Evening Ladies,
I spent almost all day cleaning house. So I am a little tired. I didn't have time to go for a walk, bike ride or nothing in the way of excerise today. I think that is one of the reasons I was in a crappy mood all day long. My dh asked me if I wanted to go to the fairgrounds and see the horse races tonight and I told him that I didn't feel like doing anything. He finally did get me to watch a western movie with him. Then when it was over our cable was out. Thank God for VHS tapes. But he is a lost puppy without the tv and I beat him to the computer. HAHAHA
Mouse how did your dinner go the other night? Where you able to find anything on the menu to eat? and your presention?
Robyn are your computer troubles over?
Ginny glad that you could enjoy your outing yesterday and spend time with your friend. I hear you about the ball games and I have only had to do them two years. I can image what it is going to be like when the kids are older and in every season's sport.
Summer are you busy getting ready for your vacation?
Have a wonderful Sunday ladies!
Take care,
Kerry

Ginny Sorry I forgot to tell you that I do enjoy going to Curves. It is worth every penny I spend on my membership. It is nice to have that time away from family and work and just do something for myself. I think you should check into it. Kerry

The presentation went fairly well. I earned all the points that were possible for it, but and intellectually that's enough for me. But another student who has as much knowledge about assistive tech as I do and I were talking after class (we became friends during the class... we have some other stuff in common too), and noted that the instructors REALLY REALLY heavily praised those students who don't use assistive tech on a regular basis for being willing to "try new things". Its not my fault that I've been using assistive tech since I started teaching (through the auspices of one of the best SLPs I've ever met... she truly knew the difference between artic and language therapy!). Its not my fault that my mom is a computer programmer and brought one into our house when I was 8 years old. Some of the other students who were praised so heavily are nearly finished with their assistive tech program, too, so they should be familiar with the software and access methods! Okay, just being grumpy again.
I did find something to eat... I had plain pasta with feta cheese and shrimp and parmasean and tomatoes. All safe foods for me, usually. I ate about half of it at the restaurant and brought the rest home.
I finally got the records from the nasty plastic surgeon. Reading her notes didn't make me any happier, let me tell you. I told all about what she wrote over in a journal entry. I have an appointment with the surgeon that my endocrinologist found near her this coming Friday; plus I have the endoscopy on Monday. And I see the orthopedist for my ankle on Friday too.

Hi all....computer still acting rather funky...but I had to figure out a way to say HELLO! and to check and make sure all was well here without me! Seems like ya'll managed quite well in my absence!

I got some news on Friday that has me very very excited.....
I have an interview for a 1st grade position in the county where I live.... TOMORROW at 8 a.m.! YIKES!!!!! TOMORROW! teeehhehehehehhe....I'm so excited and nervous and EVERYTHING that I can be! Cross your fingers for me!

Other news that I'm not so excited about.....
I've been selected for Jury DUTY for the months of August and September........GROAN.... it isn't that I don't want to do my civic duty...BUT...could it be at a worse time for a teacher??? Could it come like in Feb. when I truly DONT like school?!?! I'm going to wait and see how the interview goes...perhaps changing teaching jobs is a real reason for not making me do it NOW....I'll do it ALL next summer....or alll winter or something....but not the last weeks of August and the beginning of September...dear GAWWWWWWWD! Also, child care is truly an issue with my boys out of school.........

I'm going to go back to thinking about the job interview...and calm down!
My computer is making weird noises again...I've got to go get my dh and let him get to this! Talk to you soon...I hope..
take care,
Meeeeeee

Hello my friends! I am sorry I have been AWOL so long. I have been spending a considerable amount of time with my new friend Tour Guide Mike. The perfectionist in me would not allow me to just do this halfway, so I have spent an average of 5 hours a day on his website! You probably all think I am nuts, and you are probably right! But, thanks to Robyn and anyone else who didn't want to see me go to Disneyworld unprepared. As overwhelmed as I was when I first saw his website, I feel more confident now.

I have tons and tons of stuff to do in preparation for this trip. So, I won't be able to respond to each of your wonderful posts except to wish Robyn good luck at her interview!

I will be leaving for the airport on Wednesday at 3:00am, yes, in the morning! So, I will say, "Goodbye!" to you now.

