I'm here to help...

[ccbcindy 0]

Thanks for welcome. Hope this goes to the right place.

[ccbcindy 0]

Hello. I hope that means I've made contact!

Thank you.

[phyllser 3]

OK Janet...saw your post. Sounds like you are making a busy weekend for yourself. Have fun at the "street fair" or whatever one wants to call it. I love things like that. Sorry for your tiff with Andrew. Kids cause those, ya know!

Arlene...sorry for your flare-up. Maybe because the weather is going to change????

Laura...thanks for sharing photos of the "happy-faced boys"!

Phyll...hope you are back home and enjoying the family again. If not....watch the crossroads and have a safe trip.

"Street Fair"... everyone calls it COD in the desert.. College of The Desert! That's where they have the street fair. It's huge and I LOVE going there. DH tolerates my trips there, barely!

Had a WONDERFUL time in Three Rivers all weekend at the Jazz Festival! Weather was GREAT until 15 minutes before it ended. Then a cold wind brought a storm front through and within a few hours there was a drastic change including rain that went on for about 36 hours off & on.

We headed out of Three Rivers this morning and drove just under 200 miles to Gilroy CA... garlic capital of the world! I love it here! I don't think I'm going to get to go to the Garlic World store, or to the outlet mall, but I spent the afternoon shopping at the Salvation Army store, Kohl's, Target and others. Found a pair of our "favorite" pants... regularly $15, on a sale rack for $3.47! And got an almost new pair of Lands End cords at the S.A. store, $40 in the catalog, $3.60 at S.A.

Tomorrow we will travel a big 45 miles to Mountain View. OUr oldest son & family live in military housing there, he is a Navy Commander.... but they are in Buffalo visiting my Mom, sisters and other family. But DH's brother also lives there, so we'll park in front of their house for the night. Plan lunch with them tomorrow, but they have a 5 pm commitment, so we'll be on our own in the evening. Maybe I can talk DH in to unhitching the car and taking me to Fry's Electronics! Sorry... I am a "techyGrandma"! Love Fry's!

I think it will take us another week to get home!!

:cool::biggrin::eek:

We travel very slowly! Plan a stop at Gold beach OR to camp next to Sky Valley neighbors who are there for a job with the state campground system. They are videographers/photographers. Then we'll stop at my sister's a little further north but still in OR. Probably be there this weekend. That will put us home Tuesday or Wednesday. My sister's days off are Sunday/Monday, so we'll probably leave there on Tuesday.

DH and I made a big decision yesterday....... I'm not going to do daycare for Mimi anymore for the time being... She will be registered at the daycare starting tomorrow and we will pay for now as DD can't afford it... I hate to do it and will miss my baby, but just think I need the break and if the shots are going to work I will have to take it easy for a while I'm sure... I know that will make you all happy to hear it, but it makes me sad..... I just want to be well again..Talk to you all again soon... Hugs............ Julie

That sounds like a good decision! just read Apples update on your dr visit. Hope you are feeling better SOON!!!

The first two photos are of a bench as you come up the stairs to the kitchen. The other is in our sunporch...a little tough to see the design with the window behind it.

BEAUTIFUL!!

Good morning, I am dreading this morning as I have to go to the dentist. I've never outgrown my fear of the dentist. Today is just a cleaning though, but I am so afraid they'll find a cavity or something. This is also my first DDS appt since my knee surgeries, I had to wait at least 3 mos after to go and I have to take 4 amoxocillin capsules before my appt due to the risk of infecting my knees. That sounds odd to me, but I just downed those 4 pills hope I don't get a crampy stomach or yeast infection now from that much antibiotic. At least it's a beautiful sunny day again here, the weather folk said rain today but so far it's gorgeous out.

I have to take 4 Keflex 1 hour before and 3 hours after every dental appt!! For the rest of my life! I asked about that at my post-op appt during my physician asst part of the visit. He was the one delegated to answer all my questions. He said, "well, it's debatable and not a requirement, but if it was me, or if you were my mother, YES... forever!" So I am doing it! We saw a friend almost lose his replacement to a bad infection 10 years after his surgery. He was on IV meds for a couple of months, but they were able to clear it up without drastic surgery!

I will try to get some Sudoku games going tonight, but on the road, our internet connection is iffy at best! We have it in this park, and we'll have it tomorrow because all of Mountain View has free wi-fi, I think through Google, but not sure. After that... who knows! Depends where we stop. Sometimes there is someone nearby with a satellite system that is unsecured.. then I "borrow" it! LOL

I had 5 pages of stuff to catch up on so please forgive me for not responding to all!! I love you all and enjoyed each and every post!!

