Hello it has been a really wonderful week for me! I just found out I am going to be a GRANDMA! I just cried when she called. Please keep her and her baby in prayer. She has some health problems and was seeing speicalist they had given her a neg pg test just two weeks ago and put her on Meds to start her cycle then she went thursday and was told she had very large cysts on her ovarys and they were going to put her on birth control shrink them. But the Dr thought she might just be pg and told her to take a pg test and if Neg to start the BC she calls me in shock at 5am telling me the test is postive. She the had to go for blood tests because of the other Meds they had her on and the bloodwork came back good. She has to go for more bloodwork on Monday. Please Pray for her and the baby.
Sunny-You may not be 155 but I am telling you that by your Pictures you Look it! Remember the camera puts 10 on so you really look 145!
Ez-It is back to school time here and it is so great to get back to normal! My Jessi start HS and that was hard on me because she is soooooo much help with the younger ones. I still can't belive my Staci is a Senior! (and Kelli is due right at Grad time I always seem to have two things going on at once!)
Sue-You are so sweet! when is our next Vac?
Bunnababy-Your Granddaughter sounds like my Molli. My Mom watched them Friday and said she wanted to keep her because she likes to clean. How is your workers Daughter? Way to go on the weight loss !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Michelle-Prayers for your back. I hope you find the right treatment.
Sprout-How is your son doing? He is in my prayers.
Wilma-Hope your Vac is nice. Is it time for your boys to go back to school?
Mkay-How are things with DH? I am thinking of you. And your are in my prayers.

Well got to run. Prayers are with you all.

Sami~What wonderful news! I will keep DD and baby in prayer. Pray for a healthy pregnancy...

Slept last night but had to take pain pill before bed. I really need to be ok, for tomorrow's festival. But i can't wait til Monday to see what they can do.

My cousin who i was upset with, called me yesterday and she offered to help me with the pies, nut breads and rolls we are suppose to bring for tomorrow's festival......something i totally forgot about......and couldn't handle right now. She totally saved me, she really is dear. When she called i didn't even think about being upset with her, guess i wasn't anymore.

Sami, congratulations and I will pray for your dd and the How exciting.

Just popping in to say hi and then I am off to work for the day. Everyone have a good day.

SAMI......I AM SOOOOOOOO JEALOUS!!!!!!

WOW!What great news huh gals!!

Just got home from taking one of my many loads of blocks to a job dumpster we have. They are from the flower/vegetable beds I took apart a few weeks ago...still working on moving the dirt, etc. I have about 120 blocks that weigh 40 lbs. each to get rid of, about half are complete and the other half in pieces from busting the beds apart...was gonna get a dupster delivered here but the one I needed was $450 so I will just move them a little at a time to the job dumpster...plus it gives the puppies something else to climb on for awhile...and EAT...did ya know puppies LIKE eating busted blocks/rocks/wood/roses/couches/chairs/SOCKS!/SHOES...the dirtier the better! yard/carpet/the other ones collar AND TAGS!/the entire harvest of tomatoes/rosemary/basil/parsley/.....JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING BUT THE $$$$$ OF TOYS WE BUY THEM

Angie and a few friends are at Staples this morning for an appreciation breakfast for teachers...cool, but somehow I am sure this is gonna cost me money...so many supplies....so little time

My kids are in Minnesota (Redwood Falls)..MICHELE with their mom for a family reunion on my ex's side...son returns on Monday but my daughter heads from there to Michigan, MKAY , to meet up with her boyfriend, a couple of other friends and a dad to go camping for a few days north of Detroit. She has to change planes and airlines in Chicago...big airport!! Hope the switch is easy for her. My daughter just sent me an e-mail from MinnesOOOOOOOOOta --Michele saying they were getting ready for the reunion at a ranch.

