Hi Everyone,

Today is my bi-annual get-together with 2 friends I used to work with. We all retired from that company around 15 years ago. Typically, we meet once in the summer and once around Christmas. Today we are going to Grounds for Sculpture http://www.groundsforsculpture.org/ GREAT park and sculpture & a café with great food.

Hi Zoe,

Is it almost time for us to start planning our Zoe Retirement Golden Girls Weekend? You have such a great family and so many interests, I wish you could get to your retirement date so you can relax and ENJOY!

Hi Gayle,

Isn’t it interesting how siblings can REALLY get under our skin? I think it’s because they know us so well and what buttons to push. When my brother was alive, he and I fought constantly about politics. There were several years when I didn’t even talk to him. However, we made up before he got sick (pancreatic cancer). He died in September 2001. As he was dying, I told him I loved him so much, I would vote for his party’s candidate for President. He looked at me and said, “Why? I wouldn’t even vote for HIM!” At the end, our differences didn’t matter much.

Hi Donna,

Maybe she’s just old and cranky – I can relate to that!

Sarah’s Key is one of the books my book club read. It is about Jews in France during World War 11. It was a difficult book to read but a good one. The movie was the same – difficult, but good.

Hi Mary,

So sorry about your DH’s eye. You guys are sure having your problems this year. My best wishes are with you both.

Hi Fitchy,

I will pop up and read as soon as I post this. Glad you joined us!

Hi Darcy,

Hope you got a good sleep.

My dh has an appt for his MRI this afternoon so we'll soon be getting ready to go. The doctor did say that sometimes palsied nerves heal themselves so we are praying that that will be the case with his. However I'm sure that is if it is not caused by an aneurysm. So that's why he is having the MRI to rule that out. I don't think he slept much last night probably was thinking about all this.

Our son (the one we got the loan for) made the full payment this month. So we are happy about that and hopefully he can continue to do it himself now. Now we hope he can soon get the loan in his name instead of ours, but that may be a while.

I've been neglecting my housework a lot since I came back from our last trip for some reason...just laziness I guess. Today I cleaned the kitchen and it looks so much better. Even cleaned the cupboard under the sink. Wow what a difference! I still need to mop the floor but just a thorough vacuum made such a difference. I need to get back on track with my housework as well as my eating. My weight is dropping down again but I'm not quite completely back on track with my eating, just eating less, but still need to do better.

Rie - Sorry you had more pain but glad the meds help. I love apples with pb, never tried the cream cheese though.

Lyn - I think it's just that my dh is getting older and the older we get the more things are likely to happen to us.

Welcome to all the new GG! I lost a post a while back and think I welcomed you in that one but didn't retype it. This is a great group, very supportive.

Bye for now,
Mary

Hi everyone. we just got back from another trip to town.gee thats every day this week so far im liking it. The Dr called and said they think my dh problem is celiac's disease,gluten intolerance. so hes suppose to try a gluten free diet for 3 months. hmmm not sure about this and did some research and then a trip to grocery store that has a good health food dept and got some gluten free products for him to try,like spahgetti,bread and crackers and snack stuff made with corn,and pancake mix.. he's allready grumbling and i said welcome to my world,as i sure can relate. anyways we will see how this works,trial and error. hes off to the cabin tommorrow with his brother. the new 4 wheeler he bought he hated so sold it and his old 6 wheeler and just bought a 1 yr old newer 6 wheeler, he sure was wheeling and dealing, i said fine as long as it didnt cost us any more. hope hes a happy camper now.Im working on a quilt for my youngest grdd. shes the only one i have not made a big girl quilt for and remined me this summer lol.it will be a xmas gift. i made them baby quilts and then big girl or boy quilts and said id make them one more when they get married.good thing i love to quilt.my eating is going ok after a ditched the thin newtons. my cravings for carbs are getting less thank goodness.Maryea hope your dd mri turns out well rei sry your back was hurting hope its better now.lynn have fun with your friends sounds lovely. jess hope granny/mom is all chipper today and by the way i love gorking zoe your schedule is so busy i can sure see why you crave some alone time,did you find a dress for the wedding?glynne sry your brother hurt your feelings well gizmo is demanding my attention.hes learned to climb up the side of my chair like a kitten and is laying on the keyboard lol ((hugs)) and happy thoughts for all rosey

