We all seem to be having a rough time of it lately. Even the cow-dogs. The hormone problem is exactly what my dog has, Kiwi. I'll talk to her vet about changing her meds. Isn't it horrible when our poor old dogs start to have major problems. That seizure had to be awfully scary for you. I'm sure the old girl was oblivious.

I'm trying to not let myself get too excited about this property. It is exactly, and I mean exactly what we've been looking for forever. The problem is, someone else has an offer on the place, but it has several contingencies, which involve the house, the well, etc. These ppl need to get a loan on the place, and it just won't pass all the banks requirements for a conventional dwelling. The house is barely inhabitable, w/ dryrot, a bad septic system, a well that doesn't pass their requirements, etc. Doesn't it sound like everyone's dream house? This is the good part - it has a beautiful old barn, a little creek, big trees around where we would build the house, perfect rolling pastureland, and 8 acres of woodland w/ huge Douglas firs and oaks. Perfect soil for gardening!!!! Now all we have to do is sell our place for enough $$$ to swing it. Which, cows, may be a long shot. But I just feel like this place has been waiting for us to come along. The guy who owns it is a sweet old guy, and I know he wants us to have it. OK. I'm delusional.

Exactly what I live in, except we only have 2-3 acres, and there is no such thing as pastureland in Maine. Yep, barely habitable is just how I would describe it. Unfortunately the barn is not all that picturesque; it was an add-on by the previous owners who also installed the smaller windows in the house that are now falling apart and a number of other half-a**ed things. The only good things about our house are the proximity to the lake, the view of Mt. Katahdin (Climb this!) and the water (we have great well water). Luckily all those things will still be here when we demolish the place and build a new one.

Well, it's a beautiful day out for a change, so I ought to enjoy a bit of it before it ends. Tata

Kiwi

OK, I guess maybe I was delusional. I talked w/ a developer and here's the news. It would take about 180 days to get annexed into the city, minimum. It would most likely take up to 2 years to develop. Our dream property will be sold to some other person by then. Then the other bad news this guy gave me is that they are putting in a subdivision directly across the street from us. Which means traffic, traffic, traffic. So waaaaah That will teach me for even thinking about letting someone come in and bulldoze our 100 yr old barn, just so I can have the hacienda of my dreams. Maybe we should just do a Kiwi and bulldoze our house and build my new house here. You know. Right across the street from a subdivision and a city park.

I will do my house building vicariously with you, Kiwi. Your mountain is view is lovely. I'm jealous.

Well, that pic is a little misleading because it wasn't taken from our yard, but it's the same idea, probably just a little further away with more lakes in between.

Sorry to hear about the property. Geez if they're putting in a subdivision across the street, I'm surprised someone isn't eager to take your place off your hands! Although what do I know?

I'm so tired. I seem to have spent the past 6 hours on my feet in the kitchen. Actually I did sit down to eat dinner and watch an hour of TV or so. But I'm still wiped. I made mashed potatoes with fennel bulb tonight to go with wokked chicken and green beans. Never cooked fennel before--it was really good. Threw a bit of chicken bouillon in the cooking water and whipped the concoction without milk. Of course I added butter, what am I, a health nut?

I also spent a long time making dog food, then cleaning up the second giant p-puddle today from not catching the dog wanting to go out. Lord, if I'm like this when I get old, shoot me.... Do you suppose she would put up with having a diaper on?

Kiwi

I'm just coming by to say HI and to tell you that Herbie, the realtor, says people who build houses together often end up divorced. That's not sour grapes. That's plain old envy!!! DS's school was closed yesterday and today and maybe tomorrow because the electrical panel blew up. It actually caught a man's shirt on fire but he's ok. So, I'm taking vacation. I'm in that quick replay thing and about to run out of space. Love you all. I'm signing DS up at the Y today for swimming purposes. It's really inconvenient but he has to learn. I mean he can swim but not well. This quick thing goes on forever. 604 characters. Bye.

We've lived through remodeling. Building a house would be a piece of cake. We're past the divorce age. We celebrate our 25th anniversary next month.

The ppl who are building the subdivision across the street are interested in our place, it's just that it would take too long to sell, and by then our new place would belong to someone else. We don't want to sell just for the sake of selling. We want to sell only if we can find just the right place to buy. It's the classic catch-22.

Anyway, I'm going to quit talking about this, because I'm making myself crazy.

Peaches! how scary! thank goodness there were no kids around when it caught fire. Why don't you use the gym at the Y when ds is taking his swimming lessons?

OOpppps! They're doing construction across the street and they just knocked down some power or phone lines. I'd better shut off my puter. See yas.

Wabby did you lose power with all that yesterday? I do wish you luck getting your dream place. How exciting to have acerage!.
Peaches I am glad that you are snaeaking in a vacation! How fun to get extra time with DS. I don't know when I get my DS 15 next. When school starts I kind of become a pain to him lol ya know Moms are unciool when there is a football game to attend. He lives with his Dad about 70 miles from me, so I have to beg for time at this age. Grrrrrrrrrrr.
Kiwok what is fennel bulb? What is the taste?
I just got over the flu today so I hope I am done being sick. Between strep and flu ya think I would be skinny? Heck no makes me eat more when I can. Hope to behave this time and start losing agin. Have set a goal for me so hope it works,
Daphne

Hi Kiwi and Brattie. Where's everybody else gone to????? Peaches is at the Y getting buff.

My power never did go out yesterday, so I got off my puter for nothing. And you all know I had so much more interesting stuff to tell you.

I just finished Patty Jean's House of Curl It was a delightfully tear jerky book.

I've been a tad busy. Nothing important, mind you, but busy anyway.

Wabbit, the title of that book is very appealing. I may have to pick it up. Actually I want to read the new Fannie Flagg (she wrote Fried Green Tomatoes) book if I can find it.

Glad you're over the flu, Daph. I was just thinking the other day, I didn't know what I'd do if I got sick right about now. I've been spending an awful lot of time and energy taking care of my poor ol' dog, and the worse she gets, the less DH and DD help. Not that they're unwilling, they just get that stricken "I don't know how" look when I tell them what she needs. So if I find it tiring (which I do) to lug a 50 lb dog outside 4x a day and patiently coax her back in, I can just imagine doing it when I'm sick. Well, I just can't get sick. She had another seizure on Wednesday; haven't seen once since then, but you can't be there all the time.

On Wednesday (99c rental day) I rented a DVD of Amelie and tried to watch it on my computer's DVD drive. The drive didn't work, so we had to fiddle with it over and over again. DH got it working and I started watching the film, then it quit again. After about 50 tries, I got it working again and watched about 30 minutes or so of the movie. It's a lovely French film. Unfortunately it quit again and I couldn't get it to work ever again. So I took the DVD back. The next morning we discovered that our TV had died! DH didn't think it would be worth fixing it, so we hopped in the car after he got off work yesterday and went TV shopping. We ended up with a flat screen TV which is really cool. It's the same size as the old one (27) because it had to fit in the cabinet, but we decided to also get a DVD player!! So today I went back to the rental store and got Amelie again. DH is going to spend the weekend on the sailboat as usual, so I will be luxuriating in the splendor of movie magic tonight.

Later gators. Have a great weekend

Kiwi

Oh yeah, Daphne, fennel bulb tastes and even more, smells, like licorice. Raw, anyway. When you cook it, it's much more mild. I've never had it by itself, but it went well with mashed potatoes.

Kiwi

Hi darlings! Boy, am I pooped. Just had to use my feminine whiles to persuade the skinnier-than-me teenage male employee at the local discount supermarket to help me lug two boxed computer desks out to my car. I *told* dh they'd be too heavy for me, but he just said "You can put them in the shopping cart." Yeah right. So I batted my eyelashes at this poor soul (who had bright yellow hair) and he did all the work. We don't have bag boys and parcel pickup and helpful staff here so I was really surprised. I think I'll e-mail the head office and tell them to give him a medal. So now I have two huge boxes in my car and they're staying there 'til dh gets home. Hope no one steal 'em.

Kiwi, Amelie was really popular here but I haven't seen it yet. I just love our DVD player. Afraid to admit I watched American Pie 2 the other day and laughed all the way through it. It reminded me of my high school/university transition. I'm so shallow.

Hey Wabby, hey Daphne, hey Peachy!

The parental units flitted off to Guernsey in the Channel Islands last Tuesday for two weeks and we haven't heard a peep so I'm assuming they're still alive. I sent off a letter to their hotel today and the genius at the post office said "Uh, WHERE is this going to?" Guess I'm the only one in this town who sends letters to exotic places.

Have a fantastic day, cows. I have no idea what I'm making for dinner.

Amelie was so good, you should definitely see it.

Hope your parents have a good in Guernsey I. Do they have a lot of Guernsey there?

Speaking of lugging things, you would not believe how heavy that new TV was. The salesman said over a hundred pounds. We had a good time getting it inside. I think it slightly warped our TV cabinet. Hope it doesn't fall down

So where is everyone else? I have to go out and run by the vet's office. I'll be expecting posts by the time I get back. By the way, the doggie is hanging in there. No seizures since last Wed., not walking any better, but hungry as a horse from the meds. Pretty soon I may not be able to pick her up to get her outside, so she'd better improve that gimp leg soon.

DD had to play (in the band) in her first pep rally today! Does that bring back any memories?

Gotta run.
Later gators
Kiwi

Hi everyone. OK now Kiwok where do I buy fennel bulb? Geesh I am such a geek in the kitchen noting but garlic and onions for me!!!!
SugP I love American Pie 2. I took my DS15 to see it. We laughed so hard especially with the super glue. Not a normal thing to take a kid to but he gets to chose the movies.
How do all of you learn about such cool books? I seem to stick with Stephen King. I am sure my Chruch would be horrified to learn that I have most of his books in hardback!
My manifold broke on way to grocery store today. DH is my hero and rescued me by tyin it up and making the call to get it fixed. Tomorrow at 3 I get to drop it off. He wanted me to call the places and he made forst call, geesh I would not of know what to tell them. It was more complicated explaing it to them then DH said!
I am back OP today, yesterday was my B day and I was a piggy! Back OP today and all week. Hi to everyone else!
Brattie
Wabby I like that name that you changed me to. Brattie suite me. Thanks!

I'm recovering from the weekend. DH's oldest brother and spouse, and his daughter and 2 adorable grandchildren were our houseguests for the weekend. Lotsa fun, but whew! I'm tired! They live in Austin, TX so we don't get to see them very often, but we make up for the frequency of visits by the intensity.

Brattie, I find my books by checking out book discussion groups on the puter, also by paying attention any time anyone talks about a book they read that they just love. Also when I find an author I like, I tend to read everything they've written. Happy belated

Sugar! thanks goodness that you exude feminine charm! I remember the days when that used to work for me.

Kiwi, are you doing a movie marathon with the new tv???

Hi Brattie! I always try to get DH to call about any car trouble I have, too. I've been burned too many times. And my mind is just a sieve when it comes to stuff like that. I've been reading a really good Steven King book -- not a novel; it's called On Writing and it's mostly advice on how to write. But it starts out with a long section about how he became a writer. Very interesting. I also have Hearts in Atlantis sitting around that I haven't read yet. Have you?

I'm making hamburger soup for dinner. Oh, I got the fennel at the grocery store. Probably any store with a good produce department would have it -- we live at about the end of the supply routes, so if we can get it, anyone can!

Tah
Kiwi