Good Freezing Sunday Morning to you all.

A mere 13 degrees here in Indy. By golly it is a cold one! Tony came over at 9:00 and took me to breakfast before my trip to Louisville. How sweet is that. I am leaving for Louisville around 2:00 pm est. I want to get down there before it gets dark. Hells, Bells is gets dark around 5:30 or 6:00. Crazy! Gonna be in training so posting will be sparse if any at all.

MEL....You deserve a couple of days of rest. Put the sign on your door. Sit back and watch some good movies...RELAX!!

Shad...loved the bible story..the very first line cracked me up..Judas Asparagus. I am always telling my kids...Close the door, were not born in a barn. lol I would love to see a live Roo on the side of the road, glad you got it stopped in time.

Happy...Hope you get your to do list done. Snowball right back at cha too!

Hey to Ceejay, Rose, Michellem Madcat, and anyone else I may have missed.

Have a great Sunday and a great week. I will post when I can.

Much love and many hugs, stay warm or cool whatever it takes. ;^)

Good afternoon ladies,

I sat down to post this morning and DH yakked my ear off so now I am behind schedule and have to hurry as half the day is over.

Annie- that was so sweet of Tony to take you to breakfast. Have a safe drive and learn alot at your training week. We'll see you soon.

Mel - the cats are doing just like the grandson - all curled up and sleeping. Perhaps we should take a hint... Now you have me in the mood to make some soup. How was the oatmeal? I had some with peaches and brown sugar on Friday - it was very yummy!

Shad - I don't do the bible but I understand most of what your ditty was about and it was really funny. Porcupines thanks for sharing. I guess it's good that you are busy at work, busy keeps their jobs

Thanks for the mailing tip Rose - I've had some instances where the shipping was more expensive than the item I had purchased.

I ordered some last minute things for family gifts and had them shipped right to my mom's house as we are getting to the wire before we leave and I surely don't want to leave packages sitting at the front door unattended for a week.

Ceejay - what is Mulligan stew? Heard of it but not familiar with it.

Hi Michelle - how did the picture come out? Did you get things done off your list?

Patty, Madcat, Carla, Ruth.

Mr. Feral finally got up and out of his bed. Now I can go in the garage in the refrigerator and take inventory of what I have so I can plan the week's meals. Trying to use up what I have here so I don't have to waste and toss out a bunch of food when we leave in 2 weeks. I hope the turkey still has a few days more of life in it as I would like to make some tetrazini

I am really debating about putting up even our little fiber optic tree this year. Doesn't seem worth the effort to decorate for just 2 weeks. DH doesn't care. If I decorate, it's for me only. I have only received 2 Christmas cards so far, I think alot of people are going to be cutting back on extras all over the place.

I do have to go unfurl my real pine bough that I've had sitting on the patio. It smells divine and I was trying to keep it from drying out too quickly. I figure I will get 2 good weeks of lovely smell out of it. That will make me happier than the plastic tree

Ok, gotta go get busy

Annie
Hope you had a safe trip to Louisville.


I'm back home. Did some minor shopping. Played with the little one. She's so fun to be around. She was doing Yoga positions and wanting me to join her. I always ask her to come home with me. She told me this week end that I needed to get myself a little girl and a little boy. She would come for a couple of days but her mommie would not let her stay forever. I had to laugh at that.

Morning all,
Still busy, still on the go. Those stairs should be doing me some good however it doesn't really appear so.

Mel - nuts to sleeping in. I will ring you this time too!!!!! I need to do it that weekend since I'm off to Adelaide some time in the next week. I'm trying to find out from DS2 as to whether he wants to come or not and we can stagger the days so the cat gets fed as well. I might have to get Chris from down the road to come over and give her some Christmas dinner. I won't get her into a kennel now.

Annie - safe travels - although I guess you are there already. Have fun in the course and come back raring to start work.

Happy - I need to get cracking on some bits and pieces for people too. I'd better sort out what I want to give them and get them posted. I found this NZ shop on the internet which is advertising free worldwide postage and some of the stuff is not that expensive. I don't need much, but I really wont have much time for shopping this year.

