[AustinGal]

TGIF by golly! Woohoo!

Our out-of-town guests cancelled for this weekend (sick toddler) so I have a few weeks to try out all the yummy ideas. KT the strata sound yummy, and was JUST what I was looking for. Thanks! Also, lalala dear, as always, thanks so much for your yummy input as well. Your recipe for salad w/ goat cheese crutons has become a regular favorite around our house.

New dining room furniture and a daybed were delivered today, and DH called to say it looks really good in our new house. (Today is his day off) Yippee! Can't wait to get home and see it. To celebrate I am meeting DH for sushi at lunch. I LOVE how much of that stuff you can eat on this program!

Work woes --- how did you guys read my mind? I have this whole "billable hours" issue that just totally gets me down. I get paid ungodly dollars, and the work is pretty interesting most of the time (but after all, work is work - why else do they have to pay us to get us to show up?!) Anyway, can't think of anything else that would be any better - I just wish I could get paid lots of money to stay home, putter around antique shops, putter in the garden.. putter in the kitchen. Too bad I can't golf, or I'd look for job as a professional "putter"! tee hee (ok, sorry for the stupid pun).

Anyway, I hate working, but I love what it gets me (like the lovely queen anne dining room set that I can't wait to get home and see, in the new house that I love). So, I guess there is nothing for it but to just bite the bullet and get back to billing those hours. Later, ladies. Thanks again for all the wonderful ideas. You guys keep me going on the tough days!!

[LM]

Hello you all...

seasaw - I know exactly what you mean about being in better shape now than ever before. I had a brief period in college (20+ years) ago of physical fitness but it didn't last very long.

KT - that strata sounds so good! But what's with the insomnia, if that what it is? You poor thing. I'm experiencing cyclic bouts of insomnia that are definitely hormonally related and no doubt, they will intensify as time goes on. Oh I enjoy being a girl.

Well, that's it for me today. Have a wonderful weekend everybody. We're just going to be catching up on the housework, gardening, bills, beading and things like that with a little visit to some out-of-town friends on Sunday night.

- Laurel

[MelissaL]

Hi all! Thanks for the words of encouragement. It really isn't all that bad (39)...it just seems weird. Yes, I am in much better shape than I have been. I think one of my biggest accomplishments has been maintaining my weight over the last couple of years and attending the meetings even when I feel like a slug.

Anyway, the weekend is upon us...Yippee! Today has literally flown by and I'm happy with that. I get to sign the papers for the loan on my new car tonight after work. After that I think DH and I are going to take the kiddies to Applebee's for dinner. I already know what I can have there!

Have a great weekend everyone!

[lalala]

Hello ladies,

Its Friday all day and I'm feeling it....

Yikes I have to get this stupid figure to get done for a meeting and nothing seems to be working. Thank goodness my office mate decided to leave early thus leaving me in peace.

Melissa: Happy birthday, 39 is a great birthday, it just keeps on repeating . What did you decide to buy carwise? I'm always going to be on the hunt.

kt: your day off sounds divine, but I too am sorry that you are up with the birds. Is it the change of seasons? I'm often up earlier in the summer, but I have been getting up earlier all year because of the dog. I hope you and DD can both get in a afternoon nap.

Miss Austin: sushi and furniture! I'm so jealous. I'd give my eyeteeth to come home and see some of my furniture (all good 18th and 19th century american drek) polished and dusted. I'm a sucker for sushi, I love pickled ginger andto eat with remington steele, wow! I hear you on the work front, but Martha's job is taken, so you and I will have to write briefs and make data accessible until they discover that we can do a better job than she!

I actually was thinking seriously about applying for a job with MSL when I graduated from my MLA program. I know alot about social history and garden art and design and the evolution of the porch swing would be just my cup of tea for a 3 page article with lots of pictures. Unfortunately, she is based in nyc and I'm not that into prada.

Laurel: How about we trade weekends? I could use a break. Yours also sounds divine.

seesawI could cry when I look at our garden. I did yesterday. It needs about two days worth of pruning, mowing and mulching. Next weekend perhaps.

So, I have been pretty not good with anything except for journalling. I'm going to try and get a
good exercise session in today and hope that this weekend is not a bust.

I'm off to SFO for a wedding. I don't even know the groom, but know the bride and her family. Its at a posh hotel and I'm so ambivalent about going. I'm not even sure what to buy, these people are established physicians with more money and things than they need. Anyways, I'm taking my bro out to lunch tomorrow and he's going to pay for the hotel room so it'll be fun, just like being little kids right?

Have a great weekend ladies, and I'll catch up on Monday.

lala