Hello this fine morning ladies,
It's the last of the hot days for a while, 90 degrees today, high of 67 on Friday. Can you hear the sound of me rushing to open all the windows? They must have had some good sales this past weekend, noticed that there were a number of people wearing fall clothes and colors even though it was a baking summer 95 degrees on Monday. I have some new things I'm itching to wear myself but am holding off. Was laughing with a girl in the elevator who had a smart 3 piece chocolate brown pantsuit on. She said she knew it was hot but darn it she had new fall clothes and she was going to wear them

Day 5 is done on the challenge. I'm going to try and kick it up a bit for day 6 here.

Ceejay, is the new girl specially trained (as in some education degree) or is it just someone they hired off the street hoping being the master trainer that you are that you can turn Lisa into a water plant wizard? I would imagine in your field it's something that you get much better with given time and experience. Some day you must educate us on the workings of a water plant. Probably far more interesting than computer programming If Rose and I are the town criers for the news, than Meadow and Shad are the master trainers Service with a smile.

Noritake, oooh I like their stuff. I thought you were going to visit with Chris Shad, should have known that you'd have a much more busy schedule than just sitting around yakking and drinking tea. Perhaps it gives Chris a sense of normalcy to be cramming an activity into every minute. In any event we look forward to pictures.

Holly I applaud your committment to volunteering. Far too many people are into themselves for many reasons. We have lost a sense of belonging and community. Too many times it falls upon a select few to do everything and that gives those of us who do a sense of why bother sometimes but as long as people like you try, it gives the rest of us some hope.

Meadow, I did get a short glimpse at your latest art design. Very pretty but now it's gone again

Mel, how did you send the parcel to Linus? She still hasn't received mine and I sent it over a month ago. How did you send it? I probably should have used FedEx and not the US Postal Service Now that you've been on maintenance duty for the week I'm sure everything is fixed and up to snuff so you can rest NOW. Did you get the leg things fixed on your chair?

Painter did you get out and pick up groceries and get some walking in? Don't make us sign you up for Linda T's 5am aerobics class :

Time for me to run into the shower. I have an early morning meeting today, MUST get my butt out of here soon. (The clock moves extra fast in the morning - that is UNTIL I get to the office )

Hello to the other chicks and a good day to everybody...

Happy-Must be your computer settings protecting you from excessive use of colour here is the link, http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ng-dervish.jpg It has been cold up here for two weeks. I took the tomato plants down and have half a counter of little green tomatoes to think up something to do with.

Holly-what are you doing today? How was the cleaning lady/team, did they do everything according to your expectations? Drink a Horton's large coffee for me

Shad-oh, your trip to Japan sounds like it is going to be a hoot! I hope your friend Chris has her energy and will be able to keep up. Will you be going to any of the gardens? The Toyota plant should be a real eye opener, my husband swears by their quality, doesn't think much of any other automaker.

Mel-How goes it? You breathing deep? Deligating like a sergeant major? I hope you are enjoying being back in the saddle again, just remember to enjoy the view

Ceejay-is this new trainee taking notes? It is so important to have a reference to flip back to. It always takes people a week or so to start a new routine, have faith that what you are showing her will create the glowing light bulb soon

I'm doing well on my challenge. Making sure I have a glass of water here by the computer everytime I'm on is getting the fluids into me. Exercise is progressing. I have done the WATP 4mile and 2miles so far this week, will do another 4mile either today or tomorrow and who knows?! maybe I'll pop this pilates tape I got in the cereal box into the computer and see what that stuff is all about.

Hello Teel, Linus, CJ, Rose are you having a lovely day? Plant some spring bulbs, a little gift to yourself for the future

I was going to say good morning but it is 12:36. SO, Afternoon Ladies!
DH and I both woke with colds. That could explain feeling down the other day. Yesterday was good.
I baked the pies this morning and scooted them to the rec centre and met with the minister to do some business. Just 2 little guys all morning.I am going to bed at 1 with a good highland novel. mmmmmmm
I have a big school council meeting tonight.
Shad~ you must be getting excited./ Hubby was in Japan 25 years ago and still talks about it. We have good friends in Tokyo.
CJ~ how goes the training today?
Happy~ are ya lovin' the cooler temps??

PW, Mel, Nae, Tig, Teel ,Linus and crew...HI!!!

