[happy2bme]

Shad, I thought you might like to know that you are in the midst of winter yet right at this moment where I sit it is 14C while you are basking at 22C - I know, I just looked it up and it doesn't really matter much that it is midnight here and 2pm in Brissy right now. We have set a record for the coldest August 11th on record. And tonight is the night of the big summer meteor shower and as usual, the sky is covered with a thick heavy cloud cover. The only time we get to see the summer meteors is when we go to Las Vegas it seems. Apparently the dry desert air makes for cloudless nights.

I rode my bike not once but TWICE today. Granted not for long periods of time but I do need to get out more and strengthen the leg muscles. I just kept puffing away, pushing to go a bit farther and thinking of the progress Shad has made with her running. So Teel and I will take the bows for exercise queens, thank you one and all. Although a nice soak in the hot tub sounds better than a brisk ride in the breeze. At one point I was thinking I'd need to cover my ears with a hat or something so as to avoid an ear ache. I also thought it was rather cruel to be riding in a sweatshirt in the middle of August when we should be looking for a cool drink and a towel to wipe our sweaty brow. Good thing we didn't plant tomatoes this year, they would have never grown properly. Anyone who had a backyard pool got absolutely no use at all of it this "summer". Shad, come back here - it was quite cool last year I recall until you landed at the airport and brought the beaming sun with you

Teel, have you tried some deep breathing exercises or some nice soft music to help you relax and fall asleep? Or is the problem not so much falling asleep as STAYING asleep? Must be so frustrating for you...

Didn't Nae mention that an aunt of hers has taken quite seriously ill? Perhaps she is busy at the moment or had to leave town. Sending prayers and good thoughts your way Nae.

Wow Mel, it sure does sound like your poor eyes require quite the amount of round the clock care. Whatever you do, keep those peepers of yours in tip top shape. Even if it means getting a rest off the computer for a while. Can you rent books on tape from the library to save on the eyes? Or is it too hard to get to the library? Tell me what books and I'll record them for you - I will tell jokes between chapters or sing to you or ask you a chapter summary question - just to see if you're paying attention. And you poor thing, decaf coffee only and once or twice a week at that? I would be the walking dead Tho I was thinking tonight that for the longest time I was not a coffee drinker. Started in my mid 30's I think when I finally learned how to brew a pot of coffee. After that I was quickly addicted. You're actually probably better off with decaf anyway.

It was cool today and I was chilled so I had a nice cup of hot green tea. Yum

Shad, I will have to send you a care package of Vicks Inhaler sticks. They go for about $2.50 US here and one Internet drugstore in Australia priced them at $6.75 even accounting for the difference between US and Australian dollars, that's highway robbery!!!! I find that the Halls Menthol Eucalyptus drops work just as well to unstuff the sinuses. Calms the drippy cough too.

Wow Meadow - Rosie the Riveter - now there's someone born long before all of us I have a page from last years motivational calendar - March 1 - "you must do the things you think you cannot do" Eleanor Roosevelt. And right under that is the one with the girl with the arms on her hips that says "SNAP OUT OF IT" I was looking at those early this week and saying, yup it's time to pay attention to my motivational calendar pages. And so I went and drank my water, ate properly balanced meals and rode my bicycle. And I'm hungry but trying to ignore it. I have a terrible habit of looking for something late at night - it's the biggest bad habit that I am trying to break at the moment. Guess I should go to bed then. G'night all.

[linus]

morning all how are we ? good i hope before we all panic rose will be off to attend her aunts funeral i would be too but there was a cock up and they couldnt get the abbey so the funeral is tomorrow not coping very well having major life issues and not liking what i see so major changes on the horizon !!!thank you all so much for being here for me you have no idea how much you have all helped just with the fact that i know you are all here and will yell and tell me to pull the finger out and get on with it MEADOW my mum can recite that poem off by heart they used to have it all over the barracks when she was in the army my mum was a marine diver and of course women were better than men she learned to drive in a tank could explain some of her stranger driving issues she likes nothing better than to roll down her window and shout to the horrible drivers"whats wrong luv did nobody buy you a ste of indiators for you xmas fu**ing wa**er "such a lovely turn of phrase my mother anyway must go and get ready chumming mum to the hospital today as she is going for an endoscopy to see why the acid reflux is recurring even though she has had a stomach repositioning done so many hours in a waiting room for us they should rename them long stay areas keep well and nae thinking of you today stay strong
kirsty

[MELODY525]

TTTT~ Teel~ You do make me laugh!! Yes I am all done whizzing around and have abpout pooped myself out too. The alarm went off for food shopping and I went back to sleep!!
All these hedgehogs live inside your property or are just passing through?? No wonder you can't sleep! LOL Too much traffic and barking. Hope the body adjusts to whatever is bothering it and sleep comes back to normal.

