It's quite in here today.
Mel
:hugs: to you my friend. My melt down at work has really changed some view points from the bosses. I've told Tim that my health was more important than this d### job.
Annie
Glad that you are in a better mood. Have fun with your company this week end.
I'm having a lazy day and am enjoying evry minute of it.
Morena,
Yeah Ceejay, it is quiet in here right now. Maybe it is the winter hibernation or maybe the bad news from Wall Street every day and people are worried about their jobs and homes etc. or maybe the thread is not providing enough stimulation anymore. Who knows - we all have our own worries and warts.
Annie - good to hear from you. Wow - 40 applications, you go girl. I have for you for a great new job.
Whoops - got so excited to see Happy that I hit the wrong button.
Back to Annie - that sounds like an exciting date - Walmart. Oh well at least he seems happy to go shopping with you - or was it him that wanted to go shopping - a new fishing rod maybe?
Busy day yesterday after I got over the headache and complete lethargy bit. Nothing like a bit of stern talking to oneself to get the body moving. I've washed half of the wardrobe and guess what - today it rains and there is no wind so I can't expect the wonderful drying I got yesterday. I hung a curtain rail and curtain in my bedroom. This is a temporary measure until I can get the doors changed and shutters put on, then the curtains will go, but it will be a long while I'm picking thanks to the economy among other things.
I've been setting my budget for the next 9 months or so. I will have to put my renovations on go slow or hold for a while and conserve what I have. I'm not considering selling and can live with what I have so, things will be much slower from now on. Let's face it, I have spent nearly $40K on the house in the last 12 months. Now I need to pull my woolly head in and see what happens with the worlds finance section, although I am losing faith when I hear things like the weekend retreat taken by American bankers which cost upwards of 450K including manicures, pedicures and 150K worth of food and drink and rooms that cost $1000 per night. And they are talking about another one! Will they ever learn? Is this a repeat of Nero playing the fiddle and partying while Rome burned?
Today I am feeling so much better than yesterday. A good nights sleep does wonders for the soul. I've put the mattress back on the floor of my bedroom and not put the bed back yet. I'd like to buy a new bed - the one I am using is DS2's but he says he doesn't want it anymore, so we may put it on ebay or trading post or something and sell it off cheap. I might also sell my old Townsville cheapo bed. It certainly beats chucking it out. There's no rush, I can live with what I have, but now I am repeating myself.
DS2 came home last night and announced his company were considering cutting hours for staff. He is not impressed but is happy they are not considering redundancies at this stage.
Right well it is brightening up out there, I'll got throw some more clothes on the line and maybe set up the airer thingy on the patio. See ya all.
SHAD~ SENDING LOVE AND HUGS RIGHT BACK TO YOU FROM BOTH OF US. JEN FELT BETTER TODAY AND I WAS CALMER I WAS THINKING OF YOU AND THE REST OF THE CHICKS WHEN JOHN CAME IN AND SAID HIS FINANCIAL ADVISOR ANNOUNCED HE TOOK A 30K HIT ON HIS 401K AS OF THIS WEEK WITH MORE PROBABLY TO COME. HE LOOKED AWFUL AND I FEEL SO BAD ABOUT EVERYONE'S LOSS. HOPE YOU GET TO SELL THE BEDS AND GET SOMETHING YOU REALLY WANT. WILL THE NEW BED DO TRICKS??? ARE YOU PACKED??? DON'T FORGET TO TAKE THE LAPTOP!!! WAS THAT WHAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO REMIND YOU ABOUT????
CEEEJAY~ YES MAAM WE ARE GOING TO MAKE OUR HEALTH A PRIORITY...WHETHER IT IS PHYSICAL OR MENTAL!! WE GO CEEJAY!!! WE NEED TO ENJOY THOSE LAZY TIMES AND GET OFF THE TREADMILL OF CRAZINESS!!!
