Good morning ladies,

I'm headed out to the porch with a cup of coffee, but wanted to tell you all hello first... chat with you later......

Back, and since there are no new posts, I'll just edit this one.

Shanna - I don't think Marti told you anything any different than Cristi and I did... and I know she only has your best interests at heart. I can tell from your post that you have had your feelings hurt, and we don't want that. Here's the thing, as I see it: you want a place to come and vent, and we want you to be able to do that, too. But all the negative comments about your job aren't helping you at all! And I truly do understand about your money problems. If you think there is no way you're going to be able to make ends meet without getting further in a hole, maybe you should concentrate on getting the bills paid down before you continue on with school. It's not as though you are 19 or 20... so why not take a year of hard work and get those bills paid, THEN go for the degree? And while you are working, whether long-term or just for the summer, look at the positive side of things. You'll be a much happier person! So please don't stop coming here, Shanna, we're your buds, and only trying to help you be happier in life - truly we are. And regarding Marti, she's been your buddy for a long time, and I bet you can work things out through PMing each other or even a personal visit. Both of you probably have things to vent.

I spent some quality time with Neal on the porch and have gotten some housework done. Next I plan to sew some appliques to t-shirts to wear at Disney World. Yes, I know it's early (119 days) but I believe in planning ahead, lol. I have an Eeyore applique for a pink shirt, and a Mickey one for a red shirt.

What are your plans for the day?

Surprised to see no one has posted this morning, with the exception of Jana popping in to say Hi of course. Thought I would get on early before the storms hit, again. When it starts we turn this thing off because we have been hit one too many times. We have had some nasty weather this whole week, yesterday morning early the thunderstorms woke me up, and again this morning at about 1 am. Bad wind, heavy rain, lightning, and thunder. I am headed out to find something for DH for Father's day, not sure what. He wanted a shop vac, which we got last night. He told me not to buy it without him, he wanted to make sure I got the right one. I just want to surprise him with another little gift. He is so hard to buy for because he doesn't need anything and usually ends up with clothes. Oh well, we will see what I can find.

Shanna~girly you best not go away. I don't think you are a complainer and you don't depress me, but you do seem to be down a lot sweetie. But we are here for you, to listen and to try and pick you up and make you see things in a different light and hopefully cheer you up a bit. We surely don't want to see you go away just because you are having a rough time with things sometimes. We are your buds so remember that.

Marti~you poor thing, and to have the dogs laughing at you. I can't say I have ever locked myself out of the house, knock on wood! I have locked my keys in my car twice. Once in the bank parking lot and once in my own garage. I do have an extra key that I carry around since the first time but the second time I left the car running to run in and get something really quick and not thinking I left my purse in the car, with yes, you guessed it. My extra key in my purse! Luckily, I had this service with Ford because I was leasing at the time, where they sent someone out to open the door and I didn't have to pay for it. And they got there pretty quick which was good as I was on my way to work! Oh the silly things we do sometimes, or I do anyway.

Susan~sorry to hear about the interview, bummer. Who knows, maybe they will come through in the end. Hope you have a wonderful time meeting Les, is that tonight? He sounds like a sweetie.

Jana~that sounds so quiet and peaceful, can I join you? I go out on the deck in the morning and sit sometimes before everyone else gets up and starts their day. It is nice to have that quiet time.

Well, on with the day ladies. I have yet to get in the shower. Hope everyone has a fantastic Friday. TTFN

P.S. Jana, I just noticed that you edited your post and wanted to say Hi and "ditto" what you said to Shanna, very well put.

Hiya Cristi, guess you were posting while I was editing my novel, lol.

Hi ladies! Haven't forgotten you, and hope you haven't forgotten me

First of all:

Happy Belated Birthday RosieKate!

And to the ladies who wished me a happy birthday, you'll have to wait until September!

Cristi, good to see you back...sorry to hear about your husband's job. We were really scared when Tim lost his job (well, I was, but he was very positive), and he found something else before he even had to file for unemployment. I will pray for you and hold good thoughts that it will work out smoothly!

