Hi guys!
I picked up the most scrumptious looking fruits and vegetables today at the farmers market. I've been thinking about all the healthy things we'll be eating this week I want to do stuffed green peppers...not my DH's favorite thing, but he'll eat it about once a year! I love them cuz they're so easy to do in the crockpot. Then when I walk in the house from work there's no fuss! I got cantalope, blueberries, eggplant, corn, green beans, lettuce too.

Anne: We finally got some rain yesterday and last night although it hasn't cooled it down any. I'm sorry to hear that your sister has to have surgery. When will it be done? It's good that it's where you work so you'll be close by. How is Toby doing? Is the pumpkin working? Poor little thing. Sounds like work has been tough...hang in there.

Ali: I'm reading Mary Higgins Clark's No Place Like Home. So far I don't think it's as good as her other books, but I might change my mind as I get into it. I also found the Walking Away the Pounds book by Leslie Sansone. It has a tape with it which I should try. Exercising has been difficult for me to get back into since vacation. Must have expended my energy with all the swimming, kayaking, biking Have you been exercising?

Nikki: You and I must have been posting at the same time. Java is a beautiful cat!! I wouldn't be able to resist him. My DH is not fond of cats so after the 2 we had passed away I haven't been able to talk him into another one. Glad your siding project is finished. That's a big job.

Barb: Thinking of you and sending good wishes your way.

Lucyee: Hope you're having a great time!

Got to get busy with a huge pile of wash that threatens to take over the basement. Talk to you soon.

Take care,
Kate

Good evening,

Yesterday afternoon I called the girl who used to do my hair in NH for an appt. to get it highlighted while we're there. It is just too darn expensive down here to have it done. Anyway, it will be great seeing her again.

Last night we had thunder and lightning to the south of us. The lightning was unbelieveable. DH & I were outside watching it streaking across the sky and hearing the sizzle. Luckily we didn't get any of it. I was wishing I had a camera to take a picture. I have never seen anything like it before.

Nikki, I completely forgot to mention Java in my last post . Senior moment I guess. He is a beautiful cat. Hope you can talk your DH into getting him.

Anne, I am so sorry that your sister has to have surgery. Glad that her endometriosis and fibroids aren't bad. That's good news she'll be in your hospital so you can visit her more often. Poor Toby. Hope the pumpkin works for him.

Kate, you veggies and fruit sound delicious. All summer long the grocery store has had blueberries quite reasonable. Went shopping the other day and they only had a few pints left and jacked the price up. Hopefully they'll get some more in. How do you make stuffed peppers? DH loves them. I usually put hamburgh, brown rice, pasta sauce, and I chop up the tops of the peppers and put them in too. My MIL puts whole cloves in her's. I've also made it with kidney beans instead of the hamburgh. Speaking of recipes, I've been meaning to tell you that I have made your pineapple chili more times than you can imagine. DH & I absolutely love it. I have read There's No Place Like Home, and I thought the same thing, that it wasn't as good as her other books. I am reading a historical fiction book, A Crowning Mercy by Bernard Cornwell. It takes place in England in the 1620's with the Puritans. It's really good.

Barb, how are things going with you? I'm still thinking of you and your family. Sending your way.

Hi Lucyee

Enjoy your evening, ladies
Ali

Katey, you and Ali probally remember all the stress I had a work, before I quit, so you are probally wondering how I could get back into the same ole $#!$! Well so am I. I really thought it would be better, and it is in the fact that I keep myself out of all the bickering, but boy does it get on my nerves!!! But on the upside I did get a paycheck this week!!!

My hair, I went to the hair cutter and got it cut so that it look decent, but awfully short. And I put a colored mouse on the orange streaks and that toned them down. In a couple of weeks, it will probally be decent again.

My stuff on ebay sold really well. I put 5 more items up today.

I did take my mom to get her wig today. She woke up yesterday with her hair comming out in streams. We got a really pretty one, and it wasn't too expensive either. She is still feeling good (so she says) but I think it's finally sinking in that this is serious. She told me today that she hopes she makes it until October because she has a CD that comes due and that will pay her burial expenses so we don't have to.

Somehow my intention to post everyday flew out the window, but I'll try to do better.

Hope everyone has a great week.

HI Everyone,

I haven't gotten an email since I last posted, so thought no one was posting. I had to come to the website and look up the thread, and then found out you guys have been posting all along

Barb, glad to hear your hair is getting to a managable state. Hopefully, your mom really is feeling good.

Kate, my garden has not been the best this year. Other people seem to be having bumper crops, mine looks horrible. I think with the siding, I haven't been paying attention to it like I should, or fertilizing it. Next year, I am just going to till it under, and spend time building up the soil. I do have a lot of green peppers and have thought about making stuffed peppers too. My DH doesn't care for them much either. He doesn't like rice, which really limits my cooking. I love Chinese food and would make stir fry everyday, but I like it with rice, not noodles.

Anne, good luck to your sister. When is her surgery scheduled? Saying a prayer for her and you as well.
Poor Toby. I have gotten some stuff at the vet for cats before that is kind of a laxative in a tube that looks like toothpaste. They love the stuff. I'm sure you could get something from the vet for him, if he continues to be constipated. Isn't having a puppy almost as much worry as having a real baby sometimes?
DH is completely against getting another cat. I'm still trying to change his mind. He just doesn't like animals as much as I do.

Ali, I would love to get a generator. We've had our electric out for days on end at times. Most people around here never bother to get one though.

DH goes back to work tonight. I'm going to have to finish caulking the siding and then paint it. He still needs to put the finishing nails on the inside of the windows. Until he does that, we can't remove the factory seal and open them and I can't stain and varnish them. He seems to be great about doing some things, but comes to a complete stop about other things. I have never been able to figure men out.

Take care, Nikki

Good morning,

DH & I are off to Tampa later this morning to pick up my GF who is flying in early this afternoon. Can't wait to see her!! I see some shopping in our future.

Barb, sorry that your job is so stressful. But, you are right about the paycheck every week. How is the job situation where you are? Can you start looking for something else? Glad that your hair has been fixed. That must make you feel somewhat better. That's good news about your stuff selling on E bay.

Anne, how is your sister doing? When will she be scheduled for surgery? Hope everything is going well for you.

Kate, do you like There's No Place Like Home any better?

Nikki, sometimes I don't get e mails when someone posts either and I'm quite surprised when I come in from the website to see that there are quite a few posts.
Sorry that your DH doesn't want anymore cats. DH doesn't like animals the way I do. He keeps saying I spoil Lacee, and I keep saying he's just jealous because I don't spoil him the way I spoil her.

Hi Lucyee hope you're having a wonderful time!

Have a good day!

Ali

Hi all,
We've had a great week....the weather has been cooler, but sunny. Cools right down at night so it's been good sleeping.

Ali: So we probably won't hear from you for days since you'll be on a shopping spree with your GF How nice that she's visiting again....it's the same one who was down before, right? When are you leaving on your trip? I guess I'm liking No Place Like Home better now that I'm into it. Although I still don't think that it's one of her better books. I'll probably finish it tonight. I make stuffed peppers the way that you do. I've never heard of doing them with beans. I think I'd like that. What do you mix them with? Enjoy your GF time!

Barb: I guess life is trade-offs sometimes...great to get a paycheck, not always fun to put up with the office pettiness that can go on. I'm sure that Anne can relate to this too. Are you in an enclosed office where you can shut the door and isolate yourself or do you have cubicles? There are 3 of us where I work, all with our own workstations, but we're a quiet bunch for the most part. Guess I'm lucky. How is your mother doing? It's hard having to discuss the issues that you have to when someone is sick. Thinking of all of you.

Nikki: Did you DH get the windows done so that you can work on them? I'm sometimes at a loss as to why men do (or don't do) things too! DH decided a couple days ago that he HAD to get the mulch put down in the new garden area. I haven't even started to plant things there yet, but he went and bought it. Now I have to dig through that to plant Made no sense to me! Hope that your weather has been cooperating so that you could finish the siding.

Anne: Thinking about you and wondering how your sister made out. Has she had the surgery yet? The waiting is so nervewracking. Hopefully she'll be able to get it taken care of quickly. Hope that Toby is doing better.

Lucyee: Missing your posts, but hope that you're having fun!

I'm really getting disgusted with myself. I wanted to be able to get back to healthy eating after vacation and just can't seem to do it. I've already gained back some of the weight that I lost. I get so tired of losing the same #s over and over again I have a bridal shower to go to this weekend and then we've got my BIL and family coming Sunday for dinner. I wish this was easy.....

Take care,
Kate

We're a quiet bunch! Hope everyone is doing okay. Lots to do today, but I wanted to wish everyone a good weekend.

Take care,
Kate

Hi everyone,

I feel like I'm running around in circles, but I am getting a lot done.
Sorry I haven't posted in awhile, it's hard to make time for the computer. I'm trying really hard to get back on track with my eating and exercise. I'm loosely follow The Abs Diet plan. I am following his diet suggestions, eating the food that is on plan, just not following the meal plan in the book, but it's only a suggestion anyway. I started to walk with Leslie again and I can't believe how out of shape I am now. I use to do 2 miles standing on my head, now I'm out of breathe, sweaty and worn out. Kate, I have lost and gained the same darned 30 lbs now for 5 years, it's so aggrevating. I need to lose a good 85 lbs altogether, but whenever I hit 209, for some reason, it's like that is where I start to totally lose it. People make all kinds of comments about how good I'm looking, I feel smaller and I just let myself indulge too much, then before I know it, I'm back to where I was. I want to kick myself.
I have 6 days to paint the side of the house that we just finished. I haven't told you all this before, but DD #1 has bought a house. I just can't believe it, it's more than I ever thought would happen for her. It needs a little bit of fixing up before she can move in, DH and I will spend most of Sept doing that. She will help as much as she can, but she has never lifted a paint brush in her life, so this will be a new adventure for her The closing date is next Thursday, so I want to finish my house by that time. Needless to say, I'm really excited about getting started on her house
Kate, DH has still not finished nailing the windows in, but he says he will on his next days off. I will have to try to finish them, inbetween working on DD's house now.
I bought the best purple plums at the store. They are the really dark, purple ones and are so sweet, they are like candy.

Ali, have you done a lot of shopping? I will be shopping a lot with DD for paint, wallpaper, appliances and fixtures. I doubt it will be as much fun though Hope you and your girlfriend have had a great time. How has the weather been? We have had some hot and humid days, but it's been pretty nice here. I can't complain.

Hope everyone else is doing ok. Have a good weekend, Nikki

Hello everyone...

I dropped my GF off at her son's house a little while ago. We had a wonderful 4 days together. We did shop and one afternoon we went to the movies. We saw Must Love Dogs. It was so good. The best part was, we were the youngest people in the movie theater. We also did a lot of eating.

Nikki, you'll have fun shopping for wallpaper and appliances for your DD's house. Although, if I look at too many wallpaper samples everything starts looking the same to me. How is the painting coming along on your house? It's been awfully hot here. A couple of times I've seen 100°- 101° on my car thermometer. But I think that was only because it had been sitting in the sun, as it dropped down to 96° - 97° within minutes. BRRRRR!!! It won't take you very long to get back to walking 2 miles on your head.

Kate, yes, this is the same GF who has visited me before. We'll be leaving Sept. 10th, which isn't very far away. I can't wait. Did you finish There's No Place Like Home? When I do make stuffed peppers with the beans, I make it the same as I normally do, except that I omit the hamburgh. I just replace the hamburgh with beans. I sometimes like to experiment with recipes I make a lot. I'm in the same boat diet-wise too. I was going great guns counting points for a while, but then I got tired of doing it. Sometimes I get so disgusted with myself.

Barb, how are things going with you? I hope things at work have gotten a little less stressful for you.

Anne, how is your sister doing? Has she gotten her surgery date yet? How is that little sweet heart of your's?

Lucyee, hope your vacation is going well. Miss hearing from you.

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend.
Ali

Hi Guys:
Sorry I haven't posted for so long. Work is nuts.....My hair is standing on
end, they just keep piling it on. I have really missed you all.

Lynda(my sister) is having her surgery on September 8. This is good because
I will be on vacation that week and able to take my mother down to the hospital.

Can you believe the day before her surgery is the day we have tickets to see
Elton John. Problem is this. Lynda's doctor has given her a laxitive pill to take
the day before her operation. She is scared she will hav problems sitting through the performance. I don't know what the heck to say to her.

Toby is doing wonderful. I just love this little guy to bits. The pumpkin worked for him thank goodness. We have our appt. at the vet next Saturday.
He will be getting his rabies shot and a few boosters for kennel cough and
hepititis.

Aleka, so glad to hear you had a wonderful time with your G.F.

Kate: It rained like heck here yesterday. Thunder and lightening all day (no
kiddin) A few roads were washed right out. I am sorry that happened but
so greatful for the rain. I bet you are looking forward to Autumn just like me.

Hi Nikki, Guess what, Greer was on Shopping Channel here. Can you believe
we are all started on body flex again. You will never believe it but I am starting to feel a whole lot better. I still hate that pretzel

Lucyee, I hope you are having a great time!!!

Barb, I hope things are going ok for you.

Talk to you all soon. I hope I will post more often this week!!!!

Anne.

Hi everybody,
I'm at work, but just had to take a break from doing registrations. I hope everyone is doing okay. Ali, I'm worried about you with that hurricane in Florida. I hope you're safe.
I'll check in again this weekend.

Take care,
Kate

HI Everyone,

Hope your all doing ok, we have been so busy lately, just haven't had time to catch up.
My oldest DD signed the papers on her house today, so she is now a home owner . We will start working on it tomorrow (that we being mostly me ). I will be pretty busy. There is painting, wallpapering and we will be taking out all the sinks and replacing them as well as the toilets. One bathroom will require new walls and a new floor. Two bedrooms will need new carpet. I"m doing most of that and DH will help on his days off as will DD. She will stay in her apartment until the last week of Sept and then hopefully, the remodeling will be finished. Throughout the month, she will be packing up and moving non essentials, so that will help a lot when the final moving day comes.
Anne, that is going to be difficult for Linda, taking a laxative and sitting through the concert. Maybe she could just eat light for a few days before?
How's the BF going? I have been thinking about starting myself. I wonder if the new video she has out is like the original or has she finally updated it? If so, it might be worth getting.
Ali, hope your ok. It is really humid here today, started at 100% and it's still up there. Thank God for air conditioning.
Katey, bet your super busy at work, hope you get time to get on the computer this weekend.
Barb, I'm hoping things are ok with you and your family.
Hi Lucee
Well, I have got to get DH moving in the right direction. I need him to haul a ladder and some other things over to DD's new house to I can get busy. Talk to you all later, Nikki

Hi Everyone,

So far so good with Katrina. When she came across FL she went farther south than they had thought and she's heading more into the Gulf. Earlier this afternoon I heard that we still may get some rain out of this, but it's not supposed to hit until later tonight and into tomorrow. But, we're not supposed to get as much rain. We've had gusty winds all day and a few peeks of the sun. I feel so sorry for the people in the area where she'll hit land. They expect it to be a catagory 3 hurricane by then.

Anne, that's good you'll be on vacation when Lynda has her surgery. Gee, I don't know what to suggest about your sister and the Elton John concert. Sorry things are so nuts for you at work. You really must be looking forward to your vacation.

Kate, it sounds like you're busy at work. School should be starting up there pretty soon. Do you like to read non-fiction history books? My GF gave me this book to read, German Boy, by Wolfgang W. E. Samuel. It's his story when he was 10 yrs. old, how he, his mother, grandmother, & sister fled the east part of Germany to the west part of Germany during the last days of WW II to stay ahead of the Russians. It is really very good.

Nikki, congratulations to DD #1 on being a home owner! It sounds like you've got a lot of work ahead of you. She'll be so happy when it's all finished. I can't imagine what it must feel like with 100% humidity. I saw this morning that we were at 82%. Come to FL to cool off!

Barb, hope things are going well with you and your family.

Lucyee, hope you're still enjoying your vacation.

Take care,
Ali

I just have a few minutes to check in. I don't reember how much I've told you, but my mother is dying. We spent all weekend last weekend in the ER (All day Saturday night, home for a terrible night, back to the ER all day Sunday) They admitted her Sunday night. Just before they admitted her they gave her a very mild sedative and she went to sleep. She has not waken up. She has opened her eyes a few times, but she can not focus, we know she does not see or know us,. but we are keeping a vigil at her bedside. The MRI showed that her brain is completely infected with the cancer and it has even infiltrated the lining of the brain, and she has tumor under the skin on her scalp. We turned her over to hospce on Tuesday, and yesterday we went to the funeral home and made arrangements. Now we are just waiting.

She has had a very full life and even after the dx of Cancer she did not let that slow her down. The day before we had to take her to the hospital (Friday) she spent the day with her friends from church playing domonio's.

All of that said, we still don't want to let go of her, but at this point in time it is out of our hands. Keep us in your thoughts and your prayers.

Barb,

Prayers for comfort and peace are being said for your mother, you and your family.
I will continue to keep you in my thoughts and prayers, take care. Nikki