Good Morning Ladies,

Mooz - Wow, 15,000 steps that is great. You just reminded me that I have a pedometer too. I think I'll put it on and see what kind of movement i'm getting.

Not much going on here. Still haven't started my shopping. I have a repair man coming out today (dishwasher). Going to work on decorations outside. Can you believe it's going to be 79 degrees here today? This weather is something else.

Hope everyone is having a great SATURDAY!

Good Evening Ladies,

Sorry I haven't been posting again but evidently I am off their list again.

Shad - I know about this exercising and going to the gym. I, too, sometimes wonder if it is worth all the effort and then after I get there it does make sense. I spoke to Joe, our trainer, on Friday and he definitely said by doing these classes consistently, we are toning up and getting rid of the excess fat. He also said it is possible to gain weight instead of losing it because muscle weighs more than fat. My WW leader definitely disagrees with this statement, but I am sure she is wrong!

For the first time in two months I took Gene to the casino and let him gamble for about 2 hours. We then went to the buffet and had dinner. All in all he really appreciated getting out and doing something different.

My gym is starting another Silver Sneaker class at 7:00 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I cannot do Thursdays but I am going to try this Tuesday's class. It is supposed to be a little more cardio than our other class.

I really don't have to do any decorating for Christmas because we will not have anyone to celebrate with. Tomorrow I am going to try and design my Christmas cards for this year.

Hope all of you are having a very pleasant and wonderful weekend!

Anita

Shad--what is a pergola?

Got back up to 36C (about 102F) again today. I worked late and tried to get to the gym however when I got there I found I had left out some of my gear so had to go home anyway. So I'm calling today a bust on exercise. Weather on the news tonight tells me it got to 49 in Longreach today. Hot is hot, but that is just awful. 49 is something like 128F. I've been to Longreach but I reckon you would only go there in the winter. If you think about looking for Longreach on a map, it is in Queensland. It's plumb on the Tropic of Capricorn.

A Pergola is a structure that (usually) joins onto the house but can be freestanding, has a roof of shadecloth, roofing iron or could be climbing plants. Oh Heck a picture would be easier.


Bed calls. The cat doesn't know where to put herself so I put her outside. Better get up early tomorrow and water some of those poor plants. The roses love it but the pot plants are showing some pain.

Hello Ladies,

just a quick hello. Work is hetic, but help is on the way. Heard we were hiring some temps. We'll see. House is as decorated as it will get. Now to do some shopping. We're suppose to get some cold weather tomorrow. Guess winter is here.

Nita - glad you all were able to enjoy a evening out. Did you have any luck with gambling?

Shad - Wow talk about hot? No, wonder your plants are thirsty. I know you mentioned last week about the storms, did they help with the water rations?

Hope everyone is having a great day!

Sorry I haven't been posting regularly. I'll be back tonight with a round up of the doings. It's been very hot for the last week and we are all suffering from heat and dust. The flies haven't got here yet but no doubt they will soon. Another misery.

No the rains never fell in the catchment areas - we are still hovering around the 35% of capacity and getting lower by the day.

Shad--Right now I'd be willing to trade. It's -40 windchill here, and snow. Got rear-ended on way home from work but no one hurt.

Left early because no voice. Can't talk on phone no voice.

Went to allergist--lost another pound!

Hello Ladies,

Cat - Glad no one was hurt. Hope you didn't get to much damage on your vehicle. It's cold here to. BUT not like your having. We're expecting record temperature's tonight. Something like 15 degrees. Yesterday we got sleet, and schools were closed today. Hope you get your voice back soon.

Shad - Hope you all get a break with the temperature. I don't like when the flies arrive here, they bring that disease.

Hal, Mooz, Nita - Hope you ladies are doing ok.

Hey Everyone!

Long time no see, and you get three guesses why! I have opted not to take classes in the Spring, because I simply don't want to do without sleep at my age. I should say, I cannot do without sleep! This makes a year and a half with no classes, and I am only half way to my rank one. I still have long term goals, and that is what is important - I guess!

Today is a SNOW DAY. As I like to say, there is no day like a snow day. I don't care if we go a few more days into the summer - the unplanned break is just a wonderful thing. We had no days last year, so this one is very nice. We actually dismissed school an hour early yesterday. We had freezing rain and sleet pouring down. It was actually kind of scary - to think of all of those high school students driving on sheets of ice. I gave a good warning to my last class of the day to be oh so careful.

