cramerk

got the other gate built last night, finished about 10 pm. Looks pretty darn good, better than the first one. So we will see how it works. Had a field trip yesterday looking a glacier morraines and sedimentary rocks. Loaned everyone my sun screen, but didn't put any on myself. Can we say 'lobster', dumb! Talked with Steph on Monday about when we were leaving. On the phone we talked about leaving on the 30th and arriving on the 1st, however, that was when we both thought the 1st was Friday, SO now I don't know what is going on. If we leave on Wednesday, the 30th I will have to try to make a change in my hair appointment. also the Electrician was suppose to stop by to give me an estimate so I'm not sure what is going on now. Well need to get busy, ttfn

Okay, whew, a little breathing space. Got some laundry done, bills paid, now all I have left this week other than class is to finish my master's application and build the other dog gate. Today will be the test on the rebuilt one. Checked out the finances and it will be tight, but I do have the $$ for the July trip. Next week already? I was so bummed when I found out that yesterday was the summer solstice. Heck I haven't had summer yet. Our average temperature for May was 47 degrees. I am SO looking forward to some organizing time. But I am chipping away at things. Now the sun is starting to leave, grrr. Phyl, you will find the right furry, just keep looking. I'm glad Earl is changing his tune a little bit. No Snacks yesterday afternoon!!! I had about 1/3 cup of veggi chili and a huge salad for lunch, I was full until about 8 pm. I think the trick was the chili. I am going to find a recipe for veggi chili and try to make some of my own, it really made my tummy happy. Well, need to kick it in gear, check back this evening, TTFN

No I'm not dead, just swamped. Work yesterday until late, came home and did homework and had to get up early to finish it before I had to leave for class. got home tonight and rebuild the dog door. Hopefully it works. Janet, baby gates don't work, the dogs either climb them or beat them down. Part of the dog issues is that I haven't been home. I am going to see how the rest of the summer goes and if I don't have time for dogs I may give them away. There was a tornado in Billings, about 30 miles from my mom's house. It took off the roof and flooded the Metra which is where the Antique Road show is suppose to be in July. So it may get canceled. I'm bumbed. Anyway, need to find something for dinner and do some laundry. Talked with Steph and I guess we are going to leave Thursday afternoon and get there on Friday. Can't wait!!

Nah Candice, I like the goodbyes in the evening too, mainly because I hate the goodbyes. I always cry if it someone I care about.

Phyl, Bella is adorable!!! What a cutie, but such sad eyes. I think she is needing you. I hope all goes the way it should. you will know if she is the 'one'. DD#4 stopped by to pick up Simon. She dropped a bit of a bomb shell that I need to wrap my head around. The boyfriend not only doesn't have a job and lives at home....he has a 6 year old son who hasn't been in his life until recently. DD#4 SAYS it was because the mom did want him involved. Okay, trying to keep from being judgemental here. Does she realize the can of worms she has stepped into. She isn't too happy with me, because I didn't keep my reaction neutral. I wasn't negative, but I did say 'what?'. Not too happy with myself about that. I shouldn't have let her know my reaction. Okay, let's get real, I should have taken the information in stride, and not reacted at all. I had an ephiphany this morning, yes these are her choices, but they are HER choices and if I keep reacting this way, I'm going to lose her. No I don't want her hurt, but again, it is her hurt and she seems willing to take the risk, so I must let her. In other words, I need to 'shut the @#$%' up and let her deal with in on her own. Quite an ephiphany for 6 am. Candice you are up and at 'em early. I just got a blip that you were on line! Well need more coffee and then get busy, TTFN

Graminator, get some papya enzyme, Walmart or any pharmacy has it in the vitamin/herb island. I like the brand at Walmart best. Chew a couple of them and it will help. Also people say that pineapple juice helps, but I have never tried it. I can't eat chicken, even though I love it. Think small bites and chew chew chew. Good luck!