BUNNA and MKAY Thanks so much for the "YOUNG" comments!! DONNA did you have to spill the beans on me being 50? I could have played them for awhile Of course I don't feel young, my 83 yr old neighbor always laughs at me when I tell him I am old too! Every day I yell at him when I get home from work--he is usually sitting in his garage-- "HOW YOU FEELING TODAY JOE?" his reply is always "HOW DO YOU THINK I FEEL? I AM AN OLD MAN"..then he waves his fist at me and we laugh!! He fell again last week from fainting...about the fourth time in less than 2 years...couldn't get up for an hour or so he said...Angie and I have researched a few of the programs they have with the devices you can push the buttons on to notify someone if you need help...we are trying to talk him into it..he isn't sure yet...thinks they are too expensive...the one is $300 total for the entire year...he thinks that is too much...He is always saying he is ready and WANTS to die..he is in resonable good health, just hard for him to get around and lonely...we talk with him each day...his daughter lives 5 miles away and sees him only on holidays when he drives there...his son in law calls him each Thursday though and does come from time to time to drive him places he is uncomfortable driving to. I NICELY argue with him over the cost...he says too expensive..I remind him that he lives on his interest from his money alone..he paid cash for his house 20 years ago and it is now worth over a half million dollars...and if he can afford to buy a new car every 2 years he can afford to buy this so Angie and I can go help him if he falls in the house. He just says he is ready to die anyway...then I SHAKE my fist at him ( ) and tell him if that is so then why was he praying to God to help him get up and why did he notify the doctor that he had fallen, why did he go shopping for food that day, and go to the drug store for medicine for the cut on his arm for falling? He just says he doesn't know how to die and he says he knows if he commits suicide that he can't be buried next to his wife because she is buried catholic..he says he is catholic but not a fanatic like his wife was...(we have lots of talks on religion )...but then he tells me he really wants to be cremated anyway...aahhhh....good old Joe!! gonna miss him when he's gone! He said he almost didn't make it through the 2 weeks we were in Virginia...he said he had nothing to live for. Back to the money issue--he says he has to leave his daughter enough in his will...now add what resources I already mentioned to the fact that last week he moved ONE checking account from a nearby city bank to a different branch within 2 miles of us...just a small account he said...for groceries, etc...ready for this?? He opened it with $10,000.00!! Trust me gals HE can afford the $300...oh and his daughter? Big house, no kids...both her and husband retired NAVY officers and working in the law field now...pretty sure they will survive on $300 less from his estate

Did you gals watch the opening ceremonies last night for the OLYMPICS? Awesome!!! Gonna be a lot of late nights around our house with the events the next couple of weeks.

Well I do have work to do in the yard..I will get back to post later today or Sunday to each of you...ENJOY your week-end!!

Aw Gary, your neighbor just breaks my heart....i'm so thankful he has you and Angie close. If i had the money, i'd buy it myself. It'd be a good investment. Poor guy, and sorry but that daughter doesn't deserve the money, in my not so humble opinion.

I did see part of the opening ceremonies and it was beautiful. I dread the coverage but always get sucked in watching it too.

Those poor people in FL, my goodness. I have a friend in NC but about 3 hours away from the coast, so he should be ok.

Went to have lunch after work and then wasted some time at the book store. I could live in the bookstore.... Got a new book by a MN Christian author named DePree. It's called Dandelions in a Jelly Jar, her first book, Can of Peas was really good. They are slightly Christian based. I recommend her. I also got a knitting magazine and found a beautiful lace shawl i'm going to start. I have this yarn i haven't found anything to make with, until now....

Better post before i lose this...

August 15


Revelation 21:3
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.'


Cathy decided to make a contract with God rather than a promise to herself. She vowed that she would lose weight for Him, not for any vain or selfish reason she could come up with. Somehow it was easier to do for God than it had been for herself. The pounds melted more quickly. Cathy continued her diet with regular prayer and recommitment to the promise she made to God. Before long, Kathy had lost all the weight she set out to lose. Our promises to God are very important. Often we can do for Him what we fail at for ourselves. God has promised to help us whenever we need Him. He will help us lose weight.
Today's thought: My diet is more than a wish; it is a promise to God.

Thought I should update on how it is going here - have been keeping up with the posts but that is about all.

Son is not in the 'best of shapes' you might say. Wants to do school but at his convenience and with no one giving instruction. Wants to earn some money but does not want to go look for a job. Has a shower and then puts on dirty clothes. I could go on and on but I won't - the behaviour is just what it should be - he is on his 2nd pair of runners since January and desperately needs a 3rd pair. As he is 16 1/2 we have told him that 1 pair a year we would pay for maybe 2 but definitely not 3. That when these are completely finished he will have to go bare foot unless he has earned money to get some. He is not concerned at all - says that if he earns money it will be for a new skateboard not clothes - hmmm we will see how he can skateboard without shoes. Waiting patiently for the mental health counselor to return from holidays at the end of this month at which time we will get the results of the IQ test - at any rate he has to find a job as I have told him there is no more homeschooling because of his attitude and because we have put out all the money ($800.00) for the year starting in September we will not be registering him with the public school as there is money involved with that and we are not paying double for his schooling when he tells us that he wants the school but not the instructions. Only alternative is for him to find a job - have given him till September 1 - think he is not believing what the ultimation is but we are holding out.

