Another spin around the world #8
 

We've moved from Spain to Bavaria!

Our new house.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...1/newhome1.jpg

and because it might get a bit cold during the winter..... the holiday house is on Manihi in the Tahiti group.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...1/newhome4.jpg

More photos below.

If you need to go back to the old place to pick up the kids or whatever, here's the link ......Old place

Will be back to upload more photos later.

A Boy!!!!!!

And I was so convinced it would be a girl. Good thing all those bits I sent over were aqua and not pink then isn't it? Congrats to Mum and Dad and the brothers. Well done! And thank you Teel for keeping us informed. I took a quick peek at the thread before I went to bed last night thinking that something might have come up then but no such luck. I was a couple of hours too early.

We have wind today. A real bruising - let me just blow everything over the yard - knock down a couple of trees type wind. I was forecast last night, lots of strong wind warnings and we had some heavy rain but unfortunately that didn't last too long. Haven't turned the radio or tv on today to see if there was damage anywhere. I went and cut all the hippeastrums that were flowering as I know they don't stand up to the wind too well and the house is full of these large pink and white striped lilies at the moment.

So what is on this weekend? Well I will be working around the house and getting the ceiling ready with more sanding. I have decided to give the ceiling one more go myself and if that doesn't work, I'll call in a plaster and get him to put a skin over it to smooth it all out. That's todays chore. I also need to sit in the Dr's surgery to get a repeat of my monduretics. Such a bore having to do this. But they won't repeat without giving me at least a cursory BP check and taking a look at the legs and ears etc. Then I ought to get out in the garden and take a trip to the gym. I did most of the shopping on the way home last night. Went to a wildly expensive fruit and vege shop, but the stuff there is really good and picked up some fish, chick and lamb from the place next door - again expensive but it will last a while. I'll be doing some LindaT type cooking this weekend.

Good to see Nae back and posting and keeping the communication lines open with the sons. We can't control them anymore, but we can be around to pick up the pieces when it all goes wrong, or just to issue tissues as required or bake the odd biscuit to show off in front of the guys! No communication - no sons or family. It could be a lonely old world lived like that.

Beautiful Shad.

Congratulations Kirsty
 

I also join the concensus in thinking that surely this poor woman is outnumbered by Testosterone and she HAD to be carrying a girl... :bb: :bb: :bb:

In any regard, congratulations Linus. Hope all is well with you and new baby boy bumpkins. I hope it wasn't too rough for you and you are getting at least ONE good sleep.

Thank you so very much Teel for being the messenger to us. We were all hanging in there just awaiting the news. Sorry to hear that you aren't feeling your best.

Whoa, whoa, whoa Shad. That castle is TALL and magnificent. Is there an elevator to the top turrets? Will take me a month of Sundays to climb up there tho this may be the house the helps me lose weight :lol: Thank you for finding us new homes. I'm all up for taking a boat ride in the clear waters of our Tahitian home too. Perfect place for me to set up the smoothie cart :beach:

Sorry to hear of the strong breezes Shad. Hope you didn't suffer much damage. Shame to cut the flowers tho it does sound like it prettied up the house quite nicely. Regarding the ceiling. We had smooth ceilings up north - pain sometimes as if the light shown right, you could see imperfections. Down here we have textured ceilings. Hides alot of sins. Not sure I like it as much but I'm getting used to it. Of course I don't have to paint it either. But definitely easier to keep clean if you don't smoke in the house.

I'm quite tired tonight. Long day at work today. Glad it's Friday. I may go to sleep in a few minutes. Found that if I can get to bed by 11, I wake naturally at 5am. Not that I want to get up quite that early - it's still night time then, but I could get up by 6 and get a good start on the day. I have the house to thoroughly clean as mom is coming on Tuesday for a week long visit. I have the neighborhood newsletter to write which I want to get done by Sunday so I can spend as much time as possible with mum next week without distractions. Bad enough I don't have vacation time to take off to be with her but we do have the evenings and all next weekend. I bought some frames in which I want to mount some of DH's pictures but I have to pick out the pictures first and have him print them up. My new computer is still sitting here waiting to get loaded and ready to go. And there is the matter of a few pairs of pants that are still waiting to be hemmed :^: I'm sure it will be late Sunday night in the blink of an eye.

Good to hear from Nae and Teel, forgive me for not commenting individually. Will wait until you all get back here. Dance in the rain for me Mel, we're sure not getting the rains here. Run in the rains Tig but be careful not to slip. Snow on the mountaintops Nae? Pretty but brrrrrr. It's still in the 90's here but getting cooler in the evenings. Holly I'm surprised to hear that you were not dancing in the rain yourself. I can see you leading the parade singing in the :rain: Are you seeing rain too Meadow? Trees turning colors out your way yet?

Will pop my head back in over the weekend, enjoy everyone.

:bubbles: :bb: :encore: A BOY!!!! I KNEW IT!!! LAST MONTH I TOLD KIRSTY I THOUGHT SHE HAD ALREADY SAID TO ME IT'S GOING TO BE A BOY. kIRSTY SAID I THAT MUST HAVE BEEN SOME DREAM I HAD!!! ROFL!! :bb: :dance:
CONGRATULATIONS KIRSTY & ANDY!!! WELCOME TO 3FC BABY BUMP!!! :bb:

TEEL THANKS FOR THE MESSAGE AND I HOPE YOUR CHEST FEELS BETTER VERY SOON. HANG IN THERE. THINK GOOD THOUGHTS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE :bubbles:

SHAD~ THANKS FOR THE NEW HOME AND SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THE FLOWER CUTTING. HOPE THEY DID CHEER UP THE OLD HOMESTEAD AT LEAST.HOPE THE DR VISIT WENT WELL TOO!!

HAPPY~ THIS IS THE SILLIEST STORM WE HAVE EVER HAD. GETS DARK AS NIGHT THEN A FEW DROPS! LOL THUNDER IS MISSING TOO NOW. ALL THIS BRUHAHA FOR NOTHING! LOL
BUT IS IT EVER MUGGY!!! I CALL IT FUGGY. (EFFING MUGGY)

MEADOW~ RALPH HAS TOUCHED A RAW SPOT MANY TIMES!! I HAVE THEM DELIVERED TO MY MAILBOX AND READ HIM EACH MORNING WITH BREAKFAST. GETS ME GOING. LOL CONGRATS ON THE 4 MILE TAPE!!

