oh boy - where is everyone? Is it a holiday and they forgot to tell me?

Meeting with dragon was meh. Non commital though I know I will not be considered for either job opening. I did meet with another manager today - the bad thing is there are ALOT of people vying for jobs. Got my first reject letter today but I sort of knew that was happening. The system is designed to keep you stressed out. You wait for the job to be posted, then wait for the 2 weeks it's posted. Then wait for them to select interviewees. Could be 6 to 8 weeks before you know what's going on. I suppose the good thing is that in that interim you still collect a paycheck (just hard on the nerves) and there is always the chance that new jobs will become available. I did get approval to take some classes so that's a good thing. First class is Monday.

Had some California roll sushi for lunch I picked up fresh made yesterday. It was good. Nice and light. I have a nice piece of salmon for supper tonight. Going to try pan sear. I figure I can get the smell out of the kitchen before DH comes home tomorrow

Hope you all are enjoying your Friday. Catch up later...

Afternoon all, wherever you are!

Mel - We have a retired woman who still does a few hours of work for our department and we don't want to think of the day when she says she doesn't want to do it anymore!! Glad you're getting lower humidity now and hope that helps w/ the sinuses.

Happy - Sorry for the rejection on the job. Maybe the one you had a meeting about this morning will be the one. I too keep hearing how much competition there is our there - just hang in there!! Yeh, I think we should have taken the zoo tram for part of our day yesterday so bf's mum wouldn't get so tired out. We did make a lot of rest stops though. Too funny that you're getting all your fish-eating done while dh is away. So I take it he's not a fan of fish?

Happy, my fitness passport has 15 different types of classes available and I've tried 7 different ones so far. Many are scheduled when I'm not available so I won't be able to try many more. Tomorrow morning I might try the Weekend Warrior class, but only because it's the only one that'll fit into my schedule for tomorrow. It's 75 minutes long, and I'm not really up for that, and I have to be somewhere by 11:00 am tomorrow, so I might have to duck out early anyway. We'll see. It might be better to give my sore hamstring a rest.
***
Weekend plans:
Tonight I'm making brownies for the book club tomorrow. Book club is in Rockford, about 70 miles away. Yup, one of our members lives there and is hosting this one. The book was the worst book I've ever read (well, I'm 24 pages away from finishing it, so that qualifies as being read, and no, I'm not kidding - it was yes, it really is that bad!) and we might not be able to truly rip into it the way we'd like because apparently the author is a friend of the woman who is hosting and who chose this book! And I hear there are currently only 3 of us attending (plus the host, that makes 4 - we usually have at least 8 people). The bad part is that we all agreed on the book and to make this "road trip", and even accepted the books for free! Several members have now declined with other plans. Not sure how many hated the book, didn't bother reading it or finishing it and decided to skip the gathering for that sole reason. I don't recall how many initially planned to attend. I mean, it is summer and there are a lot of vacations and other activities, so there's that...

Tomorrow is the book club - meeting at our leader's house at 11 am and we'll drive out there. Hope to get home by 5-ish. Nothing planned for the rest of the weekend. Hope the weather stays nice. Oh, just checked - might be rainy. That might be a good thing - my bike might not be ready for cycling this weekend anyway.

Feeling like a mess this week. The migraines, the hamstring and my scraped elbow... well today I felt like I had an ear infection. Yes, I did have that fluid feeling earlier in the week and ignored it, but today at lunch I went to a clinic in a pharmacy near the office and I'm happy to say I don't have an infection. It's just pressure in my eustachian tube from fluid buildup. I'm adding zyrtec to my daily allergy meds for the next few days to combat that. I have to say I was lucky and there was no wait to see the nurse practitioner, and I thought she was very nice, helpful, and "on the ball". I'd go back again if I needed to.

Have not been very productive today and I wish I could just coast out this day doing no-brainer tasks, but unfortunately I have a 3 pm meeting I need to prep for and one other "icky" to work on. Just a few more hours and then I can relax!

Okay, enough rambling. Back to work!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE!!

I WOKE WITH ANDREA BOCELLI SINGING IN MY EAR....I COMPLETELY IGNORED SARAH BRIGHTMAN'S VOICE....I AM VERY JEALOUS OF HER
THERE ARE FAR WORSE WAYS OF WAKING UP
I WORKED A BIT YESTERDAY. PUTTING IN SOME TIME FOR SEPTEMBER'S CHECK.
JUST WHERE IS THIS SUMMER GOING TO??????
I AM ON MY OWN THIS WEEKEND WITH ONE MAINT.MAN.
EVERYONE LEFT FRIDAY FOR VACATION
WE ALREADY HAVE A FIRE ALARM PROBLEM IN THAT ONE OF OUR 2 LINES THAT AUTOMATICALLY CALL THE FIRE DEPT IS DOWN.
THEN LATE LAST NIGHT A WOMAN SAID HER FRIDGE WAS BROKEN. CALLED THE MAN AND HE SAID SHE HEARD IT TURN OFF AND
THOUGHT IT WAS BROKEN!!!!!POOR WOMAN MUST BE LOSING IT....SHE FORGOT IT'S ON A THERMOSTAT.
BOTH MOTA AND I CRACKED UP LATER WHEN HE REPORTED TO ME.
NOTHING ELSE NEW IN THE LAND OF THE BLUE HAIRS.
HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY
** FORGOT TO SAY....2 OF MY EXTRA CHECKS GOT PULLED OUT TO BE QUESTIONED BUT MR. WONDEFUL ACCEPTED MY BOSS'S EXPLANATION.
GOOD THING CAUSE HE REALLY IS A DIRT BAG......NOT THE "D" WORD I WANTED TO USE BUT YOU GET THE DRIFT.


HAPPY....I AM SO PROUD OF YOU FOR DOUSING THE TORCH. I AM SURROUNDED BY BIOTCHES THAT GET AWAY WITH EVERYTHING.
THE SAD THING IS THEY TOO FLAUNT IT AT TIMES. IF I WERE TO DO CRAP LIKE THAT, I'D BE IN JAIL
SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THE INTERVIEW AND LETTER. BUT I AM PRAYING THAT SOMEONE RECOGNIZES YOUR TALENTS
AND SCOOPS YOU UP FOR ANOTHER JOB I KNOW DH ISN'T THERE TO GIVE ADVICE AND COMFORT AND I KNOW WE ARE A LOT ALIKE
SO I THOUGHT A REMINDER WOULDN'T GO AMISS. I EVEN LEFT OUT ALL THE "FOOK" WORDS I WAS SAYING ALOUD AS I TYPED.
FIGURED YOU COULD SPRINKLE THOSE SALTY SUCKERS INTO THE POST YOURSELF!!! I AM HAPPY DH IS COMING HOME AND HOPE YOU BOTH
CAN KEEP YOUR BP'S FROM GOING OVER THE TOP. SORRY YOU GOT A SCARE AS WELL BUT I AM NOT SURPRISED.
KEEP TELLING YOURSELF TO "LET IT GO".




LAURA.....SEEMS LIKE YOUR POOR BODY PICKED UP WHERE MINE LEFT OFF. HAD A BAD WEEK OF SIMILAR STUFF AND
I DIDN'T EVBEN GET KNOCKED OVER BY A DOGGIE!!! ;rofl: HOPE ALL YOUR BOO BOOS FEEL BETTER OVER THE WEEKEND.
MAYBE YOU NEED SOME DOWN TIME AND A GOOD REST WITH A MUCH BETTER BOOK TO READ!!!
SORRY THE BOOK WAS A BUST AND THE PEEPS AREN'T ALL GOING. WIMPS!! LOL HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND AND GET
WELL SOON

Happy Saturday morning ladies,

Mel - I completely understand what you are saying about this summer flying by. Labor Day is in 2 weeks. I always get a little sad to see September roll around because it's the end of swimming season (the nights get cool and the sun isn't over the pool enough to warm the water back up). The last few months really did fly by. I'm glad your extra checks go ok'd. What they think you will work for free? And I'm sure it's NO SECRET who is the go to girl in your building. So are you saying that the office ladies are bealzebub's spawn too? Be careful beyotches - you can only push the little people so much before the uprising starts again So it appears that you work now, rack up the hours and then have to fight the following month to get all your money? Good luck. Thank you again for your good advice yesterday. I thought about it several times and it kept me sane. I find myself talking to myself alot lately. Whispering but talking out loud - it's a pressure valve I'm sure but I am doing it at work too. I just hope I'm not loud and talking in the toilet stall where someone will run back and snitch on me

DH is coming home today. I missed him although I have talked to him at least an hour each day. I think he is tired of this whole ordeal too and ready to get on with the next part. He should be home in the late afternoon. I had THOUGHT with him away that I would have gotten sooooo much done. My family knows that I don't particularly like to stay home alone so each night they called for the "monster check" to keep the monsters at bay outside the door where they belong and not in the house It was sweet and I appreciated it but I got at least 3 calls a night and it chewed up the evening something fierce. Some nights I was on the phone until 9 or 10 pm. Didn't even get a swim in but one night this week. If we are going to empty this house and take another load up north, we will have to do it very soon. All the stress is physically exhausting, I fall into bed at 10pm each night. Maybe I need to pop one of those 5 hour energy drinks before I leave the office and just power through the house!

Getting my hair done this afternoon. Will probably be the last time I see my hairdresser. She is very popular and only works a few days a week - mostly during the day. She is trying to get new clients as she should but those clients (like me) work during the day. She works Thursday until 6pm and Saturday - all other times are during the day. I work at least 45 minutes from the salon - can't be taking off at 1pm to go get my hair done. When I was there in June I always try to book ahead at least one appointment. Could not get anything for September or October. If I have to wait 5 months to get my hair colored, it's time to find a new hairdresser. It's a shame because she is magical when it comes to hair color and I have always liked how she cuts my hair. I will tell her this when I see her today but I guess we will just part ways with a and a

I had a scary moment the other day. Picked up a few groceries and was going to pay with my debit card so I could get some cash back and it was NOT in my wallet. I searched like 4 times. I hardly ever use the debit card and am very careful about it with all the fraud out there. I got gas and realized I might have left it at the nail salon last weekend. The place is right next to the gas station and I went in and sure enough - they were holding it. Whew! I realized that when I was in there - the owner was in a bad mood and he rang up my charge and gave me the receipt but not the card. I was trying to get out of there quickly as they were closing - even smudge one nail because the polish had not had enough time to set and I didn't even think about the card he didn't give to me. Good thing I only use it at a few places. DH keeps losing his cell phone, I am forgetting credit cards - what a pair of goofs we are becoming.

We had a storm come through last night around 10pm. Lots of winds. More wind than rain. I'm glad I didn't spend the evening cleaning up the yard as I had planned because it would have been for nothing. Tree stuff everywhere. The morning dawned sunny but it's getting gray again. Will have to check the weather.

Ceejay - are you having a gas shortage in your area? We heard on the news that a refinery that produces 90 percent of the gas in the area had a fire that cut supply. I'm sure people are panic buying. They were all out of middle and high grade gas when I stopped the other night. I told DH when he gets around to your area make sure he gases the SUV up.

Anyway I need to run the vacumn and take a shower. Hope everyone has a good weekend and doesn't work too hard. See yahs.

Hi ladies -

Just a quick check in....I'm still feeling really lousy with this bronchitis. I'm breathing a bit better than I was on tuesday or wednesday so that's a plus. Unfortunately, I'm still very weak and tired and only up for a couple hours a day.

Still on antibiotics, prednisone, and nebulizer treatments every 4 hours. I'm hoping that with a restful weekend, I'll be back at work on Monday. Or at the very least able to work from home.

I haven't had a chance to read the posts so know that I'm sending : and to all who need them.

Love and hugs to all,

Awww Michelle sorry you are so sick My sister has the same problem and she is almost freaky about avoiding the situations that can bring on trouble with the lungs just because as you say the consequences are so far reaching. Just focus on resting and not on the other stuff you think you should be doing - easy to get into a bad mindset. The faster you get better, the sooner you can go on with things. Start making an outline for that Great American Novel Feel better

Happy - I love how you remember that my dream is to write a novel. Unfortunately, the outline will have to wait. I've got to finish up my BIG website project, and a smaller one, and I'm taking on two new website project for a wonderful woman that a friend hooked me up with. Besides, the way my head is working (or not) now...my creativity is just about nil.

Morning all,
Had a very restless night after not feeling to bright yesterday. Think I just need a break - roll on time so I can get through this next month or so and then take some time off.

DS2 came home unhappy yesterday because someone has lifted his mobile phone while he was getting change for a workout. He immediately put a block on it for outgoing calls and then tried to jam it with incoming text messages requesting somewhat impolitely that they return it. And then politely suggested they might have a heart and return it for a reward. The home phone rung last night but the person on the other end refused to speak to me. The phone has now been shut down by the phone company. Not much use trying to sell it now you bunch of losers.

The garden is growing slowly. I picked two ripe tomatoes yesterday and the corn looks like it might be ready in a couple of weeks. The Rocket and Spinach is mighty tasty and the lettuces probably only need another week. Beans are flowering.

Michelle - hope you are feeling better today. Keep taking that medication and getting plenty of rest. Good to hear that you have a couple of new websites to work on, but not at the expense of your health please.

Mel - It was nice to knock off at 3.00 on Friday. Heck I had still done 8 1/2 hours at that time anyway. What wasn't nice was all the schoolkids on the train. Man, they are noisy, not to mention fairly stupid.

