Where to begin??? I came here for a short post and ended reading for 20 minutes!!! You all have been very busy! I am very well and Jen is almost 100% too. I have been asked to volunteer for the next 3 days and won't be back here to post till probably fri nite or Saturday. I just did not want to disappear and have you all think I ran out into the street to play happily in traffic or something equally dangerous! the days will be a bit long but the extra $$ is needed. 2 days will be here and one uptown. so I have cut out the computer and any office time. This way I won't be stressed and still have some down time for Mel. Hope you all have a great week and take good care of each other. I will miss you all but there just aren't enough hours in the day. It's already after 9:30 and I still need a shower! I could never keep this up till Friday! LOL Getting too old to burn the candle at both ends. wish me well and see you all soon! wish there was a pic of Antonio on my bedroom ceiling!!! Sweet dreams all and good morning Sunshine!

ME? Infatuated with Antonio Banderas?!
There is no other worthy of my adoration... I even write poetry about him

Look Out!!!

How many does he cast his eyes upon in a day?
How many does he look full in the face,
lifting up his tawny orbs to cause the thunder-clap?
Does he see their marvel and desire?
How he leaves his mark on them?
Mouths agape, astonished, penetrated.
Their moistening eyes, misty and blurred,
the blush rising upon their checks.
As he blinks, delicious, lush,
silky lashes shading his pupils.
Does he notice the wistful scrutiny,
as evident as the sun at noon?
How they struggle for satiation in that brief moment,
for a witness of what shines forth,
To periscope and peer, to empty themselves,
exulting to the skies, the spectre before them.
Viewing themselves, captured, silhouetted in
what no words can paint,
The glistening optic changing screens,
the dark, deep, reflective magic within Antonio

Oh damn smilie link not in a working mood tonight AGAIN!!

Sorry I am not appearing much of late. I don't seem to get this body into grips with a sit at the computer and chat mode...but here I am this evening...

Went to the g.p. again today...compaining of swollen glands in my neck and axillas and of a general malaise. He said that the absess has not completely cleared and he was thinking about giving me another course of the antibiotics I musy have looked horrified 'cos he said "Hmmn! You don't like that idea much, do you!?" Anyway he decided to leave me be for two weeks and then to go back and see him. If he is still not completely satisfied with how things are going then he "promises" to send me to an E.N.T. specialist and they still might want to cut out the gland before it can cause anymore mischief at a later date... The blood count is better although the diabetic result was worse than ever before although he didn't seem to panic over it. Of course there is always the possibility that I am feeling so physically run down because if the chronic virus Epstein Barr that I have...I think I just feel totally under attack!!
Healthy eating also seems to have rather gone to pot!! I haven't dared have another war with the rice bag...naughty Linus! Now everyone knows what a nutcase I am!!

Happy try not wear yourself out with the packing...portion the job up into small package sized bites so you don't end up parceling yourself up in a box marked "KITCHEN!"

Linus...roll on the end of the week for mews of the house...news, even!! Is it nice and peaceful at home now the lads have gone back to school? Sorry about the demise of Beckham...I do hope your pain has settled down a bit...or a lot if I am hoping for a miracle!

Meadow...errr....Meadow please I have to show my ignorance here....who, pray, is AB!?!? You can have him! I don't think he looks quite my type and I would hate to see you deprived of your "hunk!" And I think you are enormously clever writing poetry to him...

Roseblush glad you had a good time with your boys...good hockey scores! I really can imagine you as a teenager wih a mean look on your face with a hockey stick flying down the field...CLEAR THE FIELD!!! Here cometh Nae!!!!

Ho hum. Winter is approaching fast...the weather forecasters are threatening the first frosts this week....brrrrrr!

Take care everyone. Be good! I think of you all often even when I am lurking.....

Ooooooh I forgot to say hello to Miss Mel...bad girl me! Hi Mel! I keep thinking you should appear on camera whilst the president and his opponent are on the campaign trail....if you ever do get to where the cameras are...wave a big banner saying hello and who you are! And do wave your pink sandals at us!!!!!!!!

good evening chickies my goodness we are all such a busy lot this week !!! let me re-cap SHAD your back at work {grudgingly} with the numbskulls looking forward to 4 whole days at home and awaiting hopefully very good news about the job and pay and benefits and such keeping everything crossed for you
HAPPY your in the land of packing cases and boxes and the wondering where the **** all this stuff came from hope you dont pack dh if he sits around to long hopefully youll be able to settle down before to much stress with the new job and learning the ropes and just think about all the new gardening possibilities with the change in the temp
MEL well your out running the country for three days hopefully you wont knacker yourself too much and have to spend the whole weekend recovering
TIG are you on the hunt for the next run yet?? or are you still sport watching what sport is it again???? keep me some chocolate im trying to convince my body that choc isnt fattening
MEADOW you reallly have a bit of a crush on old antonio dont you glad hes your type maybe you should apply for the position of the next wife for when mels plastic surgery starts melting
ROSE have you talked to 3fc about the problems your having getting into the journals??? i knoew when i have problems with web sites dh always seems to approve of the deleting of the internet history for starters as it seems to be when ive got problems with a site it seems to happen every time i go on the same site try it it might work go to your internet task bar and go to help then options and go to the cache and clear the history
TEEL how are you feeling ??? bit better good i hope hows holly not much change since 9pm last night i think
well no news about the house yet so still waiting feeling really run down for some strange reason my get up and go has got up and gone so im going to sit on my backside and watch some dvds i think cause ive just no bloody energy to do owt else so im going and ill talk to you all later
kirsty

Hi Everyone,
We must be tending to our business or somthing to keep the chicks away this week. I enjoyed the moon tonight the little bit I got to see before the clouds moved in...what an amazing world we live in. I have had terrible busy week and am looking forward to the weekend. I have tomorrow off too but I will probably go in to the office and do some work.... can't seem to stay away!
I hope everyone with pains and ails are on the mend. The holidays are so soon going to be upon us. The rush before the sigh of relief.....
Take Good Care,
Nae

Oh its SO nice to have my smilie link working this evening....yipee!!! Be prepared for hundreds of little smilies doing crazy things all over the post!!

It has been a lovely Autumnal day here today in Suffolk. No other news really, except for a tale about the dog. As I think you will know, as I am registered disabled, the wheelie bin collectors come into my back garden and collect the bin, empty it and then return it...sometimes I get someone else's bin back in my garden...sometimes they neglect to collect it in the first place! Yesterday I thought, as it was late morning and they have been getting round before 09:00hrs usually, that as it was mid-morning, it was safe to let Holly out in the garden without fear of her being out whilst the bin-men were in and out....WRONG!! I suddenly heard the rumbling of wheelie bins along the back path and called madame who refused to leave her barking vantage point...love nor treats would drag her away...so I watched with interest as I saw the gate open and a man deftly whip the bin through the gap without Holly escaping through it at the same time!..I waited for his return....to give Holly her due, she did stay away from the immediate vicinity and watch from a few feet away.....the gate re-opened and the man returned the bin and bent down to give Holly a pat and a stroke...and I suddenly noticed she had a green dog-chewy in her mouth and I said (of course expecting a reply!!!) Where DID you get that from??!! And the bin man said they keep a packet of them in the cab for bribing dogs away from open gates so they don't get good ideas about leaping through them at the earliest opportunity!!! Apparently she often gets one when she has been out in the garden and I think they have been and gone.. .ha!! Her secret is out now!!

So how is everybody? Linus...its nearly here....FRIDAY, I mean!!!!! Fingers, toes and everything else crossed for you to have good news in the morning... How is that hip and back doing? I hope you are feeling much better than you were yesterday when your get up and go had got up and gone!!

Meadow...put AB down for a second !! Can I guess what calender you are going to have hanging on your wall next year?? Come to be nosey...is he on your calender this year??

Mel...come in Mel....its too quiet on this thread without you going MIA as well!! Ah I have just re-read your last post....now I understand why you are missing! What is it you have volunteered to do? Please don't go over-doing things...I know you too well! You are the same as me...say yes to everyone who needs help and then end up over doing things BIG time and feel unwell for weeks afterwards!!

Happy I hope your mouth is fully recovered following the dental work last week. I hope you too are finding some time to stop and rest before you work yourself into a hissy fit....

Shad I think I remember you saying you were hoping to be at home this weekend....I hope you do get into your own bed for a few nights!(gosh that sounds terrible! I am glad you will know what I really do mean!!)

My support worker is on holiday for the next 11 days so that covers 2 Fridays when I should see her and won't. No suprise there then!! I am still not too healthy but I forgot to tell you that when I saw my g.p. the other day he DID aggree to swap my Oxycontin back again to MST..HOORAY!!!HOORAY!!! I did however forget to discuss with him how to come off it gently and not be as ill as last time when I basically came off "cold turkey" and had terrible withdrawal symptoms. So I will not change over until I have talked it through with him. I really cannot face going through that again. I felt just like a drug addict! Shakes and shivers and stomach cramps.....****!!!

Gosh I must be bored this evening.

I have changed my signature AGAIN!!!

Hi, quick pop in and out. Will write more tonight when I get home. Just had to get out of the office before murderous intentions became known.
I really, really really know it is now time to change my job. I HATE it here.

Been reading through the posts - just to keep out of the office for as long as possible. Ostensibly I am with my Bank Manager! So girls better give me some financial advice - quick now!

Teel, I think Mel is finding victims for flu shots. She was filling in papers the other day. Hope she gets paid by the victim as she can round 'em up with the chair and back them up against an open window where an equally sadistic nurse can take her time in the jabbing bit.

Meadow. He may be nice looking but I think I will leave him to you. I'm into the blokes who fix things without my nagging, who see what has to be done and do it, and who don't moan about the housework not being done, they just do it. My ideal will cook as well! I can dream.

Happy and Linus - watch yourselves when packing. You do not want to end up all bent and beaten. If in doubt - chuck it out!!!

Better go. Catch up later tonight.

Hey Shad! Glad you could wander away from the work insanity to pop in... hmm financial advice... Worry is a debt paid for a bill you might never owe

Hello Teel-unfortunately I am relegated to admiring Antonio from afar :sigh: yet I still dream

Hi Rose-I totally forgot about the eclipse... when I let the dog out later in the evening I was looking at the moon and thinking how brilliantly bright it was, didn't remember about the eclipse till I saw the images on the late night news

Big hug to all the busy chicks wandering around in their various parts of the world, good energy for your endeavours ladies

Was prowling around the Psychology Today website and found this, thought you all might find it interesting

Ready to slim down? Use the following techniques from leading experts to help you shed pounds and get healthy--for good.

1. Set modest goals

"It's better to make small, sustainable changes rather than dramatic ones that are short-lived," says Foster. So if you drink three sodas a day, for instance, try cutting back to two. "Small successes build bigger ones."

Even modest goals should be specific and measurable. Jennifer Carter, Ph.D., a sports-psychology consultant at the Ohio State University Sports Medicine Center, says that achievable goals are those you can control. For example, increasing exercise by five minutes a day is more within your power than losing five pounds by Friday. The same goes for food. Instead of vowing to eat more vegetables in general, pledge to order a salad with dinner. Try to focus on the nutritious foods you'll add, rather than what you'll cut out, O'Neil suggests, or you might set yourself up for cravings that lead to bingeing.


2. Track your progress

Self-monitoring, observing and recording your behavior, is one of the most powerful weight-loss tools. "When people write down at least 75 percent of their eating and exercising behaviors, they often succeed in losing weight and maintaining weight loss," says Daniel Kirschenbaum, Ph.D., a psychology professor at Northwestern University Medical School. In one 12-week program, participants who used self-monitoring consistently lost 64 percent more weight than those who did not, and they had maintained the loss three months later.

Tracking your behavior makes you more aware of what you're actually doing. As O'Neil notes, "We often have conveniently forgiving memories," which makes forgetting extra calories--such as those gleaned from midafternoon, unplanned snacks--all too easy. Tracking also helps you remain focused and it reveals progress, which boosts morale and resolve.

Keep a journal of everything you eat and do, including activities such as gardening or lifting heavy boxes, and record total calories and fat consumed. Kirschenbaum also recommends weighing yourself once a week. If you find you've gained three or more pounds, take immediate action; it will make losing the weight much easier.

3. Learn to love exercise

If you enjoy your workout, you'll want to do it. It's that simple. Jay Kimiecik, Ph.D., an associate professor of exercise psychology at Miami University in Ohio, has shown that people who successfully maintain any regimen learn to change their focus from distant outcomes ("I will fit into my favorite outfit by my reunion") to positive experiences in the present ("Dance class gets my creative juices flowing"). Kimiecik calls it "intrinsic motivation," meaning doing something for its own sake. "If you don't get something out of every single run or spinning class," he says, "you won't continue doing it."

To make exercise more immediately rewarding, find aspects to enjoy right now, Kimiecik suggests. If you like the outdoors, try hiking, biking or jogging. If you're sociable, try a team sport such as volleyball, or find a workout partner. If you're spiritual, try yoga or tai chi. Take a similar tack with food: Make a salad more appetizing by adding toasted nuts; enhance water's flavor with a slice of fresh lemon.

4. Adopt the "I think I can" attitude

Every time you pass up a brownie or walk an additional five minutes, recognize your progress. In one study, Edward McAuley, Ph.D., a kinesiology professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, told one group of people who had just exercised that they were in great shape and another group who had also exercised that they were in poor shape. He then had both groups exercise again and found that the participants who thought they were more fit reported less fatigue and a higher sense of well-being. This, McAuley believes, indicates that people who feel in control of their workouts are likely to perform better.

To boost confidence, use what psychologists call positive self-talk, internal dialogue in which you cheer yourself on. Instead of berating yourself for stopping before completing 12 dumbbell repetitions, for example, congratulate yourself for doing a solid set of 10 and look forward to trying again. In one study of Olympic gymnasts, researchers found that the more positive their self-talk, the easier it was for them to excel.

5. Enlist social support

Studies show that lack of support easily derails efforts, while a little encouragement goes a long way toward keeping you on track. Ask friends, family and co-workers to help--by not leaving fattening treats around, for example, or watching the kids while you exercise. "Let people know what kind of assistance they can provide," says O'Neil. "Little things help a lot." He also recommends using social support to maintain motivation. "Get an exercise buddy so you've got peer pressure and a commitment to someone else to work out," he says. "You'll also have more fun."


6. Visualize success

You can easily envision yourself blowing off the gym or devouring a piece of pie. But now try to imagine walking through the gym door and working out for a full hour, or saying no when your waiter suggests dessert. Experts say we often have trouble achieving our goals because our mental movies are ones of failure. To turn luck around, rewrite your script.

Rehearse in your mind how you will look and feel as you run an extra half-mile. For the most effective imagery, make it as vivid and detailed as possible, says Brent Rushall, Ph.D., in his book Imagery Training in Sports. He recommends conjuring the image of your desired success several times, picturing the whole environment and every sense that would come into play. Then do everything you've just imagined. When you can envision success, you're more likely to achieve it.

Oh Shad, thank you so much for the much needed laugh. I can really PICTURE Mel doing this ahhhhhhhhggggggghhhhh

Actually there is a massive shortage of the vaccine here, our 'gov - a man who truly understands the bureacratic mess - decided not to wait for the government to find vacines and tell him sorry but so he managed to purchase a number from out Teel's way. This is the same man who supports letting the elderly purchase less expensive drugs from our friends in Canada up north. Too bad I won't be eligible to vote this man to another term again. Point is tho that I don't think Mel will have to chase people down - in fact they may take her hostage if they think she has a lead on finding some shots.

Shad, if you think it's time to get out of your field then perhaps it is. You can often tell the difference between a short term position or account which will be over soon vs just hating every minute of every day and wishing your life away by waking every day and hoping it's Saturday (that's how I got from 32 to 50 in the blink of an eye). I know the feeling, I share your concerns, especially about how to change careers and keep a roof over your head and food in your belly. I have been in the I.T. field ever since I got out of school but have managed to change careers within the field about 10 times. Did it on my last job - help desk to web developer and am doing it again - web developer to data warehouse analyst. I wish you the best as you go forward. It's darn hard to take pride in what you do when the rest of the world you must live in is content to slide by.

Teel, great story about Holly. Do you think she knows by now that a treat is in order and eagerly awaits the trash men while she pretends instead to fiercely defend her mistress? Glad she didn't run away none the less. Yes and please do discuss the phase out of the Oxycontin as we don't want you to be suffering like you did before.

Ladies, there is little chance of me packing up DH or winding up in a box myself - at least accidently. I am being good, tossing out many things that I'd rather keep - wish mom had taught me to save money instead of junk. But as DH said today, we are making progress. My small bathroom is all tidy and finished off now (after waiting 8 years for the renovations to be completed). They will be working on the basement starting tomorrow. It's a shame everything will be all nice and pretty and we will leave. Why is it that we will make it nice for someone else and not for ourselves?

I have searched and search and at least found some flats to look at next month when we take a quick trip to the new office. We'll be looking at some houses too but I doubt we will find something this quick. Then again, it sure would complicate my life substantially if we found something next month, so perhaps we will.

Tomorrow I will attempt to sift through the pounds of paperwork I have been somewhat ignoring as I am getting warning letters about forms galore that are getting close to overdue.

My eating has been quite terrible. I often skip breakfast, then am ready to eat the refrigerator by the time lunch rolls around. I am starving and pick the first thing I can lay hands on. I've been trying to do better at dinner and have at least one healthy meal. Caught a few glances in the mirror today and my feet are killing me again - both of which are strong reminders that somehow, some way I have GOT to get back on a plan again. At least I won't be tempted at all with holiday baking this year - no time though I do confess to hitting a few bits from the Halloween candy bin. :0

Poor DH has been working like a mad man. He comes upstairs dripping with sweat and falls into bed after his second shower of the day and passes out. He got on the scale and wrinkled his face. Said it's so unfair that he's not lost a pound this week with all the extra efforts. I did want to say "welcome to my world" but refrained from doing so.

Here's a bit of sunshine to make you all feel warm and cozy Impressive pictures of Antonio there Meadow. Had to laugh about the comment of Melanie's face melting tho. Actually I think her lips are going to explode one day from one too many collegen injections. I used to think she was pretty in a young cutie sort of way but at one point I think she had some horribly gone wrong facial work. There is a point where you should just accept that your hottie days are over and age gracefully. But that's my opinion. Makes me happy I was never a hottie - I don't have my looks to lose but my personality gets better and better with time (or so I'm told).

Anyhow this is getting rambling so I'd better get to sleep. Welcome Tig, hello's to Rose and Meadow and I do hope Mel is having a bit of fun and is not wearing herself to illness and exhaustion. Catch you folks later...

Good day to all. I am not a happy bunny today. I got on the scales! And I have gained 4 lbs... I know I haven't been an but I didn't expect to put on that much. Why is this task such a difficult one? Why is it so impossible to achieve something that I really want to do? I was on a roll there for a few weeks and now it seems I have fallen flat on my face.

I am sitting here thinking of Linus... I do hope you get that house you are so hoping for, my friend! Also hope the dentist hurries up and does your toothy-pegs!Otherwise it will be a diet of soup and drinks through the weekend!

Happy it was so good to hear from you...I agree you do seem to have a govenor who is one in a million. Shame you are moving out of his area! You made me smile about the flu jabs! Over here, we had a shortage 'cos some of the supplies were contaminated during production so lots of people are still waiting to have their jab. I was lucky. I got mine in on the second day of the campaign and my g.p. surgery used a different supplier to the ones who had contaminated supplies...

I am waiting for a phone call from my doctor as I I need to know how to withdraw from Oxycontin without going cold turkey. I should have remembered to ask him on Tuesday when I was sitting in front of him, but my brain forgot to remind me to do this simple task!

I am off out this evening! Our church is hosting an event for a Christian pianist/ singer who is reportedly excellant. People I know have seen him before and raved on about him. Apperently though he "picks" on someone in the audience so the rule is don't sit on the front row! I SHOULD POSITIVELY DIE if he picked on me!!!

Shad lovely to read a post from your good self, too. I am truly sorry though that you are so unhappy in your present line of work. There's you hating being in work and me hating being out of it! What about a complete u-turn in what you do? What does your heart tell you about what you REALLY want to do? I get worried when friends are struggling and sad with their lot...

Meadow...thank you for that great psychology essay! I particularly liked the "set modest goals" piece. I totally agree...I think we are far more ready to punish ourselves by beating ourselves up for not reaching a set target, than to reward ourselves for the small but significant goals we have achieved...

Hello to Miss Mel-you-will-have-a-flu-jab!!!! I do hope you are not as exhausted as I suspect you will be after these last few days! Roll on tomorrow when you can collapse in a heap and rest....

just a quick post from me as im flat on my back again and i have done nothing but sleep all day yet i still feel knacked i had no phonecall from the new house place today so i guess inspite of everyones promises i didnt get the house so back to stage one again for the millionth time and now i guess the sitting room will have to be decorated and recarpeted speak to you all tomorrow
kirsty

Morning all. I'm home and have had a quick look around the garden and will get out there shortly before the heat begins. It's an interesting looking day out there. Seems to want to rain but can't, seems to want to clear up but can't do that either.
Flight home yesterday was fine. Full flight, mostly army types. Presume they are off to training camp somewhere up north. Lots of young people, especially women. Well I guess it is what floats your boat these days. But it is not easy to thing of all these young folk going off to the wilds of Afghanistan, Iraq or Timor even if they are doing the job they are paid for.

Meadow, great things in your post. It's good common sense of course but none the less it is these things that we forget to do.

Teel sorry to hear that things are going on again. Beat it up with a bit more hammer, that should get rid of the frustrations and fears. Glad to hear you have made the decision to come off the oxycontin. Now you just have to knuckle down to it. Bear in mind that there may be no easy solution m'dear and we will just have to put up with it. You mostly but we (meaning me) are here for you don't forget. Whinge, whine and mutter obscenities - we care - we will listen.

Happy, thanks for those kind words. I have the feeling that this is to be my last contract. I will probably take one of the jobs I've interviewed for, provided of course it is offered. The one in Perth appears to have the most challenge and travel, the one in Melbourne pays better and I would have the advantage of working with a good friend. The last two contracts have had their bad times, but this one just sucks. It seems that it is known that I spoke my piece to my agent and in turn to the consulting company's HR person. It seems that nothing has improved and we are still complaining about lack of communication, lack of support, lack of just about everything really - nothing has improved. So it is time to move on. 26th November is now my last day there. I should have paid off the credit card and got some more off the car loan by then so although I am hoping for something else to come through, at least I won't starve over Christmas.

Nae, something you said rung a bell, about being able to access the journals on the DS's computer but not yours. It's got to have something to do with the temp files on your computer. The cookies haven't cleared or the temp files have screwed up. If you can get there on one computer, then it's going to be something in your computer that is causing the problem. How much space do you have on the computer, is it new or old?

Linus, my fingers are crossed, legs are too. I am hoping that the delay in phone call is because you do have a house and not because you don't. Stay still and get over this latest health problem. With the onset of winter, you are probably going into hibernation.

Tig, how goes the running? You must be getting ready for the second run now. Hope all the preparations are going fine. Take care.

Mel, how going the left jabs? Oh sorry I mean the butt jabs? Do NOT overdo it and cancel yourself out in the process my friend. Glad to hear Jen is getting better.

Happy, what is it with our houses, getting them all spruced up to sell when we have been living with the crappy beige or blue all these years. I think I should decide to sell every couple of years just to get the house back together again. Poor DH, can just see him rummaging around in the basement. Up and down those stairs. Must be hard on his back I guess. At some period in time, it will all be over and done with. How is Mum coping with it now?

Okay, best go and look at the yard. Grass is getting a bit tall, time to chop that down again. I may just drop in again later - simply because I can. Hooray for choice.

Oh cool, Halloween Smilies -- got to love 'em

Halloween smilies??? -- where?????