Shad~ I am totally drained out with tiny spurts of energy. I read your post and feel the same! I think my biggest problem is sinus. Even the dr said he could tell by the eyes that i am getting worn down by irritants etc. Hope we both find lots more energy and get back to our active selves. When is Jason giving you the first check??? Firemen....count me in!!! I lover firemen!!! I'll even exercise just to see them so write my name down on Jason's list!!! The floors sounded great. I love natural woods. Natural anything for that matter. doing a great job in BOTH houses!

Not much to say so I will pedal my arse over to webshots and see what is new, old and inbetween!! Good days and nights all!

[happy2bme]

Kirsty, good luck on setting a new plan for yourself - sometimes things happen in life (like it or not) that force us to change our habits or thinking. And it's not always a bad thing to change. Just sometimes hard to get into a new groove. And on a side note, I am very glad you joined our group - I love your sense of humor!

I probably won't be posting for a few days. After several nice weekends passing us by along with the opportunity for fine camping, I have finally talked the DH into camping this weekend. I am taking a half day off tomorrow so we can get an early start to the campgrounds (and a spot not too far from the running water and flush toilets as I refuse to use the hole in the ground pit toilets). Don't mind pumping my wash water from a well, but I can't handle the stink of the pit toilets and I have this tremendous fear of falling through the boards into the pit don't laugh it has happened tho not to me. I would die right there. ICCCKCKCKCKCKCKCKCK. Gives me the shimmy shakes to think about it. Sorry, didn't mean to gross you out.

Camping is quite popular here as a low cost family activity. There's about 20 campgrounds of various degrees within 1 to 3 hours drive from here. I favor the more wooded sites myself - more privacy and muffles the noise from the children whose parents have raised them as wild pack wolves rather than civilized human beings. Tonight I will have to dig out the camp gear, decide on the least that I need (as always DH says we take WAY too much). I also need to get the house straightened up and laundry done as we won't be back until late Sunday afternoon. Boy I love the smell of the campfire. Told DH I will probably really miss smoking this time around. He's one to go to bed as soon as the sun sets - 8:30 or 9pm. With nothing else to do I would sit up until around 11pm or so, enjoying the fire and the peace and quiet and smoking to pass the time away. I'm sure the urge to smoke will be strong. At least I won't be coughing all night from the damp chill, forest mold AND the ciggies. And I'm hoping that there will still be a few stray meteors around to enjoy tomorrow night. It was too cloudy at 10pm to see anything, I took a peek outside at 1am before I went to bed - a little more clear but not good enough and it's quite overcast today which doesn't bode well for tonight. Hopefully it will be clearer as we head up north. I love watching meteor showers and we only get 2 good ones a year, now and in November.

It was so chilly in the house this morning I actually turned the furnace on for a few minutes just to take the chill out and raise the temperature a few degrees. I can't ever recall EVER having to turn the furnace on in August. That's crazy. My toes are little ice cubes right now. Feels more like late October. But it should be great for sleeping outside. Good thing DH is first up to start the fire and the coffee in the morning.

So, I've lots to do just to spend a little time relaxing. Hope you all have a fun weekend too. Will catch up with you later.

[Meadow]

I have nothing much to report. The weather here is 30C (86F) and I am sluggish. Other than getting wet with the children I have done no exercise, thought about it as usual but it never transmitted down to the other muscles. I am otherwise healthy which I am thankful for.

Shad- I hope you are feeling better. It is tough to get going when you feel blah, I admire your drive and determination to get things done. You are seeing the results of your efforts too, two beautifully restored homes. I thought of you when I saw that poem Power up!

