[Shy Moment]

happy
No no lol it cost somewhere between 40 and 50 to fill my car.

You people all really need to get a grip and take a joke as a joke for heavens sakes. No one is hurting animals.

Annie
It use to be a joke kids said, there is nothing in the house to eat. Now days, it isn't a joke. While some can fly off on vacations others can't feed their children. I told the kids no vacation this year. It is only an hour to the camp grounds and if everyone is down there we can afford to drive there but that is it. All our vacation money is going to the soup kitchen. So many more people there these days. Both mom and dad work and they can't feed their kids.

Melody
That is what is going on here. We aren't poor by any means but I just can't see spending money on having fun while my kids can see there are so many going without basic needs. We had planned a safari trip for this summer in southern Ohio. For the tickets and gas to get there and back it would have been about 150 dollars, now it would be even more with gas prices going up. I was talking to the kids about it and they even said that seemed frivolous when the soup kitchen is straining at the seams to feed everyone.

[MELODY525]

MICHELLE...I AM ACTUALL BEGINNING WITH DAY 24. AFTER READING YOUR POST, I TOOK THE BOOK OFF THE SHELF, DUSTED IT OFF AND FOUND A BOOKMARK ON DAY 24 AND THE WORKBOOK WAS FILLED IN FOR THE 23RD. SO I AM RARING TO GO!! IT'S INTERESTING TO READ THE THINGS I WROTE. SOMETIMES IT SOUNDS LIKE THE "VOICE" OF A STRANGER!

RENNIE~ FOR MANY YEARS, JEN AND I HAVE GIVEN SO MUCH OF OUR LIVES AND MONEY TO OTHERS, THAT LAST YEAR WE DECIDED TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES AND GET THE DEBTS PAID FIRST....AND ALSO WE HAVE RICHIE'S KIDS ALL SUMMER AND XMAS. MORE ADDED EXPENSES. BUT I HEAR YA ON THE SAD SOUP KITCHENS.

WAVING GOODBYE TO OUR MISS HAPPY!! HOPE YOU TWO GET SOME GOOD SLEEP BEFORE YOU HAVE TO HEAD OUT AND GLAD TO HEAR THAT THE NEPHEW WILL BE AT MOM'S WITHOUT ADDED DRIVING TIME FOR YOU AND HUBBY. WE HAVE A LOT OF ANIMAL VIOLENCE HERE IN THE CITY AREA AS WELL. THEY THROW THE DEAD ANIMALS DOWN THE CLIFFS OF THE HUDSON. THERE ARE A LOT OF RELIGIOUS SACRAFICES HERE AS WELL. VERY SAD.

TOMORROW TURNS OUT TO BE AN ADDED CHECK DAY! SO I WILL GET MY BONUS MONEY IN JUNE. THE ACCOUNTANTS ARE COMING FOR A FULL DAY.
IT'S EASY PEASY MONEY!! OPEN DOORS AND ALARMS
AT 9AM AND PUT THEM ALL TO RIGHTS BY 9PM!!
MAYBE EVEN EARLIER!!
GOTTA LOVE THOSE PAPER PUSHERS!

[happy2bme]

Rennie -

Maybe your idea of a "joke" isn't so funny.

[Shy Moment]

melody
I do know what you mean. There has been less frivolous spending around here and more getting debts paid off. I have no desire to be old and owe owe owe.

Good news about the dog. She is very old, age 14. She is getting arthritis in her back legs, very normal for a Lab way younger than she is. She bolted after a rabbit the other day and did something to a nerve in her back which is effecting her back legs and that is why she can't stand on them. They put her on some meads and a pain killer so she could relax and hopefully get back to normal. Have to take her to the vet again next week.

