Hi Ladies,

Just a quick note to say "hi." Gene is coming along slowly but he definitely is working hard. My sister, however, is not doing well with her foot. In fact it may be infected and it seems the care she is receiving is only making it worse.

Thanks for enlightening me that I can stir veggies. Since I haven't had to cook real meals, I haven't been eating very well, and as a result my usual energy is diminishing. As far as the apples go, I have to agree they most certainly fill you up and keep you from wanting those sweets!

Take care,
Anita

Bringing us to the top!

will post more later, I feel a major headache coming on, going to take something for it and lay down. Allergies are driving me crazy!!!

Good Saturday Morning Girls!

Good to hear from everyone this week. This was my first full week off, and I feel better - rested, and some initial cleaning/work is finished. I've spent a fair amount of time on the patio repotting new flowers for the summer. I always wait until they go 50% off. This year there were lots of pretty ones to choose from. I have a few more begonias, and almost an entire flat of wave petunias to finish this weekend. I had to go purchase more potting soil and some pearlite. It gets really, really hot on the deck. The enclosed walls raise the temps even higher, and I have to be careful where I place certain plants as they will 'fry'.

I say, "Go Tom Cruise!" He spoke out against abuses of psychiatric drugs in America today. Now folks are speaking out for the meds, and I am sure they help some folks, and all is well. But, when one of the leading and most lucrative entry level jobs in our country for new college graduates is pharmacy drug sales - well, that pretty much sums up what Cruise is saying. I shall never forget the $800 a month pharmacy bill the nursing home presented to me the first month I placed my Grandmother in the nursing home. These were all psychiatric meds for her Alzheimers - and honestly many sedatives. When she entered the facility she was on 1/2 asprin and stool softner - only. OK, that's my Saturday soapbox!

Mooz: Thanks for the beautiful pictures. Believe it or not, my bottom number of my blood pressure was one number lower than yours. My doctor ask me to purchase a home monitor, and if it does not come down I'll be looking at more meds - which I am not for if I can avoid by exercise and diet.

OneDay: I know how awful it can be to suffer with those allergies. I had one spring I had them, but it was due to a fall where I injured my sinuses. I ended up taking all of the allergy tests and came up with none. About a month later all of my symptoms subsided. Who woud have thought. I had a bad fall early that spring hitting my chin, which affected my sinuses - for what felt like an eternity. I have home air purifer machines I'll be yard saleing this summer!


CatLover: A TV channel called FitTV had a segment on using hypnotherapy for relaxation and weight loss this week. I had totally forgotten the sessions we had when I went throught the medically supervised fasting diet about 15 years ago. I think it only worked on me one time. Anyway, I kind of went along with the session on TV, and I do believe just using proper breathing techniques and meditation can calm us. At the time, I use to think it was a total waste of time, and it never worked. I can only remember one time (this is out of a year and a half) that I ever felt hypnotized,

Shad: Thanks for your commical input. I find your posts not only informative (I just love hearing how you talk, terms you use and FOODS you eat that are very different from what we eat.) And, your humor. Thanks for joining us!

I hope everyone has a great weekend, what did we use to call it, uh... um.... I believe it was OP. LOL..

Yep well definitely not OP this weekend HalGal. Last nights dinner turned into a feast - both of Rugby and food. We danced our way through the courses and the games and the resultant scale watch this morning is not pretty. Lots of water, lots of movement and lots of good things for the body today.

I have the feeling Paul may have returned to bed a little upset Mooz?? The Brits here (unfortunately we couldn't find any Irish) were a tad quiet towards the end of the game. Would have been a better game without the French referee, not that he did anything bad, but he certainly gave the pea in the whistle a good workout. And I was delighted to see that apart from the usual pushing and pulling, there was no fighting or violence in the game. I deplore violence in what is supposed to be 'sport'. I've even been known to put pen to paper (actually fingers to keyboard) if there is too much violence in sport. It gives a bad name to the game, whichever game it is, and sets a really bad example to the young. Not that many of them need an excuse really.

