Morning chicks!
Just dropping in to say that we had a fabulous evening. The steak was unbelievable. I do have to admit that we had an appetizer of fried zucchini and artichoke hearts---amazing. :drool: And a little ice cream afterwards! :o But it was really fun and excellent food!
Some friends are coming over for lunch today and to see the house so I have to get some things done around here. It's such a pig-sty.

Vickie, I hope that you have a really great time today and enjoy yourself immensely!!

Hi Vickie and Melissa,

It's a grey morning, with the promise of sun later on. I always have gobs of dreams, so I just accept it. The window was open, and the cool air felt cottagy???

Forgot to mention, when we were away we saw High Society which is a musical based on the Philadelphia Story with Katherine Hepburn and Carry Grant. We really enjoyed it, but the critics panned it. There was a nasty review in the Ottawa Citizen, and I decided to write a letter to the editor to give my opinion. Well, I got a call to tell me that my letter is being considered for publication and asking my permission. I was quite surprised and now I'll have to see if it makes the cut. See what happens when you have all this spare time!:o

Okay, better go make the bed and whatever else. Vickie, I get tired just thinking of what you accomplished yesterday. Oh, I need some help around here....

Kathy, I desperately need to plan my meals for this weekend. Honestly, though, we are SO tired that I can't think beyond tonight. I did take some chicken out of the freezer. I'll figure something out tomorrow morning and I'll send Jim to the store for sides. We don't have any BBQ's to go to so maybe we'll grill our own stuff.

Frouf, maybe your DH is just a kid at heart! I guess maybe we will try Red Lobster some day. The only fish Jim eats is fried shrimp. I know they have that. Do you think any of that other stuff could be cooked without oil? I know salmon can. I'd love to have some garlicky grilled shrimp. It was easy to keep my hands off of the cake because I have to have it to serve tonight. You know, I'll have the little one here and they expect me to put candles in and let them sing to Auntie. I'd love to see the precocious 5 year old if I pulled out an already sliced Eclair Cake. She probably cry until I made something else! We ended up eating pizza. The only thing I can say for myself was that it was paper thin, crunchy crust and we had fresh garlic and mushroom on it. It had hardly any cheese (how could you with that thin crust) and I was starving this morning. So I know I did ok.

Melissa, I'm so glad you had a few treats and that you guys enjoyed yourselves. Have fun with your friends this afternoon!

Saundra, I never saw High Society. Jim does that stuff with the newspapers all the time. Send us the link if you get published! Jim just called the paper last week because someone misquoted some White Sox information (it was pretty obscure trivia). They printed a correction but did not give him credit. I say....thank God for the retired people of the world!

We are going to be in the high 80's for the next three days with humidity and rain. Our air is on and will be staying on!

Gotta go eat breakfast and get busy. Jim has already gone to run errands. I'm sure I'll have time to stop in later.

Good morning! I'm sitting at work making my list of places I need to go afterwards. It's a slow day here; I hope everybody has a good Saturday.

I'll be back on later.

Good morning ladies, I am alive & kicking, Just been real busy. Going into Queens to visit with my mom & brothers & sils, I have three brothers and no sisters, needless to say I was such a tomboy growing up. I will be home late tonight so I will catch up tomorrow. Everyone have a great weekend!!!

Good morning chickies!

It is definitely warming up here! (as I sit by the bedroom window) and I am afraid we will have to turn the air on by tomorrow as we are expecting a high of 29 (close to 90!). Dh says he will clean the filter today before turning it on!

Saundra - hope you get 'published' - will look for your letter!

Kathy - hope you get all your errands done!

Vickie - hope you have a fun party - sounds like you did okay w/the pizza and I bet your cleaning activity points counteracted any problems. You can definitely get grilled shrimp at Red Lobster - I think they have these grilled shrimp skewers which are pretty 'safe' - if you check their website they have the nutritional information on all their dishes so you can check it out!

DD has decided NOT to go to the pool party for her competitive dance team? I am surprised (everyone else in the family has offered to go in her place! ha ha ha). We do need to go shopping return the 'bad' capris and get the right ones - but it's such a nice day out I don't really want to be inside? I was hoping to visit some nurseries today to check out some plants/shrubs and make some notes on what I might want.

Little ds showering now and we definitely need to take him for a haircult so that is next on the agenda- along with some grocery shopping as our fridge is looking pretty sparse!

Dh has some freebie tickets to see some hard metal band tonight downtown (like at 11:30 pm!!!) - a contact he made at some music store when discussing his amp design - I did say I would go with him - but frankly I am now changing my mind???

Now time for breakfast? lunch?

Wow! The day is flying by. It's time for lunch and then I have to go get showered and dressed. Yipeeeeeee!!!! Time to party.

Frouf, have a great time today. Niece says she gets migraines when she doesn't have the air on? Go outside and do something YOU enjoy. You are always keeping your family happy.

