Hi Everyone,

Angie: Could you PM me with your address? I've lost it. I found a postcard with a picture of a roadrunner. I said I'd send one to you. Good luck with your decision about the bakery. I look forward to having you around more. Does that sound selfish?? I hope you can come out to Arizona sometime. Be sure to make it in the winter!! The Grand Canyon is beautiful after it snows. Unfortunately, it's not very clear while it's snowing. Too much fog.

Julie: I am familiar with aspergers. I've never had any students with it, at least I was never told, but I did have an autistic child about 5 or 6 years ago when I taught 5th grade. He had an aide who helped him with everything. He rarely spoke, but he bonded with me, even smiled at me a few times, and by the end of the year he was saying hello to me. I believe if the teacher is sensitive, there should be no problems. Your son will be successful in whatever he decides to do; he has you as his Mom.

Noelle: Are the schools there year-round? Most year-round schools here started this week also. We still have just over 2 weeks before the kiddos come back. Ashley's school has a short fall break this year, only 2 days on Oct 13 and 14. We will probably go to Disney again. Alberto's nephew is not coming this summer because he failed his classes and has to repeat the year. Maybe next year.

Dips: Take care in that heat. I know that the humidity can be cruel. We're starting to get some here, but it's not that bad because it's taking the daytime highs down as well. Today is supposed to be 109 and tomorrow should be around 105. So far very little rain. When we were back east it seemed that we were just missing all the humidity; we were either just ahead of it or missed it by a couple of days. Needless to say, we really did enjoy our trip and the weather. My sister thought she'd get out of the heat when she went back to Calif, but it's nearly just as hot there. Redlands, where she lives, is usually about 10 degrees cooler than here in Phoenix.
By the way, enjoy the pizza tonight.

Cherie: Hugs and prayers for you and your family. Enjoy your birthday outing with the girls. It sounds like a lot of fun. Good luck on your move.

Kempy: I hope everything is going well with you. Drop by when you can.

Have a great day.

Cal

Did anyone see the spin-off show of AI? But it is a dance competition, last night? I did not care for it to much. I miss all of the shows from fall and winter. Not to much on. I have been watching the show BlowOut about a hairstylist Jonathan Anton in Hollywood. He is great looking and straight!! LOL....and I have been tuning into Queer Eye a couple of times this summer, they had a straight nudist guy they were trying to help out. It was so funny.

Noelle did you hear about your favorite actor Jude Law, the affair with his nanny? I read the article on-line in People Mag. Pretty steamy the way the mistress described it . Gossip, gossip .

Well enough computer time for me....going to go back to cleaning. Have a good afternoon.

Hi Angie, Noelle, Cherie, Kempy, Cal, and Dips.

Hey girls, gosh...I'm wishing it was the weekend already! But anyway, just plugging along.

Julie, you and I have a lot in common when it comes to worrying about the kids You are not overdoing it, in my eyes. You are after all, entrusting your child into the care of another. Have you ever heard that song "I Wish I Could", I heard it recorded by Jim Brickman/sung by Anne Cochran.... but the lyrics are something like, "I Wish I could save these moments and put them in a jar, I wish I could stop the world from turning, keep things just the way they are, I wish I could shelter you from everything not pure, not sweet and good, I know I can't, I know I can't, but I wish I could..." it makes me tear up every time I know you would relate to that song--it's especially for little boys. **and as for Jude Law, I don't know why his new wife is surprised to hear he fooled around, after all, didn't he fool around on his first wife? He's still handsome as heck though, those blue eyes! Oh almost forgot that your DD was entering preschool. So what will you do with your new found freedom?

Cal, most of the public schools are year round but some are on the "old" schedule w/the 2-3 month break in between. I think they passed a law here mandating that all schools will be year-round within the next few years so all public schools are on the same schedule. We will be going to Disney again this year, but probably in late September. The kids go back school after fall break on 10/10 so we probably won't be able to meet up w/you guys again. Maybe some other time and another destination?

Dips, let me know how you like Wedding Crashers, like is it worth $8 or should i just wait until I can rent it at Blockbusters? Enjoy your movie and the pizza.

Angie, Kempy and Cherie, don't work too hard today.

Hi-ho, hi-ho it's off to work I go...

Wow, has is been that long since I have last been here? We got all of the painting done in the salon and Joe was able to build some partitions. Now it looks like a real salon. The girls used to say that it looked like a beauty school. I still need to paint my room but I have to prime the walls first and that is just too much time for me right now.

Cal we are hot down here too plus we have the humidity. Yesterday was 97 with the heat index of 111 and the humidity was 65% and guess who was outside cutting grass at 1 in the afternoon. I know it was dumb but we got a new mower and I had to try it out. I took lots of breaks though. Are you ready for school yet?

