HUGS Shad!!! Hope all went well.

Linus!!! dear Linus. I am not sure a hug is quite enough!! I will send one anyhow(((HUG)))) and peaceful, harmonius energy flying across the ocean!!!!

Linus, better start doing yoga or something before you squeeze "bump" out from the sheer frustration. See what happens when you have to endure 9 months of no beer or a glass of wine to calm the world down... Tell the family to be nice to you, just for one day... Hugs to you...

And to you Mel of the tender eyes. Hope Jen will be ok. 5 fractures - sounds like quite the tumble. Owwwwwwwwwwwwww.... stick with the phone, rest the eyes and try not to be too worried. Yeah, right, huh?

Holly, holly, holly - yeah for the smaller shirt sizes, yay for the great Avon order. Sounds like things are looking up for you!

And my poor friend Shad - 12 hour days thought they were limiting you on the hours? Sounds suspiciously like the government to me... When I was between jobs I took a temp job working for the 2000 Census count. I was doing all the coordinating and much of the training for the whole regional area. It was a job that was a minimum 65 hours a week at least. More as we got into the actual census operation. But being the government they planned late, delayed with red tape and stopped paying you after 40 hours. Took a miracle of God to get overtime approved. They play on your sense of duty and responsibility to get the job done without proper pay. Don't burn yourself out, don't give away all the milk for free either. Sounds like you are in the jaws of the lion right now.

I've not been sleeping well myself. More than half my daily water seems to be at night and we all know what that means **sleep walking down the halls every hour it seems***. Feeling achy too. I'm going to try cutting out sugar as I suspect that might be the culprit. Easier said than done. I like my sugar. Even if it's just sugary fruit like watermelon. I guess I am a carboholic after all...

Ah, washing machine has finished the cycle, pop the load in the dryer and I'm off to bed. Sweet dreams and happy Tuesday to you...

Mel gave my daughter an eye infection She is on Polysporin eyedrops today and tomorrow, if it doesn't clear up... off to the doctor. She was at a free for all birthday party yesterday which is where I think she picked it up, a place called Crash Crawlies where the kids run riot in big cages while the parents sip coffee in the lounge below. Not me of course, my heart is in my throat desperately trying to keep track of mine as they travel from one end of the building to the other in the rafter cages Not doing much, had barbecue chicken and burgers for dinner, scalloped au gratin potatoes. Nothing beats chicken done on a barbecue, slurp, so tender :eating:

:Mel-Good golly I hope Jen isn't in a cast and imbolized. Your family needs to get a exorcism done on your space to stop all these bad things happening. When you are out and about go light a candle at the local catholic church, I always see people in Mexico doing it and it seems to make them feel protected from evil. I like rituals anyway, I would like to take a little bit from every religion and just revel in it all. I like the budist thing of lighting candles and incense and chanting, omh. Fingers crossed for your eyes feeling better soon. My daughter says her eye feels hard and is sore. I guess yours is much the same

Shad-what are you going to do with these people? Do they honestly think you don't have a life? How can you work 12 hour days? that stinks! eight hours is enough for anybody! you negotiating for time and a half? I'm sorry you are being put through the wringer trying to get everything clicking over and helping these people function at a useful level. I bow to your great patience and intellect which must surely dwarf all!

Holly-wow on the Avon order and your cut! Do you get money or Avon products as that 40% Great to hear about your twinkling days and sun kissed bodies, I may have an AB pic like that I am jealous of your smaller t-shirt size, but then you have been putting in the exercise where I have not. Note to self "just do it!"

Happy-how is our resident mermaid feeling today? I bet the flowers are blooming a treat around your southern climes. I'm sorry the water intake is giving you nightly up and downs, best have that bottle hooked to your hip starting first thing in the morning with a sipper straw so that it isn't all concentrated into the evening or maybe go to sleep later

Linus-OH! that post looked scary... have they droven you around the bend? are you off to the spa for a rest? Tell the buggers you are pregnant and are not to be upset. Tell them to take their bad energy elsewhere, you and the little bundle of joy must be relaxed and happy. Tell them to stay out of your space if they can't behave. Tell them you are going to pack up and not come back till after the baby is born if they don't smarten up and back off. Tell them you are a woman with raging hormones and they better stop messing with you

Teel-love your new siggy, too divine! I hope the weather has cleared and the paint has dried. Phone Linus will you, the buggers are getting up her nose and she needs a good vent

Meadow~ your post make me incredibly happy!!! I am not getting a lot of extra exercise.I never quit moving on most days. I am eating a LOT less and I am happy and sleeping well. That is the difference!!!
Happy~ get that water in early!!! I have realized I couldn't work out of the home cause I pee constantly. I drink 2 coffees in the morning and 20 oz of water. Then I have another 60 oz throughout the day.Needless to say my plumbing in clean.

