Teel~ sorry the parents aren't supportive. all the others gave great advice. I am Wheels for Hire if you need me, I'll come and roll them over. maybe as pancakes they will shut up! Nasty buggers. You are not a failure it's the meds sapping the strength right out of you. Maybe if you can get that part of your life straightened out the losses will be easier. Nice swimming too! Just keep on track as much as possible and screw everyone else!

Linus~ Glad the breast exam went so well and hope you can get the zyban this time. I think of you opften when yelling at Jen to quit! wish I could stick the both of you into a ciggie rehab! LOL Good luck Sweet!!!

Shad~ Hope it all settles down a bit. we will hold the fort down till your return! Have a good time too!!!

meadow~ the dove tree was just beautiful. Hankies. I loved the vision. Maybe nice frilly and lacy ones. What a thought. thanks for the pic! glad the exercising is going so well and you like to sweat now!

Happy and Nae~ I love you both and will send good vibes.

I had a much better day but stayed out ALL day long. first food shopping then taking care of the lobby plants we moved outside for a good soaking and new dirt this week or next. spent time with the maint. men. They miss me and I them. Wish there was a rear elevator I could use to go see them. It seems like the more independent of everyone I get the more desparate they are to control me. Why is this happening?? and better yet....WHEN will it end????? god help me but I am losing patience with them all! Maybe an explosion of my temper is what it will take to end this insanity. I really know why it's happening. They are finding it difficult to stand free of me and are scared but it has to be now or never and I cannot go on forever doing their job. You would all have been so proud of how far I have come in standing tall!! Not easy in this chair either! OH I almost forgot.......despite all the crazy looks I have been using the new chair to reach the shelves in the supermarket!!! Too bad the motor is so noisy on the way down but WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!! And just in time too. My arms and shoulders are so bad. It was so much easier these past 2 weeks! YAY!!! Well Chicks of the world....I must bid you adieu and say goodnight. Gotta lie down and watch TV. Have a wonderful night and take care.

Oh at last! Today my smilie link is working so I don't have to write all the letters in, just "click "away to my hearts desire! So there will be loads of little all over the post today!!
I am playing the ADIEMUS cd on my pc. I really like it...really loud!!
(puase for coffee)(ooops I mean pause)
It is a lovely sunny day here My friend from Derby rang yesterday to talk about the London holiday. He is SO SUPPORTIVE and said not to worry about how much I can or cannot do...and even not to beat myself up if I actually have to cancel. We discussed the possibility of him and children going off to town in the morning and leaving me in bed and catching up with them at lunch time somewhere. Good job we have means of communicating! God Bless mobile phone technology! I love Alan...shame I didn't find him when he was single!
I have just found a bit of added interest on my pc for when I am listening to a cd through "Real Player". It is a selection of different skins. I have fallen in love with Annabel The Sheep.. .she is a single sheep, wearing a black top hat, in a field of perfectly green grass iunder a perfectly blue sky. Over to her left there is a single bit of white fencing that she could easily jump over should she feel the need...which, so far, in 10 minutes of listening, she has not...every so often other things come into view....there has been a few birds, a couple of clouds, a disco light reflecting spots on the floor, a robin that came down and sat on the sheep's back whilst she was singing, and two robins in the backround (probably the backing group!! ). Next we had the day changing to night, and a few night-clouds along with a nice shining moon. Then we return to Annabel who still hasn't jumped over that darn fence Only now she looks like the Compere of a show and she has a microphone and is under a spot light with 2 other sheep standing in the backround. Every so often she nods her head...seemingly in time to the music and she bends her legs up and down at the knees, just to tantilize you into believing she is about to leap for freedom over that fence!!! Oh I forgot, she also has a space ship passing overhead...it is a miniature one with the graphic equalizer in the window And no. She never did jump over the fence......
I have some ironing to do today with my new iron. It is almost a pleasure to have to do it! ALMOST...I said.
T.T.F.N.