NAE~ GLAD THERE IS COMMUNICATION GOING. IT'S HARD TO FIND NEW WAYS TO BE A MOM. WAS THE TOUGHEST THING FOR ME TO DO AND I STILL FIND MYSELF FALLING BACK INTO OLD PATTERNS!! LOL GOOD LUCK! THAT LITTLE DOG WAS LUCKY YOU NDID FIND IT BEFORE IT WAS SOMEONE'S DINNER!!!

HOLLY~ I JUST SAW AN AVON LADY THE OTHER DAY IN THE COMMUNITY ROOM. SHE'S A FRIEND OF THE LUNCH LADY. SOME OF THE SENIORS STILL BUY FROM HER FOR XMAS AND I WAS THINKING OF YOU!

crash and burn.
It was bound to happen. I coldn’t sleep at all last night because of all the stuff I need and want to do.
Needs: bathroom is beyond unsanitary,little boys pee everywhere; dishes;laundry;we are sticking to the kitchen floor;Avon deliveries;collect some Avon cash;help DS with school work;make calls for handbook to get final changes( wish these people would follow through the deadline was yesterday);make SS attendance charts

Wants: to make dill pickles(very late but still may get cucs);clean up toys clutter everywhere;to have a nice party for DD’s Bday; to have a sucessful career with Avon;the put time into Avon to make this happen; my son to be a happy light hearted little boy*sigh*

The needs and wants get blurred. DH and kids have not been helping for 2 weeks with housework. DH is gone 12 hours a day at a new job. That also means he is earning more.He has had a cold. He has been taking DS to hockey 3 Xs a week.
DD started gymnastics last night. It is an hour. I ran to Sam’s club for potatoes,bread, milk ,bananas and fruit during. Afterwards, us girls went shopping. I have had the same spring/fall coat for 9 years. It is a red windbreaker style. I cant get the dirt out of it anymore. I cringe to look at it. Franky it was never quite my style. So I found a perfect black wool/polyester blend pea coat with a double row of buttons.And then I bought a thin raincoat that is pale green and only $9. DD got a new pair of pants.

I was awake til after 4 am worrying about my son. He is not able to do his school work in class. He is agonizing over every detail, afraid to make mistakes. He is saying things like I am too dumb and I just want to die. I am devasted. DH and I are talking a lot and helping him. His teacher wants to help DS too but he wont let her.
I have a looooong list but not a lot of commitments. I need to breathe. I had my little cry.
Kids are currently playing happily.
Food ,water,wash away the tears and 1 thing at a time.

Yeah a Baby Boy!
 

A sweet baby boy for all his wordly aunties to love.... how great. Hope Mom and family are doing well. Can't wait for the pictures and all the bragging to begin.
Well, I found out who owned the little dog. It is the family that lives behind me.... the woman doesn't like me because I had to fired her sister at one time.... so since she has been up here we haven't been very neighborly..... so the little dog went home thurday afternoon from the shelter where I left him....they didn't think he could even survive the wilderness so were surprised. Guess who is at my house when I come home for lunch on Friday.... so happy to see me and to be a part of my little clan. That family has not called to say thankyou or now to inquire if possibly he is down here again..... oh dear!
The weather has changed and we got a great rain last night but some hard wind too. Shad I hope you garden can recover from your storm.
I am trying to motivate myself to get busy this morning feeling kind of lazy and sleepy.... getting up all night long to let the kids out.....
Hope all is well and try to enjoy your days.... I remember the days of being a busy mother with kids and projects and it does seem it will never end but it all does end...enjoy but make time for yourself.
Love to all of you,
Nae

Whoa! Crazy King Ludwig's castle! I used to have a poster of that in the snow on my wall when I was a teenager. Now I'm living there, woot!

Congratulations Linus! May your little fellow bring you much joy and have helping hands when he is bigger to bring you a nice cup of tea and a biscuit when you have your feet up :D

Weather here is sunny and beautiful, a bit cool in the evenings but no storms as yet. I have noticed the leaves turning on a few trees but the big onslaught of leaves falling isn't here yet. I was wanting to plant some spring bulbs, but there isn't any around in any store here. The local hardware store only ordered one box of crocuses and some silly looking tulips so they were sold out in a trice. I mail ordered some hopefully they will arrive before the snow flies. My husband was getting an earfull because of course I blame him for the lack of stuff here for me to buy. I know it isn't logical but did I ever claim to be? Emily got lots of "my little ponies" and a sticker book for her birthday. We had baked salmon, baked potatoes and steamed carrots and her special request was white cake with strawberries and whipping cream for her cake. Her grandfather said "strawberries in September, hmm" as he was raising the spoon to his lips :p Hey, you are only 6 once :lol3:

:wave:

Slept like the dead for 9 hours
And I more than needed it. Hope I can swing it again tonight. Just me and DD right now. the boys were up at 5am to go salmon fishing.

Sometimes DH is brilliant. He doesn’t say much and he is gruff and when I talk it seems like he doesn’t listen BUT yesterday he spent the whole day hanging with DS ,went to hockey, had lunch together, took both kids over to a friends..... Last night he told me he figured taking DS fishing was way more important than SS cause DS need to sit on a river bank and relax after the week he had at school. DH pretends not to care and be a little dense but it is all a cover for a smart, sensitive guy. Spose that’s why I married him.

I went to the market and then went back to bed. I have a cold and had a low grade fever. At 1 I got up and felt much better. DH did the stinkin dishes and then I sorted Avon stuff.I bought a file box on Fri to set up my files. I listened to tunes. In the aft I watched skating and had popcorn and hot chocolate for lunch. Can you say comfort food?
I did make a bunch of calls and got through about 1/2 of my to do list. I can probably finish it today.
SS at 10:15 and then horse back riding for DD at a neighbours for her birthday gift from us.Party next Sunday.
Much cleaning and puttering to do.sigh. I think I am going to hire a cleaner to fall clean the kitchen.
School Council Mon night. Hair appts and an Avon appt Tues. I have 2 toddlers for a half day on Mon all the others are in school. Tues I will have all 8 kids for a full day.
I am still super worried about DS and his anxiety about school. DH talked to DS about it and DS told him it was fine. So what is the real story?

