[happy2bme]

I'm still ready to talk - though my ear is saying NO more phone for a while I told DH it was more like a visit than a phone call - we quit just shy of 5 hours But I sure did enjoy it. Mel and I solved all the world's problems - but none of our own

I'm off to the grocery store. Will get back on tonight to catch up with everyone.

[Shad]

5 Hours -

How can you talk THAT long!!!????

Madcat - oh what fun!!!! Still it's better to go live late than right than on time and not working as it was intended - which is about what will happen here!
No - nothing much has calmed down around here although I am not working weekends just now and all of my work is off and around the countryside looking for an owner to sign off. I have to go chase them all up from time to time.

Ruth - Now whats with you and Patty losing posts. Are yours going out in sympathy with hers??
That poor woman - what a horrible, horrible thing to happen to her. I'm glad they all got out safely and are now coming to grips with the losses. It is unusual for a modern house to burn completely - well here it is anyway because of the insulation levels and the fire ******ant stuff, and it is usually only in a bush fire conflagration situation that the house is burnt out completely.
What lovely friends to come and stack your wood. They deserve a medal those two.
Here's a hint - mittens without thumbs!!!!!

Mel - in an effort to extract as much cash as possible from the consumer - colours on Xmas trees seem to change each year. This year for example David Jones (department store) have sort of a dark rusty red, burgundy and purple Christmas trees. Last year was a sort of dark fir green with aqua and turquoise. Next year will probably be white and something else. So if you are keeping yours the same as last year, chances are those colours will become fashionable again around 2030.
Sorry to hear about the passing of a friend. Was he the one that gave you the computer one year???
Hope you find that camera soon. Otherwise, Jen will be decorating for Easter and we won't get to see the Christmas doors.

Patty - good luck with the certification class. Not a particularly good time to have classes tho' How's the weight going?

And that's about it for a while. We seem to have an awful lot of people missing in action - Painter, Linus, Meadow to name a few. It's a busy time of year and who knows what is up in their neck of the woods.

Happy - I'm surprised there are enough words left in the world for you to come up with. Happy shopping

So to Mooz, Carla, Ceejay, Holly, Rennie, Nae et al.

Better go find out whats going on with the troops - hey, 'scuse me.........I'm their leader - which way did they go??

[Shy Moment]

Sorry all have been gone a couple of days. Weakend started off bad and got worse lol. Glad it is over with. I am just glad things are as back to normal as possible. Hope everyone had a good weekend.

[MELODY525]

HAPPY~ I AM CRACKING UP OVER HERE. I DIDN'T QUITE REALIZE HOW LONG NIT WAS TILL I WAS LYING DOWN IN BED. TOO FUNNY. AND IT WAS MORE LIKE A VISIT. FELT BAD FOR DH. HE WAS PROBABLY WONDERING IF HE WOULD EVER SEE YOU AGAIN!

SHAD~ HOPE YOU FOUND THE TROOPS....DID THEY NOT LEAVE A TRAIL OF BREADCRUMBS FOR YOU TO FOLLOW?

RENNIE~ I KNOW THAT FEELING TOO! LOL HOPE THE WEEK IS BETTER THAN THE WEEKEND.

SITTING HERE WAITING FOR MY OATMEAL TO COOL OFF. I NEVER GET TIRED OF IT. SOMETIMES WITH SOME RAW SUGAR AND CINNAMON OR PLAIN. GOTTA LOVE THOSE PRUNES! NOT!!!!
MONDAY AND DARK AS HADES OUTSIDE. YOU WOULD THINK IT'S ABOUT 8PM INSTEAD OF AM. THE FOG IS GIVING THE WHOLE AREA A VERY SURREAL LOOK. STRANGE STUFF. LOOKS MORE LIKE AN ENGLISH BOG THAN NJ!!
BETTER GET THIS DAY GOING. NO ACCTS CAME YESTERDAY. 9AM CAME AND WENT WITH NO PHONE CALL. THAT'S THE SIGNAL.I HAVE LEARNED HOW TO ANSWER BELLS AND OPEN OFFICES IN MY JAMMIES IF I SO CHOOSE. THIS YEAR I GAVE UP GETTING "DRESSED" FOR PEOPLE THAT NEVER SHOW UP. MAKES ME SO MUCH HAPPIER NOW. I WILL FOREVER BE KNOWN AS THE PAJAMA LADY. BETTER THAN FOR BEING THE BIOTCH ON WHEELS.....ALTHOUGH THERE WILL BE MANY THAT WILL SAY IT LONG AFTER I AM GONE
HAPPY MONDAY/TUESADAY

