cramerk

Well got an offer on the house, don't get excited, the offer was $20,000 less than my asking price (which is listed at the low end) AND they wanted to pay all closing fees. So it would come down to giving them my house AND paying an additional $5000 for the priviledge. Of course now my realtor is rethinking my asking price and wants me to think about refinancing, but I would have to come up with $550 cash (don't have) and I would pay interest only for 7 years and then have to refinance at a higher rate, probably 10 to 12%. So my payments would increase by about $200 a month. So now I have a migrane, food was good, but tears are only a moment away. I guess I will be living in a 5th wheel on the curb. Got my prayers answer, asked for an offer for the house, I guess God has a sense of humor, unfortunately I don't seem to think to have one.

Good morning, hope you all had a good evening! Will be busy finish up unit tonight, so I won't be in much. Steph, I love the quilts. For the first one, you could always add a nice black border. Make one about 2 inches, then put in a narrow one (1 inch) of the main color if you have enough, and then finish off with another row (3 inches) of black. Or pick up a solid/batik color of the main blocks. A trick to sewing a narrow border is to cut in double width, example if you wanted a narrow border of 1/2 inch (after sewing) cut it 3 inches wide, fold in half and iron (now it is 1 1/2 inches) sew in as usual (do not unfold) and you will end up with a 1/2 inch border after you sew the last black strip on. When you sew really narrow borders like this (1 inch or less) if you don't double fold them, they will distort really easy when you sew them and they end up looking all squiggly. Just a thought. Well best get going. check in tonight.

food good so far: BF: blueberries/yogurt kashi snack: small banana lunch: small bowl of tomatoe basil soup with tortollini Beverages: 2 coffee 1 diet soda (I know, but I rarely have them) 1 large glass of crystal lite 2 coffee 100 cal popcorn 1/2 chicken breast 2 bites of potato 3 baby carrots large glass of crystal lite Still could eat some more got an extention on unit, but it is mainly written and am stopping for tonight. TTFN

Quick break from writing my unit. 2/3rds done!! It isn't great, but it is only a rough draft. food good so far: BF: blueberries/yogurt kashi snack: small banana lunch: small bowl of tomatoe basil soup with tortollini Beverages: 2 coffee 1 diet soda (I know, but I rarely have them) 1 large glass of crystal lite

Phyl, biscotti may not be super sweet, but damn the butter in them will kill you. But I must confess, I make a killer biscotti, hazelnut cranberry. There is 2 1/2 cups of chopped hazelnuts, then my secret ingredient...hazelnut flour, (we won't tell you how much butter). To finish them I dip them in white chocolate and then ground hazelnuts. They are one of my 2 specialties, that and 'black & white' shortbread. The biscotti have more butter than the shortbread. Have to focus and finish my unit today, so probably won't be on much. Today I am back on the 'band' wagon. Weighed this morning and I'm up a pound, but I will blame part of that on the sweatshirt I was wearing. Part of my problem right now is that I don't feel full. I can eat non stop. I don't know if it is the foods I'm eating or if I need a fill. Well, today I'm going to pay attention to whether foods are sliders or solids. If I need a fill, it will have to wait until the house sells, no $$ for a trip to Kalispell or the cost of the fill. So I'll focus on what I can do. Tonights dinner is ham and bean soup, I know it is probably a slider, but I make it with more beans than broth. You all have a good day, TTFN

Finally here, survived the day from hell. I didn't set an alarm because I always get up early. DD#4 comes in and tells me it is 10 am, we have a showing at 11 and haven't done any cleaning after dinner. So run around get it all done and load up the dogs, no makeup, sweats, hair barely combed. Figured I'd just drive around for 45 min, head hom at 12:30 & get a call from the realtor, they haven't even been to the house yet and it will be another 45 minutes. So I figure I can at least go home fix my hair and get the dog's leashes. Just as I'm getting about 2 mi from home, I get another call..."oh we decided to go to your house now", so much for the hair and makeup. Ended up taking the dogs to the kennel with no collars or leashes. Go to get them out of the back of the car, and someone has left a "deposit" and ground it into the car carpet. By this time it is time for the next realtor. So I end up going shopping with no makeup, hair ratty and in grubby clothes, NOT a confidence booster. Ate my way through shopping. I Emailed MY realtor and told him that I didn't appreciate the careless attitude of the realtor's showing the house. He appologized and promised to talk to them, but I know he really just wants me to just be glad I have had showings. I know I need to just accept it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. So on a food note, I'm back on the program, I have FINALLY decided that I am not going to let stress make me fat again.