Mel-your poor skin. Cool compresses sound rather nice and relaxing, I hope you are doing them regularly like the doc said. Maybe a little cucumber juice in the compress would help? You could always just cut a few slim slices and forgo the cloth all together Put a couple on you eyes too to help them relax and settle down.

Linus-your mom sounds like a great lady! I wish her well with her tummy problems, acid reflux sounds painful. Your major life issues will work out. Just take it as it comes, coping is all about your perspective. Read some Ralph Marston, he is a wonderful booster of spirit. The Daily Motivator ((((BIG HUG)))) for your thirsty heart


Happy-I bow to your greater exercising mojo. Sad that the weather thwarted your viewing of the falling stars, mother nature's free shows are the best

Teel-you made me think whether I could do lengths in my kid's 3ft by 12ft pool. Hmm, I did a bit of resistance under water knee to chest stuff for about 5 minutes, my legs didn't feel a thing Have you tried changing the position of your bed in your bedroom to get a better nights sleep? Sometimes it helps if your head is facing North or South, I've read. Something to do with the Earths magnetic pull. East and West are considered not conducisive to a good nights sleep. Pheng shui rule I believe.
Your puppy alarm doesn't probably assist things much either, can she be in your room with you and not have access to the other windows to hear the little hedgehog russlings? Lavender is considered a good sleep aid too. Helps you to inhale deeper and relax. Also chammomile tea. Do you have a window open when you sleep? Some fresh air in the room is thought to be good too. Lack of sleep can make you feel really out of sorts, I hope you find a solution that works for you

Okay everyone, deep breath, Lavender fields forever!

[teel]

Hi chicks. This is a quick postie from me.
I went to see my g.p. this morning and as is becoming rather a habit of late, sat there and cried... He has increased the new meds for my chest pain (whatever the cause may be) so hopefully they will do some trick or other. The problem is staying asleep. I get off quite happily but wake up every hour and a half or two hours. Its been getting gradually worse on the last two weeks. Trouble is my mood is going down as well and being over tired does not help at all. He wants to see me next week to see how it is going...
We have had some very strange weather today! We seem to have had it all...sunshine, thunder, lighning, hailstones and gentle rain as well. Pity the holiday makers who are camping or caravanning. What a nightmare.
Sorry this is so short but I will return...bye bye till then!!

[Shad]

Happy, I was just sitting here this morning thinking about how it is just a year since I was tripping around the world and wished that I was there again this year. I'd love to bring the sunshine in to your world but unfortunately life has conspired against it this year. 22C is a normal winter daytime temp. Our night temp last night was about 4 or 5. It's quite cool early in the mornings. Good snuggling weather. Hope your camping trip goes just fine and you get to see lots of meteors and interesting critturs. Good on you for getting on that bike and getting out and about. It will be a habit before you know it. Do you take the bikes camping?? Thanks for the offer of Vicks Inhalers, I have about five of them around the place because I keep mislaying them or sending them through the wash - they come out just fine too!! Yes they are expensive here. All medication and cleaning stuff is for one reason or another - mostly because we all need them and must buy them, therefore greater profit.

Linus, I hope that you are getting on top of all this. Major changes???!!! I hope this doesn't mean you are going underground or away from all this. Yes life will change after tomorrows funeral, but then it changed when the poor man passed on didn't it. The circle has just got smaller, but as long as you can think about him, talk about him and love him, his spirit will never die. My thoughts are with you on this day and this week - just come back and let us know how you are going from time to time as you can. You mum has a charming way with wayward motorists I see. I love to see her driving a tank - I suppose she is about 5' nothing??

Mel, sorry to hear that your energy level is down so far at the moment. A little R & R seems in order. Shame we can't send you camping with Happy and DH. So rest up and gentle exercise today my friend. Don't think about shopping or spending money today. There's another day later in the week.

Meadow, thanks for that wonderful poem. Indeed life is good and full of surprises. We can all do a lot more than we imagine we can, and not just physically as well. There are other means of inspiration as well. Love the lavender fields. I can imagine the smell. I went to the Yulong lavender fields in Victoria while I worked down there. The smell is indescribable. I have lavender in the garden. It is not supposed to grow up here according to the garden gurus, however as I look out over the patio I can see that it needs trimming again and there are flowers on the bushes. Nothing is impossible - unless you want to put toothpaste back in the tube!!! Water is a great resistor. I used to enjoy an aquarobics class. This is dead easy I thought until the next day when the muscles caught up with me. Lengths of the kids pool is a good start, and when the habit forms then it's time to upgrade the exercise. It's a start and you will be moving the body.

