Pat, my LTC is going to have to be my kids because I can't get it. We purchased some for my DH last summer. I agree about getting it early. Glad you're enjoying swimming.

Iris, congrats on finishing the semester! Sounds like you're going to be really happy between now and when you leave.

Michele, I wouldn't feel pressure to reciprocate. Hope your Latin dance class went well and you felt okay.

Jessica, it's awful when the computer starts to go belly up. We're having a problem with the monitor, but that's nothing compared to a hard drive issue.
Allison, only one lick is pretty darn good. Enjoy your party.

Hi to everyone else! Lots of posts on this page.

I helped out at the shelter today because the employees were having their holiday party. A guy turned his two dogs in because he got a job in Hawaii, and the island has some rules about dogs coming from the mainland. He was pretty broken up--started to cry. He paid the drop off fee plus gave a donation, which was nice. I felt really bad for him. On the positive side, we did three adoptions, two of which were dogs I'd taken out for evaluation on Tuesday. Hopefully they're going to good homes.

Had a major sugar attack yesterday after months without sugar. I felt so awful afterward, physically and mentally. Just gotta move on, though.

Almost Friday--yay! My DH works a half day tomorrow, then the company shuts down until Jan. 4. I see lots of movies in our future.

Had a major sugar attack yesterday after months without sugar. I felt so awful afterward, physically and mentally. Just gotta move on, though.


I hear you Sheila. I've been doing that for weeks (at least it seems like it) now.

It's a combination of stress, fatigue, and sadness that this will probably be the last Christmas for 3 doggie friends and probably for 2 people in my human family.

Can we all say emotional eating?

I'll be kinda glad when the holiday season is done this year.

On a much happier note I'm giving out their stockings to all the dogs today. I got a bunch of Christmas kids' socks at the dollar store and filled them full of all sorts of doggie treats. Everyone gets a special cookie at the end of the walk today too.

TGIF!

Dagmar (head cold begone!!!)

What a nice dog walker you are!! The dogs are gonna love you!!

As for the sugar making us feel crappy, I think it's a lesson we all need to re-learn occasionally. At least apparently I do. Sometimes I can cut it off by reminding myself that I'll go to sleep if I eat sugar and there's just no time for a carb coma!

Sheila, that's so sad about the man and his dogs. How awful to have to choose between a job and your pets! I can't imagine. Hopefully they'll find new homes quickly.

Morning all,

Once again I'm ready for the weekend, though I got some more sleep last night so I'm feeling better today than I was yesterday. As I said before, my plans for the weekend include writing & sending out Christmas cards, organizing jams/jellies to distribute, and of course exercising & eating OP. Does anyone have any holiday parties this weekend?

I also have to continually remind myself of the horrible post-sugar slump I'll get if I eat something sugary, particularly during the day (at night at least it's time to go to bed soon). That's one of the things I tell myself if I'm tempted by the office cookies, etc. I can't go take a nap in the middle of a work day, and it will ruin my after-work workout. I think I grow more sensitive to sugar as time goes on, too.

Dagmar, you are a nice dog walker! Not that I had any doubt.

Sheila, isn't it great when they get adopted? A young adult dog who had been at our shelter for over a year got adopted a few weeks ago, and we're all so happy. How heartbreaking about the man giving up his dogs for his move.

Pat, brrr. Thanks for the advice - after going without health insurance for a few years and having trouble trying to get it after that, I'll never let mine lapse again! No matter how the health care system might change.

Iris, congrats on finishing finals! I'm glad to hear this new BF is working out. Now that the semester's over I hope you can enjoy your happy hours this weekend.

Michele, it's a bit awkward but you don't need to give this aide a gift, a gracious thank-you will suffice.

Christmas is one week from today, yipes. Where did the month go?

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not only are the Christmas cookies 6 feet in front of my face, b/c my desk is right next to the coffee maker, but there's a continual stream of people walking in, taking a cookie, and going on and on and on about how delicious it is and how chocolate makes them happy and... AHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go enjoy it quietly in your office. Or loudly in your office. But don't do it in front of me! They are everywhere! Cookies all over the internet! Cookie talk when people talk about their holiday plan! I'M HAVING COOKIE OVERLOAD, AND I HAVEN'T EVEN EATEN A SINGLE ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do you feel better now Megan?

We had two long term subs here for teachers that were on maternity leave. Today is their last day so the break room is AGAIN filled with treats. Every single flipping day it is something. It is truly no wonder people gain so much weight at the holidays.

Oh, Michele! Wanted to tell you that we're spending a few days in the big city of Liverpool between Christmas and New Year. Going to the theatre! Going to galleries and museums! Dim sum for SO's b/day! We've got you to thank because I'd never really thought about going there! Stayed there for a bit aeons ago but that was then, kind of thing. So thank you! It's an ill wind that never blows anyone any good. Hope DD arrives safely and you have a lovely time together.