The 40% is cash profit but I do get a $100 product bonus for having a first order over $400!!!!!!!!! I am dancing in the street and everywhere else.
Have I mentioned I rock at networking. It is so effortless. I feel so ME!!! I basically earned $80 an hour for 2 hours work!!!!!!!! yeehaaa. DH thinks he is going to retire soon.LOL!!
I am getting boring with all this good cheer!!
Yesterday was marvy!!!
I put on my brown shorts from last summer that were tight across the belly and crotch and now they are baggy right outa the dryer. Weeeheeeeee!!!!!!
My weight loss is very slow BUT if you compare back to last summer there is a noticable difference in the right direction!!!!!!
I made 2 salads last night.
I am “catering” the school council dinner/ meeting tonight!!
We were going to go out for dinner but not enough funds so for $6 per person to cover costs I am making pastistio, greek pasta salad, cucumber salad, broccoli salad and cheese herb biscuits. A Dad/friend is doing desserts.We actually make an awesome team. We have done this before.
I had an annoying exchange with Mom through email. She got a couple of snotty digs in.I have cut out the weekly phone calls. I thought a weekly email would be okay but it still hurts me so it looks like I will go biweekly for now or just wait it out and let her do the contacting.
There is a 2nd cousin getting married this weekend and it would seem the folks and the aunt are hosting a bunch of family. No one has talked to me for a month so i didn’t know. Hence the snotty comments. Apparently besides being beautiful and clever I am psychic also. Whatever.
4 toddlers today. Lots of cooking happening to get ready for tonight.
We will also be doing a close to final edit of the parent handbook. I have received wonderful response from the kindergarten teacher!!!

Have a spectacular day!!!

Hello everyone. Busy, busy busy!

Still losing, still exercising and eating well, and still running round after family who keep on coming to stay with me.

just a wee quicky post ,the family are behaving themselves{yes even craig}we are just having ww3 trying to get someone to admit liability for the new house having no gas ,gas central heating ,gas hot water ,gas fire,and i have a gas cooker but NO GAS ,so after 28 phone calls 10 hissy fits and gooodness knows how many boxes of tissues we know who is responsible and what happened just not when they are going to fix it !!!!!!!! so we dont know if we are going to have gas to move in with ,apart from that everything is going good ,the living room and 2 bedrooms are painted and the carpets come on thursday ,my new fridge and freezer will be delivered on friday and when the gas board get there finger out the flooring will go down in the living room too ,hopefully ill get this fixed tomorrow ill let you know
love to you all
kirsty+bump from mental central

Mornin Chickies,
Well we discovered night before last that we have not one but TWO raccoons invading the yard. DH tried to shoot them with his pellet gun but all they did was run over the fence and peek over waiting for us to go back into the house. We set a trap, they ate all the bait without stepping on the gizmo that springs the door shut. Last night we taped a piece of bacon to the "gizmo" so that they'd HAVE to touch it and it's still there this morning. I have a nice little crop of baby tomatoes and I swear if they hit the garden again I'll sit out there all night with a baseball bat! Crafty little buggers they are... I told DH maybe we should put up some chicken wire around the garden patch. That sure would look ugly after we spent time renovating the whole yard but what can you do? Guess we have to stop feeding the birds but that's not going to happen I can tell you...

Other than that, work is busy but I at least feel like I'm keeping my head above water. (Barely). Been getting caught up in what I'm working on, leaving later and later. By the time I get home and eat, it seems time for bed. Work really interferes with the better bits of life I tell you.

Linus it sounds as if the house tho full of frustrations is coming along nicely. Soon this will be behind you hopefully and you'll be enjoying your new place. Holly I'm sorry that your mom and family seem to carry an attitude. I thought that was the in-laws job! Good of you not to let it get under your skin. Meadow, hope you daughter is feeling better. I second that motion on barbeque chicken **toasts Meadow with a drumstick** I love it too.