Weight wise - have started a program 7 days ago with First Place. Excellant Christian program - there are 5 of us doing it together online site that I have - going to be interesting to see how we all do. So far I believe we are all doing well - have kept up with the Bible Studie and the posting that is necessary for the online site - now if only the scale will cooperate. My exercise has improved this week - have done 4 miles at the Rec Plex, gone to the ladies gym 2 times and the step counter has registered over 21,000 steps in 7 days - so if the scale does not move this week, I am sure the body fat is - and eventually all will work out for the glory of God.

Well have to run - always something to do.

The festival today was a lot of fun! John and I met for lunch at 11:00, they had tons of food, full turkey dinner with stuffing and masshed potatoes and sausage and just tons of food. Then we walked around a little, then i had to go work at the snack shack, i sat most of the time and made change, which no one else wanted to do. Then I sat and watched the auction for awhile and had a beer. Then John came back and we had a beer together and a pulled pork sandwich, then he had to work. I think he had fun and i think he felt comfortable. He is really dear. And he has the most beautiful blue eyes.......... Long day for me though. Took pain pills today and i'm going to rest. I just realized that i forgot my digital camera, i wanted to get some pics.....geez.

Hi Gals

WOW!! What a week-end....had an issue with my neighbor Joe yesterday. I always keep an eye on him as far as his "usual" routine...he is pretty consistent but not ALWAYS...usually he gets his paper from his porch in the morning...same thing everyday...our other neighbor gets it out of Joe's driveway at 5am, takes out the sports page and then puts it on Joe's porch so he doesn't have to walk so far...he usually gets it by 9am but it has been there (and me worried) until 11 or so. Sometimes I go see what's up and it's something simple like he had a dr. appt. and went out the garage door instead of the front door, etc. He is usually out within 10 minutes of the mail, usually checks it several times in the afternoon...I live directly across the street and can see him out my door and windows. Well yesterday the paper was still there at 2:00 when the mail was delivered...2:10 and still NO JOE, 2:20 nada...OK so you are wondering why I didn't check earlier...well, it takes him a long time to come to the door because he is usually NAKED...I don't like to bother him unless I know he is clothed...it takes him a long time to get his clothes on just for me to "say hi". Anyway at 2:15 I go across the street and knock on the door...he hears me and is calling for me but I can't make out what he is saying...I don't hear well out of one ear after 2 surgeries anyway, I call Angie over, she can't make it out either but she sees him lying on the floor thru the window, I didn't see him at first..he pulled himself in front of it while I was checking a way to get in...he had fallen down again...he said later at about 11am, so he was there for 4 hours or so. I get my ladder and climb over the fence and go around to the locked sliding glass door..he is within 5 feet of it and I can see him clearly but cannot understand anything he is saying...he was dehydrated and confused and also he speaks with a deep german accent...what he was trying to tell me was important and I will share it later I checked all the windows which were locked, he left the back door th the garage open but locked the garage door and undid the security system so the opener wouldn't work...didn't matter because he had the back door from the garage to the house locked too. I must tell you at this point that JOE locks everything tighter than a drum and keeps a gun by the door and 1 under his pillow...doesn't trust anyone...it is only in the last year that he would even leave the garage door open while he wasn't in it..he even locked the front door when he was in the front yard working on his trees...must be the BAD neighbors...HEY WAIT A MINUTE--THAT'S ME!! OK so you are wondering why I don't break a window? arent ya? Well because I can see he is pretty much OK just can't get up, and thinking maybe I shouldn't pick him up when I get in..plus if you knew the butt chewing I would get from him for the cost of a new window...well, if you knew Joe you'd understand Angie calls the non-emergency 911 and the police and fireman come out in 5 minutes....I take one fireman through the garage, which I have unlocked by now, to the backyard...we look through the sliding glass door which doesn't have drapes and see Joe lying there AND A FIREMAN STANDING OVER HIM!! He opens the door and I ask him how he got in...he tells me it was an old fireman trick...now before you tell me you know how let me explain 1 more thing...after Angie called 911, I called his daughter and son in law, told him what was going on and told him I couldn't get in..he said "OF COURSE NOT..joe keeps everything tight, bolted and boards over his front door"...which I knew. OK gals please tell me you are sharper than me...the fireman trick? He tells me "I turned the knob on the front door." I NEVER even tried...IT HAS NEVER BEEN UNLOCKED...that is what JOE was trying to tell us

Now that part was funny...the reason why it was un-locked was not though. After the firmen got him up and checked him out, they got with me and told me I was checking the right things such as the fridge, cleaning etc. but that he is getting very close to needing care if not RIGHT now I explain to them how thrifty he is with money...they go OH that is why he kept telling you he would pay your nephew $100 a week to care for him and pick him up if he fell!! Joe kept yelling that as they were explaining some health care options...scary situation but comical One of those "Ya had to be there". They felt he was in good hands with Angie and I and left...soon after Joe's daughter and son in law arrived...I explained what was going on and they sincerely thanked us.

Evidently Joe's daughter and mom (which I sort of suspected) were abused by Joe physically...I believe her story...explains the distance between them...after I told her how proud Joe was of her for certain things she told me the stories were not true...she was not an officer in the Navy, or her husband, they were enlisted...she didn't join the Navy after nursing school like he said, she was failing nursing school and therefore joined...she was kicked out at 18 and had no where to go after high school.

More stories were shared but all in all I think they will do what is best for Joe. Angie and I got with our pastor (he is also an attorney) and got advice on power of attorney for Joe's daughter, Joe is very concerned over someone else having control of his money...he wasn't so sure he wanted to give his daughter "power". Angie and I explained that he had already willed everything to her in the will and that we thought it was best for him so he agred to do it because he trusts us. He even though that it might be a good idea to check in to assisted care...my daughter and I have been trying to get him thinking that way for a few weeks now. We will see...his son in law spent the day with him and told me he was doing much better today...he napped alot but was making sense when he was awake, just tired from the Saturday ordeal.

Oh, I almost forgot...the reason the door was unlocked was because Joe purposely left it that way on Friday night when he went to bed...after the firmen left he told me that he tried to kill himself with "those Marilyn Monroe pills"...he took 20 sleeping pills and went to bed leaving the door unlocked so that Angie and I could get in (duh!!!) to take care of his body without a lot of trouble...he didn't want to shoot himself in the head because that would be messy for us (gee, thanks Joe)...to say the least son in law and I removed all of his guns!!

On a lighter note...enjoyng the Olympics, took the puppies to the new "dog wash" in town today...got free t-shirts, snacks and discounts...pretty cool washing them in bathtubs where you can stand!! They didn't hate it...didn't love it either though...maybe next time.

MARILYN...sooooo proud of your exercise!! Prayers for your son!! MICHELE...good seeing some positive this week-end from you!!! Wish I had time to post with all of you...next time...I promise... DONNA, SUE, SAMI,, BUNNA and MKAY...you are in my prayers...hope WILMA is having a great trip!!

Gary, Joe is lucky to have people who care about him. about the front door thing even though it was not funny at the time. My mil has one of those necklaces to call for help but she never wears it so what good does it do. We have to go check on her as she lives just a couple of houses down. I hope I don't get that stubborn and that much work for my kids when I get old and decrepid. I will probably be ornary as I already am according to them. My dh's dad used to beat him daily when he was growing up but he seemed to have forgotten that part when he moved close enough for dh to care for him, good thing for them dh is a better person than his parents.

Where is everybody today? Wilma is on vacation but what about the rest of you?

Marilyn, sorry that your son is being such a job right now. Sixteen is hard under the best of circumstances.

Sunny, how did the sleep study go? Also Mitchy, glad you had such a good time yesterday or was it Saturday? I read everything on the fly last night.

Everyone have a great day today.

I am doing great, had a good weekend camping!
M-Kay Shepherd's of Independence sounds like a great program with a lot of opportunities to share Christ.
Bunna- CONGRATS DOWN 3 LBS, WAY TO GO the fair sopunds like fun especially through the eyes of your dgd.
Mitchy- happy you had a good time Sunday pray for healing
Sunny- Thanks- pray sleep study went well, trust you enjoyed the car show
Sami- CONGRATS GRAMMA- New babies are so fun, next trip is Hawaii, in Nov. \
E.Z.- What a good neighbor, feel so sorry for Joe so many older people are just forgotten even by neighbors. Then as the saying goes you reap what you sow, pray that dd/sil can find it in their hearts to forgive him. You be careful lifting all those blocks, even a young man like yourself can injure their back. Too much fun at the carwash
Sprout- sorry you still have so many challenges with your son, pray that all works out for you, and the new program goes well.
Gotta run just popped into catch up. Hi to all I missed- Wilma trust you are enjoying vacation, pray for safety traveling.