Hi to you all. Just got back from the Recital (Dance) Froufie I had no idea so much goes into the recital. It was wonderful. We were so fortunate. The lady that runs the dance studio felt sorry for our son and gave him front row seats. How was that?? She said, " why did your ex not get you tickets", he just smiled and she said, "Oh, I understand" I have 3 seats front row that had been saved for a friend that is not able to come. They are yours since you are coming all the way from Ottawa. Talk about nice eh? The recital was 4 1/2 hours long. They do the same tonight and then again tomorrow.
The girls and boys did a wonderful job, how old is your daughter froufie?

Kathy what a kind thing you are doing for one of your friends. It is very thoughtful of you and I am sure she will be pleased.

Melissa, glad to hear you meal was good and you had a good night. We have to build memories for ourselves.

Vicki I love that éclair cake also, I had forgotten about it, I think I will make it this summer when I have friends over at the lake.

Talking about friends, last night it was a wonderful evening but I did not want the raisin pie and she cut a piece for me anyway. I could not get it through her head that it looks nice but I am trying not to eat it. Actually, raisin pie would not be high on my list. Most people I can say, "No thanks" but she did not pay any attention. They are the kindest people but she does not understand. (she is the one that is skinny and eats all the time)

Sandra does your foot hurt all the time, or is it just in spells? Seems to me there were three of you people with a problem with the feet. Sandra, Saundra, and Kathy.

Did I ever mention when I went to school in Tucson they decided to pick out the nicest looking girl. (actually, I wonder now if it was a good thing to do)
Anyway I was up for legs and feet. I was so mad, I wanted to win for legs, and I got feet. lol Oh well.

The Ottawa chicks are having warm weather. I almost think it is warmer there then here. It is suppose to warm up lots this week.

I got a new Magic Bullet with the juicer for $30.00 at the auction. My friend was mad as she had just paid $59.00 a week before.

I am trying to eat core foods with counting the points also. I am afraid I will eat too much. I need to lose 35 lbs. and I will be happy.

Well good folks, I am in the pink and I hope you are also.
Blue Skies,
Rose

Hey, girlies! I'm home from work finally and resting before doing a few chores. I stopped by JoAnns and got a little yard wrought-iron hangy thing (actually two of them; one for me and one for the secret fairy project), and some tablecloths for the patio table. I'm draining the pool to refill and must remember to cover it from now on. The tablecloth is on, and I took a ceramic clock and thermometer set from my gift stash. It's very cute with a light green finish and yellow bumblebees all over it. Hopefully Judd will hang it outside for me later. I have a big closet that has lots of stuff I buy on sale to either put up for selling on ebay, or giving, or keeping.

Speaking of that, did I ever show you all this sign? I've had it for a year or two but today it's going up. I have a skinny piece of wall over the kitchen but below the room over it. The family room is open two stories and you can see some of the upstairs ... oh never freakin' mind. It's too hard to explain. Maybe I'll post a picture after I hang up this sign. Anyway, I love it.

Now I can continue! :lol:

Tonight I'm making meatballs but don't think I'll make spaghetti with them. Instead, maybe I'll get some sub buns and make meatball sandwiches. That sounds better for some reason than spaghetti. I guess I'll see what the masses vote on, but for now I'm leaning toward the sandwiches.

Tomorrow we're grilling hamburgers and hotdogs for them, and I'm going to grill portabello mushrooms for me, and then for everyone there will be potato salad, baked beans, and grilled squash, onions and peppers. Monday I'll grill chicken and we'll have LO of all above. I told Judd that starting at midnight Monday, the par-tay is OVER! He has to get back on his plan and so do I. I'm creeping back up and this morning was at 146 naked. That will not be tolerated! Lordy, this is SO hard!

Why is the creep up so much easier than the crawl back down? Kathy, your food plans sound marvelous! I still have no idea what we are having the next couple of days. Cola chicken and chicken fried rice are possibilities. I'm also liking the idea of a steak on the grill. I'm hoping my steak tonight will cure my cravings for red meat for a while. I like your cute little sign. I see that stuff and then never hang it up. I'm clueless when it comes to decorating. I wish someone would just come in and do it for me.

Rose, congratulations on avoiding the pie. Some people are just enablers or maybe she secretly doesn't want you to be thin? I'm glad you got front row seats. That was VERY classy of the Teacher.

I'm all dressed and ready to go. We'll be meeting everyone there at 4:00 so I need to leave in about 20 minutes.

I'm SO upset with AOL. I get my free virus protection/firewall from them. I've tried the last couple of days to download an update and it kept telling me that one of the files was corrupted. So I called them and got a tech. We uninstalled all virus protection, even old stuff I had on the computer and the stuff I had through SBC. I have SBC broadband but kept my AOL account. Anyway, when we tried to redownload the whole security package it keeps telling me the the installer file needed is corrupted. Isn't that AOL's problem? Couldn't get the tech to agree with me so now I have to wait until Wednesay or Thursday to get a disc from them. Now I feel like I can't sit on the internet too long for fear I'll get a virus (or the computer will!). I'm running adaware in the meantime every day just to be as safe as I can. I've never had any trouble with AOL, but today was NOT good.

Kathy, I have seen that sign so many times in catalogs and just love it. I always wanted to get it but had no idea where to put it.

