ocotillo

I'm going to make mushroom soup today to use up the portabellas I have. Yum....

Apples, you are welcome to change your booking this year too. We are accommodating. Glad youngest DS is getting his head together a little and settling down. Some people are just restless and they never settle in one place like we have. Kelly, you dog is so cute. I love the upside down picture. I love it when my animals do the same thing. The cat likes to hang out spread eagle in the sun this time of year. I think my dog is getting a little too old and stiff to do much of that, but she does it when she jumps on the bed with DH and he rubs her tummy. Arlene, so try eating jerky....little bits of it instead of the carbs. Everytime you want to eat regular carbs, grab a little piece of Jerky and chew on that. It may help satisfy the carb craving. I make my own jerky and it's very dry and has NO sugar. It takes a bit to chew it. We went out for dinner last night with the FNSC gang and went to a Greek restaurant. I was very surprised that almost everyone ordered appetizers and no dinners. We all shared everything and it was great because no one overate. It was nice. I did have a couple of interesting drinks. One was a pomegranate martini...not sweet at all and the 2nd was a dessert...chocolate martini....very sweet, can't do too many of those....of course my DH helped me drink the chocolate martini. DH is taking DSS to Phoenix to do a meet and greet and the tech school there. We are not sure Robbie is ready for college, but we'll see. It's very expensive and a lot of work. I woke up with sore hips and back today. Don't know if it the weather change or what but I'm going to walk later this morning and hope it works itself out. I did take Ibuprofen and am still waiting for it to kick in. So that's all the new that isn't. BBL Eva

Go to post reply (not the quick one) and click on the little paperclip. It will allow you to upload photos. 5 max and there are MB limits, but it shows that when the box opens to do the attachments. So what are you going to show us?

Evening ladies and gent. Getting ready to go out and meet friends tonight. Spent the day working on updating and cleaning out computer files. UG. My contacts list is sadly neglected. I also backed up all my stuff on an external hard drive. You know, this stuff takes a long time to do. Hope you all have a great night. Eva

Janet....yes, we control our choices....not always easy is it? And yes, I get bored with food. There are days I can't figure out what I want to eat and I'm bored with everything. I have to say, being home and staying relaxed (as in not being stressed by anything) is certainly helping some of my food issues. I'm not always making the best choices, but I certainly am not snacking all day and not eating everything but the kitchen sink. This is a breakthrough for me. Chris, I've thought about doing that 3 day cancer walk too. That is a great goal for next year. Good for you. I take my dog too, but only every other time. She is 11 and I don't want her in pain, but she is building up some muscles too. Arlene, the walking helps with everything, but it truly doesn't burn that many calories. The only thing that burns a lot of calories, is high intensity aerobics and for some of us, that isn't recommendable (arthritis, impact, etc.) Just keep walking lady....you'll make it. Julie, I hate seeing you so miserable. Good luck with the next doctor....I really hope they don't find anything too serious, rheumatoid arthritis is a terrible condition. Jessica, it's so good to hear from you. You are still losing weight and doing well at school. I'm so proud of you. You won't drop out and by the time you graduate, your self esteem will have improved just by having this accomplishment. Completing something as big as this is a great boost to your self. Kelly, really liked your little ditty. You are so up-beat, it's nice to read your posts...especially since they are large enough. Cheri, sounds like your week is winding down. Do you have plans for the weekend or are you just relaxing. Sorry about the gas issues....I belch a lot but not so much from the other side...just mornings after I take the Fiber. Your chemistry is just making you produce gas with everything. Lori, I guess I'm not the shopper....I can't stand to be in the crowds on black Friday. Have fun doing your Christmas decorating. I can't do that either until after Thanksgiving. The tortoises could care less if I was around or not...just feed them and they do their own thing. Now the dog on the other hand is one happy old girl. She gets to go outside a lot more and goes on walks. The cat....well, she is a cat, so who knows. Phyl, the surgery is scary and especially if it's going to make you more unstable? Yuck. So why don't you step in and fill in for the Red Hats. I bet you would do great as a pinch hitter. Have fun in Water aerobics! Yesterday was a busy day for me...had shopping and errands to do then Ron came over and we had work. Ron is the person I got the new job from or through is a better term. He's the one providing the info that needs to go in the spreadsheets. He still doesn't have everything together, but we went over a few things and I did get some hours yesterday and have a little bit to do today. The library was closed yesterday, so I went this morning and pickup 8 more audio books for the road. 4,000 miles will require a lot of audio books. I bet I'll be sick of the trip by the time it's over, but I sure am looking forward to it now. Okay, I have to get back to my job. I'll try and check in later. Eva

