mdrai

Love the adorable new pic of cutie patootie Carson!! Haydee... sorry you're having such a rough go of it, lately... hang in there, girlie!! Keep your eye on May!!! Pam... this is for YOU!:

That's so cute, Laura! My kids enjoyed Veggie Tales when they were little... gosh, they've been around that long? The fav was the "pirates who don't do anything"! I've never tried to bake a cake in a roasting pan, but thanks for the props, Haydee! I'd probably do what Heather said, 2 layers of a 13 x 9" cake. The only cake I've used sour cream in is Bundt cakes... don't know if it's the pan that makes them puff up like that or not, but you're right, they're usually denser than a regular pan cake. Correct me if I'm wrong, but "Fat Tuesday" is the English translation of "Mardi Gras"... the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, which is the first day of Lent. Pancakes and other baked goodies, like kinklings here in our area, are the traditional food of the day. A lot of churches will have big pancake suppers tonight. I think the idea is that you're supposed to use up all the fat/lard/sugar in the pantry before the 40 days of Lent, when you're not supposed to be indulging in such gourmet badness! I'm doing the whole pancakes for dinner thing tonight.

Newflash of the day: MO POOPED! You're all so kind to put up w/me & my constipated cat saga, so I won't go into all the multi-sensory details that the vet required, but suffice it to say that at the 11th hour, he did it. Not a lot, but just enough to get himself out of going back to the vet (and very likely the big pink needle of death). DH was clear that that was the remaining option if his system was no longer functioning. And I wonder why I've been on edge lately? Between that, historic snow totals, and kids who have been home half the month??

Insurance just sux. But that is funny about the 10lbs & Russ's comment! You seem to be doing great w/your renewed commitment! KUTGW!

Ditto what Judy said, Janie. It's great that you've found this new doc and he's working with you and helping you to succeed. You go girl!

Oh my! They're little, but they're quick! & quiet! Oh dear!

Hey gals... It's Monday. I keep waiting for a "regular" week as well... still waiting. It's like life is just a tad off-kilter, about a half-beat off "normal"... every morning I wake up and think that today will be the day that it's back to normal... but then, no. Hm. Well, hope springs eternal. Until then, I just keep plugging along. Make it the best Monday it can be!

Good morn, Vi's~~ I'm pleased w/myself this morning, as I completed the hat that I began knitting just 4 days ago! I'm infamous for *starting* projects... not so much for *finishing* them, lol! I learned two new techniques: knitting on double-point needles (I've done this a few times, never very successfully) and crocheting the edging (I've never done any crocheting before this!). I even had to rip out and re-do two chunks (the first was because it was too big, so I had to undo it & make it smaller, the other because the edging was uneven & I'm picky), which usually frustrates me and adds to my procrastination (I put it away in a funk, never to return)... but not this time... for some reason, I persevered. It still turned out a *bit* too big, but DS says he likes it & that it's soft & warm, so yay. I want to get back into knitting this year, and am hopeful that a few of this type of quick project will build my confidence and propel me to some more difficult ones, such as vests/sweaters for the whole family for Christmas! Oh my. We'll see! Here's the hat: On the Mo front (or "end", lol)... he's home & doing ok. He's eating and acting peppy... he won't let me out of his sight. Giving him all his meds is a bit tricky, but we'll work it out. We'll follow-up on Mon w/the vet... phew. Off to shower & get ready for DD's last Winter jumper show of the season. I hope each of you knows how much you mean to me, on this day of love -- and every day. Smooches!!