Wow! I'm home early tonight! It wasn't even 6:00 when I walked through the door! (5:44). I'll have so much time on my hands tonight, I won't know what to do with myself! I threw together some tossed salad with lettuce and baby spinach, tomatoes, red onion, some chick peas....not very imaginative, but by Wednesday night, my engine is starting to shift into low gear..... Anyhoo, dh is in the process of thawing and microwaving some pulled chicken to put on top, and once that's done, we'll be good to go. In the meantime, I get two and a half minutes to myself - so I thought I'd check in here. I'll just have to take a break to eat my supper. I am STILL on plan, and am beginning to see some difference in my clothes and such. I'm feeling much better about moi, but, oh, boy, I'm definitely under attack from pollen, or something that's blowing around in the atmosphere because I'm having sneezing fits four or five times a day, coughing at night, and eyes running at unpredictable times...several times, someone I work with has looked at me a little uncomfortably and asked if I'm alright (as in, they're thinking I'm crying). Lovely. Oh well, onward and upward (or downward, I guess, if we're talking scales and weight here...)
Oh, Lynn, I can't WAIT for our GG's retirement bash weekend!!!! Somebody needs to figure out an equidistant point that we can all get to and that's affordable for everybody! Would that be somewhere in the midwest? Kansas, maybe? I've never been there, and the only point of reference is from The Wizard of Oz, where somebody says to Dorothy? To Toto? "You're not in Kansas anymore!" I think it would be great fun if we all could pitch in and rent a cabin or house or something for a long weekend - we could have a marathon pajama party and talk and laugh and hug....
Mary, I'm thinking of you and your dh, and hoping and praying for a good result from that MRI. DO keep us posted!
So sorry to hear about your back flaring up, Rie/Val....hope you're in fine form for your pool league tonight!
Hi Darcy...I sure can identify with the time issues...been having some of those myself!
Hi Fitchy....enjoyed reading your bio; yours too, Darcy.
Thanks for putting the video up, PT. I watched it again and chuckled. Oh, I'm the same way with any kind of sweets - including those yummy fig cookies....they just trigger cravings, so I'm avoiding them altogether. Good that you threw the coffee grounds on them, Rosey - at my worst, I would probably just rinse them off and eat them, though!
Nice pics, Gayle. LOVE the crown! Omigosh, Rie/Val and Gayle.....I thought I was the only one who accumulated so much change in the bottom of my purse that carrying it around makes my shoulder ache! Funny, too, that it takes a while before I realize that that's what it is!
Glad to hear that your recalcitrant pup is finally eating properly, Marie...now we have to get Samcat to straighten up and fly right...
Missing you Nancy, but nothing is more frustrating than having to fight with your computer...I'd rather sit in a swing, too! Enjoy!
K3....looks like you got lucky...Irene missed you, right? (must've been all that off-key singing of "Goodniiiiigggghhhhht Irene, Goodnight..."
Freda, you are such a lovely woman...I know your grandchildren must just worship you!
Where are you vacationing, Lyn? (Don't most people go to where YOU live to vacation????)
Hi MustangK...what's up, chica?
Okay, gotta go...have a good evening....hugs all around!
Z

Lynn, I listened to Sarah’s Key audiobook about 6 months ago. Oh my gosh, it was amazing. So sad. Desperately sad. I was so glad I listened to it.

Donna, I’m quite sure SamCat appreciates your devotion to his demands. It is a lot of work for him to come up with new ways to push you over the edge. It’s good you appreciate his efforts.

Mary, I’m so sorry about your DH’s eye problems. I hope all turns out all right. He’s lucky he has you so the double vision doesn’t get ignored.

Val, I hope your back calms down. Maybe you shouldn’t do my strength exercises for a while. See??? They’re horrible. They cause me pain, they cause you pain.

Zoe, get yourself to thy drugstore and by thee some antihistamine. You don’t want a sneezing fit at the wedding. No, no, no. BTW, Allegra is over the counter and my allergist said I could take two (and twice a day). Keep that thought as a back up if the sneezing drives you nutty.

I know I missed many so here is a blanket HOLA to all. I’m very happy we’re on the downhill slide to weekend. I did the presentation of the website I mentioned yesterday and it went all right. Not great, not bad. I didn’t hide my irritation with the company but I was semi upbeat about the long-term good it will do. So it gave me a headache and I cam home and dunked my head in the pool. Amazing what a quarter mile swim will do. Kai continues to be Ms. Eater and is doing well. Kodiak’s ear infection is doing better. Blizzie and Sasha are magnificent. DH’s father is in the hospital. He’s had loads of medical problems for decades but recently is failing physically. My SIL said he’s not enthusiastic about life either. DH has noticed that as well. I feel bad for him, I truly do. He was severely injured on job about 30 years ago and it messed up his quality of life. That said, my mother in law is an angel. She sounded so tired on the voicemail tonight. My heart goes out to her. I called DH at work and told him to call his mother right away. We live 1700 miles away but that doesn’t mean he can’t support her by listening. I’m tired so I will go onto my next project. Night all.
Marie

Good Morning GG's

We had quite the storm last night. No damage that I know of, just lots of high wind and rain. It was hot and muggy yesterday and you could just feel that something was going to happen. by the way, did you read that the zoo animals sensed that the earth quake was going to happen? I don't think that any of us were surprised to hear that, we know that our babies know when something (weather wise) is going to happen. Storm knockned by computer out. But it was fine today. I was afraid to get back on last night.

Mary, I'm praying for your DH. I hope everything is ok. I know how hard it is to wait for answers. I just got a book from the library "Glycemic index cookbook for Dummies". It might be something you would find helpful.

