Morning girls,

Yesterday's volunteering stint went well. Spent at least half the time chatting with my partner. She's 11 years older than me but we have a lot of similar beliefs and got along well. I think for the time being I'd be more comfortable working with someone rather than on my own, particularly as we approach the busier season. S said it's way easier with 2 people there. Not like they are paying us and wasting money I am spending the morning with the man who runs the store and coordinates the volunteers. We'll see what he has to say about time slots and needs. I can already see little pockets of cliques and politics. I did agree with S in that some of the things are very over priced for a thrift shop. Doesn't do us any good if the stuff is not priced to move and just sits there. I understand that you don't want to give it away however it is all donated so it's pure profit - might as well price it to sell. However it's an iron clad group that does the pricing. There is no negotiating with the customers and I like that. I am not a haggler. I didn't have much time yesterday for gardening - got a few more pots done. DH mowed in the garden and did the watering for me. Looks like we got a gentle rain overnight. Some storms headed our way tomorrow and Friday. Might be severe, might skip us - wait and see. The mosquitos are out and they are HUGE. I thought they were flies of some sort. I got a bite on my arm the other day and it's a big welt. One was flying by DH's head last night and that's when I saw how big they are. Last night one was buzzing my head as I was on the computer. I hate things buzzing my head almost as much as I hate ticks Still better tho than dealing with city headaches. We take the bird feeders in at night now and DH puts them out in the morning. He calls the grosbeaks when he puts them out and they answer him back and fly right to the feeder. He said they are early risers and expect their breakfast at dawn

Mel - no kidding about the seniors not wanting to move. There are a few people like my Mom God Bless her who understand that while you might be stiff and achey, the best thing is to get out and move a bit. Those that sit cooped up in their house have the biggest issues. I feel sorry for anyone who is getting their first taste of a new career working with seniors. Good training for tolerance and patience! Isn't it interesting how human regress back to childish behavior as we age? Isn't it FRIGHTENING how we know it's going to happen to us too Poor Jen - does she know what she's in for? Enjoy your new refrigerator - how nice! Go to TJs and get some extra special stuff to celebrate how nicely chilled it will keep it Want me to send you a magnet from my town so you can decorate it? Would you like a bear or a big musky fish?

Ceejay - I hope the boss knows what they are doing announcing retirement plans early. Perhaps he is fishing for an early buy out package. Sometimes they make an assumption that one will not be as dedicated once they decide to leave and cut you off early. Good for you on the lawn mowing - great exercise as long as the summer heat and humidity have not moved in.

Michelle - we used to board our cat at Petsmart - she was in a kennel cage and did fine. I would do some casual observing with the dog handlers before I committed to anything. There's a lot of animal loving people there but some of them were either not trained well or were just doing it as a job. Not sure I would have left my dog at that particular store - different people handled cats and dogs. Just like finding day care for your kids I imagine As for the funky smell at the thrift store, I know exactly what you mean. The smell of old stuff. This one does not take clothes and very little in the way of soft goods. I avoid the back of the store where the books are - I am allergic to dust and mold so I went into the store a few times prior to volunteering just to make sure I would not have a problem. They also leave the door open in nice weather so the air circulates well. Might be a problem in the winter though. I am overly freaked out about the ticks just for the reasons you say. I guess every part of the country has their pests to deal with. Glad to leave the southern cockroaches and termites behind too.

Shad - FB has been very goofy lately. Nothing is every officially announced, there are problems suddenly and then they go away quietly. Believe me I am being very mindful of the foot - I did pull up a stool and sit periodically during the day. I'm glad that we also only do a 4 hour shift instead of a full day too. As for the garden we have a very tall fence around it. We heard deer can jump a 6 foot fence so DH made it extra tall. I guess the bunnies and deer are the biggest threats to the greenery. Bears like corn, seed, fruits and berries. And suet cakes. My cousin has a few apple trees on his property - you should see how the bears mangle those poor trees climbing in them to get the fruits. You talked about shepard dogs to herd the seniors in - we could probably borrow a few from the animal shelter to help us along just need someone who knows how to handle dogs. Sounds like things are going the same way for the future welfare of people as they are here in the states. Guess that's the way of the world now, rather than just one country's decline.

