Zoe, thanks for the link...I signed up and will explore the site more.

Phyllis

HI GALS ~

Jumping in quickly to give prayers to those that need them

Angie and I went to church this morning then came home and took Reba and Rylee on a 3 mile brisk walk. Angie is out in the garage sanding down a little end table she bought. She loves to refinish things.

My daughter called a while ago and is home safe, said she didn't call me becasue there is no electricity at the cabin in Michigan, couldn't charge her phone. She had told me but I had forgot! IMAGINE ...at my age

It was Vacation Bible School Closing at church today, we got to sing JESUS LOVES ME...man I love that song!!

Have a blessed day Ladies ~ Gary

MARKET WOMEN: LAKE TOBA
By Karen Swenson

They've come on board their grocery baskets full
to gossip and shake off the clinging sand
from bare feet and vegetables. They pull
weeds from pale tails of beansprouts as we land.
These women then will disappear
into their lives. But now I can watch them,
the ordinariness of their day, sheer
exotica. That word's apothegm
is their sarong-wrapped squat embellished by
a wilderness of batik birds and blooms
while we, another clan in our blue Levis,
our dungaree and sneaker tribal costumes,
feed their curiosity's appetite,
our differences our mutual delight.

Isn't this just so evocative? Women from one culture catching a glimpse of women from another and the automatic recognition? A lot, I think, like those of us who come from different lives, conditions and circumstances and yet share so many of the same thoughts, feelings and issues here.

I did my shopping - with DH's welcome assistance - spent close to $300, which is too much for two people and two khats, but there you have it. Our extravagance knows no limits. We are self-indulgent and unapologetic. And if I forget to take something out of the freezer and have to stop at the grocery store anytime over the next two weeks, I will kill myself!

My flu - or virus, or whatever this is, seems to have settled down into a rather unpleasant cough and feelings of wet-dishraggedness. Blah. Picture me as a loose-limbed puppet dangling uselessly from a hook in the back of a dark closet somewhere. Sleeping is the most pleasant thing that my mind can conjure up right now.

Must work tomorrow, and can't call in sick, really can't. WAY too much to do. I shall close my office door (as I did on Friday) and pretend that I'm not there so no-one will ask me for anything or ask me ABOUT anything. And no, Jack...I am NOT walking "over to Copley" to grab some lunch!

Didn't mention, did I, that a headhunter called me on Friday trying to lure me into interviewing for another job....LOL....I asked her what their views were on "power napping". Jes' kidding. Said I was sick and not interested, thanks anyway and all that...

Anybody remember the Doors song "Break on Through to the Other Side.."???
I think that's one of my all-time favorite songs.

Cat, have you visited Marie Laveau's grave? Now THERE'S a fascinating woman!

I foolishly weighed myself. I seem to have hit a stubborn plateau, here. Haven't gained, which is good, but haven't lost in about three weeks. Of course I haven't been too committed to my diet, either - haven't kept close track of calories and haven't ridden my bike for the past week. So, altogether, guess I can't complain.

'Nuff rambling from ME....I'm off for a nappy-pooh, thank you very much!

Z

Hello Everybody!
Thanks for the thoughts and prayers for my sister. I talked to them this morning and she is still pretty shaky but my brothers say that she is doing better. I think the Dr.s were telling her that it was stress related but she said she really didn't think she was stressed out about anything. But she did attend her daughters car wash yesterday, she is in a Cheerleading/Dance group in MO. and even though she said she just set in the shade and always had something to drink I'm wondering if being out in that 102 degree weather for so many hours had something to do with it. They totally ruled out heat stroke though. The car wash did bring in $700 for their group though. So I'm sure she was out there way to long.

Zoe, Thanks for that link. I clicked on it last night for just a minute but will go back and check it out some more later.

Gary, Thanks for sending prayers this way. You can never have to many!

Well, I will check back later on and see how everyone is doing. Take care everyone.

Hello all,

I'm finally getting a chance to read and catch up on everyone's doings. When working those 12 hour shifts, I don't get anything done except work, sleep, get ready for work then do it all over again. Have to wait until my days off to catch up.

