Good Monday Morning Ladies:

We are in for a beauty of a day here, sunny and 75 degrees!!!
Pretty easy to take after our winter this year.

Our experts are telling us that the SARS virus peaked here in
mid March. From the 250 cases plus only 75 remain in hospital.

My dad was really upset yesterday because he was running a low
grade fever. People are just in a state of panic if they sneeze,
cough or have a fever. Thankfully he is feeling fine today but
that back of his looks just horrific. I hope once his radiation is
through Tuesday he will experience quick healing.

Nikkic, it sounds like you are getting plenty of exercise in the
garden. All that hard work planting is really going to pay off
in the summer!!

Aleka, I hope the weather is staying good for you too!

Have a great day.
Anne.

It's going to be a beautiful day today, so I've started my spring cleaning. DH took all the curtains down so that they can be washed. I was waiting for a good day so that they can dry outside.

Got a walk in yesterday and hopefully another one later on. I'm still taking it easy. I don't seem to have anymore problems with my back except every once in a great while if I move a certain way I get a zing. Thankfully no more back pain.

nikki, can you cook your DH a hamburger and you still have the frozen dinners? Or better yet, let him cook himself a hamburger and you have the frozen dinner. How is the gardening coming along?

ANNE, glad that the SARS seems to be winding itself down a bit. I can see why your Dad was concerned with his low grade fever.

Hi Cheryl

Have a good day.
Aleka

I bought a pair of walking/running shoes on Saturday. I am going to walk this evening after my TOPS meeting. I still want to start jogging, but I actually have two legitimate reasons not to--
1)I have no sports bra and I will NEED one before I start to jog and 2)I feel like I should be able to WALK three miles before I try to JOG three miles, ya know?

Anyway, I am going to walk three miles every afternoon this week, buy a sports bra over the weekend and start jogging next Monday.

Sounds good. Looks good in writing. Will it happen? I don't know, but I sure hope I can!!

Anne--I feel for you and your dad. One of the older gentlemen that I went to church with got lung cancer last year. I took off work a few times to take him for his treatments. I think he actually did worse with the treatments than w/the cancer. What a tough place to be in. You and your dad will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Hey yourself, Alice!! I hope your rain goes away before the need for a canoe becomes a real one

Hello, Nikki. Hope all is well with you!

Oh--my fiance brought something home for me this weekend.....A cute, cuddly, baby.......OPOSSUM!!! Now mind you, that I am not particularly fond of 'possums, but it was a baby. And what a cutie. Apparantly they don't get ugly until they're older. Y'all should have seen it going after that little bottle.

Cheryl

Hi,
Yesterday, I spent all day in the garden and it is pretty much planted. I want to put in two more rows of green beans, I may do that tonight. It rained this morning and now it's clear and in the 70's. What a beautiful time of the year.

Aleka, it's a long story, but DH doesn't do stuff in the house. He may occasionally wash the token glass or fold a basket of towels, but that's about it. He thinks that mowing and shoveling snow is more than enough. I use to get upset about it, but I don't anymore. It's not like we have kids living here, it was a lot harder when there was 4 to cook and clean for rather than 2. Plus, he does do some things, like um, well, I know he does do a few other things, I'll have to watch him and see what they are.
I'm sorry to hear your back is still giving you problems. I have a couple of vertebrae that give me a hard time once in awhile too. The past few days, I sure can tell it. The chiropractor said they have deteriorated, once again the joy of growing old. Just remember that when you want to exercise to warm up and cool down and when your body says it's had enough, quit, even if you haven't done everything you think you should.

Anne, I am very happy to hear that SARS is slowing down. Do they know why? I wonder if it's weather related, like the flu seems to be? Tomorrow will be your dads last treatment and I'm sure he is very glad. My dad had radiation treatment for his prostrate and it was very difficult for him. I wish they could develop a better way to do it. You'd think with lazers, they could figure out something better.

Cheryl, one reason I haven't been able to run in a long time is the problem of being so heavy up top. I had a breast reduction in Feb. and it's helped me a great deal. It is unbelieveable the difference it's made with my ability to exercise. Of course, I was very large, looked like 2 watermelons. I couldn't believe the difference it made with my breathing, I could take a deep breathe for the first time in years. I am thankful everyday that I was able to have that done.
Walking is a great way to exersice. Just doing something for yourself is the important part. You have to start somewhere, it's the only way to get where you want to be.
Your new baby sounds sweet, everything is sweet when it's a baby, isn't it? If you love something no matter how it looks, it can be beautiful to you. I have a cat that we adopted last winter and when I first saw her, I thought she was the ugliest cat I've ever seen. Now I think she's beautiful. More inward beauty that is reflected out.

