It's 7am here and still dark! It had better lighten up soon since I have to walk to the train station soon. I love Fall, but NOT these shorter days! .Today's my DD's birthday, and I'm meeting her in center city to celebrate this special day with her.

In other news, Dad's angiogram went well yesterday and shows no blockages, which is good, but we still don't know what's causing his blood pressure to fluctuate so much. He's in good spirits and feeling good and my brother is going to stay with him today.

OK, it's getting late and time for me to go! Enjoy your Saturday!

Enjoy your time with DD, Cottage!! I hope today is as pretty as yesterday for you.

Today I work (yay), and tonight is the Mary Chapin Carpenter concert! It was supposed to be our anniversary date (anniversary is tomorrow), but with a friend stepping up to watch the kids, and it's SWEETEST day today (LOL!! But, I live in a college town) so we may not get reservations, we'll probably just have dinner with them.

Coffee is almost done.

Good Morning

Linda, thanks for getting us started this morning! I'm glad things went well for your dad and that your bro is going to spell you for a day. Happy BD to your DD! Have fun today!

Me, getting ready to head up to the "project". I met with an electrician yesterday which was stressful but I'm trying to keep it all together. By going up early I might have some free time this afternoon to chill out. I hope so as I return to my real job tomorrow. Food staying pretty close to plan. I'm grateful for that.

Happy weekend everyone!

Just posted and lost it! Need to get dressed and off to town. Have a great day.

Good morning. I'm dragging; can't remember the last time I got a decent night's sleep. Our plan all week had been to hike today so I guess I'll have to drag my tired butt and stuffy nose out the door in a couple of ours. I'm kinda hoping that the trails are closed from yesterday's rain! Tonight DH and I are going to a wedding. I can't decide what to wear since the "dressiest" I can do for shoes with my foot injury is clunky black clogs. So I guess I'll spend more time today trying to figure that out.

Have a great weekend.

Happy weekend chicks!

Thanks for all the birthday wishes. It was a laid back day. Yesterday I started a new medicine and it seems to be knocking me out today (it is a cancer med - in lower dose - and fatigue is the #1 symptom). DW and I are going to go food shopping today for the second week of Phase 1. Weigh in tomorrow so hopefully my birthday week keeps on giving

Have a great weekend everyone!

Karen - enjoy the wedding
Debbie & Ruth -
Tammy - have fun at the concert!
Cottage - glad dad is doing well!!!

Hello Chicks It's been a long week but my 60 hour week is finally over. I'm not sure what that's 80% of, maybe two weeks I'm just glad it's done!

I made the best pizzas last night. Just sliced eggplant lengthwise and cooked the slices at 350 until they were lightly brown. Then I topped with pizza toppings and stuck them back in the oven until the cheese melted. It was like eating the toppings with no crust, so yummy and easy. I cooked the whole thing on parchment paper for easy clean-up.

Tammy - Ohh, I'd love to see her in concert. Have a great time.

Now for a glass of wine before bed.

Good morning never got here yesterday. Long day, but DS really enjoyed our road trip. He really liked the area, but more importantly the school and the program. Keep your fingers crossed he gets accepted. We won't hear anything until December.

Getting ready to go to work. Still dragging and coughing, but need to get back to my routine.

Tammy Happy Anniversary!!!! Were you able to go to the concert? Love MCC too!!

Good Sunday morning. The weatherperson is bonkers lately. It was supposed to rain all day yesterday but nary a drop. I was in Elgin (other side of the lake) and it was raining there but came home to dry roads. We must be in a magic weather bubble.

I also managed a trip to the city yesterday for a short odds and ends shop and the back and ribs behaved. Heated car seats are wonderful. I was glad to get home though.

Today's morning event will be vacuuming the downstairs wall-to-wall carpet. After lunch Ernie is coming to work with me on the Garden Club audit. I know guys don't notice things like that but I sure do. Donna's wrist operation is still not healing fast enough for her to get back into the cleaning routine. I hope I remember how to use the Dyson.