Gotta try to be short, which for me is easier said than done........oh well.

Summer- every minute of planning for this trip will be totally worth it!! Enjoy the trip......and think of me (for a wee minute- then go back to having fun) if you are walking around the International showcase (think that is what it is called) in Epcot in the evening....nothing more pretty than that!!!!

Robyn- good luck on the interview!!!!!!!! You interested in 1rst grade?? You will do just fine......relax....take a deep breath.....we are all pulling for you. I was snagged with jury duty last summer (one of most beautiful weather weeks too! ). I know here in NY they try to fill the summer jury duty positions with teachers and education support staff.....knowing that they have the summer "off". It kind of surprises me that they would get you right at the beginning of a school year. Would you be able to defer until another time?

Mouse- keep looking foward......not behind to all the not so good medical advice you have been given. Sounds like you are in good hands now. Congrats on doing so well with your presentation!!!!! Sounds as though you did very, very well and have much to be proud of. Good luck with the endoscopy on Monday.

Kerrie- thanks for the advice on Curves. I do so little for myself.....basically am chained to work and the house...I might just try it once school begins.
Hey, weight watchers would give you an activity point or two for some rigorous house cleaning.......a major accomplishment in my book!!!!!!! Bet it feels better with a cleaner house too. But, why does it last for such a short time??????Hmmmmmmm........

Softball is OVER!!!!!!!!! Now I get Dh back..and actually can maybe count on him sealing the driveway ( I was going to do it if he did not) and maybe some relief with the other two kids. Tomorrow we take Dd (18) off for freshman orientation.....her Bf is here now, and she seems edgy. Pick up is on Wednesday, and it will be over quickly I am sure. IRobot was great!!! A wee bit violent- but the violence was 99% amongst robots- only some minor human gore. Dd (8) had a few moments where she was a bit scared- I was able to talk her through it. It was not a great movie, but honestly, most movies we see (and that is not too many) I am looking at my watch wondering why I wasted my time and money.....wishing it was over. Not the case here.....Will Smith handled the role well- solid acting and some really well done humor. I understand that the movie really deviates from the book a lot.....but it was entertaining.

I used my new WW cookbook (Take Out Tonite) and made wonton soup. Great recipe!!!! Even Dh liked it!! When I get a chance, I will leave the recipe here.

Gotta go.....babbled enough.......see you tomorrow!
Ginny

Thanks for the advice, Ginny. I hope you're right!
Robyn, sorry about the computer, and jury duty, but GOOD LUCK!!!!!!! on the interview! My department chair at one school was given federal grand jury duty the last week of every month for the entire school year! And guess when all the incoming IEP meetings were scheduled for??? YEP! Last Thursday of the month! She couldn't get out of it: they said that since she didn't have students she was responsible for, somebody could cover her job that week.
I swam a mile and a quarter today! I could've kept going, too... I wasn't ready to stop, but I'd been in the pool for 2 hours, and was mindful of what happened LAST time I didn't want to stop (that horrible leg cramp on my bad ankle), so I left. Then I went to Trader Joes for my Hansen's Soda, and picked up some other stuff for dinner. So, I have french toast, uncured bacon, egg whites, and fresh peaches on the french toast for dinner. YUMMY, and didn't send me over my calorie limit for the day. And, since I swam so much I should be able to keep most of it down.
I've never had uncured bacon before, but this is good. Its not all salty or fatty.

Wonton Soup
¼ pound ground chicken breast
2 scallions finely chopped
1 tsp minced, peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
¼ tsp asian (dark) sesame oil
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper (I left both the salt and the pepper out, did not miss them a bit!)
16, 3 inch square wonton wrappers

Soup
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 tbs reduced sodium soy sauce (try using a bit less at first, you can always add more)
½ pound bok choy ( I did not have this and left this out)
4 scallions cut into ½ inch pieces

1. To prepare the wontons, combine the chicken, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, cornstarch, oil and salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Arrange 8 wonton wrappers on a work surface. Place 1 tsp of the chicken mixture in the center of each wrapper. Moisten the edges of a wrapper with water and pull the corners diagonally over the filling to make a triangle. Press the edges firmly to seal. Bring left and right corners together above the filling. Overlap the tips of these corners and press together. Place the completed wontons on a baking sheet lightly dusted with cornstarch and cover with damp paper towels. Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers to make 16 wontons.
3. To prepare the soup, bring the broth and soy sauce to boil in a large sauce pan. Reduce the heat to low, and add the bok choy and the wontons. Stir and simmer (stirring occasionally) until the wontons are cooked and the bok choy is tender (about 10 minutes). Sprinkle with scallions and serve.
Makes 4 servings, 3 points per serving.

