Hi, ladies!

Yup, Puss, your kids will be able to afford putting you and your DH up in the honeymoon suite on your next anniversary! I'd expect big birthday presents from them in the future. They're very lucky kids to have had such great support from you and your DH, and it sounds like they know it. I'd forgotten about the stolen car--I'm sorry that the police didn't find it. Getting her a new one is a great graduation present!

I'm praying that the lung biopsy shows nothing wrong. Let us know!

I had another session of physical therapy, although it was mostly a massage. The physical therapist is a pretty good masseuse. I cancelled next week's appointments because I really didn't want to go at 9:00 am (screws up my aerobics schedule), and because I've got enough to work on until my next appointment the middle of March.

We're taking the dogs to the vets tomorrow. It's time for some more bloodwork, and I'm worried about my old dog. Although she's now two meals in a row with no trouble, she isn't wanting to walk more than a block, which is so unlike her. And my other dog has started coughing a lot more. He's also kind of ballooned up, both of which could indicate heart problems. Hopefully, it's nothing. They're both old dogs so I know I can't have them around forever.

We had a couple of sun breaks today, which was nice. My DD called from Virginia after she got back in port. She said when she had liberty at one of the places they went last week, she saw a guy she thought she knew. Turned out it was someone from high school, and then they both bumped into someone else from their high school. Quite the small world.

I lost .4 pounds this week. I knew I couldn't sustain 2+ lb. weight losses for long, but it's kind of disappointing. I'm thankful I didn't gain, though.

SunnyD, I'm interested in hearing how you liked Mel Gibson's new movie. It's become quite the controversy. The last I heard one woman died while watching it. Be careful!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Friday!

This in my morning message from Dr. Weil;

Today's Tip: Plastic's Bad Rap
Plastic has many terrific uses, but as a food protector plastic should be used with caution. DEHA [di-(2-ethylhexyl)adipate], sometimes found in cling wrap, as well as other chemicals commonly found in plastic are potential endocrine disrupters, and can negatively influence hormonal activity. While studies are underway to determine the health risks associated with plastics, it is best to avoid buying foods that come in cling wrap (if you do, transfer them to a different storage container once you get home), and avoid contact between cling wrap and foods that you cover. Never microwave in plastic, and don't let cling wrap come in contact with food while it is being microwaved.

I'm off to work now.

Good Morning SHEILA,

You asked what I thought of the movie "The Passion". Below is what I wrote for the other thread... I hope and pray that I do not offend anyone with my words. You and the others have a Great Weekend - my Joe is home and we have much to do, so I won't be on much (just checking in will be all) till Monday.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Fatpuss...soooo glad to hear from you! Sorry about your friend. Also sorry your mother said that. She just doesn't get it, does she?! I don't know what physical illnesses she may have...but, there's so much in life that she could have, if only she would reach out and grasp it. I don't mean to be down on her. It's just that there are so many people in the world that would like to be able to do as much as she can, & have the caring children that she has.
I got a call from my aunt 2 days ago. (My daddy's sister) She's from Georgia. Has been through several surgeries for cancer...that she hasn't even told me, or my sister about. She was told last week that she will live maybe a year if they do chemo. She told the dr no chemo. She would live the rest of her life with the best quality of life she could. Chemo would only keep her sick. If the Lord wanted her, she was ready to go. Only thing, she wanted us to know. Hasn't complained all this time. Just wanted to tell us, because she loved us. Didn't ask for anything. She DID make the comment that she wished she could watch my TV program I sing on. That she would have been supporting me, by watching etc, if she could get it. I've started taping my programs to send to her....sent her an inspirational poem the next morning. Going to keep them in the mail regular to her. Planning on visiting her this summer.
I guess what I'm saying....we only go around once in life. I want to make the best of what I've got. My body is ill & weak. But, my heart says I've still got a lot to do. I've got a lot of respect for my aunt. No pity wanted....just love.
I didn't mean to write you a book. :o

Sheila...thanks so much for the advice on the card. You're right, & I'll write it that way.
About the wedding... Find you a wedding director. You may have time in the beginning to direct, but as time gets nearer, you'll be too busy. Then at the wedding itself...you couldn't do it. Directors take a LOT of the work off of you. They can be a friend or relative who won't charge much, if anything. Or may be a professional. (never used professional) I don't know what a professional charges, but, if you can't find anyone else, well worth hiring. Just be sure it's someone who knows how. There's very few families who haven't had SOMEONE who's directed a wedding. They can give you a lot of the advice, also, that you're needing now.
If you don't have much time for talking with your daughter (or, if you do), have her to write down all that she desires....the first choices, second choices, & third choices. She needs to put down EXACTLY how many are going to be in the wedding, itself. Are there any specific songs, etc. At my daughters' weddings, there were friends and relatives who were happy to sing, play the piano, serve at the reception (which we'll get to later) Of course, write down the colors. Don't just have conversation about it...get it on paper! It's almost like a business deal! Mother I TOLD you! NO daughter, you DIDN'T tell me! :lol: If it's on paper, in her writing.... It also helps you to remember, you're going to have frustrating days. Have I discouraged you yet? :D Seriously, I don't mean to. But, you do need to know these things, to make it go smoothly. One other thing...see if there are any special wishes of the groom's family. If it's going to cost much, they need to know they'll pay for it. Mostly, though, it's just a real nice thing to do.
I'll continue later. These things should come first. Oh...do you know where it will be yet? I know I posted it before, but it may be on the posts that I lost. If it's suppose to be near the water....is there a lake, park with water, etc, nearby? These are beautiful places for weddings.

Hello Willow....hope you're feeling well. http://soback.kornet.net/~pixeline/h...t/kor_img2.gif

Good morning!

Congratulations on following your exercise program so consistently, SunnyD! :bravo:

And eating smaller, frequent meals seems to make healthy sense. In fact, I heard it's a boost to your metabolism, and certainly evens out blood sugar to avoid cravings. I eat every couple of hours, too, and try for a little bit of protein at each minimeal.

Thanks for the great advice, Charlotte. Gosh, there is just so much to do and think about. My daughter's fiance called on Saturday to chat with us. He's got a great midwestern drawl. They both prefer an outside wedding, but weather in June is so iffy in Seattle that we need either tents or someplace with shelter in case it rains. I bought Seattle Bride magazine to give me some hints on where to find other venues. We found a docked ferry that sounds kind of neat, but expensive!

My old dog had lost two pounds that my other dog picked up. We're calling him FB (Fat Boy) now--he looks like a sausage. Molly, my oldster, started peeing blood on Sunday evening. We just got back from dropping her off at the vet. Poor baby!

Willow, my spam filter had taken the e-mail you sent, but I finally got it. So cute!! Thanks! What a charmer that little guy is.

Anyone watch the Oscars? I'll confess that I really like to look at the dresses and stuff. I mute the speeches (blah, blah, blah), but enjoyed Billy Crystal immensely. Everybody I predicted would win did win, but I had some favorites that I wanted to win that, of course, didn't.