Take care, Nikki

Yesterday it got to 80 deg. here, and a cool front came through earlier this morning, but it's already in the 70's. Just came back from our walk. We went a little farther today, but just kept at the same pace. I figure at least it's something. We take the dog and I get an upper body workout!

nikki, you really sound busy in your garden. Just think of all the veggies you'll have later on. The therapist told me that I had a touch of scoliosis (sp?) in my spine. It is tough to get old. DH & I keep telling each other that we're falling apart.

ANNE, are you getting this fantastic weather that we are? This is great. Has your Dad had his last treatment yet? If so, how is he doing?

Cheryl, how is the walking going? I have a GF that lost weight a few years ago just by speed walking. I think she walked about 6 miles a day, and did not change her diet. She stopped the walking and has gained everything back. Now she and I are struggling with losing weight. Your possum must be cute. Did its mother abandon it or get killed? What have you named it?

Take care and have a good day.
Aleka

Alice--
It's amazing how cute the possum is. It's mother got hit by a car (imagine) and had, I believe 4 or 5 little ones. I want to name it Marcy (because of what it is, of course), but Stew wants to name it Pete. Go figure.

I walked almost three miles yesterday. Tried to jog a little. Oh, buddy, do I ever need a sports bra Unfortunately, that wasn't the only area of my body that was more mobile than it should have been. You know, it's funny how we get ready to do something and imagine how it's going to feel, and then when we actually DO it, it feel totally different. Ugh. That would be my running experience (as of yet--it's sure to get better with time, right? Right? RIGHT!!!)

Cheryl

Good Evening Ladies:

A lovely day here in Toronto. Our travel advisory has been lifted
so things are looking alot better now with the SARS situation.
I hope it continues.

Dad is officially finished his treatment. He is releived and now
can spend some time trying to rest and heal that back of his
up!!

Aleka, you must be trilled to get some wonderful weather at last.
Walking is great exercise. My co-worker and I go out each weekday on our lunch hour for a brisk walk. I do my gazelle
4-5 times per week as well.

Cheryl, that possum sounds like a cutie. How many times a day
do you have to feed her?

Anne.

Hi everyone,
We went out to the local campgrounds and rented a spot through next Monday. It is cold and rainy here today and suppose to rain tomorrow, but then be nice. We wanted to get a spot before they were all gone, this weekend is the tulip festival in a town not too far away and it brings in lots of tourists. We were suppose to pitch a tent or bring out a camper today, but that isn't going to happen, it's just too uncomfortable out there, hope they don't throw us out.

I have left the frozen dinners behind and started to cook healthier foods again. DH was disgusted that we were having fish, green beans and broccoli for supper and he whined a lot about it. He almost ran to DQ, but stayed home and said it did taste pretty good after he had some. Maybe he was starving by then. It doesn't matter, he can eat those frozen dinners if he wants, I can't face another one.

Anne, wonderful news about the lift on the travel advisory. I'm glad your dad's treatments are done.

Take care, Nikki

We had another great day yesterday with temps in the 70's. I think that weather you are having, nikki, is heading our way and should be here to spoil another weekend.

ANNE, that's wonderful news that your Dad's treatments are over. Now he can start healing. I did see on the news that the mayor of Toronto was trying to assure everyone that it was safe to travel. I hope the SARS is behind us also.

nikki, I can see where you can get sick of eating frozen dinners all the time. Have a good time camping. Hope your weather clears up soon.

Hi Cheryl, how is the possum doing?

Have a good day ladies!
Aleka

Nikki, I'm supposed to go camping this weekend, too! I am so looking forward to it. Our trip will depend on what the weather and the river are like.

The possum is lapping milk now--so no more bottle feeding, although Stew said last night that it didn't act like it wanted to eat. I told him that it probably just wanted to wait until night to eat, seeing as how they are nocturnal scavengers.... He left it outside yesterday (in a cage) so it could get some fresh air. He said he was afraid to leave it out at night because he's had a raccoon visiting lately and it may hurt the possum.