Vickie, I hope that you are having a fabulous time!! Party hard! ;)

Rose, it sounds like you had a really nice time with your family.

Frouf, DH is ordering an amp from a guy in Vancouver. He is really excited about it. I don't really understand how all that works.

We had a great time with our friends. They are the ones with the baby that was born on my birthday. She makes me want one so much! She is a cutie, even if she threw up on me at lunch. :lol: Just a little.
We've been working on the house and are just taking a break. We should probably get back to it soon. I could get lazy really quickly!! :D

A quick hi before we head out again. The day has been beautiful. We went down to the market and walked for more than two hours. The flowers are absolutely gorgeous down there. There was even a place to get gardening advice. I didn't stop cause it was so crowded. There were so many people today. All of the outdoor restaurants were just packed. I wound up getting some fresh fruit and ate a peach while Bernie had his ice cream cone.

I think we'll go out for fish tonight. We've got to decide where to go and then make sure that we can get in. Ottawa is becoming a booming place.

Frouf, you're right, tomorrow the a/c goes on. A pool party would be great!

We're trying to plan for a couple of weekend getaways for July. Bernie has to clear the time and then I'll book them. Again, we've been disappointed when we wait till the last minute. I might as well be organized. Kids are moving at the beginning of August, so that will be a busy time.

Okay, enough blabbing, time to get ready,

Kathy - love the sign and await pic once it's hung up! Hope you get to enjoy the pool some more this weekend! I have actually just completed cooking a VAT of spaghetti sauce (lean ground beef on sale) so I shall freeze some and some in fridge for future consumption.

Vickie - sorry about the security issues - as you know I have had corrupted files on my computer and we had to clear/clean it all up! what an ordeal! Have fun at the party and save a piece of cake for me!:D

Melissa - glad you had fun last night - and today with your 'baby' friend! They are so cute when they're little!

Saundra - I believe the marathon was on today so downtown must have been packed! We just love the warm weather here when it happens so I am not surprised that all the sidewalk cafes were busy. So where are you off to for dinner?

Rose - how empathetic of the teacher to let your son have those seats - I can't imagine how he would have felt otherwise....and yes those recitals are SUPER LONG! Ours is tomorrow and I envision we shall be there for at least 4 hrs (altho I know dh and ds won't last that long - so we shall go in two cars so they can 'escape' when required). My sil and her 2 daughters (dh's nieces) are also coming - as are 4 of dd's friends and her dad as well.

My dd is 14 (altho lately showing signs of acting more like 5 or 6!) - and has been dancing since the age of 4 (started w/tap and now does ballet, tap, jazz and hip-hop). And she now talks of taking even MORE classes next year and doing a solo or duet/trio! (ya I need to start that printing press in the basement- this is where I print up all the money I need for her dance stuff!). Well at least she really enjoys it - it is good for her - and I know where she is and what's she's doing!

Bad news is she has been LIMPING around the house all day. Yesterday she was find but today complaining of leg pain - back of right leg - sounds like a pull??? I am frantic of course as she has to DANCE tomorrow - she is staying off of it - put some muscle rub on it - and I will encourage a bath maybe later?

Went to farmboy and got some good stuff - then to another grocery store while dh took ds for his haircut! Home to put it all away! (did I mention how much I hate my side-by-side fridge?) - thank goodness for the 2nd fridge downstairs!

Roasted a chicken and potatoes when I got home and as mentioned the huge pot of spaghetti sauce - this should keep us going for a while. Also went out quickly to return library books and found those wide legged capris (do you remember gaucho pants of years gone by?) - last pair! and a white tank top for her last dance event (jun 9)

Again feeling pretty blue today - had a nice 'chat' w/dh about how I am supporting the family and feel like I'm sacrificing a lot and it's really wearing me down - after he told me how he felt I wasn't encouraging him enuf in his amp business - Yes I went rank on him - how dare he criticize me when i am the one keeping the family afloat? How dare he ask for a $500 set of drums when I am trying to sell my tickets to "Chicago"? I think he is getting the picture and did not realize how stressed I am (and you know what? I don't think I realize it either!). I just feel so unhappy these days!

Dh still planning to go out late tonight to see hard metal band - I think I shall pass? Rather stay home and read or watch tv.

At least it was a beautiful warm sunshiney day which helps! dh about to wash the filter for a/c which we need to turn on!

Later,

hi, girls. i just got back from taking the grands home. we went bowling on the way. i bowled 2 games. my feet held up well. i don't know why they were so sore yesterday. oh, well. the recliner was nice yesterday but i had fun bowling today.

kathy, did you figure out how to sneak the goodies to your friend? we had homemade biscuits and sausage gravy this am. you and i are on the same wavelength right now, aren't we?

vickie, i don't care if you are slow and grumpy, feel free to come clean any time. your eclair cake sounds yummy. i have to confess. i collapsed today. no lapse. a full blown collapse. no excuses. just did it.

frouf, i'm not going to go into detail but i will say that i am on my 2nd wine cooler. we had the "lunch from ****" today with relatives from ****. actually, i think we're all headed there. lol

melissa, your anniversary dinner sounds delicious. 5 years! makes me smile. okay, it's about time to make me a cyber aunt. i haven't hounded you lately so it's time for me to start in again.