Susan, how frustrating about the interview! Well, it's good that they like your work enough to even be telling you about promotion possibilities...and the right position will open up for you, I'm confident. It's good that your counseling with Gaby's dad is going so well, it will be the best thing for Gaby, I'm sure

Shanna, no one wants to see you go -- I'm sure especially Marti, she has been a very good friend to you, and what she told you was very much as a loving friend. Everyone gets down sometimes, and blue, and sometimes bad things happen. How many times in the last few months have we had to comfort one another here because one of us lost a family member? And I was very worried when Tim hadn't found work, and Angie's had her home selling stress, and people have been ill...and we are here for each other, know we can vent and get advice and sympathy, gripe about our TOM (ha ha ladies, never thought I'd be grateful I had a hysterectomy a few years ago!)...

But we celebrate the good things and happy times with each other, too -- Cristi's new home, Marti's marriage, birthdays, graduations, vacations, every little 1/4 lb loss, or even if the scale doesn't go UP.

Shanna, having to work...sucks. And I've done the stay-at-home mom thing, too, and it's hard and a LOT of work!!! I'd love to be retired, or at least be in my dream job, and be an interior decorator for outrageously wealthy people, or even better, be a famous novelist with ideas to spare, publishers beating down my door, and the public clamoring for my next book!

But I'm not, hon -- I'm a customer service rep for a utility company. Most of my customers are wonderful, delightful people -- heck, MOST of my customers don't even call me because they pay their bill on time! But I unfortunately also have to deal with the rude and the ignorant, people that are on crack or are insane, people that swear at me and scream at me and threaten to attack anyone who comes out to disconnect their service, even though they haven't paid anything on their bill for a year. Not exactly the fun part of my job. But...the company I work for is a good one. I have some great co-workers (not all of them, but most). My supervisor is wonderful. I am paid a fair wage and have very good benefits. I have a roof over my head and food on my table, and I am grateful for that. I think that's just what we've been trying to tell you...sure, there are a lot of things to be down about, if that's what you focus on...but then it just brings you down even more. Try, if you can, to find something good and positive to focus on, something about your job or your life that makes you happy -- your sweetie, or your loving pets...just something that brings you joy. Then build on that. And honestly, hon, if you can't find anything in your life that brings you joy, and you are down and blue all the time, you should talk to a doctor about your depression. Sometimes there are things they can do to help. My husband swears by St. John's Wort from the healthfood store, and I can honestly say it make a huge difference in our relationship when he is happier and in a more positive mood.

Anyway, I'll get off my soapbox. But just know we care, and would hate to see you go.

Hugs,
Katie

I have more Gmail invites. If you want one, email me off-list at:

SpinsterLibrarian at gmail d o t c o m

Kate

Posted photos of what I've doing this morning......

Will be back to post later on.

Hi-

Just on a fast break.

Shanna- don't leave. Would miss you and want to meet you someday!!! Honking as you drive by just doesn't do it for me...

Yes, I meet Les tonight, around 7ish. I get off at 5pm, so I will have time to get nervous.

He is a sweetie. I think we were talking about the how hot it was last night and he wanted to know if I had a fan. I said no.......so, he said "ok a fan and some ice for your nose.....I will go to the store and pick that up for you"....lol

He is going to give me his coffee maker because I said I didn't have one of those either *rolling eyes*.....I don't have a lot of things.

The director stood behind me today as we did budget training- she said "you're going to town Susan" because I was explaining in detail why the budget wasn't balanced for that month. Anyway, maybe the more we interact she will get to know me, nice lady. Though I didn't like her yesterday..........lol

Going to wear my denim skirt with white shirt tonight- just for a short period because I have to get Gabster from the sitter.

Blah-blah..........

HOT,HOT,HOT here........best het

TTFN

Hi Ladies,

Cristi - I got Neal some outdoor work shirts for FD. That's what he said he wanted, and I know he sure needs them. He likes the 100% cotton, chambray kind that I buy at a farm store.

KatieCat - glad to see you posting! I am a frustrated writer myself and have started many stories. The trick is in finishing them, lol. I'm not any good at it, but love to spin a tale.

LibraryKate - thanks for the PM w/your info... look for one from me with my data.

Marti - I'll check out the photo when I leave chit-chat...

