Good morning chicks,

Happy Friday my favorite day of the week.

The leaves are falling like a gentle rain. It looks pretty but it's really messy out there. Part of me just can't wait to get out and rake but the other part knows that after 6 hours of intense work, by the next morning it will look as if nothing was ever done!

Meadow - that's so fun that your kids want to help out around the house. Make cleaning fun and give them some responsibility I say. Will help them immensely as adults.

Hey Tig, I know the frustration of closing out the wrong window too. Hope to hear more from you soon. Have things calmed down after the last implementation?

Ah Suzi poo poo on the "friend" who couldn't be up front enough to say that she intended to get some touring in. My SIL is like that - she has to be on the go all the time, she feels sitting is a big waste of time. That's ok --- once you understand that's how they feel. But they aren't prone to saying that - don't know why. It's not hurting my feelings. I hope all is well with the DH I believe I heard that headaches were associated with high blood pressure. I think at one point my DH was told to give up caffeine. Something about restricted blood vessels and the increase pressure on the vein walls or something I can't really remember. My DH was prone to intense headaches - almost migraine like. He is one some medicine that relaxes the veins or something. It also lowers the blood pressure - in my opinion it's TOO LOW but what do I know? Hes's still breathing and walking around ok In any event, I hope they resolve it soon.

CeeJay - now that you're house is clean do you want to come do mine? I have some serious work to do here this weekend.

Thanksgiving in only 2 weeks. How the time is flying! I'm looking forward to the 4 days off. No visitors - just DH and I. I'm hosting book club the first Tuesday in December so I'd like to have the house all decorated for Christmas. It's good incentive for me. So the long weekend will be appreciated.

Guess I'd better get ready for work. Hope the foot is better Madcat. Are you getting your energy back Mel? Have you reached is it Townsville yet Shad? Getting all settled in? Hugs to Holly.

Later chicks...

Shad Sorry I missed you leaving. Safe trip and hope the job is a great one!!!

Happy~ congratulations I am glad the weigh-in was a good one!! Keep up the good work!! I agree with the election stuff you wrote. time for a chang but I hope everyone keeps their heads screwed on straight!!!

Suzi~ wow! you have been a busy gal and I hope there is a rest period before the next group arrives
It was nice of you to try and comply with all the wishes.
Glad the DD had a chance to make a new friend.
I hope all goes well with your DH and send good vibes his way.

Meadow~ I love the siggie and think my fat is VERY good friends with my body!! I was singing in Walmarts but I forget the song. A Spanish couple heard me..the man was laughing and the woman thought I was NUTS! It might have been Jingle Bells. ROFLMAO

Holly~ hope everyone feels better and all aches and pains disappear. Been the worst year yet for sinus problems. Even my Dr prescrived without seeing me which was a first. The clinic was too fill ed up to fit me and my chair in

Ceejay~ clean hhouse, clear head!! Enjoy!

Madcat and Tig Hi girls!!!

I am on the run myself. Looks like a great day today also. Spent the day outside and with Willy and Fran. this weather is a gift from Mother Nature and I for one am thrilled. (my sinus aren't but the rest of me is in heaven) We have a 3 day weekend with today being Veteran's day! I love it. My cel phone cannot keep a signal for 2 days .....maybe it will stay down for the next 3! Love to all
Happy Friday!!!

MISS HAPPY! We missed each other. No sooner did I leave 3fc when your post entered my mailbox Kindred spirits meet again!

I love the leaves and if I lived mear you I'd ride in your great big piles!!! Of course you and DH might smack me in the back of my head
I am rested and have been outside all day yesterday escept when I had sandwiches with Willy. I treated him to roasted beast on rye with lots of mayo....not excactly dietetic huh???LOL I can hardly wait to decorate and will likely get started on thanksgiving day. I usually do!!
Happy long weekend. do you get MOnday?? We got today instead. Enjoy my friend.

A restless night for me. But i was winding down from my evening/day/week/month. Whoosh. Not much on the calendar for today or the weekend.

