Hey we almost slid to page 2. Bump. Bump.

Day 2 of diet. Didn't do bad at all today. Had breakfast which held me off of lunch until 2pm because I got busy. Had a nice bowl of home made minnestrone with some turkey sausage. Heathy and satisfying on a cool fall day. Made a turkey breast tonight with a mixed greens salad with low fat raspberry vinegrette with a few walnuts and cranberries mixed in. Desert was a fruit cup with peaches, pears and a few fresh raspberries. DH said the flavors really complimented each other. I did notice he took his regular big portions tho. I ate smaller but about 2 hours later I had the most intense cravings for something, didn't know what. I have had my fill of Halloween candy. Packed up the rest to send to the office with hubby. I finally caved about 3 hours later and had a handful of reduced fat chips/crisps and 2 sips of a Coke. I am trying to keep an eye on how I'm reacting to food and what's giving me problems. Water's harder to get down now that it's cold out. I seem to drink most of it in the evening which really disrupts the sleep.

Argh the snows are only a few hundred miles to the north and west of us. I think we'll be seeing a bit of the flakes soon. Is supposed to be warmer and rainy tomorrow and then near freezing by the weekend. I knew I should have raked the leaves up on Sunday to cover my flower bed for the winter. Now they are all wet and yuccky and if the lawn service comes tomorrow for the last time (I forgot to call and end the season), we won't have any leaves at all and I will have to go begging from the neighbors again.

Kim hope your husband is feeling better. Migraines are a terrible thing to deal with. Shad hope you are enjoying the oncoming summer. Read an article today about people who climb the Sydney bridge. A bit too high for me I'm afraid. Nice pic though of a group sillouetted (sp?) against a rising full moon at night. One poor guy rented out a whole trip - several thousand dollars to take his girlfriend and her family as he proposed to her at the top - and she turned him DOWN! The guide said it was the quietest trip down he had even taken.

Teel I hope all that wet dark weather has not got you hiding under the duvet waiting for the sun to shine again. Go pound your Internet service and give us a ring, will you?

Nuts to climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge. There is always a gale blowing up there and it is cold and quite frankly not IMO worth the money. I can go up the CentrePoint tower for half the cost in the lift and enjoy an enclosed view of 360 degrees of Sydney views and look down on those climbing the bridge!
Snow huh - we are having dust storms at the moment and everything is so dry and burnt looking. Have to pour water onto things just to keep them slightly green.
Glad to hear that your new eating plans are going okay, but have to agree that it is a pain when you really really want something but can not decide what it is. Water is hard to drink when the temp takes a dive. I used to compensate (in NZ) by drinking hot water instead of tea or coffee and plonk a slice of lemon in it just for some flavour.
Okay time to move along. I promised myself a long walk today. I better get out there and do it.

Nearly down the bottom and over the page again. Wonder where Teel has gotten to. Is she still in the respite centre?? Or has she disappeared into the dark of the night without telling anyone.

Good day training wise today, we seem to be getting through the exercises pretty well. No practical jokers, one is a bit slow, but we will cope with him.

Hump day, the turning point where it is closer to going home than getting up here. I've mostly quite enjoyed Toowoomba and this is my last visit here. Don't like the hotel but hey can beggars be choosers.

Catch you tomorrow

I'm so excited Back in September the sewer pipe broke at the foundation of our house. It had rained very hard and water accumulated in the window because it had nowhere else to go and leaked into the basement, causing quite the mess. Insurance would not cover the pipe repair but they did say they would investigate the wet and warped panelling and loose floor tiles. The workers showed up today to start what I though was just some patching around the damaged area but to my extreme surprise they were authorized to replace all the panelling in the basement - since it would be impossible to replace just a few sheets of panelling and try and match it. Oh happy day! We decided on dry wall instead of panelling based on the recommendation of the restoration services guy. We were talking about doing some renovations but now it will really get done!!!! And we decided to pay out of our pocket for some extra things just to get them done and finished. It will look so nice. We will do the ceiling ourselves and have decided to consider replacing the flooring since all they can do is re-glue the loose tiles.

Last year when you were talking about renovating your home Shad, I was so envious because I've wanted to do things around here for a long, long time. And it's finally happening!

I really should get to sleep now because the workers are coming very early and I have to be up and full of enough coffee to greet them at 7 but I'm too excited to sleep.

Oh happy days - or should that be happy daze!!!!!
Well it is nice to know that some insurance companies will shell out to effect a reasonable replacement. We nearly always have to fight to get anything out of ours these days. It drives me crazy. Like for example, our lawnmower got nicked from the house. Insurance said get 3 quotes and submit them. Simon eventually did but it was 4 weeks later and it was then according to them too late. We only had 2 weeks to get the quote in. Rage descended. I have only ever requested one other thing out of the Insurance company and eventually got that. So when I could not get them to budge, I went to the local consumer council who had a go at them, nothing, I went to Choice which is the national consumer council, nothing. I went to the Ombudsman and gained a bit of information but nothing else. Finally I went to my local councillor and MP (member of parliament) and we threatened them with the TV Channel 7 local affairs program and lo and behold a new lawnmower appeared on the scene like a gift from the heavens. phooey. So it is very pleasant to hear that at least one of them is doing something for their grass roots customer.

So off you go to sleep happy and dream some happy dreams. I hope that they arrive on time and in full and that the repairs all go smoothly.

Off for my walk - training is done for the day. They have gone home reasonably confused and content.

Blurrrrrk
Woke up early this morning with a rotten headache and feeling very sorry for myself. Nose blocked, eyes running and really feeling ill. Took a panadol overdose and went back to bed. Things didn't get much better and finally after using the loo for both ends (sorry tmi) went back to sleep.
Result was that I woke up around 6.30 minus the worst of the headache but feeling really fuzzy round the edges. Sort of like having a hangover without the fun. Which is not fun!!!
So feeling really out of sorts today and just wishing my students would shut up and let me have peace and quiet. They don't though and they are entitled to ask questions so I must put up with it until going home time tonight. Didn't want breakfast and was not that fussed on lunch but figured I should have something. This has made me feel a bit better. I do wish someone would come up with a way to bypass the sinus'.
Weekends coming and tomorrow I go back down the hill to home for the weekend. Lordy but this year is moving along so fast.
This weekend I must take my computer to the shop for repair which will probably affect the wallet somewhat and do a few running repairs on my travelling stuff. I have it down to a fine art as far a packing goes, only sometimes stuff wears out or no longer fits or pops a button or something so it needs repairs. I need to touch up some of my stuff like that. One more week of travelling (so they say) and I can stay at home and start thinking about Christmas cards and letters and stuff like that.
Hope the repairs go well Happy.
Kim hello
Teel

Shad, am sorry to hear that you are feeling so bad. Sounds like the kind of thing making it's rounds around here which happens when the seasons change. I also just realized that in your line of work when you are the one and only teacher, there is no having the luxury of a sick day. Not to mention that it's also sheer misery flying with a stuffed head and ears. I am fortunate as I am one of the few people in theworld who are not put to sleep by antihistamines - I lived on them for 15 years with my allergies.

All I can suggest is hot cups of tea which is probably not feasible either. At least have some hot soup at lunch time - and you should eat something too, even if you can't taste it.

It is also a bother finding comfortable, attractive and reasonably priced clothing that travels well. Perhaps when you find something you like, buy two and have one as a replacement? I wish I'd done that with some of my wardrobe basics. Of course now that I work mostly from home, work clothes has a whole new delightful meaning! But I do get dressed and fix the hair and makeup each morning and never work in my pajamas unless I am really sick - downside of working from home, you never really get a sick day either.

Hope you are feeling better soon. The week is almost over, and the year too as you say. Christmas - what? I think this is going to be one of those years that I'm going to have a hard time squeezing that one in.

Repairs are going nicely. We had some extra fix it stuff done so that was good to have it taken care of. Bad thing is that we are struggling to shuffle things around to make room for the work men down there. Lots needs to be tossed and it will when we put things back together again. We discovered mold on the drywall on one length of wall behind a shelving unit. DH and I were on top of each other trying to get everything off the shelves to pull the units away so the men could work on the walls. All the time I'm thinking, I have to make dinner and then I have homework to do AND a class chat tonight - I don't have time for this nor do I have any place to put this stuff. About half got packed into trash bags into the garage - so maybe not such a bad thing, that desperation mode. I wish I had time for a garage sale - a few charities will be glad to pick up my donations in December.

Workmen showed up almost an hour early this morning. I was still in my robe fresh out of the shower and DH was "pondering life" in the loo so I had about 15 seconds to get dressed and answer the door. I forgot to put on my shoes with the orthotics in them and by the end of the day my feet were really in alot of pain. So the good news is that they work and the bad news is that they will be my friends for the rest of my life. No more sandals at all.

Off to bed now. Hello to the rest of the crew... Feel better quickly Shad.

Ho hum. got partway through a post in Toowoomba this afternoon when the power went out. So I lost that one. So I hopped in the car and am now at home a bit earlier than expected. So here is the news!!!!

Training as such has now been called off until further notice. There are so many problems with the system that the live branches are now rebelling and refuse to participate. I have no idea what I am doing for the next month or two. I know there is some doco to be done. There should be a few (okay more than a few) corrections to be made. But after that who knows. Maybe out of a job after that. Truth be told, I really don't care that much anyway. So anyway I will turn up at the office on Monday and see what gives. If nothing else it will give me some time at home to do things and my own bed to sleep in. I like that idea.