Happy Valentine's Day, my sweet Violets! Here's a little "virtual," calorie-free treat for you! (But for me, the cals are real! :smile:) :smile:

Naturally, I have all the ingreds for REGULAR, full-fat & sugar sop chzck, but none for the lighter version, ha ha ha! All this talk has gotten to me & my cream cheese is softening as I type... I'm going to make one in a big heart shape for tomorrow... yeah, that's it! That's my story & I'm sticking to it! The kids have Monday off for Prez. Day... that will make it 6.5 days off school in a row... AND... I can't believe it, but "they" are calling for SNOW on Monday night into Tuesday... perhaps as much as 6-12"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :smile::eek::smile:

How would it get cold? Oh, you mean "left over"?? WTF?! I've never heard of left-over sop chzcake before! :thumbdown::thumbup:

Good Morn, The vet called... Mo didn't poop overnight so they're going to "work" on him some more this a.m.... I cringe when I imagine what his lil' bum bum must feel like! We're supposed to go get him @ Noon today. When the vet called w/an update last night, he said that he didn't want to get our hopes up. :thumbdown: & then he said that Mo did all right with the anesthesia: propofol! A year ago I wouldn't have known what that was, but now... I have a simple goal today: not to cry. Not sure that'll happen. I need to buck up and take care of business, whatever that entails. Enough of this mushy stuff! Laura, I heard about that! Terrible! My ears always perk up when the news mentions Vi towns/states: Ala, Alpena (Al Roker frequently points out Alpena!), St. Louis, Houston, LA/Palm Springs. Suzy, I heard that now there's snow in 49 states! Wish I was in HI... Janie! I got my adorable tweezers in the mail yesterday! What a treat, especially as we haven't had mail service in a week! THANK YOU!! Judy, I believe that that is what "they" (whoever "they" are!) say, 10 x 3 = 30 however you break it up. Good for you! KUTGW! Enjoy your day! Pam, did your bro get to see the house? Did he just love it? Sounds like you've got an enjoyable weekend planned. Hi to Susanne! I watched the opening ceremonies last night, too. I'm a sucker for stuff like that... it's amazing how they create all those effects, like the whales swimming across the stadium, etc! I went to bed around the fiddling time, but dvr'd it for later. Ok... off to clean the bathroom in prep for Mo's return, and then do some work, and then some baking for the horse show & VD tomorrow, and, and, and... Oh, speaking of which... I bought VD cards for you all awhile back, but for obvious meteorological reasons they didn't get mailed... sorry! I do love you all! I'll probably send them at some random time during the year... Ok... bye!

Thanks, gals. Even in his pain, he's still such a lover. Such a sweetie. And you're right... pets are furry children! lol! Am trying to work work work today... have been such a slacker for many reasons... but must work, must make $$!!

Hello... Was up 'til about 2am w/Mo again last night... he was moaning & groaning more than ever and I came this close to taking him to the overnight emergency vet... but road conditions kept me nursing him here. I was up @ 6 and out the door w/ him so we'd be @ the vet when they opened @ 8. I left him for more roto rootering. I know I've been sharing poor Mo's travails w/you all... but I wish there was a way for me to really express my utter anguish this past week... every moment has been spent worrying, monitoring, tending, nursing, analyzing, fretting, wondering, feeling guilty, washing -- SOMEthing related to that lil' guy. I feel so so badly for him because I know he's in so much pain and doesn't understand what's going on or why I leave him at that scary place where they do those invasive things to him. He did seem peppier when we brought him home on Tues, after he got 1/2 cleaned out... but then, as Weds & Thurs wore on, & he didn't poop on his own, he got more lethargic & in pain again... this has just torn me up emotionally & financially... & knowing that it's all my responsibility to keep up his increasing care/meds makes me crazy... because if/when this happens again, it's bye=bye Mo... can you tell I'm all twisted up about this?? Sorry to ramble... I just need to vent... get some of these thoughts out of my head...

Good afternoon... Pam, you're moving this weekend? How exciting! Happy Birthday Suzy! David Cassidy... I loved him when I was a girl! Hi Janie & Judy & Laura & Haydee!