There's Cheri...we must have been posting at the same time. All that gas was probably making you feel tight. Don't eat that pig...I know you have enough will power to avoid it. Yeah, those days you miss posting, everyone posts a lot and it's hard to catch up. Phil, I stamped the cards and colored, and bleached, and used embossing powder, and glued, etc...but did not draw them. However, we did get a kit at the stamping convention that will allow us to make our own stamps. Which would be very cool if I actually do it. I could even make my own paper if I wanted, I have the stuff to do it. What I like about stamping is I can make something, give it away and make something else. The people that get the cards can throw them away and it does NOT hurt my feelings. They are just cards and it allows me to make more. Okay, back to card making. Later Eva

The tortoises are fine. I brought the hatchlings in last night because it got down to the 40's. Only have two this year, thank goodness. One of them keeps falling on it's back and I've had to rescue him (flip it over). They usually can get themselves back the right way, but if they can't, they die. The two year old tortoise, Egg, is pretty much hibernating, the mom, Delila only comes out if it's around 70 degrees, but dad, Samson, was out today for a while. He comes out and suns himself then goes back to sleep. None of them are eating very much right now so they are ready for a little hibernation. Visited my friend today and did not get to the library. I'll have to go in the morning. Cheri, haven't see you in a couple of days. School really busy? Phil, sorry the hip is bothering you...suspect the weather because mine is twinging too. I never did believe that until things started bothering me right before the weather changed. Weird. BBL Eva

Most of the empanadas around here are of Mexican origin and are pineapple or pumpkin....sweet. The ones we had in Argentina were savory...mostly beef. I won't make them on a regular basis...this was for Friday Night Social Club...which usually has some sort of theme. The potatoes were cut up very small. I never did get putting starch in starch, but that's what the recipe called for. Just planted my lettuce bed with a variety of lettuce and spinach. I have to cover everything with chicken wire to keep the quail and other birds out...so hopefully, I'll have a crop of something here soon. I planted kale in there last week and it's just starting to come up. Had to move the baby tortoises in last night (I have a little terrarium for them) because it got down in the low 40's. Yes, it's cooling off here.

LauraK...empandas, savory. I made meat ones and veggie ones. The meat ones were made with ground beef (I grind it and there is very little fat), onions, green olives, potatoes and then I made a lite veggie gravy to moisten it and put it in basic pie dough like a pasty or a calzone and baked it. The veggie ones were onions, leeks, portabella mushrooms, sherry, and some herbs with the light gravy. We had empanadas in Argentina and I wanted to try and make them. The Argentinian ones were either baked or fried, but I try not to fry things, so it worked pretty well with baking. Thanks Apples, I will stamp a card....or drink more Water. I was somewhat lacking yesterday and will make up for that today. ee

Kelly, I don't know if I said welcome to the thread...but welcome. So are you going to go to school full time next semester? That is so cool. I think I'm going to take a couple of classes but haven't signed up yet. Guess I'll look at that today. You are doing very well with your weight loss. Good job. Eva

