Good morning!

Coffee is on and I'm ready to chat. Who's awake?

First, let me thank you all for you sympathy yesterday regarding my "black funk". It's more of a shade of med-purple today so that's an improvement.

DD, DS6 and I tackled the attic together yesterday. We cleared out 1/3 of that room. Goodwill, the libraries at DD and DS6's schools as well as the local libary, my sister, and my mother are going to be thrilled with all of the goodies they will be receiving.

And I did manage to get to the gym last night. Twenty minutes on the treadmill (hill cycle ) and twenty minutes of water exercises. Feeling good physically at least today.

I have about a 5-1/2' pile of clothes I have to try on to see what fits or "almost" fits and what needs to be cast away (despite it's original cost). That's always a tough one but I'm determined to take care of it today. No second chances either. Once the bag is full, I'm putting it in DH's car to be taken to my mother's house on Saturday.

Ruthxxx -- Out of milk? That stinks. I keep a few cans of evaporated skim milk on hand for just that kind of emergency. It's not great straight (although the dogs probably won't care) but it makes a great "cream" for your DH's coffee.

I haven't had a chance to read all of the other posts yet. (We certainly were chatty yesterday, Ladies! ) I'll try to get to them today so I can hand out koodos and hugs are necessary.

Have a great day!

and we sound like such a very productive group, don't we??

i had a wonderful evening yesterday. a friend who used to live here, but moved away with her family more than 10 years ago is now a flight attendant out of las vegas. and she had the NYC run this week.

we got together for dinner last night, and we haven't seen each other for 10 years!!!

she hasn't changed a bit. but her two boys have grown into absolutely handsome young men. the older one just graduated from high school and is off to college in the fall. the younger one is a football player, and apparently a budding 'mr fix it' so things don't always go just right for him. but he's learning

oh. i KNOW you all want to know about the food.

we met in hoboken, a yuppified, gentrified pile of apartment buildings, old townhouses, and stores. it's a short PATH ride from nyc, so artists started settling there in the early 80's, looking for the cheap, large spaces, and then of course the rest of the nyc rat pack followed

[PATH stands for Port Authority Trans Hudson; kind of a limited subway line. one of them USED to run under the world trade center but no more! but there's still service from 33rd street, right by Macy's. i KNOW you all needed that information.]

ANYWAY, because of this exodus, a lot of fabulous restaurants have come along, and there's no parking anywhere.

we had dinner at a place called ZAFRA, billed as a cuban restaurant, but with other south american flavors as well. and MAN was it GREAT!!!!! she had huge shrimp in red adobo mole, with cuban sweet polenta and sauteed kale, and i had this HUGE pile of roast pork that was very lightly seasoned with allspice, cumin, cinnamon, and garlic. and boiled yucca topped with fried onions. and of course homemade black beans and rice. so, 4 more meals for me!!!!

it was just wonderful.
and we talked and talked and talked and talked. and no one rushed us. it was just like we'd seen each other only last week.

hmmm. maybe we could move the nyc chick meet to hoboken??? a thought. but there are also so many great places in nyc...

we'll see.

Good Morning Everyone!

Wow! Another sunny day! Thank you God! I don't think I can handle rainy weather for a while again. We are still pretty soaked outside but I may be able to put in some plants this morning. My pal Rob is coming down at 9 to hang the gorgeous piece of stained glass he and his partner gave us for Christmas. It's a lovely iris which will hang in my sunny back window to remind me of right now when I hit the winter doldrums.

I have a snippy young woman coming at 1 to do an audit at the Church. She is from the Ontario Heritage Foundation and will be checking to see if we are still going to keep our Heritage designation. I am a bit nervous as we installed an outside lamp (wrought iron and traditional) and we should have asked their permission before doing so. Bureaucracy sucks! Maybe she won't notice! Never ever get a building designated Heritage - it really cramps your style! (By the way, I suspect this person is of the same ilk as *****y Drawers of the dog obedience. Maybe she will throw up during the audit! )

I still have not got to the city to stock up on veggies and am craving that pricey salad mix. My own lettuce is nearly ready so I may be able to avoid the trip if I stall long enough. I do have a few other things on my list so may try for a trip later this afternoon. I AM going to clean out my crispers this morning anyhow - it looks like a compost heap in there - cucumbers just liquefy sometimes! Gross!

Have a good Hump Day, Sweeties.

geez, ruth.. you come up with the most glorious images... yesterday it was those gorgeous flowers in that lovely blue vase [and i have no idea where that came from!!], and today we have a *****y drawers throwing up and science fair projects in the frig!!!!

got to run. need to get ready for work..

Good morning (again).

And thank you, Ladies, for not pointing out that I'd put next Wednesday's date on this thread at first.

