Well ya tired me out just reading it.. At this point I would only be interested if the shoes were pretty hippy strappy ones with a heel.

Well I don't like to be told what to do either, and I don't listen anyway

I want you all to go on the cruise with us. Meet me at the LA harbor Sunday afternoon. I've managed to get everybody bartending jobs onboard for the week, except Sugar, who is going to perform in the "Vegas style" stage show. Hey, it was the best I could do on my limited budget. Actually, Schatzi's vacation offer sounds deeeee-vine.

I've earned this cruise. It's been raining for something like 29 or 30 days here without a break. And it's not that wimpy kind of rain they get in other places. This is soggy, gray, clouds on the ground, rain that pours down and seeps into everything Oregon kind of rain. The kind of rain that causes a run on anti depressants at the drug store.

Geez, Kiwi, your poor ticket buying friend. That's why I hate to be in charge of planning anything. I was the one in charge of this vacation so it will be all my fault if everything goes haywire.

This post sorta sounds like I've got vacation on the brain, huh?

i am VERY fat and my house is VERY messy

You are pleasantly plump and your house is comfortable.

Oops. I just sent out an email. I forgot about my puter problems. Delete it. It wasn't important and I wouldn't want to chance infecting anybody w/ these nasty pop ups.

I am still writing Christmas cards (albeit exceedingly slowly) and my house is leaking profusely.

Notice how I make every effort to ignore weight issues. I'm in denial. I just vacuumed the rugs. While sitting here. heh heh heh

I will be happy to bartend, Wab. That sounds like fun. And I'll get tips! (Such as: "Hey lady, there's a fitness room on this ship!" "Hey bartender, where'd you learn to mix drinks, on the ark?" Well, that would be more of an insult than a tip, but you get the idea.)

I'm going to Schatzi's party. When is it? Can I bring my dog-monster?

Our yard has turned to ice with water on top of it. You can't walk across it without losing your footing. In fact, DH just took a header on his way to get in the car. The dog tried her usual 90 mile an hour run up the driveway this morning, and fell down on her way back and slid, scrambling to get up. Oddly enough, she didn't offer to do it again...

Ta

Kiwi

Too late, Wab. I opened it. It didn't do anything to my puter, not to worry.

See yas! I'm sailing awwwwwaaaaaaay.

Have fun!

I forgot to wave goodbye to Wabbit!!! Wait, Wabby, I'm pedalling along the dock as fast as I can waving -- Bon Voyage!!!!

I went to see my grand-nephew today!! He's so cute you can hardly stand it, just adorable and cuddly and sweet. Only 12 days old. Can you say "Awwww"

I have to go eat some chocolate. I'm tired, I need energy.

Kiwi

Unlike Shatzi, I think I am Fat-tastic. Grrr. Must get bulgy middle reined in or NO pants or skirts will fit. I'd promise to work on the rest of me, if I could just get rid of the "muffin top." Yech.

Baggz-- So who are you going to take up with now that Kalan has aged out? I think that old guy, John whatshisname on the Dancing program looks worth chasing!

Kiwi-- My DH managed to ad a dowel under our recliner (I don't know that there was a life-time guarantee with ours) that keeps some flexy bits from, um, flexing under his or my weight... so it doesn't threaten collapse any more. Hope that the repair shop isn't limited by "standard parts" and that they can actually make a lasting repair this time!!

Sug: Ohh, too bad about the fridge... and the poor karma in the house. Do you know somebody that believes in crystals, smoke and mirrors etc who could do some sort of house blessing to give it a fresh start? I've heard that burning a big bundle of sage is supposed to help. How very annoying that you know your tests are NOT normal, but the clinic staff is too blase. I hope you raise a big American STINK and get the help you need.

Wabbs: DH sounds like a life-long Boy Scout, being so well prepared with sump pump, etc. not to mention vacation preparation. Where are you crusing to from LA? Hawaii? It's a long way to any other place I can imagine. Be sure that there's aren't "Russian gamblers" on your boat and that you don't pass out on the steerage deck. (I've been following the bizarre story about W. Smith on his honeymoon cruise... so peculiar).