Teel, I'm sorry you are back to the old problem of sleeping. It seems to me that it must be the drugs because you were fine previous to going back to this one. Is there no other medication which will do the same thing without the side effects? I haven't seen a hedgehog in years, cute little creatures they are. We used to get them often in NZ. The nearest we have here is the Echidna and he lives in the bush and rarely ventures into suburbia.

The floors are done in DS2's house. They look super. I must take the digital down there and get some photos later today or tomorrow. And I will get on to my bath tiles today. I measured some up yesterday and again I have to change things around because there seems to be some strange carpentry going on again. It's not hard to work out but needs a bit of thought to get things absolutely straight. I'm a bit of a demon for square and straight - neither of which the builder of this house understood. DS is somewhat haphazard at times as well.

So shortly I am off to the gym for the running bit. I have procrastinated long enough. I need to digest the muffin and jam first though. I was going to go after I had been down to the house but the floor man said he would be finished in less than an hour so I stopped to gossip with his dad - the proprietor who is recovering from a knee op and is trying to come to terms with the fact that he is not as young as he was and is very likely not going to be able to work full time again. Floor sanding and polishing is all he has ever known. So I came home after paying them. Broke the NOPE with an English muffin and jam. Today I will have to be careful not to have too many more carbs. Sounds like salad again for lunch and fish and salad for dinner. Boring, boring, boring.

Had some of my tomatoes for lunch yesterday. I am disappointed. They are big but they don't seem to have much flavour. I may have been a bit hasty putting them it. It seems that the cold might have got at them and delayed ripening too much and therefore lost the sweet crisp flavour. Will have a go at the Roma (egg) tomatoes today and see if they are any better. I have a coriander plant to put in today - love the flavour of coriander - um do you call it cilantro in the States???, the second lot of lettuces I put in are almost ready to eat. They at least taste good, crisp and fresh.

Okay, I have spent long enough talking myself into this. Get up and go Shad. Vamoose. pouf

[happy2bme]

Well we were both excited to go camping and then I got a phone call. An extended family member lost someone very dear to them and I decided that it was more important to attend the memorial service on Sunday and support her so we cancelled our trip. Next weekend DH and I will be off to the south as I have my out of town interview on Monday the 23rd. 2 weeks from that is our Labor Day holiday - the unofficial transition from summer to autumn and the holiday I most hate to see. Feel like summer just slipped through my fingers this year... I'm sure we'll still have an opportunity to camp but as we head to September, days get shorter, cooler, damper and the chance for rain to spoil the weekend goes up. No fun sitting in a tent in the cold rain when you can't get warm or cook your food or enjoy the fire. And no, we wouldn't be taking the bikes camping at the moment - not enough room in the car, especially if we pack the small telescope. We'd have to get a bike rack for the SUV, might do that next year if we both get into the distance biking. There are some nice trails not too far from here through the woods. DH went last weekend for a ride. It's about 20 miles at a crack - quite a bit more than I am able to do all at once right now. But it's a goal to work up to.

Shad, we call the leafy part of the plant cilantro and the seeds are corriander. I love both. I alternate between parsley and cilantro - cilantro being the bolder flavor. I even have DH sprinkling it on just about everything. How disappointing with the tomatoes - I know you love them as much as me. That's how mine would have come out this year if I had planted again - it was just not warm enough for them to get that real tomato burst of flavor.

Saw in the journals that you might have a short term work contract - good for you! At least it's something for a while.

Meadow, those lavender fields look lovely. Saw a lavender patch on one of my bike rides and I thought I should plant some of that in the yard - it was so strikingly lovely.

Mel, Nae, Linus and Teel - hope you are all taking a bit of time to be gentle with yourselves and take a few healing, cleansing breaths. Hellos to all, I've got to get on with the day now...