saundra, you go, girl!!! i am proud of you for telling those critics what you think.

rose, what a wonderful gesture. that lady was very kind to give ya'll those front row tickets. i'm glad you got to see the recital. makes me smile. should i be calling you "twinkle toes"? congratulations on your goodlooking feet. my feet? they don't hurt all the time but when they hurt--they hurt. today's been a good foot day for me. i'm going to start back on core after this weekend. also, i'll be counting my pts. i am currently on a "hiatus."

kathy, i like your little sign. good message. meatball sandwiches sound good. we had quesadillas for dinner (again!) we've had them about 4 times this week. lol

frouf, i thought i was having stress till i read your post. how would you like for us to get together and just go running, screaming, nekkid in the woods? i heard that's a great de-stressor. (just kidding)

Sandra you are a hoot of course I have known that for a long time. You sure can make me smile. Brush yourself off girl and away you go. Maybe you should go to Ottawa and you and Froufie could run naked through the woods.
I think I would come and join you. I really feel awful, 35 extra lbs makes me feel lumpy. I marvel at the girls Kathy and Saundra that are so slim.
Glad to hear your foot is better today. Sounds like you had fun with the kids.

Vicki, you are a sweet woman, I think everyone knows that though. You are one of the people in the world that brings sunshine every where you go.
Sandra and I try to be that way but rain comes our way some days.

Froufie, after watching the girls dancing that were teens I can just picture your daughter dancing. The costumes are something again, just dazzling.
It was so cute, some start at 2 1/2 years old. Two little gals started to cry in the line. We had the best seats in the house. The lady that owns the Dance Studio made sure we got wonderful seats.

Melisa, you must be the gal that just bought a house. Seems to me I read that. Sounds like you are trying to nest. Good luck.

Saundra, Ottawa sure is a boom town now, it was real busy downtown on Wed. eve. but so nice. I just said to dh I would like to come back and just take a tour around the City. Have not done that for a long time.

Well must go spend time with the company.
Blue Skies,
Rose

rose, you are so cute. i am lumpy, too. i went out back for a bit and sat in the swing watching the hummer. it was very peaceful as it was drizzling. our swing is on our downstairs porch under the upper deck. i love it out there.

Not much time to stay right now but I will be back in a while. We went to Chilis with Judd's friend Jon and are about to go up to the corner bar because Jon wants to do karaoke. We will watch ... and laugh, I'm sure.

I took this last night of Bindy. We were in here in the family room watching the Mavericks game, Judd in the recliner and me on the sofa. Each of us had one of the little dogs but Bindy had something else in mind. I snuck into the bedroom to grab the camera and fortunately she stayed in place.

http://pic14.picturetrail.com/VOL564.../150390115.jpg

:lol: So funny! Murphy has taken this position many times too. Dogs are so hilarious.

Rose, yes, I am "nesting." :D And loving it, too!

Sandra, can I come on that run too? I would love to see your home, it sounds like you all are in such a peaceful spot. I am really loving my backyard, and while it isn't the country by any means it is very peaceful for this city.

Frouf, you always have so much going on. I'm glad that you feel like DH listened to you tonight. It's about time he started realizing how much stress/burden you have on you. Hope DD's leg is feeling better!

Vickie, how's the party?! :woo:

I don't know how much more work I can do tonight. I've almost got our master closet done. I have way too many clothes, most of which I can't wear. It is motivating to stay op though! That's for sure. I decided about 1.5 hours ago that I would not eat any more tonight and I'm sticking to it.

A college friend who lives in another city is coming to visit tomorrow. I'm glad to see her, though it means more eating out. :) I could cook, but I doubt it. Then memorial day we are grilling out with parents, so that should be okay, as long as I can avoid the inevitable brownies or pie.

My baby Kate just called and is on her way to the ER. She can't find an urgent care center open this late on Saturday night and has a raging UTI complete with blood in her urine and fever. Poor girl. She is more upset about having to spend $75 on the copay so I told her I would help her out with it.

I'll tell you tomorrow because I don't have time now, but Judd told me tonight that he thinks he's becoming depressed and might need medicine. I was blown away.

Okay, we'll talk tomorrow. Have a great night, and Melissa, take it easy. You need to rest.

Goodness Kathy! That's a lot of drama for one evening. Bless Kate's heart--I have never experienced that but I've heard UTIs are terrible. And that is surprising about Judd. How do you feel about that?
I am getting ready to stop for the night. Well, I guess I already have really, since I'm sitting here doing nothing but chatting! :)

Kathy - poor Kate - hope she gets some medical attention and some relief real soon!...and about Judd - I can sure relate - cuz I am starting to think I might be 'clinically' depressed altho the last thing I want to do is take meds - but maybe one needs to investigate all options. Did he say what he was feeling so badly about?

Sandra - if I run nekkid into the woods - all other creatures would be running screaming from the woods in the other direction. And Rose, I am beyond lumpy to say the least!