Janet, I haven't heard from Stephani, although last month she talked about picking me up on the 1st. I have absolutely no idea how long the drive will be, I'm not even sure where we are going. Didn't do too much lifting today. Mainly worked on pond stuff, in and out, in and out of the ponds. NOT my idea of fun. My fence is almost done, IF I had a camera and IF I knew how to use it, I'd take a picture of it for you all. DD#4 has a camera, maybe I can get her to take a picture of it for me. Spent all evening making a perminant dog gate for the kitchen. Came home from work and they had eaten their way through it. So now I have to try something different. Remind me again why I own ONE dog, but have 3 dogs in my house. Was going to build the other gate tonight, but now I'm just kind of ticked about the whole thing, so I am going to wait. I may just go to Petsmart and see if they have anything in the indestructable isle showing 3 teeth laden doxies. That or I may put 3 destructable doxies up for adoption!! Well, coffee is out, so I need another cup and dinner, cbl, ttfn

Had a field trip for class today, I think I have looked at more rocks than could possibly exist. Now I have to try to remember it all and then complete all the worksheets, crap, they are due by monday am, but I have to work all weekend. Made a doggie gate that hopefully will keep the doggies in the kitchen. I have one more to build and hope to get it done tomorrow. Battling a sore throat and I can't afford to be sick right now. Tomorrow the fence will be done and hopefully the electrition (friend of carpenter) will give me an estimate on how much $$ it will cost to move the electrical IF we have to move it to put the french doors in. I may have to live without the pond this year, but I'm not living without the french doors. I found a way to make some extra cash, $20 an hour for 3 days of watershed workshop in August. It will be right after the 'culture camp'. I got all my transcripts ordered and my certificate filed with the district, so only have a few more things to get done for the master's paperwork! Phyl, you will find the right puppy. I have never been real fond of Shitz zu's. I little to on the yippy side for me. Either ignore Earl or do what he wants. He doubt he will 'give' in, but if you can deal with his attitude, go for it. Candice, congrats on the surgery. I am not brave enough for that type of surgery, I can barely get contacts in, the whole eyeball thing. Also, great job on the food choices!!! Janet, do you have an empty house now? If you feel the need to clean, come on over. Linda, glad to hear from you. Yep, we will have to sit and cuss & discuss our children. Well, trying to get some dinner. check in later, ttfn

Phyl....WHAT ABOUT THE PUPPY??? Janet, I don't take Snacks, the program provides them and they are all carbs, sugar, & soda. So today I packed a liter of crystal light and laughing cow and low carb crackers. Did much better. Tomorrow we have a field trip so the meal provided is a sandwich. So I'll eat the middle and call it good. Don't really feeling good, sore throat, but I'm sure that I'm just tired. So I need to order some transcripts for my masters application. TTFN

Okay, I get it. Janet, you are right. I guess I have some issues I need to deal with. I am not giving DD#4 and the young man the benefit of a doubt. I promise to do better. I need to make an effort to understand. So I will do my best and stop being to negative. Short night, slept hard, would like to still be there! I think tonight I am going to come home and go to bed early!! I don't know that my food choices are good. Okay, I know they are the best. I find myself snacking during class because I am bored. Actually I seem to be doing okay until the evening, normal for me. Candice, 1st thanks for the pattern! Second, congrats on the food issues, you are doing a great job. Phyl, let us know what you decide about the puppy. If you need a 2nd choice, I have some doxies? Yeah I know, I wouldn't part from them for a whole lot of $$$. Although right now I would seriously consider the possibliity. Best get going, I need to email mom.

