Menopause Mentoring available here... unfortunately I started around age 29 -- hit it major at 31.. I had a very difficult time with it... but I think we talked about this already..........................anyhoooooooooo:
Kiwi: what Wise Wabbina has said--so true...!!! KiwiLette will flourish! And with time you will slowly concentrate on you and discover and rediscover things and about you and DH and discover new passions to grow ...
Where is my WHIP????? It's a good thing Schatzi the cleaning Natzi dont live closer! I would bring a dipsy dumpster thru the mud puddles and start heaving stuff whilst I ply you with heavily doused Bailey's Frappe-chinos!!!

Wabby: I'm sorry you are having a time: Been there a few times in my life meself: None of the antidepressants worked fer me at the time..zoloft: get me off, Wellbutrin: Not so well, Prozac-anxiety attack before you move to another Rx, research it first..

Baggypants: 40?? A mere child!!! All of a sudden I've gotten quite Vain.. I see all these lines and bags and Mooostache and CHIN HAIRS!!!! Nooooooooooooo!!!! I will go kicking and screaming into mid age!!!
For the first time in my life I am actually spending money on antiwrinkle this and that!

Peachie: YOU must return with more cashier stories! I want to know if men buy feminine hygiene products or rogaine...And who is buying lots of junk food and are they fat or skinny??????

Painty: ala Martha: It's a Gooooood thing.....unless, you are like me and have worn out the elastic in yer pants by being stretched to maximum

I must CLEAN CRACK HOUSE!!!!!!!!!Want to have everything ship shape so that I can paint up my new flower boxes and bird houses and not feel guilty .. I think I will be on the Poop Away the Pounds Plan today.. yesterday me and a galpal / Landlordess went shopping for crafts and she insisted that I try these things called Pupuchews.. sounds like 'papooses" ...Shes originally from Honduras and found this "roach coach" that specializes in latino foods (not mexican) .. its this corn flour dough that inside is a layer of shredded pork and some very light/scant goat cheese .. The put it on a hot gridle and sear it.. then you put this cole slawy stuff on it with this Frikkin taste bud sizzlin chili sauce... iieeeeeee 2222 hot fer me!!!! I swear it's like she's Ricky Ricardo and I'm Lucy...The way she says or pronunciates stuff is just tooo funny and cute..and I'm always looking quizzical at her sayin SPLAIN ....

Alright gotta go make myself useful or sumtin like dat dare

Don't you even think that thought!!!! Lord, I can't even handle this puppy.

I can imagine going through menopause at an early age would be extremely difficult; the symptoms more intense plus nobody your age would sympathise. At least we can whine together about it. (You know, until Peachie steps in )
Well, as long as you kept me drunk I might put up with that. I was traumatized at an early stage by DH throwing out the dog's bed (we're talking 10-12 years ago) without bothering to ask. Yes, we had a dog at the time. He was just having a snit. So I don't trust other people touching my stuff.

Well, I put together the shoe rack and managed to completely fill it with DD's shoes that she normally piles by the door. There are leftovers too. Today was pretty much shot. I had just fixed myself some lunch and was going to go on the computer while I ate and then clean that shoe rack corner, when our 3 fingered friend dropped by and chatted so long that DD and DH arrived home. Then he stayed to watch hockey with DH, who wanted to order pizza for dinner. Meanwhile I had lost one of my contacts, presumably down the sink drain, and I had to enlist DH to take apart the pipe so I could hopefully recover it. I did find it, not even sure whether it had been in the drain or on the floor. Then we ate pizza and here I am having accomplished practically nothing all afternoon. My lunch is still sitting on the counter. My life is so disorganized.

I need a new brain.

Kiwi

Kiwi- Yer killin me here!! Puleeze either THROW that contact in my imaginary dipsy dumpster or throw it in some Berrrling Water or throw it away!!! Lest next post will be tellin us about pink eye or some eye crudness.

Ah KiwiSan, make-a-good first step to or-gan-ah-Za-tion with kitchen shoe rack...U next move to clear desk: create har-mon-y and sheng fei or I come and Fling crap

Maybe it's me: but do you other cows feel like ya hit the BIG time when Kiwi does that Quotie thing? It just makes me smile when she does that..

no pressure there kiwi

Hmmm that eye is starting to feel a little gritty, come to think of it.... Not to worry, m'dear, it is a hard contact and I have cleaned it quite well. Although berling it might not be a bad idea....

There, 'nother quote, isn't that just the bee's knees?

I left the vacuum right in the way in front of the back door and just spent the past 2 hours or so on the 'puter. I have the attention span of a gnat.

Kiwi

HOOO HAHHHHH (said ala Al Pachino in his not so worthy oscar award winning film role in a Scent of a woman) I hit the Big time with a Kiwi quotie thingie! I am , as usual, easily amused

HARD CONTACTS??? kiwi . dahlink, I'm sure that in the years of yore You were on the Cutting edge of internal eyewear , but Geez!!! hard lenses??? My eyes r just wadder'n thinkin bout it!!!!!! You Are Kidding me ?