Just looked at the time, I need to go get dressed and get some breakfast in me before I run off to the thrift shop. Will come back and finish personals later. Have a good one ladies.

Ceejay - I think mowing your lawn is a great idea. I used to love mowing the lawn either with the walk-behind mower or the riding mower. I prefer yard work to housework. Right now, my step-mom has a gardener come once a week to mow the lawn and weed and do other chores, and my step-brother takes care of the flowers/plants.

Mel - I'm glad you got a new fridge and that the building is quiet. I hope it stays that way. After all the excitement/activity/drama there, I should think a boring day or two would be a welcome change! When you mentioned about Annie's Sassy being "fenced out", that ol' song "Don't Fence Me In" popped into my head. I don't even really know the song...just that one line.

Happy - As Mel said, be careful of your foot...Don't want to overdo and have more troubles, but I think you mentioned you'll limit how often you volunteer, which is smart.

Shad - If you and Happy overdo it, I don't see you in rocking chairs...more like chaise lounges with Igor bringing you drinks with umbrellas!


Sorry, Mel, didn't mean to leave you in suspense about doggie day care...(must've gotten distracted or absent minded last night)...the current place has a 7 pm pick up time, and PetSmart's pick up time is at 9. I'm finding there are exercise classes, writing workshops and other fun activities that run past 7, so it would be nice to have a place to take him on the days I choose to participate in something that runs past 7.

Lots to get done today, so I'd better get at it. Here's to a great day for all of us!

Much love and many hugs,

Happy - So glad you got along well with the other volunteer. Bummer about the cliques and politics...but I guess that happens everywhere. That's so cool that your DH knows bird calls. Should we start calling him Dr. Doolittle (as in talk to the animals)? Good idea about observing the dog handlers. And I'm glad you checked out the store to make sure it wouldn't upset your allergies. I, too, am allergic to dust and mold. That's good that your DH made your fence extra tall. Despite having deer in our neighborhood in WI, we never had deer in our backyard, and our fence wasn't quite 5' tall. But you have a lot more deer up north. We did have bunnies in our yard and we'd have to do a bunny-check of the yard before we put the dogs out in the evening. Speaking of dogs, I'll train/handle the shepherd dogs that we get to herd the seniors.


I hope that the storms headed toward the midwestern chicks just bring rain where it's needed, but no damage.

Morning all. Hump Day already!

Mel - Too bad the seniors in the building don't take advantage of the PT lady. Wonder if most people just get to the point in life where they stop doing any movement beyond the minimum that's necessary to get on with life? I like to think I'll never stop, maybe just do different types - yoga, stretching, tai chi, etc. Yay for the brand new fridge! And you got out of having to clean the old one, lol. Yeh, the robot movie was cute, and made bf and I want one for the house!!

Ceejay - The mowing will definitely give you a workout! Might as well do it yourself if no one else is doing it to your liking... Until it gets too godawful hot to do it! But when it gets that hot, the grass won't grow as quickly and won't need mowing as frequently... I checked the online catalog of my library and they have the Peggy Cappy yoga dvds for the back and for arthritis. Thankfully my back isn't bothering me anymore, but I've noticed it could use some stretching. I might check it out. Re the boss with retirement plans - wow, that's a lot of advance notice, but doesn't it seem too soon to be filling the position?? Huh.

Annie - Glad you go the garden fenced. I didn't put mine up but now I'm wondering if I should have. I'm not worried about Coal doing any damage, but I'll be really ticked if some critter comes and eats my veg plants. Maybe I should do that. Hope you got the rain we did last night/overnight so you don't have to water. Some of my flowers are still in the garage - I might move them outside so they get the light and moisture they need.

Happy - How did the humane society training session go yesterday? I agree with Shad, maybe start off at twice a month to see if it's your cup of tea and not too much for your feet. I bet it'll be interesting working there. I still haven't made it up to the shop my sis volunteers at - it benefits a dog rescue org. I'll enjoy hearing how your garden is going, including all the potted veggies - I've never tried that. I do find time in the garden tiring - all the bending, kneeling, digging, pulling. But what really puts me off is dragging all the tools and other supplies out (and always forgetting something and going back to get it) and then putting it all away and then cleaning up. The only time I don't need a shower after a gardening session is when I've gone out only to give a quick water to the hanging and potted plants and some of the beds.