Jenny -- So glad to hear your boys are enjoying their time with their cousin. I wish I had family in the area I could call upon for such care. My two older kids (13-1/2 & 12) are on their own this summer at the house (can walk to local mall and public pool or even the libary (yeah, right! )). My little one (6) is going to the all-day summer camp sessions at the local YMCA. He went last year and BEGGED all winter to go back. This is why I'm working this summer.

JiffyPop -- You are a very adventurous dinner! I have to admit that I doubt I'd have the nerve to step into the restaurant you named let alone try it. I tend to be a very traditional person -- although I will try just about any type of seafood (except suishi ).

Ruthxxx -- I hope all goes well for your church during the Heritage audit (and am very glad my church does not qualify ). Thanks for the reminder of the crisper. DH was saying just yesterday that the fridge smells funky. Guess it's time to clean it out. Good time to do it today as I go grocery shopping on Friday.

Talk to you all later!

Morning Everyone! It is a gray day, but they are saying no rain today---hmmmm, we shall see. Busy day yesterday, finished up the floor in entryway--it looks gorgeous. Today will put the grandfather clock etc back out there. It will be nice to have it all put back together. I did my 2 mile walk away tape in the morning and my 1 mile in the afternoon. I have to admit it felt good yesterday, but I am a little stiff today. DS had his 7 on 7 tournament last night at 7:00. They beat their coach's highschool nemisis 22-20 DS had an interception and was feeling pretty good about that. Today is Summer Reading Program down at my school at 9:00. DS can't go today--football from 6:45-9:15 and basketball from 10:30-12:30. If I could just keep up with him I would be thin!!! I am stopping in for a haircut on my way home and then I am hoping to highlight it tonight. Time for something "uplifting". We had a 5.5 on the Richter earthquake in souther IL yesterday. They say you could feel it as far north as we are, but I didn't notice it. That is kind of scary to me. Better get going and do something here before I leave.

Ruth, good luck with the audit.

Jif, sure sounds like you had a nice time with your friend, that place sounds great!

Jen, thanks for the "chin up" on DH. I don't know what I am going to do with him! That cousin sounds like the perfect choice to spend time with your kids. I bet that makes it a little bit easier.

jd, glad you are back to "purple" today. You'll get there. Good job on the attic and good luck with the clothes sorting--I hate that job!!

Hello to all to come and have a great day!!

Good Morning everyone --- Ms. Slug here!

You all sound so productive that I feel more and more slug-like by the minute! Having nowhere to go and no SPECIFIC agenda each day is playing havoc! I know I "should" clean this filthy house, but my "self" says: why bother, there's always tomorrow?!?! I know that once I find a job there won't be time to do anything, so I SHOULD do it now! (before school finished, I couldn't wait to have some time off so I could do stuff like clean ) I did make a step, tho, I went to Sears and bought a steam-cleaning machine - got it home, all psyched up to use it.... you know the rest!!! the glass/window cleaning piece was missing from the box! So, it is back to Sears as soon as they open to exchange it! I'll try to get to use it this morning, 'cause this afternoon is a loooong dental appointment and then a meeting after that until about 9pm..... <sigh> maybe it's a conspiracy so I won't have to clean

Anyhow, jd - I heard someone call that funk of yours "magenta" - just cause she hated how it felt, and she hated that color, too! I'm glad to know that it is getting lighter, tho..

Ruth - your fridge sounds like mine..... hmmmmm maybe this steam cleaner will work there, too??? I hope your auditor lady either develops selective blindness or else,, perhaps, poops on the sidewalk???

Jif -- Hoboken is a great place- our good friend used to live there and my niece lived there until she got married recently - but the parking!!! totally non-existent..... unless maybe if you park in Weehawken??? Nah - too far to walk (even if the river walk is pretty!)

Dondar - your attic sounds like my wholehouse Good for you for making such great progress! wanna come here and help?

Well, the coffee pot just beeped, so I better go...... if I stay here, I'll NEVER get anything done! Well everyone, have a great day!

Good Morning! Good Morning!

I am so relived I made it here today! I tried deperately to get here yesterday, but it seems there are still so many things to take care of that I just can't seem to get a handle of the house and the domestic chores.

Thanks so much to every one who welcomed me back! I still haven't caught up on posts, but I will at least pick up here every day!

Looking forward to the weekend. Evidently there is an air show and the neighbors have invited us along. Dh will be 'underway' (for a whole week ) and it'll give me something to do.

I am trying so hard to keep the water going in and am up to at least the 64oz. It's been so difficult, but it MUST be done. I can feel the pants starting to shrink a little.