Hey wait a minute there missy! I wear hard contacts too. I tried soft contacts but my eyes are too dry and they just stick like a dried out jelly fish to my eyeball. No float. I always whisper when I say this because I'm afraid of getting jinxed, but in 35 years I've never lost a contact. Once one got poured into a swimming pool by a little girl, but we found it in the pool filter the next day.

Kiwi, would you email me the directions on doing a proper quote? Way to go on the shoe rack. After living here 18 yrs. we finally put in shelves in the mud room for DH's assortment of work boots. I told him a line up of 7 pair of big boots by the back door wasn't my idea of decorating. Besides, the golden retriever was constantly retrieving them and dragging them around the house and then I had to listen to DH rant about the stupid dog. Stupid who?

I discovered the greatest invention since sliced bread..... crockpot liners!.... made a yummy WW meal I got off 3fc - put 4 frozen chicken breasts in, top w/ 1 can 98% fat free crm of chicken soup, 4 oz. low fat cream cheese, cook on low 4-5 hrs...pull out the chicken breasts, whisk the sauce until smooth and serve over chicken. The sauce would also be delish over cooked broccoli or cauliflower....and if you use the liners, no clean up, just pull it out and throw away!!!

Just goes to show what you know -- they are called rigid gas permeable lenses and they are much healthier for your eyes than soft lenses, not to mention they last for years, so are infinitely cheaper.

My dad got contact lenses in the 60s and they were hard plastic things the size of a nickel

DD had a great time at Brandeis. She went to some classes, went to a whoopdedoo reception and dinner where she got to meet some professors, and stayed in the dorm overnight -- where she called me at 1:00 am after an entire evening of fun: they went to a concert or some shindig where they saw the guitarist from the Spin Doctors, they watched a Bon Jovi cover band (she said that was quite amusing) and they went to a late night coffeehouse. She informs me I should get used to hearing from her at 1 in the morning because she plans to keep up that schedule next year. Oh dear. Anyway the visit was worthwhile, she's very positive about the school. And DH said he wants to go there too.

We gots us a big day tomorrow. First we have to drive 150 miles to the state capital so DD can interview for a scholarship, then we backtrack a bit to go to the state vocal jazz festival so she can sing her leetle heart in Jesus Christ Superstar. Meanwhile she will be missing the gala banquet for all the recipients of the principals awards. Her principal is not miffed -- every year they schedule it during the state jazz festival (in a different city to be sure there are conflicts), so he's used to it. Wouldn't you think they could manage to coordinate one high-achievers state-wide event with another high-achievers state-wide event? Especially in a state as underpopulated as Maine?

So anyway, if the show choir makes it to the finals they will have to perform in the evening. She'll go home on the bus, 'cuz after all cuddling up in the back of the bus with a bf is more fun than sitting in the back seat of the car trying to ignore your parents... We will drive home 2+ hours ezzausted.

Speaking of cuddling up on the bus -- we had a meeting the other night about our trip to NYC next month with the music students. That was one of the topics: proper limits to PDA (public display of affection for those who might have missed that term). The band teacher declared that hugging (brief, not a permanent state) and holding hands are okay, but being draped all over one another makes other people uncomfortable. Good thing she made it clear, because I think some of the other parents who are chaperoning were ready to declare war on "couples". This trip will be interesting.

I know you're fascinated. I'm not as talkative as this in real life. You guys are just a captive audience. i.e. it's your fault I talk so much.

I guess I could go do something productive instead of sitting here thinking of more twaddle to yak about.

Kiwi

Wow, that's impressive! I lost one once on a beach when I was a teenager, and my best friend found it. I couldn't believe it.

That recipe sounds good! I have to admit one of the drawbacks to crockpot cooking is the scummy pot afterward -- guess I should get some crock pot liners too!

k

I am duly humbled by my lack of knowledge about these rigid gas permeable lenses.
Kiwi, sounds like a choc full o fun weekend again! It's nice that DD is considering colleges that are within driving distance to home.

Wab: that chick dish sounds delish! I just recently started to use my ancient crockpot again.. I made Some BBQ shredded pork on portuguese rolls - most divine! Haveta check out those liners because they are a Pita to clean!

It's a gawjus morn here... gentle breeze wafting in and the birds are all chirppin.. Will be picking up DH from the airport this morn, then we have to pick up Turbo Tax to get the taxes done. Thank gawd fer E filing - we now wait til the 15th to zap it over..

Alrighty, time fer more cawfee and get on with my day!