Michelle - Hope you had a good night's sleep last night. Are you having trouble getting to the doggie day care before 7 to pick up Santa? Hope you find something that's a better fit for your schedule. Very scary about the ex's SIL and the effects of lyme disease on her! Good warning, especially for Happy. I was walking doggy by the creek and was hoping there isn't any poison ivy, oak, etc. And I've also been keeping an eye out for wildlife, though I think that risk is minimal because I don't take Coal over there at dusk or night.

Shad - Good to take it easy on the heel until it's fully recovered. And how's your knee feeling now? Re the stained jacket - I think it might have been easy to miss - I took a deliberate look at it and still missed the spots. Hope you get some sunshine and blue skies today. We had some rain overnight and it was still cloudy this morning. Then it cleared up a bit and the sun broke through for my commute. Still, it's supposed to possibly rain some more later today, so I covered my bike seat with a plastic grocery bag just in case.

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Well, I didn't feel the need to rush back here yesterday right after ww to report my 1.7 pound gain. Sigh. But today's scale reading at home was down two pounds from yesterday morning's weigh-in at home. I guess my body was holding onto some fluids. And getting back to my usual eating routine was helpful.

The Great Gatsby: First off, I never saw the Robert Redford version of the movie, so no comparisons to that. Though I did hear it was something of a snooze? This new movie was NOT. I did recently read the book, however, and I thought it really did try to be faithful to Fitzgerald's book. Yes, there was definitely a few spots that took liberties, but nothing too horrible IMO.

It was more like the director had amped everything up - slightly or even grossly exaggerated the book. (Or maybe I didn't have nearly that much imagination just in my own reading & interpretation of it. ) But I think that's exactly the style of that director - Baz Luhrrmann (sp?), who also did the movie Moulin Rouge. Sometimes the camera shots/editing in the beginning of the movie were too much, but it settled down pretty quickly. I thought Leonard DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan were really good, as well as the actress that played the pro golfer friend. I didn't care for the depiction of the narrator character played by Tobey Maguire. My understanding is this is a man of age 29 who's served in WWI and aslo gone through college, yet in the movie he's still very socially awkward and sometimes too goofy in his reactions...didn't like that. I found it very entertaining. I recommend it if you like the book, but be warned that you're getting that director's flashy and hyperactive/over the top take on it.

Okay, enough of the interruptions! Time to post. TTFN!

Happy - Another thing about gardening - once the bugs appear, can't even go out for a few minutes without applying bug spray! Glad the volunteering went well yesterday. Hope the cliques don't get to you. LOL re your dh calling the birds to the feeders.

Laura - The thing I like about the Peggy Cappy DVDs is that they're gentle. Some yoga classes at the gym were hard core, and not gentle at all. I did have a good night's sleep, thanks for asking. Most of the time, I don't have trouble getting to the daycare before 7 pm. Most days I go right from work, so I get there around 4:30 or 5; however, I'm finding exercise classes and other classes/workshops I'd like to go to from time to time, and a later pick up time would be more convenient. That way, I don't have to either (1) leave him with my step-mom for a couple hours (not that she'd mind); or (2) leave him home alone if she's not there. Bummer about the WW scale reading, but I'm glad this morning the scale has better news for you. Thanks for the review of Gatsby. I haven't read the book or seen the Redford version.

I saw "Eat Pray Love" for the second time as it was on TV recently. The first time I saw it, I was in a much different place in my life...married, seemingly happy, etc., and I liked it. This time when I watched it, I really related to how "lost" Julia Roberts' character was...and I could really relate to the journey to find herself that she went on. I feel I'm on that journey, and some days I feel closer than others to finding the real me. I hope I can find myself without traveling to Italy, India and Bali (while I love to travel, my bank account says that international travel is a bit off in the future).

Michelle
I bought some extra Peggy Cappy DVD's recently and the one for arthritis and one for back pain were in them I was really disappointed in the back pain one. But think I'll do the one for those who have arthritis tonight. It's similar to the other DVD that I have. Think I'm going to mow this week end. I really don't think he's going to have the time.