Ceejay - out of the mouths of babes. What a lovely thing to say.

Okay - better get off here and go find a little something to do. Be seeing ya

ANNIE~ WISHING YOU WELL ON YOUR JOURNEY. HOW SWEET OF TONY TO DO THE BREAKFAST THING. HE WILL MISS YOU. GOOD LUCK!!

HAPPY~ I WAS LIKE YOUR CATS MOST OF THE DAY! THE OFFICE SENDS THEIR PARCELS HERE SO THEY DON'T GET STOLEN AT HOME NAE WAS THE ONE THAT MADE ME THINK OF THE SOUP. WONDER WHAT SHE FINALLY MADE TURKEY TETTRAZINI!! YUM!! ENJOY THOSE LEFTOVERS!!!

CEEJAY...SHE IS TOO FUNNY...NOT STAY FOREVER! I LOVE WHEN KIDS TALK.

SHAD....I FORGOT ABOUT POOR SUNDAY!! I WENT TO GET THE MAIL AND ON THE PHONE BILL WAS THE CALL FROM SEPTEMBER! IT TOOK THEM ALL THIS TIME TO BILL ME. WE HAVEN'T TALKED SINCE THEN? NO WONDER THE WORLD IS SO SCREWED UP. FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING? COMAPNIES MUST BE GETTING DESPERATE FOR BUSINESS. LOTS OF SALES GOING ON OVER HERE.

IT IS FREEZING OUTSIDE WITH THIS GUSTY WIND.
WENT TO GET THE MAIL AND FOUND OUT THE GOVT CANCELLED JEN'S AND MY ELECTRIC HEAT SUBSIDY. THE ELECT. COMPANY GAVE ME A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL TODAY AND SEE IF IT WAS A COMPUTER ERROR OR A CUTBACK. I CANCELED THE MALL AND JEN IS COMING DOWN TODAY SO WE CAN STRAIGHTEN THIS OUT. WE MIGHT NEED TO REAPPLY. SEEMS LIKE EVERY MONTH THE GOVT FINDS WAYS OF UPSETTING THE POOR AND THE DOWNTRODDEN WONDER IF THEY SIT UP AT NIGHT THINKING UP SCHEMES LIKE THIS
WE WERE DISCUSSING FINANCES LAST NIGHT. WITH THE STATE OF AFFAIRS THE WAY IT IS, WE ARE DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO PENNY PINCHING. I CANNOT IMAGINE HOW A MIDDLECLASS FAMILY WITH A FEW KIDS ARE MAKING OUT! FOR THOSE FAMILIES, THEY MUST BE CLOSE TO A DEPRESSION. SOME OF THE SENIORS TOLD ME THAT SOUP KITCHENS WILL BE OPENING UP NEXT.
I BETTER GET OFF THIS SUBJECT BEFORE I GET DEPRESSED!! AFTER ALL I HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE GOVT CALLS THIS MORNING!!
HAPPY MONDAY

'mornin chicks

I stayed up WAYYYYY to late last night. I kept telling myself to get to bed but I kept saying "just let me finish up this ONE more thing". I got less than 5 hours of sleep and while I used to do this on a regular basis 10 years ago, it just knocks the stuffing out of me now. I feel like I have a hangover as I gulp down the coffee. Am hoping a shower will wake me up as I have lots of meetings to stay awake for today and need to go to the store and do some returns tonight. Yesterday I flitted about doing this and that and must have had my hands in 50 different things. While I did accomplish several things yesterday, flitting from here to there made me feel like I just made more of a mess than I started with.

Got my boob squish results back this weekend in a form letter. All is well, tho the girls are looking a bit "down" I was a bit concerned because for some reason - and I am generally really good about staying on top of things - apparently I had not had a mamogram since we moved down here, which believe it or not is 4 years already. The folks at the hospital were VERY adamant about seeing my last films, to the degree that they called the hospital up north and got copies. That's how we figured out it was 4 years ago. Generally if they are that insistant, to me it would me they found something and wanted the last one to compare it to. But all is well so that's a relief...