[Apples2 19]

Good to hear from you, Phyll. I take it when you mentioned the "favorite" pants, they were the Champion ones. You really got some good deals...a girl after my own heart.

Sounds like you and DH are making the most of your trip home and enjoying yourselves. We miss you around here. When I grow up I am going to have an RV. I am going to make the loop and pick up each one of you guys and we'll all do a road trip....gotta dream!

Have fun on the last leg of your trip, and, watch the crossroads! Love ya, too, Phyll!

[ifyourstomachoffendsyou 1]

IEP meeting this Friday on my grandson David who is entering K-garten next fall. His testing put him in the bordeline to mildly mentally impaired category for both ability and performance. However, autistic children are notoriously difficult to test, especially when young because they don't respond well or focus in on oral questions. His preschool thought he would test much higher. To them he appears to know a lot more and be much higher level than what he tested at. The school seems intent on providing him with a minimum of services no matter what his tests show.

Special education has headed in a direction that seems to mean provide as few services as possible and let the kids sink or swim in the regular classroom.

I went for all day training in something called interactive metronome last Saturday. It's supposed to be very effective for autistic children as well as all kinds of other disabilites. The equipment is very expensive and I've been beating my brains out trying to think how I can use it to help David. We have to share the equipment amongst several private schools. Unfortunately, David won't be attending one of these schools, too expensive, so he won't be able to get it free unless I can take it to him, maybe this summer. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to teach summer school the month of June because funding came in for it. I have a number of parents who inquired about private tutoring with me this summer also. Plus I promised my sister that this summer I'd try to work with her daughter who has seizure disorder and accompanying learning problems. The IM training would also help her. She does go to one of our group of schools and would qualify for free training but nobody at her school has yet been trained in it.

Anyway, the logistics of it all kept me awake most of the night last night. I'm going to the IEP meeting with my daughter. My daughter also works for a law firm part time and is not afraid to threaten the school system with a law suit. In addition, the preschool teacher has been secretly working with her to pre-explain the test results and to put together her requests (demands) for maximum support for David. Unfortunately, they're simply unable to provide the kind of intensive intervention that's most effective, especially at David's age. The younger the child, the more plastic the brain, the easier the remediation. If school systems poured more dollars into pre-school and early grammar school remediation, especially brain re-training like IM, followed by intensive multi-sensory phonics and math instruction, the cost later on would be so much less--to the educational system and to society as a whole.

That's why so many parents end up home-schooling these children. Our public school system is broken. It's sad that a collection of private Christian schools, where the teacher's are paid way less and the costs are way less per student than the public schools, is purchasing and providing the most research based proven technology and training currently available and is willing to provide it free of charge to its students, while the public schools spend money to find ways to refuse services to their kids.

Hopefully I'll sleep well tonight. Needed to get this off my chest.

Cheri

[IndioGirl55 32]

Great - Nope work isn't going to get any better til they hire someone - and the other lady (Ann) who's Van's other Acct Mgr broke her wrist and had surgery today - she should be back in on the 20th - I don't have to do all her work - (couldn't anyway) but have had to do extra already- the problem is Ann is 70 something - and she only works part time - he (van) really needs his own full time acct mgr - but I don't know if Ann will ever fully retire - her dh just passed away a month ago..

Yep I heard that anyone who has joint replacement has to do the antibiotic prior to dental visits..

My 1st real bad dentist was when I was in my 20's he started drilling before tooth was numb then yelled at me for jumping - found a new dentist a Romania doc - loved him he called Novocain joy juice and he would give me as many shots as I needed... Then he retired - found my current dentist - whom i LOVE - They asked what I was afaird of - told them the drill and hitting a nerve that wasn't numb - they give me gas anytime they drill or do a root canal - dont' need it for cleanings - but I love my dentist & his assistant Nancy !!! I still don't like the dentist - but do take better care of them (teeth) now - that's one reason I wouldn't do implants - to many trips to the dentist - I love him but still don't like dentist period.

Charlene - Girl I know you know this - anytime you 1st start a weight loss program - you lose fast - but then it slows.. 2 lbs in what a week or even 2 that's great - Come on now be positive !!! You are doing this you are working on your issues - give yourself credit...

Apples - Like I said this is why I don't get implants - plus I know a couple pple who have them - Paul my main boss had some problems but is ok now - and a lady who wishes she didn't --

Cindy - Welcome !!!!! Congrats on your date !!! You are in the right place for mentors !!!

Okay all you chocolate lovers here's the bean brownies:

1 can black Beans

1/2 C. unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 C. egg beaters

2 T. Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup

10 T. Splenda Granulated

2 T. fat free sour cream or Greek Yogurt (plain)

1 T. melted butter

1 t. vanilla

Rinse and drain black beans. Place in food processor. Add all other ingredients, blend until smooth. Spray an 8x8 square pan and pour mixture into pan. Bake at 350 about 25 mins. or until toothpick come out clean.

Refrigerate. Each brownie: 53 calories, 1.5 grams fat.

They aren't bad, really. I like them best cold, kinda fudgy, not really "cake like" but not bad.

I also think the Special K Pretzel bars (2.5 grams fat, 90 calories) are tasty for a chocolate fix. I also like Rice Krispie treats with chocolate drizzle (2.5 grams fat, 90 calories) once in awhile help me also. I think the worst thing to do is deprive ourselves completely - afterall this is lifestyle change and we can't live forever without some treats. Moderation ladies, moderation.

I can join the "I had a horrible dentist as a kid too" club. I don't understand why they were so mean in the 50s.

Janet, thanks for asking, have one of my flexies on right now -- love it, very comfy -- I have the one on that just looks like a tank top. May send the corset one back - not sure I really need that -- would be good under a dress but wear so few dresses. Still thinking about it.

Julie, hope it all went well and you get some relief. Thinking of you today.

Laura, so proud of you for exercising!!!! Keep it up. I know it's hard with your busy life and having a young one at home makes it more difficult so I do give you a lot of credit for making it there! I get to the gym every day about 5:30 a.m. - work out until 7:45 or so -- do the recumbant bike, treadmill, eliptical and then some weight lifting machines. I'd never go if I waited until after work. I'm definitely a morning person. I notice my knees have been sore since I started at the gym but I think it will pass (I certainly hope).

Well, I'll cbl -- not much else to report and need to get back to work.

Linda

Linda - I don't have the tank top one from flexxie - have one like that from qvc - I wore the corresst (flexi) one today - w/pants - I love it - it really holds me in - and the one piece ones do to.. and I love the way the support the boobs !!!!

I love brownies - use to be one of my fav things to pig out on - I love the fudgy - So I won't be making them - cuz I would eat the whole thing 53 cal x # of servings ????

WTG on the gym - you most likely are working muscles around knees that you didn't before - but be carefull..

Cladamdj - 16 lbs WTG - Yep mushie taste so good after all those liquids... If you read my post - I am a firm believer in exercise - it goes hand in hand with our new healthy livestyle..

Apples

Thanks for the update on Julie - Ya I'm a little beat myself tonite - phone rang 3 times last night 2:20 a.m. 2:24 a.m 4:55 a.m - Andrew will be having a little talking to - I know when this friend called the other night late - we both picked up the phone at the same time - he told the kid - you are calling my home and my GM is going to be pissed.. I know he tells his friends to call his cell but I guess this one hasn't gotten the message - well after last night I'm about to call and cuss him out..

Joyce - don't you love the gas - I love it - I suck it up !!!

Hugs on a terrible sd

Ok Great & Melissa - I must have missed this last night - cuz I skipped a page - just didn't have time

Oh very in lightening - not your fault - Well at least you realize it.. So Great what does your dh say when you ask him not to bring stuff home..

Melissa - what did your dh say..

I guess I am lucky - Andrew puts it up if I ask - and since I have CRS - if I don't see it I will forget about it 95% of the time - a couple of times - I remembered - or went in his room and saw it (candy cupcakes whatever it is) and said oh I forgot about that - then maybe that night I may remember or not - it depends.. and he doen't eat a lot of sweets.. he goes thru spurts - heck there are gramham crackers and pop tarts in the pantry right now - along with ginger snaps - none my fav so it doesn't bother me - now if a reese pb candy or anything white choc - it would be gone...

Phyl another week - Enjoy... Wtg on the shopping.. I saw those bangdini's you were talking about - at the street fair on sunday..

We had a little rain yesterday - today's mid 70's tomorrow back to the 80's..

