Time for a fresh thread. Happy Belated Birthday Glenda!!! Hope it was a fun day. Your anniversary album sounds neat. Would love to see it. Better than any store bought thing. Marnie you are doing good girl. Keep on going. I am tired of goofing off so I am getting serious again. Summer is almost here and can't hide behind sweats. Slavika the purse sounds neat. My niece works a party store and they sell cigars. She gave me 2 beautiful wooden boxes. They have a really nice finish on them. The seller on eBay called cincisisters or something like that are the ones I bought the original purse from. Maria glad you are home. Does it feel good? Ann I couldn't get into one of the last books. It went back in time or something. I think they are getting a little out there but I will get it from the library and try again. In case I don't get here have a nice Easter or Passover or just a nice weekend.

Peggy: Thanks for the new thread. I'll have to check out the ebay site you mentioned. I know that a couple of the middle books weren't as good as the rest, but once I get started in a series, I just have to finish them. Like the Mitford series. They are good too.

Marnie: yay you got it. I'd like to figure out how to put a picture under may name on the side of the post like everyone else does. Slavika - can you help? Or Lily or Maria, or someone. do I need something special to do it?

We are going to have a Curves in Winter Haven, and they passed out coupons for one free week. I'm going to try it. My dd goes to one in virginia, and she says it is great.

We had a hair raising experience this a.m. Last night I was in bed, and my dh called and said there was a small snake in the kitchen. At first I thought he was kidding, but found he was not. He couldn't get it as it went under the stove. So we hoped it would go out the same way it got in. Not so. About 5:00a.m. our dog started acting funny, dh put on the light and there the critter was on the floor near the bed. When the light went on, it went under the bed.

I'm still in the bed.That was about the way I felt. So here we are in p.j.s with broom and shovel getting this thing out. finally got it trapped in the shovel, the broom holding it down and we got it outside and let it go. It was about 14 inches long and that is too long for me. brown with cream colored squares. It attacked the broom, so dh jokingly says our broom is dead.: He doesn't like them any better that I do, so we were quite a pair.. Can't find out what kind it was. It was a bit difficult to go back to sleep.

That is enough for now. Hi all. Talk to you tomorrow. It has been a long day.: Ann

Ann what a experience. Snakes are the thing I am the most scard of. You poor broom is dead. Thats to bad. I can imagine how scary that must have been to find a snake in you bed I would have never been able to go back to sleep.

We had a snow and ice storm on Wednesday. Where but in Minnesota can you have 80 degree weather one day and the next hace snow and ice. We have a saying here "If you don't like the weather in Minnnesota stick around it 10 minutes it will change!"

Yesterday turned out to be very nice. Alittle wet under foot but all in all a nice day. Today it is suppose to be even better.

I've got a lot to do so better get started. You all have a Great Holiday.

Karen

Ann, I totally relate. I am terrified of mice. One time we had a mouse and my son screamed "A rat! A rat!" That was enough for me. I planned on a motel until Leon found the rat which turned out to be tiny, nasty little field mouse. Would have been funny to have seen you two lion tamers attacking that snake. Ann, I have lost out on the Left Behind series. I have the last book, but it was so boring I couldn't get into it and I am usually like you with a series. I just loved the Mitford series--one of my favorites.

Weatherwise, we are doing okay. Just not as warm as I want, but OK.

Tomorrow I bite the bullet and go to WW. The first day and seeing that danged scale is so awful, but like Peggy says, sweats don't work in July. Life, as always, is challenging. I was lying in bed thinking of my 3 biggest problems and wouldn't you know it, one of them was my weight. I can at least do something about that one.
Glenda

Peggy: So are you going to start making the Cigar Purses now? I never really realized that cigars came in such nice boxes. Course I never really looked at cigars either But the ones I saw on Ebay are pretty nice!

Ann: Oh My! I really am terrified of snakes. I would of left the house and not come back until it was gone. And maybe not even then!

To add a image to the side under your name:
Go into your User CP at the top of the forum you will find it.
Click on Edit options.
Go all the way to the bottom where it says Avatar
Click on Change Avatar Button on the right side.
There are several to choose from.
Just click on the circle (radio Button) next to the one you want
Then go down to the bottom and click on Submit Changes.

If you want to use a special one then you will have to find it some where on the internet. If thats the case then I will have to explain it different.

To add it to the bottom of the message. (You need to have an image saved to your computer first)
When you are replying you will see at the bottom there is a place that says Attach File.
Click on the browse button. You will have to find the image on your Computer. Click on it then click ok and it will add it to the box.
Then click the sumbit button when done and it should show.
It cant be a very large image tho.