[Shad]

Happy - go on holiday and forget about my squawking birds. I hear you about the poor dog at the shelter and find that unforgivable in my heart. The cruellest animal of all is the human and we aren't getting any better. But no one is shooting my birds. For all the noise they make, I quite like the wee critturs doing their own thing. They won't get shot in my back yard.
Have a wonderful and safe holiday. Give our love to Mum and forget us for a whole week. You are probably driving as I type or maybe not since it is only 4.42 according to the world clock in your neck of the woods. Calm down.
We have had those shopping dockets v fuel for a while now. While the idea was good, the supermarkets have done the dirty and raised prices to cover the 4c per litre off or whatever and there is no benefit to the people anymore. You either pay more for the groceries or more for the petrol. The older folk here are going to the local shops a lot more. They may pay more, but at least they can walk or drive less. I feel so sorry for them, their pensions are not keeping pace with inflation and they are suffering - but not in silence it seems. Yesterday in Melbourne the Grey Army had a rally outside parlianment and took all their outer clotes off. Not a pretty sight I can tell you but it took guts from them I must say.
Talking of biking to work - there are a lot of folk here who do just that. DS1 did the 35K to work for some years. Now he rides to work in Adelaide. Yes you worry about them being sucked under a bus, but in reality more of them come to harm on the bike/ walking path around the city where the pedestrians tend to think the bikers should give way to them and someone gets tipped off or bowled over. Brisbane is now putting in a tourist thing whereby you can hire a bike, a helmet, bike shoes or whatever for the day and ride anywhere you like. It's proving a great winner since we have bike paths in about 20km in any direction from the CBD. If I had a job which was not in the city, I would be tempted to ride a bike, but not without yards of practice since it is nearly 100 years since I last road.

Mel - good for you going back to the book. I was wondering who was still doing it and was afraid to ask. Sorry to hear that Marie had a bad trip home. But now that she is there, maybe she will reflect on the things that happened and work out why.
Yep next week is the anniversary of my trip. Time seems to have sprinted past in that time. And I haven't yet managed to put all of my photos on the web for people to see. I might see about that next week.
Is the table metal - apart from the glass top. I can't see any other reason why you would short it out apart from that. I mean I know you are bright but this is taking things a bit too far.
No point in cooking the grandson - even the Aboriginals don't eat those!

Rennie = Glad to hear the old dog is doing well. Hope she gets over the back injury real soon, both for her and the sake of your pocket.
While I agree with donating money to the local Soup Kitchen, I have to say that I think your family deserves some good things as well. Maybe not the holiday you had envisaged, but some time out together. After all they and you have worked hard during the year to achieve all that you have. Everyone deserves some time out of the hamster cage.
My charity thing this year will be to adopt a pensioner couple who are doing it tough. I will pay their grocery bills for a year so they can at least make an attempt to catch up with the bills and utilities. I've started making some enquiries along those lines with the local charitable organisation, but I have made it clear I am not donating to the organisation. Too many $$ goes to administration in most cases - they are big money earners and spenders, Now it is just a matter of working out the how and where and when.

Annie - I think that we will all have to look long and hard at how we are spending our money. You are lucky to have a person living with you who can and will help out like that. Glad to hear your car is doing a lot better than my calculations.
You can send the DS down, he is welcome anytime, but he won't get to shoot here unless he does it through the local rifle clubs and then only at clay pidgeons. See earlier rants about guns and licences in Aus.

Michelle - not sure whether I am going to gym or not today. I'd better make up my mind fast. It's getting near time. I should go, but am not yet 100% so maybe I will just do an exercise dvd later on today.
No more photos for the time being, but I can forward the email to anyone if they want a complete list of the photos. I know Annie was passing them across her cubicle.
It's great that you are in onderland. Somebody once said that nothing tastes as good as being thin feels. It seem that you have come to that conclusion as well.
Lucky you - a DH that comes complete with a fixit brain. Nice. We may have to share him around somewhat. Just kidding. I have a DS that is like that, I really can't understand why he can't keep a girlfriend. I mean, he is not bad looking, has some money behine him, owns his house (well he and the bank do) is looking for another investment property, can work with electricity, fix motors, build things (although you have to keep an eye on the level bit, and can do pumbing, concreting and lay lawns. Must be something else he is doing wrong. I'll have to work on it!