Okay, headache is more or less gone. I really should know about these headaches of mine by now. There are some obvious tell tale signs before the headache gets here. Tiredness, stress, eating too much of the wrong food, not being able to drink enough water, constipation or diarrhea (sp) and a couple of other things should be warning enough - do I take notice of them? No not often - just call me Mrs I for idiot.

So you got caught out Happy with the workers. Well hallelujah at least they showed up and it will 'encourage' you to move out the unwanted. I have every intention of getting rid of some of the stuff around here that I have managed to accumulate and some that belonged to the xdh and also some textbooks of Brendan's from University days. They could be a godsend to some poor student trying to make ends meet. We don't have the luxury of your big basement here and are constantly fighting for storage space. If I ever get to build another house, I will find an architect who designs boats because they have some natty storage ideas. Those Campervan things also - great for storage ideas

Well off to wash, clean and cook. I will try to get as much done as possible today and tonight so I have some space over the weekend to catch up on much needed jobs out doors.

Hi to all. Missing you all - please try to catch up soon. I actually have a phone number for Annie. Found it the other day from when I was due to go to Wollongong. We were going to have coffee together. Maybe I will ring the number and see if she is still around.

Well Shad, sounds like a bit of both a blessing and a curse - will nice to be home for a while but then again, no workie no money. Then again you said you were tiring of this run, perhaps it's a sign to move on. So typical of business today to invest lots of money into something and not prepare properly. Hurry up and catch up - not always doable. I'm sure you will fill your time wisely.

It's a bit ironic, now that we have this opportunity in front of us to fix the basement, we are all full of ideas for creating neatly arranged storage - bins and cabinets and the like - at the same time I am growing tired of having so much junk around. Fly lady, though annoying at times, has been a good influence. When we moved out of our flat and started house hunting, one of my main priorities was cabinets and storage space. When we bought this house the kitchen had only 4 cabinets in it. It was a tiny room and either you had space for a small table and chairs or cabinets but not both. I voted for cabinets. Was much better when we opened the two rooms into one back in 1996 - former family room is now part of a long kitchen area. We have much to do in the basement once the workers have done their thing but I told DH his is NOT, repeat NOT starting a single thing down there until after he has completed his many unfinished projects upstairs. I suppose it's always more fun to start something new rather than finish something up. Besides, I won't have any free time to work on things until after Christmas. As it is, was disrupted every evening this week having to move and rearrange things for the workers and as a result, I am behind in my studies and homework. DH mentioned something this morning about doing something fun over the weekend, I didn't have the heart to say for me it's homework. But we'll see.

I was also quite unhappy to get on the scale and see I have gained 4 pounds over the last few weeks. Figured as much as I have been feeling a bit bloated. I think part of the problem has been that I've been working from home all the time and therefore, not moving around as much as I would normally. Water is not where it should be either. I find I tend to drink most of it in the late afternoon and evening and guess I have cut back in favor of a complete night's sleep. Treadmill is buried in the basement and will be for a while yet, so it's time to bring out the Walk Away the Pounds tapes again.

Hope you all have a fun weekend. Time for everyone to touch base again. The boards have gotten quiet again, guess we're all busy.

Hi everyone..I've been offline with a lot of work and "stuff" going on. I thought I'd check in for a quick minute and let you all know that I didn't fall off the planet Had a difficult decision to make at work today. I conduct hearings on people who are on parole/probation. When they violate their terms of release I hold the hearing to decide what to do with them. Sometimes that means that I have to send them to jail or prison. Today I had to make a tough decision and send a young woman back to prison for several years. I went back and forth in my mind trying to justify either the decision to stay out or go back. Ultimately I had to err on the side of caution as she was choosing to victimize other people in the midst of her addiction. I look at these people, so affected and having lost (or never had) any semblance of a normal life, mostly due to drugs...and I just wish I had the answer or magic cure that the would mend their broken hearts and spirits. Luckily, this woman at least didn't have children that would be affected by her return to prison, so I don't have that guilt weighing on me.

Shad, I hope that you are feeling better and that your job situation works out the way that you want. I think a few weeks off with nothing do to but putter around the house would be great! But, I would probably get bored within a week and start looking for more work to do, especially if I wasn't getting to go anywhere for a vacation.

Happy2bme I know what it's like to have projects partway completed. My husband started refinishing a dining room table the year that we got married..it's still not done and we will be celebrating our 18th wedding anniversary in March! You mentioned that you are behind in homework..what are you studying? Are you in college or is it for work? I'm set to start on a Masters degree program through an online university in Jan 2004. I'm looking forward to it, but getting nervous about the work and time I'll need to spend.

