Hi everyone. I actually did win $20 in Atlantic City - playing the nickel slots. I enjoyed the boardwalk and probably put in a couple of miles. Also had a good time with my dd - we ate pizza, however. And I had fudge on the boardwalk.

Back to reality today...at work...got out and walked for about 50 minutes - I have weigh-in tonight and we are going to have a digital scale for the first time. No more fudging by moving my feet around and leaning in or out

I wish I had a pool - I used to swim a lot - way way back in my youth. We have a town pool but it doesn't open until July 1st.

It's cool here in WNY. Don't think I'll be wearing shorts outside until it warms up later in the week.

Have a great week everyone!

Lyn

Hello, ladies, just checking in. The mds changed my husband's dressings Saturday (first time) and were very pleased that the infection seems to be gone and he is actually showing some healing beginning in his foot. On the down side, because of all the antibotics they've given him for the infection C-DEF has taken over and they have had to put him back on that medication which upsets his stomach so much. Once they get this C-DEF out of him, he will be transferred to Sentara Skilled Nursing and probably be there for the several months, depending on if his foot continues to heal or not. So for now, amputation may not be necessary. He's very upset that he can't go home. Said he had a bad dream last night that they took him away from me and I couldn't find him. I try to reassure him that I'll be right there like I am now and it's only until we can get his foot healed, not forever.

Since this has now turned into a long-term thing, I need to figure out how to get a semblance of a life back for myself - went grocery shopping yesterday and got lots of healthy food. Made up some dinners so I can just heat stuff up when I get hom from the hospital, etc. I find it lonely at home.

TUESDAY: Today is Target Tuesday and our Target this week is skin care. Summer can be as bad as winter on our skin so let's be sure and take good care of it with a good cleaning routine for our face and good all over body moisturizer. It is the only skin we have and we need to take care of it.

Amanda: Good for you! New clothes always cheer you up and it is time we take back our power and dress the way we want. I am sure you look adorable!

LeeAnn: Luckily, most of the mother's stayed at T's party so we didn't have too many problems. That's awful about the baby's birthday and no one showing/staying. I mean, I know it is little bitty kids, but why rsvp if you aren't going to come then, right?

Lyn: Glad you had a good time all round in Atlantic City. Hopefully you won money and didn't put MORE than $20 in the machine!

Susan: We are glad to hear you dh is recovering and I know it is hard to have him away from you and having to run back and forth everyday. Just remember it is for his health and you want him back good as new. You need to start a great big quilting project to keep you busy when you aren't visiting your husband. Maybe you should take a tape recorder to the nursing facility and just have him talk to you while you are gone and vice versa then switch tapes so you kind of have each other around. I know when Jack was in the Navy and would go overseas, I would crave getting a tape from him just to hear his voice no matter what he talked about.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day today!

Carri: We miss you girl!!!!!

Faye

Hi everyone.
Show's over, last day of school for kids today...I've been doing nothing but sleep for 3 days!

Will be getting myself back on track this week. DH isn't feeling so great either with the pounds he's put back on...

Hope everyone has a great day!
Julie

WEDNESDAY: Today is Wednesday's Woes and if you have something you need to get off your chest, today is the day to do it!

Julie: It was good to see you. Hope we can see more of you!

Everyone else, have a wonderful day today!

Faye

Wow, Faye! You're up EARLY today!

Julie- Glad you're back.

Susan- Finally some good news. I'm glad he doesn't need an amputation. A quick thought (with no regard to $$ considerations) : My husband and I have cell phones where you can talk unlimited to anyone else (like your DH and he to you) for free. I'm pretty sure that just about every cell phone company has that now... maybe get a couple so he can find you at any time? That way it may ease things between visits...

Last night I dreamt that I had gained so much weight that I couldn't move any part of my body any more. Then I dreamt that I got roped into doing some kind of olympic level cross coutry bicycle race!!

Needless to say, I woke up with a new resolve. (and relief that it was only a dream!) So today I'm going to find better ways to get my exercise in while watching the kids. I think running games should do it... or picking them up more (weight lifting...?)

Yesterday I got 2 points in.

-Lee Ann

Thanks for the suggestion, Lee Ann. I have a cell phone and he has a phone in his room so we do speak many times a day. It would be good to come up with some exercise you could do with the kids - I'll bet someone has a video out on it.

I left the hospital a little early yesterday and went to Quilt Guild. Did me good to see my friends and get out of the hospital environment for a few hours.