Survived class, but it is getting very difficult!!! the down pour helped, but I'd rather be at home snuggled up with a good book, not learning how to classify rocks!! Anyway, DD#4 actually made an appearance tonight, took Simon with her to spend the night with the 'boyfriend'. I asked her why she just didn't move in since she is there all the time. Her response, 'He has asked me but I'm not ready for that.' ARE YOU KIDDING ME. You sleep with him but you aren't ready to live with him. Now don't get me wrong, I think it will be a huge mistake if she does, but I just don't understand how sleeping with him is less than a committment than moving in. Ah could it be that he lives with his MOTHER? I asked her if he had a job yet...no he does not. Why? He has a broken wrist. So now a days having a broken wrist precludes you from working? However, he will be going back to school this fall, for what I asked??? Get this...underwater welding. Um...we live in Montana, we have not Water to weld under, and she bought it. I barely can look at her without getting mad. Maybe it is just my mood, but it wouldn't take much to give ALL the furries away. The only thing stopping me today is the guilt that I would feel. I'm tired. I think this week, I am going to just make an appointment to get their nails clipped and leave it at that. I just can't get it done. So I think I will call the kennel tomorrow and see if I can make an appointment to drop them off on Friday and the groomer works out of the kennel, so she could do the nails while they are there. Phyl, you will know when it is the right dog. But be sure that you aren't counting on Earl changing his tune down the road. Be prepared to accept his remarks, etc. Yes he may change his mind, but he may not. Be sure you can live with it if he doesn't. Otherwise you will be miserable. So where you able to get a fill? Well need to get busy, TTFN

Ah Denise, I'm so sorry! I know I am feeling overwhelmed right now with caring for my furries with everything else, but i also know life would be hard without them. Candice, I have never read the Rainbow road, I loved it. I'm going to send it to my DD#1 who had to put her kitty down in February. Yeah I'm busy, but I ran out of potting soil, so I won't be planting tonight. Plus it is down pouring and is suppose to be all day. I usually continue to work in the rain, but tonight I think I will pass and I need to do furry nails and laundry. Ah Miss Molly is snuggly this morning, can I just stay home and snuggle? OOHH, I splurged and bought some OPI dark red fingernail pollish, in my case toe nail polish. I don't slow down long enough for fingernail polish to dry, but I have to paint my toe nails so I can wear sandles in the summer. My toes get so grungy after working in the nursery that I can't get my nails really clean, I know TMI, so I paint them to hide the ground in dirt. I never have used red before. Maybe tonight I will have time for toe nails. Phyl, GO GET THE DOG!!! AND WHY CAN'T YOUR DRIVE!!! You talked about driving before? Call a taxi, even in Missoula we have taxies. Well my time is up, keep up the good work, Phyl don't you go back to the doc today to check out your band? Swing by and get the dog! If Earl has a need for a 'honey do' list, send him to my place!! Love you all, you all are doing great!!! TTFN

Wow, you guys have been busy today. I had class. Didn't get home until 6:30 and then planted some more pots. came in around 8 pm. I finally talked to the person in charge of our classes and asked if I could work something out for lunch. The program pays for our lunch at the university cafeteria, the problem is that we only have 20 min for lunch and you can't take food out of the room. So by the time we get through the line we have less than 10 minutes to eat. I can't eat that fast. So tomorrow we are going to talk to the cafeteria people and arrange for me to take my lunch out so I can chew slowly. Basically our choice is salad or sandwich. Which leaves salad, which means chewing. So hopefully things will work out. Phyl, call and get the puppy!!!! sorry i dont' have much to say, I haven't had dinner, so check back later if I have time!!

Phyl, I love the puppy pictures. Yes it will take some grooming, but that is half the fun. You can learn to groom her yourself, give you something fun to do. Love her/him. Get him/her. Janet, I know. I just get a little crazy about things. I like organization and routine. I feel out of control when I don't have routine and this is definitely NOT routine. I can handle taking things one day at a time, but when I can't figure out when the 'one day' will be is when I go crazy! Phyl, get Earl some antidepressants, call his doc and explain his symptoms and your concerns. That way it is the doc who recommends them. Is it because you are back in Washington? Does the lack of sun affect him. It sounds like it. Take him to a tanning bed. Then tell him, to get the hell on some meds because he is making your life miserable and you didn't sign up for miserable. Also remind him that you are an adult and should be treated with respect and love. Remind him that you love him and that quite frankly you miss the funny guy you married. Then finish it with a 'man up', 'grow up' and that you don't have to deal with his crap, you are his wife, NOT his punching bags for his bad mood. Okay, sorry if I offended anyone. TTFN

