Spring Break here in Smallburg, and the weather is gorgeous! It's already almost 70 deg. and it's supposed to get up into the 80s tomorrow! What a good time for DD to rake the lawn and pick up sticks

DH is going in for surgery on his nose on Thursday. He is already planning a very long recuperation after it -- help! He has something like 30 or 40 hours worth of taped TV shows he's planning to watch and a store of library books. Maybe I'll move out... (just kidding)

How's everyone? Why aren't you here posting for my entertainment? I just got back from slinging hash for the oldsters, my hands are burnt from washing dishes in scalding water

tata
Kiwi

Hi Kiwi, I guess everyone else has spring fever too. Poor Kiwi! a recuperating DH! DH's in general are usually horrible patients. I hope he goes easy on you. What with dishing up for the old folks and caring for DH, you win the Cow sainthood award for the month. Possibly the year.

I wish I had something groundshaking to say, but the truth is, my life has been a real bore lately.

Ooo, ooooh! I just remembered. I forgot to tell you that I got tickets for a "Down from the mountain" concert in July. Its music from the movie "Oh Brother Where Art Thou". It had better be good - the tickets cost $170. Ouch! It had also better be sunny - no refunds for rainy weather.

It's an outdoor concert? I saw the movie and the music was great; I'm sure it will be a great concert. But $170??? Please tell me that was for 2 ! We just paid $28 each for Incubus tix. Of course not quite the same league, but still...

We're having a fabulous thunderstorm tonight -- I love it.

Kiwi

Hello! That concert sounds fun! We loved that movie.

I'm sorry I'm not posting as much as I'd like. I miss being the peppy, cute little 145-pound inspiration. It's depressing. I think I'm losing readers to my weight-loss journal because I'm not successful and I'm not very charming in my failure.

My new workout regime seems to be working, though. I'm making fitness progress... painfully slowly, but progress none-the-less. My sprint is up to 6.8mph for 30 seconds.

Food, however, is another story. I'm considering trying raw food, at least for one meal a day.

The bracelets I'm making are bead and wire. I made a rosary bracelet for me to wear, but I haven't started on another one yet.

So, I might have an interview next week. And I literally have nothing to wear. During the past three years of denial, I have refused to buy clothes that fit, which means I'm mostly squeezing into size 12s (and I do mean squeezing... I am nowhere near a size 12.) I'm stumped, because I really can't afford to buy anything new either.

Agh. How did this happen?

I hope y'all are doing better than me.

Gratuitous grazing cow: ::

What are you interviewing for? Please go out and buy an outfit that fits you and is comfortable -- there is nothing more depressing than trying to squeeze into clothes that don't fit. Think of it as a temporary outfit -- maybe buy something at a 2nd hand store if that makes it more palatable. Buying something that fits you is not a defeat!! It's saying I'm worthwhile right now.

Well, DH is home and over his surgery and vegetating on the couch. He'll be in some pain for a while, and can't do anything strenuous for a couple of weeks. The nurses said they couldn't believe how little he could breathe through his nose before the surgery (hopefully once this heals that will change A LOT!) The only person we encountered at the hospital today that we didn't know was the doctor. The nurse anesthetist was one of the women I went to Boston with a couple weeks ago, the post-op nurse was the mother of DD's best friend, the lady in the cafeteria was DH's cousin etc, etc. What a place to live...

Kiwi

Hey cows! Berlin was fun. The last time I was there was in 1988 when the wall was still standing. Wierd that it wasn't there any more. We saw Checkpoint Charlie and the Brandenburg Gate (which is a lot smaller than on tv) and the Pergamon museum where they have bits of the Acropolis. We ate lots of fatty food and got wet cause it rained almost the whole time. I bought some very cool shoes - now I have nothing to wear them with.

Hi Cherry! You don't need to be an inspiration to post here (although you are one - been reading your fitness journal!)- you can just hang out and be an ol' cow like the rest of us. I was also going to suggest a second hand outfit. Or could you sew up a simple skirt and buy a nice blouse that you could wear whatever weight you are? I *know* the feeling of sausaging yourself into too small clothes - it's awful.