Teel~ I must find my real player and see if we all have this feature! I had a great laugh. together maybe we could coax her to make the move and JUMP!!!

Sun was shining here but fades now and again. No rain predicted for a LONG time! LOL I ran into the toilet bowl last night and knocked it sideways! Got it straightened out this morning. Waiting to see if it leaks anywhere.
Just hanging out in the house today and taking a rest. A bit tired with sinus issues and I could also finish sorting my books and magazines out. The Tai Chi was a bit much for the neck and shoulders. I will have t try again this weekend and do less. It may not be a good choice for this muscle group. They are in such a weakened state. Too bad cause I enjoyed it. I'll see what the crystal ball says for the future.LOL Have a great day all and enjoy!!!

Hi Everyone, thanks for you kind thoughts and wishes....it has been so busy and I have been traveling back and forth so much! The funeral went well and so many nice thoughts and seeing people.... I will miss my Aunt and the part of being with her in this world but she was enjoying poor quality of life.
I went back to the Flathead Valley last weekend for a bridal shower of a good friend of mine and we had so much fun! Her honey is even a sweet guy and I think they will be very happy. The wedding is next weekend but I haven't decided yet if I am going up again or not. How has everyone been???
Hope all is well with all of you and I will catch up later......
Thanks again for thinking of me....
Luv Ya,
nae

Nae~ so very good to see you!!! glad everything is OK and hope you get to go to the wedding if you want to. I have been well and mostly my happy self. A rant or two maybe but nothing serious! Serious is a word i try hard to keep out of my vocabulary! Hope you are fine and the wee doggie too. How's the weather up there? Ours is still unusual for this time of year. I am trying tai chi and damn near killed myself but it was fun.
Missed your animal stories too! LOL

Well chickies need a bit of a lay down for watching TV and give the old bum a rest tonite! LOL Have a great night and sweet dreams. Good morning Miss Sunshine if you're reading today! :flow3:

Hi everyone,
The out of town interview went pretty well, I will get more feedback tomorrow. We really liked the south, more than we thought we would and would consider moving down there. I also have a second interview tomorrow for a place that is local to me. Lots going on right now and I need to devote my time and attention elsewhere.

I probably won't get back here until Sunday or so but know that I am thinking of all of you.

Hi Happy. Very pleased to hear that the interview went well and I really hope that you get the news that you want to get tomorrow...
Nae, I think it would be good if you could get up to the wedding next weekend. I know it is a long haul but it might be good to be able to "let your hair down!" and enjoy some happy time out after the sad times you are having to go through right now.What do you think, honey?
Well I would like to be able to report that as my 4 week challenge comes to an end on Saturday that I have lost some lbs in weight. I weighed this morning and it said 79kg So, no, I haven't lost more than about 1 lb. Bloody hopeless is what I said..what the is the matter with me.
It's funny not having a report from Miss Shad every day. I hope she is ok down in Melbourne.
I am off to London on Saturday. That is, unless something disasterous occurrs to either myself or the friend and his children between now and 2 days time.. I am, as usual, all behind. I have got the case out, (well, I actually never put it away after the last gad about! ) but I still have some ironing to do and the packing. I know it will not take overly long and at least we will be on English soil still this time I went to the super market today and stocked up with loads of bottles of all sizes of sugar free orange soda and sugar free lemon. Makes a nice mixture. I was running very low on no added sugar squash as well so I have filled the cupboard up. At least it will be full whgen I have gotten round to putting it all away! I was so tired when I got in that I made the phone call I had to, received one I didn't know I was going to, and then went to lie down on the bed. I woke up within 10 minutes or so calling out in sort of a scream so I don't know what on earth my brain was thinking about....Anyway I didn't get back to sleep as the dog decided it was time to go in the garden and once she gets a thought in her brain she doesn't let it go until it's been resolved....ho hum
I have a doctors appointmrnt tomorrow afternoon and I need to ask him what I have done to my right ankle. I don't think I have twisted it or anything traumatic...but I know it hurts a lot.... I have really decided to ignore my brain's attempts at being in a very depressed mode till at least I have returned from London next week. I know it is going to be very difficult but it will not just be me who is disappointed if things don't turn out as planned next week. There are 3 other people to think about too.... so my brain can join with my body when I get back home and we can all collapse in an ungainly heap together. If I catch sight of an Internet Cafe I shall nip in and have a mega quick chat, otherwise I shall be back on the thread on Friday 2nd September. SEPTEMBER!!!! Autumn is a-coming....
So take care all of you. Be careful. Keep safe. Linus and Mel, don't you dare go overdoing it like I know you are bound to do, Nae I do hope you go to the wedding and enjoy yourself for a while...Happy, good luck over the next few days..I hope to hear when I get back that you are either moving down South to tackle a new job, or that you are able to stay locally and tackle a new one without all the hassle of moving home. Shad...I hope you are well and settling in to the new challenge in Melbourne...CONGRATULATIONS to the New Zealand Team for getting GOLD & SILVER in the TRIATHLON event at the Olympiccs today...I still think of you as a Kiwi even thought you live in Australia!!! And, boy oh boy, have you got some fantastic swimmers over there!!
Ta ta then. See you soon.

i agree with teel good swimmers with some hot bods!!!!! well sooooooo sorry i havent been in but fell on my face in the shower tuesday morning and had to lie there for nearly an hour until dh woke from the land of the nod so havent been to the docs or anywhere and have set out things to hold onto as i keep tipping over look like im drunk really well lets see SHADS still doing her livingstone bit and exploring for us NAE good to have you back you should go to the wedding as of late weve all had sad things to attend so we should go to the good ones while we can ive decieded that i cant put off anything good as i tend to miss things because of my health and regret them later when things go wrong!!!! oops going all gooey again now where were we oh yes MEADOW enjoy them while they are that young my 15 year old just seems to have sprouted all over and is so tall and very sarcastic but very funny and really supportive actually a really nice kid im really proud of him just wish hed stop growing!!! HAPPY glad things went well and you take as much time as you need well be here waiting for you when you get your life together to your liking MEL maybe they think they are giving you the help that you have given so many others over the year but they are going about it all the wrong way a yelling quickly sorts this out try it if nothing else youll feel so much better just dont worry about hurtung feelings theyll come out of it in the end
TEEL hows the sleep ??? getting better i hope the last few days ive done nothing but sleep try and enjoy your weekend do what you can and what you cant dont worry you can always go back its not going anywhere
right ladies im going to try and brave the shower dh is ready to help me so id better go
kirsty

Happy!!!!!WELCOME HOME!!! Keeping the fingers crossed while you 2 decide what is right for the future!!! Have a wonderful weekend and just "be". Kisses and hugs and good wishes your way! Read about a butterfly garden and thought of the 2 of you. I would like the Housing here to think of one for next year and I'm going to print up a proposal. The maintenance men could help me and I could supervise!!!

Linus~ How right you were! I did yell a bit and things seem ton have gone back to normal. a friend said they have no control over their lives so they try to control me! But Jen said they're trying hard to keep me where they think I belong!! With them!!! LOL any how...they are walking on eggshells and being so sweet! How goes the family??? And how are you feeling????

Teel~ I think London is just what the doctor ordered and you will love it!!! Forget about everything as much as possible. You can always do what I do and have the breakdown AFTER you come home! Just don't YOU over do anything before you leave! Good luck at the doctors! Maybe the meds are giving you the joint problems in the ankle. Part of their side effects! Good luck with the trip in case I miss you're leaving. Have a wonderful time!!!!

where are all the others???? Miss Nae???? We know where Shad is....probably making lots of girls and boys cry in Melbourne!!! I had a great day but not a good food day. We all stayed outside after food shopping and repotted the 2 plants. The guys are loving this kind of weather and would do anything for me that keeps them out of the building. some people are off tomorrow so I'll do some volunteering but with the maint. dept. not the office! If it's nice we will find some chores to do outside again. Hope you all have a wonderful night and a great Friday!!!! Sweet dreams and good morning Sunshine.