[happy2bme]

Good morning all,

Got some presents purchased yesterday, making headway on the Christmas season. Didn't get the cards done yet. I think I'm going to forego my traditional Christmas letter this year.

It was near 80 degrees this weekend which was odd, temps are cool today, near record heat predicted tomorrow and then it chills up again for the rest of the week. This is the kind of weather where everyone gets sick. Not to mention out shopping and picking up germs with the sickos. I'm hoping we get decent weather for travelling home in 2 weeks. They got pelted with the second ice storm of the season over the weekend. Lots of ice this year across the country it seems. It would pain me not to be home for Christmas

Shad, although a 5 hour call is a new record, even for a yakker like me, I kind of look at it like Mel and I got together for dinner for the evening except that we didn't cook and we didn't leave our respective houses Actually, it's been a long, long time since we last spoke on the phone, guess we had lots of catching up! Hope you round up all those necessary sign offs - glad to hear at least you don't have to work the weekends any more. They do the themed trees down this way too - I think it's just in an effort to get people to buy more ornaments.

Mel - hope you don't work too hard with the accoutants and they can finish their business early. Looks like you have some wet weather your way - no ice tho which is good. I'm so sorry that you lost a friend in Frank.

Patty - good luck on the test - you're right - difficult to make time for regular stuff this time of year.

Ruth - I loved seeing all the birds at the feeder in the winter time. The cardinals are especially striking against the white snow. Hope you stayed out of those cookies...

Rennie - hope your week is better than the weekend.

Madcat - last week's theme must have been UAT. It's where most of my metrics were focused last week. Hope you get things in on time and that it starts to calm down for you. We always have a year end freeze in which nothing gets implemented for a month long period so as not to interfere with closing the books at year end. That makes for especially frantic days right up to the freeze as everyone hustles to get things in. Don't get too crazy!

Hi Ceejay - sorry to hear you have to work Christmas but you're right - people do take that "having water come out of the pipes" thing for granted. Hope it's quiet and you can listen to some nice music.

Carla - funny how easily you get roped into doing those newsletters, isn't it? I avoid all homeowner association doings and meetings now so that I can keep my distance. We have one of those home "zapper" things. I think they are called TENS units. I don't like them but DH said it really helps with his back. I guess it improves the blood flow which helps healing. Are you done travelling for the year work wise?

Ok, it's late and I should be off to the salt mine. Be good chicks... sorry if I missed anyone.

[MELODY525]

JUST READ HAPPY'S POST AND REALIZED I FORGOT TO SAY SOMETHING AND ALSO I DIDN'T ANSWER SHAD....NO IT IS NOT FRANK FROM THE OFFICE BUT FRANK FROM THE LIBRARY.
THANKS EVERYONE FOR THE HUGS AND GOOD THOUGHTS

** I AM NOT SENDING OUT TRADITIONAL CARDS THIS YEAR. THE 3 OF US HERE HAVE DECIDED TO GIVE ANY ADDITIONAL SPENDING A MISS TILL WE ARE FULLY BACK ON OUR FEET. THINGS ARE GOING VERY WELL HERE BUT THEN THE BALANCE IS EASILY TIPPED RIGHT NOW.
SO I WILL SEND E-CARDS INSTEAD OR PMS.

HAPPY~ WE ARE RATHER WARMISH HERE ALSO WITH TEMPS NEAR 50. WINTER IS HAVING THE SAME HARD TIME FALL DID WITH "STARTING" HOPE YOU STAY CLEAR OF THOSE GERMY PEOPLE!! THEY SEEM TO BE EVERYWHERE!!!