Wednesday Woes...My DD (22 yrs) came home at 1 am, and woke me up crying. She discovered that her idiot boyfriend had cheated on her. She was so hurt - it's really hard to see one of your kids in such pain. I tried to stress all of the positive things about her and that she really needs to take some time to just get to know herself and not go running back to this guy. He's hurt her before....I could strangle him...but I'll keep out of it...I have faith that she will find her way.

Lyn

THURSDAY: Today is Time for Us Thursday so take some time and do something special for you! You deserve it!

Susan: Tell you husband we are all praying for him and glad he is coming around and getting better.

Lyn: Adult kids are more of a nightmare than when they were young. You don't want to interfere in their lives, but you want to shake them and tell them to {{{WAKE UP!}}} I have to say that my dd's first serious relationship ended in the man she is married to now and my son would always come to me when he was dating someone and ask my advice. He had 2 girlfriends that were problems, one he broke up with because she and her whole family were nuts! I mean certifiable. The other girl, he broke up with because he was in love with the woman he is married to now and after having a discussion with yours truly, had an epiphany of sorts. This girl became a mini stalker for awhile then found out they were going to get married and finally let them alone. We love our dil very much, but the first girlfriend our son had we adored. My son told me about a year ago that he is now a heroin addict. She had a mother that was really possessive and she didn't like my son because he was a couple years older than Debbie. I think it is so sad that to get away from her mom she did this. I don't even know if she is still alive. I think that all you can do is be there as a buffer unless she asks for advice and if she asks, don't be afraid to give it! They wouldn't ask if they didn't want help. Jack and I have always stayed out of my kids lives and let them make their own mistakes, etc. We have always had the policy that we don't interfere unless they ask for help and it has worked so far. Hope she can see the light and love herself enough to give the jerk the boot!

Everyone have a great day. I have to get hoppin'. My husband's sister (big here) called last night (they live in Texas) and said they will be here this evening! They have a son in the army that is stationed in North Carolina so they are stopping on their way through. I can't stand this woman and have to put on a nice polite face when she is here for my dh's benefit. She is not only his only sibling, their parents are both dead. He could care less if I tell her to stuff herself, but I try to be polite for his sake. She talks non-stop about herself, cuts people off when they are talking, and resents that I married her big brother. GET OVER IT WOMAN IT HAS BEEN 34 YEARS!!!! So, I want to make sure my house is perfect. We are taking them out to dinner and she refused to stay with us (Thank you Jesus!) so maybe we will just have them meet us at a restaurant for a couple hours and that will be the end of it. They are leaving first thing in the morning for North Carolina and Jack has to work and leaves at 6 AM so they wouldn't be hanging out here with me that is for sure!

Faye

Faye, seems you have more than your share of crappy relatives - maybe you got mine since we don't have any family.

Rain is finally over - had some minor flooding in the streets but nothing major.

I think once kids are grown, we need to let them test themselves and only give advice when asked for or to prevent a stay in prison. They'll make mistakes, but that's sometimes how we learn the best. Just be there to offer advice, comfort and aid when they ask.

The dog mystery is solved! I went out to the pool this morning to do my workout and down the walk in the courtyard here lay the neighbor that told my other neighbor we stole her dog. The woman who called the police on us about stealing her dog was standing talking to her. I thought she had fallen so I went rushing over. She was laying in a sun hat and very short silk komono, no undergarments, legs spread out, breasts exposed, talking nutty like a jaybird. The woman said she had called her x-husband to come get her. Come to find out, she locked herself and her dog out of the house so her friend couldn't get her back inside. I guess she has been refusing to take her medicine and is mentally ill. I guess the day the dog incident happened she said she saw us steal this woman's dog! I tried my darndest to get her to get up and get in the ladies SUV, but she wouldn't do it. I felt bad to leave her even with her friend there. I mean, I am not happy about the dog situation and the cops and all, but I would be a pretty nasty person not to want to help out someway. She told me I looked like a beached whale a couple times. The other lady said she was not right in the head and to pay no attention to her. I thought to myself, hey I am not sitting on the ground showing my privates to the world so I would rather be a beached whale! Her ex finally showed up while I was swimming and got her into the house. If she has problems, I wonder if it is good for her to be alone like that, you know? I'd hate for her to wander away sometime or out into the traffic, which is a heavily traveled street in front of our condo complex. She was totally incoherent, except she DID know who I was because she called me by name.

Faye

Hi everyone. Thanks for the advice about not giving advice unless asked. I am trying to do just that. She seems to be handling things ok so far.

Faye, Wow...you do have your hands full. hope the Sister-in-law visit goes as well as can be expected. As for your neighbor, I appreciate the compassion you seem to have for her situation. So many people are quick to judge others without understanding that they may behave the way they do because of an underlying illness. Mental illness is very difficult to deal with especially if the mentally ill person is not taking the medication that can help them.

It's a wonderful perfect June day here in upstate NY. I have my golf league tonite "The Hazards" and am looking forward to walking in the sunshine.

Lyn

So I've been researching gluten free recipes for Amelia's Birthday party tomorrow afternoon/evening. One of her playmates has ... celiac's (?) disease and can't eat it. The recipes I've found are fantastic and simple and fun, but when I called to run them by her mom, Lori said that her allergy is so severe that she needs all her own pots and pans, too!

Wow! Now that's rough. So we did some brainstorming and together we've decided that Grace will have her own stuff brought with her, but that I'll make similar stuff for all the kids so that she doesn't get that "I feel different" feeling or the other kids don't suddenly decide that they want what she has and eat all her food when she's not looking.

What else. My mother has decided to jump back into our lives again with both feet. My sister has been very *helpful*. Mom's got our phone number and knows where the baby is to be baptized on Sunday. She's MAILING us Amelia's birthday present (so somewhere she got our mailing address!!)....

I can't make up my mind if this is a scary thing or a good thing......

So is it me, or do we all suddenly have family weirdness all at the same time? Any chance we can get them together and then sneak out the back door? They can be weird to eachother instead... whadddya say? Any takers? Ha ha!!

-Lee Ann

Faye, you have got the--hands down--WEIRDEST LIFE!!!!!!!

Hey, look! There's a belly dance smiley

K' really gotta go...I have to proof a 96 page magazine tonight....

TTFN,
Julie

FRIDAY: Today is Fabulous Lbs Down Friday. How many lbs did we lose the last two weeks, gals?

Julie: Yeah, but ya still love me, right?????

LeeAnn: Nice of you to consider the little girl! My grandson has always had trouble at parties and such because he doesn't drink soft drinks. He usually ends up drinking water when he goes to parties because they usually are giving kids soft drinks. Believe me, my dd will be glad he never drinks them when he becomes older. Nothing worse than being addicted to the darn things like so many of us fatties are, right?

Lyn: I guess I am a glutten for punishment. I keep thinking about the neighbor down the street and if she is ok. I will not intrude on her, but I plan on keeping an eye out when I am out at the pool etc because she is usually out walking her dog about that time. As for compassion, I am way overloaded with it and could stand to have a little less. I am one of those people that would adopt every little orphaned kid in the newspaper, all the pets who have been mistreated or abandoned, cry at every darn tv show or movie that has any sadness or happiness in it and more than once have been tempted to stop and try to give a ride to strangers I see walking with groceries or standing at a bus stop loaded down. In this day and age, you have to be so careful, but I am what I am I guess. Jack tries to get me to toughen up a little partly because I have nightmares or dreams about people when things like yesterday happen (like worrying about this lady and if she is alright) and then I am upset for 2 days until it all kind of goes out of my mind.

The visit with the sil went remarkably well. She came into the condo and came right to me and hugged me as did her husband. We haven't seen her in 4 years and her husband in 16! I was so bowled over I almost fell back into the chair! She sat and talked about herself the whole time, but it was all pleasant enough. I had Jack go get BBQ from the place across the street and I made some pies and ice cream so we all just ate and sat and talked. My dd, sil and grandson came over too and Thomas and I played games the whole time. I think it went off better than going to a restaurant. I have to tip my hat to her. She was really very nice.

Well, I need to get going. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I have the UGH, commissary to face sometime this weekend. If I tie a rope around my waist, will one of you pull me out of the store if it gets too bad? I can be like one of the Jewish high priests who would tie bells on themselves and a rope around their waist before the would go into the Holy of Holys. Since it was the place where God dwelt, if they had not confessed all their sins before entering, they would die in there. So, the bells would keep the other Israelites knowing he was still alive and if they stopped they would pull him out by the rope as no one by the High priest could enter the Holy of Holys. You could yank on the rope if the bells stop ringing....

Faye