HAPPY...I DO NOT MISS DRIVING AT ALL. HATED THE WEATHER AND FROM DUSK TO DAWN!! GLAD YOU GOT HOME OK AND PEOPLE WERE MORE COURTEOUS... THEY MUST ALL BE WORRIED ABOUT THE NAUGHTY OR NICE LIST

RUTH~ I AM SO GLAD LIFE IS GOOD AND I LOVED THE PICTURE!! PRINTED IT OUT TO SHOW JEN. STAY WELL AND ENJOY THE MUSIC AND DOGGIES! MERRIEST OF CHRISTMASES RIGHT BACK TO YOU

MICHELLE~ I WILL SEND ALL THE GOOD THOUGHTS I CAN MUSTER UP TODAY FOR DH AND HIS HAND AND THE INTERVIEWS!! GLAD YOU GOT A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP AND HOPE THE SNOW SLOWS DOWN OVER YOUR WAY. THE EXPECTED TEMP HERE TODAY IS SUPPOSED TO BE 62. IT WAS 61 YESTERDAY
WE'RE HAVING A HEAT WAVE....A TROPICAL HEATWAVE...LA LA LA

SHAD~ THEN GOOD LUCK WITH THE WIND UP. SORRY TO HEAR THERE WILL BE SO MANY PEOPLE OUT OF WORK. SO SAD THIS TIME OF YEAR ESPECIALLY. WE'RE KEEPING OUR PLUMBER BUSY AND HE WAS GLAD TO GET THE WORK. IT'S USUALLY HIS BUSIEST TIME OF YEAR BUT THERE IS NO RENNO WORK GOING ON AND HE HAS LOST A LOT OF BUSINESS. NOW HE HAS JUST LEAKS AND BOILERS. WHILE YOU'LL BE HEADING HOME, I'LL BE HEADING TO TRADER JOES THAT DAY! !

CEEJAY~ HELLO BACK TO YA!!! DON'T EAT THE WHOLE PIZZA!!!!

NAE~ SO SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR BROTHER. WISHING HIM A FAST RECOVERY. IT IS TOUGH WHEN FAMILY DON'T LIVE CLOSE TO EACH OTHER BUT WHAT CAN WE DO. HOPE YOUR SON IS DOING OK AS WELL

RAINING CATS AND DOGS OR I WOULD BE OUT RIDING AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS WEATHER...BUT NEVER FEAR....WINTER IS COMING BACK THIS WEEKEND. THEY SAID IT WAS COLDER IN PARTS OF THE SOUTH THAN IN NEW JERSEY! I CAN DEAL WITH THAT!!! JEN AND I SPENT THE DAY TOGETHER. SOME PROBLEMS ARE SOLVED AND MORE PAPERS IN THE MAILBOX. LIKE NAE...I AM TRYING TO
"remain focused on the best of this season".
HAVE NOT SPENT ANY TIME IN THE OFFICE AND ONLY DONE WHAT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. INTERNAL INSPECTIONS ARE GOING ON FOR THIS WEEK SO BEEN HELPING THE SENIORS GET READY INSTEAD. I AM
FEELING HUNGRY AND SLEEPY WITH THIS DARK MORNING!!
HAPPY THURSDAY

Morning all! Just a very quick check in to let you all know the Carla/Madcat hook-up was accomplished with great success. We must have been good since neither of us landed in jail and the city still seems to be standing. Of course, I did leave Carla on the subway so there is no guarantee she didn't get into mischief between the subway and her hotel. We ate lettuce and cucumbers and drank nothing but spring water from environmentally-friendly containers. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!! After all, there is no photographic proof otherwise.

I'll be back later to read and personal.

Good morning and how are things in Chick land?

I see by Mel's ticker that there are 2 weeks exactly until Christmas. It's really flying by. I should bring my fresh garland in from the back porch so I can enjoy the smell seeing as how we'll only be here 1 week longer. I haven't gotten my Christmas cards out either.