Happy
I'm concerned with the boss/friends action toward his retirement announcement. But he has to do this in regards to his license. He's highly agitated right now for reasons I'll not discuss. I'm thinking he's bluffing for a raise, but he also put his house on the market too. His job is political so to speak. But he has a class 4 waste water license, plus several other licenses. It will take awhile for some one to start from scratch to earn a license that high. It depends on the population of the city as to the requirement of the license. plus all the lab procedures. If you fail a test you can be put on violation and fined until that is resolved from the health department. He really pushed me into getting my class 4 water treatment and distribution license. But I'm thankful I have them. I have no desire to dig ditches but I could if I needed to and do it legally. I've been concerned that they'll boot him. But don't think the city can do it or they'll be in violation of code. It will be the same way here when I retire. But if he stay's after I leave then they are covered. That's why we're planning on retiring together.

Laura
I most definitely want to see the Great Gatsby. Guess I should reread the book.

More later when I have time

What a freakin day....took a vacay day. C and I went to the dealership, amazingly they accepted our first offer on a new 2013 Rav4. Altho we were at the dealer for 1.5 hours it all went well....then we went to lunch at 1. Home to ride together to the rest of the day. Aldis, Menards, Walmart, the to Cs house to wait on the air man. The air conditioning was having issues...ended up costing us 105.00. to fix...not really bad, except part was 30.00 bux the rest was labor..bleh.

Home again jiggity jig....dinner, dishes, then C went to bed at 8. I then decided to get the back grass cut. Not too bad...the last few stripes were in the dark, but think I got it. lol.

Not much else, folding towels in dryer, then hitting the hay.

Have a great night/morning.

Loves and hugs.

Evening all,
Bloody rain decided to start early this morning so not much got done outside. However I did finish the Doco for the BigT and that is in the ether for him to pick up tomorrow.
I rushed around this morning and cleaned some windows, made up the spare bed (DS1 tells me he is coming up for S's 1st birthday. Put a dark duvet cover on a new duvet and then swept the floor and dusted. Next time I looked in there, there was the cat sleeping on the dark duvet. Guess I will be picking off bits of fur for the next week or so.
Also finalised my bookings for NZ and my sisters 60th. Spoke to my niece (the one that got married a couple of years back - remember her?) and she tells me she is 13 weeks pregnant. Another great niece or nephew to join the clan.
Anyway, I will hop off here and go sort out the list for tomorrow. Hopefully it will not be wet. Personals tomorrow morning.

MORNING LADIES.
GOING TO BE A BUSY DAY MAKING THE ROUNDS IN THE BUILDING.
THE PRIMARY FOR GOVERNOR IS NEXT TUESDAY.
DOING IT NOW BECAUSE THE WEEKENDS ARE MINE...I AM STICKING TO THAT RULE.
I THINK I WOULD LIKE VOLUNTEERING WITH MISS HAPPY BETTER.
I LIKE THE IDEA OF SET PRICES AND NO HAGGLING.
SOMETIMES I FEEL THAT'S ALL I DO HERE IS HAGGLE!!!
HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT DAY




HAPPY....REALLY HOPE THE STORE WORKS OUT.
BE GOOD TO GET OUT AND MEET NEW PEOPLE.
TRY TO BEHAVE YOURSELF AND IF YOU'RE BAD....DON'T TELL THEM YOU BELONG HERE




MICHELLE....OH! I GET IT NOW. WAS WONDERING WHAT WAS SRONG WITH 7PM. LOL
THAT WOULD BE VERY NICE TO FIND ONE WITH A LATER PICK UP TIME.
ARE YOU STILL WAITING ON INTERVIEW RESULTS?
TICKS SCARE ME MORE NOW!! SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THE SIL.




LAURA......GOOD REVIEW OF GATSBY AND IT IS EXACTLY WHAT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE.
JUST THE CLIP I SAW I COULD SEE IT WAS MUCH MORE INTENSE.
YES THE REDFORD ONE WAS A BIT OF A SNOOZE. LOL
TO BE HONEST...I LIKED THE BOOK BETTER.
BUT I READ IT SO LONG AGO THAT I FORGET!!
HOPE THE NEW WEIGHTLOSS CONTINUES.....
FORGET ABOUT THE WEIGH IN!