Shad - I have one more gift to figure out myself. Circumstances make it a bit more of a challenge since I can't send any old thing. It will probably be late
Good luck with your shopping. Sometimes when it gets down to the wire, you just fly through it

Ceejay - that was so cute what the niece said. I love the logic of a little kid.

Happy trails Annie - guess you should be there already - hope you don't get a hotel room like Carla's

Wake up Mel - another day to get them doggies rollin' downstairs in the office

Ok, I'd better get rollin' myself. Have a good one everybody

Ah there she is... I felt you buzzing around Mel. So sorry to hear about the electrical help. I sure hope you have a successful phone call. I think everyone is feeling the pinch lately although some of us are in a vice grip.

Good morning ladies -

I got some good news at the allergy doc's. He thinks I'm having an allergic reaction to the prescription strength Niacin that my regular doc put me on (in addition to my other medicine) to help with my cholesterol. According the medication side effects, about 10% of people get a severe rash to this medication. The allergy doc said I should stop taking it for a couple weeks and if I don't get any more reactions, then it's very likely the super strength Niacin. So I'm seeing my regular doctor on Thursday and I'll ask him if there's anything else I can go on (in addition to my regular cholesterol med). The allergy/asthma doc also said I should not try and go up 7 flights of stairs at once, as I had been for daily exercise at work. He said that's probably too strenuous for my lungs and recommended a couple flights of stairs and then walking on flat ground - so that's what I'll do today.

Saturday we took the dogs to the groomers, but we didn't get our Christmas picture taken yet (probably tonight). I spent time wrapping presents putting them in boxes to ship. Phew. And Sunday, I got up early and did a lot of cooking (mostly preparing chili for my lunch this week, and foods that freeze well for John to heat up on nights I go to the gym), and I started a pot roast in the slow cooker for dinner. Then we went to a festival of decorated trees fundraiser at the local Humane Society. Then after we got home, I cleared the driveway with the snowblower (my first time using one). DH got a minor injury on his hand that got very infected. We took him to the doctor on Saturday, and the doctor said that we had to go back on Sunday for a follow up. He's supposed to go back tomorrow or Wednesday for another follow up. Hopefully he'll be nearly all healed by tomorrow as we're supposed to get close to a foot of snow between tonight and tomorrow night.

Patty - Sorry I didn't call this weekend....it was really crazy busy. I'm feeling much better now that I know my hives were probably a reaction to medication, which I can just stop taking. I hope you and Blackie are doing well.

Shad - You are right...I'm not going to beat myself up if I can't get to the gym due to bad roads or other good reasons. But I will exercise daily at work and do my best to get to the gym in the evenings. January will be less busy, so I'll have more time, and a lot less excuses! I'm glad you managed to avoid hitting the 'roo. The Judas Asparagus story was so funny! Thanks!

Annie - Thanks for the quesadilla instructions! Yumm! Sounds like you had quite the party Friday night! 13 degrees yesterday in Indy? That's balmy compared to some of the temps we've been getting here. I hope you have a good trip to Louisville and enjoy the training.

Ceejay - So wonderful for you to help your relatives with their holiday grocery expenses! Glad you had fun in Paragould. I'm not familiar with Mulligan stew. I'll have to look up the recipe.

Mel - It's so crazy that the government has their knickers in a twist and spends thousands of person hours on an investigation all for your $260/year raise. When they could be focusing on making sure that people like you keep the electricity and heat on! I hope everything works out for you! One thing NONE of us need is higher bills!

Nae - What kind of soup did y you end up making? If you want snow, you can have some of the stuff that's coming our way tonight and tomorrow! Thanks for the flat rate box mailing tip. I'm still hoping Jesse and my DH get a great job offer very soon. :

Happy - Did you get your to do list done? When are you heading up north for the holidays? Don't you be starting a snowball fight with me, sister, We've got LOTS of the good packing white stuff as ammunition up here with lots more on the way! Glad you got some stuff accomplished yesterday...I know what you mean about flitting about can be so chaotic! I'm glad "the girls" are well.