Mel - you enjoy that 61 degree weather. You know I'm sure that we always pay dearly for unseasonal weather - particularly when it's unseasonably warm. Generally followed by a long and freezing cold snap. Our temps have dropped to freezing but should be up in the 60's by the weekend, which is slightly warmer than it should be. I was going in and out of the garage yesterday getting veggies to chop for a party tray today and my hands were freezing! I'm glad you are staying out of the office - don't let 'em pester you any more than you need to. Enjoy your Christmas music and movies and be the only happy one in the building

Nae - I'm sorry to hear about your brother. You know men, they always poo poo things but sometimes there can be complications and one NEEDS to get at least looked at. I can understand your guilt about being far away, I feel the same way with my Mom - most everything falls to my sister. Hope he does better soon.

Ceejay - it's 30 minutes to drive to work, mostly because I have to go through 40 mph speed traps and several school districts with reduced speeds. There is no way to avoid the schools. It's only 10 miles but takes long and the traffic lights are not timed well. At least 1/3 of my commute is spent sitting at red lights. So if DH was to drive me, it would take him almost an hour to drop me off and return back home. Then he'd do the same again to pick me up. Boom - there's almost 2 hours carved out of the day. Generally tho if he drives me I go in early and he picks me up around 6pm when traffic dies down so on those days the company benefits from me putting in a longer day. Maybe it's good that things are quiet at your place - no happy medium - either dull and boring or the "excitement" comes from annyoying people and their silly habits, right?

Shad - hope your headache clears up. Seems like you are having more sinus issues than I remember before, perhaps it is the area or you never mentioned it earlier. So you have one week left on the job? Sounds like things are slowing down economically on your side of the world too. Funny how we are all connected, even in subtle ways.

Michelle - hope you are feeling a bit less sore today. I hope DH's infection is clearing and that he gets some good feedback from the interviews. Pulling for him today and tomorrow

Carla and Madcat - hope you had a very nice dinner together. I forget to tell Carla to give Madcat a big ole but I'm sure she did anyway cuz Carla thinks for us when we cannot

Ruthie and pups

I have to run now. See yah

Happy Thursday everyone -

I'm so glad the weekend is nearly here. I'm very excited and hopeful for my DH today - a job interview this morning, one this afternoon, and a second round of interviews tomorrow! Yay! I've got an appointment with the doc this afternoon to go over my blood sugar/cholesterol tests. Not looking forward to it. Hopefully the results won't be too horrible. And hopefully he can figure out something to put me on (other than Niacin) to improve my cholesterol.

Shad - 14000 jobs gone! Wow! Sounds like you have a good attitude and plans on how to spend your holidays and January. YGG! That ladder clamp device sounds really cool. I'll check our hardware stores here to see if they carry such a thing. His hand is getting better. It still looks gross, but much better than it did. The doc is amazed at how quickly he is healing.

Nae - So sorry to hear about your DB's stroke, but I'm glad that he is doing well now. It's rough when you're away from your family and a sibling has to do much of the work. I was in a similar situation when my mom was terminally ill and my sister lived close and cared for her.

Mel - You're getting temps in the 60s?! How the heck is that possible?? Sunday, we're going to have temps in the upper 30s and low 40s (which is a relative heat wave, compared to what we've been having)! Glad you and Jen had a productive day solving problems and mailing paperwork.

Madcat - So glad you and Carla had fun and didn't get into too much trouble.

Happy - 2 weeks until Christmas - where did the time go? Hope you have a great day!

Love and hugs to all,

LOL.... that is a crack up.........

Mel - Thanks for the cartoon!

Mel. I needed that little laugh. I might have to make chili cause of that.
I didn't eat the whole pizza. It wasn't good.


Shad
Hope db is doing better.

Happy
Thanks for explaining the drving situation.

It's good to have a day off. I've done absolutley nothing so far. Except a load of laundry. Haven't put those in the dryer yet. Need to get a box ready and take it to the post office. My nephew left some things in the car.