CherryCow: How are you thinking/feeling about British hypnotherapist? I hope you have better affirmations than Sug does.

Cowpernia... good luck with sock knitting instructions.... I actually am 2/3 through sock #1 for DH. MY LORD he has big feet. I think I could have knitted a whole baby dress with this many stitches!

I am OK... but fading for the evening.
My DD called me to say that the apartments two doors down burned up this morning, but that she's fine. That's the kind of call that gives you chills.

The rest of the story is here.

But of course! They are helicoptering me and my pasties in at this very moment. I will meet y'all on the poop deck. I'll be the one wearing the toe socks.

Have a fabulous time, Wabby! Eat lotsa shrimp! Play shuffleboard! Flirt with the chief purser! Sit at the captain's table!

Ooh, so glad the dd is OK, Painty!

Yes, that is one scary sort of phone call! Glad she is fine.

Wow, it's suddenly so cold here it's unbelievable. Yesterday it poured all day long and got up to 55°F. Although it melted a lot of snow and cleared our driveway of ice, it still did not clear off all the thick ice that covered our entire "dooryard". Then last night it snowed a little and the temperature went down, well, at least 50 degrees in 24 hours. My little snowman thermometer says it's -20°F, but I think it might have just given up the ghost and slunk away in fear. According to the weather site it's about 7°F with a wind chill bringing it down to about -9°F.

Today DD's BF and his twin bro came over to help her make a cheesecake. For their birthday. The twin is a culinary student, and very good. So the 2 of them made the cheesecake (from my mother's recipe, no less!), while the bf had to hang out in the living room with DH. They went home while the cheesecake was cooling, because they had a family party to attend, with the kids coming over after dinner.

So later when DD went to get in the car to go to the party, the entire car was encased in a thick layer of ice! All the doors were frozen shut and we tore off a piece of door molding getting them open. We let the car warm up for a while but we still couldn't get the ice off the windshield so she had to call her friends to get a ride to the party. I managed to scrape the windshield enough to see through it, after letting it warm up for another 20 minutes. It's quite a sight.

I'm sitting here in the computer room wishing I'd closed the storm window in here a long time ago... I hate to open it up the inside window in order to close it; the wind is vicious. But on the other hand, my fingers are stiffening up!

Hope you all are warm.

Especially Wabby and Mr Wabby!

Kiwi

P.S. Now I wish I hadn't even thought of fixing that stupid storm window -- the latches on it (cheap pieces of plastic) are broken and it can't be closed, but in the meantime I'm colder than I was before from opening the window to do it. I can't believe I still live in this dump.

On the bright side, the dripping in the kitchen stopped. Or I guess I should say froze.

Kiwi - Brrrrrr! I think you need to start thinking about moving to Florida where the only ice you'll find is in your mint julep!

Boooo I missed wave Buh-bye to Wabby.. I bet she is having a blast


Sug: Yer toe socks are HI LARRY *** as Bagz would say!

NaNook of the North: THAT SOUNDS horrid! Meanwhile us Suthinahs ah havin 60 degree weathah...TIS loverly! I only miss the snow when I think I want to go skiing...but the feeling passes quickly.

Painty: Goood Gravy what a scare I read yer blog... my heart went to my stomach!

I'm doing craptacular .. I just went into labor and gave birth to a 1/4 inch rabbit pellet. Need to up the beans and fiber...but I did lose 3 pounds my first week back on South Beach. I bet there are 2 more pounds of poop just waiting to be "deposited"

Some good news... and timely too. DH has been doing contract work for MCI which just got bought by Verizon phone co.. A director there let it slip that Verizon is cutting 20% of the staff and the first to go are contractors.. But in the meantime, DH was called in fer an interview with Cisco. Ok...so in addition to his goal of living in Nerth Caroliner (check) his dream is to work fer Cisco--which has a big base down here... He got an offer from them.. So the good is that it is a Full time gig with benefits.. The bad part is that he will be taking about a 15,000 pay cut to join them.. He's going to try to negotiate a better salary but he will take the job regardless. Sooo this means that I really haveta git back to work....

Darby and Casey are beckoning !