Anyway, we didn't get the rhubarb crumble for dessert, simply because I could get any rhubarb. None in the shops and we can't grow it up here. It's a temperate to cold weather plant. However the rest of the meal went down well. Judging by the number of bones piled up for the cat!!??? it was appreciated. Cat by the way only picks at bones once in a while, I will have to go rescue the bones before they are swarming with ants. A few bottles out there in the rose garden as well. No doubt it was too thorny to try to pick them up!

Nita, I'm glad to hear that your DH is doing okay and will be coming home soon.

I hope all the allergies and headaches are clearing for those of you suffering from them. So many people seem to be suffering from them at the moment. What are we doing to our environment to cause this?

Mooz, the sunset photos are lovely. I really do love a good sunset or sunrise on the beach. The light gives such wonderful shadows on the sand.

So today it is back to the painting, sanding and chipping of tiles off the floor. Only 7 more to go of those. I really should have hired a jack hammer but it seemed like such a small area to go to those lengths. Maybe mow the lawn as well. Lets just see how the day pans out. Siesta might be fun too.

Have a good day everyone. I'm off to enjoy my Sunday now.

Mooz, Hal--My dsil had very very high blood pressure, and drugs didn't help--nor did losing weight. But by drinking pomagranate juis (sp?) she is off all meds and her bp is normal. It doesn't taste very good--she mixes it with soda.

Tried to get DH to try it--he can't drink anything with bubbles. His BP is controlled with meds, so he wasn't willing to drink the stuff, but I have gotten some in a pill. Needs to get his dr's clearance first. But would be worth a try.

Hal--yes, the juice is not cheap--though you only need a small glass a day. But I bet it is cheaper than most of the blood pressure meds--even if you only pay the co-pay!!

Of course, meditation is also effective and free--but most of us just can't fit it in.

Hello Ladies,

Mooz - my mom also has the white coat syndrom. When ever she know she has a visit her blood pressure always rises. She purchased a machine for the house and checks it their daily and at the grocery store. Always reads within one or two points. When she at the doctor it reads way higher. What a beautiful sunset.

Hal - I did my planting about a month ago. I planted my tomato's about two months ago. I started getting tomatos but now I have some kind of disease. I don't want to use pesticides so i'm doing the organic thing. Doesn't seem to work as well though.

Thin - Glad to hear from you. I know it's so hard to get motivated. And now with the heat here, I definitely don't want to spend time outside exercising. Sounds like you are going to have your summer full with family. I"m sure you nephew is having a great time with the fishing and swimming.

Shad - Hope you were able to get more tiles removed. What do you plan to put down? A different flooring or different tile?

Cat - A lady at work drinks that juice and she says it has helped her too.

Spent most of yesterday in, allergies still bothering me and it was to hot to be outside. This evening I went to our local festival and walked around, ate to much, but had a good time. Purchased a real cute bird feeder, so I'll have to set that up this week.

Planning to put in a laminate wood floor Patty. Will probably extend it right through the house except for the wet areas.

If I can get away from here early and get through the gym okay, maybe another tile tonight?

Hey, liked the therapist today.

Hot here--guess not nearly as bad as AZ.

Thinking of all of you.

Hello ladies,

Shad - Oh, that is the next thing I would like to do to my house. My carpet is old and I really want the laminate flooring. With a dog, he would scratch up the real thing, plus it cost more. I'm hoping to fit it in my budget my year end, or first of next year.

Hal - Busy bee! I got my a new patio poured back in April and I just love sitting out on the patio. I now have a rabbit who is leaving little dropping by my tomato plants. You'd think that having a dog with a doggie door would keep them away. Guess Blackie is not doing his job! I will have to check my tv guide and see when her programs are. I try and catch the tv food network ones programs. Got alot of tips from them.

Cat - i'm with you on the heat, today's high is 99 or 100. But i guess when I think of AZ, it's not so bad here.

Hope everyone is having a great day!