Susan - you neglected to mention WHERE you're meeting Les is More??? In a dark, deserted alley? At the Shrek 2 movie? Under the boardwalk? In a coupe deville? In the park by the fountain? At Wal-mart? Hey, missy, this could go on and on.....lol!

Hi to the other JLs out there.. and any lurkers...

I have absolutely wasted the day so far.... felt good, too, lol. Went through all my WW stuff and organized it, and spent some time on the phone with a friend. Printed out some exercises off the internet.... Gonna go take a nap!

oh, poop....

Never thought of Wal Mart as a meeting place..........and thank goodness for that. lol

I think we are meeting at Starbucks and going from there. He's been craving ice cream all week , so might drop in at Ben & Jerrys. I wanted to walk up to the Rose Garden, about 1/2 a mile or so........he has never been and it is a nice setting. Or stroll 23rd, trendy shopping area, sneak in for a slice of pizza or something.
Basically though just want to keep it simple. We could always go on a proper date tomorrow, if it goes well.......

Just want to get this over with.......starting to get sick to my stomache.

He is working 7 blocks down today from me.....on a job. He was 2 blocks away yesterday @ McDonalds.....soooooo, close yet so far....lol


ttfn

Hi everyone!
Katiecat - thanks for the birthday wishes. I had a good one, as you most likely read in the previous posts. Sounds like you have a pretty good job. You make a good point about how every job has its down side. I'm a SAHM, and I can attest to this, too. I am most certainly where I want to be and doing want I want to do at this point in my life, but when DS came home from preschool with a note saying there had been pinworm exposure I looked around for the nanny to get the flashlight at mdnight, well, ..hmmm.. there is NO NANNY - Had to get DH to do it. I tell you, that was one of the moments that made me wonder if I had the stomach for this gig

Another great moment was trying to hold my then 9 month old in a medieval torture device so that she could have her chest x-rayed, only to find out she had a SINUS infection! They don't show you this stuff in parenting classes..

Hey gotta go for now - Dh just got home and my voice mail is flagging me down
I'll be back later
RK

Oh I have a headache!!

Well the photos sure made me lawn look green!! If only it were really that nice looking!

Jhanai decided to open her gifts today....not sure if James has to work tomorrow or not and he wanted to see her open her gifts. He got her a gamecube and two games. Tomoorrow if he doesn't have to work...then we're going to either Chucky Cheese's or Enchanted Forrest. I would like to get her an outfit BEFORE we went...but she wants to wait until her Birthday.

I have spent the morning hauling limbs to a pile. By noon the sun was beaming down on us that my grandpa and "Coop"(our landlord) decided to quit for the day. So our yard looks like a storm hit! I guess eventually two more tree's will be cut down...two firs. They cut to Oaks today. Boy do they smell good!! I kept getting in the middle of the branches and just taking in the scents!!

I would do individuals but I'm feeling all headachey and I need to take a nap!

So until tomorrow girls.....

Marti

Ah man Rosie Kat, I had to do that with Brandon when he was 2 months old,,,and he was pretty sick, brocitis (SP) spent his first Christmas in the hospital. Monte hates hospitals and so that left me alone there with Brandon, my parents where going from one funeral to another during this time,,,ya I remember that time as a nightmare.

Marti, ya see I would be so in heaven with yard work,,,I just love working up a sweet in the yard.
When I was growing up we only had a wood stove, and so in the fall we would go and cut down a few truck loads of trees, I would spend weeks splitting wood,,,making a wall between the shed and garage,,,,I remember my parents friends complaining their kids would never do that. I did it for exercise and just enjoyment, I had some big pipes back then...lol I want a yard that is like a jungle,,,lots of plants to deal with..but the size of yard we have doesn't give much room for that.
Well needing to let Tanner get on here to play his game...
ttfn
Angie

Good morning, all
I never got back to the computer yesterday. Now that James and David are home during the day, there some competition for it. So here I am, crack o' dawn... and smiling nah ...make that
It's fun to have everyone around. David and I sometimes wish for the winning lottery ticket so we could both stay home with the family. It's nice to have this time together. I know how it goes, though. By about August 1, we start getting antsy and it's "when does school start again - that long?"