Last night was fabulous. We had a turn out of around 80 people. Great for a community of 900. The mini seminars were fab. There were lots of food samples and treats.Very positive feedback. I was still there tearing down at 11. Came home and realized i hadn’t had supper. I was too tired to eat. Hubby rubbed my feet for me. I handed out at least 50 brochures and sold over $100 in product. It was better than I had imagined possible. I do adore this community.

Pizza day at school. No lunch packing. Yippee.

We have window sales people coming Sat and on Tues. Our Government has programs in place using certain companies along with the power companies for rebates etc when you replace window with high efficiency ones to save on fuel use and cost. We have replaced all of our upstairs windows but none of the down stairs ones.Much need in this drafty old house. We want to hear more and then get estimates.

I also, really want to focus more on myself, with exercise and eating. I had given myself til yesterday to not give it more attention because there was so much on my plate. Today is a different story.
DS must be feeling better because he is completely obnoxious. Happy, playful but loud and annoying. He and I both had 3 days of headache and sinus pain. I felt better yesterday . He is cleared up today. Must have been a virus.
I have a ton of housework and a messy kitchen. Hubby managed supper etc but did not put a single thing away or wash up.
Major kitchen detail for me!
Much rather hang out here at 3fc but…....
Avon display stuff driven to and passed along to another rep for her event tonight. Busy bees. I will need it back for next weekend!

I am feeling very content with how things have worked out lately. Today will be a day of housework, laundry and puttering. I have data entry to do for a new avon ordering program over the weekend.

Need to get some mojo and do some dishes.


Enjoy the lovely fall day!!!!

Still not much going on. I will be going to Paragould this week end to do some grocery shopping for Thanksgiving.

I never thought I'd be writing this, but it's very hard to floss your teeth with a tampon stuck up your right nostril. Yes, that's right. A tampon up my nose. (I had a feeling after such a long absence I'd better start out with something entertaining, and voilą, the opportunity arose just in time.)
***** Gross-out alert!!!!!*****
About 3 years ago I started having very bad nosebleeds, which stopped after a horrific night in the ER that ended with having my nose packed. (If you don't know what that involves, say a little prayer that you'll never find out.) Anyway, about a month ago the bleeds started again, no doubt thanks to two long round trip flights and about 2 weeks spent in dry hotels plus the beginning of the heating season. This week I was working at a conference for a group of doctors, one of whom I remembered had left a meeting in a big hurry last year with a nosebleed.... Long story short, even though I barely knew him I asked him for advice. There we were, two well-dressed middle-aged professionals, standing in a hallway talking about how to staunch the flow. Just as he was telling me that he had found the best thing was to stick a tampon up his nose - not ob! they expand too much - but tampax or playtex are fine - a young technician heard him and recoiled in horror. I think he had the scare of his life, hearing this distinguished gent advising Ms Post-menopause herself on tampon selection! So we both had a good laugh, and tonight when the gusher started I thought I'd give it a try. So far so good - at least there's no overflow all over my nightshirt(s), furniture, entire bathroom... Don't want to think what will happen when I remove the tampon and dislodge the clot... (I'm just glad I didn't get rid of all those leftover supplies...)

Happy, I haven't forgotten I promised you (perhaps only in my head) a very good huumus recipe. Not tonight, but soon. I'm following your WW progress and considering rejoining. It really does work, but only when you're ready, and I'm not sure...

Holly, you sound so much happier with your life changes! I think putting an end to the day care was a good move. And by the way, I do understand how hard it is when our parents don't seem to care. Somehow the more they hurt us, the more we want their approval. Frustrating.

Madcat, do take care of that heel. I used to be a runner and hiker, and didn't get treatment for my heel... It's probably a beginning of plantar fasciitis, especially since it hurts you more in the morning. There are stretches and exercises and physio you can do, and it will clear up if you stay off that treadmill for the time being. (Or do physio and only treadmill as allowed.) Excess weight does make it harder to fix, but at your weight it should be quite fixable. I had started back to running a bit this summer after lots of treatment and orthotics and etc etc, but had to quit when I had a setback. Of course if I took off 40 lbs it might go better...