I need prayers...I am finally getting showings of the house. Had one today and have 2 more tomorrow. The puppies will have to go to the kennel for the day.

Karri, I meant no offense, I am sorry that it came out that way. k

Karri....hire someone to take you into town!! You work, you have your own $$$, NO ONE has the right to tell you no. Yes a relationship is all about compromise, not who wins or looses, but there are times that for sanity you do what you have to do, for survival. But then again, I've been single for 15 years, 16 in March, so what do I know. But on a more realistic note, having had more abdominal surgeries than you can count on BOTH hands...you are at the bottom, you always get there before things start looking up. Anethestizia (sp) can take a long time to move out of your system, months even. Healing....you HAVE to slow down, IMHO you should take some sick leave. Do you want to be able to run your marathon???? Then you better take time now to heal or you won't make it. Yeast infection, air & yogurt, you know the science, sounds strange, but use a blow drier on cool. A doc told me that and it works, yeast needs moisture. Yes you are swollen everywhere, they just ran a 'weed wacker' through your abdomen & chest, fluid buildup is there because it's been disturbed. Food, you can't heal without it. Sleep when you can. IMHO you probably are a little ADHD (more the H than the AD), which means you aren't going to react to sleeping pills the way most people do, so talk to the doc. Drink warm milk and take some calcium, both aid sleep. You have hit bottom, it is okay to rant and rave for awhile. Get it out of your system, make a REALISTIC plan, and FOLLOW it.

Candice, just gorgeous!!

Steph, I really liked Dr. Ortiz and his support group. However, I'm not sure if he does the sleeve. Also, it is a bit like running cattle through a shoot, but I knew that ahead of time and didn't expect or want more. I would find out who WASA went to since she changed to a sleeve. What I liked about Ortiz was his honesty for realistic expectations and the way the took care of all the transportation and hotel. Tijuana didn't bother me, but there were armed police driving around in trucks, but I also didn't stray too far. One afternoon another bander and I went to a 'touristy' mall and I never felt unsafe. But maybe I'm just nieve (sp). Also I was on a mission to get my band, not on a vacation. Regarding the masters, it will depend upon this weekend, if I can get the unit done, I'll continue for right now. If not, I'll bail. I am handling school better, but we will see when I start working at the nursery on weekends in March. Working 7 days a week for 3 months is a killer. I just wish I could slow down. Someday...yeah, when I'm dead! Steph, I had those issues with DD#5. It started in Kindergarten and resulting in her 'flunking' kindergarten. One of the reasons I took the job here was that they had a transitional k-1 program. But there were still a few incidences that she refused to get out of the car. Finally I just left her, and called the teacher and told her where she was (I locked the doors). They sent an aide out and told her to get her butt into class. Was pretty much the last time she refused to get out of the car. Of course then there was the clothing issues, but we will leave that for another time. Going to make a latte, TTFN

Denise, heck I have a sweatshirt on and I'm still shivering!! Darn cold this morning and windy! Sorry to hear about your card. It is scarey when someone steals from you, even if it is just a card #, such an invasion of privacy!! I'm thinking that a 'penny rug' purse would be sweet. I'm going to play around with it and then maybe try to sell some on ebay, who knows. It would be fun to open an internet shop. I'm going to give it some thought anyway. I shouldn't be thinking about crafts, I need to think about the unit that is due on Sunday for my masters. Not even interested in doing it. Right now for 2 cents I would bail on the whole master's thing. I know it is a great opportunity, but it is just eating up my life. Next year will be even crazier with taking multiple classes while teaching. Oh well, suppose I should get it together and straighten up the house before going to work. TTFN

Well, just checked my bank balance...there will not be any wool dye or fabric...it goes to the bank to try to make it until next payday. Actually, to make the rest of the house payment. This sucks....I thought I'd make it this month because I had some extra money. So no wool, no dye, & no groceries until the 20th. grrr