Hey Marti - I keep forgetting to mention. If you liked David Bach (from the Oprah show) I believe he's the author of the Finish Rich series. I read Smart Couple Finish Rich and I liked it. Another book I can recommend is "The Millionaire Next Door" - very informative, can't remember the author's name off the top of my head. I'm all about spending less than we earn and getting to debt-free living, so I've read lot of books on the subject. If you want more recommendations, let me know - I can PM you some

Angie - Ugh - what an ordeal at 2 months. My dd was diagnosed with bronchiolitis at 4 months which meant non-stop coughing until she was 9 months, when the sinus infection was finally treated. The brochiolitis turned into a light case of asthma, and periodically she'll get these coughing jags when she has a cold and she'll need her inhaler. Ain't parenting grand! I swear I was in to the pediatrician once a month for her - being a younger sibling, she caught every little thing her BB brought home from school.

Susan - how'd it go with Les? Last night was a beautiful night to walk around the Rose Garden and 23rd, IMO. Unless, you got caught in the thunderstorm?! Our weather is freakin' strange...

Well, I'm hoping to get a walk in today. DH trimmed our 20 ft laurel yesterday, so he needs haul the debris away this a.m. - so maybe I'll sneak it in before.....That means I need to get oof the computer and get out the walking shoes

to everyone else I didn't get to mention- have a great Saturday! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for those of you who are weighing in today....
RK

Good morning. Okay, my weight loss has come to a halt. I decided I was eating even if I felt nauseated...so the diet went bye-bye. I am trying to eat bland things..and that is no fun. I had the Hida scan on Thurs. and got the results, everything is normal with my gallbladder. So, I am getting set up with a Gastro. Dr. next week and will go from there. All this sickness and tests is wreaking havoc with our summer plans and I am almost ready to just forget the Drs. and go on with our trips. We need to drive to Las Vegas and check on the place there while taking the bookcase to my son. Then my father is having surgery the end of the month in PA and I need to be there. Daughter is going through a rough patch in CA and I wanted to fly out and cheer her up. I feel pulled in different directions and here I am right in the middle and feeling lousy. A June trip to MS was already canceled because of me, which dissapointed 6 of hub's family members.
Did you ever feel like the weight of the world was on you? Geeze.
Okay, now that I got that rant over....

It is good to come here and read about you JL's and your lives. I don't write back as often as I should, but I do read and think about you.

For those of you who are readers, I just finished Danielle Steel's "Ransom" and found it good. I also read "Don't Look Now" by Linda Lael Miller..it was also good. I read anything I can get my hands on except sci-fi. I spent part of the week reading and catching up on magazines from the library. Now have a book by Lavyrle Spencer to start. I love our library and am a regular patron there.

I did manage to start walking again regularly with my husband. (he walks too slow) My walking partner neighbor will be home tomorrow, so she and I can pick up the pace. I need to get back on track and not let myself get in a BAD rut again.

Sorry, I am rambling and not going to do individuals. But thank you all for letting me come here and blow off steam.

suetalks.......alot........

Hi ladies,

Susan - how's the date go? We want details!

Rosiekate - I agree that being a SAHM is a very hard job. Neal says he would never switch jobs with me when the kids were small. Plus, if you're like me, all the neighbor kids wanted to be at our house, too, which was fine, lol.

Marti - I so hope Jhanai is having a wonderful birthday celebration. Have fun at Chuck E Cheese or wherever you go.

Angie - sounds like you have a lot of happy childhood memories. You were a hard worker back then, and still are.

Sue - glad your gallbladder is okay, but wish you knew what the problem was. You have lots to do this summer! I read everyday... in the AM I read Joyce Meyer Starting Your Day Right and always have some fiction going for the fun of it.

Hi to Cristi, Shanna, and the others....

I am so excited! I lost 2 1/4 more this week, which puts me over the hump!! Plus, I've now earned the last charm for my bracelet. It is a key, for the "key to success of losing 50 pounds". Now I have a heart (to remember to love myself), a cross (to remember that with God's help, anything is possible), a lion (to represent courage to just do it) an owl (to represent the wisdom to know the difference between the things I can change and the things I cannot) and now the key.

BBL,