Angie girl you better hop on and spill it. I am curious to know why you are closing early. I know that you will be happier though and that is all that matters.

Julie whats the word on the vacation? I agree you two need some alone time. I mean Joe and I do that and we don't have kids yet. It really does make a difference.

Noelle thank you soooooooo much for the b-day gift. I have already brewed a big pitcher of tea. I love tea. My MIL sent me some from CA and it tastes almost that same so it will not go to waste. You and Angie came up with the cutest stuff this year. I really need to read those Harry Potter books. My mom reads them and loves them.

Dips I have been making pizza at home. I have a pizza stone and Joe and I dress it the way that we each want it. In fact I was thinking about having that tonight. That is my number one weakness in food.

I hate to run but I need ot walk the dog. Echo is with Joe and I have Rhea. She seems to be pretty bored right now so I am going to go play with her. I'll jump back on later.

Hey everyone.. just checking in.. and I'm not doing well... I am going to paste what I wrote to my mom's group.


I'm having a hard time keeping it together in front of the girls... I just snapped at them and sent them to their room... right now I am in such a black mood, I feel so bad and upset. Wondering why God is doing this to all of us.

It was confirmed today, he does have cancer back in his lung. He has it there, in his hip, in his spine and it's in his bloodstream. His aunt called me today after she went to visit him. She had a chance to talk to his doctor outside in the hallway.

Steven is under the impression that he will get out of the hospital next week and go back to work. Doctor told Betty, no, he was really sick, and she didn't know when he would get out. He needs chemotherapy, but regardless, Steven is dying. He is dying. I am sitting her in tears... I mean, yeah, I knew things didn't look good, but to actually be told that is so devastating. Of course, they haven't told him that, and I won't be the one talking to him about it. The doctor told Betty that he needs chemo... it might extend his life for another year, possibly two... but the quality of life while on chemo might not be worth it.

Steven knows that without chemo, the possibility of dying is much greater... but he has been through chemo before without it helping, and making him sick as a dog... and well, he is on the fence right now about it. He is also not eating, which is concerning the nutritionalist, giving them another reason to keep him in the hospital.

I took the girls this evening to go see him. He had some supplimental oxygen going through his nose.. and he looked really tired. We didn't stay long, because the girls were really stressing him out. Hannah got really upset asking if he was going to be OK. She kept saying she doesn't want her daddy to die.

I feel like I've just been hit in the stomach.. and I don't know how to get past this feeling. I can't do this alone.. I can't raise these girls alone... I am so scared.

This cancer he has is called Ewings Sarcoma. It is normally a pediatric cancer. However, it is more prominate in white boys than anyone else. With his age, and that it is in more than one spot, the 5 year survival rate is only 30%. He has had this for 4 years now, starting on his 5th.

I'm sorry... I feel like I don't have anything positive to offer to this group.. I guess that's why I haven't been posting. Everything has just fallen around my feet these past 4 years.

Anyway... I need to compose myself... and go back in and apoligize to the girls for snapping at them. Keep them and Steven in your prayers please.

Cherie


Needless to say, I am being an emotional eater right now... I need to go make up with the girls... I'll try to check in tomorrow.

Cherie, oh my god....I feel so bad for you and the girls and Steven. I am so so sorry about the bad news. I wish I could find the right words to say to you....I just wish I could hug you and let you cry on my shoulder. I will be praying to god that he gives you the power to get through this horrible time. I will also pray for your girls and that Steven does not have to suffer anymore than he is now. Sweetheart take it one day at a time. If you need anything at all let me know. Even like school supplies for the girls or anything. Love ya girl, Julie

Cherie one more thing, please don't feel like you don't have anything to offer to the group....we are all friends and we want to offer our support to you. I understand life is not all great and cheerful all the time. Its life. Sometimes it is bad and sometimes it is better or good. Praying and thinking about you all.

I finally got some pictures from vacation posted on photobucket. Use the following link to see them. http://photobucket.com/albums/v429/calnative/

Thanks for the reminder, Noelle; I'd forgotten to post them.

Angie: Don't worry, I didn't include the pictures of us. Everyone already saw that one.

Have a good evening everyone. I'll come back later to read the posts I've missed from today.

Cal

I almost forgot, I added a couple of before and after pictures of our backyard. Some have Ashley and her dad and one has our dog, Tucker.

Cal

Cal what wonderful and beautiful pictures. Now you can have memories of that great vacation forever. Your yard looks really nice and green!! Thanks for sharing them.

Hope everyone is doing well today.

Hi girls....just checking to see if anyone popped in yet.

Thinking about you Cherie, I hope you have a nice birthday weekend.

Angie, how are you? I wish that everything is going smoothly for you closing the shop up.

Noelle that song sounds really nice. I will try and listen to it. Have a relaxing weekend.

Kempy YES you have been away to long!! Sounds like the salon is shaping up. No definate plans on the vacation yet. Things are kind of up in the air. I will get somewhere though, hey going out to eat alone was a treat.

Dips how was the new pizza place?

Cal Ashley looks like she is growing up. Where does the time go? She is a cute little girl.

Well going to get going. Dh wants to go out for dinner tonight for a fish fry but I really don't feel like eating all that fried food. My stomach just has not been right lately. We will see. No plans for the weekend yet. Sunday it is going to be 97 and humid. Probally a water day or doing something inside with air conditioning. There is this small town here that has a weekend party called Polka Days. I am polish (if you did not notice ) maybe I should put on my dancing shoes and head over there. Not, I am not dancing in this heat!! Bye for now ladies, will check back.

Hi everyone!!

Cherie, I am so sorry hon. I wished I could help out. We all need to live closer to each other so we can get together when one of us is having problems. I wished I could give you a hug through the puter. How is Steven handling all of this? Our neighbors son in law had cancer and he totally withdrew from his whole family before his death. I hope Steven doesnt do that for everyones sake but I can sympathise with why it could happen too. Please, Please, Please let me know if there is anything you need. I will do my best to help you if possible.{{{{HUGS}}}}}

Noelle, WOW, school started already? I have never heard of year round school. We do the August 26-June 16 schedule up here. Did he enjoy his first day? I bet. They love to get away from us for a while. :wink:

Julie, I love to hear that you and your hubby are spending quality alone time with each other. That is great. It sounds like you two are working hard to keep your marriage fresh. . It sounds hot out your way. It has been miserably hot here too. It isnt so much the heat but the humidty is a pain. I am sick of feeling sticky all the time.

Kempy, That is great that business is taking off for ya. I am so happy for you. What color are you going to paint your walls? Did you ever come up with a name?

Cal, I love the pics. Is the lake the one in Dexter? Did you like the pie? Wow, You guys made some ground on your trip. You went to so many different places. You know how to spend your time off. The lawn looks great too.

Well, Tomorrow is our last day. We had one awesome week this summer. The week of the fourth was so busy but then it went back to nothing when the tourists left from the holiday. I had to pay my sales tax the week after and when I figured up our expense versus income for the time we have been open we had actually lost $500 so I said "to **** with this!!" I am so tired all the time and I never have time to go grocery shopping or exercise or cook a meal(we have lived on take out and pizzas...so needless to say I have gained more weight and am freaking huge again) It just wasnt worth the trouble to me. I mean we live in a small area so if we arent making money than it isnt going to get better because they all know we are there and just dont come in. I already know we couldnt make it through the winter on the income we were making. Luckily Jay dropped one towns worth of accounts when we opened and my Mom is friends with the manager of one. Well, They sold frozen donuts and the customers hate them so they want us back BAD! so after we get settled in we will just go back to that so no loss. If I ever lose my accounts then I guess I will get a mill job or something at least then I would have weekends off,paid vacations and health care.

Sorry to ramble on about it.

I am bidding on a big cat condo on ebay for the kitties. That is my birthday gift from Jay. It is HUGE!! They should all like it. haha. I am such a freak.

Happy Birthday Cherie, I hope you are still going out to eat and get to have a little fun today.

Oh Angie, So glad you are happy with the choice to clos up. Maybe you can now have more time for yourself and daily things like you said. And we get to see more of you too . Hope the last day goes well. And good Luck on the kitty condo.

Hi Noelle, Cherie, Cal, Kempy, and Dips. Have a good weekend.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHERIE!!!

I hope you and the girls had a fun day out.

Well, The bakery is CLOSED!!! We just have a bunch of equipment to move out but we are never opening it again. Like I said if I do ever lose my accounts then I will work in the mill by my house if I have to. At least that way I will have weekends off, paid vacations, affordable health insurance,affordable life insurance, 401K, etc. All things that no self employed person can afford around here. All of our regulars (all 5 of them ) came in yesterday to get their last load of stuff and to say goodbye and that they were sorry to see us go.

We left but we had to come back and close the back window so Jay parked out front and these 3 old *****es were walking down the street(tourists I assume) and one starts laughing and says gone out of business...well I guess they didnt last long. I wanted to jump out of the car and choke her so bad. I never saw her come in! I know we closed up quick but when it is obvious from the beginning that it isnt going to make it there is there really a reason to waste any more of my life there? I mean I am not making any money there...except for that one good week. Yesterday morning we didnt cook anything so we sat out front and waited for customers so I got to look up the street at the two other businesses that do breakfast and guess what they were full to capacity and we were sitting there twiddling out thumbs. That says alot to me. Anyways sorry to rant.

I just wanted to warn you all that I AM BACK!!!

Have a great weekend everybody.