My Dad was driving me crazy yesterday. After we trimmed the shrubs in the backyard, he could see that the neighbors had a shed. He swears they tore down part of the fence and built it, and it's on his property. Well, it does kind of look like it is on his property, but the shed was there when the neighbors bought the house. He made the people who sold the house move the fence because it was on his property, but I'm betting he couldn't see the shed because of the shrubs. I told him he needed to get a survey done if he felt there was a problem, but he's moaning and groaning about it, and insists that the new neighbors built it, and he said the fence was never moved. Finally I sent my DH over to ask, apologetically of course, and, yes, the shed was there when they moved in, and they remember that the old owners had to move the fence at my father's insistence. My Dad still doesn't believe us, which makes me ticked off, but I have to remember he's an old man and he doesn't remember what he forgot, so to speak.

Spring has really sprung here. Everywhere we go cherry trees are blossoming and daffodils are in bloom. In a couple of weeks, it will be even more gorgeous. Hope everyone else is seeing signs of spring.

I wasn't going to make an entry until I could say something positive instead of always complaining, but, what the ****, ....

I had to go back to the Dr this morning, and he said the MRI of the hip and pelvis shows a possible labral tear and also degeneration of the hip. I don't understand why the xrays at mayo showed nothing wrong with the bone.

Anyway, he wants me to see an orthopedic surgeon again at his clinic, (I saw this surgeon last year and he agreed with mayo) because there seem to be some changes in the hip now.
He also sent the MRI scans with me today to take along to my appointment at Mayo on Wednesday so my Dr there can compare them to the ones done at Mayo last year.
He said there is a possibility of one of 2 different surgeries, one is hip arthroscopic surgery, and the other is a total hip replacement.
I'm scared $hitless of both!

My Dr at Mayo told me last year that he wouldn't do surgery on me because of my weight. He said it's a very risky procedure even on a very slight person, and down right dangerous on an obese person.
Soooooo, I think I'm going to ask one of them to put me on a medical leave for a few months and see if I can concentrate on taking off a bunch of this fat, and in the process stay off of that hip as much as possible. Maybe I can swim for exercise.
It kills me to sit all day at work anymore, and it's just as bad to stand all day.

I'm using a cane now.

According to the Dr scales this morning, I have lost 6 pounds since I was there on Feb. 5th, ... 3 1/2 weeks. That's a nice start. The amounts I've been eating I'm amazed that I'm losing at all, but, I don't have any refined sugars, no saturated fats and mostly whole grains and vegetables.

I cooked up some peaches and finely diced apples yesterday with cinnamon and Splenda, and this morning I had some on buckwheat pancakes and some GIMME LEAN sausage with it. It was sooooo yum!
Then, I was upset and waiting for MRI films to be copied to take along to Mayo, and I went to the cafeteria for a cup of decaf coffee and spied a yummy looking pumpkin bar and scarfed it down. Should have known better. Got the back door trots from it. And it didn't really taste all that great.

Sunny, you're really doing awesome! keep up the good work!
I've heard so many people say the same thing you said about the Passion. I also heard one woman died watching it. Don't know if it's true or not.
I wish you good luck on that 6-week diet thingy. I know it works in theory, .... I just have decided to quit paying out money to have someone tell me how to lose weight or to weigh me. I have the knowledge, ... I just need to USE it. I don't mean by that, that someone else is wrong to pay for a program, I'm just talking for myself. I always get myself in trouble when I say things because those reading it can't see my face and hear the inflections in my voice and before you know it, it's KILL THE MESSENGER! Ah, well, such is life.

Awww Sheila, your poor doggie! :cry: That's sad. I hope they can help her.
Nope, I didn't watch the Oscars. Never do. I'm such a boring person.
I see Dad is still spunky even if he doesn't have a good memory.
I envy your daffodils and tulips etc. The snow is just about all gone from here now, thanks to warm temps and an overnight rain.

Gotta go. It's going to storm here. Thunderstorms, some severe.
Then by tomorrow morning, it's suppose to be snowing. Crazy.
Wish me luck at Mayo.

Hey, Willow, we're here to support you when you're feeling bad or good. What lousy news for you. I'm glad, though, that you did the MRI so they really can tell that there's something going on. I do wish the news was better, though. I'm not sure what the actual difference is in the surgeries, but isn't arthroscopically less invasive? And if you do have to have surgery, just think how much better your hip will feel afterward. I know, it's not too much consolation when you're facing a scary situation. On the news last night, they were showing a new type of artificial joint that is good for younger people getting replacements. It was called otanium or something like that. It doesn't wear out and works smoothly.

Six pounds--all right, woman! That's wonderful! Congratulations! And isn't it funny how something looks so good, but when we go to eat it, well, it just isn't as good as it looks. I wish we could remember that feeling every time.

Hey, whatever works for you, Willow. I like WW, and don't mind paying, because I know I need the support and the accountability. I do envy people who can lose weight without a program, but I know myself, and I'm not one of them. Wish I were--I'd have a lot more money in my pocket! :)

The good news about my dog is that she doesn't have stones; it's a regular bladder infection. The not-so-good news is that the X-ray detected something on her spleen or perhaps just a shadow. The vet is getting a radiologist to read it, and will let us know on Friday. So it's going to be a looong week. On another matter, my daughter was sexually assaulted on the base. It was a groping incident (he grabbed her crotch twice, then put his crotch on hers--how disgusting), and she got away. She filed charges, and, yes, there is an NCIS, just like the show (that I don't watch) on TV. Supposedly the Navy has a zero tolerance for that kind of stuff, but we'll see. The Air Force Academy scandals have made me skeptical. It's a bit difficult being on this coast when she's on another. She sounds pretty darned depressed.

We had our former remodeling contractors out (the ones I'd never use again) because we've got rust spots in our 1.5 year old tub. The plumbing guy said he'd never seen anything like it. He's going to call this afternoon and talk about recoating. I wonder how long that will keep the shower out of commission. We only have one shower except for my Dad's, and I'm not taking a shower in his bathroom.

Hope everyone has a great day--it's very springlike here.

Okay, I don't want to be the only one posting! I hate for us to get on the second page for some reason so I'm bumping this up.

Hope everyone is doing okay!

hello
 

Well, first of all, thanks all of you for your kind thoughts and good wishes.
Those Drs are still stumped. They can find nothing wrong with the bones, and it's not osteoporosis, but they think I had an infection in my body some place at some time and it went to the joint and set up this inflammatory process, but, they aren't sure there is anything that can be done about it.
I asked them if they've ever seen anything similar to this and they said absolutely not. It's very unusual.
They are going to have me see a surgeon at Mayo who specializes in the hips, and see what he can do. They said if they open that hip up and go in there, they don't even know what the heck they'd be looking for anyway. And they don't want to compromise my health by opening it and making things worse.
The real kicker though, is that he doesn't have any openings until May, 18th.