Dd's leg is a bit better she says and I sure hope it is all better tomorrow am - have to be there by 11 am - probably w/her makeup on. I am actually very excited about the recital - it almost makes me cry when she and the other girls are dancing! The first dance (Unspeakable Joy) is such an amazing number and the girls just come out there smiling and leaping and dancing and you can see how happy they are on their faces and they do such a great job you just want to cry (with JOY!)

And I think because I've seen so many of the dances and girls at competitions I am very emotionally involved - I know all the songs, and the cute parts, and who is really really good - and who surprises you sometimes with their dancing technique - I almost think I have to get the video of the recital ($$$) so I can watch it whenver I like!

Dh and I ended up going to see Poseidon (I was not that interested in seeing it, but he was)....of course it was thrilling (and somewhat unbelievable). All I could think of was all those actors water logged for days while filming the movie - they must have felt like human prunes!

And I feel COOL AIR - just now - dh finished cleaning the filter for the furnace and ac has been officially turned on! I'm sure we'll sleep better tonight and given the weather forecast for tomorrow we will sure be happy the house is cooled down.

Dh leaving soon for downtown club - I am in my jammies already and will probably read before I fall asleep (trying to make sure dd does not stay up too late tonight either!).

Frouf, I can't imagine living in a place where the a/c turn-on can be delayed like this! We've already had several days over 100 degrees and it has been on since March. You spend money on heating your homes whereas we spend ours on cooling! I'm sure we both experience the "grass is greener on the other side" quite frequently. I've lived in Texas my whole life and I'd sure like a place where there were more definite seasons, but I guess this is what I'm stuck with!

Judd said he just realized today that he was upset, and that upset him more. He's usually so upbeat and it surprised him to find that he was sad. I think he stresses over the budget, and work, and then he was playing poorly whenever all this hit today and he was only on like the third hole. He even said he thought about leaving but didn't. I guess I'll see if he wants to talk about it more tomorrow. Hopefully it'll pass.

We ended up not going anywhere; the friend went home and Judd fell asleep in the chair. I also fell asleep for a minute on the sofa but woke up to come to the bed so I could watch my TLC shows. I just checked on Kate and she's still in the ER waiting room but hopes to be called back soon. She has to be back at work by midnight to work for another hour so that she gets the percentage of her shift done in order not to lose too many points.

Okay, I'm tired now so I'll be back in the morning!

Froufie, I will be thinking of your recital tomorrow, hope dd is in the pink and ready to dance. I am still seeing the kids dancing in my head. The costumes must cost plenty, they are so nice. Enjoy your day tomorrow.

Blue skies,
Rose

Good morning chickies,

The A/C went on this morning. It's still cool now, and hope that the house stays that way. Our family room is on the second floor over the garage and has very large windows, so it's our challenge.

Had arctic char last night which was good. We watched Fun with Dick and Jane when we came home. It was silly, but I probably slept through parts. Today it's the Gloucester Fair with Natan. A children's singing group Sharon and Bram will be giving concerts at 1:00 and 3:00, so I hope we manage to see them.

When I hear all the dancing talk, I get a little jealous. Having all boys, I haven't been able to experience any of that. One of my favourite things is dancing and it would be so much fun to watch. Maybe there's still a little girl out there for me.:)

Kathy, hope Kate is feeling okay this morning. I know that the drugs kick in pretty quickly. In this day and age, it seems everyone could use someone to talk to . Two of my three guys were taking meds for a bit. Thank goodness, at this time, everyone seems okay.

Melissa, so glad that the house is coming along. When you are finished, it will be so satisfying. Of course, I'm still looking how to spend $'s on changing mine. It will be five years in August, and it is in desparate need of a paint job.

Vickie, how was the party? I bet the cake was a hit.

Sandra, every time I picture you in Montana, I feel serene. It sounds oh so lovely. How lucky for you to be at this place in your life. I love sitting in a rocker, so can identify.

Frouf, hope the day is fun. I understand how you can feel "farclempt", I'm that way too. Gosh, I tear up so easily. It's wonderful to see our kids progress and succeed. We went to Cabotto's last night.

Rose, don't worry about lumpy. You're doing the right thing by being here, and you'll see results. Wouldn't today be a great cottage day? Do you go up for weekends too?

Better call ds and start the day rolling, have a wonderful one,

Morning, all! Kathy, I think it's a good sign that Judd was willing to talk to you about it. At least he's recognizing his feelings, and that's good. I hope Kate was able to get in to the ER without any more delay, and get some meds to feel better. UTI's are awful!

Frouf, I hope dd's leg is better and that you both have a great time at the recital. I think it's good you two have this you can share.