Candice, I love it, aren't men just a hoot! We have been down pouring all day, RAIN. The ground is frozen so everything is turning into a lake. Tonight we are suppose to be 17 degrees, thats.. - 8 for you canoocks. So everything will be a sheet of ice. Maybe it will be so bad that school is closed???? Only in my dreams. However, with my new "don't give a rats -ss" attitude, the day just breezes by. I'm home, showered, (had to spot clean the carpet, one of the puppies had an accident...they ALL are looking innocent), have my new fuzzy pj pants and fuzzy socks on, drinking a latte, and planning on felting some wool. so the evening is sweet!!! Food okay so far, tried the left overs from dinner, but stuck again, so had blueberries, yogurt & Kashi for lunch. Had a little loss of control and had a 100 cal popcorn and a bag of veggie chips. DD#4 was in a panic about possibly loosing her vocational rehab funding for college, so we were scrambling to get things worked out. THEN trying to help her find a CNA class...a;lskdfja;lkdfja;. anyway, lost it, but found control and back on track. I know it is the carb addiction. I have avoided them for so long that since I ate some over break, my body is all puffy again and the mouth and head are craving them. I will be so glad when spring comes and there is fresh fruit!! Well, made $45 play money on the pant alterations, it should go to bills, but damn I'm buying wool dye instead. I'll probably be living in the street before to long, but at least my hands will be busy. If I can't use my sewing machine at least I can do hand work. Steph, tell Rose hi for me. she is a charmer. Also tell her that DD#1 ADORED the aprom that I got from her. Phyl take it easy! Karri, hope you are stitched back up. I have thread and needle if you need it,hehe Yeah Janet, Karri would make me tired just watching her, but hey, she is at least 20+ years younger than I! I'll check in later!! TTFN

Karri, you are stronger than I! I would be horizontal on the couch for 6 weeks. Steph, hope Jeff continues down the weight loss path. I would do the sleeve if I could do it again. I'd like to convert, but will never be able to afford it. Also, it sounds like you had a productive time with Michael. Hope that it is for real and he isn't 'playing the game'. (said with love, but I'm also a pesemist--can't spell either). Okay, new day, new food committment! Wish me luck and strength!

Dinner was a bust.. had pork loin/beans/rice, stuck. I am out of yogurt, so tried a casadeea, stuck, ended up with popcorn and a piece of bread. NOT good choices. So tomorrow is a new day, and I'll make sure that my backup meal is in place if needed.

Phyl, you need to read Montana Sky by Nora Roberts, fabulous, then there is the Sea Swept series, I could go on. I hope to get your pants done this weekend!! Candice here are some website directions for making penny rugs: http://pennyrugsandmore.blogspot.com/2007/12/stitch-3-stack-with-personal-backing-by.html http://pennyrugsandmore.blogspot.com/2009/05/makings-of-penny-rug-by-colleen.html Janet, it is Dharma like the 'India' dharma.

Hey, some of us have to work your know :rolleyes2: Candice, penny rugs are easy! You can buy pre-felted wool, but it is pricey. Basically you cut circles out of felted wool, stack them up, and blanket stitch around them either by hand or machine. Then blanket stitch the stack to a foundation of wool. I will get some website addresses together and post them for you. Because I'm poor, I am going to use old wool clothing. Basically I'll deconstruct the clothing, wash the wool in warm to hot water, then rinse in cold. The temperature change causes it to 'felt'. Then I'm going to play with 'acid' dyes from Dharma to over-dye some of them into the colors i like. Food was good today, not as good as Janet. I stepped on the scale and I am in a holding pattern, I'll take that!!! Now I'm going to move onto loosing again. As many bad choices I made, holding is 'damn' good. AND LUCKY. But it is time to get back into the groove. this time of year is always my 'crawl in a hole' time. So I'm sitting under my full-spectrum light. I just need to make it until March when I start working at the nursery again. Going to go search for the websites, I'll be back! TTFN

