Should have guessed that by the height. Not that there aren't any tall Japanese these days.

Gaijin, tree house, Okinawa - ummmm Military?????

Got back up to 36 again today. I worked late and tried to get to the gym however when I got there I found I had left out some of my gear so had to go home anyway. So I'm calling today a bust on exercise. Weather on the news tonight tells me it got to 49 in Longreach today. Hot is hot, but that is just awful. 49 is something like 128F. I've been to Longreach but I reckon you would only go there in the winter. If you think about looking for Longreach on a map, it is in Queensland. It's plumb on the Tropic of Capricorn.

Bed calls. The cat doesn't know where to put herself so I put her outside. Better get up early tomorrow and water some of those poor plants. The roses love it but the pot plants are showing some pain.

Good morning -
49 celcius? That's almost like living on the sun! We could use a bit of (but not all) of your warmth out this way. It is cold and cold is relative to where everyone is right now. But at least stateside I think it's a fair assessment that it's cold no matter where you are.

However given the heat you are having, the only exercising I'd be doing was in an air conditioned gym. Good thing you have some cooling in your house too. I would not want to have Sunday the cat's long coat of hair in this winter. Hopefully the water tank still has a bit of run off from the rains of last week to give the garden a drink of water.

Holiday week is upon us. I missed the team holiday luncheon yesterday - got hung up in a meeting. No big loss I am told. Today is a luncheon sponsored by the project team. Thursday evening is a couples' dinner from the neighborhood subdivision.

I know that I have to sit down and get my Christmas cards done and mailed out by this weekend in order to get there in a reasonable time. I must admit that I don't feel much in the spirit of things. Not sure why, no particular reason, just don't.

Perhaps it's because I have to get myself better organized. When I fall into just drifting along, I tend to get this restless lost type of feeling. Guess I'd better jump in the shower and get my thoughts (and deeds) together.

Have a good one everybody...

Oh Shad, I woudl shrivel up and die!! I start to get heat stroke when it goes over 30C. It is a beautiful -6C here. LOL! My fav temps are 5C- 15C(40F-60F).

Early this morning..."I am awake and cant get my jammies off.wooohoooo! My big Avon order is in!!! And it was a great day. Everything went ticketyboo. I went for a massage at 8:30. I am pretty relaxed at the mo and should probably get DS ready for school. I cant even get myself dressed.la la la la la la .....
My earning should be around $800. Not bad . Wish it was like this all the time. I am going to put it right into savings.
I have turned down 4 dinner/party invites in the last 2 days. I already said no to 3 others. Can you imagine how crazy it would be if I did them all???? I have in the past. I like the new me. LOL!
I have the Candle Light Vigil tonight, where I am speaking.
I have 6 regular kids today and then 2 extras to help out a friend. SHe is going to have DD over on Thurs. I love that she called and asked for help.
I really must get tidying today and sort out laundry etc.
I have every pot in the house washed and sittnig on the counter ready to put away. I also need to make and grocery list. May take the preschoolers and do that tomorrow. I need to get jammies for DH and DS for their stockings.
OKay, time to get DS on the bus. Maybe I will get dressed."

I showered AND got dressed before 9am!!!! 8 kids playing happily. Just about to make some lunch for the troops. Got my baking list sorted out.
I am going to do some spiced nuts too.

Honey dipped- my hubby was in Japan back in 1989, he became good friends with a guy there and then he in turn moved here for 2 years, our friend is now in Tokyo, married and has a daughter , we still keep in touch regularily.