I have had a nice weekend here. Got to go over to my daughter's house on Friday evening and have supper with them. She made a soup and I made a fruit salad. Mmmm ~ yummmm. I just live for that time I get to spend with Corbin. He showed me his game boy thing and we watched a bit of a movie together and played a little catch. I am in grandma heaven.

Karen ~ glad your sister is ok. Hope it was nothing serious. Hope things work out soon for you with the selling of your home. Having just been through that I know somewhat how you are feeling. Enjoyed your older than dirt quiz.

Zoe ~ Hope your fever is down and that you are feeling better. Take care of yourself.

Meowee (Linda) ~ Enjoy hearing about your kitties and reading your fun facts. When we lived in Maine, we had some vacations in Nova Scotia ~ especially enjoyed the Alexander Graham Bell museum and Fort Louisburg (sp). I hope I am remembering right and that is where those places were ~ LOL

Theresa ~ Happy Anniversary to you ~ glad you had a nice day.

Lynn ~ Glad you had a nice time in MD ~ enjoyed the pics of your family. Enjoy your trip to Wildwood and walks on the boardwalk.

Phyllis ~ Hope things work out for the sale of your condo and move to Ohio. I certainly can identify with wanting to be close to your grandchildren.

Gary ~ Hope your daughter-in-law's dad is doing better. Congratulations on the 6 pound loss.

Lyn ~ Congratulations on getting to onederland ~ way to go. Enjoyed the pics of the flowers in your yard ~ beautiful and your kitty. Have a good trip to Canada.

Cat ~ Wow 102* thank goodness for airconditioning. Enjoy those new kitchen gadgets.

Joanne ~ Glad you have been able to get in some extra walking. Hope your back is ok.

Mom247 ~ welcome to the golden girls and 3 fat chicks.

Trish ~ Hope you had a nice visit with your family.

Moxie (Margaret) ~ I like moxie too. Like your new avatar pic ~ it is fun to be able to put a face with the name.

Marylynn ~ It is fun for you to be able to go together with your daughter to the gym. Your family night sounds like fun ~ enjoy!!

Bobbi ~ glad the auction work is done. Enjoy your list of ponderables ~ makes you think.

Heidi ~ glad you had a nice vacation. Congratulations on your 2 lb loss.

Hello to Lily, Denise, Cheryl, Ready2, Donna72664, Paula, Wunderbarpal, Anne, cuppajoe, ladydeb, oakridge, Peg, TennesseeGal, LindaD, aleka. Forgive me if I have forgotten anyone.

Take care all

This will be another flyby. It's still 87F here. I'm wilting!!!

My family is still here. Tomorrow we will do some Ohio College tours. This year we have 3 graduating seniors in my immediate family. I'm on [home] vacation most of this week. So it will be a early morning for me again.

I have just completed the sanding on the wall today. I couldn't do too much today. I was the musician in charge for our second service. I hope to have the painting completed this week.

Karen I'm glad to read about your sister being OK. I hope she is soon at 100%.

Lynn and Zoe Plateaus(sp and too lazy to look it up) are no fun. Here's some :
Gayle Hope you had a great vacation!!!

To all the Golden Girls that I have missed Here's some for this week!!!

Hi All! If there's anything faster than a flyby.... it will be this note.

Would that be a Zoom-by?

Karen my thoughts are with you & your sister. That heat can be absolutely wicked. Glad to hear she's doing better.

Gary, thoughts to your son's FIL. What you're describing is a tough process to witness. It's terrible to be at the bedside & helpless to help. We're praying for painfree peace for him.

Zoe thanks for the link, will check on it tomorrow. If they're offering that job where my husband used to work, there are napping stations avaliable with the company. (I thought husband was pulling my leg, nope!)

Cat... I agree... keeping up is er... fun! It might be beyond my ability but my hats are off to those who can. Used agave nectar before & liked it a lot. No Whole Foods in my neighborhood! (spit... hiss!) That place is so much fun.

Great weekend with the family but very busy doing back to school stuff with the kids/grandchildren. Must sleep soon. Promised daughter that I'd hit the gym with her at FIVE in morning.

Good thing I like coffee.

Take care all, I'll write more later.

Marylynn

Morning!!!