Z, I hope the antihistamines help you with the allergie symptoms. They can make you pretty miserable.

Marie, I read Sarah's Key when it first came out. You're right, it's very hard to read. But I learned from it too. I had no idea that the French helped the Natzi's in the war. I haven't seen the movie yet, but Lynn said it was very sad. It is on my "to see" list. Glad to hear that your DD (darling dog) Kai is still eating well. We do worry about our babies. My little Benny was so stiff this morning he could hardly walk. That's ok, I can help him.

Donna, Got shut down yesterday. Didn't want you to think I was just being rude. How is the job going? How is Granny/mom doing? Don't over do on the house work. Liveable is my motto.

Rosie, I hope the diet for DH helps. Thankfully, they make so many things glutten free any more. One of the women on "The View" Elizabeth H just wrote a book about her ordeal with diet and how she changed things. I think it's also a cook book.

Lynn, I hope you had fun at your luncheon, lovely lady.

Rie, Take care of yourself and take it easy for awhile. I have a bad back too and have to back off exercise for a few days from time to time. But I do think that exercise strenghtens my back and I have fewer back problems when I do exercise. Rest and ice or heat. Which ever makes your back relax.

Nancy, It was good to hear from you again. We'll think of you sitting in the swing, light breeze blowing through your hair, reading a great book. But do come back and let us know how you are doing. As far as housework goes, it gets done. Nuf said.

Hi Fitchy, Just read your Bio. Looking forward to getting to know you.

Darcy, Read your Bio too. Hope you get more free time so you can visit us often.

Gayle, I loved the Hat. We always make them too, with much thought and preperation. My DGD has so much imigination and loves crafts. Our Grands would do well at Rosie's house, wouldn't they? ha! I think relatives just know how to push our buttoms. too bad they think they need to. Families should be the "soft place to fall".

Everyone have a great day,

Freda

Just a quicky...have a hair appt in an hour. Had the Cscan this morning. New antibiotics seem to be working. Change that Heck yes they are working. Last time I was at the Imaging Place I could barely walk from xray room to the lobby stopping to breath 2-3times. Today I was standing at my car door when I realized I had walked a normal pace all the way thru the whole place and wasn't short of breath. Yay!

Keep singing Ladies....Irene is going further out to sea. Need to blew her off Cape Cod for Lyn and Zoe. That's Good Night Irene goooooood night...off key is okay.

DS told me last night that his 2nd book has been sold with excellent royalities and good advance. Ended the email with "thanks mom for teaching me to love reading." ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Be back later to do personals k3

ps gonna type in working title on 2 pages.......The Turtle Girl

from Pukapuka

Hello everyone! Sorry I havent' been around to say much the last few days! Things have been kind of busy. We are going to "Booktown Days" this afternoon and won't be home until around midnight!! I can't beleive that I will be out that late!! But Diamond Rio will be playing and they don't start until 9:00pm. It is $10 at the gate to get in and that includes all the entertainment---you have to pay hgh dollar for the foods there! But everything is going to help out Joplin! Ty Pennington was in Joplin yesterday and they are going to do several home for people that lost theirs in the tornado-- I heard rumors that it was 7 homes in 7 days!! Don't know for sure!

Then we have decided to leave the last of Sept. to go to Colorado with the fifth wheel. My Aunt is going with us and then her daughters and granddaughter are taking her on a cruise to the Bahamas the first part of Oct. So it should be be a fun trip out there! Tim said to pray for him--- two women and three dogs in a truck across Kansas!! LOL!!!! She has a little Yorkie. We are going to split up the trip and make it two days out there. Just a little easier. After we have visited in Colorado we plan to go on down to Albuquerque for the hot air ballon festival.. His sister lives there and we can visit her and the family there. So have lots to do to get ready to go and am really looking forward to it.. Don't know for sure about Tim....HAHA!!

We just got back from running errands and I need to go adn fix some lunch. I have everyone in my thoughts and prayers!

GOOD NIGHT IRENE GOODNIGHT!!!!

Be back later.

Hi...all kidding aside this storm is getting to be a monster. It is in the Behamas East of Miami and we are seeing the first cloud bands off of the outer rim. Feel like hunkering down and ducking. (Miami is like 9hrs south of us) Our dearest/oldest bestest friend still live on the Eastern Shore of MD. Called them about evacuting to Toledo.

They are worried about Ocean City where I have so many friends. The storm surge could flood the whole town. Guess I spend the next 3 days watching the weather channel. Mike Seidel better get his home stuff right. k3

Stupid Irene! How dare she interfere with our vacation plans! We are supposed to be leaving the cape Sunday am and driving north to Montreal. We may have to try and leave Saturday, but I fear if they declare an evacuation of the cape we will be stuck in unimaginable traffic.

Keep singing, please.."Good night Irene"

I am very discouraged as I have gained mucho pounds this summer. After this trip it's back to healthy eating. My swimming just isn't hacking it.

I have just read the latest posts...don't have time to do personals. Love the idea of a retirement retreat, though.

Lyn