And that is about it for today. I am still not as good as I could be. I have a sore throat and some nasal issues left but other than that I feel okay. I think it was a combination of reaction to the needle (which I have never had before) making me ripe for a takeover of the DS's bugs. Anyway it is on it's way out and today I will be better than yesterday where I just sat in the loo or in a chair and dosed off. Ate very little but soup and drank gallons of lemon and honey (ActiveX Manuka Stuff) drinks. So I will survive, but felt it was touch and go yesterday where the morning was spent on the loo and the afternoon in front of the tv. One would expect to lose weight,but not this little black duck. Still I try. Okay - shower, dress warmly (it's foggy and cool out there) and get on with the day. I'll have to do some work today because I didn't do any yesterday.

[Shy Moment]

Shad
I totally agree with you. I don't give to organizations. To much of the money never makes it to the people it is suppose to help. I asked the kids if we couldn't go anywhere this year what was their idea of a great vacation lol. This is what they both told me lol

1. One day with unlimited tv time after I say their chores are done

2. One day unlimited gaming time after I say their chores are done

3. One day no chores

4. One day getting to pick what we eat for meals

I think I can handle these requests lol. Right now, Monday to Friday they are only allowed 2 hours total time, tv-computer-gaming. Saturday they are limited to 4 hours total time and none on Sundays. Meals, my daughter is easy we will eat animals and rice for three meals a day lol. My son is the hard one. He wants full course meals and nothing less lol. They hate when we are gone from home for more than a day at a time. They both have so much they are busy with between the soup kitchen, the nursing home and their old dears around the neighborhood that they visit each day. I do not make them do these things. They enjoy doing them.

My son, the same child that would drag a rug thru the house before he would pick it up and put it back where it goes lol. Has no idea how to put the milk away and has no idea how to put a roll of toilet paper on the spindle. Is the same child that mows two elderly peoples lawns each weekend and doesn't charge them. Helps the one neighbor pick her apples and pears when it is time to pick them. Heck I can't get the kid to pick a weed lol.

My daughter, the same girl that is always telling the cat she is going to do her brother in and thinks a clean room means pushing everything under her bed. Reads to the old folks at the nursing home. Helps a nice old lady clean her house every week and gave up going to the movies with friends because the old dear across the street came home from the hospital and she wanted to visit her. I can't get this kid to throw anything away ( I swear she still has a bib in her dresser drawer and thinks I am killing her if I want her to put dishes away lol. SHE helps clean someones house. Oh my gosh, I have to threaten with just about everything to make her do her chores right lol.

I have nothing to complain about with my children except that teenage mouth that all parents have to deal with.

[happy2bme]

Thanks for the advice Shad - I will take you up on it. Sometimes you just have to rest up and let the cold run it's course. I will indeed give Mum a hug - seems that several people said the same thing. I will lend her for a bit if you need a bit of Mom loving - there's enough to share. I am most grateful that she is in my life.

I managed to get all my work day at the office today. I have officially forgotten that I have a job, where I put my access card for the door or what my login is. How's that for fast?

Won't be getting everything done that I wanted to at home. That's ok. Mom doesn't expect the Taj Mahal. Said her and my sister were laughing away at me being a maniac doing the house over.

I do regret that I didn't have time to make my lists. Now I will forget something for sure...

DH was all sad - he hates putting Kitty into the pet hotel. She was howling quite loudly. I said it wasn't that bad, she adjusts well. I feel worse that the poor shelter kitties won't be getting any loving. And I appear to have spoken too soon. We haven't seen Mr. Feral since Sunday. I'm afraid he has used up the last of his nine lives and I am very sad about it. But I know that because of us, his life was a wee bit better.

And now I need to get off the computer for good and go finish packing.

Have a good week everyone.

[Shad]

Far out happy - just take three of everything. 1 on, 1 in the wash, and one waiting. I go around the world with that philosophy.

3 knickers, 3 pants, 3 sweaters, 3 blouses, 3 tees, 3 bras, 1 pair walking shoes, one pair house shoes, one pair good shoes. and you need toothbrush and paste, moisturiser and sunscreen - even better if they are in one. 1 pair pyjamas or nighty and what else could you possibly need???? Unless you are taking in la Scala or getting a gong at Buck House, then you may require a hat.
You are packed get going.

[Shy Moment]

Shad
That is generally how I pack rather it is for a week away house sitting or the camp grounds. Has always worked for me. I generally don't have only one sock lol.