They had a special radiologist look at the new MRI films from last week compared to those from a year ago, and she said there are particles of something in the fluid surrounding the hip joint, but they don't know what the particles are except that it's not bone or cartilage.
They have tried twice now to aspirate the fluids out of that joint capsule and neither place has been successful, which means it's probably a very thick fluid, but, they injected saline and aspirated that back out and there was no bacteria or fungi, so, ... they are really scratching their heads. They said there is no reason to replace a hip joint that has not one thing wrong with the bone. This is all surrounding the bones.

They did remind me again today however that the hip arthroscopic surgery to explore the hip joint is not an option for me because of my weight. So, we all know what THAT means, ....

Soooo, I didn't ask them about this because I didn't think about it till after I got home, but, I'm going to increase the anti-inflammatory. I already doubled the dosage a year ago, at the Drs suggestion, but, now, I'm going to take that double dose in the morning, then take a normal dose at night. If I get sick, I'll quit taking it. If the pain doesn't get better in a week, I'm going to ask the Drs here to put me on a medical leave.

Sheila, I don't think there IS such a thing as "everyone else" on this thread anymore. It looks like it's 3 or 4 of us now.
I'm done running to appts. now for a while, so I'll probably post more often.

Hey! Good news about your dog. But, I hope the shadow turns out to not be anything serious.

Sheila, I'm so sorry for what happened to your daughter. You know, I just know that there are people who would say, " well, he didn't take her clothes off or penetrate her. " But, assault is assault, and the intentions were there, and he degraded her. I sure hope they throw the book at the SOB! I feel so bad for her being so far from you and home. I don't care how old a girl gets, they always need their Mom at times like this. Hugs to you my lady, and to your daughter too.

I hope you get good news about your bath tub.

I need to get some serious cleaning done around here.

Alright, ... this book is long enough.
Everyone have a great day today. .....

Hi ladies.
I'm so sorry for not posting more. I'm really going through some rough times, though. Our son & DIL are really doing a number on each other, as well as us. I just don't know how much more I can take of this. I/we love him very much...but, it's hard to help him. He's into drugs, & so is she. The two little girls are in the middle of some of the worse fighting I've ever heard of. He calls us all during the night....so paranoid! He & the girls stayed here last night. Then SHE called during the night! I'm like a zombie walking around hoping to get a little mental & physical rest. I stay very stressed. A few years ago, my nephew was beat to death by a so-called "friend". So, I know the fear of this happening. DIL has a brother & cousins that stay after our son...& he just doesn't have a lick of sense any more! It would be so much easier to help him, if he would stay off the drugs, though. I'll post when I can. But, a lot of the time, these days, I have my hands full....literally!

Sheila, I'm so sorry what happened to your daughter! I know that was so rough for her....& so hard for you to be away from her. I hope something is done about it. I have very little hope for justice, any more, though....with what we've been through. I'm thinking of you & your daughter.

Willow...hang in there. I'm sure something will be found to help you. They just haven't found the exact problem, yet. I know how frustrating it can be...don't give up...keep pushing them until they get it figured out. You're doing very good with your weight loss. Proud of you! :D

Hey, I've got 2 new double windows in my house! May have to post pics soon! ;)

Hi Fatpuss...hope you're doing well.

Hi to SunnyD...I'll get you on the other thread.

We go see our attorney tomorrow....big deal!!!!!! http://www.goofyfun.com/1/older1.gif

Where'd everybody go? :shrug:

Hope you all got my private message, Ladies, and just a SHORT explanation of what's been happening this end. Mind you, you have all been going through your own turmoils from what I have just been reading on the posts. Sheila, I can't imagine how distraught you must have been over DD. Being so far away from her just makes it worse for you and no wonder she is depressed; you don't expect that kind of thing to happen on a military base from one of your own! My thoughts are with you both. I hope Molly gets better soon - my dear friend whose animals are her babies rang to say one of her cats had died. Although it was 17, the cat looked like a youngster and having no kids or husband, my friend treated it (like we all do to a degree) like the baby. Your dad and his fence/shed is a recurring thing with my mother. Just two days ago she got a handyman in to replace a broken section of fencing (arranged it all herself over the telephone and was complimented by the nursing staff who overheard her). He too (just like the gardener and neighbours) has stolen one of her plants!! Or so she says. A year ago she was convinced the grandchildren visiting the house next door had poisoned her plants - she was going to pay to get them analyzed at the university! I was proved right, they had just been over pruned by the gardener and they were fine in the summer. Willow, I am really, really sorry you are in so much pain and having more tests to try to solve the problem. You are the kind of person I try to tell my mother about to show her how fortunate she is not to have debilitating ailments etc but it's all about "me" and I have finally realised I must stop wasting my breath. I told her my daughter was in surgery last week and they just had to sew some poor 30 year old back up as the cancer was everywhere and nothing could be done. She has a few months left to spend with her 4 year old and husband but even that didn't move my mother. * Just had to break off for yet another phone call from DM!! There's no end to it* Angel, I don't need to tell you what I feel like because you are in the thick of it too right now with DS and DIL. I am really sorry for you because, unlike me, you have your own health problems and your house problems to contend with as well. Thanks for taking the trouble to tell us about your dear aunt, she sounds a lovely person. I told my mother that my DF would have loved to have had the 3 years extra to live that she has wasted but it fell on stony ground all the notice she took. My friend who had the lung biopsy is still waiting to hear the results. I thought it would have been quicker but DD tells me it can take a week to 10 days as we have a shortage of pathology people in the UK hospitals (not if you are private patient though!) She has been on the phone this week too as she is not only having to cope with that but her DM died Tuesday night. Poor lady has had alzheimers for 12 years and her eldest daughter has had her at home the whole time. So although she feels she really lost her mum all those years ago, my friend is still distraught over her loss. SUnnyD you are doing brilliantly on your healthy regime, well done. I don't really like Mel Gibson's acting but I will watch the film when it comes out on rental release.
DS and girlfriend are here for the weekend and it's been fun having them. DS and DH took down a huge branch off a sycamore tree at the back of our garden yesterday. Hopefully all the greenfly will stop blighting the roses on the patio underneath and the squirrels will have to go to a higher branch to drop their dung!! I am hoping that a lot more sunshine will filter through on the ground below and I can put some sun-loving plants there for a change (I bought 20 new perennials at the market yesterday).
Well, looks like the straight talking I gave my mother yesterday didn't affect her too badly since she has just been on the phone with more of the usual - yesterday she had threatened suicide again and although I knew it was rubbish, I was so low I didn't actually care if she did do it.
Thanks for being you, you girls, little spot of sanity makes me feel better. You all have your own problems too and it's nice that we know we don't always have to be cheerleaders here.
xxx

I'm SOOO glad we don't have to be cheerleaders here, Fatpuss! It's good to have some friends to talk to & feel they really care. :coffee: I got so caught up in every day talk...that I forgot to post my weight loss last year, & when I reached my goal, in a couple of the threads. :o I think it was Willow who asked why I wanted to lose weight, after seeing my picture I posted. :lol: Well, it wouldn't hurt to lose more, but, probably won't. Got too many other issues in my life, right now. They keep me busy enough, that maybe I'll be able to maintain. :^:

Gee, it sounds like your mother gets to thinking some things have happened (like the plants) & convinces herself it's true! That's the way my son is...only his is because of drugs....I think. DH & I are afraid he may be losing it (mentally)...breaks our heart to think about it. His little girls thinks their daddy is all there is in this world! They love their mom, but, are daddy's girls. A lot of little girls are! He IS a good daddy. But, worry he'll be out driving with them when he's high, & get them & himself hurt. Didn't mean to go on about him, again.