THAT's a good one Meadow - yeah, that's got to be it

I will join hubby in the Toyota loyalty department. We're on our 7th 4Runner - can you tell which is my favorite model . Hubby has an Avalon. We're pretty much had Toyota's exclusively since the 80's (sorry Chevy and Ford, we gave you a chance and you disappointed us big time). When it comes to both quality of manufacture and service, it's Toyota hands down. I did love my Firebird but it's no good to drive in the snow, they don't make them anymore and I've gotten too old and stiff to be able to get out of one without rolling out of the car on to the pavement and using the door handle to pick myself up - just not cool anymore - kinda like when I went to get off DH's Harley, swung my leg in too much of an arc and flew right off the bike on to my butt on the driveway

Meadow there's nothing better than Pilates to work the abs. It doesn't seem like it's that hard but it's a great workout. Takes about 3 weeks of 3 times a week sessions to start to see results but it does make a difference. Helps with the posture too. Hope you like it.

Hope you feel better Holly, enjoy your book and rest up.

I was supposed to have lunch with a friend today. He got stuck in a meeting. I don't have anything here except THE COOKIES I BROUGHT FOR HIM I will not eat them, I will NOT eat them. I have to remember to leave some canned soup here for emergencies. I don't trust myself to run out and make decent choices on the fast food front. Maybe just some

Well, it isn't morning... but I took my walk and DH went with me.
Yesterday, however was a big bust. Water, yes, no food writing and no walk. Blech. On the other hand I made it to the office for clients, paid bills, met a friend for dinner and went to the local knitter's guild meeting. I can't remember the last time I was awake that long!!

So I'm back on the wagon. And thinking about how to ressurect my business, professional website/newsletter, etc. etc. but don't want to get overwhelmed.

Apparently you can get a "coach" for the 60 mile, 3 day cancer walk. I bicycled 35 miles in one day , um, 24 years ago.... They give you a 27 week plan... which allegedly allows me almost that long to get in shape for the shaping up. DD and I are thinking about doing it in Philadelphia or San Diego... anybody want to join us?

How far do you think waitresses walk during a day? If they're doing double shifts? Maybe I'll go get a pedometer.

Shad: your trip sounds wonderful. At first I thought the advice about making sure somebody was dead when you ran over them was one of those bizarre translation problems. I hope nobody in my neighbor hood thinks I the best one to send out to get run over.

Y'all... DON'T tell Linda I back slid... don't want a 5 am aerobics class and don't want her cattle prod, either. (Though, come to think of it, I'd like her results.

Happy2: Thanks for sharing the thigh flinging image with the Harley. ExH had a Kawasaki and I was worried my toe would get caught and I'd fall on my face. I was lucky, I guess. Do try to get to New England for fall colors sometime. You can go as early as August, I think, if you go to Nova Scotia and as late as mid October if you hit the longitudes even with Indiana....

Hollyhock.. you have the kinds of days that used to make me crazy. Interrupted at every turn but with tons of appointments. Bless you for keeping your mind in one piece. There were years when I think we mostly ate fruits/vegs and sandwiches in the car on the way to or from someplace. I guess the fact that my son only had hockey practice once a week is why HE wasn't the 18 yr old draft pick for Pittsburgh!! (Can't wait to see highlights.) People don't understand, but this Texan fell in love with hockey...)

Roseblush... if you want profitable pets you might consider alpacas or llamas. I don't think there's any cash in koi or guppies.

Ceejay: good luck training your worker. I think training is more of an art than a science... and that there has to be excellent understanding between the parties. Maybe Shad has a differeing point of view.

We're supposed to have a cold front in 5 hours. I'm waiting.

FY end and reorg time. I'm getting some added duties so makes things more complicated.

Rumor has it that several of you wish to join the AM aerobics class, which starts at 4:45 so you lazy butts had better not be late. Painter.. Happy.. I have space on the floor for you.

Holly, yes you guys are scary. I am imagining all of us without makeup first thing in the morning and that, at least for me is terrifying!!

Ceejay.. yes I missed you on the journals too. Just so many are leaving.. :-(

Hi Meadow.. oh Antonio. Nice choice. I am partial to latinos as well.. Jimmy Smits can warm my tootsies any night.

Mel, you need to grab Turtlebutt and get here here. She is having a tough time and needs some good buds to get her aligned again.

Shad is going to Japan? How completely cool! I'd like something lucious in silk please.. a bathrobe. Yeah!