[MELODY525]

GOOD SATURDAY MORNING. SUNDAY FOR SHAD. I GOT UP EARLY AND PUT A POT ON FOR US ALL. NOT AS EARLY AS SHAD WAKES BUT EARLY FOR ME. FOR SOME REASON I GOT UP BEFORE 6 AND WAS TRYING TO "SNEAK" AROUND WITH THE OLD SQUEAKY CHAIR.
I REALLY NEED TO PUT THEM IN THE REPAIR SHOP ONE AT A TIME. BEEN PUTTING IT OFF FOR AWHILE NOW.
SUN IS OUT AND I HOPE TO GET OUT FOR A FEW MINUTES. SUPPOSED TO WARM UP SLOWLY THIS WEEK.
WISHING YOU ALL A LOVELY WEEKEND.

SHAD~ HOPE YOU FEEL BETTER WHEN YOU AWAKE. NONE OF THAT CAN BE FUN AT ALL. I DO WONDER MYSELF WHY IT IS THAT A PERSON CAN BE IN THE LOO FOR A DAY AND NOT LOSE WEIGHT. HAPPENS TO ME ALL THE TIME. BUT LET A DAY GO BY AND NOT GO TO THE LOO AND WATCH HOW FAST THE SCALE GOES UP!

RENNIE~ YOUR KIDS SOUND LIKE JEN. GUESS WE DID AN OK JOB AS MOMS. HOPE THE MEDS WORK FOR THE DOG AND WILL BE BACK TO "NORMAL" SOON.

WAVING GOODBYE TO HAPPY.... AGAIN.

[Shy Moment]

Melody
My daughter told me she wouldn't put me in a nursing home when I got old. She would put my sister and myself in her basement. She would let us share a single mattress ( now keep in mind my sister is over 350 pounds and we get to SHARE a single mattress. I asked her if we get our own blanket to cover up with. She said no, she would let us share a sock lol. What a great kid.

[Shad]

Morning all,
It looks nice out there but I have just crawled out from under the doona, what do I know. I'll check it again when I have had my coffee. Nicely hot and strong - that should get something up and moving. Apart from the hacking cough that is. Honestly you would think I was a 2 pack a day person with this cough. With DS2 at home it's like a duet with him at one end of the house and me at the other.
DS2 wrote a message in the mirror yesterday. When the bathroom steams up you can read it. Says 'Sorry I made you sick'. Don't know if it has changed today as I haven't showered yet. Still debating about the whole eating thing. More stewed fruit and soft poached eggs maybe. Or maybe a ratatouille since I have all these veges to use up or soup. Don't know what i fancy really.
But enough of my woes already. Could be worse. I could be dead.

Not much else to add today. I am taking the wardrobe apart and throwing out that which I will not wear again, that which I haven't worn in the last two seasons and that which I no longer like. I am determined to get the darn thing down to a manageable size. I don't need yards of shoes or anything. I tend to wear the uniforms of the places I work for. There is no point these days in having a large wardrobe unless of course you are young and beautiful or Paris Hilton.

Hi to Mel - probably out getting some rays and Rennie, who is about to fit out the basement to share with her sister. Ensure you get a king size single if you have to share.

I'm outa here to blow the nose again and do some more coughing. You don't want to know

[MELODY525]

SENDING GET WELL WISHES YOUR WAY SHAD. HOPE YOU AND DS2 FEEL MUCH BETTER. CAN'T HAVE YOU LOOKING LIKE THIS----> YOU'RE RIGHT...BEING ALIVE IS MUCH BETTER
TOO BAD YOU CAN'T HAVE A GOOD LIE DOWN IN THE HAMMOCK WITH A BOOK. HOW SWEET OF THE DS TO WRITE HIS MUM A SECRET MESSAGE.

RENNIE...WE'LL HAVE TO KNIT MUCH BIGGER SOCKS THEN!!