Maybe you should let your DH answer the phone for awhile. Might cut down the calls! Something has GOT to work. Keep us informed. I also hope the lung biopsy turns out well for your friend. Oh, & Mel Gibson isn't in that film, he just directed it, etc. Have a great Sunday. http://www.vikimouse.com/art/mytop.gif

Finally posting ---
 

Hello everyone!

Just a quick post to let you know I am still here!

We finally have our computer fixed after about a month without it. We went to visit DS and family fo a couple of weeks and now everything is working fine. Yipee..

I started to read the posts to see what I have missed and it is like reading a book so I thought I would just jump in and let you know I am up and running ..... I will get back to reading tonight after I take my GD to the circus !!

Should be fun !!

Glad to be back....will be in touch later.

Jacquie

Hi, all--

I'd kind of given up on here, but it's so great to see others post that I thought I'd come back and see what everyone has been up to.

So glad to see you back, Jacquie. So does that mean your computer just wanted you to leave town for a couple of days? :lol:

SunnyD, that's great that you're really working hard to make yourself "beachworthy." I know exactly how you feel! Sometimes I wonder if that's why I never wanted to go to Hawaii. I did end up going there when I weighed 230 or so, and loved it, but would feel more comfortable going back when I can get into a size 10 swimsuit. Hopefully that day will come, although the song about having a pair of hips the size of two battleships was written for me.

Charlotte, how is it going with your son and DIL? How are your granddaughters doing? Still hoping to see pics of your new windows. I loved getting new windows. Funny how things like that can make you feel good.

Puss, what's happening with your friend with the lung biopsy? I'm still crossing my fingers that it's scar tissue only. I hope everything is okay on the mother front, too.

My Dad finally got new shoes on Saturday. It was like this huge outing for us. I'd been bugging him to get new shoes for a long time. Now that his feet aren't swollen, he was wearing what looked like clown shoes. He wouldn't listen to me, though, but he had to have the doctor say he needed new shoes. I'm thinking that when I want him to do something, I'll have to call one of his doctors and get the doctor to write it on a piece of paper. The only problem with the new shoes is that he can't put them on by himself. I have a hard time getting them on his feet, but it only took me two tries today. I figure by next week, I'll have it down. They are two sizes smaller than what he was wearing, and he admits that he walks better in his new shoes. Now he's got to get a diabetic insert put in, which is supposed to help with the lesions he's getting on the bottom of his feet. I tell you, after seeing my Dad go through all this stuff, I'm vowing right now that after I lose the rest of the weight, I will not gain it back. No way do I want to get diabetes!

It was so incredibly gorgeous here today. I hope everyone else is having good weather. My DH took our younger dog (well, he's 12 so he's a senior, too, but he's small) on a longer walk, and I took our old girl up the street and back. She is soooo slow now. I feel like she needs to walk so she won't lose more muscle mass. She's pretty much refusing to eat any of the prescription kidney diet food, which was keeping her kidney disease at bay for the last several years. I'm cooking her chicken breast and adding that to this other prescription food (a/d). After she takes her antibiotics, we'll check her kidneys again, and we're going to keep an eye on the mass on her spleen rather than do invasive procedures.

So who has flowers blooming? The cherry trees are in full bloom now--so beautiful. And I noticed my magnolia tree is coming into bloom, too. I'm looking forward to the tulip festival next month. I usually order too many and then regret it when they all arrive for planting in October. But it's well worth it come springtime.

Good morning. Ladies.
Well, as quickly as it came, DMs mood has lifted and back to cantankerous, fiesty old self. Great!!
SunnyD, you sound fantastically focussed on your regime, I just wish it was infectious because I still can't kick start back to the way I was before Christmas. I came back from doing an audit at a company site and dropped off at a different supermarket and ended up buying a ton of comfort food including cakes! Have put 9lb on since mid December and keep resolving to start anew but...... Anyway, well done to you, SunnyD.
Jacqui, wonderful to see you back. Glad your computer is behaving now, what did we do before we had them and mobile phones, eh?
Sheila, I spoke to my friend last night (her mother's funeral was yesterday). She still has not heard anything from the biopsy though she had an appointment made for next Thursday on the day they did it. I am hoping that this is good news and think surely the results would be through by now and if they were bad, then surely she would have heard by now. DD says not to get hopes raised too much yet as the labs are slow. She has promised herself a weekend down to my place if she gets the ok and we will go to London shopping to celebrate! Re your dad and his shoes, I remember dear FIL wearing 'clown shoes' for a while years ago, he had made a mistake buying without trying and looked so funny - seems he was too proud to admit the mistake and return them! Your old girlie dog reminded me of my puss Alfie when the vet tried to get him to eat the special kidney failure foods. He would rather starve so I just gave him what he wanted as he was living on borrowed time then anyway. SunnyD, not a day goes by I don't miss him, such a fantastic little character. I am thinking of getting two kittens in the spring after my holiday but am not too sure about it yet though DS and DH say I should "because you are the type of person who needs someone to look after" they said. Their comment had me worried for a while, until they explained that I wasn't a born orderly, ha ha.
My garden is full of daffodils and a few early tulips but the weather has been bitter again and we had snow flurries for a few minutes the past few days. I bought a white camelia and a climing rose called Penny Lane (my brother lives in the next road) and DS planted them in for me last weekend. I still have the 20 perennials to plant in and hope to do them this weekend.
Willow, I hope you are ok and not in too much pain right now.
Angel, I know you have your work cut out right now too (though you always have time for others).
Thanks again, girls, for support when I needed it!
Am going to get my Rosemary Conley cookbook out again and perhaps do a cook in at the weekend and make a determind effort to get back on the wagon with this weight loss. Oh - the lady at the checkout at the supermarket yesterday said she was on the Atkins for a week and ended up calling an ambulance - seemed she never knew she had gall stones till the fat in the diet aggrivated it.

Just reading that and felt I had to clarify that my brother lives in the next road to Penny Lane in Liverpool not the next road to me.

Hi all!

It sure is nice to be back. I spent last evening getting caught up on all the posts. My what a lot there is in a few weeks. When I finally turned in DH said "do you realize you have been reading for 2 hours!!"