Well it's time to run and take a shower and get my day started. Perhaps I can get in to work a bit earlier and leave a bit earlier. Think so? probably not the way I dawdle in the mornings. Have a good one all.

Well, I have been keeping up with you all just not feeling like talking as I have been so upset lately. Just the trials of Motherhood and it never ends or the worrying and disbelief at their choices sometimes. Anyway, I know they must make their own mistakes.
anyway, the weather has cooled off and we have rain and snow. So the yard is looking good. and I worked hard to get all my new trees covered with wire to keep the deer away. I am still weed control on 5 acres is never never ending. Watching and enjoying my birds. The nest of 4 baby robins left the nest on Sunday just before a huge wind and rain storm but I hope they make it. THe little kill deer at busy on the driveway every day. Soon it will be another batch of babies on the way in every nest.
I am getting some company this weekend which will be nice and an extra hand for me to get some work done.
My thoughts to all of you for each of your struggles and trials. Each day is our challenge to try to do better and to continue on this journey set before us.
Many Blessings,
Peace,
nae

HUGS Nae~ sorry for your troubles!! My warm thoughts are with you.
Happy~ cheers I will join you in that morning coffee, MMMMM! Nothing quite like it!
Sorry about the coons. We have skunks issues too. VERY smelly some nights.Glad you are getting on top of work. Sorry it is cutting into home time.
Give that hubby a big hug tonight.
I am missing my guy a bit too. He is working longer hours, I was out last night.
Linus~ glad you are getting things ironed out. It never seems to go smoothly with a move. Rub your belly and say hello to Bump for me.
Dinner last night was a success.Less people than confirmed so we have leftovers for dinner tonight.
The meeting went well. Wrapped up yearend stuff. We have a parent training conflict resolution workshop next week, Wed to Fri. I have booked off from babysitting. We will finalize the parent handbook next Thurs evening.
Got home at 9pm last night. Didn’t go to bed til 1:30.
First I kissed my angels goodnight and flitted about tidying, did a load of wash and folded another. Gathered the trash.
I watched some of the Brad Pitt interview. MMMMMM. I adore him. Besides being the sexiest man alive, I love the way he speaks and processes his life and sees it as a gift and journey.It is not really about his looks but I love the way he moves and carries himself. It was the icing on a delish cake of a day. Later I watched Canadian Idol and thought through the events of my day and then I read for a bit.

Today I need to “design” a flyer for Gala Days/Turtle Races to go out to the local schools this Fri.
I still have pots to wash from all the cooking yesterday.
4 little people here today.

Have a peaceful day!!!!!

A quickie post~ jen is wearing a padded/steel reinforced cast. The fractures may be old but to heal she needs the arm immobilized during the day. The pain is minimal and she is feeling much better. She says we're not allowed out till after the year of the rooster is over I went to the dr and it's the rosacea again. New drops and meds! (sigh) it's like going from the sublime to the ridiculous! I will try and get someone to read for me or do a bit each day. But not till the drops begin to work.
It's so bad this time that they are blaming the accident for the trauma/stress. they gave me a list of things I cannot eat till it goes into remission. Nothing I didn't already know!
Hope everyone is well. I miss you all. Such is life....or at least MY life! LOL Take care. Love, Mel

Well my daughter has pink eye so she was wisked off to the doctor and got the good prescription meds corteosporin drops. She is back in school and not feeling like she has a rock for an eyeball anymore
*don't read this next little bit if you are feeling waffley in your motivations*
I'm off the rails again... this time it is Deliah Smith's fault. (I am totally to blame, but I like dropping celebrities names ) I was watching her summer series of cooking recipes and she made this lime cake with lime glaze icing which just called for me to try it. OMG, it is so yummy. We already had the limes sitting in a bowl on the kitchen table and so, you know, that equated cake in my twisted, calorie chasing brain Cup of tea and lime cake, slurp My hair is frizzy too

Holly-big hug for all your happy moments and busy life that keeps you away from the food. Brad Pitt huh?! I think Antonio stole scenes in a movie with him in it once

YP1- good that all is clicking along in your little corner of the world, drop in more often and give us some details

Linus-Gah! about the house stuff. Fingers crossed that it all comes together soon and you will have a nice cup of hot tea in your new space with a bright light shining and all cozy warm. We are set to go up to our new abode to paint the doors and trim and other odd bits like hang the curtains and make lists of what else needs doing Trick will be to occupy the kids while we are trying to get all this stuff done, I have suggested we take the vcr and some of their videos but that will only hold them for about an hour unless we buy them some new ones.

