I'm on my way to heaven,
We shall not be moved!!!

Yep I'll go anywhere with the chainsaw and pruner - however I draw the line at cutting down anymore of our native virgin forests. There is plenty of space out there now to plant a whole range of renewable resources. We should leave the rainforests and the rest of the bush strictly alone to live and refresh our air resources. Why in heavens name would anyone want to prune a magnolia!!!! I may not be an expert in these things but all the flowers seem to appear at the end of the branches, so I don't think your magnolia will flower again until some new branches grow. I used to love those things in NZ, they were absolutely magnificent. Don't grow here unless you live in the mountains. Gum trees are a totally different story. They grow close together in the forest and between them they keep the water table down and therefore grow quite happily and safely. When the developers clear the land for housing particularly acreage blocks, they leave a number of these trees standing. Unfortunately the trees are shallow rooted and when the water table goes up in heavy rain the trees just topple over - causing chaos if they land on the house or water tanks. I should go and do a forestry course and SAVE THE WORLD!!!!!
So on to today - best get back in the bathroom and finish off the bits. With a bit of luck we can finish the floor and move the vanity in this weekend. Don't hold your breath though. I'd better put in some dog maintenance today as well and some more time out in the front yard. Wonder if I'll ever find time to go back to work?

Okay is finished - thanks Nae. I'm doing astro travel to come on over and have coffee at your place Must have missed the others while I was there.

good day to you all not that its good im really bloody sore but not my back is there a muscle that wraps around from under your ribs on the left hand side and ends just above my hip on the back left hand side if so i think ive pulled it must have been when i scrubbed the bathroom floor last night they put in this brilliant non-slip flooring that swells when wet so you can get a better grip but they dont tell you that you have to get on your hands and knees to clean the sodding floor so im off for now as it hurts to breathe when im sat down and forget lying tried it and failed so peak later
kirsty

Shad~ we had maint. man who started "pruning " our young maples within an inch of it's life. I went out there and said you'll make it top heavy and the next baby hurricane we have it'll topple over!! I wish the ones who know nothing would just leave it to the pros! So do you want a job?! You're sounding like a change in careers is due!

Linus~I am so sorry that you feel so sore!!! If it's not one of us it's the other! Good thing we have a sense of humor!

Well girls, I am tired out from food shopping and being outside and helping people get out of stuck elevators!!! Does no one here have a brain but me? I thing we need to send some of them to see the Wizard!! Are they still handing out brains in Oz?!?!

Have a great night and take care and good morning sunshine!!!!

stuck lift good exscuse for a fireman to come visiting ribs killing me makes it feel like im trying to breathe through water so ill speak to you all tomorrow have a good one
kirsty

Brains in Oz??? I think they handed them all out some time ago Mel. So why are we getting stuck in lifts at your place? Do they not have some sort of maintenance program there? Hasn't anyone told them that although it is a bit expensive to set up, it is far cheaper in the long run to service it rather than repair it?

Poor linus - busted a gut washing the floor. I won't laugh because it has happened to me before now. That floor must have been invented by a man, ease of cleaning has obviously not been factored in!

Just got back from the gym - did a step class - jeez I wish I was more co-ordinated. I feel such a dork leaping up when the others are bending down and using the left leg or even worse only one leg when you are supposed to be using the right or the other. I guess if I go long enough and often enough it will gel, but WHEN will that be!

So I am going to have an early lunch and then work in the bathroom and outside for the rest of the day. Gorgeous day out there apart from a cool breeze blowing. The rest of the population is probably inside huddling around a heater.

Hi Everyone.
It's #$#@()*!@*$#*& week for me - the end of the school semester and the frantic efforts to get everything done that can't all get done. I got to bed at 2:30am yesterday and up at 6:30 today. BUt I have done as much as I can on the projects and now all that's left to be done is study for my final exam on Friday. However, I do believe I have blown the "A" grade point average I fought so hard for 2 years to keep. I didn't get an extension on my coursework while on vacation and didn't have enough time to get it all done. I'm really sort of about that. But then again, pretty soon I will be done with school, won't have a job and the way the stock market is tanking again, we won't have any savings left either so why fuss over it? Yes, I am in a bit of a blue mood today too. And I was too busy to fix a sensible lunch today so lunch was a bag of tortilla chips and veggie garden salsa. Not necesarily terrible but I took in enough sodium to fill the Great Salt Lake so I'm sure tomorrow I will be feeling quite the

Enough about whiny old me. Shad, I felt the same way about the step class. We had one elderly gent that put the whole class to shame - I suspect he was an instructor at some point in his life. I am not comfortable in step class. Or aerobics. But I am ok with Yoga, Pilates and the Aqua Exercise classes. Good on yah for trying something different tho. Just hang to the back of the class and know that people are not looking at you (though you might think they are). I've found it takes a good 6 weeks at least of a once a week class to get used to the moves. Everyone always said don't be intimidated because we all had to start somewhere. And for some reason the gyms don't like to do beginner's classes But it sounds as if you are filling your days wisely.

Linus are you sure you're ok? Didn't crack a rib or so on the floor? I know the pain you refer to - makes it hard to draw a deep breath. Can we all come over and tape you up? Promise not to make you laugh too much or look like the mummy when we're done with you

Eee gads Mel - stuck elevators/lifts? One of my worst phobias It seems like there is never a dull moment in your building. And it seems like you are over extending yourself again so you'd better plan another Mel-i-day soon.

Did someone say something about coffee at Nae's place? Can I come, please, huh, can I, can I, huh, pullleeeeasssseeeee? Afterwards we can all take a nice stroll through the lovely wide open fields. Maybe make some friends with the and too?

And in the words of Paul McCartney I say to Miss Teel there or maybe even Holly:
Someone's Knockin' At The Door.
Somebody's Ringin' The Bell.
Someone's Knockin' At The Door.
Somebody's Ririgin' The Bell.
Do Me A Favor,
Open The Door And Let 'Em In.

Don't worry, it's just us and we brought goodies Time to check in my dear, inquiring minds want to know what you're up to And what happened to Shaker - has she run off with Annie in the blue ball gown?

Well, I am yawning so much I can hardly see and my eyes are tearing so I thin that means it's time for bed. Have a good day everyone - I might be lurking for the next few days - depends on if I can get my studying all done and still have some free time at night.

happy if i let you come and tape me up will you promise not to tape my gob so i can still have a fag?

GOOD MORNING!!!! I am returned!!!Sorry for the ultra long disappearance but as you rememered first there was the parents visit to deal with and then I cancelled my ISP 'cos I was changing to broadband and I thought I could use the respite place computer, like I normally do, so not being on-line at home would not matter.....except when I got to respite, their computer had crashed 'cos they went broadband...and I got home on Monday and my computer-fixer expert said he'd come round on Tuesday....and didn't!!! So finally he arrived today at about 11:10 and here we are!!Tiscali broadband up and running It is such a change to see the connection speed of 589.8kbps instead of 44kbps...!!
I have done a mega quick scan of the 5 PAGES of posts since I last got to the thread but have taken very little in ti my brain cells...except to say LINUS well done on the weight loss...I am very pleased for you and you must be thrilled.... and HAPPY, well done to you in your smoke free zone!!! I think you have both done brilliantly...I am afraid I have not dared to get on a scale and also have not gone swimming 'cos the pools heating system went wrong and it was too cold to go in. Lots of people complained but I rang LAFitness yesterday and apparently the pool temperature is up again to 29 or 30 degrees so I hope to go today...I am not overly keen as my back pain is verging on the intolerable at the moment and I am not feeling all that well on the MST Continus for the Costachondritis. Still, a few lengths will make the jacuzzi all the nicer!!
Well as it has now gone noon I shall shoot off, and hopefully be back tonight...or tomorrow!
Take good care all of you......

welcome to the world of broadband teel youll definantly notice a difference weve got a three meg connection as hubby plays european level and needs the speed glad to have you back and glad the comp is now in the land of the living how are we all today good i hope me im still in agony and couldnt get an appointment at open surgery so ive got my three monthly appointment on friday with my own doc so if its not any better by then ill get him to check it im terrified in case its another disc gone as the pain is driving me bananas well kids are good and sos dh so thats something the ***** is doing my head in i think shes going into season even though shes two months early either that or shes just rampant and if we ever try to breed her we might have problems as she thinks she does the mounting and you do it to the head so that just wouldnt work and poor benjys not too amused either especially as we had him castrated four years ago to calm him down and stop him running away so you can understand why hes not amused its weigh in night tomorrow and i think no i hope im down again so ill wait and see and as ive not seen my doc since february hes gonna be pleased i was 18 stone the last time i saw him well chicks im off im going to take the dogs out and have a nice hot shoewr and slump in front of the comp and play with my wee men speak later
kirsty

Poor Happy, it's so hard to be superwoman. Just do the best you can. With your averages, you should get a good degree. Is this the end of school altogether? or just for the summer? I hear you on the bills and stockmarket but that's no reason to eat badly and undo all the good work done so far. Get with it woman!! Put your CV around some of the agencies and see what happens. Although it is a pain in the neck I know. When I was working, there were a stack of jobs going here in Brisbane. Now the only ones I am seeing are in Perth or Sydney or Melbourne so maybe I will have to travel again! The only blessing there is that they are short term contracts. Maybe I will need to start thinking of a permanent job again.

Teel so good to see you back again. We went broadband a week or two ago as well. However I think I am going to have a fight with Bigpond because they has just sent me a bill notification for the entire month of dialup. So will have to gird the loins and go to work on the telecommunications giant.
Don't go swimming laps with back pain that bad, just hop into the jacuzzi and feel decadent for a while!

Linus I hope that pain goes away shortly, it does not sound pretty. Take care.

Mel - are you stuck in the lift yourself?? and whats Roseblush up to? Still practicing her sign language???? Came back and tell us all about it.

Gotta go. I'm going down for some more blood tests today - I think he is looking at thyroid stuff since I am exercising madly and eating well and not loosing anyweight whatsoever. However he seems to think it is just a matter of time and me being impatient (who me?) so I am fasting for that although black coffee is okay apparently - well Dr Ian told me I could anyway. A Shad without coffee is not a pretty sight.

Then I have to shop and get some more silicone
Then some more time in the garden getting rid of the overgrowth.
Wash down the front of the house and get rid of the spider webs and dust and dirt.
Clean the inside of the car.

Oh I forgot to mention, we had the biggest flock of rainbow lorikeets flying around here this morning - which probably means that the flowers are about to appear on the calistemons and the grevillea trees which means drunken parrots squawking and pooping around the place. A rainbow lorikeet??? Here you go.

Shad,
DH asked if you will please capture one or two of the lorikeets, put them in a box (with some seeds please) and ship to us here. We will reinburse for postage...

How I wish I could look out the window and see what you are seeing. We just have bland brown birds pooping all over with an occasional blue jay or red cardinal for a bit of color.

And I won't even go into the pair of hawks that nailed one of the meek doves and spread them across the lawn a few weeks ago. Sometimes I don't like Mother Nature very much

What's the difference between brightly coloured birds pooping all over the patio and brown birds bombing the deck?? Especially when the bright coloured ones are drunk!

DH said:
1) he's trying to be nice and if the pooping bothers you, he will be glad to take them off your hands so they won't annoy a nice person such as yourself or make a nasty mess for you to clean - he likes cleaning the pavement off with with broom and a high stream of water from the hose.
2) colored birds, particularly brightly colored birds make for better photographs. The only ones we get to see are in a zoo behind glass or at the pet store and at the pet store he pesters me to take one home. The ones $1,000 and up of course.
3) in this land of mine we have drunken men, drunken women and sometimes rowdy drunken teenagers, but no drunken birds nor do we have spaced out koalas either. And if we do have a special traveling koala exhibit, it's so darn crowded that you can't see them anyway. So.... the idea of seeing drunken lorikeets, parrots or cockatoos or any other such creature in the state you have described them is very intriguing to us.
4) He like animals. Any sort of animal. What can I say

I was going to just post my journal here again but have changed my mind. I had a pity party-well deserved if I do say so myself- but am feeling more myself right now. so why go through it all over again. I will make some calls tomorrow and get the MDA clinic to schedule me an appointment in the next few months. Then go back to dermatology and get their opinion. I think I will take the summer off from any more doctors as time is not of the essence. This whole thing will take awhile before any decisions can be made anyway. Months or years. No one is sure. Wait and see is the agenda for now. So tomorrow MISS SHAD I am going to drink and eat well and exercisae and no sodas! You are right when you said to Happy.....why throw it all down the drain. I worked hard for this much and refuse to give it up so easily again.

Hope all of you that have aches and pains feel better. Hope Happy does not put tape over Linus' mouth! Hope teel gets into the jacuzzi and Shad's birds don't poop on all the gardening she's been busy doing!!! Where is Nae?!

PS~ We do not have any preventive maintenance here. The boss man never agrees with me on it! Now one day he will get into trouble for this but I hope not at the loss of someone's life. I have tried unending to right this wrong but NO one will hear me. That's called "politics". Pure and simple. anyway this time was a tripped switch cause we had a power surge problem with the electric company so both elevators went down. No one was or screaming thank God!

Gotta go and get some sleep. Just wanted to touch base with my Chick Friends!!!
Hello sunshine and good night to the rest!!!

PS Happy go to bed and put your egg off!!!
I am so sorry my friend that you're grade is not what you expected but am sure your brilliance will shine through anyway!!! Sweet dreams