Apples, those photos are wonderful. I've been going through photos too and found one of DH from the early years....my he looked so young, oh and so do I. 31 years is quite an accomplishment. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! Hope you have a very special evening. Chris, glad to see Janet didn't scare you off. Hope your shoulder heals quickly. Clearing all the stuff you shouldn't eat out of the house is a tough one, but replace it with healthy band-friendly stuff so you don't feel totally deprived. I think sometimes the thought of "I can't eat that ever again" triggers feelings of loss and frustration which causes over eating (at least for me) so I try to compensate with a substitute like Apples SF Jello. Phyl, sorry I confused Zoey's name with Chloe....brain fart. Yep, it's getting cool finally. Glad the retail therapy has helped a little. A weekly excursion is very helpful. You do need a little time to yourself or with girl friends. I don't know what I'm going to do when DH is home all day every day. Hopefully, that won't happen for a while. Janet, you are inspiring me again. I started food journaling today. I have been ignoring my food issues completely, but it has to start sometime and today is the day. I have kept to my walking schedule and walked yesterday. I'm not doing marathon walking because it hurts my back, but I am walking over 30 minutes and going every other day. I will increase or add other exercise a little at a time. Now, just to get the food under control, I should be good to go. Laura, it's nice your son has the capacity to bring you joy. As far as the bad mood, yeah, spilled coffee, cat PB and litter box issues....I get that. Saturday, when I got home from Phoenix, DH says, "I think your cat PB'd on my bed." Sure enough....yuck...so off come the sheets and mattress pad and into the washer. LauraK, Scottish meatballs, how interesting. I'm going to have to look that recipe up. The empanada's I made had hard boiled eggs in them too...seems to be a trend here. Linda, it's good to hear from you. You do sound too busy. I bet your computer is infected. Try running an anti-spy wear program. There are some free ones that are easy to use and clean out your temporary internet files. Charlene, happy birthday to your DD. Congrats on the 1/2 pound. Those men....you love them, but they can mess up a routine can't they? Great, have a good visit with Grandma. So where does your company fly? You could use all the destinations the airline goes to as your next goal. I'm sure DH would love that! Well I got my office most done. I still need to go through some more drawers and need to reorganize my stamps, but for the most part, everything is cleaned and put away. I like the new arrangement a lot better and I have my "U" shaped desk arrangement again. I've already started making cards again. Need to get started on Christmas ones if I want to get them done in time. They'll probably be pretty simple ones, but they'll be handmade again. Today I have to go to the library and to visit a friend. That is my main goal. Still don't have any work so I'm going to enjoy the free time.

I've been working on my office/stamping room. I still have a long ways to go, but it's getting cleaned and organized. I'm throwing away stuff. Yeah haw..... Hope everyone has a good night. EVa

Apples, how are you going to hide a gun safe until Christmas? It's not like you can slide it under the bed. Have fun in your travels today. Still no work today so far, at least, so I'm going to work on the kitchen, need to clean out the fridge and a couple of things, then start on my office. I'm so sick of this mess. And in between all of this I'm going to stamp. I've got to start on Christmas cards or they won't get done. Great, have fun at the Peabody....ducks? I collect ducks...sort of. I don't have too many and don't want too many, but it was a theme a long time ago. We went as "ducks for President" one year at Halloween. We won the costume contest that year because there were 10 of us with duck bill, duck feet, feathers, and signs saying "Vote for Ducks" I'll post the picture. Janet, one of the FNSC members is an NP and she lived in Haiti and has worked on the relief there. She also just got back from Liberia where she might get a job setting up a nursing program at the hospital in the capital. Her view point of the rest of the world is very interesting. She's actually seen some of the prejudice and discrimination that leads to genocide and the other horrors that occur around the world. Okay....I need to get something done. Later ladies.