EVERYONE IN THE OFFICE WAS OUT BY 5:30 AND THEY WERE VERY GOOD ALL DAY. IT REALLY WAS GORGEOUS OUTSIDE. TWO SENIORS HAVE PUT MY OLD BIG FLOWER POTS AND URN TO GOOD USE AND FILLED THEM WITH PANSIES, GERANIUMS ETC. STARTING TO LOOK RATHER FESTIVE. WE DON'T HAVE GOOD PLACES FOR A GARDEN SO I AM TRYING TO KEEP THEM INTERESTED IN CONTAINER GARDENING. THEY'RE LOVING IT AND I AM HOPING OTHERS MIGHT GET INVOLVED. EVER THE OPTIMIST.

AS FOR WEIGHT...I AM BACK UP TO 185 THIS MORNING. I HAVE BEEN GAINING A HALF POUND EVERY 1-2 DAYS. FEET ARE A BIT SWOLLEN. I THOUGHT BEING OFF THE MEDS THIS PAST WEEK THINGS WOULD GO DOWN RAPIDLY. GUESS NOT BUT I AM DOPEY. I MIGHT GET DISCOURAGED BUT NEVER GIVE UP.

HAPPY SUNDAY

[Shad]

Morning Mel,
Seems like you and me this morning. Our little thread is getting smaller again. The Canadians are celebrating the Great Outdoors and who can blame them having been snow bound for so long, The Brits are long gone, Happy is on holiday and seems like there is just us chickens in the coop. Actually when I come to think about it, Carla was talking about England in June, so maybe she is planning or gone or something.

Today instead of worrying about my funeral, I have the distinct impression that I shall live. The pain in the chest is almost gone, the sore throat almost gone, the headache gone. So something of that concoction of OTC drugs I slammed down my throat yesterday must have worked. Weight has moved from 77.9 to 76.9 but I wonder if that will last. Doesn't usually after one has been sick and having basically fluids for supply. I've been living on soup and lemon and honey drinks. Yesterday I made a fish soup. Threw in everything in the way of veges and a bit of fish and added some tabasco to spice life up a bit. Even so I could barely taste what I was eating. It will probably hit me when I have a go at it today.
We are having a cold snap over here. Temp yesterday never got above 20C - I bet the clothing stores did a roaring trade. The attendance at the Greek festival was down by 20% and they are blaming the weather. Dear me. Sorry but there is only so much Zorba the Greek that people can take and while I like souvlaki and salad, I can't take the baklava and shortbread and the other assorted sweet stuff. It is so sweet that it rots your teeth before it gets to the mouth. Hope there are no Greek people out there reading this.

Mel - Love the idea of the flower gardens in containers. Wonder if you can get the maintenance men to build a couple of decent size containers out of logs or sleepers and fill them with good soil and grow veges in them. It would be a big benefit to those of you who cook and much better for you than the store bought variety. They could go on existing concrete. That might also keep some of the men interested, since they don't tend to look on flowers as anything useful.

Hope the daugher is going to knit the sock Rennie. Still your sister should be able to keep you warm, if not squashed.

So today it is back to work. I have to go into the city to get on the companynetwork and have organised a time and place for the IT man to add some programs to my laptop. Let's hope I organised the IT man properly because otherwise I will have wasted my time and a favour from a workmate. Then I'll be back here to carry on the good work. I have at least two of the courses ready for training in July. The boss man doesn't seem to understand the volume of training that will need to be done. I'm about to print some of it out so that next time he is down here, I will go to Melbourne to show him the huge list. The HR consultant is worried, she knows how much there is. I have to find out a fair amount of information - and that will be like trying to get blood out of a stone since the people I have to deal with will not be willing givers. It is shaping up to be fun!

So I'd better go and get on with a bit of housework before I need to shower and get on with the work. Hello world.

[Ruthxxx]

after a horribly busy week! I need to decompress for the next few days. When I start having nightmares that things are out of my control, I know I'm into overload! Quiet quilting and reading are my Rx.

This is a darn cold Holiday Weekend! The campers at the park must be pretty miserable. We even had hail late yesterday afternoon - It looked like snow on the deck. I even have my furnace on but have not resorted to the woodstove yet.

I had a mess of cousins in for afternoon tea today and need to clear away tea things. Then I'm going to pour myself a Scotch and read back in here for a while.