ANNIE~ HOPING YOU GET SOME GOOD AND FAST RESULTS FOR THE APPLICATIONS!! GOOD FOR YOUR BROTHER STOPPING THE WOE IS ME FEELING ISNIDE YOU. THINGS CAN ALWAYS BE WORSE. SO HANG IN THERE BUDDY AND ALL WILL BE WELL. GOOD LUCK WITH THE NEW BEAU AND TRY NOT TO FOCUS ON MARRIAGE!!!! USE HIM FOR SEX!!
HI HAPPY...BUT I MISSED YOU BY 30 MINUTES!!!
I HAD A WONDERFUL DAY. SUN WAS OUT JIMMY GREASED UP MY OLD CHAIR AND IT WAS RUNNING SMOOTHLY. THE TEMP OUTSIDE WAS NEAR 80 AND I SOAKED UP ALL THE GOOD LIGHT AND GOOD THOUGHTS I COULD MUSTER.
I AM SOOO GLAD THIS WEEK IS COMING TO AN END. MY ARCH ENEMY CALLED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK I PUT IN THIS WEEK AND FOR THE ORGANIC GARLIC BREAD I SENT UP THERE TO HER OFFICE! I JUST FELT LIKE BEING GENEROUS AND ALSO TAKING THE HIGH ROAD. HER HUSBAND MIGHT WELL BE IN SOME POLITICAL TROUBLE. IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN. VERY SAD.
WILLY HELPED ME OUT AT TRADER JOE'S AND I BOUGHT ENOUGH FOR ALMOST A MONTH. AND ADDED SOME STUFF IN THERE FOR THE KIDS SO THEY CAN EAT HERE. THERE SEEMS TO BE A VERY SMALL HANDFUL OF SENIORS INTERESTED IN THAT STORE SO I FILLED THE FREEZER IN CASE THEY LIMIT OUR NUMBER OF TRIPS ANY MORE THAN THEY HAVE. IT WAS 4X'S A MONTH AND NOW IS 2X'S. WILLY ALMOST FAINTED WHEN THE REGISTER RANG $200. I ALSO BOUGHT HIM A BIG BOTTLE OF ORGANIC JOINT THERAPY SUPPLEMENTS AND HIS SMALL ORDER OF TREATS. HE IS SOOO WORTH THE COST. HE WAS A LITTLE UPSET AND WANTED TO PUT THE PILLS BACK.....BUT I TOLD HIM THAT BECAUSE OF HIM I REMAIN INDEPENDANT AND SO WILL JEN IN THE FUTURE. HE CALMED DOWN IT WAS A WEE BIT LIKE CHRISTMAS TODAY...(SORRY SHADDIE)....AND I LOVE THAT "GIFT GIVING" FEELING.
I MADE A LOVELY SALAD FOR EARLY DINNER WITH GRILLED CHICKEN. TASTED LIKE IT WAS RIGHT OFF THE GRILL TOO!! YUM AND THE BEST PART OF ALL THIS PRE-COOKED STUFF IS THAT I AM STILL HOVERING OVER THE 183 MARK AND HAVEN'T STAYED THERE IN A VERY LONG TIME. SO THE LAST 2 WEEKS OFT JOE'S STUFF IS WORKING OUT OK FOR ME.
I BETTER CLOSE FOR NOW AND END THIS NOVELA BEFORE YOU JUST DELETE ME!!!
HAVE A GREAT NIGHT AND MORENA RIGHT BACK TO YOU KAURANGI!!
"DS2 came home last night and announced his company were considering cutting hours for staff. He is not impressed but is happy they are not considering redundancies at this stage. "
SHAD...SOMEHOW I MISSED THIS PART AND JUST FOUND IT IN THE E-MAIL VERSION. HOPE THE DS MAKES IT THRU THE CUTTING OF HOURS. I WAS SORRY TO READ THIS. FOR BOTH OF YOU!!
2 bunches green Swiss chard, stems trimmed
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 small butternut squash (2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
12 to 16 1/2-inch-thick slices baguette
1 cup (4 ounces) grated Parmesan
Heat oven to 350° F.