Cat: What a bummer on the accident, and was this in your new vehicle? I hope you do not suffer any after the accident aches or pains. Congratulations on the loss of a pound. Each and everyone count!

OneDay: We had temps of 71 degrees just 10 days ago. Today our high temperature is 20 degrees, and sheets of ice line the roads and byways! I have yet to decorate, I think today will be 'the day'! I am going to have to go to school tho to borrow a dolly to haul the new tree in. I really did not realize how heavy these artifical trees are! However, with the ice on the patio (connects garage to house about 100 feet) I could slide the box? Hummmm? LOL I am excited to get it up. It has all white lights. I have always had the multi colored lights on a natural tree. I hope I am not disappointed. Anyway... I picked up a few more ornaments since this tree is 7 1/2 feet.

Shad: It is neat to hear about the weather in your homeland, and make the comparisons to ours - quite a change, huh? So you are keeping busy with work for the latter part of the year? I remember you mentioning you were unsure how it would work out. When I fail to post routinely, it means I'm working long hours. Energy, I need some. Oh, I have been stationary biking and increasing the time. I feel better, and hope and pray I continue to make these efforts. I think just any type of exercise is so beneficial. I don't think we see the differences/changes until we stop exercising. Trust me on this one!

Nita; So, tell us how did you and Gene do on the gambling day? I've never really been much of a gambler. Hey, I plan on writing Christmas cards today. I have a picture to put inside this year. I think most of you send me pictures last year, but I did not have one to send. I'm not real happy with the double chin - but that is what is it. I've appreciated hearing from and reading about you this last year.

Now, Mooz - GREAT to hear from you. Just one thing to add, MORE, MORE, MORE. LOL Hoping this finds you and your family doing well.

THIN: Stop lurking! Time to post girlfriend. I know you are out there!

All the very best to each of you! Happy holidays!!!

Thanks for those who asked--no damage to the car, and I seem fine, too. I had already been planning to go to the chiro, so that worked out well.

Hal--Suzy Spafford, who does the Suzy's zoo, such as your picture, was Earl's date to the sr prom!

Hello Everyone,

Sorry I have not been posting. Again, they must have taken me off the list to receive e-mails. Also, as of Friday morning I have been having a problem with vertigo. I remember getting this off and on throughout the years, however, this time it seems to be staying longer. It was really bad at 5:00 a.m. Friday. The room was just spinning around. I remembered I had some Dramadine in my purse so I managed to get it. It did lessen the spinning and I managed to get breakfast. After breakfast I took an Advil and layed down and took a nap. I woke up at 9:00 a.m. and felt pretty good and decided I should go to my exercise class. I did manage to get through the hour class and I asked the trainer if I should go on to bowling. His reply was yes if I felt like it. So that is what I did. I just now got up from another nap and I am still not feeling very well. If this continues, I will call my doctor tomorrow.

I think part of this is I am paranoid that the vertigo will come back strong again. As far as dieting--I have not been doing well at all. Although after hearing about all your poor weather, one thing for certain Arizona is the place to be during the winter.

To those of you who asked, we did not win any money at the Casino but we did have fun and went out to eat afterwards. All of a sudden Gene is walking without even his cane, at least two or more times per day. I do believe as soon as he realizes he will not fall, he will do even better.

It is sort of scary when you are not well to realize your partner cannot be of assistance to you. We do have a wonderful neighbor but who wants to bother a neighbor when it is only 5:00 a.m. in the morning.

Well I had better get moving--I wanted to finish my Christmas cards today but that is going to have to wait until tomorrow.

My best to all of you,
Anita

Hello Ladies,

Sorry I didn't post this weekend. I was busy shopping. Got most of it done. Need to pick up a few more items. I"m hoping to get that done during the week. Tonight I also started on my Christmas Cards.

Shad - Can you email me your address. Last year we exchanged Christmas Cards and I would love to add you to my list.

Hal - Our schools were also out for 1 day. I got to work from home that day. It was kinda of nice. Wow, you have a big tree. I think I would borrow the school dolley. No need to get hurt trying to move it. Blackie still not quite sure what to think of the tree inside the house. He lays in front of it, staring at it. I think he's waiting for a squirrel to appear.