Karen: Hope its good weather here this weekend. today is nice. But you never know what tommorrow will bring.

Glenda: Good luck at WW tomorrow. I have to go do my Monthly WI before Im to late. Which the last day is tomorrow

Happy Easter All!

G'day all,

Finally back on line with a reasonable speed
It has been pretty hectic since we have come home but we are just about unpacked and organised again. Unnfortunately dh has been told he is needed back in New Zealand on April 26 . We are hoping it will be delayed, his father's 90th birthday is on May 10.
I will be staying here and get my hip problems etc. sorted out. Things are not good and I get very little sleep due to the discomfort. This morning I took some painkillers at 3.30 am and dozed off for a little longer until I couldn't stay in bed any longer. When I got up my legs kept on 'giving way' (like someone had hit me in the back of my knees) anyway I went for a walk to the beach and gradually they came good again. I am now starting to think that it maybe something other than osteo arthiritis especiallyt as the arthiritis medication does nothing other than get my ulcer playing up
I just have to get to the bottom of this, if I know what it is perhaps I can cope with it better.
Sorry to sound like a bit of a pain (no pun intended )
We did have a wonderful 10 days travelling the south island of New Zealand but it is very good to be home.

It is a glorious day here and it promises to be like it for the whole easter weekend.
We usually spend easter with friends for lunch, they don't know we are back so we will surprise them tomorrow and just turn up.

Ann what a scare with the snake I won't tell my dh, he will have nightmares. He cannot watch documentaries on snakes etc without getting nightmares!

Hi to everyone, it is nice to be able to come here again on a daily basis.

Cheers
Maria

Maria, Good to have you back with us. Sorry about you hip problems doesn't sound like fun. I agree that it must be something more than osteo arthiritis . Hope you are able to get an appointment with a doctor soon. Be sure to let us know what is going on.

I got the table runner done last night . Am giving it to my Daughter . It turned out beautiful even if I do say so my self It only took me about a month. I will be glad when I have more time for this kind of a project. When I'm shopping to day I'm going to see if I can find another project. Have been thinking about those quilted hand bags that I've seen in stores that are so expensive. We'll see what I can find.

Got to take off. We are meeting MY parents for breakfast this morning.

Have a Great day
Karen

Dear All:

Just stopping by to say hi - running errands, but wanted to check in and see you all.

Have a great day!

Marnie

Ann I don't think I could sleep until I knew where that snake came in. How scary!! My dh and I both freak at snakes but I can't imagine having one in my house. Hope you don't get anymore.
Karen funny you should mention those quilted purses. A friend asked me if I wanted to ride with her to Ft. Wayne, Ind last week to the Vera Bradley outlet sale. Since I had nothing better to do I went. It is a 3 hour ride each way. They had it in the Colliseum and the line to get in wound all around. Once we got to the entry they gave you a big purple bag. There were tables and tables of her stuff. If you thought you wanted it, you put in your bag to sort through later. I really never had much interest in them since they are pricey, in my opinion. It was a total frenzy with at least a 1000 women and some poor men. People were sitting on the floor sorting their stuff and if they didn't want it they just left it lay. The check out line was an hour long. I wasn't planning on buying anything but got caught up in the frenzy and ended up with a purse and a wallet. What a zoo that was. The funny thing is the girl I went with makes her purses and wallets. People had shopping carts full of stuff. Kids were lost from their parents.
Have a nice Easter weekend and hope the bunny is good to you.

Hi Everybody

Lily I love your Easter Bunny. I forget how to do "DAT". I will have to work on it.
Ann snakes.....yikes.
The year we drove to Texas we stopped at one of those road side rest stops and when I got into the washroom part there was a sign in there that said "Beware of Snakes". Did you ever sit on a toilet with your legs straight out in front of you. hee hee
Karen I have not seen any quilted purses. My friend that was in Maui told me that there were some inexpensive purses at the Craft show and did I want any for gifts so I told her to pick me up a couple. They had not arrived yet and now she has gone on a cruise so when she gets back I'll see if they are quilted ones.
Maria I'm so sorry that you are still having trouble with your hips and legs. Just keep at your doctor until they come up with a solution for you that works.
Peggy that sale sounds like it really was zoo, but I would have loved going anyway.
Glenda good luck at Weight watchers.

I hope all you gals have a Happy Easter.

Hope you all have a very nice day.