Hello, hello, hello. I've been missing you all so much, but it was too much trying to get from a to b and c to d without passing go and collecting 200 that it all became too much and I gave the Internet cafe away. Should be better from now on because I have switched my accommodation to the centre of town and will now only be flying home every 3 weeks and not every week. That means the weekends will seem longer. The runs and walks will not be so much fun, but I think I can get to the Yarra River in about 10 minutes which will give me some scope for a run.
I haven't seen a lot of the Olympics. The swimmers in Aus always do well. They are a talented bunch. However I have a problem with the amount of money which is spent on these people whose only job is to go out and get medals from prestigious meets all over the world. Our health system is falling to pieces, the elderly are living in almost slum conditions, the disabled live in need of funding, we have kids roaming the streets and the crime rate soars because we have no money for police officers and social workers have a caseload which were they to do their job properly they would have to work 27 hours out of every 24. Yet these elite athletes have every single thing they need on tap - including knee surgery which one has to wait at least 3 months in a queue for the health system to even find them, much less fix them. Enough There are parts of the Olympic I enjoy. I like to hear the stories behind what the athletes do. I like to watch people who have extreme talent and who come from obscure countries and have had a long journey to get there. I like the ingenious ways and means that some of the poorest nations on earth have managed to find, train and demonstrate these people. Australia sent a team of 439 people to participate - this doesn't include the hangers on - quite frankly if they didn't get the medals, all **** would break loose over here. NZ's team is quite small and some of them actually have to work for a living and train for their sport. I did enjoy watching our 'boys' win that medal. You ought to have heard the Aussie commentators moan because they couldn't get a time fix on their guy who was coming 4th. Anyway, I've rambled enough about this.
Good to see Nae back with us again. Our wee family is all home once more. Nice pic's Meadow and Happy - good to hear that your interview went well. I'm sure the employers are picking up on your wonderful talents and work ethics and all that hard work at school will pay off for you.
Teel, have a great time in London. Hope it all pans out okay for you. Say hello to the Lambeth Walk for me. And if you go to St Pauls, tell the kids to whisper a prayer for us all up in the whispering Gallery. If you try to go up there yourself you will kill yourself off! But anyway have fun, enjoy this time, seize the day and time for this is all you will have!!! Until you do it all over again that is. Oh and ask HM if she is planning a trip downunder anytime soon, when you have afternoon tea on the lawn with her. I'll get in some beer for when she and Philip get here.
Linus, what can I say. Please look after yourself. We really miss you when 'things' happen and you can't post. Watch that health of yours, we all have an interest in it because otherwise we miss the stories. Kids seem to grow up so fast between the years of 13 and 18.
Mel - it's good to hear of you getting use of those fab features of the chair. Why not use them to capacity - I mean who else is going to get those hard to reach stuff off the shelf for you? I could do with that lift myself from time to time.
Okay - Melbourne and this job.
Well the job is sort of interesting. It's doco but mainly doco which will eventually end up as CBT (computer based training) for a huge company which covers Australia and NZ in supermarkets and department stores. I don't have a great liking for CBT but it exists and companies like it because it means (so they think) that they don't have to employ humans to do things like training. However the real truth is that the company sets the employee a task to learn how to do his/her job by a series of training modules from the computer, but then doesn't always give them time to go do them. When are they supposed to do it - on their own time????
So I am working on the Accounts Payable module. I have a list of things to do but for the life of me, can't make a lot of sense of the way they have set out the module. There seems to be bits missing. My sme (subject matter expert) can't seem to see things the way I do and doesn't understand what I am talking about often. Maybe I seem the same to him. I seem to be repeating things often. Anyway, I will hang in there some more and maybe life will get clearer. The people I report to know less about the simulation tool than I do - and my knowledge is based on things I did way back when, this lot seem to think this technology is new!!! I now have half the other doco writers coming to me for help and advice instead of going to the Team Leads.
Melbourne has been cool but mainly fine, so I have been able to go for a run/walk every night except Thursday when it rained and Friday when I had to pack and clear the apartment. Jumped on the scales this morning for a pleasant surprise even tho I haven't been to gym.
I will publish weights and measures tomorrow. Mel are you joining me. How about you Linus?