Anyhow it was wonderful catching up on everyone.

I have still been busy with DM...lots of running back and forth. The dementia is progressing rapidly and I finally realized I am having a hard time dealing with it. It is like a slow death....frusterating to watch and a feeling of helplessness. I was quite sad for a few weeks and feeling very low and like you SunnyD just sort of shut down and go into myself. I am usually the family sounding board......everyone seems to bring me their problems and I just listen... but lately I just haven't been able to deal with them like usual. I guess "I" have enough of my own problems!!
Fatpuss my MIL sounds just like your DM !! That is another problem I am having trouble dealing with and it is a little more difficult when it isn't your own mother. If she only realized how lucky she is.....87 and sharp as a tack but she has been dying for 30 years.

Willow I can really feel everything you are going through. I was in pain for years and finally had a total hip replacement 4 years ago. I tell you it is the best thing I have ever done. I have to watch now that I don't do anything I shouldn't....it feels so good I forget its been done. As for the cane use it if you need it, I did ....don't suffer if it helps. Hopefully the will get to the bottom of your problems but if it comes down to a replacement don't worry !!!

I guess I had better get going DIL is bringing GD over in a few minutes....yipee I get to spoil her.

Hi to anyone I have missed. Charlotte I said a prayer for you and all your difficulties at this time.

Bye for now
Jacquie

http://www.countryclipart.com/BearsS...diefamilyx.gif Hello friends. I'm so sorry I haven't been able to post very often. I want to...just have my hands full.
Thank you all for the kind words of encouragement & prayers for my son/family. The prayers are still needed. It's so comforting to know I can speak freely. Sometimes I really need to, but, can't talk about drugs, etc., around home to anyone, for fear of getting him in trouble. You know the commercial that shows your brain on drugs??? I have a fear that my son's brain looks like that. It was that when he wasn't high, he was a very sweet, pleasant person to be around. Now, he talks crazy nonsense 24 hours a day. We do believe, though, that it's not 100% his own doing. We fear DIL's family & friends are slowly scaring him to death & driving him crazy. He's had problems with some of them, & this way they can do away with him without "touching" him. I've tried to tell him that it's a mind game they're playing & to not give in to it....he agrees, but can't seem to help it. He comes over here or calls, just terrified. Even to the point of shaking. That's not the son we knew. He was never scared of anyone....& always took up for the smaller person. The only fights he had in school, was when he took up for someone being picked on. We don't know how to handle it. We neither one have ever been around drugs until now. Not that we've had a perfect life from all things...just don't know about this. Like I've said...he's at fault in a lot of things...not taking up for his actions....& he's brought a lot of it on himself. There's more going on than I can tell. Just have to vent sometimes....just bare with me....& thank you.

I'll take pics of the new windows soon. It's amazing what a difference they can make to an older home. This house is one of the oldest houses in our community. That's what drew us to it. It's one of the few "well known" items around. We bought it with the intention of remodeling & preserving....so, you can imagine how old those other windows are! I would have liked to kept them, but, they were too far gone. Also, the fire destroyed some of them, & can't match up.

I've read all the posts, & enjoyed. Forgive me for not posting to individuals for now. Maybe I'll get back into a normal routine soon. Well....at least normal on this forum. :^:

I hope all of you have a great weekend. http://www.amroriginals.com/freebies/sigs/bunnylove.gif

Well, gee, Jacquie, you missed me, but that's okay. :) I'm so sorry about your Mom--it's excruciatingly hard to watch that kind of thing happening. Living with my Dad, I see day-to-day how he's getting more frail and forgetful, but I'm very lucky that he's still mostly with it as far as his mind goes. Take good care of yourself during this time, Jacquie. While isolation is generally not a good thing, maybe if it gets you out of the role of sounding board, it works for you. I'm glad you can share here.

Our kids--we love 'em, but they frustrate the heck out of us a lot of the time, don't they? Charlotte, I can't even imagine how you are coping with this. Have you ever checked out Alanon, by the way? I've heard it really helps when someone you love is involved in drugs or alcohol. I know they have online meetings, and it might help to read how other parents are coping with a loved one's drug/alcohol problem.

Puss, is that THE Penny Lane from the Beatles song? Cool! Ah, your FIL sounds a lot like my Dad--never admitting mistakes. Must be that generation. I do hope your friend hears good news, and that you get to have your celebratory shopping spree.

SunnyD, I love that big huggable teddy bear graphic! Makes me want to run out and buy a teddy bear, although I guess I have a living one right here. Maybe I should go hug him! :)

So my DD is doing okay after her trauma. I don't know what's happening with the investigation, though. Her BF is getting stationed in Virginia, and they are planning to get an apartment together. I, of course, expressed my disapproval, although in a loving way. They're planning on getting married, but I've read so much about the strikes against a successful marriage and they will have two--living together before marriage, and their age (she'll be 21; he'll be 25). My DH and I both lived with our first spouses before marriage and neither relationship worked out so we're biased. We didn't live together, and we've been together 23 years in June. My son lived with his wife before they got married, and that lasted a mere three years. I know it's a relatively small sample of people, but from the other studies I've read, living together really is a strike against a long-lasting marriage. I do hope they can beat the odds.

Tomorrow we're going to look at a potential wedding venue. It appears that the groom now wants an evening wedding, which costs quite a bit more. I asked my DD if he or his family were prepared to pay the difference in what we can afford vs. what the groom wants. Sounds like a good discussion topic!

Well, I lost .6 lbs. this week. I seem to be following a pattern of lose a little, lose a lot, lose a little, lose a lot. I am thankful that it's losing, although I have been really doing well with my eating and exercising anyway. We just got back from having lunch out. I was craving some applewood smoked bacon--yum. I told my Dad to put his teeth in, but when we got to the restaurant, I looked at him and said, "You didn't put your teeth in, did you?" after he told me that he would. What is it with old men and their false teeth? My grandmother wouldn't have been caught dead in public without her teeth or without her "face" on.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Six inches of snow? Oh, my, I'd be wishing for a good dose of spring right now, too. Good for you on such a great week, SunnyD! :cp: You should really be proud of yourself! I'm sure you'll have excellent results on Tuesday. I can't wait to hear.

Bonnie, I'm so sorry you're experiencing such lows. I really hope a good dose of sunshine right about now will work wonders for you. I know it doesn't take all the stresses away, but there's something about beautiful spring flowers and blue sky that lifts the spirits. I'm glad you have your grandkids to give you some pleasure (hey, I'm assuming it's pleasure--they do sound like nice kids!).

