order I will tell my DH to look for it. And I will see if they have some of that in Chicago. I'm looking forward to shopping at Target again - one of the few things Mom has close by. Sounds like you had a busy but nice weekend at home. Glad you got alot done. Lunch sounded yummy.

Mel - enjoy that nice day, those are coming to an end soon. Thanks for the tip on Provida. Wasn't thinking about them for salt free but a good point. Ok, I will post a pic of "Batman" - the others can skip over it if squeemish. He has a new home (bat house) on one of the garden posts.

Patty - good to hear from you. I'm on FB, will send you a friend request.

Ceejay - how goes the work week? And the cleaning? or is that on the back burner for now?

Michelle - love to you

Ok, gotta hop in the shower and get on with the day. Take it easy kids.

Michelle -don't give him a BIT of anything. Be very careful. Make copies of all your bank statements and financial balances at this point if you haven't done so already. Also check with the attorney and make sure you leaving does not constitute abandonment although I know the last thing you want to see at this point is his mug. I say this with love so that he doesn't screw you. He should be the one out of the house.

Morning all.

Annie – Thanks for the updates re Michelle. Glad to hear she’s going back to work today. She needs to focus on something else right now if just for a short time, that’s for sure. So sweet that C. goes to visit with your dad. He's such a keeper!! The breakfast sounded delish – yup, if the hash browns aren’t crispy, just don’t serve ‘em to me! Yay for a good night’s sleep!!

Patty – Sounds like a full and fun weekend. Get here when you can/want – there’s only so much time! I’m on FB, can’t recall if we’re friends on it at the moment, and I go and check things out on fb but don’t do much posting at all.

Ceejay – Ten days in a row? Are you filling in for another person’s vacation or something? Will you be working those long days for all 10? Yikes. Sure hope it stays quiet for you.

Happy – Glad you had a day off!! Personally, I thank you for not posting bat pics!! Safe travels, and I've PM’d you my numbers. I can certainly take off work a wee bit early to meet with you so you can get back to the house before it gets too dark.

Shad – Hope you get some R&R before you start your next assignment – oh the projects you’ve taken on! Digging has become a dirty word for me ever since I hacked away at rock hard dirt in June and hurt my arm. I believe a French drain requires digging around the perimeter of the house’s foundation and laying down gravel/crushed rock and on top of that perforated drainpipe so as to provide drainage away from the house instead of water seeping into it.

Mel – We could use some of the rain you're getting - I think we’ve got some in our forecast today, but only isolated showers, so we probably won’t get any. Hope things stay quiet around there, and no drama please!!

Ellen – How in the world do you do all you do???!!! Maybe on Wednesday you’ll get a breather.

Michelle – Glad to see you pop in, we sure missed you. Sorry things are so bad with him –sooo glad you’re going to set up a meeting with an attorney. With an ugly ending like this, you need someone to protect your interests. (And Happy’s right – definitely make sure you don’t risk anything by staying away from the house too long.) Hope you find some respite in your work today.
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Well, back to work today. Quiet here – boss and sr mgr out today, and the admin just arrived, having had some sort of snag with childcare for her daughter - thanks to the !@#$% teacher strike. Not taking sides, just a bad situation for all.

My weekend with friends was nice. The drive to Wisconsin Dells is about 2.5-3 hours, but it always goes so fast when I’m with my friend D – so much to talk about. The hotel was nice, and Friday we had lunch when we arrived, then got settled at the hotel, drove around the main drag before heading to another friend’s home in nearby Reedsburg. The seven of us then went to dinner at a great mom & pop Italian place near their house. I could have made a dinner of the garlic knots (rolls) alone!!

Saturday was spent in town at the craft fair, art fair, flea market, shops along the strip, and a tour of the dells scenery on and off the water in a “duck” (amphibious water vehicles once used by the military). I’d post a photo, but the photos I e-mailed to myself from my phone are, of course, going unsent. At some point they will go and I will post them. I bought a few things, including two necklaces and some earrings and some fudge (of course). At the end of the afternoon, there’s a store with beautiful “North Woods” type decorative furnishings/accessories (attached is a pic of a vase I like) that every year during this festival holds a raffle of a variety of things and I won an interesting clock. I’ll have to post of pic of that as well so you understand "interesting". Another friend, who attends this festival and these drawings every year, also won something as well. There were seven of us again for dinner, and then we stopped at the outlet mall before they closed. I bought a couple nice tops at a store I’d never heard of…but there are apparently a few in my area.