I can wear my new qvc pedel pushers that came yesterday tomorrow ;0)

I am a little ticked about my contacts - doc said they don't make perfect ones - your eyesight isn't going to be 20/20

I can read price tags so it's not too bad - where as before I couldn't read anything without glasses on - like right now I can read the computer here at home ok but I have a bigger screen - but tiny print isn't so easy - can read the cell phone - so we will see what happens when I go back on Friday.. All in all right now pretty liveable - and I have the freedom of not having readers on the tip of my nose.. So we will see..

Well - picked up taxes - was in for a big shock owe $1000 - I have sent accountant email asking why - cuz nothing is diff - if it wasn't for the ranches (this is where the extra $$$ is due I think) I would do my own taxes - but I don't know the 1st thing about K1 and deprecation - so I have to pay - This yr they showed income where as last yr they didn't and we have the same income each year..

Because of this I came straight home and pulled out last yr's taxes to see what the diff was - I forgot I needed to go by the store cuz I didn't take anything out - oh ya I did but it was for andrew - and since I wasn't going to the gym tonite - 137.5 this a.m. - Well I am undressed now - so I guess I will just have to figure something out - got shrimp -

After picking up taxes I had Frozen yogurt for lunch (ff/sf) 300 cal - and it was good..

Well started this an hour ago - so who know who's posted since - will cbl going to go see what I can eat

[ladykcusa 1]

Welcome to Cindy.

Hugs to Julie - even tho she is not on reading now - thanks to Karen for her update.

Linda - come on down to KC & we'll go for a ride.

Karen - I'm really waiting for the RV road trip. All banded girls - would be a blast.

Seriously - thought I read some where that there are conventions for banders.

Janet - nice to have you back. You are one busy lady.

Time for bed.

[phyllser 3]

Well - picked up taxes - was in for a big shock owe $1000 - I have sent accountant email asking why - cuz nothing is diff - if it wasn't for the ranches (this is where the extra $$$ is due I think) I would do my own taxes - but I don't know the 1st thing about K1 and deprecation - so I have to pay - This yr they showed income where as last yr they didn't and we have the same income each year.. Because of this I came straight home and pulled out last yr's taxes to see what the diff was -

I think Earl said it was because Obama canceled Bush's tax cuts. Same thing happened to us. Nothing changed. Last year we got back over $1500. This year we got $289~!!!

 

[LittleOleMeinFL 1]

Good morning guys~

Fly by this morning. scale is one pound down today (was on liquids all day yesterday). Going to the gym. Day 3/3. Don't feel like it, but I am going to drag this butt.

Not sure if I told you guys that since my dad got his kidney tube out (nephrostomy) that he is able to go in the water!!! It's hard for him to get in and out of the bath right now (too weak). But he has a small indoor exercise pool that's heated. He's been in twice this week!! And to hear the excitement in his voice- just melted my heart. He just finished the 2nd dose of round 5 of chemo. one more dose for this round... then a week off, and then just 3 more doses! (sounds easy, but I know it's really really hard).

Peasout..Laura

[IndioGirl55 32]

Good Morning Gang...

Laura glad to hear that Dad is excited about something - it's good for him... WTG on going to the gym - I have gym tonite.

Phyl - I think the problem has to do w/income from the ranches - emailed accountant and he is looking into it - but still gotta mail off $$ today - they need to explain why a dead person has to pay $2000 and then estimated taxes too.. Something just aint' right..

Joyce - I do ck in most days - just not every hour on the hour like I use to :0) can't stay away from my girls for too long :0)

Well time to jump in the shower - didn't sleep well again last night - don't know what's up w/that - I can be dead and still not sleep or keep waking up - but this too shall pass.. Need to figure out what I am going to wear..

cbl

[ocotillo 0]

Morning, just another fly by.

Thanks for the update on Julie...keeping my fingers crossed for her.

I love my dentist and the staff, hate going to the dentist too....it's not pain free no matter what and I hate that drill. However, I want to keep my teeth as long as possible so it's off to the dentist I go 3 times a year for cleaning and rarely for anything else.

Okay, gotta meet a customer this morning. CBL

Eva

[Great2BThin 5]

Good morning, I am ready to leave for the hospital. Today is going to be my last day volunteering. I figure my upcoming move is good reason to quit even though I am still here, things have gotten so crazy. Plus, lately it's just been difficult. I am not receiving clear direction as to what they want me to do, I get real vague projects and frankly I don't feel they are things a volunteer should do, she's offered pay for me to do some work yet I never see the pay and the biggest thing that upset me was I used to get free fill etc. for my volunteer work. Well now since my dr is no longer private practice but was bought out by the hospital they no longer do that either. Weird you'd think now they would as it's the hospital I volunteer for. Free fills was never the reason I started volunteering, I found out that perk afterwards but it was a nice perk. So I just think it's time I take a break, maybe when I get to UT I will find a place to volunteer. DH is gone so much on Wed. too and I like to go with him sometimes and now I have to cancel at the hospital to go. He's in UT today and I'd have loved to go with and maybe look around at homes, etc. But there will be plenty of opportunities he goes there often as that is where his new office will be.

Taxes, I am afraid it's going to get way worse before it gets better. I saw something just yesterday on the news that Americans are bringing home 3 or 4% less of their incomes due to higher taxes in the past year add that to the bad economy and our money just isn't going far enough these days. We did get a refund this year but not as much as last year and not much changed.

Laura, glad your dad is feeling positive about something. They must have quite the home to have an indoor exercise pool. That would be so neat!

[Apples2 19]

Good Morning Everone...in full spring mode here. Lots of action and extra for lunch today due to grain hauling (my favorite guys, so I happily feed them). Country style ribs on the grill, homegrown sweet corn from freezer, agrautin potatoes, homemade corn/bacon bread and a dessert tray that consists of strawberry/applesauce cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, white chocolate drizzled dark choc brownies and Peanut Butter Cookies with macadamia nuts and white chocolate. Don't mean to make anyone's mouth water....just had to share what I've been up to this morning. I just love days like this.

Got all my books in place for the new business year yesterday, tax payment checks ready to put in the mail and all bills paid up to date. Spring cleaning is 99% done and life is good (except for paying the damned taxes). Makes me feel like I need to go find a paper bag to breath in.

Nice sunny day...mild wind compared to yesterday. That's what we get on the prairie. I should go out and snap a couple of photos of our landscape. I swear we can see to the east AND the west coast from our place...it's so flat.

I have an afternoon of farm errands to run in town and then going to try and get together with one of my girlfriends for coffee. She is having troubles with her partner. I listen and am tired of telling her to dump his A$$. She needs to figure that out and make the first step to get out of that situation. Once a cheater, always a cheater.

Janet...hope that tax payment is just a mistake. And, there's just something not right about taxing the dead. Hope it works in your favor.

Great...your volunteer job at your hospital sounded like mine. I was working in medical records. Had to do the few days of classes on confidentiality, etc. But, what they were giving me to do was a little iffy for a volunteer. Don't get me wrong, I would rather be super busy when I volunteer, but just was dealing with some things that only employees should be seeing. IMHO. Anyway, they would just throw a pile with no instructions so I would have to find out who to chase down and go through many channels until I got the answer and by that time I was done for the day. I do love volunteering but have not had time (or made the effort) since last fall. I am thinking of calling our woman's advocacy group to see if they need someone for a day a week. We live in a rural community and really difficult to come up with ideas for volunteer work. I ususally pick a assisted living home or retirement home and take a few trays of baked goods once a month and call that my volunteer work. I also cook meals once a week for our Habitat for Humanity group when they are in the construction stage of the project. I think since I have not worked for more than 10 yrs (off the farm), I need that volunteer stuff to make me feel like I am actually contributing to something in our community. And, I could certainly do more...just don't have enough ideas on where to do it.

Have not hit the shower yet so better get a move on. You all have a great day!

[Apples2 19]

:biggrin:First photo...Janet's home off to the west

Second photo...Eva's cement project is that pin dot in the distance

Third photo...Linda's place

Fourth photo....the other pin dot in the distance is Phyll and Earl's RV toodling down the interstate

[Mrs. Bubba 0]

Hi, it's me..... I seem to be doing okay this morning.... I'm not venturing very far in the positive direction just yet as they said it takes 24 to 48 hours for it to kick in and sometimes not for a week.... I had a rough night last night, but then did get to sleep about 2:00 and slept till 9:00.... That was much needed as no sleep the night before.... The procedure was simple so no problems there..... Now just to wait and see and take it very easy for awhile... thanks for all your prayers and concerns... and thanks to Apples for letting you know I was okay... I was just "dead" to the world when we got home yesterday and couldn't handle the computer...

I'm gonna quit for now.... I read all the posts and would love to comment, but feel the need to rest a bit.. I wish everyone a safe, happy day.... Hugs to all.... Julie