Well, we had a good trip yesterday down to Nauvoo. It was super hot yesterday (at least for here...93 degrees), but it was very pretty and sunny. The sealing was beautiful, and dh and I enjoyed our time alone driving there and back. However, the day had a grey cloud. Later, in the evening, after dh's dad returned our van he borrowed, he told dh that his sister's husband (dh's sister, not FIL's) just left her Thursday. I have to say, I'm not too horribly surprised, but it was sad. They're both young, especially him...I think he's 22? They got married very young, had a baby right away, and moved back in with my in-laws just before the baby was born. The baby is now almost 2 and still no sign of any moving out. My SIL went back to work when her husband went back to school, but refused a job offer with more pay & responsibility, has MIL watch the little boy all the time, and generally, doesn't think of much but herself. I have to think that her husband could see the handwriting on the wall...in 5-10 years, they'll still be stuck in his in-law's basement. Why should she move when she has everything given to her? It seems like it'd be very emasuclating for a young guy to even be unable to provide for and lead his family. I think he wanted to move out long ago, but she didn't want to. Anyway, it's very sad, and he says he's going to sue for full custody, which, I know, is going to tear the family apart. Makes me appreciate the stable relationship dh and I have. FIL says he wants to have a "family meeting" tonight, whatever that means. I don't know, but if my husband just left me, I'm not sure I'd want my whole family gossipping together about it. Most likely, we're just going to talk about who gets to babysit the boy now. I would help, but not for SIL. If asked, I will do it to relieve MIL's burden.

Anyway, after being such a downer, I shall move on. We finally turned on the a/c yesterday. It's irritating, but it was SO hot yesterday, no one could have fallen asleep at night if we didn't.

Later,
Angela

Good Morning Chicks! I had a GREAT party and the WW chocolate eclair cake was just fabulous. I have leftovers here and I'll brew a pot of coffee (well, Jim will!). I know I shall have another piece but I think there are at least 6 pieces left. Maybe I'll try to freeze one this time to see if it works. I don't think I can keep it around forever because Jim and I will just keep eating it.

I'm about to call AOL again because I'm very nervous about being online with no firewall or virus protection. I'm hoping there's an answer for me that doesn't require me waiting until Wednesday or Thursday. I hope they don't mess me up so badly that I can't get online but at least you'll all know what happened.

I hope to be back in a while. I want to call them before it gets busy.

Angela, that makes me very sad to think of what it'll do not only to the little boy, but the whole family. Having been in those shoes myself, I know it's not easy for anyone. I'll be praying for the situation and hope that the family meeting goes well. I'm with you though -- if I had just had this shock, I'm not sure I'd be ready to spill my guts in front of everyone. Maybe you're right that it'll just be to work out the logistics. Is it your mom who lives next to you or the inlaws? I can't remember ...

I slept until nearly 10:30 because I had to take two sets of pills last night. I guess the weekends are hardest for the foot because I'm on it more and it swells/hurts more at night. I'm not wearing that boot at all though; when I go somewhere, I put on two shoes whether it's flipflops or the Birks. I am setting myself a deadline of Labor Day to be completely and totally healed, because we are shooting for Cozumel in mid-September. Judd's friend might be going with us but that's okay because it would give him someone to play golf with (and if he does go, Judd might take his scuba equipment too) and it will definitely give me mornings alone to do my own thing. I like the thought of that.

We're going to Home Depot later to get flowers for the front. I have put it off now until there's no other choice. The pansies have got to be replaced with summer flowers. I'm not sure what I want but all I know is that I want lots of color. The back is looking good with all the pots of colorful flowers so now it's the front's turn.

Vickie, I'm glad your party was successful! I made a cake yesterday (just a white layer cake with chocolate icing) and I thought about the eclair cake while making it. Does it have to stay cold? I make one cake a week and when it's gone, it's gone and I don't make another til the weekend. I have a big glass cake dome that sits on the counter and everyone who knows us knows that there will usually always be cake! I have no trouble staying away from it but Judd's another story. If it's there, he'll eat it. Anyway, it sounds like you had a great time. Did you wear new clothes? ;) What am I saying?? Of course you did!!

Frouf, good luck today with all the dancing. Emily must be very, very good to win all these awards and also to have done it for so long. I think usually girls who aren't so good don't last this long! Maybe she can get a dance scholarship? Or hey, what if she were to start teaching younger kids? That would give her lots more experience, and give her something to do plus some money. I wonder if her studio would consider it?

I guess I'll start on the laundry and get my day lined out. I'd like to see if we can get people to come over tonight to watch the game and grill out. With or without them, we'll be grilling and watching but it's more fun to have company come over, plus we're off work tomorrow.

Hi: Just back from Church, it was all about the Da Vinci Code. I sometimes wonder if they are making too big a deal out of it. It will be forgotten in a while.

Angela, divorce can be so sad, our son went through a divorce. He is the one that left, could not take it any more. We had no idea he was so sad but knew his personality had changed. He always was a happy person and he looked so sad. He loves his children so much and his son has been living with him but the girls come every other weekend. It touches all the family for sure.
We were married young and were one of the lucky couples. Everyone said it would not last as we came from very different backgrounds, we fooled them. lol Actually at our anniversary the first dance was, "Looks like we made it" I am 69, it was our 50th.

Well enough about us, I can still see the dancing girls in my head I was so impressed. I guess Froufie will be grinning from ear to ear. Actually I started to cry when I saw the kids dancing their hearts out. I took tap, ballet, singing, toe, acting and piano. I really did not excel at any of them except singing, but I had a lot of fun. It does build confidence.