Painter, Madcat, Ruth and everyone - I hope you all are doing well and not running around too frantically during this crazy holiday time!

Love and hugs,

My Mulligan stew is very simple, 1.5 pounds of stew meat, 1/2 onion, 3 carrots, 3 potatoes and a can of diced tomatoes. I made this one in the crock pot after I browned the stew meat. Seasonings are salt and pepper.

I'm a little more than ticked off this morning. My boss told me around Thanksgiving that I could not take any time off until B comes back to work. This morning when I came in there were two vacation day slips in my box for me to sign from Br. One for this week end and the other next week end. I called him and told him I had plans this week end and on the 20th of next week end. I could work on the 21st. This hit a raw nerve this morniing. It's a common curtesy to the fellow coworker to give a two weeks advance in taking time off. If it were due to a death or sickness I might reconsider but to go shopping no way. He has time off to do that. Excuse the rant.

Geez Michelle- what a bummer with DH's hand One of my co-workers got a nasty infection on his leg. Seems like raging infections are more common now. Could it be all that antibacterial stuff we use or is it just that we poo poo and say it's nothing when we should be treating it? Hope he heals quickly. A foot of snow?????? Argh - you are getting clobbered already. My friend at work is headed up that way for a business trip and I see lots of pink (ice) all around there. I guess we will be using the 4 wheel drive for sure this trip. That's interesting about the stair climbing. I guess we figure that we should push outselves but sometimes we lose sight of the fact that our bodies are saying TOO MUCH. Perhaps you can walk up 2 flights, walk around the office floor, walk up 2 more flights, walk again and then head back down again. I'm glad to hear they at least suspect something on the hives. That Niacin is tough stuff to deal with. DH tried it once and it made him so flushed and sick that he tossed the bottle right into the garbage can.

Thanks for the stew recipe Ceejay - can it be any easier??? I think not! Love it. I agree with you on the time off - this time of year when everyone wants off, people have to be courteous. I would have done the same thing.

Ok, just peeking in at lunch - time to get back to work.

Ceejay - Thanks for the stew recipe. So no other liquid than the diced tomatoes? Sounds yummy and easy! My favorite kind of cooking. Sorry that your coworker is being a pain in the a** with requesting time off. I've taken days off to do shopping, but I schedule them well in advance and make sure that there's plenty of coverage on my team.

Happy - Safe Travels to your friend heading up here. Southern Wisconsin and Chicago-land will likely get more rain/sleet/ice than snow. I would DEFINITELY recommend using the 4 wheel drive when you come up north. The Niacin also made me very flushed, but with rosacea and high blood pressure, feeling flushed is something I'm very used to and can deal with...the painful rash is definitely NOT something I can deal with. Thanks for the tip on alternating stairs and walking on flat ground. I'll do a trek this afternoon after my lunch digests a bit - homemade chili and a salad. Yumm! I'm doing really well on getting all my water and veggies in. Yay!

Morena

Another day, another dollar. I'm running around putting out fires and cursing the people who dreamt up the method of configuring this system. I can not understand why people persist in making it so hard when it is really quite simple. Okay I'll not whinge anymore.

Mel, I hope you sorted out the Govt subsidy for your heat and power. Silly buggers, I wonder if they realise that if they make everyone pay more for everything, then people will start to default their bills. It's a catch 22 situation, like foreclosing mortgages. Where are the displaced people going to go? Will they get a buyer for the house? Why don't they just extend the loan for a period of years and drop the repayments to fit??? Okay so some people went in right over their heads and need teaching a lesson, but not everyone does that hey?

Happy - maybe they did see something that is not quite usual, but not obviously wrong. They would want to check for the same thing on the last picture. They do with mine everytime because this little round white blob appears and it is apparently a lymph node. Also I tend to have things called Christmas trees in the left one but not the right one. Ho hum. Right time of the year for them anyway.