Candice, do you think God has only so much 'time' to listen and answer prayers? Remember He has infinite power and can answer as many prayers as there are prayers. Your are not any less important than someone who needs food or is fighting a disease. Our obsession is a disease. I hope to find a way to go on the trip. I just am feeling overwhelmed. I wish I could have some help. I need to find some organization and I need a sanctuary. Everything is filthy and disorganized. My yard is a mess, my house is evern a bigger mess. I don't have time to spend with the dogs. I feel like I am drownding. My dream would be to have a week to organize and complete everything. I need to build the deck, shampoo carpets, unpack, find my stuff, plant pots, build the pond, put in the french doors, paint, wash windows. I could go on forever. somewhere I have to fill out my master's application. Food, I'm living on yogurt and kashi. i get home from class or work and work in the yard until 8 pm then come in and take a shower, eat dinner, do laundry. Simon needs shaved. Would anyone like to have a week long vacation at my house? We have a storm rolling in. Phyl, take care of you, get a dog.

Candice, I'm hoping to find away. I need to sit down with my finances and figure things out. I'm just giving you all a headsup about what might happen. I will talk to Elyse about the furries, but part of me worries that she will drop the ball and the furries will be forgotten. She is a person I dont' even know anymore. She called yesterday and I had a hard time talking with her. I guess I have some anger I need to work through. I do want her to have a live, but I can't agree with the way she is living it. She is spending every waking moment at the guys house, or should I say mother's house, since he doesn't have a job and lives at home at 30! anyway, sorry, I digress. I'll let you all know as soon as I can sit down and figure it out. Well need to get busy, I have to be out of here before too long. I need to allow extra time since I will be driving in rush hour. Love you all, TTFN

Candice, yep it is masters stuff for 2 weeks. Busy at work today and the boss asked me to work next Sat & Sun, so I'll have 14 days until time to work on the yard. I finally acknowledged that I wasn't going to get my flower beds built yet, so I repotted all my perenials into 1 gal pots. That is easier to keep then moist. I just don't know how I can get everything done. However I just discovered I spent to much $$ on pond stuff that now I can't afford the liner for the darn pond. AND I may have to bail on July. Somehow I managed to spend almost $1000 on plants, pond stuff and odds and ends for the fence. Crap. I will have to sit down and look at the budget this week and let you all know. It will cost me almost $200 to board the furries and then miss 6 days of work. I messed up. I'm tired, sore, and just got to sit down. I have no clean clothes, the cat box needs changed, the dogs need their nails trimmed and aaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuuuuhgggggggg. I'm feeling overwhelmed. I guess I need to prioritize and realize I can't get it all done right now. Well, I need some food. We where so busy at work that I didn't get a chance for lunch. TTFN

Phyl what a sweet photo!! Love it! Quiet night, I didn't get home until after 7 pm and then had to wash the pond gunk off, so it was 8 pm before I sat down. Slept well. A little stiff in my scrubbing arm. Overall a productive day! It was gorgeous here yesterday as well. The first day in several weeks that it didn't rain. Very usual for us, but that is El Nino. Work today, then who knows. I'll need to come home and do some laundry for class tomorrow. Hope I still have a brain intact after tomorrow. The class will be pretty intense, 4 semester credits in 2 weeks, killer. food was good for the most part, I did have a candy bar for lunch, I know, not a good choice. dinner was Kashi and yogurt, then some watermelon. I tried some chicken but stuck. I don't know why I think I can eat chicken, but it is my prefered meat, mainly because it is so easy to prepare. I hope to find my kitchen and BBQ to cook up a little steak. Soon. Other than that not much going on, I have a boring life. TTFN

Didn't get the fence done, 3 of the panels came broken, plus we ran out of time. I'll take some pictures when it is done. Went in and cleaned my friends 2 ponds, took 7 hours, so i guess that counts as exercise. She gave me $50 and normally I wouldn't take it, but it is 1/3 of the cost of my pond liner, so I said thank you and explained what I was going to use it for, which pleased her. She is babysitting my koi, one is over 12 inches long. I scratched him when I moved him, so I am hoping he is okay. It will be wonderful to have them back home. I can't tell you all how excited I am about my yard, it is quickly becoming my sanctuary. My mom said that dad visited last night, she could smell his cigarette smoke. I'm glad he finally stopped by. Mom has been missing him terribly. Well i need to find some dinner. Love you all, tomorrow I'll work, but Ill stop in. TTFN