Happy-Those raccoons sound like they need a trapper to make coon hats out of them. Rotten little marauders! Do you have deer too? They will eat the trees. How about bears? They will eat all the fruit from the trees. How about squirrels? They will chew up your bird feeder and scatter all the seeds everywhere. We have a skunk that lives down the back of our yard. Only smell it on the odd occasion that something spooks it. My husband saw it waddling down our driveway the other night. We have raccoons too but they just attack my kids foam pool toys and rip them to shreds. Don't let the job dictate your life, it isn't what you will remember in the later years. Try and pace yourself and allow some things to sit overnight, it will still be there in the morning when you are happy and well rested to start at it afresh

Rose-aw, your family must surely adore you. Bless you for worrying about them and their choices, you will be there when it all goes pear shaped, but you are right, they have to make the mistakes for themselves Don't you just thrill to the sounds of baby birds? There is a tiny bird's nest in my rose bush with babies in it. The nest is a big ball with a little hole for them to get in and out, they are really tiny birds, sparrows maybe.

Mel-YIKES! Hugs to you and Jen and a big roll of bubble wrap! So you are on a strick regime of foods till this clears up? How is that working with your new plan? Don't get drepressed about this now, it is just another blip, you will see the other side soon. Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another. ~Walter Elliott, The Spiritual Life

Shad-how is it going? Are they getting it yet? Are you calm? Are you feeling encouraged? Do you need a quote too? * Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections, but instantly set about remedying them - every day begin the task anew.
Saint Francis de Sales


PERSEVERE!

Oh Mel!! So glad you popped in!! Hope you are both on the mend. We could cook the rooster and eat it!!!!

Meadow~ I thought we might have to wrestle over the Brad/Antonio thing.It was Interview With a Vampire and I will admit Antonio stole*those* scenes.

Lime cake???? LIME CAKE SHE SAID????? Lime cake???? *** sticks fingers in ear while rocking head going la, la, la --- on second thought, better tape mouth shut too*** Meadow, I am glad that cake is far, far away from me --- it sounds divine. I could not be trusted with an entire cake in my house. Gosh I remember having pink eye as a kid- mom would soak cotton balls in something - not sure what as our eye lids would get stuck together overnight and we couldn't see through the crusties. Poor little kid, hope she feels better.

Nae, I'm sorry you are a worried mom of late. As one of those kids who had to just try things for myself no matter what... sometimes you just have to look the other way and mutter a few prayers for them. Some of us only learn by doing things ourselves, no matter how scary the choices. We have some new people who started at work - fresh faced and right out of college. I look at them and wonder - were we ever that young??? Baby robins sound cute, snow on the ground in June does not. Brrrrrr.

The heat is on. All the printers crashed at work late this afternoon. I took this as an omen from God that I was meant to go home 20 minutes early as I was unable to do any more testing without being able to print. I really didn't get home any earlier as I hit the worst of the traffic and the town's big horse show is on this week - only one road to get to the fairgrounds and that's between my house and the office. Every night for the last 2 nights I have made the turn on the road, gone about 500 feet and then remembered that I was SUPPOSED TO GO A DIFFERENT WAY TONIGHT. Sit in stalled traffic for 20 minutes taking deep relaxing breaths and keeping my hand off the car horn lest the police decide to make an example of one inpatient yankee. Did get home about 5 minutes earlier than usual. Had a quickie dinner planned so there was plenty of time to go in the pool for a swim. The water is cool at first but if you move around it's not too bad. I bought all sorts of pool things I remembered from water aerobics classes. Did my upper body lifts with the dumbells, did several leg exercises, a bit of swimming laps and finished it off with sets of water jogging - sounds easy but it isn't. 1 minute of racing like mad in place in the deep end of the pool. Good thing the dumbells float as they held me up. I did 6 sets of the 1 minute jog. Plenty of room for improvement and stamina building. All in all I got about 45 minutes of a workout in. Not bad. And I had the metabolism revved a bit right before I ate rather than right before bedtime. Before you know it, it's time to dry off, make dinner, clean up, read a few posts and it's almost time for bed.