[Shy Moment]

Melody
We decided to do the same thing. He just got this new job a few months ago. While money is ok. Things are a bit tight and I don't want to spend what I don't have to.

Happy
I don't let things get to me for long. I plugged away until I had my world rotating as it should lol. This week is going to be wonderful as long as I wake up breathing each and every morning lol.

We haven't had to much of the ice weather has been pretty good for December. Snow is just about gone with all the warm rain. Yes, I want it to stay nice until after Christmas. I hate making that 3 hour drive in bad weather. We have talked about having the adult Christmas on the 5th. That way those of us that don't have little monsters don't have to put up with them all day lol. I can remember going to relatives house on Christmas day when I was a kid and when my own children were young. We sat and played and were a little quiet. My kids visited with the relatives and then went and played and ate cookies. Not these days. My gosh those people let their kids tear thru the house in and out, running the adults down and making enough noise to get a ticket from the sound ordnance police lol. It was the in laws idea to have an adult Christmas day. No children under the age of 13. Why is it their grown grandchildren and their one daughter always dump their kids off without asking and take off to go do something lol. Last Christmas we found 4 of the grandkids 9 and under outside playing, none of us even knew they were there. I would have never thought of dumping my kids off.

[ceejay52]

Reenie
Woohoo for another2 pounds gone. I must have found them. I'm up 3 pounds this week.

Mel
I'm also cutting back on Christmas spending. I'm thinking about by passing the oldest of my cousins kids who are 22 an 17.

This is week 2 day 5. I'm up 3 pounds but I know why. It's not over eating as one might think. It's from not enough fiber over the week end. UGH.

We just missed the ice storm but have had fog for three days straight. I'm ready to sees ome sunshine.
Got my hair cut and colored Saturday. It's a little darker than what I wanted but it's okay at least there is no more gray. Was going to go to Jonesboro but it was toooo foggy.

[Shy Moment]

Cee
You were not suppose to find them. Stop keeping the junk I get rid of. lol bet you like yard sales too lol.

[Ruthxxx]

I just finished writing my two cards to an antique cousin and and antique Aunt. I decided to skip the card thing this year and gave a wad of $$$ to the Food Bank. It sure eases the workload.

Cold as a witch's snoobie this morning but I did go to the gym - first time in three months. They didn't have to call 911 when I hit the recumbent bike! It felt really good and got me up and out of the house nice and early. This afternoon, I'll go to the post office, haul in some firewood and then I can cozy in for the rest of the day. My painting class is happening in ten minutes but I'm being anti-social and skipping it. It's a pot luck lunch and would be way too tempting.

Later this afternoon I'll put up my "bling" tree. It's a small pre-lit tree that I decorate with the contents of my jewelery box. I don't bother getting the stuff out of the safety deposit box!

Patty asked about Medifast. It is sort of a liquid diet - five MF meals plus one Lean and Green meal of protein and veggies. It sure saves a lot of thinking and planning but I'm finding it really boring. Typical day: MF oatmeal, MF shake, MF chili, MF bar and MF soup for my five and tonight it'll be chicken breast (7 oz.) cooked in 1 T olive oil with red and green peppers and served over shredded cabbage. Doesn't that just sound yummy - NOT! I am determined to follow this as much as possible for the next two weeks - something has to budge this blubber.

Time to get with it I am determined to pace myself this year and not get into a pre-Christmas flap. I hope we all are going to do the same.

[Hollyhock]

HI...I have just caught up with all your news. HUGS!!!!!

[Shy Moment]

Ruth
To darn cold out there for me to go somewhere I don't have to lol thank heavens for walking/aerobic videos lol. Have to take my daughter to school to pick up homework for a couple of days. Don't want her trying to get around the school on the crutches until the foot is a bit better. Have to call in meds and do more laundry. That is my exciting day. Dinner, think it is going to be a nice large salad with tuna. Yummmmmm, I would eat this everyday but that wouldn't be good for me. Have to eat different things lol. My firewood consists of my gas fireplace with non burning logs lol. To bad the starter went out and now they are saying the part will be in right before I die lol.

[Shad]

Morning all,
Well it is a bright but overcast day here today. Beautiful sunrise as well.

Mel - I found the troops. Perhaps I should have left them lost. They are just about all over it I can tell you. The team is now in several different directions. My rooster is doing support training, my chicken is doing a bit of scheduling, a bit of support training and a bit of printing stuff, my SA hen is off doing training and her own thing. She has her son in here at the moment, he is helping her catch up with the work. And me, well I'm finally getting out from under the paperwork and finding stuff to do which should have been part of the rollout but was not on the list. Someone suggested yesterday that since they can see my desk again, maybe I need something else to do. I have disabused them of that idea - quite quickly I might add.

You were all speaking of Christmas cards and I have suddenly figured out that I haven't gotten around to doing anything about them or anything else except a couple of presents for Christmas. I really must shift *** this week. Not that there will be any cards now. It is too late to get them overseas or anywhere else for that matter but I will do the Christmas Letter asap. I hope I can find my list of addresses somewhere so I can email them as time permits. Maybe I will even get that started today.

Rennie - sorry to hear that there has been family problems over the weekend. Always happens at the most inconvenient time. I'm hoping the DS2 gets here in one piece - he usually manages to break something right before he is due to go somewhere or do something important.

Hey - Mel - prunes are okay. When you consider the alternative they are great. Actually I don't mind the odd prune or two. Are you playing the pyjama game with the accountants???
Glad to here that you have the budget worked out for Christmas and beyond. It's a good feeling to be debt free. Long may it last.

Happy - a cyber meal with Mel - we should book a conference call so we can all eat together one night. Should be interesting - some of us on breakfast, some on lunch and some on dinner. Gotta love the round earth.
Weather in Aus is just as strange. Bad hailstorms in Sydney this weekend - chunks of ice like tennis balls. Much damage to roofs, trees, cars and powerlines. Just goes to show, they should put the power, phone and cable lines UNDERGROUND just like I have been saying for years - yes Mum!!!!

Ceejay - sorry to hear that you found 3 pounds, but if you have been exercising well and eating well, then it will disappear just as fast. Don't give it up. I've been steadily putting it on for some weeks. I began the diet/ exercise routine again and it went up, then for some reason, over the past couple of days, it has begun to go away again. Can't say why or how. Not doing anything different.

Ruth - well done on the gym. Sometimes you just have to take a rest to get the benefits from a new regime.
A tree that wears a tiara! Love it. Does Hershey get to wear a red tinsel collar on the day? Shad used to have a green one and Gunbo had a special santa hat. Might add that neither of them looked particularly forward to Christmas!!!
Flap - what is a Christmas flap? Haven't been in one for years. It's another day on the beach (along with half a million others). Someone will get horribly burnt, someone will step on glass, someone will have a drug overdose, someone will get bitten by a dog, snake or bearded dragon (can't be told to leave them alone) and no doubt given our deplorable road toll, someone will have some really bad Christmas news delivered to their door by the boys and girls in blue. Such is life in this big land.

Morning Holly - see ya

And with that, I'm off. Coffee is next followed by a fight with a program called Infopak which can be relied on to underperform under any circumstance. Especially on this network which will no doubt throw some wobblies my way before days end. But there, there I am feeling cynical today. At least it hasn't made you pornographic this week.

[Shy Moment]

Shad
Things are good. Just a little hiccup in life lol.

[ceejay52]

Ruth
Good for you in getting to the gym. I've worn my pedometer today but haven't met my 5000 step requirement.I'll have to ride the bike when I get home.

Shad
Glad you found the team and thanks for the moral support about those 3 pounds. I'll get rid of them soon enough.

Mel and Happy
Wow a five hour phone call. I would have had to choose the speaker phone for that length of time.

Holly
Glad you stopped by.