My only comment on this is that the soup (not the wontons) was awfully salty. Go sparingly with the soy sauce until it is to your taste.
Enjoy!!!!

Well....it is nearly 1 a.m. I've been to bed and I can NOT sleep! I must tho...and soon! I'm so darn nervous, excited, yadda yadda yadda about the interview!

The clothes are all freshly washed....even tho they were NOT dirty....pressed and arranged! The shoes, the stockings, the jewelry, the makeup, the nails, EVERYTHING is ready for the morning! I even took our kids to CampGrandma's for the night so that I didn't have anyone else to take care of in the morning.

I really, really, REALLY want this job! It is in the county where we live. It is teaching the grade that I've taught for FOREVER...well 16+ years...that is forever! AND I really want to leave the big huge district with all its warts and beauty marks and be part of a smaller, more rural school system!

The computer has been revived! Jury duty issues remain in my stomach! along with the interview stuff...churnnning! ARGHHH!

The soup recipie sounds interesting! Ginny, I want to talk with you about WW...It just has been crazy (with the computer 1/2 dead, etc...) around here! Which food journal are you interested in? I may have a copy!

Kerry, Sorry for your crappy mood....housework KILLS me and my good moods as well! I am very allergic to housework! Bleech! It gives me hives! And I really should do it more often and better!

Mousie, what in the world is uncured bacon? You know, I live in the land of Bacon and pork EVERYTHING...but I've never heard of it. Can not imagine having jury duty for an entire yearrrrrr.... arghh! I'm going to see how the interview thing goes...and then I may ask for a deferment....or better yet...NOT HAVING it at all! I've been asking EVERYONE if they know of some huge crimes that have happened in the last few months...we can't come up with anything! Soooo keep your fingers crossed. I would die sitting there having to listen to Bubba argue with Bubba about who moved the crab pots...oh dear! Or worse....listen to whyyyy Bubba had to drive drunk. OHHHH mannn!

Summer, dear.... Have a great trip! I sure have missed you, but, know that you and TourGuideMike's affair will end shortly! I can't wait to hear how your trip has gone! Wear SUNSCREEN! Tote around a water bottle! It will be worth it! How is your dh doing?!

I am off to go read the web site for the school where my interview is AGAIN! I just want to be sure that I know what / where I'm going tomorrow in MANY MANY ways!

Fingers crossed for me folks!
take care!
Robyn

Robyn:
Glad the computer is revived. That is always important. I think I'd go insane without my computer. No, wait...not think... I KNOW!!!!!
Right now you should be getting ready or maybe even at the interview. I forget what time you said it was. I hope you get it!!!!
I'm waiting for my friend from Northern VA to make it through DC traffic so she can take me to the endoscopy. Her husband called me an hour ago to tell me that she HADN'T LEFT YET! For those of you not familiar with the infamouse northern VA traffice, let's just say that a 30 mile one way drive to my school in the morning meant I had to leave by 5:15 a.m. or I wasn't getting there till AFTER my students at 7:45!
Sooo...My friend just called me. She's in Greenbelt, which isn't that far from me, on 295 North. Well, its not that CLOSE to me either, but at least she's cleared most of the traffic? Maybe? The endoscopy is at 10 a.m., and I'm not allowed to drive myself. I'm hoping she gets here or I'll have to take my car up there and leave it there and figure out how I'm getting it back later!
Going home in the afternoon, if I took 95 which I did do because it the backroads had issues too, I could count license plates. I usually counted PA plates since that's where I'm from. If I hit more than 10 in the trip back, it was a long drive.
Fingers are crossed, Robyn.