Saundra, I not sure about if it would be a good cottage day or not. The bugs I would think would be out in full force in Huntsville. Actually Ottawa is on the same latitude as Huntsville. Huntsville is straight west of Ottawa.
Did you spend lots of time in arena's with boys? I did, our son played on 2 different teams.

Kathy 100 degrees, wow, now that is hot. When I went to school in Tucson I would come back to Canada every May for the summer months. It is hot in Tucson but dry, not sure about Texas. It is suppose to be 90 here this week in the Golden Horseshoe of Ontario.
Hope your daughter is feeling much better.
Blue Skies,
Rose

You're right, Rose, it's hot but dry in Arizona -- however, Texas is another story because of the Gulf. It's hot and humid, which means that walking outside is sometimes like walking into a sauna. It's hard to breathe and lots of people just can't take it. I guess since I've lived here for 50 years, I'm used to it but it's still uncomfortable.

That's cute about your dance at your anniversary party. It DOES look like you've made it.

my goodness, kathy. i hope kate and judd are all right.

melissa, i'm still collapsed but will get my "buts" out of the way starting tuesday. enjoy your visit with your college gf. i'm making a decadent chocolate cake for monday's bbq. oh, well.

frouf, curtis won't go see movies like poseidon. if he had his way, we'd only see light comedy flicks. now me? i love sad, action, horror, everything!!!! i still think we should take our woods run. we might have a lot of folks from here joining us.

saundra, my only child is a son. however, i now have granddaughters galore. have fun today with natan.

we have our a/c on, too. we have it on in the daytime and the heater at night. weird, eh?

angela, that is sad. i don't understand a family meeting about this either.

vickie, again i am impressed with your will power. you amaze me.

rose, it's hot and humid in texas. feels like a sauna. (but i love texas!) our 11 yr old grand took dance a few years ago. she just took it one year. we wish her mother would let her participate in outside interests more. right now neither grand is in anything. sad. i think they are missing out on a lot. but what do i know? they seem happy.

at cracker barrel fri our 11 yr old grand pointed out a classmate sitting at a table near us. she said this was one of "the popular girls." made me sad and mad to hear her say that. i don't know what's going on to make her feel unpopular.

lol, kathy. just saw where you and i were typing about the texas sauna about the same time.

:lol: It's true though! And terribly difficult to describe to someone unless they've been here.

I'm sad about your granddaughter. I wish kids weren't so cruel to each other, and also wonder why she feels unpopular. It makes you wonder what all these kids endure silently and all the things we'll never know about.

Hey all! I couldn't be MORE impressed with myself if I tried. I made my second call to AOL and they confirmed that I'd have to be without virus protection and my firewall until Wednesday or Thursday. I am SUCH a terrier. I hung up and kept fiddling around. I deleted all other/old virus protection, then I did an AOL quick restore, rebooted, and tried to download the security and safety center and it worked! I just did a huge virus scan and spam scan and I'm online and back in business. I can't wait until they send me the feedback form. It won't be good for them like it usually is.

I just learned that we are going to a BBQ tomorrow at my favorite Niece's house (mother of baby Sarah and my other Great Niece and Nephew that Jim and I ususally babysit for). She wasn't sure she wanted to have one but her oldest daughter has severe cabin fever and misses playing with her cousins. So since the cousins are available, she invited us all. We're having steaks, baked potatoes and corn on the cob. Yeah......Core!!!! She's also the one who got me to try Core. She's a good girl and friend. I'm bringing dessert (leftover chocolate eclair cake and a fresh strawberry torte from Jewel from those who don't refrain from sugar). So that takes care of Monday's dinner!

Tonight we settled on Cola Chicken with oven fries or wedges and broccoli or grean beans. Yum...yum!

Ok, not that I feel safe being online I'm off to see what you are all up too.

vickie, as they say at ww, "you deserve a bravo." i am probably the most impressed at your getting your puter de-cluttered with spyware as that was what caused my problems. winfixer and mcafee have been battling on my puter.

kathy, the grand is beautiful, tall, long blond hair. i'm guessing her low self-esteem is financial--which i think is a "crock". (excuse my language) i wish i knew what was going on in her class. but this isn't the first time. i heard the same comment from her about "popular girls" when she was living in a different town and was in 1st grade. somehow she's convinced she's not popular. according to them the younger sister is one of the popular kids and has boyfriends coming out the kazoos. don't know what's going on.

Melissa, you sound so happy! I'm glad things are going well with you. Good luck with your resolve at the BBQ tomorrow. I'm thankful that I'll have the eclair cake to keep me out of trouble. Sarah hasn't "decorated" me yet but I know it's just a matter of time. Did you get the closet done? Did you stick to your guns and not eat before bed last night? I have such a hard time with that. What time does your college friend come? Did you decide where you are going to eat?