Rinse and drain the Swiss chard. Stack the leaves and slice them crosswise into 1-inch-wide strips.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the Swiss chard and squash and stir to coat. Add the wine, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until the squash is tender, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, brush the baguette slices with the remaining oil. Place on foil, sprinkle with the Parmesan, and bake until golden, 15 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls and float the toasts on top.
Recommended: Large saucepan
To Freeze: Omit the Parmesan toasts. Let the soup cool, then ladle into large resealable bags, filling each one halfway. Store for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or thaw partially in the microwave. Warm in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make the Parmesan toasts.
Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings
NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 370(24% from fat); FAT 10g (sat 3.5g); CHOLESTEROL 10mg; CARBOHYDRATE 52g; SODIUM 980mg; PROTEIN 14g; FIBER 4g; SUGAR 4g
Location: A beautiful and peaceful place in the woods
Posts: 8,905
S/C/G: Stuck/Working on it/Good 2 Go
Height: Fun Size
Hello chicks,
I am back for a bit. It's been a crazy, busy week and major depression over the general state of the world. We have lost a bundle of money in our investments - and we were on the conservative side to begin with. DH said come heck or high water he was not working a day past 60 but at this point, I just don't know. We are in the group hit the worst - those soon to retire. At least at this point we still have jobs. I am starting to fret over every penny I spend which is not like me at all. Makes shelling out $721 for an MRI all that more painful. And $350 for a new tooth crown. I picked up some drapes for the bedroom and I am strongly considering returning them for ugly but much cheaper frilly cafe style curtains. Ugh. Even the cheap shades we planned on the upstairs bedroom will run over $100 for 3 shades and the rod.
My hip is still hurting. I am curious as to physical therapy on Monday - what and how many sessions. I know cortisone will help but it also does funky things to the body so I'd rather avoid it if I can. Walking does agrivate the hip, swimming isn't too bad. But I can't swim every day.
I started the diabetes class again. I came in at week 7 of a 12 week program so we have come round to session 1 again. They gave us another blood testing monitor. This one is not nearly as nice as the first. I do admit I am watching my food but not a zealot about sticking 100 percent to program. Weight loss is a little over a 1/2 pound a week and with the medicine my blood sugar is below prediabetes levels. Even 2 hours after eating it doesn't go above 114 which is good.
DH is in alot of pain right now. He suffers terribly as the seasons change. His feet, his back. He is a bundle of pain right now. Best I can do is rub his mostly numb feet while we watch a TV show. I feel bad for him. This is not good weather for me either, the anti-inflamatory doesn't work 100% and sinus season is harder now when my mold allergies kick in with the falling leaves. Geez I sure sound like a Dumpy Dora, don't I?
Mel, I'll skip the soup but those parmesan toasts when's dinner? Are you doing MT's plan using Trader Joe's fresh foods? Sounds like you have something that works which is great. I'm surprised you got away with only $200. So easy to get carried away in that store. It was very nice of you to take care of Willie too. A little insurance bet never hurt and he does take good care of you and Jen. I hope Jen is feeling better. to you both.
Shad, someday you must give us a picture of your loo. Didn't you do some beautiful blue tiles in there? I'm so sorry to hear about DS2. Hope he can hold out. Things are getting very scary all over the world. It's good that you have most of the renovations behind you. I agree the time is here to sort of reassess and hunker down a bit to ride this out. I'm sure the house looks amazing tho - light and airy with pretty cabinets and floors. Glad you have picked yourself up and hopped out of Funkyland. I think we are all occasionally allowed to hang our heads. Sometimes the only way to get up is to touch our toes first. Hard not to feel a bit despondent in these times...
Ceejay - although it was an awful way to get them to pay attention, I'm glad they are at least listening after your meltdown. How is it going with the new people in place?