Oops. Time for a quick run to the loo, time to make sure I'm not about to have an overflow problem. Grrr. I'll post this and be back later for everyone else. I don't want to lose the post...

No, I haven't forgotten Mel, Meadow, Shad, Ceejay, Suzi...

Good morning chicks,

First off, Madcat I see that they are holding the Rock, Paper, Scissors championship in your town this weekend. Are you going to attend? I told my manager at work that we should make all team decisions using Rock, Paper, Scissors. She looked at me as if I had gone over the deep end. As good a way as any I thought... how is the foot doing? Carla offers some good advice. Is it the tendons that hurt or did you bruise the heel bone?

Speaking of Carla, so good to hear from your again. Ugh on the nosebleeds. They were common in the dry, dry houses and offices of winter up north but we never had them as bad as you do. I feel for you as they are so hard to stop. I too have walked around with a tissue jammed up the nose. And I heard about the packing deal - if you've had to deal with that, well all I can say is I do agree with you very much about "it" a diet, a way of eating, whatever you call it - only working if you're ready. It's so amazing to me how quickly we lose our motivation or that temptation, old habits, whatever take over. It's as much as struggle as giving up the cigarettes was. A constant struggle. Daily even. But one foot in front of the other, right? I will admit, with the WW plan, you can work in just about anything into the diet, everything is moderation which is the key and then there are somethings like chicken pot pies (which I love) whose point value is the ENTIRE day's points. It does make you stop and think - do I REALLY want to eat this? I mean you can easily work in 2 chocolate truffles if you had to but a whole day's points on 1 food item? guess that's why the program works when others don't. You have to think and plan rather than mindless eating. Ok, off the soapbox. Sorry.

Anyway Carla, come back and visit more often, I love your sense of humor and perspective on things.

Mel, that is too funny about the bird secretly watching TV. If you can't wake up this morning, maybe it's a sign to take a restful Saturday. Sometimes it's good to kick back, we don't have to sieze EVERY day! Or have a slow morning and build momentum to perhaps a busier afternoon or evening. Nothing like a nap on a cold, grey Saturday afternoon wrapped in your favorite snuggly blankie.

Enjoy your shopping trip Ceejay. Guess it's time to be thinking about that Thanksgiving menu with the holiday right around the corner.

I stopped in a new store they just opened a little while ago. In addition to clothing and home decorations, they have all sorts of fabulous Christmas decorations in there. I could have gone absolutely crazy in there! I did control myself and only bought 3 small things, but I do think it's worth having another look in there this weekend

Today we are going to the mall shortly. DH needs a music stand as he is getting a crick in the neck trying to read his sheet music. He practices everyday and has finally got one song down pat and is learning all the proper techniques. I'm sure he wishes he could rip out something like BB King, Stevie Ray Vaughn or Eric Clapton, but he knows that will come in time. In the meantime, I hear the strains of "Love Me Tender" over and over. But he is playing it faster than when he started

I also have an issue with him when it comes to gifts. He will always ask me way ahead of time (he likes to get his shopping done early) what I want for Christmas. It's always hard to come up with something because if I want something, I just get it and mostly what I like more than anything is clothes, clothes, clothes which he can't get. So I strain to come up with something and then he will counter it with "but you already have 6 rings you don't wear" or something along those lines. Then I roll my eyes and say, well why ASK then. You mean I have to decide on something that I want and YOU think is also a good idea! We've have this conversation for years and years. But we're still married so it's not the end of the world

