Sorry, Worldlies. I've spent the day Super-MODing and have not had a chance to get in here. All is well but I need to get dinner and then organize "stuff" for tomorrow's quilting class. See you in the afternoon.

RUTH~ AFTER BEING ON THE PC FOR SUCH A LONG TIME, THE LAST THING I WOULD WANT TO DO IS PERSONALS

SHAD~ I WAS WATCHING RUDY MAXA ON SMART TRAVEL IN AUS AND FALLING ASLEEP. I HEARD HIM SAY SOMETHING ABOUT "SALTIES" EATING PEOPLE AND OPENED AN EYE TO SEE A BIG CROC NICE PIC!

HAPPY~HAVE A GOOD REST UP THIS WEEKEND. DON'T DO ANYTHING THAT REQUIRES ANY THINKING BREAK OUT THE VINO AND JUMP ON THE OLD MAN

CEEJAY~ SOUNDED LIKE A GREAT VISIT. LAYING THE PAST TO REST CAN BE SUCH A REWARDING THING. WJEN MY BROTHER AND I REUNITED, WE DID A LONG TALK TOO. NRE TRIP IN MAY?? HOW GREAT!!

MICHELLE~ YES....BASEBALL GUYS ARE HOTTIES TOO! I'LL HAVE TO CHECK OUT YOUR BREWERS! HAVE A GOOD TIME AT THE GAME WHEN YOU GO!

ANNIE~ GREAT NEWS ABOUT THE MUGGERS!! BET A LOT OF WOMEN SLEPT BETTER! LAUGHING AT THE IMMODIUM BEEN MANY YEARS SINCE I NEEDED THAT!!

I AM SITTING HERE THINKING OF WHAT TO SAY. BETTER JUST GO AND GET BREAKFAST. BRAIN DEAD THIS MORNING.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND AND HAPPY SATURDAY/SUNDAY!

Finally finished reading. took me way longer than expected...esp with the kiddies coming n and asking if I was done yet???? HAve to go get ready for a friends baptism...will try to get on tonight and post indies...I do seem to miss so much when DH is on vacation. Have a lovely weekend all!!!

Good morning chickees,

Continuing on the roller coaster weather pattern, it's chilly and a bit damp this weekend. Guess I will focus on the inside of the house instead. Took a walk around the yard the other day, SOOOOO much work to be done out there.

Shad - a skunk is a smell unto itself. No way to describe it unless you "smelt it". Just stinks. Bad. And the closer you are to the stink, the worse it is to the point that if you're right where it sprayed, your eye will burn and tear worse than any onion. I'm sure you have an equivalent in that land of varied and interesting creatures that you live in.

Ceejay - I know it's been raining more up your way but didn't realize that you are so close to the floor waters. Hope the waters recede before the mosquitos invade the town again.

Michelle - Jolly was posting in Red's challenge thread. I would lurk occasionally. Heard she sold her horse and was looking to apply to law school. I just checked and she's been gone since November of last year. I have no contact info for her either.

Like Mel, I don't have too much to say either. Trying to recover from marathon phone calls with my mom and sister. Our new front door is in, going to go look at it today - DH thinks the color is too light. Well what's the sense in having samples at the store if they are way off from the actual results? The couple we hired to do the floor are supposed to come out on Monday to tear the existing floor out so things will get started in that direction. We are also going to the eye doctor later this afternoon - time for new glasses again. There goes the bankroll

Coffee is finished and DH wants to head over to the store to have me check that door before they deliver it this week so I'd better get dressed and presentable. Have a good weekend ladies

Morning all,

Happy - can't say that we have something that stinks deliberately that much as the skunks. We have stinkbugs which surely do smell if you squash 'em, and some of the wild life smells none too sweet in their natural habitats, but nothing that seems comparable to that.
The biggest problems with paint swabs are that they are concentrated in a much smaller area and the result on a finished product is often vastly different. It can be very annoying. Hope that all goes well with the tiles during the week. One good thing about working from home is that you are already there and don't have to leave work for contractors who are not on time.

Mel - you do get to watch some grim travel docos don't you. The big difference between 'salties' and most other animals or fish is that sharks for example eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full. Crocs don't. They are killing machines. Unfortunately since we stopped hunting them and their numbers are on the rise, their natural food source is disappearing hence they now eat us.

Well another busy day here, I goofed off for most of yesterday. Not that I didn't work, I did some prep on the kitchen ceiling and plastered some holes in the walls. I also washed and vacuumed but I didn't do anywhere near as much as I should have. Then DB2 came over at dinner time with a bad dose of the usual problem so I now have all his credit and eftpos cards yet again. I wish I could wave a magic wand and fix all this. For sure I don't need it right now. Neither of course does he, but he is the only one who has the power to stop himself.

On the brighter side, I made contact yesterday with an old friend I used to go to high school with. We were close in school, but lost touch after that when she went to a life in the country and I went to the city for work. Surprisingly she too is in Aus - down in the Hunter Valley where they grow not bad wines! She has an organic farm and is involved with animal liberation etc. One of these days we may visit each other.

So on to today, more plastering, painting etc., and with a little bit of luck some progress. Preparation is everything in painting but it takes so darn long!!! Gym first then into it. DS2 went out with friends last night and didn't get in until I was just getting up so he won't be much help for most of the day I guess. It looks like a nice day out there too. I think I will go and ruin it by giving the cat her tablet. Then I will spend the next hour mopping up the blood and sticking band aids on the body.

See you later

Whew! This has been a whirlwind in here lately but all problems seem to have been resolved. I took today as a complete "ME" day, something we all should do more often. My quilting class was loads of fun and I got a lot done - more is on the go right now while dinner slow cooks. (My machine and fabric made it as far as the kitchen table!)

Hey! It's Earth Day over here and our lights are to go out from 8 to 9. (NZ and Australia have already done it yesterday.) I plan to copy Christchurch and ring the bell at the Church at eight - then it'll be home for a candle lit dinner. Now the questions are: do I use my car lights driving to the Church AND will the Villagers freak when they hear the bell and think there's a fire or that the Americans are attacking us? That hasn't happened since 1812 but memories are long in shallow brain pans.

No personals as I need to get another set of blocks together for my quilt before I turn off the power.

Hey Ruth,

If it's dark outside at 8pm, I certainly hope you will turn the car lights on - don't put too much stock into being visible - even IF you do have a red car What is the significance of ringing the bell on earth day?

I think ours in the states is April 22th.

Shad - aren't the Tasmanian Devils quite stinky? Didn't realize that crocs kill just to kill. Thought the did it when hungry or antagonized. Darn croc brains... Sounds like your friend there has quite the interesting hippie lifestyle. We need to go back there again I think. Too selfish, too greedy. I do think Mother Nature is getting ticked off.

Ruth - don't know about Canada but we only turned off unnecessary lights. Gosh darn it, I do think the car lights might be necessary. It was amazing to see how many lights got turned off - particularly in Sydney where they are huge wasters of energy and resources.
Do you realise that by following Christchurch and ringing the bells, you were following in my forefathers footprints. My mothers family came out to NZ in 1852 and created the cathedral and university in the city of Christchurch. Their name is inscribed on one of the bells in the Cathedral and also listed on the 1st ships list in the Square outside the cathedral. My father also used to be a bellboy in the Anglican Church in Kaiapoi (also in Canterbury). So ring away merrily my friend, you have some big shoes to fill.

Happy - I don't know about hippie lifestyle, but organic is certainly getting to be big around here. I'll have to ask for tips on growing things which will survive in our drought.

Victoria was lovely, the job was a breeze, my tiny room in the hotel (the Empress, as Shad guessed) enormously comfy with perfect pillows. The weather included sun, rain, hail, and snow - almost but not quite all at the same time. Too much of the wrong foods, not enough reviewing of the 100 Days principles. Flight delays both ways, but connections made by the skin of our teeth. Home now, and totally discombobulated as after every trip.

Shad, skunks have a very musky, almost sexy scent. I've never had the misfortune to meet one up very close, but have smelled the lingering aroma on summer mornings. (There's even a song that goes: 'Dead skunk in the middle of the road, stinkin' to high heavens...') Maybe I'm crazy, but I rather like a faint whiff of eau de skunk.
I have to ask: how did you get the holes in the walls to be repaired? Has the poor cat been trying to escape the pill sessions, or perhaps one of the sons burrowing a tunnel?

Mel and Happy, I've been a rather bad girl, but have not yet abandoned Linda and her daily worksheets, I am, however, a day or so behind - spending a little too much time writing down most of what I'm eating as filler instead of food - not quite the point of the exercise, I fear. I'll be in touch soon.

to all the other worldlies. At the rate I'm going, we may be in Athens by the time I get back. Shall I save you all a place to sit at the local taverna, and order us some ouzo and mezethes while we wait for the whole crew to arrive and unpack?

HAPPY~ I DO HOPE THE DOOR IS ALRIGHT AND NOT A COMPLETE LETDOWN. IT DOES MAKE YOU WONDER WHY THEY HAVE SAMPLES GOOD LUCK WITH THE FLOORING TOO! I GUESS EVERYTHING IS GROWNING NOW DOWN YOUR WAY. BUT O HOPE YOU GET TO HAVE SOME DOWN TIME TODAY!

SHAD~ WE NOT ONLY HAVE SKINKS BUT SKUNK CABBAGE AS WELL!! BOTH SMELL BAD!! I AM GLAD I DON'T HAVE TO RUN AWAY FROM SALTIES OVER HERE! THEY MIGHT JUST RUN FASTER THAN I CAN! HOW NICE TO HAVE FOUND AN OLD FRIEND! AND WHAT A GREAT STORY ABOUT THE BELLS!

CARLA~ JUST ORDER ME UP A DARK HAIRED GREEK AND I WILL TURN A BLIND EYE TO YOUR "WORK WEEK".
AND I THOUGHT OUR WEATHER WAS BAD

RUTH~ I KNEW NOTHING OF EARTH DAY. I WATCHED MOVIES ALL DAY, WENT TO BED AND WOKE TO FIND THAT A LOT OF BIG CITIES PARTICIPATED IN IT!

APRIL SHOWERS ARE GETTING A HEAD START AROUND HERE ALSO. I HAVE BEEN KEEPING UP WITH ONE OF MY BOOKS BUT STOPPED READING AT NIGHT WITH THE OTHER TILL AFTER THE EYE DR TOMORROW. TRYING NOT TO IRRITATE THEM/ TOOK A GOOD LOOK IN THE IRROR SANS THE MAKEUP AND IT'S LOOKING SO SO. WE'LL SEE WHAT SHE SAYS MANANA. I WILL BE BACK EITHER TUESDAY AFTERNOON-ISH OR WEDS. TUESDAY IS FOOD SHOPPING. HAVE A GOOD WEEK!

Morning, We did Earth Day here. The kids had their baths in the dark. H is a true Canadian, eh, he did not turn the hockey game off.

This is from the program i started. Pretty hard to hear and powerful and also resonates with a certain amount of truth. I have been journaling like a mad woman since last Monday. I always write a lot but this has been different. I have been writing down everything I eat every day since last Monday. The intake change is already quite noticeable. Imagine if i actually exercise.

http://www.crystalandrus.com/forum/v...php?f=1&t=2362

Carla, I knew we were kindred spirits! I rather like whiff of skunk too and particularly enjoy the first scenting that shows spring has arrived. When Harry was waging his war against the corn-stealing raccoon, he managed to catch one in the Have-A-Heart trap! That was fun - and very aromatic.

Yes, Shad, we were copying Christchurch. Claire and Doug came over after the bell ringing and we managed to open the last bottle of the leftover Christmas champers to celebrate. Any excuse for a drink with this lot!

Mel, so sorry about the eyeballs. Let's hope the doc can give you some relief.

Happy, Earth Hour was all over the news around here. It's mainly to raise awareness, rather than save much electricity. It certainly wasn't universal around here - one neighbour did call to ask if I needed help when he say my lights go out!

Hollyhock, of course you can't turn off hockey! I am going to investigate your new program. So far, I'm not really "into" the 100 Days book.

It's a frosty morning but the sun is shining. The snow on the deck is hard as rock. Hershey is still trying to eat it but I noticed a bit of blood on it from her poor old gums. I guess, I'll shovel it all off once it softens up enough. Silly dog! She always has water in her dish inside so don't call animal control!

This morning everyone is going to the big commercial sugarbush and for pancakes after late Church but I am begging off. The walking is terrible at that place and I can visit my own sugar bush in relative comfort on Ernie's wagon pulled by his horses. I can certainly do without pancakes! I'll come home and quilt and rest the knee. (Did I mention I quilting? Sometimes I bore even myself!)

May your Sunday be sunny and happy with a bit of rest from the week worked in. That's why Sundays were invented, right?

Hi kids,

This site is responding very slowly today, don't know if my post will stick. I know it's here because DH is sitting across from me not having any issues where ever he seems to be lurking at the moment...

It's a very rainy day today. Bits of buds all over the ground. The azaleas started to pop yesterday - a purple bud here, a red bud there and some whites for good measure. The bushes should be looking pretty by the end of the week.

Ruth - sorry the 100 Days book isn't doing anything for you. There are some days that are eye openers and others that are just uh. Have to find something that hits home for you and something you enjoy doing - like quilting! I love those creative type things - just not enough time to put as much as I'd like into them. Add to that the feeling like "I should be doing something more productive" too - which is SO WRONG because we all deserve a little recharge the batteries time.

Thanks for passing along the program Holly. The other link you posted looked like something you had to shell out money for in order to find out about what she was talking about. Hope it goes well for you.

Thanks Carla - can't get the line of that song out of my head now I would not say you are bad, in fact I'm sure Linda will give you the old finger wag if you said that. As many of us have said, it's sticking to things in spite of other stuff going on, not perfection itself that is the key. Just keep leaning towards the good habits.

Mel - glad the eyes are healing up for you. I know it must be hard to put down the book but you seem to be more willing to do what you have to instead of stubbornly saying too bad and paying the consequences. You help me to temper that instinct within myself too so thanks

Shad - sorry to hear the DB2 is at it again. Guess they have to hit rock bottom before they believe. Saw it with my dad. Hard to deal with but everyone has to make up their own mind to change. Hope you can finish up those ceilings - you should have your own home improvement show - fix 'em up and a dose of fixing your own self while you're at it - all done in a witty fashion I would get the satellite TV just for that

DH is trying to back out of going to the Humane Society but I am on his case It is difficult as that is several hours plus you have to come home and shower and get the dander out of your nose so it is quite chunk of a committment added to the fact that weekends already race by as it is.

I am trying to stick with the Flylady thing again - to regain management of the things that will require less time if only I stayed on top of them. Which would also give me more time for the abandoned kitties

We went and got our eyes examined yesterday and then went to pick out new glasses. Frustrated with the choices for eyeglass frames. They are all these tiny, uber fashionista things. Rectangular glasses on an already square face don't look good. And some don't have enough lens area to work with my prescription. DH got frustrated and just ordered lens and will re-use the frames he has. I would do the same except it means giving up your glasses and I'd either have to rent a seeing eye dog or wear my sunglasses everywhere for a week while they made the new ones And no, I don't have a spare pair at the moment as I somehow scratched my distance ones.

I'm hungry too - time to go rummage in the refrigerator... Have a good Sunday chicks - enjoy the last few days in Maui before we move over to the Greek Isles.

Πηγαίνουμε στην Αθήνα την Τρίτη! Είστε έτοιμοι;

And that means.......................... Ruth????
Lemme guess
Aaah - souvlaki and retsina on the table on the terrace??
I got here first and picked the only chair that will hold more than 3Kg???? So there!!!
Hey - there are Greek gods all over the place - suddenly the knee doesn't hurt anymore???
I can see we are going to have to watch you, otherwise it might be Shirley Valentine all over again!

Wednesday is Athens Day I guess. Funnily enough the Sunday 10 minute silence (Sunday paper for those who didn't work that one out) had an article on Athens and the Pelopponese Archipeligo this week. (Such big words for a Monday morning) I read up on where the greeks go on their weekends and holidays. Sounds nice, but we are going to park up at the Acropolis somewhere. We will be the Vestal virgins or something

Well been to gym, had breakfast, finishing up the coffee and then on with the day. Have to find the cat and give her the tablet again. Little B spat it out on the way down from the table and then ran and hid under the bed where I couldn't get at her without shifting half the furniture and then she would probably move with it anyway. In about half an hour I have to take her to the vet. She's probably worked that out by now as well and will be well hidden. I'd better go and find her shortly.

Good workout at the gym today as well. Wonder if my legs will ever recover. Still I am getting better at it and I can feel some of the strength coming back. Not showing on the scales but then it never does much. My food intake is more or less on hold until the kitchen is done. It's so hard to cook properly with one ring element, a half working oven and the microwave. At least the veges get steamed because I can't use more than one pot. So the steamer goes on top of the saucepan and depending on what I'm cooking a bamboo steamer might go on top of that. Talk about castle building.

Anyway - better go find this cat. I'll be back later to add personals. (I think)