Did your dh have a deviated septum fixed, Kiwi? I have one of those too but it's not that bad. I guess you'll be playing handmaiden until he feels better, huh? Heard about the heat wave over your way. We were watching CNN on Tuesday and the weather report said New York was at 29C and I though "Huh? In the middle of April? Too wierd".

Hi Wabby! Your life is never boring. Tell us about your wacky relatives!

Where's Peachers? She needs to post the boys' holiday photos with all the faces blanked out.

Berlin sounds like a good time. Yeah, DH had his deviated septum fixed, but also he had growths removed from inside the nose, things called turbinates, which are natural but his were way overgrown to the point that he only had 30% of normal breathing ability there. So it ought to make a big difference.

It was supposed to be really hot here this week, but it turned out to rain most of the time. We desperately needed the rain, but during vacation week, it's been kind of a bummer. DD is going to the "big city" with a friend tomorrow to go shopping and to a movie, so she will enjoy that. She had another friend over yesterday and she stayed for dinner, which was fine with me, but I was a little puzzled over the whole thing -- it was the girl's birthday and she wasn't given any particular time she had to be home! Isn't that odd, for a 14 year old on her birthday not to have any plans, not even dinner with her family?? This is not a neglected kid at all, either. Families are so different, I can't fathom some of them. I almost suggested that we go out for ice cream before I drove her home, but I decided that would be overcompensating, and she didn't seem to be concerned that she was hanging out with us on her birthday. My family always fussed over everyone's birthday, so it seemed weird to me.

La dee dah. La La.

Kiwi

I am in recovery from the Musical---dd17 has dumped her boyfriend of two years--i I loved him too!!!---and has taken up with her leading man from the Musical---does THAT remind anyone of highschool days----in my school the leads from the musical always enjoyed great adulation !!!! yikes---I feel so bad for her ex sweetie---this is HARD---right Wabby!!!---I have to go and sweep the sidewalk----like the old hags do in Germany---RIGHT Sugar!!! Kiwi darling--we have had nothing but rain either----no heat----DRAT!!!hope dh is feeling better--will talk later---HI CHEERY CHERRY---keep posting here!!!

Can I get my message posted before Bagz gets one posted? I can see your onlight, Bagzie. How's the weather up there in St. Elsewhere?

I read about those Canadian soldiers that were killed by our stupid planes over in Afghn. That really sucks -- apparently it has been over 50 years since Canadian soldiers have been lost in combat or something? Well, please accept my personal apologies to all our cousins to the north. We are idiots and shouldn't be allowed to play with guns.

And you should not name your battalions the Princess Patricia Light Infantry

DH is recovering nicely, no whining. Good boy.

Kiwi

Hey! I've been busy the last couple days with DH's new notebook computer. Our printer is 1 1/2 yrs old and it wouldn't work with Windows XP, so I had to download a fixit off the internet, but it took 2 hrs to download, and I forgot that the battery on the puter was only good for 1/2 hr, then once I got it downloaded on the second try, I couldn't get it to run, then .... it went on and on.

I want to second the US apology. I was sick when I heard the news about the Canadian soldiers. I have such mixed feelings about the whole "War on Terrorism". Because on the one hand ... and then on the other hand .... And it's all so confusing to figure out who the bad guys are.

Bagzie, it's better that she doesn't latch on to one guy at this stage anyway. It is hard on us moms though.

Cherry, you are not required to lose weight to hang out with us. You should know that by now!!! Otherwise none of us would get to hang around.

Sugar, what a fun weekend. I need a romantic weekend away in a European country. My wacky relatives are relatively quiet right now.

I'm going to my friend's 50th birthday party tonight. I refuse to buy her insulting cards and gag gifts. I don't know how my friends have all gotten so elderly.