Annie - still sending you good vibes. Geez Louise - 40 resumes out - you are wonder woman!! I do hope you find something quickly. Heaven knows we can't live on unemployment compensation. I hope things go well with Mr. Tony. Good of you to go slow. Don't make us remind you Have lots of fun at your reunion! It's especially good if you have someone to pal around with and size up the field
Michelle - hope you are feeling better. This time of year seems to stir up the schmutz in the air. Sending you some of Mel's soup to warm you up!
The stock market is beginning to get to me also. It's even affecting the whole world.
Happy
We still have the same bosses they were promoted to a different level. In other words they got a hefty raise with more responsibility. It's a shame that the 401k's are taking such a beating. I'm wondering why they don't put a freeze on the credit cards.
Shad
Can't blame you for holding off on the reno's. We would like to see some progress pictures.
Mel
You are probably wise to buy food for the month. Glad to see that you have found something that is working for you.
Reenie
Are you feeling better?
Hello to every one I've missed
Not much going on this morning. Today is pay day and the pay check has arrived. Therefore I need to go to the bank in a few minutes.
Sorry to have been absent from the thread. I've had a stretch where I've been working a lot, and somehow work seems to use up all my mental energy, leaving none for the Worldlies. I've also been eating more and exercising less, which is always good for morale - not.
Shad, I know what you mean about retirement. Except that I had planned for next year to be my last at work. Thanks to the meltdown, I don't know when I'll be able to stop or even cut back to 50%. My 'pension' had lost about 11.5% of its value at end Sept, and of course the markets have been in freefall since Oct started. I'll see the poor beleagured money man next week to hear the awful truth - I'm expecting between 20 and 30% gone. So I can either work another 5 years or plan to die 5 years earlier. Nice choice!
Happy, good news that it's bursitis and not bone death! Not that bursitis is fun, but at least you can work around it. Not so good news that DH isn't doing well with the change of seasons. Maybe the prospect of working after sixty is making it all worse? I'm like you, have been very conservative in my investments. I've always lived within my means, no debt, never bought a new car, bought a small condo I could afford... And now I almost wish I'd just gone crazy and spent it all, since the money put away for retirement is just evaporating anyway. I almost regret leaving my government job years ago - right now I'd be getting a nice comfy indexed pension! Of course I'd be getting the payments in a mental institiution somewhere - the job was driving me crazy.
Annie, I felt so bad for you losing your lovely job! But I am impressed with the way you got busy right away and sent out resumes all over the place! I have a feeling you won't be looking for too long. And another new BF! You go girl! Talk about getting right back on the horse that threw you! It's been 5 years since my ex-husband ran out on me, and I still don't really feel "ready" to date. But of course I'm pretty pathetic...
Mel, good work on the flu shot clinic. I hope it hasn't worn you out to the point you've re-injured anything. How's the eye doing? Keeping it well away from sharp objects, I hope! I seem to remember you said Ritchie's job was on the chopping block - has that worked out okay? that he's still employed...
Only three weeks left, and I'll be down in NYC in the world's tiniest 1-bedroom apartment. Of course a side effect of the financial situation is that the Canadian dollar has fallen, and everything I buy down there will cost me an extra 10%... Not that it really matters anyway, since I'll be working and earning enough to pay the extra until I'm eighty anyway.
Ceejay, good for you for getting tough at work and convincing them to make the situation better. They must have been afraid they'd lose you to burnout!
Nae, so sorry about Teeka. I'm sure she's happily romping with Lucy and Shad and Hershey - an otherWorldly pack of well-loved pooches.
to Ruth and Madcat. Don't forget to vote on Tuesday!
Just to set the record straight, I do realize I'm very lucky that I have the ability to keep working, that I haven't lost my home or my health, and that 80% of my investments is more than a lot of people have. And even if the situation gets worse, I have the advantage of living in a country with universal health care, so there's no fear of losing medical insurance. It's just so darned discouraging to have tried so hard to be fiscally responsible, and to see outside forces take so much away. But I'll just have to regroup and find a way to manage the job burnout for a few more years. Maybe if I only take contracts that don't involve travel?