I have decided on something that I think would be appropriate for both Christmas and our 30th wedding anniversary in March. My original wedding ring set is a size 3-3/4. I used to have tiny fingers but haven't been able to wear the rings is umpty bazillion years. The engagement ring has a small 1/3 carat marquise cut diamond. The band consists of half circles so that when you wear the set, it forms circles around the diamond. It's a pretty set I think, I've gotten lots of compliments on it as it's rather different. But it's been sitting in a box for the longest time. We did get matching engraved wedding bands a few years ago but I was horribly disappointed when I saw mine. It has what they call diamond cuts on the band that pick up the light. We selected the rings based on the larger man's version and the bands are very pretty. However, the women's ring, much smaller is a pretty plain band and you don't get the details you do in the man's ring. So I have been thinking for a long time about a new wedding set. I've been looking but I don't want to spend a small fortune and I also don't like anything that's real fancy or loaded with diamonds all over. A solitaire engagement ring and a band with maybe just a few small diamonds would suit me fine. But I haven't found anything I really liked. Most of the stuff is too over the top for me and I also worry about living in a town where there is considerable crime, about wearing a flashy ring. So... end of long story...sorry - I was thinking that maybe we could get a little bigger stone in my original set and resize the rings to fit. The only thing is, due to the half circle design of the rings, I'm not sure they could up the size. We had to make hubby's ring bigger and they told me that it might break in half - it didn't, so I have my finger's crossed. In addition to the music stand, we'll be checking out some jewelers to see if I can get the ring resized. Gosh, I'm long winded.

Which means I'd better go shower and get ready or it will be the afternoon.

Hellos to Suzi (is it back to just you and the family now?), Meadow (working up some new graphics - we haven't seen AB in a while ), Shad, Holly, Nae (come back woman, hope you're not buried in the snow yet), Teel, Tig and all other friends.

Wow I had pages to catch up on and it was very entertaining to do so>>>>>>> hope everyone is well and looking forward to the up coming holidays.

I went down to gariner to the hunting camp to see my new fella last weekend and we had sooooo much fun. It is just so amazing to me how well we get along and enjoy each others company.

I was doing so well losing weight and am encouraged by all your stories and effort.... had a not good food week since my return.... so of blue and very tired so not eating well. I am taking care of two houses and his dog Darby too.
Don't have access to a computer everyday so I miss keeping up with all of you...

MEL is love in the air??????? Hope youare doing well.

Blessings to all,
Nae

(((Carla))) I shouldn't laugh at your misery but the visual was too funny and Mel- flossing with the string,LOL!!
Happy- I have had rings enlarged and they put a collar on them so they dont get too thin underneath. The band is wrapped in more gold. Mine have lasted years.

2.5 hours and a whole whack of money later we will have 7 new top of the line, cold star rated, 100% guaranteed for life, a 25% rebate on our heating costs for the next year( hydro). Payments start in July, fully installed within 3 weeks......Windows!! ALL of the main floor windows replaced.
We got an extra 6% off of our total because we live on a main road and will put a sign out front for 60 days. We also received other discounts. Still brutally expensive but very valuable to our well being and the value of our home.
We have 3 big picture windows that are 6ft X 5ft, that are single pane solid glass. We will change them to casement,double glass so we can open them all. We are doing full new wood trim as well.
Big breathe. Hubby agreed first. Usually I need to convince him of stuff. 7 winter's in this house was enough.
The sales man was a sweety too.Very down to earth.And cute.

Everyone here is tired out in general. A quiet day. I puttered at bits of housework.
Lots of changes but all part of a 10 year master plan.We are 7 years into it. We have made 2 huge investments and now have debt with the car and windows but are also in a pretty good place to deal with it.Now that the kids are 6 & 8 and in school fulltime we know that if Dh has a bad year with contracting that I can get fulltime work.Up til this point it was not a choice we wanted to make.
We are not resting on the poverty line anymore but are not far above it. Again we make the choice to work less hours and often for less pay than the "norm" because we want to be home more often as a whole family.

As for the house ,we have now doubled the value based on what we paid for it 7 years ago. We had a agent/friend give us an estimate listing price recently.

So many times the "plan" has been frustrating...like the 3 year bathroom reno.Hubby's stick in the mud-edness when he wasn't happy with how things were going...you all know the stories................
It is nice to see the end of the renos in sight. Not really done but maybe in 3 years time!!