I made rosemary lamb chops and baked potatoes and peas for supper.MMMMM!

1 more coffee and then hit the shower.

HUGS you glorious women!!

For our new baby!!

Meadow~ I think I forgot to wish Emily a happy birthday! :gift: HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY MISS EMILY! glad she got the strawberries. Good for Mom! Yes you are only 6 once!! Aren't catalogs a wonderful thing?
Hope they get there before the Big Freeze!! and then you need a pickax!!

Nae~ mayber that dog gets treated better at your house!!!! How funny he came back!!! It's all to teach that woman a lesson in life she is ignoring! How to be HUMAN!!! lol does my heart good to see you posting and being here:dance:

Holly~ Next time you will listen to Momma Mel and Momma Shad!!! Having done it ourselves we are very good at recognizing the symptomes of crash and burn.:rofl: Hope you found Holly time.

I have been wondering how Kirsty and :bb: are doing. Hope she gets some kind of rest. As much as I like kids.....not the nappy, vomiting, or up late at night parts!!!:faint: Thank god for menopause! :lol3: :lol3:
I love ARE YOU BEING SERVED on PBS TV. I also loved the short show that followed..ARE YOU BEING SERVED, AGAIN. So I ordered it when I found it on sale and it arrived Friday. Just in time for the weekend. Have watched all 12 episodes already! :cb: And loved every minute of them:encore: Monday is Mall day and haircut time. Hope they don't screw it up! LOL But it grows so fast it really doesn't matter anymore.
:scooter: Well girls I am off and better move before I fall asleep at the keys! Not even 9AM and already tired! LOL ust enjoying the time in our new home!!! did I say thanks Shad?!?! Mellie loves castles!!! :cb: :encore:
Happy Sunday!!

I came back,

Sorry, I've been a bit busy this weekend. We had a storm on Friday night - with heavy wind gusts. It did a bit of damage to some places around town and the boats etc. etc. No damage at my place, but just around the corner a big tree branch came down and smashed through the neighbours fences and came to rest on top of their car. Apart from the fence not a lot of damage done. Scratches to paintwork only on the car. I'd picked all the blooming bulbs and flowers so that they wouldn't get blown to pieces and tidied up all the stuff that was lying around. Still I ended up with someone's laundry in the yard. I put it out the front on a bench thing made of old tree trunks and a plank. The laundry went and darn it all so did the bench. Strewth it was only a temporary thing to put the missing laundry on. Some folk will take anything that's not nailed down.

Paid for my ticket to Japan last week as well. Now I just have to get the money sorted, pick the ticket up and wait for the sleeps to pass. It gets exciting once all those things are done. Waiting, waiting for the 27th October.

Saturday I went to gym and did some shopping and cooked meals for the freezer. I now have a weeks worth of marinated chicken for a salad and some lamb shanks cooked in stock and red wine which I took off the bone and froze the meat. All I have to do now when I go home is to reheat the meat and cook up some veges. I also experimented with some salads as well. They turned out quite nice and will be made again for lunches etc.

Yesterday was spent in the garden. I have a patch of grass where the lawnmower can't reach very well so I dug out the grass and levelled it off and next weekend I will get some cement mix and pave the area. I'm going to put pebbles and mondo grass between the pavers to make sure the weeds don't grow through the paver joins. Then I dug up some of the lawn which was very weedy and put some good turf in there as well. Fertilised the lawn and watered everything. The vege patch is growing quite well and I will be harvesting the beetroot and basil shortly. The rest of the lettuces went to seed so I put in more as couple of weeks back and they are going okay as are the strawberries, but I need to do something about the mint - it is not looking good and I love mint in fresh fruit salads, and with couscous salads.
My shoulders are feeling the digging.

I been meaning to add some more pictures to the new homestead. Mel has a special place in the new house. Her apartment is called the Singing Hall. There is a nursery set up for Linus and bump. The families with children will enjoy holidaying on Manihi because they can swim from the front verandah in the lagoon. Sea temps don't get below 21C and the lagoon is full of wildlife like rays and sea cucumbers and turtles for them to converse with and feed. Also - get this - the coffee table in the burre lounge is made of glass and is open to the sea below - they can lift up the top of the coffee table and feed the fish (kids, it's a great way to dispose of all that good breakfast stuff that Mum insists you eat). Happy can make smoothies and deliver them across the burres - there are interconnecting walkways to each one. Anyway, tonight I promise I will put up the rest of the pictures.

Better go and try working for a living.

Yawn. Nighty night chicks!


A little Tahiti sunset to sooth your soul!

Originally Posted by Shad:
Also - get this - the coffee table in the burre lounge is made of glass and is open to the sea below - they can lift up the top of the coffee table and feed the fish (kids, it's a great way to dispose of all that good breakfast stuff that Mum insists you eat).

Smoothies, woo-theees. Guess when your drink doesn't arrive, you know where I'll be found. :rofl: Shad the new digs sound like the BEST effort. You should go into real estate! I think I'll hang out at the hut, lovely as the castle is, don't know if I want to do all those stairs. And I just :love: the idea of feeding the fish.

Busy weekend for me too. Getting the house in order. Mum arrives Tuesday for a week long visit. Most meals are planned, groceries bought, house tidied up. Hoping to have time for ironing and mending tommorrow.

I was running late from the store (so what's new :dunno: ). Dinner tonight was a rotisserie chicken (from the store), tossed veggie salad (from the salad bar) and cut up fresh fruit - grapes, pineapple, melon (from the produce take away). I must say it was quite yum even if I didn't cook it myself. Dessert was a scoop of cherry limeade sherbet.

Evenings are getting pleasantly cool. Time to reinstate our evening walks I think. Maybe I can do so with mum, she's more my pace - DH wants to go too fast for me.

I figured I would just pop my head in for a sec, still a few things to do before bed in an hour. 'Night little chickies... :faint:

Slept like the dead for 8 hours. Woohoo!!!!!!
Yesterday was relaxing. I was still feeling monumentally burned out but not over the edge of reason. I think hubby is feeling neglected. We need to schedule a date. I again spent lots of time one on one with DD. We have so much fun.
A lot of the time I am dealing with DS behaviour and don’t get to enjoy her as much. We did go for her Bday pony ride. And the 2 girls that came with us gave her ponies to play with. It was charming.
I ripped up the hallway carpet upstairs and the under-pad was GLUED down. AAAAH! Freaks. Everything in the house was done *** backwards. Much scraping had gone on.
I am signing up a new Avon rep for my team this aft and another tomorrow. Weehee. That gives me 4 ballots out of 25 to win a 27 inch TV and 2 towards a diamond ring. Gotta love the incentive stuff. Plus i will receive a $250 bonus for signing up 5 people in less than 8 campaigns!!!!!!!
I am gong to hire a cleaner to do a fall clean with it!!!!!!!!!!!!
I rock.
Okay vacuuming and laundry to fold this morning. I have the aft OFF!!!!! May just dance around naked to some Doobie Brothers.

Have a footloose day!!!

I'M SINGING IN THE HALL
JUST SINGING IN THE HALL.........LA LA LA:moped:

THE ONLY REASON SHE GAVE ME A HALL WAS SO IT WAS WAY FAR AWAY FROM HER OWN ROOM!!!!! :rofl: :lol3:
I WENT TO THE MALL AND GOT MY HAIR CUT TOO! THIS GUY DID A GREAT JOB AND I TIPPED HIM HEAVILY AND TOLD HIM ONLY HE CAN TOUCH MY HAIR FROM NOW ON!!!! MY HAIR IS THIN AND HE GAVE ME THE OLD RAZOR CUT SHAG. I LOOK LIKE I HAVE A FULL HEAD OF HAIR AND HE KEPT IT SOFT ON MY FACE TOO. GREAT JOB! BOUGHT LIV. ROOM TIER CURTAINS TO GO UNDER THE HEAVY DRAPES AND FOUND OUT ONE OF THE VALANCES IS MISSING!!! I ALSO GOT 2 PJ SETS IN THE SOFTEST OF COTTON KNITS FOR LESS THAN 26.OO!!! GOTTA LOVE WALMARTS EVEN IF THE COMPANY SUCKS TO THEIR EMPLOYEES!!! I AM TIRED BUT PLEASANTLY SO. SOLVED THE MYSTERY OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND IT TURNS OUT SOME JACKASS FROM HERE TOLD THE ALARM COMPANY TO IGNORE ALARMS FROM HERE TILL FURTHER NOTICE AND THEN PROMPTLY FORGOT TO TURN THEM BACK ON WHEN REPAIRS WERE FINISHED!!! :faint: YOU KNOW MEL RAISED A RUCKUS ON THE CEL PHONE WHEN I FOUND OUT IN BETWEEN HAIRCUT AND PJ BUYING! ROFLMAO I LEFT NO WITNESSES WHEN I WAS DONE BERATING PEOPLE!! THE MAN THAT MADE THE ERROR CALLED IN SICK THIS MORNING.....GOOD THING HE DID. :scooter: TIRE TRACKS WOULD HAVE BEEN ALL OVER HIME. 100 INVALIDED PEOPLE RELY ON THAT ALARM SYSTEM! TO SAY NOTHING OF ME GETTING TO SEE MY FIRIES! :rofl: :dance: :cb:

SHAD I AM GLAD YOU DIDN'T FLY AWAY WITH THE NEIGHBORS WASH AND THAT YOU'RE LIVING IN A NO FLY ZONE!!! TAKE CARE LITTLE SIS!!! I NEED YOU!!!

HAPPY I WILL BE RIGHT NEXT TO YOU SO SAVE ME A DRINK!!

HOLLY I AM KEEPING AN EYE ON YOU FROM NOW ON!!! SO BEWARE MOMMA MEL IS WATCHING! LOL

TIG :wave: YES OUR NEWEST MEMBER IS A BOY! :bb:

OK KIDS GOTTA RUN. TAKE A SHOWER EAT ETC. LOVE YOU ALL....:moped:

Filling out the house
 

Since happy is content to stay on Manihi and bring up the smoothies from time to time, I thought I had better let her have a look at where she is staying.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...o1/manihi2.jpg

Actually for the sake of your waistline Miss Happy, might I suggest that you take alternate months in either place. Once you have as many black pearls as you can swim for, fed the fish and swum with the rays, I doubt that there will be a lot else to do apart from the obvious (they aren't called honeymoon isles for nothing you know). Like many tropical islands, it's strictly holiday time. If you look at any of Gaugin's paintings from the Tahitian Islands, they are all BIG ladies.

Take a look at the apartment that Mel has in the castle. She can really get away from the cockateil in the Singing Hall!

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...gers_Hall1.jpg

and the views from my room in the castle aren't bad either.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...o1/schwan2.jpg

Okay, enough of that nonsense. I didn't get back to put up the pics last night as I had to unearth my CV (Resume) and update it for one of my recruitment places. He is keen to get me on a project in Wollongong (where Kiwi Annie got lost remember) and is promising me all sorts of remuneration not previously dreamed of. They must be desperate! He also wants me to go to Perth. I want to stay at home! So I have sent the CV. Given no guarantees and will wait to see what he comes back with. Why am I doing this - mainly because this bloke has gotten me more work that any of the others and he thinks on the job. He really does try to match the job to the applicant and one can be fairly sure that the job specs that he gives you actually match with the job that is on offer. Not always the case, I can assure you.

Also last night I was so tired. Don't know why, but I was going to sleep over the computer at work in the afternoon and it didn't improve on the way home. Fortunate that I had done gym in the morning otherwise that would have been a no go day. My house looks like a bomb hit. I am going to have to spend sometime cleaning and sweeping before the bugs move in and declare it a bug haven (sort of Manihi for bugs). Maybe like Holly, I need to get a cleaning lady in for a good spring clean.

Tig - that was a short note. Obviously you are reading our journals and just not posting at the moment. That's fine, just pop in from time to time to let us know you are okay. Sometimes it's hard to fit posting in when you are super busy.

Holly - dancing naked!!!! - please not on the glass coffee table - you could scare away the fish!!!!! Probably work out okay with the Manihians though as they like to dance but usually around the firepit and sometimes more or less naked.

Happy, busy as usual. Hope you get good weather for the visit with Mum.

Gotta go do some work.

Good lord, didn't mean it to be that big. I'll come back and delete it later.

What, what is big? Leave it big I say. I am old and have bad eyesight. :mag: :mag: :mag:

Can I go sliding down Mel's hall in my thick cushy socks? Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee....

That thar castle's lookin' pretty good Shad. Lovely views. Can I sing "The hills are alive... with the sound of MUUUUUSSIIICCCCC". C'mon Mel, join in. We can just lean over the balcony. And you make a fine point about those ahem, well rounded South Pacific women Shad. I think my sarong is stretched enough. Time to hit those stairs and since I've got the mop already soaped up and ready here, might do a few of those floors while I'm slip slidin' away...

Where's all the folks gone - we're on page 2
Back later.

Hellooooooooo!
Busy but good day. It is a gorgeous 22C,sunny and breezy, aaaaahhh!

Hi happy, I can see you're all lit up!! Hope you are havng a great day!

"WITH SONGS THEY HAVE SUN FOR A THOUSAND YEARS.....LA LA LA"

THE HALL IS FULL IF MY SKID MARKS ALREADY SO MAYBE HAPPY'S SOFT CUSHY SOCKS WILL WIPE THEM UP!!! LOL
LOVING THE NEW PLACE AND THE PICS....THANKS MISS SHAD!!
VERY BUSY DAY. SIGNATURES WERE NEEDED FOR THE PEOPLE TO RUN FOR ELECTION IN NOVEMBER AND NEXT YEAR TOO.
GLAD IT'S ALL OVER NOW!!! LOL AT LEAST TILL NOVEMBER! ROFLMAO WAS OUT A GREAT DEAL WITH THE BLUSTERY WINDS! NOT SURE WHERE ALL THE THUNDER STORMS ARE...BUT I THINK THEY BLEW THEMSELVES AWAY!!! SUPPOSED TO BE A GREAT WEEKEND AND THERE IS THE BIG ANNUAL TOWN PICNIC ON SATURDAY. LOOKING FORWARD TO IT TOO.
SEE YOU ALL TOMORROW! HAVE A NICE NIGHT AND GOOD MORNING SUNSHINE:flow2:

Wow, we all sound so super busy.

Mel, I didn't know you were a political animal. Suggest you run on a ticket to get justice and peace for all!!! They'd vote for you just to get you off their backs!!!!

If the hills are alive with the sound of music, I still straining to hear the singing and yodelling. Maybe my hearing is worse than I thought. We will have to get sheepskin tyre protectors for that floor. If we have to have Happy running and sliding in her socks to polish off the tyre marks, then she will be off back to the island in no time at all! Can't have that!

Watched a tv program last night called Foreign Correspondent. There was a segment there about the worlds wealthy beating a path to Queenstown in New Zealand to live. As an American expat (ex Washington) put it. It is peaceful, it is beautiful, it is cheap and it is safe. Many years ago when I first went to Queenstown, it was full of ordinary folks holiday homes (called cribs in the South Island) and motels. Now it is full of expensive hotels, luxury apartments and millionaires homes. The local population has had to move out of town in order to afford decent housing since the developers are paying top dollar for property to tear it down and develop some more. There is little hope they can ever move back to Queenstown. C'est la vie. That's progress. It has brought wealth to NZ which is gaining a reputation apparently as a safe, clean, green place to live - given the no nuclear policy and the refusal to join George on his mission to 'bring democracy' to the east.

Anyway, have much to do today as I have been given a stack of stuff to do - mostly analysis work which is interesting, since I am not a Business Analyst. Maybe I can analyse some common sense in to the works. No maybe not.

So cheers to all. It's Wednesday, life is on the up again. Hello to Happy's Mum arriving soon and cheers to Nae, Tig, Meadow, Teel and the bumpless Linus + no name (that we know of yet). Time to log in again and wave girls.

:wave:

Now these are halls for Running!!! Thanks Shad!

:wave: Hello ladies :wave:

I'm a Business Analyst. Enjoy your work Shad and remember you are not paid to think. Or so they want you to believe.

Kind of sad isn't it to see what was once lovely land now only open to those with lots of cash? :cry: Sorry but I also think the wealthy will bring a corruption of their own, even if it is just spoiled friends who think they can do whatever they like. I am glad we don't have to deal with that in the beach house or castle.

I have watched DH's sleepy little hometown grow into a bustling metropolis with traffic, people and the loss of charm it once had. Is now too much like the big city instead of the haven we would run to to get away from all that.

Mum arrived safe and sound. We had the first of many night's visit just laughing and talking. She is starting to look a bit frail to me. It's sad. Cherish the moments you have ... I wish I could take the rest of the week off but I can't. So we will enjoy the evenings. It's gotten warm and humid again. I was hoping for cooler evenings where we could at least go for a small walk. Doesn't look like it's going to happen for the next 5 days. Was almost 100 degrees today. Matched a weather record. Too hot for me yet the pool is too cold but looks very tempting. Even mum was thinking about putting a toe in. Mum just came down the stairs and said I thought you were going to bed 30 minutes ago. :nono: Oops, never too old to get chastised by mum and sent to my room, eh? So I just kissed her and said you can't MAKE me, can you? Never to old to get a swat on the butt either :rofl:

Shad, perhaps you do need to resize the picture. It seems to be setting the page off size. I had to scroll over to read the new posts. I still say it's a grand hall for sliding along in socks...

There I think it is okay now. I didn't have to scroll anyway. If it is still too big let me know.

Hello chappies...