Righto, time to move on and check out the journals. As big Arnie says: I'll be back.

LINUS!!What on earth are we going to do with you!! For goodness sake, my friend...an hour on the bathroom floor with heaven knows what injuries at that time and DH snoring his head off in bed and not hearing a thing... I really think you ought to go and have a check with the g.p., even if only to find out how many ribs you have crushed... and why you fell over in the first place. Do you suffer with low blood pressure? PLEASE be careful or I shall be on a plane to Edinburgh and sort you out good and proper...
Shad, good to read your really loooooooong post! You nearly had a page all to yourself!! Good that you are able to move to the centre of town although it will possibly be noisier and not as pretty although the Yarra River may hold a few suprises. And no I don't suggest you go in for a swim and a dive to find treasures buried at the bottom!!!
I went to the docs today. He briefly felt the ankle and said as it a) was not swollen, b) was not hot c) was not red or bruised and d) I couldn't recall doing anything specific to injure it, it may well be the EBV having a good old flare up as I am so totally whacked and would I like to have a blood count done to see what everything was up to, to which I replied no, thank you, I had my usual 3 weekly blood count done only the day before. He summized that as I am rather depressed right now, and aches and pains are far more pronounced than normal when the person is depressed, that this was probably more the cause. So there we have it. Tonight I have resorted to taking 2 paracetamol before going to bed, but as you can see, I slept for about 15 minutes before waking up and as I am finding it very difficult to get back to sleep, I thought I would come and chat to you lot instead!!! And oh yes, the g.p. thought it may be of some use to increase the oxycontin yet again...not so sure about this move, personally.
At last I am packed! All ready for the "off". The weather forecast does not look too bad. Could be better, but the main thing is it needs to be dry Sunday afternoon when we are on our British Airways Eye Flight 15:00hrs!!!! (I wonder if the "attendants" on the Eye ever think to go on strike?!)
Well I guess I had better go back to bed and see if sleep is there to keep me company! See you in a few days time, chicks...try and stay in one piece whilst I am away..I don't want to come back to see you have all taken to wearing plaster-of-paris casts on assorted limbs whilst I have been away...

Linus~ Hope you are feeling so much better by now. Somehow I missed the part where it took so long!!! I was half asleep last night!!(((((HUGS))))))) also agree with Teel that you ashould see the Dr to see what's up!!!

Shad~ WOW!!! Sounds like you are getting settled in. Didn't take them long to see who to ask for help huh????LOL Hope you can get them up and running in the right direction and get their programs straightened out or whatever it is you do! then you can get mine done!!! LOL Hope too that the center of town works out well and makes for more you time for relaxing and exercise etc. Have a great weekend!!! Missed your witty posts!

Teel~ Is it too late to say goodbye??? Have a great time and I'll try to drive carefully while you are gone!!! Don't want you to miss anything!!!
Happy and Nae and Meadow~ (((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))

had another good day but am off track with my meal plan. Hoping to get back on this weekend..... also need to cook!!!
I will play with the printer and the microphone! The mike can tell the printer to print and the printer talks to me!!! Ain't technology wonderful?!?!? I was so excited to figure all of this out by myself!!! Have a great weekend and be happy!!