Holly, believe me, the story was not intended as a sympathy-grabber - I see the humour in it too, and only shared because I thought the friends would get a good giggle. Someday I'll regale you all with the tale of the nose being packed about 3 years ago, or the six hours spent in ER last week before finally being seen by a Doogie Howser lookalike. "hi, my name is Eric, and I'll be your totally incompetent 12-year old med student tonight. If I can just find a nurse to show me where the nose instruments are kept, I'll just JAM this pointy thing in there and poke it violently about. Hmmm. Can't see anything. Don't really know how to use the little nose-light thingy. Now, please hold the sharp pointy thing carefully in your hand to keep it sterile, don't let the pointy part touch anything!!!!and I'll be back with my supervisor some time in the next week to see if he knows how to look up a nostril..." Sorry, but if you've been to a Canadian ER with something non-life-threatening, you know what I mean. In fairness, they're usually pretty good with people who are really sick and not just quietly bleeding their way to anemia. Frustrating nonetheless.

Mel, I think the inner-nose-vein thing you had as a kid is what I'm dealing with now, except mine is Type 2 (adult-onset ) I actually blame it on my ex, who made me cry for six months straight when he ran off with a predatory twinkie. The crying irritated the nasal tissues and triggered the rest. I should add that if asked, I could explain exactly how my ex is responsible for global warming, the war in Iraq, religious intolerance and, of course, the thousands of $$$ I'm paying my dentist to fix the clenching/grinding damage of the last few years. Oh, and of course he's also responsible for every single fat chick's inability to shed those pounds, and last I heard, he was being indicted for inventing rosacea and causing 3fc posts to go astray. Wow, feel much better now.

Well, I haven't got much further with individual hellos, got side-tracked with those ex-stalker reminiscences. And of course I'm trying not to feel too jealous of Holly's renos - at least she can blame her DH - I know I'm totally responsible for letting things drag on.

Madcat, the flossing might work for David Letterman, but my teeth are a little too close together. But the cats did want to play with the string dangling there so temptingly. Next time I'll cut it off in self-defence.

Gotta go - back later

I'm back. A friend appeared at my door mid-post, and I thought I'd just throw up the post before my ex made it disappear .

Now, where was I? Ah, yes, I was about to mention that all the new car frenzy on the thread finally got to me, and I'm buying a newer (not new, but almost) car! There are a lot of elderly people living in my condo building, and the daughters of one who died last year are selling me his almost new 2004 Toyota Corolla with only 12000k on the odometer! At last, a car with AC, 4 doors, seats high enough to be comfortable, a big trunk... and since it's lived its whole life in an indoor parking space, I foresee a long and trouble-free life for it. It's almost scratchless and shiny deep indigo blue. Now I have to find a buyer for the 2001 Hyundai Accent 3-door I've been driving. It's okay, but a little tinny, no AC, and I hate hatchbacks.

Suzi, I didn't post at the time, but I thought your DH's birthday arrangements for you were just lovely. I'm sure you already know it, but you seem to be a wonderfully loving and kind-to-each-other couple. As for the friend visiting now (maybe already gone?), i also have a friend who can't bear to say what she really wants, thus making herself and everyone else miserable. I'm even guilty of it myself from time to time. But these mixed feelings about those we love are hard to deal with.

Meadow, I love your graphics. Hmmm. Could it be you were in fact the hummus seeker? I think it's time to post the perfect recipe.

1 19-oz can chickpeas, drained
1/4 cup tahini
1/2 cup lemon juice
6 tbsp olive oil
6 lge minced garlic cloves (I use 1 tbsp minced garlic from a jar instead)
3/4 tsp salt

Mix ingredients in blender until smooth and creamy. Serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with paprika.
(If you have a food processor, you can probably blend it much better. In the blender, it will keep getting clogged and will stay a little grainy. But very good...)

Shad, you're probably still on the road. I assume from your posts that you decided to leave Sunday the cat with your DS rather than take her along. Maybe just as well, but I'm sure you'll miss each other.
Your party organization was quite frighteningly efficient! Have you ever thought of running for Prime Minister? I think you'd do a pretty fine job of slapping any country into shape. Hey, we need a good, non-fundamentalist PM here... Please, come and save us all! And if that's too much to ask, could you maybe come and renovate my condo?