Each of our two evenings was capped by a session in the hotel’s whirlpool and pool. My friend D’s knee was really bugging her, and my friend S’s new hip got a real workout after her long day (she and her dh got started before 8 am on Saturday) and so they particularly enjoyed the whirlpool. I feel so fortunate for my good health, and am once again motivated to get back on the exercise wagon. Meals weren’t light or healthy, but I wasn’t eating between meals, so I’m happy that the scale was unchanged this morning.

Okay, I better get this posted and back to work.

Mitchelle - You should get 1/2 of it, but I don't know your laws up there.
think spousal support, 401K, retirement, house, anything of value. It all adds up. Keeping you in prayers.. get a good lawyer and at this point, it's about making things right with you.. Love you girl.. Stay Strong, we are all here for you.. Oh, be careful about posting where he can see it, never know who he has checking in on you...

Michelle
Hugs, Hope things settle down for you soon. So glad to hear that you have obtained a lawyer.

Patty
Good to see you again. Sounds like you had a good week end.

Laura
Yes I'm filling in for a co-worker. She did for me when I took vacation.

Happy
I've put the deep cleaning on hold for now. The house looks half way decent with just the decluttering. I've relented and asked my neighbor to clean Thursday so I would not have to while working these long hours. I' m keep thinking I don't want to go back to the ER.

Mel
Are you still having some quiet days? I hope so.

Shad
Do you know when you'll start the new assignment? Will it be local?

Ellen
Congrats on your son's personal victory.

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No news is good news. We did get some rain. A cold front is moving our direction which will bring down the temps to the 50's at night. I'm ready for some fall weather.

Morning all,
Quick dash through today as my to-do list fills a complete page of my notebook. Then it is on with the day.

Patty - from Happy's description of a french drain, I think that is what I have been digging in my yard. I think by the time I get to the end of this one, I will have had my fill of drains, drainage and block walls. Thank you all the same. Can I have board and lodgings if I only trim the hedge and mow the lawn??

Happy - suggest that DH learns to do a 5 minute mile if he is going to continue to ask Australians born in Sydney and Aussie sheilas at that if they are Kiwi. If he gets more than one of them together and says things like that, he might very well get shot full of holes. Found a bat hey? I don't mind bats - that is until they cr*p all over the fence while eating the palm seeds and nuts. They do scavenge - well some of them do and they do keep insects down. Certainly the fruit bats are a bit of a problem round here because they eat the ripening fruit in orchards etc. But all in all, I will take them any time over rats.

Annie - dinner sounded nice. Beat my Chicken Cashew Curry (Sri Lankan style) anyway. So nice that C looks after your dad as well. Your garden sounds like it is nice again.

Ceejay - 10 days straight. Sure you are not working in the mines??? They do crazy shifts like 21 days on and 9 days off. 14 days on 5 days off. Can't say that I blame you for getting in a cleaner. Once you get the house clean you really don't want all that effort to go to waste.

Ellen - Congratulations to DS - well done.
Usually I highlight and copy my posts while I am typing since the computer holds the last copy function until told otherwise or shut down. However yesterday I was just getting to that point when something I touched highlighted the whole lot and then when I was typing the next word deleted it all and substituted the new type. Lucky me. I hate it when something I can't explain does what is unexpected.

Michelle - Hang in there. As I said on facebook chat, he no longer has the power to hurt you unless he physically abuses you. You are stronger than that. You have a long road in front of you, but you need to give yourself the power to overcome the past and the physical effort of the present.

Mel - I wont hurt Happy's DH, but he better no go down dark alleys if he is going to say those sorts of things to an Aussie sheila. He'll be hung, drawn and quartered and have his you know what stuffed you know where.