Evening ladies.... Sandy, congrats on the 5k run...I'm so happy you beat your record. It does look cold there, but hey running should have helped keep you warm (until you stopped). Julie, it is hard to keep up if you don't post every day. Some days there aren't that many posts, but it seems when I miss a day or so...I've have to read pages and pages and I can't remember everything. Arlene, your table is beautiful. It's nice you can indulge in a non-fattening project for Christmas....decorating will burn calories. Hope your camera come in too. That trip is coming up soon isn't it? Apples, so you are downsizing are you? It's probably a good thing to slowly wean yourself off the massive amount of farming you do. It's pretty cool your son's business is taking off. Decorating after Thanksgiving was our tradition too...but it has sort of slipped over the years. This year it will be when I get back from Ohio around the first of December. I'm looking forward to it this year. Laura, your pictures are wonderful. Glad to hear you had a weekend just for you. We all need it now and then. Jodi, good for you sticking with your food plan. I'm trying to cook more at home and eat just that. Tomorrow I have to do some dividing and freezing for the week. Phyl, I'm sorry to hear you aren't feeling well still. You are one of the most active and happiest people I've met. You can always come back to Tucson and we can do some retail therapy (at least window shop) and our dogs can play with each other. Lori, have fun on your jaunt! I know there are a bunch of other people I just missed, I'm sorry but I can't remember everything. I went to a stamping convention yesterday in Mesa (Phoenix). We left after 7am yesterday morning and I got back around 3, then DH and I went back to Phoenix for an Elton John/Leon Russel concert. The concert was amazing. They played from 8 pm until after 11pm. Elton John is a gracious and very talented musician. I was quite impressed by his performance. Then we returned to Tucson this morning and my sister and her DH (from Phoenix) was in town so we met them for lunch and spent the afternoon visiting. They left and we met some other friends for the pre-party for the all-souls procession. THE ALL SOULS PROCESSION WEEKEND It's a "day of the dead" sort of event and it's pretty cool. I'm just too tired this evening to participate. Maybe next year. So hope you all have a great night! I'm going to go veg for a while. Eva

Apples, glad DS got the job done without the ads. Sandi, so when I go to Chicago again, I guess I'll be looking you up along with Cheri. Cool. Last year we flew into Chicago, rented a car and drove to Wisconsin to the big air show they have at Oshkosh. We spent like two hours in Chicago at the art museum and then left. I'd like to spend a little more time there. Future trips, always fun to anticipate. Doggie stuff done, raked up my little garden and protected my 5" patch of grass so the tortoise won't kill it before it gets started. Now I'm going for a walk...just as soon as the MP3 player is done loading. Need my stories to walk. Later ladies. Eva

Sandy, good luck on your run!! Wow, you should really be proud of yourself. Can't tell you have braces by your pictures. I bet you can't wait to get those off. Don't forget to drink Water during your run and take care of yourself. Apples, I bet it is hard to get good help. The work you do (DH & DS too) is physically very hard and not everyone wants to work that hard. My mom did a lot of physical labor to earn money because she had little education. I didn't not want to follow that path and I suspect it's hard to find people that do. Poor mouth, the chili might be a little too spicy for it...but should be soft enough. Julie, so you are just now starting to use a dough hook? I guess I never make those big batches so I can usually use the dough hook. Sorry you are not feeling well. Janet, glad your sister agreed about water under the bridge....no point in holding on to resentments now. So is your trip before T-day or after? Lori, sounds like you are going to have a fun time in Memphis. My sister and I are going to go to Paducah, KY on our way to OH...it's not very far from Memphis. Depending on time, we might stop there so I can get another state in. I have been very busy with retirement. I do little things everyday and don't get huge things accomplished, but do get many small things done. We have FNSC tonight and I'm making empanadas. They are savory meat or veggie filled pie dough pockets. We ate them frequently in Argentina, so I wanted to try my hand at them. We also had wonderful tomatoes, but I doubt I'll find any of those here. I'm going to go to Whole Foods and see what I can find. The vegetarian version will be made with portabello mushrooms and boiled eggs. My "job" is getting easier. Actually, I don't have anything to do right now because my friend needs to supply some information before I can finish up the packages. He won't be back until maybe Sunday. So no work for me right now which suits me just fine. I connected with my stamping ladies and am getting inspired to do cards again. I'm going with them to Phoenix tomorrow to a stamping convention. DH lent me some money so I can buy stuff. He's a good DH. We are going to Elton John tomorrow night. It was a last minute decision and we got nose bleed seats, but I've never seen him in concert so I'm looking forward to it. I got most of the house cleaned, just need to do the kitchen floor this afternoon. I haven't tackled my bedroom/office/stamping room. It needs it badly, but is so filled with stuff, that it's going to take a week to clean it. If I'm going to go to all that trouble, I think I want to paint also. So this may wait until after Thanksgiving or I'll do a quick cleaning and paint after Christmas. I have to go walk this morning and pick up doggie dodo and finish the laundry so I better get started. I'll try and be better and check in periodically during the day. It's much easier to keep up that way. Later Eva

Finally the catchup.... Cheri...you had me rolling again. I agree, farts are funny but I'm so sorry you suffer with them so badly. I found the inulin information interesting. That's what's in Fiber Choice and why I fart in the morning so much. Larua, hey your busy life is great. You have a wonderful family and you aren't bored. I love your attitude also, it says you are good with yourself and that is absolutely part of the battle. Hey a free night...what will you do with yourself? Jodi, take care of that fill. Don't want you hurting yourself. So did I read you turned down the job or that you didn't get the offer and are good with that? Apples, I had to go back a ways to catch up with the posts and read you had to put your flowers to sleep for the winter....but they need to sleep so they will be beautiful next year. You can have flowers when you get to AZ....something blooms here all year. Sorry about your mouth being really sore. Did you know your mouth is one of the fastest healing parts of your body? By tomorrow it should be doing better. LauraK, sorry you got the crud. Hope you are feeling better. I love yoga when I do it regularly. I'm stiff and all that stretching feels really good. Did I read something about a date? Great, camo with pink eyelets? That baby is going to be the best (or maybe strangest) dressed baby in Denver. I want to go to Memphis. We actually might drive through on our way to Ohio. Depends on some of the other stops. You certainly have me beat for states. I should be able to add a couple more to my list. I'd love it if you can come to Tucson while Apples is here. That would be GREAT!...LOL Arlene, aren't they pushing the Christmas dinner thing a little? I bet your table dressing looks awesome though. Can't wait to see pictures. Your GK's were so cute in their costumes. Are you feeling better with FM? Congrats at winning at bunco. I've never played that and would like to. Melissa, have you started journaling? I need to do that too. I'm just starting the regular walking then I'm going to add one good habit a week until I have this stuff down like clockwork. People are going to be people and although Cheri's suggestion to throw the stuff in the garbage in front of them would probably get the message across, I don't think I could do that either....I'd have to wait until they weren't watching. Then throw the stuff out. I'm getting so much better at that. Julie, loved the wedding pictures and those little girls. I hope they are happy and live a long and joyous life. Turning your sleep patterns around is hard. I like being a night owl, but it's much more productive to be awake during the day. I was up until 12:30 last night and slept until 7 this morning. DH had to make his own coffee....don't you just feel sorry for him....LOL. Janet, I'm glad you are back safe and sound. I hope the visit with your sister helped resolve some of your issues with her. Wish it could be under better circumstances, but it is what it is. Give the dogs a pat from me.... Linda, you must be completely overwhelmed right now too. Hope all is well. Did you take DGD trick or treating? TX, congrats on your progress. It's great to be where you are. Phyl, how are you feeling? I hope that crud runs its course and leaves you alone. The weather should be almost perfect there...it is here. Sorry to anyone I've missed. It's hard to keep up. I've got another project to attend to...be back later. Eva

Hi all, Just a quickie to let you know I'm alive and well. I need to shower then I'll be back and post to everyone. Eva

Busy weekend ladies, My sister (the one in Florida) came in Tuesday and has left today with a moving truck. She is storing some of her stuff in a POD and took some of it with her. So I've been busy all weekend getting her moved out. I think everything is finally calming down, I hope. Cheri, your determination is admirable. Sorry you are having so much trouble with the protien. Congrats on the weight loss however. If I had a child with learning issues, I think I'd love to have you teach them. You care so much, it's admirable. Have fun trick-or-treating! Janet, glad to hear your trip is going well. Take care and we'll type at you when you get back. Arlene, I think the GK's costumes sound so cute. Pictures would be great. Have fun tonight! I've always loved Halloween. I wanted to get married on Halloween, but it was a little too soon for DH. We would have had a Halloween party with the wedding thrown in, but it didn't work that way. Instead we did Mardi Gras in February....still had masks, but got to dress fancy. I'll post one of the wedding pictures. Laura, life with young kids will keep you running. Are you still volunteering as a NP? Glad to hear you'll be able to spend Thanksgiving with your parents. It's great that DH will be able to go with you too. I take it you are flying? Have fun with the Halloween bunch tonight! Chris, walking is your friend. The more you walk, the better you will feel. It improves everything. Glad to hear you are doing so well. How's the shoulder? Apples, you are so together....I'd love to have Christmas done, but it just isn't going to happen early this year. I'm cutting way back and will be doing a little on-line shopping and that's about it. DH and I are buying each other a new HDTV. We've been contributing to "the fund" for a while so this purchase should be painless (except deciding which one to go with). Did you have fun at your Halloween parties? You looked great! Such eye makeup!! Phyl, glad you are feeling better. When do you get the MRI results? So where's the Zoey in her witch's outfit picture? Linda, you doing the Halloween thing tonight with your GD? Little kids are so cute all dressed up. Lori, hope you are having a nice Sunday. DH still crashed out on the couch? Doesn't he ever suffer from jet lag? Where's the next trip? DH wants to go to a little bluegrass festival today. He's out visiting a friend, so we will see when he gets home. I'm avoiding doing anything important today. I did clean my microwave counter and cabinet, so that was something. I'm hosting FNSC next Friday so I will be doing a very thorough house cleaning on Thursday. I really do need to do it and get it all done, then I can just keep it up. House cleaning is not my forte. Okay....off to do some mindless stuff. Eva

Evening ladies, Linda, thank you for the book...I got it today. Can't wait to read it. Glad to hear Merry is doing so well. Those little dogs are amazing. Sandy, did you post a picture of Charlies dressed up? Hey, that's pretty cool about your husband and him starting to save for your future "procedures". Phyl, sorry to hear you are feeling poorly, hope you get better and so what's up with the MRI? You've certainly had your share this year. Tx, congrats on the surgery and hope the shoulder starts feeling better soon. With that going on, you shouldn't be obsessing about the lap band like the rest of us probably did. The weight loss in the beginning is amazing. Enjoy it!! Arlene, sounds like you are doing good with the FM. I'm sure the exercise is helping. It helps in so many ways. You are a good mother to take care of DD and grand kids the way you are. I certainly hope she appreciates you!! Apples, the Halloween pictures of you are too funny. I love them. Enjoy yourself tonight! Joyce, welcome home!! Janet, have a good trip. Julie, glad the "kids" made it back. Hope you get some peace and quiet. I'm doing some computer work (documentation and autoCAD) for a very small company out of Dallas. My friend turned me on to the job. Great, are you back for a little bit from your travels? I just listed all the states I've been to and have 18 more to visit. I should be able to get to a couple of them on my trip to Ohio next month. LauraK, I've seen you post but you aren't saying how you are doing? Still walking miles? Finally making some progress on "the job". I starting to figure some stuff out and I think it's going to be alright. Now I just need to figure out how I'm going to structure my day. I guess it doesn't have to be perfect the first week. I worked 16 hours this week and got 4 autoCAD drawings done plus quite of bit of a workbook done. Still quite a bit more to do, but I'll need my friends help with it because I don't have the right information. Hi Cheri, how are you doing? It's Friday so hopefully you have a good weekend! I just saw a picture I took of you at the Bellagio and you look so good! I'm going to go read that book Linda sent...improve my mind. Have a great night everyone. Eva

Sorry I have been MIA again. I need to get a routine down, but am failing miserably with that right now. I am working at my new job every day off and on, and I'm trying to get some of the stuff done that I want to get done. I had hoped to have some "retirement time" that would let me piddle around doing stuff, but since that isn't the case, I'm just going to have to learn to structure my day. Okay, once I get the hang of how they want these documents....it's going to be easy. I have been doing other stuff like cleaning, laundry, moving rocks (my favorite outside weight bearing work), making limoncello, and now my sister is here and I have to go over there soon. No rest for the wicked I guess. Oh, and I watched TV yesterday....first time since I got back from Argentina. Wow. Okay, just wanted to let you know I'm alive and I'll read posts and check in again later. Eva

Andrew will have to learn not to speed, or he will get tickets...sorry, but I have friends that never learn that lesson and they are always on the verge of losing their license. I wish him the best in his new digs. I retired, I didn't get "laid off" so I don't get to collect unemployment. Sometimes, you get "laid-off" but you still retire and those people do get to collect unemployment. Not me. Also, mine isn't considered early retirement because of my years of service. Pics are so cute. It's amazing how calms these black labs are. Glimmer will just sit and look at me when I put stuff on her too. Good for you. I think I will join you on the Thanksgiving goal. And a pound is a pound, it's just the volume as Janet said. Sandy thanks for starting the accountability thing. I really need that and have been terrible since before vacation. Now I really do need to mind my "p's and q's" and log my food and exercise. Julie, I'm so glad everything went well. Best wishes to the newlyweds!! Take care and enjoy your rest!! So is isoflex oneof the Isopure products? I use ISOPURE Protein drinks. They are tolerable and have 50 grams of protein. Actually I'm out and need to buy some more but at $50 a container, it's a little hard to justify right now. The bouncing you are doing now is normal. You will be just fine! The emotional eating will be something you need to deal with, it doesn't get banded and I have problems with that too. Just try and keep your goals in mind. Good luck on your surgery. Linda, glad to hear DSD is doing a little better. You sound pretty busy lately. Sorry about the colder weather. It's finally beautiful here and I'm inside doing work. Amazing. Lori, are you back now for a while or have you done Hawaii yet? Traveling is exhausting. Even though you are sitting and not doing power walking or anything there is something about flying and driving that sucks the energy out of you. I do have to say, after flying first class, that is a lot easier to take over long hauls than the cramped cattle class. However, I can't afford 1st so I'll be mooing along with everyone else. Phyl, those dogs are smart and they do teach you to react to their behavior. Glimmer has me trained to let her out when she wants....it's not always to potty. Jessica, glad to hear your life is going well. Be proud of your accomplishments, so are doing so well. Hello to everyone else I've missed. I took yesterday off and got caught up with some stuff, like bills and things that didn't get done this weekend because Ron was here showing me this job. Today, I'm working on AutoCAD drawings and will get a couple done. My sister from Florida is coming in today and I'll pick her up from the airport at 1pm. She's coming to clear out her house so she can put it up for rent. I wish her luck because she won't be getting a lot of help from me and Tracy. We are both working on stuff and sort of busy. I'm getting some new software for the computer, need to upgrade a couple of programs for the new job, so I'm waiting on that and I figure by the end of next week, I should be up and running full tilt. This is so cool. Apples, you said you want to work somewhere else, I get that, but I've worked somewhere else for 34 years so working from home is a dream. See the grass is always greener..... Okay, back to work for a while. Eva

Hi, I've been working....yes, I've been job offered and am employed again, as a contractor, but still I will get paid for doing work. Wow, I can't believe this happened so fast. I barely had two days free (after vacation). Now I have a bunch of new stuff to learn. BUT, the best part, is I can work from home. YIPEE. I'm going to go read a book or listen to an audio book or watch TV or something because tomorrow, I'll be doing AutoCAD drawings. Later....hope everyone is having a great Sunday. EVa

Laura, I'm glad DH is home safe and sound. Also glad to hear the trip went well regarding his mother. It's important you resolve those issues at some point. He looks very happy to be home. I've heard of that internet CC program before, really does sound like a good idea. Cheri, hope you are getting that much needed rest and enjoy your weekend. Plant room almost done....I knocked over a bromeliad and spilled Water all over so I'm waiting for that to dry before finishing that up. I think I'm employed again. I got another email today that said my friend is available after 1 to start working on one of his site surveys. If this works out, it might be just the thing I need to stay busy and earn some extra money. I'll let you know as the events unfold. Later, Eva

Janet, shopping for apt stuff can be fun. They have so many cute things out there these days. I'm glad you did the survey and let them know they weren't up to snuff. So I'm working on my plant room (3 skylights and a 8' sliding glass door on the north side of the house) I have most of my house plants in there. Plants are messy just like pets. The problem is, when I clean I take everything apart and clean it....it takes me a while. I'm actually cleaning plant leaves too. I have a 30+ year old ficus and I gave it a haircut today. Hope it doesn't mind. I would hate to lose it after all this time. Okay, back to cleaning. ee