Hello to everyone.

Kayelle--great job on the run. I think if i tried to run even 1 mile, EMS should probably follow me, I would need an oxygen tank the size of a bus to recover with! Sorry to hear you are having trouble with an irresponsible dog owner. Before we moved we had trouble with a neighbors great danes terrorizing the street. Everyone stopped walking at night because the 3 dogs would start circling you and growl while you tried to walk. The city fined them a couple of times, it usually only helped for a few days. These were the same people that had a potbelly pig that was quite large and very mean. it got out one day, walked into the neighbors house and had them trapped in a room until animal control arrived!!

Melissa--I'm jealous, you got to meet 2 of us, how great is that! It must be nice to put a real face to a name on the forum. I'm glad you and SIL had a heart to heart, sometimes a dose of reality is what it takes.

Sandi--I hope your cat is better, I hate to think of my cat getting old, she is so much a part of our family. The day my nephew was born was also the day I had to put my 19 year old Australian Silky terrier to sleep. I was congratulating my sister and sobbing at the same time. Sometimes it's tough doing the right thing for your pet. I know I stopped him from having a lot of pain and suffering but it still hurt.

Theresa---Happy Birthday where ever you are. We miss you.

Laura--I think the cold weather is contributing to a huge appetite. I seem to be hungry all the time right now. It's supposed to warm up Thurs, maybe my appetite will cool off some.

Well I start another one of my long stretches at work Thurs. night. If I don't post it's not because I've forgotten you all, it's because I will be sleeping.
So, I will wish everyone a great weekend in advance.

Suzette

wow melissa. it's cool you got to kick it with laura and kathy! i bet y'all had fun.
i miss theresa! hope you had a great bithday anyway.
laura, those size 14 pants will falling off you in no time. just think about other things, and before you know it, they will look great.
sandi, i'm sorry about your kitty. my sweet little cat howard got hit by car a few years ago and i still miss him. i didn't even get to say goodbye because he was living with my mom at the time. i would like to get a cat, but the deposit for pets here is $400 and when do we have that kind of money? never!
well yesterday was bad. we had new stuff to sample at work, and i just can't do my job as well if i can't tell people honestly whether the cupcakes are good. i only had two tiny pieces though. but then i raided dh's valentine candy. who bought that durned stuff for him anyway?? oops, that was me. doh! (smacks head)
no cupcakes today!!

Well it's no big surprise that I am home today. It is still very much winter and it's nasty outside today. My husband even called in and was able to use a vacation day so he could stay home with me today, so it's a pretty good day to be snowed in.

Misty, I have never been a runner and it was so hard for me at first. I am still amazed that I can do it without killing myself now. I couldn't even run a mile when I was a teenager. I really want to be able to run the 4 miles around the section this summer. It'll be a lot harder than running in the school, though, because it's on gravel and there are some pretty good sized hills, but that is my goal for the summer.

Melissa 42 IS young, but you look much younger than that even.

I would LOVE to call animal control on this guy, if we had such a thing. The most I can do is call the sheriff but I don't know if they will do anything. Another thing I have thought of is calling the guy that he's renting the acreage from, but man that owns it is an older retired guy (and a real sweetheart) and I just hate to bother him with it. The place had been empty for years and this guy just moved in over there in November, so I'm sure the landlord is just glad that there is somebody living there now. Fortunately the dog has not been back that I know of. Maybe my husband scared him enough to stay away but my husband still wants to go talk to this guy when he gets home and make sure that he's feeding it enough. If I have to I'll go over and feed him myself but I don't want him to start thinking that I'm his friend because then he'll just be over here more and we can not have a dog that chases livestock around here.

The lack of animal organizations is a HUGE problem around here and while there is one rescue organization in the area, they have no facilities and rely completely on volunteers to foster animals until they get adopted (which they usually never do), so they are not able to do much for the problem. It is a real issue as people from town just go dump their pets out here in the rural areas when they get tired of them. We get so many stray cats you just wouldn't even believe it. My husband and I and another neighbor up the road from us try to keep them all fed, and spay and neuter and vaccinate as many of them as we can afford to, but we are still overrun with new kittens every spring along with the constant string of new cats being dumped off. It's extremely sad. At any given time we have 20+ cats outside living in our barn and outbuildings that we are feeding. In return they are great for keeping our mouse population at a minimum. Occasionally we can find a home for a few kittens in the spring but nobody wants the others. Add to that our 5 pet cats that are indoors only (all but one of them are rescues), plus our dogs, horses, pygmy goats and llamas, and you can imagine how much we spend on feed and vet bills in a year. It takes a big portion of our income and our time but they are worth every penny.

Well I got some good news today. The housing ok'd the rental increase in full so I will be here another year. I also got things squared away for Logan. Apparently I was supposed to be getting paid by cps for Logan which I never have been. They did provide medical for him but that was it and geez wasn't it nice of them to say that here is blah blah blah to help take care of him too? So anyway, they are going to retro food assistance for him from I think they said December so groceries shouldn't be an issue now for the rest of the month. Man I am so looking forward to the day when I don't have to deal with the State agencies anymore. I get so lost half the time! Stress is going down again-whew!

On a not so good note I just found out today that the UW won't take josh's medicaid so I can't get the additional testing for him that I need. I do have an appointment with DDD on the 27th for Joshua so hopefully that caseworker can let me know what I can do. We know he is autistic but not the severity ect and he is just under the umbrella so testing would be helpful in both treating him, teaching him and to know what I can expect for him in his future.

Melissa

We are experiencing strange weather today. Yesterday it was 60 degrees and today it's 55, expected to drop to the 20s and gale force winds. So weird.
Yesterday I fell off when I went to my mom's. My sibs and I need to come up with much more help for her, since she is alone and less capable everyday. The idea of bringing her here creeps into the conversations, between DH and myself, but I don't know how we would handle it. I would need help so I could do my stuff, but the nights are what would be the hardest. In the meantime, we need more help today, in her apartment. I ate cookies and candy when I was there, but I really had to have it and I am not distressed. I am off to the gym and I can easily work off 2 chocolates and 3 cookies.
I feel like stress never goes away. My kids are all quiet, so it's time to focus on my mom. If I were rich I could get what she needs- a 2 bedroom apartment with 3 shifts of well paid help, but that's dreamland.
There are good things tho, my body is definately changing and that is good and I have this group for support.
Laura

They keep telling us freezing cold badness too here and while it is a little chilly, not what they keep telling us. The sun is even shining bright again today.

It never seems to end does it? One drama after another but on the upside the kids are quiet for you for a change so enjoy that! Been quiet with my daughter too-haven't heard out of her for about 2 weeks now but I keep watching the jail register to see if she is there. That is a sad commentary. Now Maryann (other gramma) is telling me she and jason have been talking about dilemas with the girls-didn't say what and I hate it when she does that-don't understand why a person has to be so darn cryptic especially if they are going to bring it up in the first place and she hopes that I LIKE what they came up with. Boils my buttocks I tell ya. The main thing I have about Jason is he NEVER asks if the kids need anything and like he pays 97.00 in child support for both the girls so he has done his duty. I am not interested in moving to Bremerton even remotely since I know while intentions are good, I wouldn't get the help with the kids like I do from mom. Plus their dr. is here, josh is finally in a school that is working for him so it won't happen.

I think I would just like a vacation from all these drama people-life is quiet and nice mostly when they all just stay away from me lol.

Melissa

Well, I am back from WA, and what an awesome trip I had!!! I got to meet Melissa and see Lenny Kravitz and Aerosmith!!! SO MUCH FUN! Dad also surprised us all with a LIMO!! It was the most fun I have had with my family-I think EVER! I didn't get any pictures of Steven Tyler, but I did get one of this really cute little guy, Melissa's cutie, Logan. I tried to upload it for this post, but it said it was too big! I will have to put it in my Yahoo album, then post the link for you all.

Melissa is great! I don't think she looks her age at all. Can't wait to go back in April, have a longer visit and let the kids play! (See ya soon Melissa!!)

Where is Theresa?? Can't believe she's been MIA so long?

I feel for all of you getting the cold weather! Hubby said it was 8 yesterday morning! Today is warmer, but it's supposed to start snowing anytime and keep on through tomorrow.

I didn't eat hardly anything while I was gone, so I should be down on Mondays weigh in(If I can control myself over the weekend!!!) Monday is the last day of the Curves 6 week challenge-I probably only lost 4-5 pounds? But I'll take anything I can!

Well, I think my family lived in the kitchen while I was gone. I have got to go grocery shopping! I'll check back in later!

Kathy

I am so glad you got back safely Kathy and bless you for the compliment. Ya'll are so good for my ego! I am still jealous about Aerosmith too lol. I am looking forward to April too-it shouldn't be as crazy when you come back. Jason was supposed to be there on Monday not Wednesday although he did spend some good time with the kids so that is ok. I know I think Logan is just a little doll too! He looks so much like his mommy did as a baby except he is blond. Only little blondie we got in the family. I need to get the lunch thing going here-Joshua is on his mid winter break now so he is home until like Wednesday!
Melissa

hi everyone! well i am excited today.. i had been stuck at 145 for a long time, and yesterday i all of a sudden dropped down to 142. yay! but not so good is i celebrated with two mini-candies this morning :devil: even though i did not make my v-day goal, i am all geared up to lose those last 4 lbs until i am 100 lbs lighter than my highest weight ever (at least that i know of, since i wasn't so fond of scales before i started going to the gym back in 2001.)

You go girl!:carrot: :carrot: :carrot: Way to go! Man you must be gettting close to GW! I have got to get it going on here too. Stress is a killer for me and I have had more than my share of late. I have to learn to do other things.
Melissa

thanks for the :carrot: melissa. yeah, i don't really know what my gw is anymore. apparently someone my height should weigh 110-125 lbs. and i have a small frame. but i think i would look pretty much like death at 110. so i am going to continue eating op until i stop losing and start maintaining. at least i hope that's what happens ;)
i ate a cupcake at work tonight. the whole thing. eeek!

:carrot: whoo hoo candice Good for you Girl!
Melissa- maybe being blunt and just straight out asking what the heck they are talking about?? will work? I agree i am so over people being so oh i'll say this but not tell you what i really mean. grrr just spit it out and say it and get it over with -
yep i am very impatient these days.

on the other hand i have spent the last 2 hours at urgent care to have a dr. tell me i have a really bad case of bronchitis -yep for 50.00 he tells me it should really hurt when i breathe- (geee ya need a degree for that)- he looked about 16 years old and lacking a lot of bedside manner-instead of using words i may understand he talked to me as if i were 5 and used baby words- really all i wanted was for him to say it's bronchitis and give me my meds so i could go home and go back to bed:D
except for the sore throat and stabbing pains in my chestwhile breathing (lol) i feel ok- food is bah right now as i only want confort foods- or soft stuff- maybe i'll lose a pound or two from being sick-
I do hope everyone is ok with the snow and storms- i have been watching the news and saying prayers for everyone who could be affected by it. it's so weird- we are in the high 70's and other places are minus 10 or lower. oh well some get snow we get hurricanes.
have a great day all-
Sandi

Yeah I emailed her back and I wound up just getting another cryptic email and her saying she would call me this weekend. You know the things that had my knickers in a knot was that he waited so long to see them, he never told me he was now dating his coworker, and the fact he NEVER asks if the girls need anything. I am really pretty blunt and straight forward although I have learned to be more tactful LOL. When I asked Jason how he would feel if I was dating someone and he was here at the house and I never told him, he could see my point. I don't begrudge him happiness and a life but he needs to keep me in the loop. So much with that side of the family I just feel like it is here ya go-hope it all works out for you guys. My side of the family does way more than his does. Mom and Dad sit with the kids if I need them to, have bought diapers and stopped by with clothes ect. Mom even went and picked up freecycle things for logan for me since she knew it was going to be a really big deal for me to do it.

I hope you feel better soon. I may have to go in myself soon. I never have completely gotten rid of that rotten cold that josh gave me like 2 months ago. Still no snow here for me. Sun is out and it is bright! It is really chilly though. Not sure of the temp but it is cold. They were saying winds like 50-60mph but I haven't had any here. I am going to sit and menu out here and get a grocery list going. With the retro they gave me for Logan, I figure I should stock up on things and put them in the deep freeze.
Melissa

Ok I am having a hard time keeping my ticker for some reason. I redid it like they said to but as you can see it isn't there but when I go to sig, I can see it just fine. Anyone else having issues with it?
Melissa

Oh geez now it is there lol
Melissa