ANNIE....GOOD LUCK WITH THE NEW VEHICLE
YOU GUYS WERE CERTAINLY BUSY.
HOW CAN C SLEEP WITH THE MOWER RUNNING??? ROFLMAO




SHAD....IS THAT THE NIECE WITH THE GORGEOUS DRESS??
I WAS JUST THINKING OF HER & THAT DRESS OVER THE WEEKEND.
CONGRATULATIONS GREAT AUNTIE!!!
WHEN ARE YOU LEAVING FOR NZ???
I CANNOT BELIEVE SOPHIA IS A YEAR OLD ALREADY

Good Morning...time for the morning coffee!

I am loving the new car. It rides so smooth. I am getting used to sitting up higher than in the Camry. I drove to work, probably under the speed limit then parked out in BFE so no one would ding me. Let's see how long that lasts..lol

MELLIE...good for you keeping your weekends to yourself. Not like you really do anyway with all the alarms, good to hear you actually got a great night's sleep.

HAPPY...glad you are enjoying volunteering at the shelter. Maybe you could get some great ideas and knowledge on the animals and we could have a shelter or petting zoo at the commune..lol.

SHADDIE...WOW Sophie is coming up on that 1st birthday. I do remember the wedding of your niece. I love the Youtube of it so much I saved it as a favorite. More babies, whew whoooo!! I keep thinking Samantha is going to spring it on me, but nothing yet. They are not really trying but not avoiding it either.

CEEG...sounds like a little choas at work with the boss/friend. Hope it all turns out the way you would like it to. How's the head feeling?

CHELLE...funny you mention Eat, Pray, Love...I was just the opposite when I watched it the first time. I was right there with Julia Roberts. Funny how life events mess with our thoughts.

LAURA...ok, I will go see the Great Gatsby altho I did see the first on with RR, and I liked it. Of course that was many years ago. No worries on the WL, you will kick it next week, plus there are no holidays in there to "get you".

Everyone have a marvelous day!!

Loves

Morning all.

Annie - Congrats on the new car!! Take a few deep sniffs of that new car smell for me would ya?? So this crowd is a RAV4 and CRV one... must be good vehicles. I'd say I was envious of your vacation day, but it sounded way too busy. I too wonder how C slept while you mowed! Did you have all the windows closed and the AC running? I got home from work and did that - doggy was panting quite a bit, couldn't leave him like that.

Mel - I'm sure you'd be a great haggler - sounds like everything you do around that building is negotiate to get what needs to be done done!! RE Gatsby - the book is always better! Yeh, "intense" is a good word for many of the scenes in the latest movie version.

Michelle - Thanks for the info on the Cappy DVD. I definitely feel like I need the stretching and gentle exercise that the Cappy dvd sounds like it offers. These strength training classes I've been focusing on may or may not have good warm-ups, and the stretching/cool-down portions at the end of class tend to be way too short. I can definitely see how you'd relate to Eat Pray Love differently now than when it originally came out. You're in a lot different place now, physically and emotionally!

Ceejay - Did you do the Cappy arthritis dvd last night? If so, how was it?? Weekend coming up...today??? I'm in need of a vacay day, seeing as I'm envious of your long weekends!! Maybe Monday...

Shad - Sorry the rain is wrecking your yardwork plans. S. is already coming up on a year old???!!! My how time flies. And congrats re your expecting niece (yep remember the wedding pics and her gorgeous gown). Nice you'll be getting home to visit and celebrate. I had to look up Auckland the other day because I was reading a fluffy book set there and I wasn't entirely sure if it was part of NZ or not. Geography is not my strong suit, but in my defense, that's not something our educational institutions do much with in this country.

Happy - You're probably typing along with me and will sneak in by the time I get this posted!

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I'll put the WW gain behind me, but yesterday could have been better. They were handing out goodies outside the train station yesterday morning and I can never refuse chocolate - three mini Ritter Sport milk choco thingies - one w/ cornflakes and two with a butter biscuit. And now I know I like both of those varieties - yet another temptation to resist!

Went to the 4G class last night. Never have done this class with this instructor - had both before but not together. As expected, tough class. Sore upper body right now and expecting more to come later. We'll see if I get to a class tonight. If I do, it'll be the circuit class.

Did I mention that my former Jazzercise location from years ago is offering 3 months for $79, unlimited classes, no joining fee???!!! I've decided I'm gonna do it, and I'll shoot for 1-2 of those classes a week. Shad, Michelle - how far are you willing to travel for your classes? These classes are about an 8-mile drive from home, one-way. Not horrible, just not as convenient as my current 2-mile drive. Anyway, I'm looking forward to it.