My DH and I were awakened at 7:00 am this morning by our house alarm screaming "Help, help!," which appears is the code for the medical alarm my Dad wears. I've never put on a bathrobe so fast. He locks his door and I have a screwdriver I open it with, and, of course, I'm being Miss Fumblefingers as I'm screaming, "Dad, Dad!" while trying to open the door. I finally got it opened and found him sitting in his chair saying, "What's wrong?" Aarrgghh! It appears he accidentally pressed the button as he was putting the alarm in his pocket. He had no idea he'd done that. I was SO thankful it wasn't serious, and, hey, I'd always wanted to know how the medical alarm differentiated from the intruder alarm and now I do. I told him that he did it on purpose because he was hungry and he knew we usually slept in until 7:30 am on Saturdays.

Today is running around day. I'm going to take some meds, put one of those Therma Care packs around my neck, and see if I can make it through the day without too much trouble. I like the idea of getting out and doing stuff much more than the reality. Weather here is kind of gloomy, but the flowers are incredible. I made a bouquet of flowering quince, magnolia and daffodils for my Dad.

My old dog still isn't eating right, and now her back legs are slipping out from under her if she stands too long. She seems okay, though. I don't want to wait too long (I did this with another dog and it was upsetting--when people say "you'll know" when it's time, that certainly wasn't true for me!), and yet I don't want to put her down if she's doing okay. It's such a tough decision. *Sigh*

I think we'll go check out this housing subdivision. Not that I'm looking to buy a house, but I so enjoy looking at houses. It's kind of a passion with me. And when we owned a home, we got some good ideas by looking at others' houses.

Have a great Saturday, everyone!

Hi all!

Had a busy Saturday....first woke up to snow again....ugh!
I will be so happy to see spring, we have had such a long winter. It has only been really bad a few times but it is just taking forever to warm up. We won't have flowers poking their heads up for at least another month.

I made a firm comittment to get back with the program today. I haven't really over indulged but just enough not to lose. Also I have a big problem getting enough water during the winter....maybe because it is always so cold outside!!

SunnyD good for you succeding to stay "OP" AND getting all your water. How do you like to Curves program? I have been thinking about checking into it as they just opened a new outlet quite close to where we live.

Sheila soooo sorry I missed you in my last post! You are so lucky your father is still with it mentally....enjoy him while you can. It is difficult when you can't have a meaningful conversation with someone anymore. I whould never have imagined this time last year there would be so much deterioration in such a short time.
I don't know what I missed but I wasn't sure what happened to your DD but have read between the lines and my heart goes out to you all. As for their living together ...I am not in favour of it either but there is not much one can do. Our DS's both lived with their fiancees a few months prior the getting married ...10 and 13 years and 4 grandbabbies later things are wonderful so if they are committed it will work.
I am just interested to see how our DS's feel when their children are older and in that same situation !!!

Well must run...am doing DM's laundry and have to look after GD's this afternoon.

A womens work is never done !!

Have a good day everyone !!

Jacquie

Hi Ladies,
SunnyD, you are well focussed now and I love your daily routein though I am not back into my committment mode yet. By the time I get home from work at 1750 making dinner is about all I am fit for. Love your graphics too, you and Angel keep our pages pretty.
Jacqui - it's good to see you here again, I am sorry your mum has been deteriorating so quickly. My friend's mum died the other week and has had altzheimer's for over 12 years and it has been a great strain on everyone. I never knew this lady as she used to be but my friend said that she was such a giver and so loving that the last thing she would have wanted was to have lingered in what has seemed to be a no-man's land all these years. It's a tragic disease whatever course it takes and my heart goes out to you. I know what it's like to be the 'strong' one in the family, sometimes (as in my DMs case), it's a nice dumping ground for someone without thought for the other person. Try not to be sucked dry by the needs of others if only for the sake of your own sanity.
Angel - I hope that given time your lovely son returns to the fold. It makes my blood boil when I think that the real evil surrounding drugs is centred around the big suppliers who very rarely take the stuff themselves. It seems he knows that he has a wonderful mother there for him and I guess that's all you can do at present, be there for him. I think I know where you get your strength from and hope it continues. So what are these posh windows like? You will be the swankiest house on the block once you are all up and ready again!
Sheila - Poor pooch, it's not long since you went through that last year with the other babe. Someone on TV the other night was saying how life is so unfair to have a dog's life expectancy so much shorter than a human's when they are companions for life - he has just lost his beloved ***** after 17 years and he was still 36. I think it is fair to expect the groom's family to pay for extras over and above the alloted wedding budget. Your DD is becoming a ledgend! Love the alarm and the teeth, just so dad! Well done on the .6lb loss, it's in the right direction. Yes, Penny Lane as in the Beatles song. I lived about 200yds from Strawberry Fields children's home and about .5 mile from John Lennon's Aunt Mimi's house. I often gave lifts in my car to (mostly) Japanese tourists trying to find the house he grew up in.
Bonnie - it was lovely hearing from you and when you have the time it will be great seeing you here again.
Willow - I am getting worried about you. Are are ok? I know the site went very quiet for a while but also, you are having a lot of medical problems lately what with the cane etc. Are you still able to go to work or have you taken some (well deserved) time off? Hope all is well with you.
Today has been raining with high winds and a good excuse to read for most of the ay, yaay! Have started the first book of a set of three,political diaries of a Member of Parliament who died a few years ago. Talk about *****y women!! These men could give anyone lessons. Gripping stuff. Yesterday I bought and planted 5 more lavender bushes for under the climbing roses and also two rosemary bushes. I also bought some quality top soil to replace the water-logged clay I dug up around them.
The diet went to the wall today (again) as I thought I would cook an authentic Indian curry from a new recipie. Turned out far too spicy for me (though DH loved it and so will DS). I ended up eating rubbish instead followed by more rubbish in form of chocolate. Tomorrow I must try to get back on track - I can see my tombstone having that inscribed!!
Best wishes to all,

Hello Friends,

Well,the weekend is over again, and time to set our minds toward the work day Monday.

I had the 3 Grandsons from Green Bay and the two grandchildren from next door, so I had 5 grandkids all weekend from ages 9 through 3. I am really tired tonight, but thought I would try to post a little bit, so you all know I am still around.

We have had snow off and on again today and the wind is bitter cold. Soon Spring will be here. As the calander goes it is only 6 more days until Spring has offically sprung. Yeah Right.

One of the Grandson's had a really bad cold, am hoping and praying that neither DH nor I pick that cold up or we will be down ill again for another week.

I want to wish you all the best and express my sadness for the problems that have befallen my friends. Sheila, I hope DD is doing o.k. I planned four weddings and am so very vey relieved that all the children are married and hopefully we will not have to deal with the cost and all of the planning for another wedding. Also sorry to hear that your older dog is experiencing health problems. it is always so hard. Charlotte, sorry about your DS and the grief he is experiencing at this time. Hopefully you will be able to snatch that boy back from the brink and get him well. New windows (huh)? How wonderful for you. SunnyD good for you with your program. What determination, that is what it takes though and a lot of patience. Willow will you consider coming back to the forum? I miss you. Hope your hip is feeling better, and you will come back to us. Puss, it would have been even better if you had said you gave the Beetles a lift all the time. They sure shook the USA up forty years ago. Did you ever meet any of the Beetles at a concert or something? Jacquie, so nice to have you posting to the forum again. I know what you mean about not seeing any thing in the yard growing, well other than snow piles, which winter can keep to its self.

