She is probably still on it - it is only Sunday in her neck of the woods. Steve Irwin is bonkers. Tho he makes a lot of money out of being bonkers. He might scare the mice away, but they come back the minute it is quiet again.

Testing, testing 1 2 3

Good morning ladies what's all this about mice? Get a good cat or two I say.

Hope everyone had a nice weekend. Mine flew by as usual tho yesterday was the nicer of the two. Mom's computer went fizzzzzzzz so DH was kind enough to volunteer one of the older ones we had in the basement. Mum was thrilled as this has a bigger monitor which makes it easier for her to see. We left her yesterday as she was getting a cup of coffee and wanted to sit a while and learn how to surf the Internet and do a little online shopping what have we done? Then it was off to visit sister and family. They took us to lunch for my birthday - had a very nice and filling dinner. My only meal for the day it seemed. Then home to do groceries and a bit of cleaning and laundry which is somewhat but not completely done. Always a bit behind it seems. I also took a look at the help wanted ads in the Sunday paper - not too many it seems and I surely don't know what I want to do with my life. Again it seems that I am confronted by a major case of my own insecurities. Then again, here I am today, alive and well so no real complaints.

Linus, would never push you to quit smoking as it is up to each person to decide for themselves. What is most scary to me is how many people quit and then fall back upon the habit again. Guess you always have to have your guard up. I just wish I didn't think about it so much all the time. The cravings are getting weaker but I do find myself thinking about it much more than I'd like. Like you I also gave up my Coca Cola habit 2 years ago. Never thought I could give up that buddy of mine either.

Shad, nice picture of the cockatoos. How neat that must be to see all around you. Do you also have an invasion of those birds that like to pull the rubber edging off the car windows? (Interesting creatures on her side of the world Mel ) Good luck with your interviews - not sure if I should wish you speed in finding a new job soon or just a good sense of timing - finding a job soon but also having a bit of time to enjoy yourself too.

Miss Teel, hope you are enjoying the visit with the parents and that you found something appropriate for a gift that they might like.

And for you Miss Mel, I hope they get the paperwork for your chair all fixed up. Nothing ever seems to go as planned, does it? I'm sure you will be the first to volunteer a few cheery words to help them along, won't you?

Well here it is Monday again. Already. Oof-duh. I still need to do some Fly-ladying, some working (while I still have a job) and some homework (only 2 more weeks of class - yipppeeeeee - and then the summer off I think!!!!!) So I'd better get busy here. Have a good day everyone!

hi happy your sounding much better im so glad you sounded so fed up the other day !! i get loads of pushing at home from dh and kids they all hate it and as they all have asthma i really shouldnt but ive been smoking since i was 13 and thats 20 years and its a crutch i just cant do without at the moment but i would desperatly like to stop i did stop last year for about three weeks and then had an argument with dh and my back started playing up and that was that and its a shame as i can get stop smoking stuff for free as im on benefits i am just not ready to try again but i will soon so you keep strong and ill follow soon and you can encourage scream and generally rally me along cause i will need it anyway glad your finding it a wee bit easier and good luck and all my good wishes are with you and i know youll do it just stay strong and determined and my mum said she found knitting really helped her to keep her fingers occupied but she said she lost count of the amount of times she realised she was smoking a knitting needle
kirsty
come on roseie girl where are you

Linus, you have a new avatar, don't you? And also I missed Nae earlier. How was the conference?

I'll be back after I do my homework which may be 2 days from now (only 3 more weeks of classes - can't wait to be done with this - even looking forward to cleaning the basement instead of studying!)

YES HAPPY this is a staffie and thats what my cleo looked like right until her brown bits got bigger but i cant resist them id have loads but my nerves wouldnt stand up to more than one cleo shes a one woman wrecking machine and still thinks her main job is too bite every dog in the area
kirsty

Good heavens, looking forward to cleaning rather than schoolwork???? As one of my former co-workers would say - are you and the planet spinning on the same orbit??
Well today is the day I am off for the interview with the Uni. I think I have all my questions listed. One thing that interests me most is that the doco is being done by the tech heads mostly or apparently so according to the recruitment place. Now the tech heads appear to be mostly Indian (of the velly good curry variety) so that could make for interesting doco.
I did a screening interview yesterday for a job I sent a resume into over the weekend. The screening person sounded like she was about 14 and had just run the marathon and seemed to want yes/no answers to her questions which were unable to be answered that way. She also didn't seem to have a great grip on what she wanted to know and asked similar questions without appearing to listen to the previous answers. She was trying to write down the answers at the same time which might explain the questions. One question was: Why do you want to go to Wodonga for 2-3 months on contract - Answer: It's not so much Wodonga I want to go to, it's the job I am interested in! (No one in their right mind would want to go to Wodonga at this time of year!) I'm afraid I go a little snooty and cool towards the end of the so called interview. Came off the phone and said to Simon, well that's that one off the list. Best go find something else to do. So today's interview is looking good so far. Indians or not. Actually I've worked with them before - not for them - but with them. They work very hard but can be intolerant and impatient and arrogant. Could be interesting.

So how's everyone doing? Happy I am glad to hear that you are feeling a bit better about the non smoking. You've stuck it out for 12 days, although I bet it feels longer. Another week should see the cravings totally disappear. The feeling of having extra time lasts a bit longer. The thinking about it, well it's like a form of grief and will also disappear with time.

Teel and the folks must be either loving each other or killing each other. She better get back soon and tell us all about it. I think they were due to stay from Wednesday to Sunday or was it the other way around. Oh well she'll be back.

Linus - the more shrieks and shouts that come from the home front, the more determined you will be able sticking with it. Just tell them all to shut up and you will do it in your own time. You have to do it because you want to, not because others want you to. It has to be your own burning desire to get rid of the weed and addiction. For some it is worse than for others, I'm never quite sure why. I found it fairly easy, but my brother had a real tough time.

Mel will be on the phone today about THE CHAIR. I guess we can expect results within the week.

And I better get a move on. I still have to find my way through the University maze to get to building N12. I'll have to see if the referdex has a Uni map. Or maybe I will just drive to the nearest shopping centre and take a taxi up to the uni.

Have a good day all.

HELLO ALL YOU HAPPY AND CHATTY LITTLE CHICKS!!! Glad to see you all and wish the others would come out and play!!!! Sigh!

Today was some good news. The skin Dr says the skin "looks" great on the outside, a little more skeptical about the inside and will defer to the eye Dr who is on Weds. Will see what to do about the meds then! I felt great and got treated to a salad lucnh when I got home. I left snotty messages on answering machines befpor I left at &AM and got a phone call this afternoon. Chair is being returned and the new one will arrive in a few weeks. Of course I have to wait again as it's being fitted according to specs of my measurements! AGAIN! Told the girl they are lucky i am an ordinarily easy to get along with person but gave her messages for her boss I know she will LOVE to give. Some very barbed and stinging! But this man needs a reminder of why I left another company to follow him and throw business to his new company! Big sales, constant repairs and other assorted items I will need. He can go a long way with my business alone! so I feel today was productive and another item of news....
Friday the painter told me of a lovely Hampton bay ceiling fan/light combo in an empty apartment. he had the Maint. man remove it and put it in my house today. i came home and it was in the wrong room so it had to be moved again and they even replaced a light in the kitchen! God bless my maintenance men. They love me unconditionally and even when I'm ripping their heads off they make plans for me.
IThey know I love them but I am a very hard boss-type. I take no prisoners when I want something done by them. They obey and the jobs get done better and faster which is not saying much for their "real" boss. but then I reward them with early leaving, treats and songs! God knows they are loyal and true-blue. The bldg. is a much better place for it too. OK enough....I digress. The fan is a lovely addition and will keep me cool as I type!

Linus~ I adore your posts and look forward to them! Love the sense of humor!! I can't say that often enough! Your potty-ness has probably scared the crap out of Nae and when she returns will join another forum! Loved the avatar and your description of cleo.!!! LOLOL

Shad~ Good luck again my friend and we await your next post!!! No sun for me yet! Rain and more rain! LOL WONDONGA?! Sounds like the name of a PORNO FLICK!!! AND....who the heck is Steve Irwin??? What MICE??? and are either of them coming to the States??? This way we copuld be prepared. Perhaps the mice are riding on the locusts or vice versa?! Inquiring minds want to know!

Happy!!!! Loved to see you so soon. Yes it's tough. Once and awhile I still want them!
I had some here for a friend and had to get rid of them right away. I felt "unsafe" having them here!!! I would NEVER EVER WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT ALL OVER AGAIN!! People are fools for self-torture!!! I crocheted my way through this whole thing. I used to make a baby's blanket, sweater, booties and hat in one day!!!
Could be that is why I have so much shoulder trouble!!! Good luck Sweetie and hugs and kisses and anything else to see you thru it all!

Well my back hurts, tired and ready for reading I think. food shopping is tomorrow!
Night all and sweet dreams. Good morning to the bright sunny friends to the south!

HI ALL, I AM BACK!!!!!!
I left on friday feeling a cold coming on was the worst part of my weekend. So I am suffering a bit with that and am hopefull a good nights sleep tonight will make it better. I had a great convention I belong to the most loving Sisterhood imagainable and to have woman coming together for the sole purpose of educating women here and around the world to promote peace...well it doesn't get much better than that....so much love I just left so high on emotion and meeting so many amazing women....... Now I will have to put my thoughts down and present my report next week.
I did a scary thing and actuallly....now hold your breath..... I bought a scale to weigh myself....shock horror of it all..... But I feel like I am moving in the right direction again.
YOu ladies were busy while I was away...lots to read and to catch up on....I think that is why I love this post so much because you gals don't skip visiting with each other on the weekends. I hope everyone is well.... I will catch up more later....right now I am so tired and feel like I need to put my feet up and head down.....getting old for traveling then putting in a full day. NO rest for the wicked I guess......
Missed you alll......
Take Good Care,
Love,
Nae