I got a digital camera for my birthday. I don't think I like it. I prefer the any idiot can operate point and shoot camera. However now I can show you the cute little '64 Volkswagen bug that my DH has just finished restoring. It's adorable. We're driving it to the party tonight.

to see the VW. He didn't paint big flowers on the sides did he?

Does this mean we'll be seeing you on weekends now and then, Wabster?

I have nothing at all to say today. Of course that never stopped me before We had some friends over last night -- because DH didn't want to go out with his "nose in a sling". We played cards. I won.

The rain has finally cleared up and it's gorgeous out. I should get out there and do something. I wonder if I will....

Have a good weekend, all.

Kiwi

Hi Cows!

++++++
Include me among the Americans apologizing about what happened to the Canadians. How horrible.
++++++

I went and bought some stuff at Wal Mart to go with a skirt I have that fits okay. It's more casual than I normally wear for interviews, but I think it'll work for this particular place. The big problem with buying stuff that fits is that whenever I get something comfortable, I 'grow" into it. Ick. Oh, I'm not even sure if I even have an interview, but as Nick (Little Guy) would say, it's in a state that starts with "W" and ends with "isconsin." I hope to be able to elaborate when we get back!

Sugar P, I like Berlin! I think I offended a German once, though, when I said that it reminded me of Paris (one of my favorite cities.) In fact (I didn't say this) I thought Berlin was what would happen if someone tried to turn Paris into Frankfurt.

Wabby! Will we get to see you on the weekends now?

Kiwi, how's the hubby doing? My best friend had that operation a few years ago.// About the 14 year old with no plans for her birthday... my family was kind of like that. It was different from my friends, who usually had all kinds of plans.

Bagzzie, so sad about the cut now-ex-bf. Maybe she'll come to her senses!

I have to go... I worked until 2:30am and started up again at 6am. Then raced to the music concert where DS was performing, after number confusion (they number right to left, top to bottom at that school... and we wonder why test scores are so low.) Anyway, got there in time to be shut out of the room and have to watch through the window. I absolutely hate school events here. They work as hard as they can to make them as unpleasant as possible. Anyway, DS sounded great. We'll know how he scored later this afternoon. I have to grab a nap, then run the dogs to the kennel, pick up DS.... today has been a real workout!

Ciao!
Cherry
185-183-125

....... to apologize. I suppose it could just have easily happened the other way around. It is horrible, isn't it? If women ruled the world, things would be different.

Kiwi! I am over at Nutbags2000 and they're saying there was an earthquake on the East Coast. Did you feel anything?

Way to go on getting an outfit, Cherry! Hope you get the interview.

Bagzie! Musical Boyfriends instead of Musical Chairs, eh? Just like in Hollywood where they fall in love with the leading man.

Hi Wabby! I bet the party will be fun! Your dietician would say "Remember to have a filling, low calorie snack before you leave home so you won't be tempted to overindulge." I would say "Forget it and stuff yourself silly. Tomorrow is another day." That's why I'm fat.

I don't like the idea of eating before a party; I think it's silly. If I am the one providing the food, I am kind of ticked off if someone isn't eating anything because they ate before they got there! And if I were to fill up before going to a party, I would just eat everything anyway and be twice as full (and twice as fat).

Best of luck on the interview, Cherry. Your little guy is a card!

Yeah, Sugar, there was an earthquake in upstate NY, but we didn't feel it. Of course it was at 6:50 this a.m., so I was dead to the world anyway -- if the earth shook, I'm sure I'd have thought it was DH snoring.

Speaking of DH, he's doing fine -- still on pain relievers -- percocet. Occasionally a bit loopy.

Kiwi

DS scored a 1 on both of his events! Now we just need to see how he ranks with the other kids and groups who scored ones. It'll be a couple of days before they have all that info. He performed in a brass quintet and in the whole 7th grade band. He has a lot of potential.

Thanks for the good luck wishes! I hope we like it there. It's 10 hours there, 10 hours back, and I would hate for it to be a waste of time like an interview we did in Iowa a while back.