Good Afternoon all! Happy Labor Day and the beginning of the school year.

I hope everyone had a good weekend. This time of year is always a bit bittersweet for me. Happy I'm not in school, but sort of melancholy that I'm not. I love the idea of life-long learning and I know that you don't have to take classes to learn something, but I used to love opening up the course catalogs and see if there was something that piqued my interest enough that I would take the class.

Well, my weekend was pretty non-exciting. I spent some time Saturday night (go figure) looking for some dresses for my upcoming trip to Iran. I'm a tailored slacks and shirt wearer, but figured I'd see what was on the sale racks. Found lots of stuff marked down big time, so what the hey. I'm getting a bit anxiety ridden for the trip, I need to get a new raincoat/manteau thing that will cover me while being out in public but also not kill me with its warmness in the heat of Iran. My parentals even gave me a bit of an idea of our itinerary, so at least I'm not completely in the dark.

I'm also getting ready to for DP and I's short little jaunt in two weeks. Yikes. I get back and am here for 2 days and then off again. The airline was really nice to let us change our totally nonrefundable/changeable tickets. Should be fun.

Sunday we spent the day driving to eastern washington to go pepper picking. Didn't actually pick too many. I'm more interested in preserving organic foods, so we did a little picking and bought a lug of tomatoes and some organic peppers at the Yakima Farmer's Market and still did our traditional route and little hike at the end. It was nice.

Now today, I'm here at work for a bit, avoiding my lug of tomatoes that I need to make into tomato sauce. Sigh.

So, I'm hoping the beginning of the new month will be calm for all.

lala

Hello, no labor today. In fact, quite getting into the swing of a 4 day weekend, but oh horrors it's work tomorrow. waah.

Knee is feeling better, thanks for asking, though I'm not sure of what it is wise to do vis a vis exercise this week. Will ask superduper exercise instructor on Wednesday. Of course, I could be doing upper body and abdominal work right? Have I done so? No further questions your honor.

We had a very beautiful weekend weather wise after an initially hot humid and disgusting Friday. Now it is quite glorious and I began the annual worm picking festivities. Like picking peppers but different. This is when I take apart my vermicompost bed, pick out the wormies, throw them back in the new bed of old autumn leaves and horse manure and distribute the compost. So much fun. Love it! By the way, I have yet to find a decent tomato and here I am in the Garden State reknowned for Jersey tomatoes. They're all like cardboard. Such a disappointment. My own are pathetic. The grape tomatoes (which are really cherry tomatoes) are not very flavorful and the large tomatoes were so unproductive and because I planted very late this year, only just beginning to ripen. The only up side is that since I can't get a good tomato, I can't have my annual BLT. The bacon is in the freezer however, just in case a good tomato comes along.

We're getting over the dull shock of knowing our dear friend from India is no more. But next time we go for a visit (prob early next year) is when it will really hit home.

Lala, your trip to Iran sounds so interesting. What town(s) are you going to? My friends from India are really all of Irani descent (Zoroastrians). We saw the movie The White Balloon - I believe that is Teheran, which looks so lovely. And the fruit orchards are supposed to be beautiful too. Anyway, I know lots of Iranis and you've got to love the personality. Strong!!!! And then where are you and DP jaunting off to? I lost track.

Okay, must iron like crazy tonight to have something to throw on the body in the morning. It sure has been fun wearing the same clothes for the last 4 days!

Good morning everyone

It was extremely difficult to crawl out of bed this morning. It was a dark & rainy morning so staying under the covers was much more appealing than getting up to go to work!

Lala: Sounds like you had fun over the weekend. I do know what you mean about avoiding the tomatoes. I have a few from my garden that I can get ready to can but I'm avoiding it. I also have more hot peppers ready and need to get more sauerkraut to stuff a few more jars.

Lauren:Glad your knee is feeling better. Our tomatoes have been slow in coming in this year but I think that's due in part to the dry summer. My grape tomatoes have finally started to ripen and the vines are loaded. There's nothing like fresh tomatoes out of the garden. I was eating more of the little buggers than what was going in the basket yesterday!

The weather here over the weekend was cool. Saturday was only in the mid 60's and Sunday was a little warmer. I worked at our annual Germanfest so I was able to get lots of walking in. On one hand I did really good (didn't eat a whole lot) but on the other I enjoyed the wheat beer I don't think I did too bad point wise. Yesterday I washed my car and doesn't it figure today it's raining! Never fails!

Have a good day everyone!

Hey all just a short note...

Laurel - I went back to last week and learned about your friend in India that passed away. I am so sorry. It sounds like you and your husband and a truly wonderful friendship with this person.

I also just read about how that dog inadvertently sideswiped your knee. Yowser! Glad to hear it's beginning to feel better and good idea to check out what exercises would help it get back on track. Do you think it worth having a good Physical Therapy person check it out as well?

Gals... all this talk about tomatoes is getting me hungry....

And travels to Iran sound incredibly exotic... I'd love to hear where you're travelling to as well Lala, and hear where you've been Laurel.