Saundra, your 2 hour stroll must be part of the way that you keep that nasty weight off. It sounds like it would have been an enjoyable way to spend a morning. Any ideas where your weekends will be? Chicago has Taste of Chicago which is a spectacular thing to do in town. It starts at the end of June and goes through Fourth of July. It's a weekend guaranteed to put on several pounds since food is the attraction. We have magnificent food in Chicago. People come from all over the country to attend. When Jim and I worked downtown we used to walk over for lunch since it was only a couple of blocks from our office. Fun! http://www.tasteofchicago.us/ So what is artic char? I'm trying to learn more about fish and seafood. What types of fish and seafood can be cooked/grill without oil besides salmon? I'm looking for Core dishes. I guess I could let them use some olive oil or canola. You must be at the fair with Natan now. I hope you got to see the children's program for his sake!

Frouf, I hope Emily has recovered today and is able to dance in her recital. It would be horrible to be all ready and then not be able to dance. I'm very happy that you shared with DH. He really needed to hear it. I hope he backed off on his request for the drums. Did he know you were trying to sell your Chicago tickets and STILL asked for $500 for the drums? I hope that you let yourself be medicated if that's what it takes. It might not have to be for very long. I bet your Therapist could give you some good advice.

Sandra, you are one tough cookie! I'm glad that you had fun with the grands and that the bowling didn't hurt your foot at all. Now you can add that back to your list of things you CAN do!

Hey Rose.....lumpy can be good! I'm so overweight with my 120 pounds to lose that I'm not even lumpy....I'm all filled out tight!

Kathy, isn't Bindy a hoot?! Cassie does this too but rarely on the couch. I've never been able to get a picture of her. What do you eat that's good at Chili's. People are always asking me to go but I'm not sure about healthy stuff. Is anything Core? OMG, Kath, I'm responding to posts in order and just saw the one about Kate and Judd. Dear Lord, woman, does your house never settle down? How is Kate today? Man oh man, those UTI's can be just deadly. She must have had it for a while to have the blood and the fever. And Judd....good for him for realizing that something might be wrong. I hope he goes to talk to someone. You don't need that being untreated. Do guys have midlife stuff too? I'll pray that you are all healed in time for your Cozumel trip. It should do you and Judd good. The eclair cake does have to be refrigerated (pudding and cool whip and the chocolate glaze) but it's worth it to me. It gets made in a 9x13 pan and I cut it into 16 pieces. I have one of those hot/cold pyrex carriers that I make it in. It travels easily to parties and lasts quite a long while. I DID wear a new top....how'd you know? I wore the Red one with battenburg vneck insert with a cute pair of blace capris and black sandals. I looked pretty darn cute for a big girl!

Oh Angela....more sad news. I'm so sorry for you and DH's family. This is certainly a rough patch for you all. You are a good woman to help you MIL since this will certainly be hard for her. It sounds like no one will be missing the SIL. Sad.

I think I'm caught up with everyone. I really hope the rest of your weekends are more tranquil than the start. How is everyone doing on program. Do you have plans to help yourself stay on program? I'm still waiting for TOM and trying to decide when to weigh in since my normal day is Monday.

Thanks, Sandra! I keep telling Jim that I couldn't be more please with myself if I tried. He keeps telling me that I'm going to hurt my arm patting myself on the back like that!

Time for me to go give him the grocery list. I'll be back later. First I'll see if there's a menu thread. I need to eat lunch since it's almost 1:30!

Vickie, the only Core thing I can find at Chilis is the guiltless grill chicken platter, minus the rice. It's grilled chicken, corn on the cob and steamed vegetables. I wasn't hungry last night though so I just got something that I knew would make a good breakfast for Judd this morning. :lol: I'm so bad! I knew I would sleep in though and he would be hungry. I got chicken tenders and ate one of them, no fries, and didn't eat the corn. He had a full meal waiting for him this morning.

I guess I'm going to the store now to get the things to grill tonight. I'll be back in a while!

Thanks Vickie. I'm so glad that you had a good time yesterday. My friend has come and gone. We went to Ruby Tuesday's for the salad bar. :T And yes, thanks for asking, did refrain from eating before bed. I did have a small glass of OJ though. Oh, and I thought that the closet was done, then today I found another bag of clothes! Oh well, it is an ongoing project. Oh and great job taking care of your own computer problems!!

Right now we are trying to find the energy to do some more work on the house. There is soooo much to do it is very overwhelming. And we won't be getting anything done tomorrow. But we're so tired and just want to be bums. Oh well, maybe just for a little while, then we'll get to work. :)

Kathy, I hope that things are quieter around your house today. How's Kate feeling? I don't know how you can order food (especially that chicken at chili's--my fav) and eat so little of it. Even when I'm not hungry I want to eat things that taste good. I guess that's how I got here! :lol:

Speaking of that I just ate a fudge philly swirl stick; they're really good for 50 calories!

Sandra, I wouldn't worry too much about your gd. That is such a strange age and being popular might mean something different to them than it does to us. I'm sure it will all work itself out.

Saundra, you are such a busy lady! I hope that you are having a fabulous time with your little boy today. :) Just think, you'll have two to tote around soon!

Well I guess that I should do something with myself. I really just want to take a nap!

Oh and Vickie I've gotten that guiltless chicken platter at chili's and subbed the rice for black beans. It's really good.