On a lighter note, I did get off my butt yesterday and went to a spin class. I always enjoy the classes, and enjoy the way I feel afterwards even more. If only those endorphins were still there the next morning I'd be an exercising fool! Anyway, when I got home from the spin studio, I put the final touches on an elk stew I'd been working on all day. (Farm-raised meat from a local farmers' market.) I'd had a taste of the same stew at the market, got the recipe and was sure I had a winner! Not a chance. It was really quite awful, and the rest will be tossed. Definitely not the recipe I tasted at the market!!! Unless I ruined the whole thing by using italian seasoning instead of individual amounts of sage, thyme, and savoury, which hardly seems likely.
Well, I haven't had brekkie yet, so I'll say ta-ta for now. As usual, I'm full of good intentions about getting on here more often.. I do lurk almost every day, but of course if everyone did that there'd be nothing to read, and then where would we be?? The horror!
A super quick check in from me today. I'm still very sick...this cold is worse than any I've had in years. I'm going to see the doc today to see if it's anything more than just a cold (e.g., strep, mono or whatever). I've literally been away only 2 hours the past two days, and although I did drag myself into work today, I feel lousy and will only be here long enough to get a couple more things done and then I'm out the door and going to the doctors. In the meantime, I'm staying in my cube and not getting near any co-workers.
Happy - I'm so happy to hear that it's bursitis and, therefore, treatable. I would recommend the steroid shot in addition to PT. Those steroid shots can do wonders for the joint inflammation and pain, although you may experience some pain when you get the shot and for a day or so afterward, the long-term pain relief is tremendous.
Annie - I'm glad to hear of your positive attitude.
Ceejay - I've got to call a financial guy to see if it's too late to improve my 401K situation.
Mel - I'm glad you were able to get your shopping done and that Jimmy was able to grease up your old chair.
Shad - I hope the washing and packing goes well.
Big to all of you. I'll try and check in this weekend....but I may sleep the entire time.
Morning all,
Just another day in paradise with the stock market slipping and my superannuation draining away. I hear you Carla. It's incredible we can work so hard, do things right, follow the rules and end up with just about nothing. And the bit that really peeves me right off is that none of this is my doing! And it is caused by greed. And here was I wanting to work less this year and maybe for only 6 months of the year. What a joke. I guess I will be looking for work to keep my sanity and to find some money. We keep getting the banks are safe thing here, but......... There's not much I can do I guess but just keep putting one foot in front of the other, giving as much as I can and keeping my rep as a good trainer and writer and roll with it. I always said that I wouldn't be able to retire before 70 and had to be dead by 74 but I think that figure just dropped some.
Happy was right when she said that those who are going to pay dearly are the ones about to retire - she might also add those who have already retired but without adequate funding.
Mel - DS2 doesn't like the new hours and lack of funds - says he can't live on that - well he does have a hefty mortgage and a car loan. So he went out and checked out some new jobs. I'm happy that he finally wants out of that death trap job, but not sure at all that this is the time to do it. Well it is his decision and I can only point out the reservations.
Happy - You are so right about this crazy world. All of us who have tried to put something aside for our old age are suffering and I think most of us have been a little conservative about it. Don't know about you, but I trusted those who should know to do their best for me. I would probably have done better to put it all into a long term deposit and watch the miracle of compound interest do its work.
Please do not return the fabric you picked for the bedroom. You will never be happy with the cheaper stuff and is the cost of returning it going to outweigh the cheaper price really? The MRI had to be done and teeth are important funnily enough. Just ensure that in the next project you undertake, you research prices and the labour costs thoroughly. We are all going to have to go slowly on this one. At least we have the house, it's not likely that it will fall down around our ears. Time to sort the priorities and stick to them.
Tell DH that I hope he gets to feel better soon. I know he will never feel 100% but I like to hope for a little improvement. I'm thnking of him.