Nita - I hope the vertigo is short term. I know that's not a good feeling. That is great news about Gene. I guess he's starting to feel confident about not using the cane.

Cat - good news that there was no damage to the car, or any injuries to yourself.

Mooz - Hope your doing ok.

It is now a quarter to eight and I am already grumpy. Yesterday I found they (being the 'IT security' people) had taken away a lot of my access to view results from running background programs in the training database. They have also taken away a lot of access from others as well. I had it last week. Gone this week. Maybe it will be back next week - who knows. Now I whinged a bit yesterday afternoon, and now I am told I have access to do it in the UAT database. Oh lovely!! Thank-you so much, how long did it take for you to do that? Why? Well I don't have an account in the UAT database. Thats' @#$%##$$$###$$$## well why.

Yesterday I had a phone interview with the mob from the desert about my next contract. It was quite possibly the worst interview I have ever done. So I am not feeling happy about that. Agent rang last night but I was driving home. I rang back but he was now out. Did I get the job, did I not? Who knows, who cares.

Got home to find DB2 on the doorstep with his list of problems and worries. So now I have some other things to sort out as well. Aaaaaah well the list goes on.

I hope you have all done your Christmas shopping! The crowds in town are bad now, next week they will be horrendous.

In fact I am considering taking a lunch break at 11.00 to go to the Post Office and post these cards and letters. Yes I finally got most of the far away and overseas ones done last night. Tonight should see an end to all but the local cards. I may even combine morning tea and lunch and go very early since I have yet to have breakfast and brought no lunch with me.

I'm sorry I haven't been posting as much lately. I think it is the time of the year when we all get icky and sticky and tempers fray etc. Christmas used to be a time of peace and happiness and serenity. Now all I see is tense, tired faces and tempers rising.

Okay - up, up and away to the thirteenth floor to yell at the tallest man in the building. I have to yell, he is in a different stratosphere. I hope to get back with some personal comments tonight. Let's not bet on it though.

Hello Ladies,

Just got in from work. Stop at the local mall and pick up two more gifts. All I need now is 3 more (I think, need to check list twice) and I"m finished. Then the next item on my list is the food menu. Christmas Eve will be celebrated at my house. Picking up a Honey Baked Ham and of course tamales. Not sure what else will be on the menu. I'm sure Mom and my sisters will help with something.

Shad - sorry to hear your having a bad day at work. Maybe your phone interview didn't go as bad as you thought. I think I heard a high pitch yell earlier today, Was it you?

Hope everyone is having a good evening!

Shad--found myself quite grumpy last week, though I think I'm doing better today, thank goodness. Sometimes there just seem to be a string of calls. I had one woman last week who someone else had told her to tell us about her insurance. I said she didn't need to tell us, and she just got so insistent, and I wanted to yell, "Isn't is JUST possible that the OTHER person is wrong?" Anyway, hope you are feeling better, and that you get the contract if it's the right thing.

Nita--that vertigo is nasty. Do you have a chiropractor out there? Might help.

I still had the cold this weekend, then woke up Sun with a very sore leg and hip--the bring-tears-to-your eyes kind. Did hot baths and pain patches and yoga and it was somewhat better. Went to see the chiro again after work. That helped.

Meanwhile, we are waiting to put the tree up. Not sure it will survive the kitten!

Ran my proposal for the vacation church school by the Kansas Authors Club Sat. Everyone thought it was good, though I didn't get any really helpful feedback. One of our members is 80 and quite a character. He said, "That's the first thing you've brought in I'VE though was any good." (Buster ain't much for poetry.)

I may go to bed early again tonight.

Oh--another stress. I sold my shotgun in the Internet. DH took it to the store where he works to have them ship it. Deal for the Internet site is delivery a week from when you get the money. A week later they hadn't even shipped it. DH told them to ship it overnight and he'd pay the difference, but they sent it 2-day air anyway. Of course the buyer is very annoyed. Since I already spent the money to pay off the hearing aid, we'll have to sell some stock if I have to give him a refund. And the hearing aid stopped working!

One of those being-nibbled-to-death-by-ducks times in my life.