What. A. Week. I'm beyond exhausted.

Saturday DW starts getting a bad vibe about her job, and we work on resume, etc. She asks her owners point blank if they are closing, and they say no.

Tuesday, we find out that the shop will be closing if we don't purchase it. And since we're not going to purchase it, DW's out of a job.

Wednesday, Sarah gets scheduled for an interview with a local florist and we spend the evening finalizing her portfolio, gathering tools, and generally in a panic state.

Thursday, she has a 3 and a half hour interview and trial with the new florist, which was very intense.

Friday, SHE FINDS OUT SHE GOT THE JOB.

It'll be a pay cut, but it'll save her an hour of commute a day, keeps us so we only need one car, and compared to unemployed, is a pretty good deal.

Meanwhile, I've been going back and forth from not eating from stress and then having wine/pizza. But at least the calories are in check.

Sorry for not checking in here. As I said...it has been quite a week.

Ahem. Yes.

Month nothing! I want to know where the year went!

I am just exhausted today. Ran some errands last night, went to dinner after because I just wasn't feeling the cooking, fell asleep very quickly after getting home. Still tired today, even with that. I'm on vacation starting Monday, so lots of cleaning and shopping and wrapping on tap for me...

Wow... I've had this reply open forever. I'm going to go ahead and post it and see what I've missed.

Okay, now to what I missed...

Megan - good job staying away from the cookies! And nice virtual rant. I often want to do that, too.

Amanda - glad that Sarah got another job so fast! Pay cut is better than no job, absolutely.

Silver - have a great trip!

dagmar - you are a sweet dog walker! My cat has a stocking on the mantle along with myself, DH & DSS.

Sheila - I hate those sugar things... Ick. It always seems worse after a while without it. My MIL can't get LTC insurance either - we are it for her, I imagine.

Pat - how did the insurance appointment go? I have got to start looking into more insurance... starting with life...

Allison - how went the party with the cupcakes?

It is seriously cold and rainy here today... blah... DSS spit on two more kids at daycare yesterday, so we are trying to decide what kind of trouble he is in. The teacher didn't call up or send him home yesterday, so they obviously felt it wasn't as severe an infraction as Tuesday. Sure hope not to have to take away Christmas...

Silverbirch-- how exciting! Hope you love Liverpool! Dd's bf isn't there now-- he went back to Senegal to visit his family and "work out" his Visa. He was supposed to come here sometime after Jan. 1 to visit dd and meet us (he has met dh briefly, but not me). He called dd yesterday and said he is having problems with his Visa because he doesn't have a job in the US, he can only get a visitor's Visa for a week. Not sure what will happen. He has a sister in Atlanta and may go there. Dd wants to go there to visit if that happens. We do not support that, but as dh says, she is an adult and if it is her $$ we have little say in the matter. Sigh.....they grow up too fast. She will be 19 in a couple of weeks. I don't know where the time has gone. My best friend sent me ultrasound pics of her in utero baby today. How can she just be starting parenting and I'm almost finished?

Shannon-- so sorry about ds and his behavior issues. You are seeing a psychologist with him, correct?

Amanda-- glad Sarah was able to get a new job quickly. I know that we could make it on less $$ if we absolutely had to, but no $$ would be impossible. Maybe it will be a blessing in disguise with the shorter commute time.

More junk food everywhere I look. It is getting comical. Kids/parents/teachers are bringing me goodies. Some homemade so I don't know the stats, but one parent brought me Lindt truffles. The serving size is 3 (small) balls for 220 calories and 18g of fat! The bag has 3740 calories and 306 g of fat! Going to go pop some 100 calorie popcorn so I'm not tempted! I think I may "regift" the candy to the hostess of the party tonight....

Quick flyby for me today since I was so busy I only just got on and DH is on his way to pick me up and take me home already.

Amanda, I'm so glad your DW got a new job! Only unemployed for two days, that's pretty darn good!

Megan, did you manage to avoid the cookies again??

Michele, I am laughing about the comical amounts of junk food too.

Today we had a few crazy hours at work where someone reported what sounded like a major bug in our software. They said that our data display didn't match the data display from another program (they should be identical, data is data). After a few hours of running around like chickens with our heads cut off, we discovered that it didn't match because they weren't looking at the same data. When I pulled up the same data in both programs it matched exactly. What a relief! I ended up spending all day on support for our released product instead of working on our new product. Oh well.

Michele - no, no psychologist for dss at present. The school gave us info on a new program that they have, but DH & ex are reluctant to start a program that requires home visits. And, regifting the truffles sounds like a great idea.

Jessica - that is annoying about the data comparisons...

Amanda, great news about Sarah!!!! I'm sure you are both completely frazzled. Take it easy over the weekend!

Jay