Well, I am falling asleep at the key board, so I had better go to bed. Take care everyone and have a good Monday.

Bluet

Bluet, it's lovely to see your post. 5 grandchildren ALL weekend??? Sounds delightful but I know I would be on my knees with exhaustion today. What a lovely mum and grandma you are. The grandchild I hope to have one day is an angelic, non-active little thing who will want to take a siesta when I feel like one myself, ha ha. If it comes from my DS it will probably be a crazy whirling dervish like he was when he was young! Are any of your tenants calves being born yet? As for the Beatles, I was never in to them. I was 10 or 11 when their 2nd album came out (which I wanted) but by the time they split up I think I was about 14 or 15 and they were not cool anymore. My DH went to high school with Paul and George (Paul was a year above) and Dh's band played at the Cavern the same night as the Beatles. Good job DH decided to get a proper job else I would never have met him, and that would have been awful for me. So, the world's loss was my gain, ha ha ha. Well the winds have died down this morning and I hope to start my first day back on track with the healthy eating. (how many times in the last two months have I said that!!).
Kind regards to everyone.

Well, Puss, my DH was totally impressed that your DH went to school with Paul and George. I was never into them either, but my DH is, and so is my daughter. The second generation of Beatles fans. When I was in San Francisco one time, we stayed at a hotel across from the hotel they were staying, and I remember being ticked because I couldn't get any sleep with all the screaming and carrying on from the throngs of fans outside the Beatles hotel.

You'll have to show us photos of your yard--it sounds lovely with lavendar and rosemary and I think you've mentioned roses, too.

Like your idea of a grandchild--ha ha! You know that's not going to happen at all, of course. Your whirling dervish scenario is more likely.

Bluet, you are an amazing woman taking on five grandchildren for a whole weekend. I'm betting none of them acted like Puss wants her future grandchildren to act, right? At least they could entertain each other hopefully. That's what they say about having kids all in a row. Don't know if that really works--maybe the parent spends all his/her time breaking up fights.

How about a nice Hawaiian vacation, Bluet? Or Florida? People from the northwest always try to get away in November and February to escape the dreary rain. It hasn't been too bad this year, or the year before, but I remember having grey days and rain for entire months.

I'm trying a new acupuncturist. So far she hasn't caused intense pain or burned me. Of course, I've only seen her once. :) She seems more knowledgeable than the last one so maybe I'll actually learn to relax during treatments. Tomorrow is massage day followed by a haircut. I had an old woman at aerobics tell me, "oh, your hair's just like mine. It has a mind of its own!" I thought, well, glad I'm getting my haircut tomorrow if that's what it looks like today.

My DH is really enjoying the sailing lessons I got him as a Christmas gift. I think it's the best gift I've ever given him. He's going to want to take me sailing, though, once he completes the course. I'm just a bit leery about that. I'm more of a canoe/kayak kind of person. He said that he had to dodge a seaplane when he was sailing on Sunday.

Hope everyones week is off to a good start!

Hello Friends,

Well, Monday has come and gone, all was relatively quite at work, thank goodness, I am getting a little behind in my work again, only because I didn't feel like being there today so I didn't push myself too hard. At least the office bully has taken a rest from ganging up on everyone. I only hope it will last for awhile, I think the owner said something to him.

It was cold here again today, eventually it will get warm, it always does. We would take a little Florida trip, we were even talking about going to Arizona for a week, but then we found out we have to put a new roof on the house and the soffits are pealing and either we repaint or we have them clad in aluminum. The roof and the soffits according to our SIL, who owns his own construction company, will probably cost around $10,000.00, so we figured we had better save our pennies and stay home. DH and I have painted this house about three or four times since we lived here and we are not getting any younger. The house is three stories high and rather large, a typical farm house, I don't think we want to be climbing up and down ladders all summer again.

Our "tenant farmer" (that's a pretty cute expression, Puss) raise Holstein milking cows. The young heifer's or (girl cows) are brought here when they are about a year old, they are raised here to breeding age and then bred. When they get close to having their calf, they are suppose to be picked up by the farmer and taken to the Home Farm to have their calf. Since the farmer has a large dairy farm and is very busy, he doe not always get here on time and sometimes the calf is born here. The calves are born at all different times of the year, not just one time of the year. The heifers are bred at a age so that they will be about two years old when they have their first calf.

I think I was a little too old for the Beatles, myself, but my sister was really a big Beatles fan, and then 2nd DD who was born in 1968, went through a phase in her college years when she had the Beattles old tunes playing all the time. Driving around in her little blue Chevette blasting John, Paul, George and Ringo on the cassette player.

Well the dryer is buzzing at me, I had better go and hang the clothes up before they get wrinkled. We had this discussion once before, I never iron and some of you iron religiously.

Take care everyone, enjoy Tuesday.

Bluet

Sheila, I loved the old lady's back-handed compliment about your hair! When I was young all my DDs family used to say I was the model of my dad's sister. It frightened me to death because to me she looked like a mad woman with uncombed wild curly hair and large mad eyes! Wouldn't mind her scrawny figure now though, ha ha. What a great Xmas present for DH. Don't much fancy dodging seaplanes, though. Hope you get good results from your new accupuncurist.
Bluet, I know what you mean workwise. Our end of year is the end of this month and I am frantically trying to get everything in the backlog finished (some stuff not written up from the summer!). As for the office bully, I am surprised your boss is not scared of being taken to a tribunal by the staff for allowing it to go on (if he is aware of it). It's a big thing over here right now, court cases for 'constructive dismissal' where someone found it impossible to continue in the job because of harassment etc. Bullying in the workplace is also very expensive for the bosses if courts rule in the victim's favour. Your house sounds like ours did last year. We had hoped to get a holiday but had to spend the money and time painting the outside and getting a flat roof renewed. Fortunately it wasn't too big a job for DH up the ladders but it would have been hellish expensive to get someone in to do it. It's a pitfall of home ownership and getting older, isn't it. Thanks for the info on calves being born. I always thought they were like lambs born in the spring - fine farmer I would have made haha.
We are hoping to go and view a car for DD today. It's only a couple of years old and is supposed to be immaculate. Hope so. DD and DS are coming at the weekend as it is Mothering Sunday here then - I know you have yours at a different date in the year. I have invited my DM down but she hasn't said anything so I guess she won't come. I have bought her an adjustable foot stool as she is such a hypochondriac she is now worried about getting deep vein thrombosis - something she read about concerning passengers on long flights getting. As she is terrified of flying and the last time was in 1992, I think a thrombosis would have reared its ugly head by now if it was going to. I am working from home today and hope to wonders work-wise on my laptop getting tons of stuff finished. That's the plan, anyway. The diet did well until the evening after dinner when I stuffed with chocolate biscuits. Have realised that for me the danger zone is not the evening dinner, it's the 'rewards"afterwards when watching TV with DH.
Hope everyone is ok.