Michelle - at least it is some sort of answer to your problem. I know I get all itchy and scratchy when I overdose on Vitamin B. Apparently it wards off the dreaded Ozzie Mozzie and I took too much of it 'because the critturs love me'. I swell up like a balloon and the itching is undescribable.
Hope it is the real answer

Ceejay - stick with it. How come he can get time off and you had to cancel your plans for a Christmas with the family. That is just unfair.

Not much news around here except the DS2 is considering going to University next year if he passes the QTAC examination and studying Mechanical Engineering.
DS2 also 'sorted' the DB2's bank account and so far the DB2 has 'accumulated' nearly $1000 - and he doesn't apparently know it is there. Long may this situation last.

And I better get back to work and gather more strength for the afternoon problems which are yet to occur and the momentum is just now gaining strength. I'll go down and get my lunch and be ready for it!

See you

HAPPY~ YOU REMIND ME IT'S BEEN OVER 2 YRS SINCE I LAST WENT. GLAD ALL IS WELL WITH THE GIRLS! AS WE WOMEN AGE, WE DEVELOP CALCIUM DEPOSITS IN OUR BREASTS. THE HOSPIIALS/DRS LIKE TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE SIZE OF THEM AND IF THEY ARE MOVING AND GROWING. THUS THE NEED FOR THE PREVIOUS FILM SO THEY CAN COMPARE. THANKS FOR THE HUG. I NEEDED IT. ALSO HOPE YOU GOT MORE SLEEP!!!!

MICHELLE...NOW THAT I READ YOUR POST IT'S ALL COKMMON SENSE. MIACIN CAN CAUSE PEOPLE TO LOOK LIKE THEY HAVE BEEN OUT IN THE SUN ALL DAY!!! THE TOTAL SUNBURN LOOK. HOPE ALL WILL BE WELL NOW AND THE "ALLERGY" WILL DISAPPEAR NOW. TAKE CARE OF THOSE LUNGS!! LOOK WHAT THEY WENT THRU THIS HEAR!!! SO SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT DH'S HAND!!! HOPE IT HEALS SOON TOO

CEEJAY~ GOOD FOR YOU STICKING UP FOR YOURSELF!! GLAD YOU ARE DEFENDING YOUR DAYS OFF. YOU MADE ME HUNGRY FOR STEW!!! SOUNDS DELICIOUS!!


SHAD~ I AM SO GLAD TO HEAR ABOUT DS2 AND WISH HIM GREAT LUCK!! AND I AM EVEN HAPPIER HE HAS GRABBED HOLD OF THE DB'S ACCT AND IT IS GROWING. GOOD FOR DS2!!!! SORRY THE PROGRAM IS BEING SUCH A PAIN. HOPE IT LASTS THOUGH...THE JOB I MEAN...NOT THE PAIN!

AFTER MANY UNANSWERED CALLS I FINALLY FOUND A WOMAN THAT THINKS MY PAPERS WERE "LOST"...SO SHE TOLD ME TO REAPPLY. TEARFULLY I WENT DOWN AND DID ALL THE PHOTOCOPYING AND STUFFED A MANILLA ENVELOPE...OUT IT WENT. TOMORROW JEN IS COMING DOWN AND WE WILL TACKLE HERS AGAIN. SEEMS THEY ARE MAKING CALLS TO THE ACTUAL RESIDENCE AND SHE HAS NOT BEEN THERE TO ANSWER HER PHONE HOPEFULLY IT'S SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS THAT. NOW WE WAIT FOR AN ANSWER. COULD TAKE WEEKS. AND SHAD YOU ARE RIGHT...IF IT CONTINUES LIKE THIS, I WILL BE FORCED TO DEFAULT ON MY LAST CREDIT CARD. THERE IS NO OTHER ANSWER. NOT LIKE I AM GOING TO GO OUT AND GET ANOTHER JOB! BUT WE ARE STILL LAUGHING OVER HERE.
NOT MUCH TO DO TODAY. JUST REST AND THEN TO THE OFFICE TOMORROW AFTER JEN GETS SETTLED. WE'RE COLLECTING FOOD FOR A PROJECT FOR ONE OF THE MAINTENANCE MAN'S BOY. SOMETHING TO DO WITH HIS CONFIRMATION. I THINK THEY ARE CATHOLIC. I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THIS BEFORE. ANYWAY.....TOMORROW THE SENIORS WILL DONATE CANNED GOODS AND MELLIE WILL BE THERE URGING THEM ON!! THIS PROJECT SOUNDS LIKE AN OXYMORON...ASKING SENIORS TO DONATE FOOD STUFFS WHILE THEIR CHECKS ARE EVER DECREASING AS PRICES GO HIGHER?!?!?!?!?
IN THE MEANTIME.....
HAPPY TUESDAY!!!