More news from Linus....
:bb: is called CHRISTOPHER JOHN STEWART :bb: :bb: :bb:
He actually weighed in at 6lb 1 oz and not as mother first told me..apperently this false reporting was Andrews fault as he got it all confused in the first place!! C.J. has dark blue eyes at the moment (subject to change!) and has quite a lot of hair and he measured 51 cms. They got home on Sunday and at the moment he hasn't settled down to a good routine so poor old Linus and hubby are still having very disturbed nights..:faint: :tired: Oh and he came bursting into the world at 09:56hrs on Friday morning...yay!!:bb: :bb: :bb: :bb:

There. I cannot think of any other :bb: news but hopefully Linus will get on and regail you with the finer details soon.
I too was convinced the new arrival was going to be a girl...ah well...I guess Linus knows her body far better that we do, afterall!!!!

Shad thats such a beautiful castle you have found for us this time round...mind you, you always come up with somewhere absolutely breath-taking, but I think this one goes straight to the top of the pile!!Is there another ground floor room for little ol' me? I don't suppose the castle comes with lifts to all floors...of course if I am on one of the floors, I will have to hire a Jeeves to run up and down all those stairs. Oh and the summer residence is great too..you have done us proud!!!

Mel how are you doing? What are those pains doing these days? I hope everything is settling down...its about time you got some releif and quality time with yourself...:grouphug:

Happy I am glad you are having some great quality time with mum...It's funny how very suddenly they seem to get frail and old...almost overnight....good story about her telling you you should have been in bed by now!! :lol3: Enjoy her stay my friend. And give her a quick squeeze from the mad English girl!!!!

Hollyhock how old is DD? You sound as though you and her had a great birthday celebration together..:hb: Sorry to hear DS is being the proverbial pain in the neck at the moment...may this trial pass over quickly!! Great news on the bonus coming your way!!!

Tig...hello to you :wave:

Ok thats all from me...take care all....:wave: :wave:

Aha, Christopher John Stewart, sounds like a very noble name destined for great things... Thanks for the update and clarification Teel. No surprise that Andy got things bungled a bit, do they ever get those things right? Seems like the only men who ever get those things correct are gay... So C.J. is a restless bloke already? Will Linus EVER get any sleep? Told her she should have sat a bit instead of bustling about constantly... poor thing.

I will indeed give mum a hug from "the mad English girl" Teel. :lol: loved it. Oh and Teel I see from your tracker that you are VERY CLOSE to your goal. Congrats! :high:

It's doing a bit of lightning and thunder outside but no rain drops to be found and no rain in the weather forecast so what's with that? :?: Trying to fool me into not carrying my umbrella?

Busy day today. I have quite a bit to catch up on at work. Follow up chiropractor appointment tonight - we shall see just how crooked the spine is and what his recommendations are. I can tell you he will not be touching / bending / adjusting me if it hurts like it did when he was examining me last week. I am still sceptical. And I just HAVE to sit down and write the homeowners association newsletter. :write: Am regretting I volunteered for that now truth be told. After the first time it's not that much fun anymore. :comp: Being fun is not really the point as much as it takes quite a bit of time to get several pages thought out, lined up and then calling the various ladies to go distribute them to their assigned routes. Not to mention making boring subjects we know most people could not give a hoo hah about interesting. I'm a decent writer but I can't turn drivel into Harry Potter.

Anyway, time to seize the day. Later chickies...

Course there is a suite of rooms for you Teel and Holly the hound. It's on the Ground Floor around the back from Mels Apartment. View is different but no worse. Here you go, move in, make yourself comfortable.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...vingroom3a.jpg

There's a conservatory out the back - not your usual variety I have to admit. If you need to have a look at that go to the Neuschwanstein Castle website. And a grotto.

Okay, bed calls. The cat is grumpy with me because I said we were going to bed and we still haven't made it there yet and that was 1/2 hour ago. I need Happy's Mum to tell me off.

There is some bloke from Pakistan trying to get in touch with me by Skype. I think if he gets any more - shall we say persuasive - then I will have to put an ignore on him - apart from the curse he will get put on him as well. Have no clue what he wants at this time. He calls himself Pak-Afghan. I wonder if I am supposed to feel sympathy for him because he is Afghani????? Aaaaah well! Takes all sorts to make a world.

Okay, I am gone - back manana

SHAD TELL HIM NO AFGHANS ALLOWED BOTHERING YOU WHETHER THEY BE TWO OR FOUR LEGGED! :rofl: GOOD LUCK WITH THE NEW JOB AND I HOPE IT KEEPS THAT MIND OF YOURS OCCUPIED AND INTERESTED! LOL GOOD LUCK WITH THE CV TOO! I LOVED THE PHOTOS OF COURSE!

TEEL THANKS FOR THE UPDATE ON CJ AND THE FAMILY! :bb: YOU SOUND MORE LIKE THE OLD TEEL! I AND THE PAINS ARE GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER BETTER. THEY COME AND GO! LOL I KNOW YOU UNDERSTAND THAT. HOW GO YOURS? ARE THEY TAKING A VACATION YET AND GIVING YOU A WEE REST UP? HOPE SO.

HAPPY~ HELLO TO MOM FROM THE CRAZY ENGLISH-WELSH AMERICAN! NOT SURE WHERE I FIT IN AT ALL. A SQUARE PEG IN A ROUND HOLE IS MEL. IT'S MUGGY HERE. LOTS OF WINDS AND CLOUDS AND NO RAIN! :faint: THE STORMS KEEP PASSING US BY! HAVE A WONDERFUL VISIT.

TIG.....:wave: I SAW A SIGN THAT SAID NO RUNNING IN THE HALLS BUT IGNORED IT TOO!!! I'LL TRY NOT TO RUN ANYONE OVER.:moped:

IT'S ARTS AND CRAFTS AGAIN TODAY. A FEW MORE HAD WANTED TO MAKE THE BIRDHOUSE SO WE KEPT THE EXTENDED DATE. I AM THINKING OF ASKIN SOMEONE IF WE COULD PAIN TIMY PUMPKINS BUT DON'T KNOW WHERE THE $$$$ WILL COME FROM. WE'LL SEE. I WOULD LOVE TO SURPRISE THEM WITH AN ADDED CRAFT NEXT MONTH! I'VE BEEN RIDING AROUND AND GETTING SOME FRESH( :rofl: :faint: ) AIR! DREADING MR WINTER'S RETURN. HOPE THE FOLKS STAY SAFE IN THE SOUTH FROM RITA'S DEMOLITION PATH. TEXAS IS ALREADY EVACUATING PEOPLE AND THE ONES FROM KATRINA ARE THER TOO! :yikes: IS NOTHING SAFE ANYMORE!!!!!!
WELL I BEST GET GOING AND PUT A START TO THE DAY! ADIOS MY CHICKIE FRIENDS:wave:

AH thanks for the morning smiles!!!
Good Morning little CJ, kootchey koo.
Shad ,I love the art in Teels suite.