Just lost my dang post, grrrrr Oh, If you go to Costa Rica, I'll go as your personal nurse, they have fabulous rainforests!!! Phyl, hope you are feeling better, Candice love the pic, oh and the picture of the quilt! Yesterday, food was good. Finished altering the pants. Then went into town to return DD#5 to the dorms. Stopped at Goodwill, I'm looking for a big dye pot for wool. It has to be either enamel or glass. I got a steal on some wool fabric, $3.95 for 1 1/2 yards!!! I want to make some penny rugs, so have been crusing their clothing looking for good wool to recycle, basically felt and dye. So if any of you have wool skirts, pants, suit jackets, I'm your girl, I'd pay for shipping. For those who don't sew here is a pic of a simple penny rug: So instead of eating, I am tearing apart wool clothing. Naturally today, back at work. It will be fine, I'm going to spend most of it just chatting with students. They all will be too busy socializing and then falling asleep because they have been staying up too late during break and then sleeping in. I did realize that I forgot to go to school and feed the fish, so there will be dead fish to deal with. Not one of my prouder moments.

Candice, I wish it was the hems, I am altering the waist band, trying too make it large. Which means having to add fabric, take out darts, etc., then reassemble. Let's just say I won't be doing it again. There isn't enough $$$ in the world. Janet, I probably was avoiding you all a little because I didn't exercise. I'm not really in a funk, just trying to get my life figured out.

Sorry, I have been trying to complete a sewing order, altering 3 pairs of lined wool pants, bleck! Karri, I have found that what ever school I'm at there are jerks and for some part, administration that I don't agree with. It may just be me, I'm probably not the easiest person to work with. However, I have found that what really matters is whether I am happy & my kids are happy with where we live. Now that may be partially that I have 23+ years teaching and I don't have the spark I use too, but give it some serious thought before you decide to pack & move. IF the community that you are considering has the characteristic that you want, go for it, but if it is only because of the teaching situation, look closely. There are issues where ever you are. food yesterday, okay, no exercise. The alterations are taking more time than I thought. I have to finish them today, and I want to have a little me time. So if all goes well, I hope to get some exercise done today. January: Healthy eating 1/31 Exercise 0/31

Janet & Karri, yep they are excuses...finally checked the video drawer and my workout tape IS there, so today is the day!!!! Healthy food and workout, NO EXCUSES!!! I'm sure part of it is worrying about DD#4, but she is a big girl so I need to let it go. Also break is almost over, but that is something that I MUST let go. I no longer will dread each day, each day is a gift. So here is my signature...... Health Eating 0/31 Exercise 0/31

food not good today...depression eating I guess. DD#4 didn't come home from seeing the boyfriend. Not having met him I worry. Went into town and had coffee with another teacher to get some ideas about how to teach 6th graders. Forgot my phone at home and needed to check to see if DD#5 wanted to come home form the dorms. Because I couldn't remember her number I called DD#4 to get it, she didn't answer. So got home at about 1 pm, evidently DD#5 had been calling since I left to get a ride home, so had to go back into town to pick her up. I just kind of fell into a hole and tried to eat my way out. So I can't even imagine the calories. So all of you need to give me a slap. I need to get back on track. I am weak...and heading back into fat...I know it is left over sugar cravings, but I can't break the carb cycle... I'm fine until evening, well today, I wasn't fine at anytime.

Candice, they are so darn cute!!!

Sorry Janet, I missed you again,... I watched Angels & Demons, pretty good. Went to bed at 10 pm with 4 fur babies. Needless to say, it took a long time to get to sleep, even with my sleeping pills. I haven't had trouble getting to sleep for almost a year. Without the sleeping pills, I was lucky to doze for a couple of hours a night. I couldn't seem to shut off my mind and Simon & Molly have to tussel with each other before settling down. I did spend a good portion of last night evaluating my life. I have prayed for 1) the house to sell soon, and 2) long life, I asked for 50 more years. That is new for me, I never have even considered asking God for more years, I always have had difficulty dealing with the years I have had. So today is a new day AND a new life. The gym...I don't hate it because of young people. I just hate the monotony, boooooring. Also one of my parents work there and I don't feel like I can relax. Sounds like an excuse...and probably is one. I am going to dig through the few video tapes that weren't packed and see if my work out tape is still there. If not, I am going to spend the $$$ and get a new one. I have to get a no impact one. Anyway, you all have a fabulous New Years Day. I have to run into town to pick up a zipper for DD#4's new jacket. Zipper broke when we washed it and the store doesn't have another jacket in the color that she liked, so I am repairing. TTFN