Good morning ladies -

We got over 6" of snow overnight, and the forecast is for us to get 6" - 10" more. So I'm working from home today. I have lots of work to do, and I'm fortunate to be able to work remotely when necessary. I'll also be helping DH clear the driveway and walkways, and pull some of the snow off the roof so we don't get ice dams.

Annie - I'm not sure if this storm is supposed to be more rain or snow by the time it hits Indy. South of Milwaukee and northern Illinois is getting mostly rain with this storm.

Shad - Sorry to hear that you're having so many frustrating system issues. Christmas trees in your left boob? How odd? I've never heard of such a thing. Does that mean you should put ornaments and garland on your bra? As for the allergy...so far so good. I stopped taking Niacin Friday, and no reactions since. Glad that DS2 took a look at DB2's bank account. Hopefully DB2 won't find out about the extra cash. Good luck to DS2 about the exam. Sounds like he has a very good plan in place.

Mel - As for your heat and electricity...I hope everything works out well (and quickly) for your and Jen's subsidy. These are tough times for all of us...we definitely do NOT need higher bills. Hang in there, sweetie. Glad you're keeping your sense of humor. It does sound odd to ask seniors on fixed incomes to donate food for people who are struggling. But I guess even those of us who are getting hit hard by the economy are doing better than many folks. My DH's hand is getting better. The swelling is almost all gone, and while the site of the infection still looks pretty gross, it looks way better than it did.

Happy - Radiologists always want to compare old films to current ones. No need to worry. I have to get mammos every year (since age 33) because I've got family history (my sister) had to have a mastectomy at age 41.

Ceejay - I agree with Shad. It's REALLY unfair that your co-worker can take time off but you had to cancel Christmas plans.

Well, I'd really better get some work done. Just 'cause I'm snug at home (until I clear the driveway that is), doesn't mean I can slack off.

Love and hugs,

Good morning ladies,

I went to bed at 10 last night which is very early for me. Got 8 hours of sleep but still feel tired this morning so I think I really am fighting something off. And it's a downpour out here today. Heavy rains. Sure does know how to rain hard in the south They said if this was snow we'd have 4 feet Glad it's the liquid stuff. Our weather is enough to make one sick. 60 degrees one day, then the rains come in advance of a cold front, it drops down 20 to 30 degrees into freezing for a few days, then warms back up to 60 again.

Mel - yes it's an oxymoron with the seniors giving back but as we all know - those who have the least are the most prone to try and eek out something to help someone else. Hope you collect alot of food. We sometimes joke at work that we are going to start food drives, school supply collections, gas cards for those of us who are hurting too. Although they are not pestering us for various charities quite as much as they used to. I help out where I can. Hope the extra money comes through for you and Jen

That's great news on DS2 Shad. I'm sure that with today's youth, they will at least once have to pick up some new skills as the job market changes. Guess you'd better hide that windfall from DB2 until he really needs it. Always nice to find a little unexpected stash somewhere. OMG - I had to laugh at your post about people making things hard that are really simple. You sound like one of "them" - Actually, I find it hard to comprehend because the new method cannot speak the language of the old method - therefore we cannot comprehend and it appears that both of us are speaking in tongues I hope you get through to them!

And with that, it's time for me to head out into the rain with the clowns who think they are on the autobon. Wish me luck and a protective, invisible shield.

to the rest of the chicks, sorry for not posting more personals