Janet, sounds like you had fun with the family. I do enjoy a good shopping spree. Phyl, one week down and only one to go. I know if I lost my band that I would gain every ounce back. I do have the healthy eating down better, but portion control is my real issue. That is where the band gives me help. Even then, I still have to watch portions. Today, work on the fence and then go in and then clean a friends ponds. That will take most of the day. Phyl, I'm glad that both you and Earl are enjoying the gym. I never have been fond of sauna's it always make my mouth taste like metal. I know that is the 'impurities' comeing out of the body, but I can't stand that. also I feel like I can't breathe. Nothing much else going on. Candice glad you are home safe and sound. You worked hard, the furries played hard. I'm glad the dremel worked for the furries nails. I have a round sandpaper type attachment that I use, fabulous. Which reminds me, I need to do my own furries nails. I have meant to all week, but just haven't gotten it done. So either today or tomorrow it must be done!!! Well, you all have a good day, I'll check back in this evening! k

Well about half the fence is up and it looks great. We won't get it finished until next weekend. I got a few pots planted in between. I took Junior and Dede (my carpenter) out to dinner. they are the ones that gave me a great deal on my roof. I talked to them about putting french doors in my bedroom that will open up to the deck, yard, & pond. I have the doors, I just need help putting them in AND he said that it would be easy. So depending on the $$, I am going to do that this summer. That way I will have my own little sanctuary! So sitting here drinking a latte. I was able to eat about 1/2 c of food. That felt good to eat some actual food. But I imagine it was high in calories. Phyl, you are doing so good. Keep it up!!! Janet how's the company? Candice I bet it is good to be home. I couldn't stand living where there are big mosquitos or black flies. I hate them. Anything that bites I hate. I plotted out my pond, so that is somewhere on the agenda. But I have to build some dog gates first then the deck. It is slowly coming together!

Janet, I had chicken chow mein with lots of veggies. I have trouble with checken but usually if it has some type of sauce I'm okay. Ended up having a smoothie and some veggie chips. So food yesterday was, blueberries, Kashi & yogurt for BF, 1 tble of almond butter with 2 small crackers, watermelon, smoothie and veggie chips. Yep the veggie chips came after I stuck, so I was feeling sorry for myself. Work on fence today. Back is a little sore after finishing the front flower bed, but it will work out. Had really wierd dreams last night, I do that when I am tired. The whole, "have to find/do something and can't get it done". Geez am I feeling a little overwhelmed. You are braver than I, I am too woosie to change movies even if it is horrid. I am going to go to the new Eclipse movie when it comes out the end of June. My students are way into the series, so this way I will have something to talk about this fall. Phyl where are you? Candice, safe travel home. I did show a coworker the link to lbt. She is really overweight and I shared about my band. She is interested in getting one. So maybe I made a difference in someones life? Mom is having a tough time right now. The daily reality of dad being gone has sunk in and she misses him. He has been in her life since she was 2 years old. I can't imagine knowing someone that long/ We need to go email mom to check in one her, TTFN

Dinner was a bust, I actually cooked and I got stuck after 2 bites. I never ate lunch and was looking forward to dinner. There are times like this that I almost hate the band. I know that is the wrong attitude but it so easy to eat junk after not being able to really eat dinner. Janet, enjoy your family, Phyl you too. I'm going to bed, I'm tired.night

SCHOOLS OUT FOR THE SUMMER!!! Got out of school by 3 pm and came home and finished building a flower bed and then planted it, looks nice!! Then planted my tomatoes. Tomorrow we build the fence and I hope to finish planting my pots. I am helping my quilting friend clean her ponds on Saturday. Work Sunday and then class all next week. Well I'm going to go find some dinner, TTFN

Okay folks, no one on last night??? What do I smell or something? LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!!! YIPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPY