Teel, maybe you should think about the disposal plates, knives, forks, cups and glasses in your tent. They have the added advantage that no one can go beserk with the cutlery either. Personally I think the pub sounds better. Can we all come too???? 40th, 50th any one having a 60th this year or a 30th or a 20th?? No, okay.

Happy, what I meant about me being the problem and being inside the problem is that we because we see ourselves everyday both starkers and dressed, we really don't notice any changes. I still think I am as big as I ever was and not much is changed. Well I know there are changes - things don't fall sideways so much when I lie on my side. There is muscle tone under the flab, I can feel it. I can't see it. Changes are happening like - I had one big spare tyre, went from the boobs to the pubes, now there are three spare tyres and they are not steel belt radials I can tell you, but sometimes they look like they have tread :rofl: All those dimples. I have legs like rocks or tree trunks apart from the inner thigh - no change there. So changes are happening, I can feel it on the pinch test but for all that I do and eat, it just doesn't seem to happen very fast. It would be very nice to have just a little come off on the scale. It would be very nice to be able to say that I have won a little victory there. Maybe, Maybe we'll see something at the end of the month. :crossed: :crossed:

Wonder if Kirsty's method would work for Shaker.

Oh yes, my brother gave me a brochure last night about teaching English in China. I am studying it very carefully. It seems too good to be true and probably is. Tax free Aus dollars? I don't believe that somewhere along the line Mr Taxman doesn't come into the equation. $40K Aud taxfree dollars for 32 hours a week teaching plus free accommodation and power and gas and phone and computer and no teaching degree or experience in teaching? Ummm few more inquiries are needed here. Actually I was surprised that DB was interested. He is thinking about it for himself in a couple of years time. As I said more thought required.

Okay, time to go back to the doc and see what he has to say. Then I have to get the cat to the vet. She is overdue her shots, she has seen the cat cage come out, she has gone missing. Bah humbug. Then I have to go bully the Real Estate Agent (ironically named Simon and even more astounding he lives in the same street as me 2 doors down and just shifted in a couple of weeks back). So back later to discuss details.

Hmmmm... :chin: :chin: :chin: I think it's one of those deals where they lure you in as a missionary teacher and then once they have you in their clutches .... you become a SEX SLAVE Beware, halt, icht dan no no, no entre, aaayyyyeeeeeeeeeeee :yikes:

:rofl: :rofl: :lol3: :lol3: Well, ok then - don't say I didn't warn you.

Linus and Teel I have more to say to you too but first I have to go make dinner. :hungry:

Umm yes - one of my thoughts. However they are not looking particularly for bright young things - age range from 18 - 65. I'm still working on information and want to talk to a couple of people who have been there. I've seen these ads before, usually for Japan and I asked Chris to check the Japanese one last time I was talking to her. I don't think I am particularly interested in China, but........

The benefits welfare rights officer had a good idea when he arrived EARLY this morning...he would take the forms away and do all he could, then bring them back and fill in the gaps with me at a later date...but not too late co's the form has to be back in on the 4th June. :love: :cheer: love him to bits! We spent a good ten minutes talking about the birthday bash...he is an Ipswich man so knew the Golden Panda that we tried out the other day. He turns out to be celebrating his 40th this year too! Unfortunately when I saw him, in the prime of his career and in the prime of life, I got very sad and very morose. I will be 40 and keep being reminded that I have no career and very little health...miraculous as it may well be with my heart condition. What am I going to do? Nothing.:shrug: Sorry. I am in a bit of a poor me thought today. Ignore me and I'll shut up! :^:
As for coming to my party.:hat: :cheers: :hat: ..OF COURSE YOU CAN!! :gift: The more the merrier! :lol:
Where has Shaker got to? Perhaps Linus ought to do her trick with the genie lamp and hail.... :genie: :genie: :wizard:

Morning
 

Hope everyone is fine. We had a thunderstorm that rolled right over my house last night and then back again. Very exciting, it has been raining a lot and the hills look so green and for now the fear of forest fires is abated. I have still been trying to get some of my pots planted on the deck so it looks more inviting and cheery for the summer. I love plants but am not the best gardner in the world like some of our friends on here. Teel, hope the party turns out and you can enjoy it when it finally gets said and done. Let us know how it goes.
Shad there is a young canadian woman who has posted on these threads who is in China and teaching English, she has her own web site and is good about answering emails. If you want it i will send it to you. She is in a very remote area and the person she went over there has left the area so she is toughing it out as the only white person for miles.
Happy you are doing so great and the site that keeps track for you is good information to just remember for encouragement. Are you still using the patches? Good Luck!
Mel, hope today goes good with the chair and your weekend is great. the Dr. appointment went well I hope. How is the bruising!???
Linus, sorry about your mom and her car situation. It is upsetting and as our parents get older we can see how much a little trouble can really cause them problems. Hope her housing situation gets sorted out and she is happier in a new place, her safety and peace of mind are so important.
Well, I am up before the sun again today and having my :coffee: . Hope this finds all well around the world.....
Smile and be Happy,
Nae

G'afternoon Ladies! Now wheelchair men today. The truck is stuck in queens with all my stuff on it and they wouldn't be here till after 8. I passed as I am just to tired by then to be repeatedly shifting from chair to chair trying out seats. Transferring is dangerous whjen tired. So they will call when they can decide when to come here. I'm OK about it as my back and shoulder is acting up something fierce. Rain and thunderstorms are killing me! :lol:

Teel~ Your trip to Bury St. Edmunds sounded great. I love shopping for gifts to store for those just in case moments. The garden stuff sounded nice too. I love candle holders but gave mine to Jen. Only have a few around now. Good that the rights officer is nice!! Finally, some good luck with your paper work!!! Did you invite him to your party! :rofl:

Kirsty~ sorry to hear about Mum!! Her car and my chair should get together. Hope she finds some help and gets to a safer enviroment. A shame the way things are going. There are a bunch of seniors here who are scared to walk down the block to the store. A man was held up by gunpoint and now they are afraid all over again. Wheen I go to the store, someone will say Wait for me Mel. Now how exactly will I be able to help them is unsure to my brain! :lol: Maybe run the thief over?! Good luck and have a good time swimming.

Shad~CHINA AND SEX SLAVES?!?!?! What is going on here!:rofl: If you go make sure it's a place that has accessibility in case I want to tag along! :rofl: :rofl:
Sounds like a great deal if it stays tax free amd they don't hit you when you get back! LOL

Happy~ I would never have thought of sex slavers! Good thing we have you to protect us! :faint: How goes your week?

Nae~ I love a good thunderstorm to clear the air so to speak. They terrify me and thrill me at the same time! :lol: Our weather looks bad for the next few day so I will be eating anti-inflammatories like candy! :rofl: But thank God they are calorie free! Hope you get your pots all sorted out for the deck. I miss playing in the dirt! :lol: My house plants just don't have the same calming effect as digging out of doors! LOL Have a great time with them! Call one of them Mel. Just make sure you don't kill it! :faint: :rofl:

Well I am going to take 1/2 a codeine and tylenol. That should ease the shoulder. It will all be gone as soon as it rains anyway. Just don't think I can wait that long! LOL Have a wonderful night.......Goodmorning Miss Sunshine-Shad..........Happy weekend to you all!!!
SHAKER WHERE ARE YOU?

Morning all, or rather it is now afternoon here now by about half an hour. I've been to the gym for my 4th and final workout for the week. Did 20 mins on the treadmill and a Body Balance Class. Nearly went to sleep at the end in the relaxation part. So the challenge ends tonight. I'm eating lightly for this morning and lunch because brother is coming around to watch the footy and bringing a cheesecake or chips or something. It can be guaranteed not to be weight friendly. Lucky dog doesn't have to worry about his weight. I've done the shopping and am now about to embark on the cleaning. That should be todays effort. 3.00pm Simon and I are going to look at a couple more houses after which time I will probably collapse on the couch.

Roseblush thank you for the offer of the lady in China. Please pm me her address and I will give her a yell. She probably isn't using the company named on this letter I have but never the less some information would be useful.

Teel, never give up on a career thing. Sometime you may think about something that you would like to do. It is very hard for you, but the more you stay active, I feel, the better you will be. That includes your brain dearie. I'm almost positive there is something out there that given the right start, a push or a shove in the right direction you can achieve more in your life. It may not be Spanish Flamenco dancing but there is opportunity out there. Finding the door which is partly open is the hard bit.

Okay, I am off to clean and sweep and dust and wash. Time to put the sports gear into a nappy san rinse and get rid of the blurk smell. Might even stick the trainers in there too. They would benefit from a nicer smell I am sure! I know I would.
So I'll catch up on any more doings later tonight. Have a good sleep all of you.

morning all had a quick peek at shakers profile she hasnt been on the site since 21 st of march and she wont accept private e-mails sorry girls i did try to get her for you all
kirsty

Linus~ thanks for trying. Just wondering what could be wrong. oh well. Have a great day!

Shad~ Will you write from china?! :lol: I would love Chinese stamps! :lol: OH I forgot. Hold on a sec. Got an e-mail with this on it. Can Harry Potter for US president be far away?! Be a better choice then the ones we have now!!! :rofl:

"AUSTRALIAN HARRY POTTER STAMP!
Your favorite Harry Potter characters are now available on an Australia Post Souvenir Stamp Sheet. The sheet includes ten x AUD50c Australian stamps with the stamp tabs and border displaying characters from the "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" movie! "

I have started another NCC for myself today. Posted some new goals and old. But hoping for a much better week. I admit I have been a washout lately and using self-pity for an excuse. Well I better get over myself and carry on. Whatever will I do when the really bad things come to pass?! :faint; So I best not start caving in now. I feel stronger than I have in awhile. Not for diets but for me alone. Just wish the crankiness would leave. not exactly sure what it is but it's linked to frustration somehow. Will just have to ignore it!!!! :rofl: So I am ready for the next week!!! Bring it on!!!

Have a wonderful and happy weekend everyone!!!

Morning all, it's been a bad night over here. Shad the dog has been most unwell and I think that his back end is about to cave in on him. I also think he ate something he should not have and was trying to walk it off but his bad legs meant that he kept falling over and couldn't get up. I spent many hours massaging his back and tummy, seemed to help as he went to sleep around 3 this morning and was quiet for a couple of hours. We've had a short walk and he has pooped and eaten, thats a good sign, but the legs are not good. Vet again tomorrow by the look of it. Maybe for the 2nd to last time.

Mel glad to here that you are starting a new NC challenge. I'm in for it. Same goals as before.

Linus, I think Shaker used to write from work. She did not have a computer at home. I don't know her full name only that she was Nikki. I'll see if I can launch a couple of other inquiries. But she's done this before and come back again. I know that work was cracking down on personal mail and use of internet, maybe they have taken away priviledges or something.

Right, can't sit around here crying. I've got things to do. Catch up later.

shad i hope its nothing major to worry about im siting here in tears hoping probably against all hope that he pulls through for you tell him im rooting for him and hope both of you have the strenghth to deal with whats coming here for you
kirsty

Guess the family that cries together sticks together. I am sorry to hear about Shad.
Even when it is expected it's never easy. (((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))) for 2 Shads. Hang in there. I am at a loss for words here.
Every day I take the cover off the cage I expect the sick bird to be dead but he is still eating. Makes me wonder who will watch me! LOL

I was very good food and water and will exercise later to the Brit coms again. :rofl:
But I have been on the PC all day playing games and browsing. I better get some dinner and TV watching. I lost track of the time! Have a great day Miss Shad(as much as you can) and the rest~ sweet dreams!

I feel brain dead today and don't know why. Must be the weather. Just wanted to pop in and wish you all a happy Sunday. Gonna take the day off from the PC and rest? Yawning seems to be my exercise for the day so far. Have a good one.

Good Morning everyone,
Shad, sorry to hear about Shad the dog. Hope he is doing better. Seems like he is getting into that cycle of up/down with old age - just when you think this is "it", they recover back again. It's tough to take. At least you are home now with him, I think it would be more difficult if you were traveling as you were. Not that DS doesn't like Shad, but... :dunno: Give him a pat on the head and belly for me too.

Teel as Shad says, do not get yourself into a dark funk about what might have been. Easy enough to do, I feel the same way myself. Was on a high but very stressful career ascention and then the lousy economy bust hit and thump, thump, thump, down the ladder high times I fell (along with most of the country I must say). I have to believe it was for a good reason, though I can't always say why. You just have to believe that your life was meant to take a different turn of events and make the most of it, whatever that may be.

Nae, hope you are enjoying your weekend with your son. Linus, you are no doubt also having some family outing yourself - hope it's more than chasing the boys around :rollpin: :lol:

Mel, I know what you mean about the dreary weather. For the last 2 - 3 weeks we have been stuck in a continuous stormy pattern. Every day a chance of rain - some with quite the severe lightning and thunder. Many flood warnings out because the ground is over saturated. Temps go up and down - when up it's humid musty smelling and uncomfortable, when down it's bone chilling cold. Can't seem to make up it's mind. Not the best conditions for doing much of anything. I suppose I am just glad that I have a convienient excuse for not doing the gardening outside - not only is it wet but with the temperature shifts I'm almost afraid to put anything in. I think we're past the frost danger now but we're still getting forecasts of temps in the low 40's at night.

Had a bit of a scare yesterday. Mum is staying by my sister's for the weekend. Yesterday morning got a call from sister - Mum woke her up at 3am complaining of chest pain and wished to go to the hospital. Had been having the stabbing pains since 10:30pm. And of course we all put off things for HOURS hoping they will go away. :dunno: They called an ambulance and sister rode with mum to the hospital. Her blood pressure was off the charts too. A couple of nitro glycerin tablets seemed to calm things down. We got to the hospital as they were giving her a bunch of tests. She looked pretty good when we saw her. All things turned out to be normal, thank goodness. They had no explanation, said it could have possibly been a reaction to the spicy Italian food they had eaten for dinner the night before (or the fact that mum who LOVES her sweets :love: :T had eating 1/2 a lemon pie in the evening :yikes: So we wound up spending the day at the hospital. Poor DH spent the day sitting in a chair in the waiting room. Once we knew mum was going to be ok, sister and I were goofing around in her room entertaining her. I grabbed a rubber glove, put it on my face and blew it up. We also took her bra and I was dancing with it on my head and knees. We were trying out all the lights and instruments in the room, including the oxygen valve. Yes, we are worse than most 2 year olds. But mum had a good laugh or two and we are all very grateful that she is doing ok. Secretly we all worry - her included that as she advances in age, things might happen and we surely don't want to think about that...

So yesterday was a wasted day of sorts which leaves today to get the house in order, plan the meals, get the groceries and do the laundry. Also need to pick up the Sunday paper and check out the help wanted ads. Sent a resume in Friday to a company I worked at 13 years ago. It's in downtown Chicago so that would mean 12 hour days and commuting on the train again. But I'd have a good walk to and from the train station of almost 3 miles a day not a bad thing unless it's pouring rain, blistering heat and humidty or the frozen winds and snow that give you the "ice cream" headaches - which covers about 6 months out of the year for Chicago weather :lol:

Anyway, much to do today, best get the body moving along. Have a good one.

shad how is he still good i hope let me know how the vet goes ive been thinking about the pair of you all day
kirsty