Got home and showered in time to see the last period of the hockey playoff game - those are way too exciting for me! It went into OT after a bad call disallowed a goal that would have won it for us in regulation time, but we won it in OT, so yay. On they move to the next round.

Okay, I never told you that on Friday I won a prize in a fundraising raffle I entered at work. It's a $200 Visa gift card!! Whoo!! I was a nice way to begin the holiday weekend, but no, I still haven't spent it.

Okay, enough of my rambling. Everyone have a great day!

yes Laura - you're right!

Quick check in for me ladies,

The day care place I'd been using said I had used up my pre-paid visit package, so on the way home yesterday, I checked out two doggie day cares with Santa. He passed the temperment test at both, and I got to tour both. One is owned by Petco Corporation and pretty expensive if you pay for single visits at a time, but if you purchase a 10 visit pack, it's cheaper than the place I was taking him. The other is at PetSmart, and I've had a few people recommend them to me, and they are less expensive as well. The dogs are constantly monitored by a few employees who are in the day care areas with them. Santa is at PetSmart today because until I hear for sure about the Escondido job, I didn't want to purchase a package deal. Santa seemed quite happy to go play when I dropped him off. Tomorrow is work from home day for me, and play at home day for Santa. It's nice because both day cares allow for later pick up times...not that I'd leave Santa there until 9 pm every night, and then it's home and straight to bed, because that wouldn't be fair to Santa. He needs time with me and I with him.

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Annie - congrats on the new Rav4! How exciting!! I'd like to be a bit higher up than in my Corolla, but I'm happy with the Corolla and no car payments right now. You're right how life events mess with your thoughts. I was watching The Voice the other night and two female contestants sang this song (don't remember the name), but it's a wife and a mistress singing to each other about the husband that cheats. And all those lines like, "Does he love you as much as he loves me"...I just had to fast forward through it...I guess some wounds haven't completely healed yet.

Shad - Good on ya' for finishing the doco. I guess Miss Puss approves of the new duvet cover. How exciting for your niece and nephew in law! And so nice that you're going to NZ for your sister's b'day. MY niece is due with her first child any day now. She was actually due last week, but the little man must be comfy cozy and in no hurry to make his appearance. If she doesn't go into labor by Saturday night, the doc will induce. My niece is such a wonderful young woman, and her husband is a great guy. They'll make awesome parents!

Mel - So proud of you for insisting that the weekends are yours, depending on alarms that is.

Laura - So it's getting to be AC weather already? I hope you have good weather on the weekends...when people really need it. It's supposed to be warm (upper 80s/low 90s) this weekend, so I may try and do activities near the coast or places with shade. This week has been in the low to mid 70s, and people here complaining it's too cold, but I think it's perfect. Ritter Sport? never heard of them...but they sound delicious! What is the 4G class again? I'm willing to drive 5-10 miles for classes (as long as they're either close to work or home or day care). I don't know if I'll sign up for a gym or just a punch card type system for Zumba. Congrats on winning the Visa gift card! $200 is a great prize!!

Happy - Good morning!