Think that is everyone. Today as I said I have a whole raft of things to do. I need to take my x-ray pictures of my lovely jawbone up to the dentist. I was told that the results would be sent to the dentist and the photos stay with me, but apparently that may not be the case because when I rung the surgery yesterday, they didn't have the results - after a week! I ask you. Do not get me started on my favourite subject for a
Then I need to get started on the spare room. Things are changing quite rapidly here. The g/f of DS2 decided to rent out her space when they had finished the reno's on DS2's house so they took it to the real estate agent DS2 uses. They said they needed a fortnight to get their place habitable (no bathroom, not much in the way of stairs etc.) And the agent has found tenants and they are ready to move in next Tuesday (not today). Does anyone ever listen anymore? So they maybe coming to live here instead. It would work out fine since I am going away again soon but I don't think they wanted it that way. Then I have to try and see if I can get an appointment for a boob squish. I need some more geotextile fabric and I need to get some more of that crushed brick gravel inside the gate rather than on the curb. There is a matter of some lawn to mow and fertilse and some garden to weed and fertilise and some plants to plant and some more soil to more. It is self perpetrating (sp). Anyway, whinging about it on here is not getting it done. Breakfast, then tick off the list one by one. Only way to get things done.

MORNING CHICKS.
AND A SOGGY MORNING IT IS TOO.
NASTY WEATHER INDEED.
TERRIBLE NIGHTS SLEEP.
KEPT WAKING UP.
HAD ONE LIKE THAT A FEW WEEKS AGO TOO.
GOING TO EAT AND SEE IF I CAN WAKE UP!
NOTHING NEW HERE. BOSS IS BACK BUT I'M NOT GOING DOWN.
TOO ACHY FOR WORKING.
HAPPY TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY





ANNIE....THE RESTAURANT SOUNDS LIKE OE I WOULD LOVE!! ONE OF EVERYTHING PLEASE!!
YOU GUYS GOT A LOT DONE IN THE YARD.
I LOVE THAT YOU HAVE GRANDMOMMA'S PLANTER.
I HAVE ONE FROM MY STEP-GREAT GRANDMOTHER.
LAST THING I GREW IN THERE WERE HERBS.
GLAD YOU & SASSY GOT A WHOLE NITE IN YOUR OWN BEDS
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE BRUSCHETTA CHICKEN. IT WASN'T IN THE OTHER STORE EITHER.
THANKS FOR THE GIFT!!!
YOU ARE TOO CUTE




ELLEN....CONGRATULATIONS TO DH!!
GREAT RACE AND GALD HE WAS ASKED TO RUN.
YOUR WEEKEND HAD NO ROOM FOR ANYTHING ELSE!



MICHELLE...I CAN ONLY SAY THAT YOU NEED TO STAY STRONG IN THE PRESENT.
LATER WILL BE TIME FOR TEARS & FALLING APART.
TAKE CARE OF YOU FIRST.
HOPE YOU GOT A GOOD ATTORNEY.




HAPPY.....I DIDN'T SEE ANY PIC OF BATTY.
I LOVE THE IDEA OF THE BATHOUSE
OMG IT FEELS GOOD TO LAUGH FIRST THING IN THE MORNING.
I WILL MISS YOUR NEWSY OUTDOORSY POSTS
HOPE MOM WILL BE OK. TAKE GOOD CARE OF BOTH OF YOU!
MAYBE THE LEAVES WILL SURPRISE YOU AND HANG AROUND TILL YOU GET HOME.
SAFE TRAVELS MY FRIEND



LAURA....I COULD SMELL THE GARLIC KNOTS FROM HERE.
THAT VASE IS PERFECT. VERY NICE.
IF I COULD I WOULD HAVE A WHOLE HOUSE FILLED WITH STUFF LIKE THAT.
CONGRATS ON WINNING THE CLOCK!
THE TRIP SOUNDED GREAT. ENJOY ALL YOUR PURCHASES.
NICE TO HAVE SUCH A GOOD TIME WITH FRIENDS




CEEJAY....WE'RE COLD & DAMP HERE TODAY.
HOPE BOTH OUR DAYS ARE QUIET.
I AM SURPRISED IT IS SO MUCH COOLER BY YOU ALREADY?
IT'S REALLY BEGINNING TO SMELL LIKE FALL NOW.