IF I ever manage to get my new kittens (they have ringworms now, so my getting them was delayed AGAIN!!) they're gonna feel like they've been released into "wild Kingdom"

When I weighed this morning I was at 242 lbs. That's the highest I have been since I can't remember. UGH. Something in my mindset has got to change. Soon. Maybe I'll go to Wal-Mart and buy a new notebook to use for a diet journal.

Anne--great about the SARS epidemic being over. Hope that your economy wasn't (and won't be) hit too hard. Also great about your dad being finished w/his treatments.

Alice--sorry about your weather. Sounds yucky! We've been having really nice weather, but that's supposed to change soon. Rain to set in!!

Cheryl

Good Evening All

Nikkic I hope you have a great time camping. Do you and
your DH attend the tulip festival? There was some kind of
meeting of the minds in Toronto today with other officials from
other countries about SARS. I don't know if it will be a seasonal
thing like flu season all I know is I wish they would find out
more about it so an inoculation could be developed for all of us.
On Thursday no one at the hospital I work at will be required
to wear a mask. That is certainly a good sign.

Aleka, we have had great weather but we are in for 2 days of
steady rain. Oh well, good for lawns, flowers and ducks!! Should
be back to sunshine for the weekend.

Cheryl, when you get your kittens home will you separate them
from the possum? It will be interesting to hear how they get
along together.

Talk to you all Thursday!

Hi,
Just a quick note. I've spent the day getting the camper ready and then we got it out to the campground. From there, we had to get it set up. It's raining and I sure hope it stops before long. People were so funny out there. They were sitting at picnic tables eating outside in the pouring rain. These people had a great, big new camper, so I guess they just wanted to eat outside, no matter what.
I'm glad to hear things are getting better in Toronto Anne. It has to be a relief.
DH and I might go over to the parade they have, it's a parade of lights and very nice. It's at night and they light up all the floats. The food is really good too. DD is coming out with me tomorrow since DH has to work tomorrow night. We are going over to look at the craft fair and the tulips. We will have to buy some pastries, it's a Dutch town. They have Dutch letters that are pretty good and some fabulous cakes, cookies and just about everything else.
I guess the diet is off till next week. I am gaining weight and will have to deal with it when things are not so tempting.
We are going mushroom hunting too. It's going to be a busy 4 days.
Cheryl, do you camp in a tent, camper or cabin? We have an antique camper, but it is still fully functional and a lot of fun. A good place to stay out of the rain.
Have a good weekend, I'll check in soon, Nikki

We had rain most of the morning, then the sun came out late afternoon, then it got really black and I thought we were in for a beaut of a storm, but we just got more rain. Last night on the weather they seemed a bit more optimistic about the weekend. Hopefully it'll be true.

nikki, did it stop raining? The tulip festival sounds like a lot of fun. Hope you all enjoy yourselves.

ANNE, has there been any word on the "meeting of the minds" about the SARS epidemic?

Cheryl, sorry about not being able to pick up the kitties. Hope you'll be able to get them soon. How is the walking/jogging coming along? Have a good time camping this weekend.

Take care and have a great weekend.
Aleka

Happy Friday All:

Nikkic: sometimes you need a break from the same old diet
routine. I bet your weight is pretty stable especially with all
the gardening you do! Hope you and your DH have a great
time camping and going to the tulip festival

Aleka: we had a nasty thunder storm yesterday morning! We
have had a fair bit of rain but I know the grass and flowers need
it so I don't mind too much, it is suppose to be a beautiful
sunny weekend

As far as the SARS go, I know everyone is working towards
improved screening techniques, especially at the airports!
This is one nasty virus! Seriously, it reminds me of the plagues
at the time of Moses and Pharoh!!! Hmm....I wonder........

Cheryl: Hows that little possum!!!!

Have a super weekend ladies!

We had some heavy rain on Fri. I couldn't believe how much it rained, plus we had thunder and lightning. Sat. and Sun. were really fantastic. I got out and raked just a tiny bit on Sat.

Our state symbol, The Old Man of the Mountain crumbled. All that is left are the cables that were holding it together. Everybody is treating it as though some family member has died. It's going to seem funny driving by there and see nothing.

Hope you all are having a good weekend.
Aleka