I'm off to my first day of school...no kids today; it's registration day. yuk. Get to sit on hard little cafeteria stools for hours writing and writing and writing. Just checked to make sure I had my glasses so I can see the stupid forms. It will be nice to see all the faculty again though. I feel so old. I am the only one of the original faculty left at the school..including administrators. We have a new asst. principal this year. I changed her diapers. Her (late) aunt was one of my best friends in college. Both of my best friends retired last year and one year before last. There are still 2 "old" teachers left though, so I'm not completely alone. sigh. The school started 22 years ago..it was a former Jr. High then became all kindergarten. Ever see 300 five year olds on a playground? It's a scary thing.

After school, it's off to the bank, grocery store, pharmacy and a beeline home to start dinner for 2:00 and back to my other job. It's going to be a long week.

Hi everyone - another quick flyby Quite a few things going on and this is my last day alone at work. Things are going to pick up this week and I need to be in top shape. I woke up feeling quite good yesterday and went for a 60 minute walk with a friend and I am now paying for it today. I am hoping to get an appointment this afternoon after work -- I really don't want to miss my definition class tomorrow.

Gayle you did an awesome job catching up with everyone - now that I see how huge we have gotten I am going to apologize up front if I don't acknowledge everyone. Cat I checked out Yahoo groups and I have to admit I was in one a couple of years ago -- it was the best and worst of times for me online. Met two of my best friends (for life) and met several of the worst people -- but then we can't control who is online.

Just know I will be here supporting all of you when you need it and I will be needing you at times. I know Zoe and Phyllis have joined me in my hate hate affair with the scale -- but we love how our clothes are fitting.

Well on to work -- Keep GOLDEN everyone

LOL oh and Cat I would be afraid of a yard full of 30 kindergarteners -- let alone 300

. . . see you all later . . .

Good morning, Oh! its afternoon already!

I have been quite busy this morning.
Started at 7 am.
My dd called to tell me she had left her keys in her car, and its still running. So….. I had to get up and take her extra set to unlock her car.
I figured I was out, so I stopped to get lunch meat for the week.
My friend works at the deli. We got talking and of course, jobs come up in the picture. She told me they need help. And I could get as many hours as I need. That she will pull for me to get in.

When I got home, from the Giant Eagle, I put on nice clothes and went BACK to The store. To apply for the job. Did you know you have to apply for the job by phone?!
So…. I put in my app. at Giant Eagle today. For the meat Deli.

After leaving the store, I stopped at the bank and library.
I then proceeded to apply by phone, for a full time job.

If you are wondering about the nursing home… I can only get 2 hrs a day.
Unless I do a split shift. To much money in gas going out to the home. for that.
While I will miss the folks living at the home… I need more hrs.

Grocery’s seem to go up every week. And we all know how the gas has been.
So Ella, don’t feel bad about the amount you spend. Its just the 3 of us, And I have a hard time getting out for less than $150 a week. All this healthy eating is costing more too.

Any how, I went home after this to do some work around the house. Thank God I did before I looked out the window.

The almost 90 yr old lady across the street was trying to water her new garden. This included having to climb a 2 foot tall raised garden, (rounded), to reach the faucet. So… I spent 2 hrs watering her yard and plants, while visiting the sweetie. She is one the nicest lady’s around.
2 hrs. well spent.

I looked at the clock at this point and realized I hadn’t woke up my hubby yet. At noon! so I ran across the street to find him up already. He must have heard me leave and gotten up then. And here I am.

Ella,
I liked your comparison of us all. How many differences in life styles, yet We can all enjoy each others company. Ya Gotta love it.
I am glad you are feeling better, take care of your self and don’t forget the bike WILL be there when you are better.

Karen,
I am hoping all is better for your sister. And that SOMEONE anyone, buys your house while its still summer. I would NOT want to move during a winter in Colorado! Brrr

Phyllis
I can well imagine how hard it would be to not see the kids. I would really hate that too. I love my Saturday’s. We almost always spend them with our kids and gdd.

Margeret,
I love the pic of you. You look very sweet.