SHAD.....THE FAMILY IS INCREASING IN SIZE
MAYBE THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT PRIVACY
WHEN ARE YOU LEAVING....SO SOON???
AT LEAST MISS PUSS WOULD HAVE SOMEONE FULL TIME.
DO THEY DO WINDOWS???
GOOD LUCK WITH THE BOOB SQUISH & THE JAW.
DOES ANYONE GETS TEST RESULTS DONE ON TIME?

Good Morning everyone! just a quick drive by fir me. LOL as always. the kids all have a short school day, and will be home early. I am taking DD3 to the park to deed ducks,, but I don't know how long we will stay, it is cooler today and wet. then my SIL asked if I culd drive her to the bank, so that will be my afternoon. Ok...still so sleepy...need some coffee!

Luv & Hugs!

Good Morning My Dear Chicklets.....

Breakfast of the stars...my mouth in on fire. Cottage cheese with chives, tomatos and a jalapeno, and of course my pumpkin spice latte' from Starbucks, I like to treat myself at least once every couple of weeks to SB. Cheap treat...4.09, and I believe I am worth that every couple of weeks.

Sissy colored my hair last night, didn't get home til 6:10. When I got home, C was eating the last of the brushetta chicken for dinner. We chatted, watched some tube and he went to bed around 8. I stayed up till about 10. Probably should of went to bed earlier.

Work is in a frazzle. Our new management has yet to come for a visit to let us know who will report to Louisville (my vote for me), and who will report to Chicago. Altho Chicago's VP used to work in this office and I like him a lot. Very laid back. Either way shouldn't be too disturbing. Just the unknowing and what the H we are supposed to be doing. Like who do we now report our expenses? Michigan has made it perfectly clear they no longer want us in their budgeting, nothing like la la land.

Sassy was full of vem and vinegar last night. Running around, throwing her toys in the air (that are as big as she is), and jumping across the room like a rabbit. She was quite entertaining. She is even starting to go to the door by herself when she wants to go potty. YEAH!!! Today is one of the first days she has to stay home by herself. Sissy has too many errands, etc to do today. Plus she started babysitting a 15 mo old boy on M, TH & F. She called me yesterday and said she was about to pull her hair out and go postal as he cried the ENTIRE day. She is giving it a few weeks and if it doesn't get better she will tell the mom she will not watch him. I guess lil man just sat in a daze looking at this lil (chubby, thick) baby crying, like dude, what the H is your problem. Knock it off.

MELLIE....We had nasty weather last night also. So much so, Sassy would not go out to potty....instead she tinkled a little in her cage. God love her...I wouldn't want to go squat on wet cold grass either....haha I think this weather makes everyone ache, including my head this morning. May have to pop some meds...better living through chemicals...

SHADDIE...a whole notebook page full of to do items...wow. Hope the notebook is a small 2 x 3 inch pocket size. I understand tho, I have a list myself, but we do not stress over it and get done what we want to get done. Here it is fall and it is time to finish painting the inside of the house. Two baths and three bedrooms. May leave the laundry room for spring. Altho it probably needs it the worst.

CEEG...are we on day 3 of your 10 day stretch? May the force be with you sister. I remember when I was working both jobs between the two I worked 38 days straight once. (CVS & Humana, including weekends)...talk about tired and getting nothing done at home.

LAURA...so glad you had a great time in the Dells. What a neat looking vase. Different. And won a clock to boot. Rock on! THe teacher's strike has been on the news here every day. I guess the teachers are supposed to vote today on the contract. Hope it all goes well and the kidlets are back in school.

HAPPY....if there are any unusual spices you cannot find and want, just let me know, we have a Penzy Spice store right down the street from Humana. I usually run out during the day and pick things up. I can't wait for you to try the chicken recipe. Have safe travels and prayers for momma.

CHELLE....hope your day is going well, you are staying strong, and have your head in the right place. Do NOT give an inch when it comes to that pr*ck. Shame on him, and remember what goes around comes around. He will answer to the MAN upstairs when time comes...then fry real crispy....can you tell I am p*$$ed off at him?

