Good morning,

Hope you're all enjoying your weekend. We're still under the gun for more storms. We had a real beaut come through late yesterday afternoon. I had planned on meeting DH at a restaurant for dinner after he got out of work at 7:00 pm. About an hr. before I was supposed to leave, the storm hit. Our street was a little flooded and it looked as though we had a pond out in our back yard. DH called in the middle of the storm for me to stay put. I didn't need any convincing.

Nikki, how is Stripe doing? I hope he's doing better.

Kate, how did Abby's field trials go? Hope you had good weather for it.

Anne, hope you're having a nice relaxing weekend

Lynn, hope everything is well with you.

Enjoy your Sunday.

Ali

HI Everyone,

Hope your all having a good weekend. We had some big storm come through yesterday, softball sized hail and 104 mph winds, but by the time it reached our town, it split into two cells and went around us. We still had 71 mph winds here, so it was intense for spell. Lots of downed trees and some damaged cars and roofs, but we just had a few branches down and things tipped over.

Ali, hope the storms go around you too. Boy, I've had enough and I'm sure you have too.

Anne, this week has to be better than last week, doesn't it? When did you say you have some more time off? How did the meeting go with the teacher?

Kate, how did things go at the trials? I am not a dog person anymore. We've had them, but now there is no where in the yard for a dog with all my gardens. The cats wouldn't allow it anyway. I do miss a dogs companionship and it would be fun to have one to walk with. What kind (s) do you have and how many?

Lynn, hope things are ok with you.

Stripe seems to be doing better today. He is back to playing a little and he's biting us, so that's more like him. I take him back to the vet at 8am tomorrow to get his stitches out and checked up. I know that will not be a fun trip for either of us.
Talk to you all later, Nikki

We're back. What a weekend....I've never been to this place that it hasn't been either extremely hot or rainy...no inbetween! This weekend it was very hot and dusty. Abby didn't get any ribbons She had trouble doing a blind retrieve in the water. If we're going to do anymore trials this summer, DH will have to work on that. She has 3 more ribbons to get to complete her senior dog status. That's as far as he wants her to go. I think we're planning to go to Grove City, PA in August and Carlisle, PA in Sept.
I took today off to do laundry and some things around the house. It's very humid and they're saying we'll have some severe thunder storms this afternoon.

Nikki: We just have one dog. She's a yellow lab...very much a family pet as well as a hunting dog. She's 6 years old. DH is ready to get another puppy. I think we should wait until we retire. It's very hard to housebreak a puppy when there's no one home during the day. Actually my dream when I retire is to train a puppy to be a guide dog. They place puppies in homes for a year. You familiarize them with all sorts of situations and teach commands. The hard part would be giving them up, but I think it would be such a rewarding feeling to know that you've helped someone. Plus the fun of having a puppy. Stripe had an awful ordeal. I can't imagine having to take him back there to get stitches out. He'll be frantic. Glad that that storm didn't do a lot of damage for you. 70 mph winds are pretty strong. You were lucky.

Ali: Bet you're getting sick of those storms. They sound awful. How has Lacee been coping? I haven't heard about any hurricanes brewing so that's a good thing. I did a LOT of reading this weekend. That's about the only thing to do because there's a lot of waiting around for your turn to compete. Are you still following WW? I know from all the inactivity and eating this weekend that I'll be up. I'm not weighing until Friday. I have to go back to the doctor's in the middle of July and I want to be down at least 5 more #s. I better get with it! Are you exercising?

Anne: I hope that you'll have a better week at work than last week. It's awful to feel so overwhelmed. Summer is a busy time for me even though most people think it would be light with the kids out of school. I always take 1 week in July to go camping and when I return things are piled sky high. Then you have to work overtime to catch up! Sort of defeats the purpose of the vacation. Hope that you were able to relax over the weekend. Are you getting the hot, humid weather too? It's really jump started my flowers! My poppies are blooming.

Guess I need to get started doing something around here. I'm off to a slow start this morning

Take care all,
Kate

Good Morning Ladies:
Things are alittle better today. I am suppose to be off this Thursday and
Friday. I dread the thought and am tempted to try and cancel. Problem with
is this, she has zero flexibility. Once you ask for a vacation day and
she actually gives it to you, you are stuck with it.

Nikki, so glad to here your kitty is feeling better. Hope everything goes well
at the vet today with the stitches removal.
Do they put a muzzle on the Stripe when they remove them? Wow guys, Those storms sound just awful I bet you guys were really nervous. Our weather has turned really hot and humid. Its really too much at the moment Ali, too bad about your dinner date with your DH. Much
better to be safe though
The meeting with the teacher went really well. We are really pleased with
the staff and the program David is in.

Kate, I hope you had a great time at the trials. Bet you are getting this
hot humid weather too.

Hi Lynn, Hope you are doing ok. Looking forward to hearing from you soon

Anne.

Good afternoon,

Had another storm come through yesterday afternoon, but we only had torrential rain, no thunder or lightning. The sun is out now, but we're supposed to get more rain later this afternoon. We had our back yard pond again. I looked out the kitchen window and there was a bird giving itself a bath in the water out back. He/she was having a ball.

Anne, glad that things are going a little better for you so far this week. Isn't there someone who knows your job that can take over for you when you have some days off? It's awful to work for someone who is that inflexible. Glad that your meeting went well with David's teacher and that you like the school. It must be a great comfort to you knowing he's got a good teacher and is in a good program.

Kate, sorry about Abby's field trial. Anyway, she's #1 with you. That's wonderful you'd like to train guide dogs. You must have a lot of patience. I'm not following WW anymore, I think I lasted 1 day counting points. I too have a Dr. appt. the middle of July and would like to lose some weight by then. Hopefully it won't be too much longer before I can start exercising again. Hope you're having a good day off.

Nikki, how is Stripe now that his stitches are out and how was he when he saw the Vet again? You were lucky the storm split before it got to you. I would hate to see 104 mph wind. Are you due for anymore storms? I wish whatever is causing us to have all this rain would leave. I've had enough. At least it's not constant rain, we do see periods of sunshine.

Lynn, still thinking of you. Hope you'll be able to post soon. We miss you.

Enjoy the afternoon.
Ali

Good evening,

This is weird, my computer is just not working right. It was fine this morning, but then this afternoon, I can't sign into MSN and when I visit some BB's, I can't reply to messages. I can here though and I can at yahoo, so at least I can talk to you all and that's the main thing I'm hoping it's not my computer, but a problem with either my internet connection or something else. I haven't downloaded anything new lately, so I just can't think it would be me, but who knows.

Baby, it's hot. It was over 90 here today. But, there was a nice breeze and the humidity wasn't too awful, so it was tolerable. I spent a lot of time in my gardens, but tried to do it when it was shady.
Took Stripe to the vet and he didn't have stitches. I didn't think I could see any, but his paws are black and my eyes are getting old, so thought maybe I just couldn't see them. The girl said they were there, I just believed her. The Dr used that liquid bandage on them. He has an infection in one of his toes and will be on antibiotics for 2 weeks now. The Dr removed his pain patch and I sure can tell it this afternoon, he cries when he walks, it's pitiful. He was a real trouper at the vets though. Anne, I don't know how they could keep a muzzle on a cat, because of the shape of their heads, it would just slip off I'd think. What the vet tech does with unruley cats is wear big, welders gloves and a padded vest. Stripe was a really good boy there today and was cooperative.

Kate, your weekend sounds long. So sorry that Abby didn't win any ribbons. I have considered a puppy off and on for a few years now, but we always decide no in the end. That would be really neat if you trained a service dog, I've seen that on Animal Planet. I would have a really hard time giving the dog up though, even if it was for a good cause. I just fall in love with them and can't let go.

Anne, got any special plans for your extra 2 days off? I hope you get to do something fun or relaxing, you sure need that.

Ali, no storms are suppose to pop up until DH's days off. We wanted to work on the house then, but we'll see. We had to get new lenses for his glasses tonight, which cost way more than I expected. I had planned on going to get new shoes for us if it rained on his days off, but looks like that will have to be put on hold. His vacation is coming up starting on the 16th and we are going camping with his buddy and his family. It is amazingly expensive, so I'm trying to save all I can for that. Well, the next time it rains, I'm spending the day in the camper, getting it ready for camping.

Hope I can still get here tomorrow, if so, talk to you later, Nikki

Good morning everyone,

No storms yesterday. Around 5:00 pm yesterday afternoon we had a couple claps of thunder, but that was it.

DH has today off and we're off to BJ's in Sarasota later on to get some much needed items.

We got a call from the hot tub people. Our hot tub will be delivered June 16th. I hope we don't get much more rain so that the yard can dry up a bit more before they wheel that thing down the side of the house.

Nikki, I'm really sorry to hear about your computer problems. I hope everything is ok this morning. Poor Stripe, I know how you feel when he cries out like that. Is he any better today? You're going to have a good time on your camping trip. You must be excited about going.

Kate, hope you had a good day off yesterday. Did you get a lot done? I'm reading the 2nd Shopaholic book, this time she's in Manhattan. Thought I'd write about my shopping excursions to NYC.

Anne, is it still hot and humid? Summer is here! It is hot down here, even with the rain. I run the A/C all day now, and when I get cold I go out onto the lanai to warm up. How did your day go yesterday? Hope it was peaceful enough with

Have a wonderful day!
Ali

I was up last night with chills and very achy. Went to work this morning, but have had a terrible headache all day. I had planned to go to Curves after work, but decided bouncing around probably wouldn't help the headache.

Nikki: Hope that your computer isn't still giving you problems. Glad that Stripe made out okay at the vet's. Is he still crying when he walks? I hate to see animals hurting. Where do you go to camp? We're going to the mountains next month for a week. We tent which is getting pretty hard on the old bones. We go to a state campsite where all the sites are on water. It's a beautiful spot.

Ali: Did you do your shopping at BJ's? DS belongs to Sam's so he takes me there when I want to buy big amounts. That's so exciting that you'll be getting your hot tub soon. I can't believe that there's a 2nd Shopaholic book...you've been one busy lady Is your hip still bothering you so that you can't exercise? I really don't enjoy exercising when it's so humid. The weather map looked like you were getting more rain. Hope it's wrong. I think you need a break.

Anne: Glad to hear that your teacher's meeting went well. It's a relief when we know our kids are in the right place. I'm so glad that I'm past that stage with my kids. It wasn't always an easy time. Did you have something planned for Thursday and Friday? I hope that you can take the time and relax and have fun. Does take a vacation in the summer? If she does, it must be such a relief not to have her around.

Well, guess that's it for today. I made some cookies yesterday when I was home. Not a good idea. And my DH keeps losin'. I need to get the momentum going again. Any ideas how I can do that?

Take care all,
Kate

Good Morning
Hope your all doing well
Talk about hot and humid, you'd think it was the middle of August here, instead of the last two weeks of spring. It's like walking into a furnace with moist heat, unbreathable. I'm still working outside in the gardens, but taking breaks regularly. I found after I get use to it, it's no so bad. I've lost 3 lbs this week. I have been eating right and I started to exercise with Leslie again yesterday, but I think it's from working hard in that heat, it will really dehydrate a person, even though I do drink water often and alot.
I took Stripe back to the vet last evening and he said that he looked the same as the day before, but he gave him a pain shot and pain pills to take the next two weeks. I looked at his paw this morning and I think it does look better today. Thanks for everyone for asking
Ali, you get your hot tub the day before my birthday. You will have to jump in it and drink some wine or a beer for me on the 17th
Hey, I found a good drink mix-Atkins Morning Start fruit punch. You mix a little tub with 2 quarts of water. It's made with Splenda instead of Nutrasweet and tastes so much better than Crystal Light plus it's the same price. They only have this flavor and some flavored tea, but this one is good for a change.
Kate, we have this really old camper and we camp down by the river. (Sounds like that old Saturday Night Live skit, I live in a VAN, down by the RIVER ). It's a nice campground and not far from home. With the gardens, fish and animals, I hate to go too far away. Even though my oldest daughter would come over to do what needs done, she is no gardener, so won't know when things need watered or if there was something that needed done. Plus, with the siding and the windows, DH wants to be able to come to town and work on the house too. When we feel really adventurous, we go down the river about 60 miles and camp by DH's old hometown. We love that place, the population is much less and it's kind of like walking back into the past. People still wave at you when you pass them on the road, because most people know everyone else there. It's a much less stressful place to live too. When we camp there, I can feel the weight of the world fall off my shoulders. It's what a real vacation should be (to me anyway ).
Kate, hope your feeling better today. I hate being sick, but being sick when it's hot out seems even worse to me.
Anne, one more day and then 4 days off. What will you do with yourself?
Lynn, I pray for you everyday and think about you often
Well, got to get some breakfast and then see if Leslie still wants to exercise this morning. I bet she does, that woman is always ready to go, as long as I rewind the tape . Have a good one, Nikki

Hi everyone

Yesterday while we were out and about, DH & I had lunch at Arbys. We had one of their new salads, the Sante Fe Chicken Salad. It was really good, it wasn't a low calorie one I'm sure. But, it never occurred to me to put black beans in a salad. It was really very tasty.

We went to buy a generator in case we get any hurricanes this year. We figured all we had to do is pick out the one we thought we needed and buy it. We talked to a sales person and we had some homework to do. We had to look at our refrigerator and do some math to see what size generator we would need. So, DH did the math and it turns out we need a bigger one than we had planned on buying. The smaller one would've worked, but a bigger one will be more feasible. They're getting more in towards the end of the month, so we called the store and asked them to put one on hold for us.

Kate, how are you feeling today? I hope you're feeling better. It was probably a good thing not to go to Curves where you weren't feeling well. Yes, we did do our shopping at BJ's. I also like to buy books there because they're a lot cheaper. We like to go there for our paper towels, napkins, etc. We have a Sam's Club nearer to us, but they don't carry the paper products we use. My hip is still bothering me, but not as bad as it has been. I was able to get in and out of the car yesterday without too much difficulty. Thank you for asking. I hear you about motivation to lose weight. I keep asking DH if he's still losing weight whenever I see his pants hanging around his hips. But, he says he still weighs the same.

Nikki, congratulations on your weight loss!! Even if it is water, I'll take it! Are you back counting points? Last night I dug out all my WW stuff and trying to get back in the groove. Glad that Stripe's paw is looking better and that he's gotten a shot for the pain and more pain meds. Do you have another appt. with the Vet to have Stripe's paw looked at again? Have you started getting your camper ready yet?

Anne, today is your last day of work and you'll have 4 whole days away from Hope you've got something wonderful planned.

Lynn, hope to hear from you soon. Miss ya!

Hope you all have a great day.
Ali

Hi everyone,

It's Monday, I'll start a new thread.

See ya,
Ali