Much love and hugs to all,

'morning kids,

At the start of the week they were predicting strong storms for today. Looking outside the sun is shining brightly and while it's a bit breezy, I don't know about those storms... My tomatoes are looking rather spindly. I'm hoping they're not looking for much heat - it was warm yesterday but looks like it's going to be a cooler - as in comfortable - and not sweaty summer here. I have today to myself and am going to finish the last of my planting. Yesterday I was training with a new person - pleasant enough but then at once point she starts slamming out snipey comments about politics. Nothing bugs me more than people who have no idea what they are talking about - instead just "parrot" and repeat the hate they hear from others. I may not agree with your beliefs but if you can articulate specifically why you feel the way you do I will at least give you the respect of your opinion. When you simply make generalizations, you're not worth listening to in my book. So check - will avoid all opportunities to work with this one in the future. We got a lot of people swinging by dropping off donations yesterday. The coordinator (who was training us) was working his magic on one lady, trying to get her to volunteer some time at the store - she worked for a short bit last year but was not comfortable being alone. We got to talking, found that she, I and the other woman I was working with all grew up in the same general area of Chicago. Turns out donation lady and I went to high school together - we were in the same graduating class. Neither one of us really remembered the other - after all it was a million years ago and as I said - think of all the people we have met between then and now - that's a lot of people to forget She doesn't want to work alone and neither do I so we're both going to meet up again on Sunday and do an afternoon shift. Even after a few short days there I am finding that there is a lot of drama and politics there - much like I encountered in our homeowners association and similar to Mel's office fiascoes. I neither want nor need this in my life. I just want to get out for a bit, challenge my mind and socialize a little. There are several people who have been there for many years and are very controlling and petty. I heard stories about how some of the shop keepers would move items around to improve the displays only to incur the wrath of the "pricing committee" which is the end all be all of the place. Not to mention apparently the source of a lot of discontent and volunteers quitting. Oh my oh my. Can't we all just get along? I am going to tread lightly and not get myself in too deep. I do chuckle to myself in that ever the eternal optimist I keep going out in public only to find that I'm really better off at home with the animals for company But then there are moments like running into L from high school or my new friend S the shop volunteer that tell me it's not all bad...

A comment about the Peggy Cappy videos. I like them because they are more gentle - good for people who are starting out or like me might have some joint issues that prevent me from a P90x style. However, it's a waste to get more than one of her videos. She does the same basic stuff throughout her series and just slightly modifies it for each DVD. Ie. Yoga for the Rest of Us isn't all that much different than Easy Yoga For Arthritis. So pick one DVD, do it and enjoy it.

Laura - Congrats on winning the gift card - that's a really nice prize! Good deal on the Jazzercise class - 8 miles is a long way to drive in traffic. Only you can decide if it's worth it and if you can make the classes work in your time schedule. Jazzercise seems like a lot of fun tho. You do very well on those intense exercise classes - good for you - keep up the great work! I'm sure you are building and keeping muscle that helps to burn those calories. You made a comment about warm up and cool down stretches. That is so confusing to me - just like coffee - one day it's good for you, another day it's bad or does nothing for you. They seem to keep changing their opinion on that. Only thing I guess that holds true is that you do get tiny tears in the muscles when you exercise and you need to rest inbetween to let them repair and rebuild.

Annie - congrats on the new car! I'm sure it's different sitting up higher. I like the Avalon (a bit bigger than the Camry) for tooling around town running errands in the non-snow weather. I like sitting higher in the 4Runner for snowy weather to have a better view of traffic all around. Plus it's a little easier to load groceries and such in the hatch bed of the Rav4. Enjoy it! And a new car always helps the walking program because you park at the far end of the lot so you don't get dinged. As for a petting zoo at the commune - we have a Wilderness Walk here that I want to go to - petting zoo that we can all take a field trip to. And in all of you I guess we have a new bunch of volunteers for the shelter. We can go walk dogs for exercise except I need one with short legs like Sassy who can't run fast Please take care of that poor toe of yours - can't be good that you keep reinjuring it.

Mel - you can come volunteer with me. At least it will be with someone I know I can get along with! We'll leave you in charge of the register. Good luck with the canvassing. Is a new governor running or is it Christie? running for re-election?

Shad - sounds like the family is growing. How nice for the new pregnancy in the family. I would think with Miss Sunday being 3 colors, she manages to totally get contrasting cat hair on furniture no matter where she goes. I really don't miss vacuuming up cat hair. Nice that you will have both boys together for the birthday bash. Will you be cooking up a feast then?

Ceejay - all the drama going around you at work will make your days fly by and before you know it, you'll be out of there. Have you settled on moving with your sister or is that just the general thinking right now, possibly subject to change? It's good that you rent - at least you don't have to worry about unloading your house - that can really mess with the timing and plans.

Michelle - I totally get what you are talking about relating to specific movies. I feel sometimes to it gives some validation (and hope) to what is going on in one's personal lives. I know it's fiction but hope springs eternal - you can pick up the pieces, start all over and find happiness. I always thought too that walking the beach (with Santa) and listening to the surf would be very relaxing and give you lots of time to sort your thoughts and breath in some fresh air and get your groove back. Certainly much better than sitting in a car fighting traffic and swearing at the idiots

It's clouding up out there - guess I'd better get off the computer, get some eggs in me and get out there and finish up my planting. Have a good day all.