We have really cold weather here now. It's been down in the teens this week. Luckily, though we haven't had wind and/or ice to go with it yet. My kids are getting antsy to decorate for Christmas. We usually wait until the last weekend of November, but I think my husband caved and said that we could do it THIS weekend.......I don't mind really as it does spruce the place up a bit. It's nice getting things out and remembering.

Well, I think my troups should be getting back from their road trip (to play a high school football game) soon. So I'd better get going and get busy. Take care. Kim

Kim I didn't realise that you had such a high pressure/stress inducing job. That must have been a hard decision to make although I think that you have made the right one. However a prison sentence doesn't seem to make much difference to those people with dependencies like drugs.

I have no problems with staying at home for a couple of weeks. I am renovating in the house and it will get done faster if I am at home. But I will agree, if there was nothing to do, I would be very bored.

My computer is back alive again and now has a new slimline monitor. The technical bloke came in and tried a new graphics card and not much improved, then we tried an old monitor and lo and behold there was life again. So I had Robbie bring me a new monitor down when he came down to visit his mum. Robbie is an old school friend of Simons - (DS) My wallet now needs a transplant.

Guess it must be bedtime. Good to see you back Kim. We all get busy and need time out from time to time. Hope the weight loss is still moving along for you.

I've just got back from breakfast with my younger brother and his daughter/my niece. It was very nice. Afterwards we wandered around the market and I picked up some finger puppets to send to my friend in Japan for her classes. That along with some silly earrings that I bought in the States earlier will do her for a Christmas present. Few people get Christmas presents from me. We don't celebrate it with too many presents. I give each of the boys money. They usually give me a present. That's about it. Christmas shopping done. Not bad eh?

New monitor is going great. I have to get used to the crystal clear graphics on it. But I guess that won't take long.

Okay off I go to bore the life out of my journal, then it will be time to carry on with the cleaning. I have a long list waiting for me to be done this week.

Hi! I am Kellye - was recommended this thread by Shad! I am a fellow kiwi!

Thanks Shad!

Hi Kellye, nice to see you. I'll be back later with a post. I had best get some work done for a change.
I'm misplaced as well. I am in Brisbane.

Hi Kellye and welcome to the group NC as in North Carolina? I hear it's pretty there but it's no NZ. How did you come to the live in the States?

I guess as an intro... I'm married, no children. Have been on 3FC for about a year and a half. Struggling with weight loss, struggling with time for weight loss and exercise. I work full time as a web developer and am in school taking 3 classes at the moment - all for advancing my technical knowledge on the web as I really like this job. The last few months have been beastly. Diet and exercise is not a high priority though I am trying to watch what I eat.

EEKKK. Just walked into the kitchen and a huge centipede ran across the floor. Since I heard that they bite and the rule in my house is "if you sting, bite me or eat my food" you can't live in my house - I had to go chasing it across the room. DH was sleeping and may have woken a bit to wonder why I was tap dancing and stomping on the floor. At least I didn't shriek. But I did get him. *** Happy blows the smoke trail from the gun ***

Another weekend flew past and not all was accomplished. We got our first hard freeze, DH said he actually saw snow flurries on Saturday. Begonias and impatiens are now mush. Will have to wait until it warms a bit so I can get them out of the pots. We had a full lunar eclipse Saturday night. Massive cloud cover as it always seems for celestial events. We were bundled up on the driveway in our winter's finest waiting for holes in the clouds to get some picture shots. Got a few but nothing too great. Of course, Sunday night it's clear as a window out there. But astronomy and photography teaches you patience.

Had a nice dinner of grilled salmon tonight. Glad I got 2 pieces, one for tomorrow. DH had marlin which is much like swordfish. They also had a nice batch of strawberries so I was able to make one more batch of my strawberry spinach salad to finish out the season's end.

Got some clams too - this week's soup (it's cold so I'm on my soup kick again) is clam chowdah as my husband says. And maybe some clam frittah's too. Chowder and fritters to the rest of us. My husband likes the chowder as broth based rather than the creamy kind so it fits with the diet program.

Shad by now it's Monday afternoon by you. Any news about the changes in training?

Kim, boy do you have a tough job! I feel for you, kind of hard to leave your job at the office when you do that kind of work as I'm sure it stays with you all the time. I am a web developer by trade and I'm in school going for my certification in web development and also to keep my technical skills current. I hear you on the time investment in school. I do resent the loss of my free time, especially since it seems like all I do is work and homework and housework, but it's for good reasons and won't last forever. At least I tell myself this to get through each semester

I'd better run now, it's late and the guys working on the basement are coming early tomorrow. Drywall is up and tomorrow we have mudding and taping and then a week of sanding. Oh joy!! But it's coming along nicely. Happy Monday!