Here i am! Just settling in to try to get some work done... you'd think that being snowed in would be great for me & work, but no... not when I seem to be constantly cooking/cleaning up, laundering snowy wet clothes, picking up, vacuuming up road salt, + nursing Mo... & repeat 87 times a day... phew! Last night I did finally get a knitting project started... it's one of those hats w/the ear flaps w/the braided cords that hang off the flaps. It's knit top - down on 4 double point needles and getting it started took me ages to figure out... but I persisted and finally got it! Yay me! That was another NY resolution: to knit more. The sun is shining!! DH is in the office working. The kids are doing their forced labor shovelling the driveway. Did I tell you that the snow blower broke a belt yesterday morn? So now it's just old=fashioned sweat & shovel to do the looooong driveway. The snow is hip=high... so what's that, 3'? The news is nothing but crazy stories about how bad the roads are... I'm hoping that we can get out tomorrow & take Mo back to the vet + just get out for a bit... we'll see. OK... time to try to work a bit! Make it a great day, everyone!

Thank you! It does seem funny about your location, Janie. I always think of you as the Violet in the middle... that you should be able to get N, S, E, or W easily... but I guess the distance is deceiving, huh? Interesting... And I must admit also... what with having the whole fam-damily home & inside since last Friday, altho the outside looks lovely... the inside? Not so much! I'm trying not to let it bug me, but... as soon as I clean something, it's messy again! So I'm trying to let it go... breathe... breathe... lol...

Thank you. :rolleyes2:

Way to go, Laura! Sounds like you're getting your head (& the rest of you, lol) back in the game. Isn't it funny how that spark of motivation can come out of nowhere? Today's "snow event" is different from the one over the weekend in two ways: less snow, but more wind, which creates blizzard conditions. Lovely. Also, our snow blower broke this a.m... a belt snapped & dh has called all over the county & either places aren't open or they don't have one. So now it'll be old-fashioned shovelling... we'll all take turns, as we have only 1 shovel! Have I mentioned that I am SO. OVER. WINTER! Today's baking is cinnamon swirl bread, from scratch. There's something primal within me that I must bake on snow days. Which is fine during a typical winter when it snows only a few times... but it's getting crazy this week, lol! The family likes it, though!

Yep, that pretty much looks like our patio furniture, too! & now it's happening again! Ack!! :thumbup: We brought a very groggy Mo home at about 2pm... then he & I snuggled on my bed for a bit... now he's up in his little "apartment" (our bathroom, all tricked out w/his special food, water, flannel sheet nest, & litter box) while I make dinner, etc., for the eve. The bill was more than $1,100. :thumbup: But wait -- it gets better! We have to take him BACK... either Thurs or Fri... whichever day the roads are re-cleared & we can get there... for another x-ray & then, depending on what's still there, another round of knocking him out & pulling it out. I baked "kitchen sink" cookies (choc, white choc, and butterscotch chips) for the vet's office today & they loved them. I asked if I could simply bring in 1,100 cookies & we'd call it even. Yeah, no go. Plus he'll be on this special food AND more of the med he's already on + a new one... ka ching! ka ching! So I'm getting my money's worth in snuggles and kitty lovin'!!

Ay yai yai, Laura... what a headache! Insurance sux.

But YOUR new house has a sunset over the pool/hottub... & that trumps snow-house ANY day! :cursing:

Ok, here they are... some pics of the house & driveway from the weekend storm... You can kinda tell that we're tucked back off the main road in the pine woods... & get a feel for our long driveway... it's a lovely location -- in the Spring, Summer, and Fall!

Aw, Pam... sorry to read that you're sick. Snuggling up w/Klaus & Lucy sounds like the perfect Pam day. Take care!

I can't agree more w/what Judy & Pam wrote, Janie... I'm right there with you... it's such a head game, no matter how small our stomachs are! But we haven't failed until we give up -- hope springs eternal and every day IS a new chance to make the right choices... every meal... every moment! We're all amazing woman and I'm GLAD I'm fat because it's how I came to know & love each of YOU! (Now if I could just know & love you as a svelter woman... :cursing:) Yes, we are in the bulls-eye for the next storm converging over the mid-Atlantic... it's supposed to begin this afternoon... estimates now range to about another 20" on top of the 25ish we got over the weekend. My mind can't comprehend that much snow! It doesn't want to! We're supposed to pick up Mo today, hopefully before the snow flies. Other than that... more hunkering down and indoor activities... can you say "cabin fever"? It was fun at first, but now...