Traci - you can send your son here. We used to live in a high rise building then finally gave up on the city and moved to the suburbs. Of course that means buying a law mower for the big yard that I had to have. (Because if I'm giving up Michigan avenue I need something to make me feel better).

$500 and the nicest mower on the block later - my DH mentioned that he absolutely hates mowing. It was used twice. Honestly $34/week is like the best money we spend. (Well except the housekeeper she's worth every penny).

Jennie - that story about Owen is adorable!!!

Snowflake, good luck painting. We spent the day stripping wall paper, and ordered new casement windows for the kitchen becuase the existing ones are a bad size for the new design. We'll be priming tomorrow.

Ellis - I was laughing at your story. I had a extreme moment of weakness and screamed at the McDonald's drivethrough speaker because they wouldn't serve me a burger at 10:32 AM. Turns out it was my south beach angel preventing me from cheating.

Hope it warms up soon. It would be nice to open the windows while we're doing all this work.

Good Sunday Morning! I am feeling pagan and heathen this morning and am going to loaf in the bubble bath instead of going to Church! I figure I've put in 12 hours of volunteer work this week and deserve a day to be "bad"! :devil:

Got the lab report yesterday and Hershey does not have hypothyroidism. :( It's terrible to be disappointed that your furry baby is NOT sick but I was hoping a deficiency would account for her weight problem. (The eye fur is growing back, by the way.) So we have to get the weight off some other way. She is now going to be going to "doggie curves" where she will do treadmill three times a week! I'm also investigating a higher protein/lower carb diet for her. Commercial dogfoods are full of crap! How about "corn byproducts"? That means ground up corn cobs and is a big part of diet dogfoods! Oy! The thought of "chicken byproducts" is scary! :yikes:

I did my last stint at the TheraPaws booth at the Mall yesterday. As of 5 last night we had raised over $1200 for Sep's bulletproof vest! Yahoo! The problem with being at the Mall is that I'm getting the shopping bug again. I bought a long skirt - yes, a skirt! - and top and also could not resist towels with doggie paw prints on them! Oh well, I get the Old Age Pension now! :lol3:

We rented a movie - The Trouble With Schmid, not sure of the name - but didn't get around to watching it last night after dinner. (I splurged and had wings and salad - off program, I know, but there was no breading on the wings and I ate a huge green salad too!) I guess we'll look at the film sometime today which will make for a decadent Sunday afternoon.

The bubbles are ready so I'm taking my second cup :coffee: and my New Yorker magazine and heading for luxury and relaxation instead of spiritual enlightenment.

What's going on in your neck of the world?

good morning everyone!!

ruth seems like you have been running all week and a bubble bath is well deserved enjoy!!

i am having my mom and sisters over for dinner today it is moms birthday so were going to celebrate that. so i have lots to do for the party today. i wanted to have them over here so i would be insured of some semi op food if i made it myself. wish me luck with the cake!!

last night my dd (14) and ds(12) went to a party for a friend of theirs (girl turning 13) the party was at a hall with a dj etc and a good friend of mine was one of the chaperones. well i went to pick them up at 10pm and they were sitting at a table with 1 other friend and at first i thought i was late getting them since there was no one else around but instead they informed me everyone else was in the other room. i guess from what i gather all the other kids were "dirty dancing" and "making out" for the better part of the night and god only knows what else. my kids were actually appaled at the behavior of most of the kids there. the mom of the birthday girl apologized for letting things go a little too far, told me how lucky i was to have "really good kids" dh and i gave both of them big hugs last night so proud, peer pressure didn't win this time, and we made sure to tell them so. at the risk of sounding ALOT like my mom what is this world coming to???

while dd and ds were at the x-rated dancing show (can't even believe i had to type that) our other ds (8) nearly 9 got to make the plans for the evening. we told him he could do whatever he wanted so what does he pick??? thats right chinese buffett!!!! and yes i cheated BIG TIME. i really ate!! and this am i feel bloated and a little sick to my stomach and it was not worth it but i am back op today.
hope you are all having a great weekend!!!

Good morning, Chicks--

The sun is shining the flowers are blooming and the pollen is wafting through the air like a yellow zephyr...at least that's what my sinuses are telling me. LOL!!

Had a good day yesterday... Dh and I went out for another walk and got in another 2 miles. That makes a total of 7 1/2 miles this past week.

Dinner ended up being 2 slices of proscuitto, an ounce of Edam cheese and some whole grain crackers...neither of us were really hungry, so it was just enough.

Today, we're going to clean out the pantry...it's gotten totally disorganized...and it's a good opportunity to clear out junk that's hidden in there. Other than that, I have no plans for the entire day...maybe some spinning or dyeing since the weather is so beautiful...

I'll check in periodically to see who's about...you all have a wonderful day on the beach.

Mamacita

Morning chickies! I was up early today because my grandpa called and needed mine and dh's help with my grandma. So we jumped up and got dressed, but now everything is fine and I am back home.

Justjodi, that is a fantastic story about your children. It seems that they are good enough kids that you can trust them. Just keep re-enforcing good morals! My dad raised me totally different then my Dh's dad raised him. My dad was EXTREMELY strict. I couldn't listen to music, couldn't go see anything over a G movie unless they watched it first and approved, etc etc until I moved out of the house. I am an very independent person and while I lived at home I never diobeyed (except once when I snuck out to see an R-rated movie) but all of a sudden when I moved out having freedom made me kind of crazy :devil: (not really by today's standards but to my dad it was crazy), but I went back to my old self w/in 6 mos. My DH's dad on the other hand encouraged moral behavior, left the decision up to my DH, but said whatever your decision is just be sure to come and discuss it with me afterwards. I think a middle ground but leaning towards my dh's rearing would have best for me, but all kids are different you can't necessarily raise them the same.

Ruth, About Schmidt was an okay movie. I didn't see what everyone was raving about. Kathy Bates does a good job in the movie though, but I have always liked her. It's good to see a fat woman in Hollywood!

Well, I'll talk to you chicks later! :grouphug:

The schmidt film is excellent Ruth, I am sure you will enjoy it.

Jennie how exciting you are creating a garden this year!! As to keeping the weeds down under a structure, you might find that without light not many grow. But you can put weed supressing matting down too and that helps. Roses are not really that difficult. They like lots of sun, and when you first plant them it is good to put something tastey in for them, although better to pick something organic. The garden centre will advise you. I would always put some nice compost at the bottom of the hole i was planting a rose in. Then all you have to do is prune them in the winter (my dad says do it on 'Lady Day' which is 25th March, but other people say do it on Boxing Day 26th December. Depends on your local climate I suppose). And dead head them in summer.......ie when the bloom has faded snip it off...it makes more blooms come. Some roses are prone to disease, but those tend to be the fancy overbred hybrid types. Go for a good old fashioned one and you should be fine. But watch out for eg discolouration of leaves, as that could be a disease which you would need to treat. Easy peasy. And dont forget to snip a handful every weekend in the summer for inside to get the scent...!

Blah blah blah

on and on
love

Originally Posted by clovey:
I would always put some nice compost at the bottom of the hole i was planting a rose in. Then all you have to do is prune them in the winter (my dad says do it on 'Lady Day' which is 25th March, but other people say do it on Boxing Day 26th December. Depends on your local climate I suppose).

Here in So Cal we are told to prune them Super Bowl weekend (this year the first weekend in February, but usually the last in January). Works for me as I have no interest in football.

How funny that the conversation turned to About Schmidt. We just happened to watch it last night. As far as I am concerned, if a film has Jack Nicholson and Kathy Bates it can't be all bad and there were some great scenes but the movie as a whole was kind of a letdown.

I don't see many first run movies at all. I go to live theatre far more often and then on rare occasions rent movies. There is just something more appealing to me to see live actors working without benefit of editing, re-takes, etc.

Geez, SoCalLady, too bad you missed me in The Vagina Monologues!

Just back from a 2K walk with Hershey and my new and expensive walking shoes have rubbed my poor heel raw again! :( I should not have gone walking after a long soak in the tub! Ellis sent me some lavender ointment which I've just applied. We are hoping for another walk later this afternoon when I return the film to the next village. We'll park in "the suburbs" and walk from there.

I'm off to create a low carb noodle soup with egg whites for noodles!

We liked parts of "About Schmidt". I love Jack. (and Kathy) I really liked "The Pledge".
DH and I are going to see Mystic River this week.

"Roses are not really that difficult." :lol3: Not in YOUR neck of the woods, Clovey. One of my grandmother's names was Rose. We moved to the great Ottawa Valley in Canada, and discovered it was NOT as easy growing them here. :rolleyes:
Ruth, what's easy and common here? Peonies. Iris. Tulips. :lol:
That reminds me of that book by W.O.Mitchell... "Roses are Difficult Here". Excellent book...

Hey, I saw my first Canada Geese today!! :hat:

Jodi, what wonderful parents you are. :grouphug: Good for you, hon.

Ruth, I'm glad that Hershey's fur is growing back. Poor baby. She'll lose the weight. At least you have something in common.

Pebbles, I'm glad you weren't able to get your burger. :rofl:
Thanks to ALL of you girls for understanding about my "temper". I really do need to work on it again before it gets out of hand. :D

We're on our way to the library... back later... :grouphug:

June Gloom early
 

Southern Cali is in its gloomy season :( ....don't suppose I will see the sun again until after "June Gloom". Wouldn't know it was Spring, except the cat is sheading like mad! A full body shave may be in his future, lol. Spring break this week....whoo hooo....well, that would be whoo hooo if I was doing something. Sadly I have to work.....and alcohol is off limits right now anyhow :cheers: . Oh well, at least I can enjoy my java.....mmmm.....coffee :coffee: