cramerk

Okay, now that I have that out of my system.... Janet, went to eatbetteramerica and already printed out a recipe and we are having it for dinner tonight!! So thanks for the suggestion. Sat in on interviews to replace a teaching position. This time of year is REALLY late and the applicant pool is very shallow. We interviewed 3 people and none of them are very good. It is to the point that we are reinterviewing them tomorrow and hope to choose the one that will do the least amount of damage. At this point, I wish we didn't have to fill the position, because no one is going to do a good job. Oh well. Good news, took my change jar into the bank and cashed in all my coins...$83!!! that will buy some groceries!!! Drained the savings, that will pay the house payment and part of the bills. I will have a small paycheck from the nursery, and a honorarium for working on achievement test questions. that should pay the rest of the bills, so it will just be gas and grocery money to come up with. If I ride my bike to work, I won't need much gas money, so... we are one our way. thanks again for listening to me. Phyl you are a brave woman, I was married to 2 control freaks, and #2 almost sent me to the asylem (sp). That is why I am single and plan on staying that way. Would like a snuggle once in a while, but...okay, sometimes it really sucks. Well need to think about cooking dinner, I'll let you all know how the recipe works.

Phyl, to hell with the lapband doc. You have totally changed your life habits, you will continue to lose, he needs a bitch slap!!!

Kira, I have been an organ donor for a long time. Right now my girls & I are having our bone marrow tested to see if it is a match to an old friends granddaughter who has a rare immune disease. We are hoping that we match. So I am totally with you about organ donation. My kids already know that if useable, they are to donate any parts and then the rest of the old bod is to go a school when I croke. I won't need it any more, and plan on having it toasted. So Candice, I may have to hit your DD up for an urn. Actually, my kids are to take my ashes to Belize and toss them in the coral reef & rainforest. I dream of going there some day, and probably will never afford it, so that is the only way it will happen. You'd think after fencing for 5 hours yesterday I'd drop an ounce, Alas, no way in heck. grrrrrr, I know... it will happen. If the scale doesn't move my Monday, I'm heading back to the fill doc, burn plastic burn! Well, need to go groom up to sit in on interviews at school. I have SO enjoyed my summer and hate to see it go. Yikes, Kira, you will get 2 emails, because the first I forgot to include the address, early alzheimers?

Phyl, 45 YEARS!!! I'm in awe. Janet, sorry about the mix up!! I didn't really realize that Sheba was a kitty. Fortunately, my kitty was a rescue and had already been fixed. She is starting getting up in years. She had some pretty bad infections when she was abandoned by her owners so she probably won't get to an old age. My previous kitty lived to 19, before she had to be put down. Well need to eat some dinner, catchya all later.

Phyl, Sheba, Janet's dog, not one of us...thank Gossh. Well decided to total redo the baby's fence (the dogs) instead of just rewiring. So pounded in 20 posts, that is my 'arm' work out. For those of you who live where you have dirt, not rock, it is a few minutes job, here where we actually have to buy dirt, because it is all rock (old river bed) it takes about 2 hours of pounding the post driver up & down, manual, not disel, then strung a half an acre of fence. Now could I have done this last week when it was 65 degrees, oh hell no, I decided to do it when it is in the upper 90's. Janet, I'm a whimp, I couldn't of handled 110. My new fill doc, just emailed me to see how I doing with my decision to not have a fill, suprised me. Yep Janet, bra's are on the agenda when I get paid. By then maybe I will have lost enough to go to Victoria Secret???, Nah, I need the industrial strength to drag them back up where they belong. Well, I have a bit of a headache from the heat, so I'm going to take a nap. So check in later.

Phyl, I'm so glad the scale is moving for you. AND great job working on those muscles before surgery. All of this will help get you back on your 'feet' ASAP. Unfortunately, my scale has 'stalled out'. But that is typical for me. Lose then stall. It wouldn't bother me a bit, if I wasn't scared that the stall became permenant. Up at 6 am, and the house is squiet!! This doesn't happen very often. I think I have found a short term solution to the financial issues. DD#5 has a nest egg built up, and while it kills me, I am going to borrow some from her. Between DD#4 helping with groceries, and borrowing $300 from DD#5, I should make it until Sept 20. It will leave me with some debt on my credit card, which I hate, but at least we will have all the bills paid, food in the house, and gas in the car. Once I'm done at the nursery, I won't need to drive much except for grocery shopping. I only live about 3 miles from town, so I'll ride my bike. So with God looking over my shoulder, I should make it. Then it will take about 6 months to pay off the credit card & DD#5. But at least I should be able to keep my house!!! That's assuming that my sept 20th raise doesn't put me into a new tax bracket.

Check in before going to bed. Finally got the quilt on the frame and the first part quilted, ran out of thread in the middle of the row, ggrrrr. Denise, I'm sorry about your mom. It's tough. On the bra issue, mine are pretty beat up. I'm wearing ones that are about 3 years old. Let's just say, support is nonexistant. Have to go to school on Wednesday, one of the teachers resigned a few weeks ago, so I am on the interview committee. I don't know why I bother, the powers that be never listen to what the teachers say anyway. Our superintendent is NOT my favorite person, and the feeling is mutual. He ALWAYS starts the new year off with saying how lucky we are to have such quality in the NEW hires. Never does he say, that the 'old' staff is quality. It just bites me in the shorts. Anyway, food good today. Tomorrow I will be stringing fencing so that will count as my 'workout'. Hope it won't be too hot. See you all later.

Candice, love the pics...I almost lost it on the shoe pic. Are they REALLY for sale?

Phyl, excellent job!!!! Every pound will make the surgery easier on your heart and your body. You make me proud!!! Casserolet, I found a much simpler recipe online and I'm going to try it. I'll let you know how it goes. Well, haven't got moving yet, actually got up, had a latte, and then...took a nap, very sad. I was just plain tired. Called the bank who holds my mortgage, I can be late on the Sept. payment without late fees, but then I will have to make up the payment over the next 4 months with a $50 a month late fee. So basically I'd have to come up with an additional $300 every month. Don't really think that is an option. So back to the drawing board. Need to get busy, catch you all later.

Good morning!!! I hope Steph made is safe & sound, of course she will really be roughing it at Canyon Ferry. Great location, food...but she will be working hard long days. Jean and her should get some good training done for the 3-day!! Sitting here drinking a skinny SF Caramel latte. I'm figuring out how to make these things, not as good as Starbucks, but getting close. I want to find out what brand of flavoring they use, the brand I have is good, but not as good as Starbucks. Who knows, maybe they secretly give you full cal syrup and just tell you it is SF. I sense a conspiracy here. Laundry, cleaning, quilting is up for the agenda today. Nope Janet, no walk. Yesterday at work I had to move 12-100+ pound trees and only sat down for 5 min, so I'm counting that. Plus my body is telling me about it. Okay, now the guilt has set in, I'll walk tonight before dinner.

Kari, I just have to say, great job...130 pounds!!! I can relate to the good German Stock! Not only is all german food 'comfort food', our bodies can grab onto every single calorie and squeeze it for all it's worth. Just remember.. (as a prof once told me) we will survive a hard winter, while all those skinny people will starve. Work was good, cals were good, and I finally quit crying over the current financial struggle. I forgot about an $80 auto withdrawl, so now I have $120 to last until Sept 20. So right now Walmart isn't even an option. Oh well. Tried to get more hours at the nursery, but there just isn't enough work for the boss to give them to me. Sorry, I'm feeling a little sorry for myself. Two more weeks before heading back to school.... See you all tomarrow.

Damn, lost my post!! Okay, I wrote it and then forgot to hit 'post'. Janet, I did walk the 3 babies today. Took each of them on a one mile BRISK walk, so a total of three miles. So there...(thanks for the reminder, just giving you grief) Phyl, good luck on the surgery, you'll be dancing a jig before too long. Spent the day finishing the front and back of DD#4 quilt, and then oiling up the quilting machine. It has been so long since I used my frame and machine I had to get the book out. Now, I can't seem to get the rows of the pattern to nest. I'm so dang out of practice. Took me 2 hours just to put a practice piece on the frame and quilt 3 rows and I'm still not happy with it. If I was rich and famous, I'd send it out to have someone quilt it on one of the big quilting machines, but I just need to figure out how to use what I have. Haven't had dinner yet and it is almost 8pm. Had a bowl of cherries and a latte at 5pm. When I was in kalispell, the 'flathead' cherries were ripe. So I stopped right at the 'grove' and got a couple of pounds. I know they aren't the best calorie wise, but we only have flathead cherries for about 2 weeks once a year. yummmm, they were on the tree just hours before they were in my mouth. Have to work tomorrow, then only one Sunday left. The summer is almost gone. I'm trying to figure out how to alter my clothes for work. Right now I have one pair of shorts that fit, one shirt that fits, 3 tank tops, one skirt, and one pair of pants. Now I'm not complaining, it is great to have everything too big, but they are WAY too big and the budget doesn't allow for clothes shopping right now. I am going to go down to a consignment shop that a friend has and take in some of my big clothes and hopefully get enough credit to get some smaller clothes. I'm also inbetween sizes, a 18 is too big, a 16 too small. But hey, 5 months ago I was in a 22 and they were TIGHT. Ladies, I haven't told you all lately how much I appreciate your advise and support. Five months ago I would have never thought I would be grumbling about my clothes being too big. Thank you. Maybe someday, I will feel brave enough to have the kids take a picture and use it for my avatar. NOT, I still have several chins..

Well, I'm not up as early as the rest of you, actually later than I have been. I try to get up at 6 am during the summer to do yard work before it gets to hot. Yesterday we had a 'cool' front move in, we got about 1 inch of rain and I finally turned up the furnace. The furnace on in August???? I'm sitting here drinking a skinny SF carmel latte made from my own machine. These things are getting addicting. Plans for the day...laundry...and quilting!!! Candice, I'm glad you found some fabric, unfortunately I did also, so I burned a little plastic. Normally my card is paid off each month, but not this month. Not good, I do have a bit of an addictive personality. Geez, is that why I have food issues? Janet, glad to know I have someone agreeing with me. Some would say that since I drove all that way, I should have gotten a fill. Who knows, for the moment it was the right decision, tomorrow I may think otherwise, but I will deal with that when the time comes. Linda, I would love a fire pit. My DD#2 has one. But I only really want one to make smores so it is good that I don't have one. You all have a good day. I will be starting the quilting on my daughter's quilt today. It is a simple block and lattice quilt, but it showcases some gorgeous oriental prints. I'm quilting it in a gynko leave pattern. I'll put pics on when it is done. IF I figure out how to do that.

Back from the fill doc. Loved him!!!! I got caught in a horrid rain storm and was late for my appointment. I called the office to give them a heads up, and all they said was to not worry about it and drive safe!! After much talk, the doc and I decided to NOT do a fill. I'm still loosing and keeping my cals around 1000, actually he said anywhere between 1000 & 1200 is good. He said he would gladly give me a small fill, but he didn't know if it would be too much. He said in my case he was 'on the fence' and would do what ever I thought was needed. He said that I have good restriction. I ended up deciding to not have a fill, why mess with what is working. He said if next week I felt I needed a fill, he'd gladly would get me in. Now get this....my charge of the appointment....$00000. To me the appointment was worth it, because now I am officially his patient and can easily converse through email. I really liked him. He also said I'm doing fabulous and loosing more than average. He did suggest that I see a nutritionist to help with food choices. Yep those Route 44 strawberry slushes got a raise eyebrow. I told him I made a conscious decision to have them, and he agreed. But did give me a gentle reminder not to make that decision on a daily basis. He also said that I needed to add a more regular exercise program. Yep, I know that. Okay, I count deep cleaning as a cardio work out. But now that I'm almost done, I need to get it in gear. So whether I made the right decision, who knows. I may regret it next week, but it was a 2 hour drive through some beautiful scenery. Steph, safe travel. Denise, glad you're back. Phyl....hmmm...what is sex???? Haven't had any in 13 years....let me know how it goes. Candice...you will need to get a sign..'if the camper's rockin' you just keep on walkin'. Okay, Montana humor. Kari, thanks for working my farm, I've been too busy to plant/harvest. Karri, have you surfaced from work yet? Janet, you are a beast, I wish I could work out like you. but I will get there. Guess what, I was able to wear a shirt that I bought 3 years ago, and have never been able to because it was too tight.

Steph & Phyl, great job on the weight loss. Job #3 is a conglomerate....'Business manager' of a couple of friends who are teaching in China-basically, take care of mail, bills, taxes, any coorespondance; basketball/volleyball clock & scorebook; alterations & mending, occassional custom sewing job. Last year I made some huge photography blinds out of burlap (think duck blind) for a wildlife photographer. I don't do as much alterations as I use to. I can't handle the stress. I did a lot of wedding/prom alterations, but it terrifies me to be working on someones $1000+ dresses & suits. Head to kalispell at 8:00, I'll let you all know how it goes. Have a good day!!

We made it!!!! I was the 1000th page poster!! Okay little things are excite me.

Candice it is beautiful!!!! You will have so much fun!! Okay, so...we start using the new thread as soon as we hit 1000. Does LBT only go to 1000? If I don't show up, someone better find me so I make the change. Janet, the nursery is slowing down so working more isn't an option right now. I have 3 jobs right now, I don't think I could fit in another without going crazy. I did have some good news. My CPAP machine is finally paid off, so that is $200 I won't be spending. That won't help until the end of Sept. I need to check into how much I have left to pay at Duke Hospital in SC. I have been paying now for almost 8 years, so I think it may be getting down. I am also considering calling my mortgage company and seeing if I could skip a payment, or make a partial payment, or something. It really burns me that people get help with the mortgage who bought a house they couldn't afford and the rest of us who are struggling are SOL! So I'm going to check into that on monday. Elyse and I talked about hitting her dad up for $$$ to pay a 'medical bill'. It bites to even think about it.

Don't you dare come near me with kettle korn, there wouldn't be ANY proceeds because I'd eat the inventory. Hummm...child support...Now I know Michael would be on his best behavior for at least 2 weeks, but I hear that growing boys will eat you out of house & home. so I don't think I would make much of a profit. Just you wait until that little angel in pigtails hits 13...be prepared, girls fight dirty and in your face. More than once I have had to repair slammed door which then broke off the hinges and flew across the hall, naturally after I took it away for a month. Alexa lived with out everything, but a matress...on the floor... more than once. No ANYTHING, including the door to her bedroom and bathroom. I locked myself in my bathroom more than once.

Steph, woooooooooooohoooooooooooooo!!! Well, just calculated my expenses for the next 50 days. I can spend $8 per day. But guess what, I'm not going to stress it!!!

Well I have contacts!! I hope they work, yep I'm doing the Acuview Oasis. They feel okay. Just looked at the check book... My car needed work...kids needed glasses...thought I was on budget, but I guess not...so I have 50 days before a payday and not much money left...hum, can I buy healthy food cheaply???

Ladies, the next page is 1000!!! Been doing well, food wise. Haven't been exercising like I should, I'm enjoying quilting. Here is the biggest shock of them all...for the first time in over 2 years I am finally calm and at peace. Strange, I shouldn't be. I poorer than ever, school is getting ready to start, but here I am...enjoying cooking and quilting in a clean organized house. I went and bought several SF syrups and have started making my own skinny surgar free latte's. I don't even miss my International coffee any more. My children are wondering where is my mother and who is this stranger their living with. Janet, I go to the new fill doc on Friday. Still haven't decided if I will get a fill or not. Breakfast and lunch I can still eat 2 cups of food. Dinner I'm always tighter on and can eat only about a cup. I'm hungry, stomach growl hungry about 2-3 hours after I eat. I think I need a fill, but part of me is saying...hey, things are working, don't mess with it. I'D APPREACIATE ALL YOUR INPUT. So let me know. Did some late night shopping, damn internet. There a BHG quilt & bag magazine that I have been wanting, found it for 1/2 price, $6! Then I had a quilt pattern that I have and found the perfect fabrics for it, also 1/2 price. Candice, check out Quilting Fabrics on SALE - Quilt Fabric - Fat Quarter Shop (Fat Quarter Shop) and Clearance Sale Fabric (Autumn Rose) Both have fabulous sales on everything from charm packs, fabric to patterns. Well have eye appointment today. Hoping to get contacts...don't know if I can tolerate them. Years ago when I tried them, my eyes were to dry and couldn't handle them. I'm hoping that with the newer contacts I might have some luck. But then again, I'm older so I suppose my eyes are dryer. Lost some!!

Denise, I've never been too much into yoyo's, i will use them for applique, but not to make a whole quilt. I do hand piece and quilt baby quilts. Putting lots of circles into smaller circles is just not my idea of fun. Janet all will go well!!! I can't imagine the ultrasound is too fun. Distant, I'm a newbie, but you are in my prayers. My father has lung cancer also. Best case scenario we have about 25 months, but since the chemo & radiation damaged his heart, the time will be less. Dad is in a study for a new treatment, so hopefully he is getting the test drug and that it works. He is 74. Unfortunately my house is small, but I would love to have you out here. But I really would love to go to Vancouver and Victoria Island. I understand it is beautiful.

I probably should get all those female tests, it has been 2 years since I had a mammogram. Last time I had calcium deposits and had to go back for a 2nd test. I don't have a cervix anymore (I know TMI) so the pap isn't as critical, but they still like to test it. I have had treatment for irregular cells. That was fun. But it has been about 5 years since I had a pap. Steph, I hope you unfill went all went well. Half the time I think I am at my 'sweet spot', half the time I am starving, and lately I have been sticking. I figure I am still going to the doc on Friday to establish myself as his patient. I'll visit with him about whether he thinks I need a fill. I know once school starts I will be hungry all the time. Got the quilt room cleaned and organized today. I will not be shopping for a while, I have enough projects and new patterns for the next 10 years. Candice, slap the man. He is being a TOTAL MAN!!! However...if he is good in bed, then keep him. Kari, I am so proud of you, I have a stack of work to do in the next 3 weeks. Tomorrow is the start day.

Oh Candice, I don't know that I could have been restrained. But that is our disposable society. I have a quilt that I have been working on since 1998, I should be able to finish it this year. I also have spent 2 years on hand quilting a whole cloth quilt for DD#1 and should finish it this winter. I use a hoop for hand quilting so it is to hot to work on it in the summer. I wish we could get together to quilt sometime. If you ever consider coming to my part of Montana, my house is yours. We could lock the doors and quilt for a few days, and then their is the fabulous quilt shop in Salt Lake...um and...well I best stop.

Steph, good luck on the unfill. I'm glad you took Michael, let's pray that he will make some better choices. Need to go pond 'diving' this morning to work on my filter system. The algae decided it liked the hot weather so grew at an exponential rate. Then back to cleaning and organizing my quilt room. Need to get it done as I have a couple of quilts to put on the frame and get quilted. Then DD# 5 started a rag time quilt last year and never finished, so I need to get it done for her to take to the dorms. Then Christmas sewing starts. My goal this year is to finish all those UFO's (unfinished objects). Of course I need to make some clothes for school. My teacher friends that are in China brought me some delicious silk back. They are suppose to be for shirts, but I think I will line them and make them into skirts. The silk we get in the US is NOTHING like the real thing. Thank you all for your kind words, I am feeling better. Still down and feeling hopeless, but at least I'm not crying. Have an eye appointment on Thursday, fortunately I have optical insurance. I am hoping to try some contacts. I tried contacts about 7 years ago, but my eye's were too dry, maybe with the newer contacts it won't be such an issue. I'm tired of glasses. Otherwise, I will find some totally fun style and go for the 21st century. Have a good day!