Bluet, that's too bad that you can't take a vacation and have to spend your $$ on fixing the roof. Do you buy lottery tickets? :) I hope you get a chance to maybe take a minivacation somewhere. I'm glad the owner finally said something to the office bully--hope it lasts. And if it doesn't, I hope the owner does something more than just talk. It takes so much to fire someone these days, though. Who here irons? I can't even find mine! :)

Hey, Puss, I read in a magazine yesterday that rosemary and lavendar help with anxiety AND help you do better at math. The article said to have some around before you do taxes. Since you're in the auditing business, I figure once you plant those, you'll probably get a promotion! Just take a big whiff every time you leave the house for work, and think of what a great job you'll do.

The dreaded evening snacking. We were talking about that at our Weight Watchers meeting last week. One person said she had to actually remove her chair from the TV room because she couldn't sit down in the chair and watch TV without snacking.

So did you find a car for DD? What kind? My DD called with the news that she and a girlfriend are moving into an apartment tomorrow. It's in an old house that you have to get buzzed into. Sounds pretty cute.

Our magnolia tree is blooming up a storm. It's so pretty. It looks like the lilacs will be starting to bloom soon. I love the fact that spring comes pretty early here. In Colorado, spring came after the early May snowstorn, followed by scorching heat in June so spring was about three weeks long, sometimes four. Summer ended with the first snowstorm in September. In Idaho, I started seeing flowers in March so it's kind of in between Colorado and where I am now. The only two acceptable seasons in Idado were spring and fall. Summer was too hot, and winter too snowy. I'm so fussy!

There wasn't anything to invoice at work this afternoon, so I took a chance and took a couple of hours off and came home to try to do something with the upstairs. Such a mess I have made trying to clear out the storage room. I got quite a bit more stuff sorted out, but there is a lot more to go through. We are burning a lot of it, we can still burn in burn barrels, but I know pretty soon our township will not allow burning anymore. Mores the reason to get this stuff done and out of the house.

I just have to tell you what the latest thing the office bully did to me a couple of weeks ago, it had added to my depression. I need to tell someone outside of my family, because I think I am getting immuned to his behavior and consider it normal. One of the sales reps had called me and asked for a special inventory listing, I knew I had removed it from the computer, by special instructions of the owner, but I couldn't remember where I had put it. Well, I was searching in all the places I usually store those kind of things when OB asked what I was doing. I said I was looking for something I misplaced. He insisted on knowing what it was. I told him the special inventory listing. Of course he asked why, and I told him why. Well, sales rep and OB do not get along very well. OB asked why would sales rep want that listing. I said I don't know, you will have to call him and ask him. OB started grousing about sales rep and questioning me and I tried to leave the area and avoid anymore hassle about sales rep, but Ob just kept grousing about sales rep. Finally, I said very loudly I don't know you will have to call him and ask him (I shouldn't have done that, but I was sick of being harassed by him) So OB picked up the listing (about 20 pages of computer paper) and threw it at me across the desk and said here take the G.. D.... thing, I hope you are happy now. I didn't say anything I just left and went back to my office. There is more, but I know I am boring you, so I'll stop. Needless to say OB and I have been very cool to one another going on three weeks now and of course that is stressful.

Sheila, I just can't believe that you have Spring already. I don't think you are being fussy. You know how I feel about winter. So are you thinking, I could possibly hit it big on the lottery. Wouldn't that be so cool. I hardly ever buy lottery tickets, I am not very lucky that way. But, mabe I will buy one tomorrow, just to see how it shakes out.

Puss, I used to get the English Garden magazine, but didn't renew, because it is quite expensive. I have been looking at my back issues on my lunch break at work. It really is a beautiful magazine. The one I am looking at now has a whole section on hardy roses. England apparently has all the right conditions to grow beautiful roses. Which reminds me, I wonder if my roses survived the winter.

Well I had better sign off and get a few things done before bed time. Take care.

Do you think we will ever hear from Willow, Charlotte or SunnyD ever again?

Bluet

"Happy St. Patty's Day!"
 

Charlotte, I am so sorry you are struggling right now. I have great empathy for you and your family at this time. May you all be safe from harms way and soon see a light at the end of the tunnel for your house woos and you son's problems. And most of all hug and bless your grand daughters.

SunnyD, Well, at least you got it out and out of the way. I am disappointed for you too. Who wouldn't be after so much hard work and no weight loss, but the positive thing is you lost inches and that should make you smile from here to Toledo. A couple of years ago I belonged to Curves too and I always lost inches (a good thing) but the pounds came off slower, because muscle weighs more than body fat. Don't loose your focus, you will be all right. You have a good attitude.

Take care

Bluet

Well, shoot, Charlotte. I'm sorry about the small settlement. Are you definitely going after the other place? I hope that doesn't take too long. Can you do much on the house with the settlement that you got?

I'm so glad your son is getting help with the drugs. I imagine you made that a condition of him living with you. Having been through a kid's divorce recently, I know how stressful that is for parents--I was very stressed and I don't have the RA to contend with. Please be extra good to yourself.

SunnyD, I'm sorry the scale didn't reflect how well you've been doing. Remember--scales lie! Really! Look at how many inches you've lost. That's incredible! I know how hard it is not to rely on the scale as your guide. Cry all you want, but don't let that disappointment ruin your progress. You're right--you will see a loss in the future so keep thinking about that, and about how well your clothes are fitting!

Hi to Bluet and Puss! Bluet, do you ever have fantasies about kicking the O.B. where it counts?? :)

I made my dad change his shirt this morning. He had a blue shirt on that he swore was green. I said it wasn't, and he was sure he had nothing in his closet that was green. I then pulled out a green shirt (kind of sage green) and handed it to him. He put it on and swore it was brown. At dinner tonight I asked if he'd gotten pinched today, and when he said no, I said, see, that shirt IS green because if it wasn't green, you would have gotten pinched!

My poor old dog! She is drinking more because of the kidney disease and she doesn't let us know when she has to go out. We weren't quick enough and she squatted in the hallway. My DH startled her in midstream and she kind of got up and shook, spraying urine all over the hall. Of course, this happened right when I was about to leave for the doctor's office. Luckily, they were backed up and I didn't have to explain why I was late.

Have any of you had a bone density scan? I had one today and was bummed to find out I have bone loss in my spine. I do everything I can to avoid that because I don't want to be one of those hunched over old women. I'm wondering if my neuro disorder is causing some problem--maybe the meds I take. Guess it's more big horse pills for me--yuck! I got a sample of the chewable calcium (Viactiv, I think). They're way too much like candy.

Hope everyone had a great St. Patrick's Day. I was listening to an Irish woman on the radio the other day, and she said they don't have corned beef in Ireland. They usually have ham (although not like American ham, she said) and cabbage.