I thought I was done with Christmas shopping but my Tx's sister children draw names. I need to get that gift. I had an email this morning.

I woke up with a stuffy nose this morning to the point I was having trouble breathing. Now I havea major sinus headache.

Michelle- Tuesday in class we had a pharmacist speaking to us about several drug treatment therapies.

It's recommended with Niacin to take ibuprophen 30 minutes before the Niacin to lessen the effects. However, if you are having occasional "allergic" reactions, I guess that won't help any. Niacin scares me. It's the wild child of vitamins it seems

Ceejay - Glad you are enjoying your day off.

Happy - Thanks for the tip about the ibuprofen and the Niacin. I'm seeing my regular doc this afternoon, and I'll see if he's heard that and if it's worth the risk to start taking the Niacin again (but this time with ibuprofen).

BTW, one of DH's interviews got postponed until next week because the hiring mgr is ill. And the other interview today wasn't for a Computer Network Administrator (even though that's what the job description said), it was to join a MLM scheme to sell Medicare supplement insurance to seniors. DH told them thanks but no thanks. He's a computer geek, not an insurance salesman and he's NOT interested in joining a MLM type business.

Oh well, tomorrow's interview should go well since it is a second round of interviews.

Shad and Nae
My apologies. Nae for db

Helped the economy a little bit today. Bought myself a new razor cell phone from alltel, plus a head set for hands free driving. I'll have to learn how to use it.

Not much else is goiong on. Have a good non productive day. The kind I like.

Hey...I'm back. Training was great. The Suite they held it in at the hotel was FREEZING! I wore my leather coat and gloves during most of the training. I love love love it so far.

Michelle...goodluck vibes are being sent to DH on job hunting. I was approached by several insurance places wanting sales people. I didn't even reply to most. No snow here, just rain, thank God.

Sounds like everyone has been busy, busy, busy.

Getting ready to head to bed will do personals this weekend. Too much to catch up on.

Love and hugs

Have a great Friday ladies.

Great picture Ruth!

Michelle - DH has my full sympathies about the MLM job. I, personally feel very cross when that has happened to me. I would very much like to belt them around the head with a 14lb sledgehammer.
There should be a law against it. They are obviously not proud enough of their product to advertise it openly and so they resort to this sort of cr*p. As you can see it makes me a bit cross!
I wish DH all the best for a better round tomorrow.
The 14000 jobs gone are from all around the world. I'm hoping they will somehow pick on some of the over rated middle management this time. Very top heavy this joint.

Ceejay - no apologies needed, I thought you were asking after my DB who is as silly as ever.
Glad to hear you bought a hands free phone. We are not allowed to use mobile phones while driving over here. It's illegal even tho' some will do it. It's a nasty old fine if you get caught with it. You can use hands free or ear plugs and mics

Mel - gotta love Maxine. She sure comes up with some goodies.
Trader Joes v going home, trader joes v going home. Going home wins!!!

Nae - yep, we are into the full moon phase when all the weirdos and idiots come out to play. Think I will just sit on the lawn and have a drink and forget about going anywhere. It's a silly time of year to just travel anyway.

Happy - my sinus's are clearing, I think it is the close contact with the co-worker who smokes like a chimney. I feel a lot better 3 days after he has gone home on leave. And the office smells better as well.
Did the DH enjoy my links to the tough love world?

Madcat/ Carla - there may not be any photographic proof, but I have this vision of an oversize bowl of poutine and a platter of beaver tails and I see two right hands dipping in there. Glad to here you met up, got together and sorted the world with out being frogmarched off to jail or damaging the wonderful city sights. Leaving Carla on the subway may be detrimental although she must have managed alright in NY. TO is more civilised isn't it?

And that is about it. Better go get some lunch (chicken and salad) before I have to go and shout at IT one more time. I've jumped down the throats of at least two of them so far today. Useless pack of hua.

too de loo for now