You can't keep a good Shad down for long:


Interview went fine. They ran out of questions for me and asked if I had any for them. Silly people, don't they know that a Trainer is absolutely full of questions and bursting with information!!!!! :P I had a page and a half of them. They were staggered. So they dragged up a couple more of their own about how I would deal with a class that just didn't get it! Now how many of those have I had in the last two years. They kept on and on about conflict management - until I was feeling a bit like conflicting them myself. I told them that you need to evaluate the class as it unfolds, to deal with the problems as they arise and sort the b*stards as they begin to misbehave. All classes are different and an educated class misbehaves in a totally different way than the great unwashed! I think they finally got the idea that I have no idea how I am going to deal with conflict until it occurs. There is no set method etc etc etc. Get it, got it, good lets move on.
Anyway an hour or so later I got a call from the recruitment place that they want to check out my referees. So I made some sort of impression - or are they just desperate. At least they didn't expect me to be an Accountant!!!

So after that I went to the gym and pounded away the tension. 15 minutes solid rowing, 15 mins weights and 15 minutes on the treadie of which 6 were running.

Funny things happen at the gym. I was steaming down after the treadmill when a voice behind me asked if I should be there and why was I not at school. I turned around and this bloke was towering above me and I said puzzled like, why should I be at school? He said I didn't look old enough to be out of school. Geez the poor man - is he deranged or what. He was even wearing specs, but hey maybe they weren't his. They were certainly rose coloured if he thinks I should be back in school. I told him I loved him. He was very good for my ego, and I will remember him for the rest of my days. I also told him I had my 55th birthday last week. He said I was telling lies. Give it a rest. Joke's over sunshine.
So here I am back home and sorting out the animals feeds - oh shute, I forgot to go get the Shad tablets. Makes note on computer for tomorrow!!!!
So you wonderful people, that's the story of my day, my interview, and my workout.

now didnt that make you feel good shad it blooming would me glad the interviews are proving interesting and keeping you on your toes MEL havent you heard of the crocodile hunter the nutter that jumps on crcodiles and snakes and kisses the things the only other reason for watching him apart from the laugh is that the man is so damn passionate about conserving animals and especially reptiles that you have to respect him for it i watched one program when he was on the north coast of austrailia and a school of whales beeched themselves by the end of it he was in tears so was his wife so was i and the kids we all just sat on the setee and cryed ROSE so your all enpowered good for you kid maybe you could send some over here for me im so bloody sore i can hardly walk and its amazing what you notice when you are at a 45 degree angle the hall skirting boards need repainting and im going to have to put a target on the loo seat for my kids maybe then theyll aim straight the only good thing about being this sore is that i have no appetite what so ever i couldnt even take conner to the hospital for his ear appointment so i had to reschedule and its not till july which means if they are to fit another set of grommets before he starts high school **** have to go in really quick and he wont be pleased having to go into hospital over the holidays HAPPY housework your mad i hate housework and at the moment i cant do it so rest for me and one messy house it just means when im mobile itll take me twice as long to get it done but what the hey ill take it as it comes dont really have any option MEL my dog is a psycho and is now that strong that the kids cant take her out on the lead and harness and she is so bouncy its not unusual for her to come and wake me up at 5 in the morning when she wants to play i dont but she still begs and she is the nosiest animal on the planet the local kids think its great she sits with her nose pressed against the window watching everyone and when any of us are out she doesnt come away from the window until she sees us coming anyway ive definantly been sitting for too long so im going to have a lie down and ill speak to you all later
kirsty

Gee you sure do like a different kind of menu down under, don't you? Gives a new meaning to greens 'n things ! Thank goodness it wasn't one of those stick insects

WELLINGTON, New Zealand- Australian carrier Qantas said Tuesday it has changed its lettuce supplier after a passenger on a flight from Melbourne to Wellington found a live frog in her greens.

The one-inch Australian whistling tree frog didn't get a chance to hop away. The woman plunked the lid back on her meal preventing any escape.

The Qantas plane's crew notified the Quarantine Service while the plane was still in the air and officials were waiting when it landed at Wellington Airport.

"I'm afraid the frog was euthanized" in a freezer, service general manager Fergus Small told National Radio.

Quarantine officials made a check of the airplane "but no other frogs were detected," he said.

A Qantas spokesman told National Radio that the airline had changed its supplier since the February incident. Tree frogs were common in the area where the lettuce was grown.

see i knew there was a reason that i didnt like salad
kirsty

Leave it to you to figure that out...

hi chikies ive just popped in to say i wont be in tonite my back has had enough of being vertical and is absolutly screaming so im going to go and get horizontal and with the amount of painkillers ive swallowed today i really need to lie down speak to you all tomorrow love kirsty