Went sailing this past Saturday with hubby... it was just glorious. and then on Sunday biked up a canyon road (by mistake). the ride down was never so appreciated. Monday we "rested" - pillow / bathmat shopping - took in a movie (yes I brought 3 pts popcorn with us) and spent a romantic evening at an Italian restaurant sipping a glass o' wine and staring into my true love's eyes. Hard to get back to work.

Hi all-
I had a little meltdown in my office today. Good thing I was alone. It all has to do with baggage allowances. I'm so glad that I'm going to San Diego Saturday, now I can give my parents back all the stuff that I said I would take. or risk paying 500 bucks in excess baggage.

Ay yi yi. Anyways, sounds like everyone survived the weekend. We went to a friends house for dinner. They love to spoil DP because I cook "too healthy", so whatever. She got her chocolate cream pie and so did I, I just didn't eat the crust. I guess while I'm gone, they will feed her. Not that she can't fend for herself, but they feel she'll be lonely.

Laurel: what were you doing in India? I can't remember (senior moment). The loss of a friend is so sharp, I lost one of my childhood best buds in June and I still find myself weepy when I remember the things we used to do (usually getting in trouble ) when we were teenagers. Maybe going to India will help.

DP and I are still going to London and Paris for a few days. Sort of no plans, good lunch in London for our anniversary and a really nice meal planned in Paris. Hoping to see the isamu noguchi exhibit in london at the design museum. Who knows what else, gotta buy some light but good books for my trip.

Iran: who knows, Teheran for about a week, Isfahan and Shiraz for a week back to Teheran and hopefully to Tabriz (near the Azerbijan border) and Jolfa and maybe if I'm lucky a trip to a walled city. I like that kind of stuff.

I guess there are lots of internet cafes, so i'll be able to log in once in a while.

Melissa: I'm going to make salsa tonight, can up the tomato sauce and tomorrow the tomato chutney. Can't keep up with the apples, they'll get composted if I can't process them.

patch: you are being super active these days. go girl. Sounds like you and DH are still
newlyweds.

okay, gotta go and figure out why nothing is working.

lala

and hello to all.

it's a beautiful day - like the perfect late summer/early autumn day. Just took a walk outside at lunchtime (still trying to rest the bum leg) - just heavenly. Now enjoying a lovely boca burger sandwich at the desk. I love these things. So good (and full of soy goodness!)

Our friend in India was a quite elderly quite ill man. His passing was not unexpected but still sad nevertheless.

We've been going to visit India since 1975 - took my first trip with the guy I ended up marrying. We go to visit the place of Meher Baba and to visit the oldtime disciples (now very few left). They have become like family. We spent most of our adult life going back and forth. (Hence the lack of careers now).

lala - the Paris/London trip sounds wunnerful. We did a similar trip a couple of years ago. Loved it. Only problem was that by the time we got to London, I literally could not walk because we'd hoofed it all over Paris. Severe leg fatigue.

patch - your past weekend sounds like it was great too. I just realized that it is the end of the summer and we haven't gotten into the canoe ONCE!!

melissa & lala your canning projects sound like a lot of fun. I wish I had any produce to eat nevertheless can. I did just see a TV program in which Jacques Pepin's wife showed how to make cornichon (no boiling required). They look delicious.

Next year, more plantings!!!!

Lala: Hope your day is getting better! I've had meltdowns myself and it's not a pretty sight, lol. I have more peppers that are ready to be canned and some more tomatoes from the garden. My grape tomatoes are finally coming in...I just love the little buggers!

Lauren: It's gorgeous here as well...it's more like a fall day rather than an end of summer although I'm sure by the weekend it'll be warming up. I didn't get out walking at noon since today is my ww meeting day. I'm going to try and get a walk in later tonight.

Now, for the happy news I lost 1.2# this week!! Woohoo! Finally back under my goal by just a bit but still below nonetheless! Hope everyone is doing well.

Hi all-

Less of a stress puppy today, in fact, I'm sort of looking forward to DP being gone all next week. I have lots of little tasks around the house to do (getting rid of old food for one) and they are starting to excite me. However, we'll be apart for our tenth anniversary (not uncommon), oh well.

Laurel: we have a friend who is at meher Baba's ashram working in the health clinic. She comes back to seattle every few years. Very interesting person with alot of dedication.

I'm wearing comfortable shoes on our trip, nine west cloud nine loafers or something. I'm stylish to a "T" (getting my haircut in london helps ) and comfortable to boot. I'm hoping for moderate weather and good shopping. The hotel we usually stay at is now full, so I splurged on a more expensive hotel close by. We'll see.

Melissa
The canning fiend canned only 7 pts of tomato sauce and 10 pts of salsa. Did the inventory of last year's remainders, definitely need more salsa, less tomatoes. Need to make chutney and pepper jelly too. Tonight- tomato and apple chutney for sure, cans in only 10 minutes.

Trying to get it all done before my cleaning diety comes tomorrow. I am tired of sticky floors.

I'm hoping to weigh in tomorrow, skipped last week. Hoping to have stayed the same, who knows. Everyone seems to be doing awesome. I'll post my pts when i calculate them.

lala

lala is that Judy Robertson (the friend from Seattle?) or Sarah Schall??

laurel:
its sarah schall. oh my god, what a small world eh?

lala yup!! isn't that funny!!!