Hi Everyone, it is a beautiful Saturday morning and I am and trying to get back in the groove. We have had snow in the mountains since last week so the air is a bit cooler. The deer have been all around the house in the mornings eating. I love to see them and most of my garden stuff is on my deck so no fear of them eating it. I have some company coming and so much work to do around this place..... so I am trying not to be overwhelmed by it all and just do some of the work that is most pressing.
I hope everyone is well and keeping up their spirits. It is so nice that this caring and sharing is available to us. I love to hear about each of you and the cares and concerns in your lives. My best wishes go out to each of you and hope that the day brings great things.
Take Good Care Everyone and I will check back later today.
Love Ya,
Nae

Good morning to you too Miss Nae and the Worldly chicks! Having a skim milk coffee drink too! LOL
The sun is just blazing away today and I want to get out for awhile. We had a broken elevator last night but I delegated the work to others who are supposed to do it. Now they all must WORK for their $$. Seems they are getting used to it. This will end up costing me about $50 a month though. No extra cash but the work was just to much and too many hours. Made the $50 look ridiculous.... also think that is where some of my anger was coming from. Seems to be subsiding now. Time heals all wounds so I am counting on that! Must get off this PC and get out into the real world! LOL I'm setting my goals, measurements and weight for Monday. Cooking tomorrow. Dusting the map off and starting fresh. I haven't been doing enough minutes and as I said just coasting. coasting doesn't count in my books. Here I go again with the NOPE Shad! LOL

Nae~ I would be outside feeding all these creatures everyday!! I know that you're not supposed to do that but it would be hard not to. Real life Bambi's and chip n Dales would keep me busy for the rest of my life! Of course I would have to get those big knobby tires for my wheels..... dirt bike tires!!! I could just see me now trying to out run a giant bear!!! Enjoy the company too!!!! I believe that people are put in our path for reasons. I'm so glad yours crossed mine too. I think we all fit like pieces to a puzzle. The puzzle of life. Who knows....maybe if we get enough pieces we will have found all our answers!

Hoping you all have a wonderful weekend!!

evening all well ive got time for a nice long post dh is in the pub craig is out with mates and conner is on the playstation and benjy is in craigs bed and cleo is sound asleep on the setee so for the next half an hour{god willing}im all yours right where to start well ive had a wonderfull day i had to take a quick trip into leith to pay off a credit agreement {thank god for that }and came back home it was a taxi job as im not too steady on the old pins yet then i got a call from my sis to say her and my two nephews where on their way up and that was good timing as its ronalds birthday on monday so i handed over his birthday present to save me trying to get it down there and just as we wee on our first coffee my other sister {the one from hull} came with her two boys and her dh it was so good to see them charlie is getting really big and hes crawling now and babbering away an hes like a wee cupid blonde hair which curls st the ends and lovely deep blue eyes and a wee toothy grin all six teeth so we had a good chin wag for two hours and the first sister went home as she has to get ready for ronalds birthday party tomorrow and sandy ian myself and the kids had a takeaway for tea and i got to play happy aunty for hours it was good fun and i thouroughly enjoyed it now im just knacked happy but knacked MEL AND TEEL ladies im sorry to have worried you i fall as the nerves in my spinal column are damaged and every so often they just go and i can either end up doubled up or on my face or with my neck at a very awkward angle or i can lose the feeling in my left arm and leg and hence i cant get back up the killer is when the neck ,back,arm,leg all go at once them i look like a vey gimpy quasimodo the kids say i make a very good target and i wouldnt be able to chase them to catch them SHAD you sound like your having a good time ?? work sounds a bit strange dont worry youll soon get them knocked into shape have a good time exploring and fill us in afterwords as your our eyes to the world how did you find out about the new place did you just happen to come across it? yes i am being nosy but ive been stuck in this house for over a week and im gossip starved NAE when are your visitors due ?are they staying long? see i told you all nosy im gossip starved and boy do i miss adult conversation TEEL if you go to the tower would you see if they have space for another three gargoyles as im willing to supply them with three free of charge right ladies im getting a bit knacked so im going to pop off and ill speak to you all later
kirsty