Sprinkle Cupcakes are in the oven. My sweet baby girl turns 5 tomorrow. I am taking cupcakes to school at lunch time.
Signed my new rep last night!! Snuck my Avon order in at 11:03. Deadline is 11pm. Yikes. I am not usually late for anything LOL.
Home and School meeting tonight. Bah. I am not on the committee but was asked to come. I rock!! Everyone wants a piece of me. If I give enough away do ya think I would get skinny.
The weather is PERFECT again. 15C, 60F, sunny and breezy!!!!!!!!!! I want to garden!!! May squeeze some in this aft.
2 kids this AM and then just 1 who naps for the aft.
My glorious husband cleared the table and did dishes last night!!!!!!!!

Food was better yesterday. made a lovely dill salmon with some pasta and broc for supper. YUM!!

Must putter away.

Have a sunny day!!

Morning all - or in the tradition of that wonderful British sitcom 'Allo, 'Allo, should that be good moaning.

Days are flying past much too fast. It's now only 4 weeks to my trip to Japan to see Chris. Then the fortnight will go by at the speed of light and I will be back home again. I have a dilemma to work out about my job. Do I finish here at the end of this contract (while I am away) and go find something else to do, or do I stick with it until after Christmas. There is always a problem with looking for work in November because of Christmas. Sometimes there is no work until the end of January. Normally one just plans for it and either works through or has time off. I don't particularly want time off just then. The bank balance hasn't completely recovered from the 3 months off I had last year. Now that was a bit of a ramble wasn't it??? :lol3:

Thursday already - good heavens - this week has surely sped by. And I obviously haven't been great with the eating since I was at 72 last Friday and am at 73.5 this morning. Grrrrr. I have joined the 21 day challenge thread, to see if I can make myself more accountable.

I'm in the process at home of getting rid of my tatty wardrobe. Some of my old tee shirts are really not even fit to paint in. Some of the casual stuff I have should be my working around home gear and some of my go to work gear should become my casual stuff. I have far too much stuff anyway. Time for it to go. What I am short on though is good shoes. They are so expensive these days. The cheap shoe stores never have either the colour I want or the size I want and if both those things are present, it's never the style I want. The biggest problem is the size and shape of my feet. These are short flat paddles I have on the end of my legs (to stop them from fraying) and most shoes are simply not wide enough for comfort

Christopher John. Now I should have realised it would start with C - Craig, Connor, Christopher, Cleo (now there's a conundrum - why Benjy???). Anyway, hope she gets on soon and tells us all about the wee bloke.

Happy, say hello to Mum from a Kiwi in Aus as well. Does that make me a Kiwaus or an Auski or what? Happy, make the newsletter very short and sweet and ask for contributions at the end. If you try to do it all on your own, then it will become dead and boring and dead boring as well. Shall I regale you with tales of a suburb in Brisbane for your newsletter. Tales from the Boonies and our ongoing saga about water or lack of it? Get the local member of parliament to add something - that should fill up a ream or two.

Holly - since we are already in tomorrow down here, happy birthday to your daughter. May all her balloons fly high!

Teel, thanks for the info on the Stewart addition. Did she mention anything about flowers??

Mel, the Pak-Afghan wants to know who I am, and all about me. I have learned his name, e-mail address, website (or rather the website of a shipping company in Islamabad which is where I presume he works). I have not replied. I have no idea who he is and if he doesn't say what he wants he will be blocked - he will probably be blocked when he says what he wants anyway. Geez, I have just finished a war with Asia on telephone use and now I get it through my computer. My answer machine is now a very nasty message to would be telemarketers. So beware if you ever get it. You could be falling out of the chair laughing, but remember it will be an expensive giggle.

Hope I haven't forgotten anyone. See you later

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s-babynews.jpg

:wave:

Oh Meadow thats a great welcome for baby Stewart...well done]. I still haven't mastered the art of putting a picture in the middle of my posts so you and Shad are the geniuses of the morning...:cp:

Or should I say the middle of the night? 'Cos its 02:13hrs here in England and I am awake for the 3rd or 4th time this night since going to bed at around 22:00hrs. I know my sleep pattern leaves a lot to be desired in the norm but honestly! Its quite a long time since I have been logging on in the wee early hours... :mad: :mad: :tantrum: :tantrum: :tantrum: :censored: :censored: :censored: :tired: :tired: :sumo: :sumo: :kickcan: :kickcan: :kickcan:
There that about vents my feelings for a few minutes!

Oh Happy no I am not any where near my target...that number was a while ago when all was going rather well. I KNOW I have put on weight but I am scared to get on the scales! And I am ashamed to say that I have lost the will to get back on any weightloss plan. I did tell myself that on the 1st September I would get back to it big time but now we are on the 21st and I still haven't done it...

Oh talking of flowers, I thought I would arrange for some to be delivered from all of us...any objections? No? Good!

Oh dear, the Hound has gone back to bed in disgust! She doesn't like it when her sleep pattern is disturbed..he he he!!! :tired:

Teel, I have already sent some flowers, that's why I asked. To make sure they had arrived.

Mornin' ladies and a good evening to you Miss Shad - I see your little egg is turned on at the moment.

Nice of you ladies to send flowers to Linus. It's times like this that it's so cool to have friends around the world. Went out to dinner last night and was telling mum about your hellos which made her giggle. It's like we all stand outside and look at the moon at the same time (and yes, there are many times I can see the moon in the sky during the day so we COULD do it if we tried). Some sort of kindred spirit amongst us which I think is neat. Mum especially got a good laugh at the idea of going around the world making sure you got in a decent bedtime :lol:

Sorry to hear that sleep is eluding you Teel. We have to get you a nice cozy featherbed so you can sink into a cloud of bliss at night. Bet Holly would fancy that too - all nice and warm and snuggly, particularly as we round the change in the seasons. Spring for Shad, autumn for the rest of us.