It's late, and I'm no longer inspired. Next time you want entertainment, feel free to ask me about my expensive but totally useless adventures in medical rejuvenation. (Don't worry, nothing particularly invasive.) But the old chicks will laugh at/with me, and the young ones will recoil in horror. My advice: whatever it is, don't do it. Except diet and exercise properly, of course.

Happy, I'm almost ready for WW, in spite of tonight's merlot and bargain halloween snack-size food porn. Maybe on Monday...?

Almost caught up, just a quick hello to the incredible shrinking Ceejay, and a thumbs-up to Rose re what sounds like a pretty nice little romance! Good on ya!!

Sweet dreams,
Carla

HAPPY REMEMBRANCE DAY TO OUR NORTHERN AND AUSSIE FRIENDS!!!


Carla~ and here all this time I thought it was my wife abusing, child abusing, mama's boy, pot smoking ******* of an ex that was causing all the problems of the world. I'm so glad I have another one to blame as well.
I wish he had run off with a twinkie of ANY kind!!!
I would have been willing to FIND him one!!
I keep telling my DD to get rid of the BF and I'll buy her a vibrator for Xmas! Hope you get a buyer for the old car and lots of luck with the new one.
I have never had my nose packed except for once when I was very small a Dr came to the house and shoved a lot of cotton wool up my nose!! But I was so sick and sleepy that I didn't care......or so my memory serves. Thank god for fading childhood memories!!! I remember my brother most for toilet paper hanging out of his nose! We used to ball it up into a bullet shape, much like your tampon, and "screw" it up there like a plug. OMG I am cracking up over here. Many a shirt and blouse was ruined!!
Mine are short lived now but I have been wondering if the "all nighters" are going to come back. Scary thought Stay well my friend!!

Happy~ the ring idea sounds great. Would be nice of the set could be altered to fit. a lot of men do the same as your DH. Most men think household appliances are the best thing to give. One of the biggest complaints in the office is stuff like that. Toasters, ovens, washer/dryer sets.
the old excuse is BUT HONEY YOU SAID YOU WANTED ONE!
I always bought my husband undies....guess I thought he was an *** most of the time! Hope you went back and bought out the store with the christmas decorations!!!

Nae~ WOW!!! I was just thinking of sending a PM to you and here you magically appear!!! Good-o on the mind reading....and at such a great distance too!
I am glad to hear the romance is still going well!! Many blessings for it to continue on that path to happiness!
NO there is no romance here!! ONLY in Arun's head....not mine. At any length, he is there and I am here. I have a hard enough time running my life with only myself involved! do all the dogs get along??? Hope so!!!
Enjoy the time spent together!!

Holly~ the windows sound very nice. it will be wonderful to be able to open them now!! Good choice. Enjoy.
How does it feel to be a woman of liesure now??
Not that moms can EVER be called that!!!

Very dreary out but I better not complain as it's still very mild. But rain is on the way. I was thinking of going to the Mall tomorrow but if it's pouring out I might give it a miss. I get soaked on that elevator ramp no matter what I wrap around me. Not nice sitting in dampish clothes for
4+ hours. Yesterday I bagged up 16 candy wreath craft kits that I put together.
We decided to go with the wreath on the advice of a phys. therapist. She said they should be challenged once in awhile. We're also doing pompom Xmas ornaments for the Community room tree. Lots of pom poms glued to styrofoam balls. So one craft is VERY easy. The other one, they can finish while watching their favorite TV programs each night. Hope it goes over well but I have my doubts.
This woman doesn't know my tenants like I do
Happy Sunday/Monday!!!

Ceejay i see you glowing. Hope you had a lovely weekend. I will post this and then read

My week end is over, sigh.

Hi Carla. It's good to hear from you.

Mel--You and Carla crack me up with your stories.

Happy-- Having your rings sized would be a good idea for christmas.
40 years ago I had a size 4 finger.

Hello to Holly, Suzi, Madcat and the rest.