I am sitting here with a portable heater blasting on my feet, legs and butt. Living in California you would think I'd be warm? Nopers. My weather whines are beginning early this year. Tonight I have to work in a cold warehouse so I have no idea how this is going to go. I am volunteering at the local Food Bank tonight from like 5:30-8. Last time I was there it was rather nippy insides, but it was nice because it was hot outside. Oh well.. long sleeves for me tonight!!

Good news: Going to a lobster festival this weekend. YUM!

Gotta go nag the bossman.. Toodles!!

I have to start off with something that I think is funny. Last night I had some shopping to do at Wal-Mart. I was making a turn between some card board boxes and their was one corner that was torn just enough to hit the buggie. Yep it made a horrible sound--as that of a fart. When I round the corner of the boxes I heard someone say who did that the other person had this big grin on his face and said a woman in the isle. Yep that would have been me, but trouble of it is that I didnt physically do anything.

About the trainee--No she is not taking notes. I'm having to do that for her, which I don't think is fair, but how can I train someone who is on another shift. She's been here almost 9 years

Happy--I love Toyota's. I have a Rav4.

Painter Woman--like the motto--If I can't be slender by 55 maybe I'll be hot by 60.

This is short, and I still have lot's to do before I can go home. Most of the cleaning I did yesterday. I also need to type my notes for the trainee. Sigh!!!!!

I WILL HAVE SOOO MUCH TO READ SATRUYRDAY MOIRNING....BETTER COME HERE WITH A CUP OF COFFEE AND SETTLE IN FIRST THING SAT. MORNING
JUST WANTED TO SAY ALL IS WELL. STILL CRACKJING THE WHIP. GOD HELP THEM. THEY WILL BE SO GLAD TO SEE JOHN ON MONDAY MAND ME INCLUDED. THE PARTS FOR THE CHAIRS ARE NOT IN YER!!! I HAVE TRIED TO MAKE MORE TIME FOR MYSELF BUT THINGS ARE ALL BREAKING DOWN EVERY FIVE MINUTES!! BEEN TRYING TO SQUEEZE IN SOME TOME FOR THE OUTDOORS AT LEAST. THE PLUMBER IS HERE AND I NEED A SHOWER BUT HE DID NOT OFFER TO WASH MY BACK. SO I BEST GET ON WITH IT MYSELF BEFORE HE CALLS ME TO LOCK UP WHEN HE'S DONE. A HAND TO EACH OF YOU AND TAKE CARE. LOVE YA

PS~ I HAVE COMPLETED 5 DAYS!! AND YA KNOW WHAT?.....I THINK I HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB WITH EVERYTHING CAUSE I AM DOING THIS CHALLENGE. I EVEN HAVE TIME FOR BREAKFAST EVERY DAY BEFORE I LEAVE THE HOUSE! IT'S ORGANIZATION THAT'S BEEN HOLDING ME BACK or the lack there of!!!

Morning all,
It's going to be a stinking hot day here today - they are predicting 35C which is around the 100F mark. Hot gusty winds as well. It will not be pleasant out there. Seems we've bypassed most of spring and gone for the hot stuff already. I can only hope that there will be some rain during the rainy season as well. We are desperately dry now. Garden sprinklers are banned, gardens can only be watered by hand held hosing on certain days of the week, and from 7pm to 7am. Yeah right like I am going to stand there holding a hose for 12 hours of a night. It would actually be more beneficial for the garden to allow us one deep water a week. But there you go. More gardens will die I suspect.

Only 21 days to my trip. Can you tell I am looking forward to this??

Ceejay - What I would be inclined to do is to turn the notes into individual lessons and stick them on the network for all to access as required. You could plonk in a screen dump and then explain what happens and the process behind it under the picture. Then it is available and instead of you having to explain over and over again, refer the user to the notes on the computer. All the processes should be documented anyway and business processes plus how to actually do the job is always a bonus when new on the job. You can also get quite reasonably priced programs which create a sort of macro on how to do the job. The user opens the program, selects the job and watches the movie. The movie can be paused so you can go back to the real life stuff and do the things shown on the macro. Camtasia is one such program. Check it out on the 'net. I've used it alot for microsoft stuff and lotus notes (which I hate).
Aha, now we know what you do when you are out shopping. Does it clear the checkouts as well so you can go straight through?

Linda - does the cattle prod attend these sessions? Nah we're not scary - a little perhaps but not scary. I hate to tell you this but I don't wear makeup most of the time. I'm a horrible reminder - from the laws of happy!!! I left the journals mainly because I don't have the time really to sit there and stress. Most of them are very nice people - there are a few I would really like to beat up and tell them to get a life. I wish I had a $ for every time I have shouted at the computer when I read about the attitudes of friends, family and kids and themselves. These times I am so delighted that I live alone. I still read some of the entries. I make comments from time to time to try to encourage and compliment. But I am tired of those who are not able to lose weight EVEN when they EAT MCDONALDS LO FAT SALADS - WTF.
Ummmm I'll look for something in silk for you, but I don't think latinos come wrapped in silk, bathrobe or not, even in Japan.

Painter - are you taking a pause day for the bust yesterday or have you started over? Enquiring minds must know these things. The words in the book are completely English or rather Australian in this case. They don't exactly read as I put it, but the gist is there. Be careful of old folk in the middle of the road (perhaps they don't know which side of the road to lie on?). At first I thought it was a joke since there was something about the Italian Autostrada and Autopista coupled with Italian drivers that made me smile. But when I went back to check, it was fairly plain. It may still be a joke and I am not getting it as such. Don't worry it won't be me that runs you over, I'll be the one on the wrong side of the road driving very slowly and causing chaos. Call me Agent 99 if you will.
Oh training is very scientific with me - it is also an art form. Size up the audience and decide on what size timber with what size nails in the end fits the majority of the heads. Belt with stick where necessary. I still have people coming to me stating that they haven't shaken their heads since I came on the scene but it is a close run thing! I tell all my students that they can only nod. No shaking heads allowed. This is followed up by a practical demonstration in how to nod. But at least they remember who I am and what I do!

Happy - your methods of alighting from vehicles and bikes leaves a bit to be desired. I'll take some pics of the Toyota vehicles I see (if I am allowed) I want to have a go at one of the top of the line Supras or whatever they call them in Japan. Probably something like Parsley!!!
No I am not cramming stuff into every minute. We have about five things planned and 13 days to do them in. If they don't all get done, they don't get done. I shan't get excited about it. After all, we can just get in the car and drive off into the mountains. That way she doesn't have to walk too far. Anyway she is used to me going off hiking up stairs like at St Pauls or at the Temple in Ireland while she does brass rubbing or takes a quiet tour of the building or sits and talks to some other tourist who has done enough for the day. She knows I need to get in exercise and I take her up a whole lot of books for the English library - practically all contributions from Shad - so she can sit and read while I climb trees or whatever. We get on well.
OH AND LEAVE THOSE COOKIES ALONE.

Mel - I'm proud of you, but keep on relaxing. You are doing well. Hop out and see the world for a few minutes too.

Okay - hugs to Holly and Meadow, Tig and Linus and Teel. I can't stop any longer or I'd be writing a novel. And I have work to do. And it is Thursday. And if I have another day like yesterday, I'll be able to post all day because I won't have to come to work. I won't have work. I will have resigned in a huff.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAINTER WOMAN!!!!
HOPE THE DAY WILL BE AS SPECIAL AS YOU ARE!!!

Many happy returns Dana. Have a great day and do something great for yourself.




Dancing on the roof is fine - it's exercise and burns calories.

One for Shad and anyone else who identifies

Happy birthday Painter Women.

Shad--I'm basically writing a manual. It sure does take time though. This is just on the paper work that I do. I thought about bringing it home, but quickly talked myself out of that one. I've written a manual on how to operate the water plant. Tim uses it to train new employee's. I noticed that most of my copies are gone. I need to get those copies and put them in a binder so they will not get lost. I'll ask the newest employee if I can borrow his copies and make more.


I've blown my diet today. I really buckle under stress and this manual / training session is just that, stressful. I need to set a time limit for my last meal of the day. I don't like to eat after 6 p.m. at work cause it's to near the time to go home, and salads are out of the question for right now. My aunt is thinking that lettuce may be causing the IBS episodes.

Linda--Do you have night exercise classes as well? Ah--forgot to bring home the exercise equipemnt I have at work in my locker. I may have to bug my co-worker tomorrow. I'm diffinately not an early bird.


Hello to Holly, Happy, Mel, Linus, Nae and Teel