PATTY...glad to see you posting again. Hope your day is going well and all is sweet in your world.

ELLEN...job well done for your son!! I remember those days of sports with my kids...oh so long ago. Try to get a lil rest so you can go strong with the rest of your week.

Hello to all, must get a refill on some of the yucky office coffee. At least it has a caffeine to keep me going for sleep lost last night.

Love, Hugs and Prayers....

ELLEN...you are my sneaker inner...have a rest filled fun day with everyone. You are such a good person to help others like you do.....xoxo

Grabbed this from Moderator CindyM's blog..liked it and posting it for all the worldlies...

SUCCESS IS A CHOICE - CHOOSE IT

Hi ladies -

Thanks so much for all your love and support. Hopefully, I'll have time to catch up on personals one of these days. I met with an attorney and got some valuable advice...also got an estimate as to how much it's gonna cost to free myself of the a**hole. He's so not worth it. Can't go into any more details right now.

Suffice to say that I appreciate and still need ALL your prayers of strength I know, I know...you've been sending them for weeks, and I am eternally grateful. I love you sistas.

Anyway, gotta get back to it.

Much love,

Michelle - prayers are free, you can have as many of them as you want and need from all of us

Be strong. Remember that living a good life is the best revenge.

Good morning ladies,

Super busy day today. Packing, cooking, errands, etc. Good thing I got a good sleep last night.

Michelle - I send good thoughts to you several times a day. It's just a shame that you are dragged along to spend your hard earned money to follow a decision that was not yours to make. I do understand that sometimes a relationship runs it's course, and sometimes you grow to be 2 different people. In that case you amically part, each pays their share. But when one decides it's over, I believe they should bear the brunt of the costs - and that goes for whether it's the husband or the wife who decides that. In any regard, make sure you put yourself first and do not compromise you, your life or your self esteem. Ok?

Annie - your blog link does not work. I hope that everything works out well for you on the office front. Changes like that make it so tough on the workers who are just trying to get through the day. I would live to see Sassy dancing like a rabbit! How cute must that be. Oh boy on the new baby sitting gig for Sissy. Sounds like a baby that is not used to being separated from his momma. Wouldn't it be funny if Lil Man started baby babbling to the town crier to shuddup and get over it already Thank you for the offer of the spices. I have already mail ordered from Penzey's twice since we moved here. We get their catalog and DH pours over the recipes - he always finds something he likes. We tried an oven baked stew from the fall catalog that I liked more than he did but he said he'd just tweek it a bit for his tastes. But don't you just love that store?

Laura - I will give you a call once I get into town one night and we can firm up our plans. Looking forward to meeting you. I love the vase. Very pretty.

Ellen - hope you wake up. I'd love to go to the park and feed ducks. I'd even agree to behave for my Mom for that treat

Mel - bummer that you didn't get a good rest. Thought the gloomy weather was better for sleeping. How is Jen's foot doing? I guess I will have to email you the pic of the bat since I don't want to be creeping out the chicks here. The trees are turning quickly so I'm sorry that I won't have some nice pictures of the colors to send you guys. Was looking forward to some shots of trees surrounding some of the many lakes we have here. Behave yourself while I am gone, ok?

Shad - do you EVER rest when you are home? Seems like you are in a constant state of activity - like Ellen here I hope things work out for DS2. Sunday the cat must be used to the steady stream of folks in and out and then periods of solitude. Hope you can get that ambitious list of yours done before you head out again - it's coming up fast. And yes, DH has ALOT to learn about Ozzies and Kiwis. But we have the rest of time to teach him. And the bartender is a really, really nice person so I don't think she'll be hacking his nuts off soon.

Hello Patty and Ceejay What's this about Miss Turtle getting hitched??????

I'd better get off the computer and over to the stove. Nothing important is getting done sitting here. If you don't hear back from me for a while, don't worry - will be thinking of you all and posting when I can...

Oh and DH is off at his first appointment with the cardiologist so we'll see what he has to say about his condition. Depending on the outcome, maybe I might not be travelling after all.