[MELODY525]

Happy~ so sorry about the news and the delay of a mini vacation! but I hope you get to squeeze it in there somewhere! good of you to support these people and to be a comfort.
I think while camping when you use the loo you need a safety line. DH could tie it on your waist and hold the other end outside till you're done!
anyway, you have plenty of time to devise an anti-falling in the loo tool!!

Shad~ I would be repeatinng the journal comment but hope the DS loves the new floors. They must look so warm and inviting!! I think wood floors make a house a real home. Ahhhhhhhhh(sigh)
Hope the weekend is a great one when you get up! LOL Enjoy and have fun(?) with the planning of getting things even?!?!

Linus~ How I keep missing your posts is still a mystery to me! You heard from Rose? Or just a good guess? Hope the changes for you whatever they may be are gentle and good ones in the end. ((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))) my Friend to see you through. I could just see YOU driving tanks!!! LOL Perhaps with the dog perched with it's head out of the turret hole!!! Hope you feel better too.

Teel~ I am sorry to hear your news also! I ask the same as Shad....are there no alternative drugs to try??? Maybe older remedies with less side evvects???? I hope you feel better soon. Not easy to be in good moods when sleep deprived and in pain and uncertainty. ((((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))) for you too friend to see you through!

Meadow~ I will have a printer now and will be printing all motivational material! Imagine what the area surrounding my PC will look like now!!! LOL Thanks for so many good thoughts. Makes the days even brighter.

Well girls.....My thoughts are with Nae too at this moment. For months now we have all of us endured sad times together and I hope we can smile for awhile when this is all passed us. i think of you all the time now like family. Who would like this or that, who would say this or that etc. I seem to take you every place I go. Hope you have as much fun on my trips as I do!

The kids bought me a Lexmark printer for early Xmas and it arrived early!! Yesterday!!! We will try and figure it all out but I must move everything fiorst to make room! LOL Todl Jen if all else faols we can call Shad for OTP instructions!
Have a great weekend and take good care of yourselves. You are very important to me!

[MELODY525]

Meadow~ I have to use plain hot water for the compresses. It's to enable my eyes to make their own tears. Hot as I can stand it. with the rosacea so close nothing can go near them. But the cukes did sound so lovely and refreshing. I always wanted to try them. I also love Ralph Marston. Shad and Mooz turned me on to him. I also like Norris Chumley's Joy of weight loss at.....
http://www.beliefnet.com/index/index_216.html
I found the 30 day program an inspiration last year. He's a little more God-stuff than I like for my own personal taste but it helped with the 30 lb loss. Maybe I should look at him again! LOL Good luck with your search!!!

[Shad]

Well yesterday was a bit of a washout diet wise. I went right off the rails. I couldn't stop eating. It's a good thing that there is little in the house which is dangerous for me to eat I suppose.
Yes I got and email from a man in Sydney asking if I would be interested in a short term contract. I said yes and asked for clarification - its all accounting stuff which I am not that au fait with. However I said that I knew A/c payable and receivable, understood Cost centre accounting and it is a toss up with Financial stuff - I'm no accountant. He thought it would be okay and is going to talk to me on Monday. Fingers crossed - it may or may not be and it is in Melbourne.
Shortly I am off to Body balance class. Since I missed the run yesterday (procrastinated too long and need a good talking too) I will be there for this. Today will be better than yesterday - although I did get some tiles on the bath. Progress happens.

Happy, I am sorry that you didn't get to camp this weekend. Geez we have had enough bad news in our families this year haven't we?? Hugs to you and DH and my sympathies to the families. It's almost as if we were real family together with the older generation moving off this good earth for the next. In my real family this happened. Over five years almost the entire generation of my Mothers family passed on. There is only one left now and she is from my Fathers side. I don't have a lot of contact with her, but no doubt my sister will let me know at the appropriate time.

Yesterday I bought a basil plant and a rosemary. Now my herb garden has sage, parsley (2 varieties) basil (3 varieties), thyme and rosemary. I need some oregano to complete the garden I think.

Okay, its 0800 and my class is at 0930 so time to get cracking. Oh and here is another rose now flowering in the garden. It's called Hot Chocolate. (Why I don't know) and has no fragrance whatsoever that I can smell.

Have a good day all.