Morning Ladies,
Robyn I wish you luck on your interview. I hope you were finally able to get some sleep last night and don't fall asleep during your interview. Just kidding sweetie! Good luck today. Sounds like you are ready for a change of schools.
Summer have a wonderful and safe vacation. Don't forget to wear sunscreen. It is very hot and humid in Fla. My aunt and uncle live an hour from WDW and it was a scorcher the couple of times we have been down there to visit them.
Ginny I bet you are glad to have your dh back. Does this mean some of the household chores and repairs fall on his shoulders for a while?
Mouse hope everything goes well at your appointment today! Sounds like you really enjoyed your swim yesterday. Your dinner sounded yummy last night! I just had scrambled eggs and two pieces of toast. Your's was more exciting.
Well I better go and get my shower for the day. The kiddos are over again while their mommy is at work. So I am sure they will have us running ragged.
Have a wonderful day ladies!
Take care,
Kerry

Hi!
A busy day...dropped Dd off to Adelphi for freshman orientation.....hope all goes well for her.
Robyn and Mouse- you both had big days... hope all goes well for each of you.
Summer- and now the countdown for this trip. Have a well deserved and wonderful time!
Kerry-you too had a busy day- lots of kids over, right? Hope you are not too run down from it all.....got a few moments to breathe......

Gotta go take Dd to basketball.....sorry this is so short! Have a great evening!
Ginny

Just wanted to drop you all a note and let you know that I'm fine. My friend got here in time (I told her I didn't want to know HOW she did, but she told me anyway: she did 85 all the way from Falls Church, Va!), and we were actually early for the appointment. The gastroenterologist is great, and just her simple chatter with me not only made me more comfortable, but had some of the other staff treat me with a bit more respect. The nurse in the prep area already knew about the endocrine disorder and didn't make any of the usual comments about my weight, or the lack of monthly cycle... And the doctor asked me if I'd been swimming recently, so I happily told her about my 1.25 miles yesterday to which the anesthesologist and a tech in the room gasped and both said, "Wow! I couldn't do that!", so again, no comments on my weight.
The obvious being that since the doctor knew I swam (she's a member of the same gym I am), I must be telling the truth, and therefore quite a bit of my weight has to be from causes beyond my control. Because NOBODY can swim a mile regularly and look this way!
I didn't feel a thing about the procedure at all, and the results were negative: there was nothing she could see that is causing my nausea and throwing up. That's good, although it'd be nice if there was a more clearly defined cause.
The only downer was the stupid blood pressure cuff: it didn't like me, and squeezed both my arms tight enough to pop blood vessels. So I have what look like track makes on both arms.
My friend took me to lunch afterward, and I did bring it home (I wasn't hungry), but I ate it a bit okay and feel fine. I want to take a nap though!!!!!

Evening Ladies,
Mouse glad that your test results came back fine. It was also a blessing to hear that you were treated like a human being for a change. That must be a relief off your shoulders.
Ginny my dh's kids were over. Their mom drops them off during the summer while she is at work for us to watch. Someday's it feels like there is more than three little kids ages 6,6,and 8. I got a break from everyone this afternoon, when I took a 1 1/2 hour nap. My dh took them to their cousin's house to see his demo. derby car. So I enjoyed the peace and quiet. Do you miss your oldest dd yet?
Robyn how did your job interview go? I hope everything turns out great for you. You deserve the best!
Summer are you busy packing for your vacation and ending your TourGuideMike love affair? Have a wonderful time at WDW.
Well ladies I guess going to the nutritionist is working. I have been eating smaller meals lately. Sometimes have a hard time getting in all my carb points for the day. I guess that is not a bad thing. LOL Guess I will find out tomorrow night at TOPS.
Well I need to go to bed soon. I have to be up early to workout for an half hour in the morning and then get ready for the stepkids. I have to take them to their art lessons in the morning at 9:30. Have a great evening!
Take care,
Kerry

Just a quick hello-
Mouse- great that your test came out ok!!!!!
Kerry- sounds like another hectic day for you too... hang in there .

Off to Dm's this afternoon- she has some sort of skin cancer on her head- waiting for the biopsy results, although the Dr thinks it is very treatable and basal cell. Dm is not too clear.....her stories seem to change. While I am down there, I will be going for my annual mammo.....joy of joys.
Sorry to be so short, got a busy day.
See ya!
Ginny