Oh, My.
How time fly’s. I have to get off. and make lunch, and shower for work.
enjoy the lovely day. Sorry If I missed you. Yup, this group has grown. takes all day to read and write to everyone.
hugs,

Hi GOLDEN GIRLS . . .

Finally managed to clean up some of the pictures my oldest granddaughter took at the beginning of last month. There were none of her, of course since she was the one playing photographer and for some reason she didn't take any of her Mother. She took a lot of cat pictures, but most of them were too close to turn out as anything recognizable.

Here are some that aren't too bad -- her four year-old sister; her Father; and me -- just thought I'd show you three generations. There is a bit of a family resemblance. Too bad I can't blame my double chins and turkey-wattle neck of the photographer.

No . . . that's not one of my cats . . . it's Angelia's stuffed toy.

Have a great evening, gang . . .

Greetings, salutations, and <looking around> hmmm, isn't THIS a quiet Monday here in the hallowed halls of Golden Girlery....???
Well, I can't complain about the company - Cat, Jo-annie & Theresa make stopping in such a pleasure. Well, you too, Marylynn, except judging by the time of your post, and your plans for - was it really 5:AM??? - this morning, I’d guess you were long gone by the time I ventured through. And, oh Lawdie mzzz Maudie, YESSSS, I counted Thirty - THREE-OH - of us acknowledged in Gayle’s post last night, and I have to admit that I was floored! There’s just never going to be any hope of MY keeping up with everybody, and I can tell you that. I’ll just have to revert back to my old methods of replying to those who have posted most recently - and those whose names haven’t slipped my increasingly collander-like mind. My DH was, in fact, rather flummoxed the weekend before last when we were up cavorting about in the White Mountains (okay, not cavorting, exactly - but didn’t that sound really delightfully bawdy for just a millisecond there?) and he took it upon himself to make some introductions between a woman we’ve both known for at least four years, now, and a newcomer to the group - and he blanked out on her name! I hope we BOTH don’t succumb to senility simultaneously....that could certainly pose some problems, eh? The kids would have to find us some nice assisted living accommodations, and we’d be taking turns calling them to ask who the devil that strange man/woman is in the bed next to us!
Luckily, we both remembered who we are today. I’m awfully glad HE did, I can tell you. I don’t know WHO would’ve wheeled the trash out to the curb for me if DH suddenly thought he was our next door neighbor or a republican or something. And what’s wrong with a republican, you ask? Why nothing at all. I would never bring up subjects like religion or politics on such a patchwork of diversity as are we Golden Girls. When it comes to those subjects, I say, “to each her own”.
Cat, did you say three hundred five year olds? Surely that was a typo? Wherever on earth could 300 five year olds be successfully contained for pity sakes? I have spent the better part of an afternoon with ONE five year old - my grandson - and been laid out like a dead flounder for three days afterwards!
Oh, I hope you got that appointment, Jo-annie! I’m getting concerned about that back of yours! I think you need a nice, refreshing visit to the SPA...
Theresa! Seeing your post was SUCH a pleasure! Omigawd....aren’t the food costs outrageous? Oh, how absolutely lovely of you to help your elderly neighbor like that. I’m sure I would’ve brought her a glass of water or something if she looked hot, but your kind of unselfishness goes way above and beyond most of the rest of us. Now, Golden Girlies, I’m only speaking for myself here, but c’mon....how many of us really would’ve spent two of OUR precious hours like that? I knew you were special, Theresa, and I just LOVE being proven right....
Now all I have left from this past weekend’s flu/virus/nondenominational bug is a nasty cough and some really gut-curdling sneezes. Yeah. These really incredible sneezes that feel like they originate in my heels, and explode upwards...real loud, like an elephant calling to its long-lost mate, or something. Oh, of course I’m keeping myself heavily drugged on OTC daytime severe cold syrup - otherwise, who knows? I HAD to go into work. Don’t ask. It was a tedious day. Home at last with supper in the oven and I’m about to climb out of my work attire - don’t actually know why I haven’t done that yet.
Sayonara, Golden Girls. Lullaby & goodnight (unless I drop back in after supper; I never know what the plan is actually going to be).

Z

Oops, you sneaked in right past me, Meowee-Linda! NICE pictures!

Hugs to you, too...

Z