Holly sounds like you went for a massage in your pajamas. At -6 I hope at least they were the flannel ones.

helllo ladies and welcome honey-dipped. my wee man is asleep at the mo but for how long???????? he has swings and roundabouts when he sleeps all day and up all night last night after 5 hours of screaming the little darling went to sleep at 12.45am and slept till 7.30 i couldnt look into the moses basket till he moved and hes basically been asleep all day too so **** be up all night but yes he is more settled at the mo and hes taking more formula now ,
TEEL is m.i.a at the mo as her pooter is bust
to everyone else ill post personal replys soon but for now im going for a bath before satan mark 4 wakes up
bye for now
kirsty

forgot to say sisters labour stalled but she seems to be full swing now so hopefully ???????

hello friends

I've spent some time in the journal the past week or so. Kinda missed it.

Happy--thanks for the advice you gave in the journal. The doc did increase the thyroid med on last visit. It had dropped to low. That may be the cause of the achy joints.

Holly--wish I had your enthusiasm.

Shad--I had to smile when you put the cat outside.

Hello to all the rest.

Happy - I hear you on the drifting bit. I'm afraid I'm doing a bit of the same. Can't be bothered with the laundry, can't be bothered dusting and sweeping. I really will have to challenge myself with this one. So I tell you what - I will if you will!

Holly - did you go to the massage in your jammies or was that at 8.30 last night before you put the jammies on??? Good luck with the speech or is that over and you have done it? -6 would have me shrivelling up and complaining. Geez imagine the exercise it would take to keep warm!!!!!! It's all a matter of what you know I guess. I would actually like to have 4 seasons in a year, but not that cold a winter season thank you. Okay to visit, nice to see (once) but not for this little black duck.

Linus - hope the settle lasts for a while. It's the result of all that racing about when you were pregnant. The wee bairn is now getting his own back. Thanks for letting us know about Teels computer. She has so many problems with that thing. I don't think the repairman knows what is going on. Or maybe he does and wants to bleed her dry before he actually fixes the thing.

Ceejay - glad to hear that the achey joints are disappearing. You can do without that.

Where is Mel?? Meadow?? Tig?? PW??

This morning I got up bright and early and did a very naughty thing - I put the sprinkler system on to water the back yard for half an hour. There are restrictions which says we can't use the sprinklers. Anyhow I did it and then watered the pots front and back. I did actually get dressed to water the front!!!! Shad in bra and knickers might have upset the neighbours breakfasts. It's still hot - another stinker coming up; please note we have moved from scorcher to stinker to describe the day. I should get a job with the B.O.M. I have worked out how to program the a/c to come on at 4.00pm and go off at 6.00pm so I should get home to a cooler house today.

Well that's it for a little bit. Catch you

MEADOW~ BON NALALE TO AB FROM ME!!!! ROFLMAO LOVED THE GRAPHIC AND IT WAS THE FIRST THING A TiRED MEL SAW TONITE. CHEERED ME UP AND THEN SOME!! LOL

HONEY~ IT WAS GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE AGAIN AND WELCOME!!! WILL YOU BE IN JAPAN LONG? WE ARE FREEZING HERE THIS WEEK IN NEW JERSEY!!!

SHAD~ SEND THE HEATWAVE TO ME BABY!!!! MERI KITIMA TO YOU TOO FROM PORANGI! ROFLMAO PLEASE DON'T CRAP IN YOUR OWN NEST....MY BIRDS ALWAYS DID AND IT WASN'T A PRETTY SIGHT! ROFL GOOD LUCK WITH THE JOB HUNT AND GLAD YOU WILL HAVE TIME FOR THE SONS, A WEE BREAK AND THE HOLIDAYS! WE WILL TALK BEFORE CHRISTMAS OF THIS I AM SURE!! LOL

CEEJAY~ SO SORRY ABOUT THE SHOULDER!!! MY POOR SOUTHERN FRIEND. I HOPE IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK AND ONLY SOME INFLAMATION. KEEPING MY FINGERS CROSSED AND SENDING ((((HUGS))))) GOOD LUCK WITH THE PYRAMID AND I AM ANXIOUS TO SEE IF IT WORKS. I LOOKED AT IT A FEW MONTHS AGO AND WONDERED.

