I'm here, I'm here!

Kimberley--that is awesome! Not that Howie needs surgery, of course, but that there will be help if/when you need it. My best wishes to you both!!

Aimee--I hear ya on the 6 days a week of retail. Good for you on saying NO--I always had a hard time with that

I have been busy at work this week because I have Thursday and Friday off. My parents and sister and Jeff are all staying with me this weekend, so I took Thursday off to clean my disaster of an apartment. Of course, taking days off means more work in the days prior to make sure nothing falls behind while I am out of the office. I also had to work all 3 days in a row at Ruby's, so I am SOOO tired!
Hopefully, I can get going on PartyLite stuff and completely quit Ruby Tuesday. It just makes me so tired to deal with these people and their picky food needs and their screaming messy children and their need to have 27 drink refills and their nerve to leave me a 10% (or less) tip when I have smiled through it all and done everything they asked...ugh!!

Whew, enough ranting. I need to get some sleep--and I don't even have to get up before the sun tomorrow!!! I can sleep half the day and clean the other half, then do my grocery shopping on Friday (since my parents shouldn't be here till about 2pm at the earliest).

We are definitely missing lots of people around here...

Aimee, we are so thankful Johns Hopkins accepts our insurance. I guess there's plusses and minuses to any healthcare system. Back in the early 1990's I heard all the talk radio pundits ranting about how socialized medicine as in Canada was not a good system, but then I look at ours and see how bad it is for the "working poor" who don't have insurance, and I wonder. I've not compared the two systems much in the last few years to see the main differences and the pros and cons of each.

Keep those adoption papers handy.

I really like Ruby Tuesday's - nice salad bar. Mmmmm. Dang, I'm out of calories, but try to tell my appetite that -- I've stayed up too late! Waitressing is definitely not an easy job by any stretch, and when you're already working full-time, I just can't imagine! Hope the PartyLite or some other more flexible arrangement works out for you.

I fooled around with Paint Shop Pro tonight and made some new avatars, just for fun. Whatcha think? I was in a silly mood!

Ha, those are awesome! How fun!

I slept until almost 8:30 this morning--it was AWESOME! Those 4 extra hours rocked my world! Then I got up and headed out to my car to go grocery shopping--what a difference in the weather! From the humidity and heat indexes of up to 110 (I know you know what I mean, Kimberley!), it is now MUCH less humid and only in the 80s today (haha, since when did 80s become an "only" ). It feels awesome, though, so I may have to take a walk later, even if only to the rental office to drop off my rent check

Well, tis the day of cleaning. I have sooooo much to do! And then my TOPS meeting tonight, which I am looking forward to because I know I have lost this week

Hopes and wishes to Josh and Howie

Goodmorning!! Phew, all this sun is making is hard to sleep in, I might have to go to bed earlier... probably not though. I am closing these next two nights, and since Josh is staying at his parents house (they are away and need someone to take care of their dog), I'm hiking home! I'm still hoping a friend might come pick me up, because I don't need that kind of exercise.. heh..

Kimberley - I like the middle picture the best!! As for the pro's and con's of each medical system.. I haven't really gone over them, I once read an article in Glamour where 2 women had the exact same cancer, only one of them was going to die because she couldn't afford the expenses. When it comes to that, I think everyone deserves a fair chance. We are fortunate with Josh's employer, they cover the basic fee for MSP (Medical Servies Plan) for both of us, which is waved if you make under a certain amount. They also offer a great plan with all prescriptions covered, dental up to 1,500 a year each, and alternative medicine is covered as well. We pay 26 dollars a month for that.

Jill - I never say no, and I know my manager will hold it against me.. but 6 days in retail is just not right. 4 extra hours, you must be all perky and energized! I haven't slept in for REAL for a while, at least 2-3 weeks... my body feels like it's on autopilot. I woke up this morning with Josh at 8am, he turned on the blender for the morning smoothie, I did go back to sleep, but I hate interrupted sleep.

You know when you feel like something is off in your body? It's so weird, I can't pinpoint it. I would suspect I was pregnant, but with Josh being sick its been over a month since anything like that occured. Anywho, I'm just babbling.. procrastinating I suppose, today is my weigh in day! Alright.. off I go!

-Aimee

I skipped my weigh in because I recieved a piece of mail... a little late. It was the results of Josh's x-ray that he got done in Nelson (almost 2 weeks ago now). They noticed there was something going on with his spleen, it's enlarged or something, I'd like to say better late than never... but that would have been noticeable when it was done! An enlarged spleen is something associated with mono, but if it gets enlgarged sometimes it ruptures. Ugh, I hate this crap.

-Aimee

I kind of like the middle one better, too. The grass one is fun, but kind of cluttered and too sharp. But, I was bleary-eyed when I made 'em.

Jill, you go, girl! Can't wait to hear how the weight-in at TOPS goes. I'm kinda scared of weigh-in tomorrow. We caved to the stress and got a large pizza Monday night. Best-case- scenario, I've maintained this week, I bet.

I don't remember mono making me sick to my stomach so much as just exhausted. Hope you both get some answers soon. The waiting stinks, I know!

Howie has an appointment with a neurologsurgeon on August 23. He called and asked to be put on the cancellation list in case anything opens up sooner. Once he sees that doctor, he'll ask that he call the physican referral line at Johns Hopkins. We're just playing it by ear - not much more to do than that!

That is wonderful! I'm still apprehensive about weighing tomorrow. Still, if I've learned nothing else I've learned that I'll keep going nomatter what it says.

I'm making a nice dinner for Howie tonight. Usually we don't eat our main meal when he gets home, but he's had some kind of a stressful week and think he needs some pampering. I splurged and bought a package of the fancy spinach birdsnest pasta, so I'm making a nice salad, serving the pasta with some stewed zucchini and tomatoes on top, plus grilling some salmon. Guess I'd better rustle up a marinade pretty quickly.

I'd set the table outside, but I don't particularly feel like spraying myself with bug spray now that I'm inside from gardening and cleaned up! Oh, my, it's late -- I'd better find that marinade!

Jill - Thats SO great!! Congrats!!

Kimberley - awww, sounds like a nice dinner.. you got any left overs??

I made it thru work today, my manager left over an hour early so I was alone at work from 5:15 until 9pm, I sold a LOT of clothes.. and then my friend who works with me came to pick me up and drive me home She showed up at 8:45, and we chatted while I closed the store.. I love her!! Well I am super tired, so I'm going to hit the sack! Talk to yah'll in the morning!

-Aimee

Good friends are worth their weight in gold. On Monday, after Howie spoke to me on the phone about the doctor's report, I was sitting there snuffling and generally trying to keep it together (not very successfully). My best friend Amy called me because she'd gotten Howie's e-mail about it, and she asked if I was crying. I told her I was, and talked with her a bit.

We said goodbye and I tried to distract my mind with some surfing. The next thing I knew, there she was at the door. She said she couldn't just leave me like that, and gave me a big hug. How precious to have a friend just come over for that.

Kimberley - Its great to have friends like that.... not everyone does.. it's sad. I only recently found someone who can cheer me up... I've had issues with friends recently. Today I had a rough day at work, I visited a doctor about mono, who proceeded to tell me that I'm overweight and could be at risk for diabetes, which DUH, I KNOW!, I wanted to punch him out. Anywho, my friend at work cheered me up again.. she's going to start charging me soon! People are just getting to be too busy for that kinda stuff... which only leads to being more stressed.. you get my point. I'd glad to hear you have a friend like that

My day at work was insanely busy again, the hotter weather has JUST hit us in Vancouver, so people are just starting to shop.. but all of our summer clothes were shipped east because they are selling faster... talk about discouraging sales! I did 25 boxes of stock, including heavy lifting (bad for mono.. oops!), we've got some nice new clothes coming in for the fall.. but I'm not ready for the fall! I am SO tired I think I'm typing for the sake of typing.. so I'll stop! I am getting tested tomorrow for mono among other things.. I hope everything comes back negative!! I'll let you gals know!

-Aimee

Hey, you. Try to rest as much as you can - your body needs it.

I gained 2 pounds this week; guess I'd better face the music and change my ticker!

Kimberley - can you come here and tell that to my manager? She had me working my ARSE off today at work while she did things that didn't need to be done. It was aggrivating!! I have been sleeping lots, watching what I'm eating, and keeping my fingers crossed that I'm not ill! I'm sorry you gained 2 pounds, but I know you and it'll be off next week! Plus, it was your birthday! You get 5 pounds for birthdays and christmas! hehe.

So I don't know why this makes me mad, but my friend got home late last night and her mom told her not to give me a ride home anymore, like in a rude way. I guess I can sorta understand it, but I'm the one who is getting her daughter LOTS more hours at work.. she should be kissing my butt! lol.. Well I am off to stay at Josh's parents house for the night, I will talk to you guys tomorrow night! Be good!

-Aimee

Good morning, everyone, and Happy Monday (hey, we can pretend, right? )!

Whew, I survived the weekend with my parents and sister and boyfriend all staying in my little 1-bedroom apartment. My parents and sister got me a 40-gig iPod for my birthday I'm actually listening to it right now, though I have only loaded about one-twentieth of my songs onto it so far. My parents also got me a real vacuum cleaner (the one I had was one of those "electric sweepers" and wouldn't pick up really heavy things like, umm, the feathers from my feather pillows ) and this thing called a Magic Bullet (it's like a food processor/blender/chopper thing). My sister also got me an indoor grill (not a George Foreman brand, but it has the removable grill plates so I can throw them in the dishwasher--yay!), so I made out like a bandit! Plus we went out to eat at PF Changs on Friday night (SO good!) and Maggiano's on Saturday night (even better!). Maggiano's was very expensive (the bill for the 5 of us came to about $170, plus I left a $30 tip, so about an even $200), but my sister and I covered the bill since my mother's birthday was July 26. However, after my parents left, I discovered $100 in cash that they left for me on my kitchen counter. Jeez, can't they just let us do something nice for them?! I split the cash with my sister since we had split the dinner.

All in all, a great weekend. Great food, great gifts, no fighting with my family, and still a little alone time with Jeff yesterday after my family all left As far as dieting, HA! I obviously overate (how could you NOT at such great restaurants?!), but at least on Saturday, we spent about 5 hours walking around a big mall plus another hour at another mall waiting for our reservation at Maggiano's, so lots of walking. I also had water with every meal at the restaurants instead of soda (well, I had soda once, but I also had water with it, so less soda than usual). I hopped on the scale this morning to find myself up 2 pounds, but that should be flushed out with plenty of water and getting back on my normal exercise and eating routine. We'll see if it had any lasting effects at my official weigh-in on Thursday, but I think I'll be okay by then.

Aimee--what were your test results?? I sure hope you're not sick, but at the same time, I hope they do find something wrong with you so they can fix it and you can feel all better, ya know?

Kimberley--2 pounds considering both your birthday and all of the stress you've been dealing with ain't nothin'! It'll be gone in no time

Goodmorning!

Jill - I don't hear until tomorrow probably, it's a Holiday here in BC!! It's, get this... "BC Day" hehe. We look for any excuse for a holiday So everything is closed, except my work of course! You and Kimberley, lordy women! You are ALLOWED to put on weight around your birthday! I sure plan to put on at least 2, hehe... we are going to this GREAT Pasta restaurant, seriously, best pasta, great price, HUGE servings, enough for 2! Mmmmm.... I'm drooling! You did hit the big one with all those birthday presents! I love presents... heh...

I am home! I spent the night at Josh's parents Saturday night, and I just couldn't sleep! So I literally did NOT sleep all night long, and then worked all day yesterday. I now realize I love sleep, love love sleep. I slept 12 hours last night, I feel like I could sleep more, but I was developing a headache from laying down for so long. I plan to sleep in tomorrow as well. The good thing about being at their place is that I found out that my scale is WRONG, in the higher end direction. I weighed myself at the end of the day, and it said 251, so it's about 10-15 pounds off!! Woohoo! I'll still stick to my scale because it's here.. but it's nice to know! Well I better run off to work, I get paid 12.45/hr (time and a half), and get paid a 7 hour stat as well. I am racking that cash in! Hehe, Have a good one!!

-Aimee