Morning all. Happy Friday! TGIF!! :carrot:

Annie - LOL, "I just like playing in the fire" Roasted Peeps anyone?

Michelle - Don't work too hard this weekend, and don't concern yourself with posting - find some time to relax. You deserve it!!! Good luck to DH with the procedure. Hope it's nothing serious!

Mel - Sorry my book talk had you creeped out! I've moved on to another book I'd already started before the other one and maybe this will distract you from the creepy crawlies. It's an old book titled "Chiefs" or rather Chiefs (I get lazy and don't underline when grammatically required, lol.) It's written by an author I read, Stuart Woods, who now writes what I consider "fluffy" novels - quick, shallow, frothy reads that I suspect men may enjoy even more than women because the main character in the author's main series is good-looking, rich, smart, flies planes, sails boats, etc. and always has some beautiful woman/women falling into bed with him, lol. Anway, I bought this book used and it's an old, very yellowed paperback. (BTW, this one pre-dates his really fluffy works, and was actually made into a TV mini-series many years ago.) So, when I started reading it, the binding promptly cracked and a section of pages fell out. Having tried unsuccessfully to re-glue it, bf made the sensible suggestion to check it out of the library instead. But no, haven't done that yet, so it's being kept together with a rubber band. :) Enjoy your weekend and stay dry. :rain:

Ceejay - Safe travels, and enjoy your time in MO!

Happy - Thanks for reminding me about the Botanic Garden - my friend and I were going to do a joint membership or some such thing. We were waiting until things start going on outdoors before starting it. My friend's HS bf currently works there, and she reconnected with him after she became a widow. She likes to go visit...not saying anymore. I will be seeing her tomorrow and will bring it up to her, but we will probably not be going any earlier than Mother's Day, which might be when things really get going? (according to my friend).

Hellos to the rest of you - have a great weekend!
---
Yes, Mel, I did get bf to the gym last night! :D We did the circuit workout which is around 30 minutes. It's a separate section of weight machines and individual stepping stations and probably like Curves, as Happy mentioned previously. Anyway, they have a red/green traffic light type of system to time you - green is exercise, red is rest, flashing means it's almost time to switch. All the stations are numbered, and you alternate the weight machine with the steps. The timing is different from my park district circuit class - this one is 60 seconds exercise and I think 30 seconds in between to recover and set up for the next station, and with 20 stations, that adds up to 30 min.

It was pretty good, but my big negative is that I don't like all the cardio stations being steps. I liked having a mix of elliptical, stationery bike and step for the cardio in my classes. Bf started getting bored with the steps and since no one else was really using the section but us (except when we were just about finished), he began using multiple steps and running between and over them, LOL. I don't think I see myself using the circuit section unless I came up with something interesting to substitute for the steps, and I don't see myself jogging in place or doing jumping jacks, etc.

Instead I could see myself doing the cardio machines - 10 minutes on each of treadmill, elliptical and stationery bike, and then doing the weight machines. Doing these workouts on alternate days, or doing both in one session for an hour. I'm going to go as bf's guest some more before deciding to join. It may just be that I go back to buying the fitness passports at the park district and just do the circuit classes there. To me it's a very efficient workout - cardio and strength all in one class.

This weekend is my friend's birthday. A group of us are getting together not too far from the house and having dinner and then going to a club near the hotel where she's staying. She lives in a distant suburb and prefers not to drive back home, and enjoys using the hotel pool and jacuzzi. Bf and I live about 8 miles away from the restaurant/club/hotel, so we're not getting a hotel room. Maybe we'll join her for some pool time.

That's about all for weekend plans. Plenty of housecleaning to do though.

Cheers!
:cheers:

Hi ladies,

Got my volunteer assignment and she was right in warning me it was tedious and takes alot of time. I have to enter 146 museum events into 2 different local calendars. Each event is entered in an online form - one calendar has 10 separate fields for each event to be entered. :faint: She said I didn't have to do everything - I like this manager as she is cognisant that we are volunteers and does not expect unreasonable stuff. But I will do it all - probably take me somewhere around 40 hours from what I can estimate, but perhaps I can shorten that and figure out a rhythm once I get going. I'll probably spend the weekend doing this. We also placed a service call on the stove which I think is not heating like it should. They are coming tomorrow. I have a very small kitchen and things are sort of piled (neatly) on the counters but I have to clear them out in case they need to pull the stove out to look at it. The 2 official drinks of the northwoods are beer and Bloody Mary's. People like the Bloody Mary because you put alot of stuff in the drink on a skewer as a topper - ie. an olive, pearl onion, cold cooked shrimp, celery stick, celery stick with cheese if they are really good ;), beef jerky stick, etc... People consider this an appetizer AND a drink :rofl: I pretty much have stopped drinking except for an occasional glass of wine and the bars here don't really have the kind of wine I'd drink and I have been pressured many a time to have something a bit stronger than Coca Cola. :rolleyes: Anyway, DH has gotten used to Bloody Mary's and has decided to try a home concocted recipe so he's out to the store to get some fixings. So it's walleye (fish) and bloody Mary night - just like any Wisconsin fish fry but at home. :lol:

Michelle - don't worry about personals, I'm glad just to hear from you. My gosh how more stressful can your life get? :hug: I hope that poor DH will finally get a decent diagnosis. At this point he must be so frustrated! And I cannot for the life of me imagine what you could possibly have to correct in your performance improvement. :rolleyes: I would definitely be keeping a log of the hours that you put in especially considering that you spend alot of off hours time babysitting implementations - which I'm sure is not noted in your review.

Ceejay - have a good time on your weekend trip.

Annie - Don't burn out the batteries trying to get it all done at once, yah hear? And while breakfast with the bears might sound interesting, I'm thinking it might be more like "you pay for breakfast and then try and stop the bear from eating your plate" :rofl:

Mel - enjoy your sunshine - it got extra bright out here today too. I have the shades up and my sunglasses on (inside) but it feels so nice and warm and good! Let it rain overnight I say :lol:

Shad, Patty, Turtle - howdy :wave:

Back to my chores now...

Laura - just read your post. Sounds like an interesting mix for a workout. I agree that it's odd they just have steps for cardio. Perhaps they are less used machines and they don't want to waste the elipticals in the circuit? I got a kick out of the red / green / flashing light - but I think I'd be spending more time watching for the lights to change than paying attention to what I should be doing! 60 seconds is about all I could handle on an eliptical without falling over wheezing and embarrasing myself - LOL

I'm envying your swim time. Do a few laps for me ;)

Happy - Enjoy your Bloody Mary tonight, and you can enjoy one for me too. ;)

To clarify, the steps are "manual" steps, such as those used in step aerobics classes - sometimes called benches? Except these have bars on them, the purpose of which I'm not sure...balance I guess. (I attached a photo, there are 20 stations in all, 10 wt. machines, 10 steps.)

In comparison, the class I did at the park district has 16 stations, of which 6 were cardio. The class was in the facility's fitness center, and it took over part of the fitness center for the 1-hour classes. The instructor just placed cards with numbers near the pieces of equipment to identify the stations. Warm-ups and cool-downs were done in separate areas.

Ok, blowing all diets here.....to remain healthy...VEGGIE pizza from Pizza Hut with the pan pizza...I know, I suck, but it sounded so dang good. Fiance' is paying for it....lol on the fiance' thing.

HAPPY...I am sure you are to get many breakfast reservations if you advertise "maybe" a bear siting while dining...Heck we fell for the Haunted Bed and Breakfast thing, even tho we NEVER saw anything and only heard a few things that could not be explained...which was really the old, old, water pipes, air conditioning or such...LOL...people fall for crap...go for it. It is FUN to PRETEND!~

LAURA...OMGoodness....if you are moving who cares what it is called or what it involves...probably more than I put effort into...you still ROCK way more than I ever thought about doing...You just keep on doing what you are doing....I still admire all the movement you get...face it...I suck!! We have a guy that sales guns at his store called "Don's Guns" and his commercial..at the end..he says, "I just like to sell guns". That is where I got the "I just like to play in the fire"....lol

MELLIE...hey sweet cheeks...happy Friday to you too, and have a marvy weekend....any thing surprising in the mail lately????

Trying to keep up with the posts cause who knows when I will be back when it comes to the weekend....taking lunch over to dad tomorrow and spending time with him...then home again to begin on this yard work....

Hey to all the rest of the chicklets!!

Have a marvy weekend all....

Love and Hugs...

Ok, well that picture helps explain alot Laura. So my next question is - are those weight machines? Being short they never "fit" me correctly and I'd probably spend the entire time allotment just trying to adjust the machine - could never get those silly pins out :lol: But it looks like it would be a fun workout - changes fast enough so that you don't get bored.

Annie - I guess we could tear out one wall of the mancave and put in floor to ceiling windows which would protect the diners. From what I hear, bears have a special fondness for bacon so opening a breakfast place would work for all :lol: Have a good visit with your Dad tomorrow. I'm sure you'll be cooking up a storm.

Hello Ladies,

It's been one of those weeks. I am totally overwhelmed at work. New projects, new manager..

I will post more later this weekend.

Afternoon all,
Better get this done before I forget again and before the footy comes on. Happy's DH would enjoy the game I am going to watch today.

DS2 has finally come down with my cold. He is being relatively sensible about it or maybe he just feels that bad. Anyway, he is into his second box of tissues but if it follows the same course as mine he should feel better tomorrow.

DS1 is going along okay although he doesn't sound particularly happy, but as he says when you make choices and take your chances, you can't undo those choices when it isn't panning out the way you want. Can't do much for him I am afraid.

I'm off down to Ashton Coal mine tomorrow afternoon. Be away for a week but should be able to keep up with you lot more or less.

Done my exercise for the week, said I would do 5 days. Originally that was to be through the working week and have the weekends free, however since I didn't get there on Wednesday, I had to do one today.

Happy - your place reminds me of a place I once went to called Undara - look it up. The breakfast room was a clearing in the bush and you had to watch out for 'roos creeping up behind you, kookaburras swiping your bacoand wallabies nicking your toast. You didn't dare leave your tree stump stool and had to stand guard over your breakfast all the time. The big roos just looked over your shoulder and you didn't even know they were there until they pushed you off the stool

Mel - I will ring you on either Saturday (my time) Friday arvo your time or Sunday - which would you prefer.

Annie - hope the dinner went off okay. Certainly sounds yummy enough.

Michelle - hope the DH gets some answers and feels better soon. Geez this is taking way too long. And it doesn't do much for your concentration at work.

Patty - hope the work week settles down. Wholesale change is never easy.

Ceejay - Drive safe. Have a fun time.

Laura - hope this book is better for you than the last. Good for you on the exercise. I am going to have to extend my walk since it is now taking me less and less time to do. I might have to follow DS2's 9km trail.

We are experiencing some last minute summer temps down here. Normally we get to 27-28 this time of the year, but right now we are over 30 and it is annoying since I have been trying to get out into the garden. I only seem to be able to do an hour or so and the sweat is pouring off in buckets and I need to drink. Maybe I am not completely over this cold since I still prefer to drink than eat.

Anyway, maybe I need to go look at dinner and make a decision as to whether I want it or not. A shower is a thought as well, and pj's.

Back tomorrow.

Uh, D'oh forgot to mention.

Must have been a mail plane in from the States last week. DS2 got a parcel from Indiana and I got 2 birthday cards. Thank you Happy and Mel.

Happy, I went looking for a birthday card last week. Do you think I could find a really decent one. I'll keep looking.

Good Saturday morning chicks,

I see I beat Mel in this morning. Had to get up early - repair man is coming to look at the oven - they are supposed to show up between 8am and 5pm - will probably come closer to 5pm since I am dressed and ready for him.

Also someone is supposed to come over later today to "complimentary clean" 2 rooms of carpet. DH took a cold (unsolicited) call on the telephone. I am skeptical because nothing is free in life but since he accepted it's his to deal with.

Glad you got the card in time Shad - the mails are working better than I thought they were. Which now reminds me, where did I put the extra postage stamps I bought when I sent your card out??? I'm wondering if I left them at the post office :lol: Don't worry about finding a good card, I have quickly learned that the selection of cards out here leaves much to be desired. One must be satisfied with the intended sentiment only because the quality is sorely lacking. Of course up here I don't see too many of the locals being the card buying type - more like "I was gonna get you a card, but I knew you'd rather have a beer instead so stop by mate..." :rofl:

The past few days we have been entertained by wild turkeys in the yard. We have a couple of hens and one very amorous male who has been rather comical and unsuccessful in chasing down a lady. It's almost as if the girls are mocking the old boy. :lol:

Yesterday they were in the yard again, a Tom and his harem of 2 females. He kept his distance while the girls were eating. Then all of a sudden his head got light blue, his waddle got bright red, he fanned his tail and then puffed up his feathers to twice his size. We thought he was putting on a show for the ladies but a few deer came through the trees so DH determined he was "getting BIG" trying to scare the deer off. Didn't work. Deer went next to the ladies and they all laughed at the big guy in the corner who while puffed up, could not walk much less run them out of the yard. It's quite entertaining. Yesterday we - well I actually - was talking to the ladies through the window telling them not to bend over in the direction of the obviously excited male :lol3:

Anyway I need to go tidy up before the repairman gets here. Have a good weekend folks.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e6...mtheTurkey.jpg

Shad - my internet connection is slow at the moment but I will look up Undara - it looks interesting from the Google return results.

http://www.whitegadget.com/attachmen...o-pictures.jpg



MORNING CHICKS & HAPPY WEEKEND TO ALL OF YOU:flow2:

I GOT AN ANONYMOUS CALL YESTERDAY MORNING THAT WASN'T SO ANONYMOUS:rofl:
WHEN I GOT DOWNSTAIRS, THERE WAS SCREAMING & YELLING TO WAKE THE DEAD.
NERVOUS SENIORS WAITING TO GET ONTO THE BUS FOR SHOPPING.
MORE NERVOUS SENIORS AROUND THE CORNER STANDING IN SHOCK.
I HEARD A FRIEND SAY OH MELS HERE NOW. LETS GO BACK TO THE LAUNDRY ROOM.
THE SADDEST PART OF ALL THIS IS THAT THIS WAS 2 DEPARTMENTS AIRING DIRTY LAUNDRY IN FROMT OF AT LEAT 20 SENIORS.
I WHO CAN YELL LUDER THAN ALL OF THEM SENT EACH PERSON INTO THEIR OWN ROOM.
WHY THEY ACTUALLY LISTEN TO ME AND NOT TELL ME TO GO F_CLK MYSELF STILL AMAZES ME. BUT LISTEN THEY DID.
TOOK QUITE AWHILE TO SORT IT ALL OUT BUT THERE IS NO REAL HAPPY ENDING.
THEY ARE ALL JUST UNABLE TO WORK TOGETHER WITHOUT A BUFFER.
IT WAS LIKE THAT BEFORE I EVER CAME HERE AND IT STILL REMAINS THT WAY. VERY SAD.
IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THIS, I RODE THRU SOME WATER ON THE FLOOR THAT NO ONE NOTICED WHILE ACTING LIKE CHILDREN.
NO SURPRISE....WE HAVE ANOTHER LEAK :rofl: IT IS ACTUALLY BECOMING A JOKE BETWEEN ME & THE PLUMBER. I SEE HIM MORE THAN HIS WIFE DOES NOW.
HE'S COMING THIS AFTERNOON. LUCKY ME.
I LEARNED SOMETHING YESTERDAY THOUGH.
I AM MUCH MORE DETACHED FROM THE DRAMA THAN I THOUGHT I WAS.
IT DID NOT HAVE THE SAME PHYSICAL EFFECT IT USED TO.
THAT HAS TO BE A GOOD THIN....RIGHT??
PROGRESS IS BEING MADE HERE...no???? !:dancer:
NOT SURE WHERE OUR BIG RAIN STORMS ARE.
I DEFINITELY SEE SOME SLIGHT SUNNINESS OUT THERE:sunny:
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE.:moped:





CEEJAY.....OUT THERE HAVING A GOOD WEEKEND:dancer:
WE MISS YOU!!



MICHELLE.....HOPE THE PROCEDURE WENT WELL FOR YOUR DH.
THIS POOR GUY HAS HAD ONE HECK OF A TIME.
STILL SENDING GOOD THOUGHTS OUT TO BOTH OF YOU.
FINGERS CROSSED FOR YOUR PERFORMANCE AND THE FRASSING PLAN:rollpin:



ANNIE.......I REMEMBER CHIEFS....BUT VERY SLIGHTLY. NOT SURE I READ OR WATCHED IT. TRIED STUART WOODS ONCE BUT I FORGET WHY I DIDN'T GO FOR HIM. HE RIMINDS ME OF CLIVE CUSSLER WITH HIS DIRK PITT CHARACTER. I USED TO READ THEM LIKE THEY WERE THE BIBLE!! NOW I AM INTO OLD LADY BOOKS...WHAT THEY CALL COZY COTTAGE MYSTERIES. ALL ABOUT CATS, DOGS AND PASTERIES:rofl: :rofl:
YOUR BOOK DIDN'T CREEP ME OUT SO MUCH AS FINDING IT FUNNY!!
CAN'T IMAGINE READING SOMETHINGLIKE THAT AND THEN GING TO BED....ME ANYWAY....I DREAM WHAT I READ. :lol3:
MY IDEA OF A MURDER NOW IS SOMEONE WHO DIES EATING A CYANIDE CREAM PUFF!
HOPE YOU FIND A ROUTINE & GYM WHERE YOU ARE COMFORTABLE.
AND ONE THAT FITS INTO YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE :hug:
PS: NOTHING IN THE MAIL :cry:




HAPPY....I HAD ONE BLOODY MARY IN MY LIFE AND HAD THE WORST CASE OF HEARTBURN EVER!:rofl:
WONDER IF THE BAR WOULD LET YOU BRING IN YOUR OWN BOTTLE.
THERE ARE SOME BARS THAT ALLOW THAT.
GOOD LUCK TO DH AND HIS RECIPE!!!
THEY DO SOUND LIKE APPETIZERS IN A GLASS!:hun:
ALSO...HOPE THEY FIND THE PROBLEM WITH THE OVEN:flame:






PATTY.....WHEN SWAMPED AT WORK LIKE THAT IT'S BEST TO REST UP WHEN YOU HAVE SOME FREE TIME:hug: DON'T OVER EXTEND YOURSELF.
SAVE SOME ENERGY FOR THE DOWN TIME!!:belly:




SHAD......I WAS BEWGINNING TO THINK THE CARD WAS LOST!
I AM THINKING THE SAME AS YOU AND YOU'RE NOT FULLY OVER WHATER KIND OF COLD THAT WAS. BE CAREFUL IN THIS CRAZY WEATHER THAT IS ALL AROUND THE GLOBE. HOPE THE DS2 FEELS MUCH BETTER SOON. SORRY TO HEAR HE GOT IT AS WELL. MY HEART GOES OUT TO DS1.
I KNOW THAT FEELING SO WELL. HOPE HIS LIFE MAKES A TURN FOR THE BETTER SOME HOW SOME WAY WHEN IT COMES TO TRUE HAPPINESS.
HAVE A SUPER WEEK....OH ALMOST FORGOT.....YOUR SATURDAY (MY FRIDAY ARVO) WOULD PROBABLY BE THE BEST. SCHEDULES ARE CHANGNGEVERY DAY. MEETINS ARE BACK TO WED & THURS. :faint: THEY CHANGED THEM TWICE YESTERDAY. BIG FIGHTS GOING ON OVER HERE. PLACE IS FALLING APART. VERY SAD TO WATCH. BUT I JUST DON'T HAVE THE STRENGTH. CHAT NEXT FRIDAY. KEEP ME POSTED IF YOU RUN INTO SOME BAD TIMING....:moped:

HAPPY....AND THERE MR. TURKEY STANDS IN ALL HIS GLORY.
WHAT A GREAT SHOT!!! PERFECT FEATURES. NI CE.
DIDN'T YOU FEEL ME BREATHING DOWN YOUR NECK?? I JUST TYPE SLOWER:rofl:
HOPE THE OVEN GUYS ARE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. MY DR PULLS THE SAME CRAP.
YOUR TURKE/DEER STORY WAS TOO CUTE AND GLAD THE PREVIOUS HOMEOWNERS DIDN'T CHARGE YOU AN ENTERTAINMENT TAX:rofl:
ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND MY NORTHERN FRIEND :hug:

Good Saturday afternoon/Sunday Morning...

Been busy with laundry and running errands today....I took the easy way out and got dad his favorite from Taco Bell...a chicken taco salad...x 3 as my brother joined me at dad's house. We all had a good chat/laugh/fun. No S.O. or spouses so we were kind of in rare form. Cut to the bone, no bars hold...just the immediate family. Very good visit. 3 hours long.

Then went to Verizon to fix a ringback thing that started when Curtis added the data plan to his phone...no problem...my buddy Monique always does me a wonderful job....could be the vanilla latte's from Starbucks I take her when I need something. Doesn't hurt to suck up...you always get great service....lol

Then off to CVS to meet up with Curtis on his delivery stop. Got a sweet smootch and greeting. Also did a bit of shopping I needed to do.

Next was off to Sam's house. Dropping off some formula, diapers, wipes, and drying clothes that I got her. I can't help but to help out, they are struggling. Her having no income is h*ll on their living. Won't let the babe suffer, they however, may lose weight....lol. Ainsley was there so got to see her too, she was so sweet to her nanna.

Home now...taking a break, doing up some more laundry then heading back out to make some purchases on my behalf. Wally world should take care of that one. Blah.

Happy weekend to all, just in case tomorrow does not allow me to get back here...Hope to get some gardening done. Brother has some wood we can have for our pit fires....Have to go pick that up. Other brother has some nice stone to build that pit. Have to go pick that up too. Both brothers are only about a 10 minute drive.

Love and hugs.