HAPPY AND MEADOW~ JEN PAINTED THE WINDOWS LIKE A XMAS CARD SHE HAD....HOLY AND RED RIBBONS AND SNOW AND GOLD ORNAMENTS. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO FRAME THE TREE IF YOU LOOKED AT IT FROM OUTSIDE TO THE INSIDE. CAME OUT NICE.

HAPPY~ HOW DID THE NEW DR GO OR HAVE YOU NO NEW INFO. I THOUGHT OF YOU WHEN I WAS SHOPPING. NOT SURE WHY YOU ALL TAG ALONG ON MY TRIPS THROUGH THE MALL BUT YOU GALS DO!!! LOVED THE IDEA OF "BEWARE' ON THE BACK DOOR!! ROFL I WILL SHARE THE QUICHE IF YOU BRING COLD STARBUCK'S FRAPPE'S WITH YOU! LOL

HOLLY~ GLAD YOU GOT MASSAGED AND YOU GOT A MAN WHO KNOWS WHAT A TIRED WORKING MOM COULD USE!! GOOD FOR HIM AND YOU! LOL I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO SEE ALL THE AVON STUFF IN ONE PLACE!!! MUST HAVE LOOKED LIKE XMAS MORNING!!! ENJOY THE FRUITS OF ALL YOUR LABORS!

KIRSTY~ HOPE THE WEE MAN GETS HIS NIGHTS AND DAYS BACK ON TRACK. HE SOUNDS MORE LIKE MY JERN EVERY DAY!!! ROFL HUGS TO THE SISTER TOO!!! GOOD LUCK!!!! HOPE YOU GET SOME SLEEP YOURSELF!

btw shad.....I DO NEED TEEL'S #'S FROM HER ADDRESS. I HAVE LOOKED ALL OVER AND CANNOT FIND THE ORIGINAL. CANNOT READ THE OTHER ONE!!! LOL SO I WOULD APPRECIATE IT SHAD BECAUSE I GAVE THE WRONG ONES TO CEEJAY TOO!!! LOL
I HAVE BEEN STRETCHED FOR TIME LATELY AND JUST CANNOT SEEM TO CATCH UP. HOPE TO BE ABLE TO START DOING THAT BY THURSDAY. MONDAY WAS XMAS SHOPPING, TODAY WAS FOOD SHOPPING AND TOMORROW WE ARE DOING THE SNOWFLAKE ORNAMENTS. THEY ARE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
THINGS ARE SO-SO OVER HERE. ROSACEA IS ACTING UP SO THE EYES ARE STILL NOT ABLE TO BE 100%.
HARY POTTER IS ON THE TV IN A FEW MINUTES SO I WILL HEAT UP DINNER AND WATCH AND RELAX FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY!!! LOL TAKE CARE EVERYONE.

Howdy, y'all...
I haven't been by as offten as before because the upgrade stopped sending me daily reminders that you all had posted.... Left to my own devices... I miss lots of deadlines... (unless it costs me money!! )

Great to see you back posting, Mel. Hope you are sassy, warm and happy.

It was 80+ on Saturday, 50 something on Sunday, and is supposed to be in the upper 20's over night with the possibility of sleet/ice/snow in the morning. HOW CRAZY is that!

My DH has talked about getting a gun and I've insisted that if we do, we'd take safety/target shooting courses. There seems to be so much fear and just as much craziness around... I don't know whether I'd be contributing MORE fear and craziness if I were armed, or whether I would feel cool, calm and collected.

I haven't been knitting much. It is astonishing how tired I get just getting back into the "swing" of household tasks, cooking, laundry and so forth , let alone seeing clients. Must. get. stamina.... Do you think it'll be on sale after Christmas?

I have started a new "thing." Needle felting. That's what I'm doing for small gifts this year, I think... I'm finally worried enough about retirement, and lack of earned income that it's not about spending. I might paint some things and give copies, i suppose... but it seems SO egotistical!! Bleh. Here are examples Mine aren't so anatomically correct as these... but I'm practicing.