Time for another coffee and reading the news online before I leap into action.

Happy Day!

Happy Anniversary, Tammy! And I hope you enjoyed the concert! Are you doing anything special today?

Ruth, I'm happy you're able to get out and about more and hope those ribs are just about all healed up. By Thanksgiving you'll be in good enough shape to come down for the holiday, right?

Jennifer, my fingers are crossed for your DS! When do you think you'll hear from them?

I spent a wonderful day with Monica yesterday and took the late train home last night. Weird weather here, too, since it was dry in the city, but here at home it was raining and cold and windy.

This morning I told Dad I'd take him grocery shopping, but I have the rest of the day free. I think I'll get a batch of apple rings in the dehydrator and make a pot of black bean chili and pumpkin soup and a taco bake for lunches for the week. Oh!...and steam mop the kitchen floor. Jake brought home one of those Shark steam mops yesterday, since I wasn't happy at all with the Bissel/Swiffer one. I hope this one lives up to my expectations!

Oooohhh, Cottage, let me know if you like yours! maybe if I had one I would mop the floor more than I do! Glad you enjoyed your day with Monica. Maybe you'll get a little down time today?

Jekel, glad dear son liked the campus! Keeping my fingers crossed for him (and you!). Are there any others he's interested in?

Ruth, an audit doesn't sound fun on a Sunday. Don't push yourself too hard, my dyson actually gives me tennis elbow!

Thanks for all the anniversary wishes . To Jekel and Cyndi, the concert was AWESOME!! It was an acoustic concert with her and Shawn Colvin up there just chatting away. I think "This Old Shirt" was my favorite last night.

Today is our anniversary, but we have church in the morning and bible study in the evening, so I'm not sure what we'll do in the afternoon (LOL....grocery shop? Make soup for the week? Exciting!).

Good morning It's so nice to have a day off! I'm actually thinking about using up my last two must use vacation days to catch-up on apple drying 7 applesauce, and other fall chores.

Yesterday we found a giant chicken of the woods mushroom, probably 5-6 lbs and no bugs. I'm going to cook up the tender pieces to freeze and dry the tougher pieces for mushroom broth. Of course I have to go out again this afternoon because I want to find more It will be a gently walk though, looks like I might have broken a toe between getting home and going out for a walk yesterday. Oops.

It's a catch-up day - some shopping, cleaning, and lots of cooking for the week ahead.

Good morning!
Didn't make it here yesterday, things were just too busy. Today I am hoping to attack some of the regular niggles: laundry, a little cleaning, you know the routine.

My weight has been up this week so I must make sure to plan out the dinners for the coming week and pay attention to my snacking. I hate those "hungry" days when it is hard to feel satisfied and so you nosh too much.

Ruth, had the same weather experience as you: none of the predicted rain fell.
Happy anniversary, Tammy!!
Jennifer, hope you feel better soon and good luck to DS.

Need to go looking for coffee....

Good morning.

Yesterday DH and I headed out to hike after we each called the rainout line. Sure enough, got there and the trails were closed despite the recorded message saying otherwise. Arrrgh. Wedding was nice. The shortest and most personal ceremony I've ever seen. The meal was BBQ and instead of cake they had pie. My throat is still sore from trying to talk over the noise.

This morning I have our family foundation's annual conference call. We'll decide where our money is going and make discuss other business. I've got DS1 listening in to the call since some year down the road we'll be involving the next generation. This afternoon/evening I am one of three people doing inventory on all the pants at the store.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Morning all,

Good news - 8 pound loss this week! Goes to show I was really hopped up on the crap food. I have to go back to the store today for a few ingredients that the store didn't have yesterday (hummus, grape tomatoes and a can of fire roasted tomatoes). I made a new recipe last night and it was delicious - posted it to the recipe sections.

Might also try working out today! Energy level seems to be fairly high this morning.

Have a good Sunday all!