WOW!!! those damn tornadoes are really tearing up the south--how scary--i think i would rather deal with a hurricane---we are watching the Masters Golf this weekend and it looks like Augusta is in for some thunderstorms-----i am jealous of your gorgeous day Shatzi!!!---here it's still only around zero to two degrees {zero= 32 Farenheit}--so it's effin cold and it rained all night and it still looks overcast------blechhhhhhhhhhhh---and now i have to go to WORK!!!---have fun picking up dh----ENJOY YOUR BEAUTIFUL WEATHER---TELL ME WHAT FLOWERS ARE IN BLOOM RIGHT NOW---we might have a few crocuses somewhere if we're lucky---the daffodils are about three inches out of the ground!

Yes, much better than someplace she'd have to fly to. Still a good distance: about 6-7 hour drive, but doable.

Wow, what a day. We had to get up at the crack of whatever (I wasn't awake enough to tell) to drive to this scholarship interview, which went swimmingly, practically sounded like it was a slam dunk -- They called late in the evening and informed her that she did not get the scholarship. Huh? Oh well, they give her a consolation prize of $500. Nothing to sneeze at.

So the rest of day was totally exhausting, and I didn't even have to get up on stage and dance and sing. They did a wonderful job in their afternoon performance, and then there was a big assembly to announce various awards and find out which 2 schools out of each division would go on to "nights", perform again and be judged again. There were 2 parts of the awards, jazz choir and show choir -- we were only in show choir. Then they were divided into 2 divisions, based on school size, so we the awards are for the whole state, but one for each division. We were all very excited when they gave the award for Best Choreography to our school! The local dance teacher, who runs her own dance studio (they don't offer it in public school), works with the show choirs every year. She has won awards before, but not for anything DD had been in, and she really deserved it.

Then our "Jesus" won Best Male Vocalist! And then in a surprise, considering the competition, DD's friend M, who never thinks she's good enough and delightfully seems to keep surprising herself, won Best Female Vocalist for her beautiful "I Don't Know How to Love Him". Her mother was there trying to videotape this awards thing, just totally lost it, streaming tears.

Then our favorite piano player, DDbf, along with the bass player and drummer, won Best Rhythm Section. By this time we're all thinking, Gee things look pretty good for them to get to the night finals, eh? And that they did, they and another school that wins about every other year. This meant that we beat out the other school that wins about every other year -- which is a very well financed school, always the best of everything. My very talented niece goes there (she was in their show choir program of Miss Saigon and did a really smashing solo). It was a bit of a coup to beat them, believe me.

So then the kids had to prepare for another performance, which would be at about 9 PM. Tired and hungry, no question, but here's the kicker: at "nights" you are limited to a 15 minute performance, not including setup. You can get disqualified if you go over. The whole rest of the competition you have 25 minutes, which includes your setup time, so if you get to "nights" you have to cut things out of your show. And be judged again. They had of course practiced a shorter version, but after getting the judging comments, the director decided to change it and cut different things so they had a few hours to figure it out, practice it (in a classroom, no less) and have it perfect. Let me tell you, all the parents were sweating it out wondering if they could possibly pull it off.

So anyway, the other school performed first and they were really really good. Then our kids got up there, and -- kicked ***!! They were seamless and fabulous!!! Dd's solo was spot on and beautiful. They had cut out 2 solos and few things here and there, but you couldn't tell. AND THEN THEY WON THE WHOLE DING DANG THING!!! State Champs! You should have heard the roar that went up when they announced it! These kids have waited so long for this and tried so hard every year and it's just so cool that they finally won the states their senior year. Out of the group, 11 of them will graduate. I hope they give them a parade or something in school on Monday!

So we got home about 2 am and I'm a tad tired...

Kiwi

OH MY GAWD!!! KIWI!!!! MAJOR CONGRATS TO YOUR DD AND ALL HER PALS!!! I KNOW JUST WHAT YOU MEAN ABOUT HOW GREAT IT IS TO FINISH OFF YOUR FINAL YEAR WITH A BANG!!! AND IT'S JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE CELEBRATIONS!!! PROM,AWARDS,GRADUATION!!! YOU ARE ON A PARTY ROLLER COASTER ADN YOU CAN'T GET DOWN!!!! ---PLUS YOU MUST BE EXHAUSTED----- hopefully your Roomba can clean your house!!!! ----i still wish i could hear some of this gorgeous music!!!!xoxoxo to dd!!! she ROCKS!!

ofurgawdsake...... I have to see this. Send me a video or tell me how to see it online. I am so happy they did this for YOU!!! (and them)

Yes, wasn't it thoughtful of them to win this for me? I thought so too. I will try to make a videotape copy of some of this stuff. I doubt I'll ever get it online, that is so darn complicated and endlessly time consuming when you have slow computers and slow internet connections, but I could send out a VHS tape. Bagz, you don't have to have a different format than we do, do you?

• Buy videotapes
• Hog living room

Kiwi