I want another week off....or a nap. Or some Schnapps in my fat free cocoa.

Hi everyone! Hope you all are having a wonderful day! I'm up bright and early this morning. Can't wait to get a start on my day....

Shad- Yes, my husband is in the military...lol good guess. Btw, what part of Australia are you in? I have lots of good friends from Aus.

Holly- That's wonderful! I lived in Tokyo while I was going to high school. Back then, I remember complaining about there being nothing to do in Tokyo. Boy was I wrong! He's such a lucky guy to be living there. I'd move back there in a heartbeat if I could.

Melody- Thanks for the welcome! I'm not sure how much longer I'll be here. I'm thinking I have at least another year. I bet it is cold in New Jersey. Is it snowing? I have seen snow in about 11 years.

Happy- You just reminded me that I haven't even BOUGHT any Christmas cards. Ahh...I was thinking that Christmas was still a month away!

Linus- hello! Is your sister having a baby?

I'm being attacked by shortbread cookies! Save me from my baking My kids don't like it, my husband eats one and I eat the rest. I'm putting the remainder in a ziploc and putting them in the freezer before all that is left is crumbs and me in the hospital in a Christmas cookie coma. I have only done 4 miles this week which is bugging me, I wanted to be at least two tapes done by this time in the week so I can lounge while watching the Apprentice (Martha/The Donald) on Wednesday and Thursday nights. I guess I'm going to be sweating at midnight again

I am feeling a bit zany and would taint the thread by turning everything around to me, so I'll say no more

Warm hugs and a hot cup of low calorie cocoa for everybody.

good luck Meadow! I have a weakness for shortbread cookies .

Painter, if you do decide to get a gun BEFORE you make that purchase, please take a handgun safety course. You get alot of good information, including all the eye opening info about safe handling - and that means keeping you safe too. The course we took was for defensive use of a firearm. The point is not to kill someone or wound them but simply if it comes to that point, to defend yourself to the point of STOPPING the attacker. It was quite interesting.

Let me say (if I may take a few minutes) that I entered into this gun thing a bit unsure. I am not a violent person (although people who've heard me scream at the idiots on the road may differ with that opinion ). I don't believe in hunting for sport and if there's a bug in my house, unless it poses an immenent danger, I will generally relocate it outside back to nature if possible. DH had a shotgun many many years ago and I was afraid of it. I don't watch the news much but when I do I am appalled at the brazeness of the criminals now a days. They are no longer content to take your wallet and run, they aim to hurt you too, even if you comply fully. We have lunch and learn classes at work. I attend them whenever I can. Our sheriff's department has a crime prevention program and they give excellent seminars on a variety of topics. One of the things that they were saying is that you have a better than 60 percent chance of getting attacked by TWO or MORE criminals. They are hunting in packs now. Just this summer a family friend stopped at the pharmacy after work to pick up a few things - this was back up in Chicago. It was twilight on a summer night. She made her purchases and was walking back to her car. As she was unlocking the door, she found herself suddenly surrounded by 6 thugs (and I'm not talking Tig's cute grandkids here). They circled around her and pushed her away from her car. They started pushing her from one guy to to the next. They demanded money from her. All she had was about 40 dollars in cash. A few of them unzipped and exposed themselves and one guy pulled out a cell phone. He said he was going to call his leader who would decide if they would just simply gang rape her or whether they'd "finish her off" after they raped her all night long. Talk about freaking out. If you can believe it, there were people in the parking lot and no one made any attempt to help her. This went on for about 10 minutes when they finally settled for the cash she had along with her jewelry. She got back to her car and just collapsed for a few minutes before going back into the store where they called the police. This happened 3 miles from her home. Back in 1976, I was robbed at gunpoint. At 1pm right in front of my office building. The following year I narrowly avoided a second attack, simply because I happened to notice someone lurking in the shadows through my rearview mirror just as I was sliding the car into park. At the time it was 5:30pm on a dark winter's evening and I was sitting in the parking lot of my apartment building.

Thing is, you don't have to be in the "bad" side of town to be in danger. And it doesn't always happen at 3am outside of a bar. When DH brought up the subject of a gun he walked on eggshells as he knows I am not fond of them. I wasn't even sure as I walked into the class this weekend. But the thing that kept me there was my bigger fear that what if God forbid some day I needed to know how to use this and I passed it by. I am trying to be open minded about it.

I learned alot from this class. I surprised myself that I could actual handle a gun and shoot with some level of accuracy. However, don't get me wrong, if you are going to get one, you need to practice, practice, practice because in the event you need to actually use it, it's highly likely the criminal won't be standing stock still 3 feet in front of you with a big red circle on his shirt to guide your aim! You learn that you don't shoot at shadows or noises and that you are responsible for every bullet you shoot, no matter where it lands.

I don't think I will ever carry a concealed weapon. Yet if the gun is in a safe at home it won't do me much good if I get mugged in the parking lot at work. It's a dilemma. We have security guards at work - they are unarmed nice ladies who are much older than me. The most protection they can offer is to call the police after the fact. And average response time for the police is 12 to 30 minutes. Doesn't make one very comfortable. So I don't work late and I'm out of the office before it gets dark. If I need to work extra time on something, I take my laptop home and work from home.

It's a tough decision to make. And it's also pretty scary to realize that while the criminals are getting bolder and nuttier, there's also probably a fair number of people "packing heat" that do not put safety high on their list.

I'd be much happier if we could go back to the time when only the police had guns - but we live in a different world now. Ok, sorry to take up so much time on the soapbox.

In other news...
I was supposed to do my Christmas cards tonight but instead picked up the phone and chatted with 2 friends I haven't talked to in almost a year. It was so good to connect again. I must do this more often.

Meadow, put those cookies away and start WATP. That's an order You have me drooling for shortbread cookies now. I will have to settle for dreaming of them.

Honey-Dipped, what do Japanese Christmas cards look like? Shad has shared some of her designs of Santa in swim attire and 'roo's that pull the Santa's carriage or whatever you call it. Please share your designs with us too.

PW - they were talking on the weather channel about the sudden and wide swing of temperatures out your way. Brrrr. Take care and don't be slip sliding away on the sleety patches. We're supposed to get some snow on Thursday too. Everyone tells me that no one knows how to drive in snow here. Heck, half of them can't drive on dry pavement. That sudden right hand turn from the center driving lane will be even more thrilling if the road is slushy.
And work your way back up to speed with the chores. A small list, a few accomplishments at a time. You are still healing and getting better.

Mel, Jen's artwork sounds delightful. How cool to set the window up so that you can see the tree through it. No, I don't go to the "rheu-mah-tiz" doc until next week. I have 3 holiday peppermint and 2 regular vanilla Starbucks frappachinos sitting here waiting for you right now. And I make a mean one in the blender with cracked ice. What's your preference?

Shad, I may have spend unplanned time on the phone but I did get all the dishes and pots cleaned up and put away. Cleared the counters while I was chatting and even got a load of laundry done. So I'm passing the tidy baton to you - what did you do with it? I am beside myself with the giggles of you walking the house in just a bra and knickers. Now I truly understand just how hot it is by you.

Linus, sent some sleepy dust across the pond so that the wee boy sleeps like me on a Saturday morning Maybe then you can catch 10 extra winks yourself.

Ceejay have you considered taking Glucosamine with Condroitin added? It's a supplement, my family practice doc suggested it for the achy joints. If an aspirin or two doesn't help when you're feeling bad, try taking the Glucosamine regularly.

Holly, how did the speech go?

Foo, it's after midnight again. I really have to stop this too late to bed stuff. Nighty night.