Cute graphic there Meadow. Very original. :) Shad I agree with you, shoes - comfortable ones - are getting more and more difficult to find. It's to the point that once I find a style I like, I will try and get another pair of the same kind a few weeks later (once I KNOW) that I definitely like them. My closet is littered with shoes that felt good when I tried them on but don't cut it for the long term anymore. More aggrivating than buying clothes is the search for nice looking but comfy shoes. :( So what's the latest on this man who seems bound and determined to pick you up? Perhaps he has heard you are the world traveler and he'd like to hitch a free ride and accompany you? DH was asking me last night if I had heard of any plans for you to come visiting around our way again. I told him about Chris and said things were up in the air at the moment...

Holly, kiss DD and wish her a very :hb: from all of us rockin' chicks. Cupcakes sound both fun and yummy. Have a good day with her.

Mel my buddy, you are not a round peg in a square hole any more than the rest of us. I was calling you Joy-zee Mel yesterday. Let's see a pic of the new haircut too. It didn't look like you had thin hair, I thought you had quite a headful from your last picture. How are you feeling these days?

Tonight is TV night. Weekend's almost here. Mum wants to go shopping over the weekend. Fine with me. I just have to leave my wallet at home as I have promised myself to cut back on the shopping 2 shopping trips ago.

Say a prayer for the folks in Hurricane Rita's path. My niece lives in Houston, Texas. She said she's really scared about the approaching storm. Saw on the news early this morning that it's taking 9 hours to go 2 miles in the traffic. Everything is grid locked. Imagine getting caught in the hurricane - a category 5 top notch hurricane - out in the open sitting in your car that ran out of gas. :yikes:

Makes you wonder with all this crazy weather if we've finally managed to abuse and tick off Mother Nature once and for all! I'd better get running now...

OMG BETWEEN THE JET BLUE PLANE I WATCHED LAND LAST NIGHT WITH BAD LANDING GEAR AND RITA ON IT'S WAY.....I FEAR I CAN NO LONGER WATCH TELEVISION!!! THANK GOD THE PLANE LANDING WENT FINE AND HOPE THE PEOPLE IN RITA'S PATH FARE THE SAME.
SHAD~ I AM UP 0NE LB TOO THIS MORNING. GUESS IT'S BEEN FROM ALL MY BAD EATING THIS WEEK! LOL BEFORE I CALL YOU, I'LL PUT ON MY SEATBELT :rofl: :lol3: BETTER WORK THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS AND BUILD THE BANK BALANCE UP AGAIN SO YOU CAN GO ON MANY HOLIDAYS YOURSELF! THANIKS FOR SENDING OUT THE FLOWERS! :flow1: LOVELY THOUGHT.

HAPPY~ THINGS ARE GOOD, EATING TOO MUCH AND ENJOYING THIS AUTUMN WEATHER. :moped: HOPE THE VISIT IS GOING WELL! AND SEND THOSE SHOES TO SHAD!!! ARE YOU THE IMELDA OF 3FC??? :faint:

HOLLY~ HAVING A 1/2 DAY WITH SO FEW KIDS?! LOL HOPE THE MEETING WENT WELL AND THEY GOT TO HEAR YOUR 2 CENTS TOO! LOL

MEADOW~ THE GRAPHIC WAS LOVELY!! VERY NICE. BUT HOW ARE YOU!!!!

TEEL~ THANKS FOR THE CJ UPDATES ETC. WISH YOU WERE FEELING AS WELL. THE OTHER NIGHT I ALMOST GOT OUT OF BED AND CAME HERE BUT SPENT THE BETTER PART OF AN HOUR WATCHING HARRY POTTER INSTEAD! :rofl: I HAD WILLY'S WIFE MAIL OUT A PARCEL. I HAD FOUND 2 OUTFITS THAT WERE BLUE. THEN KIRSTY TOLD ME SHE DIDN'T KNOW SO I HELD ON TO THEM TILL CJ WAS BORN!!! PSYCHIC HERE! :rofl: (sp) OR MAYBE JUST PSYCHO!!!!

ALMOST 9 AND I AM NOT EVEN DRESSED. MAYBE I'LL COOK INSTEAD OF DOING STUFF. WENT TO ARTS AND FOUND I HAD THE WRONG DAY. I FORGOT WE CHANGED IT TO THURSDAY THIS WEEK! MAYBE FRAN CAN DO IT FOR ME. ONLY 3 PEOPLE COMING ANYWAY. BETTER GET MOVING OR THERE WILL BE DUST BUNNIES FORMING UNDER MY CHAIR! HAPPY THURSDAY!

Good morning. I seem to have arrived to a sleep pattern of getting to sleep at midnight and waking at 7. DS joined us in the middle of the night and then I woke to DD on the other side this morning and then Hubby and Kitty besdie her. A very cosy family affair.
Hubby and I are quietly splitting hairs over housework. I commented at dinner last night that since I was earning equal income and working fulltime now that we should split the house work equally too.He commented that he would start keeping his pay separate, blah, blah ,blah......( not sure what his point was). Needless to say there is a standoff in the kitchen with all the dinner dished still on the table......
He took my comment as some kind of insult to his manhood and is snarky. Whatever.
HE sure wants those pickles I am going to make this weekend while entertaining for DD's bday, cleaning the house,gardening, hockey,gymnastics, getting groceries,selling Avon caregiving for 9 kids,volunteering at the church and school......
A mini ARG!! It is flattering he thinks I am so wonderful and capable, LOL!
I went to a Home and School meeting last night because they put me on their committee without my consent and wanted to be sure I was taken off.
No freakin meetings or work to do at home tonight.
I WILL however do laundry and tidy up the house and my do some scraping on the stairs or some gardening. It is a beautiful 14C,58F!!!!!!!!!

I was laughing yesterday about how my Scottish,German Canadian blood might frighten our new baby when tossed into the Worldly Auntie mix.
Teel the flowers are a lovely idea!!!

HUGS!

:hb: :gift: :balloons: HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOLLY'S DD!!!!!