I am making a list of things that I keep forgetting to get done as the evenings fly by. I'm trying to get back to Fly Lady good habits again and take care of at least 2 small To Do tasks along with doing some sort of daily exercise. Those are my priority items. Wish there were more hours in the day, don't we all?

Holly, I do feel for you with a skunk problem. We had them at our old house, one night I found one right on our front stair eating some birdseed we had left for the winter creatures. Guess skunks will eat anything when they are hungry. Between the moles and raccoons and pesky blackbirds and burrowing squirrels, I sure hope we don't have to deal with skunks too. Ok so fess up, what's the Gala Days and Turtle races all about?

Mel, sorry to hear the peepers are acting up again. Does this mean bland diet time again? Glad to hear Jen is feeling a bit better tho it's not easy having to keep your arm immobilized. You too take care of each other!

Meadow, I appreciate your sincerity in "don't let the job dictate your life" however companies today expect that you give and give and give until you drop. Get the work done with more work, less people --- better, faster, cheaper in today's marketplace. Gone are the posters and talk of a balance between life, work and family. The more you give, the more they expect. It is a sad commentary on how far things have detiorated. Ok, ok, I will get down before my giant soapbox rises from the middle earth.

Speaking of which, Shad I hope you got home at a more decent hour tonight. Those long days and nights at work wear on you quickly. 10pm???? Pretty late for an early to bed, early to rise kind of gal. I'd wish this was temporary but I know better - will wish it for you anyway.

Time to do a quick tidy up, finish the dishes, do a few crunches and off to bed. Been waking up at 5:30 about 30 minutes early. Was thinking it would be perfect to get in some early morning exercise.

Ok, I'm off - will see you tonight in my dreams - having tea on the veranda with a gentle breeze blowing, good conversations with you all and just the teensiest taste of Meadow's lime cake

Caught an episode of "My so called Life" a series from back in the 90's about a teenager and her angst. Just thought I would take a cursory glance on the internet to see what kind of quotes from this show were out there and found these few which I rather like

"Sometimes it seems like we're all living in some kind of prison, and the crime is how much we all hate ourselves. It's good to get really dressed up once in a while and admit the truth -- that when you really look closely, people are so strange and so complicated that they're actually beautiful. Possibly even me."

Sometimes someone says something really small and it just fits into this empty place in your heart.


"This life has been a test. If it had been an actual life, you would have received actual instructions on where to go and what to do."

"So I tried to be invisible. It's surprisingly possible. You just sit in
the back and keep quiet and let the boys shout out the answers, which they
will, even if they're wrong. Boys are less afraid of being wrong."

"But there are sometimes in my life where being me, right now, where I am, is just like, enough. "

Hiya
Not sure what to write tonight since I feel almost totally stonkered. It's been a big couple of days and I'm really looking forward to the long weekend break. All I want to do is shut up, no talking, easy listening music and some quiet. My tinnitus is particularly bad tonight. I'm going to put myself to bed shortly just to get away from the noises in the ears.
Life is slowly settling down in the asylum. I was hoping to get away early tomorrow night but in true spirit of the place, they want to have a daily wrap of the training done. Fair enough but I reserve the right to be quiet all through it. Tomorrow I must get back to the gym as well. I haven't been since Tuesday. Last night it was going to the DB1's place and tonight I didn't feel up to it and also I had left the cat inside and didn't want to risk the consequences any longer. So instead of being good and getting on with the housework, I've just been lounging around vegetating and yawning.

Good to see everyone posting - how are we doing on the back to basics challenge??? I must admit that I am just holding my own. Not drinking enough water and probably not eating enough either. My weight seems to have gone back into a holding pattern. Not going to to the gym frequently doesn't help with the problem either.

Lime cake - Meadow. Oh that does sound good. I would just love to have a slice of that, a long drink of lime juice and water and either a soak in the bath with scent and candles or a swing in the hammock with a good gentle book. Not that I would be awake long to read it.

Hi to the everyone else, soory I can't go through all the posts. I'll be better tomorrow I guess!!! - are Tig and Teel having communication problems or something??