Happy - Hope DH has a safe trip home. I like the idea of filling up a truck next time and getting most of the unnecessary away in one trip. I hope you took a copy of Mel's breathe in and out graphic. Sounds like you could use that as a screen saver for a while. I find Murphys law always works for me. I get a new job and someone would immediately buy the house.
I've been watching a program on TV called Let's Grow. It's about a NZ family in Auckland who decided to turn part of their backyard over to growing vegetables organically - and took up the challenge with a local gardening guru who set them goals for each week. Their second to last episode the challenge was to pick enough stuff from the garden and set up a stall at the local farmers market and make $100 from their produce. They sold everything including the scarecrow and except for a couple of punnets of Oregano seedlings and ended up with close to $150 which paid for their winter crop seedlings. It was a fun show. And it made me think about you and DH. My backyard is not big enough to do this, otherwise I might be tempted to have a go myself. The program was made for the benefit of the Mental Health Foundation who are getting a lot of their patients to go gardening and grow things. Apparently it is good therapy.

Time to get on with the day I guess. Lots to do today that didn't get done yesterday. I really need to think about getting in a housekeeper. I get tired of this constant work.

GOOD MORNING CHICKS

IT'S BEEN A LOVELY QUIET WEEKEND HERE.
VERY LOW ON THE DRAMA METER AND MILD OUTSIDE.
GOT OUT FOR A FEW YESTERDAY BUT THE HEAD CONTINUES TO CAUSE PROBS.
IT JUST FEELS BETTER IN THE A/C SO I'M NOT FIGHTING IT.
TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY AT WORK AND I WANT NO HEADACHE TO TAKE WITH ME!
I'M SURE I'LL FIND PLENTY OF THEM DOWN THERE ALREADY!
HOPE YOU GALS ARE HAVING A SUPER WEEKEND.




HAPPY.........SO GLAD YOU FOUND YOUR DEBIT CARD. THANK GOD THEY HAD IT. I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT ON YOUR MIND RIGHT NOW. HOLD ON TO YOUR CARDS!! LOL GOOD NEWS THAT DH IS COMING HOME. YOU'LL GET MORE DOINE WITH HIM CRACKING THE WHIP!! TOO BAD THE GIRL CAN'T GET MORE LATE HOURS OR COME TO YOUR HOUSE!!
US WORLDLY CHICKS WILL COME AND COLOR AND CUT YOUR HAIR....WE'LL MAKE A NIGHT OF IT. AFTER A FEW DRINKS YOU WON'T MIND THE BALD SPOTS




MICHELLE........HOPE YOU WILL BE FEELING BETTER SOON. REST IS THE MOTHER OF GOOD CURES. GOOD LUCK FOR TOMORROW AND WORK?!?!?




SHAD.........THE SHOW YOU WATCHED IS LIKE SOMETHING THE GOVT TRIED HERE. THEY SAY THE SENIORS AND DISABLED SHOULD BE GARDENING AS DIGGING IN THE DIRT, PLANTING AND GROWING HELP WITH DEPRESSION AND RESTLESSNESS. TOO BAD WE DON'T HAVE THAT SHOW OVER HERE. I'D HAVE ANOTHER PROJECT GOING ON OUTSIDE!! I NEVER DID GET MY RAISED PLATFORM GARDENS I AM SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THE PHONE AND THE ANON. CALLER. WHAT A PAIN. FRIGGING PEOPLE CANNOT KEEP THEIR HANDS TO THEMSELVES.
I CAN SEE THAT AFTER THIS JOB YOU COULD USE A "HEAD REST"....NO PUN INTENDED. YOUR DAYS ARE LONG AND COMMUTING AS WELL. HOPE YOUR WEEK IS A GOOD ONE.

I THINK RICHIE WOULD LIKE THIS. AS SOON AS I FIGURE OUT THE CONVERSION
I AM GOING TO ADD THE INGREDIENTS TO MY SHOPPING LIST AND SURPRISE HIM WHEN THE KIDS LEAVE ON THE 20TH. HE LOVES CHORIZO!



Beach Cottage Chorizo Stew

INGREDIENTS:
500g chorizo sausages (1 LB)
1 tbs olive oil
150ml vegetable stock (5 OZ)
2 bay leaves
200 ml dry white wine ( 3/4 CUP?)
1kg potatoes (2 lbs)
3-4 cloves garlic
1 large onion
1 handful mixed garden herbs

DIRECTIONS:
1. add oil to pan and heat
2. chop onion & garlic & throw into pot
3. slice chorizo into bite size pieces & add to pan
4. add bay leaf & wine
5. add herbs
6. slice and add potatoes
7. pour on chicken stock & poke the potatoes under the liquid
8. add lid and simmer very low for an hour
Serve with big hunks of crusty bread & a green salad.

BC notes *
I add any fresh herbs in the garden but have used mixed dried herbs too
dried oregano good here if you have it on hand throw in a teaspoon
I buy the little 1kg bags of waxy potatoes
I like to serve this with home-grown Rocket (Arugula)
This is super super easy in the crock pot…throw it all in (no need to pre-cook anything) & cook on low all day or high 4 hrs (you may need to add more stock as you go)
Prep beforehand and when you get home while you are sorting things out throw it in and cook in the oven for 30/40 minutes (check pots are done)
I would normally cook double this and freeze or use leftovers
This makes with bread 4 hearty adult servings (this will serve all 5 of us)
FROM ABEACHCOTTAGE.COM

Ohhhhh I just found out that on Thursday last week we missed the first day of the Brisbane Exhibition
also known to Queenslanders as EKKA!!! We could have had a party!!

Good morning ladies,

Gee what an emotional Sunday morning. Looking at the news I saw the tragedy at the Indianapolis concert. Just a freak of nature with the weather - prayers to those killed and injured. Then I see the trouble at the Wisconsin State Fair in Michelle's area. Attacks by groups of hoodlums. What is going on with the world? I swear there's just too many of us on this earth. I also read an article about the new 911 Memorial in New York set to open in a few weeks to mark (can it already be) the 10th anniversary of the attack. It's just a beautiful memorial. The article had some video about it as well as some touching stories of the victims as told by their survivors. Very sad. One woman was on the hijacked plane in Pennsylvania. She was pregnant with their first child and both were killed. Her husband said her motto was "get busy living or get busy dying". One of those little taps on the shoulders that to me, gets one back on track when we try to veer off too far into the weeds sometimes.

DH made it home just fine. We are trying to decide our next steps. He is upstairs now deciding on and ordering a snow plow attachment for up north. gotta face up to the obvious. We will need it or we won't get to the house in the winter which includes my cousin checking on the place. A busy day ahead - I have to get groceries, do laundry, decide if I want to do some packing or if I should go outside and help DH with the yard which has at least 3 days of work to do.

Mel - funny you should talk about chorizo. My Mom was just talking about it yesterday. Eggs and chorizo in a breakfast burrito. Actually I'm surprised that either you or her could it it. I love it but find it rather oily and too spicy for me now Hope Ritchie likes the dish.

Shad - I imagine you are moving into the best time of year for you. Sounds like the garden is doing well. That's pretty interesting about the organic gardening challenge too. We will have to see what challenges we face once we put our garden in. I suspect I will have to sit in a chair with an air horn and fight the local wildlife for the produce we grow Probably have a bigger challenge from the deer and bunnies than the insect pests. It's a pity someone sunk low enough to steal DS's cell phone. People would lift air if they could make a profit on it. There was an article where thieves were cutting telephone wires in isolated areas to steal the copper wire. Which of course was knocking out phone service to the area. Crazy world.

Michelle - hope you are feeling better and getting your rest.

Annie - were you at the Sugarland concert? Thank you sooooo much for the card and beautiful words. Meant so much to me I watered the card so it would grow a little In a whole week of DH being gone, there was FINALLY something worth while to go to the mailbox for. I rarely pay attention to the mail - all junk mostly but once in a while there's something that makes your day!

Laura, Ceejay, Ellen - hope you are all having a nice weekend. Fall is coming fast - get outside and enjoy the weather.

I did get my hair colored yesterday. My hairdresser recommended some other people in the salon who could take over. She does alot of weddings - hair and makeup for the bridal party so that's why she's so busy over the next 2 months. I'm going darker and I actually like it much better. If I can manage to get outside in the sun for a while (doubt it), I could lighten up a few of the highlights.

Well I am not getting anything done by sitting here at the computer and I have a jam packed day ahead. Best get busy. Happy Sunday all...

apparently we have a family of turkeys that roams our yard. DH took this picture.

Ceejay - thank goodness you didn't get a blowout with the nail in the tire. Glad it all worked out without alot of expense. Sounds like you had a nice impromtu family get together this weekend

I took a swim at 9:30 tonight. The water was warmer than the air. It's cooling off now and the filter is getting more leaves in it which means swim season is coming to a fast close. I came in the house and had a nice soak in the new soaker tub. Now I'm ready for bed. I have a class on Monday - need to get there really early (hope I can stay awake all day ) Probably won't have time to post tomorrow. I'll check in if I can get on the Internet at lunch.

Nighty night.