Don't think I have ever sent pics of the loo. You've seen the blue and white bathroom, but the loo is in decadent shades of the '90's eg dark blue dust collecting paint on the bottom third of the walls, cream walls and ceiling and yellow trim with a decorative border of dark blue, yellow and happy fish!! well out of date. The loo itself needs replacement since it is 20 years old and flushes way too much water. That will be the next project I think but it is a while away. I have to save up for the toilet I want which naturally enough is not cheap. I need to set out a project timeline as well.
Ceejay - I'll post pictures when I can. I haven't finished clearing and cleaning the wardrobe yet and there are clean clothes in piles all over the floor. Glad your paycheck arrived, now the trick is not to spend it all in the one place!
Carla - you and me both in the mental institution. I turned down a government job 17 years ago. It was driving me insane and I had only been there for 6 months as a temporary data entry operator. When I went back as a consultant a couple of years back, many of the same people were still there, still beavering away and appeared quite sane. Strange hey?
You must be up for a general election I guess? Telling everyone to vote. Do you want to get rid of the present incumbents and take on something new and unknown? Like you, I live in a country with free health care - well we pay for it with our taxes. I have that to fall back on as well. And mighty grateful I am for it too.
Good for you on the spin class. Releasing those endorphins will probably give the brain a lift to see through the mess.
Michelle - so sorry to hear you are so sick. Get well soon.
I'd better go, the DS2 is going to lie around all day today and tomorrow watching the Bathurst 1000 motor racing. I need to do a 1000 things and some include making a lot of noise so I'd better off to do that before the bloody thing starts. He doesn't ask for much and he is good around the house, so this I can do for him I think. Breakfast, lawns, sweeping, tiling, clearing up the mess, clean the wardrobe out of dust, dead insects and cat fur, finish the ironing and pack. It's all on the menu today. I have enlisted DB2 to take me to the airport tomorrow morning.
Cya
Last edited by Shad; 10-10-2008 at 06:22 PM.
Reason: Can't spell, grammar sucks, where is my brain?
for you for a great new job.
AND HUGS 
RIGHT BACK TO YOU FROM BOTH OF US. JEN FELT BETTER TODAY AND I WAS CALMER 
I WAS THINKING OF YOU AND THE REST OF THE CHICKS WHEN JOHN CAME IN AND SAID HIS FINANCIAL ADVISOR ANNOUNCED HE TOOK A 30K HIT ON HIS 401K AS OF THIS WEEK WITH MORE PROBABLY TO COME. HE LOOKED AWFUL AND I FEEL SO BAD ABOUT EVERYONE'S LOSS. HOPE YOU GET TO SELL THE BEDS AND GET SOMETHING YOU REALLY WANT. WILL THE NEW BED DO TRICKS??? 
ARE YOU PACKED??? DON'T FORGET TO TAKE THE LAPTOP!!! WAS THAT WHAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO REMIND YOU ABOUT???? 
WE GO CEEJAY!!! 
WE NEED TO ENJOY THOSE LAZY TIMES AND GET OFF THE TREADMILL OF CRAZINESS!!! 
JIMMY GREASED UP MY OLD CHAIR AND IT WAS RUNNING SMOOTHLY. 
THE TEMP OUTSIDE WAS NEAR 80 
AND THE BEST PART OF ALL THIS PRE-COOKED STUFF IS THAT I AM STILL HOVERING OVER THE 183 MARK AND HAVEN'T STAYED THERE IN A VERY LONG TIME. SO THE LAST 2 WEEKS OFT JOE'S STUFF IS WORKING OUT OK FOR ME. 
when's dinner? 
Have lots of fun at your reunion! It's especially good if you have someone to pal around with and size up the field 
I seem to remember you said Ritchie's job was on the chopping block - has that worked out okay? 
But I'll just have to regroup and find a way to manage the job burnout for a few more years. Maybe if I only take contracts that don't involve travel? 