[Shad]

I forgot to mention the street excitement for yesterday. The new neighbours must have put some smouldering butts into the wheelie bin. I was out the back and I could smell smoke, rushed inside, nothing happening in there, went out the front and there were flames leaping from the wheelie bin. So out with the hose - doesn't stretch far enough, go get the other hose from round the back and put them together. Water on the wheelie bin - hiss, spit, pop, something blew in there. Anyway after a fair amount of water the bin appeared to be out so I went back in and got myself a drink and then came out the front once more only to find smoke billowing again so more water went on the bin. What a mess it was. Took ages to stop the plastic smoldering and the contents burning. So that was my good deed for the day. No firemen needed here MEL?

[MELODY525]

OMG!!! NO FiRIES???? HOW SAD FOR MEL!!!
Thank god you smelled the smoke befoer they burned God knows what else down!!!! People are so ******ed!!!
On a much lighter note...I INSTALLED THE PRINTER MYSELF!!! I am so proud!!! The installation would not stop and went on for a 1/2 hour before I realized something was amiss! So I rejected the cd and rebooted the PC to see if it was there and Lo and Behold there it was ready to print. My first project was a picture of three people. 2 lovely women and a handsome man!!!! LOL I was saving it till I got a printer!!! It sits proudly in a 5x7 gold frame on a shelf over my PC. The first of what I hope to be many pics of my "family". Hope Happy and the DH are just as pleased! Wnen company comes I can point and say these are my friends. Have a great day. Now I can finally go to bed! LOL

[Meadow]

This is where I spend all my time. Swimming, playing dolphin games with my kids. If I'm not in the pool, I'm playing lifeguard. At least 4 hours today... in and out.

I haven't exercised, eating consists of a recent addiction to Bull's eye original barbecue sauce I can make a sandwich with just that and a bit of mayonaisse. I am blaming my hormones for this, if it weren't this it would be chocolate

Thank you for the link MelI like the wording there about using your breathing and living in joy. Very positive. I'm sorry your skin is so reactive, you do whatever the doc says to see it gets better

Happy, you are a good person to postpone your camping trip to support your family. You will probably be in need of the stress break for sure after this. My sympathies for all that is to come.

Shad, you may have work in the offing! Congratulations. Might not be your ideal job but the forces are gathering in your favour and good things are coming your way. Great job at putting out the fire, must of been scary to see the flames, I bet your heart was beating a mile a minute. Good that you went to check it again, fires are very difficult to put out, they will poof up over and over. Fortunate you were home!


Teel-((((hugs)))) hope you have sweet dreams tonight


Linus-Hope you are feeling alright after the funeral and all that sad energy. I hope you had a chance to catch up with old friends and relatives, remembering your Aunt with smiles through the tears.
Let children walk with Nature, let them see the beautiful blendings and communions of death and life, their joyous inseparable unity, as taught in woods and meadows, plains and mountains and streams of our blessed star, and they will learn that death is stingless indeed, and as beautiful as life. ~John Muir

[MELODY525]

Meadow~ Your graphics are adorable. I love pics like that. I bought a book called The Little Big Book of Life. The cover said it was full of lessons, wisdom, instruction, inspiration, humor and advice! LOl I knew I needed that! LOL But the art was "old-fashioned" and I loved it. I have been searching for an Emerson quote.....something about if we don't use the gifts brought to us then "they" will slip quietly away????? It's on the cieling of the hosp. wing that I go and I always forget to write it down or have no PEN!!! that sauce/mayo sandwich cannot be too healthy!!! LOL
Loved the pic of the pool. We need one for the seniors!! I could play lifeguard too! Tow them out with a rope and life preserver! Must be good exercise for you though.

Found www.dailyom.com from 3fc on an advert and signed up for daily Om stuff. Today's was more meditation. When I am all done with these calming books and websites I will be asleep and boring!

I wonder how long ink cartridges last???? I am trying to control myself and have only printed 4-5 times so far. Don't want to clutter the entire apartment with paper although it would be a unique new wallpaper!!! Shad could come and help me glue it to the wall like a collage!!!

Meatloaf in the oven, chili on the stove and rice in the steamer. the electric meter is whizzing around like a top right about now! But I am determined(once again) to meet Madcat's challenge for the week. I did not do well with NOPE so Here we go again! LOL I would like nothing better than to surprise the heck out of myself and see the scale move :

Have a great day and smile!