Maria: So sorry to hear of your problems with hips and legs.This reminds me some of a problem I have, ongoing. I have degenerative disc in my lower spine. When the discs get together and pinch a nerve, then I have pain in my hips, maybe just one, or maybe both. Sometimes the pain also goes down my leg to my knee. The Dr. tells me that the pinched nerve sends messages across the pelvic bones to the hips. I have had 2 epidural shots of cortisone to relieve the pain and inflamation. And it does seem to work. I also have a set of floor exercises to do, and when I do them faithfully, I don't have so much trouble. I have found that a massage now and then is also helpful. It relieves the muscle stress. And lately I have been going to the pool and just treading water, and suprisingly I think that has helped.

I originally went to an orthopedic Dr. as I thought maybe I might have to have hip replacement because of the pain, and he is the one who set me on the right path. Said it is not the hip joints but the back and pinched nerves.

I hope this might give you a place to start when you go to the Dr. after having a pleasant Easter.

Karen: Let me know if you find a good pattern for a quilted purse. I think I would like to try that for some upcoming gifts. I had good success with the Christmas table runners.

Talk to you later. Ann

Maria: So sorry to hear about the hip. osteo arthiritis does not sound right. Something else is going on. I do hope you get to the bottom of this. Now that you are home you can go to your DR and find out what it is.
Please keep us posted!

Karen: Glad you got your table runer done. Your Daughther will love it Im sure! What colors did you use?

Peggy: Oh my! Really does sound like a zoo! I would have left. No purse no nothing. Dont care Im otta here Can you say I dont like crowds?

Slavika: You are the master. I remember stealing Kyle from you. Oh alas must find him.. I found him

ALAS he dosent wave anymore
Must be old like me!

G'day all,

Thank you all for your good wishes for my #@%&* painful hips!
I feel somewhat happier today. I have been searching through my medical books that I have and I got some answers that seem to fit with my symptons, it would seem that it is more painful muscles than arthiritis.
The last 2 nights I have rubbed some sort of cream (expensive stuff ds uses for sporting injuries) in the tops of my legs and thighs and it has helped, so much so that I slept in till 7am . I feel so much better getting a couple of nights of good sleep and I also feel I am getting on the right track. Tomorrow I am making an appointment with an osteopath who is also a homeopath and naturapath.
I have lost faith in doctors and will first see how I go with the osteopath and what he has to say.
Ann sounds like you have had your share of problems as well, glad you now know what it is and how you can help yourself to lessen the discomfort. I have been like you wondering if the only solution is a hip replacement but I now feel very positive that there won't be a need for that.
Ah the joys of getting more mature
Karen did your daughter like the table runner? You did it in record time, I am glad it turned out well.
Peggy I like sales but perhaps that was a bit over the top, especially the long line up at the check outs.
For all you snake lovers New Zealand is the place to go, no snakes in this country other than the zoo. They don't seem to have many 'creepy crawlies'.
I remember when my children were very little a neighbour found a brown snake (very deadly) in her back yard and called me over. The 'greenies' would have hated us because we 'attacked' the snake with a crowbar, making sure it could never pose a threat to us again!
It is another beautiful day here and I will get out into my garden and do some badly needed weeding and generally tidying up with a bit of a clip here and there.

Have a great day all,
Cheers
Maria

Good Morning Everyone:

I hope you all had a great Easter|Passover. I tried to stay focused and, while I didn't go hog-wild, I did have a few sweets. The amazing thing is that I was down .8 yesterday when I weighed in!

Yesterday was so much fun. My husband and son (Jerry and Zach) were both home from work so we went to a Twins game (Ouch! Yankees trounced us 15-1!) Then we went to dinner at a restaurant in downtown Minneapolis: Nick and Tony's. It's a steak restaurant, but have other things, too. I had shrimp cocktail and a salad to begin; then ordered chicken and baked sweet potato; and for dessert had a fruit plate. Yes, I was full, but content! Jerry and Zach had steaks.

I've just read the messages from the past few days. Thanks for starting the new thread, Peggy.

Ann, I can't even watch snakes on TV without getting scared! Hope it's long gone by now.

Lily, I loved your little bunny painting the egg. You're too clever.

Maria, any relief from the hip problems? Hope so. It sounds so painful. If the sleep is the thing that helps, take an afternoon nap, too.

Karen, I would be interested in getting the pattern for the quilted purse, too. I do some quilting. I've never done a purse though.

Yoo-hoo, Glenda, how'd you do at WW?

Well, folks, I should get something done. Hope you all have great days!

Marnie