Right now I am off to take DD#1 to an evaluation to determine where she is academically before kindergarten starts. She will also have a speech evaluation to see if she needs some speech therapy -- she sounds 'lazy' and drops off a lot of her words, but hopefully they can get that fixed. Goodness knows how much a 5 year wants her mom to help her with anything!

I wanted to address each of you, since it's been so long, but it will have to wait. Although, I do have say that you all sound SO productive!!!

Have a great day!

Good Morning all!

I could have been in here at 5:30 this moring courtesy of dd. I don't know where she's getting it from, but for the last week she's been waking up with the birds! Very hard on Mom!

Since I fell back to sleep and dh was on the couch watching (or sleeping) through it all, my living room looks like a tornado hit it and it will require several hours cleaning. I just love small toys.

Ruth, I'm enjoying the nice weather too and I don't need a stained glass to remind me of it. I have an iris tattoo on my ankle!

jenni, I'm surprised you're even in here, you've probably got a ton of stuff to do still, just getting set up and finding out where stuff is has got to be hard enough--but I guess we're the island in the storm, eh?

samsgrandma, you sound so much like me! Procrastination is my theme!

Annie, wow, an earthquake? That's really wild!

Jiff, sounds like you had a great time with your frined! that meal sounds DELICIOUS!!!

Jenny, sounds like you've got a winner of a nephew--great to be a role model for little kids!

Oh Joanne, I wish I was in the same boat as you--sorting out clothes that DON'T fit anymore! But I'm sure my day will come!

Have a good one everyone!

This is Miree and her cousin Ashton

Oh Pooky, your little Miree and her cousin are just the sweetest little angels! Thank you so much for sharing that picture!!! I would have to say that she is definitely worth getting up at 5:30 for.

On another note--I knew those stupid weather guys would be wrong! It has sprinkled off and on today and there is a big storm front (read deluge)coming in early this evening!! Rats!!

Good afternoon!

AdoAnnie -- Sounds like you have a very busy day planned. Care to share some of that energy with the rest of us? Your weather team forecasts porely? Why -- that just never happens here! Hah!! If they predict sun, I pack an umbrella. If they predict rain, I pack the sunblock. Get the picture? Try to stay dry and remember it's good for the flowers.

SamsGrandma -- Don't you just hate it when things don't come with all of the pieces?!? DH and I bought a vacuum two years ago from K-Mart. We took it back THREE times because each different box they gave us was missing different pieces. DH finally stood there while he had the department manager put the vacuum together for us (at no charge). Then they gave us a free set of bags for our aggrevation. Not that it made up for the problem of driving back and forth and packing and repacking each unit that was missing pieces. Make sure all of your parts are there when you go to Sears this time. Don't hesitate to insist that they put it together for you since you had to come back after the initial purchase.

JenniWookie -- I'm sure your DD will do fine with the speach screening. They had my DS6 go through that in Kindergarten because he had had constant ear infections from age 6 months to 3-1/2 and were concerned that the lazy sounds (W instead of L, TH instead of T, etc.) might be due to hearing loss. The screeners assured me that he would outgrow it as it was quite normal for 4- and 5-year-olds to have lazy sounding letters in their speach. He just finished first grade and only gets "lazy" when he is extremely tired.

Pooky -- I wish I was sorting out clothes that were now too big. What I have to go through is clothing that I've held onto that is too small. I was once (note this means pre-kids) quite a "clothes horse". I worked part-time at Jordan Marsh (now Macy's) and used my discounts and access to the clearance racks to the fullest. Now I have boxes of high-quality clothing that is too small but I loath to get rid of it because I know I'll never be able to afford to replace them. They are all in classic styles so it's not a matter of getting rid of out-of-trend clothing. Decisions, Decisions, Decisions.

Didn't go through the clothing anyway today. I took DS6 to the gym and spent 4 hours in and out of the pool while visiting with a neighboring family. (Sort of an impromptu picnic.)

Will chat latter.

I'm EXHAUSTED just from reading your posts! I need a nap now!

The day at work was fabulous, the nemesis and I are back on speaking terms so of course she called me a thousand times. At least there was no overt hostility. The inventory is done, thank goodness. Now let's see how much I messed up on and have to recount. What a pain!

It's the laundry pile for me tonight, ladies. DD has been recycling her clothes behind the sofa, and digging them out periodically this week. What is it with kids? She thinks if I wash it it won't look the same??????

Ya'll have a wonderful evening, I need to go hunt up some dinner! Talk to ya'll later!

Hi all,

Sorry I haven't posted in a long while. I just wanted to give you (except jiff, who already knows, lol) that I have just went down a size. I went from a size 24-22. It made my day today. I told my hubby that when the next check comes in I am going shopping. I can't wait.

I hope everyone is doing great. Sorry I don't have much time. I'll try to post again soon.

Bella23